WEAPON X: THE DRAFT #.5, 1-5 (2002)

I do not like this one bit. Starting with a Wizard “half-isse” tie-in, these issues establish the new Weapon X program, introducing a predictably evil Director and showing how they recruited key members and then subdued them through pretty unimaginative bullying.

Sauron should never be portrayed like that. He’s supposed to be a major threat.

“The Draft” never appears as part of the titles of these four connected one-shots, but that’s what everyone calls them. It makes sense. Each issue has the program “drafting” (really conscripting) new members like Aurora from Alpha Flight, whose mind is wiped but…

…she still won’t date Wild Child. Yes, that is Wild Child. He’s clearly gone through some changes. Marrow does, too–Director Colcord reshapes his recruits and tortures them into submission. We, the readers, are forced to watch several torture sessions but I for one refuse to submit. These are bad comics.

We’re introduced to Rapture, who is pitted against Kane since they both shoot a lot.

She actually kicks Kane’s ass and is not recruited.

This is very tiresome stuff that belonged in the 1990s–after all, it relies heavily on a bunch of ’90s style characters (Kane, Marrow, Maverick, Agent Zero, etc.) 2000s Marvel is supposed to be better than this.

This series is the prequel to a Weapon X series. I hope it is better than this.

DEFENDERS #11 (2002)

I don’t get why people don’t talk about how much fun this series was, but they don’t. I’ve liked it so far…But with this issue, we start rushing toward cancellation….