Reviewer: Daron Kappauff
Story Title: GOD LOVES, MAN KILLS II Part 2
Written by: Chris Claremont
Penciled by: Igor Kordey
Inked by: Scott Hanna
Colored by: Liquid!
Lettered by: Tom Orzechowski
Editor: Mike Raicht
Publisher: Marvel Comics
So here we are with the second installment of the God Loves, Man Kills II storyline, and we seem to have gotten more setup here than in the actual setup issue last month. Setup issues don’t normally bother me too much but I’m afraid we’re going to get too much of it here and not enough follow through. Last issue we had a nice intro to this story. It told who the players were going to be and a basic idea of what was going to happen. This month we got very little more. We got a bit of info as to what Stryker’s actual plan includes (and by little I do mean little), followed by a mostly wasted battle between the X-Men and a cadre of technologically advanced mercenaries. That’s pretty much it. I figured coming out of the first issue of the story this one would have some plot twists or something, and I guess some would argue that there was one or two…but nothing to write home about, or even to write here about.
Um…is this the same artist that did last issue? In the most plain and basic way I can say it, I was very disappointed in the art this month. I was a little leery when I heard Igor Kordey was coming on the book, I wasn’t a big fan of his stuff on New X-Men, but issue #25 was actually pretty good. I was more than surprised how much I liked the art last month. So what happened? Now, the art isn’t terrible, I’ve definitely seen worse, but it’s not that great either; and definitely not up to snuff for an X-Title…especially one that used to be helmed by the great Salvador Larocca. The best way I can describe the art this month is to say it was bland. And what’s up with Bishops energy blasts? I can’t even explain the scene, except to say that it looks like he’s shooting energy out of his armpits?!? I don’t get it, you’ll have to see it, but everything about this panel looks off.
There are a few interesting moments with the captured Kitty Pryde that I did like, seeing as they were the only ones that really advanced the story at all. Though as a friend pointed out, it seems as though instead of writing a sequel to the original story, Claremont is instead writing X2 the way he would have liked it done. Instead of using Xavier as his mole to wipe out mutant kind, Claremont has Stryker using Kitty. As I said I am interested to see where he takes this, but I really hope I’m wrong and that this won’t be a retelling of X2 the Claremont way.
Is issue #26 worth picking up? A good question indeed. If you’re an X-fan and or are already reading this series or storyline I’d say yes, just so you get the whole story. If you’re one of those waiting to see how the whole thing pans out, I’d keep waiting. Part 1 was excellent, and I loved every second of it. Part 2 was boring, melodramatic and very poorly drawn. Here’s hoping that Part 3 can get things going once again…
