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Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Amazing X-Men #4 (Age of Apocalypse part 35)


Age of Apocalypse Part 35

Amazing X-men #4


Written by Fabian Nicieza   
Art by Andy Kubert
Inks by  Matt Ryan
Lettered by Richard Starking





Open With:
A religious ceremony is taking place in a temple of the Madri.  The Madri are a religious cult that worship Apocalypse as a god.  They currently have the mutant Bishop strung upside down in their temple.  They plan on sacrificing him in the name of Apocalypse, not as a martyr but as a heretic against their belief .  The heresy, knowing of a time where Apocalypse was defeated by the X-men in our prime universe.

As the high priest continues the ritual, the room gets cold and a female mutant makes her entrance from a window ledge above the alter; enter Storm.  The gallant heroine, uses her powers to summon a hurricane force wind  to send the Madri scattering. The nimble woman uses another talent to free Bishop from his manacles, lock picks.
Elsewhere in the temple:
Two mutants disguised as Madri, Quicksilver and Banshee, make their way to a Guarded room. The Guard asks what they are doing as it isn’t time for the Changing of the Guard.  Banshee answers the     question by using a hypersonic sound to knock out the guard. The two open up the locked chamber and discover Jamie Madrox Prime.  The very mutant that created the duplicates of the Madri. 
This young mutant has been further augmented by Apocalypse to create more duplicates than his mind can handle.  Which brings Banshee to ask the question; If they can save the man without killing him.
Cut To:
Back in Westchester, the Astonishing X-men team arrive at an empty base. Rogue asks Victor if he can tell what happened and where everyone is.  Our current favorite Savage Mutant uses is tracking ability and heightened senses to learn what occured on the grounds of the former Xavier mansion.
Victor describes a fight with Magneto and Apocalypse, and also catches a sent of a young child.  Rogue assumes that it is her son Charles, but is corrected by Colossus as he shows up with his sister and his wife.   
Momentarily distracted by the Russian teacher, Rogue asks where his students and  are.  Colossus answers with a simple, They didn’t make it answer. Rogue offers Shadowcat some sympathy over the loss of her students.  Shadowcat doesn’t want her pity and give Rogue the intangible shoulder.


Shadowcat uses that moment to inform Rogue that Dazzler and Exodus are down in the Tunnels looking for Charles. The Mutant mother takes of for the Morlock tunnels with Sabertooth and Wild Child in tow.
Cut To:
The Tunnels under the mansion are sealed off by a large circular door; which is easily opened by Rogue, Sabertooth, and Wild Child.  Just as they are about to enter the tunnels to take an explore. They hear familiar voices walking towards them.  Rogue recognizes Dazzler, Exodus and Gambit with his X-Men.  
Rogue a little confused askes, Where is Charles?  Have you found my son?  Exodus explains that Gambit  apparently knows what happen.
Outside the X-men Mansion:
All is peaceful and quiet, when a boy comes flying out of the Mansion disturbing that silence.  Remy Lebeau a.k.a. Gambit lands on the grounds with an angry Rogue following behind.  She orders the Cajun thief to explain to her what happened to her son.
Meanwhile back in Quebec:
Bishop and Storm are battling the Madri  with exhaustion starting to set in they really need some backup.  
That backup being elsewhere in the castle as Banshee and Quicksilver debate as to what to do with Jamie Madrox. When out of the darkness comes the villainous mutant Abyss.  He attacks the two X-men, while dishing out the usual evil mastermind type banter. Banshee challenges and fights Abyss while Quicksilver protects a hysterical Jamie Madrox.
Banshee and Abyss’ fight takes down a large section of the castle on top of them and only Quicksilver and Jamie make it out of that section alive.   Jamie in turn tells Quicksilver that his friends are still in trouble, he also mentions that now that he is free, he can shut down his dupes and save Quicksilvers friends.  Jamie does this, but the backlash of so many minds kills Jamie; thus sacrificing himself to save the last of Quicksilvers team of X-Men.


Later:
Bishop and Storm emerge from the wreckage to find Quicksilver alone amongst the rubble.  They ask where is Banshee and what happened.  Quicksilver tells them what happened, as well as the sacrifice that Banshee made to save everyone.  The three mutants leave in their airship with sorrow.
Cut To:
The former Xavier mansion is teaming with people as Rogue and the rest of the X-men have gathered.  Dazzler and Exodus manage to hold the southern belle back from Remy as she wants to pound her former friend into the ground.
Just then Nightcrawler arrives on the scene with Destiny and Mystique,  Colossus askes Nightcrawler if he succeeded and if the woman with him is the mutant Destiny. Kurt confirms that and then asks about Bishop, in the hopes to get answers.


Right on Cue the airship with Quicksilver and company arrives and the three heroes exit the ship. Everyone has a quick expositional type chat and Quicksilver makes an affirmation that they will have a new mission to take down Apocalypse.
To be continued in  X-Men Omega.
THOUGHTS ON THE STORY:  The Story is ok, we get an wrap up to the man plot threads as we prepare to head into the final issue of this giant cross over.  Several players are brought together to help with the overall resolution to the story.
ART:  Andy Kubert has been written about before in several of my other reviews. I like his art and he is the quintessential X-men artist for me.
All in all I give this book a:

Score   7.5  out of 10




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