Originally posted at Adam WarRock’s tumblr page.

I bought a bundle of X-Men Vol. 2 issues, 1-79, and I am going to read them all and blog about them here. And now:

X-Men #9 – The Not So Big Easy

HAZARDOUS PLACEHOLDER

So here we are, Fabian Nicieza writing, Art Thirbert on the pencils. And two issues out from the X-cutioner’s Song saga, this is the ultimate of placeholder issues. Charles’s childhood friend, Alexander Ryking aka Hazard, escapes out of the Ryking hospital (which is hinted at that it’s a place where they, contain? Rehabilitate? Do something to mutants), and goes on a killing spree because he’s mad angry. This sort of intertwines with some hints about Wolverine’s past, but it never really leads anywhere. So whatever. This is clearly just a placeholder of a story arc to bide time until the epic X-Cutioner’s Song. So, let’s talk about some panels.

This is how obsessed we were with Gambit back in the 90s. Letters pages just full of questions. Can he charge a mountain? Answer me, Marvel! This is also proof that Gambit led to a generation of kids thinking that throwing cards was cool.

Next: X-Cutioner’s Song, which is one of my fave X-Men crossovers.

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