X-Men: Red #11 annotations
As always, this post contains spoilers, and page numbers go by the digital edition.
X-MEN: RED vol 2 #11
“A Storm on the Horizon”
Writer: Al Ewing
Artists: Stefano Casselli & Jacopo Camagni
Colour artist: Federico Blee
Letterer: Ariana Maher
Design: Tom Muller
Editor: Jordan D White
COVER / PAGE 1: Storm, surrounded by grasping, needy Professor Xs with Xs for mouths.
PAGES 2-6. Storm’s date with Craig Marshall.
Craig Marshall previously appeared in issue #6, where he was introduced as a soil scientist working for NASA who had spent the last month on Arakko studying the Krakoan terraforming process. He helped to save some children during Uranos’s attack on the planet as part of the A.X.E.: Judgment Day crossover. Loolo was named in that issue; Kobb is named for the first time here. In Storm & The Brotherhood of Mutants #1, set in the Sins of Sinister timeline, Loolo shows up as “Loolo Marshall”, so apparently in that timeline he adopted her.
Saucier is a background character from Marauders; he’s a mutant chef, though it’s unclear whether that has anything to do with his powers. He’s been somewhat condescending about humans in the past, but either he’s toned it down a bit, or he’s just being professional here.
Arakko was terraformed in Planet-Size X-Men #1, though I can’t imagine many of you need to be told that.
“The last person I had dinner with was Doctor Doom.” In S.W.O.R.D. vol 2 #7. This seems to be the same location.
Sobunar is the Great Ring member with aquatic powers, who spawned the entire aquatic biosphere of Arakko in Planet-Size X-Men #1.
Argyre is an actual location on Mars – it’s an impact basin in the southern highlands. It’s named after an island from Greek mythology that was supposed to be made of silver.
“Fisher’s way. You can’t heal it if you don’t say the pain aloud.” The Fisher King gives a speech to this effect in issue #1, though he presents it there as a typical Arakkii attitude.
“I got my briefing from Commander Brand…” Abigail Brand consistently run down Arakko in the early issues of this series, generally presenting it as the one-dimensional place that it… well, was in a lot of previous stories. She was obviously trying to engineer conflict.
“What happened to her?” Abigail’s plans were exposed in issue #9 and she fled. She teleported to an unidentified secret location where Fisher King was inexplicably waiting for her. He appeared to be promising (or threatening) some kind of re-making of her personality. Storm is either lying about Abigail’s whereabouts or, more likely, unaware of Fisher King’s involvement.
“I was always a Night Thrasher fan myself.” The mention of Nova prompts Craig to remember Nova’s teammate in the New Warriors.
Professor X claims that he’s calling Storm for an urgent meeting but there’s no real sign in the rest of the issue that this couldn’t have waited.
“When I was young, Charles Xavier inserted himself into my life to tell me what I was not.” In Giant-Size X-Men #1, where he recruits her into the X-Men.
PAGE 7. Recap and credits. The lengthy “special thanks” credits are for the original creative teams on the comics panels used on page 16, I assume.
PAGES 8-11. Sunspot, Nova and Kobak.
Sunspot and Nova presumably need no introduction. As usual in this series, Nova is convinced that everything depends on him. He even keeps his helmet on in the hot tub, though he does claim that it’s serving a practical purpose in controlling his powers. Kobak first appeared, challenging Storm for a seat on the Great Ring, in a cameo in S.W.O.R.D. #9. He was hanging around with Sunspot in issue #1.
The Proscenium is a diplomatic hub introduced in Guardians of the Galaxy vol 6 #7 (in 2020), which served as the Guardian’s headquarters for a while. I believe this is the first mention of it being destroyed, but no doubt it’ll play into storylines over in Guardians.
“Rogue Brood.” Referring to the current X-Men / Captain Marvel storylines about Brood acting outside Broo’s control.
“Some narcissistic billionaire in a fancy suit.” Iron Man, but Sunspot pretends Nova is referring to him.
Soccer was Sunspot’s favourite sport in the early issues of New Mutants vol 1.
“Did I hear Firestar was on Krakoa now?” She’s joined the X-Men. Firestar was another member of the New Warriors, and so she has a closer connection with Nova than she does with most X-characters.
Calderak is the big lava guy who challenged Storm in S.W.O.R.D. vol 2 #8. The tournament to fill the vacant seats is prompted by the deaths and resignations of various Great Ring members in A.X.E.: Judgment Day.
Lycaon is a new character, but he’s named after a character from Greek myth who was turned into a wolf by Zeus.
Idyll, the Great Ring’s seer, was killed in issue #5.
The External Gate was created by Apocalypse as part of his efforts to make contact with Arakko in the run-up to “X of Swords”. Sunspot appears to be anticipating that Apocalypse himself might be returning.
PAGES 12-20. Storm and Professor X.
“Nurturing the crops of the people who gave me a home and support when I had neither.” In other words, what Storm was doing in Giant-Size X-Men #1 before Professor X recruited her. The flashback at the top of page 13 is a direct repeat of dialogue from that issue. The story is somewhat disdainful of the importance of the African community that Storm was living in, though Professor X does also have a point that she wasn’t achieving her potential by using her powers only on such a local level. I’ve never liked the Storm recruitment scene, which has always struck me as condescending.
“The greatest good for the greatest number.” Utilitarianism, in other words.
“My X-Men were dying… My children – and I was alone!” In Giant-Size X-Men #1 as originally published, Professor X recruits the new X-Men because the original team have been captured by Krakoa. The Deadly Genesis miniseries muddies this picture considerably, since at the very least is shows that Moira was available to him as a source of support – but it’s very hard to reconcile with the current interpretation of Krakoa and looks to have been politely consigned to We Shall Not Speak Of This Again. At any rate, Professor X’s insistence that he had no one else to turn to is clearly intended to echo his current position on Krakoa, which in turn links back to Magneto’s dying concerns about him (see below).
Magneto’s names. Magneto’s real name was originally given as Magnus, and got retconned to Erik Lehnsherr in the 90s. It was then retconned again to Max Eisenhardt in X-Men: Magneto – Testament in 2008, which (after a while) stuck. Professor X is essentially acknowledging here that he knew Magneto, who he regards as his oldest friend, under aliases which kept some degree of distance between them.
“When Magnus died, I was engaged in psychic warfare on a scale you cannot imagine.” This is true; the Krakoan psychics were locked in battle with the Eternals at the time.
“Now, I am sole captain of the ship of state.” An interesting comment given that Immortal X-Men #11 has Professor X essentially marginalised in terms of his votes on the Council. Even though he accepted this, Professor X seems to think that his symbolic value still outweighs it.
“This business with Sinister… how he infected me with his psyche…” This is the plot of “Sins of Sinister”. As of Immortal X-Men #11, Professor X is meant to be free of Sinister’s influence, and he wasn’t actually under it for very long at all in the mainstream timeline.
Magneto’s last words are basically as described by Storm. The scene is in issue #7. Magneto’s actual last words were to talk about his daughter. As Storm notes, though, he finished his speech about Charles by telling Storm to “watch him”. Whether distancing herself from him, and telling him not to come to Arakko again, really meets the spirit of that request, may be open to doubt.
Page 16 is a montage of Storm’s memories, mostly either involving her asserting her authority, or Professor X undercutting it. As best as I can figure:
- The repeated caption that reads “Those are the orders of Professor X!!” is from the cover of X-Men vol 1 #2.
- The panels of Professor X declaring that he’s giving the orders in the field, and telling Storm that he expects the X-Men to obey without hesitation, are from Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #5-6. This was part of a storyline in which Professor X, able to walk again, starts undercutting Storm as field leader. In the next panel, she accuses him of “beat[ing] your own troops into submission to ensure that you have the honour of leading them into catastrophe”.
- The panel of young Ororo being stopped with a “force bolt” by Professor X is from X-Men vol 1 #117, the flashback story where a young Professor X encounters the Shadow King. This is the first time he meets Ororo. In fairness to him, he’s trying to get his stolen wallet back.
- The panels of Ororo declaring that “you are still no more than a man” and “I am a goddess” is from Uncanny X-Men #117. Professor X isn’t in this scene at all – it’s part of Ororo losing self-control after being turned into a statue by Dr Doom.
- The “our duel is over” panel is from Uncanny X-Men #201, where Storm defeats Cyclops to become leader of the X-Men.
- The close-up of Professor X saying “Dear Lord, what I done?” is an odd choice – it’s from Uncanny X-Men #309, and it’s a flashback to Professor X reacting with horror to his own actions after he psychically stops Amelia Voght from walking out on him. The scene has nothing to do with Storm.
“Red Triangle” psychic defence protocol. Also mentioned by Abigail Brand in the previous issue.
“We came to him.” Magneto and Professor X approached Mr Sinister to assist with the Krakoan project in a flashback in Powers of X #4.
“Or a club or a spade or a heart.” Professor X is referring to the three alternate versions of Mr Sinister with their own suit symbols – Mother Righteous, Orbis Stellaris and Dr Stasis.
“Moira lost her faith and turned against us.” A somewhat generous interpretation of Moira MacTaggert’s motivations in the Krakoan project, though I suppose she did have faith in it at some point in her many lives.
“Max lost his and turned away.” When he left the Quiet Council and moved to Arakko at the start of this series.
PAGES 21-23. Sunspot and Nova arrive at the Eternal Gate.
“Blue blazes” was Nova’s standard exclamation back in the 1970s.
Jon Ironfire is the character who emerges through the portal. This is his debut in the mainstream timeline, but we’ve seen him in all three issues of Storm and the Brotherhood of Mutants. In issue #1 of that series, Storm refers to seeing him fight in the Genesis War. Ironfire duly warns everyone that “Genesis is coming”, so presumably those events play out similarly in both timelines. Genesis is the wife of Apocalypse, and the one-time ruler of Arakko.
The White Sword was one of the champions of Arakko in “X of Swords”. He led a personal army of 100 Champions who battled the demons of Amenth, and who he would resurrect each day using his omega-level healing powers. Jon is apparently the sole survivor of this group, after thousands of years of deadlock.
PAGE 24. Trailers.
During Eve of Destruction they gave Scott a black leather outfit, long hair, stubble and an attitude that had Wolverine going WHOA, WHAT’S UP BUDDY, YOU’RE REALLY CHANGED FROM THE MERGER WITH APOCALYPSE. Unfortunately, Lodbell didn’t realize that Morrison’s “changed” Scott was going to have shorter hair, be more repressed, and make even black leather look even dorkier.
@Moonstar Dynasty: I’m not saying showing stress is bad, just describing that Storm clearly exhibits it in her appearance and behavior. Xavier and Cyclops both obviously experience stress but mostly sublimate it into arrogance or adherence to rules, respectively. In my opinion, expressing stress is actually a better alternative.
Also, I think contextualizing Storm’s (first) stint as X-Men leader as clearly more difficult than anyone else’s goes a long way to show how strong a leader she actually was.
As a further caveat, I should say that I’m thinking of the period from the beginning of Uncanny X-men up to the beginning of X-Factor, at which point Scott starts acting about as erratic and freaked out as one person can. Since then, he’s had a nervous breakdown and killed multiple times, so his style of emotional regulation has clearly gone through some changes.
@Jon R: I’m imagining Scott wearing a bald cap/fake mohawk and a leather jacket two sizes too big. LOL
The “red triangle” thing also shows up in Avengers #681!
Moonstar, I think you’re way off-base. Doom and Namor are routinely regarded as arrogant, self-obsessed, megalomaniacs, and few characters have ever had difficulty saying this to their faces. Many of Iron Man’s and Mr. Fantastic’s stories (especially Hickman’s stories, regarding Reed) involve them accepting their limitations and denying their instincts towards self-importance as they gaze into what worse versions of themselves look like. Ben Grimm being stuck as the Thing is routinely brought up in FF comics as both a symbol of Reed’s need to rein in his reckless self-confidence, as well as a reminder that he’s not infallible, and that failing to remember these things will get people he cares about hurt.
Strange I don’t know much about, so I can’t comment. But Thor in particular is a very weird example for you to cite, as his origin story in Marvel (both the comics and the movies) involves his father deciding he’s too arrogant for his own good and banishing him to Midgard so that he can get cut down to size and learn some humility. With the exception of Doom and Namor, arrogance is rarely something celebrated with these other characters, it is regarded as a flaw to be addressed. And with Doom and Namor, the reality is that these guys are incorrigible and are never going to learn humility, so it’s something that’s just leaned into. They aren’t truly heroes, anyway. And Xavier’s arrogance has made him a punching bag for X-writers for at least twenty years now, there’s an endless litany of grievances pinned on him.
With Storm on the other hand, has anyone ever told her to rein in the imperiousness, or the assumption of her own grandeur? How often does she think people who criticize her have a point? Has she ever regarded herself as possessing any real flaws? It seems to me that these white male characters are allowed multifaceted characterizations, while Storm is stuck in one mold that every other character has to bend around.
I don’t think the Voght panel is an odd choice, it’s the previous time Prof X no consensually entered someone’s mind not for “the greater good” bit for personal gain. So I see the relevance here.
@CitizenBane: Forgot to mention previously that you had a fair and measured take on the “not enough Storms” problem, and I don’t blame people for seeing her this way.
On acknowledging external criticism: Again, see XMR #1. Nameless calls her out during their duel, reminding her she’s not of Arakko and that she wasn’t there during the Amenth War, and that her seizure of power (i.e., Brand and Storm unilaterally deciding that she is Regent of Mars and Voice of Sol) is not without consequences. Isca and Brand also needle Storm on how focused she is on consolidating power throughout the issue. These criticisms have clearly informed virtually every major decision Storm has made in Red (e.g., integrating herself in Arakki culture, foregoing resurrection, seeking their consent before aiding, relinquishing her Regent role and vacating her extra vote on the Great Ring), all of which has paid off as the Arakki recognize as her as one of their own.
On whether or not someone has specifically challenged Storm’s arrogance, nothing comes to mind, although we might be seeing that arc in motion at the moment. It should be noted, however, that the absence of this arc in her wheelhouse doesn’t mean she’s not a multifaceted character. Maybe if didn’t have a gap of under-utilization from the ’90s to basically 2021, we might be having a different conversation.
I recall that when Casey and Seagle had their brief run on the books, their plan was to kill Storm because they didn’t know what to do with her and knew it would be a big beat, story-wise.
I think, post-Claremont, writers have always struggled with writing her. If you look at all the media she appears in from the 90s onwards – various cartoons and video games and the films – her schtick is essentially ‘wise veteran/earth mother’. She’s always there in the background, watering her plants and being all reliable, but she never feels like a three-dimensional person. I hate to say it, but to me and my friends getting into the X-Men as kids, she was the boring one (maybe Jean Grey too).
BUT! Of course, once I dug deeper into the comics, particularly the Claremont stuff of course, she wasn’t at all what I expected. Stabbing Callisto, turning punk with Yukio, leading the team in Australia, her thieving days with Gambit – none of that feels like the same character from the media mentioned above. She’s been put in a box, and I hate to say it, but it’ll probably be the same one she arrives in in the MCU.
I do agree she tends to also be presented as a bit haughty and pompous, even under Claremont, but that’s not necessarily a terrible thing in a well-rounded character, it’s just another facet of their character. But how often does Storm get to be well-rounded? I give Ewing and Gillen credit for trying to do it, but perhaps for some readers, the damage is done.
To me the damage is indeed done, since Claremont’s first run as a matter of fact. Clearly some people here are way more generous with her portrayal since she first met Callisto (#167 or so).
I think it all comes down to Claremont being both focused on characterization and actually rather limited in attempting it… and to having to conform to market expectations that want characters to both remain recognizable as their original takes from decades ago and to be somehow living and interesting.
Much of Japanese fiction includes an eventual resolution that won’t allow resumption of the status quo. North American comicbooks don’t have the same goal, with few exceptions. The characters and teams are expected to be ongoing streams with no natural end.
Ororo is IMO a casualty of that state of things. She is one of the few characters that Claremont truly attempted to change along time instead of simply building mysteries to be filled in later. But the change was unsubtle and incoherent. Some people may think of her as a complex, rounded character. I just perceive her as inconsistently written going back to the mid 1980s. There was a lot of back-and-forth in her characterization with far too little acknowledgement by the characters themselves.
Take for instance her portrayal in 2017’s X-Men Prime transitional one-shot. She was coming from a 20-isse run as team leader in Extraordinary X-Men, a run that featured the tension with the Inhumans and their power-granting mists that were harmful to mutants front and center. She felt that she had failed the team and decided to hand over the leadership role to Kate. Then she joined the casts of Kate’s and later Jean’s teams and sort of faded into the background despite being featured often. Then she had a nominal leadership role in Rosemberg’s Uncanny X-Men run, then Krakoa, then she was for a while part of the cast of Marauders and Black Panther at rought the same time.
I feel that she was actually used better and more often in the Black Panther books in recent years, but I don’t think that too many X-fans even realize that she was a cast member there at the same time HoXPoX was published. Acknowledgement in the X-Books was kept to the bare minimum, arguably at the expense of her characterization.
That is probably to be expected. X-Books’ Ororo is saddled by expectations of remaining true to the Claremont run (which is IMO rather schizoid in that regard), to the Fox movies, and to random snippets of her long and often incoherent published story. She is a difficult character to write convincingly, particularly in the X-Books. In Wakanda-centered stories it is possible to write her with more consequence and coherence, once we accept that the X-Books will not work with those plots.
Even the 2018 Black Panther movie did not change that.
Storm doesn’t have a leadership role, nominal or not, in Rosenberg’s Uncanny run, she’s stuck in the Age of X-Man reality at this time.
[…] RED #11. (Annotations here.) This is a very talky issue – Storm and Craig Marshall go on a date for five pages, and then […]