Mystique by Brian K Vaughn / What is your verdict ?

[sabongero]

Hi. I was planning on buying the Mystique TPBs and they were written by Brian K. Vaughn. Has anyone read them or when they were still on comic book series format? What are the pros and cons on the book ? WHat did you like on it and what did you think could have used more work ? Thanks.

[Dagger]

Yes, and it was the best solo X-book in the last decade! I totally approve of getting thes books!

I kinda wish we could have kept the original artist instead of getting Michael Ryan on the book, but that's okay, because his work was good too.

[Hi-Fi]

I thought the Mystique's stories written by Vaughan were a lot of fun. Just some good old-school spy stuff. Nothing breathtaking, but still pretty entertaining.

[Brian "Vash" Ashby]

i generally didnt care for the book. No real reason xavier would work with Mystique since all the throat slicing and moria dying stuff


The explanation was lacking in my opinion

Plus the quiet man revelation was a big let down

[Monty_Cristo]

Shortpack .......................

[ToxicTeen]

I really want to get my hands on the first trade however it's probably out of print...:(

[Syzygy]

I bought all four at once, read them straight through, and loved every minute of it.

What's my verdict?

Go and do the same. You won't be disappointed. In fact, you'll be enthralled.

Mile High Comics routinely sells back issue graphic novels at reduced cost. Google them for the website, and order away.

[sabongero]

I bought all four at once, read them straight through, and loved every minute of it.

What's my verdict?

Go and do the same. You won't be disappointed. In fact, you'll be enthralled.

Mile High Comics routinely sells back issue graphic novels at reduced cost. Google them for the website, and order away.

Hi. I hope you don't mind. Can you tell us a little about the story and what you thought about it. Like the pros and cons of the 4 books. Thanks.

[Brian "Vash" Ashby]

I find it interesting that Syzygy, who mainly posts about how much Sage/Tessa being a spy for xavier doesnt work for him, speaks so highly of a book in which a female is a spy for xavier

[Cayman]

BKV did a great job with Mystique.

And Shortpack was an amazing character.

[Syzygy]

I find it interesting that Syzygy, who mainly posts about how much Sage/Tessa being a spy for xavier doesnt work for him, speaks so highly of a book in which a female is a spy for xavier

Why? There was neither any obnoxious retconning nor bizarre historical contortionism involved. It was a forward-moving story.

As for a detailed review, it's been a while since I read it, and I don't want to give away any spoilers. Perhaps I'll reread it and post more later.

The biggest problem I had with it was the very premise that Xavier would suppose he could ever control Mystique in the first place. But everything else was so very well done, I didn't find that a barrier. And Xavier does have his flaws, admittedly, trying to rehabilitate people like Sabertooth and Magneto, so hey, why not Mystique?

[Brian "Vash" Ashby]

Why? There was neither any obnoxious retconning nor bizarre historical contortionism involved. It was a forward-moving story.


Other than mystique not like killing Moira or whatever....

[Syzygy]

Other than mystique not like killing Moira or whatever....

There was no retconning. Mystique said, in character, that she never killed Moira, that it was an imposter of her. But Mystique lies, and that's exactly what we'd expect her to say.

So BKV never retconned the murder away. He just had Mystique deny it.

Readers are free to believe her or not. I don't.

[Hi-Fi]

I find it interesting that Syzygy, who mainly posts about how much Sage/Tessa being a spy for xavier doesnt work for him, speaks so highly of a book in which a female is a spy for xavier
Please. The Sage retcon was atrocious compared to this. Mystique was still a hostage here. She was forced to work to Xavier.

[Hi-Fi]

There was no retconning. Mystique said, in character, that she never killed Moira, that it was an imposter of her. But Mystique lies, and that's exactly what we'd expect her to say.

So BKV never retconned the murder away. He just had Mystique deny it.

Readers are free to believe her or not. I don't.
She lied. Carey proved that when he had Rogue blaming Mystique for all that and Raven didn't deny it.

[Brian "Vash" Ashby]

Please. The Sage retcon was atrocious compared to this. Mystique was still a hostage here. She was forced to work to Xavier.

Please. Your face is atrocious compared to STFU YOU'RE WRONG

:p


And im just being facetious. I was just saying i found it interesting that he who hated that Sage as a spy thing liked Xavier having a spy

Sure there are reasons why he likes one and not the other

Just thought it was interesting.

[Hi-Fi]

Please. Your face is atrocious compared to STFU YOU'RE WRONG

:p


And im just being facetious. I was just saying i found it interesting that he who hated that Sage as a spy thing liked Xavier having a spy

Sure there are reasons why he likes one and not the other

Just thought it was interesting.
LOL You're wrong and you know it! :p

[Monty_Cristo]

There was no retconning. Mystique said, in character, that she never killed Moira, that it was an imposter of her. But Mystique lies, and that's exactly what we'd expect her to say.

So BKV never retconned the murder away. He just had Mystique deny it.

Readers are free to believe her or not. I don't.

i believe her because she had no motive to do anything she did in that storyline. it didn't jive with the Destiny diaries, either. all that and there was a story that specifically dealt with Mystique being cloned repeatedly for a cosmetics company in her series. whose to say that one of them didn't do all of this or a skrull? they were at odds with Mystique at one point. and a shape-shifter is a great target for skrull replacement.


The biggest problem I had with it was the very premise that Xavier would suppose he could ever control Mystique in the first place. But everything else was go very well done, I didn't find that a barrier.

he did control her and use her to do some good stuff over the course of the series. it's not his fault that Mystique let herself be suckered by a vengeful former Xavier spy. and, to be fair, it's Forge who let her escape. Xavier did as promised; stopped the jamming device from working the moment that she turned on him. i think he was attempting to reform her just as he's always trying to change Magneto.

[Slant]

Then why didn't she deny it when Rogue accused her of doing it? You think she would have strongly denied the claims if she was set on proving it wasn't her.

[Monty_Cristo]

Then why didn't she deny it when Rogue accused her of doing it? You think she would have strongly denied the claims if she was set on proving it wasn't her.

which instance are we talking about? keep in mind that Mystique has done some bad stuff to Rogue (in the name of love) over the years. maybe she saw no benefit in defending herself. it's not like there's anything she could have said that would have swayed Rogue's opinion. what would you have said if you were in Raven's position?

LOL You're wrong and you know it! :p

the Mystique series does, at least, suggest that Xavier has employed covert mutant operatives over the years. of course it was shown in a less complicated way than the "Sage" reveal. but i personally find it believable that there would be a telepath network operating out there. i just wonder what happened to them after M Day.

[Brian "Vash" Ashby]

which instance are we talking about? keep in mind that Mystique has done some bad stuff to Rogue (in the name of love) over the years. maybe she saw no benefit in defending herself. it's not like there's anything she could have said that would have swayed Rogue's opinion. what would you have said if you were in Raven's position?

"I think you should go down on my Rogue."


...wait


What?

[Slant]

She has done bad things, but to the X Men, the Moira thing is her worst, and since she was with the X Men, who were friends of Moira, you'd think she plead her case if she really didn't do it, regardless of what else she's done before.

[Monty_Cristo]

She has done bad things, but to the X Men, the Moira thing is her worst, and since she was with the X Men, who were friends of Moira, you'd think she plead her case if she really didn't do it, regardless of what else she's done before.

like Remy did? did it ever stop Bishop from giving him a hard time? if i were Mystique, i'd be offended at having to defend myself. she aided the X-Men back during that Fall of the Mutants business, afterall.

[Slant]

like Remy did? did it ever stop Bishop from giving him a hard time? if i were Mystique, i'd be offended at having to defend myself. she aided the X-Men back during that Fall of the Mutants business, afterall.
Bishop got off Remy's case after it was revealed to be Xavier. Even before then he was slowly starting to believe that it wasn't him.

So Why would Mystique be offended at having to defend herself for killing a friend of the X Men while trying to join them? I mean, they saw her there. Its up to Mystique to prove that it wasn't really her, if thats really the case.

[Monty_Cristo]

Bishop got off Remy's case after it was revealed to be Xavier. Even before then he was slowly starting to believe that it wasn't him.

So Why would Mystique be offended at having to defend herself for killing a friend of the X Men while trying to join them? I mean, they saw her there. Its up to Mystique to prove that it wasn't really her, if thats really the case.

well just how crazy do you think she is that she would expect to join the team without explaining why she killed one of their longtime associates? they took her in, so i guess it wasn't too big a deal.

[_Jayme_]

Yes, and it was the best solo X-book in the last decade! I totally approve of getting thes books!

I kinda wish we could have kept the original artist instead of getting Michael Ryan on the book, but that's okay, because his work was good too.

Agreed! I loved everything about this series..Mystique working for Xavier was one of her greatest moves and moments. I liked some of the characters in that book..the little man that she kept with her was unique..I'd like to see him as a member of X-Men...:o...</sarcasm>

[Monty_Cristo]

Agreed! I loved everything about this series..Mystique working for Xavier was one of her greatest moves and moments. I liked some of the characters in that book..the little man that she kept with her was unique..I'd like to see him as a member of X-Men...:o...</sarcasm>

i'd settle for him being depowered/regular sized and becoming a recurring character in some title; like he could join the X-Factor title as an overly chatty video store employee.

[Cnh-]

The series was great.

I love Mystique always and Shortpack was a really cool character. Lots of spy stuff.

[sabongero]

I just want to clarify something. This series is more like a "spy-thriller" series than a superheroes type of work ?

[Ice_Cold_Emma_Frost]

It's Tinker-Tailor Mutant Spy

I really liked it. Raven used her powers in interesting ways. There was a mysterious protagonist and some good stories.

[sabongero]

I just wanted to ask on volume 4 of the series, was there closure for the whole series, or are the readers left dangling thinking to themself, where's the ending ?

[xmanson]

No.

The series was average at best, don't really bother with it.

[Dazzler]

This was my favorite X-Book of the last 10 years, and not just because i have a chub for mystique.
Get it, the writing is beautiful and the art is beautiful. there's a lot of beauty here. Get yourself some beauty, baby.

--Dazz

[Brett P]

I loved it! It's a shame it had to end, Mystique ROCKED in this series. I collected it whilst I was still on tpbs, before I went monthly and then continued with single issues until the end. I was sad when it finished! I loved the sense of adventure and travel in the stories! Something that no other X-book manages to do for me. I never REALLY understood the whole Quiet Man revelation though...

I just want to clarify something. This series is more like a "spy-thriller" series than a superheroes type of work ?

Yeah, I guess it is really. I didn't think I even liked that sort of thing! Mystique is just so well suited for it though. Makes me hate what's going down in X-Men right now...

[Monty_Cristo]

the series was a lot of fun; the kind you'll read over and over.

[sabongero]

I just went to my store to pick-up volume 1 and volume 4 which I had ordered. They told me only volume 4 arrived because volume 1 was out of print. UGH !!!

What a screwjob! What issues does volume 1 cover ?

[Phil Hunn]

I loved Mystique's solo title - I thought it really showed a new side to Xavier, and to Raven herself. It was a real shame when it got cancelled, but it was really only a matter of time when Vaughn left and McKeever took over (not that I don't like McKeever, but I think it was really Vaughn's title, and to give it to somebody else was a bad idea).

[sabongero]

By some sort of miracle, I came across a Mystique TPB volume 1 today. And I purchased it immediately. I can't believe my luck on this and it was like 20 percent off also. Hope it's good. I plan to read it during downtime in the office this week.

[Faded]

Shortpack

LMAO! I want a count of how many of your posts are this exact same thing.

I kinda want to give this book a try, too, but it seems so...five years ago. I might give it a go given the universal praise and the fact that Vash hates it since we are exact opposites.

[ScottySummers]

i'd settle for him being depowered/regular sized and becoming a recurring character in some title; like he could join the X-Factor title as an overly chatty video store employee.

I want Shortpack on an X-Team, powered and tiny still!

He was a major highlight of the series for me. I enjoyed the whole thing but especially the Vaughan period. I'd say it was worth reading.

[Christopher O]

Vaughan's Mystique was OK. I just have a weird relationship with his work. I just can't connect. I see a writer who is good with dialogue, characterization, and plot, but he just doesn't hold my attention. I don't feel the magic.

[Affinity]

Have you read his Runaways, Chris?!

[Christopher O]

Have you read his Runaways, Chris?!
Yes, I have, and I didn't find it compelling. I suppose I just missed the boat.

[Monty_Cristo]

By some sort of miracle, I came across a Mystique TPB volume 1 today. And I purchased it immediately. I can't believe my luck on this and it was like 20 percent off also. Hope it's good. I plan to read it during downtime in the office this week.

well let us know what you think.

LMAO! I want a count of how many of your posts are this exact same thing.

i really like the character and no one ever mentions him. what's a shortpack fan to do? :D


I kinda want to give this book a try, too, but it seems so...five years ago. I might give it a go given the universal praise and the fact that Vash hates it since we are exact opposites.

hey, the content of the book isn't dated at all (imo). i reread one of the tpb's last night. it's still very entertaining. i like how the characters all stay so upbeat when, every issue, something bad is happening around (or to) them. it felt a lot like Buffy the Vampire Slayer to me (if Buffy were a cold-blooded mutant terrorist at some pt in her life). and i was liking the fleshing out that Raven was being given. like one issue she'd gut some bad guy with her custom-made blade. and the next she'd be reminiscing about some candy factory she used to visit as a small child.

[Jade_GL]

I enjoyed the title a lot. I started with tpbs and switched to single issues when I got caught up. Then it was over. :)

Overall a good solo title. Certainly nothing groundbreaking, but solid and had some awesome moments. Plus, I always enjoy reading about a strong female character, and Raven certainly was strong and capable.

[Monty_Cristo]

I enjoyed the title a lot. I started with tpbs and switched to single issues when I got caught up. Then it was over. :)

Overall a good solo title. Certainly nothing groundbreaking, but solid and had some awesome moments. Plus, I always enjoy reading about a strong female character, and Raven certainly was strong and capable.

she was definately the strongest most capable person in the title. i found that refreshing since she already had a track record of being a formidable leader. it was kind of annoying that Xavier was blackmailing her but she got away in the end.