Dazzler Vs Juggernaut! Uncanny X-Men 217, by Chris Claremont and Jackson Guice, Marvel Comics 1987

Review of Uncanny X-Men 217, by Chris Claremont and Jackson Guice, with inks by Steve Leialoha, Marvel Comics 1987
Cover by Walt Simonson and Bob Wiacek!
In this issue, the new X-Men train on Muir Isle under the critical eye of Banshee; when Callisto mocks Dazzler, she leaves the island in a huff, going to the mainland for a night out in the local pub of a fishing port; later, she spies Cain Marko speeding through the small port town in a flash car, and she hops on a motorbike to follow him, which he discovers and confronts her; she fights him, but cannot stop or beat him, and collapses after giving her all, which leads Juggernaut to believe he's killed her!
#comics #marvelcomics #xmen #chrisclaremont #dazzler

[@michaelaker1621]

I always loved when Claremont wrote Banshee as a slightly older and more experienced (NYC Cop/Interpol) teacher/sounding board. Great portrayal of Dazzler as well. Really added depth. I’ve asked before but why was the cornerbox always wrong in this era? 220 is the only time it was remotely correct until 267.

[@comicsbazaar4508]

I also love Claremont's version of Banshee, and I'd love to see him do something with the character again -- some kind of untold tale or even in current continuity. Without checking, I don't know if Banshee's alive or dead or what in 2023. I've no idea re: the corner boxes and who was responsible for their content. Sometimes, they're quite inventive and cool, such as UXM #208 and 213. But a lot of the time, yeah, the team indicated in the box is wrong.

[@ViperBOSS74]

This was my favorite era of Xmen leading into Fall of the Mutants and Inferno. The team was EPIC! Thank you for helping me relive ma childhood.

[@comicsbazaar4508]

My pleasure! 😊

[@Arleencomunica]

Omg amazing! Super like! 😊very cool cover.

[@comicsbazaar4508]

Yeah, it's a really powerful cover! Walt Simonson is a legend!

[@roguedexx938]

I remember this one!

[@comicsbazaar4508]

It's a good one!

[@boombapdoom493]

Have this one somewhere… always loved the cover

[@comicsbazaar4508]

@@boombapdoom493 The Simonson cover’s great!

[@paulreilly2304]

I agree that Steve Leialoha's inks suit Jackson Guice's pencils more than Dan Green. And to return to a comment I made for your review around issue 264.....Ann Nocenti did a much better job with guest pencilers in this gap between JRJr & Silvestri, than Bob Harras did between Silvestri & Jim Lee. Alan Davis, Barry Windsor Smith, Rick Leonardi, and Jackson Guice were excellent fill-ins. While Mike Collins, Bill Jaaska, and Keiron Dwyer were all very good artists, I didn't think at the time they measured up to the dynamic style of the departed Marc Silvestri. Possibly Rubenstein's inks share that blame. He's certainly a talented inker, but I wouldn't call his work exciting. Points to Ann for lining up some great names for these issues. Claremont's captions usually set up such a good mood, whether it's somber, or joyful, or in between. He was skillful at using them. On the opposite side.....when reading Roy Thomas captions, I can barely get through them without giving up. Ali and Rogue's past.....have you reviewed 221 yet? I don't think I've seen it. It's a good "bury the hatchet" story for these two.

[@comicsbazaar4508]

That's a really good point, Paul, re: the superior fill-in talent during this interregnum between JRJR and Silvestri. It even extends to the covers with Art Adams and Simonson contributing too. Haha, you're right about Roy Thomas, and some of that is just him imitating Stan Lee and not being Stan. Claremont, who adores Stan, goes beyond him, and does something in his own voice that's so much better. Claremont enjoys words, and I enjoy his enjoyment. I haven't reviewed #221 yet. Plan is to review #218-219 next and Annual #11, and then go back to the '90s for some post X-Cutioner's Song issues, and then back to UXM #220-223 straight through.

[@channelz2929]

@@comicsbazaar4508 "Apropos of" the fill-in issues bridging Silvestri and Jim Lee's run: part of me wonders whether Harras was already at this point building a case against Claremont being the creative force on Uncanny X-men. And by selecting artist's whose style and storytelling talents would not automatically boost sales he could strengthen his argument.

[@comicsbazaar4508]

@@channelz2929 That's an interesting conjecture. It really is baffling that better artists couldn't have been engaged to fill in those issues between Silvestri and Lee. Who wouldn't have jumped at the opportunity to work on Marvel's best-selling comic at the time, and benefit from the royalty cheque too?

[@kaotmus]

16:13 Funny how you rightfully praise Claremont's captions adding to the story and finding the balance between words and art - and then the next page spread is overloaded with thought ballons and dialogue half of which is honestly not that necessary 🙂But maybe he is adding stuff like the details about Dazzler's powers because what's happening in the art in that 5 panel chase sequence isn't actually that interesting...

[@josesarango3408]

...and this is why I like this ensemble of X-men (the "outback" team even if they're not in Australia yet) more than the all-new all-different X-men. Blasphemy I know. Their interactions are more fun for me, even if Havok has the personality of a wood stick 🤣🤣 but it still works

[@comicsbazaar4508]

It was bold on Claremont's part to strip the all-new all-different team back to Wolvie and Storm, and build something truly all-new and all-different again around that kernel. Evolution, not repetition. And it just makes me feel again that Bob Harras deserves a special place in Hell for what happened in 1991. Or, a special place in Purgatory at the very least and most charitable. ;-)

[@josesarango3408]

LOL to be fair I also like the gold and blue teams

[@comicsbazaar4508]

@@josesarango3408 Haha, me too.