The X-Men are stuck in Limbo, forced into exile by the Terrigen mists which are fatal to mutants. But can they survive on their own in a strange netherworld? Your Major Spoilers review of Extraordinary X-Men #6 awaits!
EXTRAORDINARY X-MEN #6
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Victor Ibanez
Colorist: Jay David Ramos
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Editor: Daniel Ketchum
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Previously in Extraordinary X-Men: “Terrigne mists were released across the globe, igniting the Inhuman race…
…while crippling mutantkind. Poisonous to mutants, the mists have whittled down their number and suppressed any new mutant manifestations. To prevent the extinction of her people, veteran X-Man Storm has crafted a sanctuary from the mists in Limbo, called X-Haven, where all mutants are welcome. But Storm has also realized that mutants can’t just hide; they must show the world that they have a place in it…”
THAT IS ONE *UGLY* COVER
Not gonna dwell on it, but I gravely dislike the fact that the cover art kept me from realizing how good Victor Ibanez’ work is on the interiors. This issue is told anachronically (and very effectively), opening with a team of combat-ready X-Men in Weirdworld, seemingly led by Magik and accompanied by Cerebra, who is now wearing the usually terrifying form of a Sentinel. As the mission progresses, we are giving flashbacks to the events in Limbo, showing us a Nightcrawler shattered by Trauma, an Iceman finally accepting his sexuality and coming out for the first time to Anole, and Colossus taking a mentor role to some of the leftover mutants from New X-Men (Glob Herman, Ernst and No-Girl, as well as the aforementioned Anole.) With so many characters in play, it’s impressive to see Lemire’s script keep everyone in motion, with Jean Grey wanting to help ‘Crawler, Forge tense in his interactions with Storm, and the elderly future Wolverine from ‘Old Man Logan’ crabbing and snagging as many beers as he can get to deal with these rotten Kids Today. As the issue ends, we find that the team is seeking after another group of refugee mutants in the Weirdworld, led by one of the extremists who sided with Cyclops in the time-which-we-have-yet-to-see…
POOR NIGHTCRAWLER
That mutant turns out to be a familiar face, one that I’m hoping to see join this cast full-time (if only because of Lemire’s excellence in writing character conflict.) Ibanez does wonders with all the X-Men here, but his Magik is especially well-handled and much less cheesecakey than usual, while his bearded Colossus looks truly heroic and distinguished, unlike the goofy version seen on the covers. In a lot of ways, the reputedly forced sidelining of the X-Men has given this series something many previous X-books didn’t have: A solid premise upon which to build your metaphors for outsiders. With the possibility of literal poisoning and death on the line, it makes sense that they’ve retreated into their own corner of the Marvel U, and this issue makes it clear the effect that this isolation is having on our familiar heroes. While I’m still sour about the baby X-Men from the past spending so much time in the future, even Jean’s characterization makes perfect sense here, and the interactions of the front-line fighting mutants with the not-so-combatical ones helps to underline the idea that being a mutant doesn’t just mean cool super-powers: It makes you entirely unique and alien, even among your own kind…
THE BOTTOM LINE: THE BEST OF A BAD SITUATION
In short, Lemire is tapping into the best parts of Claremont in these pages, while putting a whole new spin and complexity into play, and making me want to go back and fill in this run the next time I’m looking for something to read. Heck, if the last-page reveal turns out to be a new cast member, this book could be the go-to X-title for me, leaving Extraordinary X-Men #6 with a more than impressive 3.5 out of 5 stars overall. I’m not gonna jump on all the X-bandwagons, but it’s good to see that there’s still life in the adventures of our favorite mutant types…
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