X-Men #204 Review

X-MEN # 204
Written by Mike Carey
Art by Michael Choi

What a difference a month can make. This issue of X-Men did a lot to make up for the previous 2 or 3 issues worth of chaotic and disjoint stories. It makes me wonder if Carey was forced to write the last few issues by editorial to set up Messiah Complex, as they are clearly different in style and tone to everything he had done previously. While this issue isn't perfect, it's definitely an improvement.

Carey does an excellent job with the Astonishing X-Men team. It makes me realize how long Whedon has kept this team under lock and key. It's quite refreshing seeing someone else using these characters for a change. Loved the bickering between Emma and Kitty and Carey does a great job dealing with Scott and his feelings over the death of his son, Cable.

We also get some insight into Mystique's mind and why she joined up with Sinister. She's a complex character and I enjoyed the brief glimpse of what makes her tick. Gambit gets a little bit of redemption her with some nice character moments as he watches over Rogue. However, I honestly can't see any chance of redeeming Gambit after his dealings with Apocalypse and his role in the death of Cable. Carey does a good job of eliciting the qualities that made Gambit popular back in the 90's though and it almost makes me want to forget the garbage they've heaped onto him in recent times.

However, while there were some nice things about this issue, there's still some problems relating back to the previous story. We are still basically right back where we started in this storyline. There were no lasting effects of the attack on the X-Men aside from Rogue's capture and the villains that were on the team defecting to Sinister's side. We know just as much, or should that be little, about Sinister's plans or the upcoming Messiah Complex as we did 4 issues ago. Cannonball, who I thought was mindwiped by Sinister and was sitting vegetative in the Blackbird at the end of last issue, is fine and dandy with only a few minor injuries. All the X-Men and New X-Men are fine at the mansion. It's as if the Exodus and Marauder attacks never happened. So, while the issue, itself, is better than previous ones, there's still no substance here and it feels like filler as the team stalls for time while waiting for Messiah Complex to begin.

On the Endangered Species side of things, it was actually one of the best chapters, which isn't saying much, in this long running and lackluster story. Beast finally meets up with the Scarlet Witch, who has lost her memories of her former life and is living, powerless, in a middle-eastern European village. I enjoyed the Wanda appearance and her dialogue with Beast was enjoyable, but, like very ES chapter, nothing happens. Beast is the same character as when the story began. We are back where we started when this crossover began and I just feel tired and ripped off at this point with this storyline.

Verdict - Check It. While nothing special, there's some nice scenes with the original X-Men and the Rogue / Gambit / Mystique relationships. With Messiah Complex coming up soon, this is probably a good spot to jump in and get aclimated to what is going on as this issue sums up everything that's happened in the last couple months.

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