Marvel Comics Presents (Vol. 2) #9 (Story 4)

Background

The new Guardian, Michael Pointer, is having trouble controlling his powers. They seem incredibly unreliable which might have something to do with his unpredictable emotions. After the collective mutant powers of all the de-powered mutants on Earth entered him, he destroyed his home town in Alaska, killing everyone he ever knew. Now in the Guardian suit and being forced to pay for his crimes, the Canadian government is doing their best to help him through his psychological issues. USAgent, the resident jerk on the team, doesn't like the situation very much and is being kept in the dark by the team's liaison; Agent Brown.

Story 'Weapon Omega (Part 9)'

As a quick note, I've marked each plot point that doesn't quite make sense with a question mark in brackets, such as: (?)

Michael Pointer/The Collective/Guardian/Rip-Tore (?) is tearing into USAgent. Apparently his costume is a blend of scale mail and spandex based on the way it seems to be sticking to Pointer's new claws (?). Agent Brown calls for Sasquatch who immediately breaks into the training room. He's on the verge of attacking Pointer when an energy blast fired by Pointer somehow triggers his memories of Alpha Flight being killed (?). Pointer then gets a hold of himself and apologies for losing control, not aware of how it happened. I guess that makes two of us. USAgent is about to spill the beans when he's conveniently sedated.

As his therapist leads him away, Pointer runs into Arachne. She asks what had been happening and Pointer's therapist explains as Michael stares at Rachel, Arcahne's daughter, who's still in a trance he unknowingly induced. Somehow Pointer breaks the trance (?) and her memories become visible to him (?). Arachne notices that her daughter is talking again and decides it's time to speak to Agent Brown

General Comments

So for those keeping count, that's five things I had noticed that don't make a whole lot of sense. Apparently no one involved in this comic actually read the "The Collective" arc in New Avengers because Pointer's powers don't cause him to physically change. Although what's more obnoxious is how his powers seem to act in ways that move the story forward without any sort of explanation or logic. Pointer mysteriously placed Rachel in a trance so he could use her to spy on what Agent Brown is doing? That'd be a very clever plan if he had actually done it on purpose and didn't just shoot a random beam at her while he was having some kind of terrible nightmare. Perhaps Pointer has absorbed the power of a mutant who has the unique ability to conveniently advance a plot.

I want to stick on Rachel for a second more though. I know C.S.I.S. isn't the most elite intelligence agency in the world or anything, but to actually have their secrets discovered by a small girl who happens to live on the base? Really? And how incompetent are USAgent and Arachne if it took all sorts of sleuthing to uncover a conspiracy that could be discovered by wandering hallways and eavesdropping on some conveniently timed conversations. And Arachne must be the worst mother in the world when she barely takes any notice of her daughter suddenly becoming mute and LOSING HER PUPILS. That's some pretty scary stuff, and I think that'd worry me if it happened to my kid.

Overall Rating

Needs more Sasquatch and less everything else. I'd honestly be happier if this title turned into a wacky adventure where Sasquatch and Rip-Tore had to work together to deliver magical maple syrup to the ghost of Pierre Trudeau.