Issue(s): Uncanny X-Men annual #7
Published Date: 1983
Title: "Scavenger hunt"
Credits:
Chris Claremont - Writer
Bret Blevins & Michael Golden - Penciler
Bill Anderson, Terry Austin, Brett Breeding, Sam DeLaRosa, Michael Golden, Stephen Leialoha, Tom Mandrake, Al Milgrom, Josef Rubinstein, & Bob Wiacek - Inker
Eliot Brown - Assistant Editor
Louise Simonson - Editor

Review/plot:
Well, it's nobody's favorite, the Impossible Man. The excuse is that it's Assistant Editors' Month, so i guess if you have to do something zany you might as well bring in the zaniest of all. Instead of appearing in the regular X-Men comic, Claremont was able to get his contribution to Assistant Editors' Month in an annual, which tucks it nicely away in a standalone story where it doesn't have to bother anyone. Except me.

The Impossible Man's on a scavenger hunt. He and his people are competing to determine who gets to be the leader of their new planet. Poppy starts by showing up masquerading as Galactus...

...and he steals the X-Men's Mansion.

After that, he grabs Nick Fury's eyepatch, Zabu, all of the Wasp's costumes, the window to Dr. Strange's townhouse, and the Black Queen's (which would have meant Jean Grey's) Hellfire Club outfit. This means guest appearances by Fury and Valentina (Steranko-ish tribute)...

...the Avengers (thought balloons make it clear that Iron Man is James Rhodes, not Tony Stark)...

...Dr. Strange, and others.

Then he heads to Marvel's Studio to try and collect Stan Lee, but he's on the west coast.

The X-Men catch up with him there (and there's cameos by a lot of Marvel creators and editors).

Next a group of aliens show up to extract vengeance from the Poppians for all of the nuisances they've created...

..but Lilandra is able to mitigate the situation.

The MCP lists Jean Grey's father Dr. John Grey as appearing in this issue, but i think that must be a mistake.

It's actually a well-written and cute story. But i can't overcome my dislike of the character.

Quality Rating: B-

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: Lilandra is still with the X-Men, but there's talk of her having to leave for the Shi'ar Empire to deal with her sister's takeover (she's sure taking her sweet time about it, though), so this has to take place before Uncanny X-Men #177 and New Mutants #13, when she leaves, but after Uncanny X-Men #174. And despite what the cover shows, Cyclops does not appear in this issue, suggesting that it takes place after his wedding in #175. Iron Man's appearance (actually James Rhodes) needs to be on the East Coast for this appearance; MCP has him here between Iron Man #175-176. Ka-Zar and Shanna the She-Devil's appearance is relatively context free; they just have to be on friendly terms. In between issues #28 and #29 of Ka-Zar the Savage works well enough.

References:

• When She-Hulk is zapped by Rogue's power drain, Jarvis says that the medical computers know how to fix her from the time the Avengers faced Rogue in Avengers Annual #10 (incorrectly listed as #7).
  
• While at the Hellfire Club, the X-Men see the unconscious body of the White Queen, who's been passed out in Uncanny X-Men #169. The X-Men learned that it was Mastermind who put her in a coma after they defeated him in Uncanny X-Men #171.
  
• The Impossible Man and his wife left the Earth to find their own planet to populate in Marvel Two-In-One #60. They needed a new planet because Galactus ate their old one in Fantastic Four #175.

Cross-over: Assistant Editors' Month

Continuity Implant? N

Reprinted In: N/A