Showing posts with label Mutant. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mutant. Show all posts

Saturday 29 August 2020

Wolfsbane in the MC2

 

Well, it looks like the New Mutants movie is finally being released after several delays. I figured it might be worth a quick post to cover possibly the only connection between the New Mutants film and the MC2: the mutant Rahne Sinclair aka Wolfsbane.

 


As I’ve previously detailed in my History of the MC2: The X-Men entry, we don’t have a huge amount of information about the famed mutant team, the X-Men in the MC2. What we do know is that at some point in the past, Wolverine was the leader a team of X-Men that included Cain Marko (Juggernaut), Synch (Everett Thomas), Siryn (Theresa Cassidy), 'Hopper' and of course Wolfsbane (Rahne Sinclair) as seen in J2 #7J2 #12 and Wild Thing #5.

 


Rahne remained a member of this X-Men team for some time and participated in a mission to save the Earth from the Overlords Eight. While on their way back from the Crossroads of Infinity, the X-Men ran into an army of creatures called Darklings. Rahne and her fellow teammates managed to escape the creatures thanks to the sacrifice of Cain Marko who stayed behind to destroy the X-Men’s dimensional jumpjack transport device, preventing the Darklings from following them to Earth (J2#7, J2 #12). Cain would spend many years trapped in the evil Nemesus' dimension, eventually inadvertently transferring much of his powers as Juggernaut to his son, Zane (J2 #1).

 




We don’t know what happened to this particular team of X-Men after this mission, though as we know Wolverine retired, we can assume the other members went their separate ways. Presumably Wolfsbane is still out their fighting to protect a world that hates and fears her.

 


Until I develop lycanthropic abilities, I remain

 

frogoat

Friday 27 April 2018

The Lu Family Tree


For this MC2 Family Tree, we'll be coving May 'Mayday' Parker's former rival on the basketball court, Nancy 'Lucky' Lu and her family.


Nancy Meeko Lu first appears in Spider-Girl #23 as Central High's star basketball player. Demonstrating why she had earned the nickname 'Lucky' with her uncanny fortune on the court, May became suspicious (and perhaps a little jealous) when she and the rest of Midtown's team were beaten.




As Spider-Girl, May followed Nancy home, hoping to uncover something sinister, only to discover Nancy and her family appeared to be the very definition of an all-American family, complete with annoying brother and adorable sister. Eventually, Spider-Girl observes Nancy using her powers to prevent a child from being hit by a car. Confronted, Nancy admits she's a mutant with low-level telekinetic abilities and that she has no interest in being a super hero. We also learn that Nancy was approached by the X-People but turned them down as she wishes to lead a normal life and become a doctor.





Spider-Girl's parting words about not using her powers for anything foolish causes Nancy to quit her basketball team. This news has the unintended consequence of leaving May feeling guilty and contemplating the unfair advantage her naturally super-human power's may give her when competing.



But that's not the last we'd see of Nancy Lu, oh no! After spotting Jack Jameson with Nancy Lu in Spider-Girl #29 May learns that Nancy may be transferring to Midtown High's school district as a result of Mr. Lu changing jobs.




 In Spider-Girl #30 May runs into Nancy with JJ at the Daily Bugle and later Coach Thompson asks Davida and May to convince Nancy to join Midtown's basketball team. Again in Spider-Girl #31, we see JJ and Nancy out together but it's seems Nancy doesn't start at Midtown High until Spider-Girl #32 when we see her and JJ heading to lunch. Nancy makes friends with Davida and May even enjoys a one-on-one game of basketball with her in Spider-Girl #33. May realizes she genuinely likes Nancy despite her previous misgivings. The three girls discuss shoes in Spider-Girl #34 and Nancy joins May's friends for an outing in Spider-Girl #35. Everything is going very well.  So naturally, it won't last.



Nancy learns of Coach Thompson's plan to use May and Davida to recruit her to the school team. When May attempts to explain things to Nancy lashes out with her powers, knocking May into a locker and storming off.



After a failed attempt and a heated encounter with JJ, Nancy apologizes to May in Spider-Girl #43 and we don't see her again for a while.


Spider-Girl #61 is the beginning of a major turning point when Coach Thompson takes Davida off the basketball team's starting line-up in favour of Nancy Lu.



Things only get worse from here on out. During an altercation with Davida in Spider-Girl #64, Nancy instinctively uses her powers to defend herself, exposing herself as a mutant to the school.





Things reach a head in Spider-Girl #67 when Nancy's locker is vandalised and graffitied with anti-mutant messages. At home, Nancy's parents argue over their daughters situation and Nancy's siblings are ostracised at school. Later while attempting to get some air, Nancy is accosted by several hooded figures.





The group attacking Nancy Lu are revealed to be fellow students from Midtown High. When The Buzz (aka JJ) and Spider-Girl intervene, Nancy reveals she's more afraid of hurting others due to a lack of control of her abilities than being hurt herself. Afterwards, Nancy makes the decision to go with the X-People to better master her powers.



And for a while, it seemed like we would never see Ms Lu again. That is until she reappeared in Spider-Girl #92 in a very different role, that of the mutant hero in training: Push. May briefly runs into Nancy Lu before the two both run off to switch into their hero attire in order to stop a imposter-Magneto.





I love how Nancy's X-People costume resembles the original X-Men's first costumes as a nod to her status as a novice hero. Unfortunately Nancy has only appeared in one further story to-date. In a plot-line that references Nancy's own outing as a mutant, student Sara Hingle's story takes a turn for the worse when she ends up recruited and manipulated by Magneta and her Sisterhood of Mutants (Amazing Spider-Girl #22-24).





















Unfortunately that's the last we see of Nancy Lu to date. Another nice touch with Nancy's costume now more in keeping with the rest of X-People. From one-off rival to supporting character to full-fledged super heroine, Nancy is a wonderful example of how the MC2 takes small roles and makes them into something truly inspiring. Nancy never stops striving to be a good person and still aims to be a doctor regardless of how others wish to pigeon-hole her into a single category.

A few little tidbits before I wrap this up. Nancy's middle name -Meeko- is given in Spider-Girl #67. Push doesn't appear in Last Planet Standing, which came out within months of her super heroic debut in Spider-Girl #92. If you look closely in Spider-Girl #23, you'll notice Nancy has a cat. I wonder if they accompanied her to the X-Mansion?

I think the idea of the Lu family as 'The All-American Family' is a nice statement in and of itself, while also reflecting aspects of May's own home life. Nancy could have very easily been written as a one-dimensional rival character instead of the nuanced individual we saw develop over time. For that, I'm grateful.

Until I figure out a blogging schedule that includes sleep, I remain

frogoat

Sunday 21 January 2018

Wild Thing #6: The Untold Story




So, as I mentioned in my last MC2 Family Tree post, I had a possible theory about Cameron Bryce-Jones. To recap, Cameron is a spoiled rich girl at Upper Saddle River High who first appeared in Wild Thing #1. Cameron was identified as a 'Dormant Class 'A' Mutant Designate' by a newly awakened sleeper Sentinel in Wild Thing #3.




For reference, the Sentinel identifies Wild Thing as 'Class 'B' Mutant Designate' and engages her in combat, only to change objectives once Cameron is detected.  This suggests that she is more of a priority, presumably possessing greater power. 

Cameron does not appear in Wild Thing #4 and only makes a brief appearance in Wild Thing #5, the series' last published issue. This means any powers that Cameron may have possessed remained a mystery. However, comic writers usually have plots written months before the issue's publication, allowing the artists to complete the art work in time. It would appear this was the case with Wild Thing #6



Wild Thing's entire series was collected into a single volume digest as Spider-Girl Presents Wild Thing: Crash Course in 2007. Tucked away in the back of this digest was the unpublished cover to Wild Thing #6- pencilled, inked, coloured and even lettered. And what does it say on that unused cover? 'There's a New Mutant in Town!' Judging by the cosmic-style background, the glowing and the look of awe on the faces of both Wild Thing and X-People leader Jubilee, I'd say that's a Class 'A' Mutant, wouldn't you? The hair style even looks like Cameron's! Tell me I'm wrong!

Until I unearth every scrap of information about this wonderful fictional universe, I remain

frogoat