X-Men #24

X-Men #24
Writing: Fabian Niceza
Art: Andy Kubert

What Went Down: We open on Rogue and Gambit finally getting around to sharing a date. They are trying to enjoy themselves in spite of all the tragedy surrounding Illyana’s death and Psylocke’s personal problems.

Outside the X-Mansion, Banshee returns after leaving in issue number four to go after Moira MacTaggert. Since Moira had to return for the X-Cutioner’s Song and the Legacy Virus, it seems that he must have given up after a while. The two make up, but not much more comes out of their relationship, since Banshee is going to be busy teaching Generation X in a couple of months.

Xavier and Beast are inside looking at the data from Illyana’s illness. Xavier apologizes for not including Beast in the study sooner, and Beast concludes that even he can’t solve the mystery of the cure to the Legacy Virus.

Jean picks up Cyclops at the airport. She is hesitant at first, but after they embrace, they both promise to face their problems together.

Psylocke and Revanche are in the woods sparring; both women find that they are too evenly matched. Wolverine appears and tells them to get over their hatred of each other.

Kitty Pryde comforts Jubilee as she cries in Illyana’s bed with her doll. Kitty suggests she keep the doll to remember the little girl by.

Back on their date, Gambit tries to get a kiss, but is once again shut down. To compensate, Rogue offers to reveal her real name, but Gambit stops her, saying that names don’t mean anything.

In the mansion, everyone welcomes Cyclops and Banshee. Cyclops reiterates what he learned from Sinister last issue. At the dock, Wolverine comforts Jubilee, the Psylocke twins share another moment of accusing each other of being imposters again, and Cyclops and Jean go to bed after reaffirming that they both need each other.

How It Was: Another quiet, contemplative issue. Niceza shows that he’s no slouch in the emotional department either, while still furthering, or at least paying lip service, to some ongoing storylines. Jubilee is responding to Illyana’s death, the Betsys are still at each other, and Sean and Moira begin their relationship anew after breezing over her breakdown in issue number four. The most important facts are those on the Legacy Virus since this is going to be the focus of the X-books after the upcoming crossovers. That being said, nothing new is really learned as everyone just reiterates what they’ve learned about the virus thus far.

The main purpose of this issue is to finally resolve the Cyclops/Psylocke relationship, show that he is definitely choosing Jean, and explore the Gambit/Rogue relationship some more. This offers some interesting polarities to highlight as one relationship is based on comfort and familiarity, while the other is based on hesitance, danger, and excitement. Rogue’s teasing of her real name is kind of a disappointment for long time fans, but seeing Gambit evolve from pure seduction to a place of comfort and understanding in a natural way is well worth it. Or is Gambit just afraid of revelations since he is hiding things from Rogue and the X-Men? Ooo, so many potential glimpses into the character.

This is a well done issue, but at the same time it doesn’t really stand out all that much. Still, everyone feels true to character as well as down to earth, so it succeeds as a nice prelude to the big bombastic Fatal Attractions crossover next month.

B

Uncanny X-Men #303

Uncanny X-Men #303
Writing: Scott Lobdell
Art: Richard Bennet

What Went Down: Jean Grey is looking to comfort Jubilee after the death of Illyana Rasputin. Jubilee retells her experiences in an attempt to appease Grey as well as try to understand her own feelings better.

In the flashback, Xavier and Moira struggle to cure Illyana while Jubilee plays with her. When Kitty Pryde shows up with fresh sheets, Jubilee shows signs of jealousy for the relationship the two girls share. In the present, Jean explains Illyana’s former life as a teenager to Jubilee, even though Iceman already explained this to her in X-Men #17. Although Illyana has no memories of being a teenager, Kitty has managed to stay in touch with her best friend all these years.

Back to the flashback, Jubilee comes to the Professor for a prognosis, but only discovers his frustration as he is running out of options. Jubilee goes back to Illyana’s room, and the three girls spend the afternoon getting to know each other.

As the Gold Team is returning from its mission last issue, Illyana’s symptoms flare up suddenly; she is about to die unless something is done. Xavier suggests using Shiar technology to freeze her until a cure can be found, but Kitty explains that Illyana wouldn’t want to live like that. While the adults talk, Jubilee puts the girl’s doll back in her arms and later reads to her before she passes away.

Jubilee then recounts the Gold Team’s reaction to the young girl’s death; Colossus completely shuts down emotionally. In the present, Jubilee finally breaks down and cries, and Jean comforts her.

How It Was: One of the very rare instances of a comic promising to be the best of the year and actually fulfilling that promise. Of course, the mandate is made a little easier by a year full of Upstarts stories, but this is still an exceptional comic.

Once again Lobdell demonstrates how relatable the X-Men can be by choosing Jubilee as the center of the story, as she is fairly unfamiliar with Illyana, yet nonetheless affected by her death. Because Illyana is an innocent little girl as opposed to a costumed combatant, the death really hits home on a level that pretty much anybody can appreciate, and the confusion Jubilee suffers at trying to understand the nature of this tragedy is brilliantly depicted. Also, having Jean Grey, the symbolic mother of the team, coming to console the girl works really well for this story.

There are really too many great character moments to explore; one standout moment would be Xavier’s breakdown in front of Jubilee. Even something as subtle as Iceman cutting off his own joke conveys the utmost sense of discomfort and tragedy. Plus the scene where Jubilee picks up Illyana’s doll is just perfect.

Minor pet peeves include the clunky exposition of Illyana’s history, but realistically it is necessary information for readers unfamiliar with the character, who hasn’t been an active super hero for a number of years now. Meanwhile guest artist Richard Bennet’s art is perfectly suited for this type of story. His characters are smooth and detailed—very closely resembling the style of the cartoon. The emotion displayed on characters’ faces is actually moving, yet there are some misfires—the first appearance of Kitty in this issue resembles the Joker a bit. Minor bits aside, the backgrounds are detailed and the characters are full of expression where it counts. The debate over whether to pull the plug works and manages to stay out of the realm of cliché. Despite the absurd looking helmet Xavier puts on the girl’s head, it still can’t take away from the tension of this issue.

This is easily one of the best character death issues ever. It contains gravity, it’s down to earth and accessible, and it actually manages to convey a sense of loss and make the reader feel something. Of course, like most great things in comics, it has recently been undone, leaving Illyana alive and well in the current issues of X-Men and New Mutants. However, recent events still can’t take away from how well this issue was done.

A