Really, if we’re being honest, this book should have been called “Age of Apocalypse #0,” but then, it probably wouldn’t have sold half as well as it did being an Uncanny X-Force Point-One issue. All snark aside, I actually found myself really enjoying this issue. It picks up where we left our Age of Apocalypse heroes at the end of issue #18 as they return to their own time to try and stop the villainous Weapon-X. The story is brisk but detailed and draws you in as humanity and the X-Men prepare for their final stand against the throngs of Apocalypse. We’re introduced to a cool new character (or at least, I think he’s new) in Prophet who is a badass human that kills, of all things, a samurai sentinel. There’s also some great character moments with Magneto. I will say that I found myself a bit confused by the conclusion of the issue, not because of poor storytelling, but because I didn’t grasp the full ramifications of the X-Men’s plan. It only dawned on me hours later as I sat thinking about it. I guess, in a way, it would have been great to have some sort of blatant explanation of why they were doing what they were doing, some throw away line that idiots like me could grasp. I won’t let that hurt the story too bad because Remender told a nice, tight tale that I can get behind, and he may have just convinced me to pick up this new series when it launches.

On the art side of things, the book actually looked fantastic! I know that I (and others) have been down on Billy Tan in the past, but his new, looser style, coupled with the inking and muted color pallette has produced some great looking stuff. Maybe this is what his work looks like when it’s not overproduced. I remember feeling the same way with the issue of Uncanny X-force he drew that Dean White colored. It was so much better than the highly rendered colors and inks we experienced in Shadowland. It’s hard for me to describe it other than to say that it’s a unique look that I really dig, and I’d put it in the same visual wheelhouse as a Michael Lark or David Aja (of course, I’m not saying it’s as good as those, but visually, it’s similar). Overall, I thought this was a great read and I really enjoyed it.