I haven't been this happy with Exiles in quite a while, but a surprising guest villain and a focus on one of Winick's stronger characters give "So Lame" plenty of potential. This story also sees the return (however briefly) of Mike McKone, whose pencils are a big part of what I've enjoyed about this book. It's going to be hard to review this issue without spoiling the big surprise of the villain (in fact, I'm gonna do just that in the next paragraph), but if you're a fan of the book who hasn't read it in a while, or someone who has heard the buzz and wants to check it out, trust me: give this issue a shot.
Okay, so the villain of the piece. I am a huge fan of the Longshot mini-series by Ann Nocenti and Art Adams, and while I liked many of the Mojo stories that Chris Claremont told in the X-books, I had begun to think that nobody really got Mojo completely. Then Judd Winick comes in this issue and does a fantastic job with the character. He's like the Joker, insane and dangerous but also funny, and too many writers get either the former or the latter, but can't combine both, and Winick nails the whole enchilada. Mojo has some great lines, and his skewed pop culture viewpoint is entertaining, but he is also undoubtedly dangerous and cruel because of his sense that no one is real other than him.
While the characterization is a big part of what makes the Exiles work, Winick has also shown an understanding of how to write a team comic. All the fun tidbits from the Claremont days of the X-Men, including cleverly-named maneuvers, a sense that the villains and the heroes know one another and a mix of action and characterization. The Exiles come across as professionals at what they do, quick to adapt to any situation, and I like that for all the humor that Winick brings to the book, he doesn't turn them into a joke.
Which isn't to say the book isn't funny. Mojo's rantings are very amusing, and Morph's relentless series of fat jokes about Mojo is topped only by the similar stream of humor that Ultimate Spider-Man directed at the Kingpin in his own book. In addition, the physical gag about how the Exiles find Longshot is good for a chuckle. I also really appreciated the feeling that Mojo knew the characters, and vice versa, and the notion that there's only one Mojo is a clever way to make the Exiles "count" for continuity fans.
The book is also beautiful, especially when McKone and Holdredge are working together on it. I'm amazed by the number of people that McKone can fit into a panel without crowding it, and how open his panels look even when there are six or seven of them on a page. In addition, the action storytelling is top notch, with the "Shake and Bake" maneuver being impressively visually executed and the comedic timing coming through as much in the art as in the writing. In addition, the expressiveness of the characters is very impressive, with the scenes between Mojo, Morph and Nocturne displaying a particularly strong emotional resonance.
