tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72664709955136489782024-03-17T22:03:32.264-05:00Gentlemen of LeisureThree guys talking about comic books, TV shows, movies, sports, and the numerous other pastimes that make us Gentlemen of Leisure.Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comBlogger2924125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-44010096876759166412024-03-05T12:00:00.003-06:002024-03-05T23:03:04.225-06:00X-amining Excalibur #108<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8SvImIn7HN6w8AiNDn9p7E53JvP26ojSRNJN2iJxtGhu5x05USUS2Hfb89LXXhEtidiQcagZKSZ4Jops640RloM9gtRVDjh1IfwoU3gal9yYWKZWclAOUrHDXuKASwFlR9FkYdA699NnnT1ti17T_BmCVsnkBXZnbpm0FOzfKXo4LSLOWukqfUC_5V20/s615/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20Cover.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8SvImIn7HN6w8AiNDn9p7E53JvP26ojSRNJN2iJxtGhu5x05USUS2Hfb89LXXhEtidiQcagZKSZ4Jops640RloM9gtRVDjh1IfwoU3gal9yYWKZWclAOUrHDXuKASwFlR9FkYdA699NnnT1ti17T_BmCVsnkBXZnbpm0FOzfKXo4LSLOWukqfUC_5V20/s320/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20Cover.jpeg" width="208" /></a></div>"<b><a href="https://amzn.to/431Hqg4" target="_blank">The Old Ways</a></b>"</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">April 1997</span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">In a Nutshell</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Captain Britain & Meggan battle the Dragons of the Crimson Dawn!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Writer</b>: Ben Raab</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Penciller</b>: Salvador Larroca </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Inker</b>: Scott Koblish</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Letterer</b>: Richard Starkings & Comicraft</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Colorist</b>: Kevin Tinsley</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Separations</b>: GCW</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Editor</b>: Matt Idelson</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Editor-in-Chief</b>: Bob Harras</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Plot</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">On Muir Island, Nightcrawler and Colossus playfully fence with each other. Afterwards. Amanda Sefton approaches Colossus, telling him that she's leaving Excalibur for personal reasons she can't share with anyone, especially Nightcrawler. Meanwhile, in London, </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">the The Dragons of the Crimson Dawn continue their attack on Captain Britain. Back on Muir Island, Wisdom receives a strange email, after which he's harassed by Kitty about acquiring proper superhero attire. Elsewhere in the complex, Wolfsbane expresses her concern over Moira's work habits to Douglock, before departing with Kitty for Ireland. They have a hair appointment with the highly sought after Molly Fitzgerald. In London, </span>Meggan regains consciousness, and is able to help Captain Britain defend himself. Watching nearby is Spiral, who is reminded by the Dragons that she is now one of them, and teleports everyone away but herself and Meggan. Confronted, Spiral assures Meggan she's no friends of the Dragons, and Meggan suggests they head to Muir Island for help. <span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Firsts and Other Notables</span></b></div><div>Amanda leaves the team this issue, mysteriously saying goodbye to Colossus but no one else and giving non-answers as to why she's leaving. Of course, we'll eventually learn in <a href="https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/X-Men_Unlimited_Vol_1_19" target="_blank"><i>X-Men Unlimited</i> #19</a> this isn't Amanda but rather her mother inhabiting her body (as one does). </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsE7shwDh0KnaOgVHoQ2jCfkebUy3StfiIduWZXx-4JHnmVg_0wE0H5s-4tYjGS7lvnsb1GxZ-StlI7Xp8_lR-pNDwXBAxdckA__mJLOrvMv7HnJI89ztPV5yN3x7nJ20tdnHUvmWJVunLIvD_-ZtKttlCCp9LveGDY-I0yTuosltGcPbUWiL_jw_rt8/s2048/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20Amanda%20leaving.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1322" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsE7shwDh0KnaOgVHoQ2jCfkebUy3StfiIduWZXx-4JHnmVg_0wE0H5s-4tYjGS7lvnsb1GxZ-StlI7Xp8_lR-pNDwXBAxdckA__mJLOrvMv7HnJI89ztPV5yN3x7nJ20tdnHUvmWJVunLIvD_-ZtKttlCCp9LveGDY-I0yTuosltGcPbUWiL_jw_rt8/s320/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20Amanda%20leaving.png" width="207" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Wisdom receives a mysterious email from someone named "Peckham" which he promptly deletes. I honestly don't remember if this goes anywhere, but I suspect not. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieOZgxQ9oqXcYnyJYXomU6cDjH5dKxkI2ipiljRyvZLzYJNXNYF1Cua65qZmkCyV2gmzNO_TfZ99hgMG4oeODvv-6R98Mr97pzaMMeAsSeB9RvS9I8615kuFJLvS1EwP7YKsVW1Jg86fZpVU6yzU0fWhoXyoZFLqrRGnhRR8kjQyOwDCnHd779NMtVjOE/s1266/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20Peckham.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1266" data-original-width="1246" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieOZgxQ9oqXcYnyJYXomU6cDjH5dKxkI2ipiljRyvZLzYJNXNYF1Cua65qZmkCyV2gmzNO_TfZ99hgMG4oeODvv-6R98Mr97pzaMMeAsSeB9RvS9I8615kuFJLvS1EwP7YKsVW1Jg86fZpVU6yzU0fWhoXyoZFLqrRGnhRR8kjQyOwDCnHd779NMtVjOE/s320/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20Peckham.png" width="315" /></a></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Regaining consciousness, Meggan briefly sees some kind of ethereal figure. Similarly, I have no recollection of where this is going, either. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQJsE70qDy2IiF4LQck-vwndbbquVziPwh2Gmi0J-jk7JQKIfOlai7M_TatBol0mY8xmfVY8-EgZdyeO_wLDA82elZlTq4PB85gb0P8QzaFUVkajXUbtiCRax2m_g3vSR3TdbCXIdSK3MmM4ALjJC9pvOH5I7Xfpww0ehf511eI1UBIJtTowc-guRXYA/s1048/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20Phantom%20Figure.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1048" data-original-width="649" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQJsE70qDy2IiF4LQck-vwndbbquVziPwh2Gmi0J-jk7JQKIfOlai7M_TatBol0mY8xmfVY8-EgZdyeO_wLDA82elZlTq4PB85gb0P8QzaFUVkajXUbtiCRax2m_g3vSR3TdbCXIdSK3MmM4ALjJC9pvOH5I7Xfpww0ehf511eI1UBIJtTowc-guRXYA/s320/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20Phantom%20Figure.png" width="198" /></a></div><br /></div><div>Kitty and Wolfsbane go to Molly Fitzgerald to get their hair done, with a footnote asking readers if they can guess who it is and directing them to the letters page. There, a contest announced in which two readers who can identify the character will win signed copies of the issue. I don't know if anyone ever won those copies, but the character is <a href="https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Molly_Fitzgerald_(Earth-616)" target="_blank">Shamrock</a>, the Irish superhero introduced in <i>Contest of Champions</i>. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-e9e7DrfA-8khsTkfkQ7tRjetWprTlsPNHCRc0I_88c0ryYv_B7k6ISNH6Acbx000NnRKhIo_zawT4fUWmLExS_MjIL3UgIYfAFTImCjV3ltrRarLel_R_I_wqEz1JgcflhYc5sWHOfpOrqIEVKy3ojElv1DgGcXaCmoS5PVd0b9OYcC037PmFar1BY/s2048/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20Shamrock.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1328" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-e9e7DrfA-8khsTkfkQ7tRjetWprTlsPNHCRc0I_88c0ryYv_B7k6ISNH6Acbx000NnRKhIo_zawT4fUWmLExS_MjIL3UgIYfAFTImCjV3ltrRarLel_R_I_wqEz1JgcflhYc5sWHOfpOrqIEVKy3ojElv1DgGcXaCmoS5PVd0b9OYcC037PmFar1BY/w208-h320/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20Shamrock.png" width="208" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">A Work in Progress</span></b></div></span></div><div>Carrying over from the <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2023/01/x-amining-excalibur-107.html" target="_blank">previous issue</a>, there's a lot of talk in <i>Excalibur</i> #108 about Excalibur getting their own Cerebro up and running in order to operate more like the traditional X-Men. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekalMU0IQHLYqz8Gqqted-B80Rn4Ra5OKIG0zbg4MGy7UCDhJHvlN5yRH3l9PnidziU2rv24AK6qhUc3W_EuBjodtXm3gWXljqSm92FjxCVT6xyzklZsCUb1h5tHnkzhuX1NSQVDyPNEan4SnykOc-3ICtga9-us3IksqPYJcUvRaIAs8pr4hb3E4FQM/s1396/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20like%20the%20X-men.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1396" data-original-width="1331" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhekalMU0IQHLYqz8Gqqted-B80Rn4Ra5OKIG0zbg4MGy7UCDhJHvlN5yRH3l9PnidziU2rv24AK6qhUc3W_EuBjodtXm3gWXljqSm92FjxCVT6xyzklZsCUb1h5tHnkzhuX1NSQVDyPNEan4SnykOc-3ICtga9-us3IksqPYJcUvRaIAs8pr4hb3E4FQM/s320/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20like%20the%20X-men.png" width="305" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div>Kitty pushes Wisdom to get himself proper superhero attire; he resists (and won't ever don a what we'd consider a costume). </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2c8x7iuyvFtmryWsYN8NKY6qaW33vBesbShv1lFQ5gSpgGcxR44g00fSH-_pIkSkUvLaLi8t7DKoPQNo8tAmBUdYw5-B7CJUy2PkMiRpPzBISe32NsrGrUGF3XRpNW385vek-jzWpUUtKfU8NMt-ZFia_GeF9DL5PlLOWuUfEX4Bdb_l9-WxgTBUZcA/s1083/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20Superhero%20attire.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1083" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2c8x7iuyvFtmryWsYN8NKY6qaW33vBesbShv1lFQ5gSpgGcxR44g00fSH-_pIkSkUvLaLi8t7DKoPQNo8tAmBUdYw5-B7CJUy2PkMiRpPzBISe32NsrGrUGF3XRpNW385vek-jzWpUUtKfU8NMt-ZFia_GeF9DL5PlLOWuUfEX4Bdb_l9-WxgTBUZcA/s320/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20Superhero%20attire.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div>The fact that Spiral is sporting a Crimson Dawn facial tattoo (like Psylocke of this time) is highlighted. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GCOWZIS1-DGGgSBDPeBu0rxnKT7pEIPmYXq2CoffS2W6GUH-c1JwsDlXsH_zf4DmFZaek1wz9uRginvXUdsyVR3UGvN7vsXugEjQ2IU7OZBq_TlMbPeoQwN6YoHCk1FlorrRcfSMdHVe9EXj4s9Z_3tjkVJ4TA9759V3l_stZ3mDg1ENDqjtPZn0oag/s2048/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20Crimson%20Dawn%20mark.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1267" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GCOWZIS1-DGGgSBDPeBu0rxnKT7pEIPmYXq2CoffS2W6GUH-c1JwsDlXsH_zf4DmFZaek1wz9uRginvXUdsyVR3UGvN7vsXugEjQ2IU7OZBq_TlMbPeoQwN6YoHCk1FlorrRcfSMdHVe9EXj4s9Z_3tjkVJ4TA9759V3l_stZ3mDg1ENDqjtPZn0oag/s320/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20Crimson%20Dawn%20mark.png" width="198" /></a></div><b><div><b><br /></b></div>Artistic Achievement</b></div><div>I'm just going to leave this drawing of two human beings right here. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8M-b9w6wAJKuEOY9swirO17dWECIims9cv_ta1plkpo_LaKT09l-BifTgF9wxO5HhU7ClYeP-VNfGV6vSKOJml3QM2HBZSL3dAVMGxSnKZNf9yNM5Ew0UsARauCAAJXlczOemjXhVdIXQQPNDjGO5pxeYMr5lJmuHaUJAX0qt_8XJ-pFgLOueCtH1K2M/s1514/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20Larroca%20art.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1514" data-original-width="1331" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8M-b9w6wAJKuEOY9swirO17dWECIims9cv_ta1plkpo_LaKT09l-BifTgF9wxO5HhU7ClYeP-VNfGV6vSKOJml3QM2HBZSL3dAVMGxSnKZNf9yNM5Ew0UsARauCAAJXlczOemjXhVdIXQQPNDjGO5pxeYMr5lJmuHaUJAX0qt_8XJ-pFgLOueCtH1K2M/s320/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20Larroca%20art.png" width="281" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Grim 'n' Gritty 90s</span></b></div><div>Colossus is sporting some <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tekken_2" target="_blank">Tekken 2</a></i> pants.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizhQwH_vfuX_I-qGdkfg6W-AxEdbxz-vd7M149EodlLfHe3j2AfF_1Qv6_zAGxZQ7nnB1UKMiYtwO9vgq14oTabDaekTml_tF_O8CdZYPC4Z-cB2FNmLFi7ZBlqxpe6skLWsBaaU2YuPn-IAZzjFp-UmdJ5yNrNFnlKuaeWcUVTbONBSZTbUEeBlf_U_0/s1527/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20Tekken%202%20pants.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1527" data-original-width="898" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizhQwH_vfuX_I-qGdkfg6W-AxEdbxz-vd7M149EodlLfHe3j2AfF_1Qv6_zAGxZQ7nnB1UKMiYtwO9vgq14oTabDaekTml_tF_O8CdZYPC4Z-cB2FNmLFi7ZBlqxpe6skLWsBaaU2YuPn-IAZzjFp-UmdJ5yNrNFnlKuaeWcUVTbONBSZTbUEeBlf_U_0/s320/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20Tekken%202%20pants.png" width="188" /></a></div><br /></div><div>Remember when they created an entire <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0128853/" target="_blank">Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan rom-com</a> around an email chime? </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-uRbwnhitvbZrABAgEQRfYitmPe35Fdlp9w7F91Qduvh5EsCl4Vq_DVmIggUlK5dO9cRtrojeV3UfbCjyLU3AAj0qXzJHph36VR8OvOoVyFj1G6pzQCmVuLmKjOplWRPwtOWVQHQCYba_zjk9JSS_tcjDtnnTH1gGrxS_kduAdjjNUW3DbRcjP2s1H7M/s1296/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20you've%20got%20mail.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="1296" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-uRbwnhitvbZrABAgEQRfYitmPe35Fdlp9w7F91Qduvh5EsCl4Vq_DVmIggUlK5dO9cRtrojeV3UfbCjyLU3AAj0qXzJHph36VR8OvOoVyFj1G6pzQCmVuLmKjOplWRPwtOWVQHQCYba_zjk9JSS_tcjDtnnTH1gGrxS_kduAdjjNUW3DbRcjP2s1H7M/s320/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20you've%20got%20mail.png" width="320" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Human/Mutant Relations</b></div><div>Wolfsbane and Kitty make their contribution to the now-regular "things are really bad for mutants right now" discourse. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsUSkxUkwshs4FhvnoFLMCMcsymMjA31zZJIKg62toZ0Xo-z8ElmA4suSGbge-DrgwC-MQXKHpYPqBW5lRQGmJqFKmMygwT5M1QEXgXoAd_KNuCSONVzo9Cfz2BYP-zWYlcGSKcTDXk1sLq-CKblm-e8HfHOwzEELCUyvgAa5DcaNLDaBiXYDofFwyNKE/s1217/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20Human%20-%20Mutant%20Relations.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1091" data-original-width="1217" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsUSkxUkwshs4FhvnoFLMCMcsymMjA31zZJIKg62toZ0Xo-z8ElmA4suSGbge-DrgwC-MQXKHpYPqBW5lRQGmJqFKmMygwT5M1QEXgXoAd_KNuCSONVzo9Cfz2BYP-zWYlcGSKcTDXk1sLq-CKblm-e8HfHOwzEELCUyvgAa5DcaNLDaBiXYDofFwyNKE/s320/Excalibur%20%23108%20-%20Human%20-%20Mutant%20Relations.png" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Austin's Analysis</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Excalibur </i>#108 is a frenetic issue. Some of that simply comes from the art — Salvador Larroca, decades away from his hyper photorealistic/tracing style, is still doing his best Joe Mad/manga-influenced work here. Which means we're dealing with tons of lines, over-the-top proportions, and just a lot of <i>stuff </i>going on in each panel. It takes work just to follow the action, which gets to be exhausting. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">But weaving in and around the action scenes are a bunch of sequences set around Muir Island. These are quieter, more character-focused, and while still drawn by Larroca, less exhausting to get through. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">They're also written much more like typical "table setting" scenes. "Amanda" leaving, the talk of using a Cerebro to take on the X-Men's mission, even the jibes about Wisdom's (lack of) costume; all make it seem like this issue is about setting up a new direction for the series. Not only is that not really the case (there's some changes afoot but the direction of the book doesn't really shift appreciably between now and its end with issue #125), it creates tonal whiplash when cutting back and forth with the obnoxiously loud action scenes. Loud action/quiet sublots is a classic bit of comic book construction, but where the juxtaposition between the two is usually used to highlight the respective tonal differences, the loud is so loud here, and the quiet so ultimately-aimless, that it just makes for a confusing reading experience. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Next Issue</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Deadpool battles the Hulk in <a href="https://amzn.to/3IoG71h" target="_blank"><i>Deadpool </i>#4</a>!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div><b>Like what you read? Then support us on Patreon & gain access to exclusive reviews of <i>Classixc X-Men</i>, <i>X-Men: The Animated Series</i> and more!</b></div></span></b><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><a data-patreon-widget-type="become-patron-button" href="https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=498636"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Become a Patron!</span></a></div>Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-62229726377973306352024-01-31T12:00:00.003-06:002024-02-04T20:12:49.406-06:00X-amining X-Force #65<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSR-IBHO-akSx12lXIgF7bZvrEMeQPLxPo1BLVlpaj7g1fRMbm4G7WuLkB57rlMoQFIgswwJWEET9Q7C1icSUc9M8h-Rt6XILLbXxzOdPdcPrtlHPMoEmSgqFsMA_IPzGFpN77LVw261o3kFPlcOsMRMW3QggyGyaouyHlRWauP2AiCEUIGy3dgAXDjZA/s617/X-Force%20%2365%20-%20Cover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSR-IBHO-akSx12lXIgF7bZvrEMeQPLxPo1BLVlpaj7g1fRMbm4G7WuLkB57rlMoQFIgswwJWEET9Q7C1icSUc9M8h-Rt6XILLbXxzOdPdcPrtlHPMoEmSgqFsMA_IPzGFpN77LVw261o3kFPlcOsMRMW3QggyGyaouyHlRWauP2AiCEUIGy3dgAXDjZA/s320/X-Force%20%2365%20-%20Cover.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>"<b>Lower East Side Story</b>"</span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">April 1997<br /><br /><b>In a Nutshell</b></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Adam Pollina returns as Warpath & Risque are attacked by Blob & Mimic!<br /><br /><b>Writer</b>: John Francis Moore<br /><b>Penciler</b>: Adam Pollina<br /><b>Inker</b>: Mark Morales<br /><b>Letterer</b>: Richard Starkings & Comicraft<br /><b>Colorist</b>: Marie Javins</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Separations</b>: Team Bucce</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Editor</b>: Mark Powers<br /><b>Editor-in-Chief</b>: Bob Harras</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2022/11/x-amining-x-force-64.html" target="_blank">Previously, in <i>X-Force</i>...<br /></a><br /><b>Plot</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Risque visits Warpath at the X-Mansion, before the pair head into New York City, much to Siryn's dismay. As Warpath probes an evasive Risque for more information about her past, they arrive at a club in the East Village owned by a friend of Risque's. Inside, Warpath tries to get more info about Risque from her various acquaintances. Back at the X-Mansion, Siryn & Shatterstar practice in the Danger Room before being distracted by the sound of piano music. They follow it to find Caliban mysteriously playing like a virtuoso; as the rest of the team gathers around him, he suddenly has a seizure and collapses. Back at the club, Risque worries that she's getting too close to Warpath, just as she's approached by her mysterious boss, who tells her two others have arrived to finish the job she started. Just then, Blob and Mimic attack the club, trying to capture Warpath. He and Risque manage to fight off Blob & Mimir, but Warpath is angry about her obvious connection to them. She takes him to an apartment nearby. After Warpath assures her he'll stick by her as long as she's honest with him, she offers him a drink laced with a tranquillizer that knocks him out, thereby completing her mission. <span><a name='more'></a></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b><b>Firsts and Other Notables</b><br />After taking some time off to work on the Rise of Apocalypse mini, Adam Pollina returns as the book's regular artist this issue. Barring a few fill-ins, he'll stick with the series through issue #81. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">After flirting around the edges of the series for a bit, Risque is in the spotlight this issue, as Warpath probes her for more info on her background and more hints about her agenda are made. Amongst other things, we also learn her real name is Gloria Munoz. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDFubtIGoGReho5kRodzm8MmgsgmlPnP9OS_k3JaVnWU_Ua2iv_NONqrpTmH5ogXkRFKIBi9BkXpbTzVwgVb1sCDX7zu0tipEocy1bjzy3zM-zGAtdJLhVT3KioqNOnf1xksUB35zmuxoaKYKWA7UaIb5yld3jEADZ6MKSC5Ekb5GbIcL7LVsy0a_mNc/s790/X-Force%20%2365%20-%20Risque.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="790" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDFubtIGoGReho5kRodzm8MmgsgmlPnP9OS_k3JaVnWU_Ua2iv_NONqrpTmH5ogXkRFKIBi9BkXpbTzVwgVb1sCDX7zu0tipEocy1bjzy3zM-zGAtdJLhVT3KioqNOnf1xksUB35zmuxoaKYKWA7UaIb5yld3jEADZ6MKSC5Ekb5GbIcL7LVsy0a_mNc/s320/X-Force%20%2365%20-%20Risque.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Blob and Mimic, last seen working with Risque in <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2021/09/x-amining-x-force-60.html" target="_blank"><i>X-Force</i> #60</a>, return this issue, also working in their own ways to capture Warpath. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEM2bz1bCoxjNECjzknaOIJB8_Z0NyHHYX_r9jkbxJlYyy0UUM4NKSMXzf4HPW1SDaNwHvbQV4aItbzEKxTUumNYT-mb-zpxmX9qgLqAqI_VqoSq5LYH9D5BEPxlYQJaJs6dqgLmsURV7OUzV1FuTufcW2R2opLDfTvEyaQiT_rpXHqlLqmTWrNTc4uw/s1540/X-Force%20%2365%20-%20Blob.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1540" data-original-width="1326" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEM2bz1bCoxjNECjzknaOIJB8_Z0NyHHYX_r9jkbxJlYyy0UUM4NKSMXzf4HPW1SDaNwHvbQV4aItbzEKxTUumNYT-mb-zpxmX9qgLqAqI_VqoSq5LYH9D5BEPxlYQJaJs6dqgLmsURV7OUzV1FuTufcW2R2opLDfTvEyaQiT_rpXHqlLqmTWrNTc4uw/s320/X-Force%20%2365%20-%20Blob.png" width="276" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaR1cArjaUu1XPamZySw6elU0X6apvMNsGKUiLl2dH4UqhbMauZlXjbiwmM264EH5HnFSLJ4OKwC8QzPaeEhkiwTjkRZrtgAjGMbcpi7vmmAB64k0pZ7OvRacPkRFZh_ZG8uzZnK9dStgLG1Q9JjqjWTQE9FhyphenhyphenOOx20IssFTAH0Df5uF9q082QqS2PZtI/s1294/X-Force%20%2365%20-%20Mimic.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1294" data-original-width="1274" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaR1cArjaUu1XPamZySw6elU0X6apvMNsGKUiLl2dH4UqhbMauZlXjbiwmM264EH5HnFSLJ4OKwC8QzPaeEhkiwTjkRZrtgAjGMbcpi7vmmAB64k0pZ7OvRacPkRFZh_ZG8uzZnK9dStgLG1Q9JjqjWTQE9FhyphenhyphenOOx20IssFTAH0Df5uF9q082QqS2PZtI/s320/X-Force%20%2365%20-%20Mimic.png" width="315" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><div><span><br /></span></div>In </span><i>X-Force</i><span> #65's one subplot cutaway, the rest of X-Force is stunned to discover Caliban displaying prodigious piano skills shortly before experiencing a seizure; this is the beginning of a plotline that will culminate in his exit from the team in about six months. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYB9gHK3cAVT3UobsqkX4eP_-gBQakxpKJIwl_Gt1xmmBgh9idn6j8FLajtSp0fBWalm26Z-Z8GVZNYnE38oM8syeecZso7WotSxpyrILUTWsiq9b_pSj5vfkmW_QfO91LFvrnqtLEa-RCeirKg7hY4ejPpoR62plyPxhM6iFVbXgSli8YNg0TjaD1HQ/s1602/X-Force%20%2365%20-%20Caliban.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1602" data-original-width="1331" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYB9gHK3cAVT3UobsqkX4eP_-gBQakxpKJIwl_Gt1xmmBgh9idn6j8FLajtSp0fBWalm26Z-Z8GVZNYnE38oM8syeecZso7WotSxpyrILUTWsiq9b_pSj5vfkmW_QfO91LFvrnqtLEa-RCeirKg7hY4ejPpoR62plyPxhM6iFVbXgSli8YNg0TjaD1HQ/s320/X-Force%20%2365%20-%20Caliban.png" width="266" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><b>A Work in Progress</b><br />It's noted that their unique physiologies help protect mutants from the cold. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBNFOwDGWmUja8wbVZEz-ILS0qSWO4UmCA0fgoQo0p7FczwTkvYsBWJffK78j7UBkMiQib4DhtXBIOuK60_6JxdHmmPROObFZ1cFu3LR0HO8bepw47Zqb-V32kT81KbMKlxKNe5u-ASF1wiGaVkR4pWXdOvV39ObKar_3kVbSY0X2KPRHAInon3HfbLCY/s1323/X-Force%20%2365%20-%20Mutant%20Physiologies.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="654" data-original-width="1323" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBNFOwDGWmUja8wbVZEz-ILS0qSWO4UmCA0fgoQo0p7FczwTkvYsBWJffK78j7UBkMiQib4DhtXBIOuK60_6JxdHmmPROObFZ1cFu3LR0HO8bepw47Zqb-V32kT81KbMKlxKNe5u-ASF1wiGaVkR4pWXdOvV39ObKar_3kVbSY0X2KPRHAInon3HfbLCY/s320/X-Force%20%2365%20-%20Mutant%20Physiologies.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Risque's mutant power to trigger implosions is said to not work on organic material (similar to how Gambit can't charge up organic matter). </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><b>Human/Mutant Relations</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>In more </span><span> </span><span>more "anti-mutant sentiment rising" material</span><span>, bystanders talk about calling Operation: Zero Tolerance and blame mutants for the death of Graydon Creed in</span><span> the aftermath of Blob and Mimic's attack on the nightclub. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ5A27EXaZEMl67nhBGmQKuD6_tVzTcLS5sWIJsVSy6bv5PEq4l5_My6y3sVeRFWfajkW2S1ZE6_2deuKiPe-Uet0HhISPyWRUoiowW__LI68rRYnxq-bw_wpsWOXv0kmwdRjAfe6YWdwDOFMJCmkUQ1BMCxXxYoKA1XLdjkGTA36OT28slOIEMTdlgVY/s1310/X-Force%20%2365%20-%20Zero%20Tolerance.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1175" data-original-width="1310" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ5A27EXaZEMl67nhBGmQKuD6_tVzTcLS5sWIJsVSy6bv5PEq4l5_My6y3sVeRFWfajkW2S1ZE6_2deuKiPe-Uet0HhISPyWRUoiowW__LI68rRYnxq-bw_wpsWOXv0kmwdRjAfe6YWdwDOFMJCmkUQ1BMCxXxYoKA1XLdjkGTA36OT28slOIEMTdlgVY/s320/X-Force%20%2365%20-%20Zero%20Tolerance.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Austin's Analysis</b><br />After simmering along being cryptic for a few issues, Risque steps into the spotlight in <i>X-Force</i> #65. Warpath, channeling the readers, is growing impatient with knowing so little about the woman with whom he's become infatuated (in this, Warpath differs from readers — or, at least, from me — in terms of the infatuation). So he finally starts pressing her for answers about her whole deal, and in a pleasant change, Risque gives him some answers. Except, none of them are <i>real </i>answers — certainly not satisfying ones. Every answer elicits more questions, leaving Warpath — and us — wanting more. This, then, adds an additional layer of metatextuality to the story, as John Francis Moore (intentionally or not) is basically making Risque representative of the kind of writing that dominated superhero comics in this era: setup a bunch of mysteries to string readers along and occasionally give them answers, but not direct answers, answer that always prompts <i>more </i>questions, to keep them reading without ever really revealing anything of substance, until the last possible minute. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Is that enough to make Risque interesting? Not really. At least not here, where the real interesting thing is the return of Adam Pollina. Picking up where he left off with his mildly distorted figures with evocative body language and facial expressions, Pollina brings a ton of energy back to the book after a series of fair but unexciting fill-in artists. His Blob, in particular, is a marvel to behold, even moreso than in his earlier Pollina-drawn appearance, a slovenly pile of grinning fat that always seems eminently pleased with himself. He's a character Pollina seems born to draw, and he's easily the most memorable thing about the issue. </span><span> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><b>Next Issue</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Dragons of the Crimson Dawn target Captain Britain in <a href="https://amzn.to/49prIxp" target="_blank"><i>Excalibur </i>#108</a>!<br /><br /><b>Like what you read? Then support us on Patreon & gain access to exclusive reviews of <i>Classic X-Men</i>, <i>X-Men: The Animated Series</i> and more!</b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a data-patreon-widget-type="become-patron-button" href="https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=498636">Become a Patron!</a></div></span></div></div>Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-31940878951447929662024-01-24T12:00:00.001-06:002024-01-25T21:41:47.300-06:00X-amining Generation X #26<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61T4gCoKxs7QOIFWmp8tMQUK7dsog_nMql9VVIZAsZSELL_1jYC74o_9GqIkffnWihQNjFoY9DTE48AbdMtiL3qqgrTInNzbUrEgepSZSd0k3f2o3KqlJkK-KXI-bI7R8sJFkWWwkxI-tSIewQ1ejp2e4FWRqok4KgiYpgPKunS9IjWSeyhRPsm3-cvk/s612/Generation%20X%20%2326%20-%20Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61T4gCoKxs7QOIFWmp8tMQUK7dsog_nMql9VVIZAsZSELL_1jYC74o_9GqIkffnWihQNjFoY9DTE48AbdMtiL3qqgrTInNzbUrEgepSZSd0k3f2o3KqlJkK-KXI-bI7R8sJFkWWwkxI-tSIewQ1ejp2e4FWRqok4KgiYpgPKunS9IjWSeyhRPsm3-cvk/s320/Generation%20X%20%2326%20-%20Cover.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>"<b><a href="https://amzn.to/3u3BKVV" target="_blank">Adrift</a></b>"</div>April 1997<div><br /><b>In a Nutshell</b></div><div>Jubilee tries to escape from Bastion while her classmates try to survive at sea!<br /><br /><b>Writer</b>: Scott Lobdell<br /><b>Artists</b>: Joe Bennet & Joe Pimentel<br /><b>Letterer</b>: Richard Starkings & Comicraft<br /><b>Colorist</b>: Marie Javins<br /><b>Editor</b>: Bob Harras</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2022/11/x-amining-generation-x-25.html" target="_blank">Previously, in <i>Generation X...</i> </a><br /><br /><b>Plot</b></div><div>Adrift on a chunk of vegetation in the middle of the ocean after escaping from Black Tom, Chamber, M, Husk, Skin and Synch fight to stave off the effects of exposure and find a way to reach land, to no avail. Meanwhile, back at the school, Banshee mourns the death of Emma and desperately tries to find his missing students. Elsewhere, Jubilee manages to knock out the Operation: Zero Tolerance guards holding her, but when her powers overreact and seriously injures one of them, she stops to make sure he's okay, much to a watching Bastion's confusion as this delay leads to her recapture. Back at the school, Emma revives following another psychic encounter with Nightmare, revealing to Banshee that she was only faking her death and their students are still alive. <span><a name='more'></a></span><br /><br /><b>Firsts and Other Notables</b></div><div><i>Generation X </i>#26 picks up Jubilee's story from issue #25 and <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2023/01/x-amining-uncanny-x-men-343.html" target="_blank"><i>Uncanny X-Men</i> #343</a>, showing her waking up a captive of Operation: Zero Tolerance and fighting to escape (and with her hair having been cut short). Her escape is ultimately scuttled by the fact that, after lashing out with her powers, she stops to revive one of the guards to make sure he doesn't die, an action that befuddles Bastion (and could retroactively hint at his <a href="https://x.com/AustinGorton/status/1687105791361429504?s=20" target="_blank">ultimate origins as the fusion of two different robots</a>). </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9P65_h8p_ScDrg8td2vMI9zAdwm6p0Wtc6M8rmhFm83K8DxmoHhnL2Wiq2_gdBp6SI8ZHQbYTgixF1ES7mUDomWUGM2GbHQlN5-BT5DX4p3-1H2V8Fy5XvMouZdiIkwnlHG1uyoDw84iNoyfonnbpZeUXvbm4j-yf1MKPwY6QNduv8NdjKQcF8QgUbQc/s2048/Generation%20X%20%2326%20-%20Confused%20Bastion.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1346" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9P65_h8p_ScDrg8td2vMI9zAdwm6p0Wtc6M8rmhFm83K8DxmoHhnL2Wiq2_gdBp6SI8ZHQbYTgixF1ES7mUDomWUGM2GbHQlN5-BT5DX4p3-1H2V8Fy5XvMouZdiIkwnlHG1uyoDw84iNoyfonnbpZeUXvbm4j-yf1MKPwY6QNduv8NdjKQcF8QgUbQc/s320/Generation%20X%20%2326%20-%20Confused%20Bastion.png" width="210" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Nightmare pops up briefly, following on from his appearance in <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2021/10/x-amining-generation-x-22.html" target="_blank">issue #22</a>, mostly to be vague and cryptic. <br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_7Qa5uVsTrZk6yRoSRpns8hj5GTYa94v5kAm5I4WsGo-s_da2-93eQznIyd-V0aIDdQcVaq7C_5A0bNWLyZzyulYNnZOomty6g5Tv1sJQae77VZMiVvzti2hagnfT8ygFGoM8dm3Xo6d3_RcGKG5j8J-VL0U9tQP0cnpcLMLVIFP15JLABznPqUosw8/s1918/Generation%20X%20%2326%20-%20Nightmare.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1918" data-original-width="1227" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ_7Qa5uVsTrZk6yRoSRpns8hj5GTYa94v5kAm5I4WsGo-s_da2-93eQznIyd-V0aIDdQcVaq7C_5A0bNWLyZzyulYNnZOomty6g5Tv1sJQae77VZMiVvzti2hagnfT8ygFGoM8dm3Xo6d3_RcGKG5j8J-VL0U9tQP0cnpcLMLVIFP15JLABznPqUosw8/s320/Generation%20X%20%2326%20-%20Nightmare.png" width="205" /></a></div><div><br /></div><b>A Work in Progress</b><br /><div>Monet's condition is described as a sort of "mutated autism".</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQ08PAkpRoj7EHKzNmk8hU6lpObj0Hr7zQhBNiO_Hp1_882ZUk7TUPRM0TiNH2QnMO4C8XrxvaFwy0KR96KU-CQErHqFp_11uHwcZDJbE4YTDOKFyYhWUPI_kCcZtrtD7H0m7xkz0Ad_-KEWKEyW4_fI3HIWBnFk9vpcUqbTCbMTJBja8x-_Y0a0HWQ4/s1270/Generation%20X%20%2326%20-%20Mutated%20Autism.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="1270" height="92" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQ08PAkpRoj7EHKzNmk8hU6lpObj0Hr7zQhBNiO_Hp1_882ZUk7TUPRM0TiNH2QnMO4C8XrxvaFwy0KR96KU-CQErHqFp_11uHwcZDJbE4YTDOKFyYhWUPI_kCcZtrtD7H0m7xkz0Ad_-KEWKEyW4_fI3HIWBnFk9vpcUqbTCbMTJBja8x-_Y0a0HWQ4/s320/Generation%20X%20%2326%20-%20Mutated%20Autism.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Later, Chamber thinks that Monet is acting more like a child than her usual confident self. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincwc1x04u9wRSh5BMD2Fd1Oj0zm3fqsC5AWYln_mzL1lWjTOFAvcw8Bgv-GcPMoGCrr5r_4HHHFfE1AntSwmHI-TJwVssniOs_HuGxCNUOenz780gwW16cC_yuk04extpTLjxRumM2JSPn0Qr6K2jV9KNdTt4DumcnPdKvzoCxOAlJLem8oSiLIWMCWU/s1318/Generation%20X%20%2326%20-%20Like%20a%20Child.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1318" data-original-width="1272" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincwc1x04u9wRSh5BMD2Fd1Oj0zm3fqsC5AWYln_mzL1lWjTOFAvcw8Bgv-GcPMoGCrr5r_4HHHFfE1AntSwmHI-TJwVssniOs_HuGxCNUOenz780gwW16cC_yuk04extpTLjxRumM2JSPn0Qr6K2jV9KNdTt4DumcnPdKvzoCxOAlJLem8oSiLIWMCWU/s320/Generation%20X%20%2326%20-%20Like%20a%20Child.png" width="309" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Jubilee notes that her power is the most dangerous when she's not in full control of it. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKw6Qzznz0H6T1ifVfVbDClYZXKuyGDYCHdPTqXWp7Icb9YVqGPWicH3CtwjIf-gpKi9D6RJ5qUjI-xEvvXW1SBEXTGMrsdrR2LFJsFt0m1i8oH-7pQs8X9RYsbqyJcJ9SUeW7fUOR92Wuk9IaG9JgPZRirpF2OrMHTpC4biGd-uNzzxsPMe8ZHRo6B4/s810/Generation%20X%20%2326%20-%20Most%20damage.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="682" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKw6Qzznz0H6T1ifVfVbDClYZXKuyGDYCHdPTqXWp7Icb9YVqGPWicH3CtwjIf-gpKi9D6RJ5qUjI-xEvvXW1SBEXTGMrsdrR2LFJsFt0m1i8oH-7pQs8X9RYsbqyJcJ9SUeW7fUOR92Wuk9IaG9JgPZRirpF2OrMHTpC4biGd-uNzzxsPMe8ZHRo6B4/s320/Generation%20X%20%2326%20-%20Most%20damage.png" width="269" /></a></div><br /><div><b>They're Students, Not Superheroes</b></div><div>When Chamber tries to help an unconscious Husk who is stuck mid-transformation, Monet jumps in, citing a lesson they learned in biology class. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zOjbQ6Z3d67MLT9kC7OAsFDy-ycCC36YffxbKxizGYmw4t7_s1KPJHk53Lmhvb-1Q99i55CjJvegQwJgcaWm0v4LkMakSTty8vUDqLvPQ1ZSR3HE5QWkOsERi7QjGiPSeF-v0Acbuuwo7Z3FwgyHFnQk06Zd_CvnTAiCfSJV7dfzSwHcITgGlPQ8U3A/s1304/Generation%20X%20%2326%20-%20Biology%20class.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="1304" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zOjbQ6Z3d67MLT9kC7OAsFDy-ycCC36YffxbKxizGYmw4t7_s1KPJHk53Lmhvb-1Q99i55CjJvegQwJgcaWm0v4LkMakSTty8vUDqLvPQ1ZSR3HE5QWkOsERi7QjGiPSeF-v0Acbuuwo7Z3FwgyHFnQk06Zd_CvnTAiCfSJV7dfzSwHcITgGlPQ8U3A/s320/Generation%20X%20%2326%20-%20Biology%20class.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Later, Jubilee mentions how Emma is always harping on them to make do with what's on hand.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcomVn2_yi2MTq26Lbc8kWEHiVMPHQlB3w45I9c3vpCDHBxkxRHClDNF-jO6B6SwIsttX8Vzz7MUIok3LbOTZPGfQgWvzXIOoO2trs3-AzXYtHW-LGMl3A3e7U8-iuk8Hm4zbQbrKmrfbmbPo6V1n1jpJJ90S3wcd6n8KTsLUV_33nGlm_ppbk-A8xSFQ/s1229/Generation%20X%20%2326%20-%20Emma's%20lessons.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1229" data-original-width="399" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcomVn2_yi2MTq26Lbc8kWEHiVMPHQlB3w45I9c3vpCDHBxkxRHClDNF-jO6B6SwIsttX8Vzz7MUIok3LbOTZPGfQgWvzXIOoO2trs3-AzXYtHW-LGMl3A3e7U8-iuk8Hm4zbQbrKmrfbmbPo6V1n1jpJJ90S3wcd6n8KTsLUV_33nGlm_ppbk-A8xSFQ/s320/Generation%20X%20%2326%20-%20Emma's%20lessons.png" width="104" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Lobdell hangs a lampshade on the student/superhero divide, showing Banshee using the school's war room to try and find the kids while simultaneously mocking the idea that a school has a war room. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr2-F4v3tNqtFSvXhXYtKcN2wr6NjZQuxlPohYj7n4PrzemV3VyPOUhCsAhz6_WH7sXFjyw1kPRk96xtJEoxDsOH0YJM3DTLp9NimHizxgB62SWfTRza9QXlxdVATQHXBh7-_gjZrhsr74-4UybYmtIA1zNzk6awXYUpn3TlB5D204NU_1Vb3qq2FtuaY/s1346/Generation%20X%20%2326%20-%20War%20Room.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1346" data-original-width="1119" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr2-F4v3tNqtFSvXhXYtKcN2wr6NjZQuxlPohYj7n4PrzemV3VyPOUhCsAhz6_WH7sXFjyw1kPRk96xtJEoxDsOH0YJM3DTLp9NimHizxgB62SWfTRza9QXlxdVATQHXBh7-_gjZrhsr74-4UybYmtIA1zNzk6awXYUpn3TlB5D204NU_1Vb3qq2FtuaY/s320/Generation%20X%20%2326%20-%20War%20Room.png" width="266" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Young Love</b></div><div>Husk admonishes Chamber for trying to protect her, saying if they're going to die, she wants to do it as equals. <br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcW3uiPTvsZSPh_-vvaqaaBR6nCdhhogS5Z8L65DPCtjI7AZT4gSaKGk-JOz_N89tC8sUC1mdYQXD92j9ROT8HP0sIWXRhWTwMwp8n2x7ahFc23LHBStI_-_QpQeef9ZtHvBPfYY5a4Ro4atjCbVW6gcE7eCuN7hnbJiXJ0eJ-nt6VnUjTXVtz_VW_Xrg/s1266/Generation%20X%20%2326%20-%20As%20Equals.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1179" data-original-width="1266" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcW3uiPTvsZSPh_-vvaqaaBR6nCdhhogS5Z8L65DPCtjI7AZT4gSaKGk-JOz_N89tC8sUC1mdYQXD92j9ROT8HP0sIWXRhWTwMwp8n2x7ahFc23LHBStI_-_QpQeef9ZtHvBPfYY5a4Ro4atjCbVW6gcE7eCuN7hnbJiXJ0eJ-nt6VnUjTXVtz_VW_Xrg/s320/Generation%20X%20%2326%20-%20As%20Equals.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><b>Austin's Analysis</b><br />For two consecutive crossovers now, Scott Lobdell has sidelined the majority of his cast away from the big story's central events. During "<a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2021/06/x-amining-onslaught.html" target="_blank">Onslaught</a>", he had Emma telepathically hoodwink the kids in order to hide them away from the title character. Here in <i>Generation X</i> #26, he's got the bulk of the cast adrift on a chunk of land in the middle of nowhere, leaving Jubilee as the series' main entry point into the larger, emerging "Operation: Zero Tolerance" event. It's a curious decision, one which perhaps speaks to the series' "students not superhero" ethos in a more determined way than, say, <i><a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/search/label/New%20Mutants" target="_blank">New Mutants</a></i> ever did (whose cast was similarly meant to be students first and foremost but still got pretty directly embroiled in all the big events of their time), an ethos this issue in particular underscores in multiple places. <br /><div><br /></div><div>It also likely speaks to the relative surplus of X-Men titles at the time (even just ones being written by Lobdell), that keeping one or two of the books more tangential to the main event creates variety for both the reader and the author. Yet for all that, while keeping Generation X off on their own isn't an inherently bad thing (a handful of issues per year of the kids fighting Onslaught's goons or Prime Sentinels wouldn't really add too much), it does run the risk of making the series feel like a second stringer, off doing it's own thing while the "main" books are tackling the ostensibly more "important" story. <br /><br /><b>Next Issue</b></div><div>Adam Pollina returns as Risque steps into the spotlight in <a href="https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/X-Force_Vol_1_65" target="_blank"><i>X-Force</i> #65</a>!<br /><br /><b>Like what you read? Then support us on Patreon & gain access to exclusive reviews of <i>Ms. Marvel, X-Men: The Animated Series</i> and more!</b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a data-patreon-widget-type="become-patron-button" href="https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=498636">Become a Patron!</a></div></div>Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-1021268018185529392024-01-23T02:30:00.011-06:002024-01-23T02:30:00.140-06:00G. I. Joe #80 - November 1988 (The Commercial, Not the Comic)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZhC6cxs5WcQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="ZhC6cxs5WcQ"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nobody beats G. I. Joe</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Over the land and deep down below</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cobra BUGGs got an eye out for Joe</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nobody beats G. I. Joe</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A Real American Hero!<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gene Kendall here, returning with another sporadic review of classic <i>G. I. Joe</i> comic commercials. This one looks pretty amazing, giving audiences all of the fast-moving eye candy you want to see in these ads, but I will have to be a Grumpy Gus and gripe about the lazy jingle.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The early jingles in these ads were true works of art -- Zartan introduced with a pulsing disco theme! -- but in the later commercials, they consist of a few lyrics slapped on to the "Nobody beats G. I. Joe!" tagline, or they're not there at all. I'll admit my bias that I just don't like the "Joe Tough" and "Nobody beats G. I. Joe" campaigns and find the voiceover artist's voice to be…let's say <i>abrasive. </i>The early <i>Joe </i>campaigns were classy and fun, but by the late 1980s, we're in the early days of "extreme" marketing determined to grab kids' attention from all of that cable TV and Nintendo going around.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcd0Tg9dQCX_C8dHq6w2bBctMRJYdvPRmGoCcF4dU4kWLt7Y0-93mFnVEwsY8RUSaTONWKE06ZpmcDL1S2mzC00BKgCOBPvjtuNxuBiafvK6_88jF43cOIM24Z0dCp-3ZYvB1yIHEo6Pk8HOEfUbpM9iYp5YT1xTUrsPeBLNsyu2-6uHMcWuvdyPhAJUs/s240/G.I.%20Joe%20by%20Marvel%20Comics%20-%20animated%20commercial%20%2380%200-7%20screenshot.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="176" data-original-width="240" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcd0Tg9dQCX_C8dHq6w2bBctMRJYdvPRmGoCcF4dU4kWLt7Y0-93mFnVEwsY8RUSaTONWKE06ZpmcDL1S2mzC00BKgCOBPvjtuNxuBiafvK6_88jF43cOIM24Z0dCp-3ZYvB1yIHEo6Pk8HOEfUbpM9iYp5YT1xTUrsPeBLNsyu2-6uHMcWuvdyPhAJUs/s1600/G.I.%20Joe%20by%20Marvel%20Comics%20-%20animated%20commercial%20%2380%200-7%20screenshot.png" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />But as a piece of animation, this is one of the strongest efforts. Sometimes these ads try to cram a story into thirty seconds, other times it's an excuse for the good guy vehicles to relentlessly blow up the bad guy vehicles. That's what we're getting here, and it's fun to watch. There are at least three incredible explosions in only a few seconds, some nicely rendered vehicles (and given how convoluted <i>Joe </i>design was getting at this point, that's no small feat), and the backgrounds look fantastic.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Supposedly, Repeater, Storm Shadow, Spearhead, and Charbroil are the Joes we see during that tracking shot over the Rolling Thunder, but they are obviously not the stars of this ad. In fact, the only characters that receive clear shots are Cobra Commander (still voiced by Chris Latta) and a Techno-Viper. This is all about selling those vehicles: the BUGG, the Phantom X-19 Stealth Fighter, and of course, the Rolling Thunder. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXun6e6fe4nnpvoUPSuGiNNcUAG09Lu4Av5CUMAh2Zzikh_oU3U25Ff72_T6iuh8onfYGTxhxzdomZ2YXARBhJ8olMaPXISrWF1N8KZWD108R_MqB2XXa1OOJDl57MiOVL_3GuBtwLCioYj4-JwQTXhDBz92pJ9zgiIU8l5D-Rax7nTSXZne7i5DMEJig/s240/G.I.%20Joe%20by%20Marvel%20Comics%20-%20animated%20commercial%20%2380%200-11%20screenshot.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="176" data-original-width="240" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXun6e6fe4nnpvoUPSuGiNNcUAG09Lu4Av5CUMAh2Zzikh_oU3U25Ff72_T6iuh8onfYGTxhxzdomZ2YXARBhJ8olMaPXISrWF1N8KZWD108R_MqB2XXa1OOJDl57MiOVL_3GuBtwLCioYj4-JwQTXhDBz92pJ9zgiIU8l5D-Rax7nTSXZne7i5DMEJig/s1600/G.I.%20Joe%20by%20Marvel%20Comics%20-%20animated%20commercial%20%2380%200-11%20screenshot.png" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">There's an interview with the toy designer that indicates he views the Rolling Thunder as the peak of G. I. Joe, and in terms of audaciousness and basic coolness, he might be right. I still have my childhood toy, and the two giant -- I mean <i>giant </i>-- missiles that house dozens of smaller missiles is one of my favorite toy gimmicks ever. The only ding against the Rolling Thunder is that those Brobdingnagian wheels are plastic instead of rubber, but I think Hasbro had mostly eliminated any rubber in its toys by 1988. Interestingly, three years before the Rolling Thunder's release, a prototype version can be seen in the Season One two-parter "Captives of Cobra."</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Perhaps by 1988, enough years have passed since the original Sunbow cartoon to recycle some material that's always worked. That shot of the aircraft carrier is reminiscent of an image of the Flagg from one of the original opening credit sequences. And the collapsing Cobra "Mount Rushmore" at the end also evokes the Season Two opening credits. Both look great and I'm not complaining…I just wonder if the attitude was "we already know this looks cool and it's not as if some kid out there is going to call us out on it."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqa6CsLXxrDlH3gcy6t1vgbIalzfOXHUeemSvawjDjIbV1srf-tYlcCLpAFGuCZrWcYgNEqv1TL7bnf4xcYaop7Onz5Wr8DsY1JxYAZAzk0LXE1R3JEtFKwFpFhOcMuZWGXqkRW_NG-AtIZ8yB23y6M2O8IIeToLAalf6ZlPXadLCfHRV81eZN6NN53Rs/s240/G.I.%20Joe%20by%20Marvel%20Comics%20-%20animated%20commercial%20%2380%200-27%20screenshot.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="176" data-original-width="240" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqa6CsLXxrDlH3gcy6t1vgbIalzfOXHUeemSvawjDjIbV1srf-tYlcCLpAFGuCZrWcYgNEqv1TL7bnf4xcYaop7Onz5Wr8DsY1JxYAZAzk0LXE1R3JEtFKwFpFhOcMuZWGXqkRW_NG-AtIZ8yB23y6M2O8IIeToLAalf6ZlPXadLCfHRV81eZN6NN53Rs/s1600/G.I.%20Joe%20by%20Marvel%20Comics%20-%20animated%20commercial%20%2380%200-27%20screenshot.png" width="240" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The issue of the comic promoted by the cartoon is another personal favorite. I imagine the no-plot commercials were much easier for Larry Hama to translate into a comic book, so he's free to enjoy himself and pull off a done-in-one issue that has the Joes and Cobra both attempting to lay claim to a new land mass emerging from the ocean. The Joes display their loyalty and courage, while the Cobra agents squabble over who takes the blame for failure. This is the issue that had the great Tom Palmer inking Ron Wagner, and it's one of the nicest-looking stories from the original run.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Next time…well, I <i>thought</i> this was the final comic commercial, as it's the last one listed on <a href="http://JoeGuide.com">JoeGuide.com</a>, but as someone on Twitter pointed out, there's one additional ad from 1989, archived by <a href="https://www.3djoes.com/" target="_blank">3DJoes</a>. So, I'll definitely cover that one, and then…who knows…</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the meantime, you can still check out my <a href="https://www.cbr.com/author/g-kendall/" target="_blank">articles on CBR.</a> I've covered some fun topics recently, like Chris Claremont's secret Psylocke retcon that's gone unnoticed for over twenty years, and Joshua Williamson's choice to make Cobra-La a critical part of the rebooted Energon Universe.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">More importantly, I have two short story collections on sale soon, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dogteeth-Other-Tales-Paranormal-Kendall-ebook/dp/B0CQHSBBDR/" target="_blank"><i>Dogteeth and Other Tales of the Paranormal</i>:</a> Ten stories of the paranormal from Gene Kendall, exploring both the light and the dark. A wood nymph becomes a crucial tool in global domination. A social media fad has the entire world feeling blue. An idyllic young couple faces a literal ghost from the past. Featuring the return of Bradley Burns, the Paranormal Desperado of <i>Love is Dead(ly),</i> and the debut of Dogteeth (don’t you ever call them vampires).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">…and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ten-Tiny-Tales-Stories-Elevators-ebook/dp/B0CQHLRBHZ/" target="_blank"><i>Ten Tiny Tales: Stories of Broken Elevators and Other Mundane Things</i>:</a> Gene Kendall returns with ten stories of everyday joys, anxieties, and all the gooey stuff in-between. A few tales of families and criminals and windbags and kids who need haircuts. Featuring material originally presented in the Saturday Evening Post.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Both are free on Kindle Unlimited, and any support on your part (Amazon reviews, certainly) is more than appreciated.</span></p>G. Kendallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12279461069684403792noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-35028974821464910782023-08-16T12:00:00.000-05:002023-08-22T17:15:40.617-05:00X-amining Cable #42<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQREoHkHeoNawyccz9kZS5OKp5AS0kbChVed1x2X76FTzikmMmf-JjkZEBX_83wbnGEyk0f3JvERzNmGJOMTajIxSabrcQPMS3Vy3uUGOSGHjzFeBYN4HyDMwAxmVzUcvYGCVs72OzyenbafDRhveM0Is8FErTt0KecP4SssNL3ePXzXcf8NkwdM8vAk/s590/Cable%20%2342%20-%20Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="399" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQREoHkHeoNawyccz9kZS5OKp5AS0kbChVed1x2X76FTzikmMmf-JjkZEBX_83wbnGEyk0f3JvERzNmGJOMTajIxSabrcQPMS3Vy3uUGOSGHjzFeBYN4HyDMwAxmVzUcvYGCVs72OzyenbafDRhveM0Is8FErTt0KecP4SssNL3ePXzXcf8NkwdM8vAk/s320/Cable%20%2342%20-%20Cover.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>"<b>Tolerance</b>"</div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;">April 1997</p><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><b>In a Nutshell</b></div><div style="margin: 0px;">Cable & Storm fight Callisto & Marrow at a Lila Cheney concert. </div></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;"><b>Writer</b>: Todd Dezago </p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;"><b>Penciler</b>: Randy Green</p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;"><b>Inker</b>: Scott Hana</p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;"><b>Letterer</b>: Richard Starkings & Comicraft</p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;"><b>Colorist</b>: Mike Thomas</p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;"><b>Editor</b>: Bob Harras</p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><b>Plot</b></div><div style="margin: 0px;">In the Swiss Alps, Ch'vayre is visited by Sanctity, who urges him to track down Cable and make him realize it's time for him realize his true destiny. But Ch'vayre doesn't believe Cable is ready yet. Sanctity reminds Ch'vayre of his place. Meanwhile, Cable & Storm are attending a Lila Cheney concert on a tip that Callisto and Marrow are planning on attacking it in the hopes of triggering a mutant uprising. When Callisto and Marrow attack, they cause a panic, but Lila manages to calm the crowd while Cable and Storm move the fight outside. Callisto and Marrow escape, and Cable heads back inside to find the bomb they said they planted while Storm continues to search for their foes. Cable finds the bomb and Storm finds Callisto, who reveals the bomb will detonate once Lila is done singing. Cable telepathically alerts Lila, and she teleports the bomb to the other side of the galaxy. Cable and Storm are happy they prevented a disaster, but Cable remains certain a genetic war is on its way. <span><a name='more'></a></span></div></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;"><b><br /></b><b>Firsts and Other Notables</b></p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;">This marks the beginning of the short run of Randy Green, another artist doing a semi-manga Joe Mad riff at this time, as the series regular penciler; he will stick around through issue #47. </p><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px;">Ch'vayre, the servant of Apocalypse/nanny to Stryfe from the <i><a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2018/08/x-amining-adventures-of-cyclops-phoenix.html" target="_blank">Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix</a></i> and <i><a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2020/08/x-amining-askanison-1-4.html" target="_blank">Askani'son</a></i> miniseries, appears in the opening of this issue (though it's not really explicitly made clear that's who it is). This is the beginning of a subplot that will run through the series, culminating in issue #53, in which Ch'vayre tries to goad Cable into a final battle with Apocalypse. Confusingly, this Ch'vayre is from earlier in his own personal timeline than the one we've seen previously (who was killed by Stryfe in <i>Askani'son</i> #4). Eventually it's revealed that this younger Ch'vayre was sent back in time by Madame Sanctity to try and prevent Apocalypse's rise. He will ultimately fail, and get locked into hibernation which will re-indoctrinate him to Apocalypse's ways by the time he emerges in the future once again for his role in Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix. </p><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px;">Sanctity herself,<a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2022/08/x-amining-x-man-25.html" target="_blank"> making the rounds</a> <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2021/02/x-amining-further-adventures-of-cyclops.html" target="_blank">of late</a>, appears in <i>Cable </i>#42 as well. </p><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXaglP4eTuOFMC1T5v1R_ThLrBUi0nOQibMalYoe65PpxIl56ZBbF-xViLsZUBJ7rc0_iXmZ85Cz109yHSqk4Ogk9VfTI287LzBVpn62Vbb49i6scwDZoH_kv2hCRmzduGOCecbkrBgFhAY1WCpWBHBPDlJNSzpm8FT50cwPiRg5q9CFiGxQd5_F18EbM/s1394/Cable%20%2342%20-%20Sanctity.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1394" data-original-width="1349" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXaglP4eTuOFMC1T5v1R_ThLrBUi0nOQibMalYoe65PpxIl56ZBbF-xViLsZUBJ7rc0_iXmZ85Cz109yHSqk4Ogk9VfTI287LzBVpn62Vbb49i6scwDZoH_kv2hCRmzduGOCecbkrBgFhAY1WCpWBHBPDlJNSzpm8FT50cwPiRg5q9CFiGxQd5_F18EbM/s320/Cable%20%2342%20-%20Sanctity.png" width="310" /></a></div><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px;">Ch'vayre indirectly refers to Cable as the "Gatherer of the Twelve", which is presumably a reference to the <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2013/11/x-amining-x-factor-14.html" target="_blank">long gestating Twelve subplot</a> and which, like most references to the Twelve subplot, doesn't really matchup with what we get when we eventually get the story of <a href="https://xmenrebirth.fandom.com/wiki/The_Twelve" target="_blank">the Twelve told</a>. </p><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisf1iwmxR1Ael55QcJUMUIZqA7zXUIbVCp5yHO0C6oAVIf7BcPy2ImL6U83YxnMjI0sU4ycOy9mnL8Wlu7JihzMhdihPJUGf2Ju2zQ4M9xIWZaEYynqITS7t-iZAbA1b8599yREIcjSJHOc0HXW7DfCSkcGVcirK93Tc77aHI9AlW4eNIO6Wy56U6Y_fM/s1352/Cable%20%2342%20-%20Gatherer%20of%20the%20Twelve.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="889" data-original-width="1352" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisf1iwmxR1Ael55QcJUMUIZqA7zXUIbVCp5yHO0C6oAVIf7BcPy2ImL6U83YxnMjI0sU4ycOy9mnL8Wlu7JihzMhdihPJUGf2Ju2zQ4M9xIWZaEYynqITS7t-iZAbA1b8599yREIcjSJHOc0HXW7DfCSkcGVcirK93Tc77aHI9AlW4eNIO6Wy56U6Y_fM/s320/Cable%20%2342%20-%20Gatherer%20of%20the%20Twelve.png" width="320" /></a></div><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px;">Marrow was revealed to have survived her apparent death at Storm's hands in the final issue of <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2020/09/x-amining-storm-1-4.html" target="_blank">Storm's '96 limited series</a>, but in this issue, Storm (and Cable) learns of her survival. Here, she is working with Callisto to attack humans for vague pro-mutant reasons. She'll next appear in <i>Uncanny X-Men</i> #346, the beginning of a slow transition in her character which will ultimately lead to her joining the X-Men. </p><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcAs_olNizPwU5NN1i_f89c9uoBwcGnZwpB2dZtaD9jvuRuTn5gzq_h_FY9E-vxonUIT_JvqR59x38HaRxtyAOZHo4OKRorTrgIQzsfPn6Aio4F2-PTyXFu0EvR03i6lUO_FHRNUFfVwOGGkgRla9IdZKQG2cB1g5xlBHpOyDg0MjGMvu7rJ2rTVmN9HI/s1211/Cable%20%2342%20-%20Marrow.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="1211" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcAs_olNizPwU5NN1i_f89c9uoBwcGnZwpB2dZtaD9jvuRuTn5gzq_h_FY9E-vxonUIT_JvqR59x38HaRxtyAOZHo4OKRorTrgIQzsfPn6Aio4F2-PTyXFu0EvR03i6lUO_FHRNUFfVwOGGkgRla9IdZKQG2cB1g5xlBHpOyDg0MjGMvu7rJ2rTVmN9HI/s320/Cable%20%2342%20-%20Marrow.png" width="320" /></a></div><p style="margin: 0px; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgknQrMt1TPqA-dJV8pdHOlGeh8bzld8kLOX0HqvKApFi19zk4AAAnLa6kdWqV2SFP6FHN7Xdo3XJVFZmeDr-Bne7_1ICq-dD1FibzjSX5IP576YIQccAoV0Favfux8JbwBlzlmkfNNXxkbk8g4rblnAdntW9Dh2Gh49V_I6MDFyxAu_hgWn8QpFLAk2kM/s1317/Cable%20%2342%20-%20Marrow%20survival.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="1317" height="107" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgknQrMt1TPqA-dJV8pdHOlGeh8bzld8kLOX0HqvKApFi19zk4AAAnLa6kdWqV2SFP6FHN7Xdo3XJVFZmeDr-Bne7_1ICq-dD1FibzjSX5IP576YIQccAoV0Favfux8JbwBlzlmkfNNXxkbk8g4rblnAdntW9Dh2Gh49V_I6MDFyxAu_hgWn8QpFLAk2kM/s320/Cable%20%2342%20-%20Marrow%20survival.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;"><b>A Work in Progress</b></p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;">In a nice use of continuity, Cable & Storm are at Lila's concert thanks to a tip from Thornn, the sister of former X-Force/MLF member Feral, who pops up by the end of the issue to help stop the attack from Marrow and Callisto. </p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfbaxcxP78KY2SUI0qhCB7KSzi1WepxK4Ypb9Zd5DhI3SFl6RmhUclFof1E1F4nSTYosNP77rTdY-Rk4xLvX_gChX6nv3pa4RN54dKJUFRSestLHTVpcKlfBZtVR1SaSj5VkwyHK3qeZH13dS8SJkbktZ4JAuSYrkRgT3CD6Lq_ZBm03kESNsZQveZgY/s990/Cable%20%2342%20-%20Thornn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="990" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfbaxcxP78KY2SUI0qhCB7KSzi1WepxK4Ypb9Zd5DhI3SFl6RmhUclFof1E1F4nSTYosNP77rTdY-Rk4xLvX_gChX6nv3pa4RN54dKJUFRSestLHTVpcKlfBZtVR1SaSj5VkwyHK3qeZH13dS8SJkbktZ4JAuSYrkRgT3CD6Lq_ZBm03kESNsZQveZgY/s320/Cable%20%2342%20-%20Thornn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;"><b>The Grim 'n' Gritty 90s</b></p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;">Cable opens the issue doing what he describes as "moshing" (look it up, kids!), but seems more like simple crowd-surfing. </p><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR0ABhT7HwO7CaYjbgA0cUkm4cnao4_iLTOSIcFfpWJ5n5zyzkm03g4h78D4yap4wTdjj518oejjjB99mkwYJmS4oW2KA4lhlD4ARxvSl4bh3RK63xAc9C9pV4iOqhHv1fMj5dlw6teNURWf6TTeLf6jjL50bTacvgxNhKV7aZZiaY_bY-Z1vg_8LcW50/s2048/Cable%20%2342%20-%20Moshing.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR0ABhT7HwO7CaYjbgA0cUkm4cnao4_iLTOSIcFfpWJ5n5zyzkm03g4h78D4yap4wTdjj518oejjjB99mkwYJmS4oW2KA4lhlD4ARxvSl4bh3RK63xAc9C9pV4iOqhHv1fMj5dlw6teNURWf6TTeLf6jjL50bTacvgxNhKV7aZZiaY_bY-Z1vg_8LcW50/s320/Cable%20%2342%20-%20Moshing.png" width="320" /></a></div><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px;">Storm says that <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2012/09/x-amining-uncanny-x-men-170.html" target="_blank">her duel with Callisto</a> occurred many months ago, while it's been "only weeks" since <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2020/01/x-amining-uncanny-x-men-325.html" target="_blank">she seemingly killed Marrow</a> and that's...a lot of story to have crammed into a period of time less than one year. </p><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;"><b>Bullpen Bulletins</b></p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;">Here's a shot of the Marvel Online blurb from the Bullpen Bulletins page, including instructions on how to find them on AOL (look it up, kids!). </p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3AGWmDTbSuch2lPJmeugx__6gYukrPER5LCda6vPo7lk2jNGNTdz7bkMjwPBrZZFCumEvMY6wTTXvA-IIoaRxmZGgoeU1BBr8ttLKJ_p3qq_qldThQAp0cNGGtdK8NHvDncoKh0lA0jDy1t_buCKMZwJDokbARWITn6ZeSoDwKSY8ca2SZxZ94uQWjWA/s1304/Cable%20%2342%20-%20Marvel%20Online.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="155" data-original-width="1304" height="76" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3AGWmDTbSuch2lPJmeugx__6gYukrPER5LCda6vPo7lk2jNGNTdz7bkMjwPBrZZFCumEvMY6wTTXvA-IIoaRxmZGgoeU1BBr8ttLKJ_p3qq_qldThQAp0cNGGtdK8NHvDncoKh0lA0jDy1t_buCKMZwJDokbARWITn6ZeSoDwKSY8ca2SZxZ94uQWjWA/w640-h76/Cable%20%2342%20-%20Marvel%20Online.png" width="640" /></a></div><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;"><b>Austin's Analysis</b></p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;">On the one hand, Todd Dezago is doing some interesting things here. Despite being an ostensible fill-in writer, with the scene between Ch'vayre and Sanctity which opens the issue, he's introducing a new arc for Cable, something which helps Cable's "genetic war" comments at the end sound more like a specific (if cryptic) reference than a more generic "things are always bad" cliffhanger. With the benefit of hindsight, we know that the return of Marrow is relatively important — in a few months' time, she'll have a spotlight issue in <i>Uncanny X-Men</i> before moving into a larger role in the series next year — and Dezago seems to have done his homework regarding her last appearances. His use of Lila Cheney is also smart,<a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2017/03/x-amining-uncanny-x-men-294.html" target="_blank"> tapping into her history as someone attempting to use shared experience (music) to build a bridge between humans and mutants</a>, while also deploying her mutant power to good effect. </p><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px;">On the other hand, good lord is <i>Cable </i>#42 a generic comic. Bits of X-lore and future setup aside, nothing that happens in it is germane to the title character. Storm's connection to Callisto & Marrow explains her presence in the story, but Cable is essentially piggybacking on her relevance (drawing on their <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2021/03/x-amining-cable-34.html" target="_blank">recently-burgeoning relationship in this title</a>, grated). Worse, none of the dialogue spouted by the characters is in any way unique, just the usual tough guy platitudes, "I can't/but I must" internal conflicts, and villainous clichés that could be lifted and placed into dozens of other characters' speech bubbles. Their "bomb that goes off when the singing stops" aside, there's no twists or turns to Callisto and Marrow's scheme (and really, the bomb's gimmick inspires more questions than anything, like "how does that work, exactly?"). Plus, while Callisto has never exactly been friendly towards humanity, her villainy has always been more about protecting mutants than attacking humans and born of her own self-loathing; here, she's ranting & raving like a Silver Age Magneto. All in all, it makes for a fairly bland reading experience. While Dezago has clearly done his homework, and I can appreciate that, the meat and potatoes of the story is ultimately too generic to get past. </p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;"><b>Next Issue</b></p><p style="margin: 0px;">Jubilee: captive of Bastion in <i>Generation X</i> #26!</p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;"><b>Like what you read? Then support us on Patreon &amp; gain access to exclusive reviews of <i>Classic X-men</i>, <i>X-Men: The Animated Series</i>, and more!</b></p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p></div><div data-blogger-escaped-style="text-align: center;" style="text-align: center;"><div data-blogger-escaped-style="margin: 0px;" style="margin: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px;"><a data-blogger-escaped-data-blogger-escaped-data-patreon-widget-type="become-patron-button" href="https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=498636">Become a Patron!</a></p></div></div>Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-39863914086798191692023-08-09T12:00:00.001-05:002023-08-10T11:08:11.331-05:00X-amining X-Factor #133<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMGcvyJZzu6MoRTvVqiIEdwWybEJgM8V6JgDVnsa44I725eAePkbAL76FxPO9GR4ijmjkNbtwrlvu9A2iHjzTsHBd4oBIvkXGTV64iRmFiXU5iFaC8SlCzY3FMupHFWO-i79Ty9MRb32JPh9TZ52olsALouPR3wQQIp0T4l0c7CW4NmnqL23r94D2v0k/s591/X-Factor%20%23133%20-%20Cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="398" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMGcvyJZzu6MoRTvVqiIEdwWybEJgM8V6JgDVnsa44I725eAePkbAL76FxPO9GR4ijmjkNbtwrlvu9A2iHjzTsHBd4oBIvkXGTV64iRmFiXU5iFaC8SlCzY3FMupHFWO-i79Ty9MRb32JPh9TZ52olsALouPR3wQQIp0T4l0c7CW4NmnqL23r94D2v0k/s320/X-Factor%20%23133%20-%20Cover.png" width="215" /></a></div>"<b>Down Under</b>"</div>April 1997<br /><br /><b>In a Nutshell</b><div>Val Cooper & General Bowser investigate X-Factor's apparent demise. <br /><br /><b>Writer</b>: Howard Mackie<br /><b>Art</b>: Jeff Matsuda & Art Thibert<br /><b>Letterer</b>: Richard Starkings & Comicraft<br /><b>Colorist</b>: Glynis Oliver<br /><b>Editor</b>: Kelly Corvese<br /><b>Editor-in-Chief</b>: Bob Harras<br /><br /><b>Plot</b></div><div>Val Cooper and General Bowser investigate the site of Mystique and Forge's car crash, and discover no sign of them in the Potomac. They proceed to X-Factor's Fall's Edge headquarters, which recently exploded. Despite Val's protestations, Bowser orders a force of six men inside the remains of the building alongside himself and Val to secure Forge's technology. Meanwhile, Jamie Madrox visits the comatose Strong Guy at a hospital in DC, where he is confronted by Havok. Inside Fall's Edge, members of Bowser's team are taken out due to the conditions of the building, and when the group comes across a toxic gas leak, Bowser orders everyone out. Back at the hospital, Havok tries again to get Jamie to join his Brotherhood, but Jamie declines. At Fall's Edge, an electrostatic field is erected around the remains of the building, sealing it off, with the members of X-Factor declared dead. Inside Fall's Edge, Forge and the rest of X-Factor watch Bowser pull out, pleased their ruse has succeeded and thankful for the role Val played in selling it. Now, they can get on with reinventing X-Factor as something better. Back at the hospital, Havok teleports away, urging Jamie to side with him when the time comes. Jamie just wanting a normal life, tells Strong Guy to get better before leaving and missing a small movement of Strong Guy's hand. <span><a name='more'></a></span><br /><br /><b>Firsts and Other Notables</b></div><div><i>X-Factor</i> #133 concludes the series' transition to "X-Factor Underground", getting the team out from under the control of the US government, making them free to act of their own accord (albeit, no longer in any official capacity). </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir_pGzSpEAKSKiHspotk07Joh2jjF64CrquF1o9Mp6XZdCd80dSBcav8IRJ_Cdss2dgBDJphZIoEZyNQGnEx3XmMXdwD5RCmb1O_n8aFkQIlv60qC4fzzjKl8Gce7n-nuIB1DKsz0xvvMUYiwnNfFcdn5bwgXDbo4R4pXUSk428C56wsQjMqdyhGhYvbs/s1414/X-Factor%20%23133%20-%20New%20X-Factor.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1414" data-original-width="1195" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir_pGzSpEAKSKiHspotk07Joh2jjF64CrquF1o9Mp6XZdCd80dSBcav8IRJ_Cdss2dgBDJphZIoEZyNQGnEx3XmMXdwD5RCmb1O_n8aFkQIlv60qC4fzzjKl8Gce7n-nuIB1DKsz0xvvMUYiwnNfFcdn5bwgXDbo4R4pXUSk428C56wsQjMqdyhGhYvbs/s320/X-Factor%20%23133%20-%20New%20X-Factor.png" width="270" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>To this issue's credit, the idea that the six soldiers who enter Fall's Edge with Val and Bowser (four of which are seemingly killed) are actually X-Factor in disguise plays out fairly subtly. Ultimately, we can assume that Sabretooth was the solider "killed" by the spikes, Mystique is the one who was reduced to a skeleton, Forge the one who lost a hand, Wild Child the one who fell down a dark shaft, while Polaris and Shard were the ones who faced the explosion. </div><div><br /></div><div>Strong Guy, still comatose following his end-of-reality-heralding heart attack in <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2019/04/x-amining-x-factor-111.html" target="_blank">issue #111</a>, pops up again for the first time since <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2019/12/x-amining-x-factor-114.html" target="_blank"><i>X-Factor</i> #114</a>, as Madrox goes to visit him. While it'll be awhile before he rejoins the team, this is likely an effort to remind readers the character exists ahead of his <a href="https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Strong_Guy_Reborn_Vol_1_1">upcoming one-shot</a> a few months out. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiiLCt87ADO2cZaBWw4tWtZr21qWsbkgm9fs-zgFQ-IyMZM5rWXKP2CVhpVVHeIMRVhiS0DrLUc7AYpVvKP5v7DAEvaaostHK9DSb5hnpWSe2Gni1hHhVm-Qm67tQ8Et8gZO1kRxbrG0QRQ_cbn4fE7Oe5XxDutZ00iTiaBI8dBRQRACCBufZLRSvBuN8/s2048/X-Factor%20%23133%20-%20Strong%20Guy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1317" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiiLCt87ADO2cZaBWw4tWtZr21qWsbkgm9fs-zgFQ-IyMZM5rWXKP2CVhpVVHeIMRVhiS0DrLUc7AYpVvKP5v7DAEvaaostHK9DSb5hnpWSe2Gni1hHhVm-Qm67tQ8Et8gZO1kRxbrG0QRQ_cbn4fE7Oe5XxDutZ00iTiaBI8dBRQRACCBufZLRSvBuN8/s320/X-Factor%20%23133%20-%20Strong%20Guy.png" width="206" /></a></div><br /><div><b>Creator Central</b></div><div>Eric Battle is credited in the issue as the penciler, but a note in the following issue reveals that Jeff Matsuda penciled it. <br /><br /><b>The Reference Section</b></div><div>I can't decide if the title of this issue, "Down Under" is a reference to the time the X-Men faked their deaths and moved "<a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2014/04/x-amining-uncanny-x-men-229.html" target="_blank">down under" to Australia</a> to operate more freely, or if Howard Mackie isn't that clever. <br /><br /><b>It's in the Mail</b></div><div>This issue includes two-and-a-half pages of letters. <br /><b><br /></b><b>Austin's Analysis</b><br />While the art of the various Joe Madueira clones popping up around this time in the wake of his astronomical sense can be an acquired taste (as can Joe Mad's art itself), I generally haven't minded Jeff Matsuda's style in this series. While his energetic, skewed linework sometimes displays a lack of storytelling fundamentals, the overall verve of his work can inject some energy into otherwise straightforward, talky scenes. In <i>X-Factor</i> #133 however, that more cartoony, bombastic style really lets down the narrative due to its tonal dissonance. Mackie is going for a tense, atmospheric mood here, with Bowser leading Val and (seemingly) regular soldiers into a damaged building in which they get picked off one by one in increasingly macabre fashion. Yet everything is depicted in Matsuda's usual over-the-top style, in sharp contrast to the creeping moodiness of the plot. The narrative is dark, the art is bright and cartoony. Sometimes, that contrast can help elevate the seemingly dissonant parts into a stronger whole, but here, the art significantly undercuts what the story is trying to do.<br /><br /><b>Like what you read? Then support us on Patreon & gain access to exclusive reviews of <i>X-Men: The Animated Series, Classic X-Men,</i> and more!</b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a data-patreon-widget-type="become-patron-button" href="https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=498636">Become a Patron!</a></div></div>Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-83529518291438201822023-08-02T12:00:00.001-05:002023-08-02T12:00:00.137-05:00X-amining Wolverine #112<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZBNeYdhPp4mk6ad__dz69Vi3vtjTlvEAwaFftIUXeFIdCQeMaIJVXSX15nMgQLAs7Xx7cC0h44SK1hKFnhLCFocoVqG4JBXQisX9LoU1TA9GMfvIHWBtOuCqWHQKn0RppDi4D4X3qkl5n8-mGL5TAcQJFkJD3uH_AVw5SR8HEYZ4TniqPTECUokkvak/s589/Wolverine%20%23112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="589" data-original-width="394" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZBNeYdhPp4mk6ad__dz69Vi3vtjTlvEAwaFftIUXeFIdCQeMaIJVXSX15nMgQLAs7Xx7cC0h44SK1hKFnhLCFocoVqG4JBXQisX9LoU1TA9GMfvIHWBtOuCqWHQKn0RppDi4D4X3qkl5n8-mGL5TAcQJFkJD3uH_AVw5SR8HEYZ4TniqPTECUokkvak/s320/Wolverine%20%23112.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>"<b>The Light at the End of the Day</b>"</div><div>April 1997<br /><br /><b>In a Nutshell</b></div><div>Wolverine fights an evil mime. <br /><br /><b>Script</b>: Larry Hama<br /><b>Pencils</b>: Anthony Winn<br /><b>Inks</b>: Dan Green <br /><b>Letters</b>: Richard Starkings & Comicraft<br /><b>Colors</b>: Joe Rosas & Graphic Colorworks<br /><b>Editor</b>: Mark Powers<br /><br /><b>Plot</b><br />Wolverine arrives in the East Village, where he stops two thugs from hassling a woman and a man. The woman, Kirsten, offers to help Wolverine get an apartment in her building. Meanwhile, a passing street mime is lured into a basement by an evil spirit. Later, Wolverine calls Jean and explains that he's attempting to prove he can live in the real world. But over the next few days, as he explores his new neighborhood, Wolverine finds it difficult to not blame himself for the damage caused by Professor Xavier's transformation into Onslaught. Seeking a job, Kirsten directs him towards a construction crew rebuilding in the wake of Onslaught. The foreman, Helen, makes it clear she abhors violence but brings Wolverine aboard. But when she and Wolverine later come across the thugs destroying Wolverine's motorcycle, she snaps and attacks them, helping Wolverine chase them off. With Helen offering no explanation, Wolverine enters his apartment, where the mime, now wearing a sinister smile, is waiting for him.<span><a name='more'></a></span><br /><br /><b>Firsts and Other Notables</b><br />Wolverine goes about setting up a new status quo for himself in this issue, moving into an apartment in the East Village, befriending some neighbors, and getting a construction job. Between Larry Hama's upcoming departure from the series and the looming crossover, none of this really goes anywhere. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEMb-xF3XW4s2V1eTXykrCfCGPmEOHmwxHkiAbTQ1p0mibevbr8Pds-zfTw2xfuMjwFuRS25egJOGtWl_6fl7Hw1ewixlSCGb2Pw_6G4RrQf2AYELZ87sZLEvQ3VKzSHEW2rBbbLaSiTEuQb3d_9Y2-qTbMmmfrkr5FJ5EFUX9hgu6vHGFSuMMWFIS3Ac/s1266/Wolverine%20%23112%20-%20New%20Job.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1212" data-original-width="1266" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEMb-xF3XW4s2V1eTXykrCfCGPmEOHmwxHkiAbTQ1p0mibevbr8Pds-zfTw2xfuMjwFuRS25egJOGtWl_6fl7Hw1ewixlSCGb2Pw_6G4RrQf2AYELZ87sZLEvQ3VKzSHEW2rBbbLaSiTEuQb3d_9Y2-qTbMmmfrkr5FJ5EFUX9hgu6vHGFSuMMWFIS3Ac/s320/Wolverine%20%23112%20-%20New%20Job.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Running as a subplot throughout the issue is the story of a neighborhood mime who gets possessed by an evil spirit, then shows up threateningly in Wolverine's apartment at the end. It's not clear here, but eventually this will be revealed to be Ogun, who takes control of the mime to attack Wolverine. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhExqY9MWxgweSAt9OmFN6jkmNbbiwaAU_LCzw-xQKbFoEjtymuDdrQ34HgAaz96l4mEyCc4j3wGdt36a5NlqNtSQ-53G3vE1ZXw9hkyJPNRbAeXOVcBVdMWJd4nt3x_PzyuYYpFqhKx4Ei9rbld3CoTcBxLogH5owTXoRwAfv3ef26HSu1zWd5gZBchP0/s2048/Wolverine%20%23112%20-%20Mime.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1209" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhExqY9MWxgweSAt9OmFN6jkmNbbiwaAU_LCzw-xQKbFoEjtymuDdrQ34HgAaz96l4mEyCc4j3wGdt36a5NlqNtSQ-53G3vE1ZXw9hkyJPNRbAeXOVcBVdMWJd4nt3x_PzyuYYpFqhKx4Ei9rbld3CoTcBxLogH5owTXoRwAfv3ef26HSu1zWd5gZBchP0/s320/Wolverine%20%23112%20-%20Mime.png" width="189" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Chronology Corner</b><br />This story is set before Wolverine's trip to Hong Kong with the rest of the X-Men in <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2022/09/x-amining-x-men-vol-2-62.html" target="_blank"><i>X-Men</i> (vol. 2) #62</a>-64.<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2DaRIO8qOHFDiS0_Cmaq_nTaoFKCM9Dv1J-S2n5QAq_5V3f6CiZkn6cMRAAt9lu8uNNnxPLiVtXwJSv6Eu0zs5jL99iHDXTC6xHtZVAoVocyZm7nlUwZYiEwtNi6NMqhtpBZZVdM8pbmU7IDsJdbirUMSqVocPDVxxuMwBN-m-scoAdp_VfLEUl18vWI/s1280/Wolverine%20%23112%20-%20Chronology.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="636" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2DaRIO8qOHFDiS0_Cmaq_nTaoFKCM9Dv1J-S2n5QAq_5V3f6CiZkn6cMRAAt9lu8uNNnxPLiVtXwJSv6Eu0zs5jL99iHDXTC6xHtZVAoVocyZm7nlUwZYiEwtNi6NMqhtpBZZVdM8pbmU7IDsJdbirUMSqVocPDVxxuMwBN-m-scoAdp_VfLEUl18vWI/s320/Wolverine%20%23112%20-%20Chronology.png" width="159" /></a></div><br /><b>A Work in Progress</b><br />The final panel of this issue occurs after the first panel of the next issue. <br /><div><br /></div><div><b>The Reference Section</b></div><div>Artist Anthony Winn, an alumnus of Image's Top Cow studio (formed by former Wolverine artist Marc Silvestri) peppers the backgrounds of this issue with references to Top Cow comics and artists, including <i>The Darkness</i> and Eric Basaldua. <br /><br /><b>The Grim 'n' Gritty 90s</b></div><div>When talking to Wolverine, Jean is drawn with low-rise pants and a high-rise thong. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwpFYK9InnYprCkCfToIG0yD3AMPdDJXcyCs-ZgcjntLW8NYu37Oo8W77BnP10JMpPaK71PfFvShsHsFfe6RxF1YLZIXJy4tRVhphiutljOk5vvQvXkDQygHjAYQyDOy3ZMwPcuXWNGGHztb9ZgDyXb-Y63HhXWGHZeWdhrBPA9cw0hhmf8IvDG48zvA/s1384/Wolverine%20%23112%20-%20Underwear.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1384" data-original-width="664" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwpFYK9InnYprCkCfToIG0yD3AMPdDJXcyCs-ZgcjntLW8NYu37Oo8W77BnP10JMpPaK71PfFvShsHsFfe6RxF1YLZIXJy4tRVhphiutljOk5vvQvXkDQygHjAYQyDOy3ZMwPcuXWNGGHztb9ZgDyXb-Y63HhXWGHZeWdhrBPA9cw0hhmf8IvDG48zvA/s320/Wolverine%20%23112%20-%20Underwear.png" width="154" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>There's a <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110912/" target="_blank">Pulp Fiction</a></i> poster on the wall of the diner Wolverine begins frequenting in this issue.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIOXn7_EXkkadEvTe0-a24Rxwg_fEWyJUfRoAFYnAs_GczzTlNZ8ivgvhXOFehDWeboB2JeEplfhjzt3Wbuj7Sqo7e68sM_LxKjP5UUEdqQGHDFtq_GbKA1kPmZxI-5nDX7rVSpIcSHTYywWEGUYjFfFpI_qPlH_ZFsyla45TNl7YyfwcjgR-2-Io7_5Y/s647/Wolverine%20%23112%20-%20Pulp%20Fiction.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="647" data-original-width="457" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIOXn7_EXkkadEvTe0-a24Rxwg_fEWyJUfRoAFYnAs_GczzTlNZ8ivgvhXOFehDWeboB2JeEplfhjzt3Wbuj7Sqo7e68sM_LxKjP5UUEdqQGHDFtq_GbKA1kPmZxI-5nDX7rVSpIcSHTYywWEGUYjFfFpI_qPlH_ZFsyla45TNl7YyfwcjgR-2-Io7_5Y/s320/Wolverine%20%23112%20-%20Pulp%20Fiction.png" width="226" /></a></div><div><br /><b>It's in the Mail</b></div><div>The letter's page in <i>Wolverine </i>#112 appears to have been intended to run in issue #113; it references an appearance by Storm in the issue (which occurs next issue) and teases an appearance by Lady Deathstrike in the next issue (she actually appears in #114). <br /><br /><b>Austin's Analysis</b></div><div>The main takeaway from <i>Wolverine </i>#112 seems to be "Mimes sure can be creepy", which is certainly true, if not exactly groundbreaking, stuff. Beyond that, this is a "setting up the new status quo" issue, introducing a new home base for Wolverine, a new day job, and the beginnings of a new supporting cast. It's a pretty standard superhero comic book trope (<a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2021/08/x-amining-x-man-21.html" target="_blank">Nate Grey experienced it recently</a>, and <a href="https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Cable_Vol_1_48" target="_blank">Cable will have his turn in the not-too-distant future</a>). The problem with it here is two-fold. Reading this retroactively, we know that nothing much comes of this new status quo — Kirsten doesn't become a steadfast supporting character going forward, the mystery surrounding Helen never really gets resolved. It's only a matter of issues before Hama is gone and a new creative team takes the series in a new direction, and even before that, we get "Operation: Zero Tolerance" interrupting what Hama is building here.</div><div><br /></div><div>But even taken on its own merits, free of knowledge of what's to come, <i>Wolverine </i>#112 doesn't work terribly well. Things seem rushed and underdeveloped (perhaps because Hama knows the "Zero Tolerance" clock is ticking). He just happens across some thugs harassing people who just happen to be able to indirectly help him get an apartment and a job. The idea of a Wolverine who is feeling responsible for the damage wrought by Onslaught taking a job literally repairing that damage is a smart one, but he just kind of stumbles into it. Hama is clearly setting up a mystery with Helen, but it feels tacked on, one more new element in an issue crammed with them. And the notion that the mime is being possessed by Ogun is only clear with the benefit of hindsight; as is, it just feels weird and random. It also doesn't help that artist Anthony Winn isn't great at these kinds of quieter, more character-focused stories. Ultimately, while it's hard not to appreciate what Hama is trying to do here, it's equally hard to argue that he pulls it off. </div><div><br /><b>Next Issue</b><br />X-Factor heads underground in <i>X-Factor</i> #133!<br /><br /><b>Like what you read? Then support us on Patreon & gain access to exclusive reviews of <i>X-Men: The Animated Series, Classic X-Men,</i> and more!</b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/7266470995513648978/2044285525400418054#">Become a Patron!</a></div></div>Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-24351070669920555442023-06-19T02:00:00.173-05:002023-06-19T02:00:00.137-05:00G. I. JOE #74 - August 1988 (The Commercial, Not the Comic)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K_cotNkWCbM" width="320" youtube-src-id="K_cotNkWCbM"></iframe></div><br /><p>Destro's back</p><p>On the attack</p><p>Out to conquer the world on his own</p><p>But nobody beats G. I. Joe</p><p>A Real American Hero</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>Not only is Destro back...but so is the character specific jingle! Those have been sorely missed. There is one quirk here I haven't noticed in the previous ads -- the cover image that swoops in at the end has a different color scheme when compared to the actual comic. The color gradient going from dark orange to yellow looks pretty nice, maybe even better than the printed comic's<a href="https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/G.I._Joe:_A_Real_American_Hero_Vol_1_74" target="_blank"> dark purple to blue.</a> No idea why the two images don't match. Perhaps someone thought the purple clashed against the animation's exploding background?</p><p>This ad (the next-to-last in the Marvel run...<a href="https://youtu.be/FUJk91BdJ4o" target="_blank">of the animated commercials, that is</a>) is another refugee from the era between the Sunbow and DiC animated series. It's also a relic of <i>Joe</i>'s transition into the 1990s from its '80s glory days. We have Arthur Burghardt returning from the original series as Destro, and the voice of '80s <i>Joe </i>Jackson Beck, who did the voiceovers on the animated series and various commercials. They're joined by...that agro jingle guy who screams more than he sings. Simply not a harmonious blend to my ears, and it's unfortunate that the tough guy posturing is what wins out as <i>Joe </i>marketing goes into the 1990s.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdD_NtTWngSm1iBCVsi6nDZDr2IfnTcxyWitC0VhuRy2_-SulLbkAafDfabFXmTBUGAAC3HvSJ8-VB_eE_qK6gq-IlmHBpzPpLofkYcsOfvG6ANcXncRqHVihoRRoCQJCa3zKZrqW8aX6NSVwkSgZY13V0L5nb1pSUet9bRAgMeW0BXm_N-9lIzn4_/s640/GIJoe%201988%20TV%20Commercial%2010_%20Destro's%20Army%20(animated)%20-%20from%20Griffin%20Bacal%20Inc%20VHS%20Master%201080p%20HD%200-5%20screenshot.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdD_NtTWngSm1iBCVsi6nDZDr2IfnTcxyWitC0VhuRy2_-SulLbkAafDfabFXmTBUGAAC3HvSJ8-VB_eE_qK6gq-IlmHBpzPpLofkYcsOfvG6ANcXncRqHVihoRRoCQJCa3zKZrqW8aX6NSVwkSgZY13V0L5nb1pSUet9bRAgMeW0BXm_N-9lIzn4_/s320/GIJoe%201988%20TV%20Commercial%2010_%20Destro's%20Army%20(animated)%20-%20from%20Griffin%20Bacal%20Inc%20VHS%20Master%201080p%20HD%200-5%20screenshot.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />It's possible this is Arthur Burghardt's last appearance as Destro -- online databases have both Scott McNeil and Maurice LaMarche as Destro's voice in the later DiC episodes. Unfortunately, there was never an ARAH reunion for <i>Joe </i>in an animated movie or video game, like the retro <i>Transformers: Devastation</i> title from a while back.<p></p><p>The presentation of this commercial is so divorced from the actual comic, it's pretty amusing. The premise is that Destro is so annoyed by both Cobra Commander and Serpentor, he's striking out on his own against G. I. Joe. This leads to an extended montage of his personal guard, new headquarters, and their new line of vehicles (a little more sci-fi than Cobra's fleet, and presumably all on sale in time for this issue's release).</p><p>In actuality, the issue being advertised is part of a multi-issue storyline depicting a Cobra civil war between Cobra Commander's imposter replacement and Serpentor. Destro observes from the side and joins forces with G. I. Joe when the advantage suits him. Along the way, Serpentor dies because Hama never really cared for the guy and Hasbro wasn't planning any new versions of him.</p><p>These issues ran during Marvel's initial attempt at scheduling their most popular titles twice a month during the summer. This also happened to be my first summer as a devoted comics fan and everything about this story arc <i>was ridiculously important. </i>I'd never seen a storyline of this scope in the cartoon, and all of the intrigue and political maneuvering amongst the cast melted my small child brain. All this, <i>and </i>the book was coming out twice as often as it used to! </p><p>In retrospect, I could look back and grumble about the blatant cash grab that caused numerous coloring mistakes, and had the great Ron Wagner unable to meet the hectic schedule and some ill-advised fill-in artists popping in (like a sadly miscast Marshall Rogers, who reportedly had an insane tax bill to pay at the time and showed up at Marvel looking for some nice royalty-paying fill-in work.) We all have connections to those early comics, though, and I can't imagine anything shaking my affection for these issues. I even purchased the IDW trade for this run, hoping to replace my tattered original comics -- the back cover claim that these stories have been recolored is "dubious," I'd say.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMdXmP1dGNqbJ58Qql85U1b3hwrkgNie1dJa4KOVyx7cpEbMjWsaZZFw-5XuB0LTXy-4zDRbDr0esG-Bg2bn-tfkM31d5h8X-ZTntLwPhZYUM5WDye0goDBOjl0VXKZDla8ostNkRIousU4DvX4ye-MTIryKnuypHZ3hSSvpOSiWlqg9bo03z5CwhD/s640/GIJoe%201988%20TV%20Commercial%2010_%20Destro's%20Army%20(animated)%20-%20from%20Griffin%20Bacal%20Inc%20VHS%20Master%201080p%20HD%200-3%20screenshot.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMdXmP1dGNqbJ58Qql85U1b3hwrkgNie1dJa4KOVyx7cpEbMjWsaZZFw-5XuB0LTXy-4zDRbDr0esG-Bg2bn-tfkM31d5h8X-ZTntLwPhZYUM5WDye0goDBOjl0VXKZDla8ostNkRIousU4DvX4ye-MTIryKnuypHZ3hSSvpOSiWlqg9bo03z5CwhD/s320/GIJoe%201988%20TV%20Commercial%2010_%20Destro's%20Army%20(animated)%20-%20from%20Griffin%20Bacal%20Inc%20VHS%20Master%201080p%20HD%200-3%20screenshot.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />The animation in this advertisement is darn impressive -- maybe the best the "golden" Destro will ever look. Everyone is pretty far off-model from the '80s cartoon, however. Was there any episode from the Sunbow era that looked like this?<p></p><p>The archived copy is taken from a master recording and preserved by 3D Joes; hopefully, more of these high-quality versions will surface one day. The proto-digital look is, I believe, a result of the editing being done on video instead of film. I don't think the colors were done digitally, but cutting on video might be responsible for the slightly "artificial" look. </p><p>The character movements are remarkably fluid, with far more "flailing" than we ever saw in the Sunbow episodes. The best-looking <i>Joe </i>commercials and episodes from that era were animated in Japan by Toei, I believe, and I don't see any hints of anime here. I actually wonder if the Canadian studio responsible for <a href="https://youtu.be/voN12Lm-IfU" target="_blank">the 1991 <i>Batman: The Animated Series </i>test footage</a> cut this ad. It's a shame that, as far as I know, there's been no true documentation of the animators and studios who worked on these commercials (in addition to no official release from Hasbro, who reportedly didn't preserve the film.)</p><p>Shameless plug time...my new novel series <i>Efficient and Divine<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BYTMBCDQ" target="_blank"> </a></i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BYTMBCDQ" target="_blank">is on sale now</a> (a mystery-horror-crime hybrid of small-town murder and mayhem, free on Kindle Unlimited) and I'd love for you guys to check it out. The first book is also <a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/Efficient-and-Divine-Almost-Heaven-Audiobook/B0C4VTPJT4?qid=1686338084&sr=1-1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=65ZHM425AR1RZR59JH2G&pageLoadId=nh34BBP1PN5Owr80&creativeId=0d6f6720-f41c-457e-a42b-8c8dceb62f2c" target="_blank">available for Audible,</a> with the great Brian Knutson narrating. And, as always, you can receive a free short story if you<a href="https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/m4l3f2" target="_blank"> sign up for my mailing list.</a></p><p>As for next time...well, it's #80, the final animated commercial.</p><p><br /></p>G. Kendallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12279461069684403792noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-77957201668921320212023-05-05T03:00:00.053-05:002023-05-05T03:00:00.136-05:00Efficient and Divine - Gene Kendall's New Crime Thriller (Also, Free Stuff)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TkcyfZXMv45kGhA134fYK31O1WSS3FgQJkkggxMLtCtqjG95325nkYE2BtNz-mfy8fhxtYYvXqI_quRr7WbpHytAvNfIXixdAk5T5vVD0ARVVFwhpmlJezlfINqqeIYWaPl-MzwraYi2uj6t7YLiFujScpp7R24IgouVS0jW0KC1B58mQwBF6BD9/s2400/Efficient%20AUDIBLE%20Almost%20Heaven%20upscaled%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="2400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TkcyfZXMv45kGhA134fYK31O1WSS3FgQJkkggxMLtCtqjG95325nkYE2BtNz-mfy8fhxtYYvXqI_quRr7WbpHytAvNfIXixdAk5T5vVD0ARVVFwhpmlJezlfINqqeIYWaPl-MzwraYi2uj6t7YLiFujScpp7R24IgouVS0jW0KC1B58mQwBF6BD9/w400-h400/Efficient%20AUDIBLE%20Almost%20Heaven%20upscaled%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Quick-witted and clean-cut Mason Mackay has something dark within. Struggling to accept his sinister urges, Mason must choose between those he loves and those who deserve brutal justice</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">Gene Kendall here, once again acting like a hog and using a blog post to plug his projects. I've been at work for a few years now on <i>Efficient and Divine</i>, a small-town crime thriller series. (They're available on Kindle Unlimited, which is currently <a href="https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/hz/subscribe/ku" target="_blank">running a free trial promotion</a>.) The first novel <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BSN18RGR" target="_blank"><i>Almost Heaven</i> is an origin story of sorts for Mason Mackay,</a> a handsome documentarian who discovers a staggering capacity for violence.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><i>Honey Locust</i>, the follow-up that is<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Efficient-Divine-Locust-Gene-Kendall-ebook/dp/B0BSRKDDTF" target="_blank"> <b>on sale today</b></a>, has Mason now "at peace with his lust," unaware that his ex-fiancée -- who also happens to be an ambitious police officer -- is on his trail.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">I wasn't sure this would be a series, actually, until I read John E. Douglas' <i>The Killer Across the Table. </i>(Douglas is the FBI profiler who inspired the Netflix series <i>Mindhunter.</i>) In the book, Douglas details an interview with a serial killer who claims he sublimated his urges for years by attending organized hunts of drug dealers in Mexico. The logistics of how these "hunts" would work, and what kind of entrepreneurial Frank Castle might be behind them, inspired the second novel.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">I'll also confess that some aspect of the sequel was sparked by YouTube videos of guys at the range with shotguns that are identical to '90s Rob Liefeld guns, and one character has a philosophy similar to some...intriguing thoughts presented by Jim Steranko in that 1970 <i>Rolling Stone </i>piece on Marvel Comics.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">The genesis of <i>Efficient and Divine </i>was, frankly, an irritation with contemporary mystery/thrillers. Amazon sends out a dozen or so "free reads" to Prime subscribers every month, and I've consumed far too many of these second-rate duds. Bland characters, predictable twists, and far too much padding. As a fan of endearing boozehounds like Raymond Chandler, I told myself I could do better.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">There's the possibility you disagree, of course, and I'm curious to read your reviews. Reader feedback is indispensable to authors; it's the audience that will let you know if you took things too far or not far enough. (I probably took things too far.) I'd be curious to read your reviews on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BYTMBCDQ?binding=kindle_edition&" target="_blank">Amazon</a> or <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123386543-efficient-and-divine" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>. You can also check out a sneak preview of the audiobook at this <a href="https://youtu.be/c3umE9u7e_k" target="_blank">super-secret YouTube link.</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">Also, to celebrate today's launch, I'm offering some of my previous novels <a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Gene-Kendall/author/B079JJM9P8" target="_blank"><b>for free on Amazon</b>. </a> A cantankerous cartoonist cast aside in the modern day, and a teen vigilante who discovers something shocking about her cranky mentor -- all can be yours for the low, low price of nothing. For today, at least.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">And a free short story awaits if you sign up for <a href="https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/m4l3f2" target="_blank">my mailing list.</a> Additionally, <i>The Saturday Evening Post</i> currently has two of my short stories on their site, free for<a href="https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/author/gene-kendall/" target="_blank"> subscribers and non-subscribers alike.</a> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">I'm also still contributing to <a href="https://www.cbr.com/author/g-kendall/" target="_blank">CBR</a>. Recently, I penned a review of <a href="https://www.cbr.com/x-men-movie-james-cameron-wolverine/" target="_blank">a 1991 <i>Wolverine and the X-Men </i>screenplay</a> from the era when James Cameron was producing the film. I also did a deep-dive on the early development that went into <a href="https://www.cbr.com/transformers-muffy-mysterians-marvel/" target="_blank">creating the Transformers for a Western audience.</a> Maybe this was too obscure, but I personally find stuff like <i>Muffy and the Mysterians </i>(a Scooby-Doo take on the property) fascinating.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 17.12px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">Regarding the future of my posts here...well, it's clear that I'm running out of old <i>G. I. Joe</i> commercials to mine for content. Of course, the other major Hasbro property of that era also had television ads for their Marvel comic, so it makes sense to also cover those, right? And it's possible this could lead to another new series with a similar theme. Regardless of what the future holds, thanks for your support, everyone.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 16.96px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"> </p>G. Kendallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12279461069684403792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-18316185504837625592023-04-26T12:00:00.003-05:002023-04-26T16:30:25.464-05:0060 Years of X - 1970<div style="text-align: left;"><b>Year 8: 1970<br /></b>1970 X-Men Comics & Appearances: <i>X-Men</i> #66-68, <i>X-Men Annual</i> #1, <i>Amazing Spider-Man</i> #92<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The X-Men have their series cancelled, then revived a few months later as a reprint title! An amazing friendship starts! And that's about it!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">043 - Year 8 Cover: <i>X-Men</i> #66</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlk40Hz_Ce3zWWlMJfJk4e-TiDrNy5YdYcpmUSQVRVrdqi51KuRfOu_tnrbKT2BZcJvYwtysQkSpA1hIE4XJfjrySsN6TFG84FzjR08qTAkWoLwg5661mrqAa4DHMKYfnq8dqD5wX1cD7aYTHmV0zp3q5h9TrTY3fPM8Eqijv8xiaCtbO2di4Ct-jv/s1080/X-Men%20%2366.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="707" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlk40Hz_Ce3zWWlMJfJk4e-TiDrNy5YdYcpmUSQVRVrdqi51KuRfOu_tnrbKT2BZcJvYwtysQkSpA1hIE4XJfjrySsN6TFG84FzjR08qTAkWoLwg5661mrqAa4DHMKYfnq8dqD5wX1cD7aYTHmV0zp3q5h9TrTY3fPM8Eqijv8xiaCtbO2di4Ct-jv/s320/X-Men%20%2366.jpg" width="209" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><span><a name='more'></a></span>Pickings are pretty slim this year, obviously. This gets the nod simply for being seared into my brain as "the last issue of the original #XMen run". And for suggesting Beast & Angel have a snowball's chance against Hulk. <br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">044 - Year 8 Creator: Gil Kane</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-nEqakFLz66yK_JFcctQqgWxEluNFKr42dHSfsdsY5FYyJrbr__urnSGOqcO-4eTX5nd8YFE6Fohm_ZUSyxrjcTFOsau5VE-SSbUirDK4rmnKgdfLCmBsIzLtB2E9L12AEmy_6otfi5N2kU2BuKguXM53tGzs9GpwpxAWbH-jRz7sn3DCdUId_pH/s516/ASM%20%2392%20-%20Spidey%20vs%20Iceman.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="236" data-original-width="516" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-nEqakFLz66yK_JFcctQqgWxEluNFKr42dHSfsdsY5FYyJrbr__urnSGOqcO-4eTX5nd8YFE6Fohm_ZUSyxrjcTFOsau5VE-SSbUirDK4rmnKgdfLCmBsIzLtB2E9L12AEmy_6otfi5N2kU2BuKguXM53tGzs9GpwpxAWbH-jRz7sn3DCdUId_pH/s320/ASM%20%2392%20-%20Spidey%20vs%20Iceman.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Smack in the middle of his <i>Amazing Spider-Man</i> run, Kane gives the Spider-Man/Iceman confrontation his signature style, featuring off-kilter figures and unique panel angels. <br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">045 - Year 8 Character: Iceman<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVPHtAF3oamD_ARTB9QMJNMQWL-Han0KjUJcIjZe0t3ZZpcincUfsqhcRLHeIbnp_SpNrgOKhmtitEE6Qrg9Gag0MWcJCABxknrD-fCQWc6_ej4odPeGEAMUQHnJr3WgYNhNEv_oONFoJZ6kEZgQJcfAkW5NL4htb15i6E0UjSSdw4pFbqDTghZZ9/s518/ASM%20%2392%20-%20Iceman.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="518" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQVPHtAF3oamD_ARTB9QMJNMQWL-Han0KjUJcIjZe0t3ZZpcincUfsqhcRLHeIbnp_SpNrgOKhmtitEE6Qrg9Gag0MWcJCABxknrD-fCQWc6_ej4odPeGEAMUQHnJr3WgYNhNEv_oONFoJZ6kEZgQJcfAkW5NL4htb15i6E0UjSSdw4pFbqDTghZZ9/s320/ASM%20%2392%20-%20Iceman.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />As the first member of the X-Men to appear anywhere after the series' cancellation, Iceman's appearance in <i>Amazing Spider-Man</i> #92 makes him the standout character simply for showing up.<br /><br />046 - Year 8 Comic: <i>Amazing Spider-Man</i> #92<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKShpbpGnU2aBIhX9P82A_lpQ8EdzIfri51Dg14XsBUeIFa5q6O1bjzjx0bWL5Fi60aqdrHaIO_ybE3oOx2qHSCjFhtK95mQRAPXDSZ1wZZ_fgZjxSX6DnEFiPAm7E7DR9-0pgMQaXnjDAVWjqCI8SNG6BLVTFg-MYM9hhwp7DsLMwCqvvRUo7DvMU/s1080/Amazing%20Spider-Man%20%2392.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="706" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKShpbpGnU2aBIhX9P82A_lpQ8EdzIfri51Dg14XsBUeIFa5q6O1bjzjx0bWL5Fi60aqdrHaIO_ybE3oOx2qHSCjFhtK95mQRAPXDSZ1wZZ_fgZjxSX6DnEFiPAm7E7DR9-0pgMQaXnjDAVWjqCI8SNG6BLVTFg-MYM9hhwp7DsLMwCqvvRUo7DvMU/s320/Amazing%20Spider-Man%20%2392.jpg" width="209" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />I highly doubt anyone had this comic in mind when the show was being conceived, but I do like that the first post-cancellation appearance of any of the X-Men is a meeting between two future Amazing Friends.<br /> <br />047 - Year 8 Fun Fact: Reprint Reprieve</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcwalva5_nl47K1oVYlUmJ6dqIo_3ATkeumQRp1FFR-dJPJbc2xtnoh8uaEhbeWgIvFufdFID-mnokEd-Jwu7eAiXlrZRqwjASjWOcSEAcgfEXxaxiRN5kxo4zIP3aESrp3tw883WquOvFwJFg8f4WV9VzDvXd5n_SJYnA97NAXHn1Jyec9x4CEsxd/s3056/X-Men%20%2362.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3056" data-original-width="1988" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcwalva5_nl47K1oVYlUmJ6dqIo_3ATkeumQRp1FFR-dJPJbc2xtnoh8uaEhbeWgIvFufdFID-mnokEd-Jwu7eAiXlrZRqwjASjWOcSEAcgfEXxaxiRN5kxo4zIP3aESrp3tw883WquOvFwJFg8f4WV9VzDvXd5n_SJYnA97NAXHn1Jyec9x4CEsxd/s320/X-Men%20%2362.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />While the Thomas/Adams sales boost didn't occur quickly enough to stop cancellation, Roy Thomas believes the bump may've convinced Martin Goodman to revive the series, which at least kept the characters around.<br /><br /> 048 - Year 8 Memorable Moment: The End!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOfPZc5MkL4vaDx7bWXXZFzor-h8u4r5cm_xwczrqCJonHkrLep676i0q8fsYAGMVASdZAHAS_txb1GDTicGJ4WqkWbieC0WbUhWovSU3zSPaqE-lYfjy8PNeskDHFSYD3Ib9Sv2eJ09am1Uy6TdA0EQ2oi5_b1rDUTSkltjAnk_sGZ4vXgs7odik/s579/X-Men%20%2366%20The%20End.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="563" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOfPZc5MkL4vaDx7bWXXZFzor-h8u4r5cm_xwczrqCJonHkrLep676i0q8fsYAGMVASdZAHAS_txb1GDTicGJ4WqkWbieC0WbUhWovSU3zSPaqE-lYfjy8PNeskDHFSYD3Ib9Sv2eJ09am1Uy6TdA0EQ2oi5_b1rDUTSkltjAnk_sGZ4vXgs7odik/s320/X-Men%20%2366%20The%20End.jpg" width="311" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />With neither a bang nor a whimper, really, the X-Men slink off into comic limbo upon the conclusion of <i>X-Men</i> #66, a rare miss from the red hot Silver Age Marvel bullpen. <br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So would it seem, at least...<br /></div>Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-86038500868267469762023-03-13T03:00:00.201-05:002023-03-13T03:00:00.220-05:00G. I. JOE #72 - June 1988 (The Commercial, Not the Comic)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ouN6cRQ0lfI" width="320" youtube-src-id="ouN6cRQ0lfI"></iframe></div><br /><p></p><p>Nobody beats G. I. Joe</p><p>Nobody beats G. I. Joe</p><p>Fighting hard against the Cobra foe</p><p>Nobody beats G. I. Joe</p><p>A Real American Hero!</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p>Once again, we're cheated out of a vehicle-specific jingle. And honestly, "Nobody beats G. I. Joe" was never a personal favorite. I have no other gripes about this one, though.</p><p>It's a shame there isn't a higher quality version of this ad...it's entirely possible one <i>is </i>out there, buried amongst countless YouTube '80s commercial compilations, but it doesn't seem as if anyone's discovered it. Describing the sequence as "action-packed" feels silly, as these commercials are all about fast-paced action featuring the latest toys and vehicles, but this one really works. The darker colors make it moodier than most of the ads, that Star Viper comes across as truly lethal in just those opening three seconds, and those vehicles are as shiny and cool as the "classic" vehicles from the original Sunbow cartoon.</p><p>Apparently, to this day, it's unknown which animation studio was producing the ads during this era. "This era," as in, the daily Sunbow series has ended and DiC has yet to pick up the rights. It's a shame that the version of DiC that takes over the show is the degraded, later version of the studio. DiC began life as a collaboration between a French producer and TMS, the legendary Japanese studio that brought us the best <i>Batman: The Animated Series </i>and <i>Superman: The Animated Series </i>episodes. </p><p>By the late 1980s, DiC began to contract the animation to cheaper studios in Korea...sadly, one of their first "cheap" shows was in fact the relaunched <i>G. I. Joe</i>. Rewatching DiC's <i>Captain N: The Game Master</i> on YouTube during the pandemic, and was surprised at the animation quality. I'm not sure if a single episode looks bad -- in fact, most of the second season tends to look better than the first. (I'm talking the full-length episodes, not the half-episodes later paired with <i>Super Mario </i>on NBC Saturday mornings. Those are truly heinous.) DiC was wrapping up <i>Captain N: The Game Master</i> around the time it launched <i>G. I. Joe, </i>and it's amazing to look at the difference in quality.</p><p> Anyway, some fans believe Sunbow was still producing the animation for these ads (presumably with Toei as the overseas studio, as they animated the best <i>G. I. Joe </i>episodes). Others maintain that this is in fact DiC...the DiC that wasn't known for "Do it Cheap," but was actually producing some of the nicest-looking cartoons for Western audiences at the time. It's a shame that so much of this history remains undocumented. And given that Hasbro sees far more value in Transformers as a property than Joe, I'm not expecting any massive historical preservation projects any time soon (aside from what 3D Joes comes up with, of course.)</p><p>The number of characters and vehicles in this one is pretty nuts. This might be the only halfway decent animation the "urban camo" version of Storm Shadow received, and he's only viewed from the back for maybe two seconds while getting his butt kicked. And even a casual fan will note Chris Latta returning, this time as the voice of the Star Viper.</p><p>1988 is considered by many to be past the line's glory days, but I believe if a quality show was still airing in syndication at this time, the era would be remembered more fondly. I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with any of the characters and vehicles in this ad, to be honest. And as a kid who wanted something to fill the hole left by the show's cancellation, discovering these new Cobra and Joe forces was pretty exciting. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigPqvdGT_TCiNPTiL6lNuwY8_fwWouDC8bwHLncf5rK0Vx-a_ZxuNGM73WOeEwurc7zd-xmfAUwLwP0K5ee7nz7hxFiiMvOUMJUqOQSyasyB1i5UQ2yCAM_uhAasUfn5-WJNQinaTT-PytPFqQk2Ti_XVZbvO_FpljatDygzBugRRb-kVrwJCV5rha/s1600/joe_cover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1036" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigPqvdGT_TCiNPTiL6lNuwY8_fwWouDC8bwHLncf5rK0Vx-a_ZxuNGM73WOeEwurc7zd-xmfAUwLwP0K5ee7nz7hxFiiMvOUMJUqOQSyasyB1i5UQ2yCAM_uhAasUfn5-WJNQinaTT-PytPFqQk2Ti_XVZbvO_FpljatDygzBugRRb-kVrwJCV5rha/s320/joe_cover.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><br />Anyone introduced to the title in this era was treated to incredible art by Ron Wagner (another artist with vague Russ Heath qualities that helped to link the comic to the animation models), clean inks from Randy Emberlin that predates his long association with Mark Bagley on <i>Amazing Spider-Man</i>, and Larry Hama, still quite engaged in building this mythos and entertaining his audience with stories that could be shockingly poignant but also knowingly ridiculous. The ad doesn't depict the Star Viper's attire as he steals the McGuffin disc, an AC/DC t-shirt and a rubber Richard Nixon mask. <div><br /></div><div>There's also a silent, sneaky sequence of him infiltrating the Joes' base (and walking in on Flint and Lady Jaye making out) that's a testament to both Hama and Wagner's skills as visual storytellers.<p></p><p>#72 is another issue I picked up in my early days of collecting, perhaps spurred on by this ad and the promise of something cool and new. I remained a mark (is that the proper pro wrestling lingo?) for Sgt. Slaughter, and was curious about those new guys riding along with him in that new vehicle. Tunnel Rat's there, but where the heck were the other Rawhides? And why isn't there a new episode of the show where I can see all of this stuff?</p><p>So, in closing, shameless self-promotion that would be criminal to ignore. By the time this goes live, I should have two short stories featured by the legendary <i>Saturday Evening Post</i>, and hopefully <a href="https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/author/gene-kendall/" target="_blank">you'll check them out at this link</a>. I'm also still contributing to CBR <a href="https://www.cbr.com/author/g-kendall/" target="_blank">in case you'd like to check out my articles.</a></p><p>The even bigger news is the release of my new novel -- <i>novels, </i>plural. They're both available for preorder <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BSRL19WZ?binding=kindle_edition&ref_=ast_author_bsi" target="_blank">now on Amazon. </a>The name of the series is <i>Efficient and Divine</i> (and if any '90s aficionado catches the reference, you deserve a Texas-sized No-Prize.) These are two connected mystery/thriller novels starring a young documentarian who may or may not be possessed by demons. April and May will see the release of two full-length novels, Why only a month apart? Well, why not. You can also download free preview ARCs of the first book over at <a href="https://claims.prolificworks.com/free/pSkZxhK7" target="_blank">Prolific Works</a>, or <a href="https://booksirens.com/book/PCW62WH/KDA7YL6" target="_blank">Book Sirens</a>. Any support, certainly reviews once the books are released, would be appreciated.</p></div>G. Kendallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12279461069684403792noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-72803783814749225632023-03-01T12:00:00.010-06:002023-03-04T16:30:24.439-06:00X-amining X-Men (vol. 2) #63<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSgUXwzy21PpE-aVWAH2yf5TRh-LbgODR_-49KvLmWc6kaQDmbvsUhB68n8A0MGMMAH_xUeXiOt1CZI9e8BwDkaTSaHR794KFiRiCZAalk9aNWtZrj8WtnYg63nOuvqqBjR8n9aHeA5KfdUjBDJOKUbuwwpnz-8kwnfIEDod4cTi3aw4Jq7OFlDRle/s615/X-Men%20(vol.%202)%20%2363%20-%20Cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSgUXwzy21PpE-aVWAH2yf5TRh-LbgODR_-49KvLmWc6kaQDmbvsUhB68n8A0MGMMAH_xUeXiOt1CZI9e8BwDkaTSaHR794KFiRiCZAalk9aNWtZrj8WtnYg63nOuvqqBjR8n9aHeA5KfdUjBDJOKUbuwwpnz-8kwnfIEDod4cTi3aw4Jq7OFlDRle/s320/X-Men%20(vol.%202)%20%2363%20-%20Cover.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>"<b><a href="https://amzn.to/3yff6rO" target="_blank">Games of Deceit & Death Part 2</a></b>"</div><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">April 1997</span><br /><br /><b>In a Nutshell</b><div>The search for a Legacy Virus cure gets complicated as Sebastian Shaw returns and the Kingpin reveals himself!<br /><br /><b>Plot: </b>Scott Lobdell<div><b>Script</b>: Ben Raab<br /><b>Pencils</b>: Carlos Pacheco <br /><b>Inks</b>: Art Thibert<br /><b>Letterer</b>: Richard Starkings & Comicraft<br /><b>Colors</b>: Chris Lichtner , Aron Lusen & Liquid Graphocs<br /><b>Editor</b>: Bob Harras</div><br /><b>Plot</b><div>The X-Men an Shang-Chi battle the cyber ninjas, who reveal they are working for Sebastian Shaw, who shortly thereafter reveals himself to the X-Men. After a brief scuffle, Storm brokers a truce, while Cannonball slips away underneath a rickshaw headed towards Fujikawa Enterprises. At the Hong Kong branch of the Hellfire Club, Shaw admits he's seeking a cure for the Legacy Virus — and a financial interest in the production of it — but claims there is some altruism to his motives. He also secretly receives all of Moira MacTaggert's data on the Legacy Virus from Rory Campbell. Shortly thereafter, the X-Men depart for Fujikawa Enterprises, where Shaw believes the Elixir Vitae sought by Shang-Chi's father and key to the cure, is being held. However, Cannonball is already inside, and learns the new head of the company is none other than the Kingpin, who shortly thereafter reveals himself to the intruding X-Men!<span><a name='more'></a></span><br /><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Firsts and Other Notables</b></div><div>Sebastian Shaw status as "not dead" is revealed to the X-Men who didn't already know that (mostly everyone present but Jean, who presumably learned it in <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2022/08/x-amining-x-man-25.html" target="_blank"><i>X-Man</i> #25</a> and apparently didn't tell anyone else, including her psychically-bonded husband, despite the fact that her adventure in that issue involved the her husband's seemingly-resurrected ex-wife). </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzxX_HelWZNKZPuGxr87ChGPGs0NFdzUr30T-yxXEndhdJ4hOJl7A_N2I9GGSmoThg9XTJ1QlRojs-5XksfaegIvQWy9-gGlVXloqxr4OSUTDO1ghYh-_Zn8fjEnm66vp4_-PbUr5tMrnbFocQ4S4Z5DM07R0ngBdrTNdtKvBlyiG7CDkDh8T1MyOH/s2048/X-Men%20(vol.%202)%20%2363%20-%20Shaw.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1327" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzxX_HelWZNKZPuGxr87ChGPGs0NFdzUr30T-yxXEndhdJ4hOJl7A_N2I9GGSmoThg9XTJ1QlRojs-5XksfaegIvQWy9-gGlVXloqxr4OSUTDO1ghYh-_Zn8fjEnm66vp4_-PbUr5tMrnbFocQ4S4Z5DM07R0ngBdrTNdtKvBlyiG7CDkDh8T1MyOH/w207-h320/X-Men%20(vol.%202)%20%2363%20-%20Shaw.png" width="207" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The final page reveals that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingpin_(character)" target="_blank">Kingpin</a> — Marvel's go-to "top gangster" character who usually bedevils Spider-Man and Daredevil — is involved in the plot, as the head of Fujikawa Enterprises (a minor Marvel Corporation with ties to <i>Iron Man</i>; Kingpin's ascent to its control, an ultimately brief turn for the character that doesn't really last past this story, remains an untold story). His presence represents a continuation of the X-books taking steps into the wider Marvel Universe and becoming less insular in the wake of "<a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2021/06/x-amining-onslaught.html" target="_blank">Onslaught</a>" (see also: the recent Latveria story in <i><a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2022/04/x-amining-x-force-63.html" target="_blank">X-Force</a></i>, the Hercules appearance in <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2021/09/x-amining-x-men-vol-2-59.html" target="_blank">issue #59</a>, the continued role of Franklin Richards and Howard the Duck in <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2021/10/x-amining-generation-x-22.html" target="_blank">Generation X</a>).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2sWIS5hj_ZMdSGqYh2ulZaclA6gqLxfiy2U-kRNoyWq1UkcU9c7yURCwsA6Ov4UPk_jiRSSQCCN0Hsl3nl3m7dj6_prA6meQtSmsg9SH1-OKY1ofgRq2Ze6ij845xYqMFO97X6bUs289d0rDLzttiK1DWi_luN6ceqR1dIqazW6FiyLyBoL9JQB5/s1536/X-Men%20(vol.%202)%20%2363%20-%20Kingpin.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1476" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2sWIS5hj_ZMdSGqYh2ulZaclA6gqLxfiy2U-kRNoyWq1UkcU9c7yURCwsA6Ov4UPk_jiRSSQCCN0Hsl3nl3m7dj6_prA6meQtSmsg9SH1-OKY1ofgRq2Ze6ij845xYqMFO97X6bUs289d0rDLzttiK1DWi_luN6ceqR1dIqazW6FiyLyBoL9JQB5/s320/X-Men%20(vol.%202)%20%2363%20-%20Kingpin.png" width="308" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Rory Campbell the one-legged scientist theoretically fated to become <a href="https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Roderick_Campbell_(Earth-811)" target="_blank">Ahab</a> who was recently a recurring presence in Excalibur pops up in this issue, giving Shaw Moira's Legacy Virus data; he's not terribly wild about working with Shaw but believes it will serve a greater good. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieyIjt552uEd1dEWi0MCL3Vf_dybgDMsC74s8uiuZDKiWdaQLeRo98iZcJgUOCRxL8mRAKwdSiV34DorLFAhWSTGjJiID-aABjGyPqVh8uCF6_hV4QbpVJ_mzIxhHzmMBRvrfOBDGmaNPer2TwBftfTyo89dRClqjwREqkBn7NguKAawLYZQWw4Wa6/s1219/X-Men%20(vol.%202)%20%2363%20-%20Rory%20Campbell.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1198" data-original-width="1219" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieyIjt552uEd1dEWi0MCL3Vf_dybgDMsC74s8uiuZDKiWdaQLeRo98iZcJgUOCRxL8mRAKwdSiV34DorLFAhWSTGjJiID-aABjGyPqVh8uCF6_hV4QbpVJ_mzIxhHzmMBRvrfOBDGmaNPer2TwBftfTyo89dRClqjwREqkBn7NguKAawLYZQWw4Wa6/s320/X-Men%20(vol.%202)%20%2363%20-%20Rory%20Campbell.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>At one point, Jean says she's worried about something...sinister, with the ellipses and connotation of the word "Sinister" for the X-Men suggesting this is meant to tease something, but as far as I know, nothing Mister Sinister-related comes of it. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNL7UbQRIZzHSvu0jlEvDIOqBLAFEftST-K1XNW9aGIMLWGlrAwRnA2zOxbeAunSICgR7EuOdkmusACLBFtR-aMrBC5NbEVOIWmpNXgY1i85iTwOkBDcVgJKNjpOmk4p2vWpFluaOQFAjPu5RMU2v3g9xBSrGsvHxGQpojuS3_qjzz76LDwzg-o0Jk/s1246/X-Men%20(vol.%202)%20%2363%20-%20Something%20Sinister.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="1246" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNL7UbQRIZzHSvu0jlEvDIOqBLAFEftST-K1XNW9aGIMLWGlrAwRnA2zOxbeAunSICgR7EuOdkmusACLBFtR-aMrBC5NbEVOIWmpNXgY1i85iTwOkBDcVgJKNjpOmk4p2vWpFluaOQFAjPu5RMU2v3g9xBSrGsvHxGQpojuS3_qjzz76LDwzg-o0Jk/s320/X-Men%20(vol.%202)%20%2363%20-%20Something%20Sinister.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><b>A Work in Progress</b></div><div>Shaw makes a cheap reference to <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2018/11/x-amining-x-men-vol-2-annual-3.html" target="_blank"><i>X-Men (vol. 2) Annual</i> #3</a>, though the footnote is incorrect (it leaves out the "annual", therefore directing readers to either the <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2009/02/x-amining-x-men-3.html" target="_blank">first appearance of Blob</a> or the <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2016/06/x-amining-x-men-vol-2-3.html" target="_blank">death of Magneto</a>). </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTk4N7JNuUjigPAJH4-XvAdVySbcn0BOkCArK1qvvGf0Mk3LFN6WDujiNWcP8ln4Ip8JXo7_rSvFxkqAt2aU5FTGXEsVs6M_eUi0wy-3KMbGJDCem-rBkXy8eonqVvudNeR5NxnbE9UUs9gViPv4v5HnmaEKGKZXThMzjdbTxFLB5h4VqB15nampjP/s1960/X-Men%20(vol.%202)%20%2363%20-%20X-Men%20Annual%20%233.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="674" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTk4N7JNuUjigPAJH4-XvAdVySbcn0BOkCArK1qvvGf0Mk3LFN6WDujiNWcP8ln4Ip8JXo7_rSvFxkqAt2aU5FTGXEsVs6M_eUi0wy-3KMbGJDCem-rBkXy8eonqVvudNeR5NxnbE9UUs9gViPv4v5HnmaEKGKZXThMzjdbTxFLB5h4VqB15nampjP/s320/X-Men%20(vol.%202)%20%2363%20-%20X-Men%20Annual%20%233.png" width="110" /></a></div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Young Love</b></div><div>Shang-Chi picks up on the will they/won't they vibes between Jean and Wolverine, noting that interact like unrequited lovers. <br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidDNEsvf_8UaHrkk9IsHhsFEaTxlr6LbL2TcuO8kH5yBuWcsd6a9LJVBZMl1wilPPZFl26B9p6GqToJ7Xs0u5d1ZglPsq1soTS4Mvn5gcQmCjW_fk8d79E53yAMGLFgvp2JmCldgHcwf0BurP9LOGanLW4o48g-lZ7MA-tpxLqiDGJbwdz_L-7Q1a7/s864/X-Men%20(vol.%202)%20%2363%20-%20Unrequited%20lovers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidDNEsvf_8UaHrkk9IsHhsFEaTxlr6LbL2TcuO8kH5yBuWcsd6a9LJVBZMl1wilPPZFl26B9p6GqToJ7Xs0u5d1ZglPsq1soTS4Mvn5gcQmCjW_fk8d79E53yAMGLFgvp2JmCldgHcwf0BurP9LOGanLW4o48g-lZ7MA-tpxLqiDGJbwdz_L-7Q1a7/s320/X-Men%20(vol.%202)%20%2363%20-%20Unrequited%20lovers.png" width="98" /></a></div><div><br /></div><b>Austin's Analysis</b><br />Plot-wise, <i>X-Men</i> (vol. 2) #63 is a bit of a mess. The fight with the cyber ninjas (whom Raab heroically tries to make interesting by giving them names and some semblance of personality <i>a la</i> Chris Claremont but simply doesn't have the room nor the best raw material in characters to work with) proves to be pointless when their master is revealed to be Sebastian Shaw, who shortly thereafter starts working with the X-Men despite having sent the cyber ninjas to kill them in the first place (thus endeth the existence of this batch of cybernetic ninjas). Similarly, Cannonball somehow knows Fujikawa Enterprises is involved in the plot, even though the rest of the X-Men discover this later in the story (to say nothing of him randomly hitching a ride on a vehicle that happens to be going exactly where he wants to go). <br /><div><br /></div><div>It all reads a little like the "<a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/search/label/%22The%20Souldsword%20Trilogy%22" target="_blank">Soulsword Trilogy</a>" in <i>Excalibur</i>, another three part story plotted but not scripted by Lobdell, which periodically loses track of its characters and plotlines. The Pacheco art is nice, as is the illusion of progress on the never-ending Legacy Virus plotline. Casting Shang-Chi as the point-of-view character also helps make some of the internal narration mildly interesting. But overall, the whole thing reads like a random jumble of plot points and characters, a story that somehow feels both too short for the amount of story it's trying to cram in, and interminably long. <br /><br /><b>Next Issue</b></div><div>Wolverine fights a mime in <i>Wolverine </i>#112!<br /><br /><b>Like what you read? Then support us on Patreon & gain access to exclusive reviews of <i>Ms. Marvel</i>, <i>The Champions</i>, and more!</b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a data-patreon-widget-type="become-patron-button" href="https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=498636">Become a Patron!</a></div></div></div>Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-90451061424942422462023-02-28T12:00:00.002-06:002023-03-02T16:23:06.014-06:0060 Years of X - 1969<h3 style="text-align: left;"> Year 7: 1969</h3><div><div>1969 X-Men Comics & Appearances: <i>X-Men</i> #54-65, <i>Sub-Mariner</i> #14</div><div><br /></div><div>Neal Adams saves the X-Men! Roy Thomas returns! So do the Sentinels & Professor X! Magneto gets a face! Havok, Sauron, Sunfire, the Savage Land mutates (& the Living Monolith...) debut!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>037 - Year 7 Cover: <i>X-Men</i> #56</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LLf7SDUbGZ2-4S3cYmNu4ESU5dhSkgLgDslfEpa4LfH6B-qQYTvLPvN9Pcf19q2K1tUSh9GnUIk-QuKu2r9f4GcFoombV9uRCXJu5PehIIVOykWig86fuvybHTNqks2v2l3PEjTMgM_yrXbeF-cI9ZxBSDl1fThFIe8L4Y5encAb8dBel3ObEaRj/s593/X-Men%20%2356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LLf7SDUbGZ2-4S3cYmNu4ESU5dhSkgLgDslfEpa4LfH6B-qQYTvLPvN9Pcf19q2K1tUSh9GnUIk-QuKu2r9f4GcFoombV9uRCXJu5PehIIVOykWig86fuvybHTNqks2v2l3PEjTMgM_yrXbeF-cI9ZxBSDl1fThFIe8L4Y5encAb8dBel3ObEaRj/s320/X-Men%20%2356.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><span><a name='more'></a></span>Somewhat famously, this is the second version of this cover, as the first was rejected by publisher Martin Goodman. Neal Adams' revision to it is still a banger though, and oft homaged. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>038 - Year 7 Creator: Neal Adams</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHWnuPoJzXglfRrtzrT_JJIuk79R6TYnHOQKVz6SKLn0nmDrjQKC1eZMVkvGr0YaZ5-k9CQgtEfdsX_wySJqb44yzyd6RTud_w9VI3zDHJIq_E4ibHnT4w7CeZVXo9qI09M-StYDD8wPZdfD9PddhifX8GpDwEFxZ2XL3QZHtEXXEAPoqU1IMZAzE/s828/X-Men%20%2357%20Beast%20Falling.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="562" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbHWnuPoJzXglfRrtzrT_JJIuk79R6TYnHOQKVz6SKLn0nmDrjQKC1eZMVkvGr0YaZ5-k9CQgtEfdsX_wySJqb44yzyd6RTud_w9VI3zDHJIq_E4ibHnT4w7CeZVXo9qI09M-StYDD8wPZdfD9PddhifX8GpDwEFxZ2XL3QZHtEXXEAPoqU1IMZAzE/s320/X-Men%20%2357%20Beast%20Falling.png" width="217" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw1VYCUNnXVoPyz7V9Dj6KgVgST-sAqd8RW8Usa3LFtebZ3zwBKBOuj4qo4ihQGbjuM_9RZ7slwNBCQdkpW43ho4edTfQn58ByjE5LG7na8FdU8TnO5kWtvKciWx7EXsYYqmkddbpCPUDKn48Nt1dM1ETyFIzkWzzLhNsT1EG-xtq_QWEMbR8L4leV/s565/X-Men%20%2357%20TV%20Expo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="565" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw1VYCUNnXVoPyz7V9Dj6KgVgST-sAqd8RW8Usa3LFtebZ3zwBKBOuj4qo4ihQGbjuM_9RZ7slwNBCQdkpW43ho4edTfQn58ByjE5LG7na8FdU8TnO5kWtvKciWx7EXsYYqmkddbpCPUDKn48Nt1dM1ETyFIzkWzzLhNsT1EG-xtq_QWEMbR8L4leV/s320/X-Men%20%2357%20TV%20Expo.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkn92v1Nh3HzZhiCnNi3EBGOY6d_t1H21VQpCuJgbR7tZbazeX0ZUJ6hyQrBIVhDqGjUVkrPzdq44dSvv7foTkso6h3YtnWnoBAW7PDrxVS9T-K-p_fIjn5igeH2O9p5425_H8a5UGaGZI1YMxglqavMG9No6H_T31e30V7eOopEpn-E6imPUm2sel/s1190/X-Men%20%2361%20-%20Sauron%20Recap.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="916" data-original-width="1190" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkn92v1Nh3HzZhiCnNi3EBGOY6d_t1H21VQpCuJgbR7tZbazeX0ZUJ6hyQrBIVhDqGjUVkrPzdq44dSvv7foTkso6h3YtnWnoBAW7PDrxVS9T-K-p_fIjn5igeH2O9p5425_H8a5UGaGZI1YMxglqavMG9No6H_T31e30V7eOopEpn-E6imPUm2sel/s320/X-Men%20%2361%20-%20Sauron%20Recap.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhePnS9pKO0QWEIirJHkrofOLBRWi0onjqn1-v2IvbbDRCLVqXFcCzKsQEUIMKw0syvch4hN7DnxjjNT4SnYg2llyqSLA1AAzohD3TPF07A0R4qcHxwVKPwS8oXUeD9NPfDhtY2X1r4ezJscuxK7ZYg9EvmN2rgD44RWVhZxZmnZAO7W7cFNwWbNSL/s828/X-Men%20%2362%20-%20Magneto%20Revealed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="556" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhePnS9pKO0QWEIirJHkrofOLBRWi0onjqn1-v2IvbbDRCLVqXFcCzKsQEUIMKw0syvch4hN7DnxjjNT4SnYg2llyqSLA1AAzohD3TPF07A0R4qcHxwVKPwS8oXUeD9NPfDhtY2X1r4ezJscuxK7ZYg9EvmN2rgD44RWVhZxZmnZAO7W7cFNwWbNSL/s320/X-Men%20%2362%20-%20Magneto%20Revealed.png" width="215" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Who else? Not only did Adams reinvigorate the series & help the X-Men survive past 1970, his innovations in coloring, layouts, panel/page composition & more gave new words to the visual language of comics. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>039 - Year 7 Character: Havok</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmalZlwUu88nTsXBlkjopP0Y5FLgR98ukt2bpK3GaH8W2BJwvAw4Fc6m_AX_sif6pxDr-XtBnPUlmuf1xNHo_Jja2K-aQWkd91Tj3M4PtIX3oeTI1YuvAzxdh9Ser7ZZtDhiKpEHvLAMFAytrHbdFQYeTixe3yTz57GzRre3lO1cZMo9oh-EIvo59/s564/X-Men%20%2358%20-%20Havok%201.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="253" data-original-width="564" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmmalZlwUu88nTsXBlkjopP0Y5FLgR98ukt2bpK3GaH8W2BJwvAw4Fc6m_AX_sif6pxDr-XtBnPUlmuf1xNHo_Jja2K-aQWkd91Tj3M4PtIX3oeTI1YuvAzxdh9Ser7ZZtDhiKpEHvLAMFAytrHbdFQYeTixe3yTz57GzRre3lO1cZMo9oh-EIvo59/s320/X-Men%20%2358%20-%20Havok%201.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCsEZbrqMg-4yyeNjBa7R-VreTjIuAbMn6uGP8u8rzuB0GkXE2QJfpbGOL3t3OdYmbSDOOUgNZJ9Ku9UasW2j2qBRYlIJIt6Q7Z6CaXeB-NpQaGdijNb0KCA_3K2wn6LtSMV4yyVKEj2_hBwmDGIn9etTVK5fSFlUfa1ybYb7CBNUEW8idCGhvVNu/s451/X-Men%20%2358%20-%20Havok%202.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="451" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCsEZbrqMg-4yyeNjBa7R-VreTjIuAbMn6uGP8u8rzuB0GkXE2QJfpbGOL3t3OdYmbSDOOUgNZJ9Ku9UasW2j2qBRYlIJIt6Q7Z6CaXeB-NpQaGdijNb0KCA_3K2wn6LtSMV4yyVKEj2_hBwmDGIn9etTVK5fSFlUfa1ybYb7CBNUEW8idCGhvVNu/s320/X-Men%20%2358%20-%20Havok%202.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>In a year w/several character debuts (including two future X-Men & one major recurring villain), Havok, who will go on anchor a few future lineups, gets the nod for a strong first half of the year in which he dons one of the simplest but most iconic looks</div><div><br /></div><div><b>040 - Year 7 Comic: <i>X-Men</i> #59</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBC6QQnxG4NAiD3VcoZU0uYXdhh7H39SDeKJnIux-HzcorUl6jNPXk-3jW9hSjQ9ma8FMudk1-t_xL_1bNwabb89YbYe7HLmbHCMg5O48JNoywTYuyKFWsT8X5WE94Jy4YwI2_zBbBhOSwNa_4EIGWsXce8MkeqVyDL7z2okMj-FWBeQSjMczeA6qy/s568/X-Men%20%2359%20-%20All%20the%20Mutants.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="568" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBC6QQnxG4NAiD3VcoZU0uYXdhh7H39SDeKJnIux-HzcorUl6jNPXk-3jW9hSjQ9ma8FMudk1-t_xL_1bNwabb89YbYe7HLmbHCMg5O48JNoywTYuyKFWsT8X5WE94Jy4YwI2_zBbBhOSwNa_4EIGWsXce8MkeqVyDL7z2okMj-FWBeQSjMczeA6qy/s320/X-Men%20%2359%20-%20All%20the%20Mutants.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlq53nw2NNhJRSu0EQT5aT3cpWw7noGWdmUiz26_5xqDZyPTV1wTMeafEqe3LBYOJKnd-fx_wF7MbR7jSymiqA0AFSjv0IDnpbz2f5m0MDeg2WVMXjN68xsOX5sTQpnmSZj_ItPrHe6zGfda45HB5YnkhzRw_naxbdF7CFXzinaLlhyAQf11mKezmL/s823/X-Men%20%2359%20-%20Cosplay.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="823" data-original-width="561" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlq53nw2NNhJRSu0EQT5aT3cpWw7noGWdmUiz26_5xqDZyPTV1wTMeafEqe3LBYOJKnd-fx_wF7MbR7jSymiqA0AFSjv0IDnpbz2f5m0MDeg2WVMXjN68xsOX5sTQpnmSZj_ItPrHe6zGfda45HB5YnkhzRw_naxbdF7CFXzinaLlhyAQf11mKezmL/s320/X-Men%20%2359%20-%20Cosplay.png" width="218" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGUxq346cSqDVr8tn8lAQmwZcPTIyIHzzbArgY4CLsdJr1jEjOEFFO236pcSa8GA_i7tL5yWn-_yd9rxfh_-h7xrCljc8kk6aKoIA2tuwCqhjd2n3MwboyiJiN1O4O6MrcVPyI-ddrT1DAeIqOYq6W78bl46LL8uoeMiX-S-vTjW7R06gO3DzF73R/s562/X-Men%20%2359%20-%20Logic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="562" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGUxq346cSqDVr8tn8lAQmwZcPTIyIHzzbArgY4CLsdJr1jEjOEFFO236pcSa8GA_i7tL5yWn-_yd9rxfh_-h7xrCljc8kk6aKoIA2tuwCqhjd2n3MwboyiJiN1O4O6MrcVPyI-ddrT1DAeIqOYq6W78bl46LL8uoeMiX-S-vTjW7R06gO3DzF73R/s320/X-Men%20%2359%20-%20Logic.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>With the series doing more serialized stories, this is the year where it gets hard to pick just one issue. I'll go w/the end of the Sentinels arc, featuring Brotherhood cosplay, all the mutants & Claremont's victory-by-logic capper. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>041 - Year 7 Fun Fact: All in Color!</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhBrX9ZbcYOg_MlmuoLByjIEX0RKiSul93CH7TdNTguNVZfXaq2qA5dGutZKrUMYowA6suhUCKM4_2JzP_CSY_viKTq4BhkWS6o9FBMVFsVhUU65HejT_hIZbLVfPgzVGgmW0H7-VcQ1KSXUb5kocL46QxD0DapkpSkaQLjl2G9WMcROM9eOr5si7/s560/X-Men%20%2356%20-%20Sky%20Color.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="560" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhBrX9ZbcYOg_MlmuoLByjIEX0RKiSul93CH7TdNTguNVZfXaq2qA5dGutZKrUMYowA6suhUCKM4_2JzP_CSY_viKTq4BhkWS6o9FBMVFsVhUU65HejT_hIZbLVfPgzVGgmW0H7-VcQ1KSXUb5kocL46QxD0DapkpSkaQLjl2G9WMcROM9eOr5si7/s320/X-Men%20%2356%20-%20Sky%20Color.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>As Brian lays out in <a href=" https://www.cbr.com/x-men-neal-adams-comic-book-coloring/" target="_blank">this article</a>, by pushing Marvel to give him access to the full range of gradients for interior art starting w/<i>X-Men</i> #56, Neal Adams set a new standard for comic book coloring.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>042 - Year 7 Memorable Moment: Repelling the Z'Nox!</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfQPeWUUM1PGWouU8I86uFSWvD4sJkiduTmTwCQauCGnn_RvVAYPBz02Mr5k5QS1V8g2xdcspT48MfK-xADVfTe9M-tb4QgvRou0kpOiwm0y4wTQUQ7k0ZP3smh4TvEyyEWeSAtujkZDi0v5zO3DHu6PM5CiDm9dtAAOzSiduf3q4GWnlQIxlUexmy/s817/X-Men%20%2365%201.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="555" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfQPeWUUM1PGWouU8I86uFSWvD4sJkiduTmTwCQauCGnn_RvVAYPBz02Mr5k5QS1V8g2xdcspT48MfK-xADVfTe9M-tb4QgvRou0kpOiwm0y4wTQUQ7k0ZP3smh4TvEyyEWeSAtujkZDi0v5zO3DHu6PM5CiDm9dtAAOzSiduf3q4GWnlQIxlUexmy/s320/X-Men%20%2365%201.png" width="217" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwJWSOyygf4MljeMlD4mxxnkdEW4nl06lv2aj6IDfuypp0e-62lnC71an9hFg2sqD2-k7hw0R2bzMEXvxcTukwmrz5G3pn87AmXhFQmQzEMuI9Vpa_NOA4AUAAb7lv2z8nP7j5-s5LVXq7yFFjpV2J9iK5IuUbXPF9AmijeeV0S2xV8fhm6TOnVhoj/s825/X-Men%20%2365%203.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="553" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwJWSOyygf4MljeMlD4mxxnkdEW4nl06lv2aj6IDfuypp0e-62lnC71an9hFg2sqD2-k7hw0R2bzMEXvxcTukwmrz5G3pn87AmXhFQmQzEMuI9Vpa_NOA4AUAAb7lv2z8nP7j5-s5LVXq7yFFjpV2J9iK5IuUbXPF9AmijeeV0S2xV8fhm6TOnVhoj/s320/X-Men%20%2365%203.png" width="214" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRwta5g2xT7q2jn2dd5naGpsoVBvAYXvUg36UbzPnMOP65dWikdW4kYa-lpiKAZPlmAWnuWEAjAXKouXANGJ0prTq0NcEaj023TOyN-CZG8HKu9QeyFXjiRC_CgpV0mE-pVvyUsgvabDEc-VkLyM2pDUXE0jHp98NIhcPdTYjGVh25-K5Q7319HA4/s823/X-Men%20%2365%202.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="823" data-original-width="565" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRwta5g2xT7q2jn2dd5naGpsoVBvAYXvUg36UbzPnMOP65dWikdW4kYa-lpiKAZPlmAWnuWEAjAXKouXANGJ0prTq0NcEaj023TOyN-CZG8HKu9QeyFXjiRC_CgpV0mE-pVvyUsgvabDEc-VkLyM2pDUXE0jHp98NIhcPdTYjGVh25-K5Q7319HA4/s320/X-Men%20%2365%202.png" width="220" /></a></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"></div></div><br /><div>Xavier returns to lead the X-Men in uniting human consciousness and shooting it at aliens, an early (& largely nonsensical) example of a mutant circuit & an event which'll help kickoff the Phoenix Saga!</div></div>Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-43682143998394243672023-02-25T12:00:00.001-06:002023-02-25T21:30:52.592-06:00The Week That Was 022523<p> Power Rankings, Ads, Shameless Plugs</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDaxLyO6wXQ2kdjMMEbJJDGvn7yyMRey5sE41t0ZB8LyVX-gTaG7X_sQMzFHv8B-B9_PQW--afwK7AHPD3MJ1xQJoZmzgFs5o3M5O6IyMdikz3wvMCn4Bo6h3TS1kLtWvAMrSxlbtKGQxeWzBFkGL98oRYntsZU26m4wNZjXgfsGSekEQWrXnFEvLt/s605/Generation%20X%20%2322%20-%20Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDaxLyO6wXQ2kdjMMEbJJDGvn7yyMRey5sE41t0ZB8LyVX-gTaG7X_sQMzFHv8B-B9_PQW--afwK7AHPD3MJ1xQJoZmzgFs5o3M5O6IyMdikz3wvMCn4Bo6h3TS1kLtWvAMrSxlbtKGQxeWzBFkGL98oRYntsZU26m4wNZjXgfsGSekEQWrXnFEvLt/s320/Generation%20X%20%2322%20-%20Cover.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span><a name='more'></a></span>Power Rankings for <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/search/label/December%201996" target="_blank">October 1996</a> (cover dated December 1996)</h3><div>This is a tough month to rank, in large part because everything is so deeply mediocre, with regular artists taking breaks and writers spinning their wheels as the line continues to transition out of one crossover and into the next. </div><div><br /></div><div>1. <i>Generation X</i> #22</div><div>2. <i>X-Men</i> (vol. 2) #59</div><div><br /></div><div>Not a ton happens in <i>Generation X</i> #22, but at least Chris Bachalo is having some fun drawing Emma's encounter with Nightmare and Halloween hijinks. Similarly, <i>X-Men</i> #59 is just another "setup a bunch of plots for the future" issue, but Andy Kubert's last outing (ending a run that goes all the way back to issue #14) deserves a nod.</div><div><br /></div><div>3. <i>X-Factor </i>#129</div><div>4. <i>X-Man</i> #22</div><div><br /></div><div>Both of these gain a little something from narrative relevance, the return of Madrox in the former and the establishment of Nate's new status quo as a New York street healer in the latter. </div><div><br /></div><div>5. <i>Uncanny X-Men</i> #339</div><div>6. <i>Wolverine </i>#108</div><div>7. <i>Excalibur </i>#104</div><div>8. <i>Cable </i>#38</div><div><br /></div><div>A batch of middle chapter or wheel-spinning issues without particular strong art to elevate them (Joe Mad gives way on <i>Uncanny </i>to handful of artists). </div><div><br /></div><div>9. <i>X-Men Unlimited</i> #13</div><div>10. <i>X-Force</i> #61</div><div><br /></div><div><i>X-Men Unlimited</i> #13 isn't great, but it's still better than <i>X-Force</i> #61, the final issue of the Shatterstar "origin" and Jeph Loeb's run at the title that leaves more questions than it answers, an absolute mess of an issue. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Ads</h3><div>As you most likely noticed, there's ads on the site now. I enabled them mostly out of abject curiosity — for the vast majority of this site's existence, Blogger's built-in ad tool wouldn't allow me to run ads on the site for unknown reasons (I always assumed it was because of how much copyrighted material I published — scans of comic books — and AdSense not understanding the intricacies of the fair use doctrine, but who knows, since it's not like that isn't still the case). Now, suddenly, it's allowing me to, so I figured I'd fire it up and see what happens. </div><div><br /></div><div>Definitely leave a comment or shoot me an email if they become excessively annoying or inappropriate. I have a fair amount of control over the type and placement of ads, and can make tweaks. Or just shut them off, because it's not worth making the experience of reading the site a total pain in the ass for a handful of pennies. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Shameless Plugs</h3><div>For Comic Book Herald, I reviewed the latest <a href="https://www.comicbookherald.com/star-wars-legends-epic-collection-the-menace-revealed-vol-3-tp-review/" target="_blank">Star Wars Epic Collection</a>, <a href="https://amzn.to/3kyOkrd" target="_blank">collecting the old Dark Horse comics</a> that led up to the release of <i>Attack of the Clones</i> (I actually wrote the review many, many months ago but then the collection kept getting pushed back and resolicited). I have a lot of nostalgia for that era of Star Wars comics, when the world felt both wider than ever and oddly constrained, but there's no denying the stories, on the whole, aren't terribly good. </div><div><br /></div><div>Over at Comics XF, last week I reviewed <a href="https://www.comicsxf.com/2023/02/22/sinister-cant-get-his-ducks-in-a-row-in-immoral-x-men-1/" target="_blank"><i>Immoral X-Men</i> #1</a> with Mark Turetsky, the beginning of <i>Immortal X-Men</i>'s alt-reality run during the "Sins of Sinister" event. </div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, for Popverse, I finally formalized the loose ranking of all the MCU films that I've carried around in my head for years and wrote it all down into one massive <a href="https://www.thepopverse.com/marvel-movies-mcu-all-ranked-avengers-best" target="_blank">MCU Rankings</a> piece. Let me know the movie you think I most overrate and/or underrate! </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">What Else? </h3><div><b>What I'm Reading</b></div><div>Ezra Klein wrote a great piece about the<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/28/opinion/barnes-noble-amazon-bookstore.html?campaign_id=190&emc=edit_ufn_20230216&instance_id=85490&nl=from-the-times&regi_id=90466692&segment_id=125475&te=1&user_id=f04fb7286a81f9a16a0b729515281967" target="_blank"> pandemic revival of Barnes and Noble</a>. In speaking of the allure of Barnes and Noble, he says, "it wasn’t so much a place to buy books as a place to be among them, for as long as you wanted." That's a sentiment that resonates deeply with me, particularly given that I felt it so much that I spent over twelve years working in one, and if not for one particularly weaselly store manager, may well have had made it my full time career. </div><div><br /></div><div>I also started reading <a href="https://amzn.to/3SsGfkx" target="_blank"><i>Oscar Wars</i> by Michael Schulman</a> this week, a book which examines the history of the Academy Awards via the lens of a particular scandal or controversy, one decade at a time. I'm a sucker for history, and the Oscars, and I find his approach to telling the Oscars story a unique one that (hopefully) won't shortchange the full sweep of events along the way, so this ticks a bunch of boxes for me (plus, 'tis the season for this sort of thing). I'm still just in the first decade/scandal, but so far, so good. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>What I'm Watching</b></div><div>The wife and I made it to <i>Ant-Man and the Wasp</i> <i>in Quantumania</i> last weekend, a film I think I enjoyed more than the general sentiment, it seems. I updated my Popverse MCU rankings with my thoughts on it, but I think the big thing I liked (aside from the Kang of it all) is the way it feels like a "mid" comic book story, the kind of story all too common in comic books but far too uncommon in the MCU, which draws from past events and teases future ones without being a big, cataclysmic, "everything changes!" status quo buster. Basically, it felt like another adventure in the lives of these characters, and while it built on past history and left some plot threads to be dealt with later/elsewhere, it's largely self-contained and didn't break or deeply alter the series' storytelling engine. I appreciate that. </div><div><br /></div><div>Making our way through the Oscar Best Picture noms, we also recently watched <i>Elvis </i>(which tries really hard to escape the confines of the music biopic structure and almost succeeds, but doesn't quite) and <i>Top Gun: Maverick</i> (which I liked but didn't love, largely because I like but don't love the original; of all the wide and varied 80s movies for which I carry deep and abiding nostalgia, <i>Top Gun</i> has never really been one). I wrote some more (but still brief) thoughts on both on <a href="https://letterboxd.com/AustinGorton/films/reviews/" target="_blank">Letterboxd</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>What I'm Listening To</b></div><div>In between other, more timely podcasts, I've been dipping my toes into Rob Harvilla's <a href="https://www.theringer.com/60-songs-that-explain-the-90s" target="_blank">60 Songs That Explain the 90s</a> (which has been expanded to what it always should have been, 90 songs to explain the 90s), which has been a trip, tickling some nostalgia I didn't even know I had for some of the songs which were omnipresent in my middle and high school years. The episode on the Gin Blossoms' "Hey Jealousy" was particularly revelatory, one which gave me a greater appreciation for the song and will ensure I'll never listen to it the same way again. </div><div><br /></div><div>— — —</div><div><br /></div><div>That's all for now. Excelsior!</div>Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-78756065603053055142023-02-13T12:00:00.001-06:002023-02-23T22:04:34.088-06:0060 Years of X - 1968<h3 style="text-align: left;"> Year 6: 1968</h3><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.03); white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1968 X-Men Comics & Appearances: <i>X-Men</i> #42-53, <i>Avengers </i>#53 & #60!</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.03); white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.03); border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Xavier dies, Magneto returns, the X-Men </span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.03); border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">disband! The Avengers crossover, Polaris debuts! Roy Thomas leaves, Gary Friedrich comes & goes, Arnold Drake arrives! All that plus Jim Steranko in 1968!</span></span></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>031 - Year 6 Cover: X-Men #50</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqQPOxqnmOzowYPYSoZQWDHXgPkIYZZvH4tE4pMx7nqjdH3L-pwbAOp1bAa3CYcNQJAuuRe8inY-8342zlK97FN87X85nzPOXo1OVNg0Z5vwSs_E5tdLm1mNqkmc7rBVsPlOEo4sJYh0OLh9ysur1I1-mHSyDRrFAGquqqMKJuzhx913FdzT9CkKq/s1538/X-Men%20%2350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1538" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqQPOxqnmOzowYPYSoZQWDHXgPkIYZZvH4tE4pMx7nqjdH3L-pwbAOp1bAa3CYcNQJAuuRe8inY-8342zlK97FN87X85nzPOXo1OVNg0Z5vwSs_E5tdLm1mNqkmc7rBVsPlOEo4sJYh0OLh9ysur1I1-mHSyDRrFAGquqqMKJuzhx913FdzT9CkKq/s320/X-Men%20%2350.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div>Newbie Polaris gets showcased via a vibrantly verdant image and Jim Steranko unveils a new logo for the book that will stand for *decades*. </div><div><br /></div></div><div><b>032 - Year 6 Creator: Jim Steranko</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9I4_6mJHMdnjqrWBbabovqLBXYPngoHOAC8no3q6V_ubsfdt54jEhuYW6c4ETwY48hX2iXfFmwVwz1neszhxqHgOcWy7Pn5l0B2sgOQdjzHrh5SxKQyX0RQTfLveu8d6WcnEJm4-rgJbpQ77dYnhwFQYzHfv7P-RBw1iQZb-RA_kn8nYM5lfBEUza/s1166/X-Men%20%2350%20Steranko%201.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1166" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9I4_6mJHMdnjqrWBbabovqLBXYPngoHOAC8no3q6V_ubsfdt54jEhuYW6c4ETwY48hX2iXfFmwVwz1neszhxqHgOcWy7Pn5l0B2sgOQdjzHrh5SxKQyX0RQTfLveu8d6WcnEJm4-rgJbpQ77dYnhwFQYzHfv7P-RBw1iQZb-RA_kn8nYM5lfBEUza/s320/X-Men%20%2350%20Steranko%201.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBU9GpI5crQcktQetuy4Oj4imMVKq3-4_M_B-AFPvhvBOUgCbshqRqclxUpqIuzR-7KQ3S7-OHJGZgC1O9IWOOYFAsfM5RUUy0H5Y9vjSpUiczHL0UCiXLm9Sq8b0JlXWxhiMcOZl8OBNBDfK4tNFWvGN9OqQbmCLAMm6IWPIUv4O6Rdz6VMi_xL2/s569/X-Men%20%2350%20Steranko%202.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="569" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBU9GpI5crQcktQetuy4Oj4imMVKq3-4_M_B-AFPvhvBOUgCbshqRqclxUpqIuzR-7KQ3S7-OHJGZgC1O9IWOOYFAsfM5RUUy0H5Y9vjSpUiczHL0UCiXLm9Sq8b0JlXWxhiMcOZl8OBNBDfK4tNFWvGN9OqQbmCLAMm6IWPIUv4O6Rdz6VMi_xL2/s320/X-Men%20%2350%20Steranko%202.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWscveigKBWNkstqtOyZLbEPUr0ipem1ROG0PivoXgjSkKozEMWxuAZ8Ftf0bIbFtQqplkXJ5Vpiw6AZJ5ODfu2HzcSf8UyFMxWKMQom5haj5vui-Oxpi5ki3iiWNqK-qfD195KWKqOD8RLhOH4ST4uZxTpQKf79tn5iz0kFBD303IEgxv2HXojA8/s555/X-Men%20%2350%20Steranko%203.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="278" data-original-width="555" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWscveigKBWNkstqtOyZLbEPUr0ipem1ROG0PivoXgjSkKozEMWxuAZ8Ftf0bIbFtQqplkXJ5Vpiw6AZJ5ODfu2HzcSf8UyFMxWKMQom5haj5vui-Oxpi5ki3iiWNqK-qfD195KWKqOD8RLhOH4ST4uZxTpQKf79tn5iz0kFBD303IEgxv2HXojA8/s320/X-Men%20%2350%20Steranko%203.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcMxPpDhuU1u1Gl3jYv2QOKbagDWxXFj1qM_VFdEUuKFrz0vOgUc9NKjSVNun8JWL_thKymkpxPMvJnR445kNM_i9MkMplEhsEO8uc0Myr8AKV-d4KBuM51BxqBseuhcn96--sBl39mmgFnZ1vSdyAnl9RcdeeWlEUL3zI1W4MpfLYpmtIwi1uoio/s581/X-Men%20%2350%20Steranko%204.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="581" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcMxPpDhuU1u1Gl3jYv2QOKbagDWxXFj1qM_VFdEUuKFrz0vOgUc9NKjSVNun8JWL_thKymkpxPMvJnR445kNM_i9MkMplEhsEO8uc0Myr8AKV-d4KBuM51BxqBseuhcn96--sBl39mmgFnZ1vSdyAnl9RcdeeWlEUL3zI1W4MpfLYpmtIwi1uoio/s320/X-Men%20%2350%20Steranko%204.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div>With Werner Roth on the backups amid a particularly fallow period for the series in the wake of Roy Thomas' departure, Steranko, in only 2 issues, briefly reinvigorates the book w/a modern look & dynamic layouts.</div><div><br /></div></div><p><b>033 - Year 6 Character: Polaris</b></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0IpF5G_V9R66H6RODrBFpkyxsKIp2AH1WR5sy4Mn1wKyRNMTRzlPfK3IWYFIyvf2Rik2OgpQRiC-FbQkmC7ZoY_AQbHCyrrWfGvMTqnhcAD3fHGkCOLC44okw_u14gOZDcXnN2JOvsZkQrmjlRcaPzuYceQ1Bjev1ZeypoiV51S5Zt6jRBzDxaJBs/s845/X-Men%20%2350%20Polaris.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="569" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0IpF5G_V9R66H6RODrBFpkyxsKIp2AH1WR5sy4Mn1wKyRNMTRzlPfK3IWYFIyvf2Rik2OgpQRiC-FbQkmC7ZoY_AQbHCyrrWfGvMTqnhcAD3fHGkCOLC44okw_u14gOZDcXnN2JOvsZkQrmjlRcaPzuYceQ1Bjev1ZeypoiV51S5Zt6jRBzDxaJBs/s320/X-Men%20%2350%20Polaris.png" width="215" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div>The most notable new character debut since Banshee, Polaris brings the X-Men back together after their FBI-mandated breakup & serves as the focus of one of the weirder Magneto stories.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>034 - Year 6 Comic: <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2010/08/x-amining-x-men-50.html" target="_blank"><i>X-Men</i> #50</a></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKK5zwOfjsKJ0Q0yb4CQ19Yy_d3xCgYU7FdhCcGamVMibIlAFypJEYpBlwCC4s0f1QIxoXmEiLbjtuoosWH1x5vAu55xefBfHpLxTSrxUic5hLHYWfiIZyqGUUItiSJ7YvDzHI8rlx_VBWkPqq7JDOzI81Rl6tAnZGHf9DOPZK_lB6-99Z14MQBg1t/s566/X-Men%20%2350%201.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="329" data-original-width="566" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKK5zwOfjsKJ0Q0yb4CQ19Yy_d3xCgYU7FdhCcGamVMibIlAFypJEYpBlwCC4s0f1QIxoXmEiLbjtuoosWH1x5vAu55xefBfHpLxTSrxUic5hLHYWfiIZyqGUUItiSJ7YvDzHI8rlx_VBWkPqq7JDOzI81Rl6tAnZGHf9DOPZK_lB6-99Z14MQBg1t/s320/X-Men%20%2350%201.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUtEnNM1Etf5xx071PAHaowdD_fcsQYEEGx_l6eafoJAI_6GFkmKAxFKnxYQhIXNde7-c5NPupit9X2KpsICm0FUtnsltq00-woU8OQaFcGLmmwmH0-sG9qvwDL5iSuq0JA27wGvSP-IVwbcvkH16Da_NqNouFEjFqPJ3xEAAAoa8HXbrRQwXj7Y61/s569/X-Men%20%2350%202.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="569" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUtEnNM1Etf5xx071PAHaowdD_fcsQYEEGx_l6eafoJAI_6GFkmKAxFKnxYQhIXNde7-c5NPupit9X2KpsICm0FUtnsltq00-woU8OQaFcGLmmwmH0-sG9qvwDL5iSuq0JA27wGvSP-IVwbcvkH16Da_NqNouFEjFqPJ3xEAAAoa8HXbrRQwXj7Y61/s320/X-Men%20%2350%202.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEf1iWmAsPGxotfROKIHdxMB5X8RwRNOyZDBYYhdZ4rl7ftm-orxnFGg3ZNd1tpG42NKl-BaNDIz-fKvb-kNAFJCOtZjkDROZWFGVQ1mzBeC_1DNanaKYwQlN6RJLIlwmaikgbEy9_FWCRQ8AvIyCaPCwiwlLCj6WEBr32_UZ_iEEFpqbdrfl8iyev/s562/X-Men%20%2350%203.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="562" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEf1iWmAsPGxotfROKIHdxMB5X8RwRNOyZDBYYhdZ4rl7ftm-orxnFGg3ZNd1tpG42NKl-BaNDIz-fKvb-kNAFJCOtZjkDROZWFGVQ1mzBeC_1DNanaKYwQlN6RJLIlwmaikgbEy9_FWCRQ8AvIyCaPCwiwlLCj6WEBr32_UZ_iEEFpqbdrfl8iyev/s320/X-Men%20%2350%203.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh11i96oyZ8oBmQeDMcd7iX6oCEJaE97l8AjGMqqHVOREuDavisMhzYF-qbvdrbZiS_rK3oisYBL_wK8cfpLqkQPJiqymeH1xQ8aY6cM1oQGsYxexb8aukK8BDpLnnA7W18CRxxmBTrcYiWXPwqpv_DLzIrmUmu2RbE_-jindAm5KOfE7l-nhfq0kbd/s840/X-Men%20%2350%204.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="571" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh11i96oyZ8oBmQeDMcd7iX6oCEJaE97l8AjGMqqHVOREuDavisMhzYF-qbvdrbZiS_rK3oisYBL_wK8cfpLqkQPJiqymeH1xQ8aY6cM1oQGsYxexb8aukK8BDpLnnA7W18CRxxmBTrcYiWXPwqpv_DLzIrmUmu2RbE_-jindAm5KOfE7l-nhfq0kbd/s320/X-Men%20%2350%204.png" width="218" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Part 2 of an odd 4 part story that doesn't make a ton of sense (even before you get to the later Magneto retcon), but it's hard to escape just how much of an oasis in a desert of lukearm Silver Age art Steranko is.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>035 - Year 6 Fun Fact: X-Men No More!</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqM8aKshWIP2iACMXL63oE-vsahlm_ZYTFeqi-XuD3la_nyiuXrfAM7ouLRhoTY_Eqd2g5Av-UT1mMOwySuYu4CH1jygIrk2jhIg6nfFrbR5djHWfPheuz1U-XLUMhQz_UtsEw6hQxHDdlol_r1TA1g9eXRAmIk6pOVxLaIIADMXn7uz6Tv9pe4-O/s566/X-Men%20No%20More.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="566" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGqM8aKshWIP2iACMXL63oE-vsahlm_ZYTFeqi-XuD3la_nyiuXrfAM7ouLRhoTY_Eqd2g5Av-UT1mMOwySuYu4CH1jygIrk2jhIg6nfFrbR5djHWfPheuz1U-XLUMhQz_UtsEw6hQxHDdlol_r1TA1g9eXRAmIk6pOVxLaIIADMXn7uz6Tv9pe4-O/s320/X-Men%20No%20More.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Per Roy Thomas, disbanding the team, a move driven by low sales, appealed to Stan Lee cuz he thought it'd mean Marvel'd be "the first company to have a different title above every issue, heralding a different character"</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>036 - Year 6 Memorable Moment: Xavier No More!</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdedm2D4hgbFHjc0FhF3JsFrxlNDRDNzg3jJiSGrZvBdLy8Ps2HRj32rli_Ds0gE-PaAQGFcMaePqSCWJMNZC7hSj-trZiHR5m_yNyXxar-DyjejFDNp5CFNk01jp9niup0JPcYyc9vysbx7Cgw-eq2OWs2okX5yL3_HBDWiKhTxmw1Ebyx_ZasaAC/s561/Death%20of%20Xavier.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="552" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdedm2D4hgbFHjc0FhF3JsFrxlNDRDNzg3jJiSGrZvBdLy8Ps2HRj32rli_Ds0gE-PaAQGFcMaePqSCWJMNZC7hSj-trZiHR5m_yNyXxar-DyjejFDNp5CFNk01jp9niup0JPcYyc9vysbx7Cgw-eq2OWs2okX5yL3_HBDWiKhTxmw1Ebyx_ZasaAC/s320/Death%20of%20Xavier.png" width="315" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The first (but not the last) time Professor X is written out of the series in some way. He'd eventually come back, of course, but by all accounts, that wasn't planned at the time.</div>Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-69980570852561414632023-02-09T12:00:00.000-06:002023-02-23T21:31:09.896-06:00X-amining Classic X-Men #26 - Patreon First<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Y6fMZH_CNsOeTxN_7EvEk94_kv-5uf3lwMELp5bQ-8nfjXL6F0GDyuDMik6YTj_lousCW5V3323SCv_Rj4xwzZTT6M8fNR3NFqiy5cp4ZaOOX-QG9iv6nzzCo8JNfxX2JIqf1S0NHhs8ovKBIv_KrpmsS0aCIscmpitl-EL8132UYbZQSpGNXkNm/s1968/Classic%20X-Men%20%2326%20-%20Cover.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Y6fMZH_CNsOeTxN_7EvEk94_kv-5uf3lwMELp5bQ-8nfjXL6F0GDyuDMik6YTj_lousCW5V3323SCv_Rj4xwzZTT6M8fNR3NFqiy5cp4ZaOOX-QG9iv6nzzCo8JNfxX2JIqf1S0NHhs8ovKBIv_KrpmsS0aCIscmpitl-EL8132UYbZQSpGNXkNm/s320/Classic%20X-Men%20%2326%20-%20Cover.jpg" width="208" /></a></p><div>"<b><a href="https://amzn.to/3EwCQLF" target="_blank">So Much in Common!</a></b>"</div><div>October 1988<br /><br /><b>In a Nutshell</b></div><div>Banshee & Wolverine swap war stories and realize they indirectly crossed paths years before becoming X-Men!<br /><br /><b>Writer</b>: Tom Orzechowski, Chris Claremont (additional pages)<br /><b>Artist</b>: John Bolton, Kieron Dwyer (additional pages)</div><div>Inker: Terry Austin (additional pages)<br /><b>Letters</b>: Tom Orzechowski</div><div><b>Colors</b>: Gregory Wright</div><div><b>Editor</b>: Bob Harras<br /><b>Editor-in-Chief</b>: Tom DeFalco<br /><div><br /></div><b>Plot</b></div><div>Wolverine, Banshee, Nightcrawler, and Cyclops are having a "boys night" at Harry's Hideaway. When Wolverine tells a story about how he and his lady friend Cracklin' Rosa would sucker patrons of her Calgary bar into trying to beat Wolverine at a drinking contest, Banshee realizes they inadvertently crossed paths while Banshee was working as an Interpol agent. Banshee had followed a pair of wanted criminals to Rosa's bar, and Wolverine's antics had helped distract their bodyguards, allowing Banshee to signal the Mounties to arrest his man without any complication. In the present, Banshee points out how they both inadvertently learned something about teamwork that day, while Cyclops says he's proud to call them both teammates. </div><div><br /></div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><b>Want to read the <a href="https://www.patreon.com/posts/x-amining-x-men-79071471" target="_blank">rest</a> before everyone else? Become a patron via Patreon! </b></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><a data-blogger-escaped-data-patreon-widget-type="become-patron-button" href="https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=498636">Become a Patron!</a></div></div></div></div></div>Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-39758268773443996092023-02-08T12:00:00.002-06:002023-02-16T17:17:45.767-06:00X-amining X-Men Unlimited #14<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqau-_-hN9GQ97DvURdhTON0TKtHdjDmcSslXA5uC7-oLFb4zayIEVcMek1_DOYAG6OvbiJXwEjgDuDRMPb0EeeD0Rsb2U-KmG3z7uUbdifaLFp_uPDZiRVo0ulXLbHoD_hj-iQTglFRmvsgTAg4ZuHH3TYesdRfdJQJtGK2NYk_SN6A0Zv4Lfasm/s618/X-Men%20Unlimite%20%2314%20-%20Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqau-_-hN9GQ97DvURdhTON0TKtHdjDmcSslXA5uC7-oLFb4zayIEVcMek1_DOYAG6OvbiJXwEjgDuDRMPb0EeeD0Rsb2U-KmG3z7uUbdifaLFp_uPDZiRVo0ulXLbHoD_hj-iQTglFRmvsgTAg4ZuHH3TYesdRfdJQJtGK2NYk_SN6A0Zv4Lfasm/s320/X-Men%20Unlimite%20%2314%20-%20Cover.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>"<b><a href="https://amzn.to/3k42xfM" target="_blank">Innocence Lost</a></b>"</div>March 1997<br /><br /><b>In a Nutshell</b><div>Franklin Richards deals with the aftermath of "Onslaught". <br /><br /><b>Writer: </b>Terry Kavanagh<br /><b>Pencils</b>: Jim Cheung<br /><b>Inks</b>: Andrew Pepoy<br /><b>Letterer</b>: Richard Starkings & Comicraft<br /><b>Colorist</b>: Kevin Somerset<br /><b>Editor</b>: Kelly Corevese</div><div><b>Editor-in-Chief</b>: Bob Harras</div><div><br /><b>Plot</b></div><div>Franklin Richards is having nightmares of his family disappearing and being replaced by the man he blames for their deaths, Joseph. In the morning, he wakes and is comforted by his friends Artie and Leech. All three boys are visiting Beast's childhood home along with Beast, Gambit, and Storm. Later that morning, Beast's father Norton invites the kids on a tractor ride. Meanwhile, in the nearby town of Dunfee, a group of men led by Grange Janssen discuss the recent assassination of Graydon Creed and the influx of mutants like Hank McCoy in their town. Grange decides its time they do something about it. Back at the McCoy farm, Franklin uses his powers to disable the tractor, creating an opening that allows the boys to run off into the woods. Gambit warns Storm, but when she flies off to find the boys, she is shot by Grange and his posse, who capture Artie and Leech as well as Beast when he intervenes. Unaware of his friends' capture, Franklin uses his powers to teleport Joseph to him, then attacks, angrily holding him responsible for the death of his family. Joseph is confused, but unable and unwilling to overpower Franklin. In the woods, the police arrive and defuse the situation, arresting Grange and his posse. Out in the field, Gambit comes to Joseph's defense and helps convince Franklin not to kill Joseph. But by then, Franklin's power has grown out of his control, and it takes the timely arrival of Leech, delivered by Beast, to shut it down. Having at least made peace with Joseph, Franklin resumes playing with his friends. <span><a name='more'></a></span><br /><br /><b>Firsts and Other Notables</b></div><div><i>X-Men Unlimited</i> #14 represents more or less the most direct examination of Franklin Richards' grief post-<a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2021/06/x-amining-onslaught.html" target="_blank">Onslaught</a> that we're going to get (though the character will continue to hang around the fringes of the X-office until "Heroes Return" brings back his family). Said examination comes mostly in the form of him yelling and throwing energy at Joseph. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7JME-29---b9p0YMLxnUMkBBRLABkdeYywFHicZxKHG-jbhv731aUvhPFF4Uxh93w8CgkqP7lH-GfDUQ0MNuh4JzjlATbvBEZkjEXxMNB17LIJH86Iv4cF1CjwhR-dBY2oJL3kDwP3zw-qVFPOm46xRb_G80Rb6JV07AN8rvTY-deETuCCUDxvLv/s2048/X-Men%20Unlimite%20%2314%20-%20Franklin%20and%20Joseph.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1323" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7JME-29---b9p0YMLxnUMkBBRLABkdeYywFHicZxKHG-jbhv731aUvhPFF4Uxh93w8CgkqP7lH-GfDUQ0MNuh4JzjlATbvBEZkjEXxMNB17LIJH86Iv4cF1CjwhR-dBY2oJL3kDwP3zw-qVFPOm46xRb_G80Rb6JV07AN8rvTY-deETuCCUDxvLv/s320/X-Men%20Unlimite%20%2314%20-%20Franklin%20and%20Joseph.png" width="207" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The ball next to Franklin on the cover of the issue is presumably the same one which appeared at the end of Onslaught: Marvel Universe and which will later be revealed to contain the contents of the "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroes_Reborn_(1996_comic)" target="_blank">Heroes Reborn</a>" universe. </div><div><br /></div><div>Art comes from Jim Cheung, still not quite yet <i>Jim Cheung</i> (but close), just ahead of his work on the <i>Maverick </i>solo series. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Chronology Corner</b></div><div>Franklin, Artie, and Leech appear here between <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2021/07/x-amining-generation-x-20.html" target="_blank"><i>Generation X</i> #20</a> and <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2022/11/x-amining-generation-x-25.html" target="_blank">#25</a>, just before the events of the Daydreamers miniseries. Joseph, Beast, and Gambit appear before <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2022/03/x-amining-uncanny-x-men-341.html" target="_blank"><i>Uncanny X-Men </i>#341</a> and their subsequent outer space adventure, while Storm appears before <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/search/label/%22Games%20of%20Deceit%20%26%20Death%22" target="_blank">the Shang-Chi/Hong Kong story</a> in Adjectiveless as well her upcoming appearances in <i>Wolverine</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCerN_Jq0PBxOZMS44AZdXDidLNzF2PxdU6MpZxY0wfd4_0EOXGJihkAkjSd5jP0LAjCwKDm_JsP-B0IAikv9AVGSBjsDGwwZb-imRevid6x2i8GBVlVyh4-tfs8SV_mMeDGq23mg2nALEAjOvPIMb87_AbgGW2lgBXgYGEICM1UMQgk7TPUzhhiW5/s1249/X-Men%20Unlimite%20%2314%20-%20Kids.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="989" data-original-width="1249" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCerN_Jq0PBxOZMS44AZdXDidLNzF2PxdU6MpZxY0wfd4_0EOXGJihkAkjSd5jP0LAjCwKDm_JsP-B0IAikv9AVGSBjsDGwwZb-imRevid6x2i8GBVlVyh4-tfs8SV_mMeDGq23mg2nALEAjOvPIMb87_AbgGW2lgBXgYGEICM1UMQgk7TPUzhhiW5/s320/X-Men%20Unlimite%20%2314%20-%20Kids.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><b>A Work in Progress</b><br /><div>Joseph mentions that he is working on the Z'Nox Chamber, a reference to his efforts to use it to nullify Rogue's powers, as revealed in <i>Uncanny X-Men</i> #341.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifFh7aHMC_Hsj95zaacsleTYURW-q5m4CwDQC8wj1rbAYaCdd6gnSSV4QUOrt6q6KpjZc_QF2V8u4Nno5RQk-NxS5fUMwVtONOk2HgVbAWMkS7Q6D-DbnGlpkCTDmww5f0TcvgXDCwWpB0M9mHxDIOCd49JpND-aph3L1tivZ5EHI1ZrnM37IX6ylx/s1515/X-Men%20Unlimite%20%2314%20-%20Z'Nox.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1515" data-original-width="519" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifFh7aHMC_Hsj95zaacsleTYURW-q5m4CwDQC8wj1rbAYaCdd6gnSSV4QUOrt6q6KpjZc_QF2V8u4Nno5RQk-NxS5fUMwVtONOk2HgVbAWMkS7Q6D-DbnGlpkCTDmww5f0TcvgXDCwWpB0M9mHxDIOCd49JpND-aph3L1tivZ5EHI1ZrnM37IX6ylx/s320/X-Men%20Unlimite%20%2314%20-%20Z'Nox.png" width="110" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Intentionally or not, this issue reads a little bit like a prologue to Shi'ar story unfolding in <i><a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2023/01/x-amining-uncanny-x-men-343.html" target="_blank">Uncanny X-Men</a></i>, given Beast, Gambit, and Joseph are all on hand for it. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Human/Mutant Relations</b></div><div>Beast's mom tells him about his dad believes things are getting worse for mutants. </div><div> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeh-y4dSThs26gi9hfC284QvzZCu5BItZdJWo2I09vzM40IVEcCfzMB9Q4es041589YgapbdIMp-TIu3Yb9iTmMQXDcAzCBhYNaYdxBwK6tXWZm-kgaW5A4LmYBv7-wpyh0ucV_vfVhcT1P6UG0dE10GZB1uq8Q6X_dMbqyCH-9ZPwZOGzGV08gXYF/s1232/X-Men%20Unlimite%20%2314%20-%20Getting%20Worse.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="1232" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeh-y4dSThs26gi9hfC284QvzZCu5BItZdJWo2I09vzM40IVEcCfzMB9Q4es041589YgapbdIMp-TIu3Yb9iTmMQXDcAzCBhYNaYdxBwK6tXWZm-kgaW5A4LmYBv7-wpyh0ucV_vfVhcT1P6UG0dE10GZB1uq8Q6X_dMbqyCH-9ZPwZOGzGV08gXYF/s320/X-Men%20Unlimite%20%2314%20-%20Getting%20Worse.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><br /><b>Austin's Analysis</b><br />Given the events of <i><a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2021/05/x-amining-onslaught-marvel-universe-1.html" target="_blank">Onslaught: Marvel Universe</a></i> seemingly wiped out his entire family and the majority of his family's co-workers, a story focusing on Franklin Richards in the wake of those events makes a lot of sense, and with the core Fantastic Four and Avengers off in "Heroes Reborn", doing it in one of the X-books also makes a lot of sense (particularly since <i>Generation X</i> is already featuring the character). A double-sized issue of the quarterly anthology series, then, becomes the perfect vehicle for this kind of story. <div><br /></div><div>Yet for all that, <i>X-Men Unlimited</i> #14 is a disappointment. Some of that comes down to genre expectations: while Franklin is at the center of the story and does get to express some grief (and rage) towards Joseph, the issue also apparently needs to find time for a handful of other X-Men and a plot involving the bigoted elements of Beast's hometown targeting Artie and Leech, in order to get in the seemingly requisite number of punch-'em-up pages. The story is also complicated by the fact that Joseph gets roped into being the strawman for Onslaught somewhat unfairly and quizzically; if anything, Franklin should be more mad at the X-Men as proxies for Xavier than Joseph as a proxy for Magneto, given it's not like Magneto <i>asked </i>Xavier to wipe his mind and create an opening for his evil impish essence to infect Xavier. Maybe we chalk this up to Franklin being eight, or awash with grief, or simply being unwilling to bite the hand that is currently feeding him (literally and metaphorically) in the X-Men so he's lashing out at Joseph instead. Either way, it muddies the story and its presentation of Franklin's emotional state and any catharsis he might experience. </div><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps at the end of the day, for all the sense doing a story like this seems to make, a one-off issue of the quarterly anthology series that is part of the most commercially viable franchise in superhero comics in 1997 simply <i>isn't </i>the best place for a complex examination of a young child's post-traumatic stress disorder. Or maybe Terry Kavanagh simply isn't the correct writer for the job (he almost certainly isn't). Either way, the end result is another lackluster <i>X-Men Unlimited</i> issue, albeit one that gets some credit for intention even if the execution is ultimately muddled and disappointing. </div><div><br /><b>Next Issue</b><br />The X-Men's Hong Kong adventure continues in <a href="https://amzn.to/3S9b3GL" target="_blank"><i>X-Men</i> (vol. 2) #63</a>!<br /><b><br /></b><b>Like what you read? Then support us on Patreon & gain access to exclusive reviews of <i>Classic X-Men</i>, <i>X-Men: The Animated Series</i> and more!</b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a data-patreon-widget-type="become-patron-button" href="https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=498636">Become a Patron!</a></div></div></div>Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-29164819013233158532023-02-07T12:00:00.001-06:002023-02-15T14:44:43.939-06:0060 Years of X - 1967<h3 style="text-align: left;">Year 5: 1967</h3><div><br /></div><div>1967 X-Men Comics & Appearances: <i>X-Men</i> #30-41</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>025 - Year 5 Cover: <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2010/04/x-amining-x-men-39.html"><i>X-Men</i> #39</a></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFpxxrMr3Haf6gFlhDR0gCdxmvdiB3U3Qr0eN-Pe5wHVIBitl5x8Po981RsdD_bOdSvpObP-A3qkPKR1gkp0RcG62dtt9WKl6x9SO-pyUBAh52PaM3gkwb07LTf0W7mp4hinULrxbpCUR1xZO51Fs2yIAfGl85FgDEMLY-0len5PePQNKCNP8VeP8i/s1080/1967%20X-Men%20%2339.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="702" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFpxxrMr3Haf6gFlhDR0gCdxmvdiB3U3Qr0eN-Pe5wHVIBitl5x8Po981RsdD_bOdSvpObP-A3qkPKR1gkp0RcG62dtt9WKl6x9SO-pyUBAh52PaM3gkwb07LTf0W7mp4hinULrxbpCUR1xZO51Fs2yIAfGl85FgDEMLY-0len5PePQNKCNP8VeP8i/s320/1967%20X-Men%20%2339.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span><a name='more'></a></span>Showcasing the first batch of character-specific costumes against a striking black background, there's good reason this one got recreated by John Cassady for an <a href="https://amzn.to/3I3pWWH" target="_blank">omnibus collection</a>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>026 - Year 5 Creator: Roy Thomas</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0qMzQB4Iomh1cbNxlU3R1xY5CisrHgXAfsI56XEqSmjdxrtX4CwRLmEOGseyFceCSe1ssPwyITunXwuzVqPqPXmWjLxbRs-OiXf0LRDCqKnvieKEsvmQ-E_lsxiLQBWmdKIh07IyzyfcBgUkRtRul8DcqgtTkz-yywNnBHAOjoIw7R-TrnEDMXGKW/s567/X-Men%20%2333%20-%20Coffee%20A%20Go%20Go.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="567" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0qMzQB4Iomh1cbNxlU3R1xY5CisrHgXAfsI56XEqSmjdxrtX4CwRLmEOGseyFceCSe1ssPwyITunXwuzVqPqPXmWjLxbRs-OiXf0LRDCqKnvieKEsvmQ-E_lsxiLQBWmdKIh07IyzyfcBgUkRtRul8DcqgtTkz-yywNnBHAOjoIw7R-TrnEDMXGKW/s320/X-Men%20%2333%20-%20Coffee%20A%20Go%20Go.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Overshadowed in his 2nd run, for better & worse '67 is the defining year of Roy Thomas' X-Men, a combination of villains & plots seemingly imported from the wider Marvel Universe alongside his stab at a true Silver Age epic.</div><p><b>027 - Year 5 Character: Factor Three</b></p><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHaloOEEFYktvBpqsyIm5mJaHYtTh5OMnKL_8wKlDuvFAbWbuwBhx7vA6xDziCpu7HL4QNQonuvSY0D1sZIAPvn3fomnyuxZ48xm9Bulxf-mcW-q0rd_UwrMjkksh6vIiESKrImoJM7h9iJe7hOr4WlmlrSEvQwup6QZ3ja0tzFSJsLhXcK5U29KU/s825/Factor%20Three%201.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="554" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHaloOEEFYktvBpqsyIm5mJaHYtTh5OMnKL_8wKlDuvFAbWbuwBhx7vA6xDziCpu7HL4QNQonuvSY0D1sZIAPvn3fomnyuxZ48xm9Bulxf-mcW-q0rd_UwrMjkksh6vIiESKrImoJM7h9iJe7hOr4WlmlrSEvQwup6QZ3ja0tzFSJsLhXcK5U29KU/s320/Factor%20Three%201.png" width="215" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-NMikH-f5so3A36YKHkwjQBgynpakCtUeG-IqQMRV7CtGld1bd7eKwKagN_ji4zRO4zUay9c7F3Qf_HeuCkC63indITBtATmk9KZMaeaDYcEhXdYR1bKa_fdNrxZQb_OFq62-oaNDACsaoP0bbKQi4Msrzd4hGhNUaGx8lBKJTsb22bf3_c0NSJKh/s821/Factor%20Three%202.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="558" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-NMikH-f5so3A36YKHkwjQBgynpakCtUeG-IqQMRV7CtGld1bd7eKwKagN_ji4zRO4zUay9c7F3Qf_HeuCkC63indITBtATmk9KZMaeaDYcEhXdYR1bKa_fdNrxZQb_OFq62-oaNDACsaoP0bbKQi4Msrzd4hGhNUaGx8lBKJTsb22bf3_c0NSJKh/s320/Factor%20Three%202.png" width="217" /></a></div><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;">A loose affiliation of evil mutants (& a secret alien) plotting to destroy the world & rule the ashes, Factor Three drives the first X-Men event story; their actions push the X-Men to come into their own as superheroes.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>028 - Year 5 Comic: <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2010/04/x-amining-x-men-40.html" target="_blank"><i>X-Men</i> #40</a></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1TkjErGedcjDeaWNeCPbDflst3oNsQu9tcBhrGn21nF7fd_d6_VfjKOKrZwxzOZYSkGnkvyqwSWRiFSZUk3OKRrpEIAXvU5kJN6a6a0MvWFbDQCBojIwr3JNZL0JduKIun8vr33AdP5qIIbWmugEfuT9Lhz3eIjIAbpCGZrSqADiA7tuWNnlnf44/s547/X-Men%20%2340%20-%20Punching%20Angel.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="547" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1TkjErGedcjDeaWNeCPbDflst3oNsQu9tcBhrGn21nF7fd_d6_VfjKOKrZwxzOZYSkGnkvyqwSWRiFSZUk3OKRrpEIAXvU5kJN6a6a0MvWFbDQCBojIwr3JNZL0JduKIun8vr33AdP5qIIbWmugEfuT9Lhz3eIjIAbpCGZrSqADiA7tuWNnlnf44/s320/X-Men%20%2340%20-%20Punching%20Angel.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Sometimes you just have to embrace the absurd, like when the X-Men fight Frankenstein's Monster, whom Xavier has always suspected was real, but who is also an alien android & NOT the actual Monster (who *is* real in the Marvel Universe).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>029 - Year 5 Fun Fact: Cover Redux</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV9hWshKkaUbiaJnS_llcO3J40CFYQ4yTR1ITpjvFoeaxfR7VqHCf7E_BNyIpSfk4yBM_mHnn4Xy6NkpSXpREoipFDYRnvrzZOncCja-cSApUkMUx8E6QZDu4-Uc5n8j3Bdflm76cUgnCIjXdo71h7B1_ZHQt37fq-EDKTt3JnIA8M3U8EsHSu0_B3/s1073/X-Men%20%2333%20A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="700" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV9hWshKkaUbiaJnS_llcO3J40CFYQ4yTR1ITpjvFoeaxfR7VqHCf7E_BNyIpSfk4yBM_mHnn4Xy6NkpSXpREoipFDYRnvrzZOncCja-cSApUkMUx8E6QZDu4-Uc5n8j3Bdflm76cUgnCIjXdo71h7B1_ZHQt37fq-EDKTt3JnIA8M3U8EsHSu0_B3/w131-h200/X-Men%20%2333%20A.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5rfYkR2sSW0aabPasRWA7LW9LPUbry7SEsUuzI61GZcZmQMNMYb00RuohRXLq_h0X-covbbZVcz1qvnwbnE_LScUyqDpXVdirOW_ihlFYGqpIjDj0cVdHBupDdh347Lm_vzLsc41_2xvxqdAlrJZE54smlXt9vZtBFAah-tYPNDhYq_E-4QOa4vgs/s1477/X-Men%20%2333%20B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1477" data-original-width="974" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5rfYkR2sSW0aabPasRWA7LW9LPUbry7SEsUuzI61GZcZmQMNMYb00RuohRXLq_h0X-covbbZVcz1qvnwbnE_LScUyqDpXVdirOW_ihlFYGqpIjDj0cVdHBupDdh347Lm_vzLsc41_2xvxqdAlrJZE54smlXt9vZtBFAah-tYPNDhYq_E-4QOa4vgs/w132-h200/X-Men%20%2333%20B.jpg" width="132" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaEcrL4F7kMG_uPOMYcqeL0XkVp95hQ73cSISY8zIQjeDCqdw1sVcGCoGsoz1lfkZyN2pzQlC2f4cwAYseXm7wRh-jXKvnDxvIsKHCUUyKMP-eg9TCjmCtlvgUi0PQWoQaH2NDkEXBEXhQTaN0vbgUpLqkfqPo_OohBdXaROADVQouPJJK4WxBMGU/s1080/X-Men%20%2333%20C.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="703" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaEcrL4F7kMG_uPOMYcqeL0XkVp95hQ73cSISY8zIQjeDCqdw1sVcGCoGsoz1lfkZyN2pzQlC2f4cwAYseXm7wRh-jXKvnDxvIsKHCUUyKMP-eg9TCjmCtlvgUi0PQWoQaH2NDkEXBEXhQTaN0vbgUpLqkfqPo_OohBdXaROADVQouPJJK4WxBMGU/w130-h200/X-Men%20%2333%20C.jpg" width="130" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2010/02/x-amining-x-men-33.html" target="_blank"><i>X-Men</i> #33</a> had *three* covers. The first, by Werner Roth, featured Juggernaut but was passed over in favor of a Gil Kane cover w/the Outkcast. But the Comics Code Authority felt it was too scary, so Kane subbed in Juggernaut.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>030 - Year 5 Memorable Moment: New Looks!</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqevvkYLs9aWOUcjDtkQm6WF6BLSbWR8GFVMCyGN1sj5ByyJThzTR1ZNMqP779b7nvUeYBaW_Qf0P9U1BcEQQumvl5UuB1BceHNmn1X8ri8h1WArOa9eaXNk_mxwyVAfjowVwqw1mVPXJec_t2pOYTnV9SBHAk_PW69qEHqEdEyYj2GUC1PHRODpOe/s562/X-Men%20%2339%20-%20New%20Costumes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="562" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqevvkYLs9aWOUcjDtkQm6WF6BLSbWR8GFVMCyGN1sj5ByyJThzTR1ZNMqP779b7nvUeYBaW_Qf0P9U1BcEQQumvl5UuB1BceHNmn1X8ri8h1WArOa9eaXNk_mxwyVAfjowVwqw1mVPXJec_t2pOYTnV9SBHAk_PW69qEHqEdEyYj2GUC1PHRODpOe/s320/X-Men%20%2339%20-%20New%20Costumes.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">After nearly 39 issues, the X-Men "graduate" (again) & receive new individual costumes (created by *sigh* Jean...). Two become iconic looks (while one is hot garbage). All in all, a key development for the X-Men!</div>Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-35681295255397558162023-02-02T12:00:00.001-06:002023-02-15T14:19:45.576-06:00X-amining X-Men: The Animated Series 4x04 - Patreon First<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtvs2gdJBgYg4_8Az-kQEvz9grM3iO9Kf2nm5zG8BpBqheKQ1mVstjQA2QXoURdZg-DhnE2g4ifODw2CPGSdh3qXJsdr9YfG2xVbyTZwwFSWfjSflrMKnwp4H7buCE0SD62Vm75gNltPDYZjK7Y0PPGPs9Vi55s94_vELHJC7nFj0V4FrYodnFDwH/s1262/X-Men%20the%20Animated%20Series%204x04%20Proteus%20Part%201%20-%20Proteus%20Part%201.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="935" data-original-width="1262" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtvs2gdJBgYg4_8Az-kQEvz9grM3iO9Kf2nm5zG8BpBqheKQ1mVstjQA2QXoURdZg-DhnE2g4ifODw2CPGSdh3qXJsdr9YfG2xVbyTZwwFSWfjSflrMKnwp4H7buCE0SD62Vm75gNltPDYZjK7Y0PPGPs9Vi55s94_vELHJC7nFj0V4FrYodnFDwH/s320/X-Men%20the%20Animated%20Series%204x04%20Proteus%20Part%201%20-%20Proteus%20Part%201.png" width="320" /></a></div>"<b>Proteus Part 1</b>"</div><p></p><div style="margin: 0px;"><b>Original Airdate</b></div><div style="margin: 0px;">September 30th, 1995</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><b>Writer</b></div><div style="margin: 0px;">Bruce Reid Schaefer</div></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><b>Plot</b></div><div style="margin: 0px;">On Muir Island, the energy-based mutant Proteus escapes from his cell. Moira MacTaggert calls Xavier for help, and while the X-Men race across the Atlantic in the Blackbird, Xavier tells them about his past with Moira. On Muir Island, Moira tells the X-Men about Proteus' ability to take control of host bodies and warp reality around him. As Proteus cuts a swath through Scotland searching for his father, the X-Men track him down. Confronted, Proteus uses his powers against the X-Men, overpowering their senses and terrifying Wolverine. From there, Proteus confronts his father, Joe MacTaggert, Moira's ex-husband, prompting a tearful Moira to admit that Proteus is her son!</div><div style="margin: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><b>Want to read the <a href="https://www.patreon.com/posts/proteus-part-1-78562429" target="_blank">rest</a> before everyone else? Become a patron via Patreon! </b></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><a data-blogger-escaped-data-patreon-widget-type="become-patron-button" href="https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=498636">Become a Patron!</a></div></div></div></div></div>Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-24121375457231359162023-02-01T12:00:00.001-06:002023-02-04T15:18:49.910-06:00X-amining X-Man #26<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqWPIqe-r6b41mK-0lirClZ81Se5bSf3ObhGeZ_W9D3nFO8gd9IRlG3AF6eL_WdHG919SXWrhixhKqjs48juQiX8IF3hSxB7SXW63jwgc5qSiQ-RkQ9saRAjToWZm90yXnVuIbrZAFUqxJAL9zZFC3_wPkgfaE5a3X6UqfrZLiZM4-75VrZJu_A8b/s617/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqWPIqe-r6b41mK-0lirClZ81Se5bSf3ObhGeZ_W9D3nFO8gd9IRlG3AF6eL_WdHG919SXWrhixhKqjs48juQiX8IF3hSxB7SXW63jwgc5qSiQ-RkQ9saRAjToWZm90yXnVuIbrZAFUqxJAL9zZFC3_wPkgfaE5a3X6UqfrZLiZM4-75VrZJu_A8b/s320/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20Cover.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>"<b>Down to Earth</b>"</div>April 1997<br /><br /><b>In a Nutshell</b><div>Nate seeks Moira's help in the wake of the loss of his telekinetic powers. <br /><br /><b>Writer</b>: Terry Kavanagh<br /><b>Guest Penciler</b>: Pascual Ferry <br /><b>Inker</b>: Jamie Mendoz & Howard Shack<br /><b>Letterer</b>: Richard Starkings & Comicraft<br /><b>Colorist</b>: Mike Thomas<div><b>Separations</b>: GCW<br /><b>Editor</b>: Jaye Gardner</div><div><b>Editor-in-Chief</b>: Bob Harras<br /><br /><b>Plot</b></div><div>Stuck in Switzerland without his telekinetic powers, Nate psychically projects himself to his friend, Peter Parker, to ask for help with his lost abilities. While touched Nate would seek him out, Peter admits he's not the best person to ask, and steers Nate in the direction of Moira MacTaggert. Nate physically travels to Muir Island, using his telepathy to sneak aboard cargo vehicles and mask his presence from Excalibur as he heads towards Moira's lab. However, Moira is well aware of his presence thanks to a device she's created. Nate asks for her help contacting Forge, but when Moira reaches Val Cooper, she's told X-Factor is dead. Moira proceeds to run some tests on Nate, and concludes there's nothing physically wrong with him: his own mind is, for some reason, suppressing his telekinesis. Meanwhile, Dark Beast suggests to Havok that he recruit Nate to his Brotherhood, but cautions him to leave Beast's name out of it. Back on Muir Island, Moira attacks Nate, hoping his instincts will kick in and allow his power out, but it doesn't. Later, as Nate ponders his next move, Havok and Fatale teleport onto Muir Island, and tell Nate <i>they </i>can help him. <span><a name='more'></a></span><br /><b><br /></b><b>Firsts and Other Notables</b><br />It's established in <i>X-Man</i> #26 that the absence of Nate's telekinetic abilities following his encounter with Madelyne last issue is the result of a mental inhibition on his part, rather than a physical problem. <br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gyXmIfFwZ9X2su00ijaPEEKhg6Iu_EeWCBZhXi6DrWJNVD9vkeg_BWG-_xtwd8WzkPq0PS-Lf_WqwThLPvoRYHAeTfTt1LwYJKi68QudbZzUY1FpSStQfMvSGGLiIR7d68XwSzOww6GRxWDlFr6xI0-27_pY6XrnsS0s3es1plizvsHXyd-4UGub/s1918/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20Surpressing%20Powers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1918" data-original-width="1226" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gyXmIfFwZ9X2su00ijaPEEKhg6Iu_EeWCBZhXi6DrWJNVD9vkeg_BWG-_xtwd8WzkPq0PS-Lf_WqwThLPvoRYHAeTfTt1LwYJKi68QudbZzUY1FpSStQfMvSGGLiIR7d68XwSzOww6GRxWDlFr6xI0-27_pY6XrnsS0s3es1plizvsHXyd-4UGub/s320/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20Surpressing%20Powers.png" width="205" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Havok's Brotherhood, which here consists of himself, Fatale, and Dark Beast, turns up in this issue with designs on recruiting Nate (which is seemingly part of some kind of plan-within-a-plan Dark Beast is running). <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12sEk4chw4zjARwL_oO34Eu-9PnmdRQKosE5m32CbkZE-ex8hBMlJ_HU4P6LzGPGxev_tJFH1_pWNIJcr7DUC8Um1T_nNManHzTnSYtQzNCEchFPuF5j_i4iRITSghfX9aEG65Ty0kUyQrIdi2VGD_RllwbHnyq_vqdpeP14B4TP0SO0kRFAkjcAO/s1719/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20Havok.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1719" data-original-width="1197" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12sEk4chw4zjARwL_oO34Eu-9PnmdRQKosE5m32CbkZE-ex8hBMlJ_HU4P6LzGPGxev_tJFH1_pWNIJcr7DUC8Um1T_nNManHzTnSYtQzNCEchFPuF5j_i4iRITSghfX9aEG65Ty0kUyQrIdi2VGD_RllwbHnyq_vqdpeP14B4TP0SO0kRFAkjcAO/s320/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20Havok.png" width="223" /></a></div><br /><div><b>A Work in Progress</b><br />I know they're trying to underscore how Nate doesn't have TK, but having him barehand climb up to Excalibur's base like he's scaling the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClzaP8HN2wc" target="_blank">Cliffs of Insanity</a> seems a bit excessive. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Es9efd4BwKJbwGBRxEKlMkvPbXm1W6yzEYoboEawP-owfT3TxJkhHlOypCh8WNy4ZoC8GfPK6Tt7gz2ow5yRhehA3Gjnel-2koKkFpCNXkwB_mJL8UYUG_qFYwhEk_SDkCIQIcKvgDSrbSJVsFBmVXmrzxnoUjKQkBOKhK7vgyC0UkBRnLC50jRz/s789/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20Cliffs%20on%20Insanity.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="622" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Es9efd4BwKJbwGBRxEKlMkvPbXm1W6yzEYoboEawP-owfT3TxJkhHlOypCh8WNy4ZoC8GfPK6Tt7gz2ow5yRhehA3Gjnel-2koKkFpCNXkwB_mJL8UYUG_qFYwhEk_SDkCIQIcKvgDSrbSJVsFBmVXmrzxnoUjKQkBOKhK7vgyC0UkBRnLC50jRz/s320/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20Cliffs%20on%20Insanity.png" width="252" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Both the events of <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2022/03/x-amining-x-man-24.html" target="_blank">issue #24</a>, and Nate's r<a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2021/08/x-amining-x-man-21.html" target="_blank">ecent work as a street performer</a> in Central Park, are referenced by the Daily Bugle staff. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEets4jmMETNOGTpBI6HjL0Seb0EHVvvC2X156lCjnmyurna8NsvtRTevSgQC3c7e0tVgBsNyPK0FnirhoASS1PsZlg0nab8lVLScpwFTTdpNfFiRbXpmDODERfDk_jfoyAg_z3P-D1zK2ijysIEXLOn-3UNynDYeF71m5bSwaIYnhB4X94eya7ZG/s1239/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20Nate%20Stuff.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1239" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEets4jmMETNOGTpBI6HjL0Seb0EHVvvC2X156lCjnmyurna8NsvtRTevSgQC3c7e0tVgBsNyPK0FnirhoASS1PsZlg0nab8lVLScpwFTTdpNfFiRbXpmDODERfDk_jfoyAg_z3P-D1zK2ijysIEXLOn-3UNynDYeF71m5bSwaIYnhB4X94eya7ZG/s320/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20Nate%20Stuff.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We're reminded Nate still doesn't trust the X-Men, which is why he's not going to any of them for help. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdLZroHvnzH93qo5nAsp3h6ojSPJxAj9OAUcJ7rTl-Ep5YNebdW4lVzU_Fy4xNHCnIw8shT3uT2dvlocnKJikn7O09jOh_Lifp1SAIWfwqB8czEMSxML8OGXYwXNXwuX3X8u6UqvhsZc9Mkln7U6rR9DScBPYVLwFNbmDY9KNKs8yGPTSqezDDMTf_/s1233/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20Does%20Not%20Like%20the%20X-men.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="1233" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdLZroHvnzH93qo5nAsp3h6ojSPJxAj9OAUcJ7rTl-Ep5YNebdW4lVzU_Fy4xNHCnIw8shT3uT2dvlocnKJikn7O09jOh_Lifp1SAIWfwqB8czEMSxML8OGXYwXNXwuX3X8u6UqvhsZc9Mkln7U6rR9DScBPYVLwFNbmDY9KNKs8yGPTSqezDDMTf_/s320/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20Does%20Not%20Like%20the%20X-men.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Nate is unable to detect the fact that, technically, Amanda Sefton is currently her mother Margali in control of Amanda's body (and the scene between her and Nightcrawler strongly suggests Terry Kavanagh is unaware of this as well). </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqGA5o1uerMMhuDKGM-vg2nyyq4aBb8UkRfNsHwy1Vyq5MDEOStV3wOkWdAUwwfqZ8tKigtdyYqPE8zo35cB3i8Y3rYLkebdqPjPtOgGoJwaDks9yclNwfilJLOSKQJBpzJZ0P6Qbi8rb2gG1YOZ5AMwwwSB4IcZcQyy-wT0am1igBAx6pQytQxG1/s1272/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20Excalibur.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1272" data-original-width="1224" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqGA5o1uerMMhuDKGM-vg2nyyq4aBb8UkRfNsHwy1Vyq5MDEOStV3wOkWdAUwwfqZ8tKigtdyYqPE8zo35cB3i8Y3rYLkebdqPjPtOgGoJwaDks9yclNwfilJLOSKQJBpzJZ0P6Qbi8rb2gG1YOZ5AMwwwSB4IcZcQyy-wT0am1igBAx6pQytQxG1/s320/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20Excalibur.png" width="308" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Rahne says (via some terrible dialogue) that she and Kitty are working on a surprise, with a caption pointing us to <a href="https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Excalibur_Vol_1_108" target="_blank"><i>Excalibur </i>#108</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0JGo3I-qtVBky0QYRi9QuYndgKd8eyJtt9A3KilT7iqdGZMs--Nih4xU8MwrZkdsIizTvTSu1bXMms6sfhfA97xFQ3nSZuhdIeJhYGKRSayF2G7yg6SHOZfZHtYr-by7QQQI5W3c7Gszj5GJT2Ve5bDl57wHP-uFG1zFkr96SXcIhcwXGN1bQdGv0/s741/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20Wolfsbane%20Dialogue.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="741" data-original-width="590" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0JGo3I-qtVBky0QYRi9QuYndgKd8eyJtt9A3KilT7iqdGZMs--Nih4xU8MwrZkdsIizTvTSu1bXMms6sfhfA97xFQ3nSZuhdIeJhYGKRSayF2G7yg6SHOZfZHtYr-by7QQQI5W3c7Gszj5GJT2Ve5bDl57wHP-uFG1zFkr96SXcIhcwXGN1bQdGv0/s320/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20Wolfsbane%20Dialogue.png" width="255" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Nate and Moira learn that X-Factor is "dead", a result of them faking their deaths in <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2022/10/x-amining-x-factor-132.html" target="_blank"><i>X-Factor</i> #132</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaLHEYyOdoTy6phEFLflnLE72vONjao3IkD6VNKnfSemp3KenznWiV9XkRn5PdzWhZQIsX0zfnIfcyQdRP2XUsllAZVW36S28A5LlebRlxI-SOYrV9IHstsuRffAvx3wfxjxnHDxdUnIlu6iEm-pAjEYXUwNURzI__3r4gWOCmny7furMU-dH2zC0j/s1227/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20X-Factor%20Dead.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1029" data-original-width="1227" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaLHEYyOdoTy6phEFLflnLE72vONjao3IkD6VNKnfSemp3KenznWiV9XkRn5PdzWhZQIsX0zfnIfcyQdRP2XUsllAZVW36S28A5LlebRlxI-SOYrV9IHstsuRffAvx3wfxjxnHDxdUnIlu6iEm-pAjEYXUwNURzI__3r4gWOCmny7furMU-dH2zC0j/s320/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20X-Factor%20Dead.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Moira suggests Nate needs to eat a lot to sustain his power. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8SghyZpS2UAz0r2F7nh4PXd0oS3iyYD2ZceOiW3jLf-n-_BaxKIXXCvFV7IxMOSSlrTIh_Fv31iuNEJ3AhyVWKTD-z8DjgYojoOmI-eVu4GIzpeQiKiGoF9N2Idn1Ggjl1t0vPxIDYQpFn5w_rhsu7QPiLdeUNizrV_5CHudk0th6xNcRZi34T-Lv/s1257/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20Nate%20Eating.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1147" data-original-width="1257" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8SghyZpS2UAz0r2F7nh4PXd0oS3iyYD2ZceOiW3jLf-n-_BaxKIXXCvFV7IxMOSSlrTIh_Fv31iuNEJ3AhyVWKTD-z8DjgYojoOmI-eVu4GIzpeQiKiGoF9N2Idn1Ggjl1t0vPxIDYQpFn5w_rhsu7QPiLdeUNizrV_5CHudk0th6xNcRZi34T-Lv/s320/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20Nate%20Eating.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Reference Section</b></div><div>While Nate is psychically projecting himself into the Daily Bugle, we hear that "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_Throat_(Watergate)" target="_blank">Deep Throat</a>" is calling for Ben Urich. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg08_j1bO_vEIXocM5TCmhyahQaLMlnY7LyLpQXtu2LPt65fZZ7b4KPB2VH7Dg7xUYWetEDx-oTaD3wvWYLN8fJHRzpYU2NmPbS3fylAXaOgTktMFYRA70RhiDgkDqio1-OYt6hc31iPToyIm5vIku7CNZjNXkyGTqe2WVeyWR5hdF784TMdtCqNk0f/s1239/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20Mr%20Throat.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="1239" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg08_j1bO_vEIXocM5TCmhyahQaLMlnY7LyLpQXtu2LPt65fZZ7b4KPB2VH7Dg7xUYWetEDx-oTaD3wvWYLN8fJHRzpYU2NmPbS3fylAXaOgTktMFYRA70RhiDgkDqio1-OYt6hc31iPToyIm5vIku7CNZjNXkyGTqe2WVeyWR5hdF784TMdtCqNk0f/s320/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20Mr%20Throat.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Later Havok does a "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senator,_you%27re_no_Jack_Kennedy" target="_blank">I knew Jack Kennedy</a>" riff with Dark Beast. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcqLYBmg9XHkfiD7xVY1ku1z4s3zgofBq0FVrzlykUrTKawbwCoRQttLl_XkPCjlJNQIP2dUMBmKqs3KIh_fcSmrsvN-yyl-QUpA2-gOPbYyumeOMtMg2IJ_8BJKHIEgzI_Aym8HT2jOk4Zdd83i1AiUWC2eoRUh_UZ-z73k-Or355p0sk6LPPpo3U/s714/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20I%20knew%20Hank%20McCoy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="524" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcqLYBmg9XHkfiD7xVY1ku1z4s3zgofBq0FVrzlykUrTKawbwCoRQttLl_XkPCjlJNQIP2dUMBmKqs3KIh_fcSmrsvN-yyl-QUpA2-gOPbYyumeOMtMg2IJ_8BJKHIEgzI_Aym8HT2jOk4Zdd83i1AiUWC2eoRUh_UZ-z73k-Or355p0sk6LPPpo3U/s320/X-Man%20%2326%20-%20I%20knew%20Hank%20McCoy.png" width="235" /></a></div><div><br /><b>Austin's Analysis</b><br />Something seems a little off with <i>X-Man</i> #26. Plot-wise, it's fine: in the wake of seemingly losing his telekinetic powers, Nate seeks out the advice of someone he likes (Spider-Man) who directs him to someone with whom he has a shaky but non-adversarial relationship (Moira) for further guidance. It's a good use of the book's relatively limited internal continuity, and Terry Kavanagh even takes a moment to hang a lampshade on Nate's stupid distrust of the X-Men. </div><div><br /></div><div>But the majority of the issue is told via first person though bubbles, and his voice seems off throughout the majority of those captions. For one, he speaks with an eloquence inconsistent with his voice as depicted previously in the series. For another, he is entirely too self-reflective (and self-critical), given how bratty he's been presented in the past (by Kavanagh himself, no less). For example, "Can't keep denying the probability that this is just the beginning of the end for me, the first real sign of my bodys surrender t' the fire in my head" simply sounds more like a writer than Nate. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's possible Kavanagh is trying to show that Nate's TK loss is causing him to act more mature and be more self-reflective, but if so, the subtlety may be lost (and Nate is still doing dumb things like being unnecessarily suspicious of Excalibur and masking his presence from them). The issue's connections with the series' past is appreciated (Nate's relationship with the AoA Forge is also used as the vehicle to connect Nate to X-Factor and introduce Havok and his Brotherhood), but the sudden shift in Nate's voice that permeates the issue is jarring. <br /><br /><b>Next Issue</b><br />Frankling Richards deals with loss in <a href="https://amzn.to/3JP4Hdo" target="_blank"><i>X-Men Unlimited</i> #14</a>!<br /><br /><b>Like what you read? Then support us on Patreon & gain access to exclusive reviews of <i>Ms. Marvel</i>, <i>X-Men: The Animated Series</i> and more!</b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a data-patreon-widget-type="become-patron-button" href="https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=498636">Become a Patron!</a></div></div></div>Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-26182439085226555892023-01-31T12:00:00.001-06:002023-02-01T21:55:34.462-06:00The Week That Was 1312023<p>Upcoming X-aminations, Oscars, shameless plugs. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBue6I05koSOcjVE9Q3tFgLkIRLvWO-_h1Jamv43k7TNCTHSmPx0wIkLYzMuXN8f5vpK_S-jY2L8Z9FD4emFItHLefysz3zhguE6zOz2xA-OPeF62tDPDXh_wM-eE5YsGuM3HBXJB1oA3vaQX4ZQgNNMUcPsXlt9j_bavElkfXiY-uuP2vBnEMdJ2s/s2048/Generation%20X%20House%20Ad%202.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1340" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBue6I05koSOcjVE9Q3tFgLkIRLvWO-_h1Jamv43k7TNCTHSmPx0wIkLYzMuXN8f5vpK_S-jY2L8Z9FD4emFItHLefysz3zhguE6zOz2xA-OPeF62tDPDXh_wM-eE5YsGuM3HBXJB1oA3vaQX4ZQgNNMUcPsXlt9j_bavElkfXiY-uuP2vBnEMdJ2s/s320/Generation%20X%20House%20Ad%202.png" width="209" /></a></div><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span><a name='more'></a></span>X-aminations in February 1997</h3><div>With the review of <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2023/01/x-amining-uncanny-x-men-343.html" target="_blank"><i>Uncanny X-Men</i> #343</a>, we've moved into the territory of books on sale in February 1997, which include: </div><div><br /></div><div><i>X-Man</i> #26</div><div><i>X-Men</i> (vol. 2) #63 </div><div><i>Wolverine </i>#112 </div><div><i>X-Factor</i> #133</div><div><i>Cable </i>#42</div><div><i>Generation X</i> #26</div><div><i>X-Force</i> #65</div><div><i>Excalibur </i>#108</div><div><i>Juggernaut </i>#1</div><div><i>Imperial Guard</i> #1-3</div><div><i>Sabretooth & Mystique</i> #4 (carryover from January '97)</div><div><i>X-Men Unlimited</i> #14 (carryover from January '97)</div><div><i>Domino </i>#1-3 (carryover from January '97)</div><div><i>Xavier Institute Alumni Yearbook</i> (carryover from January '97)</div><div><br /></div><div>I may shakeup the order a bit to mix in some of the miniseries and one-shots, but that's the batch of books on deck!</div><div><br /></div><div>Next time, we'll do some Power Rankings! </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Oscars</h3><div>The <a href="https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2023" target="_blank">Academy Award nominations</a> were announced last week. I used to write about the Oscars fairly regular around here, until I realized I was never going to be an Oscar pundit and I should focus on other areas in my writing, but I continue to revel in Oscar season every year, and my wife and I continue to try and see all the Best Picture nominees every year despite the combined efforts of children and the Academy insisting on nominating ten movies to thwart us. One thing that has made catching more of these movies easier of late is streaming — I think all but two or three of the Best Picture noms are available to watch at home in some capacity already, and that may change between now and the March ceremony (and one of the films that definitely <i>isn't </i>available to watch at home yet — <i>Avatar: Way of Water</i> — is the one nominee we've already seen). </div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, being able to watch the nominees at home is great and all, but you still need to find time to watch them and, most importantly for those of us on the older side and who have kids, stay awake for them. My wife and I had grand plans to kick off our Oscars watch with <i>Elvis </i>Saturday night, until, by the time we were done with dinner and getting the kids to bed (during which I fell asleep briefly putting the eight year old to bed only to stumble downstairs at 10PM to find my wife asleep on the couch), we decided "to hell with it" and just went to bed ourselves. </div><div><br /></div><div>It also doesn't help that our time to see these movies in the theater BEFORE they get nominated has significantly decreased, between arranging babysitters and coordinating schedules, such that while once upon a time, we'd usually have seen at least a couple-three nominees by the time they were announced, now we're lucky if we have one under our belts by the time the nominations are announced in January. At any rate, we'll do our best again and I'll pass along my impressions of what we do see here and on <a href="https://letterboxd.com/AustinGorton/" target="_blank">Letterboxd</a>, but in the meantime, which of the best picture nominees have you seen? Any early favorites? </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Shameless Plugs</h3><div><br /></div><div>One more end-of-last-year review I forgot to plug last time is my review of the <a href="https://www.comicbookherald.com/x-men-epic-collection-x-cutioners-song-review/" target="_blank">"X-Cutioner's Song" Epic Collection</a> for Comic Book Herald. It collects the issues of <i>Uncanny X-Men</i> and <i>X-Men</i> that close out the Jim Lee/Whilce Portacio runs, then the immediate post-Image Exodus issues following by the eponymous crossover. This is basically me making my case for why "X-Cutioner's Song" is one of the best X-Men crossover stories, even though it came polybagged with trading cards and was first published smack dab in the middle of the era of what people think of as "90s X-Men". <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>More recently, I did an overview of the in-universe <a href="https://www.thepopverse.com/star-wars-timeline-order-movie" target="_blank">Star Wars timeline</a> for Popverse, though it's probably pretty basic for most people reading this. Also in the Star Wars realm, my ongoing reviews of the Darth Vader solo series continue at Comics XF, with <a href="https://www.comicsxf.com/2023/01/17/darth-vader-30-adds-a-twist-or-two/" target="_blank">issue #30</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">What Else? </h3><div><b>What I'm Reading</b></div><div>"Sins of Sinister", the latest mini crossover in the current X-books, kicked off last week, and its inaugural issue was a lot of fun (with a great all star assemblage of talent contributing some wonderful splash pages). I edited Mark Turetsky and Rasmus Lykke's review of <a href="https://www.comicsxf.com/2023/01/25/sinister-sinister-everywhere-in-sins-of-sinister-1/" target="_blank"><i>Sins of Sinister</i> #1</a>, the issue that kicks it all off, which digs into the issue really well. I was fairly cool on Kieron Gillen's take on Mister Sinister when he first introduced it in his earlier X-Men run, but I've warmed to it during the Krakoa Era (thanks in part to my ongoing coverage of Hellions back in the day). He's become such a darkly funny character I don't really care anymore how inconsistent he is with his earlier "mysterious schemer" days. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>What I'm Watching</b></div><div>I signed up for Paramount Plus via a cheap Black Friday deal and am thinking of diving into its Star Trek content; any recommendations on where to start, what can't be missed (or what <i>can </i>be missed)? </div></div><div><br /></div><div>'Til next time! </div>Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-54789551850444715232023-01-30T12:00:00.001-06:002023-02-01T16:43:27.172-06:0060 Years of X - 1966<h3 style="text-align: left;">Year 4: 1966</h3><div><br /></div><div>1966 X-Men Comics & Appearances: <i>X-Men</i> #18-29, <i>Strange Tales</i> #156. </div><p><b>019 - Year 4 Cover: <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2009/12/x-amining-x-men-28.html" target="_blank"><i>X-Men</i> #28</a></b></p><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0z3plOQorFjFwG1kNdvfuX9Tboccpf7BCOlXPMZKsdnpDUwhI8pRek0Ksw2S4ETEnC1JX7j0v0BUpg6BmBW40cISq0RmW4WPe7RoFUREL4PGwnMZcC7HpAImCUTXyFCDrLaDJkSV3VQpyzTbHqeqDxxFvzFVVoCa1A1jH0o51lg7bWGzLzvn-hvOO/s601/1966%20-%20X-Men%20%2328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0z3plOQorFjFwG1kNdvfuX9Tboccpf7BCOlXPMZKsdnpDUwhI8pRek0Ksw2S4ETEnC1JX7j0v0BUpg6BmBW40cISq0RmW4WPe7RoFUREL4PGwnMZcC7HpAImCUTXyFCDrLaDJkSV3VQpyzTbHqeqDxxFvzFVVoCa1A1jH0o51lg7bWGzLzvn-hvOO/s320/1966%20-%20X-Men%20%2328.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><p>Not a lot of great covers to choose from in '66. Werner Roth's cover to Banshee's first appearance stands out due to the red background & eerie spectral quality to Banshee & the energy created by the figure's movement.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p><b>020 - Year 4 Creator: Werner Roth</b></p><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpymhUJ8mJykuo-RHv04k-Gf6TrV0KsYzHfBdaZZpw-n1Fe6QafR8UGYEpXNubVVlVrUwLIrC4fvbq_yVDZS_yrxa1STveb_8BJDYCH6xujmy3UjWjbCAoUMaJUwRnfiQ9TTelxK6Un0K_Znoa4RvxXhg0e_XFVScKmB7DmmPPER311Pi2zhPtV1S/s569/X-Men%20%2322%20-%20Romance.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="556" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgpymhUJ8mJykuo-RHv04k-Gf6TrV0KsYzHfBdaZZpw-n1Fe6QafR8UGYEpXNubVVlVrUwLIrC4fvbq_yVDZS_yrxa1STveb_8BJDYCH6xujmy3UjWjbCAoUMaJUwRnfiQ9TTelxK6Un0K_Znoa4RvxXhg0e_XFVScKmB7DmmPPER311Pi2zhPtV1S/s320/X-Men%20%2322%20-%20Romance.png" width="313" /></a></div><br /><p>I wouldn't call Roth (working under the pen name Jay Gavin, his sons' names) a favorite X-Men artist, but he certainly defines the look of the 1966 X-Men, his past in romance comics playing into the increasing interpersonal dramas.</p><p><b>021 - Year 4 Character: Mimic</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8inrEbNvX3SBAUbDGXOgyYBz1ajbfw-biXGlXFIY45LJ_ihPCFYiSMc7k4-KP_ErcJupRJ0rMYo2eVuMeV2JBScmwcPN2h7EuKMiogVykQcXdG5tkVEVe9TmSsJlzFTg0_xK2IaqHNLBx9ZtxgA2qm2YSkBJiutYNbQPOx7HazlLKV-OuaXWYE4L2/s1080/1966%20-%20X-Men%20%2319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="703" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8inrEbNvX3SBAUbDGXOgyYBz1ajbfw-biXGlXFIY45LJ_ihPCFYiSMc7k4-KP_ErcJupRJ0rMYo2eVuMeV2JBScmwcPN2h7EuKMiogVykQcXdG5tkVEVe9TmSsJlzFTg0_xK2IaqHNLBx9ZtxgA2qm2YSkBJiutYNbQPOx7HazlLKV-OuaXWYE4L2/s320/1966%20-%20X-Men%20%2319.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><br /><p>If Mimic, the first non-O5 member of the X-Men had a year, it's 1966, in which he debuts, joins the X-Men, becomes their leader because Cyclops is paralyzed by angst, seemingly loses his powers, and quits. </p><p><b>022 - Year 4 Comic: <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2010/01/x-amining-x-men-29.html" target="_blank"><i>X-Men</i> #29</a></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXQ8kOiDOh79k0B3bxVCoiYrdhedrQXgYs8cTcmyvGLXSeEIXwv7IVr72xFTM7Yb2Y8wwzytsyylaivnCmKviX4YYpIaW84364SePQoj0sAmMskC3VJCvNXXgk6thTXm-pARNUth4aP5lfa2uK79Z4lapbF3z0lA_zWrRHNULQDvLuk1XTVFXXzWW/s595/1966%20-%20X-Men%20%2329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXQ8kOiDOh79k0B3bxVCoiYrdhedrQXgYs8cTcmyvGLXSeEIXwv7IVr72xFTM7Yb2Y8wwzytsyylaivnCmKviX4YYpIaW84364SePQoj0sAmMskC3VJCvNXXgk6thTXm-pARNUth4aP5lfa2uK79Z4lapbF3z0lA_zWrRHNULQDvLuk1XTVFXXzWW/s320/1966%20-%20X-Men%20%2329.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Mimic vs. Super Adaptoid is a great hook (it's the O5 vs. Cap's Kooky Quartet!) & this is packed w/fun Silver Age moments, like Cyclops literally collapsing in angst or Iceman being mocked into disbelieving his own eyes.</p><p><b>023 - Year 4 Fun Fact: Spider-Man!</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Tp1L2cDBrxTWoYZgPOY76xtrN57H9wb2iP2WzDCCp4LlccNU0XiJ63HcVlmlzKINIah2b7uCfULx1JBTqFREO9pixUVn2OoQ32MB6hVX0y2BGwneZ89gAbltqFJ91shiS8G6u6gPQvR_mq6KHYp-0uKHVwIIXmkaDEbgLtV2GUngW0EO3BrGAYEU/s578/X-Men%20%2327%20Spider-Man.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="565" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Tp1L2cDBrxTWoYZgPOY76xtrN57H9wb2iP2WzDCCp4LlccNU0XiJ63HcVlmlzKINIah2b7uCfULx1JBTqFREO9pixUVn2OoQ32MB6hVX0y2BGwneZ89gAbltqFJ91shiS8G6u6gPQvR_mq6KHYp-0uKHVwIIXmkaDEbgLtV2GUngW0EO3BrGAYEU/s320/X-Men%20%2327%20Spider-Man.png" width="313" /></a></div><br /><p>Per Roy Thomas, a 4 panel Spider-Man cameo in <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2009/11/x-amining-x-men-27.html" target="_blank"><i>X-Men</i> #27</a> led to a full guest appearance in <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2010/03/x-amining-x-men-35.html" target="_blank"><i>X-Men</i> #35</a>, making Thomas the first creator other than Stan Lee to write Spider-Man!</p><p><b>024 - Year 4 Memorable Moment: Banshee debuts!</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYO_yjfEUIsdl-FmzG82qF5kYGL-y5Nn-idUrysUpwrr1w0kX01wz2arWfs17qUG9yCkmxpxAZ037zqyWJvrzs_mvWXpFyvwxtdIcNb2AWDBrAp3mTR3ZHhFtkzz1HtVKTy6pHH2bggOdd0IdbKMqAeNVAylxhman8WWuKMDQ7GuJ8jnfy9BTZqlus/s839/X-Men%20%2328%20Banshee.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="839" data-original-width="573" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYO_yjfEUIsdl-FmzG82qF5kYGL-y5Nn-idUrysUpwrr1w0kX01wz2arWfs17qUG9yCkmxpxAZ037zqyWJvrzs_mvWXpFyvwxtdIcNb2AWDBrAp3mTR3ZHhFtkzz1HtVKTy6pHH2bggOdd0IdbKMqAeNVAylxhman8WWuKMDQ7GuJ8jnfy9BTZqlus/s320/X-Men%20%2328%20Banshee.png" width="219" /></a></div><p></p><p>I'd love to give this one to the debut of Ted Roberts, but it's hard to compete w/the 1st appearance of a future X-Man & headmaster of Generation X (even if his depiction at the time is...problematic).</p>Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-54683363408704641362023-01-26T12:00:00.002-06:002023-01-28T17:15:59.978-06:00X-amining Classic X-Men #25 - Patreon First<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitUy6SLLog_Kd9JC6f7gZyyjwJ993LcgSYY6vVFNSsr2UnwD5QZp5D-wVPZMzMODvbBnK5Lwlafnba6AdonZm6eP0uFFZimXGFKL4u85ptJ6IBxbsznp8CARXRev7sAh_Pk0Qe4FT3ZkY9Ch1i5aSqpifANbavh8VxjejKHB1anF9LRE4vmd5kvLxZ/s610/Classic%20X-Men%20%2325%20-%20Cover.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitUy6SLLog_Kd9JC6f7gZyyjwJ993LcgSYY6vVFNSsr2UnwD5QZp5D-wVPZMzMODvbBnK5Lwlafnba6AdonZm6eP0uFFZimXGFKL4u85ptJ6IBxbsznp8CARXRev7sAh_Pk0Qe4FT3ZkY9Ch1i5aSqpifANbavh8VxjejKHB1anF9LRE4vmd5kvLxZ/s320/Classic%20X-Men%20%2325%20-%20Cover.jpg" width="210" /></a></p><div>"<b>Just don't look it in its eyes</b>"</div><div>September 1988<br /><br /><b>In a Nutshell</b></div><div>Wolverine is stalked by a hunter and fights a bear. <br /><br /><b>Writer</b>: Ann Nocenti, Chris Claremont (additional pages)<br /><b>Artist</b>: John Bolton, Kieron Dwyer (additional pages)</div><div><b>Inker</b>: Terry Austin (additional pages)<br /><b>Letters</b>: Tom Orzechowski, Michael Heisler (additional pages)</div><div><b>Colors</b>: Gynis Wein</div><div><b>Editor</b>: Bob Harras<br /><b>Editor-in-Chief</b>: Tom DeFalco<br /><div><br /></div><b>Plot</b></div><div>Moonlighting for Central, Wolverine destroys a building in the Canadian wilderness, but gets burned in the process. Making his way back to civilization, he is spotted by a hunter, who thinks the burned Wolverine may be a creature like Big Foot or Sasquatch. The hunter tries to sneak up on Wolverine, but Wolverine is amazed at how noisy the hunter is, noise which attracts a large bear. The bear attacks Wolverine but he manages to kill it. As the hunter gets closer to Wolverine, he fires an arrow at him, but Wolverine catches it and throws it back to the hunter. Hitting his thigh, the hunter is stunned to learn his prey isn't some dumb beast. Wolverine leaves the hunter be, then continues on his way home. </div><div><br /></div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><b>Want to read the <a href="https://www.patreon.com/posts/x-amining-x-men-77853595" target="_blank">rest</a> before everyone else? Become a patron via Patreon! </b></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin: 0px;"><a data-blogger-escaped-data-patreon-widget-type="become-patron-button" href="https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=498636">Become a Patron!</a></div></div></div></div></div>Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-21582429837190152112023-01-25T12:00:00.001-06:002023-01-26T21:11:11.028-06:00X-amining Uncanny X-Men #343<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLy-ILzNP4wxJ3o6HkQ5K7vEUIdshuQvXJWZ0pGICrcKl1AUxP4wujmyXxgSEL5AtQtrXgudevQTtteadltqA8wN1dt3LNg_nwgadCwwNjM0BnBuHWZHt422Sp1cH_QO4irTNZYQX7djIerGWMxhXOaEwyO3883VBSBfcEV0SQopEmUNe2l4ZEwR1b/s620/Uncanny%20X-Men%20%23343%20-%20Cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLy-ILzNP4wxJ3o6HkQ5K7vEUIdshuQvXJWZ0pGICrcKl1AUxP4wujmyXxgSEL5AtQtrXgudevQTtteadltqA8wN1dt3LNg_nwgadCwwNjM0BnBuHWZHt422Sp1cH_QO4irTNZYQX7djIerGWMxhXOaEwyO3883VBSBfcEV0SQopEmUNe2l4ZEwR1b/s320/Uncanny%20X-Men%20%23343%20-%20Cover.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>"<b><a href="https://amzn.to/3j6WgPN" target="_blank">Where No X-Man Has Gone Before!</a></b>"</div><div>April 1997<br /><br /><b>In a Nutshell</b></div><div>The Phalanx return as the X-Men fight to save the Shi'ar!<br /><br /><b>Writer</b>: Scott Lobdell<br /><b>Penciler</b>: Joe Madureira<br /><b>Inkers</b>: Tim Townsend<br /><b>Letters</b>: Richard Starkings and Comicraft<br /><b>Colors</b>: Steve Buccellato and Team Bucce<br /><b>Editor-in-Chief</b>: Bob Harras<br /><div><br /></div><b>Plot</b></div><div>As Bishop and Beast tend to the injured Deathbird, Gambit and Joseph arrive to interrogate her. However, Deathbird grabs Bishop's gun and fires on them, revealing both to be Phalanx, the techno-organic aliens who have decimated the Shi'ar Empire. Meanwhile, Rogue attempts to rescue the real Gambit & Joseph, but is drawn into conflict with the Phalanx. She is partially transmoded, which allows her to learn of the Phalanx plans for galactic conquest, just before Gambit & Joseph rescue her in turn. Back on Earth, Bastion arrives at an Operation: Zero Tolerance base with special cargo: the captive Jubilee. Back in Shi'ar space, the X-Men arrive at distant moon of Chandilar, the Shi'ar throneworld. They allow the Phalanx to destroy their ship, using the debris to mask their descent to the moon inside a makeshift lifeboat. Landing on the moon, they proceed to one of Deathbird's safehouses, and from there, teleport to directly to Chandilar!<span><a name='more'></a></span><br /><br /><b>Firsts and Other Notables</b></div><div><i>Uncanny X-Men</i> #343 marks the return of the Phalanx, following their defeat in the "<a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/search/label/%22Phalanx%20Covenant%22" target="_blank">Phalanx Covenant</a>" crossover. Specifically, it introduces a new variation on the Phalanx, who call themselves "the Pure" relative to the Earthbound-Phalanx (or "transient") of earlier stories (though of course, the idea of there being extraterrestrial Phalanx was previously introduced and arguably dates back all the way to the introduction of <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2013/01/x-amining-new-mutants-18.html" target="_blank">Warlock</a>). </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5TJ4xUwrMlZqHfENQFWGIWv_nOl-xOvPfYrU1JwlSBZuICYDQO0krT544pshVGooUILQF7CLmsR_y0A967KSCdfi5-b32-dHOIcoklRmGwjMEe0iOPEuPNRyo1sPAEDKEN_O76P5qYyn7hfGjbMA7lCb5GpVc_-0MZLxre_KckahE7Ob-fy08Mgn5/s2003/Uncanny%20X-Men%20%23343%20-%20Pure%20Phalanx.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2003" data-original-width="1324" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5TJ4xUwrMlZqHfENQFWGIWv_nOl-xOvPfYrU1JwlSBZuICYDQO0krT544pshVGooUILQF7CLmsR_y0A967KSCdfi5-b32-dHOIcoklRmGwjMEe0iOPEuPNRyo1sPAEDKEN_O76P5qYyn7hfGjbMA7lCb5GpVc_-0MZLxre_KckahE7Ob-fy08Mgn5/s320/Uncanny%20X-Men%20%23343%20-%20Pure%20Phalanx.png" width="212" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>It's also established here that this particular branch of the Phalanx is responsible for attacking the Shi'ar Empire, and is the threat Gladiator forcibly recruited the X-Men to battle in <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2022/03/x-amining-uncanny-x-men-341.html" target="_blank">issue #341</a>. They refer to their goal as "manifest destiny", so presumably, the assimilation of everything. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KnmULJ-LuKqGZ7Z1OTUiXKQsSunk50SQO8xmgQNDLF37RXxICP5LHUJYw0R44Shi6A3MS0gBnpdr8Be97CCE32SLQP-OEVhEUBXtTDXXbAQoC8rZciSLiZeeX2z2DzeDPLSm3Tx9LBYsH_JGg8GdaEhRUJWNxoMqO5kekfciyplT3MhlP9fRudW0/s2048/Uncanny%20X-Men%20%23343%20-%20Phalanx%20Goals.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1327" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KnmULJ-LuKqGZ7Z1OTUiXKQsSunk50SQO8xmgQNDLF37RXxICP5LHUJYw0R44Shi6A3MS0gBnpdr8Be97CCE32SLQP-OEVhEUBXtTDXXbAQoC8rZciSLiZeeX2z2DzeDPLSm3Tx9LBYsH_JGg8GdaEhRUJWNxoMqO5kekfciyplT3MhlP9fRudW0/s320/Uncanny%20X-Men%20%23343%20-%20Phalanx%20Goals.png" width="207" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>It's also worth noting that between "Phalanx Covenant" and this story, the Phalanx did appear in the dying days of the <a href="https://www.patreon.com/posts/31020150" target="_blank">2099 imprint</a>, returning to Earth intent on conquering it and causing the majority of the surviving 2099 characters to begin rebuilding society in the Savage Land following worldwide cataclysms. <br /><br /><b>A Work in Progress</b></div><div>Deathbird knows Gambit and Joseph are Phalanx at the beginning of the issue because they don't smell like Earthlings. </div><div><br /></div><div>It was previously established that the Phalanx couldn't infect/transmode mutants, despite partially doing so to Rogue here. Presumably, some combination of her absorption powers and the status of these Phalanx as "pure" allowed them to do so. </div><div><br /></div><div>Following his capture of Jubilee in <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2022/11/x-amining-generation-x-25.html" target="_blank"><i>Generation X</i> #25</a>, Bastion shows up in this issue to deliver to an Operation: Zero Tolerance base. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ArWmRq6Bj_rO70W-cOBDQ-_zJ_Us4PlHlC48R3YtgYckgs4I8yRVXugrv6LGHFRq8uQD4Vhs2YRzFamE8VknVstni_qdA0Es0GocmbGU_HL-P2LGMnsPeRS-r9ExYOwhCRsSONUxvCPjhzkYW3uko8q7RlP5dJyJzRY345SD1BrLTnX311kASRHL/s968/Uncanny%20X-Men%20%23343%20-%20Jubilee.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="968" data-original-width="631" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ArWmRq6Bj_rO70W-cOBDQ-_zJ_Us4PlHlC48R3YtgYckgs4I8yRVXugrv6LGHFRq8uQD4Vhs2YRzFamE8VknVstni_qdA0Es0GocmbGU_HL-P2LGMnsPeRS-r9ExYOwhCRsSONUxvCPjhzkYW3uko8q7RlP5dJyJzRY345SD1BrLTnX311kASRHL/s320/Uncanny%20X-Men%20%23343%20-%20Jubilee.png" width="209" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>His seeming right hand man, Harper, is there as well, and now appears as a frailer old man with a bushy mustache. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaaN9NaHBLSF07R5-vw6PuR7IXjSqd_eFD2vzdoXUZD05vJP2bT8FmeLtAgILg9XAspGoLdJta-0ZgZJdlfQqVRVI5SuIzo-qPoB13WFDlRwGvts-aRsSBfzvecg6Uiz5qyznFfILf0YVCOuxQzJNRSO21-L5S7-Yjzte4dhHZClai1y5qjttlQdCx/s1273/Uncanny%20X-Men%20%23343%20-%20Harper.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="999" data-original-width="1273" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaaN9NaHBLSF07R5-vw6PuR7IXjSqd_eFD2vzdoXUZD05vJP2bT8FmeLtAgILg9XAspGoLdJta-0ZgZJdlfQqVRVI5SuIzo-qPoB13WFDlRwGvts-aRsSBfzvecg6Uiz5qyznFfILf0YVCOuxQzJNRSO21-L5S7-Yjzte4dhHZClai1y5qjttlQdCx/s320/Uncanny%20X-Men%20%23343%20-%20Harper.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Reference Section</b></div><div>The opening page includes a number of Star Trek references, including the title of the story (which was also the title of <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2011/05/x-amining-x-men-107.html" target="_blank"><i>X-Men</i> #107</a>) and Bob Harras being credited as the Other Great Bird of the Galaxy, a nod to Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's designation as "<a href="https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Great_bird_of_the_galaxy" target="_blank">the great bird of the galaxy</a>". <br /><br /><b>Young Love</b></div><div>Believing herself on the verge of assimilation, Rogue opening declares her love for Gambit. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx_0YpCOo3E_nPoxnJ7gCEYBFjCWApy4xFvES8F7kI_PE9UVKNQuSXO7MMxPfqURHxvfWEVsm1uW3v1474kE2h5rwA7jRgCMTHivYfUhnti8r3630PUd2G1oC6UIdis03wJMGWo4bDvF2qu_fjQsowGlz2JUgMBHNtxWheQKN9Avfc0bCZ-lKh9SGH/s1172/Uncanny%20X-Men%20%23343%20-%20Loving%20Gambit.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1172" data-original-width="639" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx_0YpCOo3E_nPoxnJ7gCEYBFjCWApy4xFvES8F7kI_PE9UVKNQuSXO7MMxPfqURHxvfWEVsm1uW3v1474kE2h5rwA7jRgCMTHivYfUhnti8r3630PUd2G1oC6UIdis03wJMGWo4bDvF2qu_fjQsowGlz2JUgMBHNtxWheQKN9Avfc0bCZ-lKh9SGH/s320/Uncanny%20X-Men%20%23343%20-%20Loving%20Gambit.png" width="174" /></a></div><br /><b>Austin's Analysis</b><br />One of the things that has always stuck in my head about this arc is that for all the big narrative things that happen in it — the Phalanx return (in the present day) for the first time since their big crossover event, and they wipe out a bunch of Shi'ar! — it's a relatively small story, unfolding across essentially just three issues. That feels like too few issues to chronicle a story that big. But I also always forget how it's this issue that is really responsible for that compression. After <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2022/08/x-amining-uncanny-x-men-342.html" target="_blank">last issue's setup</a> (and ahead of next issue's climax) <i>Uncanny X-Men</i> #343 is the issue which really does the majority of the narrative work in its scant 22 pages. It is here that we learn the true nature of the threat, discover the new form of the Phalanx, have a skirmish to establish their power level, come up with a plan to fight back, and begin the execution of that plan as a lead-in to the finale. </div><div><br /></div><div>That this issue isn't a complete and utter mess as a result of all the plot machinations it needs to carry out is a testament to Lobdell & Madureira's storytelling chops. If anything, the breeziness with which Madureira lays this all out is to its detriment, as it makes the whole thing read even faster, increasing the feeling that we're blowing through a lot of story quickly. Shortly after meeting the Phalanx again we're suddenly heading into the endgame, the characters having come up with their plan of attack and put it into motion during the cutaway for a check-in to the Zero Tolerance subplot. The end result isn't necessarily bad, but it does contribute to the feeling of this story being smaller than it needs to be, that to depict happenings this impactful requires more time than the turn the page or a tap o the screen.<br /><br /><b>Next Issue</b></div><div>Nate meets Evil Havok's weird new Brotherhood in <a href="https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/X-Man_Vol_1_26" target="_blank"><i>X-Man</i> #26!</a><br /><br /><b>Like what you read? Then support us on Patreon & gain access to exclusive reviews of <i>Classic X-Men</i>, <i>X-Men: The Animated Series</i> and more!</b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a data-patreon-widget-type="become-patron-button" href="https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=498636">Become a Patron!</a></div></div>Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-20499935138569879372023-01-24T12:00:00.001-06:002023-01-25T23:27:09.739-06:0060 Years of X - 1965<h3 style="text-align: left;">Year 3: 1965</h3><p>1965 X-Men Comics: <i>X-Men</i> #10-17, <i>Fantastic Four Annual </i>#3</p><p><b>013 - Year 3 Cover: <i>X-Men</i> #13</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAV4jAYBNGmJmVQJiCiMhb6VKZqEFTAOaFVgtv0ytDmvSNMnylZRPU_00OygGtc3BNeWekHrefB2vLIY1T1823e_pPo6pO-_wApf12tMjIPMS3FJ6-6u3aSID-FMJQFk1atyx11AofipU712WXJoDgF6soP2A0ldZrP--Wfl6Dw__9-lE3xde2Jf7/s1079/X-Men%20%2312%20Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="712" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAV4jAYBNGmJmVQJiCiMhb6VKZqEFTAOaFVgtv0ytDmvSNMnylZRPU_00OygGtc3BNeWekHrefB2vLIY1T1823e_pPo6pO-_wApf12tMjIPMS3FJ6-6u3aSID-FMJQFk1atyx11AofipU712WXJoDgF6soP2A0ldZrP--Wfl6Dw__9-lE3xde2Jf7/s320/X-Men%20%2312%20Cover.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><p>On his way out in '65 (shifting to only doing layouts & covers), Kirby turns in some of the strongest covers of his run, w/several icon entries. I like this one just a smidge more than #12, the other Juggernaut cover.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p><b>014 - Year 3 Creator: Stan Lee</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-hHNpFZcuz8z8WMfoC88K8nAuqlCJvdF-Irz99-vyKr2YSQ1j3AYXbueOC4bJO6iT08vdHC062-JHaATCNEMgoIgabSTQtJvWOaIgyHk1n9HB_pfMJnv0z9EymQ49zhhIqxcl3wAIXTiL0hjOiwasSr-WmRuxUrOubRjmh1wSMB0JdDJACIuAp_u/s555/X-Men%20%2314%20-%20Mutant%20Menace.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="555" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-hHNpFZcuz8z8WMfoC88K8nAuqlCJvdF-Irz99-vyKr2YSQ1j3AYXbueOC4bJO6iT08vdHC062-JHaATCNEMgoIgabSTQtJvWOaIgyHk1n9HB_pfMJnv0z9EymQ49zhhIqxcl3wAIXTiL0hjOiwasSr-WmRuxUrOubRjmh1wSMB0JdDJACIuAp_u/s320/X-Men%20%2314%20-%20Mutant%20Menace.png" width="320" /></a></div><p>On HIS way out (though he lasts a tad longer than Kirby), Stan turns in his best X-work yet, thanks to the 1-2 punch of the Juggernaut & the Sentinels intros, which give the series some much needed thematic resonance.</p><p><b>015 - Year 3 Character: The Sentinels</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFIQ5BRmhoI3ClLXMHCFWYy3ERSXUeolRpqLZ8Ffb4GaDPeZV3r0UhpsbRmZE69PXh8DAxQwykLnxqf123il3okNf21td4PfuTemnRQNdxyX0AUw0Fugl4hiOR-ux3DU8-dJB9RDuRe5ZftYlNrURnQhAO55nm_bDAl9Wx5e-tj-MLb_u8fm3LkQFn/s1079/X-Men%20%2316%20-%20Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="712" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFIQ5BRmhoI3ClLXMHCFWYy3ERSXUeolRpqLZ8Ffb4GaDPeZV3r0UhpsbRmZE69PXh8DAxQwykLnxqf123il3okNf21td4PfuTemnRQNdxyX0AUw0Fugl4hiOR-ux3DU8-dJB9RDuRe5ZftYlNrURnQhAO55nm_bDAl9Wx5e-tj-MLb_u8fm3LkQFn/s320/X-Men%20%2316%20-%20Cover.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><p>1965 is when the concept of anti-mutant prejudice truly crystalizes in the series for the first time, in the form of mutant-hunting robots that give the X-Men a way to punch an ephemeral concept like "prejudice".</p><p><b>016 - Year 3 Comic: <a href="https://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2009/05/x-amining-x-men-12.html" target="_blank"><i>X-Men</i> #12</a></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKP_FYHJ_mqIzD_3UEl8xoYmp3g1ElqqhNlEgzSvdzbqo0LNY0HEX8ahMTO4g8PWXhzySot7DavqF4CW-AnzdbfY8TOClRCkftZjDtiVmokhLANJBfBN3y2ZAYshHTIkuGH1ne3ThnyoPAogEF4NC6qSN6fNwJUpmV7QKDIxO_NVhjp359aJmNEV_w/s756/X-Men%20%2312%20Juggernaut.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="518" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKP_FYHJ_mqIzD_3UEl8xoYmp3g1ElqqhNlEgzSvdzbqo0LNY0HEX8ahMTO4g8PWXhzySot7DavqF4CW-AnzdbfY8TOClRCkftZjDtiVmokhLANJBfBN3y2ZAYshHTIkuGH1ne3ThnyoPAogEF4NC6qSN6fNwJUpmV7QKDIxO_NVhjp359aJmNEV_w/s320/X-Men%20%2312%20Juggernaut.png" width="219" /></a></div><p>Lee, Kirby, and Toth superbly build tension, cutting between the unseen Juggernaut's unrelenting march through the X-Men's defenses & Xavier's backstory, showing just how powerful Juggernaut is while telling us how he came to be.</p><p><b>017 - Year 3 Fun Fact: Brother Magneto</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjXb-Am2MntPIWFIl_vVnR7XsCssw8IINbvwcw98mtW1gLGxNOCHsrnouKHREpKyAjjozJRS5PgZBZI-Xx9IpOrasuZly_uLVI7IEdd6UB5Wa8OU0YhQ1u0hw_zE5wSV4pjeAxvBycjrHfPZHFC_KnQ6FmgU0OTcIYsvpo4lT8c2GoCDll9lhDTvD/s835/Magneto%20and%20Xavier%20Brothers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="835" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNjXb-Am2MntPIWFIl_vVnR7XsCssw8IINbvwcw98mtW1gLGxNOCHsrnouKHREpKyAjjozJRS5PgZBZI-Xx9IpOrasuZly_uLVI7IEdd6UB5Wa8OU0YhQ1u0hw_zE5wSV4pjeAxvBycjrHfPZHFC_KnQ6FmgU0OTcIYsvpo4lT8c2GoCDll9lhDTvD/s320/Magneto%20and%20Xavier%20Brothers.png" width="320" /></a></div><p>Stan Lee wanted to reveal that Professor X & Magneto were brothers! </p><p>"I always wanted Magneto to turn out to be Professor X's brother...If I had stayed with the book, that's what I would have done."</p><p><b>018 - Year 3 Memorable Moment: Magneto Revealed!</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh378dM9LdXgj1WbODa4Mi2vlvYw06RejA-ZXcePCar911Yy848qWPEkGcutYKqcGZkky8xnPNSKT7IWOBmPF0gsGA2upQlP8WeGcZmTMa1W0XtA1_QisZ0Z9fdfrQZSR0k7Lk6SIk14thLeYk-v-Jr5rcRDTIDgktXgwVcWvB2cXYSOrbzkyfNEbUL/s857/X-Men%20%2317%20-%20Magneto%20revealed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="582" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh378dM9LdXgj1WbODa4Mi2vlvYw06RejA-ZXcePCar911Yy848qWPEkGcutYKqcGZkky8xnPNSKT7IWOBmPF0gsGA2upQlP8WeGcZmTMa1W0XtA1_QisZ0Z9fdfrQZSR0k7Lk6SIk14thLeYk-v-Jr5rcRDTIDgktXgwVcWvB2cXYSOrbzkyfNEbUL/s320/X-Men%20%2317%20-%20Magneto%20revealed.png" width="217" /></a></div><p>The final panel of the year reveals the return of Magneto; not the most surprising in the context of the story but it sets the stage for a number of future homages; Jim Lee reportedly owns the original art to several of them.</p>Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.com1