Didn't see a review on this yet so I thought I'd make the maiden voyage and write my first review on CBR:
Summary: Psylocke narrates as the issue starts with Rachel, Monet and Psylocke descending down the cavern to rescue Storm. Nefarious cavern creatures soon attack the X-trio and the situation goes quickly out of control as the team gets separated. During the fight, Psylocke is wounded from an attack. We stay in Betsy's head through it all, as she throws up a psychic barrier against the monster hoard, and Rachel gives a nice assist in boosting the barrier's protective strength. Psylocke's wound is bad and she makes the call to shut down her down pain receptors. Rachel advises against it, but Betsy does it anyways, for the sake of battle. The team fights their way deeper into the cavern only to discover that Rachel was right, because Psylocke's injuries are worse than she thought. Just then an even bigger cave monster appears and attacks the team.
A little focus to Jubilee and Beast at the JGS as they try to solve the Krakoa vomit mystery, and Jubilee leaves the scene to follow a lead. Meanwhile, Storm struggles to keep her shit together and pull herself free, but doesn't have much luck. Back with with X-trio, we see the team planning a coordinated strike on the giant cave monster. Rachel makes telepathic contact with the monster and gets more insight on the mystery from above while Psylocke discovers some buried Kree armor from below, linking the mutated cave monsters to Kree experiments. After a moment's reprieve from fighting, Monet is enraged and goes to make a mysterious phone call in the cavern above, and that's where the story pretty much leaves off.
Review:
I'm new to G.W.W's writing, but I enjoyed it. I like the character voices (for once). The writer's spinning an interesting yarn, grounded in realistic settings, incorporating some Marvel mythology, and giving us poignant character moments. I like how she's going to tell this story through the characters, by chapters. It's refreshing to see a writer pay attention to character history and cannon. For example, I appreciated the use of Psylocke and Rachel teaming up on that teke shield, like they've done in the past. Through G.W.W's writing, I'm intrigued about the level of psychic specialties each of the telepaths have. We see M rely on Rachel for stuff like mind control; and Psylocke compares her defenses against certain psychic attacks, to Rachel's (and Jean's) defenses. Betsy seems to be a teke powerhouse, while Rachel's more well rounded (although she seems to reserve her teke attacks more for defensive uses) It's always been kind of nebulous how far M's pschic abilities go. They seem formidable, but she seems to like to rely more on her flight and super strength. Maybe she lends teke to her punches? Are psychics like artists, where not all artists have the same skill sets, because some artists are painters, and others are sculptors, or photographers, etc?
Psylocke's chapter was great because her narration showed her vulnerability as well as strength of resolve. The art wasn't bad, I could see some good forms there, but the inking seemed rushed. I don't think the inker is doing the artist any justice. Overall, I thought this was a solid issue. I wish G.W.W. could write these characters longer. This story might be self contained, but it's a good one. (Aside from the Gambit thing in the last ish...which was just random.) I like this book. I'm rooting for it to succeed.
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