THE PHOENIX RESURRECTION #0 – March 1996

Red Shift

Credits:  Ian Edginton (writer), J. Royle, Paul Pelletier, C. Wojtkiewicz, Randy Green, B. Murray, & Rob Haynes (pencilers), P. Moy, S. Moncuse, Mark Farmer, Terry Austin, G. Martin (inkers), P. Owsley & V. Williams (letterers), Rob Alvord & Malibu (colors)

Summary:  Barriers between the Ultraverse and Marvel Universe weaken.  Prime spots Gateway in a crowd and is annoyed that he isn’t cheering with the rest of Prime’s fans.  When he flies over to confront Gateway, Prime discovers only a painting of the Phoenix in the dirt.  Night Man looks into a puddle and sees inside Damion Hellstrom’s home.  Whizzer of the Squadron Supreme contacts the Beast (when other heroes won’t answer) and discusses the rise in dimensional anomalies.  Mantra, in her civilian identity, is briefly visited by Gateway.  A member of the Exiles worries that she might again become the vessel for a cosmic force.  Rune falls through a dimensional rift and briefly stands outside of the X-Men’s mansion.  Ultraforce accidentally sends a villain into the Marvel Universe, where he briefly encounters Spider-Man and Thor.  

Continuity Notes:  

• This Malibu/Marvel crossover represents continuity circa late 1995, which means Spider-Man is Ben Reilly and Wolverine has bone claws -- but also a nose, since he hasn’t gone fully “feral” yet.  
• Due to previous attempts to incorporate Marvel characters into Malibu’s Ultraverse, Black Knight is a member of Ultraforce and the Exiles team has Juggernaut, Reaper, and Sienna Blaze as members.
• Based on a flashback in the Exiles chapter of this story, the Malibu miniseries Break-Thru has already teased the arrival of the Phoenix Force in the Ultraverse.

Review:  In 1995-1996, publishers were legally required to have a zero issue.  Don’t question it.  The Phoenix Resurrection #0 is a one-shot published after the conclusion of the miniseries.  It’s a reprint of a series of back-up teasers that ran in Malibu’s superhero comics for a month, followed by a new story starring Jubilee.  Five pages of new Jubilee content cost you $1.95 in the early days of 1996; surely this was the golden age of X-completist gouging.

I doubt you’ll find an Ultraverse fan today who looks back with any nostalgia on the Marvel crossover days.  Marvel seemed to have an attitude that teaming their heroes with the Ultraverse characters would somehow legitimize the Ultras, but Marvel fans never seemed to care and Malibu fans always resented the intrusion.  Had this stunt been pulled four years earlier, it’s possible that diehard Marvel Zombies would’ve bought the hype and embraced characters like Rune and Prime with open arms.  By 1996, everyone was just burned out on these stunts.  If the Ultraverse characters had any shot at all of surviving the Marvel takeover, they probably should’ve been incorporated into the actual Marvel Universe.  Running two superhero universes simultaneously has historically not ended well, with the younger universe always paying the price.  Ending the Ultraverse and giving three or four of the heroes their own titles in the Marvel Universe, and actually treating them as authentic heroes within the Marvel Universe, was probably the best bet for getting Marvel fans to pay attention.  That’s assuming that the higher-ups at Marvel really wanted the Malibu characters to succeed, of course.  For years, the fan press reported that Marvel bought Malibu for its computer coloring department.  Now, we know that Malibu was purchased mainly to prevent DC from buying the company and taking a larger percentage of the marketplace.  Supposedly, Marvel didn’t even discover Malibu had a full-time computer coloring department until after the deal was finalized.

It’s hard to judge any of these shorts as stories, since every one is a brief scene that teases the idea of the Marvel Universe and the Ultraverse colliding.  Some of these shorts are more fun than I was expecting.  The Night Man piece has him inadvertently gaining access to Hellstorm’s bedroom, while he’s entertaining a “silver-tongued devil.”  The Whizzer back-up is about as interesting as a dry “two worlds are colliding” exposition piece can be.  (And notice that the major companies still can’t let go of the Conflicting Continuities Converge concept.)  I do feel sorry for Siren, though, whoever she is.  She isn’t even the star of her own back-up; Whizzer takes her place, in a short that doesn’t feature any Ultraverse characters.  Some of the pieces are borderline incomprehensible, such as the Ultraforce back-up, but overall the shorts set up the Phoenix event rather painlessly.  The art is the mixed bag I would expect any mid-‘90s superhero jam comic to be, with Paul Pelletier and Mark Farmer turning in the strongest piece, while B. Murray delivers a job worthy of Extreme Studios.  (Is this the Brian Murray who worked on Supreme?)  The cover also exhibits some of Bryan Hitch’s strengths and weaknesses during this era.  It’s a dynamic drawing, and the figures are well-constructed.  Those faces, though…why do Wolverine and Prime both have freakishly deformed left eyes?!

Generation X - Red Shift

Credits:  Ian Edginton (plot), Dan Abnett (script), Robert Stotz (penciler), Steve Moncuse (inker), Edd fear (letterer), Moose Baumann (colorist)

Summary:  Jubilee reflects in her school’s terrarium, questioning why Gateway included her in the group of mutants sent to defend the Ultraverse.  She discovers an emblem shaped like the Phoenix and wonders if it has any significance.  Nearby, Gateway smiles.

Review:  So, in the same comic, we get the prologues and an epilogue, which makes the reading order slightly annoying for anyone following this event with the zero issue first.  Calling this a “story” is a bit generous, with the narrative only offering the vaguest hint that Jubilee’s found something that might be important someday.  It isn’t, of course, since the Ultraverse characters were dismissed by Marvel not long after this event concluded.  Also, including new material in a reprint special is always a questionable move in my opinion.  If there are any Jubilee completists out there today, hopefully you can find this in a quarter box somewhere.

GENERATION X/GEN 13 - February 1997

 

Harvest of Evil

Credits:  James Robinson (writer), Salvador Larroca (penciler), Troy Hubbs & Al Milgrom (inker), Shannon Blanchard (colors), Comicraft (letters)

Summary:  Dr. Pretorious creates a scheme to harvest the organs of young superhumans and then sell them to elderly patients.  He lures Generation X and Gen 13 to his “hotel” in Mexico.  Soon, they discover his creations and discern his true motives.  Burnout escapes to get help and is soon attacked by Pretorious’ genetic hybrids.  The teams combine their powers to escape and eventually rescue Burnout.  With the help of Lynch, Pretorious is arrested and placed into custody.

Not Approved By The Comics Code Authority:  Marvel published this chapter of the crossover, even though there’s no Code approval stamp on the cover.  I think it could’ve been approved, but it is a little racy for a Marvel book of the era.  There are two references to Rainmaker’s lesbianism, Fairchild is allowed to “poke” out in one panel, and in one scene Grunge tries to take Jubilee’s bathing suit off in the water.  (And Jubilee’s supposed to be around fourteen during these days!)

Review:  One day I’ll be free of these Marvel/Wildstorm crossovers.  I didn’t even know Marvel published its own Generation X/Gen 13 crossover until a few weeks ago.  At the time of its release, I was only vaguely aware of the original Image Gen 13/Generation X crossover comic, which had art by Arthur freakin’ Adams yet still managed to fly under the radar.  Marvel clearly didn’t have much of an interest in promoting these comics, perhaps because Gen 13 was already slipping in popularity a bit, or it could’ve been a simple case of a higher-up making the call not to promote the competition’s characters.  Regardless, regular Generation X writer James Robinson, who also did a decent amount of work for Wildstorm, is a good choice to script, and he’s devised a story that doesn’t seem out of place for either team.  It’s a bit Scooby-Doo, but that actually fits Gen 13 perfectly, and it’s not out of the realm of something Scott Lobdell would’ve done in the early Generation X issues.  The only real flaw of the story is Robinson’s assumption that a) you know who all of these characters are (most of the cast isn’t identified by code name or given a clear scene to show off their powers), and b) you know that the characters have already met in the Image crossover comic.  

A larger issue is Salvador Larroca’s art.  There are two inkers on the comic, which might explain why the art is fairly impressive in the opening pages and then grows shockingly inconsistent towards the end.  Even if the book ran into deadline trouble, someone should’ve done something to fix the panels that make some of the cast members look so unrecognizable.  If drawn properly, Jubilee really shouldn’t be confused for any member of Gen 13.  Looking at the various monsters used throughout the story, obviously inspired by old horror movies, also leads me to believe that Arthur Adams was handed the wrong version of the crossover to draw.  Adams could’ve done an incredible job on this comic, but instead he was given a cluttered mess that forced him to pencil one boring talking head after another.  This would’ve been a much better fit; so much so I almost wonder if Robinson heard that Adams was drawing the Generation X/Gen 13 crossover and just assumed he was writing Adams’ chapter.

GENERATION X #62 - April 2000

 

Prey

Credits:  Jay Faerber (writer), Matt Smith, Nelson DeCastro, Yancey Labat, & Darren Auck (pencilers), John Czop, Jason Martin, & Rodney Ramos (inkers), Kevin Tinsley (colors), Comicraft (letters)

Summary:  Using her telepathy, M is able to fend off DeLaCorte’s psychic influence.  M tries to expose DeLaCorte to the local police, but he’s immune to sunlight.  That night, she’s attacked by Tabby, a girl DeLaCorte “turned” earlier.  She impales Tabby on a stake, then seeks out DeLaCorte in his office.  His secretary, Mrs. Hilmersson, exposes herself as a vampire and covers DeLaCorte’s escape.  Eventually, M catches up with DeLaCorte and impales him on a building’s spire.  Following his death, the school closes down and M returns to the Massachusetts Academy.

Continuity Notes:  According to M’s research, being bitten doesn’t make you a vampire (unless you’re actually killed), but does enable the vampire to mentally control you.  As for DeLaCorte’s ability to withstand sunlight, he credits a process credited by Captain America villain Baron Blood.

Review:  Jay Faerber concludes his run, and as I suspected, there’s no room to resolve any of the ongoing subplots he left growing in the background.  I suppose he could’ve resolved this vampire plot in just a few pages and spent the rest of the issue rushing through Adrienne Frost’s story arc, or providing some resolution to the romantic entanglements amongst the team, but that would’ve surely shortchanged all of the storylines.  Instead, he devotes the entire issue to M, who narrates the story in what I’m assuming is an homage to Buffy.  Her unwillingness to call in Generation X for help is treated as an intentional plot point, driving home the idea that M is determined to move away from the team.  Unfortunately, the story doesn’t give her much of an arc to go through, so her decision to return to the school at the end feels largely arbitrary.  The extremely inconsistent art, which makes M sometimes unrecognizable, doesn’t help things either.  Not a great issue to go out on, but Jay Faerber’s stint as writer is still a clear highlight of the book’s run.

GENERATION X #61 - March 2000

Christmas Cheer Fear - Part Two
Credits:  Jay Faerber (writer), Kevin Sharpe (penciler), Russell/Ramos/Czop (inkers), Kevin Tinsley (colors), Comicraft (letters)

Summary:  Black Tom subdues the team and reveals the true origin of Mondo.  He explains to the team that he rescued Mondo from the Hellfire Club, following Cordelia’s betrayal.  Later, a Mondo clone was sent to infiltrate Generation X.  Now, Black Tom is helping Mondo get revenge on Cordelia.  Suddenly, Penance enters from the woods and cuts Juggernaut’s helmet off.  Emma uses her telepathic powers to incapacitate him, leading Black Tom to order Mondo to escape.  Meanwhile, M meets her new headmaster De La Corte and discovers he’s a vampire.  She’s bitten in the neck during their struggle.

Continuity Notes:  Black Tom flashes back to the team’s first encounter with Mondo in Generation X Annual ’95.  He reveals that he was Barrington, the mystery figure in charge of a platoon of armed soldiers.  I’m not sure if Jay Faerber knew this, but Barrington actually became an established supporting cast member in the Maverick solo series (after appearing as a shadowy figure for years in X-stories featuring Maverick.)  This still works in continuity however, since it’s entirely plausible that Black Tom could’ve impersonated Barrington on that one occasion.  This also explains why exactly Maverick’s boss was so interested in Mondo, anyway.

Review:  I think Scott Lobdell briefly toyed with the idea of making Black Tom the team’s main villain, and it would seem Jay Faerber was thinking along those lines when writing these issues.  I can see it working; Tom obviously has a connection to Banshee, and given his past with Siryn, there’s a precedent for his interest in young mutants.  He’s a much better choice than Emplate, at least.  

Black Tom’s latest protégé is Mondo, the “real” one, who’s given more lines this issue than ever before.  Faerber’s decided to ditch Mondo’s previous characterization as a lazy beach bum and just write him as an angry villain out for revenge.  I can’t imagine this went over well with the people who clung to those early cameo appearances, but I suppose it’s justified within the context of the story.  Connecting Black Tom to the events of Generation X Annual ’95 is a strange move, but I think it’s actually a clever way to work within continuity and insert Black Tom into Mondo’s past without too many headaches.  (Although the specifics of how Black Tom pulled off the Barrington impersonation, especially while he was morphing into a living tree, should probably be elaborated on.)

Faerber’s run isn’t exactly known for the action scenes, but the team’s first fight with Juggernaut is actually pretty exciting.  Chamber gets to have a classic “I’ve exhausted my powers, but he just won’t stop!” moment, as he uses his powers for the first time in what feels like ages.  Penance also gets her moment, and for perhaps the first time her diamond-hard claws play a real role in the story when she rips Juggernaut’s helmet off.  Juggernaut also looks great when drawn by Kevin Sharpe, who’s the rare fill-in artist that’s actually compatible with Terry Dodson’s style.  As for that vampire subplot, I have a feeling it’s going to be a needless distraction in an issue that should really be devoted to Faerber’s various subplots, but I guess I’ll find out soon enough.

GENERATION X #60 - February 2000

Christmas Cheer Fear
Credits:  Jay Faerber (writer), Terry Dodson (penciler), Rachel Dodson (inker), Kevin Tinsley (colors), Comicraft (letters)

Summary:  Cordelia Frost is stalked in the woods outside the school.  Eventually, she crashes through a window, leading Gen X to investigate outside.  They’re soon ambushed by Mondo.  Banshee’s sonic scream knocks him unconscious, but he’s shocked by the sudden arrival of Black Tom and Juggernaut.  Meanwhile in the Alps, one of M’s classmates is attacked by a vampire.

Continuity Notes: 

• Numerous brief subplot scenes in this issue:  Penance runs off, apparently in anger, after watching the team wrap Christmas presents.  A mystery figure leaves a folder on Emma’s desk, detailing the members of the New Hellions.  Banshee confides to Tom Corsi that he doesn’t understand Siryn’s behavior following her injury.
• Mondo (or more accurately, his clone) was apparently killed by Bastion in Generation X #25.
• Chamber implies that his rich, out-of-touch parents probably don’t even know it’s Christmas.  I believe this is the first reference ever made to Chamber’s parents.   Skin reminds the reader that his mother believes he’s dead, and reveals that his father vanished years earlier.
• Penance makes an ice sculpture of what appears to be Gateway, although Jubilee doesn’t recognize who it’s supposed to be.  

Review:  Jay Faerber begins his final arc on the book, and has apparently decided to use this time to placate the fans that kept asking for Mondo’s return.  Mondo has a strange place in Generation X history.  He debuted in the Generation X preview special along with the rest of the team, the implication being that he would join in the early issues of the book.  The fans kept waiting, but would only receive sporadic subplot pages that had Mondo lounging on the beach with a brunette beauty.  In the ensuing months, “Age of Apocalypse” consumed the X-line, bringing us an alternate reality that prominently featured Mondo as a member of the team.  But no Mondo when everything returned to normal.  He even showed up as a member in that FOX made-for-TV movie, but couldn’t be found in the comics.  

Eventually, Mondo made his way into the books, in a storyline that revealed his brunette girlfriend was actually Emma Frost’s sister, making Mondo (or, wait, his clone) her accomplice in crime.  And, somehow, the mysterious “Barrington” from Maverick’s early appearances got dragged in.  Then, “Operation: Zero Tolerance” happened, things got confusing, and “Mondo” was killed.  You would think this bizarre character arc would’ve been reason enough for fandom to forget Mondo, but instead, a segment of fans demanded his return.  (Perhaps these are the same fans that couldn’t let Blink go?)

I suppose there’s nothing inherently wrong with using Mondo again.  He was never truly fleshed out in the mainstream Marvel continuity, and his powers are more interesting than most of the energy blasters and telepaths that are usually pitted against the X-teams.  Tying Mondo to Black Tom, who was present for his big moment in issue #25, uses past continuity well.  (Faerber is definitely using continuity to his advantage on this book.  Picking up on the New Hellions from X-Force and giving Emma time to respond to them is another smart move.)  Unfortunately, Mondo’s visuals are unique to Chris Bachalo’s style, so the readers who wanted more of the Mondo they got in AoA’s Generation Next are likely to be disappointed.  Also, the identity of Cordelia’s attacker is kept secret until the end of the issue, but of course it’s been horribly spoiled by the cover.  As a setup for the next issue’s resolution, this is fine, although I think the pace is a little leisurely given that Faerber only has a few issues left to finish his run.

GENERATION X ‘99 - November 1999

Family Business
Credits:  Jay Faerber (writer), Pete Woods, Kevin Sharpe, & Yancey Labat (pencilers), Wong/Czop/Ramos/Koblish (inks), Kevin Tinsley (colors), Richard Starkings & Comicraft (letters)

Summary:  Jubilee notices her parents standing next to Gen X villain Hunter Brawn in an old photograph.  She investigates, and discovers a connection between Brawn and the bank where her father served as president.  She confronts the bank’s vice president Elliott Lu, who confesses that her parents were killed in a staged car accident after her father discovered Brawn’s money laundering scheme.  Jubilee travels to Brawn’s home, unaware that Synch has broken his promise and told Banshee about her plan.  Banshee sends the team to aid Jubilee against Legault, but allows her to face Brawn.  She refuses to kill him, and allows Brawn to be taken into custody following Lu’s confession.  Later, M says goodbye to the team and leaves with her father.

Continuity Notes: 

• Generation X faced Hunter Brawn and his flunky Legault back in Generation X #51.  Husk’s potential boyfriend Tristan is Brawn’s grandson.
• According to Jubilee, the specific date of her parents’ death is October 15th.  I’m sure this will come up often in future stories, so let's all make a note of it.
• The major continuity concern with this issue is the portrayal of the Lees’ deaths.  As established in Wolverine #72, Jubilee’s parents were killed in a staged car crash by hitmen Reno & Molokai.  Their death was a mistake, as Reno & Molokai were paid to kill a different pair of Lees who lived next door.

I Love the '90s:  Jubilee uses a pay phone to call Synch, even though it’s established just a few pages earlier that she has a cell phone with her (she plugs it into her laptop to go online).

Review:  I’m assuming Jay Faerber came across Jubilee’s first entry in the Handbook (the 1989 update miniseries), read the portion about her parents dying in a car accident on Mulholland Drive, and assumed no one had ever done a story addressing this.  He’s wrong, of course, but that’s what editors are for.  Apparently, they never read those stories, either.  But even if they missed the story arc in Wolverine #72-74, you would think Marvel’s editor-in-chief, Bob Harras, would’ve caught this.  He was the editor of Wolverine at the time, and the editor of Uncanny X-Men during Jubilee’s first appearances.  This is the kind of stuff that was beginning to slip through during the final days of Bob Harras’ stint as editor-in-chief, and it’s a shame that Marvel’s continuity hasn’t recovered to this day.

Now, technically, it’s possible to make both stories work.  You just have to believe that both Lee families on this street in Beverly Hills had hits placed on them on the same day.  If Reno & Molokai made a mistake and grabbed the wrong Lees, it didn’t really matter since they were on someone else’s hit list anyway.  This also requires you to believe the first massive coincidence that a pair of goons Wolverine faced earlier in his solo series turned out to be the Lees’ killers, and the second coincidence that the person who ordered the hit would later become an enemy of Jubilee’s team, Generation X.  

Looking back, Wolverine #72-74 was far from a highlight of Hama’s run, but I still prefer his interpretation of the Lees’ murder.  Hama had a habit of inserting tragic consequences based on simple misunderstandings in his work; perhaps most famously in G. I. Joe when several established characters are killed after Tomax and Xamot misunderstand Cobra Commander’s orders to “get rid of them.”  Revealing that Jubilee’s parents died because they happened to share the same last name with the wrong family just feels more poignant than a simple story about money laundering.  What’s worse is that both stories have the same ending – Jubilee confronting the person (or persons) responsible for her parents’ deaths and finding the strength not to kill them.  And, both times, Wolverine plays a role in her decision, even if he isn’t physically in this issue.

Ignoring all of the continuity complaints, I do have some admiration for Faerber for at least trying to tell a real story in an annual.  Annuals were an absolute dead zone by 1999.  No one even bothered to arrange quickie crossovers in them anymore.  Faerber’s created a story that not only adds to one character’s established past (admittedly, in a clumsy way), but also impacts the lineup of the team.  

Throughout the issue, M is dealing with her father’s decision to withdraw her from the school, a choice she isn’t necessarily opposed to.  Banshee tries to convince her father to give M the space she needs to grow up and make her own decisions, which Faerber later parallels with Jubilee’s solo mission against Hunter Brawn.  Banshee gives Jubilee the freedom to confront Brawn on her own, confident she’ll make the right choice.  (Somewhat confident, since he sends Synch and Husk to keep an eye on her.)  Later, M says goodbye to the team, acknowledging that no one really liked her, and maybe it’s best this way.  Faerber also advances the Tristan Brawn/Husk subplot, as Tristan definitively turns away from his grandfather and becomes a more legitimate love interest for Husk.  So, yes, things happen and the story is much more than filler.  Unfortunately, it’s built on shaky continuity, and most of the emotional beats of the story were already covered years earlier.

GENERATION X #59 - January 2000

Artie and Leech’s Day Off!

Credits: Jay Faerber (writer), Terry Dodson (penciler), Rachel Dodson (inker), Kevin Tinsley (colors), Comicraft (letters)

Summary: Artie and Leech sneak out while Gen X visits a museum in New York. The team searches for the duo, as Artie and Leech aid Spider-Man against Sandman. Emma pairs with Tom Corsi, who explains his reluctance to join the school considering his past with Emma. Chamber futilely tries to talk to Husk about her new attitude, while Skin and Synch run into She-Hulk and ask for an autograph. Finally, Artie and Leech are caught by the Avengers after impersonating Thor and Captain America. When the team arrives to pick them up, Emma makes peace with Firestar.

Continuity Notes:

· Banshee and Jubilee aren’t with the team, because they’ve traveled to the X-mansion following the “death” of Wolverine. The footnote points to Uncanny X-Men #375.

· Tom Corsi reminds Emma of the time she had Empath force him and Sharon Friedlander to, well, mate like animals in New Mutants #39. Later, Emma has to apologize again for manipulating Firestar in the past, and sending the Hellions to retrieve her in an early New Warriors story.

I Love the '90s: Artie and Leech impersonate two of the Backstreet Boys (the blonde one and the “bad boy”…I’m not going to look up their names), and cause a riot.

Approved By The Comics Code Authority: Chamber uses “wanker” again, this time to describe Artie and Leech.

Review: I think the only two X-titles not directly involved with some aspect of the big Apocalypse crossover are Generation X and X-Force. And while X-Force is embroiled in John Francis Moore’s extensive Deviants storyline, Generation X isn’t caught up in anything so dramatic. Even the major storylines at the time, Emma’s sister becoming the new White Queen and the acceptance of humans into the school, aren’t so important that they must be addressed in every issue. So, they kill an issue in New York, and it makes for a decent story, although it clearly looks diminutive when compared to the rest of the line.

Mixed in with the comedic scenes and character moments, Faerber’s used the opportunity to address some continuity issues surrounding Emma’s role as a hero. It’s clear the character was not created with the goal of one day being reformed, so her blatantly evil actions from the past must be addressed. And Faerber handles the past continuity well, allowing Emma to say the only thing she can say -- “sorry.” This could come across as lazy or insincere, but the scenes do feel genuine and Faerber is able to make Emma as sympathetic as she’s been since this book was launched.

While it’s easy to dismiss this issue as filler, maybe there is a lasting significance to the story. Is this the first time Terry Dodson was asked to draw Marvel heroes outside of the X-universe? Faerber’s given him quite a list of heroes to handle throughout the story, and to be honest, the results are mixed. The cover is a good example…some of these characters look amazing, others just look wrong. In fairness to Dodson, he was still new to any of the “mainstream” Marvel figures, and it’s obvious he got a lot better as the years went on.

GENERATION X #58 - December 1999

Something Wicked

Credits: Jay Faerber (writer), Darick Robertson (penciler), Rod Ramos & John Czop (inkers), Kevin Tinsley (colors), Comicraft’s Jason Levine (letters)

Summary: The team searches the woods for Penance, who they believe has harmed a human student, while M stays behind with her visiting father. Gen X soon discovers that an escaped sasquatch was behind the attack. With Penance’s help, the sasquatch is subdued. Emma uses her telepathic powers to force the military to forget about the sasquatch, and Banshee calls Alpha Flight in to take care of the beast. Penance carves a note into a tree indicating her desire to stay with the team. Meanwhile, after visiting his son Emplate, M’s father announces he’s withdrawing her from the school.

Continuity Notes: Emplate tells the story of the day his powers surfaced, revealing that he killed his mother by feeding upon her. (She held on to Emplate to comfort him as his powers surged; whether or not he killed her on purpose remains unclear.)

Review: Oh, yeah…M, Penance, Emplate, and the St. Croix twins do have a father, don’t they? In retrospect, not using him during the M/Penance origin storyline was an oversight, even if it’s a fairly minor gaffe in comparison to the rest of that arc. Faerber doesn’t get a lot of material out of Mr. St. Croix in this issue, I suspect he’s mainly here to set up a story about M being forced to leave the school, but it’s nice to see some kind of response from M’s family to all of this insanity.

The main story exists to tease the reader into thinking this new Penance, whatever she is, is a villain, which apparently isn’t so. For an extended red herring, it isn’t so bad, and I don’t think anyone saw a sasquatch coming. Bringing in Alpha Flight as guest stars, based solely on the idea that “the” Sasquatch would know how to properly treat a “normal” sasquatch, is kind of clever. I question if Darick Robertson is an appropriate fill-in artist for the book, though. He’s apparently obsessed with detail lines at this stage (to the point that every character’s teeth are meticulously rendered), which doesn’t work for characters who are normally drawn as caricatures. I think the last thing Chris Bachalo was thinking of when designing this cast was “realism.”

GENERATION X #57 - November 1999

A Night to Remember

Credits: Jay Faerber (writer), Terry Dodson & Chris Renaud (pencilers), Rachel Dodson, Scott Elmer, & John Czop (inkers), Kevin Tinsley (colors), Comicraft’s Saida Temofonte (letters)

Summary: A weakened Emplate stalks the team as they prepare for the school dance. Emplate makes his presence known during the dance, distracting Gen X from his real goal of abducting Penance, who’s targeted by Emplate’s followers in the dorms. Half of the team stops Emplate’s flunkies, only to discover that Emplate has converted the other half in their absence. Synch pushes Jubilee into breaking Emplate’s influence, which leads to her destroying the social hall. In the wreckage, the St. Croix twins are discovered yet again next to Penance’s body. As the twins recuperate, Penance regains consciousness and escapes the school.

Continuity Notes: Because this is very important, the following people pair up for the dance:

Husk pays off her debt to Tristan and takes him as her date, Jubilee and Synch go “as friends,” M goes with Skin, and Chamber is paired with a goth human student. When the team suggests Banshee take Emma, she recruits Iceman as her date during his training session with Gen X to avoid being asked.

I Love the '90s: Skin on his physical appearance before developing mutant powers: “I wasn’t no Ricky Martin, but I did okay.”

Approved By The Comics Code Authority: Chamber refers to Emplate’s follower Vincent as a “wanker.” Apparently, Jay Faerber knew “wanker” as a British insult, but didn’t realize that it’s not generally used in “all ages” material.

Review: A double-sized five-year anniversary issue? That’s unusual, especially just a few issues after a double-sized fiftieth issue. That fiftieth issue was partially squandered on an X-Man crossover, so I wonder if perhaps this was originally Faerber’s plan for the double-sized fiftieth issue. “The big dance” isn’t really a strong enough concept to justify a double-sized story, but adding the return of Emplate into the mix creates a packed issue that balances the character scenes and action quite well.

Unfortunately, the return of Emplate also means the return of the M/Penance/Emplate sibling fiasco, and yet another wrinkle is added to the mystery this issue. The first time the St. Croix twins spontaneously appeared after a giant explosion wasn’t exactly a highlight for the series, and I’m not enthused to see the idea resurrected. We’ve already had a conclusion to the M/Penance/St. Croix twins storyline; it was mostly nonsense, but the story did create a clear status quo for the characters moving forward. M has her own body back and the twins are magically combined into the form of Penance. Now, the twins are back in their own bodies, yet somehow Penance endures. Add this to Emplate’s unexplained illness, and we’re left with -- hooray -- more St. Croix family mysteries.

The character moments, as always, are the real highlight of the story. The drama leading up to the dance, as each character deals with the internal high school politics of who-asks-who to go, is executed masterfully. Husk uses this as an opportunity to finally go on that blackmail date with Tristan, only to discover that she likes the guy. Synch asks Jubilee to go as a friend, not realizing that she honestly has feelings for him. M is too pretty and intimidating for anyone to ask out, so she’s stuck going with Skin. He never considered asking her; she only asked him after Artie and Leech asked on his behalf (following his revelation to them that having a beautiful date would help his self-esteem). When Skin finds out he was her pity date, he’s annoyed, while she refuses to admit that she might be capable of feelings like “pity” in the first place. And Chamber is stuck with an anonymous goth girl. So, there’s still a lot of humor and genuine character work, even if the main story is potentially moving into a dodgy area.

GENERATION X #56 - October 1999

Sins of the Past Part Two: Heal Thyself

Credits: Jay Faerber (writer), Terry Dodson & Karl Kerschel (pencilers), Rachel Dodson, John Czop, and Rod Ramos (inks), Kevin Tinsley (colors), Comicraft (letters)

Summary: M uses her telepathic powers to reenter the fantasy world that’s ensnared Generation X. When Donald Pierce teleports in, he’s followed by an army of Sentinels. Gen X successfully counters the Sentinels in combat. Using M’s telepathy, Synch senses the mental presence of Emma. Combining his powers with M, they release Emma, as the X-Men turn on the team. Emma uses her powers to erase the fantasy and wake the team up. Adrienne Frost appears, boasts about creating the fantasy, and teleports away.

Continuity Notes: Synch remarks that he’s somehow able to use M’s powers better than she can, just as he’s able to expand upon Chamber’s powers.

Review: And now the previous issue’s high concept is explained, which is almost always a letdown. Still, there are some decent character bits this issue, and watching the team relive the Hellions’ final battle remains entertaining. It could be argued that they’re able to defeat the Sentinels far too easily when compared to the Hellions’ quick deaths, but I think this is an intentional point on Faerber’s part to show that Emma really has done a better job preparing this team for battle.

The real purpose of this storyline, aside from playing to nostalgia and setting up an amazingly impossible premise, is to introduce Adrienne Frost as a true villain for the series. She proclaims that she’s going to be the next White Queen, and for some reason, she’s chosen this stunt as her villainous debut. I have no idea what she’s hoping to achieve, but it would be nice if Faerber’s able to resolve this before his run is over.

The only real flaw in this arc is abrupt shift in art style this issue. Karl Kerschel’s pencils are an amalgam of early Salvador Larroca and Pop Mhan...not exactly art styles you associate with Terry Dodson. There are quite a few artists in comics in the Adam Hughes/Gary Frank/Terry Dodson vein (Erik Larsen even found one to replace Adam Hughes on a Savage Dragon miniseries after he grew tired of waiting on Hughes), so I have a hard time believing that this is the best replacement editorial could’ve found. If this arc just had to have an artist with an incompatible style fill in, it might’ve been interesting to have Whilce Portacio himself step in.

GENERATION X #55 - September 1999

Sins of the Past Part One - In Another Man’s Shoes

Credits: Jay Faerber (writer), Terry Dodson (penciler), Rachel Dodson (inker), Kevin Tinsley (colors), Comicraft (letters)

Summary: Generation X wake up to discover that they’re in the past; their mirror images reflecting them as members of the Hellions. Jubilee realizes that they’re reliving the day the Hellions were killed by Fitzroy and his Sentinels. The team goes to the planned Hellfire party, where they meet the only Hellion not reflected by the team, Jetstream. Despite their efforts, fate is not changed and Jetstream is killed by Fitzroy. During the battle, M is struck by one of Archangel’s ricocheting blades. She awakens in the Danger Room and realizes that her arm is bleeding.

Continuity Notes: This story swaps Gen X for the Hellions during their final battle in Uncanny X-Men #281. Much of the dialogue spoken by the characters is from the original script written by John Byrne.

Review: What a great high concept for a story. Of course, it’s not hard to guess that the resolution is going to involve the Danger Room and/or some telepathic manipulation, but that doesn’t undermine what an incredible hook this is. Trapped in the past in bodies destined to die, the team debates their next course of action, which for Skin and Chamber is clearly to avoid this fateful party at all costs. Jubilee conjures up an inspirational speech from her days with Professor X and convinces the team that since they know what’s coming, they’ll be better prepared to face Fitzroy. Arriving at the party, they’re soon confronted by 1991’s Emma Frost, who’s still a sadistic aristocrat in trashy lingerie. Faerber handles the team’s response to the villainous Emma quite well, and it’s hard to deny that the Dodsons make the X-Men of this era look fantastic (they certainly has a better handle on these costumes than Whilce Portacio did). This is a remarkable opening chapter and I’m definitely looking forward to the next installment.

GENERATION X #54 - August 1999

Land of the Rising Sons Part Two

Credits: Jay Faerber (writer), Terry Dodson & Derec Aucoin (pencils), Rachel Dodson & Scott Elmer (inks), Kevin Tinsley (colors), Richard Starkings & Comicraft (letters)

Summary: After evading the Rising Sons, the team joins Jubilee and Paladin on Noy’s train. Jubilee discovers that Adrienne’s sword is worthless; Noy simply enjoys keeping it because it annoys Adrienne. She takes the sword, and with Skin’s help, rescues Paladin from Dragonwing on top of the train. Upon returning home, Gen X learns from Emma that the sword killed Adrienne’s husband. She thinks Adrienne wants to use her psychometric powers to stay connected with her husband’s final hours. In reality, Adrienne ordered her husband’s murder and wants the sword as a keepsake.

Continuity Notes: Viper is shown video footage of Generation X in Madripoor by one of her subordinates. She comments that she should pay them a visit, but doesn’t appear in the rest of the issue.

Review: It’s another issue of Gen X fighting the Rising Sons, with barely a subplot in sight. Faerber avoids making the issue a simple-minded slugfest by throwing in a few twists to the story, such as the revelation that the sword is actually an old piece of junk. Noy is simply keeping it out of spite, Emma mistakenly believes Adrienne has an emotional connection to her husband through the sword, and finally Adrienne’s inner monologue reveals that she’s even more of a sadist than anyone suspected. The final page reveals more about Adrienne than any of the previous issues, so in terms of the ongoing continuity, there is still some significance to the storyline, even if the vast majority of the arc was spent setting up and executing fight scenes. Not that there’s anything wrong with the occasional action arc in Generation X, anyway. I’m still puzzled by the Viper subplot scene, though…