Very '80s, Very Scary, Chris Claremont's X-Men Movie Pitch

Chris Claremont's pitch for an X-Men film had some surprising choices...and far more Kitty Pryde than Wolverine. I explore his 1982 proposal this week at CBR.

Psylocke's Shocking Connection to a Deadly X-Men Foe

 

An alt-reality version of Psylocke has lived in the 616 continuity for decades, but apparently, only her creator's noticed. I explore a stunning revelation from Chris Claremont this week at CBR. And, hey, on a related note, you can check out my archive of "X-Men Revolution" reviews at this link (assuming Blogger hasn't screwed them up over the years.)

How X-Men: The Animated Series Adapted History's Best-Selling Comic Book

 

Adventure(s) Time returns this week, as I revisit X-Men: The Animated Series and the "Sanctuary" two-parter, adapting Chris Claremont's 1991 swan song.

When A Crucial Marvel Universe Law Was Broken By -- Firestar?!

 

Firestar's unusual introduction to the Marvel Universe and the structure of her debut miniseries has left some fans confused for decades. I look back at the story this week at CBR.

The One Issue That Changed X-Men Stories Forever

 

At CBR this week, I look back at  how a last-minute story change inadvertently altered how readers perceived the most important X-Man forever...

Chris Claremont's Shocking Choice in a Classic X-Men Love Triangle

 

The love triangle is now established lore, but when did Chris Claremont decide Wolverine and Jean Grey were a match made in heaven? I cover Claremont's views this week at CBR.

Professor Xavier's Forgotten Role in the Dark Phoenix Tragedy

 

This week at CBR, I'm looking at an aspect of "Dark Phoenix Saga" that Chris Claremont intended to have major repercussions for Xavier, if only John Byrne and Jim Shooter agreed.

An Obscure X-Men Comic Offered a Dark Hint into Storm's Past (Or, Claremont Ain't Workin ' on Your Time)

 

A dark moment from Storm's past was unveiled in an obscure X-Men story by Chris Claremont, and this week I detail how he didn't pay the idea off until almost eight years later. Also, this page from Special Edition X-Men was referenced in the text of my article, but didn't seem to survive the final edit...

UNCANNY X-MEN #385 (October 2000)

Shell Game

Credits: Chris Claremont (writer), German Garcia, Michael Ryan, and Randy Green (pencils), Panosian/Pepoy/Ketcham (inks), Richard Starkings & Comicraft (letters), Richard Isanove (colors)

Summary: Gambit’s team of X-Men raid an upscale party in Madripoor, aiding the Goth and Crimson Pirates in abducting several attendees. Rogue’s crew of X-Men arrive, stunned to see their teammates working with the villains. The two teams fight, with Rogue’s side apparently losing. Unbeknownst to their opponents, Gambit has touched skin with Rogue, imparting unto her the means of defeating the Goth’s leader. After everyone is teleported to their secret Chinese base, the united X-Men attack Tullamore Voge and his slavers. Rogue, having absorbed Gambit’s power, overloads the Goth’s leader with energy. The resulting explosion kills him, and enables the X-Men to defeat the slavers. Gambit, recognizing Rogue’s discomfort with killing their opponent, offers her his support.

X-MEN #104 (September 2000)

Painted Ladies

Credits: Chris Claremont (writer), Lenil Francis Yu (penciler), Mark Morales (inker), Richard Starkings & Comicraft (letters), Liquid! Graphics (colors)

UNCANNY X-MEN #384 (September 2000)

Crimson Pirates

Credits: Chris Claremont (writer), Adam Kubert (penciler), Tim Townsend w/Lary Stucker (inks), Richard Starkings & Comicraft (letters), Richard Isanove (colors)

Summary: The Crimson Pirates abduct Defense Minister Demetri Koniev, threatening his family if he doesn’t cooperate. Meanwhile, at the former KGB headquarters, Deb Levin and Major Vazhin join the X-Men in interrogating Tullamore Voge. Phoenix attempts to invade his thoughts, only to connect with Wolverine, using Cerebro in New York. While informing her of the Goth’s attack, Voge nabs Wolverine and nearly transforms him into a slave. Phoenix shunts him out of the Astral Plane just in time. Cable, however, is altered after entering Voge’s mind. He appears to be suddenly cured of the techno-organic virus, just as Minister Koniev appears outside, demanding entrance. When Vazhin refuses, the Crimson Pirates attack. The X-Men are robbed of their victory when Cable betrays the team. Facing a barrage from the Pirates, Beast is forced to retreat with Phoenix and Deb.

Is X-Men: The Animated Series the Definitive Dark Phoenix Adaptation?

Is it possible Hollywood superstars and multi-million dollar budgets can't compete with a '90s cartoon series? I revisit the original Dark Phoenix Saga of the comics, and the animated adaptation at CBR. 

X-MEN #103 (August 2000)

The Goth

Credits: Chris Claremont (writer), Tom Raney (penciler), Scott Hanna (inker), Richard Starkings & Comicraft (letters), Liquid! (colors)

UNCANNY X-MEN #383 (August 2000)

Moscow Knights

Credits: Chris Claremont (writer), Adam Kubert (penciler), Tim Townsend w/Dan Panosian (inkers), Richard Starkings & Comicraft (letters), Richard Isanove (colors)

Summary: In Moscow, Storm evokes the name of her thief mentor El-Gibar to solicit the aid of mobster Simyon Kurasov. She explains Azlexei Vazhin called in a favor owed by the Thieves Guild to have Gambit recruit the X-Men. Their mission was to free Vazhin’s associate, Deb Levin, from The Slash, a seedy club run by the mysterious Ransome Sole. Storm remained as backup, while Phoenix, Gambit, Cable, and Beast were captured by Sole’s young slave, a mutant named Sketch. With Simyon’s help, Storm arrives in time to stop a slave auction overseen by Sole. Bidding for the X-Men are representatives of the Neo’s Shockwave Riders, and the interdimensional slaver known as Tullamore Voge. With the aid of Sketch, the X-Men overcome Sole and his flunkies: Big Casino, Revenant, Manacle, Bludgeon, and Cudgel. The Shockwave Riders teleport away Sole and his lackeys, but Deb Levin is freed, and Tullamore Voge taken into custody.

X-MEN #102 (July 2000)

The Cruelest Cut

Credits: Chris Claremont (writer), Lenil Francis Yu (penciler), Mark Morales (inker), Richard Starkings & Comicraft (letters), Liquid! (colors)

Summary: Wolverine and Dani Moonstar investigate the remains of Mr. Sinister’s base in Sage, Nebraska. Using her powers, Moonstar recreates Domina’s assault on Sinister and Sabretooth. In Brooklyn, Cecilia Reyes attempts to fight off the Neo with the aid of the drug, Rave. Rogue’s team of X-Men arrives as backup, soon joined by Archangel and Wolverine. Domina channels the powers of her fellow Neo, embarrassing the X-Men in battle. The Neo known as Barbican seals up the church complex, forcing the X-Men to escape through a disappearing tunnel, leaving Reyes and Charlotte Jones behind. Elsewhere, Senator Kelly visits his wife’s grave. Tessa appears, broaching the subject of his presidential run.

UNCANNY X-MEN #382 (July 2000)

Lost Souls

Credits: Chris Claremont (writer), Tom Raney (penciler), Scott Hanna (inker), Comicraft’s Saida Temofonte (letters), Brian Haberlin (colors)

Summary: Cable offers the team psychic protection to enter Phoenix’s mind. Soon, he must also defend her body from a new attack by the Shockwave Riders. Phoenix successfully defends herself inside the mind of the dying Shockwave Rider, but is unprepared for the astral arrival of the Lost Souls. The shadowy Neo faction invade the minds of the X-Men, manipulating their greatest fears, pressuring them to give in to despair. Phoenix overpowers their dark force, then uses her powers to revive the dying Shockwave Rider. The X-Men attempt to part peacefully with the Neo soldiers. Later, Gambit urges the team to join him on a mission he declares more important than the Neo.

X-MEN #101 (June 2000)

Hard Landing

Credits: Chris Claremont (writer), Lenil Francis Yu (penciler), Mark Morales (inker), Richard Starkings & Comicraft (letters), Liquid! (colors)

UNCANNY X-MEN #381 (June 2000)

Night of Masques

Credits: Chris Claremont (writer), Adam Kubert (penciler), Tim Townsend (inker), Comicraft’s Wes Abbott (letters), Richard Isanove (colors)

           

Summary: In the midst of Venice’s Carnival, Phoenix takes Cable to an abandoned, underground “library” she first visited as a youth with Professor Xavier. While reminiscing, she notices psychic calling cards left by Gambit. Beast and Storm soon arrive, citing notes from Gambit, directing them to Venice. Suddenly, a Neo faction called the Shockwave Riders targets Phoenix and Cable. Their Psishark enters Phoenix’s mind, consuming her memories. Most Neo teleport after their defeat, but one remains for questioning. He wills himself to die; to the team’s shock, Phoenix enters his dying mind, determined to retrieve her memories.

X-MEN #100 (May 2000)

End of Days

Credits: Chris Claremont (writer), Lenil Francis Yu (penciler), Mark Morales (inker), Richard Starkings & Comicraft (letters), Liquid! (colors)

Summary: Praying inside his church, Nightcrawler is ambushed by Rax, a member of a mysterious collective known as the Neo. Wounded, Nightcrawler locates Dr. Cecilia Reyes, unaware another Neo, Jaeger, is now hunting him. Reyes, panicked, shapes her forcefield into a spike and impales Jaeger. Elsewhere, a team of X-Men has joined Dr. Peter Corbeau’s crew in repairing the High Evolutionary’s orbital base. Seth, an undercover Neo, plants explosives and destroys the base. Combining their powers, Psylocke and Thunderbird rescue the crew inside a shuttle. Left behind, Shadowcat uses Seth’s spare space suit to return to Earth, certain it will take her to the Neo.

Parties Weren't Meant to Last - The Road to (X-Men) Revolution

Before stepping into the strange, distant land of early 2000, I thought it best to examine the context of the times.

In the year 2000, a president has emerged from a sex scandal with his highest approval ratings, the pop charts belong once again to actual pop acts, cable TV is attracting mainstream audiences with content too extreme for network broadcasts, and the average American has taken AOL up on those trial discs and ventured online.

The overall culture is recovering from the world-weary, ironic distance of the 1990s and embracing…mostly garbage, it seems. Or, at the very least, material that would’ve been deemed too vulgar for polite society only a few years earlier.