Well, folks, its finally here: Astonishing X-men #21. 5 months in and we're barely half way through the arc. Y'know, my life has changed a lot since Astonishing #20. I bought it on a wet and dreary Valentines day, there was a snowstorm the previous night and the temperature shot up and the entire world was melting around me. I was invited to a party that Friday by a certain girl whos name I did not even know. But until that time I was forced to stand outside my comic shop an extra hour due to slow shipments and muse over my bleak future. Latin was going terrible for me, I needed the credit to pass and I was dreading the prospect of another year in High School.
Yesterday I picked up the last Emma Frost variant cover off the rack of my local comic store shelf and considered the new status in my life. The girl who was throwing the little party I am now deeply involved with, my Latin grade is up to an A, and the future is free and clear.
Just goes to show what can happen when Joss Whedon decides to focus on a Buffy book and leave us X-fans hanging.
Now, for a brief recap:
The X-men have traveled to Breakworld, a savage world that has long prophecised that Colossus will destroy them, so they mean to destroy earth and colossus with it. But the X-men and their uncomfortable ally with SWORD Agent Abigail Brand (or as I refer to her: The Green haired bitch (GHB)). So they go to Breakworld after narrowly escaping the entire fleet and are separated. Wolvie and Hisako (now known as Armor) hiding out in an abandoned buiding, Colossus and Kitty facing an entire city of Breakworlders who want Colossus dead, and Beast, GHB, the de-powered Cyclops, and Emma Frost walk into a temple that must be many thousands of years old to find a stone carving of Colossus destroying breakworld.
-----
The issue kicks off with Wolverine and Hisako catching up to the Cyclops group: "Sorry we're late." Wolvie says. (I take this as a double-entendre. Yeah, its about damn time!)
The group begins to examine the carving of Colossus and Wolvie, who says hes going to rip GHB a new one for what shes put him through. Emma and even Cyclops gives approval to this. Hisako comments that Colossus is using the sun to destroy Breakworld, that it was likely via supernova or orbital shift. Beast gives her bonus points, and Wolvie announces that shes now a team member and her name is Armor. They are glad to have new blood on the team.
Neither Beast nor the GHB can make heads or tails of the age of the temple, and GHB thinks they should split up, Beast is glad they are in agreement, then she says he should come with her and he quickly reverses his claim. The team agrees to break up, GHB with Beast scouting the weapon, Wolvie and Armor to find Pete and Kitty, and Cyclops and Emma going to try and recover the remaining SWORD forces. Cyclops objects, but GHB reminds him that hes powerless and Emma has proven unstable. Wolverine gets ready to scrap her, but Cyclops reluctantly agrees and sets out with Emma.
Colossus and and Kitty meanwhile are fighting their way through Breakworld security. Kitty exclaims that she now believes he is meant to destroy this race, he just has to do it one at a time. They clear up the forces and find themselves standing in front of a group of civilians. A little boy glares and screams at everyone to kill Colossus. Luckily, they push a barrier in the way and escape before having to harm anyone. As they run out into one of the deserted streets, they are stopped by a single breakworlder, who asks them to trust him and to follow him.
The leader of Breakworld is conferencing with Danger, who states that he knows how to kill the X-men and can be a major asset to them. The leader requires a bit of coercing, but with the resiliency of the captured SWORD officers, he agrees to give Danger the tools he needs.
Meanwhile, the happy couple of Emma and Cyke are in a Breakworld fighter headed across the wastelands. Emma comments on how quickly he gave into the GHB's requests, and if she knew he was so submissive she would have worn a different outfit. The two exchange bickering and combat orders and they take on several other Breakworld fighters. Their bickering gets worse and worse as Emma refuses to apologize for her actions in the previous arc, and Cyke tells her that she needs to get over herself as he never required one from her, Emma tells him it cant be how it was before, and he agrees because now hes in love with her. Emma is stunned.
Now for those of you who remember the Breakworld hospital at the beginning of Astonishing #19, Peter and Kitty find themselves there. They are horrified at the conditions people are being treated under, and the woman who runs the place tells them that they are the only hospital in breakworld, it is considered dishonorable to tend to the wounded, to aid the weak. She doesnt think compassion is a sin. But rather a mutation, a way of change for their world. She doesnt belive in the prophecy about Peter, which is why she is aiding him. She believes that he has a choice, and that his destruction of their world will instead mean rebirth into something better. Peter says that hes no messiah, and the woman agrees. She says that she was bred to be a fighter in the arenas of Breakworld. She grew up under the cheers of people and a promise of 'Kill or be killed'. But eventually she learned to tune the crowd out and began to believe that there were third options. And she means to give Peter a night to think it over, to learn that even he has a third option in these matters.
Beast and GHB have been caught in a vicious snowstorm, and their engines quickly freeze. GHB explains its a snowstrike, Kruun (The Breakworld leader) is manipulating the weather around them to try and freeze them. They fall into the snow and begin digging a shelter, it will soon be under a hundred below. They get inside their snow fort and Beast says that he really doesnt trust her, and he wishes she would not look at him like a Tauntaun ( Love the Star Wars reference, for those of you who dont know, in the film Empire Strikes Back, the heroes hide out on an ice planet, but Luke is caught out in an ice storm and when Han catches up to him he has to cut open their beast of burden, a Tauntaun, and shove Luke inside its guts to keep him warm). The GHB however says that she doesnt need his guts to keep warm, and as she removes her glove a bright light shines on Beast's face. "Oh My..." he says. My thoughts exactly.
Back in a Breakworld torture chamber, one of the SWORD soldiers lies broken and beaten, but still resilient. One of Kruun's subordinates says he intends to handle this one himself. The torturer leaves and the Lieutenant says to the soldier that his insuries are not permanent, but that it will get worse. The weapon is primed and Kruun's word is the only thing keeping Earth from destruction. The soldier says he needs to be stalled, and if he can be stalled in time to stop the weapon, he promises the subordinate something that will guarantee him the throne: Colossus.
Peter is slipping on a robe in their small but lavish room as he and Kitty get ready for bed. He says they left food but Kitty is not hungry. Peter laments that its best to sleep, but he doesnt understand why he is restored to life just to die, if he is to save or destroy them. He is confused and tired. Then Kitty steps out from behind the curtain (cue funky porno music) completely naked. Peter can do little more than stare for a moment, then says: "Now I am more confused. But somehow not as tired."
AW SNAP! COLOSSUS GOT SOME AGAIN.
Unfortunately, Cyke is not so lucky, Emma has fallen silent as they finished clearing the airspace. He asks if Emma intends to talk again sometime before they die of old age. And Emma apologizes. Colossus is sarcastically taken aback, and wonders just what shes apologizing for, if it was how mean she is, or if shes sorry for ever meeting him.
And then Danger shows up. Hes now turned into some gigantic spider....thing...actually, kinda like a praying mantis... But none the less, it swats them out of the air like a fly. Emma drags Cyke of the wreckage as he groans in pain and then lays motionless. Danger, now in humanoid form walks out of the smoke. Emma weeps, she doesnt understand how a man like him could ever love her. Danger tells her its all over now. She nods and then turns to him and oders him to kill her, and make it quick.
------------
FUCKING CLIFFHANGERS! DAMMIT! I'm sorry, but I hate waiting two months for this stuff >>
So, lets see. Amazing as usual from Joss, of course, we've reached the middle of the story and I always find that chapter dull. Its the slack between the exposition and the climax. The characterization as always it top notch. Beast is witty as he is both vicious and gentle, and the entire teams borderline hated for Agent Brand is always a hoot, especailly when the responsible Cyclops share it.
Another thing- Cyclops. I hate him, always have, but Joss makes him work, he makes the character work and I consider that to be a bloody miracle. He picked up Cyke at a time when he was dealing with losing Jean again, however, instead of making him grow winy and weak and reclusive again, he turned it around and made him bitter and cynical, which I feel is a more adequate path for his character, after all, thats how I cope with loss XD
Also, damn, he really does favor Kitty and Colossus, and I must give props for a second tastefully done sex setup. and >> The nude behind shot was most appreciated Mr. Cassaday
Speaking of Cassaday, once again, very solid drawing. He has a very good sense of of both lighting and texture, The shadowing in some scenes is amazing and adds an extra layer of depth. Even more interesting, both Peter and Cyke's facial hair seems to be growing, very interesting.
I feel the plot is building well, and of course we all know Cyke and Emma will be okay, the problem is how the hell are they gonna get out of it? Joss knows how to keep us waiting 2 months.
Really, just solid and excellent as usual. The problem is the frequency, its a great offering, but they could be finished with the bloody arc by now!
None the less- PICK IT UP!!
_________________
I always thought that Rogue and Gambit should adopt that Leech kid from X3.
"Alright son, you can sleep on dis here futon next to our bed! put on deese earmuffs, an' dis blindfold, and if you hear screamin' ignore it!" |
