“Uncanny X-Men” #540 jumps into “Fear Itself” with the the Serpent possessed Juggernaut marching towards San Francisco to pour out judgment and cleansing. But the majority of the issue focuses on some current issues between team members who are unaware of the coming threat.The “Fear Itself” tie-ins haven’t been that impressive with the exception of Iron Man’s book. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised to see how much I enjoyed this issue.

The Juggernaut threat bookends Kieron Gillen’s meat and potatoes of the issue, a meeting between Scott and the mayor, Colossus’ struggle with the confinement of his sister, and a testy scene between Emma and Namor. There’s some great dialogue and some really fun interaction here as we get back to some of what make the X-Men work. The internal dynamic of the team has always been my favorite part of the X-Men books and Gillen gives it to us in this issue. That, combined with the promise of some great Juggernaut action, really sold me on the book.

Many people have a general dislike for Greg Land’s art and I’ve yet to see the basis for their disdain. I’ve always been a fan of his work and this is another example of why. It’s hard for me not to love his sharp detailed realism and fantastic versions of the characters. Add in an incredibly cool Juggernaut splash page that I couldn’t quit admiring and you’ve got a great looking book. My one gripe with Land’s work here is pretty much the same as usual. We have the one or two ultra-cheesy, out of place smiles and a couple of the female characters look almost identical. But these are minor flaws compared to the overall look of the book which I really like.

This is a nice “Fear Itself” tie-in and this issue serves more as the calm before the storm. This is a better issue than the previous few and promises plenty of action to come. Land’s art may not be for everyone but I love him on this title and can’t wait to see these final few issues play out.