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.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 