As one of the greatest X-Men of all-time, Storm is a barrier-breaking pioneer whose cultural importance has turned her into an icon. She was one of the first Black superheroines in comics and was the first woman to ever lead a major superhero team. Heralded for her keen sense of justice and desire to do good, Storm is a complex character who is an equal mix of untouchable goddess and down-to-earth big sister.
To celebrate this icon, here are twenty of her most memorable storylines. These narratives span the course of her illustrious comic book career and is a perfect starting place for newbies, as well as a pleasant stroll down memory lane for veteran readers.
Deadly Genesis
Giant-Size X-Men (Vol. 1) #1
When the X-Men are trapped on a mysterious island, Professor Xavier recruits seven new mutants to help rescue his students.
Storm would make her very first appearance in this groundbreaking one-off issue and this would mark the changing point in the X-Men's careers. From this point forward, they would forever be considered one of Marvel's most successful and critically-acclaimed properties.
Who Shall Stop the Juggernaut?
X-Men (Vol. 1) #102-103
While visiting Ireland, the X-Men are attacked by the insidious Black Tom and his associate Juggernaut. Trapped in the confines of the castle, Storm is crippled by her claustrophobia and must re-visit the painful memories of her past to overcome her fear.
The Hellfire Gambit
Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 1) #151-152
After the White Queen's humiliating defeat at the hands of the X-Men, the femme fatale hatches a plan to tear the X-Men apart from the inside out. She switches bodies with Storm and proceeds to wreak havoc with her newfound weather manipulating abilities. This would create a long-standing rivalry between the White Queen and Storm, which wouldn't be resolved until decades later.
Night Screams
Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 1) #159
When the legendary vampire known as Dracula ventures to New York City, he becomes determined to make Storm his bride. He intends to turn her, but her famed willpower proves to be a challenge perhaps even the greatest vampire of all-time cannot overcome.
The Brood Saga
Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 1) #162-167
Upon being kidnapped by a group of aliens hellbent on colonizing the universe, the X-Men are infected by the Brood's spawn and will be transformed into beings like their captors. Fearing the complete loss of her identity, Storm sacrifices herself in space. Before she can die, she is rescued and subsequently overcomes her infection just in time to save the day.
To Have and Have Not
Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 1) #169-173
After the X-Man Angel is abducted by the underground mutants known as the Morlocks, Storm leads a small group of X-Men to rescue their captured ally. To secure his release, she challenges the Morlocks' leader Callisto to a duel. Storm's brutal defeat over Callisto results in her becoming the Morlocks' new leader and begins a dramatic shift in her character.
As her uncertainty in her identity continues to slip, Storm becomes more unpredictable and aggressive. On a trip to Japan, she befriends the mercenary Yukio and adopts a shocking new punk look.
Lifedeath
Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 1) #185-186, #198
With new teammate Rogue feeling down regarding her place on the team, Storm attempts to cheer her up by voluntarily allowing Rogue to absorb her powers. The two mutants are then subsequently attacked by government officers who fire a weapon towards Rogue with the intention of stripping her of her powers. Storm jumps in front of the blast and is left powerless.
Storm is then taken in by the weapon's creator Forge, whose guilt over the event makes him especially protective of the now powerless mutant. While spending time together, the pair fall deeply in love. When she learns of Forge's part in the invention of the weapon, she angrily leaves him and embarks on a trip to Africa to rediscover her roots.
Duel
Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 1) #201
Having returned to the X-Men from Africa, Storm challenges Cyclops for leadership of the X-Men. In this epic battle, she uses her wits and resourcefulness to best the X-Man and wrench control of the team from him. This issue would forever answer the question to "Who would win in a fight -- Cyclops or Storm?" Interestingly, Storm didn't even need her powers to win.
The Fall of the Mutants
Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 1) #225-227
With her fellow X-Men locked in a battle against the Adversary, Storm returns to Forge in hopes that he'll be able to restore her lost abilities. When her powers are finally reawakened, Storm aids her teammates in stopping the Adversary and makes a deal with the goddess Roma to fake the X-Men's death to allow them to escape their continued persecution.
Gambit
Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 1) #265-267
After being transformed into a child and losing her memories, Storm encounters the thief known as Gambit. He takes the young mutant under his wing and the pair become partners in crime. This friendship would become one of the most meaningful ones for Storm and her trust in Gambit would eventually lead towards his induction into the X-Men.
Generation of Evil
Uncanny X-Men (Vol. 1) #325
When the villainous Marrow and her mutant terrorist group Gene Nation implant bombs on innocents, the X-Men step up to stop her. Since the only way to deactivate the bombs is to remove Marrow's heart, Storm does the unthinkable and rips out Marrow's heart to save the lives of those she has sworn to protect.
Storm
Storm (Vol. 1) #1-4
Grieving the death of Marrow, Storm retreats into herself and begins to question her actions. When she learns of a Morlock ceremony to honour the dead, she heads into the abandoned tunnels beneath New York City to perform the ritual and unknowingly opens a portal to another world. Storm must fight her way out of this strange land and find her way back home.
Invasion from Dimension X
X-Treme X-Men (Vol. 1) #11-19
During an invasion led by the conquerer Khan, Storm is gravely injured and is taken as a political prisoner. During her captivity, Khan intends for Storm to become his bride. To find her way back to her fellow X-Men, Storm must battle jealous concubines and Khan himself while still injured. By the end, she is left clinging to life and is only brought back with the help of her dear friend Jean Grey.
Schism
X-Treme X-Men (Vol. 1) #20-23
After a young mutant is accused of murder, Storm and her X-Men are appalled when they learn that Emma Frost has granted him immunity at Professor Xavier's school. When Storm confronts Emma about it, it re-ignites their longstanding rivalry and results in the formation of an uneasy alliance between the two mutant leaders.
I Dream of Africa
Uncanny X-Men Annual (Vol. 2) #1
When the superhero Black Panther proposes to Storm, she ventures back to Africa to work through the ghosts of her past before considering his offer. The ensuing adventure results in her taking on a group of terrorists and reconnecting with her long-lost maternal family.
Bride of the Panther
Black Panther (Vol. 3) #14-18
At the height of a Civil War between America's superheroes, Black Panther and Storm rekindle their childhood romance. The Wakandan King and part-time superhero is expected to marry, which leads him to asking Storm for her hand in marriage. After much careful consideration, Storm says yes and marries her one-time love in a lavish ceremony.
Worlds Apart
X-Men: Worlds Apart (Vol. 1) #1-4
Now the Queen of Wakanda, Storm's duties are split between her kingdom and her role as an X-Man. Seeking to exploit this schism, Storm's long-time nemesis Shadow King takes possession of her teammates and forces Storm to face off against the X-Men alone.
Blank Generation
X-Men (Vol. 3) #30-33
With the X-Men divided up into two factions by Cyclops and Wolverine, Storm finds herself unable to trust both parties. Upon forming a team of her own, she faces an ancient race of mutants who have been revived by a mad scientist. Despite the protests of her fellow teammates, Storm decides to keep these events secret and further drives a wedge between herself and Cyclops.
Let It Bleed
Uncanny X-Force (Vol. 2) #1-6
After a devastating the war between the Avengers and the X-Men, Storm's marriage to Black Panther is annulled and she's left to pick up the pieces of her life. With a new look and a new purpose, Storm reclaims X-Force in an attempt to bring her friend Psylocke back from total darkness.
Return of the Goddess
Storm (Vol. 3) #1-3
Having been a member of several superhero teams over the years, Storm finally strikes out on her own as a mutant ambassador to spread her message of peace and unity. Along the way, she encounters ghosts from her past (hint: Callisto and Forge).
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