Along with fellow future icons like Nightcrawler and Colossus, Ororo Munroe, the mutant better known as Storm, debuted in 1975's Giant-Size X-Men #1, by Len Wein and Dave Cockrum. The premise of the issue is now famous -- the original X-Men have been captured by the sentient island being known as Krakoa, so Professor Xavier must recruit a new class to save them. Living in Kenya, Ororo was worshiped by the local tribes, who believed her ability to manipulate the weather made her a goddess.

With an invitation to join the X-Men, Xavier explains to Ororo that she is in fact a mutant and has a responsibility to use her abilities to help the world. Intrigued, Ororo accepts Xavier's offer and the hero Storm is born. She joined Banshee, Sunfire, Nightcrawler, Colossus, and Thunderbird as the All-New, All-Different X-Men.

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X-Men Xavier Storm Meeting

She next appeared in X-Men #94, the opening chapter of a two-part story originally intended as Giant-Size X-Men #2. Although Cockrum remained on penciling duties, the storyline marked Len Wein's final days plotting the new X-Men's adventures, as he was too busy at the time to take on another title. The scripter of these two issues, an eager young writer named Chris Claremont, was named the new X-Men writer.

Storm clearly transformed into a favorite character of Claremont's, becoming a mainstay during the writer's unprecedented run of nearly 17 years writing Uncanny X-Men and its assorted spinoffs. Claremont established Storm as the descendant of an ancient line of African priestesses, once a child thief in Cairo, and the daughter of an American photojournalist and a princess named N'Daré.

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Storm Parents Death

As revealed by Claremont and Cockrum in 1976's X-Men #102, Storm's origin details her past as a pickpocket and presents an explanation behind her crippling claustrophobia. Some fans have noted a few similarities between Storm's origin and British comic strip character Modesty Blaise, a female action star with a criminal past. Len Wein was always respectful when speaking of Claremont's contributions to the X-Men publicly, but was bemused by Claremont using Storm to homage Modesty Blaise.

Following the death of her parents, and her stint as a pickpocket, Storm felt a longing to wander south and left Cairo. Claremont would reveal a horrific story from these days in Uncanny X-Men #267 (which has a cover date of September 1990, nearly 15 years after Claremont established Storm's origin.) The issue is one of Jim Lee's earliest X-Men issues, paired here with Whilce Portacio and Scott Williams of Homage Studios.

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Storm, who had been de-aged to childhood thanks to an ongoing storyline, reveals that during her youth, she accepted a ride from a stranger and narrowly escaped a sexual assault. Forced to defend herself, Storm killed the man and, from that moment, swore never to take another life.

Decades later, Claremont was asked to contribute to a revival of Giant-Size X-Men, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first issue. Paired with artist Rick Leonardi, Claremont penned an "untold tale" of the all-new X-Men's earliest days, following their battle with Krakoa. 2005's Giant-Size X-Men #4 stars Thunderbird, only days before his death, taking stock of his new teammates in the X-Men as they train in the Danger Room.

Thunderbird makes a sexist comment towards Storm, provoking her to kick him in the face. On Cyclops' orders, they then enter a sparring session that grows increasingly uncomfortable for Storm, evoking memories of her childhood incident. Xavier explains her reaction to Thunderbird later that evening.

While it's admirable that Claremont was still contributing to Storm's backstory 15 years into his run writing the X-Men, and even touched upon this obscure continuity element another 15 years after his initial run ended, this isn't the complete story. The hints pointing to Storm's tragic backstory actually go back years before 1990.

1982's Special Edition X-Men was a reprint book conceived as a tribute to artist Dave Cockrum, who was just then wrapping up his second stint as Uncanny X-Men artist. Former editor-in-chief Jim Shooter has also indicated Marvel's higher-ups were demanding more product on the stands at the time. Producing more reprint material was a means of meeting corporate demand while also providing fans with a second chance to read stories now fetching excessive back issue prices. Cockrum even provided a new wraparound cover.

It featured a reprint of Giant-Size X-Men #1, the first time it was ever represented, accompanied with a new story set in current continuity by Claremont and Cockrum. Following an adventure in space, Kitty Pryde gives the X-Men's newest houseguest -- Colossus' sister, Illyana Rasputin, not yet known as Magik -- a tour of the mansion and its grounds. It's more of a "guide to the X-Men's headquarters" than a true story, but there are some points of interest.

For one, it would seem Claremont and Cockrum intended to give Nightcrawler a tiny dino sidekick -- "Colonel Pterydactylee," a pet pterodactyl he brought back from the Savage Land. It's the dino's only appearance in continuity. Truly, this is the height of X-Men obscurity. (Speaking of Colonels, that's Colonel Carol Danvers in the framed photo in Wolverine's room.)

Continuity purists have to wonder how the dinosaur survived the destruction of the mansion a year earlier in Uncanny X-Men #154, though. Along with the rest of the X-Men's possessions, apparently. But more importantly, we have a tour of Storm's room, which offers an ominous hint into her past.

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The man Kitty says she fell in love with is the Black Panther, a bit of continuity already established by Claremont and John Byrne in Marvel Team-Up #100. But the cryptic reference to that knife had no payoff until almost eight years later. Also notice Claremont calling back to Storm's specific wall decorations, the walking stick and knife, decades later in Giant-Size X-Men #4. Claremont even referenced those beer cans on Wolverine's floor decades later in Giant-Size X-Men, revealing they've actually been placed strategically to warn him of any intruders in his room.

Storm's traumatic incident is a bit of continuity rarely referenced in the comics, but it's clearly quite real to Claremont. Even in a backup story in a standalone reprint comic, important bits of lore find their ways into Claremont's stories. (Special Edition X-Men is such a continuity backwater that this backup wasn't reprinted until 2015's Marvel Masterworks: The Uncanny X-Men Vol. 8.) This dedication to characterization and mythology building is unique in any medium, and one reason why Claremont's interpretation of the X-Men resonated with so many readers.

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