UNCANNY X-MEN #399
"For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge"
Recommended (8/10)
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Marvel Comics
Writer: Joe Casey
Pencils: Tom Raney
Inks: Scott Hanna
Colors: Hi-Fi Design
Letters: Comicraft
Editor: Mark Powers
Price: $2.25 US/$3.50 CAN |
Now this is the Joe Casey I've been waiting for.
While there were a number of great ideas in Casey's first Uncanny X-Men story arc, overall, it came off as a rather predictable and ordinary adventure for Marvel's mutants. This month, Casey breaks out of the more formulaic X-Men story and tackles some controversial and oddly realistic ideas instead. In fact, I so enjoyed the concept of the X-Ranch that I was disappointed that the initial plotline wasn't further drawn out.
Warren Worthington III, better known as the X-Men's Angel, discovers his corporation has been investing in something called the X-Ranch, and he decides to investigate, along with some friends. The X-Men discover the X-Ranch is a high-priced, exclusive and perfectly legal brothel operating in Nevada, offering services like no other business of its kind. The X-Men's investigation is well timed, as another group arrives to express its displeasure with the unique business.
I've never been one for Tom Raney's art... not that there was ever anything wrong with his work. It rarely clicked for me, is all. This fill-in job, though, struck me as much stronger than some of his previous efforts. He captures the seductive nature of the X-Ranch perfectly, but he also conveys the eerie, almost surreal atmosphere of the place and its staff. (Heh heh... "staff"... I kid.)
Casey's creation of a group of mutant-hating, puritanical zealots is clever, and they put one in mind of the voices of extremist right-wing American politics. It's too bad Casey couldn't have built up this new nemesis more gradually. Their appearance in this issue makes them come off more as a run-of-the-mill super-villain group as opposed to a twisted faith-based organization. Still, there's plenty of potential in the concept, and I look forward to what Casey has planned next.
Though the idea might get Marvel in trouble with the parents of some younger readers, the X-Ranch strikes me as one of the most creative and clever things to hit the X-books in some time, and considering that the likes of Grant Morrison, Mark Millar and Peter Milligan have been playing with Marvel's mutants over the past year, that's high praise. This is the kind
of writing I was expecting from "Poptopia," and I hope this sort of script will be par for the course from now on.
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