X-Men Gold #20

THE NEGATIVE ZONE WAR pt V

Ken Lashley cover... Too bad he can't do the rest of the book.

Written by Marc Guggenheim
Penciled by Diego Bernard
Cover by Ken Lashley
Published Jan 17, 2018

   After crash landing their ship, Storm finds herself stranded and alone fighting a monster. Ink dangles upside down before falling with a thud. He finds an impaled Nightcrawler and pulls him off a spike. In another section of the ship, Logan and Armor plan to find the others while Kitty phases a very injured Colossus through the sandstorm.

Don't worry. I can do this forever.

   Storm is at a disadvantage without her powers but is finally able to stab the beast with a convenient spear. Ink heals Kurt, and are later reacquainted with Armor and Logan. In the sand, Pete tells Kitty to leave him, passing out. The others look through the wreckage and Ink has an idea.

I have a plan.

   Back in the sand, Kitty has an emotional outburst at the possible death of Colossus when Storm walks up to her. Together they drag the very injured Russian to where Storm thinks the ship might be.

You didn't see me crying, did you?!

   Luckily in the engine room, the group finds a portal generator thanks to Kurt's extremely convenient Dartayan ship knowledge.. Ink senses nearby life and scrambles to help the three others into the ship. Now all Nightcrawler needs is some of Storm's lightning to fire up the portal generator. They literally cheerlead her for like 2 panels and she's able to make it happen.

"I can't do it."
"Yes you can!"
"Oh wait - I did it."

   The issue wraps with the crew back home and rebuilding the mansion. A completely healed Pete gives Kitty a hard time for not leaving him. She realizes she's never gonna leave him period and proposes as he looks down at her, stunned? Will he say yes? We'll have to wait to find out as this issue is left to be continued.

Remember 2 days ago when you were dead?

   This isn't a very good comic book and it frustrates me to no end. I can't figure out what the angle is supposed to be, and I'm beginning to think Marc Guggenheim thinks if he just packs non-stop action into a rather poorly drawn book, nobody will notice. Well... we do. With X-Men Red on the horizon, I'm bracing with this title to drop one more spot on the X-list. Guess there's only one way to find out. I give this one a 5/10.

Lucky it's a Five, to be honest.

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