Comic Reviews: Cyclops #9

Cyclops #9 by (w) John Layman and (a) Javier Garron (c) Chris Sotomayor

I usually try to write spoiler-free reviews. For this issue, however, I don’t feel like there’s any big “BAH GAWD!” moment at the end, so I will say this now…

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

Now, with that out of the way… I can usually see part of myself in Cyclops. That’s what draws me to his character. He thinks his actions out carefully, but does not over-think. He is ridiculously efficient in both tactics and combat. There is no wasted energy. This efficiency is something I aspire to. I need to be very intentional about how I spend me free time. Yes, sometimes that means drinking a beer and playing board games with friends, and sometimes that means writing comic book reviews after a long day’s work, but sometimes that can be putting off those things to spend time with my wife or kids. I am pulled in many directions, so being efficient with my time and staying focused on my goals is something I strive for. And usually, Cyclops does as well, but at the end of this issue, after Corsair escapes we see Scott conflicted as he wants to go back to his ship to warn the crew of the oncoming Shi’ar soldiers. Let me elaborate for those of you unfamiliar with the story up ‘til now. Cyclops and his space pirate father, Corsair, were attacked by another group of space pirates. Corsair was taken prisoner, while Scott was merely recruited as a new member of their gang (them not knowing that he was Corsair’s son). So, Scott played along, keeping his father safe while masquerading as a member of this crew. The Captain’s daughter, Vileena, REALLY started coming on strong to Scott. Every time we see Vileena trying to be romantic with Scott, he finds an excuse to get away. For one, he is scared of her father, the captain who imprisoned his father. Two, he mentions that there might be somebody else… Jean.

So let’s go back to him running away from the enemy pirate ship with his father. They have their escape at hand. It’s not even a matter of “can they escape?” anymore. They are running away from the ship on an alien planet totally undetected. They are escaping. And Scott tells his dad to keep going, and that he needs to get back to warn the others of the oncoming Shi’ar squadron. Then we get this awkward moment:

Usually, I am right there with Cyclops’s character. “Always do the right thing.” “Think things through.” “Make a plan.” But here…. I’m like “What are you doing you moron!? RUN!”

He does take off running right behind his father, but the final panel is Scott with a very conflicted look on his face. So, next issue, he’s probably going to find a way to warn his ‘former’ crew even though he was only masquerading as a crewmember the whole time. (I stay away from reading ahead in the solicits for the most part. So this could be totally false.)

That complaint aside, it’s not like this is a bad comic by any means. It’s very good. I think the fact that Scott would feel conflicted here is a stretch, but he is a teenage boy. It’s not like he’s full of rational thought. I guess that’s the main problem… I can’t tell if the writing is a stretch, or if it’s supposed to show an indecisive teenager full of emotion. The art though, great. Very clean. Very crisp. Never confusing. Javier Garron doesn’t do this alone. Colorist Chris Sotomayor is just as responsible for making this look beautiful. For instance, take a look at these images.

And as an added bonus in this issue, (as with most Marvel comics released this week) we get a full 2-page ad for the upcoming Black Vortex event. The title calls it “Guardians of the Galaxy & X-Men, The Black Vortex” but I’m not excited for Guardians or X-Men in this event. I’m stoked for Cyclops and Nova. Both are great comics featuring young heroes trying to stand on their own. It will be fun to see how this event treats both of them.

Overall, Cyclops #9 gets 7.5 out of 10 optic blasts. Beautiful art and a good enough story to carry it. Hoping this issue sets up some excitement for next month before the Black Vortex takes over.