Excalibur Special Edition #1
“The Sword is Drawn”
Writer: Chris Claremont
Penciler: Alan Davis
Inker: Paul Neary and Mark Farmer
Colourist: Glynis Oliver
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Editor: Ann Nocenti
Original publication date: April 1988
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.14.7″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″] [/et_pb_code][et_pb_button button_url=”https://www.marvel.com/comics/issue/20042/excalibur_the_sword_is_drawn_1988″ url_new_window=”on” button_text=”marvel unlimited link” _builder_version=”4.14.7″ custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”14px” button_text_color=”#FFFFFF” button_bg_color=”#ef00db” button_border_width=”8px” button_border_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” button_letter_spacing=”2px” button_font=”Nunito|700||on|||||” button_use_icon=”off” custom_margin=”30px|||” animation_style=”slide” animation_direction=”right” animation_intensity_slide=”5%” animation_starting_opacity=”100%” hover_enabled=”0″ box_shadow_style=”preset2″ box_shadow_horizontal=”0px” box_shadow_vertical=”25px” box_shadow_blur=”45px” box_shadow_color=”rgba(148,166,191,0.25)” global_colors_info=”{}” button_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″][/et_pb_button][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”My Books Section” _builder_version=”3.22″ custom_margin=”23px|||||” custom_padding=”100px||100px|” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_margin=”-78px|auto||auto||” custom_padding=”||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.7″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||7px|||” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]In this mega-sized debut, the regular team—Anna, Mav, and Andrew—explore the origins of Excalibur in Marvel UK, the X-Men franchise, and Excalibur: The Sword is Drawn (1988). We also discuss our own origins—our individual histories with Excalibur, and what makes us love it enough to want to dissect it on a podcast for 126 hours! Come for Mav’s argument no one should re-read “Mutant Massacre”; stay for Anna’s argument everyone should always re-read Dave Cockrum’s 1985 Nightcrawler series; and thrill to Andrew’s argument that Excalibur is really a grief support group masquerading as sex farce.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.7″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]This episode has an enhanced video version! Watch here:
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_video src="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-r9q0aTMTGs&list=PLAu_opnK2VxtQMOfDFgKQvxpRxwZToYIO&index=1" _builder_version="4.14.7" _module_preset="default" hover_enabled="0" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content" sticky_enabled="0"][/et_pb_video][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="4.14.5" _module_preset="default" custom_margin="26px|auto||auto||" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.14.5" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_blurb title="On pre-Excalibur Captain Britain:" image="https://voxpopcast.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Sword_captain-britain.jpg" _builder_version="4.14.7" _module_preset="default" hover_enabled="0" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content" title_text="Sword_captain britain" sticky_enabled="0"]“Under Alan Moore and Alan Davis, Captain Britain became superhero cosmic horror—a deeply human meditation on the innate cruelty of the superhero’s burden.” -Andrew
[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="4.14.5" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.14.5" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_blurb title="On pre-Excalibur Nightcrawler:" image="https://voxpopcast.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/sword_nightcrawler-promo.jpg" _builder_version="4.14.7" _module_preset="default" hover_enabled="0" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content" title_text="sword_nightcrawler promo" sticky_enabled="0"]“I think the 1985 Nightcrawler series informs what makes Kurt so successful in Excalibur… His ability to think outside the box & manage volatile personalities with calmness and empathy becomes the basis of his leadership.” -Anna
For more, see Anna’s guest thread for “The Claremont Run” on the ‘85 series!
[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="4.14.5" _module_preset="default" custom_margin="-16px|auto||auto||" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.14.5" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_blurb title="On the %22Mutant Massacre%22:" image="https://voxpopcast.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Sword_mutant-massacre.jpg" _builder_version="4.14.7" _module_preset="default" custom_padding="0px|||||" hover_enabled="0" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content" title_text="Sword_mutant massacre" sticky_enabled="0"]“I like to think of the Mutant Massacre as one of the most important crossovers that no one should go ever go back and read.”-Mav
For more on “Mutant Massacre,” see Andrew’s thread for “The Claremont Run” on how it all started with a misunderstanding in the writer’s room!
[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="4.14.5" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.14.5" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_blurb title="On a key Kurt scene:" image="https://voxpopcast.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/sword-is-drawn-brian-and-kurt.jpg" _builder_version="4.14.7" _module_preset="default" hover_enabled="0" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content" sticky_enabled="0" title_text="sword is drawn brian and kurt"]“Up until this moment, Kurt’s been wallowing in his own pain and trauma, but now Kitty needs help… So he yells at Captain Britain while really yelling at himself.” -Mav
[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="4.14.5" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.14.5" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_blurb title="On Rachel’s new costume:" image="https://voxpopcast.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/swords-is-drawn-rachel-dream-sequence.jpg" _builder_version="4.14.7" _module_preset="default" hover_enabled="0" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content" title_text="swords is drawn rachel dream sequence" sticky_enabled="0"]“Rachel’s costume is a complex sexiness. It’s a dominatrix outfit, but it’s also a manifestation of her guilt and trauma. The spikes and impenetrable shine resonate with Rachel being asexual or at least untouchable (unless you want to get hurt).” -Anna
For more on Rachel’s backstory, see Andrew’s thread all about it on “The Claremont Run”!
[/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_blurb title="On the X-Men continuity context:" image="https://voxpopcast.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/sword-is-drawn-Kitty-grief_crop.jpg" _builder_version="4.14.7" _module_preset="default" hover_enabled="0" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content" title_text="sword is drawn Kitty grief_crop" sticky_enabled="0"]“This is the collateral damage of some horrible decisions that the X-Men have made, and everyone is going to suffer emotionally at a spectacular, almost suicidal level… that helps us look at Excalibur as having moral high ground over the X-Men.” -Andrew
[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="4.14.5" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.14.5" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][et_pb_blurb title="On the opening dream sequence of Sword is Drawn:" image="https://voxpopcast.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/sword-is-drawn-movie-dream.jpg" _builder_version="4.14.7" _module_preset="default" hover_enabled="0" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content" title_text="sword is drawn movie dream" sticky_enabled="0"]“The issue starts off with a nightmare image of Kitty’s grief given shape in her dreams, but at the same time, it’s playing with that metatextual tone that’s really going to define Excalibur.” -Andrew
For more on this sequence, see Andrew’s thread on “The Claremont Run”!
[/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_blurb title="On why we love Excalibur:" image="https://voxpopcast.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/sword_hug.jpg" _builder_version="4.14.7" _module_preset="default" theme_builder_area="post_content" title_text="sword_hug" hover_enabled="0" sticky_enabled="0"]“I love that it’s a group of misfits, alone in the world, together in saving it. Just like classic X-Men, but with more joy & optimism than the main title had at the time.” -Anna
[/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.7″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]Want more?
You can find Anna on Twitter (@peppard_anna) and on her podcast with Andrew and Michael Hancock, Three Panel Contrast (@3PanelContrast).
You can find Andrew on Twitter (@ClaremontRun).
You can find Mav on Twitter (@chrismaverick) and on his podcast, VoxPopcast (@VoxPopcast).
Enjoy, and let us know what you think!
-GGW
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