While I was browsing in my local comic book store and picking up the latest X-titles this week, I realized that I forgot to grab Uncanny X-Men Heroic Age #1. I thought to myself why I missed this book the first time and I saw that maybe because the words 'Heroic Age' pulled away my interest from reading this book. After reading this, I was actually surprised that this issue was a great read with good interior artwork. Although the art of Steven Mark Sanders, Jamie Mckelvie, and Whilce Portacio was not as great as Oliver Copiel's art in the backup story, their art was a nice fit to their stories. Along with Second Coming #2, this book also included epilogues featuring Beast, Hope, and Cyclops.
     Let me first start off with my least favorite story which is the one that deals with the X-Man Beast. Hank leaves the X-Men due to Cyclops militant attitude of running the X-Men. At a zoo, he runs off to meet with his girlfriend Abigail Brand, leader of a branch of SHIELD called SWORD. Later he meets with Molly Hayes of the Runaways and discusses topics such as faith and extinction. Molly reminds Beast to live life to the fullest which I think encourages him to join the Secret Avengers. These two characters spotlighted in this story did not interest me at all. Molly Hayes came from an awful comic series and my love for Beast is diminishing. Beast's character in Secret Avengers is doing so well, but I hope someone can bring Beast back to the X-Men with good characterization adjustments.
     The Second story about Hope was an interesting one and takes place in the Baxter Building. Hope is accompanied by Dr. Nemesis and Rogue to get a physical from Reed Richards. Reed tells them she is healthy, but since he does not know Hope's biological parents, his medical knowledge is somewhat limited to my opinion. To learn who she is, Reed suggest to go to Alaska to find any information about her biological family. The most memorable scene in this story was between Franklin Richards and Hope. She is so knowledgeable about combat situations, but did not know what was a bicycle which I found was hilarious.
     The book ends with a Cyclops story. We first find him hunting Dinosaurs in the Savage Land. Immediately Scott meets with Captain America. Steve Rogers encourages Scott to bring the X-Men out of hiding to become heroes to the public. Later the public welcomes back the X-Men to San Francisco and Scott receives a medal of freedom from the President.
Back at Utopia, Cyclops and Hope's relationship begins to develop further. Scott tells Hope about the five lights that manifested when she arrived, but Hope is angered about what people expect her to be. All she wants is to find her family roots which Cyclops agrees to. Hope is delighted that Scott will send her and a team to Alaska.