My complete unbiased look and review of the telling of the story of Wolverine and the X-Men #1 by Scott Summers aka Cyclops.
Wolverine and The X-Men #1 hit the stands yesterday, the story following Schism where everyone's favorite mutant with claws (not mine, I prefer Laura, X-23) has left the island of Utopia to re-form the school in Westchester NY under a new name and new management.
Logan has taken on the role of Headmaster of the Jean Grey Institute of Higher Learning (Yeah Logan, like that's not a shot at me...jerk). Along with Headmistress Katherine "Kitty" Pryde (at least he put Kitty in charge with him) the two have a staff of X-Men who have come along with Logan to take on the task of teaching the next wave of mutants.
The senior staff consists of Beast,(whatever) Gambit,(what is he going to teach sex-ed?) Rachel Grey,(my own daughter switches sides) Rogue(this will be good for Rogue) and Iceman(Bobby finally stepping up). The junior staff is Cannonball,(Sam is above being junior staff, this is a mistake) Chamber,(is not ready at all to even be staff) Husk,(way to many issues of her own to be teaching kids) Karma,(good call) Frenzy (no comment) and Doop(does he even speak English?) with Toad as the schools Janitor. Why they need a janitor in a building that is self contained and filled with alien technology seems odd, so most likely he's there for Logan to torture and for our comic relief.
The story is told by Jason Aaron and brilliantly penciled and colored by Chris Bachalo with Tim Townsend, Jaime Mendoza and Al Vey on inks. They need three inkers because Bachalo's work is so big, so detailed and beautiful it needs three guys to handle it.
In this first issue we see Professor Xavier giving his blessing to Logan about taking over the school but also turning down a role as member of the staff. Which is odd because Xavier sure doesn't fit here on Utopia, so who knows where Charles will end up.
The story then goes on to show members of New York State Department of Education arriving to do a review of the school to see if they qualify as a school. This part I find odd as the school technically isn't a school. I mean for all of Wolverine's posturing and going off on how the kids need to be kids the only classes we see going on are all related to being a mutant and a super hero.
My daughter Rachel is seen teaching a class on Psychic Self Defense, Paige is seen teaching Introduction to Mutant literature, and every room in the house is infused with Danger Room Technology. So the question needs to be asked how is this different than Utopia?
I told Emma at the end of our little skirmish or schism that Logan and I had, that she needed to stay with me but she considered going with Logan to go be a teacher. I told her we we teach here on Utopia and Emma responds that we train here, and there's a difference. I'm guessing if she went to Logan's new school she'd be back at Utopia in a week, as all they are doing is training, and of course the school is named after Jean, and there's now way she'd handle that well.
The new Black King, a child, reveals himself to Logan, he better call me with this news regardless of our agreement and on its very first the school he finds it under attack by some subteranian monster. Good job Wolverine, maybe you should join another team so you can spread yourself thinner and then preach to me some more on how you should do things right.
All in all, I'll admit, it was a good story of Wolverine and his X-Men and I'm looking forward to the next issue, and the art by Bachalo was amazing. Watching Logan on this journey with this cast of characters is going to be a great ride. Check it out for yourself.
