So, I finally read Hellions 1 through 4. Primarily because it had Havok, Wildchild and Scalphunter in it. Scalphunter, originally one of the murderous Marauders, who went around killing mutants during the Mutant Massacre event was probably the one character from the Marauders who got the most development (aside from Vertigo and Sabretooth, both of whom were existing characters before the appearance of the Marauders). He appeared in the Gambit series a few times. So the fact that they were were trying to do something with him made curious. Apparently for sensitivity purposes, he’s adopted just using his last name as Greycrow.
So I have to disclose – I’ve not been following the X-Men for a long time. (Since a little before this whole Krakoa thing; but I had the general gist through Twitter, about the state of things). So Havok having mental instability (that’s such a new idea – using Sarcasm font) and feeling a little “evil” wasn’t a surprise. Then the dialogue between Exodus and Sinister, as a part of this Quiet Council (they’re anything but quiet) with Apocalypse there… I mean, these are villains that tried to kill the X-Men and humanity hundreds of times… and they’re OK just sitting there?
But, what I did enjoy seeing was the Hellions (the original ones; the ones that were a part of Emma Frost’s school) – namely Catseye. That makes me happy, because I felt they all perished uselessly (to make room for Generation X eventually). I also enjoyed seeing several of the dead Morlocks confronting Scalphunter, including the very first mutant to die – Tommy. Which, I was always confused about – they referenced it the character as Tommy, but she was drawn as a female (and again, female in this).
By the end of this issue, Sinister comes up with the idea of using these “bad apples” (Havok, Scalphunter, Wildchild, Empath, Nanny, and Orphan Maker) to use them as a team – and their first mission is to head to his old base (hidden under an orphanage) to take out the other Marauders who have refused to go to Krakoa. Cyclops assigns Psylocke to keep an eye on the team and to keep them in line, by any means necessary. The issue ends showing Madelyne Pryor in the form of the Goblin Queen.
The team shows up to the orphanage and speaks to local authorities, and Wildchild takes issue (since he’s far more feral than anything) and Greycrow puts him in his place (as he did the last issue, so this appears to be an ongoing theme). In the previous issue, Greycrow also warned Empath that if he mentally messes with anyone, he’s going to put a bullet between his eyes; and Empath manipulates Nanny, and so Greycrow keeps his word and kills Empath (but this isn’t a big deal, since they can be resurrected on Krakoa).
Shortly after, they find the Marauders, dead, hanging upside down. And the Goblin Queen reveals herself. The team fights the undead Marauders, with Havok taking off with Goblin Queen and being manipulated by her. Here’s where the dialogue again, just feels bland. Her rambling, I get it – is supposed to sound crazy – but it sounds so over the top and sometimes doesn’t even make sense (again, I get it, she’s crazy) – but it just doesn’t flow.
The team is defeated by the undead Marauders, but Psylocke and Wildchild escape, stepping into the shadows. This leads to Wildchild attacking her because he believes in his feral mind that she’s not strong enough to lead the team.
This issue has Goblin Queen sealing Havok’s mouth and he cuts it open with a broken shard of a mirror… I feel like it’s just trying too hard to be edgy. (And this coming from someone who loves the character Adam-X who was edgy defined in the 90’s).
Psylocke and Wildchild fight, and eventually Psylocke is forced to snap Wildchild’s neck, realizing his healing factor will save him from dying. When he does recover, he accepts that she’s strong enough and willing to do whatever it takes – gaining his respect and viewing her as the alpha of the team.
The issue starts with Wildchild and Psylocke showing up and fighting the undead Marauders to save Greycrow, Nanny, and Orphan Maker. Greycrow tells Psylocke to take the rest of the team away and he will take care of his people (the Marauders). He does so, by putting them out of their misery and shooting each of them. He then tracks down the Goblin Queen and the demons she summoned, suddenly flee – and Greycrow shoots her with a critical shot. As she dies, she mentions she just wanted to show the world she was a real person. Havok then freaks out and destroys the orphanage in fit of rage.
By the end, the team arrives back at Krakoa, where Psylocke tells Greycrow that the legacy Marauders (Prism, Vertigo, Riptide, Blockbuster, Arclight, Harpoon, and Scrambler) are approved for resurrection on Krakoa. On the flip side, Cyclops tells Havok that resurrecting Madelyn on Krakoa was not approved. But Cyclops turns out to be Sinister who’d taken form of Cyclops – and Nanny catches Sinister.
Overall thoughts –
I enjoyed seeing the Marauders, even if they were undead. I thought Greycrow had the best moments (slamming Wildchild’s face into the ground) and then shooting Empath in the head. But the dialogue is rough, for me. I just don’t feel like it flows.
It’s not absolutely horrible, but nothing I’d continue to collect.
