Chadwick Boseman
1976-2020
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| via Disney Wiki |
RIP
Wakanda Forever
My Recent Reads
Uncanny X-Men #112
Originally Published August 1, 1978
Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: John Byrne
- The X-Men do battle with Magneto in a carnival trailer as said trailer flies to Antarctica where Magneto has a secret base under a volcano.
- Magneto wins, confining our heroes in a powerless state.
Uncanny X-Men #113
September 1, 1978 (note the switch to monthly release; the series is doing well)
Claremont/Byrne
- The X-Men manage to break free from Magneto, though only Jean and the Beast appear to have survived the ensuing melee.
- Some fun background on Storm from her days learning to pick locks as an orphaned child in Cairo.
Uncanny X-Men #114
October 1, 1978
Claremont/Byrne
- Ah, but the others have survived! Though they have no idea where Magneto is or whether or not he even survived the destruction of his base (he did).
- Cyclops and company tunnel their way to the Savage Land, a mysterious tropical sanctuary - still in Antarctica - where prehistoric creatures run wild. Apparently Scott knows all about it. There, they encounter the friendly Fall People.
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| via Wikipedia |
- Unfortunately, this is no vacation. Storm is attacked by a seeming human who absorbs her life energy to become a pterodactyl called Sauron (quite different from the Middle Earth Sauron).
- Meanwhile, Jean and the Beast are rescued and returned to Westchester where they break the news to Charles that they believe the rest of the X-Men have perished.
- The artwork has definitely been upgraded since Byrne came on board. We're seeing full-page and even double-page panels of a quality I haven't seen in this journey since Jack Kirby's best Fantastic Four work. The stories have improved, too, demonstrating once again that the artist matters in this medium
Uncanny X-Men #115
November 1, 1978
Claremont/Byrne
- The X-Men battle Sauron who, once defeated, reverts back to his human form, known as Karl Lykos.
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| via Wikipedia |
- Before Wolverine can finish off Sauron, Ka-Zar and Zabu (he's the cat) show up, claiming Lykos is their friend. We're all buddies now.
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| via Wikipedia |
- Lykos tells a tale of witnessing the transformation of a man into the living embodiment of the deity Garokk. Since then, Garokk and his minions have built a city within the Savage Land which threatens the survival of all.
- Ka-Zar and Lykos ask for the X-Men's help. At least for the moment, our friends decline.
Uncanny X-Men #116
December 1, 1978
Claremont/Byrne
- At the end of the last issue, a snowstorm had hit the Savage Land. Ka-Zar emphasized to the X-Men that the Savage Land could never survive the full brunt of an Antarctic winter so they agree to stick around.
- Cyclops, Colossus, Banshee and Ka-Zar are captured by Garokk's pterodactyl riders.
- Wolverine sends Zabu back to the Fall People village to get help while he, Storm and Nightcrawler head for Garokk's citadel to rescue their friends.
- Garokk is defeated and his city destroyed. He is presumed dead, though not for lack of Storm trying to save him at the last moment.
I'm still very sad about Chadwick Boseman. While I'm not too familiar with his movies, I am only familiar from SNL, 43 is so young and he seemed like such a kind and gentle man. Gone too soon.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to stream all the Marvel movies this weekend. Maybe not all, but I want to stream a few.
I'm curious to know what you've chosen to watch, and if you enjoyed them.
DeleteI don't know that I'm willing to credit "artists" with the improving the "story," but Byrne certainly did. He was heavily involved in the story plots almost any time he was doing art. Of course, later, he would go on to also be a writer.
ReplyDeleteHe is also the primary reason we still have Wolverine.
I definitely disagree. But we already knew that.
DeleteI will say this: once Byrne is on board, I get a sense that Claremont had "his guy" and the game was definitely on now. The stories get less cluttered and less formulaic. I don't know if it was any more one or the other or an artistic synergy between the two. What's funny to realize after learning a little more about Byrne is that he is a notoriously difficult man to work with - for Claremont and pretty much everybody. Lesson: just because someone is talented doesn't mean he's not a jerk.
Oh, no, Byrne is, or was, totally a jerk.
DeleteI think that's probably why he ended up doing his own writing later; mostly, no one wanted to work with him.
I think part of what's going on, though, is just that Claremont was getting better and more confident. His writing doesn't diminish after Byrne leaves; it could be said that it got better. Claremont propelled X-Men to the top of the ratings for two decades, something no one else has ever done. And that was Claremont, because it was consistent no matter who was doing art for him.
Okay. I shall endeavor to enjoy the ride.
DeleteChadwick Boseman's death was sad.
ReplyDeletewww.thepulpitandthepen.com
Definitely.
DeleteThere is talk that his South Carolina hometown MAY remove a Confederate statue and put one of him in its place.
ReplyDeleteI'm always up for removing Confederate memorials, but I'm expecting the usual howls of heritage BS to start any minute.
Unfortunately, I'm sure you're right.
Delete