Uncanny X-Force #9 – Review

by Rick Remender (script), Billy Tan (art), Dean White (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: Logan does a favor for Magneto that has him going solo.

The Review:  Last month I raved about just how utterly amazing the art provided by Tan and White was and this month, I think it’s even better, though thoroughly different in tone and content.  This is quieter, more emotionally driven issue, allowing for Tan and White to deliver an issue that’s subtle and haunting.  Tan’s work on his character’s faces speaks volumes and is full of complexity.  What I appreciate most though, and granted this is largely due to White’s colors, is the way in which this issue manages to look both dark/gritty and hyper-polished, two things that don’t ordinarily go together.  The result is a gorgeous issue where single panels would make for great splashes.  Couple this with excellent storytelling all around, and the art just about carries the issue.

Which is good, because this isn’t the strongest narrative from Rick Remender.  That’s not to say that it’s bad, only fairly middling, a little too comfortable.  Remender relies on emotional tenor to drive an otherwise unremarkable story.  In some ways, it almost works.  Magneto’s emotions are very human and Logan’s relationship to death and killing is as interesting and engaging as ever.  More than that, these are items that allows for Remender to let Tan tell the story.  Certainly, on the latter plot-line regarding Logan, the issue’s ending on a “what goes around, comes around” warning that reframes the entire issue under that message is a good one.

Unfortunately, beyond these emotional high-points, the nuts and bolts of the story aren’t overly strong.   For instance, I just didn’t buy Logan doing Magneto a favor just because Magneto gives him sad puppy eyes.  This is Magneto, for God’s sake.  Remender doesn’t even really try all that hard to sell this, either.  Magneto asks, looks sad, and Logan, nice guy that he is, caves and moves out.  It’s a big stretch and one that’s oversimplified under a gloss of emotion that almost fools the reader into believing it.

Weekly Comic Book Review’s Top Picks

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: The Walking Dead #84 – Winning this “award” really means something because last week had a TON of books (I had over 25 on my pull list), only a few outright sucked and there were 4-5 that were really strong and could have won any other week.  However, TWD was the book that had me cheering as it became kinda clear that the humans were going to beat the snot out of the zombie masses for once.  It was the same feeling that you get when you watch a running back break through the line of scrimmage and realize that he’s going to score a touchdown, but you still have to count down every single yard before he’s in the end zone.  I’ve often said that TWD isn’t really about zombies, it’s about the humans in the story.  But, to the characters of TWD, it was about the zombies until this issue.  Now (as Rick puts it), the zombies are a manageable problem.  Runner-up: Detective Comics #876

Most Anticipated: Moon Knight #1 – I really want to like Moon Knight, but he’s just never tickled me before.  So, Marvel is letting an A-list creative team that has worked very well together in the past take a crack at the character.  If Bendis and Maleev can’t make Moon Knight a character who can sell comic books, maybe they should just relegate MK to background status.

Other Picks: Axe Cop: Bad Guy Earth #3, Sweet Tooth #21, Blue Estate #2, Annihilators #3, Fear Itself #2, Gladstone’s School for World Conquerors #1

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Captain America #617 – This title has returned to form in a big way, showcasing everything that Ed Brubaker does best, packed into a really, really awesome triple-feature format.  That structure alone garners it pick of the week for me in a stacked final Wednesday.

Most Anticipated: Moon Knight #1 – It may be a slim week, but there are still some awesome books out this week. That said, Bendis and Maleev teaming to write Moon Knight is something that just naturally makes too much sense.  I understand that many Moon Knight fans are wringing their hands over Bendis’ ideas for the title, but I’ll admit that I’m a Bendis fan with no prior commitment to Moon Knight and little reading experience.  As such, I’m pretty freaking pumped.

In the end, I’ll go with Action Comics #900.  Not only is it a super-sized anniversary issue, it’s also the grand finale of Paul Cornell’s Lex Luthor book, which has been among the finest superhero comics month in and month out.  It also features the return of Superman to Action, and with Superman still wandering around in Grounded in his own book, it also means that Action will be the first book to go back to giving us real Superman adventures.  I’m super interested to see how Cornell, one of my favourite writers, takes on the man of the steel.

Other Picks: Fear Itself #2, Uncanny X-Force #9, Secret Six #33, Sweet Tooth #21