[net.comics] Return of PHOENIX and Jean & other X-news

scott@yale.ARPA (Walter Scott) (06/23/85)

<Cmon, this bug has GOT to be gone by NOW...>

I just started reading net.comics again after several month's absence,
so I have no idea whether or not this is old news to you guys.  The
following information comes from a Marvel news release dated May 14,
about the MARVEL HEROES FOR HOPE, otherwise known as "X-Men for Africa,"
to be released August 13th, selling at $1.50 for 48 pages.  The creators
are all donating their time and telent to do the book, and Marvel and
Curtis are sending the profits from it to an African relief charity
fund.  The lineup of talent for this book is quite simply incredible.
The book has been divided into segments of 2-4 pages each, with a
separate writer, penciller, and inker for each section.  The overall plot
was written by Chris Claremont, Ann Nocenti, Berni Wrightson, Jim
Starlin and Jim Shooter.  The creative lineup is as follows:

(writer, penciler, inker)

Stan Lee, John Romita Jr. & Al Gordon
Stan Lee, John Buscema & Klaus Jansen
Ed Bryant, Brent Anderson & Dan Green
Louise Simonson, John Byrne & Terry Austin (!)
Stephen King, Berni Wrightson & Jeff Jones (!!)
Bill Mantlo, Charles Vess & Jon Jay Muth
Alan Moore, Richard Corben & Richard Corben (!!!)
Ann Nocenti, Mike Kaluta & Al Milgrom
Harlan Ellison, Frank Miller & Bill Sienkiewicz (!!!)
Chris Claremont, Brian Bolland & P. Craig Russell (!!)
Jo Duffy, John Bolton & John Bolton
Mike Baron, Steve Rude & Carl Potts (!)
Denny O'Neil, Bret Blevins & Al Williamson (!)
George R.R. Martin, Herb Trimpe & John Severin
Bruce Jones, Gray Morrow & Gray Morrow
Steve Englehart, Paul Gulacy & Bob Layton
Jim Shooter, Alan Weiss & Joe Rubinstein
Mike Grell, Jackson Guice & Steve Leialoha
Archie Goodwin, Howard Chaykin & Walt Simonson (!)

Included in the news release were pencilled pages by Wrightson and by
Blet Blevins, along with a cover by Longshot artist Arthur Adams (who,
according to rumors, may soon replace Romita Jr.  as regular artist on
the X-MEN.  Judging from this fine cover, I would be VERY glad to see
this happen.  I might even start buying the book regularly again).

Which leads up to all the yummy spoiler information you've all been
waiting for.  You see, the cover for this book is a full shot of all the
X-MEN.  All the X-MEN as of the month of August, which is when #200
comes out. And they are:

Nightcrawler
Storm (walking, yes, but back in the group)
Shadowcat
Rogue
Colossus
Magneto (replacing the by-now DEAD Xavier)
Wolverine
PHOENIX

No doubt about it; it's not the exact same costume as "Jean's" from
100-137, but Rachel is definitely wearing a costume with a Phoenix on
it.  Following the previous pattern of enlarging the bird-design with
each costume change, the new Phoenix costume has the familiar triangular
bird design covering Rachel's entire torso.  And if I needed any other
confirmation, I just saw the cover to X-Men #199 in the latest CBG:
Rachel turing into Phoenix, accompanied by the caption "Born Again!"

Now if you take into account the death of Xavier, the trial of Magneto,
the rebirth of Jean Grey and the formation of X-Factor, this promises to
be one hell of a summer for X-men fans.

Now if only Claremont has enough writing talent left to script all of
this competently, and Romita doesn't make a mess of the art, why, I
might actually start picking up X-Men again!  (I gave up back in the
150s)  Let's hope....

Walter Scott
decvax!yale!scott

jsdy@hadron.UUCP (Joseph S. D. Yao) (07/03/85)

In article <545@yale.ARPA> scott@yale.ARPA (Walter Scott) writes:
>
>PHOENIX
>
>Rachel turing into Phoenix, accompanied by the caption "Born Again!"

What did y'all think I meant, when I referred to "Ra Phoenix" a
month ago?  (So I misspelled Ray's nickname -- I didn't want to
make it too obvious.)

Hi, Walter -- what are you doing at  ...   y a l e ? ? ?
-- 

	Joe Yao		hadron!jsdy@seismo.{ARPA,UUCP}