Not-Even-Remotely New Comics!: The August 21 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Guardians of the Galaxy #8:  I cried basically this entire issue.  First, Rocket reveals that he was originally bred as a support animal for patients on an asylum planet.  But, the robots left to care for the patients evolved him and his brethren to take their place after they also left.  Alone, it's a heartbreaking story as we see poor Rocket torn from his kind owner.  He later lies to Groot and Moondragon that he doesn't miss being "soft."  But, we also then learn that everyone is mad with Rocket because he left to die without saying good-bye, desperate for them not to see him weak.  As if all these revelation aren't emotional enough, Groot really amps up the feels when he tells Rocket that he doesn't belong just to himself and that he doesn't get to control how he says good-bye.  (Did I mention that Gamora was protecting Rocket so that one of his enemies didn't kill him before he died?  Sniff.)  I even teared up a bit when Cosmo showed his belly to Lockjaw in honor of meeting him and, paraphrasing Aragorn, Lockjaw told Cosmo that he shows his belly to no dog.  (To quote Peter, space dogs, man.)  It's issues like this one that remind me why I didn't cancel this series, as Cates just really keeps delivering on the feels that come with this family.

Powers of X #3:  In the previous issue that displayed the timeline of Moira's life, lives #9 and #10 had dotted lines, not showing how they ended.  I originally figured that it might mean that those lives were somehow running concurrently, but it turns out Hickman just didn't want to spoil the surprise.

In X2, the X-Men use the device they stole to find the file that tells them when Nimrod went on line.  While the Cardinal, Rasputin, and Xorn sacrifice themselves to distract Nimrod and his troops, Apocalypse, Krakoa, and Wolverine go after the file.  (It turns out the figure that I thought was Groot last issue is a combination of Krakoa and Cypher, which obviously makes more sense.  Also, Apocalypse wasn't trying to send Nimrod after humanity, as I thought last issue; he's trying to wipe Nimrod from history.)  While Apocalypse sacrifices himself to buy them more time, Krakoa returns Logan to Asteroid K.  He then feeds the information to Moira and kills her, ending life #9 and sending her into life #10 with this knowledge.  (Charles' comment to Magneto that they were engaged in a long plan makes much more sense now.)

This timeline seems now to come to an end.  Assuming it didn't cease to exist once Moira died (an ongoing question for me), Rasputin opens up Xorn's helmet and exposes the singularity there, presumably descending this world into a black hole.  (That said, if either the timeline or the X2 Earth end, how is Nimrod still alive -- albeit in a reduced form -- in X3?)  Before ending it (presumably), Hickman made this timeline as scary as possible.  At one point, the Church of the Ascendancy injects what I can only assume is some form of the techno-organic virus into a child.  The Church's tenets are that you have to see your humanity as your fallen self, aware of the perfection (i.e., the machine part) inside you and how far your humanity misses that ideal.  Better to serve in Heaven than rule in Hell, after all, as the bishop quotes.  This part makes it clear that the "Man-Machine Supremacy" is really just the machine supremacy, with humanity completely subjugated.  Until this final gambit, we learn that the X-Men were still trying to get humanity to join them in revolting against the machines.  We also learn more about the lineages, like how the Cardinals were made from Ajax (thanks again, internet!), Jean Grey, and Nightcrawler.

At this point, I think the only loose end related to X2 (beyond this question of what Moira does to the timelines she leaves) is from one of the interstitial pages, where it looks like the Cardinal, Clyobel, Percival, and Rasputin provided genetic material for Mother, or Akkaba.  I wonder when we'll return to that interesting prompt...

Star Wars:  Tie Fighter #5:  This series was really, really solid.

First, characters actually died, and not just in the final issue.  It injected the sort of stakes into the story that you don't often see in superhero comics, where you know dead characters are really just temporarily dead.  Second, the action scenes were exciting.  Antonio does a really great job in depicting the battle against the Rebel base here, making it easy to follow which character is doing what, a notable skill that not every artist working on "Star Wars" comics has shown.  But, Houser also shines as the misfit toys finally come together as a team, with Jeela letting down her tough exterior to admit this team is the only one where she's really belonged and Bansu supporting a usually overconfident Rac after he mistakenly cripples a X-Wing in a way that sends it into a Tie Fighter bomber.

But, all that pales in comparison to the unexpected closing sequence, as Shadow Wing's victory fizzles upon news that the Emperor has been killed with the Death Star.  It's the first time that I've ever seen that moment from the Imperial side.  The cadets start to panic about the Empire's future and their leaders try to reassure them, noting that the command structure remains.  I may have held my breath the entire time, so surprising this entire sequence was.

That said, I'm not sure what the B story is supposed to tell us.  In a flashback, Teso joins Jeela at the target range.  She assumes that he wants to take her off the team because she's often not a good fit, and he reminds her that they're not clones -- they're humans with faults.  It's a great moment, particularly given Teso's "reputation" -- it's a reminder that he's a leader who's had to make tough decisions.  But, he tells her that he's there to talk about another aspect of the mission, but Houser doesn't tell us what that is.  I feel like maybe I just missed it in this issue, but it might be alluding to a side mission in a series to come, which I would totally support.

All in all, it was a great series, giving us a pretty unique perspective on the Star Wars Universe, which is a feat at this point.  I'm definitely going to pick up "Alphabet Squadron."

Transformers '84 #0:  This issue is more in line with what I hoped the relaunched "Transformers" series would be.  We learn that Optimus Prime launched the Ark as a way to lure Megatron to his doom.  He brought his best warriors along with him (to their presumed doom) so that Megatron wouldn't suspect anything.  I mean, whoa.  Heavy is the head that wears the crown.  Meanwhile, the B story involves a team looking for an ark.  In the original cartoon series, Optimus' Ark crashed landed millions of years before 1984, and the B story is set in Medieval Earth, so I assume it's the Ark that they're trying to locate.  But, Prime made Counterpunch promise not to allow anyone to look for them, to ensure that Megatron never troubled Cybertron again, so something is afoot, clearly.  Again, overall, I'd say this series so far holds more promise than the relaunched one, in terms of getting to spend time with the characters that I love.

The Weatherman, Vol. 2 #3:  We get a lot of information here.  But it isn't just some sort of expositive data dump; LeHeup constantly reminds us of the very real human stakes behind each revelation along the way.

The revelations come because the team stumbles upon Dr. Argus as he's picking up a supply drop.  We learn that the biophagus isn't a virus:  it's a "single-cell organism that flash-feeds on animal DNA."  The zombies whom we saw in the previous two issues aren't people:  they're constructs that the biophagus created.  It started as a mist when it first arrived on Earth, but it can take on the shape of any animal that it consumes.  On Earth, it takes the form of people to lure more people into its clutches.  Argus and Dr. Nyseth were working on a weapon that attacks the biophagus' "neuropressin" pheromone, which allows it to communicate with itself telepathically.  It turns out Argus wasn't exposing lottery victims to the virus last issue to create a cure; he's trying to turn his former lab assistant into a biophagus-human hybrid so he can serve as the delivery mechanism for the weapon.  Also, Dr. Argus dug Nyseth's grave because she died two weeks ago of a brain aneurysm.  Ruh-roh.

Argus then informs the team that Ian's memory drive might be at Syngen Station, where Nyseth first worked when she came to Earth.  But it's (of course) one of the most highly protected facilities in the world, because it was the center of biophagus research.  As such, Cross has to kidnap Argus to enter it, because he's the only one with access.  However, Nathan encourages her to let Argus continue trying to "cure" the biophagus, giving Argus time to hit a SOS button.  Cross is forced to reveal to Nathan that Jenner has the other sample (of biophagus, I think).  As such, they don't have time:  they have to get Ian's drive to learn what the Sword of God is planning.  (I'm guessing that Jenner is going to release the biophagus on Mars?)  Argus' rescue team arrives at the lab but the team manages to escape.

Oh, also?  The victims who "won" the lottery from issue #1?  It turns out they're the piles of bodies that we also saw in issue #1.  Kestrel is feeding the "winners" to the biophagus to keep it controlled; it's the only way that they've been able to survive.  (I was wondering how or why they piled up the bodies so high.  Like everything with this series, the answer is grimmer than I thought.)  But the revelations don't stop there.  It turns out Pickles (Pace's bear) is a "brain-damaged" construct; he was exposed to radiation and somehow forgot his biophagus connection, bonding onto Pace instead.  We also learn from Argus that Nyseth didn't really die of a brain aneurysm, as he later confides to Cross.  After Nyseth was chosen in the lottery, Kestrel exempted her to continue her research, but a mob killed her anyway.  We also learn that the Marshal was friends and partners with Ian Black before he joined Jenner's crew.  It's all...a lot.

As revelation-heavy as this issue was, though, it didn't just read as exposition.  In moments when it came close to that, LeHeup quickly made sure to focus on the emotions driving these characters.  For example, in a flashback, we see that Garren confronted Cross over her lack of a plan to get off Earth.  They kiss, but they have to stop when they arrive on Earth.  Cross remembers this moment as she weeps over Garren's loss.  Ugh.  It was a punch right in the feels, man.  Did I mention the Martian president has to decide whether to let a terrorist strike continue so they can kidnap one of Jenner's Inner Circle without him realizing they captured the agent?  LeHeup just really knows how to make a bad situation worse.

(I edited the texts of my "The Weatherman" reviews in November 2024 as I occasionally called Cross "Amy" instead of Amanda and the Marshal as "Cowboy" or just "Marshal.")

Also Read:  Marvel's Spider-Man:  City at War #6

Not-Even-Remotely-New Comics: The June 19 Rest of Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Captain America #11:  I've really enjoyed Coates run so far, but I'll admit that I've lost the plot somewhat.  Like, I get the overall plot, but I don't remember why Cap agreed to flee the Myrmidon.  I think it's because Cap realizes that von Strucker wants him dead, so he has to flee when the opportunity presents itself.  But, I'm not entirely sure.  As Cap himself says here, it doesn't feel like Cap.  But, Nomad, here we come.  (Note:  When I first read this issue, I totally missed the fact that the Invisible Woman and Misty Knight had taken von Strucker with them after the Invisible Woman knocked him unconscious.  I guess that it's the Plan B to kidnapping the Foreigner, which Dryad fails to do after Crossbones and Sin (allegedly) assassinate him mid-fight, presumably on Lukin's orders.)

Guardians of the Galaxy #6:  I guess this arc ends OK.  The Guardians and Dark Guardians merge into one team to try to stop Hela from resurrecting Thanos, using Lockjaw as transport.  The battle sequences here are well done, and Cates does a solid job in making sure that no one gets lost in the shuffle of so many characters.  Peter tries, and fails, to stop Gamora from killing Eros when it's revealed that he's Thanos' host.  Peter says that he just spent days trying to prevent the Dark Guardians from killing her, so her killing Eros would make her like them.  She then (truthfully) tells him that she is like them and stabs Eros through the heart.  But, because Peter is a love-sick puppy, he confesses to Gamora that he loves her and he needs her to know that because they almost die a lot.  It's a solid note of characterization, to be honest, one that shows how weary both Gamora and Peter are after "Infinity Wars" and its aftermath.  Peter tries to reassemble the Guardians, but it doesn't go great, as Gladiator, Nebula, and Nova all bail.  On the plus side, Beta Ray Bill, Lockjaw, Moondragon, and Phyla-Vell stay (along with Gamora and Groot, presumably).  Phyla-Vell then asks the question on every one's mind:  what about Rocket?  I'm excited at the very least to see the answer to that question.  I'm also hoping Shaw stops drawing Peter like a homeless person, so we'll see how the next few issues go.

Star Wars #67:  Killen ends his run here, and I'm hard pressed to remember someone wrapping up so many loose ends so well.  Moreover, he not only neatly wraps up his own run but starts setting the stage for the Rebellion's move to Hoth.  The amazing role that this series has played in bridging the gap between "Star Wars" and "Empire Strikes Back" can't be understated.  I'm tempted to reread all the issues in a row, as I feel like they form a trilogy's worth of developments in and of themselves.  In terms of this arc, the only two remaining loose ends were how the team was going to stop Benthic and the Partisans from destroying Shu-Torun and then how the team was going to escape the Imperials.  Gillen accomplishes both tasks in great fashion.

On the first item of business, Tunga decides to play hero, drawing off the Tie Fighters so Chewie can save the rest of the team from the Retreat before Kanchar destroys it.  Arriving at the Spike, Leia convinces Benthic that destroying Shu-Torun would make them no different from the Imperials.  Benthic had appealed to their shared tragedy -- her loss of Alderaan, his loss of Jedha -- and it's exactly this shared loss that enables her to convince him to change his course.  In so doing, Gillen draws a clear contrast between Leia and Luke in Benthic's eyes:  Luke's bumbling and whining pleas fell on Benthic's deaf ears.  (As Tunga says as he tries to imitate Leia earlier in the issue, it's all in her "nasal 'I-know-best' diction.")

It's then Han's turn to save the day.  As the Spike implodes, Han flies them through its collapsing remains, since, after all, it's essentially just a tunnel that bisects the planet.  It's pretty spectacular, and one of the few times that I've felt something here would be even better depicted on screen, because Unzueta struggles to convey the true ballsiness of the gambit.  Then, all's well that ends well.  We learn Tunga survived (the Cult of the Central Isotoper saved him and declared him -- possibly against his will -- a new member) and Kanchar didn't (Vader killed him for his dogged pursuit of the team, for reasons that Gillen doesn't make exactly clear).

Most importantly, Gillen also gives Han a rare moment of emotion -- a portrayal more believable after seeing "Solo:  A Star Wars Story," to be honest.  After the team drops off the Partisans on a new planet, Han tells Benthic that they don't have to be who they don't want to be.  Leia rushes the moment, telling Han to "stop yapping," which is perfect in its own way, as Han then puts back on the mask he normally wears.  But, in just those two or three panels, we get the best explanation that I've seen for why Han came roaring back in "Star Wars" and continued to stay with the Rebellion.  When Han asked him why he stopped being a hero, Benthic told him that the galaxy changed.  Han dared him to change, too, as he had, even if he didn't want to admit it.  I can't think for a better ending for this crowd as we launch into "Empire Strikes Back."

Star Wars:  Tie Fighter #3:  I was just phoning in this series, to be honest, but holy fucking crap Houser kicks it up a notch here.  Lyttan and Zin are killed in a few short minutes as Shadow Wing escapes the mining facility and head for the Celerity, which Imperial forces loyal to the Empire free from Admiral Gratloe.  (Gratloe planned on selling the Celerity to the Rebellion, and Lyttan and Zin are killed as the Rebels arrive to complete the sale.)  In killing off Lyttan, we unexpectedly lose a character who we first met in "Star Wars:  Han Solo - Imperial Cadet," and it ramps up the tension in this issue.  (The back-up story last issue certainly helped, as it made all the more present in our minds the devastation that Lyttan's twin brother will feel when he learns of his death.)  Zin's death is also unexpected, as issue #1 seemed to establish her as a Rebel spy.  In fact, Shadow Wing's three remaining members are perhaps the least connected to each other.  Is Ganem really going to hang in there with Zin dead?  Is Jeela going to turn in Ganem, believing him to be the Rebel spy?  The back-up story in this issue also reminds us that Teso has a reputation for surviving engagements that kill off members of his crew.  His surprise at Lyttan's death seemed genuine, but Houser definitely has us guessing at this point.  I'm totally buying "Alphabet Squadron" now.

Uncanny X-Men #20:  This issue is better than previous ones, but it still has its weaknesses.  On the plus side, it's fun to watch oft-overruled Alex and Madrox be right about the insanity of trusting Dark Beast, particularly after he reveals that he worked with Sinister to perfect his "cure to the cure."  Also, I loved the twist that the X-Men have never been working with Captain America.  As Dark Beast says, it's time for the X-Men to get a telepath, because a lot of people are in their heads right now.  (Sinister apparently implanted "subconscious suggestions" in the minds of the X-Men to support his plan, something I wasn't aware that he could do.)  These developments make it clear that Rosenberg does actually have a plan, something that hasn't really felt evident in the last few issues.  But, again, it's not perfect.  I really don't understand why the Upstarts murder the Nasty Boys to attract the X-Men's attention, since they seemed to have a lot of other options, like maybe even teaming with them?  I also definitely don't believe that Shinobi Shaw would commit suicide, particularly not because he allegedly thought the X-Men were working for Emma and she would come after him.  Also, Rosenberg never explains why Dr. Nemesis is with Captain America, particularly if Captain America hasn't been working with the X-Men.  Is it another trick?  Do I care?  Meh.

Also Read:  Marvel's Spider-Man:  City at War #4

Not-Even-Remotely-New Comics: The May 15 Non-X Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Amazing Spider-Man #21:  Holy shit, this issue and "Star Wars" #66 make for a fucking intense week.  Kraven eventually "rescues" Peter from the horde of Vermins, because they're just a prelude to his actual plan.  Said plan is a doozy:  to prove Peter is man enough to take on the Hunter, Kraven sets up Peter to rip out Curt Connors' inhibitor chip so the Lizard can, in turn, save Billy (and the Black Cat) from Kraven's son.  Yup.  To Kraven's mind, Peter is forced to sacrifice his "No One Dies" code (and, by extension, his view of himself as an uncompromising hero) to save Billy and Felicia.  I wouldn't necessarily see it that way, but Spencer make a compelling argument that Peter does, and Peter's opinion is obviously the only one that matters.  Moreover, on the road to this denouement, Curt and Billy reveal (to Peter and the Black Cat, respectively) that Billy remembers his dad eating him.  Oy.  As I said, intense.  "Hunted" has been cruising on auto-pilot since the Gibbon issue, but Spencer floors it at the right moment.  I can't wait to see how it ends.

Batman #71:  Reading an issue like this one, I always wonder how exactly it got to be this bad.  Yes, some people will continue to interpret (or, to my mind, confuse) King's obtuseness for genius, in the same way that I feel people interpret (or confuse) Hickman's obtuseness for genius.  But, this issue goes beyond just the question of whether obtuseness equals genius.  In both stories we see here, Bruce isn't Bruce.  In both stories, he's spouting phrases that it's impossible to see him saying in any form, from repeatedly telling Bane that he's going to break his "damn back" to busting into a hospital mumbling paranoid dribble about seeing the truth behind Bane.  King pretty clearly seems to be building to a reveal where we learn Bruce was right all along and Bane has been running Gotham in secret.  But, King has dragged out this story well, well, well beyond any point where I could care.  Taking into account that the Bat-family connects Bruce's current state of mind to Catwoman leaving him at the altar, King has functionally been telling this story for almost a year at this point.  But, nothing has happened.  Sure, maybe Bane, with the help of Bruce's father, is secretly running Gotham from Arkham and Bruce had to escape a machine designed to make him crazy to stop Bane.  Or, maybe Bruce has just been...staring at the wall imaging that for the better part of the last year?  Even if Bane is engaged in shenanigans, it's been 21 issues and we're not even close to confirming if he is, let alone to getting to the point where Bruce addresses it.  I almost literally feel robbed.

Guardians of the Galaxy #5:  This series has pleasantly surprised me from the start, but revealing that Thanos chose Eros, not Gamora, for his host was great.  First, it makes total sense from a biological standpoint:  as Hela says, it had to be a Titan.  But, it also makes sense from a characterization standpoint as well, as it's so...cruel.  Thanos delights in the fact that Eros thought himself to be a leader finally, assembling a team to do what it needed to do to save the galaxy from Thanos.  In the end, he just achieved Thanos' goal of distracting everyone so they couldn't see the truth right in front of them.  I'm used to this level of plotting from Aaron and Gillen, but it's nice to see someone like Cates throwing his hat into that ring.

Star Wars #66:  Gillen actually gives Trios redemption here, something that I didn't think possible.  She attempts to get Kanchar to end his aerial bombardment, but he refuses, committed to killing Leia even if it means killing Trios.  (He assumes another "pampered aristocrat" will take the throne, so it's no great loss to the Empire, to his mind.)  Trios realizes that she has no other option other than take out Leia and hopefully stop the assault, so she rushes Leia and her squad's position in the throne room.  She and Leia have a full-on sword fight, which Leia wins.  Trios calls Leia a monster at the start, and Gillen reminds us that she thinks Leia is trying to destroy Shu-Torun.  After Leia strikes the killing blow, she explains that she's only trying to disable the Spike.  Trios informs Leia that the plan has "gone awry."  Leia promises to stop the Partisans, something Han notes might be a tall order.  But, Trios' dying words are the best part here.  She tells Leia that she fought for Shu-Torun like Leia would've for Alderaan.  She curses the fact that she survived the attack on her family and laments that Shu-Torun may be destroyed because of her actions.  As she dies, she tells Leia that she believes her and apologizes for making Leia believe her.  It's sad.  Gillen makes us really feel the weight on Trios' shoulder this entire time, as she was forced to choose between a set of increasingly bad options.  The only good news for Trios as she dies is that she's leaving behind a pissed-off Leia committed to saving her planet.

Star Wars:  Tie Fighter #2:  This issue is interesting not because of anything its usual cast of characters does, but because of the issue's "villain."  Shadow Wing finds itself captive after it fails to protect the Star Destroyer that it was supposed to protect and squad leader Broosh surrenders to the assailants.  It turns out an Imperial officer, Admiral Gratloe, is running the outfit, hoping to operate a small mining operation outside the Imperials' notice.  It's not entirely an enthralling issue, particularly since Shadow Wing goes all do-gooder here, in the sense that they plan on re-claiming the operation for the Empire.  But, it does do something that we don't normally see, showing us the expanding chaos in the post-"Return of the Jedi" galaxy.  Gratloe just wants to get him some, and I find myself relieved that the Powers That Be in "Star Wars" Land finally show this type of story.  In all the galaxy, someone has to try to seize the moment.  We often only see this galaxy far, far away through the eyes of ideologically motivated protagonists.  But, I love watching a NPC operating on the margins and hope we get more issues like it.

War of the Realms #4:  I haven't really written about "War of the Realms" mostly because I continue to enjoy it.  Aaron hasn't really provided anything worth criticizing, but he also hasn't presented anything so amazing that I felt the need to comment.  It's just a really solid event.  

Aaron's plotting is above reproach, where he yet again manages to keep so many balls in the air while still giving each one its due.  Virtually every other event author at this point in the story has you confused and tired, usually because they're trying to incorporate events that happen in the various tie-in issues.  Not so here.  The tie-in issues flesh out the events here, sure.  But, honestly, you could really just read this mini-series and completely understand the events transpiring in it.  How often do we get that, huh?  Moreover, Aaron is funny as ever.  The dwarves' reactions to She-Hulk calling on them to help her smash were hilarious, from one of them saying that he had dust in the eye to another one complimenting her on her motivational speaking.  Thori is also great, as always, and Spider-Man continues to have such on-the-nose one-liners that I'd love for Aaron to write him one day.  Dauterman is also, as always, on fire.  The Iron Odin suit?  Amazing.  As Ghost Rider said, it's all very metal.

The only criticism I could find is that Aaron doesn't have a ton of space for emotional beats.  Aaron has spent months, if not years, showing us the virtually non-existent relationship between Odin and Freyja.  Here, Odin appearing to help her at her final stand on the Black Bifrost may have her claiming he finally "turned her on" for the first time ever, but it's rushed.  If Aaron had more time, I could imagine him using flashbacks to remind us where we've been with these two, building to this rapprochement, instead of just hurling it at us to give us (presumably) the requisite event deaths.  Again, it isn't a hideously off-note; it's just a note that I wish Aaron had more time to hit.  It's a minor complaint for an otherwise great event, but there it is.

Also Read:  Nightwing #60; Spider-Man and the League of the Realms #1; Star Wars:  Age of Rebellion - Lando Calrissian #1; Transformers #5; War of the Realms:  Strikeforce - The War Avengers #1

Not-Very-New Comics: The April 17 Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Star Wars:  Tie Fighter #1:  One of the challenges that I've noticed "Star Wars" authors face is that they quickly need to make large casts of new characters into recognizable individuals.  Pretty much every title except the main one -- with its cast of instantly recognizable characters -- suffers from this problem to some extent.  Some authors eventually manage to develop the new characters into great ones:  Triple-Zero form "Doctor Aphra" is as much a part of the "Star Wars" mythos as Threepio in my mind.  Some authors don't:  I stopped getting "Poe Dameron" because I couldn't keep any members of Poe's squadron straight.  

Houser and her art team do a solid job here of identifying everyone right from the start.  By the end of the issue, I more or less recognized the main characters and knew how they fit into the larger story.  Houser's principal challenge is that they're interacting with a large set of other characters that comprise the Imperial forces.  (Thompson on "Star Wars:  Han Solo - Imperial Cadet" faced a similar problem.)  Every once in a while I was like, "Wait, who's that guy?  Is he one of the main characters?"

Houser is at her best when she's using the characters to tease out the culture of fear that permeates -- and, in fact, fuels -- the Empire.  Ganem has an academic bent, and he often notes that the Republic's representative system and subsequent political weaknesses led to the Rebellion.  But, his comrades -- particularly his girlfriend Zin -- warn him that even this sort of historical reflection is verboten in the Empire.  After all, nothing justifies the Rebellion.  Houser is really giving us one of our most in-depth explorations of this Imperial culture of fear, and I'm excited to see where she goes with it.

Uncanny X-Men #16:  Hopefully this issue is just a blip and not a sign of this series going off the rails.  But, Rosenberg is all over the place here.

The issue starts well, with Scott turning in MLF members Dragoness, Forearm, Samurai, and Strobe to Captain America.  But, Steve knows that he hasn't turned over Banshee, Dark Beast, and Hope, and Scott blithely lies to him that he didn't have them as prisoners.  But, Scott also makes a pretty compelling argument that Steve's version of "trust" feels like a one-way street, and Steve seems to agree, as he gives Scott a tip that later leads the team to Magneto.

In the meantime, Alex expresses frustration that Scott not only lied to Captain America but seems to be listening to Logan to the exclusion of everyone else.  Scott claims he's doing so because he knows Alex will always have his back, whereas Logan will always challenge him when he thinks that he's wrong.  Alex points out Scott may be overestimating his faith in him.  But, he also points out the hard truth -- that all the X-Men's leaders, including Scott, have made terrible decisions.  The dream is dead, and the School is gone.  

Scott takes this advice to heart, and it's here where it gets weird.  He spontaneously resigns from the leadership.  It's fine that Alex's argument so sways him, but it's...abrupt. Moreover, given that practically everyone on the team at this point has led another team, Dani convinces everyone to embrace direct democracy -- everyone gets a vote on what they do.  Given the history of in-fighting in the X-Men, everyone seems very optimistic this approach is going to work.  But, they go one step further when Magik, off panel, convinces everyone to invite Banshee and Hope to join the team.  I get why the X-Men would want Hope to be on their side, but I don't get why Hope would suddenly decide to join forces with the X-Men.  Isn't she a terrorist now?  Is she really OK with Scott just blithely turning over four members of her squad to the U.S. government, regardless of Scott telling Steve that he was responsible for anything that happened to them?  Didn't she, like, shoot Scott two issues ago?

To make matters worse, Rahne spontaneously leaves the team to live a normal life.  Shouldn't she have known by now that X-Men-ing isn't for her?  Moreover, she's going to quit at their lowest moment?  Shouldn't she have done so during the era when you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting an X-Man?  I get her point that it's all hopeless so she might as well try now, but that doesn't feel like Rahne.  It seems like throwing away her life's work just when it became all the more relevant.

Anyway, it gets more and more random.  The X-Men confront Magneto and his new Brotherhood (consisting of Avalanche, Juggernaut, Pyro, Random, and Toad), but it turns out Magneto is Joseph.  Then, Juggernaut turns on Joseph because he wants to help mutants and doesn't like that Joseph lied to him.  (In a great example of pet peeve #3, Jamie reminds Juggernaut that he's not a mutant, but Juggernaut quotes the "First they came for the [x]..." speech, which, again, doesn't really feel on brand for him.)  Then, Kwannon appears from nowhere and decapitates Joseph.  Then, Dani collapses in pain and announces that Rahne is dead. 

It's all...a lot.  Everyone's personalities just seem totally random.  I get that Rosenberg is trying to portray Scott as changed, but he's never been this interested in everyone else's opinions.  He's certainly not someone who thinks the battlefield should be a democracy.  Then, we have Joseph spouting a long, involved Magneto-esque rant about...something?  Honestly, I didn't quite follow it, other than "humans = bad."  Then, we have Alex whining that Scott isn't taking him seriously, which feels like Rosenberg is leaning way too heavily into Alex as a younger brother and not Alex as the leader that he was, of X-Factor and then the Avengers' Unity Squad.  Then, just as the chips are down, Rahne decides she wants to have a life?  And Hope just wordlessly embraces of the team's offer of forgiveness.  It all just doesn't make sense.

Also, when did Salvador Larocca get this bad?  I remember in the 1990s when everything he did had a certain energy.  But, now, it's like he's paying Greg Land to finish his panels for him, which...isn't a complement.

Anyway, here's to hoping we return to form next issue.

Also Read:  Amazing Spider-Man #19.HU; Guardians of the Galaxy #4; Marvel's Spider-Man:  City at War #2