In this review of Generation X-23 #2, Laura and Gabby discover the source of X-80’s powers, meet a new batch of clones with a distinct identity, and confront their past’s repercussions on their present.
GENERATION X-23 #2
Writer: JODY HOUSER
Artist: JACOPO CAMAGNI
Main Cover: PARTHA PRATIM
Variant Covers: PEACH MOMOKO, SIMONE DI MEO, MARIA WOLF
Page Count: 25 pages
Release Date: 3/25/26
This review contains spoilers
“I was born inside of a lab. Made, really.”
Generation X-23 #2, starring Laura Kinney and her sister Gabby—a.k.a. X-23 and Scout—has introduced a new label within the Marvel Universe mythos.
The adventure thus far has been Laura tracking a mutant with powers similar to her friend Kiden (introduced in 2003 during the NYX series). A redheaded lady with a tattoo reading “X-80” and using Kiden’s time-acceleration powers appears during a fight, and Laura gets curious if someone’s cloning her friend’s powers, forcing more painful mutant breeding against the law. She gathers Gabby and they track her scent to an abandoned facility, which houses a group of kids who much like them, are mutant clones.
The kids—only named after their cloning numbers and whom Marvel marketing has dubbed the “X-Numbers”—treat her like a celebrity, since she is the most popular mutant clone. Laura converses with the leader, who calls himself X-Infinite, and discovers that they are considered “defective”. X-Infinite also reveals that ruthless experimentation forced one of the former inhabitants to lose control and destroy most of the facility. They are all that’s left.
Further explained to Laura and Gabby is that the building is dubbed Facility 23 after Laura. The surviving remnants of her originators gloated that they dubbed it after their greatest “creation”. Words such as creation and defective bring back traumatic memories for X-23, who was looked upon as a creation and caricature of an assassin, rather than as a sentient person.
Laura—who is a bred clone of Wolverine—instantly feels a connection with the X-Numbers through these conversations.
Those like her who were cloned in facilities and made to be weapons against their will have typically been classified as mutants. Being a mutant is very integral to Laura’s identity, and she spends much of her superhero life rescuing mutants who have been exploited for their gifts. So naturally, she extends an invitation for the X-Numbers to join mutantkind and seek help.
Laura is instead appalled when the X-Numbers disclose that they have no intention of leaving the facility.
This is the moment which shows that mutants, much like any human being, handle trauma on a spectrum. For Laura, she can’t stand the sight of a cloning and weaponizing facility again because she’s haunted by all of the memories attached to it. For the X-Numbers, they can’t leave because it’s a safety net for them. It’s where they met each other.
They have nowhere else to go, and they’ve converted the facility into a defense mechanism. Laura can’t wrap her head around why anybody would want to stay in a place with such history, but the kids are pretty firm on it, establishing a spectrum for Marvel’s genetic clones.
As they continue their exchange, the X-Numbers let Laura know they don’t want to be classified as mutants. Their DNA originates from mutant DNA, but they were created by humans. However, X-Infinite elaborates that they don’t feel they belong to either the humans or mutant classification. Since they’re lab-bred clones, they’ve labeled themselves with a new name: “The Generated.”
X-Infinite also states that within their umbrella, Laura falls within the definition of a Generated. He states Laura has adopted a human name, but her Generated name; X-23, was her first identity. Laura struggles wrapping her head around this concept, wondering why they dislike mutants.
They have to be mutants, right? Because they’re just like her and she’s a mutant. Being a mutant has validated her, as the mutant community took her in despite how society looked down upon her and treated her as an animal. So when she sees people from the same struggle, she feels she can relate. Except they don’t relate to one of the core aspects of Laura’s being.
Laura tries to win them over, telling them the mutant community is one where they can belong. They discuss the failed dream of Krakoa and Professor X as another rejection of mutantkind. Laura says it’s less about Xavier’s mission and more about the bonds within the race.
The kids provide a counter-argument. They already have a community, each other. “Generated” thus becomes Marvel’s newest label. It’s not exactly human, and it’s not exactly mutant—it’s Generated.
After all, a mutant’s journey generally involves being part of a society that one day ousts them when latent powers awake. They lose their family, dreams, aspirations, and their name—that’s no different from a human’s— becomes tainted. Except The Generated never had a name to taint, or a regular society they initially belonged to. They were born as numbers to be used for clandestine operations. Their struggles and paths are different from a human or a mutant.
After the argument, X-73 loses control during a training exercise and internally combusts (very similar to Nitro during Civil War). Laura fails to help X-73 control his powers, and absorbs the brunt of the explosion to protect the others. Despite her heroics, he tragically passes away as X-Infinite yells “Not again”.
Laura is badly burned and in recovery. When she wakes up, X-Infinite declares to Gabby that Laura will answer for his friend’s death.
Final Thoughts
Like the first issue, Jody Hauser continues adding depth to the life of a mutant clone. This time, she does it by reflecting and contrasting new characters with Laura’s story, while giving Laura a new internal conflict. Definitely worth checking out if you’re a fan of X-23 or Scout.
