Uncanny X-Men #155 (Mar 82): First BloodCreative Team: Chris Claremont, writer; Dave Cockrum & Bob Wiacek, artists; Joe Rosen, letterer; Glynis Wein, colorist; Louise Jones, editor; Jim Shooter, editor-in-chief
Starting Line Up: Storm, Cyclops, Nightcrawler, Wolverine, Colossus, Sprite
Guest Stars: Tigra, Jarvis
Synopsis: Cyclops, Storm, and Corsair are on the Blackbird. Cyclops is pissed off. He's mad Storm didn't tell him Corsair was his father, he's mad at Jean for the same, and mad at Corsair for not being there for him. Corsair explains he was kidnapped by the Shi'Ar and though both he and Alex (Havok) were dead. After watching his wife murdered, he felt there was no reason to ever go back to Earth. Cyclops is still upset to find out his father is a cold-blooded pirate. The Blackbird is then teleported aboard a Shi'Ar ship. The rest of the X-Men who were on Magneto's island are transported there as well. They are met by the familiar Imperial Guard and the new Admiral. Xavier asks to speak with Lilandra. They explain her abduction to him as well as the implication of the Earth being responsible. They plan on using Xavier's rapport with her to send a squadron down to liberate her or avenge her. Xavier uses what little power he has among the Shi'Ar to force them into giving the X-Men 24 hours to find Lilandra themselves before they do it by force. In exchange, two of Xavier's students must remain with the Shi'Ar. He chooses Nightcrawler and Kitty, telepathically giving Kitty some information on the Shi'Ar before they go. The X-Men try to get The Avengers to help, but the only one around is Tigra. Through his rapport, Xavier is able to pinpoint Lilandra to be in Manhattan. Meanwhile, in orbit, Kitty shows Nightcrawler how she can make any outfit she wants with the Shi'Ar replecation machine. At the same time, she is hacking into their main computer without them knowing. Back on Earth, on a crowded street, Storm explains to Corsair that Cyclops also knows the pain of losing a loved one when Jean died. As Storm relates the story, a strange alien creature from a race called the Brood has the two sighted and gets an order to fire from Deathbird. Storm and Corsair and fired up, but it's a weapon designed to make them face their fears. The X-Men and Tigra arrive and attack Deathbird. She manages to hold them off quite well. Storm and Corsair, in their insane fear state, start fighting with each other until Xavier mentally restores them. Cyclops takes the opportunity to appologize to Corsair. Storm and Corsair, in anger, rush the construction site where they were fired upon from. Wolverine's already in there and takes out one of the Brood assassins. There are more in the building, however. One binds Storm up in a strands from head to toe. And then shoots acid at Colossus which eats through his armor. Wolverine frees Storm, who then washes the acid away. The weakened Colossus stays with Xavier while the X-Men look for Corsair. Corsair is in a fire fight with the Brood in the basement. The X-Men join him and eliminate the Brood warriors, but Deathbird shows up and has Xavier hostage. She gets aboard her starship with him, which is what the costruction site was hiding, and escapes. The X-Men rush back to check on Colossus to find he's been stabbed through the chest. And then the police arrive.
Yeah, but is it good? This is a pretty good fight issue but not much more. I do like how the Shi'Ar threaten to come to Earth themselves and use force instead of comic stanard of destroying the Earth. It's a much more plausable threat. The Brood show up for the first time. Think the aliens from the Alien movies, but they are weaker, use technology, and talk. Ok so they look alike and have a Queen Mother and that's about the only similarity. Deathbird isn't a new villain, just new to the X-Men. She was a Ms. Marvel villain and those Ms. Marvel stories were written by none other than Chris Claremont. That also explains why Carol Danvers is hanging around the X-Men (but not in this issue). There's a fun little sequence where Kitty shows Nightcrawler different outfits she can create, which include an evening gown, a vampire costume, a Shi'Ar outfit, and Darth Vader and Nighcrawler's increasing shocked reaction to each. And we finally get some concern from Storm about Xavier still treating Cyclops like team leader.
Signicata: First appearance of the Brood. First time Deathbird is an X-Men villain. Cyclops and Corsair finally accept each other. Cyclops still acts like the team leader. First time Colossus' armor is hurt by something. And is he dead?
