Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
X-Men #205
Marvel Comics
Carey & Bachalo
Chapter 5 of the Messiah Complex starts out with massive brawl on two fronts and ends with a shocker (for me anyway). This whole series has been terrific so I only judge this issue based on how much I have loved the arc as whole. This issue left some vagueness in a couple of areas that I didn’t like, but the ending left me not really caring much about whatever drawbacks I found in this issue.
We begin with Layla and one of the Madrox dupes checking out the mutant internment camp some eighty years in the future. It doesn’t look pretty, but they mostly ponder the “past” and what the other teams are doing “now”.
We flash to Sinister and his crew being confronted by the main X-Men. Wolverine, Angel, Storm, Nightcrawler and Colossus attack Sinister and crew, but with a nice little trick up their sleeves: they use Emma to coordinate the attack remotely while blocking Sinister from taking over their minds. It’s some heavy stuff this whole mind-controlling thing.
Before we get action though, we head back to the mansion, where Bishop enters the mix with Cyclops and the brain-trust. Bishops looks bad-ass.
Back to the main fight. This sequence has lots of possible match-ups, for example, Wolverine and Scalphunter. The X-Men attack is going well. Angel confronts Sinister about the baby while Gambit slinks his way off. Wolverine pops his claws and gets in his face.
Wondering about the New X-Men and the seeming death of Hellion? Well we get a couple of pages of Reavers and New X-Men fighting, but not much. Pixie, with some help of Rictor, bails them out with a teleportation. I found this sequence to be lacking. We had some drama and ramp-up last issue and it seems to fizzle here. As a fan of the New X-Men I would have liked a little more than the fast escape. Also, it seems like the Rictor piece to this arc was dropped too quickly.
Emma, senses the children in danger and their escape, which helps to kill the coordinated attack she was leading. By the way, how cool is it that Beast is in a white tux with a red bowtie? So, of course, Sinister takes advantage of the situation with Emma out of commission.
Before Sinister takes over, Wolverine punches some holes in Gambit. Does this do anything to Gambit or what? Cause he drops off the map after this happens. As you might guess, Wolverine wants Rogue, not so much the baby.
Sinister begins plucking out the X-Men. First Angel and then Colossus. Storm holds him and his buddies down, while Nightcrawler is sent after Wolverine. Wolverine is tricked by Scambler and he gets blasted. His face is all burned up and “Bamf”, Nightcralwer pulls him out of it. However, Nightcrawler is shot.
All this, plus, the mansion is attacked at the end, while we finally find out who has the baby. For me, I didn’t think this dude would have it. However, I see quite a number of X-fans out there saw this coming a mile away. It’s Cable. Nothing says fatherhood like a full arsenal strapped to your back.
Let’s face it, I loved this issue. Sure, I was not happy with the way the New X-Men were just scooped out of their mess with little fanfare. Okay, I wasn’t too crazy about the Rogue part of this story not getting an advance when Wolverine and Gambit square off. Aside from that I couldn’t find a flaw in the book.
The art was great. Bishop, Cable, Sinister and burned up Wolverine look excellent. I even liked the way the New X-Men were drawn and I really enjoyed the full battle scenes. I’m big on backgrounds and I really liked the apocalyptic scenery that Cable is wandering around in. Is it snow? Is it ash? Maybe it’s just some salt build up.
Anyway, the story was pushed forward in a big way. X-Men are scattered all over the place and it looks dire. Makes me want to pick up the next issue all the more. I am grading this title heavy, only because I believe in tough love and I want perfection from this arc.
4 out of 5 geek goggles.
