Alt 928, Part 7: City of the Dead

Grade: A-

The X-Men 2099 are now protectors of a mutant haven called Halo City. This new city in the desert was originally created by President Doom before his ouster, but the X-Men and Morphine Somers are committed to save it from a new threat. The Graverobber has the mutant ability to bring back the dead. He has a team of deceased mutants many of whom who bear striking resemblances to some of the modern X-Men such as Arcadian (Gambit?), Catscratch (Feral?), Ember (Sunfire?), and the Russian (Colossus?). The Undead also includes a former member of the X-Men 2099 --Serpentina.

It is a fun story that puts the team in a precarious situation. They either protect the city or hand over Shakti's murderous father to another villain bent on revenge. There is plenty of action and mystery in what I believe is the last really good tale of the series.

Samantha was still disappointed that the series continues to tell the tales of individual members rather than a solid tale of the entire team.

[4-Stars] 26 - "Broken Halo" President Doom has been ousted by the mega-corps, and Herod is gunning to eliminate Doom's Black Cabinet. Morphine Somers is Doom's former Minster of Humanity and should be on the run, but he has a different idea. He stays with the X-Men 2099 at the newly opened Halo City. His old friend, an Infonet reporter named Gunnar Heywood, also enters the new haven for mutants looking for a story. Morphine introduces the Gunnar to Halo City's protectors -- the X-Men 2099! Sham and La Lunática are now members while Xi'an Chi Xan has chosen atone for his crimes as a member of the Theatre of Pain by being a healer. The city's new protectorate faces a new threat. Members of the Undead are searching for Shakti's father.

[4-Stars] 27 - "Angel of the Mourning" The Undead has taken their first victim. A revived Serpentina killed Tim allowing her new master, the Graverobber, to resurrect the X-Man. Gunnar Heywood is not so lucky. He is killed by the Undead after they find him eavesdropping. The Undead return with Tim among their ranks still looking for Shakti's father. The Graverobber has a score to settle with the old criminal of the Red Market.

[4-Stars] 28 - "Funeral Party" The Undead return to kill (re-kill?) the legendary long-dead musical band called the Disinterred. The Undead promise to do the same to everyone in Halo City until they have Shakti's father. La Lunática finds Gunnar Heywood still alive, and the two discover that the Undead plan to destroy the city's power plant using Tim's power absorption power.

[4-Stars] 29 - "Undead Zone" Tim and the Undead bring down Halo City's power supply plunging the newly formed X-Nation into darkness. The X-Men arrive to help La Lunática battle the Undead, but they are not enough. Morphine Somers has another plan. He brings Shakti's father to the Graverobber to negotiate despite the X-Men's objections. It is the climatic conclusion with a special appearance of Doom!