Marvel Girl Explained

Before we find out what those Sentinels are up to, lets pause to check out the side story in the back of issue 57. Marvel Girl is finally getting her time in the spotlight. She’s shared issues with Scott, but this is the first time the series has spent any significant time on her specifically. To mark the occasion, Marvel actually allowed a woman, one of the “supposedly weaker” gender, to write a comic book. But how will she manage that with her smaller, more lady-like brain? Immediately I’m wondering just how sexist this segment will be, and just how much of that sexism we can blame on “the times”. The first thing Jean says here makes me think that my suspicions were correct, but the second thing she says leaves me feeling that perhaps I assume too much. Lets not overthink this. Give Marvel the benefit of the doubt and all, right? I mean heck, these days Thor and Captain Marvel are both women. So lets get back to Jean and her cool powers. This will give us a look into her mutant abilities and all of the amazing things she can do.

Origins: Cyclops

At the end of issue 42, we get another installment in the origin of Cyclops. Jack O’ Diamonds meets his fate, but more importantly we get to see Scott Summers don his uniform and iconic visor for the first time!

We’ll be back!

We’ll be back!

Origins: Scott Summers

The last part of issue 39 that I want to mention is a continuation of the X-Men Origins story that began the prior month. This segment picks up right where the last left off, following Scott Summers as he flees his orphanage home. He was just responsible for outing the mutant race in public and on camera, and now an angry mob is chasing him down. Good job, four eyes. Scott runs from the mob and makes his escape in a freight train, skipping town like a hobo. With his preppy sweater and bowtie he’s sure to fit right in.

Asteroid M

During the X-Men’s first fight with the Brotherhood, we also get to see the very first appearance of Magneto’s headquarters, Asteroid M. (X-Men #5) This is pretty significant because that chunk of rock is still part of the X-Men universe today. It will be seen time and time again over the next fifty years.

That space station is also one of the most interesting and modern looking pieces of technology I’ve seen so far in this series. I’m thankful that it doesn’t have some sort of giant M or giant horseshoe magnet on top of it. I’m a big fan of that panel above. As you’ll see below, artists go back to it quite often.