Writer: Scott Lobdell
Art: Brandon Peterson
What Went Down: This comic marks the first issue of a twelve issue crossover event known as the X-Cutioner’s Song. To capitalize the significance of this storyline, Marvel packaged all of the issues in plastic bags with a trading card inside each, so that’s what you’re looking for if you want these comics in mint.
This first issue centers on a concert for the sake of brotherhood; Lila Cheney is the main performer, with Professor X taking an opportunity to address the audience on the topic of tolerance and race relations.
Archangel picks up his date Detective Charlotte Jones in a limousine; she is surprised that his skin is not blue because he is using a holographic image inducer.
Bishop is grumbling about security being impossible due to the sheer density of people at the concert. Rogue tells him to lighten up, and he apologizes for the pie incident in X-Men #8. Both of them are wearing ridiculous outfits to blend in as civilians.
Underneath the stage, two anti-mutant terrorists are planting a bomb, but both are killed by a man who looks as if he might be Cable, star of X-Force.
Cyclops is at Harry’s Hidaway, the local restaurant that the X-Men frequent. He is multitasking by both worrying about Wolverine after the death of his girlfriend Mariko and fantasizing about Psylocke. Regrettably for him, Jean walks in and realizes that he was thinking about Betsy, even though he tries to lie about it…to his girlfriend the telepath.
In some random grocery store, Colossus and Iceman are doing some shopping, and Bobby is taking the time to discuss how his girlfriend Opal wants to take a break. When he asks if Peter wants to talk about anything, Iceman gets the brush off.
Gambit and Storm have a moment where they acknowledge that they haven’t seen each other in a while and vow to make more of an effort.
At some hotel, X-Factor is watching the concert on a big screen. Madrox mocks former Lila Cheney bodyguard Strong Guy, who picks up the TV and leaves.
Cyclops and Jean Grey reconcile, but then they are attacked by Caliban, one of the Four Horseman of Apocalypse, and a former Morlock. Iceman and Colossus go to assist them, but they are intercepted by Famine and War.
Meanwhile, at the concert Xavier is giving a long speech about the importance of accepting people and not judging them for things that they cannot change; rather than politely sitting through it, the audience chooses to boo him, despite the fact that they are at a free concert. During the commotion, Cable shoots the Professor from within the crowd. Archangel flips out and attacks Cable in the middle of the audience, but Cable shoots him and injures his wing, then teleports away.
Cyclops tries to convince Caliban that Apocalypse is dead, but he defeats and captures the couple anyway and destroys the bar in the process. Colossus and Iceman fight the other Horsemen for a bit longer until they teleport away.
Finally, Cable’s team, X-Force, is trying to tune their TV to get the concert. Upon fixing it, they are all shocked to see the news reports about their leader shooting the Professor.
How It Was: A welcome beginning to the epic crossover. The X-Cutioner’s Song tries to do a lot of things over the span of its run. There are a lot of hints thrown around about Cable and Stryfe’s origin, some clues that it somehow all connects to Cyclops and Jean Grey, there is some stuff about Apocalypse, and three—count ‘em three super villain teams to beat. Plus there are four teams worth of characters to handle. It was a full plate for a relatively new X-creative office and they did a pretty admirable job. But on to the issue.
This issue has it all. There are a couple of the quiet character driven moments that Lobdell is so well known for, although none of these count among his best. The Gambit and Storm conversation seems like nothing but filler; however, it is nice to see Bishop be right for once. The appearance by Charlotte Jones in this issue is strange because she doesn’t appear at all in the rest of the story.
There are also some nice action scenes to break up the talking and they’re just right. They’re not too overblown to overshadow the rest of the story, yet they’re not too brief either.
Of course the heart of the story is Professor X getting shot, and the scene is done really well. The idea of being gunned down while delivering a message few are prepared to hear does heavily evoke MLK, but I think there is enough traditional comic book action to keep the story from getting too heavy. Plus we all know that they aren’t going to kill off Professor X after they just brought him back from space.
The art by Brandon Peterson is quite nice; he’s filling in until John Romita Jr. becomes the permanent penciler. My only qualms are that some of the designs for the X-Men’s street clothes look a little ridiculous; Rogue, for example, would have blended in more in her uniform as opposed to the yellow and pink spandex jumpsuit she is wearing.
A very nice start, to an action packed story.
B+
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