Punch Up: “To Me My ❌-Men”
Chapter Sixteen:
1984
August & September, 1984, Kitty Pryde and Wolverine No. 1 & 2 by Milgrom, G. Wein, Orzechowski, Claremont, + Louise & Nocenti
Mixtape tracks: Mommy, Where's Daddy? by Red Hot Chili Peppers & Forever Young by Alphaville
Previously on “to me my ❌-Men,” ninjas. 🥷
Before Logan AKA Wolverine & Laura AKA X-23 and The Mandalorian & the Child AKA Baby Yoda AKA Grogu, from late summer 1970 through spring of 1976 a serialized comic by writer Kazuo Koike and his art co-creator Goseki Kojima in the pages of a Futabasha publication called Seinen manga or Youth comic. It was called Kozure Ōkami or Wolf taking along his child. The English speaking world knows it as, Lone Wolf and Cub.
Kozure Ōkami by Kazuo Koike & Goseki Kojima
We know Miller and Claremont were influenced by this work. How they consumed and in what format I have no idea. Here is the iconic repackaged Frank Miller cover illustrated version.
Kozure Ōkami by Kazuo Koike & Goseki Kojima
We got a reference to this dynamic in our story, with Logan referring to taking Rogue under his wing in Chapter 11 with Uncanny 172, and we have clearly seen this being nurtured Chapter 18 with Uncanny 183, as Logan clearly gets the context and has the back of Kitty.
Going forward this trope will result in a film version at Fox which leans into a few panels that indicate an acorn of potential with Logan and Rogue, while ignoring the real deal with Kitty and Wolverine. Which honestly took me out of the film and immediately turned me into a monster until Deadpool & Wolverine + maturing kinda fixed that.
This Lone Wolf and Cub trope influence also expanded well beyond Marvel, thus things like The Mandalorian.
However, it is most likely that all of this is Lone Wolf and Cub filtered through Kitty and Logan as they lead to Logan’s perpetual trope. Because then comes Jubilee, X-23 etc…
Kitty Pryde and Wolverine are a six issue limited series, which is split into two parts, because I am wrestling with time, timing and cast location here. I will mess this up…already have…but will find fun solutions hopefully. I think I am doing the right thing here.
Al Milgrom had been doing some yeoman’s work all along. The year before he had done some key (to me) work penciling Avengers. He is supported here by our dream team of Chris, Glynis, Tom, Louise and Ann, but Al makes the choice or the team does to have Al ink himself and so there is no Dan…and I am not willing to blame Al entirely, but he certainly is not being saved from himself by Dan here.
I was collecting these and reading them as back issues sometime after Uncanny 208 came out, so after May of 1986. Maybe right after that July. Probably before March of 1987. My guess is I was hunting for art and story that worked after being obsessed with the Wolverine limited series I had read it in back issues in 1984. I had spent all winter since end of 1985 committed to X-Factor and had just tasted my first Uncanny issue and had been transformed by my first exposure to Elektra Assassin. So I was excited to find a new Wolverine limited series featuring my new favorite character, Kitty Pryde, and for it to refocus it all on ninjas. I was 11.
I was also a judgmental prick. I was using this perspective to be highly selective, and frankly I still use it. It’s saved me financially, culturally, and artistically. I use it sparingly, usually in reference to artistic consumption and my creative process. I have eased up a bit in how I communicate and definitely on how I judge others. Not being a total prick, aging, and having a kid helps…also art school, tableling at cons, and the SM helped. Seeing other pricks in action helps with self correction. Also, I probably am not world class at being a judgmental prick. Heck, I was probably never even number one in any room I have ever been in. But I definitely used it isolation against folks I don’t know like Al as it pertained to their work when I want to love it…but just can’t.
Al is no Frank Miller. Al is no Bill Sienkiewicz. Al is no John Romita Jr. Heck, Al is no Jackson Guice!
Al hits it out of the park with the cover of issue one!
Splash page is fine, and Chris manages to have Kitty in narration sum up what’s been her life. By the end of page ending with “He’s met someone else. He loved her more than me (skipping the she is dead part…a choice). I was in Chicago the next day.”
I am reading this as an 11 year old Jewish (you can’t be a half anything…we are one person…messy people) son(ish) of a Chicago Jew (no question there) and I am identifying hard with our POV here.
Kitty is struggling with her Dad (I don’t with my Dad, but the rest of the context tracks…well not the money and Ninjas). We also have divorce, Channukah, and being invisible in common.
In a meeting with clearly a Yukuza situation, things are not great for אבא
Ogūn gives Kitty the male gaze creeps. But then she talks herself down because she was a judgmental prick when she met Logan the first time.
I teach 4-year-olds. And the little knuckleheads by design doing things all day that push my buttons and drive me crazy. BUT, I think I am adequate at my job, because I am constantly observing and checking myself, to make sure that I am helping each child maintain and learn to utilize that specific aspect that is driving me bonkers.
Why?! Because I also witness how they are keys to their individual paths down the road.
One little girl was constantly using her voice in disruptive ways, and it seemed like they were more mature than they actually were. But informed hard to help them preserve and control that voice as they matured from 3 to 5, because when they are in a government class Junior Year in High School, I want them to have the innate skills they poses from go to speak truth to power.
One little boy was physically disruptive constantly. But I observed and learned that they needed this kinaesthetic process to unlock their innovations and cognitive development, as they were drawing on or below the table. He may not turn into a bully, but rather a designer. Or maybe a bit of both. Who am I to say…I did my job.
Kitty clearly has a sense that these men perceive her. She was a judgmental prick do to naive privilege and the narrative of monsters she had consumed, but she wasn’t wrong in having insight to his struggles with control and the dangers that presents for her. Here with Ogūn she talks herself out of trusting the instinct. When maybe she should have been taught to trust herself, as this isn’t based on privileged judgement or a horror narrative she had consumed…this time is it actionable. So here we are…perhaps about to learn the hard way. But she lives that Kidnaped Life so.
Kitty has the good sense her Dad is in over his head and is trying to stay close to protect him.
But the plan is not going to work and the Men all think she is being a silly little girl.
Then Ogūn tries to facilitate a plan to keep Kitty close. Yup. Predator.
Dad, is not entirely dumb, and has that Dad instinct to protect his Lil one. So he does what cornered Dad’s who lack nuance and processing skills do…he yells and shames Kitty. The old “I forbid” speech. Kinda Archie comics.
He wants her to go back to school.
He gives her cash and leaves her to figure out travel plans back to NYC.
Kitty Thought Balloon: “Could Ogūn and his boss be Yakuza…” YES…and Claremont stop over explaining!*
*WHAT!?!
So she head to O’Hare and then simply phases into the plane compartment, headed to Japan. Yes, all us 80’s kids had seen the Black Stallion Returns in 1983.
She has to evade staff and the authorities, phases into train and grabs some guys ass in doing so, but eventually finds a payphone in Tokyo.
She finds the office building she is looking for.
And air walks up into an office. Takes a rest on a couch.
She is awoken by staff again and security with a gun are after her.
Oh no…she left her winter hat and ice skates (Chanukah present that started the story…oops).
It was her Dad’s office…so he will figure this out.
She robs and ATM, but drops the cash in escape from the cops.
Oh she is a sewer. Her happy place.
She is now on a roof and it is dawn. She wants home and her friends.
“Yo!” Logan picks up the phone.
She hangs up, embarrassed.
She hide and her Dad’s office and overhears her Dad and the Yakuza make a laundering deal. Kitty: “DAD!”
Floppy No. 2:
Kitty Narration: “I followed my Dad halfway around the world to Tokyo. ‘Cause I thought he was in trouble and I wanted to help. Instead, I found he was a crook!” The number of crimes Kitty committed to arrive at this conclusion.
If you look at the page, you will notice Mario (Mario Bros on Atari) is SHOCKED!
Yakuza after Kitty. Dad is useless and distraught. Wants to explain. Not the time Dad. Kitty is running from the Yakuza.
The Boss, Shigematsu, and his hench are useless. Ogūn did nothing, but is on the case.
Oh…if Ogūn can keep Kitty then he and Shigemastu are square.
Dad realises they speaking and he can’t understand and it’s bad. Ogūn nearly breaks Dad’s arm and says to him that Kitty is a dead and lost to him forever. He cockles Dad and Dad whimpers to the old “don you understand,” “y e s.”
Kitty phases down to her safe place, the underbelly of the city. But a yakuza with a devil mask (the one from the cover) drops in on her and breathes a gas in her face.
Back at JFK, Logan sets off the metal detector with his bones and claws, but his papers are in order.
A spot light in an otherwise dark room reveals a paralysed exhausted standing rigidly Kitty. She can speak.
Our Devil Ninja is uses a Katana to exactingly quickly and scarily cut her clothing from the shadows.
Plus a hair cut.
Kitty drops to her knees.
She calls for the useless in her mind: Mom, Dad, Chuck. The Devil Ninja becomes her everything.
She falls and shinks into a newborn.
She begins again, training from birth alongside Ogūn, her Sensei.
Karate Kid released in June. This issue dropped in September.
First Kata. Mirroring his movements.
Then throwing Star target practice.
She is small and not very skilled. Because to small.
*Ad to remind again…we watching Saturday Morning Cartoons while reading this stuff.
Then bo staff. Better.
Sai…sparing looks solid, for a lil’ tike.
Tiger claws. Get the drop on Sensei.
Nope, he got her with his Katana.
And feet.
Mirroring him in stars now. Uses phasing when needed to survive Katana sparing.
Ogūn is calling Kitty daughter and she feels pride.
The mirroring progress until she is one with him and she places the mask on her. There is only one now.
Meanwhile, Logan surprises Shigematsu in his office. They are considered family through Lady Yashida (Mariko). He says he will try and help find Kitty. Gets on the phone with Ogūn. Who is not actually one with Kitty. Just metaphorically.
Kitty is ready with her cute devil mask on.
The Hand drop into the dojo. She handles herself.
Damn…he had Shigematsu on hold the whole time.
He has a photo of him and Logan hanging.
He assigns Kitty a job. Kill a gaijan friend.
Next: Demon Bear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
