Kieron Gillen is on a wicked roll with Uncanny X-Men #11. UNIT was established in the previous issues as a powerful new threat to the mutants. I call him the X-Men’s version of Ultron. Gillen calls him a cross of “C3PO and Hannibal Lecter” and that’s perfect description given the eerie moment in the latest issue.
UNIT may be caged under Utopia but he’s still a real menace. There’s a scene between Hope and the alien/machine that reminds me of Hannibal and Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs when his finger touched hers.
The issue moves before and between the events of AvX #1 and #2. While this issue is packed with action, Gillen takes us inside the minds of these X-Men. Colossus and Red Hulk’s battle underwater continues and it’s a brutal beating on both sides. Peter has an epic war inside his mind and soul. This fight begins as a trying to defeat an Avengers but turns into a battle for what’s left of Peter’s humanity. There’s even an “oh —-” moment when the Red Hulk looks scared. The journey of the Colossal Juggernaut continues to be one of the most intriguing element of Gillen’s X-run.
I really enjoyed getting inside the mind of the arrogant and awesome Namor. I’ve loved the Atlantean being part of the X-Men world but we learn why he’s chosen to stand with the mutants and insight into the Cyclops
I think Gillen possesses a real grasp of each X-Man’s “voice.” This power packed issue really adds a vital new element to the AvX conflict.