Mystique

If the demand for Marvel mutant comics is so great that it justifies the creation of so many ancillary X-titles, why do they crash and burn with such alarming regularity? It usually comes down to the comics being either too much like The X-Men — or not enough like The X-Men.

So here’s hoping the approach of Mystique doing Xavier’s international dirty work (even back in the Stan and Jack days, Chuck always had a certain sinister air which suggested his “school” was really a front for something a lot less palatable) will appeal to readers. It doesn’t hurt that, under that stunning Linsner cover, is some great art by Jorge Lucas and a crisp Brian Vaughan script that has the internal fortitude to feature (for once) a “bad girl” who’s really, really bad.

Over at New X-Men, they’ve done wonders with another thoroughly unrepentant and amoral character. Here’s hoping they can do the same with “Raven Darkholme.” (First things first: Have her admit she got that name out of a bad SF novel.)

— S.A. Bennett / Comics Buyer‘s Guide’s Reading Room

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#1

Jun 2003

Cover: $2.99

W: Brian K. Vaughan · A: Jorge Lucas

3 copies from $9.50
#2

Jul 2003

Cover: $2.99

W: Brian K. Vaughan · A: Jorge Lucas

8 copies from $2.49
#3

Aug 2003

Cover: $2.99

W: Brian K. Vaughan · A: Jorge Lucas

1st appearance of Shortpack

7 copies from $1.00
#4

Sep 2003

Cover: $2.99

W: Brian K. Vaughan · A: Jorge Lucas

9 copies from $1.56
#5

Oct 2003

Cover: $2.99

W: Brian K. Vaughan · A: Jorge Lucas

6 copies from $4.98
#6

Nov 2003

Cover: $2.99

W: Brian K. Vaughan · A: Jorge Lucas

10 copies from $1.56
#7

Dec 2003

Cover: $2.99

W: Brian K. Vaughan · A: Michael Ryan

10 copies from $0.99
#8

Jan 2004

Cover: $2.99

W: Brian K. Vaughan · A: Michael Ryan

8 copies from $1.38
#9

Feb 2004

Cover: $2.99

W: Brian K. Vaughan · A: Michael Ryan

6 copies from $2.20
#10

Mar 2004

Cover: $2.99

W: Brian K. Vaughan · A: Michael Ryan

9 copies from $0.99
#11

Apr 2004

Cover: $2.99

W: Brian K. Vaughan · A: Manuel García

5 copies from $0.99
#12

May 2004

Cover: $2.99

W: Brian K. Vaughan · A: Manuel García

6 copies from $0.99
#13

Jun 2004

Cover: $2.99

W: Brian K. Vaughan · A: Michael Ryan

9 copies from $1.92
#14

Apr 2004

Cover: $2.99

W: Sean McKeever · A: Manuel García

7 copies from $3.50
#15

Jul 2004

Cover: $2.99

W: Sean McKeever · A: Manuel García

6 copies from $1.91
#16

Cover by Mike Mayhew

Aug 2004

Cover: $2.99

W: Sean McKeever · A: Manuel García

Unnatural: Part 3 of 5

4 copies from $2.50
#17

Sep 2004

Cover: $2.99

W: Sean McKeever · A: Manuel García

5 copies from $1.96
#18

Oct 2004

Cover: $2.99

W: Sean McKeever · A: Manuel García

8 copies from $2.75
#19

Nov 2004

Cover: $2.99

W: Sean McKeever · A: Manuel García

Versus Hydra

4 copies from $3.99
#20

Dec 2004

Cover: $2.99

W: Sean McKeever · A: Manuel García

3 copies from $2.16
#21

Jan 2005

Cover: $2.99

W: Sean McKeever · A: Manuel García

8 copies from $1.95
#22

Feb 2005

Cover: $2.99

W: Sean McKeever · A: Manuel García

6 copies from $4.25
#23

Mar 2005

Cover: $2.99

W: Sean McKeever · A: Manuel García

6 copies from $1.95
#24

Apr 2005

Cover: $2.99

W: Sean McKeever · A: Manuel García

Final Issue

5 copies from $1.00
Book #3

Jan 2005

Cover: $13.99

W: Sean McKeever · A: Mike Garcia

Collects #14-18

1 copy for $11.50
Book #4

May 2005

Cover: $14.99

W: Sean McKeever · A: Mike Garcia

Collects #19-24

1 copy for $9.00
Deluxe Set #1

Cover: $24.99

W: Brian K. Vaughan · A: Jorge Lucas, Michael Ryan, Manuel García

Collects Mystique #1-13; Indicia reads title as Mystique by Brian K. Vaughan Ultimate Collection

1 copy for $16.00