Review # 187: "X-Men - Ages of Apocalypse"

Upon reading "Ages of Apocalypse" and "The Search For Cyclops" (also included here,) I have no doubt you will agree that at this time the X-Men franchise needed to be taken out back and shot.

Review # 186: "X-Men - The Twelve"

With the X-Men franchise sagging, "The Twelve" is like a Hail Mary pass. It's presented as the be all/end all story for the villain Apocalypse. Unfortunately, the Hail Mary plunks on the 12 yard line with everyone waiting in the endzone.

Review # 185: "X-Men - The Shattering"

Marvel made what SHOULD have been a good decision when it put Alan Davis in charge of the X-Men in the late 90s. With his quality work on "Excalibur," strong knowledge and dazzling art, along with the company's similar hiring philosophy propelling the "Avengers" to its all-time best run under Kurt Busiek and George Perez, this move should have turned the company's flagship franchise around. Unfortunately, things don't always work out that way as Davis offered up what is arguably the most disappointing story in X-Men history. "The Shattering" is NOT that story, but it sets it up.

Review # 180: "Age of Apocalypse" - Sidestories

These sidestories are collected in an unusual way sequentially. Most of these stories were included in "Age of Apocalypse: The Complete Epic Vol. 1" due to chronology as the majority take place before where AoA truly began, "X-Men Alpha." If the Complete Epic volumes are what you've come across, I recommend reading this after Vol. 2. Even then, I might avoid reading "X-Man '96" before you see Sugar Man for the first time in "Generation Next." That happens towards the end of volume 3. It's optimal to discover the AoA universe as originally presented, then dive into the background before story matters truly escalate.

It should also be noted that all of these are included in the AoA companion omnibus that was released far more recently.

So, let's get to it:

Review # 177: "The Trial of Captain America Omnibus"

Nearly every great comic book creative run has its low points. They may not necessarily be bad, but for every peak there must be a valley.

Review # 163: "Avengers Assemble by Kurt Busiek Vol. 4"

Kurt Busiek's Avengers team has tackled a strong share of world crises. Some external, some internal, some mystical, some technological.

Now... it's time to get cosmic.

Review # 142: "X-Men - Road to Onslaught Vol. 2"

Another volume of X-Men from the Nicieza-Harras-Lobdell (NHL) era during a time I thought they were doing pretty well. It's strange, though, how a collection this thick barely seems to move anything forward.

Review # 130: "X-Men - Days of Future Past"

"Days of Future Past" is one of the greatest X-Men stories ever. The concept of a time-traveler from a bleak future venturing to the past was a fresh idea at the time, as beaten into the ground as it's become now. Still, there's a reason why pop culture keeps going back to it: when done correctly, it works. Look no further than the X-Men film based on this very title.

Review # 73: "Nation X"

"Nation X" has the X-Men in a pretty cool place. Outside of a few exceptions, every mutant hero is now living on one big island made out of what was once Asteroid M. Cyclops, Wolverine, Emma Frost, Storm, Rogue, Gambit, Nightcrawler, Colossus, Professor X, the original New Mutants, the New X-Men and many, many others are now directly interacting.