X-Men: Deadly Genesis
Encyclopedia
X-Men: Deadly Genesis is a comic book
limited series
published by Marvel Comics
in late 2005
and early 2006
. The series was written by Ed Brubaker
with interior art by Trevor Hairsine
and covers by Marc Silvestri
. Starring the X-Men, this series celebrates the 30th anniversary of Giant-Size X-Men
#1. The plot deals with the X-Men looking for Professor Charles Xavier
, who went missing after House of M
, as well as the appearance of a new, incredibly powerful mutant threat.
of the classic Giant Size X-Men #1 story of 1975 by Len Wein
. In that story, he used the abduction of the original X-Men by the living island Krakoa
as an instrument to discard the first-generation X-Men of 1963. Wein wrote that Professor X
recruited international characters who substituted the original X-Men in order to rescue them, and who eventually replaced them when most of the original X-Men left Xavier's school following that story.
In Deadly Genesis, Ed Brubaker writes that this episode was only half of the truth: the international X-Men had been Professor X's second attempt to rescue the original X-Men. The first attempt to retrieve the missing X-Men was conducted with a team of young mutants (the energy-wielding Vulcan, time-manipulator Sway
, the hyperadaptive Darwin
and terrakinetic Petra
) who had been taken in by Moira McTaggert, which had ended in catastrophe, seemingly claiming all of their lives. However, Vulcan had survived, having absorbed the energies from his fallen comrades. When Polaris
(though mentioned incorrectly in this mini-series as Jean Grey
/Phoenix) blasted Krakoa into outer space in Giant Size X-Men #1, Vulcan was shot into space, too, but survived in a comatose state, thanks to Darwin's reactive powers. After the debacle, Cyclops—the only member of the group who was aware of the "first" wave—was deeply distraught, prompting Professor Xavier to decide to mind-wipe him in order to spare him the agony and grief of knowing that his brother died for him, and later working to clear his name by creating an elaborate illusion that Krakoa was sentient.
After the 2005 "House of M
" storyline, a large surge of mutant energies was released throughout the galaxy. It awakened the comatose Vulcan and caused him to return to Earth, out for revenge. He kills the X-Man Banshee
, easily defeats the X-Men several times in battle with his now semi-godlike powers, and reveals the terrible truth to the X-Men, in full view of Charles Xavier, who explains his own role in events. However, Rachel Summers is able to weaken Vulcan when she realizes that Darwin also survived the attack, converting himself into energy and absorbing the powers of his teammates before combining with Vulcan, Rachel's actions separating Vulcan and Darwin and weakening both. However, when the X-Men attack him in order to avenge Banshee, Vulcan flees into outer space. Feeling deeply betrayed, Cyclops banishes Professor Xavier from the X-Mansion
as punishment.
The storyline from Deadly Genesis continues in Uncanny X-Men #475 in a 12-part story called "The Rise and Fall of the Shi'ar Empire".
.
In the current storyline, it is revealed in that Petra, Sway, Darwin, and Kid Vulcan were placed under the tutelage of Moira MacTaggert, much like the original X-Men trained under Xavier. When the original X-Men were lost during their fight against Krakoa the Living Island
, Xavier appeared and psychically accelerated the training of Moira's students in order to send them to rescue his own. In the present, Vulcan claims that Xavier left his team to die on Krakoa (presumably, had Emma Frost accepted the invitation to join, she would have become the fifth member of this team and died on Krakoa as well).
. Contained within it were the perfect preserved bodies of all the X-Men, and it is revealed that the original X-Men had not been killed by Krakoa; when attempting to rescue Jean Grey
, Vulcan had accidentally incinerated her with his powers, subsequently killing Havok by accident while trying to talk to him, and, in the subsequent panic, went on to kill Angel
, Polaris
and Iceman
, lying to everyone to protect himself. In addition it is implied he had gotten rid of an unknown number of witnesses to his mistakes as an X-Men. With the truth revealed, Darwin shuts down the part of Vulcan's brain that lets him use his powers, and Vulcan is exiled to Krakoa, contained in an energy dome. However, to protect the public image of mutants, the official story is that Vulcan has left Earth to be a hero to other worlds. At the end, Vulcan is forced to relive that moment when he did what he did, trapped in a time loop by Sway that is programmed to play for him every time he collects food, but says at the end that every time he sees it, he is feeling less and less guilty, privately wondering how long it will take for him to feel nothing.
:
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
published by Marvel Comics
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...
in late 2005
2005 in comics
- January :* January 3: Will Eisner, creator of The Spirit, dies at age 87.-April:*April 13:**DC Comics announces the discontinuation of its Humanoids and 2000 A.D. titles....
and early 2006
2006 in comics
-January:*January 1, 2006: Newsweek offer a look back at 2005 through editorial cartoons. *January 2, 2006: The Cincinnati Enquirer cartoonist Jim Borgman starts a blog to detail his creative process...
. The series was written by Ed Brubaker
Ed Brubaker
Ed Brubaker is an Eisner Award-winning comic book writer and cartoonist. Brubaker first early comics work was primarily in the crime fiction genre with works such as Lowlife, The Fall, Sandman Presents: Dead Boy Detectives and Scene of the Crime...
with interior art by Trevor Hairsine
Trevor Hairsine
Trevor Hairsine is a British comics artist, whose detailed style has been compared to that of Bryan Hitch.In August 2005 Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada named him as one of Marvel Comics's "Young Guns", a group of artists who have the qualities that make "a future superstar...
and covers by Marc Silvestri
Marc Silvestri
Marc Silvestri is an American comic book artist, creator and publisher. He currently acts as the CEO for Top Cow Productions.-Early life:Marc Silvestri was born in Palm Beach, Florida.-Career:...
. Starring the X-Men, this series celebrates the 30th anniversary of Giant-Size X-Men
Giant-Size X-Men
Giant-Size X-Men #1 was a special issue of the X-Men comic book series, published by Marvel Comics in 1975. It was written by Len Wein and illustrated by Dave Cockrum. Though not a regular issue, it jump-started the series after a five-year hiatus. The issue serves as a link between the original...
#1. The plot deals with the X-Men looking for Professor Charles Xavier
Professor X
Professor Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero known as the leader and founder of the X-Men....
, who went missing after House of M
House of M
House of M is an eight-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics in 2005. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel, its first issue debuted in June 2005 as a follow-up to the events of the Planet X and Avengers Disassembled...
, as well as the appearance of a new, incredibly powerful mutant threat.
Plot summary
Deadly Genesis is a retconRetcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
of the classic Giant Size X-Men #1 story of 1975 by Len Wein
Len Wein
Len Wein is an American comic book writer and editor best known for co-creating DC Comics' Swamp Thing and Marvel Comics' Wolverine, and for helping revive the Marvel superhero team the X-Men...
. In that story, he used the abduction of the original X-Men by the living island Krakoa
Krakoa
Krakoa is a fictional character in Marvel Comics, commonly associated with the X-Men. It is a living island, an intelligent ecosystem able to command all the living things native to its island body, and even its terrain...
as an instrument to discard the first-generation X-Men of 1963. Wein wrote that Professor X
Professor X
Professor Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero known as the leader and founder of the X-Men....
recruited international characters who substituted the original X-Men in order to rescue them, and who eventually replaced them when most of the original X-Men left Xavier's school following that story.
In Deadly Genesis, Ed Brubaker writes that this episode was only half of the truth: the international X-Men had been Professor X's second attempt to rescue the original X-Men. The first attempt to retrieve the missing X-Men was conducted with a team of young mutants (the energy-wielding Vulcan, time-manipulator Sway
Sway (comics)
Sway is a fictional comic book superhero, a mutant in the Marvel Comics Universe. She first appeared in X-Men: Deadly Genesis #3 as one of the "Missing X-Men"...
, the hyperadaptive Darwin
Darwin (comics)
Darwin is a mutant character in the Marvel Comics Universe. He first appeared in X-Men: Deadly Genesis #2, and was created by writer Ed Brubaker and artist Pete Woods. Darwin was one of the "Missing X-Men"...
and terrakinetic Petra
Petra (comics)
Petra is a fictional character, a mutant appearing in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appears in the limited series X-Men: Deadly Genesis #1 . Petra was created by writer Ed Brubaker and artist Pete Woods and is one of the "Missing X-Men".-Fictional character biography:Petra...
) who had been taken in by Moira McTaggert, which had ended in catastrophe, seemingly claiming all of their lives. However, Vulcan had survived, having absorbed the energies from his fallen comrades. When Polaris
Polaris (comics)
Polaris is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular the X-Men family of books. Created by Arnold Drake, Don Heck, Werner Roth and Jim Steranko, Polaris first appeared in The X-Men #49...
(though mentioned incorrectly in this mini-series as Jean Grey
Jean Grey
Jean 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...
/Phoenix) blasted Krakoa into outer space in Giant Size X-Men #1, Vulcan was shot into space, too, but survived in a comatose state, thanks to Darwin's reactive powers. After the debacle, Cyclops—the only member of the group who was aware of the "first" wave—was deeply distraught, prompting Professor Xavier to decide to mind-wipe him in order to spare him the agony and grief of knowing that his brother died for him, and later working to clear his name by creating an elaborate illusion that Krakoa was sentient.
After the 2005 "House of M
House of M
House of M is an eight-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics in 2005. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel, its first issue debuted in June 2005 as a follow-up to the events of the Planet X and Avengers Disassembled...
" storyline, a large surge of mutant energies was released throughout the galaxy. It awakened the comatose Vulcan and caused him to return to Earth, out for revenge. He kills the X-Man Banshee
Banshee (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 ....
, easily defeats the X-Men several times in battle with his now semi-godlike powers, and reveals the terrible truth to the X-Men, in full view of Charles Xavier, who explains his own role in events. However, Rachel Summers is able to weaken Vulcan when she realizes that Darwin also survived the attack, converting himself into energy and absorbing the powers of his teammates before combining with Vulcan, Rachel's actions separating Vulcan and Darwin and weakening both. However, when the X-Men attack him in order to avenge Banshee, Vulcan flees into outer space. Feeling deeply betrayed, Cyclops banishes Professor Xavier from 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...
as punishment.
The storyline from Deadly Genesis continues in Uncanny X-Men #475 in a 12-part story called "The Rise and Fall of the Shi'ar Empire".
Back-up stories
In addition to the main plotline about the X-Men and the Mystery Mutant, each issue of the series features a backup story introducing a new mutant character. In each of these, after the character learns of their powers, they use them to overcome a challenge in their life, which brings them to the attention of a woman who specializes in helping mutant youths. That woman is Moira MacTaggertMoira MacTaggert
Dr. Moira Kinross MacTaggert is a fictional character appearing in X-Men stories in the Marvel Comics universe. She works as a geneticist and is an expert in mutant affairs. Olivia Williams played a minor role of Dr. Moira MacTaggert in X-Men: The Last Stand...
.
- In issue 1, a young girl named PetraPetra (comics)Petra is a fictional character, a mutant appearing in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appears in the limited series X-Men: Deadly Genesis #1 . Petra was created by writer Ed Brubaker and artist Pete Woods and is one of the "Missing X-Men".-Fictional character biography:Petra...
runs away to Central Park, using her power of terrakinesis to survive. - In issue 2, a young boy named Armando Muñoz, becomes a scientific wonder when he is dubbed Darwin, the Evolving BoyDarwin (comics)Darwin is a mutant character in the Marvel Comics Universe. He first appeared in X-Men: Deadly Genesis #2, and was created by writer Ed Brubaker and artist Pete Woods. Darwin was one of the "Missing X-Men"...
. - In issue 3, Suzanne Chan survives the crossfire of a gang war and solves her parents' murder by using her power to freeze and review time, taking on the name SwaySway (comics)Sway is a fictional comic book superhero, a mutant in the Marvel Comics Universe. She first appeared in X-Men: Deadly Genesis #3 as one of the "Missing X-Men"...
. - In issue 4, Gabriel, a young orphan in the care of Moira MacTaggert, learns of his mutant power to control and manipulate energy, while dealing with flashes of memory of his life treated as an outcast in the Shi'ar Empire (while under the rule of D'KenD'KenD'Ken Neramani is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. He is best known for being the evil brother to both Lilandra and Cal'syee , two important characters in the X-Men franchise.-Publication history:...
). He then gains the codename Kid Vulcan. - In issue 5, a young 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....
, following the events of the Emma Frost series has just begun working as a stripper at the New York Branch of the Hellfire ClubHellfire 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...
(from here, she will go on to work her way up to the rank of White Queen). Xavier and Moira MacTaggert approach her about joining the X-Men, but she refuses. She briefly encounters Kid Vulcan outside the club before Xavier erases her memory of the encounter, which explains why in the current storyline of the same issue, Emma has a vague recognition of Vulcan.
In the current storyline, it is revealed in that Petra, Sway, Darwin, and Kid Vulcan were placed under the tutelage of Moira MacTaggert, much like the original X-Men trained under Xavier. When the original X-Men were lost during their fight against Krakoa the Living Island
Krakoa
Krakoa is a fictional character in Marvel Comics, commonly associated with the X-Men. It is a living island, an intelligent ecosystem able to command all the living things native to its island body, and even its terrain...
, Xavier appeared and psychically accelerated the training of Moira's students in order to send them to rescue his own. In the present, Vulcan claims that Xavier left his team to die on Krakoa (presumably, had Emma Frost accepted the invitation to join, she would have become the fifth member of this team and died on Krakoa as well).
What if...?
A one-shot comic published in December 2006, presents an alternate reality where Vulcan, the leader of the X-Men, has become one of the most respected heroes in the world while his brother lives in seclusion after Jean's death at Krakoa. The official story was that Vulcan found all the X-Men dead and fled from the living island before it exploded. Krakoa is still drifting in space where it was found by the Silver SurferSilver Surfer
The Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue arc that fans call "The Galactus Trilogy"....
. Contained within it were the perfect preserved bodies of all the X-Men, and it is revealed that the original X-Men had not been killed by Krakoa; when attempting to rescue Jean Grey
Jean Grey
Jean 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...
, Vulcan had accidentally incinerated her with his powers, subsequently killing Havok by accident while trying to talk to him, and, in the subsequent panic, went on to kill Angel
Archangel (comics)
Warren Kenneth Worthington III is a fictional character, a comic book antihero in the Marvel Comics universe. Originally known as Angel and later Archangel, Worthington is one of the founding members of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-creator Jack Kirby, he first appeared in...
, Polaris
Polaris (comics)
Polaris is a fictional comic book character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular the X-Men family of books. Created by Arnold Drake, Don Heck, Werner Roth and Jim Steranko, Polaris first appeared in The X-Men #49...
and Iceman
Iceman (comics)
Iceman is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero, a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, he first appeared in X-Men vol. 1 #1, ....
, lying to everyone to protect himself. In addition it is implied he had gotten rid of an unknown number of witnesses to his mistakes as an X-Men. With the truth revealed, Darwin shuts down the part of Vulcan's brain that lets him use his powers, and Vulcan is exiled to Krakoa, contained in an energy dome. However, to protect the public image of mutants, the official story is that Vulcan has left Earth to be a hero to other worlds. At the end, Vulcan is forced to relive that moment when he did what he did, trapped in a time loop by Sway that is programmed to play for him every time he collects food, but says at the end that every time he sees it, he is feeling less and less guilty, privately wondering how long it will take for him to feel nothing.
Collected editions
The series has been collected into a single volumeTrade 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...
:
- Deadly Genesis (200 pages, hardcover, August 2006, ISBN 0-7851-1961-2, softcover, January 2007, ISBN 0-7851-1830-6)
External links
- 'X-Men: Deadly Genesis at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators
- Deadly Genesis at the Marvel Universe
- Covers by Marc Silvestri