Review # 165: "X-Men Vignettes"

Nothing beats finding rare collections at a comic convention. My latest trip from my favourite shelves at Ottawa Comiccon turned up two pieces of pure gold for an X-Men superfan like me: volumes one and two of "X-Men Vignettes."

Review # 128: "The Dark Phoenix Saga"

This is a write-up I have been looking forward to since I started this blog. With no reservations I can tell you that "The Dark Phoenix Saga" is my favourite comic book story of all time, one of my favourite stories of all time and my pick as the greatest in the history of its medium.

Review # 63: "Uncanny X-Men - Lovelorn"

Matt Fraction is Marvel's golden boy right now with his acclaimed work on "Hawkeye" and "FF," but things weren't always rosy in the public eye. His run on "Uncanny X-Men" was not the most popular in the world and drove a few people away from the series. Frankly, I don't get the hate. Some criticize Fraction for making "Uncanny X-Men" the "Scott and Emma Show." But, really... who cares? They were the centre not only of the team at the time, but of mutantkind's place in the Marvel Universe. If you wanted Rogue and Gambit, there was "X-Men Legacy." If you wanted Nightcrawler and Colossus, there was "X-Infernus." Um... er... OK, maybe not. I'll get to that next time. If you wanted Wolverine, the man was EVERYWHERE, front-and-centre in his solo series and "X-Force," and it's not like he completely disappears while the X-Men are in San Francisco.

Review # 60: "X-Men Legacy - 'Divided He Stands' and "Sins of the Father'"

Spread across multiple series, the "Divided We Stand" event saw members of the X-Men find themselves. No one had more of themselves to find than Charles Xavier. Shot in the head to conclude the events of "Messiah Complex," Professor X's body was abducted (thanks to Tempo) by the Acolytes. Under the watch of former lover Amelia Voght, first-class asshole Frenzy and New Excalibur tag-along Omega Sentinel, 90s overkill character Exodus attempts to repair what remains of Charles' fractured mind. Things aren't going well until the at-the-time powerless Magneto appears at Xavier's bedside, psychically drawing his old friend and rival out of his coma.