Noteworthy Issues: X-Men: Heir Of Apocalypse #1 (June, 2024)

I have only a vague idea what happened at the end of the Krakoan Age, but I’m trying to keep somewhat apace with what comes next.  That means, yes, this mini-series where Apocalypse looks for his successor.

Issue:  X-Men: Heir of Apocalypse #1, June 2024

Writer:  Steve Foxe

Artists:  Netho Diaz and JP Mayer

The Plot:  Apocalypse needs a successor.

Commentary:  This issue tries so hard to play coy with who is behind a number of mutants all going into what seems to be a high tech Egyptian tomb complete with robo-mummies, but the title, cover, and various other clues should make is obvious that this is for Apocalypse.  From what I have gathered, after Krakoa fell, Apocalypse took over the mutant haven on Mars, but here, he needs someone to fulfill his special duty of testing mutants to ensure that they have what it takes to survive, so that’s what all that “survival of the fittest” stuff was all about.  After a consultation with former Horsemen Archangel and Sunfire, Apocalypse selected a dozen mutants to go through various trials to find the one to take over En Sabah Nur’s job of keeping mutants strong.

The twelve are a mix of characters known for being both good and evil, though only one is being outright treacherous, and it’s the exact on you think it is based on the bunch of them.  And while one has strong ties to Apocalypse and thinks much better of him than pretty much everyone else, the nominees are Armageddon Girl (whoever that is), Cable, Cypher, Emma Frost, Exodus, Forge, The Gorgon, Mr. Sinister (the bad one), Mirage, Penance, Riktor (the one who worked with the Big A on Krakoa), and the Laura Keane version of Wolverine.  Some of these make more sense than others.  Exodus is more of a follower than anything else.  Cable (the older one) fought Apocalypse for ages and seems an odd choice for a successor.  And then there’s the rest of them, with Sinister plotting in overt ways while the others don’t know quite what’s going on.

And…this feels kinda average.  The characters seem rather on-point, and the final page brings in a new contestant who showed up uninvited, but so far, this is neither particularly good or awful, so draw your own conclusions.  I may read the rest but don’t plan on reviewing any more of it.

Grade:  C+