X-Men: Apocalypse is coming to theaters on May 27th and we are in for a real treat! We at PopCultHQ wanted to take a look at Apocalypse and his Four Horsemen from the movie and the comics.
Their have been numerous Horsemen under En Sabah Nur’s rule throughout comic history including The Hulk, Gambit, Sunfire, Banshee, Polaris, Wolverine, and Caliban, who had been both the Horseman of Pestilence and of Death. As we have seen, the film adaptation with be using Storm (Alexandra Shipp), Angel (Ben Hardy), Magneto (Michael Fassbender), and Psylocke (Olivia Munn) as the followers of Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac).
With the May release of X-Men: Apocalypse firmly absorbed into my mind, I stumbled across a Tumblr site of a user which caught my attention. She brings up a run of comics from 1988 which featured a huge story arc for the X-Men and all mutants alike… The Fall of the Mutants (more on that to come).
Thanks to the Tumblr account of graphic designer/illustrator Kate Willaert’s Uncool Artblog, the artist shows another connection in the X-Factor series. As she states on her Tumblr post,
“Not everyone realizes that the covers to X-Factor #24-26 are actually one large image, and it’s not difficult to see why,” the artist points out. “I consider this one of Walter Simonson’s under-appreciated masterpieces and think it deserves a little more love, so I took a stab at recoloring it.”
Here is how the three individual comic books look next to one another:
Take away the coloring for a raw, sketch of the three and you see how they were meant to intertwine:
And now Kate Willaert’s recoloring to blend the three covers together:
The Fall of the Mutants story arc had the team facing a formidable foe in Apocalypse. What’s worse is the former X-Man (and X-Factor member) Angel has resurfaced after having his wings amputated (X-Factor #15) and is revealed to be one of Apocalypse’s Four Horseman, Death.
Here’s a look at the stories found within these three issues as part of the Fall of the Mutants storyline…
X-Factor #24:
Fall of the Mutants! Part 1 of 3. “Masks!” 1st full appearance of Archangel. Story by Louise Simonson. Art by Walter Simonson and Bob Wiacek. One of the biggest mutant events to ever hit the comic racks begins here. The powerful mutant known as Apocalypse finally makes his move and unleashes his Four Horseman on an unsuspecting world. The only thing standing between humanity and total annihilation is X-Factor. However when the fourth and final Horseman, Death, reveals his true identity, the group will be rocked to its very core. This is a pivotal chapter in the lives of the original X-Men.
X-Factor #25:
Fall of the Mutants! Part 2 of 3. Giant-size issue. “Judgment Day!” Story by Louise Simonson. Art by Walter Simonson and Bob Wiacek. The Fall continues! Can X-Factor defeat the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, their powerful master, and save the soul of their friend before it’s too late? If they can’t the city of New York and all who live there are doomed! This is a pivotal turning point in the lives of the original X-Men.
X-Factor #26:
Fall of the Mutants! Part 3 of 3. “Casualties!” Story by Louise Simonson. Art by Walter Simonson and Bob Wiacek. X-Factor has averted the Apocalypse and saved the city of New York from total destruction. No one could have predicted what happens next. Plus, a turning point in the relationship of Scott Summers and Jean Grey.
X-Men: Apocalypse Storyline –
Since the dawn of civilization, he was worshiped as a god. Apocalypse, the first and most powerful mutant from Marvel’s X-Men universe, amassed the powers of many other mutants, becoming immortal and invincible. Upon awakening after thousands of years, he is disillusioned with the world as he finds it and recruits a team of powerful mutants, including a disheartened Magneto, to cleanse mankind and create a new world order, over which he will reign. As the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance, Raven with the help of Professor X must lead a team of young X-Men to stop their greatest nemesis and save mankind from complete destruction.
Be sure to check out The Art of Kate Willaert and her Uncool Artblog to view her graphic designs and illustrations.
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