Manga legend Kia Asamiya debuts as the title's regular artist in this issue. Personally, it's not much of a selling point for me, as Japanese comics aren't really my thing. Still, his participation is bound to attract a wide variety of new readers, and appropriately, Austen offers up a solid jumping-on point, summing up the various plotlines that have arisen in the title over the past few months. There are some great ideas unfolding here, but this issue seems to lack something... a certain degree of focus.
It's a quiet day at the X-Mansion. Mutant students stroll about the campus, and the X-Men enjoy a well-deserved breather from the chaos of fighting costumed villains and bigoted politicians. Iceman explores a new aspect of his powers, and Annie continues to swoon over a comatose Havok in the infirmary. Cain Marko -- AKA Juggernaut -- decides to get away from the place for a while, and the lonely, lost young mutant known as Squidboy tags along. Meanwhile, the X-Men accompany Stacy X back to the ruins of the brothel she once called home.
The artist brings a lot of energy to the book, which is important especially in this issue, as it's a character-driven episode. Without the benefit of action, the artist shows off the characters' more dynamic qualities. My problem with the visuals, though, is that there's not much variety in the characters' appearance. It's as though the artist has the one template for women -- set apart by hair and skin color -- and only a couple for the men. There's a lack of individuality in the figures.
Juggernaut's reflection on who he is and why he's so angry stands out as the highlight on the issue. Austen's point that no one considers himself a villain is a simple one, but one that makes for some strong characterization potential. The odd coupling of Juggie and Squidboy works surprisingly well. I also enjoyed the writer's addition of new abilities to Iceman's arsenal of tricks.
Overall, though, the issue reads awkwardly. The pacing is disjointed, and the shifts from scene to scene seem almost completely random. While Austen does clearly delineate what's been going on the book while offering a hint of what's to come, the script almost comes off as a lengthier, more detailed profile page or "Previously in Uncanny..." blurb. Furthermore, Annie's obsession with Havok makes little sense; even one of the other characters points it out. And Stacy's nostalgia for her days as a mutant prostitute doesn't ring true; it seems like Austen has written her that way just so she can explain her origin to new readers.
