"Unstoppable: Part Two"
Writer: Joss Whedon
Artists: John Cassaday, Laura Martin (colours)
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Astonishing X-Men is crawling towards a finale, and with this issue our heroes finally reach the Breakworld after escaping the attack on their S.W.O.R.D. spaceship from the end of last issue. There's not much more to the story of the issue than that, but Whedon manages to keep things interesting with some minor plot developments which look in on the Big Bad that the X-Men will be facing in the not-too-distant future, and with some enjoyable character moments which strengthen the personalities of his key players. I like that the dynamic of the group is changing slightly, with the official addition of Hisako to the team (there's a fun exchange between her and Wolverine about her chosen codename) and with the X-Men themselves feeling far more proactive and more in charge of the situation than in previous issues, thanks in part to the thinning out of S.W.O.R.D. agents which also serves to streamline the book's cast.
Cassaday's art is as consistent and impressive as ever, and his visuals really serve to add weight to some of the book's more significant moments: the crater that results from Colossus' planetfall, the smouldering, ashen heap that is Wolverine after entering the Breakworld's atmosphere, and the depiction of the book's final image (which is a neat mirror of the cover, but in an entirely different style) all show a perfect understanding of how Whedon wants to tell his story. Cassaday's grasp of visual humour is also particularly notable this issue, with the bait-and-switch of the opening escape shuttle launch and the unexpected surreality of Emma Frost's tea party both benefiting from his subtly comedic illustrations.
Of course, no discussion of Astonishing X-Men would be complete without a mention of the book's erratic scheduling. Having read Whedon and Cassaday's first twelve issues on the book in one sitting, I'm finding their second stint on the title less enjoyable as a result of the long wait between issues. As with other high-profile yet late books such as Ultimates, the overall quality of the book is still just about high enough to justify the delays, but I can only hope that the climax that Whedon has planned for the book is strong enough to justify the gradual-build storytelling that he has employed in the lead-up to his final issues, which has been exacerbated by the book's irregular shipping dates.
As a regular Astonishing X-Men reader, I feel this issue is more of the same - and with Joss Whedon and John Cassaday at the helm, that's not a particularly bad thing - but there is a nagging sense that the book is becoming a little too formulaic to really offer a fresh reading experience with every issue. Still, the potential is definitely there for Whedon to bring every element of his and Cassaday's run together over the next few issues, and a strong sense of anticipation has been built up for the team's finale. Transitional issues like this one will sit more easily once we have the full story in our hands, but for now we can appreciate it more for the touches of character detail, the finesse of the artwork, and the sparks of winning humour than for its place in the greater scheme of Whedon's final arc. Ultimately, however, this issue is more a series of moments than a strong story in its own right. The players have now been moved into the position that Whedon wants them for his big finish, the tension is mounting, and the final act of the story is ready to begin. I only hope it gets here soon.
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