If you haven’t had the chance to read about the biggest crossover of the universe—well, at least the Marvel Comic Universe’s greatest crossover yet, let us give you a preview. Bloodties mainly follows themes from previous X-books like Mutant Genesis and Fatal Attractions. Fabian Cortez, who has fallen from favor with Magneto's disciples, plans to create a reputation for himself by abducting Magneto's mortal granddaughter Luna. He's gone off the deep end and is terrified of the vengeance of the all-powerful Exodus. This puts him squarely at odds with the Avengers and the X-Men, who band together to defeat him.
The plot relies largely on events from earlier X-Men storylines that makes it appear that the "world's mightiest superheroes", the Avengers, are being thrown into the X-Men's realm and being pushed to cope with problems they were unaware of. Despite evading fighting for and trying to protect mutants, they now witness the extremes in both the human and mutant factions as a result of their passivity. The Avengers provide an interesting dynamic towards the X-Men since they are a government-sanctioned bunch that should obey the directives of the higher ups. Xavier's mutants are free-spirited revolutionaries who can stand up for what's right without getting bogged down in bureaucracy. The Avengers are the exact opposite. They are defensive measures which are aimed at the most pressing issue facing the government.
Aside from the dynamics of the characters, another thing to commend about this arc is the art (as always). Although there were several artists working in this crossover, the final product is remarkably cohesive. In many ways, the art of Steve Epting and Andy Kubert is indistinguishable. This creates visual harmony between the X-Men's and the Avengers main aesthetic or artstyle. Giving homage to two great artists, Liam Sharp and Mark Farmer’s works were also something to be inspired on. We’re really amazed by their art style, the details, the crispness and cleanliness—and the overall expressiveness of the covers are really something for the books (pun intended).
Some of ya'll might disagree, but, frankly, some of the crossovers in the X-Men series in the 1990s were overlong and excessive. However, in stark comparison, Avengers/X-Men: Bloodties is really a pleasant change. It was a brief crossover, just with five parts, and it is concise in a way that it revolves on the characters who will be significantly affected by the antagonist's plot. So to say, it got the best of both worlds. Finally, if you haven't checked it out already, you should LOL. The Bloodties arc is an exciting treat that lovers of both superhero groups must see. To end with this, another treat comes your way on Sunday. We'll be right back.