Cage! and 1979 X-Men
Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2024 1:35 pm
I'm doing a new analysis from scratch:
Synopsis:
#1
"1977 New York. City of big buildings, big shoes, big shirts and big crime."
Misty Knight is late at the restaurant and Cage goes to look for her at the police station.
The heroes around town have been disappearing. Luke goes to Misty's apartment where he's attacked by Cyclops "Where is Jean Grey?" Cage "She moved out months ago!"
Note from 70s Tom referring to X-Men 137.
Nightcrawler and Wolverine arrive, "Scott!!! Jean's gone! She's gone!" Wolverine is drawn in the costume from X 139 but the colors are ambiguous.
Cage is attacked by old villains, flees and is KOed by unidentified adversaries.
#2
He escapes from his captors' boat, swims to a tropical island where he goes through a psychedelic episode.
#3
He wakes up captive with Brother Voodoo, Dazzler, Iron Fist, Misty, Ghost Rider and Black Panther. They have to face anthropomorphic animals in a martial arts tournament. Misty and Danny lose. Cage wins.
#4
Cage keeps winning. Dazzler, Brother Voodoo, Ghost Rider lose. Cage wins the final bout versus Dr. Soos.
In New York a few days later, a party is organized for Cage: Hawkeye, Colossus, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man, Captain America, Iron Fist, Dr. Strange, Black Goliath, Moondragon, Mr. Fantastic, Iron Man, Misty, Human Torch, Beast next to Cyclops, Invisible Girl, Brother Voodoo, Thing.
Analysis:
The story, the setting, the "1977" date, the signature on the note "70s Tom" are consistent with the period. The characters on the island are typical 1970s tropes: blaxploitation, kung fu craze, disco, horror, stunt riders.
The reference to X 137 sent the placement to 1982, after Cyclops returned to the X-Men. This 1982 placement doesn't fit Moondragon, who was traveling in space with Drax, nor Black Goliath (going by Giant-Man since 1979).
Cage does not know Jean Grey is dead, only that she moved out, which she did in X 117, Jan 79. Scott attacking Cage is odd as they teamed up in PMIF 57, Jun 79. Once Scott has reunited with Jean, he knows she's left the apartment and has no reason to go there, especially in 1982, once he got involved with Lee Forrester.
As for Wolverine's costume, the colorist made the shoulders bluish, possibly trying to correct an art error.
The missing heroes comment echoes late 1970s storylines such as the capture of the Avengers by the Collector, the disbanding of the Fantastic Four and the absence of the X-Men from NYC between X 111, Jun 78, and X 120, Apr 79.
Early 1979 is a much more sound placement, before MTIO 55, Sep 79, where Bill Foster adopts the look and the name of Giant-Man. Preferably right after 121, May 79, as Scott has been in denial (cf. X 114 & 118) and checking Jean's apartment on his return to NY is a natural expectation.
The last page with Beast and Cyclops together at the party needs to happen after X 125, Sep 79, where they find out the other is alive and after X 129, Jan 80, page 6 because there's no break for a party in NY. For that reason placing Cage! just before X 125 is also possible. (The X-Men stay for a few days in Scotland.)
Dazzler is not at the party so this doesn't mess the X-Men finding out about her in X 130, Feb 80.
Claremont is careful to keep the X-Men adventures abroad or confidential so as to keep their continued existence secret from Jean and Hank. But Hank has some public interventions in A 182-184, Apr-Jun 79, MTIO 51, May 79, A 190-191, Dec 79-Jan 80, MTU 90, Feb 80, which should have reached the X-Men. The more of those can be placed after X 125, the better.
Synopsis:
#1
"1977 New York. City of big buildings, big shoes, big shirts and big crime."
Misty Knight is late at the restaurant and Cage goes to look for her at the police station.
The heroes around town have been disappearing. Luke goes to Misty's apartment where he's attacked by Cyclops "Where is Jean Grey?" Cage "She moved out months ago!"
Note from 70s Tom referring to X-Men 137.
Nightcrawler and Wolverine arrive, "Scott!!! Jean's gone! She's gone!" Wolverine is drawn in the costume from X 139 but the colors are ambiguous.
Cage is attacked by old villains, flees and is KOed by unidentified adversaries.
#2
He escapes from his captors' boat, swims to a tropical island where he goes through a psychedelic episode.
#3
He wakes up captive with Brother Voodoo, Dazzler, Iron Fist, Misty, Ghost Rider and Black Panther. They have to face anthropomorphic animals in a martial arts tournament. Misty and Danny lose. Cage wins.
#4
Cage keeps winning. Dazzler, Brother Voodoo, Ghost Rider lose. Cage wins the final bout versus Dr. Soos.
In New York a few days later, a party is organized for Cage: Hawkeye, Colossus, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man, Captain America, Iron Fist, Dr. Strange, Black Goliath, Moondragon, Mr. Fantastic, Iron Man, Misty, Human Torch, Beast next to Cyclops, Invisible Girl, Brother Voodoo, Thing.
Analysis:
The story, the setting, the "1977" date, the signature on the note "70s Tom" are consistent with the period. The characters on the island are typical 1970s tropes: blaxploitation, kung fu craze, disco, horror, stunt riders.
The reference to X 137 sent the placement to 1982, after Cyclops returned to the X-Men. This 1982 placement doesn't fit Moondragon, who was traveling in space with Drax, nor Black Goliath (going by Giant-Man since 1979).
Cage does not know Jean Grey is dead, only that she moved out, which she did in X 117, Jan 79. Scott attacking Cage is odd as they teamed up in PMIF 57, Jun 79. Once Scott has reunited with Jean, he knows she's left the apartment and has no reason to go there, especially in 1982, once he got involved with Lee Forrester.
As for Wolverine's costume, the colorist made the shoulders bluish, possibly trying to correct an art error.
The missing heroes comment echoes late 1970s storylines such as the capture of the Avengers by the Collector, the disbanding of the Fantastic Four and the absence of the X-Men from NYC between X 111, Jun 78, and X 120, Apr 79.
Early 1979 is a much more sound placement, before MTIO 55, Sep 79, where Bill Foster adopts the look and the name of Giant-Man. Preferably right after 121, May 79, as Scott has been in denial (cf. X 114 & 118) and checking Jean's apartment on his return to NY is a natural expectation.
The last page with Beast and Cyclops together at the party needs to happen after X 125, Sep 79, where they find out the other is alive and after X 129, Jan 80, page 6 because there's no break for a party in NY. For that reason placing Cage! just before X 125 is also possible. (The X-Men stay for a few days in Scotland.)
Dazzler is not at the party so this doesn't mess the X-Men finding out about her in X 130, Feb 80.
Claremont is careful to keep the X-Men adventures abroad or confidential so as to keep their continued existence secret from Jean and Hank. But Hank has some public interventions in A 182-184, Apr-Jun 79, MTIO 51, May 79, A 190-191, Dec 79-Jan 80, MTU 90, Feb 80, which should have reached the X-Men. The more of those can be placed after X 125, the better.