Era #10, Part 21: TInker, Tailor, Mutant, Spy (Mystique)

Grade: C+

This collection is not quite as original as Brian K. Vaughan's first run. These three missions increasingly feel less like spy thrillers and a bit more like conventional comic books. I appreciate the growing intrigue of the Quiet Man subplot, however, as Mystique must decide if she is going to double-cross Professor X who is forcing her to work for him through threats of exposure to international law enforcement. I wish he was able to conclude this thread before his departure. 

• "Tinker, Tailor, Mutant, Spy" (issues #7-10), Mystique must travel to Johannesburg in order to obtain a mutant version of the smallpox virus designed to kill anyone who is inoculated against smallpox. With another mutant after this deadly virus for her own purposes, it is a race against time to protect both humans and mutants from the threat of a global pandemic. 
• "Maker's Mark" (issues #11-12), Forge and Mystique go on a date to see where they stand after years of a shakey on-again, off-again relationship, but their night is interrupted by an Amber alert. A mutant boy has been kidnapped by his father, but the situation proves to be less clear than their feeling for each other.
• "Nevermore" (issue #13): Mystique's mission takes her to in Rio de Janeiro to secure the locate the hand of a mutant who could turn lead into gold.

Brian K. Vaughan portrays Mystique as a cynical yet compassionate anti-hero, but it is hard to reconcile her morally conflicted decisions in this title with her totally amoral behavior in the core books. Despite this one inconsistency, I really enjoyed his ability to incorporate and subtly expand her sexuality without making it the focus of the story. Even more surprising, he casually adds a transgender element to a Marvel comic.

[6-stars] Mystique (2003) #7

[6-stars] Mystique (2003) #8

[5-stars] Mystique (2003) #9

[5-stars] Mystique (2003) #10

[5-stars] Mystique (2003) #11

[5-stars] Mystique (2003) #12

[5-stars] Mystique (2003) #13

Collected in Mystique (Vol. 2): Tinker, Tailor, Mutant, Spy