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X-Men Legacy (2008) (Collected Editions)
X-Men Legacy, Vol. 9: Five Miles South of the Universe
Interstellar search and rescue! Responding to a telepathic distress call from a former teammate, Rogue, Magneto, Gambit and Frenzy teleport thousands of light years across the galaxy - only to find themselves caught in the crossfire of an inter-species conflict aboard a massive space station. As Rogue and the others struggle to save their teammates, the damaged space station drifts ever closer to a collapsing sun - imperiling the lives of the billions aboard. Can the X-Men rescue their friends, put down the rebellion and prevent the station's incineration before time runs out?
X-Men Legacy 254-260
X-Men Legacy 254-260
152 pages, Paperback
First published March 14, 2012
3 people are currently reading
136 people want to read
About the author
Mike Carey
1,262 books2,970 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Mike Carey was born in Liverpool in 1959. He worked as a teacher for fifteen years, before starting to write comics. When he started to receive regular commissions from DC Comics, he gave up the day job.
Since then, he has worked for both DC and Marvel Comics, writing storylines for some of the world's most iconic characters, including X-MEN, FANTASTIC FOUR, LUCIFER and HELLBLAZER. His original screenplay FROST FLOWERS is currently being filmed. Mike has also adapted Neil Gaiman's acclaimed NEVERWHERE into comics.
Somehow, Mike finds time amongst all of this to live with his wife and children in North London. You can read his blog at www.mikecarey.net.
Mike Carey was born in Liverpool in 1959. He worked as a teacher for fifteen years, before starting to write comics. When he started to receive regular commissions from DC Comics, he gave up the day job.
Since then, he has worked for both DC and Marvel Comics, writing storylines for some of the world's most iconic characters, including X-MEN, FANTASTIC FOUR, LUCIFER and HELLBLAZER. His original screenplay FROST FLOWERS is currently being filmed. Mike has also adapted Neil Gaiman's acclaimed NEVERWHERE into comics.
Somehow, Mike finds time amongst all of this to live with his wife and children in North London. You can read his blog at www.mikecarey.net.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
March 6, 2024
I expected a much better story with the return of Polaris, Rachel and Havok from deeper space... in hindsight it is now so obvious that they're needed back for a big upcoming event, so this plot was cobbled together to facilitate that! A weak 5 out of 12, Two Star read
2018 read
2018 read
September 14, 2018
Rogue and her 'Legacy' squad cross the galaxy to rescue some X-Men pals who are currently lost in space. This was an entertaining Pigs X-Men in Space tale with plenty of action and a nice, if slightly overlong, epilogue.
October 9, 2015
I'm a little heartbroken, Mike Carey's rum on the X-men comes to an end with this volume. But, wow! What an ending. I wouldn't call this volume the strongest of Mike's run, but it is memorable enough, he's done the impossible with this series, made it Cerebral. Not everyone will appreciate it, but it was the series' only lacking merit. Now, comes the fretting about whether to continue with the series after Mike's run. Now comes the fretting.
November 28, 2019
I’m a bit relieved to see this run end. Sure, there were some decent installments... but overall, it was just so dull, exhausting and uninspired.
None of the Carey X-Men Legacy stuff was “bad.” It’s just... none of these arcs really stayed with me. There was something missing.
Take this volume. Two arcs.
The first one is a very lackluster reunion between our Starjammer X-Men (Polaris, Havok, Rachel) and Rogue/Mags/Remy. Speaking of the latter three... is anyone still entertained by their love triangle? Because I’m pretty sure it was old when I started reading comics back in 1995. This arc had some potential (and at least one awesomely drawn alien,) but ultimately failed to manufacture any compelling drama.
The second arc was a bit better. It connected to the rest of the X world events. BUT, for fucks sake... Cyke is meeting Havok (his goddam brother) for the first time since... shit... 2005? This is huge!!! Why doesn’t the book take any time showing that drama? What am I paying you people for?!
Mike Carey isn’t a bad writer, but I can tell that he’s not emotionally invested in this work. Also, the art is just ok.
None of the Carey X-Men Legacy stuff was “bad.” It’s just... none of these arcs really stayed with me. There was something missing.
Take this volume. Two arcs.
The first one is a very lackluster reunion between our Starjammer X-Men (Polaris, Havok, Rachel) and Rogue/Mags/Remy. Speaking of the latter three... is anyone still entertained by their love triangle? Because I’m pretty sure it was old when I started reading comics back in 1995. This arc had some potential (and at least one awesomely drawn alien,) but ultimately failed to manufacture any compelling drama.
The second arc was a bit better. It connected to the rest of the X world events. BUT, for fucks sake... Cyke is meeting Havok (his goddam brother) for the first time since... shit... 2005? This is huge!!! Why doesn’t the book take any time showing that drama? What am I paying you people for?!
Mike Carey isn’t a bad writer, but I can tell that he’s not emotionally invested in this work. Also, the art is just ok.
December 16, 2012
Not sure about the art in the first storyline - it's like looking in a slightly warped mirror. The basic shapes all look fine but sometimes the proportions are a bit off - and Rogue's face especially seems to look weird, almost manly. Yeah, it's just the faces that get so skewed by Kurth - like they all have weird tumours. The second, post-Schism storyline's art is just simplistic, but for the colourist.
I don't recognise Havok and Polaris as written in their current form - aggressive, mistrustful and prone to shoot first. And Polaris against her own father? Seems to come out of nowhere, for little reason that wouldn't fall to the wayside any other time. What gives? Again, did I miss out on their devolution in some tertiary X-book in the last few years? Or have they always been like this, and I've just forgotten?
OTOH, I've forgotten how much fun the Starjammers can be - strangely UN-menacing, a little funny, and with enough odd personality traits to keep reminding me they're not from 'round here.
The post-Schism story is fitting to Carey's mythology of examining the time between battles, understanding the turns of personality and interpersonal resolution that make for character evolution. It's healthy to see how Rogue decides what her next steps are, and to see her finally acknowledge and embrace her powers (both mutant and human). Our patience and understanding for Rogue's growth and self-inflicted torment have paid off. Strangely, I actually feel a little resolution in my own life, reflected off the glow that is her own ceremonial inflection.
I don't recognise Havok and Polaris as written in their current form - aggressive, mistrustful and prone to shoot first. And Polaris against her own father? Seems to come out of nowhere, for little reason that wouldn't fall to the wayside any other time. What gives? Again, did I miss out on their devolution in some tertiary X-book in the last few years? Or have they always been like this, and I've just forgotten?
OTOH, I've forgotten how much fun the Starjammers can be - strangely UN-menacing, a little funny, and with enough odd personality traits to keep reminding me they're not from 'round here.
The post-Schism story is fitting to Carey's mythology of examining the time between battles, understanding the turns of personality and interpersonal resolution that make for character evolution. It's healthy to see how Rogue decides what her next steps are, and to see her finally acknowledge and embrace her powers (both mutant and human). Our patience and understanding for Rogue's growth and self-inflicted torment have paid off. Strangely, I actually feel a little resolution in my own life, reflected off the glow that is her own ceremonial inflection.
June 3, 2015
With Mike Carey we have to pay for the cerebral adventure that he wants to take us on, and the price we have to pay is in Words!
His words that is,
the ones we have to read,
which slows down the action,
and sometimes lessens the suspense, ...
but I still find that I like his stories.
And his characterizations are strong with a good handling of emotions.
And the art is fairly strong, if a little stiff, and mostly consistent through out.
His words that is,
the ones we have to read,
which slows down the action,
and sometimes lessens the suspense, ...
but I still find that I like his stories.
And his characterizations are strong with a good handling of emotions.
And the art is fairly strong, if a little stiff, and mostly consistent through out.
June 1, 2020
Diez Kilómetros al Sur del Universo supone el final de la etapa de Mike Carey en X-Men, y no es una cuestión menor, pues con más de seis años al frente de X-Men/X-Men Legado, se convertía en el escritor con más números en su haber en una colección mutante, solo por detrás del propio patriarca Chris Claremont. Y lo hace continuando directamente con la historia del anterior tomo, pues después de recuperar las personalidades perdidas de Legión, Pícara encuentra una de ellas que es un teleportador de largo alcance capaz de ubicar a personas en el espacio... así que, asumiendo que Revivida es un mensaje de auxilio de Rachel Grey, Pícara acude en su búsqueda junto a Magneto, Gambito y Frenesí.
Y nada más llegar, Pícara se encuentra separada de sus compañeros, pues ella acude directamente a Rachel, que se encuentra en coma, y es emboscada por los chatarreros a los que ya había conocido en Australia. Mientras, el resto del equipo se encuentra enfrentándose junto a los Shi'ar a una especie de raza insectoide, que había sido esclavizada por estos y Vulcano antes de ser vencidos por los Kree en los eventos de Guerra de Reyes. Y en el otro lado, están Kaos, Polaris y Korvus, que ayudan a los insectoides, aunque con una crueldad impropia de ellos. Y es que mientras toda la estación en la que se encuentran se desplaza lentamente hacia el sol debido a un desequilibrio gravitacional, uno se los insectoides, un telépata llamado Sin Amigos, que ha sido torturado y menospreciado tanto por su raza como por los Shi'ar, planea vengarse de todos ellos...
Con este planteamiento, Carey pone punto y (casi) final a su tiempo en X-Men, pues aprovechará sus dos últimos números, posteriores a Cisma pero aún anteriores a Regénesis, para poner sobre la mesa la última aventura de Pícara en Utopía (pues finalmente, se marcharía a Nueva York con Lobezno), y que serviría para atar algunos cabos sueltos: el triángulo amoroso Gambito/Pícara/Magneto, el papel de Pícara como consejera de los estudiantes, la relación entre Rachel y Korvus, y el destino de Ariel, la teleportadora que había muerto en Advenimiento y que había quedado prácticamente olvidada...
Con este arco, Carey cierra una etapa larga, llena de grandes momentos y muy creativa, en un momento en el que el universo Marvel se convulsionaba cada diez días por un evento o media docena de ellos... Realmente, hizo un gran trabajo.
Y nada más llegar, Pícara se encuentra separada de sus compañeros, pues ella acude directamente a Rachel, que se encuentra en coma, y es emboscada por los chatarreros a los que ya había conocido en Australia. Mientras, el resto del equipo se encuentra enfrentándose junto a los Shi'ar a una especie de raza insectoide, que había sido esclavizada por estos y Vulcano antes de ser vencidos por los Kree en los eventos de Guerra de Reyes. Y en el otro lado, están Kaos, Polaris y Korvus, que ayudan a los insectoides, aunque con una crueldad impropia de ellos. Y es que mientras toda la estación en la que se encuentran se desplaza lentamente hacia el sol debido a un desequilibrio gravitacional, uno se los insectoides, un telépata llamado Sin Amigos, que ha sido torturado y menospreciado tanto por su raza como por los Shi'ar, planea vengarse de todos ellos...
Con este planteamiento, Carey pone punto y (casi) final a su tiempo en X-Men, pues aprovechará sus dos últimos números, posteriores a Cisma pero aún anteriores a Regénesis, para poner sobre la mesa la última aventura de Pícara en Utopía (pues finalmente, se marcharía a Nueva York con Lobezno), y que serviría para atar algunos cabos sueltos: el triángulo amoroso Gambito/Pícara/Magneto, el papel de Pícara como consejera de los estudiantes, la relación entre Rachel y Korvus, y el destino de Ariel, la teleportadora que había muerto en Advenimiento y que había quedado prácticamente olvidada...
Con este arco, Carey cierra una etapa larga, llena de grandes momentos y muy creativa, en un momento en el que el universo Marvel se convulsionaba cada diez días por un evento o media docena de ellos... Realmente, hizo un gran trabajo.
June 10, 2024
Sentirei saudades. Durante os 7 anos em que o Carey escreveu X-Men vol. 2/Legacy o título foi melhor do que Uncanny. Dois primeiros arcos bombásticos e cheio de ideias (Supernovas/Blinded by the Light), boas participações nos vários crossovers (especialmente Necrosha com a Sina), reconstrução da personagem do Xavier para que ele pudesse continuar funcional depois de Gênese Mortal (Divided He Stands/Sins of the Father), passagem de bastão para a Vampira em Salvage e daí em diante a revista funciona quase como um livro da Vertigo, não muito diferente de Sandman ou Lúcifer: a Vampira é o ponto de vista, mesmo que não necessariamente a protagonista. Tramas mais cerebrais, histórias fechadas mas que se amarram mais a frente e muito mais diálogo do que ação. Uma coleção de bons artistas com destaque para Chris Bachalo, Scott Eaton, Daniel Acuña, Clay Mann, Steve Kurth e Khoi Pham. Os pontos negativos ficam para o crossover com Wolverine Origins, a parte de Segundo Advento com arte do Greg Land e a falta de um arco final que amarrasse de vez os Filhos da Câmara.
De qualquer forma, o arco final é ótimo e recoloca as peças que o Brubaker tinha deixado no espaço em tempo pro (péssimo) Cisma. Até a escolha da Vampira foi bem justificada pra fazer sentido com todo o arco da personagem e tem uma bela despedida dela e do Ciclope, antes dela ir virar figurante na nova mansão do Wolverine e infelizmente cair nas mãos do Remender em Uncanny Avengers...
De qualquer forma, o arco final é ótimo e recoloca as peças que o Brubaker tinha deixado no espaço em tempo pro (péssimo) Cisma. Até a escolha da Vampira foi bem justificada pra fazer sentido com todo o arco da personagem e tem uma bela despedida dela e do Ciclope, antes dela ir virar figurante na nova mansão do Wolverine e infelizmente cair nas mãos do Remender em Uncanny Avengers...
July 13, 2018
Continuing the great x-read of 2017/2018... (and I am very far behind on reviews again so this batch will once again be short. One of these days I will get back to reviewing each volume as I finish them so they don't all sort of start bleeding together in my head as they tend to do.)
Carey is very good at writing these characters. I find his plot elements don't always light my fire as much, but his character motivations and interactions are really good. I particularly like his take on Rogue. She has always been a bit of a mess but he has turned her into a far more powerful and interesting character while retaining the soap-opera elements of her life that have existed since the early days (though he does - thankfully - tone them down a bit.)
As someone who doesn't love mixing outer space villains with their mutant heroes, this was not my favorite arc but I am glad to see some old friends return.
Carey is very good at writing these characters. I find his plot elements don't always light my fire as much, but his character motivations and interactions are really good. I particularly like his take on Rogue. She has always been a bit of a mess but he has turned her into a far more powerful and interesting character while retaining the soap-opera elements of her life that have existed since the early days (though he does - thankfully - tone them down a bit.)
As someone who doesn't love mixing outer space villains with their mutant heroes, this was not my favorite arc but I am glad to see some old friends return.
March 17, 2020
The X-Men have long history of great interactions with the Shi'Ar. This is not one of them. These characters are unremarkable in every way. These new Shi'Ar don't resonate with me at all, nor their enemies, or drama. This was a five issue arc that wasted Rogue and team and was used as a way to get Havok and crew back without an actual explanation. Mike Carey is capable of much more than this. Their return to Earth was anticlimactic and boring. The art for most the book, by Steve Kurth, was not very good. Overall, the X-Men deserve much better than this.
September 6, 2021
Mike Carey delivers a proper space sendoff for Rogue, Frenzy, Magneto, the Shi'ar Discount Starjammers, and all the rest, while nicely looping the "lost in space" team back into main continuity. Rogue gets her proper hero moment by absorbing all the powers; Rachel gets to finally break someone's mind control; lots of things explode. A good time was had by all.
November 10, 2024
If it wasn’t for the last two issues I’d probably have rounded this up to four stars, but Mike Carey wants to keep reminding me that he likes Rogue and Magneto together and that just won’t do for me. Other than that it is a nice conclusion to his time writing X-Men and I’ll miss it. Now Marvel… MAKE THAT OMNIBUS HAPPEN!!
December 15, 2025
OK I’m done. Everybody who said this was one of the great X-Men runs, please give your head a shake. (The first year with Bachalo was fine.)
August 8, 2013
Mike Carey has been tasked with the impossible - bringing back Havok, Polaris, and Marvel Girl from the depths of comic lore in time for the X-Men Schism event. In that regard, he succeeds with a final coda to the long-simmering Starjammers out in Shi'ar space. Rogue borrows Legion's teleportation skills and drops her squad into the middle of a galactic brawl. While she does find Marvel Girl and make friends with a crew of pirates, the other half of her crew are battling a horde of insectoid aliens. As the two halves unite against backdrop of a battle royal and an impending drop into the heart of a star, the outcast dubbed Friendless reveals his nature as the true threat behind it all. The volume concludes with a rescue mission for one of the X-Men's own. Believed to have been killed during the battle with Bastion and the Nimrods, teleporter Ariel is finally able to make contact with Utopia. Rogue leads the charge to rescue her former teammate, while debating as to whether she should stay with Cyclops or head back to New York with Wolverine. Making Rogue the breakout star of this volume of Legacy was brilliant; her powers and history allow her to carve out a legacy for herself as a powerful addition to the X-Men mythos. While the story could have been flat - getting the space-cast X-Men home was the driving point of the story - Cart and his art team paint a solid story that is five miles north of great.
November 25, 2012
Why is it never interesting when the X-Men go into space? I liked it when they fought the Brood for the first time back in 1979. Also liked it when Jim Lee drew them (back when Gambit was a fun character and Banshee was alive) in 1989. But besides those memorable trips, the X-Men going into space is never as cool as them staying on Earth.
Oh yeah, I also liked when Joss Whedon wrote Astonishing and they went to Breakworld. But like this book, it was good in spite of the fact that they were in space. Why is that? Because they are surrounded by two-dimensional throwaway characters that aren't cool or worth reading about. Rachel Summers fell in love with some idiot with a giant sword. He was stupid. Rogue is forced to confront some space pirates that constantly threaten her life. They are stupid. The main antagonist has four arms and two jaws and nobody ever loved him. How sad. He is stupid too.
The book gets better at they end when Carey comes up with a creative way to bring back Ariel. She was a pretty cool character that has only been used once or twice since 1982. Rogue also sleeps with Magneto, who is about 50 years older than her. And then all of the most interesting characters leave Utopia (except Magik).
Oh yeah, I also liked when Joss Whedon wrote Astonishing and they went to Breakworld. But like this book, it was good in spite of the fact that they were in space. Why is that? Because they are surrounded by two-dimensional throwaway characters that aren't cool or worth reading about. Rachel Summers fell in love with some idiot with a giant sword. He was stupid. Rogue is forced to confront some space pirates that constantly threaten her life. They are stupid. The main antagonist has four arms and two jaws and nobody ever loved him. How sad. He is stupid too.
The book gets better at they end when Carey comes up with a creative way to bring back Ariel. She was a pretty cool character that has only been used once or twice since 1982. Rogue also sleeps with Magneto, who is about 50 years older than her. And then all of the most interesting characters leave Utopia (except Magik).
September 20, 2025
The ending point for Carey's Rogue/Magneto/Gambit centric run on Legacy. Like most of Carey's work, it feels derivative of previous X-storylines which it's not as good as. It's like going to a comedy night and seeing a seventeen year old with a nervous, slow delivery trying to perform George Carlin. No, thanks.
It's not terrible, and it does move characters towards better arcs in the future. I also respect that it seems like it's about to bring back a character who keeps coming back to back to back to life again, but instead it just returns a really minor character back to continuity.
Overall, I haven't enjoyed Carey's X-run, as it either focused on how Legion had many personalities, how Rogue could absorb many personalities, or how Rogue and Legion interact. I just didn't find it as interesting as Carey must have.
If you love the Rogue/Gambit/Magneto love triangle, it's mostly subtle here. This is also for X-fans who have been wondering what the Havoc-led Starjammers have been up to.
It's not terrible, and it does move characters towards better arcs in the future. I also respect that it seems like it's about to bring back a character who keeps coming back to back to back to life again, but instead it just returns a really minor character back to continuity.
Overall, I haven't enjoyed Carey's X-run, as it either focused on how Legion had many personalities, how Rogue could absorb many personalities, or how Rogue and Legion interact. I just didn't find it as interesting as Carey must have.
If you love the Rogue/Gambit/Magneto love triangle, it's mostly subtle here. This is also for X-fans who have been wondering what the Havoc-led Starjammers have been up to.
June 11, 2013
Rogue was great in this trade. I like the control she has with her powers and the control she has in the many situations she finds herself in. A return to some of the X-Men's lost comrades in space. I like the fact that Rachel, Lorna, and Alex return to Earth. It is pretty cool that the Shiar make an appearance along with the disgusting Friendless. Some of the highlights to note would be Polaris' fight with her father Magneto and Rogue's overall quick thinking to save the Gul Damar (a tip of the hat to Star Trek?) station. The final story still connects to the overall arc, but it is a tad forgettable with a bulk of the action happening away from Utopia. Rogue's relationship with Magneto is interesting if not a little weird though for fans of Age of Apocalypse, this was a relationship a long time in the making.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2012
I’m very sorry to see the Brubaker/Carey era of the X-Men come to an end, but Carey does a good job of bookending it here, by following up on the space threads created in Brubaker’s first major arc. The result is very enjoyable, as we get to see Carey write a few X-Men who have been gone for the comics too long. Especially in the second story in this volume, it’s Rogue who carries the book, as Carey has figured out her characterization perfectly … just as things are coming to an end.
September 5, 2012
The Five Miles South of the Universe story isn't bad, with the final two issues especially being very good, but then the Half A Step story that finishes off the trade easily outstrips them all. They work nicely as an end to Mike Carey's run on the book, as well as Rogue's time on Utopia, and just feel like a fitting end to everything so far.
May 12, 2013
Pretty cool adventure with real suspense. It was nice to meet with Havok, Polaris and the others, and the various family dynamics were well handled. I'm still not convinced by Magnus/Rogue, but I appreciate that the author handles it without bashing Gambit.
It's not my favourite volume of the series but I quite liked it.
It's not my favourite volume of the series but I quite liked it.
February 5, 2016
I love the X-men, but I have to admit that I am sick and tired of the whole mutants vs. the world storyline. It's been going on, like forever, so whenever a story isn't about that, I get very excited. This is why I love X-men in space. The Shi'ar storylines bring an epic feel to the book. I am hoping that "the Days of Future Past" movie is followed up by a cosmic X-men film.
July 24, 2016
Everybody gets a bit resurrected sometimes.
So Ariel comes back because she's somehow important. They rescue Rachel Summers despite the fact I can't think of a single reason to. Despite that, this is a punch-a-minute action flick of a comic that just keeps coming and coming. Good times.
Also, totally shipping Rogneto.
So Ariel comes back because she's somehow important. They rescue Rachel Summers despite the fact I can't think of a single reason to. Despite that, this is a punch-a-minute action flick of a comic that just keeps coming and coming. Good times.
Also, totally shipping Rogneto.
June 19, 2013
The plot was well-written and it was great to see Rogue stepping up in her leadership roles. However, nothing will change my mind about the thing between Rogue and Magneto. It's wrong on so many levels. I'm supporting Gambit/Rogue all the way.
June 28, 2013
Gah. I hate when the X-Men go into space. I really do. It's a boring troupe that's been attached to them ever since the Dark Phoenix/Brood Sagas. This volume is an example of how dull X-Men/Space stories are. It's too bad that Mike Carey's excellent run had to end on such a note.
August 27, 2016
A good story explaining how Havoc, Ms Marvel and Polaris comes back to earth from their journey through the Shiar empire and the storyline of Vulcan. They are helped on their way by a team of X-men lead by Rogue. I liked the story.
March 22, 2015
Some good dialogue and action scenes but too many cast members and too expansive a story line for my little brain to absorb. Just became overwhelmed by who was battling who and why they were all fighting in the first place. As they say on the West Wing: 'Next'!
March 9, 2012
Too cosmic for my tastes, but the Rogue/Magneto issues at the end saved it from being a waste of time
September 14, 2024
Hated every minute reading this.
February 6, 2014
boring and didn't like art
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews