UXP # 98: "Changing of the X-Guard # 3: The Search for Cyclops"

X-Men: The Search for Cyclops # 1-4, Uncanny X-Men # 391

Just a quick note: my apologies on the lateness of this entry. I’ve been sidetracked by not only my huge “Civil War” review, but also just real life stuff. However, everything is now in order and we’ll have up-dates on a more regular basis.

Down to business.

“The Search for Cyclops” is simply that. Scott is running around Egypt all amnesic and is eventually taken in by a cat-like Mutant named Anais. She tries to lead Scott to Akkaba, which was the birthplace of Apocalypse (remember?). Meanwhile, Gauntlet has been secretly hired by Blaquesmith to assassinate Scott, as he holds Apocalypse’s essence within him. Finally, Ozymadias point Cable and Phoenix in Scott’s general direction. Along the way, everyone bumps into Caliban who is released from service.

Everyone converges on Akkaba, where Apocalypse gets freed. A battle ensues and in the end, Phoenix separates Scott from Apocalypse and Cable kills whatever is left of Apocalypse with a firm poke from his psismiter. Yay!

Before returning home, Scott spends a weekend with his Dad, Corsair. It’s rather emotional.

I’m a little mixed on this story. While it nicely undoes the events of “The Twelve,” it also stands on its own merits. Cable gets some nice development. Jean gets some nice development. Scott, er, comes back and eventually gets some nice development.

Tom Raney’s art is beautiful and is coupled with some fantastic colors here. Joe Harris brings us a decent story.

But ultimately, I found it was lacking a certain something. It works good, it reads well. But it really lacks the kind of energy and scale a story like this should have. Things wrap up too nicely and there are too many questions. How did Scott end up in Egypt as an amnesic? Why didn’t Cerebro pick him up earlier? Where’s the Living Monolith?

In addition to all this, the story itself lacks a certain amount of dramatic weight. Anyone how picks up this mini-series knows that in the end, Cyclops will be back and alive and have Scott Lobdell writing him again before he gets shipped off to Grant Morrison. If there’s one thing that ultimately damns this story, it’s that. You know just how it’s going to end. Maybe not the details, but you’re pretty much assured from the moment you look at the title it’s a sure-win.

Despite all this though, it’s a decent read and while it doesn’t quite make up for the ending of “The Twelve,” it brings a nice story to the table.

~W~