Weapon X #10
Writer: Frank Tieri
Pencils&Cover: Georges Jeanty
The Underground: Part 4 of 6
Much better this issue, which makes me think I'm right about the quality issues in the last two. We open with a multimedia review of the mutant massacre. The Director informs Marrow (the only person present) that Sabertooth has escaped, and that he's offering her the chance to hunt him down. Understandable, she's all for the idea. Can't say I blame her, and she's awlays been more than a little on the vengeful side.
And then we hop over to the Underground's camp, where Maverick is attempting to torture info out of Wildside and Reaper. This makes me grin in ways it really shouldn't, but I'm a bit of a sick puppy. Then again, it's not like they actually show it. We just get sound effects. And... Cable and Domino in the same room! Yay! *pauses to beat her inner fangirl with a stick* Okay, better. Sorry 'bout that. Dom's arm's in a sling--nice to see injuries last more than the issue in this book.
Blaquesmith informs them that Maverick is having no luck since the former MLF boys have mental blocks in place to prevent them from saying anything. They couldn't cooperate if they wanted to, and it's going to take Nate's telepathy to get around it. Nate... is not happy with this prospect.
Now, I admit to minor confusion on details here. In Solider X, Nate had cured himself of the virus (although in the last issue, which had the tie-in to the beginning of his involvement with this whole storyline, that seems to be retconed) and his powers were all out of whack. Here, it looks like he's still got the full T-O arm, but he is obviously very hesitant to use his telepathy. (Sorting out this continuity, will, sadly, probably be one of those things left to the fans.) Still, it's a nice touch, showing they haven't *totally* thrown out the continuity established previously.
Next, we have a nice little conversation between Agent Jackson and the Director. Jackson cheerfully inquires on the Director's well-being, then asks if he isn't worried that he'll be labeled a 'mutie-lover' because of his relationship with Aurora. This is a comment *bound* to set off a guy who hates mutants so much he built a concentration camp to kill them. And it does. But more on that later.
Back to the Underground, where Nate gets to do some reluctant head-diving on their captives. Not brains I'd want to go poking around in, personally... but he manages to get a little in the way of results before he fries their brains. Woops. (Side note, Tabitha makes a stupid outburst while this goes on, and Blaquesmith then threatens her--and Dom by proxy--while I'm sitting here thinking why let them in the room if you're that concerned they're gonna be a distraction?) Anyway, I somehow doubt the world is going to mourn the loss of those two clowns.
Back to the Director, who is highly agitated over what Jackson said to him. This man's pathos run deep, and it's good to see they're being consistent after the utter weirdness of him fawning all over Aurora. And speaking of, guess who makes an untimely appearance?
Bad timing, thy name is Jeanne-Marie. Needless to say, the Director is *not* happy to see her, and thus we get several panels of the Director brutally bludgeoning the poor thing with a small statue. Probably bound to upset some readers, but in a book like this one, it's not really out of line, I don't think.
And we return one last time to the Underground, where they're being invaded. Defense systems go off-line, they lose power, and everyone's ready to kick ass... only it turns out they don't have to because it's just Jackson and his little group of rebels, there to give them a hand.
Okay, I understand the dramatic entrance, but really. I think everyone saw this coming miles off, and is walking in and trashing all the systems in the HQ of the people you're there to assist that great an idea? Really.
3.9 out of Five. I just can't *quite* give it a Four.