Age of X-Man: NextGen

Age of X-Man (Collected Editions)

by Ed Brisson (Writer), Chris Bachalo (Illustrator), Marcus To (Illustrator)

In an age of utopia, the Summers Institute for Higher Learning is the premiere school for the mutant community across the globe. Attendance is mandatory for all mutant children, as they learn to become the next generation of marvelous X-Men. But even in a utopic society, teenagers will always find a way to rebel...Follow Glob, Armor, Anole and Rockslide as they discover what it really means to live in an age of peace and harmony!

COLLECTING: AGE OF X-MAN: NEXTGEN 1-5

Genres: Comics, Marvel, X Men, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Comic Book, Dystopia

112 pages, Paperback

First published September 3, 2019

About the author

Comic book writer.

Credits include: COMEBACK, SHELTERED, THE FIELD (Image Comics), SECRET AVENGERS (Marvel), ROBOCOP, SONS OF ANARCHY, HELLRAISER (BOOM!) and X-FILES/TMNT: CONSPIRACY (IDW). Plus, you know, a bunch of stuff I can’t talk about yet.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

My current fave X-book writer Ed Brisson is lumped with the 'young mutants' book for the Age of X-Man. There was not much to see here, as with other books in the Age of X-Man reality. Nothing special, and very little new. Good to see more depth added to Hisako, Santos and Herman's characterisations, but continuity wise this entire volume can be left off of the Age of X-Man reading list! 7 out of 12, Three Stars for staple competence.

2019 read

[Tiag⊗ the Mutant · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Glob Herman and the next generation of X-Men is by far the best miniseries of the event, its a fun conspiracy story with Anole joining up a terrorist group.

Glob is slowly becoming one of my favorites, Hickman should give him a new mutation and get him on the main team, along with Rockslide and Armor.

[Molly™☺ · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting story that plays with the idea of reality. X-Men stories which don't rely heavily on long established faces seem to have a lot more freedom to explore, and this gives a thought-provoking take on a concept that's both familiar, yet completely new. With a colourful cast of characters and a fun premise, this isn't a must read, but something to consider if you have the time.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this was considerably better than ‘The Amazing Nightcrawler’. Set in the same alternate pocket universe, this book takes place in the Summers School for Gifted Youngsters (or some variation thereof) and casts Glob Herman in the role Bishop played in the Age of Apocalypse event, that of the sole person who can remember the ‘real’ world.

Again, there’s nothing actually new here but it’s presented so much better than in the Nightcrawler mini that I didn’t mind so much. Marcus To’s artwork was great in the first four issues, so it was a real shame he was replaced by a fill-in artist for the final issue. Not that the fill-in artist was bad, it was just a jarring change from To’s stuff.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you've read the core book this is not necessary. Too much teen drama for me. An okay read.

[Robert Kirwan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again, one of the best additions to the Age of X-Man series. The artwork and the covers were gorgeous!! A little disconnect with issue 5 as the artist changed but still, the overall style was similar enough.

For me, this was the best series that highlighted the isolation people go through when mind wiped. Poor Glob Herman is all I will say!!! It really looks at being alone in a crowded room and how oppressed people are in a society that controls everything!

The writing was very cohesive and the story over the 5 issues really flowed well and made sense. Loved it and would recommend. It obviously makes more sense when read with the event as a whole but as a 5 part series it was fantastic.

[Myles Likes Tacos and Rice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good example of an elite writer making the most of a scrambled event. This trade works well as a standalone, especially if you are an X fan that likes the schooling aspect of this soap opera we all love

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had weak moments but I liked it. The ending is sad.
Glob Herman is great as the focus of this mini-series!

[Jonathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe this works better if you understand the context, but the gist I gathered was that mutants are trapped in some dystopian alternate reality for some reason and their minds are wiped. Mostly I was here for Glob Herman.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of all the Age of X-Man miniseries, this and Prisoner X were the two that best conveyed the oppressive nature of the supposedly Utopian society created by Nate Grey. The stakes in this book were made clear, and the fear the characters felt at being caught was very real, and as such the story here was far more compelling than the others.

Through a lucky fluke caused by his mutation, Glob Herman is immune to the nightly memory alterations that occur at the Summers Institute for Higher Learning. He's the only one who remembers the particularly troublesome students who mysteriously disappear after they get three strikes against them. Eventually Armor and Rockslide learn the truth as well, and the three of them try to save their friend Anole, who has gotten involved with a terrorist group and is one strike away from disappearing himself.

I really appreciated the bleak ending that felt like it came right out of a classic science fiction story. Of course, the true conclusion to this and all the other Age of X-Man series is to be found in the Age of X-Men Omega one-shot. This ending felt far more conclusive than the one in Marvelous X-Men. It's not exactly a happy ending but it definitely wraps things up.

The art by Marcus To was fantastic as well. I really wish that the other Age of X-Man books had been on this level.

[Guilherme Smee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Era do X-Man é um empreendimento editorial bastante desafiador para o leitor, principalmente em terras tupiniquins em que as possibilidades financeiras são mais minguantes. Assim, precisa ser um grande fã dos X-Men para ter a paciência e a complacência de acompanhá-la de cabo a rabo. Mas preciso dizer que o volume dedicado à próxima Geração foi uma grata surpresa. Ed Brisson, que acredito ser um escritor de regular para ruim, nos traz uma bela homenagem para quem acompanhou a gerações mais jovens dos X-Men até então, de Academia X a Jovens X-Men, estão alguns elementos e referências em Próxima Geração. A trama é nonsense, inusitada e irônica com Glob Herman tentando descobrir quem está manipulando a realidade e fazendo lavagem cerebral nos mutantes. Mas será que isso é suficiente para causar uma revolução? Não, porque já fizeram isso antes dele. Apocalipse e seu Excluídos estão seduzindo os alunos com uma droga que pretende contar a verdade e abrir as portas da percepção para aqueles que foram enganados pelos... X-Men???

[RG · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was much better than the previous age of xman novel.

[TJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m so glad to have a book for the X-kids, even if it is just a tie in to some stupid event. This volume is by no means satisfying on its own, but the art is solid and it’s nice to get some focus on the teen characters. They deserve their own ongoing series! 3.5/5 stars

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is sort of a cheat as I am reviewing the whole crossover at one time. I'm recovering from a surgery with a lot of time to lay around and read so I plowed through the all of the trades at one time. (I would give the whole series a 3.5 star rating, most likely...)

I feel like this series was interesting. I'm a sucker for an alt-universe tale but I thought that this one was on the better end of the spectrum, personally. A bit more cerebral than punchy, though, so your mileage may vary. (And some of the more cerebral bits are sort of only surface-cerebral, but hey - that's superhero books for ya.)

At any rate, I thought it was a good premise (and I like this take on Nate, personally) and most of the sideplots were interesting and had great moments of characterization. The overarching main plot was a little empty in the end (and very rushed - I'm curious if there was originally going to be more time given to this series?) but I personally feel that several of the personal arcs were definitely worth it in the end.

High points for me were Nextgen (I always love the young X-Men characters, though) and X-tremists (I really dug the blob/Psylocke dynamic) while the low points were Prisoner X and the X-tracts (neither of which was particularly a low point in my opinion - just not up to the others).

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are the Wolverine and the X-Men mutants mostly who try to live in a world where they don't believe in the rules and the administration lies to them. OK. Every so often the book threatens to have some suspense but most things just kind of resolve and move forward. They needed to pick one or two of these "So and so will get in trouble" and draw it out. As it stands, basically every mutant in the group is violating a rule and so there's no sense of ostracism or danger.

Maggot shows up here as he showed up in X-Men '92 and many other places. You know, I think people genuinely miss Maggot. Like Adam X doesn't show up nearly so much, right? Or Vulcan?

[Adam Fisher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of the whole Age of X-Man crossover, this book deals heavily with the hero Glob. Somehow, Glob has not been brainwashed by Nate and he very much still remembers the regular 616 timeline. Ultimately, the story runs very slow and is kind of sad, because it focuses so much on living in a utopia that you know isn't real. While still an alright read, the Volume really doesn't add much to the overall story.
Again, semi-recommend. If you find that you really like these characters, read it. If not? Skip this one.

[Gavin Wask · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second on the Age of X-Man books I've read. The focus switches to Rockslide, Anole, Armor, Glob Herman, Pixie and Shark Girl(?????).
They are students in training for the different walks of life open to X-Men but some are having flashbacks to a different life.
Glob Herman takes centre stage here and it is good to see that a character that started out as a want to be X-Man/Villian has developed different layers and is able to lead an interesting storyline.

[Khajiit J'jirra Roudhari · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's Logan, Hope and Scott.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume focuses on the younger X-Men in school as they start to figure out something is wrong in the Age of X-Man. There's a group rebelling against the establishment by following the teachings of Apocalypse, and Glob is the only X-man that seems to remember what really happened so he tries to enlighten the others. The ending was a little bleak but it's all building to a conclusion in the Age of X-Man: Omega book.

[J.C. Greene · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last of the Age of X-Man books and one of the two that I enjoyed. I liked how Glob Herman and Armor were the central characters in this story. The whole set up of the school, the classes and everything reminded me of one of the YA dystopia novels which worked for the teen characters. It was a good story; although it ended on a downer note for the characters, but overall it was pretty good and reflected the whole oppressive atmosphere of what Nate Grey set up.

[Sean · Rating 2 out of 5]

X-Men have a long history of alternate realities and this one is pretty pedestrian. At least, that is to say, as much as I know about it from this book. I feel there isn't enough overarching plot for the story and this storyline here doesn't do enough. Its cliched and basic. The art is good throughout. Overall, a completely by the numbers book that doesn't really matter.

[Daniel Butcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've not read the event yet, and I think even with me having questions that I generally see what's going on and get the scifi element of the story.

It's a fine story, but also lacks a real conclusion due to being a side story of a bigger thing.

[Kris Ritchie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly not bad? I'm not the biggest fan of Brisson (I think his Old Man Logan is a steaming pile) but I really did enjoy this comic. The rating is brought down, however, by its reliance on this big overarching plotline, but without it this comic would not exist in the first place.

[Crazed8J8 · Rating 4 out of 5]

By and large, Age of X-Man sucks! This run had some interesting characters and developments. The characters are well written and enjoyable, despite the underlying story. A worthy read, if you're going to read any Age of X-Man titles.

[Thomas Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite of the Age of X-Man books, in part because it’s not integral to the plot so we get to just spend time with these characters and explore the world they live in. Also I’m always a sucker for a good Glob Herman story.

[Erik · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually rather enjoyed this one despite only vague familiarty with the characters before the event. Even though readers already know exactly what's going on, I still found it to be an interesting tale of students falling into a conspiracy/rebellion.

[Alli · Rating 4 out of 5]

GLOB AND HIS CHICKENS.

That's it. That's the review.

[Jenan · Rating 3 out of 5]

My rate is: 3.5 stars! I liked it!

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the stronger Age of X-Man series. But, like the rest, fairly anti-climatic. I think it helps that most of the characters just get to be themselves. Plus, you know, it's Glob-led.

[Adan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, Glob Herman. You break my heart every time, you waxy, lovable goof. I hope you one day become the hero you were always meant to be.