Starting Era #5: X-Tinction

The second part of the Uncanny X-Reading will take me from May 1989 to November 1991. At this point, I am now reading X-Men titles nearly exclusively, and I finally start my collection in January 1990 when I get to my first duty assignment in Augsburg, Germany as a soldier in the US Army. I pick up books at the local Stars & Stripes outside Quartermaster Kaserne. 

This marks the beginning of my life as an independent adult. I start the era with a growing confidence of a 19 year old learning a military trade at Fort Devens, Massachusetts where I meet and start dating Samantha. We marry on October 26, 1990 and have a great time at local beer festivals and exploring Europe trips at places Berchtesgarden and Barcelona (and several day trips back to Nuernberg).

I will be reading the following issues over the next few months: New Mutants #77-199, Uncanny X-Men #244-280, X-Factor #41-70, X-Force #1-4. Adventures of Cyclops & Phoenix Limited Series), Asakani'Son (Limited Series), and Cable: Blood & Metal (Limited Series). The reading will be chronicled in about 15 posts.

X-Factor: Judgement War (41-50)
Uncanny X-Men (244-250)
Uncanny X-Men (251-255)
New Mutants (77-86)
Uncanny X-Men: Psylocke (256-258)
Uncanny X-Men (259-264)
X-Factor (51-59)
Uncanny X-Men (265-269)
Origin of Cable (Adventures of Cyclops & Phoenix, Askani'Son & Cable)
Cable & the New Mutants (86-94)
X-Men Crossover Event: X-Tinction Agenda
Uncanny X-Men: Crossroads (273-277)
X-Factor (63-68)
A Force to be Reckoned With (New Mutants 98-100 & X-Force 1-4)

X-Men Crossover Event: Muir Island Saga

Ending Era #4: X-Factor

Era #4: B

I may've started reading the X-Men in third era, but this was this era that hooked me for life. Over the last five months, I've reread 142 classic issues that make up this memorable period of X-Men history, and I still found the stories fun to read. Chris Claremont continues his run as the Father of the X-Men while Louise Simonson is the cool Aunt. We see the historic first appearances of Apocalypse, Mr. Sinister, Marauders, Genosha, Cameron Hodge, and Archangel. We also witness the rebirth of the original X-Men (as X-Factor), the massacre in the Morlock tunnels, the true origin of Madelyne Pryor and the conclusion of the Illyana's troubles as Limbo's ruler.

New Mutants #35-76 (C+):   This run is not as good as the earlier stories, but there are still some gems.
Chris Claremont & Jackson "Butch" Guice (B-): Nine issues of solid story telling and artwork.
Louise Simonson & Bret Blevins (C+): I am not particularly taken with Bret's cartoon style, and I once read that Louise was directed to write to a younger audience.  Despite the minor disappointments, there is plenty to like in this sixteen issue run.

Uncanny X-Men #199-243 (B+): Read this run!
Chris Claremont & John Romita, Jr (B): John Romita Jr. is one of my favorite artists with a distinctive style.  He finishes his long run (which started with #175) with these final ten issues.
Chris Claremont & Marc Silvestri: (B+):  Marc Silvestri is another one of my favorites. He takes the reins continuing a tradition of excellence for this twenty issue run.

X-Factor #1-40 (B): It is a slow start with a great premise that finally gets going with the Simonsons.
Bob Layton & Jackson "Butch" Guice (C): Butch Guice provides his dependable art to scripts that fall a little short during this short four issue start.
Louise Simonson & Walt Simonson (B+): It is one of the most well-known husband and wife teams that puts some excitement and vigor into the title with a twenty-four issues that reshape the team.

X-Terminators (C+): The X-Factor wards get their own four part limited series that ties into Inferno told by Louise Simonson & Jon Bogdanove.

Era #4, Part 20: After Inferno

Grade: C-

OK, so technically, the Excalibur issues are part of Inferno, but since it doesn't really directly feed into either of the primary storylines, I think it fits here comfortably. There were a few other Inferno "tie-in" issues within the Marvel Universe that I didn't collect (or, more precisely, didn't care to collect), but I kept this goofier set from my the Excalibur collection that I eventually threw out.

The remaining issues in this run close out both Inferno and Era #4. Baby Nathan is back with his father (and Jean), and Magneto reverts back to form leaving the students without a headmaster.

Excalibur #6 - "Goblin Night" Rachel made a promise to always protect Nathan, so when she receives a psychic distress call from her little brother, she immediately races to New York City to save him. Her teammates follows as best they can only to find themselves in the grip of Inferno.

Excalibur #7 - "Goblin Morn!" Excalibur is caught up in the raging Inferno as Meggan becomes the Goblin Princess and Rachel is betrothed to Crotus.

[3-Stars] New Mutants #74 - "The Right Stuff" The New Mutants return the X-Terminators to their home, but Ship's reaction to Gosamyr's presence forces the team to make a final decision about her fate.

[3-Stars] X-Factor #40 - "Dust to Dust" Leech and Artie return to school with Taki while X-Factor sets out to find Jean's niece and nephew still under the influence of Nanny and the Orphan-Maker.

[3-Stars] New Mutants #75 - "King of the Hill" Magneto battles Sebastian Shaw for leadership of the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle. As Selena, Emma Frost and the New Mutants watch the two "Kings" fight on the ruins of the Xavier's School of Gifted Youngsters (destroyed during Inferno), they learn Magneto's original plans and direction for his former students.

[2-Stars] New Mutants #76 - "Splash!" With no school and no headmaster, the New Mutants look for temporary refuge with their new friends, the X-Terminators. Unfortunately, a leviathan has pulled Ship into the ocean after being accidentally summoned when the X-Factor wards who find and blow the Horn of Proteus. Namor, the Sub-Mariner guest stars in an issue that finally joins the two young teams.

Era #4, Part 19: Inferno

Grade: A

This took much longer than expected. I should've had something out 4 weeks ago, but once I fall behind, I tend to really fall behind. I am back on track -- I hope.

I should've also broken this particular run into two parts since there really are separate stories loosely connected through the machinations of the demon N'Astirh. Both the X-Factor wards (X-Terminators) and the New Mutants unwittingly unleash Limbo's demons upon a Manhattan already plagued by dark magic. Meanwhile, the X-Men race to Big Apple to confront the Marauders once and for all, but they soon learn that their biggest threat comes from within their own team and from the original X-Men -- X-Factor.

The seeds of Inferno were started way back in the Fall of the Mutants with a slow build up to a tale that addresses several different dangling storylines. We see the resolution of Illyana's longstanding battle for Limbo, and we finally learn more about Madelyne Pryor and her connection to Mr Sinister and his Marauders. We see the X-Men and X-Factor meet after so many close encounters , and the two sets of teenagers join forces for the first time. Sure, the events that unfolded in Inferno will be reinterpreted, twisted and muddled over the next several decades, but that simply goes to show the impact it had on the X-Men continuity.

[3-Stars] X-Terminators #3 - "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" The teenagers' search for their younger friends is complicated by attacking object brought to life by dark magic. Taki is forced to create a computer to process magical spells quicker allowing N'Astirh to open and maintain a portal to Limbo using innocent babies.

[4-Stars] New Mutants #71 - "Limbo" Magik teleports the team to Limbo but is unable to open a portal to Earth forcing the New Mutants to battle S'ym and his horde of transmode infected demons. They learn more about N'Astirh except his ultimate plan -- until it is too late.

[3-Stars] X-Terminators #4 - "Finale!" Demons rain down on Manhattan along with New Mutants. The two teams join forces to undo the damage they've done. X-Terminators attempt to save their young teammates and destroy Taki's computer that is keeping the portal to Limbo open.

[4-Stars] New Mutants #72 - "Demon Reign" N'Astirh and S'ym fight over Illyana as the Darkchilde. The rest of the team joins forces with the X-Terminators to undo the damage they've done. They take to the skies to rescue the innocent babies that make up the dimensional portal to Limbo.

[4-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #240 - "Inferno, Part the First: Strike the Match" The X-Men track the Marauders to the Morlock tunnels below demon plagued New York City. Maddie becomes Goblin Queen as she joins N'Astirh on a trip to Mr. Sinister's orphanage to find her son, Nathan Christopher.

[4-Stars] X-Factor #36 - "Transformations!" X-Factor is in New York City doing what they can to save people from the possessed objects and demons. Scott and Jean renew their search for baby Nathan, and Warren returns after dealing with Candy's death.

[4-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #241 - "Inferno, Part the Second: Fan the Flame" The X-Men begin to act more like the demons inhabiting New York City as they continue their battle against the Marauders. Maddie learns that she Mr. Sinister's clone of Jean Grey.

[4-Stars] X-Factor #37 - "A Matter of Honor" X-Factor versus the N'Astirh in an effort to save Nathan Christopher.

[4-Stars] New Mutants #73 - "The Gift" Magik's battle with S'ym sends the New Mutants back to Limbo. Colossus guest stars in this final chapter in Illyana's saga.

[4-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #242 - "Inferno, Part the Third: Burn!" Maddie convinces the darker X-Men that X-Factor is the enemy forcing the two teams to battle. Meanwhile, she strengthens her sway over Havok revealing that she is behind Inferno.

[4-Stars] X-Factor #38 - "Duet!" Jean versus the Goblin Queen as the X-Men and X-Factor finally learn the details of the connected and twisted past.

[4-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #243 - "Inferno, Part the Fourth: Ashes" The X-Men and X-Factor battle Mr. Sinister on the pyschic plane where Jean and and Maddie vie for dominance. The confrontation leads both teams back to the abandoned Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.

[4-Stars] X-Factor #39 - "Ashes to Ashes" X-Factor and X-Men in a final showdown with Mr. Sinister.