Astonishing X-Men (2004) #49: This Is A Risky Life

The fight at the start (highlighted in the Dustin Weaver & Rachelle Rosenberg’s cover) is a pretty good old-fashioned one, with the X-Men facing the Marauders. Artist Mike Perkins gets greatly action-ish in it, and it gives us some characterization of most of our new team. But when the issue really shines is in the aftermath, when Kyle and Jean Paul are having a very sentimental conversation about the risks of dating a mutant, and it’s shown how both sides of this relationship manage it.

Liu is incredible at highlighting the vulnerable in our characters, and in recognizing the stakes at play when you date while being in constant danger for who you are, and how that experience deeply affects both you and your partner. The fact that she does that with two queer characters, with a focus on their different experiences and approaches, makes it even more compelling. The expressions on our characters’ faces, from the disappointment, self-blame and conflict to their final tenderness are worth the whole issue.

As a compelling plus, we see that characters taking care of each other is normalized and expected, like Cecilia and Remy lending a helping hand to Xi’an and asking for her health after a difficult psychic experience. The looks on their faces help this tenderness be even more real, and it’s in those scenes where this issue excels.

However, it is not without it flaws. The first battle is filled has some narrative cliches and some characters are there only for a couple of jokes that don’t give much on their personality, like Vanisher. But it’s for a good purpose since the issue sets up that even the villains here are mind controlled (and puts the focus on them as victims, like Karma does with Chimera). At the very end, we get to see who is behind it and the danger it poses to Karma and our team’s future.