Posted in: Comics | Tagged: deadpool, excalibur, x-force, x-men, X-ual Healing - The Weekly X-Men Recap Column

Wolverine's Weiner X-Pick of the Week for March 18th, 2020

Published Tue, 24 Mar 2020 16:00:57 -0500

Three X-books this week. Which was the best: X-Force #9, Excalibur #9, or Deadpool #4? Read on for recaps and analysis…

Sworn to sell comics for Marvel executives who feared and hated the fact that Fox owned their movie rights, The Uncanny X-Men suffered great indignities, but thanks to a corporate merger and a line-wide relaunch, the X-Men can finally get back to doing what they do best: being objectively the best franchise in all of comics.

This Week's Issues

I recapped three X-books this week. Here's what I thought of them.

X-FORCE #9 DX
JAN200851
(W) Ben Percy (A) Joshua Cassara (CA) Dustin Weaver
REAP WHAT YOU SOW!
In the heart of South America, X-Force finds a problem growing that threatens to destroy everything they've built… and one of their own might be responsible.
Parental Advisory
In Shops: Mar 18, 2020
SRP: $3.99

Read the recap here.

Was it any good?

I like the cut of this book's jib, mostly because it's exposing Beast for the dick he is. There's also more evidence of Krakoan leaders messing with the minds of mutants. Was it Charles Xavier behind refusing to let Domino keep her memories? Or was it Colossus? Colossus offers a better chance for soap opera drama if he and Domino pursue a romantic relationship and it's later revealed he lied to her, so that's the direction I'm leaning. The cast of X-Force works well, though I might have preferred the plot with the Terra Verdan plant people simmer for a bit after the previous storyline before coming back up.

EXCALIBUR #9 DX
JAN200847
(W) Tini Howard (A) Marcus To (CA) Mahmud Asrar
HARK! THE HUNT FOR TRUTH
Excalibur emerges from the woods with a journey before them. Their destination: Starlight Citadel.
Rated T+
In Shops: Mar 18, 2020
SRP: $3.99

Read the recap here.

Was it any good?

Excalibur remains the most unique of all the current X-Men titles (for now), and it's really leaning even heavier into the magical side of Excalibur lore. Jubilee repeatedly riding her baby into battle has been a questionable decision in the past, and this issue's events really drive that point home. What is she thinking, exactly? Presumably the same thing the rest of Excalibur is thinking (Gambit aside) by doing the bidding of Apocalypse. Which is to say, they're not acting like themselves because someone has been messing with their minds along with all the rest of the X-Men. At least, that's what I think this must be leading to, a plot running across all of the X-books.

DEADPOOL #4
DEC190916
(W) Kelly Thompson (A/CA) Chris Bachalo
DEADPOOL VS KRAVEN!
• King Deadpool enters single combat to save his entire kingdom!
• If Deadpool became king of the monsters when he killed the previous king, will Kraven become king when he kills Deadpool?
Parental Advisory
In Shops: Mar 18, 2020
SRP: $3.99

Read the recap here.

Was it any good?

I have to admit to being pretty annoyed that the first half of this issue consisted of the conclusion of a battle that should have ended last issue. The second half of the issue, ending this first story arc, served to fully establish Deadpool's new status quo, his dedication to leading the monsters of Monster Island, and his acceptance of responsibility after several of them were murdered in his first days as king. And I suppose the goal was to have that stuff take place this issue, but it feels like the battle between Deadpool and Kraven was stretched out over two issue just to pad the space. Why? Just another example of the weird pacing that takes place when comics are produced with the eventual collected edition as the end goal, rather than with the single-issue experience as the primary focus. I'm not saying I didn't like where the story ended up, and I did appreciate the epilogues, but at least an entire issue could have been shaved off this story and it would have been smoother.

Wolverine's Weiner X-Pick of the Week

X-Force and Excalibur were both good this week. Deadpool isn't in the running due to flagrant abuse of decompression. It's a tough call this week, but I have to give it to Excalibur for having a more interesting and unique storyline compared to the other X-books. One thing you can't deny about Excalibur is that it's always moving its story along quickly, never wasting time. For that, a tasty tubular meat snack award!

Congratulations to the creative team on this honor.

Past weiner winners:

The Wolverine's Weiner X-Pick of the Week is an award decided by my whims, not by any rule-based scientific process. It's whichever X-Men comic provides me with the most satisfying feeling, like a tubular cased meat product grilled on a fuzzy Canadian's adamantium claws on a hot Summer day. So you're welcome to disagree and post your opinions in the comments.

Also, before someone asks in the comments again, yes I am aware that the more common spelling is "wiener." But "weiner" is also an accepted spelling according to the dictionary. Who am I going to trust more? Some jackass in the comments section, or the dictionary? Besides, you know who would have spelled it "Wolverine's Wiener" if he were alive today? Hitler. I rest my case.

See you next week to recap more X-Men comics.