It’s no secret thatStephen Kingis the undisputed Master of Horror, though it is a bit unexpected that one example of it can be found in anX-Mencomic. Usually, King brings horror to life through novels, movies, and TV, not comic books - and certainly not superhero comic books. But, nevertheless, Stephen King once used his terrifying literary talents to craft one of thescariest moments inX-Menhistory.
InHeroes for Hope Starring the X-Men#1, a number of writers and artists came together to create anX-Mencomic that donated all its proceeds to famine relief and recovery in Africa. These writers and artists included the likes of Stan Lee, Chris Claremont, and John Romita Jr., just to name a few. And, perhaps most noteworthy of all, the book also included Stephen King (partnered with artist Berni Wrightson). Each team of writers and artists were given just a few pages within the larger story, and King certainly made his pages count.
Kitty Pryde makes her way to the kitchen in the X-Mansion to get something to eat, when suddenly, she’s met by a strange entity in a cloak. This ‘person’ touches Kate as she’s opening the fridge, commenting on how hungry she must be while saying how lucky she is that there’s a fridge full of food. As it talks, Kate begins to wither into a skeletal version of her former self, begging the entity for food. It even taunts her with a plate of food before turning it into a festering pile of mush. And this entity’s name was “Hungry”.
“Hungry” is a Mysterious Villain That Torments the X-Men, but Kitty Pryde Gets It the Worst
“Hungry” is the overarching villain of this one-shot comic, meaning every writer and artist had their turn to craft horrific ways in which thisenemy would torment the X-Men. As revealed in the comic, Hungry’s powers are illusion-based, as it traps its victims in vivid, psychic illusions that play on their fears or simply throw them into a situation that anyone would find terrifying.
Colossus, Nightcrawler, Phoenix, and even Magneto were all separately targeted by Hungry, but Kitty Pryde definitely had it the worst, because her scene waswritten by Stephen King. On the surface, the scene itself was simple: Kitty Pryde believing she was starving to death while talking to a sinister entity in the kitchen. But it’s that simplicity that makes the scene so scary, as anyone who has ever gone to the kitchen for a snack can put themselves in Kate’s shoes - which was assuredly Stephen King’s intention.
Stephen King Seemingly Pulled from Another One of His Stories for the X-Men
Kitty Pryde’s Fate Bears a Striking Resemblance to Stephen King’s Novel: Thinner
Interestingly enough, Stephen King’sX-Menscene bears a striking resemblance toone of King’s novels:Thinner. In fact,Thinnerwas published in 1984, just one year before this comic was published. It seems the imagery of someone slowly (and supernaturally) starving to death was fresh in King’s mind at this point in time, and because of that, Marvel Comics fans benefitted, as they were given one of the most terrifying scenes inX-Menhistory by the Master of Horror himself,Stephen King.
X-Men
The X-Men franchise, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, centers on mutants with extraordinary abilities. Led by the powerful telepath Professor Charles Xavier, they battle discrimination and villainous mutants threatening humanity. The series explores themes of diversity and acceptance through a blend of action, drama, and complex characters, spanning comics, animated series, and blockbuster films.
