Inhumans Vs X-Men #0 Review

Inhumans Vs X-Men #0

Writer: Charles Soule
Artist: Kenneth Rocafort
Colorist: Dan Brown
Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles
Publisher: Marvel

Reviewed By: Gregory Brothers

I feel like just the other week I was talking about the tension between the Inhumans and the X-Men (it is probably because I was). Since the end of Secret Wars we have seen X-Men: Civil War, and Death of X serve as mini-series that have focused on the relationship between the two groups. Meanwhile Uncanny Avengers has dealt with some of the relationships and the fall out, while Uncanny X-Men has been focused on Magneto and his team he has put together as they prepare for what has seemed like the inevitable war between X-Men and Inhumans. With the release of Inhumans Vs. X-Men #0 the tensions are finally boiling over and that inevitable war in now at the doorsteps.

Inhumans Vs X-Men #0 focuses on three different groups as they prepare for the war while also trying to avoid it at the same time. The first focus is on Hank McCoy who is set up in New Attilan and working with the Inhuman Iso, as they try to find out why the Terrigen mists is so deadly for mutants and how it can be stopped. Meanwhile, although she is allowing McCoy to set up at New Attilan for his research, Medusa knows that at some point the X-Men will finally turn on the Inhumans. For this very reason she is making sure that all of her Royal family, while trying to help save mutants and usher in new Inhumans, are also preparing for the war with mutants that will come eventually. The final piece of the puzzle is Emma Frost. While still dealing with the emotions of the Death of Cyclops, she’s honing her mutant skills and making sure all of her allies are ready when they are needed. She leaves no stone upturned as she builds her alliance as she meets with everyone from Magneto, to the Hellfire Club, to Storm.

Soule’s writing does an excellent job building the tension with each page turn. You can sense the change in Hank McCoy as he goes from being confident that he will find an answer and a cure by the end, to beginning to doubt himself as we are left with the cliff hanger of him calling all the mutant leaders together to discuss his findings. Meanwhile with each meeting you feel the tension and anger grow, instead of subside, within Emma Frost. By the end you get the old cold as ice Emma who you know will do anything that is needed to win this coming war. While the tension builds throughout Inhumans vs X-Men #0, Soule does do an excellent job of building in a few humorous quips and points to keep the book from becoming to dark.

Rockafort’s art is spot-on throughout Inhumans vs X-Men #0, as he does a great job creating panels that match the emotions that are in the writing. Small details such as a furrowed brow here or a reflection in the eye there, gives you the feeling that these people, for all their positive outlooks, know what is coming, and there is no way to stop it whether they realize it yet or not.

The Verdict
Buy it! With all mini-series and regular series that have been dealing with the conflict between the Inhumans and X-Men, I was not really looking forward to Inhumans Vs X-Men #0. That said, Soule restored my hope that the series will, not only put to rest the conflict between the two groups, but also do it in a way that is entertaining and satisfying. Inhumans Vs X-Men #0 does an excellent job of showing us how this tension has built up over the last eight months. Hank McCoy and Emma Frost shine as one works his hardest to end the conflict peacefully, while the other prepares for the revenge that she seeks, while preparing for war. If you are a fan of the X-Men or the Inhumans and wonder what the future holds for them, then be sure to grab this book and get ready for the upcoming conflict.