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Weapon X Retrospective Chapter 11

30/11/2022

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by Dave Scrimgeour and Kevin McCluskey
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​Writer- Barry Windsor-Smith
Artist- Barry Windsor-Smith
Letterers- Jim Novak & Barry Windsor-Smith
Editor- Terry Kavanagh


Synopsis

Things finally come to a head between Logan and The Professor.  Literally.

Dave
So, we are quickly getting towards the end of this saga, as Wolvie is closing in on The Prof.  Quite an interesting cover; a demonic flame-grilled Logan finally getting his claws on The Prof, and I like how The Human Torch is the logo choice for this cover.


Kev
Ha, ha!  "Flame on!"  That can’t be a coincidence, right?


Dave
I doubt it.


Kev
It's another cracking cover.  Full-on body horror-tastic with Logan’s burning figure looming over The Professor.  I love the fact that even his adamantium claws are aflame.


Dave
Just when it seems Logan couldn't get anymore messed up, with what's been done to him, we get a view of this.


Kev
Yeh, it's pretty grizzly.  And in yet another example of The Professor dehumanising Logan, he refers to him as “creature” here.  Jeez!


Dave
The Professor is back to the cruel, sadistic natured person that he revels in.  Even the way he refers to Miss Hines, in the face of her potential death, shows that he has no empathy whatsoever.  "You are living the last few moments of your pointless existence.”  I do like how this second page is split into those 3 panels.  And luckily for Miss Hines, Logan isn't as far gone as they expect, and he manages to utter, "I understand you" to her.


Kev
Yeh, Zombie Logan.  Not only does The Professor continue to show himself to be a sadist and a misogynist, he’s now added racist to his repertoire of admirable character traits, by also referring to Logan as “mutant meat.”  Lovely fellow.


Dave
He's definitely been written to maximise the evil, villainous elements of the character.


Kev
Oh, definitely.


Dave
Miss Hines had a lucky escape there.  However, not the case for Logan.  The half page panel on page 2 is great.
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Gratuitous arse shot. All those squats are paying off. Check out them glutes!

Kev
You're right about those three vertical panels on page 1, they're superb.  And that is also an amazing panel at the foot of page 2, yeh.  As are all three on page 3.  All excellent use of the real estate of the page by Windsor-Smith.  Three pages, all fantastic.  There is a reason that this run is considered a classic, and is constantly in print.


Dave
On page 3, those panels of Logan being burnt are reminding me of ‘The Terminator,’ when Arnie's body is burned near the end.  The blood red background really highlights these visuals.
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"Light up, light up. As if you have a choice. Even if you cannot hear my voice. I'll be right beside you, Dear."

Kev
That's a really good point.  We've already discussed how ‘The Terminator,’ and other James Cameron movies, as well as other slasher movies, seem to have been an influence on Windsor-Smith for this.


Dave
By this point, The Professor has become maniacal with his sense of being victorious, "Experiment X is destroyed and I am his destroyer."  This guy could give Galvatron a run for his money with the egotistical speeches in this issue.


Kev
Ha, Ha!  Yeh, so this is what this was all really about; a man, playing god.  Both creator and destroyer.  And he also continues to rant at his faceless, nameless superior here.  “Do you hear me?!  I beat you!  You treacherous…son of a…I served your every demand…You turned against…”


Dave
It’s funny how, on page 3, even in a high stress scenario, Miss Hines is still polite when talking to Logan, "Run, Mister Logan!"


Kev
She really has been the only vaguely decent human being throughout this whole story.


Dave
Those last three panels on page 4, of The Prof. slowly realising Logan isn't beat, are great.  Nice use of building to a close up of Logan's claws reflecting on The Prof's glasses.
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What!?!? So, they're not making any more of those films or TV shows?

Kev
Yeh, that panel is fantastic.  I’m a big fan of the use of lenses, and the reflections in them as a storytelling device.


Dave
Yeah, it's such a simplistic, but highly effective way of telling a story.  The dialogue is, as usual, as frantic as the situation throughout this issue.


Kev
The art on the last panel on page 5 isn’t too shabby either.  In fact, neither is the whole of page 5.  This review is rapidly turning into me raving about Barry Windsor-Smith artwork.  Again.  The dialogue has certainly gotten frantic now, especially considering that The Professor's life is on the line here.


Dave
And about time too.  This has been methodically built up.  Logan has turned into Ghost Rider on the first panel on page 5.
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Rick Grimes!?!?

Kev
Yeh, you really can't wait for The Professor to get what's coming to him, can you?  Ha, ha!  You're right, Logan is a bit Johnny Blaze-ish.


Dave
He's a real mess by this stage.  Not even recognisable.  Luckily, he has his healing powers.  On the 2nd panel of page 5, Logan is really demonic looking.


Kev
It reminds me of something else from a film, but I can't quite put my finger on it.  It's bugging the life out of me.  It might be 'Sunshine.'


Dave
Me as well.  I love the next panel of him crashing through the glass.
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If defenestration is the act of throwing someone out of a window, does that make this fenestration?

Kev
That panel really is class, isn't it?  And here we get right down to the crux of Weapon X for me.  Man versus nature, and his desire to assert his superiority over it and control it.  “You…are…an…animal!”  Whereas Logan proclaims, “  I am - - Logan!  Logan!  I am a man!  And you - - - -are the animal!”  I also like how Logan’s voice has returned to normal already, due to his healing factor.


Dave
Very true words spoken by Logan as he says he is the man and The Professor is the animal.  Although, he is saying this as he throws The Prof. about.


Kev
Ha, ha!  Absolutely.


Dave
If Logan had horns on the side of his head he'd look a bit like Tim Curry in ‘Legend.’  Ever so slightly.


Kev
Ha, ha!  True!  More excellent artwork on page 8.  Particularly the pulling in on Logan’s face as he exacts his revenge on The Professor.
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".....went to market."
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".....stayed at home."
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".....had roast beef."

​Dave
Yeah, after all the gore and brutality, we don't see Logan directly pushing his claws into The Prof’s head, it's just a close up of Logan's face as he does it.


Kev
Yep, one claw, and snikt at a time.


Dave

It's not swift, like Cornelius, which could have been a mercy killing, this is slow, and Logan's taking his time.  Actually looking at Logan’s face on those last couple of pages, he reminds me of De Niro's ‘Frankenstein.’  And that film was in 1994.


Kev
Yes!  That is a really good spot, man.  The Frankenstein influences on this have been palpable as well.  But then again, the Frankenstein influences on just about anything with sci-fi elements are pretty strong.


Dave
That grin is brilliant, and the next panel, of The Prof's slumped body, shows he has had it once and for all.  "Now... we're... square.  Got that... Chump."  That is Logan back to delivering the class one liners.



Kev
Ha,ha, that is one hell of a grin Logan is sporting there.  Yeh, and that’s a wrap for The Prof.  Three adamantium claws to the forehead.  That'll do it.  Exit stage left, four-eyes.  I can get away withing calling him that, as a glasses wearer, myself.
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".....had none."

​Dave
It just finishes on that note as well.  Great ending for an issue.


Kev
Yeh, it's a fitting, and satisfactory, conclusion to this chapter of the story.  It feels like a release, and a relief, after all this time of just waiting, and waiting for The Professor to get his just deserts.  You've got absolutely no sympathy whatsoever for him and his fate at this point.


Dave
It was long overdue, and I'm glad it was dealt with in the course of one issue.  Paybacks a bitch.


Kev
It certainly is.


Dave
And it is interesting that the final chapter is a full-size issue, which is about three times the length of what we have been reviewing so far, so there is still more for Mr. Windsor-Smith to tell.


Kev
Indeed.  I'm curious to find out what the finale has in store for us.


Dave
I guess he is just wrapping up any loose ends.



Kev
Yeh, we've yet to see Logan regain his freedom.  And there's also the loose end of Miss Hines to tie up as well, so to speak.


Dave
​Yeah.  Curious, indeed, to see how this pans out.


Kev

It feels more like it'll be an epilogue, now that The Professor is no longer with us.  I honestly don't think I've been happier to see the antagonist get offed in a comic in such a long time.  The Professor was such a despicable character.  And it's a testament to Windsor-Smith's writing that he managed to elicit such a visceral response from me.


Dave
Yep, make him as despicable as possible, so when he gets offed, it's more satisfying.  It's been a long haul reviewing this one, eh?


Kev
Yeah, I suppose we could have done two, or maybe even three chapters at a time, but I think it's been a lot more satisfying and rewarding to take our time and each chapter individually.  I feel it's given them the time, and the respect, that they deserve.

(D) & (K)

​Next: Things get a bit.....weird, and abstract for the big finale.
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