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Fond Memories: X-Men 2099

You forgot this existed? Didn't you?

  Featuring a shiny hologramish cover!
 Featuring a shiny hologramish cover!
Xi'an, Meanstreak, Skullfire, Metalhead. These names probably don't mean much to you, or these names utterly confuse you, but they mean a lot to me. They are some of the members of X-Men 2099, a sleek, super-cool, gimmicky comic from Marvel in 1993. I was 11 years old at the time, and I was the same age during The Death of Superman which I talked about last week, and I was really into a couple things: The number one issues of comic books, and anything shiny. X-Men 2099 was a perfect package for me. It was the first time I collected a series monthly, and the first complete series I would own up until I reached my mid-twenties. X-Men 2099 has a special place in my heart as the first terrible comic I loved.
 
I call this a terrible comic based on the assumption that it doesn't hold up to my snooty standards of today, and that I have read the series in at least a decade. But honestly, who cares what I think now? What's most important is what the 11 year old version of me thinks about this book. So, I took a time machine and interviewed myself in 1993. While frighting to the younger version of myself because I've become quite the monster 17 years later. The younger version of me eventually settled down and had this to say about X-Men 2099.
== TEASER ==
11 Yr Old I.E.: It's a number one! The number one issue of a comic is the best place to start, and plus it will be worth like a million dollars in the future. I can retire by selling this one single comic. Then I can buy a flying car or something. Also, the comic is based in 2099. So, like in 2099, I can sell it for a billion dollars! 
 
::Lil' I.E. stops and does the math, realizing he'll be 117 years old in 2099::
 
11 Yr Old I.E.: It'll be the future, so 117 years old won't be that old. Like did you see these characters? Look how cool Skullfire is! He doesn't have the make-up on inside the cover, but he will. And Xi'an's powers of life on one hand and death on the other is so original! Plus it's the X-Men and everything the X-Men are in is usually the best. I think this series will continue forever!
 
  Spoiler Alert: You won't care who dies because the character sucked and it's only the third issue.
 Spoiler Alert: You won't care who dies because the character sucked and it's only the third issue.
Wow, thanks 11 year old version of me! Seriously though, this is everything I thought about this book, from just the cover. My actual memories of reading it are hazy at best, except when Serpentina died in issue three... She should had stayed off the cover to avoid her grizzly fate... and then resurrection from the Graverobber! Later on, some interesting characters were introduced like Luna and Halloween Jack, but this book died an ugly death after Atlantis re-rose and confused me to a point where I bought the issues but only skimmed them. 
 
It's a genius marketing tool though. Just thrust everyone into the future 106 years, call it X-Men, and watch the kids flock to it. Make it incredibly familiar by essentially copying comics that already exist and giving them new names. I may seem bitter, but there's still a place in my heart for my first series. Stay tuned tomorrow for a review of the first issue! 
 
 
~Mat "InferiorEgo" Elfring is a comedian, teacher, comic book writer, comic store employee, and a sucker.

53 Comments

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Jordanstine

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Edited By Jordanstine

I remember starting to like the character Serpentia, she was like the long lost future daughter of Sue Storm and Reed Richards, then they just kill her off after 2-3 issues. 
 
And this was a permanent kill.  I don't think she wasn't resurrected either.  
 
 
:( 
 
By the way, 11 year old I.E. should do more reviews.
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ArtisticNeedham

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Edited By ArtisticNeedham

HA!  I remember this!  I used to get it mail ordered, issues 1-12.  Then I stopped.
I thought it was going to be future Cyclops and Wolverine, not new characters.  I also remember getting into Spider-Man 2099 and Hulk, and a little Punisher 2099.
I remember trying to get interested but ultimately not really.  I was like, that isn't Spider-Man!

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inferiorego

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Edited By inferiorego  Staff
@Jordanstine said:
"
I remember starting to like the character Serpentia, or something, then they just kill her off after 2-3 issues.  And this was a permanent kill.  I don't think she wasn't resurrected either.  :( "
GraveRobber "resurrected" her as a zombie for a couple issues with his Undead Army.
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Jordanstine

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Edited By Jordanstine
@inferiorego said:
" @Jordanstine said:
"
I remember starting to like the character Serpentia, or something, then they just kill her off after 2-3 issues.  And this was a permanent kill.  I don't think she wasn't resurrected either.  :( "
GraveRobber "resurrected" her as a zombie for a couple issues with his Undead Army. "

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inferiorego

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Edited By inferiorego  Staff
@Jordanstine said:
"
I remember starting to like the character Serpentia, she was like the long lost future daughter of Sue Storm and Reed Richards, then they just kill her off after 2-3 issues.  And this was a permanent kill.  I don't think she wasn't resurrected either.    :(  By the way, 11 year old I.E. should do more reviews. "
11 year old IE will do a joint review with me for X-Men 2099 #1.
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Joeybagad0nutz

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Edited By Joeybagad0nutz

The only 2099 character I got into was Spider-man. I still thinks he is awesome!

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PhantomAres

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Edited By PhantomAres

I still love the series when I reread it, as a few posts I have made on the site show. Glitterspike was the most epicly lame villain ever!

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Jordanstine

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Edited By Jordanstine


The Marvel 2099 line got quite popular back then, I used to collect both Spider-Man 2099 and X-Men 2099.
 
Anyone remember DC launching this Robin 3000 series? 
 
   

 

I still have this book in NM condition! 
 
I'd probably be a quadrillionaire if I sell this comic in the year 3000!

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longbowhunter

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Edited By longbowhunter

'93 was around the time I was getting really passionate about comics, so I remember 2099 really well. Had a couple issues of this but never took to it.
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inferiorego

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Edited By inferiorego  Staff
@Jordanstine said:
"


The Marvel 2099 line got quite popular back then, I used to collect both Spider-Man 2099 and X-Men 2099.
 
Anyone remember DC launching this Robin 3000 series? 
 
   

 

I still have this book in NM condition! 
 
I'd probably be a quadrillionaire if I sell this comic in the year 3000!

"
That's actually a decently rare run. I've only come across one issue in the past 6 years.
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pinchpaker29

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Edited By pinchpaker29
@Jordanstine said:
"


The Marvel 2099 line got quite popular back then, I used to collect both Spider-Man 2099 and X-Men 2099.
 
Anyone remember DC launching this Robin 3000 series? 
 
   

 

I still have this book in NM condition! 
 
I'd probably be a quadrillionaire if I sell this comic in the year 3000!

"
If the economy continues to spiral down as it is, your quadrillion in year 3000 would be good for a mocha latte!
 
Just Kidding, nice of you to post this, I have absolutely no idea they had a Robin 3000. :D
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Texan75

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Edited By Texan75

 Back then I thought the book had potential, solid characters, great Ron Lim art, and a OK story or premise.  Looking back on it now though with all that has happened with the mutants recently.  I do however wish the Exiles had visited that earth more often to get some answers from the series.  lol   I could see them bring some of these x-men back someday.  Heck, I just remembered that I used to have them as action figures.

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JarJarMinks

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Edited By JarJarMinks

LOL flashback time
 
I have all those 2099 #1's and those recollections of my younger self would be virtually identical to yours IE.  I'm gonna reread those books tonight and look forward to the review tomorrow!

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joshmightbe

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Edited By joshmightbe

The 2099 titles were pretty much definitive 90's comic fare I was 13 at the time and thought it was amazing tho 

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Dark Noldor

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Edited By Dark Noldor

X-Men 2099 was one of the best series that I´ve ever read; I was only 14 years old when I´ve started reading this comic book and really loved it! Punisher 2009 was great also, so was Ghost Rider and Spider Man; it´s a pity that after all the Doom thing the stories got really low quality.

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fACEmelter88

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Edited By fACEmelter88

I was a wee lad when I read these 2099 series........such fond memories

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johnnie619

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Edited By johnnie619

Nop
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BuddyBulson

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Edited By BuddyBulson

I never read it but i had all the action figures! haha

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Archetype

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Edited By Archetype

I didn't really read comics as a kid,aside from maybe a hand full, but they were a big part of what I liked; that being cartoons and action figures.I had two X-men 2099 figures Meanstreak,my fav figure of all for some reason , and Metalhead.I also owned/own a repaint of Meanstreak that is Ultimate Cyclops I think.Oh and I almost forgot my Halloween Jack figure I had as well.I can't believe I don't remember what happened to all my figures but needless to say I was not gentle with any of them.

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EganTheVile1

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Edited By EganTheVile1

You know what bugged me about this series back in the day? No Wolverine, his healing factor would essentially mean he'd still be alive right? Aside that it was my 5th favorite 2099 series (behind Punisher 2099, Ravage 2099, Doom 2099, and Punisher 2099) But hey, the series grew on me more as the team added more and more anti-heroes to it's ranks like La Lunatica and Halloween Jack, and all these years later Marvel writers gave me a member of the team I had wanted as a kid, Wolverine being shown as a member in the Timestorm story arc!  
I really hope 2099 comes back and is as successful as it was in the beginning!

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Darkmount1

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Edited By Darkmount1

I'm starting to get a bit into the 2099 line, I'm including those characters in my fanfic. I'll say 2099 includes the storyline of Yu-Gi-Oh: 5D's, an underground version of GI Joe, some DC-related creations, and a Cybertron that has just undergone the "Great Shutdown" (a temporary one, for about a millenium), with only a few Autobots and a Maximal still online on Earth. 
 
So far in terms of 2099 comics, I have 2099 Unlimited #1 (which debuted Hulk 2099) and Ravage 2099 #1.
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ArtisticNeedham

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Edited By ArtisticNeedham

No Caption Provided
I remember them hinting at the possible return of the X-Men, the modern X-Men, and it turned out to be these guys called The Chosen.  I was so disappointed.
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Hadez

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Edited By Hadez
@Jordanstine said:
"
I remember starting to like the character Serpentia, she was like the long lost future daughter of Sue Storm and Reed Richards, then they just kill her off after 2-3 issues.  And this was a permanent kill.  I don't think she wasn't resurrected either.    :(  By the way, 11 year old I.E. should do more reviews. "
she was resurrected by grave digger in issue 15 as a zombie and then was permently killed and to be sure of they burned her body. I loved X-Men 2099 it ended all to soon.
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ArtisticNeedham

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Edited By ArtisticNeedham

No Caption Provided
I, years later, tried to come up with my own idea for X-Men 2099.  It's roster would include a young Cable (as the sort of star)
an older Bishop, a much older Jubilee, I had heard (at the time) that Cannonball was immortal so I put him on the team, Franklin Richards and Rachel Summers maybe too, and the whole team was led by the graying haired Wolverine from Days of Futures Past. And somewhere in the story would be the old, the incredibly old, Gambit (like in that one story).
And the story would sort of be about the training of Cable, being trained by Bishop and Wolverine, and the others.
Franklin Richards, was maybe going to be the only surviving Fantastic Four member or something.
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DarkSyde79

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Edited By DarkSyde79

Yeah, X-Men 2099 was pretty terrible!!! Calling it gimmicky is kinda insulting to other gimmicks. I'm glad those 2099 series went the way of the dodo bird. 

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Overboss

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Edited By Overboss

Sigh, good times...good times...

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Aspenite

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Edited By Aspenite

I should interview my younger version, too!

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xerox_kitty

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Edited By xerox_kitty
@inferiorego: Here's to longevity & expensive comics from the 90's ;) 
 
I remember liking X Nation 2099 more than X-Men 2099.  The X-Men of the future were always darker & grittier... but as I wasn't a teenage boy, that didn't appeal to me. 
 
But I do like how the current X-Men replaced Cerebro with Cerebra... :p
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ArtisticNeedham

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Edited By ArtisticNeedham
@xerox-kitty: What was X-Nation like?  What was it all about?
I dropped of X-Men 2099 after my mailed subscription ended around issue 12.
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The Devil Tiger

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Edited By The Devil Tiger
@ArtisticNeedham:

Not so bad, but greatly inconsistent : imagine generation X in the future (!!) with combat nun (!!)
All being drawed by Umberto Ramos. I liked the art, anyway, but it doesn't have lasted very long for all I know.
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Magian

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Edited By Magian

Weren't they recently featured in Timestorm?

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Dek7264

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Edited By Dek7264

My local comic shop has all the issues on sale for $40. I came so close to picking this up when I first saw it.
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BenB

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Edited By BenB

I too loved X-Men 2099 back in the day. It's a shame that Marvel is just sitting on that IP and letting it go to waste

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Druid

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Edited By Druid

I remember reading Hulk, Punisher, and Spiderman 2099 too. Good times. I guess gimmicks have always been a staple of the industry, I just don't find them as interesting as I did back then.

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Shadowdoggy

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Edited By Shadowdoggy

oh man, I still have these! 
the first 5 or six issues 
I really thought they'd go somewhere 
man, was I wrong 
@Overboss:
indeed 
very very good times
   
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spider-man 2996

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Edited By spider-man 2996
@JoeRiccadonna said:
"The only 2099 character I got into was Spider-man. I still thinks he is awesome! "

Same here
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Mumbles

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Edited By Mumbles

i wonder what will happen in 2099. will  marvel have to commit to theses versions of spider man, hulk, x-men,etc.

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rasx

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Edited By rasx

Spiderman and the Punisher 2099, was my favorites from the 2099 line.
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Bobby X

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Edited By Bobby X

Oh how I loved my Skullfire action figure. 
*SIghh* Those were easier times... 

 
 
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gui22

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Edited By gui22

" You forgot this existed? Didn't you?"
You know me too well, inferiorego!

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Scike

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Edited By Scike

Ah I remember getting this book as a gift and hating every single page I read and eventually tossing it into the trash (I think on that same day I received it in fact!).  Even though I was maybe only twelve when I read it, I knew crap when I saw it.  And besides which, the X-men were nothing without Cyclops, Wolverine, Storm and Gambit as far as I was concerned.

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Thor'sHammer

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Edited By Thor'sHammer

@Inferiorego  I think we are the same age, and I was all over these issues.  Did you also fall for the genius marketing of Generation X?  Because I did. Tthank you very much  inflated 90's market and foil covers!

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Meteorite

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Edited By Meteorite

Now I remember why I love inferiorego's articles.

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Chris2KLee

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Edited By Chris2KLee

The 2099 line is always something I found kinda dumb from the get go, but it stuck with me to this day. Maybe because I both loved and hated the Spider-Man 2099 costume design.

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Retro_Metro

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Edited By Retro_Metro
@Mumbles said:
" i wonder what will happen in 2099. will  marvel have to commit to theses versions of spider man, hulk, x-men,etc. "
The World May Never Know.
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Donovan Montgomery

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I have the entire -that's right *ENTIRE*- run of 2099 from this era.  The only really bad I got from it was the last story arc in Doom 2099.....the art in those last few issues hurt my eyes so much it took me these last 15 years just to read it thru. 
 
...and Glitterspike was rather dissapointing.....
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nilmandir

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Edited By nilmandir

I had the first issue of Spiderman 2099 and a few issues of X-Men 2099. I was in college when it came out, so my memory of the issues is a little ... hazy. Still, love just about anything Spiderman or X-Men. (Must find old issues, to remember. See if I have any of my own "Secret Stash" in the books...)

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Lustwish

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Edited By Lustwish

Dude you might as well review my whole comic collection cause you have already started with some of my books lol. 

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TheGhostofGarethGraves

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i still have and love the 2099 stuff (aside from ravage, which got very bad there after Stan Lee left...)

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Hollister

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Edited By Hollister

I remember this title, but I never liked it...they all had crumby powers lol

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