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."

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 1141: X-Men: Phoenix - Legacy of Fire #3, September 2003

But, in the end, was it, y'know, good?

Well, no. It wasn't. It's thinly-veiled soft porn exploiting the name of the X-Men for publicity.

I tried, I really did, to look past the scantily-clad lead characters, to see if the story was an interesting one. Anyone familiar with the anime Kill La Kill will understand what I'm getting at. That show has a similar kind of fan-service-y aesthetic, but eventually you loose sight of that for the amazing story they're telling. Does the same thing hold true for Legacy of Fire? It kind of does, but I think whatever we might have pulled out of this story of two sisters and their family legacy gets lost in...well...the costumes.

Par example, a page from issue #2:

Costumes.

Let me say this, though: Ryan Kinnaird's art is beautiful and kinetic and colourful, and his world design is gorgeous. The villain of the piece is excellent, and the action sequences are wonderful.

But, and I'm sure my 16 year old self can't believe I'm saying this, it's just too naked. It just doesn't need to be this naked. Or naked at all!

My recommendation: search this out. There's a place to grab scans here. (I have no idea if you have to pay or anything.) It's got to be one of the strangest things Marvel's published.

More to come...

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 1139: X-Men: Phoenix - Legacy of Fire #2, August 2003

(It occurred to me that I should have read a Star Wars comic yesterday. Find out why!)

I have a confession to make. When I sat down to write these comics up as contingency comics (the ones I keep in stock just in case I forget, or run out of time one day), I may have gotten a little bit high. (Disclaimer: I legally possess marijuana for medical reasons). But, to be honest, I think that's the best state for me to be in in trying to be objective about this series.

Like, seriously, look at that.

It occurred to me not long after I'd picked up the last issue of this series that I needed (oh, did I forget to mention that I actually tracked this one down over a couple of years?) that the person who was editor on this title, C.B. Cebulski, is now Editor in Chief of Marvel Comics.

Part of me is terrified and part of me can't wait to see what weirdness we get.

More to come...

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 1137: X-Men: Phoenix - Legacy of Fire #1, July 2003

There's this thing that some younger people say: "I can't even." Just that. As a full statement.

I never understood it until I decided to read this series.

More to come...

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 1053: Nightcrawler #6, April 2005

Nightcrawler's brief adventure in the New York subway system comes to a less-gruesome or depressing end than one might expect. We actually see some conscience being demonstrated by a politician, the mayor of New York city to be precise, and there's only one minor bought of fisticuffs in the issue that basically turns out to be a misunderstanding between the living (Nightcrawler) and the dead.

At one point in this issue, Kurt notes that something that the ghosts are doing is just like something out of the film The Grudge. Whether he's talking about the original or the Hollywood remake, I'm not sure, but while the scene might well be similar, the tone definitely is not. There is nothing of Japanese horror to this series, which is fundamentally a horror-superhero series. In Japanese horror, for the most part, the afterlife, or other world, or however we might consider it, is in no way sympathetic to the living. I've yet to see a Japanese, or Japanese-inspired in the case of the remakes, film in which the ghosts are actually just misunderstood and basically friendly. No, inevitably, they're angry and remain angry, and destroy all the living who cross their path. It's a good thing, I guess, that Nightcrawler can teleport out of that path.

If I'm honest, and this is certainly not to be derogatory, the series is like a superpowered version of Scooby-Doo. Thus far, including Kurt, we have three characters who are what I would term "main cast," all of whom are involved in some way in the mysteries that Nightcrawler is tasked with solving. Though, so far, there's no talking dog.

To be continued.

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 1052: Nightcrawler #5, March 2005

Another short one I'm afraid. Reeling from some medication side effects this evening. Some cool bits in this little ghost story that Aguirre-Sacasa and Robertson are putting together, not least of which is the revelation that Wolverine really digs musical theater. Honestly, the rest of the issue could have been blank and that one little exchange between him and Storm would have been perfect.

Again, I'm really enjoying the heck out of this series. I just seem to be reading it at a time when my body is going to crap.

To be continued.

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 1051: Nightcrawler #4, February 2005

What is it about Darick Robertson's art? It's at once cartoony and macabre, and off-putting combination, though perfect for the tone of this Nightcrawler series. Robertson manages the stylization of someone like Kelley Jones merged with the superheroness of John Romita circa The Avengers, a style that just slightly caricaturizes (almost) everyone in the book. I say almost because Nightcrawler himself is portrayed with almost an angelic, innocent beauty about him, a very interesting choice to make considering his demonic appearance. Nightcrawler himself makes an interesting case for us in refuting the Socratic (?) idea that one's outward appearance reflects one's inward. Of all of the X-Men, Kurt has long been the focus of this kind of metaphoric use - Othering through visual differentiation. A huge part of his narrative arc, which we also see in this series with his use of an image inducer to hide his true appearance. Is there some way we could theorize this through ideas surrounding drag. But rather than release a flamboyant person within, Kurt's drag disguises that very person. In his Nightcrawler "form," he's swashbuckling, gallant, acrobatic. In his normative disguise, he's very plain. There's actually a story in the first issue of Girl Comics that has Nightcrawler portrayed in a very feminine manner. I'll have to think on this a bit more as I read through the series - is Nightcrawler a feminized character? What exactly does that mean, and why?

To be continued.

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 1050: Nightcrawler #3, January 2005

I'm afraid you'll have to forgive a short post tonight. I've done something horrendous to my wrists, and it's amazing how many things you actually need those for.

This issue was every bit as good as the previous two. I'll have a few things to say about Darick Robertson's art tomorrow, when I (hopefully) feel better. Getting older sucks.

To be continued.

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 1049: Nightcrawler #2, December 2004

Aside from a daring underwater sort-of-rescue, this issue is a bit slow. I muse fairly often on idea of seriality, and how that either helps or hinders a story. In this case, the space between issues seems a bit of a hindrance. Though we do have the little cliffhanger at the end, just enough enticement to bring the reader back next month, I think these first two issues would have worked much more effectively as a double-sized issue. Kurt travels to Limbo to see Amanda Sefton (who is routinely described in secondary sources as his "lover/foster sister," which is a little off-putting) when he suspects that there might be something magical involved in the killings. There's a nice moment where Kurt displays his ignorance of magical knowledge as he asks if the killings might be magical or...perhaps the occult. Sefton says she doesn't know what he's talking about. Much of the magical theory I've read holds to the idea that the force itself is not good or bad, just the use to which it's put. That is, the magician is the one who decides morally how the force is going to be used. Which sound a lot like I'm talking about Star Wars now.

Despite its slowness, I'm really loving this series. The mixture of Robertson's semi-stylized art and Aguirre-Sacasa's talent for dialogue and narrative is really quite fantastic. It's a pity it only lasted 12 issues, but I will definitely be tracking down more of RA-S's work. He's a pretty fantastic writer.

To be continued.

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 1048: Nightcrawler #1, November 2004

A few weeks back a friend of mine was looking to part with his comic collection, and, of course, thought of me. Thus I have inherited a huge collection of X-Men comics, which is really very exciting. And when you come across a series written by the mind behind Afterlife with Archie and illustrated by Darick "Transmetropolitan" Robertson, you just read it. You don't even question.

This series kicks off nice and dark with the deaths of 13 children. I find that these solo X-Men series are pretty good for stuff like this, touching on the darker aspects and areas of the Marvel U. The main X-Men series is a bit too popular for dark stories like this one, but a Nightcrawler series is perfect for it. Given his demonic look, Kurt is a good fit for this story, which seems to have some ritual aspects to it - do the X-Men often interact with the mystical side of the Marvel U? Tangentially, perhaps, but not to as great an extent as they used to. I also think that a psychiatric facility for children has to be one of the most creepy settings possible - something that the New Mutants film that's coming out this year seems to be embracing.

Storm sends Kurt off to investigate, giving Nightcrawler a chance to shine outside of his team-based adventures, a welcome chance, I think. I'll be reading the first 6 issues of the series this week, then we'll take a break for a bit and then read the last 6 issues. The collection rearrangement is just about done - everything is now arranged by publisher so I don't have to go through every single box to find the things I'm looking for.

To be continued.

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 998: X-Men (, Uncanny) Annual #12, 1988

One thing I love about this era of Marvel is all of the Art Adams annuals we get. But, ye gods, Claremont's dialogue is just terrible. The use of the thought bubble has gone out of vogue in comics these days, and I really think that it was the Claremont X-titles that signaled its death knell. There's just too much. A comic panel is meant to move fairly quickly, especially an action one involving superheroes. So if we have a huge diatribe in thought holding our attention as someone is flying through the air, it makes all of the action seem like it's in slow motion. I'm sure have much more to say about this when I get to reading the voluminous run of Uncanny that sits in the collection.

But, y'know, on the other side of things, there's Art Adams. He's up there for me with Frank Quitely as one of the artists who really grasps the stylized ridiculousness of the superheroic form, but manages to tell compelling stories using it nonetheless. His Jonni Future stuff for Tom Strong's Terrific Tales is beautiful to behold (and self-consciously hyper-sexualized), and the ways he makes these characters move connotes a sort of grace that one expects of mythic figures - even when they're falling over or making fools of themselves!

Story-wise, there's a few more connections to the other annuals in the crossover, but not much. I'm glad to have read the Avengers issues recently in which Terminus destroyed the Savage Land, as this comic made much more sense this time around.

To be continued.

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 600: X-Men #7, April 1992

Had I thought ahead, I'd have planned something a little more impressive for my 600th day of writing. But instead, let's let the chips fall where they may.

I've often thought that there are both good and bad aspects to writing a team superhero book. On the one hand, you've got variety, so you're not likely to get bored writing the same character month after month. You also get to play with some second-stringers, who, by their nature, are more malleable than the A-list characters who have their own titles. Variety and opportunity for creativity would seem to be the good parts of a gig like this. On the other hand, though, you have to be able to balance the team's representation well, and I think this is where Jim Lee's X-Men falls apart. I look at someone like George Perez, who has an uncanny (if you'll pardon the pun) knack for having huge groups of superheroes on a single page but still is able to make each character feel like they're an individual, rather than part of an amorphous group. It's the sense that, for each character they are the center of the story. With this comic, and the last few issues, it's really felt like all of the other characters are there simply to further Wolverine's story, rather than to be stories in and of themselves. Jubilee, for example, pops her head in, says something witty with the word "like" inserted a couple of times, and then disappears.

So, the long and short of it is, I'm going to switch to something else before I just start ranting about how bad X-Men comics can be for a paragraph or two every day. That doesn't seem healthy. We'll get back to the X-Men at some point. There are eras of the team that I really love, but, as the last few days have proven, there's eras that I have very little time for.

Onward.

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 599: X-Men #6, March 1992

Still sick. Not even slightly better, so let's blame that for how much I fucking hated this comic. What the hell was wrong with creators in the early 90s? Six issues into the new series, even the readers were starting to ask what the hell was going on. Letter writer Kieron Brennan, though happy to see the team update into the 90s, says "Don't sacrifice the personal lives of the X-Men just to please the PUNISHER and X-FORCE fans! The personal interplay between various X-Men hasn't been carried over into this 'new era of the X-Men.'

He's not wrong. It is brutal fisticuffs cover to cover. Oh, and development of Wolverine's character, probably, aside from Batman, the most overdone superhero in the history of superheroes.

I'm concerned now that there's so much of this bad 90s superhero stuff in the collection that I'm going to have to read. Perhaps rather than reading it in chunks like I've attempted here, I should break them up. Or, y'know, try to maintain some distance from my subjects.

But the comics are just so bad.

Onward.

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 598: X-Men #5, February 1992

I'm very sick today. See that cover up there? That's all you need to know about this comic. People beat up Wolverine and kidnap him. The X-Men intervene.

There is one bit I have to mention. Psylocke is swimming at one point, or that's what she says as she runs into the ready room in the tiniest depiction of a two-piece swim suit Lee could get away with without having a "Mature Readers" label on the cover. And as she, Colossus, and Cyclops are called away to rescue their comrades, Betsy isn't even allowed the dignity of putting her costume on (not that it's much better than the bathing suit). Lady swimmers, let me know if I'm wrong, but a tiny, itty-bitty two piece bikini is not even remotely the best thing to be swimming in if you're exercising, right?

*sigh*

There's going to be so much of this nonsense in 90s comics, isn't there?

Onward.

The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 597: X-Men #4, January 1992

I sometimes think that in the wake of a creative team transition, there should be an issue or two that is simply pictures of heroes hanging out, having breakfast, watching Netflix. It could be all splash pages (which Jim Lee is so very good at) of them relaxing, if only for a single issue. The events of the last three issues have been not only physically very perilous, but have played psychic havoc with many members of the team. That they're thrown right back into a life or death situation just seems unfair.

That said, the basketball game between the teams of Jubilee and Gambit, and Wolverine and Rogue, is pretty great, especially once they decide to let their powers loose. It's interesting to see Wolverine and Gambit's relationship, which is played similarly to the one that Wolverine and Cyclops have shared for so long, only reversed. Wolverine, in his dotage, appears to be the responsible one.

I don't have too much more to say about this issue, but I think that has to do with the fallout form the previous issue - we just need a moment to recover from the revelations, deaths, and changes that Claremont's final (sort of) story dropped. I say "sort of" because, about 10 years after leaving, Claremont returns to the X-Men with the X-Treme X-Men title (worst X-Men title ever, I think). I never read any of them, nor do I have any in the collection. At the same time, Marvel had put Grant Morrison on New X-Men and Joe Casey on Uncanny X-Men, so a new Claremont title held little allure, at least for me.

We'll keep plugging away tomorrow, and hopefully get a bit of background on the new menace of Omega Red!

Onward.