X-Men: From the Ashes Infinity Comic #9

Issue Date: 
September 2024
Story Title: 
Don’t Sound Like No Sonnet – part
Staff: 

Alex Paknadel (writer), Phillip Sevy (artist), Arthur Hesli (colorist), VC’s Clayton Cowles (letterer), Jasmien Alvarez (production), Annie Cheng (digital comics specialist), Noah Sharma (assistant editor), Darren Shan (editor), Tom Breevort (conductor of X), C.B. Cebulski (editor-in-chief)
X-Men created by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby

Brief Description: 

The demon N’astirh informs Havok that it is the Goblin Queen’s hex that put him in his zombified state, then leaves intending to revenge himself on her and later Magik. Madelyne, in the meantime, senses something going on in the Limbo prison and heads there, where he’s confronted by Alex about what she did to him. She admits she did it to keep him safe. That moment, N’astirh attacks. Madelyne restores Havok and he beats N’astirh, after which he then leaves and meets up with Polaris. Madelyne grieves, certain that he will not return to her, and K’yrb tries to console her.

Full Summary: 

Limbo:
Alex Summers protests at the demon N’astirh’s revelation that Alex’s lover, Madelyne Pryor the Goblin Queen, is to blame for Alex’ zombified state. How would he know? he seethes. N’astirh retorts that, if Havok’s condition were a result of botched necromancy, then any charlatan should have been able to reverse it. He has been hexed. N’astirh turns to leave, adding that, if it is any consolation, he will revenge himself extravagantly on the queen. And then the Rasputin witch. He flies off.

The demon K’yrb muses he did tell Alex the plan was dumb. And once the Goblin Queen finds out, he’ll have eternity to regret his part in it.

In the Limbo embassy, Madelyne is busy signing some official papers when she senses trouble in Limbo. Not him again, she rages. She travels to Limbo, confronts N’astirh’s guards and demands how the %&/$ this happened.

They quickly inform her about K’yrb’s visit. When she walks toward N’astirh’s former cell, she finds K’yrb supporting Havok.

Seeing Alex’s state, she shouts for fresh demon flesh. Alex groans at her to stop. She tells him he needs the treatment. He fires a blast at her and order her to stop, then adds that he knows. Playing dumb, she claims he isn’t making any sense. They need to get him out of here. Alex spells out she put a hex on him when she resurrected him. Is this about Lorna or Nathan? Does she hate him? His family?

She takes his hand and assures him she just wanted to keep him safe. She knew Krakoa would fall and it would be violent. She knew he’d come running when that murderous, bald bastard called or, worse, his brother. She just wanted to keep him with her until the danger passed, that’s all. But the danger never passes. Not for them. Not good enough! he shouts, about to have a tantrum, then he pleads for her to just put it right.

Of course, that’s the point when N’astirh chooses to attack. He mocks he still owes her putrid companion a good turn. How about a mercy killing? Alex blasts him, while Madelyne shouts at him to stay down. As he blasts N’astirh, the remaining flesh strips from his arm bones. Weakly, he tells her she can stop this. She apologizes. As she casts a spell, she tells him she only holds on so tightly because no one held her at all.

Later, K’yrb asks her what happened then. Madelyne recounts how Alex was restored and, together, they scorched the scales from N’astirh’s hide. Alex was glorious, like a star. Sounds like he slept through the good stuff, K’yrb replies. Where is he now? He left, Madelyne reveals, to clear his head, he said, but she knows he isn’t coming back. Not until the sky falls on their heads, which always happens. She can’t bear the cycle, she admits.

Outside in the park, Alex enjoys his health. He sits on a bank, smiling. He is joined by a smiling Lorna Dane.

K’yrb tells Madelyne that he will come back. She accuses him of setting this in motion by taking Alex to Limbo. He agrees and asks what she would have him do. Crying, she asks him to stay with her for a while.

Characters Involved: 

Havok
Goblin Queen
Polaris

K’yrb
N’astirh

Story Notes: 

The story serves as a bridge to X-Factor (5th series), where Havok is healed and back together with Polaris.

Written By: