Powers of X #1
Story By: Jonathan Hickman
Art By: R.B. Silva
Colors By: Marte Gracia
Publisher: Marvel Comics
This week was the debut of Power of X #1 (X is pronounced 10), the sister series of the House of X. The first thing you learn is the reason that it’s pronounced “Powers of Ten.” The first page of the series reveals that four time periods will be the focus. There are referred by exponents. X⁰ is Year Zero, the period when Professor X created the X-Men. Followed by, X¹ as Year 10, the present time in X-Men depicted in House of X. Then, X² is 100 years later. And finally, X³ is 1,000 years after that.
Hence, the Power of Ten. Make sense?
I think it can feel overwhelming at first but after re-reading it, I got it. Powers of X #1, primarily focuses on the period 100 years in the future. During this period, Mutants are engaged in a war against the alliance between humans and Sentinel robots. Hickman includes the explainers like in House of X, helping us ease into this new information. At some point between X⁰ and X², Mr. Sinister was permitted to create the “Sinister breeding pits of Mars.” Similar to the Sentinel HOUND program, this program would breed mutants that had powers with “aggressive, militaristic traits.”
Why anyone would trust Mr. Sinister is beyond me. Regardless, Sinister created a “Chimera” class of mutants. The first generation had a “singular DNA source,” the second one had “DNA composed of two separate X-genes,” the third produced mutants that had a “amalgamated DNA featuring up to five X-genes.” Sinister created a fourth generation that resulted in “systemic failure,” the “destruction of 40 percent of the mutant population,” the “fall of Krakoa,” and “mass suicide.” One fourth generation mutant that survived was Rasputin.
She was given DNA and powers from, Quentin Quire (telepathy), Colossus (Metal skin), Unus (force-field shield), Kitty Pride (Intangibility) and Laura Kinney (Healing Factor). Of course, Mr. Sinister betrays mutant-kind, and defects to the Man-Machine side. They publicly executed him. The mutant population has been decimated to merely ten thousand that mostly live out their lives as refugees and soldiers in the Shi’ar Empire. Some of the older X-Men remain alive like, Wolverine, Magneto, Xorn and Black Tom Cassidy (he looks like Groot). Meanwhile it’s revealed that Nimrod and Omega Sentinel Karima Shapandar are running the Man-Machine Supremacy on Earth.
While I prefer House of X, Power of X is really interesting. There’s a lot to grasp here but like House of X the explainers help. I also prefer the art style of Pepe Larraz, R.B. Silva is pretty good as well. Power of X does spoil what happens to the mutant nation of Krakoa. I’m not bother by this, but it does make the revelations in House of X feel worthless or at least knowing it will all be destroyed undermines it significance. On a side note I am interested in the Empress of the Shi’ar Empire, Xandra. It was indicated that she was interested in taking over the Sol system. Also she’s the “daughter” of Charles Xavier and Lilandra.
Overall, Powers of X #1, manages to include old characters with some new ones, while introducing interesting events. Future timelines in comics an become problems, but Power of X may get them right.
Sources: Marvel fandom
It definitely sounds a little overwhelming like you mentioned, but the art looks really smooth so I can see myself checking this out once its in trade. I just gotta keep the dates and timelines straight
I’m so over the billion X-Men possible futures. This book is trying way too hard to be “deep” but it comes off as confusing. That’s a problem with House of X too, but not as bad and it at least has familiar characters to enjoys. Just seems too pretentious but I’ll give it another issue at least.
I love House of X. I’m not to sure about Power of X. Time travel and future timelines can be convoluted and hard to write but I think Hickman is doing a good job so far.