One Nation Under Krakoa . . . X-Men #1 Review

Writer: Jonathan Hickman / Artist: Leinil Francis Yu / Marvel ” . . .they’ve spent far too long passing off the past as the future.” The Dawn of X is upon us, and what better way to set to start off the new run than with a Summers (extended) family cookout. Fresh on the heels of the conclusion of House of X / Powers of X , the mutants of Krakoa have plenty to celebrate. They now find themselves united with a sovereign state, language, homeland, and even the ability to escape death. Officially the flagship title with Legacy numbering of #645,  X-Men #1 sets the stage for the next act under the charge of writer Jonathan Hickman with a look into the team’s revived proactive tactics, the looming threat of Orchis, and some family vibes on the moon-based Summers House.

The effects of living united on the island of Krakoa and its portal-connected habitats have made the X-Men optimistic, bold, and all of them are handling their newfound stats in their own way.  In the opening sequence, Storm, Cyclops, Polaris, and Magneto infiltrate the last Earth-based Orchis stronghold to rescue kidnapped mutants. More on the offensive than they have been in years, the X-Men are bold and precise in their attack. While taking out Orchis soldiers and robots, even Storm drops more militant bars than usual – “…man should know when he is beaten – he should know how to break and run.” The mission succeeds, but the X-men discover that Orchis has also been running tests on humanity by creating posthuman…