I didn't much care for most of the five one-shots that led into this new ongoing Weapon X series, so I was surprised to find a decent adventure story here in which the lines between protagonists and antagonists blurred. There are really no good guys to be found here, and it makes for a nice change of pace in the world of super-heroes. While espionage comics and badass anti-heroes aren't really my thing, those looking for the kind of stories Tieri told in Wolverine before the title went in a new creative direction will find satisfaction in Weapon X.
Sabretooth has left Weapon X and has stolen sensitive and valuable information about its operations and operatives. Agent Zero is sent to bring the feral mutant back in, and he manages to track Sabretooth to New York. But another face from Sabretooth's past comes out of the woodwork, offering information as to his motives. Meanwhile, as Aurora's physical scars heal, deeper emotional scars become more apparent.
Jeanty's art here manages to achieve a nice balance between a visual intensity that's inherent in the actions of these violent characters and a more palatable tone for potential young readers. I like that the characters don't wear costumes, but clothing and gear instead. It makes them look more plausible. The book could stand to look a bit darker, especially when it comes to the colors. Not that they're particularly bright either; there's something of a dullness to them.
If Weapon X is anything, it's an espionage book, and that helps to set it apart from the rest of Marvel's output. One gets a sense of a conspiracy-theory/bigger-picture type of plotline in the works, and I have to admit it's mildly intriguing. And I'm not a fan of the spy genre, and the dragging nature of The X-Files put me off conspiracies a while ago. The fact that Tieri is able to pique my interest at all while wading through these genres is a point in his favor.
This book could actually be a rather strong one, but it's missing one key element: character. I don't get a sense of any of these characters as real people. Sure, they're fantastic, extreme figures, but in order to get me to care about any of them, the writer needs to give me something down-to-earth and human to latch onto. Tieri doesn't do that here, but I hope he does in future issues.
