Writer Brian Michael Bendis
Art Mahmud Asrar and Brandon Peterson
Color Artists Israel Silva with Marte Gracia
Letterer VC’s Cory Petit
Issue opens with Laura, X23, waking up on a slab. She instantly notices she is in a Weapon X facility. She is super suspicious of the people in the room.
Her senses tell her X-Men are in the room, but her eyes see those X-Men as teenagers. So she believes this is a trick.
There are two artists for this issue. From what I can see, Asrar does the home pages and Peterson does the misson pages.
Bobby makes a joke about wanting to marry her.
Kitty tries to calm Laura down. Some great use of shadows for these first two pages. We also get to see that Lockheed is there!
I do like how Scott takes the lead in trying to ease Laura. Kitty is the supervisor, and Scott is the team leader.
Laura runs outside. Bobby can’t believe someone would actually, on purpose, create a Wolverine. Much less create a teenage girl version of him. Jean reveals that Scott fancies Laura. Now would work as a time to mention that the cover image does not occur in the issue. I was hoping, for whatever reason, that it would be her being attracted to him. Maybe due to how the cover makes her to be the aggressor.
Poor Laura is outside, in the snow, bare footed and wearing an undershirt and short shorts. Scott is already out there, waiting for her. He has the difficult task of explaining the past nineteen issues to her. She needs a bunch of explanation.
Jean starts to read Laura’s mind, Kitty tells her to stop. Laura’s mind isn’t one that should be read, she should open up to the team.
Scott sees a hugging opportunity and takes it. Laura states she doesn’t do hugs, and definitely not in front of an audience. At least he made a move, it took a decade for him originally with Jean. Though Laura is no Jean Grey.
We cut back to the Purifiers in Ocala, Florida. Turns out, Reverend Styker had a son, which I am sure was not been referenced before. Probably Bendis trying to get that coveted X2 audience.
Peterson definitely draws these last pages.
We see that Laura got a matching outfit. Now if only Kitty can get a new outfit. Also, if Lockheed could have made the field team.
Kitty short circuits the power. Bobby seems like this is the first he has seen her power or knows what her power set. Kitty dictates that they follow Laura but answer to Scott and lusten for Jean. She is such a great field commander.
The X-Men attack and then get knocked out. Turns out Stryker Junior has a power himself, just like in X2, but it is more of a force power instead of a mental power.
Next issue, looks like either Jean and X23 are either fighting or working together.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 