We have two new status quos here that significantly complicate life for the mutants.
First, the Terrigen Mists are not only killing mutants, but sterilizing them. I get the first part, but, honestly, the second part makes no sense to me. As far as I've always understood it, the X-gene in the Marvel Universe works like magic in the Harry Potter one: humans can give birth to mutants and vice versa. You don't have to be a mutant to have a mutant. As such, unless Lemire means "sterilizing" as simply wiping out the X-gene, I don't get why sterilizing current mutants means that no more mutants will be born. Can't a human have one? Also, I'll admit that the entire premise seems old hat: we already went down this road after Wanda's "no more mutants" comment at the end of "Avengers Disassembled." Are we really going down it again?
Second, we learn that Scott...did something to make everyone simply hate mutants. We had a hint of an over-the-edge Scott in "Secret Wars" #1, but it's unclear if what he did happened in the eight month period that we didn't see before "Secret Wars" or if it happens after "Secret Wars" ended. In fact, it's not even clear if they're talking about old Scott or young Scott. (This paragraph alone makes my head hurt.)
At any rate, these two new realities have left Storm and Iceman scrambling to find and rescue mutants - both from the Mists and the humans -- and bring them to a sanctuary called X-Haven. Meanwhile, the Beast is apparently with the Inhumans trying to find a cure.
All in all, Lemire does a pretty bang-up job getting this information to us quickly. Illyana brings the information to Peter as he hides on their old farm in Russia, and Ororo and Bobby try to convince Jean to leave E.S.U. (where she's now studying) to join them. Along the way, Ramos makes it all suitably epic. It feels like we have a main X-Men series for the first time in a long time, and I really couldn't ask for more from this issue. We still need some more clarity on these new status quos, but I'm willing to get Lemire some time to get there. In the meantime, it's a solid start.
*** (three of five stars)
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