Writers Craig Yost & Chris Yost
Penciler Mike Norton
Inker Dave Meikis
Colors Brian Reber
Letterer Dave Sharpe
Cover Dated January 2007
I really never understood why comics have advertisements for cars. Who is enjoying a comic and is in the mood for a new 2007 Chevy Aveo.
Wither thought he had lost his powers after M-Day. He ran to his lady friend, Laurie, grabbed her arm and withered it. He ran from the school soon after.
After that, Laurie and other depowered mutants got on a bus and that bus was destroyed by Reverend Styker and his Purifiers. Wither doesn’t know any of this.
Wither now lives in a shelter in Mutant Town along with an old lady. He is also having recurring nightmares.
Mercury wants Emma to inform Wither about the deaths. Emma tells her that she has Wither being observed.
There is an ad for the miniseries, Bullet Points. A miniseries I had no interest in, until I found out the X-Men show up in issue five. Including both Kitty and Lockheed.
Elixer killed Styker and now has black spots on his golden skin. During that battle, Cannonball and Husk’s younger brother, Icarus, was killed. His sister, Melodie, lost her powers on M-Day and is there for his funeral.
Cyclops and Rogue meet Mrs. Guthrie at the door.
Turns out, Wolfsbane is the one watching Wither. She is being blackmailed into because while she taught at Xavier’s, she had a bit of a relationship with Elixer, a student.
A second car ad, two page spread, for a Nissan Sentra. I mean, really, who even sits on their couch, sees a car ad on television, and goes to a dealership the next day? Who? Typically, something bad happens, you need a new car pronto, you go to dealership, and try to find a car within your predetermined price ranged.
We find out with the old lady friend of Wither, that someone has killed nineteen people in three weeks. Someone is draining the bodies of their life.
X23 shows up in Hellion’s room. The credit page states that she was created by Craig Kyle. I checked All New X-Men 20, and he is credited there so maybe it only showed for the first year or something. Anyways, Hellion has been sleeping for 34 hours. In his sleep, he mutters, Sofia, this does not amuse her. I am not sure when this takes place in their relationship, I know they become a real couple at one point.
We cut to Rickslide talking to Anole and Match along with Dust. He is bragging about how he has died once already. This takes place before Anole lost his arm and regrew a bigger one. Dust is still upset, apparently she was there when Icarus died. She feels responsible for some reason.
We cut to Mrs. Guthrie, making a speech and making people cry. Dust takes iff her face shroud and begs for forgiveness. Mrs. Guthrie tells her no forgiveness is necessary.
A third ad fir a vehicle, this time a Honda Element SC. They use a cut out picture of a dog. Even if my son walked up to me with this ad, and wanted the car, I would, at best, say maybe one day.
The old lady tells Wither what happen to his former classmates. He calls Mercury to confirm. She just wants him to come home.
For whatever reason, police show up to the place Wither and the lady are. She stands up, she absorbs a few of them. One of the remaining ones shoot her. Wither kills the last two.
Turns out the old lady is . . . Selene! And in her classic Black Queen outfit. So of course, the teenage Wither wants to do whatever she wants. How could he think otherwise? She kisses him and that seals the deal. He would do anything for her after that.
If my time line is right, we don’t see Selene for a couple years after this, for her X-Necrosha plot.
We get another speech by Mrs. Guthrie. Her two eldest children start crying.
Issue ends with Kitty reading the names of fallen X-Men, both old and new. She mentions both Doug and Illyana. She stops the list to say she misses them. Then continues the list.
Not sure what Carol Danvers is doing there, was she near by already?
Here is the list :
John Proudstar, Thunderbird, still dead
Sean Cassidy, Banshee, resurrected Horseman of Apocalypse
Jean Grey, still dead
Sarah Vale ?
Max Jordan ?
Mark Sheppard ?
Andrea Marguiles ?
Floyd Carter ?
Callie Betto ?
Brian Cruz ?
Sammy Pare ?
Jeffrey Garrett ?
Esme and Sophia Cuckoo, did not know that was their actual last name. Those poor gals never had a chance.
Doug Ramsey, Cipher, alive
Illyana Rasputin, Magik, alive
Joshua “Jay” Guthrie, Icarus, dead
Laurie Collins, Wallflower, dead
The names I don’t recognize must be those depowered mutants.
New X-Men has the same titled letters page as New Mutants Volume One, Report Cards. The column promoting the other comics out that month is actually funny.
Astonishing X-Men 18 : It’s the end of Torn! An ending so amazing you won’t believe your eyes! Plus, it should come out this month! For truth!
Uncanny X-Men 480 : Vulcan continues his Jerk Tour ’06. This month’s stop, The Imperial Guard!
Cable / Deadpool 34 : It’s Cable and Deadpool vs. Six Pack! Vs. Six Pack? Leave my stomach alone!
New Excalibur 13 : Juggernaut is weakening! What could be the cause? My money is on the fact that he spends all of his time eating chocolates and watching Caroline in the City reruns.
X-Men : Phoenix Warsong 3 : Who are the parents of the Cuckoos?!
Wolverine : Origins 7 : Omega Red and Wolverine meet up in Berlin! Boys, you’re late! It’s not called Novemberfest!
New X-Men 32 : Hey Wither, where you at? Hanging out with an older woman? Nice!
Exiles 88 : Honey, the Imperial Guard are dead. The Silver Surfer and your incessant nagging killed them.
X-Men First Class 3 : Professor X needs his students’ help! Could it be…the dreaded spiral-staircase?!
Wolverine 48 : A Civil War Epilogue! Epilogue!
X-Factor 13 : It’s back to the therapists’ couch for X-Factor! Sound familiar? It is! Added bonus : Layla Miller!
Nextwave : Agents of H.A T.E. 10 : Nextwave is not an X-Book. It’s in this on-sale column. Just buy Nextwave.
X-Men 193 : The X-Men have their final battle with the Children! But don’t the X-Men know the Children are our future?
Some fun energy there.
I almost forgot! The back cover is an ad for a 2007 Dodge Caliber. This time it has Green Goblin on the car with him about to be attacked by Reed Richards, Iceman, Spider-Man and Iron Man. Like adding those characters would add to my interest in the car. I guess, even if they only sold ten cars based on the ad, that must at least pay for the ad.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 