New Mutants #18 Review *spoilers*

[rcaguy]

That was my big problem with the last issue. You want to talk about body issues among mutants, great. Its a conversation that should have happened YEARS ago. But have it with Storm, or Emma, or any of the supermodel looking people. Not with Gabby!

And the Shadow King IS NOT A MUTANT! Its so bizarre that they're just letting him roam around and mess with people under some 'second chance' BS. He's literally a monster that possessed multiple people! That body is the body of the person he's just possessed the longest.

Why not Gabby? Being a clone and knowing she is,she's more of an outsider than whining crybabies like Anole ever will be.

[Sutekh]

That was my big problem with the last issue. You want to talk about body issues among mutants, great. Its a conversation that should have happened YEARS ago. But have it with Storm, or Emma, or any of the supermodel looking people. Not with Gabby!

Or with Marrow, a mutant who had a 'monstrous' appearance, and changed to a 'prettier' one, and comes from a Morlock culture that used to have Masque deliberately disfigure 'pretty' mutants *so that they couldn't be accepted anywhere else, and had to stay!*

There's some powerful stuff to unpack right there, particularly as how the 'accept yourself for how you look' meshes with what the Morlocks did, deliberately disfiguring people *so that they couldn't leave.*

[Devaishwarya]

That's not why some (not all, some were already disfigured by their powers) Morlocks allowed Masque to disfigure them. If I remember correctly it was done simply to "brand" them as belonging to the society/family of Morlocks, the only family that wanted them. It's not that they couldn't leave...Tommy did...they didn't want to.

Morlocks 01.jpg

[ericng]

So this Karma subplot which started in issue #14 and ends at #18 is finally resolved with Karma free of Tran.

Not sure what happened to Tran but he might be somewhere in the queue for resurrection later.

There are still some subplots hanging like Rahne's son so we hope that will be resolved soon.

Ayatal is dragging this too long. We have to go through a lot of senseless subplots like Hellfire Gala, kids etc.

[Kingdom X]

So this Karma subplot which started in issue #14 and ends at #18 is finally resolved with Karma free of Tran.

Not sure what happened to Tran but he might be somewhere in the queue for resurrection later.

There are still some subplots hanging like Rahne's son so we hope that will be resolved soon.

Ayatal is dragging this too long. We have to go through a lot of senseless subplots like Hellfire Gala, kids etc.

Dude it’s AYALA, I’ve seen people correct you before.

In what universe is 4 issues dragging a plot? I swear everyone on these boards praises Claremont for his long running plots that would sometimes takes years to come to fruition, but now after 4 issues a writer is taking too long to wrap things up.

[mugiwara]

Stupid Cosmar. Just ask to be part of a mission and have a "heroic death" by letting some anti-mutant shoot you in the face. Problem solved.

[Lady Midnight]

Perhaps Xavier is dragging his feet, or doesn't want to restore Tran?

[Krakoa]

That was my big problem with the last issue. You want to talk about body issues among mutants, great. Its a conversation that should have happened YEARS ago. But have it with Storm, or Emma, or any of the supermodel looking people. Not with Gabby!

And the Shadow King IS NOT A MUTANT! Its so bizarre that they're just letting him roam around and mess with people under some 'second chance' BS. He's literally a monster that possessed multiple people! That body is the body of the person he's just possessed the longest.

That's why I like that it's with Gabby -- she's not as non-human looking as the others, but she actually can understand the issues they're facing way more than someone like Emma could. She's a clone assassin with a big scar on her face.

[Frobisher]

I really liked Karma's realisation in the arena that it's not her responsibility to judge whether Tran deserves life or not. He should be given the same chance as everyone else in the clean slate of Krakoan society, and that society will judge him if he contravenes the law. It feels really healthy for her to set a sensible boundary on things and people she has previously felt personally responsible for, and finally allow the collective to shoulder the weight for her.

[rcaguy]

Or with Marrow, a mutant who had a 'monstrous' appearance, and changed to a 'prettier' one, and comes from a Morlock culture that used to have Masque deliberately disfigure 'pretty' mutants *so that they couldn't be accepted anywhere else, and had to stay!*

There's some powerful stuff to unpack right there, particularly as how the 'accept yourself for how you look' meshes with what the Morlocks did, deliberately disfiguring people *so that they couldn't leave.*

I shudder to think what the Morlocks would've done to someone like Anole,especially after he started running his mouth. You can pretty much bet it wouldn't have been pretty. Literally.

Marrow should've pulled the little punk aside by now and explained the Facts Of Life to him.

[Pallas]

Anyone notice this is starting to become a Dani solo lol

Well, sign me the fork up!

[rcaguy]

So this Karma subplot which started in issue #14 and ends at #18 is finally resolved with Karma free of Tran.

Not sure what happened to Tran but he might be somewhere in the queue for resurrection later.

There are still some subplots hanging like Rahne's son so we hope that will be resolved soon.

Ayatal is dragging this too long. We have to go through a lot of senseless subplots like Hellfire Gala, kids etc.

Tran is most likely in a medically induced coma somewhere being monitored. It's not like the guy just died or something.

[rf2044]

She did it for Karma. but she could at least say that Cosmar is right (and she is right) that she will see a wy to fix her face without her dying

My opinion only -- but Cosmar is entitled to seek to use the Crucible to transform her appearance, but Dani doesn't have any obligation to be involved. Cosmar being "right" [which is subjective] doesn't alter that fact. Especially because Cosmar's request necessitates Dani having to kill her. Frankly, I'm a little surprised that she went through with it with Karma.

However, the plot as presented is CLEARLY set up to create drama -- perhaps to even make Cosmar more susceptible to whatever machinations Farouk is planning. Otherwise, there's no other reason for Dani being asked by two separate people a mere three issues apart to partner with them in the Crucible ritual. The whole situation -- Dani turning Cosmar down, Dani not making time to deal with her bestie, Rahne's issues because she was preoccupied with helping Karma and heading off on a rescue mission to Otherworld, etc. were all designed to create tension amongst her peers. Heck, even not showing whether Tran was successfully resurrected was a plot device to make the next issue more dramatic.

It might have been more short-term satisfying to have Dani help Cosmar and have it turn out well, or have whatever Tran's outcome will be shown in the most recent issue, wrapping everything up in a nice, tidy bow. But that's not how comics arcs work. If everything worked out happily all the time, the stories would get boring fast.

As things currently stand, I'm really intrigued to see what happened with Tran, what the fallout will be with Cosmar from Dani / Xi'an's Crucible face-off, and what the big picture plan the Shadow King is pursuing will prove to be. Could be VERY interesting, given that the recent Claremont anniversary issue set Dani up as the eternal nemesis of Shadow King.

[Sutekh]

I'm still kind of hoping for Farouk and the Shadow King to turn out to be separate entities, and that Farouk isn't an actual bad guy with sinister intentions, he just *sucks* at not coming across as a creeper, after decades of possession by the Shadow King and having zero idea how to actually relate to people in a non-creepy way.

I think it'd be a riot for him to turn out to be genuinely trying to be a positive force, and make up for all the bad stuff done under the influence of the Shadow King, but be handicapped by both the stigma of his former role, and his own awkwardness in this new role. (Plus a hoot to not have the fat guy just automatically be the villain all the underwear models have to beat up.)

[Rang10]

I'm still kind of hoping for Farouk and the Shadow King to turn out to be separate entities, and that Farouk isn't an actual bad guy with sinister intentions, he just *sucks* at not coming across as a creeper, after decades of possession by the Shadow King and having zero idea how to actually relate to people in a non-creepy way.

I think it'd be a riot for him to turn out to be genuinely trying to be a positive force, and make up for all the bad stuff done under the influence of the Shadow King, but be handicapped by both the stigma of his former role, and his own awkwardness in this new role. (Plus a hoot to not have the fat guy just automatically be the villain all the underwear models have to beat up.)

Farouk and shadow king are separate entities.