X-Men: Divided We Stand

X-Men: Miniseries

by Mike Carey, Matt Fraction, Craig Kyle

In the wake of Messiah CompleX, there are no X-Men. But where does that leave the mutants that were X-Men? Some of the industry's hottest creators bring you stories of your favorite mutants as they make their way in a world without the X-Men. And only those who adapt will survive. Featuring Cannonball, Husk, Nightcrawler, Storm, Black Panther, Neznho, Anole, Beast, Dark Beast, Havok, Vulcan, and Surge Plus: The young mutant Pixie tries to save her town from a mysterious evil. But when the baddies prove too tough for any one hero to handle, she calls in a little help from her friends. Guest-starring Cyclops, Wolverine, Colossus and the rest of Marvel's mightiest mutants This spectacular will usher in a new era for the X-Men The future of mutantkind starts here Collects X-Men: Divided We Stand #1-2 and Free Comic Book Day 2008 (X-Men).

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, X Men, Marvel, Superheroes, Fantasy, Science Fiction

136 pages, Paperback

First published September 3, 2008

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Mike Carey was born in Liverpool in 1959. He worked as a teacher for fifteen years, before starting to write comics. When he started to receive regular commissions from DC Comics, he gave up the day job.

Since then, he has worked for both DC and Marvel Comics, writing storylines for some of the world's most iconic characters, including X-MEN, FANTASTIC FOUR, LUCIFER and HELLBLAZER. His original screenplay FROST FLOWERS is currently being filmed. Mike has also adapted Neil Gaiman's acclaimed NEVERWHERE into comics.

Somehow, Mike finds time amongst all of this to live with his wife and children in North London. You can read his blog at www.mikecarey.net.

Reviews

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mixed bag, but nothing was bad. Some of my favorites were the Beast story by Mike Carey, and the Scalphunter story drawn by Jamie McKelvie. Many of the stories focused on characters I didn't know that well, but they were still pretty good. I'll be using most of these for sure.

[Alex E · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is more of a anthology of shorts showing how different members of different X-teams are reacting after the Messiah Complex.

It reminded me of an anthology series of sorts because each story is unrelated to the other - other than the over arching theme of - what happens now? Which is understandable because what has happened recently to all teams involved is pretty nuts. Dealing with M day, then finding Hope and having her narrowly escape into the future - then all the teams disbanding... phew, its a lot to take in. So i thought the idea for this series was legitimate and interesting. Unfortunately, it didn't really pan out.

The stories are kind of... boring. What should've been interesting character studies turned into just quick snippets of half measured semi plots. I mean don't get me wrong, some were ok, but this should've been better than ok.

I would say unless you are a diehard X-fan, you can skip over this one.

[Aisling · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Brad · Rating 1 out of 5]

So that's all Messiah Complex did? Trade one joyless X-Men status quo (a dwindling mutant population forcing all X-Men to live at Xavier Mansion as though it were a reservation) for another? Now all the mutants go their separate ways, with none of them happy. This book tries to tease where all the characters are headed, but most of them don't do a good job setting up their characters, since they are mostly 4-6 page stories with lots of internal monologues.

[Arturo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short stories.
Cannonball's angry, and can fight. 2 stars
Nehzno returns to Wakanda with Storm. Great art and a good origin. 4 stars.
Anole likes being back home, Talk with Northstar. 3 stars.
Hellion needs guidance. 3 stars.
Scalphunter, Nightcrawler. 5 stars.

Beast sifts thru the wreckage. 1 star.
Magik. X-Infernus prologue. 3 stars.
Havok. Emperor Vulcan epilogue. 3 stars.
Forge. 2 stars.
Surge and Moonstar in a story thats preachy and sounds like its written by Claremont. 2 stars.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ghastly, fucking tedious collection of short stories featuring X-Men nobodies from the back catalogue of X-universe, people that make you go, "Who?" or at best, "Oh yeah". Seriously, who gives a fuck if Cannonball starts a fight in a bar? If Hellion vents in a cafe? Jesus, I could shit better stories than this. Awful epilogues to a ridiculous storyline which will only get worse. Nuke it from space. That's the only way to be sure.

[Matthew Ledrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great selection of short stories, most of which are very well written. Nothing essential or Earth-shaking -- all easily skipped -- but well written? Absolutely.

[Thebadwolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, maybe a four. I didn't think I would like this book at first, but after reading it a little it started to grow on me a little, and by the end I thought it was pretty good. It is basically a collection of short stories about different character and what happens to them when they have to go home after the x-men disband after the events of messiah complex. I didn't know much about most of the characters the stories were about, (especially cannonball which I know about zero about) or how they got in their various situations, but the stories still held my attention and were pretty entertaining. I don't remember if I read messiah complex, but I have a basic idea of what took place during it. You don't really have to read messiah complex to enjoy this book, but it would definitely help. Some of the stories were better than others but I don't think any were really bad.

[Judah Radd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ummm... not bad?

Nothing really happens here. This isn’t even a story. I’m not sure why it’s billed as an “event.”

Basically, the Decimation happened. Then Deadly Genesis happened. This was followed by The Rise and Fall of the Shi’ar Empire and finally Messiah CompleX. This book is basically just everyone coming to terms with their miserable existence in light if recent events. Each vignette tells a short, sad nonstory about a character living their miserable post Messiah life. These stories vary in quality from good to ok. Nothing horrible, nothing awesome.

The art is mostly pretty good, although the lack of consistency threw me for a loop.

This seems like some major filler. Yes, the future seems like it could be cool... but this didn’t do much to get us there.

[Tue Le · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an anthology of short stories dealing with certain individual or small teams of former members of the once vaunted X-Men handle the aftermath of the Messiah Complex arc. Beast has my favorite story, the one with Scalphunter and Nightcrawler was my second favorite. Most of the rest of the stories were not great; they concerned mostly whiny teenagers lacking in perspective. The one about Wakanda was just weird. The story of Magik has a memorable Russian proverb but I frankly do not like magic mixed with science-fiction. It would be best for Illyana Rasputin to remain without powers and be a supporting character for Colossus (Piotr "Peter" Rasputin, her brother) and Shadowcat (Kitty Pryde, her brother's girlfriend).

[Terry Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm of two minds about this short collection. The first volume had some great short stories, while the second collection was more of a tepid affair. I'm actually quite keen on the idea: short burst stories that focus less of the tights & fights, and more on the human interest stories. That being noted, some of the short stories fell incredibly flat. I'd like to see more like this from Marvel, possibly in a curated collection.

[Emmett Spain · Rating 3 out of 5]

A series of short stories following side characters in the fallout of Messiah Complex. Without the full context of Messiah Complex, this book may be confusing - for me it was an interesting look at characters who don’t always get a lot of spotlight. Matt Fraction’s ‘Migas’ was the standout.

A solid 3 stars.

[DJ Maniak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liked it, but it wasn't truly finished until I read ALL of the Mutant Files in their entirety. Also, back cover blurb on this edition advertises a Dark Beast story, but there isn't one to be found in it. Probably in a jar in Nathan Essex' laboratory.

[Kris Shaw · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a complete waste of time and money. A bunch of character sketches that do nothing but fill out pages, coupled with Handbook pages equals a must-miss trade paperback event primer.

[Fugo Feedback]

No recuerdo cuándo ni por qué lo puse como to-read pero seguro que fue hace eones...

[Odo · Rating 3 out of 5]

5/10

[Erik · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a bookend to the recent mutant cross-over saga Messiah Complex, this brief volume collects the two-issue Divided We Stand epilogue, which contains just under a dozen short narratives about different players in the X-Men universe after the devastation of Messiah Complex. (Those who know me are well aware that I generally despise these things nowadays; with the except of almost anything penned by Mark Millar and Brian Michael Bendis, like their Civil War and Secret Invasion epics.) Although a few of these stories have their just-shy-of-inspired moments – most notably Chris Burnham’s art on the Havok story – there’s not enough here to keep me engaged in following the exploits of Marvel’s merry mutants. (Or in the case of this recent dramatic turn of events, not-so-merry.)

With the sole exception of Ed Brubaker’s work on Uncanny X-Men recently, this reminds me that I’m not all that interested in the current adventures of the myriad mutant groups under the X-aegis. And that my comic-book reading time is better spent elsewhere.

[One Flew · Rating 1 out of 5]

I do one of three things when I'm finished with a book. 1: If it's a great book, add it to my library, keep it so I can re-read it again. 2: If it's an ok or below average book that I probably won't read again, I sell it or give it away. 3: If it's awful, I'll throw it in the rubbish or chuck it in the fire.

This book definitely falls into the third catagory. Some books like this one, I consider a public service to destroy them so no one else makes the same mistake of reading this drivel. There is no redeeming features of this book, not one. Pointless, boring, poorly drawn, no real plot... in short, everything that is wrong with the comic book industry. I can't even fathom how this was published, do yourself a favour and skip this utter shite.

[Adam Stone · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very short, mostly fun, but ultimately skippable little primer for what happens to the X-Men between the Messiah Complex and their move to Utopia. None of the stories are necessary for following continuity, but each of them contain some great character beats, particularly the ones focused on the Academy X students.

As an anthology title, it has multiple artists and writers, but it really feels like one of those "Getting the team together" books, even though it's actually a "Broken up team decides not to reunite" book.

[Tina · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading this for the second time I still find it quite disappointing. This volume tells the stories of different mutants and what they do now that Scott has disbanded the X-men. Unfortunately I can't bring myself to feel with the various characters (Hank McCoy is the only exception, that story was quite okay).

[David Edmonds · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just a collection of short stories that don't seem to have any real bearing on the overall story being told. These stories follow up on some of the lesser characters in the X-Titles right now, I guess telling why we won't be seeing most of them in the upcoming collections. If you're following the current X-Men stories and skip this collection, I don't think that you'll be missing a thing.

[Erik · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nice premise, looking at how the birth of Hope and death of Professor X affected various characters and sets up where a few of them may be headed. It's a good mix of big and small characters and there are quite a few art styles on display. The best of the bunch is Skottie Young's Anole story. Unfortunately the rest are all pretty pedestrian.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of mediocre stories with nice art. The stories aren't very long, so Marvel bulks out the collection with indexes detailing several x-related characters.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the character portraits are nice, particularly for fans of the New X-Men, but there's nothing of substance here.

[Potatowast3 · Rating 4 out of 5]

this showed up in the mail by mistake and I was happy with it since it turned out to be better than the book I actually ordered. Skottie Young rocked his part in this.

[Enrique Peral · Rating 4 out of 5]

Divided we stand.