Era #4, Part 10: Fall of the Mutants (X-Men)

My Grade: A

Like X-Factor, the X-Men are significantly changed by the Fall of the Mutants. This starts small with a realization by Storm that she needs her powers back to deal with increasing threats facing the X-Men. This means that she must finally confront her former lover, Forge, who developed the weapon that removed her powers. Her journey leads to deadly confrontation with demonic forces and the death of the X-Men.

[3-Stars] 220 - "Unfinished Business" Storm goes to Dallas to find Forge but discovers his corporate headquarters abandoned.  Naze, the Cheyenne shaman who mentored Forge in the mystic arts, arrives and convinces the X-Man that the only way to find the missing Maker is to go on a visionquest.

[4-Stars] 221 - "Death by Drowning" Remember when Rogue was a villain who battled Dazzler? Dazzler does, and the two finally have it out. Wolverine is in charge of the team while Storm is on her visionquest and sends them to San Francisco to protect Maddie from the Marauders (yep, that would be Cyclop's missing wife). We got drama, a big battle and the first appearance of Mr. Sinister!

[4-Stars] 222 - "Heartbreak" The X-Men battle the Marauders while Storm battles Eye Killer demons in her visionquest.

[3-Stars] 223 - "Omens and Portents" Naze falls ill leaving Storm to finish her visionquest alone. Destiny of Freedom Force has a prognostic vision that the X-Men will die in Dallas!

[3-Stars] 224 - "The Dark Before the Dawn" Storm finds Forge while being attacked by a hoard of demons, but has she been been fooled about the real goal of her mission? Rogue shares Destiny's vision with the team, and they determine that they must go to Storm. That means going to Dallas.

[4-Stars] 225 - "False Dawn" Colossus is back! Roma, Guardian of the Omniverse, visits the Russian mutant while he recovery in Scotland from his earlier injuries that makes it difficult for him to transform from his organic steel form. She leaves him a sign that he must go back to the X-Men who are now at Forge's Dallas headquarters. They have a difficult time entering the abandoned building armed with an automated defense system, but things get worse when Freedom Force arrives with a warrant for their arrest in an attempt to save them from fate of Destiny's vision.

[5-Stars] 226 - "Go Tell the Spartans" X-Men versus Freedom Force until reality is upended by strong magic. The two teams call a truce so that they can save innocent civilians from dinosaurs, barbarians and other out-of-time dangers. Their efforts are captured on film by reporter, Neal Conan (who is actually a real journalist for NPR and friend of Chris Claremont). Storm and Forge spend a year in a beautiful prison dimension built just for them knowing that they must return and face the Adversary.

[4-Stars] 227 - "The Belly of the Beast" The X-Men realize that to end the devastation and return Dallas to normal reality, they must find Forge within in his headquarters now filled with demons and the horrors of the Vietnam War. They eventually make it through the Adversary's defenses and confront the immortal Trickster, but in the end, the only way to save the world is to carry out Destiny's vision.

Nightcrawler and Shadowcat are the only X-Men left. They later join Rachel (who disappeared way back in issue #209) and Captain Britain in forming a new team in the UK called Excalibur.  I originally tried to collect Excalibur but eventually dropped it and sold most of the comics because the heavy involvement in the Omniverse which I found silly. I learned to stay away from Roma and Omniverse (mainly because they confuse me), but the Fall of the Mutants kept it to a tolerable minimum.

Era #4, Part 09: Fall of the Mutants (X-Factor)

My Grade: B

The X-Men's second big "event" is the The Fall of the Mutants. It isn't really a crossover but rather three independent stories each with very lasting consequences. The X-Factor portion is the only one that includes external tie-in issues from other Marvel titles such as Power Pack, Daredevil, Captain America and Fantastic Four.

At the end of X-Factor #17, Bobby makes an announcement to the world that people should know mutants by their deeds. It becomes the theme of this run in which X-Factor is challenged from within and without. The series continues to get great marks from me as the tension doesn't let up and marks the end of their "mutant hunters" guise.

Cameron Hodge springs his trap.  He orchestrated Cyclop's psychological descent in the last run through carefully placed remarks and the use of holograms that Scott took for hallucinations. Cameron was also responsible for the court order that removed Angel's wings as well as the legally assuming control of all the X-Factor assets and money being name primary beneficiary in Warren's will. The final revelation came when the team learned that Cameron created and leads the real mutant hunting organization called the Right. I really like the Right as a militant anti-mutant force, the "smiley face" armor is just too goofy.

Meanwhile, Apocalypse recruits four mutants to become his "Horsemen" and tests X-Factor to determine if they are worthy. The encounter leaves a deep, lasting mark on the team and New York City.

[3-Stars] X-Factor #18 - "The Enemy Within!" Cameron's steady manipulation of Cyclop's perception results in an all out battle between Cyclops and Marvel Girl!

[4-Stars] X-Factor #19 - "All Together Now!" Apocalypse releases three of his Horsemen upon X-Factor. The fight draws unwanted attention as Iceman's uncontrolled power (thanks to Loki) creates a huge block of ice in Central Park and leaves Beast very sick. It is later learned that Pestilences infected him with a disease that slowly decreases his intelligence each time he uses his increased strength.

[2-Stars] X-Factor #20 - "Children's Crusade" The X-Factor's Wards decide to help out in some small way by cleaning up Central Park.

[3-Stars] X-Factor #21 - "For Every Action..." X-Factor and Cameron Hodge attend the reading of Warren's will when they are attacked by soldiers of the Right posing as villainous mutants.

[3-Stars] X-Factor #22 - "If I Should Die..." A second squad of The Right storm X-Factor Headquarters in an effort to kidnap the Wards while X-Factor is still out.

[3-Stars] X-Factor #23 - "You Say You Want Some Evolution?" X-Factor versus Cameron Hodge and the Right.

[5-Stars] X-Factor #24 - "Masks" Apocalypse transports X-Factor to his hidden ship floating above New York City. He reveals his fourth Horseman -- Warren Worthington III is back as Death!

[5-Stars] X-Factor #25 - "Judgement Day!" Apocalypse sends his Horesemen to wreak havok on New York City. X-Factor does their best to stop assault but damage the Ship's stabilization in the process creating more mayhem and the large vessel spins out of control.

Power Pack #35 - "Life or Death" The Power kids are grounded but the war waging over New York City brings them out to help where they can. Their attempt to find their mother stuck in the subway brings them face to face with Pestilence. They also meet X-Factor and play a critical role in limiting the destruction of the Ship's crash landing.

Daredevil #252 - "Ground Zero" Apocalypse's Ship spinning out of control has caused panic in the New York City streets below. With the power out, buildings toppling, explosions booming (thanks to War) and people become ill (from Pestilence), people fear that the city has been hit by a nuclear bomb. Street criminal Ammo rallies a small army to seize control in the chaos, and it is up to Daredevil, Black Widow and the NYPD to quell the violence.

Captain America #339 - "America is Scorched!" Apocalypse sends his Horsemen Famine to the American heartland to destroy farms, crops and cattle. The Captain, Demolition Man, Falcon and Nomad intercept her devastating path of decay during their flight back from Las Vegas. I am confused as to why the government sends the new Captain America and Nomad to the Kansas rather than New York City.

[3-Stars] X-Factor #26 - "Casualties" NYPD is sent to arrest X-Factor but instead work with the mutants to save people from the wreckage, fires and confusion of their recent clash against Apocalypse.

Fantastic Four #312 - "The Turning Point!" X-Factor's Ticker-Tape parade through New York City celebrating their victory over Apocalypse and their assistance afterwards is interrupted by an attack. Kristoff Vernard, believing he is Dr. Doom, sends Latverian storm-troopers to take the real Dr. Doom who is under the protection of the Black Panther and the Fantastic Four. Dr. Doom seizes the opportunity to force his defenders and X-Factor to help him regain his throne.

Era #4, Part 08: X-Factor #12-17

My Grade:  C+

X-Factor begins to unravel after the events of the Mutant Massacre. Angel's wings are damaged beyond repair just as the government digs deeper into his involvement with the mutant-hunting organization as a mutant. They also learn that the Marauder attacks extended to family members to include Jean's sister, Sara, and possibly Maddie. It escalating tension culminates in an unexpected revelation.

X-Factor Wards are finally formed and star in their first story. The kids include Rusty (#1), Artie (#2), Boom Boom (#12), Skids (#16), Leech (#17) and Rictor (#17). They will grow to play a bigger role in the X-Men continuum.  

[3-Stars] 12 - "Boom Boom Boom!" Street urchin mutant, Boom Boom, calls on X-Factor to deal with her disreputable guardian, the Vanisher. Things don't go as planned for her when Beast and Iceman show up. Meanwhile, Jean and Scott look for Jean's sister, Sara, but they are too late!

[4-Stars] 13 - "Ghosts!" Cyclops returns to Alaska to find Maddie and his son. He can find no evidence of her as if she never existed. He does, however, find the Master Mold.

[4-Stars] 14 - "The Mutant Program!" Cyclops versus the Master Mold bent on eliminating "The Twelve".

[3-Stars] 15 - "Whose Death Is It, Anyway?" Angel's life has been irrevocably changed.  His wings were surgically removed by court order after they develop gangrene. He is also the subject of a government investigation that may bring down X-Factor. He decides to take action. Meanwhile, the Morlocks leave the X-Factor Headquarters back into the tunnels. Skids decides to stay.

[2-Stars] 16 - "Playing With Fire!" Rusty finds the woman that he burned up in the first issue. He makes a bargain with Masque to return her appearance in this first X-Factor Wards story.

[3-Stars] 17 - "Die, Mutants, Die!" The X-Terminators are being framed for impending destruction of San Francisco at the hands of a young mutant called Rictor. Caliban joins the team as they race to the West Coast only to discover a deeper conspiracy hatched by a new anti-mutant group called the Right.

Era #4, Part 07: Uncanny X-Men #215-219

My Grade: B-

It is the biggest change in the X-Men roster in over 16 years. The Mutant Massacre left a devastating impact with longtime members Nightcrawler, Shadowcat and Colossus critically injured. A new team emerges to join Rogue, Wolverine and Storm: Psylocke (UXM #213), Dazzler (UXM #214), Longshot (UXM Annual #10) and Havok (UXM #219). Things are certainly changing.

[ 3-Stars] 215 - "Old Soldiers" Storm and Wolverine investigate the explosion that destroyed Sara Grey's home in X-Factor #12. Wolverine looses control after smelling Jean Grey at the site even though she is dead. He accidentally injures Storm who later wakes to find herself a captive.  

[ 3-Stars] 216 - "Crucible" Storm is a participant in "The Most Dangerous Game." She must save herself and a drug dealer from a deadly trio of retired costumed heroes from WW2: Crimson Commando, Stonewall and Super Sabre.  The story delves into the moral quagmire of anti-heroes and vigilantism.

[ 3-Stars] 217 - "Folly's Gambit" & 218 - "Charge of the Light Brigade"The new X-Men begin their training under Banshee at Muir Island, but are they ready to face the Juggernaut? Dazzler attempts it solo but needs her teammates to stop the rampaging behemoth. 

[ 3-Stars] 219 - "Where Duty Lies" Havok has a bad feeling that something wrong with the X-Men. He returns to Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters to find Magneto as the new headmaster, Callisto, leader of the Morlocks, as an ally and the Hellfire Club as a new partner. He is determined to find answers. Meanwhile, Polaris is attacked by the Marauders.