Mystique: Tinker, Tailor, Mutant, Spy

Over the weekend I've finished reading Volume 2 of the four Mystique trades I picked up recently.

As with Volume 1, Volume 2 - Tinker, Tailor, Mutant, Spy - is written by Brian K. Vaughan, however this time we have a different interior art team of Michael Ryan, Manuel Garcia and Raul Fernandez. Covers are again provided by one of my favourites, Mike Mayhew.

Having been recruited as a secret agent by Professor Xavier Mystique travels to South africa for her latest mission - to find and destroy a deadly new strain of smallpox that is spread telepathically. To complicate things, Mystique isn't the only mutant who wants the bio-weapon.

This volume, which collects Mystique #7 to #13, was a 'comfortable' read perhaps lacking some of the plot complexities of Volume 1 Dead Drop Gorgeous: that's not meant as a negative, this was a great 'page-turner'.

Michael Ryan's portrayal of Mystique herself is noticeably different to Jorge Lucas's in Volume 1 - here she appears as a smaller, slimmer - less curvey - woman. There's nothing wrong with Ryan's vision but personally I prefer Lucas's.

Bonus features include a numer of pencil sketches from Ryan as well as all of Mike Mayhews covers for the seven issues - these covers are superb.

Highly recommeded.

Mystique Volume 2: Tinker, Tailor, Mutant, Spy, paperback, 168 pages, published by Marvel Comics, 2004.