Marvel’s Age of Revelation has kicked off with X-Men: Age of Revelation Overture, and now a direct continuation of that issue is here with Amazing X-Men. Leading the charge is Cyclops, who is ten years older in body, but his mind is from the last time we saw him, 10 years prior. While he and readers try to make sense of a broken and twisted world, Wolverine is hot on his tail and wants to finish off the X-Men. Considering how many X-Men died in the Overture, I’d say Cyclops has pretty bad odds of making it out alive.
Headlining this miniseries is Mahmud Asrar, who is one of the best in superhero comics today, and puts on a clinic in this issue. Storytelling and drama are piqued, like when Revelation forces Wolverine to submit, or when Deathdream enters the story with his ghost army. A full-page splash of Wolverine killing a prominent character is just one of many highlights, and you won’t be disappointed with a single panel.
The story opens pretty much where we left off, as Cyclops is trying to get his bearings after the loss of Forge and other mutants. He and Glob are in conversation, and MacKay makes it clear Glob is far different in this future, and he pushes back on Cyclops quite a bit. He’s grizzled from years of war and loss, and yet Cyclops persists in being team lead.
Meanwhile, Beast gets plenty of page time as he gathers information and begins to understand what is going on. A mystery involving Animalia, also known as Ms. Starkey, suggests there’s more to uncover between them, while the virus that changed this world is the big mystery for Beast to unpack.
Were they a couple or am I reading this wrong?
Credit: Marvel Comics
There’s also a key scene with Revelation that subtly suggests there may be a way to stop him. That, and Wolverine is very much fighting back the best he can.
The key sequence, however, is later in the issue involving a visit to Greymalkin prison. There’s plenty to unpack here, from what it has become to who resides there on top of a big action sequence. Simply put, we’ve never seen Wolverine so dangerous before. It’s a sequence that feels lengthy with plenty of panels and character beats to sink your teeth into.
One gripe that’s present in a few scenes is how characters don’t just say things outright, but keep them a secret. It’s a conventional way to keep readers guessing and to keep subplots and mysteries alive, but more than once, I thought to myself, “just say what you wanna say!”. It’s a convention that’s common and totally understandable, but I noticed it more than once.
On top of all that, there’s a nice two-page final scene that sets up the next issue nicely. With so many scene changes and reveals, this issue is packed to the gills with excitement.
Amazing X-Men #1 is a gripping continuation of Age of Revelation, balancing character-driven tension with blockbuster spectacle. With Asrar’s dazzling art and MacKay’s ability to keep readers hooked through twists and relentless stakes, this is an essential chapter in Marvel’s boldest X-Men era yet. The story keeps readers guessing by having characters hold back key truths, adding to the suspense even if it occasionally feels like a narrative trick.
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