X-Men by Gerry Duggan vol. 2

Friday Nov 11, 2022

Gerry Duggan’s second volume of “X-Men” rolls along in much the same way as the first one did.  That is to say half of the issues collected here revolve around done-in-one stories with some subplots ticking over between issues.  Which is how we find out about the Secret Origin of Captain Krakoa, watch as the X-Men take on M.O.D.O.K. who is experimenting on the passengers of a cruise ship, and see Laura “Wolverine” Kinney stage a one-person rescue mission to Phobos in order to rescue a certain adamatium-laced mutant.  The rest of these issues involve an issue full of subplots spread between the Quiet Council, Orchis, and the Great Ring of Arakko, while the final two issues actually deliver some payoff on everything that has been set up until now as Cordyceps Jones and Doctor Stasis face a reckoning from two different groups of X-Men.

The action here is still pitched towards the flashy superhero type and it entertains in that kind of vein.  While the one-offs are fun enough, it’s the ongoing stuff that proves to be most interesting.  Whether it’s Synch’s continually evolving powers as well as his major screw-up with regards to Ben Reilly’s investigation into mutant immortality, or the ongoing scheming of Doctor Stasis along with the reveal of his secret identity, Duggan delivers an experience which feels like a modern version of classic “X-Men” storytelling.  He’s also found a worthy foe to pit the team against in Orchis as they look to destroy mutants from a public relations perspective as well as a physical one.

Pepe Larraz and Javier Pina return to provide the art for this volume and they do a bang-up job delivering the kind of flash that Duggan’s scripts are asking for.  Better still is that the two feel more in synch, style-wise, compared to the previous volume; though, that makes Larraz’s departure from the title with issue #12 all the more disappointing.  C.F. Villa pitches in on the issue-full-of-subplots and manages to acquit himself well for an issue that involves a lot of talking and a lot of different characters and scenery.  While this new run of “X-Men” may not be displaying the raw ambition of the Hickman era, it’s still managing to deliver the kind of superhero thrills it’s aiming for.  Which is good enough for now.

That being said, the action doesn’t continue directly into vol. 3.  There will be a stopover at…