X-Men/Fantastic Four #1 (February 5): The nice thing about this issue is that virtually everyone is a raging asshole: Charles, Erik, Johnny, Logan, Reed, Sue. Kate and Storm are the only ones who remotely keep their cool. But, it's Reed (not surprisingly) who takes the cake. First, Franklin has a point that Reed's inability to solve his and Ben's problems might come from a subconscious desire not to do so: to watch Franklin become powerless and to keep Ben usefully strong. Second, without telling Franklin, Reed installed a device that masks his mutant gene, preventing him from accessing the Krakoan gates. It's an incredible breach of trust, prompting Franklin (and Valeria) to stowaway on the Marauder. Moreover, I don't want to let Sue off the hook. I understand her hair-trigger response to the X-Men's arrival came from her concern since Krakoa's founding that this moment would come. But, she pushes Franklin out the door as much as Reed does. Both of them not only completely ignore what he wants but refuse even to discuss it with him. I'm Team Franklin all the way here.
Amazing Spider-Man #39 (February 12): After almost 40 years of reading "Amazing Spider-Man," I can't say that I really care about yet another JJJ, Jr.-Spidey argument, even if Spencer puts a fun spin on it by making JJJ, Jr. right. But, OMG, the Overdrive back-up story is fucking intense. Overdrive takes a job as a get-away driver for some former Inner Demon henchmen, and he's appalled when they gun down a bunch of cops and then assassinate the one who survived even after he begs for his life. (The cop tells them that he has a daughter who already lost her mother, and the Inner Demon who kills him replies, "Looks like someone will be sleeping at grandma's tonight." Seriously, I shivered.) This story hints that the Inner Demons and Overdrive are on Sin-Eater's hit list. Given how long Spencer has been teasing Kindred, I'm thrilled that we're going to have something happen soon-ish.
Hawkeye: Freefall #3 (February 12): Rosenberg continues delivering a story that is both hilarious and intense. On one hand, you have a furious Linda discovering Clint's new "assistant" Bryce hiding in Hawkeye's closet. How did she discover him? Bryce was trying to silence a suddenly talking LMD Clint whom non-LMD Clint stole from S.H.I.E.L.D. (Did I mention LMD Clint was naked and sitting on stacks of money?) On the other hand, you have a horrified Clint realizing that the Hood murdered everyone in a Maggia human-trafficking site while looking for Ronin. We know that Clint is Ronin after he exposits that the item that he swiped in issue #1 was one of Kang's time-traveling devices, explaining how Hawkeye and Ronin were at the same place at once. But, Daredevil now also knows that Clint is Ronin when he appears at the site as a maskless Clint stares at the bodies around him. (I'm not quite sure how Daredevil knows that it's Clint since, you know, he's blind, but I'm just going with it.) Clint is playing an extremely dangerous game here, and I'm impressed that Rosenberg is able to balance that with the humor (and nakedness) that you also need in a good Hawkeye story.
X-Men #6 (February 12): If you ever need a reminder that Charles Xavier is an asshole and a hypocrite, this issue will satisfy that need.
We learn in this issue that Mystique accompanied the team on their strike against Orchis in "House of X" because Magneto and Professor X are holding Destiny's resurrection hostage until she does what they want. But, her own death and resurrection aren't enough for them. Since the X-Men's death on Orchis' space station orbiting the Sun happened outside the Resurrection Protocol, they don't know if Mystique successfully planted the Krakoa seed. She agrees to travel through the gate to ensure that it worked. It did, but she discovers that Nimrod likely didn't come from the Master Mold but from Alia Gregor's current project. (I love that Charles and Erik essentially inspired Alia to create Nimrod, something neither one of them will ever admit.)
When Mystique says that she didn't kill Alia because they have laws, Magneto comments, "Not for that. Not for them. And let's be honest, not for you..if you thought it needed doing." Charles Xavier, hypocrite. When Mystique demands that they resurrect Destiny, Charles refuses to do so until she earns it, which Erik defines as murdering Alia. Charles Xavier, asshole.
This issue's framing device is Destiny in the past predicting Krakoa's existence and telling Mystique to burn the place to the ground if they refuse to resurrect her. I cannot wait to see what Mystique does.
Also Read: Marauders #7 (February 5)
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