Alternate versions of Storm

In addition to her mainstream incarnation, the Marvel Comics character Storm has had been depicted in other fictional universes. These alternative representations differ considerably from the details and events of the main "Storm" story, without affecting that story's narrative continuity.

Age of Apocalypse

In the hellish reality known as the "Age of Apocalypse" (created 1995, various writers), Storm is a member of the X-Men, but more streetwise and tough, and her romantic interest is Quicksilver. Her appearance differs in the fact that she has a black lightning tattoo over her left eye.cite web
last = uncannyxmen.net
first =
title = Spotlight on Storm: Alternate Versions
url=http://www.uncannyxmen.net/db/spotlight/showquestion.asp?faq=10&fldAuto=76&page=12
accessdate = 2006-12-01 ]

Marvel Zombies

The basic premise of the various Marvel Zombies stories is that almost all superpowered beings on Earth have become flesh-eating zombies after being infected by an alien virus. Alongside Thor, Dr. Strange, Colossus, and Nightcrawler, Storm is one of the last superhumans on her world to become a zombie. Storm dies when a small group of recovered superheroes gain the powers of the Silver Surfer and attack.Fact|date=September 2008

Marriage to Forge

New X-Men posits an alternate future for Storm in which she, under her birth name Ororo, marries Forge and lives a happy married life in his building, Eagle's Plaza in Dallas, Texas. They have two children: a girl, Orora, and a baby boy, Naze. The robot mutant-hunter, Nimrod, travels from the future towards the New X-Men, but his time-traveling systems are damaged and need repair. He forces Forge to help him, viciously killing Storm and threatening to kill their daughter and son. Forge helps Nimrod, sending him to Earth 616 where he fights the New X-Men.Fact|date=September 2008

Amalgam Comics

Amalgam Comics was a brief publishing collaboration between Marvel and DC Comics, enabling characters owned by both companies to interact, and creating characters that were composites of Marvel and DC characters. Here Ororo is a mutant with superpowers who nearly drowns as a child, but is rescued by Queen Hippolyta of the Amazons. Whereas her mainstream counterpart develops acute claustrophobia, this Ororo develops a fear of drowning. Hippolyta raises young Ororo as an Amazon princess beside her own daughter Diana (see Wonder Woman) on the island of Themiscyra. As Princess Ororo grows up, she displays the ability to control the weather; the Amazons teach her how to focus her powers into a lasso of lighting that compels anyone bound by it to speak the truth. She eventually leaves her island home to enter "Man's World" as Amazon, Amalgam's fusion of Storm and Wonder Woman. She joins the JLX—a cross between the Justice League of DC Comics and Marvel's X-Men, consisting of similarly merged characters—and becomes their leader. ["Amazon" #1, April 1996, Amalgam Comics, Terry Austin and John Byrne.]

"Days of Future Past"

In the dystopian "Days of Future Past" storyline of Chris Claremont (1981), Storm is one of the last fighters of the mutant resistance and gets killed by a horde of robot, mutant-hunting Sentinels. ["Uncanny X-Men" #141-142, January - February 1981, Marvel Comics, writer Chris Claremont] cite web
last = uncannyxmen.net
first =
title = Spotlight on Storm: Alternate Versions
url=http://www.uncannyxmen.net/db/spotlight/showquestion.asp?faq=10&fldAuto=76&page=12
accessdate = 2006-12-01 ]

Earth X

In a contemporary alternative universe, the "Earth X" series (started 1999 by Jim Krueger), Storm is known as "Queen Storm" and is married to Black Panther, something that happens in the mainstream universe seven years later. ["Earth X", started in 1999, Marvel Comics, creators Jim Krueger and Alex Ross] cite web
last = uncannyxmen.net
first =
title = Spotlight on Storm: Alternate Versions
url=http://www.uncannyxmen.net/db/spotlight/showquestion.asp?faq=10&fldAuto=76&page=12
accessdate = 2006-12-01 ]

House of M

When a crazed Scarlet Witch remade the world into the world of the "House of M" by Brian Michael Bendis (2005), Storm is a Kenyan princess. During the final battle, Rogue absorbs the powers of Ororo, along with Namor and Genis-Vill.

Mutant X

Bloodstorm is a fictional mutant/vampire hybrid from an alternate universe within the Marvel Comics multiverse. She is an alternate reality version of the X-Men's Storm. In this reality she leaves the X-Men and with fellow teammates forms the team The Six.

Publication history

Bloodstorm co-starred in "Mutant X" #1-32 (Oct. 1998 - June 2001) and the "Mutant X 2000 Annual". She crossed over into the "Earth X" alternate universe in the miniseries "Paradise X" #1-2 (May-Aug. 2000).

Fictional character biography

In the main Marvel Universe, the X-Man Havok found himself transported to an alternate reality where he was the leader of a hero group called The Six. There he met alternate versions of friends, family and teammates, including of fellow X-Men member Storm (Ororo Munroe), who was differently mutated and called Bloodstorm in this reality.

In the main Marvel Universe, Storm had survived the bite of Dracula. In this reality, she was transformed into a vampire. She quit the X-Men for a time, trying her best not to succumb to bloodlust, and sought help from her lover, Forge. He voluntarily became her food source so that she would not have to kill. In addition, she also fed on Kitty Pryde from time to time, destabilizing their previous relationship of parent-figure and child.

On a mission with her to steal from the group the Thieves Guild, teammate Gambit was critically wounded. He begged Bloodstorm to grant him eternal vampiric life; when she reluctantly performed the task, Gambit nonetheless ran away in anger. Around the time Havok had split off from this reality's X-Men to form his own group, Bloodstorm returned and became one of the founding members of The Six.

When Havok of the main Marvel Universe had initially appeared, he and Bloodstorm had had a hard time adjusting, but over time formed a strong bond. However, that would not stop her from being influenced by other forces. When a despot known as the Goblyn Queen ascended to power, she manipulated the Six into serving her (with Fallen joining willingly). However, the team broke free of her influence and was able to defeat her, choosing to remain with Havok and reform the team with the new goal of saving mutants from this reality's crazed espionage chief Nick Fury and his organization, S.H.I.E.L.D.

On a side mission, Bloodstorm fought the leader of the Outsiders — this reality's version of the Morlocks— to free captive friends. As in main Marvel continuity, she was successful, thus becoming the underground group's leader.

Havok eventually found a means to cure some to the side-effects of Bloodstorm's and Gambit's vampirism, granting the two a serum which helped to satiate their bloodlust and allowed them to walk in sunlight. Later, upon Dracula's reawakening, Bloodstorm battled him and victoriously staked her sire through the heart.

Bloodstorm later appeared in a different parallel universe, helping to save it. In reward, she was given a blood transfusion from her counterpart in that reality, effectively ridding her of her vampirism.

Powers and abilities

Aside from her control over the weather, Bloodstorm is also able to transform into a mist, summon, control, and transform into vermin and other animals such as wolves and bats, and drain blood through her fangs. Also, like any vampire, Ororo has the ability to turn others into vampires, but has only used this ability once. She also has superhuman strength.

Limbo Storm

In "Uncanny X-Men" #160 ["Uncanny X-Men" #160, August 1982, Marvel Comics, writer Chris Claremont] and in the "Magik (Illyana and Storm)" limited series ["Magik" #1-4, December 1983 - March 1984, Marvel Comics, writer Chris Claremont] , an alternate Storm is introduced, who lives the remaining years of her life in the demonic realm of Limbo. This Storm turns to her heritage of sorcery in old age as her power over the elements waned. She tutors Illyana Rasputin in the use of good magics and battles the demon Belasco over control of Limbo. She is killed by a demonically altered version of Kitty Pryde named Cat.cite web
last = uncannyxmen.net
first =
title = Spotlight on Storm: Alternate Versions
url=http://www.uncannyxmen.net/db/spotlight/showquestion.asp?faq=10&fldAuto=76&page=12
accessdate = 2006-12-01 ]

Ultimate Storm

In the Ultimate Marvel continuity, Storm is a founding member of the "Ultimate X-Men," created by Mark Millar and Joe Quesada on February 2001. Millar, who wrote for the series until July 2003, established Storm as an illegal immigrant from Morocco who lives in Harlem and steals cars before joining the X-Men. In contrast to her mainstream counterpart, Ultimate Storm initially has trouble controlling her powers. For example, she once passes out after reluctantly summoning a lightning squall in order to destroy a fleet of Sentinels; her relutance came from a past incident when she nearly electrified a playground full of children."Ultimate X-Men #1", February 2001, Marvel Comics, writer Mark Millar] Another notable departure from the mainstream Storm is her troubled relationship with fellow X-Man Beast, whom she has an intellectual attraction to, despite his ape-like appearance. Beast, who because of his appearance, suffers from an inferiority complex, cannot understand why the highly attractive Storm has an interest in him.

When later writer Brian Michael Bendis seemingly killed Beast off in April 2004,"Ultimate X-Men #44", April 2004, Marvel Comics, writer Brian Michael Bendis] a grief-stricken Storm drastically alters her appearance. This change parallels the transformation her mainstream counterpart goes through under Claremont and Smith. Ultimate Storm cuts her hair, which had reached her thigh, wears a shorter, edgy punk style, and replaces her conservative clothing in favor of revealing leather mini-skirts and dresses, black heels, trench coats, and studded belts."Ultimate X-Men" #46, June 2004, Marvel Comics, writer Brian Michael Bendis]

Subsequent writer Brian K. Vaughan wrote Storm to act as the team's conscience and started a relationship between her and Wolverine. In the "Ultimate X-Men: Shock and Awe" arc (2005), Vaughan inserted new elements into her back story by establishing Yuriko "Yuri" Oyama a.k.a. Lady Deathstrike as Storm's archenemy. Storm and Yuri are fellow thieves, but Yuriko eventually grows envious of her colleague. Their friendship ends in a motorcycle chase which Ororo halts with a sudden rainstorm. Yuri loses control and has a seemingly fatal collision with a truck, but she is rebuilt into a cyborg by amoral Dr. Cornelius of the mutant superweapon project Weapon X ["Ultimate X-Men: Shock and Awe" arc, 2005, Marvel Comics, writer Brian K. Vaughan] As of 2007, UXM writer Robert Kirkman has continued establishing a friendship between Storm and Wolverine in "Ultimate X-Men: Date Night" (2006). With the return of Beast, Storm is confused due to her attraction and growing attachment to Wolverine (a feeling that is returned to late by Wolverine) but Beast and Storm eventually rekindle their relationship. Bishop, who wanted to prepare the team for the coming of Apocalypse, is killed by Wolverine when he tried to prevent Storm from helping fallen comrade. Professor Xavier returns from the future, as part of what turns out to be a plan by the future version of Wolverine (Cable) to stop Apocalypse (Bishop was part of that plan). After Apocalypse is defeated, Storm moves back into the Xavier Institute as a teacher and X-Man (having moved out to be on Biship's team when Cyclops disbanded the team in order to make the mansion a full school).

torm in Marvel's "What If" series

Marvel's "What If" comic book series, which imagines alternative realities for Marvel characters, has featured Storm several times. In Issue #12, Storm is portrayed as a goddess of Asgard. ["What If?" (vol. 2) #12, 1990, Marvel Comics] Issue #40 sees her refusing to join the X-Men and remaining a thief. ["What If?" (vol. 2) #40, August 1992, Marvel Comics, writer Ann Nocenti] In issue #74, she is a potential X-Men recruit targeted by Mister Sinister, written as the shady leader of the X-Men. ["What If?" (vol. 2) #74, June 1995, Marvel Comics, writer Simon Furman] Issue #79 depicts Storm as the wielder of the Phoenix force, calling herself Stormphoenix and being the ruthless tyrant of Earth, freezing every opposition in the atmosphere; this plot ends in Storm's death. ["What If?" (vol. 2) #79, 1995, Marvel Comics] In issue #114, Storm marries her fellow X-Man, the feral Wolverine and bears his daughter Kendall Logan. Kendall becomes the hero known as Torrent, having some of her mother's control over weather as well as her father's feral abilities. ["What If?" (vol. 2) #114, 1998, Marvel Comics] As a side note, a relationship between Wolverine and Storm was also shown in the X-Men animated series episode "X-Men: The Animated Series: 'One Man's Worth'" (1995). [cite web
last = bcdb.com
first =
title = X-Men: The Animated Series: "One Man's Worth, Part 1 and 2"
url=http://www.bcdb.com/cartoons/Other_Studios/S/Saban_Entertainment/X-Men/more3.html
accessdate = 2006-12-01 ] cite web
last = uncannyxmen.net
first =
title = Spotlight on Storm: Alternate Versions
url=http://www.uncannyxmen.net/db/spotlight/showquestion.asp?faq=10&fldAuto=76&page=12
accessdate = 2006-12-01 ]

References