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Weapon X: Deadly and Loving It

You just gotta love Weapon X---it's the X-Universe's best kept secret. Each month, writer Frank Tieri gives you twenty-two pages of some of the most exuberantly action-packed, character-driven X-stories around. Forget the overly serious, bizarre edge to all the other X-books out there. Mr. Tieri's consistent storytelling has made this one of the best---as soon as you pick up one, you're gonna be scrambling for the rest.

The next few months are going to see drastic changes in the vast world of Weapon X, including the return of the notorious Mr. Sinister, mind-blowing art from Empire's Barry Kitson, and a "BIG surprise…Far, far too big to even hint at here", says Mr. Tieri himself.

The premise is simple: The "Weapon X complex" is run by the mysterious "Director", sometimes referred to as "the Man." The Director wishes to see the end of mutantkind, partly as revenge to injuries dealt by Wolverine, and recruits the fan-favorite likes of Sabretooth, Marrow, Kane, and Mesmero to assist him in his cause. Little do they realize that by aiding the Director, they are sending hundreds of mutants to "Neverland", which can be compared to the Auschwitz of mutantkind (see issue #5). Add an anti-Weapon X "Underground" movement led by fan-favorites like Cable and Domino and an inside conspiracy against the Director by the cunning Agent Jackson, and you're in for quite the ride.

Ass-Kicking: The Tieri Way

Weapon X is a cross between a traditional X-Men tale and an action thriller which constantly has you on the edge of your seat. There're babes, mutant powers, conspiracies, and the most slaughtering suspense imaginable. In fact, this writer has run into instances of people covering their ears when people talk Weapon X around them. Each issue, Mr. Tieri adds more and more layers to the already involved story by telling the issue from different perspectives, and twisting the book's status-quo like a washcloth.

"There's definitely a tip of the cap to Chris Claremont's classic 'Days of Future Past' storyline---hell, you might even go so far as to say it's a prequel", explains Mr. Tieri of his creative direction. "For those of you who don't know what 'DOFP' is all about, picture the X-Universe years from now where the war between man and mutant has reached its climax…and essentially, the mutants lost. Although, for that matter everyone really loses---not only has mutantkind wound up in concentration camps, but the mutant-hunting Sentinels have taken over and humanity is worse for the wear."

Perhaps the best part of the book, though, is all the former Wolverine scribe packs into a story arc. In the current continuity, there is a mutiny against the Director from inside the program, while the "Underground", led by Cable, is countering their acts of terrorism. The Director is unaware of opposing factions and their motives, and can't seem to grasp the fact that his reign of terror is collapsing underneath him.

Whose artwork could possibly accompany something so magnificent? The answer to that is Georges Jeanty, an artist who worked with Frank on Deadpool a few years back. Mr. Jeanty's characters perfectly fit the story in their realistic proportions, and each scene is perfectly crafted no matter what it calls for. In addition, there're occasional fill-ins from more recently-sprung talents such as Keron Grant, who recently added a manga-inspired flair in issue #6. The book's art is one of the many things that make Weapon X a suitable marriage between traditional and modern styles alike.

Weapon X was originally conceived in a series of prequels involving the many different cast members, including Kane, Marrow and Sauron. Since then, it's been launched as an ongoing series, starting around the same time as the late Agent X and Soldier X series in mid-2002. In the eleven issues which have traversed the comic racks since, Mr. Tieri has given several characters a thorough shock therapy, dropping all kinds of conflict and consequences on their heads. But ask him to name a favorite?

"How do you expect me to pick from my children?", he laughs. "Seriously though, I always found Sabretooth a ball to write and if I've accomplished nothing else as a comic book writer, at least I've managed to bring him back to a respectable 'bad-ass' status (no more bitch-slappings from Power Pack or the Black Cat, thank you very much). Mesmero also quickly grew on me though and became an unexpected fan favorite. I mean, how CAN'T you just love a guy who's basically Joe Izuzu with the ability to pull out the "Jedi Mind Trick" whenever he wants?"*

Days of Future to Come

There's already been landmark events, including the death of long-time X-Man, Maggott in issue #5, but it's the more light and unexpected facets such as the inside humor and dialogue which has made the book so multi-dimensional. And according to the Brooklyn native and current resident, the ignition's just been started. "The 'Underground' arc climaxes in issue #12 as Cable and his rebel forces try to oust the Program's Director. Some key matchups to watch for will be Cable vs. his old friend, Kane, and Marrow taking on one of the men responsible for wiping her people out…Sabretooth. Things get mighty ugly this issue---so much, [that] one member of the regular cast does not survive the experience."

"Issue #13 ties up a lot of loose ends from 'Underground' and introduces a new status quo---not to mention hitting us with quite an unexpected ending. We're also joined by Barry Kitson for guest art chores this 'ish, so that should be a lot of fun."

"Issue #14 marks the return of popular X-villain Mr. Sinister and á la 'The Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix', we'll be exploring events from Sinister's past. Good thing we got that series' artist, John Paul Leon, as our guest artist then, huh?"

"'Defection'", our next big arc, runs from issues #15-18 and sees the impossible happen---an X-Man joins the Weapon X Program. It's a big arc for us---in addition to this unnamed X-Man joining the cast, the X-Men themselves stop by. Needless to say, they ain't too happy."

"Many Wolverine fans would love to see me and good ol' James mix it up again, [which] only intensified after I left his title book, so what I'm about to say now should make a lot of folks happy---he's in 'Defection.' Where that leads to is anyone's guess…"

"Future issues will deal with Agent Zero, Maverick and then…A BIG surprise." Mr. Tieri is quite tight-lipped about what this major event will be, but promises it will be just like everything else in Weapon X---completely unexpected.

Frank Tieri is perhaps best known for his work on Wolverine and Deadpool, from where the concept of Weapon X emerged. He wrote the infamous mob storyline in Wolverine (see issues #181-#185), already hailed as one of the greatest Wolverine stories ever, and later the highly publicized dual between the Punisher and the claw-bearing mutant (#186). He hit the comics' world by storm in 2000 by assisting Joe Quesada in his Iron Man writing duties. From there, he took the reigns of that book until Mike Grell's 2002 run, while at the same time writing Wolverine and Deadpool.

As for a conclusion to the series, the Yankees fan says, "I do see Weapon X as a finite series with an inevitable conclusion---but when that is only time will tell. I will say this: whenever I do decide the end has come, know that I already have a basic idea where this all leads to…and in fine Weapon X tradition---it's a good bet it's not what fans expect."

Coming from Frank Tieri himself, that's a guarantee.

*For a look at what Frank's talking about, just take a look at issue #8. You'll be wishing you had Mesmero's powers of persuasion too!

Tim Hartnett is a comic book critic and columnist for SBC, who currently resides in Columbia, MD, USA. Many thanks go to Frank Tieri for his contribution to this article. Tim can be reached at timh@silverbulletcomicbooks.com.

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