Writer Chris Claremont
Penciler / co-plotter John Byrne
Inker Terry Austin
Letterer Tom Orzechowski
Colorist Glynis Wein
Cover Dated February 1980
What better way to celebrate Father’s Day than with the first appearance of Dazzler! My first official Father’s Day. Carmen Pryde appears in this issue as part of Kitty’s flashback / origin rcap. When s character only has 15 appearances, they all count.
The issue opens with Scott, Phoenix and Kurt parking Xavier’s Rolls Royce outside of what appears to be an abandoned building. They are tracking the second mutant Cerebro detected. I wonder what would have happened if the two teams were switched? I keep coming up with various What If? scenarios for these early issues. Enough for an ongoing X-Men specific What If? title. Now that Uatu is dead, I’m not sure who would host that series.
As the X-Men get out of their car, the Hellfire Club is watching them. We see that they have dossiers on these three X-Men.
Scott tells Kurt that he has to stay behind, due to society not being ready for someone as awesome as Nightcrawler.
As Jean and Scott go inside the building, Jean asks Scott about why he is on edge. He isn’t thrilled with Xavier being back and immediately taking over the position of leadership. Scott was finally getting the team together and listening to him. Xavier shows up, starts treating the team of adults like they are new teenagers.
They get to what is clearly a fancy disco set up inside of an abandon building. Scott has a mini-Cerebro on his watch, tuned to the new mutant’s signature. Scott tells Phoenix to scan the room. Which is easier said than done. She has to hear all the thoughts of the room, most of them are vile. There is something inside of her that likes it.
Meanwhile, in the Hellfire Club, Sebastian Shaw and Jason Wyngarde are talking. Wyngarde doesn’t have much faith in Shaw’s ability to capture and then keep the X-Men as prisoners. He’ll believe it when he sees it. Shaw turns the conversation to Wyngarde being able to keep Phoenix under control. Wyngarde claims that it is already being done, to which Shaw gets to repeat, that he will believe it when he sees it. The Hellfire Club, all about competition.
Jason leaves the room as Shaw calls Emma Frost, the White Queen.
Emma informs that she has been mostly successful on her mission. Only Kitty Pryde escapes, and Emma’s Plan B is pretty awesome. She’s just going to convince Kitty’s parents to enroll their daughter into her school and then she wins.
Speaking of which, Kitty Pryde phases even closer to where the captured X-Men are. They are hanging in man sized bird cages. I like how the X-Men look without their costumes. Colossus is wearing a giant pair of white underwear. Wolverine is hunched over, but he is so hairy! Storm appears to still be in her outfit, just minus the accessories. I suppose she doesn’t wear anything under her uniform.
Kitty replays the day’s events (last issue). We see her parents in a panel, so that’s how we got this review. Carmen Pryde, just standing around.
Kitty gets close to Storm, who is groggy from the inhibitor field – which is why the X-Men are not breaking out. Storm’s surprised to see Kitty is too loud so Kitty has to snap at her, which is awesome that even this Kitty doesn’t take no gruff from no one. She had a plan and wants to see it through.
Storm tears off a label from her suit which has the telephone number of the X-Men. Which is odd, does Xavier sew those into every outfit? How often does it come in use? Grant it, the one time they needed it, it is already there, so that’s nice.
One guard notices Kitty is standing there by the cages. Emma tells her men to grab Kitty. Kitty takes off and leads down a hallway with a dead end and phases through the ground. The guards are confused and Emma still doesn’t know what Kitty’s powers are. Just that she is crafty.
Back at the disco. Jean is making a second walk around. So far, the night as been a bust besides the few guys who have hit on her. Next, Jason Wyngarde grabs her hand, after introducing himself. Then she finds herself in the past again. She is getting married to Jason. Once she says, I do, he swirls her around revealing the first Black Queen outfit we’ll get to see. Phoenix looks good in it, but it is quite a shock! Since they are married, they kiss.
As they kiss, Phoenix’s vision comes back and is both shock and embarrass to see Scott’s face. He plays it cool, they are only dating and it is still the late 70s, so she’s her own woman. He just has to hope that he can win her back.
Then comic book history is made! Some dude announces the main attraction – Dazzler! She starts singing. Scott thinks to himself how he doesn’t know anything about disco music but he likes what he hears. Being an X-Man, one doesn’t have time to keep up with trends.
Outside, not enjoying the show. Kurt is getting bored, then a phone call happens. Kitty quickly blurts out everything she can as fast as she can to Kurt. She hangs up and Kurt is left with a slew of unanswered questions. Such as, where was she calling from? Besides her name, who is that gal? Can you please repeat that?
Just then, a Mandroid rips off the door to the car and Kurt teleports to higher ground. The Mandroid blasts a sonic cannon at Kurt. Kurt notes how this is exactly like a Danger Room session. Which makes sense as that’s where the Hellfire Club has their hidden cameras.
Kurt is off balance and can’t teleport or fight. He tries to scurry away.
Back inside. Phoenix wants to talk to Scott, but he’s all about the mission and he wants to talk to her in private. Just then, two more Mandroids come barging through the walls.
With barely a thought, Phoenix transforms their night out clothes with their superhero uniforms. Scott is amazed and a little scared with how limitless her powers are. Maybe not limitless but she sure does use cosmic power to do simple feats.
Phoenix charges at one of the Mandroids and he blasts her with a beam that forces Phoenix to the ground. Scott also notes that this is straight out of a Danger Room session. What he doesn’t expect next, is to have red paste thrown into his face. Now his powers don’t work!
Dazzler tries her powers for the first time in an offensive way and knocks out one of the Mandroids. Phoenix takes advantage of the distraction and clears the paste from Cyclops’ visor. Cyclops then shoots both Mandroids, knocking them both out.
Before high fives can be slapped out, Kurt and his Mandroid come crashing from the ceiling. Phoenix takes care of this one.
The X-Men regroup now that the threat has passed. Kurt gets this awesome line, when asked how he is doing from Scott, he tells him – black and blue all over, but I’m that way anyway. Even in pain, he is a funny guy!
Cyclops explains to Dazzler that she is a mutant. She hadn’t really thought about how she got her powers, she just found a practical way to use them. Which really, is Xavier’s dream. Not mutant on mutant violence but just finding your own way in the world.
There is a Hostess ad starring Reed Richards in A Passion For Gold..
The X-Men get their car, with Dazzler and begin to drive off. Phoenix reveals that the Mandroid’s thoughts have been silenced – meaning they are dead like the ones who failed in the Ice Cream Shoppe in Chicago.
As the car drives by, I like how Byrne remembered to draw the car minus the right side door. Scott sees the dude Phoenix kissed. Then notices that his shadow is a familiar shape but can’t place it just yet. Eagle eye readers will recognize the outside as … Mastermind! But I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have notice that until the next issue reveal.
Not sure when I will review issue 131, maybe not until next Mother’s Day but maybe sooner – who knows? I don’t own Uncanny X-Men 132, the earliest issue on my Wishlist. I’m hoping to own it one day.
. . .
So to all the fathers on this day, Happy Father’s Day! Thank you to my lovely wife, Kristie, who made this day have new meaning for me. Without you, Walker Dennis Klein, I wouldn’t be as happy as I am. Thank you.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 