To be completely fair, X-Men Unlimited (and sister title Spider-Man Unlimited) is probably great for comic-book editors looking for new writing talent. These short stories are just about right for judging how a writer works in the comics medium, works with an artist, all that kind of thing. Unfortunately, the length of the stories also means that the only way to get a workable story is to write the most familiar cliches, and even the most talented writers have a hard time making those interesting, let alone someone new to the industry. The first issue has a pair of perfectly good, but ultimately forgettable, tales, both with perfectly good but not spectacular artwork. There were things I really liked about both tales, but the general feeling I come away with is much the same one I had when reading the previous incarnation of X-Men Unlimited: Why does this book exist?
Still, it doesn't seem fair to blame the creators for the format, and within the strictures of the eleven page story, both writers have done a decent job. I have to give the nod to Tony Lee as the better story of the two, but that may be because I've discovered a fondness of late for some of the characters from X-Treme X-Men, and Lee has an interesting take on the unusual powers of Sage, one of those characters. There were some tidbits of information here that I didn't know (such as Tessa's original role as a spy for Xavier), a pretty good exploration of her powers, a nice action scene and a good macguffin for showing it all off. It might not be as interesting for those who know the character better, but it's a really good introduction.
J.T. Krul's tale is also centered on developing a character, but where Lee has begun with an established character, Krul takes on a character type, the mutant who can't go out in public thanks to his odd appearance. I'm almost certain that the notion of Halloween being a sanctuary for characters like these has been done numerous times before, but Krul has a pretty good take on the story. Perhaps more importantly, Tom Mandrake's artwork really captures the simple joy on the lead character's face as he learns what it feels like to be accepted and to get to help others. Krul is hurt by the space he has for the story, because the crucial turnaround in attitude even with the people he helped isn't as visually clear as it could be or as powerful, as it's rushed through. The story doesn't fail as a result, but it does feel a little bit rushed.
It seemed like one of the concepts of these new Unlimited titles was to match new writers with established artists, certainly not a bad idea. In terms of artwork, I give the nod to the second story, as Mandrake does a terrific job on the realistic setting of a neighborhood during Halloween as well as designing a likable and yet believably mutated character for the lead. The first story, featuring artwork by the Lai Brothers, could sometimes use a little more detail in the backgrounds or more consistency in the characters, but it is generally solid work and has some fairly nice action sequences, as well as selling the all-important human side of Tessa in her expressions.
While X-Men Unlimited, like Spider-Man Unlimited, surprised me by presenting a couple of enjoyable stories, these books are still very much for a specific niche audience. Those who are new to the characters, or who are looking for side stories that don't really impact on the overall stories of Spider-Man and the X-Men, might find them enjoyable, as they are continuity-light affairs that give a general feel for the universe and sometimes shed light on lesser characters. With so many X-titles on the market, however, X-Men Unlimited doesn't really seem at all necessary, and neither of the stories in the first issue are what could be considered essential reading, even if they are both decently constructed.
