WARNING: This article contains spoilers for X-Men Blue #34 by Cullen Bunn, Marcus To, Matt Milla, and VC's Joe Caramagna, on sale now.
When Marvel launched X-Men Blue with the Original Five X-Men, one of the surprises of the comic was Magneto operating as the team's mentor from the shadows. Though he is known for being the X-Men's number one bad guy, Magneto has worked side-by-side with the X-Men for the last several years.
However, those days of camaraderie are nearing an end. The first cracks in the alliance were revealed when the young X-Men discovered Magneto intended to send them back to the past that they originally came from. Of course, instead of this actually happening, the X-Men Blue team found themselves spiraling through time in a battle against the Future Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. The more significant moment came during the Mothervine story arc when the Master of Magnetism was forced to kill innocent mutants infected with the virus.
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Looking to escape his attackers, Magneto uses his time platform to jump ahead nineteen years, where he discovers just how much his actions will shape the future. Magneto also reunites with the older versions of Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast and Angel, who aren't pleased to see the man responsible for so much destruction and carnage. While Magneto is focused on the X-Men never going back to their past, the heroes see his presence as an opportunity to fix their timeline by preventing him from traveling back to the present-day -- and if Magneto has to die to make that happen, then so be it.
Though the battle is fierce, Magneto is able to escape with the help of the local mutants who look up to him as a messiah figure. The future is littered with massive statues dedicated to the Master of Magnetism, which helps to fuel his massive ego and allow him to believe his way is the right way. It's this knowledge and his quest for vengeance against the White Queen for her involvement in the Mothervine fiasco that will set the stage for Magneto's X-Men Black one-shot.
X-Men Black: Magneto
At Comic-Con International in San Diego, Marvel announced the upcoming release of an entire line of one-shot comics under the X-Men Black banner, with each title headlined by a major mutant villain. The villains featured are Magneto, Mystique, Juggernaut, Mojo and Emma Frost, with each issue containing a backup story starring Apocalypse.
Of course, since the theme of the one-shots are a group of villains, that means Magneto will become a full-fledged "bad guy" by the time his issue arrives. The second half of X-Men Blue #34 speeds this process up once Magneto returns from the future. First, he says goodbye to Danger and sets his sights on Kirk Jansen. The name may not look familiar, but he will play an important role as the creator of the Reavers Magneto encountered on his trip through time. Knowing the type of monstrosities the Reavers will become, Magneto kills Jansen and every single person who is working on his robotics project. Before Magneto leaves, he erects a statue of himself in the debris as a warning and reminder to the world that he's returned to his evil ways.
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The final transition towards Magneto's X-Men Black title is the return of two popular staples associated with X-Men adversary: Asteroid M and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Asteroid M serves as Magneto's floating space station where he invites mutants to come and live as a sanctuary away from the humans of Earth. Also, in another ode to the old days, Magneto dons his familiar red and purple costume color scheme.
As for the Brotherhood, different iterations of the group have faced the X-Men, with the first confrontation taking place in the pages of 1964's X-Men #4. This new Brotherhood consists of former Acolytes Unuscione and Exodus, the healer Elixir, Magneto's trusted aide Briar Raleigh, the Morlock Marrow and Brotherhood regular, Toad. Many of these mutants will make up the Future Brotherhood teased in X-Men Blue #33, but this final image solidifies the evil, villainous side of Magneto has finally returned.
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