This is Claremont’s launch, and he basically ignores the short, forgettable arc that preceded this one (it was just filler after the big Apocalypse event), and begins six months after Cyclops’ death.
A new race called the Neo appear for the first time, and will serve as the villains for much of Claremont’s return. They cause problems for the X-Men. Like putting Kitty into S&M gear.
Also, remember how the original Thunderbird was the first Native American X-Man, and how he died in his first adventure? Well, now we have an actual Indian (from India) to replace him.
That’s him, above. It’s convenient that this X-Men team travels with their names floating around them because there’s no explanation for who he is or where he came from.
This issue had six(!) variant covers, was super-sized, and introduced a bunch of changes that, as readers, we were not supposed to understand (because 6 months has passed).
None of this bodes well. It’s confusing, the story is “big” with lots and lots of subplots that I don’t care about. There’s about a dozen new characters. It feels like a lecture more than a story.
I totally agree. When the most interesting scene in the entire issue is of Kitty Pryde all bondaged up, that’s a sure-fire sign that the writer is out of gas. A lot of people would disagree with this, naturally, but frankly, Claremont “hit the wall” creatively in the mid-to-late Eighties, and has been just coasting on his laurels ever since. ( “has been”-see what I did with that-???? ) This Leinil Yu person is a not half-bad artist. He/she is no Byrne or Adams, but the artwork is not half-bad! What happened to Leinil Yu?? “C-“- I agree.
Yu is a legendary artist. has done lots of things.