The X-Men must go to x-treme lengths to stop Moses Magnum's earthquake machine!
Originally Published March 1979
To prevent Moses Magnum from sinking the islands of Japan with a massive Earthquake, the X-Men have been dispatched to the villain's impregnable island base to prove that it can, in fact, be impregnated. It definitely helps if you are a demonic blue teleporter but that's only part of the project.
While Crawler clears the way, the rest of the X-Men tunnel beneath the base, using a combination of Cyclops' eye beams and Sunfire's heat hands. It seems like it would be ungodly slow goings, but they seem to be making good time.
Unfortunately, when they arrive they find more than they bargained for. Not only does Moses have his Mandroids at his disposal, he also reveals, despite the Japanese intel indicating otherwise, that he is somewhat stronger and more powerful than an average man.
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| Pictured: A smidge of power |
It turns out that Magnum has gained super-strength and zappy hands after falling into one of those power-granting death-pits villains sometimes have at the end of his last scheme.
The X-Men make a stand, including Colossus who makes an impressive comeback after deciding he's fed up being the team punching bag, but Magnum retreats to his earthquake machine to make good on his promise to sink Japan.
The X-Men have one shot to stop him, and it involves Banshee screaming at the whole island base with all his might...
As a result, Magnum is foiled, but the X-Men are left stranded on some jetsam (or is it flotsam? I never know the difference.) And Banshee has suffered a terrible price, being left comatose and potentially burning out his power forever. Forever. For-ev-er.
Ten days later, Banshee is released from the hospital, horse and powerless but none the worse for wear. He's a little bitter because the none of his teammates were there when he woke up but that's okay - when he gets back to Yoshida manor he finds...
Surprise Welcome Back-Slash-Christmas Party!
Frickin' love when a comic ends with a surprise party.
As the X-Men have some punch and think about all they've been through, Wolverine goes off in search of Lady Mariko and Storm muses about how the team all began as loners but have become true companions and are really growing, which is nice.
Meanwhile in Scotland, Jean joins Moira, Alex, Lorna and Jamie Madrox the Multiple Man at Muir Isle, just in time for something real spooky to be going on...
That would be Angus, the bitter Scotsman who rented a hoverboat to the X-Men some months ago, never to have it returned. Poor guy can't catch a break. But we'll have to learn what that's all about some other time.
Further Thoughts:
Not much to chew on with this two-parter - it was a fine effort, the superheroics rote and a bit rushed, but well-executed and unobjectionable. There's also the human element in there, although the creators haven't quite yet found the perfect way to reconcile the various elements into a whole.
I really like what happens with Banshee in this issue. It's not too much of a spoiler to say that he really has lost his sonic scream, as we'll see in upcoming issues. The idea that a mutant could over-exert their power and permanently injure themselves is one worth pushing, not too hard, but when you get an opportunity and pick a spot as well as this one, it adds a nice element of risk and stakes.
Didja ever wonder why Misty Knight doesn't tell the other X-Men that Jean is alive and well? Or did it never come up? She's the only to see both groups since their "deaths."
ReplyDeleteGreat point! I can't believe I didn't catch that, given Jean's run-in with Misty at the airport. The whole "Mistaken for dead" plot is pretty flimsy but that's the part that totally sinks it. And Claremont really didn't need to put Mosty in eirher of those scenes!
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading!