New Warriors (Vol. 5) #2

Background

It’s time for another New Warriors series, and we’re mixing up the line up with some familiar names, but not necessarily the same person under the mask. So far all we know is that the High Evolutionary has decided that his humanoid creations are not the right path. He also has been using his Evolutionaries to begin eradicating different mutants, magical beings, and those with powers…

Story Details

We open in New York City, where an unnamed young man with a horn on his head rides the subway. Something on the tracks causes an explosion, which he is immediately blamed for. The real source, however, is Sun Girl battling Evolutionaries.

In New Salem, Justice and Vertigo are suffering a similar attack. Speedball arrives with Brutacus to assist in the fight, but the latter is just as quickly defeated. Justice prevents the Evolutionaries from taking him away, revealing a human face underneath the helmet. The Evolutionaries escape, promising that all of them will burn.

In Mexico, Kaine immediately attacks the Atlantean woman looking for heroes, assuming she was the cause of the bodies. Even with his strength and agility though, she manages to best him and traps him in a tube of water, intending to drown him. Hummingbird (Aracely) uses his mental powers to cause the Atlantean to fear her, freeing Kaine. The woman introduces herself as Faira Sar Namora, but the front page calls her “Water Snake”. She explains how she traveled to Lemuria when Deviant forces attack. Soon after though, the Evolutionaries appeared, attacking both sides. While Water Snake attempts to persuade Kaine to help her, he responds with his usual charm. Of course, the Evolutionaries appear, ready to kill them all for being an Atlantean, a demi-god, and a clone.

Having assisted in New Salem long enough (apparently), Justice flies himself and Speedball back to New York so they can check out the Avengers Tower database. Finding a recording from Cyclops, it’s revealed that the Evolutionaries were created at the dawn of man by the Eternal known as Phastos. He gave the pre-human advanced intelligence, armor, and power to protect humanity. Initially, these Evolutionaries wanted to kill mankind to allow for the mutants to take over, seeing them as the successors. With that information handled, the computer alerts them to the explosions in the subway. Justice is ready to act like an Avenger, but Speedball is a Warrior.

Cutting back to the aforementioned subway, Sun Girl attempts to protect the Morlocks from harm. The Evolutionaries are reluctant to fight her now that they realize she is human. She creates a diversion for the mutants to flee, intending to die protecting them, when the unnamed Inhuman boy from the beginning arrives. The boy is able to “eat” the energy blasts from the Evolutionaries. He introduces himself only as Mark, as the two face down their attackers. Of course, Justice and Speedball arrive, causing the Evolutionaries to flee.

As the issue comes to a close, we take a peak into Wundagore Mountain, where the High Evolutionary is keeping Sam Alexander, the new Nova. He explains that the Celestials are coming back to judge their creations, and only he and Nova can save humanity…

General Comments

A lot of random stuff happening here, to me. After re-reading this issue, it seems a little…not so well put together. I’m not entirely sure what the original New Warrior crew was doing in New Salem. Or what happened after they left. I guess they’re safe?

I also would like more information on who this “Mark” kid is, but I suppose this is Yost’s next big secret? What with having to explain Aracely too though, I’m not too sure he’ll have time to give everything credit. In two years of Scarlet Spider vol. 2 he could only give us more mysteries.

I also found things a bit confusing. If they hadn’t expressly stated that the Evolutionaries were “ugly” under their masks, I would have just assumed they were humans. Nothing in the art indicated to me they were “pre-humans”. Maybe because I’m not too keen on my “cosmic” knowledge, but I also find it interesting something that is an “extinction level threat” is something no one immediately recognizes.

I wish there was more of Kaine in this issue, but I think perhaps I am biased. Either way, I’m glad he’s back around!

That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy this issue. I think Yost has established a significant threat for our new group to face, and I look forward to them officially becoming a “team”, especially given that Kaine was opposed to working with anyone before. Between Aracely, Sam Alexander, Speedball, and Sun Girl, I imagine there will be quite a bit of moody discontent from him in this series. It’s an old joke, but one that Yost writes well with Kaine.

For now, I’ll continue to buy this series and give it a shot. It interests me more than some of the other titles I’ve tried, but I don’t expect much more than a light, popcorn flick style writing from it.

Overall Rating

I don’t want to go any higher or lower on this one and give the wrong impression either way. It’s not ground-breaking stuff here, but it’s not so devoid of interest/intrigue that I would suggest actively avoiding it either. Let’s give it a few more issues and see how things go.