X-MEN #23 – In the Beginning

Creative Team – Jed MacKay, Tony Daniel, Mark Morales, Fer Sifuentes-Sujo, Clayton Cowles

Published by Marvel Comics

Check out more comic reviews from Megan here!

The Story

After reading the thrilling event of X-Men: Age of Revelation, I was very curious as to what happened ten years in the past with Scott making the switch. We saw his perspective of his past mind X-years into the future, but what could have happened with his future brain that’s lived through all of the trauma of the Age of Revelation? Turns out, his making the time-traveling switch was like dropping a hungry coyote into a chicken coop. Scott came out, guns blazing, looking to take down Doug Ramsey by any means necessary. He had been waiting for this moment and had taken into account how each of the X-Men would fight back.

What he didn’t take into account was Hank not accompanying him in the time traveling due to his Tachyonaut Transmission failing. He’s without backup, he’s without a plan, and now Doug is making plans of his own. Now, Scott is having to make the plan up as he goes along. He doesn’t care what needs to happen, as long as he stops Doug Ramsey in his tracks.

The Writing

The epilogue of X-Men: Age of Revelation gives a great look at just how determined Scott was to ensure that Revelation’s reign never happened. He went as far as trying to kill Doug in front of his fellow X-Men, which puts it into perspective how terrifying the future is.

With how much we saw during the Age of Revelation, we never really got to see the future’s Scott and his mindset. So, this was very interesting to see where his head was at after the exciting ending of the event. Jed MacKay perfectly sets the tone and the desperation of Scott Summers, who is only doing what he thinks is best. Scott knows Doug’s true capabilities and knows that no one else will understand how evil Doug Ramsey can be. Working by himself in this fateful mission, it’s clear that Scott will stop at nothing to ensure that the future is safe.

The Art

The artwork of X-Men #23 is as fantastic as the storyline itself, thanks to Tony Daniel, Mark Morales, Fer Sifuentes-Sujo, and Clayton Cowles. The pages are beautifully detailed from beginning to end complimented by the perfect amount of vibrancy, juxtaposing darker colors.

What I really loved about the artwork is that it’s able to illustrate the tension of the characters pristinely. You can feel the sheer confusion from the X-Men while Scott brings his desperate need to avenge the future by killing Doug. There’s also a looming feeling of confusion from the X-Men throughout the comic as they’re just trying to understand the reasoning behind future Scott’s actions. The artists grasped the huge emotions of the comic in a big way, allowing the reader to empathize with the characters.

Final Thoughts

The epilogue of X-Men: Age of Revelation brought a perfect answer to the question “What happened when Scott went back into the past?” X-Men #23 brings excitement, action-heavy panels, and the looming feeling of acceptance as you know what’s to come from Revelation.

Overall Grade – 10/10

Let me know in the comments below what you thought of X-Men #23!

This review was written by Megan from the Vigilante Vibes Podcast! If you liked my review, be sure to check out my other reviews! Let me know what you think of X-Men #23, or tell me what comics you’d recommend me trying out! Find me on my socials, and check out my Marvel podcast, Vigilante Vibes, by clicking here!