X-Men #17

X-Men #17
Writing: Fabian Nicieza
Art: Andy Kubert

What Went Down: Our story opens on a shady government mole observing the Rasputin family on the Ust-Ordynski Collective. The youngest Rasputin, Illyana, is excited that her brother is coming for a visit.

In another Russian town, Neftelensk, Winter Guard members Darkstar and Alexi Garnoff are investigating why the entire town appears to be in a catatonic state. Darkstar’s father, the super villain the Presence, appears to her, but it is only an illusion meant to attack her mind. Garnoff is similarly attacked, and it is implied that he is reliving some abuse that his own father brought upon him.

Over in Moscow, obscure supporting character Alexi Vazhin (think the Russian Nick Fury) is debriefing two members of the Russian military over the catatonic people epidemic. Vazhin mentions that Omega Red will become available to assist in the situation.

Three days later, most of the X-Men’s Blue Team, plus Iceman and Colossus, are on their way to visit the Rasputins after picking up Wolverine over in his series. Psylocke is still coming on way too strong to Cyclops while Colossus is pondering what he is going to tell his parents about his brother Mikhail, who recently committed suicide and took all of the Morlocks with him. The reunion is suitably touching, and the government agent observing them is revealed to be known as a Flagwatch.

Back in the U.S., Rogue is still dealing with her blindness, and Gambit is trying to get her over it by almost letting her fall into the pool. Xavier observes them and wishes that Gambit would just get over himself and commit to her.

Beast asks if Xavier has a second to talk, but they get interrupted by Storm and X-Force. This subplot drags on for a couple of issues and basically turns out to be the Beast feeling old and having something of a mid-life crisis. Cannonball and Warpath want permission to go and tell the other old New Mutants and Firestar about the death of the Hellions. This leads to New Warriors #31, before X-Force finally leaves the mansion in X-Force #19.

A brief two page subplot introduces a purple clad woman beating up some gangsters in Tokyo. After beating them all up, she unmasks and states that she is ready for revenge on the X-Men. This purple haired woman later turns out to be Revanche, the woman in Psylocke’s old body.

Back in Russia, Colossus is chopping wood, Wolverine is smoking a cigar, and Cyclops is walking in on Psylocke in the shower after having a nightmare about Cable and Stryfe. In the kitchen, Iceman and Jubilee discuss how Illyana used to be a teenager and the hero Magik—a plot point that proves crucial to understanding this story. In the Moscow office, Vazhin is trying to convince his superior that Illyana is not necessary to stop the looming threat. Alexei plans on using the X-Men instead.

How It Was: This is an odd storyline that introduces a one-off villain who we will never see again. The truly perplexing detail is that this story takes place in X-Men even though it focuses on a character that regularly stars in Uncanny X-Men. And no, there is no explanation as to why Peter goes with the Blue Team instead of his regular team. At the same time, it is nice to see that the fallout from Mikhail’s death isn’t being brushed to the side as just a phone call. Unfortunately the rest of the issue is more of the same thing that has been going on for months. Psylocke is still being inappropriate towards Cyclops, Cyclops is still a stammering idiot around her, and Rogue and Gambit are still getting closer…but not too close. Nothing terrible, it’s just nothing to write home about. The Revanche subplot does offer a little bit of action, although that whole subplot does not turn out well in the end.

On the art side of things, Andy Kubert is doing some great character models. However, he is still a little over indulgent with depicting dust and smoke. The panel where X-Force walks into Xavier’s office looks like they are walking inside from a Western. And the final page has the general’s cigar filling half the room with smoke to the point that we can only see the top half of Vazhin. Other than that, the art is really awesome.

C-