Marvel Masterworks: The Uncanny X-Men, Vol. 15

Marvel Masterworks: The Uncanny X-Men #15

by Chris Claremont, Roger Stern, Marc Silvestri

Marc Silvestri’s uncanny legacy as an X-Men artist begins here! The artist who would define a new era of mutant drama kicks things off with the X-Men vs. Avengers limited series, in which Magneto is summoned to trial for crimes against humanity. Can the Avengers bring him to justice? And why are the X-Men standing in their way? Next, Alan Davis draws an epic Annual introducing the alien force named Horde. Then, as regular artist of The Uncanny X-Men, Silvestri joins with mutant maestro Chris Claremont for a run of legendary stories. Their iconic “Fall of the Mutants” storyline changed everything for the X-Men. With many team members missing and presumed dead, mutantkind regroups in Australia, becoming targets of the mysterious Reavers!

COLLECTING: Uncanny X-Men (1981) 220-231, X-Men Annual (1970) 11, X-Men vs. Avengers (1987) 1-4, material from Best of Marvel Comics (1987)

Genres: Comics, X Men, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Graphic Novels Comics, Superheroes

520 pages, Hardcover

Published March 14, 2023

About the author

Chris Claremont is a writer of American comic books, best known for his 16-year (1975-1991) stint on Uncanny X-Men, during which the series became one of the comic book industry's most successful properties.

Claremont has written many stories for other publishers including the Star Trek Debt of Honor graphic novel, his creator-owned Sovereign Seven for DC Comics and Aliens vs Predator for Dark Horse Comics. He also wrote a few issues of the series WildC.A.T.s (volume 1, issues #10-13) at Image Comics, which introduced his creator-owned character, Huntsman.

Outside of comics, Claremont co-wrote the Chronicles of the Shadow War trilogy, Shadow Moon (1995), Shadow Dawn (1996), and Shadow Star (1999), with George Lucas. This trilogy continues the story of Elora Danan from the movie Willow. In the 1980s, he also wrote a science fiction trilogy about female starship pilot Nicole Shea, consisting of First Flight (1987), Grounded! (1991), and Sundowner (1994). Claremont was also a contributor to the Wild Cards anthology series.

Reviews

[Paul]

4.5 stars

[Sarah]

I think somewhere after about issue 200 the X-Men start becoming overly bleak and losing the thread of fun and adventure that made the earlier issues so engaging. This is a great collection but the stories just aren't as much fun any more.

[Tomás Sendarrubias García]

Los números de la Patrulla-X posteriores a la Masacre Mutante nos iban a dejar con una Patrulla-X asustada y temerosa de los Merodeadores, y que había perdido su propio corazón debido a las heridas del equipo sufridas en los Túneles Morlocks. Sin Gatasombra, Rondador Nocturno ni Coloso, y con Tormenta sin poderes, una nueva Patrulla-X se iba a incorporar a formar alrededor de Lobezno, con Pícara, Dazzler, Mariposa Mental y Longshot como miembros, a los que pronto se iba a unir Kaos, mientras que Polaris, por su lado, se va a ver poseída por Malicia, la Merodeadora psíquica, que va a poner al equipo bajo su control. Pero si el enfrentamiento entre Patrulla y Merodeadores va a seguir latente, se va a ver retrasado por la preparación del próximo encuentro entre las series protagonizadas por los mutantes: La Caída de los Mutantes. Y es que ya desde algunos números antes, habíamos ido recibiendo pistas sobre que Naze, el maestro chamán de Forja, había sido reemplazado por una entidad malévola, y en estos números de la Patrulla-X, lo vamos a tener engañando a Tormenta, que vuelve al Eagle Plaza para buscar a Forja, y a través de la manipulación de Naze, intentar acabar con su vida pensando que es precisamente el Adversario. Esta trampa arrojará a Forja y Tormenta fuera de nuestra dimensión, donde pasarán varios años de tiempo relativo, estableciendo una relación de amor entre ambos, y además consiguiendo Forja deshacer el efecto del arma que le arrebató los poderes a Tormenta, justo a tiempo para participar en la Caída de los Mutantes.

Entretanto, la Patrulla-X va a tener un nuevo encontronazo con... claro, con los Merodeadores, por supuesto, esta vez en San Francisco, a dónde los asesinos han acudido para acabar con la vida de Madelyne Pryor, la esposa de Cíclope (a la que él daba por muerta en las páginas de Factor-X), siguiendo las órdenes de su líder, Mister Siniestro, consiguiendo rechazarlos y rescatar a Madelyne, que va a permanecer con el equipo mientras estos, buscando a Tormenta, y ya dentro de la Caída de los Mutantes, van a acudir a Dallas, donde se van a encontrar con la Fuerza de la Libertad, a la que se habían unido Muro de Piedra, Comando Escarlata y Supersable, y que acudían allí para intentar detener a la Patrulla-X después de que Destino tuviera una serie de visiones que afirmaban que la Patrulla-X iba a morir en Dallas, y tratando de salvar a Pícara, Mística y los suyos se van a ver envueltos en el enfrentamiento entre la Patrulla-X y el Adversario, que desata el caos (y monstruos, y dinosaurios...) sobre Dallas y que va a llevar al equipo (incluyendo a Tormenta, un recuperado Coloso y Madelyne Pryor) a su enfrentamiento final con el Adversario y un sacrificio retransmitido por televisión en directo... Aunque Roma, la Guardiana Omniversal que había sido aprisionada por el Adversario, va a poder devolverles a la vida, iniciando así una nueva etapa en la Patrulla-X, una en la que a ojos de todos se han convertido en héroes (un proceso semejante al que va a seguir Factor -X en su propia versión de la Caída de los Mutantes), y en la que todos les dan por muertos... incluidos sus propios amigos y compañeros, lo que llevará, por ejemplo, a que Gatasombra y Rondador participen en la formación del grupo británico Excalibur.

Además, en estos números, va a llegar a los lápices de la Patrulla-X el sustituto oficial de John Romita Jr, dando pie a la que para mí es la mejor temporada de la Patrulla-X desde los tiempos de Claremont y Byrne. Por supuesto se trata de Marc Silvestri, un dibujante con un estilo muy particular, inconfundible y que va a dejar un sello indeleble en la historia de los mutantes.

[Donna]

(these are issue summaries so they include spoilers)

annual #11 - 2 stars

#220: Storm returns to Eagle Plaza to confront Forge and ask him to return her powers. Instead she finds Naze, who tells her Forge may have been taken over by the Adversary, and agrees to help him - 2.5 stars

#221: Mr. Sinister is pissed at the Marauders for not killing Madelyne Pryde. The X-men and the Marauders battle and Dazzler saves Rogue's life - 2 stars

#222: At the beginning of her Vision Quest, Storm and Naze are attacked by Eye Killers. As part of the fight with the Marauders, Havok makes the decision to try and kill Polaris (his girlfriend, taken over by Malice) and is unsuccessful but must live with the decision - two stars

#223: Storm suffers through a bunch of hallucinations and 'realizes' she must klll Forge - 2 stars

#224: Mystique warns Rogue that Destiny has foreseen the death of the X-men in the near future. Storm battles through demons to the top of Forge's aerie and stabs him, only to find that he was trying to close the gate to the demons rather than open it. Storm and Forge fall through the gateway - 2.5 stars

#225: The X-men are attacked by Freedom Force. Colossus, who is having trouble shifting back to his human form, gets his sister Illyana to transport him to the X-men.Naze taunts Roma, whom he holds captive. The 'Fall of the Mutants' storyline begins - 2 stars

#226: The area around Eagle Plaza shifts in and out of other realities and the X-men and Freedom Force join together to try and protect the civilians from attacks. On an alternate plane, Forge and Storm spend time together and eventually Forge manages to return Storm's powers - 2.5 stars (I'm impressed they went this many issues before the Storm return occurred)

#227: The X-men learn that the gate is open due to Forge casting a spell that took the souls of his teammates during Vietnam. It can only be closed (and the Adversary defeated) by the giving up of other souls voluntarily and the X-men do this. While the world watches via a live TV feed, the X-men die. Roma, in her Citadel, brings the X-men back as a reward for their sacrifice. They decide to not tell the world that they are still alive so they will be free to act without restraints. Kitty and Nightcrawler grieve for what they think are their lost teammates - 2 stars (I was not a fan of the Adversary storyline)

#228: flashback story of Dazzler and Wolverine working with Dazzler's friend Chase. In the current time, Chase offers a toast to the memory of the (assumed) dead X-men - 1.5 stars (feels like filler and didn't have a punch to me)

#229: The cybernetic Reavers try to rob a bank and are stopped by the X-men. Roma gives the Reavers a choice - pass through the Siege Perilous (a portal that judges people and gives them a second chance) or be killed by Wolverine. Roma tells the X-men she is the Guardian of the Omniverse - 1.5 stars (feels like filler - why introduce a whole new group with the Reavers for this short of an arc?)

#230: In Australia, the X-men are living in the Reavers' buildings. Longshot is overwhelmed by psychic impressions from their stolen treasure. With the help of Gateway (a Reaver who remained behind and can transport people) the X-men spend Christmas returning all of it to its rightful owners - 2.5 stars

#231: Colossus has been disturbed by nightmares about his sister. Gateway transports him to Limbo where Illyana (thinking she has resurrected her dead brother), has him rescue the New Mutants from demons - 2.5 stars

X-men vs Avengers 1-4 mini-series - 3 stars

[Alice]

This collection loses a star because I'd been very excited to get to Mr Sinister and when it looks like it's finally happening (after an incredible build up in the massacre of the Morlocks) that plot gets dropped in favour of this Adversary plot with Storm and Naze!

I found The Adversary story a real slog to get through. It moved very slowly for too many issues, it felt like it went around the houses twice, and I never actually understood what was happening and so The Adversary never felt like a real threat, despite the huge sacrifice required to stop it in the end! The climax did not match the lacklustre buildup, which also involved dragging in Freedom Force / Brotherhood of Evil Mutants + those 3 old guys (Stonewall, Super Sabre and Crimson Comando) Storm and Wolverine met in the mountains.

The only good thing was that Storm got her powers back at long last. I just wish the way she did had been less convoluted!

I have also enjoyed the new team. I really like Psylocke and find her confidence and competence to be a great addition. She filled the telepath role extremely well, in Prof. X's absence (and she's not a dick like he often is!). Longshot is very fun too, I might have to go and read his series to get more background. It took a long time to realise he's actually an alien not a mutant! I like Dazzler, but her reluctance and apparently inability to learn a lesson is starting to test my patience by the end. I do love seeing Wolverine in a teacher/mentor role though!

By the end Colossus is back in action but stuck in his armoured form. Meanwhile, Kitty and Nightcrawler are still recovering from their injuries, and think the X-Men (plus Madelyn) died closing the portal to defeat The Adversary.

The last couple of issues has the team (presumed dead) in Australia.

I've been reading X-Factor alongside and the two stories only intersected for Cyclop's messy personal drama when Maddie (he thinks she is dead already and he is now back with not-dead Jean) made a plea on TV for him to find their son before she "died" with the X-Men. The high profile heroics of both teams have also led to a swell in mutant popularity again. What I'm finding funny is I think Madelyn has much more personality than Jean does (I always find Jean Grey so bland)! Maybe that's Claremont's influence? I don't know.

[Josh]

The first three issues of X-Men vs. Avengers is pretty enjoyable. Roger Stern writing the mutants is a breath of fresh air that I wish there was more of. The final issue of the mini however has a new creative team, which is never a good sign, and reads like the writer is trying to cram 3 more issues of plot into one.

As for Uncanny itself. Eh. It is great to see Marc Silvestri on the book. His pencils really are doing the heavy lifting here because good lord this Adversary plotline was a slog to get through. The Adversary is never particularly interesting or a threatening in any way. It's a lot of waffling about, especially on the Storm side of things, when the overall story should have been ramping up with the introduction of Mister Sinister.

[Troy-David Phillips]

Overall this is yet another very good compilation.
The real gem is in the ‘bonus’ material; the previously unpublishec covers, the promotional art, the page scripts and plot outlines from Roger Stern, and the re-presented first look at the X-Men animated pilot episode, “Pryde of the X-Men”.
This is a very good look back at the story telling of the mutants from 1987.

[Andrew]

This proves a wonky collection with The Fall of the Mutants sitting in its middle. Which means you have build up to this big event, and then the beginnings of the Outback X-Men era. This era is not the best, but I also love it. Claremont is trying new things. I respect that. And despite this era getting downplayed, it still bears relevance today.

[Jack]

The Fall of the Mutants storyline is an overly complicated way to reestablish the status quo and give Storm her powers back, sure, whatever. No particular highs or lows here, the whole thing feels like transitional material that Claremont needed to get out of the way so he could pursue other ideas. I wish Mr. Sinister had been in this more than a few pages because he’s the highlight here.

[John Peel]

They don't get much better than this - Chris Claremont's superb stories, combined with stunning artwork from Marc Silvestri. The volume kicks off with the "X-Men vs. The Avengers" miniseries and then gets wilder and wilder. This is one you'll really enjoy, cover to cover.

[Adam Williams]

Really great stuff in here. The X-Men Fall of the Mutants arc is great Claremontian stuff. The beginning of the Outback period also has some strong issues, character work, and art. The X-Men vs the Avengers miniseries is just fine.