I’m going to keep this one a bit shorter, as we’ve already seen behind this curtain, but I did still think we needed a summary post of our last results. But if you want to see the detailed stats for each match up, just head on back to the original post where everything exists permanently:
X-factor #87 ("X-Animations") was masterful. Peter David, Joe Quesada, Marie Javens. In ~22 pages, the creative team presents seven (!) insightful character moments. I never understood Quicksilver before this issue, and I still think about his monologue a couple of times a year, three decades later.
Uncanny X-men 259 made me love Colossus. that whole post-Inferno chunk is excellent, where everyone is scattered and some of them don't know who they are, but I'd never connected to the character until he was painting in his loft naked, having difficulty connecting with others.
The character I want to bring up is Black Widow. Now, before I mention the story that intrigued me about her, allow me to suck up for a moment. I can say without reservation that your run (with Elena Casagrande, Rafael de Latorre, and Rafael Pimentel) on Black Widow is my all-time favorite. In it, Natasha is vulnerable and badass in equal measure. And, although she has been an Avenger forever (and, therefore, no stranger to being part of a team), seeing her forge a team, or, more accurately, create a *family* after she LOST her family was hugely affecting and rewarding.
But it was Daredevil 188 (Frank Miller & Klaus Janson) that made me sit up and take notice of her. In that story, she had been poisoned by the Hand and was going to die soon. She’s on the run, desperately searching for a cure and eventually looks for Matt Murdock. Along the way, she kicks everybody’s ass… even though she’s getting sicker and sicker, to the point of DISSOLVING.
Part of the appeal was the new-to-me gray costume (which I freaking love to this day) and short hair. And part was her flippant, sarcastic attitude that masked her sadness and fear about dying. I had read her before and never disliked her but never really liked her either. This story made me a FAN.
So I have a weird character choice. It’s Spider-Man. Now I’ve always liked Spidey... but I don’t know if I “got him” like some people did when they grew up. I remember the McFarlane stuff, the Larsen, and through the big Bagley runs. Soooo many fun stories that were fun to read, but I never had a lot of real attachment. The AvX happened (literally over 20 years since my first Spidey books).
In issue 9 by Bendis and Kubert there is a scene inside of a volcano when a collected team of X-Men and Avengers are trying to e cape a volcano, and get ambushed by Phoenix Colossus and Magik. Spidey rushes them all out and confronts the two himself. There’s a crazy DPS of him just getting his ass handed to him, and just continues to get up again and again running his mouth off. He tricks the two into taking each other out and the story shifts elsewhere... but something about those two specific pages completely shifted my views on Mr. Parker. I don’t know why, but every book I ever read with him has a new set of eyes on it from me.
Thanks for the recommendations! I’ll definitely checkout Wolverine and Jubilee and, although I’ve never been a big fan of Excalibur, I’m excited to check out vol 1 & 2!
The first comic I ever bought was Web of Spider-Man 64 at a gas station on a family road trip (it was a prologue to Acts of Vengeance, and I had no clue what was going on, but loved Spider-Man ever since then).
Side not: The only comic I remember seeing on a comic rack as a kid in a comic store is Uncanny X-men 290. I thought the cover looked so cool. Also, I remember thinking, “what’s uncanny mean?”
For story that made me fall in love with a character is a twofer. Lords of Empire: Hulkling was the first story with Hulkling and Wiccan together I had read since the original Young Avengers run. The way story presented the duo made me want nothing but happiness for the young lovers forever and I’ll always Stan them. They are so perfect together.
Aug 15, 2022·edited Aug 15, 2022Liked by Kelly Thompson
I don't have a long history with comic books like the rest of you guys, for which I am IMMENSELY jealous, as the town I lived in as a kid comics weren't easy to come by. I had a couple of Fantastic Four I remember but that was all. Then I kind of went of the rails in my teens and spent the next 30 years being a drug addled alcoholic ( not sharing too much I hope!?) Anyway, since getting myself sorted out and discovering comics properly this time around you, Kelly, have become my go to/favourite writer by far and a beacon for comics and stories I missed. I have been picking up early Excalibur and New Mutants books - I love getting the originals - and am a HUGE fan of both those groups (sic). So obviously now I am this instant frantically searching ebay for those Uncanny X-men books you've just mentioned! 😁👍 Oh, and in answer to your question it wasn't a specific issue but your Black Widow turned me on to a character I had absolutely no interest in whatsoever! Just brilliant throughout. I'm also a gigantic Captain Marvel fan, which I started reading with The Life of Captain Marvel and then you took over and the rest, as they say, is history! OK, I will stop with the crazy fan-boy stuff now - you can come out from behind the sofa! Take care and keep up the good work 🙌
Rogue Redux, X-Men 269, made me fall in love with Rogue. (Yes, it's the splash page with Rogue nude and covered only in bubbles.) Carol Danvers is my favorite now. Online forum posters told me that the part I liked about Rogue was actually Carol, so she's secretly been my favorite all along. I support this retcon.
X-factor #87 ("X-Animations") was masterful. Peter David, Joe Quesada, Marie Javens. In ~22 pages, the creative team presents seven (!) insightful character moments. I never understood Quicksilver before this issue, and I still think about his monologue a couple of times a year, three decades later.
Uncanny X-men 259 made me love Colossus. that whole post-Inferno chunk is excellent, where everyone is scattered and some of them don't know who they are, but I'd never connected to the character until he was painting in his loft naked, having difficulty connecting with others.
The character I want to bring up is Black Widow. Now, before I mention the story that intrigued me about her, allow me to suck up for a moment. I can say without reservation that your run (with Elena Casagrande, Rafael de Latorre, and Rafael Pimentel) on Black Widow is my all-time favorite. In it, Natasha is vulnerable and badass in equal measure. And, although she has been an Avenger forever (and, therefore, no stranger to being part of a team), seeing her forge a team, or, more accurately, create a *family* after she LOST her family was hugely affecting and rewarding.
But it was Daredevil 188 (Frank Miller & Klaus Janson) that made me sit up and take notice of her. In that story, she had been poisoned by the Hand and was going to die soon. She’s on the run, desperately searching for a cure and eventually looks for Matt Murdock. Along the way, she kicks everybody’s ass… even though she’s getting sicker and sicker, to the point of DISSOLVING.
Part of the appeal was the new-to-me gray costume (which I freaking love to this day) and short hair. And part was her flippant, sarcastic attitude that masked her sadness and fear about dying. I had read her before and never disliked her but never really liked her either. This story made me a FAN.
So I have a weird character choice. It’s Spider-Man. Now I’ve always liked Spidey... but I don’t know if I “got him” like some people did when they grew up. I remember the McFarlane stuff, the Larsen, and through the big Bagley runs. Soooo many fun stories that were fun to read, but I never had a lot of real attachment. The AvX happened (literally over 20 years since my first Spidey books).
In issue 9 by Bendis and Kubert there is a scene inside of a volcano when a collected team of X-Men and Avengers are trying to e cape a volcano, and get ambushed by Phoenix Colossus and Magik. Spidey rushes them all out and confronts the two himself. There’s a crazy DPS of him just getting his ass handed to him, and just continues to get up again and again running his mouth off. He tricks the two into taking each other out and the story shifts elsewhere... but something about those two specific pages completely shifted my views on Mr. Parker. I don’t know why, but every book I ever read with him has a new set of eyes on it from me.
Thanks for the recommendations! I’ll definitely checkout Wolverine and Jubilee and, although I’ve never been a big fan of Excalibur, I’m excited to check out vol 1 & 2!
The first comic I ever bought was Web of Spider-Man 64 at a gas station on a family road trip (it was a prologue to Acts of Vengeance, and I had no clue what was going on, but loved Spider-Man ever since then).
Side not: The only comic I remember seeing on a comic rack as a kid in a comic store is Uncanny X-men 290. I thought the cover looked so cool. Also, I remember thinking, “what’s uncanny mean?”
For story that made me fall in love with a character is a twofer. Lords of Empire: Hulkling was the first story with Hulkling and Wiccan together I had read since the original Young Avengers run. The way story presented the duo made me want nothing but happiness for the young lovers forever and I’ll always Stan them. They are so perfect together.
I don't have a long history with comic books like the rest of you guys, for which I am IMMENSELY jealous, as the town I lived in as a kid comics weren't easy to come by. I had a couple of Fantastic Four I remember but that was all. Then I kind of went of the rails in my teens and spent the next 30 years being a drug addled alcoholic ( not sharing too much I hope!?) Anyway, since getting myself sorted out and discovering comics properly this time around you, Kelly, have become my go to/favourite writer by far and a beacon for comics and stories I missed. I have been picking up early Excalibur and New Mutants books - I love getting the originals - and am a HUGE fan of both those groups (sic). So obviously now I am this instant frantically searching ebay for those Uncanny X-men books you've just mentioned! 😁👍 Oh, and in answer to your question it wasn't a specific issue but your Black Widow turned me on to a character I had absolutely no interest in whatsoever! Just brilliant throughout. I'm also a gigantic Captain Marvel fan, which I started reading with The Life of Captain Marvel and then you took over and the rest, as they say, is history! OK, I will stop with the crazy fan-boy stuff now - you can come out from behind the sofa! Take care and keep up the good work 🙌
Rogue Redux, X-Men 269, made me fall in love with Rogue. (Yes, it's the splash page with Rogue nude and covered only in bubbles.) Carol Danvers is my favorite now. Online forum posters told me that the part I liked about Rogue was actually Carol, so she's secretly been my favorite all along. I support this retcon.