drive-by readings: Dark Avengers / Uncanny X-Men: Utopia #1

Dark Avengers / Uncanny X-Men: Utopia #1 (Marvel) "Utopia, Part 1" Matt Fraction Marc Silvestri/Michael Broussard Tyler Kirkham/Sheldon Mitchell Joe Weems/Marco Galli Eric Basaldua/Rick Basaldua Jason Gorder/Sal Regla Jon Sibal/Ryan Winn Frank D'Armata Chris Eliopoulos

let me first say that for this "important event", Marvel couldn't even put together a stable creative team (writer+penciler+inker) that it becomes "Marc Silvestri and the Top Cow All-Stars and then some" (no offense, but it is that). which is why the art suffers. Silvestri hits when he's on, but this ... this isn't one of those moments ... hoooo-boy. thank goodness for the pencil assists. no, not really. and oh, what's with the cliched 'villain standing victorious over prone protagonists' cover? that's what we get? nobody had a better idea??

so, the story: we turn the clock back to the late '80s/early '90s when people in the 616 USA used to hate mutants with fervor (a theme so ably resurrected by the X-writers). even San Francisco is not a safe haven anymore, as riots have been breaking out between the humans and mutants. Norman Osborn thinks Scott can't handle his troops, therefore dispatches his own, and imposing martial law in the Bay Area (really? no Prez Obama or Congress to curb his enthusiasm?). considering his backroom deals with Emma Frost (who's been keeping this from her fearless stud), this is probably where the X-Men gets divided and they'll have to move back to New York. or Amsterdam.