Writer Jason Aaron

Penciler Ed McGuinness

Inker Dexter Vines

Colors Marte Gracia

Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna

The Quest For Nightcrawler Part One of Five

Don’t worry, if I get any issue past four, I will drop the whole volume label.

The issue opens with Nightcrawler in Heaven.  I can’t begin to express how much I have missed Kurt Wagner.  This feels like classic Excalibur Nightcrawler.  He is even in the classic Cockrum costume.

Of course, this day, Heaven is beinh invaded.  I wonder how often Marvel Heaven is under threats?

Turns out that Azazel, Kurt’s father, is the invader.  I don’t have any experience with him outside of reputation from the Draco storyline and his appearance in the X-Men First Class film.

Azazel has red Bamfs compared to the blue Bamfs, we have seen in Wolverine and the X-Men title.  Which the press stated that Amazing is suppose to be the field team to WatX’s school title.  The red Bamfs are ready to kill.

I like that Azazel is pirate theme, it brings out the swashbuckler side of Kurt, that I both love and miss.

Kurt narrates that this is the story of how he fell from Heaven, but really, he jumped.

On Earth, we find that Angelica Jones, Firestar, is a new teacher at the Jean Grey School.  I guess once Kitty was gone, the faculty reached out to everyone she turn away when she hired Storm.  I only really know Firestar fron her mini series where she was Emma’s pet student, which is referenced in this issue.  She was also in Maximum Carnage, which I still adore.  Then, of course, from Kurt Busiek’s Avengers run.

I never really seen Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, nor was I ever a New Warriors fan.  I read that title when the Scarlet Spider joined the cast for a little bit.

Firestar shows up and pretty much every adult ignores her.  Which is pretty odd and rude.  Storm mentions being late for second period.  Why would they have Firestar show before second period?  She should have been there at least an hour before school started.

Outside of her original miniseries, Firestar hasn’t been associated with the X-Men, or mutants in general.  Hopefully, Justice doesn’t show up for a while.  She has been done with him for years now.  Though, where is that guy these days.

We get our first hint that this takes place after Battle of the Atom.  Iceman tells Warbird that he has a girlfriend.  Which might make a reader think this takes place before BotA, but he is only saying that to keep her at bay.

I do like that subplot of Warbird being aggressively attracted to Bobby.  She backed down once he was with Kitty, but now that she is gone, Warbird is on the prowl.

Beast finally acknowledges her, after Northstar sot of does.  The blue Bamfs have stolen Hank’s coffee maker.  In seeking its return, the two of them discover  a portal.

Great double splash page, where we get to see McGuinness draw all of the faculty, including Rachel and Angel.  Firestar has not gotten a remodel costume, her original is pretty basic but classic.

If we can’t get Kitty in Kurt’s return, at least Rachel is there.

Kitty didn’t want to hire Firestar, as she found Bobby to be cute.  She shakes his hand and starts melting it.  Why either of them are using their powers, is beyond me.  Firestar names Kitty, which is why I bought this issue.  Warbird tells Firestar to caln her hormones, he is spoken for.

Bobby should just throw Warbird a bone, nothing causes a woman to lose interest in a man faster than having sex with him.

Naturally, the pirtal does the thing it is suppose to do.

Northstar and Wolverine are sent to Heaven.  Where we hear someone in a large pirate ship shout about a blue elf.  Wolverine’s is priceless, he has missed Kurt, almost as much as we readers have.

I hope Northstar makes a comment about being in Heaven.  Good for him.

Next issue, apparently Storm, Firestar and Iceman are sent to Hell.

I like how this roster makes this title the successor of Astonishing X-Men.

I am not committed to this title, but I will keep tabs for Kitty references.