Shadow and Flame with Magik

Writer Brian Michael Bendis

Pencils & Colors Chris Bachalo

Inks Tim Townsend with Al Vey, Mark Irwin & Victor Olazara

Lettering & Production VC’s Joe Caramagna

This issue serves as Magneto’s exist and back door pilot for Magneto’s new ongoing – of which, I can only imagine I will get a few issues of if they do any flashbacks or references to Magik.

Magneto gets a pretty grand exist.

Issue picks up right where we left off before Battle of the Atom, back at the college at Ann Arbor, Michigan.  Instead of majority of students being pro-mutant or anti-bigots, now the ground is mixed.

Magneto meets with Agent Dazzler, who are both double agents in a way, as Mystique is still posing as Dazzler.

Mystique instructs Magneto to check out Madripoor, as it is becoming a save haven for mutants.  A New Vegas for Mutants, which I’m not sure is better.

Magneto gets there, now sporting a goatee.  In a scene that looks very much inspired for the awesome scene in X-Men : First Class, Magneto goes to a bar.  There is something about the coloring that makes the scene feel gritty.  Magneto discovers that someone is selling mutant growth hormones.  He takes out three thugs.

Magneto goes to a the headquarters of the new queen of Madripoor.  On his way there, he runs across the Blob.  Who looks much bigger than his last appearance that I remember, which would have been the Generation M miniseries.  I am under the impression that he is still powerless but maybe he has gained his powers again.  Blob is flattered that Magneto believes he could be in charge of the country.

I like to think that Jimenez’s two parter over in Savage Wolverine 12 and 13 is the reason why Tiger Tyger is no longer the head of the country.  There is nothing that implies that but that’s what I’m going with here.

Magneto meets the new Silver Samurai and Sabretooth.  In an awesome reveal, Sabreooth tells Magneto that there is a new queen.  Then we see Dazzler come out of a plane.  In right in front of Magneto, Dazzler transforms into Mystique.

I like, with the inclusion of Blob, that we have a nice mixture of old and new Brotherhood of Mutants here, except I am not sure if Sabretooth has ever been a member of that group.  I imagine at this point, he has to have been.

The quarter page of Mystique, she has never looked so good.  I like the shade of blue used here, it looks fantastic with the white outfit.  Bachalo sure does draw himself an amazing Mystique.

She reveals the entire plan.  Dazzler is somewhere resting, I’m really not going to be happy until we find out where she is.  Hopefully is she at a resort, a prisoner, but comfortable.  I fear she is in a closet somewhere, not getting any proper meals.

Magneto straight up loses his mind, taking control and forcing Silver Samurai to attack Mystique.  She inherited the mutant growth hormone operation but she didn’t stop it as it makes money for her.  Also, she has been using SHIELD to send her here and been using their money to established the country as a safe haven.

Magneto teaches Sabreooth why you never wear metal around Magneto.  Magneto leaves the country but not before destroying her headquarters.

Last page shows Kitty asking Cyclops where Magneto is.  Emma reveals that he never knows where he goes or when he will come back.  I really do adore that Kitty is in Cyclops’ inner circle, even if she isn’t on the team officially.  It would be silly to not use her as a resource.

Next issue implies that the focus will be on the students as they are in the middle of nowhere.