ASTONISHING X-MEN 2
MYSTIQUE 16
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ASTONISHING X-MEN 2
As Cyclops's squad rushes to defuse a high-society hostage situation,
a prominent geneticist announces a cure for the X-gene. Both events
highlight interpersonal tensions among the X-Men.
Writer Joss Whedon's never made any secret of his fondness for Kitty
Pryde, so it wasn't a surprise when she was added to the cast of AXM.
What is surprising to me is how much Kitty adds to the title,
functioning as a wonderful gateway character. Kitty has been out of
the X-family for some time, and she's finding her footing as she
reacts to how much things have changed. It's a very organic way to
provide exposition on the state of affairs at Xavier's while providing
insight into characters; Kitty is struggling to match up her memories
of the X-Men with who they are now.
A cure for mutation isn't exactly a ground-breaking idea, but I don't
think the development is intended to do that. It's less about the
development than its impact. As demonstrated in the discussion of the
student body's reaction, every individual mutant would react
differently to the news. The same applies for the team, resulting in
some tense exchanges. The best of these is between Kitty and Emma
Frost, who Kitty remembers clearly as a ruthless adversary.
The book makes a very interesting use of continuity. It's not
continuity in the sense of references to specific events; it's an
evocation of the personal and emotional consequences of those events.
History is useful for how it's shaped the characters.
Art by John Cassaday is predictably splendid, from the dramatic
hostage rescue scenes to the quieter, interpersonal moments. I still
think his costume designs for Beast and Cyclops are ridiculous,
though. Nice basket, Hank.
MYSTIQUE 16
It's hard to say too much about this title, which is smack in the
middle of an ongoing caper arc. I picked it up based on Sean McKeever
being assigned to writing chores. I loved his late, lamented INHUMANS
run, and I was eager to try his work on another title. Happily, he's
still telling the kind of complex and balanced stories that won me
over in his past work.
Mystique continues her investigation of DermaFree, in part because
they're using unwilling mutants as test subjects, but mostly because
they've gotten their hands on her own stem cells. The issue is a
solid blend of action sequences, mutant-themed espionage, and touches
of humor.
Art by Manuel Garcia is just what a title like this needs. He draws
distinct faces and body types, which is pretty much a prerequisite for
a comic about a shape-shifter. He also excels at action sequences,
keeping chaotic, fast-paced events clear and dramatic.
I'm kind of surprised Mystique works as well as she does as the book's
protagonist. She's had some fairly inconsistent characterization over
the years, but the take here is just about perfect. Still selfish and
caustic, she's also pretty dedicated to the well being of other
mutants. There's an undercurrent of unpredictability, too; she may
work for Xavier, but she's obviously far from being fully
domesticated.
Special bonus points: this book has the best "Previously" page going.
With fairly twisty plots being the norm, that's really useful.
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