Mystique and Sabretooth are showcased in all their mutant malevolence on the cover of this week’s All-New X-Men #9 but Kitty Pryde is the star of this latest chapter by Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen so I chose this commanding cover to issue 6 for this story.
I remember way back when Kitty was calling herself Sprite (or was it Ariel? She changed code names and costumes so much back then!) and Kitty didn’t join to join the X-Babies (aka the original New Mutants.) The phasing mutant may have had trouble finding her identity then but Kitty Pryde is confident in her new role as teacher in All-New X-Men and it’s amazing to see and a joy to read. Jason Aaron started the transformation of Kitty when he made her co-headmaster of the Jean Grey School. Under Brian Michael Bendis, Kitty has assumed the role of teacher/mentor/taskmaster to the original X-Men who Beast brought into the future.
I love seeing Kitty being cool and confident as she drills tactics and tough love to the new junior X-Men. In this issue Bendis takes a classic X-Men scenario and injects new excitement and meaning for these time lost mutants and their squad leader. The original Jean Grey has always been the rival of another female mutant (Dark Phoenix, Madelyn Pryor, Emma Frost.) It appears Bendis may be crafting a new rivalry with this “other” original Jean and Kitty. This Jean has been shaped by the sudden emergence of her telepathic powers combined with the future shock that’s at the heart of this book. Given the recent displays of power I fear this Jean may not need the Phoenix Force to slip to the dark side!
Back to the cover couple, Raven and Victor recruit another sinister mutant to their cause. I don’t want to give it away but if you enjoyed Mike Carey’s X-Men run (Blinded by the Light, Endangered Species, Messiah Complex) then you’ll love the rogue who makes a well-deserved comeback in this issue. Mystique’s evil influence continues to infect the Jean Grey School even when she’s not around as the young Cyclops faces repurcussions from his earlier encounter with the shapeshifter. All-New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men have been building to the next big event: Cyclops and his revolutionary squad (Emma, Magneto, Magik) arrive at the Jean Grey School! Will the young Scott have the impact Beast was hoping he’d have on the modern Cyclops or will be a war of mutants?
By Editor