House of X - 01 Or How the mutants got their groove back *spoilers*

[Leirus]

The first story of the all new X-men was their fight against Krakoa. And it is in Krakoa that this new era opens. And it is a new era, if Marvel has the intention to back what Hickman is doing when he leaves.

We open with Xavier, his portable cerebro helmet on, in a vegetal chamber. Several people emerge from pods the plant is generating. “To me my X-men” says Xavier. These may be the dead mutants that will show up through the issue, with Krakoa growing them new bodies. It is not clear if Xavier is giving them their memories back, or if Krakoa had them stored somehow. This is not explained, but it opens a lot of incredible questions. What is Krakoa? Could it have always been a manifestation of the mutant communal mind? A mutant collective unconcious, if you will?. This actually has old roots in the Marvel Universe, what with the Uni mind. But the first mutants to come out of the Pod are a redhead woman and a man with glowing eyes, So maybe this is a full rebirth of the mutant race. We do not yet know.

Then we start a sequence. Colossus picks up a flower in Krakoa, Storm carries it to Westchester. Nightcrawler plants it in the Moon, Armor in Mars, Kitty in Washington, Beast in the Savage land… and the Cuckoos, the full ensemble, with Esme and Sophie back, in Jerusalem.

The flowers are one of several boons Krakoa has offered to mutantkind, as a chart helpfully explains us. They can be used to grow “habitats” which act as embassies around the world, and gateways that link two places. Being a mutant or being with one of them is required for the portals to work, as Krakoa is sentient and can tell the difference. The network hub is in the original location of the island who walks, in the middle of the Pacific. And it is here where the new mutant nation has settled.

Back in Jerusalem the Cuckoos greet several UN representatives and ambassadors. Hate writing that word. They are here to discuss the offer Xavier has made to humanity in the name of mutantkind. Two miracle drugs, produced also from Krakoa. One extends the human lifespan for five years, the other is a mutant antibiotic. What he asked in return, was amnesty for all mutants and the other nations to recognize them as one. The world is divided on the issue, as it is an offer each country must accept or refuse on its own. The group expects to see Xavier, but Magneto is there instead in his new rol as an ambassador.

We switch to Westchester, where Jean Grey and Banshee are moving a new group of mutants to Krakoa. Which feels like home. Wolverine is playing with some random kids, and Jean tears up a bit when Xavier welcomes her home. Watching them all we find Cypher, with an unexplained Warlock arm, and Sage. We are told Cypher has created a language with Krakoa.

Of course, humanity is not watching this sitting on its collective hands. We learn of the existence of the Orchid Protocol. An initiative funded with the black funds of countries around the world, and where each big spy group has a finger (STRIKE, SHIELD, AIM…). They were watching mutant activity with three points of concern: Population, Finances and Territory. They did not expect mutantkind to recover after Genosha, but the number of active mutants has being growing exponentially since. Xavier buying a big pharma company and the apparition of Krakoa Island nation has scared them into action. They have a nasty surprise waiting for the X-men orbiting around the sun, and they seem to have Karima Shapandar under their thrall.

We switch again to Mystique, Creed and Toad (who is now a hacker!) stealing something from the Damage Control offices. It is there where all the recovered technology from Stark and Richard is stored, including the plans for the orbital station now owned by Orchid. The implication is that they are acting on behalf of Krakoa, and Sabretooth has no trouble with killing some guards along the way. When they are on they way out, they are intercepted by the fantastic four. A brief fight ensues, and the mutants flee to the Washington gateway to Krakoa -As Richards expected, which is subtly disquieting-. There Mystique and Toad flee through the portal, but Creed cannot go thought. At first it seems Krakoa rejected him, but it is actually the invisible woman. Out of the Gateway comes Cyclops, and he chats casually with the four before demanding Sabretooth back, eluding to the Amnesty.

This is a bit weird, because the Amnesty is not yet in place, and even if it were, an Amnesty does not mean carte blanche forever, just the pardon of past crimes. Unless this one does, I guess.

After a bit of back and forth, Cyclops agrees to leave Sabes to them. He will retrieve him later, by other means. He leaves, not without making two statements. One, mutants are done with being hated and feared. Enough is enough, and now they have their own home and their own terms. Two, Franklin is welcome whenever he decides to join is (mutant) family in Krakoa. His human family is conflicted and concerned.

We close with Magneto, Mindee and the UN group. This sequence is great through all the comic. Magneto explains them that mutants are creating their own culture, with their own language telepathically imprinted on them. Humans are not welcome in Krakoa. Mindee discovers that all the “ambassadors” are actually spies from one interest or the other. A brief confrontation with one of them ensues, but Magneto expected something like that. The comic closes with Magneto message for humanity, delivered in Jerusalem for extra resonance. “You have new gods now”.

The art on this is stellar. The artist has a blast with Magneto, which feels like a force of nature. It all feels believable, and real. Even the big ass space station orbiting the sun.

But! Of course the important stuff here are all the changes. Right of the bat.

Can mutants even die anymore? If Krakoa is storing their minds when they “die” they could come back from anything. This reminds me a bit to the Cylons in Battlestar Galactica. Hopefully there will be some limits to this. In BSG the Cylons had to be close to one of their “Relays” (space stations that acted like the cloud, but for minds) for it to work. But given that Vulcan, who died in Shi’ar space is also back, that does not seem to be problem here.

The boons of Krakoa. Among the flowers of Krakoa there is one that produces “no place”. Somewhere outside the conscience of the island, a tumor in Krakoa. Ominous. If Krakoa reflects the mutant mind, what does this mean?

A new classification for Omegas that finally makes sense.

The mutants are now a force to reckon with in the planet. This can work as a setting, as Black Panther has been doing this for years with Wakanda.

An idea present with Morrison comes back: Science expects mutants to replace humanity within twenty years. This feels a bit like the time in Ultimate X-men were the mutants were building their own homeland. But this feels bigger and bolder than both. Mutants are no longer worried with or about humans, and are trying to see how far they can go.

I am tired of writing and this is already a mega review! Is this new era here to stay? Will Marvel burn Krakoa in ten years? Who knows! But this looks like is going to be an amazing run. We will have to pray to our mutant gods.
(Sorry about the probably numerous grammatical faults.)

Ops, thanks mod, I should have definetly added the spoilers thing.

[Alex.]

10/10 for me. It is a much-needed breath of fresh air for the franchise. There are a lot of subplots to be explored and I love having no idea of their outcomes. Thank God, no more nostalgia. Also, Larraz and Gracia's work is greatly done. Nothing to complain from me.

And the Cuckoo in black is Mindee according to the Director's Cut. Esme is in white at the beginning of the issue.

[jwatson]

11/10 for me. This was good. It just felt like the X-men are back.

[Tenebrae]

I liked it, got lot's of potential. All the various notes were appreciated, helps the backstory without having to info dump in the main story. I do feel there is a certain inevitability that all this is gonna fall apart just cause that's how these things go. Dat art was amazing, every panel sold it. Hickman already has created a very dense story and knowing there is so much more to come is quite an exciting prospect.

[The Kid]

I think this new status quo will be around for a while. Mutants still fighting for their rights but now from a much stronger position of strength

[Silver Fang]

Far as everything goes, I'd give this issue a 8/10.

There was very little negatives here. The only ones I could name is that I wish some characters made cameos here because I am dying to see them in Larraz art. lol And the other negative of Creed's seemingly useless prescience. I suppose we'll see where that goes -if anywhere worth caring about.

But there definitely seems to be a darker tone with Magneto & Xavier, especially creepiness of the latter possibly making Jean wear her teenage Marvel Girl costume. lol

Short summary. Plan to read again after work since I was half-sleep the first go-around.

[Leirus]

10/10 for me. It is a much-needed breath of fresh air for the franchise. There are a lot of subplots to be explored and I love having no idea of their outcomes. Thank God, no more nostalgia. Also, Larraz and Gracia's work is greatly done. Nothing to complain from me.

And the Cuckoo in black is Mindee according to the Director's Cut. Esme is in white at the beginning of the issue.

Oop thanks, I will correct that. I assumed it was Esme because of the black robes.

[Purplevit]

It was great. Awesome start. Larraz and Gracia art is perfect. Loved it all.

The only thing that felt strange is why you are sending Sabretooth, Toad and Mystique to steal something and not Gambit or even Storm who are better thieves.

[cranger]

6/10.

Too much info dumping, and I'm not talking about the charts.

Intriguing premise, but as a 'fresh start' I can't tell who this book is about. Some big story, but most of the characters are filler, and the main ones are just there for their power set and junk.

But I get it, this is pretty much the event that leads into the new era, not the new era itself. Just not going to get excited about a story that spent so much time saying something but didn't really say anything at all yet.

[Leirus]

6/10.

Too much info dumping, and I'm not talking about the charts.

Intriguing premise, but as a 'fresh start' I can't tell who this book is about. Some big story, but most of the characters are filler, and the main ones are just there for their power set and junk.

But I get it, this is pretty much the event that leads into the new era, not the new era itself. Just not going to get excited about a story that spent so much time saying something but didn't really say anything at all yet.

I think House of X and Powers of X will be mainly world building, feels like several protagonists and a lot of cameos. Then the individual series will play in the sandbox constructed here. At any rate they do cover a lot of ground here.
I expect the trade will be awesome to read.

[Veitha]

10/10. Great setup, he got all the voices right and the art was sublime.

I wonder how T'Challa will feel about this. Mutants are doing what Wakanda has been doing with the possibility of doing it even better given their powers and their resources.

[Mutant X]

The last time I got this feeling of fresh new air and satisfaction reading a X-men comic book was reading Morrison's New X-men first issue.
Not that there wasn't good stories after this, but because it's a story that redefines everything for the franchise.

And Hickman was not lying when he said it was one of the best works he has ever done.
Because if you compare with his writing in Avengers #1, it's so much more fluid and the dialogues are way more natural.

And people keep saying #2 is even better.
Can't wait for more.

[magneticmushroom]

Read this last night before bed, and wow. Certainly something different. What impressed me the most was that Hickman throws a LOT of information at you here, definitely more than any comic I've read before, but I dont feel like I had to reread anything to understand it immediately. All of the ideas were presented clearly and cogently. No poorly worded phrases, no bullshit. Just good story.

Peep Larraz's art gets better and better every time he shows up. Marte Garcia's colors continue to work great with Pepe's.

BUUUT there was no Polaris as Queen-of-all-that-Is, so negative 14/10.

Jk, I'm giving it a 10/10. Glad this is finally happening after all of this waiting.

[Filthy Mutie]

It was good, promising, and exciting. It's clearly a world-building issue, and not a character-driven one. But, even if this series is about world-building, I am good with that--the mutants can do with some thoughtful and thorough world-building.

It was also the first time in many years I felt good about buying an X-Men comic after reading it and letting it digest.

[cranger]

I think House of X and Powers of X will be mainly world building, feels like several protagonists and a lot of cameos. Then the individual series will play in the sandbox constructed here. At any rate they do cover a lot of ground here.
I expect the trade will be awesome to read.

That is what I am thinking. Single issues will be frustrating. I know something probably is going to change the way this book is read, not just because Hickman advertised the two series that way, but because so much of this story is intentionally out of place that something else has to be going on. I suspect that as an overall story I will likely rate it higher than I do most individual issues.