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Hank & Trish Tilby
Trish Tilby was a long-term girlfriend for Hank. They initially met in X-Factor and had an on-again/off-again relationship that lasted until Hank's third mutation.
X-Factor #7
Trish first showed up in X-Factor #7 to report on the "mutant menace" around the X-Factor building. In X-Factor #8, when they watch the tv interview, Hank finds Trish to be a unpleasant for her anti-mutant ways. It should be noted that early X-Factor was set up by Warren Worthington III as a group of "mutant hunters", as a way for the original 5 X-Men to go unnoticed while investigating new reports of mutants. When they do find new mutants, they help them gain control of their powers so they can live safer lives.
By X-Factor #9, Trish finally had her first brief interview with Hank. They argued. They seem to argue quite a bit. It doesn't help that Trish was also the first to break the story that Warren was partially behind the creation of X-Factor, at least in a financial sense. In X-Factor #14, Trish and her news team burst into Warren's hospital room (his wings got crushed) and demanded information from him. Hank was in attendance, but it shows the tenacity of Trish. This is when Warren's wings get amputated, btw. Bobby and Jean were at the hospital with him. Scott had gone back to Alaska. Hank was busy watching X-Factor, which includes Artie, Leech, Rusty, Masque, Skids, and Boom-Boom.
By X-Factor #21, the crew regards Trish Tilby as their "media nemesis", but this is also a turning point issue. In this issue X-Factor is forced to publicly reveal themselves to be mutants and Hank saves Trish.
X-Factor #21
The next turning point comes right after X-Factor deals with Apocalypse and his horsemen. Trish ends up in the hospital, along with some other people that X-Factor brings in. Trish finds Hank having a little meltdown in the hallway by X-Factor #26 (below).
During the fight with Apocalypse and his horsemen, Hank was touched by Pestilence and his intellect started to dwindle when he used his strength. He was starting to make amends and be friendly with Trish. But, as we can see below from X-Factor #27, Trish still reported that "one of their members lost his intellect..." This type of weird back and forth is pretty standard for Trish and Hank's relationship.
So Hank remains really bummed out over "being dumb". To compound the problem, Hank sees Infectia (X-Factor #28-31) plant her infectious kisses on people, turning them into monsters. She goes after Bobby and Hank saves the day by intercepting the kiss - which causes him to return to his blue furry self (X-Factor #31). So now, not only is Hank "dumb", but he is currently left changing between human-looking and blue-fur.
When Scott is able to get Hank stabilized, he completely stays in his blue furred form (X-Factor #33). He also regains his intellect. Below are three parts from issue #33. Hank does not stick around to really talk to Trish at this time.
When Hank and Trish finally do get around to talking in X-Factor #36, Trish is kind of repulsed by his blue furred form. The first two pages below are consecutive, but later on (third page) Bobby stops to get the scoop on what went down with Trish and Hank. She's like "He frightens me".
It doesn't take too much time...just later in the same issue #36 where Trish is like "hmm...maybe I'm being a little weird about this" (paraphrasing).
This actually ends up in Hank's favor. Trish lays one on Hank right after he saves her.
Hank and Trish start off a little...tumultuous. Does it strike anyone by surprise that this continues throughout their on/off relationship?
After almost a year of issues with X-Factor in space, they return to Earth. Hank and Trish see each other in X-Factor #51.
Hank and Trish go out on their first date (and first double date) in the next issue.
They go on another date in X-Factor #54. One thing that gets brought up in this particular issue is the fact that Hank has a bunch of women around him. We never really get Trish's reaction to it. Also, Hank takes off after Peter (Colossus). Trish does get a little reactionary (based on her actions throughout the comics), so I'm surprised she doesn't speak up about this.
X-Factor #54
Think Hank and Trish are good? Well by X-Factor #56 they were on the fritz again. This time Trish was like (paraphrasing) "nope, we're done". She makes a pretty damning report regarding Warren and Hank gets angry about it.
Following this issue, we do see a little interaction between Trish and Hank in issue #57. Trish is on the scene of a fight. Hank is fighting a cyborg. You'll notice that Hank gives Trish the cold shoulder.
In X-Factor #59, we find out that Trish was previously married to the head of the news department, Paul Burton. Hank's timing is off on this one and it leads him to take things out of context. Also, she takes off for India and misses the X-Tinction Agenda storyline.
Trish is out of the picture for awhile. She comes in through a news broadcast that Hank is recording in X-Factor #65. Hank pining away for a girl? Sounds about right. What is revealed is that he has a whole collection of her news broadcasts on VHS.
On a brief side note, I want to point out that between #59 and #65 there was a special 1-shot graphic novel called X-Factor: Prisoner of Love featuring Hank and an alien woman named Synthia Naip. We don't see Hank reflect on it, but he does seem to get a little more serious.
Hank is only in X-Factor until issue #70 - then he rejoins the X-Men...landing right in the Asteroid M storyline. Trish doesn't show up again until X-Men issue #26 - safe to say that Trish has been on assignment abroad for a while, but once Hank realizes that she is reporting on the scene about a skirmish in Genosha, he is quick to suggest getting her out of peril. Note that they don't actually see each other in person yet. They do reconnect in Uncanny X-Men #323 (it's literally been 4 years since they've really had a scene together).
Uncanny X-Men #323 (1995)
It took just over a year for Hank to reach back out to Trish after Uncanny X-Men #323. This happened in X-Men #57. In X-Men #57, Hank apologizes and finally admits that he's good at being an X-Man, but not great at just being a regular guy. He's willing to work on it. Admitting that there is a problem is usually the first step to fixing a problem, right?
X-Men #57 (1996)
As you can see (below) with Uncanny X-Men #345 (1997), Trish and Hank aren't really going out, but they definitely have a little something going on. Probably a friends with benefits type of thing. Trish is always 100% okay with Hank when he uses an image inducer. They always have problems when he is not using one.
Hank and Trish (and the other X-Men in space) meet back up with the others on Earth (including Dr. Cecilia Reyes), who are up against Bastion and his sentinels in X-Men #70. Wolverine ends up saying exactly what Hank has said before about Trish - "This jam happened on account of a scrub named Bastion. Bastions happen because o' hysteria...specifically of the anti-mutant kind. Hysteria starts when irresponsible people misuse power...spread half-truths...fan flames o'hate...people like you Tilby. So wrapped up in yer first amendment you can only see mutants as a scoop...a story..."
This leads us into X-Men #71, which proposes a possible future bit of discord for Hank and Trish. Dr. Cecilia Reyes and Trish Tilby in the same issue? One has Hank and still "isn't sure" about things. The other is kind of interested and hasn't been in a relationship for about 4 years.
Two scenes from X-Men #71
It seems a little telling that Trish goes into space with Hank and some other X-Men, and then leaves in X-Men #71, not appearing again until X-Men #87 (just on tv). Meanwhile, Hank is getting close with Cecilia (not romantically yet, but as friends/coworkers; even Marrow notices).
When do we really see Hank and Trish together again? X-Men #109 - which is a Christmas issue. I have two panels below from the issue. There is barely a mention of Trish for over 30 issues and you want me to believe these two are madly in love? Please.
What I see with Trish and Hank are two people pretending to make it work when they happen to be around each other, but not making the effort to be around each other. Trish and Hank probably didn't want to be alone for the holidays, so they hooked for a "holi-date" (holiday date).
So what's the big deal? X-Men #109 came out in Feb 2001. New X-Men #117 (see below) comes out in Sept 2001. Hank is about to go through a MAJOR third mutation, his feline form.
The final break up occurred after Hank's third mutation (feline form). Trish initially broke up with him by leaving a voicemail. As you can see on the left, Hank was ready to go out on a date with her when he got her message. Trish couldn't handle the bad press. When Hank runs into her again, this time in person in New X-Men issue #125, he really isn't having any of it from her. He's not a dick about it, but he distances himself and even makes the outrageous claim that "he might just be gay". This is later called out by various members of the X-Men including Scott and Emma.
Is there fallout from Hank's declaration? Of course. He finally had the balls to NOT go back to Trish. He mutters that "he just might be gay now". To get back at him, she spreads the rumor.
The Hank and Trish relationship starts off poorly. Hank is far too eager to give affection to women he finds attractive. They don't communicate well. They occasionally accuse each other of doing things the other dislikes. They both take leave of absences for extended periods of time without contacting the other. When they do get together, Trish is a little possessive - I think I'd like to have seen some sort of fight between Trish and Cecilia in X-Men #71. Trish is a little vindictive at times. Hank is too focused on his work.
Does it surprise anyone that this relationship went sideways?
Sources:
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