X Marks the Spot
Writer: Ed Brisson
Artist: Pepe Larraz
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Release Date: August 15, 2018
Cover Price: $4.99
Cyclops. Iceman. Angel. Beast. Marvel Girl. The original team of teen mutants brought together by Professor Charles Xavier many years ago have been shunted through time to find a world they barely recognize but were determined to help. Now, finding themselves targeted for death, the future of mutantkind lies squarely in the hands of its past. Writer Ed Brisson (OLD MAN LOGAN, CABLE) and artist Pepe Larraz (UNCANNY AVENGERS, AVENGERS: NO SURRENDER) answer the biggest question of all: can the fate of the X-Men be changed?
The issue opens twenty years in the future and things do not look great. Actually, it looks like the world has taken a big shit and the mysterious hooded figure seems to know who is to blame. Of course, who the figure is sets up the mystery of this first issue and it's a pretty good one.
I want to start things out by telling you that I have a limited knowledge of the X-Men so this review might better serve those, like myself, that are using the recent Fresh Start as a jumping on point to all things Marvel. I have done some background reading to prepare for it all, but I am not going to kid you or myself and say I am close to an expert because I am far from that!
Unfortunately, I understand awful people and when we go back to the present, we get some mutant protesters and a little boy and girl almost attacked before they are saved by a bunch of X-Men...all of which I know!!! Yay me! They take them back to New York and while they are another mystery, we leave them behind a bit for more important matters... like a dinner date. Well, the start of one at least.
Yea, this is when all hell breaks loose in the book and since I don't want to spoil it, I will have to tiptoe around a lot. A bunch of mutants die in this issue and while some are not so surprising, some are. This is already a very, very personal story for almost all the characters involved and after one issue, there is a reason for almost everyone to really want revenge...Big time!
While this is all going down, Jean is trying desperately to track down missing allies while also trying to zero in on who the big bad is. It turns into an all hands on deck situation with a couple really cool characters joining in and while they still don't know who is after them, by the cliffhanger, the reader does. Is it shocking? Not at all. is it cool? Hell yea!!! While that takes care of a big mystery that I'm surprised didn't get strung out a little bit more, we also see what he is aiming to do and need to find out how that will stop that awful future.
I had a lot of fun here. Yea, I think that people with more of an X-Men background will get more enjoyment (maybe "shock" is the better word) out of the big moments, but I am glad to be going along for the ride. It reminds me of the Death of the Inhumans mini in that way. The art is great and Ed Brisson makes the story pretty basic overall so that you can concentrate on the characters and those big moments. Plus, there are still some mysteries left to work through.
Bits and Pieces:
Extermination feels big right off the bat and while a lot is thrown at the reader, it's surprisingly easy to get into even if you lack a ton of X-Men knowledge. Pepe Larraz's art is great and the whole thing feels big and important.
8.0/10
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