Longshot #2
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeLongshot #2 delivers the first appearance of Ricochet Rita (Rita Wayword), the daring stuntwoman who becomes Longshot's closest Earth ally and love interest — and who is later retroactively revealed to be the pre-transformation identity of Spiral, one of the most consequential villains in the Mojoverse mythology. That single introduction set in motion a decades-long narrative thread connecting two characters whose fates are bound in a tragic time-loop, enriching the entire Mojoverse corner of the X-Men universe. The issue also continues Art Adams's stunning visual storytelling in his professional debut series, deepening the Mojoverse's media-satire premise by placing Longshot in the world of Hollywood stunt work — a sharp, knowing echo of the enslaved-entertainer themes Nocenti wove throughout the miniseries. It remains the indispensable second chapter of what is widely regarded as one of the most ambitious and thematically layered limited series Marvel published in the mid-1980s.
In "...I'll Wave to You from the Top!", Longshot lands a surprising new role as a stunt performer, bonding with fellow performer Ricochet Rita under the spotlight. But when hunters from his alien past attack, he’s saved by the increasingly unsettling Magog—just as his luck begins to fail during a high-stakes shoot. With his powers fading and betrayal lurking behind the camera, Longshot faces a desperate fight for survival. Written by Ann Nocenti and brought to life with dynamic art by Arthur Adams, the cover by Adams captures the moment’s intensity.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
The Longshot limited series came together through an unusual editorial path: after most established Marvel artists passed on the project, editor Carl Potts and assistant editor Ann Nocenti were introduced to the samples of an unknown art-school graduate, Arthur Adams, brought to their attention by editor Al Milgrom. Nocenti, who drew on existentialist literary concepts rather than traditional superhero conventions, had written an elaborate character bible for Longshot, and Adams — working on his first professional assignment — developed a striking character design whose pouched costume and deliberate visual specificity would go on to influence a generation of artists, including the founders of Image Comics. Issue #2, titled 'I'll Wave To You From the Top!', was edited by Louise Jones, with Jim Shooter serving as editor-in-chief, and inked by Whilce Portacio and Scott Williams — the same art team that carried the series from issue two onward. Art Adams visually modeled Ricochet Rita's appearance on writer Ann Nocenti herself.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Ricochet Rita (Rita Wayword), a professional stuntwoman who befriends Longshot on a Hollywood film set; she is later established as the pre-transformation self of the villain Spiral.
- Spiral (in her corrupted form) had debuted in Longshot #1; issue #2 is the first appearance of her human alter ego, Ricochet Rita — the two were originally conceived as separate characters and were not revealed to be the same person until X-Factor Annual #7 by writer Fabian Nicieza.
- Magog (referred to as 'Pup' by Longshot throughout the early issues) appears in this issue, continuing from his debut; Quark appears only as an unnamed shadow, with his full debut and name coming later in the series.
- The story, titled 'I'll Wave To You From the Top!', centers on Longshot accidentally disrupting a film shoot, being hired as a stuntman, and having his luck powers fail during a dangerous stunt — leaving him apparently dead at the issue's end.
- Written by Ann Nocenti and penciled by Arthur Adams, with inks by Whilce Portacio and Scott Williams, colors by Christie Scheele, letters by Joe Rosen, and edited by Louise Jones.
- Published October 1985 as the second chapter of the six-issue limited series (September 1985 – February 1986), which represented the first major professional work of both Nocenti and Adams.
- The entire six-issue miniseries, including this issue, has been collected multiple times: in a 1989 trade paperback, a 2008 Marvel Premiere Hardcover, and a 2013 trade paperback reprint (X-Men: Longshot), all collecting Longshot #1–6.
- Arthur Adams visually modeled the character of Ricochet Rita on series writer Ann Nocenti, a detail confirmed in the Modern Masters, Vol. 6: Arthur Adams reference volume.
Cast · 5 characters
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Reprints
Reprinted in Les Transformers #3 (1986), Les Transformers #4 (1986), Spécial Strange #57 (1988), Superaventuras Marvel #78 (1988), X-Marvel #2 (1990), X-Marvel #3 (1990), Marvels universum #7/1990 (1990), Obras Maestras #8 (1993), X-Men: Longshot #[nn] (2008), X-Men: Longshot #[nn] (2013), Marvel Masterworks: The Uncanny X-Men #13 (2021), The Uncanny X-Men Omnibus #5 (2023), Marvel Universe by Arthur Adams Omnibus #[nn] (2023), Longshot #1
Key issues in Longshot
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