Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

X-Men Legacy #217
Marvel Comics
Carey, Eaton, Hennessy & Keith

Part two of original sin delivers a very good story. While I wasn’t a fan of the opening to this arc for a variety of reasons I found this chapter to have enough moving parts that I was intrigued. Also, the plot has multiple layers to it that makes this more than just a story about Xavier, Wolverine and Daken. I’m still hesitant about the crossover in general, but this issue left me encouraged that the story will be more than I had expected.

The issue begins with what has become a signature of this title: Xavier being taken to school by one his former students. Wolverine forces Xavier into his mind for a trip down the uncomfortable lane of Xavier’s manipulation, all those years ago, of the new X-Men, Wolverine. I am really enjoying the segments of these comics that pull out the X-Men lore in the context of showing how Xavier wasn’t always the nice guy.

Next up is Shaw, Lady Sinister and Daken hanging out together. Shaw isn’t showing his hand yet, but it’s clear to Daken that he’s being used to some degree. I found some of the Daken scenes to be a little odd that he really doesn’t seem to stress about not being around Wolverine anymore. I mean, wouldn’t he sort of be concerned that he was following around this guy who seems to be missing?

The final piece to this issue has Xavier and Wolverine investigating the Hellfire Club. Wolverine is looking for Daken and finds something he wasn’t expecting. It seems this issue has some deceit in its plot and some surprises for the next couple of issues.

The issue is good. I liked the twisting that Sinister and Shaw do to Daken and then the twisting that Shaw does to the overall plot. I also liked the little details stuffed into the plot that make this more difficult to see where this story is really going. I’m starting to think that Daken isn’t going to come out of this a good guy, which was my initial assumption coming into this arc.

Obviously I enjoyed the mind games played out in the beginning and this is actually where I enjoyed the art the most. I felt the story that was presented visually had a strong sense of the pain Xavier is feeling in the present as well as the pain Wolverine was showing in the past. It was a good storytelling tactic to juxtapose the present and past in that manner.

Overall it’s an interesting arc and good issue within it. It isn’t just a Wolverine goes berserk type story. Also, Daken isn’t shaping up to just be another Wolverine who is younger and has a different haircut. The story has meat to its plot and is using an interesting cast of villains with varying motives. This comic is worth picking up if you like some old school X villains and a Wolverine Xavier team up.

4 out of 5 geek goggles