Worse than Joseph or Maggot?
They may be known as the "merry mutants," but the X-Men are pretty much the most morose bunch of heroes in the Marvel Universe. Now that writers like Jason Aaron and Peter David have moved onto other projects, it's rare to find an X-book that actively tries to make readers laugh. X-Men: Worst X-Men Ever fills that void by offering a more comedic take on the franchise. This first issue is fairly predictable, but entertaining nonetheless.
Writer Max Bernis (who also happens to be the lead singer for the band Say Anything) and artist Michael Walsh introduce readers to a new mutant hero named Bailey Hoskins, the titular "worst X-Man ever." Bailey is your typical unremarkable teen protagonist who aspires to greatness despite having no noteworthy qualities whatsoever. Even the discovery that he carries the mutant gene winds up being fodder for more disappointment when it turns out Bailey has the most useless power since Skin. But he keeps soldiering on against all adversity, which is the main source of the character's appeal.
It's easy to see most of the main beats in this issue coming as Bailey transitions from anonymous teenager to aspiring superhero. However, one particularly dark twist suggests that Bernis isn't afraid to let a little black humor seep into an otherwise straightforward teen superhero tale.
There's also something to be said for the book having such a clean, streamlined take on the X-Men. There's no Schism to be found here, just a traditional lineup of mutants filling traditional roles. Walsh's character designs borrow as much from the classic '80s era as they do the contemporary X-books. Walsh's cheerful style blends well with Bernis' lighthearted writing approach. The emphasis in this first issue is largely on dialogue and low-key comedy, which Walsh excels at. But the shift towards action late in the issue proves that Walsh is more than capable of delivering an epic X-Men yarn as well. Hopefully future issues will put those abilities to the test.
The Verdict
The first issue of this new X-book won't dramatically reinvent the X-Men franchise as we know it, but it does offer a clean, accessible and engaging alternative to the rest of the franchise. Worst X-Men Ever #1 boasts a solid lead character and attractive visuals, strengths that make for a solid start to this mini-series.
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