UXM #56: "What Is... The Power?"

("If only we could share the sun.")

Comments

I love that cover, mainly because the Monolith is clearly about to beat Cyclops to death with the title of his own comic book.  If cover images aren't going to depict specific scenes from the issue (and there's nothing wrong with that approach at all), then it's nice to see attempts at making use of the fact every now and then.

Alex and Scott really are brothers, aren't they?  Give them powers undreamed of by mortal men, abilities that they could use to re-forge the world itself should they choose, and all they do is whine because they can't control them yet.  Pricks.

Still, Cyclops seems to be toughening up to some extent, at least.  This issue he takes a low-flying skimmer to the back of the head and he hardly feels it.  I guess he must have toughened up his skull whilst using it as a wrecking ball last time.

Maybe his new tough-guy attitude helps explain page 15, which contains a lovingly-detailed image of Cyclop's arse thrust towards the reader.  I tried finding a picture to show you, but you don't even want to know what came up when I googled "Cyclops' ass".

After two issues of the Living Pharaoh prancing around like the second coming of Ramesses II, it's a nice idea that he's really just a lunatic archaeologist, albeit one with fairly impressive mutant powers.  Having him kidnap Alex because they share the same power source is also quite interesting - it's certainly more compelling than the usual "I will rule the world/destroy mankind" justification.

Clues

This issue carries on directly from the last one, and covers a period of only a few minutes.

Date

Thursday 22^nd May, 1980.

X-Date

X+2Y+52.

Compression Constant

1 Marvel year = 2.64 standard years.

(Iceman is 34 years old.)

"And here's where the Iceman makes you holler ankhle!"

Contemporary Events

Phil Donahue gets married.

Standout Line

"It's Warren -- streaking out of the Holiest of Holies!" And here, ladies and gentlemen, is the exact instant that Roy Thomas breaks your sanity forever.  Assuming you've seen Pulp Fiction, at least.