Kyle and Yost continue to tell a good ol' fashioned X-Men story, full of action, banter, suspense, and wit. Honestly, I don't really have much to say, since it's just such a solid story.
In terms of the characters, the X-Men struggle to contain the Wendigo hordes, and Kyle and Yost use the experience to remind us of the bonds that these characters share. It's hard to believe that it's been years since we've seen Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Storm on a team together, given the obvious affection and great teamwork that they exhibit here. Firestar and Rockslide prove to be surprisingly good additions to the team, since their inexperience reminds us of the depth of the other characters' experience. Bobby and Northstar are reliable sources of fun, with Northstar even flirting with some actual depth. Rachel is really the only character that feels awkward, mostly because it's obvious that she had to be fit onto the team so that her telepathy could lead them in the right direction.
But, it's not just the X-Men at work here. Alpha Flight arrives on the scene and, given the Avengers working to keep the border secure, Kyle and Yost really give you a sense of the scale of the challenge that confronts the X-Men. The authors also remind us of the long history of Alpha Flight and the X-Men, showing the deep connection between the teams in the same way that they did with the characters. At some point, I marveled at how well they did at keeping the voices of the many characters in play here separate and distinct.
Again, to summarize, this issue feels old-school. It's a large-scale story that doesn't take itself too seriously, and the characters show emotion that isn't devoid of a sense of humor. Although I (heart) "All-New X-Men" and "Uncanny X-Men," this title is definitely the more accessible of the X-books on the shelves, and Kyle and Yost make sure that's a high compliment.
**** (four of five stars)
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