Exploring the Connection Between Mutants and Vampires in the Curse of the Mutants

Curse of the Mutants is a major storyline in the X-Men comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It was written by Victor Gischler and illustrated by Paco Medina. The storyline consists of several interconnected mini-series and one-shot issues that were published from 2010 to 2011. The storyline revolves around the return of the vampire mutant, Selene, and her plan to turn all mutants into vampires. Selene's motives are driven by her desire for power and immortality. To achieve her goal, she seeks to obtain a mystical artifact known as the Bloodstone, which grants extraordinary power to vampires.

I do feel like there is some precedent for good vampires in Marvel (again, in the sequel to this, they mention some farmer vampires that don’t feed on people and have control), so what’s the difference between their condition and that of Logan and Jubilation?

With their forces bolstered, Xarus ordered the combined efforts of all his assembled bloodsuckers to launch an attack on Utopia with the sole goal of turning as many mutants as possible. Apathetic Citizens In at least one closed incident, Blade fights vampires during a rock show concert and nobody seems to bat an eye when this happens, specially when there are people actually being killed in front of them.

To achieve her goal, she seeks to obtain a mystical artifact known as the Bloodstone, which grants extraordinary power to vampires. Selene's plan begins with a surprise attack on the X-Men at their headquarters in Utopia. She infects several mutants with a vampire virus, including Jubilee and Wolverine.

Stew’s Reviews: X-Men: Curse of the Mutants

Wait, is something a “sale” if it happens every day? Or is that just a discount? How does that… what is the difference?

Whatever, I’m going to call it a sale.

My favorite local shop runs a perpetual sale where if you buy at least 50 back issue comics, you get 50% the total price. I’ve always been enticed by the idea, but I try to avoid too much back issue shopping because if I really let myself go, I’d buy 800 comics and try recoup much of what I lost from my formative years. And then my wife would be very upset at me forever and ever.

But recently, I had logged up enough stuff I wanted to look for to where I thought it might be worth a check. So I went digging and came out with 52 new (“new”) comics! For, like, $90, so that’s not bad, right?

It was mostly a little exercise of “Well, I have trades of [BOOK] up until issue [NUMBER]; can I find any issues after that?”, and then I did, and then I bought them.

But there were a few other things that I saw that I knew I might enjoy for one reason or another, so I gave them a shot.

Image Credit: Marvel Comics

TITLE: X-Men: Curse Of The Mutants

Writer and Artist: Victor Gischler and Paco Medina

Publisher: Marvel

Protagonists: The X-Men

Antagonists: Xarus and his vampire legion

X-Men: Curse Of The Mutants runs through X-Men (volume 3) #1-6, and it’s the story the heroic mutants facing off with vampires!

It takes place during one of the biggest X-blindpots for me: The Utopia era. X-Men shortly after the Morrison and Whedon runs is this nebulous concept for me where, like, Hope was born, they fight the Avengers, they moved to San Francisco for a while… just a bunch of stuff happened. And then Krakoa and all the House of X stuff! At least I am aware–and read some–of that!

For those equally (or more!) unaware, Utopia was a time where the X-Men owned their own island off of San Francisco and declared it a haven for all mutants. I’m… not sure if it was considered part of the United States or a separate mutant nation, but it’s basically what Hickman decided Krakoa was, but ten years earlier.

In the wake of Dracula’s death, his son, Xarus, has gotten all the various vampire sects into one alliance, and his next goal is to get mutants with him, too. Hated and feared by regular folks, he senses a kinship with mutants and decides to get them on his side… willingly or by turning them.

His plan starts off with a biological suicide bomber that infects a lot of people in San Fran with a mild form of vampirism that causes them to seek out vamps to either be fed upon or turned. And one of the victims is Jubilee, who eventually gives in to the call and is turned by Xarus (so THAT’S when that happened).

Jubes works with Xarus to trick and turn Wolverine. The vampires attack Utopia but are handily defeated. Wolverine heals from being a vampire. And Dracula (OH YEAH, The X-Men revived Dracula just on the off chance he’d be pissed at Xarus and kill him for them) kills Xarus for them. Then Cyclops has a pretty bad-ass big-dick-swinging moment where he makes Dracula leave them alone.

Also, Blade is there to help out. Because Vampires.

I’m… so confused about Marvel vampirism.

So they mention several times in this book–and in other vamps-based X-Men stories–that vampires are the undead. In the sequel to this run, Jubilee mentions that she doesn’t breathe and her heart doesn’t beat anymore. So turning into a vampire ACTIVELY KILLS YOU, and then you rise as a vamp. That’s why holy water and sunlight hurts vampires, because they are unnatural and undead creatures. Makes sense so far!

And Cyclops inserts nanobots into Wolverine’s bloodstream that turn off his healing factor (why doesn’t his healing factor attack the nanobots? Because shut up). So Jubilee is able to turn (read: KILL) Wolverine. And during the siege on Utopia, Cyclops shuts off the nanobots, so Wolverine’s healing factor kicks back in, fighting off the vampirism.

Did Wolverine’s healing factor REVERSE DEATH? Because his healing has some absolutely insane feats in the comics, but that’s still just about unprecedented. Especially given that it happened almost immediately upon Scott pressing the button. Logan “Argh!”‘s or whatever, and then he is better.

Also, I don’t quite understand what vampirism does because it 100% turns its victims insta-evil. Jubilee and Wolverine were straight up “Yep, let’s conquer the world for vampirism and eat the X-Men” as soon as they were turned.

So is the idea that being a vampire kills you AND you lose your soul since you are dead? Is that why they lose their morality?

So did Wolverine HEAL HIS SOUL BACK?

I do feel like there is some precedent for good vampires in Marvel (again, in the sequel to this, they mention some farmer vampires that don’t feed on people and have control), so what’s the difference between their condition and that of Logan and Jubilation?

I have so many questions!

And I don’t mean that in necessarily a “this is poorly written” kind of way. I just really want to know the answer to these because I think it’s quite interesting. Jubilee herself would eventually be healed from her vampirism, but that was by a part of the Phoenix Force, so it makes sense if it completely undid a death to cure her.

Marvel hasn’t given a poop about canon and continuity in years, but I want an editor from back when they still did to give me a TED talk on this matter.

Oh yeah, I didn’t talk about the book at all, right? I got distracted by my queries. Well, I like the art. Paco Medina is a very “look at my female characters’ bodies” kind of artist, but his work is bright and bold and impressive. The story is a bit unbalanced and feels rushed. Xarus feels like this looming threat for four issues of build, then he is easily defeated and made to look like a clown. But some of the character work is good. It’s overall a bit better than average, I’d say.

Oh yeah, I didn’t talk about the book at all, right? I got distracted by my queries. Well, I like the art. Paco Medina is a very “look at my female characters’ bodies” kind of artist, but his work is bright and bold and impressive. The story is a bit unbalanced and feels rushed. Xarus feels like this looming threat for four issues of build, then he is easily defeated and made to look like a clown. But some of the character work is good. It’s overall a bit better than average, I’d say.

Oh yeah, I didn’t talk about the book at all, right? I got distracted by my queries. Well, I like the art. Paco Medina is a very “look at my female characters’ bodies” kind of artist, but his work is bright and bold and impressive. The story is a bit unbalanced and feels rushed. Xarus feels like this looming threat for four issues of build, then he is easily defeated and made to look like a clown. But some of the character work is good. It’s overall a bit better than average, I’d say.

Oh yeah, I didn’t talk about the book at all, right? I got distracted by my queries. Well, I like the art. Paco Medina is a very “look at my female characters’ bodies” kind of artist, but his work is bright and bold and impressive. The story is a bit unbalanced and feels rushed. Xarus feels like this looming threat for four issues of build, then he is easily defeated and made to look like a clown. But some of the character work is good. It’s overall a bit better than average, I’d say.

Oh yeah, I didn’t talk about the book at all, right? I got distracted by my queries. Well, I like the art. Paco Medina is a very “look at my female characters’ bodies” kind of artist, but his work is bright and bold and impressive. The story is a bit unbalanced and feels rushed. Xarus feels like this looming threat for four issues of build, then he is easily defeated and made to look like a clown. But some of the character work is good. It’s overall a bit better than average, I’d say.

Oh yeah, I didn’t talk about the book at all, right? I got distracted by my queries. Well, I like the art. Paco Medina is a very “look at my female characters’ bodies” kind of artist, but his work is bright and bold and impressive. The story is a bit unbalanced and feels rushed. Xarus feels like this looming threat for four issues of build, then he is easily defeated and made to look like a clown. But some of the character work is good. It’s overall a bit better than average, I’d say.

Oh yeah, I didn’t talk about the book at all, right? I got distracted by my queries. Well, I like the art. Paco Medina is a very “look at my female characters’ bodies” kind of artist, but his work is bright and bold and impressive. The story is a bit unbalanced and feels rushed. Xarus feels like this looming threat for four issues of build, then he is easily defeated and made to look like a clown. But some of the character work is good. It’s overall a bit better than average, I’d say.

Oh yeah, I didn’t talk about the book at all, right? I got distracted by my queries. Well, I like the art. Paco Medina is a very “look at my female characters’ bodies” kind of artist, but his work is bright and bold and impressive. The story is a bit unbalanced and feels rushed. Xarus feels like this looming threat for four issues of build, then he is easily defeated and made to look like a clown. But some of the character work is good. It’s overall a bit better than average, I’d say.

Oh yeah, I didn’t talk about the book at all, right? I got distracted by my queries. Well, I like the art. Paco Medina is a very “look at my female characters’ bodies” kind of artist, but his work is bright and bold and impressive. The story is a bit unbalanced and feels rushed. Xarus feels like this looming threat for four issues of build, then he is easily defeated and made to look like a clown. But some of the character work is good. It’s overall a bit better than average, I’d say.

Oh yeah, I didn’t talk about the book at all, right? I got distracted by my queries. Well, I like the art. Paco Medina is a very “look at my female characters’ bodies” kind of artist, but his work is bright and bold and impressive. The story is a bit unbalanced and feels rushed. Xarus feels like this looming threat for four issues of build, then he is easily defeated and made to look like a clown. But some of the character work is good. It’s overall a bit better than average, I’d say.

Oh yeah, I didn’t talk about the book at all, right? I got distracted by my queries. Well, I like the art. Paco Medina is a very “look at my female characters’ bodies” kind of artist, but his work is bright and bold and impressive. The story is a bit unbalanced and feels rushed. Xarus feels like this looming threat for four issues of build, then he is easily defeated and made to look like a clown. But some of the character work is good. It’s overall a bit better than average, I’d say.

Oh yeah, I didn’t talk about the book at all, right? I got distracted by my queries. Well, I like the art. Paco Medina is a very “look at my female characters’ bodies” kind of artist, but his work is bright and bold and impressive. The story is a bit unbalanced and feels rushed. Xarus feels like this looming threat for four issues of build, then he is easily defeated and made to look like a clown. But some of the character work is good. It’s overall a bit better than average, I’d say.

• 0 - 0.9 Torture
• 1 - 1.9 Extremely Horrendous
• 2 - 2.9 Very Bad
• 3 - 3.9 Bad
• 4 - 4.9 Poor
• 5 - 5.9 Not So Good
• 6 - 6.9 Average
• 7 - 7.9 Good
• 8 - 8.9 Very Good
• 9 - 9.9 Amazing
• 10 Virtually Perfect

The infected mutants become bloodthirsty creatures and pose a grave threat to both humans and mutants alike. The X-Men must then find a way to cure the infected mutants and stop Selene before her vampire army grows. The Curse of the Mutants storyline explores themes of identity, power, and the nature of evil. It delves into the moral and ethical dilemmas faced by the X-Men as they confront the possibility of permanently turning into vampires. The storyline also introduces new characters and deepens the histories of existing ones, such as Blade, the vampire hunter, and Xarus, the son of Dracula. Throughout the storyline, the X-Men face numerous challenges and setbacks as they battle Selene and her vampire army. They must ally themselves with other supernatural heroes and face off against powerful enemies to save themselves and the mutant population. The storyline showcases the resilience and strength of the X-Men as they face one of their darkest and most dangerous foes yet. In conclusion, Curse of the Mutants is a compelling and action-packed storyline in the X-Men series. It explores the themes of power, identity, and the struggle against evil. The storyline showcases the iconic X-Men characters and introduces new villains and allies. Fans of the X-Men and vampire fiction will find this storyline to be an exciting and engaging read..

Reviews for "The Curse of the Mutants: A Turning Point in X-Men History"

1. Sarah - 2/5 - I was really disappointed with "Curse of the Mutants". The plot was confusing and hard to follow, and the characters were not well-developed. I felt like I was thrown into a chaotic story without any proper introduction or explanation. The art style didn't suit my taste either, it seemed messy and unclear. Overall, it was a confusing and unsatisfying reading experience for me.

2. John - 1/5 - I couldn't finish "Curse of the Mutants", it was just that bad. The dialogue was horrendous and cheesy, and the storyline felt forced and unoriginal. It seemed like the creators were just trying to cash in on the popularity of vampire-themed stories without putting any thought into it. The artwork was lackluster and didn't add anything to the story. I found myself rolling my eyes at every turn, and eventually gave up on it.

3. Emily - 2/5 - "Curse of the Mutants" was a letdown for me. The pacing was off, with random jumps in time that made it difficult to connect with the characters or the story. The vampire theme felt tired and overdone, lacking any fresh or interesting twists. The artwork was mediocre at best, and I found it hard to distinguish between characters at times. Overall, it was a forgettable and uninspiring read.

The Psychology of Vampirism in the Curse of the Mutants