May 1994
In a Nutshell
A new team of X-Men debut as the other X-Men part ways with the Freakshow.
Penciler: Ron Lim
Inker: Jim Sanders III
Letterer: Ken Lopez
Colorist: Tom Smith
Editor: Joey Cavalieri
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco
Krystalin marvels at Victor Ten Eagles' holograms of the original X-Men, before the pair set out to track down the mysterious shadow they observed flying in the night sky. Meanwhile, Mama Hurricane & the Freakshow prepare to depart Iron Horse. In New Mexico, Krystalin & Victor visit an agricultural cooperative only to find the place ransacked, Victor's contact encased in ice and saying they were attacked by agents of Zhao. At Iron Horse, Mama Hurricane gives Xi'an a map of all the previous Mutant Underground routes, while Metalhead decides to stay with the departing Freakshow. Meanwhile, Krystalin & Victor track the cooperative's attackers to a desert compound. Inside, they're attacked by a group of apparent mutants styled after the original X-Men. Together, Krystalin & Victor are able to fight off the X-Men, but as they try to escape, Zhao himself knocks them out, declaring they are to become one of the Chosen - one of his X-Men!
Firsts and Other Notables
This issue marks the first appearance of Zhao, one of the post-Xavier, pre-Xi'an mutants to lead and organize a group calling themselves the X-Men, first mentioned in issue #1. Here, he is presented as an antagonist, which is the role he'll play during his occasional appearances in the series, his mind having been warped by a device he used to amplify his power (when, as he grew older, they started to fade) into a mutant supremacist, making him something of a Magneto figure to Xi'an's Xavier. He possesses significant telepathic and telekinetic powers.
This issue also sees the debut of Zhao's X-Men (whom he calls the Chosen), all of whom resemble the original X-Men in some way: Frostbite, Monster, One Eyed Jack, Psycho K, and Wingspan (it is Wingspan who created the Archangel-esque shadow the closed the previous issue). Next issue will reveal them to be genetically-modified humans (like the Freakshow), modified by Zhao specifically to resemble the original X-Men, as opposed to genuine mutants.
Metalhead leaves the team as of this issue, opting to stay with the Freakshow in the wake of his injury (which is a bit odd, given it was the Freakshow who maimed him), though he will continue to have a presence in the series moving forward.
Rosa mentions that the father of her unborn child was ultimately not a good person, something that will come up again later.
The cover is an homage to the first issue of the series (without the holographic foil gimmick).
A Work in Progress
Krystalin notes that the original X-Men were the template for Xi’an’s X-Men, as well as Del Ruiz’s and Zhao’s, though unlike Zhao's in this issue, Xi'an's don't map to obvious O5 analogs.
In the wake of Contagion’s infection, Metalhead remains stuck in his metal form, and his appearance has settled into a kind of melted look, without hair, that will be his default appearance going forward.
More "Xi'an is haunted by his past/dark side" stuff.
He receives a map from Mama Hurricane of the routes and rendezvous points the Driver used during her Mutant Underground Days.
Artistic Achievements
After seeing the Archangel-esque shadow last issue, Krystalin looks up a holographic representation of the original X-Men, which gives us a chance to see Ron Lim’s take on the group (albeit pulled from various eras).
Victor Ten Eagles has such good holograms of the X-Men thanks to SHIELD having established a holographic database at some point in the (book’s) past, which he then raided.
Zhao is said to be the leader of the last generation of X-Men, leading them during the Civil Wars (not sure how that fits in with the aforementioned Great Purge that prompted MUSE into action).
Cerebra & Mama Hurricane point our the importance of Mutant/Degen relations.
Metalhead meets Rosa for the first time in this issue, and the pair quickly bond.
Austin's Analysis
Most of this issue is transitional, putting Xi'an on the path towards Avalon, breaking Metalhead off from the team, and introducing Zhao's X-Men. And while it may not be the best idea to introduce *another* team of futuristic X-Men this early in the series, especially with the titular group of X-Men still somewhat loosely formed (and losing another member as of this issue), it does do something the series hasn't been the best at doing: engage with the concept of the X-Men as a legacy being actively engaged by the characters.
Krystalin's adoration of the original X-Men, the talk of previous iterations of "futuristic" X-Men that precede the titular ones, and the introduction of Zhao's "Dark Mirror O5" X-Men, do a lot to sell the idea that the X-Men featured in these pages are very consciously acting within a previously-established framework - in-universe as well of out-universe. This is something that, like a larger mission/thematic purpose, the series lacked early on (and which this arc is also addressing), and it is to its benefit to finally find these character reacting to and placing themselves in the historical context of the X-Men. The efforts to that end here are by no means thorough or comprehensive, but in terms of building the "world" of the series, they're a good start.
Next Issue
Xi'an vs. Zhao for the fate of the X-Men in X-Men 2099 #9!
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Next Issue
Xi'an vs. Zhao for the fate of the X-Men in X-Men 2099 #9!
Like what you read? Then support us on Patreon!
In some ways, this is a very non-traditional team book. The cast seems to spend more time apart than together, one member has already died, and another has now left the team. And we’re only 8 issues in!
ReplyDeleteyeah, it takes a long time for there to be a really consistent, recurring group of characters you'd be comfortable calling "the X-Men." And even then, it comes together fairly organically. I have no idea if Moore had a lot of this plotted out or was making it up as he went along, but it has a very Hama-esque go with the flow feel to it.
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