Writer Kieron Gillen
Pencils Carlos Pacheco
Inks Cam Smith
Colors Frank D’Armata
Letters VC’s Joe Caramagna
Variant Cover Dale Deown & Jason Keith
Cover Dated January 2012
This was part of a four cover variant –
Inside front cover ad is for Avengers X-Sanction, with Cable’s return to life, as he fights the Avengers – one at a time. It has no connection to AvX.
We get quick looks at the team, of this series. Magneto, Colossus, Cyclops, Storm, Emma, Magik, Hope, Namor and Mister Sinister, as the villain of the volume. Magik’s description – Magk (Illyana Rasputin) : Teleportation, Ex-Queen of Demonic Realm. That’s pretty much her, in one sentence.
Welcome to San Francisco. Adventure Awaits! I haven’t read this issue before, as sadly, I didn’t have money for the first three issues of both this Uncanny X-Men series and Wolverine and the X-Men. Of course, now those are the most expensive issues. As the years go by, they become more affordable.
Mister Sinister finds two tourists, as they look upon the Sleeping Celestial. He kills them, rather quickly.
Utopia. Scott and Emma are heading to their big meeting. Emma kisses him, to give him confidence.
We get Pacheco’s rendition of the main team. I like the position everyone is. Magneto is outside, by himself. Danger is by herself. The Rasputin siblings are together. Storm is at the table, by herself. We will get plenty of Namor and Hope team ups. They are all in costume, only Scott isn’t. Scott tells them that they are his, Extinction Team.
The Gold Side books, on sale are – Wolverine and the X-Men 3, X-Men Legacy 260 and Uncanny X-Force 19.
Apparently, with half the mutants on Utopia, Cyclops had the budget for nicer chairs, in the war room. Namor really likes his. Danger states that Doctor Nemesis built Colossus’ chair, so that if Jugglossus appears, the chair can take the pressure. I forgot that he got the power upgrade but, at first, he was resisting using it. That will change, and not even that long from now.
So great that Illyana is so protective of her older brother. She has faith that he can control his urges.
Scott wants everyone to get back on track. Scott actually uses the word, Schism, to explain the current situation. This team is Scott’s statement to the world.
Scott wants the world to see this team as the Mutant A-List. They have tried this before, but never to this scale. If humanity is saved, enough times, by the X-Men – they will have to be accepted.
Storm wants to play a fun game. Raise your hand, if you’ve never gone through a stage that others characterized as “mainly super villain.” Possibly, my favorite page of the entire issue.
Storm and Hope have their hands up. Scott has his hand up, but Storm wonders if he should. Emma says that he is working on his villain turn. So great, that someone recognized that this team doesn’t look like heroes, on paper. Scott knows that this team, should be unstoppable. Scott does have another motive, he wants his team to be the targets, for the world. That way, Wolverine and his “little school” isn’t on anyone’s radar. So the team gets to do nothing, until the world absolutely needs them.
Utopia. Week One. Overview of Mutant Activity. Psylocke sees no action. X-Club updates Danger. The Street team has increased their arrest rates to 15%. There have been no new mutants discovered. The New Mutants are searching for Blink. Extinction Team, no action.
Week Two. Agent Brand calls Scott and Emma. She informs them that the Dreaming Celestial is emitting an odd energy signature. She is going to call the Avengers next but Scott dissuades her. If they can’t save the day, the Avengers don’t stand a chance. I like this Scott.
Golden Gate Park. San Francisco. Look at Scott, dealing out compliments to Magik! Good for him! Doctor Nemesis states that the levels are off the charts, but I like how Danger translates that to Cyclops.
Hope notices that the head of the Dreaming Celestial, transforms into Sinister’s head. Cyclops asks Emma to telepathically connect him to Sinister.
She does so, but with some safety protocols. Sinister wants Cyclops to thank him, Cyclops wanted a big threat, and here is Sinister – providing one. Scott doesn’t like that Sinister knows his goals.
The Sinister Head launches lasers at Emma. She transforms into diamond form, and states that she is indestructible. She sends a call out to Namor, I thought she couldn’t use her telepathic powers while in diamond form? Namor wants confirmation that she desires him. She tells him that Scott desires him, which isn’t as appealing. With an, Imperius Rex!, he smashes the Sinister Head, to the ground.
Danger, again, downplays a message from X-Club.
A slew of Battle-bots, which I want to say is pretty good on Cyclops, for referencing something from 15 years ago. Cyclops tells Colossus to contain all of the nanobots.
A tidal wave of energy blasts start exploding. Colossus gets flung a distance. The worst though, is that Emma – in diamond form – has her left arm break off! Which is crazy intense! I didn’t know this happened in the first issue! Cyclops doesn’t waste any time, directing the rest of the team. I’m glad that we get a friendly reminder of Hope’s powers – to mimic, those around her. Scott tells Illyana to check on her brother.
From a safe distance, Storm and Magneto witness the destruction. He tries to carry a conversation with her, but this may be the beginning of making Storm the worst, as she doesn’t give him anything to work with.
Illyana teleports to her dumb brother, he can’t win at his current strength level. He summons Juggolossus Magik tries to warn him, about the addictive nature of the unstoppable power.
Juggolossus is quick to threats but can calm himself. Magik ports him back to the fight, this is the last we will see of her.
Doctor Nemesis calls Danger, the reason the battle-bots are falling, is due to them not having an exo-skeleton. Magneto knows what he has to do.
The Blue Side of the Titles are – Uncanny X-Men 3, Generation Hope 14 and X-Men 22.
The Sinister Head lands in the Palace of Fine Arts. Once it lands, everybody turns into Mister Sinister!
Things To Come . . . Emma and Namor kiss! They are force to, by Unit. Phalanx will appear, for an issue. Hope and the Phoenix, is Avengers vs X-Men. The bulk of this, will be Tubula Rasa.
There is a Letter to Humanity, by Scott Summers.
I love these graphs!
Look at Magik’s in the Extinction Team!
The side teams are – X-Club / Secret Recon / Street Team / Clean-Up / Gen Hope and the various Recruits.
Just to include it, here is the graph from Wolverine and the X-Men 1 –
Of course, I’m a huge fan that Kitty Pryde and Lockheed, share the top spot with Wolverine! I know the Gold Side, gets a revised graphic but I’m not sure if Uncanny does.
Such a great first issue!
Inside back cover ad is fro The Defenders by Fraction and Dodson, I own issue 12 and is pretty good.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 