''Mutant X'' is a
comic book
A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
published by
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
between 1998 and 2001, featuring
Havok, a
mutant
In biology, and especially in genetics, a mutant is an organism or a new genetic character arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is generally an alteration of the DNA sequence of the genome or chromosome of an organism. It ...
and former member of the
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
, who is transported into a parallel dimension. It was written by
Howard Mackie
Howard Mackie (born January 22, 1958) is an American comic book editor and writer. He has worked almost exclusively for Marvel Comics and is best known as the co-creator of the Danny Ketch version of the Ghost Rider character.
Early life
Macki ...
and inked by
Andrew Pepoy
Andrew Pepoy (born 1969) is an American comic book writer and artist.
Career
Pepoy began working as a professional artist while still in college at Loyola University Chicago.
He has worked on a large variety of comics, including ''Superman'', ''S ...
, with a series of different pencilers.
The "Mutant X" universe (Earth-1298) is a reimagination of the
Earth-616
In the fictional Marvel Comics multiverse, Earth-616 is the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place.
History of the term
The term was first used in "Rough Justice", a story credited to both Alan Moore and Alan Davis p ...
universe. In this continuum,
Scott Summers
Cyclops (Scott Summers) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and is a founding member of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the comic book ...
was captured along with his parents by the
Shi'ar
The Shi'ar ( ) are a fictional species of aliens appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Shi'ar Empire (or Imperium), is a vast collection of alien species, cultures, and worlds situated close to the Skrull and Kree Empi ...
and only Alex (Havok) escaped, allowing him to be the eventual leader of the X-Men. Originally, the highlighted difference between the Mutant X universe and Earth-616 was that mutants have come to be accepted by the overwhelming majority of humanity, and anti-mutant sentiments are regarded as outdated. However, a
retcon
Retroactive continuity, or retcon for short, is a literary device in which established diegetic facts in the plot of a fictional work (those established through the narrative itself) are adjusted, ignored, supplemented, or contradicted by a subse ...
in ''Mutant X'' #15 asserts that hatred against mutants is even stronger than in Earth-616, and that Havok had simply failed to notice this. Another significant difference in the Mutant X universe is that the mutant gene is not present at
conception, and instead appears due to random gene mutations that can happen at any age.
Publication history
''Mutant X'' was originally intended to be a 12-issue limited series, but due to unexpectedly high sales it was extended to an ongoing series. The series lasted for 32 issues and three annuals before it ended.
Plot
After
Greystone, a member of Havok's
X-Factor
''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003 ...
team, develops temporal insanity, he attempts to build a time machine to return to his timeline and be reunited with his mother who, in all probability, does not exist anymore. Havok attempts to stop him, but the machine explodes, supposedly killing both men. However, at the instant of Havok's death, a Havok from an alternate reality also dies after being shot in the chest by a
Sentinel
Sentinel may refer to:
Places Mountains
* Mount Sentinel, a mountain next to the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana
* Sentinel Buttress, a volcanic crag on James Ross Island, Antarctica
* Sentinel Dome, a naturally occurring grani ...
. Havok's spirit finds its way into his counterpart's body and he wakes up in the Mutant X Universe. Here, he is the leader of a mutant team of heroes dubbed ''The Six'' (who are altered versions of his friends from Earth-616), the husband of
Madelyne Pryor
Madelyne Jennifer Pryor is a Character (arts), fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith (comics), Paul Smith, the character first appeared in ''Uncann ...
, and the father of Scotty Summers.
At first he tries to convince the others of the Six to help him return to his universe, but they all still believe him to be the Havok of their universe and insist that he is lying about coming from another dimension as a way of getting back at Madelyne for some unspecified injury. Havok ultimately gives up and decides to take on his counterpart's place in this universe. Only Scotty, who has precognitive powers, realizes that Havok is telling the truth, and addresses him as "Alex" instead of "Dad". The two quickly form a bond.
A demon-possessed Madelyne sets plans to take over the world into play. She takes control of all the members of the Six except Havok. Scotty is warned of her doings by his precognitive power, and Havok takes him and his nanny,
Elektra, into hiding. For months Madelyne wages war against the rest of the world while trying to open a gateway to allow a full demonic invasion. Scotty finally stops her by exorcising the Goblin Entity from her mind.
The destruction caused by Madelyne serves as a spark to ignite the seething anti-mutant sentiment in the United States, and new president Graydon Creed tasks terrorist leader
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury Sr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, he first appeared in ''Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos ...
with rounding up mutants into prison camps; though the public explanation is that this is for their protection, mutants taken into the camps are immediately killed. Havok has Elektra take Scotty into hiding, while the remaining members of the Six, supplemented by new members
Gambit
A gambit (from Italian , the act of tripping someone with the leg to make them fall) is a chess opening in which a player sacrifices with the aim of achieving a subsequent advantage.
The word ''gambit'' is also sometimes used to describe simi ...
and
Captain America
Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...
, set about rescuing mutants from Nick Fury's troops.
At the end of the series, the Goblin Entity, Dracula and the
Beyonder
The Beyonder () is a fictional cosmic entity appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Jim Shooter and artist Mike Zeck, the Beyonder first appeared in ''Secret Wars'' #1 (May 1984) as an unseen, self-procl ...
all converge their efforts to destroy Earth. Almost all of the heroes die in the epic battle. Havok, discovering that he is the home for the Nexus of Realities, a force of nature that binds all realities (Omniverse), uses it to wield an omniversal level of power to stop the Goblin Entity, which had merged with the Beyonder. He then fights with the possessed Maydelyne and harnesses the power of the Nexus of All realities and with a thought eliminates the Goblin Entity throughout the Omniverse. He then teleports Maydelyne to her alternate universe with her son, Scotty. Fearing that somebody would attempt to use the power of the Nexus of All Realities to reshape, destroy, or alter the very Omniverse; he then becomes one with the Nexus of All Realities to prevent anyone from getting this power, except himself.
Revisitation
The ''Mutant X'' Havok did not die during the fight with the Sentinels. He was instead thrown into unconsciousness while the Earth-616 Havok took over his body. The evil Havok went with the original Havok back to Earth-616 during the final battle with the Goblin Queen. He lay dormant when
Charles Xavier
Professor X (Charles Francis Xavier) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as the founder and sometimes leader of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writ ...
freed Alex's consciousness, biding his time, and re-emerged after Xavier Institute Student Nicholas Gleason (
Wolf Cub) wounded Havok. Luckily, the
Exiles
Exile is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons and peoples suf ...
(
Mimic
MIMIC, known in capitalized form only, is a former simulation computer language developed 1964 by H. E. Petersen, F. J. Sansom and L. M. Warshawsky of Systems Engineering Group within the Air Force Materiel Command at the Wright-Patterson AFB in ...
,
Magik,
Heather Hudson,
Nocturne
A nocturne is a musical composition that is inspired by, or evocative of, the night.
History
The term ''nocturne'' (from French '' nocturne'' 'of the night') was first applied to musical pieces in the 18th century, when it indicated an ensembl ...
,
Morph
Morph may refer to:
Biology
* Morph (zoology), a visual or behavioral difference between organisms of distinct populations in a species
* Muller's morphs, a classification scheme for genetic mutations
* "-morph", a suffix commonly used in tax ...
and
Sunfire) were sent by the
Timebroker
The Timebroker is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Judd Winick for the comic book ''Exiles''; a psychic construct created by the Timebreakers, a race of alien bug-peo ...
to fight off the evil Alex until the Earth-616 version came back. The Timebroker then personally eliminated the evil Alex's consciousness.
[''Exiles'' #28-30]
Characters
*
Alex Summers/Havok: Transplanted from Earth-616 to the Mutant X universe, Alex finds himself thrust into the role of his other-dimensional counterpart. His sole confident in the Mutant X universe is his counterpart's son, Scotty, and he dedicates himself to protecting him.
* Scotty Summers: The son of Havok and Marvel Woman. He has immensely powerful sensory and precognitive abilities, and is the only person to realize that Alex is not lying when he says he is from an alternate universe. Despite knowing this, he instinctively trusts Alex and even comes to regard him as a surrogate father. His powers are such that he singlehandedly puts an end to the Goblin Queen's conquest of Earth.
*
Elektra: A highly trained ninja, Elektra Stavros serves as a nanny for Scotty.
*
Dracula
''Dracula'' is a novel by Bram Stoker, published in 1897. As an epistolary novel, the narrative is related through letters, diary entries, and newspaper articles. It has no single protagonist, but opens with solicitor Jonathan Harker taking ...
: Dracula's coffin is held in a special cell in the
Vault
Vault may refer to:
* Jumping, the act of propelling oneself upwards
Architecture
* Vault (architecture), an arched form above an enclosed space
* Bank vault, a reinforced room or compartment where valuables are stored
* Burial vault (enclosure ...
until it is broken out by the Marauders. He proceeds to go on a killing rampage before being killed by Storm.
*
Magneto
A magneto is an electrical generator that uses permanent magnets to produce periodic pulses of alternating current. Unlike a dynamo, a magneto does not contain a commutator to produce direct current. It is categorized as a form of alternator, ...
: Magneto became friends with Professor X and they formed the X-Men. Following Professor X becoming possessed by the Shadow King, Magneto became the leader of the X-Men.
*
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury Sr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, he first appeared in ''Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos ...
: Leader of
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage, special law enforcement, and counter-terrorism agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in ''Strange Tales'' #135 (August 1965), it often deals ...
(Saviors of Humanity by Intervention in the Evolution of Life-form Deviants), an outlaw terrorist group dedicated to exterminating all superpowered humans. S.H.I.E.L.D. is reinstated by President Graydon Creed to hunt down mutants.
The Six
At the beginning of the series, Havok is the leader of ''The Six'', a superhero group which is roughly equivalent to the Earth-616 original
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
. The roster includes:
Collected editions
References
External links
Uncannyxmen.net issue summaries for the entire ''Mutant X'' series
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mutant X (Comics)
Marvel Comics titles
X-Men titles
Marvel Comics superhero teams