Age of X: Alpha #1: Mike Carey explains in a note at the end of this book that the Age of X was meant to be an in media res exercise, with the reader being dropped immediately into the story with little in the way of explanation of how we got there. This issue is meant to be, as Carey says, an overture to the symphony that follows, establishing the back stories of some of the major characters and dropping some hints about the different past of this new world. It's a different approach from the Age of Apocalypse cross-over event (upon which this event is clearly modeled), since that event had a specific catalyst (the assassination, in the past, of Professor X). But, Carey creates a lot of really compelling characters here (or, to put it more specifically, re-creates a lot of really compelling characters). The story of Cyclops -- now known as Basilisk -- is compellingly sad. It's interesting to see him in a follower role, with Cannonball serving as the field general. In "New Mutants" #10, we saw Cyclops implying Cannonball might not be the leader of the future that he's always been more or less groomed to be, so it's interesting, in this world, that it's Cannonball and not Cyclops running the show. I also applaud Carey (if it sticks) for taking out Wolverine so early. As I've mentioned in this blog, I'm SO over Wolverine, and I'm actually even more looking forward to this event now that I know it won't just give us yet another iteration of the Cyclops/Phoenix/Wolverine love triangle!
X-Men Legacy #245 (Age of X: Chapter 1): OK, as Carey promised, we're in the thick of things immediately. As we saw in "Age of X Alpha," Magneto ("the General") is leading the last group of mutants at a refuge called "Fortress X," and they've apparently been fighting off the human armies for the last three years. We see a number of familiar faces here, but what happened in the past to create their new selves and this new world is still unclear. The person who appears to be Hellion is still missing his hands, so it's unclear whether a version of the events from "Second Coming" happened. We've seen Phoenix in both the last issue and this one, but we haven't really been told who she is. (My guess is Hope, not Jean, since we also have heard that the Phoenix destroyed Albany at some point.) We've heard mention of someone called "X" who appears to be a computer and who I'm guessing in some version of Professor X. Speaking of Professor X, Legion is sane (or at least appears to be) and Moira (who someone calls Legion's stepmother) is alive. Wolverine appears to have survived the events of "Age of X Alpha" (I'm glad to see his role is at least muted), though we learn other mutants (Madrox, Nightcrawler) are dead. We've also seen a number of intriguing couples (Basilisk and Frenzy, Betsy Braddock and Iceman, Storm and Namor). However, Carey has succeeded in making the book not just about noting the difference between the two worlds. We get some intrigue here, learning that Magneto is keeping certain mutants under house arrest, when Kitty Pryde is discovered to have escaped the barrier that surrounds Fortress X. Rogue retrieves the camera Kitty hid and what she sees on the camera appears to make her question Magneto and his leadership.
New Mutants #22 (Age of X: Chapter 2): After spending the first issue mostly establishing who's who, Carey focuses on advancing the plot here, with Rogue (now known as Legacy) looking into the camera that Kitty Pryde brought into Fortress X. She heads into the brig, where she encounters Blindfold (who we last saw having visions of this world in "X-Men Legacy" #244). Blindfold directs Legacy to Professor X, who is indeed locked in the brig. (Is "X" Cable, then?) Legacy goes rogue (heh) after getting busted by Danger for talking to Kitty. I have to say, I'm intrigued where this storyline goes. I thought I recognized Magik and the Stepford Cuckoos in the brig when we saw it in the last issue, and I think that makes sense, since Magneto seems to be keeping hostage the people who can reveal the truth about the old world. If so, this twist would be significantly different from the Age of Apocalypse, where Magneto was nothing but a full-on hero.
X-Men Legacy #246 (Age of X: Chapter 3): OK, things get interesting real quick here. First, we learn that the prisoners are segregated at the order of X, not Magneto, implying that Magneto may not be the one trying to prevent the truth from being revealed. Along those lines, based on a conversation between Wolverine and Legacy, it appears that telepaths have been entirely removed from the equation in this world (possibly by X). We see Gambit join Legacy in her escape; I don't buy that Magneto actually killed them. But, even if he did, Legacy's efforts won't be for naught; we see Wolverine share what she told him to Basilisk, who agrees to help him dig. Also of note, Moira refers to herself as one of Magneto's kind here, more or less implying she's a mutant. All in all, this plot is just getting more and more intriguing. Seeing Gambit & Rogue and Wolverine & Cyclops working together, I'm reminded of the halcyon days of the 200s of "Uncanny X-Men." The X-books are so filled with characters right now that you don't often get that sense of intimacy that you used to get reading these books; Carey has really tapped into that by putting some old-school favorites front and center. Also, I have to mention Clay Mann's art. The characters and the setting really jump off the page; he's doing amazing work. I can't say I was a super fan of his work on "X-Men Legacy" before (because it wasn't until I Googled him that I realized he's been on the book for a while), but these Age of X issues have been great.
X-Men Legacy #245 (Age of X: Chapter 1): OK, as Carey promised, we're in the thick of things immediately. As we saw in "Age of X Alpha," Magneto ("the General") is leading the last group of mutants at a refuge called "Fortress X," and they've apparently been fighting off the human armies for the last three years. We see a number of familiar faces here, but what happened in the past to create their new selves and this new world is still unclear. The person who appears to be Hellion is still missing his hands, so it's unclear whether a version of the events from "Second Coming" happened. We've seen Phoenix in both the last issue and this one, but we haven't really been told who she is. (My guess is Hope, not Jean, since we also have heard that the Phoenix destroyed Albany at some point.) We've heard mention of someone called "X" who appears to be a computer and who I'm guessing in some version of Professor X. Speaking of Professor X, Legion is sane (or at least appears to be) and Moira (who someone calls Legion's stepmother) is alive. Wolverine appears to have survived the events of "Age of X Alpha" (I'm glad to see his role is at least muted), though we learn other mutants (Madrox, Nightcrawler) are dead. We've also seen a number of intriguing couples (Basilisk and Frenzy, Betsy Braddock and Iceman, Storm and Namor). However, Carey has succeeded in making the book not just about noting the difference between the two worlds. We get some intrigue here, learning that Magneto is keeping certain mutants under house arrest, when Kitty Pryde is discovered to have escaped the barrier that surrounds Fortress X. Rogue retrieves the camera Kitty hid and what she sees on the camera appears to make her question Magneto and his leadership.
New Mutants #22 (Age of X: Chapter 2): After spending the first issue mostly establishing who's who, Carey focuses on advancing the plot here, with Rogue (now known as Legacy) looking into the camera that Kitty Pryde brought into Fortress X. She heads into the brig, where she encounters Blindfold (who we last saw having visions of this world in "X-Men Legacy" #244). Blindfold directs Legacy to Professor X, who is indeed locked in the brig. (Is "X" Cable, then?) Legacy goes rogue (heh) after getting busted by Danger for talking to Kitty. I have to say, I'm intrigued where this storyline goes. I thought I recognized Magik and the Stepford Cuckoos in the brig when we saw it in the last issue, and I think that makes sense, since Magneto seems to be keeping hostage the people who can reveal the truth about the old world. If so, this twist would be significantly different from the Age of Apocalypse, where Magneto was nothing but a full-on hero.
X-Men Legacy #246 (Age of X: Chapter 3): OK, things get interesting real quick here. First, we learn that the prisoners are segregated at the order of X, not Magneto, implying that Magneto may not be the one trying to prevent the truth from being revealed. Along those lines, based on a conversation between Wolverine and Legacy, it appears that telepaths have been entirely removed from the equation in this world (possibly by X). We see Gambit join Legacy in her escape; I don't buy that Magneto actually killed them. But, even if he did, Legacy's efforts won't be for naught; we see Wolverine share what she told him to Basilisk, who agrees to help him dig. Also of note, Moira refers to herself as one of Magneto's kind here, more or less implying she's a mutant. All in all, this plot is just getting more and more intriguing. Seeing Gambit & Rogue and Wolverine & Cyclops working together, I'm reminded of the halcyon days of the 200s of "Uncanny X-Men." The X-books are so filled with characters right now that you don't often get that sense of intimacy that you used to get reading these books; Carey has really tapped into that by putting some old-school favorites front and center. Also, I have to mention Clay Mann's art. The characters and the setting really jump off the page; he's doing amazing work. I can't say I was a super fan of his work on "X-Men Legacy" before (because it wasn't until I Googled him that I realized he's been on the book for a while), but these Age of X issues have been great.
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