X of Swords, Volume 2

X-Men: X of Swords #13-22

by Jonathan Hickman, Jonathan, Larraz

X-Men scribe Jonathan Hickman steers the X-Men universe to new heights in the 22-chapter crossover event of the year! An epic story spanning across ten comic series, X of Swords builds upon the incredible world shaped by Hickman in House of X. The dark history of Arakko will soon be revealed, and when it is, the very future of mutantkind will be at stake... X-Men #14, Marauders #14-15, Excalibur #14, Wolverine #7, X-Force #14, Hellions #6, Cable #6, Excalibur #15, X-Men #15, X of Swords: Destruction #1.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, X Men

324 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2021

About the author

Jonathan Hickman is an American comic book writer and artist. He is known for creating the Image Comics series The Nightly News, The Manhattan Projects and East of West, as well as working on Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four, FF, and S.H.I.E.L.D. titles. In 2012, Hickman ended his run on the Fantastic Four titles to write The Avengers and The New Avengers, as part the "Marvel NOW!" relaunch. In 2013, Hickman wrote a six-part miniseries, Infinity, plus Avengers tie-ins for Marvel Comics. In 2015, he wrote the crossover event Secret Wars. - Wikipedia

Reviews

[Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Gavin Wask · Rating 4 out of 5]

The swords have finally been gathered and off to fight our heroes and villains go.

It all gets a bit confusing, when some of the battles do not involve sword fighting but other games but I'm assuming this was to lighten the story up a bit. There's some great moments between our sword bearers and an even better scene when the X-Men finally step up to being X-Men again - which has been lacking in the mutant island of Krakoa.

Say goodbye to a couple of characters, maybe for good, maybe to come back changed but say hello to a couple of characters who have finally found their mojo back.

[Roman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The end of the "Dawn of X" Series was an excellent conclusion to the rebirth of everything X. The weirdness and strangeness of Otherworld and the Omniverse, and long term machinations present throughout the series may not be for everyone, but I loved it. Excited to continue the journey into "Reign of X"

[Fez Vaccaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't expecting much from this volume, as I heard the ending was a disappointment and the first volume X of Swords, Volume 1, didn't really impress me. But I really enjoyed this. Art is great throughout. There is the fact that this was marketed as a sword fighting event - and there is a lot that isn't. And even then, the arbitrariness of Saturnyne in her score awarding going against the spirit of the event is frustrating. But I think for the most part it is a fun storyline, mostly hurt by the slow build up in volume 1, which itself should have been marketed as a separate event or not an event at all, as the characters just collect the swords in their respective monthlies. While this event also shouldn't have been marketed as a swordfight, as I feel these all affected expectations as a whole. It should have just been marketed as a game of chance by Saturnyne and Otherworld.

The last 3 issues really bring it home. Hickman and Howard are the guiding hands of the event and they give it a suitable closer. Larraz does his best Hitch impersonation, not in the detail of the art but the scale. Dozens of characters descending from the heavens to join a big battle, a giant sword piercing the clouds, a large dragon flying over the battlefield, giant slug monstrosities from another dimension, an army of countless grunts. It's like the widescreen stylings of the The Authority Book One. So for that, I have to give the team credit in how they closed it out. And they also bring back a team that has been missing for the last couple of years, so I'm glad that they got the chance to bring them back.

[Sarospice · Rating 3 out of 5]

We go through all this trouble to find swords and then never use them. Saturnyne's contest of champions involves a dance battle, arm wrestling, and just asking two people to marry. Rather lame for an absolute ruler of the otherworld. She really just wants to ride Brian Braddock's longsword and don't blame me, Wolverine says so too! Only Apocalypse gets thru this mess looking good.

[Malcolm Fraser · Rating 3 out of 5]

The contest turned out to be quite funny. An eating competition, jigsaw battle, fight to the death where the dead person wins. The open war at the end lost me a bit. Fun in parts. Hope they move on from this Otherworld nonsense now...

[Mark Dickson · Rating 1 out of 5]

This plot was stupid and arbitrary. None of the build-up mattered. The ending came out of nowhere.

The art was beautiful.

[Jimmy Dean]

pays off nicely, super fun to get lost in a big crossover event, happy to be back in Hickman's X-Men Universe

[Regina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I enjoyed x of swords but wish it was an actual tournament arc. There's some really good stuff here but I found myself not fully understanding and caring for the deeper lore of otherworld