X-Men Blue #7

Written by Cullen Bunn

Penciled by Cory Smith
Cover by Arthur Adams
Published July 19, 2017

   Mutants have been given their own homeland as part of their agreement with Hydra. Some though haven't gone along as easily as others. The X-Men are part of a rebellion, helping to free any of the mutants incarcerated for speaking out against the regime. At Utopia, Emma Frost, Beast, Xorn and Sebastian Shaw figure that Magneto has to be behind the X-Insurrection. Beast explains that not everyone sees New Tian as the perfect place. It certainly wouldn't be what Charles Xavier had sought. Emma tells him the strike team will go easy on them - after all, they're her friends too.

And who couldn't trust an organization called the "Hellfire Club"?

   At their bunker, Magneto disciple Briar Raleigh explains that the freedom fighters will be busy bees. Jimmy tries to duck out of guarding her again when a loud sound outside distracts them. The bunker explodes and when they look up, several former friends and foes are united to take them in. As the fight begins, the team their fighting has new powers - signs of a "secondary mutation". Archangel zips by his past self and hits him with toxic feathers. Original Angel falls while Jean Gray drops Mondo. Suddenly she feels a vibration and Scott's older...younger brother Alex fires an energy blast at them while Toad takes out the former X-leader. 

Havok - still being savage.

   Iceman and Beast find themselves slowly outmatched and Havok mentions to Jean that all she ever did was make the X-Men weak. Jimmy moves to attack but she backs him off, while an escaped Cyclops pass out cold. Eventually the entire X-Crew lays unconscious and Havok calls for them to be transported. The issue wraps with Scott waking in his cell with the older version of his former lover. Emma Frost reintroduces herself to the young mutant but with that, we're left to be continued.
   It took awhile but these new X-Books have finally gotten themselves on par with some of the classic versions of the past. Cullen Bunn knows how to write, and working in the framework of Secret Empire, keeping it interesting - well that's just an extra bonus that frankly I didn't see coming. I knew they couldn't keep Emma Frost down for long and they brought her back in an amazing way. Great pencils too. I give this one a 9/10.

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