Moira McTaggert – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back at X-Men Adventures #10 (1993)

February 7, 2023December 12, 2022carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back, superheo enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts, X-Men fans and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the X-Men Adventures monthly series which was the literary adaptation of the popular X-Men animated series of the 1990s.

If you are a long-time X-Men fan who enjoyed the comic books and the movies, then the cover of this particular X-Men Adventures issue that has Rogue on it should remind you of the mutant cure concept portrayed in the 2006 movie X-Men: The Last Stand. In the said movie, it was Rogue who went out to have her mutant powers neutralized so that she can live a normal life and no longer worry about absorbing another person’s life force.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures #10, published by Marvel Comics in 1993 with a story written by Ralph Macchio and drawn by Andrew Wildman.

Early story

The story begins with the arrival of Cable outside a private home in the Swiss Alps. Inside, Warren Worthington (Angel) and Gisela spend quality time together by the fire. They talk about a certain Dr. Adler who is a genetics expert that Worthington sent to Scotland to conduct research.

Suddenly, Cable breaks into the place and points his gun at Worthington looking for Dr. Adler. While talking, Worthington reaches for a gun and fire it at Cable. The huge armed mutant then grabs Worthington by the head and throws him out of the home and into the snow. In response to Cable’s question, Gisela mentions that Dr. Adler has gone to Scotland. Moments later, Worthington (in his angel form) flies back into the house to protect Gisela from whatever harm Cable could do to her.

Over at Muir Island, Professor X and his long-time colleague Dr. Moira MacTaggert discuss the facility and research done there. Xavier mentions that the core of the research done by the mysterious Dr. Adler. Moira states that Adler is not officially part of the research center and he simply pays for everything he uses there.

After failing to meet Dr. Adler inside his research office, Xavier conducts a mind probe which causes a series of stake images enter his consciousness. The experience was so intense, his telepathic inquiry got disrupted abruptly. Professor X then decides to contact the X-Men…

Quality

*Rogue goes through a lot in her pursuit to become normal.*

Let me start with the concept of Rogue’s pursuit to cure herself of her genetic mutation…compared to the 2006 live-action X-Men movie, the plot in this literal adaptation of the X-Men animated series episode makes more sense and is more believable to follow. Without spoiling the identities (note: to find out who they are, read this comic book), I can say that there are sinister forces behind the genetic works of Adler within the Muir Island facility. The Adler operation is just part of a grand scheme that the sinister forces have been working on and Rogue’s involvement was a surprise addition. More on Rogue’s pursuit of getting normal, what was portrayed in this adaptation was nicely structured while also cleverly avoiding the “doing it all for the sake of love” cliché. In short, she made her pursuit not for her romance with Gambit but to really change her life significantly, even if it means losing her membership with the X-Men. Through her actions, you will feel Rogue becoming desperate and reckless to be normal.

Apart from the tale of Rogue, the X-Men meanwhile have been handling themselves without Professor X and Cyclops clearly carries the responsibility of leading them all. As for Charles Xavier, his departure has been explained and incidentally he has gotten close to danger even though Dr. Moira MacTaggert is with him. The writing in this adaptation is filled with suspense, surprises and intrigue which were nicely executed with concise timing.

Conclusion

*Charles Xavier makes contact with his team from far-away.*

X-Men Adventures #10 (1993) is a very good read. Anyone who saw the half-baked mutant cure aspect of the 2006 X-Men movie will find the Rogue tale here more satisfying to read. This is definitely Rogue’s story with some spotlight shared with the X-Men, two other mutants who served as opposition for Rogue, and the sinister forces I mentioned. This comic book is actually the first of two parts focused on Muir Island and it certainly is a really satisfying reading experience on its own.

Overall, X-Men Adventures #10 (1993) is recommended.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/.

A Look Back at X-Men Adventures #11 (1993)

January 3, 2023December 31, 2022carlocarrasco

In this retro review, we take a look at the adaptation of the animated series’ own portrayal of the Muir Island saga from the comic books. Also there is Rogue who desired to have her genetic mutation cured, even though it means removing her super strength, flying ability and her dangerous touch.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men Adventures #11, published by Marvel Comics in 1993 with a story written by Ralph Macchio and drawn by Andrew Wildman.

Early story

The story begins with Rogue emerging from the rubble of a facility on Muir Island. She remembers that just moments earlier, Pyro and Avalanche ruined the facility just as she was about to get cured by a man she knows as Dr. Adler. She leaves the place searching for those responsible for the ruined facility. She fails to noticed that she is being observed from a distance.

Elsewhere on the island, Pyro and Avalanche open a bag believing Dr. Adler is in it. To their shock, Mystique is the one who emerged and she reveals to them that she was just posing as Dr. Adler as part of her mission to lure mutants into taking the treatment not without realizing the truth that it will turn them into slaves of the one entity she serves…Apocalypse. Pyro explained that he and Avalanche hoped to hold Dr. Adler for ransom.

At a nearby cliff, Cable quietly watches using his rifle’s scope…

Quality

To put things clearly, this one is pay-off to what was built up in issue #10 while also serving as the continuation of a multi-part story regarding Muir Island. In the previous issue, Rogue desired to become a normal individual which is why she went to Dr. Adler on the said island. In this comic book, the direction for Rogue took a drastic change fighting Pyro and Avalanche not knowing that Mystique is involved and secretly working to help her master Apocalypse execute his ambitious plan of gaining capable and controllable slaves from the mutant population.

The good news here is that the script is very well written and the narrative is really strong. Very notably, the superhero spectacle got clearly ramped up by several notches resulting in lots of action scenes as well as opportunities for Andrew Wildman to flex his artistic muscles making some dynamic action-packed images for readers to enjoy. Along the way, there is some suspense built-up related to the sub-plot within (note: Cable’s limited appearance here as well as the Jean Grey and Cyclops reuniting with their mentor Charles Xavier) as well as the Muir Island saga itself.

Indeed, this comic book has lots of spectacle that superhero enthusiasts will enjoy but still the Macchio-Wildman team managed to maintain the core themes of the story for readers to absorb and think about.

Conclusion

*Dynamic action of Rogue taking on Pyro.*

X-Men Adventures #11 (1993) is a very solid read from start to finish. Even as the narrative has lots of action scenes presented, the story still managed to maintain focus on the themes of sacrificing mutation to be normal humans, the temptations brought in by advanced scientific wonders, and the exploitation of people seeking hope and reform a lot. There are indeed moral lessons within this comic book reflect about. This is strong creative work by Macchio-Wildman that X-Men fans and newcomers should read and I can say there is more to come storywise beyond this comic book.

Overall, X-Men Adventures #11 (1993) is recommended!

+++++

A Look Back at X-Men #24 (1993)

December 20, 2021December 17, 2021carlocarrasco

Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts, X-Men fans and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the X-Men monthly series of the 1990s and look back into the one of the comic books that was released in 1993 which was the year Marvel celebrated the 30^th anniversary of the X-Men franchise. To be more specific, the comic book in this retro review took place right after the death of Colossus’ sister and just before the big Fatal Attractions stories in Uncanny X-Men #304 (1993) and X-Men #25 (1993).

With those details laid down, here is a look back at X-Men #24, published by Marvel Comics in 1993 with a story written by Fabian Nicieza and drawn by Andy Kubert.

Early story

The story begins inside a high-end restaurant wherein Rogue and Gambit, both dressed in formal attire, have dinner and spend quality time together. Their private talk turns awkward when Rogue asks him about his silence about his wife (refer to X-Men #9). Gambit, in his attempt to change the subject, asks Rogue why other people do not know her real name. This leads them into staring at each other in silence.

Over the mansion, Dr. Moira McTaggert and Banshee are reunited while Charles Xavier and Beast are inside the laboratory working and analyzing as to how Illyana Rasputin died. Over at a local airport, Jean Grey and Cyclops are reunited…

Quality

Have you heard about the expression “the calm before the storm”? That truly reflects what this comic book is all about. X-Men #24 (1993) was all about build-up of information and character developments, getting specific X-Men characters reunited, tying up some loose ends from the past while also building up tension for near-future events and more. There is no battle between good and evil here as this was written to set up the characters for specific storylines that were set to happen and Fatal Attractions was just a part of them. No superhero action here, just lots of dialogue plus romance, suspense and melodrama.

If there is anything notable here, it is the romantic time Rogue and Gambit have together. While their relationship got deeper, Fabian Nicieza also opened up the possibility that secrets between the two could still derail their romantic connection. Eventually, their relationship got strained as seen in X-Men #33 (1994).

This comic book also took time to explore further the mystery between Revanche and Psylocke, and also the negative impact Illyana’s death towards Jubilee. All throughout, Nicieza’s dialogue is solid and captured the personalities of each character.

*To Andy Kubert…why did you draw Cyclops’ eyes like this?!*

As for the art, I noticed there is a drop in the quality of Andy Kubert’s work in this comic book. The way I see it, his work looked rushed especially when compared to his more polished works in X-Men #20 to 23, X-Men #25 and others. As far as his X-Men works of 1993 are concerned, this is easily Kubert’s weakest work.

Conclusion

X-Men #24 (1993) is easily the build-up comic book leading to the massive, highly dramatic events that took place in Uncanny X-Men #304, X-Men #25, the wedding of Cyclops and Jean Grey, the Phalanx Covenant storyline, and more. As the 30^th anniversary was the most dominant event of the X-Men in 1993, this comic book served its purpose in getting key characters together as well as giving something meaningful (as opposed to being entertaining) for dedicated X-Men fans to enjoy and relate with. That being said, this comic book won’t resonate with newcomers or readers who decide to read this as their personal introduction into the lore of the X-Men within the Marvel Comics shared universe of the time.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of X-Men #24 (1993) be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $40 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $120.

Overall, X-Men #24 (1993) is satisfactory.

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/

A Look Back at Uncanny X-Men #303

April 27, 2020April 25, 2020carlocarrasco

I remember back in 1993 how excited I was with Marvel Comics’ celebration of the 30^th anniversary of the X-Men. Back then the X-Men line of comic books had the Fatal Attractions storyline which was not a crossover but a story arc that connects with the X-Men, Uncanny X-Men, X-Force, X-Factor, Excalibur and Wolverine monthly series highlighted by specific comic books that had hologram cards on the cover.

It was an exciting time. Of course, many geeks who followed the X-Men closely knew that the very comic book that would mark the 30^th anniversary was Uncanny X-Men #304 (dated September 1993) which was previewed with a Magneto hologram card on the cover.

Of course, before getting to that comic book, it’s nice to take a look back at one of the comic books that was released before it. I’m talking about Uncanny X-Men #303 which had a dramatic and even somber looking cover with the words: “If you read only one X-title this month—this issue must be it!”

Are you curious now? Let’s take a look back at Uncanny X-Men #303 published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story by Scott Lobdell and artwork by Richard Bennett.

Early story

The story begins with Jean Grey finding Jubilee sitting on the chair (read: Cerebro) doing some makeshift fireworks with her power. She noticed that the youth is troubled. Jubilee expressed her thoughts and mentioned that life stinks. Jean asked her if she wants to talk about it but Jubilee asked if talking would change anything. As the two talk on, it turns out that Xavier’s mansion is nearly deserted.

The story then shifts to what happened just several hours back. Jubilee was spending quality time with Colossus’ sister Illyana who is lying on a bed in the med-lab. Illyana was sick and nearby was Charles Xavier and Moira McTaggert struggling to figure out what to do for the blonde girl.

Moira tells Professor X that they need a fresh perspective on the information they have about the genetic deterioration within Illyana, and they need a miracle. Xavier replies that once the gold team of the X-Men returns, he is certain that they can find some treatment to arrest the disorder’s progress.

Suddenly, Illyana recognizes someone special from her past…

Quality

By today’s standards, Uncanny X-Men #303 is a good comic book to read and it is an effective way of setting up events leading into the 30^th anniversary story of the next issue. On its own, the comic book is clearly very dramatic and cleverly uses nostalgia that is meant to resonate with readers who were fortunate enough to read issues of Uncanny X-Men which had Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat as a newcomer (around the time of the classic Dark Phoenix Saga).

*Kitty Pryde and Illyana symbolize the X-Men youth of the 1980s while Jubilee symbolizes the 1990s.*

As X-Men comic book history showed, Kitty Pryde was the resident teenage girl of her time and eventually she bonded by Colossus and got close with his sister Illyana whose own exploits involved a lot of twists and turns (she was even a young adult for a time) and made her own mark with The New Mutants.

Nostalgia aside, the writing done by Scott Lobdell is pretty good. The wordy approach to presentation kind reminds me of the descriptive writing and character expression styles of Chris Claremont (who left the X-Men franchise in 1991). More importantly, Lobdell’s writing shows he researched the characters Illyana and Kitty Pryde. After seeing those two reunited in this 1993 comic book, I recognized them not just visually but rather in terms of personality. In addition to characterization, the dialogue is richly layered and the script’s pacing was good (I was never bored even though this comic book clearly lacked action scenes). On Jubilee, this comic book is very notable for showing her NOT being annoying.

The art by Richard Bennett, in my view, is satisfactory at best. He’s not a bad artist but his style gives this comic book and the characters a rather imbalanced visual presentation. In fairness, Bennett did his own research on the history of the X-Men and his drawings about key moments from the past (example: The New Mutants) added to the nostalgia. Bennett’s best showing in this comic book happened during the most dramatic moments, especially in the 2^nd half.

Conclusion

I really like this comic book. Even though it lacked action scenes, Uncanny X-Men #303 remains engaging by means of emphasizing the characters while touching into past of the X-Men. It is through dramatizing and defining the characters that made this comic book worth reading until now. Even if the nostalgia does not resonate with you, you will still feel for the characters.

By the time you finish reading this comic book, you will feel prepared for the big 30^th anniversary story of Uncanny X-Men #304. In fact, this is an essential read in order to truly enjoy and understand Uncanny X-Men #304.The art could have been better, though.

In case you are interested to acquire an existing copy of Uncanny X-Men #303, take note of the rates from MileHighComics.com. As of this writing, a near-mint copy of the regular edition is priced at $5. The near-mint copy of the 2^nd printing (gold cover) costs $128 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand costs $15.

Overall, Uncanny X-Men #303 is recommended.

A Look Back at What If #9 (1990)

April 1, 2020March 31, 2020carlocarrasco

Long before the renaissance of Hollywood-produced superhero movies even started, the X-Men established itself as one of the most popular franchises of Marvel Comics. What some readers do not know was that while the X-Men indeed started in 1963 under Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Marvel’s mutants actually started getting successful in the mid-1970s with the 2^nd X-Men team (Cyclops, Wolverine, Storm, Sunfire, Nightcrawler, Colossus, Banshee and Thunderbird) handled by Len Wein and Dave Cockrum.

That new team literally made a splash with readers with the release of Giant-size X-Men #1 in 1975. That comic book, which is very valuable now, saw Charles Xavier recruiting new mutants to form a new team with Cyclops being the only pioneer remaining. Subsequently the X-Men monthly series of that era saw lots of stories of this particular team solving problems and fighting evil. Along the way, Chris Claremont got hired as the new writer and then the rest was history.

In this retro comic book review, we will take an interesting look at what would have happened had the 2^nd team of the X-Men died on their first mission.

This is What If #9 written by Roy Thomas, drawn by Rich Buckler and published by Marvel Comics in 1990.

Early story

The comic book begins with the Watcher of Marvel’s universe explaining what actually happened during the X-Men’s mission in Giant-size X-Men #1. Then he offers an alternate version of the events asking “What if…the new X-Men had died on their very first mission?”

The new reality begins in Scotland where Moira McTaggert receives a telegram from the United States. The message read that her friend Charles Xavier is ill which compels her to leave immediately. Before leaving, a little girl named Rahne comes to Moira followed by Craig who asserts his authority on her. Subsequently Moira and Rahne arrive at Salem Center, New York, greeted by Hank McCoy/Beast who confirmed that he was the one who sent the telegram to her.

Moira finally meets Xavier who expressed surprise to see her. As it turned out, Xavier had isolated himself in a room using Cerebro. After separating from Xavier, Beast explains to Moira what happened previously to Cyclops, Jean Grey, Havoc, Polaris and Ice Man on a far away island (read Giant-size X-Men #1). Cyclops was fortunate enough to survive and return to Xavier who was compelled to use Cerebro to trace mutants around the world (note: the 2^nd X-Men team).

This leads to events told in Giant-size X-Men #1 but something drastic happened…

Quality

Storytelling is easily the strongest and most defining element of this comic book, especially if you are fortunate enough to read what happened in Giant-size X-Men #1 from 1975. The alternate plot by Roy Thomas is pretty intriguing and highly dramatic, and yet it still manages to add some spectacle to maintain balance.

What If #9 strongly delivered on what it promised what would have happened had the 2^nd X-Men team died on their first mission complete with the narrative shifting dramatically through the eyes of Moira McTaggert, Xavier and Beast.

In terms of characterization, I really enjoyed the dramatization of the close friendship between Xavier and McTaggert. Having read lots of X-Men comic books through the decades, I should say that McTaggert was often limited to supporting roles or guest appearances. As seen in this comic book, she and Xavier made a solid pair of mentors. Lastly, the portrayal of Xavier being somewhat broken and regretful is wonderfully executed. Adding to that, the portrayal of McTaggert as a strong provider of direction and support for a fragile Xavier is memorable.

When it comes to the visuals, Rich Buckler scored nicely. The characters are all recognizable (with Beast looking a bit more visceral than how he actually appeared in the 1970s to 1980s) and their facial expressions were nice to see. Buckler also proved to be good with visualizing the action and the suspenseful parts.

Conclusion

*Very nice artistic presentation by Rich Buckler. Readers of 1975’s Giant-size X-Men #1 will be able to relate with this.*

Overall, What If #9 is a great comic book to read. It is the closest thing you can get when it comes to seeing Marvel’s mutants led by Xavier with McTaggert working behind the scenes together. Roy Thomas and Rich Buckler really scored a homerun with this non-canon X-Men story!

For the comic collectors reading this, based on the rates at MileHighComics.com as of this writing, a near-mint copy of this comic book’s regular version is $24 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition is priced at $51.

What If #9 (1990) is highly recommended!

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