X-Men #19 pg 2 (Asrar art, Hickman story) - Synch, Wolverine and Darwin survive COTV explosion

From the pages of X-Men #19 INTO THE FIRE OF EACH OTHER (Escape From the Vault) comes this page.

As I am rereading this short saga (X-Men #18 and #19, near the start of the Krakoan era) from Hickman and Asrar it reinforced how good this era was and how solid the story and art, especially from this COTV (CHILDREN OF THE VAULT) storyline played out. Even though it was only two issues, this story has had many effects in the following years. The love story created between Synch and Wolverine (Laura Kinney, aka Talon) was one of the best recent romances, along with the start of the no mutant left behind story (Darwin) that would come to play in the following X-Men series. The issue packs in a lot of story told in montage bits of the centuries these three (Synch, Wolverine and Darwin) spent surviving on the Vault.

This page features the post explosion effects from Aguja on these three soon after arriving into the Vault and confronting the Children. Asrar’s emotive art throughout this main title X series is perfectly paired with Hickman’s fully fleshed ideas and writing. The art showcasing how these three can survive anything together. It’s a bit of a healing, survival of the fittest, cycle that only these 3 (maybe another Wolverine) could withstand. Synch taking the healing/regenerative factor abilities from Wolverine and the persistence to survive these harsh conditions and ability to adapt from Darwin. I thoroughly enjoy the top panels as we see this in full effect. Then the journey and montage bits start up right after this page to see what happens after centuries of being inside and how they ultimately escape (the sacrifices, and not all of them escape). It’s a very hard issue but can’t recommend it enough to read these two issues, even if you only remotely know these characters.

For me this mini saga compares to the love story seen in Uncanny X-Force between Psylocke and Angel, called DARK ANGEL, short lived but with with an emotional punch to your heart. This is a becoming bit of a cult classic comparable to AGE OF APOCALYPSE, especially in the fact that remnants of the events still play out in current X books and having a nod to this event in the recent end of the Krakoan era (where Sync has to say goodbye to Talon and ending the “longest” X love story in existence). It’s a great pleasure to be able to post another page from this truly Uncanny story and art.