Astonished: My First Real Taste of X-Men

The X-Men are one of the most well-known and popular team in comic book history! Just ask even a casual reader and they can list off at least five members, if not more. They've been referenced in popular culture and have been an impressive force in helping kick-start the renaissance of comic book films we're seeing. Yet, for the longest time, I never managed  to get invested in the trials and tribulations of the source material.

Outside of the odd issue here and there, the various splinter groups including X-Force, X-Factor, and Excalibur always kept me away from the series, fearing the massive amount of material included in learning the origins of all these teams and the current whereabouts of my favorite characters. On a leap of faith though, I decided to take the current status-quo as a solid jumping on point, and I'm quite glad I picked the book I did.

Most of the main cast of X-Men: Blue.

I decided to take a look at X-Men: Blue, featuring the time-displaced O5 team of Marvel Girl, Cyclops, Iceman, Angel, and Beast. This book follows the storyline of Cyclops and All-New X-Men as the team attempts to find their place in a new world that is all too familiar with the X-Men--for better or for worse. In that sense, it is has proven to be one of the best ways, I think, to approach jumping into the complicated world of X-Mythos. As many familiar elements from older or casual fans help blend in with the new direction of the Marvel Universe. Jesse Schedeen of IGN words it well.

It has been interesting to see how the characters interact with each other. I imagine that, for longtime fans of the X-Men that grew up reading this team, the nostalgia is nice. Meanwhile, for newer fans, they get to somewhat understand what helped make the X-Men so popular to begin with while not losing any of the new aesthetics that have drawn them into comics in the first place. The team not only manages to be fun, but also introduces a few welcome wrinkles of these classic characters.

What X-Men team is complete without a Wolverine? From X-Men: Blue #4

While Jean and Scott deal with the legacies left by their older selves, Warren gains a new pair of cosmic wings. Meanwhile, Iceman continues to only scratch the surface of his capabilities and Beast has become enamored with the use of magic--admittedly probably my favorite subplot. The addition of a teenage Wolverine from a different universe rounds out to create a team both unique and familiar. Truly the best of both worlds, with Magneto aiding the team from the backgrounds in place of Professor X (for now).

All things considered, I have always been more a DC guy, as my first two articles can probably tell you. However, I do want to enjoy Marvel books and this is a prime example of a book I can get into from the House of M. It's not devoid of some usual Marvel pitfalls, such as the need to tie into the current big Event. However, even when doing so, X-Men: Blue keeps it's tone and continues it's momentum. If you're a lapsed Marvel fan, X-Men fan, or just want something new to read, this is a book I recommend at least checking out for the first three issues.