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Uncanny X-Men (1963) #168-176
X-Men: From the Ashes
Is the Phoenix rising again?
Chris Claremont and Paul Smith's classic arc puts the team through major changes -- and a test of faith! It's the start of a beautiful friendship between Kitty Pryde and Lockheed, but why does Kitty think Professor Xavier is a jerk? Storm battles Callisto, leader of the outcast Morlocks -- but why is Storm so unsettled, and what will she do to resolve her inner conflicts? Meanwhile, Rogue joins the X-Men, but how will the team members react to the addition of their former foe? Wolverine and Mariko Yashida are engaged, but surprises await the X-Men in Japan! And Cyclops has a new love in Madelyne Pryor, but clues that Dark Phoenix is returning begin to point heartbreakingly close to home! Experience one of the X-Men's most beloved storylines!
Collects Uncanny X-Men #168-176.
Chris Claremont and Paul Smith's classic arc puts the team through major changes -- and a test of faith! It's the start of a beautiful friendship between Kitty Pryde and Lockheed, but why does Kitty think Professor Xavier is a jerk? Storm battles Callisto, leader of the outcast Morlocks -- but why is Storm so unsettled, and what will she do to resolve her inner conflicts? Meanwhile, Rogue joins the X-Men, but how will the team members react to the addition of their former foe? Wolverine and Mariko Yashida are engaged, but surprises await the X-Men in Japan! And Cyclops has a new love in Madelyne Pryor, but clues that Dark Phoenix is returning begin to point heartbreakingly close to home! Experience one of the X-Men's most beloved storylines!
Collects Uncanny X-Men #168-176.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
About the author
Chris Claremont
3,349 books932 followersChris Claremont is a writer of American comic books, best known for his 16-year (1975-1991) stint on Uncanny X-Men, during which the series became one of the comic book industry's most successful properties.
Claremont has written many stories for other publishers including the Star Trek Debt of Honor graphic novel, his creator-owned Sovereign Seven for DC Comics and Aliens vs Predator for Dark Horse Comics. He also wrote a few issues of the series WildC.A.T.s (volume 1, issues #10-13) at Image Comics, which introduced his creator-owned character, Huntsman.
Outside of comics, Claremont co-wrote the Chronicles of the Shadow War trilogy, Shadow Moon (1995), Shadow Dawn (1996), and Shadow Star (1999), with George Lucas. This trilogy continues the story of Elora Danan from the movie Willow. In the 1980s, he also wrote a science fiction trilogy about female starship pilot Nicole Shea, consisting of First Flight (1987), Grounded! (1991), and Sundowner (1994). Claremont was also a contributor to the Wild Cards anthology series.
Claremont has written many stories for other publishers including the Star Trek Debt of Honor graphic novel, his creator-owned Sovereign Seven for DC Comics and Aliens vs Predator for Dark Horse Comics. He also wrote a few issues of the series WildC.A.T.s (volume 1, issues #10-13) at Image Comics, which introduced his creator-owned character, Huntsman.
Outside of comics, Claremont co-wrote the Chronicles of the Shadow War trilogy, Shadow Moon (1995), Shadow Dawn (1996), and Shadow Star (1999), with George Lucas. This trilogy continues the story of Elora Danan from the movie Willow. In the 1980s, he also wrote a science fiction trilogy about female starship pilot Nicole Shea, consisting of First Flight (1987), Grounded! (1991), and Sundowner (1994). Claremont was also a contributor to the Wild Cards anthology series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
August 4, 2017
3.5 Stars
Fifty shades of Jean Grey?!
Don't worry, Kids. It's perfectly PG-13 stuff. But Why is Jean here? Wasn't she killed during Dark Phoenix story arc?
Wait, so you are telling me she is not Jean Grey, but Madelyne Pryor, a woman who looks exactly like Jean Grey? Additionally, she was the sole survivor of a plane crash that happened on the same day as Jean died?
------------*comics*--------------
From the ashes features the introduction of Morlocks: underground mutants who read H G Wells, the marriage of Wolverine, Rogue's defection from evil mutants to X-Men and return of Jean Grey(?)
Great Scotts!
The story starts with a pissed off Kitty Pryde. she gets transferred from the main X-Men team to a new team of young mutants ... or as Kitty calls them "The X-babies"!
After that, X-Men get captured by Morlocks while they trying to save a kidnapped ex X-Men member, Angel. Geez, X-Men really get captured a lot in these stories! Nevertheless, Storm owns this story arc with some excellent leadership and action!
After that short arc, Rogue joins the team and they travel to Japan to attend Wolverine's wedding. While they were celebrating in Japan, storm meets Yukio, a crazy assassin, and decides to let go and turn super hip.
Legend says that Storm wrote this tweet before her makeover!
On the background of all these stories, there is a hint of an old dangerous foe lurking around and pulling some serious strings. His plan goes active in second half of the collection which leads to an amazing story featuring Cyclopes and X-men!
This particular arc features Cyclopes finest hour as he held off a very confused X-Men from killing him. Truly an epic chapter!
Overall, The chapter featuring Cyclopes' survival mode is excellent and rest of the collection delivers some average stories! Chris Claremont did a great job with the character development of his characters, especially Storm, Pryde, and Cyclopes. The art is very much "the 80s" as expected. But it is not as good as Dark Phoenix saga or days of the future past.
Fifty shades of Jean Grey?!
Don't worry, Kids. It's perfectly PG-13 stuff. But Why is Jean here? Wasn't she killed during Dark Phoenix story arc?
Wait, so you are telling me she is not Jean Grey, but Madelyne Pryor, a woman who looks exactly like Jean Grey? Additionally, she was the sole survivor of a plane crash that happened on the same day as Jean died?
------------*comics*--------------
From the ashes features the introduction of Morlocks: underground mutants who read H G Wells, the marriage of Wolverine, Rogue's defection from evil mutants to X-Men and return of Jean Grey(?)
Great Scotts!
The story starts with a pissed off Kitty Pryde. she gets transferred from the main X-Men team to a new team of young mutants ... or as Kitty calls them "The X-babies"!
After that, X-Men get captured by Morlocks while they trying to save a kidnapped ex X-Men member, Angel. Geez, X-Men really get captured a lot in these stories! Nevertheless, Storm owns this story arc with some excellent leadership and action!
After that short arc, Rogue joins the team and they travel to Japan to attend Wolverine's wedding. While they were celebrating in Japan, storm meets Yukio, a crazy assassin, and decides to let go and turn super hip.
Legend says that Storm wrote this tweet before her makeover!
On the background of all these stories, there is a hint of an old dangerous foe lurking around and pulling some serious strings. His plan goes active in second half of the collection which leads to an amazing story featuring Cyclopes and X-men!
This particular arc features Cyclopes finest hour as he held off a very confused X-Men from killing him. Truly an epic chapter!
Overall, The chapter featuring Cyclopes' survival mode is excellent and rest of the collection delivers some average stories! Chris Claremont did a great job with the character development of his characters, especially Storm, Pryde, and Cyclopes. The art is very much "the 80s" as expected. But it is not as good as Dark Phoenix saga or days of the future past.
August 9, 2019
I recently reviewed “The Dark Phoenix” graphic novel from Marvel Publishing. I own one of the first compilations with no frills and no extras and the truly awful coloring of the original comics. It seemed to me that a worthy follow-up to that effort would be to meander to what I consider to be the next more or less “world-shaking” installment in the X-Universe, the “From the Ashes” graphic novel that brings together issues 168-176 of the original X-Men comic book. If you’re interested in how I felt about “The Dark Phoenix” edition, you are welcome to check that out here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
“Dark Phoenix” was an absolute classic in terms of relevance and execution. It stands as one of the most important episodes in the history of not only the X-Men, but of the Marvel Comics Universe as a whole. Now I’ll say right up front that “From the Ashes” is nowhere near as monumental an achievement as “Phoenix” was, but it’s still an important story arc and it introduces one of the more important ongoing characters in the X-Universe in the form of Jean Grey clone Madelyne Pryor.
In point of fact, the Madelyne Pryor angle is the glue that holds “From the Ashes” together as a narrative, as the book is really a set of different stories joined by a shared theme of change and upheaval. The story begins when Scott Summers, also known as the X-Man Cyclops, first encounters Ms. Pryor in Alaska, where she works as a tour pilot in the wake of a horrible air disaster where she was the only survivor. Stunned by her resemblance to the deceased Jean Grey, Scott quickly learns that she is not the same person, although he does harbor some doubts, especially when he learns that her accident in the air occurred at the exact same moment that Jean Grey died on the moon. This connection will haunt him until the end of the novel, where his apprehension takes center stage in the final battle with the bad guy.
But you also get a whole lot more out of “From the Ashes.” I’ll try my best to give you a good rundown:
You get the first appearance of the Morlocks, a group of mutants who live a thousand feet under the streets of Manhattan. The Morlocks are mostly a bunch of misfits, but the leaders seem to have some level of mutant powers beyond what the general rabble have. They are led by the wily Callisto, a young lady with a definite persecution complex and a power that gives her enhanced stamina and strength. Callisto has kidnapped the former X-Man Angel in an attempt to coerce him to marry her. But Storm and the rest of the X-men have descended into the sewers in chase, where Storm eventually settles matters in her own unique way. This is a pretty good methodology of introducing the Morlocks, who periodically play a part in the X-Universe to this day. As a bonus, you also get the first look at Storm in her punk guise, all blonde Mohawk and leather biker duds and studs galore.
You get the transition of Rogue from charter member of the Evil Brotherhood of Mutants to newest probationary member of the X-Men. Rogue has decided to seek out the X-Men in an attempt to control her power of identity transference, which seems to have gone completely out of her control. Professor X accepts her into the school and the team in order to assist her, after he does a full mental scan to make sure that she is sincere, of course. This is a huge development, as Rogue has since gone on to become one of the most popular and important members of the X-men over the decades. This episode also has a great appearance from Carol Danvers, the former Ms. Marvel from whom Rogue stole her powers permanently. Now calling herself Binary, Ms. Danvers manages to shake things up in a bit in her inimitable fashion.
You get a visit to Japan to witness Wolverine’s star turn when his wedding to Yakuza kingpin Mariko suddenly goes sour. This may be the only time that I can remember that we see Logan spill a tear, and the whole thing is kinda heartbreaking to see play out. Mariko rejects Wolvie even after the machinations of the bad guy have been revealed, but in the end the entire episode just feels like it was the right move for everybody involved. This was the true beginning of Wolverine as a major player in the X-men franchise. He went from a second-banana side man playing a bench role for Nightcrawler to a true star in a matter of months.
You get the first kiss between Kitty Pryde and Colossus. ‘Nuff said.
You get the reappearance of Mastermind, the prime baddie from the original “Dark Phoenix” epic. He reprises his role here as Jason Wyngarde in an attempt to use Madelyne Pryor as an illusional stand-in for the Phoenix. Mastermind had gone into the funny farm at the end of the “Dark Phoenix” arc, and he’s back here in a wounded fashion, certainly not clearly healed from his mind-bending stretch into Godhood at the hands of Jean Grey. I really never liked Mastermind much as a villain, but I’ll concede that his two appearances in these twin sagas made him a more compelling character in terms of his motivations and nuances.
Thankfully, there is no…..I repeat no….appearance by Dazzler. Pretty sure she was cutting her teeth as the lighting director for Madonna around this time. Or something.
Finally, you get the marriage of Scott Summers and Madelyne Pryor, an event that would shake things up in the X-Universe for quite some time and send all sorts of ripples up the time stream. The book ends with a solo adventure with the newlyweds as they embark on a honeymoon at sea.
Walt Simonson and John Romita, Jr. do a decent job on the pencils for the graphic novel. Bob Wiacek’s inks looks pretty sharp. The only real downside is the horrible coloring job that was translated from the original comics that appeared on the racks. That old four-color process looks really weak and bland here and none of the pages stand out as anything special.
All in all, though, “From the Ashes” is a clear win in terms of impact and storytelling. All of the plot lines get tied together and wrapped up in a satisfying manner and the book ends on a hopeful note as Scott and Madelyne quite literally go flying off into the sunset. It’s a worthwhile addition to your Marvel collection, especially given the fact that a lot of these plot points will have an impact on the X-Men and the Marvel Comics Universe for literally decades to come. It’s not quite as important in the grand scheme of things as the original “Phoenix” and “Dark Phoenix” arcs were, but it’s close enough for my money. In that light “From the Ashes” should be an essential part of your Marvel graphic novel collection.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
“Dark Phoenix” was an absolute classic in terms of relevance and execution. It stands as one of the most important episodes in the history of not only the X-Men, but of the Marvel Comics Universe as a whole. Now I’ll say right up front that “From the Ashes” is nowhere near as monumental an achievement as “Phoenix” was, but it’s still an important story arc and it introduces one of the more important ongoing characters in the X-Universe in the form of Jean Grey clone Madelyne Pryor.
In point of fact, the Madelyne Pryor angle is the glue that holds “From the Ashes” together as a narrative, as the book is really a set of different stories joined by a shared theme of change and upheaval. The story begins when Scott Summers, also known as the X-Man Cyclops, first encounters Ms. Pryor in Alaska, where she works as a tour pilot in the wake of a horrible air disaster where she was the only survivor. Stunned by her resemblance to the deceased Jean Grey, Scott quickly learns that she is not the same person, although he does harbor some doubts, especially when he learns that her accident in the air occurred at the exact same moment that Jean Grey died on the moon. This connection will haunt him until the end of the novel, where his apprehension takes center stage in the final battle with the bad guy.
But you also get a whole lot more out of “From the Ashes.” I’ll try my best to give you a good rundown:
You get the first appearance of the Morlocks, a group of mutants who live a thousand feet under the streets of Manhattan. The Morlocks are mostly a bunch of misfits, but the leaders seem to have some level of mutant powers beyond what the general rabble have. They are led by the wily Callisto, a young lady with a definite persecution complex and a power that gives her enhanced stamina and strength. Callisto has kidnapped the former X-Man Angel in an attempt to coerce him to marry her. But Storm and the rest of the X-men have descended into the sewers in chase, where Storm eventually settles matters in her own unique way. This is a pretty good methodology of introducing the Morlocks, who periodically play a part in the X-Universe to this day. As a bonus, you also get the first look at Storm in her punk guise, all blonde Mohawk and leather biker duds and studs galore.
You get the transition of Rogue from charter member of the Evil Brotherhood of Mutants to newest probationary member of the X-Men. Rogue has decided to seek out the X-Men in an attempt to control her power of identity transference, which seems to have gone completely out of her control. Professor X accepts her into the school and the team in order to assist her, after he does a full mental scan to make sure that she is sincere, of course. This is a huge development, as Rogue has since gone on to become one of the most popular and important members of the X-men over the decades. This episode also has a great appearance from Carol Danvers, the former Ms. Marvel from whom Rogue stole her powers permanently. Now calling herself Binary, Ms. Danvers manages to shake things up in a bit in her inimitable fashion.
You get a visit to Japan to witness Wolverine’s star turn when his wedding to Yakuza kingpin Mariko suddenly goes sour. This may be the only time that I can remember that we see Logan spill a tear, and the whole thing is kinda heartbreaking to see play out. Mariko rejects Wolvie even after the machinations of the bad guy have been revealed, but in the end the entire episode just feels like it was the right move for everybody involved. This was the true beginning of Wolverine as a major player in the X-men franchise. He went from a second-banana side man playing a bench role for Nightcrawler to a true star in a matter of months.
You get the first kiss between Kitty Pryde and Colossus. ‘Nuff said.
You get the reappearance of Mastermind, the prime baddie from the original “Dark Phoenix” epic. He reprises his role here as Jason Wyngarde in an attempt to use Madelyne Pryor as an illusional stand-in for the Phoenix. Mastermind had gone into the funny farm at the end of the “Dark Phoenix” arc, and he’s back here in a wounded fashion, certainly not clearly healed from his mind-bending stretch into Godhood at the hands of Jean Grey. I really never liked Mastermind much as a villain, but I’ll concede that his two appearances in these twin sagas made him a more compelling character in terms of his motivations and nuances.
Thankfully, there is no…..I repeat no….appearance by Dazzler. Pretty sure she was cutting her teeth as the lighting director for Madonna around this time. Or something.
Finally, you get the marriage of Scott Summers and Madelyne Pryor, an event that would shake things up in the X-Universe for quite some time and send all sorts of ripples up the time stream. The book ends with a solo adventure with the newlyweds as they embark on a honeymoon at sea.
Walt Simonson and John Romita, Jr. do a decent job on the pencils for the graphic novel. Bob Wiacek’s inks looks pretty sharp. The only real downside is the horrible coloring job that was translated from the original comics that appeared on the racks. That old four-color process looks really weak and bland here and none of the pages stand out as anything special.
All in all, though, “From the Ashes” is a clear win in terms of impact and storytelling. All of the plot lines get tied together and wrapped up in a satisfying manner and the book ends on a hopeful note as Scott and Madelyne quite literally go flying off into the sunset. It’s a worthwhile addition to your Marvel collection, especially given the fact that a lot of these plot points will have an impact on the X-Men and the Marvel Comics Universe for literally decades to come. It’s not quite as important in the grand scheme of things as the original “Phoenix” and “Dark Phoenix” arcs were, but it’s close enough for my money. In that light “From the Ashes” should be an essential part of your Marvel graphic novel collection.
September 16, 2026
Paul Smith draws most of the issues. I feel like he's one of the more unsung X-Men artists. His art is terrific. The famous "Professor X is a jerk!" line is from this run. You get the first Morlocks. Storm goes punk rock. Rogue joins the X-Men. They go to Japan for the first time for Wolverine's wedding to Mariko. Madelyne Pryor makes her first appearance. I do think not having the Wolverine miniseries before the Japan issues does leave out a lot of the context of what's going on with Wolverine and Mariko but I'll allow it because you can't have everything. The 80s for the X-Men was some great comics.
March 4, 2013
All hail this masterclass in how the serialised comic ought to be written. This too-short era of X-Men often gets some attention for the fine work of artist Paul Smith who subtly modernised the feel of the comic whilst still presenting classic portrayals of classic characters and there are also some famous moments in famous stories. Kitty Pryde notoriously calls Xavier a Jerk, Rogue joins the team, Storm has a personality overhaul when fighting the Morlocks, Wolverine is jilted at the altar and, of course the whole Madeline Pryor/Dark Phoenix reincarnation Shennanigans, during which Cyclops has an epic confrontation with his former teammates (yeah, Cyclops is still a permanent feature in the comic despite leaving the team some 30 issues or ago!)
It's deserving a five star grade for all of these wonderful things, and yet, yet again what intrigued me the most was Claremont's mastery of long form storytelling, whether it's the small introductions to bigger storylines that he quietly weaves in 6 months previous to their occurring, or brilliantly in this case, the interplay between the Uncanny X-Men storylines, the superb Wolverine mini-series and characters introduced in The New Mutants comic. It's not close to being a full blown crossover and each stands alone, but an understanding of the events in each title adds to the pleasure that can be gained from reading each one, which ultimately means 3x the fun as it's so great to see these situations and dramas bouncing around from comic to comic without any degradation of storyline.
This is Uncanny X-Men at its very best. I strongly doubt I'll read much better. For the first time in a while I've been page-turning and getting excited at the possibility of picking up and reading on. The resurrection of Jean Grey story in particular left me gasping to find out how the situation would be resolved, A scene with Madeline slapping Scott Summers, after he confronts her with possibility of actually being Phoenix (her appearance was, it seems, uncanny!) was particular affecting as Scott had been agonising about this for many issues. And then SLAP! And a terrific cliffhanger...
And maybe for the only time in the history of comics, Wolverine cries. And I felt moved.
It's deserving a five star grade for all of these wonderful things, and yet, yet again what intrigued me the most was Claremont's mastery of long form storytelling, whether it's the small introductions to bigger storylines that he quietly weaves in 6 months previous to their occurring, or brilliantly in this case, the interplay between the Uncanny X-Men storylines, the superb Wolverine mini-series and characters introduced in The New Mutants comic. It's not close to being a full blown crossover and each stands alone, but an understanding of the events in each title adds to the pleasure that can be gained from reading each one, which ultimately means 3x the fun as it's so great to see these situations and dramas bouncing around from comic to comic without any degradation of storyline.
This is Uncanny X-Men at its very best. I strongly doubt I'll read much better. For the first time in a while I've been page-turning and getting excited at the possibility of picking up and reading on. The resurrection of Jean Grey story in particular left me gasping to find out how the situation would be resolved, A scene with Madeline slapping Scott Summers, after he confronts her with possibility of actually being Phoenix (her appearance was, it seems, uncanny!) was particular affecting as Scott had been agonising about this for many issues. And then SLAP! And a terrific cliffhanger...
And maybe for the only time in the history of comics, Wolverine cries. And I felt moved.
June 25, 2007
one of the best. my friend stole it and i want it back! Paul Smith pages with an Art Adams cover, it doesn't get much better.
September 15, 2021
Some important moments in this one. Introduction of the Morlocks. Introduction of Madelyne Pryor and her subsequent marriage to Scott. Storm's change in both personality and appearance. Logan left at the altar. All intriguing storylines with long-term ramifications. The shift from character development to character driven plots is more noticeable than ever in this compilation. Some great artwork as well. The formatting of this book was disappointing though. No page numbering and only including the covers at the end of the book rather than as they appear in the sequence of the issues is annoying. The cover art is part of the storytelling as far as I'm concerned.
April 14, 2009
This book reprints Uncanny X-Men 168-176 (from 1983), featuring the introduction of Madelyne Pryor, the first appearance of the Morlocks, the story of how Rogue joined the X-Men, the almost-wedding of Wolverine and Mariko Yashida, and the ongoing subplot of Madelyne's uncanny resemblance to Jean Grey: is she the Phoenix reborn? The story, which is a sequel to the epic "Dark Phoenix" saga from 1980, draws to a conclusion in the double-length issue 175, featuring one of the most gripping X-Men battles ever, as one lone X-Man fights against his teammates and friends for a love that may never be. This is all masterfully told by Chris Claremont, with illustrations that are simultaneously simple and magnificent by Paul Smith and Bob Wiacek, with a little help from John Romita Jr. and Walt Simonson. This is X-Men adventures at their best. You can get this at the public libary.
March 5, 2010
Leído de la edición de Vid en dos tomos. El primero lo tengo, el segundo me lo prestó el Wolverine argentino en persona, en una época en la que tenía que escribir una nota al respecto que nunca se concretó... Me gustó bastante pero menos que otros cómics de la época, incluso de los mismos autores.
April 3, 2023
In this collection, the X-Men face the underground Morlocks, Storm has an identity crisis, we get a certified Wolvie In Japan™ adventure, pick up a new party member and Scott Summers gets his Silent Hill 2 on with an apparent doppelganger of his dead girlfriend.
X-Men!
It’s a little bonkers how close together so many monumental moments for the X-Men occur. The plots move quickly, with Chris Claremont’s delightful melodramatic, but evocative, storytelling. It’s a well-fit puzzle piece, one of the many perks of having a primary writer for such an extended period of time on one title. All the main players get something to do, but the lion share of development is saved for Kitty, Ororo, Logan and Scott.
Kitty, despite having served as an X-Man (X-Person?) since the end of the Dark Phoenix Saga, has been placed on a newly formed team of young mutants dubbed the “New Mutants”. She sees this as a demotion and reacts accordingly. It’s interesting that Kitty is prone to frequent fits of impotent rage, overly emotional outbursts fitting for someone her age, which can be tiring to read, but she’s so charming otherwise that these childish moments makes just ground her. There’s something relatable to Kitty and the dichotomy of her energetic, sweet moments versus her frankly nasty, thoughtless ones makes her entertaining and someone I’m invested in seeing grow. It’s not hard to see why so many people love her so much.
Kitty’s not alone in trying to figure herself out. Ororo, surprisingly enough, spends the entirety of the book with her own inner struggle. Once she was revered as a powerful goddess, beholden to none, and now she is a compassionate, decisive team leader. She wants to nurture and support her found family, but she is tired, angry, and unfulfilled. She’s bristling against Xavier’s micromanagement, much like Scott before her, and in her effort to be everything the people around her need her to be, the question of who she is, and what she wants, is the throughline for her throughout the entire book. After a very subtextual meeting with Yukio, an old friend/flame of Logan, while in Japan (ofc), Ororo is inspired to adopt an edgier (and I mean that in the best way) outlook, complete with a total makeover. It’s honestly impossible to pick between Classic!Ororo vs. Punk!Ororo in terms of design. Both are the epitome of perfection. (Also, lol @ Kitty’s ridiculous overreaction to Ororo changing her hair. “How could you!!!” indeed.)
We meet the classic Morlocks for the first time! This is a great story, with a surprise cameo from Angel in the role of damsel. It’s only retroactively as I write this that I realize that I don’t think he had any dialogue. Huh. More importantly (sorry, Warren) this story really sees Ororo at her finest. Caught between these emotional extremes, but meeting her duty as team leader brilliantly, we get to watch our queen get down and dirty in physical combat with Callisto. Really, this whole book showcases Storm as the true MVP she is.
Shortly after, Rogue runs away from the home she shares with Mystique and Destiny to seek help from Xavier in controlling her powers. The classic “Welcome to the X-Men, hope you survive the experience!” is a fun tagline. Weird thing I never realized: Rogue got to know Maddie before she met Jean. I wonder if that ever comes up?
Rogue’s inclusion causes some drama among the team, specifically between Ororo and Xavier. Seeing Rogue here at her lowest— unsure of herself and her place in the world, young and dangerous and in pain— is interesting considering how much we know she’s going to grow over the course of her long history. At the same time, Carol Danvers’ reaction to Xavier accepting Rogue is completely understandable. We want Rogue to come around and join the team, but we also see how her actions have harmed those around her, and how her errors of judgment are not going to be forgiven on a whim. It’s great stuff.
After Rogue joins the squad we get to check in with Wolvie in Japan. The whole Japan arc is… not bad, per se, but part of that weird trend in the 80s and 90s to represent modern Japan as full of geisha, warlords, yakuza and talks of honor. It’s a little problematic at worst, archaic at best, but is about what’s expected for a story of the era. Logan’s bride-to-be, Mariko, features prominently. She’s very much the Yamato Nadeshiko archetype from a western lens (i.e. a “proper” Japanese lady; gentle, soft spoken, elegant, humble, patient, poised) but she gets a few neat moments; such as her ascension to the head of her Yakuza family, which hint at a more interesting character. In order to protect her, Logan has to team up with Rogue in her first real X-Men mission. It’s a fun dynamic.
The most interesting aspect of the book, for me, comes in the form of Madelyn Pryor, a woman identical to the late Jean Grey. Maddie is an interesting case study. Ignoring any potential meta reason for her existence (namely, she was created to help retire Scott and give him a happy ending as a Jean stand-in) and focusing solely on the narrative as presented, she is a compelling mystery. Maddie survived a harrowing event, which left her the sole survivor of a plane crash, on the same day Jean seemingly commit suicide on the moon. Physically, Maddie is identical to Jean. Her haircut is different, but that’s about it.
Maddie recites Scott’s favorite breakfast and jokes she knew because she was a mind reader. She has a temperament similar—though not identical—to Jean’s, though she seemingly lacks her mutant abilities. Her history is vague, with Maddie changing the subject when asked (and apparently Scott won’t force the issue—which makes sense considering his own complicated, PTSD-ridden childhood). The timing— and the fact Jean had appeared dead before and shown back up more-or-less unscathed— leaves the reader wandering: who is this person, and what is her relation to Jean?
Maddie reminds me a bit of Maria from Silent Hill 2; a doppelganger of the protagonist’s lover with knowledge they couldn’t possibly have, but their own sense of identity and a visceral loathing to be compared to the “original.” This comes more into play later one in Maddie’s timeline, but that’s beyond the purview of this book.
I love Maddie. She’s likable and very patient with the lunacy coming into Scott’s orbit brings her. She remains patient and kind to various reactions and cases of mistaken identity by the X-Men, even as it’s obvious that it starts to make her uncomfortable. Then, when Scott finally decides to take the direct approach— after a whirlwind romance of being hot and cold which ends in a proposal— Maddie’s reaction is gold.
And with her reaction, Mastermind makes his first big appearance since the Dark Phoenix Saga, solidifying this story as a sequel. And as a sequel? It’s solid. It lacks the same gravitas as Dark Phoenix, but it’s still engaging and entertaining and Scott’s continued growth, and the stress of his love life, remains consistent as it does entertaining. Scott will tell you best— love is a battlefield.
X-Men!
It’s a little bonkers how close together so many monumental moments for the X-Men occur. The plots move quickly, with Chris Claremont’s delightful melodramatic, but evocative, storytelling. It’s a well-fit puzzle piece, one of the many perks of having a primary writer for such an extended period of time on one title. All the main players get something to do, but the lion share of development is saved for Kitty, Ororo, Logan and Scott.
Kitty, despite having served as an X-Man (X-Person?) since the end of the Dark Phoenix Saga, has been placed on a newly formed team of young mutants dubbed the “New Mutants”. She sees this as a demotion and reacts accordingly. It’s interesting that Kitty is prone to frequent fits of impotent rage, overly emotional outbursts fitting for someone her age, which can be tiring to read, but she’s so charming otherwise that these childish moments makes just ground her. There’s something relatable to Kitty and the dichotomy of her energetic, sweet moments versus her frankly nasty, thoughtless ones makes her entertaining and someone I’m invested in seeing grow. It’s not hard to see why so many people love her so much.
Kitty’s not alone in trying to figure herself out. Ororo, surprisingly enough, spends the entirety of the book with her own inner struggle. Once she was revered as a powerful goddess, beholden to none, and now she is a compassionate, decisive team leader. She wants to nurture and support her found family, but she is tired, angry, and unfulfilled. She’s bristling against Xavier’s micromanagement, much like Scott before her, and in her effort to be everything the people around her need her to be, the question of who she is, and what she wants, is the throughline for her throughout the entire book. After a very subtextual meeting with Yukio, an old friend/flame of Logan, while in Japan (ofc), Ororo is inspired to adopt an edgier (and I mean that in the best way) outlook, complete with a total makeover. It’s honestly impossible to pick between Classic!Ororo vs. Punk!Ororo in terms of design. Both are the epitome of perfection. (Also, lol @ Kitty’s ridiculous overreaction to Ororo changing her hair. “How could you!!!” indeed.)
We meet the classic Morlocks for the first time! This is a great story, with a surprise cameo from Angel in the role of damsel. It’s only retroactively as I write this that I realize that I don’t think he had any dialogue. Huh. More importantly (sorry, Warren) this story really sees Ororo at her finest. Caught between these emotional extremes, but meeting her duty as team leader brilliantly, we get to watch our queen get down and dirty in physical combat with Callisto. Really, this whole book showcases Storm as the true MVP she is.
Shortly after, Rogue runs away from the home she shares with Mystique and Destiny to seek help from Xavier in controlling her powers. The classic “Welcome to the X-Men, hope you survive the experience!” is a fun tagline. Weird thing I never realized: Rogue got to know Maddie before she met Jean. I wonder if that ever comes up?
Rogue’s inclusion causes some drama among the team, specifically between Ororo and Xavier. Seeing Rogue here at her lowest— unsure of herself and her place in the world, young and dangerous and in pain— is interesting considering how much we know she’s going to grow over the course of her long history. At the same time, Carol Danvers’ reaction to Xavier accepting Rogue is completely understandable. We want Rogue to come around and join the team, but we also see how her actions have harmed those around her, and how her errors of judgment are not going to be forgiven on a whim. It’s great stuff.
After Rogue joins the squad we get to check in with Wolvie in Japan. The whole Japan arc is… not bad, per se, but part of that weird trend in the 80s and 90s to represent modern Japan as full of geisha, warlords, yakuza and talks of honor. It’s a little problematic at worst, archaic at best, but is about what’s expected for a story of the era. Logan’s bride-to-be, Mariko, features prominently. She’s very much the Yamato Nadeshiko archetype from a western lens (i.e. a “proper” Japanese lady; gentle, soft spoken, elegant, humble, patient, poised) but she gets a few neat moments; such as her ascension to the head of her Yakuza family, which hint at a more interesting character. In order to protect her, Logan has to team up with Rogue in her first real X-Men mission. It’s a fun dynamic.
The most interesting aspect of the book, for me, comes in the form of Madelyn Pryor, a woman identical to the late Jean Grey. Maddie is an interesting case study. Ignoring any potential meta reason for her existence (namely, she was created to help retire Scott and give him a happy ending as a Jean stand-in) and focusing solely on the narrative as presented, she is a compelling mystery. Maddie survived a harrowing event, which left her the sole survivor of a plane crash, on the same day Jean seemingly commit suicide on the moon. Physically, Maddie is identical to Jean. Her haircut is different, but that’s about it.
Maddie recites Scott’s favorite breakfast and jokes she knew because she was a mind reader. She has a temperament similar—though not identical—to Jean’s, though she seemingly lacks her mutant abilities. Her history is vague, with Maddie changing the subject when asked (and apparently Scott won’t force the issue—which makes sense considering his own complicated, PTSD-ridden childhood). The timing— and the fact Jean had appeared dead before and shown back up more-or-less unscathed— leaves the reader wandering: who is this person, and what is her relation to Jean?
Maddie reminds me a bit of Maria from Silent Hill 2; a doppelganger of the protagonist’s lover with knowledge they couldn’t possibly have, but their own sense of identity and a visceral loathing to be compared to the “original.” This comes more into play later one in Maddie’s timeline, but that’s beyond the purview of this book.
I love Maddie. She’s likable and very patient with the lunacy coming into Scott’s orbit brings her. She remains patient and kind to various reactions and cases of mistaken identity by the X-Men, even as it’s obvious that it starts to make her uncomfortable. Then, when Scott finally decides to take the direct approach— after a whirlwind romance of being hot and cold which ends in a proposal— Maddie’s reaction is gold.
And with her reaction, Mastermind makes his first big appearance since the Dark Phoenix Saga, solidifying this story as a sequel. And as a sequel? It’s solid. It lacks the same gravitas as Dark Phoenix, but it’s still engaging and entertaining and Scott’s continued growth, and the stress of his love life, remains consistent as it does entertaining. Scott will tell you best— love is a battlefield.
February 13, 2026
As I reach the end of my planned journey with Chris Claremont's X-Men, I have to admit once more that this run has really exceeded my expectations. The masterful weaving of Claremont is still at its best here. The art of Paul Smith looks even neater than John Byrne's. And you even get an issue pencilled by Walt Simonson. It's a comic that was worth every penny. Then and now and forever. Marvel's finest.
May 16, 2024
You can't go wrong with Claremont. This run however is a lot of fun and takes the opportunity to slow down after the Dark Pheonix saga with some character development and a new love in Scott's life, who of course, is the one and only Madeline Pryor.
Who knows of he originally intended her to be the goblin queen or not, her issues are fun and give the reader a cozy mystery to chew on in the middle of the super heroics.
Who knows of he originally intended her to be the goblin queen or not, her issues are fun and give the reader a cozy mystery to chew on in the middle of the super heroics.
July 6, 2021
Okay, that was actually quite fun! Rogue joins the X-Men, Storm gets a cool punk look, Wolverine goes to Japan and gets dumped at the altar, some trippy stuff involving the maybe-reincarnation of the Phoenix, Cyclops almost gets eaten by a shark on his honeymoon.
April 19, 2023
[3.75/5]
I love the way they deal with Madelyne Pryor, and the idea of the Dark Phoenix. I also think this book does a really good job of showcasing the dynamic between the team. However, I felt like the stuff in Japan dragged on, and I thought that Kitty was kind of annoying (especially in the beginning).
I love the way they deal with Madelyne Pryor, and the idea of the Dark Phoenix. I also think this book does a really good job of showcasing the dynamic between the team. However, I felt like the stuff in Japan dragged on, and I thought that Kitty was kind of annoying (especially in the beginning).
October 25, 2025
Muy chulo! Se sitúa después de lo ocurrido en la trama de Fénix Oscura y no defrauda para nada.
June 4, 2025
Claremont era X-Men just hits different. No other way to say it.
Yeah it’s campy and goofy in many areas and the writing has little subtlety but this just works so well. My previous X-Men. They’re characterised so well and they just get up to awesome adventures and the like. Come on. It’s X-Men.
This introduces so many iconic X-Men things, The Morlocks, Rogue as an X-Man, the Japan era and Madelyne Prior… COME ON.
The art is so beautiful as well, I love Romita Jr, just the most iconic representation of these characters.
I can go on and on about this. I had a great time. Nothing beats X-Men.
Yeah it’s campy and goofy in many areas and the writing has little subtlety but this just works so well. My previous X-Men. They’re characterised so well and they just get up to awesome adventures and the like. Come on. It’s X-Men.
This introduces so many iconic X-Men things, The Morlocks, Rogue as an X-Man, the Japan era and Madelyne Prior… COME ON.
The art is so beautiful as well, I love Romita Jr, just the most iconic representation of these characters.
I can go on and on about this. I had a great time. Nothing beats X-Men.
May 17, 2014
Lots going on in these issues. Punk Storm, Rogue joining the X-Men, Wolverine's wedding (and tears), Madelyne Pryor, and what serves as a sort of third Phoenix Saga. Chris Claremont's writing is about as fine as it usually is here, and Paul Smith's pencil certainly proves his competence. Lots of great art in here and the panels and page layouts are at an all-time best.
Favorite issues: To Have and Have Not (#173), Phoenix! (#175)
Best Cover Art: Professor Xavier is a Jerk! (#168), Decisions (#176)
Rating: 3.20 out of 5
My other X-Men reviews:
The X-Men, Vol. 1
The X-Men, Vol. 2
The Uncanny X-Men, Vol. 1
X-Men: Proteus
The Uncanny X-Men, Vol. 2
X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga
X-Men: Days of Future Past
X-Men: From the Ashes
Favorite issues: To Have and Have Not (#173), Phoenix! (#175)
Best Cover Art: Professor Xavier is a Jerk! (#168), Decisions (#176)
Rating: 3.20 out of 5
My other X-Men reviews:
The X-Men, Vol. 1
The X-Men, Vol. 2
The Uncanny X-Men, Vol. 1
X-Men: Proteus
The Uncanny X-Men, Vol. 2
X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga
X-Men: Days of Future Past
X-Men: From the Ashes
April 1, 2008
It's interesting...this collection is from just over two years after X-Men: Days of Future Past but it feels almost from a different era. This is more the X-Men I'm used to--both the writing feels more modern and the characters more like the versions I remember from when I started reading. I haven't read the issues between the two, so I can't pinpoint when the change occur. Okay, this may only be interesting to me.
One difference from between from more modern graphic novels is that this trade is not a single long story, but a collection of shorter stories. Most arcs are resolved in two or three issues. However, in typical Chris Claremont fashion, there is a plethora of ongoing story lines and character arcs, some of which don't get resolved here.
One difference from between from more modern graphic novels is that this trade is not a single long story, but a collection of shorter stories. Most arcs are resolved in two or three issues. However, in typical Chris Claremont fashion, there is a plethora of ongoing story lines and character arcs, some of which don't get resolved here.
February 27, 2014
My first X-Men Graphic novel, which I got to read just after watching X2, is a great little story about the aftermath of the Dark Phoenix Saga and the Wolverine Mini-Series. It holds a special place in my heart, so I give it a solid four stars. A great job by Chris Claremont, the scribe of Days of Future Past.
October 2, 2016
Wolverine goes to Japan and Storm gets a mohawk after becoming queen of the Morlocks.
September 1, 2024
The Uncanny X-Men: From the Ashes, calificación 3/5 estrellas.
Si quieren una recopilación más completa consigan Marvel Masterworks The Uncanny X-Men Vol. 9.
En esta recopilación se destaca el arte de Paul Smith, en cuanto a la ilustración hay de Walter Simonson, JRJR y una página dibujada por Frank Miller.
En esta recopilación aparece el odioso dragon Lockheed impuesto por Chris Claremont a la fuerza, presenta a los intrancedentes morlocks, yukio, Silver Samurai, la fallida Madelyne Pryor Claremont no sabía que hacer con ella por años primero queria que fuera la nueva Phoenix, es una lástima que no haya sido Lynn lo que se pretendió, también aparece el odioso Corsair (su zoofilia con Hepzibah) y los Starjammers, los fallos de Claremont con historias incoclusas de la odiosa mystique y master mind que no llevó a nada, dialogos de telenovela, muletillas "famous last words" etc. Con textos extensos, Claremont pone una fecha en la historia de 1980 calcula la edad actual de los personajes en el presente, si Magneto estuvo en campos de concentración tendrá 100 años, Claremont mete con calzador a Carol Danvers odioso personaje. Storm se volvió inmadura. Rogue ingresó al grupo fue de sus aciertos. Así como protagonismo a Cyclops.
Chris Claremont instigador de la relación de Kitty (14 años) y Colossus (19 años).
¿Por qué el Professor X no leyó la mente de Mariko al ver la negativa de casarse? ¿Que acaso no fue sospechoso su cambio de parecer?, Claremont odiaba a Wolverine.
Sacando Claremont de Barbarella (1968) unas ecenas con Angel y Callisto plagiando a Pygar y Great Tyran interpretada por la groupie Anita Pallenberg ex de Brian Jones y Keith Richards.
Hay muchos sitios en Internet (Byrne Robotics, TV Trooper, foros, blogs etc) con información y entrevistas acerca de tramas no usadas pero Interesantes, debería Marvel publicar las tramas no utilizadas en X-Men, principalmente de autores como John Byrne, Chris Claremont.
Tengo ganas de ver lo que pretendía hacer John Byrne con Kitty Pryde y Caliban pienso que sería lo que hizo con Nudge/Mi-Sun Kwon y Grunt de Doom Patrol. También me interesa la muerte de Mariko Yashida donde es atacada por Sabretooth, después Wolverine se entera que ella tiene muerte cerebral y destruye la máquina de soporte vital, para finalmente matar a Sabretooth y revelar que el era el padre de Wolverine.
También Marvel debería publicar en un ómnibus X-MEN ELSEWHEN ya que esos 32 números son mejores a los 32 números canónicos, que se publicaron después de la partida de Byrne con los X-Men.
Si quieren una recopilación más completa consigan Marvel Masterworks The Uncanny X-Men Vol. 9.
En esta recopilación se destaca el arte de Paul Smith, en cuanto a la ilustración hay de Walter Simonson, JRJR y una página dibujada por Frank Miller.
En esta recopilación aparece el odioso dragon Lockheed impuesto por Chris Claremont a la fuerza, presenta a los intrancedentes morlocks, yukio, Silver Samurai, la fallida Madelyne Pryor Claremont no sabía que hacer con ella por años primero queria que fuera la nueva Phoenix, es una lástima que no haya sido Lynn lo que se pretendió, también aparece el odioso Corsair (su zoofilia con Hepzibah) y los Starjammers, los fallos de Claremont con historias incoclusas de la odiosa mystique y master mind que no llevó a nada, dialogos de telenovela, muletillas "famous last words" etc. Con textos extensos, Claremont pone una fecha en la historia de 1980 calcula la edad actual de los personajes en el presente, si Magneto estuvo en campos de concentración tendrá 100 años, Claremont mete con calzador a Carol Danvers odioso personaje. Storm se volvió inmadura. Rogue ingresó al grupo fue de sus aciertos. Así como protagonismo a Cyclops.
Chris Claremont instigador de la relación de Kitty (14 años) y Colossus (19 años).
¿Por qué el Professor X no leyó la mente de Mariko al ver la negativa de casarse? ¿Que acaso no fue sospechoso su cambio de parecer?, Claremont odiaba a Wolverine.
Sacando Claremont de Barbarella (1968) unas ecenas con Angel y Callisto plagiando a Pygar y Great Tyran interpretada por la groupie Anita Pallenberg ex de Brian Jones y Keith Richards.
Hay muchos sitios en Internet (Byrne Robotics, TV Trooper, foros, blogs etc) con información y entrevistas acerca de tramas no usadas pero Interesantes, debería Marvel publicar las tramas no utilizadas en X-Men, principalmente de autores como John Byrne, Chris Claremont.
Tengo ganas de ver lo que pretendía hacer John Byrne con Kitty Pryde y Caliban pienso que sería lo que hizo con Nudge/Mi-Sun Kwon y Grunt de Doom Patrol. También me interesa la muerte de Mariko Yashida donde es atacada por Sabretooth, después Wolverine se entera que ella tiene muerte cerebral y destruye la máquina de soporte vital, para finalmente matar a Sabretooth y revelar que el era el padre de Wolverine.
También Marvel debería publicar en un ómnibus X-MEN ELSEWHEN ya que esos 32 números son mejores a los 32 números canónicos, que se publicaron después de la partida de Byrne con los X-Men.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2021
Jean Grey was a founding member of the X-Men, her original powers were telekinesis and telepathy, and she was the only female in the original group. Her original code name was Marvel Girl. Later, she was transformed into the Phoenix, with far greater powers. Her fellow member of the original X-Men, Scott Summers, known as Cyclops, was her husband and since he is the leader of the X-Men, he has double responsibility in dealing with the powerful new entity. As Phoenix, Grey was even powerful enough to defeat Galactus.
The continuing story in this book takes place after Grey became the Phoenix and has apparently died. However, applying a word like that to a being as powerful as her is always a questionable action. Scott Summers continues to grieve while the group known as the X-Men is in a state of flux. Both in terms of their intergroup relationships and their personal relationships with their significant others.
The group is forced to battle several different foes, including an old one from the first few issues of the original X-Men comic. The story follows several paths, including Charles Xavier in a new body and struggling to master the art of walking again. He is assisted by Lilandra, his love and perhaps in the future it will be necessary to call her his lost love.
The story is long, convoluted, complicated and a joy to read. It is always preferable to read the entire story rather than having to read it one comic issue at a time. While having mutant powers complicates your life in the general world, they can also make your personal life difficult as well. If you are not a mutant with powers, think how difficult it would be to live with someone that had them. Relationships between normal humans are complicated enough, it is the personal relationships and the problems with them that help make this a great story.
The continuing story in this book takes place after Grey became the Phoenix and has apparently died. However, applying a word like that to a being as powerful as her is always a questionable action. Scott Summers continues to grieve while the group known as the X-Men is in a state of flux. Both in terms of their intergroup relationships and their personal relationships with their significant others.
The group is forced to battle several different foes, including an old one from the first few issues of the original X-Men comic. The story follows several paths, including Charles Xavier in a new body and struggling to master the art of walking again. He is assisted by Lilandra, his love and perhaps in the future it will be necessary to call her his lost love.
The story is long, convoluted, complicated and a joy to read. It is always preferable to read the entire story rather than having to read it one comic issue at a time. While having mutant powers complicates your life in the general world, they can also make your personal life difficult as well. If you are not a mutant with powers, think how difficult it would be to live with someone that had them. Relationships between normal humans are complicated enough, it is the personal relationships and the problems with them that help make this a great story.
September 24, 2022
The volume of classic X-Men stories covers a lot of ground. Kitty Pryde is upset that she's been put on the New Mutants, the junior mutant team. She's mad at Professor Xavier and wants to upgrade. Meanwhile, Logan, aka Wolverine, has gone to Japan and is about to marry a woman who is inheriting leadership in a shady organization. If that wasn't bad enough, her half-brother wants control of the organization, which means offing her. Also meanwhile, Scott Summers, aka Cyclops, is in Alaska dating a woman who has a striking resemblance to Jean Grey, the former X-Men who died as Dark Phoenix, a powerful entity that nearly destroyed the universe. Additionally meanwhile, Storm and a handful of X-Men (by this point, Kitty has made the grade so she joins in) confront the underground mutants who call themselves Morlocks, led by the mutant female Callisto. Storm discovers her powers are getting out of control and she adopts a new look (the mohawk) to go with her newly discovered attitude. Finally meanwhile, Professor X is struggling with a new body that should be able to walk but something is wrong. His space princess girlfriend helps out.
Reading this volume out of context with the rest of Claremont's run will cause a lot of confusion. I knew about most things going on (except for Professor X's clone body) from other reading I've done. The story telling comes off choppy. Claremont also got a lot wordier in his later years, making the plots sound a bit like a soap opera (is Cyclops' girlfriend really Jean Grey reincarnated? The girlfriend did miraculously survive a plane crash just when Jean died...). I enjoyed this for the most part but it's not the best stories from the mutants' history.
Mildly recommended.
Reading this volume out of context with the rest of Claremont's run will cause a lot of confusion. I knew about most things going on (except for Professor X's clone body) from other reading I've done. The story telling comes off choppy. Claremont also got a lot wordier in his later years, making the plots sound a bit like a soap opera (is Cyclops' girlfriend really Jean Grey reincarnated? The girlfriend did miraculously survive a plane crash just when Jean died...). I enjoyed this for the most part but it's not the best stories from the mutants' history.
Mildly recommended.
May 19, 2024
One of the weaker parts of Claremont's run on X-Men. It has some important plot points but to get to them, it asks the reader to immediately care about new characters as quickly as it introduces them.
The biggest ask is that the reader cares about Madelyne Pryor, a woman who Cyclops meets and immediately falls in love with because she looks like Jean Grey. But is she Jean Grey? Is she The Phoenix? Not enough time or story is included to make her a fully fleshed out character. Also, Scott just slowly fell in love with another character we didn't know much about, and she is quickly discarded for this new Jean Grey fill-in.
We're also introduced to Callisto and The Morlocks in a decent story that will continue to bubble under the surface of X-Men comics for decades.
The Rogue story is interesting but not given enough time, and the Wolverine material would probably have been better without editorial interference. Reportedly, Jim Shooter, the worst person to ever stain the Marvel masthead with his name, wouldn't allow Claremont or any other writer to portray any queer relationships. Claremont had intended on having Storm fall in love with Yukio, a Wolverine side-character. Instead, Claremont writes Storm so that she meets Yukio is enamored of her, then cuts her hair into a mohawk and starts wearing leather, which is about as obviously coded as you can get. Cheers to Claremont on that. May Jim Shooter trip today, chipping a tooth and having one of his eyes fall out. The entire comic industry would rejoice in the news.
While this is definitely a skippable portion of Claremont's run as far as quality goes, it has enough interesting moments that a completist can read it without feeling like they've wasted their time.
The biggest ask is that the reader cares about Madelyne Pryor, a woman who Cyclops meets and immediately falls in love with because she looks like Jean Grey. But is she Jean Grey? Is she The Phoenix? Not enough time or story is included to make her a fully fleshed out character. Also, Scott just slowly fell in love with another character we didn't know much about, and she is quickly discarded for this new Jean Grey fill-in.
We're also introduced to Callisto and The Morlocks in a decent story that will continue to bubble under the surface of X-Men comics for decades.
The Rogue story is interesting but not given enough time, and the Wolverine material would probably have been better without editorial interference. Reportedly, Jim Shooter, the worst person to ever stain the Marvel masthead with his name, wouldn't allow Claremont or any other writer to portray any queer relationships. Claremont had intended on having Storm fall in love with Yukio, a Wolverine side-character. Instead, Claremont writes Storm so that she meets Yukio is enamored of her, then cuts her hair into a mohawk and starts wearing leather, which is about as obviously coded as you can get. Cheers to Claremont on that. May Jim Shooter trip today, chipping a tooth and having one of his eyes fall out. The entire comic industry would rejoice in the news.
While this is definitely a skippable portion of Claremont's run as far as quality goes, it has enough interesting moments that a completist can read it without feeling like they've wasted their time.
February 22, 2025
This book contains the continuation and (in a way) conclusion of the story that was told on Wolverine by Claremont and Miller.
This is Storm centered book and she is my favorite X-Men so I enjoyed every single frame she is in. We are seeing her characters growth and evolution. We even witness her new punk style. But when Kitty sees Storm’s new hair cut her overreaction was weird. I really dig her new look. Also she became the leader of two seperate groups from now on thus her meeting of Morlocks shows us her cruel side and shattering of her beliefs. Claremont really pushes his characters and gives them more depth issue by issue. Also, we get to see them more comfortable with their powers thanks to their constant training.
Issue #175 is a great example which is my favorite om this book. It tells us why was Cyclops the leader of X-Men in the first place and how being an older and more experienced member of X-Men advantages him against the other members. He is using his mind and powers in a constant harmony with confidence and thus readers acknowledge how powerful of a character he is. As I am simultaneously reading New Mutants, Claremont doesn’t shy away from showing characters physical and mental progressions. This era specifically made me appreciate him as a writer (and Jim Shooter as an editor).
This book is also the unofficial continuation of the Dark Phoenix Saga. I still don’t get what is the deal with Madelyne Pryor but I found the chemistry between her and Cyclops more natural than him and Jean Grey.
I was caught off guard by Paul Smith’s art after getting used to Dave Cockrum’s but it grew on me and became a fan every issue.
This is Storm centered book and she is my favorite X-Men so I enjoyed every single frame she is in. We are seeing her characters growth and evolution. We even witness her new punk style. But when Kitty sees Storm’s new hair cut her overreaction was weird. I really dig her new look. Also she became the leader of two seperate groups from now on thus her meeting of Morlocks shows us her cruel side and shattering of her beliefs. Claremont really pushes his characters and gives them more depth issue by issue. Also, we get to see them more comfortable with their powers thanks to their constant training.
Issue #175 is a great example which is my favorite om this book. It tells us why was Cyclops the leader of X-Men in the first place and how being an older and more experienced member of X-Men advantages him against the other members. He is using his mind and powers in a constant harmony with confidence and thus readers acknowledge how powerful of a character he is. As I am simultaneously reading New Mutants, Claremont doesn’t shy away from showing characters physical and mental progressions. This era specifically made me appreciate him as a writer (and Jim Shooter as an editor).
This book is also the unofficial continuation of the Dark Phoenix Saga. I still don’t get what is the deal with Madelyne Pryor but I found the chemistry between her and Cyclops more natural than him and Jean Grey.
I was caught off guard by Paul Smith’s art after getting used to Dave Cockrum’s but it grew on me and became a fan every issue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2022
A great, full-color compilation of some of my favorite comic book issues ever. As the X-Men recover from loss and their latest adventures, they grow as characters and as a family, facing new challenges and left wondering how much they've changed -- and have yet to change. I grew up reading these issues and they only get better re-reading them as an adult and seeing just how well Claremont portrays the complexity of relationships (even when a relationship like that between Mystique and Destiny has be to extremely subtle.)
June 8, 2022
Maybe the best the X-Men have ever looked, Paul Smith sings on this. I only wish this collection included his Brood Saga issues as well. The story of Madelyne and Scott’s courtship is appropriately charming, mysterious, and gripping, with an amazing climax where the X-Men confront the architect of their recent struggles. Maybe not as iconic as dark Phoenix saga, but every bit as deserving of inclusion among the great X-Men stories.
December 23, 2024
It's a classic for a reason. Paul Smith's art is wonderful (the line work on curly hair is to die for), and even the John Romita Jr (I don't typically enjoy his art) parts work for me. I have always been a bit obsessed with the Jean/Phoenix mythology, and the addition of Maddy Pryor has always been a good one, even though the original intention was that she just happened to look like Jean.
May 10, 2023
Good background on the Morlocks. Not as good as I remembered but still fun. The Madeleine Pryor storyline is a train wreck as we watch it, it’s amazing back then we couldn’t see where this was all going.
September 27, 2022
Every page is a new portion of a bigger story. So many characters introduced and more to come. This collection is a great portion of Claremont's saga.
June 4, 2024
You just finished season one of X-Men 97 and your mutant genes are tingling, do you need to read this?
Yes.
Yes.
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