Release: March 2026 | Writer: Eve Ewing | Artist: Tiago Palma | Colorists: Brian Reber | Letterer: Joe Sabino
With the help of Kitty Pryde, Axo, Rift, Bronze and Melee. Emma Frost has brought back a place to train the next era of mutants. But will this new training facility survive the scars from Krakoa?
*SPOILER WARNING AHEAD!*
A NEW HOME:
With her empowering aura, Emma Frost pours herself some tea and puts on some music. Announcing that the gates to Graymatter Lane are now open. All of the X-Men from across the world, no matter what team or location they're at. They follow these entryways being created for them to enter Graymatter Lane.
Looking at this brand new and beautiful location, Kitty Pryde and NIghtcrawler reunite excitedly. But someone who isn't excited is Cyclops who's in Emma Frost's office with the other X-Men. While she's explaining the purpose of this place being a mixture of a place to train mutants like Xavier's old institute and a safe haven like Krakoa, Cyclops isn't happy about this. He says that no matter what mutants try to do, when they are all together in one area, they're basically sitting ducks waiting for an attack.
They try to calm Cyclops' nerves by saying that with the powers of Emma and Axo, they have been able to block any sort of attacks from the outside to harm them. Trying to hammer in the fact that they're truly safe. But Cyclops leaves in anger before being stopped by Kitty in the hallway. Cyclops is passionate about this being a dangerous idea and decides to completely leave this idea to everyone else but himself.
Back in the office Rogue talks about how Cyclops is worried about outside dangers, but in reality she knows that who Cyclops doesn't trust are the mutants that are already inside Graymatter.
CLASS IS IN SESSION:
Wolverine and X-23 start class in the Danger Room, looking to train these new mutants that are joining the team. Joining them is Bronze, a mutant like Axo who was a member of the Exceptional X-Men with Kitty and Emma. They are teaching the students how to successfully block an attack.
During this lesson, tensions begin to run high between the students as some of them don't seem to see the reason to be here because of their age. Wolverine tells them that it's not about age, its about skill. Galura knocks back Wolf Cub, claiming that he didn't even try to block her. Causing him to go into a rage and attack Animalia, who he wasn't even training with. While X-23 tries to get him under control from his rampage, Galura flies over him.
Breaking through the grasp of X-23, he claws Galura's shoulder, cutting her open and causing her to bleed. Bronze and Wolverine hold Wolf Cub back from any further attacks. These new students have a lot of learning to do.
Bronze leaves the infirmary to catch up with Axo, Melee and Rift. They talk about how beautiful this place is and how happy they are for Rift and Emma making this all happen for them. They joke around with each other about codenames before Rift sends the team down to the Empathy Machine. Basically like the new Cerebro. The only difference is that Axo uses his power of emotions to locate mutants who are suffering from things like isolation and depression. Which brings them right outside of Paris to a mutant named Mariama LaChance.
After Melee witnesses Mariama being bullied, she's slipped a paper with instructions on how to get to the X-Men that she follows and is brought to Bronze. Bronze welcomes her with confetti and a calm, welcoming demeanor.
Back at Graymatter, Axo is approached by a mutant named Sophie who wants to sit with him and keep him company. Before Kitty shows up and reminds him about a mission they have to go on to retrieve another piece for the device he uses to find mutants. The only issue is that they need to go back to Verate HQ where Mister Sinister tortured Axo. Sophie asks to join and they're off.
While they're at Verate HQ, something startles them, what is it?
A clone off Lockheed that Kitty decides to take home and gift to Bronze who gives this female Lockheed the name of Marigold.
Cyclops is still stewing back at the Alaskan X-Men Headquarters talking to Blob. He says that Emma and Kitty are leaving mutants open and vulnerable for something bad to happen and he wants it to end. Blob tells Cyclops that he seems to just be scared of Emma Frost and tells him to admit it. Cyclops scolds him and tells Blob that he's "handling it". Blob asks what he means by that when we see a building is set ablaze with Cyclops saying that he's doing what's best for them.
CREATIVE TEAM:
Tiago Palma's art is GORGEOUS to look at. There's an image of Wolverine mid-battle that just looks phenomenal. In my past reviews I always speak highly when artists add a cartoon approach to their art. Exaggerated movements and exaggerated poses are right up my artistic alley and this issue nails it. The emotions that the characters display all look phenomenal, especially with Axo whose whole character is based around emotions. I hope to see more of their art going forward outside of just this title. I personally feel like their art style could be utilized well in a Spider-Man title in the future.
CONCLUSION
This was a good starting point!
The pieces do seem to be coming together kind of fast and if you read the other X-Titles, this seems to happen a bit suddenly. But we'll have to see how it plays out in the next issues of the mainline X-Men and Uncanny. Just feels a bit disconnected from the others as of right now. If you've read Exceptional X-Men like I have, this is ABSOLUTELY a sequel to that series. Seeing Kitty and Emma's kids being in leading roles is nice to see since they were some of the new characters I really liked.
Cyclops (allegedly) setting fire to the building seems a bit...much? I don't know. Marvel seems to go one step forward and 2 steps back with Cyclops recently. I hope they can really get his character back on track because going from reading this to the mainline series, he feels like a different person, personality wise.
That being said, I'm still hopeful for this return to X-Men being in a school environment. Teaching the next generation and tackling new issues, there's some strong potential here if done correctly.