X-Men Unlimited's theme this issue is supposed to be female characters.  What this actually boils down to is a story where some of the female characters talk about their worst date, and another one which happens to start Marvel Girl and Rogue.

In other words, it's not actually an issue with stories about womanhood or femininity or whatever.  It's just an issue which happens to star some women.  And this being comics, that constitutes a theme. 

Anyhow, let's leave the non-theme aside.  The stories themselves are a mixed bag.  Tony Bedard and Paul Pelletier's "Tempest in a Teapot" is actually pretty good.  It has a lame duck framing sequence - four heroes trapped in a sunken aircraft, talking about bad dates to take their mind off things - which ends in hopelessly convenient fashion. 

But the flashbacks which it frames are well written.  There's a nice vignette based around a date with Peter and Kitty, and a good set of flashbacks about Emma's attitude to men (including a nice little scene setting up her attraction to Scott).  Pelletier's art is delightful, and despite the weak ending, the story as a whole holds up.

By the way, isn't the premise of this book supposed to be that it allows newcomers and unknown writers to have a crack at the characters?  If so, what the heck is Tony Bedard doing here?  If not, what is the point of this book?  I'm not complaining too loudly about his presence, because he and Pelletier delivered an enjoyable story - but under the book's own mission statement, he really doesn't belong.

The other story, "Contact", is just horrible.  Rogue and Marvel Girl go to a hospital for reasons that are immediately forgotten about, and encounter two whopping great stereotypes - the grumpy doctor and the magic disabled boy.  The art is ugly and distorted, and the writer can't think of an ending, so the story just stops.  Truly bad.

Worth a look for the Bedard/Pelletier story, if you're willing to shell out for the first half of the issue.

Rating: B-

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