A blockbuster collection and story with major ramifications for the mutant family - of course this is based on comic book reality, which if full of dying and returning characters. If you can suspend disbelief on that front, this book will be entertaining. ( )

Wow. This was a lot better than I expected. I started to get a feeling about where the whole thing with Hope was going, but I’m curious to know what the connection is between her power and the x-gene. ( )

I've been a fan of the X-Men related stories since some time in the 1980s. They offered some of the best themes, best-handled stories, and best characterizations that mainstream comic books had to offer. It's easier (and more tempting) to pick apart the failings of X-books now than many other books I read, as a result. Go into this review knowing that I enjoyed reading this, and find the negative aspects of it stand out more because they're flaws in what is, overall, a better story than most other things, which I generally don't like enough to critique like this.

There's some very good stuff in this, but it's not quite as tightly woven storytelling as [b:X-Men: Messiah CompleX|2350837|X-Men Messiah CompleX|Ed Brubaker|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1472487787l/2350837._SY75_.jpg|2357548]. Its art tends to be a bit better, overall, though still with some weak points along the way. I get to enjoy some of my more-favorite characters a bit more, but that's offset by some more wooden bits of characterization, too. The central character is far from being developed as a protagonist, the way this was all written, and as a result the fact the climax hinges on her moment of truth doesn't have the same impact it should. Cable still doesn't get the kind of development he needs for his key moments to be as deeply felt as would be ideal; he comes across as somewhat two-dimensional, even with a couple moments of displayed emotion. Some of the coolest moments in this thing belong to Cypher, but he doesn't get much of the necessary development attention to really make them stand out. Many of the more impactful moments throughout the whole volume don't get the kind of aftermath they need, either, including Cypher's part in Warlock's trauma.

What passes for the supposed consummate soldier's sense of military tactics is risible in the complete lack of, well, meaningful tactics. Throwing in use of clock positions and off-hand remarks about having pre-identified escape routes doesn't make up for those moments when armed fighters break cover, stand backed against a wall, and stay put like stationary silhouette targets at the shooting range.

Despite all the above, and more minor issues, it leaves a good, cohesive impression overall. The characters largely hold up well in the storytelling, and there's a large contingent of great characters in this story arc. The whole thing provides some important context for later stories (such as [b:New Mutants, Volume 3: Fall of the New Mutants|9571607|New Mutants, Volume 3 Fall of the New Mutants|Zeb Wells|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1486034085l/9571607._SY75_.jpg|14458433]), too. As a whole, I really enjoyed it. ( )

The premise--"mutant messiah" returns and mutant babies start being born again and the extinction storyline is out the window, just in time for Marvel's new lighterhearted direction--doesn't do much for me, but the execution is a symphony of violence and beauty. ( )

Collects Second Coming: Prepare, X-Men: Second Coming #1-2, Uncanny X-Men #523-525, New Mutants #12-14, X-Men Legacy #235-237 and X-Force #26-28 ( )