For the Love of Mutant X!

[RAMORE]

Mutant X #24



Issue Date: October 2000
Story Title: Doorway To Yestermorrow

Staff: Howard Mackie (writer), Javier Sactares (pencils), Andrew Pepoy (inks), Gina Going (colors), Chris Eliopoulos (letters), Jason Liebig (editor), Bob Harras (editor-in-chief)

Brief Description:
After finally finding a way to enter his lab, the Brute has various flash-backs about how he lost his intelligence. Alex and Ice-Man want to help their friend, but Brute finds it best he searches alone. Alex and Ice-Man leave and Ice-Man desperatly wants to know how he is like in Alex’s world. Alex, hesitating, evenetually agrees to tell Ice-Man what he was like. After telling everything, Ice-Man is happy to know that at least some alternate life-form of him had a chance to live a more normal life. As Ice-Man tries to tell Alex what he was like in this universe, the alarm goes off from Brute’s lab. The two mutants rush to it and Brute is happy to announce that he has found ways to help his friends and remembers how he lost his intelligence! Brute explains how it happened: after finding out that this universe’s Alex had an affair with Sue Storm from the Fantastic Four, Madelyne was so angry that she sought closure with the best friend she had in the castle: Ice-Man. But they couldn’t be more than just friends because Ice-Man already was in his permanent ice-form and he didn’t want dead. When Alex’s affair ended, he became jealous of the friendship Madelyne and Ice-Man had. When Brute finally found a way to cure Ice-Man from his permanent ice-form, Havok sabotaged the experiment and it ended up exploding in Brute’s face, making him lose his intelligence. But Brute remembers how to do the experiment again and also has found a way to send Alex back to his home universe!

Full Synopsis:
Brute stands before a huge door and behind it, he remembers, is his lab, but one small problem: Brute can’t remember the access code to open the door! Havok shows up from behind and asks if he can help Brute. Alex thought he would be in his lab by now, but the Brute doesn’t know how to get inside.

The Brute explains that the intelligence he regained from Xavier appear to be a ongoing process. Though he is rapidly gaining his intelligence back, he temporarely suffers from memory gaps. Alex asks how he lost his intelligence in the first place, but those are the exact same answers the Brute is looking for and is certain the answers lie within his lab. Hank suddenly gets a memory flash from an explosion. He falls back and Alex catches him just in time. Alex asks if he’s all right, and Brute explains that he’s been getting memory flashes that flash-by quickly.

Ice-Man enters the lab and teases Hank a bit, after which he and Alex leave so that Hank can work. Hank asks Alex if he can try figure out how Alex got in this world and he agrees. While Hank works, Alex tells Ice-Man what he was like on his world and Ice-Man does the same. Hank suddenly remembers everything and has ways to help all of his friends. Especially Ice-Man. Hank explains how he lost his intelligence.

It all began when Loki did something to make Ice-Man’s body go out of control. Next, when Madelyne found out that this universe’s Havok had an affair with Sue Storm, she sought solace with the best friend she had in the castle: Ice-Man. When the affair ended, Havok became jealous of Ice-Man. Desperate to find a cure for his friend, Hank eventually found one. All he had to do was press a button. But, during the experiment, Hank was set-up by Havok, who made the place explode and the explosion mixed the many chemicals of the experiment over Hank’s body, making him loose his intelligence. But, Hank has fixed all that now. He also has a surprise for Alex: he has found a way to send him home!

Brute still doesn’t know how to get in. Alex believes he’s over-thinking it and powers up and blasts the door. Brute quickly saves Alex from the impact, but the explosion doesn’t scratch the door one bit! Brute already realized he created the door with material stronger than Adamantium, so he already thought that brute force wouldn’t work. Brute now remembers all they had to do was push a button. He does and the door finally goes open.

This done, Brute gets another flashback, in which he tries to escape from an explosion. Brute and Alex enter his lab that he build by himself. When looking at some control panels, Brute has another memory about an explosion and again almost collapses. Alex picks him up and doesn’t find this such a good idea; maybe Hank should take it easy. But Hank is determined to find out, as he is sick seeing the world through Brute’s eyes. He wants to know what happened to him so he can move on with his life.

Ice-Man comes in and playfully throws a snowball against Brute’s head. Ice-Man tells Hank to lighten up, but he doesn’t want to. He picks up a pencil and panics, as he sees Ice-Man melting! Ice-Man panics too and doesn’t get it, but this time the joke’s on him! Brute playfully pushes Ice-Man. He loses balance and almost falls through some portal. Hank wants to grab his friend, but Ice-Man withdraws, reminding Hank what happens should he touch him. Ice-Man makes an iceslide and brings him to safety.

Hank tells Ice-Man that, if he had fallen through the portal, he’d have landed in the Negative Zone! Alex can’t believe that Hank found it. Hank explains that he found the Zone before he changed into the Brute. Hank apologizes and wants to continue working. Ice-Man leaves, but Hank has a question for Alex. Hank was surprised to see Alex surprised that he found the Negative Zone, but he assumes that he didn’t found the Zone in Alex’ world. But Hank wants to find out how Alex came to this world and what happened to the Alex they knew. Alex agrees and lets his friend be.

Alex and Ice-Man walk through the halls of the castle. Ice-Man finds it weird to see Hank smart again and so does Alex. Ice-Man asks how it feels to Alex to be in a whole different universe. Alex says it’s weird, but sometimes he wakes up in the morning, believing that this is the reality where he was in all along. Ice-Man asks Alex to tell him how he was like on his world. Alex tells Bobby that he doesn’t find it such a good idea. Ice-Man jokes that Alex has called him “Bobby” before, something he only allows to be called by Hank. Ice-Man can’t believe that his counterpart actually goes with “Bobby.” Alex doesn’t want to tell him, but Ice-Man finds it ridiculous; how bad can it be. But on the other hand, maybe it is, because he wasn’t the best of buddies with the Alex of this universe. Alex agrees to tell Ice-Man, only if he promises to tell him about his counterpart. Ice-Man agrees and Alex begins telling.

Meanwhile, Hank wanders through his lab and touches some testtubes. When seeing a computer panel, Hank has another flashback. He remembers that he was trying to cure Ice-Man from his permanent ice-form. The experiment was going so well, but then the explosion came. Suddenly, Hank remembers that he was set-up! But by whom? He remembers that all those different chemicals mixed up in his body and made him loose his intelligence.

Elsewhere in the castle, Alex has finished telling Ice-Man. He’s surprised to find out how different his life could be. Ice-Man asks if Alex remembers how his Iceman got out of his permanent ice-form, but unfortunatly Alex doesn’t remember. Alex feels bad for telling Ice-Man this, as he shouldn’t have. Ice-Man says it’s okay, he really wanted to know. And now he knows that at least some alternate form of his got some chances of love and a real life. Ice-Man tells Alex about his counterpart. He and the other Alex weren’t such good friends. Ice-Man doesn’t have any “dirty details” about Alex, but things got “soap opera” around the castle for quit some time, but eventually they settled their differences. Ice-Man has to stop talking when, suddenly, the alarm from Hank’s lab goes off.

They rush to the lab that has caught fire. Hank has it under control and has found ways to cure them all, especially Ice-Man. Another explosion takes place due to the fire, but Ice-Man freezes up the flames. Alex asks what happened, but Hank says that he only remembered. Hank begins his story. He remembers it all began when Loki, the Norse God, did something to Ice-Man’s body so that it went out of control. Not being able to see his friend suffer so much, Hank deperatly tried to find some cure. Hank found the solution that was pretty simple and logic on a genetic level. He had everything in the right order, and the only thing he had to do was press a button. But when he pressed the button, the explosion took place. Ice-Man says he regretted it for the rest of his life that he put Hank through this and blamed himself for not being able to save Hank that day.

Hank says it wasn’t Ice-Man’s fault at all, but Havok’s! Hank explains it, saying that it’s not really Havok’s fault, but his counterpart from this world. Hank explains that the grudge began with the affair this world’s Alex had with Sue Storm from the Fantastic Four. When Madelyne found out, she sought solace with the best friend she had in the castle: Ice-Man. Madelyne and Ice-Man became such close friends, but couldn’t become more due to Ice-Man’s powers. Should he touch her, she’d freeze to death. But when Havok’s affair ended, he became jealous of their close friendship. During the explosion, Hank saw that there was another person with them: Havok.

Ice-Man tells Alex he knows that he’s not the same guy, but doesn’t want to see him right now. Alex understands and says he’ll leave. Not yet, Hank says, because he has a surprised for Alex: he believes he can send Alex home! And second, their Havok might already be there.

Characters:
Brute, Havok, Ice-Man (all the Six)

in Brute’s memory flash-backs:
Brute, Ice-Man (all the Six)
Havok of the Mutant X universe
Loki

Notes:
Hank McCoy changed himself into the Brute after trying to find a cure for Ice-Man’s out-of-control powers. The explosion of the failed experiment made him loose his intelligence [Mutant X #1 background-files]. After catching the bullet from a blast Xavier fired intended to kill Xavier, Brute appeared to have regained his long-lost intelligence. [Mutant X #23]

Havok and his universe’s Iceman never liked each other. They began arguing when Havok became a couple with Polaris, whom Iceman loved, though she didn’t loved him back. He always thought Lorna would love him, should Alex be out of the picture.

In the real universe, Loki kidnapped Iceman and transformed him into a more ice-like beast and made him fight Thor in order to kill the Thunder God. With the help of his teammates, Iceman overcame Loki’s influence, though his powers were out of control. Iceman had to wear a special power-dampening belt to keep them focused. Due to hard training, Iceman eventually regained control and got back to normal. [Thor (1st series) #377-378, X-Factor (1st series) #23]

In the real universe, the Negative Zone was discovered by Reed Richards from the Fantastic Four after fighting Blastaar and Annihilius, two inhabitants of the Negative Zone.

Issue Summary written by: Homer Jay

 

[RAMORE]

Mutant X #25



Issue Date: November 2000
Story Title: Thresholds

Staff: Howard Mackie (writer), Tom Lyle (pencils), Andrew Pepoy (inks), Gina Going (colors), Chris Eliopoulos (letters), Jason Liebig (editor), Bob Harras (editor-in-chief)

Brief Description:
It’s the Brute’s birthday today. Unfortunatly, on this day, Brute discovers that he is losing his intelligence again. But he still has enough time to help his friends. Brute summons up the entire team to help send Alex back to his home world. Brute opens the Negative Zone and shows Alex the way home. Unfortunatly, the radiation rays coming out of the portal are too strong and Brute has to shut the portal down. Alex notices his team being exhausted and orders them the week off. Cap plans to visit his old Avenger teammates. Ice-Man goes to his parents. Gambit goes back to New Orleans and Bloodstorm wants to find Katherine Pryde and Forge. Alex goes to New Hamburgh Station. Brute begs Alex to let him stay and continue his work so Alex lets him. Instead of visiting the Avengers, Cap goes into a bar and walks into Ice-Man, who didn’t go visit his parents like he told to either. They even meet with Gambit and Bloodstorm, who didn’t do what they said as well! They stay together for the night and watch the fireworks and come to the conclusion that they are all a family now; the only one they’ve got. Meanwhile, Alex meets a woman named Andrea. They have a talk and she helps Alex figure some things out. The Six return to the castle and Brute calls for them because he has now finally found ways to help his friends. Brute re-opens the portal wich is now strong enough to get Alex through. Alex isn’t sure, however, about returning home. Suddenly, a black energy creature comes out of the portal and starts attacking. Alex doesn’t go through the portal and helps his friends defeating it and shuts the portal down, thereby destroying his only chance to get back home. Alex explains that he didn’t want to go back, because he feels like he belongs here. Hank continues and cures Ice-Man, who can now shift back to his human-form. But then Hank gets a huge head-ache and loses his intelligence again and, sadly, transforms back to his former self.

Full Synopsis:
Today is Brute’s birthday. Ironically today, his worst fears are realized. Standing in his lab over one of his machines, Brute can’t believe that his findings are true. Hoping he has made some errors in the readings, he brutly throws his papers and experiment tubes around the lab until Brute finds what he was looking for. Brute takes his glasses, babbling in himself to use them the next time. Brute quickly reads the papers through, but it stands there, black on white: no mistakes! Angrily, Brute shreds the papers apart and feels sorry for himself. Brute writes in his diary that, once again, he is losing the one thing most valuable to him: his intelligence.

Hours pass…
Ice-Man, worried about Brute, comes in the lab checking for him. Seeing all the shredded papers, Ice-Man asks Brute if everything’s all right. Brute quickly says he is; he just threw the place apart, looking for his spectacles. Ice-Man, not knowing what to say to that, asks if he’s too early. Brute tells his best friend that today is the day, but they’ll have to wait until the rest of the team is in the lab. Ice-Man tries to explain to Brute that he came too early on purpose, because he never had the chance to thank him - or apologize - for everything Brute did, trying to get him out of his permanent ice-form.

Brute, happily, tells Ice-Man to think nothing of it, as he would do anything for a friend of his caliber and promises he will find a way to cure him before… Before Brute can finish his sentence, Ice-Man asks Brute what he means with “before.” “Before the next millenium,” Brute quickly replies. He asks Ice-Man to help him order the lab again before the rest of the team arrives.

A short time later…
The entire team of the Six, the world’s premiere mutant fighting team, finally arrives and Ice-Man is eager to begin. Havok asks if Brute is absolutly certain that this is going to work. Only one way to find out, so Brute begins. An hour later, the Six have all put on containment suits. Brute opens the portal of the Negative Zone and rough, green energy rays come out of it. Alex, startled by them, asks if this is supposed to happen. Brute says that Alex’s guess is as good at his. Alex can’t believe that Brute is “guessing” and wants him to step into the Negative Zone. Brute explains that this is actually merly the distortion field, the doorway into the Negative Zone.

Brute says that he would never expect Alex to step into the Zone this early to the experiment. Brute explains that this is a mear “meet and great,” if you will. They will have to harness the tempestuous energies of the distortion field if they are to propel Alex from his home dimension. Alex asks how to do that. Brute expalains that is the reason why they are here. Brute asks Bloodstorm how the containment suits are holding up against the radiation coming from the portal. Bloodstorm confirms that none of the radiation is coming through the suits. Gambit is sarcastically says he’s just happy that they are not turning into ash, with him and Bloodstorm being vampires.

That’s good enough for Brute, so they can proceed. They need to…, he says, first they have to approach… Brute trips over his own words. Suddenly, a black ray comes from the portal. Alex can just in time step away from it. Captain America notices how the cosmic ray has suddenly spiked and reports to Brute that he and Alex best step away from it. Brute is certain that there is no need to concern and they should proceed. He has the situation well in hand. Alex isn’t so sure, because he can hardly stand on his feet. Brute assures Alex that he shouldn’t worry. Brute explains that this is just a small step in the process getting Alex home. But they can only succeed in it if Alex has the fortitude for it… and the desire.

Brute says the next step should be… eh, the thing they have to do next is… Brute again trips over his own words. Suddenly, the black ray grows larger and seems to merge with the green rays. Everybody panics and Alex orders Cap to shut the portal down immediatly. Cap tries to, but can’t: Brute’s tether lines have been cut! Brute’s body almost falls through the portal and only his feet can be seen. Alex tries to haul Brute out, but isn’t strong enough alone. Ice-Man and Gambit quickly help him out. Alex orders them to haul fast, as he notices how quick the portal is sucking Brute up. They have to get him out fast because they’ll have no idea where Brute’ll land in. Brute gets pulled out and Cap shuts the portal down.

Everything turns back to normal and Alex asks Brute what happened. Brute apologizes for his hesitation that almost cost them their lives. Thoguh Alex says it’s okay because everyone survived, Brute is still embarased for messing things up. Alex tells him not to worry because they were all worried about losing Brute. Brute smiles happily. Alex tells the team that they are shutting down for the week. None of them can believe what they are hearing. Alex explains that they are all tired and exhausted; he can see it on everyone’s faces. And it even results in what happened today. They have not saved the word once, but twice in the past year. They need to have a break to recharch their batteries. Nobody’s enthaustiastic about it, but Alex orders the team to go for it, so they leave.

Later…
The Six are all packed and in civilian clothes. Alex comes off the stairs and asks where they plan to go. Cap wants to go visit his former Avenger teammates to tell them what he’s doing now. Ice-Man angrily says he’s never more happier when he can go visit his parents. Gambit plans to go back to New Orleans and Bloodstorm wants to find Katherine Pryde and Forge. When Alex asks what Brute plans to do, tells Alex that he’d liked to have a quick word with him. Alex asks him what’s wrong. Brute honestly tells Alex that he has no place to go, but Alex wants him to relax. Brute, almost crying, explains to Alex that his work is his life, and wants to continue it now that he is finally able to do it. And Brute is desperate to find ways to cure Ice-Man from his frozen state, send Alex home and find ways to stop the desires for blood for Gambit and Bloodstorm. Alex tells Brute to relax and that he can stay if he wants to. Brute happily thanks Alex.

A blond haired man in civilian clothes, carying a suitcase, goes to downtown New Hamburgh in New York. The man goes into a bar and takes a beer. The man is approached by a another man who wants to sit with him. The blond haired man says that he isn’t such good company tonight. The other guy insits, because he has never seen the blond guy in the bar before. The blond guy answer that he has never been there before and wishes to be excused now. The other guy sees the suitcase, thinking that the blond guy might be an artist and wants to see some of his work. The blond guy gets upset and takes the other guy’s arm before he can open the suitcase. The other guy apologizes, telling the blond guy not to get upset.

He asks the blond guy if he knows what he hates the most about this place. He touches the blond guy’s beer, freezing it, and sarcastically saying that they never serve any cold beer. The other guy asks if Cap feels the same way. Cap is startled and realizes that the other guy is none other than Robert Drake, the Ice-Man. Ice-Man says that’s correct and opens the suitcase, revealing Cap’s shield. Cap asks how Ice-Man can look so human. Ice-Man says it’s because he uses an image-inducer. The inducer gives him his human look, though he never liked this appearance. Ice-Man asks what Cap is doing here because he thought he would be visiting the Avengers. Cap thought he’d just drop by for a quick beer and then leave. Suddenly, Bloodstorm and Gambit show up as well, wearing sunglasses to hide their vampire eyes. Ice-Man realizes that none of them have any place to go and they all confirm.

Meanwhile, the Brute continues his research in his lab. While working, he also writes in his diary telling it that there is so much to do but, as the time goes futher, he feels his intelligence slipping. But Brute first wants to help his friends before he goes to himself. Curing Ice-Man he finds simple; he just has to continue what he previously started. Gambit and Bloodstorm are a bit more difficult and need more time, but Brute believes that he can succeed in that, too. Sending Havok to his home universe is within his reach. Brute is certain that his experiments shall succeed, though he pitties himself that he, unfotunatly, won’t be able to see the results.

New Hamburgh Station
Havok watches some fireworks and remembers what it was like in his home universe, how he never trully fitted in there. He is so caught up in his thoughts that he doesn’t notice bumping a bystanding woman and her boy. The woman angrily tells Alex to watch his step, so he quickly apologizes. The woman says it’s okay and didn’t mean to come out so brutly. Alex asks if he can make it up to her. So he does and buys them all an ice cream. The woman introduces herself as Andrea and her nephew, Shane, whom she takes care of for a while. He likes him, but he can be so much work, though at the same time so rewarding. Alex tells Andrea that he knows what she is talking about.

Andrea tells Alex to call her Andy, like her friends do. Andy says now that Alex knows about them, she wants to know about him. They are not from around and could use a friend who knows his way around here. Alex says that he can give her a friend, but explains that he is doubting about staying around or not. Andy suggets they try to figure it out together then. Alex, not knowing what to say, just answers that it would be nice. Andy apologizes, because she knows how Eastern people are so warry of strangers. She comes from a small town and is used talking to people. She apologizes and suggests they just watch the fireworks. Alex finds that an excellent idea.

Elsewhere…
Ice-Man, Bloodstorm, Cap and Gambit stand on a balcony and watch the fireworks as well. Gambit thinks about his daughter, Raven, and asks Bloodstorm how Raven must feel like, living on the moon. Bloodstorm is certain that the X-Men take good care of her. Gambit knows that, but says that she is a child and children need her parents, though her mother was killed by the Goblin Queen. But Gambit isn’t sure what he is to her now. Cap says that Gambit still is her father. Gambit knows that, but he can never take her out in the sun or play with her. He could just as well be dead to her.

Bloodstorm tells Gambit that he is still her father, who risked his life for her. Ice-Man tells them to cut it out because they are beginning to sound whiny. They’ve all got their problems, seeing that they are all mutants. Gambit says that isn’t true. He and Bloodstorm aren’t just mutants. Not anymore. Dracula saw it when he turned Bloodstorm into a… a… he can’t even say the word. Bloodstorm fills it in, telling Gambit that the word he is looking for is “vampire.” They’ve both been turned into one.

Bloodstorm tells Ice-Man that she hopes that he never feels the pain she and Gambit feel every day. Ice-Man says he knows that, but they can’t dwell on it like that. Like he can’t go on the fact that he nearly killed his best friend, who wast just taking care of him and thinking over the fact that his father and mother don’t want to talk to him because of what he is. To know that he will never be able to have a normal relationship. It’s just the cards they have been dealt with and they have to deal with it. It’s why they are hanging around in a dusty old castle. Ice-Man asks Cap if he feels the same way. Cap, sadly looking down, just says, “Yeah, right.”

Brute continues his work in his lab when, suddenly, his computer screen explodes. He has still so much to do and feels his intelligence sadly slipping away more and more by every minute. Hank just sits, sadly, in his chair. Brute says to himself that he won’t allow himself to return in such a state. Hank gets angry and wants to keep his emotions and the Brute down. He knows that he is lost, but not his friends. Hank goes back to work. Back to Alex.

Andy says to Alex that she can’t believe that he feels inferior to his older brother because it seems that Alex has everything so together. Alex tells Andy that she doesn’t know his older brother, Scott, who is so close in being perfect and doesn’t do anything wrong, unlike him. Alex says he’s most of the time out of control and never could fit in anywhere. Andy says that sometimes they just have to wait and stumble upon their place in the world. Like she had to do.

Once upon a time, her life was a disaster and she was doing the drug thing. She was in a bad way, but then Shane came along. After what happened to his parents, she knew she had to pull through, if just for him. So, in a way, they saved each others lives. Alex tells Andy that she should be proud of herself. Andy says that Shane means everything to her. Andy doen’t notice Shane wandering off. But then she notices and panics when she doesn’t see him. Shane has jumped on the edge of the balcony, thinking he is a robe-walker. Andy runs over to her but she’s too late: Shane falls! Andy is able , just in time, to grab his arm but isn’t strong enough to pull him up. Alex helps them out and, together, they can pull Shane up. Andy thanks Alex dearly, who says it’s all just part of the job.

 

[RAMORE]

Another long one:


Ice-Man apologizes to his friends but seeing the fireworks sometimes gets him to this kind of stuff. Gambit says it’s okay; they all got crosses on their hearts. Jonkingly, Gambit tells Ice-Man to just keep his cross as far away from him and Bloodstorm as possible. Ice-Man wants them to understand that he doesn’t feel like his pain is any worse than theirs, but he just feels terrible that he was the reason that Brute lost his intelligence, but mostly finding out that their Havok was responsible for the explosion. Ice-Man wants them to know that they are the only family he has. Gambit puts his hand on Ice-Man’s shoulder, saying that he knows that and they all feel the same way. He suggets that they all go home now. To their real home.

A few minutes later, Alex arrives back in the castle and finds the rest of the team sitting on the stairs, in costume, waiting and greeting him. Alex asks if they all had a good night. They say they did and ask Alex if he had a good one as well. Alex says he has, it helped him figure out some things. Suddenly, a loud roar is heard. Everyone gets up and recognize the roar as one of Brute’s! They rush to his lab and see Hank just fine. He wants to begin. He has found ways to help them all and have so little time to do it in. A short time later, Brute opens the portal of the Negative Zone and reveals the Earth Alex came from. Brute puts some wires on Alex so he can travel safely back. Alex isn’t sure about the safety.

Brute confirms that no protection suits are necesary this time, that’s what made things go wrong before. Alex goes, but then a huge black shadow jumps over the Earth. Alex wants to know what that was, but Brute says it’s nothing and Alex needs to go now. Alex steps into the portal and the green radiaton rays appear again. To himself, Alex wonders if he should go back. He isn’t even sure what changes have took place in his abscence. What has happened to Polaris and X-Factor? Do they even still exist? He doesn’t want to go back to just being Scott Summers’ little brother and never again to see Scotty or any of the Six. Alex steps into the portal, but then the huge black shadow comes out of it, attacking the Six!

Alex asks what the shadow is, but Brute tells him not to worry about it and just go, the rest of them can handle it. Brute tells him to look, he can see his world now. Alex takes a look and sees his New York. Brute tells Alex to move quickly; they can’t keep the portal open much longer. The black shadow creature starts attacking and breaking things and knocks down the Brute. Alex believes the Six can handle it; they acted like a team before he showed up. Alex steps in the portal again but, instead of proceeding, steps out again and fires a plasma-blast against the creature!

Alex orders it to stop hurting his friends and go back where it came from! Alex orders Brute to shut the portal down, now! Brute doesn’t want to, because this is the only chance Alex is going to get. Brute also wants to know if he’s going to be succesful in at least one thing he’s going to do. As the creature jumps at Alex, in an attempt to attack him, Alex quickly jumps away and orders Brute to shut the portal down. After Brute does so, the portal closes and the black creature disappears with it.

Brute feels sorry about letting Alex down. Alex says it’s not his fault; he decided not to go through the portal because he feels like he belongs in this world. Alex comforts Brute, saying that he did exactly what he promised. Brute’s happy and says “goody for me,” Alex notices that Brute is talking like his old self again. Brute sadly confirms, but he has another surprise up on his sleeve: he has found a way to cure Ice-Man!

Brute asks Ice-Man to step into a specially-made chamber. Ice-Man isn’t sure, seeing what happened the last time he did that. Brute begs him to do it, if only to show him the results. Ice-Man steps in the chamber. Brute presses on a button and, when Ice-Man comes out, he’s human again! Ice-Man thanks Brute, who’s happy about it. When cheering, Brute suddenly gets a huge headache and screams out from the pain. Brute falls down and Ice-Man quickly gets him up. Brute tells them not to worry, saying that he shall always be with them.

Days later…
Brute happily plays with a ball and the Six look at him. They are happy that there are at least no health issues with him. Brute asks Alex where Scotty is. Ice-Man answers saying that he told him already, that Scotty is living on the moon with Magneto and the X-Men. Brute remembers and wants to go visit Scotty soon, so he can find out if the moon is made of cheese. Alex says they shall. When Brute asks him if he wants to play, Ice-Man goes and plays with the ball with Brute. Brute writes in his journal that he played with Ice-Man today, his best friend.

Characters:
Bloodstorm, Brute, Captain America, Gambit, Havok, Ice-Man (all the Six)

unnamed black energy creature coming out of the Negative Zone

Andrea (woman Alex meets)
Shane (Andrea’s nephew)

Notes:
This issue is a special anniversary issue, marking the reach of issue #25. The comic is 48 pages long in stead of the normal 32.

Ice-Man quotes that the Six is the world’s “premiere” mutant fighting team. This is probably just a joke of his, because the X-Men are the actual premiere mutant fighting team. After all, it has been revealed that the Six are a splinter-group from the X-Men, whose members didn’t agree with Magneto’s work motives when he took over leadership.

It’s been revealed that Ice-Man and his parents don’t get along because of him being a mutant. [Mutant X #23]

Gambit now finally has the same vampiric textbaloons like Bloodstorm has. This mistake has finally been corrected by Marvel, after they gave Gambit normal looking textballoons when he first appeared in Mutant X #16. Gambit was turned into a vampire by Bloodstorm after nearly getting killed and wanted her to safe his life. [Mutant X Annual 2000]

Gambit saying that Raven’s mother, Bella Donna, is killed by the Goblin Queen is untrue. She was killed by a stray bullet when her brother, Julien, betrayed the Guild. [Mutant X #16]. Raven was sent living to the moon with the other X-Men, Scotty and Elektra in the hope that they would be safer there. [Mutant X #23]

Katherine Pryde and Forge left in a different plane than the Six after the events of Mutant X #15 and haven’t been seen since.

This is the first time that Cap is seen without his costume. Though it is stated that he is not Steve Rogers, he sure looks like him.

The image inducer, used by Ice-Man in this reality, is in the real universe and was invented by Tony Stark (Iron Man) and mostly used by Nightcrawler.

Issue Summary written by: Homer Jay

 

[RAMORE]

Mutant X #26



Issue Date: December 2000
Story Title: Long Days; Journey Through The Night

Staff: Howard Mackie (writer), Ron Lim (pencils), Michael Golden (cover), Sandu Florea (inks), Gina Going (colors), Chris Eliopoulos (letters), Jason Liebig (editor), Bob Harras (editor-in-chief)

Brief Description:
A rampaging Bloodstorm fights her way through a bar, demanding to know from the scared customers where to find him. Not getting her answer, she prepares to kill the entire bar. She is stopped by Gambit, who, after a short fight with her, calms Bloodstorm down. She explains how it all came to this. It all began earlier in the night, when the Six were summoned up by Henry Peter Gyrich, who asked them for help. At the Vault, there was a class Alpha emergency. Some thieves had stolen a valuable box. Bloodstorm smelled something familiar and told Gyrich and the Six that she would retrieve the box alone. She wandered off, searching, until she was found by Gambit. Gambit informs Bloodstorm that Gyrich told them a Vault security guard damaged the thieves transport vehicle, which crashed in a nearby sewer tunnel. Bloodstorm knocks Gambit down, thanking him for the info and disappears. Meanwhile, in the sewers, the team called the Marauders are trying to get themselves and the stolen box into safety and to their boss. While the Marauders argue among each other, they don’t notice the box getting carried away by mysterious shadow creatures. The Marauders eventually notice it and chase the creatures. Bloodstorm makes it to the sewer and has been followed again by Gambit and they go into the sewer as well. The Marauders fight for their lives against the shadow creatures, but are helped by Bloodstorm, who strikes the Marauders down as well, ordering them to leave now. The Marauders won’t listen to reason, so Bloodstorm prepares to kill them. Bloodstorm is stopped by Gambit and the Marauders leave. Gambit, realizing that Bloodstorm’s actions are made because of the box, makes it float away in the sewer water. Bloodstorm calms down and thanks Gambit for his help. Gambit asks who was inside the box. Bloodstorm doesn’t understand that Gambit didn’t hear his voice his mind, but she confirms that her Dark Lord lives again. Dracula walks amongst mankind once more. Wanting to go get the box back, the shadow creatures appear and introduce themselves as the Outcasts. They want to make Gambit pay for his past sins against them and engulf he and Bloodstorm in a bright, white light. Afterwards, a vagabond finds the box and opens it. Dracula arises, and he hungers!

Full Synopsis:
Bloodstorm shifts from her mist form and appears on a rainy night in a bar and angrily asks the customers where he is. Angrily, she says that she will have him. Bloodstorm begins fighting the scared customers, telling them that they can’t hide him from her. Bloodstorm warns the customers to better stop worshipping him, because he won’t give them the protection and great power he promised. No, he will give them nothing but lies and pain. Bloodstorms slashes her way through the customers with her sharpened finger nails. Bartender Big Jim steps in, saying that he doesn’t know what she is talking about but won’t allow her to continue harm his customers. He takes his baseball bat out and plans to slam Bloodstorm’s head in with it.

Angrily, Bloodstorm creates a heavy lightning cloud and rain appears. She lifts Jim high up, telling him that she believes that Jim does now what she means. She can smell his blood on him. She smells his blood in every corner of the bar. Bloodstorm knows that Jim and his customers are nothing but pretenders. Craving a thing they’d never understand. Bloodstorm knows that he loves to feed on their kind. Bloodstorm transforms into her full vampire form, with red eyes and sharp teeth, and threatens Jim to look at a real vampire. She threatens that, if he won’t tell her where he is, she’ll bite him to death. Jim, scared, still claims that he doesn’t know what she is talking about. Suddenly, an explosion hits Bloodstorm. Though unharmed, Bloodstorm turns around and asks who dares attack her.

Gambit steps out, smoking a cigarette. He explains to Bloodstorm that this isn’t like her. He had to follow her through every blood bar in this town. He’s surprised to find out that there are so many vampire wannabes. Bloodstorm tells Gambit to leave because he wouldn’t understand this situation. Gambit asks to put the guy down, so maybe she can enlighten him. Bloodstorm doesn’t want to put Jim down before he told her everything he knows. Gambit sees how scared the man is and again nicely asks Bloodstorm to put him down. Bloodstorm doesn’t want to. Gambit feels sorry for that and kicks Bloodstorm in the stomach, making her drop Jim, who runs away.

Bloodstorm fights Gambit, telling him that she needs them. Gambit agrees that Bloodstorm needs something, but not them. Gambit charges up his playcards and drops Bloodstorm in a nearby building. The cards explode, but don’t harm either vampire. Bloodstorm is calmed down and regrets what she has done, not knowing what she was thinking. After Gambit asks for an explanation, Bloodstorm begins her tale.

Bloodstorm’s story begins earlier this evening, at the castle of the Six. She saw Brute struggling with the video-phone, not remembering how to answer it. Bloodstorm helped him out, and they got a call from Henry Peter Gyrich. Gyrich says that they have a class Alpha emergency situation at the Vault. Normally, he would call the Avengers, but in this case the Six will have to do. Havok and the rest of the Six show up. Gyrich shows them pictures of the attackers, who fried the surveillance. All they’ve got are these pictures. Gyrich explains that the attackers went right through the security guards. Havok has heard enough and says that they will be right there.

A short time later, the Six arrive at the Vault. They are greeted by Gyrich and take a look at the many security guards. Bloodstorm explains to Gambit how she noticed how angry Captain America and Gyrich look at each other. She believes that there is some unfinished business between them. Gyrich asks the Six to retrieve a stolen box that was secured in the Vault, but didn’t want to tell them what was inside. Havok and Gyrich began arguing and didn’t notice Bloodstorm sniffing around the place. She suddenly caught a scent and told Gyrich that she would retrieve the box. Havok can’t believe his ears. Bloodstorm says that she alone will do it. After all, it takes a thief to catch a thief.

Gambit remembers, and says that that was the moment she took off, without clearance of Havok or a good-bye. Bloodstorm says that she doesn’t need any clearance and wants to be left alone. Gambit tells her that if she had stayed a little longer at the Vault, she would have learned that a Vault security guard had damaged the thieves flying vehicle, which crashed near this city. Gambit realizes that Bloodstorm is holding something back from him and wants to know what is inside the box.

Instead of explaining, Bloodstorm knocks Gambit down with a lightning bolt. Bloodstorm thanks him for the valuable information, but doesn’t want Gambit to get involved. She wants him as far away from the box as possible and hopes that the box hasn’t been opened yet. Bloodstorm turns into mist and disappears, leaving an unconscious Gambit behind.

Meanwhile, down in the sewers, the Marauders try to get into safety and are pushing the box with them. Cannonball pities himself and the team. They can’t even get away like they should and have trouble moving a stupid box. This sure is not the way their used to be. Husk angrily tells Cannonball to shut up and put some weight in it. But she agrees that the box is too heavy and wants to open it.

As Husk touches the box, electricity comes off from it. Jubilee angrily shouts at them that the box is booby-trapped. Jubilee fires some of her fire-works at them and orders her team to keep pushing. Cannonball gets angry and asks Jubilee who decided to make her leader. Jubilee says that she never noticed them volunteering and orders Sunspot and Wolfsbane to prepare for a fight with Cannonball and Husk. As the villains prepare to fight, they suddenly notice the box missing! The Marauders notice some shadow things floating the box away. The Marauders remember what their boss would do to them should they loose the box, so they go chase the shadow creatures.

Outside, Bloodstorm has made it to the entrance tunnel of the sewer. She hesitates in going in but decides to go for it. She is stopped by one of Gambit’s charged-up playcards. He sadistically congratulates her on the nice move, but that doesn’t stop him. Bloodstorm orders Gambit to stand back and let her go. Gambit holds her back, saying that he isn’t here to fight her and begs her not to make him go inside the sewer tunnel. Gambit explains that he has been in these tunnels before and had to do some things he didn’t like. Bloodstorm goes into the tunnel and tells Gambit to go home. Gambit makes an angry look on his face. He lightens up a cigarette and follows Bloodstorm into the tunnel.

Meanwhile, the Marauders are fighting for their lives against the shadow creatures. Cannonball flies high up but can’t see a way to get themselves clear. He asks Sunspot to help him. Sunspot says he would like to help, but his powers are greatly diminished far away from the power of the sun. Jubilee powers up, saying that she will help them and, after that, she’ll retrieve the box and let their boss now what losers she has for teammates. Jubilee prepares to fire, but notices something coming for them. She turns around and Bloodstorm, in vampire form, jumps at her. Bloodstorm tells the Marauders that they don’t know what they are doing. They should leave the box to her and go away.

Bloodstorm slashes Jubilee down and strikes Cannonball with lightning, making him lose balance and fall on Husk. Bloodstorm orders Sunspot and Wolfsbane to leave now they can. The two scared to death villains don’t move, so Bloodstorm jumps at them and again asks them to leave, or she’ll kill them. Bloodstorm jumps at them, wanting to kill them, but gets kicked down by Gambit. Bloodstorm asks Gambit what’s wrong. She believes that he must feel the hunger too. Bloodstorm’s happy and wants to give in into what they both have been resisting for so long. Bloodstorm knows that those two evil mutants would be perfect to feed on. After all, in this darkness, nobody would know what they have done. Gambit says that they themselves would know.

Bloodstorm doesn’t understand why Gambit is resisting. Gambit realizes that the box is making Bloodstorm change and is even affecting him. Bloodstorm wants to kill Cannonball for him, so Gambit can feed on him. Gambit won’t allow that to happen and charges up some of his playcards and throws them at the box, which makes it fall into the sewer water and float away. Bloodstorm wants to follow it but Gambit holds her back. When the box is out of sight, Bloodstorm calms down and thanks Gambit for his help. Wolfsbane notices that the box is gone and Sunspot suggests that they do the same. They pick their fallen teammates up and leave.

Gambit asks Bloodstorm what was inside the box. Bloodstorm falls down on her knees, saying he should not ask what was in the box, but who. Bloodstorm can’t believe that Gambit didn’t hear his voice in his mind, commanding to him. Bloodstorm knows that Gambit did. Bloodstorm explains that she wanted to destroy him for what he did to her and, ultimately, to Gambit. But the closer she got to the box, the worse she fell under his sway. Astonished, Gambit realizes whom she is talking about and asks if she’s sure. Bloodstorm confirms. Her Dark Lord lives. Dracula walks amongst mankind.

When Gambit wants to find and destroy him, Bloodstorm finds that easier said than done. Gambit wants to walk out of this place first. Suddenly, multiple shadow creatures appear and surround Gambit and Bloodstorm. The creatures say that they won’t allow Gambit to leave. Today, he shall stand trial against… the Outcasts! Bloodstorm asks what they are. Gambit apologizes but, a long time ago, he did something bad and it seems that now he has to pay for it. The Outcasts surround the two mutant vampires and engulf them with a bright, white light.

Some time later…
A vagabond finds the box. He is curious what’s inside it, hoping it’s food. Though sparks fly from the box, the vagabond opens it. An arm grabs the vagabond by the throat, biting him in the neck. Dracula arises, and he hungers!

Characters:
Bloodstorm, Gambit (all the Six)
Cannonball, Husk, Jubilee, Sunspot, Wolfsbane (the Marauders)

The Outcasts (multiple unnamed members)

Dracula

bartender Big Jim and his customers
unnamed vagabond

in Bloodstorm’s flash-back:
Bloodstorm, Brute, Captain America, Cerebro, Gambit, Havok, Ice-Man (the Six)

Henry Peter Gyrich

unnamed Vault security guards

Notes:
Gambit wears a blue cape instead of his brown trenchcoat in this issue.

The members of the Marauders are characters who, in the real universe, are the good guys and related to the X-Men. In the real universe, the Marauders are a villain team who work for Mr. Sinister.

Dracula turned Bloodstorm into a vampire, as seen in various flashbacks in past issues. Bloodstorm turned Gambit into a vampire because he begged her to safe his life and turning him into a vampire was the only way to do that. [Mutant X Annual 2000]

Issue Summary written by: Homer Jay

 

[RAMORE]

Mutant X #27



Issue Date: January 2001
Story Title: The Challenge

Staff: Howard Mackie (writer), Tom Lyle (pencils), Andrew Pepoy (inks), Gina Going (colors), Chris Eliopoulos (letters), Lysa Hawkins (assistant editor), Jason Liebig (editor), Joe Quesada (editor-in-chief)

Brief Description:
Bloodstorm remembers a time of her past, when she was young and riding the winds in Africa until the moment her parents died during a war. Bloodstorm also remembers what it was like to be claustrofobic, and how she overcame that fear by turning into a vampire. Bloodstorm remembers what happpened and goes to find Gambit, who’s no longer with her. Bloodstorm is confronted by Dagger and the Outcasts, who want to make Gambit pay for the crimes he commited to them. Gambit once led evil people to their tunnels and those people killed nearly every Outcast. Now, Gambit must die. Bloodstorm won’t allow that to happen and challenges Dagger for a duel. Should she win, Gambit is free. But, should Bloodstorm fail, he’ll die and Bloodstorm too. Bloodstorm accepts the rules and begins to fight. Meanwhile, in the Six’s castle, Jean and Havok have a romantic moment, which gets interupted by the rest of the Six. They want to find their missing teammates. Suddenly, a holographic projection of Henry McCoy appears, in human form. While still intelligent, the Brute took the liberaty to install some DNA from him into the computer and make a smart projection of himself. And, by this, he can reveal that he has found a way to cure Gambit and Bloodstorm. As the fight continues, Bloodstorm wins and defeats Dagger. She frees Gambit. Dagger gets up, refusing to loose, and Bloodstorm accidently stabs Dagger through her stomach! Dagger begs Bloodstorm to finish her off, but Bloodstorm doesn’t want to. Dagger doesn’t want to suffer anymore, to know that she can never walk into the sun. Gambit feels the same and believes that he and Bloodstorm are better off dead as well. The two vampires let the sun rays touch them, almost burning them up. The Six arrive just in time and Ice-Man blocks the sewertop, thereby stopping the sunrays from coming through. Havok gives the antidote Hank McCoy made. The vampires drink it up and are now able to walk into the sun. The Six return home, unknowing that a greater danger is upon them. From his tomb, Dracula awakes. He prepares himself, because now is finally the time to be reunited with his… Bloodstorm!

Full Synopsis:
Bloodstorm remembers how, once, long time ago, she flew high up in the sky in Africa, trying to reach the sun. She was happy. She was worshipped as a goddess because of her mutant powers that made her control the weather. There was no flood, no drought, no scourching heat. Her people were content and bountiful.

She was trully happy. And Bloodstorm always had the nice open spaces. The blue sky. The warmth of the sun. She needed those things to live. Because… No! An unconcious Bloodstorm wakes burried alive when her childhood house collapsed during a war. A young Ororo runs to her mother and father, trying to warn them about the falling bombs and collapsing houses. Bloodstorm remembers being burried. How she desperatly tried to dig herself out, crying for help and not getting any.

Bloodstorm, lying on the floor of the sewers, wakes up, realizing it was all just a dream. She knows her mother and father were killed, but that was a long time ago. She was orphaned and had to live on the streets. It was at that moment she began hating enclosed spaces. Luckily, her mutant powers gave her the chance to fly high above them all! But Bloodstorm wonders why she left, to join the mutant cause. If she hadn’t, she would have never received Dracula’s dark kiss. Never would have to hide from the sun. Never would have turned into… a vampire! Bloodstorm gets herself up by manipulating nearby mists. She sees at least one small consulation in being a vampire: she’s no longer claustrofobic. Bloodstorm tries to figure out how she got here.

She remembers following the Marauders in search of Dracula’s body. She remembers the blood lust coming to her. She remembers how Gambit saved her and how suddenly they were surrounded. Accusations were made against Gambit and, then, a bright light appeared. Bloodstorm stops her thinking and yells that she knows where they are. She says she can feel them watching her and orders them to reveal themselves. A woman in a cape shows up, sadistically clapping in her hands, congratulating Bloodstorm. Black energy surrounds the woman. The woman says she will never make the mistake of underestimating Bloodstorm. The woman notices how much better Bloodstorm seems to be than Gambit. Bloodstorm asks where he is. The woman calls for her Outcasts and asks them if they think that Bloodstorm cares for Gambit.

The Outcasts anwer by asking how any could care for one who devoid of a soul long before he received a vampire’s kiss. The Outcasts reveal that the thief has told them much while Bloodstorm was asleep. The woman says that he didn’t have much of a choice. When Bloodstorm gets angry and asks again where Gambit is, the woman explains that, while Bloodstorm was buried, he stood for trial and lives… for now. Bloodstorm demands to see him now. The woman says that she will see him and that nobody down there believes that Bloodstorm is a goddess. The woman finds Bloodstorm to be just another mutant with an attitude. One of the pretty ones who does not have to shield her visage from the humans above. Who gets to walk during the day among them.

The woman reconsiders, realizing that Bloodstorm is a vampire, so also not able to walk in the sun. Nontheless, the woman continues, Gambit is going to die for his crimes he commited to her people. The woman explains that they too are mutants, who’s genetic “gift” came with a downside. Bloodstorm prepares to defend herself. The woman explains that humans can’t stand to look at them without unending nightmares. So they all decided to come live down in the sewers. They were happy down there and could show their faces to everyone. They were living in peace. At least they were until Gambit showed up. Gambit was working with the “evil one.” Helped others to find the Outcasts. Others who sought out their genetic material and took their lives. The woman promises that Gambit shall die tonight and there is nothing that Bloodstorm can do about it. The woman shows Gambit, who hangs unconcious on a huge cross.

Bloodstorm doesn’t know by what right the woman thinks she commits Gambit to a death sentence. The woman explains by her right as leader of the Outcasts. When Bloodstorm then challenges the woman’s authority, all the Outcasts are startled by this conclusion. The woman says that Bloodstorm has chosen the right words and a challenge must always be answered in kind. The woman asks if Bloodstorm is certain that the thief is worth the challenge. Bloodstorm’s mind can’t be changed. So the woman agrees. The woman introduces herself as Dagger and gladly accepts the challenge, which has been created by the Ancient One. No mutant or vampire powers are allowed. Just strength and agility. And they will fight until one of them dies. Dagger asks if Bloodstorm agrees. Bloodstorm agrees.

Meanwhile, Havok sits alone in the meeting room of the Six’ castle, wondering to himself and thinking about his homeworld and his previous team called X-Factor. Jean Grey walks into the room, asking if he’s okay because he looks so far away. Alex says he’s allright, wouldn’t be the first time he’s thinking so much. Havok says that he can’t sleep because he was wondering about Gambit and Bloodstorm. Jean says that she hasn’t been part of this team as long as Alex has, but asks if he minds if she waits with him. Alex tells her to take a chair and grab some coffee.

Alex stares at Jean for a while. Jean notices and asks why he’s doing that. She knows and tells Alex that she isn’t Madelyne. Alex says he knows, but it’s just that sometimes things look so alike how things were in his universe. And Jean does look a lot like Madelyne, the former Goblin Queen, Alex’s wife. And Jean does also look a lot like the Jean his brother Scott has married.

Jean’s a bit confused by all this, saying that she is just Jean Grey. Always has been. She says that she doesn’t know what her counterpart was like, but here, she’s just… a woman. Alex gently touches Jean’s hand. Ice-Man and Brute come walking into the room, and were wondering if there has been any word yet of Gambit and Bloodstorm. Ice-Man notices the hand touching and asks if they came in a difficult moment but Alex doesn’t know what Ice-Man’s talking about. When he sees his hand on top of Jean’s, he quickly draws his hand back, as does Jean.

Ice-Man quickly changes the subject, saying that the team’s almost present. Captain America comes walking in, saying he’s present. Ice-Man jokes that, with Jean there, they might as well change their group name into the Seven. Alex asks Jean if she want’s to join, but she isn’t sure yet. Suddenly, a weird computer voice opens, saying that, if they are going the change the group name, they might as just change the name into the Eight!

Brute happily looks up, and recognizes… himself! The man introduces himself as Henry Francis McCoy, or rather a computer generated holographic projection of himself in human form. The projeciton explains that, before his recent intellectual regretion, Hank took the liberty to download large chunks of himself into the computer system. He believes that he can help Gambit and Bloodstorm. And he can do more even. Much more. Brute steps up and says hi to himself. Hank says hi, too.

At that moment, the battle between Bloodstorm and Dagger is about to begin. The moon is going away and dawn is breaking. Bloodstorm realizes that, despite Dagger’s claimings, she is putting her at a disadvantage. Bloodstorm knows that she is fighting two enemies today: Dagger… and the sun. Bloodstorm puts her hand in the sunlight and almost burns her hand. Bloodstorm quickly withdraws, goes to Dagger and says “so be it.”

Meanwhile, the Marauders are still dwelling around the sewers. Husk is angry at Cannonball, saying that she’s going to rip his heart out because he made them get lost again. Cannonball defends himself saying it’s because of all Husk’s whining. Husk becomes even more angry and can’t believe that they are from the same family. Wolfsbane stups the arguing. She says that Jubilee is very hurt and Sunspot is weakening. Their boss is going to be mad at them because they lost the box. They are supposed to be a team. The Marauders, even. And they can’t waste their time arguing. And Wolfsbane wants to run and hide, some place their boss can’t find them. Wolfsbane feels sorry for herself, because she didn’t even want to be part of a super-villain team. Wolfsbane suddenly smells something. The Marauders all look up and realize that they aren’t alone anymore.

Bloodstorm and Dagger begin. Dagger again explains the rules: if Bloodstorm kills Dagger, Gambit can walk away free. If Bloodstorm fails, the sun rays will do the killing for Dagger. From the sewertop, the sunrays can fall in and almost touch Bloodstorm. Dagger gives Bloodstorm a battlesword and Dagger has one of her own as well. The fight begins. Dagger jumps high up and tries to kick Bloodstorm, who dodges the attack with her arm. Dagger warns Bloodstorm to be quick about it, because the sun is also almost touching the still unconcious Gambit, still hanging on the cross. Dagger kicks Bloodstorm down and she falls harshly down in the water. Bloodstorm finds a bigger sword and picks it up. Dagger tells her she uses the sword well, but she mocks Bloodstorm that she probably isn’t fast enough to use it. Bloodstorm quickly gets herself up, saying that she is fast.

Bloodstorm wants them to stop fighting, because they are all mutants there and should be working together. Dagger orders her to be quiet, because Bloodstorm has no idea what it means to be an Outcast. To live with a curse. Bloodstorm doesn’t know because she is a pretty mutant, unlike her. Bloodstorm says that they all have got bad things in their lives. She and Gambit are vampires, unable to walk in the sun. She hopes that Dagger would never suffer such a fate. Dagger says that this is what they’ve got in common. The Outcasts can’t walk in the sun either because mankind would kill them. Dagger believes that she will do both Bloodstorm and Gambit a favor killing them, puting them out of their misery.

The sunlight slighty touches Gambit, whose bounds begin to burn up. Bloodstorm gets angry and says that she won’t allow that to happen and kicks Dagger in her back, who falls down! Gambit wakes up, telling Bloodstorm to be quick if she wants to safe him. But Gambit has second thoughts, believing that there is no use for both of them to die. Gambit begs Bloodstorm to run away before the sun touches her. Bloodstorm tells him to be quiet, as she cuts his bounds with her sword. Gambit warns Bloodstorm, because Dagger is getting up again and attacking!

Bloodstorm quickly turns around and accidently stabs Dagger through her stomach. Bloodstorm asks Dagger why she would do that, because she defeated her. Dagger says she knows that but, without the Outcasts, her life has no meaning anymore and her dying would be the best. She wants to feel the sun again and doesn’t want to hide anymore. Bloodstorm gets Gambit down, who believes that it might be the best that they die as well. It wouldn’t be so bad. Dagger apologizes and begs Bloodstorm to finish her off. Gambit tells Bloodstorm that they don’t have to do anything. Just stand there and look at the sun for a last time. Both of them look at the sun, which begins to burn the two vampires up. But suddenly, the sun disappears and… turns into ice?!

The Six have arrived and Ice-Man has blocked the sewer top with his ice. Havok can’t believe that Gambit and Bloodstorm were actually thinking about killing themselves. Bloodstorm confirms that they were thinking about it, but weren’t sure if they were going to go through with it. And now they shall never know. Dagger becomes angry and gets up, saying that she will finish the job. Dagger tries to pull the sword out of her stomach, but Bloodstorm stops her. Dagger says that she refuses to continue to live like this.

Bloodstorm tells Dagger to not commit suicide, because the Outcasts need her. Dagger says that she wasn’t talking about the Outcasts, but about them! Dagger takes off her hood and Cloak shows up, looking like he’s dying. Dagger explains that they were partners once but, when their powers began to manifest and harm Dagger, Dagger absorbed Cloak and they became one. Cloak wanted to have it ended a long time ago, but Dagger would not allow that. This is no life, they both say.

Cloak and Dagger both see that now, and say that they won’t live like this anymore; they will be no more. When Cloak and Dagger disappear into the dark shadows, the Outcasts quickly follow them, saying that they won’t allow them to leave. Bloodstorm tells the team not to try to follow the Outcasts; they’ll look after their own.

Havok says they’ll do the same. He explains to them that Hank McCoy gave them an antidote that would cure both Bloodstorm and Gambit from their lust for blood and allow them to walk into the sun. They drink the potion, but don’t feel any different. A short time later, the team has made it out of the sewers and… Gambit and Bloodstorm are free! Bloodstorm doesn’t know what to say, but Gambit tells Bloodstorm to not put her stakes up too high just yet.

At that moment, in a nearby cemetary, Dracula awakens. He opens his coffin, saying that it’s time he is reunited with his Bloodstorm. It is long past time.

Characters:
Bloodstorm, Brute, Captain America, Gambit, Havok, Ice-Man (the Six)
Jean Grey

Cannonball, Husk, Jubilee, Sunspot, Wolfsbane (the Marauders)

Cloak/Dagger (merged together)
The Outcasts (multiple unnamed members)

Dracula

Holographic projection of Henry McCoy (in human form)

in flash-back:
young Storm/Bloodstorm

Notes:
This issue is made parallel to what occured in Uncanny X-Men #170, where Storm challenged Callisto, leader of the Morlocks, in return of the X-Men’s freedom and leadership of the Morlocks. The events in this issue are pretty much the same, but Callisto couldn’t be used because she was already introduced in Mutant X #9.

In the real universe, Gambit had led the murderous team called the Marauders through the Morlock Tunnels, unknowingly of their plans to kill the underground living Morlocks for their common master, Mister Sinister. [Uncanny X-Men #350]

This issue wrongly suggests that Havok was part of X-Force in his home reality. It’s just a mistake that should have been X-Factor, of course.

In the real universe, Scott Summers (Alex’ brother) and Jean Grey were married in X-Men (2nd series) #30.

In the real universe, Cloak and Dagger were two runaway street kids, whose mutant powers were awakened by a chemical experiment.

Cannonball and Husk are brother and sister.

Issue Summary written by: Homer Jay

 

[RAMORE]

Mutant X #28



Issue Date: February 2001
Story Title: The Hunted: Part 1

Staff: Howard Mackie (writer), Ron Lim (pencils), Michael Golden (cover), Andrew Pepoy (inks), Gina Going (colors), Chris Eliopoulos (letters), Lysa Hawkins (assistant editor), Jason Liebig (editor), Joe Quesada (editor-in-chief)

Brief Description:
In the Pacific, hunters find Wolverine, who stares at them with their claws open. The hunters want to kill him, but their attention is changed by Sabretooth, who kills all the hunters. When Sabretooth wants to go after Wolverine, he is already gone. Sabretooth promises Logan that he will come for him. Meanwhile, Jean Grey has a nightmare and finds out that Wolverine is back and alive, not dead like she thought he was. Startled by the discovery, she interrupts a training session of the Six and begs them for help. Meanwhile, Wolverine sneaks around a lonely house where he used to live, before being kidnapped by the Weapon X Program. Wolverine meets his daughter, Marie, who he tells to go back to bed and pretend this was all just a dream. Wolverine, however, smells Sabretooth approaching and leaves. Sabretooth attacks him, saying that he’s been paid to bring Wolverine back to the Weapon X Program alive and plans to kill Wolverine’s family. Wolverine destroys a nearby gas tank and Sabretooth is caught in the explosion. Wolverine makes it out alive but is confronted by Jean and the Six. Wolverine falls in her arms, asking what happened to him. Jean doesn’t know the answer, but promises that they will find out. Meanwhile, Mariko packs and plans to leave but, when there’s a knock on the door, she goes to open it. She finds Sabretooth, with heavy body burns, and he’s ready to finish her off!

Full Synopsis:
The Pacific, Northwest
In the snowy woods, two hunters and their dogs are chasing something and are hot on trail of it. The hunters wonder why their dogs are so exited. The dogs run forwards, being ordered to slow the creature down so that the hunters can finish it off.

Suddenly, the dogs scream. The hunters follow the sound, finding their dogs dead! The hunters prepare themselves and find an old foot bridge, practically destroyed. The hunters prepare to cross it, when, suddenly, the snowstorm gets even worse and the hunters are scared by what they see standing across the bridge. They notice the thing staring at them, wondering what it is. They believe it’s a man… or something. The man unsheathes his claws and starts roaring, really loud!

The man is a naked Wolverine and he has a deranged look on his face and he plans to attack. The hunters notice it and are particularly scared of what they only can describe as claws. The hunters decide that it’s not a man and prepare to kill it, but then have a better idea, they want to run back to their base and report Wolverine, so that the army can send helicopters and arrest him.

The hunters hear a noise behind them and find another mutant standing behind them: Sabretooth. After the hunter say that they are not afraid of him, Sabretooth introduces himself, saying that his name is Creed! The hunters prepare to fire, but Sabretooth kills them all with his claws. He goes over to the bridge, but Wolverine is already gone. Sabretooth promises Logan that he is coming for him.

The castle of the Six, night.
Jean Grey is sleeping, but has a nightmare. In the dream, she is in costume and scouting a snowy area. Jean knows that she isn’t alone and that someone is following her. She trips over a stick and finds all the members of the Six… dead! Jean wonders who could have done this. Suddenly, a loud roar comes again and Jean gets scared by it, asking who’s there. Wolverine comes out of the bushes and tells Jean that he is back! Jean can’t believe it. Jean wakes up, releasing a humongous amount of green psychic energy. Jean can’t believe what she saw, because Wolverine is dead.

The Six are training, fighting some battle droids. Havok congratulate Ice-Man on his technique of freezing the droid, while Gambit and Bloodstorm combine their powers and defeat the droid in their own special way. Havok says he can’t believe the Six never had training sessions like this, not like the ones Alex had in the X-Men’s Danger Room. Cap says that Alex is right and that the Avengers regularly train out like this. Brute, however, finds this workout too easy. Jean walks scared into the room, not noticing that a battle droid is heading straight at her. The Six combine their powers to destroy the droid and Brute protects Jean from harm.

After Alex asks Jean what she thought she was doing, Jean begs Alex and the Six for help: Wolverine needs them. Alex is confused. The last time he saw Wolverine, he was running feral in the Canadian woods with Sabretooth and Wild Child, and Alpha Flight arrested them. Jean believes he must have broken free and they must help him now. Ice-Man jokes about it, but Jean gets angry at that, throwing Ice-Man telekinetically to the back of the wall, saying that this is no joke.

Jean begs Alex for help, explaining that she and Logan share a past. She thought that he was dead. Jean doesn’t have the time to explain their entire history, but says that, if she’s a part of this team, they’ll have to trust her on this. Jean takes off, saying that she is going to rescue Logan and the team can come if they want. Alex says that they are a team and will do this together.

At that moment in Canada, Wolverine sneaks around a lonely house. He breaks in, breaking the lock with his claws. He opens the refrigerator with his claws and takes some milk, drinking it from the carton. Wolverine hears something and points his claws at… a little girl! The girl asks if he’s her dad, who left them a long time ago. Her mom told her he’d come back one day. The girl finds that Wolverine looks like the way her dad looked on the pictures she saw.

Wolverine gets a huge headache. He remembers a time when he and Jean were attacked by Sabretooth. Wolverine remembers when he, Sabretooth and Wild Child were kidnapped by the Weapon X Program, and their kidnappers wondered what they were going to do to Logan’s family. A scientist of the Program ordered Wolverine to stop struggling, or else they’ll kill his family, saying that they’ll be better off thinking he is dead.

The girl asks what’s wrong and asks if she has to go get her mom. Wolverine sniffs and smells Sabretooth coming. He tells the girl to go back to bed and pretend that this was a dream and takes off. The girl’s mom comes half-a-sleep out of her bedroom and asks her daughter, Marie, why she’s out of her bed. The mom notices the claws on the refrigerator and knows they belong to Logan.

A short wile later, Wolverine plans to buy some space between him and the house, keeping them safe from Sabretooth. But, before he can do that, Sabretooth arrives and slams Wolverine against a wall. Sabretooth explains that they want their experiment back, and they want him back alive. Too bad they sent him, Sabretooth says. Sabretooth says that they paid a lot of money for this job and made a lot of promises, but he would have done this for free, because after this, he’s going to kill Wolverine’s family!

Wolverine becomes angry and orders Sabretooth to keep his family out of this. Sabretooth notices that Wolverine is still struggling with his brain, trying to get it together. Sabretooth can’t believe that he is still drawn to Mariko, even after all these years. But Sabretooth’s not too surprised, as he too always had a hankering for Mariko. Sabretooth plans to do something with her after he killed Logan, but reconsiders, realizing that Mariko is one of the faithful kind of women. Wolverine tries to slash Sabretooth with his claws, but Sabretooth grabs Logan by the throat, saying that Mariko could have run back to Japan with her two kids. But she wouldn’t believe that Logan was dead, even after she was told so.

Sabretooth doesn’t notice that he accidentaly shreds a nearby gas tank a little open. Sabretooth continues talking to Wolverine, saying that he believes that Mariko didn’t go back to Japan because her royal clan might have wanted her to sacrifice her two kids. Sabretooth slams Wolverine down, asking if he’s got any last words. Wolverine gets up, saying he does and goes to the gas tank. Sabretooth doesn’t buy it; Wolverine would never do that. Wolverine says he would and destroys the gas tank, making it explode!

Sabretooth’s caught in the explosion and Wolverine has just made it to safety, by jumping away. Wolverine smells something else coming. He turns around, and sees the Six! Logan wants to attack them, but Jean calms him down, telling him to try to remember her. Wolverine does and falls into her arms, asking what happened to him. Jean doesn’t know, but promises that they will find out.

Meanwhile at Wolverine’s house…
Mariko quickly packs, wanting to leave. Marie and Brian come from their rooms, asking what’s wrong. Mariko tells her kids that they are leaving, it will be like an adventure. There’s a knock on the door, so Mariko goes to open it. She’s startled at what she sees. It is Sabretooth, with heavily burns, a sadistic look on his face and claws ready.

Characters:
Bloodstorm, Brute, Captain America, Gambit, Havok, Ice-Man (the Six)
Jean Grey

Wolverine
Mariko Yashida (Wolverine’s wife)
Marie and Brian (Wolverine’s daughter and son)

Sabretooth

Lloyd and other hunters
Simba and Jack (dogs of the hunters)

Training battle droids used by the Six

in Jean’s nightmare
Bloodstorm, Brute, Captain America, Havok, Gambit, Ice-Man (the Six)

Jean Grey

Wolverine

in Wolverine’s flash-back:
Sabretooth, Wild Child, Wolverine (the Pack)

Jean Grey

Weapon X scientist (unnamed and face unseen)

Notes:
Wolverine, Sabretooth and Wild Child previously appeared when they formed the team called the Pack. Each of them were in an uncontrolled, berserk state at the time and lured Havok into helping them find the abandoned and destroyed Weapon X complex and learned what happened to them. Wolverine has apparently forgotten about that, because of his headaches. [Mutant X #3]

In the real universe, Mariko Yashida was only Wolverine’s girlfriend. She was a daughter of a Japanese crimelord, Shingen, and belonged to his criminal Yashida clan. She is the niece to Sunfire and the Silver Samurai. Wolverine and Mariko agreed to marry each other but, during the ceremony, she refused to take Logan as her husband, but only because she was under the mind control of Mastermind. After this was all revealed to the X-Men, Mariko didn’t want Logan back because she felt like she didn’t deserve his love anymore. Later, Wolverine agreed to put Mariko out of her misery when she was infected by a deadly virus, and Logan killed her with his own claws. He never had any children with her. [X-Men (1st series) #118, Wolverine (1st series) #1-4, Uncanny X-Men #173, Wolverine (2nd series) #53]

The unseen Weapon X scientist is most likely James Hudson, though this is uncertain.

Issue Summary written by: Homer Jay

 

[RAMORE]

Mutant X #29



Issue Date: March 2001
Story Title: Logan’s Running

Staff: Howard Mackie (writer), Tom Lyle (pencils), Michael Golden (cover), Andrew Pepoy (inks), Gina Going (colors), Chris Eliopoulos (letters), Lysa Hawkins (assistant editor), Joe Quesada (editor-in-chief)

Brief Description:
Wolverine has been brought to the castle of the Six and seems back to normal. Alex and Jean watch Logan fight some computer simulated battle droids and have their doubts about Logan’s current state. When Jean flies over to Logan, wanting to tell him something, Wolverine stops his fighting, explaining to Jean that, whatever they had in the past, it’s over. It never should have happened in the first place, he says. Logan says he’s happily married, a dad, even. That’s not what Jean wanted to talk about but, before she can finish her sentence, James Hudson shows up. Wolverine recognizes Hudson and becomes angry when he sees him, even wanting to kill him! Hudson explains to Wolverine that Sabretooth has his family and wants to give them back to Logan. Wolverine agrees to work along and goes with Hudson, Jean and Havok to Canada. Wolverine knows that this is all a set-up, but he catches Sabretooth’s scent and goes in, followed by Jean and Havok. Meanwhile, Wild Child finds Marie alive and wants to take her back to safety. But Sabretooth shows up and kills Wild Child. Wolverine tracks Sabretooth down and is too fast for Jean and Alex to follow. They try to catch up, but are ambushed by Sabretooth, who knocks them both down and drags Jean away. He wants to make Logan suffer. Wolverine finds his kids, who are happy to see their dad after so many years. Havok warns Logan that it was all a set-up and that Sabretooth now has both Mariko and Jean. Wolverine goes to rescue them and orders Havok to guard his kids with his life. Sabretooth tells Logan that he can choose who he’s going to kill. Wolverine doesn’t want to chose or fight and withdraws his claws. Sabretooth decides to chose for Logan but, before he can do that, his body gets burned up by Havok. Sabretooth’s startled, so Wolverine jumps at him and slices Creed’s head off, killing him! Wolverine’s finally reunited with his family but, before they can leave, they find themselves surrounded by lots of army helicopters.

Full Synopsis:
Wolverine has been brought to the castle of the Six and given a new costume. Now training, fighting some battle droids, Wolverine finds he is in a bad mood and has the need of killing something! From the balcony of the castle, Havok and Jean watch over Logan, fighting on the grounds below. Alex notices that Wolverine is apparently 100% recovered from his wounds. Jean says that’s what Logan does best. But, Alex doubts if Logan’s mind is in the same state.

Jean says that Logan designed and ran the fighting program using the Six’ computers, and the programs are years ahead of anything the Six had. The droids Wolverine fights are thinking for themselves. That’s not what Havok meant, he says. Havok says he knows that Logan is smart, but seems to be so on the edge. He’s fearing that one time Logan might give in into his animal instincts. After all, Wolverine has been running for years through the Canadian woods. Jean says that they are never going to be certain about that, but what choice do they have?

One of the battle droids fires a laser at Logan, which hits his arm. Wolverine’s not bothered by it and fights back. Jean tells Havok that he can try to stop the man. In a spy game, Wolverine’s a one man army. He’s very talented, too. When Havok asks if Jean has spoken to him, Jean replies no. Alex says he’ll talk to him, but Jean refuses to let him. Alex finds that Logan needs to be told. Jean agrees, but she’ll be the one who tells him. Jean telekinetically flies up, telling Havok to just keep them away from him. Otherwise, they’ll see just how wild Logan can get and they probably won’t be able to stop him. And Jean doesn’t know if she’d want to. A voice at the back asks Havok if she trusts her. Alex says he does, with his life, and has done that several time now.

The voice is happy for that, but tells Alex that they don’t have all day, because this is an international incident. Unless, the voice sadistically says, Alex wants to be the cause of any more hostilities between their countries. Alex gets angry, telling the voice to not push him. Jean flies towards Logan, asking if they can talk. Sure, Wolverine says, he was just finishing up after all. He smashes the final droid down and talks to Jean, who lands.

Logan asks Jean what she’s been up to while he was gone. Maybe she got married, or is she still with S.H.I.E.L.D.? Jean denies all of that. She apologizes but they haven’t got much chance to talk since Logan is back. Logan calms her down, saying that he knows what Jean wants to say, and tells her that whatever they had, it’s over. And it never should have happened in the first place, because Logan has a family. He’s happily married. A dad, even. And now that his mind is back under control and Sabretooth is dead, Logan can’t wait to go back to that life.

Jean says that Logan doesn’t understand, but Logan says that it’ll be all okay. Before Logan can finish his sentence, the voice shows up, saying that it won’t be okay. Jean gets angry at the voice, saying that she hasn’t even told Logan yet. Wolverine unsheathes his claws, but Jean tries to calm him down, saying that he’s not worth it. Wolverine recognizes Hudson, saying that this should have been finished a long time ago! He jumps at Hudson, ready to kill him. James Hudson, however, just stands there, all relaxed.

Hudson tells Logan that he didn’t finished it, didn’t he? Instead, Logan eviscerated him and left Hudson to die. Let Hudson open to the scientists who worked on him, but he didn’t turn out as pretty as Logan. He’s more a machine than a man now. Logan wants to kill Hudson, but Jean telekinetically holds him back. Logan says that it won’t hold him forever, and he will kill Hudson for what he did to him. Logan remembers that Hudson turned him into the… thing he is now. Hudson betrayed him and his family. Logan asks why, because they were best friends once. Like brothers.

Hudson says he did Logan a favor. He could have led him, Sabretooth and Wild Child run through the woods forever, with the Professor thinking that their minds were lost forever. That using mutants was a mistake. Hudson did it for the good of the Program. There is nothing that Hudson wouldn’t do for his country and Queen, he says. Wolverine doesn’t believe that Hudson would even take his life away for that. Hudson explains that he knew that Sabretooth was always going to be a wild card. Wild Child just a child. But Wolverine, he had gotten soft. Forgot who and what he was. It all changed when Wolverine decided to get married, settle in. So they took away the choice. Hudson says that Logan should be glad it was him, because others wanted to eliminate Logan’s loved ones.

Jean still holds Wolverine back, but has trouble concentrating and holding it together. Hudson confirms that it was he who saved Wolverine. And how did Logan repay him? By killing half his staff and run away to the woods. Hudson had to have Logan back and had to send Sabretooth. Wolverine’s still angry and thanks Hudson, saying that he’ll see him in hell. Hudson’s not so sure, not if Logan wants to see his wife and kids alive again. Logan gets even more angrier and asks if Hudson has him. He denies, but says Sabretooth has. And Hudson claims that he is Logan’s only chance to get them back. Logan calms down and Jean releases him, just in time before she faints in Havok’s arms.

A short time later on the Canadian border…
Hudson has taken Wolverine, Jean and Havok aboard a helicopter and they are being followed by other helicopters, which belong to Hudson, too. Hudson opens the helicopter’s door, and Wolverine tells Hudson that, when this is over, he’s still going to kill him. Hudson says he knows that Logan will try that. Hudson then explains that they are close to the Canadian border now and that he is risking his career right now. Hudson claims that what they wanted him to do was drug Logan and drag him back to the Program. Hudson begs Logan, Jean and Alex that, whatever they do, they should not cross into Canada, their country. Logan tells Hudson that Canada stopped being his country a long time ago. Logan could see that Canada was turning into something he no longer wanted to be a part of.

Wolverine explains that Jean and Alex are there to watch his back. Logan promises Hudson that he will get his family back, and will get even Sabretooth back to Creed, but then he’s out of here. Wolverine realizes that this is a set-up, but he can’t risk his family. And, when this is over, Logan promises Hudson that after this one of them won’t be alive anymore to talk about it. Hudson explains that Sabretooth is out there and they sent Wild Child to track him down. But they haven’t got word from him for several days and was given orders to just reconnoiter only. Wolverine gets angry and calls Hudson a fool, because Wild Child is more guts than brains. He’s more anxious to be a super-hero than anything else. He’ll just turn up dead. Wolverine jumps out of the helicopter and catches Creed’s scent and goes in.

Jean telekinetically lands herself and Havok on the ground, asking Logan if he’s sure that this is the place. Wolverine smells Sabretooth’s burnt scent and knows that he’s got Mariko and his kids. He also wants to take the lead, because he doesn’t want to spook Creed. The helicopter’s pilot tells Hudson that they’ve got a phone call from… the Professor. Hudson was afraid of that. Nearby, Wolverine is getting closer. He tells Jean and Havok to not be too far behind and be ready, as Sabretooth is good. Almost as good as he is. A short time later, Jean and Alex have already lost Logan. But, before they can do anything, Sabretooth sneaks up on them. He tells them that Logan went in the exact direction that he wanted him to. Sabretooth says that he was doing this before Logan was even born and, before he realizes what happened, it’ll be too late. The kids jump in Logan’s arms. Havok shows up, telling Logan that it was all a set-up from Creed and that he’s got Jean now. Suddenly, there’s a loud scream and Logan goes to the rescue, ordering Havok to stay with his kids and protect them with his life. Wolverine quickly finds Creed and, luckily, no one’s dead yet. Wolverine tells Creed that Hudson’s not coming to save him this time, and it’s just two of them.

Sabretooth laughs, not believing that Logan actually believes that. He wonders how many lies Hudson told Logan this time. Sabretooth tells Logan to not trust anyone, especially not special agents to the crown. Sabretooth mocks Logan that they’ve got his brains scrambled pretty good at the Program. Or maybe it was Mariko? Sabretooth sadistically licks Mariko with his tongue, this making Logan angry. Wolverine snikts his claws open, telling Creed to let her and Jean go. This is between them only.

Sabretooth explains that Logan proved that neither of them can kill each other. The gas thank proved that much. But, before Hudson and his troops arrive to catch them again and do things with their brains again, Creed wants to make Logan suffer and kill one of the two women he loves. Sabretooth makes Logan choose which one dies: Mariko or Jean. Wolverine sheathes his claws. Sabretooth doesn’t like it, so he plans to chose for Logan. But before he can do that, he smells something. He tells Mariko to stop struggling, but she tells it’s because of the heat. Sabretooth wonders what she means by that, heat. They’re in Canada. Suddenly, Creed looks scared, because… his body’s on fire! Wolverine quickly jumps at the startled Creed and rescues both Jean and Mariko. Sabretooth demands to know who’s doing this to him.

It’s Havok’s doing, who has been making a low level, wide angle plasma field for the past five minutes on Creed. It’s all part of Havok’s mutant powers. Creed’s Adamantium skeleton is an excellent conductor for the heat and he will keep pushing it until he falls down. Wolverine tells Havok to not bother, he’ll do the job. Wolverine jumps at Creed and slashes his head off! Sabretooth is dead.

Mariko and the kids hug Logan, with Mariko saying that she knew that Logan wasn’t dead. She felt it in her heart. Wolverine wants to safe it for a proper reunion when they get home. At the back, Jean takes care of Havok’s wounds, putting some bandages on them. Alex asks Jean if she’s okay. She is, she says, this is the way things should be. And Jean never had any interest in being the other woman.

When Alex asks Logan what to do next, Wolverine says wants to get out of there, but they are too late. Hudson has betrayed Logan a second time and, this time, he’s brought reinforcements. They all look up to the sky, and find themselves surrounded by lots of army helicopters.

Characters:
Havok (all the Six)
Jean Grey

Wolverine
Mariko Yashida (Wolverine’s wife)
Marie and Brian (Wolverine’s daughter and son)

Sabretooth

Wild Child

James Hudson/Guardian (all Alpha Flight)

Training battle droids used by the Six

Notes:
James Hudson previously briefly appeared as the Guardian of the Canadian super-team, Alpha Flight. [Mutant X #3]

The title is a play on Logan's Run, a popular sci-fi movie from the seventies.

The Crown is a different word for all the English countries, more specifically the ruling Queen.

Issue Summary written by: Homer Jay

 

[RAMORE]

Mutant X #30



Issue Date: April 2001
Story Title: Blame Canada!

Staff: Howard Mackie (writer), Ron Lim (pencils), Michael Golden (cover), Andrew Pepoy (inks), Chris Eliopoulos (letters), Gina Going (colors), Lysa Hawkins (editor), Joe Quesada (editor-in-chief)

Brief Description:
Having not heard from their leader Havok in hours, the rest of the Six travel to Canada to find out what’s wrong. But, before they can cross the border, they are attacked by the Avengers. The leader of the Avengers, the Black Widow, tells the Six to turn back quick, or they’ll fight them. The Avengers, and especially the Widow, all seem to have a grudge towards Captain America, who left them when they needed him most. The Avengers claim that they also almost died because of him. Bloodstorm isn’t interested, as she wants to get Havok back, so the two super-teams begin to fight. Cap can’t believe that this is happening. Meanwhile, James Hudson and the Professor arrive and want to bring Wolverine back into the Program, so the Professor sends his Super-Soldiers out in search of Logan. He, Alex and Jean have barely enough strength to defeat one Soldier and wonder how they could defeat a platoon of them. Havok and the others make it to the border, but find both the Six and the Avengers, defeated! Only an exhausted Captain America still stands. Havok asks Cap what happened, but he only mumbles things. Wolverine smells something; they’ve got company. He snikts his claws open and the Professor, the Super-Soldiers and Hudson arrive on the scene. Hudson tells Logan that fighting isn’t such a good idea. It’s over.

Full Synopsis:
The Six, minus Havok, reach the border of Canada in their plane. Captain America tells his teammates that they are about to disobey international laws and will probably be the cause to World War IV. If anyone has second thoughts, Cap asks, now is the time to say it. Bloodstorm explains to Cap that the last message they got from Havok was that Wolverine’s family was endangered by the Canadian government. Since Havok’s their leader, they must go and help. Cap says he simply had to ask it.

Cap looks scared, suddenly, seeing him! It’s… Iron Giant Man! Iron Giant Man says that he won’t give the mutants a second warning. They must turn their plane around now, or else he’ll blast them out of the sky. Cap panics, thinking that Iron Giant Man must have been in stealth mode. Cap believes that, with him there, the other Avengers are probably not far behind and wants to go back. Bloodstorm doesn’t think so and goes on. Cap tries to warn her, but is too late, as Iron Giant Man fires a blast.

Cap again begs to turn around, but they are too late: the Avengers are there! The Black Widow, Hawkeye, Deathlok and Typhoid Mary all rush into the battle. Cap says that they are Earth’s mightiest super-heroes and they can’t defeat them. Bloodstorm still refuses to go and is determinated to assist Havok.

Meanwhile, Havok and Wolverine have hiddden themselves behind a tree, trying to be safe from the approaching army helicopters. Wolverine tells Havok that he knew the Canadian special ops weren’t going to let him leave, no matter what Hudson said. But Logan wants to bring his family into safety first and makes Havok promise he’ll get them safe. Alex promises and asks Logan why he’s so concerned all of a sudden. Wolverine says it’s because he recognizes the helicopters’ markings, they are transports. And they could mean serious trouble. Wolverine knows that Hudson brought the reinforcements to get him back – alive if they can – so that they can scramble his brain again. But Hudson would rather kill Logan than get him alive.

Wolverine shouts to Jean and Mariko to grab the kids and leave. Jean senses Logan’s fear and asks who’s coming. Wolverine says that they are dealing with the Super-Soldiers. Jean now understands Logan’s fear. Hudson walks out of his helicopters, commanding the Super-Soldiers to secure perimeters. The Professor comes out too, telling Hudson not to presume that he’s in charge over the Professor’s creations. The Professor just waves his hand and the Super-Soldiers fan out, knowing what to do. The Professor tells Hudson that words are for idiots.

The Professor again tells Hudson not to assume command. Because, if the Professor had his way, he’d scramble Hudson’s mind like he does with all of his charges and his current Alpha Flight team. But the Professor knew that Hudson still seems to have connections to the Crown, so he had to leave his mind intact. The Professor believes that mutants can never be trusted and finds them nothing more than wild animals and will never be the humans’ successors. The Professor also believes that this never would have happened if he had his way. Sabretooth should have never been sent after Wolverine, but his Super-Soldiers.

Hudson tries to defend himself saying that the Professor was occupied elsewhere, with the Moscow uprising. The Professor has no use for excuses, Hudson simply messed up and now he can clean it up. The Professor says that all they’ve got to do now is wait untill his Super-Soldiers have dealt with Wolverine and his mutant friends. Hudson and the Professor go back to the helicopter. The Professor asks if there’s any word from the border and if the Americans have reacted yet. No word yet, Hudson explains. The Professor is certain that they will react soon.

Elsewhere, the Six have stepped out of their plane and Cap greets his former Avenger teammates. Iron Giant Man shrinks down to normal size and Cap talks to the Black Widow. Cap says that he’s relieved to see Natasha so well and says that there hasn’t passed a day without him thinking about them. Cap also tells the Avengers that there is no need to fight; they are all on the same side. Cap wants to make an understanding, but the Widow gets upset, not wanting to listen to a coward like Cap and demands a real leader among the Six. Cap tells Nathasha that she knows he never meant to…

Before Cap can finish his sentence, Nathasha asks what he means. He doesn’t mean to negotiate? Does Cap want to fight? So be it, Natasha says. But before the Black Widow can send her team, Bloodstorm speaks and says that she is the Six’s leader in Havok’s abscence. The Black Widow’s resolute and orders Bloodstorm to listen, while she talks. Natasha says that there will be no negotiations. The Avengers have been enforced to protect international policies. Ice-Man asks what Cap did to piss them all off so much. Weren’t they his friends? Cap explains that he and the Widow were once a lot more than just friends, and he let the Avengers down when they needed him most. The Avengers almost died because of him. And he ran away from them.

Bloodstorm tries to explain to the Widow that Havok and their friends are on the other side of the border and they haven’t heard from them in hours. The Black Widow is glad to see Bloodstorm so commited to her teammates and wished they were all like that. Natasha tells Bloodstorm that, should Havok make it to the border, she won’t stop him from returning. But Natasha won’t allow the Six to cross the border, due to the international laws. The laws have been on a low level ever since the Goblin Queen tried to use Canada as her assault launchpad. If they give the Canadians any reason to distrust them again, America won’t have any back-up in the fight. America won’t be able to withstand the attack. The Black Widow apologizes, but orders Bloodstorm to turn back and do it quickly. She assures her that the Avengers are excersising extreme restraint from tearing up the traitor.

Noticing that Deathlok, Hawkeye, Iron Giant Man and Typhoid Mary all have angry looks on their faces, Bloodstorm says that she doesn’t understand the mistrust towards Captain America, but does understand the Avengers’ orders. But she hopes that the Avengers also understand theirs. Bloodstorm quickly charges up and unleashes large thunderbolts and strikes the Black Widow down!

The Avenger and the Six go to the attack, but Cap, frightened, stays at the back. Ice-Man tells him to come; they’ve got to prove themselves. Cap doesn’t want to and can’t believe that this is happening. Meanwhile, one of the Super-Soldiers has separated himself from his group, searching for Wolverine. Wolverine sneaks up from him and snikts his claws open and jumps at the Soldier, but the Soldier has smelled Logan’s stench and punches him back. Havok and Jean show up and want to help Logan but the Soldier mocks Logan that he never thought Logan to be so special like the others said he was, and now he’s proven right. Wolverine tells Jean and Havok to stay back; he wants to fight alone.

The Super-Soldier takes out his build-in knives, which Logan can just withstand with his claws. Wolverine strikes back and slices the Soldier through the face. The Soldier says that Wolverine is too much of a wild card and would never have made it through the Program. Wolverine says maybe that’s he’s just too smart for it, for spending the rest of his life living as a robot.

The Soldier charges up his knife and slams it on Wolverine’s chin, making him drop on his knees. The Soldier is ready to kill Logan, but finds resistance in Havok and Jean, who combine their powers against the Soldier. The Soldier moves over to them, but Wolverine gets up and slices his claws through the Soldier’s stomach, killing him. Wolverine has had enough and wants to go after his family now. But they’ve seen now what one Soldier can do, imagine a combined platoon! And they know how Canada took over all of Russia, China and Southeast Asia.

A short time later, the mutants finally make it to the border but, what they find, they have never seen before: The Six and the Avengers… defeated! All who’s left standing is an exhausted Captain America, sitting on his knees.

Havok orders Jean to stay with Mariko and the kids, while he and Logan go to find out what happened. Wolverine says that they don’t have time for this, as the other Super-Soldiers will soon arrive. The heroes are all still alive, but in no shape to help them. Wolverine wants to bring his family into safety first. Havok tells Logan to go, but he can’t leave his friends behind.

Havok asks Cap what happened but Cap can only mumble, and says that this can’t be happening, not there. Alex tells Cap to snap out of it and asks where they are. Cap mumbles, “not they.” Wolverine smells something, they’ve got company! Wolverine snikts his claws open and sees who it is. Hudson, the Super-Soldiers and the Professor have arrived. Hudson tells Logan that fighting is not such a good idea. It’s over.

Characters:
Bloodstorm, Brute, Captain America, Gambit, Havok, Ice-Man (the Six)
Jean Grey

Black Widow, Deathlok, Hawkeye, Iron Giant Man, Typhoid Mary (the Avengers)

Wolverine
Mariko Yashida (Wolverine’s wife)
Marie and Brian (Wolverine’s daughter and son)

James Hudson/Guardian (all Alpha Flight)
The Professor
Super-Soldiers (unnamed)

Notes:
World War I really happened and went from the year 1914-1918.
World War II really happened as well, from the year 1940-1945.
World War III is considered to be the attack of the Goblin Queen, from Mutant X #1-12.

The Crown is a different name for the all English countries, more specifically the ruling queen.

The Avengers’ battle cry in this universe is: “Avengers… Attack!” In the real universe, the battle cry is “Avengers Assemble!”

Alpha Flight briefly appeared in Mutant X #3.

Sabretooth was sent out by Hudson (against The Professor’s commands) to retrieve Wolverine alive in Mutant X #28-29.

Issue Summary written by: Homer Jay

 

[Brainiac 8]

Lost of recaps....but man this series was great.

 

[RAMORE]

Mutant X #31



Issue Date: May 2001
Story Title: You Say You Want A Resolution?

Staff: Howard Mackie (writer), Ron Lim (pencils), Michael Golden (cover), Andrew Pepoy (inks), Gina Going (colors), Chris Eliopoulos (letters), Lysa Hawkins (editor), Joe Quesada (editor-in-chief)

Brief Description:
Deep within the core of the Earth, a mysterious creature begins to awake from it’s long rest. On Earth itself, Captain America gets out of control and increazes in an enormous size and receives an enermous amount of energy. The Professor order Hudson and his Super-Soldiers to destroy Cap but, before they can do that, Cap kills them all! Havok fears and wonders how they could possibly stop Captain America. The Avengers wake up and try to fight Cap, but he finds them traitors and kills them all! Alex tells Wolverine to take Jean and get his family into safety, while he stays behind to stop Cap. They do, and Alex also orders the Six to leave in their plane. Havok and Captain America fight, which concludes in Havok killing Captain America. Havok and the Six return to their castle, only to be ambushed by Dracula, bites Havok’s in the neck. Now that Dracula has fed, the real fun can begin.

Full Synopsis:
Deep within the core of the planet known as Earth, there is a being of immense power. Within recent memory, he came from beyond the farthest reaches of the known universe and ignited a secret war. A gathering of Earth’s mightiest heroes and villains, who barely defeated this creature of beyond. Now, the creature sleeps. Trapped within fire, the creature continues his rest.

Meanwhile, near the U.S./Canadian border, a battle begins. Wolverine orders Havok and Jean to get Mariko and his kids out of there, while he handles the Professor and his many Super-Soldiers. Havok doesn’t obey and says that they’ll do this together. Wolverine tells Alex to do it; they can’t far or fast enough. They’ll end this here. The Professor says that Havok is right: they cannot run. But, ending this, they can’t do either.

The Professor asks Logan to come back where he belongs: the Weapon X Program. The Professor promises Logan that, if he comes now, he’ll let his friends and family go. The Professor explains, the moment he and his troops came, the border fell down like dominoes. Even as they speak, missile silos are opening, troops are being scrambled and bombers launched. The Professor asks Logan if he really wants to be the cause of World War IV.

Captain America screams, “No!” and everybody turns their attention to Cap, who starts glowing with energy and increasing size. Cap mumbles that they are enemies of the state and that he must protect, serve and defend! Cap freakishly grows in an enermous size and is out of control! Cap continues his mumbling, saying that he must destroy the enemies of America.

A startled Professor says that he heard the rumors of this, but assumed it was the C.I.A.’s disinformation machine at work. The Americans, before Canada’s forces pilfered their Super-Soldier Program and killed it’s inventor, they experimented on one individual. He turned out to have a latent mutantcy wich turned out to be a disaster. They, and he, couldn’t control it. His powers were supposed to be off all measurable scales! But the Professor thought that he was dead. That it was just a failed experiment. An enlarged Captain America says that he lives, ready to defend their great nation from invasion!

Cap runs towards the Professor, wanting to kill him. The Professor believes Cap to be insane and orders the Super-Soldiers to kill Captain America. Cap fires an energly blast against the Professor and mumbles that there are too many enemies, but he must destroy them all. The Professor gets scared and believes Cap to be insane. He begs the Super-Soldiers, Hudson and Wolverine for help. The Professor wants this creature destroyed before it kills them all! Hudson sends the Super-Soldiers out to do the job. Havok can’t believe what’s happening and asks Wolverine what’s happening to Captain America.

Havok fears, because if Cap was capable of taking down the Six and the Avengers, two of Earth’s greatest super-heroic teams, then he doesn’t want to find out what he can do to them. Wolverine sees this as their perfect chance, letting Cap handle the villains so that they can get his family to safety. The Professor finds himself surrounded by energy and tells Hudson that he can’t stand the pain in his head. The Professor orders Hudson to kill Cap, but then the Professor suddenly vanishes, only his glasses remaining. Havok asks Wolverine if he felt that energy and asks what’s going on. Wolverine doesn’t care and just wants to move.

The Super-Soldiers open fire on Cap, but he makes surrounds himself with a protective force-fields, against which the bullets all are deflected. Cap still mumbles and says that the enemies of the state… all his training says to protect and to destroy! The Soldiers try to outflank Cap and increase their shooting fire. Cap is still unharmed, thanks to his force-field, but then he starts growing again and becomes even larger than before. Cap says that he is the Sentinel of Liberty! He is the living embodiment of the American ideal! Let freedom ring! Cap increases his energy and completly glows. He unleashes the energy and kills all the Super-Soldiers! He is Captain America!

At that same moment, in the Earth’s core, there is a stirring. The mysterious creature trapped in fire slightly opens its eyes.

Meanwhile, Havok stops running, because it doesn’t feel right. Alex feels that something bad is going to happen. Wolverine feels that too, saying that all hell is going to break loose here. Wolverine says that, if he knows the American military, it’s going to be a massive air strike in these parts within the 10 minutes. Wolverine knows that they won’t risk another full-scale Canadian invasion. It’s how they lost Maine. Wolverine tells Alex not to be stupid and move. Havok says that he is going back for the Six and the Avengers. He can’t leave them behind.

Wolverine says that they could be dead by now, for all they know. Alex wants to know that for sure. Wolverine snikts his claws open and threatens Alex that he needs him to get his family into safety. Alex says that Logan’s got Jean for that. They’ll be fine. Havok takes off and Wolverine goes with Jean and his family.

Meanwhile, Captain America says that he knows that they are coming. He looks to the sky and sees helicopters approaching. Cap prepares to blast the helicopters down but, instead, he gets blasted! Iron Giant Man is surprised to see Cap still standing, because that repulsor ray he fired is supposed to be strong enough to take down a mountain.

Iron Giant Man tells Cap to stop this insantiy and get a grip on himself. Cap asks Iron Giant Man if it’s wrong to be a patriot, to love your country? Captain America charges up and slams Iron Giant Man down! Cap continues smashing Iron Giant Man in the face, telling Stark that he could never see the truth. That Stark was always more loyal to his machine than to the flag. A flag stained with the blood belonging ot the patriots before Cap. Cap says that Stark and his kind disguist him. Cap slams so hard that he destroys Iron Giant Man’s mask and makes Stark faint.

Suddenly, Cap gets a blast from Havok, who tells Cap that it’s over. Cap says that it’s far from over; it’s only the beginning. Cap finds Havok to be the worst traitor of them all; he’s not even from this world. Typhoid Mary gets up, telling Cap that they are. Mary and the other Avengers try to blast Captain America down, not allowing to let Cap destroy everything they believe in. Cap tells the Avengers not to tell him about loyalties, adding that the Avengers are traitors too, who are only loyal to the super-heroics. Cap fires his energies and kills the Avengers!

Seeing this, the Six get up and Havok orders Bloodstorm to take the plane and leave. When Bloodstorm asks what Alex is going to do, Havok says that, no matter how much he hates it, he’ll has to kill Captain America. And he’ll have to do that before the world destroys itself. At the same moment, more helicopters arrive and are being commanded by General Ross. Also at that moment, at the Earth’s core, the creature is now fully awake.

Havok uses the full potential of his plasma-blast that surround him completly. Captain America does the same with his powers. Cap and Havok fire at the same time, which causes a huge explosion, laying waste to the area. Jean, however, protects Wolverine and his family with a telekinetic force-field, while Ice-Man protects his teammates with an ice-shield. And still, the battle goes on. Havok can’t believe what he is doing. Alex grows mad, saying that, if Cap destroyed the moon, killed Scotty, the X-Men even, he’ll…! Havok fires a powerful plasma-blast and kills Captain America! Havok can’t believe what he has done. At the Earth’s core, the creature is awake.

Sometime later, Havok has already left the deceased body of Captain America. A person approaches Cap, telling Cap to come to him. The person says that he has so much to learn about this person since it last walked above. So much to learn about Alex Summers, this interdimmensional walker.

Meanwhile, the Six are back at their castle. Alex wants to do something, but doesn’t know where to begin or where to help. This isn’t a normal super-villain threat. Havok orders Bloodstorm to spread the word and find out who of the heroes survived and to make one large group.

Suddenly, Havok is grabbed by the neck and someone bites it! Everyone panics and Bloodstorm can’t believe to see… Dracula! Dracula introduces himself, thanking Bloodstorm for this tasty mutant treat. Dracula says that Havok’s blood is filled with energies he never tasted before. And, now that he has fed, Dracula says, the real fun can begin.

Characters:
Bloodstorm, Brute, Captain America, Gambit, Havok, Ice-Man (the Six)
Jean Grey

Black Widow, Deathlok, Hawkeye, Iron Giant Man, Typhoid Mary (the Avengers)

Wolverine
Mariko Yashida (Wolverine’s wife)
Marie and Brian (Wolverine’s daughter and son)

The Professor
James Hudson/Guardian (all Alpha Flight)
Super-Soldiers (unnamed)

Dracula

The Beyonder

General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross
unnamed human soldiers

Notes:
The story continues in Mutant X Annual 2001 and concludes, along with the series, in Mutant X #32.

Scotty went to live on the moon with the X-Men in their secret hideout in the hope to be safer there in Mutant X #23.

World War I really happened and went from the year 1914-1918.
World War II really happened as well, from the year 1940-1945.
World War III is considered to be the attack of the Goblin Queen, from Mutant X #1-12.

The Secret Wars consisted in the real universe out of gathered heroes and villains, whom the Beyonder wanted to find out the meaning of desire. With the heroes winning, they eventually returned home, as did the villains. [Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1-12]

Issue Summary written by: Homer Jay

 

[RAMORE]

Mutant X #32



Issue Date: June 2001
Story Title: The End

Staff: Howard Mackie (writer), Ron Lim (pencils), Michael Golden (cover), Andrew Pepoy (inks), Sandy Florea (additional inks), Gina Going (colors), Chris Eliopoulos (letters), Lysa Hawkins (editor), Joe Quesada (editor-in-chief)

Brief Description:
Magneto allies himself with Dr. Strange and, together they make a plan and teleport themselves and the rest of the Six into safety. With him overhearing the heroes plan, Dracula makes a deal with the Beyonder, that Dracula gets to drain every super-powered being’s life-force and, in return, he shall bring the Beyonder to Alex. Magneto brings his friends to his hidden citadel in Antarctica and tends their wounded, continuing making battle plans. Havok receives unsuspected aid in the likes of Reed Richards, the Fallen, Professor Charles Xavier and Baron Mordo! They make a special suit for Alex, which should help him in his fight against the Beyonder. Dr. Strange explains that it is not really the Beyonder they are fighting but… the Goblin Queen! The Goblin Queen has returned and has merged with what was left over of the Beyonder’s essence and is now more dangerous than ever. Strange warns to Havok that he must protect the Nexus of all Realities, which now resides inside Havok’s body and isn’t destroyed, as they first thought. Havok confronts the Goblin Queen, who tries to lure Havok to her side. Dracula teleports inside the citadel, but Bloodstorm puts a stake through his body, killing Dracula. Havok is powerful enough to withstand the Goblin Queen’s tricks and makes her stop hiding behind Madelyne. After Havok tries to blast her down, the Goblin Force briefly turns back into Madelyne. Havok promises Madelyne that everything is going to be fine and makes her promise to tell Scotty that he shall always be with him. As Madelyne is teleported back to Earth, Havok destroys the Goblin Force, trapping it in the Nexus of Realities, which Alex now plants into Madelyne’s body. The Goblin Force disappears and Havok wins the battle. Alex falls away into a deep, dark space, closing his eyes. Havok remembers dying, but mostly, he remembers… living!

Full Synopsis:
The end is near. Magneto holds his dying daughter, Polaris, in his arms. Polaris says that she feels cold and can’t see. Magneto tries to calm her down, saying that she is going to be fine. He only wished that she didn’t come out here, because she was already wounded, thanks to Dracula. Polaris apologizes, but she had to tell him and the others.

Polaris asks what has become of the other X-Men and the Defenders. Is the battle over? Magneto says it is. Polaris asks if they can go home now. Soon, Magneto promises. Soon. Behind them lie the deceased bodies of many heroes. The Beyonder beats on his chest, demanding that someone brings him Alex Summers!

Polaris starts crying, saying that she is scared. Magneto cries too, telling Polaris that she shouldn’t be. Magneto tells Polaris to close her eyes: daddy’s there. Polaris does and she dies. Magneto’s face grows incensed and he turns his attention to the Beyonder. Magneto promises his deceased daughter that those who did this to her shall pay! Magneto prepares to attack the Beyonder, but Dr. Strange shows up, saying that Magneto shouldn’t attack out of grief and anger, which is never a good motive. Magneto tells Strange that he shall attack, he has lost two of his children this day and far too many friends. Strange says that is no excuse to destroy the world! Magneto asks what else should he do. Is there another way to stop this madman? Dr. Strange prays that there is one.

Meanwhile, Havok finds himself surrounded in a black area and Scotty is with him. Scotty is glad that his dad is awake now. Now they can finally safe the world. A confused Alex asks what happened. Scotty shows Alex images of the past few minutes and how Alex saved the Six, but that he was too late to save Elektra. But that doesn’t matter, Scotty says, he knows that she won’t be gone forever.

Alex’s sight begins to fade away and Scotty calls for Alex. Alex sees Bloodstorm, who asks if he’s okay. Alex takes a look at his hands, which begin to fade as well. Alex asks what’s happened. Alex tries to snap out of it and is back in the castle of the Six. Alex asks what happened. The only thing he can remember was that he was asleep. Scotty explains that Dracula bit Alex and Bloodstorm informs Alex that that isn’t their only concern. The Beyonder is out there too and that Dr. Strange said that Alex is the only one who can stop him.

Alex is still confused and doesn’t understand much of what Bloodstorm is saying. Bloodstorm slaps Alex in the face, telling him to snap out of it. Alex gets a hold on himself and asks what he must do. Bloodstorm doesn’t know, but she explains that the X-Men and the Defenders protected them and that their battle is what she thinks they are hearing now. Suddenly, they hear one of the Beyonder’s loud pounds and the entire castle starts to shake. Bloodstorm tells Havok that Strange told her that Alex is the key in defeating the Beyonder. Alex says that he’ll go and orders Bloodstorm and Ice-Man to take care of Scotty and Brute.

As Alex moves to go outside, he remembers the Beyonder of his universe. The Beyonder there was a alien godlike creature that made the most powerful heroes and villains fight each other so that he could find out which side was more powerful. But Alex can’t remember how they defeated the Beyonder, as he wasn’t one of the heroes fighting him. Alex wonders how he could possible stop the Beyonder.

Dr. Strange teleports in, telling Havok that he can’t defeat the Beyonder. Not yet, that is. Havok gets confused because Bloodstorm told him that Strange said that he was the key in defeating the Beyonder. Strange falls down, dropping in Magneto’s arms, and says that he was mistaken. As they still hear the Beyonder’s pounding, Magneto informs that they have little time for explanations. Strange uses all of his energies to hold a mystical shield around the castle, preventing the Beyonder to come inside. But the Beyonder is pounding on the shield and shall break through in time. Bloodstorm tells them to let Alex go to him. Strange won’t allow that, because it is Alex whom the Beyonder wants. Or rather, both Alex and Strange. Meaning that the Beyonder wants the Nexus of all Realities!

Havok can’t believe that; Strange must be insane. Havok destroyed the Nexus when they were fighting the Goblin Queen. Havok wants to go help the X-Men and the others. Magneto tells Havok that it is too late for that. When Alex says he can’t believe that they have indeed all fallen, Dr. Strange uses his powers to make Alex see all the deceased bodies of the fallen heroes. Alex can’t believe that they are all dead. He can’t possibly see a way to defeat the Beyonder if even the Gods themselves have failed. Magneto calms Alex down, telling him that there might not be a way to save this universe or their children, but they might be able to safe the nature of all realities. Dr. Strange teleports them all away. As the heroes are gone, Dracula steps out of the shadow. He senses opportunity and turns into mist, teleporting upside.

At that moment, the Beyonder pounces his way through the shield. Dracula appears behind the Beyonder, telling him that the ones the Beyonder seeks are gone... but Dracula promises that he can be of some assistance. But there is a price for his help.

Elsewhere, the Six, Magneto and Strange arrive in Antarctica. Havok gets upset because they don’t wear specially-made suits. He asks Strange for such clothes, but Strange is too exhausted. Alex gets angry at Magneto, because now the Beyonder won’t need to kill them: they’ll freeze to death. Magneto says that they won’t do such a thing, as here he has his own citadel of seclusion. Magneto powers up and his Citadel rises from the snow! Magneto tells his friends to come inside, so that they can tend to their wounded.

After that is done, Havok is still angry at Magneto. The Brute’s life hangs on a thread, while Strange is in some weird coma/trance, and Magneto himself is near exhausted. Havok wants to go to the Beyonder. Magneto cannot allow that, because Strange told him about the Nexus of all Realities. Havok becomes even more upset and tries to explain to Magneto that he destroyed the Nexus. Why can’t he understand that? Magneto binds Havok in magnetic wires until he calms down. Magneto says that he can only tell Alex what Strange told him. Strange shows up, explaining that others will come help them and face the Beyonder. But, Strange explains, it is not the Beyonder who they are facing. Havok can’t believe his ears.

Meanwhile, the Beyonder and Dracula have made it to Washington and are at the White House. There, Dracula drains the blood of the president’s co-workers. The Beyonder is impatient and commands Dracula to fulfill his part of the bargain and bring him to Alex Summers. Dracula is curious to find out why the Beyonder wants Havok so badly. The Beyonder says it’s for revenge. Dracula already thought that the Beyonder met Havok before.

Suddenly, Dracula smells something and realizes that they’ve got company. Army helicopters appear above them. The combined forces of the Inhumans and the Eternals attack, led by Dr. Doom. Doom says he was foolish enough to send one of his Doombots to attack the last time, but now he promises that they are dealing with the one and only. None of their attacks hit the Beyonder or Dracula. Dracula remembers the Beyonder about their deal, that he could drain all the super-powered beings and he could have Havok. The Beyonder remembers and charges up his energy.

Back at the Citadel, Dr. Strange explains the history behind the Beyonder to Alex. The Beyonder was destroyed at the end of the second Secret War. Dr. Strange knows that because he was one of the many heroes who helped defeat the Beyonder. It was a difficult task, but it was done. Strange knows that the being they are fighting now resembles the Beyonder, and there is some of the Beyonder’s essence in him, but it’s something more dangerous. Something far more primal.

Havok doesn’t understand how they can defeat someone if they don’t even know who it is they are fighting. Strange says he most definitely knows who they are fighting, and this time, he has summoned up people who will be able to defeat him. Strange teleports Reed Richards, Professor Charles Xavier, the Fallen and Baron Mordo, the Ancient One, inside the citadel!

Havok won’t believe that Xavier, Richards or the Fallen should help them, because they’ve turned their backs on him every time before. Havok wants to take them down. Mordo has had enough of this and unleashes energy that holds Alex back. Mordo uses magic to make Alex open his mind to Mordo’s Third Eye. Mordo learns what’s going on and congratulates Strange on the excellent work. Mordo asks if the boy is here as well, which Strange confirms to the Ancient One. Havok becomes upset, telling them that he won’t allow them to harm Scotty. Mordo commands Alex that he will do whatever it takes to protect the Nexus of all Realities. Mordo explains that it wasn’t destroyed… the Nexus resides within Alex! Hearing this, Havok becomes even more confused than he already was.

At that moment, the Beyonder has destroyed all of their attackers. Dracula prepares to drain Black Bolt and asks if he has got any last words. Black Bolt opens his mouth and destroys nearby bricks, but isn’t strong enough and faints. Dracula bites Black Bolt and becomes stronger than before. The Beyonder has enough of it now and wants to go to Alex Summers now.

Back at the Citadel, Xavier and Richards install Alex in a protective suit, though Alex still doesn’t trust them. Mordo says that the best scientific minds shall be trusted this time, or else they will be destroyed along with the rest of reality. Strange tries to explain to Alex that the Nexus isn’t just a place, it’s a force of nature. The fabric that binds all reality together. It could never be destroyed, especially not with Havok’s power alone. When the Goblin Queen attempted to gain control of the Nexus and Alex unleashed his powers to destroy it, the Nexus transported itself to the nearest convenient location: Alex’ body.

Alex asks what to do. Richards explains that they shall prepare Alex for a final battle with her. When Alex asks who she is, Richards can’t believe that they haven’t told him yet. Scotty tells Alex that his mom is back! Or what’s left of Madelyne and the Goblin Queen, Richards explains. She never truly was dead.

Scotty says that she just went away for a while. When he turns to Alex and asks if he’ll help his mom, Alex says that he’ll do what he can. Alex asks how they are going to do this. Strange explains that it will entail all of them to get to the Queen. Strange tells Alex that he is powerful. More powerful than he ever thought he was - for the Nexus of Realities to seek Alex out, to have inflicted the damage upon the Goblin Queen the way Alex did. However, Alex is still not powerful enough to destroy her. Strange explains that the Goblin Force fell to the center of the Earth. There, it found the equally dormant corpse of the Beyonder and they merged. But it was too weak to come back to life, until Havok’s final showdown with Captain America.

Strange reveals that the energies ignited by both Havok and Captain America were enough to revive her. Combining her powers with the Beyonder, the Goblin Queen is now far more dangerous than she ever was. Now, they must all combine their powers through Reed Richards’ machinery and try to save the multiverse. Strange knows that the Goblin Queen plans to destroy all the time continuums and has the power to do that, if she can get through Alex. Havok says “Let’s do it.”

 

[RAMORE]

Last but not least:

Outside the citadel, Dracula and the Beyonder materialize. Dracula can sense that Bloodstorm is here. Dracula can sense taste them all. The Beyonder powers up, confirming that they are indeed here and plans to go to Havok. Havok is first and shoots a plasma-blast against the Beyonder, saying that he is here. The Beyonder teleports himself and Havok away, leaving Dracula behind. Dracula wonders what his love, Bloodstorm, is up to. And how he can profit from it.

Havok and the Beyonder materialize inside the Nexus of Realities. Havok tells the Beyonder to drop the facade; they all know who she is. The Beyonder, talking differently, says that he is impressed. Because, until very recently, even he didn’t know about her true nature. The Beyonder knew that he was drawn to hunt Havok down, but never truly knew why. His true nature was buried with this corpse. But this is no longer needed.

The Beyonder rips his head off, revealing the Goblin Queen! The Goblin Queen feels better now. She says hi to Alex, and that she has missed him. She’s sad to see the feeling not reciprocated. The Goblin Queen tells Alex that they had good times before. All he needs to do is give her what she wants. Havok tells Madelyne that is not going to happen. The Goblin Queen can’t believe that Alex cares for this universe. He doesn’t even belong there!

With the Nexus, they can gain access to any reality they want. The Goblin Queen apologizes, remembering how badly Alex was treated in his own universe. Maybe he needs to remember. The Goblin Queen releases some of her magic. Dracula teleports inside the citadel. He sees Richards busy with his machines and knocks him down, saying it’s time to feed. Bloodstorm, with glowing red eyes, says “not this time.” The Goblin Queen makes Havok see how badly he was treated in his homeworld. She makes Alex remember the plane explosion and how he got lectured by his love, Polaris, and older brother, Cyclops. The Goblin Queen makes Havok doubt and think how he could possible know that Alex didn’t destroy his universe when he landed in this one. She tells Alex to give it up. Meanwhile, Dracula points his attention to the mutants, who’ve been installed in the machines, ready to take down the Goblin Queen. Dracula wonders how Xavier’s blood would taste like. Bloodstorm shows up behind Dracula, telling her Lord that he shall never find out. Before Dracula can do anything, Bloodstorm strikes Dracula down with a wooden stake. Dracula turns into nothing but dust. Bloodstorm smiles.

Havok orders the Goblin Force to stop hiding behind Madelyne and show her true self. The Goblin Force does as told. The Goblin Force tells Havok that his plan won’t work. He, Madelyne and countless of others shall fall for her might. The Goblin Force knows that Alex is the key, but was blind the first time. Havok and the Goblin Queen fire their powers against each other, but neither of them harm the one another. The Goblin Queen explains to Alex that he has traveled between worlds, dimensions even. In the multiverse alone, Alex alone is unique. Even the Nexus of Realities is drawn to him.

While fighting, the Goblin Queen can’t believe how so much power can be gathered in such a small mind. The Goblin Queen tells Alex that she has spend as much time dwelling to find out the amount of power Havok has inside him, as much time as he has spend dwelling thinking about how unfair his life is. The Goblin Queen tells Alex that they could have conquered the multiverse together, but now she shall do it alone… after she has ripped the Nexus out of Alex’ body!

The Goblin Queen suddenly transforms back into Madelyne. Havok tells her that it’s all going to be okay. A dazzled Madelyne asks Alex what’s going on. Havok explains that the battle is taking place on a different plane of reality. He can’t explain it, but knows that it’s almost over. Havok tells Madelyne that he is going to take the Goblin Force out of her once and for all. When he does, Havok explains that the Nexus will pull back to Madelyne’s reality. Madelyne shall be it’s new guardian and Dr. Strange shall help her with that. Havok tells Madelyne that he must go now, but makes Madelyne promise to tells Scotty that he shall always be with him.

Madelyne tells Alex not to do it, but Havok’s body lifts up and his spirit fights on. Havok fires his plasma-blast against the Goblin Force, saying that she was right about almost everything. Havok says he does know about the power he wields. And right now, with the help of Dr. Strange, Baron Mordo, Charles Xavier, the Fallen and Reed Richards, Alex is tapping into raw power which will never again be unleashed in this or any other dimension. The Goblin Force’s power, her essence is going to be absorbed into the Nexus of realities. She shall cease to exist.

Havok fires his plasma-blast and the Goblin Force disappears! The Goblin Force can’t believe that this is happening. Madelyne is teleported back to Earth, into the citadel. Scotty runs to her and Madelyne tries to tell him what happened. Scotty already knows. He knows that his dad saved them all.

Alex lands in a deep, dark space, closing his eyes and fades away. Alex remembers dying. But mostly, he remembers… living!

Characters:
Bloodstorm, Brute, Havok, Ice-Man (all the Six)
Scotty Summers
Magneto, Polaris (all X-Men)
Dr. Strange
Baron Mordo, the Fallen, Professor Charles Xavier, Reed Richards

Dracula
The Beyonder/Madelyne Pryor/the Goblin Force

Black Bolt, Dr. Doom, Gorgon, Icarus, Karcas, Karnak, Makkarri, Medusa, Serce, Triton (heroes attacking the Beyonder)

people in service of the president (unnamed)

deceased bodies of
Elektra, Firestar, Johnny Storm, Dr. Leonard Samson, Sue Storm, Spider-Man, Stingray, Vendetta, Yellowjacket

in Havok’s flash-back’s
Havok, Captain America (all the Six)
Cyclops, Havok, Polaris (of his universe)

Notes:
This is the final issue of Mutant X. And, because of this final issue, the comic is giant-sized, with 48 pages instead of the normal 22. It is continued from Mutant X Annual 2001.

On the final page of this issue, there is a thank-you note from the writer, thanking the readers for their support.

A few years later after this issue, Havok mysteriously lands back in the universe he originally came from, with apparently not one memory of this universe. [Uncanny X-Men #410]

Bloodstorm is the only character of the Mutant X universe that re-appears after the series' cancelation. Her further adventures can be found in the 3-part limited series called Paradise X: Heralds.

Havok destroyed the Nexus of time in the now classic Mutant X Annual 1999.

Havok indeed wasn’t present in either of the Secret Wars in his home universe, so he couldn’t know how the heroes stopped the Beyonder.

The seen plane crash is the one that occured when Havok stopped Greystone in X-Factor (1st series) #149.

Both the gods and Elektra died in Mutant X Annual 2001.

Issue Summary written by: Homer Jay

 

[RAMORE]

Few I never thought I was gonna get them all done

 

[Brainiac 8]

Brute was one of the tragically best characters ever made, and probably my favorite alternate version of Hank.

 

[THANOSRULES]

For some reason I completly forgot Cary Nord was on Pencils there for awhile..I really love his work.

Wasn't a huge fan of Bart Sears Though...his physiques are just too perfect and almost effeminate. Everyone has these ridiculous pursed lips.

RAMORE:

TO answer your question on that other thread Cap went Crazy there in Issue 31. I never read it..as I had stopped reading somewher in the low 20's as I was "out of pocket" in the world. From what I hear Havok has to kill him and then Beyonder studies him and destroys his body..or somthing like that.

 

[RAMORE]

Crazy^ I now must read all that I have posted here. And after seeing some of these cover I realize i'm missing a few issues and i'm not compelled to go pick them up

 

[Harlekin]

I liked this title, but it's last few issues got a little weird.

 

[JewishHobbit]

I loved this series so much I had it personally bound into 2 hardback volumes. I'm going to eventually have it rebound though and change the text on the spine, but it won't be a while. I want to take out the "X-Men Saga" part and just have it "Mutant X"

 

[Dew k. Mosi]

Ramore, I think I may love you

I want a bound copy of the books. Where did you get that done? That's very awesome

 

[JewishHobbit]

I sent them to a place called Library Binding Company in Waco Texas. It's $15 per volume provided the book's under 2 inches and doesn't have any special bells and whistles. What you see above is the basic $15 per volume deal. Of course, you can choose the colors of buckram and letters.

By the way, feel like I haven't seen you in forever.

 

[bryanss3]

I wish they'd release this in trades

 

[RAMORE]

I sent them to a place called Library Binding Company in Waco Texas. It's $15 per volume provided the book's under 2 inches and doesn't have any special bells and whistles. What you see above is the basic $15 per volume deal. Of course, you can choose the colors of buckram and letters.

By the way, feel like I haven't seen you in forever.

That kicks so much ass it's crazy So they just cut the back off the comics and bind them or do they scan them in? I love that you did that and i'm so envious the title next to it "the clone saga" Is it really the whole clone saga.

 

[RAMORE]

Ramore, I think I may love you

I want a bound copy of the books. Where did you get that done? That's very awesome

Very sweet Dew i'm feeling the love for Mutant X. However, if you were referring to the bound copies you might be making out with a jewish hobbit soon

 

[JewishHobbit]

That kicks so much ass it's crazy So they just cut the back off the comics and bind them or do they scan them in? I love that you did that and i'm so envious the title next to it "the clone saga" Is it really the whole clone saga.

I actually prepare them and they bound them how I tell them. I take out all the staples and remove the back cover and any double sided addes that don't add to the story. Any double or triple fold covers I fold accordingly and make sure they know about it. Then I put them in the right order, print out a front page, and then send it. About 2 to 3 weeks later they show back up on my door for my enjoyment. I have to pay shipping to and fro, but it's still cool.

As for the Clone Saga, no chance of that fitting in one volume. I'm actually planning it out to be a six volume set. I just have the first 2 finished and the next 2 prepared. I just haven't sent them out yet.

Here's the rest of what I have.

The Spider-Man: Nostalgia volumes are the stuff that got me into comics. It's every Spidey title prior to the clone saga in reading chronological order. Containing: Amazing Spider-Man 351-393, Spectacular Spider-Man 176-212, Web of Spider-Man 81-112, Spider-Man 24-50, and all the annuals from each of those titles during this time. I've also included a lot of minis and guest stars, such as: The Arachnis Project, The Mutant Agenda, Darkhawk 2-3, Ghost Rider 16-17, Spirits of Vengeance 4-6, Venom: Lethal Protector 1-6, etc. This was my first ever project and if I could I'd go back and make some changes, but overall I'm fairly happy with it.

The 2099 volume is the 1st of a set I plan on. It includes Spidey 2099 1-8, Doom 2099 1-9, Ravage 2099 1-8, and Punisher 2099 1-6. I eventually plan on doing at least 2 more volumes through the end of the "Fall of the Hammer" crossover, including X-Men 2099 and 2099 Unlimited.

The Avengers collect my favorate time period during the 90's that contained Operation Galactic Storm and the Proctor storyline. In addition to the O: GS crossover issues and the Bloodlines X-Men cross over, it also includes Avengers 343-375 and an annual.

It's an addicting habit. But I love that I can do whatever I want with them, include what I want, put them in whatever order I want, etc.

Example: Soon, I will be doing a 3 volume Civil War set in chronological reading order. But not by issue... by page. It starts with Civil War 1 during the New Warriors scene through the explosion. Then the next page will be from Wolverine where he's drinking in a bar until he sees the explosion on the tv, then gets up and leaves. It will then continue to where the heroes are at the sight of the explosion, and it continues like that including most of Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Punisher, She-Hulk, Frontline, etc.

I plan on a similar style for Secret Invasion.

I can go on and on on this stuff but I'll stop there.

 

[RAMORE]

That's a freaking fantastic idea about doing it in page order so it plays out like a real event I'm envious dude. I'm gonna repost your post in the friends of ben reilly thread.