Graphic Novel Reading Group discussion

I would like to join the All New Xmen Buddy Reads

I'm interested in these books, sign me up! :)

I'm not a big fan of Bendis' work on Avengers, so I approached this with trepidation.

I found it refreshing and totally enjoyable. A big point for me is that is largely divorced from the other X-Men books and continuity. Anything you need to know is explained in this book. you don't have to buy a bagillion other X-books, or know minute details of every X-story for the past 20 years.

It got me buying an X-Men book again after many, many years away.

In a fun way, it allows Bendis to comment on the strange, dark path the X-universe has taken. Plus it gives him plenty of room to engage in teen-level melodrama and angst since these X-men are actual teenagers still. When current, older Scott is like that, I just want to slap him and tell him to grow up. But here, it works.

Immomen's art is spot-on, both evoking the original Kirby style these characters were created in and fitting into current tastes and styles.

(BTW, no need to send me issues; I own them.)

I've been loving ANXM. Bendis never did much for me on Avengers, but between ANXM and UXM, he's killing in on the X-line. I've been pulling both books from the start.

I do think ANXM got off to kind of an unsteady start, but it didn't take long to find its feet. Bendis has been doing really interesting stuff with all the characters, putting different spins on many of them. He writes probably my favourite take on Jean, giving her a bit of an edge. He writes a great Scott, filled with doubts and uncertainties. He writes one of the funniest versions of Iceman I've read, and I've read a lot of him - Bendis accomplished the near-impossible by making me like Iceman. Angel and Beast are both likewise spot-on.

Also, Scott blasting Wolverine is something I will never not love. I also like that Bendis let Scott and Bobby hang out with some people in town, and they were cool with mutants. We don't generally see that sort of thing, so it's always nice to see.

Immonen's art is fantastic. The spreads he does are always gorgeous, and he does a great job with expressions. It's wonderful work. I'm pretty depressed he's left the book. Mahmud Asrar is really good, too, but Immonen is just so amazing.