Pages 9-10, 19-20, 33 Jed MacKay, Tony S. Daniel & Mark Morales
Pages 14-15, 26-27, 48 Eve L. Ewing & Federica Mancin
Pages 18, 21-25, 28-32 Saladin Ahmed & Federica Mancin
Pages 36-46, 49 Saladin Ahmed, Cory Smith & Oren Junior
I got the RB Silva variant cover, as Kitty is spotlighted on it.
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Sebastian Shaw is attempting to take back the Hellfire Gala name, and is going to do it in high fashion with a masquerade ball.
I was hoping we’ll get a final page with all of the characters with their new costumes, and their names above their heads.
I don’t think Magik attended this, or I completely missed her.
Rogue takes time to chat with Cyclops.
Oya wasn’t supposed to be here, she just happened to be in town.
Mister Sinister, dressed as an angel, is bored with Shaw, who is dressed as a king. #NoKings
Angel, dressed as a devil, is also there. The mansion’s AI programmed everyone’s costumes, besides Shaw’s.
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We get to see Storm for a panel, and establish Kitty Pryde’s Cat outfit. She looks great here.
Hellion gets a moment.
Cyclops and Psylocke get a dance, and they are very flirty. The dialogue implies she’s going to cheat on Greycrow, but actually, they have a devious other plan. To murder either 3K member, Astra or Joseph, or ideally, both.
These two have intense chemistry though. Does remind me of the Jim Lee X-MEN run, where Betsy, in Kwannon’s body, was flirty with Scott, but he was able to resist, oil licking good as Betsy was. So I like the idea that now that Kwannon is in her proper body, he’s actually attracted to the right mind in the right body.
I also love that it was Emma who insisted on Scott learning to dance. Scemma was truly the best.
Oya and Ransom find each other, and I really like these two. I wish they were not separated by 4,371 miles.
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Page 13, the Kitty & Martinique dance, which is by Saladin Ahmed & Joelle Jones.
The Kitty Pryde subreddit spoiled these images, so I sort of know to expect this, and knowing there was an illusionist, that maybe Shaw wasn’t actually murdered. I kept waiting for a reveal.
I like how Kitty doesn’t recognize Martinique, she recognized everyone else, but it makes sense she wouldn’t know Martinique.
I wouldn’t want Kitty to cheat on Nina, please break up with someone before you cheat on them, that’s just gross.
I would have said I was always more of a Regan Wyngarde / Lady Mastermind fan, of the two sisters, as she’s just pure fun, and Regan is the more serious of the two, which is usually the one I’m more drawn to, but Regan has more page time, and been in more stories that I’ve read. BUT! Martinique Wyngarde having crazy chemistry with Kitty, well now, I have a great reason to love Martinique. You best know that I’m going to be listening to that Cerebro episode again with Alex Abad-Santos.
Cross referencing my League of Comic Geeks with Travis Starnes’ Complete Marvel Reading Order, I’m only missing Emprye X-Men issues 2 & 3 of the issues she’s in that I want for my collection. For whatever reason, I own issue 4, but not issue 1 either, so I should try to buy those first three issues once I’m back in the back issue buying game.
Emma Frost and Namor meet up, and talk about the Seven Virtues and Sins. These two are always a joy.
Logan and Jubilee are the stars of the issue, as they investigate the murder. The Murder of Sebastian Shaw, dun dun DUN!
Shaw was killed by a nerve gas.
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With Shaw’s death, the mansion’s black market security kicks in, and Kitty helps stop some of the defenses.
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So silly having Kitty be the one to say “X-Men aren’t murders.” Frank Bohannan, Director of O*N*E*, is very quick to point out that Kitty herself has killed people.
Toad points to Emma as a prime suspect, as she’s always willing to kill Shaw.
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Kitty and the mutants finally get to see Shaw’s dead body, so we know he’s actually dead. I still, at this point, think this is all an illusion, and Shaw is grinning somewhere.
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I love so much Kitty shipping Emma and Namor. They need a ship name, but I can’t think of one immediately. White Fish, Imperial Frost, something.
Emma doesn’t want Katherine to be crass. I love these two together.
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Emma is already looking forward to never having to think about Shaw ever again.
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So silly Doop up in the sky with his costume. I wish we got a look at his front.
Shaw murdered Kitty, way back in Marauders V1 11, so naturally, she is also a prime suspect, but she was dancing with someone extremely hot wearing a lily mask.
Shame Lockheed wasn’t in this issue, as he was left to drown by Shaw.
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Hellion is quick to accuse 3K’s Astra and Joseph of killing Shaw. Astra mentioned the black market security system, which gives Logan a lead. He tells Jubilee she’s on her own to maintain control of the room.
I hope I captured all of Kitty’s scenes, as I look for her in every panel.
I like that we get a moment with Cyclops, he cancels the mission to kill Astra and Joseph, as the attention is on them, and Shaw is dead, and he doesn’t care about his death, he was scum.
Rogue and Gambit are cute this issue, and maybe bored with the plot? Gambit offers to make her soup or gumbo. Either sounds good to me.
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I love Rogue taking the time to make an Ember reference, as he is a ghost horse.
Logan follows his nose, to Toad, but he assures us, that it isn’t what it looks like. “Jubilee” who looks like what she looks like, but isn’t her, shots Logan.
Turns out we have a new grouping of mutants . . . The Hellfire Brotherhood!
Mystique, who still has some facial scarring, so that’s nice continuity. Destiny, always looking great. Toad. Empath, who is the absolute worst. And . . . Mastermind herself, Martinque! Wha?!
Kitty would work so well in this group.
Mystique explains everything. She was aware of the mansion defenses. She convinced it that she was the real Shaw, and the mansion killed Shaw with the defense nerve gas. He was going to rally the mutants, and the ones who wouldn’t work with him, he was going to use Forge’s perma mutant power gun / technology, and remove any mutants who wouldn’t work with Shaw.
Poor Forge, that gun is his true legacy.
And being one of Storm’s exes.
I was really really hoping Martinque would have interjected with some comment about how she was dancing with a real hottie, and found out who Kitty was. As we don’t ever get them learning about the other. Which is a real shame.
Also, Shaw is super dead.
The mansion defenses finally stop, and the doors open. The room suspects 3K was behind Shaw’s murder.
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Emma and Namor leave as friends.
I like Emma telepathically calling for Rift to get her and Katherine out of here.
Rogue has a nice chat with Oya, telling her that Ransom isn’t as tough as he looks, so please don’t hurt him. Oya was going to have the same conversation with Rogue, which seems odd, she was going to ask Rogue to not have Ransom hurt her? But sure, dialogue is complicated, and I fumble more times than I’m proud of.
I’m really liking this silly new trend of putting the credit page at the end, so that we can have a legit post credit scene.
Turns out, Emma DID kill Shaw, she just overloaded his brain, which would have had the same signs as a nerve gas, so she got lucky there. Logan will keep this a secret, just like how he kept the Hellfire Brotherhood a secret from Jubilee.
This was a lot of fun, and Kitty actually got to do stuff in this issue, so I love that.
I had to go with the Meghan Hetrick variant cover, as it was the only cover with Kitty Pryde, and always cool to get an X-Ladies cover.
This issue finally gets us Bronze with Marigold, and Mal, who we haven’t seen since the first issue.
The Ancient Orc Oaken Arclight Simulation. We catch up to Deathdream, Iceman, Emma Frost, Cyclops, and Rogue. Deathdream finds a way to escape back to Graymatter Lane.
I like how his fellow Outliers are the ones that find him, that’s nice.
Bronze with Marigold, Lochheed’s (hopefully not evil) female clone that Mister Sinister created, and Melee are talking about how Kitty Pryde wouldn’t stand them up. So at least Kitty is mentioned in this issue.
A Few Minutes Later.
All of the students have gathered. Nice to see Indra back.
We learn that all of the adults are gone.
Ms. Marvel wonders if they should get the Avengers, but Sophia shoots that down, this is a mutant problem, and will take a mutant solution.
I like Axo backing Sophia, and Loolo critizing him for it, as Axo and Sophia are very close friends. I so appreciate the cast list in the beginning of this issue.
Match also critizes that they are using Mister Sinister tech, and Bronze keeps to the company line that that is clearly okay, but I have my doubts, especially as I see Marigold in this panel.
I do like Melee Ransom, and Gabby being the ones to take leadership, they are the leaders of their respected cliques.
Meanwhile. Ben Lui is coming to terms with letting Emma Frost into his mind.
Nice that Tiago Palma gets a five fun facts feature in the X-Mentions.
The adults are having a hard time navigating their way through this shadowy realm.
Back at Graymatter Lane.
I guess Laura is considered an adult, as she’s not around.
None of the adults can be located, not even with the Empathy Engine.
They decide they have to break into teams.
Bronze with Marigold sees Mal head off on her own, so they follow her.
Mal does not appreciate this, as turns into monster mode, scary the two of them.
This is such a cool page, and where we get Marigold’s image for the cast page.
The students are going to make a Lousiana team, and an Alaskan team.
Bronze and Marigold come running back, saying something is wrong with Mal, but Mal shows up like nothing is wrong. This is giving Single White Female.
Mal sadly walks away.
Mal is clearly being tempted by the Shadow King, but we don’t know that yet.
Poor Bronze and Marigold look so sad here.
Even Rift is back, as he has to open portals to get the two teams away.
Is it odd or nice that the Outliers are not the full Louisiana Away team? Calico is taking Loolo and another person with her.
Before we can see who is officially on the Alaskan team, Gabby is taken over by a shadowy person, and attacks everyone.
Thankfully this doesn’t last too long, probably as Gabby is pure of heart.
Sophie puts up a pyshic shield, and Jitter, for some reason, has to mention this was without consent, like, she’s saving your life right now! Sophie apologizes, but I’m not sure if that is warranted here, but I guess it is a nice thing to do. She hears the criticism, and takes responsibility for it. That is the right thing to do.
The adults keep getting attacked. Emma can’t do any telepathic attempts as she needs to be in her diamond form. Which feels like it has been forever since I’ve seen her in her diamond form.
Rogue is on the attack, and she’s losing pieces of her outfit. They want to go to the safety of Graymatter Lane.
Unfortunately, Graymatter Lane isn’t that safe either, as the issue ends.
I got my 14th letter published! I didn’t send one in for the fourth issue, I couldn’t’ think of anything positive to say, besides where is Marigold and Mal, but we got them in this very issue.
Variant Artist Tiago Palma Graymatter Lane Kitty cover
Variant Artist Andrei Bressan & Ceci de la Cruz Magik cover
The Past (or a Reasonable Simulacrum). The Home of Maurice Canfield, Super Soldier Test Subject.
Issue opens with, who now know is, Vernon Weaver, but we don’t learn that until page 14. Weaver fighting Captain America. In a splash page that I can only imagine is a homage to Captain America Annual 8, with Logan vs Cap.
In another time, we get Weaver vs Melee. We get a better image that Weaver has the ability to create, instead of classic Wolverine claws, he has forearm length boards?
In yet another time, Weaver vs The Wolverine, she’s the best at what she does.
Then we get Weaver vs Jitter. Who doesn’t appear to be as scared as she was in the previous issue, so maybe Ewing got the note that Calico is more of the scared one of Calitter?
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Back at Graymatter Lane.
I like that Kitty calls him, Beast. This isn’t her friend, this is 70s Beast that she barely knows. Beast isn’t doing a very good job of fixing the time displacement issue. Magneto is also unimpressed, and Emma is very annoyed.
We get Weaver vs everybody in the same time period, so that’s nice.
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Beast has an idea of how to fix this, and needs to boost Axo’s abilities. I like Kitty having to stop Emma from killing Beast, as that should fix things. Kitty finds Axo funny.
Weaver is getting the edge on Cap, but Laura sneaks up on Weaver.
Jitter uses hypnotherapy, and I do like how she has to announce her abilities. She used negotiation earlier, so that’s cool that she has used her powers more than once in a short span of time, she’s getting stronger all of the time.
We finally get the Weaver name drop as we go to a flashback of his origins. Ewing uses this time to explain how racist Georgia was back in the day. . A white man at a store did not care for Weaver’s father wearing his old uniform. Weaver went to get his marble from a friend, and came back to find his father dead, and their house on fire.
The church gave him some clothes, and a ticket, and he ended up in Philadelphia, being taken in by the Canfields. He got along extremely well with Maurice, who was his age abouts. Maurice was becoming very popular in their community, becoming a leader. Then the war happened, and was recruited to Camp Cathcart. Weaver also enlisted to make sure Maurice wasn’t alone.
Them and their squad were experimented on, trying to create super soldiers. Weaver learned that not only is a he a super soldier, he is a mutant, so that’s pretty cool to get a new black super solider mutant into this franchise. Weaver had to kill his way out of the camp, and poor Maurice didn’t make it
Weaver feels like he is past his expiration date, which there are days when I feel that way.
Cap feels horrible about this, and there is no amending what happened to Weaver and everyone else who was abused.
Some time later. We see that Weaver created the Maurice Canfield Freedom School, which is being very well financed. I like that he’s surrounded by a lot of young people, and they have so much money to spend on scholarships. This is a very nice direction this went in.
I like that we see the school is getting deliveries from E-Wing Deliveries. That’s fun. Tiago is doing some fun background work.
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Epilogue
Steve Rogers took Kitty Pryde and Emma Frost out for lunch, which is the least he could do.. Axo didn’t come along as he has an aversion to militarized authority. Cap, I believe, jokes that he won’t take that seriously, but I’m not sure. After that adventure, he should get that.
Cap orders a club sandwich, which I rarely ever get, as I’m not a big fan of turkey. But maybe next time I will? Probably worth trying.
Kitty wasn’t ready to order as she got a text from Nina. So that is nice that Nina is still around. What isn’t nice is that Cap asks if Kitty is having romantic problems, and Kitty says, “uh . . . yeah.” Poor Nina, might be time to move along.
Emma orders the lobster bisque, which I have never had, but sounds delicious. I like paying extra at Red Lobster to get the lobster mash potatoes when we’re in Billings. The only city in Montana that can get daily fish deliveries. Shame it is four hours away, so it is a real commitment to get there.
Emma is getting calls from Lourdes Chantel, so that’s nice that she’s no longer dead like she was at the end of Hellfire Gala 2023.
I got my 12th letter published!
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You know me, I had to ask about Lockheed, and Tom Brevoort, responded that he isn’t entirely sure where Lockheed is at the moment, but he’ll turn up at some point. So, we should be looking out for that, true believer!
A pretty solid issue.
Though, once again, Marigold introduced in the first issue, and two issues later, still haven’t been seen. So she is clearly living up to Lockheed’s legacy. Unfortunately.
I got both the regular cover by Stefano Caselli & Federico Blee, and the Mahmud Asrar variant with Kitty & Lockheed (who doesn’t appear this issue, nor does Marigold, so she’s already living up his legacy).
Graymatter Lane. A Mind Palace Situated on the Psychic Plane.
Ben Liu, who is getting more page time in these two issues than he’s gotten in X-MEN, is trying not to get burned alive.
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I love seeing Magik and Nightcrawler chatting. These two barely have history together, but I immediately remember that time Magik was hoping up portals for Kurt during AXE Judgment Day. That was a great moment.
I looked all over the background here to see if Bronze & Marigold could be found, but nope.
I still like how this is the comic that is going to deliver us match ups we wouldn’t go elsewhere.
Cyclops finally gets to Ben. Emma tells Scott that this was all for nothing, there was no reason to attempt to burn down the school. Plus, how does that even work? Emma states everyone is at lunch, so no one is noticing this fire. Which I thought we would get a panel where Emma immediately shuts down the fire, but it doesn’t seem to be doing any harm.
Quentin Quire is actually the person who started the fire, so his track record of failed school destructions is now 0-2.
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I love seeing the bookcase in the back here. The Weapon X helmet, Jean’s yellow mask, and one of Storm’s tiaras. That’s a fun background detail.
Meanwhile. Prodigy is trying to get Iceman & Kitty Pryde involved in how to teach combat teamwork. Kitty is distracted by Rogue’s comments about internal threats. Which is odd, as half the school is on fire, but I guess she really didn’t notice. Plus, the real threat is from Mister Sinister, unless the X-Office keeps him pretty busy, which I believe they are, but we’ll get to that later. (He’s busy over in Inglorious X-Force 4).
I like Emma talking about whatever did she see in Scott, but also, I love Scemma, but it is fun to poke at the relationship.
Iceman references Scott’s flame war, so what is Kitty distracted by?
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Captain America stops by, as he has a mission for the X-Men. Iceman starts talking like he’s from the 30s, which I imagine Cap doesn’t love.
He wants to use the Empathy Engine to reach out to all of the Weapon Plus people, and make sure they are okay.
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Kitty is surprised that Cap knows about the machine, which does have a pretty cool name. Empathy Engine.
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I don’t love Emma having to try to convince them to get on board here. It is Captain America, asking for help, and it doesn’t even seem like a big ask.
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I do like Kitty and Magneto chatting. I know they were on the Quiet Council together, but it feels like forever since these two actually talked to each other.
I imagine Cap does make Kitty think about WWII, and all that deals with it, and her talking to Magneto, immediately, is there to make us think about those implications.
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I don’t care for the idea that the X-Men have to have a meeting to help Cap out. Maybe if it was to strategize about how to do it, but to vote on it? I’m not sure about.
Emma and Prodigy vote, yes. Iceman votes, no. Kitty abstains, which all of this feels weird.
Prodigy is going to pick the team, so that’s fun.
Prodigy picks Wolverine, as she’s the best, Melee, who I love, and apparently in the 50s, the Bureau of Indian Affairs moved her family to Chicago, so she’s motivated, and Jitter! Quite the trio of brunettes here.
I like how the 50s feels like long enough ago that it doesn’t call into question any sliding timescale stuff. Unlike the 80s, that feels like it would question the sliding timescale.
I also like how one of Laura’s strongest character points is how much she hates people being experimented on, especially against their will.
Jitter is a wild card
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I like how impress Cap is with this team.
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I do like Kitty and Beast being in the same room. Though this isn’t her Beast, so these two need to really connect, and rebuild that relationship.
Now, if the X-Men voted after this scene, that’ll make so much more sense to me.
Beast states it is possible to do the mission, but there are some major issues of gaps and errors to be accounted for. Axo doesn’t want to do it as there are gaps and errors that haven’t been accounted for. As far as we have seen, this will only be the second major test of the Empathy Engine.
I guess in my mind, the thing worked by sending out a pulse, and then the X-Men connect to it, and we go from there. Like, they think “rescue kid,” and the engine links up to the kid. So, to make this work, they send a pulse of “all thoughts involving Weapon Plus,” and anyone having those thoughts and memories, gathers, and links are made. That doesn’t seem to be the case here. Maybe because they are creating a mind palace so they can interact with it? Maybe? This could just be a case of comic book science, and of course, a world of fiction, so a problem has to happen.
So cute the hand holding here. Melee holds Jitter’s hand, who is holding Captain America’s hand, and he is holding Laura’s hand.
Jitter has her stutter here, but she seems overly scared, which makes me think that’s more of a Calico character trait. Jitter recognizes she’s in a haunted house, and is worried about dying.
I do like her wanting to hold Melee’s hands, though I don’t love that for Becca. But this also makes me feel like something Becca would want to do, find a strong lady, and hold her hand, and not necessarily what Jitter would do.
Cap comes across a young Maurice Canfield, but then he immediately turns old and evil.
I love this issue so much! It just feels like a continuation of Exceptional X-Men, but on a larger scale.
Issue opens with Emma Frost inviting everyone to Graymatter Lane. We get a look at some of the mutants Emma invited – Gabby Kinney, Storm, 70s Beast, Gambit, Vulcan (maybe?), Jitter, Jubilee, Jamie Maddox, Oya, Shark Girl, Bishop, and Magneto.
Kitty Pryde and Nightcrawler talking, which I miss these two together so much! She’s explaining all of the virtues of Graymatter Lane.
I spotted Calico and Ember walking around!
We get Magik for the one panel she appears in.
Emma explains the goal of Graymatter Lane. Prodigy is the Dean of Curriculum, which is a nice continuation of his NYX plotline.
Kitty missed out on most of Emma’s speech, and Bobby gives her a playful hard time about it. These two are fun together.
Cyclops has a real jerk moment here, as he’s afraid of this many mutants being gathered together. It is NOT reassuring that this entire exercise is powered by Mister Sinister technology. Even though Emma and Axo have worked out all of the kinks with the technology. This is the part that does feel like we’re already building in the self-destruction of the concept. If they have to cancel the book early, this is how they’ll do it.
I do love and appreciate Kitty standing up to Scott, he’s not her leader anymore, they’re equals.
I really really like that Scott left the room, and Kitty followed him out, she’s not done talking to him.
We get the new Danger Room, which is awkward now that there’s an evil Danger Room, well, there’s a Robotic Danger, but also the MacKay Danger Room, and now this Danger Room. There’s some branding situation.
Aminalia and Ben Liu from X-MEN are being trained with the students, which the awkwardness of their age differences, them being practical adults, and them being teenagers, is addressed pretty quickly. They both do need training, and clearly Cyclops isn’t putting in the time.
Are we supposed to know Dryad, Flourish, Loolo, and Galura? They seem new to me. Woofer, we know from the Fall of X, Kate Pryde talked to him on Arrako. Loolo is also from Arrako.
I looked them up.
Dryad first appeared in New X-Men V2 1 (2004).
Flourish first appeared in Storm V3 1 (2014).
Loolo first appeared in X-Men Red V2 6 (2022).
Galura first appeared in Marvel Voices : Pride 2021. She’s the one who was dating Karma.
Nice mix of eras here.
I like how they have New Mutants inspired uniforms from the third volume, where the X goes pass their chests and onto their thighs. The Wolverines are teaching them. Loolo cuts Animalia with a knife, and the blood causes Wolf Club to just lose it. He’s full berserk mode here.
I do like how Bronze has a higher level of respect here, she’s one of Emma’s gals.
I just love that we get the Exceptional students together – Melee, Axo, Bronze, and Rift. They’re mornings could have started off nicer.
We’re introduced to the new Cerebro, it is an Empathy Engine, a cool name is probably incoming. It can detect mutants who have levels of unrest, depression, or isolation. It detects a French mutant, who is on the Luciano Vecchio variant cover that I bought (I’m getting four covers to this issue!). Mal is her name, or maybe it is short for something. Melee gives her an invitation. Mal has a white patch of hair against otherwise black hair. She also has a purple tail? I’m intrigued. Bronze welcomes her to Graymatter Lane.
So everyone has a role here. Axo’s machine detects a new mutant. Rift opens a . . . rift. Melee goes out. Bronze welcomes them in. I like that.
Bronze provides her full name, Mariama LaChance. Maybe Mal’s hair is black up top, and mostly white in the back? She has a very cute white cat plushie.
Some time later. Axo is definitely NOT moping. I like that we get the continuation of his friendship with Sophie that we first saw in the Hellfire Gala. Honestly, this comic just feels like the natural progression of everything that has come before it.
It also has that nice feeling any mutant can just appear here, that I loved so much from the Krakoa era.
Kitty arrives, she has a special mission for Axo. Sophie is coming along too. Axo is definitely not moping.
Verate Headquarters. Chicago, Illinois. Do I love this comic so much because Kitty is actually starring in it? Yes, I’m an easy guy to please, but how great is it that we’re getting a monthly comic with Kitty, after not seeing her since November of last year?!
Kitty is looking for parts. Axo doesn’t like being back to the place where he was tortured by Sinister, I don’t blame him. They hear a tapping.
Kitty introduces Bronze to . . . Marigold! A female clone of Lockheed. She has a gold splotch between her wings. I imagine Lockheed is out in space with his family, so Marigold is who we get to love on Earth. I can also only imagine we’ll get a scene of Marigold meeting Lockheed at some point. She seems aggressively fly over to Bronze, but then calms down.
But it does beg the question. Was that Lockheed we saw in Exceptional X-Men 10? They rescued him from a test chamber, then went back, and discovered Marigold? That must be the sequence of events, but how did they miss her the first time around?
They have to answer these questions, right?
I was worried the Lockheed they found, was a devious clone Sinister created to spy on Kitty, but turns out, that was Lockheed, and hopefully Marigold isn’t a devious clone Sinister created to spy on Kitty. I have some precautions so I don’t fall in love, but heck, Marigold is a cat size purple dragon shaped alien, I’m already built to love that type of dragon. I do appreciate that she has a physical distinction from Lockheed. I would rather it be something front facing so we know which is which on a cover, but also, I’m here for Marigold. Oh, and Kitty was going to name her Martin, for some reason, but Bronze went with Marigold. The only other Marigold I know is Midas’ daughter from Fortnite. Apparently, it is a flower.
Kitty catches up with 70s Beast, who is observing Wolf Club. Maybe the school based in an emotional prism is causing some big emotions? The Wolverines are here too.
The Factory. Merle, Alaska. X-MEN Headquarters. Glob is asking Cyclops about his reservations about Graymatter Lane. (Ideally, I’ll just learn the name of the school, it just feels very new). Cyclops is very against the school, and is burning it down, from what we can tell from the final page. It seems like he shouldn’t be able to have done that. Someone would have stopped him after the first blast, right? I think it is an artistic choice to show what he’s planning. Cyclops is being a real jerk here.
We’re getting Captain America next issue, in a fun time travel story involving Melee.
Graymatter Lane is a mental school, that you physically walk into, is how I’m understanding it. During the Danger Room, they mention how if you get hurt here, you are hurt there, so that’s interesting. We see people walking into the white doors, it isn’t like a place you think of, and then show up in. I think we need to see more of the transition.
Such a great first issue!
When it goes to second printing, and they combine the Stefano Caselli cover, I’m going to have to buy that.
Issue opens up with Reginald James McNair III, which I like. Not enough of us IIIs around.
We first met him all the way back in issue 4. Famously, the issue where the students learn Kitty Pryde has murdered people, and also, Kitty was still not talking to Rogue.
Reggie can create portals, space and time portals. One might even call them, rifts, as he’s clearly Rift from Expatriate X-Men, as part of the Age of Revelation series.
Reggie can’t break the fourth wall.
Poor Reggie believes he killed Kitty Pryde, not that he knows who that is.
Not Too Far Away, we see the Students holding their own against omega mutant, Iceman.
Bronze gets the win as she tags Iceman.
Bobby is pitch hitting as Kitty stormed off last issue. Bobby calls Nina, they hung out in issue 4. It really was a big issue.
Bobby has a very awkward phone call with Nina, as why would he even bother calling someone if Kitty has only been missing an hour. I wonder if Bobby’s favorite umbrella is yellow?
Ironheart brings Reggie, through an open window, so it isn’t breaking and entering.
Melee is about to say Reggie is Bronze’s crush, but in a sweet recovery – she is an athlete after all, calls him Trista’s creative friend.
Reggie and Trista now have being mutants in common, along with theater.
Ironheart states that Kitty went through one of the rifts.
Emma, being a great mentor, immediately figures out how Reggie’s rift powers work. They even form around his forearms.
Emma prefers to address him as, Reginald, as she’s a classy dame.
Emma refers to his rifts as, swirls, and they’re space-time portals. His blackouts are minor bursts of time travel.
Iceman volunteers to go back in time to rescue Kitty, but Emma squashes that as Bobby and Emma are important to Kitty’s future. Which, I don’t think Bobby and Kitty have that much time spent together outside of the Ultimate Universe, and this series.
Well, besides when they briefly dated, but not real history before that, I’m trying to remember of any times before.
They were in the big battle in ROM 65. Young Iceman was involving in Excalibur : XX Crossing, present day Bobby never appears in Excalibur properly. He stands right next to Kitty during Illyana’s funeral in Uncanny X-Men 303. They’re around each other during Scott and Jean’s wedding in X-Men V2 30. So really, it was fun that they got romantically paired together. Which, I was a fan of the relationship as it gave Kitty a chance to have fun. Setting up Star Lord and Kitty’s relationship, now that I think of it.
Once it is established the students are going back in time, and to be fair, now that they fought Mister Sinister, they are officially X-Men, but it is easier to distinguish them as the students. Bronze runs off to grab early 80s clothes. She doesn’t grab any for Ironheart, who can’t go on the mission, but would have liked the invite.
Emma encourages Reggie to create a rift, and the students are going back in time after Bobby tries to warn them about changing time.
As soon as the students are gone, Sentinel Dogs barge through the wall, so that isn’t great for Priti’s dance studio, but hopefully she got mutant insurance.
Reggie closes the rift, but not before a Sentinel Dog goes through the portal.
Meanwhile. Somewhen else. And somewhere else. Deerfield, Illinois.
The Students land back in time, and not graciously.
Melee makes a great comment about how Kitty Pryde clearly came from some money, but yet doesn’t have access to that money now. Probably due to the questionable career choices. There’s just no money in being an X-Man.
They wonder how they’re going to find Kitty without the Internet, or just asking people. Bronze offers the phone book as an option, but Melee doesn’t know what that is.
Issue ends with Uncanny X-Men 129’s Kitty Pryde, in her all black outfit, and yellow sweater.
Our team found Kitty . . . the wrong Kitty.
Such a great issue!
Also, I got my tenth letter published in it, which is highly exciting for me.
Chris Wildrick and I had to write in to show our appreciation for Lockheed returning!
Though that’s two issues in a row now that we haven’t seen or heard mention of Lockheed.
This issue is going to be my comic of 2025, I can just tell. It makes me so happy.
In issue 9, Emma defeats Mister Sinister, but at a price. Not only did Emma defeat Sinister, but she also rescued Axo. Now Emma is trapped inside Sinister’s mind, where he’s having a Mad Hatter inspired tea party.
Federica Mancin draws these pages in a very fun decision. I really like the visual continuity of having Woodard do the coloring for both artists.
Emma reflects on her and Kitty’s origins, and we get a page from New Mutants V1 15.
Emma is still haunted by her Hellfire Club days, and her treatment of Kitty Pryde. Which, of course, makes me wonder if she is haunted by Firestar’s beloved horse, Butter Rum.
We catch up to the rest of the Exceptional X-Men team, Kitty Pryde, Iceman, Melee, Bronze, and Axo. They are distraught by Emma still being unconscious. Axo tells them that Emma is very much still in danger, and has to go back in to rescue her.
I do like how all of the students are X-Men now. They took down a major X-Villain, so they have earned it. Let’s hope they survive the experience.
Kitty, to her credit, did not want them to be present for the confrontation, as she wasn’t raising child soldiers. Sinister sent a clone Iceman to get them, and bring them, but since they are here, they got into the fight.
We see in Sinister’s mindscape, that he’s ten, but not a cute ten year old, he’s Sinister but as a ten year old. He likes to perform dissections, and is generally a cruel child.
Axo returns to the mindscape, Emma doesn’t miss a beat that she sacrificed herself to free him, so this undoes all of that. Sort of like the climax of Top Gun : Maverick.
Meanwhile, the Exceptional X-Men having to fight Sabretooth sabretooth clones. As there is no end to what Sinister will do with Victor Creed’s DNA.
Axo finds a cute plush elephant of Sinister’s, which calms Sinister enough that Axo can force him to nap. Emma compliments Axo, and they are free!
Emma wakes up, which means Sinister wakes up.
in a very classic Claremont Care Bear stare, the united Exceptional X-Men team take down Sinister.
But was it the real Sinister? All we know is that, like the fake Axo clone, or how Dr. Stephanie Burt phased him, Faxo, he explodes in a goo.
But we have no time for that, as Kitty looks over, and sees . . .
LOCKHEED THE DRAGON!!!
. . .
it took ten issues, but we are here!
I keep fondly remembering this fun exchange I had with Carmen Carnero
Way back on April 9, 2025, and a took a while, but her dragon drawing skills are exceptional.
. . .
I can only imagine the only way to top this issue will be if we keep getting more and more Lockheed, but getting him back in monthly comics is all I’ve wanted for so long.
We’re no longer in a Lockheed-less era!
. . .
I do have a concern that Sinister made Sabretooth sabretooth clones, that this could be a Lockheed clone that he created to mess with Kitty Pryde, and all of our emotions, but maybe he was also just keeping him prisoner too?
One of my least favorite villains, and one of my top two favorite characters prisoner.
I’m really hoping that this is the genuine Lockheed, as I don’t want to be hurt again.
. . .
This also explains why we’ve seen him on the covers to Giant Size House of M and Giant Size X-Men 2 as
as Lockheed is back!
I can’t stop smiling 🙂
What a great day this as been, and came at the best time as the school district has decided to shut down the elementary school my wife teaches at, so this comic worked as a perfect distraction when I needed it most.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 