This solo series is surprisingly successful so far. Bringing in Mirage of course helps, although it's not fair for her to be second fiddle in any book.

I like the developing friendship between Scott and Illyana, especially since they weren't originally peers. Would like to see more friendships develop between the original New Mutants and X-Men of their era, particularly as they're all adults now. more

Bonus points for the amazing art.

Yay for Jean as a solo hero. Good seeing a familiar face in Corsair but he's weirdly inappropriate here! Sold on a Jean book; not necessarily the cosmic angle, but giving it a fair shake.

I like the Latverian mutants. Don't have much else to say.

Actually a commendable ending to a series that was probably 2 issues to long.

The art is not Neves but Bruno Oliveira. I am sorry to say that this style completely took me out of this narrative. Literally everyone is cross-eyed on every panel, giving the whole thing a goofy feel.

Beautiful Phil Noto art. But I can only hang on so long to this title while the lead characters are freaking Ms. Marvel, Rasputin IV, Talon and Synch. I need my A-list X-Men please.

I think it's clear Gillen is the best X-writer in the stable right now.

I'm not nearly as harsh a critic on this series as most. I thought it was pleasantly fine. I just think it pretty uncool that Marvel is willing to pay writers and artists and spend other publication costs on * flashback * series. Hello, what about a current Storm mini in continuity? Or Gambit? Or Jean Grey?

And, if you're going to do a flashback, answer a dangler. Example: How the hell Jean and Psylocke switched powers in the Revolution era. more

Emma is Duggan's Mary Sue. She must appear in every issue he writes.

Disappointed this is another 'What If' story. I want a real adult Jean Grey solo in present time, not flashbacks and what ifs. However, the actual writing is good.

I have asking for an adult Jean solo series for years and it's finally here! Only. . . it's kind of a 'What if?' story. It seems only the last issue will be relevant. However, the writing and art is very good, so I'll score it well.

Don’t like this lineup (particularly comic trash Azazel) but it exceeded expectations.

I can’t with the nonsensical spelling of Shadowkat but on the whole this was good. Her scenes and development were the highlight. Not sold on the composition of this team though, especially Ms. Marvel and Rasputin IV. I want my banner X-Men 😢

There was a lot of anticipation for the first issue of X-MEN in a post-Hellfire world and Gerry Duggan showed that the X-writers’ room wasn’t going to hold any punches during the Fall of X. X-MEN #25 continued to show how bleak the mutants’ current reality is and offered little hope for an immediate fix.

The main story of the issue primarily focuses on Kate Pryde’s new role in the mutant rebellion several weeks after the events of the Gala. She’s now adopted the Shadowkat persona — a more ruthless version of the Shadowcat persona she had during the 1980s. Through flashbacks, Duggan also reveals what happened to her immediately after Gala and how she ended up going down this darker sinister path.

To start the issue, Duggan also writes a touching conversation between Krakoan era Kate Pryde & a rabbi that acts as an anchor to remind readers that deep down inside Shadowkat, she’s still a good person at her core. I’m really excited to see the development of Shadowkat as part of the larger mutant rebellion and I hope that Duggan can withstand the urge to turn this new persona into a caricature similar to what’s happened with Moira.

While he has other characters mention it directly, Duggan does a great job writing the character to remind readers just how powerful and important Shadowkat is to the survival of mutants. The artwork by Stefano Caselli also goes a long way in reminding readers just how dangerous Shadowkat can be in hand-to-hand combat with some of the more disturbing visual depictions of her powers in use that I can remember.

While it was great to see more of Shadowkat, we also got an initial glimpse of how the mutants who escaped the Gala with Emma Frost are building a network of resistance. It all felt very reminiscent of the original Star Wars trilogy and I can’t wait to see how Duggan handles telling this part of the story arc where the X-Men are the underdogs.

Rating: 8.5/10 more

Don't at all like Ms. Marvel as a mutant.

Some things didn't add up like the practitioners of the Red Triangle Protocol.

Plausible practitioners of the Red Triangle Protocol

Angel
Nightcrawler
Shadowcat
Wolverine
Bishop
Forge
Gambit

Probably Not

Emma Frost (She would have her own defense; it was designed to withstand her in the first place)
Rasputin IV (if this technique survived generations)
Monet (never a student of Xavier; would use an Emma technique)
Synch (nevert a student of Xavier; would use an Emma technique but maybe learned from Jean)
Kwannon (never a student of Xavier)
Northstar (never a student of Xavier)
Aurora (never a student of Xavier; also a very fragile psyche)


No Way

Ms. Marvel - absolutely 100% implausible
Daken
Lourdes Chantel (trained by Emma if anyone, definitely not Xavier)
Talon more

After completing this series I'm not sure what the point was. Hoping for a break from Betsy, she received a huge push the past 4 years and needs to be in background for a while.

Don't get the Jean/Scott spat but otherwise very solid.

Heartbreaking!

Want more Doug.

*sigh*

Wake me when the New Mutants show up.

Liked the artist!

Kudos to Orlando's deep cuts but this was literally a litany of just mutant reports one after the other.