X-MEN UNITED #5 – Time to Step Up

Creative Team – Eve L. Ewing, Eduardo Pansica, Brian Reber, VC’s Joe Sabino, Stefano Caselli, Federico Blee

Published by Marvel Comics

Catch up with X-Men United #4!

The Story

This comic review is brought to you by the dynamic duo of Megan and Shawn!

Shawn – What an action packed issue that turned out to be. Dr. Eve L. Ewing did a spectacular job of drawing you into the plot of the story while revealing a little bit more of the circumstances behind it. It really is fun to see a new generation of mutants, unsteady, and unsure of themselves the way their teachers once were.

The Shadow King is such an interesting character, and I really enjoy seeing him begin to make a comeback. This arc two issues in has been spectacular and I can’t wait to see where it goes from here. It’s both fine and exciting because you know there’s more to the story yet you aren’t quite given enough pieces of the puzzle to put the full picture together yet.

Megan – Eve L. Ewing continues to make this an x-Men story full of excitement and excellent character usage. What started out as Iceman trying his hardest to bring the team together with a team-building exercise turned into a nightmare of a situation with the X-Men fearing for their lives. Rogue, Iceman, Cyclops, Emma Frost, Deathdream, and Ben Liu are stuck in a haunting place inside a place Ben created with his reality-bending abilities. It’s one thing after another, and each new problem gets more and more dangerous.

Back at Greymatter Lane, all of the young mutants are beside themselves with the disappearance of their mentors. That seems complicated enough but add in a new threat, the Shadow King, and things really start to pile up. Now, its time for each mutant to step up greater than they ever have before.

The Art

Shawn – Eduardo Pansica steps in for Tiago Palma this issue and doesn’t miss a beat. The background and characters in each panel are so full and vibrant. The world Pansica crafts for the X-Men feels lived in and as much a character in the story as the characters themselves. Emma, Scott, and the others are all expressive and drawn to perfection.

Brian Reber continues to kill it on colors with the shadow feeling sufficiently scary contrasted against the bright pop of our heroes. Reber really channeled a Krakoa vibe with the colors in this issue and I really enjoyed that. It felt familiar and a little bit like one of the best eras of X-Men. Joe Sabino does a wonderful job of helping readers navigate the competing settings of the story with his lettering. Sabino combines with the artists to make the story flow perfectly and keep your attention

Megan – Eduardo Pansica, Brian Reber, and Joe Sabino do a superb job at bringing the chaos to life in X-Men United #5. This issue had so much excitement happening, and it’s illustrated masterfully. The X-Men being stuck in the bended reality encounter things that nightmares are made of, and Eduardo Pansica makes you feel every bit of it. Whether it’s otherworldly places that Deathdream starts in, or horrifying creatures that attack on a second’s notice, the artwork has you right on the edge of your seat.

Brian Reber brings all the vibrancy needed to make each page nothing short of stunning. I think Reber’s talents with the colors shine the brightest back at Greymatter Lane, with all the different mutants and the new threats they encounter. Joe Sabino puts the reader in the headspace of feeling each emotion of the characters through the dialogue. Whether it’s the confusion of the young mutants, or even the worry of Emma Frost, Sabinio allows each character to wear their emotions on their sleeve.

Final Thoughts

Shawn – 9/10. I love the D&D type story as a basis for something bigger. I really enjoy that we continue to have enough layers peeled back to keep you interested in the story while enough stays hidden to keep you picking up the next issue. This is another solid X-Men series.

Megan – 8.6/10. This is a chaotically good issue that has stakes that are higher than ever and excitement that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat.

Overall Grade -8.8/10

Let us know in the comments what you thought of X-Men United #5!