| Title | : | X-Men: Mutant Massacre |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0785102248 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780785102243 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 256 |
| Publication | : | First published October 1, 1996 |
X-Men: Mutant Massacre Reviews
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First mutant crossover ever and still one of the best ones, a "death & despair" storyline changing the squad rooster (almost untouched since Wein's deadly origin of the new international X-Men) into the badass "X-Girls" one, the fall of Angel, the arrive of Psylocke and Dazzler, Wolvie vs Sabretooth first clawfest fights and much more.
Sadly the Power Pack/X-Factor issues aged not much well at all.
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Mutant Massacre was the first of crossover events that occurred in the X-Men line of titles annually. It started as a sales initiative to push sales of its books during traditionally sluggish months.
The storyline has several key moments, like the X-Men & Marauders slugfest, scores of mutant death, Psylocke’s debut with the X-Men and the first Wolverine and Sabretooth all out brawl. It has a great artistic line-up, featuring contributions from John Romita, Jr., Walter Simonson, Alan Davis and Sal Buscema. It had a lot going for it, but it was two issues of a mainstream Marvel book that was folded into the event that I remember fondly.
Appreciating these two issues of Thor require reading it in context with the other titles of the crossover since it sets up the situation Thor finds himself involved. The first issue starts with Thor taking time off from Asgard to re-establish a human identity as a construction worker. The story takes on a domestic tone with Thor spending the night with his foreman’s family and just doing household tasks like cleaning dishes and telling a nighttime story to his host’s children. This is a Thor that is down to earth it is almost ungodly.
He gets involved in Mutant Massacre when his frog friends from an earlier adventure alert him to a pitched battle down in the sewers of New York. He sets off to see what he can do to help.
This is just one of many stories that spring out from this storyline and this is the one that has impressed on me the most. I admit I am a big fan of Simonson’s Thor and perhaps that shaped my preference and fondness for these chapters of the crossover. But Simonson has really done a good job and giving the Thunder God a human heart.
Simonson has done much to move the character beyond its initial need to learn humility within the frail shell of Donald Blake. He has already proven he learned his lesson when the enchantment was removed by Odin. But still he saw the need to be with the people he protects in Midgard by assuming a civilian identity. It was really moving when he gave a Viking funeral to the fallen Morlocks, assuring them of a better afterlife than the downtrodden ones they had in life. Thor has learned empathize with the people of MIdgard.
These two chapters really make this collected edition a meaningful read for me. -
Although Chris Claremont's writing can seem verbose, I had always enjoyed it (In Days of the Future Past, God Loves Man Kills), but Mutant Massacre is where I couldn't stand it at all. Neither could I stand the writing style of the other writers. Mutant Massacre, overall, feels like an overwritten comic book event that ties on to way too many comic books and characters than it really should.
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3.0 stars. I remember reading these when they first came out in the 80's so it has been a while. Good solid story about a group of evil mutants (including Wolverine's nemesis Sabretooth) hired to kill a group of underground mutants called the Morlocks. Whole plot orchestrated by one of my favorite villains growing up, Mr. Sinister.
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Apparently the below wasn’t enough, I had to write several more words. The comparison between the two reviews paint at an interesting evolution.
https://aedontor.blogspot.com/2020/08...
Older review:
I was pretty interested in reading this again. I had heard many people cite it as an important event for them in their comic readings since I had read it the first time. When I read it, I was... underwhelmed isn't the right word... It just seemed to need some polish. But my experience is far removed from when it released. The people who spoke of its impact were probably far more connected with it happening in the moment.
This story created something of a monster for either good or bad. The big X-Men crossover events would become a staple of the X-Titles after this. Some people would say this led to the eventual downfall of the line. Others would say these are some of the best ways to push the epic. I personally think the events are often good for the short term, potentially bad for the long term. When you have a collision of titles it can hijack the momentum of an individual series. Also forcing someone who isn't reading a line to suddenly pick up and buy another book can be devastating either financially or it can pull someone entirely out of the story.
As this was the first big go at a crossover event it really suffered from inexperience. And the choices of titles to include were a bit odd. Not perhaps when you saw the writers names, but when you saw the character list. Most notably was the inclusion of Thor in these events. You could pull him out and replace his participation with just about any other character and it wouldn't make much difference. And he is far from an intuitive pick. However, the writer is a fellow by the name of Walt Simonson. X-Factor is written by Louise Simonson. And Power Pack is written by Louise Simonson. Claremont, the creator of the event, was the only person on the writing staff that didn't share the same bed.
Now, if this book works right, it kicks you in the gut. My initial read of this, I don't remember any gut-kicking. It occurred a little bit more so on this read through. The thing that was necessary which the writer's bypassed was for more important Morlocks to die. That sounds heartless, but it is much harder to grasp the consequences when you don't know the slain. They also were tempered on the violence and mayhem, probably by the Comic Code thingie. I am not saying I desire that this book be showing blood and guts. But they are showing the characters reacting to blood and guts of their friends and family and are hoping the reader can understand it without seeing it. That is a hard road to walk.
If you don't know who Power Pack is, it is a group of children super heroes. Like say ages 5-10... maybe. Now can you think of a better group to include in a story about the senseless murders of a hundred or so people than a group of children? I don't know what the audience was for that book. I have actually heard good things about it, and will shyly admit that the small amounts I have witnessed them, they've been more interesting and dynamic than I'd expect. But they would have been one of my last picks to throw into the sewers of Manhattan while a troop of psychopaths marched through them and killed everyone they could. However the Power Pack was a reason that the book is able to execute a bit of a kick. Their innocence is exactly what the reader needs to see the massacre through. They also have preconstructed connections to the Morlocks. Leech and Artie also served a similar role for sympathy, being the eyes and the helplessness of the reader. Then again Leech and Artie make everything better.
It would be interesting to hear if Claremont felt
Watchmen at all affected this story. This is not to say they share similar themes. But it is definitely a turning in the X-Men books. All I could find via the all-knowing wikipedia was Claremont had grown tired of the Morlock underground society idea so he wanted to kill 'em off. Which is odd, because the survivors just return right back to the sewers, another reason the crossover doesn't feel it has a lasting effect. (It is also a funny stepping point for a conversation on a writer's moral obligations to their creations but that's probably just my mad mind, heh.)
All in all it is a worthwhile story, if not stupendous in its execution. It is an interesting study in trying to draw sympathy and emotional connection out of a reader. And the dos and don'ts of a crossover event. -
An important collection as it is the first major X-men crossover event, but not a very enjoyable event.
Many, MANY, mutants die, as implied by the title, and the tensions between mutant factions builds to a crescendo, testing individual allegiances. The political landscape of the X-men universe is broadened, but only just slightly.
The best parts are the all-out battle scenes, including, what I think is, the first Wolverine vs. Sabertooth confrontation. However, the artwork is not very clean or creative with very typical, 80's style panels and transitions, so even though the battles could have been epic, they are held back and contained too much by the artwork.
The dialogue isn't too bad, but at times it feels forced; there is a lot of reiteration and repetition as the writers are trying to tell a story simultaneously across several titles and so they stick strictly to an episodic formula.... Which is too bad because all that page space that is used to establish plot points again and again could have been used for character development. Character development is what is most lacking in this volume.
Overall, I'm surprised how this crossover has stood up to the test of time, it doesn't feel too dated, other than the costumes and a few slang terms. It's a very slow-moving collection with very little suspenseful action, and so I found it slightly boring, but still worth picking up and slugging through it.
3.5/5 -
Some of the sharpest writing ever seen in Marvel comics. The writers, most notably Chris Claremont, juggle dozens of characters across several storylines in telling a story of mutants under siege by humans and other mutants bent on wiping them out. It's tough to keep up with all of it but the presentation of this collection is fantastic and the art is top shelf. Many of these panels are downright gorgeous.
The biggest bummer is that the story doesn't have anything resembling an ending. If you're expecting a dramatic climax, you'll be disappointed, as I was. When you read a massive comic event series you expect a few things: most notably important character deaths and a bit of closure but neither of those is found here.
Great adventure though with some of Marvel's best characters, including Thor, whose two stories I thought were the highlight of the entire collection! -
Oof, was this a slog. Claremont gets a bit of criticism over his verbose style(Sometimes rightly, sometimes not) but he ain't got nothing on Louise Simonson. Simonson tries for serious drama but never rises above tortured soap opera dialogue. Especially bad is Scott'and Warren's pathetic pining over Jean Grey when one's got a wife and kid and they've both been lying to Jean about it.
The Massacre itself lacks emotional weight and that's because its 200 pages of separate super teams going in and out of tunnels and always juuust missing each other--like a Scooby Doo chase scene. -
the first crossover, it was pretty good. My favorite panel is Colossus breaking the marauders neck. seems overly brutal, but really shows the weightiness of the situation and the book. most of the massacre takes place off panel, probably a product of the times, but you get a feeling for it through the characters.
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The first X-Men crossover event is one of the best. A little disjointed at times due to no communication between the writers of the different books in the series but nonetheless a dark tale that examines the need for violence and how far do you go in retaliation when violence and tragedy is met upon you?
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The actual story contained within the Uncanny X-Men portion is truly fantastic, unfortunately it gets bogged down with typical comic book event issues featuring some very boring Thor issues and a weird as hell Power Pack interlude.
Had the fat been trimmed and it been more focused it would have been one of the best. -
Classic.
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This series has some great moments in it, but a lot of the issues feel like filler where characters are catching up with what happened in the last issue.
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An ode to the friends I wished I had back in the 90's, when I saw them on tv and they only thought of helping, without hurting anyone. Good times. Great story.
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Read as part of Hachette's The Official Marvel Graphic Novel Collection volumes 211-212 X-Men: Mutant Massacre Part One and Two
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This series truly pulled me into comics. A perfect read for a high school freshman -- which is when I first read it.
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X-Men - Mutant Massacre is a Marvel comics crossover published in 1986 featuring the X-Men, X-Factor, Power Pack, Daredevil and Thor. The (11) part story arc focuses on the actions and fallout of the Marauders’ attack on the Morlocks, a group of ostracized mutants living in the tunnels under New York City. Writers Chris Claremont, along with Louise and Walter Simonson, weave a loosely connected plotline between the various titles. The primary focus are the X-Books, specifically Uncanny X-men and X-Factor. These characters suffer the most consequences, and the series sets up future crossovers (e.g. Fall of the Mutants) and roster changes to both teams.
The event itself is decidedly non-linear; Marvel published a flow chart to guide readers through the series. The trade paperback follows the unofficial reading order and does an admirable job of keeping things moving. The problem is there isn’t enough narrative substance to support a story of this size. Similar to other Marvel crossovers of the time (e.g. Secret Wars), Massacre throws popular characters together under mysterious circumstances and has them do battle without pausing to ask why. The Marauders attack without provocation, and their motivations remain ambiguous throughout the story. Our heroes spend most of the series reacting to the chaos. There are a number of battles, most notably between fan favorites Sabretooth and Wolverine. Sabretooth also does battle with the New Mutants, Power Pack and Thor, the latter of which serves as deus ex machina for the proceedings.
The strongest entries are Claremont’s X-Men and Simonson’s Thor. Both writers were at the top of the game and could weather the storm. The artwork of Sal Buscema and John Romita Jr. also deserve special mention. That said, the series remains a product of the times and should be read with measured expectations. It’s fast, frenetic and likely to leave you confused (and unsatisfied). -
This was a turning point in the X-Men's storied history. Just like the death of Phoenix threw the team in a whole new direction, so did the appearance of the Marauders.
At this point, the team (all the X-teams actually) needed a break. Between an unexpected trip to Asgard, losing Professor X and getting Magneto as their new headmaster, dealing with the Beyonder and the Secret Wars 2, losing Phoenix (Rachel Summers) and getting their butts kicked by Nimrod, they needed time to recover. So naturally their friends fell under attack and forced them, tired and bruised, into action.
The Marauders were a team of mutants who for reasons not yet known, entered the Morlock tunnels and killed everyone they could. One of them escaped and came to the X-mansion asking for help. Storm led her tired team into the tunnels to help their friends, but they got more than they bargained for.
Scalphunter, Riptide, Harpoon, Vertigo, Arclight and Scrambler met them first, and the X-Men took heavy casualties. Sabertooth, Prism and Blockbuster showed up in different segments of the action, involving X-Factor, the New Mutants, Thor and even Power Pack as they ventured into the tunnels for different reasons.
Nobody came out of that killing ground the same. Colossus, Nightcrawler and Shadowcat were badly wounded, as was the Angel, but before he fell, Colossus killed Riptide (for maiming Nightcrawler). Most of the Morlocks were killed by the Marauders' cowardly attack; the survivors (Calisto, Sunder, Masque, Caliban, Leech and a few others) took refuge in the X-Mansion.
In the aftermath, the wounded started to recover, and Psylocke and the Dazzler joined the team to help offset the temporary loss of three staunch members. The team started moving toward its next incarnation, with other new members yet to come. -
As someone who joined the comic industry as a reader in the early 90's - I missed much of the golden age of comics, as well as the cringe-worthy 80s...but now have enough disposable income to re-discover those story and pot-lines that I was never able to fully enjoy.
What makes these past stories so cringe-worthy is the writing. Not neccesarily the plot-lines, but the dated dialogue, costumes, and narration style that are all appallingly BAD.
In the X-Men mythos, this story is pretty pivotal, so it was worth the read to become more accustomed to the back story. I would suggest this for anyone who is actually interested in X-Men backstory, but not on the merit of great dialogue, etc. :)
Much Love, Mindy C -
The first really massive X-Family crossover storyline of the franchise, and reading it over it's not a surprise that it wound up being the first of many. Spreading it over three series (five if you count the non-X tie-ins) allowed greater scale and scope, which in turn heightened the drama of what was happening.
And A LOT was happening! Plot threads starting here inform the involved series' for years to come, some are still colouring how the X-Universe runs, and characters introduced continue to be important within X-Men continuity to this day. An important piece to keep track of if you're an X-Obsessive (which I obviously am) and a gripping read in and of itself.
Also: Sabertooth gets taken down by five year olds, like a punk. So that's hilarious too. -
X-Men: Mutant Massacre was one of the first non Spider-Man comics I ever read. I've never forgotten it, and been an X-Men fan ever since, and my re-read just confirmed all of my warm fuzzies about it.
The story line initially ramps up a little slow, especially if you don't remember the stuff going on at the time, and the art seems a little dated, but well, it is. But it soon hits a peak that runs for most of the book. It gives you everything you're looking for in a good book; suspense, heartbreak, and the eventual joy at the good guys fighting off the bad guys for now.
Anyone interested in Marvel or X-Men canon should read this one.
4.5/5 stars. -
I'm not sure how much of my enjoyment of this book is colored by my enjoyment of it when the individual issues came out over twenty years ago. Some sections, particularly those written by
Chris Claremont hold up quite well. Some sections, particularly those issues from Thor and Power Pack (a group of super-powered children) seem quite out of place (both tonally and plot-wise). Some bits still have the power to give me chills, even after all these years. -
Ahhh, there’s nothing better than taking a trip down nostalgia lane and reading some classic X-Men. I missed you, my friends, I really really did. Mohawk Storm, pre-ninja Psylocke, kick-ass Rogue, pre-Liefeld New Mutants, hell, even Dazzler and the Power Pack have cameos. Now if only Thor hadn’t showed up this would have been a perfect TPB, but alas, the powers that be demanded a crossover, and a crossover we had. Still, this is one of my favorite x-storylines. Here’s hoping no one ever decides to make a movie out of it.
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Absolutely impressed by this '80s 12-issue special. However, I still had to check Marvel Wiki now and then to check on character histories. Nevertheless, what makes this fantastic is the way the conflict was weaved by Clairemont together between the X-Factor, the Marauders, and the X-Men, while putting in clashes between Wolverine and Sabretooth.
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I love this storyline arc. If you realize that muntants are the minority and that it is the sci fi abstration of civil rights of different individuals it make better sense. I read X-men comics to feel normal has an adolescent. With any of the X-men storylines there is a moral in the subtext.
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Not the best collection. There is no real ending which is not the fault of the story so much as the way it was collected.
Overall, it was a fun read if you can get past the very dated storytelling style and the pointless tie in issues. -
Were it not for the Thor and Power Pack issues, this would have been two stars. Grim, brutal and over-written, in that talking-as-a-free-action, narrating-what-I'm-doing way. Not a patch on the Brood Saga or Dark Phoenix.
