Fall of the House of X #1 Review

FALL OF THE HOUSE OF X #1 by Gerry Duggan, Lucas Werneck, Bryan Valenza, and Travis Lanham is a fascinating issue, especially as it comes to signify the beginning of the end of the Krakoa Era. Even as a #1, it cannot truly be examined on its own terms, so before I do, come with me as I take you on a walk through memory lane.

Do you remember that electrifying feeling of reading House of X #1 for the first time? Of reading Hickman, Yu, Alanguilan, Gho, and Cowles’s X-Men #1 for the first time? Of reading the Hellfire Gala and Planet Size X-Men for the first time? Hell, or reading Duggan, Larraz, Gracia, and Cowles’ X-Men #1 for the first time?

I do. I may have not read House of X #1 or the first Krakoa X-Men run in real time, but I sure did read Hellfire Gala and Planet Size, and everything since, with everyone else. I remember how exciting it was, how cool it all was. Looking at it from that angle, in my head, it also creates that similar expectation, that this issue should be electrifying.

But then there’s the other angle. The side of me that isn’t particularly fond of Duggan’s Krakoa Era work. I liked Marauders enough, but there were a myriad of problems starting with the blatant antisemitism to the very “girlboss” without any depth or nuance of it all. X-Men has been such a mixed bag where I’ll like one issue and then dislike the next six or so. Even if we look at recent releases, there’s only been a few issues I’ve liked since the last Hellfire Gala.  

From there, in my head, it creates the expectation that I probably won’t like it. That it’ll be mediocre. But I genuinely try to not approach comics that way. I want them to be good, I believe in them being good. They don’t have to blow me away, but they should be good, they should be interesting, captivating.

Still, why should I go in with the expectation of it being electrifying given Duggan’s track record? I’m just setting myself up for disappointment. Still, I’m optimistic! So I went in with an open heart. I have to say…

Fall of the House of X #1 did not move me.

Not all of it is bad! I like the opening, and any moment with Cyclops in it is the most interesting to me. A good part of this is the fact that Duggan does write a good Scott most of the time, and while Scott as a prisoner isn’t as engaging as he was in Avengers vs X-Men: Consequences, this is as close as it gets, and I’m glad we’re getting it. The letter is pretty great too, but more on that in a bit.

The rest of the issue is fun, but honestly that’s all there is to it. There seems to be some sort of a time jump between the X-Men title and now, which is fine, but I wish there was something more: either have that book come out faster or have this come out later, because reading it in real time makes it feel wonky and disconnected in a way, especially when the other two books – Immortal X-Men and X-Men Red – have both ended in time for Rise of the Powers of X and The Resurrection of Magneto. 

That’s the thing. It’s just fun. There’s nothing to really sink my teeth into, to really think about it. But more than fun, it’s all just setup. The thing that makes House of X and Powers of X work is that while every issue is building up to a big conclusion, every issue has its own payoffs within. Meanwhile, Fall of the House of X #1 is just setting things up, whether it be for itself or for other books, and that lends itself to not being exciting, but rather a “Alright, I guess I’ll wait and see how it pans out,” situation. This constant set up and no payoff, aside from one payoff that really is just setup for more, leads itself into a weird situation in the structure and pacing of the book itself. It’s a letter by Cyclops detailing his plan, and reading it makes you think that it’s something that will be resolved in this issue or we’ll see a wrench thrown into it in this issue, but instead, there’s nothing, and we’re left to wonder what will happen in the next issue.

I’m also sad that Krakoa is ending, but damn, I should at least be excited for the books that do show how it all will end up going down. Instead, our very first look at things just leaves me with a very “okay” taste in my mouth, that I hope does become better. Still, I’m very excited for the other books coming our way, and I hope the overall conclusion is as exciting as how it was when it all began.