Customer Reviews

Astonishing X-Men, Vol. 4: Unstoppable

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I am going to miss Whedon and Cassaday's run with 'Astonishing X-Men.' During the 1980s and 90s X-men stories got so convoluted it was difficult to follow all the characters, much less explore the complex relationships between them. But Astonishing X-Men, from the very start, solved those problems by focusing on only a few team members: Cyclops, Emma Frost, Kitty Pryde, Colossus, and of course Wolverine. The interactions of these characters, particularly Frost and Pryde are at the heart of the new series, which also features Agent Brand of Sword and a new X-Man, Hisako, aka Armor.

This final story arc from Whedon cannot be read independently of the first three. 'Gifted,' 'Dangerous,' and especially 'Torn' are required pre-reads before tackling this volume. Without revealing any spoilers, the plot involves the X-Men on the Breakworld, the world Colossus, it is prophesied, will destroy. One plot twist follows another every couple of pages, but even careful readers will be surprised at the ending. Both the Breakworld and Earth are saved, but by who and how this review will not say. Suffice to add, Blindfold's vision, at the end of 'Torn' is fulfilled and one of the X-Men will not return. Saddened as I am by the loss, I hope Marvel will not allow another unbelievable "back from the beyond" scenario. Even the greatest (and most sympathetic) of heroes need to rest in peace.

'Astonishing X-Men,' perhaps more than any other series, has captured the essence of the original comic: heroes who, for all their power, are all too human. Marvel, of couse, has made considerable money with 'Astonishing X-Men' from readers like myself who have returned to comics long after I thought I was "over" that phase. The series will, of course, continue under the title 'Astonishing X-Men: Second Stage' with writer Warren Ellis working with artist Simone Bianchi. But these keepers of the flame will have a difficult task on their hands. 'Unstoppable' was as close to perfection as one can get in the comic format. It is hard to see how it can be matched.

"Unstoppable" completes Joss Whedon's memorable stint as Astonishing X-Men's author in suitably epic fashion. In "Gifted" and "Dangerous" we were introduced to a classic X-Men line-up consisting of Cyclops, Wolverine, Emma Frost, Kitty Pryde, Beast, and Colossus. They were out to improve public relations, run the school in Professor Xavier's absence, and maybe save some folk along the way. Then along came Ord, an alien sent to assassinate the prophesied destroyer of his home planet, Breakworld, who just happened to be a member of the X-Men. There was fighting. At this point the Danger Room became self-aware and decided it's new mission was to murder each and every X-man and woman who had enslaved it all these years so she built herself a mechanical body and havoc was wreaked. Then came the Torn arc, which focused on the former White Queen and her reasons for inviting Kitty onto the team in spite of their mutual dislike; all that taking place with an apparent attack by the Hellfire Club as the backdrop. A SHIELD operative, Agent Brand, wound up launching the team into space just as the united villain front of Ord and Danger burst in on the scene and that brings us up to speed. Next stop: Breakworld.

Now, waiting several months in between issues for this story became exhausting and my initial read-through found me tired of this arc. However, re-reading it as a solid narrative proved immensely satisfying. John Cassaday's art is as wonderful to look at as it has been throughout this outstanding addition to a legendary comic property and is worth the cost of admission all by itself. Then there's Joss Whedon; he of the witty turn of phrase, iconic hero moments, one-liners, and impeccable comedic timing. His work here is as amazing as it has been since issue one. I don't know that I've ever read a modern comic with this much love for it's characters. The British haughtiness of Emma Frost, the endearing personality and determination of an all-grown-up Kitty Pryde, the gruffly indifferent attitude of Wolverine; these are characters you will appreciate as much now as ever. Whedon even made me love Cyclops, who I've always found quite boring (how does he get those hot psychics?). Scott Summers has at least two brilliantly heroic and just plain hardcore moments in this arc which he spends the vast majority of sans mutant power, thus proving his worth as team commander even more.

The denizens of the brutal Breakworld are fleshed-out and not treated as simple plot devices. The heroes land in the midst of an attempted coup by those who wish to put an end to the might-equals-right law of the land. As people see with their own eyes the one who is destined to destroy their world, the populace erupts and the separated X-Men have to fight every step of the way, the entire time wondering just what Agent Brand's true agenda is. The end result: the Earth is doomed. Doesn't it always come down to that? The entirety of the Earth's heavy hitters are brought in to avert the threat, but the Fantastic Four, Avengers, remaining X-Men, and even the mighty Sentry are held powerless by an ingenious and unexpected assault. But any true Joss Whedon fanatic knew from the start who it was going to come down to in the end. I saw it coming and still my jaw dropped along with the rest of the Marvel Universe's when the defining seconds -the ones that make true heroes- came. It's a great moment in comic history and as truly epic as they come. Along the way an X-man will find love as another loses it and the team will gain a brand new member and say goodbye to another.

"Unstoppable" is the culmination of several years of wonderful story-telling from two masters of the craft. If you haven't read "Astonishing X-Men" and you claim to enjoy the comic medium, I urge you to click those links in the first paragraph and find out why this series is so talked-about. It's got tons of action, clever humor (even from Colossus!), personal stories for every character (Lockheed included), great new villains, dozens of defining moments, new ways of looking at old characters, and an amazing narrative that continues to escalate until it hits the breaking point. This is what reading comics is all about. "Astonishing X-Men" is a great place to start if you're new to the art form, and a great place to pick up if you've been away for awhile. Buy them all!

Joss Whedon's run on Astonishing X-Men finally comes to an explosive close with Unstoppable, as Cyclops, Wolverine, Emma Frost, Beast, Kitty Pryde, Colossus, the vengeful Ord, and the murderous Danger all find themselves on an intergalactic trip to the Breakworld: a land that Colossus is prophecised to destroy. Stunning revelations are abound, and everything comes together as the TPB races to a stunner conclusion that unites all of the X-Men with nearly every Marvel hero on the planet in an effort to save the world. Marred by shipping delays, these last issues of Whedon and John Cassaday's run on Astonishing X-Men features an ending that will come to no surprise to anyone who has been keeping up with the other X-books (someone doesn't make it back) but this matters little just based on the fact that Whedon's Astonishing X-Men, along with Grant Morrison's prolific run with New X-Men, are the absolute best X-Men stories in a decade plus. The Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Serenity creator provides more snappy and smart dialogue, and Planetary artist John Cassaday provides more spectacular artwork. All in all, X-Men stories rarely get any better than what you'll find here, and here's hoping that maybe one day Whedon and Cassaday will make a return to this title that both of them managed to revitalize.

Joss Whedon's run on Astonishing X-Men wraps up here and its underwhelming. Abigail Brand, Ord, S.W.O.R.D., Danger, and Breakworld are all in play and at times its too much. The different factions of the alien world aren't exactly fleshed out and the Brand/Beast relationship seems forced. Add to that the sacrifice of a long-standing X-Man wasn't needed, in my opinion, and the way it happened was kind off goofy. The art by John Cassaday was once again beautiful. Overall Whedon and Cassaday had a good run but it started off much stronger than it ended. I'll remember it as a decent but not spectacular run.

I both LOVE this book and at the same time, I really don't. Yes, I know, quite schizophrenic, but then again, so is the writing.

I will say some wonderful, wonderful things in this review, because this book deserves it, but before I say anything else, here this: Lower your expectations as regards to a decent ending. Lower them completely.
And now enjoy.

The artist won 3 eisner awards for best artist in a row, so it figures that the artwork is absolutely stunning. But to read this book you HAVE to have read the others, so you already know what you're getting into as regards to art. The art is definitely not the problem here, as it never was.

The writing is also very solid for the most part. Cyclops has been around since the very beginning of the X-Men and yet, it is in this very book that he gets his best moment of the character's entire history. This is where you see how it is he who is commanding the x-men, and why he definitely has outdone his teacher. If anyone is a Cyclops fan, this is a must buy. And if anyone thinks that he is a worthless character, you will see that this is not so much the case now.

There are some great moments here. Cyclops' time to shine is my very favourite, but there are some great scenes from all the characters. And the humour is top notch. I adore the camaraderie between Wolverine and the new recruit Hisako (called Armour, actually the part where she discusses her code name is one of the best humorous parts).

But then there's the end. Sure, it's just one issue, but it's the very last one culminating one of the greatest runs of all time in comics. And it fails to impress. Firstly, not all threads are tied, we still have no clue what came of Cassandra Nova's consciousness, for example. And then it Whedon's inclusion of every single Marvel U hero for the finale. It would be cool, if they actually did something. But it turns out to be quite a useless plot device. If you are a Kitty Pride fan, then you already have this book, because this is Kitty's book, and thus it is her ending. But the fact that the ending relies on just one character when the book is about a team, amplifies my feeling of having been let down. Sure, people dig it, and it's way better to be reading it in trade than as a monthly title where you have two wait 2-3-4 months for the story's continuation.

If you read the earliest ones, then pick this up. If you like Joss, then pick it up. If you like Cassaday..ok you get this message. Just don't look surprised when the end leaves you feeling slightly left down.

I've followed the X-Men for many years now, and managed to read issues going back to the very beginning. I would like to think that Stan Lee and Jack Kirby would feel very proud of the stories that Joss Whedon and John Cassaday have put together. Filled with emotion, drama, and heart, the characters just continue to evolve. In fact, this was the first time that I liked Emma Frost.
In these issues, the X-Men Cyclops, Beast, Kitty Pryde, Collosus, Wolverine, Emma Frost, and a room full of guest stars must learn the secrets of the Break World before the Break World comes after the Earth. It is the cataclysmic climax of the story begun in Astonishing X-Men #1. This volume contains Astonishing X-Men 19-24 and giant-Size Astonishing X-Men #1. Its well worth the money!!

If someone told me a couple of years ago that a X-Men comic would move me to tears, I'd pat them on the shoulder and tell them to lay off the booze. Well, either Joss Whedon is one of the best writers in the field or I'm more sensitive than I thought, because with "Unstoppable," Whedon finishes his redefining run on this title with an epic, action packed, character driven, emotional roller coaster that made me tear up on more than one occasion.

From Buffy The Vampire Slayer, to Firefly, to his Marvel work, Joss Whedon is pretty much my favorite writer of all time. However, it's obvious that his run on Astonishing X-Men has been surprisingly uneven. The first volume was a solid introduction to the main story arc of the series, but the second and third volumes had pretty apparent plot problems and didn't flow nearly as well as the first one. Despite those problems, Joss managed to develop the characters, particularly Kitty Pryde and newcomer Agent Brand, in ways that the X-Men certainly didn't experience under the care of lesser writers, and not enough can ever be said about Whedon's dialogue. But I feared that, like the previous two volumes, Joss would give us a somewhat muddled story with little payoff... but I should have trusted my favorite writer a bit more, because this is a climatic ending that surpasses the highest high point the series had achieved (probably in the latter issues of Volume One: Gifted) by far.

Joss brings the Breakworld saga to a great close, packing it with revelations, huge plot twists, truly heroic moments, and some really heart-wrenching drama. Joss makes up for his missteps in the previous volumes by concluding it in a way that only he could, utilizing John Cassaday's cinematic style to truly make this feel like an experience at the movies. The coloring, the mood, the dialogue... reading this book isn't just a pleasant experience, it's akin to seeing a great movie in the theatre. The book isn't perfect, and there were some loose ends that I wish Joss would have tied up. Instead of including other Marvel super heroes, under magical influence, falsely believing that they're saving the world, that page space would have been better used to tie up the Danger plot line. Emma promised Danger something, and Joss leaves that plot a bit open ended, presumably for the next writer to tackle. However, Joss's series is so self-contained that it really just felt like a long movie, so I'm left wishing he tied that up himself.

With great art all around and even better writing, Joss completely outdoes himself with this book. He doesn't match what he's done before, he completely surpasses it with this truly heroic story with a heartbreaking and utterly shocking, innovative ending that closes some doors but opens so, so many more.

Bravo.

9/10

Whedon's run on is terrific. It's the most fun I've ever had reading the X-Men. I read a lot about the X-Men on the internet so I knew all of the major plot points of all four volumes and knowing the spoilers (including the ending) did nothing to diminish my enjoyment.

In a nutshell:
LOVE Joss Whedon's work on Buffy and Doctor Horrible and nothing else.
His projects that fail suffer from uninteresting villains with no menace. Angel: law firm, Firefly: cowboys in space, Dollhouse: zzzz.

>>>Villain Spoiler Alert<<<

Astonishing X-Men Vol. 4: Unstoppable - frogman-looking alien loser, instantly forgettable; dreadlocked Danger Room AI (and this is the best of the bunch).

AND A DEATH STAR THAT FIRES A GIANT BULLET AT THE EARTH. KITTY PRYDE INSIDE PHASES IT TO PASS CLEAN THROUGH THE EARTH!!

Fail. (Sorry, Joss, but I had to buy the Omnibus only to find out THIS is the Big Bad?! Honestly, The Master, The Mayor, Glory, Adam... any of these Buffy villains would have been better, come on now we know you can do so much better!)

Warning! This review contains SPOILERS! Do NOT read if you want to remain spoiler free! Again, I refer to details of the plot that you should avoid by not reading if you don't want to know what happens in the story.

I have to confess that I underestimated Joss Whedon. I don't often do that. BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER is my all time favorite TV series (along with BATTLESTAR GALACTICA) and I've loved ANGEL and FIREFLY along with other projects like DR. HORRIBLE. I have also loved Whedon's work in comics like FRAY, THE RUNAWAYS, SERENITY, and BUFFY Season 8 (not so big on ANGEL: AFTER THE FALL). I have been reading his X-Men cycle as they have come out in collected editions, and put off reading UNSTOPPABLE until it was paired with TORN in the second of the two hardback volumes collecting the entire Whedon/Cassaday run. I had enjoyed GIFTED, DANGEROUS, and TORN, but I had not been absolutely blown away by them. I mean, they were good, as good as Grant Morrison's ULTIMATE issues, but I wasn't amazed by them, as I often was on BUFFY and FIREFLY. The final volume in the story, however, was just shocking.

When I finished UNSTOPPABLE, I was simply stunned. One can debate whether Kitty Pryde was capable of doing what she is depicted as doing, but if one suspends one's disbelief (and why wouldn't we?), her big moment has to go down as one of the most shocking moments in all of comics. In fact, has any of the X-Men had a moment so grand? Joss Whedon is famous for depicting empowered women, but Kitty's moment of sacrifice in saving earth when the united Avengers had failed to do so was striking even for him. Is Kitty Pryde gone for good? Well, in the world of comics, never say never. She certainly seems to be gone, probably dead, or at the very least not herself. If so, I'll miss her enormously. I loved her because of all the X-Men she was the one whose powers were most subtle. She could use are abilities to endanger others, such as threatening to materialize an axe handle in someone's skull, but it wasn't like she was going to knock down walls. Given Whedon's use of women on TV like Buffy, Willow, Fred, Cordelia, and River, it was hardly surprising that he decided to make Kitty Pryde a member of his version of the X-Men. But I had no idea that he would utilize her so brilliantly.

The final installment also did a great job of pulling together all the threads of the previous three volumes. At the end of Whedon's run, the issues all did tell a single great story. And there were several significant developments that will affect future versions of the X-Men. The relationship between Scott and Emma has been further defined. Colossus is back. And there is a new member of the X-Men, the Xavier student Hisako having been promoted to main team status by Wolverine with the new name Armor.

The past few years I've often regretted that Joss Whedon was using his considerable talent in writing comics rather than in producing TV shows. Well, I am glad that he is doing DOLLHOUSE this winter and would take that over a new comic assignment, but I definitely do not feel that his time spent writing comics has been a waste of time. His work on THE ASTONISHING X-MEN (not to mention BUFFY Season 8) has been outstanding. Clearly at this point he has established that he is not a one-hit wonder. I just hope that the next fifteen years of his professional career are as fruitful as the past fifteen.

Although clearly the greatest attraction for me was Joss Whedon's involvement on this project, any reviewer failing to acknowledge the outstanding work that John Cassaday did. Well before his teaming up with Whedon on THE ASTONISHING X-MEN I was a huge fan of Cassaday from his work on CAPTAIN AMERICA and PLANETARY. He is one of the few artists working in comics whose name on a project will get me to buy it. When you get a writer as good as Whedon with an artist as gifted as Cassaday, you truly do get a result that almost instantly classifies the project as an instant classic.

Just a quick word of clarification for those who haven't read any of this and are unclear where to start. The Whedon/Cassaday ASTONISHING X-MEN series is comprised of four volumes, with the titles GIFTED, DANGEROUS, TORN, and UNSTOPPABLE. I recommend getting them in the two hardback editions. Volume One of the hardback collects GIFTED and DANGEROUS while Volume Two collects TORN and UNSTOPPABLE. But whether you get all four paperback volumes or the two hardback volumes, this is a set that anyone either loving comics or the work of Joss Whedon will want to own.