I do love a Villian issue! We see that 3K’s alliance is on very shaky grounds. Chairman Beast of Krakoa has been gone a week, giving Cassandra Nova and Astra (with Joseph) time to plot the other’s death. Cassandra Nova has her own Pixie, Myraid. Wyre and his X-Men just want to see who wants leadership more. Cassandra Nova puts the leadership to a vote. Joseph dons his helmet, but Myraid takes off the helmet, and Cassandra Nova is on the verge of winning, when Beast shows up! He is full Beast mode, but all white to match his Age of Revelation body. He was in a synthetic body, which I still feel like wasn’t fair for the home audience’s guessing game. He reveals the plot of Age of Revelation. We get one splash page of the events, so if anyone is interested, they can check out Amazing X-Men V3 for Cyclops’ journey, The Last Wolverine for Logan Death, and Laura Kinney Sabretooth for her adventure. We get this page, and earlier, we get a few panels of him and Animalia .
They are going to use a virus to turn all humans into mutants, succeed where Doug got the job mostly done.
Beast also knows one other thing, that Schwarzschild will eventually join Cyclops, so he has Wyre’s X-Men kill him, and they don’t even hesitate, so we have successfully splintered from the AoR future.
Issue ends with us seeing their base, which is a cool looking flying saucer above a nice mountain range. Are they near Alaska?
No Magik, but I’m getting the Clayton Crain variant cover, so this issue is a keeper.
It also feels like a big step in the direction this series is going in. Maybe not the franchise as I don’t see X-Men United dealing with this, but maybe? They have Armageddon to hopefully dodge, and whatever the 2026 Comic Giveaway issue is. (so silly of a name)
Future Scott swaps minds with Present Day Scott. He does optic blast Doug, BUT! Doesn’t even cause him a concussion. He figures out pretty quickly that Future Beast didn’t swap with him. I guess the plan was that Future Beast was supposed to deliver the death blow? Seems not like Cyclops to train for X years, just to fail at this crucial moment. I do like how he had a plan to attack the X-Men, and he succeeds at that rather well. He takes out Quentin Quire first, then Psylocke, who he was most concern about.
Screenshot
He dodges Juggernaut, realizes how he must succeed, optic blasts Magik, takes her soulsword, rude!,
Screenshot
He knocks down Glob Herman, and Beast tackles Future Scott.
In prison, and I like how this was teased in Age of Revelation Finale, so we think this is the end of the story, Future Scott is in The Brig. He explains the situation, but no one wants to kill Doug, as there must be a better way.
I really love that Doug and Bei the Blood Moon are creating their own sign language, that’s very cute. Oya reminds Doug of her time on Krakoa, which I appreciate that we haven’t forgotten she was a prisoner during that time.
Future Scott breaks out, and chats with Magneto, who sticks to his story that he is powerless, so which is it? Is he faking it? Is Age of Revelation already a splintered timeline that will be shredded from memory?
Psylocke shows up, and Future Scott is back in The Brig. Doug goes to talk to him, and dumb Future Scott just tells Doug how he’s going to take over the world by simply telling people to obey him, and geez Scott, just give him the directions to rule? This isn’t the Scott I know, which of all of the AoR characters, he is the one character we don’t know.
Issue ends with Doug, Bei, and Warlock simply leaving.
I like how Magik clearly had the thought that she wasn’t going to fight Scott, and after his attack, she grabs her soulsword, and leaves the issue. My head cannon is that she got attacked by him, and decided to go hang out with her brother, Colossus.
I also really like how this issue doesn’t try to sell you on the Age of Revelation crossover. There’s not even an editor box to tell you to read the crossover. Are you interested in where this Future Scott is from? Go check out Age of Revelation. He’s simply a Cyclops from the FUTURE! If you are interested, you can look it up. That is very new reader friendly.
I’ve been lucky enough to get three letters printed in Marvel Comics, and thought I should keep track of these for easy reference.
Deadpool V3 56
in 2001, I should have been more mature than to author this letter.
. . .
X-Men V7 11
Exceptional X-Men 6
. . .
I need to get a letter printed in Magik’s ongoing series for the trifecta, but I’ll update this post if I’m lucky enough to get any additional letters printed.
. . .
Update : March 19, 2025
I did it! I completed the trifecta, and got my letter printed in Magik V2 3
. . .
I got another letter published!
Exceptional X-Men 8
I’m hoping they are getting multiple Lockheed requests, but I do worry it is just me who is requesting it.
I love the Lockheed digital comic, and am waiting to buy it in print, BUT! I want more content. Please
. . .
I got my sixth letter published!
I love every single page of Magik V2 4. I sent a letter every issue as I was super worried no one would send letters, and I need Marvel to know this title is loved. LOVED!
. . .
I got my seventh letter published!
. . .
I got my ninth letter published!
. . .
I got my tenth letter published!
I had to thank the Exceptional X-Men team for bringing back Lockheed. I’m super happy they got other letters thanking them too.
. . .
I got my 11th letter published! And Gwenpoole name dropped me later! Wha?!
Kitty wants to cuddle with Colossus, and watch horror movies Colossus' ears never pop Kitty meets Tempo for the first as the Acolytes attack the school
Kitty gets to appear in the Endangered Special back up (Part 5)
The Acolytes are searching for Destiny's Dairies, which Kitty is keeping safe. Turns out, the ones she thinks she has are decoys – thanks to Emma We think Blindfold is dead, but Prodigy figures it out, and gets a huge hug from Kitty – with Colossus is next in line
Kitty is trying to get Blindfold out of her coma, but Emma needs to meet with her first. Kitty & Emma exchange codewords (Spark & Flint) Destiny's Dairies are in Flint, Michigan (for some reason) Blindfold wakes up with a vague warning
The X-Men figure out Sinister is removing all of the characters with insight into the future. I love Emma & Kitty here. Emma's "getting nothing of value from Kitty" with Kitty's immediate "phasing!" is just funny. Bobby defends Rogue's team choices to Scott.
Xavier is thinking of all of the X-Men who have died, and we get sweet young Illyana's death from Uncanny X-Men 303, with Jubilee reading to her. Heartbreaking every time.
Danger is overwhelmed, making everyone relive or see past moments, and remembers Kitty and Emma's exchange from Astonishing X-Men V3 2 (Wolverine wasn't there originally)
Starting off ‘strong’ with the movie of the year, Deadpool & Wolverine with Deadpool & Wolverine WWIII 2 of 3
Blood Hunt 3 and 4 of 5, I imagine the trades for this will be out just in time for October?
Strange Academy Blood Hunt 2 of 3, is still one of the few spinoffs I’m interested in.
Wolverine is getting his own Blood Hunt mini.
Jubilee is getting her own one shot by PREETI CHHIBBER • Enid Balám (A), so that should be fun. Plus, she has an invested interest in keeping vampires under control.
. . .
X-MEN: BLOOD HUNT – MAGIK #1
ASHLEY ALLEN • Jesús Hervás (A)
Cover by ROD REIS
VARIANT COVER BY PEACH MOMOKO
STORMBREAKERS VARIANT COVER
BY ELENA CASAGRANDE
MAGIK VARIANT COVER BY IVAN TALAVERA
MAGIK VIRGIN VARIANT COVER
BY IVAN TALAVERA
• After the Fall of the House of X, Illyana Rasputina has returned to her homeland to search her soul and steel it for what comes next.
• But how will she protect her first home when a vampire army descends on Russia, seeking to turn it into a living hell?
• She may have been forged in the fires of Limbo, but has it prepared her for the Blood Hunt?
32 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$3.99
Now here is the one shot I’m mostly excited about!
I’m not familiar with either ASHLEY ALLEN • Jesús Hervás (A), but I’m excited for the opportunity to get to know their work now.
Plus, that Peach Momoko (who is a real person, by the way), variant cover? So much fun!
I don’t see any X-Men on any of the main series covers, so I imagine they are only involved in the stories we’re told they are involved in.
. . .
X-MEN #35 (LEGACY #700)
GERRY DUGGAN, KIERON GILLEN, AL EWING, CHRIS CLAREMONT, JED MACKAY & GAIL SIMONE
PHIL NOTO, MARK BROOKS, JOSHUA CASSARA, LUCAS WERNECK, JEROME OPEÑA, STEFANO CASELLI,
WALTEr SIMONSON, LEINIL FRANCIS YU & MORE (A) • WRAPAROUND Cover by PEPE LARRAZ
BIG MARVEL VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
BIG MARVEL SKETCH VIRGIN VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
TRADING CARD VARIANT COVER BY RUSSELL DAUTERMAN
WRAPAROUND VARIANT COVER BY SCOTT KOBLISH
PRIDE ALLIES VARIANT COVER BY BETSY COLA • VARIANT COVER BY BEN HARVEY
VARIANT COVER BY TBA • VIRGIN VARIANT COVER BY PEPE LARRAZ
INSIGNIA VARIANT COVER ALSO AVAILABLE • INSIGNIA VIRGIN VARIANT COVER ALSO AVAILABLE
THE END OF AN ERA – UNCANNY X-MEN #700!
All good things must come to an end, and as good of a thing as the Krakoan era has been for mutantkind…its time has come at last. The tragedy and triumph of FALL OF THE HOUSE OF X, the madness and mystery of RISE OF THE POWERS OF X…they have all come to their end and led to this moment that will change the future of mutantkind for years to come. Written and drawn by an all-star cast of writers and artists who have shaped the Krakoan Age, this is one milestone no X-Fan will want to miss! Also featuring a story of family by X-Men master Chris Claremont…and a glimpse of things to come!
88 PGS./Rated T+ …$9.99
an end of an era, and a $10 comic, but it is also 88 pages, so we’re getting a lot for our buck. Plus, Lockheed is on the main cover! We are also getting an epilogue into the next era at the end of this.
Jason Aaron is writing an Uncle Scrooge series? As he’s about to launch TMNT with a new number one? He’s back, baby.
Ultimates 1, with an interesting cast of characters – Iron Lad (Stark), Captain America, Doom, Thor and Sif – but if this deals directly with the Maker stuff, probably be a pass for me. Unless Ultimate Magik shows up in this.
Ultimate X-Men 4, Nico of the Runaways joins the team! So who knows what is possible here in the Ultimate Universe.
Venomverse Reborn, is a hard pass for me, just on name alone.
X-MEN: HEIR OF APOCALYPSE #1 (OF 4)
STEVE FOXE • NETHO DIAZ (A)
Cover by DOTUN AKANDE
APOCALYPSE MARVEL MASTERPIECES III VARIANT COVER BY GREG & TIM HILDEBRANDT
APOCALYPSE MARVEL MASTERPIECES III VIRGIN VARIANT COVER BY GREG & TIM HILDEBRANDT
VARIANT COVER BY DAVI GO
For centuries, Apocalypse tested the mutants of Earth to guarantee that only the strong would survive. Now, as he takes his throne on Arakko, another must rise in his place and ensure the mutants of Earth do not grow weak in his absence! Twelve mutants chosen from the X-Men’s greatest heroes – and villains – will compete for the honor, but only one can become…the HEIR OF APOCALYPSE!
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99
Awkwardly being squeezed in between the end of Krakoa and From the Ashes, we get another attempt at The Twelve.
Emma Frost is supposed to be involved, and it is written by Steve Fox, so it should be a good read. We get two issues out in June.
X-Men 97 4 of 4 concludes, also by Steve Foxe. Hopefully he earns an ongoing eventually.
Wolverine : Madripoor Knights 5 of 5 concludes.
Ms. Marvel : Mutant Menace 4 of 4, shame we keep losing an issue for each new mini this amazing creative team gets. Going back to her Inhumans roots, probably isn’t great as we are about to launch a new X-Men era. Will she be there?
Deadpool Role-Plays the Marvel Universe sounds fun.
I’m not sure why Minnie Mouse is Dazzler on a Disney What If variant to Amazing Spider-Man 51, but now I have to check these variants for any other X-Men references.
What If Venom 5 of 5 ends, so maybe we can get some fun What Ifs now.
Venom 3 is supposed to come to theaters this year, so I get they have to get all of these new stories in stores, but it seems like so much month to month.
JMS is back at Marvel, and writing Captain America 10?! I got to start paying more attention to these other books.
That’s a lot of Star Wars titles to scroll pass.
. . .
Trades –
Ghost Rider 2099 Omnibus $100
ROM Marvel Years Omnibus 3 $125
Dazzler Omnibus $150, this does seem like quite a deal, just for the 42 issues alone, but they included so much more!
Collecting X-MEN (1963) #130-131, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1963) #203, DAZZLER (1981) #1-42, MARVEL GRAPHIC NOVEL (1982) #12, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST #1-4, SECRET WARS II #4, and material from WHAT IF (1977) #33 and MARVEL FANFARE (1982) #38.
X-Men : X-Tinction Agenda Omnibus seems like the perfect way to read that story, $125
. . .
so not a bad month for trades, and very light for X-Men comics, so Blood Hunt came out at the perfect time.
and it is going to be very hard to beat this comic this year for Comic of the Year!
Gerry Duggan, Phil Noto, and Clayton Cowles finally reunites the Shadow, the Flame, and the Magik!
Plus, Joshua Cassara and Marte Gracia treated us to such a fantastic cover.
I thought it was two years since Kate and Lockheed were together, but it has been a full year to the month since Marauders Volume 2 Issue 12. Which is still way too long for my taste.
Then immediately after the third Hellfire Gala, in X-Men V6 25, we get Kate Pryde’s concern for Lockheed :
Which clearly was Duggan setting up that we as Lockheed fans, can expect Lockheed to return . . . eventually.
Well, that eventually, turned out to be seven long long months.
Issue 32 has my favorite cast of characters :
So much so that I’m reorganizing my top ten X-Men to move Emma way up the list.
Kate Pryde with Lockheed
Magik
Nightcrawler
Emma Frost
Storm
Rachel Summers
Cyclops
ForgetMeNot
Wolverine
Rogue
Which I’m still not too thrilled with my last three there, but I think its a solid list. I almost had Emma at three, but I still have to keep my love for Kurt pretty high. Thankfully Uncanny Spider-Man was a delight.
Emma was at a solid six, then I swapped Storm and Rachel around.
Issue opens with exactly where Lockheed has been staying safe :
Lighthouse Keeper Bill (as I’ve been referring to him as) makes a terrific stealth Excalibur reference which I adored.
Next, we catch up with Magik who is invading an Orchis stronghold, looking for a scientist that infected her with nannobots which prevent her from using her powers. Which I did not read X-Men 24, but I read all of Realm of X, including those datapages / lore journals, and not once did they referenced Magik having nannobots inside her – they implied it was the Asgardian land / Saturnyne’s doing that was preventing Magik from using her powers. So I guess it was both?
So Magik finds the scientist, who wants to just kill her instead of helping so. Magik looks exhausted and in so much pain, so she isn’t quick enough to stop him.
Thankfully someone else is!
We get the first of two hugs, which I share twitter friend @GraysonMaximoff’s desire for the Katyana ship to move up to the kissing phase, but that hug is so well earned. The two of them have been separated since the Hellfire Gala.
Polaris comes in for the grand rescue, she removes the nannobots from Magik, and a Stark Sentinel arrives, and the trio has to destroy it.
Emma Frost arrives, and tells them that there is so much to do, but first, she has a gift for Kate :
Which I adore not only this page, and I would love a poster of this page as well, but that Lockheed was able to find Emma, or that he sought her out first, as she would know where Kate is – as they grew extremely close during Marauders Volume One – by far my favorite ongoing series of the Krakoan Era. X-Men Volume Six would probably be my second favorite, I’ll have to think about that, but I can’t think of what would come close.
So that would be the second hug of the issue as well.
There isn’t enough hugging in comics.
I also covered this on the podcast, if you want to hear how much I loved this comic :
Thank you, dear reader, for reading, and listening, and for watching.
I started playing Midnight Suns, and been uploading my progress, as of this writing, I have 13 episodes to be enjoyed.
It has been such an enjoyable game, and I’ve been loving hanging out with Illyana, and she even considers my Hunter to be friends, which thrills me beyond belief.
Besties with bloody blades! Kate Pryde and Illyana Rasputin have been best friends for a long time. They’ve had good times, and they’ve had bad times. One thing they can always agree on? Stomping anti-mutant bigots’ heads.
. . .
If you’re going to own one comic of 2024, make it X-Men V6 32!
The Shadow, The Flame, and Magik are reuniting!!!
Kate Pryde, Lockheed, and Magik, I didn’t think we’ll ever get them back together
I think, going forward, as I’m 41 issues away from owning all of Lockheed’s appearances, I’m going to buy current books from eBay, and see how that works out.
Now that my comics are in the same building I live in, I’m super tempted to get back into reviewing comics again, I even found my scanner but I’m not sure it still works. I do miss comics, especially new ones but I’ve been so out of the game that I’m not sure if I’ve been out for too long. Comic Book Queers Legacy still gets me hyped for current X-Men comics so I know Marvel is still producing quality there but it has been so many years that it’ll take a lot to catch up. But maybe I’ll just not catch up and just review old comics. Something to think about at least.
Inside front cover ad is for Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas.
The home of Jonathan Chambers, which may be more fortress than home. If he had his way, it will be a prison for mutants and a haven for mutants.
There is some serious 90s art going on in this issue. I would think with the old school artists as inkers, it would be tamer but I guess they could only do so much.
Explosions start happening and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants are there – Toad, Pyro, Blob and an unknown blonde lady. Pryo calls her a babe and her name is, Phantazia – who time doesn’t remember her. These four fight the two mutants who are trying to invade the fortified home.
Mr. Chambers puts a halt to the beat down, as he is hoping the two new mutants will become friends of his. He reveals their names as – Mr. Bohannon and Mr. Petros.
Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. Westchester, New York. Moira MacTaggert, Banshee, Xavier and Beast are all discussing the Legacy Virus. Five additional mutants have died. Banshee reminds us that Stryfe is the one who unleashed the disease. Hank states that Magneto was right, there is nothing to do about all of the deaths.
Which he cracks himself up, as he was trying to break up the mood.
We get to the point of why I bought the issue. One couldn’t discuss the Legacy Virus without mentioning one of the first victims of the disease, Illyana Rasputin.
Beast is new to the research for the cure, Xavier didn’t want to burden him with this responsibility.
The Danger Room. Revanche (in British Psylocke’s body, but it doesn’t look like the body I remember), Jubilee, Rogue and Gambit are training. Psylocke (in Revanche’s body), Cyclops and Jean are watching from the control room. Jubilee is mostly in the way.
Jean conforms that Psylocke and Revanche are not their full minds in the other’s body, they are half of themselves and Revanche. This, naturally, upsets Psylocke.
Florida Keys. The Brotherhood are getting along okay with the two new guests. We get to learn their hosts, Chambers’ powers. He can take mutants powers and shut down their powers, it looks like he is spitting green vomit though, when he uses the power.
Out on the river, Henry Gyrich is working with a Mr. Cleary, they are monitoring the situation as operatives in Operation : Wideawake.
The X-men are on their way to meet with Chambers, they were invited. Beast really dug Chambers’ book, with the title “fatal Attractions” so that must be in the works. This annual and that crossover, both came out in 1993.
Cyclops, Beast and Rogue get to go through the front door. The others have to check out the sub-levels.
Henry Gyrich, with all of his mutant experience, knows that too many mutants in one room or place, there will be a fight. So he decides to sit back and let them knock each other out.
A giant fight breaks out between the X-Men and the Brotherhood.
Chambers shuts all of their powers down and calms them down, he will not have his work be undone. He wants his house to be a safe haven for those with the Legacy Virus, so they can die in peace. Pyro reveals it is him who is dying of the Legacy Virus, the others are there to make sure his last days are decent. Though he doesn’t die until Cable 87, in 2001 (eight years later from this moment, saving Senator Kelly’s life in the Dreams End crossover).
Revanche stands with Pyro, as her newly adopted body is also dying of the Legacy Virus. Good thing Betsy got her body and has been rocking it for decades now.
This story ends with Gyrich and the government coming to the house. Cyclops tells Gyrich that nothing is troubling there and everybody leaves.
There is a ten page Beast story at the end, but it stars Beast (in nearly every panel) so I didn’t read it.
• Enid Balám (A), so that should be fun. Plus, she has an invested interest in keeping vampires under control.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 