X-men Red #1 Review *spoilers*- "You had a plane to catch"

[Havok83]

It opens up with Storm fighting a version of herself that tells her she has no right to rule over Arakko as she wasnt there for any of it. Next scene is at the Great ring of Arakko and the discussion is about if they should go back to Amenth or stay on Mars. Storm reminds Isca that they are a council and everyone has a say

Magneto is talking to some fisherman and ends up building the Autumn Palace. Sunspot is at the Red Lagoon and he talks about his first love Juliana to someone at the bar. Vulcan comes in fighting someone from the Shi'ar. He doesnt like that his throne was given to Xandra and suggests that every Summers must kill their Xavier. Roberto steps in as he doesnt like him messing with his bar. They start fighting and then Thunderbird appears and punches Vulcan. Cable and Brand appear and break it all up. Cable TK blocks his uncle's artery which knocks him out. Cable and John then clash. John doesnt like Summers and doesnt like that Cable turned James into a soldier


Theres a data page about the councils decision and they voted for peace over war

Brand and Storm go for a walk and Storm checks her when she said krakoa colonized Mars. Brand thinks Mars needs its own X-men. Next we see Magneto with the fisherman who reveals he has no powers but isnt human. Sunspot appears and lets Mags know that Brand is recruting Xmen. Mags asks who defends the broken land and Storm comes in nad says the Brotherhood do

[gonnagiveittoya]

The whole "Storm isn't a queen" thing would have more meaning if they didn't spend almost a year marketing her otherwise

[RamaBird]

Sunspot, Vulcan, Cable and Proudstar fighting was hella fun! And lol at Produstar's new one-sided rivalry with Cable and any Summers he meets.

So Brand will form the XMen of Arrako and Storm the Brotherhood?

[cranger]

This was an interesting set up, but after all was said and done I have no more an idea of what the book will be about.

The funny thing about Brand saying they colonized Mars, is she is right (it is the exact term everyone uses for moving to new planets), but we can see that Storm is sensitive to the role everyone seems to have decided for her. I enjoy Ewing for being good enough to write this and other scenes where characters actually feel distinct and able to cause drama and conflict on such a subtle level.

[Exodus]

"the Sisterhood" would be more exciting...

[Master of Sound]

Storm was fighting a sharpest, not another version of herself. I got the feeling the Storm at the end is the same shapeshifter.

[jwatson]

Amazing! 11 out of 10. This was the book of the day, the week, the month, what i didn't know i was waiting for. It feels like all of these characters are on a journey and the rebranding of Brotherhood on a planet where being an Arrako isn't about what gift or what weapon you were born with or not but your very way of life is genuis. To be of Arrako is to be a brotherhood with it.

Magneto story here feels done before but at the same time completely brand new. This isn't a man who doubted his sacrafice this is a man who accomplished his dream and found himself wanting, found it wanting, and respects the purity of the Arrakan culture in it's oldness but now of this new world. he wants to help it take root because Arrako is now a planet and while Storm created it's sky arrako is spreading across it's land.

Sunspot just felt right here and i love how Thunderbird came out of nowhere and just beat Vulcan like he stole something. Cable use of TK was clever and i was so glad it was resolved so soon he has access to his tk and that new arm is slick. He looks more like Scott son with the tall slimmed down structure and i'm here for it.

The art was simply beautiful as well as the colors. Storm new outfit debut at the end came off as powerful and i love how Brotherhood and that name magneto begun for his journey of protecting mutants is now being rebranded to fight for Arrako vs of all else, the X-men. Well the ones brand will theoretically put together which shrouds so much mystery back over it all as someone said. It was superb.

Also Storm was not fighting a version of herself, it was an omega level shapeshifter which was a cool use of power on Storm's part i must say. Freezing the shapeshifter skin and blood so they could not take on any other shape beyond the one it had chosen. Had the omega shifter had the opportunity to turn into another version of storm as alluded to, she may have won.

[carmoc1234]

great first issue, i think i liked it more than immortal.

brands x men team could be interesting, if she doesn't have storm could this be where bobby ends up and they haven't said anything yet to avoid spoilers?

the fisher king might be the most interesting character from arakko introduced. someone without powers born into a world of demons and super powered barbarians and has lived to an old age honestly draws my attention more than another omega level mutant

[Mercury]

Al Ewing's work here is sublime. An excellent issue.

Just Before The Hellfire Gala. When Arakko Was Still An Island. Nameless, the shapeshifter queen, battles Storm, "defending her title in the Circle Perilous." She makes it clear that she refuses to give up Arakko to Storm, who attempts to freeze her before Nameless summons a bolt of lightning upon herself.

Three Days Ago. The Great Ring of Arakko. Storm and the members of the council are in the midst of discussing, as Isca points out irreverently, "War or peace. A return to Amenth—to destroy our ancient enemies...or a new beginning, here on this new planet." Isca implies that, ultimately, it is Storm's decision; however, Storm makes it clear that it is the council's decision.

Now. The Planet Arakko. Magneto arrives and encounters "the Fisher King," who asks him, "How can you be strong if you won't heal what's broken? How do you heal without saying where it hurts?" Magneto proceeds to simultaneously fashion a metal castle—"The Autumn Palace"—for himself while revealing, "When I tried to wrestle my dream into the world—to make it real—it broke apart. Shattered to pieces. And they cut me to the heart...What you see here? This latest great work I've embarked on? A comfortable grave for me to die in. No more than that."

Port Prometheus. Spaceport. Sunspot converses with Kobak Never-Held, introducing the setting as "The Red Lagoon" and revealing his plans to revive disco and "be the David Mancuso of Mars." The two briefly talk about their lost loves before Vulcan storms into the bar, insisting to a Shi'ar soldier that he has "diplomatic immunity." Vulcan declares that he should be king of the Shi'ar Empire, and right before he is about to attack the soldier, Sunspot intervenes. Vulcan attacks him, but Thunderbird blindsides and attacks Vulcan, overwhelming him. Suddenly, Cable and Abigail Brand enter the bar. Brand informs Sunspot, Thunderbird, and Vulcan, "We got word an Earth mutant was threatening Shi'ar dignitaries in the Diplomatic Zone. That makes it my business." Vulcan attempts to rise and "become a sun before you," but Cable telekinetically blocks his carotid artery "for a second," subduing him. Brand suggests they "bring [Vulcan] up to S.W.O.R.D. Station Two. I think what he needs is some useful work." Sunspot and Thunderbird object and Cable advises the latter, "You need to start watching your temper, Proudstar," who becomes irate. Brand intervenes and advises Thunderbird, "You can take the next gate back to Earth. I'm rescinding your Martian privileges." After Brand and Cable, carrying Vulcan, leave, Thunderbird makes it clear to Sunspot that he plans on returning/staying on Arakko and warns him, "Watch your back, kid. Doesn't take my senses to smell how this place is rotting from the head down."

The Great Ring. Now. The council's meeting has ended, and Storm and Isca converse. Again, Isca displays subtle irreverence for Storm, asking her, "Is this the paradise you wanted, wind-walker? A paradise of paperwork?" She follows by expressing how she should have gone with her sister "when she returned to Amenth." Storm makes it clear that it was Isca's "abstention that allowed me to decide the issue," along with relocating Arakko to Mars. "No," Isca says, "the responsibility for this lies with you...You are the Regent. This is your planet. We're just the people who live here," before leaving. Suddenly, Brand approaches Storm, also displays irreverence for her, and suggests, "Arrako needs a controlling influence. And I think that's a job for the X-Men...I'm proposing an X-Men of Mars...You'd be the leader, of course." Storm refuses, stating, "Find someone else." Brand responds, "Taking a position of power...imposing your will, deciding what's right and wrong for this culture...that's what a queen does, Storm. That's what a queen is. That's what you are, your majesty."

Throne Room. Storm walks into the throne room by herself, noting, "Is that what you see? A throne. A crown. Is that's all that's left? Was I this in the crowds of Cairo? On the rooftops of Tokyo? When I laughed in the skies and gave rain to the soil, did it only lead here? To this...place of gold...?" Storm is haunted by Nameless' words and suddenly declares, "I say NO THRONE ON ARAKKO!", destroying the throne with a lightning bolt. "For there are greater things to be than queen."

The Autumn Palace. Magneto and the Fisher King continue to converse, and the Fisher King reveals that he is a non-mutant Arakkii, noting that he does not consider himself human because "Humans are from Earth. I was born in the prisons...It's not powers that make Arakkii." Then, Sunspot enters the palace, informs Magneto that Brand has "got a plan for Arakko" and proposes to both Magneto and the Fisher King that "Mars needs X-Men...Are you two in?" Suddenly, Storm enters, revealing, "I was coming here to suggest something similar...but not the X-Men. This is not Mars. This is Arakko. To defend it, we must be of Arakko. Brand is the one looking for X-Men. And she'll find them. So Arakko needs to balance that. Magneto asks, "Who defends the broken land?"

Storm answers: "The Brotherhood does."

[jwatson]

great first issue, i think i liked it more than immortal.

brands x men team could be interesting, if she doesn't have storm could this be where bobby ends up and they haven't said anything yet to avoid spoilers?

the fisher king might be the most interesting character from arakko introduced. someone without powers born into a world of demons and super powered barbarians and has lived to an old age honestly draws my attention more than another omega level mutant

That would totally explain the lenil image of them on opposite sides. Bobby leading Brand's X-men team. I mean her plan isn't inherently evil, she wants to create a utopia, she just doesn't care what Arrako and it's inhabitants want. Storm does.

[Glio]

I'm a bit bored that the only thing they know how to write about Ororo is more and more references to her knife fight. But the rest has been very good, I'm intrigued by Gabriel's deal (in the end they were hallucinations or not?).

It's funny to see that Thunderbird is still mad at Cyclops because everything was practically yesterday for him.

[TheRealWashout]

This was a little wordy, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. I'm deeply uninterested in everything to do with Arakko, but I love every established character in this book, so going in, I was a little on the fence. Those last three pages were everything I needed to sell me on the book.

[Mercury]

Sorry for the duplicate thread, Havok83; I saw yours after posting mine. Anyway, it looks like the mods merged our threads.

This was an excellent issue. As I've said before: X-Men, X-Men: Red, and Immortal X-Men are the flagship fleet of the franchise, and I have the feeling we're entering an era that will surpass even Hickman's.

This was a fantastic issue. Ewing's depiction of Storm, Magneto, Thunderbird, Sunspot, and Vulcan is sublime.

[cranger]

I do not think Brand is making an X-Men team. I think she is simply influencing powerful people to make things happen.

[JB]

This for me was perfection. When I first learned who was in the cast I had hoped for certain interactions and Ewing delivered them all already. The character moments were so on point.

- Roberto already making connections with the Arakki. Kobak Never-Held is so sexy.
- Vulcan and Proudstar referencing their first missions on Krakoa.
- Berto calling Magneto "headmaster".
- Proudstar and Cable mentioning James. I'm loving this new rivalry and Cable's clapback made me scream.

I love Magneto's budding relationship with the Fisher King, a human who was born in Amenth and lived the tortured prisons. *chef's kiss. I'm all for disco making a comeback on the planet.

The art was gorgeous and Ewing wrote everyone so damn well. "I'm the master of magnetism, not the master of carpeting."

And Storm. Our Regent.



I'm completely invested in her inner and outer journey as leader of Arrako and the leader of the Brotherhood. I can't wait to see her team come together, as well as Brand's "X-Men". The stage is already set for a showdown and I'm here for it.

I give this issue a 10. Perfection.Destiny of X is delivering all the goods and I'm thrilled for our mutants.