Uncanny X-Periment # 90: "Mutants No More"

Uncanny X-Men # 379, Cable # 78, Wolverine # 149, X-Force # 101, X-Men # 99, Uncanny X-Men # 380

The X-Men are still reeling from the events of the Twelve. Professor X, distraut, takes the Mutants Skrulls (who will henceforth be known as Cadre K, as they are later called due to their being K-Class Skrulls) back into space in the hopes of finding a safe haven for them. Cable meets back up with his gang in Hell’s Kitchen and not only breaks up with his waitress girlfriend Stacey Kramer, but also mind-wipes any interaction he had with her. Meanwhile, the rest of the team attempts to unwind.

Unfortunately, the High Evolutionary has other plans. Deeming too dangerous to have powers, he and former professor, Dr. Essex, uses sophisticated orbital satellites that suppress the manifestation of the Mutant gene, rendering all Mutants into humans. Genosha goes to hell in a handbag, Mystique gets locked while sneaking into the NSA, the Brotherhood disbands, and the X-Men kinda just crumble.

As Cable goes into a Techno-Organic cocoon, Meltdown of X-Force helps a preteen deal with the loss of his powers. Wolverine, dying of Adamantium poisoning, gets help from the New Warriors when he tackles some robots for some reason or another.

Eventually, Iceman and Beast (who were stranded on Genosha) discover that the Mutates are mutating as a result of the suppression. With the de-powered Magneto’s help, they get back the States and pull the X-Men together. They launch an attack on High Evolutionary’s space station just as Essex reveals that he’s really Mr. Sinister and takes High Evolutionary out. The X-Men duke it out with the Ani-Men and eventually (almost killing him), Wolverine takes out the controls. Mr. Sinister runs off and the High Evolutionary restores everyone’s powers. Genosha returns to Magneto’s control, Cable is healed, yadayadayada.

This is Alan Davis’ final X-Men story, and it’s too bad, because it’s pretty bad. When I first read this years ago, I found it to be rather entertaining and I liked it. But now, in the context of all these other stories, I find “Mutants No More” to be a disappointment on so many levels.

First of all, the continuity is dodgy. Mr. Sinister taught college and the High Evolutionary was a student? Shadowcat is 16 (IMPOSSIBLE!)? Wolverine, despite everyone else losing their physical Mutations, still has his claws? Not to mention the Mutant population numbers are way off of what we know/learn. This story was poorly researched – and there wasn’t even a whole lot that needed to be done.

Second, if Sinister was behind this the whole time, why didn’t he just talk the High Evolutionary into using these weapons earlier? Sinister is an enemy of Apocalypse. If he were to, say, use these satellites to suppress Mutant genes and powers right before the 12, then the Celestial device wouldn’t have been able to absorb any of the Mutant energies. Plus, Apocalypse would be pretty much ripe for the picking at that point.

Finally, the characterization is way off. Wolverine’s role with the New Warriors is just silly (even though I found it ironic and I’ll touch on that further down the line). Professor X leaves the X-Men – again. There was the first time for his secret mission against Lucifer, then again when he faked his death, then to “mourn” the X-Men with Lilandria, then to head off with the Shi’ar after the trial of Magneto, and (most recently), as redemption for Onslaught. This guy must just hate the X-Men, I guess. Besides this, though?

Well, there’s the mentor/protégé camp the Storm takes Marrow too, where Marrow eventually gets a BF. Totally! Plus, the X-Men in general end up waiting around a week before getting their asses in gear to take the fight to the High Evolutionary.

I’ll grant that both Nightcrawler and Rogue get some good character developments, but that’s it. The subplot on Genosha is worth taking a look at it. The concept itself is neat, though better explored in the recent “Decimation” event. But I’ll grant that the High Evolutionary’s plan was kinda cool too.

In the end, this is a disappointing end to Davis’ short X-Men run. He injected some new energy into the stories with the X-Men taking on non-X-Men villains, such as Red Skull, Skrulls, Galactus, the Trion, and the High Evolutionary – as well as the upper echelon of the X-Men’s enemies, being Magneto, Apocalypse, Juggernaut, and Mr. Sinister. The run had its ups and downs, but at least I can genuinely say this was a very unique run of the X-Men.

~W~