It’s summertime, and the crossovers are easy. Ok, I’m stretching with a music reference, I know, but it seemed to work, so I’m sticking with it. In this case, the big crossover starting up at Marvel Comics is A.X.E. Judgment Day, bringing the Avengers, X-Men, and Eternals into conflict in a big way.
Here’s the logline: IN THE LAND OF THE RIGHTEOUS…The X-Men claim they’re the planets’ new gods. The Eternals know that position is already filled. The Avengers are about to realize exactly how many secrets their so-called friends have kept from them. Years of tension lead to a volcanic eruption as two worlds burn. Who has leaked the X-Men’s secrets to their latest foes? Why is Tony Stark abducting an old friend? And who stands in judgment over the whole world? Judgment Day from Kieron Gillen and Valerio Schiti is the apocalyptic emotional event to define the summer.
Truth be told, I’m behind with my Eternals reading; I’ve found the current series by Kieron Gillen to be a little impenetrable, and do need to go back a read the the run in one or two sittings. That being said, both A.X.E.: Judgment Day #1 and the earlier book A.X.E. Eve of Judgment have done an excellent job explaining the Eternals’ current place, and has set up a conflict between them and the X-Men that actually makes a lot of sense.
While Gillen’s writing is solid here, the real star of A.X.E. Judgment Day for me is the gorgeous artwork of Valerio Schiti. This book has a ton of characters and action happening, and Schiti’s work is vibrant and alive. As I flipped through it again, I was left thinking of some of the classic X-Men artists that got me into the book growing up, specifically Mark Silvestri and John Romita Jr. It just looks so good, and I can’t wait to see more Schiti as this epic crossover continues.
If you haven’t been reading any of the current titles featuring the Avengers, X-Men, and Eternals, you may feel a little out of sorts going into A.X.E. Judgment Day #1, so be sure to grab A.X.E. Eve of Judgment so that everything makes sense. Do that, and you’re well-placed to enjoy this summer’s big Marvel event.
