The Good
From the very first page, you feel the desperation of a member of the X-Men. Despite the change in the status of mutants after the Phoenix Force was uses to respark the mutant gene, there is one that is not benefitting from all of this. Desperate times call for desperate measures and that will be a big focus on this title. It also raises an interesting question about secondary mutations and beyond.
Even though the cover and all the information about this title suggest this is about the original X-Men from the past. This issue focuses more on following the events from AVX: CONSEQUENCES and Cyclops decision to take his group of X-Men on the road to find mutants in a more extreme fashion.
There is a feeling of the old days when new mutants would pop up. Who can be there to help them deal with the new situation and help avoid everyone freaking out and threatening the new mutant? Cyclops is hoping that will be him.
How the X-Men from the past is brought to the future and who is responsible was unexpected and pretty cool. Again, desperate times...
If you're wondering when the X-Men will be pulled form, looks like 1964's X-MEN #8.
Stuart Immonen's art is great. You feel like he's just jumped right in to tackle Bendis' script. He's familiar with the characters and it shows. Bendis and Immonen have worked together before so it's going to be great to see what they come up with next...and in only two weeks!
The Bad
I wanted to see more of the original X-Men. Set up is important. Now we have next issue to look forward to.
When Cyclops appears and talks to a new mutant just discovering her powers, he explains who he is and everything. Then it seemed like they disappeared as the authorities came with guns blazing to find the person responsible (the new mutant). Then Cyclops and the others come in, in full force to deal with them. It might have been to make a better show for any cameras recording the scene. It just came across as a little odd.
We never saw how Emma escaped from her incarceration. It wasn't shown in AVX: CONSEQUENCES but I guess we're to assume she escaped when Magik and Magneto came for Scott. I think they might have been at the same facility but there was no sign of her in AVX: CONSEQUENCES #5.
I wish Bendis had used the same dialogue from X-MEN #8 in this issue.
The Verdict
We're off to a good start. This has been a title I've been deeply curious about. Unfortunately the wait of what the original X-Men from the past think about the future isn't fully explored here. That's not a major problem as this issue does set up the situation and moves Cyclops story forward from last week. It's also a good place for new readers to jump in. They may have missed recent events but there is enough set up here to explain things without simply repeating everything for older readers. It feels we're on the verge of some crazy things happening in the X-Men Universe. I can't say I've been completely 100% satisfied with the way things have been going for the X-Men in the last decade but with the changes in Cyclops' outlook (whether or not you agree with his direction) and the X-Men from the past coming to the present, it's time to start paying attention to the X-Men again. It's going to be interesting to see how this book fits in with the others. I can't wait to see what Bendis has cooking.