X-Men United was billed as a book that would feature every mutant in the X-Men roster, no matter what team they’re a part of. In theory, this should have led to some fun interactions; what if the younger mutants have to learn battle strategy from a hardened soldier like Cable? Or what if Glob Herman decides that he likes working with Rogue’s X-Men better? Despite the inherent promise of the title, so far X-Men United has mostly been focused on yet another conflict between Cyclops and Emma Frost…which makes X-Men United #5 all the more surprising.
When Iceman’s plan to get Cyclops and Emma to get along via role playing games went horribly wrong thanks to the extremely telegraphed appearance of the Shadow King, Deathdream is shot out of the simulation he’s in to warn the other X-Men. It turns out that the Shadow King’s influence is spreading throughout Greymatter Lane, forcing the students into the fight of their life. Meanwhile, Cyclops, Emma, Iceman, and Rogue fight to stop the Shadow King from hijacking Ben Liu’s mind.
It’s in X-Men United #5 that Eve L. Ewing actually hits upon the winning formula: if this is an X-Men book focused on a school, then why not give the most focus to the students? After all, newer mutants have been introduced in the pages of Uncanny X-Men and Exceptional X-Men, so why not further their character development via a title that has them all under one roof? Indeed, Ewing’s writing pops the most when it focuses on the younger X-Men, especially in the way that Melee and Sophie Cuckoo take charge of the situation, and the Outliers quickly unite the other students. I also love that the student body includes mutants we haven’t seen in a while, like Match, Wolf Cub, and Icarus from the Academy X era. If Ewing continues to build on these bonds, she could turn X-Men United into a must read X-book.
Marvel
It’s a shame, then, that the segments focused on our X-Men in the fantasy realms aren’t as engaging. While the Shadow King poses a truly menacing threat, the story has more or less reduced Ben to a plot device. Given the current issues he’s facing over in Jed MacKay’s X-Men, it’s clear that Ben feels like an actual character in one of these comics. Once again, more of the focus is put on Cyclops and Emma rather than the other X-Men, and while I don’t hate the idea of them having to learn to work together again given their history, this is a comic called X-Men United, not Cyclops and the White Queen United.
No matter what X-Men character he’s drawing, Eduardo Pansica delivers plenty of action and emotion on every page. When Deathdream unites with his fellow Outliers, they’re more than relieved to see he’s OK. An argument between Match and Axo heats up – quite literally, given the former mutant’s powers over flame. But all of this pales in comparison to the Shadow King’s presence, which takes the form of…well, shadows. Pansica also adds a touch of horror to the book by showcasing the King’s corruptive effect on the mutants he possesses, as the victims take on beady black eyes and a demonic appearance that’s extremely unsettling.
It’s made even more unsettling by Brian Reber’s color choices. Throughout the issue, Greymatter Lane is depicted as a pristine, shining white landscape (given that Emma mentally constructed it, that’s rather fitting.) Once the Shadow King enters the picture, darkness starts to spread with alarming speed. Reber also contrasts the chaos on Greymatter Lane with the fantasy sequence, which uses more earthy tones.
X-Men United #5 accidentally uncovers a dynamic between its characters that proves to be the best way forward for this title. It’s enough to overcome an obvious plot twist, and I hope future issues lean into this dynamic.
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