Weapon X #9
Writer: Frank Tieri
Pencils&Cover: Georges Jeanty
The Underground: Part 3 of 6
Errors still persist. On to the story.
We begin this issue with Kane beating the crap out of a bunch of robots. Seems he's never actually happy with any upgrades he gets. Now he can 'download' powers of all sorts for his use. The annoying narrator wonders where he got the use of these abilities, though it's obvious to anyone with two brain cells to rub together that it's from the mutants interred at Neverland. Oh, and the annoying narrator turns out to be Marrow, who decides to team up with Agent Jackson. Whee. I've really started to get the feeling that this was a 4-issue story-line that Marvel demanded watered down to six issues so they could make a trade paperback. Frankly, this move baffles me, because who the fuck wants to buy a TPB of a watered-down storyline? But I've already wasted too much space on Marvel's mysteriously stupid marketing tactics. Back to the plot. What here is of it. Oh, right. The Director with his newly un-scarred mug sucking face with Aurora. Great... (that's sarcasm, people.) At least Marrow and Jackson are as disgusted as I am.
Cut to Yankee Stadium (subtitled 'The House That Ruth Built,' just in case you didn't somehow *know* that already. *sigh*).Washout is reminiscing over going to games with his dad. I'm bored stiff. I think I'm supposed to care that he's dying because Weapon X f-ed him over, but given that he's only just shown up since his intro in the book, I'm not feeling very sympathetic. I know jack about this guy other than the fact that the X-Statix didn't want him, and these are people who are welcoming the late Princess Diana into their fold (don't ask. I don't know, and I don't wanna.) Hence, I have no sympathy. None. They should have picked someone with an established personality to die. All this guy has is a bad code name. And that's the end of that lovely interlude.
Ten pages in, and we *finally* see members of The Underground doing something. This is just ridiculous. As much as I actually *like* the story thus far (it hardly seems like it at this point, but I do), the pacing is excretable. On issue three of a six part arc supposedly *about* this counter-organization, we have seen Cable stand and look at monitors a lot, Blaquesmith doing the same, Tabitha making inane comments, and Domino and Maverick fighting a dead guy and a moron for two pages. Come *on,* already. Either this is the worst conceived plan since the Children's Crusade, or Nate's got one hell of an ace up his sleeve. Anyway, back to the story. Maverick and Dom are still tacking the pathetic duo, though I'm somewhat confused as to where they are. Eh, whatever. There's some fun banter between the two (well, annoyed banter, but fun nonetheless), when Wildside gets the jump on Dom. Doesn't last long though, as he gets clobbered by a conveniently falling light fixture. That'll teach him to mock the woman with probability altering powers. Sadly, Dom then gets jumped by Reaper. I'm wondering when Domino suddenly went from 'one of the best hand-to-hand fighters on the planet' to 'oblivious and totally dependant on her guns.' Apparently, I didn't get the memo. And, I'm going to pause here to ask just what the *hell* is up with Reaper's hair. What, the guy wasn't lame *enough?* They had to resurrect him *and* give him a stupid hair tuft? What is *with *this?* ...anyway, plot, right. So, Reaper has Dom, but Maverick also has Reaper in his sites.
Cut to Mesmero (why, you didn't think they'd stop with only three plot threads, did you? *snort). Mesmero has, indeed lost his confidence, and this his powers. Yay. Sadly, this means that there's no one controlling Sabertooth anymore. I give Tieri credit for using the doctor to link the Mesmero and Sabertooth plot threads. This is how the entire thing *should* be handled, instead of with all these insanely stupid jumps in storyline. But again, I think this is a symptom of being filled with filler to get an extra two books out of the thing. Tieri can write better than this, and he *had* been up to this arc.
From Sabertooth's bid for freedom, we go back to Dom, Maverick, and the MLF boys. Wildside is now on his feet helping hold Dom hostage. She's just going along with it. I don't know why. I don't think they could *actually* kill anyone if they tried, honestly. So, Maverick sizes up the situation decides (I'm assuming) 'screw this,' and shoots them all. In the shoulder, granted. Dom's a little surprised she's been shot, granted, but as Maverick points out, she'll live. Sadly, so will Reaper and Wildside.
Back to Washout. He ponders going to actually see his old man, changes his mind, strips, and walks away. Yeah, I'm confused too.
And then we have more Director and Aurora cuddling like some sort of freakish set of highschool kids, with Jackson, Marrow, Sauron, and Wildchild watching from the wings. Plotting. Damn, I hope they kick his ass but good.
All and all, this issue was about the same as last. Too many plot threads, not enough *actual* story about The Underground, too much Director-In-Love bits. I'm sort of torn on what to give this issue, as the problems with it are likely administration induced... I'll be kind, I suppose, and give it a 3 out of 5.