#mekanix

psychics on the lawn. more monet!

[Marvel / Mekanix (2002) Issue #4]

Really loved how Kitty entertained Xuân’s siblings in Mekanix; I thought it was really sweet! Such a delightful moment for all involved!

I decided to read Mekanix tonight just because I’m trying to write an EmmaKitty piece that’s sorta informed/based around this sort of time. Figured it’d be a good read to jump into since it’s short as well. The art quality varied from butt ugly to enjoyable (though Kitty’s lips were terrifying in every panel, Jesus Christ), but I actually really loved the writing for this comic? I admittedly haven’t read any Claremont up till this point (I just can’t with old comics, though I am hoping to go read the Dark Phoenix storyline at some point), and I have to say, I was insanely pleasantly surprised with his writing and with his approach to Kitty’s character. He added a lot of complexity, which I liked, and I definitely feel like I learned so much about her in ways that more modern comics don’t quite get into… I’ve definitely gonna have to read more older Kitty stuff!

Also, are they, you know…? 👁️👁️

[Marvel / Mekanix (2002) Issue #5)

Mekanix #1-6, December 2002 - May 2003, written by Chris Claremont, interior art by Juan Bobillo (pencils) and Marcelo Sosa (inks), covers by Cecilia Calle

First off, the press release didn't provide pronouns for the new characters which is unfortunate as I really would like to know how to refer to them! Still, their designs continue to look cool - and I hope Melee keeps their unique body type across different artists.

The solicit did have one tidbit that stands out to me though...

EXCEPTIONAL X-MEN begins with Kitty trying to get as far away from all things X as she possibly can. After the actions she took during FALL OF X, Kitty craves normalcy and takes a job as a regular-degular bartender. She’s definitely NOT getting ready to head up an all-new team of wayward young mutants while avoiding the watchful gaze of Emma Frost. Nothing but work, dating and staving off depression. That’s it. Let’s see how long it lasts…

It looks like Pryde is going back to being a bartender! It was previously announced she'd be a barista, but it seems like they've switched back to full-on Mekanix vibes, which I am quite excited by - and feels pretty appropriate to this story?

For reference, Kitty Pryde became a bartender in a 6-issue mini-series written by Claremont in 2002/2003...

The books was partially Claremont grappling with the changes to the status quo made by Grant Morrison, whose work he did not agree with at the time... but his method of processing these changes was sending Pryde back to Chicago where she tried to be "normal" while processing the trauma caused by the destruction of the mutant nation of Genosha...

So uh. In other words, this is basically Exceptional X-Men's premise 20 years earlier - it's also about Pryde in Chicago grappling with identity and trauma related to a mutant island's destruction.

Comic storylines are always cyclical, for better and for worse, but this is a really interesting one to revisit IMHO! I am very curious how Ewing will tackle the subject matter - and especially the idea of what mutants have the privilege to pass as human and hide their mutant identity...

Mekanix is also, uh, a pretty notable book in the queer history of Kitty Pryde too, as it starts her relationship with Xuân Cao Mạnh... When a building collapses around them, they nearly share a kiss before being attacked by sentinels - causing Kitty to state that people like them can never relax their guards, which feels like an intentional double-reference to their mutanthood and their queerness...

This moment is also relatively unique among Kitty Pryde queer moments as it has consistently been followed up on? New Mutants Vol 2 has Xuân talk about to Dani, without naming Kitty specifically.

Liu's Astonishing X-Men also references it, with Kitty continuing to be close to Karma and her siblings...

And Trungles' Karma in Love mentions it pretty directly - with Karma apparently having some complicated feelings about Pryde that she doesn't want to address... as she straight-up just runs away when she sees her.