Sunday, February 19, 2023

Classic X-Men #4-8

Reminder: The Classic X-Men backup stories were written roughly 10 years after the original stories, though take place during this time period. This means they will sometimes use characters, or set up storylines that will not take place until much later.

Another set of backup stories from the Classic X-Men reprints! These set of five stories are backups for Uncanny X-Men #96-100)

Classic X-Men #4, Blue Furry Cutey: In this one, Wolverine and Nightcrawler head to a bar to have a few drinks. Wolverine convinces Nightcrawler to turn off his image inducer (which makes him appear to be a normal human), and wander around the town and see how people react. Being drunk, Nightcrawler takes the bet, and most people seem to react fine to him. But then in the end some toughs attack him. Wolverine gets pissed and almost stabs one of them, but Nightcrawler TPs him away. Saying that it wasn't necessary, and it's OK, and that he was glad that Wolverine convinced him to do it.

Classic X-Men #5, Artist Seeking Non-Bigoted Russian Girlfriend: Colossus is at the beach in a Russian part of the city. He protects a ballerina who is trying to escape the Soviet Union and specifically her parents. Her dad had sent some thugs to kidnap her and take her back. They hang out after, and he watches one of her shows. After the thugs come back and he armors up. He beats them, but she, having not seen him transform before, decides he is a monster and runs away. Piotr sad.

Classic X-Men #6, Neurotically Punctual: This one is just a little side story of Jean's roommate (Misty Knight) leaving a note saying she would be out for the weekend since Scott was coming over, and then she slowly gets ready using her TK, with Cyclops showing up at literally exactly 7:30 (of course he would be freakishly punctual), and then they head out on the date that is featured in Uncanny #98. The whole thing is done with no dialogue.

Classic X-Men #7, Punching Robots In The Face: This one has Sebastion Shaw of the Hellfire Club who was helping fund Project Armageddon take over the Club after he finds out that the current White King intended to kill all the Mutants. Emma Frost is attacked, he gets there to save her from the Sentinel, beating the crap out of it, and then attacks the current Hellfire Club White King and kills him and pretty much all his supporters in the inner circle.

Classic X-Men #8, Setting Up For Future Asspulls: This one takes place simultaneously with the end of Uncanny #100, and shows the Phoenix conversing with a clearly irradiated and dying Jean Grey. It ends with her allowing the Phoenix to merge with her to save everyone else, then the Phoenix takes the now severely injured body of Jean and puts it in a cocoon to heal. This is to set up events in the 80s X-Factor run.

X-tra Notes: All of these are pretty good, though #8 will depend on how you feel about the later storyline. It is as good as it could be for that intended purpose though. #5 is probably the weakest. I don't know if I can pick a favorite from the other 3 though. They all have their strengths and appeal to me for different reasons.

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