Writer Chris Claremont
Plot – Penciler John Byrne
Inker Terry Austin
Letterer Tom Orzechowski
Colorist Glynis Wein
Cover Dated November 1980
The issue that gave the world – Welcome the X-Men, I hope you survive the experience! Such a great line!
This comic has a special place in history, as it is the first appearance of many a person and concept. Stevie Hunter and Heather Hudson make their first appearance here. Also, on the Wolverine side of things, he wears his Brown & Tan costume for the first time, and we learn his name is Logan for the first time.
Let’s see how and when we come across them and various other events!
Issue opens with Angel in the Danger Room.
Turns out, all of the X-Men (minus one), are in the Danger Room. Angel has just rejoined the team and has no fighting experience with the team. Hence, this latest session. Poor Angel is quite clumsy. He bumps into Kurt.
Storm and Wolverine notice this as stupid Colossus is too busy talking to the robot to notice anything else.
We see their other latest recruit’s legs as we also see Xavier in the Control Room.
That new recruit is, of course, Kitty Pryde! She showed up on the last page of issue 138 and now is seeing the Danger Room for the first time.
Kurt is falling towards some flames and Wolverine quickly cuts a hole in the wall and puts if over the fire. Kurt shakes it off and teleports away.
Kurt teleports right into Colossus’ path. Storm saves him. Storm makes a few quips, which I forget that she is funny. It seems so out of place now.
Wolverine refers to Xavier as Charley. Which prompts Xavier to enter the room and gives Wolverine a slew of options to call him by. Instead of taking any of those under concentration, he goes with Chuck. Oh that Wolverine, he’s such a bad boy.
Kitty is uneasy about entering the Danger Room.
Angel apologizes for being so reckless. He tells Xavier it shouldn’t happen again.
Wolverine tells Angel that he’s been a solo hero for too long and it takes a while to get back into the routine of a team environment.
Kurt comes back with some lemonade. Wolverine tells him, that he isn’t much of a lemonade man. Kurt, proving he’s such a good friend, tells Wolverine that is why he brought a beer as well. What a good guy!
Poor Kitty, she isn’t use to Kurt and his ways yet and flinches whenever he is near by. She knows it is wrong but she is working on it.
Kurt notices it but he also knows that he is a tad different and he will warm up to her in time.
Colossus is so horrible that the caption box incorrectly states that he is Cyclops. If only! Cyclops left the team last issue as Jean died on the Moon but he doesn’t know that she is really at the bottom of Jamaica Bay and only the Phoenix, temporarily, died on the Moon. shhhh, don’t tell him!
Kitty realizes that the Danger Room is appropriately named and is worried about getting work. Xavier tells her that she won’t officially train it until he has created a program for her. It will take one full issue before her official first session in Uncanny X-Men 141.
Xavier takes this opportunity to mention how Kitty needs a codename to protect her secret identity. He offers, Ariel, she doesn’t care for it. Storm offers, Sprite, and Kitty likes it, as long as no one tries to pull her Tab.
Xavier recognizes it for a horrible joke a 13 and a half year old will make up. He offers a toast to welcome their newest member to the team, Sprite! She will go by Ariel in the God Loves, Man Kills story.
Kurt takes this pause to ask Wolverine why he has a new costume. Wolverine’s response of, Why not? is so classic and awesome! Claremont / Byrne are slowly rolling out the legend that Wolverine will become.
Wolverine wants a moment with Xavier. He’s worried that Alpha Flight might come looking for him and he wants to make sure there isn’t any active warrants out for him. Xavier is fine with him taking the time off but if he is to run into some problems, he should take someone with him. Wolverine asks if Nightcrawler wants to tag along and Kurt does!
Xavier wants Kitty to go with Storm.
Later in Salem Center, Storm and Kitty are heading towards a Dance Studio. Kitty is so excited, she thought she would have to give up her dancing ways but Xavier – the nice guy he likes to think he is – has set up Kitty with some dance classes.
The door to the studio is locked, so Kitty – after checking both ways – phases through the door. The door is being blocked by all of the supplies from the closet spilling into the hallway.
Kitty clears the path and lets Storm in. I like how these two are already the fastest of friends – age difference and all! Good thing that Jean Grey died so that she wasn’t in the way of Kitty and Storm’s friendship – as we saw in that What If Volume One Issue 27.
Kitty explains why her passion for dance is so fierce! She couldn’t really relate, just like Blossom, to other kids her age as she is a genius. But with dancing, it was a shared skill and she got to interact with other ladies of her age. Though none of those other dancers must have been good friends with Kitty as they are never referenced or mention outside of this vague statement Kitty makes.
Another historic moment! The first appearance of Stevie Hunter!
Storm is almost immediately jealous of Stevie. Maybe not jealous but is cautious around her.
Kitty remembers Stevie from the time Stevie danced in Chicago. We will learn later that Stevie can no longer dance on a professional level.
From here, Wolverine and Kurt take over the issue with a back door pilot – of sorts – for Alpha Flight.
We get the first appearance of Heather Hudson, that I didn’t even know I owned! How crazy is that!
Heather comes home. She knows someone is in her house, with broom in hand, she barges into the kitchen. This scares Kurt but Wolverine keeps drinking his beer.
Heather is surprised to see Wolverine, Logan as she calls him.
Kurt asks about the name and Logan is so cool in his response. Did no one ask what his name was? I can only imagine in that long plane ride from Upstate New York to wherever Krakoa was, everyone would have shared such information.
Logan introduces Heather to Kurt.
Meanwhile, Guardian (Heather’s husband) joins Shaman and Snowbird at a cabin. The other half of the team – Aurora, Northstar and Sasquatch – are appearing in Machine Man 19.
Shaman detects intruders. Wolverine and Nightcrawler appear. Guardian and Wolverine still don’t get along. Snowbird, in a form of a,bear, spooks Nightcrawler. The way Kurt climbs on top of Wolverine is so funny!
Alpha Flight and the two X-Men are now looking for . . . The Wendigo! We are treated to a quick flashback to Hulk 162, 180 & 181.
Wolverine wants their gear and Kurt goes to get it. The issue ends with Kurt being ambushed by Wendigo!
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