Age of X-Man: Apocalypse and the X-Tracts #2
Cody White
Recap
As Apocalypse and Kitty attend their first rally and come face to face with the X-Men (these events unfolded in Marvelous X-Men #2 and were recapped in brief in this issue), the rest of the X-Tracts are in the field trying to retrieve a death-dealing Communist mutant (Omega Red). On the way, they encounter a collection of Department X mutants and barely escape with their lives (but not all limbs). After they have fled, however, they discover the fascist mutants dead and the team has a new ally-- a true believer in the cause.
Review
While there is comfort (for me, at least) in seeing a revolutionary force like the X-Tracts fighting for love in their authoritarian world, there remains a quiet sense of discomfort in the zealousness of Apocalypse’s character, along with some of his followers.
While En Sabah Nur’s message is one of community, there is a distinct feeling that his embrace of community seems that akin to a one-way mirror, where he shields certain truths in the attempt to manipulate his disciples’ beliefs that his way is the only way, much like a cult leader might do. I expect this notion will be fleshed out further as the series develops. We already hear echos of this idea in Trevor’s skepticism of Evan as not a true believer in the cause, regardless of whether or not he supports the cause, much as we see in other books in the cluster.
A recurring theme throughout the series seems to be instant attraction, as we see here with Pete and Kitty (and elsewhere with Blob and Betsy). It seems as if these connections spontaneously combust across the Age of X-Man and are the most deadly threat to the false world.
Final Thoughts
Apocalypse and the X-Tracts #2 takes the purity felt in the first and issue and subverts it here for the reader making this one of the most compelling of the five mini-series thus far.
Age of X-Man: Apocalypse and the X-Tracts #2: These Songs of Freedom
- Writing - 9/109/10
- Storyline - 9/109/10
- Art - 10/1010/10
- Color - 10/1010/10
- Cover Art - 8/108/10
