By: Jason Aaron (writer), Ed McGuinness (penciler), Dexter Vines (inker), Marte Gracia (colors)
The Story: Freely they stood who stood, and fell who fell. – John Milton, Paradise Lost Book III
The Review: This issue gets off to something of a rushed start. Jason Aaron wastes no time getting to the final battle with Azazel’s forces. And while it’s clear that he has more important things to deal with than Beast fighting nameless demons, things are a little bit of a blur until Papa Wagner shows up, himself.
Credit where it’s due, Aaron does a fine job of making Azazel into an enjoyable villain. Every here and there it’s nice to have a believably evil adversary for our heroes, one who doesn’t have to trade in shades of grey. Without that necessity, Azazel can just focus on being charmingly slimy. It’s also a great choice to focus on his disregard, perhaps contempt, for his children.
Indeed, part of what makes this story work is the way that Aaron doesn’t insist upon Azazel, letting him be more of a symbolic obstacle for Kurt than a character in his own right. That may sound dismissive, but, as I said, there’s enough charm to the devilish pirate to keep him interesting.
Accordingly, this issue is really Kurt’s show. The other X-Men are present but, while they’re important motivators for Nightcrawler, the finale could probably have occurred without them. Likewise Azazel’s captains are oddly absent, leaving the X-Men to battle faceless mooks. This is one of the weaker elements of the issue’s structure, but it becomes clear here just how much of a Nightcrawler story this arc really is.
The script is more than willing to deal in the dark elements that have largely been glossed over previously. Even the repugnant origin of the Bamfs last issue felt somewhat distant where things become all too real this month. It’s hardly a rare event that such macabre concepts suck the life out of an issue, but Jason Aaron’s handle of the situation is firm and such darkness merely contrasts with the essential light of Kurt Wagner, making his hope and love shine all the more brightly.
I’ve known a lot of people in my life who have had it rough in one way or another and, while I would never deny them the reality of their struggle, it just seemed like many were content to drown in its remains. I remember wondering, especially in high school, why some people sink lower into what hurt them while others find reason in it to be better than those who wronged them. The distinction rarely had anything to do with the severity of their suffering. I want to stress that surviving is a victory in itself but the difference was a significant question that I’m still exploring. This issue reexamines Nightcrawler from the perspective of his possessing an extremely abusive biological father and, while it still seems odd for a character of such essential optimism to be darkened so, the Nightcrawler of this issue remains a symbol of hope and a rejection of the common concept that darkness defines a character. It’s slightly different, but it feels true to who Nightcrawler is.
Though a certain impressively browed cameo feels a bit too much like a plot device, this is a classic comics battle. The combat and movement are beautiful, more on that in a moment, but ultimately this issue is a puzzle and a test of character.
Ed McGuinness continues to be a force to be reckoned with. You’ll find no compromise between the big picture and detail here. McGuinness continues to deliver a classic comic book aesthetic with all of the best of the modern age splashed in. It really is rare that an artist can undeniably bring so much to a book without really rocking the boat. There tends to be a gap between those who do attractive, solid work and those who bring innovative storytelling techniques or one of a kind style to a series, but McGuinness continues to bridge it with apparent ease.
The focus on Kurt, Azazel, and Logan suits McGuinness as they’re consistently three of his best characters. Reading this book I can’t help but notice how homogenous many comic characters have gotten of late, but this book laughs at that concept while inviting Perez-era Teen Titans and classic Cockrum/Byrne X-Men out for a drink.
If there’s a problem with the artwork it’s that McGuinness’ layouts are merely strong, rather than exceptional. Particularly in those harried opening pages, the artwork simply doesn’t do enough to clarify events or give a sense of the other X-Men’s adventures, Later in the book things improve but this issue is a small step down from what McGuinness has been producing on this series, at least in terms of his layouts. Perhaps that’s why he seems to do such great work on splash pages. The issue features two double splashes that are some of its best. It’s a real shame that we don’t get to see the other X-Men that much, as despite being secondary specialties for both creators, Beast and Iceman look notably awesome when drawn by McGuinness.
And it goes without saying that the man draws Bamfs like none other…
The Conclusion: Amazing X-Men #5 feels a little disjointed from the previous issues of the series, but after a far too long absence fans have a defining Nightcrawler story once again. the art doesn’t always reach the highs that McGuinness has achieved recently, but it is simply gorgeous.
It’s a book tinged with sadness and it lacks the pitch perfect emotion of the last two issues, but this final installment of “The Quest for Nightcrawler” holds its own based on the strong character work, beautiful visuals, and pure drama that made the X-Men a household name in the first place.
Grade: B
Some Musings:
Given their recent changes, I hope that we’ll see Kurt and Angel interact some more. It just seems like a natural fit.
While I may be biased by some personal history, I want to mention just how much I love the double splash of Kurt and Azazel. Not only is it a lovely example of teleporter combat but Aaron imbues Nightcrawler’s rebuke with such honest power. The X-Men have always been about being who you are – finding your place – but they’ve also always been about genetics. It’s great when you feel free to be who you were born, but this is a great reminder that you’re not limited to it. Kurt rises above his birthright and asserts the identity he’s made for himself. The X-Men are his family.
- Noah Sharma
Filed under: Marvel Comics Tagged: Amazing X-Men, Amazing X-Men 5, Amazing X-Men 5 Review, Angel, Azazel, Bamfs, Beast, Dexter Vines, Ed McGuinness, Iceman, Jason Aaron, Kurt Wagner, Marte Gracia, Nightcrawler, Wolverine 
