We Protect Our Own
Written By: Jeff Lemire, Charles Soule
Art By: Aaron Kuder, Morry Hollowell
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: October 5, 2016
Publisher: Marvel
Art By: Aaron Kuder, Morry Hollowell
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: October 5, 2016
Publisher: Marvel
*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*
This book got a lot of coverage in the comic book world when
it was first announced. Marvel played things pretty close to the vest and didn’t
release a whole lot about it so many people believed that this was the book
that Marvel was finally going to use in order to kill off the Mutants. Well,
now we know that isn’t the case (though Marvel could still certainly do that
with Inhumans vs. X-Men next month) but rather it is the story about how we
have gotten to the place we are now in the Marvel universe. This story is a
flashback to the time not too long after Black Bolt released the terrigen cloud
on the world and we are just seeing its first effects. Now, this book is really
separated into two different stories that each occur alongside each other so
you would read a couple pages about the Mutants and a couple pages about the
Inhumans and it would go back and forth like that. I really enjoyed that aspect
but for my review, I’m going to focus on one side first and then go to the
other side. I think it will just be easier for all of you reading this. So,
without further ado, let’s jump into this series.
The story starts with the Mutants so we shall start with
them as well. We learn that this story took place one year ago from where we
are now and the Mutants are flying the jet over the Atlantic Ocean. On board
the jet are Cyclops, Emma Frost, Magik, Iceman, Goldballs, and the Stepford
Cuckoos. The Mutants are responding to a distress call the received from Muir
Island. Jamie Madrox had left them a message but most of the message had been
lost in static. They land on the island to find that it seems to be covered in
a green gas. However, the gas doesn’t seem harmful to them, with exception to
Goldballs who experiences some nausea. They reach the main facility and Emma
Frost is only able to sense a few minds still inside despite the fact that the
facility was fully staffed. Cyclops develops a cough on the island but they
move forward anyway.
Inside the facility, the mutants quickly find the first
body. The body is covered in boils and is unrecognizable to them. The Stepford
Cuckoos then sense someone outside of the facility and the team goes outside
once again into the gas. They move out to the side of a cliff and see dozens of
bodies all belonging to Madrox, who had the ability to create copies of
himself. However, there is one still alive and he climbs towards the group begging
for help. Cyclops immediately jumps down and tries to help him. Madrox is
covered in the boils as well but not to the same extent that the other bodies
had been. However, he quickly passes away but with his final breath he reveals
that they found that the terrigen mist was what had done this to them. Cyclops
sends the team back to the jet while he goes through the computers on the
island. He calls up Beast and informs him that something is harming Mutants and
it is the terrigen mist. Cyclops then collapses in the middle of the facility.
When we return to the Mutant’s Cyclops has recovered but his mood has changed
dramatically. As far as he is concerned the Mutants and the Inhumans are now at
war and he holds the Inhumans responsible for the deaths on Muir Island. He is
going to attack them because that’s the only way he knows to protect his people
and he Mutants always protect their own.
Over with the Inhumans, things are a little different. They
are using their own jet to fly over Masumoto, Japan and the terrigen cloud is
right behind them. Looking down on the city, they see that a rather large cloud
has gathered and thanks to local chatter, they realize that most of the
population has decided to remain in the city. When the terrigen cloud had first
hit a city, most of it had evacuated completely. They’ve come a long way. The
cloud finally touches down and we focus on one pod that has suddenly emerged.
However, while the people of Japan marvel at it and take pictures, they quickly
begin running instead as the Inhumans aren’t the only ones in the area. Hydra
is attempt to steal the Inhuman transformation pods but there are too many
people in the area so they raise their weapons and plan on firing into the
crowd. However, our Inhuman squad consisting of Crystal, Grid, Gorgon, Flint,
Naja, and Iso stop them before they can hurt any innocent bystanders. However,
they then look into the scky to see three massive Hydra gunships flying above
them and many more soldiers begin to filter out onto the city.
A massive brawl breaks out between the Inhumans and Hydra.
At the beginning it seems that the Inhumans will be able to easily take them
out but the reality sets in quickly and suddenly they are on the defensive.
Hydra looks like they will win but suddenly the Inhuman pod begins to hatch and
out comes a man with a blue mohawk. He stumble for a bit and seems to lack
control of his new power as he knees on the ground and releases a huge amount
of blue light. The light had affected most of the Hydra agents and put them
into some kind of trance. The Inhumans pick off a few of the stragglers before
addressing the new Inhuman. The new Inhuman is incredibly grateful and is
overjoyed. He says that he has been alone for so long and Crystal thanks him
since without his help, the rest of the team would be dead. She then offers him
a home with the Inhumans where he will learn more about his powers so that he will
not only be protected but also be able to protect others. After all, the
Inhumans always protect their own. This is where the issue leaves us.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this series going forward.
I mean, I understood the basic idea behind the book but as far as quality and
how this story would play out, I had no idea. That said, I was pleasantly
surprised by this book as we got an amazing narrative about the Inhumans and
Mutants. Seeing the Inhumans dealing with new creation while the Mutants deal
with death is almost poetic and the fact that we were constantly flipping
between stories really showed how the two were in complete contrast to each
other as far as where their people are. Honestly, there is very little about
this issue that I didn’t like. The art was amazing and the dialogue was really
nicely done. Granted, it wasn’t perfect, but very few first issues are perfect.
They are setting up a story that will hopefully pay off in the future and that
leads to a lot of set up in the first issue. That said, this issue was just a
fun read and I’m looking forward to more.
Bits and Pieces
Death of X starts off very promising as we get the
beginnings of this major conflict between the Inhumans and the Mutants. While
one group faces a new golden age, the other group faces extinction and they are
on a collision course. This issue sets everything up very nicely and using some
very impressive storytelling devices. I’m looking forward to the rest of this
series and I would definitely recommend this issue to anyone. How the rest of
the series will go, I haven’t a clue but this is one of the best ways to start
it off.
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