Mutant Massacre
Encyclopedia
"Mutant Massacre" was a major Marvel Comics
crossover
storyline, which took place during the fall of 1986
. It primarily involved the superhero
teams the X-Men
, X-Factor
and the New Mutants
. Power Pack
, Thor
, and Daredevil
crossed over for an issue in their own comic books.
attack a mutant named Tommy and her Hellfire Club
boyfriend in Los Angeles for the purpose of following her back to New York and finding the location of the underground mutant community known as the Morlocks
. The Marauders kill Tommy and hundreds of Morlocks before the X-Men
and X-Factor
teams arrive separately and fight them, avoiding the total slaughter of the Morlocks. The two teams however do not meet during the battle and suffer crippling losses: X-Factor's Angel is crucified by the Marauders while the X-Men's Colossus
, Shadowcat
, and Nightcrawler
are all severely wounded. X-Factor's casualties are less due to the arrival of Power Pack
and Thor
, who help save the horribly wounded Angel and the rest of X-Factor from suffering any additional harm.
Thor uses his powers to cleanse the dead from the Morlock tunnels with fire, which causes problems for the X-Men, who briefly believe that the firestorm was caused by the Marauders and believe that the New Mutants
died in said fire.
Meanwhile Wolverine
saves the Power Pack from the Marauder Sabretooth
. After the fight, Sabretooth follows Logan home to the X-Mansion
. He destroys Cerebro
, but is kept from hurting the other Morlocks when Psylocke
engages Sabretooth in battle. Wolverine and the rest of the X-Men arrive and Sabretooth falls off a nearby cliff in order to escape the X-Men, pursued into the water by Wolverine. As the fight continues in the ocean, Psylocke is able to glean some information about the Marauders from Sabretooth's mind.
X-Factor
Daredevil
Daredevil (vol. 1) #238 is an unofficial crossover issue set after the events of the Mutant Massacre. The issue features Daredevil fighting Sabretooth after his escape from the X-Mansion.
Hundreds of other Morlocks were killed, but were not identified in the comics.
Claremont’s original intention was for the future Sentinel
Nimrod
to merge with the alternate universe hero-killing android The Fury
and gain its abilities. Nimrod would massacre the Morlock community, critically injuring Nightcrawler in the process. Shadowcat would drive Nimrod away by phasing through it, only to be trapped in her phased form as a result. Nightcrawler and Shadowcat would be sent to Muir Island
to recuperate along with Colossus, (acting as a bodyguard), and new character Longshot, with the four of them joining up with Captain Britain
and forming Excalibur
. Soon after, Mad Jim Jaspers
would ally himself with the recovered Nimrod/Fury and create a "Jaspers' Warp
", causing reality to break down. Nimrod would go on a killing spree, causing mutants to flock to the X-Mansion
for protection and forcing the X-Men, led by Magneto, to ally themselves with the Hellfire Club. The X-Men would confront Jim Jaspers in Dallas and join forces with Forge
to send Jaspers and the Nimrod/Fury hybrid into the Siege Perilous
. The X-Men would return from the Siege Perilous retaining the changes each of them had undergone. Afterwards, Uncanny X-Men would become a darker comic and Excalibur would become a light-hearted comic. The X-Factor and New Mutants teams would rebuild human/mutant relations.
However, Claremont was forced to rewrite his initial outline due to Alan Moore’s legal dispute with Marvel Comics over UK Doctor Who
strips appearing in the US Doctor Who magazine and decided to split the story into the written version of "Mutant Massacre" and "Fall of the Mutants
", using the Marauders and the Adversary in place of Nimrod/the Fury and Mad Jim Jaspers.
:
A new hardcover collected edition was released in 2010. This edition collects Uncanny X-Men #210-214, X-Factor (vol. 1) #9-11, New Mutants (vol. 1) #46, Thor (vol. 1) #373-374, Power Pack (vol. 1) #27, and Daredevil (vol. 1) #238:
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
crossover
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
storyline, which took place during the fall of 1986
1986 in comics
-Year overall:* Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, a four-issue limited series written and drawn by Frank Miller and published by DC Comics, debuts...
. It primarily involved the superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
teams the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
, X-Factor
X-Factor (comics)
X-Factor is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is a spin-off of the popular X-Men franchise, featuring characters from X-Men stories. The series has been relaunched several times with different team rosters, most recently as X-Factor Investigations.X-Factor launched in...
and the New Mutants
New Mutants
The New Mutants are a group of teenaged mutant superheroes-in-training published by Marvel Comics. They have been the main characters of three successive comic book series, which were spin-offs of the popular X-Men franchise....
. Power Pack
Power Pack
Power Pack is a fictional team of comic book superheroes consisting of four young siblings who appear in books published by Marvel Comics. They were created by writer Louise Simonson and artist June Brigman and first appeared in their own series in 1984. The series lasted 62 issues...
, Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
, and Daredevil
Daredevil (Marvel Comics)
Daredevil is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett, with an unspecified amount of input from Jack Kirby, and first appeared in Daredevil #1 .Living in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood...
crossed over for an issue in their own comic books.
Plot summary
The mysterious MaraudersMarauders (comics)
The Marauders is a team of fictional supervillain characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist John Romita, Jr., the team first appear in Uncanny X-Men #210 The Marauders is a team of fictional supervillain characters in comic books published by...
attack a mutant named Tommy and her Hellfire Club
Hellfire Club (comics)
The Hellfire Club is a fictional society within the Marvel Comics Universe that often comes into confrontation with the mutant superhero team, the X-Men...
boyfriend in Los Angeles for the purpose of following her back to New York and finding the location of the underground mutant community known as the Morlocks
Morlocks (comics)
The Morlocks are a group of several fictional comic book mutants associated with the X-Men in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith, they were named after the subterranean race of the same name in H. G. Wells' novel The Time Machine. They first appeared...
. The Marauders kill Tommy and hundreds of Morlocks before the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
and X-Factor
X-Factor (comics)
X-Factor is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is a spin-off of the popular X-Men franchise, featuring characters from X-Men stories. The series has been relaunched several times with different team rosters, most recently as X-Factor Investigations.X-Factor launched in...
teams arrive separately and fight them, avoiding the total slaughter of the Morlocks. The two teams however do not meet during the battle and suffer crippling losses: X-Factor's Angel is crucified by the Marauders while the X-Men's Colossus
Colossus (comics)
Colossus is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Len Wein and illustrator Dave Cockrum, he first appeared in Giant-Size X-Men #1...
, Shadowcat
Kitty Pryde
Katherine Anne "Kitty" Pryde is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #129 and was created by writer-artist John Byrne....
, and Nightcrawler
Nightcrawler (comics)
Nightcrawler is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the Marvel Universe. He has been associated with both the X-Men and Excalibur, originally appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum, he debuted in Giant-Size X-Men #1...
are all severely wounded. X-Factor's casualties are less due to the arrival of Power Pack
Power Pack
Power Pack is a fictional team of comic book superheroes consisting of four young siblings who appear in books published by Marvel Comics. They were created by writer Louise Simonson and artist June Brigman and first appeared in their own series in 1984. The series lasted 62 issues...
and Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
, who help save the horribly wounded Angel and the rest of X-Factor from suffering any additional harm.
Thor uses his powers to cleanse the dead from the Morlock tunnels with fire, which causes problems for the X-Men, who briefly believe that the firestorm was caused by the Marauders and believe that the New Mutants
New Mutants
The New Mutants are a group of teenaged mutant superheroes-in-training published by Marvel Comics. They have been the main characters of three successive comic book series, which were spin-offs of the popular X-Men franchise....
died in said fire.
Meanwhile Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
saves the Power Pack from the Marauder Sabretooth
Sabretooth (comics)
Sabretooth is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics supervillain created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne. The character first appeared in Iron Fist #14...
. After the fight, Sabretooth follows Logan home to the X-Mansion
X-Mansion
In the fictional Marvel Comics universe, the X-Mansion is the common name for Professor Xavier's mansion. It is the base of operations and training site of the X-Men and the location of a school for mutant teenagers, the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, formerly Xavier's School for Gifted...
. He destroys Cerebro
Cerebro
In the Marvel Comics universe, Cerebro is a device that the X-Men use to detect humans, specifically mutants. It was created by Xavier and Magneto, and was later enhanced by Dr. Hank McCoy...
, but is kept from hurting the other Morlocks when Psylocke
Psylocke
Psylocke is a fictional character depicted in comic books published by Marvel Comics, most notably those comics featuring the superhero team the X-Men. The character has also appeared in licensed adaptations. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Herb Trimpe, she first appeared in the UK...
engages Sabretooth in battle. Wolverine and the rest of the X-Men arrive and Sabretooth falls off a nearby cliff in order to escape the X-Men, pursued into the water by Wolverine. As the fight continues in the ocean, Psylocke is able to glean some information about the Marauders from Sabretooth's mind.
Reading order
Uncanny X-Men- Uncanny X-Men #210 (Prologue)
- Uncanny X-Men #211
- New Mutants (vol. 1) #46
- Uncanny X-Men #212
- Uncanny X-Men #213
X-Factor
- X-Factor (vol. 1) #9 (Prologue)
- X-Factor (vol. 1) #10
- Thor (vol. 1) #373
- Power Pack #27
- Thor (vol. 1) #374
- X-Factor (vol. 1) #11
Daredevil
Daredevil (vol. 1) #238 is an unofficial crossover issue set after the events of the Mutant Massacre. The issue features Daredevil fighting Sabretooth after his escape from the X-Mansion.
Consequences
- Angel was pinned to the wall by Harpoon and Blockbuster, causing massive trauma to his wings which were later amputated following the onset of gangreneGangreneGangrene is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that arises when a considerable mass of body tissue dies . This may occur after an injury or infection, or in people suffering from any chronic health problem affecting blood circulation. The primary cause of gangrene is reduced blood...
. He would eventually have his wings replaced by ApocalypseApocalypse (comics)Apocalypse is a fictional character who is an ancient mutant that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Factor #5 , created by writer Louise Simonson and designed by artist Walter Simonson...
and become Archangel. - ShadowcatKitty PrydeKatherine Anne "Kitty" Pryde is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #129 and was created by writer-artist John Byrne....
became permanently trapped in her phased form whilst protecting RogueRogue (comics)Rogue was first slated to appear in Ms. Marvel #25 , but the book's abrupt cancellation left her original introduction story unpublished for over a decade, before seeing print in Marvel Super Heroes #11 in 1992. Rogue's first published appearance was in Avengers Annual #10...
from one of Harpoon's attacks. This resulted in a molecular deterioration that almost killed her until she was saved at the last minute by Reed RichardsMister FantasticMr. Fantastic is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero and a member of the Fantastic Four. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #1 ....
and Doctor DoomDoctor DoomVictor von Doom is a fictional character who appears in Marvel Comics publications . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #5 wearing his trademark metal mask and green cloak...
. - Stabbed by hundreds of throwing stars by Riptide, ColossusColossus (comics)Colossus is a fictional character, a superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Len Wein and illustrator Dave Cockrum, he first appeared in Giant-Size X-Men #1...
was briefly quadriplegicQuadriplegiaTetraplegia, also known as quadriplegia, is paralysis caused by illness or injury to a human that results in the partial or total loss of use of all their limbs and torso; paraplegia is similar but does not affect the arms...
as a result of Magneto using his powers to heal the damage done to his metal form. - NightcrawlerNightcrawler (comics)Nightcrawler is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the Marvel Universe. He has been associated with both the X-Men and Excalibur, originally appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum, he debuted in Giant-Size X-Men #1...
, already badly injured after a battle with NimrodNimrod (comics)Nimrod is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #191 , and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist John Romita, Jr. Hailing from the "Days of Future Past" timeline, Nimrod is a powerful, virtually...
, was beaten by Riptide who used his speed to injure the weakened X-Man, leaving him comatose. - The massacreMassacreA massacre is an event with a heavy death toll.Massacre may also refer to:-Entertainment:*Massacre , a DC Comics villain*Massacre , a 1932 drama film starring Richard Barthelmess*Massacre, a 1956 Western starring Dane Clark...
diminished the Morlock community and allowed for the villainous Morlock Masque to assume control over the Morlocks who returned to the tunnels after the "InfernoInferno (Marvel Comics)Inferno was a Marvel Comics company-wide crossover in 1989 that mainly involved the mutant titles, namely The Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, X-Terminators, Excalibur, and The New Mutants...
" event. Masque's tenure as leader of the Morlocks would be equally devastating, as he used his flesh altering powers to forcibly disfigure all Morlocks under his rule, an act that caused many, many Morlocks to go insane as a result of having their faces and in some cases, bodies, warped into new inhuman forms. - Wolverine discovers that Jean Grey is alive after smelling her scent in the tunnels, but keeps the knowledge a secret from the rest of the X-Men.
- Apocalypse saved Plague from being killed by Harpoon and teleported her back to his ship so that she could be transformed into his horseman Pestilence. She had already staved off one attack from Sabretooth, by touching him and making him sick. Harpoon was about to kill her from a distance but was concussed by Apocalypse.
- It was later revealed that GambitGambit (comics)Gambit is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero that has been a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Jim Lee, the character first appeared briefly in Uncanny X-Men Annual #14 , weeks before a more comprehensive appearance in Uncanny X-Men #266...
was employed by Mister SinisterMister SinisterMister Sinister is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #221 and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Marc Silvestri....
to assemble the Marauders. Gambit was temporarily expelled from the X-Men for his part in the massacre.
Death list
Here is the list of Morlocks that were killed during the Mutant Massacre and the issue they were killed in:| Character | Death | Mutant power | Method of death |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annalee Annalee (comics) Annalee is a fictional mutant character in the Marvel Comics Universe.-Publication history:Annalee's first appearance was in Power Pack #12 , and she was created by Louise Simonson and June Brigman.... |
Uncanny X-Men #211 | Empathy | Shot by Scalphunter Scalphunter (Marvel Comics) Scalphunter is a fictional mutant villain character in the Marvel Comics Universe. His first appearance was in Uncanny X-Men #210. This character was created by Chris Claremont, John Romita, Jr... . |
| Berzerker Berzerker (comics) Berzerker is a fictional character, a mutant from the Marvel Comics Universe. His first and last appearance was in X-Factor #11... |
X-Factor (vol. 1) #11 | Electrical powers | Cyclops' optic blast knocked him into the river where he electrocuted himself. |
| Blowhard Blowhard (comics) Blowhard is a fictional character, a mutant in the Marvel Comics Universe. His first appearance was in X-Factor vol. 1 #11 .-Publication history:Blowhard appeared in X-Factor vol... |
X-Factor (vol. 1) #11 | Wind exhaling | Shot by the Savage Wolf Gang leader. |
| Cybelle | Uncanny X-Men #211 | Acid sweat | Killed by Harpoon Harpoon (comics) Harpoon is a fictional character created by Marvel Comics. He is a member of the mutant assassin team known as Marauders, who are employed by Mister Sinister... . |
| Piper II | Uncanny X-Men #211 | Controlled animals using music | Killed by Scalphunter. |
| Scaleface Scaleface Scaleface is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Scaleface first appeared in X-Factor vol. 1 #11 , and was created by Louise Simonson and Walter Simonson.... |
X-Factor (vol. 1) #11 | Transforms into a large, lizard-like creature | Shot by the police. |
| Tommy | Uncanny X-Men #210 | Two-dimensional ability | Killed by Harpoon. |
| Zeek | X-Factor (vol. 1) #10 | Unknown | Killed by Harpoon. |
Hundreds of other Morlocks were killed, but were not identified in the comics.
Original storyline
Uncanny X-Men writer Chris Claremont originally conceived "Mutant Massacre" as a stand-alone storyline that would run in the pages of Uncanny X-Men.Claremont’s original intention was for the future Sentinel
Sentinel (comics)
Sentinels are a fictional variety of mutant-hunting robots, appearing in the Marvel Comics Universe. They are usually portrayed as antagonists to the X-Men. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, they first appeared in The X-Men #14 .According to Marvel canon, Sentinels are programmed to locate...
Nimrod
Nimrod (comics)
Nimrod is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #191 , and was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist John Romita, Jr. Hailing from the "Days of Future Past" timeline, Nimrod is a powerful, virtually...
to merge with the alternate universe hero-killing android The Fury
Fury (Marvel Comics)
The Fury is a fictional character created by writer Alan Moore and illustrator Alan Davis as an antagonist for the Marvel Comics hero Captain Britain...
and gain its abilities. Nimrod would massacre the Morlock community, critically injuring Nightcrawler in the process. Shadowcat would drive Nimrod away by phasing through it, only to be trapped in her phased form as a result. Nightcrawler and Shadowcat would be sent to Muir Island
Muir Island
Muir Island is a small, fictional island off the northern coast of Scotland in the Marvel Comics universe. It plays a prominent role in the X-Men comics and its related series.-History:...
to recuperate along with Colossus, (acting as a bodyguard), and new character Longshot, with the four of them joining up with Captain Britain
Captain Britain
Captain Britain , briefly known as Britannic, is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Chris Claremont and Herb Trimpe, he first appeared in Captain Britain Weekly, #1...
and forming Excalibur
Excalibur (comics)
Excalibur is a Marvel Comics superhero group, an off-shoot of the X-Men, usually based in the United Kingdom. Conceived by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer Alan Davis, the original Excalibur first appeared in Excalibur Special Edition , also known as Excalibur: The Sword is Drawn.The...
. Soon after, Mad Jim Jaspers
Mad Jim Jaspers
Sir James Jaspers is a fictional character created by Dave Thorpe and Alan Davis for the Captain Britain stories in Marvel UK comics and later developed by Alan Moore....
would ally himself with the recovered Nimrod/Fury and create a "Jaspers' Warp
Jaspers' Warp
"Jaspers' Warp", also known as "Crooked World", was a Marvel UK storyline featuring primarily the character Captain Britain. It was originally published between 1982 and 1984 in Marvel Superheroes, #387-388, The Daredevils, #1-11 and The Mighty World Of Marvel, volume 2, #7-13.The story is a...
", causing reality to break down. Nimrod would go on a killing spree, causing mutants to flock to the X-Mansion
X-Mansion
In the fictional Marvel Comics universe, the X-Mansion is the common name for Professor Xavier's mansion. It is the base of operations and training site of the X-Men and the location of a school for mutant teenagers, the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, formerly Xavier's School for Gifted...
for protection and forcing the X-Men, led by Magneto, to ally themselves with the Hellfire Club. The X-Men would confront Jim Jaspers in Dallas and join forces with Forge
Forge (comics)
Forge is a fictional character in the , a superhero associated with The X-Men.A mutant with an unsurpassed brilliance in technology, Forge has had a lengthy career as a government weapons contractor. He shared a romantic relationship with Storm, and a brief affair with Mystique which led him to...
to send Jaspers and the Nimrod/Fury hybrid into the Siege Perilous
Siege Perilous (comics)
Siege Perilous is the name of two fictional devices appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. The first appeared in books starring Captain Britain, and the second in books featuring the X-Men...
. The X-Men would return from the Siege Perilous retaining the changes each of them had undergone. Afterwards, Uncanny X-Men would become a darker comic and Excalibur would become a light-hearted comic. The X-Factor and New Mutants teams would rebuild human/mutant relations.
However, Claremont was forced to rewrite his initial outline due to Alan Moore’s legal dispute with Marvel Comics over UK Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
strips appearing in the US Doctor Who magazine and decided to split the story into the written version of "Mutant Massacre" and "Fall of the Mutants
Fall of the Mutants
"The Fall of the Mutants" was a comic book crossover event by Marvel Comics spanning January to March 1988. It spanned three issues each of The Uncanny X-Men , X-Factor , and The New Mutants ; unlike most crossovers however, the various titles' storylines did not intertwine, but were instead linked...
", using the Marauders and the Adversary in place of Nimrod/the Fury and Mad Jim Jaspers.
Collected editions
The storyline has been collected into a trade paperbackTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
:
- Mutant Massacre (256 pages, October 1996, ISBN 0-7851-0224-8)
A new hardcover collected edition was released in 2010. This edition collects Uncanny X-Men #210-214, X-Factor (vol. 1) #9-11, New Mutants (vol. 1) #46, Thor (vol. 1) #373-374, Power Pack (vol. 1) #27, and Daredevil (vol. 1) #238:
- Mutant Massacre (320 pages, January 2010, ISBN 0-7851-3805-6)
External links
- Mutant Massacre — guide by Mike Phillips.