Writer: Stephanie Phillips
Artist: Giada Belviso
Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Letterer: Travis Lanham
Cover Artists: Rickie Yagawa; David Nakayama; Francesco Mobili & Moreno Dinisio; Iván Talavera; Jeremy Wilson
Designer: Jay Bowen
Editors: Lindsey Cohick, Annalise Bissa, Tom Brevoort & CB Cebulski
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $3.99
Release Date: October 8, 2025
In Beverly Massachusetts, Hank and Cecelia are mounting an insurrection. Like Kraglin, Cecelia dislikes turning mutineer. But Hank insists it is time. Carol Danvers has given them no choice. Even if Carol dies, it's a small price to pay to regain their freedom. Why have Hank and Cecelia embraced terrorism? And how does life in their town differ from that in the rest of the Revelation Territories? Let's slip on some shades, leap into Binary #1, and see!
Story
In Amazing X-Men #1, Magneto and the X-Men have transported Scott Summers' consciousness through time. Not having lived through the preceding ten years, Scott wonders what happened to Jean Grey. Sadly, many have died since Revelation unleashed a mutative virus. Most of them were Humans lacking Mutant DNA to activate. But since then, Mutants have arisen against Revelation's rule. Doug Ramsey, aka Revelation, strips dissenters of their ability to communicate. Those who take up arms against him face harsher penalties.
Like some of the renegade X-Men who abducted Cyclops and Beast's consciousnesses in a desperate act to bolster their revolution, Jean Grey has also died. In Stephanie Phillips' story, the Phoenix Force passed into Carol Danvers. When the mutative virus began activating Mutants and shifting nature into overdrive, Carol used it to erect a barrier around her hometown and protect the inhabitants from the effects of the virus.
After Hank, Cecelia, and their friends launch their attack, Binary #1 winds the clock back to the days preceding the attack. The inhabitants of Beverly have gathered for a town hall meeting. But instead of discussing how they can improve living conditions in their town, they express their frustrations over the limitations. Hank is a leading voice in the chorus of discontent. But everyone yearns for a return to life before the lockdown.
While Binary #1 reveals why Hank has become an agitator, it’s easy to empathize with the townspeople’s frustration. Carol Danvers may not use her telepathy to control them like Revelation does his Angel of Death. Still, she regulates everything that comes into their town. The virus struck ten years ago. Yet the townspeople still live in a cage, unable to see the world outside, or experience anything that could rejuvenate them. And any time they do anything wrong, Carol can call upon the powers of the Phoenix to punish them for their infractions.
Art
Wires hang over the cracked streets and the houses in disrepair. Hank, Cecilia, and their comrades take cover behind a salvaged car. While Hank wears a trenchcoat, Cecelia sports an X symbol on each shoulder. All carry guns while awaiting the outcome of their initial attack.
Giada Belviso shows the townspeople's frustration and outrage as they air their complaints in Binary #1. Carol’s long blonde hair, perhaps uncut since lockdown began, accentuates her sharp features. Standing next to the mayor, Carol frowns and remonstrates clad in blue, black, and red. The townspeople may have elected Abi. Still, she stands beside Carol wearing green slacks and a jacket, and black boots and a tie.
Rachelle Rosenberg imbues the town hall with a sickly green. The overhead lighting illuminates the speakers’ faces but often struggles to penetrate the madding crowd. When Carol Danvers grows angry, her hair turns bright yellow, and her body orange and white. Hovering above them, she turns the surrounding air orange, like Revelation exerting his will upon his subjects.
Travis Lanham places bold black time/space markers in gilt frames. Black uppercase dialogue inhabits white balloons and narrative boxes. Carol Danver’s thoughts appear as white uppercase letters in red boxes. The letters grow bold for intonation. Anger swells words and deforms balloons. Sound effects hail an illicit encounter, and Carol’s determination to protect her hometown. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a review copy.
Final Thoughts
While Revelation’s mutative virus evokes stories from the Biblical book of Genesis, Carol Danvers faces a situation akin to Moses in the Book of Exodus. The townspeople of Beverly, Massachusetts may not be wandering in the desert. Still, they exist on the manna Carol gives them. Faced with little to excite them or enrich their lives, the people Carol Danvers shields from Revelation’s virus wonder if life might be better under his rule in Binary #1.
Rating 9.6/10
To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.
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