Astonishing X-men: Xenophobia?

[angelophile]

Four scans under the cut from Astonishing X-men: Xenogenesis, by Warren Ellis and Kaare Andrews, in which Wolverine talks about African politics, which I suspect will provoke much discussion.











X-men: Xenogenesis is a... curious beast. On one hand you have this scene and others, in which broad xenophobia and outright racism is given voice through Wolverine. On the other, you then have scenes earlier in the book where Beast calls Scott on referring to Africa as if it was a single country instead of a continent composed of multiple different countries and cultures which, for comics, could be considered vaguely progressive given the mash of stereotypes usually delivered during any story set on the continent.

Although it feels like some kind of bizarro world where Wolverine is calling out Mandella for using violence against a racist regime that oppressed millions based upon genetic heritage. Um, hello?

That said, I can actually see Wolverine being this ignorant and making these sorts of generalizations, but the other X-men apparently supporting him in doing so makes me feel like it's more Ellis' worldview being given voice through Wolverine. If Storm had turned to him and said "What a crock of horseshit", I suspect I'd be giving Ellis the benefit of the doubt, but as it is, in my mind this scene needed someone coming more strongly from the other direction to balance Wolverine's view.

Comments

[thehefner]

Thing is, this artist is capable of fine work. While I wasn't crazy about the story, DOCTOR OCTOPUS: YEAR ONE was damn fun to look at.

I dunno what new style he's trying here, but so far, it really ain't working.

[midnightvoyager]

The artist on the previous Horrifying Eye Pain X-Men incident was also capable of fine work. He just randomly decided that the style would be "so scratchy that you have no idea what is going on, wrists the size of broom handles, and fists the size of watermelons" was the way to go.

Does X-Men rot artist brains?

[thehefner]

Maybe it's like how ULTIMATE X-MEN is writer-proof, getting crap stories from exceedingly-talented guys like BKV and Robert Kirkman.

[stolisomancer.insanejournal.com]

I thought Vaughn's arcs were pretty good, actually. Kirkman, though, just left his brain at the door.

[darkknightjrk]

To be fair, though, that's just Kirkman's work outside of his creator-owned stuff--Walking Dead and Invincible is the shit, but Marvel Zombies, Ultimate X-Men, Irredeemable Ant-man was just shit.