Blackbird (comics)

Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Dave Cockrum, the aircraft first appeared in X-Men #94 (August 1975).

When the series resumed in 1975, the X-Men flew a strato-jet that resembled a larger version of the Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" spy plane (hence the name), modified to carry several passengers and for Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL).

Some writers have referred to this design as the "SR-73", "SR-77", or the "SR-70";[6] it is canon in most plotlines of the Marvel Universe, including X-Men: Evolution, whose first episode sees Scott call it the SR-77.

One version of the Blackbird had an experimental cockpit windshield infused with traces of the same ruby quartz material used in Cyclops' visor, allowing him to project and amplify his optic blasts.

"[8] Brad Hill of Sportskeeda included the Blackbird in their "10 Best Vehicles in Comic Books" list.