It's finally out!
SPOILERS!!!
I really liked the first issue it was a great starting point for the series and I was looking forward to the next issue then it is postponed by two weeks I know John Cassady is a slow artist and takes his time with his work but he inks and pencils his books why can't he get someone else to ink it sure it would look different but at least it would come out it's a minor annoyance but I still would prefer the book to come out on time but the issue is a good one not astonishing but a solid issue and very enjoyable.
Plot
Wolverine vists the sight of Avalanche's attack and he thor and Captain America do not know what to do. The Red skull goes on TV and uses his new telepathic powers to trick people into killing mutants. Rogue is being held prisoner on the Red Skull's island but breaks out. The red Skull attempts to persuade the Scarlet Witch into getting rid of all the mutants again.
Review
This was a decent issue the stories moving pretty slowly it is well written but very slow. This issue does have a totally unexpected twist in it that I hope is expanded on in future issues since it was a good part of the story.
This series doesn't feel like a team book all the members are here it's just there split into different groups Thor, Wolverine , Havok and Captain America are in one group and Rogue and the Scarlet Witch are in another and the first group only appear for 5 pages it looks like they are going to come toghether in the next issue it doesn't feel like a team book in this issue it feels like two different teams.
What I liked in this issue was the conversation between Wolverine and Captain America they both gave reasons why they think Havok could or couldn't run the team Captain America thinks it could work and Wolverine thinks it couldn't work the reasons they give make sense. The final part of this scene I thought was really nice and gave Cap another reason the team could work with Havok running it.
My favourite part of this issue is the big twist I mentioned earlier is great the Red Skull is a facist Nazi dictator and he thinks that Mutants are basically the same as Jews and should be killed the way he does it is very dark and grim and I did not see it coming.
The scene with Rogue being held hostage the ending was to be expected but what I liked was the revelation about one of the Un men as it turns out she is the daughter of Avalanche this was interesting to find out and I liked the reference to when Rogue was in the brotherhood of Evil mutants but the action scene was nice and was very fluid and the dialogue is perfect.
The scene between the Red Skull and the Scarlet witch was interesting as it made the Red skull's plan make sense he wants to get rid of all the mutants and the Scarltet witch had wiped out most of the mutants at one point why can't she do it again? I also liked the explanation as to how the Red Skull is alive it's something he would do to make sure even if he dies he can come back and start his work up again. The dialogue for this scene is very nice and I like to see the Red Skull using his new psychic powers.
We in the end get to a fight between Rogue and Scarlet which ends on a very sad note with the discovery of Charles Xaviers body the scene is very touching and I love the little flashback to when she first joined the X-men it's touching and very well written.
The art by John Cassady is good on the whole the action scenes are nicely laid out and the emotion on the close ups are good but on the wide panels with several characters in everyone looks pretty emotionless and a bit stiff but on the whole his art is decent. Some people may complain that the Red Skull looks weird but if you think about it he looks like the way he looked in the original Cap comics when he was in World war 2 so it does fit considering he is from that period.
Verdict
This was a decent issue but had it's problems it's a little slow paced and it doesn't feel like a team book yet but I'm sure it will get better next issue.
4 stars.
