X-Men Gold #33-35

GODWAR pts I-III

Written by Marc Guggenheim
Penciled by Michelle Landini and Simone Buonfantino
Covers by Phil Noto
Published Aug 1, Aug 22, and Sept 5, 2018

   In Kenya, Storm's adopted mother Ainet is executed for her continued belief that the mutant is a godess. A month later, the news reaches her via the Wakandan consulate, also accompanied by the revelation of a strange new death cult.

More bad news. Death cult...

   She packs her things and tells her teammates she must face the threat alone. When she arrives, a guide explains the "death cult" rumor as something misunderstood about Uovu, their apparent new deity. Later on, she's introduced to this scary looking maniac, who quickly disarms the windrider by presenting to her her long dead birth parents.

I know you don't like me... BUT LOOK AT THIS!

   Storm is overjoyed by their reunion. But as they walk around her old village, it becomes clear to her that something isn't right. She investigates and overhears Oovu discussing how he'll make her his servant. When she looks up, she sees scores of dead villagers in catacombs. She attacks, but is overwhelmed by zombie villagers who slowly swarm towards her.

Get back, get back, y'all don't know me like that.

   Oovu tells the goddess that there’s nothing she can do to stop it. Meanwhile on the other side of the planet, the X-Men battle the Executioner. While the battle rages, Kitty sees Storm’s Asgardian hammer Stormcaster whipping across the sky. It opens a portal and Storm’s teammates can see she’s in trouble. Following the hammer, they step through into Africa and work together to evacuate the endangered tribespeople.

One minute, you're fighting another one of Marc Guggenheim's shitty villains; And the next you're stepping through a portal to fight another one.

   Storm realizes that the further the pretender is from his power source - the now dead tribesmen, he loses his strength. They engage in one final battle as Ororo finally feels Stormcaster beginning to wane. With the fight over, the hammer dissipates into sand. Obviously this means that the once dead villagers will soon return to dust. She’s able to spend a few last moments, first with her birth parents and later with Ainet, who heap praise on the daughter they’re so proud of. With that, this story arc drifts to an end - and the X-Men Gold era prepares for it’s final penultimate issue.

"But Kitty, why in the middle of the issue were we suddenly drawn completely different?"

   I like how two of these books were drawn by the same person but for some reason #35 not only had one guest penciler - but two guest pencilers. Just to get it done - I guess. It’s kind of the way I feel about the majority of this series. I got to hand it to Marc Guggenheim, who managed to write 35 mediocre issues but it’s pretty clear Marvel never gave him much of a creative team. From it’s maligned first issue all the way to this one, it’s just been one gaffe after another. This arc is sadly no real exception. I give these three a 6/10.

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