X-Men United #1 set up an intriguing start by placing a new school for mutants inside a mind palace. Going by the name Graymatter Lane, Emma Frost is using Mr. Sinister’s technology and new mutant Axo to keep things tethered, but whatever happens in the palace happens in real life. It’s a dangerous prospect using a villain’s tech, and at the start of X-Men United #2, everything is on fire!
There are a few compelling threads in X-Men United #2, though the issue does suffer a bit from being shorter than the opening issue. That’s partly due to the number of pages Eve Ewing has to fit her story, although she does get to check in on a fairly large number of mutants. At the center of this issue is a mystery involving Captain America and super soldiers he’d like to connect with to make amends. He goes to Emma for help, though it’s clear she has her own mysterious reasons for doing so.
Before Cap enters the tale, a solid six pages are spent rectifying the cliffhanger in the last issue, as a fire has erupted, and Cyclops’ fears appear to be a reality. Besides this scene showing Emma has things in control, and Cyclops is willing to come in guns blazing to get a response, it’s a fairly slow opening that feels like it could be tighter.
Iceman is written with a bit of a comedic turn here.
Credit: Marvel
Once Cap enters the story, the actual mission moves forward, though there’s some voting by the leaders of Graymatter Lane to show there’s some order within this outfit. Between that and Kitty Pryde going to Magneto, the politics that made folks love Krakoa are there, even if it’s light and fairly simple.
The last third of the issue is devoted to the mission, with some surprising results. Given the team Emma put together and what each one faces, it’ll be interesting to see who and what they’re facing in the next issue. It’s a bit too little, too late, however, given the limited action.
Art by Tiago Palma is fairly rough, especially for a mainline X-Men book. The action feels stuck, and some character faces look a bit rushed. Beast looks great, at least, and the new villain at the end is intriguing visually. General storytelling feels stiff as well, with basic flow across the page never really exciting or progressing the story in an interesting way.
X-Men United #2 keeps the ideas coming, but the execution does not always keep up. Eve Ewing continues to build out a fascinating premise, and the addition of Captain America introduces a new layer that could pay off in a big way. The problem is how long it takes to get there. The issue spends too much time resetting the board before finally pushing the story forward, and by the time the mission kicks in, it feels like it is just getting started. The art also struggles to elevate the material, leaving some moments flatter than they should be. There are still things to like here, especially if you are invested in the concept, but this chapter feels more like a bridge than a standout.
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