COMIC BOOKS: X-Men: X of Swords

Dean Poling, The Valdosta Daily Times, Ga.
·2 min read

Sep. 4—Things you need to know before opening "X-Men: X of Swords": — The X-Men and all mutants have formed their own nation on the living island of Krakoa. — The mutant nation has promised the rest of the world help in fighting disease through various medications. — The mutants cheat death by resurrecting new bodies if they are killed or die. Their memories are regularly uploaded into Professor X's Cerebro, which is a device he has long coupled with psychic abilities to find mutants throughout the world. — The mutant nation is governed by a council that includes various heroic X-Men as well as traditionally villainous mutants such as Magneto and Apocalypse. All mutants live together on Krakoa.

OK, readers who haven't picked up the Marvel Comics X-Men titles in the past year or three may be lost entering "X of Swords," which is a massive crossover event that delves deep into the new world of the "X-Men."

The thick, 700-plus page trade paperback edition collects 22 issues from the "X of Swords," "X-Men," "Wolverine," "Excalibur," "Marauders," "X-Force," "New Mutants," "Cable," "Hellions" and "X-Factor."

Here, the mutants learn that their island home of Krakoa was once part of a larger land. An ancient war split Krakoa from the land of Arakko which has since existed in another dimension.

A malevolent army has conquered Arakko and wants Krakoa, too.

A place called Otherworld stands as the dimensional portal between the worlds. Saturnyne, the Otherworld ruler, declares a contest between the inhabitants of both lands.

Each land has 10 champions, each armed with a legendary sword or one forged by a sword-making legend.

The X-Men learn that not only is their homeland at stake but so are their lives. If they are killed in the other dimension, they can be resurrected but not with the complete download of their psyches from Cerebro.

Jonathan Hickman serves as writer and grand designer for this worthy saga. Hickman leads an all-star roster or writers and artists in "X of Swords."

And the epic is worth crossing swords for ... though again, if you haven't read any X-Men in a while, prepare to be perplexed or at least do a little homework or find past issues/collections.