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Hello and welcome to another edition of Marvel Snapshot! In this week’s character spotlight, I felt compelled to bring you a look at Warren Worthington III (after reading the current issue of X-Force!). Archangel has undergone some tremendous changes over the course of the last 40+ years, but recently he’s gone to new heights. He was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby back in 1963 (X-Men #1).

I’m not going to start off back in the 1960s, because we’d be here forever, but hopefully you know that Warren was one of the original five X-Men recruited by Professor Charles Xavier. He was also the first person to try and put the moves on Jean Grey, as well, but she only had eyes for Cyclops (for the most part). In the beginning, Warren’s only mutation was flight, but that has changed drastically over the years. Angel (as he was called back then) eventually left the X-Men along with Iceman to join another team called The Champions (1975-78). After this short lived adventure, he returned to the team, but in the pages of X-Factor (the original X-Men were in that book, while the new team was in the pages of  X-Men). This is where he would forever be changed by the eternal mutant Apocalypse. Warren was on a plane when his nemesis Cameron Hodge sabotaged it and made it look as if Warren committed suicide. In truth, Warren was spirited away by Apocalypse and changed into the deadly Archangel.

After being shown his evil ways, Archangel returned to X-Factor in time to help the team deal with Inferno. Warren was not a guy who seemed to be loving life anymore, though, and his friends noticed this change in him. Later on, Warren and the other original X-Men returned to the mansion and became one huge team, but they eventually split into two teams. Warren then began to date Psylocke, and that relationship lasted for quite a while. After some team turmoil, Warren began a new relationship with Paige Guthrie. It’s fairly short lived, though, and then Decimation happened as well.

Later on, Warren was attacked by Wolfsbane. She tore his wings off, and this started Warren on a downward spiral both emotionally and mentally. He began having seizures, and slowly but surely lost control of his faculties to the point where he again became a harbinger for Apocalypse. Currently in Uncanny X-Force, Archangel has completely reverted into a death persona and believes he is the heir apparent of Apocalypse, and it is his duty to usher in a new world order by destroying this one (Dark Angel Saga). Uncanny X-Force is the one Marvel book that has been rock solid since issue #1 (now on #17), and I’d like to give a huge shout out to Rick Remender for that (Kyle and Yost also did a fantastic job on the previous volume, as well)!
As usual, check out my recommended reading list and some of Archangel’s best cover shots. Do yourself a favor and pick up Uncanny X-Force, it’s awesome! See you next week.

Recommended Reading
Essential X-Factor vol. 1-3 – Tpb
X-Men: X-tinction Agenda – Tpb
X-Men: Mutant Massacre – Tpb
Archangel (Phantom Wings) – one-shot, 1996
X-Force vol. 2 & 3 (2008) – Tpb
Necrosha – Tpb
Uncanny X-Force vol. 1 #1-current

Billy Dunleavy
billy@comicattack.net