Punch Up: “To Me My ❌-Men”

Chapter Thirty-Four:

1985

October, 1985 Uncanny X-Men No. 201 by Leonardi, Portacio, Glynis, Orzechowksi, Claremont + Nocenti

November, 1985 X-Factor No. 1 by Guice, W. Simonson, Layton, Rubinstein, P. Scotese, M. Scheele, Glynis, J. Chiang + Carlin & Higgins

Mixtape track: Jack-O-Rama by Dead Kennedys; & Just Like Honey by The Jesus and May Chain

Chapter 34 of “to me my ❌-Men,” baby new year brings us a new team leader as the old exit. The end of 1985 is here. The beginning of 1986 will come soon enough. But first, I spent the last day of vacation doing a bit of this and that, and in between getting deep into my first comic as an intentional collector and monthly patron. It’s nearly 1986 and I am in on ❌-Factor from issue one. I am hooked…or so I was thinking at the time.

Previously on “to me my ❌-Men,” our story began in the wake of Scott leaving after the death of Jean. Their shadow loomed larger, as did the mostly absent name above the schools masthead. The three most central characters behaving like guest stars in what is supposedly their story. Their three best co-stars, Hank, Warren, and Bobby have been away most of the time, doing their thing. In their absence, their arch has been groomed to become the school master, as the world prepared and presumably put Maggie on trial. In their absence, teenagers returned to the hall, as times running themselves as a cosplaying team, and less like students. In their absence a child has become the POV and matured into a potential leader of the grown up team. In their absence, the anointed team leader, Kurt, has struggled in his own mind and vocally in this role. In their absence, a true leader has emerged. One who leads the Morlocks, is a goddess in Kenya, and was The Goddess of Thunder in Asgard. Her potential undeniable, her capabilities are about to be proven. But first, Scott had to come down from on high to play leader.

Rick Leonardi and Whilce Portacio both share my respect and have impacted my upbringing. First of all, they both actually had the job I was trying to attain. Secondly, they didn’t let the ball drop to the ground while I was in my most judgmental phase. When I foolishly thought I was coming for them. They had no idea, and they had absolutely nothing to worry about if they did. Respect!

This cover is significant in its officialness.

“Who Will Lead Them?”

Ororo obviously. That’s been telegraphed since we began this reading project. But it was cute that Claremont thought we needed this ceremony to make it legit.

The corner box with the “?” And Scott and Ororo’s heads is a nice touch.

The ❌-Men are back from Paris…I am sure we will reflect on this trip. And the surprise is a baby.

Kurt is making it weird, especially for Rachel.

Maddy understands who is responsible in the room, besides the one with Team Leader is title, who is tickling a new big sister on the floor presently. She hands the baby to Kitty and takes Ororo aside.

Did we know Maddy walked away from the crash of a 747? Cause we do now.

Maggie is officially taking Chuck’s place. Chuck is not coming back.

Maddy is pissed and Ororo can tell.

So they returned from Asgard in France and then everyone except Scott called to check in on Maddy in NY. She had moved with Scott to the School from Alaska, so they could be together as a pregnant family. She had the baby on the kitchen floor, alone.

Ororo is like, that’s Scott. He cares, but you can’t see it. Maddy is reasonable in asking for some proof…like when you must show it.

Kitty almost reveals that Rachel is Baby Cable’s sister…because our people are like that a bit. Rachel psilinks with her baby brother.

To clarify, in her timeline there is no baby bro. In this timeline there is and she has so much hope. Liouse and Liefeld may have different ideas. But we will never know…I promise you that!

Oh this is rich. Scott is in his feels about Chuck not being their for him, as he has begun to not be their for his son from go. He is literally outside having these thoughts. Now he was raised in an orphanage and in a school that kidnaps super powered kids for war…oh and his genetic father abandoned his entire planet to play space pirates.

So I get it.

And he is asking for his kidnapper to be present.

Oh look…you just turn the page and there is his kidnapping Dad and his Abandonment Dad in space right now. Such proud grandpas. Well at least there is a worse father figure in Scott’s life.

What’s fun her is the Starjammers have Carol with them still. So that’s nice.

Fun banter around depression and shared responsibility is resulting in the prognosis of the Starjammers never getting Chuck home. Fine by me.

Chuck has love and his concerns of what if.

Sam is typing on a Mac his term paper, w/ Lila shirt on. And oops tech issues.

Outside the rest of the school plays their favorite pastime.

Rogue really is to good at outfield.

She and the Ball miss Air Force One with Ronny on it…he will make his meeting with Sen. Dole.

Ewww

She kissed the glass and Ronny now has a secret.

Kitty can fix Sam’s apple, so now Sam is in love. This guy.

I guess it was a pain, even for Kitty.

OhKitty is going to get glasses. 🤓

Oh gee…Ororo lent Scott and Maddy the loft and that effects where Kitty can shower…because they are fighting.

Scott is like, I have to stay and lead the ❌-Men…Maggie…Chuck… And Maddy is like Ororo… And Scott is like…she doesn’t have powers… And Maddy is like…Alaska

And I am like…Scott is the liability…he has a family and lacks interpersonal skills!

So Ororo walks into her room and proposes a duel. Because a decision must be made.

I’d Kurt drinking coffee or tickling someone?!

Dueling is illegal as far as I can tell at this point in NY.

So the the two duelers kick Maggie and the Mutants out of the Danger Room. One fall is all to loose. Scott to keep his blasters on low. Everyone is crowded in the observation deck. Logan is taking bets.

A city scape appears.

KRAZ

Scott missed.

Ororo gets the jump. Scott: “She’s blocking my optic blasters with my own arm.”

Is that not a fall?! His knee is on the ground. Now his back?

A debate is happening on the control room. Maggie seems on Scott’s side. Logan is on Ororo’s and says Scott simply can’t do the job. Kitty calls out his bias.

Scott’s distracted by thoughts of his family.

He has lost track of her, and she is right behind him.

Maddy is in the attic with her newborn and they are leaving for Alaska with or without Scott. She does want him though. A storm comes. From out of no where…Claremont writes this sometimes and every time I shrug.

Ororo avoids a blast and grabs Scott’s visor while flipping mid air.

The duel is over. He kneels.

He is consolatory on the outside and bewildered on the inside.

Epilogue:

Rachel is in her grandparents house. She is trying to fully connect with her Mother as best she can. She connects with her even on the Phoenix level. And someone takes note.

Seeing a film in Jacksonhole on May 4th, 1977 at age two, a live action Spidy on PBS’s Electric Company in 1978, and being handed copies of Tinitin by a friendly queer couple, the occasional spinner rack, neighbourhood used book store, Mr. Moppes, 4th grade friends lead to Elf Quest, a comic shop lead to back issues of Wolverine, a best friend providing a lesson on comic collecting, and here we are November 1985…a strange place to begin 1986.

Every comic up to this point was acquired through a back issue bin in CA, CO, GA, IL, VT, or through EBay, November of 1985-November of 2025. With the one exception of Wolverine 1-4.

Right here is where my personal journey intentionally begins. Everything that has happened to this point was driven by it happening to me, or by intentionally beginning my comics collection with this issue. X-Factor No. 1.

It would take me those 40 years to put this story together. Beginning at age 11, here at 50. This mid life crisis event in proper preparation for films that will tell an entirely different story. For the record here, an account of a version of the events we call the ❌-Men.

When the MCU gets a crack at the beginning of the story. Telling the world the way it is. In some ways it will reflect this beginning. Not the one I have carefully collected and at times halfhazardly put together through informed understandings, instinct, error, and kismet, beginning with December, 1980’s Uncanny X-Men No. 143. Not in the way the comics market place I was born into was set up; newsstands, spinner racks, used books, Rx, Airport, friends apartments, school libraries, adults gifts, magazine and newspaper distributors, and back issue bins at revolutionaries hang outs turned specialty collectors markets. Yes, this was begging at one of those markets, but this was through Phil Seuling’s direct market. From Marvel “directly” through Bud Plant co-owner/founder (W/ superfan comics evangelist Robert Beerbohm, & retailer Robert Beerbohm) of Comics ‘n Comix. In 1972, Seuling’s “direct market” scheme came alive…

…as did Comics n’ Comix on Telegraph Ave, in Berkeley. It would go one to me America’s first Comic Shop Chain, and they would put together The Bay Area’s first Comic Convention; Berkeleycon 73.

It was Seuling at NYCC in 1970, who convinced Bud Plant to drive around the US and distribute the Bay’s local cartoonist scene’s Underground Comix and then start up his own direct market mailing system for R. Crumb, Trina Robbins, Gilbert Shelton, Kim Deitch, Spain Rodriguez, Robert Williams, Victor Moscoso and eventually outside with Art Spiegelman etc…

It was here, NYCC, where Seuling would also work out a deal with Stan Lee/Marvel to “directly distribute” comics to shops; as I have previously documented in this 🧵.

Bud Plant had been approached by Wendy Pini and began publishing and distributing Elf Quest the same year I moved from the Rockies into town; 1978. Elf Quest would be republished by Marvel (as you see above) in 1985 (as you know).

Eventually Bud Plant would sell his distribution company to Diamond in 1988. Some held out like Last Gasp, but this market the beginning of an end of sorts…as it will contribute to the 1996 market collapse that close many comic shops, companies, and cartoonists careers, a contributing factor to Marvel bankruptcy, as they had developed their own distributor. And eventually Diamonds own bankruptcy last year (2025).

But before Comics ‘n Comix own closing in 2004, it was simply my local LCS (before we had the internet to make that distinction a rally cry for support of comics). I entered in the shop having been a casual browser with intention that fall day. And emerged, a comics collector. A monthly subscriber to the tradition of “picking up my book(s).”

And so another beginning of sorts; 83 issues into “to me my ❌-Men.” Any onramp or off ramp is perfect for your own continuity. This remains a celebration of that above all.

If you are familiar with Walter Simonson (and by now you definitely should be), you may note I can be forgiven for not realizing for decades this cover of X-Factor No. 1, which is also that poster, both of which I have clung to since ‘85/‘86, was by him. A fitting reality. As while I celebrate Walt and even more so Louise, since this day being influenced by them and being mindful of the full circle moment I had with them at the turn of the century, it will be spelled out, they kinda drove me off this title. I had no idea, it was Walt who truly make me convinced to pick it up, with this cover.

Walt was so on model with what Bob Layton and Jackson Guice were doing. It was clearly by design.

I am not 100% on this, but credit goes to Janice Chiang for her logo and lettering at Marvel and specifically (if Internet rumours are to be believed, as she is uncredited…the relentlessness of this BS…in this issue).

It was unusual for the lettering fall into the corner box and take over entirety of the top of the cover, but here Chiang pulls you in and across. Absolutely hooked me at 11.

“Because you demanded it - the dramatic return of the original ❌-Men.”

I haven’t done the research of who was doing this. My guess is a decade and half into the insular culture of Boomers in Comic Shops and their letter writing campaigns had brought enough influence of illusion to fake arse organic uproar over the absence of Jean. The clear deterioration of Angel, Beast, and Iceman, as they were trapped in titles that’s entire gimmick (which I celebrate) was a bad roommate sitcom. And Cyclops had spent most of the 80’s thus far being absent in relationships which were to this point more appealing in their small doses than the generation of Scott & Jean before it, and last we saw, he had his arse handed to him by the actual leader of the ❌-Men for the past decade, a depowered Ororo.

The OG ❌-Men were Marvel’s second Superhero team (after Fantastic Four by a yearish and before the Avengers by days), but in Jack Kirby’s hands…and I guess kinda Stan Lee’s…like the Avengers…they were not in a good comic. The ❌-Men (and the Avengers) were amongst both Kirby and Lee’s worst work ever. The Avengers improved (in their cheese way) in others hands, while Claremont, The A-Team, & A Pencil of the Year(s) would increasingly build a product that absolutely took over the entire North American comic book market place by the time this supposed demand was made.

Probably by letters and convention table hounding from guys names Bud and Robert.

Thankfully for Marvel (and me!) Chiang lettered the fuck out of this logo (and entire comic), and Walter stuck the landing by orchestrating an image design for me to pick it up and turn the page.

I don’t know who colored this cover, Petra, ‘Max’ or Glynis, but all are giants in my eyes and contributed to this masterfully.

Angel in the background pressing left to right sets up an eye that has three paths…setting up a ping pong visual experience that travels through Beast or maybe from the logo down a stalactite through a perfected designed Beast through Angel and down to a chiseled and familiar (dedicated audience of Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends) Iceman, who’s very Walter like effect of realizing iceballs brings you through Jean and Scott. While his foot mirrors the action and rhythm of their steps. Jean’s red hair flows compliments her costume green and yellow, which spoke to my A’s fandom, as does Scott’s blue and yellow to my Cal local pride. It’s no secret, as in Berkeley we were comfortable with this conversation, that Jean’s body was appealing to this preppubescent. The X designs on this costume for Scott and Jean (and Warren) broke up the traditional (iconic…I support the classic Superman look), and created a full form bodysuit that aligned with a more of the moment aesthetic. Not that mid century nostalgia, but the forward thinking mindset. The gloves and boots being yellow on both figures tied them together and made clear, the body’s are a different concern than the extremities. They connect directly to the mind. Which for Jean is covered barely, but enough for an illusion of concealment. The size of the holes for the eyes, brows and flesh, is a choice I still like, despite logic. The contrast with Scott required and always smartly designed head gear is a nice touch of…one being open to communication and the other closed off from feelings in general. Warren’s hair exposed in the red and white signifies to me lack of concern, as his legit privilege being a 1%er. Bobby completely covered and frozen exterior feeding a current and future narrative of his struggle internally and externally to navigate complex contexts of identity as one who prefers things as a goofball; light and gay. The Beast visage exposed fully as was a narrative pulled from the Defenders…

…an intellectual who is trying through open communication and logical force acceptance upon society. One that is directly feeling fear brewing because they can’t hear him as they are focused on what they see and are inside themselves.

Warren is the leader, as caboose, financially pushing, facilitating, observing, advising, relaxed in his genuine concern for what may not be his concern.

Hank is the leader in how he has a concept and process to try and achieve their ultimate goal of acceptance and freedom from fear.

Bobby is the follower, but only as far as it is in worthy service of achieving unseriousness so he doesn’t have to deal with what is actually inside…or perhaps by chance it results in that part not being a big deal. Whatever.

Jean is leader, as she is back from death and forced to deal with her brothers and lover by way of kidnapping and manipulation. The Mom, the woman, tasked with BS contexts of objectification (thankfully she is fictional), and the curse of knowing if she wants what is on everyone’s mind while also being able to brake them all down to nothing. She is literally zigging as Scott zags the powers emit from their heads.

Scott the anointed leader who is so insular, closed, regimented, conflicted, and emotionally unable to process that he tends to be well intended and takes actions through this code directly into the darkness or in this case…an inferno.

Oh look…Cap is there in the direct to market box. To remind us of the point. Anti- Fascist amongst home grown fascism, who anoint him their logo.

Don’t expect us, in this version of events, to get to into Walt and Liouse versions of events. As that is “the” version of “X-Factor,” is know for. I am Paradox.

Two of my favorite people in all of comics are not the initial architects of the corner of the adventure, and as they join their union, the Simonson’s make this their own, I find my exit of sorts. And I have never found compelling feelings to join the reality that they are “the ones.” For they are the ones I am aligned with.

I celebrate two who are the antithesis of my own perspectives. At least at times. They are far too well suited to present my version of events here. And despite Walt’s cover they get their first crack at it.

They being Bob Layton and Jackson Guice.

Now I don’t know Jackson. He, and obviously early influence here, spends these handful of issues, presenting a refined aesthetic that marriages these old arse ❌-Men, Bob Layton’s own style and perspectives, Jim Shooters own corporate on model Marvel preferences, and an important aesthetic bridge towards Paul Ryan’s pencils in DP7.

Guice is exceedingly professionally 80’s Marvel boring. And I feel at home here. As a starting point. A foundation that speaks to my generation and leaves all my mid-century nostalgic appetites as something that informed the 80’s but is also an exotica that fills my life like the illusional escape it truly is. This Guice, Shooter, Layton, Ryan point of view feels very accurate to the painfully exposed Ronald Reagan propaganda that I lived through as a child and informs directly and tragically apocalyptically unnecessarily my reality as an adult.

When I tabled at Vermont Comic Con, by chance I had been recruited to spearhead an educational corner of the event, given my local role in the community. Also, by chance, a local cartoonist was best friends with Bob Layton. And so here we were, the author of my doorway into this world, and myself, an educated explorer of this world. Bob’s vibe is what you expect. A gentile version of Stan Lee derivative. A balanced grounded sincerity of human kindness, classic comics pro salty disgruntle, and earned cracked verbose ego cover. I rather enjoyed our time, his frankness, and genuine care for his friend and my presence. It’s an after thought he signed my copy of issue 5 and gave me some download on his perspective on what happened between him and the Simonsons. I will remain vague here, but am happy to reveal the vibes.

The more important part here is, I felt either by being matched up through Jim Shooter’s design (maybe some from the Mikes…Carlin and Higgins as editors) with Guice or as a more heavy handed direction of Layton’s lead as writer…Guice and Walter both present a penciling that mirrors Bob Layton’s own penciling. This looks similarly to the Iron Man pages I saw Bob penciling as we talked. But I will credit Jackson, for it is perhaps his own nuanced and refined skills that truly captured me. As I am notoriously dismissive of Iron Man. Perhaps because of its propaganda of the Military Industrial Complex (I AM FROM BERKELEY AND AM BUYING COMICS HERE IN BERKELEY FIRST), but also because Mutants (WOKE or White Liberal Guilts…or Jewishness…analysis is up to you…good luck…w/ Mr. Paradox) compelled me and I always lead into a comic with aesthetics first and story a distract second. Which is to say, comics are all one and only work as they work as a single unit or don’t work for me at all, because the incarnation fails me.

This first page, of Alaska, a rural large home, a Madelyne holding a baby Cable (if I had known…I would be a painter now), a pile of logs, a man in to tight pants, and a pink triangulating shape diagonally exploding the vibe is visceral still. Perhaps, because it disrupts the propaganda of ideals we were sold and obliterates the family unit symbolically as had been my lived reality to that point in life.

Madelyne: “Congratulations, Mister Summers! You’ve just successfully showed those trees who’s boss in this family!”

*summing up the absurdity of my understanding of the illusion of our reality to that point. And illuminating what not to be in life as a Dude in it. She was not that off from the tone of my unbelievably accomplished single-mother.

But Layton makes sure to attempt to make this story centered around his perspective, not mine or certainly not my mother.

Narrator: “Lately Scott Summers’s life as an adventurer seems distant, indeed!”

Let’s sum this up. We are told to this point he was kidnapped by Chuck, set up to be out of his league romantically with Jean, who Chuck clearly had icky feelings about, and who was overblown as an important figure interpersonally with those in her life before she became a intergalactic genocidal murder and died…a supposed tragedy that rippled through the Marvel universe and personal relationships…but no so more tragically than his…despite his ironically an inability to communicate and process feelings in a way that reveals or address them…because something happened (we don’t know…and we will have limited understanding perhaps…as we ignore The Simonsons) beyond simply nearly dying falling from an airplane, gaining guilt with the survival of his brother, and abandonment from a Mother (who know where, thus his painful to read relationships with women…written here by perhaps similarly prepared for such a task) and a father who left to be a space pirate…who is now hanging with his kidnapping manipulative father figure in space…lost of this weird guidance and modeled behavior…Scott had a code and it failed him in his relationships with two women who have been at least an enjoyable match to read about, Lee (who is now dating the frienemmy of his kidnapper father figure…of which spoiler there is more than one) and his current wife (a duplicate of his dead Ex). It also failed him in his anointed and duty bound ties to playing leader of a team, he abandoned years ago…and officially got out from under, because a more capable and equally tragic women simple handless her shit better. And here he has failed every step of a baby Cables life and every moment of marriage since conception. And yet, it is Rachel, his other universe, daughter that has real reasons for my empathy.

Naturally, I am six month shy of reading Uncanny X-Men 208 at this point, so I don’t actually understand this. I am not aware of Rachel at all. But that immediately changes in May 1986.

So am enjoying a perspective presented by Bob that runs counter to my Bay Area bubble and is aligned with my Vacaville cousins experiences.

The next two pages are to wordy for me. Bob is following Claremont’s lead perhaps. And Janice is doing excellent work. But I was trained by Mark Kneece to be pithy (in comics…not here…or in person) and I am partial to Jim Woodring’s Frank…so feeling like…do I actually need to read this again…while also seeing two pages that are visually really relevant and connected to me.

Okay, so TV says that Bill is still going through legislative processes…you know the one that links Val and Mystique and thus Forge to all this…Rom and Rogue and Ororo…yadda yadda…also Maddy is pissed about the logs (which I was about a year away from having as a household chore to do…so I kinda would get into this scene a bit to much)…oh and she asked for him to help parent…and he is like “No Problem!”

It’s been avoidance central and a massive problem.

This statement of the legislation requiring mutant registration and then Scott’s of “they can’t do that,” juxtaposed with every day of my life ESPECIALLY these days…comics are absolutely political, reflective of reality, an influential propaganda, AND prognostic…maybe because it’s a damn loop…or spiral.

Surprise…Scott did not bring fresh diapers…’cause distracted by being a mutant.

Scott: “It’s not that simple.”

I present day, got news for him. It really is. The world is collapsing around you. Do what you can on your doorstep…hell…on the floor in your living room. You are a Dad.

Bob does a nice job of presenting this…spending time presenting Madelyne’s side, through her voice. At this point it is clear that she is the one who is seeing things for what they are and is a grounded relatable person. Including the obvious…she looks like Jean. Scott tries to bottle it up. Naturally. We know what’s coming with Maddy, but this version is my preferred version. This Maddy, the Jean we are about to see, and the Rachel we have been and will see…those are the red heads in Scott’s life I hear and respect.

This third page is perfect. Paradox approves. Look, in art and in life this is the space we occupy. The middle. The muddle. The process. The unresolved. There is an impactful, relatable, real, and beautiful heartache that recognition and centering an impasse provides. Sometimes we have quieted moments of peace. We live for those. But most of the time, we live. And this page provides that sense of living.

In superhero comics, in our western traditions of forging a narrative of adventure that centers us, in our colonization, in our cowboy nature, in our war culture, in our click bate, in our extremes like the aesthetic that birthed Image comics, in our pornography, climaxed release, our death cults, our lust for power, our endorphins at destroying in delusions of heroic posing, in our projections of facing fear that is ourselves, in these storied moments to be seen remember and liked…those are failures and fleeting moments. The real work and accomplishment are the struggle itself. And the struggle is not the release of a win or death…the struggle is like this page.

A repeated pattern. A look of loss in thought. A desire to not be scene, but clearly being scene by a loved one. At a moment of realization, love is slipping away as this is the impasse that has been moving all along. Naming what is and knowing the process is not at end or beginning. Recognizing it just is.

Yes sorrow and frustration in a silent panel…but also acceptance, resolve and the paradox.

A reflection of real life behaviour and beauty in a funny book.

The page turn from an approximation of “for real” outside Anchorage to an Angel flying aloft the escape 1% posses in an architectural structure on the Rocky Mountains in New Mexico…we can see the pool…and we can feel the gaping space development between what we label the middle and the elite…all just human (mutant) narrative struggles with perspective. And this is 1970’s to 1980’s. Just wait till 2025. All you can do is just laugh it is 1900.

The centered below as foreshadowed, in Chapter 13, January, 1984’s New Defenders 130 ⁠for us indicating perhaps the process of eroding our illusions of escapism, idealism, youthful naivety, funny joys in this pulp.

So sorry if this is escapism. If that is what you tell yourself. For this is and has been where you process this so called life.

By the pool.

Bob makes the point to highlight WWIII (an unfortunate or utilitarian set of initials via Stan Lee) “the object of more than one woman’s desire.” Candy Southern becomes an afterthought, but hopefully in this recounting we remember her as the one who Warren flew off to that fateful Christmakkah night at the beginning of our story in 1980; discovered Warren’s feathers and nothing more as has been our first crucifi❌ion revels a monster horror wealth gap; as the third wheel in a bathtub with Amanda, her lover Nightcrawler, as Amanda is asked by Ororo to tend to her; as a fellow artist at a drafting table; as the ear to which Warren refers to the ❌-Men as a gang and as the Defenders as taking responsibility…ironic being that is a roommate romcom. She is to be remembered in this scene for more base impressions.

Inside, literally carrying the baggage (as Warren doesn’t carry baggage, and Scott thinks he doesn’t have his friends or teammates do such a thing as that seems to be all they are saddled to do) down stairs of an architectural delight.

Bob writes Hank and Bobby, “attempts to start new - - more normal — lives.” They only have the ones.

Hank: science mumblings Bobby: “Well - - I’ll sleep easier knowing that!”

Their act is tight.

The page turns again to our moment of delight and what could have been. “Innocent play,” “boys will be boys,” sophomoric acts just having fun…the moments I expect from Layton and crew.

The pool time is here…but it is not Bobby or Hank…they are simply talking with Candy…posed as she may be my Jackson. For here comes WWIII swooping in to lift her from her floaty in the storied pool.

Candy: “Oh Warren! You silly boy! HA, HA, HA! Bobby: “Positively morose isn’t he!”

At apparently WWIII down on the idea his roommates and best friends are giving up on the… Candy: “Hero Biz.”

They were never in it. They were the Defenders, not the Avengers. They were ❌-Men. A “gang.”

Dangling Candy, the three boys continue a days worth of postmortem debate on a superhero team that never was more than roommates and romances, because the house was destroyed and roommates died.

Bobby: “But Warren, maybe…”

Warren: “No!…”

Hank: “Let’s not part ways like this…It is difficult to acquiesce to failure.”

Welcome to comics Hank.

Above humans work for the man.

“Yeah, yeah! Sure the pay is good, but I still don’t like workin’ for the Mutie Freaks!”

“I wonder what Mutie powers she has?”

“Obviously, the power to make construction workers breathe funny!”

“Did you get a look at here?”

…yes…at 11 and 50 I can see, ink on paper…

Potentially famous last words for us all. As their rig brakes and they fall off the side of a mountain…

…SPLOOSH into the pool Candy is dropped, so of course the “Mutie” “roommates” can reflexively “superhero” saving their haters despite theirs and her dignity.

At least it is inelegant and more than Candy ends in the pool.

A scene leaves decades of an impression.

We are approaching the end of Candy Southerners part. She has two more issues to play a part in.

As far as this scene, the final pages continue the expertly and professional cartoonist’s cartoonist double page 4-18 layouts.

The dialogue brings the bigotry into a soft landing of a pay raise for the workmen and a mild joke to that effect.

Transitions into Hank wrapping up reflection, in self deprecating fashion (cartoonists and Jewish tradition and trade practices) that without Scott or Chuck leadership the results are comical and unrefined…Candy brings a truth to it with the reality they just saved lives. Who cares about the style. And frankly I’m thinking about the training and muscle memory and am pretty dismissive of the way they were pointed as a weapon, but admire the process of work to get to the point where by instinct they can’t help themselves. A compelling narrative.

Warren wraps the visit with crediting Bobby and Hank with the quality of people and friends they are. Forgiving all of them, him included grace in having joy going forward and putting a pin in heroing as intent.

Leaving it as don’t be a stranger and Bobby leaves it at of course when broke I’ll call.

As they take off he repeats his admiration.

Candy: “You’re not going to get all sentimental on me now, are you?”

Candy recommends the pool. Warren wonders if this is a good idea in the interest of workers safety. He runs across a forgotten bag of Hanks with a narratively conveniently placed photo of the “classic” five ❌-Men. And then naturally the phone rings with Reed Richard’s on the phone. And like that Hank is set to fly off in his bathing shorts and a jet to NYC.

Candy: “You’re not going to leave me alone with a house full of construction workers, are you?!” 💬“Hmmmm! On second thought…” 💭

And so we are left for now with thoughts implied…thank you page turn Jetsons amd Galtar ads…that was close.

We are not in NYC. We are as far from there as you get in the continental US; San Diego.

It’s weird how the brain mixes things up. I read this first with zero connection to the Navy. I probably was thinking of the Naval ships in San Diego, as I had spent time visiting my Uncle, Aunt and Cousins there. But as far as a military family, we were an Army family. Grandfather WWII Patton’s Army, Dad ‘Nam Dodger. But seven months after reading this the first time, I would be feeling prepubescent angst towards a strange driving a convertible with girls in it, kicking up dust of the camp grounds our families had been traditionally attending. Only to be moving into his father’s house 13 months after that and celebrating his graduation from Annapolis, making fun of Dan Quails speech 36 months after that. And then being so grateful he and his family, my brothers family was there in the final months of my mother’s life a bit over a year ago now. We having been transformed through many watchings of Top Gun and the bound brothers form through time. Transformed into a Navel family in real time. Not the nostalgia for a past, before my days.

In my head, these pages are part of that, but that is impossible.

Rusty Collins doesn’t realise this, but he is about exchange one creepy tradition of war for another. Though one is real and other is fictional.

He is on a ship, he is a young sailor, and Chief is set on corrupting the youth, as was Chuck to Scott and friends decades earlier. The retire to a strip club/bar that looks more like saloon inside and a standard 80’s strip on the outside. Rusty is introduced by Chief to his “Ol’ friend,” Emma La Porte!

The page turn continues Jackson Guice’s expertise, with an additional element. 🔥

Emma takes the boy outside to the alleyway and as things heat up in her complicity of corruption it triggers literal burning and ignition. Triggering Rusty’s mutation and revealing one of the more visceral and horrifying of such events. His expression captures what has happened. Emma is no more and Rusty screams for help as he exits onto the street.

Rusty: “Somebody help meeeeeee!!”

It’s tragic.

What is sticking is these pages actually depict a more mature Rusty. To me he is deaged and doesn’t seem to grow is at all from this moment. He seems less so…until…I finally will loose interest, after this striking moment of empathy.

Angel arrives at JFK on his private jet and runs into the terminal half dressed as he forgoes shirt and tie, because massive bird wings, causing a scene which includes a tiny women who is being played as a fat phobic joke, but not to me. The page ends with another nugget of “Mutie freaks!”

It’s time to appropriately focus on a trend here. When I think of this comic I think of how Jackson Guice illustrates men’s far to tight pants. Scott had some one page particular that has been my head since 1986 and this seems to be a thing throughout. As now warren has some. Usually it is the calf, but here his thighs are ridiculous. In the exotic fan fic I promise I am not writing that felled women is having a hell of a day…oh shoot…another page turn…another impeccable double page this time 9 expertly laid out panels.

Angel flying through the scene yelling Doctor Richards is heated and saved by an actual Doctor Richards who spreads his chest out as a rubber sheet protecting the mutant from the scene he created. And so they are to head to the roof and the Avengers mansion.

I am so thankful I had not read the Fantastic Four or the Avengers issues that lead to this moment before this month. The unfolding from this issues perspective, free of the spoiling details there (pictured above in the 1985 pull list aesthetic dump)…

Oh…Avengers Mansion is a 20 minute flight from JFK…via Fantastic Car or mutated wings.🪽

We now know Jean Grey is alive. Now keep in mind, I don’t know who Jean Grey is. Like at all. I am not sure which path is preferred. But I feel privileged having experienced this in both ways…November 1985 Wolverine reader, and here “to me my ❌-Men.” Not the way my usual introduction to the character goes…in between these 40 years to many times.

“Help her adjust?!”

Reed, Warren, so Bob sets us up.

Warren is impatient and Reed advises caution and information. I am of two minds. Unknowing (1985). Cautiously optimistic (2026).

“Meanwhile” back in San Diego, the Navy in fire suits have taken in one of their own. Labelling him “Mutant.”

Chief is out of his mind with fear, hate and blame.

Rusty, “finds only…fear!” -B. Layton

In five panels we are left with Warren and contemplation we are not often afforded with him. As trying as it is for him, it is nice for us.

We learn he feels responsibility, insight, and conflict. We learn he takes his time. Has a process. We know now he understands his friend Scott. He cherishes his marriage, in one hand, more than Scott does it might seem. He also has repressed and will continue to repress feelings of romance for Jean. Perhaps not doing Candy, Jean, Maddy, Scott or himself any favors. We may never know and the privilege turned tragedy that is WWIII is deepened in this moment. In a different way from his time of crucifi❌ion.

I have mentioned before the awakening of my realization that as far as the original ❌-Men go in terms of character, Warren ironically is my favorite. Especially in moments like this where his privilege becomes irrelevant.

He has real feelings of care and protection of Jean. He is being lead by her desire. He understands that this will trigger Scott into action. A prediction of knowing the frailty of his friend in terms of following the trail of responsibility to in my judgment the wrong conclusion. Thus, keeping Warren from going down the path of potentially being off course himself. But I feel for Candy and for him, in that it keeps alive for a bit longer a relationship of care, but not passion and dedication to each other housed in a repressed lie. He thinks he would be preserving a family unit, by not making the call, but as is always the case, keeping a family together in a context of a lie only fails the child. And this telling the narrative doesn’t have the heart to tell you how absurdly far Marvel takes this. Well, when it comes to the kid. The wife…that’s another matter.

Same with Warren and Candy. To a point.

And so on the apposing page, on the other end of the line, in Alaska. Scott’s presentation of an apology housed in once again a false proclamation, Maddy asks for him to answer the phone as she tends the actual work on hand…I guess he is drying a dish. Whelp, Jackson Guice is equitable in how depicts folks in pants…the gutter is what it is…these panels are working on multiple levels…we feel for Maddy in multiple ways. Scott doesn’t even say the name…he just “I got to go!” And with a twin panel to who we left her, silent desperation, heart ache, rage, resolute. The page turns.

Half a day later, Scott is being escorted by a security force in the Waldorf-Astoria up to a fully costumed Angel (I like this version) and then through a door to his heart who has been told nothing. That has been left to him. We see Jean…looking classy.

She is in his arms. She is resisting his confusion and boundaries.

Jean: “who else loves you this much?”

A.A. MiIne & E.H. Shepard’s Winnie-the-Pooh

Scott is not equipped at all for a moment like this.

These two have known each other intimately since 1963…here we are November of 1985 and he is crying in her presence for the first time.

My pathetic number of tears in adulthood is positively totally fine now.

Jean: “Now that we’re back together things will be just like they used to be!”

Sooooo…we totally skipped that part for reasons.

Also…

This is getting uncomfortable.

Warren pops in because…uncomfortable is what we do…I think I said that earlier.

Scott’s assessment: “Ah…yes. Wonderful.”

Not fluent in sarcasm? Sorry.

And so we transition to the explanation from Warren, via Reed’s version of the events, in the hands of Layton and Guice. Which is as much as I knew for…well probably a decade after this. I learned different in college. Like for real…I studied this a bit in college…it was required.

Outer space skirmish. Ok fine. I speak Star Wars, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica…and I had a Fantastic Four coloring book. I get it.

Framing Jean as the hero (not a genocidal creep), sacrificed herself. I was raised a feminist, am absolutely comfortable in this space, might have a case of kink for female empowerment…go on…

Jean didn’t make it out. It was assumed she would die. Sacrifice…superheroes?! am I right?! or not women in refrigerators?!

Love how Scott interrupts with, “I was there!”

And Warren is like chill dude.

Wait, what kinda messiah gibberish is this…Jean arises and is the pheonix reborn…only it is not her…just a…wait…how many Jean looks alikes does this story have?

Oh wait maybe this is when she committed genecide…honestly I don’t care enough.

Point is, she died a second time. Or the Phoenix did. She killed herself because…

Mike Judge’s Beavis

Warren: “That’s why I was giving you the build-up Scott!”

Week ago (in Avengers comic) Avengers investigated strange sea floor rock formation. And then they delivered and consulted with the Fantastic Four (in Fantastic Four comic) and then Jean Grey was released from formally berried capsule.

Warren is basically, Phoenix was such a great copy of Jean she killed herself because that what the right human thing to do was…that’s what Jean would have done.

So we are supposed to trust this is Jean and not just another clone…Scott has one already in Alaska. And a real baby. These folks have all been tricked before including the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and ❌-Men (assuming…this is our first…sorry 83rd comic). Like they have a Rachel and a Maddy running around already. Did Marvel need this. What kinda Multiple Man tricks we got here. Where is…

…her body healed but not her telepathy.

Jean: “Oddly enough…my telekinetic powers have been increased dramatically by the experience!”

So, I don’t mind this. Happy to simplify and eliminate powers…and definitely for a women having more power. Paradox approves.

Uh oh…Jean has her own questions.

If this had happened in the age of the internet and SM this could have been much worse. She is reading newspapers, magazines…maybe some tabloids and fan letters. She is at…

“Mutantkind is almost on the verge of extinction!”

Now this was my first, “mutant extinction” accusation, and here we are 95 issues into this, and frankly…it’s beginning to loose its impact. Image reading this and watching this monthly…sorry weekly…oops daily for 63 years. You can see how we get to where we been going.

Ulp Scott is downplaying. And Jean is ready to act…apparently the Avengers are her source for the interpersonal dynamics at the School…so Maggie being the head and Chuck being gone are nonstarters for Jean. Jean is appalled at Scott’s apathy…

And now she is about to get a taste of Warrens nuances have lead him to enjoying life.

Page turn….

Yup.

Warren is like…

I hung up my tights…as he is wearing his tights.

Jean: “WHAT?”

Jean tries to get Scott to support her…and Scott is like actually, my arse got handed to me by a depowered Ororo so I get where Warren is coming from. We kinda suck at this!

And Jean is like…wait…you actually tried working with Maggie…like as a teammate?!

Scott: “Well…I…”

Jean invokes Chuck’s supposed dream…as her powers…which at first of rings of wavy lines as she has been acting her arse off in these pages (folks don’t understand, cartoonist work with the human form as actors do with their instruments their bodies…we literally see the characters as actors in scenes).

And so at the bottoms panel, any reservations I have about Jean go out the window…er…

Jean: “- - I’m not going to stand around twiddling my thumbs while our kind is totally wiped from the face of the Earth!”

KER - THOOM

(Excellent J. Chiang)

out the wall…as it has been blown to rubble revealing a huge window with pink furniture flying through. The coloring in this comic is on point.

Jean in an effective power stance with powers enacted.

I’m with her…I don’t even know why. I don’t even think I agree.

Jean floats out and around…then boys are boys…”confused” well Scott is…like I said…not capable here. Warren has a goal…fly after her…and that also looks iconic.

Jean in her head blames the red hair…I would say something, but I have red headed students to support this take.

Warren eagle eyes and wings track Jean down. They are cooking up something.

Then in seven panels staggering portions of two pages, a scene that in my mind took four full pages, Hank is interviews and rejected for an academic and research position for the fifteenth time, in which they openly sight bigotry towards mutants, because lawsuits were not a concern in this context, and so he wonderfully strips out of his shirt and the hairball jumps out the window onto a revolutionary or civil war figure (either way, poignant) and is approach by I can only assume…

Kermit the frog

Of course this is our first site of Cameron Hodge. And we are building our case that as wonderful comparatively WWIII is, he is THE ENABLER, and struggles with boundaries designed to protect himself from his friends and his peoples. His privilege is possible at the root of both these hypothesis.

And in three panels Bobby Drake gleefully leaves his desk at Harras, Anderson, and Brown freezing the water cooler and streaks in ice as he leaves everything behind.

Six hours later, just before the approaching dusk, they meet at their new office via helicopter on the Lower East Side along the waters edge. Like I said, enabler. Inside this dull architectural marvel is Warren with wings covered like he is Superman. And he springs Jean on them. Beast gives her his patented hug lift it’s been to long greeting…in this case…thought you were dead.

And that’s when Jean and Warren spring there, we have a plan…but we need Scott’s news. Which is basically the opposite of what they need and the opposite of what Warren last told Bobby and Hank about life going forward.

Sunset at Jamaica Bay where Jean “died” and Scott thinks his problems started…Scott looks like he has been standing there like…well…

But with a five o’clock shadow and shades.

Hank and Bobby who really only care about getting the band back together after the reality of bigotry and the mundanity of passing for assimilated had clarified what “joy” is…they are exactly the tool Warren and Jean need to catch a fish. And so, I suppose in a way they save Maddy from a pathetic excuse for a Dad and husband Scott is…and the band is back together. For better or worse.

What is billed as the most important meeting of their lives happens. Lead by Warren and his “public relations representative” Cameron Hodge.

The most boring person in this book…and frankly we will wish he remains so…I limit the collateral damage where I can here. Promise.

Hank estimates it is a similar sales pitch to Chuck. So lame…and effective.

He brakes it down to “locate and somehow gain trust of the growing population of mutants in everyday society. After providing them with the necessary training to control their…um (do not trust this guy)…gifts we can return them to society to live quiet, safe, productive lives.”

He goes on to say in his personal expertise on PR as a corporate stooge they have developed “a viable system for defusing the problem of mutant hysteria by turning it upon itself!”

Scott’s again impatient as he co-wrote the manual.

Hodge continues: “Our organization will capitalise on human beings’ distrust of mutants by posing as mutant deterrent agency.”

For the record it is Bobby and Hank that are alarmed and vocalised this immediately.

I found it interesting right off at 11 and kinda still find it a bit novel, that the branding of the agency is X-Factor. That really we are buying the cover story. The bigoted propaganda. Also, Hodge has already been airing and distributing ads, before the team even assembled. Which was Summers turn to have a reaction again.

Meanwhile, Rusty is in a military jail, and Chief has gained entrance to exact some personal vigilante justice, only this of course literally reignites Rusty and the Chief and the building are aflame. Explosively.

Somehow the Chief survived. His arms bandaged he goes to his local watering hole where they know him as “Fish.” He tells them why he is banged up and the ad comes up. Bar keep points him in that direction.

X-Factor

New outfits, same tight pants. Jean is showing off the X-Factor cover uniform. Blue with thinner white stripes.

Warren’s jet is already branded red with ❌ on the wings.

They fly across country, meet with Fish, change into their costumes on the cover, and it’s a matter of muscle memory, it takes a few pages, but they have confronted, escalated, negotiated, deescalate, and captured another student…as they once were. Only we know the bill. $42K to be paid by Chief Fish. Back in the Lower East Side, they settle Rusty into his new reality.

Angel: “Hook line and sinker.”

Final three panels. Same moment in Alaska. Maddy alone, X-Factor ad on the tv is background noise to her alone with her thoughts and a baby.

Next: BillSif