New Comics!: The "Regenesis" Edition #7 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

OK, "Wolverine and the X-Men" #4 finally arrived, so I can now make my way through my backlog of X-books.  It appears that the issues in this review are the last ones branded with the "Regenesis" banner, so I guess it's the end of the beginning. 

Generation Hope #15:  This issue continues to set up Hope embracing her possible role as future host of the Phoenix Force.  As Kenji and Laurie have speculated, Hope pretty clearly uses her power at the end of the issue to telepathically command every one to leave the battlefield.  It's a powerful moment, because Asmus is unambiguous about the danger Hope could pose.  Asmus also continues Gillen's practice of using Hope to question Scott's decisions, particularly the morally ambiguous ones.  Whereas Scott might have been able to argue Shaw was a menace before Emma mind-wiped him, Hope manages to score some points in arguing that his role as a menace ended when Emma made the decision to be his judge, jury, and executioner.  The only negative to this issue is that I only recognized Random of the group of malcontents who attack Hope's team.  But, the attack itself worked well, given that it deepened the questions about the extent to which Scott is really in control of Utopia and Hope is really in control of her team.  Neither Hope nor Scott leave this issue looking particularly good.  Asmus also seems to set in mention the sub-plot that's been building for a while, namely Kenji's lack of total commitment to Hope.  I'm not entirely sure if it's self-motivated, or if it's coming from the malcontent who attacked him, but I guess we'll see.  All in all, it's another dark yet compelling issue of this series. 

New Mutants #36:  Huh.  DnA manage to sell me on a story that features a heavy-metal rock band somehow coming into possession of a metal box that contained an alien ship powered by chaos energy that's trying, almost literally, to phone home.  Go figure.  (I believe they told us where the band got the box in the last issue, though I couldn't remember.)  It's a decent issue.  It's not Earth-shattering (heh, maybe it is) or anything, but it's a fun conclusion to the story arc.  I liked what DnA did with Amara and Bobby here.  Past authors have had Bobby following around Amara like a lonely, lovelorn puppy, but he's more the cocky, confident Bobby I recognize in this issue.  Having just read "X-Factor" #230, I realize that the New Mutants play a similar role for Team Cyclops as X-Factor will for Team Wolverine, which inevitably leads me to hope for a cross-over event! 

Wolverine and the X-Men #4:  OK, Aaron does a pretty good job here of moving us past the somewhat mediocre opening arc by introducing a few new interesting elements.  I thought he did a really great job of integrating the "Uncanny X-Force" characters, the young Apocalypse and the amnesiac Angel, in a way that didn't rely on obvious exposition.  (I am hoping, however, that we don't go to the "future history" well too often, because it can get old seriously quickly.)  I was also pleased that the students played a pretty prominent role in this issue, and I hope we stick to the "more Kid Gladiator, less Quentin Quire" formula.  We also got some great moments with the teachers, particularly Bobby and Logan's conversations about Warren.  I thought Aaron did a great job in general with Bobby, Hank, and Kitty all showing their disapproval of (and helplessness over) Logan's extra-curricular activities, but I thought Bobby challenging Logan when it came to Angel was the best.  I have high hopes that Aaron is going to be the author that lets Bobby become the characters he's always had the potential to be, so I'm excited to see where this storyline goes.  I was less thrilled by the "OMG, Kitty is pregnant" storyline, but, even though I have my doubts that it could be anything more than a clichéd alien-baby story, I guess I have to give Aaron the chance to prove me wrong.  At any rate, Aaron seems to be settling into a rhythm in terms of dividing time between the teachers and the students that works for me. 

X-Factor #230:  Amazing issue.  Amazing.  First, David totally blew my mind with the idea that Madrox's power works by pulling in dupes from alternate realities.  BLEW.  MY.  MIND.  I'm pretty sure it's not going to be the resolution, but it's such a fascinating idea.  Leave it to Peter David to turn even the not-resolutions into amazing plots.  Second, the Layla/Wolverine scenes were really well done.  We not only learn that Layla feels guilt for Jaime's death because she inadvertently caused it by resurrecting Guido, but we also get a really lovely moment between her and Wolverine, where she acknowledges that she's telling him her feelings because only he truly understands what it's like to be alone in the crowd.  After suffering through a lot of pop psycho-babble in "Avenging Spider-Man" and "Venom" over the last few days, it was refreshing to see someone write emotions that felt neither excessively expository nor blatantly forced.  Third, speaking of emotions, the fight the team has over what Layla did to Guido is both hilarious AND revealing.  David did a great job using the debate to reveal the characters:  Monet and Theresa fighting about religion, Rictor retorting, "Oh, look who's talking about making up minds!" when Shatterstar tells him he needs to make up his mind about his feelings for Rahne.  It was all just amazing character work.  Whereas authors like Bendis use characters interchangably like they're set pieces, David makes me forget sometimes that I'm not watching a reality TV show of real people.  ("This is the true story...of seven superheroes...picked to live in a house...")  The disputes that we see here come from real differences of opinions based on the characters' experencies in life.  They're not just spouting lines that need to be said to move the plot forward; they're having real arguments about philosophical issues.  It's so rare for an author to pull off team dynamics so well, particularly given how large the team is.  But, I ended this book feeling like I knew this team all the better, despite the fact that I already knew them pretty well to start.  Fourth (yup, I'm just going to keep on raving), Wolverine putting X-Factor on retainer was brilliant.  It's the perfect solution to how they're going to stay X-Factor AND be part of the new "Regenesis" status quo.  To sum:  it's an amazing issue by an amazing writer of an amazing series. 

X-Men Legacy #260.1:  I was excited abou this issue before I opened it.  I never really liked Carey's work, so I was pleased to see that this third core title would get a new creative team.  Over the last few "meh" issues of "Uncanny X-Men" and "Wolverine and the X-Men," though, my hopes raised that this title would somehow give me the X-book I was hoping we'd see from "X-Men:  Regenesis" but so far haven't.  I wasn't disappointed.  I feel like Gage gets the fact that the school is a school better even than Aaron, who's writing "Wolverine and the X-Men," given that he has Rogue adamantly refuse to allow the kids to skip class to fight the demons.  The way he weaved the teachers' lessons (Beast's history of the N'Garai, Sam's lecture on ethics) into the battle was nothing short of brilliant.  Plus, we essentially, honestly, get all my favorite X-Men.  I was thrilled to see Cannonball, given that he's pretty much my favorite X-Man.  I was also glad to see that Gage is also using the darkness that surrounds him after DnA's amazing "Fall/Rise of the New Mutants" arc.  Whether or not he overcomes it is going to be the thing that eventually determines if he's the X-Men's next leader, as he's always been groomed to be, and I like how the jury still hasn't reached a verdict on it.  It's given his character more depth than he's had in years.  Plus, it's also great to see Marvel Girl, another favorite, really in the mix at this point.  She's been so misused over the years, particularly when she wasn't used at all (and just sort of floated in space), that I'm really excited to have her re-enter the core titles.  I also hope we continue to get Iceman.  Great plot, great writing, great characters:  thank God.  The X-Men, for me, are back.

New Comics!: The "Regenesis" Edition #6 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Uncanny X-Men #4:  Honestly?  I have no idea why this issue exists.  I want to say that it's an interesting meditation on humanity or something similar, but I can't.  It's not only a filler issue, but it's a filler issue that serves as an epilogue for an event that happened almost 20 years ago.  Don't get me wrong:  I loved the "Phalanx Covenant" when it happened.  But, in the fourth issue of this rebooted series, I'm left wondering what exactly this issue accomplished.  I guess it's supposed to show us how Sinister discovered the ability to replicate himself.  But, did we really need that sort of background, particularly when it served as the second of three issues in a one-month period?  I don't think we did. 

X-Men #23:  OK, I have to say, Gischler really delivered a pretty good arc here.  I was kind of meh about it over the first few issues, but, particularly when compared with the opening arcs of the other core titles, it's really the best one.  It told a coherent story, showed details of the X-Men's new status quo, and set up future storylines.  Not bad, really.  I can't say anything really Earth-shattering happened but, again, compared to the other title's mediocre arcs, I'll take a coherent story and be happy.  Speaking of future storylines, can you really blame Jubilee for ditching the squares and going with the dark, mysterious and sexy guy?

X-Men Legacy #260:  This series has been a few issues behind, chronologically and emotionally, from the rest of the X-books, as a result of Rogue struggling over which side -- Logan's or Scott's -- she was going to chose.  (Even the intro page is in the old style.)  To buy her time, Carey concocted the main plot of this arc, saving Ariel from the in-between dimension she created to flee Bastion's attack during "Second Coming."  It's a pretty good distraction, particularly since Carey uses it as a vehicle for the various characters who've featured in this series to address some lingering issues.  (I'm sad to see Korvus go, but I'm hard pressed to think of the role he'd play in the new status quo; Carey at least gives him a great new job.)  In the end, I think it was pretty clear all along Rogue would go with Logan, though I hope Scott listens to her speech, because I have to wonder if she's the only one who's ever understood him.  (Also, a final note:  I'm fairly certain that Dr. Nemesis refers to the "Spider-Man:  Edge of Time" video game, which I'm currently playing, when he says, "Especially if there's a chance of spider-squid-hybrid-phase-beasts showing up."  Awesome.)  I've never been a huge fan of this series, but, given my mild to serious disappointment with the other two core titles, I'm interested to see where they go with it.

New Comics!: The "Regenesis" Edition #5

I decided to take a little break from making my way through two months' worth of Spidey books to spend some time with the X-Men.  I've left their stack for last in my "Let's read and review three weeks' worth of issues as fast as we can" exercise because my pusher (comic shop) accidentally left out "Wolverine and the X-Men" #4 in my last shipment.  I initially thought I'd get it sooner, so I delayed reading the X-books.  But, it's probably going to be a few weeks, and I've got at least seven books to read before I hit its sequential absence, so I figured no time like the present to start the show.

Generation Hope #14:  First, I loved the pool on how Scott is going to die.  "X-Men:  Regenesis," almost by necessity, has been a fairly grim endeavor, so any sort of diversion from gloom is a welcome one.  (I love that the Cuckoos lost $40 when Scott returned from the Negative Zone.  I was going to give Asmus major props for cross-referencing something that happened in an annual, until I remembered that he wrote it!  But, he still gets minor props, because it was a great way to open the issue.)  Moving onto the rest of the issue, Asmus does a good job telling the main story -- an Asian gunrunner using Sebastian Shaw's unique power-set to cause strife and drum up some business -- while at the same time changing the status quo by giving Martha a body (at least temporarily) and bringing Shaw to Utopia.  I wonder what Emma's game is.  She insists that she didn't lie to Scott about Shaw -- instead, she merely has yet to tell him the truth -- but it seems like her hand is going to be forced next issue.  Why would she let Hope return with Shaw?  It seems like a bad idea.  But, then again, it's Emma, so I guess we'll see.  (The one negative about this issue is the presence of pet peeve #1, because, at no point, does Shaw attack Hope and Kenji.  Sigh...)

New Mutants #35:  It took me a while to realize what DnA were doing here.  By sending Blink and the New Mutants into a concert, it's a subtle reminder that "normal" young adults their age go to concerts all the time.  The New Mutants, however, go to Limbo all the time, so you can sort of see why Dani notes that they'll "try" moshing.  So, rather than this arc being just about some demonic rock band, DnA use said demonic rock band to remind us just how far the New Mutants have to go in terms of the "blending" Dani wants them to do with the rest of the world.  Damn, they're good.  In addition, DnA continue to soften the New Mutants' personalities and interactions.  We got pretty grim during "Fall/Rise of the New Mutants," and DnA are taking us back a step, making everyone like one another again.  I am really just so excited about their tenure on this series!  

Uncanny X-Men #3:  [Sigh.]  When I read issues like this one, I'm left to wonder just how much control the marketing department at Marvel has over authors.  This issue devolves into an advertisement for "Avengers vs. X-Men," with Sinister essentially having staged this entire fight merely to tell Hope that she'll become the Phoenix and Scott that he'll be more hated than even Sinister, outcomes, I'm left to assume, of this summer's event.  To drive home the point, Gillen is left to have the characters make all sorts of thinly-veiled comments about the Avengers being "obsolete" and the X-Men becoming the "world's premiere superteam."  It's all terribly boring.  I'm honestly left with no real clear idea of why Sinister did what he did, how exactly Emma defeated him, why Sinister stopped doing what he was doing, and why the Dreaming Celestial was involved.  "Disappointing" is probably too weak of a word.  I like Kieron Gillen a lot.  But, this issue just seemed to underline how "X-Men:  Schism" and its successor, "X-Men:  Regenesis," are too overtly a marketing exercise to promote the brand rather than an honest attempt to refresh the titles.  Marvel needs to let the authors spend more time telling a coherent story and less time pitching an impending event.  

Wolverine and the X-Men #3:  Honestly, I'm good with just this exchange between Bobby and Logan:  "There has to be a way to kill this thing!"  "We're all ears, Professor Snikt."  "Rachel, get Hank on the Iine."  Heh.  (Srsly, Professor Snikt.  Heh.)  But, Aaron goes beyond those quips to give us a pretty good story.  I liked Kid Omega saving the day in the end while at the same time not compromising his street cred.  Aaron moves him past the one-note prick he's been for most of his printed history.  I also thought the idea of Krakoa becoming an X-Man was sharp.  In fact, it makes you wonder just how different from Scott and his team Logan and his team are if their first response was to resort to violence when Krakoa attacked.  (Aaron doesn't necessarily draw that line here, but I think it's an interesting point.)  In truth, the kids so far are the most promising part of this story.  I totally dig Kid Gladiator.  I mean, sure, he's kind of a caricature at this point, but he's fun.  Like I said in the "New Mutants" review above, we're leaving behind some pretty dark times in the X-books, so any sort of levity is a good thing.  I'm equally fond of Brod, and I think Aaron will have plenty of opportunities to tell some great stories of Quentin trying to make friends.  The only negative I have to mention is that I thought the deus ex machina of having the inspectors from the Department of Education lose their memories was a little much.  Sure, Hank was charming, but, even if they didn't remember how it got that way, didn't they notice the school was in ruins?  I mean, why bother including this sub-plot if it's just going to be resolved in, like, two panels by a mindwipe?  But, it's early days, so I'm willing to cut Aaron some slack.

New Comics!: The "Regenesis" Edition #4 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Uncanny X-Men #2:  Meh.  I liked the idea of Sinister no longer being a man, but a "system," but, OMG, the system can talk.  Seriously, we don't see much happen in this issue because Sinister spends most of it explaining how awesome he is.  Point, Team Wolverine.

X-Men #22:  OK, in my drive to get my current pull-list under 30, I'm pretty sure that this title is going once Gischler wraps up this arc.  It's an OK title, but I can't say it adds anything that I'm not getting from other titles, particularly since I already saw Colossus and Storm in "Uncanny X-Men" #2.  For $3.99 a month, I don't need to see that much of Colossus and Storm.  At any rate, it's a pretty decent story to end my run.  This whole arc is essentially all about proving correct Scott's comments at the disarmament conference from "X-Men:  Schism" #1, that having a bunch of Sentinels lying around the place probably isn't the hottest idea.  The Governor of Puttanescaland goes a long way toward proving him correct by dispatching her Sentinel army against neighboring Symkaria.  Most of this issue is dedicated to Colossus, Storm, and War Machine fighting a Sentinel; I can't say it's the most gripping of battles since, as Colossus says, the X-Men have fought a lot of Sentinels.  But, fighting 30 Sentinels should be something different, so I'll definitely pick up next month's issue.

X-Men Legacy #259:  I think this issue is one of my favorite Carey issues.  He really does a great job bringing us on Rogue's emotional journey here.  It's a little behind the times, given that we know Rogue chose Wolverine from "X-Men:  Regenesis" #1.  But, he fleshes out her thoughts on the subject, and it's interesting to see what she's thinking.  (Notably, Carey also gives us a more...forgiving Scott here.  Scott makes it seem like two sides will work together, something he hasn't really quite articulated previously in any of the other titles.  It makes me wonder if Carey goes off script a bit or if Marvel is already softening the schism between the two sides.)  I also enjoyed how Carey uses Rogue's soul searching as the action-forcing event that, well, delivers us some action, revealing that someone has scattered its consciousness across the eight X-Men returning from outer space.  It's clever, because you think the issue is going to be a talkathon but ends up being pretty suspenseful.  Carey actually makes me almost believe it's Jean, clearly something we're going to see happen a lot before next summer's cross-over event, which seems to promise her return.  But, instead, we learn it's Ariel.  I had no idea who she was, so I had to do some Wikipedia research to get her background.  I'm not really sure what's left for the team to do next issue, since it seems like they just have to pull her through the doorway, but I guess we shall see.

New Comics!: The "Regenesis" Edition #3 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Generation Hope #13:  First, I was excited to see that James Asmus is taking over this title.  Gillen did amazing work with this title, but I also loved Asmus' "Escape from the Negative Zone" annual cross-over.  In fact, I liked his version of Hope better than anyone's, including possibly Gillen's.  He portrayed her as the arrogant teenager she is, and it worked.  I'm glad to say, it also works here.  Asmus picks up the personalities of the Lights so well, you'd be forgiven for thinking Gillen was still on board.  But, he makes the characters his own fairly quickly.  I'm intrigued by the Hope/Laurie dynamic.  If they find a way to work together, they'll be a great pair.  We see it here, with Hope reminding Laurie that sometimes you don't have time to plan, and Laurie reminding Hope that you should plan when you can because it results in better outcomes.  If they don't find a way to work together...well, we'll see.  I loved that he had Kenji fall in love instantly with No-Girl.  It wasn't an obvious call, but it shows a real insight into his character, to know that Kenji would be drawn to her and her ability to manipulate the way people perceive the world.  Velocidad is also great here ("Yeah, but one of them is Boom-Boom."), though we probably don't need him noting that his powers are killing him every issue, particularly since we only really established that he feels panicked by the prospect last issue.  But, his "I'm a teenage boy, I should be hitting on girls while I can" schtick is great.  Again, he could probably use some adult supervision (or at least an older brother figure) to help get him through this trouble.  But, the lack of attention to him shows that Cyclops is really just interested in them as warriors, as we see in the opening of the book.  I'm intrigued why the Cuckoos hid the newest Light from Hope, even though it appears it's because it's Sebastian Shaw's powers re-manifesting themselves.  It's a great first issue for Asmus, and I'll definitely be there next issue.

New Mutants #34:  So far, so great.  DnA give us a fun start for the latest iteration of "New Mutants."  First, looking at the overall story DnA are starting to tell here, I love the idea that the New Mutants are now living like "real" people, particularly with the proviso that Bobby isn't allowed to fund them.  Are they all going to get jobs like Amara?  Is Nate going to be a fry cook?  Will Bobby be a bus driver?  The mind boggles.  I also like the Bobby/Nate dynamic.  I'm hoping we're going to see them interract more, given that Bobby's only really itneracted with Amara for almost every other issue of this series.  Moreover, forcusing on this arc in particularly, the next "loose end" case is awesome.  I had't realized that we had resurrected Blink.  I still remember how surprised I was at the end of "Phalanx Covenant" when they seemingly killed her, so I'm glad that, based on my Wikipedia reading, they managed to "resurrect" her in a way that more or less made sense (or, at least, as much sense as these sorts of things can make).  She seems like an ideal candidate for membership in the "New Mutants," so I'm excited to see where DnA go with the story.

X-Men #21:  This issue is just as fast-paced and fun as the last one.  I'm even willing to overlook the sudden arrival of Symkarian jets that broke the no-fly zone and conveniently allowed War Machine to join the X-Men in their fight against the Sentinels.  (How did the Symkarians discover that Puttanescaland had Sentinels?  It wasn't like they took out an ad.)  The revelation that the Puttanescans had been obtaining Sentinels thanks to the wealth they've stockpiled from uranium mining was cool, as was the revelation that the scientist had successfully reprogrammed Sentinels to think anyone the Puttanescans wanted was a mutant.  This issue is picking put the thread of the disastrous disarmament conference that Scott and Wolverine attended in "X-Men:  Schism," and in fact shows us that the world is the dangerous place Scott predicted -- for humans and mutants alike -- with this many Sentinels in play.  Gischler manages to shows the Puttanescan governor's hatred of the Symkarians without getting too preachy, and it really instills the book with the sense that some serious shit is going to happen if the X-Men don't get their asses in gear (and maybe even if they do).  Again, Gischler is making it really hard for me to drop this book...

Wolverine and the X-Men #2:  Ok, wow.  I certainly did not expect that the monster attacking the mansion was Krakoa.  Excellent, excellent idea, Aaron.  I mean, who better to kill Wolverine and his new school than the monster who Wolverine and the other "new" X-Men fought on their first mission?  (I'm not entirely sure how it works, logistically, though.  First, how did the Hellfire Club fit an island under the mansion?  Is there enough room?  Second, at the end of issue #1, he seems poised to eat the school.  Yet, when this issue starts, he's nowhere to be seen, like he suddenly decided, mid-bite, to go somewhere else.  Confusing.)  I can't say I've been that fond of the kiddie Hellfire Club, but I might change my mind after this issue.  Turning the school inspectors into Sauron and Wendigo?  Sending "Frankenstein monsters with flamethrowers" after the X-Men?  Wanting the students "charred and melted" so that Wolverine has to contemplate his failure every time he looks at them?  I can respect the fact that these kids are not joking.  It's been a while since the X-Men have faced a villain (or group of villains) this committed to evil, and I can be convinced that this new Hellfire Club could surpass the old one in terms of constituting a deadly constant threat to the X-Men.  (I think I'm actually becoming fond of Kade and his downright evil-ness.)

Bachalo is pretty on fire in this issue.  I have to make particular mention of his work as a colorist.  I hadn't realized he colored last issue, but I had actually noticed the color, particularly the scene where Quentin was lying on the floor surrounded by markers that he had used to write "I'm a political prisoner" on the floor.  I noticed, at the time, that the colorist had colored outside the lines; the red of the marker was a little past the black of the border.  I thought it was interesting, but now, seeing Bachalo here, I realize it just adds to the kinetic sense of his art, the sense that the characters are literally breaking beyond their borders with action.  I mean, yes, you get some of the usual problems with Bachalo.  For example, I wasn't entirely certain what Bobby did, and it took me a second reading to realize he essentially went Multiple Man on himself.  (I thought he had maybe taken control of the Frankentsein monsters.)  But, the good outweighs the bad here, because Bachalo, as usual, just propels you through this issue at full speed.  (Also, I LOVE Rachel's new look.  Thank God she's not wearing a bikini top as a costume anymore.)

I also enjoyed Aaron's attention to the characters, particularly Bobby.  As I think I've mentioned, I'm excited about this series in part because, to put it in Logan's words, I'm anxiously awaiting Bobby getting the chance to "step up."  We see him do it here, not only in terms of his powers but also by kissing Kitty.  I can't say that pairing ever dawned on me, but, now?  I'm all for it.  Team Kibby.  I also loved Broo's infatuation with Idie, which I hope continues to be cute and endearing.    All in all, a great issue that I'm going to have to read again to get all its nuances.

New Comics!: The "Regenesis" Edition #2 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Generation Hope #12:  OK, I need to pare down my monthly pull-list, because, honestly, I can barely keep afloat with my reading at this point.  I had identified this book and "X-Men" as the ones to go.  I never really enjoyed the latter (and am not particularly interested in the current team), and, although I've always thought Gillen has done an amazing job with "Generation Hope," I figured I could skip it because it doesn't tie directly into the core books that closely.  But, then Gillen writes an issue like this one, and I'm totally sucked into his world again.  I thought this issue was one of the best books I've read all year.  The stuff with Velocidad was great.  It's actually proof positive that Scott is failing the kids.  You've got a teenage boy totally afraid of dying young because his powers are slowly killing him and, because the adults won't level with him, he's starting to act impulsively.  I mean, hello, recipe for disaster.  But, no one notices.  Velocidad tells Kenji, who's not exactly the type to worry, but no one else.  As such, no one who can do anything to help him knows, because the adults don't care.  Do you need any more proof that Logan was right?  The rest of the issue is equally good.  Scott and Kitty's conversation at the end is a highlight, not just because it shows the danger everyone knows we're facing with Hope, but because it shows how little control anyone has over the Lights.  The next few months -- particularly with the addition of Pixie and the love triangle between her, Hope, and Velocidad -- are going to be interesting.  I'm here to stay. 

New Mutants #33:  Of course it's Dani who's smart enough to reject, to put it in Warlock's words, the binary choice between Cyclops and Wolverine.  I accept her argument that she's staying with Cyclops because he believes in her, but I love the fact that she feels the need not to be on Utopia (and under Scott's thumb) to stay true to herself and mission.  DnA also do a great job with Nate here.  Although I'm a little slightly skeeved by the, um, obvious, um, chemistry between Hope and Nate (even if they're not exactly blood relations), they do seem like a great fit (in a non-sexual way, hopefully).  They both come at life from a similar perspective and you can tell they feel relieved to have someone to whom they can talk about their experiences who won't have to get over the time-travel confusion and the bizarre family ties.  I'm hoping this iteration of the "New Mutants" is the last one for a while.  We've gone through so many new starts over the last 30 or so issues, mainly because of the various events forced on the title.  I'd dig it if they actually spent the next 30 or so issues in one place with one mission and one team.  Here's hoping.

X-Men #20:  OK, so, my plan to drop this title is complicated, yet AGAIN, by Gischler's excellent writing.  His Spider-Man arc has been the highlight of this title for me, and he's gotten off this War Machine one to a great start.  To be honest, though, I liked this issue not so much because of War Machine, who's mostly just annoyingly obstinate, but for Storm, who we finally see leading a X-Men team again.  Moreover, Gischler gives us the sort of international intrigue and high espionage that I've been expecting -- and not really getting -- from "Secret Avengers."  He picks up the thread from "X-Men:  Schism," with the world suddenly flush with old Sentinels and new ones created by the Hellfire Club.  The team is tracking down a shipment of stolen Sentinels (I'm unclear on whether they're old or new ones), who now appear to be this season's must-have accessories for every irredentist and separatist movement in the world.  If this team is going to be a moral X-Force, if you will, fighting in the darkest corners of the X-Men's world, it's going to be hard to convince me to drop it.  Damn you, Gischler.  My wallet isn't talking to you.

New Comics!: The "Regenesis" Edition #1 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

I'm posting these reviews in the order I read them, which came from the checklist, of sorts, published in the back of "X-Men:  Schism" #5.  I'll get to my thoughts on the whole enterprise at the end.  Enjoy!

X-Men:  Regenesis #1:  For all my bitching about "X-Men:  Schism," I have to say that Gillen does the best he can with the hand he's dealt here.  I've never seen more character development in a single issue.  It's hard to break down an issue that essentially consists of 20-30 conversations, but I'll do my best.  First, the framing scenes of Cyclops and Wolverine as tribal warriors were brilliant.  Tan does an amazing job artistically with them, and they convey the message Gillen is highlighting here, that the X-Men are now officially two different tribes.  Second, I thought all the conversations were great.  Tan has a gift at drawing faces that actually convey emotions, making him an inspired choice for an issue that, at its core, is all about emotions.  Stand-out conversations for me were Dani/Sam and Scott/Storm.  Despite my initial skepticism, I actually buy Storm staying.  I thought Gillen would go this route, that Storm would serve as the moral conscience of the team, and I think Gillen really sells it here.  (Of course, I'm left to wonder how she's going to commute to be on the Avengers as well.)  I also thought he did a great job with Dani and Sam, making it about the places where they find themselves in their lives and what they need at the moment to be the people they want to be (and, one day, be together).  Somehow, as he also does with Magneto and Rogue, Gillen actually makes their burgeoning relationship seem more viable for the decision to be apart.

At the end of the day, I can't point to any conversation that didn't ring true to me.  I loved Emma showing her commitment to Scott by liquidating her corporate holdings to fund Utopia (and still being Emma about it, telling Scott not to get all weepy).  I love that it looks like Bobby and Dazzler finally are going to get the leadership roles it's time for them to have.  As shocked as I am to say it, I'm probably most excited about "Wolverine and the X-Men," since it's where most of my favorite characters are.  (Actually, I'm most excited about Alex and Lorna re-joining "X-Factor," but it's always existed more or less outside the sphere of the rest of the mutant world.)  But, I'll keep getting "Uncanny," because, well, it's "Uncanny."  I am, though, to be fair, also intrigued by how Scott handles the divide.  We just saw him get delivered a major loss, and I thought Gillen did a great job showing his desperation as he handles his team dissolving around him.  That should be interesting to follow in the coming months.

I've made it clear that I think the premise of "Schism" -- that Wolverine decided that kids need to be allowed to be kids -- is flawed.  It's hard to see how it's Wolverine leading the school and not Storm.  But, I'm willing to look past it, because of the amazing work Gillen does here.  I think we're going to get some really great stories over the next few months as the mutant world re-arranges itself, and I can't wait.

Uncanny X-Men #544:  After the awesomeness of "X-Men:  Regenesis" #1, I have to say, I was a little disappointed with this issue.  Previously, in "Uncanny X-Men" and in "X-Men:  Regenesis" #1, Gillen gave us my favorite Cyclops, showing him with a sense of humor and a semblance of humanity.  But, the Cyclops we get here is more in line with other portrayals we've seen of him in the last few years, as completely detached from his emotions as he is his teammates.  "He's more machine now than man," to quote Obi-Wan.  Bobby tries to get a tearful good-bye, but, in the end, realizes it's simply time to go.  By using Mr. Sinister as a framing device, Gillen gives us a sign that maybe we're going to see Scott really tested here.  I think I could enjoy "Uncanny X-Men" in this post-schism world if it's about taking down Scott a peg, and I don't think anyone could do that better than Mr. Sinister.  In other words, I'm excited to see where Gillen takes us in this title, even if my favorite characters are in "Wolverine and the X-Men."  Speaking of the devil...

Wolverine and the X-Men #1:  Reading this issue, it's hard not to think that you've suddenly awoken from a dream -- a dream where everything was just a little wrong, a little off-kilter -- and found yourself relieved to discover it was, in fact, just a dream.  The X-Men return to Westchester and suddenly I realize why "X-Men:  Schism" was necessary.

Seeing the X-Men in the Westchester campus again makes you realize just how much Wolverine was right, that Cyclops had failed the younger generation, to the extent he even thought about it.  Aaron throws a lot at us in this issue, establishing a number of patterns and schticks that I'm sure we're going to see in future issues.  Given the scope of ground he covers, I'm not going to try to mention everything.  I will say that the idea of the entire mansion becoming the Danger Room is emblematic of what Aaron does here, taking core concepts of who the X-Men are and always have been and modernizing them.

It's all not glitz and tech, though.  The most poignant scene in the book, for me, was Logan running past the statue of Jean, asking her to wish him luck.  It's another nod to who the X-Men were and who Logan is trying to make them be again.  Along those lines, Logan's conversation with Charles is excellent, particularly their mutual acknowledgment that he's the last person they thought would be re-opening the school. Aaron also hits a home run by making much of the issue focus on Kitty and Logan.  We haven't really seen them together in this way in ages, something I hadn't realized until I saw them standing next to one another and thought, "Of course, Kitty would be the Headmistress.  Why didn't I see that coming?"  All these scenes -- Logan and Jean's statue, Logan and the Professor, Logan and Kitty -- accomplish what Aaron intended them to do, reminding us that, of the two core books, this one is the one rooted in history, in the relationships these characters have had for almost 50 years.  Cyclops has his rock full of murderers and psychos; Logan has his school full of family and friends.  (Speaking of friends:  Lockheed!  'Nuff said.)

Aaron underlines these changes by having members of "New Mutants" and "Generation X" in teaching roles, showing us just how far we've come (and how old some of us are).  (By the by, I LOVED the staff chart.  I'm a little surprised that Cannonbal is a "junior" staff member, though.)  But, lest the issue descend into touchy-feely hugs, Aaron kicks it up a notch by introducing Kade Kilgore to the mix at the end.  You spend most of the issue thinking it's just going to be a new take on the standard story you'd see every once in a while, particularly in "New Mutants," with the state inspectors playing the square.  Instead, we end the issue with an enormous monster poised to eat the mansion.  I mean, wow.

I began this issue the least excited about this title and end it possibly the most excited about it.  I'm on board, folks.

Uncanny X-Men #1:  Gillen goes where I was hoping he'd go here, giving us a Cyclops here who seems increasingly unhinged and an X-Men team slowing sliding into becoming the bad guys.  I loved Storm polling the room about who has gone through a "mainly super villain" phase and telling Scott he might be acting too quickly when he raises his hand saying he hadn't.  I'm glad Gillen is putting Storm at the center of this book.  She's been gone for so long, and it's great to see her back here.  You can just feel her discomfort, with Scott comparing the X-Men favorably to Iraq and North Korea and Magneto appearing at her side in combat.  The fight with the Dreaming Celestial was awesome.  This book is going to be pretty grim, so Gillen is going to have to keep delivering these sorts of epic battles if it's going to be fun to read.  I also hope it doesn't focus entirely on the "extinction team" but also gives us some of Dazzler's street team.  We shall see.  Overall, it's a pretty solid start.

Final Thoughts:  As I've mentioned before, I didn't buy the central conceit of "X-Men:  Schism," that Wolverine would get all touchy-feely and Scott would be all militant warrior.  But, Gillen and Aaron actually more or less get me to buy it here.  We see a changed Wolverine, particularly in "Wolverine and the X-Men," showing that Aaron all along wasn't arguing that Wolverine was the same person he was, but that he had actually come to the end of a journey.  I'm still not entirely sure I buy it, but I'm not going to hold it against this new enterprise, because these issues were some of the best "X-Men" issues I've read in a long time.  In the past, the X-Men would occasionally go on walkabout and leave Westchester, only to return in the end, the school being the X-Men' symbol of rebirth.  Aaron puts that pattern on its head by only having some of the X-Men be reborn, if you will, giving us, for the first time, both the more aggressive walkabout stories with Cyclops' crew and the more redemptive school ones with Wolverine's.  It almost makes you wonder why no one thought of it before.  But, here we are now, and I'm excited to see where Gillen and Aaron take us.