Customer Reviews

X-Men: X-Cutioner's Song

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4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(5)
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The X-Cutioners Song is a bit of a tease. This is the first MAJOR development of the on going war against Apocalypse story-line that dominated most of the x-books n the '90s. In the '80s, Magneto had been given too many sympathetic elements to serve as the penultimate evil opposition for the X-Men and family, and so (beating out Mr. Sinister) Apocalypse was christened as the new polar opposite for the followers of Xavier's Dream. In this volume a handful of story threads meet their conclusion, but ultimately a flood gate of questions and pending plotlines opens up.

Stryfe is the major villain of the story, but Mr. Sinister and Apocalypse play major roles as well, thus the trifecta of all-power mutant villains allude to the frightening fact that some relationship exists between all three. The story kicks off with the dramatic assassination (attempt) of Professor Xavier by Cable, the rogue leader of what should have been the second generation of X-Men (the New Mutants, now X-Force), and the Horsemen of Apocalypse kidnap Cyclops and Jean Grey. The government mutant squad of X-Factor (the "all new, all different" line up) showed their mettle in battle by hunting down X-Force as their first effort to bring Cable to justice, proving that they were not simply cast-off X-Men.

While the majority of X-Men/X-Factor were busy bringing the rogue "second generation X-Men" of X-Force to heel (as a smaller force hunts down the Horsemen), Bishop remained to guard a dying Xavier. Mr. Sinister took the opportunity to waltz into the X-Mansion and drop the hint that a mostly unknown mutant terrorist Stryfe might have quite a lot to do with the hit on Xavier. X-Force had battled Stryfe and his Mutant Liberation Front (MLF) in the past, and two New Mutants had even joined their ranks (Rusty and Skids, who would then join the Acolytes). With most of X-Force under wraps at the mansion, X-Factor and the X-Men head off to bring down the MLF and locate Stryfe.

As Cable finally comes into the story, Wolverine and Bishop catch up with him and duke it out before realizing the true identity of their enemy. Stryfe then hunts down Apocalypse for a one-on-one slugfest in one of the highlights of the collection. Eventually all the threads come together for a major battle on the moon, of all places.

Pros: More action than most X-Men stories, by far. Also, the four titles involved all have distinct artists working on them throughout the saga, and all of them are extremely talented. This story shows the X-teams at their warrior peak and is full of heavy group battles.

Cons: The ending opened the door for an ongoing plot that began with promise but was ultimately crushed under its own weight (this collection sets up the origin of Cable that dragged on and on and at the time was given priority in the X-Men titles, but as Cable's popularity diminished the story of the mutant merc from the future was abruptly considered unimportant).

I read this in its original 12-installment crossover form in the mid-'90s so some of my facts could be off.

This crossover was basically an excuse to cram as many characters as possible into one storyline and that results in a lot of confusions. Also, it detracts from the believability of the Stryfe character and also makes his motivations somewhat unclear. He's out for vengeance against Apocalypse (who had injected him with the virus as a child), Cable (whom he sees as his inferior clone), and his parents Cyclops and Jean Grey (for abandoning him). But what's his ultimate vengeance? And the X-teams' method of finally locating him is pretty ludicrous, the story getting a little too busy with sending its heroes here and there that for two or three issues worth, the X-teams just seem to be wandering here and there fighting everybody. The most focused storylines are that of Wolverine and Bishop, who encounter Cable, the falsely accused assassin, and Beast, desperately trying to save Xavier and finally succeeds only because of Apocalypse's help.

It's still fun, of course, to watch Bishop and Wolverine duke it out with Cable, and X-Factor rounding up X-Force with the help of the X-Men. But these are weakened by some really weak scenes like Apocalypse's fight with Stryfe (no power, no excitement, with huge lapses in logic) and some embarrassing dialogue at points (Jean Grey's lovey-dovey conversations with Cyclops during their attempted escape from the moonbase are just awful writing).

The most valuable thing to me about the X-ecutioner's Song series is a comparison of the different visual styles of the three series. X-Factor is stark and more than a little whacked (its stories as I remember are also much more off-kilter thanks to smart-mouthed characters like Polaris, Wolfsbane/Rahne, Quicksilver and Agent Val); X-Force is more violent and rebellioius; and X-Men, the parent series, is more restrained and middle-of-the-road, less eccentric.

Worthy examination of the relationship among the X-series. Writing issues are compensated for by the big showdowns and action sequences, capped off by Cable's final, violent confrontation with Stryfe.

The graphic novel, X-Cutioner's Song (written by Scott Lobdell, Peter David and Fabian Niceza) feels very tight and coherent despite the number of chefs for this particular concoction. It feaures the X-Men, X-Factor and X-Force (given a little too short shrift in this sequence) and focuses on the Cable/Stryfe/Jean Grey/Scott Summers element from the wicked web that has become the X-Men's history. I enjoyed the interplay of all the characters and was carried along quickly by the story despite a little impatience with both Cable and Stryfe as characters and bitter enemies. The best parts of the story were the smaller elements like a first glimpse into the techno-virus and the wonderful and revealing look into the relationship betweeen Apocalpyse and Angel. The art (by Brandon Peterson, Jae Lee, Andy Kubert, and Greg Capullo) also has stood the test of time relatively well. A fine X-Man adventure.

I haven't read too many X-Men crossovers, and from what I've heard, most of them aren't very good. But "X-Men: X-Cutioner's Song" was by far my favorite crossover that I have read, the plot was intricate and emotianally gripping, I read the whole thing in one sitting, and I can't wait to read it again. The art for this book is done by a few different people with extraordinary talents, just opening the book and seeing the illustrations is breathtaking, and then with the great story to accompany it with is a bonus. Great X-Men crossover and a prime example of the X-Men in the 1990's.

Strfye puts a nice developed plan pitting the Xteams against one another. Great book!

This crossover has it all! X-Force v.s. X-Men, Cable v.s. Bishop and Wolverine, Apocalyps teaming with the X-Men. Cyclops and Jean kidnapped! Professor X assasinated by Cable? Sinister's deadly plan. Stryfe releasing the Legacy Virus, and a final showdown that is well worth the price!

This TPB reprints Uncanny X-Men #294-296, X-Force #84-86, X-Men #14-16 and X-Factor #16-18.

Cable has been framed into the assasination of Professor Charles Xavier. But nobody knows this except Cable himself. So the X-Men, X-Force and New Mutants suspect each other as they try to find Cable. And the biggest of foes join in. This is also the prologue of the release of the deadly Legacy Virus from Stryfe, which will kill some great characters on later issues of X-Men.

The story is very long, but good enough. The art is okay and differs in style from book to book. But it's nothing bad at all. And at least the characters are drawn well, opposed to some more recent issues that put the characters to shame.

A lot of the X-members feature in this arc, but it's mainly more a Cable story.

Stryfe is possibly the perfect strategist.making the x-teams fight each other,taking the DR away from En Sabah Nur,framing cable,using the mutant liberation front as his expendable footsoldiers.it just goes on and on with twist and turns and it doesn't stop until the end.but i must also say this book is not for the the beginners.for beginners u would have to research the marvel universe as far back as 1989 to undersatnd the full scope of this graphic novel.and for those x-nuts out there who think this books is not good,just ask yourself wouldn't u love to destroy everybody who has wrong u at all points of your life? if the answer is yes than buy the "x-cutioner's song" this second.thank u for your time

The edition is fine enough, but although it's labeled as "X-Men", I understand it's more like the old X-Force story style: big guns, the Mutant Liberation Front guys, and lots of fights. I don't think it's one of the best X-Men stories ever, and I'd recommend to save your money to use it when buying some other collection; "Age of Apocalypse", for example.

Just to advise the people who purchase this, the TPB with Stryfe on the cover does NOT have the Stryfe Strike File issue where we get to see the members of the X-Men in their cool red/black uniforms. Epic Fail! Everything else was perfect otherwise. This is the storyline that got me into comics when I was in elementary school.