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Bishop: War College #1-5
Bishop: War College
The X-Men like you've never seen them before! Krakoa is an island paradise, and it's a vulnerable one - but not with Lucas Bishop on the case! Armor, Surge, Cam Long, Aura Charles, Amass - these are his students. Their course Get strong. Defend the island. Keep mutantkind safe. Their first lesson? How to fail! And they'll do it in spectacular Marvel fashion. But what does any of that have to do with an all-Black X-Men team? And what's a Bishop story without time travel? Shunted to a strange future, Lucas discovers familiar faces who will permanently alter his worldview. Meanwhile, his students are in danger - and not just of failing his course! Aided by shocking allies, the anti-mutant organization Orchis has finally found a way onto Krakoa. Is this the end of the island? Collecting WAR COLLEGE #1-5.
152 pages, Paperback
Published September 12, 2023
10 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 10, 2024
3.5 stars. Quite an entertaining read. This one felt very Elseworlds-y, which I haven’t thought of with Krakoa really before. There were some moments that dragged and some moments that felt a rushed, but overall, a very solid read.
October 27, 2023
Not often would I assume that Bishop could carry his own title, but this is actually really good for not only showcasing him, but also some of the younger mutants on the island.
Highlights:
- Bishop, War Commander of Krakoa, is holding a class to help train the next generation to be ready to fight. He pushes them really hard and they are starting to resent him for it.
- His class is: Armor, Surge, Cam Long, Aura Charles, and Amass
- It is discovered that the Fenris Twins are digging in a cave on the island and are using a compound called Brightswill (which temporarily removes mutant abilities) to assist. Their goal: dig into the Pit and let loose the "monsters" Krakoa left down there. (Unbeknownst to them, Sabretooth and the Exiles have already escaped the Pit and are off on their own adventures.)
- Using Tempo, Bishop tries to accelerate their training and only succeeds in transporting himself and Tempo to Earth-63, where most all of the X-Men look like descendants of Bishop (I'm sure this was not intentional by the artist, and only my interpretation, which I know saying is bad, but I am being honest). There is also a Lucas Bishop, but E-63 mutants live in peace, so he doesn't know how to fight.
- Bishop must eventually face off against the Human Liberation Front (Tony Stark, Moira MacTaggart, Feilong, and Simon Trask). Once he defeats them and shows the E-63 X-Men how to stand up for their beliefs, he and Tempo (who he found with that universes version of her Dad) are able to go home.
- The kids are able to work together, using the lessons Bishop taught them, to overcome the Orchis Team, stop the drilling, and throw the Fenris Twins into the Pit (where they are left with only Sinister LOL). Bishop praises them, gives them good grades, and takes on another class to train.
Overall, I feel like this was a really good self-contained story. I assume that some of these characters will show back up in the "Fall of X" stuff, so it was good to see them beforehand. Even casual X-fans will enjoy this one.
Recommend.
Highlights:
- Bishop, War Commander of Krakoa, is holding a class to help train the next generation to be ready to fight. He pushes them really hard and they are starting to resent him for it.
- His class is: Armor, Surge, Cam Long, Aura Charles, and Amass
- It is discovered that the Fenris Twins are digging in a cave on the island and are using a compound called Brightswill (which temporarily removes mutant abilities) to assist. Their goal: dig into the Pit and let loose the "monsters" Krakoa left down there. (Unbeknownst to them, Sabretooth and the Exiles have already escaped the Pit and are off on their own adventures.)
- Using Tempo, Bishop tries to accelerate their training and only succeeds in transporting himself and Tempo to Earth-63, where most all of the X-Men look like descendants of Bishop (I'm sure this was not intentional by the artist, and only my interpretation, which I know saying is bad, but I am being honest). There is also a Lucas Bishop, but E-63 mutants live in peace, so he doesn't know how to fight.
- Bishop must eventually face off against the Human Liberation Front (Tony Stark, Moira MacTaggart, Feilong, and Simon Trask). Once he defeats them and shows the E-63 X-Men how to stand up for their beliefs, he and Tempo (who he found with that universes version of her Dad) are able to go home.
- The kids are able to work together, using the lessons Bishop taught them, to overcome the Orchis Team, stop the drilling, and throw the Fenris Twins into the Pit (where they are left with only Sinister LOL). Bishop praises them, gives them good grades, and takes on another class to train.
Overall, I feel like this was a really good self-contained story. I assume that some of these characters will show back up in the "Fall of X" stuff, so it was good to see them beforehand. Even casual X-fans will enjoy this one.
Recommend.
June 8, 2023
This wasn’t bad, I just didn’t see the point in it. And for once I saw noticeably bad art, the last issue for example is not drawn well past the first page. But the story feels pointless until the final issue. I like peaking into other universes or timelines but if you’re going to do one where all the X-Men are black now, you have to talk about it. You can’t just waggle that in front of us and not expect us to want an answer as to how that happened. I think it’s really cool, I’m just curious and the writing felt lazy. Bishop is a character I wasn’t familiar with until the Krakoan age story started and I’m really liking him and his role in this story. So I’m excited to see where he goes from here.
June 1, 2024
2,5/5
décevant. De bonnes idées pas du tout exploitées.
décevant. De bonnes idées pas du tout exploitées.
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January 22, 2024Coming via Oxbridge, where New College was founded in 1379, King's College is a magnet for self-proclaimed revolutionaries, and Magdalene is full of people who can't get laid, for me there was always a chance that War College would focus on Bishop realising Krakoan flora offered fabulous new possibilities in the field of flower-arranging. Alas, no, but initially it still seems like it's on to something, Lucas determined that the mutant paradise must not fall and the dark future from which he comes must be averted, except getting so caught up in this that he risks pushing away the young mutants who were receptive enough to this message that they were prepared to train with him. It even brings in reference to his villain era, something most subsequent writers have understandably preferred to brush under the carpet. Meaning that, though I'd thought of reading this as a case of desperately scraping together whatever leftovers I could find as the too-brief Krakoan age reaches its end*, I was beginning to wonder if it might turn out alright after all.
Now, after that set-up, it doesn't come as a great surprise that the story goes on to leave the depowered students fighting for the fate of the island after Bishop, through an excess of zeal, inadvertently takes himself out of play. For the middle act, though, it mainly seems interested in where he ends up instead - a parallel world in which the X-Men are all black. Not as in a team composed only of existing black characters like Storm, Darwin, Synch and indeed Bishop - he's not even a fighter here. Not as in other existing Marvel characters getting X-genes, no Sam Wilson Angel or Robbie Robertson in the Xavier role. No, as in black Scott Summers and black Jean Grey (with whom Bishop immediately picks a fight, though you'd think any X-Man with the least experience would immediately twig 'Oh, alternate timeline', never mind a guy whose whole backstory is about possible futures). About the biggest difference mentioned, besides the obvious, seems to be that Magneto spells his name Eric rather than Erik. This obviously begs a number of questions, not least because back in the main timeline the story has a team including Japanese mutant Armor fighting Nazi prick mutants Fenris. But perhaps the most glaring is that in the alternate world, while elements of anti-mutant prejudice persist, the overall vibe is utopian. You know, because America is so notoriously chill about race that of course mutants identifying as "Homo negrus superior" would be less hated and feared than the Benetton line-up back on the 616.
Now, I'm not saying that you couldn't sell that world - perhaps with an explanation of people who've already known prejudice before their X-gene kicked in being more determined to fight it than get bogged down in internecine struggles. But the story doesn't have room for that, Bishop being more concerned with tracking down the time-shifting mutant who stranded him here (whose codename shifts from Tempo to Tempus and back between issues, possibly a sign of wider fiddling - see also the blurb talking about a "strange future" when the published story is about a divergent present). So instead we get some vague, guilty notion of trouble following him, half a fight, and then back home for much the expected finale, not to mention a lingering sense of a series that had some intriguing ideas, couldn't work out how to make them fit together, but just decided, sod it, let's wedge them all in anyhow.
*That said, if you ever see me post about Knights Of X, please stage an intervention.
Now, after that set-up, it doesn't come as a great surprise that the story goes on to leave the depowered students fighting for the fate of the island after Bishop, through an excess of zeal, inadvertently takes himself out of play. For the middle act, though, it mainly seems interested in where he ends up instead - a parallel world in which the X-Men are all black. Not as in a team composed only of existing black characters like Storm, Darwin, Synch and indeed Bishop - he's not even a fighter here. Not as in other existing Marvel characters getting X-genes, no Sam Wilson Angel or Robbie Robertson in the Xavier role. No, as in black Scott Summers and black Jean Grey (with whom Bishop immediately picks a fight, though you'd think any X-Man with the least experience would immediately twig 'Oh, alternate timeline', never mind a guy whose whole backstory is about possible futures). About the biggest difference mentioned, besides the obvious, seems to be that Magneto spells his name Eric rather than Erik. This obviously begs a number of questions, not least because back in the main timeline the story has a team including Japanese mutant Armor fighting Nazi prick mutants Fenris. But perhaps the most glaring is that in the alternate world, while elements of anti-mutant prejudice persist, the overall vibe is utopian. You know, because America is so notoriously chill about race that of course mutants identifying as "Homo negrus superior" would be less hated and feared than the Benetton line-up back on the 616.
Now, I'm not saying that you couldn't sell that world - perhaps with an explanation of people who've already known prejudice before their X-gene kicked in being more determined to fight it than get bogged down in internecine struggles. But the story doesn't have room for that, Bishop being more concerned with tracking down the time-shifting mutant who stranded him here (whose codename shifts from Tempo to Tempus and back between issues, possibly a sign of wider fiddling - see also the blurb talking about a "strange future" when the published story is about a divergent present). So instead we get some vague, guilty notion of trouble following him, half a fight, and then back home for much the expected finale, not to mention a lingering sense of a series that had some intriguing ideas, couldn't work out how to make them fit together, but just decided, sod it, let's wedge them all in anyhow.
*That said, if you ever see me post about Knights Of X, please stage an intervention.
January 11, 2024
I'm rating this book five stars because MAN are the reviews on here overreacting. It's not a 'black nationalism book' and I don't agree that it's a 2 star book either, maybe a high 3 stars at the least. There were definitely issues with the AUs world-building, especially with Bishop63, but I think it's likely because there just wasn't enough time to dig into certain worldbuilding aspects in this five issue story.
I do understand the criticism that the AU kinda felt pointless. I feel like journeying to the AU didn't really do anything for Bishop's character. It didn't allow him to unpack any trauma (like I thought it might from the nightmare scene in issue 1) or do anything to further drive his character or motivations. I honestly don't think it did much for Heather (Tempo) either. It felt like just a way to get rid of the adults so the younger characters can shine -- which they did!
The teens/young adults were really the stars of the show. I really enjoyed seeing more of Armor and Surge, and learning about Cam, Aura, and Amass. I really loved that we had so many queer characters in one book, that's that lead me to picking this up in the first place. That being said, if you don't at least know one of these younger characters, it might be harder to enjoy this. But as someone who was only vaguely familiar with Armor (even less with Surge), I did enjoy this!
But the AU aspect felt very under developed in a way that made it pretty eh, when I think the concept has the potential to be very interesting. I would have liked to see more of Bishop actually spending *time* being a teacher, learning the best the way approach and teach these kids, instead of him (and Tempo) just being thrown into almost a different story altogether though.
Sinister complaining about being stuck in the Pit with the Nazi twins was funny though. Like dude, you were/are ALSO a Nazi, so pot calling the kettle over here.
Overall, not sure if it's a book I'd recommend to everyone, but it was worth reading to me at least.
I do understand the criticism that the AU kinda felt pointless. I feel like journeying to the AU didn't really do anything for Bishop's character. It didn't allow him to unpack any trauma (like I thought it might from the nightmare scene in issue 1) or do anything to further drive his character or motivations. I honestly don't think it did much for Heather (Tempo) either. It felt like just a way to get rid of the adults so the younger characters can shine -- which they did!
The teens/young adults were really the stars of the show. I really enjoyed seeing more of Armor and Surge, and learning about Cam, Aura, and Amass. I really loved that we had so many queer characters in one book, that's that lead me to picking this up in the first place. That being said, if you don't at least know one of these younger characters, it might be harder to enjoy this. But as someone who was only vaguely familiar with Armor (even less with Surge), I did enjoy this!
But the AU aspect felt very under developed in a way that made it pretty eh, when I think the concept has the potential to be very interesting. I would have liked to see more of Bishop actually spending *time* being a teacher, learning the best the way approach and teach these kids, instead of him (and Tempo) just being thrown into almost a different story altogether though.
Sinister complaining about being stuck in the Pit with the Nazi twins was funny though. Like dude, you were/are ALSO a Nazi, so pot calling the kettle over here.
Overall, not sure if it's a book I'd recommend to everyone, but it was worth reading to me at least.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2023
Wow. Not good. I mean I had low expectations for such a '90s character getting a comic with such a '90s cover, but this was worse.
We get Bishop + Tempo + 5 young mutants, and there's just a thimbleful of characterization for all of them throughout this entire volume.
We get Orchis making an attack on the island that must be near simultaneous with Orchis making an attack on the island via Warlock (and at least the other was a good story). I mean, derivative plot much?
Then we get Bishop sent to another dimension where all mutants are black because the X-gene is linked to the "genetic markers for race"?! I almost dropped the book when I read that. I mean, as I understand it, we now know that the archaic concept of race doesn't actually match genetic identity, and Holtham's suggestion otherwise reads like biological essentialism. Ugh.
(Also, why is a mild-mannered alt-Lucas in the present-day of the other dimension? Does the author not even care or realize he's from the future?)
The best writers can use their craft to make us uncomfortable about the cracks in our societal and cultural landscape. Unfortunately, the worst can too.
I'm frankly shocked Marvel allowed this to be published.
We get Bishop + Tempo + 5 young mutants, and there's just a thimbleful of characterization for all of them throughout this entire volume.
We get Orchis making an attack on the island that must be near simultaneous with Orchis making an attack on the island via Warlock (and at least the other was a good story). I mean, derivative plot much?
Then we get Bishop sent to another dimension where all mutants are black because the X-gene is linked to the "genetic markers for race"?! I almost dropped the book when I read that. I mean, as I understand it, we now know that the archaic concept of race doesn't actually match genetic identity, and Holtham's suggestion otherwise reads like biological essentialism. Ugh.
(Also, why is a mild-mannered alt-Lucas in the present-day of the other dimension? Does the author not even care or realize he's from the future?)
The best writers can use their craft to make us uncomfortable about the cracks in our societal and cultural landscape. Unfortunately, the worst can too.
I'm frankly shocked Marvel allowed this to be published.
November 16, 2023
While this story isn’t exactly a masterpiece by any means, I find it hilarious that multiple people have called this book out for “Black nationalism”. It’s simply an alternate universe where Black people are super powered, and their world is actually much more peaceful than the 616. They didn’t use their powers to enslave the humans, there was no “im better bc I’m black and mutant” it was just… an alternate universe. The original X-Men: Beast, Angel, Scott, Jean, Prof. X, we’re all white. It’s literally just turning the tables, no hidden messages or “black nationalism” 😂
Tempo taking them through time to this universe was a mini Marvel version of FlashPoint, but it doesn’t really make sense, to me at least.
This also isn’t for a casual reader, you need to at least know something about the supporting characters to really get into the story. Unfortunately, a lot of people probably picked this up expecting a cool solo series, but it’s a split perspective story where Bishop isn’t even with his students 75% the story.
This story really wasn’t necessary and if you were going to do a Bishop story, I wish it was better than this, but it’s not an evil story, it’s just not that good.
Tempo taking them through time to this universe was a mini Marvel version of FlashPoint, but it doesn’t really make sense, to me at least.
This also isn’t for a casual reader, you need to at least know something about the supporting characters to really get into the story. Unfortunately, a lot of people probably picked this up expecting a cool solo series, but it’s a split perspective story where Bishop isn’t even with his students 75% the story.
This story really wasn’t necessary and if you were going to do a Bishop story, I wish it was better than this, but it’s not an evil story, it’s just not that good.
February 26, 2025
Maybe this feels better than it was, because the Captain Britain book was so blech.
It certainly isn't great, but at least it is creative. I think Bishop was introduced as I was getting into comics- maybe a little before, with the Days of Future Past story. But in the early 90s, he was just a dude with giant guns, ridiculous muscles and an absurd number of pouches. It was nice to see him carry a story, even if it wasn't a great one, which isn't on the character.
Bishop is teamed with a number of unfamiliar characters who are part of Krakoa's defenses. Marvel is doing a good job of making comics more representative.
(Seriously, stop acting like a baby. Comics were the purview of jacked, brilliant white dudes for 50 years. Don't whine because Marvel is slowly evening the tables and it feels like they have added a few women that no one is forcing you to read.)
But because these characters are so unfamiliar, the story is harder to follow, if only because the names and powers are so new. The Von Strucker children seem evil enough, but are so easily defeated by inexperienced mutants, they don't make for interesting foils.
Bishop is the center of the story, but centered in a strange way. He does go to a separate universe where the X-Men are Black. Like real Black. And the scientists are Black. Someone asked if this was Black nationalism. I dunno. I never read early Spider-man and asked if this was white nationalism.
It certainly isn't great, but at least it is creative. I think Bishop was introduced as I was getting into comics- maybe a little before, with the Days of Future Past story. But in the early 90s, he was just a dude with giant guns, ridiculous muscles and an absurd number of pouches. It was nice to see him carry a story, even if it wasn't a great one, which isn't on the character.
Bishop is teamed with a number of unfamiliar characters who are part of Krakoa's defenses. Marvel is doing a good job of making comics more representative.
(Seriously, stop acting like a baby. Comics were the purview of jacked, brilliant white dudes for 50 years. Don't whine because Marvel is slowly evening the tables and it feels like they have added a few women that no one is forcing you to read.)
But because these characters are so unfamiliar, the story is harder to follow, if only because the names and powers are so new. The Von Strucker children seem evil enough, but are so easily defeated by inexperienced mutants, they don't make for interesting foils.
Bishop is the center of the story, but centered in a strange way. He does go to a separate universe where the X-Men are Black. Like real Black. And the scientists are Black. Someone asked if this was Black nationalism. I dunno. I never read early Spider-man and asked if this was white nationalism.
August 30, 2023
What the HELL is this? Am I reading some subtle black nationalism tangent from the writer?
J. Holtham has written for Marvel's TV shows and says he's a New Mutants fan, but I don't know how much actual comic reading he's done. This seems like it was allllllll written around one panel of art and then stretched into a five issue miniseries.
Short version? PTSD Bishop is worried that the next generation of mutants aren't ready for battle. Orchis enlists some almost mutants to go break open The Pit. Surprise! Battle! Blightswill (macguffin #1)! Tempo! Uhoh! Alternate reality. All mutants are African American. Peace, love, lots of dreadlocks...
Get home. Save the day. Get graded (and ready for the Hellfire Gala event)
--------
Bonus: WHY is there a Lucas Bishop on Earth-63? He's time displaced and you're telling me his life mirrored 616 Bishop's EXACTLY??
Bonus Bonus: This ISN'T the Dakotaverse in DC. They wrote it and did it well. Don't piggyback.
J. Holtham has written for Marvel's TV shows and says he's a New Mutants fan, but I don't know how much actual comic reading he's done. This seems like it was allllllll written around one panel of art and then stretched into a five issue miniseries.
Short version? PTSD Bishop is worried that the next generation of mutants aren't ready for battle. Orchis enlists some almost mutants to go break open The Pit. Surprise! Battle! Blightswill (macguffin #1)! Tempo! Uhoh! Alternate reality. All mutants are African American. Peace, love, lots of dreadlocks...
Get home. Save the day. Get graded (and ready for the Hellfire Gala event)
--------
Bonus: WHY is there a Lucas Bishop on Earth-63? He's time displaced and you're telling me his life mirrored 616 Bishop's EXACTLY??
Bonus Bonus: This ISN'T the Dakotaverse in DC. They wrote it and did it well. Don't piggyback.
December 20, 2023
Another X-Men offshoot where I’m wondering who this is for — it doesn’t do a TON for Bishop, and the other characters aren’t really developed enough to really feel like major steps forward within the larger Krakoa narrative either. The Fenrir (?) Twins are just sorta bleh — having literally Nazis fighting the X-Men feels a bit lazy. All the stuff with Earth 63 with its majority/all-Black X-Men cast was fun stuff, but the violently disruptive note ending our visit to that world feels kinda like a crap place to leave off. I feel like a whole standalone 3-4 volume arc about Earth 63 would be super compelling if handled with ample nuance, but as what feels like a one-off here, I’m left wanting either much more or maybe none at all in this issue? Or maybe the thread with Bishop just needed to be elucidated far more.
April 28, 2024
The whole thing seems a bit like pointless time-wasting. The Strucker twins are on Krakoa, trying to dig their way into the Pit and release all the bad mutants housed there, as part of yet another nefarious Orchis plan. Bishop and a group of young mutants undergoing war training are on-hand to witness this and attempt to stop them. Only something goes wrong and Bishop and Tempo get transported to a different universe where the x-gene is linked to race and all mutants are black people (and where, somehow, there are black counterparts to Professor X, Cyclops, Jean Gray, etc.). The story really doesn't go anywhere at all--no meaningful discussion about this different timeline, nothing much more than time-wasting. And the art is a real mixed bag--carefully drawn faces on on page and very sketchy action on another. Just not very good.
June 8, 2023
Bishop and Tempo get transported to another dimension where all of the X-Men are black. Meanwhile the mutants they are training have to stop the Fenris twins from breaching the pit. This was OK. Sean Damien Hill's art is wonky at times and he needs to work on facial expressions particularly when heads are partially turned. It is beginning to feel like the only game in town is Orchis as far as threats to the X-Men go.
February 16, 2024
This was a fun read. I have been a fan of Bishop since the 90s. At first this feels like another New Mutants, but there is a different approach. There is a bit of multiversal madness, which I'm always a fan of. The art is neither great nor awful. My rating of 3 seems consistent with other reviews on here. Ties up fairly neatly.
Read via Marvel Unlimited.
Read via Marvel Unlimited.
June 19, 2025
It’s not great. I do like the idea of a Bishop centric series where he leads the kids.
That said, I don’t like the Strucker Twins or the alternate earth bit.
There’s something weird to me about taking the X-Men (already an allegory for discrimination) and making the x-gene a race based mutation. Just feels like a weird extreme that’s way too on the nose?
That said, I don’t like the Strucker Twins or the alternate earth bit.
There’s something weird to me about taking the X-Men (already an allegory for discrimination) and making the x-gene a race based mutation. Just feels like a weird extreme that’s way too on the nose?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2023
Lectura 278 Bishop: War College de J. Holtham/ sean Damien Hill
Me gusta más la creación de Bishop y su intrahistoria que lo que van haciendo los guionistas con él. Esta es otra ocasión para no hacer nada interesante con él más allá de mandarle a otro pasado alternativo
2/5
Me gusta más la creación de Bishop y su intrahistoria que lo que van haciendo los guionistas con él. Esta es otra ocasión para no hacer nada interesante con él más allá de mandarle a otro pasado alternativo
2/5
January 5, 2026
I do not understand the low scores for this title as war college provides insight into how Bishop’s status as a time-displaced mutant influences his approach to life on Krakoa, leading into a key storyline tied with Inferno, Zeb Wells’s Hellions, and Sabretooth and and the Exiles.
February 17, 2024
A disappointing superficial story which lacks a compelling... Anything really. The art is pretty good though.
March 15, 2024
4
Better than I anticipated. The last issue was a bit boring, though.
Better than I anticipated. The last issue was a bit boring, though.
January 3, 2025
La historia es flojita, aunque quizá hubiera dado para alcanzar la tercera estrella, pero es que el dibujo la remata 🤷🏻♂️
February 28, 2025
A solid read.
May 19, 2025
the plot was rly messy and a little boring but i'm rating it higher to spite that dude named ross in these reviews
May 22, 2025
There’s really two stories with being interesting for the history of Bishop. But it’s really a 2.75.
August 21, 2023
This was bad.
Tonally, it was uncomfortable. The first couple issues focused on how Bishop was such a hardass, yelling at his young students all the time. There was then a complete 180 shift in the final issue, when Bishop proved to be a softie and gave each of his students a different high letter grade, with personalized notations about each student. However, this "plot" point about Bishop's interactions with the students only came up in the first and final issues, and otherwise was ignored for the majority of this godawful miniseries.
The majority of the action took place in an alternate reality. But, the writers working on this alternate reality didn't understand about how bifurcation and cosmic resonance normally works. Rather than pinpointing one particular occasion in which this reality split from 616, there was... Something else.
In this other reality, the X-gene is only associated with melanin. Or, it only originated from a region of western Africa. Meaning that only Black people can be mutants, even if there are references to a few Caucasian mutates like Spider-man and Mr. Fantastic. And if we were supposed to treat this genetic oddity as the sole point of divergence from 616, that would be one thing. But, this reality followed some sort of convergent evolution. So, even though they're clearly different people descended from different families, somehow there are Black "versions" of all the X-Men. Somehow, there is still a telepathic mutant named Emma Frost, even though she's a Black woman with bleached locks. There are Black versions of Cyclops, Jean, Nightcrawler, everybody.
This isn't just weird, it's bad. There is no way that white people can all channel their inner Dolezal and somehow *choose* to be a different race. That's just not a thing. And if you accept the premise that in this universe, only Black people can be mutants, that has potential. But, the writer didn't invent a whole bunch of new Black characters with their own identities, powers, etc. No, he just decided that the best a group of Black mutants could be is a parody of a bunch of white mutants.
No serious discussion was made about the fact Storm was unchanged. She was Black in 616, and she was Black here. There also was no discussion about all the OTHER races, besides Black and white. Surge and Armor are basically main characters in this miniseries, and they're both Asian. The writer made no attempt to address the fact Asian characters have their own set of racism and prejudices they have to deal with. And even though we saw Black versions of a bunch of white characters, there was a curious absence of non-Black POC characters in this reality.
(Setting aside whether it's offensive to portray white characters as Black, doesn't it somehow seem more offensive to portray Sunfire, Rictor, and Jubilee as Black? Because the writer is wiping away their preexisting racial identity, that is ALREADY a minority, and substituting in a different minority status?)
We were given to understand that this reality was something of a utopia. That the world is so much happier because it is "ruled" by all-Black mutants. They have less conflict than white mutants, supposedly.
...
That is a very touchy, possibly offensive argument. It only sort of works because the writer is trying to pitch the idea of white people turning Black. It would not work AT ALL if the writer tried to pitch that the world would be a better place if only Black people could all be turned white. That would just be such blatant racism and white nationalism, no one would ever print that.
Does this alternate reality count as Blackface? If the characters truly believe that they are Black, and aren't wearing makeup, it's okay, right? Or does it still count as Blackface because the writer knows that he's changing the aesthetics of white characters to make them look Black? I should poll a group of Black people to ask their opinion, but I'm sure I would get conflicting answers. This is all just so weird and messed up, we don't have a prepared response for this scenario.
There was no logic to this world, even. Bishop inexplicably had a double in this universe, and his personality was very different. He was some sort of pacifist nerd. But, WHY WOULD HE EVEN BE THERE!? Bishop isn't native to the 616 universe. He comes from an alternate future, and was sent back in time as a police officer to try to prevent catastrophe. There is no reason why he should even exist in this alternate world. And if he did, he should still have been a police officer from that timeline's future. It's like the writer didn't even know that Bishop was a time traveler, and didn't account for that at all in the alternate reality.
Just, avoid this garbage. It might be offensive. It's definitely unpleasant.
Tonally, it was uncomfortable. The first couple issues focused on how Bishop was such a hardass, yelling at his young students all the time. There was then a complete 180 shift in the final issue, when Bishop proved to be a softie and gave each of his students a different high letter grade, with personalized notations about each student. However, this "plot" point about Bishop's interactions with the students only came up in the first and final issues, and otherwise was ignored for the majority of this godawful miniseries.
The majority of the action took place in an alternate reality. But, the writers working on this alternate reality didn't understand about how bifurcation and cosmic resonance normally works. Rather than pinpointing one particular occasion in which this reality split from 616, there was... Something else.
In this other reality, the X-gene is only associated with melanin. Or, it only originated from a region of western Africa. Meaning that only Black people can be mutants, even if there are references to a few Caucasian mutates like Spider-man and Mr. Fantastic. And if we were supposed to treat this genetic oddity as the sole point of divergence from 616, that would be one thing. But, this reality followed some sort of convergent evolution. So, even though they're clearly different people descended from different families, somehow there are Black "versions" of all the X-Men. Somehow, there is still a telepathic mutant named Emma Frost, even though she's a Black woman with bleached locks. There are Black versions of Cyclops, Jean, Nightcrawler, everybody.
This isn't just weird, it's bad. There is no way that white people can all channel their inner Dolezal and somehow *choose* to be a different race. That's just not a thing. And if you accept the premise that in this universe, only Black people can be mutants, that has potential. But, the writer didn't invent a whole bunch of new Black characters with their own identities, powers, etc. No, he just decided that the best a group of Black mutants could be is a parody of a bunch of white mutants.
No serious discussion was made about the fact Storm was unchanged. She was Black in 616, and she was Black here. There also was no discussion about all the OTHER races, besides Black and white. Surge and Armor are basically main characters in this miniseries, and they're both Asian. The writer made no attempt to address the fact Asian characters have their own set of racism and prejudices they have to deal with. And even though we saw Black versions of a bunch of white characters, there was a curious absence of non-Black POC characters in this reality.
(Setting aside whether it's offensive to portray white characters as Black, doesn't it somehow seem more offensive to portray Sunfire, Rictor, and Jubilee as Black? Because the writer is wiping away their preexisting racial identity, that is ALREADY a minority, and substituting in a different minority status?)
We were given to understand that this reality was something of a utopia. That the world is so much happier because it is "ruled" by all-Black mutants. They have less conflict than white mutants, supposedly.
...
That is a very touchy, possibly offensive argument. It only sort of works because the writer is trying to pitch the idea of white people turning Black. It would not work AT ALL if the writer tried to pitch that the world would be a better place if only Black people could all be turned white. That would just be such blatant racism and white nationalism, no one would ever print that.
Does this alternate reality count as Blackface? If the characters truly believe that they are Black, and aren't wearing makeup, it's okay, right? Or does it still count as Blackface because the writer knows that he's changing the aesthetics of white characters to make them look Black? I should poll a group of Black people to ask their opinion, but I'm sure I would get conflicting answers. This is all just so weird and messed up, we don't have a prepared response for this scenario.
There was no logic to this world, even. Bishop inexplicably had a double in this universe, and his personality was very different. He was some sort of pacifist nerd. But, WHY WOULD HE EVEN BE THERE!? Bishop isn't native to the 616 universe. He comes from an alternate future, and was sent back in time as a police officer to try to prevent catastrophe. There is no reason why he should even exist in this alternate world. And if he did, he should still have been a police officer from that timeline's future. It's like the writer didn't even know that Bishop was a time traveler, and didn't account for that at all in the alternate reality.
Just, avoid this garbage. It might be offensive. It's definitely unpleasant.
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