New Mutants film coming to Comic-Con@ Home

The New Mutants film has been in release limbo for some time. A tonal shift from the previous Fox X-Men films, New Mutants was said to be more of a horror film than an action movie. Fans will finally see a new trailer on July 23rd and an official (really this time) release date, August 28th.

New Mutants was a spinoff of the X-Men comic that launched when the original team was thought dead. Professor X gathered a new group of teenage mutants to train in place of the senior team.

More below:

The New Mutants has gone through quite a journey since the first trailer was dropped at CinemaCon in 2017 — which was before the Fox/Disney merger. After its release date kept on erratically moving like X-men’s Nightcrawler, the Fox/Marvel pic seems to have stayed put for its August 28 release date but before that, fans will get a special Comic-Con@Home panel on July 23 for the first superhero horror movie from Marvel Entertainment.

The ComicCon@Home panel will feature writer/director Josh Boone as well as stars Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton, Alice Braga, Blu Hunt and Henry Zaga. Writer and Keep It! podcast co-host Ira Madison III. In addition, Twentieth Century Studios and Marvel have shared a clip of the film which you can watch above.

Fans of comic book movies have been wondering when they will get to finally see The New Mutants as its history of release dates include April 13, 2018; February 22, 2019; and August 2, 2019. It was looking to drop April 3 of this year before finally settling in on the pre-Labor Day release date. There were rumors that the comic book pic would stream on Hulu pre-Fox merger, but Disney has committed to the theatrical release.

The New Mutants is set in an isolated hospital where a group of young mutants is being held for psychiatric monitoring. When strange occurrences begin to take place, both their new mutant abilities and their friendships will be tested as they battle to try and make it out alive. The film is produced by Simon Kinberg, p.g.a., Karen Rosenfelt and Lauren Shuler Donner with Stan Lee and Michele Imperato Stabile serving as executive producers.

The Best There Is At What He Does

The concluding panel of Uncanny X-Men 132

Short and feisty, the claw-wielding killing machine from the Great White North started small in the pages of the Incredible Hulk (a joint creation by Len Wein, Herb Trimpe and John Romita Sr). When the ailing X-Men comic book was revived by Wein and artist Dave Cockrum, Wolverine was introduced and a legend was born. Cockrum fleshed out Wolverine, but it was during John Byrne’s run as co-writer and artist that he saw a rise in popularity during a violent outburst (colored in all red) that made the book sales soar. A fan favorite character, Wolverine evoked the gritty attitude of the “man’s man” 70’s and 80’s action heroes.

Later, Chris Claremont and Frank Miller would add distinguishing characteristics to the Wolverine in a four part solo adventure set in Japan, making him a blend of rugged bruiser and a noble warrior.  There have been many additions and revisions since, but this remains the boiler plate for the Wolverine.

Sideshow Collectibles has developed a Sixth Scale Figure of Wolverine that is every bit as mean-looking and deadly as the comic book mutant.

Every X-Men fan knows what that means. Joining our growing Marvel Sixth Scale figure collection, is the Sideshow Collectibles mutant hero, Wolverine!

Ok, so while he may not actually be laced with adamantium, Logan is more than ready to let the claws come out. Meticulously crafted on an all-new muscular body design with two pairs of beefy arms, multiple swap-out hands, and a full range of articulation. Fitted in a fantastically tailored tactical version of his classic brown and tan costume, ol’ Canucklehead comes with both masked and unmasked head sculpts, each channeling his unbridled berserker rage. To further honor his impressive legacy, we’ve also included the legendary Muramasa blade, a key weapon from Wolverine mythos.

So what are you waiting for, Bub? If you’re looking for the ultimate Wolverine, let there be no doubt – he’s the best there is!

The Wolverine Sixth Scale Figure specially features:

• Unique Wolverine body with over 25 points of articulation
• Masked portrait
• Unmasked Logan portrait with separate pulled back cowl
• Two (2) pairs of interchangeable aesthetic arms including:
  – Neutral pose
  – Flexed pose
• Left and right gauntlets
• Four (4) pairs of hands including:
  – Fists with extended claws
  – Fists
  – Grip hands
  – Gesture hands
• Left and right boots
  Detailed fabric costume inspired by Wolverine’s brown and tan appearance
• Exclusive Muramasa blade with scabbard

Constructed in 1/6 scale, the Wolverine figure has a Sept-November ship date.

Is Hugh Jackman’s final Wolverine outing going to be Old Man Logan?

The comic book/superhero film is currently an entire industry rather than a niche market or a film commonly filed under science fiction. While it can be said that Sony’s Spider-Man broke new ground in the genre when it was released in 2002, the first X-Men film (released in 2000) introduced an entire ensemble of superheroes who lived in a unique ever-expanding universe. The result was a smashing hit and an explosive interest in comic book movies followed. The world of mutants became such a hit that several sequels and spin-offs carried the trend throughout the 21st Century, making the X-Men concept feel as fresh and new as it had back in September of 1963.

Hugh Jackman has played the deadly mutant in seven films (if you include his cameo in X-Men: First Class). His eighth outing is said to be the last time he will play The Wolverine and it’s sure to be knock-out. No one actor has appeared as the same superhero in as many films as Jackman has, so it is only fitting that he receive a special send-off.

Heavily rumored as an inspiration for Wolverine III is Old Man Logan, a multi-part story by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven that ran through the monthly Wolverine comic. The story is gritty and violent, set in a dystopian world of debris in which many of the heroes are dead while the villains control the country. Logan himself refuses to unsheathe his claws, still traumatized from a fit of rage that killed his closest friends. When he takes up a job with the blind archer formerly known as Hawkeye to earn some much-needed money, Logan begins a road trip across the once colorful battle-ravaged wasteland.

Since much of Old Man Logan borrows from properties currently owned by Sony and Marvel/Disney, I’m not sure how this movie would faithfully adapt the comic book. Even if Fox and Marvel came to an agreement that allowed them to share universes (which is the only way this film could be made), it’s still such a base and spiteful story (if they adapt Millar’s comic beat for beat). I like parts of Old Man Logan, but it gets a bit ‘Ennis-Punisher’ for me in the end as it’s a series of filthy gags.

All that said… it would be an unforgettable knuckle-duster of a movie.

Via WordofOddBalls:

At this point every comic book fan knows that the next Wolverine Movie is based on highly successful comic book plot “OLD MAN LOGAN”, which will bring to us weary Wolverine in a post-apocalyptic Marvel universe. Hugh Jackman has already started pitching for this movie by confirming that the fans are going to witness the legendary “Berserker Rage”. The only Wolverine movie that has thoroughly let down the fans was “Wolverine Origins”, it was really a drag, you know what? Let’s not even go there. At this point, the production houses are pitching the script to really good actors for the pivotal roles in the Movie. Marvel is maintaining complete secrecy about the plot, but Hugh Jackman has subtly confirmed that the movie is going to be about Aged Wolverine. After you guys look at the considered actors for the movie, you will get a clear idea that Wolverine 3 is going to be about OLD MAN LOGAN!

Via ComicPlanetCulture:

During the recent X-Men: Apocalypse panel at the San Diego Comic-Con, Jackman surprised everyone by saying “Old Man Logan” to the audience without confirming that it’s going to be his movie’s storyline. He simply said, “take from it what you will,” before moving out of the panel to give way to the next batch of X-Men actors.

In an interview with Collider, writer/producer Simon Kinberg gives us more insight into the third Wolverine solo movie including a hint that we may be seeing Millar and McNiven’s masterpiece story make it to the big screen.

We’re pretty close to a script that everyone’s excited about, and I don’t know when the start date is, but we won’t start until it’s ready to shoot. What Hugh said to you is the attitude we all have—myself, Lauren Shuler Donner, the studio, [director] James Mangold, Hutch Parker—all of us, feel like this is six or seven or eight (depending on how you count) movies in the making, and there are few characters in the history of cinema who have cast as big a shadow as Wolverine, so to tell the final chapter of that story, it has to be the best, and it has to have a mythic quality to it. So we have to get it right, and I think we will, and my experience working with Jim Mangold, I’ve been extraordinarily impressed with him. He’s just a really great storyteller; he’s incredible with character. Really diligent, just a special talent. I have very high hopes for that movie.

I can’t talk about what it [the story] is, but I will say that in its essence it’s something that Hugh has been excited about for a while, and something James Mangold is incredibly excited about, and the two of them together is a pretty neat thing to watch having made a movie together, and I thought they made a pretty good one. They just have a shorthand fluency and trust. It’s really nice to watch.

Movie poster by Bosslogix

The still untitled third Wolverine film currently has a March 3, 2017 release date.

X-Men and Fantastic Four headed for a movie match-up

The imaginauts and first family of Marvel Comics is once more headed for the silver screen and hopes are high they get it right this time. However, this time 20th C Fox has plans to bring the cosmic superhero team into the world of mutants seen in the X-Men flicks.

How, you may ask? Given the incredible lengths that ‘Days of Future Past’ went to in order to set the stage for a new time line which will be introduced in ‘Apocalypse’ next year, just about anything is possible for the merry mutants now. Add to this the fact that the new Fantastic Four film will be more centered on dimensional travel rather than outer space travel and I can see no reason why the X-Men and FF will not co-star on screen in no time at all. Especially given that comic book films are seemingly so bullet proof that Ant Man is performing well.

Via CBR.com:

Singer corroborated the X-Men and Fantastic Four team-up talk, saying that he has engaged in conversations with the “Fantastic Four” team — which includes “Apocalypse” writer/producer Simon Kinberg — to find a way to bring Fox’s two Marvel franchises together.

“Those ideas are in play,” said Singer. “That would be a natural match-up because they’re both ensemble films and there is a natural mechanism by which to do it. I don’t want to give it away, but it deals a little with time. That’s all I’m going to say.”

Since the relaunch of the X-Men franchise in 2011 with “X-Men: First Class,” the mutants have been hopping through the decades. They’ve moved from the ’60s to the ’70s in 2014’s “X-Men: Days of Future Past” and will land in the ’80s in next year’s “Apocalypse.” And as seen in trailers for this August’s “Fantastic Four,” we know that the rebooted foursome are interdimensional travelers. As Singer stated, the mechanism for their potential crossover does seem natural.

“We’ll have to see how the films turn out — how [‘X-Men: Apocalypse’] turns out, how ‘Fantastic Four’ plays — to really understand what kind of desire and how that would really work. I think to just say you’re going to do it would be a mistake. You have to see how the films evolve before you make that decision to completely commit to that. But there are those ideas in play.”

From the sound of Singer’s answer, it looks like we may know more about this potential crossover after “Fantastic Four” opens on August 7 and “X-Men: Apocalypse” opens on May 27, 2016.

So, what’s your opinion? Should the Fantastic Four and X-Men meet in a mega movie? If so, which team of mutants would you like to see and who would the villain be?

Let your words fly, readers!

New Mutants headed for the big time in upcoming feature film

In the 1980’s, comics were ruled by two hot titles; the Uncanny X-Men and the New Teen Titans. So it should come as no surprise that a teen-oriented mutant book would be released to conquer Marvel’s competition once and for all.  While never quite as popular as the New Teen Titans, the New Mutants had its core audience.

Back in the day, the New Mutants was a superb addition to the X-Men family. The first spin-off of the popular franchise, Claremont was joined by Brent Anderson and Bob McLeod in crafting a new team of youngsters to fill the space left by the X-Men who were thought to have died (imagine!). The series began with a stylish and slick graphic novel one-shot that gave the project a strong statement of support from Marvel. Awkward and lanky Sam Guthrie left his mining family to become Cannonball, Dani Moonstar departed the reservation to take on the name of Mirage, feisty Roberto da Costa turned his back on a life of luxury to become the super strong Sunspot, and shape-shifting Rahne Sinclair left the comfort of Scotland and was known as Wolfsbane. The team was initially led by a mutant previously introduced in the pages of Marvel Team-Up, Xi’an Coy Manh, also known as Karma.
(full article here)

With the next X-Men film looking like it could be the last outing with Bryan Singer in the director’s chair and the final Wolverine movie looming on the horizon, 20th C Fox must be looking for the next big thing and this could be it.

Deadline is reporting that a New Mutants movie is in the works with The Fault In Our Stars director Josh Boone. Boone will reportedly also co-write the film with Knate Gwatlney, with Simon Kinberg and Lauren Shuler Donner producing. No timeframe was specified for the movie’s release.

“We’re so excited to explore this new part of the X-Men universe, and so excited to do it with Josh, who is uniquely suited to tell this story about young characters,” says Kinberg.

Boone is currently working on a revamped movie franchise for Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles book series, as well as a film adaptation of Stephen King’s The Stand. Deadline reports that both of those are locked in, meaning New Mutants wouldn’t begin filming for some time.

This is the fifth announced X-Men film in the works, after X-Men: Apocalypse, Deadpool, the third Wolverine movie and the X-Force movie announced several months ago.

More as it comes…

The ‘Rogue Cut’ of X-Men Days of Future Past Available for Pre-order

It is debatable what was the first big hit modern comic book movie that got us to where we are today, an era when the man of the street is excited about an Ant Man film and the Avengers tops the charts in sales. However, I would say that Bryan Singer’s X-Men movies were instrumental in laying the foundation for this house of comic books back in 2000.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the groundbreaking X-Men movie and to celebrate, a special cut of X-Men Days of Future Past will be released incorporating additional footage such as scene in which Iceman and Magneto break Rogue out of prison. Beyond that, I’m trying my best to stay in the dark.

I have enjoyed all of the X-Men films (yes, even the third one just please don’t make me watch it) but Days of Future Past ranks up there for me as the pinnacle of them all and after over-saturation of comic book films, it reminded me why I loved the X-Men so much. While some will cry ‘double dipping’ over this release, I will be first in line for my copy because… I just love the X-Men, man.

The “Rogue Cut” of X-Men: Days of Future Past is now available to pre-order on Amazon.

The Rogue Cut adds 17-minutes of footage to the theatrical cut of Days of Future Past, including an extended action sequence featuring Rogue (Anna Paquin) as the X-Men try to free her from a Sentinel controlled prison.

The sequence was originally cut from the film in order to streamline the narrative, but director Bryan Singer and writer Simon Kinberg were always keen on the scene making it to fans in some form.

Singer has also promised other tweaks to the original film that will make the Rogue Cut a unique viewing experience.
(via comicbook.com)

X-Men: Days of Future Past – The Rogue Cut is scheduled to be released on July 14.

X-Men: Apocalypse adds new cast members to ranks

X-Men Logo Regenesis Designed by Jared K. Fletcher

Hated and feared by a world they are sworn to protect, the X-Men are the vanguard of the next stage in human evolution. Trained by Professor Charles Xavier, these outcast study in what is on the surface an unassuming private school. In reality, the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters in the training ground for young mutants in the fight against threats from within and without the mutant community (such as the Brotherhood led by Magneto).

The legacy of the X-Men is a long one and began in 1963 when a new series called The Mutants was developed by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee. The series changed into the X-Men (as Stan thought it sounded cooler) and focused on a class of youngsters unsure of their place in the world. As they stumbled into adulthood, their abilities grew and their world became more complex. Neither the family of the Fantastic Four or the supergroup of the Avengers, X-Men was something wholly other and in fact it struggled to find an audience for years (despite some stellar work from top notch creative teams). It wasn’t until the team was totally revamped and new blood introduced (in the form of Storm, Banshee, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Thunderbird, Sunfire and the brutal Wolverine) that the comic book saw success in a big way.

In 2000, Bryan Singer took key aspects of the comic book and translated them into a big screen adventure. While not exactly true to the precise origins of the comic book or the popular 90’s cartoon iteration, it nevertheless was a hit. It has spawned a seven film franchise with an eighth on the way.

in the last film, Days of Future Past, the ultimate final solution of the mutant problem was explored in a nightmare world in which monstrous robots created vast concentration camps for anyone they identified as a possible mutant. Launching a rescue operation into the past, Wolverine was sent to rewrite history, making the time of the Sentinels an impossible reality. The resulting time travel conundrum rewrote what had happened (and wiped out most if not all of the dread third film, X-Men The Last Stand).

Alexandra Shipp (Storm)

Sophie Turner (Jean Grey)

Tye Sheridan (Cyclops)

Kodi Smit-McPhee (Nightcrawler)

In X-Men: Apocalypse, a new team of mutants will emerge, albeit with new faces. The characters of Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm and Nightcrawler will appear but portrayed by younger actors.

The eighth X-Men movie will not only bring in new talent for existing heroes but also introduce a new villain in the guise of Apocalypse, who claims to be the first mutant born 5,000 years in the past. Along with his horsemen, Apocalypse is paving the way for a world ruled by only the fittest, destroying any in his way; mutant or human.

(eagle-eyed viewers may have noticed Apocalypse’s followers chanting his name – En Sabah Nur – as a massive pyramid was formed using mutant power at the close of Days of Future Past)

Singer has also been posting production stills via instagram:

Via RealtyToday (why? I have no idea)

Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios might be making the headlines of late due to their recently decided shared custody of the “Spider-Man” franchise, but the prequel/sequel “X-Men: Apocalypse” is also catching up to the hype. According to Screen Rant, the upcoming blockbuster will be set forward another 10 years from the “X-Men: Days of Future Past” timeline.

IGN noted that Singer has actually been sharing quite a lot of images from pre-production on his official Instagram page. There were images of an undone Cerebro set build as well as a model of what would appear to be Professor Xavier’s mansion. However, what caught the attention of the fans would be director Bryan Singer’s latest online post that seemed to give the fans a sneak peek into where Apocalypse lives.

It was a very mysterious piece of production art, as it looked like a ship with an indistinct yellow figure standing right at the bottom of a ramp that leads into it. Those who have followed the comics guessed that this object could be Ship, the sentient artificial intelligence creation that served as Apocalypse’s mobile home base, just as Comic Book has pointed out.

Set in the 1980s, the movie will be featuring younger versions of the lead characters, such as Alexandra Shipp for Storm, Tye Sheridan for Cyclops, and Sophie Turner for Jean Grey, as well as Kodi Smit-McPhee as the Nightcrawler. They will be battling the villain shown in the last movie’s post-credits scene, Apocalypse, who will be played by Oscar Isaac.

“X-Men: Apocalypse” will also be bringing back Rose Byrne to reprise her role as Moira Taggert, a CIA agent who also happens to be their mutant ally. Plus, Screen Rant says that it is highly likely that Singer will reel in new mutants as well. Since the blockbuster will be set in the 1980s, the fans will most probably see more interesting fashion choices such as side ponytails and leg warmers.

IGN also spoke to Isaac about his plans with Signer regarding the project of bringing the nasty villain into life. “Just as Bryan’s done with the other films, I think he seeks to find something a little more interesting than the archetypal aspects of the characters, which work really well in print,” Isaac shared. “But, for a film, I think you want to see a bit more of the – for lack of a better word – humanity in Apocalypse because, ultimately, this is a story about humans.”

Plus, the report stated that the production crew will be able to achieve the villain’s malleable look with the use of practical as well as digital effects.

“X-Men: Apocalypse” will be hitting the big screens by May 27, 2016.

Recommended:

On Netflix- Wolverine and the X-Men

Fox missed a trick with the Wolverine

I am a huge fan of the X-Men. One of the first comic books I recall reading is The Days of Future Past saga from Uncanny X-Men 141-142. Even as my habit grew and I collected other titles, I retained my love for the (not so) merry mutants. The appeal for me was that they were always on the run, always living life on the edge. Spider-Man may have rent and ailing family members to worry about but the X-Men were attacked by foes from the future, threatened by alternate realities, hunted by the government and at war with extremists.

The 20th Century Fox X-Men film series modernized the mythology of the comic book, often taking liberties with the source material but keeping the soul of the Marvel Comicverse while adding new elements that appealed to those unfamiliar with comics in general. It was a bold move but X-Men is the longest continuing line of movies based on comic book characters to date chronicling seven theatrical outings (if you count X-Men Origins: Wolverine).

The imaginative designs of the superheroes seen in print was stripped down to leather gear that bore only a hint at an X-design. In the year 2000, it was understandable as viewers were unlikely to accept colorful costumes.

However, with the success of several Marvel Studios films, the superhero costumes are now much more easily palatable to the average viewer. Clearly Fox was considering embracing the ‘yellow spandex’ that was once scoffed at as seen in an alternate ending to the 2013 Wolverine film in which he received a special package containing an outfit not dissimilar to the classic design.

A version of the yellow and blue outfit was seen in X-Men: First Class as well, but the series was still very self conscious of looking silly. Unfortunately, the Wolverine scene was cut which I think is a missed opportunity.

With the revision of the timeline in Days of Future Past erasing X-Men: Last Stand, the sky is the limit for the upcoming X-Men: Apocalypse. Perhaps we will finally see a blend of the colorful and practical designs, embracing the comic book origins of the X-Men.

Until then… print cut and wear this mask.

X-Men Apocalypse slated for 2016 release, set in 1970’s

Director Bryan Singer revealed via twitter that following the release of 2014’s Days of Future Past, the next X-Men film to be released will feature Apocalypse. More recently, the rumor has spread that it will also be set in the 1970’s and further develop the younger iteration of the team.

Via Screenrant:

Out of the blue, X-Men: Days of Future Past director Bryan Singer revealed last week that another franchise installment is coming in 2016. The X-Men: Apocalypse teaser preceded news that co-writer Simon Kinberg had signed a three-year deal with Twentieth Century Fox to help guide their own Marvel Cinematic Universe by writing/producing stories that span multiple films.

It all begins with Days of Future Past next summer, a time travel story that involves both the casts of the original X-Men trilogy and the younger cast from X-Men: First Class. Rumors last week pointed towards X-Men: Apocalypse serving as a direct followup that would aim to bring back nearly everybody, along with a few new faces, but as we learned today that may not be the case.

Variety has the scoop on Bryan Singer returning to direct X-Men: Apocalypse which comes as no surprise since we heard previously that it was him and Kinberg who were already planning out what the next X-Men team-up would be about. What is surprising is that they claim to have confirmed that X-Men: Apocalypse will be strictly set in the ’70s following the events of Days of Future Past, meaning no post-apocalyptic future and original X-Men returnees. This directly contradicts Bleeding Cool’s insider who claimed future/present team members would be back as well. At this point, it’s all unofficial and a lot of the rumors sound increasingly like speculation.

If Variety is correct however, this answers the question about how Fox will get the entire cast to return since if it’s focusing mainly on the First Class stars, they all initially signed with multi-picture contracts for a trilogy. Think of Apocalypse as X-Men: First Class 3 and think of Days of Future Past as a big budget investment (possibly the most expensive superhero film ever made) as a way to boost the brand appeal and box office results, leading into Apocalypse.

Introduced in the pages of X-Factor back in 1986, Apocalypse has become a cult supervillain for fans of the mutant comic book series. While he was simply a super powered evil mutant at first, he later became much more important. He was also the central threat to an alternate reality explored in Age of Apocalypse, a Marvel Universe without Professor X.

Properly handled, he could be a feature film villain that would equal Thanos in Avengers.

Quick Review- All-New X-Men #15

All-New X-Men #15

By Brian Michael Bendis and David Lafuente
In the aftermath of the AvX war and the death of Charles Xavier at Cyclops’ hands, the mutant community is once again split. However, this time it is Cyclops, acting as a fugitive from the law, who is asking his mutant brothers and sisters to rise up and strike back. The most devoted student of Professor X’s has turned into a zealous terrorist. Hank McCoy, the Beast, has traveled into the past and brought back the original X-Men team from their teenage years. This was prompted when Iceman said the only person who could talk sense into Scott was himself. Now the teenage X-Men from the past (Cyclops, Angel, Iceman, Beast and Marvel Girl) are stuck in the present, and reluctant to go back now that they know what will become of them.

When Brian Michael Bendis took over two concurrent X-Books, many fans threw their hands up and jumped ship. I can understand as I used to have a love/hate relationship with his writing style. Too much talking and in one voice. Well, his style has changed somewhat but if you have a predetermined stance against him, there’s not much here that could change your mind. That said, if you are avoiding All-New and Uncanny X-Men because of Bendis, you really are missing out on some great X-Men comics.

The notion of multiple versions of the X-Men running around and the damage it can do to the time continuum is mind-bending, but Bendis pull this off with so much expertise that it works. Hank has brought back the X-Men when they were young and brash and sure of themselves, which is not something anyone could have been prepared for. They are also exposed to the twisted continuity of the X-Men universe, such as ‘what’s the deal with Angel?’ which no one even attempts to explain. When the two heroes meet they cannot communicate.

Cyclops has met his brother Alex, a brother he never thought he would see again when he was a teenager, and they bond so warmly that it’s tragic seeing as how the Summers brothers were never that close and are now practically enemies.

But when Bobby sees the older iteration of himself making out with Kitty Pryde (who is currently his teacher) he loses it. There’s only so much that a guy can handle and he’s had it. He pulls Cyclops out of his perpetual brooding and the pair of them steal Wolverine’s jeep and head into the city.

Meanwhile teenage Jean Grey has encountered more blank stares and awkward behavior than she can deal with. She has also developed her secondary mutation of telepathy early (with mixed results). She knows that the Jean and Scott of this future world are married… or were… and keeps seeing the image of the Phoenix in the minds of her elder teammates but has no idea what any of it means.

When she bumps into Rachel Grey, her daughter from a possible future, it is one of the funniest comic book moments in recent years. It reminds me that, paired with the appropriate artist, Bendis is a very funny guy.

Artist David Lafuente is not to everyone’s liking and to be honest, when I saw his name on the cover I sighed, ‘filler issue.’ But his style really does fit this issue perfectly as the teenage X-Men act like teenagers and get into trouble, hormones raging and their sense of responsibility nowhere to be seen. As Bobby tries to pick up girls at the local fairgrounds, proudly explaining that he and Scott are time travelers, Jean makes a startling discovery of her own back at the school, in a most unusual way.

The elder Hank McCoy has undergone yet another mutation and as he attempts to teach Jean Grey in the use of her TK powers, is thoughts betray him and he thinks back to how much he loved her back when he was younger and how he could never tell her since she was in love with Scott. It’s an interesting turn of events that sets Jean off after Hank whom she confronts. The two argue a bit and then Jean explains that she is not in love with Scott, possibly as an act of defiance against the impossibility of it all in the face of the time stream… and they make out.

The issue ends with Jean looking at a wedding invitation for herself and Scott from this world’s past and is frustrated beyond words.

The All-New X-Men book, for all of its strengths, is resting on the shoulders of a gimmick. The teenage team has been dragged out of time into the present. But in the restrictions of that, Bendis has crafted a wonderfully fresh and entertaining book. Part of the appeal of the X-Men back in the day was that it took place in a school, in a massive mansion, where the team operated like one big family. That has been tossed around a bit over the past ten years with varying degrees of success, but in the newest iteration the character and personality of the book is so very strong.

There’s still plenty of action and drama (this issue is set right before a huge event called Battle of the Atom) but there is also so much strength in the ensemble of mutants therein. This feels like the X-Men books that I loved as a teenager… and that is a sweet thing.