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.