The 8 Weirdest 'New Mutants' Stories Ever

On Wednesday, March 11, NEW MUTANTS #9 will finally bring the original team back to Earth. Unfortunately, writer Ed Brisson and artist Flaviano are far from finished crafting impossible circumstances for the team to contend with. The Dawn of X may have reunited the New Mutants, but reality itself is about to betray them...

Longtime readers of the original NEW MUTANTS (1983) know that reality can be subjective for these young heroes. They’ve been dealing with living nightmares and bizarre escapades for almost their entire lives. And before the current series takes a turn for the strange, Marvel.com is reflecting back on the New Mutants’ weirdest adventures ever.

The Demon Bear Saga: NEW MUTANTS (1983) #18-20

You’re going to find that much of this list is informed by Chris Claremont’s run with artist Bill Sienkiewicz on NEW MUTANTS (1983). Claremont and Sienkiewicz redefined what the book (and comics at large) could become, and they memorably introduced horror elements in "The Demon Bear Saga". Nearly four decades later, this is still perhaps the most defining moment for the New Mutants, as the Demon Bear forced Moonstar and her teammates to face their greatest fears.

Warlock's Arrival: NEW MUTANTS (1983) #21

This double-sized issue gave the team a chance to recover from "The Demon Bear Saga" with a slumber party at Xavier’s mansion. This was soon followed by Warlock’s dramatic arrival on Earth and his introduction to the team. It also featured the first glimpse of Magus, Warlock’s mysterious and malevolent father.

Being Cloak and Dagger: NEW MUTANTS (1983) #22-25

The next mini-arc brought Cloak and Dagger into the series as Sunspot was cursed by Cloak’s darkness and Wolfsbane became the new wielder of Dagger’s light. These issues also helped Cloak and Dagger come to terms with their powers and themselves before Professor Xavier and  the X-Men gave the team a timely assist to put the powers of light and darkness back where they belonged.

Legion and the Shadow King: NEW MUTANTS (1983) #26-31

This seminal stretch of issues formally introduced David Haller as Legion, the long-lost son of Charles Xavier. It also sent the team up against the Shadow King, after he possessed Karma and used her body to indulge his voracious appetites. It’s the culmination of Claremont and Sienkiewicz’s run, but they went out on a high note.

The Asgardian Wars: NEW MUTANTS SPECIAL EDITION (1985) #1 and X-MEN ANNUAL (1970) #9

Claremont and artist Art Adams teamed up for this visually stunning two-parter, which brought the X-Men and the New Mutants to Asgard thanks to the machinations of Loki. This story had lasting effects for both Moonstar and Wolfsbane, as Dani was inducted into the Valkyries and Rahne met the love of her life: the wolf prince, Hrimhari. 

Death by Beyonder: NEW MUTANTS (1983) #36-38

SECRET WARS II gave NEW MUTANTS (1983) perhaps the most shocking tie-in issues of the entire crossover. When the team faced the Beyonder, he annihilated them. And then he even wiped away nearly all memories of their existence. The Beyonder ultimately resurrected the young heroes in SECRET WARS II (1985) #9, but the team was shaken by their experience for several issues afterwards.

A Space Opera: NEW MUTANTS (1983) #66-70

By this time, Cannonball was romantically involved with Lila Cheney, a mutant rockstar and an interstellar thief. When Lila was kidnapped by an alien known as Spyder, Cannonball and his teammates went into space to rescue her. Along the way they met Gosamyr, an otherworldly alien whose physical appearance and pheromones had an adverse effect on the team’s unity. 

But Gosamyr’s family turned out to be a far bigger threat than Spyder. They awakened from their stasis in monstrous states, and Lila was forced to teleport them and herself into a star to stop their collective rampage.

Cry of the Valkyrie: NEW MUTANTS (1983) #77-84

This was the final epic before the New Mutants began their transition into X-FORCE (1991). In the aftermath of INFERNO, Moonstar’s Valkyrie abilities were driving her insane. It was all a part of Hela’s plan to seize power on Asgard while using the Valkyrie as her agents of destruction. To save their friend’s soul, the New Mutants returned to Asgard and faced overwhelming odds to protect the realm...and themselves.

Read these mutant mags with Marvel Unlimited now! Pre-order NEW MUTANTS #9 at your local comic shop today, then pick it up on March 11!