Funny... I was expecting more... more of a change, anyway.
This issue marks Tony (Route 666) Bedard's first issue as the regular writer, and as part of the "X-Men reload" event, I was expecting more of a change in this title. Instead, what we get is almost indistinguishable from Chuck Austen's run on the book, which was at best merely competent. On the plus side, Bedard's initial effort is an accessible one; this reads like a jumping-on point, as it should. Unfortunately, the exposition is rather obvious. Furthermore, the new artist, who's been contributing covers for a few months, boasts a nice, soft style, but at times, it's a little too soft.
The five remaining Exiles pop up on another alternate Earth, and they're soon joined by the latest divergent-reality hero to fill the sixth slot. She's not nearly as accepting of her dimension-hopping plight, though, and she rushes off to find a way back home by approaching her counterpart in this reality. Speaking of which, the Exiles begin to realize that their latest destination isn't all that unfamiliar; they've been here before. The Tallus's description of their mission is rather vague, but a bigger problem presents itself: the heroes of this world become aware of their intent to interfere with the natural course of events.
Sakakibara's art brings a soft quality to the characters, making them seem all the more likable. The approach reminds me a bit of the style of Mike McKone, which is fitting, since he served as the first regular penciller on this series. The problem with the softness in the art, though, is that it makes these characters seem far too young. They almost look like teen versions of themselves. The colors are wonderfully vibrant, though I question the inclusion of a new character who so physically resembles one of the established protagonists.
Bedard's script is awkward and clunky. That's because he's trying to include as much information as possible about the premise and the characters for new readers, but he fails to weave that exposition into the script in a seamless fashion. To be fair, though, Bedard does drive home the unusual reality of Beak's life, and the depiction of his bizarre new family is novel, upholding the surreal strength of Grant Morrison's run on New X-Men.
I find Bedard's choice to return the Exiles to the mainstream Marvel Universe an odd one. It hasn't been that long since they were in this setting, and with the carte blanche that alternate realities offer, this setting seems so limiting. Furthermore, Bedard treats the Exiles' mission/curse as something of a secret here, but that's inconsistent with what we've seen in other story arcs. So far, his take on the team lacks the inventiveness that makes it fun and strong characterization, the likes of which original writer Judd Winick used to hook readers on this book in the first place.
