If you read the last of these reviews, I had mentioned that this was a comic that started off incredibly strong and quickly became a favourite of mine, though around the midway point it is where things started to fall a bit flat on its face. Losing some of the spark it initially had both in visuals and narrative. From artist changes to inconsistent writing that saw characters failing to get the development they needed, Uncanny X-Men seems a bit like a chore to get through now, stories all over the place with direction that feels uncertain to the reader and in its own decisions. An unfortunate outcome that has led to this no longer being one of the main comics I have been following and more one that I somewhat pay attention to once I've gone through everything else. Volume nine continued that decline in quality, with it yet again facing the same issues as the previous volumes. I had seen online that more and more people were starting to discuss the decline, noticing the ways in which characters either acted out of their personalities or how things just felt a bit messy and didn't make a whole lot of sense. The more I read into what others had to say, the more some of these problems became larger than I had previously been aware. Though I can't say a whole lot regarding those given my limited knowledge of the X-Men franchise in total. Despite trying to remain optimistic over the changes and finding reasons to enjoy the comic still, I'm not sure it can redeem itself now going into its tenth volume with little to really say and show for it.
Volume nine saw the characters facing the outcome of defeat, giving in and accepting that one of their own was not only caught but trying to impress us with some shock value of a minor character getting killed off. Though we have seen in previous volumes that dying doesn't actually seem to mean anything for some of these characters, as they somehow manage to make their way back into their bodies and surviving. Previously this was seen with Rogue, who had been tortured and seen her body mashed into pieces, though pulling a miraculous recovery that had her back to normal shortly after. Rogue met one of the mutant children that had died in the afterlife, which was actually a hint at something greater revealed in the previous comic: a race of mutants known as Avians that are born with a tumour in the brain that will inevitably kill them. Some die from this sooner than others, though those with this unfortunate fate are given heightened abilities that lead to telepathic powers. This revelation gave some context into Professor X, showing that he wasn't alone in his powers and was actually part of a race with such abilities. Also coming to discover the inevitable outcome of his life with the tumour that sits waiting inside his skull. Probably the most eventful part of the comic so far. Not much of volume nine covered this aspect, however. It remained a bit focused on the action again rather than character development.
This time with robotic hounds that hunt down the characters, a somewhat futuristic creation that is shown as highly experimental within the comic as they can't really be controlled properly, leading to accidental deaths during their testing. These are used as a supposedly more ethical way of dealing with the mutants to which no blood is technically spilled by politicians or specific organisations, rather all action and violence is conducted by automated beings. It felt like a bit of a cop-out to pursue this idea leading to a minor character (fake) death, instead of utilising some of that former action to kill one off. It had the previous fight scenes feel a bit pointless, like everything was fighting everyone despite no real outcome on either side coming from it. A big waste of time for all the characters to which there were no winners and nothing of weight was really taking place to begin with. Neither in the drama sense nor the physical sense. One would think characters with abilities would have stronger fights and hold more brutality to them than a few robotic dogs running through the environment. To which even that made little sense with the characters spending much of the volume in a mall. Again some strange location choices, but that does at least speak of the assassination style in how mutants are seen and killed off. Not really seen as people that could be given more humane deaths, but instead hunted down in the most regular of places.
I think the most development of they story here was overlooked, but somewhat mentioned in previous volumes too: the realisation of how irresponsible the main characters have been regarding keeping the younger mutants safe. They've taken them into numerous battles already and endangered their lives with little thought into why. This is something that is mentioned here and there in multiple volumes so far but still screams of the desperation the main characters actually have regarding surviving. Definitely a bit rusty, not all that aware of what they're doing these days, constantly making the wrong decisions at every turn. It has made the remaining X-Men look more incompetent rather than heroes of any sort. I do like this perspective it offers, I just don't think there's been a whole lot of it still. Only really at the end of this volume in which finally something catches up to them. Though for the sake of spoilers I won't mention who.
I'll still be keeping an eye on this story, it's one I thoroughly enjoyed the start off, but I can't help but feel it's making all the wrong moves, with every volume struggling to reach that previous high and yet again doing something that just doesn't really lead anywhere. Preferably some of these recent events do actually lead to something of weight, preferably some actual character movements that lead the story forwards. But as always with this story: more character development, please!
My friend said you're so cool for having to do this daily and consistently 🤣 He aspires to be like you are and wondered how you could write and read so fast.
Most comic volumes don't take long to read through at all. Maybe 10 - 15 minutes while still actually taking in the art in each panel. Some can be more dialogue heavy and it can take a little longer. It doesn't take long to read through one at a time. In one evening I'll easy read through three or four (volumes) in one sitting. And if I'm really into the story then writing about it is a lot of fun. So the same thing ends up happening: I can write a few review posts in a row.
I didn't do reviews of each volume to begin with, I would just write a single review based on the entire comic itself, but that often requires the series to have finished entirely or to leave out a lot of my thoughts per volume. I think that's harder to do without going overboard and writing an entire essay. Per volume also helps me remember and think about each volume and its events, I think it's nicer to reflect on them that way.
The writing side of it can take a bit longer though. Maybe 20 - 30 minutes. Usually if I see a cool panel, whether in the art or just funny, I'll take a screenshot while reading. But this side of it isn't for Hive necessarily, it's just that I really like the art and want to keep the pose or style saved to return to later as I like drawing. So the reading side of comics is also helping me grow as an artist. It just so happens that I can use those screenshots in the posts too.
If your friend wants to write about comics, tell them I said they should start doing it! It'd be nice to see more comics posts here, and they don't have to do it (almost) daily or per volume like me. :^)