Deep in Siberia, something is hunting the mutant subjects in a holding facility. Is it Omega Red? It’s Omega Red. It’s Weapon X #17. Is it good?
The Skinny
With OG Wolverine on his way back, it’s time for Old Man Logan to step aside as team leader — so Sabretooth can take charge?! He’s got the skills! But not the temperament? Maybe Warpath can keep him in line. That shouldn’t be a problem.
Unsurprisingly, Victor is playing multiple sides of the field. Good chance to pair off with Deathstrike for some below-board activities. As opposed to the strictly professional make-out session from the others. No wonder Omega Red’s losing his marbles! It’s rude to do that in someone else’s house!
The Lowdown
Omega Red’s getting a lot of play these days, though his characterization in Weapon X #17 is a little odd. You’d think psychopathic Russian super soldier (as described in some artful exposition from OML) would be enough of a hook, but now he’s hearing voices, too.
And it’s not just the little mutants in the prison, though they have some great voices of their own. Greg Pak has an uncommon ability to make you care about brand new characters in a remarkably short period of time; here it only takes about a page. Plots are tirelessly advanced under his direction, too, whatever the situation.
The dialogue in Weapon X #17 … leaves something to be desired, though. As always, Pak effectively creates distinct voices for each character, but there sure is a lot of 5th grade humor in here. Giving each character a varied speech pattern sounds good on paper, but it can veer into cliché if not employed carefully, Omega Red’s halted Russian-speak being a prime example.
As for the art … well, I never wanna hear anyone complain about Greg Land ever again. He traces, he swipes, blah, blah, at least he produces stuff that’s aesthetically pleasing, and it’s clear he’s worked hard in recent years to address the “static” complaints his art’s previously been saddled with. Even though he’s not on Weapon X anymore, maybe he can give #17’s artist, Yildiray Cinar, some pointers. His figures are seriously immobile here, with strangely oblate heads that look like they were carved for a MODOK Mt. Rushmore.
Frank D’Armata’s colors don’t help the cause, either, strangely enough. He’s usually a solid hand, but in Weapon X #17, his work seems faded and fuzzy. One panel meant to contrast light and dark, in particular, makes Omega Red’s metal coils look more like glowing worms.
The Upshot
Weapon X #17 is a standard, solid effort from Greg Pak that’s dragged down by poor art all the way around. Pak establishes his characters while faltering with dialogue, and the complete package isn’t enticing enough to bring this issue anywhere above average. Cliffhangers are there and future developments are foreshadowed, but its hard to invest too much in them.
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