Writer: Simon Spurrier
Pencillers: Paul Davidson & Francis Portela
Publisher: Marvel

About 20 issues ago in Uncanny X-Men, Beast and Archangel assembled a team of mad scientists to pursue solutions to the dwindling mutant population. Beast named this team the X-Club, after a real life social club comprised of scientists during the 19th century. The team currently consists of James Bradley aka Dr. Nemesis, co-creator of the original Human Torch android and hunter of Super-Nazis; Madison Jeffries aka Box, former member of Alpha Flight with the power to manipulate (and possibly speak to) machinery; Dr. Kavita Rao, creator of the mutant cure, now looking to restart a race she once tried to end.

This one-shot takes place between the cliffhanger ending of New Mutants #13 and the opening explosion in X-Men Legacy #236. How do you fit an entire issue between a countdown from 4 seconds and running to safety? You’d be surprised.

The X-Club gets teleported to the near future, where they encounter a psychic monster that tries to feed off of Nemesis and Madison’s mutant x-genes. They encounter a strange man who insists that Dr. Rao is the only one of them who can save the world, but Dr. Nemesis isn’t convinced. The story ends on quite a twist, though it’s not totally unpredictable.

This issue does a great job of clarifying Dr. Rao’s motivations. When she was first introduced as a member of the X-Club, I wondered why the woman who created the mutant cure would now try to do the exact opposite. This issue answered my question, and writer Spurrier does a good job of making me believe and understand Rao’s change of heart.

Dr. Nemesis, of course, manages to steal quite a few scenes/pages. His trademark wit is present, though it borders on making him look like a complete asshole for most of the issue. Nemesis also gets a few golden lines of dialogue, including some tongue-in-cheek heroic calls and taunts.

The X-Club is an under-appreciated addition to the X-Men mythos that adds a little sci-fi fun without having to leap into deep space. This single issue is well crafted, well drawn, and a lot of fun. I’d definitely recommend this if you want a Second Coming tie-in that’s not about different ways to kill and maim long-standing X-Men. Get this issue, folks. If not for me, then for SCIENCE!!