X-Men #69 Review

Quote: “Again with the die fighting?” an annoyed Cecilia

Summary

Cecilia, Marrow and Iceman are rushing across the Atlantic on his ice sled while Sabra circles above. A flashback shows how Sabra saved them from the ambush in last X-men #68. Both Marrow and Cecilia question why Sabra is even there. When they press the issue she subdues them both. Marrow kills a sentinel that was tracking them underwater. When they arrive Bastion is waiting for them.

In parliament Senator Kelly and Peter Gyrich propose an end to Operation Zero Tolerance. Gyrich warns Kelly of the backlash this perceived weakness will bring.

On the island the X-men come to see bastion’s “mother” and Charlotte’s captured son. Bastion gloats as Iceman pleads with him to end the madness. They briefly fight before SHEILD arrive to take Bastion to jail. Our trio wanders what’s next as Sabra returns the boy to his mother.

The Good!
Character development-Iceman proves himself a worthy successor to Cyclops here as he manages to hold his X-men in line and also give a rousing speech to Bastion about his new age Hitler antics.  We get confirmation of Marrow’s enhanced sense in this issue and she continues to learn what life is like on the surface no killing included. We learn a bit about Sabra’s past and her son’s death which prompted her to a life of heroism.

Another good aspect is the end of O.Z.T now we can move on to group dynamics and seeing how these new x-women fit in.

The Bad!
The art was uneven in places……seemed a bit rushed to tell ya the truth and it often resulted in some strange pictures and a story mired by its shortcomings. Saying goodbye to Scott Lobell as the writer was also bad as he laid some good groundwork that leaves the title up in the air as the next writer could make or break characters he introduced. The more I examine the ending it was more than a bit anticlimatic. Bastion was building from around the onslaught saga and this is how it ends? no big epic fight? no sacrifice? just?…….taken off to prison randomly? Screw that! Boring!

The Ugly!
2.5/5 stars