Theron Reads Comics: Operation Zero Tolerance - 25 Years Later Part 1: An Unplanned Event

"Onslaught", as is common knowledge at this point, was an event reverse engineered around a character that didn't really exist in order to fulfill an editorial need to shunt the Fantastic Four and Avengers to the Heroes Reborn universe. This is evident during the lead-up where there are inconsistencies describing what Onslaught is as well as in several issues during the event where the story feels forced and disjointed. So given those obvious deficiencies the X event the following year was certain to be tighter and cleaner. Or at least it might have been if it hadn't been "Operation: Zero Tolerance".

1997's "Operation: Zero Tolerance" is perhaps the least subtle X-Men equality metaphor story ever. The United States government, during a period of heightened animosity toward mutants following the apparent deaths of the Fantastic Four and Avengers in the final battle against Onslaught, begins openly hunting mutants with advanced sentinels. The titular operation is run by the new character Bastion.

The first hints for the event were planted before "Onslaught" when Scott Lobdell and Pascual Ferry created Bastion. Lobdell's original plan for the character was to have him attack the X-Men immediately in the wake of "Onslaught", destroy the mansion, and send the team on the run for an unspecified amount of time. He was supposed to become a powerful foe for the X-Men, a character as significant as Magneto. Unfortunately editorial liked the idea a little too much and decided to turn it into the next year's line wide X event.

"Operation: Zero Tolerance" had several months of build-up. The writers took the few building blocks introduced before "Onslaught" and started adding to them the moment that event ended. Unfortunately this revised plan created problems. One of those is a lackluster build-up. With the exception of a story thread in Generation X (which Lobdell was writing), Bastion's appearances between "Onslaught" and "Operation: Zero Tolerance" are largely superfluous (the less said about connecting Bastion to Silver Surfer 123 the better). In fact, if the reader wasn't following Generation X, "Operation: Zero Tolerance" comes out of nowhere when it begins on the last page of X-Men 64 (not ideal when the X-Men books are generally at the center of X events). The bulk of the thematic build-up actually comes via Graydon Creed's presidential campaign storyline.

The extended build-up also sent the storylines in the X-Men books somewhat out of sync. Even during the Graydon Creed arc that spins out of "Onslaught" X-Men feels like it's treading water. Uncanny X-Men fares a little better, but that series will follow half of the X-Men to outer space three months before "Operation: Zero Tolerance" begins and those characters won't return until after the event ends. In fact, only one issue of Uncanny X-Men will be branded as part of the event, and only then because it stars J. Jonah Jameson, Spider-Man, and Marrow.

For the amount of (attempted) build up given to it, "Operation: Zero Tolerance" is surprisingly limited and a little messy. Not only is Uncanny X-Men mostly absent, Excalibur and X-Factor are not included at all (the former missing from an X event for the first time since "X-Cutioner's Song" and the latter for the first time since Marvel started these events with "Mutant Massacre"). X-Men serves as the primary title and focuses on a hodgepodge of characters led by Iceman. Wolverine becomes a de facto third X-Men book for the duration and stars the Earthbound team. Generation X's main contribution is a Jubilee storyline that begins before the event proper kicks off. Cable follows what seems to be a major story thread based on how it's introduced at the start of the event but which is ultimately resolved with a whimper. The X-Force issues just happen to take place during the event without being related. X-Man's single tie-in takes on the distant periphery and feels as tacked on as it is. And the X-Men Unlimited issue is irreconcilable with the continuity established by X-Men and Generation X.

"Operation: Zero Tolerance" is a bit of a mixed bag (as so much of Marvel was in the mid to late 90s). For instance, a few characters get A+ treatment, especially Iceman and Jubilee, but the overall plot of the event is a rather blunt instrument without much depth. And there's the Graydon Creed storyline that is surprisingly effective but ends abruptly and without explanation.

This retrospective starts with Graydon Creed's first appearance in Uncanny X-Men #299 before jumping past "Age of Apocalypse" to the beginning of Creed's presidential campaign and Bastion's first appearance. Needless to say, "Operation: Zero Tolerance" and all related issues will be completely spoiled. Posts will be grouped around prominent plots and themes, and these checklists provide a suggested reading order. This landing page will have an index for new posts as they drop, and if you want to follow along with an issue-by-issue commentary check out @theronscomics #XMenOZT.

Next>

The Pro-Pro-Prologue

Index

Part 2: The Pro-Pro-Prologue

Part 3: Two Guys Doing the Right Thing

Part 4: Beginning the Bastion Build-Up

Part 5: Creed for America

Part 6: A Couple Quick Hits

Part 7: And So it Begins

Part 8: The Kids aren't Alright

Part 9: Iceman Steps Up and the Rest Fall Down

Part 10: Is Everyone a Spy?