New X-Men #122
New X-Men #122 cover

Date:

 March 2002

Title:

 “Imperial”

Plot:

 Lilandra and a handful of her Imperial Guard are fleeing from Cassandra Nova, who has been inhabiting Professor X’s body and using it to conquer the Shi’ar Empire.  When Nova catches up to them, Smasher makes a desperate flight through 4-Space in an attempt to reach Earth and warn the X-Men.

Credits:

 Grant Morrison (Writer) • Frank Quitely (Artist) • Tim Townsend / Perotta / Florea (Inkers) • Hi-Fi Design (Colors) • RS [Richard Starkings] & Comicraft’s Saida! (Letterer) • Pete Franco (Ass’t [Assistant] Editor) • Mark Powers (Editor) • Frank Quitely / Tim Townsend (Cover)

CHANGE HISTORY
Date of Change
Content of Change
09/09/02
 Posted
01/02/03
 Reprint status update
03/28/03
 Notes update to reflect correct Imperial Guard names and Legion connections

Analysis Notes
General The Marvel Universe features a team of alien superheroes — the personal guard of the leader of the Shi’ar Empire — based on the Legion of Super-Heroes.  This New X-Men run is notable because it produces new designs for several of the Imperial Guard, and adds or replaces a few existing ones, making it an analogue of the postboot Legion.
1 Based on the cape, this character (Steersman Immundra) is a member of the Imperial Guard.  He is new, but his powers might match those of Dawnstar/Shikari, the ability to find a course through 4-Space.  (Hardly matters: he dies.)
2:1 This is the new version of Smasher (Ultra Boy analogue; real name is Vril Rokk, which pulls from the real names of Brainiac 5’s ancestor and Cosmic Boy).  Without Lilandra naming him, though, we would be hard pressed to identity him in the revised costume.  The logo is still there, barely.
3:1 Presumably two more new Guardsmen behind Lilandra.  Their (very generic) costumes indicate similar powers, or perhaps just a uniformity in the revised Imperial Guard’s outfits.
This is the first time Smasher’s version of one-at-a-time powers have been detailed.
Note the naming similarity of “penta-vision” to Ultra Boy’s “penetravision”.  There probably isn’t any connection to the Latin root for “five”.
3:2-3 “Forunn”: perhaps a speedster, and thus a version of XS?  (Note the lack of footwear.)  “Mammoth” was seen in New X-Men #117; he is (or was) a new Guardsman.  No idea what Forunn’s “idea” would have been.
3:5 Radioman Jorrsk is probably not a Guardsman but just part of Lilandra’s support staff.
6-7 No Guardsmen here but Smasher.  Note the absence of Lilandra.
9:2 The student who looks like Brainiac 5 is coincidental (presumably).
16:4-5 That is Smasher passing near the Blackbird.
21:2 “Superguardian”: new terminology for the group, giving it bit of a manga air, perhaps.
21-22 This echoes a number of old science fiction stories where the invading alien contacts the wrong Terran species.  Smasher can be forgiven, perhaps: the trip through 4-Space has severely injured him; he may not be able to tell what life forms (if any) are around him.
Reprints This issue was reprinted in the New X-Men: Imperial trade paperback collection.