New Mutants Annual #2 pg#31 (1st Psylocke/Betsy Braddock in American Comics)

One of my HOLY GRAIL pieces. This page represents a lot of things for me; first and foremost is getting a page from the book of Betsy Braddock/PSYLOCKE’s 1st appearance in American Comics.

It’s overwhelming to have this little piece of comic history living with me. It’s part of my trifecta and goes along with the Uncanny X-Men #213 and #455 pages (completing the life, death and resurrection of this character). Her life by means of Chris and Alan bringing her to American comics in this New Mutants issue, after her birth and appearances in the UK Magazines - Captain Britain. In the UX #213 book she gains her life and purpose by joining the X-Men; she dies in X-Treme X-Men #2 (will ideally find that page someday) and comes back to life in UX #455.

Alan Davis’s work on this page exquisitely shows his extraordinary and uncanny style and design, with a great 1/2 splash reveal of Betsy Braddock “Mojo-fied“, from a very early version of “Douglock”. This is the first real time we see Betsy transformed fully for Mojo’s use and an early appearance of Doug Ramsey wearing a skintight suit of Warlock.

It’s a monumental piece to have in my growing collection and alongside my New Mutants Demon Bear page, the HOLY GRAIL. It wasn’t something I ever thought I would be able to obtain since I am so late in my comic art collecting, but my partner really encouraged me to reach for the stars on this one, low and behold it seems we found each other.