The Pulse #10

 

 Welcome to the House of M. In this alternate timeline of the Marvel Universe, mutants are the dominant species over the human race. They are lead by Magneto and his two children, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. The House of M is due to the fractured psyche of the Scarlet Witch, who went insane upon discovering that the children she mourned over so passionately were figments of her imagination. Unable to cope with this revelation, the mutant viciously attacked her closest friends, the Avengers, killing several and subsequently this resulted in the team's ultimate disbandment.

  In this House of M crossover, one of the victim's of the Scarlet Witch's assault has returned from the dead- Hawkeye. Possessing knowledge that he shouldn't be alive, Clint Barton infiltrates the archives of the Daily Bugle is order to learn more about this new version of reality. His break-in attracts the attention of a Bugle reporter who assists him in his quest for knowledge. But with anti-human Sentinels closing in, will the reporter be able to continue with Hawkeye in his quest of returning the universe back to normal by killing the Scarlet Witch?  

    I had read the House of M many years ago and I loved that alternate reality mutant thriller. Like with just about any Marvel crossover event, there are dozens of tie-in issues and storylines contained in the pages of the publisher's monthly titles.        

   Maybe it's because I erroneously thought that Marvel only tied in the X-titles. (Silly Madman...) Since I've been trying to collect and eventually read this entire series, this is my first real glimpse at the House of M from a non-mutant point of view.

   The Pulse #10 was very interesting. By making humans second class citizens, the tables have been reversed with the mutants getting the accolades, positions or power, and chance to rule for once. I had always thought of House of M as a dynamic alternate history story. But at its heart, M is a top notch look at civil rights. The added twist is that the majority (humans) are in fact the minority because they do not have special powers.

    Bendis just keeps writing gems like this. I don't know how he does it and I am a little jealous. This story is self-contained enough that you do not have to read House of M to follow or enjoy this issue- but you really should! Also featured really excellent art by Michael Lark (Daredevil) and yet another wicked cover by series artist Mike Mayhew.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.