Marvel Comics
X-Men #201
By Herve St-Louis
September 12, 2007 - 23:47

Marvel Comics
Writer(s): Mike Carey
Penciller(s): Humbertos Ramos, Scott Eaton
Inker(s): Carlos Cuevas, Andrew Hennessy



XMEN201.jpg
Emma Frost allows Cannonball to escape the attack of the Marauders while sacrificing herself and the other X-Men. Barely escaping with Iceman’s body, Cannonball tries to understand what the plot was about and why Mystique has betrayed the X-Men. But worse, Xavier’s school is attacked and only Colossus and Kitty Pryde can counter the attack against the student. But it appears that their presence will not help at all.

The roller coaster ride that is the X-Men is back in full force in this issue as the reader, much like Cannonball is taken by surprise and tries to make sense of everything. Although Emma Frost uploaded all the intelligence she had on the Marauders and their motives, to Cannonball, Carey hides those details from readers, making them ache for more.

The problem with this story is that I can’t believe that this is the end of the X-Men or even that Rogue is permanently hurt. You just know they will all spring back into action in a few months. Given the two other major plot points surrounding Rogue, it would have been more interesting to see where they would leave, before jumping on something completely different again so quickly. At this point, Rogue seems like the X-Men’s punching bag, and there is so much that can be done to a character in such a limited amount of time, before it becomes unbelievable.

If Carey can concentrate on all his major plot points and bring them to a conclusion, perhaps this roller coaster approach to writing will have been beneficial. If not, the casual reader that I am, and many more may just put this series on hold, while it reassembles itself.

I still don’t like Ramos, work at all. His characters continue to have mouths opened way past their normal limits and they continue to look like prepubescent kids, instead of adults. The one good point is that Ramos’ hectic energy is a perfect match for Carey’s over the top story.

I prefer Eaton’s work in the Endangered Species back story featuring the beast. I especially like his rendering of the Dark Beast.


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