“Crusade, Part 3”
Marvel Comics – July, 2006 – $2.99 – Color – T+
Writers: Craig Kyle, Chris Yost – Artist: Paco Medina – Cover: Paco Medina
If you’re not reading this, you’re not reading one of the best comics being written right now, and I feel sorry for you. After the events of House of M, and the name change (dropping the “Academy X” from the title), the book took on a whole new tone. Went from high school drama to core X-book, Paco Medina went from ambiguous scrawler to defined artist (his women still need work, but he’s getting there), and the stories went from insignificant to world shattering for the X-Men.
In this arc, Reverand William Stryker is back, and worse than ever. He has resurrected the 80’s super-sentinel from the future, Nimrod, and is using the data-bank from it (aka future events) to strike at the mutants he thinks will stop him from his goal of destroying mutantkind. In the first chapter, he destroyed an entire bus full of depowered students, which he explains in this issue was to avoid sympathy for the mutants from “normal people.” Last issue he had a sniper shoot Wallflower in the head, who then died in Elixer’s arms (why he couldn’t heal her, I don’t quite understand). Elixer is starting to show some of his Omega-level power, when he does something to Wolverine’s hands, who is holding him back from trying to help Wallflower, but still hasn’t healed anyone since he cured Rahne and got her wolf form back. Not really sure when they’re going to develop him a little more.
Not stopping for a moment, Stryker chooses his next target: Dust. This whole time Jay (Icarus) has been helping Stryker, and it is finally revealed that he was led to believe Stryker would help his friends, not kill them off. It is also shown that Jay gave his wings “back to God” so Stryker would help, but now he’s got no wings and less friends… poor kid. So to try and “help” Dust, Jay asks her to meet him, but Stryker double-crosses him yet again, shooting her multiple times upon entry (though really, it must have been X-23. I really like the relationship they’re developing with those two). Stryker then shoots Jay, and storms off to lead a full-frontal assault against the X-mansion, swiftly taking down the Sentinels standing guard outside, somehow weilding the power of Nimrod.
Writing: 8.5 – Story: 9 – Art: 7.5 – Cover: 9
Overall: 8.5
