The Uncanny X-Men #172
Published and © by Marvel, August 1983
Title: “Scarlet in Glory”
Synopsis: The X-Men head to Japan for Wolverine’s wedding, but the reunion is soon interrupted by Viper and Silver Samurai.
Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Paul Smith
Inker: Bob Wiacek
Review: Picking up right where the classic Wolverine miniseries left off (see reviews), the main X-title effortlessly returns to the seedy underworld of Chris Claremont and Frank Miller’s Japan. The writer utilizes Wolverine’s first-person noir narration to connect the two titles tonally. Meanwhile, artist Paul Smith draws inspiration from Miller’s page-design motifs to establish visual continuity. The effect seamlessly connects the two stories for readers. Add in continuing subplots about Storm’s escalating emotional tumult, the addition of new team member Rogue and the potential return of Phoenix, and this is another very strong outing from another classic X-Men creative team.
Grade: A
Second opinion: “A lot is happening, and yet – buoyed by Paul Smith’s ingenuity – Claremont handles the disparate parts gracefully, weaving them into a clockwork plot that still stands as one of the most elegant and precise that the series has ever seen.” – Jason Powell, “The Best There Is at What He Does: Examining Chris Claremont’s X-Men,” 2016 … No. 71 on Marvel’s “Greatest Marvels of All Time” list.
Cool factor: Paul Smith storytelling work is excellent this issue.
Collector’s note: According to the Grand Comics Database, there is a 75¢ Canadian variant of this issue. … According to MyComicShop.com, there is also a Mark Jewelers variant.
Character quotable: “Welcome to Japan.” – Wolverine, forever the gaijin
Editor’s note: This review was written June 8, 2024.
