The Fall of X lineup of books has been revealed, and for X-fans currently reading the monthly titles, we are looking for clues in recent issues to help give light to the forthcoming event. Thankfully, the Trials of X line of trades is a great way to get the entire scope of the current X-universe, even if the issues collected in this volume are mostly mid points in their book’s respective plots.
Collected in Trials of X Vol. 9 is S.W.O.R.D. #10-11, Wolverine #19, Marauders #26, and Hellions #16-17. This is a fine collection of issues, few of which have any coherent connection to each other. Nonetheless, there are some very fine X-books bound within these pages.
The standout issues belong to Al Ewing’s final S.W.O.R.D., demonstrating why the core ethos of this title was furthered in his current X-Men: Red book. Characters like Storm, Wiz-Kid, Taki, and Abigail Brand (a personal favorite of mine) all get small moments to shine, with Ewing giving subtle characterization to each of the cast. In just two short issues, this arc is wrapped up satisfyingly while effectively setting the table for major events to come. Jacopo Camagni is an excellent penciler, as his character visuals are expressive and vibrant, giving the narrative a muscular upgrade.
While the most one-dimensional title in the lot, Wolverine #19 is an excellent romp that is basically just Logan fighting a giant sea monster. For fans of this current Wolverine title from Benjamin Percy, this is a fine little issue that doesn’t require a great deal of knowledge about the interlocking Krakoan storyline to enjoy.
Both the Marauders and Hellions issues are heavy on continuing story and require some knowledge of each book’s core plot to enjoy. That isn’t to say they are not strong titles; the Hellions issues are especially good moments from Zeb Wells popular run on this title. The art is also good, with Matteo Lolli and Stephen Segovia providing drastically different tones to their particular storylines.
Most of the variant covers are relegated to quarter-page reproductions, which is unfortunate but very common for books in this line of trades. Thankfully, Marvel has maintained the visually appealing graphic design to these books, and it pops while sitting on the shelf.
These aren’t the best or worst issues from the Trials of X era of X-books, but there are some standout issues from the likes of Al Ewing and Zeb Wells. If you have been reading your X-Men comics via this medium, you’ll surely need to pick this up, and even non-completist readers will find plenty to enjoy in this trade.
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