For the first few issues I was thinking that maybe my love of this comic was due to how badly the idea of this plot was in my mind. I had super low expectations and the comic blew them away. We’re up to issue #8 of seeing the classic team of X-Men transported into the modern era and learning what’s become of themselves. By now the novelty of this idea has worn off. What does that mean for the comic itself? Let’s find out.

The issue begins with the young Angel meeting his modern self and it doesn’t go well. I was never a fan of Angel until the Apocalypse story line that changed him into Arch Angel and his entire character dynamic became more interesting after that. Recently he was ‘de-evolved’ into basically just Angel but with no memories. The young Angel doesn’t find out what happens but clearly knows that something is off about his future self. The dynamic of their interactions makes this an absolute pleasure to read.

While flying around they end up stumbling upon Hydra attacking an empty Avengers tower. Modern day Angel decides they should intervene and when the battle is almost over the actual Avengers show up to clean up. They aren’t pleased to find out WHY there is two Angels on their doorstep.

Captain America immediately takes them back to Wolverine’s school and has a shouting match with Beast about everything that is wrong with what he did. There’s been a lot of humorous moments in these issues and this one is no different.

While Bobby and Kitty are mocking what Captain America and Beast have to be saying to one another it happens. A young Scott Summers walks up to Captain America to proclaim, “Hello Captain. I’ve been studying up on recent events. I realize that you and I have found ourselves on different sides of the fence on a lot of issues. I just wanted you to know that I plan on doing everything I can to make it right. I hope you give me a chance.

As he walks away our dear Captain is stunned into silence and the look on the Avengers faces are all priceless. As the Avengers leave an alarm rocks the campus. Beast’s lab has been compromised.

As they run down we find that the young Angel is sick of this and wants to go home. He wants to go home and get away from everyone there. Half way through his panic attack or mental breakdown he calms down and goes lucid as if a switch has been thrown in his head.

I’ll leave it spoiler free here but on the last two pages we find out who flipped the switch and why. For the first time since this series has started we are being given a true reason to fear what has happened. In what is the only piece of art in the entire issue I’m not happy with (The poses are perfect I just feel the cast is rendered wrong) we see what could be an absolute horror being released upon our world.

The novelty of the past X-Men coming to the future may have ended but the story has just grown even better each issue and this one is no change. The X-Men haven’t had so much writing talent putting together such beautiful stories in quite awhile. The quality of this book and the last 2 pages earn this a solid 5/5 atoms!

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Cover Artist: Stuart Immonen