District X
Encyclopedia
District X, also known as Mutant Town or the Middle East Side, is a fictional location in Marvel Comics
. It is a neighborhood in New York City
, first seen during Grant Morrison
's run on the series New X-Men
in New X-Men #127, which was primarily populated by mutants. The ghetto was established in Alphabet City, Manhattan
(also known as Loisaida), a neighborhood in the East Village
(located between Avenues A to D, and between Houston and 14th Streets). This would fall within New York's 12th
and 14th
congressional districts and the New York City Council
's 2nd district. According to the front cover of X-Factor #31, it had a population of 743, but was more populated prior to the Decimation
.
District X also refers to a short-lived comic book series, which ran for 14 issues between May 2004 and June 2005, about the neighborhood and its inhabitants. The series was a police procedural
, starring Bishop
and Ismael Ortega, who investigated crimes committed by and against the ghetto's mutant residents. The series also explored Ortega's complicated personal relationships and gradual descent into drug abuse and adultery. The series was renamed Mutopia X for five issues, between July 2005 and November 2005, as part of the crossover House of M
event, prior to its cancellation. The series was written by David Hine
.
The rise in Manhattan's mutant
population, coupled with racism
among normal humans, led to mutants forming their own community in Manhattan
's Lower East Side (described as the fictional 'Middle East Side' in Peter David's X-Factor
). Although humans lived in this neighborhood, they formed a minority. NYX established that District X is an official title for the region.
The neighborhood was poor, overcrowded and violent, with a high crime rate and warring mutant gangs. Most of the residents regarded it as a ghetto
. It was described in District X as having the 'highest unemployment rate in the USA, the highest rate of illiteracy and the highest severe overcrowding outside of Los Angeles', even though New York City
as a whole had seen a decrease in violent crime. (These figures would suggest a large population.) It also had the highest crime rates in the country for narcotics, prostitution, and burglary. Many of its inhabitants had mutations more akin to curses than gifts, further exacerbating the neighborhood's poverty and disadvantage. It also had a large 'underground' population, inhabiting tunnels beneath the neighborhood and living in homeless squalor. Many residents were immigrants, such as Bosnian immigrant Dzemal. In X-Men Unlimited #2, Bishop noted that 'there are mutants in District X from every nation on Earth. Every race, religion and culture.' Margaret O'Connell, writing for Sequential Tart, describes District X as 'the mutant ghetto of the Marvel Universe
version of New York City', and as 'a slum where minor-league mutants from all over the globe — often more visibly handicapped or disfigured by their genetic abnormalities than the relatively glamorous and outwardly normal X-Men — have congregated in a disaffected and varyingly dysfunctional clump.'
There were also a range of mutant-owned businesses, clubs and restaurants, as well as a burgeoning mutant subculture. Bands such as 'Sentinel
Bait' and 'Juggernauts' were mentioned as parts of this subculture, while mutant fashion designers like Jumbo Carnation and nightclubs such as Daniel's Inferno created a vibrant, mutant-oriented nightlife. In this respect, District X may be considered a Marvel Universe
analogue to Harlem
or Little Italy
, as a cultural center, 'ethnic' enclave and population hub for a disenfranchised minority.
Grant Morrison's creation of an analogy to an ethnic ghetto has been praised, with J. Caleb Mozzocco noting that 'If the mutants were always being likened to oppressed ethnic groups and minorities, then why not treat them like a real ethnic group, complete with mutant language, styles, culture and a “Mutant Town” in New York City?' David Brothers, writing for 4thletter!, notes that:
During the House of M
storyline, the district was transformed into a rich, exclusively mutant neighborhood named Mutopia X (during the same storyline, Hell's Kitchen
was transformed into a human ghetto called Sapien Town). After this story, the residents suffered the 'Decimation
', with most of them stripped of their mutant abilities. Many remaining mutants were moved to a relocation camp on the grounds of the Xavier Institute
.
Some former mutants remained in District X, with many —- like Quicksilver
and Rictor
-- suffering from depression and alienation. After the Decimation, the district became known as the (fictional) 'Middle East Side', losing many of its distinctive characteristics. The area became increasingly depopulated as former mutants sought to live normal lives. In X-Factor, anti-mutant riots gripped the district after the Decimation, with agents of the human supremacist group Purity roaming the area in X-Men: The 198
.
In Peter David
's X-Factor
(vol.3), The former ghetto was the base of operations for X-Factor Investigations
, who frequently dealt with the aftermath of the Decimation
and its effects on the local community. In the Civil War storyline, Jamie Madrox and his team declared 'Mutant Town' as a sanctuary for superheroes being pursued by the government. This brought them into conflict with the regular X-Men team, who eventually allowed them to have their way.
The former 'Mutant Town' was later besieged by X-Cell
, a terrorist group composed of former mutants who blamed the United States
government for the loss of their powers. After the events of X-Men: Messiah Complex
, the neighborhood was briefly taken over by Arcade
, working for an ex-Purifier
, Taylor.
Mutant Town was completely destroyed in X-Factor #31, 'The Middle East Side is Burning', as a 'back-up' plan by Arcade following his defeat. A series of explosions incinerated much of the neighborhood, with Arcade's force fields preventing fire fighters from entering the area until the entire district had been utterly annihilated. In X-Factor #32, Valerie Cooper
announced that the ruins would be demolished and replaced with suburban housing, and that 'in a few decades, no one will even know that this used to be called Mutant Town.'
series
published by Marvel Comics
which began in 2004 and concluded in 2006. A police procedural
, it was set in Mutant Town.
The series starred the X-Man
and FBI agent Lucas Bishop
, assigned to the ghetto to investigate rising crime rates among the population in New York's (fictional) '11th Precinct' in Alphabet City. Bishop works with NYPD patrolman Ismael Ortega, an ordinary human married to a mutant
(Armena Ortega
). A major subplot concerned Ismael's relationship with his family, with the stresses of his job adversely affecting his home life.
imprint and started in X-Men Unlimited
v2 #2 and then ran for fourteen issues July 2004
to August 2005
. It briefly changed title to Mutopia X for five issues, between September 2005 and January 2006, before its cancellation.
The series was written by British
writer
, David Hine
, who previously worked on the Mambo series for 2000 AD
.
It was originally drawn by Australian artist
David Yardin, followed by Filipino
artist Lan Medina
. The series was mostly inked
by Filipino artist Alejandro "Boy" Sicat. All artists involved worked with Brian Haberlin
's Avalon Studios during the series' publication.
During the House of M
crossover, the series was replaced by the miniseries Mutopia X. Hine continued some of the series' plot points in X-Men: The 198
miniseries.
.
Violence erupts between rival crime lords “Shaky” Kaufman and “Filthy Frankie” Zapruder over a mutant, Toad Boy, and the addictive narcotic he produces (known as 'Toad Juice'). When Kaufman learns of the lucrative sales of 'Toad Juice' in District X, he raids Zapruder’s facilities and kidnaps the Toad Boy for himself. However, it is unknown that Toad Juice can be fatal to normal humans; a theft of the drug leads to the death of over a dozen human teenagers.
After the death of a human patron at the nightclub Daniel’s Inferno caused by exposure to Toad Juice, the police begin a desperate investigation before other unsuspecting addicts face the same fate. This prompts a turf war between Zapruder and Kaufman. Both men are eventually arrested.
When Absolom Mercator
finally decides to use his powers to try to help others, his efforts backfire and he suffers an intense identity crisis. Believing that he must use his powers to destroy Mutant Town, Mercator warns his friend, Hanna Levy so that she can escape safely. The police intervene and use Lara the Illusionist to show Mr. M the devastation he could unleash. This snaps the mutant back to his senses and he willingly returns to his peaceful life of quiet isolation after a short period in jail.
Tensions with the Tunnel Rats come to a head just as Bishop and Officer Ortega manage to track down The Worm, a hideously mutated young man who is seeking revenge for being cast out by his parents. Bishop convinces many of the Tunnel Rats to rejoin surface society but a small band decides to dwell deeper in the tunnels under Mutant Town. Their journey is cut short by The Worm who massacres them all before being stopped by Bishop and Ortega, who kills him.
, and becomes a frequent patron at the Café Des Artistes. He falls in love with the Café’s waitress, Sylvie Lauziere. When a group of anti-mutant humans start harassing her, Billy steps in and inadvertently kills several humans with his emerging powers. He barricades himself in the Café with Sylvie, which the authorities perceive as a hostage situation. In order to hide the fact that a mutant slaughtered several members of Purity, an anti-mutant movement, Alexei Vazhin orders hitwoman Sashenka Popova to kill the boy, and pays hush money to the Lauzieres to cover up the truth of the incident.
transforms the entire world into a mutant paradise ruled by her father Magneto. This shift in reality turns District X into “Mutopia X”, the center of art and culture in the new mutant-dominated world. The denizens of District X find themselves in a newly elevated societal status. Lara the Illusionist is a movie star married to entertainment mogul, Daniel “Shaky” Kaufman. Absolon Mercator and Gregor Smerdyakov have founded the Center for Transformation and Illumination and are the center of a spiritual following as they help mutants achieve their genetic potential. Ishmael Ortega is tasked with protecting Mercator from assassination.
After the Decimation
, Ishmael Ortega's daughter dies. He attempts suicide, before reuniting with his family.
The district also possessed a large population of mutants whose mutations and/or personalities made them unsuitable for the flashier or more dangerous "super" life. These include:
Comic Book Galaxy noted, with reference to the Mr. M arc (issues #1-6), that ' the potential for an excellent book is evident.' Comics Bulletin were highly favourable to the series, stating that 'It is a rare comic book that is able to breathe new life into a stale genre, and yet that is precisely what District X has managed to do...District X is more than just a traditional superhero comic, establishing itself as an entertaining blend of action, crime noir and social commentary.'
Writing for Sequential Tart, Margaret O'Connell praised the series as an 'absorbing, well-crafted tale which effectively combines both crime and science fictional elements,' comparing the series to George R. R. Martin
's Wild Cards
series, NYPD Blue
, and DC Comics
' Gotham Central
.
, was collected into two trade paperbacks
:
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...
. It is a neighborhood in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, first seen during Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
's run on the series New X-Men
New X-Men
New X-Men was a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics within the X-Men franchise. After the end of Grant Morrison's run on X-Men , titled New X-Men, the title was used for a new series, New X-Men: Academy X, serving as a continuation of the second volume of New Mutants...
in New X-Men #127, which was primarily populated by mutants. The ghetto was established in Alphabet City, Manhattan
Alphabet City, Manhattan
Alphabet City is a neighborhood located within the Lower East Side and East Village in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is also known as Loisaida, a Spanglish adaptation of 'Lower East Side'. Its name comes from Avenues A, B, C, and D, the only avenues in Manhattan to have single-letter...
(also known as Loisaida), a neighborhood in the East Village
East Village, Manhattan
The East Village is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, lying east of Greenwich Village, south of Gramercy and Stuyvesant Town, and north of the Lower East Side...
(located between Avenues A to D, and between Houston and 14th Streets). This would fall within New York's 12th
New York's 12th congressional district
New York's 12th Congressional District is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives located in New York City. It includes parts of Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan...
and 14th
New York's 14th congressional district
New York's 14th Congressional District is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives located in New York City. It includes most of the East Side of Manhattan, all of Roosevelt Island and the neighborhoods of Astoria, Long Island City, and Sunnyside in Queens...
congressional districts and the New York City Council
New York City Council
The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of the City of New York. It has 51 members from 51 council districts throughout the five boroughs. The Council serves as a check against the mayor in a "strong" mayor-council government model. The council monitors performance of city agencies and...
's 2nd district. According to the front cover of X-Factor #31, it had a population of 743, but was more populated prior to the Decimation
Decimation (comics)
Decimation is the late 2005 Marvel Comics storyline spinning off from the House of M limited series. It focuses on the ramifications of the Scarlet Witch stripping nearly all of the mutant population of their powers, thereby reducing a society of millions to one of scant hundreds.This event, which...
.
District X also refers to a short-lived comic book series, which ran for 14 issues between May 2004 and June 2005, about the neighborhood and its inhabitants. The series was a police procedural
Police procedural
The police procedural is a subgenre of detective fiction which attempts to convincingly depict the activities of a police force as they investigate crimes. While traditional detective novels usually concentrate on a single crime, police procedurals frequently depict investigations into several...
, starring Bishop
Bishop (comics)
Bishop is a fictional comic book superhero, appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular the X-Men family of books...
and Ismael Ortega, who investigated crimes committed by and against the ghetto's mutant residents. The series also explored Ortega's complicated personal relationships and gradual descent into drug abuse and adultery. The series was renamed Mutopia X for five issues, between July 2005 and November 2005, as part of the crossover House of M
House of M
House of M is an eight-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics in 2005. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel, its first issue debuted in June 2005 as a follow-up to the events of the Planet X and Avengers Disassembled...
event, prior to its cancellation. The series was written by David Hine
David Hine
-Biography:Hine has been working in comics since the early 1980s. For Crisis he drew the series Sticky Fingers in 1989, and wrote and drew a number of short pieces in 1990 and 1991...
.
District X: The area
Mutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
population, coupled with racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
among normal humans, led to mutants forming their own community in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
's Lower East Side (described as the fictional 'Middle East Side' in Peter David's X-Factor
X-Factor (comics)
X-Factor is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is a spin-off of the popular X-Men franchise, featuring characters from X-Men stories. The series has been relaunched several times with different team rosters, most recently as X-Factor Investigations.X-Factor launched in...
). Although humans lived in this neighborhood, they formed a minority. NYX established that District X is an official title for the region.
The neighborhood was poor, overcrowded and violent, with a high crime rate and warring mutant gangs. Most of the residents regarded it as a ghetto
Ghetto
A ghetto is a section of a city predominantly occupied by a group who live there, especially because of social, economic, or legal issues.The term was originally used in Venice to describe the area where Jews were compelled to live. The term now refers to an overcrowded urban area often associated...
. It was described in District X as having the 'highest unemployment rate in the USA, the highest rate of illiteracy and the highest severe overcrowding outside of Los Angeles', even though New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
as a whole had seen a decrease in violent crime. (These figures would suggest a large population.) It also had the highest crime rates in the country for narcotics, prostitution, and burglary. Many of its inhabitants had mutations more akin to curses than gifts, further exacerbating the neighborhood's poverty and disadvantage. It also had a large 'underground' population, inhabiting tunnels beneath the neighborhood and living in homeless squalor. Many residents were immigrants, such as Bosnian immigrant Dzemal. In X-Men Unlimited #2, Bishop noted that 'there are mutants in District X from every nation on Earth. Every race, religion and culture.' Margaret O'Connell, writing for Sequential Tart, describes District X as 'the mutant ghetto of the Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
version of New York City', and as 'a slum where minor-league mutants from all over the globe — often more visibly handicapped or disfigured by their genetic abnormalities than the relatively glamorous and outwardly normal X-Men — have congregated in a disaffected and varyingly dysfunctional clump.'
There were also a range of mutant-owned businesses, clubs and restaurants, as well as a burgeoning mutant subculture. Bands such as 'Sentinel
Sentinel (comics)
Sentinels are a fictional variety of mutant-hunting robots, appearing in the Marvel Comics Universe. They are usually portrayed as antagonists to the X-Men. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, they first appeared in The X-Men #14 .According to Marvel canon, Sentinels are programmed to locate...
Bait' and 'Juggernauts' were mentioned as parts of this subculture, while mutant fashion designers like Jumbo Carnation and nightclubs such as Daniel's Inferno created a vibrant, mutant-oriented nightlife. In this respect, District X may be considered a Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
analogue to Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
or Little Italy
Little Italy
Little Italy is a general name for an ethnic enclave populated primarily by Italians or people of Italian ancestry, usually in an urban neighborhood.-Canada:*Little Italy, Edmonton, in Alberta*Little Italy, Montreal, in Quebec...
, as a cultural center, 'ethnic' enclave and population hub for a disenfranchised minority.
Grant Morrison's creation of an analogy to an ethnic ghetto has been praised, with J. Caleb Mozzocco noting that 'If the mutants were always being likened to oppressed ethnic groups and minorities, then why not treat them like a real ethnic group, complete with mutant language, styles, culture and a “Mutant Town” in New York City?' David Brothers, writing for 4thletter!, notes that:
Morrison turned mutants into a subculture, a logical extension of what happens when new elements are introduced into society. They were still oppressed, but they actually had some kind of culture to go along with their oppression. He gave them their own Chinatown, their own Little Italy, and made it a point to show that mutants, while not entirely accepted just yet, were more than just mutant paramilitary teams.
During the House of M
House of M
House of M is an eight-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics in 2005. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel, its first issue debuted in June 2005 as a follow-up to the events of the Planet X and Avengers Disassembled...
storyline, the district was transformed into a rich, exclusively mutant neighborhood named Mutopia X (during the same storyline, Hell's Kitchen
Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan
Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton and Midtown West, is a neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City between 34th Street and 59th Street, from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River....
was transformed into a human ghetto called Sapien Town). After this story, the residents suffered the 'Decimation
Decimation (comics)
Decimation is the late 2005 Marvel Comics storyline spinning off from the House of M limited series. It focuses on the ramifications of the Scarlet Witch stripping nearly all of the mutant population of their powers, thereby reducing a society of millions to one of scant hundreds.This event, which...
', with most of them stripped of their mutant abilities. Many remaining mutants were moved to a relocation camp on the grounds of the Xavier Institute
X-Mansion
In the fictional Marvel Comics universe, the X-Mansion is the common name for Professor Xavier's mansion. It is the base of operations and training site of the X-Men and the location of a school for mutant teenagers, the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, formerly Xavier's School for Gifted...
.
Some former mutants remained in District X, with many —- like Quicksilver
Quicksilver (comics)
Quicksilver is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
and Rictor
Rictor
Rictor is a fictional comic book superhero in the Marvel Universe, who appears in the X-Men family of books published by Marvel Comics. He was created by writer Louise Simonson and artist Walt Simonson and first appeared in X-Factor vol.1 #17...
-- suffering from depression and alienation. After the Decimation, the district became known as the (fictional) 'Middle East Side', losing many of its distinctive characteristics. The area became increasingly depopulated as former mutants sought to live normal lives. In X-Factor, anti-mutant riots gripped the district after the Decimation, with agents of the human supremacist group Purity roaming the area in X-Men: The 198
X-Men: The 198
X-Men: The 198 is a comic book limited series that was published by Marvel Comics and set in the Marvel Universe shortly after the House of M and Decimation events...
.
In Peter David
Peter David
Peter Allen David , often abbreviated PAD, is an American writer of comic books, novels, television, movies and video games...
's X-Factor
X-Factor (comics)
X-Factor is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is a spin-off of the popular X-Men franchise, featuring characters from X-Men stories. The series has been relaunched several times with different team rosters, most recently as X-Factor Investigations.X-Factor launched in...
(vol.3), The former ghetto was the base of operations for X-Factor Investigations
X-Factor Investigations
X-Factor Investigations is a fictional detective agency created by writer Peter David for the Marvel Comics comic book series X-Factor . The agency first appears under the name XXX Investigations in the first issue of the Marvel Comics limited series Madrox #1...
, who frequently dealt with the aftermath of the Decimation
Decimation (comics)
Decimation is the late 2005 Marvel Comics storyline spinning off from the House of M limited series. It focuses on the ramifications of the Scarlet Witch stripping nearly all of the mutant population of their powers, thereby reducing a society of millions to one of scant hundreds.This event, which...
and its effects on the local community. In the Civil War storyline, Jamie Madrox and his team declared 'Mutant Town' as a sanctuary for superheroes being pursued by the government. This brought them into conflict with the regular X-Men team, who eventually allowed them to have their way.
The former 'Mutant Town' was later besieged by X-Cell
X-Cell
X-Cell is a terrorist organization in the Marvel Comics universe.-Fictional team biography:Made up of ex-mutants, the group targets government authorities in an attempt to regain their lost powers after the Decimation event, which de-powered over 90% of the world's mutant population and which they...
, a terrorist group composed of former mutants who blamed the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government for the loss of their powers. After the events of X-Men: Messiah Complex
X-Men: Messiah Complex
"Messiah Complex" is a comic book crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics from October 2007 to January 2008, which ran through the various X-Men books....
, the neighborhood was briefly taken over by Arcade
Arcade (comics)
Arcade is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics Universe created by Chris Claremont and John Byrne. Arcade first appeared in Marvel Team-Up, vol...
, working for an ex-Purifier
Purifiers
The Purifiers, also known as the Stryker Crusade, are a fictional paramilitary/terrorist organization in the Marvel Comics universe and enemies of the X-Men...
, Taylor.
Mutant Town was completely destroyed in X-Factor #31, 'The Middle East Side is Burning', as a 'back-up' plan by Arcade following his defeat. A series of explosions incinerated much of the neighborhood, with Arcade's force fields preventing fire fighters from entering the area until the entire district had been utterly annihilated. In X-Factor #32, Valerie Cooper
Valerie Cooper
Valerie "Val" Cooper is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe who currently works for the Office of National Emergency. She is most notable for her work as the liaison for mutant affairs in the United States government.-Publication history:...
announced that the ruins would be demolished and replaced with suburban housing, and that 'in a few decades, no one will even know that this used to be called Mutant Town.'
District X: The series
District X was a comic bookComic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series
Ongoing series
The term "ongoing series" is used in contrast to limited series , a one shot , a graphic novel, or a trade paperback...
published by Marvel Comics
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...
which began in 2004 and concluded in 2006. A police procedural
Police procedural
The police procedural is a subgenre of detective fiction which attempts to convincingly depict the activities of a police force as they investigate crimes. While traditional detective novels usually concentrate on a single crime, police procedurals frequently depict investigations into several...
, it was set in Mutant Town.
The series starred the X-Man
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
and FBI agent Lucas Bishop
Bishop (comics)
Bishop is a fictional comic book superhero, appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular the X-Men family of books...
, assigned to the ghetto to investigate rising crime rates among the population in New York's (fictional) '11th Precinct' in Alphabet City. Bishop works with NYPD patrolman Ismael Ortega, an ordinary human married to a mutant
Mutant (Marvel Comics)
In comic books published by Marvel Comics, a mutant is an organism who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities...
(Armena Ortega
Armena Ortega
Armena Ortega is a fictional mutant character in the Marvel Comics Universe. Her first appearance was in District X #2.-Powers and abilities:She generated a protective gelatinous coating while she slept. Currently depowered....
). A major subplot concerned Ismael's relationship with his family, with the stresses of his job adversely affecting his home life.
Publication history
The series was part of the Marvel KnightsMarvel Knights
Marvel Knights is an imprint of Marvel Worldwide, Inc. that contains material taking place within the mainstream Marvel Universe .-Production:...
imprint and started in X-Men Unlimited
X-Men Unlimited
-Volume 1:The purpose of this title was to run stories that fit between the main X-Men comics. The stories included all characters from the X-titles, and the issues were collections of short stories...
v2 #2 and then ran for fourteen issues July 2004
2004 in comics
-February:*February 6: Marvel Enterprises and Electronic Arts announce a multi-year agreement in which EA will develop a new generation of fighting video games pitting Marvel superheroes against a new, original set of EA heroes....
to August 2005
2005 in comics
- January :* January 3: Will Eisner, creator of The Spirit, dies at age 87.-April:*April 13:**DC Comics announces the discontinuation of its Humanoids and 2000 A.D. titles....
. It briefly changed title to Mutopia X for five issues, between September 2005 and January 2006, before its cancellation.
The series was written by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, David Hine
David Hine
-Biography:Hine has been working in comics since the early 1980s. For Crisis he drew the series Sticky Fingers in 1989, and wrote and drew a number of short pieces in 1990 and 1991...
, who previously worked on the Mambo series for 2000 AD
2000 AD (comic)
2000 AD is a weekly British science fiction-oriented comic. As a comics anthology it serialises a number of separate stories each issue and was first published by IPC Magazines in 1977, the first issue dated 26 February. IPC then shifted the title to its Fleetway comics subsidiary which was sold...
.
It was originally drawn by Australian artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
David Yardin, followed by Filipino
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
artist Lan Medina
Lan Medina
Rolando Medina or commonly known as Lan Medina is a Filipino comic book artist best known for his work on Fables, Aria, District X, and the The Punisher: MAX imprint.- Awards :...
. The series was mostly inked
Inked
Inked is a documentary television series about the employees of the Hart & Huntington Tattoo Company in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The series was created by Jeff Bowler in 2005, and was broadcast by the A&E Network...
by Filipino artist Alejandro "Boy" Sicat. All artists involved worked with Brian Haberlin
Brian Haberlin
Brian Haberlin is an American comic book artist and entrepreneur. He is best known as the co-creator of the Witchblade franchise and for his manga-influenced digital art styles.-Career:...
's Avalon Studios during the series' publication.
During the House of M
House of M
House of M is an eight-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics in 2005. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel, its first issue debuted in June 2005 as a follow-up to the events of the Planet X and Avengers Disassembled...
crossover, the series was replaced by the miniseries Mutopia X. Hine continued some of the series' plot points in X-Men: The 198
X-Men: The 198
X-Men: The 198 is a comic book limited series that was published by Marvel Comics and set in the Marvel Universe shortly after the House of M and Decimation events...
miniseries.
Mr. M (#1-6)
Officers Gus Kucharsky and Ismael Ortega are assigned to New York's 11th Precinct, commonly known as District X or 'Mutant Town'. While investigating allegations that Jake Costanza is holding his mutant wife against her will and abusing her, Kucharsky falls under Mrs. Costanza’s mutant mental powers and kills them both, before attempting to take his own life. Gus survives and Ortega covers for him. Gus is forced to retire early and Izzy is assigned to serve as the liaison to federal agent, Lucas BishopBishop (comics)
Bishop is a fictional comic book superhero, appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular the X-Men family of books...
.
Violence erupts between rival crime lords “Shaky” Kaufman and “Filthy Frankie” Zapruder over a mutant, Toad Boy, and the addictive narcotic he produces (known as 'Toad Juice'). When Kaufman learns of the lucrative sales of 'Toad Juice' in District X, he raids Zapruder’s facilities and kidnaps the Toad Boy for himself. However, it is unknown that Toad Juice can be fatal to normal humans; a theft of the drug leads to the death of over a dozen human teenagers.
After the death of a human patron at the nightclub Daniel’s Inferno caused by exposure to Toad Juice, the police begin a desperate investigation before other unsuspecting addicts face the same fate. This prompts a turf war between Zapruder and Kaufman. Both men are eventually arrested.
When Absolom Mercator
Mister M (comics)
Mister M is a comic book character created for Marvel Comics by David Hine and David Yardin. He debuted in District X #2.-Early life:Not much is known about the enigmatic man called Mr. M...
finally decides to use his powers to try to help others, his efforts backfire and he suffers an intense identity crisis. Believing that he must use his powers to destroy Mutant Town, Mercator warns his friend, Hanna Levy so that she can escape safely. The police intervene and use Lara the Illusionist to show Mr. M the devastation he could unleash. This snaps the mutant back to his senses and he willingly returns to his peaceful life of quiet isolation after a short period in jail.
Underworld (#7-12)
A series of brutal murders followed by a mysterious blackout leads to an investigation of the growing underground mutant community, called the Tunnel Rats. Calling themselves “Those Who Live in Darkness”, the tunnelers claim responsibility for the blackout and state that they want the city to leave them alone. In recent months, police and social services have put pressure on the Tunnel Rats by destroying their homes and remanding their children into state custody.Tensions with the Tunnel Rats come to a head just as Bishop and Officer Ortega manage to track down The Worm, a hideously mutated young man who is seeking revenge for being cast out by his parents. Bishop convinces many of the Tunnel Rats to rejoin surface society but a small band decides to dwell deeper in the tunnels under Mutant Town. Their journey is cut short by The Worm who massacres them all before being stopped by Bishop and Ortega, who kills him.
One of Us (#13-14)
William "Billy" Bates discovers that he is a mutant, calling himself "The Porcupine"Porcupine (comics)
Porcupine is the name of three fictional characters in Marvel Comics. Two of them are super-villains.-Fictional character biography:Alexander Gentry, was originally a scientist who worked as a weapons designer for the United States Army, conceived the idea of designing a battle-suit in imitation of...
, and becomes a frequent patron at the Café Des Artistes. He falls in love with the Café’s waitress, Sylvie Lauziere. When a group of anti-mutant humans start harassing her, Billy steps in and inadvertently kills several humans with his emerging powers. He barricades himself in the Café with Sylvie, which the authorities perceive as a hostage situation. In order to hide the fact that a mutant slaughtered several members of Purity, an anti-mutant movement, Alexei Vazhin orders hitwoman Sashenka Popova to kill the boy, and pays hush money to the Lauzieres to cover up the truth of the incident.
Mutopia X (#1-5)
The Scarlet WitchScarlet Witch
The Scarlet Witch is a fictional comic book character that appears in books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
transforms the entire world into a mutant paradise ruled by her father Magneto. This shift in reality turns District X into “Mutopia X”, the center of art and culture in the new mutant-dominated world. The denizens of District X find themselves in a newly elevated societal status. Lara the Illusionist is a movie star married to entertainment mogul, Daniel “Shaky” Kaufman. Absolon Mercator and Gregor Smerdyakov have founded the Center for Transformation and Illumination and are the center of a spiritual following as they help mutants achieve their genetic potential. Ishmael Ortega is tasked with protecting Mercator from assassination.
After the Decimation
Decimation (comics)
Decimation is the late 2005 Marvel Comics storyline spinning off from the House of M limited series. It focuses on the ramifications of the Scarlet Witch stripping nearly all of the mutant population of their powers, thereby reducing a society of millions to one of scant hundreds.This event, which...
, Ishmael Ortega's daughter dies. He attempts suicide, before reuniting with his family.
Characters
District X's large ensemble cast included:- A "mysterious stranger" called Mr. MMister M (comics)Mister M is a comic book character created for Marvel Comics by David Hine and David Yardin. He debuted in District X #2.-Early life:Not much is known about the enigmatic man called Mr. M...
(also the title of the first story-arc), who attempted to destroy District X out of sheer world-weariness but was stopped by BishopBishop (comics)Bishop is a fictional comic book superhero, appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular the X-Men family of books...
and Ortega. - Two rival crime lords, "Filthy" Frankie Zapruder and Daniel "Shaky" Kaufman.
- Gregor Smerdyakov, a mutant who puts down roots whenever he falls asleep.
- Winston Hobbes, a large worm-like mutant who inhabits the District X sewer system.
- Lara the IllusionistLara the IllusionistLara the Illusionist is a fictional mutant in the Marvel Universe. Lara has the ability to create illusions capable of fooling all of the five senses...
, a high-paid call-girl whose customers include 'a former President of the United StatesPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
', capable of creating highly realistic illusions and fantasies. - Armena OrtegaArmena OrtegaArmena Ortega is a fictional mutant character in the Marvel Comics Universe. Her first appearance was in District X #2.-Powers and abilities:She generated a protective gelatinous coating while she slept. Currently depowered....
, wife of Ismael Ortega who generates a protective bubble when she sleeps. - Kevin FordWither (comics)Wither is a fictional character, a mutant appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He has been a member of the student body at the Xavier Institute, a member of the Hellions training squad, and a supervillain as a part of Selene's Coven.-Early life:Kevin Ford developed his mutant...
The district also possessed a large population of mutants whose mutations and/or personalities made them unsuitable for the flashier or more dangerous "super" life. These include:
- A woman who can burst into flames but is not immune to being burnt.
- A man whose sole power is that his skin is bright blue.
- A woman who could control men with the sound of her voice (her husband kept her bound and gagged in their apartment because of this).
- A boy who has large skin flaps under his arms.
Reception
In his review of issue #3, Paul O'Brien described the series as 'one of the best things to come out of Reload'. In his review of 2004, he noted that 'It's not been a complete creative success, but at least it's been trying.' However, he was less favourable to later issues of the series; in his review of District X in 2005, he noted that 'ultimately, District X feels like a case of potential never quite realised - and not just because it got cut off by a change in the direction of the line.'Comic Book Galaxy noted, with reference to the Mr. M arc (issues #1-6), that ' the potential for an excellent book is evident.' Comics Bulletin were highly favourable to the series, stating that 'It is a rare comic book that is able to breathe new life into a stale genre, and yet that is precisely what District X has managed to do...District X is more than just a traditional superhero comic, establishing itself as an entertaining blend of action, crime noir and social commentary.'
Writing for Sequential Tart, Margaret O'Connell praised the series as an 'absorbing, well-crafted tale which effectively combines both crime and science fictional elements,' comparing the series to George R. R. Martin
George R. R. Martin
George Raymond Richard Martin , sometimes referred to as GRRM, is an American author and screenwriter of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. He is best known for A Song of Ice and Fire, his bestselling series of epic fantasy novels that HBO adapted for their dramatic pay-cable series Game of...
's Wild Cards
Wild Cards
Wild Cards is a science fiction and superhero anthology series set in a shared universe. The series was created by a group of New Mexico science fiction authors, but it is mostly pulled together and edited by best-selling author George R. R. Martin with assistance by Melinda Snodgrass, also a...
series, NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan...
, and DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
' Gotham Central
Gotham Central
Gotham Central is a police procedural comic book series that was published by DC Comics. It was written by Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka, with pencils initially by Michael Lark....
.
Collected editions
The series, both written by David HineDavid Hine
-Biography:Hine has been working in comics since the early 1980s. For Crisis he drew the series Sticky Fingers in 1989, and wrote and drew a number of short pieces in 1990 and 1991...
, was collected into two trade paperbacks
Trade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
:
- Mr. M (collects District X #1-6, with pencils by David Yardin, Lan MedinaLan MedinaRolando Medina or commonly known as Lan Medina is a Filipino comic book artist best known for his work on Fables, Aria, District X, and the The Punisher: MAX imprint.- Awards :...
and Mike PerkinsMike PerkinsMike Perkins is a British comic book artist known for both his inking work and full art duties on comic books such as Captain America, Ruse and Stephen King's The Stand.-Career:Mike Perkins began drawing at a very early age...
, and inks by Alejandro Sicat, Avalon Studios and Drew Hennessy, 144 pages, January 2005, ISBN 0-7851-1444-0) - Underground (collects District X #7-12 and X-Men Unlimited #2, with art by Adi GranovAdi GranovAdi Granov is a Bosnian-British comic book artist and conceptual designer.-Career:Granov teamed with comic book writer Warren Ellis for the post-Avengers Disassembled relaunch of Iron Man...
, pencils by Lan MedinaLan MedinaRolando Medina or commonly known as Lan Medina is a Filipino comic book artist best known for his work on Fables, Aria, District X, and the The Punisher: MAX imprint.- Awards :...
, and inks by Alejandro Sicat, 200 pages, October 2005, ISBN 0-7851-1602-8)