The sequel to X-Men Noir has a much different tone. The story starts in jungles of Madripoor with the original '40s Angel, Wolverine, Cyclops and Puck seeking the legendary Eye of Cyttorak. In desperate need of cash, these survivors from the first miniseries take a job for a crime lord which results in a double cross! But when the boss winds up dead back in the States, there's a second chance to score some bread from this rotten deal. The only thing standing in their way- recently paroled Professor Charles Xavier and his newly formed Uncanny X Men!
This Marvel Noir entry had a little bit of everything. The first chapter was like if Indiana Jones was a mutant. Then there's a Hong Kong crime picture. Horror thriller. Mission Impossible type heist. And a wrap up with a Body Heat/Double Indemnity type mystery noir.
While I did feel that the Mark of Cain was much better than the first X-Men Noir book, it wasn't perfect. At times, this book was a bit schizoid. That's not me trying to be poetic or something. That's a literal assessment.
One thing that I appreciated more with this series was the lack of the prose pulp that really caused the first volume to lag. I think those extra 2-3 pages were needed. This story definitely was action packed!
The behind the scenes stuff was a lot more in-depth this time around too. So many great images. And those variant covers- breathtaking!
The final image of this story sets things up for a third volume. That would round out a trilogy. Alas, that just doesn't seem likely. Mark of Cain debuted on shelves in 2009. I just don't see Marvel rounding things out any time soon. Marvel does get nostalgic and returns to it's theme storylines from time to time. Marvel2099 is making a return currently. Could Marvel Noir be awaiting in the wings? If so, I hope we find out what happened immediately after the curtains feel on this adventure.
Worth Consuming!
Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.
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