Finally for this week's X-books, X-Statix #16.

This storyline is definitely improving as it goes on.  No doubt a large part of that is that we should now be reaching issues which were written with the revised plot in mind, rather than hamfisted rewrites.  The story has broadened its focus to take in the Washington snipers.  It's also moving back somewhat towards a more conventional X-Statix story (as conventional as things get in this book, anyway), as more attention is given to Spike's questionable business dealings, and Lacuna's obsession with Guy.

Up till now, the Undead Undiana has been written fairly sympathetically.  Sure, she's been somewhat obsessed by her image, but at least more interested in doing good than most of the other characters around.  Now that we're absolutely clear she's not Diana, however, Milligan puts the boot in.  Diana -- sorry, Henrietta takes responsibility for stopping the snipers and then proceeds to blunder hopelessly around with crippling stupidity.  Her initial plan: wander randomly around the USA in the hope of stumbling across the killers at some point.

Yes, this issue Henrietta is really stupid.  She babbles about the importance of continuing to hold fashion shows, and resorts to trying to locate the killers through Living TV-style spiritualism.  This is about as unsympathetic a portrayal as you could get.

Which is fine, because it's not Diana.  Jesus, people, you keep seeing things that just aren't there any more!  Henrietta couldn't be any less like Diana.  Gosh, I love Diana.  I'm so glad this story isn't about her.  And that Elton John single?  Fantastic.  I own five.

Regardless, after an awkward phase, we're back to stories that seem to have been written in this form, and the gimmick isn't overshadowing the characters to quite the same extent.  There are plenty of ideas here which work whether you've got Diana there or not - such as Mr Code's campaign of random killings which really does have no aim in mind other than terrorism as an end in its own right.

No doubt that's partly because Milligan has chosen to refocus on the bits of the story he can do properly, and who knows what we might have seen in this issue had he be given free reign.  But in any event, the series is back in its stride.

Rating: A-

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