homage cover houses a down home narrative
This 2-parter kinda finds its roots in the very begining of the title, when Academy X was still in the logo. (technically, a New Mutants mini was the very beginning) the pace is still quite swift, but the interactions are all homegrown in the hallways of the mansion/compound/academy. the senior faculty gauges trauma and counsels the students individually - all of which prides itself on character moments. none of which puts them in peril for the 20th straight issue. theres also a running thread about the mortality rate of the youngest among them.. kids being kids i guess. the art is still great and expands to a more working style with broader nuances. and the backup strip is probably the creepiest of the bunch.