Uncanny X-Men Annual 2001, New X-Men # 127, Uncanny X-Men # 401-409
Uncanny X-Men Annual 2001 – The X-Men investigate a new drug ring. It’s being run by the Vanisher and is based on humans using Mutant gene therapy to have temporary powers. The X-Men find out its Vanisher, but he gets away before they are able to do any real damage to him.
New X-Men # 127 – Xorn investigates a Mutant in the newly-established “Mutant Town” in NYC. Unfortunately, the mission ends in tragedy, but Xorn gets some musing.
Uncanny X-Men # 401-409 – The X-Men confront Banshee, who has formed a paramilitary unit called the X-Corps. Run by Banshee and with members including M, Jubilee, Husk, Maddrox, Sunpyre, and Radius; as well as “former” criminals the like of Blob, Avalanche, Abyss, and Fever Pitch. Turns out that Banshee is using illusionist Lady Mastermind to control these former criminals. Unfortunately, Mystique is using Lady Mastermind and an anti-Mutant terrorist group called ARM to manipulate Banshee and to ruin it all. Eventually, Mystique gets sucked into Abyss and Banshee gets his throat slashed. During all this, Nightcrawler and Chamber ended up with Kurt’s out circus buddy and Kurt is trying to figure out what’s wrong with him and what the Church of Humanity did to him. In the aftermath, the X-Men investigate the Vanisher again, which brings Kurt into conflict with a priest turned Mutant-wannabe who is then killed by the CoH. With the help of renewed-in-the-X-Men Stacey, Warren is able to take apart Vanisher’s drug empire by buying it out.
Let’s start at the beginning . . .
Uncanny X-Men Annual 2001
Kudos on making the Vanisher interesting. However the story suffers from Vanisher’s power to vanish and the art. Ashley Woods’ work is great . . . but not very good with storytelling.
New X-Men # 127
A nice introduction to Mutant Town. A good look at the (supposed) inner musings of Xorn. Good art. Good comic.
Uncanny X-Men # 401-409
You know, it’s surprisingly hard for me to write this. Seriously. In the entire time that this entry has not been up, I’ve been struggling with what to write here. I’ve finally just decided to let it all out . . .
There’s just something not right about the “X-Corps” story and I finally think I know what it is. While it does kinda serve a metaphor for “the end of X-Men spin-offs,” Banshee just isn’t portrayed right. Moira or no Moira, Sean just doesn’t feel right here. His character arc is interesting, but too many things happen that Sean just knows better about. Bringing in criminals to do his job and controlling them using another criminal? Come on!
The arc after that is an improvement, as it uses the best elements of Casey’s run – the Vanisher/Drug story and the Church of Humanity. Wish it could have been better and it never really was revealed just what was wrong with Kurt during Casey’s run, meaning it was up to Austen . . . and we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.
Casey’s run was intriguing, but never really achieved its potential. It constantly felt like he was trying to find a balance between Claremont’s old school super-heroics and Morisson’s “new” feel and direction – and he just never found it. He brought a darker, more brooding edge the X-Men that fit some characters – like Chamber and Stacey – but hurt others, like Kurt. I also would have liked to have had a stronger conclusion to his overall story involving the Church of Humanity.
But oh well.
~W~
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