Wolverine/Gambit, Uncanny X-Men/New Teen Titans

Wolverine/Gambit: Victims 3-4

No idea why I don’t have the first two issues of this miniseries.  I imagine I must have owned them at some point. It’s not a good sign for the story when it feels like I’m missing nothing by not reading them.  Arcade and Lady Mastermind trick Wolverine and Gambit into fighting each other because reasons. They figure things out and win. A meh story by Jeph Loeb, but it’s pretty cool seeing Tim Sale tackle these two X-Men.  

I like how Tim Sale draws different shapes of faces for his characters.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: No

Rating: Fine

Uncanny X-Men/New Teen Titans 1

This must have been a huge deal when it came out in 1982.  A crossover between the two hottest teams at Marvel and DC?  Written by Chris Claremont and drawn by Walt Simonson? Mind blowing.  

It’s a workman-like story by Claremont.  Lots of hoop jumping to get the two teams to meet, and a byzantine scheme by Darkseid to do the usual super-villainy thing.  I’m not sure why he felt the need to resurrect Dark Phoenix to accomplish his goals, but sure, whatever. It makes for an excellent first meeting between the two.

Unsurprisingly, Tom Orzechowski on letters.

Walt Simonson does pretty good work, but this comes a year before he started his epic run on Thor, and he hasn’t fully developed his signature style.  (Though that may be a result of Terry Austin’s inks more than anything else - he’d been inking John Byrne on Uncanny X-Men for so long.)

That Storm face looks especially Byrne-y.

Byrne's art, for reference.

The issue is fine by 80’s standards, but it doesn’t hold up too well today.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: No

Rating: Fine