A comic that no one ever asked for turns out to be a fun and touching father and son story. Read more about Cyclops #1 after the jump!
CYCLOPS #1
Writer: Greg Rucka
Art: Russell Dauterman
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Previously in Cyclops: This isn’t the Cyclops that you know. Plucked from the past, this is the Scott Summers of the original X-Men team. Young Scott Summers had some adventures in the present, and then zipped off to the place that all young men go when they find out their father is alive! SPACE!
SPACE PIRATES AND DADS, OH MY!
This was another example of a major comic book company announcing a title that I had zero interest. Sure, I’m a big Cyclops fan. But why should I care about reading about the time displaced Cyclops when I think he and his team of “All-New” X-men should have headed back to the 1960s several issues ago? After reading this issue, I’m glad that Marvel has started taking some chances on expanding their titles in surprising ways like Cyclops #1.
The story follows young Cyclops who has recently gone into space with his space pirate father, Corsair, leader of the Starjammers. It’s a chance for the young boy to get to know the man who is his namesake. While on the surface this may seem like it would would be a boring paint by numbers issue, but that is far from the case. It’s quite surprising how magical Greg Rucka makes their relationship.
Cyclops is presented in the issue like a true teenager. Constantly questioning his actions and decisions. Which is shown quite eloquently in the letter that he keeps trying to write to Jean Grey; a letter that he keeps rewriting and never quite finishes. Corsair is the counterpoint to young Scott. He’s confident, brash, smooth, and has a sexy alien space girlfriend. Corsair is the man’s man, and Scott is the worrisome teenager that shoots lasers from his eyes. These two characters struggling to come to grips with each other is a pleasure to read on every page.
SPACE THE ARTSY FRONTIER
Further helping to make this book fun and bouncy is the art provided by Russell Dauterman. Dauterman keeps the line work fresh and light. Which is a great choice as a more grim and detailed artist may have choked the lightness out of the story. It’s clear that Dauterman is having a blast drawing space scenes, and it seems like he is having a grand time with the story as well.
THE BOTTOM LINE: NEVER SAY NEVER
Cyclops #1 is a fun space pirate adventure wrapped in the story of a father and son trying to learn how to deal with each other. It has heart. It has humor, and it’s a lot of fun. If you don’t like what is going on with the older Cyclops in Uncanny X-Men, and hate where his character has developed then this just might be the book for you. I was not looking forward to this book at all. So I’m very surprised to find myself looking forward to a second issue. Hop on the spaceship with Cyclops and Corsair, and see if you like it. You just might.
