X-Men: Nation X TPB (part 2)

Uncanny X-Men 518-522

The second stories aren't quite as strong as the first. An aspect of the Void (the Sentry's evil persona) has been hanging out in the White Queen's head since she fought the Dark Avengers, and Cyclops finally figures it's time to take care of it. Professor X and Psylocke help Cyclops venture into Emma's head, where weird,crystal versions are running around protecting the Void's influence. Things turn around a bit when the Void hides in Cyclops instead, but that just leads to more psychic battles with ill-defined rules. I'm never a huge fan of mind battles, so I sort of lost interest when this went on too long.

While I love Terry Dodson's art, the subject matter is a bit plain. The story spends a lot of time in Emma's brain with a plain, white background .

Greg Land returns for the conclusion of the X-Predators arc, and the story picks up when the story gets less cerebral. Cyclops sends a small strike team out to NYC to take out the X-Predator's creators. The strike team consists of Wolverine, Colossus, and Psylocke. While they are backed up by Fantomex when they get there, with so many X-Men hanging around Nation X, surely the team could have spared a few more members.

The politics on the island continue to degrade for the top of the X-pecking order when the Beast leaves. I love how Fraction played the scene, with Beast and Cyclops' split played out silently in the distance. When the Beast walks away, Cyclops returns to the team and just asks "What's next?" That guy really is an expert at repressing his emotions.

The last story features Magneto trying to prove his worth to the team by bringing back Kitty Pride from her space-bullet-exile. He succeeds, but it seems Kitty is stuck phasing, much like she was after the Mutant Massacre. What a bummer for she and Colossus!

Fraction is weaving a long story here, and he's really turning the X-Men into his own toybox. He writes reasonable, powerful personalities. He's got a great handle on X-Men old and new; I just wish Cyclops was a tad less of a jerk!

Good