Paul Smith

Uncanny X-Men 169

Posted by John Klein III on February 5, 2014
Posted in: Paul Smith, Review. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

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Writer Chris Claremont

Penciler Paul Smith

Inker Bob Wiacek

Colorist Bob Sharen

Letterer Tom Orzechowski

Cover Dated May 1983

I wonder if they had Sharen be the colorist due to the issue taking place largely underground.

Issue opens with Candy Southern in Angel’s apartment as Warren is getting captured.  She then meets a giant of a man, Sunder.  That’s right, ya’ll, this is the first appearance of the Morlocks.  Candy calls Xavier, who is reading a book of the Marvel Universe.

Xavier mentally contacts Nightcrawler.  Kurt is enjoying a nice bath with his girlfriend, Amanda.  I love how mature the creative team handles this relationship.

Kurt makes several teleports to Candy.  He left in a hurry, so he is naked and wet in the New York City night air.  On his way, he sees Warren being taken down to a subway.

Kurt grabs Candy, and teleports them back to Amanda’s – right into the bathtub.  This makes a giant splash.

We cut to Tessa and Sebastian Shaw, as Emma has fallen into a forced coma.  So great how Smith gets to draw as many characters as he got to.

The whole team is now at Amanda’s place.  Wolverine is not there as he is in Japan, enjoying his first miniseries.  Kurt is suffering from a cold, from being outside in the cold and wet.

Uncanny X-Men 169 Lockheed listening

Kitty has Lockheed around her shoulders.  She is wearing her green costume with the orange belt and matching boots and gloves.  I really like this costume, except for the green diamonds for a mask.  How do they stay on?

The four X-Men are set to go down into the subway with a traveling Cerebro tuned into Warren’s brainwaves.  For years I have wondered why they don’t at least bring Amanda with them.  I blame not reading or skipping the bottom panel on the left page and getting to the more exciting right page.  Amanda is not going so she can stick behind and protect Candy from future attacks – which are not coming.

Storm asks Xavier if they can borrow Wolfsbane, for her tracking skills.  Xavier tells her, telepathically, that the New Mutants are students and not a field team.  I always thought an awesome What If would have been, what if Wolfsbane and Amanda came on this mission.  Or at least, if Amanda was allowed to come.

Uncanny X-Men 169 Lockheed angry

Lockheed is told he isn’t coming either, he says pfui!  It is very cute.  Colossus, awkwardly asks if that sound is a da or nyet.  What makes it awkward is that he asks that then follows that with, yes or no.  Who doesn’t know that da means yes and nyet means no?  Especially in that group.

Amanda states she will take care of Lockheed.  Kurt says pets should know their place.  Storm wonders if Lockheed thinks that of humans.

The four X-Men are now in the subway.  They dodge a train.  Storm’s claustrophobia starts to kick in.  She loses mental contact with Xavier.

Warren’s tracks stopcat a wall.  Kitty wants the team to use her codename, but doesn’t like her current one, Sprite.  She finds a hidden door and the X-Men are heading down furthet and into an old timey part of the subway.

They get attacked by a slew of Morlocks – we don’t know that is their name yet.  Kitty punches a guy out and Storm tells her to scout ahead.

Kitty finds Callisto, Masque, Sunder and Plague.  She turns to run and even though she is phasing, Plague still infects her with something.

Meanwhile, the three X-Men are still fighting.  Nightcrawler Chris Sims’ face kicks a poor Morlock.  Colossus notices Kitty is missing.  Storm explains why they can’t stop and look for her or head back upstairs.

Kitty is very ill and phasing through walls, until she passes out in a body of sewer water.  Luckily, Caliban finds her and takes her back to his place.

The X-Men come across a grand tunnel.  A bunch of lights and a loud speaker throws off their focus.  In an incredible page turn reveal, we find …

Callisto with Warren chained.  I like how she and Paul Smith have Warren’s knees on some fluffy red pillows.  That is  nice thought.  That is the bigger of the two panels on that page.  The smaller one next to it, I enjoy looking at it.  The three faces from top to bottom, Colossus, Storm and Nightcrawler.  The three of them, don’t have pupils.  It could be weird but I find it intriguing.

Callisto rips Warren’s pinfeathers, making him not able to fly.  He won’t have to, while living below the surface.  Callisto wants to make him her’s.  This reminds Storm of when she was 12 in Africa and how men would look at her.  Disgusting.

Poor Warren, whenever he is underground, foes mess with his wings.

The X-Men try to rescue him, but the Morlocks have them outnumbered.

Kitty wakes up in a slinky pink dress.  Which would look nice, if you don’t think about it.  First, Caliban clearly undressed her and then dressed her.  He has a massive crush on her, so that adds to the creepiness.  Then the dress also looks like it was thrown away for good reason.  Caliban knows he must do anything to cure her.

Uncanny X-Men 168

Posted by John Klein III on February 3, 2014
Posted in: Paul Smith, Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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Writer Chris Claremont

Penciler Paul Smith

Inker Bob Wiacek

Colorist Glynis Wein

Letterer Tom Orzechowski

Cover Dated April 1983

Look at that cover, that may be my second favorite Kitty Pryde cover.  I mentioned before about that hair of hers and how wavy, I suppose is the word for that.  What would be the real world look of that cover?  I’m not sure I’ve ever seen women with that much body to their hair.  I’m telling you, it is a weird thing to be fixated on, but there is something about that that I want to see depicted in RL.

Uncanny X-Men 168 Kitty Xavier is a Jerk

The issue starts off with what has to be one of the most famous first pages of all comics.  “Professor Xavier is a Jerk!” tell you everything you need to know about both, the young lady and the man in question.  It has to also be one of the all time most famous splash pages too!  Such a great way to start an issue and look at Kitty’s hair there!

Uncanny X-Men 168 Lockheed Wing

Issue opens with Kitty being mad and kicking the snow about.  Illyana is trying her best to be a good friend.  Since the X-Men have come back to Earth, and that Xavier has created the New Mutants group, he wants Kitty to be on the younger junior team.  This of course, angers Kitty as she has proven herself time and time again that she has earned her spot on the X-Men.  Xavier is only looking out for her, wanting her to have interaction with fellow teenagers her own age.

Kitty goes on about how his decision is not fair.  Paul Smith draws Illyana with such a look that when she finally speaks, you can tell that she waited until Kitty repeated it for the ninth time.  Illyana finally tells Kitty that it isn’t as unfair as spending half of your life inside of Limbo and all that comes with Limbo.  This shuts Kitty up and now she realizes that her problems are not real problems.

If Xavier’s school was a real school, or if I was running it, Kitty would be in classes with the New Mutants, and when the X-Men went off on a mission, Kitty would be allowed to go on said mission.  Since the New Mutants are never suppose to go on missions, though those rascals find ways to leave the mansion all of the time, it wouldn’t be a good title if it was only classroom time all the time, this shouldn’t be a problem.  If they did have a mission, Kitty would not go, as she isn’t a New Mutant.  She is dressed as one, but that is another issue.

Kitty and Illyana run off as they don’t want to miss the bus to get to Stevie Hunter’s dance class.

The next page, we see a pair of red eyes belonging to a purple face.  The narration box indicates that he doesn’t care for the weather, or the prey that is around.  This, of course, is Lockheed.  The narration box indicates that his luck is about to change.

We cut to Nightcrawler as he is also watching Kitty and Illyana leave.  Wolverine is telling him about how he is heading north and west, in Canada, he needs a break.  Kurt is quick to state that after their time in space, they all need a vacation.

Logan and Kurt then start talking about how Kitty doesn’t want to be on the New Mutants team.  Kurt takes the stance that maybe she shouldn’t be due to only being a teenager and that she should be not having grand adventures but in school where it is safe.  Logan, on the other hand, believes that she has chosen this life and is ready for the challenges.

I have seen people use this as showing how Wolverine has flip flopped his position on children soldiers, as this is the reason why he took the stance he did during Schism, that is still running strong in today’s X-Titles.  Nowadays, he wants children to be children, but back then, he was all for Kitty being a soldier in Xavier’s army.  I believe it was the fact that Oya had to kill people that he took offense too, had to kill people as Cyclops told her to do whatever it was that was necessary to protect her and her fellow students.  Plus, it has been decades since this conversation, or at the very least, one decade with Marvel’s sliding time scale.

I like how Wein’s coloring here makes Kurt look soft, they are home so they don’t need to be colored dramatically.  Kurt is in a sweater, and Logan is dressed for a weekend in the Canadian wilderness.  They are two bros, broing it up.  And talking about the virtues of children soldiers, who hasn’t had that conversation with a bro?

We change scenes to Xavier and Lilandra.  I like that Lilandra has taken a slight vacation from her duties of Shi’Ar Empress, or at least Empress in Exile, she isn’t trying to head back to her homeworld and take her throne back, she is being a supportive girlfriend.  I imagine, in her mind, that she is only taking a month off, and will head back once her beloved is back on his feet.  Since Xavier’s old body was destroyed due to the Brood hatchling last issue, he was given a new body with working feet.  Unfortunately, his super powerful mind is still set on the fact that his legs are crippled.  Xavier is trying his best to make his brain realize that his legs do work but it is coming at a large price.  He is sweating and stressing out.  You can tell by Smith’s line work that Xavier’s body is fighting every inch.  Or is Wiacek responsible for those convolutions?

Xavier collapses to the ground, exhausted.  Lilandra runs out from the Danger Room control room, as they were in the Danger Room, as that is where the gymnasium is.  She is wearing this blue jumpsuit.  I also imagine, for her, that it was an outfit that was around and she put on.  She is comfortable with her position and does look good in a blue jumpsuit.  Not everyone does.

The two start talking about the future.  He wants her to stay with him, as new mutants are appearing more regularly and he is the only one who can guide them.  She wants him to come with her, as she has an entire planetary empire to run.

That page ends with a panel of Lockheed, still not amused.

We see the dance class, I really like how Smith draws the ladies here.  Three different women, three body types and ages, all dressed correctly for the situation.  Stevie tells Kitty that she needs to fight for what she wants.

Storm tries to get back in touch with nature.  She was away from Earth too long, and is rejected.

Uncanny X-Men 168 Kitty smooth

Probably one of the page pages ever, Kitty trying the four ways to convince a man to listen to reason – Logic, Passion, Co-Operation and Flattery.  Kitty beats Xavier at chess, talks sternly with him, shows she can phase objects and tells him about how she tells everyone that her professor is handsome, nice and wonderful.  Love the fashion choices Smith has Kitty use.  She may not be good at costume design but she can pick out an outfit.

Is this the first time Kitty is shown phasing something?

Scott is shown catching up with Lee Forrester – who is growing her hair long.  Almost too long.  He tells her he is about to go to Alaska with his dad to meet his grandparents for the first time.

Kurt surprises Amanda in a cute scene.  I guess this should count as a Christmas issue, as people keep referencing the holiday.

Kitty is studying, when the Rasputins knock on her window.  I like how it is shown that Kitty phases through the wall instead of opening the window.

Before she can head out, she notes an intruder in the basement.  She dons her uniform, noting that it use to be her special outfit but now it is the New Mutants outfit.

Xavier is going to monitor Kitty as she checks out the basement.  She notices that wires have been chewed.  She is startled by a light.

Uncanny X-Men 168 Attacked

Don’t worry, it is Lockheed!  She picks him up, so happy to see him.  We get the first time he is wrapped around her neck.

Then Sidrain Hunters attack them.  She takes a blast, knocking out her powers.  She does this awesome kick, this whole sequence is very well choreographed.

Uncanny X-Men 168 Shadow and Flame in Action

Lockheed helps out, his flame hurts the hunter.  She takes it out, only to get blasted a second time.  She calls him Dragon in battle, but then thinks of him as Lockheed.  Xavier wonders who she is referring too.

Uncanny X-Men 168 Fight

Before Kitty can get hit a third time, Colossus steps in and defeats the adult hunters.  Kitty notices Lockheed is missing.

Uncanny X-Men 168 Lockheed Hungry

Turns out the little guy found the nest and ate all of future threats.

Xavier reveals he can’t read Lockheed’s mind.  Also, that Kitty will stay as an X-Man, she is on probation.

Issue ends in Alaska with Scott meeting Madelyne Pryor – in her first appearance!

There is a bonus oage of horrible and unused costume designs for Kitty.

Uncanny X-Men 166

Posted by John Klein III on February 1, 2014
Posted in: Paul Smith, Review. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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Writer Chris Claremont

Penciler Paul Smith

Inker Bob Wiaceck

Colorist Glynis Wein

Letterer Tom Orzechowski

Cover Dated February 1983

Look at those names above, all legends!

Now, I have reread Paul Smith’s run a bunch of times, either in trade form with From the Ashes, of which this issue is not included and several more times in Essential X-Men Volume 4.  But I was still a bit hestitant to read the actual comic.  I’ve been so used to it in black and white, or too much time has passed, I thought maybe it would not hold up as well.  Or that I’ve been Mr. Paul Smith fan for so long, what if I am blind to the imperfections.

Of course, I shouldn’t have doubted it at all, as this issue is outstanding and double sized!

Issue opens with a landscape of Madrizar, and it is breath taking.  Smith knows he has twice the amount of space, so he really goes all out with the establishing shots and his attention to detail is right there.  One of the reasons, from what I have read, that he didn’t stay on the title long was due to how long it took him to do every issue as each panel is packed.

Carol Danvers, now in her Binary phase, is busting the place up.  Defeating and not caring at all for the Brood world.  She rescues an Acanti, but it informs her that she is dying due to a Brood slaver virus.  Carol agrees to take it out of its misery.  That’s one more death that she will avenge.

Carol sees Storm floating about in space, as her body died last issue.  Storm tells Carol to join them in ‘our’ body, as Storm has merged with this baby Acanti.  .  Carol enters this baby Acanti’s mouth and is reunited with the X-Men.  There is this incredible panel where you see the entire cast, including Lilandra, that should be used as the go to reference for sizes and height for the X-Men.  Colossus is giant, Wolverine is barely as tall as Kitty is.  I like they are not on a stealth mission or anything, so Wolverine is maskless, Kitty is wearing comfortable clothes as is Colossus.  Storm is in her classic suit of the time, but in astral form as her body heals.

The X-Men start joking around with Carol and Kitty can’t stand it.  Cyclops, Colossus, Nightcrawler and her are all technically dying as they still have a Broodling growing in their stomachs.

Storm continues explaining the repercussions of the failed transfer of memories.  The Acanti she is merged with, is the next prophet-singer for the race.  Its parent is what is being used as Sleazeworld’s capital city.  The only way to set right with what once went wrong, is to go to the base of the skeleton and unleash the memories.  Instead of killing the Queen Brood, she wants to make their final mission, if that is what it is, to be one of life.  Wolverine wants to take the fight to the Brood and kill the queen.  Wolverine has been done there once already and the creatures are deadly, and there is one that even the Brood fear.

We get this awesome intense scene with Cyclops making a plan of action, as he wants to take the infected X-Men to the base and free the spirit but Wolverine objects.  He doesn’t want to trust the success of the plan to those who might turn into Broods at any moment.  Cyclops yells at Wolverine to just kill them now then, and take them out of their misery.  This is the moment that Wolverine has been dreading.  He made a deal with himself that he would gladly kill them to prevent super Broods from being made, but now that they are standing in front of him, he can’t do it as they are still in control of their minds and bodies, plus they are his friends.  He makes up his mind and pops his claws.  Kitty dashes between the two of them and tells them to stop.  It is intense.  Raw emotions and their lives are literally on the line.

The X-Men gear up, in their proper costumes and prepare themselves for the mission at hand.  In a very kinetic panel, where you see everyone heading to the transporter.  How everyone is paced, you can clearly read the direction and momentum everyone has.  Cyclops gets into it a bit with Lilandra, wanting to make sure they are about to go right where they want to go.  Kitty stands up for Lilandra, stating she is a queen and should be treated as such.  Lilandra speaks up for herself, she has set the correct place for them.  Kitty makes an awesome “Beam us down, Scottie” joke and Cyclops says, “sorry, did you say something Kitty” and she does this little laugh.  Claremont really has this comic running the gauntlet of high stakes but good humor and seriousness throughout the issue.

We cut to the Brood, and Smith draws them in a way that is creepy.  Or they are merely standing about, but they are creepy looking things.  Reminds me of X-Men Legends II when you have to fight them for a bit and they just rush you in droves and they are easy enough to kill but the way they attack.  Creepy.  We learn that one of the X-Men is in telepathic communication with the Brood and is now a double agent, as their transformation is underway.  One of the Brood soldiers wants to kill the X-Men but the Queen denies the request, as she is expecting five superbabies any minute.

The X-Men teleport to the surface, and Wolverine reveals he has the sent of the soul.  He has a thought of how Storm and Binary are doing and we get a page of Binary out right killing Broods.  Storm is shock about how killing comes so easy to Carol and Wolverine, as they were soldiers.  We are getting the building blocks to Storm’s change of personality.  We cut back to the X-Men fighting the Brood.  Cyclops is barking attitude at Wolverine, and poor Wolverine has to take note about how Cyclops is becoming the aggressor and Wolverine is having to be the leader.  Also, how Cyclops and Wolverine seem to be bickering with each other, just like the ol’ days.

Kitty gets attack by a giant orange amoeba.  It is unsettling.  She uses her phasing power to go through a wall.  Unfortunately the others don’t notice and keep up their attack.  She notices she has landed in a giant nest.  In that nest are Brood skeletons that have been picked clean, and recently.  In the very last corner, we get a tiny glimpse of a little purple creature, whose interest has been piqued.  This is happening.

Carol and Storm are still on the attack, but Carol is getting overwhelmed.  Then the Starjammers show up!

Wolverine throws out a comment about not seeing Kitty in a while.  Cyclops is quick to state that she knew the stakes when they started this mission.  Pretty cold, Cyclops!

Wolverine finally gets close enough to Scott to note something different.  In an amazing sequence, we get Wolverine jumping at Scott, Scott backing up in surprised and Wolverine ripping off his visor.  To reveal the grossest thing to happen to Scott, he is part Brood now!  He has these giant non-blinking Brood eyes!  It is unpleasant!  Now that he isn’t held back by the visor, he displays great skill in his optic blasts and is able to shoot both Wolverine and Colossus, even though they are on opposite sides of the room.  Scott couldn’t accomplish this on his best day.  Next the Queen and the cavalry, this new squad takes out Kurt and Lilandra and with that, the X-Men have been captured.

Meanwhile, Kitty has been doing her best to outrun her own squad of Brood.  She decides if she can’t run, she will phase to the floor below.  She makes a dive for it and hands on her face, she is too exhausted to even use her power!

Uncanny X-Men 166 Lockheed eye

Uncanny X-Men 166 Lockheed ahem-1

The Brood close in, and with an ‘ahem’ we see what it looks like for the Brood to look scared.  And it is satisfying.  We turn the page and there … he … is!

History is made :

Uncanny X-Men 166 Lockheed first appearance

With a giant burst of flame, the Brood are dead and we see the cutest purple dragon shaped alien!

Uncanny X-Men 166 Lockheed full

Paul Smith gives us Lockheed, though not named yet.  Kitty is shocked and not sure if she is next.  One Brood soldier is left, he blasts at them, they dodge and the blast hits a wall, completely destroying it.  Behind that wall is a glowing chamber that mesmerizes both Kitty and the Brood.  Kitty hears lovely music, while the soldier is terrified.  Both are still walking toward the light.  Not sure what happens to Lockheed at this point, as he is not tempted by the light.

Back with the X-Men and the Brood Queen.  Cyclops loses control of his optic blasts and knocks the Queen out.  Wolverine tricks Cyclops to shoot at him, using the blast to bust up the shackles he was in.  In an fantastic panel that I keep having to look at, Wolverine puts one of his knuckles on the Queen’s head and the other over Cyclops, threatening the other Brood to stand down or he will pop his claws killing both.  Also, when Wolverine took the blast, he lost a bunch of his costume.  Smith gives us a closer view of one of the panels and if Wolverine did pop his claw, he would have a pair of brains at the end of his arms.

The X-Men start back on their original mission.  They come across a glowing chamber.  Kitty walks out, now without her mask on.  Which I didn’t care for that mask, it had a giant yellow X on a otherwise black mask.  Seems like a perfect place to set aim too.  This is the Kitty Pryde that Paul Smith draws as great as he does.  I also like the flow of her hair, which I know is a weird thing to comment on but there is just a curviness to it that I’ve been attracted too.  Not attracted like Colossus, but there is a life there to it.  That girl uses shampoo or something!  I’ve tried to see what the real world example of that hair style is, but can’t seem to find a picture.  When I do Uncanny X-Men 168, you will see what I mean.

Anyways, Kitty comes out of the chamber, she notes that the Brood soldier that went in with her has turned into crystal.  Colossus rushes over to her and picks her up, happy to see her alive.  She asks them if they have seen a purple dragon, and they state that they haven’t.

Everyone steps into the chamber.  The Queen is first to start corrupting the soul, then the infected X-Men start infecting it.  Wolverine prepares to kill his friends, but first, the Queen stabs him in the back and he cuts off her fangs.  Now he is too weak to move.  Luckily, Binary shows up and moves him.  She comes back, braces herself and releases the soul.  Once the soul and baby Acanti are united, everything is set right.  The X-Men are healed and the Queen is turned to crystal, but not before revealing that these is still one more infected X-Man out there.

Carol’s face is shown, she spent more of her cosmic power than she thought.  She flirts with Wolverine a bit before the planet starts to quake.  Carol tells the Starjammers to teleport them to their ship.  Kitty wonders about ‘her’ dragon.

They are successfully teleported as the planet is destroyed.  We see some Brood ships escaping, but their thorneworld is no more.

During this time, Sikorsky is telling Wolverine to rest.  Kitty tells him that when she is sick, she has to do things she doesn’t want to do.  Hepizbah gets everyone’s attention as she introduces a fully healed Storm.  All is right again.

Except, Wolverine reminds everyone of what the Queen’s final warning was, and he knows exactly who it has to be … Professor Xavier!

I like how this issue was double sized, but besides the first and last few pages, there were no ads.

Marvel Age 32

Posted by John Klein III on January 5, 2014
Posted in: Paul Smith, Review. Tagged: , . 4 Comments

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Cover Dated November 1985

Look at that amazing Paul Smith cover!

Issue opens with the results of  the Comic Buyer’s Guide Awards for 1984 and boy are they interesting!

Favorite Editor : Jim Shooter

Favorite Writer : Chris Claremont – Runner Ups include Alan Moore and Walter Simonson

Favorite Artist : John Byrne – Runner Ups include George Perez, Bill Sienkiewicz, John Romita Jr. and Paul Smith

Favorite Cover : New Teen Titans 1 – Runner Ups include  Secret Wars 1 and New Mutants 18

Favorite Comic Book : X-Men – Runner Ups include New Teen Titans, Saga of the Swamp Thing and New Mutants.

Favorite Story : The Judas Contract by Marv Wolfman and George Perez, Tales of the Teen Titans 42 – 44 and Annual 3.  Runner Ups include Anatomy Lesson by Alan Moore in Swamp Thing, Lifedeath by Claremont and Barry Windsor-Smith in X-Men, Secret Wars by Shooter and Mike Zeck and the Kid Who Collects Spider-Man by Roger Stern, Ron Frenz and Terry Austin in Amazing Spider-Man.

Favorite Book : Marvel Graphic Novel 12 – Dazzler the Movie.

Favorite Character : Wolverine – Runner Ups include Spider-Man, Batman Cerebus and Swamp Thing.

Favorite Supporting Character : Raul the Cat – Runner Ups include Beta Ray Bill, Abigail Arcane, Mary Jane Watson, Ambush Bug and Wolverine.

Favorite Publication About Comics : Amazing Heroes – Runner Ups were Marvel Age, Comics Collector, the Comics Journal, Comics Interview, Comics Feature and the Comic Reader.

Favorite Writer About Comics : R.J. Jones

Favorite Fan Artist : Fred Hembeck

Favorite Direct-Sales Only Title : New Teen Titans

This is why I enjoy Marvel Age, such a great time capsule in what was happening at the time.  August 1985, just 1985 was the beginning of modern comics with what the industry was about to unleash.

Marvel Coming Attractions

On Sale August 27

The New Mutants 34 – The team is going to free Karma of the Shadow King.

Squadron Supreme 4

Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe 1

On Sale September 3

Marvel Heroes for Hope Starring the X-Men – The team fights hunger with the aid of 54 creators

The Vision and Scarlet Witch 3 – the mini that confirms Magneto is Wanda’s father.

On Sale September 16

Nightcrawler Limited Series 2

Uncanny X-Men 200 – Trial of Magneto

The X-Men and Alpha Flight Limited Series 1, that the cover is promoting.

On Sale September 17

Spectacular Spider-Man 109, the Death of Jean DeWolff is in full swing

Secret Wars II 6

Doctor Who 15, the 5th Doctor, Peter Davison makes his appearance!  By far, my favorite Doctor.

The New Mutants Special 1, the sequel of X-Men / Alpha Flight.

Packing in the Power

An article promoting Power Pack, included is issue 19, the Thanksgiving issue.  Issue 20 guest stars The new Mutants – Cannonball, Dani and Wolfsbane.

The Top Ten

1. Secret Wars II 3

2. X-Men 197

3. Web of Spider-Man 6

4. Fantastic Four 282

5. Cloak and Dagger 2

6. Amazing Spider-Man 268

7. Alpha Flight 26

8. New Mutants 31

9. Web of Spider-Man Annual 1

10. Squadron Supreme 1

When Teams Team Up : X-Men and Alpha Flight

Great article about the Paul Smith drawn, Chris Claremont written limited series.

200 Issues of Mutants

Another great article regarding the build up to Uncanny X-Men 200, and what will come afterwards.

Also, some great unused Art Adams designs for Kitty.

Marvel Heroes for Hope

So many famous writers and artists helped make this one shot happen.  This is another great article.  One of these days I will have to review it.

Kurt Busiek and the Letter Column of Doom

How great must it have been for people who follow Marvel Age, and then see Kurt Busiek’s career expand from there.

Back Cover has The Marvel Age August 1985 Calendar

August 9 is the birthday of Bob McLeod, Rick Leonardi and Alycce Gordon

August 10 is Christie Scheele’s birthday

August 13 is Jim Mooney’s birthday

August 17 is John Romita Jr.’s birthday

August 19 is Georg Roussos’ birthday

August 21 is Marie Severin’s birthday

August 23 is Terry Austin’s birthday

August 26 is Rick Parker’s birthday

August 27 is Don Perlin’s birthday

August 28 is Jack Kirby’s birthday

1985 is Marvel’s 24th birthday.

Happy Birthday to all above!

CSBG’s Greatest Kitty Pryde Stories

Posted by John Klein III on September 6, 2013
Posted in: Lists, Paul Smith. Tagged: , , , . Leave a comment

Really wished I voted for this list.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2013/04/22/the-greatest-kitty-pryde-stories-ever-told/

10. Gifted.  Astonishing X-Men 1 – 6     Whedon / Cassaday’s opening arc, put Kitty back into the spotlight, also gave us back Colossus.  You win some

9. God Loves, Man Kills.    Marvel Graphic Novel 5     Amazing story, the Kitty haters use this to show how Kitty has a potty mouth, which gets old

8.  Mekanix 1 – 6     Kitty goes to college.  I will nevet forget looking through Previews, seeing the dumb title and moving on to the next page.  Luckily, I was able to get the first issue and the rest of the series added to my pull box.  Stuff like that doesn’t happen in this new modern age we are in with the Internet.

7.  God Spare the Child.     Uncanny X-Men 129 – 131     Kitty’s first appearance, along with Emma Frost, my favorite section of The Dark Phoenix Saga.

6.  Kitty’s Fairy Tale.     Uncanny X-Men 153     Kitty tells a young Illyana a bed time story.  A pretty decent Nightcrawler mini out of this, and the concept for Bamfs and Lockheed too.

5.  Unstoppable.  Astonishing X-Men 19 – 24, Giant Size 1    So odd this made the list, as we lose Kitty for three years, but once she came back, I was able to reread this and enjoy it more.  Kitty saves the entire world, single handily.

4.  Professor X is a Jerk!   Uncanny X-Men 168     So glad a Paul Smith issue made the list.  Kitty fights and earns her place on the X-Men.  Lockheed on Earth too

3.  Kitty Pryde and Wolverine 1 – 6    The sequel to the original Wolverine miniseries, and Kitty becomes Shadowcat here.  Such a defining character moment.

2.  Days of Future Past.     Uncanny X-Men 141 – 142     Kitty is so crucial to this storyline, that any adaptation without her has been terrible, hopefully the movie is better than the FOX episode.

1.  Demon.  Uncanny X-Men 143     Kitty gets her trial by fire here.  When people count the times the mansion has been destroyed, one of those was due to Kitty trying to survive one Christmas Eve.

Pretty cool that Bryne / Austin’s final three issues made the list, back to back.  Wish Shadow  and Flame made the list, also at least one Excalibur arc.

Happy Birthday, Paul Smith!

Posted by John Klein III on September 4, 2013
Posted in: Birthdays, Paul Smith. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

Paul Smith turns 60 today.  Without Paul Smith, I would not have an answer for what is my favorite era of X-Men, or artist.

Comics Should Be Good : 50 Greatest X-Men Stories (Paul Smith Representation)

Posted by John Klein III on July 31, 2013
Posted in: Lists, Paul Smith. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

I am going to do a proper post once all 50 are announced but with yesterday’s post, the entire Paul Smith run has made the list.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2013/07/21/50-greatest-x-men-stories-master-list/

Issues 165 to 175, not counting 171

40 Professor Xavier is a Jerk (168)
37 From the Ashes (174 & 175)
24 Dancin’ in the Dark (169 & 170)
16 The Brood Saga (165 – 167)
8 To Have and Have Not (172 & 173)

Throw in the Asgardian Wars two parter (13) and that’s his entire run proper.  He did the, what I would call, the prelude to the two part Art Adams story, but you need to read the Smith issues, as that is where Loki first experiences the X-Men, and promises to leave that cast of X-Men alone, hence why Loki goes after the New Mutants.

Paul Smith’s Run

Posted by John Klein III on July 29, 2013
Posted in: Paul Smith. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

When asked what my favorite era or run in comics is, without a doubt, it is Paul Smith’s run on Uncanny X-Men, issues 165 to 175, with a Walt Simonsom issue thrown in there (because, you’re welcome).

Now, you could take out issue 171, just to have the Smith issues, but then you go straight from the Morlocks to Japan and Rogue just happens to be there.

I’m going to do the individual issues on their own at some point but I keep wanting to express my appreciation for this run.

All of them are written by Chris Claremont, all inked by Bob Wiacek, mostly all colored by Glynis Wein.

I own this run in the original issues. I own this run as reprints in X-Men Classic, issues 69 to 79, with Simonson’s issue being 75 (which I don’t own yet).  I am slowly getting my X-Men Classic issues completed, it just isn’t a priority at the moment, as they are only reprints.  Super affordable reprints to extremely expensive comics.  Well, considerably expensive comics.

I also own this run as the trade, From the Ashes, which is essentially a Paul Smith Visionaries trade, minus 165 / 166 / 167, which I get, as that’s the second half of the Brood Saga but I wish they would release a proper Paul Smith Visionaries trade, as I would totally buy it.  And not just wanting to buy it, making a point to add it to my wishlist, I mean, I would actually buy it when it first came out.  Unless they do one of those beautiful hardcover editions for $50, then I would have to budget for it.  Which once I could, then I would definitely buy it then. I like the idea of starting that trade in the middle of the Brood Saga, as you start with not knowing what is happening and it moves fast, and with Claremont’s writing, you get caught up fast.

Another nice thing about the run is that it bookends with double sized issues.  Another odd thing is that the last pages of 175 are drawn by John Romita Jr. Which works as a nice hand off to his long run on the title.  But it just gies to show how unique a production this run is.  Starts double sized and in the middle of a story – which I’m not sure why Cockrum left midway for, or did he just start it to give Smith a head start on 165?  Next, you get a fill-in with 171, and the run ends with Smith not even doing the entirely of the double sized 175, which I’m not sure why they choose to do it that way either.  It is an anniversary issue, so they knew people would pick it up, and they wanted people to be exposed to the incoming artist, JRJR, that would be my guess.

I also own this run as Essential X-Men Volume Four, which for my money, is the best collection of X-Men comics you can buy for not that much money.  It collects issues 162 to 179, Annual 7, and Marvel Graphic Novel issue 5, God Loves, Man Kills.  You get Dave Cockrum art at the start, and it ends ends with the would-be wedding between Kitty and Caliban, the follow up to the Morlocks story by JRJR.

I would love if Marvel would turn the Smith run into one of those Motion Comics DVDs.  That would be awesome.  It would be much longer than their previous DVDs, though they did release the Inhumans run, and that’s 12 issues.

The actual X-Men cast is : Kitty Pryde, Nightcrawler, Storm, Cyclops, Wolverine and Colossus, so pretty much, as classic a line up as you’re going to get.

Paul Smith’s run pretty much can be broken down / quick summarized as:

165 – 167, Brood Saga.  Lockheed’s first apperance is 166.  The X-Men arrive back on Earth in 167.

168, the famous Kitty “Professor Xavier is a Jerk!” issue wherein Kitty earns her place on the team, instead of joining the more appropriate youth team, the New Mutants.  I should add here that Illyana has become Magik at this point, so these issues are when theycare becoming best friends.  Kitty and Lockheed become an official pair here as well.

169 / 170, first appearance of the Morlocks, 170 has the fanous Storm versus Callisto Callisto fight.

171, Rogue joins the tean, Simonson team.  He does the issue, as the real shame of Smith art work is that he packs his issues with so much detail that it takes him some time to get one completed but dman is it worth it ince it comes out.  Not as long as these kids today, but he just needed a buffer and, once again, no one is going to complain about getting a bonus Walt Simonson issue.  They definitely did not go with some B-Team, they kept it at top shelf quality.

172 / 173, the Wolverine would be wedding to Mariko issues in Japan.  Madelyne Pryor meets the X-Men, as well.  Kitty gives a sleeping Lockheed in a basket to Maddie to watch over is such a cute scene.  Maddie and Scott are engaged at this point.

174 / 175, Mastermind’s revenge plan on the X-Men, from what Jean did to him during the Dark Phoenix Saga.  Cyclops against the entire team, issue 175 ends with Scott abd Madelyne married.

So many great moments, can’t believe his legendary run is only nine issues, but two of them are double sized sized and its super rereadable.  Not dated at all, and you can pick it up and enjoy it.  The way it ends, you could have stopped reading X-Men comics altogether as it wraps up pretty nicely.

I’m sure I will bring up this run from time to time, but now you know where I am coming from when I do.  Such a classic run, and totally worth the read.

Would recommend buying the X-Men Classic issues, so you get them in color, it might set you back 20 to 25 dollars but the black and white Essential is great too, and you can really tell the genius of the art team without the color, but you see it as it was meant to be seen at least once.  The Essentials are $20, if I remember correctly, which is a real bargain.

Really tempted to download these issues from Comixology.  Probably will someday, but when I last checked, they didn’t have all if them available.

This post is the reason why I started this blog, as I can’t even tell you how often I would walk around thinking about summarizing my thoughts on this run (or get lost in a task and start thinking about it) and the man himself, who I would love to meet or get a sketch from, but he doesn’t really do the con circuits, but it would be nice to get any type of original art, as long as it had both Kitty and Lockheed, who he co-created.

This might just be for me, but I need to write this somewhere for easy access, but the Uncanny X-Cast episodes that cover these issues are 36, 37, 38, 40, and 41.

Also, at this time, Comixology only has issue 167 available for download so I just bought it at $1.99.  Hopefully they get the rest of the run eventually.