The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 1584: Uncanny X-Men #212, December 1986

Where to start with this one?

When this comic came out, it skyrocketed in price. According to all the sources I can find, this is the first time Wolverine and Sabertooth face one another. Sabertooth was originally introduced as an unpowered assassin in Chris Claremont's Iron Fist, and subsequently found his way into X-Men history via this crossover. Claremont has gone on record saying that Sabertooth was always meant to be Wolverine's father, and the dialogue in today's issue really does reinforce that. Wolverine's expositional captions reveal that the two have a history together, a subtle retcon, but page 14 of the story gives us their first published meeting.

I think that even by this point, I was getting sick of Wolverine. I wonder if anyone's done any work on Logan's dialogue in 80s X-Men comics in comparison to the clipped style of Frank Miller's Dark Knight. I really think Wolverine, and the way he was depicted in the early to mid 80s, influenced the Grim'n'Gritty (TM) aesthetic that overtook comics in the wake of Dark Knight. Regardless, even this early into my X-Men reading I noticed the ridiculous over-exposure of the X-Men's resident Canadian. He's still overused and over-rated, IMHO, but there's a lot of people out there who love him to bits.

What else? Rick Leonardi's guest pencils on the issue are just beautiful. He reminds me of Halo Jones' Ian Gibson, though with a more American inflection. His ability to communicate movement in a static frame is just amazing. This comic includes, even outside of the Wolverine/Sabertooth scuffle, some beautifully-drawn action sequences. And the characters have extremely expressive faces, something not always in evidence, particularly in the more violent era of superheroes that this issue heralds.

Another interesting thing about this crossover in general is that after that first, violent foray in X-Men 210-211 and X-Factor 9-10, most of the story is aftermath. The Morlocks, for the most part, are dead by the time we get to the crossover issues and the rest of the main series story. The Marauders are vanishing back to wherever they came from, mopping up a few final stragglers. Like I said in an earlier post, it's the teams reacting to a level of violence that they have a hard time resisting at the beginning. Now, later into the story, it's about them returning to the scene of the crime to see if there's anything left that they can do.

"Coulda chopped you smooth as sin while you were dreamin', bub!"

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 1583: Power Pack #27, December 1986

I never was too keen on Power Pack, and rightly so, as it was aimed at a younger demographic than what I was when the series began. Just about, anyway. This is not to say that the series is not entertaining, provocative, or well-rendered. Louise Simonson and (original artist/creator) June Brigman are amongst the powerhouse women who persevered in comics at a time when female creators were a true rarity. And the longevity of the characters attests to the talent and inspiration that went into the original series.

That said, this issue is almost, but only almost, one that could be skipped in the crossover. The Pack descends into the Alley to help their young friend Leech and runs afoul of a number of Marauders. There's something interesting to be noted here about tailoring a story for a demographic, and also of age-related inflection across multiple series. Other titles in this crossover have been very, very bloody, and the Marauders shown as a team that can take down both major teams of X-Men. So to see Power Pack take on Sabretooth, Arclight, Scrambler, and Harpoon and survive with barely a scratch takes quite a bit of suspension of disbelief when reading from the perspective of the rest of the story. What the comic is accomplishing, I think, is what many stories for younger audiences do: showing kids that they have agency and can take power in their own lives. On the metaphoric stage of the superhero comic, this makes itself known in the ability of these children to repel even the most brutal of killers.

I don't know whether this issue or tomorrow's Uncanny #212 was released first, but if it's Power Pack, the cover may well be the first skirmish between Wolverine and Sabertooth. Although, in a bit of false advertising, the two don't actually meet in the pages of this comic. But tomorrow...

"Let's see how she likes getting slammed with a condensed rock hard Julie hammer!"

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 1582: Thor #373, November 1986

Earlier on in my reading of this crossover, I noted that there were issues that were not necessary for enjoyment of the story. I'm going to revise this statement. As I read through, I've noticed that each issue is telling an important part of this tale, with one or two possible exceptions. Today's issue, much like yesterday's tells an integral part of the Massacre storyline, specifically its impact on X-Factor and on Angel. This issue has got to mark one of the very last appearances, at least for a few decades, of the traditional Warren Worthington III as Angel. Shortly after the events of the crossover, Angel is "recruited" by Apocalypse and becomes Archangel, a look and character revision that sticks around for quite some time, and heralds the beginnings of Marvel's attempt to become grittier in the late 80s and early 90s.

I've been very much enjoying the Thor comics I've been reading over the last little while. I've heard fabulous things about Walt Simonson's run on the title, though I only have a few issues of it. I'm sure it's been reprinted, so perhaps I'll have to save up my pennies.

Thor's involvement in this crossover speaks to his commitment to Earth and its people, including the disenfranchised beneath the streets of New York. Thor is often compared to Superman, favourably, in comparisons of the various heroes and teams in their respective universes. Though much of this has to do with Thor's extremely high power levels, it also has to do with his desire to connect with humanity, and to serve them as best he can. I've written extensively about this relationship between humanity and divinity from the Superman perspective. I'm curious how Thor's relationships and narratives speak to this idea, considering that rather than being an original hero, these stories are meant to be continuations of a much longer mythic history. Fodder for the next degree, perhaps?

"I think my old friend Puddlegulp has recognized me even though I...I was not wearing a beard when last we met."

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 1581: The New Mutants #46, December 1986

What's interesting about The New Mutants is that when I first read the series, the team were my contemporaries. Now, not so much.

An important break in the action as the X-Men return to the mansion, the wounded and dying in tow. I'd forgotten that the events of this crossover are really where the roots of Excalibur are sown, and I can't help but wonder if Chris Claremont had it in mind at the time. The younger team, capricious youth that they are, manage to make the crisis about themselves (well, Roberto does, for sure), and much of the action is spent with the team dealing with their own shit rather than the tragedy unfolding beneath their feet. They actually came across as a bit bratty in this issue. Let your stuff go for a moment and go help the people who are dying. But teenagers often, not always but often, can't see that perspective. It's simply the stage in their brain and ego development, so we can't really blame them, but, gods, it's irritating sometimes. I'm a little worried about reading this series again now.

That aside, I was, I must admit, overcome with some nostalgia for the characters. I love Warlock and Cypher's relationship (which, as I type this, I realize it's because it's clearly a queer relationship, though what becomes of it is a bit troubling), and despite his "aw shucks" dialogue, I love Cannonball too. And, of course, I crushed hard on Rhane back in the day. Didn't she die recently?

But how does this play into the crossover? Do we need it or not? We definitely do. It tells an intrinsic part of the story, the return and regroup of the team, dropping off their wounded and then planning their return. Or, more likely, their defense. Despite this fact, the New Mutants head out on their own to check on Karma's siblings, and are suddenly confronted by Magus, Warlock's Dad. He's nuts.

We'll have to leave the resolution of that story til I re-read this series. We'll see. I've had it on my radar for a little while now, especially the Bill Sienkiwicz stuff. But do I have the patience to jump back into not only the teen angst, but the 80s?

"I know they're not your style, but they're the best that I can do."

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 1580: X-Factor #10, November 1986

Sorry for the pause. Went camping for a couple of days. I find it very therapeutic.

A commenter on my Instagram mentioned how much they enjoy this crossover, and I have to agree. Basically what we have is the original X-Men and the current team stumbling back from some serious beatdown into the middle of a massacre. Someone is just outright slaughtering the Morlocks. And, as of this issue, they've had their asses handed to them again and again, and only just escaped death themselves, so they're picking everyone they can and getting the hell out! Both teams! In contrast to so many of the crossovers we see now, this one is pretty tiny. The surface world would be affected in no way. But the fashion now is for the heroes to throw themselves at it, whatever the magnitude, and just trust that they'll win. I kind of appreciate seeing one where the heroes are thinking "Fuck! This is insane. We gotta rescue who we can and get the fuck out!" We don't see nearly enough of that.

The other great thing about the crossover is that it works. It's a wonderful meshing of stories, there are a mere 5 crossover issues, and only 3 in each main series are given to the story. The first X-Men and X-Factor titles are really more epilogues to their previous stories, the massacre itself only happening on the last page or two. Two of the five crossover issues are actually not completely pertinent to the plot, offering more a view of the consequences, rather than the action, of the events of the main story. Regardless, it's a neatly told story, and I think serves as a template for these kinds of "Events." Rather than involve everyone, make them more intimate. This story is claustrophobic and unpleasant, and is super-effective, much more than the yearly get together to save the universe.

I have discovered of late that there is an issue that crosses over that isn't on the map in the back of the comics, Daredevil #238. Off to the shops I go!

"It'll take more than that to stop me, little piggies..."

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 1577: Uncanny X-Men #210, October 1986

Aside from reading the "Age of Apocalypse" back in the first year of the project, they've been mostly absent from my writing. I started out liking the team, but they just became too mired down in continuity, and too mired down in their own metaphorical nature. I picked this issue up and was struck by the fact that Marvel basically tries to commit genocide against a group of people every few years with the X-Men. What if we instead tried showing a world that doesn't hate and fear them, but accepts them? Perhaps then life might imitate art for a bit.

Despite that, I loved, and still love, this crossover. I think it was one of Marvel's first bit crossovers, and the GCD lists it as the first X-Men crossover issue. That's a dubious honour, considering some of the crossovers that followed. This one, though, unlike many of those that follow, seems very personal. There's something intimate about the way the Marauders cut a swath through the Morlocks. It's got a claustrophobic setting that bleeds out into everything about the comic. This is my era of X-Men, when I discovered the mutant corner of the Marvel U and found a metaphor blunt enough to speak to my 12-year old brain.

Enjoyable as it is, I will say that Chris Claremont's style in this series has not aged well. Colossus has waaaaay too many internal soliloquies, as do, honestly, all of the other characters in the book. There's so much exposition that, really, doesn't need to be there. Contemporary comics allow that the reader has some experience of the world, and some intelligence, and don't spell everything out for you. I wonder what it would be like to remaster some of these old stories into contemporary aesthetics.

More massacred mutants tomorrow.

"What I wish, comrade Piotr Nikolievitch Rasputin -- what I really want -- is a super hot fudge quad-scoop sundae bananarama split with all the trimmings."