Curse of the Mutants
Encyclopedia
"Curse of the Mutants" is a 2010 Marvel Comics
storyline. The story arc centers around Dracula's son Xarus becoming a new vampire lord and Jubilee
being turned into a vampire.
, who wrote the Death of Dracula one-shot which started the storyline as well as the new ongoing series
X-Men
(vol. 3), which forms the main part of the storyline.
There is also a 4-issue mini-series that links in with "Curse of the Mutants", Namor the First Mutant by Stuart Moore
, as well as a 2-issue mini-series X-Men vs. Vampires by various creators and a number of one-shots: Blade by Duane Swierczynski
, Storm and Gambit by Chuck Kim and Smoke and Blood by Simon Spurrier
.
A 4-issue mini-series by Kathryn Immonen and Phil Noto that ties into the storyline, called Wolverine and Jubilee: Cursed, started in January 2011.
at a vampire summit. His son Xarus plans to overthrow him due to his "bad leadership." Xarus had met with the leaders of each vampire clan and makes a deal that unites the Claw Sect Vampires (a clan of vampire warriors), the Charniputra Sect Vampires, the Mystikos Sect Vampires (a clan of business vampires), the Nosferatu Sect Vampires, the Krieger Sect Vampires, the Atlantean
Sect Vampires, Moksha Sect Vampires (a clan of vampire seers) and Siren Sect Vampires (a clan of vampire seductresses). Xarus and his allied vampires end up staking Dracula enabling Xarus to assume leadership over the vampires. Xarus' allies in the Mystikos Sect managed to invent a special device which can block the frequencies of light that are harmful to Vampires. Xarus decided to use this device to create a new, more dominant place in the world for vampires as he has each device handed out to his vampire allies. Upon attacking the fortress of the Krieger Sect Vampires, Xarus' allies eliminate the clan's elder leadership. He has the Claw Sect not declare itself for him, so it can hang back and be contacted by any would-be traitors seeking an alliance like his brother Janus Tepes
and the peaceful Anchorite Sect. Following an attempted betrayal from the Siren Sect Vampires, Xarus foolishly allows its leader Alyssa to live and keep serving him. Alyssa secretly slips one of the light-deflecting pendants to Janus which enabled him to escape after the Claw Sect betrayed him to Xarus. While wearing a light-deflecting pendant, Xarus declares himself Lord of the Vampires in front of his vampire army.
Cyclops
sends Pixie out to check up on Jubilee
. As the two girls are enjoying themselves at an outdoor cafe, where a man sizzles and explodes in the Sun. Blood and parts of the man's body cover many in the square including Jubilee. After testing her blood, it is determined that Jubilee was infected during the explosion by a manufactured virus. That night, the other people infected by the virus during the explosion respond to the call of the vampires. However, the vampires are disappointed that Jubilee (whom they appear to be waiting for specifically) is not there. The X-Men quickly determine they are dealing with Vampires.
Blade
arrives in San Francisco to assist the X-Men in capturing a vampire specimen for the X-Club. He confirms Dracula's death and reveals that his son Xarus is the new lord of vampires, having united many vampire clans together. He immediately objects to Cyclops' plan to resurrect Dracula. Much later while the X-Men gather to discuss the death of Dracula and learn who the new Lord of Vampires is, Dr. Kavita Rao
is seen checking on Jubilee only to be attacked. Jubilee leaves Utopia to go see Xarus who proceeds in biting her. It's also revealed that Xarus only wants Jubilee so the X-Men can come to rescue her and fall into a trap....especially Wolverine.
While underwater, Namor has his encounter with a race of Atlantean vampires and is tasked with retrieving the head of Dracula. Storm and Gambit
are sent to steal the headless body of Dracula from the vampires. Blade
later has his encounter with Xarus who tells Blade his plans to take over San Francisco.
While attempting to free Jubilee, Wolverine is bitten by her. At the same time, the X-Men resurrect Dracula who declines to help them and says that he will deal with this himself.
As X-Club members Madison Jeffries
, Kavita Rao, and Doctor Nemesis
work on a cure for the vampirism, their test subject escapes and the lab goes into lockdown.
Upon Wolverine being added to the ranks of Xarus' army, the X-Men prepare to fight Xarus' vampire armies.
The Vampire Nation has gathered its forces for an assault on Utopia. Cyclops has prepared his defenses for this attack: only the literally tough skinned X-Men for combat, while the other remain inside the compound; Archangel has prepped himself for air defense; and Iceman is having his very body blessed by a priest, in an attempt to make it holy. The battle then begins, as the vampires attempt to press onto Utopia, through land, air and sea. The ground and air forces stop, as Wolverine lands down, who plows through his former comrades. But Cyclops then presses the button on a remote Doctor Nemesis gave him, causes Wolverine to rear down in pain. It is revealed that before Wolverine went out on his hunt for Jubilee, he had his blood taken to see if his healing factor could counteract vampirism. But unknown to him, Nemesis has injected him with nanobots to shut down his healing factor, as Cyclops had anticipated that he might be bitten and turned, before they could reactivate it unexpectedly. Back to his normal self, Wolverine turns on the vampires, as the X-Men and Atlanteans push the bloodsuckers out. Wolverine then warns Xarus over the video that he'll be coming for him. Unfazed, Xarus orders that a second wave be sent in. However, his aide informs him that they sent in all their available forces and it may take time for a new strikeforce to be organized. But Xarus would have none of it, declaring that he will take Utopia today, raise a flag over it, stand over Wolverine's bones and drink Cyclops' blood. Just then, Dracula walks in, reasserting himself as Lord of the Vampire. He grants amnesty to the other vampire sects for betraying him, all except Xarus. With the sudden return of his father Dracula, Xarus tries ordering his minions to help him, but receives no support. While the X-Men storm his lair, Xarus decides to deal with his father himself. But this time, Dracula is more careful and repays the favour by ripping Xarus' head off. It is then that the X-Men enter. Whereas Cyclops wants nothing more to do with the Vampire Nation, Blade doesn't see eye-to-eye with him and charges at Dracula, only to knocked unconscious with an optic blast. Cyclops then reminds Dracula of their previous, unspoken agreement. However, the Lord of Vampires muses that if his son was successful in uniting the vampire sects into one functional alliance, then perhaps he may finish what he started: conquer Utopia. Cyclops reminds him that before they reunited his head with his body, X-Club was studying it, meaning that he has a trick up his sleeve. After a short stare down, Dracula calls Cyclops' bluff, but nonetheless, decides to end hostilities with mutants. He even gives Jubilee back to them. Back at Utopia, Jubilee is put in isolation. Blade believes that the only solution is to put her out of her misery. Wolverine warns him not to, prompting the vampire hunter to leave. While watching it on the monitor, Cyclops and Emma wonder if Jubilee can be cured.
August
September
October
November
December
January
May
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
storyline. The story arc centers around Dracula's son Xarus becoming a new vampire lord and Jubilee
Jubilee (comics)
Jubilation "Jubilee" Lee is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superheroine associated with the X-Men.A mutant, Jubilee had the superhuman power to generate "fireworks" of explosive plasma. A teenage "mall rat," she was the X-Men's youngest member in the early 1990s, often playing sidekick to...
being turned into a vampire.
Publication history
The main writer of the storyline is Victor GischlerVictor Gischler
Victor Gischler is an American author of hard-boiled crime fiction.-Biography:Gischler's debut novel Gun Monkeys was nominated for the Edgar Award, and his novel Shotgun Opera was an Anthony Award finalist. His work has been translated into Italian, French, Spanish and Japanese. He earned a Ph.D....
, who wrote the Death of Dracula one-shot which started the storyline as well as the new ongoing series
Ongoing series
The term "ongoing series" is used in contrast to limited series , a one shot , a graphic novel, or a trade paperback...
X-Men
X-Men (vol. 3)
X-Men is a Marvel Comics comic book ongoing series that began in July 2010. It is written by Victor Gischler with art by Paco Medina, among others.-Publication history:...
(vol. 3), which forms the main part of the storyline.
There is also a 4-issue mini-series that links in with "Curse of the Mutants", Namor the First Mutant by Stuart Moore
Stuart Moore
Stuart Moore is a writer and editor of comic books and novels.-Career:Moore's writing includes the original science-fiction series Earthlight and PARA; Iron Man, New Avengers/Transformers, and Wolverine ; Firestorm and Detective Comics ; the multicultural superhero team The 99; the comics...
, as well as a 2-issue mini-series X-Men vs. Vampires by various creators and a number of one-shots: Blade by Duane Swierczynski
Duane Swierczynski
Duane Louis Swierczynski is an American crime writer who has written a number of non-fiction books, novels and also writes for comic books.-Early life:...
, Storm and Gambit by Chuck Kim and Smoke and Blood by Simon Spurrier
Simon Spurrier
Simon Spurrier is a British comics writer, who has previously worked as a cook, a bookseller and an art director for the BBC.Getting his start in comics with the British small press, he went on to write his own series for 2000 AD, like Lobster Random, Bec & Kawl, The Simping Detective and Harry...
.
A 4-issue mini-series by Kathryn Immonen and Phil Noto that ties into the storyline, called Wolverine and Jubilee: Cursed, started in January 2011.
Plot summary
The story begins with DraculaDracula (Marvel Comics)
Dracula is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. He is based on the vampire Count Dracula from the novel of the same name by author Bram Stoker, and is also influenced by Universal Studios' version of the character.-Publication history:A...
at a vampire summit. His son Xarus plans to overthrow him due to his "bad leadership." Xarus had met with the leaders of each vampire clan and makes a deal that unites the Claw Sect Vampires (a clan of vampire warriors), the Charniputra Sect Vampires, the Mystikos Sect Vampires (a clan of business vampires), the Nosferatu Sect Vampires, the Krieger Sect Vampires, the Atlantean
Homo mermanus
Homo mermanus is a fictional race of gilled aquatic humanoids that has appeared in numerous comic book series published by Marvel Comics. This race is best known as the people who live in the Atlantis of Marvel's shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe...
Sect Vampires, Moksha Sect Vampires (a clan of vampire seers) and Siren Sect Vampires (a clan of vampire seductresses). Xarus and his allied vampires end up staking Dracula enabling Xarus to assume leadership over the vampires. Xarus' allies in the Mystikos Sect managed to invent a special device which can block the frequencies of light that are harmful to Vampires. Xarus decided to use this device to create a new, more dominant place in the world for vampires as he has each device handed out to his vampire allies. Upon attacking the fortress of the Krieger Sect Vampires, Xarus' allies eliminate the clan's elder leadership. He has the Claw Sect not declare itself for him, so it can hang back and be contacted by any would-be traitors seeking an alliance like his brother Janus Tepes
Janus (Marvel Comics)
Janus is a fictional comic-book character in the Marvel Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:The Golden Angel was a possessing spirit who claimed to be an angel, a messenger and warrior of God. This angel was revealed to have appeared to Dracula and thwarted his will in the past...
and the peaceful Anchorite Sect. Following an attempted betrayal from the Siren Sect Vampires, Xarus foolishly allows its leader Alyssa to live and keep serving him. Alyssa secretly slips one of the light-deflecting pendants to Janus which enabled him to escape after the Claw Sect betrayed him to Xarus. While wearing a light-deflecting pendant, Xarus declares himself Lord of the Vampires in front of his vampire army.
Cyclops
Cyclops (comics)
Cyclops is a fictional character, the leader of the X-Men superhero team in the . A mutant, Cyclops emits a powerful energy beam from his eyes...
sends Pixie out to check up on Jubilee
Jubilee (comics)
Jubilation "Jubilee" Lee is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superheroine associated with the X-Men.A mutant, Jubilee had the superhuman power to generate "fireworks" of explosive plasma. A teenage "mall rat," she was the X-Men's youngest member in the early 1990s, often playing sidekick to...
. As the two girls are enjoying themselves at an outdoor cafe, where a man sizzles and explodes in the Sun. Blood and parts of the man's body cover many in the square including Jubilee. After testing her blood, it is determined that Jubilee was infected during the explosion by a manufactured virus. That night, the other people infected by the virus during the explosion respond to the call of the vampires. However, the vampires are disappointed that Jubilee (whom they appear to be waiting for specifically) is not there. The X-Men quickly determine they are dealing with Vampires.
Blade
Blade (comics)
Blade is a fictional character, a superhero/vampire hunter in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and penciller Gene Colan, his first appearance was in the comic book The Tomb of Dracula #10 as a supporting character.The character went on to alternatively star and co-star...
arrives in San Francisco to assist the X-Men in capturing a vampire specimen for the X-Club. He confirms Dracula's death and reveals that his son Xarus is the new lord of vampires, having united many vampire clans together. He immediately objects to Cyclops' plan to resurrect Dracula. Much later while the X-Men gather to discuss the death of Dracula and learn who the new Lord of Vampires is, Dr. Kavita Rao
Kavita Rao
Dr. Kavita "Vita" Rao is a fictional character, a geneticist in the Marvel Comics universe of the X-Men. She first appeared and featured prominently in the first story arc of the monthly series Astonishing X-Men in 2004.-Hope:Dr...
is seen checking on Jubilee only to be attacked. Jubilee leaves Utopia to go see Xarus who proceeds in biting her. It's also revealed that Xarus only wants Jubilee so the X-Men can come to rescue her and fall into a trap....especially Wolverine.
While underwater, Namor has his encounter with a race of Atlantean vampires and is tasked with retrieving the head of Dracula. Storm and Gambit
Gambit (comics)
Gambit is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero that has been a member of the X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Jim Lee, the character first appeared briefly in Uncanny X-Men Annual #14 , weeks before a more comprehensive appearance in Uncanny X-Men #266...
are sent to steal the headless body of Dracula from the vampires. Blade
Blade (comics)
Blade is a fictional character, a superhero/vampire hunter in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and penciller Gene Colan, his first appearance was in the comic book The Tomb of Dracula #10 as a supporting character.The character went on to alternatively star and co-star...
later has his encounter with Xarus who tells Blade his plans to take over San Francisco.
While attempting to free Jubilee, Wolverine is bitten by her. At the same time, the X-Men resurrect Dracula who declines to help them and says that he will deal with this himself.
As X-Club members Madison Jeffries
Madison Jeffries
Madison Jeffries is a fictional character, a mutant superhero in the . He first appears in Alpha Flight #16 and was created by John Byrne.- Publication history :...
, Kavita Rao, and Doctor Nemesis
Doctor Nemesis
Doctor Nemesis is the alias of James Nicola Bradley, a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. He was a derivative version of the eponymous Golden Age character that originally appeared in Ace Magazines' Lightning Comics. He is a co-creator of the original...
work on a cure for the vampirism, their test subject escapes and the lab goes into lockdown.
Upon Wolverine being added to the ranks of Xarus' army, the X-Men prepare to fight Xarus' vampire armies.
The Vampire Nation has gathered its forces for an assault on Utopia. Cyclops has prepared his defenses for this attack: only the literally tough skinned X-Men for combat, while the other remain inside the compound; Archangel has prepped himself for air defense; and Iceman is having his very body blessed by a priest, in an attempt to make it holy. The battle then begins, as the vampires attempt to press onto Utopia, through land, air and sea. The ground and air forces stop, as Wolverine lands down, who plows through his former comrades. But Cyclops then presses the button on a remote Doctor Nemesis gave him, causes Wolverine to rear down in pain. It is revealed that before Wolverine went out on his hunt for Jubilee, he had his blood taken to see if his healing factor could counteract vampirism. But unknown to him, Nemesis has injected him with nanobots to shut down his healing factor, as Cyclops had anticipated that he might be bitten and turned, before they could reactivate it unexpectedly. Back to his normal self, Wolverine turns on the vampires, as the X-Men and Atlanteans push the bloodsuckers out. Wolverine then warns Xarus over the video that he'll be coming for him. Unfazed, Xarus orders that a second wave be sent in. However, his aide informs him that they sent in all their available forces and it may take time for a new strikeforce to be organized. But Xarus would have none of it, declaring that he will take Utopia today, raise a flag over it, stand over Wolverine's bones and drink Cyclops' blood. Just then, Dracula walks in, reasserting himself as Lord of the Vampire. He grants amnesty to the other vampire sects for betraying him, all except Xarus. With the sudden return of his father Dracula, Xarus tries ordering his minions to help him, but receives no support. While the X-Men storm his lair, Xarus decides to deal with his father himself. But this time, Dracula is more careful and repays the favour by ripping Xarus' head off. It is then that the X-Men enter. Whereas Cyclops wants nothing more to do with the Vampire Nation, Blade doesn't see eye-to-eye with him and charges at Dracula, only to knocked unconscious with an optic blast. Cyclops then reminds Dracula of their previous, unspoken agreement. However, the Lord of Vampires muses that if his son was successful in uniting the vampire sects into one functional alliance, then perhaps he may finish what he started: conquer Utopia. Cyclops reminds him that before they reunited his head with his body, X-Club was studying it, meaning that he has a trick up his sleeve. After a short stare down, Dracula calls Cyclops' bluff, but nonetheless, decides to end hostilities with mutants. He even gives Jubilee back to them. Back at Utopia, Jubilee is put in isolation. Blade believes that the only solution is to put her out of her misery. Wolverine warns him not to, prompting the vampire hunter to leave. While watching it on the monitor, Cyclops and Emma wonder if Jubilee can be cured.
Involved issues
July- X-Men: Curse of the Mutants Saga
- Death of Dracula #1 "Curse of the Mutants" prologue
- X-Men #1 "Curse of the Mutants" Chapter 1
August
- X-Men #2 "Curse of the Mutants" Chapter 2
- Namor the First Mutant #1 "Curse of the Mutants" Tie-in
- X-Men: Curse of the Mutants - Blade #1 "Curse of the Mutants" Tie-in
- X-Men: Curse of the Mutants - Storm and Gambit #1 "Curse of the Mutants" Tie-in
September
- X-Men #3 "Curse of the Mutants" Chapter 3
- X-Men: Curse of the Mutants - X-Men vs. Vampires #1 "Curse of the Mutants" Tie-in
- X-Men: Curse of the Mutants - Smoke and Blood #1 "Curse of the Mutants" Tie-in
- Namor the First Mutant #2 "Curse of the Mutants" Tie-in
October
- X-Men: Curse of the Mutants - X-Men vs. Vampires #2 "Curse of the Mutants" Tie-in
- Namor the First Mutant #3 "Curse of the Mutants" Tie-in
- X-Men #4 "Curse of the Mutants" Chapter 4
November
- X-Men #5 "Curse of the Mutants" Chapter 5
- X-Men: Curse Of The Mutants: Spotlight #1
- Namor the First Mutant #4 "Curse of the Mutants" Tie-in
December
- X-Men #6 "Curse of the Mutants" Chapter 6
- Deadpool #30 "Curse Of The Mutants"
January
- Deadpool #31 "Curse Of The Mutants"
May
- X-Men #11 "Curse of the Mutants" Blood Hunt
Collected Editions
| Title | Material Collected | ISBN | Publication Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| X-Men: Curse of the Mutants | X-Men #1-6, and material from X-Men: Curse of the Mutants Saga and X-Men: Curse of the Mutants Spotlight | ISBN 0-7851-4846-9 | February 16, 2011 |
| X-Men, Curse of the Mutants: Mutants Vs. Vampires | X-Men: Curse of the Mutants - Storm & Gambit, X-Men: Curse of the Mutants - Smoke and Blood, X-Men: Curse of the Mutants - Blade and X-Men: Curse of the Mutants - X-Men Vs. Vampires #1-2. | ISBN 0-7851-5294-6 | February 23, 2011 |
| Namor: The First Mutant - Volume 1: Curse of the Mutants | Namor: The First Mutant #1-5 | ISBN 0-7851-5174-5 | February 23, 2011 |
External links
- "Curse of the Mutants" at the Marvel Database Project
- "Curse of the Mutants" at the Heroic Age blog
Reviews
- Review: Curse of the Mutants: X-Men vs. Vampires #1, Comic Book ResourcesComic Book ResourcesComic Book Resources, also known as CBR is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book-related news and discussion.-History:Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1996 as a development of the Kingdom Come Message Board, a message forum that Weiland had created to discuss DC...
- Review: Curse of the Mutants: Blade #1, Comic Book ResourcesComic Book ResourcesComic Book Resources, also known as CBR is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book-related news and discussion.-History:Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1996 as a development of the Kingdom Come Message Board, a message forum that Weiland had created to discuss DC...
- Review: X-Men: Curse of the Mutants – Storm and Gambit #1, Comic Book ResourcesComic Book ResourcesComic Book Resources, also known as CBR is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book-related news and discussion.-History:Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1996 as a development of the Kingdom Come Message Board, a message forum that Weiland had created to discuss DC...