Comic Book Review: The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix

The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix (1-4) follows X-Men Scott Summers, aka Cyclops, and Jean Grey, aka Phoenix, as they’re sent by the Askani Sanctity to 19th century London to stop Apocalypse from taking over the world with the help of the newly created Mister Sinister.

Mister Sinister’s origin story is basically a cross between Faust and Frankenstein: his theories on evolution and terrible experiments in pursuit of science lead him to Apocalypse who offers him freedom from mortality and morality so he can take his work to its full consequences. At first, Nathaniel Essex rejects the offer, but after his wife dies in childbirth along with their child, he changes his mind. However, Apocalypse’s plan to rush evolution by eliminating the weak with a genetically engineered virus clashes with Sinister’s more scientific approach. This leads him to change the virus so that it only affects his new master, who is forced to go back into hibernation, thus buying Sinister some time to study evolution as he pleases.

This story is enough, there was no need to add Jean and Cyclops. Despite their connection to Sinister, the two X-Men feel superfluous and not even the reveal that the true purpose of the trip to the past was to ensure Essex's transformation, thus making them partly responsible for creating the villain that wrecked their lives, makes their presence feel really necessary. Neither does Danny changing his last name to Summers because of Cyclops, which reveals him as Scott’s ancestor. He could’ve been Summers already or chosen the name randomly. It would’ve been so easy to expand the role of Essex’s wife, Rebecca, and have her be our guide to her husband’s circus of horrors. The Hellfire Club could’ve had some more page time, too.

I was surprised at how sneaky Apocalypse’s strategy for world domination was. Well, sneaky might not be the best word to describe his planned future of disease and armed conflict – War and Pestilence –, but I didn’t expect someone with his ego to wait until Humanity had nearly destroyed itself to reveal himself. His reasoning makes sense – he doesn’t want to give people a common enemy they can unite against. However, he seems to have forgotten his own plan when he breaks into Buckingham Palace and starts monologuing. I know he was going to release the virus and expected most people to die, but it’s still funny. Also, Apocalypse must be the only boss who praises their employees when they try to kill them because that shows strength.

There’s some doubt about whether Jean really managed to get through to Essex, especially since it’s only in the last page that he lets go of his wife’s music box and declares Nathaniel Essex to be truly dead. However, I like the idea that in the end it was his dedication to science that made him change the virus better than him having been moved by Jean’s sentimental appeal. It makes Apocalypse’s defeat more interesting, too. He believes the gods themselves gave him this glorious destiny, while Essex makes it clear that not only does he not believe in God, but also that he sees religion as an impediment to scientific research. It’s (a) god vs science, and science wins this round.

Throughout the story there are call-backs to some of Mister Sinister’s comic book history: the men he hires to bring him subjects for his experiments call themselves the Marauders; the freaks they routinely hunt live in the sewers like the Morlocks; and of course, Sinister gets his name from his wife’s last words to him. We’re told the red diamond is the “mark of Apocalypse”, but not why he wears that weird feather cape thing.

So, the previous paragraphs dealt with the What and now it’s time for the How. The dialogue is suitably dramatic, and Apocalypse gets several megalomaniac monologues. However, the art is not good. The dark, Gothic aesthetic works when it’s just Nathaniel and Rebecca in their home, though not always, but when combined with superpowered fights and a more sci-fi setting it just looks awful. There are some panels where you can’t even tell what’s happening. I’ve often complained about the Mutant Massacre’s brightly lit sewers, but this is just too dark most of the time. While I think lighter colours would’ve helped make some things clearer, the darker tones aren’t the only problem. The action is confusing and the perspective in some of the panels is just weird. The original images were probably fairly messy to begin with, like the panel of Jean plunging towards Scott’s boat, but the colouring and inking made it worse.

I admit that I feel a little conflicted about this story because I know that this wasn’t the origin Chris Claremont had in mind when he created Mister Sinister. However, I do have a soft spot for mad scientists, and I liked the Faust/Frankenstein mix. Also, normally I’m against remakes, but I wish someone would “remake” The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix as a full-on Gothic story with better art and no X-Men involved.

By Danforth