The Good
There may be some that frown upon comic book events and crossovers but when story immediately grabs your attention, you look forward to every chapter. Brian Michael Bendis has set up a fun and quirky situation in the X-Men universe. Time travel is not a new concept but the idea of the original X-Men being pulled from the past into the present is being done in a way we haven't seen in Marvel Comics. The threat and danger of these characters affecting the time stream and their very existence is just one of the factors that has kept me captivated with each issue. The arrival of the X-Men from the future insisting the young X-Men return to their time period adds a new kink to the whole idea.
What we've seen in recent issues is young Jean Grey decided she wants to be able to make her own destiny. Returning to her proper era simply means she will die at an early age. Running off with young Cyclops, they are now forced to seek help from another group.
In terms of the overall story, this isn't an action-packed chapter. With so many fascinating characters, it doesn't have to be. Bendis always adds subtle bits of humanity to his characters. The occasional dose of humor or humorous situations builds the attachment readers have with the characters. In other words, even an issue where the plot is moved forward and we see some character conversations, you're still hooked to the story. Seeing the new interactions between young Jean and Scott and the other group makes the story even more fun and interesting.
Chris Bachalo's art is always a joy to see. The way he draws the characters makes them feel more jovial despite the dire situation. Marte Gracia's colors adds another layer to it all and some of the scenes become pretty impressive.
The Bad
At first I felt this was just a "really good" issue. Looking over it again, I'm just really hooked to the story. The interactions and confrontations between the characters along with the great art and colors made me just really enjoy this comic. I look forward to each installment to see what will possible happen next. I can't really find any faults here aside from not exactly having the full roster of this event present. But that's okay.
The Verdict
After reading X-Men comics for so many years, I thought I'd almost seen it all. Brian Michael Bendis' story with the young X-Men from the past has amped up my interest and excitement once again. With the further complications in this event, I've become more intrigued with where the story will go. Even in an issue that's lighter on the action, having Chris Bachalo's art with Marte Gracia's colors brings a big smile to my face. This is the sort of story I want to see in an X-Men event - big, crazy and fun action and that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the next chapter.