Bishop War College: Get Ready for Some Battle Ready Training With A Classic X-Men Feel

FINALLY! AN X-men story that can tell a story without pushing more mutant worlds or convoluted histories. Just good old-fashioned time travel and the fight to survive. It is refreshing, amid all the Krakoa fodder, to get a comic that retains that classic X-men feel, mixing old and new characters in a story that does not feel like a repeat of something done before.

Lucas Bishop is an incredible character who has been put through various versions of hell, depending on which horrible alternative future he comes from. Bishop shines as a tough drill sergeant trying to whip a new generation of mutant defense into shape. So it is refreshing to see how that has affected him mentally. What does he think? How does he work? What motivates him? And in truth, he is motivated by the same factors that brought him from the past in the first place: to prevent the horrific future he saw.

The story introduces some old foes for…well, everyone and introduces some new faces, including old fan favorites Surge and Armor. This story is about old threats, new threats, and being prepared for what is to come.

The colors in the art are vibrant, the action sequences make you feel the pressure the students are under, and the visuals have this air of something on the panels that helps illustrate Bishop’s fears while still presenting each character in the story. There is also a visible generational gap between Bishop and his students, which is well portrayed in the art.

This comic is a fun read and a solid first issue into what I hope will lead to a strong run.