Writer Jeff Lemire
Penciler Humberto Ramos
Inker Victor Olazaba
Colorist Edgar Delgado
Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna
I had to add Clay Mann’s variant to my Wishlist.
Magik doesn’t appear in this issue, hopefully the last time that happens – but she’s mentioned twice.
Neepawwa, Monitoba, Canada. Jean sees the sad trailer that Old Man Logan has been living in. They both share their mutual awkward timelineness. She’s from the past, he’s from the future – she’s supposed to be from the real past and he’s from a future that isn’t this current universe’s future. They know this as Wolverine didn’t die via Professor Cornelius’s plotting.
X-Haven, Limbo. Iceman really wants Magik to come back, as they are not doing well against the demons. Why the demons are not just listening to Illyana’s demand to just hang back, I’m not sure. Maybe they know she is missing, only because of the X-Men.
Storm checks in with Forge, Illyana’s radio silence hasn’t broken yet. Storm really should have sent a B-Team, at the end of this issue. She’s the leader of the X-Men, by default instead of earning her current position. I do like how no one needs Colossus.
Storm wants the backup security system to go online but Forge believes it is a week out still. Forge is going to try to get it online, now. He can’t work miracles as they are in hell. Cebebra corrects him, the dumb robot that she is – and states that Limbo isn’t Hell, it is a different realm. Forge sends her to die the demons, and possibly, be destroyed out there.
Anole and Glob Herman are trying their best against demons. Iceman tells them to chill out, and is disappointed that no one laughed. It isn’t funny and Iceman is the worst.
Iceman, has gone back to what Jason Aaron tried to established in the original Wolverine and the X-Men series. He has been working on a Cold Locker, an Iceman army. He has to sit and concentrate – to control them – so he’s still working on that aspect.
Canada. Jean confirms that Cyclops is dead, this is the first that Old Man Logan has heard of the news. Sounds like the whole Terrigen Mist business is new to him, as well. We learned that Cyclops died, during a fight with the Inhumans. She keeps the bad news coming with how the mists have sterilized mutants.
Old Man Logan doesn’t want to rejoin the X-Men, as he is afraid of his future coming true. Jean is so horrible, that’ she’s cool that Old Man Logan killed all of the X-Men. Jean forces more future memories out of Old Man Logan. She sees that the Hulk’s grandchildren killed Old Man Logan’s family. She seems more upset about the villains winning and his family being slaughtered – instead of the man before her, killing all of her friends and colleagues.
I like how Old Man Logan doesn’t see this as a new start – he is still haunted by his past and what Mysterio tricked him into doing.
Limbo. The demons are clearly winning. Forge’s security system is a mere shield. Iceman is running out of resources.
Storm calls Anole and Glob, X-Men, and this motivates them to fight harder.
Iceman needs a second to recharge, which sickens Storm.
Cerebra, scoring points with me – is concern that Ms. Rasputin may not be doing well.
Sapna, from the first issue, is protecting her family. Sapna, apparently, can speak and control the demons. This comes as a surprise to her.
Canada. The two time-displaced mutants, talk about destiny – which is pretty nice. Jean hadn’t thought about destinies. Old Man Logan worries about killing the X-Men, like how she should be worried about how she should be starting to die and be reborn – in a constant cycle. This angers Jean, as she is going to make sure she never dies, she is going to break the cycle.
Jean promises to watch over Old Man Logan – to make sure he doesn’t kill any of the X-Men. Since this is Jean, Old Man Logan can’t deny what she wants. She knows where the X-Men are, and calls them to get them to pick the two up.
Sapna is doing a great job of calming the demons. Iceman wonders if this is why Illyana sought her out. Glob saves Iceman, as he was distracted. Glob is all sorts of motivated, now that Storm considers him an X-Man.
Storm has most of the refugees inside the school but Forge hasn’t raised the shields yet. A demon knocks Storm down and the ghost of Xavier gets her to stand back on her feet. With a giant lightning bolt, the demons stand back. Storm gets to say the classic “to me, my X-Men” which must feel great – every single time.
Storm tries to motivate Forge, but he isn’t the mutant inventor that his reputation would have everyone believe. Forge tries to trick her into remembering the good old days. Which I imagine he thinks about, a bunch – when Storm and him were lovers. Though, wasn’t that just for a handful of issues? It wasn’t like a multi-years relationship.
Jean calls into Forge, and he knows how much Storm needs Jean and Old Man Logan – so he sends Cerebra to gather them. Cerebra teleports to Canada, and back to Limbo – in no time at all.
Great last page – these are the X-Men! (minus Magik, Nightcrawler and Colossus – but add Supna). Even Anole and Glob made the group shot. That is a pretty great mixture of teams and classes.
I can’t wait for the official first group shot of everyone together!
Next issue has the team, shown as a reflection in Mister Sinister’s head gem thing.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 