A+X #4 easily clinches the title of the best issue of the series so far. Whereas the previous three chapters always offered one team-up story that was superior to the other, issue #4 marks the first time where I enjoyed both tales without reservation.
The first segment in this issue, from writer/artist Kaare Andrews, pairs Spider-Man and Beast as the two inexplicably wake up in a dystopian future populated by zombies and a race of blue cat people who revere Beast. It's actually a fairly dense premise for such a short story length, but Andrews finds time to work through his material without sacrificing the fun of it. The nerdy dynamic between the two heroes is fun, as is seeing Beast made unwilling master of an entire kingdom. Andrews, ever the master of shifting art styles, delivers a hyper-kinetic pop art approach that oozes energy and Ben-day dots in equal measure. It's bombastic and colorful and essentially worth the price of admission all on its own.
The second half of the issue offers the most unlikely of team-ups -- Captain America and Quentin Quire. Simply justifying a team-up between the two could fill an entire issue, but writer Jason Latour downplays the hows and whys and focuses mainly on offering a psychic threat for the pair to contend with. But the character work is solid, as Latour explores what the concept of Captain America means to today's disaffected youth, as well as Quentin's small but growing heroic streak. David Lopez's work lacks the visual insanity of Andrews' segment, but he still delivers some expressive, detailed figures and memorable psychic landscapes.
A+X #4 is a win-win. Can the the remaining two issues keep the streak going?
Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.
Source : ign[dot]com
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