Essential X-Men Vol. 4

Rating:
Summary: For all X-Philes!!
Review: As the title suggests, this book is essential for any lover of the X-Men, specifically what is now known as "Uncanny X-Men". This book picks up where Vol. 3 left off, further developing the different characters, and telling several good stories in the process. All for a price that just makes sense considering how much it would cost to pick up all of these back-issues these days.

Rating:
Summary: For all X-Philes!!
Review: As the title suggests, this book is essential for any lover of the X-Men, specifically what is now known as "Uncanny X-Men". This book picks up where Vol. 3 left off, further developing the different characters, and telling several good stories in the process. All for a price that just makes sense considering how much it would cost to pick up all of these back-issues these days.

Rating:
Summary: Good Find!
Review: I bought all of these to back track and read the previous things that had happened within the comic. This serves the purpose but was disapointed that they were not in color.

Rating:
Summary: Good Find!
Review: I bought all of these to back track and read the previous things that had happened within the comic. This serves the purpose but was disapointed that they were not in color.

Rating:
Summary: a good read
Review: i disagree w/ the other reviewer. yeah, the series started to lose steam, but this book included the brood war saga (in which the x-men get eggs implanted inside them) which introduces binary and which was quite good, and the first real storyline w/ the morlocks, inc. storm's duel with callisto. the book includes the the issues in the tpb "from the ashes" which involve "the return of the dark phoenix". also, rogue joins the xmen (whoo!), madelyne pryor and the new mutants make their debut, and the xmen go to japan for wolvie's aborted wedding. all in all, pretty essential reading.

Rating:
Summary: A second silver age...
Review: The reviwer who says that the X-Men had lost its luster at this point is plain wrong. This volume contains the run drawn by the amazing Paul Smith (Golden Age, Leave It To Chance) and is as good as any other great run on this title. The character development and plots in this volume are Claremont at his best.

Rating:
Summary: A second silver age...
Review: The reviwer who says that the X-Men had lost its luster at this point is plain wrong. This volume contains the run drawn by the amazing Paul Smith (Golden Age, Leave It To Chance) and is as good as any other great run on this title. The character development and plots in this volume are Claremont at his best.

Rating:
Summary: Issues # 162 - 179 and Annual # 6
Review: This Book contains issues # 162 - 179 and Annual # 6. It features Storm, Cyclops, Colossus, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Sprite and Rogue. Will they publish # 180 - ?

Rating:
Summary: Issues # 162 - 179 and Annual # 6
Review: This Book contains issues # 162 - 179 and Annual # 6. It features Storm, Cyclops, Colossus, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Sprite and Rogue. Will they publish # 180 - ?

Rating:
Summary: ALL The Other Reviews Are For Essential X-Men #1,NOT #4
Review: This book does NOT have Banshee (he had lost his powers by the time these stories had come out), Mesmero, Weapon Alpha, Sauron or ANY of the 1st appearances of the other characters(In Wolverines case it doesn't have his 4th appearance[the first three were in Hulk 180-182]).

This book does have some decent stories, but the dominance that characterized the stories from 94-142 (the X-Men Rennaisance) is almost entirely gone by this point. X-men had mostly become just another mag. However, most of the principle players are still there (excepting Banshee (see above), Thunderbird (died in action) or Sunfire (left team almost immediately)) and Marvel always outshines it's Distinguished Competitors. So, if you really like the X-Men, you will definitely enjoy this, but it is no-where near the class of Essential X-Men #1 or #2 (both are packed wall-to-wall with many of the very best silver-age comics in existence!). If you have finished both of these and then #3, and you just can't go without more, then buy #4 (but you may be slightly disappointed as these are great comics but no-where near as good as the key run of 94-142). Titanic tales in the mighty Marvel tradition to be sure; but be forewarned, they are not necessarily can't miss.


*******edit*****

the title to this review is due to the book originally having (for like 6 months) had the reviews for Essential X-Men #1 posted under 4 for whatever reason (I wrote to amazon 4-5 times before writing the review). As the reviews made a great number of claims which weren't relevant to this product, I felt compelled to clarify what people would actually recieve if they purchased this book.

It reprints a very good run (I would prefer to be able to give it 3 1/2 stars than 3, but 4 would be exaggerating), but almost nothing can approach the runs in Essential X-Men #1 & #2. If you like the X-Men specifically then you will like this. Otherwise, if you like Essential X-Men #3 then you will probably enjoy this as it is comparable, though a little more detached from the key X-Men #94 - #142 run.

Face front, true believers! The Marvel Age is upon us!