X-Men: Second Coming - Prepare

Issue Date: 
April 2010
Story Title: 
Where were you?
Staff: 

Mike Carey (writer), Stuart Immonen (artist), Michael Lacombe (inks), Justin Ponsor (colors), VC’s Joe Caramagna (letters), Nick Lowe (editor)

Brief Description: 

Bling is making video recordings of the residents of Utopia. She first films Iceman, who hasn’t much to say, likening Utopia to the Alamo. So, Bling turns her attention to Magneto, who is defiant, despite injuries that he has sustained. He swears to ensure that the mutant race survives. Nearby, a body lies on a bed covered by a sheet. Cannonball is next. One of his friends is injured and being operated on by Dr.s’ Rao and Nemesis. He is finding leadership hard, but wonders how Cyclops is coping with everything. Roxy then visits Cable and Hope, fresh from the future. Cable mentions that Hope is a miracle, and they don’t come along too often. When they do, you fight for them. Wolverine is next, and he is mourning the passing of his friend. Hope better be worth the sacrifice, he feels. Roxy then interviews Cyclops. He tells her that he was where everybody was: on the front line. It’s where they live. Maybe it’s where they’ve always lived.

Full Summary: 

Roxy is making video recordings of several people and the first person she highlights is long-time X-Man, Iceman, who is on Utopia. He is a reluctant participant, but Roxy explains that she wishes to leave a record, just in case the worst happens… in case it all goes to pieces and they die and there are no more mutants ever. She asks Bobby to speak up, as the mic on her camera isn’t great. Bobby turns his back to the camera and looks across the island. He tells her that he was there, most of the time, which Roxy already knows because she was there too. It’s the place that they ran to when Norman Osborn kicked them out of every place else. Kind of like the Alamo with an ocean view.

Her next subject is Magneto who is struggling with an injury. On camera, he tells Roxy that he was where he said he would be. In the ranks of the X-Men. He explains that, when he came to Utopia, he made a decision to join them. It was with the knowledge that mutant numbers are now too low to sustain a species. He places his helmet over his white locks and adds that, accordingly, the oath that he swore was to the death. He exits a room which houses a table with what appears to be a dead body underneath a white sheet. He tells Roxy that no matter what she has heard, they are not dead yet.

The next on camera is Cannonball. He tells Roxy that he was with his people. He couldn’t have been anywhere else, and didn’t want to be. You get asked to lead a team and at first it’s something that you do. Then suddenly, it’s something that you are. He doesn’t know how to explain it better than that. He looks kinda depressed. He adds that it isn’t about ego. You just try to be what they need you to be. And you fail. And you keep on trying. He doesn’t feel that he’s whining. He just thinks it’s hard on him. He looks down from a control booth to where Dr. Rao and Dr. Nemesis are operating on someone. “What do you think this is doing to Scott?” he asks.

Next up is Cable. Hope is behind him, checking out the arsenal. Cable explains that he was with her through everything. Think about it, he adds. No more mutant births for more than a year. Counting down towards zero, day in, day out. Then Hope came… Hope Summers. You don’t get that many miracles in a lifetime, and when you do, you fight for them.

Roxy tries to interview Wolverine next but he isn’t in the mood. He sits on a rock looking out over the ocean. He isn’t interested in Roxy’s little project. He pauses and then turns to her. “You know what? Screw it,” he snarls. “I did what I was told. That’s what you do in a war.” He says that he went where Scott said and killed who he said to kill. He watched his friend die. “She better be worth it.”

Finally, Roxy turns to Cyclops and films him in his office. Scott tells her that he was where everybody was… on the front line. That’s where they live now. Maybe it’s where they’ve always lived.

Characters Involved: 

Cyclops, Iceman, Wolverine (all X-Men)

Magneto
Unseen body

Cannonball
Dr. Rao and Dr. Nemesis (both X-Club)

Cable
Hope

Story Notes: 

This was a free issue given away to preview the Second Coming storyline. Also featured alongside the main story was a preview of X-Men: Second Coming, cover sketches of New Mutants #12, X-Men Legacy #235, X-Force #26 and an article entitled “What is the Phoenix Force?” This was a six-page potted history of the Phoenix Force.

Roxy (Bling) is spelled Roxie in this issue.

The Alamo was originally a mission in San Antonio, Texas. It is famous for a battle that took place in 1836 between American forces and the Mexican army, which the latter ultimately won following a short siege. The mission is now a museum which receives over four million visitors each year.

The story takes place two days after Hope and Cable returned from the future. It is continued in X-Men: Second Coming.

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