Age of X-Man: Apocalypse and the X-Tracts #4 // Review

Age of X-Man: Apocalypse and the X-Tracts #4 // Review

The son of a revolutionary finds himself drawn against a powerful adversary as revelations of a false reality begin to settle-in around his allies. The Age of X-Man event continues to draw to a close with the fourth issue of Apocalypse and the X-Tracts. Writer Tim Seeley conducts the flow of traffic in a rather large ensemble with respectable fluidity aided by artist Salva Espin. Color comes to the page courtesy of Israel Silva. The overall composition of the issue is enjoyable, but it would have been far better if the overall rhythm of the series to this point had been handled just a bit better.

Screen Shot 2019-06-12 at 5.12.42 PM.png

Eye-Boy is sleeping. Heโ€™s having horrible visions of everything that he can see through superhuman clairvoyance. Someone cursed with super-sight in a world of illusion, Eye-Boy knows that things arenโ€™t going well. Elsewhere the son of Apocalypse violently confronts the powerful mutant known as Omega Red as young revolutionary Kitty Pryde is confronted in an altogether different way by renounced X-Men member Colossus. The story begins to draw to a close as Eye-Boy becomes all-too-aware of the dangers that await as the worldwide illusion continues to crumble.

Screen Shot 2019-06-11 at 1.26.57 PM.png

Seeley opens and closes the issue on the plight of Eye-Boy, who comes across as being so profoundly compelling here that itโ€™s kind of surprising that he didnโ€™t just get his own title for the multi-mini-series event. A man of many visions in a world of illusion has enormous potential thatโ€™s only beginning to become apparent as the event draws to a close. Likewise, the passion between Kitty Pryde and Colossus finally begins to look truly compelling as the series is almost at an end. In light of these Eye-Boyโ€™s issues and the challenge of love between Colossus and Kitty, the critical resolution to the conflict between the son of Apocalypse and Omega Red falls a bit flat when it REALLY shouldnโ€™t. As well-balanced as the issue is, the overall imbalance in the series as a whole keeps it from having the impact it probably SHOULD have.

Screen Shot 2019-06-11 at 1.27.28 PM.png

Espin carves out some really intense action in the few isolated moments that violent confrontation makes it to the page. Delicately weaving together subtly-nuanced interpersonal moments with the brutality of combat, Espin isnโ€™t quite able to deliver the correct potential intensity of either. Missed potential aside, Silvaโ€™s colors once again lend a vivid depth to the world of the series in a way that keeps the flow of action enjoyable nonetheless.

Screen Shot 2019-06-11 at 1.26.40 PM.png

Any one of the threads in this issue would have been much more satisfying if it had been allowed to develop in its own chapter. Eye-Boy, Kitty Pryde and the Son of Apocalypse are each interesting enough to carry their own title. The Age of X-Man begins to draw to a close, and it becomes all too apparent that the scope of the event was made WAY too big to be totally enjoyable. Had the multi-title event been allowed to occupy a slightly smaller space, it could have been brilliant. All that Seeley can manage with an issue like this is a fun and breezy, little dance with elements that have been echoing through Marvelโ€™s Mutant titles for decades. Given the right scope, The Age of X-Man could have been so much more.


Grade: B+


Age Of X-Man: The Marvelous X-Men #5 // Review

Age Of X-Man: The Marvelous X-Men #5 // Review

Giant Man #3 // Review

Giant Man #3 // Review