Those looking for a more traditional take on the X-Men than those found in New X-Men and Ultimate X-Men, not to mention one of the best uses of Iceman I've ever seen, could do worse than to check out Uncanny X-Men right now. Austen's opening arc builds upon traditional villains, restores a traditional ally and reinvigorates a traditional team member, all the while showing that traditional doesn't have to be boring. In fact, this is a pretty straightforward but action-packed book, due in no small part to Garney's strong storytelling.
In the previous issue, there were only a few pages given over to the team of X-Men who were out answering a distress call, but this issue focuses in on that plot a little more, and the result is a more action-oriented story than the one that opened Austen's run. He's showing off some pretty good flexibility here, able to handle the story of a young mutant trying to fit in just as well as a team of super-powered mutants fighting a dangerous foe.
I'm a big fan of the Juggernaut and his partner, and I thought Austen really captured the former's personality well. He can be vicious, but he's not outright villainous for the most part... just incredibly selfish. Austen goes a little too far in trying to convince us that Juggernaut's motivations are something wicked at first, which seems like cheating for the sense of providing a fight, but it's easy enough to forgive given the way Juggernaut and the X-Men have interacted before. Austen has another nod to one of my favorites this issue as he reintroduces a long-missing (and long missed) X-Man, explaining away his absence well and giving hope for a speedy return to the team.
By far the star of this show, however, is Iceman. Visually, he looks better than ever, as Garney gives his power a strength and power that he hasn't had outside of the Ultimate books. Garney and Austen also depict his powers as far more versatile than they have been in the past. A similar change of power has occurred in the villain of the piece, and I thought that the expansive and creepy nature of the villain's new powers came through very well in the artwork.
With so many X-Men related books out there, Marvel seems to have realized that X-fans of every stripe can have a book to call their own. Uncanny X-Men ought to provide a good read for those who find New X-Men a bit too new or X-Treme X-Men a bit too kewl.
