X-GEN: The Unknown Generation

Let's get the obvious out of the way.  X-Gen (The Unknown Generation) was a very blatant knock-off of the X-Men.  There's no getting around it.  Written and drawn by Gilbert Monsanto, it debuted on May 14, 1995 in the first issue of Dragonboy Z Komiks, a magazine whose main feature was a knock-off of Dragon Ball Z.  It was published by Infinity Publishing Inc., which was of course known for its Street Fighter-knock off (inventive though it may be), Kick Fighter Komiks.

Anyway, X-Gen is a team of mutant heroes, products of genetic experimentation, who are gathered together by one Dr. Joselito Javier, the scientist who developed  the X-Genetics process that created them.

DR. JOSELITO JAVIER
I guess they would have called him Dr. J, but they never did.  The leader and father figure of the "X-Gen-ers," he creates the team to combat the evil mutants created from his stolen research.  Like Professor X, he possesses vast psychic powers.  Unlike Professor X, he is not crippled and has a full set of head and facial hair.

ALAMID

Named after the Asian palm civet or the toddy cat.  After eating food contaminated with a mutagenic chemical, scientist Tony Berg was transformed into a mutant berserker with razor sharp claws and the ability to heal rapidly from any injury.  He also wears a symbiotic costume which can repair any damage that it sustains, though I suspect the reason for that is so the artist wouldn't have to redraw his torn up costume from the previous issue. 

 Gotta give some credit, at least they tried to make Alamid's back story as far as they possibly could from Wolverine (never mind that he basically got his powers via food poisoning).  Also, that's a pretty cool costume redesign, which kind of resembles the Ultimate Wolverine look that would appear years later.

  CYCLON
The field commander.  Fires powerful blasts from his eyes.

  
STEEL

The team powerhouse, Steel has superhuman strength and can turn his body into--well, steel.

RAJA

She has super strength and the power of flight.  Doesn't seem to have Rogue's absorption powers.

PSI-LOCK

Gee, I wonder who she's supposed to be?  A female ninja with psionic abilities.

  

HAMOK

Cyclon's brother, a secret agent who can generate devastating waves of energy from his hands.

SERAPH

Born with six wings on his back, the boy named Serapio was abandoned as a baby and raised by Alamid's sister, Lanie.  Aside from the ability to fly, he can also create powerful winds by flapping his wings.

VILLAINS

MAGNO 

Dr. Javier's evil twin brother, who gains his powers from his sibling's stolen research.  He possesses powerful psychic abilities and can produce destructive energy blasts.

 SAURUS

A human pterodactyl with hypnotic powers.  Formerly Alamid's rival scientist, Saurus was responsible for spiking his food with the chemicals that mutated him.

GIGANTO

Saurus' cousin, the "executioner" of their family.  Born with "super-flexed muscles" which give him his enormous size and strength.

KADYO

Short for Arcadio, a crooked "showmaster" who uses a carnival as a front for his kidnapping operation.  Has access to an alternate dimension where cartoons become real.

  

DOK BOOM & VOLTAR

Dok Boom (man, they're not even trying with these names) is an armored crime lord who teams up with Versus' electric-powered villain Voltar.

  

SHADOW CREEP

A mutant who worshiped a "dark being" in order to attain more power.  He has the ability to possess other people and transform himself into a giant shadow creature.

HOJO

Reality-altering being from another dimension who challenges the X-Gen to appear in his movie (really, I should just say based on Mojo and you'd get the picture).  Appears at the end of the strip's second run in Kick Fighter III Komiks which we will look at later on.

TARI

Hojo's sharp-clawed (and probably saber-toothed) henchman, leader of his team of enforcers, the Ravagers.

SPECIAL GUEST STARS

BLADES AND BULLETS

 Kick Fighter heroes Biotrog, Angel and Jolas Zuares (starring at the time in Kick Figther II Komiks' Blades and Bullets) team up with Alamid and Psi-Lock against Dok Boom and Voltar.

THE DRAGONBOY Z CAST

The team meets Vigita and other characters of their magazine's co-feature in Kadyo's cartoon dimension.

 X-GEN: APOCALYPSE

X-Gen's original run lasted until Dragonboy Z Komiks #17 (September 3, 1995), the magazine's final issue.  But the series returned in the pages of Kick Fighter III Komiks early in 1996.  Dar Medina took over as writer with Jim Jimenez as artist.

The revived series departed drastically  from the previous one, recasting the X-Gen as genetically-engineered youths placed in cryogenic suspension and awakened years later to a post-apocalyptic world.  It would seem that the new writer wasn't all that familiar with the original strip, so he just decided to change the premise from scratch.  In fact, aside from Alamid, the rest of the characters suddenly had their names changed.  For instance, the Colossus knock-off was now Bagul (whatever that means), Havok was now Javoc (which is about as clever as "Psi-Lock"), and Rogue became Rougue (how do you even pronounce that?).

X-GEN: THE LAST STAND

The last two installments of the series appeared in KFIII#26-27 (July 15-22, 1996), written by Jay Jimenez and illustrated by original artist Gilbert Monsanto, ending the strip on a familiar note.

COVERS

  

 

BILLY THE DRAGON

 

Billy The Dragon (also spelled as Billy D' Dragon) first appeared in Kick Fighter Komiks #58 (March 7, 1994), published by Infinity Publishing Inc. The first 17 chapters were written by Andy Beltran and drawn by Fern Lucero. Jet Orbida and Jay Jimenez took over as writer and artist respectively starting with KF #75 (July 4, 1994). Just like in most of the other KF serials, the main characters were modeled (or inspired, or ripped-off, whichever you prefer) on those from the Street Fighter video games. 

 

DRAGON'S QUEST

 

 

The first several episodes followed the title character, Billy, and his arch-rival Apache, Indian brave from the tribe of Kekakeka, as they try to outwit each other in search of the fabled Rosetta Stone.

   

Now, there is, of course, a real-life Rosetta Stone, which was an ancient slab of granite with inscriptions that became a key to understanding Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. The one in the comic, however, was a mystical gem (actually one of two) that granted vast power to whomever possessed it. After 20-plus issues of Billy and Apache trying to kill each other in the wilderness over a rock, they were then sent on a series of adventures through time and space, forced to team-up in order to survive. 

 

During their adventure in the 25th century, they meet a mysterious old sage named Aman, who convinces them to set aside their differences and use the power of the Rosetta Stone for the good of mankind. 

 

DRAGON POWERS

 

 

Billy and Apache both possessed natural fighting and survival skills. After they were empowered by the Rosetta Stones, they gained the ability to fly and shoot energy blasts from their hands. Apart from this, Billy could also breathe fire like his namesake, while Apache could make himself grow to gigantic size (just don't call him "Chief").

 

 

ALLIES

 

AMAN  

An immortal scientist who seeks to help humanity evolve to a higher level and attain spiritual enlightenment.  

 

 

 

 

TILOT  

Aman's young assistant and leader of the Baslit, a colony of genetically-enhanced children bred by Aman himself.  

 

 

 

 LORDO 

The leader of an alien race that had taken over Ancient Egypt. Prior to this, the aliens had been experimenting on Earthlings (presumably kick-starting the evolution of man) and manipulating the Earth's climate since prehistoric times. One of their test subjects turned out to be the immortal Aman. Realizing that his kind's years of conquest had corrupted their once noble ideology, Lordo orders his people to change their ways and becomes an ally to Billy and Apache. He also held the other half of the Rosetta Stones, and is responsible for Billy and Apache's new super powers. 

 

ENEMIES 

 

PAX SCION 

An army of evil mutant warriors ruling the post-apocalyptic world of the 25th century (incorrectly identified as the year 2500). They love garbage and hate cleanliness. Pictured below is their queen Rena Kena, along with Oneno (the midget in the hockey mask) and Aproid (the big goon in the helmet). 

 

MONSTRO 

Rena Kena's pet mutant dinosaur. 

 

PUMANG-KABAYO ("PUMA-HORSE") 

Part-puma, part horse. 'Nuff said. 

"Natatawa ako, hee-hee-hee-hee!"

 

RENO  

 Child-like evil genius from the planet Alta.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 RETURN OF THE DRAGON

 When KF was revamped as Kick Fighter II with issue #118 (May 1, 1995), Billy was transferred to a new serial entitled Zero Gravity, while Apache starred in Blakaduka - Death Land. They would later be reunited in the 1996 Kick Fighter III series Doom Warriors.

 

 

COVERS