Phalanx Covenant
Encyclopedia
"The Phalanx Covenant" was a crossover storyline that ran through Marvel Comics
' X-Men
family of books in September and October 1994
. One of its unique aspects was that the X-Men themselves only played a minor role in the story.
, mutant
-hating humans who have used the alien Warlock's
techno-organic virus to turn into techno-organic beings themselves. With these powers the Phalanx are able to change their shape and assimilate organic matter. As the Phalanx they are a hive mind
, programmed to destroy all mutants.
The Phalanx Covenant was told in three separate storylines:
Life Signs
Final Sanction
, published in 1996
. A second printing was published on June 1, 2001 (ISBN 0-7851-0216-7).
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...
' 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...
family of books in September and October 1994
1994 in comics
-Year overall:* Huge changes in the marketplace force many retailers and small publishers out of business...
. One of its unique aspects was that the X-Men themselves only played a minor role in the story.
Plot
The X-Men are attacked by the PhalanxPhalanx (comics)
The Phalanx are a fictional cybernetic species in the Marvel Comics universe. They have come in conflict with the X-Men and related groups on several occasions. They form a hive mind, linking each member by a telepathy-like system....
, mutant
Mutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
-hating humans who have used the alien Warlock's
Warlock (New Mutants)
Warlock is a fictional character, a cybernetic alien superhero published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in New Mutants vol. 1 #18 , and was created by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz.-Publication history:...
techno-organic virus to turn into techno-organic beings themselves. With these powers the Phalanx are able to change their shape and assimilate organic matter. As the Phalanx they are a hive mind
Group mind (science fiction)
A group mind, hive mind or group ego in science fiction is a single consciousness occupying many bodies. Its use in literature goes back at least as far as Olaf Stapledon's science fiction novel Last and First Men ....
, programmed to destroy all mutants.
The Phalanx Covenant was told in three separate storylines:
- Generation Next: With the X-Men gone, BansheeBanshee (comics)Banshee is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero who operates as a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Werner Roth, Banshee first appeared in X-Men #28 ....
, Emma FrostEmma FrostEmma Grace Frost 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 Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne....
, JubileeJubilee (comics)Jubilation "Jubilee" Lee is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superheroine associated with the X-Men.A mutant, Jubilee had the superhuman power to generate "fireworks" of explosive plasma. A teenage "mall rat," she was the X-Men's youngest member in the early 1990s, often playing sidekick to...
and SabretoothSabretooth (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...
have to save the next generation of mutants from the Phalanx agents led by Harvest. This storyline also planted the seeds for Marvel's next mutant title, Generation XGeneration X (comics)Generation X is a fictional comic book superhero team, a spin-off of the X-Men franchise published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Chris Bachalo, the team formed during the 1994 "Phalanx Covenant" storyline, and appeared in their own monthly series in September 1994...
. - Life Signs: X-FactorX-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...
, ExcaliburExcalibur (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...
and X-ForceX-ForceX-Force is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero team, one of several spin-offs of the popular X-Men franchise. Conceived by writer/illustrator Rob Liefeld, the team was formed in New Mutants, vol. 1 #100 and soon afterwards was featured in its own series.The group was a new incarnation of the 1980s...
discover that the Phalanx are losing their hive-mind programming and are becoming more and more independent and alien. The rogue Phalanx DouglockWarlock (New Mutants)Warlock is a fictional character, a cybernetic alien superhero published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in New Mutants vol. 1 #18 , and was created by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz.-Publication history:...
takes ForgeForge (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...
, WolfsbaneWolfsbane (comics)Wolfsbane is a Marvel Comics superheroine, associated with the X-Men.A Scottish mutant, Wolfsbane possesses the ability to transform into a wolf or into a transitional state somewhere between human and wolf...
and CannonballCannonball (comics)Cannonball is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, associated with the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Bob McLeod, Cannonball first appeared in Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants ....
on a mission to prevent the Phalanx Shinar from contacting the alien Phalanx. - Final Sanction: CableCable (comics)Cable is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared as an infant in Uncanny X-Men #201...
, WolverineWolverine (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...
, CyclopsCyclops (comics)Cyclops is a fictional character, the leader of the X-Men superhero team in the . A mutant, Cyclops emits a powerful energy beam from his eyes...
, and PhoenixJean GreyJean Grey-Summers is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix, and Dark Phoenix and is best known as one of five original members of the X-Men, for her relationship with Cyclops, and for her...
reunite to rescue the X-Men by infiltrating the main base of the Phalanx.
Publication
Generation Next- Uncanny X-MenUncanny X-MenUncanny X-Men, first published as The X-Men, is the flagship Marvel Comics comic book series for the X-Men franchise. It is the mainstream continuity featuring the adventures of the eponymous group of mutant superheroes...
#316 - X-MenX-MenThe 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...
#36 - Uncanny X-Men #317
- X-Men #37
Life Signs
- X-FactorX-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...
(vol. 1) #106 - X-ForceX-ForceX-Force is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero team, one of several spin-offs of the popular X-Men franchise. Conceived by writer/illustrator Rob Liefeld, the team was formed in New Mutants, vol. 1 #100 and soon afterwards was featured in its own series.The group was a new incarnation of the 1980s...
(vol. 1) #38 - ExcaliburExcalibur (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...
(vol. 1) #82
Final Sanction
- WolverineWolverine (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...
(vol. 2) #85 - CableCable (comics)Cable is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared as an infant in Uncanny X-Men #201...
(vol. 2) #16
Collected editions
The comics were collected into the Origin of Generation X 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...
, published in 1996
1996 in comics
-Year overall:* Malcolm Jones III commits suicide at circa age 37.* Boody Rogers, creator of Sparky Watts, dies at c. age 92-January:* January 19: Bernard Baily, co-creator of The Spectre and Hourman, dies at age 79.* January 28:...
. A second printing was published on June 1, 2001 (ISBN 0-7851-0216-7).
Related issues
- The X-Tinction Agenda: included events which led to the creation of the Phalanx.
- Uncanny X-Men #305-306, and 312-313: The first fights between the Phalanx agents and the X-Men.
- Excalibur volume 1 #78-80: Douglock joins Excalibur.
Other media
- This storyline was re-imagined by Marvel in illustrated novel form on October 17, 1995.
- The Phalanx Covenant was adapted into a two-part fifth-season premiere of the X-Men animated seriesX-Men (TV series)X-Men, also known as X-Men: The Animated Series, is an American animated television series which debuted on October 31, 1992, in the United States on the Fox Network as part of its Fox Kids Saturday morning lineup...
. In the animated series they were conceived to be fully alien and not mutant hating humans were inflicted with the technology. They were also the primary inspiration for the 1995 Sega Genesis video game, X-Men 2: Clone WarsX-Men 2: Clone WarsX-Men 2: Clone Wars is the title of a video game released in 1995 by Sega of America for the Mega Drive/Genesis. The game is a sequel to its 1993 side-scrolling video game titled X-Men. Oddly enough, the European release of the game reused the same cover art of X-Men 2: Game Master's Legacy for the...
.