X-Men Annual #7
Published and © by Marvel, 1983
Title: “Scavenger Hunt”
Synopsis: The Impossible Man’s family scavenger hunt brings him into direct conflict with the X-Men – and almost starts an intergalactic war!
Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Michael Golden and Bret Blevins
Inkers: Bill Anderson, Terry Austin, Blevins, Brett Breeding, Sam de la Rosa, Golden, Steve Leialoha, Tom Mandrake, Al Milgrom, Joe Rubinstein and Bob Wiacek
Review: A confession: Little Me took his superheroes very seriously and this annual is anathema to that sensibility; the ridiculous story and inconsistent art actually brought on tears. Looking back from an adult perspective, it’s a perfectly serviceable romp filled with sight gags, Easter eggs and fan service. The art – mostly by Bronze Age great Micheal Golden – is inconsistent due to the panoply of finishers, but it’s good fun trying to guess who inked what. (The Terry Austin pages are obvious!) X-Men Annual #7 remains a particular cup of tea, but shouldn’t bring anybody to tears.
Grade: B
Second opinion: “With the heavy-handed stories being told in the regular series during this time, there was no other place that such a lightweight tale could’ve been told than in annual. But, since it’s an Impossible Man, story, one wonders why it had to be told at all.” – John Jackson Miller, The Comics Buyer’s Guide to the X-Men (Comics Buyer’s Guide Presents), 2003
Cool factor: It’s always a treat to see Michael Golden drawing the X-Men!
Not-so-cool factor: The Impossible Man dressed as the Black Queen. Or the panels of Illyana and Kitty enjoying their popsicles a little too much. It’s hard to unsee these images!
Notable: Part of Assistant Editors’ Month event.
Collector’s note: According to the Grand Comics Database, there is a $1.25 Canadian variant of this issue.
Character quotable: “Ah betcha it’s a scavenger hunt.” – Rogue, observant
A word from the editor: “This mad annual was published during Assistant Editors’ Month – a period when the Marvel editors were in California and our crazy assistants went wild. It features work by a batch of really fine artist, which only adds to the fun. Eliot Brown was my assistant at the time – and he pulled off a really great comic!” – Louise Simonson (né Jones), in “Not To Be Missed,” a 2014 essay collected in “Uncanny X-Men Omnibus Vol. 3,” 2015
Editor’s note: This review was written Aug. 16, 2024.
