The Good
Despite the cover implying a strong spotlight on Cable and Hope, this issue mostly focuses on bonding between the other teammates (Domino/Colossus and Forge/Doctor Nemesis). Truth be told, this is a good thing because the relationship between Forge and Nemesis is without question the most entertaining element of this book.
The two have an awesome friendly rivalry going on. What begins as a simple competition over a high score in a classic arcade game quickly turns into using their gifted brains to engage in a giant and completely ridiculous (but in a good way) battle . The competitive nature and banter here is pretty fun and they both easily have the most interesting personalities out of the roster. In fact, I'd be 100% cool with this book being re-titled to "SUPER FUN TIMES WITH DOCTOR NEMESIS AND FORGE."
There's a real sense of weight behind what they've been through so far. It's nice to see writer Dennis Hopeless hop into Colossus' mind and make us understand what this last mission really meant to him. It's a good to see the big dude getting some empathy instead of being reduced to an overly polite brute. It's clear Hopeless will continue to put the limelight on him, too.
As always, Salvador Larroca presents a fine looking book. The detail fluctuates a bit (the motel room, for example), but overall the pages bring the scenes to life. It's a solid looking set of pages with a nice emphasis on facial expressions -- which are obviously mandatory to help drive home the reactions.
The Bad
I was expecting a really powerful and emotionally driven scene between Cable and Hope -- especially after all they've been through. Unfortunately, that's not the case and it felt anti-climactic (particularly with such a great cover alluding to their scene). It essentially boils down to a girl wanting to be like her dad and said dad shunning the lifestyle. It's something we've seen so many times before and I was hoping for a little more impact behind their dynamic.
I don't know about you, but I felt like I needed some Purell after the scene with Domino and Colossus. Them deciding to "connect" certainly makes sense, but adding that extra... um... layer of detail... to the moment felt like a bit much to me. I'm not a prude guy or anything, but that scene makes the mind wander into a terrible, terrible place.
The Verdict
My biggest gripe with this book is it's just not doing enough to warrant the $3.99 price tag. Sure, it has its moments here and there, but compared to other titles this just isn't as compelling or enthralling as I'd expect it to be. Cable still has his visions (which come at totally terrible times), and that lays out the ground work for the next plot. It's business as usual. The only thing that really won me over here was the witty friendship between the team's geniuses.
Also, it's worth noting that the solicitations mentions the Uncanny Avengers, yet they're nowhere to be found in this issue.