REVIEW/SPOILERS: ANXM #41 - The School For Mutants Who Have Nowhere Else To Go

[Narasinha]

And here we are, the last issue before UXM #600 and Secret Wars.

Summary:

The O5 are relaxing after their Black Vortex advanture when Maria Hill arrives with a SHIELD helicarrier: She has a problem, a mutant one, on Utopia and she figured it would be best if other mutants handle it "internally" instead of going there with SHIELD and getting her ass kicked. She feel that, with everything that happened recently, nobody can afford one more mutant problem and that it would be the final straw that break the proverbial camel's back.

After Jean's confirmation that Maria is telling the true, Magik agree to handle it and teleport away with the O5, including Laura. Once on Utopia, they meet the source of the "mutant problem" which is composed of Random, Masque, Elixir, Boom Boom, Karma and Madison Jeffries. They claim they only want to live in peace but were attacked. Magik asked them to come with her to clear things up with the SHIELD. They answer that they made a deal not to retaliate or fight back as long as humans don't make a move first. And that by sending Magik and the O5, they made that move.

The Utopians seems ready to attack when Jean decides to put everyone to sleep, saying that they won't fight other mutants if they don't have to. But then, Scott attacks her, Magik and the rest of the group with the help of X-23: They are controled by Karma. Jean then retaliate, using the big gun (her new power) and knock Karama and Random out. She then decide to have a little chat with Xi'an, in her head. Xi'an tell her that she can go out but Jean answers that she only want to talk. That she would like to know the modern history of mutants through her perspective because she believes that she still has a limited view on the modern world and its history. Xi'an agrees, asking Jean not to judge her. To which Jean answers that she is not in a position to do so.

We then jump forward to a meeting between SHIELD and our team of mutants. They tell Maria that the Utopian escaped but that they did recovered the missing SHIELD's agents. The O5 explains that the Utopian only wanted to live there, alone, in peace. And they don't understand why they weren't allowed to do so. They don't understand why the Avengers can set-up anywhere they want but mutants are never safe even after all they had been through. Obiously, Maria doesn't believe them about the Utopian's escape but admit that they are in the true concerning the attitude toward mutants.

Jump forward to the NXS, where the Utopians had been left by Magik. The O5 tell them that they are now "off the hook" and that it doesn't matter if SHIELD believed them or not: They made it clear that there was a line not to be crossed and that they understood the message.

Jean explains that they are now at the "New Xavier School for very gifted mutants who have nowhere else to go". Warren mentions that there has been "some turnover recently. Some vacancies". While they leave to go visit the place, Jean, with Laura, reflects that those mutants have been through hell. That they all have been through hell. She wonders why it is still like that. What they are all doing wrong and what could be changed.

Review/opinion:

Solid issue. Bendis' writing is true to itself with the usual banters and light tone. But, and that's a very good thing, there is a feeling that something really happened in this issue. In 20 pages, we had the introduction to the story, discussion with the SHIELD, confrontation with the Utopian, it's resolution and a satisfactory conclusion.

The O5 are shown to be more involved with the rest of the world. They are starting to accept it as their own world and want to do what they can for it.

Maria Hill and the SHIELD aren't a parody of themselves. They are being realistic and pragmatic. They don't want more confrontation with mutants if it can be avoided even if that mean looking the other way or bending the rules a little. They are also realistic about the result of a confrontation with mutants.

Once again, Jean is the driving factor in the book. From taking action to put a stop to the fight with the Utopian before it even began to comfronting SHIELD about their attitude while showing a sincere willingness to understand the present world and what other people went through. She seems to have an aptitude to make other people trust her and open themselves to her as shown in the conversation with Xi'an. Jean is honestly trying.

The O5 really give a feeling to be a team, a familly. This comes in part from the casual banters between them and in part how the dialogs are writen: they often seems to complete each others dialogs. To present a common front to outsiders even if they don't always agree between themselves.

It looks like that, even if he doesn't know it yet, Scott gained himself some new students (wont he be happy? lol). That could be the begining of the X-Nation.

[Anduinel]

Anyone know if this supposed to be happening before or after the events in Wolverines? Because if after, Bendis' habit of ignoring everyone else's book just had a great side-benefit: Elixir lives!

Also, any explanation on why Karma's gone from being a JGS-side multimillionaire to squatting in Cyke's abandoned digs?

[Ambaryerno]

Anyone know if this supposed to be happening before or after the events in Wolverines? Because if after, Bendis' habit of ignoring everyone else's book just had a great side-benefit: Elixir lives!

Also, any explanation on why Karma's gone from being a JGS-side multimillionaire to squatting in Cyke's abandoned digs?

Elixir was attacked by Siphon in the Logan Legacy, which was explicitly set before Axis (Creed wasn't inverted yet). I'm presuming that Wolverines is set sometime after #41 based on what happens to X-23 in Wolverines #20.

And I'm disappointed Elixir didn't get a word of dialogue in this issue. As someone else predicted. Hell, Laura didn't even express surprise that Elixir was still alive. Maybe it will come up in Uncanny 600, but I'm not holding out hope anymore.

[Narasinha]

Also, any explanation on why Karma's gone from being a JGS-side multimillionaire to squatting in Cyke's abandoned digs?

No, there isn't any explanation about who those characters are or what they are doing on Utopia except that they wanted a place, away of the rest of the world, to live by themselves.

If you don't know the recent history of those characters (like in my case), it's not a problem. If you know, then there is probably a lot of unanswered question about why and how they come to be there.

Random seems to be the one with an aggressive attitude toward anyone that comes on "their island". The others following his lead. As shown in the previous issue when they attacked the people that trespassed on Utopia without giving them a chance to leave.

[Anduinel]

Maybe it will come up in Uncanny 600, but I'm not holding out hope anymore.

Generally the proper attitude, and the reason why I haven't bought a single SW book. Here's hoping this line gets some focus and cohesion soon.

[OpticDreams]

So after this, we have one more UXM issue and 600 right?

[Fokken]

. Hell, Laura didn't even express surprise that Elixir was still alive. Maybe it will come up in Uncanny 600, but I'm not holding out hope anymore.

Let the "off panel" fanfic-splanations commence!

[Hariel0079]

Nothing wasn't

Anyone know if this supposed to be happening before or after the events in Wolverines? Because if after, Bendis' habit of ignoring everyone else's book just had a great side-benefit: Elixir lives!

Also, any explanation on why Karma's gone from being a JGS-side multimillionaire to squatting in Cyke's abandoned digs?

The issue was a continuity travesty. Karma made absolutely no sense along with Tabitha and elixir.

As if karma needs to be explained what a danger room is and also was at a place of peace.

This issue was blatant about bmb not caring for others work.

With a lot of SW books being pushed back they really might as well release issue 600 since that's probably going to rank up next to the will of Xavier in its awfulness.

[Narasinha]

And I'm disappointed Elixir didn't get a word of dialogue in this issue. As someone else predicted.

It's a book about the O5 and the place in this world. The other characters are pretty secondary to this. Not everyone can have dialogs and not everything can be explained. That's how Bendis usualy write: He skip over/ignore what he think is not needed for the actualy story even if readers aren't of the same advice.

It's good to see the O5 finally do something in "this world" and actualy be successful. Maria Hill wasn't exactly expecting to get this team when she came asking for help but it turned out for the better. It may be the begining of some sort of limited collaboration, or at least respect, between SHIELD and a team of mutants. In the future, Maria may consider asking their help to defuse situations instead of asking the "Grrrhate" adults with an attitude.

[Project Initiative Cascada]

Did Karma get a good showing in this issue? I hope so!

[Cmbmool]

It's about time the O5 realizes that all their "efforts" to change hasn't done anything good to help Xavier's dream.

[Narasinha]

It's about time the O5 realizes that all their "efforts" to change the present hasn't done anything good to help Xavier's dream.

If that's what you think then you missed the point. It's not about the O5 efforts (they haven't had the chance to make any really: They were at the JGS training, at the NXS training, in space, in another univers, in space again,...) it's about the failure of everybody. Of all the people who believed in Xavier's dream. Of all the people who believed in another way to have peace. A failure of all the people with goodwill, whatever the X-Men, the Avengers, the governments,...

[Shadowbrat]

Did Karma get a good showing in this issue? I hope so!

She almost beat the entire team on her own. And had one of those cool flashback scenes like young Jean had at the beginning of the series.

[Gosran]

Elixir was attacked by Siphon in the Logan Legacy, which was explicitly set before Axis (Creed wasn't inverted yet). I'm presuming that Wolverines is set sometime after #41 based on what happens to X-23 in Wolverines #20.

And I'm disappointed Elixir didn't get a word of dialogue in this issue. As someone else predicted. Hell, Laura didn't even express surprise that Elixir was still alive. Maybe it will come up in Uncanny 600, but I'm not holding out hope anymore.

Maybe she survived after that and regained strength?

[AcesX1X]

fat karma sighting.