Generation X: Crossroads by J. Steven York
Until I found this book in a used book store, I had no idea that there'd been more than one novel for Generation X. The first one was by Scott Lobdell, one of the creators of the comic series, and was.... weird. Really pretty weird indeed, and it was also eventually partially adapted into the comics.
This book is better.
Lobdell's writing style isn't always comfortable as prose, in my opinion; York is much better in that arena, just for starters. (He did another GenX novel, Genogoths. I'll have to pick it up if I ever see it.)
One of the themes of Generation X -- and many of the comics about mutants, really -- is the bigotry they have to deal with. This book is about that. Also about road-tripping across the USA, an anti-mutant radio show, and a conspiracy of Genoshan arms dealers. Where this would fit in with the comics' continuity is difficult to say; as the novel starts, the team (Emma, Sean, Jubilee, Paige, Jono, Monet, Angelo, and Everett) are returning to the USA from Ireland. They visited Ireland in issues 7 & 8, but some of the stuff that's been mentioned as happening doesn't quite match that timing, though I think it's meant to. Anyway, instead of going straight home, the teachers jet them all to Seattle, Emma buys a couple of RVs, and they drive East.
A note on the RVs: they're like a punk rocker mutant and his elegant, techie girlfriend. I was really amused by the Xabago, and I think Everett doth protest too much. ;3
The reason for the road trip is manifold: firstly, Emma and Sean want to give the students a chance to be normal kids in the real world, instead of the secure bubble of the school (and if this takes place after the comics' visit to Ireland, which involved a side-trip to the realm of the fae... I don't blame them); secondly, Xavier has asked them (Sean and Emma) to help him lay down the groundwork for an underground mutant support network (MUSE - Mutant Underground Support Engine). The last remaining chapter of M.O.N.S.T.E.R. is in Seattle, which is why they start there.
Now, I was absolutely chuffed to see M.O.N.S.T.E.R. mentioned -- and most of you have probably never heard of it. It stands for Mutants Only Need Sympathy, Tolerance, and Equal Rights. It's a college campus support organization that was founded, in Defenders #142, by Hank McCoy and two human engineering students (Art Nichols & Helen Williams) after the death of their friend Adrian Castorp, whose mutation had given him a degenerative nerve disorder. (He was actually killed by Cloud, by accident.) The symbol of the group is a six-fingered hand in a fist (Adrian had an extra finger on each hand). The group didn't get much mention after it was established, except the occasional unobtrusive pin on Hank's coat or T-shirt someone or other was wearing, so I was happy to see it here.
Thanks to M.O.N.S.T.E.R., we pick up three friendly OCs who re-encounter the team throughout the book, mutants with minor powers who call themselves Dog Pound (telepathic with animals, looks like the Hulk's love child, has a tail, complete sweetie), Chill (weak cryokinesis and cold resistance, chapter president), and Recall (psionic power to find things & remember things very accurately, beautiful voice, boy genius). They also happen to be road-tripping across the country, as it is the beginning of summer break. Recall has a crush on Paige, it's cute. ;3
There are a number of threads running through the novel; in addition to getting POVs from everyone on the team, there's also the M.O.N.S.T.E.R. boys (primarily Recall), two of the bad guys, and one other. See, at the beginning of each chapter there's an illustration plate (by Mark Buckingham, trying to emulate Chris Bachelo's style and making people's arms stretch like taffy!) and a quote. Often it's a bit of transcript from a WNN broadcast, or an excerpt from a newspaper story, or a stack of headlines from a tabloid, or a transcript from a The Walt Norman Show, a radio show that's a major part of the plot. They serve to show us what's going on in the world that's relevant to mutants as the story progresses. Early on there are mentions of a superhero named Razorback. When he saves the American President's life, the kids take notice in the actual narration. The newscasters compare the heroic actions of this boar-mask-wearing hero to the menace of mutant terrorists... like the GenX kids. But the thing is, Razorback is a mutant. The GenX kids know this, and the media doesn't. The kids are understandably bitter. The last chapter of the book is from Razorback's POV, contemplating whether or not to out himself. It's very poignant. We don't get to see what he does.
Anyway, I recommend this novel for anyone who was a fan of this team, and especially anyone who wanted to see Paige in a more positive light than she sometimes gets. Oh! And especially for people who enjoy Emma and Sean's not-really-flirting banter, and Sean being a sneaky former secret agent. :D
And here's a quote just for mah Kiffies:
[Everett] plopped down on the bench and pulled a clear plastic box from the bag. "Look at this! Limited edition replica of a '65 Karmann-Ghia. Convertible."
This book is better.
Lobdell's writing style isn't always comfortable as prose, in my opinion; York is much better in that arena, just for starters. (He did another GenX novel, Genogoths. I'll have to pick it up if I ever see it.)
One of the themes of Generation X -- and many of the comics about mutants, really -- is the bigotry they have to deal with. This book is about that. Also about road-tripping across the USA, an anti-mutant radio show, and a conspiracy of Genoshan arms dealers. Where this would fit in with the comics' continuity is difficult to say; as the novel starts, the team (Emma, Sean, Jubilee, Paige, Jono, Monet, Angelo, and Everett) are returning to the USA from Ireland. They visited Ireland in issues 7 & 8, but some of the stuff that's been mentioned as happening doesn't quite match that timing, though I think it's meant to. Anyway, instead of going straight home, the teachers jet them all to Seattle, Emma buys a couple of RVs, and they drive East.
A note on the RVs: they're like a punk rocker mutant and his elegant, techie girlfriend. I was really amused by the Xabago, and I think Everett doth protest too much. ;3
The reason for the road trip is manifold: firstly, Emma and Sean want to give the students a chance to be normal kids in the real world, instead of the secure bubble of the school (and if this takes place after the comics' visit to Ireland, which involved a side-trip to the realm of the fae... I don't blame them); secondly, Xavier has asked them (Sean and Emma) to help him lay down the groundwork for an underground mutant support network (MUSE - Mutant Underground Support Engine). The last remaining chapter of M.O.N.S.T.E.R. is in Seattle, which is why they start there.
Now, I was absolutely chuffed to see M.O.N.S.T.E.R. mentioned -- and most of you have probably never heard of it. It stands for Mutants Only Need Sympathy, Tolerance, and Equal Rights. It's a college campus support organization that was founded, in Defenders #142, by Hank McCoy and two human engineering students (Art Nichols & Helen Williams) after the death of their friend Adrian Castorp, whose mutation had given him a degenerative nerve disorder. (He was actually killed by Cloud, by accident.) The symbol of the group is a six-fingered hand in a fist (Adrian had an extra finger on each hand). The group didn't get much mention after it was established, except the occasional unobtrusive pin on Hank's coat or T-shirt someone or other was wearing, so I was happy to see it here.
Thanks to M.O.N.S.T.E.R., we pick up three friendly OCs who re-encounter the team throughout the book, mutants with minor powers who call themselves Dog Pound (telepathic with animals, looks like the Hulk's love child, has a tail, complete sweetie), Chill (weak cryokinesis and cold resistance, chapter president), and Recall (psionic power to find things & remember things very accurately, beautiful voice, boy genius). They also happen to be road-tripping across the country, as it is the beginning of summer break. Recall has a crush on Paige, it's cute. ;3
There are a number of threads running through the novel; in addition to getting POVs from everyone on the team, there's also the M.O.N.S.T.E.R. boys (primarily Recall), two of the bad guys, and one other. See, at the beginning of each chapter there's an illustration plate (by Mark Buckingham, trying to emulate Chris Bachelo's style and making people's arms stretch like taffy!) and a quote. Often it's a bit of transcript from a WNN broadcast, or an excerpt from a newspaper story, or a stack of headlines from a tabloid, or a transcript from a The Walt Norman Show, a radio show that's a major part of the plot. They serve to show us what's going on in the world that's relevant to mutants as the story progresses. Early on there are mentions of a superhero named Razorback. When he saves the American President's life, the kids take notice in the actual narration. The newscasters compare the heroic actions of this boar-mask-wearing hero to the menace of mutant terrorists... like the GenX kids. But the thing is, Razorback is a mutant. The GenX kids know this, and the media doesn't. The kids are understandably bitter. The last chapter of the book is from Razorback's POV, contemplating whether or not to out himself. It's very poignant. We don't get to see what he does.
Anyway, I recommend this novel for anyone who was a fan of this team, and especially anyone who wanted to see Paige in a more positive light than she sometimes gets. Oh! And especially for people who enjoy Emma and Sean's not-really-flirting banter, and Sean being a sneaky former secret agent. :D
And here's a quote just for mah Kiffies:
[Everett] plopped down on the bench and pulled a clear plastic box from the bag. "Look at this! Limited edition replica of a '65 Karmann-Ghia. Convertible."