Featured Review: X of Swords: Destruction #1

 

Writers: Jonathon Hickman and Tini Howard

Artists: Pepe Larraz

Colors: Marte Gracia

Letters: VC’s Clayton Cowles

Design: Tom Muller

Cover: Larraz and Gracia

Note: This is a review of the final part of the X of Swords. For reviews of the other two parts that released this week, X-Men #15 and Excalibur #15, come back tomorrow for the weekly Comic Reviews post. This review does contain spoilers for the entirety of X of Swords. You have been warned.

X of Swords is one of the strangest comic book crossovers I have read in a long time. Individually, almost every issue was entertaining. There were only three issues that were outright bad. An 86% success rate would typically indicate a story is of very high quality. And yet, I cannot shake this feeling that the story that was told was mediocre.

If one reads the Wikipedia article for this event, it seems to be one of the most eventful and intriguing X-Men stories in some time. Certainly, a lot of events transpired. A BLEACH-esque number of characters were introduced, most of whom survived and will assuredly appear in future stories. With Arakko back on Earth there will be huge changes to the status quos of all mutants. Cypher got married. Gorgon is dead. As is Summoner. These are monumental events in the ongoing story of Krakoa and the X-Men.

This also happened but nothing really come of it

It all feels nigh on weightless, like the creators were unsure how to split duties so that each chapter had weight and focus. Take, for example, the two-part story in Wolverine #6 and X-Force #13. That was nearly 60 pages of setup for a five-page payoff 13 issues later. Those wasted pages could have advanced the story more so that this 40-page one-shot did not have to have the climax, resolution, and aftermath of the story. That could have been the work of the two or three issues prior.

That would require the contribution of writers other than Tini Howard and Jonathon Hickman, something this event was scared to do. There were some events of consequence from other writers but not many. If it was going to be structured like that, why didn’t the two of them write and eight issue story?

The pair tag teamed this issue, and it is just major event after major event with none having the opportunity to truly land because there just is not enough space for them to breath. Pepe Larraz and Marte Gracia do their best to sell each occurrence with their gorgeous, powerful art but that can only do so much without the help of the writers.

This should feel much bigger than it does in context

This story marked the end of the Dawn of X and ushered in the Reign of X. What that means is unclear. At this point next year, the X-books will likely be embroiled in another crossover that marks the end of that era and rings in a new one. Hopefully, there is more trust placed in the collective by that point. These series have an incredible collection of talent in every facet. Let them do their do their jobs.

As always, feel free to give your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter at @alexraysnyder. And if you like what you read here, consider throwing a couple bucks my way on Patreon to help cover costs.