Posted in: Comics, Marvel Comics | Tagged: grant morrison, Stepford Cuckoos, x-men

The Name Grant Morrison Wanted For The Fifth Stepford Cuckoo

Published Thu, 03 Mar 2022 05:27:09 -0600

Grant Morrison has been talking about The Stepford Cuckoos, five identical clones of Emma Frost. Created by Grant and Ethan Van Sciver for New X-Men #118, they were named Sophie, Phoebe, Chloe, Esme, and an unnamed member, by Grant at any road. In Grant's recent Xanaduum Substack subscription posts, amongst many other comic book legends, Grant talked about their original plans for the fifth Stepford Cuckoo.

They note the speculation that the initials were meant to spell SPICE as in the Spice Girls, but Grant has no recollection whether that was intentional anymore, just "I think I was choosing 'posh girl' names ending in 'e'." Grant also points to a more on-the-nose use of the Spice Girls as archetypes in The Multiversity: Society of Super-Heroes: Conquerors of the Counter-World with Red, Killah, Pixie, Princess and Monkey.

Grant Morrison notes that subsequently to their leaving the book, writer Chuck Austen named the fifth cuckoo Mindee "which gains a few points for include the word 'mind' in the young telepath's name and having an 'e' on the end but fails to score on the on the basis that 'Mindee' has an unfortunate trailer park ring to it that doesn't quite line up with the finishing school effect the others were aiming for."

Grant also notes that later X-Men writer Matt Fraction "thought harder before suggesting 'Irma' as the previously unrevealed first name of the former Mindee and it's Matt's contribution that seems to have stuck. With its nod to Irma Vepp and general euro ski lodge flair this new name also neatly satisfied the Spice arrangement although lacked the French 'é' acute sound at the end. Another fine and thoughtful effort, nevertheless… "

Grant revealed that their intended choice of name for the fifth Cuckoo was Ione. In Greek mythology, Ione was one of the fifty Nereids, marine-nymph daughters of the 'Old Man of the Sea' Nereus and the Oceanid Doris. I wonder if Marvel Comics would like to add that to the canon at some point?

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