Welcome back to Mutantversity, a class offered at the Krakoan Akademos Habitat. This isn’t a place to find big reviews of X-books, (that’s what our Review section is for!) but it’s a great way to keep up with one of the most complicated superhero series around. We’ll learn, we’ll laugh, and we’ll try to choose our friends wisely. We’ll do all those things, but most of all, we’re going to dive into the deep end as we try to parse all the secrets of this new era of “X-Men” comics. As your designated X-Pert, I will do my best to help you work through everything Marvel’s Merry Mutants have to offer!
Here’s how it’s going to go. First we’re going to recap the last month of the ongoing superhero soap opera that is “X-Men,” focusing on the titles that are really driving the story. Think of it as your monthly headlines into all things “X-Men.” Then we’ll take a quick look at every single X-book that came out this month. Finally, we’re going to close things out with our very special Monthly Mutantversity Medals of Merit to close out these issues of “X-Men.” Stick with me true believers, and maybe we’ll survive this experience!
The X-Men’s New Nightmare
The X-Line has been so hot for so many years that’s it’s not uncommon to see events on Krakoa referenced in the pages of “Iron Man” and “Daredevil” and “Hulk.” It’s been rare for events in other Marvel books to go the other way and shake up life for the mutants but “X-Men” #4 restored my faith that a simple crossover can be fun.
Doctor Strange is dead, and you can read all about that in a comic called “The Death of Doctor Strange.” It’s pretty good! But what’s super cool is seeing X-Men take on villains they rarely have the opportunity to face. This time it was Nightmare, who always gives a great opportunity for artists to draw some trippy messed up stuff. As we dove into the insecurities and fears of the members of this X-squad we got little insights into their characters, a great story to throw out our heroes early in their new run. I was particularly interested to note that on Krakoa, Jean seems to retain the memories of her time-displaced former self from that whole confusing era of X-Men. This actually ties it up neatly with a bow, explaining why Jean didn’t have memories of those experiences before she was resurrected. Again (and again).
We also get to spend some time with the most compelling member of the X-Men, Laura Kinney. Laura is just back from an adventure where she lived for centuries battling alongside her lover and teammate, Everett (aka Synch). Due to some resurrection shenanigans, Laura forgot those years, but Everett didn’t. This issue spells out exactly what that choice means to Laura. She knows the whole situation, it seems that everyone has talked it through. But Laura has elected not to have Jean give her Synch’s memories of the experience. That brings up really interesting questions, like what it would be like to experience another person’s perspective of you. But for Laura, the choice is simpler than that. She doesn’t doesn’t want to fall in love, and she assumes that’s exactly what will happen if she gets the memories. Delicious mutant melodrama.
We’re also reminded have how enormous a badass an Omega level mutant is. Nightmare only felt safe mucking about on Earth because Doctor Strange wasn’t around to put him in his place. But the Sorcerer Supreme is about as powerful as the top tier of mutants, and Jean is the cream of the crop in terms of sheer universe bending power. So she whups Nightmare no problem, and sends him pacing. It ruled!
Colossus Fridged His Boo
It’s been a minute since the events of “X-Force” felt like they had repercussions in the larger story, but something dark is stirring up. The very powerful and very evil Mikhael Rasputin is secretly manipulating his brother, Colossus. While Black Tom Cassidy conducted a very cool, very brave, and very gross rescue inside his comrade Beast, Colossus was leading a happy life. A blissful one. He was living a peaceful life of farming the Krakoan drug flowers, making art, and having sex with his very bland and anonymous girlfriend. She seemed nice! I’m sure they had a good time mixing the drugs and the art and the sex.
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But then Mikhael made Colossus snap her neck like it was nothing. He can do mind control stuff, and it seems like Colossus didn’t really know what he was doing. That doesn’t really excuse the fridging, which fits into an unfortunate pattern of creators thinking up female characters just to kill off to drive drama. And hey, Ben Percy didn’t bother giving the girlfriend a personality, so it’s not like anyone is really gonna miss her. (Still a pretty gross way to go).
Where this story gets interesting again is in the pages of “Inerno.” Mystique has made her move, and revived her wife, Destiny. She even scored Destiny a place on the Council. This sent Professor X and Magneto (and their secret partner Moira) scrambling. They knew they needed to make a move to secure their power base. So who can they trust to have their back? Colossus sure is steadfast and doesn’t seem compromised at all, right? Oops. Now a shitty C-lister like Mikhael Rasputin is poised to be the most powerful villain on Earth.
Plus after all that, Beast still had to cut out his own eyeball. It went “sploot.”
How Mystique Got Her Wife Back
Shapeshifting. Next question?
The biggest event in X-books this month was the long awaited return of Destiny, whose return has been teased since HOXPOX and early issues of Hickman’s “X-Men.” After a long time anticipating, the resurrection went… exactly like anyone could have guessed. Using manipulation and her powers, Mystique impersonated Magneto and Professor X and instructed the Five to do her bidding. She even used some fatherly assurances to make Hope feel like she was really doing the right thing. Then she kissed her wife, and plotted the downfall of the two men that had wronged her. It’s good stuff!
Disorder in the Trial of Magneto!
As a fan of the character, I was sort of wondering when Wiccan was going to find out his mom was killed. Turns out I didn’t have to wait too much longer. Wiccan, having just survived the “Last Annihilation” finally showed up and got the news of Wanda’s demise just in time for it not to be true anymore! Wanda’s back! And it seems like an old backup.
How old? Well we know Professor X stopped making backups of Wanda when she learned she wasn’t related to Magneto or even a mutant, which happened in “AXIS.” It’s tough to put a number to the years with the sliding timeline and all, but that was some time after the birth of her kids (as it were) (it involved lots of magic). So there’s another piece to this puzzle.
If someone simply used Wanda’s backup, she should remember Wiccan. This is an earlier backup still. And that’s pretty fishy, especially as Wanda’s family is concerned. Magneto and Quicksilver could have tons of creepy reasons to want to revert Wanda back to an earlier state. But the Avengers have motive too!
That’s what makes “Trial of Magneto” so compelling. This is a a good mystery tied in with tons of obscure continuity and great character moments. And at the end of this, we still don’t know what exactly Wanda is going to be, and whether or not she will somehow become a mutant once again.
This Month’s X-Books:
“Hellions” #16 – All of these characters are such bad people, and every page I spend with them is endlessly captivating.
“Excalibur” #24 – An overstuffed issue still had a solid center; the stuff about the trial was great.
“New Mutants” #22 – Vita Ayala commanded the great Rod Reis to draw a bunch of nice kids sharing a group hug; this issue rules.
“X-Men” #4 – Jean Grey faces a heavy hitting Doctor Strange villain. I appreciated this issues pointed focus.
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“X-Force” #24 – In what was probably the best issue of this series, two horrifying plots play out, and fortunes change for some long-time X-Men. One for the worse and the other for… it’s sort of a lateral move.
“Trial of Magneto” #3 – Still a highlight of the entire X-line.
“Inferno” #2 – The exciting comic that is tearing me apart, but in a good way. Can’t miss stuff.
“Marauders” #25 – A real return to form! An exciting issue that featured a lot of fun superhero action.
“S.W.O.R.D” #9 – While it sometimes got a bit deep in the technobabble, this was another fantastic issue from a series that’s bitten off way more than it can chew. In a good way!
“Wolverine” #17 – Some boring spy stuff mixed in with some passable shooting action stuff.
The Mutantversity Monthly Medals of Merit:
The Cable’s Pouch of X-Treme Grittiness Award
Given to a mutant for demonstrating badassitude and commitment to the 90s aesthetic
Greycrow
I am so grateful for Greycrow. A curious D-tier X-Men villain with a racist legacy has become one of my favorite anti-heroes on Krakoa. What makes him work is simple. He’s not looking for a new angle on the type of guy he is- he’s a brutal efficient killer. He ain’t sentimental. But he’s also got a big heart of gold. Classic stuff. This month he did a classic display of badditude when he threatened a dude’s life, then his soul, then laughed off an eternity in the pit. All while fixing his guns and his cybernetics. Sounds like a winner to me!
Merriest Mutant Award
Given to a mutant who found a rare moment of happiness
Colossus…!?
About halfway through “X-Force” #24 I declared Colossus the winner of this title. For better and for worse, Piotr has always been very clear about what he desires, and like we discussed above, this is the good life for him! He farms, he paints, and he has sex with a hot but uninteresting girl. Not only that, but his farming efforts are vital to the nation- he’s the one cultivating the Krakoan flowers that make the country a powerful player on the international stage. I’ve noticed that the happiest seeming mutants are the ones who have a strong purpose in this new world, and Colossus definitely qualifies. But well…
“Professor Xavier is a Jerk” Award
Given to a mutant who acted like a real jerk
Colossus…!!??
A first time winner in both categories! I have a loose ‘no mind control’ rule for this category. After all, Colossus’ hands did the evil deed, but it was his brother who willed the murder into being. But… I don’t think Pete is entirely innocent. His major flaw is always trusting his judgement over the people around him, which is terrible because he’s a big dummy. And he’s so desperate for his newfound happiness that it’s kind of numbed him to asking questions. Like who the hell is this girl of his and what’s she all about besides sexually satisfying him? She doesn’t seem to have any other traits. So while that girl (who has a name, but I doubt her creator remembers it so I ain’t looking it up) is innocent, Colossus is responsible for positioning himself as a target by failing to think critically, and now he’s going to be a pawn in Xavier and Magneto’s last attempt at a misogynistic shadow government.
Fastball Special Award
Given to a duo who exhibited great friendship, collaboration, and teamwork
The Marauders
I love superheroes using superpowers to do cool stuff! I love it! In “Marauders” #25, the team pulled of an incredible feat. They built a spaceship using only their powers. First, Iceman built them a frozen sphere filled with enough air for a few minutes, and he spun it to generate gravity. That was all the time they needed for Lockheed and Pyro to make a fire to keep them warm. Which melted some of the ice, so Captain Kate fired her blaster through the water. Electricity passing through water created oxygen. Then Bishop and Shaw combined their forces to store up and release energy, creating thrust. Emma Frost was there too, and she psychically brought the team together and acted as navigator. All the Marauders had a part to play in their desperate efforts to survive the vacuum of deep space.
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Let’s Talk About X Baby Award
Given to the sweetest, sexiest, bestest romantic couple
Mystique and Destiny
This relationship exists between two amazing lines. The first was Mystique, wide eyed and looking right at the reader yelling, “I want my wife back!” We knew it was on then, and this month delivered. Destiny is back, but not as she once was. The new definitive line about their relationship occurred when Destiny noticed she had been brought back young. “It’s my welcome back gift,” she said, “For both of us.” Oh yeah. A cool thing about these two is that they were married for something like 100 years. Mystique didn’t really age in that time due to her powers, but Destiny did. And Mystique never wavered in her love or loyalty to her much older-looking wife. So she proved she ain’t shallow, she’s just hoping to give her partner back a little energy. I think that’s sweet!
MVX: Most Valuable X-Man
Given to an X-Man who embodied the values of the team and showed all around X-cellence
Emma Frost
You might not have noticed it, but Emma was solidly running all of Krakoa this month. As well she should! Besides participating in some amazing deep space adventures with her Marauders, Emma was in the center of the Krakoan political crisis. Mystique had her on the defense for a little while, and Emma was integral in voting Destiny back on the council. But she’s not a servant, she went to Xavier and Magneto, and is the first person to be let into the circle of trust with Moira. She got the whole download, she knows everything now. And we know that by the end of Inferno, Xavier and Magneto will be dead and Emma will still be in power and running resurrection. By playing up her status as someone who will happily work with Team Hero and Team Villain, Emma has become the essential player in the middle and is now the center of all mutant power. And good for her!
