Era #9, Part 23: X-Men Unlimited #30-31

Grade: C

I remember being excited when X-Men Unlimited first came out in 1993. It was an interesting concept in which any creator could tell a unique, self-contained X-Men story. This anthology series runs from 1993 to 2003 (ending with issue #50), but I decided I had enough here. I found that I was buying the title simply because it bore the "X", and that wasn't enough to support the higher cover price per issue. I didn't find the tales original enough to keep me engaged, and none of them were especially relevant to the overall mythos (or the main on-going storyline).

These last two comics of my collection include seven stories from Andi Watson, Jim Mahfood, Joe Pruett, John Czop, John Ostrander, Mike Lilly, Steven Grant, Charlie Adlard, Micheal Golden, and Brian Steelfreeze. There are some recognizable names in there, but not enough for me to keep this in my pull list.

I think so much more could've been done with X-Men Unlimited, but alas, it was time for me to bid adieu.

[5-Stars] X-Men Unlimited (1993) #30

[5-Stars] X-Men Unlimited (1993) #31

Era #9, Part 22: Uncanny X-Men #389-390 & X-Men #109-110

Grade: C

This can be best described at the definitive end of the Claremont Era and the beginning of the definitive end of the Lobdell Era. I would normally split this set into two parts because it really has two different scribes, but the stories were all so similar in nature that I felt that they should be grouped together. This entire set is deeply reflective in an attempt to tie up loose ends that both writers have dangled over the years. 

Chris Claremont addresses Dr. Cecilia Reyes's addiction to the mutant performance-enhancing drug called Rave, and he delves deeper into Destiny's Diaries first found back in Era #9, Part 07. This leads to Storm forming a new secret team (and another upcoming X-Men title). Chris Claremont is pulled from the core X-Men books and given X-Treme X-Men that will start in Era #10.

Scott Lobdell returns to clear the slate as well. He ends the relationship between Angel and Psylocke and explains where Kitty Pryde has been this entire time. Perhaps the biggest thing to call out in this small set is that we finally get the cure for the Legacy Virus he first introduced at the end of the X-Cutioner's Song (Era #6, Part 7). A sacrifice is needed to save all mutants from this devastating disease. Yes, it is a bit contrived, but who volunteers for this last act makes sense and the memorial is more touching than I expected.

[4-Stars] Uncanny X-Men (1963) #389

[4-Stars] X-Men (1991) #109 

[5-Stars] Uncanny X-Men (1963) #390

[6-Stars] X-Men (1991) #110