The X-Men have given the world some of the greatest comic book storylines in history, and one of the biggest is the infamous ‘Days of Future Past.’ Running through Uncanny X-Men #141-142, Days of Future Past took place in a world where mutant-kind had been all but wiped out by the mechanical menace of the Sentinels. To this day, its impact resounds through the X-Men franchise; Rachel Summers, who was born in this dystopian hellhole, came to the present and is now a valued member of the mutant heroes. It spawned one of the best X-Men movies in X-Men: Days of Future Past. So how do you flesh out a legacy like that? X-Men: Days of Future Past – Doomsday #1 from Marc Guggenheim, Manuel Garcia, Cam Smith, and Yen Nitro attempt to answer that question.
From the jump, the creative team leans into the dystopian trappings that permeated Days of Future Past. If you have a favorite member of the X-Men, chances are that they’re not escaping alive – unless they appeared in the original storyline. Garcia is pulling no punches with his artwork – characters are atomized, ripped apart, or buried under an angry mob. It’s horrifying, yes, but it also lets the audience know upfront what they can expect. As the series leaps through the years, characters visibly age. The most prominent example is Kitty Pryde, aka Shadowcat: in one panel, she’s a teenager, the next, she’s a middle age woman whose face is lined with fear and worry for her family.
The biggest standout of the art is Nitro on colors. The book starts with the X-Men being chased by Sentinels, and it’s every bit as dark as you’d imagine. Shadows fall over everything, from wrecked buildings to rubble-strewn streets. The only source of light comes from the ominous glowing red eyes of the Sentinels, as well as the reddish-orange hue of their laser blasts. Compare this with later pages, where the sun shines bright and the various colors of the X-Men’s uniforms can be seen; it’s a harsh juxtaposition as well as a reminder that things are going to get worse before they get better.
Credit: Marvel
Writing-wise, Guggenheim is no stranger to the X-Men. His previous crack at the merry mutants, X-Men Gold, was a study in contrasts: it brought together a collection of fan-favorite mutants with Kitty at the helm but at times felt like it never hit its full potential. Having survived that experience (to borrow a popular phrase from X-lore), Guggenheim turns his attention toward showcasing how exactly the world of Days of Future Past came to be. The status of Marvel’s other heroes, including Spider-Man and the Avengers, is touched upon. Kitty and Colossus’ children are mentioned briefly.
Where the story shines strongest is in the reaction from normal people to mutants – and eventually other powered people. The X-Men have always served as a metaphor for the oppressed, and that metaphor shines strongest – especially at a time when those who don’t fit the “norm” are seeing their rights being challenged by people who are supposed to uphold them. Guggenheim seems to understand that better than most, which makes Doomsday‘s more shocking moments hit. It also helps paper over some of the more lackluster turns, including a riff on Civil War that lacks the impact it was going for.
X-Men: Days of Future Past – Doomsday #1 provides a deep, dark insight into the origins behind one of the most famous X-Men storylines and pulls no punches in the process. It’s tricky to build upon such a beloved storyline, but this first issue is off to a solid start.
X-Men: Days of Future Past – Doomsday #1 is available wherever comics are sold.
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