Exiles (1st series) #7

Issue Date: 
February 2002
Story Title: 
A Chance To Dream ...
Staff: 

Judd Winick (writer), Mike McKone (penciler), Mark McKenna (inkers), Transparency Digital (colors), Sharpefont’s Paul Tutrone (letters), Mike Raicht (assistant editor), Mike Marts (editor), Joe Quesada (editor in chief), Bill Jemas (president)

Brief Description: 

The Exiles rent some hotel rooms and try to get some sleep. Their dreams show their inner fears and desires. Thunderbird wishes to be normal again, like he was before he was transformed by Apocalypse. Sunfire thinks that she never lived up her parents great expectations. Mimic dreams about a happy future where he and Blink are married with children. Morph fears that he might lose form and identity when he loses the other’s attention. Nocturne projects her love for the James Proudstar of her world onto teammate Thunderbird, who is an alternate version of James‘ brother John. Blink is haunted ba her past in the Age of Aopocalypse. She experiences some survivor’s guilt and fears that she might see the Exiles die too. She wakes up and ports into Mimic room, who starts to hug her.

Full Summary: 

A hotel manager is somewhat amazed as a beautiful young woman asks him for six rooms, yet she has a credit card and can pay. He hands her the key cards for the rooms and much to the anger of his female colleague, he keeps staring on the woman’s butt as she leaves the lobby. After making sure that “she“ is alone, the woman reverts to Morph. He signals the rest of his team and Blink teleports them into the hotel. Morph gives each of them a key card and they all head to their rooms to get some sleep.
Thunderbird lies on his bed asleep. In his dream he looks human again, like before he was modified by Apocalypse. John Proudstar runs through the woods and then dives off a cliff. Coming out of the water he finds himself in front of a supermarket. John starts to buy groceries and eats an apple. Later he sits on a bench in a park and watches children playing while licking an ice cream.
Mariko experiences an unpleasant dream. She sees herself as a child, dressed in a school uniform, sitting in her class. Her parents are standing behind her with very strict faces. They are still standing behind her when Mariko plays piano, or when she does her homework. Suddenly her flame power manifests, and she burns away her clothes to reveal a bikini. She takes to the air and flies to the United States, where people cheer at her. Later she is having fun in a night club, but her parents are standing behind her again. As Mariko becomes aware of them she stops dancing and her head sinks ashamed.
In Mimic‘s dream, he comes home from work. Two kids greet him, both have pointed ears, purple skin and facial tattoos. Clarice is there too, dressed like a housewife, and she has prepared his dinner. They are quite a happy family, and Blink and Mimic start to kiss. Calvin wakes up, shocked by his dream.
Morph dreams about himself being a star. He has his own show, and fans demand his autograph. He gets invited to TV talk shows and even wins an oscar. Suddenly he is naked and alone. Morph screams as he loses coherence and starts to melt.
In Nocturne’s dream, she is visited by her lover James Proudstar. He undresses her and then kisses and caresses her. All of a sudden, Nocturne hesitates. It’s no longer James, but her teammate John in his Thunderbird look, who is in her dream. She then starts to smile and they continue to make love with each other.
Blink too has a nightmare. She is back in the Age of Apocalypse again, still a child and hunted by Sinister. She jumps off a cliff, but lands in debris and rubble, where she is approached by drained and aged versions of the other Exiles. Blink pitties them, as suddenly Sinister arrives and starts a fight. He kills all of the Exiles and then grabs Blink, and shouts at her while shaking her. Blink wakes up, it takes her a moment to realize that it was just a dream. Then she starts to cry and needing comfort she teleports into Mimic’s room. He wakes up and seeing her tears he starts to hug her.

Characters Involved: 

Blink, Mimic, Morph, Nocturne, Sunfire, Thunderbird (all Exiles)

Story Notes: 

Thunderbird said that he no longer has a sense of taste last issue, this demonstrates the significance of the food in his dream.
Nocturne already hinted in #1 and #3 that she had a relationship with James Proudstar of her world. He is the younger brother of John Proudstar, aka teammate Thunderbird.
The issue is part of Marvel’s ‘Nuff Said silent month. There is no dialogue, thought bubble or sound effect in the entire story.

Issue Information: 

This Issue has been reprinted in:

Written By: