All-New X-Men by Brian Michael Bendis #20

Previously in All-New X-Men: Kitty Pryde leaves the Jean Grey Institute of Higher Learning, feeling betrayed by her fellow comrades namely Storm and Wolverine, and takes the Original Core Five teenagers with her. Illyana transported them to present-day Cyclops' base of operations which he named as the new Xavier School. Said base used also used to be the facility for Weapon X experiments which he chose symbolically and strategically since it's the last place anyone would look for them. Now the OCF and the DTMR are bunkmates and the OCF just had their first mission to help a mutant-on-the-run in dire need of their protection. The OCF encounters the Purifiers for the first time, almost gets gunned down by law enforcement for the first time, and discovers the hatred and ignorance against their species in the present day in the most unpleasant rude awakening imaginable.

Meanwhile, Kitty takes home the said mutant who turned out to be Laura Kinney, a genetic clone of Wolverine known as X-23. This was not a wise choice, considering Laura knew exactly where she was and was not happy to relive the torture of being experimented on. The moment she woke up and saw all of them hovering above her, she tried to flee the premises. Young Scott volunteered to talk to her himself. And now you're wondering if that also includes a scene of them making out and you won't be wrong to ask because WHAT THE FUCK IS UP WITH THAT COVER? Let me just say that this is not the first time ANXM employed red-herring covers. This will be the third one, actually, because Scott and Laura did not hook up...at least not yet. I got the feeling that it's in the horizon. I'm looking forward to it, and you know you are too.

This issue didn't have that much action unlike the last one. The action parts/confrontations only happened at the very end of the story which was okay. We get some time to breathe and analyze the situation for a while, particularly as we read the conversation between young Scott and Laura whose trust he is trying to gain without pressuring her. Jean had a different idea, though. She is presently reading Laura's mind and is seeing the horrors she suffered. Like an eager spoiler alert, she wanted to share this information to her friends but Professor Kitty sternly warned her, claiming that it should be Laura who should tell them (duh, Jean?) and they just have to wait for her to come around. She'll be ready to reveal her dark past eventually, Jeanie, so back off.

So as the OCF looked on while Scott and Laura are talking, Scott does the cutest thing to comfort Laura:

It was really nice. I know that Scott wasn't trying to cop a feel or anything. Notice the very posture of the hug. It was meant to be platonic, like consoling a friend who just happens to be also very attractive. Jean mentioned earlier that she picked up from Scott that he is attracted to Laura and that's probably why he volunteered to go. Jean does not look too thrilled about this development but who is she to complain? She's been stringing both boys along anyway. So after that awkwardly cutesy thing happens, we get back to more serious stuff. Laura requested to confront the Purifiers which Kitty acquiesced to. So with Magik, Kitty and X-23, the OCF infiltrate one of the headquarters of the Purifiers and chaos ensued. Unfortunately, they did not know that the Purifiers are hiding a special weapon. It would seem that there is something about one of the commanders of their group which is more than meets the eye. jean sensed it too late and they all get attacked by said commander WHO MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE MUTANT POWERS!! He knocked them all unconscious. 

Wow, if that is the case then that is a severe case of self-hatred right there. I'm afraid of what would happen to the OCF now that they are about to experience a slice of horrors themselves in the hands of the Purifiers. Goddammit!

RECOMMENDED: 8/10