Issue Description

Overview:

Vulcan is mad. So mad he’s planning on destroying an entire intergalactic empire. The third Summers brother has set his sites on the Shi’Ar Empire, and when he’s finished with them, nothing will ever be the same!

Issue Summary:

(present)

Gabriel Summers, now known as Vulcan, is a powerful mutant out on a mission of vengeance for things that were done long before he was Vulcan. He recently learned of his true origin and, although the memories are too hard to bear, he cannot stop thinking about it.

(flashback to Gabriel’s birth)

Christopher and Katherine Summers were kidnapped from Earth by the Shi’ar Advance Scouts, while his mother was pregnant with Gabriel. Christopher tried valiantly to protect them from the evil emperor D’Ken, but his efforts were in vain, and he was forced to watch D’Ken ripping Gabriel from his dying mother’s womb. Gabriel almost died but he was placed inside an incubation-accelerator where he grew up to suitable slave age in only months.

(present)

Knowing these things would be bad enough for Vulcan, but having actually seen the images in his own memory and seeing the madman laughing over his mother’s corpse is enough to drive him across the great blackness of space. He wishes to find this Emperor D’Ken and make him pay. With each passing day, he wishes he hadn’t made Marvel Girl and Charles Xavier show him how he came to be, because he cannot wash these images away. So, he will have to burn them out instead.

He has lost track of the days since he left Earth but it’s been at least a week. He approaches a Shi’ar star cruiser at high speed. They are unprepared for him, and that’s something he’s been counting on. He ploughs straight through the ship, destroying it. Its crew float into space, helpless against their attacker.

(present)

The remains of the ship drift into the emptiness of space along with the crew. It’s almost too easy, thinks Vulcan. There must be more to the Shi’ar than this! He grabs a hold of one crewmember wearing a space suit, which allows him to survive the cold, oxygen-free environment of the vacuum. He asks the man if he understands him, to which he replies that he does. Shi’ar galaxians learn nearly every spoken language. He asks, though, how Vulcan manages to speak in the emptiness. Vulcan replies that his voice is pure energy, transmitting to his communicator.

The man asks why he has attacked them. They aren’t a warship. Vulcan tells him that they are Shi’ar - isn’t that enough? The man assures him that the Shi’ar are no longer a threat to Earth, but Vulcan asks rhetorically if that is supposed to erase the things they have done. He doesn’t think so. He asks how far away the Shi’ar homeworld is. The man replies that he will never make it to Chandilar alive. Throneworld’s defenses could hold back Galactus himself for days. Vulcan clenches his fist and asks if he’d rather die for his corrupt empire. The man quickly agrees to tell him what he needs to know.

He informs Vulcan that even at his speed, it would take several years to reach Chandilar. The Stargates are the only way to arrive more swiftly. However, only Shi’ar vessels may activate the gates. A man flying alone under his own power through the heavenly terrain, as wondrous as Vulcan may be, will not be able to activate them.

Vulcan figures he’ll have to find another ship, because he has business with his emperor, D’Ken, and he doesn’t intend to wait years to settle it. “D’Ken?” replies the man, surprised. He informs Vulcan that he’s waited too long. D’Ken has lain in the sleep of the near-dead for many cycles. Lilandra is empress of the Shi’ar. “What!” barks Vulcan. The man adds that he seeks vengeance on a ghost. He rages at history. Vulcan, having let the man go, flies towards him and replies, “No… I rage at you.” He unleashes a burst of energy from his hand that rips right through his unfortunate victim leaving him a smoldering carcass as he floats away.

Vulcan realizes that the man is right. He needs a ship in order to travel more quickly. He extends his arms outwards. Through his exposure to a massive amount of mutant energy, Vulcan was not only awakened from his own near-death state, but his abilities were elevated to omega-level. He now remembers his training and the words of Professor Xavier, and his senses reach out into the blackness around him, searching until he feels the power cells of three Shi’ar ships pulsing in the distance. Following their trail is straight-forward after that.

As he approaches the Shi’ar warships, they don’t hesitate to attack. They fire rockets at Vulcan but he explodes them before they reach. He is knocked backwards by the shock wave, but turns to fight. He only needs one of the ships intact, but he would like the ship’s crew to serve him of their own will. His brief memories of his father’s time with the Shi’ar show the Shi’ar to respect that which can defeat them. They respect what they fear. He knows that it will take most of his energy to destroy two of the ships, and he’s not even certain that it can be done.

Vulcan flies around the ships, causing their seeker missiles to follow him back towards them. Two of the ships are damaged; their power sources exploding when the missiles hit home. Their weapons, life support and artificial gravity shut down, and the two warships drift towards each other swiftly, until colliding, destroying both.

With the little energy he has left, Vulcan communicates with the remaining warship. He gives them a choice: either join their companions in death or surrender their vessel to his command. He gives the captain one minute to decide. The captain doesn’t know how weak Vulcan is now, but he does figure that he cannot stand against such a powerful figure. He clenches his fist. “We are defeated!”

Vulcan boards his ship and is hailed by the captain who offers him a sword. Vulcan tells him to keep it. He doesn’t need one, and the captain might want to fall on it at some point in the near future.

(later)

Vulcan is resting in his chambers when the captain arrives. Vulcan asks if his orders are understood. The captain replies that they will be followed, but he doesn’t understand why the stargates must be destroyed as they pass through them. It will cripple interstellar travel for the empire. Vulcan is sure it will, but he’s not that concerned about the Shi’ar. He’s thinking of the Earthmen who will follow him. The captain informs him that Earthers cannot access the gates, but Vulcan warns him not to underestimate them.

He then asks about Lilandra. The captain explains that Lilandra inherited the throne when great Emperor D’Ken was taken by illness. She is the youngest sister of the Neremani line. Her older sister is in exile, and her name is Deathbird. No one has heard of her for a while, but it is believed she still lives. Vulcan finds this information interesting. He suggests the captain take a seat, and then asks for a crash course on Shi’ar history. He needs to know what he is up against.

Days pass, and Vulcan’s knowledge of the Shi’ar grows with each of them. His newly acquired ship passes through the outer territories of Shi’ar space, spreading destruction in its wake. Vulcan watches from his seat on the command deck, knowing that his legend is growing with each attack. He also knows that rumor and fear of his arrival has by now reached the Throneworld. It’s a perfect plan, like that of his hero, Julius Caesar.

The Warbird exits another stargate, taking it into the inner realms of the Shi’ar Empire. Vulcan orders them to blow the gate, and the stargate explodes behind them. He orders his crew to prepare to repel the borders, but a crewmember informs him that there are no ships within scanning range. Then, another crewman informs Vulcan that they are being hailed from space. Vulcan thought as much. He orders them to put them on the comm.

Outside the ship, Gladiator and three members of the Imperial Guard are in the ship’s path, leaving their own ship behind. Gladiator informs the captain of the M’Kaedo that he is guilty of treason against the imperium. He is ordered to surrender his vessel and turn himself in for summary judgment, or face the wrath of the Imperial Guard!

The Uncanny X-Men (1981)

Publisher

Marvel

Volume Description

This is a continuation of Stan Lee's and Jack Kirby's original The X-Men (Vol. 1). Beginning with issue #114 the descriptive "Uncanny" was added to the cover treatment but it wasn't until issue #142 that the volume's official name was permanently changed to Uncanny X-Men.

The title has had many creative influences over the years but Chris Claremont was probably the force that drove the title through many it its historic changes, truly bringing it from "the world strangest teens" into their new status a team of mutants fight in a "world that fears and hates them". During his legendary 15 year run he gave us character and stories such as Phoenix/Dark Phoenix, the Hellfire Club, the New Mutants, X-Factor, the Mutant Massacre, Inferno and Jubilee and numerous other historic heroes and events. This epic run ended after editorial disputes in 1991.

For the Uncanny X-Men Post-Schism, see Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 2).

Collected EditionsIssues #142-143 are collected in X-Men: Days of the Future PastUncanny X-Men Omnibus Volume 3 (#154-175)Issues #168-176 are collected in From the AshesIssues #199-209 are collected in GhostsIssues #210-213 are collected in Mutant MassacreIssues #225-227 are collected in Fall of the MutantsX-Men: Inferno Prologue (#228-238)Issues #239-243 are collected in InfernoX-Men: Inferno Volume 1 (#239-240)Issues #248 and 256-258 are collected in X-Men Visionaries: Jim LeeIssues #265-267 are collected in Gambit ClassicIssues #268-269 are collected in X-Men Visionaries: Jim LeeIssues #270-272 are collected in X-Tinction AgendaX-Tinction Agenda: Warzones! (#270)Issues #273-277 are collected in Crossroads and in X-Men Visionaries: Jim LeeIssues # 281-293 are collected in Bishop's CrossingIssues #294-297 are collected in X-Cutioner's Song (Hardcover)Issue #298-305 are collected in Fatal Attractions (Hardcover)Issues #308-310 are collected in X-Men: The Wedding of Cyclops and Phoenix #1 - TPBIssues #316-318 are collected in Generation XIssues #320-321 are collected in LegionquestIssues #322-326 are collected in X-Men: Road To Onslaught #1 - Volume 1Issues #327-328 are collected in X-Men: Road To Onslaught #2 - Volume 2Issues #329-332 are collected in X-Men: Road To Onslaught #3 - Volume 3Issues #334-335 are collected in The Complete Onslaught Epic, Book 1X-Men: Operation Zero Tolerance (#346)X-Men: The Hunt For Professor X (#360-365)Deathlok: Rage Against the Machine (#371)Issues #372-375 are collected in X-Men: The ShatteringIssues #376-377 are collected in X-Men Vs. Apocalypse: The TwelveIssue #378 is collected in X-Men vs. Apocalypse: Ages of ApocalypseIssues #379-380 are collected in X-Men: Powerless!Issues #388-390 are collected in X-Men: Dream's EndIssues #391-393 are collected in X-Men: Eve of DestructionIssues #394-409 are collected in X-Men: X-CorpsIssues #410-415 are collected in Uncanny X-Men Vol. 1: HopeIssues #416-420 are collected in Uncanny X-Men Vol. 2: Dominant SpeciesIssues #421-427 are collected in Uncanny X-Men Vol. 3: Holy WarIssues #428-436 are collected in Uncanny X-Men Vol. 4: The DracoIssues #437-441 are collected in Uncanny X-Men Vol. 5: She Lies with AngelsIssues #442-443 are collected in Uncanny X-Men Vol. 6: Bright New MourningIssues #444-449 are collected in Uncanny X-Men - The New Age: The End of HistoryIssues #450-454 are collected in Uncanny X-Men - The New Age: The Cruelest CutIssues #455-461 are collected in Uncanny X-Men - The New Age: On IceIssues #466-471 are collected in Uncanny X-Men - The New Age: End of GreysIssues #472-474 are collected in Uncanny X-Men - The New Age: First FoursakenIssues #475-486 are collected in Uncanny X-Men: Rise and Fall of the Shi'ar EmpireIssues #487-491 are collected in Uncanny X-men: ExtremistsIssues #492-494 are collected in X-Men: Messiah CompleXIssues #495-499 are collected in Uncanny X-Men: Divided We StandIssues #500-503 are collected in Uncanny X-Men: Manifest DestinyIssues #504-507 are collected in Uncanny X-Men: LovelornIssues #508-512 are collected in Uncanny X-Men: SisterhoodIssues #513-514 are collected in Avengers/X-Men: UtopiaIssues #515-522 are collected in X-Men: Nation XIssues #523-525 are collected in X-Men: Second ComingIssues #526-529 are collected in Uncanny X-Men: The Birth of Generation HopeIssues #530-534 are collected in Uncanny X-Men: QuarantineIssues #535-539 are collected in Uncanny X-Men: Breaking PointIssues #540-544 are collected in Fear Itself: Uncanny X-Men

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