X-Men steps up in an issue that’s jam packed with plot and action from Gerry Duggan, CF Villa, Marte Gracia, and Clayton Cowles.
Tony Thornley: Adam! Welcome! Glad to have you onboard to take a look at what’s probably the meatiest issue of the series to date.
Adam Reck: What an issue to help out with! It’s so cool to be here for Destiny of X #1. Oh wait… this is just an issue of X-Men? What the–?!
The Central Column
Tony: This issue is absolutely jam-packed, and I have to agree with our colleagues that said this is probably the first issue of the series that felt like the flagship of the line. We get progression of a few series plots, some major linewide plots, and a new purpose for one of this series breakout stars.
And it all starts with the Quiet Council voting on whether or not to go to war.
Adam: I was joking up top about this feeling like a standalone launch book, but… it’s also tying in plotlines from multiple X-Books that aren’t being published right now during X Deaths & Lives. So we’re getting check-ins from what will be Immortal X-Men and X-Men Red on top of a side adventure involving Rogue, Gambit and Destiny. There is a LOT going on, including but not limited to a redefinition of what the bad guys are for this next chapter of X-Men. Whereas before, Hickman seemed to be playing with a group of relatively anonymous humans, here we’re getting a real roster of supervillains together to play with Nimrod.
Tony: Yeah, it very much feels like a line-wide transitory issue moving the line from Reign of X to Destiny of X. And that roster of villains that are getting built- it feels real serious now.
Oh I love to hate Orchis too. It seems between Feilong and X-traitor Abigail Brand, Phobos is rapidly progressing from being an Orchis foothold around Arakko to being a stronghold. Were you thrown seeing Brand plotting with Stasis and Devo? I know she’s a double agent but it really threw me to see her doing it so openly.
Adam: I suspect that the Brand “twist” may end up being a triple-cross. I wasn’t expecting to see her here, but if my theory that she’s a double-agent is true, it makes perfect sense for her to be rubbing elbows and learning as much as she can. Maybe I have too much faith in the good of this character. It occurred to me that as much as this issue may seem like a tangent, it is providing the connective tissue between most of the one-off villains the X-Men have been fighting so far. And it’s pretty fun! Especially with the addition of M.O.D.O.K. to the group.
Tony: I too am holding out hope that Brand is planning a triple cross. I mean, why else would she have tossed Gyrich out an airlock, since he’s also Orchis.
I really dig the addition of MODOK to Orchis, because it gives the story more of a broad Marvel Universe feel. Which, to be fair, this whole series had been very good at. And holy crap does Villa make MODOK’s (often very silly) design feel menacing. I can’t say I’m excited for more MODOK, but I’m definitely looking forward to seeing more of him.
The Great Ring
Tony: The bulk of the issue is set in Arakko’s Great Ring, as the Arakkii government debates several important points of order. I really enjoyed Duggan’s take on Storm, which feels very natural, but also taps into aspects of the character we don’t see enough. And I can’t say enough how Villa makes these very talky scenes look great.
Adam: SWORD was a terrific book, but it always felt like it was caught between several different on-goings instead of having a specific focus. We need more development with this group beyond what we’ve seen so far, and this issue gives us that especially in contrast with the two other councils. My favorite part of this is the subtle communication between Arakko and Storm, and Arakko’s obvious desire to see Redroot return to her side. When Tarn got walloped by that branch, I cracked up. Think we’ll get that rescue mission?
Tony: Arakko walloping Tarn was far and away the best part of the issue. The Council scene did two things for me. It sort of reinforced Doug and Krakoa’s relationship by drawing a parallel with Arakko and Redroot. Arakko the entity is obviously struggling. And then what you’re saying about the rescue mission… I think we see where that’s going in the closing pages of the Arakko set scenes.
Adam: The issue ends with Sunfire sharing that he wants to explore space (I guess this means he quit the X-Men again?) and Arakko having used a Japanese Elm he planted to grow a new face. Is Sunfire the new Redroot? I didn’t know what to make of this. Any ideas, Tony?
Tony: See and this is what I was alluding to a second ago. I think Sunfire is going to be leaving X-Men the team at the Gala but I don’t think he’s leaving X-Men the book. I suspect we’re going to see him, and maybe others, heading into Otherworld as a B-plot to the series. Even with Knights of X being set there, I think there will still be a lot to explore. Or I could be wrong and Shiro could be a mystery/unrevealed member of the Knights of X cast. What did you think?
Adam: Yeah this is definitely setting him up for further adventures, and I’m glad. Sunfire very rarely gets the spotlight, unless it’s to be a cantankerous quitter. I like to see him with some agency and having goals that may lead him into crazy adventures.
A Thief And His Mother-In-Law Walk Into A Bar
Tony: Poor Remy. Just when we finally got to the point that I actually like the guy, now I feel bad for him. After all that plot movement, we get the only member of the series’ main cast to make an appearance this issue as Rogue and Gambit go out on a date. But who’s waiting in the space bar they go to, planning on either some espionage or a brawl?
None other than Destiny- in Remy and Irene’s first encounter since her resurrection. What a damn delight this scene was.
Adam: You mentioned Villa’s art earlier, but props to some great looking alien adversaries here on Orbitus.
I’m very curious how people react to this scene for the main reason that Destiny has historically been a rather stoic, older character who occasionally spews precog nonsense. When we see her in flashbacks, we have gotten hints into her personality, but she never struck me as someone with a sense of humor. Here? Gerry is giving her jokes. She’s trash-talking Gambit, makes a meta-slight at Mr. and Mrs. X, and finishes the scene pantomiming choking Remy saying “…hate you.” I wonder if some of Destiny’s elegance is erased by having her talk like this, or whether presenting a young version of Irene will allow writers to give her a different depth.
Tony: I loved seeing this side of Destiny. It made me feel like she was putting up guards in the past, and she’s letting them down quite a bit here. I don’t know if it’s because she’s away from the mutants, so she’s less guarded, or she’s around her daughter so she’s just being herself?
Whatever the reason, I loved this scene so much. It advanced the Gamesworld plot at least a little. It gave us a Rogue spotlight. The Gambit/Destiny interplay was fantastic. It even gave us a literal flying suplex as Rogue lays the smackdown on the alien scoundrels as only she could.
Adam: Yes! The upside down anti-gravity suplex was awesome and sure to delight our buddies at ComicsXFight. I guess I do need to get used to this snarkier, younger Destiny in time for the upcoming Destiny of X! This book definitely set the table for some things I’m sure we’ll see coming once the line resumes.
X-Traneous Thoughts
- Love that Bishop is behind the scenes being classically Bishop and campaigning for war.
- Does Magneto really eat his meat rare? I doubt it, we’ve seen him eat lobster recently.
- The Arakkii want to go back to Amenth for more eternal war? A. That’s hella metal. B. Folks, chill out. Like Storm says – war is coming for you. Exercise a little patience.
- We get a Cosmo cameo here, who apparently has moved off of Knowhere thanks to a space monkey named Albert. Albert sure likes the hooch.
- Was Knowhere wiped out in King in Black? Or the Final Annihilation? Did I just miss that? (Adam: No clue. I bet Al Ewing knows, we should ask him.)
- Again- LITERAL FLYING SUPLEX!
- Who do you think is Rogue’s favorite pro wrestler?
- And is there an eventual Unlimited Class Wrestling issue on its way?
- Krakoan reads: WOLVERINE
Tony Thornley is a geek dad, blogger, Spider-Man and Superman aficionado, X-Men guru, autism daddy, amateur novelist, and all around awesome guy. He’s also very humble.
Adam Reck is the cartoonist behind Bish & Jubez as well as the co-host of Battle Of The Atom.
