X-Statix concludes the Good Omens storyline, with guest art from Paul Pope.

You'd think that X-Statix would be a book where guest artists would stick out like a sore thumb, given how distinctive Mike Allred's art normally is.  Certainly different artists tend to end up making the team look much more like other superheroes.  But Pope fits better than you might expect, and gets into the spirit of the team's melodramatic squabbling immediately.  And it's not as if Pope's own style is particularly mainstream either.  By the way, his current series for Vertigo, 100%, is well worth picking up.

Anyhow, the story finds X-Statix in one of its more mainstream moods, though still messing about with the conventions of team books.  The Orphan has invited the ultra-powerful lunatic fan Arnie to join the team, since he hasn't got any other way of keeping him in line.  Unfortunately, getting him onto the team doesn't keep him in line either.  However, Guy's plan does end up making sense (and yes, it was foreshadowed by a line of dialogue last issue).  Meanwhile, the team have to live up to Arnie's idealised vision of them in order to keep him happy.  Which, of course, plays against their internal feuds.  All good solid soap opera plotting.

The first X-Statix arc hasn't really been as distinctive as the first couple of X-Force storylines - the shock value only works once, after all.  But it's still a consistent and offbeat series, and that works for me.

Rating: B+

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