Writer Chris Claremont

Artists John Romita Jr. and Dan Green

Letterer Tom Orzechowski

Colorist Glynis Wein

Stars The Uncanny X-Men (nice touch)

Reprint of Uncanny X-Men 185

Look at that gorgeous cover by Paul Smith, Rogue has never looked so good.

Cover Dated November 1993

Issue opens with Avengers’ douche, Peter Gyrich giving a slideshow of Rogue.  One of the slides is a POV shot of a person firing a pistol at Rogue.  How was that image caught?

Gyrich wants to use a new gun, made by Forge, to take away Rogue’s powers – The Neutralizer.  Mystique, in her militarily identity of Raven Darkholme, objects.  Then she is surprised by Val Cooper, being okay with the plan. The gun is still untested.

We cut to Storm interrupting Professor Xavier teaching Rachel.

I should mention here, that Kitty doesn’t get mentioned or seen this issue.  I only bought it due to her being in the character corner box.  I miss those, and am happy whenever someone does a throwback cover with him.

Storm is going to look for Rogue.

There is an ad for Brach’s Rocks – which were not actually dino-mite, but in fact, not good.

Next, we get Rachel calling her father, Cyclops.  He answers, she can’t say thing and he hangs up.  Heart breakin stuff.

Mystique and Destiny have a conversation regarding letting Rogue get shot.  I forget how old Destiny is, she can give Aunt May a run for her money.  It would be a slow race.

Raven Darkholme calls Forge, so he knows what is up.

Storm finds Rogue in Mississippi, wearing a questionable black bikini.  It makes sense, if Rogue was under the impression that she was going to be by herself, why wear that much clothes.

They discuss Rogue’s powers and issues of trust.  Storm agrees to let Rogue absorb some of her power.  In a great scene, you see what it is like if Rogue is allowed to take a power instead of stealing it.  She doesn’t get as many memories and has a little more control of the ability.

There is a great moment when Rogue gets the hang of Storm’s powers and feels like she can handle more.  The shame that quickly grips her, Claremont was running on all cylinders.  Romita Jr. and Green also do an outstanding job portraying the story.

Then Rogue is shot by the neutralizer.  Don’t worry, it was on a low setting.

They made a video game for Francis Ford Coppala’s Bram Stroker’s Dracula?  Crazy

Rogue races over to Storm, weaken may she be.  She gets angry over the situation and loses control of Storm’s powers.  This wakes Storm, and she calms the winds.  She hands Rogue a tunic.  Modesty first, after all.

Gyrich turns the gun to full blast.  Aims and fires at Rogue.  Forge tackles him, throwing off his aim.

Storm sees the blast and pushes Rogue out of the way.  The panel of Storm taking the hit, is very dramatic.  Storm loses her powers, defining her for a decade, 80s Storm is now complete.

Her losing her power, has a side effect.  All of this lighting scatters all over the scene.  She drops to the water below.  Forge runs in and rescues her, the least he could do.

Forge starts yelling at Gyrich, and the issue ends with the Dire Wraiths watching everything.

Next issue, Lifedeath – I am not a fan.  I may not like Storm, this I am slowly realizing.  I am sure it is just modern Storm tainting past Storm.  Also Lifedeath, way too much Forge.

Second to last ad, is for Mortal Kombat – available at Kmart.

. . .

On this day, February 6, 2014, I want to remember Jack Kirby, who died twenty years ago today.  Without Jack Kirby, we wouldn’t have the Marvel Universe as it is now, nor the X-Men, specifically.  Kirby’s legacy is vast and long.  It is nice that we have these constant reminds of him.  With clear ones such as Captain America movies, his clear inspiration of The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, Michael Parks protrayed him in Argo.  There is even a nice episode of the 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles titled “The King” where Donatello meets him, based off of the Mirage comic.