 X-Statix #19-20 – The Cure (2004)
Engaging two-part tale in which X-Statix member Myles Alfred ("The Vivisector") takes a potion that removes his mutant qualities – well, his lycanthropy, anyway, not his homosexuality. The writing has fun playing the two "mutations" off each other as a means of exploring what it is to be "normal" … finally reaching the conclusion that you should be what you are, whatever that may be. It's a clear water-treader between the convoluted but frequently hilarious sprawl of "Back From the Dead" and the promising showdown of "X-Statix vs. The Avengers" (which is rumored to be the last hurrah for X-Statix, sadly). #20 is drawn by Nick Dragotta, whose style is totally different from Mike Allred's (whose stuff I much prefer). It's a bit jarring, but not bad – instead of looking like a hipster parody of classic-era Avengers, the book suddenly looks like an anarchist savaging of Archie. I wonder how many gay kids actually read comics … certainly comics writers are trying extra-hard to make stories gay-friendly these days. Not like back in my day, when gayness in comics was deeply closeted, with clues intiimated only in the most subtle ways, like having a grown man "adopt" a teenage boy and encouraging him to join him in donning brightly colored skin-tight costumes and going out to beat the crap out of straight people. I am referring to the long-forgotten DC title Pansy Ass & Pantywaist.
Review by La Fée |