In last night's post, Kolbyirish asked for some help. She's looking for some good comics with Storm in them, and her main exposure has been from TV and the X-Movies. Also, she'd like to know about any other black, female characters out there.
I suggested Uncanny X-Men post-#200, when Storm is pretty much the undisputed leader of the team, and they're up against Nimrod, the Hellfire Club, the Marauders, etc. I haven't read a all those issues, but the ones I have looked pretty good, and Storm seems a commanding presence, even without powers.
As for other characters, I mentioned Monica Rambeau in NextWave, because the more people that read NextWave, the better. Beyond that, I really wasn't much help. So I'm sure you can see where this is going. Yep, I'm looking for you to chip in with any Storm-centric stories you think are enjoyable, and to chime in with any other characters you think Kolbyirish would like.
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5 comments:
Nextwave IS love. I recommend it again, on principle.
I loved the crazy Barry Windsor-Smith Storm issues of Uncanny (issues 186 and 198). 186 features Storm and Forge, while 198 is pretty much just Storm.
Also important to the Storm canon are the 169-170 storyline, in which Storm kicks Callisto's butt, and takes over leadership of the Morlocks (also a significant storyline for Kitty). This story and the succeeding one in Tokyo (172-173) prompt Storm to go for the much loved/reviled mohawk.
Uncanny 215 and 216 feature a post-Mutant Massacre Storm being pitted against three super-powered big game hunters who hunt humans (I know, a tired plot device, but...).
For another cool Storm story, there's always Uncanny Annual #9--in which Storm kind of becomes the Asgardian Goddess of Thunder. It's part two of the New Mutants Special Edition (both parts drawn by Arthur Adams at the height of his product).
Thank you sooo much everyone for your help. It was above and beyond what I expected. I'll check out Nextwave, and I'll get on those Storm focused issues. Thanks again for everyone who took the time.
Muchas Gracias!
I'll second the dane's picks, especially the first Lifedeath in #186. It's a beautifully delicate and brutally wrenching love story, certainly Claremont's best Storm tale and perhaps the best-written comic he ever produced. The Morlocks story in #169-170 is probably her most pivotal moment and essential reading (practically every Morlocks story since then references it, and it lays the groundwork for her mohawk era and X-Men leadership). The two-parter in #215-216 combines a lot of elements Claremont used with her post-Lifedeath (non-powered self-sufficence, her unique relationship with Logan, her often brutal combat techniques contrasting her pacifist nature, etc.). And the Asgardian saga in the annual and special edition is all-around X-Men/New Mutant awesomeness.
I'd also add the Mutant Massacre itself. Storm and Wolverine are central players in the Uncanny issues, and there's a great Storm/Callisto rematch in #212. Storm also makes a strong showing at the end of Fall of the Mutants in #225. Pretty much everything since then has been forgettable, though the expensive #266 and subsequent issues (where Storm is de-aged and becomes a thief again) are fun in a not-quite-Storm kind of way.
As for other black female heroes, I'd suggest tracking down some of Roger Stern's Avengers run (around #225 to #290) for the pinnacle of Monica Rambeau's career as Captain Marvel. Despite some early egregious blaxpoitation, Misty Knight is a strong character in various issues of IRON FIST, POWER MAN AND IRON FIST, UNCANNY #104-122, and both versions of HEROES FOR HIRE. Monet St. Croix, the mutant primadonna, was a for-the-long-haul member of GENERATION X and now makes her home in X-FACTOR. And that's about it for major characters.
I'll let someone else do DC, but you can't go wrong with SUICIDE SQUAD's Amanda Waller. Tough, devious, often mean and never soft, she's about as well-rounded a black or female character can get in comics, at least under John Ostrander. She's not exactly a hero (hell, she's not exactly pleasant) but definitely a powerful presence who never forgets who she is or where she came from.
If you are going to be getting back issues, try for the reprints that had those beautiful John Bolton extra stories in them. The art is lovely, and there are some really nice short stories as well. I don't remember the numbers unfortuntately and I'm too lazy to go digging in the boxes, but there was one before Jean was Phoenix, where she and Storm go shopping, and Jean has to run into the subway after a pickpocket and Storm freezes because of her claustrophia.
There was also a very early Dave Cockrum issue,when Storm goes swimming with Nightcrawler in the pool at the mansion, except that she's stark nekkid, and all the boys get some interesting reactions. Storm doesn't think anything of it, because to her, she's just being natural. It was rather well done, and funny.
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