The 22nd Volume of X-Men Epic Collections, subtitled “Legacies,” is a truly iconic collection of early ’90s X-Men tales, successfully stringing together multiple plots into a cohesive assemblage of mutant mysteries that deal with important themes like tragedy, grief, identity, and family. Specifically, X-Men Epic Collections: Legacies collects Uncanny X-Men (1981) #297-300, Uncanny X-Men Annual (1992) #17, X-Men (1991) #17-23, Stryfe’s Strike File and X-Men Unlimited (1993) #1, plots that feature the introduction of the Kwannon/Braddock character known as Revanche, a terrifying Antarctic story starring Cyclops, Storm, and Xavier, and the horrific beginning stages of the devastating Legacy Virus. The full synopsis for “Legacies” reveals:
Magneto and Stryfe cast a long shadow over mutantkind! The X-Men travel to Russia when Colossus visits his sister, Illyana, formerly the New Mutants’ Magik! But the sadistic Soul Skinner is loose, and the Russian government will do anything to stop him – even if that means shattering Colossus’ family! Then, when Magneto’s fanatical followers, the Acolytes, return, could it mean that the Master of Magnetism is still alive? Plus: Siena Blaze strikes as the Upstarts’ deadly game continues! Betsy Braddock returns – but if Betsy’s back, who is Psylocke?! And the X-Cutioner targets the dying Mastermind as mutants worldwide begin falling mysteriously ill! What horror has Stryfe unleashed on mutantkind – and can the X-Men cope with his lethal legacy?
X-Men Epic Collections: Legacies is primarily written by X-Men legends Scott Lobdell and Fabian Nicieza, with gorgeous art by acclaimed artists such as Brandon Peterson, Andy Kubert, John Romita Jr., Chirs Bachalo, Dan Panosian, and Jimmy Palmiotti, with the classic ’90s X-Men art making this collection immediately worth picking up, regardless of how awesome these stories are. Characters like Cable, Stryfe, Bishop, and the Upstarts are such classic examples of ridiculous ’90s X-Men designs, all muscle-bound and covered in pockets, making this era of comics truly nostalgic for any ’90s kid, or anyone who read comics in that decade.
There is something special about reading classic X-Men stories from over 30 years ago in print form, something that the digital Marvel Unlimited cannot provide, and while this writer has read most of these stories before, reading them again in this collection felt far more meaningful. Additionally, the X-Men just recently celebrated their 60th anniversary, after their debut in 1963, and almost all the comics featured in this collection bear the “30th Year Anniversary” mark on them, making these comics exactly halfway between when Marvel’s Merry Mutants first debuted and now.
X-Men Epic Collections: Legacies opens with one of the sweetest, subtlest, and most emotional X-Men issues from the ’90s, Uncanny X-Men #297, which sees a truly special bonding moment between the bombastic young Jubilee and the gruff Charles Xavier, who has brief use of his legs again after being treated for the Techno-Organic Virus that Stryfe attacked him with. It is a poignant and humanizing story for the often hard-to-read Xavier, while also allowing Jubilee to let down some of her incessant teenage banter and be truly vulnerable.
The themes of family, grief, and loss run rampant throughout X-Men Epic Collections: Legacies, which next sees the terrifying introduction of the Soul Skinner in Russia, a mutant attack that horrifically leads to the murder of Piotr Rasputin’s parents, plus the kidnaping and near-torture of his sister Illyana (de-aged after the events of Inferno). The collection also features Storm ruminating on the end of her romantic relationship with Forge, as well as the intense tension between Jean Grey and Cyclops after the death of Madelyne Pryor and the reveal that Stryfe is a future version of Nathan Summers, complicated by Psylocke’s unending attempts at seducing Scott Summers.
Besides the Soul Skinner, and the looming shadows of both Stryfe and Magneto, the main enemies the X-Men fight throughout X-Men Epic Collections: Legacies are the Acolytes, a psychotic group of Magneto-obsessed mutant radicals attempting to take down all of humanity, and the Upstarts, a group of truly unhinged wealthy mutants who are playing a sadistic game of murder-for-points, overseen by the powerful Gamesmaster.
One of the newest Upstarts, a terrifyingly powerful young mutant called Sienna Blaze, is behind the attack on Scott, Ororo, and Charles that leads to X-Men Unlimited (1993) #1, where the three must desperately attempt to stay alive in the freezing Artic, while being hunted by Blaze. This issue is one of those intimate X-Men stories that provide a deeper, more meaningful glimpse into the personal relationships between the main groups main characters, and the character development seen in all three heroes is important and powerful.
The other major plot of X-Men Epic Collections: Legacies concern the beginning stages of the Legacy Virus, with Illyana showing her first signs of sickness (which will lead to one of the saddest plots of all of 90s X-Men comics) and Mister Sinister revealing his part in releasing Stryfe’s plague onto the mutants, as well as Moira McTaggart’s major role in the plot. Plus, the mystery surrounding Betsy Braddock’s Psylocke and the newly introduced Revanche, a Kwannon-Betsy blend in Betsy’s original body, is finally revealed, as Psylocke, Revanche, Beast, and Gambit travel to Japan to confront Lord Nyoirin and Matsu’o Tsurayaba, an important moment in a classic Marvel hero’s journey to reconcile her shifted identity.
Marvel Comics
The inclusion of Stryfe’s Strike File to X-Men Epic Collections: Legacies is the perfect addition to the assemblage, giving fascinating breakdowns of a variety of X-Characters, and even introducing some future ones like Threnody and Graydon Creed. The decision to include the sexy pinups from the 1992 Marvel Swimsuit Special #2 was also brilliant, as well as an interesting “S.H.I.E.L.D. file” from Nick Fury. The only part of the collection that did not fit entirely with the rest was Uncanny X-Men Annual (1992) #17, whose backup featuring Fitzroy of the Upstarts made sense (and showed the origin of Sienna Blaze), but whose main introduction of new character X-Cutioner did not, making the entire issue feel weirdly disconnected (even though it was added in correct chronological order!) from the main plots of the collection.
Overall, X-Men Epic Collections: Legacies is an impressively cohesive collection of iconic ’90s X-Men stories, filled with intense adventure, important character growth, and terrible losses for the mutants, that will help to shape many of the stories to come in later collections.
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