X-Men Legacy
Issues 260.1 – 263
Written by Christos Gage
Art by David Baldeon & Jordi Tarragona
Coloring by Sonia Oback
Marvel Comics
Review by Frankie Rodriguez
TALE OF THE TAPE
For the last six years, Mike Carey has taken this book and made it a very special book within the X-Titles. While it started off as a team book featuring Rogue as leader of her own squad as was still called “X-Men” at the time, it evolved. It began to focus on Professor X for a while than transformed when it became a Rogue centric book. Gambit, Magneto and other younger, new characters all took center stage throughout the run but Rogue seemed to be the crown jewel of the title.
And it work. Fans loved seeing Rogue truly evolve from the timid, slightly reckless girl she once was, to the in-control leader and teacher that she became. Carey had written great stories that many X-fans will fondly remember. And after 6 years, switching Frenzy over to the side of the angels, giving Rogue, Gambit and Magneto new depths of character and bringing back Rachel Grey, Havok and Polaris, he ended his run. Which worked to coincide with Schism. Cyclops and Wolverine had very different views that split the X-Men in half. Cyclops said since there were too few mutants left, they are all soldiers; no matter the age. Wolverine, on the other hand, believed that the children should be children till they are old enough to decided to fight or not. And while those 2 had big roles in that split, when Carey ended his run on X-Men Legacy, he decided to put Rogue, the character that he helped redefine, in the center of a hard decision. Yet, Rogue left Utopia to join the staff of the Jean Grey School and left Cyclops with probably one of the best speeches I have heard in X-Men history:
Rogue: I see you grown into this job. I knew the doubts you had. I knew the problems you were dealing with. You decided to push those doubts away cause you had to be that strong or no one would have followed you. And I understand. But at some point, you when from “Ah can't afford to make a mistake” became “Nothing Ah do could ever be wrong,” You hid this doubts so deep that you maybe couldnt find them again now if you wanted to. But you got to try. Because Ah think they're what's gonna save you.”
Those were the last words to Cyclops before she left Utopia and Carey left X-Men Legacy. Now, Enter Christos Gage and the Jean Grey School. What new adventures Rogue, Gambit, Frenzy and Rachel will have? What are the teachers of this school going to deal with? And it seemed like the right idea. Gage has gotten acclaim for writing Avengers Academy. But the writer stated before he started his run that Avengers Academy was a student book and X-Men Legacy was going to be about the teacher. So, let’s see what this new era brings to the teachers of the Jean Grey School.
CLASH FACTS
Now, we are doing things a little differently cause I am actually doing 2 different stories within the 4 issues but there are a couple of things that carry over that I wanted to keep up with; hence why it’s 260.1-263 and not just 261-263. We open 260.1 with . . . something we haven’t seen in a little while. Mutants playing sports. But no. Not baseball. At least not yet, according to some. What we have actually is the students with Rogue, Rachel, Frenzy and Gambit playing a game of football . .. with powers being allowed to be used. And it’s sudden death too. Gage and Baldeon immediately paint a picture of students we know and love: Armor, Anole, Rockslide, etc. having fun. Rachel points that out but what I liked that it was shown before it was stated.
Rogue telepathically relates to the other teachers that they are gonna do their best to save their students from pain and make things better. She then touches Frenzy to absorb some of her super-strength and invulnerability and crashes through Rockslide. Hmm … I like Rogue’s teaching style already. Rachel inquires to Rogue if Rockslide can reform himself and she says yes but then goes on about how that is not enough. Rockslide reforms his body two more times, only for Rogue to break it down, this time with some power from Rachel.
Rogue: Don’t worry about me pushing these stones away. You can form your body out of any rock. Reach out. Use whatever is available. Don’t just rebuilt your body. Build a better one.
Rockslide takes the hint, reforming his body again, this time, using all sorts of rocks. (PLOT POINT!!!) The final result is a new body that is twice the size of his old one. Meanwhile, Gambit muses … let’s be honest … pines and goes one about how great Rogue is as a teacher but Frenzy cuts that out quickly, pointing out how lovesick Gambit is for Rogue. Gambit goes on to defend himself, stating that he’s been teaching most of his life and that what he does is about teaching, not about Rogue. Frenzy states how Gambit probably thinks his chances with Rogue will improve with Magneto (Yes folks. Rogue is dating Magneto in the 616 universe. And it is not a tease this time. It is a FULL ON RELATIONSHIP.) Gambit fires back about how Frenzy, who was a professional soldier for hire, is at this school to stay away from seeing Cyclops and Emma together. (Note: During the Age of X storyline: that alternate reality had Frenzy and Cyclops, then called Basilisk, together in a very … Klingon relationship; Frenzy still retains all the memories of that reality and it does have last effects.) Frenzy begins a threat but Gambit says let the past be the past.
Oh yeah. Some of those rocks Rockslide used , opened some kind of hole with light. Hmm . .. maybe it’s a cave of fireflies. Or it’s the time hole where Kagome falls into to see Inyasha. Ah well. I doubt we’ll get back to it.
Everyone else is still outside when telepathic pain strikes Rachel and Rogue. (Remember: she just took some of Rachel’s powers. Of course she’ll feel it.) Little black aliens seem to be coming out of the woods and Rogue wants the kids back inside. Rachel is about to suggest otherwise but Rogue tells Rachel to alert the faculty and that it will NOT interrupt the school day.
Inside the faculty lounge, Cannonball is complaining about a lack of memorials on campus then about Husk’s issues with her powers. Seems Husk’s skin is molting a lot of late. Beast and Iceman just listen in when they get Rachel’s telepathic call. Rockslide, Armor, Anole and others head to class as Iceman runs out, the students noticing. When Beast welcomes them to class, he starts a lecture … on the very things, aka The N’Garai, the other teachers are about to fight. There’s some irony for you, Alanis.
Wow. The N’Garai. Haven’t seen them since … X-Men #75. When the team had Maggot, Marrow and Cecila Reyes on it. Good times.
A group of X-Men (Rachel, Rogue, Iceman, Gambit and Frenzy) are beating back the N’Garai when Cannonball blasts in . .. and through one of the creatures.. Rogue then immediately tells him to go back to his Ethics class while he’s got alien blood and guts on him. (Wait … wait … I thought Kitty Pryde was teaching that class. Ah well. I can deal with Sam teaching it.) Cannonball complies with Toad (yes, Toad is there … as a janitor), cleaning him up while he teaches. The X-Men seem to be winning when the big back N’Garai General comes through; wanting the souls of the children to feed off of and open the portal … the hole that Rockslide had made earlier when he reformed himself. Told you it was a plot point.
The X-Men fight hard but Rachel notes that they can’t keep them away from the school much longer. Rogue then takes some abilities from Gambit and Iceman and rushes off. She has Husk head off and take out the few N’Garai that were closest to the school as she enters Beasts class, touching all the students and telling the students not to neglect their studies.
Rogue: You will sit here and do your work. Your school day will not be interrupted. Ah trust ah’m clear about that.
The X-Men outside find their wall isn’t gonna cut it when Rogue comes out, using multiple powers at once, taking down the N’Garai General while the other X-Men finish off the grunts.
Afterwards, Gambit and Frenzy are out and about. It is at this point we find out that Gambit had smashed Frenzy in the past. (eww.) And then they kiss.
Next thing we know, our next issue starts with Rogue and Marvel Girl (oh! So they are still calling Rachel that. Good), teaching … Zero Gravity Mobility 101.
Um … I want to take that course.
And while they yuck it up, Frenzy and Gambit go on about how them kissing was a mistake. Wow. Folks … remember when Gambit was this awesome rogue (irony, haha) character that would kiss whoever he pleased and who would jump into things with no regrets. Yes. He has evolved. But damn … the pining over Rogue. Character development.
There is a whole conversation between Marvel Girl and Rogue about why she has not called Magneto yet or why he has not called her since she moved to the school. And what it comes down to is pride. Marvel Girl (Rachel) points out how silly Rogue’s being when they get a visit from the precog known as Blindfold. Marvel Girl telepathically alerts to the students to go to Safe Rooms while Wolverine joins them. Wolverine, Rogue, Cannonball, Frenzy, Marvel Girl, Iceman, Gambit and Beast head outside to find Exodus waiting. And boy … he’s not happy.
Exodus comes in starting off about how Professor Xavier showed him that mutantkind will only survive if they are united. Frenzy and Exodus shoot off about his throwing everything away that they once believed in. Exodus demands that everyone go back to Utopia and that they must put their differences aside. Rogue goes on stating that it isn’t that simple and that they are not just do what he says. Which then starts the first battle between the JGS X-Men and Exodus. And it gets pretty varied.
From Cannonball rushing in to Wolverine, Frenzy and Beast attacking him to Marvel Girl holding him off on the psychic plane. Rogue is able to absorb Exodus’s power of teleportation (which really isn’t much cause Exodus can have nearly any power he wants) and uses it to absorb a little of Kid Gladiator’s powers … much to the disgust of Warbird. ( the new Shi’ar bodyguard to Kid Gladiator, not Carol Danvers).
Frenzy and Exodus have a few more exposites of how they both changes their beliefs (more like betrayed) and Exodus tries to telepathically remove Frenzy’s memories of Age of X or the X-Men from her .. . only go get hit hard by Rogue. To end the first fight, Rogue and Wolverine allow Exodus to read their minds and catch him up on all he missed: the X-Men/Dark Avengers crossover, the Second Coming crossover, Beast leaving the X-Men, the death of Nightcrawler, Hope’s introduction, Schism. Exodus stops attacking them and states that he was wrong. He apologizes and leaves.
And you think that would be it. But no. Rogue realizes that Exodus has gone to kill Cyclops. Rogue suggests that they warn the X-Men on Utopia but Wolverine and Beast concur that this is their issue to fix. Rogue stays behind only to teleport in moments later as the Blackbird catches up with Exodus. Another fight ensues. During the fight, Rogue said she left a message on a timer for the X-Men on Utopia, in case they fail and Wolverine has a fit. Cannonball reminds them of their battle with Exodus and they return to it. And the X-Men do their best. Marvel Girl fights him in the psychic plane again while the rest of the X-Men pile on against him … till Exodus uses Wolverine to knock Marvel Girl out and then telepathically takes control of them.
Exodus is hit from behind and suddenly, they are free. Rogue tells Wolverine that her little treason isn’t such a bad idea now till she sees who showed up to save her: Generation Hope. Hope and Exodus meet. Exodus proclaims that he will serve Hope . . . once he rids her of Cyclops’ influence. Rogue questions why Generation Hope, aka the other kids that stayed on Utopia, are here and not the Extinction Team (aka the Uncanny X-Men). Hope explains that she got the call and they came.
As Gambit explains to Wolverine and Rogue, they have no choice but to fight alongside the kids. Both groups pile it on and end up taking down Exodus. Exodus smirks that he’s won. That only united could they have defeated him. Yet, the real meat happens at the end of the fight. Rogue talks to the group, particularly Dust and Pixie (who she once was their main teacher for pre-Schism) and offers a place in the school for all the kids where they would be safe. Surge starts the burn when she reminds them of the time 44 students were killed by the Purifiers. Dust adds that she felt that being a mutant meant to fight. Hope adds that they just used kids as soldiers when they had no other choice. Rogue tries to counter, saying they she does not want them to end up like :
Pixie: Like Magneto? Like Wolverine? Like you? We’re okay with that.
BURN TIMES TEN!!!!
Rogue then tries to talk to Wolverine who flat out says that he can’t trust her and will be planning accordingly. Marvel Girl talks to Rogue later, wanting to cheer her up and stating that the faculty think Wolverine was being a jerk. Rogue asks what she thought of what she did. Marvel Girl said that they never said that the kids would NEVER fight and that it was a smart move. Yet, she did tell Rogue that her decision was partially cause she wanted to see Magneto and that she needed to figure out her relationship with him soon cause they don’t have the luxury in their roles.
The comic ends with the kids returning. Anole says that it is over but Blindfold points out … no, it’s not.
CLASH TACTICS
You know, since X-Men Regenesis, the X-Men books have definitely felt like they have all changed and try to specialize each book a bit more. With Uncanny X-Men, you have Scott’s Extinction Team, who want to be the World’s Greatest Heroes. With X-Men, you got Scott’s covert ops who handle threats proactively but not killing them. With Wolverine & the X-Men, you have a book about the Jean Grey School dealing with a mix of faculty and students; making it feel like New X-Men with a touch of old school Claremont X-Men. Yet, with X-Men Legacy, you get to really dive into the faculty, the majority of them not in Wolverine and the X-Men. You get to seem them with and without the students and how they function. And I believe that is a very good move on Marvel’s part.
That said, X-Men Legacy is off to a great start. Baldeon’s style is a bit unusual at first to the art styles that have been showcased in this book. Yet, it definitely helps give X-Men Legacy it’s own distinct flavor. The pencils are strong and everyone looks distinct. There is a simplicity to it that is very welcome. It feels like an animated show being turned in for panels but I do enjoy it. What helps Baldeon’s style flesh out are the inks from Jordi Tarragona and the colors from Sonia Oback. While the simplicity of the style might make others think that everyone will look like each other, Tarragona’s inks help prevent that. And Oback’s colors … which seem to be a mix of digital and water colors in some cases, really help breathes life to these panels.
Writing wise, Gage is off to a solid start. He picks up character beats and plot threads from Carey and really weaves in something new. Using Rogue as a central character helps keep the flow of the book from Carey to Gage. Yet, how he uses Rogue, Rachel, Gambit, Frenzy and more really helps this book shine. Picking up the pieces left by Carey, Gage begins to really help humanize Frenzy more. Her multiple retorts with Exodus help develop her, giving her more layers. Gambit is very love sick about Rogue but Gage is careful to still make him Gambit. Which is good. Cannonball’s scenes were a joy, using him effectively each time he showed up. Particularly during Rogue and Wolverine’s argument in the middle of battle. All 3 have been or are leaders and understand the stakes. Nice to see Sam make sure they focus. Rogue’s over character is well displayed and the fact that there is a new vulnerability because she is in JGS and still dating Magneto was excellently displayed. But honestly, the character MVP here would have to be Marvel Girl. Rachel’s scenes always seem to show her being the strong woman that she has become. You can see her love of life but knows her duty well. Besides Rogue, she has had the most scenes. While they didn’t dive much into Rachel personally, having her be Rogue’s new bestie is working wonders for her. The overall pacing of the issues were great too. Nothing felt rushed and the fact that the conclusion of the Exodus story was not the end of the fight, but another touch on the philosophical debate started at Schism was a nice touch.
Overall, X-Men Legacy is a great book that stands shoulder to shoulder with it’s big sister, Wolverine & the X-Men. It does not need anything from the other book and Gage really helps keeps things going as he picks up from Carey with ease. Baledon’s style is a little odd but you get used to it and enjoy it. Particularly during both battles with Exodus. It is not perfect but it is damn close.
So, I give X-Men Legacy: Lost Tribes (260.1-263) an Intercontinental Championship Contendership (4 out of 5). Baldeon will get to perfect if he keeps it up. And the book is in great hands.
