Review: X-men Legacy #14

X-men Legacy #14

If there’s one thing you come to expect from this series is a twist. David Haller always seems to think and stay one step ahead even when it appears otherwise. All in all, I’ve liked the series. Can’t say it gives me that thrill factor, but it doesn't quite disappoint and this issue, part two of the “Hope and Glory” arc, was as good as I’ve come to expect. This issue wasn't the best run,but I’m not so sure it was that terrible either. I won't get into too much detail but...

RECAP

The issue kicks off where we left off in issue 13, Peter Wisdom seemed to have killed David and Blindfold goes apeshit on him. He’s barely able to tell her that it would appear Haller still has them both caught up in a psychic projection and not of what happen was real; they’re still in Peter’s Mind.

Wisdom begins to cut his way through scene after unpleasant scene of mental projections as it becomes evident that what’s happening is a stalling tactic by David while he carries out (what he’s fooled Wisdom into believing) rather devious acts of terrorism with the help of his fellow British mutants in an effort to “wipe mutophobic Britain off the map”.

Eventually Wisdom and Blindfold end up in Haller’s mind where, after a threat to call David’s mother, David finally releases Wisdom from his mental Captivity.

In the customary weird twist of events, Haller manages to use Wisdom to save the life of mutant oppressing President (or something like that) of Aquiria from assassination by one of his marginalized citizens. Turns out after all that all of Haller’s plans were in fact to improve mutant/human relations and thereby put an end to mutophobic Britain.

In the end, Wisdom is still not impressed or pleased with David’s actions and arrests him anyway for obstructing him,Wisdom, in the course of his duty (or something like that).

WHAT I LIKED ?

Blindfold going apeshit. I really like how, in this series, Blindfold’s power and powerset seems to have been increased and diversified from what we are typically used to (I always though of her as having limited short range telepathy). But even from the beginning of this incarnation of the series we were told that her initial powerset was vast but her brother stole most of it. So far we see less of her creepy divination and more of her other psychic abilities.

A lot happens in this story, which is both a plus and a minus,oddly. When there’s tons going on but without good reason, sometimes I take it as a waste of page (like Wisdom going through all those mental projections while trapped in his mind just as a stalling tactic).Usually its the end result that might be redeeming in a situation like this and it sorta was. There was a lot of interesting visuals and action. And it did end up bringing the story along considerably, wrapping up and resolving David’s plans while putting him in the new situation of being locked up.

This title in general has been a breather from everything else going on in the mainstream. I tend to be attracted to these stories as often I’m not a fan of crossovers and events (though I do get caught up in them like the rest of us). Both this current X-men legacy and its previous incarnation (to some extent) as well as X-factor are the comics I look to for this “other” feel. I tend to prefer stories which include B,C,and D-list characters because then the stories feel less sensationalist and more rooted in character development and intriguing plotlines (but that’s for another article).

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE ?

Didn't get to see much of Brits mutants in the story. talk about a brief cameo? And the plot wrapped up a little too quickly.

I’m not a fan of the art.

Even though the end was a “twist” … I can't say it wasn’t expected. The mystery of it all was what really carried the story and Wisdom’s narration being none the wiser of Haller’s plot.

I give it a 6.5