X-MEN #38: Smoke and Mirrors

The X-Men at work and play

Originally Published November 1994

We begin outside the grounds of the newly christened Xavier School for Higher Learning. Jean is excited for the new beginning. It really feels like, ever since the wedding, that the X-Men have gotten a breath of fresh air -- minus, I suppose, the fact that most of their colleagues were recently abducted and subjected to horrific bodily experiments.

In his lab, Beast allows himself a moment to celebrate a breakthrough in Legacy Virus research, only chastening himself when he reminds himself that he's still about six years away from curing it.

Iceman knocks on the door -- he's looking for a big furry pal to lounge around poolside, but Beast is a tad preoccupied. Instead he finds Rogue. He vents to the resident southern belle that following Emma's brief stay inside his skull, he can't seem to get her voice out of his head, and nobody, absolutely nobody, knows what that's like.

Anyway, Bobby does the classic "turn the pool into ice just before Rogue dives in" trick that so endears him to everyone -- as if his self-absorption and inability to read the room didn't already make him a fave.

When Rogue reacts unfavorably to Bobby's little jape, Bobby flips it around and insinuates that it's just because she's got drama with Gambit and is projecting on him. Yeah, that'll calm her down.

In the Danger room, Jean and Betsy engage in a little psychic workout as they attempt to hone the psychic abilities Psylocke has regained since the death of Kwannon.

They also remark on Betsy's fashionable new Demi Moore haircut (that's Demi Moore in Ghost, not in G.I. Jane) and confirm that Psylocke was only horny for Cyclops because of Kwannon's influence, and now that she's dead, that's passed. Well, to be clear, she does think he's sexy, but wouldn't do anything about it now.

Because of Kwannon.

Jean's not overly worried about it anyway. After all, it's ancient history -- over twelve years ago, for her!

Anyway, seems like the red-haired psychic and the purple-haired psychic are becoming chums.

Next up, Cyclops has a fun and safe workout planned for Sabretooth, who has happily agreed to crawl back into his cage after freeing himself during the Phalanx Covenant. When Gambit tricks Scotty into leaving, the Cajun cranks up the death-o-meter as if he has some kind of personal beef with Creed.

 

Interlude: A guy named Adam with a truly aggressive mullet is looking for the mysterious Dr. Milbury (that's Sinister to you) and is so desperate for leads he digs up Carter "Hazard" Ryking, who points him toward Charles Xavier.

Whenever Sinister isn't in an issue, characters should be asking "What is Sinister up to?"

In what remains of his ready room, Charles laments the lost of a vast trove of information, but he has a backup in the form of one Gareb Bashur, also known as Commcast, a mutant who is capable of receiving and storing all information. Bishop is wary -- this man might be a threat. Charles agrees, but he might also be an ally -- ever think of that? -- and whatever information he may have received was encoded by super impenetrable Shi'ar codes, so they're safe, so nyah.

Reckon they'll go find Commcast in Philadelphia.

In another interlude, we check in on Charles' long neglected son Legion, who has been resting in a coma in Israel. But that doesn't mean he can't have big dreams, and in this case he's being visited by Destiny -- the woman he murdered -- for inspiration. 

Destiny's point, that Charles' dream never really got off the ground because of Magneto's meddling, gives him a crazy idea... just crazy enough to work.

Back at the mansion, Sabretooth makes short work of a holo-program, but he and Gambit come to blows over Sabes' meddling in Gambit and Rogue's relationship. Sabretooth notes that he's got some real Sinister dirt on Gambit, way worse than that story about Paris.

All schemes and mysterious backstories must tie back to Sinister

Gambit notes that he's change, that he's learned to do the right thing and to like being an X-Man, and he's going to prove it by getting his happily ever after with Rogue. Rogue happens by and notes that that's all well and good but it's never going to happen until she gets right, and to do that she needs to head off into her own limited miniseries, on sale soon.

Iceman returns to his pal Hank for a pep talk, and the two agree to go for dinner to chat things out. Xavier, back outside admiring his new sign again, notes that while thins have been a tad rough for the X-Men lately, it really feels like better days are ahead, and quips a corny joke to send us home.

Further Thoughts:

Before I had read this issue, I covered the last issue of Uncanny, where I lamented that, as much as I enjoy "breather" issues, and can understand the need to promote the new Generation X series, the issue missed an opportunity to seed any serious future plots, while it deals with with the fallout from some recent events (although glossing over the horrible trauma the X-Men have recently undergone.)

This issue goes one better. Yes, it sees the X-Men dusting themselves off after the Phalanx and going, "Now, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, the White Queen..." but also points an arrow at the future. We get a tease of big happenings with Legion, the mysterious Adam, and of course Fabian Nicieza's seemingly favourite guy Sinister, who is linked to Gambit for, it appears the first time (although they were originally going to be linked a lot closer under Claremont.) It's a tight little issue with a little bit to say about the characters, but more importantly moves the pieces forward and introduces some intriguing new players.