Monday, January 5, 2015

Epic Beards of Review: The New Mutants #32 (Comic-a-Day #5)



The New Mutants #32 OCT 85 (w) Chris Claremont (a) Steve Leialoha

In a continuation of last issue, we've got a little flashback on our band of mutant teens as to how their friend (now enemy) Karma was presumed dead, but was actually missing. Professor X knew, but he doesn't count. Baldy always seems to hide things like this from his students. For their own good, my ass.

Leialoha's art really takes away from the issue here. The entire book feels rushed and there are very few panels that are given any kind of love. I count about a half-dozen panels, pages two and three that show the chaos of a building under destruction and a team in peril. I'm guessing that an eight member team is just a little much to handle.

The kids go on a "caper," a term bandied about as if they're gumshoes in the thirties. Partner comes up a lot, too. I'm surprised, especially after reading two great issues by Claremont.

The story revolves around their continued search for Karma, following her to the Pacific Island nation of Madripoor. There is a nice nod to Star Wars here, referring the place to Earth's version of Mos Eisley. Later on as we get to see Warlock's powers manifest as he takes on his teammate's forms, one of which is a debonair Muppet.

The New Mutants fall into yet another opportunity for Karma to use her telepathic powers, giving them over to fight each other, again. Magik has used her powers to retreat she and Mirage into Limbo to escape Karma's headgames. Against her wishes, Magik teleports 5000 miles to Cairo, but ends up heading back in time--Magik's powers don't work well over long distances. Here, however, they meet Storm's ancestor in the past, helping them teleport again, only to go too far into the future. They meet up with older New Mutants and they're hardened criminals, apparently from the effects of Karma's influence.

This is a three-issue search party. Let's hope they find her soon.

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