The second season of X-Men ‘97 may have concluded on Disney+, but Marvel’s X-Men ‘97: Season Two comic is still going. And this month it arrives at issue #4 (of 5).
As with previous issues, the comic offers extra information and plot points to enhance the television show. There are also references to the wider Marvel Universe.
Here’s what you may not have noticed in this issue.
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It’s Morphin’ Time
Let’s begin with the front cover (the regular edition, not the variant), which includes three X-Men: Storm, Wolverine, and Morph. But look closely and you’ll see a fourth X-Man is referenced via Morph, who has transformed his right arm into the right arm of Colossus.
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It’s Morphin’ Time… Again
Into the issue, and as the story opens up the year is 3960 AD and Storm, Wolverine, and Morph are fighting robotic minions of Apocalypse. Only thing is, when Wolverine first appears it’s not Logan but Morph!
The shapeshifting mutant has taken on the form of Wolverine and he’s wearing Wolvie’s blue and yellow costume too.
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Can’t stop Morphin’
And as the fight continues, Morph transforms once again. This time he takes on the guise of Goliath/Giant-Man!
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Feral
During the fight, Wolverine briefly loses focus and begins to act feral. He doesn’t know why, but comic book fans do.
Back in the ‘90s, when Wolverine had the Adamantium removed from his body courtesy of Magneto (in the pages of X-Men), he started to go feral as a result. This unfortunate personality development lasted for a while.
In Season One of X-Men ‘97, Magneto also stripped the Adamantium from Wolverine’s body. However, Wolverine didn’t show any signs of going feral in Season One or Season Two, which confused and disappointed comic book fans.
This is presumably because the show didn’t have space to focus on Wolverine’s changes. However, this issue of X-Men ‘97: Season Two offers the hint that changes have taken place with Wolverine’s personality.
Wolverine attributes this feral feeling to being lost in time. Comic book fans know it is a side effect of the Adamantium removal.
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Morphin’ Time… once more
As Wolverine begins to calm down, he converses with Morph who has transformed once again. This time he has taken on the appearance of the Scarlet Spider (aka Ben Reilly).
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Wolverine’s family tree
After the battle, Wolverine passes comment about how Cyclops and Jean appear to be OK with being trapped in the future. Storm responds by telling him they are probably enjoying their time with their son, Nathan.
Storm then makes a comment about how Wolverine would feel the same way if he had children. He notes that his family tree is rotten and it would be better if “no apples ever fall off it.”
This is an off the cuff remark from Wolverine who in the world of X-Men ‘97 doesn’t have any offspring. But comic book fans will tell you this isn’t the case in the wider Marvel Universe as Wolverine does have children, most notably X-23 and Daken.
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Morph… morphs again
Before the story moves forward, there is time for two additional Morph transformations. The first is Cable, while the second is President Kelly.
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The followers of Apocalypse
The story switches to 1997, where X-Force arrive in a small town overrun by worshippers of Apocalypse, aka Clan Akkaba cultists. Neither the town nor the cultists were mentioned or hinted at during the events of X-Men ‘97 Season Two, so this is material exclusive to this companion comic – and it’s welcomed!
A criticism of the show’s second season is that Apocalypse wasn’t fleshed out enough during Season Two. But the inclusion of an entire town full of Clan Akkaba members helps to expand Apocalypse’s story and demonstrate the influence he has in the wider universe.
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Back.. in time?
As X-Force takes on the cultists, the action switches to the town square to pick up with Ozymandias. The first panel at the square includes the image of a clock tower which may look familiar to ‘80s film fans.
It’s the clock tower from the movie, Back to the Future!
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The ‘80s nods
A couple of other ‘80s nods are included as Ozymandias addresses one of the cultists. He says “Lord Apocalypse saw fit to gift me sight beyond sight and life never-ending.”
‘Sight beyond sight’ is a phrase regularly heard in popular ‘80s cartoon, ThunderCats, while life never-ending would suggest a ‘never ending story’ – the name of an ‘80s fantasy film.
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Acolyte assault
And finally, as the issue draws to a close, Exodus and the Acolytes arrive to take on the Clan Akkaba cultists. But before the battle can get underway, Famine uses her powers on one of the members of the Acolytes, killing him in the process.
That member is Decay. He dies in this issue, which is why he does not appear in the Season Two episode ‘Strange Land, Savage Heart’.
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