Comics X-Men Month at IGN

[Specter313]

Who Will Lead the X-Men? Uncanny X-Men #201</B>
Words: Chris Claremont | Pencils: Rick Leonardi

Following the events of Uncanny X-Men #200, Professor Xavier has left Earth to be with his love, Lilandra, leaving a void in the X-Men. A field leader needed to be chosen. To Scott's surprise, his assumed place as leader of the X-Men is questioned by Storm. Though the X-Men are supposed to promote peaceful resolutions of conflicts, it's decided that combat will determine the new leader of the team.


It's clear to observers of the battle taking place in the Danger Room that Scott's head may be in the game, but his heart just doesn't seem in the fight. It has been a rough time for Scott, one of his darkest in all his days with the X-Men. That lack of focus would cost him. Showing an ingenuity we'd not yet seen from her, Storm managed to rip off Cyclops' visor, knowing he would be forced to stand down or risk killing her. Storm takes over as leader of the X-Men, leading them into a new era.

 

[Specter313]

Kitty Saves the Future Past Uncanny X-Men #142</B>
Words: Chris Claremont | Pencils: John Byrne

Stories of alternate futures are nothing new to comic books. They've been around much longer than the Uncanny X-Men. "Days of Future Past" was different. This is the first time we see the true cost of the X-Men's cause. If they fail, the future will be one where mutants are hunted to near-extermination by the Sentinels. It hinges on an upcoming event, the assassination of Senator Robert Kelly, which pushes forward an agenda that leads to a future mutant holocaust. The only one who can save us is new X-Man, Kitty Pryde.

Kate Pryde of the future travels back in time to possess the Kitty of today. As the X-Men of modern times try and stop the Brotherhood of Mutants from killing Senator Kelly, the remaining X-Men of the future face a final and deadly conflict with the Sentinels. Ultimately, Kitty prevails, saving the Senator. The X-Men, however, will never be the same. The importance of their mission has been re-confirmed and from this moment forward, humanity appears as a far greater threat to mutantkind.

 

[Specter313]

Magneto Found Not Guilty Uncanny X-Men #200</B>
Words: Chris Claremont | Pencils: John Romita, Jr.

The double-sized UXM #200 featured the trail of Magneto, in which the Master of Magnetism faced the judgment of a United Nations tribunal. His crimes were well-documented. His remorse was sincere. The verdict seemed all too certain. And yet, when the final decision was read, Magneto was found innocent.

The human/mutant conflict is reaching an explosive point, as demonstrated outside the courthouse, where the X-Men are forced to defend Magneto from both human and mutant dissidents. In clearing his name, Magneto is afforded the chance at redemption. Xavier goes so far as to leave the New Mutants in Magneto's charge. Not only has the X-Men's greatest foe been acquitted, he's now living among them in the X-Mansion!

 

[Specter313]

Xavier Gathers Uncanny X-Men Giant-Size X-Men #1</B>
Words: Len Wein | Pencils: Dave Cockrum

Chris Claremont redefined the X-Men, but Len Wein kicked things off by assembling a brand new team of mutants. Prior to Giant-Size X-Men #1, the X-Men were dangerously close to cancellation. Sales were low enough that for a few dozen issues, X-Men was merely reprints. It is with a new attitude, a new direction and, yes, some new mutants, that the X-Men were spared an early demise.

With four of the five original X-Men trapped on the living island, Krakoa, Cyclops and Xavier are forced to recruit some new blood to stage a rescue. The original X-Men were nice kids, who more-or-less grew up in the mansion and were like high school chums with one another. The new blood had some real issues. Nightcrawler was hated for his appearance and wondered if God was testing him, Wolverine was more beast than man, and Storm had a Goddess complex. The new X-Men ushered in a new age for Marvel comics and changed the team forever.

 

[Specter313]

The Death of Jean Grey Uncanny X-Men #137</B>
Words: Chris Claremont | Pencils: John Byrne

Unquestionably the most well-regarded, well-known and best-loved story in X-Men history, the Dark Phoenix Saga is one of the greatest comic-book tales of all time. Prior to the Dark Phoenix Saga, we witnessed part of the power of the Phoenix, a primordial force that had chosen Jean Grey as a host. It's possible that Jean could have learned to control and even harness the Phoenix Force, but the Hellfire Club had other ideas. Mastermind began messing with Jean Grey's head, slowly twisting her into a loyal member. But the HFC got far more than they bargained for, ultimately unleashing the Phoenix to threaten the safety of the entire universe.


The Phoenix was a destroyer of worlds, more powerful and more feared than Galactus. The Shi'ar knew that in order to keep the universe safe, Jean Grey had to die. Of course, the X-Men were not going to stand for such a thing. But the Phoenix was, in fact, too much for Jean Grey to control and she knew it. Jean sacrificed herself for the greater good.

Uatu, the Watcher, perhaps the most annoying cosmic character in all of Marvel-dom, managed to summarize the events with rare poignancy. "Jean Grey could have lived to become a God. But it was more important that she die... a human."

 

[Harlekin]

Can't say I'm surprised (except by the choice of the Storm-Cyclops battle), especially not by that #1.

 

[Kraven]

Just a few questions that I didn't want to start a new thread over:
Are there any trades that collect the Dark Phoenix Saga? If not, then what issues does it take place in? (It obviously ended in UXM 137)
Is Jean currently alive or dead? I know she was resurrected sometime after her death, but she might have died again, or maybe I'm entirely wrong.
Is Prof. X still the head of the school and with the team?

Sorry, I know that was really random.

 

[FieryBalrog]

Just a few questions that I didn't want to start a new thread over:
Are there any trades that collect the Dark Phoenix Saga? If not, then what issues does it take place in? (It obviously ended in UXM 137)

Yea, theres trade called, um, the Dark Phoenix Saga, you can find it on Amazon probably.

Is Jean currently alive or dead? I know she was resurrected sometime after her death, but she might have died again, or maybe I'm entirely wrong.

She was resurrected in 1986.
She is currently dead, in her second major death, 3 years ago in NXM 150.

Is Prof. X still the head of the school and with the team?

nope.

 

[americanguy96]

It's nice to see Jean's death as Number 1, and to me, rightfully so.

 

[Valechan]

"The best X-Man won" I love that quote :d especially since the whole Madelyne crap was retconned in Astonishing 14

 

[Harlekin]

"The best X-Man won" I love that quote :d especially since the whole Madelyne crap was retconned in Astonishing 14

Hate to rain on your parade Sebita, but it wasn't. All Emma says is that he lost the fight.

 

[FieryBalrog]

Hate to rain on your parade Sebita, but it wasn't. All Emma says is that he lost the fight.

don't worry, your puny logic is far too weak to penetrate Sebita's mental defenses.

 

[Valechan]

SCott could've argued it wasn't him in control, that it was Maddie, since he didn't, it means it didn't happen, means Ororo won fair and square, it means the X-Men see it like that.

 

[Harlekin]

SCott could've argued it wasn't him in control, that it was Maddie, since he didn't, it means it didn't happen, means Ororo won fair and square, it means the X-Men see it like that.

Scott could've argued a lot, and I'm not even certain it was ever revealed to him or the others that Maddie made him lose. Also, not mentioning something doesn't constitute a retcon. Really now, sebita, at least try and form a good argument about this.

 

[Valechan]

Didn't Maddie shout it in the middle of a fight for all to hear? If not, I bet Jean would've told him in bed, to reassure him.

Not mentioning is a retcon, it's like pretending it didn't happen. The biggest retcons involve not mentioning something.

 

[Harlekin]

Didn't Maddie shout it in the middle of a fight for all to hear? If not, I bet Jean would've told him in bed, to reassure him.

I'm pretty sure she didn't, and really, at least come up with something more than 'Jean must've told him'.

Not mentioning is a retcon, it's like pretending it didn't happen. The biggest retcons involve not mentioning something.

Uhhh... no. The biggest retcons involve rewriting an event. Just because certain aspects of a story aren't told, doesn't mean the rest of it is retconned out. That's just plain dumb. Also, Emma would be pretending it didn't happen if she didn't mention the fight at all. No, she mentions the fight to Cycke in order to push his buttons, and he responds stoically, as he does to all her accusations and allegations.

Besides, if a character only recollects how Hank beat on Ultron with the use of Antartic vibranium during the Ultron Unlimited story during Busiek's Avengers, does that mean that Justice's role in that arc (giving the vibranium to Hank) is suddenly null and void?

 

[Valechan]

It's not the same. By not mentioning Madelyne it means that the X-Men, as a group see that as a Storm victory. They see that Ororo kicked his ass, that Ororo is the better leader. And that is all that matters.

 

[Harlekin]

It's not the same. By not mentioning Madelyne it means that the X-Men, as a group see that as a Storm victory. They see that Ororo kicked his ass, that Ororo is the better leader. And that is all that matters.

So? That wasn't your point, sebita and you know it. You concluded that it must have been retconned. It wasn't. Of course, they saw that Ororo beat Scott, because that is what happened. The reasons why Ororo was able to beat Scott weren't retconned. Beyond that:

A) By not mentioning Madelyne it means that Emma Frost, as a person sees that as a Storm victory. I don't know about you, but I saw none of the other X-Men in that panel. Emma didn't speak for the group.
B) Winning that match didn't mean she was automatically the better leader. No, it meant that she was simply the leader. The other X-Men had no say, and you'll probably find differing opinions amongst the characters over who is the better leader.

 

[Dark Beast]

Wolverine thought aloud that Storm was the better one... while the others were more uncertain, as I remember.

At that time, Ororo WAS the better leader for the X-men. There were problems and conflicts that Scott couldn't have handled. It was a tough time... and Cyke had already to many problems on his mind: his marriage for example.
In those days, Storm was a powerless punk. A tough leader who could take the X-men underground. And they needed to do that: The morlocks got massacred, the Marauders killed every X-men related person they could find and nobody could really stop that.

Cyclops is a straight leader. The Hero. Always taking the straight path.
The Punk Storm became leader because there was no straight path to take...

 

[Harlekin]

Wolverine thought aloud that Storm was the better one... while the others were more uncertain, as I remember.

Like I said, most of the characters will have differing viewpoints on here. I see most of the 2nd generation following Storm, while the originals will probably follow Cycke sooner.

At that time, Ororo WAS the better leader for the X-men. There were problems and conflicts that Scott couldn't have handled. It was a tough time... and Cyke had already to many problems on his mind: his marriage for example.
In those days, Storm was a powerless punk. A tough leader who could take the X-men underground. And they needed to do that: The morlocks got massacred, the Marauders killed every X-men related person they could find and nobody could really stop that.

Cyclops is a straight leader. The Hero. Always taking the straight path.
The Punk Storm became leader because there was no straight path to take...

This I don't necessarily agree with. We never got to see what would've happened if Scott had won. I'll agree that for the time though, thanks to Scott's own problems, it probably was better that Storm take over, but that doesn't mean he couldn't have handled the problems as they came up.

 

[Manic]

What does Maddie have to do with Storm winning that fight? Sure, she might've wanted Scott to lose because him re-joining the X-Men would've meant spending less time with her (god, the tell-tale signs of Scott leaving her were there the whole time, weren't they?), but how exactly did she change the outcome of the fight?

 

[Harlekin]

It was a sign of her burgeoning Goblin Queen powers. I don't remember where that was stated.