Punch Up: “To Me My ❌-Men”
Chapter Thirty-Two:
1985
Longhsot
June-October, 1985 Longshot 1-6 by A. Adams, Anderson, Portacio, Williams, C. Scheele, Rosen, Nocenti + Louise
Mixtape tracks: Baby Love by Mother's Finest, Freakin Out by Death, How Low Can a Punk Get by Bad Brains, Fascist Pig by Suicidal Tendencies, Beestie Boys by Beastie Boys, Greed by Faith No More
Chapter 31 of “to me my ❌-Men,” in which we read through the six issue limited series which introduces my favorite male character in the Marvel Universe; Longshot. A masterpiece in its own right masterpiece; Chapter 7’s Wolverine, Chapter 17’s Demon Bear, Chapter 21 & 31’s Life Death, Chapter 27’s Legion, being our other four+ masterpieces, thus far. Longshot IS patient zero for both Image Comics and Deadpool. If you enjoyed ❌-Men ‘97 then you should enjoy the ❌-Men in 1985.
Previously on “to me my ❌-Men,” we have sifted through 25¢ bins and spinner racks, to discover The Holidays, horror, Mid 20th Century zaniness, mystery, romance, bar fights, coffee talk, bigotry, That Kidnapped Life, the fetishizing of Japanese culture, interstellar and inter dimensional time travel, hocus pocus, demons, gods and monsters, hybrids, robots, mutants, Life-Death, four+ masterpieces, and Spiral’s fourth appearance and her ❌-Men debut as a member of Freedom Force. So we go back three Spiral issues and move forward from there.
Vince Colletta first pencil gig for Marvel was an Atlas title, Mystery Tales, in 1953. In 1983 he penciled a number of stories in a Marvel anthology one-off called the Marvel Fumetti Book. He was assisted by Terry Austin, Bill Sienkiewicz, and an Arthur Adams who was making his debut. Art’s next penciling gig was Longshot.
Lost in the history of the founding of Image Comics are scores these moments of influence. How Neal Adams and Colletta had influence on Miller and Sienkiewicz; How Jo Duffy mentored Miller; How Denny O’Neil facilitated Miller’s rise; What Frank Miller and Bill Sienkiewicz were doing to disrupt the form, function, process and business of comics; How Silvestri’s first Marvel penciling gig was on Conan and Louise Jones Simonson was his editor; Like Marc Silvestri’s on his co-founders approach to the page and style; Todd McFarlane, Rob Liefeld and Jim Lee were influenced by Silvestri, but even more so by Art Adams; How Claremont, Denny, Louise and Nocenti all partnered up and were bridges from past to the future. You don’t have Art Adams without Louise and Ann Nocenti’s collaboration on Longshot. All these little connections resulting in pushing the medium and business.
Adams may be the single most influential living American comics creator.
You certainly don’t have Deadpool if not for Art Adams. And that is because you don’t have Deadpool without Longshot.
Cue Scorpions, Ratt, Dokken, Skid Row, Mötley Crew, Queensrÿche, Guns ‘n Roses, Judas Priest, Lucifer, Dio, Ozzy, Iron Maiden, Joe Satriani. Cue Hair Summer mix tape.
We have our fifth+ masterpiece to explore.
I am assuming Christie Scheele is coloring and Joe Rosen is lettering this cover. Not sure if it Art himself or if it is Bill Anderson or Whilce Portacio or a combination that are inking this cover. The team who ever they create a single image masterpiece here. It has compelled me since the day I first saw it. Pencils by Art Adams.
However this is not my first impression of Longshot or Art Adams.
In March of 1987, I had kinda given up on X-Factor the summer of ‘86, had been actually thrown off by the Marvel 25th Anniversary issues, as it was to much of an investment. AND my life path had been codified, on Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, hours before Comics n Comix opened. For in the window hung the cover of Elektra Assassin No. 1. I wanted to get into one comic. That’s what I could afford, financially, time wise, emotionally. In that moment I officially became a cartoonist. Something I have been considering since I was 4. Now at 11, it was settled. I was going to follow Bill Sienkiewicz. And so not feeling the marketing of Marvel to pick up everything, and compelled to pick up Elektra that day, I stepped away from X-Factor and the ❌-Men. However, that limited series ended in February of 1987. And so here I was in March in the market for what’s next.
I had been deeply impacted back in May as summer of ‘86 approached, by Uncanny X-Men 208; my first ❌-Men comic. I had been collecting X-Factor since No. 1 in November of 1985. Prior to that the Wolverine limited series back issues had sustained me since I discovered them late in 1984. And Shang-Fu began getting me to flirt with the idea of collecting comics, not just trying to make them and occasionally have them take over my mind like Tintin or Elf Quest had in the past.
So with Elektra maturing my expectations, it would take something that hybrid the youthful joy of my 10 year old self and rapidly maturing pallet of my 11 year old self, and here was Uncanny X-Men No. 218 cover by Art Adams and interiors by Marc Silvestri. Rogue, Dazzler, Psylocke (original version) and Longshot. This was my first encounter with Art (and Marc) and Longshot. I had my new series. I would remain a dedicated reader beyond the telling of this story. Outstaying my interest in the storytelling, when in May of 1992, as I turned 17, a Jim Lee Longshot cover and a Whilce Portacio Storm cover served as my exit. One I should have taken two and two thirds of a years prior. But back in March of 1987, I saw Longshot by Art Adams and then in July when Uncanny X-Men Annual 11 came out (my first encounter with Alan Davis), somehow discovering that there had been a Longshot limited solo series and I tracked down every back issue and so here we are. Revisiting the introduction of my favorite characters in the Marvel Universe.
(Editing this on Saturday, April 18, 2026…with zero intention of erasing mentions of The Jen being my number one up to this point, or Kitty and Ororo having their own stints with the absurdist activity of ranking and calling out a number one…but I am transitioning into a phase where Longshot is being saddled with the title and it has upended the order of things for the first half of this diary. However, it will work well for the second half. Who knows, I may get into the why, and why now sometime…so removed a qualification of gender and some silly statement about Longest being No. 3 forever…he is number one today!…Saturday, April 18, 2026. My avatar).
The corner box of Longshot No. 1 has Longshot and Pup posed with a green background that works as part of a secondary color scheme with Pup and the impression of Spiral’ orange, and the exterior of a circles purple with interior linework of Gog. The neon tones of which concise with a blue and the pink colored and magenta line worked Mojo. We are about to introduced to all of them inside. With the exception of Spiral, who we had just seen in the pages of Uncanny ❌-Men.
Longshot is in his iconic black leather METAL gear. Boots give him a sturdier bace than most superhero gear. His left leg housing a knife sheath. On the apposing side a large sheathed knife is strapped to his outer thigh. A Han Solo/Star Wars styled utility belt pockets pick up this zig zagging stile going up his body. An Indiana Jones styled satchel and a Western bandolier holding Longshot’s signature Throwing Knives form an X. Foreshadowing his affiliation. A star effect emblem on the right side of his chest. His chiseled delicate features, his battle ready three fingers and a thumb. His blond mullet (the only character and person this look has ever worked on) complete the looks as he and Pup are poised to pounce. This costume will be accessorised by Leifled to create Deadpool. The reflective star is on Spiral’s blade. It will appear as part of Longshot’s power in his left eye. This has been seen before in Marvel comics, and will soon become the symbol for Starbrand in the New Universe. It significantly affected me as an icon.
This comic is 75¢. We are no longer paying 65¢. I really entered into this regularly at this new price point.
“Stan Lee presents A MAN WITHOUT A PAST”
I am all in. Both feet.
Gorg and his troops, in the background, chasing a Longshot, his right eye aglow. Longshot has no idea why he is being chased or why their shots are not landing.
It’s intense, an ideal place to begin a character. Ann and Art have this from go.
Longshot has another pocket; right boot outer side.
Nocenti and Adams are co-creator credited. Jim Shooter the editor-in-chief has as interesting a background as Stan Lee. Both men are paradoxical in how they conducted themselves in this role. Shooter implemented in a number of creative control edicts that were driven by IP, marketing deals, and social identity politics (bigotry), that impacted creators control over their content. He essentially drove cartoonist to actively work to push him out (which they did with a burning effigy made of New Universe comics in Byrne’s backyard). However, this like the 60’s created a crucible of creative growth and market growth. One significant irony and contributor was his advocacy and implication of benchmarks based compensation on the basis of royalties for creation of characters.
It remains unclear to me how Longshot fits into this going forward. Do Ann and Art gain more than current and previous creators under these deals? Is that why we have seen so little use of Longshot? It would be interesting to know how much of any they gained from the use of the characters as a toy in Jubilee’s bedroom in ❌-Men ‘97. Will we never see the characters in the MCU? Does this deal contribute to this?
Longshot tries to communicate with those who are clearly out to get him. The use of deescalation should really be utilised more in superhero comics. This is a sane persons approach to finding a solution. It doesn’t work of course and he is bailed out my a teleportation circle. He and Pup jump though. As do a few perusing him.
“Yawning time bends over space which wraps around time - - performing an impossible contrary dance…swallowing the runner…a few others…and the rest are caught - - neither here nor there! And they pause for an eternal instant, held in that place…where all has been…and all is yet to come…and we’re the future is already the past.” -Ann Nocenti
“Upstate New York” We never get clarity on this. The NYC perspective on this is annoying. You would think Vermonter and friend of Ann’s, Frank Miller would have said something as this comic came out.
A series of lucky chances happen to local folks as Longshot and Pup fall into an intersection.
A kid is like “Oboy! I can buy comics and candy…an’ comics!”
We learn in this moment he is incredibly attractive (he has a models bone structure)…superhumanly. He is a welcomed spectacle to the surrounding crowd (this is NOT Upstate New York). The decanting view is the formerly sexiest man on the block, “he’s dressed funny…”
Of course Longshot starts asking his philosophical or as everyone thinks, “nuts,” “skittish,” “on drugs” questions. So the “punko junkie” makes a run for it, as his lone support, a wise elder says, “my saviour…” because he literally did save her from a falling gargoyle head filled with hidden coins.
The Mojoverse apparently has no sun, and Longshot is confused by it and overwhelmed. He also expects light to be companied by “spitfires” as it was before he went through the portal.
“This godless place…godless? What’s that word mean? What’s it doing in my head?” -Longshot
Longshot is an innocent. Which doesn’t mean he is. It’s a perspective. A state of mind. I identified with it in 1987 and frankly identify with it in 2025.
Oh, I forgot, he doesn’t recognise his own face, and wonders whose it is. That kinda blew me away.
This is when Eliot approaches him. Saying they are from the “same side of the tracks,” and complimenting him on his “fallout gear.” Eliot is a conspiracy theorist, who clearly took the Webelos preparedness lesson a bit farther than I am comfortable going. He is the first legitimate sign we are in Upstate New York. If alive, we know who he voted for.
I can’t help but love Eliot. Ack they are being chased by a crowd. They totally know Elliot (another sign of this being Upstate New York) and they are after Longshot, as the two split up.
Longshot found it incredibly easy to outrun the posse. Thinks of the pace of the place as slow.
Longshot is reflective, he doesn’t know his own name. He has a sense of humor about the whole thing. Another aspect I identify with. I was and sometimes still am confused by others socials coding (though I think I have developed an excellent ability to decode because of this…because survival) and had to have a sense of humor about the entire thing.
These two pages are probably the most amusing two pages I have read in Marvel comics. He is so annoyed by manakins not being able to communicate, and then when he enters the store and the clerk she tries to sell to him and flirts with him, making him bashful and more confused. And as she teaches him about the context as he gains a trench coat, a delightful joke about capitalism is made. The clerk is like, he “nuts,” “story of my life,” whelp time to call the Po-Po.
“Is pure soul and spirit enough?” -Nocenti
Longshot is getting deep. What is it he really needs? Since he is a “clean slate.” “Love,” this question is perfect for this ❌-Men reader. “I’m scared. But I must have had dreams…”
Instinctively he throws his blades at Pup. Who he seems to be noticing for the first time. Pup can talk.
Pup is lost like Longshot, but doesn’t know how to get “home.” Longshot is totally confused and seems to not even realise he is in another dimension. Pup is aware enough to understand he is confused, but keeps that to himself. Longshot meets up with Eliot at his bunker. Pup disappears as Longshot is attempting to introduce him to Eliot.
I like Eliot, because I am obsessed with his bunker.
It’s better than even Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends Apartment.
Eliot goes off on his conspiracy theory…which in hindsight…Longshot is more into a newspaper article about a kidnapped baby; because this an ❌-Men comic. “What? That’s just a news story.” -Eliot Eliot reluctantly admits there is some truth in the news. And then reluctantly admits, “babies are innocent enough…I think…” and so reluctantly get with Longshot’s natural superhero instincts. And as they go down a hidden Batpoll elevator shaft under the bed situation…Eliot asks Longshot his name.
And then the story reveals itself to be a horror story.
As we are introduced to Hester, the mother of the kidnapped child.
Art Adams is a pin-up artist first and cartoonist second. When I met him in San Diego, I felt bad for him. He had no line, and seemed board. I’ve had this table experience myself, so I get it. Still he is ART ADAMS. Part of what he was selling at the time was a self published pin-up book. That’s were he was at. His influence resonating through the hall, at the largest entertainment convention in the world. As the numerous two pages of manakins and a sales clerk, you can’t help but understand, Art has a type and he will pose them given a chance. Hester is presented in this scene this way, but doesn’t distract from the vibe. As in any great 80’s horror film, sexuality and exploitation of female form is evident for the vibes. A blood splattered wrecked room. Chalk outlines. Evidence of a bleeding out corpse. A bloodied baby doll, missing an arm, left as a sign in place of an actual baby.
Longshot is aware of his abilities. He says, “I’ll read the doll’s past and future.” He has Psychometry, the ability to read an imprint of the narrative the object is significantly apart of, per those who have left the imprint in the object. It’s a real fun aspect of Longshot.
He can sense that Hester has a major bond with her child and that someone/thing else left a strong imprint on the doll.
And so they follow the lead, because Hester only has crazy people willing to help her in her desperation.
“They follow an invisible yet palpable trail…”
Hester notices a change in the pallet of the environment.
They are headed to an indigenous burial ground and Eliot is completely unselfaware, “there’s been all kinds’a metaphysical quack’s going there to search for secrets…”
They avoid those tracking them, by Eliot having laid down traps.
“I should have never followed a longshot…” -Eliot💭
They arrive through smelling the tracks at a windmill out of Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow (not actually), and a light show ceremony with monsters on its roof top.
The troops from the Mojoverse are surrounding the place. A fight ensues.
The panel of being propelled away is iconic.
They sneak around, while Quark (a humanoid with a Ram’s head) claims him as his to take down. There is a bit of a debate there…like over your dead body.
Meanwhile Hester, Eliot and Longshot (still unnamed) debate what they are, “not mutants.”
Longshot is like, y’all slowing me down. And he takes off. On a cliff above he takes a rope and fashioned a grappling hook. Which is kicked off as it connects by Grog.
It hooks the second time and Longshot does a high wire act across…not sure when they bring this up, but part of the reason beyond his “luck” (probability manipulation, and reality warp immunity) and superhuman speed, agility, reflex, stamina, regeneration, and beauty, he is able to perform like this is, he has hollow bones like a bird.
It’s unclear how helpful Pup is…he takes credit for saving him from falling, but did he cause him to fall?
Spiral is virtually naked as she makes her actual debut, performing a ceremony over the baby wielding a wavy bladed knife.
Longshot swings and tosses some sort of weapon at them (Spiral and Grog) who fade away, long enough to Longshot to place the baby in his satchel and leap for the high wire.
Which catches fire, but he grapples it and swings to safety climbing up to the cliff top.
The place is ablaze and the troops have faded away.
Eliot names him Longshot.
Longshot leaves them with personal messages of hope.
Hester asks him to check in on the child one day. Eliot thinks he should get some money.
“Money, huh?…” -Longshot
Walkoff panel Pup and Longshot confirm Longshot is a fine name…Longshot is wary of Pup.
And so next issue we will meet Ricochet Rita in “Stuntman!”
I am forever partial to the limited series. I have made this abundantly clear numerous times.
Cover: Longshot streamlined figure in his element, flies with a jet propulsion system that would make Alex Powers jelly. And a women who looks Asgardians, who has her own matching set. An❌ in the sky.
Art’s cover work was from 7/8/1984. He is the only credit (meaning he likely inked this himself). The comic hit the stands six days shy of a year later.
Portacio is the only inking credit inside.
The train Pup and Longshot are racing to catch is retrofitted with spikes and guns…they banter without a huff or a puff.
Longshot: “What fun!” 💭
Pup: “This is ridiculous!” 💭
We are introduced to Hitch, a film director with the kinda Captain America fandom that would lead to assumptions about his voting record and his understanding of Captain America.
We also know officially that the women on the cover is Richochet Rita. She is stunt double for a film that is a kinda Thor meets Mad Max. Oh and she thinks as we do about Hitch. He a tool.
Longshot lost to Pup by the way. A surprise.
Pup is changing and Longshot is noticing. Pup either doesn’t understand this, or is playing coy.
He teleports away as Rita rides her souped up Harley alongside the train and like most folks loves how Longshot looks, so flirts a bit. She is supposed to be getting him out of the shot.
She negotiates him off the train and in the style of a stuntman auditioning he navigates his way onto her bike and then they meet the film crew with him showing off (innocently).
Fun pages, and introductions. The reprinting on the news print bleeds a lot, so we clearly are loosing a lot of the fine detailed inking here. The aesthetic on the page has its own appeal, but to see original pages would also make one 🤤
I love how Hitch hires Longshot before the introductions. The scene is a bit over acted. Women swoon, men get in their feels. Hearts broken all around, and Longshot is having a great day. He is now working under Ivan “the star.” And Longshot knows right off the is an “awful job.” A sentiment that is probably meant to set up the context of exploitation and media arts in the Mojoverse.
Gumby is in the crowd.
Art Clokey’s Gumby
Rita’s lead is Kimberly price, a series of Hollywood clichés.
Rita: “She’s pretty tragic, huh?”
Longshot almost walks into a joke about his name, but he is starting to catch up on how folks communicate in this foreign place.
Rita and Longshot prep for the stunt tomorrow with the jet packs.
Longshot seeing her as a version of himself, but extra. She describes herself as an untamed cowgirl.
The transition on the page flip (thanks Quik ad) works as green and yellow pallet of two flying to a focused detail transitioning to a lost memory being uncovered in red and yellow pallet. A war scene in the Mojoverse with a close friend named Jackson ZORCH! exploding next to Longshot midair.
“I’ll kill you…you spineless creeps and your…your blasted movies.” -Longshot
He lost consciousness as he is flying on Earth thinking he is in the Mojoverse. Rita helps him, and he lands in a fun way. He just starts opening up to Rita…former movie star/slave/warrior.
Rita has an opinion about him, but this statement is unfinished. It has to do with his lack of concern about his past. Apparently they were keeping the star waiting and Longshot doesn’t care at all. Rita is taken aback by this a bit. Kim’s makeup begins to peel off. Honestly this is a bit extreme, but aligns with my personal experience. Classism and celebrity is an illusion, IMHO and IRL experience.
Rita takes notice.
Longshot: “Oh! Was I too rough…?”
A tad.
Quark hides in some bushes, as the director over sells his enthusiasm. Byrne and Kirby are known for clowning Stan Lee in comics. This kinda feels the same, only I don’t know how relevant Stan Lee was to Art Adams life. Maybe it was just a stereotype that happened to fit Lee.
Hitch is speaking to his cliché film theory, “the perfect Junk-Food movie. That’s American Film!”
I got to wonder about Ann Nocenti’s path crossing with Stan Lee. I wonder if it is as dark as some women in this business have had with men. Chances are…
Hitch: “I’ve made selling Junk-Food an Art!”
The history comics and the showmanship of Stan Lee both align with Stan Lee and many others. The culture that these 80’s creators were operating in was closer not that dissimilar to how it was in 1939 and how it would be through 2012. And frankly it has not been dismantled. It’s just more openly exposed.
Hitch doesn’t have any of the tools that motivate Longshot. And he is asking him to risk his life for film. Something we are learning is at the core of what Longshot detests. We are learning this along with Longshot himself.
Rita and Longshot are having a late night heart heart. Longshot: “I’m stripped clean.” Rita: “All my life I been lookin’ for a man without a past.”
She leans in to make out, when she discovers his skin is like leather. He is not human. And she tells him as much. A forgotten detail.
As she leaves, he thinks they are the same, and then of course Pup has found outside and now Longshot has too…Mojoverse troops. Who are more obviously not human.
Pup saves the day and they vanish. They talk about Longshot’s thoughts of the day, and Lonshot observes he is now bipedal. I notice he loves beer.
Rita feels bad, but is now being introduced to a talking bipedal furball. So things are still not ideal for their hookup.
Longshot is a bit pissed at Pup for keeping the secret that they are aliens. And Pup is annoyed that “a demon can’t even finish his hotdog in peace…” 💭
They fight, but Pup is according to him not able to win, because he hasn’t tapped enough of Earths power…we officially know he plans on taking out Longshot. Oh and that he hates him.
This scene with Rita comforting Longshot, as he morns the betrayal of his “only friend,” and her saying, “he wasn’t your only friend…” we should not trust any moment going forward. And Longshot is starting to loose his naïveté.
So back on the set of…
Donald F. Glut, Roger Sweet, Mark Taylor’s Masters of the Universe
Longshot sense things are not as they should be. And his luck feels off. The lasers on set are real.
Another flashback. It looks like his own people’s branded him with the eye star, in his eye, as part of a cult initiation.
“Perfection of motives.”
Once again he falls from the sky. Rita can’t save him. He is saved by wires. Hitch just wants them to keep filming. Longshot tries again, but ends up crashing. A bloody broken mess.
Assumed nearly dead.
Hitch takes Longshot’s body into his own hands. Dumping it. In a haunting end to the issue. Hitch (speaking to the dead eye floating corpse): “Don’t…Look…at me…”
This final page is very 80’s comics aesthetics in the best way possible.
In 1961 Golden Age Collectables opened in Seattle. 1966 Viking opened in Toronto. Clint’s Comics in Kansas City, 1967. San Francisco Comic Book Company and then in Amsterdam, Lambiek, in 1968. Mile High in 1969. By 1972 there were more than five comic book shops.
Back in 1957, in the wake of the 1954 senate hearings, Atlas (Timely/Marvel) collapsed, as it lost distribution. Having sold scores of comics titles a month, Independent picked them up, but would only distribute a dozen, as their parent company National also owned DC. In 1967 National was purchased by Kinney, who would be bought by WB in 1969. Marvel’s market share had grown enough to force Independents hand in 1968 and then by 1970, Independent was dissolved. Leaving Marvel in the market for another distribution deal. In 1972, Phil Seuling approached publishers and struck a deal with Marvel to be part of creating a direct market.
Now under this new method the rules changed. When a comic is sold through newspaper and magazine distribution there is a barcode. When the product is not sold, the newsstand or shop can return the cover (they literally rip the cover off) and return it for a partial refund. Between 1972 and 1977 comic book shops were not supposed to do this, as they were getting the comics through the new direct market distribution system. However, the barcode allowed for them to cheat the system and return them through a newspaper distributer for a partial refund. So in 1977, Marvel began replacing the barcode of the copies distributed through direct market with an image on that covers bottom left corner. Many of the copies had Spider-Man, but not all. For example my copy of Longshot No. 3 has Pup. My copy of No. 1 is a newspaper distributed edition. It also only has one price listed in the corner box; 75¢. My copy of No. 2 has Spider-Man’s head in his black costume and three prices; 75¢, U.K. 50p, CAN $1.00. And those prices are listed on No. 3, as well.
The cover, penciled and inked on 7/22/1984 (No. 1 was in Feb of 1985, by the way) features Longshot crouched like Wolverine in No. 4 (1982). Longshot is surounded by swords, claws, and guns. Presumably undead.
“JUST LET ME DIE”
The introduction to Theo “Jinx,” Inez (his wife), Alison, her sister, and Pouchy-Poo, is a meant to be a common scene in a household under the Reagan administration. The poor suffering of the white man in America . The way it plays out has a bit of a plot twist. The moment the pressure of the ordinary struggle becomes unbearable for the exceedingly ordinarily privileged goes BLAM! fearing the worst turns from an actual tragedy into the dream my HS Physics teacher propagandized. FTO
OM
Hashtag Kill Your Television 📺💥
And then Theo does his family a favor and leaves.
The next page picks up on the color scheme ending No. 2. The bluegreen 青 pallet compliments a particularly nicely executed page in terms of pencils and inks. The dark humor of a failed suicide attempts from a low bridge into shallow water SPLOOSH
Poor Theo: “Can’t even kill myself right.”💭
As he has landed on the body of the recently dumped Longshot.
What is working here is the cartoonists skill at gestural drawing. A key learned in Life Drawing and transferred and developed over generations by cartoonists and anyone drawing the human figure. Art is sharing his skills here, especially as Theo drags the body towards shore.
Theo: “What if UGH’ he doesn’t want HUF’ to be saved? He’ll probably kill me for this.”
Nocenti has her moments for sure.
I am thrilled with this page as it also includes vegetation, water, rocks, and engineering. A joy. Something to live for folks.
Longshot naturally sounds confused, as Theo accuses him of being a superhero. Longshot mentions being a stuntman last he checked…looking for money. Since when?!
Longshot: “They call me Longshot”
Theo: “HA! They call me JINX!”
Longshot makes it his mission to show Jinx how it is great to be alive. It kinda is folks! He has a point. This despite overly positive people obnoxiously shoving it in one’s face on occasion. For real though call 988 if you need support.
So Jinx blames Con Ed for his families financial stress…and like most of you…Longshot doesn’t know who/what Con Ed is.
While Longshot is talking his ear off, Jinx finds a more effective method…but for Longshot and his little throwing blade. Jinx pocket pen broke. Cherry on top of his misery.
Longshot has roped (pun intended?!!) Jinx into breaking and entering into Con Ed. This dark AF farce continues to be rendered in the same pallet and is still beautiful rendered.
Longshot’s relentless positivity and Jinx relentless negativity is a classic trope that has always worked for this Gemini.
And for nearly six pages the rendering is the best of the limited series so far.
zzzrrrkkzzz
In nearby bushes pink and red, Spiral and Gog appear in nearby bushes. Spiral has her armor or at least helmet on.
Gog really doesn’t like Longshot.
Inside Con Ed, the light is enough to at least pick out Jinx and Longshot’s coloring. This is an example of the colorist Christie Scheele making a storytelling choice. This happens all the time folks. This why a colorist is a cartoonist.
Not to be outdone, Art puts up pinup nudes on the wall, adding a sense of character to those who work there…and clarifying…who Art is. A cartoonist who will draw nudes. So a cartoonist.
Longshot touches wires and it triggers a memory. Nude bodies strapped to complex machinery. Spinless ones in their floating chairs surround them. Scheele sticking with reds to identify alignment with Gog and Spiral, and blues (with fleshy pink) to identify potential alignment with Longshot.
The spinless ones see the spined bipedals as grotesque. We might differ here. There is a debate to be had or avoided. Honestly, slippery slope towards agreeing to disagree with myself, I see.
Andrew Stanton & Pete Doctor’s Wall-E
Another on the nose naming, Arize is mentioned as the creator of these “repulsive design”s. The hubris of the spineless ones is not vailed analogous at all.
The manufactured humanoids have “spunk.” “no one owns me…”
Assuming that is Longshot after he is created by Arize.
Longshot asks Jinx a philosophical question…on creation. Jinx, “god.”
Oh wow…there are actual stollen diamonds in Con Ed. I didn’t think I even needed to mention that bit. Been a while since I read this. Yeah…so this is what set Jinx off.
Oh great…now Longshot needs to get downloaded on Debeers and child mining labour. Jinx ain’t on that level.
Oops…Jinx tripped on a body. SMACK! broke his face.
And then Pup of course shows up.
Followed in the next panel by Mojoverse troops. Thus the cover.
Pup grabs Jinx…I mean he did call him “villain.”
Ah…they need the diamonds to return to the Mojoverse. So like give it to them Longshot.
Somehow the diamonds affect the plant…causing a chain reaction through the NY grid. Turning out the lights as far as NYC…so now Parker, Glory and Robbie have to hear JJJ spout some nonsense at the Bugle.
Longshot keeps fighting…should have deescalated. Cause now he is all tied up and Spiral is doing her dance.
Longshot wants answers on who he is before they go. Gog is satisfied taking his secrets with them. Ah…right…we are inferring Pup is Gog’s son. Who is not there, so staying behind. Gog’s a proud papa.
Longshot: “Tell me! Please, who am I?!”
Mojoverse Trooper: “YOU’RE NOBODY”
Damn.
Pup wants to kill Longshot, but maybe is conflicted a bit. Longshot hopes so. Jinx is rescuing Longshot.
Cops are there now. A little late.
Longshot has the diamonds. Jinx wants nothing to do with them now. And has changed his tune on Con Ed.
Longshot: “Oh geez…”
Longshot suggest returning them to Con Ed and Jinx turns back again…”give them to the people.” And he is turning on Longshot. Jinx has had enough.
Jinx is full on white man in his castle and is pissing on Longshot’s Mr. Wonderful persona.
At least Theo is grabbing flowers for Inez.
Longshot is headed to Manhattan to give the diamonds to the people whose power he accidentally cut off. Sure sure.
Bugle runs a story with Longshot in the paper…blaming him for everything, theft, black out…labeling him, “villain.” In the photo he is punching nobody.
Next issue we get the two Marvel POV of the previous 25 years.
Prior to reading Longshot, my favorite Marvel characters were Ororo and Kitty. Longshot instantly became my No. 3. But it would take Byrne for me to consider The Jen as one of my favorite. When I read Fraction and Allred’s FF, I began to admit to myself…Jen is kinda number one. And honestly, Kitty at best is top 5, but not 4. Poor Kitty has been reduced lower and lower, the more I think about it. But the revelation in 2012 began to also see Jen rise all the way to the top. So you would think She-Hulk in Longshot would be like my favorite issue of all time. The only thing is, I really don’t jive with Art Adams version in this issue. It’s a bace instinct shallow aesthetic thing. Not that I have an ideal here. I appreciate The Jen in all these approaches and more.
*Sat. Apr. 18th, ‘26 Update: Longshot is No. 1
As for Peter Parker, I have some absolute favorites there too. Before Kitty and She-Hulk, Peter was the POV character.
And here I am vibing on Longshot, and you put two absolute icons on the cover, but it doesn’t work for me. Peter is actually the best part.
Peter and Jen are in their apartments, watching the news. Peter thinking about how young Longshot looks and how he was stuck with JJJ during the blackout. Jen thinking she should check in with FF about this Longshot.
Not alone in labeling him a mutant. He has folks on the streets of The Bronx doing that, too.
His thoughts drift to Pup and Rita.
“Meanwhile…”
We are introduced to kids playing, they are the Starslmmers! Not to be confused with the Starjammers.
Playing in a tricked out vehicle on cinderblocks. They stumble out the door into adults talking about how tv no comics no tv are ruining the youth. Adults have always blamed media arts. Heck, I actually have been falling into this habit over the past few years. After Columbine, James Sturm was alarmed in class by how comics weren’t mentioned in the wake of the shooting. The industry was in trouble. Video games had taken over the job of warping kids minds. All I know is that to make a cartoonist you introduce inappropriate comics to a kid at to young an age. And comics are integrated curriculum that far to often sell a binary perspective on folks that is unhelpful. So another paradox. Oh and the kids are alright.
Longshot drops the diamonds at their feet.
The plan: “trade ‘em for comics.”
Longshot rejects the label hero.
Pup was there and then gone. Sets the kids off for further debate.
Lost in thought about saving the planet and the diamonds, Longshot passes Jen…who is on a run. In a better than the cover sequential image, Longshot gets popped by Jen. She notes how light he is…and how he is flying….
He tries to deescalate when she mentions the diamonds. He has been giving some away all day…and is happy to give them to her…she’s not buying. Oh and Longshot is smitten.
It’s a fun page. I love these two here.
Smitten.
“Impossibly, elsewhere…” We did see Mojo (see X-Men ‘97 for Mojo and Longshot Disney+ debut) debut last issue. Here he and Major Doom are bantering. The conversation reminds me of what it must be like to eves drop in a White House.
The basics of Mojo is he assumes he owns everything and most everything is framed around media and market shares.
He’s frightening and a clown.
It’s scary how prescient this is. Actually it just shows you how we never left the 80’s.
Ok..so the bipedal that Arize has been making are based on a mythos of the spinless ones. And now they have discovered through this chance landing of Longshot on Earth that the mythical creatures (humanoids) are real.
Upon hearing this Mojo says: “no! Impossible! They’re FAKE!” WOW…
Mojo calls on Spiral. He is unusually respectful to her. Actually asks what she wants to do here…and she is like…get Longshot. So with Mojo’s blessing she and him dances and teleport away. Leaving Major Domo to mutter his displeasures.
Jen and Longshot are still fighting.
Oh she is smitten too!
Longshot takes off…Rita on his mind…diamonds burning a whole in his pocket.
Uh oh
Because of the kids being fans of Spidy, Longshot knows this one.
Apparently Ann thinks everyone was being called Punko.
Longshot doesn’t appreciate Peter’s sense of humour. I suppose that’s a common assessment.
Longshot with Luck on his side gets away.
Back in upstate Rita and her dog Saxaphone are working and then taking a rest in her not so tidy pad.
She also has a parrot, Wifferdill.
She has been mislead about what happened after she saw Longshot last. She is hoping he will check in on here.
Plants die, Wifferdill is down, Sax goes “RRRRRR” these pages are great…but things are not great…
Spiral is in her house. Fun panel!
Oh and Mojo.
Longshot runs into the kids again. And they have a gun…to protect themselves from monsters. One of the kids looks like:
Longshot reads the guns past and future. The kids had traded the Dimond for it.
That man had killed a cop.
But then his vision turned into a memory of Longshot’s about him using guns with his friends to rebel and become free.
And he learns the spineless ones captured him and whipped his mind.
Longshot thinking the kids are just imagining things, has them take him to their monster…so at a scary old building…inside they find…Pup! And in a series of panels that had to have absolutely impacted Todd McFarlane we see he has changed.
WHAM!
Halloween night and Pup is not yet full on the world’s “magicks.”
Just finished watching Stranger Things and the worlds are bleeding into each other. The splash page works solid…
Pup AKA Gog n’ Magog is a bit over the top at times. But not always. Longshot attempting help children is…PUSH
Kid with the gun…Pup… FWAK
Longshot the newly minted hypocrite SPAK! his Pup.
Really?! Pup is mad because he got pulled into Earth as he was hounding Longshot. That’s his reason for “immense hate.”
WOMP
…and Longshot is buying into this. Taking responsibility. Oye!
Meanwhile upstate…
Mojo has Rita and is on a rant about those with spines. Spiral is not feeling it and thinking of staying on Earth. Mojo is taking things out on Rita whose hair is now white and is aged.
Spiral dances, follows directions, and POIT they travel to another world.
Longshot is loosing to Pup and the kids talk game, but aren’t more then spectators…so Quark shows up to save the day…well he pulled an Arnold.
So enters…
…into our story.
He leaves Wong to guard the sanctum, as the orb of agamotto has shown him alien disturbances.
Longshot is alone, with his thoughts, wandering. He longs for how Rita likes him. No past. He is burdened by curiosity. Quark could be a friend, but like Pup? He empties his satchel.
The doll with one arm.
A sharpie.
Diamonds.
An Eurythmics cassette tape.
A Go-Bot..or whatever the ones with swords are again.
Golf ball.
Tape.
“A” block.
Gumbie.
Toothpaste.
X-Wing.
Chapstick.
Keys.
Duck toy.
Hammer.
Flathead.
Easter.
Xacto.
Kiss.
Baseball.
All this and now answers.
Having a moment. It works for me.
A double paged diagonal 9 panels has Mojo’s “psycobabble” all over it. As Spiral and he, strap Rita to the front of a pirate ship with Mojo’s visage on it. It flies through the dimension and Rita is exhausted with despair.
Spiral is scarier as the page turns.
To Longshot reading an object next to him. He uncovers another memory of him ditching for his origin. He encounters a butterfly like insect who has humanoid insect friends like you might see in Elf Quest. And then an architectural marvel.
Created first by a giant caterpillar like greater…and here he meets his creator. Arize, a bipedal with robotic legs and a mass of facial and head of hair. Longshot seeks help for his enslaved creations.
Arize places in him powers for such a day. He himself has been cast out and only builds beautiful things these days.
He says, they were not built, but genetically engineered. It is up to Longshot from here. Longshot lacks confidence.
He is unsure what happened. Did he rebel? Did he lead?
He runs North and arrives as we know too late to find Rita. His hope for help. He finds Sax dead with Strange there.
They exchange information and as they are about to make haste…Pup shows. A battle unfolds until Pup vanishes…with Quark there…they have concerns over a messiah complex. Strange warns of luck turning on Longshot. Longshot cares only for taking responsibility.
And so we will turn to “Giant sized issue.”
Corner box closed in on Longshot’s glowing eye. Logo scratchy in black & white. Mojo looming large and red across the background. Haunting eyes and proto venom pearly whites. Direct Edition, classic iconic Spider-Man head afloat in his box. Spiral, one, two three, four arms ripped and cocked. One armoured w/ sword drawn. Her full costumed form making preteens sexually awaken. Her sixth having landed along the chiseled bird boned leather face of our man of mystery. The title character mid fall as pretty as he can be. Art Adams September 13, 1985 cover promises a Giant Sized Last Issue! So hella yeah we turn the page.
“A SNAKE COILS…”
Longshot’s star emblem underlines do to a thrown blade. The delicacy of this page is readable in newsprint, but just so. The contrast of Mojo and Spiral in form and function, by design is a delectably horrific succulence. They float at an angle in full glory.
The pallet and rendering of beaten home somewhere Upstate, grounds us.
Mojo: “Ah that was so much fun! And look at the lovely day that awaits us! Now, why are we on this murderously ugly, dying planet?” Spiral: “What a screw Mojo - - you can’t keep a thought long before you turn it inside-out.” Nocenti writes and Rosen letters. Indeed.
If I am not mistaken, Mojo: “…our delightful little jaunt through the multiverse gave her (Rita) a permanent soundless scream!” is our first mention of the Multiverse in “to me my ❌-Men.”
The coloring is subtle in reprint, but I suspect there is a delightful sunrise on a plate somewhere. Mojo goes from question of why, to ignoring the why (Longshot) and expanding to world domination on a whim, and framing himself as a simple person.
The latent page highlights, as the cover does the brilliance of Spiral’s design. Her costume pulls in a number of aesthetics and balances them in a simple pink skinned, light blue materials and blue tinted white furs hair metal and leather. The samurai headgear, the Colossus like metal arm, the wrapped long sword, the pockets that probably are more impactful to Deadpool’s development, the six muscularly compact arms, matching belt to Longshot’s, the diagonal strap which is part of an aesthetic that connects with Rogue and others punk aesthetics, the furry boots that stabilize the form. Her design matches in contrast Longshot and both showcase the sexuality of Art Adams aesthetic perspective. The subtle details of line are highly influential going forward, but it is the form and design elements that first strike the eye.
On this page in three panels we zig zag down to a landing, showing off an understanding of visual narrative.
Her character is allowed grace by Mojo, as she counters his position. He goes as far as to admit he “loves it.” The level of kink here is high and yet easily passes under a browsing gaze.
She dances and they slip between time and space, becoming a sort of ghost. This kinda power is as fun as strait phasing and teleporting. Spiral has it all.
I can see Mojo’s point. The people they encounter here are basic.
Mojo is the absolute worst. He says he is disgusted by her kind of form, and then touches her with out permission. She says he doesn’t own her and essentially hands off and he is like, I absolutely do own you, know your place. There is a bit of an effect electrically and with the perception of animals on the environment with them in this ghost form. A cat would and does absolutely notice. And Mojo grabs it. Unintentional horrifically dying in his grasp. Which of course is an offence to Mojo.
There is something about the contrast between Art Adams and Ann Nocenti as people and their perspective that I think is helping this all click. It’s a hunch.
Spiral is very attuned to contexts and has the ability analyze and communicate. She does so to Mojo’s face. It is essential a compliment. A horrific one. An astute one. And Mojo is not at all like Spiral in how he thinks. So he responds as this type would: “Smile when you talk like that darling.”
But Spiral is not without her own abusive and entertained side. She toys with humans. Literally.
Mojo calls out Spiral, on trying to win the heart of Longshot. I mean, I might be with Mojo on this ship.
Mojo simply brainwashed a congregation into being his subjects. Apparently this control and asking them build for him, weakens him. But he doesn’t buy into caution from an advisor. He is not to be questioned. This really is our present context in our country.
Left in a haunting scene Rita is left strung up in her eternal scream. Sax body at her feet. Her home asunder. Longshot to late on arrival.
The conflict between Gail Simons thesis on Women in Refrigerators and Mike Grell’s Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters are informing how I view these pages which predate both. Agency is critical. There is a disgusting aspect to this, that is harmful to many readers. Especially when we consider Ann Nocenti being a guiding light. I am assuming not her goal. Horror in general is a contextually complex genre. It pushes us into spaces we are trying to escape from. Much like a joke that makes you uncomfortable upon the laugh released from your face, here we are visualized in the same space.
“Still Alive.”
The innocence of Longshot is being tested.
The horror of Sax is perhaps the most effective drawing in this scene…it may haunt readers.
Longshot is left to read bodies. He sees the ship in the multiverse. He sees his arch, Mojo. But he know not of him before this. To him, it is Quark and Strange who warned him. His memory still fails him.
Quark and Strange arrive as advisors, and Strange relinquishes control. A sign of potential wisdom. Following Longshot’s instincts over the informed Quark and studied Strange, the body of Rita is to be sent to the sanctum of potential healing. And Quark and Longshot are off to track down her attackers.
Strange sees this as a moment where reality is in balance.
Longshot and Quark dawn cattleman hats, pocketed jackets, and strapped back packs. The local kids take notice of Quark, but Dad is distracted by a desire for a nap.
As they race across the pages towards action, Quark confirms Longshot is a legendary leader of rebellion in the Mojoverse, but time and again the effort is squashed and reset. He still doesn’t know his name. Just the reputation.
Having left town and now in a rural agricultural space, it’s confirmed under Quark’s patch is a glowing eye like Longshot’s. Also we have a moment where Quark encounters sheep with horns like his.
Quark is salty and sour and Longshot is motivational and positive. The contrast is hard for Quark.
“BAAAAA”
Mojo appears as Quark complains of his appearance. Mojo takes delight in credit.
And Spiral and Longshot leap into action, an iconic panel.
Mojo in this context is pathetic…”magics are weak” and ironically “do so hate violence” upon himself.
“I could die from it.”
Longshot is undone by pitty. He can’t kill his arch.
Quark and Longshot are paralyzed by empathy for Spiral and pity for Mojo.
“We failed.” And the arches are gone in more wonderful stars and rings.
The kvetching and plotting is not over. Neither is the naive engagement…this time with a payphone. They reach the sanctum on the other end of the line.
Rita is alive.
The scene is cute.
Plotting at the tower built for Mojo renews. We win, because it is more Spiral and Mojo delight.
More theology and preparation is also happening back at the place were they last were with the kids on Halloween. Longshot and Quark prepared to take out the tower.
Longshot takes a moment to encounter a horse, triggering a conversation he had with Arize to appear. And he learns confirmation that he was not a slave, but others have this mindset and he seeks to free them from this.
Longshot on a glider attacks the tower with Molotov cocktails as Quark opens fire.
Longshot drops in on Mojo. While Spiral plink! gets the drop on Quark. But beheading him only allowed his form to form where ever his head flys of too.
Longshot attempts to negotiate while they fight.
Rita shoots Spiral in an arm as Strange and her drop in. Oh…Wifferdill is okay.
The battle turns into an exercise in pushing Mojo alone into the Mojoverse.
But then Spiral goes after him. Longshot makes a choice to finish the job back home. And so Quark and Rita decided to follow his lead. Leaving Strange alone, with Wifferdrill.
Next: More Art
