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Cassandra Nova: The worst evil disembodied parasitic sister ever.
Cassidy Keep (X-Men #101)
Nightcrawler is just ridiculously charming. (X-Men #101)
I keep trying to think of a Monster in a Box joke to make about X-Men and vacations, but no matter where it goes, it’s not going to be in good taste. (X-Men #101)
Page 3 of Storm’s origin flashback. Can we talk about Dave Cockrum splash pages and how they are AWESOME? (X-Men #102)
After the “Cyclops Has a Good Day” sketchbook is full, Rachel’s going to move on to “Cyclops tells Professor X to go fuck himself.” (X-Men #102)
And then, Leprechauns. (X-Men #103)
Here, Nightcrawler. Have a new mutation. And also I guess some more Leprechauns, because, why not? (X-Men #103)
Even fake Charles Xavier is kind of a douche. (X-Men #103)
“We also know what you think about when you masturbate.” (X-Men #103)
The rad bromance of Cain Marko and Tom Cassidy. (X-Men #103)
“Whaddayamean, ‘roll diplomacy’? I put all my points into claw weapons!” (X-Men #104)
Secondary mutation: awesome villain speeches. (X-Men #104)
So, that happened. (X-Men #104)
Cockrum is REALLY into this layout. (X-Men #105)
Fun fact: Misty Knight is the only one of these characters alive in the modern Marvel universe. (X-Men #105)
Phoenix wants you heralds of Galactus off her damn lawn. (X-Men #105)
Shi’ar Trek. (X-Men #105)
AND THEN THINGS GOT AWESOME. (X-Men #107)
“While you guys were fighting the functionally omnipotent Superboy clone, I beat a guy up and stole his clothes.” Wolverine: Chaos gamer. (X-Men #107)
I’m not sure what he expects Captain America to do about this. (X-Men #107)
The Phoenix Force. (X-Men #108)
More majestic Phoenix action. (X-Men #108)
“I realized that I’d left some scenery unchewed, and that would NEVER do.” (X-Men #111)
Magneto is COMMITTED to the supervillain schtick. (X-Men #112)
NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE (X-Men #112)
Okay, then. (X-Men #113)
Next week on Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men!
Fantastic episode, guys. Hilarious and fun.
I will say that while Warhawk (who iirc is a villain Claremont recycled from Power Man & Iron Fist whose powers are being bulletproof and SUPER RACIST) is a sucky villain, X-men #110 does have a couple of really good elements. Most importantly (and maybe you cover this as part of an episode on the topic 10 years from now) features the first instance of the X-Men playing a sport and using their powers while doing so (in this case Baseball, in one of the most oft-copied sequences from this run).
Of course, my perspective might be off. My first X-men comic was Giant-Size X-Men #1 (for realz). Claremont’s run to me _IS_ the X-men. I went back and read some of the Silver Age ones when the X-men took off (another kid in the neighborhood had some old comics), but this run is THE run of the X-men, to me. It informs everything I think and know about them.
We went back and forth on whether to cover the baseball scene (which is indeed a fun and historically important one) in this episode, but decided to work it into a later one where it’d be more relevant. The Claremont era is so content-dense that it’s been a challenge deciding what to include in each episode and what to skip over – a blessing and a curse, that!
I had forgotten how ridiculous that Nanny scene was. Still, maybe it’s not as bad as the Stryfe/babyfood scene from X-cutioner’s Song?
Wait wait wait — in the Shi’ar Trek panel, is that officer giving us a Miles-esque “Wha-a-at?” Does Miles have a time machine he isn’t sharing??