Adamantium in the MC2

 

Let’s rip into yet another X-Men ’97 related topic today, with a quick look at the nigh-indestructible Marvel metal alloy: Adamantium, as it relates to the world of the MC2. Prepare for an injection of information about Adamantium in the MC2.

 

Before I jump into the history of the amazing alloy, I have to address Captain America’s shield. Prior to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it was for commonly held ‘wisdom’ that the virtually indestructible shield of Captain America was composed of Adamantium. However, this is not the full story. The shield is a unique combination of ‘Proto-Adamantium’ (apparently even stronger than its successor) and Wakandan Vibranium. Even that account was retconned or disputed in the Avengers (vol. 3) Annual 2001. But that’s a story for another time and another post all its own!

 

True Adamantium first appeared in the Main Marvel Universe or Universe-616 in Avengers (vol. 1) #66 as the creation of a Dr. Myron Maclain who has invited various Avengers including Thor and Iron Man and Goliath (Clint Barton) aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier to test their abilities against it in order to confirm it’s durability. Against his will, The Vision steals the Adamantium and uses it to rebuild his creator, Ultron.

Most notably, Wolverine is the poster boy for Adamantium. First appearing in a single panel of Incredible Hulk #180 and making his first full appearance in Incredible Hulk #181, where Wolverine reveals to the Hulk his claws are ‘forged of diamond-hard Adamantium’. But it’s not until X-Men #98 that the X-Men (and the readers) learn the claws are a part of his body rather than attached to his gloves. Mention is made of Wolverine’s ‘unbreakable bones’ in X-Men #124 before X-Men #126 has Logan outright state he has ‘a skeleton made of about three million bucks worth of Adamantium’. And that’s not adjusted for inflation!

 

We see this ‘Weapon X’ experiment play out in the pages of Marvel Comics Presents #72-#84. Logan survives the experiment due to his mutant healing factor but loses his memory. Writer Larry Hama addressed a significant issue fans had with Logan having Adamantium bonded to his skeleton in Wolverine (vol. 2) #80. There it was explained that Logan’s own mutant physiology had caused a molecular change in the metal- creating what was identified as ‘Adamantium Beta’ -allowing it to bond directly into his skeletal material without inhibiting the living nature of his bones.

 

Now we come to the X-Men storyline known as Fatal Attractions, during which Magneto returns to his villainous ways and uses his powers to rip the Adamantium from Wolverine (X-Men (vol. 2) #25), nearly killing him and shortly afterwards revealing Logan had bone claws beneath the Adamantium the whole time (Wolverine (vol. 2) #75).

Logan would spend several publication years without Adamantium which brings us to the MC2. While on an apparent rescue mission in Madripoor with Wolverine, Zane Yama asks the Canadian former X-Man when he got his Adamantium back. Amusingly, the MC2 predicted and pre-dated the restoration of Wolverine’s Adamantium-coated skeleton, which didn’t occur until Wolverine (vol. 2) #145, published several months later (J2 #10).

 

Jumping back a few months, in the pages of A-Next #6, while helping the hero Argo to find his father Hercules, the Avengers find themselves in the secret S.H.I.E.L.D. facility within Mount Athena. There they learn 'The Merchandise' (actually Hercules himself) is buried several miles within the mountain in a special Adamantium cell. Agent 33 receives orders from 'The Top Man himself' to allow the Avengers to take custody of Hercules.

The following month in J2 #7 we have a one-panel appearance from the mainstay Daredevil villain and assassin Bullseye. I mention this as Bullseye received Adamantium-laced bones to some degree after his spine was shattered in Daredevil #181. This took place in Daredevil #197-#198 at the hands of Kenji Oyama (Lord Dark Wind), the man who originally conceived the method of bonding Adamantium to bones which was stolen and used on Wolverine. Of course, the MC2 Bullseye might instead be a descendant, as was once humorously suggested by Ron Frenz…

 

Back in J2 #8 we get the first appearance of Sabreclaw aka Hudson, the half-brother of Rina Logan aka Wild Thing and the son of Wolverine. While it doesn’t appear to be explicitly referenced in the comics unless I’ve missed something, the All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Update #3 confirms that Hudson’s claws have been reinforced with Adamantium sheaths. Additionally, while the Avengers are preparing for a conflict with the Adamantium-bodied Ultron Extreme, Sabreclaw quips that he has ‘experience against Adamantium.’ (Avengers Next #3).

 

 I hope this slice of MC2 history helped provide some context and insight into Adamantium. Let me know if I missed anything as it relates to the MC2!

 

Until I survive a horrific experiment that laces my body with an indestructible metal, survive its removal and then willingly agree to undergo the same experiment again, I remain

 

frogoat

 

Jubilee in the MC2

 

I’ve been rewatching X-Men: The Animated Series in preparation for the revival and continuation series X-Men ’97 and with that in mind, I thought now was the perfect opportunity to cover both shows’ protagonist and audience surrogate as she appears in the MC2. This is Jubilee in the MC2.

 

In the Main Marvel Universe Jubilee made her debut in the pages of Uncanny X-Men #244. Her first name, Jubilation, was apparently revealed in the pages of X-Men Annual #13 with her surname, Lee, first given in X-Men Annual #14. As for her first appearance in the MC2, Jubilee showed up in a brief cameo within What If #105 alongside other members of the Avengers including the Vision, Jolt, J2, Speedball and Thunderstrike.

 

Jumping back in time ever so slightly, A-Next #1 delivers the new Avengers team’s origin which involved Kevin Masterson transformation into the new Thunderstrike as a result of the machination of Loki. During this adventure, we learn Jubilee is too busy leading the X-People to join the team as a full-time member but notes she should reach out to J2.

 

After a tease of this in the final panels of J2 #1, we see this play out in the next issue where a visiting Zane Yama aka J2 fights to liberate the mind-controlled X-People including team leader Jubilee from the thrall of the villainous villainess Enthralla (J2 #2).

 

Jubilee is called upon by Mainframe to evaluate the Avengers newest recruits, American Dream, Freebooter, Bluestreak and Crimson Curse. Unfortunately, this all comes as a shocking surprise to the other members of the team (A-Next #4).

 

When Cyclops stops by to test the Uncanny X-People, they are aided by J2 who, Jubilee notes, helped the team improve their previous time, increasing by a single second for a total of five measly seconds (J2 #7).

 

Next, Jubilee leads her X-People against Rina Logan aka Wild Thing in an initiation trial for probationary membership on the team.  Rina rejects this offer, declaring that she was only taking the test as favour for her father, Wolverine (J2 #11).

 

In Wild Thing #3 we learn that Mr Woodhill, the social studies teacher at Upper Saddle River High was involved in a crash ten years prior, spending a year in the hospital as a result. While there Woodhill was transformed into a Sleeper Sentinel, including suppression implants to ensure he remained unaware he was a cyborg. Jubilee explains that the X-Men had years ago attempted to find all the Sleeper Sentinels but some -such as Mr Woodhill- had gone undetected. Using a program devised by Dr McCoy and Forge, the Sleeper Sentinels would have their Sentinel activation nullified, allowing them to continue believing they were ordinary humans (Wild Thing #3).

 

In Spider-Girl #32, we catch a tantalising glimpse of the largely unseen interim Avengers team who attempted to fill the void left after many of the original Avengers perished on their final mission. Jubilee was a member of this line-up alongside Nova, the Steel Spider, Jolt and Speedball. I have to point out the subtle changes Jubilee makes to the costume she wears depending on which team she’s representing at any given time.

 

Jubilee and her X-People are not seen again until a large assembly of the MC2’s super heroes gather at Avengers Headquarters in preparation for battle with Seth the Serpent God of Death. Despite this, the assembled heroes end up trapped within an impenetrable barrier until Spider-Girl weakens Seth enough to free them. Notably, Jubilee is seen alongside former Avengers teammate Nova (Spider-Girl #58).

 

When May ‘Mayday’ Parker’s classmate is outed as a mutant to all of Midtown High, Nancy's locker is vandalised and graffitied with anti-mutant messages. At home, Nancy's parents argue over their daughter’s situation and Nancy's siblings are ostracised at school. Later while attempting to get some air, Nancy is accosted by several hooded figures (Spider-Girl #67).

 

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. After being approached by Jubilee, who Nancy had met previously when she attempted to recruit her to the X-People (events referenced in Spider-Girl #23), Nancy makes the decision to go with the X-People to better master her powers (Spider-Girl #67).

 

When various superheroes active and retired start disappearing, Stinger of the Avengers contacts Jubilee to ask if the X-People have any suspects. However, believing the attacks may be focused on mutants due to Wolverine and Cyclops’ abductions, Jubilee informers her they have decided to continue their investigations without outside assistance (Last Hero Standing #2).

 

Despite this, Jubilee still reports the return of Wolverine and Cyclops to Stinger shortly afterwards, even with the apparent disappearance of Wild Thing (Last Hero Standing #3).

 

The next time we see Jubilee is during the events of the Last Planet Standing mini-series when Galactus is finalizing his final solution which will ultimately destroy the entire universe. Jubilee is briefly seen along with her X-People among many other heroes (Last Hero Standing #4-#5).

 

Jubilee and the X-People again joins a large assembly of super heroes who show up to help Spider-Girl when she is captured by the Hobgoblin aka Roderick Kingsley (Amazing Spider-Girl #15).

 

Continuing the returning divide between the rest of humanity and mutants, with Magneta’s Sisterhood of Mutants attempting to recruit confused Midtown High student Sara Hingle, Jubilee and the X-People attempt to locate her and in the process cut out Spider-Girl (Amazing Spider-Girl #23).

 

Having been pushed into attacking the anti-mutant Humanity First organisation, Sara finds herself in battle with Jubilee’s entire X-People team. With Jubilee and the rest of her team side-lined, trainee member Nancy Lu aka Push faces Hingle (now calling herself Nucleus) alone until aided by Spider-Girl (Amazing Spider-Girl #24). After Magneta uses Nucleus as a human bomb, many of the X-People are taken to hospital with the rest ensuring the surviving Sara is taken to a secure facility (Amazing Spider-Girl #25).

 

Finally, Jubilee appears in flashback story set between the pages of A-Next #1 while the various heroes are celebrating on Asgard. Feeling humiliated in front of Loki, Tyrus the Terrible leads a group of trolls in ambushing Thunderstrike and J2 for a rematch. But after a brief battle, the trolls flee when confronted by Jubilee and the rest of the assembled soon-to-be Avengers  alongside Thor (Avengers Unlimited Infinity Comic #37).

 

That’s it for now, but with the last appearance it should be clear there’s always room for more appearances. I’ve often said I want a series to focus on the mutants of the MC2, particularly the X-People and a major reason is because I love seeing Jubilee as the leader of her own team. He started as the audience surrogate youthful character so this feels like she has reached her full potential.

 

Until I get to say ‘To me, my X-People’, I remain

 

frogoat