Classic X-Men 2

"The Doomsmith Scenario!" is the title to the first story featured in the second issue of Classic X-Men by Marvel Comics. The story was written by Chris Claremont and plotted by Len Wein. It was illustrated by Dave Cockrum with Bob McLeod on inks. Additional inks were provided by Sam Grainger. Coloring was by Glynis Oliver (original colors by Phil Rachelson) and it was lettered by Tom Orzechowski. The original story was edited by Len Wein. The reprint story was edited by Ann Nocenti with Terry Kavanagh as assistant editor. This issue shipped with an October, 1986 cover date and carries a cover price of $1.00 per copy (US).

"The Doomsmith Scenario!"
Having just returned from defeating Krakoa the Living Island, there is a bit of a shake-up within the ranks of the X-Men. Newcomer Sunfire quits the team immediately. Banshee hedges about whether to remain, but Professor X convinces him to stay. The original team members, Warren Worthington, III, Bobby Drake, and Jean Grey all shock Professor X by announcing that they are leaving as well. Alex Summers and Lorna Dane are quitting with them. Wolverine makes an insensitive wisecrack, which nearly erupts into a fight with the departing members. Cyclops is the only original who elects to remain with the team, and is now entrusted with putting the new team members through their paces.

Over the course of several days, Cyclops puts Banshee, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Storm, Thunderbird, and Wolverine through their paces in several grueling Danger Room scenarios. Thunderbird turns out to be quite a hot-head, which results in not only failing in the exercises, but also nearly coming to blows with Cyclops.

Meanwhile at the Valhalla Base of NORAD in the Colorado Rockies, an officer receives a package in the mail, which contains a remote control. Unwittingly, he presses it, which activates a space portal. The evil Count Nefaria, and his new minions the Ani-Men burst into the war room. In short order, they take control of NORAD and Nefaria activates the Doomsmith Scenario, which gives him complete control over the country's entire missile defense system.

Beast from the Avengers contacts his former teammates in the X-Men to alert them to the crisis. The Avengers are otherwise indisposed and cannot intervene, so he asks the X-Men to go in their staid. En route, Cyclops communicates with Lieutenant General Fredericks of the United States Army, who is already marshaling a counter-offensive against the compromised Valhalla Base.

Cyclops pilots the X-Men Stratojet over the Rockies with his new team of X-Men. Count Nefaria picks them up on the war room monitors and launches three missiles at them. Cyclops manages to deftly avoid two of the missiles, but one of them strikes the plane. Cyclops disengages the lifting body of the craft from the lower half and manages to avoid being blown up. Nefaria is never without a back-up plan however, and activates sonic disruptors, which disintegrates the remaining craft. The X-Men begin falling to their doom.

Appearances

 * Banshee, Sean Cassidy
 * Colossus, Peter Rasputin
 * Cyclops, Scott Summers
 * Nightcrawler, Kurt Wagner
 * Professor X, Charles Xavier
 * Storm, Ororo Munroe
 * Thunderbird, John Proudstar
 * Wolverine, Logan


 * Angel, Warren Worthington, III
 * Beast, Hank McCoy
 * Lieutenant General Fredericks
 * Iceman, Bobby Drake
 * Havok, Alex Summers
 * Marvel Girl, Jean Grey
 * Polaris, Lorna Dane
 * Sunfire, Shiro Yoshida


 * Count Nefaria, Luchino Nefaria
 * Ape-Man, Gordon Keefer
 * Bird-Man, Henry Hawk
 * Cat-Man, Townshend Horgan
 * Dragonfly, Veronica Dultry
 * Frog-Man, Francois Le Blanc


 * Eel, Leopold Stryke
 * Plantman, Samuel Smithers
 * Porcupine, Alex Gentry
 * Scarecrow, Ebenezer Laughton
 * Unicorn, Milos Masaryk
 * Joe Harris


 * X-Men
 * Ani-Men
 * NORAD
 * United States Air Force
 * Military Police


 * United States Army
 * Avengers


 * Humans
 * Mutants
 * Altered humans


 * New York
 * Westchester County
 * Salem Center
 * 1407 Graymalkin Lane
 * Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters
 * Danger Room


 * Colorado
 * Colorado Rockies
 * Colorado Springs
 * El Paso County
 * Valhalla Base
 * NORAD war room


 * Washington, D.C.


 * Adamantium
 * Anesthetic gas
 * Computer
 * Cyclops' visor
 * Giant robot
 * Missiles
 * Rifles
 * Rockets
 * Sonic disruptors
 * Wheelchair


 * Aircraft
 * X-Men Stratojet


 * Automobile
 * Helicopter
 * Tank


 * Claws
 * Flight
 * Superhuman agility
 * Superhuman strength
 * Telepathy
 * Winged flight


 * Apes
 * Birds
 * Disintegration
 * Frogs
 * Gorillas
 * Laser weapons
 * Military units
 * Smoking
 * Space portal
 * Super-hero
 * Super-suit
 * Super-villain

Appearances

 * Marvel Girl, Jean Grey
 * Storm, Ororo Munroe


 * Misty Knight


 * Unnamed thief


 * None


 * X-Men (2)


 * Humans
 * Mutants
 * Cyborgs


 * New York
 * New York City


 * Skateboard


 * Subway


 * Flight
 * Telepathy
 * Weather control


 * Flashback

Notes & Trivia

 * The first story from this issue is a reprint of the story from The X-Men, Volume 1 #94.


 * This issue was released to coincide with the 25th Anniversary of Marvel Comics. The "Marvel 25th Anniversary" logo is branded in the letter box.


 * "First Friends" is an original story.


 * "First Friends" is reprinted in the X-Men: Dark Phoenix Returns trade paperback collection.