Marvel 100th Anniversary Issues
FEATURING:
FEATURING:
X-Men #100
So "the spectacular 100th issue of X-Men" is deceptive in that, strictly speaking, it's really the publication's 73rd issue, as far as being published out of the cycle of reprints (if we're putting aside Giant-Size X-Men #1 for argument's sake)--because instead of giving the "new" X-Men a brand new run with issue #1, X-Men was simply continued at issue #94 as the book shifted from reprints back to new stories. And with the issue featuring the "new X-Men" in only their 7th appearance, billing the issue as the X-Men's 100th issue let the wind out of the new team's sails, to say the least.
Which is regrettable, since X-Men #100 is every inch the 100th issue it should be. The story concludes the scheme of Steven Lang, who has taken control of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s abandoned orbital platform in order to launch an unauthorized project to exterminate mutantkind. Writer Chris Claremont, in only his fifth full issue scripting the book, keeps this climax at a whirlwind pace that artist Dave Cockrum has set throughout the story. And why shouldn't the pace be off the hook? It's the new X-Men vs. the original team, or so it appears:
Claremont establishes the chemistry between the original team members perfectly, with the newer team caught off-guard by both the circumstances as well as an ingrained state of teamwork in their foes.
Just look at this beautiful double-page opening spread from Cockrum that has this story exploding like gangbusters:
It's only later, through a shocking gambit from Wolverine, that the new team is able to blunt the momentum of the original members, who have so far directed this fight at every turn. Yet even at the fight's conclusion, Claremont doesn't let up on the reins. With the orbital platform's imminent destruction, the only option for survival is a life-or-death escape which heralds the birth of--well, I'm sure you're more than able to fill in that particular character's name.
As a storyteller, Dave Cockrum, who would go on to pencil and ink these initial issues of the new team until #107, is simply amazing on X-Men--and issue #100 is as fine a showcase of his work as you could wish for. And with Claremont's already intuitive feel for each member of the team, as far as I'm concerned this is the 100th issue of this title. And coming out of reprint purgatory, it was just what long-time readers needed to realize that this team was here to stay.
2 comments:
I remember how excited I was when I saw the cover of this, as a back issue (I was a bit late to collecting the X-Men) in my LCS. One of the better Marvel #100's out there.
I agree. Perhaps it stands out above the pack because it wasn't trying so hard to be a 100th issue. :)
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