Obsessively putting our comics in chronological order since 1985.
| 1992-11-01 01:10:10 |
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X-Factor #86
Issue(s): X-Factor #86
Cover Date: Jan 93
Title: "One of these days... Pow! Zoom!"
Credits:
Peter David - Writer
Jae Lee - Penciler
Al Milgrom - Inker
Jaye Gardner - Assistant Editor
Kelly Corvese - Editor
Review/plot:
I noted in an early chapter of this crossover that Quicksilver was put on the team that was searching for Apocalypse precisely because he used to have a base on the moon. But now the idea that Stryfe might be using Apocalypse's moon base is considered to be an outrageous suggestion.
But Wolverine thinks he got a faint telepathic cry from Jean, so he convinces the X-teams that they have to go to the moon.
Meanwhile, Stryfe shows up to save Jean and Cyclops from asphyxiating in the moon's non-atmosphere.
Havok picks the team that will go to the moon.
But first Professor X needs to be cured. That's Apocalypse's job.
Love the art there. And Jae Lee was the right artist to handle this sequence with the techovirus.
Apocalypse has not betrayed the X-Men. He accelerated the virus beyond the point where it could feed on Xavier, so it tried to feed on Apocalypse, which allowed him to destroy it.
Apocalypse also offers the X-Men transport to the moon, so he's a really helpful guy.
Bishop, Wolverine, and Cable get to the moon first, since they're teleporting from Graymalkin. But even they don't go right away, because Cable has to reconfigure the teleporter, so Styfe gets to torture Jean and Cyclops a while longer.
There's also our allotted subplot scene showing that the X-Patriots have left the hospital. Madrox tells Havok that he's lost contact with the dupe that was watching the X-Patriots, but there's too much going on right now, so they don't even alert Val Cooper.
Quality Rating: B+
Historical Significance Rating: 1
Chronological Placement Considerations: This is part ten of X-Cutioner's Song. Part eleven is in X-Men #16.
References: N/A
Crossover: X-Cutioner's Song
Continuity Insert? N
My Reprint: N/A
| Previous: Uncanny X-Men #296 | Up: Main | Next: X-Men #16 |
Comments
Geez, that artwork is bad.
(Feel free to cut and paste this on any comics from 92 onward)
Mega Turrican swiped that first picture of Stryfe for its villain, the Machine. Here's a shot from the game's intro:
http://i.imgur.com/rbbgmtQ.png
As for the art itself, I quite like it.
Thought I generally dislike Jae Lee's artwork, for some reason this issue has an almost art deco feel to it that surprised me enough into begrudgingly liking it.
IMO there is always plenty of room for the Jae Lee's of the world in the comic industry. I'd take this over the stodgy Paul Ryan types any day. Look at the panel where Wolverine is communicating to the team. It looks cool, and you still know exactly what is going on. A similar panel from, say, Rik Levins would look as lame as any other Rik Levins panel.
Imo, this is the strongest Jae Lee issue in this crossover, I enjoyed it very much, maybe the whole moon base setting helps his art
I commented on the last issue about how much I don't like Lee's art style, in particular the way he draws faces. But I think he did a good job on this issue. The moon setting does help, I think, but it also seems like he put more effort in here. The faces do not look badly drawn or emotionally out of place in this issue. His use of shadows matches the setting and the tone quite well. I could be a fan if he did this consistently.
It might be deadline pressure or the typical 90's curse, but Lee's art improved massively on "Inhumans" over what you see here.
