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, we’ll realize that letter Apocalypse form his own religion is always a bad idea. 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!
An exciting announcement captured our attention, so we took the time to look deeply into the history of the X-Men and their blades in the upcoming “X of Swords” crossover. Now we are back to our regularly scheduled X-reporting.
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. Next, I’ll tell you which X-Men books I looked at this month, and whether I thought they were worth reading. Finally, we’re going to award 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 Month in X-Men:
Franklin Richards is one of the most important characters in the Marvel universe, and one who has been around for perhaps longer than you think. Despite rarely finding success in other media, “Fantastic Four” is, by many metrics, the first Marvel comic. Franklin first appeared in the sixth annual issue in 1968. He is the child of Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman. He is a mutant. His powers are near-total omnipotence. His destiny is to be the last living being in the universe. And this month, he started his journey to Krakoa.
Those who have followed Jonathan Hickman’s work for a while have seen Franklin pop up again and again. We’ve seen an older, bearded, future Franklin, who has taken Galactus as his herald. When Doctor Doom subjugated the remains of the multiverse, it was Franklin who had to pick up the pieces, dreaming up alternate universes, forging them with his powers, and casting them out into reality. He was first mentioned in the first issue of “House of X,” when Cyclops told the Fantastic Four that Franklin’s family- meaning mutants- were waiting for him to come home.
The first issue of “X-Men + Fantastic Four” wasn’t entirely action packed, but it neatly set up Franklin’s inner conflict. He’s a young teen, he doesn’t feel respected, and he’s right, he’s not respected. His dad is constantly doing shady Mr. Fantastic stuff. When young Franklin’s powers first started to manifest, his dad shut down his brain, placing the infant into a coma. Papa Fantastic is constantly vacillating between seeing his kid as a beloved child, and as a cool science experiment. He tracks him against his will. He suppresses his powers. I’m sure that’s a tough parenting gig for anyone, but I don’t blame the kid at all for wanting to run off.
The far-future destiny stuff is especially interesting. We know that Moira is trying to avert a cosmic disaster in the future, the kind that ends universes. Often when we leap ahead to see the state of the centuries-later Marvel universe, Franklin watches it like a benevolent god. The recent “History of the Marvel Universe” mini-series tried to reconcile and clean up some continuity. The framing narrative was a conversation between Galactus and Franklin at the end of all things. When impossibly large machines are trying to form dominion-intelligence-networks on the far side of black holes, will Franklin be watching on dispassionately?
We also need to consider Franklin as he pertains to Omega Mutants. From the secret files of Xavier and Magneto we know that they consider Omega Mutants to be their nation’s greatest resource. So far, a lot of their Omegas have gone kind of rogue. Apocalypse is doing whatever he wants, playing a magical game over centuries. Jamie Braddock was recently crowned the King of Otherworld. Iceman is a renegade pirate. Quentin Quire is a bully and an assassin. Legion is at large, whereabouts unknown. And Franklin is as much more powerful than all of those guys as they are to regular mutants.
Continued belowWe don’t yet know why the Omegas are Krakoa’s most important resource. I mean, there’s the obvious reason, but I don’t think that’s it. We’ve seen what happens when powerful mutants come together with the Five- they conquer death. Xavier, Moira, and Magneto clearly have a greater plan. Maybe Franklin is meant to lead the Omegas, combining them to perform some impossible feat?
We’ve got to talk about Raven. “X-Men” #6 put the focus on Mystique and… what’s there to say about Mystique? Expect the unexpected. The fact that she’s playing her own game is hardly a twist at this point… but the devil is in the details, and Raven’s story may actually be the most important on Krakoa.
The basic facts are this: Mystique has demanded the resurrection of her wife, Destiny. Professor X and Magneto keep telling her to do one more thing, and then she can have her wife back. They have no intention of doing so. It’s partially Moira’s fault, who was traumatized by an encounter with Destiny in her third life. But Xavier and Magneto are characteristically playing this like chumps. They’re clearly not on the level, condescending to one of the most deadly and duplicitous people on the island, and they are too arrogant to see the danger they are creating. When Mystique decides she’s had enough, and is ready to burn the place down, that one’s gonna be on ‘ol Chuck Xavier.
We should note that this is the first time Mystique has referred to Destiny as her wife on page. It’s been pretty clear the entire time, but it’s never been made explicit. Chris Claremont included a lot of queer subtext in his “X-Men” run, and has been pretty open about it in recent conversations. It’s grown less forgivable over the years to include this obviously gay couple, and to always be dancing around it calling them “partners” and “dear ones” and the like. A few months ago in (the surprisingly good) “History of the Marvel Universe,” the two of them kissed for the first time on page. I love a bit of playful subtext in my X-romance, but 50 years of it isn’t fun, it’s something else entirely. I take this as a genuinely optimistic sign about how we are going to write queer relationships going forward.
There’s also Mystique’s mission. She planted a Krakoan seed on the Orchis Forge, and loomed over the Orchis leader with a knife. The disregard Professor X had for the laws that he helped establish were pretty disgusting; he was happy to order the murder. But Mystique didn’t do it… or at least she claimed she did not. There’s a lot of reason to believe that she offed that dude immediately, and ks impersonating him to plant more seeds- the seeds of her revenge. That’d be so Hickman. And more importantly, it’s so Raven.
It seemed like Morgan le Fey was going to be a big and persistent threat, but Excalibur conquered her in a brief and vicious war. And now Jamie Braddock is king and the multiverse shudders. Apocalypse calls it the first act of Krakoan territory expansion, and well, it’s not a good look. There are some not-so-nice mutants out there. The Big A is one of them. Jamie is certainly another. And now we’re being made to question a whole lot. Krakoa seems like a great place when you think of it as a refuge. It gets a little hairier when it becomes an aggressive invader. But it’s not like Morgan le Fey was a force for benevolence. I fear we’re left with questions and not a lot of answers.
Jamie Braddock was a race car driver who discovered he had the mutant powers of… basically omnipotence. Like Proteus, he can twist reality to his imagination. Unlike Proteus, he doesn’t seem to burn out his body in doing so (though his powers seem to have driven him quite mad). I would posit that if you put Jamie, Proteus, and Franklin Richards in to an omnipotence-off, Franklin would come out as the most powerful. On the other hand, this might be just trying to measure different amounts of infinity. The worst thing you can say about Franklin is that he’s a pretty annoying teen. Jamie is an accomplished asshole who refuses to put on clothes. Besides his crown of course.
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It’s easy to accept a totally utopic, benevolent version of Krakoa. We never got anything like that, but it wasn’t too hard to accept the flawed people who lived there. Things got a little harder when the villains were let in. But now we’re truly questioning the price of utopia in a big way. It’s creeping up on us. Madmen sit on the quiet council and we can say “but maybe they’ve changed.” Then they invade a sovereign realm and we can tell ourselves that it was a liberation. Jamie Braddock’s coronation is forcing us to question where the line is. Is there something that Krakoa could do that would make it invalid? What’s the solution to all this bad decision making? There’s no easy way to fight villains when you are on the same side as them.
Man, this era of “X-Men” comics are good.
One of the most alien aspects of Krakoa is resurrection. Death is literally coded right into our DNA, what kind of people would we be if we knew it didn’t have to be like that? That’s what makes the Crucible such a fascinating ritual. It’s meant to answer a bunch of questions that we flatscan humans never will have to consider. In other words, it is science fiction at its finest.
The rules for the Crucible are this: if you are one of the (presumably millions) of mutants who lost their powers on M-Day, you can partake in a ritual to restore you to your mutant body. We know that the resurrection queues on Krakoa are long- it’s going to take decades to restore the millions of mutants who have been killed, and more keep dying in every issue, slowing things down. This ritual slows down the process of those who are unhappy with their bodies, deprived of the powers that give them their sense of identity. Unfortunately, the ritual seems like it was designed by Apocalypse.
There are a few references to other mutants who may have had their hand in thinking up the Crucible. It is obliquely implied that Emma might have been one of them, which sort of makes sense, she’s been known to show tough love and play dangerous games with her charges. (I know the modern take on Emma is a lot more compassionate than that, but it’s not always how she’s been written). But the ritual is led by Apocalypse and it fits right with his ethos. Survival of the fittest. Mutants are more worthy than humans.
In the Crucible, a depowered mutant faces Apocalypse in single combat (because this is a superhero comic after all, there’s gonna be violence). Apocalypse basically preaches at them- asking them if they are brave enough to die on their feet, berating their human condition. He really gets under their skin. The Big A is one of the most powerful mutants ever, so these depowered mutants don’t have a chance. They are killed. And then they are resurrected, powers restored, in what looks like a cathartic and spiritual moment. It’s also very disturbing to the reader.
And not just the reader! “X-Men” #7 is told from the perspective of a few different characters questioning whether or not such a ritual should be allowed. Wolverine is a big no. He can’t bring himself to watch. This is consistent with his characterization of the last decade, which has been all about protecting mutant kids from a life of violence. Cyclops is kind of thrilled with the Crucible though- and in true Cyclops form seems guilty about his excitement, which then spirals into a self-referential tangle of feelings. But Nightcrawler is the key character in the story. He recognizes genuine spiritual fulfillment. But he also sees that it’s like, a bad idea to let Apocalypse be the de facto spiritual leader of mutantkind. Turns out that leads to a culture of violence and abuse.
This is excellent characterization for Kurt. He’s struggling with how the new status quo challenges his spiritual beliefs. So far, that’s been a very personal journey for him. When he sees what mutant religion is becoming in this issue, he has an awakening. He’s on the quiet council. Nightcrawler is supposed to be a leader. And so he vows to start a new religion, one that (I fervently hope) is not about violence and superiority but about something deeper and more personal. The Crucible is meant to satisfy a spiritual need that comes with immortality. It’s brutal and cruel. But Nightcrawler isn’t those things. So the war for the soul of mutantkind begins.
Continued belowThis month’s X-Books:
“X-Men + Fantastic Four” #1 – A solid first issue, but a slow and somewhat predictable start.
“X-Men + Fantastic Four” #2 – A rollicking adventure in which superhero teams misunderstand and punch each other a great deal.
“Marauders” #7 – The Hellfire Trading Company grows as fan-favorite mutants join the cast! Wonderful!
“Marauders” #8 – This series has been a lot of fun, but this issue hit me deep. Heartbreaking in the best way.
“X-Men” #6 – A fabulous, moody character piece that doesn’t cover new ground so much as it takes time to consider Mystique’s emotions.
“X-Men” #7 – A story about controversy that’s sure to be controversial. Wow. This one blew my hair back.
“Excalibur” #7 – Now that this series has reached full speed, it is a consistent joy to read.
“X-Force” #7 – Now that’s more like it! Gentle love between the team members and rad snowboarding action. Everything I want in this book.
“X-Force” #8 – Action! Romance! Funny data pages! And a hell of a fight to close out the issue.
“New Mutants” #7 – Hickman and Reiss are killing it, even the meta jokes are kind of fun.
“New Mutants” #8 – Is this what the series is going to look like moving forward? I’m cool with that, I love spotlighting the characters who rarely get to be on a main X-team.
“Wolverine” #1 – A gigantic, packed issue that managed to say very little that was new about everyone’s favorite feral Canadian mutant.
“Giant Size X-Men: Jean Grey + Emma Frost” #1 – Not what I was expecting at all. A tribute to “New X-Men” #121 that wouldn’t have worked without the tremendous talents of Russell Dauterman.
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
Domino
When “X-Force” started, I wasn’t sure what I wanted out of it. An intelligent John le Carre meditative spy adventure? A red meat Tom Clancy action-em-up? Something boody like “Uncanny X-Force?” This issue answered the question. I want Domino on a snowboard, chasing a bad guy, blasting him with her tree-laser-arm. Pew pew. I want every issue to be 22 pages of just stuff like this. Radical!
Merriest Mutant Award
Given to a mutant who found a rare moment of happiness
Jubilee
I think Jubes is living her best life. Sure, sometimes that’s not all smiles; she’s raising a toddler who is sometimes a dragon after all. That doesn’t sound like a picnic. But I know she loves Shogo, and it’s not like she never gets a chance to unwind. While her kid is being looked after, Jubilee joins Captain Britain and Pete Wisdom in “Excalibur” #7. Pete suggests stopping for a pint, and Betsy is just not having it. But Jubilee is delighted to spend a night out having fun, a drink, and maybe some karaoke. It’s hard to be an X-Man. Sometimes you’ve got to team up with obnoxious cads like Pete Wisdom. But Jubilee can find the fun and the sunshine in any teamup, turn any foggy London evening into a sunny day. For getting to raise her kid in paradise and turning every mission into a vacation, Jubilee is this month’s merriest mutant.
Fastball Special Award
Given to a duo who exhibited great friendship, collaboration, and teamwork
The Original New Mutants
Wow, so once we stuck Mondo and Chamber into the background, the New Mutants just settled into an old dynamic. You love to see it. Whether it was Magik kicking ass, or Karma and Cypher playing good cop/bad cop, or Sunspot and Cannonball dealing with their intense feelings for each other, all of them had a part to play. When the big fight came, it didn’t even need to be on the page! It’s well established that this is a group that can effortlessly kick ass. The issue left that fight up to our imaginations, and I have no doubt the young X-Team acquitted themselves like a groovy machine. Making teamwork look effortless!
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Let’s Talk About X Baby Award
Given to the sweetest, sexiest, bestest romantic couple
Colossus and Domino
There’s a lot said about Colossus and Shadowcat. They met when she was 13. He was 17. Due to deaths, resurrections, and comic book tomfoolery, they ended up the same age. They hooked up, sorta drifted together and apart for a while. They announced their wedding. They didn’t go through with it. Honestly, they’re both hunky but the chemistry was never really there. It was a teenage crush that never managed to mature.
At (arguably) the lowest point in Colossus’ life (there are a lot of contenders) he fell in with Domino. He had become the Juggernaut, then the Phoenix, and he had done a lot of bad things. His sister had tortured him to get him to stop coddling her, and they had a severe falling out. Piotr got trapped in his steel form and joined X-Force. And Domino didn’t need much from him. She was just a stoic and steady presence. She liked his broody artist thing, she liked his damage, and she didn’t need him to be something he wasn’t. Seemed like the sex was pretty good. (He was again, trapped in his steel form, but I don’t want to dwell). Eventually he started to open up, and she was there for that too, happy to see him getting better at his own speed.
And now, they both have scars. They both have a hardness and a sensitivity. But beneath it all, they respect each other for who they are and not who they could be. When Domino dies in “X-Force” #8, she asks Colossus to make sure she is brought back with all her scars, and damage, and trauma. And Pete seems inclined to do it. Because he loves her, even with all that stuff, and he doesn’t want to take it away from her. And that’s really beautiful to me.
Plus he’s big and she’s small in a really sexy way. Sometimes that just gets me.
MVX: Most Valuable X-Man
Given to an X-Man who embodied the values of the team and showed all around X-cellence
Franklin Richards
There’s a cadence to the traditional “X-Men” story. It’s the one you see time and again in comics and other media. It’s the story of a young person finding out that they’re a mutant, that they are different and that they are going to be hated and feared and that their lives are going to change by no fault of their own. Now, with most mutants living on Krakoa, “X-Men” has shifted into a new mode of storytelling. Franklin Richards’ struggle feels almost like a throwback. He’s got loving parents who just don’t understand, and his dad made some horrible choices. He’s a teen runaway. And I’ll be the first to admit he’s a little annoying, but most X-Men have been pretty annoying at one time or another. And most 13 year olds have been as well.
So this month’s MVX isn’t given to someone for being extraordinary but rather, to someone for being ordinary. Franklin is going through the quintessential mutant origin story, and everyone is rooting for him to survive the experience. We don’t know where he’ll ultimately end up, but he’s not the first young mutant to go through something like this. He’s probably not going to be the last.
