[REVIEW] Exceptional X-Men #2

[apachefirecat]

I was honestly debating putting off reviews until I could get HalfAMoon completed for the year -- but then I read this issue and HAD to go ahead and make my gushing post! I could have squealed out loud (had I not been at work, LOL) the moment we see Ororo in Kitty's flashback!!!!!!! I SO hope that we get to see more flashbacks from her early days with the X-Men, if not an actual few guest stars who might understand Kitty's plight a little better and not try to push her (maybe just check in on her as true friends/family would)!!!! I also LOVE the nod to the old ice cream shops and that Kitty, rather she wants to or not, is literally continuing X-Men traditions began with her!!!!!!!!! (Much like Jubilee taking the kids shopping in the pages of Uncanny X-Men.)

Also LOVE how Emma moves in here! She can see Kate doesn't want to do it so she just sweeps in, rescues the kids, and starts to nope out there -- the entire time KNOWING this will push Kitty further back to her true self!

I also feel bad now for some comments I made earlier in regards to letter-writers assuming, or so I mistakenly thought at the time, that Kitty's roommate was the girlfriend. I DO like that she has a new girlfriend, as well as her friend from junior high and that we see she's basically having to couch surf on her friend's benevolence. I definitely enjoy the inclusion of so many races, including that we get to see a hint that Kitty's interest in the Middle East may have well started before her days with the X-Men. The dog's cute too, although (of course) far from being any Lockheed!

I have to admit too -- I LOVE Theo's and Axo's introductions here! Axo is way more of a Chamber-like teen than I thought, and Theo standing up for him, a mutant who was a complete stranger in front of most of her school and friends, makes her, despite how she turns later, EXACTLY the kind of character I normally love!

I'm glad to see Kitty consistently wearing her star of David too as her Jewish heritage is as important a part of her as her mutant genes, and I'm thankful to see that embraced.

I can also very much appreciate the scene with the bullies -- and the first bully who started in on poor, sweet, endearing Axo doubting himself and his initial reaction, so much like his father's, but then being egged on by his friends. One has to wonder how many times this happens with actual bullies group -- how the "leader" might not even be all that bad if only his own support team didn't keep encouraging him (or her) to be mean. There are always so many different dynamics and relations in every person's life that leads them to make the decisions they do and be the person they are or become, and this series is doing a great job of covering them all!! Can't wait to read more!

And I actually have NOT yet been able to pay for this back issue but found it online for free!!!!! PM me if you're interested.