Era #11, Part 24: House Divided (House of M: New X-Men: Academy X)

Grade: C

The House of M reaches the New X-Men in a rather run-of-the-mill story. With Magneto already securing the future for mutants, we see a new world for the next generation. Xuân Cao Mạn (Karma) runs the New Mutant Leadership Institute to train the future leaders of mutants and, therefore, the world. Dani Moonstar oversees the training of the Hellions, the most promising mutants destined to become S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.

Both teams cross paths as each pursues a human resistance terrorist cell operating in Japan. They uncover a horrifying secret and the lengths the mutant authorities will go to protect the new status quo. 

The House of M gives us a glimpse of the New Mutants and Hellions had they been raised in a mutant-friendly world, which, understandably, alters their personalities. Most of them stay within character with slight adjustments based on new experiences, yet they still feel familiar and act as we would expect. However, others are so different that it is jarring, while a few (like Doug Ramsey) are only used as clunky plot devices. This wasn't a bad read as much as a missed opportunity to tell an interesting, new type of story.

[5-Stars] New X-Men (2004) #16

[5-Stars] New X-Men (2004) #17

[5-Stars] New X-Men (2004) #18

[5-Stars] New X-Men (2004) #19

Collected in House of M: New X-Men - Academy X

Era #11, Part 23: Season of the Witch (House of M: Uncanny X-Men)

Grade: D

The House of M hits the Uncanny X-Men in a wave of -- chaos? I found this run very confusing, but I will try my best to explain what I think was going on. When Scarlet Witch altered reality, she unleashed a chaos wave that threatens to destroy the entire multiverse. Roma, the Celestial Guardian, dispatches Captain Britain to seal the breach and save our dimension. Meanwhile, Rachel and Psylocke escape the Scarlet Witch's altered world by slipping into the White Hot Room. All three of them, however, forget their mission when they return to Earth and enter the House of M timeline, but time is ticking before Roma is forced to destroy this reality to protect the Omniverse.

This was not a fun read for me. I continue to have a hard time keeping up with Chris Claremont and Alan Davis when they delve into their Otherworld storylines. I don't fully understand the concepts, and I haven't kept up enough with the tangled tales to even know the different characters or their relationships. There was no real connection to the House of M, and plot elements (like Nocturne) are jarring and never explained. I was lost from the beginning and never caught up. The only positive was that Chris Bachalo joined the creative team as the regular artist. 

I would also not call this an Uncanny X-Men book. It feels like a continuation of Excalibur with the sole focus on Rachel Summers, Psylocke, and Captain Britain. I later read that this run sets up the launch of New Excalibur. 

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men (1963) #462

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men (1963) #463

[4-Stars] Uncanny X-Men (1963) #464

[4-Stars] Uncanny X-Men (1963) #465

Collected in House of M: Uncanny X-Men

Era #11, Part 22: House of M

Grade: A+

I often find that limited series does not add to the primary plotlines of the X-Men mythos. At best, they are interesting side adventures that delve deeply into a character, but more often than not, they seem like throwaway one-off stories that can be completely missed. Because of that, I don't pick up many limited series. That was a huge mistake for House of M. I should have read this when it first came out.  Brian Michael Bendis weaves a fantastic tale that changes the X-Men books for the next several years with three simple words: "No more mutants."

Scarlet Witch's deteriorating grip on reality already resulted in the death of some of her Avenger teammates. Concerned that her powers can do even more damage on a bigger scale, the Avengers and the X-Men search for an answer, but their options are limited. Therapy may not be enough, and many of the heroes from both teams start advocating for a more permanent solution. When they travel to Genosha to confront her and her father, Magneto, she plunges the world into a new reality in which her children are alive and the mutants are the dominant political and cultural force. 

House of M spawns many cross-over titles where our heroes find themselves in a world in which they are truly happy. Each of them must make a difficult choice of living the life that they always dreamed of or forcing the Scarlet Witch and Magneto to return everything back to the way it was. 

House of M is a series of heartbreaking moments from start to finish. It is masterfully written with such a large cast of characters and ends with the iconic phrase that jumpstarts the next phase of the X-Men's journey. All that from a limited series. Who knew?

[9-Stars] House of M (2005) #1

[8-Stars] House of M (2005) #2

[8-Stars] House of M (2005) #3

[8-Stars] House of M (2005) #4

[7-Stars] House of M (2005) #5

[7-Stars] House of M (2005) #6

[9-Stars] House of M (2005) #7

[8-Stars] House of M (2005) #8

Collected in House of M