Astonishing X-Men #4

Methinks that there will never be a title again…

Timeline

Immediately following Astonishing X-Men #3

The Sitch

There are a few books that I will say this about, but if you are or ever have been an X-Men fan, I implore you to not read this review. Go out and buy the first four issues of Astonishing X-Men. I mean it. Stop reading. Go. The ending of this book is so jaw-dropping that you owe it to yourself to experience in four-color glory rather than a prose review. Then come back and read this. It’s that astonishing.

Now that you’ve gotten the books, here’s the synopsis for issue #4. At the end of issue #3, Hank makes the discovery that Dr. Rao is running experiments for the cure on a mutant body. Scott immediately assumes that it’s Jean Grey, his wife who died saving the universe. We start this issue with Ord, recounting the past battles in an arena on his homeworld, killing friends and foes for the right to be chosen for the great mission. That mission? To fight the X-Men and make them pay.

Back at the X-mansion, the Blackbird has been prepped and the X-Men are ready to take flight. Scott insures that no one knows who might be in Benetech. Scott assumes that the X-Men probably won’t find any conclusive to which Emma adds “like a warm body?” Kitty and Wolverine join the team and are ready for the fight. Scott warns Wolverine that the mission is only recon since they don’t know what they’re dealing with. Logan responds that they do know what they’re dealing with – animals. Scott puts Kitty on point.

As they enter the building, Scott splits the team into smaller teams to cover every floor.

Back at the mansion, two students – Hisako and the flying boy, Wing, that Kitty counseled last issue – are arguing about the boy’s reasons for his verbal assault against Kitty. Hisako reveals that a fellow student – Blindfold – has read his mind. He has a crush on Kitty and wants to make X-Man. Wing is furious with Blindfold, which Hisako explains that she is probably just lonely. As Hisako says to think about it a minute, Ord steps from the shadows to tell them that their minute is up.

Back at Benetech, Scott and Emma are arguing over Jean’s continued presence in their relationship even as they look for her body. Meanwhile, Kitty and Lockheed have discovered a floor that is deep metal with no sub-basement. Kitty leaves Lockheed behind to phase through it. Wolverine and the Beast are still debating the “cure” now named Hope.

Wolverine eases from his stance for a moment to tell Beast that he understands that he would have had a family if it hadn’t been for his mutation. Hope would offer that to Hank. Suddenly, Hank asks Logan if he catches the scent. Female…dead. While the Beast and Wolverine look for the dead female, Kitty continues to plunge through feet of solid metal.

Ord stands over Hisako and Wing, quite frustrated that the X-Men are gone. The children tell him that they aren’t cool mutants and asks if they can take a message. Ord tells them that he is going to leave a message. Hisako, recognizing what is happening, activates her powers of telekinesis and knocks Ord down long enough for Wing to fly away. Ord recovers and smacks her into the wall. Ord then catches up to Wing in the air and “cures” him. Wing falls to the ground as Ord tells him that the mutant abomination will never be a threat to his world.

Scott asks who the woman in the lab is. It is an unknown mutant with slit wrists. Scott tells that them it can’t be the only body. Wolverine suggests a well-armed missile from the Blackbird to fix the problem. Wolverine immediately realizes that something else is at work. Emma enters the lab, noting that she can’t contact Kitty any more – she isn’t in the building. Immediately, she is doubled over by her proteges’ mindcall from the mansion. The X-Men have to go back.

The bullets start flying. Scott is taken down. Emma turns diamond-hard. Wolverine takes the brunt of the arsenal. Two guards from Benetech stand over them with heavy firepower, telling them to make one move.

Kitty finally phases through the last of the metal to discover that she is in a room. The metal she has phased through feels very wrong – alien. Guards are posted and are discussing that no one is to get near the subject they are guarding. Kitty pops the lock to the room they are guarding and is immediately fired upon. The last bullet ricochets off of something.

Now, one more time, if you haven’t gotten the books, stop. Go buy them. The next page dropped my jaw. I didn’t expect it. It made me realize the brilliance of Joss once again, and he does what he did twice to Buffy. Bring em back to life.

Kitty turns to see Colossus.

Colossus. The Russian poet made of steel.

Colossus. Her first love.

Colossus. Her ex-boyfriend who died four years ago saving the world from the Legacy virus.

She turns to look at him. He runs through her at the guards and leaves her clutching her heart. As he begins to tear the guards apart, Kitty calls his name – simply and quietly – telling him to stop before he kills them. Peter finally recognizes her.

“Katya? Oh God… Finally… God…Am I…God, please…am I finally dead?”

End of Issue Four.

Thoughts

As I am sitting here thinking about the return of Colossus, John Williams’ amazing theme song for the 1979 Superman movie is playing. It occurs to me that the thoughts for this issue should be all about men of steel. Frankly, I’ve missed Colossus in the past few years he’s been gone. He’s always been one of my favorite X-Men. I learned to speak my first Russian words from him. Spasibo. Tovarish. Dosvi`daniya. He was the farmboy poet with a heart of gold and a body of steel.

His death four years ago made sense at the time. Of all the X-Men, which one would sacrifice themselves without thought? It had to be Peter Rasputin. His sister already killed by the virus and his sacrificial nature imbedded deep within him, it had to be him. But, he left a gaping hole in that comic.

There really never was another X-character quite like him. Not Nightcrawler or the Beast or a myriad of other characters. None that had such power in his frame yet was given to so little violence or even harshness.

I also must note that we just lost another man of steel – Christopher Reeve. I had been reading comic books just five years when the very first Superman film was released. The tagline to that film was "You’ll believe a man can fly.” Frankly, I did.

Christopher Reeve owned that role, moreso than anyone who has ever played Superman. Steve Reeves, Dean Cain and even Tom Welling don’t live up to those moments when those giant 80s glasses came off and mild-mannered Clark Kent became Ka-lel, the Superman. The thing that amazes me as I go back to watch those movies again is how easily both roles came to him. He was both, and I suspect that there was a bit of both in him.

So, this is a simple review, dedicated to men of steel. Let’s hope the world has a few more of them.

Cover Art

Another amazing cover for this issue and quite frankly, a bit heart-breaking. The main image on the cover is a shattered-framed picture of Hank back when he was in humanoid form. The remainder of the picture is Hank sitting, waist-down shot. The image is of a broken person who sees his past and rues his current state. Wonderful shot.

Also note that an alternate cover has been released of this issue, simply of Colossus. It’s going to be a rare collector’s piece soon since so few were released. Good picture, but it wasn’t too compelling to me. I am glad that they didn’t release it at the time of the issue as it would have ruined those last few moments.

What's My Line?

When do I get to disable something?

Right. Right. Base defilement. Jean Grey is a sacred cow. At least we agree on half of that.

“Katya? Oh God… Finally… God…Am I…God, please…am I finally dead?”

(Sometimes you really just don’t need a lot of words to make a great issue; the Kitty and Colossus scene at the end is case in point).

Rating:

4 of 5 – great issue!

Main Credits (as listed in the issue)

Writer- Joss Whedon
Artist - John Cassaday
Colorist - Laura Martin
Letterer - Chris Eliopoulous
Assistant Editors - Stephanie Moore & Cory Sedlmeier
Editor - Mike Marts
Editor in Chief - Joe Quesada
Publisher - Dan Buckley

Published September, 2004