X-Tremists #3 pg 2 (Jeanty art, Poggi inks, Williams story) - Age of X-Man - Blob and Psylocke post table crawl

THE NEXT DAY - After the Sensual Psylocke Table Crawl Towards Blob

There is such a softness to this page that I continually find incredible in the art (Jeanty pencils and Poggi inks). The previous night there was an incident of Betsy (Psylocke) on the table crawling towards Fred (Blob), see my page from issue #2 pg 20. Normally that’s just fun or funny to see these two have such interactions, but in this series from AGE OF X-MAN such actions of love or passion that could lead to any physical intimacy are strictly forbidden, especially from the ones that enforce these restrictions themselves.

This page showcases the aftermath of that incident. The panels are design are so well done that you are in Fred’s head lost in thought, and still enthralled with what just happened the night before. It’s a build of quiet and softness that slowly brings you back into the reality of the noise in the office, where reality trickles back in for the normal day to day happenings in this precinct. The panels of Betsy giving Fred a quick look and smile, are beautifully done. The continuation of this softness from these harder edged characters we’ve known in comics for many years prior. The bottom two middle panels of Betsy and Fred capture the scene perfectly. It’s a moment captured that we know a lot more to this hidden story of forbidden passion.

It wasn’t til recently that I realized the bottom middle panel of Fred with his quiet, almost serene expression reminded me of an old good friend of mine Ken, who disappeared from our lives for many years, but recently has returned in some part. I’ve seen that face before and now I know why I’ve been so drawn to these pages. For me this scene captures the Blob (Fred Dukes) so eloquently as a true Lovable Oaf and I can see clearly what the often stunning Psylocke (Betsy Braddock) sees in him from this series. We have seen this version of Blob a bit more on Krakoa as he tends the Green Lagoon Bar, I hope we see more of this side of him in years to come.

On the continued path to bring more of these pages (Psylocke/Blob love story) home to this collection.