From The Scoop: X-Men's Imperial Guard and Cockrum's Legion of Super-Heroes
From the December 1 issue of Gemstone Publishing's The Scoop:
Did you know that the Shi'Ar Imperial Guard started out as a nod to DC's Legion of Super-Heroes? Dave Cockrum had just completed an impressive stint on the Legion of Super-Heroes before joining Marvel and the New X-Men. During his time on Legion, he helped redesign many characters and costumes, even giving Timber Wolf a more feral look that Wolverine would make more famous.
So, in Uncanny X-Men #107, when the X-Men travel to the Shi'Ar empire and encounter a large team of super beings known as the Imperial Guard, Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum modeled them after the super teens from the future that Dave had left behind. Claremont even had Wolverine go toe to toe with Fang, the Timber Wolf like character and Wolverine wound up walking away with Fang's costume, showing Marvel readers that their boy was of course the tougher of the two.
Later appearances of the team introduced other characters and in the long run, the team has taken on a life of their own. They are no longer a clone of the Legion. But that first appearance was a loving wink and a nod to Cockrum's past work for the rival publisher.
