tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post7996480811635559888..comments2024-03-22T04:20:11.870-05:00Comments on Gentlemen of Leisure: X-amining X-Men #130Austin Gortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-74073322296543286122018-12-11T10:43:20.063-06:002018-12-11T10:43:20.063-06:00This was the second-ever issue of X-Men I ever rea...This was the second-ever issue of X-Men I ever read (in the form of Classic X-Men 36) ... I was 9, and familiar with most of the characters from the "Pryde of the X-MEN" pilot, except Jean. I loved right off the bat, thanks to the Hellfire goon exposition, I knew who Jean was, what her powers were, that she used to be called Marvel Girl ... I felt caught up on 20 years of history in one fell swoop.<br /><br />By the way, check out the cover of the reprint of this in XMC 36 if you haven't yet, it's gorgeous.<br /><br />@Teebore: <i> I definitely think you're correct about the writer being the arbiter of how time passes in the book. Englehart especially never seemed scared to adopt the "real time" approach to his work (plus, it was probably easier to keep track of time that way). </i><br /><br />See this is the thing about Englehart, Thomas, and early Claremont, that they were trying to convey Marvel time as happening in real time, when clearly it wasn't. The writers had a hard time it seemed with the whole "shared universe has to share a timeline" thing. <br /><br />For example, by the time Claremont in '76 was referencing the last Sentinel attack as "1969", you had a Spider-Man who graduated high school in 1965 who was only on track to graduate college in 1978 comics ... and if most of the original X-Men (As well as the Human Torch and Crystal) were roughly the same age as Peter Parker, then of course Jean is less than 25 in 1976 ... not to mention you have Franklin Richards, born in '68, only being portrayed as a toddler in '76 (that jives w/ Peter still being college aged). There are other timeline checkpoints too, like Wasp turning 23 at roughly the same time Peter is a college freshman ... but then Thomas and Englehart kept insisting the Avengers was happening in real-time, so you have Wasp perpetually being written like she's 40.<br /><br />Fortunately I think the introduction of the explicitly 13-year-old Kitty helps, because now Marvel had three timeline markers (Kitty, Franklin, Parker's schooling) to keep the timeline more or less in synch from this point on. Although later writers make mistakes too. Nicieza at one point claims the beast is 30 when there's no way he can be 30 yet ... but then again Nicieza got a few other things wrong too (as much as I love him as a writer).Jeffnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-40396685221805207932018-11-25T12:57:43.874-06:002018-11-25T12:57:43.874-06:00As someone born two years after disco died the fin...As someone born two years after disco died the final death, it took me eons to warm up to Dazzler. I was first introduced to her in the 1990s X-Men arcade game, having read "X-Men vs. Dracula!" beforehand and been introduce to Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Kitty through that, and the rest coming into my consciousness via the animated series.<br /><br />Dazzler has an exceptional power that seems like it should be a field day for any artist with an ounce of creativity to draw. Byrne certainly seemed to be enjoying himself drawing the "dazzle-burst" scenes, with light and color exploding around an enemy till they pass out from sensory overload. In later eras, Wyndsor-Smith would continue the trend of chaotic, psychedelic light flashes (mid-screwy visuals, as is his wont), Alan Davis would draw bubbles, "light-smoke", and the trademark starburst, and Marc Silvestri couldn't seem to go two panels without giving Alison some sparkles around herself. For my money, SIlvestri draws my favorite Dazzler. The Pat Benatar-esque short cut makes her look like a proper Action Girl, her lights are drawn with a ton of neat effects, and her lasers actually look like they pack some punch, even as she strikes some ridiculous poses while firing them..<br /><br />But writing-wise? I think writing Dazzler stories is a challenge. Claremont turned her into another Claremazon -- that is to say, an emotionally scarred Action Girl -- though when she and Havok were on the team together, I did enjoy the friendly rivalry they shared as the team's two long-range blasters. Alison would always come out on top thanks to her precision and fine control, which I thought was neat. However, Claremont gave her an obsession with "glamour & glitter, fashion & fame" (to quote another singer with a light-based gimmick) as an identifying trait. It really didn't serve to make her the most sympathetic of characters. <br /><br />Sadly, outside of Claremont, I haven't read enough other takes on Dazzler to really form an opinion of her as a character beyond his take. Other writers have done some interesting stuff with her...Fraction's "this city is a symphony and I'm her speaker" quote is one of the best lines she's ever delivered...but it's never been more than a scene or two, tops.<br /><br />I'd really like Dazzler to be taken seriously enough to stand as a member of the team again. Or alternatively, break off fom the X-Men and start another solo book with a focus on "mutant sub-culture". This concept was explored by Morrison, but Dazzler's place in it was never explicitly stated, which is sad. <br /><br />I feel that i the modern day, Dazzler should be the mutant equivalent of Ella Fitzgerald in terms of cultural impact, the first openly mutant performer. At the very least let the public perception of her take on a Weather Girls-esque camp factor. Just do SOMETHING with that side of her.Ingonyamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17767964255684263275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-46492976285362141992017-03-31T15:04:51.620-05:002017-03-31T15:04:51.620-05:00"Wolverine and his infinite lost weekends&quo..."Wolverine and his infinite lost weekends"<br /><br />This reply is 3 years late, but this hilarious and accurate description of Wolverine's solo stories deserves some recognition.Pascalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02063755332373858640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-50117487363509570292014-03-29T12:58:44.003-05:002014-03-29T12:58:44.003-05:00@Matt R.: love this site. we oft-times use it for ...@Matt R.: <i>love this site. we oft-times use it for references for our podcast covering the CC X-Men run. Check it out if you get a chance.</i><br /><br />Thanks! I'll have to check out your show sometime - I'm always on the lookout for another good X-Men podcast. <br />Austin Gortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-49577718518920485822014-03-21T08:33:40.621-05:002014-03-21T08:33:40.621-05:00love this site. we oft-times use it for references...love this site. we oft-times use it for references for our podcast covering the CC X-Men run. Check it out if you get a chance.<br /><br />http://theuncannypodcast.com/2014/03/20/the-uncanny-podcast-015-uncanny-x-men-128129mtu-089/Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06971761315157134429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-11679391308254992412013-11-21T13:07:00.034-06:002013-11-21T13:07:00.034-06:00I gotta stick up for Dazzler. Where as all the oth...I gotta stick up for Dazzler. Where as all the other X-Men wanted to be heroes, Ali wanted to do something else with her life. Besides Wolverine and his infinite lost weekends, what do the X-Men want to do with their lives?<br /><br />In a lot of ways she is the opposite of Betsy, who wanted to be an action junky. <br /><br />brandenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18098413670016263499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-34901863790716739202011-10-24T11:04:50.163-05:002011-10-24T11:04:50.163-05:00@Michael: Claremont and Byrne did an excellent job...@Michael: <i>Claremont and Byrne did an excellent job with Dazzler's intro and with this chapter of the Dark Phoenix saga in general, especially considering that it started as an editorial edict.</i><br /><br />Yeah, they really rolled with that particular punch quite well. I read the story for years without every knowing they were forced to work Dazzler into it. <br /><br /><i>I can't recall a single Dazzler thought bubble that wasn't about how awesome singing was or about quitting superheroing and becoming a star again.</i><br /><br />The only thing I can (kinda) counter that with off the top of my head is her rivalry with Rogue during the Outback years, but really, that just amounted to a third thought bubble dealing with jealousy over Longshot. <br /><br /><i>...it means that Kitty never appeared in the animated series, while B-list X-Men like Dazzler and C-list villains like Zaladane got multi-episode arcs. So weird.</i><br /><br />That is weird, and I'm actually ashamed that I never realized until I read your comment that Kitty never appeared in the animated series. I'd call it the "<i>Excalibur</i> effect", but they managed to work in Nightcrawler. Maybe the "Jubilee effect", cuz they already had their neophyte POV character? <br /><br />No matter what, like you said, for all the crap characters to which they devoted time, ignoring a fairly significant members of the team is bizarre. <br /><br />That said, I've always been impressed with how well the show adapted "DPS", especially considering Fox's standards for animation at the time and the comparatively risque material (like the Hellfire Club attire).Austin Gortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-4413773010328948792011-10-23T11:18:41.882-05:002011-10-23T11:18:41.882-05:00I'll give credit where credit is due -- Clarem...I'll give credit where credit is due -- Claremont and Byrne did an excellent job with Dazzler's intro and with this chapter of the Dark Phoenix saga in general, especially considering that it started as an editorial edict. Still, Dazzler never grew on me. Her early appearances and backstory <i>are</i> silly, but she remained two-dimensional ever after she joined the X-Men full time in the early-200s. I can't recall a single Dazzler thought bubble that wasn't about how awesome singing was or about quitting superheroing and becoming a star again. Blah.<br /><br />Thank God nothing else became of the planned Dazzler multimedia experience. An early-80s movie about a superheroing disco diva starring Bo Derek? That would have been a disaster and probably would have ruined part of the Dark Phoenix reading experience for newer fans who read these as back issues. Just imagine -- action, angst, drama, one of the greatest hero-to-villain stories ever told and... WTF? Is that Bo Derek?! <br /><br />Also of note, the 90s X-Men animated series stayed pretty faithful to Claremont and Byrne's story for the TV adaptation. (Much moreso than they did for the Phoenix saga.) They even managed some shot-for-shot remakes of some class Byrne / Wolverine scenes. But one thing that always bothered me is that they kicked off their story with a Dazzler episode instead of Kitty. Not only did it make the whole Dark Phoenix TV storyline feel rushed at the beginning, but it means that Kitty <i>never</i> appeared in the animated series, while B-list X-Men like Dazzler and C-list villains like Zaladane got multi-episode arcs. So weird.Michaelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-60191433036451442012011-10-21T19:05:17.137-05:002011-10-21T19:05:17.137-05:00@Matt: Seriously. I once drew out a "best gue...@Matt: <i>Seriously. I once drew out a "best guess" timeline of just how many years in Marvel Time I thought the X-Men had been active!</i><br /><br />That would be awesome to see sometime. :) <br /><br />Not quite on the same level, but I still have my handwritten notes as to how I believe all the issues (including the spinoffs) fit together, from the beginning up to just after "Onslaught". <br /><br />@Sarah: <i>I mean, they may not be top 5, but they're still pretty badass</i><br /><br />I suppose I could make a case for top 10 (but not top 5: telekinesis, invulnerability, healing, flight, telepathy). <br /><br />@Dr. Bitz: <i>Thought balloons and third person narratives are like any other literary device in history. It can be well done and affective if used correctly but stupid and childish when not.</i><br /><br />Exactly!<br /><br /><i>But still, thought ballons have their place...unless you want them to be first person narrative boxes, which are exactly the same thing.</i><br /><br />Indeed. To use your example, the "I can't believe it's my best friend!" thought is bad, regardless of whether it's expressed in a caption or a thought bubble.Austin Gortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-10276254470791095212011-10-21T14:53:23.299-05:002011-10-21T14:53:23.299-05:00Yeah, first person narrative is exactly the same a...Yeah, first person narrative is exactly the same as thought balloons. It's kind of dumb.<br /><br />I get that Watchmen was innovative and critically acclaimed and sophisticated and all that. But it wasn't just because it had no thought balloons. The style of that story lent itself to no thought balloons. But it doesn't mean any comic with thought balloons isn't good or sophisticated.<br /><br />Thought balloons and third person narratives are like any other literary device in history. It can be well done and affective if used correctly but stupid and childish when not.<br /><br />Yes, when a villain reveals themselves to be the hero's best friend, you probably don't need a thought balloon attached the hero's shocked face saying "I can't believe it's my best friend!"<br /><br />But still, thought ballons have their place...unless you want them to be first person narrative boxes, which are exactly the same thing.Dr. Bitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13568570859981368717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-85396996566538966612011-10-21T10:25:52.672-05:002011-10-21T10:25:52.672-05:00i dunno, i think kitty's powers would make my ...i dunno, i think kitty's powers would make my list of powers i'd like to have. I mean, they may not be top 5, but they're still pretty badassSarah Ahiershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02795455714801965956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-44322004471021536132011-10-20T18:04:47.182-05:002011-10-20T18:04:47.182-05:00"...I don't think those things and sophis..."...<b>I don't think those things and sophisticated comics are mutually exclusive.</b>"<br /><br />I agree; I just phrased that poorly. I'm not averse to sophistication in comics, and I don't think the things I listed detract from it or prevent it, as many of today's writers and editors seem to believe.<br /><br />Regarding the "real time" thing -- as noted, some of Marvel's writers (Englehart being a big one) in the 70's observed it -- but others didn't, such as the Spider-Man writers, who had him in college throughout the entire decade. He did eventually graduate, though, and went into grad school, where Marv Wolfman intended him to stay forever, since as he has said, in real life, someone can actually be in grad school forever without raising any eyebrows.<br /><br />Claremont was someplace in between, I think. Near the beginning he was definitely observing real time, with the reference to 1969 in the Sentinels' dialogue, etc. But as we see going forward, he begins to apply the brakes. Kitty is 13.5 years old when we meet her, and she turns 14 in outer space around the 160's, basically 2.5 real-years later. She turns 15 in <i>Excalibur</i> a few years after that.<br /><br />Narration also notes in issue #145 (May 1981) that Storm has been an X-Man for three years, but she joined in issue #94 (August 1975), published almost six years before. So while real time might have been observed for the first couple years, Claremont has begun to slow it down, and has even disregarded his previous uses of it, with things like mentioning that Jean is less than 25 years old.<br /><br />Jean's [spoiler]tombstone[/spoiler] in issue #138 is another instance of Claremont discarding real time. If she was born 1956, she certainly didn't join the X-Men in 1963, when their first issue was published!<br /><br />None of the above is meant to illustrate anything or support any theories... it's just a rambling encapsulation of some of the nerd thoughts that run through my brain on a daily basis. Seriously. I once drew out a "best guess" timeline of just how many years in Marvel Time I thought the X-Men had been active!Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14580725636327122073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-43592080091191340192011-10-20T17:28:16.389-05:002011-10-20T17:28:16.389-05:00@Matt: I can almost understand why people feel tho...@Matt: <i>I can almost understand why people feel thought balloons aren't sophisticated, though I disagree with the sentiment... but first person narration boxes basically are thought balloons, for most intents and purposes!</i><br /><br />That's what drives me nuts, too. The first person narration box is just a thought bubble in a box. And if that's okay, why not the occasional third person narration? <br /><br /><i>I want comics to be full of overblown purple narration, thought balloons, and sound effects! That's what makes them fun!</i><br /><br />Agreed. Though I'll add that I don't think those things and sophisticated comics are mutually exclusive. <br /><br /><i>I wonder if he pitched it himself, or if editorial asked him to do it, or if Claremont suggested it but had no time to script it himself.</i><br /><br />That's a good question. I know Claremont stopped writing most of the backups a few issues ago (<i>Classic X-Men</i>-wise) but I have no idea why, whether he just got busy/bored, or if editorial wanted a new voice, or ??? <br /><br />@Blam: <i>The license plate on the Rolls Royce is "CHAS-X-1". </i><br /><br />Thanks for pointing that out; I meant to and then it got lost in the shuffle of all the other stuff in this issue. <br /><br />You're right, though: that's definitely the kind of plate <i>First Class</i> Xavier would have. <br /><br /><i>I find it hard to swallow that the Hellfire Club was carrying out villainous...activities under its own name and as seen in #129 with its logo emblazoned on an van full of armored goons all while purporting to be no more than an elite gentleman's club.</i><br /><br />Ha! I never thought of that, but you're absolutely right. Especially after we see this issue that the logo on the van last issue is exactly the same as the one on the outside of the club. <br /><br />There's hiding in plain sight, then there's...that. <br /><br /><i>We're told that Jean Grey is "not even a quarter-century old". </i><br /><br />That was something else on which I meant to comment (it's a good thing I've got you guys around to pick up these dropped balls)! <br /><br />I definitely think you're correct about the writer being the arbiter of how time passes in the book. Englehart especially never seemed scared to adopt the "real time" approach to his work (plus, it was probably easier to keep track of time that way). <br /><br />Nowadays, it feels like there's either an editorial edict to the effect of "be vague about it" or, more likely, today's writers are just more conscious of the ongoing-ness (for lack of a better word...) of the characters and go out of their way to avoid explicitly pinning down a specific age or time. <br /><br /><i>It's professional only in the sense that he presumably got paid for it.</i><br /><br />Very well said. :)Austin Gortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-47260682215946236642011-10-20T16:19:49.016-05:002011-10-20T16:19:49.016-05:00Matt: It includes his full treatment for the movie...<br>Matt: <i>It includes his full treatment for the movie in PDF format.</i><br /><br />A friend of mine sent that to me a while back. How can I put this? It's professional only in the sense that he presumably got paid for it.<br /><br>Blamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07342343767763035991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-25891381326956592222011-10-20T16:17:06.268-05:002011-10-20T16:17:06.268-05:00The license plate on the Rolls Royce is "CHAS...<br>The license plate on the Rolls Royce is "CHAS-X-1". Do we really think that the Professor Xavier of the comics (as opposed to the swingin' playa of this summer's <i>X-Men: First Class</i> film) would employ such a vanity plate? <br /><br />Not for the first time, I'm reminded of the curious coincidence of Charles Xavier / Professor X and the "Charlie X" episode of <i>Star Trek</i>, about a teen with mental abilities.<br /><br />They're laying it on a bit thick with Jason Wyngarde's shadow now.<br /><br />Also not for the first time, and related to the actual stories at hand, I find it hard to swallow that the Hellfire Club was carrying out villainous (or from its own perspective just selfish or power-grabbing, perhaps, but still illegal and surreptitious) activities under its own name and as seen in #129 <i>with its logo emblazoned on an van full of armored goons</i> all while purporting to be no more than an elite gentleman's club. That makes the secret identity of Captain America's young, brown-haired, domino-masked sidekick Bucky [Psst... He's really Pvt. Steve Rogers' young, brown-haired pal and regiment "mascot"... <i>Bucky!!!</i>] — look like a Mensa question.<br /><br />We're told that Jean Grey is "not even a quarter-century old". The lettercol in #124 remarked that the X-Men have been together for "five or six years ... <i>if that</i>," although in #98 Cyclops says that the new team has existed for "almost a year" and the last Sentinel attack was referenced as having occurred in 1969, with in-story and publishing time coinciding. I've noticed that the passage of real time in Marvel comics was held onto by some writers into the late 1970s, with Steve Englehart noting the Avengers' decade-plus existence contemporarily with Claremont's earlier real-time references in <i>X-Men</i>. Chances are that referencing the actual calendar — in terms of history, not the continuing Marvel hallmark of trying to be relevant to current events — depended on the writer (and I'm talking about overall passage of time, not compressed events or elongated downtime in or between individual stories; that actually helps smooth things out in the big picture just as with TV series).<br /><br>Blamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07342343767763035991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-56749530251935893622011-10-20T11:27:46.076-05:002011-10-20T11:27:46.076-05:00"...there is something to be said for what re..."...<b>there is something to be said for what really good narration can add to a comic book story.</b>"<br /><br />I don't understand why third person omniscient narration is considered <i>passe</i> in comics, while first person narration is totally "hip and sophisticated".<br /><br />I can almost understand why people feel thought balloons aren't sophisticated, though I disagree with the sentiment... but first person narration boxes basically <i>are</i> thought balloons, for most intents and purposes! I find it especially silly when I'm reading a comic where two characters are first person narrating opposite one another. Why not just use thought balloons?<br /><br />Anyway -- my point is, if you're <i>trying</i> for sophistication, I feel like omniscient narration is <i>more</i> sophisticated than first person when done well, since it reads like a novel with pictures. But, that said, I should add that I don't necessarily look for sophistication in comics anyway. I want comics to be full of overblown purple narration, thought balloons, and sound effects! That's what makes them fun!<br /><br />"...<b>Claremont didn't write that particular backup; it was Fabian Nicieza</b>..."<br /><br />Interesting. I wonder if he pitched it himself, or if editorial asked him to do it, or if Claremont suggested it but had no time to script it himself.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14580725636327122073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-57405774591121501032011-10-19T14:47:44.309-05:002011-10-19T14:47:44.309-05:00@Chris: The "disco" looks more like a di...@Chris: <i>The "disco" looks more like a dingy punk rock club, and the patrons look like an amalgamation someone's idea of what punks and late 70s disco club goers look like.</i><br /><br />Yeah, the disco is definitely not at all how I picture discos from the late 70s, not that my picture is necessarily based at all on reality. <br /><br />One of the things Jason Powell comments on his post is the idea that the depiction of the disco as a seedy, rundown, punk-esque club might be more commentary from Claremont and/or Byrne regarding their feelings towards shoehorning Dazzler into the story. <br /><br />Then again, it's possible they had no more firsthand experience of the disco scene then we do...<br /><br />@Matt: <i>I love that Wyngarde is wearing his old-fashioned Hellfire Club clothes at the disco. ... I believe Shaw usually "dressed down" in normal suits when outside the club, didn't he?</i> <br /><br />Ha! I never even gave that a second thought, but it is kind of odd that the Wyngarde of 1980 at the club is dressed the same as the Wyngarde of 1780 in Phoenix's vision. <br /><br />And yeah, I'm pretty sure I remember seeing Shaw in meetings with Senator Kelly and whatnot dressed in normal clothes. <br /><br /><i>it was just cool to think that a group of villains were living in plain sight, practically as neighbors to the Earth's mightiest heroes.</i><br /><br />Agreed. I've always thought it gave the Hellfire Club a little bit of added mystique, that they were villains, but villains capable of hiding in plain sight. <br /><br /><i>Back when I read this for the first time, I immediately recognized the shadow. </i><br /><br />By the time I read this story for the first time, I already knew who Wyngarde was so that was always just a cool little detail for me. It must have been terribly fun for anyone reading it the first time to see that and recognize it, and know they picked up on one of the clues. <br /><br /><i>Should I be avoiding spoilers for thirty year old stories that pretty much the entire comics reading community has read?</i><br /><br />Good question. :) <br /><br />I've intentionally been a little cagey with some of the details in these posts for the benefit of any readers who may not have read the storie yet, or who have forgotten some of the details (and it also makes it a little more fun for me (and maybe some of the readers who do know exactly what comes next) to try and recreate the feeling of reading these one at a time without knowing where they fit in the tapestry of X-history) but at the same time, it's not like I don't spoil, say, that Kitty Pryde or Dazzler will one day join the team, and I certainly can't begrudge any spoilers of, as you say, a 30 year old story that is also one of the seminal works of the genre. <br /><br />So I guess my answer is...maybe. ;)<br /><br /><i>I still kind of get chills from the ominous narration</i><br /><br />Yeah, I really like that closing bit as well (you pretty much nailed it, too). Discussions of Dazzler's light piercing someone's soul aside, Claremont really turns in some excellent narration throughout this story (there's a few lines from #137 that still choke me up every time I read them...). <br /><br />Claremont's narration specifically and the device in general is something that gets derided by a lot of modern fans, and I can't deny Claremont himself can overuse it, but there is something to be said for what really good narration can add to a comic book story. <br /><br /><i>As you say, it's not the best solution, but at least Claremont bothered to address it!</i><br /><br />I should have mentioned (that bit was added last minute as it was) that Claremont didn't write that particular backup; it was Fabian Nicieza (in what had to be some of his earliest X-work, if not his first). Credit/blame where it's due. ;)Austin Gortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-61394752899333165422011-10-19T12:50:18.165-05:002011-10-19T12:50:18.165-05:00I like this version of Dazzler. I'm not sure ...I like this version of Dazzler. I'm not sure why. I never really warmed up to her on the X-Men, but I love the super-cheesy "Disco Queen" version of the character.<br /><br />I love that Wyngarde is wearing his old-fashioned Hellfire Club clothes at the disco. I guess he wouldn't stick out among the gaudily-dressed patrons as illustrated, but it still seems funny. I believe Shaw usually "dressed down" in normal suits when outside the club, didn't he?<br /><br />Jim Shooter also wrote up his version of Dazzler's conception here: <a href="http://www.jimshooter.com/2011/07/debut-of-dazzler.html" rel="nofollow">Debut of the Dazzler</a>. It includes his full treatment for the movie in PDF format.<br /><br />"<b>The Hellfire Club is revealed to be located on Fifth Avenue, just a few blocks down from Avengers Mansion.</b>"<br /><br />I've always liked that touch. It subtly reminded you that there are other superheroes in the world besides the X-Men, and it was just cool to think that a group of villains were living in plain sight, practically as neighbors to the Earth's mightiest heroes.<br /><br />"<b>Once again, Wyngarde casts a unique shadow.</b>"<br /><br />Back when I read this for the first time, I immediately recognized the shadow. I knew nothing of the X-Men; "Dark Phoenix" was practically the first X-material I ever read... but I'd skimmed the Marvel handbooks many times, and the shadow drawn here is very similar to the illustration of its owner in his profile. (Should I be avoiding spoilers for thirty year old stories that pretty much the entire comics reading community has read?)<br /><br />Also, I still kind of get chills from the ominous narration noting that someday Cyclops will remember the shadow and realize who it belonged to, but by then it may be too late for him, for the woman he loves, etc. (Can't remember the exact wording, but it's something like that).<br /><br />"...<b>the loss of his power left him so emasculated, he was reluctant to call Moira.</b>"<br /><br />Wow, I had no idea. As you say, it's not the best solution, but at least Claremont bothered to address it!Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14580725636327122073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-58499321605420785902011-10-19T12:11:29.399-05:002011-10-19T12:11:29.399-05:00This issue is interesing to me from a pop culture ...This issue is interesing to me from a pop culture viewpoint. The "disco" looks more like a dingy punk rock club, and the patrons look like an amalgamation someone's idea of what punks and late 70s disco club goers look like. Having said that in 1980 I was way too young and not in NYC for any first hand knowledge.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13066873171972229134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-21236311069336629522011-10-19T12:08:56.823-05:002011-10-19T12:08:56.823-05:00@Anne: Dazzler- she's always seemed a bit '...@Anne: <i>Dazzler- she's always seemed a bit 'silly' to me for some reason.</i><br /><br />Yeah, she definitely seems silly in these early appearances, but I like her a bit more once she actually joins the team, at which point she's not really wedded to the whole disco thing anymore. <br /><br /><i>Also- how is she able to flood someone's soul with light? They went too far with that description methinks.</i><br /><br />Yeah, that almost went in "Claremontisms" as it's a bit overwrought, the kind of narration his critics like to lampoon, and while I'm willing to defend some of his purple prose, nowadays my eyes pretty much start rolling automatically as soon as they see the word "soul". <br /><br /><i>I do have to give it to Kitty- she has a really awesome power</i><br /><br />I don't know that I'd go so far as "awesome" (it wouldn't make my list of powers I'd want personally, for example), but it's definitely a different power, and I like that. And I like the way that she manages to contribute on a team that's all about fighting bad guys with what is essentially a defensive power.Austin Gortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14281239771248780430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7266470995513648978.post-74060947878735749142011-10-19T11:02:18.052-05:002011-10-19T11:02:18.052-05:00Dazzler- she's always seemed a bit 'silly&...Dazzler- she's always seemed a bit 'silly' to me for some reason. Also- how is she able to flood someone's soul with light? They went too far with that description methinks.<br /><br />I do have to give it to Kitty- she has a really awesome powerAnne Ahiershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04695186823472404436noreply@blogger.com