The events of Schism #1 have launched the world into turmoil, and the all-new Hellfire Club is ready to take advantage of the chaos. But when the survival of the mutant race is on the line, just how far will the X-Men go? Once a line is crossed, there’s no going back. The event that promises to tear the X-Men apart at their very core continues, by writer and Marvel Architect Jason Aaron, and superstar artist Alan Davis!
Summary
On Utopia Cyclops takes Idie Home after she was forced to kill the Hellfire agents in X-men Schism #3. Back in San Francisco Dr. Nemesis and Wolverine can’t stop the Sentinel from forming. After forming it heads straight for Utopia. None of the veteran X-men who are away can make it back to Utopia in time to stop the sentinel from making landfall. Cyclops tries to stop it alone but can’t. The students decide to stand with Scott in defense of their home.
Wolverine objects to them being involved but they still side with Scott. Wolvie heads to his room and arms some explosives, he returns to the battlefield and demands that the students and everyone on utopia evacuate since plans to blow up Utopia and the Sentinel when it makes landfall. The students scatter and Wolverine and Scott start a fight over the detonator as the Sentinel reaches the shores of Utopia.
The Good
Cover- The standard cover was ok but the variant which had storm in deep chocolate with glowing blue eyes is my absolute fav!
Choose a side- In 2011 this was the big thing running through comics, whose side are you on, Cyclops or Wolverine? Idealism vs Realism?
Art- Alan Davis Is on Art duties this issue and he shines particularly well on emotional eyes.
Action- The fight between Cyclops and Wolverine was choreographed well and was handled in such a way that their conflict seemed a continuation of their years of homoerotic tension. Honestly this is one of those classic frenemy scenarios where said characters will never be able to transcend their differences and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Growing up- I found the scene where Scott looks at a picture of himself as a teen smiling all unconcerned or innocent to what comes next and how long he spends just staring at it to be very similar to how sometimes I look at my younger pictures and long for yesterday. The innocence of it all the lack of a care in the world. Cyclops knows he’s on the right path because circumstances and experience have made him the man he currently is but can’t help but wonder where did it all go south? When was innocence and dreaming lost in the face of the cold harshness of reality.
Wolverine- I understand why Wolverine wouldn’t want the children involved after all he has been following Cyclops like a lap dog in hopes of saving the next generation of mutants and here they are in the position he hoped they would never be, fighting for their survival in the face of imminent extinction.
Jean Grey- I thought it was perfectly executed that as soon as Logan and Scott were at each others throats the dam of emotion and deep seated animosity between the these two men was broken when the Holy (cow) Jean Grey’s name entered the mix. Some may lament why re-hash this now but that’s the thing about great loves in one’s life even forty years later the wounds are still close to the surface.
The Bad
Wolverine- Instead of respect the decision of the student Wolverine decides to not give them a choice by blowing up their home. Really Logan this is probably one of the dumbest things you’ve ever decided on doing and you’ve done a lot of really stupid things over the years! So he’s cool with blowing up his fellow mutants more than standing together to face the next threat? Really Logan!?
Biggest problem with Wolverine’s way of thinking is that no matter how hard you try you will never be able to protect your children from the world. You can carry them to school, sit in the back of class and watch them at work and play but what happens to them when you’re dead? Can they survive without you there? Logan clearly doesn’t remember what happened to the New X-men when they were treated like children? Stryker came in killed a bus load of children and the others were completely unprepared to fend for themselves without the x-men being present. In a world where life is about survival how could wolverine of all people think that what these children need is to be prepared for the harsh existence before them? The idealistic view-point is all fun and good in books and TV but for real life Cyclops more practical viewpoint makes far more logical sense!
The Ugly
Not as strong a previous issues as Wolverine’s decision doesn’t make much sense 3.5/ 5
