Excalibur Volume 1: Forging the Sword Tpb

This collection is good. It has nothing to do with Grant Morrison, but was a series written by Chris Claremont in 2004. The amazing pettiness of some fans, really almost cult-like followers of Mr. Morrison, who will come to this review section and post negative reviews just because they don't like a plot development in the EXCALIBUR series. These people probably haven't read this collection, and never will. This story starts with Magneto and Xavier meeting again on the devastated island of Genosha. They agree to work together to rebuild the island, which was destroyed by mutant-hunting machines called sentinels. In the opening arc, we meet some wonderful characters, including Wicked, a girl who is haunted by ghosts, that she can ultimately control. There is Freakshow, a young man who can turn into various monsters, PRN. Calisto, the Morlock, shows up, with her tentacle arms. The art is fine, the writing is first rate. If you enjoy classic Claremont on the X-Men, you'll enjoy this collection. Ignore the negative reviews. These are written to be disruptive and deliberately knock this collection, simply for the fact that Magneto was restored, which was entirely necessary for the character and for Marvel. If you are a Magneto fan, you'll love this collection too. Although some have complained that Magneto is perhaps written too passively. Chris Claremont has said in mail, that he had plans for Magneto and Xavier in this series, which was prematurely canceled by the beginning of 2005, and that "sparks would fly" between the two. Read these trades thinking what might have been had the series continued, and read them for the enjoyment of the goodness we did get.

It seems the two negative reviews are due to Chris Claremont retconning Grant Morrison's New X-Men story "Planet X", in which Magneto became a drug-addict who herded people into crematoriums before being decapitated by Wolverine. Not only was this out of character, but a Jewish Holocaust survivor becoming a Nazi? Honestly, people. It should also be noted that Chris Claremont is the one who made Magneto into the fascinating, complex character he is today. Before Claremont had fleshed him out, he was flat cardboard cut-out of a character. It was Claremont who gave him a background and personality, and made him interesting. Nonetheless, after Claremont left the titles Marvel regressed Magneto back into a raving lunatic. Claremont returned to Marvel a couple of years ago but this is the first time he really got a chance to work with Magneto again, finally turning Magneto back into a good character. Magneto and Xavier's relationship is the highlight of the book, as Claremont writes the characters better than most. Highly recommended.

With X-Treme X-Men ending, legendary scribe Chris Claremont returned with a new Excalibur series, focusing on Professor Xavier and his trip to the ruins of Genosha with the body of Magneto. He encounters a small cadre of surviving mutants, and we the readers discover that Magneto is not dead (of course) and that it was an imposter masquerading as Magneto in Grant Morrison's classic Planet X book. Those who were wowed with Morrison's turn of events may have a hard time overlooking that (you didn't really think Magneto was dead did you?), but if you can look past it, you'll find some great classic Claremont storytelling and the scenes between Xavier and Magneto are great comic moments. The art is solid (I can't remember the guy's name, Aaron something) and worth the price of admission. All in all, longtime X-fans will want to pick this up, and if you missed out on this give it a look.