Uncanny X-Men #4

(w) Brian Michael Bendis     (a) Chris Bachalo

This was a cop-out issue.

I'm sure -- sitting there -- writing both All-New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men at the same time got old Brian Michael Bendis thinking about how much these two books needed to connect. 'Quite a bit' is putting it mildly when it's not even solicited that these two titles interconnect to the point where you find out plot points from one within another.


**SPOILERS AHEAD**


Uncanny X-Men #4 is basically just a retelling of All-New X-Men #10 from the perspective of Cyclops' team; more specifically, Emma Frost. Most of the pages are filled with psychic banter between Emma and the Stepford Cuckoos about their attending Scott's new Xavier School. 

At first, they're all like "Nah" because they felt abandoned by Emma. Then, Emma shows them how Scott basically power-raped her for her portion of the Phoenix Force. The Cuckoos feel so bad for Emma that they decide to forgive her and join Scott's school.

How does this make any sense? The girls literally just saw Scott forcibly removing their mentors' powers, and now they're going to attend his school? Plus, it shows a severe lack of morality on Emma's part, to -- in as much as she can -- 'forgive' Scott for his actions under the influence of the Phoenix, only to use those actions against him later on for her own gain. Maybe it's what Bendis intended, but it doesn't feel that way.

This issue would have been a whole lot more interesting if it had hit a few important beats. First, there should have been some new information. We already knew the Cuckoos were going with Emma and Scott, so why spend most of an issue explaining that they do? Second, if Magik is on the cover, she should have had a much more central role in the issue beyond a few foreboding panels. Third, don't change character personalities at the drop of a hat (here's looking at you, Triage).

At least Chris Bachalo's artwork is still awesome.

GRADE

5/10