All throughout November, guest writers will be weighing in on fandom, specifically guest writers who identify strongly with characters, teams, or franchises online. Each piece will feature a personal look at why a writer gravitates to a character, what keeps their interest, and — most importantly — a set of reading recommendations for folks looking to better understand that character.

Today Kris Markl, also known as @thatnerdkris on Twitter, has graciously volunteered to write about not one but TWO favorite characters, Nightcrawler and Kitty (Kate?) Pryde…

“Kätzchen & Kurt”

From a very young age, I quickly realized that I never truly fit in — in any environment. I would wander from one group to another — be it family, friends or schoolmates — seeking affirmation and a sense of belonging. Unfortunately, I never quite found what I was looking for. After an initial sense of approval, I always seemed to be inevitably met with awkward silences, alerting me that I had either overstepped an unspoken social boundary or overstayed my welcome.

Comic book readers, much like any other content consumer, are constantly in search of characters and stories with which they can relate in much the same way. Little did I know that one of those such characters would come in the form of a German-born furry blue mutant. 

From the moment that I first saw Kurt Wagner on my television screen, I was immediately captivated. And the more that I studied him, the more I felt like I could relate to him. He was a person of deep faith and hopefulness, in spite of the ugliness that he had seen and experienced his entire life. He always sought to do the right thing, even in the face of the greatest adversity. He was the swashbuckling adventurer of old reimagined through a different lens; a fuzzy blue d'Artagnan if you will.

When I was first approached to write this article, I told Zack that I couldn’t decide between Kurt or Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat. He replied, “Why not both?” After the initial sense of being overwhelmed by the task of writing a double feature, the realization of just how perfect the idea was settled in. The two are inextricably linked not only because they are amazing characters on their own but because their friendship is one of the most beautiful and blossoming in all of comics.

While Nightcrawler teleported onto my television screen in the early ‘90s my exposure to Katherine Anne Pryde has been a much more recent development. After thoroughly enjoying the “Marvel Team Up” issues that were done by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, I decided to tackle their famous run on “Uncanny X-Men”. That project morphed into a comprehensive X-Men read through which currently has me in the year 2016 of X-Men comics.

Kitty Pryde burst onto the scene in “Uncanny X-Men 129” as a point-of-view character that perfectly encapsulates the idealism of youth clashing with the pragmatism of adulthood. It doesn’t get much cooler than a girl who can phase through physical objects and has a purple alien dragon as a companion. The true joy of my read through has been watching her mature and grow over the years into the Captain of the Marauders and the Red Queen of the Hellfire Trading Company that she is today.

On a recent episode of my podcast, “The Nerd Byword” my co-host Dave and I showcased our favorite friendships throughout comics and other realms of the Nerd World. Kitty and Kurt were one of my picks because of the growth of their relationship over the years. Upon joining the X-Men, the young Kitty is terrified of Nightcrawler due to the combination of his teleportation abilities alongside his jarring appearance. 

However, Kitty is so relieved to see Kurt after her adventures in the infamous “Days of Future Past” arc that she immediately (to his surprise) clasps him in a warm embrace. Her personal growth and affection for Nightcrawler is further cemented in Claremont’s “X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills” as she faces off against the bigoted televangelist William Stryker in defense of Kurt. The exchange is all the more powerful and emotionally charged as Kitty herself, a Jewish woman, is a deeply religious person. She is disgusted to see someone wield their faith, something that she utilizes for personal grounding and inspiration, as a weapon to harm and even kill.

The pair would go on to join the Excalibur team, an X-Men spinoff title also scribed by Claremont, and continue their adventures throughout Britain. Throughout the years, Kurt and Kitty would come in and out of the X-Men titles but their bond would only grow. Even in the current “Dawn of X” titles, the hand-written letters between the pair are some of the most heart-felt and impactful supplemental materials included in this new era of mutant-centric comic books.

The Fuzzy Elf and Kӓtzchen (Kurt and Kitty’s pet names for one another) have come along way through years, both individually as well as in their relationship with another. The concept of “found family” or “chosen family” is ripe within storytelling and is perhaps the primary reason why I always return to the X-Men. Despite dips in quality both in the world of comic books and cinematic ventures alike, I remain always hopeful when it comes to Marvel’s merry mutants because of the family dynamic that forever remains at the heart of these stories.

Kurt and Kitty Reading Recommendations

Kurt: 

• Chris Claremont’s “Uncanny X-Men” - always my suggestion. Always read Claremont’s “X-Men”. Specifically, I would recommend reading “Giant-Size X-Men #1” for Kurt’s introduction and transitioning to “Uncanny X-Men #94” and just keep going!

• “X-Calibre” - a 1995 miniseries in the “Age of Apocalypse” event written by Warren Ellis featuring pencils by Ken Lashley, Roger Cruz, Renato Arlem and Carlos Pacheco, this title features Nightcrawler at his swashbuckling best. It also provides readers with a fascinating alternate universe team up between Kurt and his mother, Mystique.

• “X-Men: Second Coming” - aside from “Age of Apocalypse” probably my favorite X-Event Series. This is a follow up series to “Messiah Complex” and features the X-Men doing whatever it takes to ensure the safety of Hope Summers, the Mutant Messiah. Quite possibly the most meaningful moment in Nightcrawler’s history.

• “House of X #4” & “X-Men (2019) #7” - unfortunately, Nightcrawler’s appearances in the “Dawn of X” titles have been free and far between. Nevertheless, these two issues perfectly encapsulate the character and the meaning of Kurt Wagner.

Kitty:

• “Uncanny X-Men #129” - Kitty wastes no time in making an immediate impact. In her debut issue, she immediately takes it upon herself (even at 13!) to rescue the X-Men from the clutches of the Hellfire Club.

• “Uncanny X-Men #141 - 143” - The infamous “Days of Future Past” arc leads directly into the unforgettable single-issue story “Demon” - a Holiday story that finds Kitty alone at the X-Mansion against the massive demonic alien N’Garai. This three-issue stretch is a serious flex for our girl.

• Joss Whedon’s “Astonishing X-Men (Vol. 3) #1-24” & “Giant-Size Astonishing X-Men #1” - Whedon truly understands the character of Kitty Pryde and it’s a beautiful thing to watch. I particularly enjoy her exchanges with Emma Frost, a character with whom she shares quite a tumultuous history. Coupled with the mesmerizing art by John Cassaday, this run features a grown up Kitty serving as the team’s conscience and keeping them in check.

• “Marauders (2019)” - this ongoing series from the “Dawn of X” series of titles is without a doubt my favorite of the bunch. For Pete’s sake, it features a team of X-Men pirates! Kate, as she prefers to be called now, serves as both captain of the Marauder and the Red Queen of the Hellfire Trading Company on a team that spans the globe rescuing persecuted mutants. With snappy banter and dialogue from writer Gerry Duggan and incredible art by numerous artists including Matteo Lolli, Stefano Casselli, Russell Dauterman and many more, this title is truly a crowd-pleasing good time.

Check out the rest of the Fandom Files Reading List!