X-23 #6 Recap and Discussion (SPOILERS)

[Ambaryerno]

The issue begins, as is usual, with the preview as Laura and Gabby infiltrate a high school in search of illegal trafficking of genetic material. Gabby poses as a student, with Laura going hardcore drill instructor as the gym teacher.

Gabby quickly deduces that "FSC" refers to the science club, rather than the teacher she'd been trailing, and Laura breaks into the science lab to investigate further. Gabby looks for the club members themselves, and runs into her new High School nemesis, who not only knows who Gabby REALLY is, but has constructed a fully-functional killbot...which fires pink globs of sticky gunk. Apparently, our precocious high schooler has decided genetic research is where all the money is. Gabby gets globbed for capture, but Laura intervenes and puts down the robot. Suki attempts to flee, but Gabby — having worked free — stops her.

With the mission completed, Laura and Gabby gladly leave the school behind them.

----

X-23 #6 follows the general pattern of All-New Wolverine with a breather between heavy arcs. There's no heavy characterization here, just a bit of light over the top antics.

I do find the issue somewhat of a let down because it doesn't REALLY delve into the idea of Laura as a teacher, or Gabby as a regular ordinary high school student, which is a real shame. Watching Laura have to endure staff meetings, or Gabby just interacting with kids her own age is a touch of normalcy we don't really get in cape books, so could have made for a nice change of pace. I especially would have liked to see Gabby decide she actually enjoyed the experience to give the issue some sort of lasting weight.

The twist that Suki was the one REALLY behind everything was pretty obvious, though I felt fell a little flat without any real development or buildup. I honestly thought this issue could have stood to have at least a second part, especially with Tamaki's decompressed style. Overall this was a VERY fast read.

The art wasn't bad, but I REALLY missed seeing what Cabal could have done with the absurdity of the story.

[Digifiend]

How the hell did a teenage girl manage to find out Gabby's true identity? It's one thing figuring out that Roberta was really Gabby Kinney, but how did she know about the X23-4GAB thing? I don't think this was one and done. Will probably be followed up on after the next arc. Were Suki's parents working for Alchemax or something?

[Dizzystarr]

Figures they'd kill sabretooth again now that his arch nemesis Wolverine is back amongst the living. Nobody believes he's trying to be a hero except some preppy tart they saddle him with no chemistry between the two other than a few lines of banter. uhg can the poor guy ever catch a break

[The Big G]

This almost kinda felt like a waste of time. And it felt more Gabby than Laura....


At least we have gotten a smidge of self reflection from Laura about her history with "schools"

[Fokken]

Based on this thread.... I might skip the ish entirely.

[Havok83]

This was such filler. Weakest moment of the series but I guess they needed some down time after that high stakes first arc

This almost kinda felt like a waste of time. And it felt more Gabby than Laura....


At least we have gotten a smidge of self reflection from Laura about her history with "schools"

It was. When reading, it felt like a prototype for a Gabby led solo

[Ambaryerno]

Figures they'd kill sabretooth again now that his arch nemesis Wolverine is back amongst the living. Nobody believes he's trying to be a hero except some preppy tart they saddle him with no chemistry between the two other than a few lines of banter. uhg can the poor guy ever catch a break

I think you're in the wrong thread.

[Cyyyke]

Not what I’ve been expecting and ended too quickly...

[Dthirds3]

Well gabby has a arch nemesis. This could have been longer. The opening arc should have been 4 issues, and this being 2.

Side note I think coping Taylor's style isn't something that should continue for long. It was nice to let us known it's a continuation of ANW, but tamaki really should try more to separate her from Taylor's style. She was good with handling she-hulks mental state and expanding on Laura's mental state/health is something i want to see.

[spirit2011]

just a one off for the trade

[lucius121]

Seems like a very Gabby focused issue so I'll skip it.

[healed1337]

This issue was kind of fun, but it feels like it's trying too hard to be like the Squirrel Girl issue (7) or the Gabby/Deadpool issue (31) from All-New Wolverine. It's mildly entertaining, but the silly fun comic doesn't seem to be Mariko's specialty. It feels like they could have gone a lot further with Laura and Gabby's cover within the school. And we've even got something to compare it to, with Laura's first visit to a school in Target X. A lot more was done with that in much less panel space.

[Ambaryerno]

This issue was kind of fun, but it feels like it's trying too hard to be like the Squirrel Girl issue (7) or the Gabby/Deadpool issue (31) from All-New Wolverine. It's mildly entertaining, but the silly fun comic doesn't seem to be Mariko's specialty. It feels like they could have gone a lot further with Laura and Gabby's cover within the school. And we've even got something to compare it to, with Laura's first visit to a school in Target X. A lot more was done with that in much less panel space.

I think part of that is how storytelling has changed even within the last 10 years. It's just become so decompressed.

But I agree with your assessment: It was fun enough, but it just didn't give the situation Laura and Gabby were in enough time to explore it in depth.

Personally, I don't have a problem with it being a Gabby-focused breather. Having a bit of a rest between heavy arcs is a good thing. Just give the lighter stories their due in terms of exploration.

[Luckystar.]

Sigh. Laura needs a break from Gabby asap.
I miss Kyost's X-23.

[Huntsman Spider]

Sigh. Laura needs a break from Gabby asap.
I miss Kyost's X-23.

Laura could always have Spider-Man (and Mary Jane, since they're back together now) babysit Gabby for her. I mention that chiefly because Tom Taylor, who created/introduced Gabby, is going to be writing Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man when the new year starts.