What’s Covered?
New X-Men # 128 - 133
Roster Watch
Synopsis
NXM # 128: X-Corp rises
Writer - Grant Morrison
Pencils - Igor Kordey
Xavier re-opens XCorp offices.
Promises that if a mutant is in trouble, they just need to think “X” and a trained team will come to the rescue
X-Corp is another one of those constructs that was mentioned in the Krokoa era, but I had no idea what it was until right now. A few weeks ago I thought I learned what X-Corp was all about with Banshee running things and villains in employment, but it's been quickly turned into something else entirely.
X-Corp Europe Roster
Cannonball
Monet
Siryn
Multiple Man
Darkstar
Rictor
This is pretty cool. They are clearly trying to keep former X-Force, X-Factor, and Gen X characters in the mix.
XC Europe sent on a mission to help a derailed train
Xavier admits that it was Cassandra Nova who exposed him to the whole world, but he seems to think it ended up being for the best. Jean calls him out for sounding a little bit like Nova from the perspective of being very pro mutant.
This is interesting for a few reasons. First, I didn't realize that it was Nova that made this decision. I don't know if this was supposed to have been made clear and I missed it or this is a mini retcon. Regardless, it's interesting.
Even more interesting is how I've been tracking the radicalization of Jean, yet here she is calling out Xavier for the same thing.
Jean asked Xavier to give her a test because Scott is worried she’s turning evil and her powers are getting out of control
The catalyst is that Xavier doesn’t think Jean should have been able to store his consciousness in her own consciousness like she did
Xavier says that the Shi'ar would consider Jean to be having Phoenix level powers. Later Xavier asks Jean if he can talk to the Phoenix and she responds back saying “Jean is only the house where I live, Charles.”
It's weird that there are Phoenix things going on, yet it's mostly relegated to a minor side plot. This is a VERY cool scene, but still...why? What's happening here.
Fantomex, the most dangerous mutant criminal in Europe, demands sanctuary
Hey, I know Fantomex! At least I've heard of him. Cool to finally meet him (or it).
XCorp team is under heavy attack.
Scott talks to Emma about how things might be falling apart with Jean
NXM # 129: Enter Fantomex
Writer - Grant Morrison
Pencils - Igor Kordey
The entire issue revolves around Fantomex, Jean, and Xavier
Jean stops his bleeding
Jeans and X mentally trick pursuing forces.
Weapon 12 is hunting down the X-Corp team.
Fantomex takes Jean and Xavier away in a flying saucer (E.V.A.)
NXM # 130: Weapon 12
Writer - Grant Morrison
Pencils - Igor Kordey
Fantomex’s flying saucer is actually part of his mutation. (E.V.A.)
This is interesting. I'm ready to learn more. Also, why do Logan's claws look so fricken long?
Weapon 12 can control anyone or anything it comes into contact with.
Rictor has natural born telepathic resistances to weapon 12?
Fantomex kills Darkstar, who was possessed by W12
Xavier takes over Multiple Man to fight W12 (many minds and limbs vs itself)
It turns out that Fantomex is really Weapon 13. Jean let’s him go before the Weapon Plus group can re-claim him.
Interesting turn of events that I didn't see coming. So is he not a mutant? I'm down with more Fantomex in the future.
NXM # 131: Beak and Angel are making out
Writer - Grant Morrison
Pencils - John Paul Leon
This artist is crap
Fact
The X-Men gather for DarkStar's funeral
She seemed like an odd choice. Now I see why.
Archangel is trying to teach many students how to fly, but Beak and Angel don’t go with. Angel ends up kissing Beak to give him some confidence
I only read through a super small part of the Krokoa era before I gave up and decided to read everything before first. I did get to a New Mutants issue where we saw that Beak and Angel got married and had a bunch of kids. Fun!
Emma tells Beast that he’s definitely not gay
Another topic we've been tracking. Confirmed, Beast isn't gay. This was a poor choice for the writer's room.
Beast tells Emma to stop messing with Scott and Jean’s marriage
Thank you!
W tells Scott to spend more time with Jean
Wise man that Logan.
Emma and Scott have a therapy session in Scott’s mind and then Scott asks Emma if this is still therapy or if they’re having a psychic affair
Spoiler: It's not therapy
NXM # 132: Genosha
Writer - Grant Morrison
Pencils - Phil Jimenez
Sabra, Neal Shaara, and QS cleaning up in Genosha
Woah, Thunderbird!? I didn't think we would see him ever again. I thought he was supposed to be with Lifeguard.
Unus the Untouchable thinks he saw ghosts in Genosha
Unus? That's random.
They find Polaris, keeping the last words of Magneto alive.
NXM # 133: Lilandra's salty
Writer - Grant Morrison
Pencils - Ethan Van Sciver
Wolverine runs into Fantomex in Afghanistan
Fantomex claims he knows the truth being W’s past
A Muslim mutant named Dust ripped their skin off their bones after they tried to take off her Burka
X and Jean stop an assassination attempt on a plane
Lilandra tries to assassinate X in Mumbai but is saved by the Indian X-Corp branch
Jean stops the bullet with her burgeoning Phoenix powers
Thunderbird, Thornn, Sunfire, and Feral
So...this is John Proudstar's Thunderbird. Did...Morrison not know he's dead. What's going on here? (I realize now that this was Warpath, oops) Also, Thornn and Feral? These two are super interesting, but the last time we saw them Thornn was becoming a hero and Feral was getting even more psycho. Now they are randomly showing up for a single panel or two as heroes. This is just weird.
Lilandra says that humans are too dangerous. She ends their marriage.
I missed that they were married. Did you know that they were married? I did not know that they were married. I thought they broke up in the 80's too.
The Shi’ar are dissociating themselves with mutantkind since the Phoenix is back.
Dust is hiding in sand form right in front of Jean and the Mumbai mutants
My Connections and Creators
I put a lot of commentary embedded directly in the recaps above (Time crunched today, sorry!)