Today Marvel launched the second major team book in its new wave of mutant comic series. Titled X-Men Blue, it follows the escapades of the young, time-displaced original X-Men: Cyclops, Angel, Iceman, Beast and Jean Grey. But today’s first issue confirmed two big status quo changes for the young team too.
Image: Marvel Comics. Art by Jorge Molina, Matteo Buffagni and Matt Milla
X-Men Blue #1 — by Cullen Bunn, Jorge Molina, Matteo Buffagni, Matt Milla and Joe Caramagna — follows on from the recent revelation that, despite Beast’s attempts to return them to their original time, the young X-team is stuck in the present for good. They chose to turn away from the rest of the X-Men and strike out on their own, but the climax of today’s issue reveals that the team is not quite as alone as we were lead to believe.
Returning to Marvel’s favourite Southeast Asia stand in Madripoor after a successful mission, the team actually reports to a new leader — and it isn’t the young Jean, their newly-chosen field leader. In fact, it’s a familiar face that seems like it could spell some trouble…
Turns out the X-Men Blue squad’s leader is actually one of their oldest foes: Magneto, the master of magnetism! So what’s going on here? Has Erik decided to turn to good? What’s his endgame for working with the young X-Men? At least, for the moment, he doesn’t seem to have his usual goal of mutant domination in mind. He just seemingly wants his fallen friend Charles Xavier’s dream of a bright future for mutantkind to come to fruition at last. Maybe Magneto is tired of fighting against Charles’ allies and has decided to help for once? Or is he manipulating the young mutants? We’ll have to wait and see.
But we also learn in today’s issue that Magneto and the X-Men will soon have a new member in their midst. The epilogue introduces us to a dishevelled young man caught up in a small-town hunt gone wrong, who is ultimately witness to some unlikely hunters being attacked by a Wendigo. The young man tried to avoid the conflict, but a stray bullet strikes him in the head, seemingly killing him.
That is, until moments later he gets back up, and a familiar comic book sound rattles across the page: Snikt.
You know what they say. If it has claws like a Wolverine, healing factors like a Wolverine, and intense facial hair like a Wolverine, then it’s probably a Wolverine. But with the original Logan dead, and X-23 with the Wolverine mantle (not to mention the alt-reality Old Man Logan on the main X-Men team), who is this new clawed mutant? Well, it’s actually another familiar face: Jimmy Hudson, the son of the Ultimate Universe’s Wolverine, and actual one time Ultimate Wolverine himself.
Confirmed by Marvel to Comicbook.com today, Jimmy will be joining the X-Men Blue team as a new member soon, and is actually the secret clawed mutant that was recently teased on a series of pixelated X-Men Blue solicit covers. Here’s X-Men Blue editor Mark Pannicia on what Jimmy will bring to the team (it’s mainly going to be drama, by the sounds of it):
I’m really excited to see this character become part of the team. Aside from the fact that he is a kindred spirit, displaced as the Original X-Men are… he’ll also feed into some themes X-Men fans are very familiar with. Like the original Wolverine, Jimmy doesn’t remember his past. And like the original Wolverine, he’s going to find a certain red head very attractive. Will this cause problems with Cyclops? Heheh. Just have to wait and see.
Full X-Men #5 cover art by Arthur Adams.
For a dead universe, a lot of the Ultimate world is seeping its way back into the Marvel comics universe, isn’t it? The first issue of X-Men Blue is available now.
Comments
6 responses to “An Old Foe And A Familiar Face Join The Young Mutants Of X-Men Blue”
I hate how they’ve retconned Juggernaut back into being a brainless thug and lackey of Black Tom.
He was in a far more interesting state just prior to Secret Wars.
As for Black Tom, he should’ve just stayed dead. He’s still as bland now as he ever was.
Still, it’ll be interesting to see how the rest of the Marvel Universe reacts to Jimmy’s appearance, especially Old Man Logan, Laura Wolverine, and James & Heather Hudson.
So more reality-jumping time-travel crap, because they wrote the main characters into a corner of stupidity. Yay… I’d rather read an X-Babies book than retread teen versions.
Just noticed this in the article…
“Has Erik decided to turn to good?”
You do realise Magneto’s been a member of the X-Men for years now, right?
Well the illustration quality hasn’t improved in mainstream comics. RIP Michael Turner and all of your awesomeness.
Kill one Wolverine and two more shall take it’s place…
I don’t read comics, but why is there a genderbent Mercy in the leading image?