Writer Chris Claremont
Artists John Romita Jr. & Dan Green
Colorist Glynis Oliver
Letterer Tom Orzechowski
Cover Dated February 1995
Cover by Brian Stelfreeze, which is a good ‘different angle’ type of cover from the original.
Reprint of Uncanny X-Men 200
This issue ends my run of X-Men Classic that I bought for Christmas 2014.
The Trial of Magneto issue!
Magneto is in Paris, France; standing trial before a tribunal of international justices. The first three pages are narrated by a newscaster. We get a pretty good second page recapping Magneto’s origins and crimes. Prosecuting is England’s Attorney General, Sir James Japsers. For the Defense, Xavier’s old flame and Legion’s baby mama – Gabrielle Haller – who is also Israel’s Ambassador to Britain. Xavier will be assisting her, good thing he made time for his old enemy’s trial but not his own son’s development. Neal Conan, with National Public Radio (NPG) is covering the story. There are protests outside of the historic Palais de Justice, on the Ile de la Cite, only a block from Norte Dame Cathedral. Which I remember now, that Marvel actually sent both Claremont and Romita Jr. to Paris for this issue, which would never happen now. I’m surprised it even happened then. That is better than just throwing a reference book of the city in Romita’s lap.
Haller tells Xavier that there are protests and some riots, across the world, due to this trial.
The Mediterranean. The Fenris twins are watching the news cover. Andrea is wearing quite the skimpy bikini around her brother, Andreas.
The X-Men and New Mutants return from Asgard. Ann Nocenti, the editor, has a very fun caption in the bottom right corner. Apparently X-Men Annual 9 and New Mutants Special 1 had to come out before this issue and it was quite the headache. Back when Marvel cared about delays.
The gathered mutants are greeted by flat scan hostilities. Good thing Doug is there, so he can tell everyone that they are in Paris. Loki teleported them to where Xavier was, instead of upstate New York. Wolverine is concern about being in a foreign country without papers and money – like he would even care. They will make a call and get someone to pick them up, though a lot of them are right there but someone can be called. Rachel creates an illusion that makes people forget that the mutants are standing in front of them.
There are two double page spreads, back to back, of Fleer baseball cards. This must be when Marvel had bought Fleer, so this ad isn’t even paid for.
Poland, days later. The Red Army base is destroyed by dudes in tanks and battle armor, it looks like. They leave a note stating that they want Magneto freed and they signed it, The X-Men.
The Ritz, Paris. Xavier is laying in the largest bed I’ve ever seen! He looks like a small child on it. Xavier can’t believe the news story and starts suffering from a heart attack. This is setting up the big conclusion of the issue and the next era of the Uncanny X-Men. Scott knocks on Xavier’s hotel room, Xavier tries to hide the fact that he is in extreme pain. Xavier feels like his time on Earth is running out. Scott knows that Xavier is dying but no one is talking about it. Scott updates Xavier, the New Mutants are heading to Muir Isle as the X-Men stay in Paris. Scott isn’t happy that Xavier wants to help Magneto, in any way. Magneto, is apparently, cool with any decision that the Court comes down with. Xavier asks Scott to investigate the attacks on the military base.
Jasper stands to deliver his opening statement.
Holzruhe, West Germany. The 173rd Tactical Strike Wing of the United States Air Force, is attacked. Again, a “Free Magneto – – X-Men” is graffiti-ed on a wall. I’m surprised people are not constantly committing crimes in the name of the X-Men, that would explain the whole “hates and fears them” but not other costumed characters.
Haller is giving her opening statement, when she is interrupted by a racist, shouting how Haller is betraying her Jewish people. Poor Haller, she has to explain the whole “Magneto was turned into a baby” storyline, so the Magneto before them, is essentially a new person. Jasper can’t believe such nonsense is on the record now. This explains how come he should be in his 60s (in the 80s) but is merely in the body of a 30 year old.
Meanwhile, the X-Men – Shadowcat, Rogue, Cyclops, Wolverine, Rachel, Nightcrawler and Storm – are discussing their next move. Kurt wants to call the New Mutants to help but Storm shoots that down as they are merely children and will not be involved in this. Scott states that the Avengers and Fantastic Four can’t help, as they will arrest the X-Men under suspicion. Another story point that isn’t a concern in modern comics.
Courthouse. The judges rule that only the crimes Magneto committed after being aged anew, will be considered. That is pretty generous. The people watching are not happy about this, as Original Magneto, killed so many people! The preliminaries are now over and the trial begins. Jaspers calls, as his first witness, Admiral Gregori Mihailovitch Suvorov, Commander in Chief of the Soviet Navy’s Strategic Missile Submarine Force. One day, I would like to have such a complicated title or job description.
Cyclops has split the team into four groups of two, so they can cover more ground. Four different sites, once one is attacked, the other three groups need to get there as fast as possible. The groups are – Cyclops / Rachel, Storm / Rogue, Colossus / Nightcrawler and Wolverine / Shadowcat, which are all pretty good combinations. I guess I would have split the two flyers so there isn’t two groups that need to run to the next location.
Colossus and Nightcrawler are guarding a hospital, that is attacked. Colossus takes on the armored soldiers and takes out a tank. Nightcrawler is teleporting hospital staff and patients, as fast as he can.
A fire spreads and Colossus has to level a section of the hospital so that those in the Intensive Ward unit, are not burnt. He thinks about how Storm is currently powerless and wonders how she can even remain on the team. That Colossus is all heart. Though that does mean I was wrong about two flyers, so Cyclops did split them. Rogue on one team with Storm, which is smart, as Rogue can fly and is super strong, so Storm should be taken care of and Rachel is with him, and he doesn’t know that she is his daughter from an alternate future – which is awkward for Rachel’s head space and I can only imagine, once the truth comes out, that it forces him to look back at this moment and the time they spent together.
Rogue, apparently ditched Storm and is flying Cyclops and Rachel to the hospital. Does Rachel not fly? That must be later, I guess. Or she just wanted to be carried by Rogue. These three get shot out of the sky. Rachel takes away the goons guns, with her telekinesis. The X-Men leave but not before Cyclops blasts the graffiti wall. Nightcrawler’s prediction turns out to be accurate, the press runs with the story, “X-Men Attack Hospital.”
Marvel actually printed a comic with the word, slut, in it? That’s pretty bold. Where do protesters get all of their fruit from? Who carries tomatoes to an event?
Pryde is on protecting Haller and Xavier duty, she phases the two of them so that their clothes are not ruined. Kitty is way upset about how racist the protesters are being. Pryde informs Haller that all of mutant kind is on trial here. Whatever punishment Magneto gets, the governments of the world will figure out a way to use that punishment on any mutant that gets out of hand.
Westchester. Maddie Pryor, who is super pregnant and been married for over a year, is watching the newscast. She is so pregnant that she will be giving birth to Nathan Christopher Summers in the next issue. Maddie tells her baby that his father is a real jerk. Just then, soon-to-be grand daddy, Corsair teleports into the mansion, along with Lilandra.
Lilandra felt Xavier’s death pain and is there to get her lover. Maddie didn’t even know that Xavier was sick, she tells them that Xavier is in Paris. Lilandra proclaims that they don’t have time for this nonsense. At first, I was thinking “Self, this is silly, they can just teleport right back there.” Corsair, reading my mind in the future, states that they have to first, teleport back to the ship and calibrate the stargate. So that must take some time. The shock of all of this, causes Maddie to go into labor.
Starjammers. They are being attacked by a Shi’ar rogue ship, so the stargate calibration is put on hold. Lilandra is not pleased about that. The main problem is that the Starjammers are no where near Earth, so that’s why they are using the stargate.
Kitty is watching the single largest protest in Paris’ history. She asks Rachel if this is what her future was like. Rachel conforms that there are riots in the future, Jean’s parents were killed in one. Kitty goes on about how Earth doesn’t deserve the X-Men.
Rogue has translated the signs and announces that these protesters are . . . PRO MUTANT HUMANS!
Sadly, Kitty can’t make out the words on the signs, at all, she is going to need glasses. Which I like how in disbelief she is over that. She’s saved the universe and yet, needs glasses.
I like Cyclops taking the time to comfort Kitty, that is a good leader.
The Courtroom. Mihailovitch testifies about Magneto sinking the Soviet submarine, that killed hundreds of men.
Rachel is seeking out who is attacking all of the structures. Poor Cyclops doesn’t realize that he is turning his daughter back into a Hound, and poor Rachel is having to deal with that. Poor Rachel, she keeps promising never to do this again but keeps being put in this position, time and time again.
Courtroom. Magneto admits to destroying the submarine and the Siberian city of Varykino. Jaspers loses his mind, mocking Magneto’s willingness to agree to the destruction. The judges tell Jaspers to take Haller’s lead in proper courtroom behavior.
Magneto gets the opportunity to express his philosophy.
Meanwhile, the X-Men have located the guards and start attacking them on a boat. We get a fastball special, which is always cool to see.
Shadowcat is trying to short circuit the mercenary armor, but there are far too many back up systems.
One of them punches Colossus several miles, which is pretty awesome. I like how this isn’t a fast fight for the X-Men. Wolverine notices that the mercenaries are not fully committed to the fight. Wolverine figures this must be a delay tactic as a group of them are attacking the courthouse. The mercenaries are working for Fenris.
Haller wants Xavier to call the X-Men but his mental powers are at an all time low. Magneto stands before Fenris.
Kitty is the first to notice that the courthouse is the main target. Fenris is attacking Magneto for all the times their father, Baron von Strucker. This confuses Magneto, as it is mostly Captain America who has fought Strucker the most.
The X-Men finally make their way to the courthouse and help out in the fight. Jaspers takes a rock to Andrea’s head, which is pretty cool.
Rachel reads their father’s name from the twins minds. Haller, Xavier and Magneto all know him from Uncanny X-men 161, which I own and will review – one of these days, not next though.
Magneto wants to kill the twins but turns to Xavier for his advice, but Xavier passes out after saying to turn them over to the authorities. Magneto goes to his old friend, the twins blow up a wall and Xavier and Magneto are swept out. Jaspers is excited, as that is two less mutants to worry about, the lady judge slaps him. Which is pretty awesome.
Now that I typed, twins, twice, that Magneto, can’t escape twins!
Once on dry land, Xavier tells Magneto that he is dying. Xavier wants Magneto to . . . lead the X-Men! Magneto tells him that he will try his best to lead them.
Corsair and Lilandra teleport down and take Xavier.
They take Xavier away but he reminds Magneto that it is his time to try to fulfill Xavier’s life long dream.
Paris Police Headquarters. The X-Men have dropped off all of the mercenaries.
The lady judge announces that Magneto wouldn’t have been given the death penalty but his and the X-Men’s fate is left in the public’s opinion, which doesn’t seem to me, like that would be an official ruling.
The issue ends with Magneto, alone, declaring that he will lead the X-Men.
The next issue caption reads : A beginning — A Duel — An Ending! Which, above, I reference how the next issue is Nathan Summer’s (Cable, as a baby) first appearance but I didn’t relate that issue 201 is also the famous Storm v Cyclops leadership battle. They are fighting for leadership, as Magneto is acting headmaster of the school but the winner of the duel will be the leader of the X-Men. So Magneto will be a thorn in the side of the New Mutants and a huge asset to the X-Men.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 