Era #7, Part 4: Uncanny X-Men #311-315 & X-Men Unlimited #4-5

Grade: B

This run is getting a higher grade because it begins answering some questions. The Phalanx storyline has been been brewing behind the scenes for some time (as far back as Uncanny X-Men #291), so it is good to see it make a move. The same holds true for Emma Frost who has been in a comma since Uncanny X-Men #281. In fact, it was great to see that she expanded the use of Iceman's power opening story opportunities on that front while revealing some deeper humanity from the ice queen herself. We also see some answers on the whole Graydon/Nighcrawler/Rogue/Mystique/Sabretooth family tree thing (I didn't say they were all good answers), and we witness some closure on the relationship between Professor X and Lilandra.

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #311 - "Putting The Cat Out" Beast attempts to repair the Shi'ar power core after discovering that it was misaligned during Magneto's last attack. It is much more unstable than he anticipated. The power to the entire mansion shuts off. With most of the X-Men out, it is up to Bishop and Jubilee to find and recapture Sabretooth while Beast attempts to prevent the power core from causing more damage.

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #312 - "Romp" Storm flies to Manhattan to meet her long-time friend Yukio. The carefree thief and ronin quickly explains that a new threat is looking for the X-Men. They are the Phalanx, and the followed Yukio to New York and now that Storm has arrived, they attack. Gambit arrives in time to offer some assistance against an unstoppable new enemy.

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #313 - "Hands Across the Water" Storm, Gambit, and Yukio continue to battle the Phalanx drawing the new techno-organic enemy away the city. Inside the Phalanx, we see that it is an assimilation of many different people into a single hive-like mind. Some distinct personalities include Stephen Lang, Cameron Hodge and Doug Ramsey. We also learn that the power surge two issues ago put Iceman into a coma next to Emma Frost.

[4-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #314 - "Early Frost" Emma Frost finally wakes to find herself in Iceman's body, and she wants answers. She quickly learns how to use his powers and escapes the mansion to find the Hellions. The X-Men pursue her in an attempt to explain the tragic truth. For more on how Emma ended up in a coma and the fate of the Hellions check out Era 6, Part 02: The Coming of Bishop.

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #315 - "Peers" This issue focusing solely on Colossus and Acolytes. Neophyte has been captured and the Acolytes prepare their vengeance on what they perceived as his traitorous assistance to the X-Men (way back in Era 6, Part 09: Fatal Attractions (Part 1)). Colossus convinces them to have a trial with him as Neophyte's Defender and Amelia Voght as prosecutor.

[3-Stars] X-Men Unlimited #4 - "Theories of Relativity" Mystique is on the loose and gunning for Graydon Creed. Graydon hired his father, Sabretooth, to kill his mother, Mystique (all found in the Sabretooth limited series which I do not own). Forge suggests that Rogue and Nightcrawler be the ones to bring her in. It is a bit of an odd tale, but we finally learn that Mystique really is Nightcrawler's mother, but she will not be winning any mother-of-the-year awards after also admitting that she tried to throw him off the cliff (and abandoning Graydon because he was not a mutant).

[3-Stars] X-Men Unlimited #5 - " Hard Promises" A Shi'ar invitation to a royal function is late, and Professor X's presence is needed without delay. Professor X is the concubine and lover of the Shi'ar Majestrix Lilandra Neramani. He is joined in this immediate summons by Forge, Storm, and Jubilee to the Kree home world of Hala. The current military governor is Deathbird, and she has not been able to completely quell a resistance movement. The X-Men become embroiled in a conflict that may spell the end of Hala -- and Professor X's relationship with Lilandra.