Era #11, Part 10: Quiet (Mystique)

Grade: D+

It is the end game for Mystique when she must finally decide to continue to work for Professor X as his secret agent or assassinate him for the Quiet Man. Things get more complicated when her handler, Shortpack, goes missing after searching for Steinbeck, the mutant arms dealer who killed Prudance, the agent that Mystique replaced. There are plenty of double-crossings, revelations, and guest appearances in this series conclusion. 

I appreciated that the creative team provided closure to all of the various plotlines, but this run is a hot mess compared to the previous three. It feels like the title was directed to end, so Sean McKeever threw all the pieces together for a finale, but the result didn't have the same tone that made the series fun to read. In a move that seemed forced and completely out of character, Shortpack races off only to get captured for the rest of the story. Meanwhile, each issue runs Mystique through another unrelated caper that feels like fill-in stories to highlight guest appearances (Fantomex, Wolverine, and Rogue) -- often a sign of declining sales. 

[5-stars] Mystique (2003) #19

[4-stars] Mystique (2003) #20

[4-stars] Mystique (2003) #21

[4-stars] Mystique (2003) #22

[4-stars] Mystique (2003) #23

[5-stars] Mystique (2003) #24

Collected in Mystique (Vol. 4): Quiet

Era #11, Part 09: Unnatural (Mystique)

Grade: B

Mystique's next mission for Professor Xavier takes her to Europe to investigate rumors that a large biotech firm is illegally using mutants to test experimental cosmetics. Tensions continue to grow between Mystique and Shortpack, her field handler, as the trail leads to a deeper conspiracy that includes mutant trafficking and an unsettling revelation that hits close to home for the shape-shifting mutant terrorist turned reluctant spy. 

Sean McKeever takes over the title and keeps the tone and stories consistent with Brian K. Vaughan. I think he does a slightly better job portraying Mystique's more unpredictable and nonconformist side (rather than as a roguish anti-hero), but his portrayal of Shortpack seems to shift direction without much explanation. As for the plot, mutant slave trades and corporate exploitation are not new material in the X-Men books, but I appreciated that this one was a little more grounded. I was also intrigued by the Quiet Man storyline that is slowly played out in the background. 

While this was not an especially memorable run, it was a fun read. 

[6-stars] Mystique (2003) #14

[6-stars] Mystique (2003) #15

[6-stars] Mystique (2003) #16

[6-stars] Mystique (2003) #17

[6-stars] Mystique (2003) #18

Collected in Mystique (Vol. 3): Unnatural