X-MEN Episode Sixty-Three - November 4, 1995

Beyond Good and Evil (Part 1): The End of Time

Written by Steve Cuden

Summary:  In 3999, Apocalypse steals Cable’s cube-computer, but a remark by Cable causes Apocalypse to question his goals.  He uses the cube-computer’s time traveling function and disappears.  Bishop, meanwhile, attempts to get back to his time, but becomes trapped in the Axis of Time.  He meets an eccentric resident who gives no clear answers.  In the present, Cyclops and Jean Grey are married.  As they drive away, they’re attacked by the Nasty Boys.  They kidnap Jean, while Sinister attempts to abduct Xavier at the mansion.  The X-Men stop Sinister, with the aid of Shard, who’s come from the future in search of Bishop.  Sinister creates a portal and escapes to the Axis, where he meets his employer, Apocalypse.

Continuity Notes:  

• Cable appears with the Clan Chosen in the opening sequence.  Tyler appears, a few years older, as one of his loyal soldiers.
• Bishop is trying to return to the future from 1955, following the events of “One Man’s Worth.”
• Morph is briefly shown sitting with the X-Men at Cyclops and Jean’s wedding.
• Forge sends Shard to the only coordinates that he can trace after Bishop’s disappearance, allowing her to join the action just in time.
• Vertigo joins the Nasty Boys this episode.  She is a flunky for Sinister in the comics, but as a member of the Marauders, not the Nasty Boys.

“Huh?” Moments:  

• Apocalypse, leaving the year 3999, is somehow able to cause Bishop, leaving the year 1955, to be thrown off-track, into the Nexus of Time.  How could that possibly work?
• Sinister calls upon the Nasty Boys, Gorgeous George specifically, to open the portal that allows him to escape.  When they leave him behind during the fight, Sinister accuses them of being traitors.  A few seconds later, Sinister’s hand begins to glow and he’s somehow able to generate a portal himself and teleport away.  What did he even need the Nasty Boys for in the first place?  

"Actiiing!":  Apocalypse’s second voice actor, which the internet tells me is James Blendic, makes his first full appearance on the show.  However, it sounds as if Apocalypse’s scene in the opening is done by the original actor, John Colicos, the man with the deep bass and insane delivery.  Am I crazy or are there two Apocalypse voices in this episode?

I Love the '90s:  Forge sends Shard back to the “late 1990s” to search for Bishop.

Review:  "Beyond Good and Evil," according to internet lore, was originally intended as the series’ finale.  This didn’t happen, in part because the episodes are airing out-of-order and there’s a season’s worth of material that hasn’t aired yet, but also because FOX will go on to order an additional six episodes during the show’s final days.  I can see elements of the serial that hint that it could’ve been the series finale, although I’m glad the final episode turns out to be a slower, more character-driven piece.  "Beyond Good and Evil" is a worthy attempt to bring together almost every character that’s appeared in the show so far, but the mere premise requires the plot to be cluttered, and I can recall wondering as the episodes aired what point (if any) the story’s trying to make.  

The episode opens with another Cable vignette in the future, and even though I’m already biased against any story featuring Clan Chosen, Cable’s cardboard future soldiers, it’s actually one of Cable’s better moments on the show.  The writer and/or producers have decided to flagrantly turn Cable into Indiana Jones this time, right down to a line about hating snakes, and the fast pace of the opening is pretty entertaining.  When Cable makes the fairly generic threat that Apocalypse can’t win because someone will always oppose him, Apocalypse has an unexpected response.  What if Cable’s right?  What if everything he does is utterly pointless?  Having Apocalypse do more than make melodramatic proclamations, which he does very well on the show, and actually question his goals is a clever way to start the story.  How it leads to Bishop, the Nexus of Time, and every telepath in the Marvel Universe is a little fuzzy, but I can’t deny that the first act does a decent job drawing the viewer into the story.

The episode then jumps to Bishop, who just can’t seem to ever work this “time travel” thing out, can he?  Now he’s trapped outside of time, and his only guide is the painfully irritating Bender.  (Or is it Vendor?  His voice is so obnoxious it’s hard to tell.)  Bender/Vendor’s like the Junkions from Transformers, only far more annoying.  He speaks only in cryptic pop culture quotes, in a voice so grating I actually miss the show’s interpretation of Mojo.  Luckily, their scenes together are mercifully brief, as the story cuts to Scott and Jean’s wedding.  Finally allowing Scott and Jean to get married is probably the best evidence that this serial was meant as the show’s finale, and it actually does feel like a proper resolution to their long-running engagement.  Thankfully, the episode allows Scott and Jean to get married, have a reception, and then be attacked.  Choosing Sinister and the Nasty Boys as the villains is a nice nod to the show’s continuity, and I have to admit that I kind of miss the Nasty Boys, even if their contributions never amounted to much.  Drawing attention to the fact that the Nasty Boys want Jean and not Cyclops is also a nice hint regarding what exactly the kidnap victims have in common.

While the premise of the storyline has a lot of potential, and the large cast already assembled is a treat for longtime fans of the series, the episode is marred by some of the worst animation the show’s seen in ages.  Having this air directly after the visually rich (by AKOM standards) “Sanctuary” just emphasizes how weak the episode looks.  The movements are lifeless, the fight scenes have almost no impact, and the color scheme seems to have reverted to the drab look of the earlier episodes.  Why exactly the producers saw fit to recolor Magneto with darker reds and more shadow, but were content with coloring Apocalypse like an Easter Egg, remains a mystery to me.  Even if this isn’t the show’s finale, it is a major storyline that’s drawing together almost every character we’ve seen so far.  I realize that’s a burden on the animators, but a storyline that’s obviously intended to be very important should not look this shoddy.

Credit to http://marvel.toonzone.net/xmen/ for the screencaps.

X-MEN Episode Forty-Nine - October 28, 1995

Sanctuary (Part Two)

Written by Jeff Saylor

Summary:  Beast and Xavier leave Asteroid M with the Russian astronauts.  Believing Magneto dead, Xavier holds a memorial for him at the mansion.  He then returns to Asteroid M with Beast, Rogue, and Wolverine.  Magneto, meanwhile, lands on Earth after being left for dead inside an escape pod.  Gambit is kept captive on Asteroid M, but Amelia Voght questions Fabian Cortez’s treatment of him.  With Gambit’s prompting, Amelia finds the security footage of Cortez apparently killing Magneto and realizes his true scheme.  She frees Gambit, who convinces his friend Byron to turn against Cortez.  The X-Men are unable to stop Cortez from launching Asteroid M’s missiles towards Earth, but a revitalized Magneto appears and destroys the missiles.  He then traps Cortez inside the collapsing Asteroid M.  Later, Cortez is somehow rescued by Apocalypse and Deathbird.

Continuity Notes: 

• Magneto claims Earth’s magnetic field has healed his body, allowing him to return for the climax.
• The X-Men use Shi’ar technology to enhance the Blackbird and travel into orbit.
• Wolverine joins the expedition into space this episode, with no explanation of where the other team members are.
• Xavier gives Magneto’s full name as “Erik Magnus Lensherr” which I believe is the first time he’s given a real name on the show.
• Fabian Cortez releases a statement on mutant rights on live television. X-Factor, Gideon and Nicodemus of the X-Ternals, Haven, and Typhoon are all shown watching the footage.
• The X-Men wear special outfits when invading Asteroid M. Wolverine is in his purple “stealth gear,” which I believe he wore once in Marvel Comics Presents. Xavier is wearing the outfit he wore in X-Men #25, although it doesn’t allow him to walk. Rogue and Beast are wearing costumes I’ve never seen before, but assume were action figures in the ‘90s.

"Actiiing!":  Apocalypse has a new voice during his cameo at the end.  It’s not nearly as deep and menacing as the original voice, unfortunately.

Review:  With the exception of Gambit’s buddy Byron, who adds virtually nothing to the overall story, the plot details established in the first chapter are effectively paid off as the two-parter reaches its conclusion.  Some elements of the original storyline are sanitized, such as Magneto assuring Xavier that he won’t die as Asteroid M crashes, but the story still has an impact.  Magneto reappearing above the Earth to save everyone, human and mutant, from Cortez’s missile strike is one of the series’ finest moments.  The ending’s also a nice surprise, as the show makes one of its final efforts to introduce mysteries and subplots that are carried over into new storylines.

Casting Cortez as the comical exaggeration of what people think Magneto is supposed to be is a great move, as the cartoon manages to get more out of their relationship than the source material did.  (Although Cortez is just as dumb here as he normally is in the comics, considering that he doesn’t erase the security tape of him “killing” Magneto.)  In the comics, Cortez’s betrayal of Magneto only becomes a plot point in the final pages of the story, even if it is foreshadowed earlier, leaving the creators with no room to explore the idea.  In “Sanctuary,” the audience is given a much more rewarding resolution as Magneto reappears just in time to teach his pale replacement a lesson. 

The character moments are also memorable, as Xavier prepares a tribute for Magneto when he’s still believed dead, a nice acknowledgment of their friendship that shows just how well the series understood how to portray the Xavier/Magneto dynamic.  Magneto’s final words to Xavier as he refuses Xavier’s aid while Asteroid M collapses are also well written, and well executed by voice actor David Hemblen.  As a tribute to the final pages of Claremont’s original run, the scene is a nice reminder of the show’s ability to capture the Claremont interpretation of the character. 

Credit to http://marvel.toonzone.net/xmen/ for the screencaps.

X-MEN Episode Forty-Eight - October 21, 1995

Sanctuary (Part One)

Written by Steven Melching & David McDermott

Summary:  Magneto kidnaps a team of Russian astronauts and steals missiles the team was sent to disarm.  Soon, at a UN conference, Magneto enters and announces that all mutants are free to live on his space station, Asteroid M.  Xavier, Beast, and Gambit travel to Africa where the first group of mutants will evacuate Earth.  Magneto and Xavier have a peaceful conversation, and Xavier agrees to see Asteroid M for himself.  During the second evacuation in Genosha, Magistrates attack the mutants seeking sanctuary.  They’re defended by a new team of mutants lead by Fabian Cortez.  Cortez quickly becomes Magneto’s ally.  Soon, however, Magneto discovers Cortez has betrayed him and launched missiles at Earth.  When Magneto confronts Cortez, he charges Magneto’s powers to the point that Magneto appears to fade away.  Cortez then blames the X-Men for the murder.  Gambit stays behind, allowing Xavier and Beast to escape.

Continuity Notes:

• The X-Men with speaking parts this episode include Xavier, Rogue, Gambit, and Beast.
• Large sections of this two-parter are based on 1991's X-Men #1-3. Magneto even wears the same white robe he wore in X-Men #1.
• Cameos include Random, Copycat, Blockbuster and Arclight of the Marauders, along with reused models of the Morlocks and a few random mutants from previous episodes. Black Panther also makes a brief appearance during the scene set in Africa (because apparently Black Panther is active in all of Africa.)
• Fabian Cortez and the Acolytes debut this episode, although the network censors won’t allow the Acolytes to be called by name.
• One of the Acolytes, named Byron Kelly (or perhaps “Kali”) is an old friend of Gambit’s that he can’t believe has joined Magneto. For some reason, Byron is taking the place of Frenzy, the Acolyte with a past connection with Gambit in the comics, even though she does appear in the episode.
• Amelia Voght makes her first full appearance. A flashback containing most of the scenes already shown in “Proteus (Part One)” establishes her as Xavier’s old girlfriend. He’s stunned she’s sided with Magneto after declaring that she didn’t want to draw attention to her mutant powers.
• During a flashback to one of the original X-Men’s early Danger Room sessions, Jean Grey is incorrectly wearing her current costume for a few seconds. When she next appears in the flashback, she’s wearing her original Marvel Girl costume. Angel also appears as a member again, contradicting the show’s continuity.

“Um, Actually…”:  Beast claims that Xavier lost the use of his legs battling Magneto, which not only contradicts the comics’ continuity, but is a fairly major revelation several years into this show’s run.  The Acolytes are also described by Beast as a “local Genoshan group,” as opposed to the original story that established them as loyal Magneto followers that sought him out as a leader.

Approved By Broadcast Standards:  The original censor notes for this episode have been posted online by one of the writers.

"Actiiing!":  The US representative at the United Nations is an obvious Jack Nicholson parody, for reasons I’ve never understood.  I realize that every comedian is supposed to have a Jack Nicholson impersonation, but was someone so desperate to show his off he chose this role in this cartoon to do it?  Did he think he was auditioning for the role of Shipwreck?

Review:  “Sanctuary” was delayed for almost a year before it finally aired, which is a shame since I think it would’ve been a great follow-up to the original “Phoenix Saga.”  Just imagine a third season of the X-Men that opened with Lady Deathstrike and the Reavers, adapted Phoenix/Dark Phoenix, introduced Iceman and Nightcrawler, and then closed with a faithful retelling of Chris Claremont’s final X-Men story, with a nod to Scott Lobdell’s best Uncanny X-Men issue also thrown in.  Instead, the third season opened strong, relapsed into reruns, and then began airing random episodes at an unusual pace.  At the very least, “Sanctuary” should’ve been the fourth season’s opener, instead of the largely disappointing “One Man’s Worth.” 

Had the show kept the momentum of its previous year, I have a feeling “Sanctuary” would’ve been remembered as one of the series’ highlights.  The nuanced portrayal of Magneto is especially entertaining, as the show pays homage to Claremont’s reinvention of the character and presents him as a complex, passionate defender of all mutants, even the ones he doesn’t particularly like.  Every opportunity the story presents to use him as a villain is ignored, to the point that the astronauts Magneto kidnaps in the opening are honestly treated as “guests” in his home.  The best moments of the final Claremont/Lee X-Men issues are represented, only with more coherent storytelling, so now the diversion into Genosha actually makes sense.  Seeing the Acolytes step into battle against the Genoshan Magistrates, their Appleseed armored guard, and the Sentinels is a lot of fun, and I say this as someone who was consistently bored by the Acolytes of the comics at the time.  Most of the conflicts in the episode are honestly engaging, and the producers have done an admirable job picking and choosing which elements from the early Magneto/Acolytes stories should be adapted.  (Gambit’s story isn’t given a lot of room to draw the audience in, however, and it’s baffling that the producers chose to ignore Frenzy in favor of a generic new character.)  In retrospect, throwing Amelia Voght into X-Men #1-3 makes a lot of sense, especially if you’re ignoring the “Moira experimented on Magneto” plot.  The third season was really missing a solid Magneto story, and it’s a shame that scheduling problems prevented this from airing when originally intended.

Credit to http://marvel.toonzone.net/xmen/ for the screencaps.

X-MEN Episode Fifty-Seven - October 7, 1995

Proteus (Part Two)

Written by Luanne Crocker

Summary:  Proteus seeks his father, politician Joe MacTaggert.  The X-Men take shifts guarding Joe from Proteus, despite his bigoted views on mutants.  After Proteus discovers Joe’s new family, he storms the Union Hall in the middle of his father’s campaign speech.  The X-Men, and the newly arrived Banshee, fail to stop him.  Only Professor X is able to calm Proteus by appealing to his humanity.  Soon, Proteus is back on Muir Island receiving therapy, and gaining better control of his powers.

Continuity Notes:  Wolverine receives his third model during this arc.  This episode, he’s dressed as a ‘70s cowboy, in a look obviously inspired by the early Dave Cockrum issues.

“Um, Actually…”:  Some vaguely defined, pseudo-scientific device created by Moira is described as the only thing that can harm Proteus.  In the original storyline, Proteus is vulnerable to metal, which leaves Colossus with the burden of killing him before he can harm anyone else.

Review:  In fairness, I will say that the second chapter of this arc is an improvement over the first.  This episode dramatizes Wolverine’s shell-shocked reaction to Proteus’ reality-warping quite well, exposing the cartoon’s audience to one of the very few times Wolverine's ever shown any weakness, and giving Cal Dodd another direction to take his performance.  Remaking Joe MacTaggert as a “family values” candidate not only fits the climate of the ‘90s, but it provides Proteus with a legitimate reason for hating the guy.  The scene where he visits Joe’s home and sees the new family, including his half-sister, is unusually dark by the standards of the show.  Just the idea of an older, divorced politician with his second family being the source of derision is rare enough for Saturday Morning Television, and it’s a nice reminder that the series can still go places you wouldn’t expect it to.  I also enjoy stories that have the X-Men working to defend bigots, as much as they might not want to, because it emphasizes a basic heroic ideal behind the concept that’s too often forgotten.

There’s not enough here to save the adaptation, however.  Almost none of the interpersonal conflicts from the original storyline are represented, mainly because the producers have decided to cast a team of X-Men that only includes one member present in the original story.  (Two if you count the semi-retired Banshee, who disappears for much of this adaptation.)  Yes, Wolverine has some great moments in the comic, but where’s Storm, Phoenix, and Cyclops?  Is there anything in this two-parter that matches Phoenix’s growing concern over her powers (mirrored by the nigh-omnipotent Proteus), Storm’s determination to stand down Proteus and save her friends, or Cyclops’ unorthodox method for bringing Wolverine back into the fight?  The story’s even missing that classic moment, the most important moment in Wolverine and Cyclops’ past I would say, where Wolverine finally acknowledges that he does respect Cyclops as a leader and a man. 

Why drop Rogue and Beast into a story that has nothing to do with them?  I wouldn’t expect Nightcrawler, Havok, and Polaris to be represented since they’re designated guest stars on the series, (even though they also have great moments in the original issues, or at least in the Classic X-Men backups) but what about the regular cast?  Cyclops and Storm are appearing in every other episode anyway, so why exclude them?  And wouldn’t it be great if the audience actually got to see Jean in an adventure in-between the Phoenix and Dark Phoenix serials?  I’m not asking for Colossus to suddenly join the team and then kill Proteus on his first mission, but more fidelity to what made this story great in the first place would’ve been nice.  For pity’s sake, this is a “Proteus” adaptation that has a happy ending!  Even Joe MacTaggert decides in the end that he loves his son and mutants are all okay with him.  That’s missing the point of the original by a country mile.  What’s frustrating is that the show hasn’t shown so much of a willingness to sanitize the material in the past, which makes me wonder what exactly was happening behind the scenes.  I wouldn’t expect any actual murders or rotting corpses on the show, but it’s shocking that an adaptation of such a dark story could be this bland.

Credit to http://marvel.toonzone.net/xmen/ for the screencaps.

X-MEN Episode Fifty-Six - September 30, 1995

Proteus (Part One)

Written by Bruce Reid Schaefer

 

Summary:  Moira MacTaggert treats the teenage mutant Proteus, who is kept in a private cell on Muir Island.  When Proteus escapes, Moira calls the X-Men for help.  The X-Men search for him as he travels into a nearby town, possessing the locals and causing havoc while searching for his father.  When he confronts the X-Men in battle, Moira is finally forced to admit that Proteus is her son, Kevin MacTaggert. 

Continuity Notes:

• This two-parter is based on the original Proteus storyline in Uncanny X-Men #125-128.
• The X-Men featured this episode are Xavier, Beast, Rogue, and Wolverine.
• Proteus was originally referred to as “Mutant X” during his cameo appearances earlier in the Claremont/Cockrum Uncanny X-Men run. “Mutant X” is shown as the name on his cell door this episode.
• Morph has another brief cameo on Muir Island, as he appears to be undergoing a brain scan. Banshee also appears at the start of the episode, standing next to Moira as she “treats” Proteus.
• The Blackbird is shown flying out of the hole underneath a movable swimming pool this episode.
• Flashbacks in this episode tell the story of Xavier and Moira’s broken engagement, Xavier’s service in the military, Moria’s later wedding to Joe MacTaggert, and Xavier’s love affair with Amelia Voght from Uncanny X-Men #309.
• During the flashback to Xavier’s romance with Amelia, we see another glimpse of the original X-Men training in the Danger Room. Angel is included, which doesn’t fit the continuity of this series, since he didn’t meet the team until the middle of the first season.
• The Technet is shown drinking in a pub Proteus enters after he escapes Muir Island. There are also cameos by other Marvel UK characters outside of the pub. These cameos make absolutely no sense within the context of the story.
• Moira claims Proteus is telepathic, which doesn’t seem to fit the comics’ continuity, nor does it seem to add anything to the story.

“Um, Actually…”:  Joe and Moira MacTaggert are shown getting a divorce in a flashback.  In the comics’ continuity, Joe is still legally married to Moira and refuses to grant her a divorce because he feels it’s politically convenient to be married to a world-renowned scientist.

Saban Quality:  Wolverine changes from his superhero costume into civilian clothes, then back again, for no discernible reason during the story.

Production Note:  The closing credits are back to the standard quick-cut montage with theme music playing in the background.

Approved By Broadcast Standards:  Proteus doesn’t possess bodies and slowly leech the life out of them, as seen in the comics.  Instead, he’s represented as a blocky outline that enters bodies and then leaves them unharmed.

Review:  I love the original Proteus storyline as much as anyone, but I can’t defend the decision to adapt it for Saturday Morning TV.  The original story deals with even more adult themes than “The Dark Phoenix Saga,” with visuals that are far more appropriate for Liquid Television than anything FOX was airing at the time.  Proteus is a child of rape, sheltered from the world because of his powers, a disembodied spirit determined to kill his parents.  He possesses people, rots their bodies, and moves on to his next victim.  His creators also saw fit to give him the ability to warp reality, and considering the psychology of the character, it’s only fitting that he twists reality in absolutely horrifying ways.  (If the original stories couldn’t creep you out, check out the backup stories Ann Nocenti and John Bolton created for Classic X-Men.)  It’s a dark psychological tale that was only suitable for Code approval because Chris Claremont and John Byrne had a skill for knowing just when to pull back and let the audience’s imagination take over.  Needless to say, it’s an awkward fit for an all-ages network cartoon.

With all of the teeth removed, “Proteus” becomes just another adventure of the X-Men chasing a rogue mutant around a different locale.  Admittedly, some life is breathed into the episode by a plethora of flashbacks, which is always red meat for longtime fans and welcome information for viewers only familiar with the characters through the cartoon.  As rushed as the flashbacks can be, the basic story of Xavier, Moira, and even Amelia Voght’s pasts are all dramatized quite well, and the producers have made the wise decision to ignore Lucifer and just imply that Xavier lost the use of his legs during an unnamed war.  I wouldn’t advocate changing the comics’ continuity to reflect this, but it’s totally understandable if other-media adaptations of the X-Men downplay Lucifer, a long-forgotten minor villain, in order to make the story of Xavier’s paralysis more dramatic. 

Unfortunately, when the focus shifts to the main plot, the story immediately begins to drag.  Proteus has been redesigned to resemble a gigantic, featureless square figure, straight out of an old Space Ghost model sheet.  I can understand why the visual of Proteus’ possessed bodies literally rotting wouldn’t fly, but couldn’t he at least appear as a silhouette, as seen on the cover of Uncanny X-Men #127?  I can’t imagine the thinking behind such an uninspired design.  It matches his personality, though, as the animated version of the character spends the episode moping around, staring at random people and wishing his dad were around.  Contrast this with the Proteus who absolutely hated the world, spoke like a Shakespearian villain, and relished the thought of murdering his own father.  This guy is an emo teen with a fake Scots accent.  He’s not intimidating or very sympathetic, so the audience is left waiting for the X-Men to hurry up and just throw him back in his cage.  Unfortunately, Moira reveals in the final five minutes that Proteus is her son (a “twist” that’s hard to judge on its own merits since comic fans already know this, but it seems like info that should’ve been obvious already).  That means that everyone’s got to respond to the shocking reveal, Kevin’s father will inevitably appear, and we’re going to get a second chapter.

Credit to http://marvel.toonzone.net/xmen/ for the screencaps.

X-MEN/WILDC.A.T.S - THE DARK AGE - May 1998

Credits:  Warren Ellis (writer), Mat Broome w/Bret Booth (pencils), Sean Parsons (inks), Wendy Fouts & Wildstorm FX (colors), Comicraft’s Dave Lanphear (letters)

Summary:  In 2019, the surviving members of the X-Men and WildC.A.T.S are kept in concentration camps by the Daemonite/Sentinel hybrids.  Warblade removes his power-dampener in order to cut out the other heroes’ inhibitors, knowingly sacrificing his life.  Led by Lord Emp and Shadowcat, the heroes break into a Daemonite/Sentinel facility and free Phoenix, Cable, and Savant.  Merging their powers with Lord Emp’s, they execute their plan to travel into the past and prevent their teams from forming, which will stop the Daemonites and Sentinels from ever merging.  As they enter the timestream, Wolverine and Grifter arrive from Canada and bomb the facility.  Reality warps, then returns to normal in the present day.

Gimmicks:  A variant cover laid out by Michael Golden was also released, although the pencils and inks were provided by Richard Bennett, which probably didn’t thrill anyone expecting a Michael Golden cover.

Review:  Yet another take on “Days of Future Past,” which I suppose isn’t a surprise considering that every chapter so far has moved up and up the timeline.  Warren Ellis predictably wrings every drop of bleakness he can out of the concept, but while he’s an obvious choice to write a dark science fiction story set in the future, casting Mat Broome as artist is a questionable decision.  The previous chapters consistently featured the best artists working for Wildstorm during these days, which is a list Mat Broome (especially the Mat Broome of 1998) can’t compete with.  He seems to be going for a Travis Charest look on many pages, which unfortunately leads to needlessly elaborate layouts and pointless insert panels that ruin the flow of the page.  And while his designs for the alien/robotic technology are kind of impressive, his human figures are often too flat and awkward to be taken seriously.  And the bondage outfits he’s designed for the future X-Men, especially Wolverine, would make even Joel Schumacher roll his eyes.  

Ellis’ story covers much of the ground you expect these “Days of Future Past” sequel/parody/pastiches to go, right down to the team’s leader making a dramatic entrance in a wheelchair (previously it was Magneto, then Peter Wisdom, now WildC.A.T.S’s Lord Emp.)  Taking the Daemonites from WildC.A.T.S continuity and merging them with the Sentinels isn’t a bad idea, helping to make the story less obviously an X-Men story and adding a science fiction element that we haven’t really seen in any of the mutant dystopian futures yet.  Ellis also has a nice hook for the time travel element of the story, as Shadowcat explains that the Daemonites and Sentinels only exist because of the WildC.A.T.S and X-Men respectively, so the best way to ensure they never merge is to go back in time and prevent the teams from forming.  (Somehow, in the course of one page, the plan changes to prevent just one team from existing, and the WildC.A.T.S volunteer, but I think the concept is still interesting.)  Simultaneously, Wolverine and Grifter arrive, totally ignorant of what’s going on, and just blow up the Daemonite/Sentinel base.  Oops.  The ending makes little sense, but I guess the idea is that all of the previous X-Men/ WildC.A.T.S have been wiped from continuity.  That’s one way to end a series of crossovers that was never going to “count” in the first place.  

Overall, despite a few good ideas, The Dark Age is the weakest of the X-Men/ WildC.A.T.S books.  Aside from the disappointing art, the story wastes too much time gratuitously killing off established Wildstorm characters instead of fleshing out the main cast or actually exploring some of the time travel ideas introduced by the plot.  Alan Moore already did a “Days of Future Past” riff in the Spawn/ WildC.A.T.S miniseries that included quite a few superfluous death scenes for the Wildstorm heroes…I don’t need to see yet another gruesome slaughter of a character I barely recognize from 1995.  The cast also lacks any real diversity, as everyone does little more than snap and swear at each other, when they’re not busy bemoaning their wretched existence.  It gets old fast.  The previous chapters might’ve been thin reads, but I think they’re genuinely entertaining in a way this isn’t. 

X-MEN: HELLFIRE CLUB #4 - April 2000

Also Sprach Sebastian

Credits:  Ben Raab (writer), Charlie Adlard (artist), Kevin Somers (colors), Jon Babcock (letters)

Summary:  In China, Irene is awakened by Tessa, who relates to her the story of Sebastian Shaw.  She learns of his past as a poor steelworker, who attended college on scholarship and became a successful engineer.  Against the wishes of his girlfriend Lourdes Chantel, Shaw joined the Hellfire Club, only to be betrayed by the mutant-hating White King Edward Buckman.  Following Lourdes’s death, Shaw killed Buckman and instituted the new Inner Circle.  Shaw interrupts the story to meet Irene.  She rejects his offer of membership and pursues the publication of her story back in New York.

Continuity Notes:  

• A few pages of this issue are a retelling of the back-up story in Classic X-Men #7, which is likely why Chris Claremont has a “special thank you” credit in the opening.
• Other members joining the Hellfire Club with Shaw include Iron Man’s father Howard Stark and Archangel’s father Warren Worthington, Jr.

Miscellaneous Note:  The title of the issue is a reference to “Also sprach Zarathustra.”

Review:  The finale might seem like a bit of an anti-climax, as Irene is allowed to live and we never learn if her story is published, but I think Raab does a capable job of creating a sense of closure without spelling everything out for the reader.  Shaw is humanized for, if not the very first time, the first time in ages as Raab goes back to his youth and explores his blue-collar roots.  Revealing that Shaw was essentially a character out of a Bruce Springsteen song is perhaps trying a bit too hard to make him likeable, but it seems to be a legitimate background for him to have.  In comparison to the more recent trend in villain origins, revealing that they were all psychopaths as children (hello, Geoff Johns), I prefer the path taken here.  Shaw’s evolution into sheer villainy was already handled by Claremont in the back-up story that killed Lourdes Chantel, but Raab does a decent job of getting the character to his starting point in Claremont's story.  And as someone who spent much of his youth preoccupied with X-continuity, I have to say it’s a relief to see the previous Sebastian Shaw prequel story hasn’t been ignored.

The best scene in the issue is when Shaw refuses to kill Irene, simply because he sees so much of himself in her.  That’s a smart way to invert the point of the previous stories, which consistently showed ambition as the downfall of the protagonists.  Here, Irene is spared solely because of her tenacity and desire to succeed.  Then again, those are the traits she shares with the villain she’s desperate to bring down, so how is Irene supposed to view herself now?  My only real issue with the conclusion is Shaw’s arrogance that he can just buy out any publishing firm that wants to publish her story.  That old trope might’ve gone unnoticed pre-internet, but by 2000 a story spiked by Newsweek had already leaked online and caused a certain American president a lot of trouble.  The idea of a shadowy cabal controlling what the public hears always stretched credibility, but in the days when the average person has more access to information than ever before, it’s much harder to sell this as a legitimate plot point.

X-MEN: HELLFIRE CLUB #3 - March 2000

For Want of a Soul

Credits:  Ben Raab (writer), Charlie Adlard (artist), Kevin Somers (colors), Jon Babcock (letters)

Summary:  In England, Irene meets with Spitfire and the modern-day Union Jack.  Spitfire reads from the journal of her father, the original Union Jack.  In an entry from 1915, he tells the story of Esau Shaw and his envious brother Jacob.  Esau was ambivalent about joining the Hellfire Club, but Jacob craved the power and struck a deal with Mr. Sinister.  After Sinister granted Jacob shapeshifting powers, Jacob killed his brother and attempted to take his place.  Union Jack foiled his scheme, but was unable to capture Jacob.

Continuity Notes:  

• Donald Pierce’s ancestor, identified only by his last name, attempts to recruit Esau into the Hellfire Club, based on his belief that a Shaw should always be a member.  
• The present day scenes also establish Irene Merryweather as a smoker, which I don’t recall from any of her previous appearances (not that this version of Irene looks anything like her past appearances anyway.)

Review:  The flashbacks make it to the twentieth century, as the mystery killers get closer and closer to Irene.  I don’t think Ben Raab has hidden his affection for Union Jack in the past, so it’s not a surprise to see him here, but he thankfully doesn’t feel like a gratuitous guest star.  So far, Raab’s done a good job of taking existing Marvel characters from different time periods and working them into the story naturally.  Cameos in flashback stories can easily become annoying, but Raab’s been able to avoid that trap.  Plus, Charlie Adlard draws a fantastic Union Jack.  

Thematically, Raab advances the concept of desire, and the price a person is willing to pay to get what they want.  (Or to silence whatever insecurities lie within them.)  Irene begins to question if her own ambition to become a famous reporter makes her any better than the fools who have fallen for the Hellfire Club’s trap over the years, a valid point considering that she’s risking everything on a story that she acknowledges could just be forgotten by the next day.  I like the way the drama is escalating from issue to issue, as the flashbacks inch closer to the modern day while the Hellfire Club gets closer to Irene.  The issue ends with Irene unwittingly stepping into a car with a pitchfork logo, a nice cliffhanger setting the stage for the final issue.

X-MEN: HELLFIRE CLUB #2 - February 2000

Toll the Bell Liberty

Credits:  Ben Raab (writer), Charlie Adlard (artist), Kevin Somers & Christie Scheele (colors), Jon Babcock (letters)

Summary:  Archangel tells Irene the story of his ancestor, Major-General Wallace Worthington, who married young Elizabeth Shaw, unaware that she was a pawn of the Hellfire Club.  When Elizabeth Shaw refused to turn over military secrets to Lady Grey, she ordered Worthington killed.  The Captain America of 1781 tried to save Worthington, but was too late.  As he leaves, Archangel informs Irene that the historian she was scheduled to meet was recently killed.

Continuity Notes:  The Hellfire Club’s Lady Grey is the spitting image of Jean Grey, from which we can infer that Jean gets her looks from her father’s side, I suppose.

Review:  Hmm…we know Archangel’s family has a history with the Hellfire Club, that goes back to their debut storyline, but learning of this “Lady Grey” who happens to look exactly like Jean, that’s perhaps a bit of a stretch.  I assume Raab is playing off the illusions created by Mastermind in the original “Dark Phoenix Saga,” which had Jean “reliving” the life of an ancestor that was associated with the Hellfire Club.  That ancestor was supposed to be an illusion created by Mastermind, though.  That’s always been my assumption, at least, and it would seem to be the only reasonable explanation that works within Mastermind's established power set.  Regardless, if the Club really is the venerable institution that Marvel has claimed it to be, I suppose it’s not entirely improbable that two X-Men with Northeastern roots could have ancestors in the Club.

Concerning the actual content of the story, it’s another solid issue.  Elizabeth Shaw’s quest for freedom is contrasted with the “freedom” represented by the Hellfire Club, which also gives Raab an opportunity to hint at what the real-life Hellfire Club was doing during this era.  (Hint:  Kinky things.)  Creating another member of the Shaw family that isn’t an obvious villain, one that’s actually quite sympathetic this issue, is also a smart play on Raab’s part.  While working in the Captain America of 1781 might initially seem like an awkward continuity implant, he naturally ties into the issue’s theme of freedom, and he fulfills the role of Wallace Worthington’s confidant quite well.  You can’t think Worthington is too bad a guy if he’s buddies with Captain America, after all.

X-MEN: HELLFIRE CLUB #1 - February 2000

 

Witch Hunt

Credits:  Ben Raab (writer), Charlie Adlard (artist), Kevin Somers (colors), Jon Babcock (letters)

Summary:  Irene Merryweather investigates Sebastian Shaw’s family, focusing on Reverend Hiram Shaw and the Salem Witch Trials.  Irene learns from a minister the story of Hiram, his son Obadiah, Obadiah’s girlfriend Abby, and her secret life as a witch.  When Hiram’s wife is killed by Dormammu, Abby is blamed.  As she escapes Salem, she uses her powers to kill several townspeople.  Today, the minister is killed after telling Irene the story.

Continuity Notes:  Irene Merryweather is oddly off-model, although I guess not as off-model as Trish Tilby can occasionally be.

Review:  This is an unusual relic from the final days of the Bob Harras era.  Marvel was apparently willing to do a historical drama with few superheroic elements as a miniseries, but didn’t have enough faith in the concept to leave X-Men out of the title.  Had this mini been released a year or so later, with a writer not associated with late ‘90s Marvel, it probably would’ve been acknowledged as another "daring" experiment from the Quesada/Jemas days.  And, had it been released a few years earlier, before the market had been oversaturated by X-product, it might’ve been remembered as a unique project by a promising creative team.  Instead, it’s dumped out just as this era of Marvel comes to a close, not gaining much attention from X-fans or non-X-Fans.

Over the years, a few readers have picked up on the miniseries, however.  I’ve heard it described as the giant leap ahead for Ben Raab, and based on the first issue, I can’t disagree.  He starts with the most clichéd set-up imaginable, the evil preacher picking on innocent girls in 1692 Massachusetts, then turns all of the clichés into clever plot twists.  Yes, Rev. Hiram Shaw is arrogant and power hungry, but he’s also legitimately hunting witches.  He’s described by Dormammu as the "sorcerer supreme" in quotes, so I doubt Raab is playing with continuity enough to claim that Shaw really is this era’s Sorcerer Supreme, but he’s clearly involved with the mystical realm in some way.  As is Abby, the alleged witch who turns out to be a literal witch.  When Shaw tells his son Obadiah not to be seen with her, it’s not only because he’s accusing Abby of being a witch in order to provoke the locals.  Using Shaw, a character we naturally assume to be a villain based on his occupation and last name and casting him as a flawed hero is kind of brilliant, and it automatically makes me more willing to give the series a shot.  The art is also nicely cast, as Adlard’s moody art fits the era perfectly, while his stylized faces are still human enough to sell the emotions.

X-FORCE #101 - April 2000

Learning to Fly

Credits:  Joseph Harris (writer), Steven Harris (penciler), Rick Kethcum (inker), Matt Hicks (colors), Chris Eliopoulos (letters)

Summary:  Cannonball crashes into San Francisco Bay as all mutants lose their powers across the globe.  After he’s taken to the hospital, a depressed Meltdown wanders the city.  She soon meets a boy named Kevin, who lost his newfound ability to fly when all mutant powers were cancelled.  He tries to gain his peers’ acceptance by doing another flying stunt the next day.  Meltdown is barely able to rescue him.  Later, Meltdown spends time with the recuperating Cannonball, contemplating what it means to be “normal.”

Continuity Notes:  It’s another story following Uncanny X-Men #379, even though there aren’t any footnotes pointing the reader in that direction.

Review:  Last issue was the big anniversary issue, and John Francis Moore’s final story, while next issue is the start of the Warren Ellis revamp.  What to do with the issue in-between?  Give Moore one more issue to tie up loose ends from his run?  Reunite Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld for one final story featuring the original members of the team?  Another New Mutants tribute story, perhaps?  Nope.  The proper answer is “Kill time with a tie-in to the main X-Men books.”  The “All Mutants Lose Their Powers” arc (Did it ever have a real name?) seemed oddly un-ambitious given the nature of the story, but in retrospect I can understand why Marvel didn’t want to make it into a larger event.  Writers can do the type of story seen in this issue, and…that’s pretty much it.  The cast reflects on losing their powers, then they have to move on with their lives.  How many comics truly need to address this, especially when everyone knows it’s only temporary?  

Joe Harris does a nice enough job exploring some of the obvious ideas, allowing Meltdown to narrate the story and reflect on what being a mutant has ultimately cost her.  The new kid, Kevin (or “Freakshow” to the kids at school) is the archetypal lonely weirdo who thinks being able to fly is his ticket to popularity, which turns the focus to the other side of the equation, just how good it could feel for someone like that to be special.  Thankfully, Harris doesn’t go the predictable route and have Kevin get lynched at the end (in fact, the kids seem genuinely excited to see someone fly); Kevin instead embarrasses himself when he refuses to accept that his gift is now gone.  It’s a sad ending, but Harris doesn't make the scene overly dramatic.  No teen suicides, fortunately.  The main drag on the issue is the art, which couldn’t possibly be more ill-suited for a quiet character story.  Steven Harris simply cannot draw believable, consistent human faces.  These are ugly, ugly people.  Harris seems to be inspired by Adam Pollina’s style, but it looks like someone kept clip art of some of Pollina’s worst drawings from early in his run and just copied them over and over again.  Cable also looked horrible this month, making me wonder what was going on behind-the-scenes in the weeks before the “Revolution” revamp.