Dazzler #38

Dazzler #38 (1985)
by Archie Goodwin & Paul Chadwick
cover by Jackson Guice

We begin the last era of the Dazzler series: the last four issues, which will have the same creative team of Goodwin & Chadwick.
Archie Goodwin has A TON of Marvel credits, and Chadwick is mostly known for the critically acclaimed Concrete series at Dark Horse (which will start only one year after this).
This is the era that dares to ask: what if we actually tried to make a good Dazzler story?

We are introduced to the badass bounty hunter O. Z. Chase and his wolf Cerberus; they will be kind of supporting characters soon enough.

The cover promises Wolverine and Colossus, who begins the story proper by giving some fanservice to the ladies…

…but first we have to check with Dazzler, who is continuing her passion for working out…

…and fending off her creepy employers.

She’s already more creative with her powers than she’s been for the entire run of the series!!!

Leaving aside her sudden badassery, that’s a pretty standard beginning for a Dazzler story, at least until SUDDEN WOLVERINE!!!

Yeah Dazzler really shouldn’t stand any chance against Wolverine and Colossus…

…if she was still written by writers that don’t give a crap about her, because NOW she actually begins to DO SOMETHING!!!

When even Wolverine says you’re good, that’s a huge compliment. Yeah he’s still saying she’s not good ENOUGH, but that’s Wolverine for you.

So why exactly are Wolverine and Colossus after Dazzler all of a sudden?
A flashback explains that, apparently Dazzler has asked the X-Men if she can join!
Notice Rogue makes no mention whatsoever about having been a Dazzler villain for a while: she simply describes Dazzler as a friend of Storm.

Wolverine is against Dazzler joining the team, both because of the mess she created when she revealed she’s a mutant and because he suspects she’s using this as a publicity stunt.
That’s just good writing: considering what she did in the Graphic Novel, of course it makes 100% sense that Wolverine would think that!!!
Although I laugh at Nightcrawler describing Dazzler has having “raw talent”, consider her abysmal record. The jab against Wolverine’s smoking is a fun bit, though.

You might be thinking: shouldn’t Professor X be the one to decide, since this is HIS school?

Getting into the X-Men is no walk in the park in this period: first you have to survive the Danger Room while wearing a ridiculous armor!

As well as to stand up against freaking Wolverine!!!

This is a GREAT scene, but Wolverine’s attitude kind of gets on my nerves. This is supposed to be a school that teaches mutants how to best use their powers, OF COURSE she doesn’t have the strategy to take down Wolverine and wants you guys to help her learn how to fight: THAT’S THE WHOLE POINT OF GOING TO THIS SCHOOL!!!

In fact, Wolverine is the ONLY X-Man who doesn’t want Dazzler to join. Even Xavier (who is able to walk in this period because of reasons) wouldn’t mind to teach her.

If this was the Dazzler from any of the previous issues, she would’ve just kept complaining and crying. But no, while she decides she doesn’t want to join the school right now…

…she doubles down by issuing a challenge to Wolverine!

Back to the present day, Wolverine and Colossus ambush Dazzler in her room… but she’s ready for them, debuting her new costume!

I told you she was suddenly competent!!!

The fight continues in a nearby pier (to be demolished, of course), where we learn that the new costume was actually designed by Xavier.

I have no idea whatsoever how her costume is supposed to allow her to “store sound more efficiently” and focus her powers better. At no point we are told or shown any kind of technology… I’m betting Xavier just put that idea into her mind.

Not only this an entertaining fight, but… I can’t believe I’m actually ROOTING FOR DAZZLER!!!

After 37 issues of being completely f##king useless, how is THIS not X-Men material???

Wolverine… how is it a bad thing that she doesn’t like hurting people?

That’s both a cheesy AND a badass battle cry!!!

Did… did Dazzler just OUT-WOLVERINE Wolverine!?!?

Wolverine is SO into this fight that Cyclops has to show up to stop him from embarrassing himself.

Also: I know that Archie Goodwin wrote Iron Man, but… Cyclops has “uni-beams” now?

And so we close with Wolverine still holding a grudge against Dazzler. I guess that, if you’re aware of the waste of character she was prior to this story, this must be a particularly embarrassing loss for Wolverine.

Also, O. Z. Chase is hired to collect a bounty against Dazzler by a totally normal guy.

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Dazzler significance: 8/10
This is why I gave a lower score to her appearance on New Mutants: this is the story that, more than any other, will make her join the X-Men soon.
Not to mention her new costume! I’m not a huge fan, and it’s definitely far less iconic than the original, but it works just fine.

Silver Age-ness: 0/10
Not really.

Does it stand the test of time? 9/10
Can you believe it? You can actually write a GOOD Dazzler story!!!
It’s not exactly perfect… in terms of quality it would probably be a 6/10, since it’s not particularly deep and there isn’t much beyond “look how cool Dazzler is now”.
That being said, she’s not a shallow character here: she finally decides to turn her life around, accept at least some responsibility for the damage she did to her career and she’s willing to put on the effort to actually learn how to use her powers.
I fully expected to take Wolverine’s side, considering Dazzler has been a TERRIBLE heroine so far. But considering what she shows here, there’s basically no reason to reject her.
So we have an experienced writer writing a good story and a new talented artist collaborating to relaunching the character by finally giving her dignity… of course this will only last four issues.