Era #5, Part 04: New Mutants #77-85

Grade: B

The New Mutants are back in Asgard. We haven't covered the Asgardian Wars yet, but it is not a spoiler to reveal that this is a respectable sequel to that original, memorable adventure  (well, for most of them anyway). This time, the team becomes embroiled in a war in which Hela uses the Valkyrie (especially Dani Moonstar) to lead an attack on Odin while he is deep in his Odin Sleep. It is a fun eight part story that leads into the Acts of Vengeance.

[3-Stars] 77 - "Strange!" Dani's headache from Inferno becomes a raging fever with a mystical fire that engulfs both her and her horse, Brightwind. The New Mutants must seek the help of the Sorcerer Supreme himself, Doctor Strange! 

[3-Stars] 78 - "Let's Make a Deal!" The mystic fire that consumes Mirage and Brightwind turns them into a destructive force that the New Mutants (and a hidden Dr. Strange) must try to contain. Unfortunately, the conflagration draws the attention of Freedom Force. 

[3-Stars] 79 - "Asgard" Dr. Strange transports the New Mutants to Asgard in order to confront the source of Mirage's curse. Hela has possessed all the Valkyrie to build and lead a dark army against Odin. Boom Boom is having a difficult time adjusting to a new dimension, but the rest of the team is comforted when they run into an old friend and alley Eitri. The master forger is leading the dwarves in a doomed sneak attack against Valhalla. 

[3-Stars] 80 - "Curse of the Valkyries" Hela sends the captured New Mutants and dwarves to Hel where they find the wolf prince, Hrimhari. Hela also creates a magical barrier that divides Valhalla from Asgard splitting the heroes into two teams. 

[3-Stars] 81 - "Faith" It is a fill-in issue that focuses on Magma and her relationship with the Olympian gods. She meets the vain, boastful Avenger Hercules but refuses to acknowledge him as the true son of Zeus. Both learn a valuable lesson about faith in a touching story of mortality and acceptance.

[3-Stars] 82 - "The Road to Hel..." Half of the heroes are Hela's prisoners watching Eitri forced to forge a magical sword that the Mistress of the Darkness plans to use to kill Odin. The other half search for the legendary sorcerer, Tiwaz, in the land of the dangerous Frost Giants. 

[3-Stars] 83 - "The Quick and the Dead" Hela sees her plan move closer to fruition as Eitri finishes forging her magical sword, but new allies, such as the powerful sorcerer Tiwaz and the brave Balder, join a growing army ready to defend Asgard from the impending attack.

[3-Stars] 84 - "The Sword's Edge" The New Mutants and their allies remain divided but both teams focus their efforts on saving Dani and stopping Hela. The Warriors Three, Karnilla's stoned-turned subjects and Queen Ula's flying trolls strengthen the numbers guarding Asgard as Hela launches her attack. 

[3-Stars] 85 - "The Killing Stroke" It is an epic battle between the dark army led by the cursed Valkyrie and the unlikely alliance guarding Asgard. Hela unleashes a possessed Mirage with Eitri's enchanted sword. The New Mutants race to stop their longtime teammate from killing Odin while he is deep in his Odin Sleep.

Era #5, Part 03: Uncanny X-Men #251-255

Grade: A-

The X-Men are dead -- long live he X-Men! The slow dissolution of the team that started during the last run is complete. Those that are left disappear through the Siege Perilous to escape the Reavers who've returned stronger and ready for revenge.  With the X-Men gone, Donald Pierce and his cyborgs turn their attention to Muir Island forcing a new team to emerge. It is one of my favorite runs memorable for its casualties, the return of Storm and the rebuilding of the new X-Men.

[4-Stars] 251 - "Fever Dream" The Reavers are back under the leadership of Donald Pierce and Lady Deathstrike. They take back their old base while the X-Men are out. Psylocke sees the trap when they reappear, and she convinces her teammates to escape through the Siege Perilous. Wolverine returns to find himself alone against a savage band built to destroy their most hated foe. They are brutal and without mercy.

[4-Stars] 252 - "Where's Wolverine?" Wolverine finds an unlikely rescuer in the Californian hideaway, Jubilee. She hides him from the Reavers giving his overtaxed healing factor a chance to work. It may be too little, too late as the final surviving X-Men begins hallucinating.

[4-Stars] 253 - "Storm Warnings" A young girl is found in the center of a massive storm in Cairo, IL. FBI Agent Reisz begins investigating her when the hospital staff notice that she isn't a normal runaway, but he may be developing an unhealthy obsession in her capture. Storm is back as child and already on the run from a mysterious villain.

[4-Stars] 254 - "All-New, All-Different -- Here We Go Again" The Reavers target Muir Island in their hunt for Wolverine. Polaris, Amanda Sefton, Brigadier Alysande Stuart join Banshee and Sunder in defending the injured Morlocks within the facility.

[4-Stars] 255 - "Crash and Burn" Forge recruits a reluctant Freedom Force to look for the X-Men on Muir Island. They arrive in the middle of the battle against the Reavers. It is a conflict with deadly consequences for Freedom Force.

Era #5, Part 02: Uncanny X-Men #244-250

Grade: B

The X-Men begin falling apart after the events of Inferno. There is a short bit of fun as both the women and men let off some steam, but things quickly deteriorate setting the stage for a very memorable era. 

[3-Stars] 244 - "Ladies' Night" How do the X-Women cope with the stress of being isolated in the Australian outback?  Shopping!  Gateway transports Rogue, Storm, Dazzler and Psylocke to the Hollywood Mall where the ladies let off steam and deal with a minor nuisance called M-Squad (a Ghostbuster knock-off comprised of scientists that briefly appeared in Inferno). A young mutant mall-rat (the first appearance of Jubilee) secretly returns with them to the X-Men's hidden base half a world away.

[3-Stars] 245 - "Men!" The men deal with the recent tension with beer. They head to a local bar only to find themselves in the middle of an alien invasion. There are plenty of Easter Eggs and humor for the science-fictions aficionados.

[4-Stars] 246 - "The Days of Other Lights" Wolverine is the first to leave the team when he feels obligated to go on a personal mission. Psylocke spends time in the Big Apple with Carol Danvers in Rogue's body. Their respite is interrupted when Nimrod comes into contact with Master Mold merging the two mutant hunting machines into a new and immediate threat.

[4-Stars] 247 - "The Light That Failed" The X-Men join the battle against Master Mold now joined with the super sentinel from the future, Nimrod. Senator Kelly and his new wife are caught in the crossfire. It is a big battle that sees the first X-Man disappear into the Siege Perilous.

[3-Stars] 248 - "The Cradle Will Fall" Nanny and the Orphan Maker want to save the X-Men and (somehow) turn Havok, Dazzler and Psylocke into armored allies with childish minds. It is a weak story with some significant ramifications. Longshot continues to suffer from an identify crises after Inferno and decides to leave the X-Men, and the team lose another during the battle.

[3-Stars] 249 - "The Dane Curse" Polaris regains control of her body from Malice and calls the X-Men for help at the southern tip of Argentina. They are too late to help her discovering instead that the Savage Land Mutates under Zaladane got to her first.

[3-Stars] 250 - "The Shattered Star" The remaining X-Men join Ka'zar and Shanna against Zaladane and the Savage Land Mutates.

Era #5, Part 01: Judgement War

Grade: D

Walt Simonson's departure is sadly noticeable. Louise starts the run with a cute but odd story about trolls and gold. She then takes an unexpected left turn when the team is whisked away to a faraway planet where they must help warring factions repel the Celestials. X-Factor does not fit well in cosmic stories, and the Judgement War proves it.

There are some revelations buried in this otherwise forgettable period. I will lay out some spoilers. Baby Nathan develops the ability to create a telekinetic field to protect himself; Ship learns that it is a product of the Celestials; and we see the conclusion of the Jean/Maddie/Phoenix mind sharing thing. That is about it, so let's get to it.

[3-Stars] 41 - "Golden Boy!" X-Factor receives a call from London. They are no longer mutant hunters, but a mother calls them to find her mutant son who was kidnapped by trolls!

[3-Stars] 42 - "All That Glitters..." X-Factor versus the Troll Associates to save a young mutant with the power to change things into gold.

Note: Judgement War is a seven part story contained in issues 43-46 and 48-50.

[2-Stars] 43 - "Kidnapped!" Ship is controlled by an external entity taking X-Factor across the universe to a planet decimated by a war between the perfect "Chosen" and the deformed "Rejects".

[2-Stars] 44 - "Another World!" X-Factor is divided between the distant planet's warring factions. Beast travels with the Rejects while unconscious Jean is taken as a Reject prisoner.  Archangel is captured by the Chosen, and amnesiac Iceman is convinced that he is a "Dueler" (second class citizens of the Chosen). Cyclops finds himself with the Beginagins, a group of Chosen and Rejects working together. Meanwhile, the Celestials continue their silent watch over the planet.

[2-Stars] 45 - "Arena!" Archangel proves his worth in the Arena.  Iceman defends the honor of the Duelers by besting Archangel's captor, Lord Rask, setting the stage for a fight between the two X-Factor teammates. 

[2-Stars] 46 - "Exchange" Beast finds Jean placing him at odds with the Rejects. Lord Rask learns that the heir to the Chosen has been committing a crime of harboring a baby, Nathan. He uses that information to his advantage. 

[2-Stars] 47 - "Guardian" I am not usually a fan of fill-in stories, but I like this one. Archangel recalls an adventure in which he helps a young mutant boy overcome a manipulative father figure who runs a group of mutant street urchins. It is a dark story with themes more reminiscent of Cloak & Dagger, but it works with the brooding Archangel.

[2-Stars] 48 - "Common Ground!" Things heat up as the Chosen prepare for the much anticipated battle between Archangel and Iceman. The Rejects and the Beginagains meet as they prepare their assault on the city. They believe it is their last chance to save the world from the Celestials whose numbers slowly grow.

[2-Stars] 49 - "Power Struggle" Archangel versus Iceman! The entertainment is cut short when the Rejects and the Beginagains reach the Arena.

[2-Stars] 50a - "Judgement Day" Are the Chosen, Rejects and Beginagains ready to stand together to protect themselves against the Celestials' judgement?

50b - "Meanwhile, On Earth..." Loki attempts to recruit Apocalypse into the Acts of Vengeance turns into a battle between the two powerful villains.