New Mutants (v1) #75

[RonG]

I recently read this issue (Magneto vs. Shaw on the cover), and found it to be a great little issue, with a (then) different take on Magneto, especially during the Claremont years (the issue was written by Louise Simonson).

In it, Magneto details his plan to unite the mutants into an army, testing the X-Men in Mutnat Massacre and "allowing" themm to "die" in Fall of the Mutants.

Also, this seems to be AFAIK, Byrne's only issue penciling the New Mutants series.



What are your opinions of this issue?

[komicscommando]

After the New Mutants returned from their adventures in Asgard and after they were "killed" by the Beyonder the title went into the shitter.
It took me a few years before I could give it up totally but the whole "Fall of the Mutants" was the final straw for me.

[Shadowkurt]

I couldn't disagree more with both posts.

Commando: the period from the Asgardian Wars until the Mutants Massacre aftermath, and in some ways also from after Fall of the Mutants until Inferno was my favorite time of one of my favorite series ever. It only went steeply downhill after that.

Ron: #75 was the issue when the series quite simply jumped the shark. I'm not one of those who consider Louise Simonson to have ruined the book from when she took over; on the contrary, I have a deep liking for her run from after Fall until Inferno (see above). But issue #75 didn't make sense at all. She had written the progressive breakdown of the relationship between the ever more protective/authoritarian Magneto and the ever more rebellious NMs so well because it was obviously not the fault of one side, but a tragic case of a vicious circle in which any action of one party just drove the other further away. Then, out of the blue, Magneto declares he's had ulterior motives since Mutant Massacre, which a) contradicts with how both Claremont and Simonson had written him then and b) that the NMs were right to mistrust him, which demolishes about half of the characterization of those issues. I can only believe that, for reasons of his own, Magneto was consciously lying in #75, whether to Shaw or to the NMs.

For me, the series I loved ended when little 'Yana was brought back to Russia the next issue.

[yanapryde]

For me, the series I loved ended when little 'Yana was brought back to Russia the next issue.

The truth is in the pudding, and you my friend are pudding.
Preach.

[CromagnonMan]

I think the series is excellent right up until it becomes X-Force around issue #86.

The Claremont "comeback" fill in issue feat. Magma + Empath discussing their different viewpoints on religion is excellent and this isnt until #81.
I agree the switch around in Magneto's ambitions and alliances in #75 is very sudden, but these things happen in comics when they feel theyve reached the end of the road with a characters status quo and need a "shake up". I personally enjoyed Magneto as the NMs head teacher, and felt they couldve done more with him, but he was reduced to little more than wallpaper on the mansions walls for whatever reason.

[Twisted Bliss]

The truth is in the pudding, and you my friend are pudding.
Preach.

What flavour/flavor?

[yanapryde]

What flavour/flavor?

[NielsVanEekelen]

Ron: #75 was the issue when the series quite simply jumped the shark. I'm not one of those who consider Louise Simonson to have ruined the book from when she took over; on the contrary, I have a deep liking for her run from after Fall until Inferno (see above). But issue #75 didn't make sense at all. She had written the progressive breakdown of the relationship between the ever more protective/authoritarian Magneto and the ever more rebellious NMs so well because it was obviously not the fault of one side, but a tragic case of a vicious circle in which any action of one party just drove the other further away. Then, out of the blue, Magneto declares he's had ulterior motives since Mutant Massacre, which a) contradicts with how both Claremont and Simonson had written him then and b) that the NMs were right to mistrust him, which demolishes about half of the characterization of those issues. I can only believe that, for reasons of his own, Magneto was consciously lying in #75, whether to Shaw or to the NMs.

For me, the series I loved ended when little 'Yana was brought back to Russia the next issue.

Well put. The Simonson issues were far from my favorites, but it still had great elements, and the team's relationship with Magneto was one of those.