So we open up with the preview pages. Kitty is dead, her powers taken away while she was phasing through the ground and rocks. Storm takes this death hard and it only feels overdramatic because we readers are so desentized by now. Storm wants revenge and Remy tries talking Ororo down. Storm goes after the two purity goons Sanzu and Soulscream. We get a callback to the recent Gambit mini but more importantly to Ororo's past with Ashake while she kicks their asses.
The fight is interupted by Ogun who has possesed the third comrade of the nemies, the silly named Beasty Brute. Ogun is using Logan as a club and it's actually quite funny. Sanzu is learning that Beasty is not with them but they accept it because at least they are fighting the same enemy.
Rogue gets a nice moment to join the fight and she battles Ogun with Remy's bo. Ogun drops Logan and Remy and Ororo uses this mement to carry him away fromt he fight while Rogue keeps Ogun distracted. Rogue does well against Ogun and Larroca really draws a beatiful fight here. It ends the only way it can end with Ogun finding an opening and delevering a brutal punch that knocks Rogue away. Lockheed now enters teh fight and breaths fire from above on them. Remy manages to save Rogue, Ogun jumps into safetey while Soulscream shields Sanzu with his body.
We now skip to Bishop and Sage who is busy dealing with some Purity protestors. It's a short scene and we get some backhistory from Sage about her harsh childhood walking through warzones. Sage and Bishop then get ready to face off with the violence.
The makeshift sentinel that is handling the power dampening effect isn't doing that great. It confirms that in the current form it cannot do more then damping the powers.
Back in the park and the big fight Rogue checks in on Wolverine who without his healign factor is slowly dying from adamantium poisioning. The sisters who belong to Gambits guild join them and we get a little pep talk from Logan.
Meanwhile Remy is trying to calm down Ororo who is furious and we get some awesome art from Larroca again. We also get a flashback to the fate of Marissa fro the recent Gambit mini. Particularly we get some images of her fate who might not go down well with readers who disliked the horror ending she got.
Remy manages to calm Ororo and Ogun attacks again. Logan joins the fight and we get a nice teamwork fight from them against Ogun.
Ororo realises that while she can't control the weather she can still feel it, like it's been hold captive from her. So she talks with Remy and we get a nice exchange "Never steal from a thief for we are sure to take back all that was stolen-- with Vengeance".
We get a funny panel with Logan sitting on Rogues shoulders and slashing Ogun on his face.
A suprisingly touching scene with Sanzu and Soulscream about how he shielded her from the fire.
... and lastly we get Kitty rising from the rocks!
This is an actionpacked issue with many of Claremonts quirks and tricks with telling a story. Personally I like it and it sure makes for a longer read then other modern comics.
I found many got the chance to shine in this issue. Remy is just wonderful under Claremonts pen. He takes a rather big role here talking down Ororo and it works well, especially well if you remember their friendship who hasn't been used that much these days. not since the oneshot where they fight vampires by Bachallo if I remember correctly.
Rogue gets more panels to stretch and she doesn't waste it, strong with an attitude.
Ororo is the emotional core of this issue and it might read as overdramatic but it really isn't when we take a minute to accept that this seems very much like Kitty is dead. Witch we readers of course don't belive and we know since this mini is set in the past.
Sage and Bishop suffers the short draw of this issue. Their plot needs to make up for it the next issue. I love them togheter and think they are a missed oppertunity by Marvel in that it wasn't touched much after X-treme ended.
Ogun is rather boring. He gets a bit lost in the shuffle here.
Sanzu and Soulscreamer gets a touching scene.
Larroca is on fire here. There is so much to appreciate in the art and layouts. I hope he is having fun with this becasue it feels like he is while reading it.
Overall I would say 7/10 for me.