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.

UNCANNY X-MEN Annual ‘99 - February 2000

Utopia Perdida
Credits:  Ben Raab (writer), Anthony Williams (penciler), Troy Hubbs & Scott Koblish (inkers), Colorgraphix (colors), Jon Babcock (letters)

Summary:  Jake and Sophia, a mutant/human couple in Genosha, face bigotry.  Magneto unexpectedly enters and defends their love, causing the citizens to change their mind.  Meanwhile, Wolverine, Archangel, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, and Jubilee receive a distress signal from Genosha while on their way to Egypt.  They land and meet Madrox, who called for help after Magneto kidnapped Forge.  Wolverine frees Forge from captivity and buys him the time he needs to reverse the effects of the mind-control device that’s forcing Genosha into tranquility.  As the X-Men battle Magneto, he drops the charade and reveals himself as Exodus.  Exodus claims that he’s renounced all prejudice and merely wanted to bring peace to Genosha.  When the public’s free will returns, Jake and Sophia are targeted again and murdered.

Continuity Notes: 

• This group of X-Men is flying to Egypt to face Apocalypse, following the events of Wolverine #147.
• According to Madrox, Xavier sent him and Forge to work undercover in Genosha after Magneto was granted authority by the UN.
• The High Evolutionary makes a cameo at the end, observing the murders of Jake and Sophia.  He blames the aberration of mutants for the conflict, setting up his role in the next mini-event for the X-titles.

I Love the '90s:  Jubilee blesses us with a “What’s the dillie-o?” and one bizarre reference to Homey the Clown.

Review:  Overlooking the cover, which is one of the most egregious cover spoilers I’ve ever seen, this annual serves as a nice example of how to write a story that fits within the edges of continuity without coming across as filler.  In fact, it’s hard to think of a Magneto-era Genosha story that’s any better than this one.  Ben Raab could be an inconsistent writer during this period, but the ropey plotting and corny dialogue that often dragged Excalibur down can barely be found here.  Anthony Williams also produces much stronger work than was evident in his numerous fill-ins during the late ‘90s, leading me to believe he wasn’t given a last minute deadline to deal with this time.

Rather than presenting Genosha as the island of horrible mutant oppression, Raab explores the idea that the formerly oppressed mutants could be just as prejudiced as the humans.  There’s no peace in Genosha because neither group can trust the another, creating an interesting hook for the story.  How would Magneto react to a human/mutant romance?  Is he so far gone at this point that he’s going to prevent humans from touching precious mutants, or would he make a real stand for equality?  The truth is, the story doesn’t give us an answer, because Magneto doesn’t appear.  (Presumably because Apocalypse has already kidnapped him for the main crossover.)  Instead, a disguised Exodus takes his place, and decides to abuse his telepathic powers and simply force everyone to get along.  Madrox is allowed to briefly present the counter argument, essentially saying that this might be what it takes to have peace in Genosha, but of course he’s quickly rebuffed by Forge.  The heroes do the right thing and restore the public’s free will, which inevitably ends in the death of two innocent people.  A depressing ending, of course, but it works as a reminder of what a nightmare Genosha is supposed to be.  Compare this to say, Magneto Rex, and it’s easy to see how poorly the status quo was usually handled.

MUTANT X #13 - September 1999

The Hunger

Credits: Ben Raab (writer), Mike Miller (penciler), Saleem Crawford (inker), Gina Going (colors), Chris Eliopoulos (letters)

Summary: In the past, Kitty hunts down Storm, who’s recently been turned into a vampire. She’s held in a castle, where Forge is already being kept for food by a group of vampires. Storm breaks free, taking Forge with her. Kitty soon locates Storm, and during their fight, Storm finally succumbs to her urges and sucks Kitty’s blood. Months later, Colossus accepts that Kitty is gone.

Continuity Notes: Havok is shown as a member of the X-Men when Kitty first joins, unlike the mainstream continuity.

Better Than X-Factor?: Say what you will about Ben Raab, but he never wrote anything as bad as Howard Mackie’s X-Factor. This is a fill-in issue dedicated to revealing the events that led to Storm becoming a vampire, even though we never actually see a vampire biting her. Raab assumes that the reader is already familiar with the Dracula issue of Uncanny X-Men, so the story begins with Storm fighting off her new urges as Kitty runs off to play the Van Helsing role. That’s an odd assumption to make, even if the Dracula issue has been reprinted a few times, but I guess it leaves the story room to explore new material. Unfortunately, none of the extra space is used to answer questions that need resolutions, like explaining how the X-Men already know Forge at this point, and who’s keeping him at this castle. Instead, the majority of the issue consists of decompressed scenes of Kitty chasing Storm, Storm dramatically bemoaning her fate, and Kitty fighting Storm. Not enough information about the new world is revealed, and when the story is judged on its own merits, it’s far too thin.

X-MEN UNLIMITED #23 - June 1999

Lessons

Credits: Ben Raab (writer), Al Rio (penciler), Livesay/Holdredge (inks), Kevin Somers (colors), Richard Starkings & Comicraft (letters)

Summary: In the wake of Magneto’s takeover of Genosha, Professor Xavier reflects on his students and the world they must be prepared for. Marrow, Gambit, Rogue, and Shadowcat are irritated by his zealous attitude. Nightcrawler talks to Xavier, challenging him not to give in to fear. Xavier watches the team train in the Danger Room and is proud to have them as his family.

Continuity Notes: After searching the internet, Shadowcat learns her missing father is in Genosha. This is treated as a shocking revelation, but wasn’t this information revealed years earlier in Excalibur?

“Huh?” Moments: Professor Xavier repeatedly points to a videoscreen image of Genosha while trying to make a dramatic point to Nightcrawler. Unfortunately, someone forgot to actually paste an image into the panel, so he’s just pointing to a gray screen. I also wonder if several panels of a confrontation between Xavier and Shadowcat are accidentally missing word balloons.

Review: Wow, another X-Men story that hinges on Professor Xavier acting like a jerk. And it sees print just a few months before “The Shattering,” an X-crossover that uses Professor Xavier acting like a jerk as the impetus for the entire event. There’s enough material out there now for a Professor Xavier: A-Hole trade paperback, I swear. I will say this about Unlimited #23 and “The Shattering” -- there’s an actual point to the stories and Xavier is redeemed by both of their endings. New Marvel has failed pretty miserably in that regard.

The goal of this issue is to provide some insight into Xavier’s state of mind following the events of the “Magneto War” storyline. Since the main titles went off on an interdimensional/outer space arc directly following the crossover, you could argue that the team’s emotional response to the events was skimped over. Raab explores the idea that Xavier views Magneto gaining control of his own country as the ultimate defeat, while also fleshing out how he feels about returning to the X-Men (another plot development that was glossed over during the days of Uncanny and X-Men’s perpetual crossovers).

The story’s padded a bit with scenes of Xavier’s astral form checking out all of the X-characters starring in spin-offs, but for the most part, Raab has a clear focus. Xavier’s discouraged by a major loss, he’s wary about the future, and he’s paranoid that the latest incarnation of the team isn’t prepared. The X-Men simply see him behaving like an irritable bowel and don’t understand what’s wrong, with the exception of Nightcrawler, who once again proves what a nice guy he is by reaching out to the Professor. Nightcrawler throws some of Xavier’s old pep talks back in his face, and Xavier soon realizes that he should never give up hope in the team. The End.

As an epilogue to “Magneto War,” and a traditional “quiet” issue, this is all right. I know some fans have a problem with Al Rio, but I view him as one of the better Wildstorm artists. His characters look a little more human when compared to ones drawn by other artists who work in this style, and he doesn’t go overboard with needless rendering lines. It is a little ridiculous that apparently no one thought about how this story would relate to “The Shattering,” but I’m not surprised at this point. My fan explanation is that Xavier knew the team was annoyed by his overreaction to “Magneto War,” so he used it to add authenticity to his “drive the team away” scheme in “The Shattering.” If Marvel wanted to, they could’ve removed some of Xavier’s first-person narrative captions and just used this story as a “Shattering” prelude. As it is, I’d like to see this issue reprinted as an epilogue in a “Magneto War” trade paperback.

EXCALIBUR #125 - October 1998

Tying the Knot

Credits: Ben Raab (writer), Dale Eaglesham (penciler), Scott Hanna (inker), Kevin Tinsley (colors), Comicraft (letters)

Summary: Douglock, who's awakened with amnesia, is teleported to the Otherworld by Widget to attend the wedding of Brian Braddock and Meggan. Following Brian’s revelation that he knows Colossus was lying to cover for Meggan, and that he understands why she developed feelings for him, the wedding goes off smoothly. After the ceremony, Moira takes Douglock back to Earth for treatment. Meanwhile, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, and Colossus reveal that they’re going “home” to rejoin the X-Men. Roma asks her father Merlyn, who attended in disguise, why he’s arranged for Excalibur to disband. He responds that he didn’t, therefore the team must be exercising their freewill.

Continuity Notes: Virtually every character ever to appear in this series has a cameo. This includes Kylun, who reveals that his missing parents were merely on vacation, which means his glorious quest is over. Micromax says that he’s been laid off from the Brand Corporation and is unemployed. Peter Wisdom doesn’t attend; a brief scene shows him drinking alone and staring at the invitation. Widget's cameo is hard to reconcile with the ending of Alan Davis' run, which established that Widget was an older incarnation of Shadowcat from the future.

I Love the '90s: The date of the wedding is given as August 19, 1998. Later, Shadowcat promises to teach everyone how to “raise the roof” on the dance floor.

Review: So, Excalibur is sent off with a wedding, which I guess is preferable to a horrific bloodbath or forced “dramatic” break-up. It’s hard to complain about this issue, since it’s clearly intended as a tribute to the series and the dedicated fans who managed to make it all the way through to the end. Some obscure characters return, a few loose ends are resolved, and the team peaceably disbands. If you’re not familiar with the past of the book, much of this will go over your head, and the appearance of the Nazi Excalibur team from “The Cross-Time Caper” will just leave you wondering why exactly Brian and Meggan invited Nazis to their wedding. Even if you are familiar with the continuity, it’s hard to believe these characters are in the audience. (Maybe Brian and Meggan had no say over which members of the Captain Britain Corps would be invited.)

I am left wondering why exactly Raab has introduced a new Douglock subplot in the final issue, unless he has an X-Men Unlimited issue in the works that’s going to resolve this. I’m also confused by Peter Wisdom’s cameo, specifically his lack of an eyepatch. I’ve heard people ridiculing Raab for years for giving Wisdom an eyepatch, yet it’s never appeared in Excalibur. When did this come about? At any rate, this is an acceptable, low-key send-off for the book. I don’t think it redeems Raab’s largely mediocre run, but it’s a sweet ending with no shortage of fan-service.

EXCALIBUR #124 - September 1998

Someone

Credits: Ben Raab (writer), Dale Eaglesham (penciler), Scott Hanna (inker), Richard Starkings & Comicraft (letters), Kevin Tinsley (colors)

Summary: Brian Braddock and Meggan hold their bachelor/bachelorette parties, with Mimic and Captain UK as invited guests. Both Meggan and Colossus ponder how to tell Brian about Meggan’s crush on Colossus. Eventually, Colossus decides to lie and tell Brian that he was the one with feelings for Meggan. Meanwhile, a new Executioner leads the Crazy Gang to attack Excalibur. During the fight, Executioner is unveiled as Feron, who attacked the team in order to seek their attention. After Excalibur affirms their friendship with Feron, he joins the party.

Continuity Notes: Feron explains his departure from the team, revealing that following Captain Britain’s disappearance in Excalibur #67, he was overwhelmed with Meggan’s empathetic grief. This lead to him losing his corporeal form and getting washed away in the tide. Eventually, he came across the Crazy Gang, and enacted his plan to punish Excalibur for forgetting him.

“Huh?” Moment: Douglock, the alien cybernetic being, is somehow able to get drunk on vodka.

I Love the '90s: Captain UK offers to show Mimic her copy of The Full Monty.

Review: Excalibur is coming to an end, so apparently it’s time to drag out the Alan Davis material that Marvel casually dumped when giving the book its X-makeover. Over fifty issues too late, we’re given an explanation for Feron’s disappearance, along with the return of Marvel UK villains, the Crazy Gang. Ben Raab could’ve revealed that Feron simply quit the team in-between issues, but instead he’s gone with a more elaborate “missing in action” resolution. Revealing that Feron mysteriously disappeared in-between issues makes the team look bad for never looking for him, but then again, since his disappearance was off-panel, you could just imagine that Excalibur’s search for their teammate also occurred in-between issues. Any anguished monologues about how badly they missed the little brat were also conveniently off-panel, of course. Really, the story’s not meant to be taken too seriously. It’s an excuse to bring back a forgotten former member and some old villains, wrapped around some standard bachelor party humor. It’s more amusing than most of Raab’s run so far, and Dale Eaglesham’s art is thankfully less “x-treme” than the previous issues.

EXCALIBUR #123 - August 1998

Lost & Found - The Search Part Two

Credits: Ben Raab (writer), Trevor Scott (penciler), Scott Hanna (inker), Richard Starkings & Comicraft (letters), Kevin Tinsley (colors)

Summary: Excalibur fights the erratic Mimic, who fends off the team’s attacks. Following Nightcrawler’s orders, Douglock uses his techno-organic coils to shock Mimic with electricity. Mimic is stunned into submission, and the telekinetic dome surrounding the Zero Tolerance outpost disappears. The Prime Sentinels escape, with at least one Sentinel expressing gratitude to Excalibur. Meanwhile, Meggan prepares for her wedding to Brian Braddock. She asks Moira if she should reveal to Brian the crush she developed on Nightcrawler during his absence.

Continuity Notes: According to Brian, his Captain Britain powers still haven’t returned. His fear that Meggan would reject him without his powers was the main reason he stayed away from the team for so long.

Review: Excalibur is only a few issues away from cancellation, so Raab has begun to set the stage for the finale. Brian and Meggan are now making real plans for their long-delayed wedding, while Shadowcat tries to reassure a dubious Nightcrawler that Excalibur still has a reason to exist. In-between the conversations, the team gets beaten up by Mimic for a few pages. The fight scene is mainly there to fulfill the action quota, although Raab slips in a bit of characterization for one Prime Sentinel. The unnamed cyborg prevents her fellow Prime Sentinels from killing Excalibur while the team is distracted, condemns Bastion for tricking her into becoming a Sentinel, and renounces her own prejudice as she flies off into freedom. I don’t think anything else was done with this character (years later, Chris Claremont will introduce another sympathetic Prime Sentinel), but I appreciate the attempt to humanize at least one O:ZT participant. The rest of the issue is by-the-numbers action/subplot juggling, although Raab’s dialogue isn’t as awkward as the previous issue, so it’s an easier read.

EXCALIBUR #122 - July 1998

The Search - Part One

Credits: Ben Raab (writer), Dale Eaglesham (penciler), Scott Koblish (inker), Kevin Tinsley (colors), Comicraft (letters)

Summary: Following the leads provided by Sabra, Excalibur travels to a Zero Tolerance outpost in Peru. Inside, the team is attacked by Prime Sentinels who have taken the form of the original X-Men. Eventually, the team realizes that the Sentinels want their help. A Prime Sentinel explains that this base escaped the UN’s notice and has continued to operate after Bastion’s arrest. They adopted the guise of the original X-Men in an effort to calm an unruly mutant prisoner. Excalibur opens his cell, expecting to find Professor Xavier, only to discover a restrained Mimic. Meanwhile, Meggan welcomes Brian Braddock back to Muir Island.

Continuity Note: The Prime Sentinels refer to Mimic as a mutant, which is incorrect. Mimic has imprinted all of the original X-Men’s powers, but he’s not a mutant himself.

Review: Going back to Uncanny X-Men #100, it’s a tradition to pit X-teams against the original X-Men. Why exactly I’m not sure, I don’t think the Avengers or Justice League recycle this idea so often, but Raab does have history on his side. Unfortunately, this turns out to be one of his weakest issues in a while. The dialogue mostly consists of stiff recaps of previous storylines, and the deep internal conflict Nightcrawler is supposed to be going through doesn’t quite work. It’s one thing for a determined Nightcrawler to pursue Xavier’s freedom, while also proving his worth as a leader, but it’s another to have him personally blame himself for Xavier’s imprisonment. Nightcrawler had nothing to do with that storyline! Along with this questionable bit of plotting, there’s Douglock’s sudden adoption of human emotions (he abruptly becomes the team’s whiny brat this issue), a scene that has Shadowcat using her powers to phase the team through Mimic’s telekinetic shield (can she do that?), and some dull recaps of the Muir Island subplots. Moira’s made her peace with dying, again, and Meggan is still in love with Brian. And while I am glad Brian’s back, I assume he’s returning just to be there for the upcoming series finale. Finally, there’s Dale Eaglesham’s fill-in art. This is probably the weakest work I’ve seen from Eaglesham. There’s a generic ‘90s look to it, and for some reason he’s given Douglock dreadlocks. I don’t care if they both end in “lock,” that’s inexcusable.

X-MEN/ALPHA FLIGHT #2 - June 1998

Should Old Acquaintance Be Forgot…

Credits: John Cassaday & Ben Raab (writers), John Cassaday (artist), Steve Oliff (colors), Moon Monkey Graphics (letters)

Summary: Professor Xavier trains Alpha Flight in the Danger Room, in preparation for their attack on Hydra. Using Cerebro, the X-Men are tracked to Hydra’s hidden base. Before the battle, Shaman has a vision of Guardian’s death, which he fears is coming true when Guardian is locked in a room with Strucker and his men. The rest of Alpha Flight frees the X-Men, and the teams unite to rescue Guardian. Strucker escapes, but the heroes depart on good terms.

Continuity Notes: Someone noticed last issue’s continuity mistake, as Vindicator is now being called Guardian. The premonition of Guardian’s death comes true, spoiler alert, in Alpha Flight #12.

Review: This is the big action finale, so it’s a much quicker read than the previous issue. The story begins with Alpha Flight inexplicably fighting the original X-Men for several pages, before the audience is informed that it’s merely a Danger Room scenario. This sets the pace for the rest of the comic, as the action barely stops until the final few pages. The big action is also an excuse for Cassaday to let out the giant panels he’s now known for, making this even more of an Astonishing X-Men prototype.

Woven into the violence are a few attempts to humanize the teams, such as Shaman’s premonition of Guardian’s death. This leads to some amount of tension in the climax, even if you have to know it's a red herring, as Sasquatch bangs futilely on the locked doors while Guardian is trapped inside with Strucker. When the teams unite and rescue Guardian, Shaman is grateful the premonition was wrong, but wonders if his vision might come true some other day. If you’re an Alpha Flight fan, you know what’s coming next. Really, this is a two-part tribute to Marvel fans of that era. It’s certainly enjoyable on its own merits, but if you grew up with ‘80s Marvel, it works on a different level. It’s hard not to like any story that opens with the classic Alpha Flight lineup training in the Danger Room against the original X-Men, especially when Cassaday is drawing it.

X-MEN/ALPHA FLIGHT #1 - May 1998

Survivors

Credits: Ben Raab & John Cassaday (writers), John Cassaday (artist), Heisler & Heisler (letters), Jason Wright (colors)

Summary: Vindicator visits Gary Cody, who informs him he’s trying to resume Department H’s funding of Alpha Flight. Meanwhile, Colossus and Kitty Pryde go on their first date. They’re abruptly attacked by armored men. The X-Men join the fight, but are teleported away. Watching on television, Vindicator recognizes the designs as his own. He discovers that Cody sold the designs to Hydra in order to fund Alpha Flight. Professor Xavier calls Vindicator for help, who in turn contacts Alpha Flight.

Continuity Notes: This story is set during Cyclops’ return to the team, following his sabbatical after Phoenix’s death, circa Uncanny X-Men #150. Xavier assumes Baron von Strucker from Hydra wants revenge for their encounter decades earlier, recounted in Uncanny X-Men #161. Alpha Flight’s battle with the Master from Alpha Flight #4 is also referenced in a footnote, which means Vindicator should be going by “Guardian” at this point.

Production Note: This is a two-issue miniseries, each issue is forty-eight pages with ads and a cover price of $2.99.

Review: A John Cassaday penciled X-Men story with strong nostalgic ties to the ‘80s…why does that sound familiar? Since Marvel rarely released X-Men comics entirely set in the past during this era, I have a feeling this was intended as something of a special project. Bringing in John Cassaday is another indication someone viewed this as unique, even if he wasn’t nearly as well-known during these days. The unusual two-issue format was, I suspect, also a nod towards the original X-Men/Alpha Flight limited series. Unfortunately, the market had been thoroughly flooded with X-product by this point, so I have a feeling much of the target audience missed out on it.

It’s obvious Ben Raab has a true affection for the Claremont-era X-Men, and while his callbacks in Excalibur were hit-or-miss, this issue really captures the feeling of that era. The bulk of the issue is spent on character moments as the action story develops in the background, allowing the reader to touch base with Cyclops and Wolverine as they deal with the loss of Phoenix, Nightcrawler and Storm discussing his insecurity over his place on the team, and Colossus and Kitty’s first date. The sense of family is evoked as Cyclops and Professor Xavier worry about letting Kitty go out at night, while Storm and Wolverine defend her right to be a kid.

I’ve never read a comic written by John Cassaday solo, but I wonder if he’s responsible for the credible dialogue and more coherent plotting. This is one of the few times I’ve seen Raab paired with an above average artist, so I’m sure that’s already helping his script. While this isn’t quite the Cassady famous for Astonishing X-Men (there’s less of an Adam Hughes influence, and presumably not as much photo referencing), it’s still an outstanding job. He draws an iconic rendition of the early ‘80s X-Men, and the action sequences are just as interesting as the conversation scenes. My one complaint would be the portrayal of Canadian bureaucrat, Gary Cody. I haven’t read all of John Byrne’s Alpha Flight run, but I do recall Cody as a decent guy who tried to do right by the team. Unless later stories revised his character, I have a hard time believing he would be dumb, naïve, or corrupt enough to sell armored battle suits to Hydra.

EXCALIBUR #121 - June 1998

With Friends Like These…

Credits: Ben Raab (writer), Trevor Scott (penciler), Andrew Pepoy (inker), Comicraft’s Kiff Scholl (letters), Kevin Tinsley (colors)

Summary: Moira decides to leave her quarantine, while Douglock unsuccessfully tries to reconcile with Wolfsbane. In Jerusalem, the rest of Excalibur joins Sabra to fight Legion. Nightcrawler realizes that their opponents are actually the ghosts of Legion’s multiple personalities, striking out in anger after losing their host body. With Meggan’s empathetic help, the three personalities are able to cross over to the afterlife. In exchange for their aid, Sabra gives Excalibur a disc she claims has information on Xavier’s whereabouts.

Review: With only a few issues to go, Ben Raab assigns the team two missions that didn’t seem to bother the main titles much. The question of what happened to Legion following “The Age of Apocalypse” was never satisfactorily addressed, which didn’t seem appropriate for the character that initiated the largest X-crossover ever, and just happened to be the son of Professor Xavier. Legion’s death was ignored as soon as it happened, and wasn’t even used on the list of growing heartbreaks that led to Xavier’s transformation into Onslaught. Judging solely on the contents of the books, Xavier was shaken more by the murder of the mutant stranger in X-Men: Prime than his own son’s death.

Since Legion’s multiple personalities were much more than creations of his own mind, presenting them as ghosts makes a certain amount of sense, and bringing in Sabra is a nice use of a guest star. Raab actually posits that Xavier asked Sabra to join Excalibur in the past, but she refused the offer. That’s one way of explaining why one of the Marvel Universe’s unaffiliated mutants rarely appeared in the X-books, although the continuity is a little iffy, since Xavier was never involved in deciding Excalibur’s membership. Raab writes Sabra as rude and arrogant, which I believe is supposed to be her default personality, and it makes her a good foil for the team.

The story closes with Sabra handing Excalibur information on Professor Xavier’s location, which was supposed to be a major mystery at the time. Not that the main titles would ever let you believe it, since the X-Men themselves didn’t seem that interested in finding their mentor. Why exactly Nightcrawler assumes Sabra has that info is unclear, unless Raab is riffing on the idea that Mossad has spies within the US government. She later tells her superiors she was lying, which likely means the next issue won’t bring us anywhere near Xavier. Still, it’s amusing that poor, forgotten Excalibur got around to a story called “The Search for Professor Xavier” a few months before the main titles bothered with “The Hunt for Xavier” crossover.

X-MEN UNLIMITED #19 - June 1998

Unforgiven

Credits: Ben Raab (writer), Jim Calafiore (penciler), Mark McKenna (inker), Ian Laughlin (colors), Comicraft (letters)

Summary: Belasco appears before Nightcrawler, offering him the captive Margali Szardos in exchange for permanent custody of the Winding Way. Before disappearing, he warns Nightcrawler that Amanda Sefton has embraced dark magic. Following Belasco’s clues, Nightcrawler locates Amanda at his childhood circus. They travel to Limbo together to rescue Margali, and are soon attacked by S’ym. S’ym reveals that “Amanda” is actually Margali, who switched bodies with her daughter months ago in order to escape imprisonment. Margali admits to the deception, but eventually finds the power to rescue Amanda and dethrone Belasco. She abruptly disappears, leaving Amanda to look after Limbo. Later, an armored hand emerges from a pit, grasping the Soul Sword.

Continuity Notes: According to Belasco, Nightmare gathered “necessary intelligence” for him during his recent encounter with Excalibur. Also, the Limbo version of Nightcrawler (the one that tried to feel up Kitty Pryde in his first appearance) is killed by Belasco when he attempts to rescue Amanda.

“Huh?” Moment: Nightcrawler and “Amanda” use sorcery to teleport to Limbo. Later, when he’s ready to leave, Excalibur’s Midnight Runner jet spontaneously appears in Limbo to give him a ride home.

Review: As this is not flagrant filler, it isn’t the typical X-Men Unlimited story from this era. Alternating series writer Ben Raab actually uses the issue to resolve one of his dangling storylines from Excalibur, perhaps because he’s discovered that book is getting cancelled. Considering that there wasn’t going to be an Excalibur book in a few months to finish this story, I don’t think anyone can blame him for using Unlimited to provide some closure to the fans. In light of the substantial number of dangling subplots in all of the X-titles, I wonder now if Unlimited could’ve been the place to wrap up the various loose ends. Is Kitty Pryde’s father alive or dead? Are Elsie-Dee and Albert still searching for Wolverine? Who was using the X-Men’s abandoned headquarters in Australia? What exactly was the conspiracy surrounding X-Factor? Well, X-Men Unlimited is right there, taking up rack space. Address those mysteries there. That might be unfair to readers of those individual titles, but if they’re pointed to the relevant Unlimited issue in the letters page, they’re at least aware that the story is getting resolved.

Much like Raab’s Excalibur, there’s a mix of good and bad ideas here. The impetus of the story is a little wonky, as it reads as if Nightcrawler has some authority over the Winding Way. I guess the idea is that Margali has agreed to abandon the Winding Way if Belasco hands her over to Nightcrawler, but that info isn’t conveyed clearly. Belasco also believes he’s keeping her prisoner at this point, so I’m not sure why he’s negotiating with her anyway. Previous X-continuity is used rather well, which is usually one of Raab’s strengths, as Kitty Pryde and Colossus argue against Nightcrawler going into Limbo alone. They have their own connections to Limbo and don’t appreciate Nightcrawler’s insistence that only he can accomplish this mission. The Margali and Amanda body swap fake-out also works as a genuine surprise, and Raab gets some decent character work out of Nightcrawler’s relationship with his foster-mother and lover/foster-sister.

The plot mechanics of the ending are confusing though, before we even get to the mysterious hand holding the Soul Sword. Why is Margali leaving? What “mess” exactly does Amanda have to clean up? As for the teaser on the final page, I remember people freaking out over the prospect of Magik returning, but considering that the pit the hand’s emerging from resembles the one Belasco was just thrown into, there’s really no way to know what Raab had in mind. Also, taking into account the necessity of this story as a subplot resolver, was it really wise to end the issue with yet another mysterious cliffhanger? Hasn’t this kind of intentionally vague storytelling gotten the books into enough trouble?

EXCALIBUR #120 - May 1998

Current Events

Credits: Ben Raab (writer), Mel Rubi (penciler), Scott Koblish (inker), Comicraft (letters), Kevin Tinsley (colors)

Summary: Douglock hacks into Moira’s quarantine, hoping to free Wolfsbane. In the process, he discovers the Legacy Virus information given to him by Zero might still be accessible. Wolfsbane, however, is incensed that he’s potentially ruined Moira’s research. Meanwhile, Meggan ponders her feelings for Colossus, as Peter Wisdom prepares to leave. After learning of Kitty’s doubts about their relationship, he’s decided to quit the team. Later, as Nightcrawler questions Excalibur’s direction, he receives a message from Sabra informing him that Legion has returned.

Continuity Notes: According to a footnote, this story occurs simultaneously with X-Men #75 (Nightcrawler tries to call the X-Men and only gets an annoyed Marrow on the line). Douglock was given the secrets of the Legacy Virus back in Excalibur #80. The idea has largely been ignored, although Warren Ellis teased the possibility of Black Air stealing the data from Douglock’s brain during his run.

Review: It’s another plot-lite issue from Ben Raab, although we do see the exit of a notable cast member, so something does happen to alter the ongoing continuity. I’m not sure if anyone really bought into the Pete/Kitty breakup, and I suspect it’s one reason why Raab’s run was so detested by internet fandom in the late ‘90s. Even if Wisdom would break up with Kitty after learning about her crush on someone else, I doubt he would leave the team over it. Besides, Pete and Kitty as a bickering ex-couple has loads of possibilities. The only aspect of his departure that works for me is his final conversation with Meggan, who uses her empathic powers to explicitly list all of Wisdom’s character flaws, while still reassuring the readers that he’s a decent guy. The two characters play off each other well, and now I wonder why they rarely had scenes together.

Unfortunately, we’re still dealing with Moira’s utterly idiotic quarantine. It is over as of this issue, and there’s even the revival of Douglock’s forgotten Legacy Virus info, but this was such a stupid idea I don’t think I could accept any solution that doesn’t reveal Moira’s been mind-controlled, or perhaps possessed by a dimwitted ghost, this entire time. And while I’m glad a long-ignored plot thread has been resurrected, with the benefit of hindsight, we all know that the final issues of Excalibur have nothing to do with the Legacy Virus’ eventual cure.

I wonder if Raab knows the axe has fallen on the series by this issue, since he isn’t shy about adding some meta-commentary concerning Excalibur’s lack of luster. Nightcrawler questions why the X-Men haven’t contacted the team about finding the missing Professor Xavier, while Colossus wonders if Nightcrawler is disappointed that Excalibur didn’t seem important enough for Bastion to target. (They weren’t, by the way.) “It’s like we don’t even count anymore,” Nightcrawler moans. It’s as if he can look into the mind of an X-completist. If you’re hardcore enough, you’re still going to buy Excalibur, but who’s really excited by the book at this point?

EXCALIBUR #118-#119, March-April 1998

New Year’s Evil

Credits: Ben Raab (writer), Mel Rubi (penciler), Scott Koblish (inker), Comicraft’s Kiff Scholl (letters), Kevin Somers (colors)

Summary: An army of Bamfs kidnaps Lockheed and creates havoc on Muir Island. Meanwhile, Meggan tells Colossus that they can’t be friends because she’s uncomfortable with his feelings, and Peter Wisdom demands Shadowcat tell him why she’s avoiding him. Eventually, the Bamfs make their presence known and attack the team. From the shadows, their master Nightmare enters.

Continuity Notes: Shadowcat feels awkward around Wisdom due to the crush on Rigby she developed in the Kitty Pryde: Agent of SHIELD miniseries. The original Bamfs were products from Shadowcat’s imagination that appeared in the ‘80s Nightcrawler miniseries.

Review: After months of buildup, Lockheed’s shadowy tormentors are revealed. I don’t know if the readers really needed to wait six months to learn that they’re Bamfs, but the little demons are fun. Much of Raab’s run has been pretty dull, so I’m more than happy to see a threat that totally comes out of left field. And while Rubi still struggles with human characters, his cartoony style actually suits the Bamfs quite well. While Raab builds up the Bamf story, he touches base with some of the ongoing romantic entanglements, which doesn’t work as well. Kitty wants to be with someone younger and more like herself, while Colossus suspects that Meggan is pushing him away in order to avoid her own feelings. If the characterizations didn’t feel so flat, these scenes would’ve had more impact, but Raab’s scripting is usually too stiff to really do convincing soap opera material.

Preludes & Nightmares!

Credits: Ben Raab (writer), Jim Calafiore (penciler), Rob Hunter (inker), Richard Starkings & Comicraft (letters), Kevin Tinsley (colors)

Summary: Nightmare plays on the team’s subconscious fears, but is unable to manipulate Peter Wisdom’s dreams. After already dealing with his internal shame, he’s able to stand up to Nightmare and defend his teammates. When Wisdom reveals each member’s true heroism, Nightmare is forced to retreat.

Continuity Notes: Nightmare says he recruited the Bamfs from the “Well at the Center of Time,” last seen in the Nightcrawler miniseries. The Bamfs targeted Lockheed because they’re jealous of his relationship with Kitty. Before leaving, Nightmare says a “mutual friend” will be interested in what he’s learned about Excalibur.

Review: It’s a “Give Each Member a Dream Sequence” issue, as Raab explores the hidden anxieties of each member. Nightcrawler is afraid of what can happen to Professor Xaver in custody (as this was written during the two-year period Xavier was being held post-Onslaught), Colossus sees visions of his dead family, Meggan worries Captain Britain wouldn’t love her in her true form, Douglock questions if he’s ever broken free of the Phalanx, and Kitty fears she was cheated out of her childhood and can’t handle a serious relationship. There’s nothing really unexpected here, but Raab’s delivery is competent enough. Putting Peter Wisdom in the unlikely role as the team’s defender is a good choice, as it emphasizes how far he’s come since joining Excalibur and shows that even a cynic can see the team’s true heroism. His accent is even tolerable this time around, thankfully.

X-MAN: ALL SAINTS DAY - November 1997

Credits: Ben Raab (writer), Terry Dodson (penciler), Rachel Dodson (inker), Comicraft (letters), Lee Ann Garner (colors)

Summary: X-Man befriends Jerome, a terminally ill boy, in the park. Hearing word of a Transylvanian doctor with the secret to eternal life, X-Man travels by train to meet her. He encounters Sebastian and Teresa, Interpol agents secretly posing as newlyweds in need of Dr. Cindy von Mort’s help. X-Man accompanies them to von Mort’s castle, where he soon discovers von Mort’s true identity as the eternal Absynthia. Teresa is killed by Absynthia’s followers, Augustine and Boniface, after discovering one of her kidnap victims. Sebastian helps X-Man defeat Absynthia, but his grief over Teresa’s death pushes him into suicide. With Absynthia in custody, X-Man returns home to spend time with Jerome. He realizes they must make the most of the time they have left.

Continuity Notes: Absynthia reveals that she was a countess obsessed with cheating death after losing her young husband. After giving up, Diablo appeared, offering her a suicide potion that would reunite her with her husband. Instead, the potion granted her eternal life. She now recruits followers to aid her vendetta against Diablo.

Production Notes: Forty-eight pages. Prestige format. Six dollars.

I Love the ‘90s: X-Man also exclaims “NOT!” while taunting Absynthia. Was “NOT!” really still around in 1997?

Review: X-Man got a six-dollar prestige format book? X-Man?! I’ll give the creative team credit for producing a story that’s miles above the average quality of the monthly series, but I don’t think “X-Man” and “prestige” should ever be used in the same sentence. Ben Raab writes the character for what I believe is the first time, bringing a different interpretation than what we’ve seen in the regular series. Raab writes X-Man as a prototypical teenage hero; he isn’t snotty or irrational, but instead fairly good-natured and willing to help the random people he comes across. X-Man doesn’t usually speak in slang (which makes sense, as he comes from a hellish alternate reality overseen by a genocidal maniac), but he now sounds like a cast member on an early WB drama, to the point that he even refers to little Jerome as “m’man” or “m’man J.” This is slightly annoying the first time it happens, but Raab doesn’t let up. Every time X-Man thinks about the sick little kid, it’s “m’man needs help” or “I hope m’man J is able to live a long life.” I can understand Raab’s desire to make X-Man more likeable, but it’s pretty obnoxious.

Ideally, a prestige format story has something to say about the lead character, which puts Raab in an awkward position since the best things to say about X-Man probably came out of Peter Wisdom’s insults when Warren Ellis used the character in X-Man. Raab picks up on the idea that Absynthia is experimenting on her kidnap victims, much as Sinister experimented on X-Man in his reality, which inspires X-Man to stop her. Jerome’s terminal illness also parallels X-Man’s “burnout” problem, which will allegedly kill him before he’s eighteen. The story doesn’t spend a lot of time with the concept, but pairing him with a kid who’s also dealing with his own mortality is a solid idea. X-Man learns that he isn’t the only person with problems, and can perhaps learn some lessons that don’t involve giant explosions. If only the regular series explored this type of a story. Although the monthly title has mostly ignored X-Man’s feelings on death, it is a major theme of this story. Absynthia was cheated out of death, X-Man wants to fight death on Jerome’s behalf, Teresa is murdered, and Sebastian joins her in death; submitting to the desire that caused Absynthia’s dilemma in the first place. Just think, Marvel hired someone to write an incidental X-Man one-shot, and he actually put thought and effort into it.