The Uncanny X-Men by Brian Michael Bendis, Volume 6

Much like its previous third volume, this was a collected series of standalone issues. I'm not really sure whether this volume is entitled The Revolution or Storyville. There are conflicting sources that say it's one or the other. Maybe the collection is yet to be finalized? I don't know. But this one does feature the fifty-two-paged special #600th issue of The Uncanny X-Men which effectively ends Brian Michael Bendis' run of UXM (and even ANXM). But before we discuss that prominent issue, let's get on with the other four first and how I thought about their content.

Now the only issue that actually had a solid tether to the actual ongoing plot was issue #32 which was a Scott-centered story that I did not like reading at all, mostly because I hated, JUST HATED, how Scott was characterized. After the fiasco concerning the powerful mutant Matthew Malloy whose very existence was stopped by time-traveling Eva Bell as she assisted a young Charles Xavier in doing so, Scott was bequeathed the Westchester place in Xavier's last will and testament--which he then refused and gave to Storm. 

Afterwards, he went back to tell his students--the recruits--that he is closing down their secret school for good which means they are effectively disbanned as a team. Emma and Ilyana (especially Ilyana) is not pleased about this very inconsiderate and abrupt decision. She teleports herself and Kitty out there. Meanwhile, the recruits were just as angry. As far as I'm concerned, they have every right to be, and Scott clearly deserved that goldball in the face. This issue was told in a flashback perspective, with Scott telling (yet also not disclosing) the story to his brother Alex who had just resigned from the Uncanny Avengers team. So the two talked about the future.

This issue also dealt with the final break-up between Scott and Emma which is a darn shame because I've rooted for this couple to stay together since Whedon's Astonishing run. But with the way things have gone down after they got messed up by the Phoenix force, and the track record of Scott's unpredictable decision-making, they both need to end whatever lingering feelings they may have for each other because it's apparent they want so many different things now. I didn't like Scott in this issue because I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HIM ANYMORE. I have a soft spot for Scott from the very beginning. I never truly despised him or liked him so much either. Now---I don't know! I can totally relate to everyone here because I also feel like I've been ain emotionally abusive relationship with a so-called man of principle who doesn't seem to give a damn about how his choices affect the people around him who believe in him every step of the way---especially Ilyana who showed her devotion to him, out of all his comrades, by always being there to be the supportive brawn or willing sounding board. I was surprised she didn't punch him the face because she deserved that. Instead, she walked away and had her bestie with her which was timely because those two have issues to resolve by themselves too.

Ilyana and Kitty's issue was a very nice break from the craziness that was Scott Summers' volatile flip-flop characterization. The besties found themselves in Monster Island and ended up rescuing a mutant child named Bo who was abandoned by her own father to die after she accidentally killed her mother. They succeeded in bringing her back to the Jean Grey school and Storm was glad to take her and enroll her there on the spot. The girl's powers could be something deadly, especially since she seemed to have easily attacked Kitty even when the latter was on phase mode. I certainly hope young Bo will make it and that she will grow up stronger once she has learned to control her abilities. The next issue was about the inevitable confrontation between Mystique and Dazzler which was...underwhelming somehow. It turns out that Mystique was probably still married to Xavier before he died (although thanks to Eva's intrusion, Xavier's will never mentioned the marriage anymore), and that Mystique still did those horrible things to Dazzler (pretty much used her a drug experiment). Dazzler (who is not so dazzling anymore with her new goth look) showed some compassion for Mystique and did not kill her, but instead she vowed to teach her a lesson--and then the issue just ends there. I don't fucking care what they do to Mystique anymore. I've lost any kind of investment on her character a long time ago. Like since she and Irene were finished. There are only so many times she can break my heart. MOVING ON!

Literally all I would say every time Mystique is on a page

The last issue was about the abandoned students of Scott's short-lived school program/revolution mission. These youngsters (plus the adult Hijack) decided to form their own team instead because no one said that they should be the new X-Men anyway. None of their previous mentors were there so they went on missions on their own to fight mutants who are causing trouble with the civilians. At first it worked out just swell--Goldballs even became an internet sensation (since he really learned to own his superhero name to the point where he screams it whenever he attacks, like a goddamn Pokemon or some shit). But the taste of freedom and fame have a price and during one mission, a few humans start egging on them, literally hitting Goldballs in the throat with a freaking glass shard of some sort, and the Steford sisters almost telepathically killed the attacker on the spot. They have never been faced with such a heated hatemongering assault from rabid anti-mutant assholes and of course they got scared shitless about it! The life of a mutant crime fighter is never glamorous. After realizing this, they all went to the Jean Grey school and Storm was only so willing to take them in because, OF COURSE WHY WOULDN'T SHE, THE MERCIFUL GODDESS THAT SHE IS?! All these standalone stories were enjoyable to read, except for the Scott one because GODDAMMIT, SUMMERS!

Now, for issue #600: a fifty-two paged loaded story that has one main plot all across the pages while sidestories were branched out across it. The main plot in question was about Present-Day Hank McCoy's intervention--oh, I'm sorry--TRIAL. Yes, his hubris is finally about to begin and take centerstage. Beast has really evolved--or devolved--into something unrecognizable, certainly not the one I love in the nineties cartoons. This erudite, level-headed and quirky scientist was such a warm presence back in the day, able to tickle us with his cleverness and sense of humor; someone who embodies values and principles and becomes the needed voice of reason for his compatriots. He worked both for the X-Men and the Avengers because he wanted to do more; he wanted to help and cure and discover awesome new things that could help the mutant race. And then, somewhere along the way, much like Scott Summers, he has lost that moral compass and he started doing questionable things, hiding behind his brilliance, justifying his atrocities by imposing intellectual superiority while nursing a hurt, envious ego usually directed at his old friend Scott. THOSE TWO DESERVE A PLACE IN INFAMY, I SAY. And it pains me to say it because I love Hank! I also kinda sometimes and often like Scott...on occasion. So seeing these two original X-Men just...being all over the goddamn place is...STRESSFUL! Look, I still feel for these boys but sometimes I just want to tell them off!

Storm alongside everyone like Kitty, Ilyana, Peter, Emma and Kurt all want to help him make amends but Hank is too blinded by rage and cowardice and kept pointing fingers at Scott--that it was all Scott's fault instead of claiming responsibility. Dude, Scott may have murdered Charles Xavier which is inexcusable, but YOU ARE TAINTING THE LEGACY OF YOUR DEAD MENTOR SO MUCH MORE THAN THE MURDER COMMITTED BY SCOTT HIMSELF! GOD! When Ororo Munroe tells you to get your shit together, you better get that shit together or else! So while this riveting discussion of Hank's assholery is going on, we get flashbacks of stuff that happen predating this intervention-trial, such as:

Young Bobby confronts Present-Day Bobby about their sexuality. Young Bobby came out as gay back in the All-New X-Men, thanks to Jean being a telepathic snoop, and now young Bobby feels the need to help his older counterpart deal with the fact that he is closeted. And guess what, Present-Day Bobby is, in fact, also gay! Um...I know I brought this up during that coming-out issue from ANXM but then decided to take it back anyway because I really wasn't ready to argue about it, but I feel like I should bring it up again because Bobby Drake has had relationships with women--a few of them I knew for a fact he genuinely loved. He had sex with those women. He had fallen in love with those women. He loved Kitty too. So, you know, I can buy young Bobby being gay but the current Bobby of this timeline? NO FREAKING WAY. How about he just came out as BISEXUAL? Would that be less of an empowering stance? Would that lessen his courage of coming out of the closet? BECAUSE EVERYONE KNOWS BISEXUALS ARE MYTHICAL CREATURES. You can only either be heterosexual or homosexual. Look, it just doesn't make any sense to me! It's clear that all the relationships Bobby had ever been with were all with females so he at least is capable of sexual and romantic attraction with them. Are you seriously telling me that he managed to fake and pretend his way through sex with them? None of these women were even aware that he is not into them that way at all? SERIOUSLY! I'm trying not to be a dick here but what's so wrong about Bobby Drake just coming out as BISEXUAL because his relationship history proves it?! Goddammit, I'm actually pretty pissed about this. I'm pissed because PD-Bobby just caved in like that and told his younger counterpart, "You're right, I'm a hundred-percent gay too and only like men" never mind the fact that he had been with women genuinely. So...basically, I'm supposed to believe those relationships are invalid then? That means that Bobby is not only lying to himself SO WELL AND EFFECTIVELY but also to these women whom he--you know what, fuck it. Whatever. I'm just...this review is going longer than I expected and I really need to trim my rants now.

My second rant is about young Jean Grey and Hank McCoy becoming the "official couple" while a young Scott looks on, forlorn and sad. I mean...I MEAN, clearly, CLEARLY it was demonstrated that SCOTT WAS THE ONE WHO WAS ALWAYS THERE FOR JEAN during ANXM. She and Hank kissed once, and when shit went down and she asked for Hank to trust her, he didn't help her while Scott fully trusted her and ran away with her all because she asked. That's all she did, she asked and Scott had her back. What the fuck was Hank doing? He decided to stay behind to observe stuff going down because he's such a scientist and all that shit. I mean, really, Jean? REALLY? How can you still like Hank when he's so unreliable and Scott is clearly more able to express his feelings for you? Why do this, Bendis? Because getting Scott and Jean together is too much of a cliché? So for novelty's sake we're doing Jean/Hank now? Again, fuck it. I need to stop ranting or I may start popping blood vessels here from the rate I'm going. *takes a deep, deep breath and releases*

Other nice stuff happened like that Colossus-Kitty-Ilyana friendly reunion. Kitty is getting married in space and joining the Guardians of the Galaxy. PD-Scott did this nice thing at Washington DC where he gathered all the mutants just to be present as a race and THEY DID NOT START ATTACKING HUMANITY AT ALL even though that was what the foolish humans feared, which was a victorious and uplifting show of strength and union for the mutants, especially with Magneto coming in and gracefully calling it a truce with Scott in front of the public. It was nice. Here are the actual scans of those pages. Behold the awesomeness:

Bendis' run does end with some dread and even mild foreshadowing. Eva Bell is still around, traveling through time and whatnot, and I don't know what kind of shit she is capable of stirring up but I am not feeling optimistic at all about it. She vowed to keep an eye on Scott Summers after all, and to judge him accordingly. Meanwhile, Beast has left the school for good and is hiding somewhere and I have no idea what he intends to do next. Is it possible he might become the newest villain for the X-Men?

RECOMMENDED: 8/10

The Uncanny X-Men by Brian Michael Bendis, Volume 5

This....THIS! This has to be the crowning jewel of the entire series so far. Brian Michael Bendis' The Uncanny X-Men has really come so far from whatever forgettable trite that was its lackluster first volume. Anyone who decided to stop reading after that said volume is sorely missing out for the breadth and quality of the next stories that came afterwards. 

The last time I was this consistently stimulated and completely invested in the plot and character revelations of an X-Men title was during my readings and reviews of Joss Whedon's The Astonishing X-Men. In a way, this was continuation of that run, considering the central figure that dominates most of UXM material is Scott Summers a.k.a Cyclops, and it's in this volume that it was fully realized. Simply put, Volume 5: The Omega Sentinel is comprised of issues #26-31 and by all that is holy and Loki, I ate it all up like it's the most scrumptious serving of blueberry cheesecake! 

[SPOILERS AHEAD]

This fifth installment packs some dizzying punches to the face and gut, and picks up straight from the previous volume's climactic revelation about a very powerful mutant named Matthew Malloy, and how the late Professor X had done everything in his power to dampen and weaken Malloy's mutation because the alternative will destroy creation and all existence. At first, I wasn't convinced that we I should even give a fuck that a superpowered and out-of-control mutant is threatening the Marvelverse (YET AGAIN), but as the story deepened and Scott was placed in a position of great struggle and temptation, I was able to truly enjoy the narrative for what it is: a cautionary tale that was timely and relevant in regards to the events that have transpired since AVX, and has mold Cyclops so far from the young and hopeful idealist he started out with. Scott saw an opportunity to impart his newfound philosophy on Malloy, and took a chance to make him see that they are very much the same. 

Like Malloy, Scott had a destructive power he thought he could never live with. And together, they can help each other make the world a place where mutants don't have to walk on eggshells among humans and can finally be who they are, free of guilt and shame. 

The panels concerning Scott trying to get through Malloy were tinged with such sadness and yet with bravery and dignity as well that I was moved to near tears. To become a part of such insanity and suffering--to grow up unloved, unappreciated, misunderstood and exploited--to feel as if not even your own self can be trusted--this seemed to be the birthright and given calvary of powerful mutants of the past, those who are able to wield terrifying powers which eventually corroded them inside. Scott allows Malloy to dig through his mind and see for himself how Jean Grey, Magneto, Scarlet Witch, Apocalypse, etc. have all faced a breakdown of epic proportions--and how their tragic tales almost killed everyone in the world and transformed reality--and, most importantly--that Malloy DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ONE OF THEM. Scott is willing to show him another way even if he himself isn't sure which it would be. Nevertheless, he still believes there is no one else more suited for the role to become Malloy's mentor but him.

It's an interesting twist to see Magneto arriving right in the middle of this proposal, seeing as he's been absent during the reading of Xavier's last will and testament. Much more so when he opposed Scott's offer and tried to make Malloy see the error of Scott's ways and why she should never be trusted. This was pretty much the heart of the story but everyone else played vital roles in the sidelines. We have Magik (Ilyana) and Emma Frost who serve as Scott's closest associates. Ilyana has finally found the balance between her mutation and sorceress powers, thanks to the assistance of Dr. Strange, and she does everything she can to help Scott even if they disagree about his methods. Emma, on the other hand, still chose to stand by Scott even though their romance had been obliterated the Phoenix Force. She remained loyal to him, and her trust in his vision is often overwhelming, both to her and the others. Meanwhile, we have the young recruits in the secret Xavier School; teenagers who are forced to adapt and evolve even if there are some moral conundrums that are beyond their grasp. The notable one of them had to be Eva Bell who has the ability to control time.

Eva is growing up and becoming more opinionated if not altogether reckless. She expressed great disapproval over Scott's decisions, and her role in the resolution of the conflict for this story had been the most harrowing and dangerous. The Steford sister Celeste argued passionately to get her to restrain herself from getting actively involved in a fight that she shouldn't take over, but Eva has made up her mind and went back in time to warn Charles Xavier about Malloy, and to ask for help in preventing a disaster to occur in the present timeline. Xavier was unmoved for a while, disappointed and angry that an X-Man just violated the laws of the universe just to meet with him, but Eva was able to convince him afterwards, and with his help she effectively erased a timeline that proved to be detrimental.

See, Scott, Emma, and Ilyana all died after trying to save Malloy and also when they found themselves smacked in the middle of a crossfire with S.H.I.E.L.D. Emma died when Malloy tried to defend himself from her attack and her sudden demise angered Storm and she was about to be the next victim when Eva and Xavier began changing things via time travel. By having Xavier help him erase Malloy's existence in a way where he was never even born, everything in the present timeline was fixed--except of course what was already broken already to begin with. That is, Scott still killed Professor X. We get to be taken back to the new reading of Xavier's will and testament where there was no mention of his marriage to Mystique, or Malloy. Instead, he bequeaths the school to Scott. Before Scott could ever accept, he gets to talk to Eva one last time and their conversation made him realize he is not suited to become a mentor and so signs over the deeds of the Jean Grey school to Storm and then asks her to take in his students from the Weapon X facility.

It was a shocking turn indeed that a new character like Eva showed teeth and took matters in her own hands and basically rewrote a timeline. And there are SOOO MANY QUESTIONS that hopefully will get answered in the next volume. First of all, Mystique not being married to Xavier before his death. I assume she wasn't anymore? Or perhaps Xavier just didn't mention it in his will? If they were never married, does that mean Dazzler doesn't have to go after Mystique anymore because Raven never went crazy with grief over Xavier's death and therefore she did not build Madripoor or kidnap Dazzler to impersonate her? What? This is a subplot I need to know for sure is still happening. ANYWAY! This volume had been such a heck of a ride. I could hardly keep up. I was reading this at work and all I could do is do this:

When deep, deep within, I was going cuckoo for cocoa puffs like this:

I feel like giving this a perfect rating but then again I do have some issues about it a little bit. Also, I think I'm just going to hold off on my perfect ratings for this series for now. I can't help but feel that Bendis still has some tricks up his sleeve.

RECOMMENDED: 9/10

The Uncanny X-Men by Brian Michael Bendis, Volume 4

The one phrase I can accurately describe the fourth volume of Brian Michael Bendis' The Uncanny X-Men with is that it's been 'a series of escalations'. The previous volume was comprised of oneshots that are more or less independent of one another. It's something I immensely enjoyed but perhaps a more critical reader will find the lack of a unifying arc as wasteful. Luckily, Bendis answered that expectation by getting us back on track with The Uncanny X-Men Vs. S.H.I.E.L.D which ran from issues #19-25.

Since the events from AVX and Scott Summers' murder of Professor X, mutants relations with the government especially the S.H.I.E.L.D agency have been more tense than the usual, and this friction will ultimately play out for this volume's plot. Current head Maria Hill is hunting down Cyclops and his colleagues Emma Frost, Magik and Magneto, believing them as the new face of a more radical mutant revolution. Meanwhile, Scott has recruited young and promising mutants and, together with his colleagues, has been training them for combat and bringing them into missions. Essentially, The Uncanny X-Men allows readers to experience progress and evolution of Scott's new team of heroes, as well as sympathize with the struggles they have against their usual public enemies, both super-powered and human. This Bendis title started rather weak in its first debut but has steadily become an engrossing, exciting and well-crafted tale that's part-Shakespearean drama, part-coming-of-age story and part-political intrigue.

This fourth volume The Uncanny X-Men Vs. S.H.I.E.L.D probably serves as the climactic point of the series' narrative where chess pieces laid before in the previous volumes are finally coming out to play across the board. This include the ongoing strife and misunderstanding among Scott's team, Wolverine/Storm's school, and S.H.I.E.L.D. Whenever Scott's convictions and reputation, alongside his infringed team, are being questioned, the faculty and student body of the Jean Grey School of Higher Learning also take heat which is somewhat unfair when the X-Men have obviously been divided into two distinct factions since AVX and Xavier's death. To Maria Hill, that difference doesn't matter. Mutants have been engaging in more revolutionary phases that she and S.H.I.E.L.D want to limit as much as possible which only end up making things worse. Special Agent Hill even employed the assistance of one Alison Blaire (a.k.a Dazzler) as her mutant liaison which shape-shiffter on-and-off villainness Mystique took advantage of. She abducted Dazzler and posed at her for a good amount of issues. While stashed away, Alison's mutation was used to sustain a mutant growth hormone for the population of Mandripoor where Mystique created a new haven for mutants to roam free and indulge every whim. Magneto (who was battling his own demons after the death of his best friend) managed to rescue Alison from captivity and he agrees to help her take revenge on Mystique.

On the other hand, new kind of Sentinels are hunting down X-Men again, this time having the ability to suppress mutation while near vicinity. Magik is the only one who can defend them, considering she can tamper with her sorceress powers from Limbo, something she has been able to handle much better now, thanks to the tutelage of Dr. Strange. Hijack, a mutant recruit Scott let go of last time, came back to help them defeat the Sentinels and earn his place back in the program. The instigator behind this mass production of new Sentinels is no other than Dark Beast, much to Dr. McCoy's chagrin. Scott and Hank's friendship continue to deteriorate as well as Bobby's respect for Scott.

These two major conflicts (Sentinels vs X-Men vs S.H.I.E.L.D; and Dazzler's quest to get even with Mystique) have been interesting to follow with plenty of restrained exposition in favor of more action-oriented panels which I really preferred. The visual composition for this series has been one of the most recognizable and fun from all the MARVEL NOW! titles I'v encountered so far. There is also plenty of humor to be had in spite of the undermining seriousness of the situations which is really a trademark quality of any Marvel comic book. The most critical storyline for this volume, however, had to be the one with Charles Xavier's last will and testament. The build-up for that issue alone was palpable. Everyone can't agree if Scott Summers should be there but legal representative Atty. Jennifer Walters (She-Hulk) insisted and so after much debate, they fetched Scott from his secret school (Weapon X facility, much to Logan's understandable distaste). The youth were left at the secret school under Emma's care as Scott was accompanied by Magik back to the Jean Grey school. The last will and testament was a hologram and midway through the Professor revealing his greatest shame and secret (and NO, apparently it wasn't MARRYING MYSTIQUE BEFORE HIS DEATH), they had to take a break because it's so SURREAL TO SEE the Professor speaking again, granted it was only a projection. AND YES, XAVIER AND MYSTIQUE GOT IT ON. It was so...weird! I love the sibling relationship they had in the James McAvoy and Jennifer Lawrence versions (and I do ship them to a degree) but comics-Mystique and Xavier are...just weird together in a romantic context. BLEH. Magneto should have joined this gathering. I would love to see how he would react to this news.

Now everyone figures out why Mystique has gone off the rails after her husband's death. AND THE JEAN GREY SCHOOL MAY OR MAY NOT BELONG TO HER. Logan revealed that he signed back the property to Xavier before he died. So...the widow gets her late husband's possessions, right? Well, Storm ain't having that! But that upsetting news is just a sideshow.The real main attraction is the secret Professor was tackling concerning the mutant Matthew Malloy whose powers are so uncontrollable he can destroy everything in his path with just a single thought. Said adult Malloy has been seen in between pages causing disasters within close vicinity of him. And Xavier is begging the X-Men to help him and ensure he doesn't remember what he is capable of which meant all available psychics at their disposal must help repress Mallow's memories and put the strongest locks in that Pandora's box. As we have see at the end of this volume, they may be too late. Malloy looked like he embraced his fullest potential on that last panel. Also, it's worth mentioning that Scott has been slowly but surely adjusting properly to the fact that he had killed Xavier (well, not according to Bobby at least. He argued that Scott still keeps looking for an excuse to justify the murder). But it's still going to be a looooooong way to go before he gets absolved by everyone else...including by his own judgment.

Volume IV had been so magnificent and entertaining all throughout and I was so THRILLED to see Charles Xavier again in a pseudo-flesh presence or whatnot. I'm not even going to bitch about Magneto's startling absence and the severe lack of Cherik in this volume because that's how amazing the overall content of this volume had been. Hopefully, we will get Magneto again in the next volume since he had agreed to help Dazzler track down Mystique. In my headcanon, he'll find out about the marriage between Ravena and Charles and he will definitely have something to say about that trite affair. Can't wait for the next installment. SRSLY!

RECOMMENDED: 9/10

The Uncanny X-Men by Brian Michael Bendis, Volume 3

Well, holy shit. This was just lovely. And spectacular. And I can't believe I chose to individually review issues of Brian Wood's X-Men Vol IV instead of this one because this (with the exception of the first collected volume) IS PHENOMENAL. The good news is that I dropped Wood's series for good because I simply cannot latch onto the characters and his stories emotionally, but I will still continue reviewing Bendis' Uncanny as a volumes instead as individual issues because I have a tighter schedule than I expected for the last two months of this year, and I'm barely able to meet my self-imposed deadlines for comics review. But I always strive to make myself available when certain X-titles like this one prove to be too good to pass up on writing a review for. 

The Good, The Bad and The Inhuman is the third volume of this series comprised of issues #14-18 illustrated by Chris Bachalo, Kris Anka and Mark Rudy. Their stunning visual work for their respective issues has truly made Bendis' writing and character come alive. I especially enjoyed Rudy's composition and overall style in issue #18. His backdrops were simply magnificent to look at. I have never enjoyed viewing a comic book volume like this one, not since, well, Grant Morrison's Batman Incorporated and most of Snyder-Capullo's Batman and Tomasi-Gleason's Batman and Robin. Arguably, this volume has been said to be the most disjointed of the collected ones so far, mostly because all of the issues herein were a series of oneshots. The last issue was where the Original Core Five (OCF) were spirited away to space for that underwhelming arc in Bendis' All-New X-Men called The Trial of Jean Grey which I never liked, to be honest.

But I think that's what made this volume such a refreshing collection. Even though there is no discernible overall arc that hold them together, they work well enough as individual pieces that I could hardly find fault in their collective. 

The first story delved on one of the recruits, Benjamin Deeds who has the ability to shapeshift though his powers are barely comparable to Mystique's. He feels completely out of place and unsure of his purpose in joining the X-Men so Emma Frost decided that this is an opportunity for a teachable moment, and guides him (albeit extremely pushes him to his limits) in owning up to his mutation...and it worked remarkably. Benjamin is an empathic mimicker; he has the ability to mirror people not just physically but psychologically that anyone in his presence feels as if they can trust him. Artist Bachalo captured his transformations quite beautifully in his panels. Once Benjamin finds the confidence in himself to be a hero, he is welcomed back by Scott and the rest of the team, and they named him Morph--which made me "awwwww" so hard because I thought it was a befitting namesake, and a shout-out to the previous Morph who was such an adorkable guy back in the day. I've enjoyed this issue a lot for its ease and sweetness.

Next we have an Inhumanity issue which is only appropriate, seeing as Marvel is determined to usher this new species of super-powered beings into the spotlight and there is a need to address how that can affect the X-Men as well. Also, it was so hilariously endearing that the X-(wo)Men go out on a much needed shopping spree together (as prompted by the Cuckoo triplets and Jean Grey) and ended up crossing paths with an awakened Inhuman. My favorite Inhuman is Kamala Khan, the current Ms. Marvel, and as sad as I am that Marvel plans to eradicate mutants completely from their future storylines, I'm intrigued about the concept of Inhumans so far.

The last two issues were captivating enough since we get to see how well Scott's recruits mesh together as a unit and they have continuously demonstrated how smart, courageous and sensitive they are of each other's needs. Emma and Ilyanna also continue to impress as teachers, and Kitty Pryde certainly found more dependable co-teachers than what she had with Storm and Rachel Grey back in the Jean Grey Higher School of Learning which is pretty sad. Well, Storm and Rachel are busy with their powerplay and their silly adventures in Brian Wood's title that I just mentioned I decidd to drop because it was such a bland series. But Kitty Pryde and the OCF were taken away and this was just after Cyclops has a moment with his younger self and the younger version of first love Jean. He was devastated to lose them, all right.

Now wait, was I forgetting to discuss an issue? Oh, trust me, I left it on purpose because it's the thing I want to discuss the most so I saved it up for last because it's what I've been waiting for since I began reading titles for MARVEL NOW!. And that is no other than a Magneto-centered piece tackling on how he was dealing with things AFTER THE DEATH OF HIS LONG-TIME FRIEND AND RIVAL AND TOTES SECRET LOVER WHOM HE WAS OPENLY PSEUDO- MARRIED TO Charles Xavier whom Scott Summers murdered in 2012 while under the influence of the Phoenix Force in that crossover event Avengers vs X-Men. HOLY SHIT, MARVEL, FINALLY AN ACTUAL PAY-OFF! 

Issue #16 was all about Erik recovering, dealing and reeling from all that he has lost, and not just Xavier. His powers of magnetism haven't been the same since the Phoenix Force turned him into a punching bag during AVX. This wonderfully gritty issue opens with a gathering of humans proclaiming pro-mutant support and yet Magneto is not happy about it. He doesn't get these pro-mutant humans who to his eyes will never understand the struggles of his people. Because of his weakened powers, he instead daydreamed of killing all of them while he was there in the crowd, just seething. Dazzler approached him since both of them are working for S.H.I.E.L.D. I complained about the fact that Mags was just fake-playing it with the double agency with S.H.I.E.L.D, reassuring Scott that he's still on his side because that's a load of fucking bullshit, Marvel. As a devoted shipper of Cherik, I refuse to believe that Magneto has really forgiven Scott for murdering Xavier. It's canonically deceitful. Sure, Mags also said he will never punish Scott because he would hate to give Scott the satisfaction of affirming his guilt and therefore absolving him of being actually responsible for the murder he had committed--but I know Mags is sorely tempted to anyway. So I don't buy his alliance with Scott and his cover-up about working for S.H.I.E.L.D to protect Scott's interests. Hell, I don't think he even cares about the recruits or anyone at this point. He's having a moment of crisis, and Dazzler was quick to pick up on it. Oh, this Dazzler is no other than Mystique in disguise, by the way (she also had a love affair with Xavier before his demise and got pregnant somehow which makes it super weird for me and I still refuse to acknowledge its authenticity). She claimed that perhaps Magneto's weakened powers is PSYCHOSOMATIC. Perhaps, she offers, it's tied with his grieving process. Losing Xavier has made it impossible for him to gain back his powers to its fullest potential because the death of his truest friend is a loss that is so woefully meaningful that his own superior mutation died along with Xavier.

AND YES, YES, YES, OH MY GOD, YES, MARVEL, YES BENDIS, YES TO ALL OF THIS!!

It's been canonically established that Charles Xavier is Magneto's one true love. It doesn't have to be gay. IT DIDN'T NEED TO BE GAY (though, in my opinion, it should be, and it probably is). There is clear evidence stretching back to Claremont in the late seventies that Magneto and Xavier are so devoted to each other regardless of how they just can't compromise about their ideals concerning mutant co-existence/superiority. There have been countless times that Magneto lost Xavier to some accidents in the past and he has mourned each moment of loss like his universe completely fell apart. Now Xavier is finally dead for good and for a long time (four years and counting) and how could anyone who has been reading X-Men avidly be ever led to believe that he is not quietly suffering about it otherwise? BECAUSE HE IS. Mystique saw through it (mostly because she was boning Xavier pre-demise, ugh, this will never stop bugging me), and Mags is finally learning to admit it. I think he has denied it. He has pushed it down and now the floodgates are ready to open.

They were BOOKENDS OF THE SAME SOUL. Without Charles to contrast him, to challenge him to change, to save him, to stop him from making stupid mistakes, to forgive him, to give him hope for a better way, to sustain his dreams, to fuel his passionate crusade, to talk to and play chess with and argue and bicker and come back to and try to fix things with---then WHAT IS MAGNETO'S PURPOSE NOW? Xavier was the one person whom he saw an equal in, someone he can confide his deepest secrets to, pretend to hate out of political reasons, and always, undeniably, learn from. And now that person is dead and Magneto just can't find it in himself to move forward because most of his battles have been so intrinsically tied to this man and if he's not constantly fighting and making up with Xavier then what? What else is worth going on for?

Oh god, oh god. This depth of sadness in my heart deserves an ugly-crying moment from Toby Macguire. Behold the anguish:

YOU HAVEN'T FELT REAL PAIN UNTIL YOU UGLY-CRIED YOUR WAY THROUGH IT

I'm so sorry for being emotional about this again. The last time I Cherik-ed was in September, and before that it was May. I have no more fresh Cherik material to agonize on so when I am fanserviced with snippets of this horrendously beautiful friendship, I just crumble into pieces all over again. Magneto is lost and grieving, y'all and Mystique took him to the new mutant haven she built in honor of Xavier and tried to persuade him to join her, Blob, Sabretooth, etc. in maintaining the place. And how did Magneto react to this nice gift of theirs? How did he repay them after they welcomed him warmly to live with them? HE LASHED OUT AND ALMOST KILLED ALL OF THEM. Because nothing, absolutely nothing, can possibly compare and replace that small piece of repose he found in Genosha during Claremont's short-lived Excalibur piece where he and Charles tried to make it work for real this time as partners and self-appointed caretakers. If he can't have that again with the one man he completely trusted and loved, then he certainly will not settle for the second best thing that Mystique offered. He just won't, motherfuckers! Did you guys know that he shaved all his hair too because of Xavier? It's just...unreal how much he misses him!

OH MY GOD GUYS IT'S SO SAD. I know I wished for some Cherik moments again in X-Men comics but goddammit, DOES IT ALWAYS--MUST IT ALWAYS HAVE TO BE SO PAINFUL ALL. THE. TIME??!!!

RECOMMENDED: 9/10

The Uncanny X-Men by Brian Michael Bendis, Volume 2

Due to the lackluster debut of this series' first volume, my expectations were already set low before I even started reading this sophomore release. I'm therefore more than pleased to be proven wrong because The Uncanny X-Men's Volume 2: Broken was charming in so many ways that I have come to expect from a Bendis comic book (which I sorely miss after the dwindling quality of his other work, All-New X-Men). For a while I was slightly discouraged to pick up this title because I had a few friends who advised me against it, but since I have made a commitment to embark on a X-Men comics diet journey, I knew I have to include a more recent flagship title. The glaring flaws from the previous volume Revolution were thankfully not repeated in this one. In fact, most of the problems I had were addressed for Broken which was ironic, considering its titular purpose.

After the cosmic terror that was the Phoenix Force laid waste during Avengers vs. X-Men storyline, the aftermath proved to be just as hard for the ones it possessed: these would be Scott Summers, Ilyana Rasputin and Emma Frost (while it also almost drained Magneto of his magnetism) Now each of these formidable mutants face their most difficult trial just yet. Scott Summers can no longer control his own powers which is essentially his nightmare come true; Emma Frost lost the ability to read easily through minds and the restraint not to project her own thoughts to people; Magneto's magnetism has weakened that he can only control metal to a certain extent and length of time before it renders him exhausted; and Ilyana Rasputin's already screwy sorceress powers began to overwhelm her that she had damned herself along with her colleagues and their recruits to the hellish fire of Limbo where a stupidly named demon tries to massacre them all.

Comprised of issues #6-10, Broken is substantial enough to hold and sustain interest while there is enough material concerning both the familiar and new characters that I was so enthralled to explore. The first two issues concerning Limbo finally found its focus when it turned its attention to the young recruits who have no choice but to work together to survive the place. Way to establish a surprise coming-of-age series of moments with these kids, Bendis. Their invigorating spirit and dynamic as a group were painfully paralleled with that of Ilyana Rasputin's internal conflict. This is a girl who had never been normal since childhood. After the Phoenix Force used her mind and body, it damaged her a lot worse than the others, unleashing dark elements from her magic that she has fought so hard to try to gain control over in this story.I was really rooting for her because I've always found Ilyana as a consistently tragic character and for once I want her to be victorious.

On another plus side, another consistent quality about Broken is how it developed its young cast. The X-Men is always about the young blood's transition to functional relevance as superheroes before finally stepping into a stage of semi-greatness. Xavier always gets them young, hopeful and full of potentials. In here we see Scott, Emma, Ilyana and Erik as teachers who, in spite of their unresolved inherent brokenness, are more than willing to impart their experience and knowledge to the children because they know more than anybody that there is still something to fight for. And there is trust between them and these kids, most especially after Limbo, and the more S.H.I.E.L.D insist on attacking them, the more they cling onto one another and fight better as a team.

Notable moments for this volume include: (1) that conversation between Scott and Erik. I was so angry that Magneto seemed not to give a damn about Charles Xavier's murder. I wanted so bad for him to hold Scott responsible, but after reading this interaction, I think what Erik chose to do instead was actually a more dignified response to what I wanted. Scott had committed something beyond forgiveness, even if he was under the influence of the Phoenix force. He had murdered his surrogate father, and the father of every mutant who believed in a dream of peaceful coexistence with mutants. People are never going to stop talking about Scott killing Xavier. They shouldn't. And Scott needs to deal with that. He needs to carry that with him wherever he goes, especially now that he is adamant in fighting for a revolution he believes will empower more mutants who were just beginning to manifest their abilities. Scott's new agenda is to reassure they will have a school not just to learn in but also to thrive in, if in fact they choose to be warriors and fighters for the cause.

(2) Speaking of which, the young mutant Fabio Medina was focused in as well, and he was just adorable! He has the unique and often hilarious ability to shoot out gold balls from his body. After the hellish experience in Limbo, he tried to go back to his home and when he was there, he realized he was proud of who he is even when his parents couldn't accept his condition. Eventually, he does come back to the team, more decisive to fight and grown alongside them. (3) The surprise feature of Dazzler as a recruit for S.H.I.E.L.D was nice but fucking Mystique had to go ruin it by pretending to be her. Honestly, get a new set of hobbies aside from villainy, Raven. The same douchebag moves are getting old. (4) Scott's speech towards the pro-mutant human supporters was both awkward and stirring. I have no idea why he's being painted as some kind of merciless crusader, if not outright lawless villain. I think this is still the same Scott from the old times--only much more willing to deal with reality and is able to respond better. I like this Scott. He may have killed Xavier, and he may still be prone to bouts of insecure ranting, but so far I think Scott is more or less a hero who actually doesn't hesitate anymore to make mistakes and risk condemnation from his peers. I like it. Scott finally has teeth. And people around him are actually more eager to fight with him and for him, such as the young recruits and Emma and Ilyana. I'm not sure about Erik yet. Hopefully, he makes up his mind soon.

Overall, The Uncanny X-Men, Volume 2: Broken was greatly paced, spectacularly illustrated, and engrossing. I didn't expect to have fun reading this title at all, and I was glad I did because for me, the X-Men just isn't the same when a core character like Scott Summers isn't taking the reigns and in this story we see him having the opportunity to do so, and he did not disappoint. The rest of his recruits too are impressive, ready foot soldiers who trust him enough to lead him, and I can only hope he guides them to the right path.

RECOMMENDED: 8/10

The Uncanny X-Men by Brian Michael Bendis, Volume 1

It occurred to me that if I chose to start reading this title before All-New X-Men (which I had just consumed last September) then I would be even more critical about The Uncanny X-Men. Written both by Brian Michael Bendis, these two series can be read side by side together since a lot of their scenes do tend to overlap, particularly by TUM's fourth issue where a certain key scene appears much more notably in ANXM issues #10-11. 

I think this had to be my main concern about The Uncanny X-Men. There is so much material that could have been explored here, but Bendis' first five issues for this title were too reliant on his other series which in turn became a disadvantage to The Uncanny X-Men's storytelling framework. If you chose to pick up this title without reading All-New X-Men then pertinent information such as the introduction of the mutant recruits Eva, Christopher and Benjamin, who all appeared first in AXM where the first bouts of their mutation manifested. 

But this wasn't the only glaring flaw for this series.

Illustrated by Chris Bachalo, the first volume of TUM entitled Revolution was really not as terrible as I hoped it would be, considering most of the lukewarm reviews I've encountered online last year. Perhaps it's because I was already familiar enough with what was going on since the events in this first volume where loosely tied with whatever was happening with All-New X-Men, which is exactly why someone who has only read this title without the other might find it infuriating, and they have every right to be. While reading, I decided to separate myself from what I know about ANXM so as I re-examined the content over in UXM alone, it occurred to me that there is a lack of cohesive structure for each installment because everything felt either rushed or sluggish. We barely get to know the new mutants Cyclops recruited, and when the title finally tried to establish itself as a standalone piece from ANXM, it delivered a mediocre story concerning Limbo and Magick, and some whatsitsface demon creature which she had to fight...or some shit. It really wasn't that interesting so I was eager to move on.

What I considered at least acceptably compelling about this first volume was the fact that we get to see Cyclops, Emma Frost and Magneto at their weakest point yet. These are three of the most formidable mutant warriors and now their powers are all broken, and they have to adjust to their sudden lack of control over them. And that only means one thing for me: Scott Summers--in the aftermath of being possessed by the Phoenix force, finally had his worst nightmare come true: he had no control over his power which makes it very dangerous for him and the people he is close with especially when he is so adamant in training and helping the new recruits. Emma Frost is also suffering identity crisis, no longer the White Queen who can flip through people's minds like they're just pages in a book she had no qualms exploring. Now she's busy playing the blame game for her situation. Meanwhile, the master of magnetism is also struggling because his magnetic hold has weakened somewhat. In the first issue, we saw him conspiring with Director Maria Hill and S.H.I.E.L.D to bring down Cyclops by pretending to work with him but was actually backstabbing him. I was all on-board for this because, accident or not, Scott Summers did murder Charles Xavier, Mags' longtime frenemy and open-secret lover. What I wasn't on-board for was that Mags was actually just screwing around with S.H.I.E.L.D and is truly on Cyclops' side. Um, what? Hold the Satanic Bible, that's the most unbelievable plot point EVER! I CALL BULLSHIT, sir!

Marvel, have you forgotten that Charles Xavier was the love of Erik Lehnsherr's life? How could he possibly and easily forgive the man who murdered said best friend, let alone help him in any way he can? Goddammit, if this wasn't a triple-cross in the end where it was revealed that Mags is indeed just faking the faking of his cooperation with S.H.I.E.L.D and is actually planning on destroying Cyclops to avenge Xavier once and for-- then I WILL LOSE IT. I swear to Loki! I don't buy Mags' fealty to Cyclops. He never liked Cyke, let alone be willing to stand with him to fight for the same things. The more I focus on this, the mightier my self-righteous rage gets. For fuck's sake, Bendis, pick up a late eighties or nineties X-Men and see for yourself how potent the love and devotion Xavier and Magneto have for each other, and why it will never make sense for Mags to just turn his back from that. Anyway, what else is there to say about this first volume?

Well, aside from that complaint, I don't really have strong feelings of dislike towards this. I was fine with the first five issues. Reading it really did feel an incomplete experience if you haven't read ANXM yet, but other than that, I want to see the continuous fall from grace of Scott Summers, Emma Frost struggling to re-define herself, and Magneto eventually revealing that he was working with S.H.I.E.L.D after all. I'm also looking forward in getting to know the youngsters better especially with Warren in the mix. But I don't have high hopes. I was told by plenty of people that this series wasn't that great which was why I'm going to review this by volume as oppose to individual issues. That is reserved for reviewing X-Men Vol IV by Brian Wood, mind you! I heard that title has all my favorite ladies at!

RECOMMENDED: 6/10

X-Men: Battle of the Atom by Brian Michael Bendis

I recall reading this entire collection during one supposedly uneventful night, and it featured the big-event crossover orgy that span across four ongoing X-titles. I was but blissfully unaware of the troubling clusterfuckeries ahead while I contentedly sipped my hot ginger tea as I read. I happened to only peruse through the first two issues in the first hour or so, taking my time, which was still a long way to go before I was struck by the epiphany that this was going to get even crazier than I could ever imagine an X-title could go. 

That's how little I knew that I was in for a catastrophic experience where everything I know about X-Men will be questioned--and this is coming from somebody who experienced Fabian Nicieza's most insane pieces and Claremont's most sadistic emotionally draining ones. Please take note that I am writing this review after distancing myself from this story for three weeks. I initially always review an issue as soon as I'm done reading it so I can get right into it, especially if either the issue in particular is (a) awesome as fuck; or (b) boring as shit.

The latter part of Brian Michael Bendis' roster for All-New X-Men (from issue #26 to #39) had fallen in the b-category so I was more than eager to put that series behind me for good once September wraps up, and I intend to finish it with my overdue review of Battle of the Atom which for me will forever be known as the Last Great X-Men Story from Bendis' ANXM. 

This tantalizing ten-issued arc will be followed later on by entertaining issues (#18-21) concerning the Purifiers before it will get eventually pointless by the time The Trial of Jean Grey hits (#22-24), saved only by the nice break with the 50th anniversary issue of X-Men Gold where I Cherik-ed and issue #25, before completely falling in its ass with the most regrettable issues ever conceived (#26-29) about a rehash of the villains from Battle of the Atom, and the passable storyline about the Ultimate universe in issues #30-36. Because second time is the worse nightmare and to demonstrate that he learned nothing after The Trial fiasco, Bendis writes another Guardians of the Galaxy crossover with The Black Vortex (#38-39) which I didn't even bother talking about because it was incomplete. My mindset while writing this review was one of mental anguish and exhaustion borne out of the consistent tedious blandness of the stories that followed since Bendis produced the masterstroke that was Battle of the Atom. 

Well, maybe deeming it as a 'masterstroke' is an unfair hyperbole; clearly, BotA is not a perfect piece. It was beguiling though--fast-paced, quirky and shocking during its ten issue-spread of intersecting narratives. I was speechless about it for a time because I don't know how I felt about it as a whole which was why I delayed coming up with a cohesive review that outlines my complete thoughts about its content. There are parts I immensely enjoyed and parts that baffled me to no end, which was why I was rendered in a fit of hysterics that were only succinctly captured by the following GIFs belows as I updated my reading progress in Goodreads. Comprised of the titles All-New X-Men, X-Men vol. 4, The Uncanny X-Men, and Wolverine and the X-Men, Battle of the Atom was a batshit crazy and take-no-prisoners crossover event that delivered genuine thrills and shocking twists for a lot of the players involved. With an ensemble cast made in both heaven and hell, BotA was stylish, over-the-top, engrossing and unapologetic in its camp and gore moments in between. I loved it because it kept me on the edge of my bed and made me screech and bite into my pillow because of the dizzying cocktail of emotions it brought out, both positive and negative. Much like Nicieza's unforgivably hurtful Fatal Attractions that somehow also combined the kooky premise and storytelling style of Claremont in X-Men Forever, Battle of the Atom was a brave endeavor, daring into places that you thought they won't ever cross but they did and it got super weird and totes uncomfortable midway, but it remained just as addictive to the very end.

Allow me to take you to my journey of psychosis as I read Battle of the Atom. This is all subjective and you may not share my unraveling and descent to madness in the same level of intensity as I did but that's probably because you didn't have the same emotional stakes or baggage as I did when I went into this story. It's hard to believe it was only the beginning of September when I was still able to feel something for Bendis' All-New X-Men--when I was still capable of love and remorse, of loss and triumph. Food still has flavors; the world looks like a promising and pleasurable place to mingle and explore. Now I'm relieved to end my reviews for ANXM because it has gotten so disappointing and shitty that I'm excited to start with a new series, this time going a few years back with Joss Whedon's The Astonishing X-Men.

FIRST STAGE: Four issues in

The time-dispelled Original Core Five (OCF) try to make the best of an uncomfortable situation as they are propelled into a timeline where nobody wants them around, including the current X-Men themselves. Young Scott discovered that his future self becomes a mutant terrorist, Jean found out about the many ways she dies in the future and is currently adjusting to her newfound telepathy while Warren (Angel) leaves to join the cool clique (present-day Cyclops and his Dream Team). Meanwhile, both elder and young Hank are in agreement that they have to see through the gruesome process of culture shock for the sake of science, and Bobby is a walking comedic punchline whose only main contribution is when he came out of the closet by issue #40. In Battle of the Atom, a group who claims to be the future X-Men came to the current timeline to warn the OCF that they are the product of their choice to stay in a timeline that is not theirs. The shocking revelation comes when one of the members wearing the Xorn helmet is revealed to be the future Jean Grey, all grown-up and facing the consequences of the choice of time-dispelled self who totes ran away with young Scott when she got suspicious of these so-called future X-Men. Everyone scrambled to find the two almost-lovers, but Kitty Pryde was not happy with the way they were hunted down like animals and tried to defend them from everyone who by now are making decisions for the OCF without the teens' consent; mostly about them going home. The OCF won't just pack their stuff and leave compliantly, however, which was why a big fight ensues. The fight scenes were the best part of the entire BoTa especially the telepathic battle among Emma Frost and the two Jeans.

SECOND STAGE: Eight issues in

Of course the battle scenes are the selling point of this crossover event. It's Battle of the Atom after all! The epic showdown among the telepaths were greatly handled and as insane and sadomasochistic as we're gonna get. Xorn-Jean of the Future taunts Emma and beats her younger self simultaneously. Young Jean, however, is not going to let her cuckoo adult self get the upper hand so she is just as relenting in her blows. Amidst this intimate battle are the scattered fight scenes among the X-Men and the future X-Men. Magik, however, had seen the future for herself and when she transported back to our timeline, she took young Bobby and Warren to show them what happened to the future where they discovered that the REAL X-Men are composed of old mama Jubilee and son, bearded Colossus, Storm's daughter...and basically not the ones who arrived earlier in the current timeline, forcing the OCF to get back home. Magik transports these real X-Men who revealed that the impostors are no other than the FUTURE BROTHERHOOD OF EVIL MUTANTS. At this point, Xorn-Jean and the Impostors are in the process of trying to send back the OCF, only to utterly fail. The woman posing as the old Kitty Pryde turned out to be Mystique's bastard son with Wolverine named Raze. Deadpool is a Brotherhood recruit and betrays people, which surprises no one. Xavier also had a doppleganger son who is the bastard child he had with fucking Mystique. Yeah, Raven sure got busy and produced villainous offspring from two upstanding men. There's a twist that really pinches you in the balls. Also, it was later revealed that the future that was created because of the OCF being there meant humans are more hellbent in destroying mutantkind...or something to that effect. Honestly, I am baffled with a lot of the supposedly logical explanations for some of the issues. All I trusted on was my interest and excitement in how this story is going to end, especially regarding the intense confrontation between the two Jeans. If people suddenly asked me what is going on that got me so riled up and rattled while reading this story, I'll just start weeping in a corner because all that has happened was full-on sensory overload!

THIRD AND FINAL STAGE: Finished

Whatever I just managed to go through and accomplish reading was too much for me that I could simply hyperventilate just thinking about it. Like a trauma victim, I refused to talk about it online. I just turned off my laptop and crawled back into bed. With my eyes closed, I had vague images in my head about the events that I witnessed in the story I just read--and I had to curl up into a ball and chant repeatedly to myself "just go to sleep, go to sleep..." The next day, feeling refreshed, I still wasn't feeling that eloquent enough to type out my thoughts. So I delayed posting a sensible review. And even when I finally opened up about this, what you got here is nothing more than a series of ramblings written by a lunatic who still can't figure out how she really feels about everything she read in Battle of the Atom. 

I don't even know how to end this review properly. So I'm just going to end things abruptly and recommend you to read BotA yourself, imparting nothing more than an evasive dark promise of what you can expect when you pick it up. I'm probably exaggerating its aftershocks. It's probably just my frail, feminine constitution. In any case, don't believe everything I stated here. I'm possibly still recovering and probably doing a bad job with that too.

RECOMMENDED: 8/10