Alexey
Sklyarenko: I notice that Niagarin, the name of one of the two Soviet
experts in PF, rhymes not only with Gagarin, but also with Bulgarin (aka
"Figlyarin", "Flyugarin"), the journalist, novelist and critic (1789-1859), a
target of countless epigrams by Pushkin, Baratynsky and Vyazemsky. Bulgarin, in
his turn, brings to mind Bulganin, in 1955-58 the Chairman of the Council of
Ministers of the Soviet Union, who was preceded by Malenkov and succeeded by
Khrushchyov. Both Malenkov and "Hrushchov" are mentioned by Kinbote in his
Commentary.
JM: Alexey's associations departed from Niagarin and led us to
Kinbote's mentions to Malenkov and Hrushchov. Real people!
I was
thinking about travelling in the opposite direction, in an American tour,
with a bunch of mutants, whose names could have been inspired by
Pale Fire (1962). Namely, Charles Francis Xavier, and Jean
Grey, or Gray. The X-Men" #1 comics first appeared in September 1963.* It's
probably just a coincidence because "Charles" and "Gray" are easily found,
whereas "Francis Xavier" is the name of a Catholic saint.
.......................................................................................................................
* "Professor
Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional character, a
Marvel Comics superhero known as the leader and founder of the X-Men. Throughout
most of his comic book history, Xavier is paraplegic, although his body houses
one of the world's most powerful mutant minds. As a high-level telepath, Xavier
can read, control and influence human minds. A scientific genius, he is also a
leading authority on genetics, mutation, and psionic powers.Phoenix is Jean
Grey. She is a mutant. Her mutant powers are telepathy..".
"The X-Men are a
superhero team in the Marvel Comics Universe.They were created by writer Stan
Lee and artist Jack Kirby....The basic concept of the X-Men is that under a
cloud of increasing anti-mutant sentiment, Professor Xavier created a haven at
his Westchester mansion to train young mutants to use their powers for the
benefit of humanity, and to prove mutants can be heroes. Xavier recruited
Cyclops, Iceman, Angel, Beast and Jean Grey, calling them "X-Men" because they
possess special powers due to their possession of the "X-Gene", a gene normal
humans lack but which gives Mutants their abilities. The first issue also
introduced the team's arch enemy, Magneto, who would continue to battle the
X-Men for decades throughout the comic's history, both on his own and with his
Brotherhood of Mutants (introduced in issue #4). (wikipedia)
"