Lifedeath / Adastra in Africa

[Jeff of Earth-J]

I went to see the movie X-Men: First Class last week, and as with the Wolverine movie a couple of years ago, it put me in the mood to read some X-Men comics. Luckily, “Lifedeath” (a collection of X-Men stories by Barry Windsor-Smith) shipped last Wednesday. The original “Lifedeath” story (from X-Men #186) was one of my favorites from the era, although I must admit I haven’t re-read it in a long, long time. It had a sequel in issue #198 (also included in the new collection), and was to have ultimately been a trilogy of stories, but the third part was to appear (thinly disguised) as Adastra in Africa, published by Fantagraphics Books in 1999.

I bought and read Adastra in Africa, once, upon its initial publication. I always intended to read it in conjunction with the first two parts, but for whatever reason (most likely because of the relatively poor production standards of 1980s comic books), I never did until yesterday.

First, about the original “Lifedeath,” I can only say I never realized how extremely expository it is! From my current perspective, however, that’s not such a bad thing. Except for Morrison and Whedon’s respective runs, I’ve barely read any X-comics in 20 years, so the refresher was welcome. Also, people occasionally ask me to recommend comic books to them, and I might recommend the Lifedeath/Adastra combo to the right person in the future.

I wasn’t going to mention this (until BWS brought it up in Adastra in Africa), but one of the things that drove me away from the X-books was Chris Claremont’s short, choppy, stilted, unnatural dialogue. He’s an example from issue #186. Forge has just give Storm a glass of champagne.

S: It tickles my nose.

F: And makes your hair stand on end.

S: May I have some more, please?

F: You’re meant to sip it.

S: Oh.

F: Taste good?

S: Very.

F: You’re blushing.

S: You are staring.

F: So are you.

See what I mean? Like I said, I wasn’t even going to bring that up until I read BWS’s “interview” with his lead character in the Q&A session transcribed at the end of Adastra in Africa.

Q: So, any observations for our readers?

A: Well, I was wondering -- is this Oreo butch?

Q: Ororo. No, I don’t think so, why?

A: ‘Cause she talks like she’s got a broom up her *ss, like maybe her bloomers are a bit bunched up.

Q: I think that’s the way the X-Men actually talk.

A: But it’s so bloody stilted and theatrical -- Who the hell talks like that? Sounds like she’s addressing the U.N. or something. Talk about stuck up!

Q: You feel that the script should have been changed?

A: Changed--? Burned more like it. I hate all that self-conscious, comic booky bullsh*t.

A more apt description of Chris Claremont’s excesses as a scripter I have never read. Still and all, reading Adastra in Africa for the second time ever yesterday, I can see why Marvel refused to publish it… and it’s not just for the reason BWS related that Marvel gave, that the story promoted suicide (which it definitely did not; the story was about the value of sacrifice for the greater good). The story was simply too adult, and didn’t fit Marvel’s vision for its mutant franchise.

In addition to X-Men #186 and #198, the “Lifedeath” collections also includes #53, #206, #214 and lots of other BWS mutant covers and art.

[Figserello]

That's great.  I enjoyed the Q & A session.  So who exactly is Q and who exactly is A?

 

Those BWS issues of X-Men were really strong and did have a different flavour to the usual stuff of that time.  Actually, to say that they would be suitable for casual punters wanting to read a comic is very high praise indeed, when you think about it.  That's pretty damning that so little of the hobby we enjoy is accessible to such casual punters.

 

I'd like to read Ad Astra some day.  I can't imagine how one issue of X-Men (practically lost in a sea of "self-conscious, comic booky bullsh*t" X-men comics), no matter how adult, would harm the X-Men line, or detract from them in any way.  But maybe I'd change my mind if I read it.

 

I'd love to know what Marvel's vision for its X-Men franchise was in the late 80's/early 90's.  But considering most of BWS's work I've seen has been intriguing, thoughtful and beautifully crafted, then perhaps I see what you mean about Ad Astra not fitting with "Marvel's vision for its mutant franchise".

[Jeff of Earth-J]

So who exactly is Q and who exactly is A?

The Answers are provided by the fourth wall-breaking character of Adastra herself; the anonymous interviewer asking the Questions is, presumably, BWS himself.

I can't imagine how one issue of X-Men, no matter how adult, would harm the X-Men line, or detract from them in any way.

Here's one thing I noticed, from a strictly editorial level. In X-Men #198 ("Lifedeath II"), Storm saves the life of a stillborn infant by providing mouth-to-mouth resusitation. What would have been "Lifedeath III" revisits that child when he is about six years old. This denotes the passage of time in the largely static MU. There were other such "minor" detials as well, in addition to Marvel's stated reason, cited above.