All-New X-Men Special (2013 series) #1

Dec 2013 on-sale: Oct 2, 2013

Mike Costa
writer
 |  Kris Anka
penciler

All-New X-Men Special (2013 series) #1 cover

Story Name:

Elegy in the Classroom


Synopsis

All-New X-Men Special (2013 series) #1 synopsis by reviewer Peter Silvestro
Rating: 4 stars

The four time-displaced original X-Men (Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast, Iceman) make a visit to the New York of their future; they are stunned by the crowds and constant chatter. Scott and Jean head off looking for someplace quiet while Hank and Bobby head to the park. Hank spies a pretty girl reading poetry and tries to engage her in conversation but he ends up talking too much. She mentions she is studying temporal displacement at Empire State University and Hank is smitten. Then her purse is stolen and Hank removes his shoes before taking off after the thief through the trees, nabbing him and hanging him up for the police. Molly asks if Hank is a mutant and she thinks that is cool, so she joins them. Hank learns Molly is studying with his old teacher Dr. David Jude and she invites him back to school to see him. Hank is surprised to find Dr. Jude’s lab is now a small place in the basement. Hank tells Dr. Jude he took his course in gamma medicine and Jude thinks he is a bit too young for that. Well, now Jude specializes in time travel. Then instruments record a massive radiation spike and Dr. Octopus crashes into the room looking for Dr. Jude. Hank tells Molly to get Dr. Jude to safety while he takes on the villain by jumping around his tentacles with his acrobatic abilities….

Several blocks away, Jean and Scott are considering seeing a movie when Hank lands on a car nearby, hurled there by Doc Ock. The combined X-Men suit up to battle Ock and then Spider-Man appears and he is surprised and angry, for this is the Superior Spider-Man, Otto Octavius himself, who knows full well Doc Ock is “dead” and wonders who he is fighting. Spider-Man attacks his foe and is burned, discovering that “Doc Ock” is emitting gamma radiation. Spider-Man calls out to the X-Men with a plan to contain the villain but the youthful heroes don’t have the control needed for the exact maneuvers. So Spider-Man asks Ieman to ice up his fists and he knocks out “Doc Ock” with a punch. At Beast’s suggestion, they carry the radioactive baddie to Dr. Jude’s lab where Spider-Man surgically removes Doc Ock’s tentacles; he is impressed at the faithful recreation of the villain’s early look and gear, rejecting Molly suggestion that he had traveled through time as virtually impossible. The X-Men then reveal that they have traveled through time but Spider-Man is still not convinced. “Doc Ock” can’t be examined because there is too much gamma radiation coming from his body. They decide to call in the world’s foremost expert on gamma. Contacting SHIELD, Spider-Man asks for a special consultation with one of their experts—and he is told the Hulk is just finishing a mission for them….

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Story continues in INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK SPECIAL #1.

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Characters
Good (or All)
BEAST  
Beast
(Hank McCoy)
CYCLOPS  
Cyclops
(Scott Summers)
HULK  
Hulk
(Bruce Banner)
ICEMAN  
Iceman
(Bobby Drake)
MARVELGIRL  
Marvel Girl
(Jean Grey)
SHIELD  
S.H.I.E.L.D.
(SHIELD)
XMEN  
X-Men
(Xmen)
Plus: Spider-Man (Otto Octavius).


> All-New X-Men Special (2013 series) comic book info and issue index



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Main/1st Story Full Credits

Kris Anka
Kris Anka
Jordie Bellaire
Alexander Lozano (Cover Penciler)
Alexander Lozano (Cover Inker)
Alexander Lozano (Cover Colorist)
Additional Credits
Letterer: Cory Petit.
Editor: Nick Lowe. Editor-in-chief: Axel Alonso.



Review / Commentaries


reviewer
All-New X-Men Special (2013 series) #1 Review by (February 17, 2026)

Review: ARMS OF THE OCTOPUS! It’s an oddball crossover—any story with the Superior Spider-Man will be odd by definition—but this one is a lot of fun as well. It kicks off with a great deal of charm, especially Hank and his meeting with Molly, a romantic interest for the duration of the trilogy. And Hank is the ideal narrator for the story as he is the X-Man most likely to comprehend what is going on in the science-heavy plot, reacting with dry humor as well. The art suits the tone aptly as the youthful heroes wander around a New York they don’t entirely recognize. And then the villain walks in, followed by a hero and this is Spidey versus Doc Ock in a way we have never seen before—and neither has this Spider-Man. So Spider-Man (I can’t bring myself to call him Spidey) bosses around the X-Men and the X-Men try to get used to his darker Spider-Man as nothing seems right. In the end we get a teaser for the Hulk—and that’s all we need.

Comments: Part one of the three-part crossover, “The Arms of the Octopus.” The original X-Men were brought to the present in ALL-NEW X-MEN (2013) #1. Painted art by Kris Anka and Jordie Bellaire. Variant available with interlocking covers by J. Scott Campbell.






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