The nightmare that is Sarah Gaunt has Rogue at her mercy, and the leader of the X-Men’s Louisiana team’s mind is shocked back to six months previously. That day, the subject was elecution.
The memory is painful, but the Now is even worse, Rogue having been maimed by the monstrous woman who wants to murder the mutant teens who recently appeared on the X-Men’s doorstep.
The idea ‘Mommy’ has is hideous, so let’s turn away and catch up with the rest of the X-Men. They’re at the home of Gambit’s old friend Marcus, Haven House, but right now it’s no haven – followers of Sarah Gaunt have surrounded the property and they want to kill.
Safe to say, this an intense issue. The action is exciting but, because the series is written by Gail Simone, character comes through at every turn. For example, there’s an insight into Jubilee that fits what we know of her, enriching her.
And there’s a long-awaited – well, by me – bit of course correction for Nightcrawler.
And goodness me, Gail has me loving Gambit, someone I’ve never taken to. But just look at him back there, standing firm as the protector of new mutants Jitter, Deathdream, Ransom and Calico. And while the kids aren’t without the courage to use their extra gifts, you can’t beat having experienced heroes like Gambit, Wolverine, Jubilee and Nightcrawler around.
Plus, there’s room for a smidgeon of humour even in Rogue’s memory – while it’s heartbreaking she seems to feel her dialect makes her less, surely ‘Ah cain’t’ is a nod to Lina Lamont in Singin’ in the Rain!
I’ve tried most of the new wave of X-Men comics but this is the one that feels like home – some favourite characters, new ones to be explored, fresh villains, links to history but a feeling of going somewhere new…
David Marquez is a fabulous partner for Gail, his ability to veer from hyper-realistic to out-and-out fantasy a huge asset. The horror of the situation in which we find Rogue is brilliantly evoked, helped by the colours of Matthew Wilson, who stipples blood like no one else. The two artists work together to make transitions fascinating, while individual moments such as Wolverine readying himself for his next defence against the cultists have rare power. And a scene with Rogue and a new friend is beautifully eerie.
David and Matthew also give us the terrific cover – who could resist Gambit and kitty pals ready to fight the good fight? And messing with the logo placement is a proud X-Men tradition I’m glad to see continued. Also, pink!
The intelligently placed and executed letters of Clayton Cowles also play a part in this book’s success.
This issue brings the opening storyline to a close but this being an (instant) classic X-Men, story and character strands are ongoing. Heck, we’re even teased that one of the newbies is a traitor, and I do love a good/bad traitor.
If, like me, the Krakoan era wasn’t your cup of tea, try this series – handy recap boxes mean you can jump in at any time. I suspect you’ll be glad you did.
Too Dangerous For a Girl 2 
I have loved Gail Simone’s writing for years. I have loved Jed McCay’s writing since the first volume of Black Cat, where at the end of that year when I was figuring what my favorite books were that year his Black Cat was in the top five. So I’m not comfortable with this but I love McCay’s Adjectiveless X-Men much more than this volume of Uncanny. The character work is great in both but this book has much, much less of the trademark Simone humor and would be the most depressing plot in From The Ashes with it. The new mutant characters will stump people in trivia contests within five years and have concept over character down pat (Exceptional’s group are worse even though I think that book is my second favorite so far behind McCay’s). Doesn’t help that no one can make me enjoy reading about Gambit and Jubilee. Sarah Gaunt is supposed to be this big threat but she’s taken out by a non X-Man easily and is Ex-Girlfriend Prof X Forgot To Mention #4. I still enjoyed reading it but it’s #3 for me this month, which is still good because I gave up on X-Factor and Phoenix already after two issues and Dazzler and X-Force are just inconsequential fun. That still puts everything but X-F and Jean above Storm. That one had so much unearned gravitas it felt like an indie!
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Maybe the tone will change in the next Uncanny arc, I shall report back. You’re a braver man than me, trying that Dazzler book – the threat of ‘original lyrics every issue’ had me running for the hills. Didn’t Black Canary go even further, with downloadable songs?
Isn’t Sarah Gaunt taken out by Rogue?
I managed just one issue of Phoenix.
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The Dazzler book is fun. I skipped the lyrics.
Rogue had dead kid doing the heavy lifting, remember?
I knew one issue of Phoenix was one too many and wish I hadn’t read the second issue of it and X-Factor. I get what Brevoort is trying to do, make an X/Space Book but I don’t know if it’s separating Jean from everyone or a writer missing their target. I wish though Jean abandoning Scott meant he’d return to his best love interest, Emma.
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Yeah, Harvey gave Rogue a boost, but she was back in the real world beating Sarah up. Rogue was borrowing powers, as her MO demands.
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I will admit I have the exact opposite response to Steve – no offence meant, Gail’s humour just doesn’t resonate with me, I don’t know if it’s cultural with being from the UK and not getting references or traditions, or what. (I’m the same with Joe Kelly. Always find him easier to take in dramatic mode over comedic mode.) So the lack of too much of that cutesiness is quite refreshing and I’m enjoying the title a lot more, I think, than I would if she did start putting in a lot of jokes. If she wins me over now, she can then lather in as many jokes as she wants! I’m also slightly aware that she is doing a very definite Claremont tribute but after 20 years of people rejecting the Claremont template one way or another, I’m very happy with that. So overall, I feel like you, Mart, like I’m coming home a bit with this book. I did try a couple of issues of X-Force and it didn’t seem too bad but nothing else has particularly grabbed me. I will probably drop out of the title while they get the crossover with Mackay’s title over. I’m just beyond that ploy nowadays. And I do agree with Steve there, loved Mackay’s Black Cat but since then I just find his work a bit empty. I suspect, like Orlando, I grew up reading the same books as Mackay, so I don’t get a lot out of the Morrison JLA tribute he’s doing in Avengers. His Dr Strange stuff started out okay, but I wish he’d had a bit longer with Clea as the main focus.
I will say, some of the dialogue bits I don’t get – I think the rendering of a stutter with just a repeated letter I find confusing as most of the time writers use that to indicate a drawn out pronunciation. In issue 4, they did use the more traditional n-n-n- style which along with dialogue confirmed for me that it was supposed to be a stutter rather than some effect of her power. I’m also not sure how is the way Rogue says Sugar supposed to be different from the standardised way of pronouncing it? Is there a way of saying sugar where the first sound isn’t sh? Or is it that they’re getting rid of her southern accent completely?
Stu
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Thanks for the comments Stu. I’ve not actually noticed anyone stuttering, so it’s not getting in the way of the story for me. I agree stuttering, stammering etc is a risk, along with accents. I shall pop back for a look.
I keep hearing good things about the Black Cat series, but as with Catwoman, I’m not drawn to them as leads (though I did enjoy Selina’s original Batman back-ups). I did like the Clea issues of Dr Strange I read… I need to finish that run!
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I loved this issue. Great storytelling by Simone and Marquez! I’ve never been a fan of Jubilee and Gambit, but they’re suddenly on their way to becoming favorites. “I came in as a mall rat, and ended up a soldier.” That whole Jubilee monologue hit hard for me.
And very glad to see Kurt reject killing, and the reveal that there’s not one more stray Xavier kid running loose in the world.
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Since there’s just Legion now (the sons from the future went back, right?) and how unfortunate I consider the way they screwed up his original power set, I’d welcome a heroic daughter or son to turn up now.
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Given how Charles has been presented over the past couple of decades, he may be lying.
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