The Uncanny X-Men #174
Published and © by Marvel, October 1983
Title: “Romances”
Synopsis: Returning home, the X-Men recover from their battle in Japan – but does Dark Phoenix await?
Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Paul Smith
Inker: Bob Wiacek
Review: Nobody wrote transitional issues quite like Chris Claremont. This penultimate installment of the “Is Madelyne Pryor Dark Phoenix?” story arc is a fantastic example of his skill in this regard. There really isn’t an A-story here, just a collection of subplots that all deepen emotional connectivity to characters who already feel like old friends. Claremont makes readers want the X-Men to be happy and ache at the characters’ level of emotional tumult. Paul Smith skillfully enhances this vibe with graceful, emotive art. The final-page reveal hits hard, setting up what should be an epic conclusion. This is masterful mainstream-comics storytelling.
Grade: A
Second opinion: “The shiny genre trappings on the surface disguise a more universal story, depicting a man at last coming to terms with the death of a loved one.” – Jason Powell, “The Best There Is at What He Does: Examining Chris Claremont’s X-Men,” 2016 … “New readers may think they’ve wandered into an issue of My Love Story!” – John Jackson Miller, The Comics Buyer’s Guide to the X-Men (Comics Buyer’s Guide Presents), 2003
Cool factor: Paul Smith drew a damn fine X-Men.
Not-so-cool factor: Wow, Madelyne Pryor got a raw deal from the very beginning, didn’t she?
Collector’s note: According to the Grand Comics Database, there is a 75¢ Canadian variant of this issue. … According to MyComicShop.com, there are also Mark Jewelers and Bubblicious Insert variants.
Character quotable: “What is death to a creature such as Phoenix?” – Professor Xavier, concerned
Editor’s note: This review was written June 9, 2024.
