What do you think?
Rate this book
Fall of the House of X/Rise of the Powers of X #1-10
Fall of the House of X/Rise of the Powers of X
The shocking conclusion of the Krakoan era of X-Men comics!
Mutantkind has never had a greater fall. From the highs of Krakoa -- their own glorious nation, a place where they were safe and happy -- to the lowest of lows. Outlawed, hunted, most of their kind missing or dead, and now one their greatest leaders, Cyclops, is on trial facing the death penalty. Ready or not, the time has come to make their final stand against the forces that have struck them low -- in two different eras! In the present, Polaris returns to guide the X-Men home, bringing a wicked surprise for Orchis! A decade from now, Nimrod and Omega Sentinel are on the verge of summoning their binary god to consume everything in their accession. All that stands against them is the X-Men. What can they do? They're the X-Men. They'll find a way!
COLLECTING: Fall of the House of X (2024) 1-5, Rise of the Powers of X (2024) 1-5 and portions of X-Men #35
Mutantkind has never had a greater fall. From the highs of Krakoa -- their own glorious nation, a place where they were safe and happy -- to the lowest of lows. Outlawed, hunted, most of their kind missing or dead, and now one their greatest leaders, Cyclops, is on trial facing the death penalty. Ready or not, the time has come to make their final stand against the forces that have struck them low -- in two different eras! In the present, Polaris returns to guide the X-Men home, bringing a wicked surprise for Orchis! A decade from now, Nimrod and Omega Sentinel are on the verge of summoning their binary god to consume everything in their accession. All that stands against them is the X-Men. What can they do? They're the X-Men. They'll find a way!
COLLECTING: Fall of the House of X (2024) 1-5, Rise of the Powers of X (2024) 1-5 and portions of X-Men #35
392 pages, Paperback
First published August 27, 2024
38 people are currently reading
145 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
September 3, 2024
So ends the first Krakoan age.
I waxed poetic at great length about House of X/Powers of X upon its release; looking back at the entirety of the Krakoan age, I think it was a pretty prescient review. It remained much more event-driven than character-focused and was often perplexing and at risk of collapsing beneath the weight of its own complexity, but it was, on balance, a pretty gripping and ripping yarn.
That said, I’m looking forward to a new era of X-Men, and here’s hoping for a return to more character-driven stories in the next iteration of these rapscallions.
I waxed poetic at great length about House of X/Powers of X upon its release; looking back at the entirety of the Krakoan age, I think it was a pretty prescient review. It remained much more event-driven than character-focused and was often perplexing and at risk of collapsing beneath the weight of its own complexity, but it was, on balance, a pretty gripping and ripping yarn.
That said, I’m looking forward to a new era of X-Men, and here’s hoping for a return to more character-driven stories in the next iteration of these rapscallions.
May 27, 2024
5 stars for Rise. 1 star for Fall. What a strange choice, to finish the age of Krakoa with a storyline that’s equal parts brilliant and unreadable.
Read
June 3, 2024In House Of X/Powers Of X, Jonathan Hickman created one of the most intricate story-engines of a comics career filled with them, putting the X-Men on a bold new footing after a decade plus of downbeat and mostly quite bad comics. The Krakoan age this kicked off didn't run as long as it should have, but still longer than Hickman planned, so he's not here to bring down the curtain, that role instead falling to his successors, who doubtless have access to his notes, but also their own fish to fry. What this means in practice is that the writing duties on FotHoX/RotPoX, as nobody will ever abbreviate this, are shared between Kieron Gillen (who, while never officially Head of X in the same way as Hickman, has seemed to inherit much of his role, writing the book about the mutants' leaders and taking point on events), and Gerry Duggan (who used to write quite a fun book about mutant pirates, but lately that's been feeling like an anomalous bright spot in a mostly mediocre career).
This is a bit like if they were doing a big finale to the Fast & Furious series, and having to do it without Vin Diesel, and fortunately they'd got one of the world's greatest actor/stunt drivers for the lead - but also, were obliged to give equal screen time to the producer's kid, who pedals around on a tricycle and always seems to have spilled food down himself.
Duggan's Fall is doing the big present-day action movie, a last-ditch effort to take down anti-mutant gits Orchis, rescue Cyclops and all that sort of stuff. Every so often it pulls off a cool action movie image (Polaris showing up in her dad's old helm, towing a Knowhere full of semi-tamed Brood with which to fuck up Orchis' satellite) or flash of wit (MODOK's resignation) but even these don't fully cohere with what's around them, or Duggan's own title which led into this, let alone anything else. Character goals shift within a single issue, which would be fine if it felt like an evolving situation, but mostly it reads more as though it's being frantically improvised and nobody has read it back. And to have characters fuck off in the middle of a desperately important plan because it's suddenly occurred to them that they're needed on a side-quest felt a bit silly the first time it happened, but by the second it's starting to feel like a running joke. When Cyclops asks "can the others save Krakoa without me?", and Magik responds "If it needs doing...then it will be done", she's clearly meant to sound inspiring, but in fact comes across as a terrible manager who mistakenly believes themselves to be inspiring. It is, to use the technical term, a clusterfuck, right down to a finale which is meant to be a brilliant combination of different mutants' powers, but will mainly leave you thinking 'But that's not how any of these things work'.
Meanwhile, outside time and space, lunging back and forth through the timelines, Gillen has Rise, with Xavier leading a small team forced to try the most improbable of longshots and prevent the rise of the Enigma Dominion (essentially Nathaniel Essex as Roko's Basilisk). As you'd expect, and notwithstanding the timey-wimeyness, this is much better not just at making sense internally, but connecting beyond itself, both in terms of the wider story, and thematically; the Dominions have been looming since Hickman began this, but the treatment here has taken something from, and become more unnerving through, current fears regarding the rise of AI. It's still not perfect, mind, but that's more forgivable here, coming down to ineluctabilities: satisfying endings will always be harder than impressive beginnings, because they have to tie everything back together in a neat bow rather than just throw it all out there with a flourish. And to some extent Gillen's biggest obstacle here is himself; the treatment of Dominions in this is consistent with that back in Powers Of X, but in the meantime Sins Of Sinister made the concept much more total and ominous, a step further away from the usual Marvel conception of gods and more like the nightmarish visions of the monotheists. Meaning this can't help but feel like a bit of a step back in comparison. And on top of all that, this is not just any ending, but an unhappy ending to a status quo I'd have loved to persist, and potentially worse even than a tragedy - because it looks like the only way to save the world is for Krakoa never to have existed at all. Still, at least it doesn't read like it was written with half-chewed crayons, eh?
Without giving too much away, it doesn't end up quite as thoroughly downbeat as it could have done. My main reaction to the concluding issue of Fall was annoyance, but the end of Rise surprised me by eliciting more laughs than tears - and more or less squaring that Dominion circle. Yes, it's still ultimately a story which I dislike - because it takes the X-Men back to their boring old status quo, rather than this fascinating new one that didn't even get five whole years; because, like the recent cartoon, not to mention the real world lately, it bears the message that hated and feared is forever, that no sanctuary lasts. And even aside from Duggan's ineptitude, it doesn't get the sense of neatness and moment that HoX/PoX did: that operated in glorious isolation, all other X-books closed for the duration, while this has to throw out side-plots into a raft of ancillary titles; hell, the finale doesn't even get to keep a consistent art team, which deepens the sense of a restaurant noisily cleaning up before the meal is even done (though in fairness, Luciano Vecchio's work on the last issue includes some of my favourite pages of the whole thing). But for a book I'd much rather didn't exist, half of it was really pretty good.
This is a bit like if they were doing a big finale to the Fast & Furious series, and having to do it without Vin Diesel, and fortunately they'd got one of the world's greatest actor/stunt drivers for the lead - but also, were obliged to give equal screen time to the producer's kid, who pedals around on a tricycle and always seems to have spilled food down himself.
Duggan's Fall is doing the big present-day action movie, a last-ditch effort to take down anti-mutant gits Orchis, rescue Cyclops and all that sort of stuff. Every so often it pulls off a cool action movie image (Polaris showing up in her dad's old helm, towing a Knowhere full of semi-tamed Brood with which to fuck up Orchis' satellite) or flash of wit (MODOK's resignation) but even these don't fully cohere with what's around them, or Duggan's own title which led into this, let alone anything else. Character goals shift within a single issue, which would be fine if it felt like an evolving situation, but mostly it reads more as though it's being frantically improvised and nobody has read it back. And to have characters fuck off in the middle of a desperately important plan because it's suddenly occurred to them that they're needed on a side-quest felt a bit silly the first time it happened, but by the second it's starting to feel like a running joke. When Cyclops asks "can the others save Krakoa without me?", and Magik responds "If it needs doing...then it will be done", she's clearly meant to sound inspiring, but in fact comes across as a terrible manager who mistakenly believes themselves to be inspiring. It is, to use the technical term, a clusterfuck, right down to a finale which is meant to be a brilliant combination of different mutants' powers, but will mainly leave you thinking 'But that's not how any of these things work'.
Meanwhile, outside time and space, lunging back and forth through the timelines, Gillen has Rise, with Xavier leading a small team forced to try the most improbable of longshots and prevent the rise of the Enigma Dominion (essentially Nathaniel Essex as Roko's Basilisk). As you'd expect, and notwithstanding the timey-wimeyness, this is much better not just at making sense internally, but connecting beyond itself, both in terms of the wider story, and thematically; the Dominions have been looming since Hickman began this, but the treatment here has taken something from, and become more unnerving through, current fears regarding the rise of AI. It's still not perfect, mind, but that's more forgivable here, coming down to ineluctabilities: satisfying endings will always be harder than impressive beginnings, because they have to tie everything back together in a neat bow rather than just throw it all out there with a flourish. And to some extent Gillen's biggest obstacle here is himself; the treatment of Dominions in this is consistent with that back in Powers Of X, but in the meantime Sins Of Sinister made the concept much more total and ominous, a step further away from the usual Marvel conception of gods and more like the nightmarish visions of the monotheists. Meaning this can't help but feel like a bit of a step back in comparison. And on top of all that, this is not just any ending, but an unhappy ending to a status quo I'd have loved to persist, and potentially worse even than a tragedy - because it looks like the only way to save the world is for Krakoa never to have existed at all. Still, at least it doesn't read like it was written with half-chewed crayons, eh?
Without giving too much away, it doesn't end up quite as thoroughly downbeat as it could have done. My main reaction to the concluding issue of Fall was annoyance, but the end of Rise surprised me by eliciting more laughs than tears - and more or less squaring that Dominion circle. Yes, it's still ultimately a story which I dislike - because it takes the X-Men back to their boring old status quo, rather than this fascinating new one that didn't even get five whole years; because, like the recent cartoon, not to mention the real world lately, it bears the message that hated and feared is forever, that no sanctuary lasts. And even aside from Duggan's ineptitude, it doesn't get the sense of neatness and moment that HoX/PoX did: that operated in glorious isolation, all other X-books closed for the duration, while this has to throw out side-plots into a raft of ancillary titles; hell, the finale doesn't even get to keep a consistent art team, which deepens the sense of a restaurant noisily cleaning up before the meal is even done (though in fairness, Luciano Vecchio's work on the last issue includes some of my favourite pages of the whole thing). But for a book I'd much rather didn't exist, half of it was really pretty good.
June 30, 2024
wow. they took everything hickman built and threw it in a dumpster, and then lit it on fire. like when house of x/powers of x was happening, it was the only thing happening. i had to open multiple tabs to read this storyline. from fall of house to x-men to x-men forever to resurrection to rise of powers to x-men forever and so on. tedious and like kinda boooring. resurrection of magneto could’ve been a one shot if we’re being honest. Instead of making it simple and enjoyable, they decide to make it harder on themselves and split everyone up. like it’s genuine plot armor for the writers to get paid still. “oh charles commanded everyone walk thru the gates” and somehow a handful of mutants landed here and there, polaris didn’t even walk thru one. caliban just was straight up too far away from a gate?? like this was your chance to bring every X book into these two series and try to end it cohesively. Even Ms Marvel they split off cause she somehow knew the triangle defense..?
now onto the Fall of the House of X. I genuinely couldn’t tell you what i just read. like i am still so confused. Basically the X-Men launched an invasion on earth?? and the battle wasn’t even fun to read cause i was bouncing around bouncing bouncing. For the ULTIMATE CONCLUSION TO A WHOLE ERA, why are they all fighting separately. House of X wasn’t like that soo why split them up. This is their last hoorah together before Krakoa falls. Dr. Gregor’s death got 2 seconds and Omega Sentinels’s redemption got 3 seconds. Storm didn’t join the fight until the last issue and then she just legit ended nimrod there in 2 seconds. They called Cyclops “The Omega mutant” tho so i’m happy about my boy getting glazed.
Rise of the Powers of X started off strong. I thought it was gonna be finding different timelines while Fall fought in the present. but in actuality it was just Charles failing twice and then deciding to kill all of his friends. Rise of Powers absolutely massacred Charles as a character. like why is Kitty of all people hunting you down to kill you? Also, what was going on with Moira?? like why did she just decide to flip sides. THIS WRITING IS SHITTTT. and like what beacon did Xavier put in her, how did it help Jean win, AND WHY IS MOIRA NO LONGER A MUTANT AND GETS TO LIVE PEACEFULLY GERRY DUGGAN YOU ARE BUTTT AT WRITING
I really liked X-Men forever tho. Cause somehow Jean impregnated Hope’s mom and now Jean is the dad and Jean is also now all powerful phoenix and HOPE IS DEAD?? THATS MY GIRL AND SHES DEAD?? AND CABLE COULDNT CARE LESS AND NO ONE CAREDDDD.
And the last issue (X-Men 35) kinda sucked butt tbh. Apocalypse literally practiced all that diplomacy and then just flipped a switch cause he decided to?? it just felt like a cop out since Krakoa was ending and they needed villains. Also wdym the era of resurrection is over… ig if they die now they stay dead😔 and then it showed all of them split up. like yall this is family… like they wouldn’t leave each other like that like guyssss stopppp.
KRAKOAN ERA YOU WILL BE MISSED. LOONINSKI SIGNING OFF!! ❌❌❌
edit: omg??? i completely forgot deadpool was just in the X-Men 35. like that was actual marketing for the movie cause why did he just randomly show up
now onto the Fall of the House of X. I genuinely couldn’t tell you what i just read. like i am still so confused. Basically the X-Men launched an invasion on earth?? and the battle wasn’t even fun to read cause i was bouncing around bouncing bouncing. For the ULTIMATE CONCLUSION TO A WHOLE ERA, why are they all fighting separately. House of X wasn’t like that soo why split them up. This is their last hoorah together before Krakoa falls. Dr. Gregor’s death got 2 seconds and Omega Sentinels’s redemption got 3 seconds. Storm didn’t join the fight until the last issue and then she just legit ended nimrod there in 2 seconds. They called Cyclops “The Omega mutant” tho so i’m happy about my boy getting glazed.
Rise of the Powers of X started off strong. I thought it was gonna be finding different timelines while Fall fought in the present. but in actuality it was just Charles failing twice and then deciding to kill all of his friends. Rise of Powers absolutely massacred Charles as a character. like why is Kitty of all people hunting you down to kill you? Also, what was going on with Moira?? like why did she just decide to flip sides. THIS WRITING IS SHITTTT. and like what beacon did Xavier put in her, how did it help Jean win, AND WHY IS MOIRA NO LONGER A MUTANT AND GETS TO LIVE PEACEFULLY GERRY DUGGAN YOU ARE BUTTT AT WRITING
I really liked X-Men forever tho. Cause somehow Jean impregnated Hope’s mom and now Jean is the dad and Jean is also now all powerful phoenix and HOPE IS DEAD?? THATS MY GIRL AND SHES DEAD?? AND CABLE COULDNT CARE LESS AND NO ONE CAREDDDD.
And the last issue (X-Men 35) kinda sucked butt tbh. Apocalypse literally practiced all that diplomacy and then just flipped a switch cause he decided to?? it just felt like a cop out since Krakoa was ending and they needed villains. Also wdym the era of resurrection is over… ig if they die now they stay dead😔 and then it showed all of them split up. like yall this is family… like they wouldn’t leave each other like that like guyssss stopppp.
KRAKOAN ERA YOU WILL BE MISSED. LOONINSKI SIGNING OFF!! ❌❌❌
edit: omg??? i completely forgot deadpool was just in the X-Men 35. like that was actual marketing for the movie cause why did he just randomly show up
July 28, 2025
Is this intentionally garbled, meant to confuse the reader with god knows what plot and inter-character feints and double-crosses?
And am I reading this right? They intend to reset all of X-dom, so that Krakoa never existed? Is this the grand resolution of Krakoa, to say “just kidding, never happened”?
Fuck this. That’s just weak editorial, no good ideas how to move forward without taking X-men back 60 years to “hate and fear us” territory, always on the run.
Or maybe I got confused, and we ended off with something unearned - a happy ending via deus ex Phoenix? Just trying to decipher where we landed is hard enough, but how we got there is a mystery for the ages.
I bet if I re-read these books each chronologically (instead of interleaved in publication order) I’d be able to sort out a couple of threads, but I ain’t gonna. It’s like Morrison’s head-fuck Final Crisis: I’m sure an academic poring would finally decipher it, but I’m just not that invested. This book didn’t buy that much interest from me.
And am I reading this right? They intend to reset all of X-dom, so that Krakoa never existed? Is this the grand resolution of Krakoa, to say “just kidding, never happened”?
Fuck this. That’s just weak editorial, no good ideas how to move forward without taking X-men back 60 years to “hate and fear us” territory, always on the run.
Or maybe I got confused, and we ended off with something unearned - a happy ending via deus ex Phoenix? Just trying to decipher where we landed is hard enough, but how we got there is a mystery for the ages.
I bet if I re-read these books each chronologically (instead of interleaved in publication order) I’d be able to sort out a couple of threads, but I ain’t gonna. It’s like Morrison’s head-fuck Final Crisis: I’m sure an academic poring would finally decipher it, but I’m just not that invested. This book didn’t buy that much interest from me.
September 26, 2025
In 2019, Marvel Comics began publishing the Krakoan Age, a series of X-Men storylines that brought a whole new approach to the Marvel mutants, who would live in a sovereign nation on the living island of Krakoa, whilst facing off threats against their utopia from outside and within. Originally conceived by Jonathan Hickman, who started off the era with two limited series House of X and Powers of X, Hickman planned out what he wanted to do with the entire era, where he would do his X-Men run and a couple of crossover events. However, due to disagreements with Marvel, Hickman departed from the Krakoan Age.
Following Hickman’s departure, creators such as Kieron Gillen and Gerry Duggan would carry the torch to eventually what would be the conclusion of this era, in the shape of the dual interconnected miniseries Fall of the House of X and Rise of the Powers of X. As Duggan writes Fall, we see the mutants having to leave their home, which is under threat by the human supremacist organization Orchis, whilst whatever is left of the X-Men is now a resistance against this threat. As for Rise, written by Gillen, ten years have passed as the X-Men at the end of their rope as they intend to topple Orchis, only for the technological singularity known as the Dominion to leave a more disastrous impression.
Intended to bookend the Krakoan Age with two miniseries, the first problem you immediately have is that you have one writer on one of these titles. Whereas Hickman’s singular voice did an excellent job in showing the interconnectivity between HoX and PoX, Duggan and Gillen have their own voice as writers and thus it doesn’t really mesh well. That said, what they each set out to do, there is enough to enjoy. While Fall of the House of X is the weakest of the two, it does read like an extension of Duggan’s X-Men run, seeing the roster split off as they go through a number of missions as a resistance from rescuing Cyclops on trial and facing the death penalty, to Juggernaut doing his best to protect Krakoa itself. There are times when it feels like a crossover event with the amount of characters it juggles, whilst tying in with Duggan’s other title The Invincible Iron Man.
However, Gillen writing Rise of the Powers of X brings out the best from this trade, as he leans hard on the grand sci-fi concepts, as well as the duality of the mutants themselves, showing how far some will compromise to maintain their survival. With only a handful of mutants throughout these five issues, Gillen has a clearer focus on how these characters, especially with Xavier, who may have the best intentions to ensure a future for mutantkind, but how he tries to achieve this is making immoral decisions, such as time-travelling to assassinate a young Moira. Heavy on the ideas, Rise does get dense with each subsequent issue, building towards a reality-warping climax that rivals the convoluted ending of Grant Morrison’s New X-Men.
With artists including R.B. Silva, Lucas Werneck, Luciano Vecchio, Bryan Valenza, David Curiel, Stefano Caselli, and Jethro Morales, the transition from one to the next can be quite jarring, even during a single issue, but they all make this an incredible book to look at. While Lucas Werneck and Stefano Caselli continue their amazing work following previous X-titles, the standouts are R.B. Silva and Luciano Vecchio, with the former presenting a stunningly-realised dystopian future of mutants versus machines, whilst the latter gives us an epic final battle between Sinister and Phoenix.
It is worth noting that I have yet to read the final volumes of Gerry Duggan’s X-Men and Kieron Gillen’s Immortal X-Men as those issues are published in-between these miniseries, so there are some loose ends that might be answered there. Although there is a sense that Marvel was over-egging this whole finale for the Krakoan Age, it is a miracle that X-Men #35 triumphs in actually concluding this whole era. Co-written by Duggan, Gillen and X-Men Red’s Al Ewing, and along with an army of artists, you have a number of stories that cement a closure to this status quo where the mutants may have succeeded in their survival, but it was not in the best interest of Krakoa itself. With this utopia that pushed the boundaries of what mutants can mean to this world being demolished, characters like Apocalypse would rather revert back to their old ways, which seems like a nod to where the X-Men comics are now with the “From the Ashes” relaunch.
I will obviously check out where the current X-Men comics, but I will miss the Krakoan Age, which may not have been perfect, but it was the most exciting thing that happened to the Marvel mutants in a long time. Referred to as “The First Krakoan Age”, it opens the possibility that the mutants could return to the living island, albeit in the hands of a different creative team. But until then, given the messiness, Fall of the House of X and Rise of the Powers of X ends this whole era on a high note.
Following Hickman’s departure, creators such as Kieron Gillen and Gerry Duggan would carry the torch to eventually what would be the conclusion of this era, in the shape of the dual interconnected miniseries Fall of the House of X and Rise of the Powers of X. As Duggan writes Fall, we see the mutants having to leave their home, which is under threat by the human supremacist organization Orchis, whilst whatever is left of the X-Men is now a resistance against this threat. As for Rise, written by Gillen, ten years have passed as the X-Men at the end of their rope as they intend to topple Orchis, only for the technological singularity known as the Dominion to leave a more disastrous impression.
Intended to bookend the Krakoan Age with two miniseries, the first problem you immediately have is that you have one writer on one of these titles. Whereas Hickman’s singular voice did an excellent job in showing the interconnectivity between HoX and PoX, Duggan and Gillen have their own voice as writers and thus it doesn’t really mesh well. That said, what they each set out to do, there is enough to enjoy. While Fall of the House of X is the weakest of the two, it does read like an extension of Duggan’s X-Men run, seeing the roster split off as they go through a number of missions as a resistance from rescuing Cyclops on trial and facing the death penalty, to Juggernaut doing his best to protect Krakoa itself. There are times when it feels like a crossover event with the amount of characters it juggles, whilst tying in with Duggan’s other title The Invincible Iron Man.
However, Gillen writing Rise of the Powers of X brings out the best from this trade, as he leans hard on the grand sci-fi concepts, as well as the duality of the mutants themselves, showing how far some will compromise to maintain their survival. With only a handful of mutants throughout these five issues, Gillen has a clearer focus on how these characters, especially with Xavier, who may have the best intentions to ensure a future for mutantkind, but how he tries to achieve this is making immoral decisions, such as time-travelling to assassinate a young Moira. Heavy on the ideas, Rise does get dense with each subsequent issue, building towards a reality-warping climax that rivals the convoluted ending of Grant Morrison’s New X-Men.
With artists including R.B. Silva, Lucas Werneck, Luciano Vecchio, Bryan Valenza, David Curiel, Stefano Caselli, and Jethro Morales, the transition from one to the next can be quite jarring, even during a single issue, but they all make this an incredible book to look at. While Lucas Werneck and Stefano Caselli continue their amazing work following previous X-titles, the standouts are R.B. Silva and Luciano Vecchio, with the former presenting a stunningly-realised dystopian future of mutants versus machines, whilst the latter gives us an epic final battle between Sinister and Phoenix.
It is worth noting that I have yet to read the final volumes of Gerry Duggan’s X-Men and Kieron Gillen’s Immortal X-Men as those issues are published in-between these miniseries, so there are some loose ends that might be answered there. Although there is a sense that Marvel was over-egging this whole finale for the Krakoan Age, it is a miracle that X-Men #35 triumphs in actually concluding this whole era. Co-written by Duggan, Gillen and X-Men Red’s Al Ewing, and along with an army of artists, you have a number of stories that cement a closure to this status quo where the mutants may have succeeded in their survival, but it was not in the best interest of Krakoa itself. With this utopia that pushed the boundaries of what mutants can mean to this world being demolished, characters like Apocalypse would rather revert back to their old ways, which seems like a nod to where the X-Men comics are now with the “From the Ashes” relaunch.
I will obviously check out where the current X-Men comics, but I will miss the Krakoan Age, which may not have been perfect, but it was the most exciting thing that happened to the Marvel mutants in a long time. Referred to as “The First Krakoan Age”, it opens the possibility that the mutants could return to the living island, albeit in the hands of a different creative team. But until then, given the messiness, Fall of the House of X and Rise of the Powers of X ends this whole era on a high note.
September 3, 2024
The end of the Krakoan Era starts with a whimper, but ends with a BANG! (Especially if you are a Cyclops and Phoenix fan like I am.... I have them tattooed on my forearm!)
Highlights:
- Xavier takes a lot of plans in his own hands and thinks he is doing right, but ends up in prison for a long time
- Cyclops stands tall against Nimrod on his own, but joins forces with others (primarily Storm) to take him out for good
- Orchis falls apart with the loss of Nimrod and ceases to be.
- Jean Grey is resurrected as Phoenix, now and forever after!
- Phoenix goes one on one against Sinister's final plan, the Enigma Dominion.
- Krakoa (now New Krakoa) has permanent residence in the White Hot Room and lives as the ideal of that nation
- Resurrection is over for mutants, and culminated in the revival of ALL the lost mutants EVER, specifically the ones killed on Genosha.
Overall, I have a few side books left as part of the Krakoan Era, but will then be taking an X-Books break for a little while. Duggan ended well what Hickman started.
Bravo Marvel. Strong recommend.
Highlights:
- Xavier takes a lot of plans in his own hands and thinks he is doing right, but ends up in prison for a long time
- Cyclops stands tall against Nimrod on his own, but joins forces with others (primarily Storm) to take him out for good
- Orchis falls apart with the loss of Nimrod and ceases to be.
- Jean Grey is resurrected as Phoenix, now and forever after!
- Phoenix goes one on one against Sinister's final plan, the Enigma Dominion.
- Krakoa (now New Krakoa) has permanent residence in the White Hot Room and lives as the ideal of that nation
- Resurrection is over for mutants, and culminated in the revival of ALL the lost mutants EVER, specifically the ones killed on Genosha.
Overall, I have a few side books left as part of the Krakoan Era, but will then be taking an X-Books break for a little while. Duggan ended well what Hickman started.
Bravo Marvel. Strong recommend.
Read
August 5, 2025Fully understanding this required an insane amount of studying, but I did enjoy it once I figured out all the different storylines that were intertwined.
June 5, 2024
Damn, man, you guys really hate Gerry Duggan, huh?
It's the same thing that always happens with a big story/event - multiple voices tell it, shouting over each other, and sometimes you just have to be at peace with that if you're the kind of stubborn madman who reads mainstream superhero comics.
It's the same thing that always happens with a big story/event - multiple voices tell it, shouting over each other, and sometimes you just have to be at peace with that if you're the kind of stubborn madman who reads mainstream superhero comics.
September 25, 2024
3.5 stars. Well, here’s the end of the first Krakoan age. Quite a journey it was through all of these books and while this didn’t finish as high as this era started, it did feel like a solid ending here. I set aside my Krakoa fatigue to try and just read and enjoy this one and I’d say that I liked the read, but I didn’t love it.
June 15, 2024
Tak nám skončila éra. Duggan mi z hlavních autorů přišel vždy nejslabší a bohužel poslední část po Hellfire Gala šla do kytek. Sice se našlo několik cool scén kolem Shadowcat, ale směřování a násilné tlačení určitých postav příběhu moc neprospělo.
A teď přišlo 10sešitové finále, které mě vlastně vůbec nebavilo a já cítím jen obrovské zklamání. O Hickman, my Hickman...
A teď přišlo 10sešitové finále, které mě vlastně vůbec nebavilo a já cítím jen obrovské zklamání. O Hickman, my Hickman...
June 6, 2024
Farewell Krakoa, you meant more to us than you will ever know. You didn't go out in a bang, but a whimper, but the impact was felt.
This book/collection in itself is a head scratcher, mostly because at the end of the day Rise and Fall don't go together as well as the original series did. Duggan's frankly confusing and jarring Fall of the House of X is a rushed, truncated mess of events, but should be packaged with his Iron Man and X-Men issues. Gillen's Rise of the Powers of X should be packaged with Dead XMen and X-Forever, but the collection dept decided this instead.
In terms of a rushed and jarring conclusion to a era we didn't want, it's really split down the middle. Duggan's House mini is...well just disappointing and doesn't live up the legacy. Events just happen, characters do whatever Duggan wants motivations be damned, odd plot choices occur, and Werneck's usual crisp art is blatantly rough and hard to look at. It's a textbook example of rushing to finish on time, and I don't think I disliked reading issue to issue more than this. Just a damn mess.
Gillen, thankfully, salvaged what little he could from the original Powers of X threads, combined with his Forever issues, tried to depicte a fight for the future and the return of the Phoenix. Silva is always a welcome sight, his art is incredible, but its real telling that even he couldn't hang in there by the fifth issue. No shade to Vecchio, who has won me over, but it screams crunch time. Thankfully, there's just enough juice from the Powers material to not have this be a complete wash, I enjoyed that stuff quite a lot.
The epilogue in 35 is a....complex beast. It's clear this era was simultaneously rushed but also bloated, but I got what I could out of it. Apocalypse realizing the word has passed him by is fitting, yet also his motivation is a bit lost for the action scene demand. Was great to see all the artists showecased, but shame we didn't get one last page from Larraz or Silva. Krakoa meant a lot to so many, and it's a crime it had to brushed aside in this manner.
This book/collection in itself is a head scratcher, mostly because at the end of the day Rise and Fall don't go together as well as the original series did. Duggan's frankly confusing and jarring Fall of the House of X is a rushed, truncated mess of events, but should be packaged with his Iron Man and X-Men issues. Gillen's Rise of the Powers of X should be packaged with Dead XMen and X-Forever, but the collection dept decided this instead.
In terms of a rushed and jarring conclusion to a era we didn't want, it's really split down the middle. Duggan's House mini is...well just disappointing and doesn't live up the legacy. Events just happen, characters do whatever Duggan wants motivations be damned, odd plot choices occur, and Werneck's usual crisp art is blatantly rough and hard to look at. It's a textbook example of rushing to finish on time, and I don't think I disliked reading issue to issue more than this. Just a damn mess.
Gillen, thankfully, salvaged what little he could from the original Powers of X threads, combined with his Forever issues, tried to depicte a fight for the future and the return of the Phoenix. Silva is always a welcome sight, his art is incredible, but its real telling that even he couldn't hang in there by the fifth issue. No shade to Vecchio, who has won me over, but it screams crunch time. Thankfully, there's just enough juice from the Powers material to not have this be a complete wash, I enjoyed that stuff quite a lot.
The epilogue in 35 is a....complex beast. It's clear this era was simultaneously rushed but also bloated, but I got what I could out of it. Apocalypse realizing the word has passed him by is fitting, yet also his motivation is a bit lost for the action scene demand. Was great to see all the artists showecased, but shame we didn't get one last page from Larraz or Silva. Krakoa meant a lot to so many, and it's a crime it had to brushed aside in this manner.
July 17, 2024
3,5*
Sustained action, lots of twists and turns and a coherent, satisfying ending - which didn't seem like a foregone conclusion given the implausible editorial mishmash that has brought us this far.
In the end, the Krakoa era was a major moment in the history of mutants. The proliferation of titles - many of them bad or uninteresting - combined with a plot that was already fairly complicated, cast an unfortunate shadow over the whole period. I know several people who have simply given up on the titanic task of keeping up with the mutant titles.
If you stick to the heart of the plot - and that's complicated enough - it's still a fine attempt to renew a universe that was at the end of its tether and rinsed to the bone. And it succeeded.
Let's hope that the sequels will be worthy of this heritage.
Sustained action, lots of twists and turns and a coherent, satisfying ending - which didn't seem like a foregone conclusion given the implausible editorial mishmash that has brought us this far.
In the end, the Krakoa era was a major moment in the history of mutants. The proliferation of titles - many of them bad or uninteresting - combined with a plot that was already fairly complicated, cast an unfortunate shadow over the whole period. I know several people who have simply given up on the titanic task of keeping up with the mutant titles.
If you stick to the heart of the plot - and that's complicated enough - it's still a fine attempt to renew a universe that was at the end of its tether and rinsed to the bone. And it succeeded.
Let's hope that the sequels will be worthy of this heritage.
June 7, 2024
I loved half of this, not so much the other half. I loved The Fall of the House of X but not so much The Rise of the Powers of X. Fall was just good plain action and badass X-Men kicking bigot and robot ass to save everything they’ve built. Rise was confusing ass time travel shit that tore my mind apart and made me realize I didn’t understand the creation of Krakoa as much as I thought I did. But Fall was so good that it really averages this score out a lot.
December 7, 2024
This is it, the big one, the end of the Krakoan era! Well, the first Krakoan era, per the book's endpage. It's certainly huge and explosive and almost Hickman like. Kieron Gillen steps aboard to steer Duggan's workmanlike writing into the heady, cosmic stuff that Hickman's so fond of. It leads to some odd flip flops. One issue of bland, Earth-based battles against Orchis foes featuring mutants who (I thought?) were decimated and in hiding after the Hellfire Gala; one issue of Xavier and a handful of mutants outside of space and time, battling a Dominion.
Fortunately, the two storylines eventually merge, making for a plot that consistently escalates the danger our heroes are in. First, Orchis. Then, Nimrod. Then, Dominion. (I hope you read Sins of Sinister and the Immortal X-Men series because those are both incredibly important backstory here.) I can't say that I understood every minute of the story, but neither can I say that about Hickman's work in the X-verse. With Hickman, though, even if I didn't understand, I still wanted to understand. Some of Fall of the House of X/Rise of the Powers of X, like Xavier's ongoing betrayals, blasted right over my head...and then never really seemed to matter in the end?
Still, the conclusion is strong and sturdy. So long, Krakoa (). Yet, the mutants continue on. The final issue, X-Men #35 is basically an excuse to get everyone back on the screen to argue about the future of mutantdom (with a big, silly battle against Apocalypse). I'm certainly curious to see where Jed MacKay will take the X-verse, though I have to admit, I'm pretty sad to see the Krakoan era end. These books were consistently the most interesting and engaging Marvel comics I've been reading. The fact that they were all so integrated had me picking up even dumb ancillary miniseries in hopes of learning some key tidbit about the greater plan. You don't see me doing that for any other Marvel ongoing.
Hopefully, Kevin Feige is taking notes somewhere. The Krakoan era, perhaps condensed into a trilogy, would be a fine cinematic experience. Just bring Hickman back on board as the screenwriter and leave Duggan at home.
Fortunately, the two storylines eventually merge, making for a plot that consistently escalates the danger our heroes are in. First, Orchis. Then, Nimrod. Then, Dominion. (I hope you read Sins of Sinister and the Immortal X-Men series because those are both incredibly important backstory here.) I can't say that I understood every minute of the story, but neither can I say that about Hickman's work in the X-verse. With Hickman, though, even if I didn't understand, I still wanted to understand. Some of Fall of the House of X/Rise of the Powers of X, like Xavier's ongoing betrayals, blasted right over my head...and then never really seemed to matter in the end?
Still, the conclusion is strong and sturdy. So long, Krakoa (). Yet, the mutants continue on. The final issue, X-Men #35 is basically an excuse to get everyone back on the screen to argue about the future of mutantdom (with a big, silly battle against Apocalypse). I'm certainly curious to see where Jed MacKay will take the X-verse, though I have to admit, I'm pretty sad to see the Krakoan era end. These books were consistently the most interesting and engaging Marvel comics I've been reading. The fact that they were all so integrated had me picking up even dumb ancillary miniseries in hopes of learning some key tidbit about the greater plan. You don't see me doing that for any other Marvel ongoing.
Hopefully, Kevin Feige is taking notes somewhere. The Krakoan era, perhaps condensed into a trilogy, would be a fine cinematic experience. Just bring Hickman back on board as the screenwriter and leave Duggan at home.
August 4, 2024
3/5
Krakoa meant to me a lot more than I wish to admit. The rise of it was brilliant, absolutely brilliant. The progress, despite its ups and downs was engaging and heartbreakingly beautiful. The ending though left a lot to be desired. Also this collective issues make a lot more sense if you gather all the relating storylines fom Ironman, dead X-Men or anything with a FoX sign on it, that's not included here.
Anyway, it did feel rushed and in pieces specially throughout the middle but the final third actually did manage to pull it together so that was a sorta saving grace in many words. This was probably one of my MOST FAVOURITE X-Men eras. Leaving it behind feels like living a home you had lived in for ages and now you're packing to move on to another one but you really don't have it in your heart to put the chairs back, turn off the lights and lock up the door for the last time.
Krakoa meant to me a lot more than I wish to admit. The rise of it was brilliant, absolutely brilliant. The progress, despite its ups and downs was engaging and heartbreakingly beautiful. The ending though left a lot to be desired. Also this collective issues make a lot more sense if you gather all the relating storylines fom Ironman, dead X-Men or anything with a FoX sign on it, that's not included here.
Anyway, it did feel rushed and in pieces specially throughout the middle but the final third actually did manage to pull it together so that was a sorta saving grace in many words. This was probably one of my MOST FAVOURITE X-Men eras. Leaving it behind feels like living a home you had lived in for ages and now you're packing to move on to another one but you really don't have it in your heart to put the chairs back, turn off the lights and lock up the door for the last time.
September 29, 2025
Not as smooth of a landing as you may want, but I’m not gonna hate on it. The First Krakoan Age was so cool. Partly a review of the whole era.
Random thoughts:
- AI and scared bigots accelerating the planet’s demise.
- Maybe power of any kind leads to corruption, even the most well-intentioned. (The contradiction of creating Paradise while also utilizing the Pit.)
- Is any civilization where the few rule the many truly sustainable and just?
- I’m glad we’re all up to speed on who the good guy is between Charles and Magneto.
- If your nation-state has a black ops intelligence agency maybe you’re already working on borrowed time.
- It always goes back to baby boy of the year Scott Summers, he’s the tether to the whole dream. Not that asshole Charles.
Random thoughts:
- AI and scared bigots accelerating the planet’s demise.
- Maybe power of any kind leads to corruption, even the most well-intentioned. (The contradiction of creating Paradise while also utilizing the Pit.)
- Is any civilization where the few rule the many truly sustainable and just?
- I’m glad we’re all up to speed on who the good guy is between Charles and Magneto.
- If your nation-state has a black ops intelligence agency maybe you’re already working on borrowed time.
- It always goes back to baby boy of the year Scott Summers, he’s the tether to the whole dream. Not that asshole Charles.
September 23, 2024
A good ending to the Krakoa (hippy) saga. A very good calibration between all the X writers. I like how all the stories converge at he end.
The X-MEN, mutants, and even though they do not know it yet, humanity are on the verge of being destroyed by Orchis. Nothing new to the X-MEN, right? Despite the X-MEN's fight back, the AI already calculated their every move and counter. What is Charles Xavier willing to do? How far is he willing to compromise or betray to keep his fellow family and mutants alive? Once that door is open, is there any way to close it?
Even though this book can be read on its own, there are a number of parts of it that will be happening in other X books or series like Ironman. The book finishes with a huge varient cover gallery, including the full page, wraparound, and thumbnail covers.
The X-MEN, mutants, and even though they do not know it yet, humanity are on the verge of being destroyed by Orchis. Nothing new to the X-MEN, right? Despite the X-MEN's fight back, the AI already calculated their every move and counter. What is Charles Xavier willing to do? How far is he willing to compromise or betray to keep his fellow family and mutants alive? Once that door is open, is there any way to close it?
Even though this book can be read on its own, there are a number of parts of it that will be happening in other X books or series like Ironman. The book finishes with a huge varient cover gallery, including the full page, wraparound, and thumbnail covers.
August 23, 2025
I ovako se završava First Krakoan Age, verovatno najveći shake-up status kvoa IksMena EVER. Ono što je Hikman započeo, ništa manje genijalni Kieron Gilan je dovršio na veoma zadovoljavajući način. Kao i uvek sa ovom dvojicom autora, mutantsko doba na Krakoi je bilo ispunjeno neverovatno zanimljivim i originalnim SF konceptima i idejama. Jedina smetnja čitaocima - kao i kod većine naslova Marvela ili DCa - može biti to što je ovo sve prosto uronjeno u bogatu istoriju IksMena.
November 24, 2024
Whilst I do think the end of the Krakoa age feels rushed and this comics shows that, it is still a fun ride with awesome moments.
As a fan of Cyclops, this comic is very satisfying.
I loved the Krakoa age, as a longtime Xmen comic book fan, having read all issues since the 60s, it is perhaps my fave alongside Utopia. Hopefully one day, the second age of Krakoa comes
As a fan of Cyclops, this comic is very satisfying.
I loved the Krakoa age, as a longtime Xmen comic book fan, having read all issues since the 60s, it is perhaps my fave alongside Utopia. Hopefully one day, the second age of Krakoa comes
June 5, 2024
I love Kieron Gillen but I feel like it’s pretty evident Marvel editorial didn’t want to make his job any easier when you read this.
Duggan didn’t stick a landing at all.
Waste of time and money, and ends the Krakoa era with a long, sad death rattle.
Duggan didn’t stick a landing at all.
Waste of time and money, and ends the Krakoa era with a long, sad death rattle.
Read
October 28, 2024La coerente fine di una fase editoriale che ho amato.
Unica pecca: troppe, troppe testate spesso non utili allo svolgimento.
Unica pecca: troppe, troppe testate spesso non utili allo svolgimento.
August 9, 2024
Okay, you got me. For the amount of fun I had reading this, it should be five stars, but it loses one because I couldn't explain to you what happened if I had a gun to my head.
I'm glad the world finally sees Charles Xavier for what he is and that The Dream™ has moved beyond this flawed, flawed man.
I'm glad the world finally sees Charles Xavier for what he is and that The Dream™ has moved beyond this flawed, flawed man.
June 15, 2025
oh my god. ohhhh my god oh my fucking god. oh my god!! oh my god!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh my god. oh my god
idc what people think of this comic i eat this high sci-fi shit ALL THE WAY UPPPPPP.
idc what people think of this comic i eat this high sci-fi shit ALL THE WAY UPPPPPP.
March 28, 2025
Doesn’t get much worse than this.
February 2, 2025
I have been holding out hope that this book would impress me or make the end of Krakoa somehow poetically worthwhile. Unfortunately, it under delivers in just about every category I can think of.
Overall, it’s simply not the most interesting choice to make with this scenario. Instead of adding story potential, this is taking things off the board. What remains are all threads that could have been started without this event.
The plot itself is messy. Where HoX/PoX was so riveting because it was building to a singular idea, Fall and Rise can’t seem to find their footing. Is it a story about the metaphysics of life and being a mutant? Is it an exploration of AI? Is it a political rumination of the dangers of establishing an arbitrary “other” that you vilify? Is it an editorial edict against Krakoa, what it stood for, and all of the misguided criticisms fans levied against it over the last five years? Is it just a big worldwide fistfight? Unfortunately it mostly falls into the last one, but tries to touch all of the others, too.
I was caught up in all of the minor issues and inconsistencies that kept occurring. One of the first was that Nightcrawler’s hideous beard is back after being gloriously gone in his miniseries. Then characters are all over the place. Manifold comes back out of nowhere (maybe explained in Uncanny Avengers, but I haven’t read it). Kate is supposedly trying to rescue Cyclops until he gets a deus ex machina and then she’s just elsewhere. It felt very sloppy from start to finish.
None of the plot lines work for me. Xavier’s plan doesn’t make sense. The AI’s plan doesn’t make sense. The art makes things really unclear. I don’t know where Sentinel City was (I think Venus, but it looked like it was right on top of Earth at one point). The only thing that does kind of make sense is the White Hot Room story, but it’s a little less deep than it was presented in other stories, like even the recent Resurrection of Magneto, which factored into this story way less than I expected it to.
The ending issue, which is the milestone X-Men 700(or 35 in the current run), didn’t live up to the hype either. Apocalypse’s role in the story didn’t work for me at all. His whole deal is supposed to be about evolution and survival, but he can’t fathom anything beyond what he’s done for thousands of years. Richter finally shows back up for half page with hardly any payoff for all the relationship development with Apocalypse. Even the emotional impact of the end of Krakoa didn’t land as well as I’d hoped, and was followed up with a couple of other minor epilogues, the worst of which was honestly the Nightcrawler bit by Claremont. I’m glad he got a chance to write this family the way he envisioned them, but it was a lot angst about feelings that Kurt didn’t have in the other, better stories about the development.
In general, I loved the promise of Krakoa both symbolically and in terms of storytelling. I just think it lost some direction and ended up losing steam along the way. I do like some aspects of what they accomplished by the end, I just wish they got there better.
Overall, it’s simply not the most interesting choice to make with this scenario. Instead of adding story potential, this is taking things off the board. What remains are all threads that could have been started without this event.
The plot itself is messy. Where HoX/PoX was so riveting because it was building to a singular idea, Fall and Rise can’t seem to find their footing. Is it a story about the metaphysics of life and being a mutant? Is it an exploration of AI? Is it a political rumination of the dangers of establishing an arbitrary “other” that you vilify? Is it an editorial edict against Krakoa, what it stood for, and all of the misguided criticisms fans levied against it over the last five years? Is it just a big worldwide fistfight? Unfortunately it mostly falls into the last one, but tries to touch all of the others, too.
I was caught up in all of the minor issues and inconsistencies that kept occurring. One of the first was that Nightcrawler’s hideous beard is back after being gloriously gone in his miniseries. Then characters are all over the place. Manifold comes back out of nowhere (maybe explained in Uncanny Avengers, but I haven’t read it). Kate is supposedly trying to rescue Cyclops until he gets a deus ex machina and then she’s just elsewhere. It felt very sloppy from start to finish.
None of the plot lines work for me. Xavier’s plan doesn’t make sense. The AI’s plan doesn’t make sense. The art makes things really unclear. I don’t know where Sentinel City was (I think Venus, but it looked like it was right on top of Earth at one point). The only thing that does kind of make sense is the White Hot Room story, but it’s a little less deep than it was presented in other stories, like even the recent Resurrection of Magneto, which factored into this story way less than I expected it to.
The ending issue, which is the milestone X-Men 700(or 35 in the current run), didn’t live up to the hype either. Apocalypse’s role in the story didn’t work for me at all. His whole deal is supposed to be about evolution and survival, but he can’t fathom anything beyond what he’s done for thousands of years. Richter finally shows back up for half page with hardly any payoff for all the relationship development with Apocalypse. Even the emotional impact of the end of Krakoa didn’t land as well as I’d hoped, and was followed up with a couple of other minor epilogues, the worst of which was honestly the Nightcrawler bit by Claremont. I’m glad he got a chance to write this family the way he envisioned them, but it was a lot angst about feelings that Kurt didn’t have in the other, better stories about the development.
In general, I loved the promise of Krakoa both symbolically and in terms of storytelling. I just think it lost some direction and ended up losing steam along the way. I do like some aspects of what they accomplished by the end, I just wish they got there better.
December 25, 2024
The promise of Krakoa—not in the story, I mean the real-world one, for comic readers—was something revelatory and fresh, a complete shift in the status-quo, a focus on fun teams, high concepts, and character-driven stories. And of course, a great jumping-on point for many who may want to read X-Men titles, but can’t sift through the last decade or two of stories prerequisite to enjoy a comic series.
By the end, it was a convoluted mess in which readers probably need one of those serial-killer mystery boards with thumbtacks and red strings tracking storylines from forty years ago with a metric ton of modern-day tie in series and miniseries ranging from good to unreadably awful just to have a somewhat working understanding of the plot.
There were a number a series—or at least sections of series—that delivered some strong, fun stories. There were a larger number of tie-ins (X of Swords, Inferno, X Lives/ Deaths of Wolverine, Sins of Sinister) that shifted characters, did and undid events back and forth so haphazardly that it was kind of dizzying. When you binge the whole thing in trades, it’s painfully obvious how thin many of the characters are, how they turn so drastically in a single page, how incredibly “serviceable” development and plot is.
So it’s hard not to look at this book in light of the last five years of X-Men comics and find it wanting. A bit of a reflection of many of the things that weren’t so stellar throughout this run.
Some highlights, though: the final chapter of this, an X-Men issue that serves as a prelude to Fall/Rise, is pretty great. The writers (collectively, but mostly Duggan) have made Emma Frost and especially Cyclops incredibly sympathetic and likable characters (which, at least for me, no other writer has successfully done in the past 15 years). The final pages in the farewell to Krakoa are pretty amazing.
So we close this massive volume in the history of X-Men with something pretty beautiful: well executed, if not fully earned.
By the end, it was a convoluted mess in which readers probably need one of those serial-killer mystery boards with thumbtacks and red strings tracking storylines from forty years ago with a metric ton of modern-day tie in series and miniseries ranging from good to unreadably awful just to have a somewhat working understanding of the plot.
There were a number a series—or at least sections of series—that delivered some strong, fun stories. There were a larger number of tie-ins (X of Swords, Inferno, X Lives/ Deaths of Wolverine, Sins of Sinister) that shifted characters, did and undid events back and forth so haphazardly that it was kind of dizzying. When you binge the whole thing in trades, it’s painfully obvious how thin many of the characters are, how they turn so drastically in a single page, how incredibly “serviceable” development and plot is.
So it’s hard not to look at this book in light of the last five years of X-Men comics and find it wanting. A bit of a reflection of many of the things that weren’t so stellar throughout this run.
Some highlights, though: the final chapter of this, an X-Men issue that serves as a prelude to Fall/Rise, is pretty great. The writers (collectively, but mostly Duggan) have made Emma Frost and especially Cyclops incredibly sympathetic and likable characters (which, at least for me, no other writer has successfully done in the past 15 years). The final pages in the farewell to Krakoa are pretty amazing.
So we close this massive volume in the history of X-Men with something pretty beautiful: well executed, if not fully earned.
August 9, 2024
Beginning to think that Marvel HATES writing good X-titles...
First, putting these two miniseries together is like mixing oil and vinegar. Thematically, they clash in just about every way. (except they both feature a bearded Professor X?).
The art is inconsistent...at best. Some of the visuals in FotHoX (tell me that acronym doesn't make you gag...) are ridiculously messy. There's graphic body burnings that look like somebody gave up and just Photoshopped a temp sketch in. Even 'anniversary' issues with guest artists drawing one panel pieces are just...jarring.
The characters in these just don't follow ANYTHING resembling their normal drives/dialogue...
Apocolypse decides starting a Fight Club DURING the battle will save the day
Juggernaut borrows a BFG that Cable left lying around Xavier Institute
Xavier draws a gun on HOW MANY X-Men?
Rasputin IV answers whenever ANYBODY says, 'Here, girl!' *whistles*
...and that's just FotHoX
Can't forget...
Every issue of RotPoX has to walk you through the ridiculously complex Dominion ascension plot
Charles lies to the liars about lying to the lying liars that lied (oh, and 'Xavier was right')
Playing a game of telephone with two versions of Mother Righteous
White Hot Room? More like, 'white hot mess'
Moira gets an out? You're kidding, right? Ten lives and no karmic backlash?
=========
Bonus: Lactuca is Latin for salad. Ummm...
Bonus Bonus: So at the end of the story, ...I call bull$h!t.
First, putting these two miniseries together is like mixing oil and vinegar. Thematically, they clash in just about every way. (except they both feature a bearded Professor X?).
The art is inconsistent...at best. Some of the visuals in FotHoX (tell me that acronym doesn't make you gag...) are ridiculously messy. There's graphic body burnings that look like somebody gave up and just Photoshopped a temp sketch in. Even 'anniversary' issues with guest artists drawing one panel pieces are just...jarring.
The characters in these just don't follow ANYTHING resembling their normal drives/dialogue...
Apocolypse decides starting a Fight Club DURING the battle will save the day
Juggernaut borrows a BFG that Cable left lying around Xavier Institute
Xavier draws a gun on HOW MANY X-Men?
Rasputin IV answers whenever ANYBODY says, 'Here, girl!' *whistles*
...and that's just FotHoX
Can't forget...
Every issue of RotPoX has to walk you through the ridiculously complex Dominion ascension plot
Charles lies to the liars about lying to the lying liars that lied (oh, and 'Xavier was right')
Playing a game of telephone with two versions of Mother Righteous
White Hot Room? More like, 'white hot mess'
Moira gets an out? You're kidding, right? Ten lives and no karmic backlash?
=========
Bonus: Lactuca is Latin for salad. Ummm...
Bonus Bonus: So at the end of the story, ...I call bull$h!t.
November 12, 2024
Well this was…interesting? Chaotic? A little confusing? I noticed this, although new and probably at far fewer reviews, is a whole 1-star rating lower on average than Hickman’s big event GN that kicked off the First Krakoan Age. I feel like comparing those is pretty unfair since, while I’m sure Hickman has been helping to steer the grander narrative in this series, Fall of X has really had to be the bow on a huge run that’s lasted several years now. I appreciate that a lot of this circles back to Moira and Xavier and Sinister but…I feel like Xavier is reduced to SO MUCH TALKING in a way that’s so hard to read in terms of feeling. There’s a lot of reduction of characters in this particular collection — Logan, Rasputin IV, Kitty, Emma…so many characters are basically running along a single axis just to get us to our ending.
I think the big reset at the end is pretty fine — it basically gives us a big one-time total resurrection but also reinserts (I think…) mutant mortality. I’m going to be really curious about how, if at all, Arrako is handled moving forward, whether any residual Orchis stuff sticks around, and whether the new run will be plagued by the demons cultivated in this series. Glad I hung with it but definitely nowhere near as compelling as where it started.
Update: maybe I’m an idiot and this isn’t even a little written by Hickman, which explains A LOT.
I think the big reset at the end is pretty fine — it basically gives us a big one-time total resurrection but also reinserts (I think…) mutant mortality. I’m going to be really curious about how, if at all, Arrako is handled moving forward, whether any residual Orchis stuff sticks around, and whether the new run will be plagued by the demons cultivated in this series. Glad I hung with it but definitely nowhere near as compelling as where it started.
Update: maybe I’m an idiot and this isn’t even a little written by Hickman, which explains A LOT.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews