The Uncanny X-Men (1978)

[Perpetual Man]

This is a continuation of two previous threads, following the history of the Marvel Comic Book: The Uncanny X-Men

http://www.sffchronicles.co.uk/forum/530614-the-x-men-1963-a.html

http://www.sffchronicles.co.uk/forum/530838-the-all-new-all-different-x-men-1975-a.html

At this time Marvel was settling into a new era. They were under an Editor-In-Chief, Jim Shooter, who had strong views and enforced them. There are many ways of looking at this, as quite a lot of what he stuck to is long gone, but it's no coincidence that this is one of the companies great creative periods. (It also has to say that this is before things became so big and corporate, modern E-I-C have a lot more things to deal with, different targets to hit.) Shooter was doing his best to produce good comics, with no other expectations. It was still an industry working under much the same strictures that had been there since the 60's and before.

The company owned the characters and any new ones created - the creators were lucky enough to write them!

Chris Claremont was the writer on the X-Men, virtually taking them on when they were relaunched in 1974, and guiding them on their path to becoming the dominant comic.

John Byrne had recently joined as penciller, the artist who drew the main pictures, layouts etc. His style was something new and sharp, probably influenced by Neal Adams, but growing into it's own on the run. Byrne also co-plotted some of the issues he worked on.

Terry Austin was the Inker, embellishing the pencils with black Indian Ink, he meshed almost perfectly with Byrne adding to the effect of the artwork (I initially saw it in Black and White and it works even better than in colour)

There were no steady letterer or colourist on the comic as this time, just semi-regulars who did the job that was needed.

Series editor was Roger Stern, a great writer in his own right, remembered for a great run on The Avengers and Spider-man overseeing the epic Hobgoblin arc. Being such a strong writer could only help strengthen the stories.

The current X-Men roster: Professor Charles Xavier (Professor X. Founder, teacher and sometime leader). Scott Summers (Cyclops, the first X-Man and team leader, capable of blasting beams of red energy from his eyes, only held in check by ruby quartz); Ororo Monroe (Storm, has control over the weather); Logan (Wolverine enhanced senses and retractable claws in the back of his hands); Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner, demonic appearance with blue fur, prehensile tale, almost invisible in the dark and the ability to teleport); Sean Cassidy (Banshee - has the ability to modulate his voice in sonic scales, from shattering to the ability to fly; Peter Rasputin (Colossus, can transform himself into organic steel, giving him limited invulnerability and a lot of strength).

Semi-regulars and guests. Jean Grey (Phoenix. One of the original X-Men originally Marvel Girl, recently transformed into this new form, a being unsure of how powerful she is, but seems to be growing stronger all the time, already at near cosmic level. Dating Scott Summers, although working with the team lives away from the mansion and is trying to live her own life.) Hank McCoy (The Beast Enhanced strength, agility, slightly bestial features and covered in blue fur. One of the original X-Men and currently an Avenger). Moira MacTaggert (An old colleague of Xavier running a research lab on Muir Island on the coast of Scotland. There is some other history between her and Xavier, but she is currently dating Banshee). Princess Lilandra (An exiled member of the alien Shia'r Royal Family, living with the X-Men and apparently Xavier's soul mate).

 

[Brian G Turner]

I think this is the X-Men I first encountered through reprints in the late 80's or early 90's. Some nice story telling in there.

 

[Perpetual Man]

That's about right I think Brian, the comics would be about to begin the Phoenix saga, with the underrated Proteus story, not to mention the Hellfire club.

And I'm really stretching the old grey matter, but I think they were re-printed over here in black and white, enlarged and in a comic called Rampage...

 

[Brian G Turner]

Those are exactly the stories I remember.

I think Proteus was first, with a being moving between bodies and the X-Men almost powerless to stop it.

Got them at a specialist comic shop that got all the American titles in. However, it was also early days of Hellblazer and Sandman, Doom Patrol and Animal Man, so ended up hooking into DC's Vertigo line and didn't explore much of Marvel after that.

 

[Perpetual Man]

That's probably about right, Brian and although the X-Men remained good, sometimes excellent, it never really got any better than that.

(Although it did get close on occasion...)

 

[thatollie]

Keep up the good work.

 

[Perpetual Man]

The Uncanny X-Men 114 - 116 (Chris Claremont and John Byrne)

In the Antarctic wastes Hank McCoy struggles through the snow carrying a near dead Jean Grey. Suddenly she comes to life, and when asked to send some kind of flare literally explodes, the phoenix effect fully active around her, blasting against the ground, desperate to reach the others wherever they might be buried. But she can't sense them at all, and slumps in defeat believing that the X-Men are dead. Her explosive display though has been seen by a research helicopter, and as she collapses once again at least two of the team will be saved.

Sometime later a wall of rock explodes outwards and the X-Men stumble into a lush green world. Cyclops recognises it at once - The Savage Land, a primordial lost world under the ice of the Antarctic, populated by primitive peoples and dinosaurs. (First introduced in X-Men 17). Their costumes are pretty ragged, and they are close to wits end, especially Storm who has been fighting her claustrophobia while they were trapped underground. Seeing the open air she leaps into the sky, and Banshee follows, almost been grabbed by a pterodactyl.

As the beast tries to carry him away Wolverine has Colossus pick him up and hurl him at the flying dinosaur, referring to the move as the Fastball Special, creating a fan favourite move that will last years. Wolverine starts hacking away, causing the beast to release Banshee, who flies away while Wolverine clings on for dear life, hacking away. The pterodactyl flies into the distance and the X-Men give chase.

They find the creature dead with Wolverine sitting on it, pleased with himself, even though he could have been killed in the fall (no mention of healing factor there). The X-Men are unaware that they are being watched, and whoever it is he knows Cyclops.

Back in the US Jean and Hank arrive at the X-Mansion, using an Avengers Quinjet. Without reading her mind Xavier sees in Jeans eyes what she believes that the X-Men are dead.

The X-Men have settled into a village in the Savage Land, and are wearing similar attire. They are all relaxed, but wonder how Cyclops can be so calm at losing one of his oldest friends and the love of his life. Storm is the most at ease feeling that the Savage Land is much like her home in Africa (well within reason).

While Cyclops is burying himself in his thoughts, he does his best to shave, seeing his reflection he suddenly realises how much like Corsair of the Starjammers he looks and everything clicks into place, It triggers a suppressed memory of being in the plane just before it crashed with his parents, and he realises the truth: Corsair is Major Christopher Summers, his father.

But he is interrupted and the memory fades, Ororo comes to see how he is coping, but he tells her although he mourns Hank, he feels nothing for Jean, that he has not felt the same since the shuttle crash which changed her. Stunned she walks away.

Wolverine meanwhile really is grieving, cutting himself off from the rest of the group, trying to come to terms with how much he felt for Jean Grey, something he has never really felt before.

Storm finds some isolation, and starts to swim, with her guards down the shadowy watcher approaches, thinking that he has not eaten, he only needs to borrow a small amount of her mutant energy.

Hands grab her from behind, but Storm is more powerful than he assailant would believe, a lot more energy flows into him transforming a normal looking man into Sauron! (X-Men 60-61)

Almost immediately the X-Men find Sauron standing over Storm, and before Cyclops can stop him, Wolverine flies of the handle and attacks, he does not even land a blow, Sauron uses his hypnotic powers, and suddenly Wolverine sees his teammates as all kinds of monsters.

Cyclops hits Wolverine with a heavy blast that knocks him through the air, landing face first into a pool of water; Banshee goes after Sauron, surprised that someone in a savage's furs can fly the evil mutant pauses and gets hit by a massive sonic blast, but recovers quickly.

Nightcrawler goes to pull Wolverine out o the water before he drowns, but he has recovered faster than they would have thought, and knocks Nightcrawler out. He can see the other X-Men attacking Sauron who he perceives as monsters attacking Jean, but even as he goes after the 'monsters' part of his mind realises it is impossible. Jean is dead.

Wolverine hits Cyclops but pauses before he does any real damage, and Cyclops uses the moment to blast him again.

Sauron hurtles in for another attack but Cyclops and Banshee hit him with two different blasts from opposite directions, Sauron goes down, and runs feeling his energy levels falling. He heads back toward the unconscious Storm to repower himself and finds Colossus carrying her to safety, and feeling the energy radiating from him he grabs hold of him to leech the power... just as Cyclops bursts through the bushes, sees what's going on and yells for Peter to transform.

As he shifts into metal form the massive burst of energy is more than Sauron can stand, he is thrown through the air, transforming back into Karl Lykos. The hypnotic hold on Wolverine breaks, and furious he leaps, ready to kill Lykos, but before he can land a blow, the foliage parts and Kazar and Zabu threaten the X-Man, saying that Lykos is his friend.

Cyclops stops things going too far, and after introductions they settle round to exchange notes. The new X-Men learn about Sauron and the Savage Land, and then Lykos fills them in on what happened to him after he fell back in X-Men 61.

He tells a story of his recent past where, while wandering the savage land he came upon a strange procession lead by a woman of exotic beauty. He followed it and found them about to sacrifice an outsider man, in the name of an apparent god called Garokk. The woman identifies herself as Zaladane, drawing a symbol on the man, Kirk Marston's chest. Instead of dying he is transformed into Garokk - The Petrified Man.

(The original Garokk had appeared elsewhere in the Marvel Universe in 1970)

Garokk initially removed strange invaders from the Savage Land, but has begun to build a city of his own, and his presence is beginning to have an effect on the Savage Land. Whatever keeps is breaking down and it is starting to snow.

The X-Men and Kazar head for Garokk's city, along the way they are spotted by sentries and a small fight begins. We begin to see a bond forming between Wolverine and Nightcrawler. Although they see off their attackers, Cyclops, Banshee, Colossus and Kazar are captured and Zabu goes nearly feral, but Wolverine is able to soothe the big cat, and form a bond with it.

Zabu leads the X-Men across the land and in through a back passage of Garokk's city, as they overpower a guard, they are attacked by a small pack of carnivorous dinosaurs, the first of which clamps down on Wolverine's fist and won't let go. Without a pause he pops his claws and kills the beast. His hand though is badly wounded, and Storm is concerned. Wolverine: "It's okay babe I heal real fast... And the beast ain't been born that can break my bones!" The first real hint that there is something more to him laying the ground work for the healing factor and the adamantium bones.

Storm flash floods the tunnels and washes the dinosaurs away. She, Wolverine and Nightcrawler make their way into the city.

They find their teammates in a huge 'sun chamber' tied to posts ready to be sacrificed, and Nightcrawler is the obvious choice to try and free them, but he has never teleported that kind of distance before.

Garokk's followers have already set a fire around Colossus who is glowing red hot, when Nightcrawler appears. Despite being weakened by the teleport he is still able to break the lock on Cyclops' visor and a well directed blast soon frees Colossus. As the metal X-Man starts fighting back, a second control shot from Cyclops breaks Banshee's gag, freeing his voice and the sudden arrival of Wolverine and Storm see the leader freed.

Garokk makes a run for it and Cyclops gives chase, until they face off way above the city, the Petrified Man letting loose with eye beams of his own, both beams hitting one another. There is a sudden, giant explosion that tears apart the floor below, throwing both Cyclops and Garokk into a chasm. Banshee speeds after them and manages to catch Cyclops, while Storm goes after Garokk.

She desperately tries to reach him but is hit by falling debris, barely able to save herself she makes her way back, but lands apart from the other X-Men. Banshee is about to go and check on her but it is Wolverine who stops him, realising that Storm worships all life, and her failure to save Garokk will have hit her hard. She landed away from the group so she could come to terms with it, but it will be something that will haunt her for a long time.

Kazar and Lykos help the X-Men to build a simple boat, and they set sail down a small tunnel that leads into open sea, where they are caught up in the maw of a tempestuous storm that threatens to destroy them...

Of note this issue sees Tom Orzechowski start lettering the comic, he will continue to do so for years, making the switch between hand writing the text, and moving on to the modern digital method. Claremont ranks him so highly that he uses him on everything he does, even to the point of paying fees out of his own pocket to keep him!

 

[Perpetual Man]

The Uncanny X-Men 117 (Claremont & Byrne)

Caught in a raging tempest the X-Men can only hang on by the skin of their teeth. Even with Storm doing her best to calm the weather it is too much, Colossus can barely steer the boat, while Banshee is managing to protect them with his sonics. Just as all looks lost they are rescued by a Japanese boat, but they are told that the ship is running on radio silence as they are on a secret mission for the government. They could not leave the X-Men to drown, but they will have to remain confined to quarters until the ship returns to port in a couple of weeks time.

Meanwhile back in America Jean takes her leave of the X-Mansion. She has spent time there coming to terms with the loss of the X-Men, but now feels it is time to get on with her life.

Lilandra is settling in to her new life on Earth, enjoying her relationship with Xavier. But Xavier is broken, overcome with remorse at the loss of his team. In his mind he keeps going back... to the beginning...

As he was working on his doctorate Xavier, still had the use of his legs, met and fell in love with a fellow student - Doctor Moira MacTaggert. The two of them had a passionate relationship that came to an end when Charles was called up into the army. While abroad he was injured and as he was recovering in hospital he received a letter from her, telling him that their relationship was over, that she was going back to Scotland and she would appreciate it if he did not follow and let her get on with her life.

Recovering he turned his attention to helping other patients, using his power.

His recovery and travelling takes him to Egypt, where on the streets of Cairo his pocket is picked by a white haired, blue-eyed child. He gives chase and stops her with a mild psychic command. Years later he would realise the child was Storm.

As he retrieves his wallet a massive psychic blast fells him, and he is left staggered while the young thief escapes.

Xavier settles in a cafe and waits, before long his foe arrives, a large fat man, and from the moment they see each other they realise that they are going to be enemies. The man is a telepath, much like Xavier, but one without scruples. He is called Amahl Farouk.

All he wants is to destroy Xavier and the two travel to the Astral Plane, where the two fight, psychically. Here Farouk is a powerful force, his ideal form a giant warrior, and despite Xavier doing his best he soon realise he is in trouble, that he does not have the experience to match his foe.

When his back is hit by a blast in the Astral Plane, it burns and the shirt blackens in reality.

In the end though, he realises that everything is just show, Dispels everything and is little more than a man, while Farouk turns into a bigger monster. Just as he is about to devour him, Xavier gathers all his energy and in one needle like blast rams it home into the other's brain, frying Farouk's mind.

As the big man drops dead, Xavier gets up and walks away.

It is a defining moment though. He realises that there are evil mutants in the world, and there has to be someone, or someone's out there to stand against them.

But he tells Lilandra that it is all over, with the X-Men dead what else is there for him to do? She suggests that they could leave, not just the mansion, but Earth, travel into space... and with apparently very little left, the few X-Men who remain are living their own lives, he agrees.

Jean herself is taking a break, a time to gather her thoughts and emotions. As she catches a plane she runs into her roommate Misty Knight who his heading to Tokyo to help her business partner Coleen Wing on a case.

 

[Clansman]

"Misty Knight". One of Marvel's less-inspired names, to be sure. Sounds like the stage name of a stripper, or worse...

 

[Perpetual Man]

You mean she wasn't a stripper???

She is still around, being a key player in the recent Shadowland crossover, and currently a member of Heroes for Hire...

 

[Perpetual Man]

Uncanny X-Men 118 - 119 (Claremont & Byrne)

After weeks at sea the boat begins to pull into a Japanese harbour, but a nightmare waits. Billowing clouds of flame smother the city, the heat so intense that it can be felt on the boat miles from shore. Even Storm balks at the idea of trying to douse the inferno with her powers, not wanting to risk what might happen.

Cyclops sends Nightcrawler ahead to what looks like a clear area, and with the all clear the X-Men make their way to shore. The thick smoke threatens to choke them but Storm is able to clear it from the immediate area, and Cyclops muses on what happens.

Wolverine picks up a discarded newspaper and tells him that there was warning of an earthquake and everyone was evacuated. But there were no pre or aftershocks, which is noted as a mystery, but Cyclops wants to know how, what and why. Wolverine shrugs that he can only go by what he reads in the paper.

In a surprising moment Cyclops is flabbergasted that Wolverine, the brawler and wild man can read Japanese.

“You never asked.” Is the classic response.

With the feeling that this is not a natural disaster Cyclops decides they had beeter get ready for action, that they should also contact Professor X, tell him that Jean and Hank are dead, after all they have been out of contact for far too long.

Xavier however is currently onboard a Sh’iar starship above the Earth, one that is about to leave the solar system, taking Lilandra home to be proclaimed Majestrix of the Empire. Believing his X-Men dead, Xavier is ready to leave with her.

The best place for the X-Men to find all they need is somewhere they are known, so they head to the Yoshida Ancestral Manor, seat of the Yoshida Clan, and home of sometime X-Man Sunfire.

However Sunfire catches them entering the compound and refuses to recognise them, claiming that the X-Men he knows would not skulk around like dogs in the night. Soldiers close in, ready to arrest the mutants, only for Misty Knight (Jean Grey’s Roommate to arrive), throwing the weight of the Japanese Prime Minister around. He wants to see the X-Men. Now.

Elsewhere a lorry pulls up into an alley, a message is relayed saying that the assault for will strike at midnight.

As the other X-Men are given some free space, Cyclops attends a meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister. Unfortunately he can’t understand a word, which is not that important as it is mostly Sunfire raging on that he is Japan’s protector and the X-Men are not needed. Also in the meeting is Colleen Wing, Misty’s business partner, she is really impressed by Cyclops (elevating from a skinny kid, to one of the heavy hitters/leaders of the Marvel Universe with a few words), she is even more impressed when he walks from the meeting, unable to understand anything. He is going to find a phone and make a long overdue call.

When he finds a phone though he finds all the numbers have been disconnected. There is no sign of life at the mansion. For the first time realising that something is wrong, Scott decides that they have to get home soon. But Banshee turns up telling him he is needed.

The team from the lorry earlier begin to prepare for something...

Wolverine is wandering around the house, really feeling trapped by society, and missing the primal freedom of the Savage Land. He wanders into a garden, and disturbs a young lady there. He apologises (in Japanese) and is about to leave, but she asks him who he is. He tells her that he is an X-Man called Wolverine. The girl introduces herself as Sunfire’s cousin, Mariko, and compliments Wolverine on his Japanese, saying it’s almost perfect. Better than anything she has heard from an American, he tells her he is Canadian, and is about to tell her that his name is Logan, when the garden is torn apart by a completely unexpected earthquake.

The house starts coming down around tem and Wolverine responds by shielding Mariko with his body, cutting as much as the debris as he can with his claws while trying to get her to safety. The other X-Men are doing the same thing, but they soon realise they are under attack - men dressed in high tech armour, The Mandroids. Originally designed to fight the Avengers, they should go through the X-Men easily, or so they declare.

Sunfire is taken out with a single blast; one tries to shoot Nightcrawler who teleports and another one is hit instead; Colossus throws a punch, but is hit himself and sent flying through the air; Wolverine slices armour to shreds (referring to his claws as adamantium for the first time); Cyclops and Banshee deal with another; while yet another seems to target Mariko. Sunfire blasts one with all his might, superheating the armour, but it is simply absorbed - until Storm freezes the air around it, shattering the metal. The van drivers flee, driving over a hole in the ground.

It is where Colossus fell, his metal hands reach up and rip the axle off the lorry and he returns to the X-Men with the unconscious thugs.

As the X-Men realise they have won a holographic image appears in the air. A man claiming to be Moses Magnum, master of the Magnum Force, announces that if Japan does not surrender to him within 24 hours, he will sink the islands.

The X-Men begin their assault on an extinct volcano in the Kuril Islands just off the coast of Japan. Storm take Nightcrawler through the air and he teleports blind, landing in a corridor. He is nearly discovers a lackey and he renders him unconscious. As he begins to scout the base he recalls the events that took him there.

The Japanese Prime Minister had told them that the Magnum Force that this man claims to use is a terrible one. It is through this power that he is able to cause the earthquakes that have terrified Japan, it seems sinking the island is no idle threat. There is little option but to surrender unless the X-Men can intervene.

The only help they have is that Misty Knight has managed to locate Magnum's base... and so the assault began.

Nightcrawler sends a signal, and Misty Knight issues the attack command.

Banshee flies low, and uses his sonic scream to disable radar. This sets alarms screaming...

Nightcrawler vanishes into the shadows, continuing his infiltration. Banshee ups the ante and starts liquidising solid objects with his scream, while Storm scours the walls with winds and rains.

Beneath the ground Cyclops and Sunfire combine their powers to blast a tunnel through solid rock, Colossus and Wolverine with them. When they are in position they blast a hole through the ceiling, and Colossus rises through the floor, only to be seized by an incredibly strong Moses Magnus and hurtled through the air. He is barely able to stop himself, but is furious that he has been cast aside so easily once again. Determined to prove himself he strides back the way he has come.

Magnum knocks Wolverine out with one blow, and Cyclops realises they are in trouble, he orders Sunfire to blast a hole to the outside, so they can gain aid from Storm and Banshee, but as he stands alone Magnum unveils his Mandroids Mark II and Cyclops realises he is in trouble.

At which point Colossus returns, hammering the Mandroids into submission. Magnum swears that although the X-Men might have the upper hand he will win the day, and runs for it. Banshee arrives just in time to see him run.
Realising just how dangerous things are about to get, he yells at Cyclops to do his best to evacuate the island then launches himself into the sky.

As Magnum begins to built a well of power that will trigger Earthquakes all over Japan, Banshee blasts a sonic scream across the volcano, effectively reflecting Magnum's beam back on itself. Realising that something is wrong Magnum increases the power of his blast; Banshee retaliates and a battle of machine versus inborn power begins. He screams as he has never done before.

Suddenly the backlash tears Magnum's machines and island apart, and Banshee falls like a dead weight into the sea.

The next day the X-Men with an unconscious Banshee are found on an outcrop of rock; all the islands in the area are gone. As they head for Japan, Storm notes that Banshee is in serious need of attention. He is injured. Badly. In the very least he has torn his throat to pieces.

The next day, Christmas Eve, Banshee returns to Shiro Yashida's* home, wondering why the X-Men have not been to see him upon his release. He misses Moira, and is feeling rather hard done by when he pulls the door open to finds them all waiting with a surprise party in his honour.

Barely able to talk Sean can only relax into the company of his friends, all of who are missing loved ones, but it is Ororo who is aware they are knitting together like a family. She even notices how gentle Wolverine sounds when he excuses himself to go and speak with Mariko.

As Scott begins to plan their journey home another journey ends as Jean Grey, after a sun soaked Greek holiday arrives in Edinburgh train station. She is still grieving for her perceived death of Cyclops and the others, and is surprised but delighted to see Moira MacTaggert, Alex Summers, Lorna Dane and Jamie Madrox. They have come to take her away for Christmas, to stay in the city for a few days, then return to Muir Island.

On that island, Angus MacWhirter (from X-Men 104) is nosing around, trying to find something incriminating against the mutants. Unfortunately something... hungry finds him.

*In previous issues Sunfire's family name is given as Yoshida, here it is Yashida and remains like that.

This issue sees The X-Men comic continuing to grow, as it wins a run of the top British Comic awards - The Eagles.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Instead of leaping in with this weeks entry (a good excuse to avoid doing something I am only halfway through, ahem) I thought I'd take stock of things, and ask the big question, am I getting to carried away with things, putting far too much detail in my issue/story synopsis.

Do the regular readers of these things want the same level of detail I've been throwing at you all, or would it be easier if I pulled back on the recaps, and just did a simple paragraph with a few notes thrown in (and pictures when required)

 

[Mouse]

Perp, whatever you decide to do is cool with me! These things must take you a lot of time so shorter is fine. (I'm still waiting for Gambit to show up!)

 

[Perpetual Man]

Don't hold your breath, but we'll get there in the end....

 

[Perpetual Man]

The Uncanny X-Men 120 - 121 (Claremont and Byrne)

The story starts in Canada, where we see the former Weapon Alpha, now going by the name of Vindicator talking to then President Trudeau. The President is till not happy about the loss of a great investment: Wolverine. The Government poured a vast amount of money into him, rehabilitating him and they barely got their money back before he left.

Vindicator says that Wolverine was his responsibility and he feels that he let the side down, it is time to bring him back, and this time he is not going alone. A message goes out to a group of individuals living their lives... Walter Langkowski, Jean-Paul Beaubier, Jeanne-Marie Beaubier, Ann McKenzie and Michael Twoyoungmen.

The X-Men bid farewell to Sunfire, who has lent them the family jet to get them home.

Mariko Yashida sits in the limo, wondering how everyone can treat Wolverine like a dangerous thing, when she really likes him. At which point there is a tap at the window and the supposedly rough Wolverine hands her a chrysanthemum flower.

It is noted by a couple of people on the plane that Scott and Colleen Wing are becoming close, almost as though he is not mourning Jean at all.

As the huge private Jet is bringing the X-Men home, it is diverted by bad weather over the Rockies, forcing it to land in Calgary. Storm tells them that it is not a natural weather pattern at all, that there is something odd in it she can't control.

As the Plane taxis to a halt they see Vindicator standing on the runway, announcing that Wolverine, Captain Logan is under arrest.

Wolverine is not very happy

Cyclops tells the pilot to get the Plane off the ground, now is not the time for a fight. As the jet begins to move Nightcrawler looks out the window and can see the vague shape of two giant fur-covered hands gripping hold of the engine - lifts the entire jet off the ground and throws it through a hanger.

Vindicator yells a rebuke at t giant figure, while another shadowy form yells that he is losing control of the storm - one of the X-Men must have weather powers and is fighting back.

The X-Men head for cover, hoping to slip away, while Wolverine tries to tell them what is going on. He says that he was under the impression that he had resigned from the Canadian Secret Service when he joined the X-Men. But... they spent a fortune on him, even when most people said he was a lost cause Hudson (Vindicator) stood beside him, and they probably want him back. He tells them that they had just started the Alpha Flight Program, so he knows very little about it.

Nightcrawler teleports outside to see look around but realises that there are no shadows to hide in. Before he can react there is a flash of brilliant light, momentarily blinded he is punched in the faces from out of nowhere. Two figures stand over him hoping they did not hurt him too much, he is a mutant as they are.

The X-Men scatter hoping to put their unknown attackers off the scent, trying to blend in. As Banshee and Storm buy her clothes to blend in, Vindicator tracks them to the shops they are in. He blasts in through the roof, and is horrified to find it is a shopping centre filled with the general public. Before he can react Banshee spots him, and recognises him as the man who nearly killed Moira. He reacts without thinking and screams - tearing his already ravaged vocal chords even more.

Vindicator responds with genuine concern but before he can reach Banshee, Storm responds with anger, pulling a horrendous weather front to her. With a single gesture the Canadian hero is blown out through the wall, unable to stop himself.

Banshee tries to calm Storm and Hudson realises that he has severely underestimated Storms powers, and does not want to risk innocents he slips away. He reflects that he never wanted to be in the position he is in, he is a scientist not a hero. The role of leader was always meant to be Wolverines.

Wolverine himself is making his way through a street, completely distracted by thoughts of Mariko, so he is completely caught unawares when a giant orange-furred hand reaches out of an alley, grabs him by the head and smashing him into the walls with immense strength. Wolverine is knocked out immediately, picked up and carried away.

Meanwhile Cyclops is not happy. Everything is going wrong, and Nightcrawler and Wolverine are missing. It is about time to turn things around. The X-Men are going on the offensive.

The X-Men search for their missing teammates, and it is Storm that finds them, in an Ice Hockey rink. She leads the others to them, where Wolverine and Nightcrawler seem to be neglected, tied in the middle of the ice.

They have barely reached the two men when all the lights blaze on and they discover that the duo are not unguarded. Alpha Flight are standing waiting. A trap.

Outside the rink Banshee and the others try to gain entry but find themselves locked out.

Cyclops is told by Vindicator that they are authorised by the Canadian government; they are only interested in Wolverine, they can take Nightcrawler and go.

Cyclops argues, not wanting to leave a man behind, saying that Vindicator is not trustworthy, he's too careless, he did not think when he first attacked the X-Men nearly killing Moira, this time without hesitation he had Sasquatch attack a plane, nearly destroying the airport, and killing all innocent bystanders.

As they argue Colossus notices Northstar apparently creeping behind Cyclops. He shouts a warning, but it triggers an attack from Sasquatch, a situation that escalates as Wolverine and Nightcrawler escape, leaving Vindicator out of his death, things descending into chaos as he tries to call for peace.


Heeding the call for peace Shaman pulls some wooden things from his medicine pouch, they grow in size and he tends to use them to subdue the X-Men, but Cyclops starts to destroy them with his optic blasts; he is hit behind, a superspeed attack from Northstar; Storm takes to the air and Snowbird goes after her; Wolverine starts work on the remaining statues, while Nightcrawler finds himself out paced by Aurora; all the while Colossus slugs it out with Sasquatch and comes out worse.

Slowly the X-Men start to win, with Wolverine and Vindicator inevitably ending up at one another's throats, one arguing that they are free and want to go their own way, the other saying that Wolverine was bought, made and paid for by the Canadian government.

However they all seem oblivious that the weather is becoming more and more violent. Whatever the spell Shaman cast is not enough to hold it in check and it is beginning to run wild. Storm realises the danger and tries to take control.

She barely manages to calm it down, then stumbles to the ground, virtually unconscious from the effort. But as she lands Northstar streaks behind her, punching her in the back of the head. She collapses.

Cyclops goes ballistic, and despite Northstar's speed, he is not as fast as the Optic blast that nearly snaps his neck from his shoulders. Without pausing he grabs the downed Canadian and seems ready to beat him to death with his fists, but it is Wolverine who stops him.

It's over, he is going to give himself up, leave the X-Men and rejoin Alpha Flight. He does not want to do it, but it is the right thing to do. First though he will face whatever charges are levelled at him.

He is led away and locked in a security van, one that has been specially built to contain him.

A little later a despondent group of X-Men find themselves in the air heading home, missing one member. It is then that Cyclops has been called into the pilots cabin. Waiting there, sitting next to the pilot is Wolverine.

When asked how he got there he simply says that there has not been a cage made that contain him, and Cyclops leaves it at that. It's been a long time, but the X-Men are going home.

Like Vindicator/Weapon Alpha Alpha Flight were a team created by Byrne in his Canadian school days. This was their first appearance and they proved to be popular. They would return to the X-Men again (about 20 issues); and either individually or as a team would make appearances throughout the Marvel Universe, ultimately earning their own title, written and drawn by John Byrne.

Although Byrne's masterpiece is often considered to be his run on the Fantastic Four, the first 29 issues of Alpha Flight have to be close, producing some of the most stunning and brilliants tales in any superhero title, often underrated it shines and it is both a tragedy and a shame that it never recovered from losing Byrne when it did. (I might be tempted to look at these and a few other titles at some point)

 

[Mouse]

Mariko Yashida sits in the limo, wondering how everyone can treat Wolverine like a dangerous thing, when she really likes him. At which point there is a tap at the window and the supposedly rough Wolverine hands her a chrysanthemum flower.

What an arse.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Still not being won over, eh?

 

[Mouse]

Not yet!

 

[Perpetual Man]

We'll win you over...

 

[Perpetual Man]

Uncanny X-Men 122 (Claremont & Byrne)

The X-Men are back in the US, wondering just how and why the school is all closed up, and where Professor Xavier has gone.

Colossus is having issues with letting his team mates down, Cyclops is testing his abilities, but it is Wolverine who realises the truth, it is not a physical thing but a loss of confidence in himself; by showing Colossus that he, Wolverine still believes in him, Colossus begins to recover.

The rest of the X-Men are busy reactivating the various components of the mansion, while Colleen continues to try and get close to Scott.

In another Galaxy on the world Imperial Centre at the heart og Sh’iar Empire Xavier still mourns his perceived loss of his X-Men, but his relationship with the soon to be crowned Empress of the Empire continues to strengthen.

In Scotland Jean Grey literally bumps into a dashing figure, he introduces himself as Jason Wyngarde, they exchange a few words and go on their way, but something about him haunts Jean. As he returns to Muir Island she cannot help but feel a connection with him. Moira notices but assumes it is something to do with her growing powers.

On the shore Wyngarde notes that she is attracted to him, and that everything is as it should be. He lights a cigarette and the shadow that is thrown against the wall is not the shadow of the man.

A few dock workers muse on where Angus McWhirter is.

Scott starts to open up more to Colleen

Logan drops Ororo off in a very slum ridden area of Harlem. He is determined to keep an eye on her but as he pulls away he sees a reflection in the mirror, Mariko!

Ororo wanders the streets, this is where she lived as a young child, and she returns to her family’s apartment, it is now a drug den. She is attacked, and starts to defend herself, leaving her back open. As an addict prepares to attack she is save by Luke Cage – Power Man and Misty Knight who had heard rumours of a posh white haired woman walking the streets.

Colleen, despite being told to leave Scott alone, tries to push the relationship into something more serious.

Elsewhere on a jet flying across the Atlantic Black Tom Cassidy and Juggernaut are planning their revenge on the X-Men. It seems that they are prepared to hire a very unusual assassin in order to do it.

A man named Arcade.

Before working together on the X-Men Claremont and Byrne had collaborated on a comic called Marvel Team Up, which basically did what the title said: various Marvel heroes would team up, normally Spider-man and someone else. In an excellent two part story they introduced Captain Britain into US continuity teaming him with Spider-man. Here the two heroes are trapped in Murderworld, a lethal Amusement Park created by Arcade.

Arcade was very well received and it was inevitable that he would return, but everyone expected it to be against Spider-man, not the X-Men – thus creating one of their most popular foes.

The introduction of Jason Wyngarde is notable for being the first step on the road to the stunning storyline that will run until it’s epic conclusion in X-Men 137.