The Uncanny X-Men #168
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeUncanny X-Men #168 is one of the most densely eventful single issues of Chris Claremont's landmark run, delivering two first appearances that would reshape X-Men continuity for decades: the alien dragon Lockheed is formally established at the Xavier mansion under his name, cementing his role as Kitty Pryde's inseparable companion, and Madelyne Pryor makes her debut as the red-haired pilot who bears an uncanny resemblance to the late Jean Grey — a seed that would eventually blossom into the Goblin Queen and the birth of Cable. The issue is also a pivotal character study for Kitty, dramatizing her fight to reclaim her place on the X-Men after Professor X demoted her to the New Mutants, a conflict whose opening line — 'Professor Xavier is a jerk!' — became one of the most quoted panels in X-Men history. Simultaneously, both Cyclops and Wolverine depart the active roster, signaling a major shift in the book's status quo as Paul Smith's clean, expressive artwork helped push the series deeper into character-driven storytelling that would define its 1980s peak.
In "Professor Xavier Is a Jerk!", Kitty Pryde fights to prove she still belongs with the X-Men, while Lockheed’s sudden return brings alien trouble to the mansion. Wolverine takes a break from the team, and Scott heads to Alaska—where he meets Maddie Pryor in a moment that quietly shifts things in ways no one can yet see. Written by Chris Claremont and illustrated by Paul Smith, with inks by Bob Wiacek and colors by Glynis Wein, this 1983 issue captures the X-Men at a turning point, all wrapped in a cover by Paul Smith.
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The issue was written by Chris Claremont and illustrated by Paul Smith — his fourth issue on the title — with inks by Bob Wiacek, colors by Glynis Wein, and lettering by Tom Orzechowski, all under editor Louise Jones, with Jim Shooter serving as editor-in-chief. Claremont consciously designed Madelyne Pryor as a civilian counterpart to the X-Men world; he named the character after Steeleye Span vocalist Maddy Prior, and her hairstyle was modeled after editor Louise Jones herself (later known as Louise Simonson), a detail that persisted in the character's visual design until 1988. Claremont's original intention was for Madelyne to be nothing more than a startling coincidence — a woman who simply happened to look like Jean Grey — and for her relationship with Cyclops to allow Scott Summers a genuine 'happily ever after' away from superheroics; that plan was upended years later when Jean Grey was resurrected in X-Factor #1, forcing a far darker resolution for the character.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Story title: 'Professor Xavier Is a Jerk!' — the issue's opening line of dialogue, spoken by Kitty Pryde (Sprite), which became one of the most referenced panels in X-Men history.
- First appearance of Madelyne Pryor: introduced as a red-haired cargo pilot working for North Star Airways in Anchorage, Alaska, who bears a striking resemblance to the deceased Jean Grey; she later became the Goblin Queen and the mother of Cable.
- First named/mansion appearance of Lockheed: the alien dragon who had been introduced in #166 during the Brood Saga is formally established at the Xavier mansion and named 'Lockheed' in this issue, beginning his ongoing partnership with Kitty Pryde.
- Kitty Pryde (Sprite) rejoins the X-Men on a provisional basis after defeating a nest of Sidrian Hunters in the mansion's maintenance tunnels, assisted by Lockheed and a late-arriving Colossus.
- Both Cyclops and Wolverine depart the active X-Men roster in this issue — Cyclops heads to Alaska to visit family, where he meets Madelyne Pryor, while Wolverine leaves for a Canadian Rockies vacation that bridges directly into his first solo limited series (Wolverine #1).
- Creative team: written by Chris Claremont, penciled and cover-drawn by Paul Smith, inked by Bob Wiacek, colored by Glynis Wein, lettered by Tom Orzechowski, edited by Louise Jones; Madelyne Pryor's hairstyle was modeled after editor Louise Jones.
- Claremont named Madelyne Pryor after Steeleye Span singer Maddy Prior; the character's original conception — as an unrelated look-alike, not a clone — was later overwritten by other writers' decisions in the X-Factor era.
- The letters page is replaced in this issue by 'Kitty's Kostume Korner,' a single page showcasing three fan-submitted costume designs for Sprite; the story has been reprinted in Uncanny X-Men: From the Ashes, Essential X-Men Vol. 4, Marvel Masterworks: Uncanny X-Men Vol. 9, and The Uncanny X-Men Omnibus Vol. 3.
Cast · 17 characters
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Reprints
Reprinted in Spécial Strange #44 (1986), Marvel Superheltene #1/1987 (1987), Projekt X special #1 (1987), Superaventuras Marvel #72 (1988), Die Gruppe X #13 (1989), The Uncanny X-Men: From the Ashes... #[nn] (1990), Gli Incredibili X-Men #3 (1990), Obras Maestras #2 (1991), X-Men Classic #72 (1992), Essential X-Men #4 (2001), X-Men : l'intégrale #1983 (2005), Essential X-Men #4 [Second Edition] (2006), Women of Marvel #2 (2007), Marvel Masterworks: The Uncanny X-Men #9 (2015), Marvel Gold. La Imposible Patrulla-X #4 (2015), The Uncanny X-Men Omnibus #3 (2016), X-Men: From the Ashes #[nn] (2021), Phoenix Omnibus #2 (2023), X-Men Epic Collection #10 (2024), De X-Mannen #31, X-Men [Χ-Μεν] #69
Key issues in The Uncanny X-Men
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