Weapon X #2 (Age of Apocalypse Part 17)

Age of Apocalypse  Part 17

Weapon X  #2

Written by Larry Hama

Art by Adam Kubert

Inks by Dan Green

Colors by Joe Rosas

Lettered by Pat Brosseau

Open with:

Weapon X on a crowded beach shouting for Jean amongst a plethora of North American refugees seeking asylum. He searches for her out of worry because his psychic connection has been momentarily reduced and he is afraid that she has left him or worse yet hurt.

  He manages to find her and feels relief as she is assisting refugees to safety further up the beach.  The two discuss their situation and Jean tells him that she doesn’t agree with the assault  the humans have planned for North america, which we learned about last issue.  

Meanwhile:   

What looks like paramilitary TSA body scanners  are being used to check for mutants and weapons among the incoming refugees. Of course one goes off to reveal two characters that hitched a ride from Amazing X-men issue #2.  Box and Copycat.

The two attack the guards, which seems to be a distraction for  a completely different group of people to sneak past the scanners.  The attack is witnessed by Jean, and this sets off  her mind of her fear of the  slave pits she lived in. So she asks Logan to help stop the two assailants that are attacking the human guards.


                         

Weapon X makes short work of them and uses the attack to reiterate his point that they need to end “them” before they end us; thus showing further support  with the overall plan to attack Apocalypse in America. Weapon X then walks off to let Jean think about their situation.

                       

Later:

Weapon X shows up at the Human High Council and is met by Mariko. She speaks with him in private to voice her concerns about finding another way to resolve the fighting between the humans and mutants. She too doesn’t want the humans to use the “doomsday” weapon on the mutants in North America.  While she expresses her concerns about her fellow members of the high council she also plays on their old connection to Japan and some history they have together through her father prior to the rise of Apocalypse.
                     

Just then one of the Zeppelins has an explosion on the flight deck.  Mariko tells Weapon X that it is the one that contains the guidance system for the doomsday device and that if it isn’t saved then the plans for the human resistance will go up in smoke. Therefore Weapon X jumps out of the high council airship and manages to land on top of the inflamed zeppelin.

Meanwhile Inside the Zeppelin control room:

The three humans from the refugee beach at the beginning of this issue have taken control of the ship. They also look a little different from before as there cyber enhancements are fully activated.  As they prepare to set off another explosive device to finish the destruction of the guidance system, a well burned Weapon X falls into the control room.  

                          

Pierce, the main enhanced human leading the group orders the other two to attack Weapon X.  Of course our hero makes short work of them by cutting them down as they charge him.  Pierce sees that there is no hope of fleeing to saftey and sets of his detonator and blows up the airship.

The ship falls out of the sky to a firey pile in the middle of rural England.  A lone, burnt survivor walks out of the wreckage, Weapon X.  As Weapon X stubbles out of the pyre, his mind catches a flash of Jean as their Psi-link calls to him to say goodbye.

Cut To:

An airstrip near Cornwall, Jean prepares a plane to fly back to the former USA.  Weapon X speeds along the runway on his borrowed motorcycle and leaps onto the moving plane .  He attempts to stop her, but Jean surprises him by giving him a last kiss goodbye. Then she exposes her neck to him and tells him to make it quick.  Weapon X can’t kill the woman he loves, so he bails off the plane and lets her fly off into the sunset.  The issue ends with a promise of Wundagore as the next issue.  

THOUGHTS ON THE STORY:

Larry Hama is probably one of the most prolific Wolverine writers in the 90’s. Not only did he write for Age of Apocalypse but he also had a long run on the Main Wolverine title for several years.  Larry spent some time in the military and was brought that knowledge to the characters story.  He developed Wolverines relationship with Mariko, had him fight the hand as well as delve into his past with Team X. Larry brought the same style into the Weapon X storyline.  In this second issue he tells a tale of betrayal, sabotage, and love lost.  Managing to connect an over arching story from two other titles as well as give us some hidden exposition on some of the characters past. LIke Mariko and Logan's connection as well as his and Jeans history.

ART:    

Adam Kubert really brings his A game to this book.  Not only has he helped create and Alternate look to Logan aka Weapon X; but he as also created some great rendering of the battlescapes, and overall look to the world that is the Age of Apocalypse.  His style like his fathers has a flourish that goes with the name Kubert.  Adam’s work on this book flows well with the story, there are several full page shots that look wonderful, there is a visceral feeling on the first double splash page as refugees are being unloaded from damaged Sentinels. Dan Green’s Inks really show of the detail work that Adam’s work brings to the book.

Score  8.0 out of 10