Rogue tries to get answers from her mom, Mystique. Destiny was in jail at the moment, so she can’t really provide any insight. Rogue leaves, wanting to talk to Constrictor. Gambit reveals that both Constrictor and Sabretooth are dead, or at least, at the moment.
Destiny states that Rogue will eventually remember everything, so Mystique should have just told her now, it would have been better that way. Mystique wonders if this is another one of her prophecies, but Destiny gets a great line about how that’s just common sense.
Flying in a general direction, Rogue starts using Mystique’s power, even though she never touched her mother. So either Rogue’s powers are broken, or Mystique’s broken powers are causing Rogue issues.
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I like Rogue turning into Emma’s leg, Glob Herman’s arm, Magik’s arm, and Beast’s leg. I imagine Luigi Zagaria had fun thinking of which characters to attempt here. Needed to be mutants we immediately recognized.
Because of Rogue’s powers, I believe, whoever she shapeshifts into, she has that person’s powers, so it isn’t looking like Emma, but still her traditional powers, she would Emma’s physical powers.
As Rogue is falling from a great height, she shifts into Fred Dukes, to absorb the blunt of the impact as she falls through a warehouse. One of those classic normal looking warehouse, full of evil, and goons.
Some gross mutant hating goons are making a arms deal. One of them states that only a mutant can crash through a building and not get hurt. Which immediately makes me think about how any number of superpowered individuals can withstand that fall, and walk away.
Rogue shifts into her 80s look, which is fun. Her arm shifts to Emma’s diamond form to block the bullets. She shifts into her current look, then shifts into some goons to retrieve their information.
Issue ends with John Stelton, who set off this entire adventure, coming home. He saw Rogue, and now wants to make her pay. He has a real Why So Serious grin facial scar.
Solid enough issue. Is Sabretooth currently dead? Is Constrictor? Constrictor is getting his own Secret Wars action figure from the same line I got my Magik from recently.
Issue opens with Wong and Chthon having some tea, and boy time. Then we get to the good stuff. Wanda Maximoff, the current Sorcerer Supreme, versus, Madelyne Pyror, the Sorcerer Supreme of Limbo!
Wanda arrive already on fire, due to the actions of Agatha Harkness from the previous issue. Madelyne shows up, calling Wanda, The Great Pretender. Bernard Chang and Ruth Redmond draw and color a beautiful Madelyne Pryor. Steve Orlando really has her voice right too. Letterer VC’s Joe Sabino makes everything so readable.
Apparently, Agatha (the so-called official Sorcerer Supreme) made a deal with the Goblin Queen herself to take out Wanda. Madelyne is also motivated as she’ll get a lot of cred for taking down Wanda.
There is a telepath exchange, where they are in Limbo, then in Wanda’s mind, then in Madelyne’s. It got a little confusing there.
Madelyne not only reminds Wanda that she comes from the strongest telepathic stock, but that Jean Grey always hated Wanda. Which seems like an odd opinion for Jean to have. Maybe when they first met in X-Men 4, Jean picked up on all of the boys really liking Wanda (maybe even Bobby too, adding to the insult?).
Madelyne keeps getting early wins against Wanda, but then Wanda reveals there is such a thing as phrenomancy, the magic version of telepathy. Wanda plays on Madelyne’s one weakness, her memories of Nathan, which I hate that this is Madelyne’s one weakness, thus, needs to be threaten every time. She just got these memories back, that she worked so hard to obtain, in Dark Web X-Men 3, thanks editorial box, plus, we’ll be talking about Dark Web more this summer on the pod. Just annoys me that this is even a thing Madelyne has to worry about. She’s a mother, and deserves to have these memories be properly hers. Madelyne tries to negotiate that Wanda is a mother, and this is a low blow from her.
Madelyne gives in, giving Wanda the cheapest of victories, I supposed there is an argument to be made that Wanda chose the road with less fighting, but the emotional damage, I don’t love that.
Wanda promises she’ll keep this a secret. Two demons approach, and Madelyne quickly spins it so that she won the battle, and to spread word of the victory to everyone.
Then we get to the ongoing plot again, but I loved the Madelyne Pryor Limbo pages so much. We didn’t even get a reference to Magik, which I miss, but also love that Madelyne is the Queen of Limbo, and doesn’t need to mention Magik at all times. One of the panels of memories of baby Nathan had Logan, Colossus, and Storm in it, but no Kitty Pryde. I guess we really are waiting until X-Men United before we see Kitty in a monthly comic for more than a page.
The Veshanti Trio are annoyed Agatha isn’t getting the job done. I love the pages of the WandaVision family (my favorite family tree in comics, even after losing the Magneto branches – but I imagine we still keep those, just those are broken lines now? Maybe?). I like Vision stating he needs to spend more time with his flesh sons.
Agatha shows up to Strange’s old house, rips Wong from his tea party, but Wanda shows up in time to stop Wong from getting too hurt.
Be nice if Madelyne Pryor will show up again in this series. That’s how you’ll get me to stay interested.
I love the Kinney sisters so much! I’m still not sold on the Scout code name for Gabby, but she uses it in her special Scout’s Cool Attack Name, so if she likes it, I’m on board.
Laura senses her friend, Kiden, is around, who has time wrapping powers, who we last saw in NYX, so that’s nice that we haven’t forgotten that series.
The sisters were saving Celia, who wants to be an X-Man, so I immediately love her. Gabby checks to make sure Celia is okay, as Laura follows the trail.
I am such a sucker for a costume gallery, and we get a wonderful splash page of all of Laura’s costumes.
Laura has to fight a robot version of herself, which is cool.
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I was having the thought that sometimes Kitty Pryde appears in a number one comic of Laura, but I wasn’t expecting to see her. But then Laura catches up to Not-Kiden, and we see an image of Age of Apocalypse Shadowcat, that I was definitely not expecting to see!
I should buy the Laura comics that are on my wishlist, I have a set of comics I want to buy next time, but the next month, I should work on those. X-23 (2018) 1 & 7, and X-23 Deadly Regenesis 1.
Not-Kiden is out of sorts, and can’t remember her name, then her powers age her up, and she turns into a skeleton in front of Laura. I feel so bad for her, we didn’t even get her name.
Laura grabs a motorcycle and continues the trail. Gabby borrows a motorcycle, and they end up at a perfectly normal building. Almost too normal. Fake-normal evil building. They’re attacked by a dozen Laura robots, Gabby wants to keep one, but Laura says no. They’re creeping, but Gabby wonders if they are creepy to them Gabby is the best.
Issue ends with five new mutants (but not New Mutants) arriving, annoyed their security system has been destroyed, BUT! excited to see the Kinney sisters there to join them.
I’m really loving this arc! I really like Mehta and the new Vindicator. I know they are the worst, but I love them for it. Plus, they don’t get along with each other, just adding to the enjoyment.
I also really appreciate Mehta finding a way to weaken Logan. She has a gadget that can give him heart attacks.
Vindicator is about to give the old Morlocks, Erg & Ape, enhanced interrogations, when Alpha Flight shows up to stop her. They were supposed to watching Silver Sable, who escapes, as she’s no longer being watched. The new Morlocks, Chowdown & Deepfake, rescue Logan, using the skills he taught them.
I like that Silver Sable gets a win over Vindicator, so they’re 1-1 now. Sable was caught off guard, but now has time to notice Vindicator protecting her right leg, where her shield is the weakest at. I guess every shield needs to have a weak point? For some reason?
Issue ends with the return of fan favorite, Adamantine, so I guess I’m not going to enjoy the Hercules arc as much? Silver Sable is sticking around for another issue, so maybe we’re still in for a good time?
Adamantine is in an arena of sorts, and there is a reference to Romulus, who will be featured in an upcoming Cerebro episode. I’ve checked the Travis Starnes list, and I don’t own issue comic where Romulus appears in, nor is there any on my wishlist.
Such a great issue! I was surprised that we got Marcus continuing the bedtime story, but it makes sense that he is, as last issue wasn’t a done in one story.
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I’m so happy that Marcus knows enough about Calico to make her in-story horse, Ember.
I also like how he may not know Jitter enough that, to him, it makes sense that she announces the character’s name that she is going to mimic. In case this case, that’ll be Hawkeye.
Meanwhile, the Uncanny X-Men are facing off against Elsa Bloodstone, Manphiban, The Living Mummy, Frankenstein’s Monster, Morbius, and Werewolf by Night. I always appreciate narration boxes naming characters.
In classic X-Men fashion, AND horror trope, the team splits up, and we get some fun combinations.
Nightcrawler teleports himself and Logan to Sweet Water Park. We get a reminder that Hurricane Katrina devastated the park, and they still haven’t recovered fully. We should remember that Louisiana still carries the scar of that disaster.
Logan fights Werewolf by Night, who bites Logan.
We are introduced to Elsa’s boss, a charming lady, who has a white wolf for a pet, Salem.
Nightcrawler has to confront German literary hero (?), Frankenstein’s Monster. He rather just talk it out.
Jubilee is confronted by Dr. Morbius, they have a nice chat about how freeing it is to be a vampire, but Jubilee rather not go back.
Gambit fights Manphiban.
I like Logan having such medical knowledge that makes sense. I start having the thought that it is nice that Logan is healing from the bite, and not turning into a were-wolverine. That would be troublesome.
I also like that we see a young Rogue, pre adoption, who really enjoyed horror movies. Scared out of her wits, but enjoys the thrill. Rogue has to deal with both Living Mummy, and Elsa Bloodstone. Elsa informs Rogue that her boss is on her way to Haven House. At least the Outliers are there.
Issue ends with Rogue having to deal with a new threat – Wereverine! So, turns out, not as nice as I thought. Ruh oh.
So rare for a modern comic to reach issue 25! Though Uncanny will be doing it with its next issue. Just to get it out of the way, here is your Fenris trigger warning. I treated myself to the Luciano Vecchio variant cover. We weren’t given this theme cover for Exceptional X-Men, which I would have gladly bough the Kitty Pryde, Emma Frost, and Melee covers. Actually, I probably would have gotten all of them, as I do love the format. Maybe with X-Men United we’ll finally get them? I’m still waiting for the Russell Dauterman Kitty Pryde costume gallery cover.
Issue opens with Cyclops telling the team about the Age of Revelation. I do like the idea that you can just skip AoR, and what you really need to know, you’ll be told through X-MEN dialogue. Future bad because of Doug Ramsey, and 3K (more about them later).
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Scott’s new goal in life? Fix the Present, Save the Future. Such a good team shot here.
Arizona, three miles from Rio Verde. Which is three and a half hours away from Yuma. When I was growing up, there was a popular blue shirt that had, “Yuma, four hours from everywhere else” that is burned into my mind.
We catch up to Fenris, who are eternally gross. Now, they’re super prideful of being white mutants, so they have a new lower level to their grossness.
I do love how out Jed MacKay is with calling the Strucker twins and Fenris (the name of their hate group) Nazis. Why hide behind code words? Also a good time to mention I was wrong about 3K being a clever way of not writing KKK, which makes sense now that we know Krakoa Beast is the Chairman of the Board.
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Then. Cyclops really needs to find Doug.
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Now. Cyclops sends Magik and Psylocke to join the fight. Once we’re done with the Psylocke retro series (which apparently is selling quite well), I would love to get a Magik & Psylocke miniseries.
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These two are great together!
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Then. I love the X-Men sharing a meal together, this team is very close.
Cyclops reveals that AoR had never heard of R-LDS. 70s Beast let’s out a “retrocausality” which sounds very fun to say aloud. I wonder what that would have looked like as a Mortal Kombat finisher?
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Magik telling Psylocke that her sword is sharper, and Kwannon calling Magik a brat. These two are the best.
Again, I just love Juggernaut and Magik being besties. This series has been great with showing Illyana being actual friends with people. I love to see it.
Juggernaut throws a car at Fenris, he’s so upset that they blasted Magik. Taking her out of the fight for the rest of the issue, which one has to do as she can end a fight rather easily.
Psylocke fights Andreas, and Oya fights Andrea.
Quenten Quire, who also can end a fight easily, has been holding back, as he really doesn’t want to enter a white supremacist’s mind – completely understandable.
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Juggernaut helping Magik up, they’re the best!
We finally learn who the mutant is who is in charge of O*N*E* . . . The Crimson Commando, who I barely remember. He’s on the cover of Uncanny X-Men 215, with Stonewall and Super Sabre. I mostly only remember Stonewall because of the historical event, and the cool flight helmet. He’s a WWII veteran, with the mutant power of peach physical health. I own his first appearance, so that’s cool. He is a Claremont / Davis creation.
The Crimson Commando arrived with a crew, and a press conference, announcing O*N*E*, and Cyclops’ X-Men are working together, then immediately has them stop recording, so mutants everywhere should have some distrust of Cyclops now. Which seems silly, as all it’ll take is for him to reach out to Rogue and Emma, and clear the whole thing up – he’ll probably do that in-between issues.
Cyclops references how the last time he fight Crimson Commando, he died, in Uncanny X-Men 529. Which was the issue Kitty Pryde and Emma Frost with Fantomex were searching for Sebastian Shaw, so I only remember that plot from the issue, but I owned his first and last appearance (until this issue, which I also own, so that’s nice).
We do get a reference to how Cyclops hadn’t realized Crimson Commando was resurrected on Krakoa, so that’s nice that era exists so any mutant can be brought back with ease. As long as they didn’t die in Fall of X (or Rise of X).
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Crimson Commando leaves, knowing he’ll win the long battle.
We get a back up where 70s Beast chats with Animalia, who likes the codename, another legacy of AoR.
70s Beast figures out 3K is actually 3000, otherwise written in Latin, MMM, Make More Mutants, and learns the Chairman of 3K is . . . Krakoa Beast! So, everyone knows what they are up against.
Wolverine : Weapons of Armageddon 4, the first issue didn’t impress me, and the latest promos with Captain Marvel, Spider-Man, and Logan isn’t selling me on it. I’m just burnt out with crossovers after the underwhelming One World Under Doom, Ultimate Endgame, and X-Men Age of Revelation.
Doomquest 1, that’s a hard pass.
. . .
Though writing that, I am still buying into the hype with Reborn : Ultimate Impact 1. Now the Ultimate Universe is maybe done, but the 616 universe is now involved, gets my interest. Plus, it promises to reveal some new major characters (that I’m sure we’ll forget all but two of them in three years)
. . .
Civil War Unmasked 1, this was originally a hard pass for me, but Bishop and the Days of Future Past (which isn’t his future) has me interested in the first issue at all.
. . .
Fantastic Four 11 has a back up story by Stan Sakai, so that’s very compelling.
. . .
weird Spider-Man / Superman is being promoted again. If you use DCBS, this is available now to order, so you better hurry! Don’t wait until March. I’m getting the Erik Larsen Cyborg Spider-Man Superman cover, and Walker D is getting the everyone cover.
. . .
JLAvengers 1 is getting reprinted? I read online that DC is printing the second issue. Such a great story. I own the original four issues, and the gorgeous hardcover collection.
X-Men of Apocalypse Omega, is promising a shocking twist ending, but the series has been highly disappointing thus far, I can only imagine it has to end big to worth the printing of it. Of course, if AoA Shadowcat was involved, at all, I would be writing to a different tune right now.
. . .
Not only is X-Men double shipping with issues 29 & 30, but Magik is on two covers (that we know of) for each issue. I doubt I’m going to have the budget for four of these.
If I’m only doing one cover each, which is the idea, I’ll get Martín Cóccolo’s 29, and Germán Peralta’s 30.
. . .
Cyclops 4, the first issue was fantastic. Magik was in it, so I’m tempted to get the last issue, just in case she bookends the miniseries.
. . .
X-Men United 3, I’m getting Andrei Bressan’s variant cover for sure, it has Magik on it.
I really have been apricating that they are showing us more covers this early on.
. . .
Storm : Earth’s Mightiest Mutant 4, has Storm’s daughter, Furaha, officially making an appearance, after being teased in Hellfire Vigil.
. . .
I’m definitely getting Moonstar 3’s regular cover, with Magik on it.
. . .
Magik and Colossus 4, I’m definitely getting the Nogi San cover, all I’ve been wanting is the option to get solo Magik covers from this series.
Also, recognizing how many images I have been saving, I’m only getting one cover each of X-Men 29 & 30, I do resent the double shipping of that title, I’m not rewarding it by buying twice as many covers. To me, double shipping a title means I can’t support another series.
. . .
Psylocke : Ninja 5, now with Jubilee, so that’s fun. Hopefully once we’re done with this retro series, we’ll get Magik & Psylocke, it feels like that’s where we should be heading.
Rogue 5, the first issue was uncanny.
Wade Wilson Deadpool 4, I did not connect with the first issue.
Inglorious X-Force 5, the first issue was pretty x-treme, in the best of ways.
Generation X-23 4, the first issue was awesome, AND had AoA Shadowcat (for some reason).
Wolverine 20, I loved the Silver Sable arc. I did NOT love the Adamantine arc, so that returning, with Hercules, but debuting the Savage Champions, and teasing a Can’t Spoil Cover, still doesn’t get me there.
. . .
Uncanny X-Men 28, states the New Mutants, and I want to know so much which New Mutants? Karma has to be there, right? I imagine Magik & Dani are having their own series, so maybe not those two? Doug is off doing whatever he does, so that leaves Karma naturally leading this group. Right? I need to know!
. . .
Wiccan & Hulking : Raid of Ultron 1, is Marvel’s Pride issue. It has three variant covers, so hopefully Kitty shows up on one of those.
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Wonder Man 3, has a Russell Dauterman costume gallery variant, so there’s still a chance we get a Kitty Pryde cover from him.
Imperial Guardians 3, has Darkhawk as the main focus of the cover. I love that for my pal, Greg.
Sai : Dimensional Rivals 5, the first two issues have been fun.
Sorcerer Supreme 6, has Somnus, so I like that.
. . .
Infernal Hulk 7 kicks off a X-Men arc, so I might be buying this for a while. Magik on the regular cover, so I’m loving that.
. . .
Godzilla Infinity Roar 4, mentions the X-Men appearing in it, with Cyclops and Jean on the cover. Magik was in the last issues of the previous miniseries, so I’ll probably get this, and keep checking for variant covers.
. . .
Okay, let’s see what I’m committing too!
Reborn Ultimate Impact 1, any variant cover
Civil War Unmasked 1, any variant cover
X-Men 29, Martin Cóccolo’s variant
X-Men 30, Germán Peralta’s variant
X-Men United 3, Andrei Bressan’s variant
Moonstar 3, the regular cover by Germán Peralta
Magik & Colossus 4, Nogi San’s variant cover
Infernal Hulk, the regular cover by Nic Klein
Godzilla Infinity Roar 4, any variant cover
and keeping an eye on Wiccan & Hulking : Raid of Ultron for a Kitty Pryde appearance on a variant cover.
Maybe also Uncanny X-Men 28, pending on which New Mutants appear in it. Recognizing that by the time we know which ones, it’ll be too late to preorder.
So, nine comics for sure, which is going to be expensive (thankfully they are at regular cover price, and not double sized, AND the D in DCBS stands for Discount).
Shadow and Flame with Magik 