295: Astonishing X-Men # 31 - 35 (Warren Ellis & Exogenetic)

What’s Covered?

Astonishing X-Men # 31 - 35, Astonishing X-Men: Xenogenesis #1 - 5

Roster Watch

Synopsis

Issues: Exogentic

Writer - Warren Ellis

Pencils - Phil Jimenez

The entire first issue is one badass rescue mission of Abigail Brand crashing into Earth's orbit.

At the end of the rescue mission, Emmia is attacked by a mutant hunting Sentinel, but one composed of meat and Bone, wearing the skin of Lori Collins

The X-Men team up to take the sentinel down, however, it shoots out little brood hordelings (Sleazoids.) Apparently someone on earth (Kaga) has been digging up dead mutants and using their DNA to create bio weapons, according to Abigail Brand.

A giant hybrid of a brood and Krakoa starts attacking the sentinel corpse. Cyclops shoots it in half. Cyclops and team then decide to fly in the air and capture whatever the next ship is that is gonna try to clean up both carcasses. There are no ppl on the ship. Its run by some deceased cybernetic mutant. Kaga has been planning this for ten years. 

Scott says that he wants to find Kaga and kill him, but Beast says:

Then Wolverine starts complaining and saying that he’s sick of Scott treating him like a kid, telling him to go for a walk while the adults talk. A giant Brood/Sauron hybrid shows up. Emma forces him to transform back into a giant Karl Lycos, and he falls to the sky. Cyke kills the Cybernetic mutant before he leaves. They discover a new base filled with more giant monstrosities.

Kaga ends up being an Old, shriveled man who is a true mutant with 7 fingers and distorted skin. He wants to kill the X-Men because they’re mutants, but they’re all beautiful. Cyke resists the urge to kill him. Instead, he promises to imprison him and take care of him for the rest of his life.

Xenogenesis

Writer - Warren Ellis

Pencils - Kaare Andres

Storm returns to Kenya after reports of new mutants appearing following a mysterious illness and a surge of births with unusual abilities. Teaming with local allies (including Shaman and, briefly, the Black Panther), she uncovers that the outbreak is tied to a bioengineered “mutant growth hormone” scheme that’s mutating and endangering the population. As the crisis escalates into grotesque transformations and social collapse, Storm confronts both the perpetrators and the ethical fallout of using mutant-related science on vulnerable communities. The story ultimately reframes the event as less a “natural” mutant emergence and more a cautionary tale about exploitation, fear, and unintended consequences.

My Connections and Creators

Boring or Great?

It's pretty bad. I typically like Warren Ellis, but this is no bueno. I'm pretty tired of villains showing up who have "been around for a long time but no one knew!" I guess after 50 years of X-Men, you probably need to do that from time to time, but that gimmick shouldn't be used on a villain who only appears in one issue of a 5 issue arc. I do, however, like the character dynamics. It's fun seeing Beast snip at Cyclops, clearly drawing the reader's attention to the fact that Scott is getting more reckless.

Thoughts on Art

I will give # 31 credit for being beautiful. Ellis doesn't even try to introduce plot, it's just one big cinematic explosion showing off how well the team works. I recall him being very good at that in his Excalibur days.

Things to keep an eye on

I'm curious if Kaga will ever return, but I hope that he doesn't.

My Rating- 2/10

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