Uncanny X-Men Volume 4: The Draco TPB [Paperback]

Chuck Austen (Author), Phillip Tan (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Uncanny Xmen | Publication Date: March 1, 2004

Trade paperback.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Marvel Comics (March 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785111344
• ISBN-13: 978-0785111344
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 6.6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 1.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,083,967 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Bad Writing and Worse Art, but has its Moments, February 28, 2004

By 

Ann E. Nichols (Sierra Vista, AZ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Uncanny X-Men Volume 4: The Draco TPB (Paperback)

This volume covers "Uncanny X-Men" 428-434. Philip Tan did the art except for the prologue, which was drawn by Sean Phillips, and the conclusion,which was drawn by Takeshi Miyazawa. I'm willing to give the writing a star because there were scenes I liked, but as for Mr. Tan's art... Aside from Mr. Tan's cross-hatching making characters look as if they fought some cats and the cats won, the rough look of many panels, and what appear to be a lot of little ink splatters, there are too many panels where I couldn't quite make out what I was supposed to be seeing. Mr. Miyazawa's nice, clear art comes as a relief.

The prologue is about Mystique and how she came to be Kurt's mother. It's not a happy story. Then we return to the Xavier Institute in the present. The main story involves Nightcrawler and the secret of La Isle des Demonas. Yes, that's the island that Alex, Lorna, and Kurt visited in UNCANNY X-MEN: HOLY WAR. I'm not going to bother to complain about possible continuity problems with Mystique, because if you don't read her comic, you won't notice. The main story is almost as idiotic as the "Holy War" storyline. Given what our guest villain, Azazel, claims, he and his people should have been from Mesopotamia, not off the coast of Florida. They're evil nasty types who enjoy murder and torture. Cringe for the X-Men who face them, for they mostly act as if they were the idiots who run into Lovecraft's Evil Old Recluses instead of sensible superheroes. (On the other hand, it's fitting that Iceman gets the cover of this book because of the interesting way he turns the tables on one of Azazel's minions.)

There are no good fathers in this book if you don't count Professor Xavier, father figure to the X-Men. Azazel has no right to expect any Father's Day cards from his sons. If what Lorna tells us about Magneto is true, shame on him. Remember young Sammy Pare from UXM: HOPE, UXM: DOMINANT SPECIES, and UXM: HOLY WAR? His dad has no hope of winning Father of the Year, either. Unfortunately, the plot thread about the father of young Carter, son to school nurse Annie Ghazikhanian, gets dropped.

Archangel, Havok, Husk, Iceman, Jubilee, Nightcrawler, and Wolverine are the X-Men who handle the Azazel plot. Fans of Abyss will get to meet him again. Xavier and Annie are present as we learn why Polaris has been so nasty lately. Mr. Xorn gets a cameo in that subplot. Juggernaut and Northstar get the Sammy subplot, which includes a few members of Alpha Flight. We even get to briefly meet the kitchen staff at Xavier's. I liked their scene. I also liked Juggernaut and Northstar's verbal sparring on their way to Vancouver. There's a scene between Kurt and Xavier that's rather sweet. For me, the book's highlight has nothing to do with the very ineptly written "Draco" storyline. It's a big argument between Xavier and Juggernaut where they actually talk [shout] about the roots of their former enmity. There's a revelation or two that fans of the stepbrothers will not want to miss.

Fans of really bad stories or atrocious art will want to add DRACO to their collection. For the rest, the only reason to buy this book is its resolution of several subplots. Be prepared to grit your teeth a lot.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Chuck Austen = Horrible Writer, March 11, 2004

By 

T Bellamy (St. Louis, MO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Uncanny X-Men Volume 4: The Draco TPB (Paperback)

I will keep this short and simple. As a reader of countless X-Men stories, I have never run up against such a horrible writer as Chuck Austen. I don't know if he has naked pictures of the Marvel brass or what, but I just can't imagine why he would get the chance to destroy one of thier best comics. Stories that go nowhere. Character development that ignores the past. AWFUL plot lines... I could go on and on.

Save your money. DO NOT BUY ANYTHING WITH CHUCK AUSTEN ON IT!

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Truly horrible, August 25, 2004

By 

Bingo Pajama (Miami, FL; USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Uncanny X-Men Volume 4: The Draco TPB (Paperback)

The main flaw with this story--and it's a big one-- is that the plot, fundamentally, is impossible. Bear with me.

Azazel is trapped in a dimension other than the 616 universe. So he goes to the 616 universe, mates with human women, goes back to his dimension, bides his time, and finally brings them all to his dimension using some convoluted teleportation spell.

And therein lies the gaping plot hole. If he can't leave the dimension, then his plan to get back to Earth can't involve travelling to Earth or the whole thing is unnecessary.

And even worse is the dialogue.

And even worse is Philip Tan's bizarre fusion of realism and manga. Watch him deform nearly everybody. Really, this guy draws like a twelve-year old.

Worst of all, this one has lasting effects on the X-books.