Fall of the Mutants (1987 X-Men crossover event)

I had a lot of positive reception on my reviews for the Mutant Massacre, so I decided to do it again.  I hope it's as enjoyable as before.  This blog will be shortened.  I'll devote most of the reviews to the individual issues.  Considering the time it takes for me to get one issue out, please be patient.

Unlike the Mutant Massacre, this crossover had no coherent storyline.  It was as if the shit just hit the fan for all three x-groups all at once.  It contained themes running across all three titles, however.  The primary theme was the growing distrust and anti-mutant feelings of the general public.  The Mutant Registration Act really hit full swing here, although it would still be addressed in many later issues.

One interesting part was the addition of an advertisement for the crossover, masquerading as a Public Service Announcement.  It was meant to get people to "turn in" anybody they know who might be a mutant.

I've read that this also came as a detachable card and could be requested at most comic retailers and could be mailed in with your personal information as your way of registering your mutant status.  I wasn't buying comics at the time so I have no idea beyond what I've read.

Another theme was that the Fall of the Mutants drastically changed the status of each X-group.  The X-Men became legends, but were believed dead even by friends and family.  They also soon moved their group to the Australian outback.  X-Factor adopted their infamous Ship as their base, discarded the mutant hunter identities, and became a public mutant team.  The New Mutants lost their first member and severed ties with Magneto.  Although they remained at the school they no longer made any attempt to listen to him, feeling that with the X-Men dead they were the last hope.

Although the stories do not continue in each title, most refer to events happening in the other issues, so it is evident they are occurring at the same time.  In Uncanny X-Men, the Avengers and Fantastic Four are referenced as being held in reserve until the situation in New York is resolved.  In X-Factor, the reports from Dallas regarding the X-Men show up on TV several times.  In the New Mutants, Magneto surveys a demolished New York City as well as the young mutants witness the X-Men's death in Dallas.  There are also smaller, non x-titles, that tie in.  I have most of them, but not all, so I won't be able to include Daredevil or the Hulk in my review.  However, in Captain America we get to see Famine lay waste to the midwest.  In Power Pack (the only issue to really tie in directly to any of the issues), the brat pack fights off Pestilence and helps to try to bring down Apocalypse's ship.  And in Fantastic Four, during the parade for X-Factor, the team gets forced into helping a Doctor Doom obtain asylum from the United States.

As a crossover, this actually is not that great.  However, the individual stories are highly enjoyable and they really do change things for years to come (maybe even more so than Inferno does later).

I hope you guys enjoy my reviews.  I'll try to get out 2-3 a week, but I make no promises.