I was thoroughly disappointed when Gail Simone and Udon left this title behind, as they had captured a refrehsingly funny yet edgy feel. I was delighted to learn the creative team that launched this series was returning to present the final three-part story arc that would bring it to a close, and hopefully, they'll be answering some questions about the title character in the process. Once again, Simone's sense of humor works incredibly well in the uber-violent context, and she pokes fun at some of the weirder elements in our pop culture. And Udon's dark and richly detailed artwork is as sharp as ever.
Alex Hayden, AKA Agent X, is rather bummed out. Not only has half of his amusement park been blown to smithereens, but an evening of passion between him and his best friend, Sandy, threatens to have a similar effect on their relationship. He's ready to call it quits, but Sandy's booked him -- and the Taskmaster -- for a new mission for an old enemy. Some weird assassins and a surprise at the end of the day makes for an unusual experience, and when you're talking about Agent X's life, that's really saying something.
Lee boasts a cartoony, manga-inspired style, and the lighter tone of the linework makes for a sharp contrast with the darker story and character elements. Of course, that edgier tone is brought out well in the colors. They're dark, eerie and remarkably textured. The design of the "anime assassins" is striking. They're silly and cute, but they're sexy as well. I remain as impressed as ever with Udon's redesigned Taskmaster; they've updated George Perez's 1970s design with a dark, modern sensibility.
The moment in which Simone won me over with this issue was the one in which the anime assassins launch their attack on Alex, Taskmaster, Sandy and their client. It's a well-choreographed action sequence, but it's Simone's send up of classic anime elements and fans that had me smiling from ear to ear. Anime properties often strike me as ludicrous, and Simone taps into the surreal mix of innocence and gratuitousness to hilarious effect. These two antagonists seem to be intended as fleeting figures, but the concept is so novel and entertaining, I wouldn't be surprised if it turned up again in the Marvel Universe before long.
Simone finally delves into the mystery that surrounds Agent X. Since his debut, most of the characters (and many fans) simply assumed he was a transformed, amnesiac Deadpool, but it's clear that the answer is far more complex and intriguing. Most importantly, though, the writer seems to be well aware that there's a lot of background information to cover in order to achieve an accessible script, and she's successful in her efforts to provide it.
