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May 11, 2010 
Warning: Spoilers are contained as all 3 issues are reviewed as one.
I enjoyed this particular triple in succession. After the cliffhanger nature of the first installment of this fresh turn it was difficult to hold back. But if you saw yesterday’s edition of PDX you’ll understand that there was some tripe to wade through.
In SC#1 Nightcrawler asked some poignent questions and he receieves the answers he craves in #2, though whether he actually wanted to know any of this is uncertain; like discerning the fallacy that is the Easter Bunny, it’s clear that Kurt had some emotional investment in what he believed the X-Men were. To have this changed so dramatically will have hurt him, though this doesn’t develop any further in these three issues.
The critical character throughout this obviously is Hope, but the development exhibited by the other members of this cast is extraordinary. Cyclops takes the meat of the problem presented and moves swiftly to destroy it, Logan shows the slightest amount of heart and the New Mutants come into the fray swinging. This series is firing on all cylinders. And that is the key.
For the first time in some years, all the X-characters are working as a team. The infighting is notable for it’s absence and there is a clinical aspect to how these warriors work. It’s as though they’ve finally heard each time you cuss at the page and say “Just man up!’. The characters have grown a little and as such the entire X-Franchise is stronger. Certainly the return of Kitty Pryde just before the start of this arc seemed out of place, but this could be explained through any number of factors including scheduling conflicts.
So what is here for the new reader? An experience like the movies; fast action with plot twists and easily identifiable characters, both on a visual and emotional level. All your favorites are here kicking the tail of anonymous bad guys. Will the seasoned reader get something from this? I’m not sure if this is the new “Age of Apocalypse” but you can be guaranteed that this will sit better than “Supanovas” did, though I did love Bachalo’s work in that arc.
Where is the future headed? To me, this is obvious. All 3 major X titles have been pushing one main story idea since “M” day; no more mutants. Hope represents the antithesis to this premise. In any dramatic story the device best used is limitation of the crucial resource, in this case, mutants. As such it would be plain to state that the path trod will be well soaked in the blood of those gifted by their genes. This will be about Decimation. The capitalization is deliberate.
The cynic amongst us will suggest that of course they will survive. They the race? Sure. But will your favorite Mutant make it through the slaughter? Read on to find out… -Bretzke.
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