Uncanny X-Men #28 Review

writer: Brian Michael Bendis / artist: Kris Anka I realize he puts out a certain degree of divisive work, but Brian Michael Bendis is on a roll lately with Uncanny X-Men. It’s moved too slowly for some readers, but I would argue that the X-franchise has needed to slow down for some genuinely heartfelt character development in a way. Bendis has really succeeded in doing a close up on some of these characters and immersing you in their world with genuine pathos. The latest issue has us face to face with the last Horrible Thing Charles Xavier Had To Sweep Under The Rug, new omega level mutant, Matthew Malloy. He’s reached a turning point from which there is no going back where he must decide what the rest of his life will look like. And he went away with Cyclops, the new Magneto. There are a few real high points in this book. For starters, anytime Bendis has Cyclops doing one of his grand Friday Night Lights quarterback speeches, it’s usually to the book’s benefit. Such is this still the case this week. “The Last Will and Testament of Charles Xavier”, moreso than any other run on an X-book in recent memory, has zoomed in on certain characters and created some truly intimate moments. Here, we see an interesting, charming balance of Scott Summers keeping a brave face on while trying to redeem himself via a fellow lost cause.

Another great moment is an exchange between Storm and Beast which lends itself just a little further to the Fall of Henry McCoy. Bendis hasn’t really done as…