Exiles #96 - Marvel

All we get this issue is a little feel for the world that they've landed on. It appears that the FF are this world's greatest heroes. They consist of Victor Von Doom, the Hulk, and Sue and Johnny Storm. And the world they live in appears to be a utopia. They land in the middle of an attack on the city by, what look to be, the Mole-Man and She-Hulk. They quickly dissuade the attack and capture She-Hulk. However, the Mole-Man slips aways. And he does so with Blink. Doom seems happy about their intervention, and that they thwarted whatever the Mole-Man's plans were. So he throws them a party, and vows to help them find their compatriot. While the team appreciates the adoration, it also is more that a little skeptical. Things just seem to perfect here. But, whatever is affecting the populace may be affecting them too, because they seem to be letting their guard down, and also appear a little to well adjusted. Meanwhile Blink, in the presence of the Mole-Man is not feeling all that threatened. First she finds out that he's actually Reed Richards. And he's thrown off a bit by her witty banter. "Nobody jokes anymore. Doom doesn't allow it. He doesn't approve. It's not dignified. Victor erased that ability from the human genome." So this isn't the perfect world that they think it is. Meanwhile, back in the Crystal Palace, Betsy is having some weird dreams while doing monitor duty. But they seem like more than dreams. She taken to an asteroid and given a picnic lunch by an old couple. He starts telling her, " . . everything in time and space is starting to unravel . . . tearing apart the integrated structure of reality itself. Someone's gotta save it!" But other than minor chit-chat, that's really all the information he gives her. And then she's back at the palace. My guess is that both of these storylines are going to run congruently in the next couple of issues until we see how they're connected. Which should be right around issue #100. I gotta say though, I love everything about this book . . . except . . . the Tomm Coker covers. I don't know. They just don't do it for me. But this is the beginning of a fantastic new storyline by Chris Claremont. And I think that Clayton Henry's pencils work very well with this book. So if all I can complain about is the cover . . . it's not that big of a deal.