Austen surprised me with this issue and its greater focus on character over action. He delves into some of the grey areas of racism here, and there's a certain logic to it that's thought-provoking. Philip Tan's artwork is strong as well, though not necessarily suited to the grounded, everyday tone of the script. Despite those strengths, though, the writer stretches the reader's ability to suspend disbelief too far with some awkward and heavy-handed plotting when it comes to the relationship between Havok and his bride-to-be.
Alex Summers, AKA Havok, is out of his coma, and he and his longtime lover Polaris are in a big rush to finally get married. On the eve of the ceremony, the X-Women, along with Northstar, head out on the town for a bachelorette party, to which Annie -- the X-Men's resident nurse and mutant-phobe -- is invited. She doesn't feel welcome, though, and he encounters a familiar face, someone who's also having a rotten night. Meanwhile, Cyclops throws a stag party for his brother, but the entertaining touches a nerve.
Tan's artwork is stunning, and in the quieter, more character-driven moments, it's truly beautiful, capturing emotion quite well. I also like his sense of design. He meet a new mutant charaxcter here, and he instills in her both a warm, friendly look and contrasting twisted, alien look as well. He brings a dark, mature atmosphere to bear as well, and Avalon Studios' coloring job is in keeping with that tone. Unfortunately, the script doesn't really match that mature tone all that well, and at times, the visuals don't seem to suit the lighter elements in the script.
The strongest scene in the book is Annie's accusation of Iceman, as she makes an excellent case for what's actually bothering the mutant hero. Their fears and their sense of emotional loss over Havok and Polaris's marriage make for a believable connection between the two. But what's more interesting is the potential for disaster in this new relationship. Bobby and Annie aren't together because they care for each other, but because they're grasping for anything in the face of sadness and fear. There's plenty of potential in this subplot.
Havok's and Polaris's behaviors in this issue just don't make any sense. Polaris flaunts her seeming disinterest in front of her fiance's friends, and what's even more non-sensical, they don't think there's anything wrong with it. Havok himself acknowledges that the notion of a bond between him and Annie doesn't make any sense, yet he waits until a traumatic moment -- the middle of a wedding -- to declare his feelings for a woman he doesn't even know. It's ludicrous, and it made for an irksome read at times.
