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Age of X: Chapters 3 & 4 – Review

The Age of X continues through X-Men Legacy and New Mutants. I find it a bit dis-hearting that Marvel’s marketing has moved on to its next X-men event already which will fall back to the 90’s blue team, gold team only this time the fate of the mutant race is at hand! Regardless, I think that they are missing out on Age of X and the potential that it has. This could have been a great chance to undo everything that Grant Morrison unleashed on the X-Men and also House of M. Since those two events the X-Men haven’t been very interesting with the exception of Joss Whedon’s run on Astonishing. Then along comes Mike Carey who practically gives Marvel a do-over. No more Hope the last child, messiah, has all the answers muckity muck. No more Cyclops thinking he knows what’s best for the entire mutant race, because he doesn’t!

In Age of X we see Legacy aka Rogue on the run from the rest of the mutants in Fortress X for treason. Magneto may lead the mutants, but the mysterious X is always watching them and monitoring them from afar. Legacy has discovered that the world they know may not be real after all and because of this Magneto and X have unleashed the dogs of war upon her. Fortunately for her the de-powered Logan is still willing to help her out. He’s basically a human know after absorbing a cure for mutants that was to be unleashed on the world and “cure” mutants against their will.

Age of X - X-Men Legacy #246 Cover
Legacy continues to out-smart and outrun her would be captures until she runs into Gambit. It just seems that these two star-crossed lovers always find a way to each other no matter what. He agrees to help her just before Magneto brings a building down on top of their heads. In actuality this traps them below Fortress X while Magneto finds out more about what’s happening. From there, Magneto also turns traitor as he wants to figure out what’s going on himself. He was actually the one that sent Shadowcat out past the barriers with the camera and now he’s tearing apart Fortress X while Legacy and Gambit head to the center of the building. There Rogue discovers a box that contains the universe. As she drops the box everything in the fortress shakes.

My money is on Legion who’s returned in this book and was previously responsible for the Age of Apocalypse. He’s had a lot of admiration from the other mutants and the appearance of his dead mother is troubling, but I don’t think he’s working alone. The mystery continues in the next chapter of Age of X and frankly I’m looking forward to it. I really think that Marvel missed an opportunity to completely change the X-Men and give them a much needed restart. This could have been the next One More Day but for the X-Men.

Age of X - New Mutants #23 Cover
Think about it, the leadership roles would be completely changed with Magneto in charge and all of the mutants actually working together. They would have had to adjust to a world that doesn’t want them dead (at least not the entire world) and would have had to change their ways of doing things. Murder couldn’t be the first answer! I really think that if Marvel had the balls to do it they could have had a huge shake up in their world that would have opened the door to so many stories and possibilities; and the best part is that they could have snuck it in under everyone’s nose.

In general these two issues were still really good and I’m glad more of the mystery has been revealed. Thankfully there are only two more chapters so that the story isn’t dragged out needlessly. Writer Mike Carey is doing a great job with the book and really is the only writer on an X-title that I believe understands the world and the character, but also what the fan base wants to read and see. He has a great art team of Clay Mann and Steve Kurth is both at the top of their game. These two artists are the type of pencillers you want to see on an X-title.

Rating
8.7

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