BAB Classic: X-Men, Ani-Men, and... Count Nefaria!

X-Men #94 (August 1975)
"The Doomsmith Scenario!"
Chris Claremont-Dave Cockrum/Bob McLeod

NOTE:  This post was originally published in March 2010.

Doug: OK, so you probably think we have some fixation with Maggia dude Count Nefaria. Well, no -- it just so happens that while Karen and I were discussing which arcs to analyze, the 3-part Avengers tale we just finished was on the list; shortly thereafter I was reading X-Men 94-95 and said "Why not?" She went along with it, so here we are!

Karen: This issue really brings back some memories. I had already read Giant-Size X-Men #1, so when I saw that these new characters were getting a regular title, I was excited. The only X-Men I had really known were the old team from the reprints that directly preceded the new team. This "all new, all different" group was -and still is- my X-Men team.

Doug: This is a fine issue, and a great follow-up to that classic Giant-Size X-Men #1. Chris Claremont takes over scripting from Len Wein, who serves as this book's editor (and receives a plot credit). The story begins with a gathering in Westchester, NY at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. Professor Xavier wants to take inventory on the glut of X-Men now in his service. However, it's apparent right from the start that not everyone is feeling so chummy. Sunfire is the first to make an ass of himself, telling Prof. X and the X-Men to kiss off in no uncertain terms. Good riddance!, I say... Next, Banshee tries to get out of any commitment, but Xavier immediately twists his arm to stay. But it's what the Angel says next that creates the greatest uproar.

Doug: Warren steps forward to tell Xavier that the original team is leaving. It's a touching scene as Jean explains that when they came to the School, they were children with no control of their abilities, but under Xavier's tutelage they'd been molded into young men and women confident in who they were and what they could do. There's a nice couple of panels where Wolverine tells them to spare him the soap opera and Bobby takes exception. Good stuff -- really takes us back to Stan and Jack's FF of the early 1960's with the constant in-fighting.
Karen: Yes, I feel the same way. This was a good way to usher in the new era. While I am sure some of the older readers may have been annoyed to see their favorites leave, this passing of the torch seemed like a logical step. Of course now, the X-Men are more of a tribe than a school, so no one ever leaves. But back then, it made sense. The only thing that was hard to swallow was Jean leaving, but of course, she came back soon.

Doug: The next three pages are strong, showing Cyclops molding the six new X-Men into a team via relentless practice in the Danger Room. Text on these pages tells how Scott is driving them hard, seeking to mold this older team of loners, heroes used to being on their own, into a team. Claremont really hits some high notes on characterization, and we begin to see the characters that will grow over the next several years, even and especially after Dave Cockrum left the book.

Karen: I like that full page montage with Cycylops' head in the center.

Doug: And I'd like to comment on Cockrum's art here. While the pictures are unmistakeably his, Bob McLeod's inks seem at times to overpower the pencils. As we move into #95, see if you can pick up the differences in Sam Grainger's inks, which in my opinion give off more of a classic Cockrum look.

Karen: I'm torn on the artwork. I like both Grainger and McLeod. The styles are fairly different, with McLeod favoring much finer line work than Grainger. All in all I guess I would give a slight edge to Grainger, mostly because I see more of Cockrum in the art (as you say Doug).

Doug: Cut to Chapter Two, set inside the NORAD command center on Valhalla Mountain. An unwitting tech pushes a button on a gizmo he assumes is a prank from his co-workers and teleports the Ani-Men into the base. The Ani-Men had been seen in Marvel Comics off and on over the previous decade, usually in Daredevil. Here they are the henchmen for Maggia boss Count Nefaria. Of course the Ani-Men make short work of the outclassed soldiers. Nefaria shows up, takes the place over, and then announces to the world that he is holding the base ransom. There's a nice scene when the Beast is on the monitor talking to the Professor -- he tells that the Avengers cannot handle this crisis so it will have to be the X-Men.

Karen: I'd never seen the Ani-Men before (I didn't read much Daredevil) and at the time, as a ten year old, I thought they were cool. Now though, I just look at them and shake my head. These clowns were fighting the X-Men? Imagine if they'd brought the Ani-Men back say two years later. It would have been seen as a joke. Storm all by her lonesome probably could have handled these C-listers.

Doug: Yeah, no doubt. I guess the main attraction was that they'd somewhat match up with the X-Men's powers. I guess...

Karen: Besides the scene with the Beast, I also enjoyed the scene between Cyclops and Nightcrawler, where they discuss an accident in the Danger Room that injured Thunderbird. Cyclops is doing what he does -brood about it. Here we see why Cyclops was -at one time -considered one of the best team leaders in the Marvel Universe. When Nightrawler asks him how he's doing afterwards, he says, "We were both careless, Kurt, except that I was responsible and Thunderbird ended up taking all the lumps." This guy was always thinking about his team, and that earlier scene where he is driving them hard in training ties into this - he wanted them to be able to take care of themselves. Claremont really got that, at least in these early issues.


Doug: As the X-Men swoop toward the mountain, Nefaria acts by firing missiles at the Blackbird. Our story ends with a whole bunch of ejected mutants and a lot of sky between themselves and the ground!

Karen: A typical goofy comics ploy occurs here, where after the missiles have blasted the Blackbird, the X-Men eject in a lifting body, and Nefaria blasts them with a disintegrator - which only destroys the ship and not the people inside! Oh come on! But what a suspenseful ending!