Era #10, Part 02: Poptopia (Uncanny X-Men)

Grade: B

Joe Casey joins the franchise with the unenviable position of keeping up with Grant Morrison. While the New X-Men focuses on the school, Joe Casey takes the Uncanny X-Men on assignments around the world. He starts with a young mutant punk ready to make his mark by following Magneto's footsteps and comes out as a mutant threat by attacking Cape Citadel. This run ends with the X-Men learning about young mutant women who use their powers to please at a brothel in Nevada. Between those two bookend stories is a hard lesson about the fickleness of fame -- especially for those groups of people who stand apart from the norm. The team's lineup includes Archangel, Iceman, Nightcrawler, and Wolverine as they attempt to bring Chamber back into the fold while still helping the less fortunate mutants. 

How does Joe Casey do? Not bad at all. They are memorable stories that deal more directly with some of the core issues long associated with the X-Men -- discrimination and how it impacts those who don't wear the "X" uniform. Yes, there are some noticeable similarities to past plots (particularly the sewer-dwelling mutant outcasts), but he does a good job of introducing some unexpected twists such as prostitute turned new member, Stacy X. It's a fun, new direction that keeps you guessing.

[5-Stars] Uncanny X-Men (1963) #394

[6-Stars] Uncanny X-Men (1963) #395

[6-Stars] Uncanny X-Men (1963) #396

[6-Stars] Uncanny X-Men (1963) #397

[6-Stars] Uncanny X-Men (1963) #398

[7-Stars] Uncanny X-Men (1963) #399

Collected in X-Men: X-Corps

Era #10, Part 01: Destiny, Part 1 (X-Treme X-Men)

Grade: C

The era opens with a brand new title, the X-Treme X-Men. Marvel wanted to move the X-Men in a new direction without losing the legendary Chris Claremont. They give him his own book opening up the core titles for Grant Morrison and Joe Casey. 

A small team of X-Men leaves their friends and families in search of Destiny's prophetic diaries. Afraid that even Xavier would succumb to the temptation of changing the future, Beast, Bishop, Rogue, Psylocke, Sage, Storm, and Thunderbird set out in complete secrecy severing all ties with their former teammates. They quickly learn, however, that they are not the only ones on the hunt. The deadly Vargas confronts the team in Valencia with deadly consequences.

The premise works here. The separation from the flagship titles allows Chris Claremont to tell more traditional comic book stories without disrupting the events unfolding in Uncanny X-Men and New X-Men. Salvador Larroca's artwork is beautiful, and he gets the opportunity to draw from his Spanish homeland. Chris Claremont continues to plot his own new direction introducing new characters. The run also includes some significant changes for Psylocke and Beast as well as a little character development of Sage (originally the Hellfire's Tessa) and Bishop. 

It isn't the original X-Men stories, and it isn't part of the new movement. It is a comfort read with familiar characters in uninteresting situations. 

[5-Stars] X-Treme X-Men (2001) #1

[5-Stars] X-Treme X-Men (2001) #2

[5-Stars] X-Treme X-Men (2001) #3

[4-Stars] X-Treme X-Men (2001) #4

Collected in X-Treme X-Men (Vol 1): Destiny

Starting Era #10: New X-Men

We finally get to the next big directional shift for the X-Men franchise. The New X-Men runs from July 2001 and June 2004 and brings a completely new perspective on the Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. The new charge is lead by comics legend Grant Morrison who is given creative control of the X-Men (Second Series) which he relabels New X-Men. It is often called "The Morrison Manifesto," and it introduces a whole new generation of mutants and new plot twists that reinvigorate the entire line. I remember that this era builds on the promise of the X-Men, and I would argue that this run forever changes how future writers look at X-Men stories. 

I just separated from the Army and started working for a small engineering company called Integrated Engineering Concepts (IEC). I really enjoyed the work (and the pay), and the company was really good to me. I've never forgotten how much I appreciate the chance they gave me.  

I was a geo-bachelor for the first year. I rented a room in Columbia, Maryland while the family still lived in Virginia Beach, VA. In 2002, we found a place in Stafford, VA. It became home.

Part 01: X-Treme X-Men - Destiny (Part 1)
Part 02: Uncanny X-Men - Poptopia
Part 03: New X-Men - E is for Extinction 
Part 04: X-Treme X-Men - Destiny (Part 2)
Part 05: New X-Men - Imperial
Part 06: Uncanny X-Men - X-Corps
Part 07: X-Treme X-Men - Invasion
Part 08: New X-Men - New Worlds
Part 09: Uncanny X-Men - Hope
Part 10: Uncanny X-Men - Dominate Species
Part 11: X-Treme X-Men - Schism
Part 12: Uncanny X-Men - Holy War
Part 13: New X-Men - Riot at Xavier's
Part 14: Uncanny X-Men - The Draco
Part 15: X-Treme X-Men - God Loves, Man Kills (Part 2)
Part 16: X-Treme X-Men - Intifada
Part 17: X-Treme X-Men - Storm - The Arena
Part 18: Uncanny X-Men - She Lies With Angels
Part 19: New Mutants - Back to School (Part 1)
Part 20: Mystique - Drop Dead Gorgeous
Part 21: Mystique - Tinker, Tailor, Mutant, Spy
Part 22: New Mutants - Back to School (Part 2)
Part 23: New X-Men - Assault on Weapon Plus
Part 24: New X-Men - Planet X
Part 25: X-Treme X-Men - Prisoner of Fire
Part 26: New X-Men - Here Comes Tomorrow
Part 27: Uncanny X-Men - Bright New Mourning