Amazing X-Men #2: Two Truths and a Lie

X Years Later, the X-Virus has devastated the Earth, humanity is on the brink of extinction, the X-Men have all but fractured, but the world still needs them in its darkest moments. 

I feel a bit like Cyclops as I write this review. Similar to him I’ve been thrown into the deep end of a world I have little to no bearings in, him being thrown ten years into a future that is all but dystopian, and me being asked to step in to fill in to review a book whose first issue I hadn’t read yet. That is where our similarities end though, as Scott’s adventures through Armageddon is much more eventful. 

It’s not hard to equate Scott and Hank’s journey through the territories as similar to Journey to the West or at the very least Wizard of Oz with an expanded cast. A group of freaks travel to face their destiny. Though in this context Scott is essentially reuniting the shattered remnants of his team. This most recent issue sees our depleted X-Men confronting Magik, or rather the Darkchylde. This leads to a very interesting game of wits that makes Scott confront his shortcomings, but also showcase his abilities as a leader. 

I can do anything. Anything. As long as I have the X-Men with me.

There is an inherent hope within Scott, a hope that only surfaces when the X-Men are at his side. That is his greatest strength as a leader, his belief in his people. His belief in his friends. It’s his secondary mutation. It’s very Captain America-coded. 

Jed MacKay continues to flex his knowledge of the characters and even utilizes a couple of deep cuts of character lore in order to explore just how different this world has made them. Though it is framed as a fish out of water story, Scott still very much understands his comrades as people, further solidifying his status as leader of the X-Men. There are also some dashes of dark humor, such as how Darkchylde’s domain is run. 

Mahmud Asrar’s art matches MacKay’s script beat for beat, with the battle between Darkchylde and Scott being a particular highlight. Matthew Wilson’s muted colors also continue to give this timeline more gravitas.