Across the entire X-Line, series finales, one-shot extravaganzas, and title relaunches all vie for the reader’s attention in setting up the Fall of X, but X-Men #23 keeps its foot on the gas and reminds fans why it’s the franchise’s flagship. The public debut of the Stark Sentinels has finally arrived, but there is almost certainly more than meets the eye when it comes to these machines. Gerry Duggan, Joshua Cassara, Dee Cuniffe, VC’s Clayton Cowles, and Jordan D. White deliver a series of jaw-dropping reveals in X-Men #23, perhaps even outshining Kieron Gillen’s mastery of drama in this week’s fellow X-offering, Immortal X-Men #12.
SPOILERS AHEAD for X-Men #23!
Although the consequences of their most recent bouts with the Brood are apparent among the X-Men, it is clear that the team’s focus is steadily shifting towards ORCHIS current antics. The previous issue foreshadowed the Stark Sentinels’ introduction with the discovery of the gruesome X-Sentinels. The arrival of the Stark Sentinels has long been teased since the behemoths of hybridized Iron Man and Sentinel tech were shown to be in production in recent issues of Invincible Iron Man. Feilong’s push to upgrade the infamous mutant hunting bots with Stark tech has even escalated the drama over in the Carnage Reigns crossover, but their entrance in X-Men #23 puts them to the test against their true enemies.
For all the pomp and circumstance around their debut, “When Cometh — the Stark Sentinels” is fairly straightforward in plotting out the conflict between the X-Men and Stark Unlimited’s new Sentinel drones. Though they pose as a privatized alternative to superheroes, the first Stark Sentinel online wastes no time in attacking a mutant firefighter in the middle of a crisis in the Bronx. The Iron Man upgrade works wonders, since the machine is able to repel Iceman and Synch’s usage of Polaris’ magnetism as soon as the X-Men arrive at the scene. In fact, the metal monster nearly kills half the team in their battle, but Magik and Jean Grey eventually reduce it to scrap before sending it to the chop shop.
“X-Men fight new, more challenging Sentinel and beat it in the end” is not breaking any new ground plot wise. However, the fight is a nice showcase of the team working together especially in spite of the current rift between Scott and Jean. Further than that, the issue is full of other twists and turns that almost demand a simpler structure when it comes to the A-Plot.
The first of such reveals arrives at the very top of the issue in the heated first encounter between Doctor Stasis and Mother Righteous, the spade and heart suits of clones fashioned by the original Nathaniel Essex oh so long ago. Mister Sinister, Doctor Stasis, and the intergalactic Orbis Stellaris have been confirmed to the head of a suit and a clone of Essex, and the same has been assumed true for Mother Righteous. The first shock of X-Men #23 is that Righteous was originally cloned from the DNA of a different Essex, Nathaniel’s long lost wife Rebecca. More surprising still, she informs Stasis that she plans on usurping ORCHIS right out from under him. The possibilities of what this all means nearly makes my head spin, and exponentially increases my excitement for the upcoming Sinister Four one-shot.
From that truly cold open to the main fight against Stark Sentinel 001, the reader may have found solid ground under their feet before the third act rips it right away again. Though she just about destroyed the Stark Sentinel single-handedly, an after action report between Feilong, Stasis, and Nimrod confirms that Illyana has been infected by ORCHIS nanotech, teasing an even darker purpose for these deadly new drones. The conclusion shifts attention from ORCHIS back to Krakoa for the most incendiary reveal of all. Emma Frost shares the news of Ms. Marvel’s death with Cyclops. Scott and Kamala are close friends, which leads Emma to correctly assume “this changes [Scott’s] calculus on our previous conversation?” Though the weight of all this is gutting to Scott, Emma is prepared to handle it, but no real clarity is given towards Kamala’s potential resurrection or theorized retcon into mutantdom.
Finding flaws in X-Men #23 is just about impossible. Duggan’s dialogue is delightful, especially between Scott and Emma, and Cassara’s craftsmanship hums throughout the whole piece. If nitpicking is allowed, neither an Omega level ice power nor Lorna’s mastery of magnetism affecting the Stark Sentinel is a bit hard to swallow, but these drones need that kind of plot armor if they are meant to pose an actual threat to mutantkind.
Action-packed and filled to the brim with drama, X-Men #23 is excellent. In a time when the looming Fall of X has made many new fans anxious, well-made comics like this instill confidence that the X-Office has plenty of great stories to tell and is not slacking off anytime soon. There’s a lot of X-Men coming out this week, but this issue cannot be missed.
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