X-Men #194

Released: December 27, 2006

Publisher: Marvel

Writer: Mike Carey

Pencils: Humberto Ramos

Inks: Carlos Cuevas

Colors: Studio F’s Edgar Delgado

Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit

Cover: Humberto Ramos

 

Pairing the artists Humberto Ramos and last arc’s Chris Bachalo as rotating pencilers is a genius move that works so well, I can’t believe I never thought of it before now. Ramos’ style is a clearer, more colorful affair than Bachalo’s but it certainly has a similar feel and tone. Ramos is able to pull off the crowded scenes nicely, giving even minor throwaway characters enough attention to have a visual personality all their own. The slightly dark-adventure theme of the book is right up his alley.

 

Carey also pulls back a bit to focus on the core team of Rogue’s misfits, allowing them to grow as personalities together. Sabertooth is wisely forgotten for an issue (mentioned off-hand as still imprisoned), while Cable and Cannonball work on retrofitting the ‘Children of the Vault’s’ flying oil tanker. I can’t help but be reminded of Final Fantasy and finally acquiring the flying airship because a flying oil tanker is hardly inconspicuous or speedy. Cable is technically the one taking it, but it is supposed to be Rogue’s new base of operations as her team becomes an independent strike force (ala X-treme X-Men).

 

The issue isn’t exactly a ‘breather’ story, but it certainly is a slower paced intro to the ‘Primary Infection’ arc which debuts the villain: Pandemic. He was the evil-doer behind the mutant ‘clinic’ the team raided in the first issue of Mike Carey’s run (where they found Lady Mastermind and Karima). Lady Mastermind’s status as an X-Man is hinging on this arc, since she’s only involved with the group to help solve the mystery of why she was comatose on a sickbed at the mutant ‘clinic’.

 

Good characterization all-around really: Rogue is finally out of the shadow of Gambit (even though she still has those atrocious flame powers); Cable is still ‘visiting’ until his own title Cable & Deadpool can figure out how to handle the continuity problems; and the rest of the misfits are properly, well, being outcasts.

 

The cliffhanger ending has us meeting up with Pandemic, so next issue aught to see the plot moving quickly forward. Carey stumbled out of the starting blocks but he’s picking up speed nicely with a great direction this book hasn’t had since Grant Morrison.

 

Rating - 7