Era #9, Part 04: Rage Against the Machine

Grade: C

Marvel used the X-Men titles to introduce their new M-Tech imprint that launched three new hi-tech focused titles: X-51 (Machine Man), Deathlok, and Warlock (from the New Mutants).

It all started with Rage Against the Machine story arc that runs through Uncanny X-Men #371 and X-Men (v2) #91, and X-Men Annual 1999. I don't buy annuals, so I only have the first two parts. The premise was intriguing. SHIELD restarts the Project: Deathlok using the technology found in Machine Man and Douglock, but the Red Skull has a different agenda.

I like Machine Man, Deathlok, and Douglock, and the story is an improvement over the last several issues. It just isn't enough to get me interested in spending more money on additional comics. Apparently, I was not alone. Warlock runs for only 9 issues, Deathlock for 11, and X-51 makes it to 12.

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #371 - "Crossed Wires" The X-Men finally make it back to Earth. Kitty, Nightcrawler, and Colossus decide to take a small break to visit their old Excalibur home, but something has happened to Douglock. Meanwhile, SHIELD operatives hunt down Machine Man.

[3-Stars] X-Men (v2) #91 - "Technical Difficulties" The techno-virus infiltrates the SHIELD Helicarrier, and it is up to the X-Men to find the real culprit.

Era #9, Part 03: Uncanny X-Men #368-370 & X-Men (v2) #88-90

Grade: D+

Alan Davis continues his run with some peculiar adventures here. The X-Men are transported to an alien dimension to stop a bigger(er) than life Juggernaut. As a reward for their heroic efforts, they are then taken to the Skrull Homeworld just before it is devoured by Galatcus (way back in Fantastic Four #257 (1983)). If you sit back and really analyze both stories, you might eventually realize that they are pretty deep concepts. I just don't think they work within the pages of the X-Men. They come off way too cheesy for me.

I have another big complaint -- it is one story told in two different books. The X-Men titles have always been closely tied together, but they tell their own adventures. When done well, a reader can read one series without reading the other. There are references and Easter Eggs between the two, but it is not required to buy both (except during the crossover events like Magneto War). That mold is broken here. The issues must be read in this order since they are each chapters to the same tale.

[3-Stars] X-Men Unlimited #23 - "Lessons" Professor X runs the X-Men through a difficult test and finds them unprepared for what they will soon face.

[2-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #368 - "Mansions in Heaven" The X-Men hold a funeral for Joseph while Wolverine looks for a way into Genosha to take care of Magneto once and for all.

[2-Stars] X-Men (v2) #88 - "A World Apart" The alien Ejulp teleports the X-Men to his surreal reality to stop the Juggernaut from destroying his dimension.

[2-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #369 - "Collision Course" Professor X is stuck inside Wolverine's body while he leads the X-Men to save a mind-bending dimension from the rampaging Juggernaut.

[2-Stars] X-Men (v2) #89 - "Yesterday's News" Ejulp accidentally teleports the X-Men to a secret infiltration camp on the Skrull Homeworld -- only days away from being devoured by Galactus.

[2-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #370 - "History Repeats" The X-Men attempt to warn the Skrulls about the impending destruction of their home world at the insatiable hunger of the Galactus.

[2-Stars] X-Men (v2) #90 - "Eve of Destruction" The X-Men try to change history by stopping Galactus from destroying the Skrull Homeworld.

[3-Stars] X-Men Unlimited #24 - "Search and Destroy" Stub

Era #9, Part 02: Magneto Rex

Grade: C+

The United Nations has "given" Genosha to Magneto. The small island nation off the coast of Africa once genetically altered mutant children (called mutates) and used them as slave labor (see Era #4, Part 15). Their government and way of life was destroyed in the wake of the X-Tinction Agenda (Era #5, Part 10) sending the country into a long civil war. By giving Genosha to Magneto, the United Nations hope to keep the Master of Magnetism occupied with the realities of governing a polarized people and a crippled economy. Quicksilver and Rogue go to Genosha in an attempt to temper Magneto's rule.

[3-Stars] Magneto Rex #1 - "Ascendance" Magneto arrives in Genosha to a find the country in the midst of a bloody civil war between the government forces (Magistrates) and the mutates. He quickly forms a war council with Alda Huxley (the ambitious human that orchestrated Magneto's rise as Genosha's new leader), Amelia Voght (Acolyte), Phillip Moreau (human fighting with the mutates), Jennifer Ransome (mutate), Pipeline (former Magistrate), and Fabian Cortez (rebel Acolyte).

[3-Stars] Magneto Rex #2 - "Into Darkness" Rogue and Voght attempt to rescue Quicksilver from the mutate forces led by Mutate 665.

[3-Stars] Magneto Rex #3 - "Once We Were Kings" Magneto versus Mutate 665 for leadership of Genosha.

Era #9, Part 01: Rogue Nation

Grade: C+

What an interesting premise, and we finally get to the bottom of the whole "Who is Joseph?" storyline started way back in Uncanny X-Men #327 (Era #7, Part 20).

The real Magneto returns with a renewed interest in establishing a mutant sanctuary. The Master of Magnetism recruits many of the Acolytes (splintered by in-fighting) to keep the X-Men occupied while he sends his robotic servant, Ferris, to the United Nations with a demand: give him territory for a mutant homeland or he will unleash a magnetic storm that will permanently disrupt electromagnetic field around the world.

Meanwhile, Sabra and the Mossad discover that Joseph is a near identical copy of Magneto. He was created by Astra in an elaborate plan to kill his genetic "father". She was an original member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants but left the team before they became public. She has now come to collect her property and send him into battle against her longtime nemesis.

There are some unanswered questions in this run. I am not sure we ever found out exactly why Astra has such a bitter grudge against Magneto, and her reason for creating an exact double seemed excessively complicated for revenge. Her character and motives were simple and way more juvenile for an otherwise well thought out story.

This is not the first time Magneto held the world hostage, but it is clear that he learned from his last attempt. It is a political quandary between giving into the demands of a madman and saving lives. Magneto even skillfully outmaneuvers the X-Men. This was a strong plot weakened needlessly by Astra's involvement.

[3-Stars] X-Men #85  - "A Tale of Two Mutants" It is the calm before the storm as Magneto gives humanity one last chance to prove themselves to him. He tests an ordinary construction worker with a complex moral dilemma. In contrast, we see Professor X and his X-Men committed to helping humans and mutants.

Magneto Rex #1 - "Savior Complex" A splinter group of the Acolytes led by Fabian Cortez attack the X-Mansion in a desperate attempt to find Magneto.

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #366 - "The Shot Heard Round the World" Acolytes loyal to Magneto begin attacking genetic laboratories in order to lure the X-Men out. Sabra and the Mossad make a startling discovery that Joseph is not Magneto. Ferris delivers an ultimatum to the United Nations.

[3-Stars] X-Men #86 - "Thanks for the Memories" Magneto unleashes a massive magnetic storm forcing the United Nations to send nuclear missiles to neutralize the global threat. Astra reveals Joseph's origins and sends him to complete the mission for which he was designed: kill Magneto.

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #367 - "Disturbing Behavior" The X-Men versus the Acolytes while Astra and Joseph battle Magneto.

[3-Stars] X-Men #87 - "No Surrender!" The X-Men join Joseph to stop Magneto, but the United Nations propose a truce to end the hostilities.

Starting Era #9: Revolution

We've moved into Era #9 which ran between March 1999 and June 2001. Things are stable and steady for us. I continued to learn a lot while stationed at Naval Security Group Activity Northwest in Chesapeake, Virginia. I attended formal training to be an OpenVMS System Administrator, and I finally get promoted to Staff Sergeant (SSG). We still lived in Waterfront Apartments in Virginia Beach, and Samantha still worked at the 7-11 across the street on Holland Road.

The X-Men find a new and much wider audience when Bryan Singer's X-Men hits theaters on July 14, 2000. It heralds the rebirth of the super-hero genre (along with Blade) and launches Hugh Jackman's career. Professor X, Wolverine, Storm, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Rogue, Magneto, Sabretooth, and Toad become recognizable names, and my hobby becomes a little more mainstream.

Part 01: Rogue Nation
Part 02: Magneto Rex
Part 03: Uncanny X-Men (1981) #368-370 & X-Men (1991) #88-90
Part 04: Rage Against the Machine
Part 05: Generation X (1994) #45-52
Part 06: Generation X (1994) #53-58
Part 07: The Shattering (Part 1)
Part 08: Astonishing X-Men
Part 09: The Shattering (Part 2)
Part 10: The Twelve
Part 11: Ages of Apocalypse
Part 12: Armageddon Now
Part 13: X-Force (1991) #92-100
Part 14: Generation X (1994) #59-62
Part 15: Powerless
Extra: X-Men Movie
Part 16: Revolution
Part 17: X-Men (1991) #103-106 & Uncanny X-Men (1981) #384-386
Part 18: Counter X: X-Force
Part 19: Counter X: Generation X
Part 20: Maximum Security
Part 21: Dream's End
Part 22: X-Men Unlimited #30-#31
Part 23: Counter X: Rage War
Part 24: Counter X: Four Days
Part 25: Eve of Destruction

Ending Alt 9602: Amalgam

Alt 9602: B-

It was a publicity stunt that did exactly what it was intended to do. Most of the fanboys (myself included) were completely invested in the shared universe. It was the height of the 90s with the comics industry using gimmicks and over-the-top hype to maintain sales, but I remember it being a time when anything was possible. I got to see the characters that I grew up with in the same pages -- and then merged into totally new versions! They were full of Easter Eggs, littered with puns, and missing any real storytelling substance, but they were fun. They were flashy with unexpected appearances of brand-new characters. They were recognizable without decades of back-story. They were superhero comic books for superhero comic book fans.

Alt 9602 Extra: X-Men & Teen Titans

Prior to the 1996 DC Versus Marvel event, Marvel and DC had some limited cross-company collaborations in which heroes from each universe met: Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man (1976), Marvel Treasury Edition #28: Superman and Spider-Man (1981), and DC Special Series No. 27: Batman vs the Incredible Hulk (Fall 1981).

One of the more well known issues was 1982's  Marvel and DC Present featuring The Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans. Two of the hottest properties at the time joined forces to stop Darkseid from raising Dark Phoenix from the dead and using her to rule Earth. He had none other than Deathstroke the Terminator leading his para-demon army. It is a fun adventure once you get past the absurd premise that the two teams exist in the same universe and somehow never met each other. The bonus is, of course, that this one-shot stars the classic line-ups for both teams:

• X-Men: Colossus, Cyclops, Nightcrawler, Professor X, Kitty Pryde, Storm, and Wolverine
• Teen Titans: Changling, Cyborg, Kid Flash, Raven ,Robin, Starfire, and Wonder Girl

I am not sure how I got this issue, but I am so glad it is part of the collection. The Teen Titans were perhaps my favorite DC team (and probably still are), so seeing them with the X-Men was a treat.

Alt 9602, Part 3: Return to Amalgam Age of Comics

Grade: C+

In June 1997, DC and Marvel attempt to recapture some of the Amalgam magic a year later. I don't think it did as well. There was considerably more hype surrounding the first run thanks to the "DC Versus Marvel" crossover event. This attempt provided many of the same characters which weren't particularly well developed in the first round.

There were some interesting additions. Dark Claw Adventures was drawn similar to the very popular Batman Adventures comic and animated series. Generation Hex gives us a modern twist on a classic comic Wild West morality tale. Lobo the Duck tried (unsuccessfully) to capture the over-the-top zaniness of DC's Lobo and Marvel's Howard the Duck.

DC and Marvel again split the load with six titles each. I focused on the X-Men tie-ins -- though I couldn't resist picking up Lobo the Duck. The six other titles included: Bat-Thing, Challengers of the Fantastic, Iron Lantern, Spider-Boy Team-Up, Super-Soldier: Man of War, & Thorion of the New Asgods. For those that I do have in this post, I list the DC character first for each Amalgam character.

[3 Stars] Dark Claw Adventures #1 - "Face to Face" [DC] Lady Talia seeks vengeance for the death of her father.

• Dark Claw (Batman & Wolverine)
• Lady Talia (Talia al Ghul & Lady Deathstrike)
• Ra's-A-Pocalypse (Ra's al Ghul & Apocalypse)
• Sparrow (Robin & Jubilee)
• Ubuwong. (Ubu & Wong)

[3 Stars] Exciting X-Patrol #1 - "The Curse of Brother Brood" [Marvel] X-Patrol race to save Niles Cable from Brother Brood and his Broodlings.

• X-Patrol (Teen Titans / Doom Patrol & X-Force)
• Beastling (Changeling & Beast)
• Dial H.U.S.K. (Dial H for Hero & Husk)
• Elastigirl (Elasti-Girl & Domino / Wasp)
• Ferro Man (Ferro Lad & Colossus)
• Jericho (Jericho & X-Man)
• Niles Cable (The Chief & Cable)
• Shatterstarfire (Starfire & Shatterstar)
• Brother Brood (Brother Blood & the Brood)
• Raveniya The Healer (Raven & Aliya Dayspring)
• Terra-X The Destoyer (Terra & Terrax)

[4 Stars] Generation Hex #1 - "Humanity's Last Stand" [DC] Jono Hex and his band of malform (mutant) outlaws ride hard to keep ahead of Marshal "Bat" Trask's Razormen.

• Generation Hex 
• Aurora Trigger (Wayne Trigger / Cinnamon & Aurora)
• Jono Hex (Jonah Hex & Chamber)
• Johnny Random (Johnny Thunder & Random) 
• Madame Banshee (Madame .44 & Banshee)
• Northstar Trigger (Walter Trigger & Northstar)
• Retribution (Firehair & Penance)
• Skinhunter (Scalphunter & Skin)
• White Whip (Whip & Emma Frost)
• Marshal "Bat" Trask (Bat Lash & Bolivar Trask)
• Razormen (Scissormen & Sentinels)

[3 Stars] JLX Unleashed #1 - "The Unextinguishable Flame" [DC] The Hellfire League of Injustice release the monstrous Fin Fang Flame.

• JLX (JLA & X-Men)
• Apollo (Ray & Cyclops)
• Chaos (Spitfire & Havok) 
• Iceberg (Ice & Iceman)
• Mister X (Martian Manhunter & Professor X / Skrull / Bishop)
• Night-Creeper (Creeper & Nightcrawler)
• Runaway (Gypsy & Rogue)
• JLA (JLA & Avengers)
• Amazon (Wonder Woman & Storm)
• Captain Marvel (Captain Marvel & Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell))
• Super Soldier (Superman & Captain America)
• Fin Fang Flame (Brimstone & Fin Fang Foom)
• Hellfire League of Injustice
• Dark Firebird (Evil version of Fire & Phoenix (Jean Grey))
• Lord Maxwell Hodge (Maxwell Lord & Cameron Hodge)
• Mistress Maxima (Maxima & White Queen)
• Savage Shaw (Vandal Savage & Sebastian Shaw)

[2 Stars] Lobo the Duck #1 [DC] Lobo the Duck is hired to uncover who murdered Amalgam's heroes.

• Lobo the Duck (Lobo & Howard the Duck)
• Bevarlene (Darlene & Beverly Switzler)
• Impossible Dawg (Dawg & Impossible Man)
• Al Forbush (Al & Irving Forbush)
• Ambush the Lunatik (Ambush Bug & Lunatik)
• Doctor Bongface (Scarface & Dr. Bong)
• Gamorola (Princess Shao-La & Gamora)
• Gold Kidney-Lady (Goldstar & Kidney Lady)
• Jonas Turnip (Jonas Glim & Space Turnip)

[3 Stars] The Magnetic Men featuring Magneto #1 - "Born Again" [Marvel] Magneto must save the Magnetic Men from Sinister Society.

• Magnetic Men (Metal Men & Brotherhood of Evil Mutants)
• Antimony (Platinum &  Scarlet Witch / Patsy Walker)
• Bismuth (Tin / Snapper Carr & Toad / Rick Jones)
• Cobalt (Gold / Lucius Fox & Mastermind)
• Iron (Iron / Steel (John Henry Irons) & Unus the Untouchable)
• Nickel (Mercury & Quicksilver)
• Sinister Society
• Black Vulture (Black Condor & Vulture)
• Chemodam (Chemo & MODAM)
• Deathborg (Cyborg & Deathlok)
• Kultron (Kobra & Ultron)
• Quasimodox (Vril Dox & Quasimodo)
• Soniklaw (Sonar & Klaw)
• Vance Cosmic (Cosmic Boy & Vance Astro)
• Mister Mastermind (Mr. Mind & Mastermind)
• Jocasta (Platinum (Metal Men) & Jocasta / Sentinels /  Millie the Model)
• Sentinels (Manhunter robers & Sentinels)
• Will Magnus (Will Magnus & Bolivar Trask)

Alt 9602, Part 2: Amalgam Age of Comics

Grade: C+

DC and Marvel go a step beyond an epic battle between their respective heroes, the two companies merge their characters into a re-imagined universe. It was a gimmick with flashy new character designs, but I have to admit that it was really fun to figure out who was combined. We looked for Easter Eggs, and we enjoyed the obscure references.

There was not a lot of room in a single, regular sized comic to really get in-depth with these new characters. I don't think we really minded since we understood this to be a one-shot deal. We wanted some mindless entertainment with as many amalgamations that they could pack into 22 pages. John Byrne attempted to do an origin story with Amazon, but it didn't excite readers nearly as much as the action oriented Legends of the Dark Claw.

DC and Marvel each produced six titles for a total of twelve issues. I only picked up those with direct X-Men ties. The seven titles that I did not collect include: Assassins, Bruce Wayne Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., Bullets and Bracelets, Doctor StrangeFate, Speed Demon, Spider-Boy, & Super Soldier.  For those that I do have in this post, I list the DC character first for each Amalgam character.

[2 Stars] Amazon #1 - "Family History" [DC] Amazon (Wonder Woman & Storm) battles Poseidon after learning his role in her parent's death.

[3 Stars] JLX #1 - "A League of Their Own!" [DC] JLX leave the Judgement League Avengers (JLA) to follow the mysterious Mister X.

• JLX (JLA & X-Men)
• Apollo (Ray & Cyclops)
• Aqua-Mariner (Aquaman & Sub-Mariner)
• Firebird (Fire & Phoenix (Jean Grey))
• Mercury (Impulse & Quicksilver)
• Mister X (Martian Manhunter & Professor X / Skrull / Bishop)
• Night-Creeper (Creeper & Nightcrawler)
• Runaway (Gypsy & Rogue)
• Wraith (Obsidian & Gambit)
• JLA (JLA & Avengers)
• Angelhawk (Hawkman & Angel)
• Blackbird (Black Canary & Mockingbird)
• Captain Marvel (Captain Marvel & Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell))
• Dark Claw (Batman & Wolverine)
• Goliath (Oliver Queen & Goliath)
• Hawkeye (Green Arrow & Hawkeye)
• Super Soldier (Superman & Captain America)
• Jocasta (Platinum (Metal Men) & Jocasta / Sentinels /  Millie the Model)
• Sentinels (Manhunter robers & Sentinels)
• Will Magnus (Will Magnus & Bolivar Trask)

[4 Stars] Legends of the Dark Claw #1 - "Through a Glass Darkly" [DC] Dark Claw and the Sparrow versus the Hyena!

• Dark Claw (Batman & Wolverine)
• Huntress (Huntress & Carol Danvers)
• Hyena (Joker & Sabertooth)
• Sparrow (Robin & Jubilee)

[3 Stars] Magneto & The Magnetic Men #1 - "Opposites Attract" [Marvel] Magneto's Magnetic Men versus Sinistron.

• Magneto (Will Magnus & Magneto)
• Magnetic Men (Metal Men & Brotherhood of Evil Mutants)
• Antimony (Platinum &  Scarlet Witch / Patsy Walker)
• Bismuth (Tin / Snapper Carr & Toad / Rick Jones)
• Cobalt (Gold / Lucius Fox & Mastermind)
• Iron (Iron / Steel (John Henry Irons) & Unus the Untouchable)
• Nickel (Mercury & Quicksilver)
• Sinistron (Brainiac & Mr. Sinister)
• Kokoro (Katana & Psylocke)

[3 Stars] X-Patrol #1 - "Doomed!" [Marvel] Miles Cable brings together a band of troubles heroes to form a new team to battle Dr. Doomsday.

• X-Patrol (Teen Titans / Doom Patrol & X-Force)
• Beastling (Changeling & Beast)
• Dial H.U.S.K. (Dial H for Hero & Husk)
• Elastigirl (Elasti-Girl & Domino / Wasp)
• Ferro Man (Ferro Lad & Colossus)
• Niles Cable (The Chief & Cable)
• Shatterstarfire (Starfire & Shatterstar)
• Doctor Doomsday (Doomsday & Doctor Doom)

Alt 9602, Part 1: DC Versus Marvel

Grade: B

The hype called it "The Showdown of the Century", and it is hard to argue that it wasn't since we got to see our favorite Marvel and DC heroes battle. Ten of the most well-known characters from each company faced off against each other.

The story itself was not particularly memorable. Both universes originated from two cosmic brothers unaware of the other's existence. A being on on Earth ensures that the two remain blissfully ignorant of their sibling, but when he must pass his duty to a newcomer, things go awry.

We all know that neither Marvel nor DC will use event to make any permanent changes in their respective lines, but the story does just enough to set the stage for the 10 bouts we all want to see.

Fans get to vote on who they want to win making this more of a popularity contest (it was Marvel over DC). With only four issues, the fights are extremely quick making us realize that what we really wanted was a deeper connection between the characters we've all grown up with. Still, it was fun to see interactions outside the battles.

[4 Stars] DC Versus Marvel #1 "Round One" The Marvel and DC universes begin to collide. Heroes face off against unfamiliar villains and form new friendships and alliances to protect bewildered citizens of both worlds.

[3 Stars] Marvel Versus DC #2 "Round Two" Two cosmic brothers that represent each universe set up a competition between their top heroes to see which universe will survive and which will be destroyed. First up:

• Thor vs. Captain Marvel
• Aquaman vs. Namor
• Flash vs. Quicksilver

[3 Stars] Marvel Versus DC #3 "Round Three" The remaining contests to determine which universe will survive.

• Robin vs. Jubilee
• Silver Surfer vs. Green Lantern
• Elektra vs. Catwoman
• Wolverine vs. Lobo
• Storm vs. Wonder Woman
• Spider-Man vs. Superboy
• Superman vs. the Hulk
• Batman vs. Captain America

[3 Stars] DC Versus Marvel #4 "Round Four" The battle results in the merging the universes into a single Amalgam universe, but it is not enough to keep the brothers from fighting each other. The Marvel and DC heroes emerge from Amalgam and join forces to end the feud between the cosmic siblings and save reality for both of their universes. 

Starting Alt 9602: Amalgam

Marvel Comics and DC Comics are the Big 2 companies in the industry, so when they announced a story that pits their heroes against each other, I was excited. Heck, everybody was excited! Readers got to vote for who they wanted to win in 10 big "bouts" (I didn't vote), but the bigger news was the combination of the two "universes" into a combined Amalgam universe. 

Both the DC/Marvel battle royale and the Amalgam characters were fun, but not particularly noteworthy. They were good ideas that felt rushed and incomplete.

• DC Versus Marvel
• Amalgam Age of Comics 
• Return to the Amalgam Age of Comics

Ending Era #8: Reassembled

Era #8: C

My enthusiasm for this project faltered a bit while I struggled through Era #8. I started in September of 2017, so it took nine months to finish 134 comics. It felt much more like a chore, but there were some good reads buried here (particularly the very memorable Operation Zero Tolerance crossover event).

There is new direction in all the titles which is unusual since we've had decades of consistency. Scott Lobdell departs as one of the lead architects of the X-Men and Generation X teams that he has steered for the last 5 years. Steve Seagle and Joe Kelly are tapped to take the core titles of the Uncanny X-Men and X-Men (v2) respectively. Larry Hama becomes the lead scribe on Generation X. X-Force also see Jeph Loeb go and John Francis Moore come in. I have to give them a lot of credit of taking each series into a new direction, but while I recognize the attempt, I didn't like the results. The stories never really captured the essence of the X-Men that I grew up with.

Beast (F): We had the right elements, but a writer replacement (for a three issue limited series?) changes an OK story into one of the creepiest X-Men stories I've ever read.

Generation X #20-45 (C): The charm fades for what has been a fun title from its inception. The stories evolved from a well written title that really hits the target about teenagers from different background and with unique powers learning how to deal with the world around them into another teen superhero book with quirky adventures.
- Scott Lobdell & Chris Bachalo (B-): The final run of THE definitive Generation X creative team.
- James Robinson & Chris Bachalo (B): I am not sure why James Robinson left so quickly, but I am sorry to see that this creative team didn't get an opportunity to do more outside of Operation Zero Tolerance.
- Larry Hama & Terry Dodson (D): I have no idea of what to make of this run except to say that it is just a bit too out-there for me.

New Mutants: Truth or Death (C+): I've already admitted it once, but I will say it again here. My misty eyed nostalgia for the New Mutants played a big role in seeing this Ben Raab and Bernard Chang story in a positive light, and I am OK with that.

Uncanny X-Men #338-365 (C): There one or two good surprises buried inside an otherwise average run.
- Scott Lobdell & Joe Madureira (C+): It is a continued infusion of Japanese anime influenced art.
- Steve Seagle & Chris Bachalo (C): We see a completely new direction that doesn't quite work for me.

X-Force #59-86 (C): A typical comic book series with only a brief moment of their para-military roots during Operation Zero Tolerance.
- John Francis Moore & Adam Pollina (C+): I've never really been a big fan of Adam Pollina's artwork.
- John Francis Moore & Jim Cheung (C): The team begins to look (and act?) much younger.

X-Men (v2) #58-84 (B-): This title starts strong with Operation Zero Tolerance but can't keep the momentum.
- Scott Lobdell & Carlos Pacheco (A-): A worthwhile read that focuses on Iceman's attempt to save mutants caught in the crossfire of Operation Zero Tolerance.
- Joe Kelly & Carlos Pacheco (C+): A new start that doesn't really pan out.
- Joe Kelly & German Garcia (C+): An interesting story as the Shadow King sets an elaborate trap in Psi-War.
- Joe Kelly & Adam Kubert (B-): A return to the classic lineup.

X-Men: Liberators (D): It was a limited series from Joe Kelly and Phil Jimenez that fell way short for story that included three classic X-Men (Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Wolverine) back together again.

X-Men Unlimited #13-22 (C-): I continued to collect this title hoping that it would turn around. It didn't.

Era #8, Part 22: Hunt for Xavier (Part 2)

Grade: B

Era #8 ends on a better note with the Hunt for Xavier. The X-Men finally put in some real work to find their beloved founder (who has been missing since X-Men #73). Unfortunately, they can only pin his location to two locations: San Francisco and Tajikistan. Professor X is actually hiding himself and a mannite named Nina from Cerebro. Bastion's Operations Zero Tolerance inadvertently turned the X-Men's former mutant location system into a sentient entity with a self-imposed mandate to catalog all  mutants.

It isn't a stand-out story, but it is good to see the classic team back in action against a new (and creative) threat.

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #362 - "Meltdown" The X-Men's search for Professor X is put on hold when they get a call from Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. Pyro is leaving a path of scorched crops across Nebraska running in fear of an unseen enemy.

[3-Stars] X-Men (v2) #82 - "The Hunt for Charley!" Storm leads Gambit, Rogue and Colossus to a monastery in the mountains of Tajikistan. They are looking for the source of one of two mutant signatures that register as Professor X. They find all of the monks dead and a mysterious crystal barrier. On the other side hides Renée Majcomb and the mannite Nina.

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #363 - "When You're Unwanted" Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, and Marrow race to San Francisco to investigate the second mutant signature that registers as Professor X. Wolverine reaches out to an old mystic friend in Chinatown named Black Crane who sends them to Alcatraz Island. They find their mentor and the Brotherhood of Mutants (Blob, Post, Mimic, and Toad).

[3-Stars] X-Men (v2) #83 - "Tomb of Ice" Storm, Gambit, Rogue and Colossus must protect the mannite Nina from Cerebrite Alpha.

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #364- "Escape from Alcatraz" Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, and Marrow join the Brotherhood of Mutants (Blob, Post, Mimic, and Toad) to protect Professor X from Cerebrite Beta.

[3-Stars] X-Men (v2) #84 - "Dream's End!" Professor X and his X-Men versus Cerebro and his Cerebrites (Alpha and Beta).

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #365 - "Ghost Of X-Mas Past!" It is the night before Christmas, and Colossus is haunted by a mysterious spirit with a message for him to remember.

Era #8, Part 21: Liberators

Grade: F+

I started losing faith in X-Men limited series in this era. There was no real character development, and the stories were worse than mediocre. They felt like throw-away plots not good enough for the regular series. They are a cynical way to make a few easy bucks on low quality ideas. Each time I got suckered into buying one of these limited series, I felt cheated, but who could I blame since I knew they would be bad.

X-Men: Liberators gives us the returned of three long-time friends Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Wolverine. What an expected team-up! The trio had not been together since Era #4, so this promised to be a fun, modern tale for the nostalgic X-Fan. I was disappointed. There is nothing new here with all too familiar story elements and uninspired writing.

Colossus decides to finally return home to pay his respects after all the bad things that happened to his family (way back in Era #6). His best buddies tag along on what is expected to be an emotional personal journey (it is not). We learn that there is yet another secret military facility that detains and tests young mutants. Province 13 is a relic of the Soviet Union, and continued budget cuts and government disinterest threaten to close the nearly forgotten base. They somehow have enough authority and funds to sends troops to the Savage Land and bring back Omega Red.

[2-Stars] X-Men: Liberators #1 - "Book One: Old Friends" Colossus returns to Russia for a visit of his old home and pay his respect to his deceased family. Nightcrawler and Wolverine join him on his trip, but not too far away, a deformed mutant escapes a nearly forgotten Soviet era detention center dubbed Province 13.

[2-Stars] X-Men: Liberators #2 - "Book Two: Home Is Where the Heart Is" Colossus's small village is quickly occupied by soldiers searching for the deformed mutant that escaped Province 13.

[2-Stars] X-Men: Liberators #3 - "Book Three: A Game of Hide & Seek" The military director of Province 13 sends in Omega Red to recapture the escaped detainee while his science team studies Wolverine's fatal decay from his exposure to the deformed mutant's death touch.

[2-Stars] X-Men: Liberators #4 - "Book Four: Gifted Youngsters" Colossus and Nightcrawler infiltrate Province 13 to find Wolverine and save the mutant children held prisoner. They must first get passed Omega Red.

Era #8, Part 20: Hunt for Xavier (Part 1)

Grade: C+

Steve Seagle and Joe Harris assemble a new roster with some familiar faces. Archangel, Beast, Iceman and newcomers Maggott and Cecilia Reyes are gone while Colossus, Nightcrawler, Kitty Pryde, and Gambit are back! It is essentially the classic X-Men of my youth (yay) -- plus Marrow (meh).

This run is the first part of the Hunt for Xavier collection. It starts with Professor X leading a completely new X-Men team. He isn't acting like himself, and he is leading his new students against the real X-Men. I would list these strange new mutants, but they don't last long enough to care.

The remaining issues continue the normal, regular comic stories that marked Steve and Joe's time. 

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #360 - "Children of the Atom" A controversial rocket launch at Cape Citadel (the site of the X-Men's first appearance battling Magneto) attracts even more attention when longtime X-Men ally Dr. Peter Corbeau is kidnapped.  A much colder Professor X forms a new team of X-Men, and he sends them on their first mission is to bring him Kitty Pryde. These new X-Men attack a cruise liner where Kitty, Nightcrawler, and Colossus are relaxing after Excalibur's disbanding. The unwanted public attention has again cast the actual X-Men as criminals for the kidnapping and the unwarranted destruction of a luxury ship. Valerie Cooper secretly provides them with transportation to Cape Citadel to stop the fake X-Men.

[3-Stars] X-Men (v2) #80 - "Children of Atom" Professor X needs Kitty's help eliminating a computer virus that is somehow limiting his ability to function effectively. She is concerned something has happened to her mentor, and she doesn't trust his new X-Men. Her fears are realized when she discovers that they kidnapped Dr. Corbeau. With Nightcrawler and Colossus back on their team, the actual X-Men confront their fake counterparts.

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #361 - "Thieves in the Temple" Storm and Kitty Pryde reluctantly agree to help Black Tom Cassidy retrieve the Crimson Gem Cytorrak for Juggernaut. They travel to Seoul, Korea and find Gambit. He is back from his exile in the Antarctica and working again as a thief. He was also hired to retrieve the mystical gem. The three work together and track the missing artifact in the temple of a Cheju-do cult who plan to use it to wreak havok on the world.

[3-Stars] X-Men (v2) #81 - "Jack of Hearts, Queen of Death" The X-Men attempt to get their lives back to normal with the addition of Colossus, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, and Gambit, but tensions from the new team dynamics  quickly surface during a Danger Room exercise session. Gambit and Rogue's attempt to reconcile is cut short when the "Goddess" Kali attacks them.

[3-Stars] X-Men Unlimited #22 - "Cat & Mouse" Marrow often spends her nights roaming the tunnels under Manhattan where she noticed Flash-Smasher leading a terrorist group known as Ultimatum. The X-Men go to investigate.

Era #8, Part 19: Uncanny X-Men #356-359 & X-Men (v2) #76-79

Grade: C

Steve Seagle and Joe Harris stay on a little longer as the scribes for Uncanny X-Men and X-Men (v2) respectively, but this runs ends their experiment with a new line-up of unknown mutants. There is nothing especially noteworthy here with the possible exception of the Shadow King's elaborate (and well executed) trap in Psi-War (X-Men (v2) #77-78). Ironically, my least favorite story here is with the original X-Men. It wasn't a bad read, but I am ready to move on.

[2-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #356 - "Reunion" Cyclops and Jean Grey invite Beast, Iceman, and Angel to their home in Anchorage. The original X-Men reminisce and discuss if it is time to reassess Professor X's dream and replace it with their own. The visit is interrupted by a group of Inuit protesters and a shaman warning that the "Crow God" is coming.

[2-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #357 - "The Sky Is Falling" The original X-Men join the local sheriff to protect their small hamlet outside Anchorage from a swarm of angry crows.

[3-Stars] X-Men (v2) #76 - "A Boykie and His Dinges" Maggott reveals his origins.

[3-Stars] X-Men (v2) #77 - "Stormfront" Storm leads the X-Men to her home in Kenya to answer a distress call from her adoptive mother, Ainet. They find the entire village under the thrall of a powerful god by the name of Ananasi.

[3-Stars] X-Men (v2) #78 - "Stormfront Part 2" Ananasi reveals himself to be the Shadow King, and he lured the X-Men into an intricate trap that will give him access to every mind on planet.

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #358 - "Lost in Space" Bishop realizes that Deathbird has been keeping him in her care against his will (and away from the X-Men), but he reluctantly agrees to work with her when their spacecraft crashed on a planet raided by the savage Chnitt. They are joined by a local warrior named Karel who is searching for a deadly weapon to liberate the planet from the invaders.

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #359 - "Power Play" Rogue agrees to a medical procedure that will remove her mutant powers. Unbeknownst to her, Dr. Agee has been funded by the US Government through Senator Brickman and Special Agent Peter Henry Gyrich both of whom are secretly overseeing the session. Mystique infiltrates the viewing as Senator Brickman's wife ready to expose the truth behind this miracle "cure".

[3-Stars] X-Men (v2) #79 - "Little Morlock Lost" Callisto is leaving Marrow in the X-Men's care, but Marrow doesn't take the news well. She runs away, and in her anger, she terrorizes a few innocent people. Callisto and the X-Men search for her before she does any real damage, and to let her know that she has a home.

[2-Stars] X-Men Unlimited #21 - "Devil's Haircut" Strong Guy returns to Earth and recruits Beast, Wolfsbane, and Jamie Madrox (Multiple Man) to help him stop an alien invasion. They find an inter-dimensional vortex growing over a country club in Vermont which is hosting both a wedding and a Halloween costume party. Disgruntled video-clerk Melvin J. Weals opened the demonic gateway with the powerful Hell Toupee.

Era #8, Part 18: X-Men Unlimited #18-20

Grade: D

X-Men Unlimited started as a good idea for die-hard X-Fans. Provide stand-alone X-Men tales that loosely tie back to the main storyline. I discovered that many of the early issues provided eagle-eyed readers with additional insights and Easter Eggs. By this point, however, the title is an anthology series that feels forced to meet deadlines. In this run, we have a set of regular comic stories with a Spider-Man villain, another twisted Nightcrawler family soap-opera, and a group of misunderstood monsters hunted by fearful townsfolk. It is a collection of unimaginative repeats that do not seems worth the $2.99 cover price.

[2-Stars] X-Men Unlimited #18 - "Once an X-Man....." Gambit is back from the Antarctic still haunted by his past working for Mister Sinister. Rather than go back to the X-Men, Remy returns to his roots as a master thief, but his most recent job pits him against Hydro-Man.

[2-Stars] X-Men Unlimited #19 - "Unforgiven"  Nightcrawler must team-up with his foster sister (and former lover) Amanda Sefton (Daytripper) to save his adoptive mother, Margali Szardos, from Belasco. It is a trip to Limbo that reveals some dark family secrets.

[2-Stars] X-Men Unlimited #20 - "Where the Wild Things Were" Generation X discover three Asgardian trolls living in the mountains of Massachusetts inadvertently terrorizing the local townsfolk (at yet another travelling circus). 

Era #8, Part 17: Generation X #41-45

Grade: C-

Larry Hama concludes his time with Generation X with another odd story. It is no surprise that Emma Frost made a lot of enemies both as a member of the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle and in the boardroom as a cutthroat businesswoman. It was during her hostile takeover of a vulnerable research company that Emma made an enemy of Bianca LaNeige. It is actually a great set-up but the story execution gets a little unclear from there. Bianca ends up in space with some undefined powers that allows her to turn aliens into dwarfs in order to highjack their spacecraft and get revenge. At least Larry closes his 12 issue run by nicely wrapping up things that he started.

[2-Stars] Generation X #41 - "Massachusetts Chain Saw Massacre" The students spend some downtime watching a horror movie marathon. Despite her bravado, it gives Jubilee a nightmare that seems too lifelike. It is an homage to classic films such as Psycho, Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, and Friday the 13th with past Generation X villains playing the lead roles.

[2-Stars] Generation X #42 - "She Came from the Stars" Emma Frost takes the students to a miniature golf course where they are secretly being watched by Bianca LaNeige. Bianca has an old grudge to settle with Emma. She turned seven space-faring aliens into enslaved dwarfs she names Brainy, Greasy, Spikey, Stinky, Warpy, and Windy in order to get to Earth. Generation X ends the day no wiser to the threat, but they do find Gaia.

NOTE: The psychic plan was disrupted in the Psi-War storyline in the X-Men (v2) title.  Don't worry, we will cover it soon, but it worth mentioning here since psi-sensitives to loose their telepathic powers. It has a pretty big impact on Generation X to include Emma Frost, Chamber, Gaia, and M.

[2-Stars] Generation X #43 - "An Eye for an Eye" Bianca and her "dwarfs" crash their spacecraft into the Biosphere and strike at Emma Frost and Generation X while the team is in a training session on how to fight without their powers.

[3-Stars] Generation X #44 - "Comings & Goings" This is Larry Hama's last issue, and I am grateful that he closes many of his running subplots. Skins, Jubilee, and Husk deal with the young thief that stole their deeply personal (and very private) mementos. Sync gives money to the bullies who beat him when they need a new car rather than continue the cycle of hate and revenge. Husk and Chamber finally talk about their feelings and find a way to move forward. Emma forces Bianca LaNeige and her "dwarfs" to repair the damage they did to the Biosphere, but the entire building (along with the villains) completely disappears.

[3-Stars] Generation X #45 - "Lost & Found" Emma, Chamber, Gaia, and even M deal with the loss of their telepathy.

Era #8, Part 16: Generation X #32-40

Grade: D

This is may be my least favorite run of the entire Generation X series. I've heard a lot of good stuff about Larry Hama of GI Joe fame, but I found his work on Wolverine to be hard too weird and hard to follow. He strayed far from the X-Men mythos into some truly strange areas. He brings some of the same off-kilter storytelling (often with the same characters) to Generation X. He also uses his unique narrative style to give us the true origin of M and Penance -- which is good, I guess.

[3 Stars] Generation X #32 - "A Day at the Circus!" With the Circus of Crime on the cover, I often confuse this story as a fill-in. I keep forgetting that it actually does advance the overall story. Banshee takes M and Penance to Muir Island for a thorough examination in hopes to understand more about how the three St. Croix sisters share two bodies. Husk convinces the rest of the team to take some time to relax at a local travelling circus show after all they've been through. There is, of course, trouble (because what travelling circus isn't really a cover for some nefarious plot to rob the local population?).

[2 Stars] Generation X #33 - "Thieves in the Night" Larry Hama starts his tenure with local bullies hassling the Generation X students, a robbery of the school grounds in which very personal items were stolen, and Emplate finds new allies in Chimera, Dirtnap, and the Plasma Wraiths (all villains from the Wolverine series).

[2 Stars] Generation X #34 - "Guilty Secrets" Banshee returns with answers to the mutant relationship between the three St. Croix sisters (M and Penance), but things get more complicated with their evil brother, Emplate, arrives. Skin, Jubilee, and Husk must reveal their deep secrets to the young thief who stole their personal mementos.

[2 Stars] Generation X #35 - "Pool of Tears" The St. Croix siblings (M, Penance, and Emplate) have merged into a single powerful mutant calling her/himself M-Plate. The ensuing battle with the new threat includes Generation X, Chimera, and the Plasma Wraiths. The situation gets more complicated as Skin, Jubilee, and Husk try to "show" their school to their young blackmailer without revealing their true nature as mutants-in-training -- or the raging conflict with super-powered villains.

[2 Stars] Generation X #36 - "Strange Doings" After last issue's big fight, Generation X begins to look for the escaped M-Plate, the kidnapped Sync, and the missing young thief/blackmailer. They stumble into Elwood the Pooka who leads them to another dimension via Landau, Luckman & Lake (another addition from Wolverine). Emma is left in the Biosphere to deal with a magical creature called a Token who appears to have taken the young blackmailer, Artie and Leech captive in the tree-house. What has been a bizarre storyline so far has turned towards silliness from here.

[2 Stars] Generation X #37 - "In Dark Woods, the Right Road Lost" Generation X races (in a train through an outlandish dimension) to the Citadel of the Universal Amalgamator with the help of Elwood the Pooka. M-Plate plans to force the Amalgamator's Guardian, Gaia, to use ancient artifact to merge all sentient consciousnesses together. In the Biosphere, Emma finally gets to the bottom of the Token's recent arrival.

[2 Stars] Generation X #38 - "Mystery Train" Gaia has no intention of activating the Universal Amalgamator for M-Plate which is why Sync was brought. M-Plate plans to use his mutant power to access Gaia's powers. Generation X continues their journey to the Citadel with Emma joining them in the oddball dimension thanks to some help from the Token.

[2 Stars] Generation X #39 - "Return from Forever" Generation X versus M-Plate at the Citadel of the Universal Amalgamator.

[2 Stars] Generation X #40 - "Pride & Penance!" Gaia and Sync return from the other dimension in the hands the two bullies first introduced in Generation X #33. Gaia runs away while Everett is beaten badly. His teammates find him in the hospital, but Everett refuses to snitch. He instead chooses to break the cycle of hate. Everett convinces the St. Croix sisters to finally explain their secret origin and the true tie between M and Penance. It is a big reveal that doesn't feel very satisfying or track with the clues we've been given over the years.

Era #8, Part 15: X-Force #82-86

Grade: C

This is X-Force's final run in Era #08. John Francis Moore continues to tell super-hero stories about young adults trying to find their own path rather than the students turned soldiers that originally drew so many fans to the title. Jim Cheung starts as the penciler, but his style makes the team look much too young further adding to the divergence from their para-military roots.

There are some newer elements that distinguish this run from the last. The team sets up a new base of operations in San Francisco. We are introduced to Jesse Bedlam (who actually first appeared in the Age of Apocalypse title Factor X). There is also a new threat in Odysseus Indigo and the Damocles Foundation.

[3-Stars] X-Force #82 "The Gryphon Agenda" Jessie Arronson (Bedlam) approaches Domino with a deal. He will help her find Ekatarine Gryaznova (now going by the Gryphon) if she helps him find his brother. Their plan to take down Gryaznova goes awry forcing Jessie to seek X-Force.

[3-Stars] X-Force #83 "Homefront" Cannonball visits his home in Kentucky to take some time to assess his position within the X-Men. He confronts two powered people, Arcadia and her bodyguard Ulysses, on the run, but he quickly realizes that they are being hunted by a bigger threat. X-Force learns Jessie's origins and his ties to the secretive Mutant Underground Support Engine (MUSE).

[3-Stars] X-Force #84 "...By the Sword" Arcadia accidentally teleports X-Force to her location to help Cannonball fight the members of Sword. This group is hunting her and her bodyguard Ulysses for the Deviant known as Odysseus Indigo. Moonstar reveals new, unexplained powers from Arcadia's teleportation, and Cannonball is returns to the team.

[2-Stars] X-Force #85 "Possession" Skids and Locus are captives of Pandemonia. The evil witch is herself a captive in Latveria and uses Locus to escape her prison. She then uses Skids to lure X-Force into her enchanted thrall. Cannonball, Moonstar and Bedlam manage to escape and immediate search for mystic help. They find it in long time Marvel sorceress Jennifer Kale.

[3-Stars] X-Force #86 "Experimental Living" X-Force returns to Almost Reno and find it completely deserted. Something has happened, and the Agents of SHIELD appear to be behind it. Enter Odysseus Indigo and his wealthy foundation The Sword of Damocles.

Era #8, Part 14: X-Force #71-81

Grade: C

John Francis Moore tells superhero comic book stories for superhero comic book fans. They are consistent and readable, but they do not push the envelope or really explore new ground for the characters, the franchise, or the genre. And so this period is memorable in that it wasn't particularly memorable.

X-Force left Cable and the X-Men to strike out on their own. They also drop any pretense of being a para-military strikeforce to go on a typical young adult road trip. John Francis Moore does address two long dangling plot lines: the mass murder of Warpath's tribe (way back in New Mutants #98) and the mysterious connection between Sunspot and Reignfire. That is really cool for hardcore X-Force fans, but it isn't enough to save this run from being average.

[3-Stars] X-Force #71 "Destination: Unknown" X-Force start their road trip, but it isn't long before their car breaks-down. While they wait for repairs, Bobby (Sunspot) discovers that he no longer has access to his family's wealth, so the team must rely on Dani Moonstar's leftover SHIELD paycheck to fund their adventure until Bobby can figure things out. They crash at a low-budget motel where they save young Richie Alegria from being kidnapped by the mob. Richie quickly hires them to be his bodyguards.

[3-Stars] X-Force #72 "Lies and Deception" Dani Moonstar, Bobby, and Tabitha (Meltdown) protect Richie Alegria from the mob only to discover that they are after him because he owes them money to make a movie. Theresa (Siryn) joins James (Warpath) to uncover the truth about the mass murder of hsi friends and family. It was not the Hellfire Club as the clues originally suggested, but a tip from Sledge sends him to a reporter and old family friend who manages to reveal some additional clues before he too is killed by an unknown source.

[3-Stars] X-Force #73 "Stop Motion" James and Theresa are being chased by the man responsible for  the massacre of James's reservation. It is the lycanthropic  scientist that James and his brother exposed in X-Force #-1 (the Flashback issue) who reveals that he was working with Stryfe!

[3-Stars] X-Force #74 "Afterlife" James is dead, and his soul is trapped in dimension ruled by Styfe. The villain made a deal with Blackheart (a Ghost Rider villain) -- James's soul for his own release back to the realm of the living. The Valkyrie alert Dani of this unholy bargain, but they are unable to interfere. Instead, they send in X-Force to save the soul of their friend.

[3-Stars] X-Force #75 "Convergence" X-Force joins the Colossal Man festival (a Marvel parallel to the Burning Man Festival) in the desert. They are reunited with former New Mutant Xi'an Coy Manh (Karma) and Sam (Cannonball). The party of "freak and geeks" is in jeopardy when Selene arrives with the intention of using the spiritual area to open a dimensional gateway summoning unimaginable power.   

[3-Stars] X-Force #76 "Bittersweet Reunions" Cannonball catches Bobby and Tabitha kissing each other. He storms off leaving his best friend and his former girlfriend to figure how they will deal with their growing feelings for each other. Meanwhile, Domino and Shatterstar are forced against their will to fight in Arcade's Murderworld.

[3-Stars] X-Force #77 "City of Lost Children" The team happens upon the deserted small town of "Almost Reno" where they find scared mutant children -- and a SHIELD operation.

[3-Stars] X-Force #78 "Burning Desires" X-Force crash at another old teammate's pad. Skids left the world of superheroes (and supervillains) after Rusty died in X-Men (v2) #42. The reunion is cut short when Reignfire and Locus finally make their move in a very public way. They have been following X-Force and quietly making Bobby's their life hell such as freezing his trust fund, removing him from the DaCosta Board of Directors, and taking other actions in his form.

[3-Stars] X-Force #79 "Set My Soul on Fire" X-Force and Skids versus Reignfire and Locus. They receive help from an unexpected source. Dr. Joshua once experimented on Bobby for Gideon in X-Force #15. He now works for the Damocles Foundation and uses their resource to arm himself for a final confrontation with his creation. Skids and Locus disappear.

[3-Stars] X-Force #80 "The Fire Within" X-Force versus Reignfire in this story arc conclusion that ends with the origins of Reignfire. The DaCosta Board of Directors hire Heroes for Hire (Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Misty Knight, and Colleen Wing) to wrest control from Bobby, but they all learn that it was Reignfire who was responsible for all the damage and misinformation.

[3-Stars] X-Force #81 "Hot Lava" Bobby has his money back and takes the team to Hawaii to celebrate. Their vacation includes an unpleasant reunion with Sledge, Vanisher, and Risque who stole the fabled Heart of Pele. It is a an artifact that the Lava Men (Avenger foes) also want for their own nefarious plans.

Era #8, Part 13: Uncanny X-Men #351-#355 & X-Men (v2) #71-75

Grade: C

A new creative team takes the helm of Marvel's main mutant titles. Steve Seagle begins work on Uncanny X-Men and Joe Kelly the X-Men. They change the line-up formally adding Maggott, Cecila Reyes, and Marrow which never really comes together. Add the standard (and very typical) comic book type plots and you get a really average run.

There are some seeds for later stories. Bishop wakes to find himself in Deathbird's "care"; Professor X is missing; and a mysterious African artifact reaches Storm. Until we see those plots unfold, we have to get through this growing period.

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #351 "Hours & Minutes" Dr. Cecilia Reyes is ready to return to her life as an ER doctor. She leaves the X-Men and returns to her job but immediately faces discrimination now that she has been outed as a mutant. Still, she attempts to soldier on making this issue my favorite of the bunch. She secretly treats Daredevil and is only called by her "colleagues" to help when Pryo, a mutant with the Legacy virus, is admitted.

[3-Stars] X-Men #71 "A House in Order" Cyclops and Jean Grey prepare to leave the X-Men. They are going back to Alaska so that Scott can recuperate. The rest of the team enjoys some down time.

[2-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #352 "In Sin Air" Cyclops and Jean Grey leave the X-Men to live a normal life in Alaska. Their flight is hijacked by agents of A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics) who board the aircraft while it is in-flight. They are after special cargo being transported on a regular passenger airplane. C'mon, it is already hard to take AIM serious with those goofy bee-keeper hats. 

[2-Stars] X-Men Unlimited #17 "Alone In His Head" Sabretooth ambushes Wolverine with a new mutant named Mrs. Hoo. She switches their minds to the other's body. Sabretooth (now masquerading as Wolverine) is on a mission to infiltrate one of Angel's companies explaining that they are attempting to recreate Forge's mutant neutralizer.

[3-Stars] X-Men #72 "Life Lessons" The X-Men are having a difficult time trying to figure out how to deal with Marrow. Much to Cannonball's consternation, Storm and Wolverine take a much sterner approach that results in a deadly brawl between Logon and Marrow.

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #353 "Blackbirds" Rogue dreams that she absorbs Wolverine's powers -- and likes it. It rattles her, but the team decides to take a swim to relieve some stress that they've all been feeling. Things are made a little more difficult when Margaret Stone arrives from the Department of Education to inspect the premises (recently gutted and destroyed by Operation Zero Tolerance).

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #354 "Prehistory" Sauron attacks the X-Men, but it is Rogue that is feeling the most pressure. She is accused of draining Wolverine (it was Sauron), and she accidentally absorbs Josephs memories when she attempts to revive him. Guilt drives her to the Agee Institute that promises to eliminate mutant powers.

[3-Stars] Uncanny X-Men #355 "North & South"  & Alpha Flight (1997) #9 "North & South" Wolverine is transporting Sauron to the authorities in the city (on his motorcycle?), but Alpha Flight tracks him down. Logon is wanted by the Canadian government, and his old friends have been ordered to bring him in. This is a unique an interesting concept in which the exact same story is told through the eyes of the X-Men and Alpha Flight. It is just a little disappointing that we have another X-Men versus Alpha Flight over a misunderstanding about Wolverine.

[3-Stars] X-Men #73 "The Elements within Us" Maggott is unable to talk about his past experience with Magneto with Joseph, but he may have no choice. Sabre arrives for answers. She has been hunting for Magneto and finally confronts Joseph and Maggott. At the Hulkbuster base, Senator Kelly to release Professor X from Operation Zero Tolerance, but he discovers that Charles Xavier is missing.

[3-Stars] X-Men #74 "Rituals" Angel returns to the Morlock Tunnels to remember what happened to him during the Massacre in which he lost his original wings. The Abomination (a villain normally associated with the Hulk) has made the area his home and attacks Angel. We learn that Marrow idolizes Angel, and she joins the battle to help him.

[3-Stars] X-Men #75 "Anatomy of a Monster" The N'garai cairns have resurfaced around the world, but that dimension is now run by the Ru'tai who overthrew their N'garai masters. Led by Pilgrimm, the Ru'tai look to conquer Earth, and it up to the X-Men to stop them.