Spécial Strange #24

History

Spécial Strange launched in July 1975 under Editions Lug — the Lyon-based publisher that had been licensing Marvel material for French audiences since the early 1970s — as a quarterly anthology running roughly 80–100 pages per issue. By the time issue #24 arrived in June 1981, the series was using a glossy cardstock cover format (issues #15–29 carried this upgraded presentation) and printing on newsprint interiors. The issue was later collected alongside issues #22 and #23 in Spécial Strange Album/Reliure #8, published in January 1982, giving the Giant-Size X-Men content a second life in the French hardbound reprint format.

Trivia · 8 facts

• Published June 1, 1981 by Editions Lug; 84 pages, full color, French language.
• Primary reprint: Giant-Size X-Men #1 (May 1975), written by Len Wein with uncredited plot assist by Chris Claremont, art by Dave Cockrum — the issue that introduced Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner), Storm (Ororo Munroe), Colossus (Peter Rasputin), and Thunderbird (John Proudstar) as the 'All-New, All-Different' X-Men team, and also contains the earliest appearance of Illyana Rasputin as a child.
• Giant-Size X-Men #1 also features Wolverine's joining of the X-Men (his second or third full appearance depending on classification), plus appearances of the original X-Men roster (Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Iceman, Angel, Havok, Lorna Dane, Banshee, Sunfire) and the living island villain Krakoa.
• Second story: Marvel Team-Up #66 (February 1978), Part 2 of the 'Murder World' arc by Chris Claremont and John Byrne — the concluding chapter of the story arc that introduced the villain Arcade, his assistant Miss Locke, and the lethal amusement park Murderworld, with a cameo by Captain Jean DeWolff and the rescue of Courtney Ross.
• Marvel Team-Up #65–66 also represents Captain Britain's (Brian Braddock's) first appearance in an American-market comic, having previously existed only in Marvel UK publications.
• Third story: Marvel Two-in-One #48 (February 1979) — a team-up of the Thing (Ben Grimm) and Jack of Hearts (Jack Hart) against the Machinesmith and the Corporation, with the Yancy Street Gang.
• The issue falls within the glossy cardstock cover run (issues #15–29) of the Spécial Strange series, distinguishing it visually from the standard cardstock covers used for the earlier and later portions of the Lug run.
• Issue #24 was subsequently collected in Spécial Strange Reliure (Album) #8, which gathered issues #22–24 and was released in January 1982.

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