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All-New X-Men #33 cover by Mahmud Asrar and Marte Gracia

The All-New X-Men are all lost in the Ultimate Universe.

Having been trapped in a different dimension by the uncontrollable power of a new mutant, the team of Angel, Beast, X-23, Iceman, and Jean Grey struggle to comprehend just what has happened to them. As they come to grips with where they are, there are some great awkward teenage interactions among the difficult situations in this issue.

The story in All-New X-Men #33, by Brian Michael Bendis, progresses so far as allowing the main characters, plus the Ultimate Spider-Man Miles Morales, to establish just what has happened and little more. This issue isn't heavy on advancing the plot. In fact, doing so would be biting off too much for one issue, given the diverse locations the X-Men are spread over. Because of the the multiple character threads that need to be maintained, we get glimpses of them all, with greater focus on the Jean/Miles and Angel/X-23/James Hudson aspects of the story.

We learn from Bendis that, in the Ultimate Universe, mutants were created by human experiments, not as a result of evolution. While this reveal is a nice twist, the conversations between the teenage Miles Morales, Jean Grey, and Miles's roommate at school, Ganke, are the most enjoyable part of the issue. It is here that Bendis shows a quick wit and some great one-liners. The final pages of the story are full of dialogue, making letterer Cory Petit step up and coordinate well with the space artist Mahmud Asrar has provided.

Jean Grey plays havoc with  teenage boys thoughts.

Asrar brings his A-game to the art; his work is top quality and very cohesive with the earlier work in the series. One particular aspect that stood out in this issue was the use of facial expression around the eyes and brows, which worked in well with the dialogue and emotional qualities Bendis is conveying.

As always Marte Gracia's colors are fantastic. The use of shadow and the angle of light are contrasted nicely against simple backgrounds of either solid, two-tone, or faded effects. The great art employed uses a good panel setup, with mostly larger panel boxes, to enhance the pages and maximize the opportunity to fit in dialogue.

While this issue doesn't focus on moving the story in leaps and bounds, it bridges important plot points and brings us closer to the end goal. Don't expect a full-on page turner; this is a fun jaunt that is part of a bigger journey for the All-New X-Men.

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