X-Men ’92 #5 Review: A Tribute And A Satire

By Alex Widen | Aug 2, 2016

What was once a mini series is now the strangest X-Men comic book on the stands! Embrace the past in all its shoulder padded glory!

X-Men ’92 #5

Writers: Chad Bowers & Chris Sims

Art: Cory Hamscher

Colors: Mat Milla

For better or worse, the X-Men franchise may never be able to escape its peak in popularity during the 1990s. At the start of that decade, the debut issue of X-Men sold over eight million copies. Marvel Comics’ quest to bring an X-Men cartoon to a network station during the 1980s at NBC became successful on Fox in 1992. The popularity of that cartoon arguably led to the success of a live action film at the turn of the century. From costumes to subplots, it was a good era for X-Men.

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Once DC Comics started releasing nostalgic comics based on past media incarnations such as Batman ’66 and Wonder Woman ’77, Marvel decided to follow suit. Launched as a Warzone miniseries during the height of last summer’s Secret Wars crossover, X-Men ’92 sold well enough that it was made into an ongoing series this year. In theory, it is a series set within the continuity of the Fox Kids era animated series which debuted in 1992.

In practice, Bowers and Sims have utilized the format to pay homage to the entire 1990s era of the X-Men franchise from comics to film, as well as mixing in classic dynamics from the 1980s as well as the early 2000s. Therefore, the opening arc involved both vampires and over the top Soviet villains along with leagues of new X-Mansion students hailing from series like Generation X and X-Statix.

Conspicuously absent from the previous arc were founding X-Men (and eternal lovers) Cyclops and Jean Grey. Having chosen to retire, the pair are enjoying playing a much overdue vacation in Scott Summers’ boyhood home of Alaska. Yet much as every previous date, vacation and attempted wedding featured on the animated series showcased, the pair can’t avoid getting involved in a crisis. This time it revolves around time travel, Mr. Sinister, and their future progeny!

Much of the issue takes place in the year 3992 allied with Rachel, best known as Mother Askani and the dying host of the Phoenix. Teaming up with her and her right hand Blaquesmith, the quartet battle against weird things in the Savage Land trying to get to Mr. Sinister’s citadel. Once there, they battle against his cloned “Essex Men” and discover the true origin of Cable! Yet even when the adventure is over, Cyclops and Jean’s adventure through time isn’t over.

Bowers and Sims have crafted one of the most uniquely bizarre X-Men comics in recent times. It serves as an homage to the previous few decades of X-Men comics while also spoofing it fairly mercilessly. In addition, the pair seem adept at mixing adventure with outright comedy. The Essex Men are only the tip of the iceberg of hilarity. For one thing, Cable’s first words after being born mention guns. For another, the X-Men have to defeat knock offs of the Ninja Turtles.

Hamscher and Milla do a great job of capturing the artistic style of the era without being slavish to it. Cyclops and Jean are in their classic Jim Lee suits and there will be plenty of familiar designs, with lots of bright colors keeping everything from being drab. Hamscher goes wild on the designs for the assortment of strange creatures that the heroes fight. Bowers and Sims play Scott fairly straight, but their depiction of Jean is far more sassy and fun than the heroine usually is.

The main X-Men books are in a period of upheaval as Marvel sorts out how to move forward with a line of comics which they cannot make films about, but which sell too well to cancel. Those seeking to revisit a better time in X-Men history, as well as willing to laugh at its absurdity, may find their ideal comic series in X-Men ’92. After all, it’s the only place where Cyclops and Jean Grey are allowed to be happy together.