Ultimate X-men, Vol. 1

Rating:
Summary: Keep it real
Review: The creators of Ultimate X-men did a very smart thing. They started all the way over. Considering Ult. X-men starts off anew, they can do what they wish with the story. Unlike X-treme and New X-Men which have plots so Twisted, it doesn't feel like the X-Men at all. They changed a few things in this series, like how Wolverine joined. Also Colossus and Storm take Angel's place as one of the first X-men. Making a team of 6 instead of 5. Magneto and the Brotherhood are pretty much the same. These books are solely based on story. Theres action, but its kinda far between.

Rating:
Summary: New generation of writers out to destroy comics....
Review: These new stories by Millar contain terrible Kubert drawings and story plots that go no where. They play more like a video game rather then a comic and are the work of people who are more like internet geeks then serious writers. No wonder comic book sales are dead and less then 2,000 comic book stores are still open nationwide.

Rating:
Summary: New generation of writers out to destroy comics....
Review: These new stories by Millar contain terrible Kubert drawings and story plots that go no where. They play more like a video game rather then a comic and are the work of people who are more like internet geeks then serious writers. No wonder comic book sales are dead and less then 2,000 comic book stores are still open nationwide.

Rating:
Summary: A different take on the X-Men
Review: This hardcover combines the first two story arcs in this series: The Tomorrow People and Return to Weapon-X. Millar's take on the X-Men is new and refreshing. Using Marvel's new Ultimate universe, changes have been made to continuity to conform to the new story line. The team is different, the characters younger, and their powers a little stronger. The writing is tight and humerous, and the stories, especially the first one, are riveting. Millar does a good job combining characterization and action. These two story lines, especially the first one, are wonderful. The series has started to go downhill a little since, but this book is a must read for any X-Men fan.

Rating:
Summary: Pleasantly surprised
Review: This honestly will offend a lot of old-school comic fans but will surely help to begin a new group of fans. I imagine that eventually the characters will become more like they are later and things will follow a similar course of events. This is decently illustrated and this edition just looks very nice overall. Also the story is top notch if the reader can put aside all preconceptions on what the x-men are supposed to be. With characters being introduced in entirely new ways and in completely different order, this "universe" of the x-men is sure to unfold nicely.

Rating:
Summary: Give New Universes A Chance
Review: This is not your daddy's "X-Men." Heck, in my case, it's not even MY "X-Men." I started collecting the adventures of Xavier's team of reactive "freedom fighters" right near the end of the decade long run of writer Chris Claremont. I loved Fabian Nicizea and Scott Lobdell's take on the team. I bought (most) all of the books plastered with an "X" on them. And I HATED the Ultimate Universe idea. I didn't care that is was an idea of Joe Quesada, whose every other move in the business of funny books was something I agreed with. I didn't care that Brian Michael Bendis was doing the first book and he was a favorite writer. I didn't care if Mark Millar was doing this "X" book and I thought he was great in filling Warren Ellis' shoes in THE AUTHORITY.I didn't care that I loved the Kubert bros (that is, ultimately, why I gave issue #1 a try). I thought the idea of "re-booting"was a cop-out to a muddled universe and that there could be nothing there.
I. Was. Wrong. DEAD. Wrong.
Not to give away the end to issue one, but the moment I saw who Magneto's personally selected assassain was, I was irrocavably hooked. It was a brilliant reveal that made perfect sense. And it was fun...
Millar crafts a tale of fun, suspense and action and he has a great turn at humor and dialogue. He doesn't care who the X-Men were, but who they ARE. A bunch of kids with WAY too much power, emotion and responsibility. And they have to stop a madman? Who just may be right? Because these are not "established" characters with thirty years of backstory, you never really know whose side they are on. Anyone could be taken out at any time. Storm is too important and too popular a character in the "old" Marvel U to really be in any danger. But here, in this new ballgame, you're never really sure. The motivations and the results are all new, but somehow familiar. And when that new character is introduced, you cannot wait to see what's the same and what's different.
Are you an "X-Men" fan? Are you a resistor like I was?
Give up and give in...