Exiles: Ultimate Collection, Book 4

Exiles (2001) (Collected Editions) #10-12

by Tony Bedard

The Exiles have become unhinged from time. They are heroes from different realities whose own timelines have become compromised. The lives they once knew are gone. To return to their worlds, they must travel together from one alternative universe to another, each time completing a mission to set right what went wrong.

Collecting EXILES #59-74 and the AGE OF APOCALYPSE HANDBOOK.

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Superheroes

440 pages, Paperback

First published April 21, 2010

About the author

Antony J. L. Bedard is an American writer and editor who has worked in the comic book industry from the early 1990s through the present. He is best known for his work at CrossGen Comics, where he was under exclusive contract, and for his run writing Marvel Comics X-Men spin-off Exiles.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

The series remains compelling but couldn't keep up the high level of plotting that I found in the first three collections. But you still get Age of Apocalypse tie-ins, what happened next, the return of a great villain, the Time Broker mystery resolved and much more including crossovers with the House of M and the New Universe! A solid 7 out of 12, Three Stars for the series that dares to tread...everywhere!

2018 read

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Tooth for a Tooth & Son of Apocalypse (59-61). These are nice stories because Bedard starts to really take advantage of the continuity allowed-for by Exiles and thus begins to present a larger picture. The return to the Age of Apocalypse is also cool, though largely in service to another Apocalypse work that was being published the same year [7+/10].

Time Breakers (62-65). This story has been a long, long time coming, and Bedard does a good job telling it. The inclusion of Hyperion and other old elements from the series is nice, because it starts to give Exiles some real continuity for the first time. Overall, a watershed moment in Exiles [8/10].

Destroy All Monsters (66-68). The new world that the Exiles travel to is amusing, especially with the inclusion of the Shogun Warriors. However, it’s really the Crystal Palace segments that shine, as the book’s new direction continues [7/10].

World Tour: House of M (69-71). Integrating Exiles with the House of M is an interesting change of pace, and an intriguing setup for the new series of arcs. The actual battle with Proteus is a bit dull, but there’s nice world-building and nice setup for future arcs here [6+/10].

World Tour: New Universe (72-74). I was thrilled to see this trip into the New Universe, even if it’s in pristine condition rather than the more aged and interesting universe from the end of the New Universe run. Bedard does a great job with the New Universe characters, and overall offers up a good story [7+/10]. However, if the whole World Tour is going to be about chasing Proteus, I’m less than thrilled.

Overall, a very solid volume that’s raised Exiles to new heights, primarily thanks to the new continuity.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

By the end of Collection Vol 3 I was a bit burned out by the title and I wouldn't have read this months later if I hadn't bought a volume ahead of myself. Turns out to be my favorite of the series so far as the team finally investigates the of the Exiles and the Time Broker. And finally a terrific artist Paul P. is added. Think I'll come back for Book 5.

[Matt Sautman · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I did love reading this book, at the time, I only had books 1 from the ultimate collection, and had not tracked down the cheaper, slim volumes that make up books 2 and 3. As a result, while I could follow the story fine, I did feel I was missing important context for individual character’s journeys. This is the kind of multiverse storytelling that shows what Marvel could have done in the MCU of phases 4 and 5 had a tighter focus.

[Mickey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still good, but definitely starting to coast along on the strength of its premise at this point. The long awaited Timebroker was a bit of a thud for me. I do think the soft reset provided here might be enough to breathe some much needed life in, but we'll see.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great art and Story.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apologies for any inadvertent spoilers in my previous review! This is right around the point I originally started reading, and it gave me my first impressions of the team and their goals. On rereading as part of the whole series, the events of this volume felt sudden but inevitable. While seemingly randomly wandering from universe to universe is something that could continue forever, Bedard had slowly been pushing towards this set of story arcs. The art duties, as always, are consistent and work with the visual style the book had for all those issues.

[Holden Attradies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gotta say, this was an amazingly action packed volume. And finding out/what was behind the time broker was not a disappointment. I enjoyed that once they found that out it left them still where they were, needing to still be the Exiles.

The ever growing tension between Mimic and Sabertooth is incredible here. It doesn't seem to have come to a boiling point yet, but maybe they will continue to avoid it.

[Michael Alexander · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this volume we get to peer behind the curtain and see what's really going on with the Exiles. There is also a story arc that ties in with House of M, the big Marvel event that was going on at the time. This volume is shorter than the others, but has an Age of Apocalypse handbook included.

[Shane Findlay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great series...I just discovered and never knew existed!