Hey everybody, welcome to another week in my little corner of ComicAttack.net known as Ye Olde School Café! You know, back in 1991, I was just starting to get heavy into comics, and I was in love with two things: Spider-Man and the X-Men. Spidey was a childhood idol of mine, and I wanted nothing more than to be just like him. I wanted to somehow receive powers that would let me beat up the bullies, and also swing through the city with nothing but my supply of web fluid to stop me from swinging forever. As I matured, though, I found something fascinating about the X-Men. They had been ostracized by humanity, and felt so different that they used disguises to hide who they really were. This was right up my alley since I felt the same way at times. All this brings me to this week’s story, and what better way to start a new week off than with the one that launched the X-Men and Marvel into the stratosphere! That’s right, X-Men: Mutant Genesis is the old school pick of the week! This story was written by Chris Claremont (Jim Lee also), and illustrated by Jim Lee (X-Men #1-7, 1991)!
Out in space, in Earth’s orbit, hovers Asteroid M, the home of Magneto. As two spaceships try to search for Magneto, a fight breaks out, and the master of magnetism puts a screeching halt to it. The ships have mutants in them that want his help in defecting, and to encourage him to “get back in the game,” so to speak. Meanwhile, in upstate New York, the X-Men are testing the mansion’s new defense system that Forge has helped install. Jean and the Professor are waiting inside, and Wolverine, Rogue, Gambit, and Colossus must try and invade the school. Eventually, Wolverine makes it, but the others fail. The team then gets a call from Nick Fury telling them that Magneto is back, and more powerful than ever. The team argues back and forth about what should be done. Back out in space, the new inhabitants have a scuffle among them, and one of them gets killed. Magneto then snaps the offender’s arm for his behavior.
Xavier decides that the X-Men need to be involved, so they head out to confront him. As they arrive, Magneto is less than thrilled about their presence. The team is questioning why he’s trying to raise a Navy ship that he sunk previously. He wants the nukes that are on the ship, for one reason – intimidation. The team isn’t about to let that happen, so they engage him. At first, they seem extremely outmatched, but they start to work as a team, and get the advantage. Wolverine almost guts him, but Magneto is no slouch, and he slips away into the air. Rogue then confronts him, but she’s hit by two missiles from a military jet. Magneto uses this distraction to get away to Asteroid M. Once back in space, Magneto is really hurting from the altercation. He explains to one of his new followers, Fabian Cortez, that Wolverine really hurt him badly. Cortez then uses his powers of augmentation to heal him, then he and his Acolytes head to Earth.
Rogue wakes up in the hospital after being knocked out by the missiles, but before she can figure out which end is up, the hospital (in Genosha) is blown up by Cortez and his minions. It’s a pretty even battle, but the X-Men show signs of being more experienced. Just as the X-Men are about to wrap things up, Magneto shows up to rescue his new friends. Back at Xavier’s school, Moira McTaggert is crying. She’s upset about something that she’s kept secret for a long time now, but it’s all about to come to a head!
Well, that’s it for now, but be back next week for part two of this thrilling new look at the X-Men! Oh, and by the way, all this action was only issue #1! See you next week!
Billy Dunleavy
billy@comicattack.net
