Nightcrawler #5 Review and Summary (&spoilers)

[Sundowhn]

Summary:

It starts out with Kurt's nostalgia getting to him. He's dwelling on what he's lost rather than what he has until he's given a little advice from an old friend who appears with the sunrise. That helps to start changing his frame of mind.

Later, he's getting ready for his first day on the new job, as a member of the JGS staff. There's a cute series of scenes with the bamfs and some inner monologue on his attitude going into it -- what the school hopes to achieve and what he wants to achieve himself.

Ce-ce recommends that he observe first, before figuring out which of his skills might best contribute, so he's alongside Rachel for the work day. They have a danger room session with some of the new mutants and discuss exactly what they're trying to accomplish with the training.

Later, Kurt is working on the homecoming gift he received from Ororo -- their old Blackbird jet. He's finishing up with repairs, clearly pleased with his new toy and planning to take it on a test drive when Rico, the young bug-like mutant, shows up to help, having avoided curfew. Kurt invites him along for the test run.

Switch to the Crimson PIrates ransacking a pub in Maryland. They're after a young mutant girl named Ziggy Karst. She's a key mutant for the future, or so it appears.

Kurt and Rico have some teacher/student bonding time and discuss what life is like being so very different, even from other mutants. Kurt talks about trying to keep in mind that the difficulties he's gone through might help the next young mutant in some way and that it will continue with Rico blazing the trail for those who come after him. Storm interrupts over the radio with a mission assignment for Kurt. A new mutant signal has been discovered and she wants him to check it out.

Appearing in this issue: Jean Grey (the real deal), Rachel Grey, Beast, Cecelia, Mercury, Armor, Storm, Rico, and cameos of various other students.

Review:

This issue was a solid improvement from the first arc, in my opinion. Finally, Nightcrawler is starting to deal with his new life and going forward, rather than backwards. He's also been given some good supporting cast.
It was low on the action this time, with the bulk of the story being devoted to development and set up for the new arc. Rachel does manage to get a nice dig in at Emma.

There was a playful nod to his history with Rachel in this issue and the inclusion of Jean makes me wonder if part of what's come with Kurt's resurrection is the ability to see spirits. It might prove interesting, if so.

Claremont writes some well-done young mutants, so that was a welcome element, as well. I hope we'll see them developed more going forward. It at least appears that Rico is in the upcoming arc and whoever Ziggy ends up being.

The only flaws were minimal and basically tied up with mentions of the first arc. Just as the Amanda thing felt contrived and forced, so does his acceptance and c'est la vie attitude towards it.

I give it a 4.7 out of 5 this time.