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Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the mid-1990s to explore the adaptation of the start of the second season of the X-Men animated series in the form of the X-Men Adventures comic book series.
Before getting to the retro comic book review, I want to address the recent controversy and criticism of the new animated series X-Men ’97, a continuation of the popular 1990s series that turned out to be woke by featuring the so-called non-binary presentation of people. In my view, this is not surprising given the fact that the very woke Disney company has owned Marvel Entertainment for many years now and its wokeness has infected the animated X-Men franchise along with the most recent movies and shows of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Wokeness and Leftist beliefs continue to ruin entertainment and established properties as we know it. It’s the culture of Communist-filled Hollywood (Commiewood).
So how do you reject X-Men wokeness apart from avoiding X-Men ’97? You simply go back to the X-Men animated series of the 1990s as well as the comic books that adapted the stories.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures Season II #1, published in 1994 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Ralph Macchio and drawn by Andrew Wildman.
Early story
The story begins with the cosmic being the Watcher carefully examining the flow of events on Earth and what has changed for the X-Men since then. Robert Kelly, who previously had an anti-mutant agenda when he was a U.S. Senator, has since been elected as the President of the United States and openly pushes for a policy of conciliation with mutants. His action sparks social unrest.
Meanwhile inside a small church far away from the nation’s capital, the wedding of Jean Grey and Scott Summers pushes through with several members of the X-Men in attendance. Very notable was the absence of Wolverine who turned out to be inside the Danger Room (deep within Charles Xavier’s estate) fighting a giant-sized version of Cyclops…
Quality
As the opening issue of the second volume of the X-Men Adventures comic book series, this comic book carefully sets up the tone and the plot of a series of future challenges for the X-Men which is clearly reflected on the front cover with Mister Sinister displayed prominently. The story mainly highlights X-Men’s new struggle with the wave of anti-mutant rage in the public while dealing with the absence of their leader Cyclops (on honeymoon with his new wife Jean) while leaving space for potential sub-plots such as the attraction between Jean and Wolverine, the moves of the anti-mutant radicals and, most notable of all, the secretive return of Morph (thought to have died in issue #2 of the first season).
As expected, build-up is the main approach taken by the creators on telling the story and there were some bouts of superhero spectacle (action) that spiced up the reading experience for me. Considering what has been happening in different parts of the world in recent years, the sub-plot of the rabid anti-mutant activists using tactics to destroy the X-Men’s credibility with violence and misinformation magnified through the news networks is very socially relevant.
What the rabid anti-mutant people committed in this comic book reminds me of the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel organized by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in which violence, destruction and selective images of terror spread through news networks and social media were done. Similarities aside, the wave of evil is clear here and the intent of the anti-mutant believers and Palestinian terrorists obviously expresses intentions of genocide against another particular group of people.
When it comes to weaknesses of this comic book, I cannot help but find Andrew Wildman’s art looking very rushed. There is a lack of precision and detail of his art here when compared directly to his works in the first volume of X-Men Adventures.
Conclusion
X-Men Adventures Season II #1 (1994) incidentally works well as an adaptation of the animated series, as a standalone comic book as well as being a socially relevant tale in today’s age of social media. While the concept of evil remains in X-Men lore, what was told here shows different layers of it. The X-Men themselves also looked fragile and the return of Morph is a key part of the story clearly designed with future events in mind. Finally, this comic book is a lively reminder of the era when X-Men stories were made for the fans, not the woke mob.
Overall, X-Men Adventures Season II #1 (1994) is recommended.
+++++
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