Generation M (comics)

Generation M is a five-issue mini-series written by Paul Jenkins and pencilled by Ramon Bachs, starting in January 2006.

Basic plot

The story focuses on Sally Floyd, a reporter for the fictional newspaper The Alternative, after the events of M-Day, when the Scarlet Witch used her powers to cause more than 90% of the world's mutants to lose their powers thus causing many mutants to die. Sally convinces her editor to let her tell the story of ex-mutants. After the column becomes a hit, Sally returns to her apartment to discover an envelope taped to her door reading "Not Enough Died." Inside the envelope are photos of former mutants who have since been murdered. It has since been learned that the killer, called "The Ghoul", is in fact a mutant who has retained his/her powers, but is mentally insane.

Plot synopsis

Sally Floyd is a young reporter with a New York City newspaper, The Alternative. Although a good reporter, she suffers from alcoholism since the death of her young daughter, Minnie, much to the chagrin of her editor. After the majority of mutants lose their powers on M-Day, Sally decides to continue writing a column on them. She visits a hospital where Chamber has been taken. His face and chest are now just a gaping hole, a machine being the only thing keeping him alive. Her column is a resounding success and receives national acclaim. However, she soon receives photographs of mutants who have been killed, now that they can’t defend themselves.^[1]

The police speak with Sally Floyd about the murders of several former mutants. Sally feels guilty, and wonders if they were killed because of her, but the police thinks the killer is probably using her to get attention. As part of her Mutant Diaries series, Sally visits Stacy X, a former mutant who now is just a prostitute with a skin condition. Sally next goes to visit her friend, Jubilation Lee, who is not much of a help. The police then confront her with a new theory, that the killer is actually a mutant himself.^[2]

Sally is contacted by a man calling himself the Ghoul, who claims he is the one responsible for murdering former mutants and wants his story told. After a visit to a former mutant support group, Sally meets Fred J. Dukes, a former mutant known as the Blob. He suggests that she should visit an asylum in southern New York. Sally attends an AA meeting, but does not feel like she should be there. She returns to her apartment and has a run-in with her ex-husband about Minnie’s death and her drinking problem. The next day, she visits the asylum and witnesses how formerly powerful inmates are bullied by the still powered mutants. Sally departs, only to have the body of a dead mutant girl thrown at her car by the Ghoul.^[3]

The Ghoul continues to harass Sally by sending her pictures of his victims. She then receives a visit from Barnell Bohusk, having lost his mutant appearance, with an invite to meet one of the X-Men. Before that, Sally interviews Marrow in the sewers for her Mutant Diaries. A criminal psychologist suggests that Sally try to cultivate some kind of positive relationship with the Ghoul in order to create a rounder profile on him, to which she reluctantly agrees. Later, she finally meets her contact from the Xavier Institute. It’s Warren Worthington, who reveals that he has lost his wings.^[4]

After talking to Warren Worthington, Sally meets with Dani Moonstar, but her mind is on other things. Deciding to do one final article that concentrates on Sally’s daughter Minnie. It explains how Minnie was a mutant who was growing smaller and younger, until she finally died a few months before M-Day. Sally meets with Warren Worthington again and, as they chat, the Ghoul strikes. The X-Men appear to fight him, but the Ghoul teleports Sally away, angrily berating her for betraying him. Sally does her best to wind the Ghoul up, mouthing off about how crazy all of this is, and even punching him on the nose. The Ghoul is about to respond when Sally falls out of the tower they were in on purpose, only to be caught by Angel, who is revealed to having retained his wings after all.

Cyclops then destroys the tower, bringing the Ghoul’s reign of terror to an end. After a couple of days in hospital, Sally returns to the office and finds her colleagues wholly approve of her decision to run the story and for catching the Ghoul. The last thing for Sally to do is to give Minnie the only gift she has to offer. She attends an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, only this time she stands before them and introduces herself in participation.^[5]

References

'Generation M' at the Comic Book DB