(spoiler font): And whoever is watching (first page) saying that the bad weather could destroy the world? And who is that, the watcher?

Pretty much has to be the Watcher. One of Marvel's standard story framing devices has been the Watcher introducing the tale as a narrator. And he does live on the moon.

Virginia Dare can change into other creatures of the north, too, although the list doesn't seem to exactly match Snowbird's.

Concurring that John is a Jean.

I think that the first two panels that have the Watcher's narration, that talks about particles forming and disappearing in nanoseconds, with effects on the time and space. I'm guessing that will somehow bring this timeline and the "normal" Marvel timeline in synch.

Does anybody know off-hand how Elizabeth I died in real-life, or is some research in order. I have a feeling that her death as depicted here is probably not that far different than how she is reported to have died in real-life (excepting the Doom part, of course).

On a Doom-related note, why is he being called Otto Von Doom in this book? Isn't his name Victor, or am I missing something from early Marvel history?

On a Doom-related note, why is he being called Otto Von Doom in this book? Isn't his name Victor, or am I missing something from early Marvel history?

Probably the same as using Javier for Xavier, just to mix things up a little.

Or John for Jean... :)

I know QEI died in 1603, on March 24 (the day after my birthday, although not the year. No undead here, nosiree). I've been googling to find out how, but no luck.

I think that the first two panels that have the Watcher's narration, that talks about particles forming and disappearing in nanoseconds, with effects on the time and space. I'm guessing that will somehow bring this timeline and the "normal" Marvel timeline in synch.

I was thinking the same thing.

Probably the same as using Javier for Xavier

In doubting the historical accuracy of this detail, I discovered that the name Xavier comes from Arabic (it means splendid), which means it entered European usage primarily through Spain (I presume). Spanish had a consonant shift some time in the Middle Ages so that initial X became J, but I don't think this happened in any other western European language. (Xavier is still Xavier in French, or so says Google.)

So for Xavier to become Javier, he has to be of Spanish or Spanish-related origin. Or else the comic book is making stuff up and doesn't care about such things.

How did people pull off the irritating "um actually" thing before Google came along?

Or else the comic book is making stuff up and doesn't care about such things.

Ya think?

Actually, I think Javier is probably Spanish, but then Fury's acceptance of him doesn't seem to make a lot of sense given how well England and Spain got along (not) during that period.

But in the "normal" Marvel world, he's FRENCH?!?!

Well, possibly descended from the French. Or not. (One of my middle names is Xavier, but I'm not French at all. I'm just partially named after a saint... Who I thought was born in Spain, but maybe I'm wrong about that... Googling... Nope - "Born in the Castle of Xavier near Sanguesa, in Navarre, 7 April, 1506.")

Sanguesa, now THERE'S a name.

I went to school with twins named Sebastian and Xavier, and those were supposed to be their saints' names. Actually, I'm sure there's a Saint Xavier.

So is Jean hiding her gender because even Javier wouldn't have women boarders openly in 1602? Or is this subtle commentary that female superheroes were few and far between, and mostly derivative of male heroes, prior to 1969?