Posted in: Comics, Marvel Comics | Tagged: Beast, cullen bunn, cyclops, HRL, Jean Grey, jimmy hudson, madripoor, magneto, Ramon Bachs, Ray Anthony Height, wolverine, x-men, x-men blue

X-Men Blue #6 Review: Always The Jean-Wolverine-Cyclops Love Triangle

Jimmy Hudson, the Wolverine of the Ultimates Universe, has joined up with X-Men Blue. The team has retired to Madripoor, but Jean Grey has found herself unbearably bored while waiting around in their headquarters while the city is celebrating a holiday.

After finding Cyclops training with Magneto, Jean goes out for a night on the town with Jimmy and Hank McCoy.

While having fun out in Madripoor, Jimmy stumbles upon a Mutant Growth Hormone deal going down that is busted up by a violent group of mutant vigilantes by the name of Raksha. Jean Grey and Beast discover the conflict not long after, and the three are dragged into a showdown with the mysterious Raksha.

X-Men Blue #6 was a fairly enjoyable little episode in the adventures of X-Men Blue. It manages to stay character-driven, with the two different kinds of restlessness that infest Jean and Jimmy driving most of the plot.

Beast is a lot of fun here; reminiscent of the glory days of the Bouncing Beast that once went on adventures with the Avengers and the Defenders in the days of yore.

What did have me rolling my eyes a bit is the old love triangle of Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Wolverine that seems to be established here. Jean is turned away by Scott being a bit of a stiff who's too focused on training and the mission, so she goes with the more mysterious and up-for-anything Jimmy Hudson for her night of fun. This storyline is getting old, and it wasn't that interesting even in the classic X-Men comic books.

Maybe writer Cullen Bunn will subvert or sidestep this repetition. I certainly hope so. I will admit that the idea of a love triangle isn't new to this team of young X-Men, with Beast and Angel both showing interest in Jean at various times.

The action that takes place in the back half of X-Men Blue #6 is pretty fun, with the Raksha having interesting powers and motifs. One is capable of possessing and morphing metal to his will, and another has a power similar to Ghost Rider's penance stare that forces Beast to grapple with some of the powers he's been tapping into with his dabbling in sorcery.

The art is alright. It didn't wow me; it's a bit rougher than the art in previous issues of X-Men Blue. It's a little reminiscent of Mark Bagley's style, but it lacks the kinetic energy his art could bring.

The coloring is quite good, though, and it brings some liveliness to the proceedings that the art didn't really have.

X-Men Blue #6 was a pretty good comic. It didn't do anything to astonish me, and it does have its flaws. However, the flaws are drowned out by the book's charms, and the overall experience was a good one.

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