Freedom Force
Mutant Massacre Part 2: X-Factor #9 (October 1986)
X-Factor #9 is the second part of the Mutant Massacre, Marvel's first-ever planned crossover across a number of its titles. Beginning at the tail-end of 1986, the crossover ran for three months across Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, New Mutants, Thor, Power Pack and Daredevil comics.
We’re still in the prologue and building up to the events of the Massacre. Here’s a guide to the issue…
Which one is this?
X-Factor #9 (October 1986). X-Factor battle Freedom Force.
In this issue...
X-Factor and Artie Maddicks enter the New York sewers to rescue Skids, a young Morlock with forcefield powers and Rusty Collins, an X-Factor trainee with pyrotechnic powers. In the sewers, X-Factor (disguised as anti-mutant taskforce, X-Terminators) battle Freedom Force (a renamed Brotherhood of Evil who now work for the US government). Destiny foresees the Marauders' attack and warns Freedom Force that they will die unless they leave. The first sounds of mutants being slaughtered are heard.
Anything before we start?
Jean Grey has recently returned from the dead after it was revealed that the Phoenix that died was a cosmic force that had taken on Jean's form. Jean had been placed in suspended animation inside a cocoon (strikingly similar to Adam Warlock's) and hidden at the bottom of Jamaica Bay.
Jean's return prompts the original X-Men to form X-Factor in order to carry on their original mission of helping mutants (they were not willing to work with Magneto). Publically, X-Factor pose as a business hunting mutants while secretly sheltering mutants and training them. The original X-Men become X-Terminators when in costume and are viewed as evil mutants.
Scott Summers, Cyclops, believing Jean Grey to be dead, meets Madelyn Pryor, a woman who looked like Jean. Scott quickly marries Madelyn they have a baby together. Scott abandons his family when he learns of Jean's return and joins X-Factor. Chris Claremont would describe this in a 1996 interview as a change that "destroys Scott's character as a hero and as a decent human being". During Mutant Massacre, Scott is presented as a conflicted character torn between his love for Jean and his sense of duty towards Madelyn.
Freedom Force is the government-sanctioned rebranded Brotherhood of Evil Mutants working under the directions of Valarie Cooper. In this issue they are: Avalanche, Blob, Destiny, Mystique, Pyro and Spider-Woman.
How it starts... How it ends...
At the start Rusty and Skids are surrounded by Freedom Force... At the end Mystique promises to out Warren Worthingto III (Angel) as secretly funding X-Factor.
Things to look out for
Mystique takes the form of Uncle Sam.
A policeman tells X-Factor that he mistrusts the Avengers as well as mutants. He prefers humans.
X-Factor see Magneto going into the Hellfire Club building. A version of this scene - shown from Magneto's view - appears in Uncanny X-Men #210 (October 1986).
Spider-Woman - in Eighties black costume - uses her energy web to trap Rusty and Skids. This Spider-Woman is Julia Carpenter who first appeared in Secret Wars #6 (October 1984).
Artie Maddicks' mutant powers enable him to see the events that take place in Uncanny X-Men #210 (October 1986). He leaves drawings of his visions on the wall outside Cameron Hodge's office for X-Factor to find.
Artie Maddicks meets Leech and they become immediate friends.
Rusty and Skids stumble across the first massacred body. (It could be the remains of Tommy the Morlock who was killed by the Marauders in Uncanny X-Men #210.)
Destiny (who is vague at the best of times) warns that the skeins of time are affected by X-Factor.
The Mythos
The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants made a deal to work for the US government in Uncanny X-Men 199 (November 1985). This is the first time that the original X-Factor fight their original adversaries. At first Freedom Force think they are fighting the X-Terminators (Blob calls them "you're famous evil mutants... we saw you on tv... and we're the feds!").
Best lines
"Let's get down and get funky!" (Angel)
Commentary
It's a dense, exciting issue with many characters and a great deal going on. It works effectively as the build-up to the coming horror of the massacre. Many pages are given over to hectic scenes of crowds demonstrating, attacking Freedom Force and the battle between X-Factor and Freedom Force in the tunnels. This builds an incredible sense of tension. Artie Maddicks' visions, Destiny's warnings, the dead body and screams all build towards the feeling that something terrible is about to occur. Terry Shoemaker and Joe Rubinstein’s art is dynamic throughout the issue.