With that oddity out of the way, let's move on to the actual Reload titles.  We kick off with Exiles, and its new creative team of writer Tony Bedard and artist Mizuki Sakakibara. 

Actually, we've seen Sakakibara before on this book, as a semi-regular fill-in artist.  Tony Bedard, on the other hand, is new to Marvel.  He's spent the last couple of years at CrossGen, and he's one of the increasing number of creators fleeing before the whole place comes crashing down.  (I give them six months, by the way.)

Bedard hits the ground running, if nothing else.  Exiles is generally the fun title in the X-books' line-up, and that doesn't seem to be changing too much here.  It's good old fashioned superhero pacing here, and the plot moves at a fair pace.  Sakakibara's art is suitably light and charming, and the book generally seems to be having fun.  That's half the battle.  Okay, there's some rather forced politics in one scene, but it's quite funny, so I'll let it go.

On the other hand, Bedard is retreading ground which the title has done only recently.  This is the second time the Exiles have visited the mainstream Marvel Universe in the last year.  And Bedard also saddles the team with another awkward new member who doesn't want to play along with the Timebroker's missions.

I'm in two minds on these points.  It's only been a few months since both these ideas were used.  The statute of limitations hasn't expired yet and it's too early to reuse them.  On the other hand, they really weren't done very well.  The idea of characters rebelling against the format - which can all too easily become formulaic otherwise - is a very good one, and it was largely squandered in the hands of Chuck Austen.  On balance, I think I'm happier to have the chance to see these ideas done properly.  But it really is too soon.

That aside, a promising start.  Not as distinctive as some of Bedard's CrossGen work, but good fun.

Rating: B+

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