Classic X-Men #2

Issue Date: 
October 1986
Story Title: 
<BR>The Doomsmith Scenario ! (1st story)<BR>First Friends (2nd story)
Staff: 

Chris Claremont (writer), John Bolton (artist), Ian Laughlin (colorist), Tom Orzechowski (letterer), Ann Nocenti (editor), Jim Shooter (editor in chief)

Brief Description: 

First Story :
The main story is a reprint of X-Men (1st series) #94.
Second Story :
Jean has invited Storm to her new appartment in New York, to get to know each other better. She asks Ororo to change out of costume, to protect their secret ID from her roommate Misty Knight, and suddenly Ororo is standing there naked. Being from african tribes, this only comes natural, though Jean tells her that she can’t continue to run around like that in America. They go shopping, but get attacked by a thief. Jean and Ororo follow him, but Storm hesitates when it comes to entering a subway. Downstairs Jean is overwhelmed by the many thoughts of the crowd and loses the thief. She returns to the street, asking why Ororo didn’t help, but accidentally draws the images of Ororo claustrophobia out of her mind. Now Storm gets angry, feeling her privacy was violated. Jean explains that sometimes she can’t filter out all thoughts around her and they make up. She takes Storm by the hand and they enter the subway together.

Full Summary: 

First Story :
This main story reprints X-Men (1st series) #94.
However there are some additional pages to the first chapter.
A one page collage of Danger Room training has been replaced by two pages of Cyclops lecturing the importance of teamwork and various training sessions.
Cyclops and Xavier talk about the progress that the new team is making. Most are doing fine, but Scott is convcerned about Logan and Thunderbird. They both have hot tempers and are always in competition. He knows that reaching them would need all his devotion, but Cyclops wonders how he then could continue his relationship with Jean. He doesn’t want to lose her.
In Scotland, young Rhane Sinclair has missed the school bus, and Moira MacTaggert offers her to join her on her horse. Suddenly they are intercepted by Reverend Craig. He tells Rhane to get down and tells Moira that his ward can walk on her feet, they certainly don’t need help from the Kinross Clan. Moira feels sad for the little orphan girl, that is forced to live with the Reverend.Right then Moira receives a telegram from Xavier, asking her to come to America.
Ororo finds Thunderbird leaping from a cliff, and pulls him to safety with a gust of wind. He saw Logan make the jump and he wanted to prove he could do it too. Storm tells him that Wolverine has unbreakable bones, and that he shouldn’t overexhaust himself. Thunderbird wants to be left alone.
Second Story :
Storm is flying over New York City. She wonders how eight million people can live in these towers of steel and glass and even call them home. Finally she recognizes Jean’s appartment from the description and lands on the terrace. Jean welcomes her, and shows her around in her new appartment. It used to be an artists studio, and she never could afford the rent alone, that’s why she is sharing the flat with a private investigator named Misty Knight. Both Ororo and Jean are quite nervous, but they want to get to know each other better, as they aren’t too many female X-Men.
Jean expects Misty to be home soon and asks Ororo to change out of costume, as she doesn’t want their secret ID’s exposed. Storm activates the unstable molecules of her costume with a flash of lightning and stands there naked – making Jean spill her costume. From Jean’s expression Ororo understands that she did something unusual and explains that her powers keep her warm, and that being nude was natural in africa. Jeamn senses from her thoughts that Ororo really is not bothered by exposing herself like this, yet she tells her that in Amerioca she would draw attention and gives her one of her dresses. Misty comes home and introduces herself, she would like to chat with Ororo, but Jean says that they have to hurry and buy some new clothes for her.
Much later, the two women are carrying lots of bags and are enjoying some ice cream. Suddenly a skateboarder attacks them from behind, grabs Jean’s purse and hurries away. Jean tells Ororo to watch the bags and follows him. There are too many thoughts in the crowd to get a fix on him, but Jean sees him entering a subway station, and follows. Ororo has picked up all the bags and attempts to go after her friend, but seeing the stairs leading sown to the darkness, she hesitates.
Downstairs, Jean grabs the thief, as suddenly a train arrives and dozens of passengers rush outside. Jean is overwhelmed by the multitude of thoughts and emotions, and needs a moment to filter them out. In the meantime the kid is gone. Jean is angry at herself for letting the guard down, and returns to the street, where Ororo is still standing. She asks why she didn’t help, but the image in Ororo’s mind is so strong that she picks it up telepathically. As a child Storm was buried, with her mother dying by her side. Jean feels sorry for her, but now Ororo gets angry, feeling the privacy of her mind was violated. She lashes out with a hurricane, and takes to the air, but Jean follows by levitating herself. In the sky she apologizes and explains that sometimes the images are too strong and she can’t help but to read the minds of the people around her. They make up and land near their packages. Most of them have been damaged by Storm’s hurricane, but it’s no matter – as they have found a new friend. Jean takes Ororo’s hand and they enter the subway station together.

Characters Involved: 

First Story (additional characters that were not seen in X-Men #94)
Moira MacTaggert
Rhane Sinclair
Reverend Craig
Second Story :
Marvel Girl, Storm (both X-Men)
Misty Knight

Story Notes: 

In the original stories, the appartment of Jean and Misty Knight was not seen before Uncanny X-Men #104 and Storm’s claustrophobia was first mentioned in Uncanny X-Men #96.
The story of Ororo and Jean becoming friends seems to be set during the weeks of training at the beginning of Uncanny X-Men #94.

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