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NEW X-MEN #127
"Of Living and Dying"
Recommended (8/10)
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Marvel Comics
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artists: John Paul Leon & Bill Sienkiewicz
Colors: Hi-Fi Design
Letters: Richard Starkings
Editor: Mike Marts
Price: $2.25 US/$3.75 CAN |
While I've enjoyed New X-Men, one particular element stood out
for me as a flaw, and that's the character of Xorn, who was not terribly well
established. This issue doesn't flesh out his characterization as much as I
would have liked, but it does get us into his head more than we have been so
far, and draws a few more underlines about what his general powers are. In
addition, while I'm normally unhappy to see an issue without Frank Quitely, the
choice of John Paul Leon and Bill Sienkiewicz is ideal for this story, and I
can't imagine it would have been as good with anyone else on artwork.
After the past three story
arcs, all of which really served as part of one big super arc, it was actually
kind of nice to see a self-contained tale in these pages. Morrison is again
taking a page from the traditional X-Men storybook, this time focusing in on a
new mutant emerging and the X-Men trying to rescue them from society, but the
familiarity of the plot is undercut by the skill and style that Morrison and his
artists bring to the table. The issue also serves as a good backdrop for Xorn,
as he continues to acclimate himself to his new world.
Xorn is an odd concept, and
an unusual visual, and John Paul Leon and Bill Sienkiewicz have really captured
that moody and creepy look, while still giving his inexpressive mask an air of
humanity. Their work on the settings of the issue is equally strong, whether
it's the sterile and technological basement of the mansion or the streets of New
York. I also truly appreciated how they contrasted the normal and realistic,
such as the paramedics or the city streets, with the outlandish, such as Xorn or
the mutant boy he tries to rescue.
I'm hoping for a bit more
development of Xorn and clarity of his powers as things go on, but this issue
does give me a basic personality to get a grasp on. He has a sort of fragile
personality, surprisingly gentle and beautiful given the harshness of his
captivity, and his view of the world is more that of an artist than a warrior.
There's an almost sage-like quality to him as well, as it seems his powers give
him the ability to read life in some manner. Seeing Xorn, the positive outcome
of a harsh situation, contrasted against a tragic outcome for a harsh situation,
made for an intriguing story.
Morrison has brought the
magic back to the X-Men, after years of mutants being little more than another
gimmick. Xorn's odd mutation and beautiful worldview and the ruined potential of
the mutant in this issue both have elements of tragedy, but they also are quite
clear in pointing out how undeniably cool and strange the concept of mutants can
be. After all the chaos and violence of the last few arcs, it was nice to get a
relatively quieter and smaller story, and I hope we see more like it in the
future.
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