Weekly Comics - 04/11/2012

Batgirl#8 - Gail Simone/Adrian Syaf, Alitha Martinez, Vicente Cifuentes

I continue to like this book and more with each issue. Simone packs these twenty pages full every month, but she's worked out a delicate balance so that it doesn't feel cramped. The numerous plot threads are vibrant and exciting, and the narration from Barbara Gordon connects the various scenes together organically. This issue delves deeper into Barbara's childhood and the accident that left her crippled. The focus is on big revelations but Simone handles them with grace and not bombast. Barbara learns why her mother walked out on their family - it's a chilling flashback and the narration really works. But I like how Simone keeps the issue open. Barbara doesn't believe she's heard the whole story, and I like how Simone handles the lingering mystery. The other revelation centers around Barbara confronting one of Grotesque's enforcers, whom she recognized last issue as being with the Joker when she was shot. This sequence could easily have gone way over the top, but was fairly restrained and natural. The dialogue between the two characters dances around the issue in an engaging way, before hitting the reader with some strong emotional moments. Set in the rain, this sequence has real drama to it, while still staying grounded. Simone has mined Barbara's paralysis for a lot of material, and it's always been done with subtlety and intelligence. This is another strong exploration of her injuries. Simone continues to play up Barbara as angry and damaged due to what she went through - the moment where she lashes out at her opponents and realizes she has gone too far is excellent. In addition to these storylines, Simone brings an old foe back into the story, through his encounter with Alysia. It's a great ending scene. I also like the book's sense of humour. Grotesque chews the scenery like no other, and when the scene switches to his hideout, it's labelled as his "Elaborate Penthouse." Tongue is in cheek, and this book is stronger for it. The art is handled by three pencillers, but I can only distinguish Syaf's pages. The styles flow together fairly seamlessly, and are consistent with this book's general look. Syaf really excels on the action scenes. He nails the bottled anger within Barbara as she lets loose on her foes. There's emotion to the faces and a nice, soft look in the quieter scenes. This book thrives on its eclectic nature. I always know I'm going to get a lot out of it, and am rarely disappointed.

Batwoman#8 - J.H. Williams III, W. Haden Blackman/Amy Reeder

It pains me to write this, but this book is struggling right now. A lot of it does come down to the art. After a strong debut, Amy Reeder hasn't delivered on her promise. Instead of standing strong, most of the characters look a little sketchy and hesitant on the page. They occasionally seem packed into the panels. On those pages with fewer panels and a stronger design sense, figures do look more powerful, but it's not always consistent. Reeder does pull off some Williams' stylish splash pages here, which stand out amidst the weaker pages. I also think the colours aren't holding up their end of the bargain. In Williams' issues, the colours were a huge component of the book's visual style. They aren't anymore, and the overuse of oranges and yellows have taken away from the book's unique look. The writing is also a bit shaky. I have lost track of the villainous element of the story. There are too many people running around right now, and they all seem to have entered the story at random, only to become major figures in the Weeping Woman story. There isn't really an effort made to step back and explain the significance of these many players, either. And I have no clue who Sune is and why a final page splash of her arrival is meant to be important. The strongest scenes still center around the characters - Kate struggling with the DEO, Kate and Maggie's growing relationship, the conflict their professional roles come into, and Jacob comforting Bette. These moments have power to them, and it's the wider plot that is struggling for clarity. It's a shame to be writing this, but this book has struggled since the artistic shift, and I'm concerned for where things are going.

Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E.#8 - Jeff Lemire/Alberto Ponticelli

This is probably the most underrated comic I'm reading. It's definitelythe most fun, but also capable of great pathos and emotion. This is an excellent issue, possibly the best I read this week. Frankenstein and his ex-wife go off in search of their lost offspring, bringing back a wealth of emotions never properly dealt with and delving deeper into the secrets of S.H.A.D.E. With a sparing use of dialogue for the lead character, Lemire is able to convey real depth and pain. The repeated use of 'M'Lady' hints at a respect for his ex-wife that his typically gruff demeanour hasn't shown so far. The story is also presented in a pretty sparing style, creating maximum impact for the emotion as Frankenstein and Lady Frankenstein delve into their shared history while wandering an Arctic wasteland. Lady Frankenstein is a great character, driven to end her victim status and still dealing with the pain of her past. The actual story of the Franks' offspring is played as tragic, with a yearning in both parents' voices to save their child. Lemire is able to wring out true despair from Frankenstein's very minimal dialogue in the final pages, and it's a testament to the world he's created in this book that it works so well. There are several scenes here hinting at Father Time and Roy Palmer's roles as the corruption within S.H.A.D.E. becomes a larger plot thread. It's woven right into the drama of the lead story, and works as effective build-up. Ponticelli also shines here. His work is less ropey and wild now that Walden Wong is inking it, but no less strong. This bizarre cast of characters come to life under his pencils, emoting and reacting to the events going on around them. The two brief action scenes have the wild energy and inventive layouts he is known for, along with a strong design for the Franks' offspring. The book's visuals are as strong as its unique writing style. This is an excellent series, and always has been. This issue explores characters without being heavy-handed or obvious, and tells a tragic story in doing so.

Superboy#8 - Scott Lobdell, Tom DeFalco/Iban Coello, R.B. Silva

I think this is my off-ramp point with Superboy. I knew this day would come. I loved the initial laboratory setting, but I knew this title would continue to get more and more intertwined with Teen Titans. It's gotten to the point where major events are occurring in that title and picked up on here every month. The upcoming crossover, and the wider "young heroes" world DC is building is of less interest to me than the story of this strange young man finding his place in the world. This issue exemplifies why I'm not sticking around - the issue opens with an in-progress fight with Grunge. Grunge is never properly introduced, and constantly references events and characters to be dealt with in the upcoming "The Culling" crossover. All of this picks up from events in Teen Titans#7, with a number of those characters running around, and continues in that series. There are just too many extra characters here, and the interesting story of Superboy, Rose Wilson, and Caitlin Fairchild has gotten lost in the shuffle. DeFalco's scripting doesn't help either. I was drawn to the unfriendly, cold tone of the book, exemplified in Superboy's isolation and disaffected dialogue and narration. DeFalco has striped all personality from the script. It's perfunctory now, and lost the unique tone Lobdell's script brought to it. I'm really sorry to leave now, though, as the art is just stellar this month. Coello draws the battle with Grunge, and is leagues better than last issue. Yes, he's clearly mimicing Silva's style and energy, but it works. The fight moves and glides along the page with a great choreography and the characters look crisp. Silva handles all of the subplot scenes, and is up to his usual excellent quality. I'm sad to be leaving, but I knew it wouldn't last forever. Perhaps when the book gets back to a more solo focus on its lead character, I'll try it out again.

Saga#2 - Brian K. Vaughan/Fiona Staples

The most striking sequence in this second issue is the debut of The Stalk and her attack on Marko and Alanna. Staples' visual for the character is haunting, and she appears out of nowhere, in a beautiful splash page, shocking the reader and the characters. The character's design expands, to include multiple limbs. Her attack on the lead characters is shocking in its swiftness and brutality. It's a powerful closing scene to end this second issue on. The rest of the comic continues to flesh out the wonderful lead characters while also providing some depth to their pursuers. The world Vaughan is creating here feels exciting, and I appreciate the effort put in to building up their pursuers as viable characters in their own right. Marko and Alanna continue to show us new sides as the struggle to protect their daughter intensifies. Staples' art is wonderful once again. Her lines are sharp and strong, but the emotion and the alien settings have a softness and inviting quality to them. Hazel's narration, written directly onto the page by Staples, remains a strong addition to the book. I feel like others could speak far more eloquently about what Vaughan is doing here, so I'll just say that I'm completely drawn into this story and loving it.

Saucer County#2 - Paul Cornell/Ryan Kelly

This book proceeds from #1's excellent cliffhanger, and it's clear there will be a lot more to the story than what pre-interviews revealed. Arcadia Alvarado is still the heart of the story, but a well-rounded supporting cast, each embroiled in their own struggles, is growing around her. Cornell has creating a commanding, engaging lead character in Arcadia. She communicates her goals with exacting precision, but still feels fear and uncertainty about what has happened to her and her course of action. The character's interests lie on multiple fronts - representing fellow immigrants, representing women, and understanding the new alien problem she has encountered. Her resolve gives this series a very strong voice. Her reaction to an alien invasion feels realistic, expressing the same fears any normal person would have, but still believe what happened to her is true. The political discourse in this book remains a highlight. Cornell is very precise in the dialogue in these scenes, as well. The tone is strong, the dialogue is intelligent, and the interplay between characters adds dimension to the issues being discussed. The story does a lot with the supporting characters, namely Arcadia's ex-husband Michael and the unhinged Professor Kidd. This is where my only hesitation with the book comes in. It still feels like the tone is being worked out, as the kookier aspects of Kidd's story and the loopier aspects of Michael's journey sit side by side with the political intrigue. All of this is highly entertaining, particularly Kidd's interaction with two transparent miniature people. I appreciate the variety in this book, even if the tones don't always mesh fully. The alien material is also being teased at an appropriate rate - Michael's vision on the final page and what Kidd sees on the plane trickle out to add an element of fright to the story that is really exciting. Ryan Kelly is a great match for the book. Much of the story centers around faces and conversation scenes, and Kelly creates a vivid world of expressive, interesting people. He also trickles in the alien aspects perfectly, as the brief glimpses of them we get add the right amount of excitement and intrigue to the story. This remains a smart, engaging title as Cornell and Kelly further develop their story. I'm excited for more.

Uncanny X-Men#10 - Kieron Gillen/Carlos Pacheco, Paco Diaz

So, this was all much ado about nothing. Like WXM and Legacy, this title is obviously in filler mode to kill time before the AvX crossover. Unlike those books, this does actually try to build to the crossover, albeit with a horribly contrived guest appearance from the Avengers. Otherwise, this is similar to the Tabula Rasa wrap up in #8 - suddenly, the fight with Unit just ends. The X-Men flail about fighting Unit, until Hope arrives on scene to stop the battle. It turns out Unit isn't a bad guy, he just wanted to talk to and meet more mutants. Um, okay? This is a conclusion? Yes, the final pages hint at more going on, but nothing of any interest. Gillen does do strong work with Cyclops and Agent Brand's negotiations. a decision made by Colossus, and some spotlight time for Danger, but this is yet another meh issue of the relaunched Uncanny. The battle scenes are poor, with the X-Men coming off as incompetent for page after page. The Avengers scenes are worse - the tension created between Cyclops and Captain America is the definition of fake and contrived. Pacheco's art, normally disappointing, is actually better here. The characters and settings are still lacking his familiar style, but the visuals are crisp and the fight scenes in the snow do look quite good. Diaz illustrates the closing pages, and does a good job mimicing Pacheco's style. Gillen is a good writer, but he seems content to just sit on his laurels with this book. Strong character moments are usually present, but if you're looking for a story with any energy, intrigue, or life to it, stay away.

Secret#1 - Jonathan Hickman/Ryan Bodenheim

I picked this up mainly because I was looking for the first issues of other recent Image launches (Manhattan Projects or Peter Panzerfaust), and they were long-sold out. This was just released, so, with no idea what the premise was, I gave it a shot, and I'm more than happy I did. With Hickman's big Fantastic Four story just having ended, I think, as a reader, I'm ready to see him tackle his own material. The story is certainly Hickman's in form. The pacing is so deliberate and controlled. A event happens to one character in the opening. That character interacts with a second person in the next scene. An event happens to the second person in the following scene. The second person encounters a third character in the next scene. And so on. A series of linked events and characters slowly builds, and a wider plot connecting it all becomes evident in the final pages. I have to say, I was pretty much captivated the whole time. And that's not easy with so many conversations scenes. Outside of a brutal home invasion in the first scene, the rest of these interconnected events are very slow, deliberate conversation scenes. But there is such an air of mystique to these events that I was engaged the whole time. The characters are interesting in these early glimpses. There are those who are cool, calm, and collected in all situations, and those who have had that confidence shaken. Roger is effectively unsettled and scared as he gets further into this world of private security and espionage. Gerry struggles to keep confidence as his company is exposed and his facade shaken. Grant Miller retains his cool, and becomes the issue's key figure, ultimately holding power over the others with the final page revelation. If this presentation sounds controlled, it is. The dialogue is heavy, but never reveals more about the plot than necessary. It delves into the characters, but leaves some story details obscured. I love this approach, and I love the feeling that Hickman has a long-term plan, and we are merely seeing the opening stages of it. Bodenheim's art is clean and crisp, with an extreme focus on faces, given the dialogue-heavy nature of the issue. He brings these faces through a range of emotions as power in the story shifts - from confident to concerned, from scared to slightly hopeful. The designs are strong and effective. The colours are used sparingly, with shades applied to scenes almost at random. I found it really worked to set mood without overdoing it. Colour me happy with this debut issue. It may not have been the first issue I was looking to buy, but I really liked it. I'm in for #2.

Weekly Comics - 03/14/2012

Saucer County#1 - Paul Cornell/Ryan Kelly

Saga may have been the big debut of the week, but I was equally looking forward to this new Vertigo title. I think it's long past time Paul Cornell worked on a creator-owned book, and I couldn't have been happier to see Ryan Kelly announced as its artist. So I was looking forward to this, and found it to be a stellar debut. Cornell pulls off an introduction to lead character Arcadia Alvarado, an unsettling tone, and a great conclusion in this issue's twenty pages. The lead character is sharply drawn here, and it's an engaging portrayal. There's a good balance between her political ambitions and relationship troubles, with a her personal strengths and weaknesses shining through both sides of her life strongly. Arcadia has agency as a lead character, even through her professional and personal lives have aspects dictated by others. The political side of the book nicely meshes with her character. There are scenes of political maneuverings and campaign strategy throughout the issue, including a great speech at the end in which Arcadia announces her bid to run for President. Cornell makes these elements of the book feel natural, as Arcadia and her supporting cast have fresh voices and fairly interesting personalities. The issues they discuss, in regards to campaign strategy, are pretty engaging and thoughtful, as well. For as sharp as the writing is, the issue opens with a handful of scenes that are somewhat disjointed, in a good way. Arcadia and her ex-husband Michael awaken in their car, off the beaten path, with minor injuries, and the following scenes maintain this unsettling tone, particularly when introducing a disturbed professor at Harvard and exploring Michael's life. The contrast between these scenes (which persist into Arcadia's later scenes by herself) and the sharp political dialogues really works. All of this leads to a closing page that is no surprise to readers who have read promos for the book, but still manages to announce both this book's premise and Arcadia's resolute, strong personality with force and intensity. It's a simple moment, because the book's premise has been so well-known already, but it feels like Cornell is throwing down the gauntlet and announcing this new title's premise. The art by Ryan Kelly is a real treat. He excels at this collection of people, displaying expressions ranging from soft, emotional, driven, and pained. The book feels grounded, but very emotive and sharp looking. Kelly also does well when the science fiction aspects of the plot creep in, including the glimpses of aliens and Arcadia's nighttime episodes. The colour palette for the book is also quite good, with an emphasis on yellows, browns, and oranges that emphasize the desert setting. I really liked this opening issue - it was bold, intelligent, and also quite tender and thoughtful. A very promising start.

Batgirl#7 - Gail Simone/Adrian Syaf, Alitha Martinez

I have both praised and criticized this title for the busy, jam-packed nature of it's plotting, but I have come around to Simone's eclectic approach to storytelling. And, on the heels of that comes this, the most streamlined, straightforward narrative she has told yet. And it was a great issue. As usual, the issue is held together by Barbara Gordron's narration and portrayal. Simone has a love for the character, and she shines as a vibrant mix of hopes, fears, and insecurities, with a snarky sense of humour. The bulk of this issue is a flashback to Barbara reaching out to Black Canary to help her get out of her funk and back into fighting shape. Their interaction is fresh, natural, and fun. It sounds like two old friends who have slightly lost touch. Simone draws on Barbara's accident in almost every issue, but it isn't getting tired - it feels realistic and painful each time. It is never unnecessarily dwelt on, instead serving as a wonderful starting point for Barbara's character. And Barbara's struggle to move on has been a great character arc. The accident is at the core of the scenes with Black Canary, and they have some strong scripting from Simone. The rest of the issue contains present-day scenes in which Batgirl pursues Grotesque, a foe Black Canary asked her to trail. Grotesque is in the mold of the other quirky villains Simone has brought to the book, and these scenes are a good mix of fun and gravity. Barbara's narration is always laced with her sense of humour, but the fights bring her back to a painful time in her life. Adrian Syaf's present-day scenes are excellent, with very fluid, exciting action scenes. Alitha Martinez handles the flashbacks. They nicely stay within the look Syaf has established for the book, even if there are a couple of wonky facial expressions. That aside, I really liked this issue. Barbara Gordon's character sits front and centre in a fairly unique, brave comic.

Batwoman#7 - J.H. Williams III, W. Haden Blackman/Amy Reeder

This issue grabbed me in the first scene - when Batwoman removed the hand of the man who almost killed Bette in the previous story. The New 52 have been criticized for graphic violence, but this was an arresting scene. I felt Kate's pain and her harsh retaliation against her cousin's attack felt real. This issue continues the series of vignettes, checking in on the cast at various points in their recent history. It's the personal scenes, focusing on character moments, that really excel. Jacob's visit with comatose Bette at the hospital is incredibly touching, as he describes the differences between his two twin daughters and hopes for Bette's recovery. Kate and Maggie's relationship continues to develop nicely. I also like Batwoman's continued servitude under the D.E.O., and her interaction with Cameron Chase. This issue contains a lot of progress on the villain front, and that's where it lost me just a little. Progress is made with Falchion, Medusa, Maro, and Killer Croc. There's a lot of players on the board, and I'm not sure how they all fit together, particularly in relation to the missing children from the first arc. I'm sure the writing team will get to this, but it's a bit jumbled in its presentation here. The art by Amy Reeder is unfortunately not as strong as her debut. The opening scenes employ the creative panel layouts she displayed last issue, displaying both Batwoman in action and Jacob's concern for Bette. After that, the visual storytelling becomes quite conventional. The figures have a rough, angry look to them, which I do like. I like that Reeder isn't aping Williams' style. But the book also doesn't have the distinct visual flair he brings to it. It's a nice looking comic, but not up to this title's usual standards. This new arc is still finding its feet, but some poignant moment prove this title's strengths still remain.

Superboy#7 - Scott Lobdell, Tom DeFalco/R.B. Silva, Iban Coello

If Tom DeFalco is going to keep scripting this title, I may be out soon. I always considered dropping this when it became too intertwined with Teen Titans, as the solitary, laboratory setting was much more interesting to me, and with this issue's cliffhanger and the upcoming crossover, that point is coming soon. But DeFalco's scripting is sucking the life out of this book. Superboy has gone from a thoughtful, nuanced portagonist to a literal, angry, character. The unique, fun aspects of him finding his place in the world have been replaced by some very genertic qualities, and I lay blame on the safe script. That said, the story is moving ahead in this issue, and the action is quite good. Superboy's battle with Rose Wilson is a long time coming, and moves at a great clip through the N.O.W.H.E.R.E. headquarters. It's just that Rose has gone from an intriguing supporting character to a generic angry woman and Superboy's narration, one of Lobdell's strengths, has lost all unique and intriguing qualities. I lay blame for this on DeFalco's script. There is an interesting plot point introduced here regarding Superboy's origin, but DeFalco is so literal in its presentation that it loses its potential mystique. All this said, R.B. Silva's art makes the battle scenes come to life. Superboy and Rose move swiftly and fluidly through a series of blue and grey chambers in the lab, with dizzying speed and energy. The acrobatics and character movements are superb, and Silva is equally strong on page layouts and character designs. The issue looks great. Iban Coello pencils three inserted pages, all of which look fine, but feel like complete intrusions into the story. The second scene in particular, in which Red awakens at a friend of Superboy's apartment (all based on the comment that he spent a lot of time in the library in #4; apparently he met this friend there) is the definition of clunky. So this title is in flux at the moment, as is my devotion to it. A shame, because it had such a strong voice and tone, and the new scripter hasn't been able to maintain them.

Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E.#7 - Jeff Lemire/Alberto Ponticelli

The plot thickens at S.H.A.D.E City in this latest issue, which continues this series' tradition of wild action and adventure with a fun, cutting group dynamic. This is a full-on action issue, but the cast is also on full display the whole time, which each of them getting more than their moment to shine, and it shows the strength of this series. Lemire has built a fun cast of quirky characters, and established a great group dynamic amongst them. An action issue becomes so much more enjoyable when laced with humourous dialogue from a well-established, fun cast. In this issue, the cast faces down the original Creatures Commandos, escaped from captivity, and renegade Humanids, while a bigger threat is unleashed in the background. The action and character moments are pure fun - Frankenstein's constant groaning and grumbling, Father Time's indignant anger, Lady Frankenstein's detatched boredom, Nina's fear. Ray Palmer finally gets to show off his Atom shrinking powers, adding another layer to the S.H.A.D.E. tapestry and serving as a great moment. There are also solo scenes for the less-developed cast members that are quite fun. And I like how the foes the team face here are internal to the series' machinery and concepts. And the new foe Time hints at further grows out of the cast and their past. The only thing that gave me pause here was the art. I've been a staunch fan of Ponticelli's, but this issue looks different than the first six. At first I thought he may have been rushed, but the general design sense and expressiveness of the layouts, characters, and fight scenes are still there. Whether done by Ponticelli or inker Walden Wong, the art is much cleaner and smooher, losing the ropey, messy look Ponticelli typically brings. It all looks good and is an interesting new take, even if I prefer his other style. However, even with that, this is yet another stellar issue of this consistently great book.

Fantastic Four#604 - Jonathan Hickman/Steve Epting

Jonathan Hickman concludes the mega-story he started back in August 2009 (or, some would say, in the Fantastic Four: Dark Reign mini-series that preceeded that) and it's a fitting conclusion. I will admit it took me a second read-through to really see the light on this. I was satisfied, but a little underwhelmed, at first. This issue takes some of the biggest concepts Hickman played with all of this time - the Council of Reeds, the Mad Celestials, the future Franklin and Val, Nathaniel - and ties a nice, big bow around them in a series of powerful and dramatic scenes. There is true energy and power as the elements of the story come together and the big conclusion is reached. The individual members of the team kind of just stand back and watch here, but isn't that ok? They have played so many roles throughout this mega-story that I didn't feel they were shortchanged. Instead, there was true emotion in them watching the future Franklin and Val reunite with Nathaniel and perform their roles in ending the conflict. I actually really liked how Hickman and Epting played this issue - instead of spelling out the entire conflic for us, opaque narration overlays fantastic visuals of future Franklin fighting the Celestials and ressurecting Galactus. It's much more elegant and powerful than having this play out as a traditional action issue and it's a fitting approach for a big conclusion. The big moment with Franklin ressurecting Galactus is a great twist and climax to the story. The final scene calls back to Hickman's very first issue in a beautiful way, and is a touching coda to the parent-child relationships he has explored throughout his run. I can't help but be struck in this final issue by how much Hickman's mega-story was rooted in the concepts and stories he explored in his earliest stories - it makes me realize how many unnecessary detours (the Kree/Inhumans stuff mostly) were taken along the way.

And with that, this is my final issue of Fantastic Four. I know Hickman is on both this and FF for another six months, but this is the end of the story he came on to tell. I will buy the next issue of FF, an epilogue to this story, then I'm off. There are a lot of loose ends to this story, and from solicits and preview images, it looks like Hickman will explore them, along with other concepts. I'm sure they'll be enjoyable comics, and I may pick them up if reviews are strong enough, but I'm buying too much right now and I basically committed to this big story. To keep Hickman on longer is slight overkill to me and I don't want to read his run potentially peter out after this conclusion. Plus, I'm just buying too much, and this is a natural end point.

Wolverine and the X-Men#7 - Jason Aaron/Nick Bradshaw

The Brood/intergalatic casino story wraps up here, and it's another strong issue, even if, at time,s it feels like so much is happening. The Broo vs. attacking Brood soldier story ends up having a much more interesting premise than it originally seemed it was going too. It turns out Broo has been targeted for death because he is a genetic misstep in the Brood line - a kind, thoughtful alien who won't kill. It's a clever twist, and a compelling hook that I wasn't expecting from what was looking like a route action story. It leads to some exciting chase and battle scenes and a climax that is far more human and unsettling than it has any right to be. Outside of that story, this issue is business as usual, albeit fun stuff. The fight in Kitty's stomach proceeds apace, with fun moments throughout. And Wolverine and Quentin's casino scamming is equally fun, especially watching Quentin's character grow. Aaron jumps between the three story threads to keep the story exciting, but at times it feels like too much is going on. I appreciate the energy and fullness of this book, but it may be helpful to dial it back at times. Bradshaw's art is strong here - the figures and setting remains quirky, fun, and lively - but he too seems to struggle with the boundless pace of the issue. I don't know how much of an action artist he is, and this is a heavy action issue, with tons going on. His depiction of the Brood isn't his strongest quality, so that too is a detriment. I did enjoy this issue, and the wider story. I'm happy to see the back end of it, and the next story in this title (that is, until it gets dragged into a crossover).

X-Men: Legacy#263 - Christos Gage/David Baldeon

The Exodus story wraps up here a bizarre way. The assembled X-Men and X-kids defeat him in the opening half, and the rest of the issue is spent on extended decompressing back at the school. This is typically a great structure for the soap opera-heavy X-Men. We need the decompression scenes. But here, the two halves of the issue are equally problematic, and I'm left concerned about Gage's direction for the book. The strength of the Exodus fight is in the execution of the battle. It has an energy and speed to it, and Baldeon excels at the big action shots. It looks great. Unfortunately, defeating Exodus isn't a suitable ending to this particular story. The fight with him arose because of a view he held of mutant relations that is not resolved, or even touched on in a meangingful way, in the story's conclusion. A big slugfest with him isn't an adequate way to work through the problem he raised. I also have trouble believing this ranting lunatic Exodus would even care about uniting the mutant race. He is such a crazy villain that pacifist views like that seem completely at odds with his behaviour here. I can't help but feel Mike Carey so elegantly introduced a wonderful concept in #225 for Exodus and other followers of Magneto, and Gage has simplified it so much that it lost its teeth in this story. The scenes after the battle verge on painful. I hate to again compare to Carey, but he set up a realistic dynamic where Cyclops mistrusted Rogue for some of her leadership decisions, but trusted in her abilities and qualities, and worked with her to capitalize on her strengths. Gage seems to want the same dynamic between Rogue on Wolverine, but proceeds with it in the most ham-fisted way. Wolverine's anger is so irrational and short-sighted, it seems misplaced. The whole story seems forced for dramatic effect, and it doesn't work. Then Rachel confronts Rogue about her relationship with Magneto, and that they need to resolve it for the sake of the team soon. Reducing Rogue's actions to some lovesick pining seems insulting, and this discussion is again forced and hammy. Gage seems to want Rogue to be a certain person and it's not working. I don't understand this interpretation at all - Wolverine yells at her, and she goes off and sulks, Rachel chastises her and she barely gets a word in. She is coming off as weak and pathetic, and I don't understand the in-story reason. Yes, Carey certainly softened her, sometimes too much, but she was never a pathetic whelp like she is here. I have certainly changed my opinion on Baldeon's art - he is more impressive with every issue - but I have not come onboard with Gage's direction for the book.

And, of course, I loved Saga#1 ...