Readthrough: Classic X-Men #1
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x_men_classicClassic X-Men reprinted the early Claremont run a few years after the fact—but with a lot of edits and new material. Ads were removed and replaced with new pages and panels of story; dialogue was edited to bring it into line with later continuity or characterization (e.g. Ororo would not say ‘Good Lord’ in a moment of stress, so in the reprints she says “Goddess!” instead; Kurt can’t teleport blind). There was new cover art, fancy frontispieces (some of those are pretty cool) and most importantly, a new short story in each issue.
Most of the new stories were character-focused standalones. The best of them are some of my favorite X-Men stories ever.
The first issue was a bit of an odd case. Giant-Size X-Men #1 was huge; there wasn’t room to stick in a backup story. So, they cut a lot out to make room. Classic X-Men #1 kept the character introduction scenes from Giant-Size, and nothing else. It opens with a new version of Cyclops staggering home from Krakoa (costume in tatters, of course) and Professor X deciding to recruit a new team. (Remember when I said that I always misremember the order of events in Giant-Size? I'm pretty sure that this story is why.) Cyclops gets to angst a bit about the return of his powers, which he’d briefly hoped were gone for good; the Professor advises against self-pity, but sympathizes more with Scott’s worries about losing his friends. Then it segues to the original intros, and then quickly summarizes the actual fight against Krakoa before settling in to tell a new story about the combined team at the mansion, the evening before half of them decide to leave. That's the bulk of the story, and my favorite part of the issue.
It’s a bit of a mission statement for what Classic would be at its best: character studies and slice of life.
The framing device has Charles Xavier telepathically dropping in on his students, checking what they’re up to and making sure they’re all right.
Alex and Lorna are leaving to pursue their degrees; this is a doomed effort (those dissertations will never be finished), but it’s a good idea in theory. Also, that’s a pretty neat way to draw telepathy! (Cyclops, for the record, is off being a workaholic, to the detriment of his relationship with Jean. Thanks to her telepathy she knows he really does care, but she still wishes he’d make time for her instead of giving everything to his job.) Meanwhile, Sean, Piotr and Kurt begin to make friends, although Bobby Drake proves unwilling to meet them halfway.
Kurt is very eloquent here. He’s also got some great lines just after, persuading Piotr (discouraged by Bobby’s unfriendliness) to stay with the team.
Meanwhile, John Proudstar tries to reach out to a teammate for the first and only time; unfortunately, it’s Bobby again. Iceman, fresh from his argument with the others, rebuffs him and starts a brief physical scuffle. In light of future events, it’s a terribly sad scene.
After that, there’s scene with Jean and Wolverine that I have far more mixed feelings about. She’s gone out to the woods to think (and, like the Professor, telepathically monitor the situation at the mansion); he follows and declares his attraction to her. Jean is appropriately fearless, and Logan is also pretty realistic about his failings, even to a woman he’s trying to flirt with. But it also serves to retcon the Scott/Jean/Logan love triangle as more important than it was. In the early Claremont run, Logan did have a thing for Jean, but she didn’t return the sentiment. Here, she’s so strongly attracted to him that it’s part of why she leaves the team—although hardly the only reason.
(Angel, who charges to the attack when he sees Logan with Jean, comes off pretty badly, but in a way that’s consistent with his characterization in this period—not entirely over his crush on Jean, hates Logan, that’s about right. And Storm, who breaks up the fight and tells Warren off for starting it, comes off well; nice bit of foreshadowing of her future role on the team, too.)
And while superheroes are not Bolton’s strength, the fight has its visually interesting aspects—there’s a great bit where Logan’s claws cut through the sound effects. (Unfortunately in a weird-shaped panel, and I didn’t want to post the whole page just to show it.)
The issue closes with a final scene between Jean and the Professor, in which she confesses that she’s leaving and he gives her his blessing to do so. It goes a long way towards showing how close the two of them are, and gives the impression that she’s the original X-Man he respects the most, the one he comes closest to seeing as a peer. And on her end, she’s the one who understands him best.
And I like the exploration of Jean’s motives for leaving the team.
Bobby and Warren see the new X-Men as a threat, driving them away; Jean sees their presence as liberating. She’s no longer needed here, and that means she’s free to go her own way.
That isn't going to last, of course--but it's still a hopeful note to end the issue on.
Most of the new stories were character-focused standalones. The best of them are some of my favorite X-Men stories ever.
The first issue was a bit of an odd case. Giant-Size X-Men #1 was huge; there wasn’t room to stick in a backup story. So, they cut a lot out to make room. Classic X-Men #1 kept the character introduction scenes from Giant-Size, and nothing else. It opens with a new version of Cyclops staggering home from Krakoa (costume in tatters, of course) and Professor X deciding to recruit a new team. (Remember when I said that I always misremember the order of events in Giant-Size? I'm pretty sure that this story is why.) Cyclops gets to angst a bit about the return of his powers, which he’d briefly hoped were gone for good; the Professor advises against self-pity, but sympathizes more with Scott’s worries about losing his friends. Then it segues to the original intros, and then quickly summarizes the actual fight against Krakoa before settling in to tell a new story about the combined team at the mansion, the evening before half of them decide to leave. That's the bulk of the story, and my favorite part of the issue.
It’s a bit of a mission statement for what Classic would be at its best: character studies and slice of life.
The framing device has Charles Xavier telepathically dropping in on his students, checking what they’re up to and making sure they’re all right.
Alex and Lorna are leaving to pursue their degrees; this is a doomed effort (those dissertations will never be finished), but it’s a good idea in theory. Also, that’s a pretty neat way to draw telepathy! (Cyclops, for the record, is off being a workaholic, to the detriment of his relationship with Jean. Thanks to her telepathy she knows he really does care, but she still wishes he’d make time for her instead of giving everything to his job.) Meanwhile, Sean, Piotr and Kurt begin to make friends, although Bobby Drake proves unwilling to meet them halfway.
Kurt: Then prove me wrong. Take my hand, and Peter’s, and welcome us with an open heart. As professor Xavier did.
Bobby: *SLAM*
Kurt is very eloquent here. He’s also got some great lines just after, persuading Piotr (discouraged by Bobby’s unfriendliness) to stay with the team.
Meanwhile, John Proudstar tries to reach out to a teammate for the first and only time; unfortunately, it’s Bobby again. Iceman, fresh from his argument with the others, rebuffs him and starts a brief physical scuffle. In light of future events, it’s a terribly sad scene.
After that, there’s scene with Jean and Wolverine that I have far more mixed feelings about. She’s gone out to the woods to think (and, like the Professor, telepathically monitor the situation at the mansion); he follows and declares his attraction to her. Jean is appropriately fearless, and Logan is also pretty realistic about his failings, even to a woman he’s trying to flirt with. But it also serves to retcon the Scott/Jean/Logan love triangle as more important than it was. In the early Claremont run, Logan did have a thing for Jean, but she didn’t return the sentiment. Here, she’s so strongly attracted to him that it’s part of why she leaves the team—although hardly the only reason.
(Angel, who charges to the attack when he sees Logan with Jean, comes off pretty badly, but in a way that’s consistent with his characterization in this period—not entirely over his crush on Jean, hates Logan, that’s about right. And Storm, who breaks up the fight and tells Warren off for starting it, comes off well; nice bit of foreshadowing of her future role on the team, too.)
And while superheroes are not Bolton’s strength, the fight has its visually interesting aspects—there’s a great bit where Logan’s claws cut through the sound effects. (Unfortunately in a weird-shaped panel, and I didn’t want to post the whole page just to show it.)
The issue closes with a final scene between Jean and the Professor, in which she confesses that she’s leaving and he gives her his blessing to do so. It goes a long way towards showing how close the two of them are, and gives the impression that she’s the original X-Man he respects the most, the one he comes closest to seeing as a peer. And on her end, she’s the one who understands him best.
And I like the exploration of Jean’s motives for leaving the team.
There’s so much I want to see and do—a whole world to explore that knows nothing about mutants and aliens and super-villains. Lately, I find myself thinking of this house as a cloister, even a prison. I’m bound here. Trapped.
How can humanity come to trust us, Professor, if we forever hide behind these walls, afraid to discover if we can make it on our own.
Bobby and Warren see the new X-Men as a threat, driving them away; Jean sees their presence as liberating. She’s no longer needed here, and that means she’s free to go her own way.
That isn't going to last, of course--but it's still a hopeful note to end the issue on.
Poll #21078 Favorite Scene
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 6
Which interaction did you like the best?
View Answers
Scott and the Professor
0 (0.0%)
Alex and Lorna
2 (33.3%)
Scott and Jean
0 (0.0%)
Sean, Piotr and Kurt
3 (50.0%)
Sean, Kurt, and Bobby
2 (33.3%)
John and Bobby
1 (16.7%)
Jean and Logan
1 (16.7%)
Jean and the Professor
3 (50.0%)
Something else, as I will explain in the comments
0 (0.0%)
Tags:
- artist: john bolton,
- character: angel,
- character: banshee,
- character: colossus,
- character: cyclops,
- character: havok,
- character: jean grey,
- character: nightcrawler,
- character: polaris,
- character: professor x,
- character: storm,
- character: thunderbird,
- character: wolverine,
- poll,
- readthrough,
- title: classic x-men,
- writer: chris claremont
