X-Men books will always be packed with action and fights but it’s the relationships that keep us coming back. Jason Aaron has written a passionate love letter to X-fans of all ages in Wolverine and the X-Men #16 filled with hot hookups, sweet dates and mutant romance.
Storm is adjusting to life as a newly single woman and life back at the school when she turns to Wolverine to work through some issues and ask for favors. The flirtation and fruition of Logan and Ororo is beautifully written and drawn.
Kitty and Bobby finally have a first date after a year of flirting that takes that goes from awkward to unexpected. Teen Jean Grey of the past shares some “bonding time” with a surprise member of the modern age of mutant kids. The final romantic thread of this tale revolves around Idie and Broo with a monstrous cliffhanger.
This issue is a perfect crossroads of previous stories in this book and the first arc of All-New X-Men and sets up Storm’s new status quo in Uncanny X-Force. The beauty and brilliance of Jason Aaron is that you can pick issue this up and enjoy immensely but if you really know your old and current X-Men history it makes it all the more moving.
I think David Lopez is one of the BEST artist working at Marvel today. When he was working with Brian Wood on the X-Men Proto Mutants arc his art reminded me of Paul Smith. In this issue Lopez’s pencils evoke the Frank Quitely New X-Men era but it’s still own style.
I just love this issue. Jason Aaron has so much happening at once but it never feels crowded. You have the big events like Storm and Logan but you have those smaller moments of fun like Doop dressed for a night out, Rachel psychically giving date advice and that strange father/son bonding moment between Sabretooth and Kade Killgore.
Wolverine and the X-Men #16 is pure comic book joy.
By Editor