The island nation of Genosha is under quarantine, the mutant inhabitants dying from a virus that is running unchecked, with no cure found to help them.  Havok and Wolfsbane have reached out to their ‘friends’ in X-City, begging for help from their fellow mutants, but reluctant to break the quarantine and expose more mutant to the virus, X-City has turned it’s back on Genosha.  Havok has made the decision to storm the city and take the help they need.

This issue opens in X-City, where we see that Beast is still messing around with time travel.  Phoenix (Rachel Grey) and him are discussing the activities of three mutants, Thunderbird, Wolverine and Banshee; three mutants that Beast plucked from the time stream, just before their untimely deaths, to bring them to the present and give them a second chance at life.  Phoenix is not happy that Beast has done this, but, as usual, he explains that nothing could possibly go wrong having their friends and colleagues back.  Before they can further their discussion, explosions rock the city.  Havok and his team from Genosha have crashed the walls of X-City, seeking out Triage, a mutant with the ability to heal, and to Havok, the last ray of hope for the mutants of Genosha.  The battle is fast and fierce, pitting mutant against mutant, and showing that Havok is taking no chances in reaching his end goal (particularly great moments are shown with Mystique and Karma).  Triage is found and Havok pulls the team back to Genosha, taking former friends as prisoners along the way.  Tests are set up to ensure that Triage’s powers will work against the virus….and the sinister secret plan to rid the island nation of its disease is revealed.

Being a fan of pre Cassandra Nova Genosha from Earth 616 (‘our’ Marvel Universe), I have really enjoyed this tie in to Secret Wars.  It shows the X-Men doing what they have always done best; rising up against the people and situations that would see mutants persecuted and taken out completely.  What I like most about this book is the two different sides of this battle; X-City, where mutants live a happy, healthy life free of any turmoil; and Genosha, mutants dying by the hundreds of a disease that cannot be cured.  Mutants all, but one faction effectively turning their backs on their friends to ensure their self preservation.

Marc Guggenheim does a good job telling this story, and bringing across the desperation that we feel from Havok and the mutants of Genosha and Carmine Di Giandomenico’s art is really nice, especially the battle scenes, showing the ferocity between the two sides trying to defend what each are fighting for.

I for one am really looking forward to the next issue of this book; I want to see how X-City retaliates against Genosha and how the true ‘cure’ revealed at the end is going to impact the island nation of mutants.  Pick this one up folks; you won’t be disappointed.

Story: Marc Guggenheim Art: Carmine Di Giandomenico
Story: 8.5 Art: 8 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Read