Issue(s): Marvel Comics Presents #110 (Nightcrawler story only)
Cover Date: 1992
Title: "Night of the ripper"
Credits:
Barry Dutter - Writer
Mark Runyan - Penciler
Tim Tuohy - Inker
Mark Powers - Assistant Editor
Terry Kavanagh - Editor

Review/plot:
Nightcrawler is on the trail of a modern day Jack the Ripper.

At first glance, the Ripper looks more like a Steve Ditko character like the Big Man or the Crimemaster.

Nightcrawler stops to help the latest victim, but the crowd treats him like the monster, at least until a kid recognizes him as the "Beast".

Then a Dr. Jacqueline Davenport shows up to help.

Except she's really the Ripper.

Dr. Davenport and Nightcrawler go to have a drink, and Davenport suggests that a local pimp might be the Ripper, so they follow him home from the pub. He spots them and runs, but he trips over a garbage can, and i mean right over it, and once again Dr. Davenport offers her medical skills. She sends Nightcrawler away.

But before stabbing him she has to get back in her costume for some reason. And it turns out that Nightcrawler has suspected her all along.

It turns out that Davenport's sister was a prostitute, which is why she targets pimps.

This is probably the only time that Nightcrawler has defeated someone this way.

He then intimidates the pimp into getting out of the business, and then engages in a little final panel speed moralizing.

Aside from being able to get someone to slam themselves into a wall, nothing about this is specifically a Nightcrawler story. It's a generic crime story that Nightcrawler happens to be involved in. In Excalibur, Nightcrawler has been struggling with issues of being a good leader. He's also a fun loving swashbuckler. But the only thing specific to him here is the fact that the crowd briefly turns against him, and that really doesn't have anything to do with the larger story. So this is just generic fluff. The scene of Dr. Davenport splorching her knife into the first victim is pretty memorable, though. I would have liked to see a whole issue of people tripping over garbage cans with Davenport conveniently showing up to offer them medical attention and then stabbing them. How long could that have gone on before the autopsy reports started raising flags? I guess Davenport wasn't really worried about the long term.

Quality Rating: D

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: Nightcrawler says he's moving slowly due to his "recent leg injury". Since he's not wearing a cast, i assume this takes place after Excalibur #54.

References:

• Nightcrawler's leg was injured in Excalibur #43.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A