X-Men Read Through

[a0040pc]

Issue Information
Title- Dazzler (Volume 1) #10
Release Date- December 1981
Writer- Danny Fingeroth
Artist- Frank Springer

Major Notes
Features Galactus

Brief Summary

In the Darkness… a Light!

Dazzler’s escape from the Pegasus facility is being watched on the screen by Galactus and his Drone several lightyears away from Earth. The cosmic being sees the events of Dazzler’s career from when she first met the X-Men up until just mere moments ago when she absorbed the villainous Klaw. She is the one that Galactus needs for a certain task and he commands the drone to set a course for Earth.

At the Pegasus Facility itself Quasar is leading a small team of guards to find Dazzler and bring her back. Since she is radiating a lot of energy it is creating a path that they are more than capable of following. But as they gain on Dazzler Galactus’s ship suddenly appears above them. A beam is fired from the ship which engulfs her and she begins to levitate towards it. Quasar tries to stop the beam from taking her away but discovers that his bands cannot absorb the energy. He tries everything he can but it is in vein as both Dazzler and the ship disappear.

The next thing that Dazzler knows she is on Galactus’s ship. She is very confused but soon she is met up by the Drone. He tells her that she is on the ship of Galactus and that she will do his bidding. She refuses to help but finds that she cannot leave, instead she is forced to follow the Drone through Galactus’s private zoo and some of the weaponry that he has amassed over the eons.

They eventually come to the laboratory of Galactus himself and Dazzler sees the towering figure of Galactus. She tries to speak to him but the giant figure ignores her completely as if she isn’t there. She unleashes a powerful light blast in the hopes that it’ll get his attention, she has to unleash her full power before he even notices her and even then he speaks to the Drone rather than to her.

On Earth Dazzler’s family and friends are still worried her disappearance. She has been missing for a week and this means that she is missing a big gig which has been her dream. Her manager Harry Osgood thinks that Techmaster might have gotten to her. Doctor Paul Jansen also fears for her and although he has been out of town for the week he still worries about her. Dazzler’s grandmother also fears for Dazzler’s safety but her father is angered that his mother is communicating with his estranged daughter although he forbid it. He goes outside and thinks about how he lost his wife and now has seemingly lost his daughter as well.

On the ship the Drone tries to apologise to Galactus for Dazzler’s actions but Galactus does not care what she has done. He starts to explain his origins and how he has needed heralds to find out the planets for him to consume. He has had a few heralds but all have rebelled against him because of their nobility. His latest herald he chose due to his evil nature which Galactus had been searching for. The being he chose was Terrax the Tamer and with the power cosmic gave him the ability to manipulate stone and earth.

Before Terrax became the herald of Galactus he had been a conqueror on his home world and he has succumbed to his lust once more. Using the powers that Galactus has given him Terrax has travelled to a peaceful world and enslaved them. He has forced them to build great cities in his name. He is revered as a god to them but Galactus is angered by the fact that he has done this and rather than face his wrath Terrax has flown into a black hole knowing it is the only place where Galactus cannot follow.

The Drone explains to Dazzler that Galactus could survive going into a black hole but Terrax would be killed and for the moment this is not what the cosmic being wishes. That is why Dazzler herself will be going in since her powers would allow her to see and manoeuvre within the hole without causing it to self-destruct. Before Dazzler has an opportunity to protest Galactus orders the Drone to prepare her for the task.

Dazzler is soon taken to a large and seemingly empty room. The Drone soon leaves and Dazzler herself is bombarded with sound that her body begins to absorb. It is more sound than she has ever absorbed before and it takes her powers up to another level as she glows brightly and she realises the power that she wields.

The next voice she hears is Galactus himself, now that her power is on a cosmic level she is now worthy of his notice. Before sending her away he coats her with an invisible force which will allow her to survive the gravity and atmosphere within the black hole and will also allow her to breathe.

Dazzler is sent directly into the black hole and as she falls and she feels time and space breaking itself apart within the hole. Galactus himself has little interest over the outcome of her endeavour and merely goes back to his work. He even tells his Drone not to bother him about Dazzler at all.

After falling for what seems to be an eternity Dazzler finds herself in darkness. Her body lights the way for her and she sees Terrax standing there. She goes to speak to him but he attacks her knowing that she is here to take him back to Galactus. In the attack Terrax severs the lifeline tied to her meaning that she is now stuck in the black hole. She readies herself for the upcoming battle.

My Thoughts

We’re back with Dazzler with an issue that I have to say I really enjoyed. The pacing of the story was great and it didn’t travel too fast for me not to fully understand what was happening.

The appearance of Galactus in this issue I thought would hinder Dazzler but instead it seems to have made the issue better. His presence brought something that the other guest heroes and villains haven’t really brought to the series. He truly seems like a god as he doesn’t even bother to acknowledge the existence of Dazzler until her power is on a level that brings his notice. One thing you can say about Galactus is that he’s not really a villain, he doesn’t eat planets because he is evil but because he needs to do it to survive. Given a choice I don’t think he would do it but it is not like he has that luxury. Also the whole thing about the task only being a minor point of interest for him only further states the character. With most characters they would move heaven and Earth to find a person who betrayed them, for him it is of little interest showing that he concerns himself with other things rather than revenge or punishment.

Seeing Dazzler powered up like this was fun to see as it shows her potential. It also begins to show character development as she holds more power than she dared dream and through this issue she seems to be handling it well. I do question her decision to attack Galactus to get his attention. Even she would know that by doing this she could very well be ending her own life. Lucky for her striking her down was below the effort of Galactus.

The whole task for Dazzler doesn’t seem like only she can do it. I think that there might have been others on Earth, maybe even the galaxy who could have done the same job but then it wouldn’t have been worthy of being in the Dazzler series. The whole bit with her going into the black hole is entirely based on imagination since it is impossible to truly know what is within a black hole.

The Drone in this issue seems to be a little too friendly towards Dazzler. Sure he is only mechanical but it is also the fact that since he was created by Galactus himself that he would have the same mind of his creator. Dazzler would be little more than a thing to him so why he asked her life to be spared somewhat confuses me but maybe some of her humanity is rubbing off on him.

In conclusion I’m giving the issue an 8 out of 10. My favourite issue of the series so far and I can’t wait for the next issue.

Next Issue
Uncanny X-Men (Volume 1) #153

[Limerick]

I really wish Byrne and Claremont would have discussed in interviews more details about their split. It seems insanely petty that it could be over whether or not the DoFP alternate timeline "could still happen". Frankly I'm on Chris's side if that was the main dispute, it makes the comic more interesting to consider that in every issue we readers can figure out for ourselves whether or not the characters are stepping closer to or farther away from a dystopia. Wolverine actually dying was shocking, of course in the 2000s he became written as inherently OP to the point that this would NOT have even killed him lol.... What can I say about Dazzler hmm, the BEST part about the Dazzler comic are some of its radical avant-garde (for comic books) covers featuring photorealism. The actual content of the Dazzler series is eh for me (besides obviously the Rogue issues which are just awesome). Not sure you need to cover totally ancillary side books such as ROM but its up to you, just don't want you to get too bogged down and go too slow in covering the major chronology of X-events. Kitty Pryde's rite of passage issue was *decent* for me, but yeah I felt it was almost too convenient for her to win, and sort of was purely transparently set up as a "rite of passage" issue. But that is ok, Kitty turns into one of the best X-characters of all time in due course.

The Claremont/Byrne combination just worked but I think it's more surprising that it lasted as long as it did.Byrne's fiercely combatitive collaborative technique seemed to doom any long term partnership.Byrne was obviously hugely involved in character and story development but Claremont has proven his ability to work with artists over several successful team ups and both men helped bring out the best from the other creator.It's sad that the run had to end but it's a great run of 30 or so issues for any comic fan to enjoy.

BTW,plaudits to a0040pc for this thread.Each post as lovingly crafted as the first--a true X-Fan!

[a0040pc]

Issue Information
Title- Uncanny X-Men (Volume 1) #153
Release Date- January 1982
Writer- Chris Claremont
Artist- Dave Cockrum & Josef Rubinstein

Major Notes
First appearance of Bamf. First mention of Lockheed

Brief Summary

Kitty’s Fairy Tale

Cyclops, Wolverine and Colossus are clearing rubble away from the mansion. They are trying repair the mansion after the battle with the Hellfire Club. Storm is being treated by Carol Danvers for the injuries that she suffered in the battle. Charles Xavier is watching over the work when Nightcrawler teleports in front of him. He tells his mentor that the damage is severe and that lack the funds and tools to make the repairs themselves. Xavier himself sees no solution in mind.

The repair work is halted when Colossus sees Kitty Pryde phase through the roof of the mansion. She tells him that it is Illyana’s bedtime and she wonders if he wants to tuck her in or her. He soon goes to his sister’s room where Kitty is waiting for him. The little girl wants to hear a story and asks Kitty to tell her one, luckily Xavier has telepathically taught all the X-Men Russian so Kitty can tell Illyana her story in her native language.

Kitty begins to tell Illyana the story set in a magical land. In the caliphate of Nhu Yorkh the adventurous Robin Hood style character Pirate Kitty (Who has a striking resemblance to Kitty Pyrde) and her companion Colossus are tackling an army of guards. Using a combination of their skills and Colossus’s ability to convert his skin into metal they are able to get away from the guards.

The pair end back at the harbour and they contemplate about escaping until they see some commotion at the other side of the harbour. When they go to investigate they see a wizard on a magic carpet along with his companion who is a man wearing a turban which covers his eyes. They are surrounded by thieves and they attack the wizard and pull the turban off his companion.
This causes him to accidentally fire off a destructive eye blast. One thief goes to stab him but is grabbed by Colossus and thrown to one side. The thieves see that Kitty and Colossus are on the scene and flee.

Kitty and Colossus help the wizard to an upright position and when Kitty asks the pair why they are here the wizard introduces himself as Xavier and his companion is Cyclops who is a prince. He also explains that they need a ship so that they can find his former apprentice the Princess Jean. She allied herself with a primal force to save her kingdom but unfortunately she was corrupted her and transformed her into the Dark Phoenix, a being of absolute evil.

Suddenly above the group the Dark Phoenix appears and destroys the ships in the harbour. She is there to destroy Xavier and Cyclops but as she goes to blast Xavier Colossus armours up and gets in the way. Xavier then takes out a sphere that seems to terrify the Dark Phoenix enough to flee. But as she flies away she swears revenge.

Kitty asks Xavier what the sphere is and he explains that it carries Jean’s soul and is the only weapon capable of destroying the Dark Phoenix. With all the ships destroyed it seems that their quest has come to an end but Kitty has an ace up her sleeve. She looks over the ocean and gestures her hands. Nothing happens so she has to whistle causing a very large dragon (That resembles the X-Jet) comes out of the water. His name is Lockheed and at first he refuses to take the group anywhere. Kitty argues with Lockheed for some time before he decides to take them where they want to go.

In the real world Wolverine and Nightcrawler have begun to listen to Kitty’s story from outside of Illyana’s room.

In the story Lockheed follows the Dark Phoenix’s trail all day and night while Xavier explains to Kitty about the circumstances of the Dark Phoenix’s creation. This discussion is interrupted as Lockheed needs to land so that he can rest and refuel. He lands on a small island and forces the group to disembark.

On the island the men go exploring while Kitty decides to stay behind to take a nap. She is unaware that she is being watched from the bushes and when she goes to sleep she feels something on her stomach. When she wakes up she sees a little creature (who looks like a smaller version of Nightcrawler) named Bamf. At first she is in disbelief but when he teleports away it creates a puff of smoke in her face which she realises is real.

In the real world Wolverine laughs at Nightcrawler for how Kitty has depicted him in her story. But at that time Storm and Carol Danvers arrive and he tells them to listen to the story.

Back in the story Bamf reappears in front of Kitty and declares his love for her. But then several other bamfs appear also professing their love for her and they get into a large fight over it. Bamf is able to fend off the other would be suitors and asks Kitty for a kiss for saving her. She politely declines and wonders where Colossus is.

Colossus is on the other side of the island and he picks up a bottle that he sees in the water. When he takes off the top a puff of smoke comes out and when it reforms he sees a woman (who resembles Storm) standing there. She introduces herself as Windrider and tells Colossus that she was friends with Princess Jean but when she became the Dark Phoenix she trapped her within the bottle. He asks her if she will join his quest and since their objectives coincide she agrees.

A short time later the team regroup on the beach and prepare to set off but suddenly a creature (who resembles Wolverine) bursts out of the ground. He is simply called Fiend and he breaks out can of beer from the carrier he has with him. He places it in his mouth, chews it and then spits out the can.

In the real world Nightcrawler is having his turn to laugh at Wolverine for his depiction in the story. At the same time Cyclops and Xavier arrive and also begin to listen to the story being told.

In the story the Fiend has a grudge against Cyclops since he also loved Jean. He goes to attack him but is grabbed by Colossus. The Fiend is not afraid of Colossus but when he suddenly sees Lockheed he becomes terrified and holds onto the metal mutant for dear life. Kitty tells both Lockheed and the Fiend to behave themselves before they continue their journey.

After a short while they see what they think is the sun but it turns into a firebird. The group realise that it is the Dark Phoenix and she attacks them but Xavier is able to cast a spell that protects them. Xavier and Windrider attack the Dark Phoenix with little to show for their efforts. Kitty commands Lockheed to unleash a fireball but he refuses fearing for his own life. The Fiend responds by stabbing Lockheed causing the giant dragon to breathe fire in pain but it also knocks the group off his back.

The group begin to fall and it is only through the spell from Windrider that gives the wings that saves them. Kitty is not impressed by the butterfly like wings that she has and the group charge at the Dark Phoenix. Lockheed is not happy with what the Fiend has done and knocks him straight into the Dark Phoenix.

The group hold the Dark Phoenix allowing Xavier to get close enough to use the sphere. The Dark Phoenix is then engulfed in a river of energy causing the primal force within her to exit her body. The primal flies up into space and dissipates completely.
Princess Jean is restored to her former self and the cursed eyes of Cyclops is also lifted allowing him to remove his turban. With the Dark Phoenix destroyed Cyclops and the Princess are able to marry and they all live happily ever after.

In the real world Illyana is asleep so Kitty and Colossus leave the room. When Kitty exits she sees the X-Men have been listening to her story and Cyclops is thankful about the ending and gives her a little kiss on her forehead which causes her to blush.

[a0040pc]

My Thoughts

Yes I have been waiting to get to this issue from the very moment I started this blog. This issue has to be my favourite issue of the Uncanny X-Men ever. I am sorry to sound bias about this post but, Yes I finally got to this issue and I didn’t skip ahead like the many times I was tempted to do it.

One thing that makes this issue so enjoyable is that it is a step away from the current plots taking place in the series. With the entirety of the X-Men saving the world from people like Magneto or fending for themselves against the Hellfire Club it was great to have a one off issue that put all that to the backburner and just focused on a fun and not too complicated story.

It made me laugh seeing all the different versions of the X-Men in the story with some so funny that I almost burst out laughing the first time that I read it. Wolverine reminds me so much of Taz from Looney Tunes and Bamf you have to admit is extremely adorable in this issue. If I could buy a stuffed toy of him I so would, wouldn’t even be a serious consideration to it. I did notice that Kitty was the only one not to have any special powers in the issue but she still pulled off being a pirate probably better that Captain Jack Sparrow or Guybrush Threepwood (mighty pirate). Seeing Xavier with a long beard I felt was very funny and makes me wonder what he would be like if he had a beard now? Would he shave it off and glue it to his head maybe?

The art of the issue was fantastic and it is easy to see that Cockrum and Rubinstein took out all the stops to bring the fantasy like style of Kitty’s Fairy Tale land. It is definitely one of the best art that I’ve seen in the entire series and I only wish the issue was longer. Even if it were a thousand pages I would still be glued to each and every page.

The issue introduces Bamf who although at first only appears in this story later on actually makes appearances in I believe it was the Excalibur series first and then a few other series (Like Wolverine and the X-Men and the recent Nightcrawler solo series). This Bamf is fun and it seems that he is madly in love with Kitty (Maybe she believes that the real Nightcrawler has a liking to her). Another character introduced in this issue is Lockheed, not the one that we see later on but we see where Kitty got the name. This Lockheed seems to speak in a cockney accent and he can be bullied around by a girl who is a mere fraction of his size. All very funny by the way.

The whole story I see it as being the Dark Phoenix Saga with a happy ending. It is nice for a little fantasy like this but unfortunately that doesn’t happen too often in real life. But still one can always hope, it’s a fairy tale, most are supposed to have happy endings.

The issue risen at the beginning about how the X-Men will repair the damages to the mansion left me wondering as well. Also it seems that Carol Danvers decided to make an appearance in this issue. Where was she during the Hellfire Club attack? Maybe she was going shopping or visiting friends who are not Avengers.

In conclusion I’m giving this issue a perfect 10 out of 10. Kitty on the cover told us that we would get something completely different. And that is exactly what we got.

Next Issue
Dazzler (Volume 1) #11

[Limerick]

Although the Lockheed in the story is a Full size dragon,there is a miniature version on the cover-very similar to Kitty 's future companion but black in colour.

[a0040pc]

Although the Lockheed in the story is a Full size dragon,there is a miniature version on the cover-very similar to Kitty 's future companion but black in colour.

I noticed that myself. Too bad we won't see our favourite little purple dragon for another 13 issues.

[JackalsIII]

Although the Lockheed in the story is a Full size dragon,there is a miniature version on the cover-very similar to Kitty 's future companion but black in colour.

I don't think I've ever noticed that before! Good ol' Cockrum!

[a0040pc]

Issue Information
Title- Dazzler (Volume 1) #11
Release Date- January 1982
Writer- Danny Fingeroth
Artist- Frank Springer

Major Notes
Features Galactus

Brief Summary

…Lest Ye Be Judged!

Dazzler and Terrax engage in battle in the heart of a black hole. Terrax does not wish to return to Galactus and is prepared to kill Dazzler to prevent this from happening. She is using all her power to fend him off but it is not enough and she fears that she will be killed during the battle.

In Galactus’s ship just outside of the Black Hole the Drone notices Dazzler’s peril and rushes to Galactus to ask him to aid her. Galactus himself has little interest in the outcome of the battle and commands the Drone to set a course away from the black hole thus leaving Dazzler to her fate.

In the black hole Dazzler and Terrax continue to battle and as they do Terrax explains that he will find the other side of the black hole and discover another universe. There he can conquer unsuspecting worlds, he intends to have Dazzler as his queen and as the last of her strength fails she thinks that there is nothing she can do to stop him.

In the Ship of Galactus a solid beam of sound is created and fired into the black hole. At first Dazzler and Terrax believe that it is a death beam but when it strikes her she discovers that it is sound and it rejuvenates her.

On Earth Harry Osgood, Lance Steele and Dazzler’s band are still worried about Dazzler’s wellbeing. Doctor Paul Jansen is also worried about her and at the same time Dazzler’s father Judge Carter Blaire is contemplating what to do next, his mother enters his study and this allows him to make up his mind once and for all.

Back in the black hole the rejuvenated Dazzler takes the fight to Terrax. Despite his own power Terrax is overwhelmed by Dazzler and a powerful blast of light is all that’s needed to finish the fight. With Terrax defeated Dazzler contemplates leaving him behind since he is no threat and he can carry on with his dream. She realises that if she were to return empty handed Galactus’s rage would be focused on her so reluctantly she grabs onto him and begins to make her way out of the black hole. Using her light beams she is able to propel herself and Terrax out of the black hole with great difficulty.

In the ship of Galactus the Drone is pleased that Dazzler has succeeded but Galactus himself suddenly enters demanding to know why the drone had helped Dazzler despite his commands. The Drone replies that Dazzler didn’t deserve a fate like that and he even suggests that Galactus showed some care towards her since he maintained the invisible force field that allowed her to survive within the black hole. Galactus doesn’t respond and merely walks away. He cannot show any emotion due to his nature and allows the Drone to continue on with his work.

When Dazzler and Terrax are out of the black hole she spots Galactus’s ship. Dazzler still has an enormous amount of power left inside her and for the next minute she unleashes it creating a light almost as bright as a star. When the energy has been fully released Dazzler and Terrax are transported onto the ship. Terrax is restrained but Dazzler is in a bad way and might perish.

Back on Earth numerous people make their way to the apartment of Dazzler. Her father Carter drives in his car while Doctor Jansen rides on his bike. Harry, Lance and the band travel in one of New York’s infamous cabs.

In Galactus’s ship the Drone has placed Dazzler on a healing chair and when she wakes up he informs her that Galactus has summoned her to the judgement of Terrax.

Minutes later in the chamber of Galactus the towering figure himself is about to pass judgement of Terrax when Dazzler herself steps in. She doesn’t see it as being right since conquering is in Terrax’s nature just like devouring worlds is Galactus’s she states that they are just like one another. Galactus sees truth in her words and allows Terrax to be his herald again and sends him on his way to find another world for him to devour.

With the judgement over Galactus walks away but Dazzler realises that she needs a way of getting back to her home planet. She tries to get his attention but this falls onto deaf ears but when the beam of sound strikes her again it causes her to light up and gets the attention of Galactus. In his rage Galactus sends her back to Earth so that he never has to see her again.

From his screen the Drone is happy that Dazzler has gone home but he also gets a report from Terrax about the planet Galador which he has selected for Galactus. The being himself commands the Drone to set course to Galador so that he can feast again.

On Earth all the men worried about Dazzler arrive at her apartment block at the same time. They cannot use the normal lift so the manager allows them to use the service lift. It is a tight squeeze for all of them to fit in.

At that moment in Dazzler’s apartment a ray of light appears and Dazzler suddenly appears on her sofa disorientated but alive. Just when she arrives her door opens and the men see that she is safe. Content with the fact that Dazzler is safe her father leaves still not happy with her life decision. The others believe that she has been to a weeklong party and leave allowing Doctor Jansen to check her over. She is muttering what seems to be gibberish but when Doctor Jansen sees that she is fine he gives her a kiss and leaves. Dazzler says that she loves him but he has already left.

My Thoughts

And now to Dazzler once more. Ok we got a pretty cosmic story in this and the last issue of Dazzler. We get to see Dazzler become extremely powerful as it is stated that in that form she was powerful enough to level cities. I guess that is more powerful than many people give her credit for. I don’t think we see her reach this level of power since, she might have a couple of times but I’m not too sure.

Her battle with Terrax was not all that exciting although it did pick up a little when she was seemingly defeated. If it were not for the interference of the Drone she most likely would have failed and forced to have been the queen of Terrax. I guess she would hate it at first but maybe she would have enjoyed it later on.

Galactus in this issue stayed true to the character as he didn’t show all that much emotion and as he said numerous times his word is law. Much like another villain who makes the same state. Anyway Galactus is one of those characters who can be written the wrong way if given to a bad writer but the writer of this issue did a great job keeping him in character and not allowing him to do anything that was deemed out of character.

I did find it a little funny that all the people who were checking to see if Dazzler was alright were men. I’m sure that she has some lady friends somewhere does she? I don’t know many women who don’t have any lady friends. Maybe they just haven’t been seen for now and they might pop up at some other time.

It was surprising that her father Judge Carter actually made the journey to see the safety of his daughter. He seems to be the usual distant father who more or less disinherits his father due to the fact that they went against their wishes (A little like the musician Jim Morrison and his own father). It shows that despite his seeming rough exterior there is still a side to him that truly cares about his daughter.

There was also a What If issue based on this storyline where Dazzler remained as Galactus’s herald. As expected the ending of the story was not as happy as this one since during the story Earth became a barren wasteland due to a nuclear war or something like that. Does that mean that if the world is to be saved from this terrible fate it involves Dazzler somehow? I guess we'll never know.

In conclusion I’m giving the issue a 7 out of 10. Definitely the most enjoyable storyline of the series so far.

Next Issue
Micronauts (Volume 1) #37

[a0040pc]

Issue Information
Title- Micronauts (Volume 1) #37
Release Date- January 1982
Writer- Bill Mantlo
Artist- Keith Giffen

Major Notes
Features Nightcrawler and the X-Men

Brief Summary

There Is A Reason Why It Is Called… The Danger Room!

The X-Men are still repairing the Danger Room after their battle with the Hellfire Club. Nightcrawler is going over the Danger Room’s computers and discovers that the system is very confused. He tries to fix it but he accidentally activates the room itself. The X-Men have to fight their way through the room to save Nightcrawler and Professor Xavier orders Kitty Pryde to phase through the computer itself to shut down the room. Soon after the team leave the mansion with Xavier to attend an appointment while Nightcrawler remained behind on Sentry duty.

Some distance away the heroic but tiny team of the Micronauts have landed their ship the HMS Endeavour in Westchester New York. The newest member of the team Devil comments on how much excitement he has had with the team while Acroyear mentions that he has lost much during his tenure. Fellow Micronaut Bug is watching from a tree and is saddened by Acroyear’s remarks.

Inside the ship itself Commander Rann and the two robots Microtron and Nanotron are assessing the damage to the ship. Microtron has extended his arm to the ship’s warp drive so that the damage can be assessed. Much to the horror of Rann the drive is leaking energy and it causes Microtron’s arm to explode. Since Microtron and Nanotron synthesis of organic and machine they can feel pain but Microtron was able to disable the pain receptors in his arm before the exploseion. They still have to fix the ship and although it can fly they can’t return to their home of the Microverse. The only female member of the team Marionette is saddened that her brother has become a tyrant on her homeworld and they have to do everything they can to stop him.

In the Microverse itself a man has been forcefully drafted to serve in King Argon’s army. He is taken to Argon himself where he strikes him and states that he is a tyrant. The man is soon restrained by the guards and King Argon sends the man to be genetically engineered to serve him as the ultimate soldier.

Only moments later the man is reborn as Huntarr who is a monstrosity but is also loyal to King Argon. He vows to destroy the Micronauts in the name of his king.

A short time later on Earth the Micronauts are flying in their ship when they suddenly come under the attack of Huntarr. After a few initial scans Marionette uses a turret gun to fire at Huntarr but he is able to fend off the blasts but it does give the Micronauts time to plan their next course of action.

The only way to fight Huntarr is to go outside and battle him. This task goes to Bug who goes outside and tries to battle Huntarr. He is easily defeated however and thrown towards the ground. Acroyear is able to save him before he strikes the ground but at that time Huntarr is able to damage the stardrive systems causing it to begin to fall towards the X-Mansion.

Inside the mansion Nightcrawler is still repairing the Danger Room when the ship breaks through. He is caught completely by surprise at their sudden appearance and lack of size. Huntarr senses the power of the Danger Room and strikes a computer panel causing the room to activate.

The Danger Room activates which makes Nightcrawler and the Micronauts dodge various projectiles. Nightcrawler is able to have a moment to speak with Bug who tries to introduce himself. Huntarr battles Radd and Marionette without much success. Nightcrawler tries as best as he can to fix the computer but it is a losing battle.

Bug attacks Huntarr to try and save Marionette who isn’t very impressed since she thinks that she can look after herself. The villain is able to drive Bug and Acroyear to the ground where they encounter a giant roller with spikes. Despite his small size Acroyear is able to destroy the roller. At that moment Rann communicates to Microtron and Nanotron on the ship who tells them that the ship is ready to fly.

Seeing that the Micronauts are in trouble Nightcrawler goes to help them as he dodges past the obstacles and picks up the ship after the Micronauts have entered it. He swats Huntarr away causing him to be stunned and susceptible to the Danger Room’s weaponry.

Unfortunately they’re trapped in the Danger Room since the doors are sealed. The ship is heavier than Nightcrawler expected and just before he is struck by Huntarr he teleports away. The force of the teleportation sends Nightcrawler to the hallway while the Micronauts end up on the outside of the mansion. The ship has enough power to take them back to the Microverse and they go on their way to confront Marionette’s mad brother King Argon

My Thoughts

Now we’re onto one of the side comics with a very little known (both in size and fame) team of the Micronauts. They are a superhero team from a place called the Microverse, as you can imagine the people there are very, very tiny. I believe that Marvel no longer have the rights to the team so we haven’t seen any reprints of their comics. This also includes the X-Men and Micronauts LS which will also be reviewed in this blog.

Their plight seems to be somewhat similar to that of Lilandra as we have a princess whose homeworld is being ruled by her brother who is a mad dictator. Much like D’Ken in the X-Men series. It makes me wonder if the writer got the story of this from the X-Men series or if it is just a co-incidence.

I did find it funny to see that Wolverine mentions that he likes Indiana Jones since he has gone to see Raiders Of The Lost Ark like fourteen times. I didn’t know that there were many films that Wolverine liked. I wonder if he went to see Kingdom Of the Crystal Skull, maybe his reaction would have been the same as the characters in South Park.

The issue does introduce Huntarr who for now is an enemy of the Micronauts but I believe he actually joins them eventually. He is very much a reluctant villain since if it were not for the genetic modifications he wouldn’t want any harm on the Micronauts. There are many villains like that who pop up in comics so it is not like he is unique.

It was a shame that the X-Men only appeared in the first two pages but at least Nightcrawler got some page time. He did ultimately save the day for the Micronauts although it did take him a while to figure out what was happening. It also makes me wonder what would have happened if it was one of the other X-Men rather than Nightcrawler who helped the Micronauts. Wolverine would have probably tried to slice up Huntarr, Storm would have probably created a rainstorm to wash him away while Kitty Pryde would probably have took it as a learning experience.

Also it seems that there is even more damage done to the Danger Room for poor Professor Xavier to have to pay for. It seems that the X-Mansion has no luck since almost every month it has some kind of damage and every so often it is completely destroyed. Hopefully Professor Xavier can afford to pay for the damages.

In conclusion I’m giving the issue a 6 out of 10. It was alright but nothing fantastic.

Next Issue
Uncanny X-Men (Volume 1) #154

[a0040pc]

Issue Information
Title- Uncanny X-Men (Volume 1) #154
Release Date- February 1982
Writer- Chris Claremont
Artist- Dave Cockrum, Bob Rubinstein & Josef Wiacek

Major Notes
Return of Corsair

Brief Summary

Reunion

Cyclops and Storm are practicing in the Danger Room. They are using their own version of Handball where they are allowed to use their powers. Both are exhausted but Storm is only one point away from winning the game. They continue on but Cyclops sees an opportunity and is able to tie the game. Both are too tired to continue playing on so they agree to have it as a draw.

Meanwhile just past Saturn a NASA probe flies past on its way to Uranus. It is not active so no one on Earth notices a Shi’Ar ship fly past. The pilot is Corsair who is on his way to Earth in a hurry. He plans to find the X-Men but he suddenly notices that another ship is following him.

At Magneto’s former base in the Bahamas Colossus is helping Doctor Peter Corbeau unload some equipment into the base. His little sister Illyana is there as well and Nightcrawler askes Professor Xavier if bringing her along was the safest idea. Xavier comments that with all the attacks on the mansion recently it was safer than there. He also states that they can find out a lot about Magneto thanks to this base and hopefully what he is planning next.

Above them Carol Danvers is standing on a balcony. She is wondering if it had been better that she was killed when Rogue absorbed her powers and memories permanently. She is startled when Wolverine taps her on the shoulder. The pair begin to talk and although she knows that they met when they were both in the military she can’t remember anything about him or the man that she fell in love with.

Back at the X-Mansion Cyclops and Storm are unaware that Corsair’s ship which is closing in on Earth is damaged and is about to perform a crash landing. Cyclops begins to make dinner while Storm brings in the mail. They have a postcard from Kitty Pryde who is away with her parents in the Caribbean. They also receive a letter from the Massachusetts academy stating that Kitty’s enrolment has been terminated.

While they are eating they discuss about who should lead the X-Men since Storm is still in charge. But before they can come to a decision they hear a loud noise outside. When they go to investigate they see Corsair’s ship fly overhead and crash into the nearby lake. They quickly swim down to the wreckage and are able to save Corsair who is unconscious.

In Corsair’s mind he dreams about his life before becoming a Starjammer. This includes the plane crash and the last time that he saw his boys, the death of his wife Katherine and the recent events that led him on the run.

When he wakes up he sees that Cyclops has his dogtags and locket and he begins to question Corsair where he got them from since the pictures in the locket are of himself, Havok when they were boys and his mother. Corsair responds that it is his family and Cyclops refuses to believe him. They don’t have time to argue as Sidrian Hunters burst through the windows and lunge towards the three. Cyclops and Storm begin to fend them off while Corsair also tries to shoot them.

They are quickly being overwhelmed so Cyclops and Corsair make their way towards the hangar while Storm keeps the Sidrian at bay. He plans to find the other X-Men but Corsair questions him about leaving Storm behind. Cyclops states that he would have done the same and then he knocks out Corsair as they get into the monocar which will take them to the hangar.

Storm pulls out all of the stops to keep the Sidrian away and creates a hurricane within the mansion causing much damage. She is able to stun the Sidrians as she flies away so that she can catch up with Cyclops.

The X-Jet blasts off but as they leave Cyclops sees that the mansion has been completely destroyed and is sorry to see it go. But he also sees the Sidrian Hunters begin to merge together and they transform into a giant ship and chase after the X-Jet. This is all picked up to a nearby Air Traffic Control Centre in Long Island.

The X-Jet is chased into New York City itself and Cyclops uses his optic beams to fight the Sidrian ship since he thinks it is too dangerous to use the jet’s weapons in such an area. This is witnessed by many in the city but it is not doing any good for them so Storm suggests about using her powers to down the ship.

Storm flies outside and begins to manipulate the weather to such a degree that it will throw off weather patterns for the city for days. While she is doing this the Sidrian ship blasts a nearby helicopter although Storm is able to save the occupants from falling. Storm is able to create a cyclone around the Sidrian ship and forces it down to the ground right at a petroleum storage facility. As it falls it breaks away into the individual hunters once again.

Corsair wishes to destroy the Sidrian hunters by destroying the facility. He reveals that it is a sentient being and the two X-Men refuse to kill it.
Nevertheless Corsair fires down at the facility causing it to explode and thus destroying the Sidrian Hunters. The two X-Men are angered by what he has done but he reveals that the fate of the world is at stake. Corsair explains that Lilandra the Empress of the Shi’Ar Empire has been kidnapped and that the Starjammers are being blamed for her disappearance. They are most likely coming here to either save or avenge their Empress and if it means destroying the world they would do it in a heartbeat.

My Thoughts

Now we’re back on the X-Men and this issue didn’t feel as good as the previous one. Don’t get me wrong the last one was a bloody great issue and I think only the fifth one in this blog that I’ve given a perfect score for so it is hard to expect that the next one would score so highly.

This issue also marks the return of Corsair who we all know is the father of Cyclops and so does Storm but Cyclops himself has no idea. This issue takes a step towards him finding out but for the moment it seems that he is in the dark about it all. I suspect that very soon Cyclops will know the truth and it’ll be very interesting to see how Cyclops reacts when he finds out that Corsair is his long lost father.

The overall story was alright and it focused mainly on Cyclops and Storm. They might not be my favourite members of the X-Men but they are most definitely two of the most important. It gave them an opportunity to really be fleshed out and to tell you the truth Claremont did do a very good job writing them. Seeing Storm manipulate the weather in the manner that she did is another indication that she is one of the most powerful X-Men in history and the most powerful member on that roster.

One thing I did notice was that on the side of the X-Jet had the words ‘Kitty’s Dragon’ which is obviously a hint to the last issue where in Kitty’s fairy tale the X-Jet was cast to be a huge dragon. It is a fun little hint and also makes me wish that Kitty’s Fairy Tale world had its own little series but we will be seeing the characters again in the first (and in my view the best) Nightcrawler series.

The other X-Men only have a couple of pages in this issue as most of them are at Magneto’s old base in the Bahamas. We do get to see Illyana Rasputin who although has only played a minor role in the series so far will actually fulfil a much bigger role in the near future. I think it was an interesting choice to have the X-Men there along with Carol Danvers. Her little scene with Wolverine was good to see and it makes us want to see her recover and regain her memories and powers again.

One thing to note is that I think this is the first time that we see the X-Mansion more or less completely destroyed. We’ve seen it a few times over the decades but this is the first real time I think that it has been destroyed outright. We’ve seen it damaged numerous times but this is the first real time that we’ve seen it completely destroyed.

In conclusion I’m giving the issue a 7 out of 10. An overall good issue that seems to be leading us to something much bigger.

Next Issue
Dazzler (Volume 1) #12

[a0040pc]

Issue Information
Title- Dazzler (Volume 1) #12
Release Date- February 1982
Writer- Danny Fingeroth
Artist- Frank Springer

Major Notes
Return of Techmaster

Brief Summary

Endless Hate

Dazzler has just gotten out of the shower in the morning. She is feeling confident but she still doesn’t have enough money to pay her bills and when she goes to make breakfast her fridge has broken so the food inside is spoiled. She is forced to make a ketchup sandwich but she suddenly hears the phone ringing. When she answers it she hears the voice of her lover Doctor Paul Jansen who invites her out for dinner that very night. She is more than happy to accept the invitation.

At the house of Harry Osgood the man himself leaves along with a bodyguard. He has hired extra security since Techmaster is still after him and he drives to the office where he arranges a lunch the next day with a business associate.

Lance Steele is trying to ask the receptionist Cassandra Ferlenghetti when Dazzler walks in. She asks about the bodyguards and when she is called into Harry’s office he reveals that after her disappearance and subsequent failure to show up for a gig, people aren’t willing to sign her. He says that he will try and get her more work but it will take him a while. In the meantime he gives her the card of a friend of his who can set her up with cheaper work until something big comes along. Dazzler is not happy about this and walks away knowing that she will have to go for the lower paying, more demeaning jobs.

As Dazzler leaves Harry is unaware that he is being watched by Techmaster who still wants revenge on him. He has already set a plan into action and he uses a special phone that allows him to mimic the voice of others. He calls up Harry’s business associate and pretends to be Harry himself. He cancels the lunch plans and he is happy that his plan is starting to take shape.

A short time later Dazzler visits the office of Harry’s friend Sid Sterling who soon books her a job. That afternoon she is singing while dressed in a Little Bo Peep style dress and promoting the opening of a new fast food restaurant. She is not too pleased with the gig but it is still money and she is happy to be able to perform.

That night she goes out to a fancy restaurant with Doctor Jansen. He is there with Mr and Mrs Sloan who are highly respected doctors. Mr Sloan asks Dazzler about herself and she responds that she is a singer. At first Mr and Mrs Sloan believe that she is talking about opera singing but when she mentions rock and roll they begin to disapprove. During the dinner she accidentally knocks over a vase causing Mr Sloan to be drenched with water. Dazzler apologises but she soon leaves with Doctor Jansen stating that they needed to leave.

A short time later at Dazzler’s apartment Dazzler apologises for what happened and Doctor Jansen tells her that it is alright.
They spend the rest of the night together and they seem to have a nice time. Eventually Doctor Jansen has to leave so that he can make it to the hospital, he seems to leave with a smile but when his back is turned the smile drops as he knows that he and Dazzler are two very different people and he has to think about their relationship. Dazzler herself is unaware of this and goes to bed with a smile on her face.

The next morning the phone rings and when she answers it she hears the voice of Sid telling her that she has another gig. She is excited about the gig but she doesn’t realise that it is not Sid on the phone but Techmaster impersonating him.

Dazzler travels to a large factory where she was told that she would audition for the gig. When she gets there a chauffeur is there to take her to the office of her employer. While she walks through the factory she is pressed with what she sees but as she enters the master control room there she is confronted by Techmaster. At first he doesn’t seem to know who she is and he asks her about the technology that she uses in her concerts. Dazzler is reluctant to tell him since it is her mutant powers and Techmaster demonstrates his metallic hands by crushing a solid steel paperweight. He then leaves to make a lunch appointment but before he does he locks her in the control room so that she has time to think about the offer. When he leaves Dazzler discovers that the room is soundproof so she uses the little sound that she can get from her radio to try and blast the lock.

A short time later at the restaurant Harry is waiting for his associate to arrive but instead Techmaster arrives. The bodyguard goes to deal with Techmaster but the villain grabs his gun before he has a chance and tells the bodyguard to leave. Now that he is alone with Harry he takes him away so that he can be dealt with in a less public place.

Meanwhile at the factory Dazzler is able to break through the lock and frees herself. She is about to escape but then she spots Techmaster returning with Harry. He reveals to Harry that he plans to murder him and then disappear into a new life where no one will find him. He plans to kill Harry by throwing him into a series of lasers that the factory uses to make numerous pieces of equipment. He takes Harry up the steps to the railing just outside of the control room and goes to push him off.

Dazzler quickly intervenes and is able to stop Techmaster from killing Harry. The glasses that he is wearing prevents her from blinding him. He is able to force her back into the control room where she has no sound to fuel her powers. She tries to use her radio but Techmaster is able to destroy it, her next plan is to punch him. This staggers him for a moment but it also hurts her hand. Next she uses a fire extinguisher that only annoys him but then she uses her handbag to stagger him further.

This causes Techmaster to stagger back and he goes to fall over the railing into the lasers. Harry is able to grab a hold of him before he falls and is able to pull him to safety. With his life saved Techmaster states that he and Harry are even and that he won’t be bothering him again. Harry seems to be happy with what has happened but Dazzler is not happy with him about how he spoke to her in the office. She goes to walk away but is able to think for a moment and goes back to him. The pair then leave
with Harry promising to find her a big gig very soon.

My Thoughts

Well this was a good issue to read for Dazzler. Not the best issue and certainly not as good as the previous two issues but still a decent read nonetheless. I believe now we are just over a quarter of the way through the series itself and almost half way through the series being released on a monthly basis (After issue #25 it was once every other month). This issue also marks the end of Dazzler’s first year as a series and I’m somewhat surprised that there is no annual considering how much Marvel tried to push the series.

The overall story was alright with Techmaster making a return. From the end of the issue it seems that he is still alive but has given up his villainy since his only goal was to kill Harry Osgood and since his intended victim actually saved his life I guess that little idea for revenge has been scrapped. It is good that they ended it like this since Techmaster was too similar in motive to Doctor Doom for my liking and I think people would most likely have pointed it out at the time.

Seeing Dazzler having to perform low rate gigs did make me see the realism of trying to make it in the music business. There are most likely thousands if not millions of people who try to break into the music business with only a very small percentage of them actually making it big. For the moment it seems that Dazzler is in the majority since every time she has a big gig something happens to destroy it whether it is dealing with the Incredible Hulk or being a pawn for a planet eating demi-god. She seems to have no luck but at least with the small jobs she does get paid and right now it seems that money is exactly what Dazzler needs. The gig she was involved looks to be a mix between McDonalds and Wendy’s and I think this is intentional.

I did notice an error on page 3 where Harry says make twice in a row where it wasn’t needed. I’m surprised to see an error like this for two reasons, the first is that I thought a comic like this would be looked over for errors before going to print. The second is that I’m reading from Essential Dazzler volume 1 so I thought the reprinted material might be corrected but it seems that I was wrong.

One other fairly interesting development is that Doctor Paul Jansen is seemingly having second thoughts about his relationship with Dazzler. Most likely in the near future he will break her heart and the saddest thing about all this is that she seems to be blissfully unaware. I’m just waiting to see what happens next with the whole love affair and I wonder how Dazzler will take it.

In conclusion I’m giving the issue a 6 out of 10. It was a good read but seemed to be lacking a few qualities.

Next Issue
Uncanny X-Men (Volume 1) #155

[a0040pc]

Issue Information
Title- Uncanny X-Men (Volume 1) #155
Release Date- March 1982
Writer- Chris Claremont
Artist- Dave Cockrum, & Bob Wiacek

Major Notes
Features Tigra, First appearance of The Brood and first appearance of Deathbird in an X-Men comic.

Brief Summary

First Blood

Cyclops and Storm are flying away in the X-Jet with Corsair. Cyclops has found out that Corsair is his father and he is upset that Storm knew and didn’t tell him. Storm states that Jean asked her not to tell him and he feels betrayed. Corsair says that he thought that Cyclops and Havok were dead and when his wife also perished he thought that there was nothing left for him on Earth.

But before the argument can go any further the X-Jet is suddenly teleported onto a Shi’Ar royal cruiser. The X-Men have also just appeared even though they were in different locations. There are numerous Shi’Ar soldiers surrounding them and Professor Xavier is greeted by Gladiator of the Imperial Guard. Xavier demands to see Lilandra but the Lord Chancellor tells him that it is not possible. Lilandra has been kidnapped by terrorists and they believe that Corsair was involved.

The trail to Lilandra leads to Earth and the Shi’Ar are going to either rescue her or avenge her death. Xavier knows that she is still alive due to their mental link but the Shi’Ar want to send soldiers down to find her. Xavier sees this as a bad idea and suggests that the X-Men find her. After some deliberation the Shi’Ar agree but give the team a full day to complete the mission but they demand that two X-Men remain behind as hostages. Xavier agrees to leave Kitty Pryde and Nightcrawler behind but before they leave he implants all the knowledge of the Shi’Ar into the mind of Kitty. The transfer knocks her out and Nightcrawler carries her away.

The X-Men originally teleport down to the X-Mansion but it is destroyed so they regroup at the Avengers mansion. The sight of the destroyed X-Mansion breaks Xavier’s heart but he is able to keep his composure. The Avengers are away and the only people at the Avengers mansion is Edwin Jarvis the Butler and the newest Avenger Tigra. She and Wolverine have a falling out and Colossus has to keep them apart.

The Fantastic Four are also unavailable and Xavier knows that they are on their own. He has sensed that Lilandra is nearby and he prepares his team to disembark. He notices that Storm and Corsair are missing but Wolverine states that he is more than capable of locating them.

On the ShiAr Royal Cruiser Kitty is looking at the view of space that she finds breath-taking. Nightcrawler is with her and he notices that she is cold because she is wearing a bathing suit. Kitty walks over to a machine that creates clothing and she uses it to make herself a dress, then an outfit similar to Phoenix, then into a Shi’Ar and then finally into Darth Vadar. She reveals that although she is seemingly playing with the machine she is actually trying to hack it so that they can free themselves and wander around the ship.

On Earth Corsair and Storm are walking through the streets of New York and he marvels how much it has changed since he was last there. Storm comments that Colossus felt the same after coming here from Russia but both are unaware that they are in the scopes of an alien. The alien is a member of a race called the Brood and he is working for a villainess named Deathbird. He fires his rifle at the pair but rather than being struck by a bullet they are struck by a psychic beam. This causes Storm and Corsair to hallucinate.

Deathbird goes to strike them but Cyclops, Xavier, Colossus and Tigra arrive. Tigra is the first to attack Deathbird but the villainess is able to fend her off. Deathbird then throws some javelins at Xavier but Colossus is able to get in the way and protect his mentor. In the crossfire a car is destroyed causing Xavier to be concerned over the welfare of the civilians and he agrees that Deathbird must be stopped quickly. Cyclops is able to blast Deathbird causing her to retreat onto a building site.

Nearby Storm and Corsair are trying to kill each other thanks to the psychic beam. Cyclops tries to break them up but Corsair sees him as the former Shi’Ar Emperor D’Ken and tries to kill him. Xavier is able to use his telepathy to dispel the effects of the psychic beam bringing both Storm and Corsair to their senses. As soon as Corsair hears the name Deathbird he realises that she is involved in Lilandra’s kidnapping and runs to the construction site to battle her.
In the in-construction building the Brood alien is about to fire at Xavier realising that he is the biggest threat. Before he has a chance to shoot Wolverine attacks him leaving the alien no chance of survival. Storm also arrives at the site but another Brood fires a special tap at her that wraps around her.

Nearby another Brood alien fires at Xavier but Colossus gets into the way again. Colossus is surprised to see that the blast is acidic in nature and it is eating through his organic steal skin at an alarming rate. A combination from Wolverine and Tigra is able to free Storm, with her free she is able to use her powers to clear the acid on Colossus’s chest just in the nick of time. Colossus is injured but still alive much to the pleasure of his friends.

The remaining X-Men go into the building to find Deathbird and her henchmen as soon as they go inside they see Wolverine crash in front of them with one of the Brood. Even Corsair doesn’t recognise what the Brood is but before he has the chance two more Brood arrive. The X-Men begin to fend them off and Cyclops seems to be on better terms with Corsair than they were before.

Suddenly Deathbird appears with Xavier as her hostage and the team have no choice but to drop their weapons. She then throws an explosive Javelin at them and mere moments later a spaceship explodes out of the building and flies up into the sky taking Deathbird and Xavier with it.

The team is beneath the rubble but one of Cyclops’s optic beams are able to free the team but they realise that Colossus was the one protecting Xavier when he was captured. They quickly rush to where they left him and discover that he was stabbed in the back by one of Deathbird’s javelins and he seems to be dead. Before the team can find out for sure they are surrounded by policemen who are there to put them under arrest.

My Thoughts

Another good issue in a fantastic series. It is gearing up for something quite big and also one of my favourite stories in the Uncanny X-Men series. Each issue of this series is very special to me and most likely many more X-Men fans since this is definitely the decade that made the X-Men into the powerhouse that we know and love today.

First thing to mention is that this is the first appearance of the Brood that will bring much terror to the X-Men in the near future and be the reason behind one of the X-Men’s most memorable spin-off series (Brownie points for anyone who knows what it is). I believe that Chris Claremont based them on the Xenomorphs from the Alien franchise (Although at this point you only have the first film). They are amongst one of the most interesting alien races that the X-Men have encountered and by far one of the most terrifying.

Another character first appearing in an X-Men comic is Deathbird. She has appeared in other comics before this one (namingly Ms Marvel and the Avengers) but this is the first time we see her in the X-Men series. She is the older sister of Lilandra and I believe that she sees it as her blood right to be the Empress. She is definitely someone to watch out for and her whole quest to become Empress reminds me a bit of Game Of Thrones, where its eye for eye, there’s no middle ground, you either win or die. She is more bird like than most Shi’Ar and it just another example that the Shi’Ar evolved from birds.

The overall story was pretty good and we got plenty of good scenes between Cyclops and Corsair. I’m glad to see that Cyclops has found out that he is his father but even so I can understand his anger towards him. It was still nice to have a reunion like that because it is always nice to see a man reunited with his long lost father. At least his dad didn’t walk out on him and if he knew that Cyclops was alive he would have come back for him.

Once again in the X-Men we get a reference to Star Wars and again it is Kitty Pryde who is the reference maker. You gotta love seeing her as Darth Vadar but
I could imagine Princess Leia saying to her ‘Aren’t you a little short to be the dark lord of the Sith?’. It is great seeing Star Wars references since at the time it was the biggest film franchise out, at that time it was between Empire and Jedi so everyone was looking forward to the end of the original trilogy. Her idea to use the clothing machine to hack into the main computer is both intelligent and gives us an opportunity to see her and Nightcrawler have some fun. It’ll be a great way to see them together and forming the friendship that has been one of the most consistent and respected in the entire series.

The cliff-hangar ending certainly makes us want to read the next issue just to see if one of the most beloved members of the team is truly dead. It is things like this that a writer knows will draw in the reader for the next issue and that is something that is key to success of any series.

In conclusion I’m giving the series an 8 out of 10. A great issue with action and some tender moments.

Next Issue
Dazzler (Volume 1) #13

[Innocent Bystander]

love the reviews... I think they were really cementing Kitty's geek cred even back then... is it any wonder she became a favorite of so many writers like Bendis and Whedon? For a teenager in the '80's, Star Wars let you geek out publicly, which was a bit of a rare thing back then.

[JackalsIII]

love the reviews... I think they were really cementing Kitty's geek cred even back then... is it any wonder she became a favorite of so many writers like Bendis and Whedon? For a teenager in the '80's, Star Wars let you geek out publicly, which was a bit of a rare thing back then.

She was also into ElfQuest, so that made her pretty cool

[AbnormallyNormal]

I like the top left corner picture of the X-Men team "exploding off the page" and like racing towards the reader in 3-d almost for issue 155. Looks pretty awesome and I kind of prefer that type of artistic picture of the members to simply a bunch of floating heads :-P