Power Pack #27 (Mutant Massacre)

Power Pack #27 (December 1986)
Rating:  2.0/10 (Horrible piece of crap)
"Whose Power?"
Writer:  Louise Simonson
Artist:  Jon Bogdanove
Inker:  Al Gordon

Every so often you come across a story in a great arc that just completely sucks ass!  This is that story.  But before we get into my complaints, let me give you the synoposis.

The story opens with the Power Pack children watching TV.  Mostly, it's just some normal horsing around except when the parents are out of the room, it's horsing around with super powers.  They're lucky no one got killed.  Someone should have called DCFS on those kids long ago.  But I digress.  They are put to bed and Franklin Richards is having a sleepover.  In the middle of the night, Franklin has one of his "dreams".  He projects an image of Leech holding a fallen Caliban.  The other boys see this and quickly wake the girls and Franklin.  They all put on their magic costumes and head outside and into the sewers.  Because nothing says "good parenting" like allowing your 8 year old and younger kids to take a field trip.

Once down in the sewers, they find dead bodies all around.  20 years later they grow up into drug addicts and serial killers.

Sorry.

Elsewhere we are treated to Scalphunter shooting everyone he can see, barely missing Leech and Caliban.  The Pack kids continue looking for their Morlock friends when Sabretooth drops in from the ceiling.  Katie Power thinks he's Wolverine at first but the kids scatter before the most vicious killer in Marvel comics can even lay a claw on them.  Alex Power ("Destroyer") is grabbed before he can zap Sabretooth and Jack uses his gravity powers to slam into the Marauder.  Destroyer then uses his power to collapse the tunnel between the kids and Sabretooth.  The kids run before he can claw his way through to them.  During their trek, they come across a bloody Wolverine.  He mentions tracking Sabretooth (never mind that he didn't know 'Tooth was even in the tunnels until a bit later).  He then tells the kids to head back to the surface and he then moves on.

Of course these children don't listen to their parents or even common sense, like they're going to listen to Wolverine.  They head on, coming across Annalee and her children, dead (again...the children lived...  I don't think Simonson really read any of the X-Men issues).  Elsewhere, we see X-Factor arriving at their complex with a heard of Morlocks.  The four of them (Angel is somewhere in the tunnel) decide to head back to try to find Angel and Artie (of course, we are expected to forget that Cyclops, Beast, and Iceman were all too injured to walk).

The Pack kids finally come across Leech and Caliban.  They arrive moments before three Marauders show up:  Harpoon, Arclight, and Scrambler.  Harpoon throws the opening salvo, missing the kids.  Arclight shakes them up with some ground quakes.  Scrambler takes out Katie by grabbing her and slamming her into Jack.  Julie goes after Arclight, condensing herself into a small, dense form.  Arclight smacks her away, but the blow actually breaks Arclight's hand.  Destroyern absorbs one of Harpoon's spears and hurls an energy ball at the ceiling, hoping to bury the Marauders.  He misses.  Jack smashes into Scrambler and then when Arclight attacks, he realizes that his power is so much more useful than just flying and he focuses his power into a fist and knocks Arclight out.  Before Harpoon and jump in, an optic blast scares them off.  Cyclops and X-Factor show up.  Iceman and Beast start to head back to the mansion with Caliban and Leech.  This time, the Pack kids listen and agree to head up.  Just as the sun is coming up.  I don't know about you, but my kids would be cranky as hell at this point.

You may not be able to tell, but I really, really hate this issue.  The only reason I don't give it a 1/10 rating (I don't believe in a "zero" rating) is because of the arc it is part of.  First of all, the idea of kids, the oldest of whom is 8, fighting super battles is absolutely ridiculous.  Kids have virtually no sense of responsibility and often go overboard with things.  They have trouble knowing when enough is enough.  Throw powers into the mix and you have a deadly combination.

The story has so many continuity issues, it's not even funny.  new Mutants #46 had one issue (the whole Illyana/Nightcrawler part) but this one just throws it again and again.  I also can't stand how weak the Marauders appear in this issue.  Sabretooth is bested by children and Arclight is taken down with one punch, even after she went toe to toe with Colossus.  Scrambler also disrupts powers with a touch and yet when Jack struck him it did nothing to Jack.

And then there's the art.  Jon Bogdanove is, without a doubt, one of the industry's worst artists to ever get his own book.  His faces are distorted, there's very little detail in his art, and everybody looks like they've got a mouthful of walnuts.  He should never have been an artist.  Simple as that.

This issue was one of the last I ever collected of this story arc.  Despite how bad it is, I remember it being somewhat difficult to find, probably because of the low print run.  If I could have avoided it, I would have.  But it's still part of the story and if you pick up the next chapter, you'll be lost without reading this.

New Mutants #46 (Mutant Massacre)

New Mutants #46
December 1986
"Bloody Sunday"
Writer:  Chris Claremont
Artist:  Jackson Guice
Inker:  Kyle Baker
Rating:  7.0/10.0

New Mutants gives a moment of respite from the action packed issues of Uncanny 211 and X-Factor 10.  It focuses on the X-Men's return to the mansion after the bloody battle.  There are several problems with it, but it still gives a decent story and focuses more on the horrific aftermath as the casualties are counted and keep piling up.

It starts with Lockheed's monstrous roar that echoes throughout the mansion.  The New Mutants investigate and find a hole burned in one of the doors leading down to the Morlock caverns.  Cannonball heads down quickly and Mirage heads outside, hoping to find another way down.  As she leaves the mansion, she turns back to see one of her Valkyrie visions of death looming over the entire mansion.

Elsewhere, Illyana teleports away, figuring she would need a doctor and grabs Moira McTaggart from Muir Island (right out of the shower, no less).  They are stuck in Limbo momentarily as Illyana accidentally shifted in time and watch as the events unfold.  The doors blast open back at home and the X-Men stumble through followed by a horde of Morlocks.  Illyana teleports Moira to the hangar and sees her best friend, Kitty, who is a living ghost at this point, unable to solidify.  The X-Men take a quick moment to explain the horror they have seen and then everyone, including the New Mutants, spring into action, trying to transform the Hangar into an infirmary capable of handling the huge load of injured and dying.

Each New Mutant deal with the horror in their own way.  Sunspot, however, is careless, in part because his strength derives from the sun and his power is weakening.  He is scolded by Magneto when he almost breaks a life support module and he is sent to "time out".  Meanwhile, one of the injured Morlocks, Sunder, begins to throw the doctors off as they discuss amputation.  Karma attempts to subdue him but his anger is too much to handle.  Psylocke takes over, mentally calming the Morlock.

Cannonball finds Mirage huddled in a corner.  Her death vision won't turn off and she is terrified by the implications.  In the kitchen, Rahne prepares sandwiches for the survivors and Sunspot decides to help himself to a little bit.  Rahne smacks his hand and he loses his temper, destroying the table and ruining the sandwiches.  Cannonball and Mirage intervene and they scold the younger mutants for fighting when people are in genuine need of help.

Meanwhile, Karma is worried about her brother and sister after the Marauder attack, however a phone call doesn't help as there is no answer.  Illyana shows up and agrees to teleport her to her siblings' apartment.  Doug sees everything and informs both Cannonball and Mirage.  Considering the de facto state of war the mutants are at, Mirage decides to follow.  Illyana and Karma show up and turn on the lights only to set off a trap which explodes the apartment.

The New Mutants head into the tunnels, but instead of changing into a jet, Warlock only changes into a car, stating it is the only method available.  Some time later, the mutants arrive in New York, horrified and upset over the carnage they saw in the tunnels.  Before they can really process anything, they notice the fire department at their destination.  Illyana and Karma stumble out of nearby door, both winded, but otherwise unharmed.  Mirage starts giving out orders, but before she can even complete anything, Warlock panics and hurries them back into the tunnels.  Suddenly, he dissolves into a puddle and before anybody knows it, Warlock's father, Magus, shows up.  Luckily, Illyana is faster and she quickly teleports all away.  Magus swears to chase them no matter where it leads.

This wasn't the best issue, but it wasn't the worse by far.  The art is above average.  Most of Jackson Guice's work I enjoy.  The biggest issues I have are the continuity SNAFU's between Uncanny 211 and this issue.  Since both were written by Claremont I can't really understand it.  Magik had been with the X-Men when they first ventured into the tunnels, but in this issue, she is completely unaware of what is going on.  In 211, she had returned with a handful of Morlocks and Nightcrawler, but in this issue, Nightcrawler is being dragged by the X-Men when they burst into the mansion.  It's only some minor continuity errors, but it's always been what stuck most about this issue.  I also would have preferred that this issue focused entirely on the Mutant Massacre cross-over, but it instead starts a 5 issue arc involving the confrontation with Magus, Warlock's daddy.  I think that was adding a bit much and it could have easily been done starting with the next issue.

However, I really liked the reactions of the New Mutants to the massacre.  Cannonball and Karma had both seen this sort of death before and they still had issues dealing with it.  Mirage was paralyzed by her recent Valkyrie ability with so much death surrounding them.  And Sunspot, Cypher, and Wolfsbane all reacted by lashing out.  It's hard to remember that most of the Mutants are young teens and not adults, like the X-Men.  Claremont does a good job showing how they deal with such tragedy.

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X-Factor #10 (Mutant Massacre)

X-Factor #10
November 1986
"Falling Angel"
Writer:  Louise Simonson
Artist:  Walt Simonson
Inker:  Bob Wiacek
Rating:  9.0/10.0

If Uncanny X-Men 211 was the best issue of the crossover, this one is close behind.  This issue is packed with action and doesn't let up.  I can't think of any real complains, other than the cover is incredibly boring and Louise Simonson simply isn't as dynamic a writer as Claremont.

It opens with a handful of Morlocks just going about their day.  Only Erg is recognizable and the rest are just background, but the very next page explodes as Harpoon slaughters one.  In the background, we get our first glimpse of Sabretooth who is no longer some bit villain getting his ass kicked by Iron Fist.  The very next page we flash away to Angel carrying Jean who ferries an injured Rusty.  Cyclops, Beast, and Iceman are moving along, hoping to find Artie.  They stumble across Erg and a few Morlocks trying to escape the massacre (like how I tied the name in here?).  One is struck down by Harpoon's spear and the others are tripped up, ready to be killed.  Beast springs into action, but Harpoon is faster, bringing his spear up into Beast's side, injuring him.  Harpoon throws another spear, but Iceman blocks it with a wall of ice.  Cyclops fires back, missing the Marauder and Arclight chooses to drop the ceiling between the two teams.  It's not fun when someone fights back.

Angel and Jean arrive back at X-Factor's complex and Skids realizes that the X-Terminators are X-Factor.  She tries to escape but Jean contains her and explains the truth:  X-Factor and X-Terminators are the same.  They show up to capture young mutants in order to help them learn how to cope with their powers.

Back at the tunnels, Caliban begins to move away from Leech and Artie, but then Sabretooth attacks, tearing into Caliban, wounding him greatly.  Leech and Artie quickly hide in a drain pipe right before Cyclops' optic blast flies by, taking down Sabretooth.  X-Factor moves on, trying to find who else they can help, not realizing that Artie is only a few feet away.  By the time Artie gets past Leech, X-Factor is gone so Artie and Leech try to drag Caliban into the pipe.  Just in time, too, as Sabretooth recovers and goes after the young mutants again.

At X-Factor's complex, they tend to Rusty's wounds, just as Trish Tilby, a reporter, announces that she has discovered that Warren Worthington III (Angel) is the backer of X-Factor.

In the tunnels, another Marauder just introduced, Blockbuster, is attacking more Morlocks.    Iceman tries to subdue him but before Iceman can, Vertigo knocks him off his feet.  Before Blockbuster can turn to Iceman, Cyclops knocks the Marauder down with a blast.  Again, Vertigo causes problems as her power sends Cyclops to the ground.  Beast is unaffected by her power and he knocks her down, but the effort causes his injury to rip open again.  Still, the Marauders are driven off, leaving a handful of survivors.

A tender moment is shared between Angel and Jean back at X-Factor's HQ.  Unfortunately, Angel's girlfriend, Candy Southern, shows up at the wrong moment to announce that Angel's secret identity has become public.  She storms off, effectively ending that relationship.  Jean decides to go back to the tunnels to help Cyclops and Angel heads after her, instead of salvaging his romance.

Meanwhile, Sabretooth goes after a little old lady who just happens to be the Morlock Plague.  She drops Sabretooth with a touch.  Harpoon is about to kill her when Apocalypse arrives to collect his very first Horseman.  Cyclops finds Arclight and drops her with an optic blast.  Beast collides with Scrambler, knocking both for a loop.  Prism (the last of the Marauders to be introduced) turns the tables on Cyclops by reflecting and amplifying an optic blast back, injuring Cyke.  Jean arrives at that moment and uses her TK to smash Prism into the wall (making him the shortest lived Marauder ever).  Arclight flees with Scrambler and collapses the tunnel behind her.  Jean lifts both Beast and Cyclops and prepares to head back to base, but Artie is still missing.  Angel agrees to stay behind to find the young mutant.

It doesn't take long for Angel to discover the youngster, but he also runs across three Marauders:  Vertigo, Blockbuster and Harpoon.  He tells Artie to run and charges forward, knocking out Vertigo.  Unfortunately, Blockbuster grabs his wings and slams him against the wall.  Harpoon delivers the coup de grace as he crucifies Angel to the wall by shoving spears through the winged mutant's wings, ending the issue in one of the most iconic scenes ever.

This was one of the first issues I ever managed to collect of the Mutant Massacre and still is %$^&ing fantastic.  The only thing that keeps this from being better than Uncanny 211 is...hell, I'm not even sure I can describe it.  Perhaps there just isn't quite as much personality shown of X-Factor.  But it's still action nonstop.  This was where you first see Sabretooth as a killer and of course Apocalypse sets his own plan in motion.  Even though the deaths are of "no-names" they are still horrific and the expressions on the faces of Cyclops and Beast are priceless.  I'm not the biggest fan of Walt Simonson, but he is absolutely perfect in this.

And of course the ending.  I can't praise it enough.  The sight of this former X-Man hanging there, fading into unconsciousness as his precious wings are pinned like some animal on a sick display is just intense and still remains one of my favorite scenes ever.  Even better (although readers didn't know it at the time) this would ultimately lead to the creation of one of the better characters ever introduced (at least until they screwed him up in much later Uncanny X-Men issues):  Archangel.

Uncanny X-Men #211 (Mutant Massacre)

Uncanny X-Men #211
"Massacre"
November, 1986
Artist:  John Romita Jr & Bret Blevins
Inker:  Al Williamson
Author:  Chris Claremont

This issue really kicks off the Mutant Massacre.  If the past two issues (Uncanny 210 and X-Factor 9) were the fuse, this is the TNT.  It starts off with a single page introduction to the Marauders.  Most of them show up here:  Scalphunter (their leader), Vertigo (the only one in this issue who first appeared years ago as one of the Savage Land mutates), Harpoon, Scrambler, Arclight, and Riptide.  They don't waste any time with Scalphunter blowing away several Morlocks with a single blast.  Riptide unleashes shurikens with deadly effect.  Scrambler disrupts the Morlocks' defenses and an entire room is slaughtered in two pages of story.  A single wounded Morlock escapes just in time to cry out a warning to Callisto before Harpoon strikes her down.  Even Callisto and her troops are no match as Vertigo and Arclight take them down.

Back at the X-Men mansion, things are calm as we are reminded about Wolverine and Nightcrawler's injuries (one after Lady Deathstrike and Phoenix, one after Nimrod).  However, before either can agree to relax, a critically wounded Morlock shows up from underground, pleading for help.  He dies shortly after but not before a new mutant, Psylocke, glimpses the massacre in his mind.  Illyana teleports the X-Men to the tunnels where they find Callisto barely alive, but everyone else around her dead or dying.  But before the X-Men can really get their bearings, Vertigo and Riptide attack.  Nightcrawler teleports, dropping Riptide with a kick and then goes after Vertigo.  His multiple teleports leaves her unconscious, but he's weak (he's been injured, remember?) and Riptide gets the drop on him, enveloping him in a whirlwind of razor blades.  Nightcrawler is left critically wounded in one of the most horrific scenes in the X-Men to date.  The X-Men decide to press on, but Illyana will head back with the injured Morlocks and Nightcrawler.

Elsewhere, it is revealed that Annalee's kids (who were discovered murdered in Uncanny 193) were in fact killed by Scalphunter.  He now finishes the job as he slaughters Annalee in front of two more children.  Colossus and Kitty both meet up with Scalphunter and Arclight, but Colossus is easily dispatched.  Shadowcat can't be harmed, but she instead goes after Colossus who is buried in rubble.  As the other X-Men look around, Wolverine recognizes a certain female scent he thought was head, and we see Cyclops' optic blast overhead but before anybody can meet up, the tunnels collapse.  Colossus and Shadowcat show up with Annalee's two children, who are alive, miraculously.  Before anybody can rest, the Marauders attack again.  Scrambler is beat mercilessly by Storm and Callisto but Riptide is able to kill even more Morlocks with his blades.

Scrambler goes after Rogue, but their powers negate each other.  Harpoon takes the opportunity to strike at Rogue and Shadowcat jumps in the way, hoping her intangibility would protect Rogue as well.  Unfortunately, Harpoon's energy spear has the desired effect on Kitty.

What follows is one of the most shocking events ever to hit the X-Men.  Colossus moves towards Harpoon but Riptide blocks his way.  In a fit of anger, Colossus grabs Riptide by the neck and brutally snaps it, killing the Marauder.

In the aftermath, Storm discovers that Kitty can no longer "unphase" and she is stuck as a living ghost.  Storm elects to take the wounded back to the mansion, but she leaves one behind:  Wolverine.  She wants a single prisoner.  He may do what he wishes to the others he finds.

This was the first issue I ever collected of the Mutant Massacre and it still remains my favorite.  This issue was so incredibly shocking and really changed the X-Men for a long, long time.  Colossus took his first life.  Nightcrawler and Kitty were critically injured and wouldn't rejoin the X-Men until 15 years later.  The Morlocks were extinguished and would never be the same.  I still rush through the pages when I read this issue because I can't wait to see what happens next.  It's an incredible read.  It's also heartbreaking.  So many moments just cause the reader pain:  Scalphunter boasting about his slaughter of Annalee's children and his murder of Annalee herself, Harpoon wounding Shadowcat, Riptide almost killing Nightcrawler, the loss of Colossus' innocence.  This issue had so much going for it, it was almost impossible to follow it up.  Claremont did, and he did it well.  But I still maintain that this was the best issue of the crossover.

X-Factor #9 (Mutant Massacre)

X-Factor #9 (1986)
Rating:  6.0/10.0 (could have been better)
"Spots!"
Writer:  Louise Simonson
Penciler:  Terry Shoemaker
Inker:  Joe Rubinstein

It's really hard to hype this issue up after Uncanny #210.  This story was a direct continuation of the story over the last few issues of X-Factor.  It then tied it all into the Mutant Massacre.

The story starts off with Freedom Force still attempting to corral Rusty, who is being helped by the Morlock, Skids.  Avalanche tries to shake them off their feet.  It works with Rusty, not so much with Skids.  X-Factor (in their mutant hunter guises) are rushing through a crowd outside of central park.  The pass outside of the Hellfire Club entrance to see Magneto enter.  They recognize each other, but X-Factor has other concerns at the moment (this scene is also in Uncanny #210).

Back in the park, Rusty and Skids flee, but Rusty is again the weak link in the chain and gets caught in Spider-Woman's web (this isn't the Jessica Drew version).  Blob grabs Rusty and tries to drag him around, but at this point the crowd intervenes, throwing bricks and bottles at Freedom force.  All they see are a handful of "muties" attacking a couple of kids.  Destiny saves Mystique from a certainly fatal blow to the head.  Eventually X-Factor shows up and Jean throws a TK field around them to keep away the debris (it's a "high tech shield" as far as the bystanders are concerned).  Meanwhile, Rusty and Skids escape into the sewers.

At this point, Artie (the deformed young mutant who can see images but is mute) begins to see pictures from what is happening in the sewers.  he sees Rusty and Skids, he sees Mystique following, and he sees mutants being murdered.  He decides to run after Rusty, but first he traces one of his images on the wall to let X-Factor know where he's gone.  X-Factor follows, but only after they change into their mutant uniforms.  Artie comes across Leech and Caliban but the conversation is halted after a blood curdling scream.

It's unclear where the scream came from, but we do see that Rusty and Skids find a murdered Morlock, still smoking.  Unfortunately, at this point, Freedom Force catches up and before anybody can do anything, Blob picks Rusty up and beats him to a bloody pulp (okay, maybe an exaggeration but still).  Only Cyclops intervenes, along with the rest of X-Factor.  A battle ensues with both teams evenly matched.  Avalanche takes out Iceman's slide, but Angel quickly downs Avalanche.  Pyro thinks he has the drop on Iceman, but the frosty mutant encases Pyro in a block of ice and a quick blast from Cyclops takes out Pyro's flamethrower, followed up by a knockout kick from Beast.  Spider-Woman inadvertently takes out Mystique (who was posing as Marvel Girl) and Beast and Spider-Woman get into a wrestling match.

At this point, Destiny delivers a cryptic message:  anyone who remains in these tunnels will die.  That convinces Mystique to call a retreat.  Left behind, X-Factor tends to Rusty's wounds, but they are severe.  Jean and Angel agree to take Rusty back to X-Factor's HQ (accompanied by Skids) while Cyclops, Beast, and Iceman remain behind to find Artie.  The last panel ends with Caliban, Leech, and Artie huddled together as screams rip through the tunnels.

This issue wasn't quite as good a build up as Uncanny.  For one, Terry Shoemaker has always been a middle-of-the-road artist.  Not terrible, but not someone whose art I look forward to seeing.  I think the best part are the last few pages.  The battle between X-Factor and Freedom Force is fun and energetic.  I loved how evenly matched the teams were.  They continue to trade blows with neither team really getting the upper hand.  However, it had to end and the issue does one thing right:  it leaves you wanting more.  I read this now (and even when I first obtained this issue) and I knew exactly what was coming.  But I have to wonder what someone at the time of release would have thought.  The screams are reminiscent of a horror movie that is building up and you really want to see what's behind the next door, but fearful of what you might see at the same time.  The problem I have with this issue, is up until Artie's visions, it's really rather boring.  At they enticed you from the very beginning and had a different artist (I really wish Jackson Guice had stayed on) I might have enjoyed this issue more.

Mutant Massacre (1986 X-Men Crossover Event)

Before I start, I need to reiterate that I did not read these when they first came out.  I didn't read comics until about 4 years later.  So if I'm wrong about some of the landmarks, I apologize, but all I can give are my impressions looking back.  I'm also doing my best to write this review as a whole and I will look at each issue individually in separate blogs.

Mutant Massacre was the landmark event for the X-Men in 1986 and it was easily the biggest shakeup to hit the X-Men since Giant Sized #1.  It was also the first X-Men crossover (not counting Secret Wars II which was a stand-alone series with tie-in issues in several comics).  This was a monumental occurrence and required amazing collaboration between writers and the editors of the various books.  Unlike current cross-overs (or even ones from the late 80's) it is not necessarily linear between the books.  Many occur concurrently, making it difficult when placing it in reading order.

The first two books occur simultaneously.  Uncanny X-Men 210 and X-Factor 9 both begin building up the story and nothing much occurs in either.  They both hint at something horrible on the horizon, but rely on prose and shadows as nothing ever really comes out in the open.  The real action starts in:

Uncanny X-Men 211, X-Factor 10, and New Mutants 46.

Uncanny 211 and X-factor 10 both kick it up a notch, starting right off with the Massacre and quickly dragging in both teams.  Although neither team ever truly meets, both come extremely close, including Wolverine smelling Jean for the first time (he wasn't aware of her resurrection) and dragging Storm down before Cyclops' optic blast flies overhead.  Several Morlocks die, including Cybelle, Annalee and many of the teams are critically wounded, including Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Angel (who is impaled in one of the most iconic scenes EVER) and Beast.  These issues never let up and the action is intense all throughout, making these two issues some of the most intense issues I've ever read, even to this date.

Oh, and Apocalypse makes a guest appearance as he chooses the Morlock Plague as his first Horseman.

The New Mutants help with relief as the X-Men retreat to the mansion and they also deal with the wartime horror that they are simply not used to.  It is the reactions of these teenagers that makes that particular book worth reading, even if it does break continuity (in UXM 211, Illyana leaves with Nightcrawler and other Morlocks...in NM 46, she isn't even aware of any issues and the X-Men arrive through the tunnels, carrying Nightcrawler - but hey, this was Claremont's first crossover so he's allowed some leeway).

The massacre continues in...

Power Pack 27

Uncanny X-Men 212

Thor 374

Power Pack is easily the weak point of this crossover.  I still don't see how kids belong in the world of the Morlocks getting murdered.  but they show up anyways and somehow kick the crap out of the Marauders.  But they can't all be perfect.  Powerpack guest stars Wolverine and most of X-Factor (Angel is still hanging around...get it?).  Uncanny is one of the best issues of this crossover as we finally get to see Wolverine fight Sabretooth.  However, it is only a taste as they really get into it later.  And in Thor, we see the fate of Angel (I have never managed to snag Thor #373 which is actually the issue that brings Thor into this crossover).  Thor and Angel both save each other (Angel provides the necessary distraction in order for Thor to kill Blockbuster).  At the end, Thor cleans out the tunnels which is shown also in Uncanny 212 and X-Factor 11 as the entire Morlock tunnels are cleansed by lightning.  It's a decent issue.  I was never a big fan of Thor talking like he did back then (very old fashioned...or what passes for it in the Marvel U).  I especially enjoy this because I view every Angel issue as a lead up to Angel's transformation into the horseman, Death!

The massacre finally closes out in...

These are a bit more personal issues as the massacre is over and the two teams are now dealing with the fallout.  X-Factor has taken in several mutants, including some not too happy with their arraingements (such as Masque....that ugly mother ^&%*er who has been a pain in the ass since the Morlocks were introduced).  Ultimately, Cyclops is forced to kill a Morlock who is threatening several humans only because he is angry at the world.  X-Factor 11 isn't terribly exciting.  The real gem comes with Uncanny #213.  This is another fantastic issue and drawn by Alan Davis, who is one of my favorite all time x-artists.  This is an absolute must read and focuses on a new mutant (not to be confused with New Mutant) named Psylocke (pre-asian-ninja version).  She stalls Sabretooth long enough for Wolverine to get into the mix.  This issue is just amazing.  It has emotion, it has action, and it has some great development and results in Psylocke joining the X-Men.

So there you have it:  The Mutant Massacre.  This still remains one of my favorite crossovers ever.  Even when stacked up against Inferno, Age of Apocalypse, and Messiah Complex.  Granted, every issue isn't perfect (*cough*Power Pack!) but it's such a game changer.  After this series, the X-men lineup completely changes, the New Mutants are missing, lost in time and limbo, and X-Factor starts spiraling down as Angel begins his transformation into Death.  Even as early as this, you can see the seeds sown that will grow into Fall of the Mutants and that, to me, is what makes this crossover so great.  

Uncanny X-Men #210 (Mutant Massacre)

Uncanny X-Men #210 (Oct 1986)
"The Morning After"
9.0/10.0 - Definitely check this one out!
Author:  Chris Claremont
Penciler:  John Romita Jr
Inker:  Dan Green

I absolutely loved this issue and even today, 24 years after its release, it still holds up.  Issues like this simply don't exist nowadays and I think it's a major failing of the X-Men writers (or possibly the editorial team...or maybe both).  I'll get into my thoughts after a quick synopsis.

This starts with a Morlock and a hellfire club soldier running.  The soldier is struck down by what appears to be an energy spear.  He asks the Morlock for help but she runs instead.  The soldier is then killed execution style by an unseen gunman.

Rogue is patrolling the city, looking for Phoenix and Nightcrawler after last issue's battle.  She first encounter's mention of X-Factor at this point, concerned about Mutant Hunters.  (speaking of which, ever get the feeling that Cameron Hodge's campaign probably would have aired exclusively on Fox News if it were in today's world?)  Magneto is spotted by X-Factor, in their mutant hunter guise, as he is entering the Hellfire Club.  Neither group does anything, thought, due to the crowd.  X-Factor is off doing their own thing in their own mag.  I love, though, how this scene is also in X-Factor #9.

Meanwhile, Kitty fixes Cerebro to lock in on some of their missing teammates.  Colossus, Kitty, and Illyana head off and find Nightcrawler being assaulted by a mob.  Colossus, in his human form, intervenes, hoping to use words to dissuade the mob.  Kitty joins him, and after a war of words with some of the angry folks, they walk off, leaving the X-Men to care for their wounded teammate.

Finally, the Morlock from earlier arrives at the Morlock tunnels.  She had finally escaped from her pursuers.  Or so she thought.  An energy spear (yes, we find out next issue, it's really a harpoon) strikes her, dropping her to the ground.  You discover that they used her to lead them to the tunnels.  With no mercy, she is executed and you find that the shadowy group is called the Marauders!  dum.  dum.  dum!

The only thing that keeps this from being a 10.0 issue is the art.  I'm not the biggest fan of Romita's artwork.  It works well, but it's just not something to get excited over.  Still, this issue excels for so many reasons.  First of all, this issue marks the start of the first ever X-over:  The Mutant Massacre!  This is the first X-Men specific crossover to occur (Secret Wars II was not specific to the X-Men, even though it did star them in several issues).  I'm also not counting the minor cross overs such as the Alpha Flight/X-Men 2 issue special.

When I mentioned that I wish today's issues were more like this, I was referring to how this builds up suspense for what will occur in the next few issues.  Only a handful of issues do that anymore.  The start of Messiah Complex and the start of the current Uncanny Avengers' arc comes to mind.  The big battle barely even is hinted at in this issue.  Instead, you get a handful of pages at the beginning and the end and you're left wanting more.

I also loved how this issue coincides with another issue (X-Factor #9) so perfectly.  This was something else that Claremont was good at, but I think praise for Louise Simonson and the editors of the books is also deserved.

Overall, this issue was fairly slow, but it does that on purpose.  It's the buildup to something bigger and you can tell.  Something is just over the horizon and you can feel it creeping up, just out of sight, but you want to keep stretching to see if you can tell what it is.  That's what this issue does to you.  It gets you to turn each page, trying to find out what's coming and you never quite get there, but you can tell, with the last page, that one more look-see and you will know.  Of course that's when you have to wait for the next issue.

Uncanny X-Men #205 (May 1986)

Uncanny X-Men #205
"Wounded Wolf"
10.0/10.0 - an absolute Must Read!
Penciler:  Barry Windsor-Smith
Author:  Chris Claremont
Inker:  Barry Windsor-Smith

Let me preface this by saying that my first encounter with Lady Deathstrike was Uncanny #248 and she only showed up in a single page.  So when I finally laid my hands on this gem of an issue, I was totally psyched.  I also feel I should remind everyone that I am not a fan of Wolverine.  Don't get me wrong, he's a complex character but he is totally overused and usually written very poorly and one-dimensional.  I haven't liked Wolverine since the mid 90's.  Yeah.  It's been that long.

This issue starts with Lady Deathstrike undergoing a complete transformation.  Her first appearance (a few months prior in Alpha Flight) was that of a jilted daughter of a scientist who was honor bound to kill Wolverine.  However, she was only human and her only real weapon was an electro-magnetic sword that was destroyed pretty easily by Vindicator.  Now, you find that sometime afterward, she found Spiral who transformed Deathstrike into a cyborg with extendable "finger claws".  Deathstrike also hooks up with Cole, Macon, and Reese, three ex-Hellfire Club goons who were critically injured by Wolverine during the Dark Phoenix Saga (one of Claremont's strengths is to use plot lines from stories that happened years ago) and were given cybernetic enhancements by Donald Pierce.

Flash forward a small amount of time and Katie Power is run into by a horrible injured Wolverine who is on the run from Deathstrike and her trio.  Wolverine is so out of it, he doesn't know who he is and can't even speak at first.  He and Katie both flee as their pursuers do their best to kill their prey, no matter what collateral damage they inflict.

Eventually, Wolverine finally comes to his senses and hides Katie while he deals with the threat.  He turns the tables and hunts the hunters.  One by one, Macon, Cole, and Reese each fall to Wolverine's claws.  Wolverine then turns on Deathstrike and after a vicious battle, Deathstrike is left on the ground, critically wounded.  She begs Wolverine to kill her with honor, but Wolverine denys her, stating that she must earn that honor first.  He walks off, leaving Deathstrike behind.

This issue is one of the greatest single stories in the X-Men for several reasons.  Smith's art captures the ferocity of the fight and the feeling of the blizzard perfectly.  I'm not always a big fan of Smith, but his work on this issue is some of the best I've ever seen.  Wolverine is shown to be extremely deep.  His walking away from Deathstrike is such a great ending.  And he demonstrates his compassion, especially towards kids, when he handles Katie perfectly, hiding her from the horrors that he must do.  Claremont also perfectly writes Katie, which is hard to do when the character is a 6 year old.

Every time I pick up this issue, I eagerly flip through it.  Some stories I get tired of and will only skim as I've read them several times.  But not this issue.  I take my time with each page, relishing every single panel.

X-Factor annual #1 (1986)

***X-Factor annual #1***
"Grand Design"
2.0/10 - crap
Author:  Bob Layton
Penciler:  Bob Layton
Inker:  Brett Breeding

This issue was one of the last X-Factor issues I ever obtained.  In part, because it was actually somewhat difficult to find, but also, nothing of any real note occurs in this issue.  X-Factor, under their mutant hunter guise, heads to Russia to help out the Russian government.  Beast is already human-looking so this obviously occurs after X-Factor #3, although Rusty is not even mentioned.

They encounter some mutants fighting against the government, led by Father Garnoff.  Iceman is impersonated by an evil mutant, Dr. Heinreich and then captured by the aforementioned Father.  Heinreich goes with the rest of X-Factor to supposedly free the mutants under experimentation.  Heinreich, of course, betrays X-Factor (who still think he's Iceman) but Iceman and the other mutants show up.  Heinreich calls on the Crimson Dynamo who fights X-Factor to a standstill and Iceman (predictably) fights Heinreich one on one and wins when Heinreich falls into the crevasse created by the collapsing floor.  Iceman, impersonating Heinreich with some quick Russian lessons from the Beast, then tells Dynamo to stop fighting and to leave.  And it works!

Seriously, this issue was typical of a lot of annuals at the time and nothing happens that impacts the regular series.  Heinreich isn't a very interesting villain, and everything seems to fall into place, nice and conveniently.  Dynamo seems to have no place in this issue, other than I think he is the only recognizable Marvel villain from Russia.  He's an Iron Man villain and no explanation is ever given why he would be here.  He also is stonewalled by X-Factor, which makes him seem like somewhat of a throw away villain.  And while I'm used to plot holes between issues after a lengthy period of time and in the movies, this one even has Cyclops losing the fight against Heinreich claiming that his power is drained, but a few pages later, he's fighting Dynamo to a standstill.

If you need an issue to complete your X-Factor collection, definitely buy this issue.  If there are other ones that you may need, pick them instead.  This is one of the worst reads in the entire X-Factor series.

(did I mention Heinreich also had the stupidest code name:  Doppelganger)