New X-Men: E is for Extinction by Grant Morrison
Acclaimed and infamous writer Grant Morrison pens X-Men in a way that is important for the history of the series. Fans of Wolverine and Cyclops, fans who thought the X-Men films were to nice, should start with this volume of New X-Men.
Grant Morrison provides an interesting take on the X-Men mythos in an easy-to-read but dynamic E is For Extinction.
Mutants face extinction, similar to the last X-Men film The Last Stand, and Morrison achieves a serious approach with enough hilarious one-liners to make this a great new beginning for X-Men comics. It is a chance to see all the old characters back together as a time. The old stories are not ignored, but this volume approaches genius in the way it brings together the stories without making the reader lost due to back story.
The new threats in E is for Extinction are the sentinels and an insidious female, telepathic villain named Cassandra Nova.
In the initial stages of the story, there is some reference to previous X-Men villains, namely Bolivar Trask, who created the robot sentinels to destroy all mutants. Since Bolivar was dead, Nova decides to use a blood relative of Trask to incite the remaining sentinels into attacking mutant kind again, and succeeds.
Nova uses Master Mold, a massive sentinel that creates other sentinels and notorious villain, to go after all of the mutants.
Xavier senses something in Ecuador (South America) and sends Wolverine and Cyclops to investigate. Once they reach Ecuador’s skies, they find an army of sentinels and are shot down.
While all this is happening, an attack on the mutant land of Genosha is planned by Nova. The attack is successful for the sentinels; Morrison proves he is not afraid to take risks by killing millions of mutants in the country. It is said Magneto was one of the victims, though he is never seen in the pages of this volume.
There are other elements, small bits of story that make it thoroughly enjoyable. Morrison avoids the stand hero antics. Xavier carries a gun and isn’t afraid to use it in attacking Nova. He even puts the gun to his own head while Nova is attacking his psyche, creating a visceral image of a bloody nose and a gun to the head that highlights why Morrison is so famous in comic fandom. Why did Morrison write that in? He wanted to make a lasting image; wanted to make his mark on the comic.
Nova is a ruthless villain intent on seeing mutant kind destroyed. She is a villain to be respected.
Grant Morrison’s take on X-Men is a grand ride; instead of focusing on the history, all the back story, he focuses on characters and the moment, leaving reflection for other writers.
As a result, the comic is full of strong images, real mutants who act the part of the outsiders, and as far from the standard hero comic that would make Warren Ellis or Alan Moore typical. This is not to say Morrison is a better writer, after all Alan Moore could do things with heroes, and do things to heroes, that would stretch any imagination.
Morrison isn’t afraid of the common borders on what the heroes should do; and this makes him comparable to the greats.
The volume is penciled by various artists who seem to fit Morrison’s style in different ways, but it is the writer’s vision which makes E is For Extinction an enjoyable ride from a deft writer.
Acclaimed and infamous writer Grant Morrison pens X-Men in a way that is important for the history of the series. Fans of Wolverine and Cyclops, fans who thought the X-Men films were to nice, should start with this volume of New X-Men.
Grant Morrison provides an interesting take on the X-Men mythos in an easy-to-read but dynamic E is For Extinction.
Mutants face extinction, similar to the last X-Men film The Last Stand, and Morrison achieves a serious approach with enough hilarious one-liners to make this a great new beginning for X-Men comics. It is a chance to see all the old characters back together as a time. The old stories are not ignored, but this volume approaches genius in the way it brings together the stories without making the reader lost due to back story.
The new threats in E is for Extinction are the sentinels and an insidious female, telepathic villain named Cassandra Nova.
In the initial stages of the story, there is some reference to previous X-Men villains, namely Bolivar Trask, who created the robot sentinels to destroy all mutants. Since Bolivar was dead, Nova decides to use a blood relative of Trask to incite the remaining sentinels into attacking mutant kind again, and succeeds.
Nova uses Master Mold, a massive sentinel that creates other sentinels and notorious villain, to go after all of the mutants.
Xavier senses something in Ecuador (South America) and sends Wolverine and Cyclops to investigate. Once they reach Ecuador’s skies, they find an army of sentinels and are shot down.
While all this is happening, an attack on the mutant land of Genosha is planned by Nova. The attack is successful for the sentinels; Morrison proves he is not afraid to take risks by killing millions of mutants in the country. It is said Magneto was one of the victims, though he is never seen in the pages of this volume.
There are other elements, small bits of story that make it thoroughly enjoyable. Morrison avoids the stand hero antics. Xavier carries a gun and isn’t afraid to use it in attacking Nova. He even puts the gun to his own head while Nova is attacking his psyche, creating a visceral image of a bloody nose and a gun to the head that highlights why Morrison is so famous in comic fandom. Why did Morrison write that in? He wanted to make a lasting image; wanted to make his mark on the comic.
Nova is a ruthless villain intent on seeing mutant kind destroyed. She is a villain to be respected.
Grant Morrison’s take on X-Men is a grand ride; instead of focusing on the history, all the back story, he focuses on characters and the moment, leaving reflection for other writers.
As a result, the comic is full of strong images, real mutants who act the part of the outsiders, and as far from the standard hero comic that would make Warren Ellis or Alan Moore typical. This is not to say Morrison is a better writer, after all Alan Moore could do things with heroes, and do things to heroes, that would stretch any imagination.
Morrison isn’t afraid of the common borders on what the heroes should do; and this makes him comparable to the greats.
The volume is penciled by various artists who seem to fit Morrison’s style in different ways, but it is the writer’s vision which makes E is For Extinction an enjoyable ride from a deft writer.
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