Just a quick post today as I have to go plan my wife’s birthday.
I picked up the first trade collection of Astonishing X-Men, with art by John Cassaday, and story by Joss Whedon, and I’ll tell you, it’s been the most fun I’ve had reading a super-hero comic in years.
Not that I have ever had anything against super-hero comics; I usually read the more literary comics, like Sandman and Strangers in Paradise, over the Batman and Superman variety. In fact, it’s probably been ten years or so since I picked up any super-hero books and that’s going to change if there are others as good as this one.
The art is amazing. Cassaday has a gift for making the characters look real, while still keeping to a definite style of comic art. Add to that Joss Whedon’s writing, and well, if you like Buffy or Firefly, you know Whedon’s writing.
And I really like where the story takes us. It’s a re-launch of the X-men universe with a small team of X-men: Kitty Pryde, Wolverine, Cyclops, Beast, and Emma Frost. I really like the mix of old and new X-men; something that is reflected in their costumes, with Wolverine in his traditional yellow, and Cyclops in the black leather similar to the movies.
I’ve already ordered the next in the series and am checking for my Amazon box daily. Go read it. Now.
