Credits: Written by Fabian Nicieza, pencilled by Andy Kubert, inked by Mark Pennington and edited by Bob Harras.
Notes: In the infirmary at his home, Charles Xavier is dying and Dr Henry ‘the Beast’ McCoy and Dr Moira MacTaggart are struggling to be hopeful. Present with them are Val Cooper (X-Factor liaison to the US government), Alex ‘Havok’ Summers (field leader of X-Factor) and Ororo ‘Storm’ Monroe (the remaining leader of the X-Men), the trio head out to the mansion’s lounge to brief the rest of the members of X-Men and X-Force, which include Gambit, Rogue, Jubilee, Quicksilver, Iceman, Multiple Man, Wolverine, Colossus, Strong Guy, Polaris, Wolfsbane, Psylocke, Archangel and Bishop. There are two problems/objectives based on what is know so they teams sploit into two groups. Storm’s Gold Team (as well as Beast and Quicksilver) will look for Apocalypse and his Horsemen and find Scott and Jean who are still missing, and the rest will go hunting X-Force. Bishop remains behind, to protect the stricken Charles, we later learn Jubilee stays too.
In Panama, Reaper and Foreman of the MLF (Mutant Liberation Front) meet with Mr, Sinister, who hands over his captives in return for some kind of prize handed over by the teleporting ‘robot?’ Zero.
Over Texas, X-Force are flying the damaged IPAC home, but they’re going down. Rictor uses his vibrational powers to slow the decent so it’s a crash landing and not a crash. When on the ground Boom Boom calls the rest of the team, hoping that they arrive before the vengeful X-Men do. Now we move to Egypt and Apocalypse is rising from his regeneration chamber, far too soon. His vassals, the Dark Riders, inform him that the Horsemen of Apocalypse have kidnapped Cyclops and Jean Grey, in his name.
Heading to Texas, following X-Force is the combined X-Men Blue Team and X-Factor and the teams are talking about how X-Force have acted, Gambit points out that X-Force haven’t done anything that they haven’t and what Cable has done, doesn’t move straight across to X-Force. When Polaris says that they still shouldn’t have turned so hard, Wolverine points out that maybe the dream they have been following is dead, X-Force is evidence that they’re living the nightmare. Havok points out that they’ve found the IPAC and it’s go time.
Far above the Earth in the Graymalkin space station, Cable finally returns to the present day, 11 days after leaving, well 26 days of the current time, 11 months for Cable. He left to effect repairs and to heal after recent battles and asks the AI running Graymalkin, whom he refers to as Professor what has been happening. The kidnapping and the assassination attempt are explained to him, but his knowledge of this era tells him that this didn’t happen and he asks Professor, who did this. Turns out, Cable did. Back at the mansion (curiously enough on Graymalkin Lane) Bishop is still on guard duty outside and Jubilie brings him a coffee, they chat little, still wary of one another and then the alarms go off, from inside the mansion. Faced with failing to protect his hero twice in a weekend, Bishop races into the mansion. He finds Mr Sinister, holding Stevie Hunter and Val Cooper as he threatens to bury Charles Xavier for his many failures.
On the New Mexico/Texas border, the Blackbird lands and the combined X-teams step out, but Wolverine smells something wrong, this isn’t a pursuit, it’s a trap, X-Force are waiting for them and they’re not going down without a fight.
Notes: With the initial set up out of the way, we kick into high gear with the hunt for X-Force and whatever the hell Sinister is doing. But there are more players to bring in, so Apocalypse and Cable are brought in. There are a couple of ‘catch me up’ conversations and a bit more ‘how I feel/hot take’ chats, almost so many that it felt a bit like a Bendis comic.
The whole issue had the feeling of a chess game, with pieces being moved into position. I don’t mean like a constructed story, but more along the lines of the architect of this whole story. The assassination by ‘Cable’ has led to a series of events that no one sees the end of yet and most characters are reacting, rather than choosing something. The only person who tries to circumvent that is Sinister, who has to be the most dramatic, even going as far as getting all Shakespearean.
This is a tighter story than others I’ve covered in this manner, each part feels very much like a part of a whole story, rather than thematically linked, or loosely connected. This is one tale in 12 parts and each part pulls you a little further in.
Verdict: Writing 3 out of 5 – The plotting is solid, with things happening exactly at the time they need to, but the dialogue is a little clunky in places and don’t seem to always connect to how the character would normally talk, but ultimately doesn’t derail an enjoyable story.4
Art: 3 out of 5 – This art team came about after the Image exodus in 1992 and at the time, I was less than enthused with Jim Lee being replaced by one of the Kuberts, looking back now, I appreciate more the dynamism and emotion that Andy Kubert brought to the title. Rather than detract from the story, this works well with the story and gives this crossover a shot in the arm.
Overall: 6 out of 10 – A solid part 3 that tells you that even though we’re a quarter in, there’s plenty of thrills and spills ahead. I was worried that this would not stand up and I’d not enjoy it, but this issue reinforced the idea that I needn’t have worried. This continues to be lots of fun.
Next Time: Scarlet Spider gets Spectacular.
My Marvel Life 