X-Men: Blue #13

Issue Date: 
December 2017
Story Title: 
Mojo Worldwide, part 2
Staff: 

Cullen Bunn (writer), Jorge Molina (artist) Matt Milla (colorist),  (inker), Virtual Caligraphy's Joe Caramagna (letterer), Arthur Adams & Peter Steigerwald (cover artists), David Lopez (based on the cover to X-Men (1991) #10 by Jim Lee) (Lenticular Variant Cover Artist), Jay Bowen & Anthony Gambino (graphic designers), Christina Harrington (assistant editor), Mark Paniccia (editor), Axel Alonso (editor-in-chief), Joe Quesada (chief creative officer), Dan Buckley (publisher), Alan Fine (executive producer)
X-Men created by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby

Brief Description: 

Mojo has captured several X-Men and forces them to play out in diabolical scenarios which Mojo broadcasts around the world. Kitty Pryde. Prestige, Bloodstorm and the young Cyclops find themselves trying to survive the “Days of Future Past” timeline, during which Bloodstorm is seemingly killed. Storm, Old Man Logan and the young Iceman and Angel are in an Asgardian scenario, fighting Frost Giants, while Jimmy Hudson, Colossus, Nightcrawler and the young Jean Grey and Beast are trapped in the “Inferno”. Other heroes try to break through the spires that Mojo sent to Earth, trapping the mutants in these horrific scenarios, but are unable to penetrate them. Mojo takes a break from appearing before camera and gets an update from Major Domo on audience statistics. His strange “employees” start to send gifts out to viewers, while Mojo plots other historic events from the X-Men's history to pit the mutants against. Cyclops, Kitty and Prestige continue to fend off the Sentinels, when Longshot makes a surprise appearance, followed by several cameras, he has hacked Mojo's feed and livestreams alongside Mojo's broadcast. Their scenario then changes, as they find themselves up against Magneto!

Full Summary: 

'The X-Men... loved by a self-proclaimed marginalized fan base... hated and feared by everyone else! Myself, I've always loved to hate and fear them! And now... whether you're a devoted fan or enthusiastic hater... you get to watch them die... slaughtered by their greatest hits! Newly remastered by yours, truly, of course!' Mojo announces as civilians gather in their living rooms or in public areas.

'Is this... real?' a man asks inside a pub, as he and the others watch as the time-displaced Scott Summers a.k.a. Cyclops, the reality-lost Bloodstorm, Kitty Pryde and Rachel Summers a.k.a. Prestige fight for their lives against Sentinels in a reality resembling the “Days of Future Past” timeline.

Scott fires an optic blast as Bloodstorm flies alongside him. Kitty is wearing a green jumpsuit as she phases through some rubble, and Rachel, dressed in her Hound costume, knocks some rubble back with a telekinetic surge.

Mojo makes another announcement, reporting that the contestants have been divided into three groups – which is three times the thrill-a-minute daring-do crammed into one flaming body bad and left on the front porch for their perverse enjoyment.

Cyclops fires a blast at a Sentinel, knocking it back, while Rachel throws some rubble in front of herself to deflect the blast a Sentinel fires at her, and Kitty phases several civilians, protecting them from a Sentinel's blast. Cyclops tells the others that they need to get the civilians to cover, to which Rachel points out that with the firepower these Sentinels are laying down, that may not be possible. Kitty wonders what is up with their clothes, and points out that it is like they have been thrown into some weird cosplay game. Bloodstorm fires some lightning into one of the Sentinels and declares that this is no game, and that she has no desire to see Kitty die again.

'Again? That's... well, that's not comforting at all' Kitty replies as she phases through a Sentinel, disrupting its mechanics. Cyclops fires another optic blast and informs Kitty that Bloodstorm is not from around here, and explains that things worked out differently for a lot of them on her world. 'Watch out, Dad' Rachel exclaims as she comes between the young Cyclops and a Sentinel who loomed over him. 'Could you... not call me that, Prestige? I mean, you're older than me' Cyclops points out. 'Would you prefer “Watch out, adolescent Dad”? “Tyke Dad”? “Little Dad”?' Rachel asks. 'On second thought calling me “Dad” is fine. But “Cyclops” when we're in the field, okay?' Cyclops responds as he turns and unleashes a powerful blast at the Sentinel. 'You got it' Rachel tells him, before informing him that it is good to have him around. Rachel then reports that her psychic connection with the other teams is breaking up as there is so much disturbance. Cyclops explains that he has a psychic rapport with Jean, and asks if Rachel can use that  as an amplifier. 'Great! Let's find out if they're in as much trouble as us' Rachel suggests.

'Trust me, they are' Kitty remarks as more Sentinels appear and the voice of Mojo is heard projected on several screens: 'Welcome! Welcome, X-Men young and old alike! Welcome to this year's Mojo-lympics! Mojopalooza? Mojo-Mojo-Mojo- Monday-Monday-Monday?' the grinning blubbery other-dimensional being laughs.

'Who -' Cyclops begins, to which Kitty explains that he is an insane producer from another world. 'He usually sticks to his own dimension. What's he doing here?' Rachel wonders.

Mojo can hear the X-Men and tells Prestige that he is here for the ratings. 'And you're gonna help me get them!' Cyclops asks if this is TV, then it isn't real – it's all special effects, but Mojo grins wickedly and asks 'Does this look fake to you?' as one of the Sentinels raises a hand and fires several harpoons – one of which strikes Bloodstorm through her chest, causing her to scream as she falls to the ground.

'Bloodstorm!' Cyclops calls out as he picks her up in his arms. 'I never... I'm immortal... and I thought I had more time...' Bloodstorm utters.

'You monster!' Cyclops screams as Bloodstorm crumbles to dust in his arms. 'ARE WE HAVING FUN OR WHAT?' Mojo asks, adding that is one down and that there are so many, many more to go. 'We're just getting started!' Mojo exclaims, telling the X-Men to come here and go for a clean sweep, as the Sentinels open fire.

Cyclops and Prestige fire back, while Kitty phases to protect herself from one of the blasts. 'We've got to punch through these Sentinels and find a way out of here! Hit them with everything you've got!' Kitty urges the others. 'And more!' Cyclops adds. 'So eager to fight! So eager to fry!' Mojo exclaims with glee.

Elsewhere, team two consists of Old Man Logan, Ororo Munroe a.k.a. Storm and the time-displaced Warren Worthington a.k.a. Angel and Bobby Drake a.k.a. Iceman. They are in a snow-covered wilderness as Mojo's voice can be heard announcing that everybody loves the ice planet, Hoth, so he set up some frosty fantasy antics of his own!

'This place, it looks like Asgard, but -' Storm begins, holding Thor's hammer in her hand as she and the others face off against some large trolls. Angel fires some cosmic energy from his wings, while Logan tells Ororo that it smells different, less like sweat and livestock and more sterile. 'These giants... they're threatening civilians!' Bobby calls out, as he falls back when one of the troll-like giants hits his large ice-form with a club. 'We need to get these people to safety!' the young hero exclaims.

Suddenly, 'X-Men – can you hear me?' comes the telepathic call of Prestige. 'Maybe a little too loudly, Rachel' Logan replies. Rachel apologizes and adds that she didn't mean to shout, but she wasn't sure she could punch through the interference. She informs the others that whatever they are facing, Mojo is behind it. Storm spins Mjolnir, knocking back to of the trolls, while Rachel tells them to fight with everything they have got. She adds that the stakes are real, and reports that they have already lost Bloodstorm. 'What do you mean by lost? Is she all right? Is she de-' Angel starts to ask, before screaming as one of the trolls grabs his leg. 'Li'l birdie sings too much' the troll exclaims.

Finally, team three – Kurt Wagner a.k.a. Nightcrawler, Piotr Rasputin a.k.a. Colossus, the reality-displaced Jimmy Hudson and the time-lost Jean Grey a.k.a. Marvel Girl and Henry McCoy a.k.a. Beast find themselves fighting demonic creatures in a hellish “Inferno”. They are also picking up Prestige's thoughts as Rachel tells everyone that the spires that dropped on the city are creating various battlefields, using hard-light and robotics and whatever other tricks Mojo has up his sleeve. Jean telekinetically holds some demons back while the others use brute force. Nightcrawler teleports through the battlefield and exclaims 'Demons! Geysers of hellfire! It's the Inferno  - erupting before us once more!' Colossus tells everyone to fall back, otherwise they will be overrun. Jean closes her eyes and asks Rachel if Cyclops is all right, to which Rachel assures her that he is fine and that she can thank him for the boosted connection.

Colossus wraps his arms around one of the demons and remarks that this is unlike Mojo. 'He has always been a madman – but to strike at Earth directly -' Colossus begins. 'Sounds like the guy's upping his game' Jimmy suggests as he slashes several demons with his claws. Nightcrawler leaps over a cab and tells Rachel to take care of herself. Rachel telepathically tells Kurt not to worry about her, and just to get through this in one piece. The Beast is in his furry white demonic form and several large demons loom over him, telling him that he doesn't need to die, that he can join them, he is one of them – join them and live.

Back in the pub, the patrons and staff continue to watch the televisions as Mojo tells them that they have it – more action and drama than they can kill with an adamantium claws – the X-Men – fighting for their lives. People inside an airport stop what they are doing and look at the monitors as Mojo asks 'Who will live? Who will die? Will we see betrayals?' he asks. 'Will a doomed romance blossom as lasers sizzle through the air?' More civilians are glued to the television in their living rooms as Mojo declares 'You just never know!' and that there is but one surefire way to witness every last nail-biting moment – 'Keep your eyes peeled! Keep them glued to the screen!' As people out on a street watch their portable devices or monitors at a street vendor, Mojo declares that they are broadcasting 24/7 – 'And you don't even want to blink!'

Mojo continues to speak to the masses, suggesting they call in sick to work or leave the kids with the babysitter – or better yet, plop them in front of the tube. Spider-Man is nearby, and his spider-sense goes wild. Mojo reports that the censors are trying hard to cut out the signal, but boasts that all their vaunted power is for naught, as the overwhelming power of entertainment is just too much for them. At one of the barriers, three members of the Champions – Nova, Hulk and Viv Vision gather and try to break through the dome. 'The X-Men... how did they get through these barriers? And how do they get out?'

Some of Mojo's lackeys suddenly appear in the pub, as Mojo's voice can be heard asking 'And did I mention – prizes are coming your way!' 'What the – those guys are monsters!' someone in the pub calls out, as Mojo declares that his street teams are prowling the Earth, bringing them cash and luxury items – and play-at-home versions of the game they are watching right now. Mojo grins again as he announces that he is riding the television waves now, and when he is in charge the fun never stops – not until you're dead!

'Aaaaand – cut!' Mojo shouts within his television studio on Mojo World. 'We've got them! So many people are already watching – and there are more tuning in with every passing second! I can feel it!' Mojo exclaims as one of his staff holds up a drink, which has a large straw that Mojo drinks from. 'Yes, Sir. And we are watching them as well. Our ratings are on the rise...' Major Domo reports as looks at a monitor in his hand. 'I sense a “but” coming on, Major Domo' Mojo remarks, holding the screen in front of Mojo and reporting that the audience is not growing as rapidly as they predicted, and at this rate, they will be unable to proceed to phase 2. 'Nonsense!' Mojo exclaims, raising his arms, causing the strange creatures around him to scatter, he boasts that he is an intergalactic producer with the power of a god and the patience of a toddler. 'I want this world now – now – now. Take us back to broadcasts!' he exclaims.

'All right, you ravenous fiends!' Mojo declares as the lights and cameras focus in on his blob-like mass. 'You know my motto -  the unexpected is my #$%&!' he exclaims, before announcing that it is time to shake things up for their contestants with a little something he likes to call the Wheel of Angsty Mutant Pain and Suffering! Back on Earth, demons appear in the streets, carrying bags, which they drop down towards the civilians. 'What are they carrying?' one of the civilians asks. 'They're dropping prizes from the sky!' one another calls out. Mojo's wheel contains several slices within it, each with different headings – Fall of the Mutants, Rumble in the Outback, Messiah Complex, Age of X, Mutant Massacre, Riot at Xavier's and Dark Phoenix are all included. Mojo tells viewers to place their bets, to play at home or on the go with his new Mojo-Vision app on their smart phones. 'What dark moment of x-history is gonna manifest in the present?' Mojo asks, announcing that the game is about to get bloody – he then spins the wheel!

Back in the Days of Future Past scenario, Prestige faces off against several Sentinels, while Kitty and Cyclops run for safety. 'Do not resist, mutants. Your fate is sealed! Your existence is a crime!' the Sentinels call out, when suddenly, Rachel screams as a Sentinel fires a blast at her, striking her in her back. Kitty calls out to her friend, asking her if she is all right. Steadying herself against a car, Rachel reports that her TK shields saved her – this time. Cyclops is on the ground and tells Kitty and Prestige that they need cover, need to regroup, when suddenly, one of the Sentinels picks him up. 'Mutant designate: Cyclops. The X-gene is illegal. You have been found guilty of crimes against humanity. You are sentenced to termination' the Sentinel announces as it holds Cyclops in one of his fists.

'Not so fast 'kay?' a voice calls out as a harpoon is thrown into the Sentinel's head, causing it to explode. 'Who -?' Cyclops wonders as he drops to the ground and regroups with Prestige and Kitty. 'Looks like... we have a friend on the inside... lucky for us, huh, Lognshot?' Kitty calls out as Longshot, surrounded by several floating cameras, swings into the battle. 'Now that you're here, maybe you know how to get out of this madhouse?' Kitty asks. 'Maybe a back door or some -' she begins, but Longshot grins and tells her to hold that thought as he turns to the cameras, 'Hey there, everyone!' he exclaims. 'Longshot coming at you – hacking the feed and bringing you free entertainment and insight' Longshot tells viewers that here he is, inside Mojo's latest broadcast and he has stumbled across some old friends – the X-Men.

Reality begins to warp around the heroes as Longshot exclaims that it looks like Mojo is changing the game on them – which means that anything goes. He adds that the flabby one hasn't been able to scramble his livestream yet, so viewers can experience the whole adventure alongside him.

'Who are you talking to?' Kitty asks. 'My subscribers' Longshot explains, revealing that he has been leeching off Mojo's audience for months now – he is bleeding viewers in Mojoworld fast, which is why Longshot thinks that Mojo is vacationing on Earth.

The heroes find themselves aboard Asteroid M – and Magneto floating before them, telling them that they have made a grave mistake coming here. He declares that he will no longer waste his breath trying to convince them to join his crusade against the flatscans – instead, this is the day when Magneto ends their meddlesome existence!

Characters Involved: 

Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Iceman, Marvel Girl (all time-displaced original X-Men)
Jimmy Hudson
Bloodstorm
Colossus, Kitty Pryde, Nightcrawler, Old Man Logan, Prestige, Storm (all X-Men)
Longshot

Spider-Man
Hulk III, Nova III, Viv Vision (all Champions)

Mojo
Major Domo
Citizens of Mojoworld

Civilians

As constructions / projections:
Magneto
Sentinels
Frost Giants
Demons

Story Notes: 

This issue is part 2 of the “Mojo Worldwide” crossover. It follows X-Men: Gold #13 and continues in X-Men: Gold #14.

Hoth refers to the ice planet in The Empire Strikes Back.

Written By: