Jonathan Hickman and R.B. Silva to Reunite in X-Men #5
Phillip Pratt
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The relaunch of the X-Men title as part of the Dawn of X series of books has been anything but consistent in terms of it’s cast. With issues 1 and 2, it looked to be headlined by the Summers family, but the following issues have included Apocalypse, Magneto (who made an appearance in the first issue), the Gorgon, and Professor-X.
With that, there seems to be a lot of change coming with the fifth issue in the series. Jonathan Hickman’s title to this point has been illustrated by stellar artist, Leinil Francis Yu. Issue #5, however, will see House of X / Powers of X artist R.B. Silva effectively reuniting him with the event’s architect for the first time since it’s ending.
Here’s the official solicitation from Marvel Comics:
“Fresh off their hit run on POWERS OF X, mastermind writer Jonathan Hickman and superstar artist R.B. Silva reunite in X-MEN #5 for a shocking story that will lead directly into future plans Hickman has for the X-Men franchise! With all of mutant-kind now united on Krakoa, any of your favorite X-Men can be called upon to defend their new mutant homeland. Watch what happens when the Quiet Council assembles X-23, Synch, and Darwin for a dangerous mission that requires each of their unique abilities.”
X-23
X-23, the lab-grown “daughter” of the best that ever did it, Wolverine, is no stranger to fans both hardcore and casual. Since her debut in WB Kids Saturday-morning cartoon series X-Men: Evolution, she’s been heavily featured in both the books and of course on the silver screen with a role in the motion picture Logan.
Synch
Seeing fan-favorite Synch return to the land of the living was a mere matter of time with the existence of the Krakoan Resurrection Protocols. It’s a wonder that he wasn’t brought back years ago. Synch – or Everette Thomas – was a founding member of Generation-X, discovered during the X-Men crossover event, the Phalanx Covenant.
As a member of the 2nd generation of X-Men trainees – following in the footsteps of the New Mutants – Synch was being groomed to be a field leader. Banshee – his mentor and also a beneficiary of the Resurrection Protocols – observed natural leadership qualities during his training. Synch’s powers allowed him to mimic the abilities of other mutants within a certain proximity of him.
Synch’s life came to a heroic end while he and Banshee attempted to disarm several bombs planted within their school by the sister of Emma Frost. Though borrowing the powers of invulnerability and flight from his teammate – and girlfriend – Monet, he was stretching the range of his copy-cat abilities. The resulting blast was too severe for him to absorb and he tragically succumbed to his injuries.
Darwin
Darwin may not be as recognizable to fans, but the character was featured in the movie that gave the X-Men movie franchise a soft reboot, X-Men: First Class. He debuted several years earlier in the comic X-Men: Deadly Genesis. He was a member of Moira MacTaggert’s adjunct team of X-Men that was tasked with saving Xavier’s original team from Krakoa the living island.
His powers are simple, yet beautifully complex. His mutant ability allows him to adapt to survive any situation. During Deadly Genesis, his teammates Petra and Sway were brutally slain. Dying himself, he absorbed his teammates’ essence, converted into energy and combined with the last surviving member – the Summers’ brother – Vulcan.
As far as I know, these three have never met. X-23 wasn’t born until years after Synch died, and Darwin was dormant, buried inside of a cocoon of earth for years after that. The ability to adapt and survive appears to be paramount on this mission, and with the likes of Hickman and Silva at the helm, it will be worth the price of admission.
X-Men #5 will be available on January 29, 2020.
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