The Flame : Lockheed Appreciation

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Uncanny X-Men #166 Feb 1983
Live Free or Die!" First appearance of Lockheed!
Binary Carol Danvers reaches the Brood's planet and destroys everything. Then Storm shows up and informs her that the X-Men need her.
Storm tells Carol that she is now part of the soul of an Acanti's baby and that they all need to help him get the soul of the Acanti's previous leader back on the Brood's planet.
Cyclops is acting weird and when the X-Men finally reach the Brood's planet, Cyclops still acts strange and Wolverine realizes he has already been transformed,
but it is too late, Cyclops attacks him and the others are defeated by the Brood's army.

Meanwhile, Kitty passes through a wall and finds a nest full of Brood skeletons.

When Kitty is about to get caught a dragon shows up and burns down every Brood member.

Then Kitty and the little dragon find a strange room full of lights.

Back in the battle room, Cyclops regains control of himself for a brief moment and Wolverine jumps into his optical beams, releasing himself and then punches Cyclops and knocks him out.
With all the X-Men free again they go to the room with the lights and there they find Acanti's soul.
Binary flies in and frees the Acanti's soul with her energy which purges everyone from the Brood's embryos and turns the Brood Queen into crystal.
The X-Men are teleported out by the Starjammer just moments before Sleazeworld explodes from the stress of Carol's actions. Kitty wonders what became of the dragon.

Story by Chris Claremont. Art by Paul Smith and Bob Wiacek.

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Uncanny X-Men #168 Apr 1983
"Professor Xavier is a Jerk!"
Kitty Pryde is upset that Professor Xavier has demoted her from the X-Men to train along side the New Mutants,
a move that she finds unfair as she believes that she is more skilled than the new students and that she has proven herself as an X-Man.
As she goes off another rant with Illyana, her friend tells her that she is tired of hearing her complain.
When they realize that they are running late for their dance class with Stevie Hunter,
Kitty and Illyana race off unaware that some strange creature is in the mansion and watching them.

Elsewhere in the mansion, Logan is preparing to go on a small vacation back to Canada and discusses the Kitty's removal from the team.
Both men come to the conclusion that although Kitty has been an asset to the group she can also be at risk fighting along side them.
Down below in the Danger Room, Lilandra runs Charles through an exercise to try and beat the mental blocks preventing him from walking in his new body.
When the most recent exercise fails, Lilanda and Charles decide that they must decide what to do next.
With Charles unable to leave the X-Men or the New Mutants, and Lilandra needing to get back to her empire,
the two decide to accept the hard reality that they soon must part and decide to enjoy the little time they have together.
As they embrace, the creature that has been watching Kitty and Illyana now watches them as well.

At Stevie Hunter's dance studio, Kitty's mood causes her to make mistakes during her practice and when Stevie calls her on it she loses her temper again.
When Stevie learns why Kitty is in a bad mood, she suggests trying to prove to Charles that she is worthy of the X-Men. With new resolve, Kitty decides to do just that.
While back at the X-Mansion, Storm goes out into the winter cold wearing nothing but a fur coat.
Having been away from Earth too long she decides to enjoy her reunion with mother nature.
However when she strips off her coat she finds that the elements are now harder to control as they are a force of anger now.
Unable to keep herself warm with her mutant powers, Storm wonders what her time away from the Earth has done to her powers and her connection to the planet.

In the coming days, Kitty tries many methods to try and convince Professor X to let her back into the X-Men, to no avail.
While in Shark Bay, Florida, Scott Summers pays a visit to his old boss and one time lover Lee Forester.
Scott catches her up with what's been going on in his life and his coming visit with his grandparents.
The two come to terms with the fact that Scott's world frightens her and that they should enjoy one last fleeting romance before ending their affair.
Cyclops isn't the only one having a romantic evening as back in New York,
Nightcrawler waits in the apartment of his girlfriend Amanda Sefton waiting for her to return from her job to have a romantic evening together.

While at Xavier's school, Kitty pores into her school work and laments over still being unable to win the Professor over.
When Illyana and Peter try to convince her to come out to chop firewood with them, she declines to tag along so that she can continue her school work.
When checking the computer she notices that one of the home scan programs is picking up an anomaly in the hanger bay.

Going to check it out, she finds that some of the wires have been chewed on. She contacts the Professor telepathically and tells him of her discovery.

When the Professor detects no thoughts but her own he tells her to pull back while he summons Colossus.
Unwilling to do so, determined to prove herself to Charles she continues on.

She runs into recently hatched Sidri warriors.

Kitty is over powered however she is saved by the little dragon whom aided her on the Brood homeworld.
She is also aided by the timely arrival of Colossus. Between Colossus and the dragon, all the Sidri's are destroyed or eaten.

After explaining the situation to the Professor in person, Kitty convinces him to let her keep the dragon, whom she named Lockheed.
The Professor is also impressed by Kitty's performance in battle and agrees to let her back on the X-Men on a probational period provided she can keep her marks up.

While in Alaska, Scott, Alex and their father Corsair arrive in Anchorage to be taken up to where their grandparents live by a pilot that works for their freighter company.
When the woman who is to fly them arrives, Scott is shocked to see that she bares a striking resemblance to Jean Grey.
However, the woman introduces herself to them as Madelyne Pryor.

Story by Chris Claremont. Art by Paul Smith and Bob Wiacek.

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Did you guys catch the subtle Lockheed ref in DOFP? Trask refers to the jet but you know they were honouring the heroic little dragon in their own way.

Very nice.

[Derek Metaltron]

Sooooo... Lockheed is a husband and dad as of Kitty's wedding now, who knew? Sadly I suspect we won't get much backstory for that new development, though you would think Kitty of all people would have known much sooner, given his kids seem to be a bit bigger than babies. His wife is also the same color as Puff from Secret Wars, interestingly enough...

[Maestroneto]

It's the dragon from Shadow and Flame.

[Jesse-James]

It's the dragon from Shadow and Flame.

Is that the same as the one who came with Lockheed after Secret Wars (the original of the 80's)? Because she sure looks like that one.

[TheCape]

Sooooo... Lockheed is a husband and dad as of Kitty's wedding now, who knew? Sadly I suspect we won't get much backstory for that new development, though you would think Kitty of all people would have known much sooner, given his kids seem to be a bit bigger than babies. His wife is also the same color as Puff from Secret Wars, interestingly enough...

Ah Lockhead, you slight dog, i knew that you have it on you, it took you like 3 decades but you finally make a move.

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Uncanny X-Men #169 May 1983
"Catacombs!" Part 1 of 2.
Candy Southern returns home to the apartment she shares with Warren to discover feathers and blood.
She hears someone else inside, and calls Professor X, realizing the police could never arrive in time!
Just as Charles answers the phone, her attacker announces himself as... Sunder!

At that instant, in Amanda Sefton's apartment, Kurt and Amanda are sharing a Jacuzzi.
The conversation has just turned towards their future, when Kurt receives Professor X's telepathic distress call in his head.
He responds instantly, teleporting above the city and then over to outside Warren's apartment.
He's there in time to see Angel carried into the subway by persons unknown and then catch Candy as she is hurled out the window by her assailant!
He returns with her to Amanda's apartment - needless to say, this makes quite a splash.

Interlude. The Hellfire Club. Sebastian Shaw responds to an urgent summons from Tessa.
Emma Frost had come to see him on urgent business - so dire she wouldn't even tell Tessa, and then apparently collapsed in mid-sentence.
Tessa tells Shaw that analysis indicates she's entered a state of catatonic schizophrenia - likely induced by her assailant to keep her from speaking.
Shaw muses that Xavier would be capable of such a feat, but its not his style.

Amanda's apartment. The X-Men have gathered to discuss strategy.

Lacking a tracker, Storm asks Professor X if they could borrow Rahne.
He refuses her, and tells her the mini-Cerebro keyed to Angel should be sufficient.

Amanda and Lockheed are left in the apartment to watch over Candy, and the X-Men head for the subway.

In the subways, the mini-Cerebro reveals Angel is within a Kilometer laterally, but far below them!
Storm eventually has Kitty look for a hidden door. She finds one rapidly, and they make their way down.

Suddenly, they are ambushed by a mass of people! Storm sends Kitty to scout around, and the other X-Men hold their own.
Kitty manages to come upon the leaders of the Morlocks, who are watching the battle to get an idea of their strength - comprised of Sunder, Callisto, Masque, and Plague.
Despite being phased, Callisto manages to smell her, and sends Plague after her. Plague passes through her... harmlessly?... Kitty runs.
Sunder tries to pursue Kitty through the wall, but Callisto calls him off - if 'a single molecule' of disease remains when Kitty solidifies, it should still finish her.

Back at the main event, the X-Men put their assailants to flight, but they take their unconscious brethren with them, denying the X-Men prisoners to interrogate.
The fight over, the X-Men worry over the fate of Kitty, but Angel's life hangs in the balance, and Storm chooses to press on. They descend.

After the X-Men have gone, Kitty returns, Plague's disease already coursing through her. She calls out feebly for her companions before collapsing.
Caliban finds her, however, and carries her unconscious form off with him, talking to himself about how they will live happily ever after.

The X-Men at last descend into the Alley, a enormous cavern made as a bomb shelter by the US government in secret, and then abandoned.
Suddenly, lights and loudspeakers deafen and blind our heroes. A railroad car rolls up unnoticed, carrying Angel shackled to it and Callisto caressing his hair.
She declares she intends to marry him, the 'handsomest man in the world' to be her prince.
She starts to clip Angel's pin-feathers, to prevent him from injuring himself flying around in the dark tunnels,
and the X-Men try to stop her, only to be overwhelmed by a sea of Morlocks! The fight goes badly for them.

Epilogue: Kitty awakens in a strange bed, dressed in night clothes. Despite feeling sick, she tries to get up. The effort makes her vomit.
She finally manages to get to her feet, and then Caliban comes in. She's half-delirious, and collapses as Caliban rushes up to her.
Caliban vows to defy even Callisto to save Kitty as he cradles her unconscious form.

Story by Chris Claremont. Art by Paul Smith and Bob Wiacek.

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Didn't realise he's never been in the Ultimate Comics, I've only really ever read USM extensively.

I gather that the novelisation of X-Men Last Stand did have Lockheed (along with Gambit apparently) in the epilogue, training in the danger room with Logan and Kitty.

No and there have only been two real animated versions of Lockheed as well. He appeared quite a bit in the Pryde Of The X-Men pilot and had a cameo (Along with Kitty) in an episode of Marvel Superhero Squad.

I loved X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men.

I loved it too!

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Uncanny X-Men #172 Aug 1983
"Scarlet in Glory" Part 1 of 2.
This story takes place after the events of Wolverine #4...

Tokyo:
The X-Men arrive in Japan for Wolverine's wedding to Mariko Yashida, which is to occur in 5 days.

Wolverine warmly greets all of them, except Rogue, who remains in the doorway until Mariko says something.
Logan would rather tear her heart out, but the others tell him she's now an X-Man, and Mariko formally welcomes her.

Atop a nearby building, the Silver Samurai is watching them, but is also being watched!
Yukio strikes from the shadows, but the blow barely phases the Silver Samurai, and the battle is joined.
Wolverine hears the attack, and Nightcrawler teleports both of them near the battle to see what's up.
Wolverine tells Nightcrawler to grab Yukio and he goes after the Samurai.
Silver Samurai teleports away - letting Wolverine plunge off the edge of the building - but Nightcrawler saves him. Yukio, however, is gone.
We see her bounce off poles and ledges with ease, but suddenly her foot slips and she falls downwards - until Storm grabs her!
Landing, Storm tells her she could have been killed, but she laughs it off as an amazing ride. She cartwheels away, still laughing.

Later, Storm tells Wolverine that she recognized the assailant from a recent battle the New Mutants had.
Wolverine comments on Clan Yashida's past ties to the criminal underworld in Japan, but that he'd taken care of Shingen.
Kurt gets Wolverine's implication - and Kitty is a little shocked.

Elsewhere in the apartment, Mariko steels herself for a meeting she's been requested to attend.
It is her honor at stake, and so she refuses to even tell Logan what she will be about.
She summons Toni to tell her she'll be out for a bit, that the X-Men are not to know, and leaves.
Unfortunately for Toni, she is ambushed by Viper shortly thereafter. Viper disguises herself as Toni and serves the X-Men poisoned tea.

The tea is distributed, and Wolverine and Storm talk about Logan's concerns with Yashida involvement in criminal matters,
and Wolverine is worried that Mariko might be corrupted if she tries to deal with it herself.
Wolverine finally takes a sip of tea and realizes its poisoned - and warns Storm just before she drinks! But for the others the damage has been done...

Outside, a driver pulls up with Mariko's car and she gets in. The driver, however, is non other than Yukio!

Anchorage:
Scott is digging into his grandparents' airline company's records on Madelyne.
Alex comes in to ask him what he's doing, and wonders if its a good idea.
Scott tells him he has to know - and that Maddie didn't walk away from the crash merely the same day that Jean died, but the same instant!

A warehouse in Tokyo:
Mariko goes into the building, and there finds Viper, Silver Samurai, and Nabatone Yokuse. We learn that Silver Samurai is Mariko's half-brother.
Mariko declares that she does not recognize the crime worlds rulings - only the emperor's word matters.
Harada (Silver Samurai) declares that his father promised him rulership of the clan, but Mariko denies his claim, and he starts to draw his sword.
Mariko asks Nabatone about his promise of safety, but he says his promise was to Mariko, and that she isn't Mariko!

"Mariko" unmasks herself as Yukio! Viper goes to find the real Mariko while Silver Samurai draws on the Ronin.
Yukio gets the first hit, but Silver Samurai is well-armored. Viper goes outside and opens the car door - and is blown away by a gust of wind.
However, Storm barely controls it, and it slams Viper into the wall, rendering her senseless. Storm flies up and in through a skylight window in the warehouse.
Seeing Yukio in deadly combat with Harada, she tries to summon her lightning, only for it to use far more power than she intended!
Nabatone thinks something about Storm having sprung his trap, but Storm is too worried about electrocuting Harada and tries to draw the power into herself.
This overloads Storm, sending bolts of electricity across the warehouse and detonating boxes of explosives.
Yukio grabs the kimono she disguised herself in and jumps high into the air off a stack of boxes,
grabbing Storm in the kimono, and sending them both into the water. Behind them the warehouse explodes.
As they come back to the surface, they see a large firebird form over the inferno of the warehouse!

Silver Samurai emerges from the Inferno to find Viper. He takes her and escapes.
Storm and Yukio stagger off to find a haven - with Nabatone mysteriously watching from the shadows!

The hospital:
Mariko is trying to stop Wolverine from going after Harada, but he won't be put off.
Rogue also recovered tells Wolverine she's going with him.
They have a brief discussion - Wolverine is not keen on working with her - but he relents, telling her in no uncertain terms he's in charge.

Story by Chris Claremont. Art by Paul Smith http://www.comicsreporter.com/index....ay_paul_smith/ and Bob Wiacek.

[Gambit, King of Thieves]

So Kitty's got Lockheed, the Starjammers have Sikorsky... any other small flying creatures named after aircraft manufacturers?

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Huh? "Lockheed" and "Sikorsky" are named after aircraft manufacturers? I thought Lockheed the Dragon was named after the X-Men's black jet