Will they or won’t they? Wolverine and Storm share a passionate kiss on the cover of this week’s Wolverine and the X-Men #24. The story by Jason Aaron is billed as “date night” but could Logan and Ororo really become the new mutant super couple?
Storm is still heartbroken over her marriage to the Black Panther being “annulled” by her own husband – Wakandan law gives him the right plus he’s the King.
This isn’t the first time Logan and Ororo shared a kiss. Way back in Uncanny X-Men Annual #11 by Chris Claremont and Alan Davis the mutants faced off against Horde. This was 1987 during when Ororo still had her mohawk. The kiss was during a clash with a villain who tempted each X-Man with a vision of life they secretly wanted.
Wolverine has always has an admiration and respect for Ororo but love? Logan’s feelings for the late Jean have resurfaced since the teen Jean Grey arrived from the past in All-New X-Men.
In this series Jason Aaron has developed the relationship between Kitty Pryde and Iceman. I approve (and that’s coming from a longtime Kitty/Colossus fanatic.) (See Date Night in Wolverine and the X-Men. )
As we’ve seen from previews Storm will be sporting her Mohawk again in the new Uncanny X-Forceand X-Men titles. This “kiss” issue may be a big tease or the impetus for Ororo to change her look and attitude again. Stay tuned X-fans.
Comic book fans will get their first sample of the new SUPERMAN series by Scott Snyder and Jim Lee on Free Comic Book Day this May. A Superman story will appear in DC Comics’ gold-edition offering.
The issue will include the first part of “Last Son,” the 2006-2008 Action Comics story arc by Geoff Johns, Superman: The Movie director Richard Donner, and Adam Kubert, called as “a great jumping-on point for fans who can’t wait to see Warner Bros. Pictures’ Man of Steel major motion picture.”
This story reintroduced General Zod, the villain of Man of Steel.
This week one of my favorite teams relaunchs with a new writer, artist and new members in the Marvel Now. Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie assemble some of Marvel’s best teen heroes into a brand new Young Avengers in 2013.
Gillen and McKelvie succeed Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung who guided the teens through two volumes and the Avengers: Children’s Crusade mega series. Gillen reveals how he got the job on Marvel.com.
“[Marvel Editor-in-Chief] Axel [Alonso] bullied me into it.
I’m not even joking. When it was floated, I wasn’t sure. YOUNG AVENGERS was a book with such a unique and singular vision from [co-creators Allan] Heinberg and [Jim] Cheung, and at least a big part of the vision was simply not what I do. It’s a book which was kind of a love song to Marvel Comics’ continuity, playing games and celebrating equally. I dug the book, but I knew that’s just not what I would do. I would never base a story around that. It’s just not how I think.
Then Axel basically beat my head against the floor a few times and said “Seriously, give it a proper think.”
So I did, and I managed to find a way to make it work for me. It was such a personal book for Heinberg; I realized the heart of it had to be trying to make it just as personal for me. And since we’re different writers, we have to be personal in our own way. I realized a big part of that had to be gathering together the creators I most trusted, and try and build something entirely bespoke. Which lead to Jamie McKelvie and everyone else, and the pop-song-as-super hero-comic you see before you.”
Young Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel
This is Gillen’s third book involving younger heroes: Generation Hope and Journey Into Mystery starring Kid Loki. Gillen was asked about what it takes to be a young hero in the Marvel Now.
“I previously wrote GENERATION HOPE, which was basically me taking a bunch of relatively realistically rendered teenagers and dropping them into a serious, 00’s-style super hero universe. It was about showing how the personality rubbed against the craziness of their lives. With YOUNG AVENGERS, I’m flipping that. In my own style, I’m doing what classic 60’s Marvel did, and using the super hero elements as a device to specifically illustrate the characters’ challenges and thrills. So when we first meet one character who’s much cooler than most of the cast, she’s in Earth-212, which is basically a dimension which is basically an infinite New York. Normal Earth is a bit downmarket for her—which is using the super heroic element to turn her into the equivalent to the person who moves from New York to your small town. They have a glamour you simply don’t. Or, at least, that’s how you feel.
So, to answer your question, teenagers deciding to use their superpowers is really about human beings blossoming and trying to work out how best to behave, trying to see where their talents will work in. Puberty is basically a superpower experience. It changes you totally. What are you going to become? What are you going to do?
That, bascially.”
courtesy Marvel
Familiar members Kate Bishop aka Lady Hawkeye, Wiccan and Hulkling are joined by Miss America, Loki and Noh-Varr (formerly known as Marvel Boy and Protector.) Loki brings the team together in the upcoming Point One.
Gillen reveals where the teens are when the story begins.
“When we actually join them, they’re not a super-team. They’re not even superheroing. Wiccan is still basically in the emotional place he was where everyone last saw him. He’s completely burnt out on super heroics. He’s worried he’s just going to get more of his friends killed or their lives destroyed. However, unbeknownst to him, his boyfriend Hulkling has started to be a super hero on the down low. Our story basically starts when Wiccan discovers this—which, through our super heroic prism, is basically akin to “you were cheating on me!”
Hulkling says some choice words. Wiccan realises something—and then makes a mistake.
Our status quo quickly follows.
And they’re equally swiftly on their own.”
The big question: where are Patriot and Speed?
By Editor
For the entire interview here’s the Marvel.com link.
Uncanny X-Force reloads this week with a new creative team pulling the trigger! Psylocke takes command and recruits Storm, Spiral, Puck of Alpha Flight and Cluster. Sam Humphries and Ron Garney take over after an acclaimed run by Rick Remender. Humphries and Editor Nick Lowe revealed the battle plan Marvel.com as the squad faces a old friend in the first arc.
Uncanny X-Force #1 courtesy Marvel
Wolverine has been the leader of both recent incarnations of the team. Humphries will tell how the title will pass from Logan to Psylocke.
“Something develops between Wolverine and Betsy that kicks off the whole formation of the team. He’s moved on to a new era in his life. That’s a story other people are telling. Despite that, there’s something about X-Force and what it represents that Wolverine will always respond to; not just the killing, but being an outside and on the fringes.”
“Even though this is a new era for X-Force, we’re not ignoring what has come before. Where Betsy is in her life is one of the strongest threads we pick up from Rick (Remender). She’s not satisfied with her life. Her and Storm have a lot to bond over. She’s a survivor on a lot of levels. I’m fascinated by all the changes she’s gone through in Rick’s run, to explore those and put her front and center. It’s her time to shine.”
Over the years the X-Force concept has evolved to fit the changing Marvel Universe.
“Taking the last idea and morping into something new is the X-Force tradition, from the 90’s to Pete Milligan and Mike Allred to Craig Kyle and Chris Yost to Rick. I’m excited to present stories from the mutant end of the Marvel Universe you can’t find anywhere else. This is a new line-up, a bunch of characters in a complex web with a complex history really together for the first time exploring the dark shadows of the Marvel Universe that don’t get touched on in Uncanny Avengers or All-New X-Men.”
“In a world where Rogue and Sunfire are Avengers, where Wolverine is running a prep school, there still has to be a dark side to this bright world.”
Uncanny X-Force #1 courtesy Marvel
One of the biggest shocks from the teaser poster is Storm’s new “old” look. Ororo is sporting her Mohawk again. She hasn’t worked a mohawk since the Chris Claremont/Paul Smith/John Romita Jr era. Humphries explains why he went retro with Ororo.
“I will take full credit for the return of Storm’s mohawk. I have more knowledge of the X-Men than I do of the United States. I am an old school fan. It’s a dream to not only be on an X-Men book, but one where I can touch on stuff we haven’t seen in awhile. The first time Storm had a mohawk, it was about the transformation she had been going through, coming down from the goddess pedestal. The mohawk is a symptom of the transformations in Storm’s life. She’s now going through an even bigger transformation. She was a goddess and a queen who got unceremoniously dumped, in my opinion. The future that she banked on is no longer there. Her family in the X-Men has changed. None of her friends are the same. She has to redefine herself and get back to the core of who she is.”
The new roster is full of tough women…and Puck?
“Puck has been a lot of fun to write. My biggest surprise,”
“Puck will be a breakout character,” added Editor Nick Lowe, “What Fantomex was to Rick’s Uncanny X-Force, Puck will be here. This isn’t a little guy who bounces around like a bowling ball, he’s a force to be reckoned with. This is a heroic take on Puck.”
Spiral was created by Ann Nocenti in the Longshot limited series then joined the Brotherhood (and most recently Sisterhood) of Evil Mutants. Spiral and Betsy share a long twisted history as both victims of Mojo. So why is Spiral working with X-Men?
“The hero of anybody who has played Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, Spiral is front and center in Uncanny X-Force. She’s a deadly fighter from a crazy sci fi world. She’s trapped on Earth and needs to come up with a way to survive life on the fringe. She can’t be an Avenger, she can’t got to the Jean Grey School, she can’t join up with Cyclops; she doesn’t belong anywhere. She needs to decide where she’s going to be, which puts her on a collision with Storm and Betsy, and longtime fans know Spiral and Betsy have a long unpleasant history. The two of them spending more than 10 seconds together without drawing blood is a challenge. She’s been a villain, a great villain, but you’re going to see anew side of her. She’s a victim of Mojo, like so many others. We’ll see a little bit more of a grey area in Spiral.”
The first enemy this new X-Force will face is former X-Man Bishop.
“How and why Bishop comes back will have a huge impact on the team. It’s a situation they can’t walk away from. Bishop is such a great character who has had so many roles. I’m excited to take him on after he’s been gone for two years our time, stranded in the future. He went to great lengths to try to murder a little girl because he believed it was the right thing to do. Having failed to do that and coming to terms with the fact that maybe he was wrong is going to change a man. We’re going to see a Bishop who at his core is the same person, but who has been through a lot since we’ve last seen him.”
Uncanny X-Force #1 courtesy Marvel
Ever since Messiah Complex the new X-Force has done the dirty work, wetwork and covert missions the other X-Men shouldn’t know about.
“How these characters feel about killing and black ops and their place in the Marvel Universe will be affected by the end of Rick’s run and where we begin here.”
“This is the book where we go to the dark places in the Marvel Universe. Sam calls it Mission Impossible or James Bond if it were directed by David Lynch,” said Lowe.
Uncanny X-Force #2 courtesy Marvel
“Of all the books that have Uncanny in the title, this one will be the Uncanny-est of them all. If the X-Men are feared by mankind, Uncanny X-Force deals with the stuff that’s feared by the X-Men.”
Earlier teasers made it seem like Psyocke would lead the team but Humphries says that role may change.
“In my mind, Psylocke is as strong in the Marvel Universe as Wolverine or Rogue or Storm. Who’s calling the shots? That’s an open character. We’ve got at least one other character on the team with leadership potential in Storm. They’re friends, they’re both working through things and changing. We’ll see.”
“Gender, race and nationality are all things we thought about when making this team. It’s a team of outsiders. But then again, it wasn’t any sort of affirmative action. It’s about the team dynamic and previous relationships.”
Uncanny X-Force #3 courtesy Marvel
There are two X-Force teams in the Marvel Now. Will this team interact with Cable and X-Force by Dennis Hopeless?
“As far as my team is concerned, they are the ONLY X-Force team. If these two teams ever intersect, it’s gonna be heavy! Dennis Hopeless smells!” said Humphries, “Right off the bat, you’ve got Cable leading one team and Bishop fighting the other. Those two cannot be on the same planet in the same year without trying to beat the crap out of each other. Let’s just say those two have unfinished business.”
For the entire liveblog here’s the Marvel.com link.
Uncanny X-Force #1 blasts into comic book shops this week!
Brian Michael Bendis and Chris Bachalo relaunch Uncanny X-Men for the Marvel Now on February 13th. Marvel shared a preview of the second issue coming later that month. There’s a traitor in Scott’s camp!
Uncanny X-Men #2 courtesy Marvel
Cyclops, Emma Frost, Magneto and Magik are recruiting new mutants for the upcoming revolution. There’s a traitor in Scott’s camp! Who would betray the cause? What’s the motivation? Who is the treacherous mole reporting to?
Uncanny X-Men #2 courtesy Marvel
Emma Frost is an obvious suspect. During Avengers vs X-Men Emma lost Scott and part of her powers. Emma is probably ticked that Jean Grey is back!
No matter what side of the mutant race (Scott’s Revolution or Wolverine’s School) all Children of the Atom are potential targets for Sentinels which are on the loose in this preview art.
Uncanny X-Men #2 courtesy Marvel
Uncanny X-Men #1 hits 2/13/13 and #2 on 2/27/13!
Happy 50th Anniversary X-Men – hope you survive the experience!
By Editor
Op: I’ve always been a fan of Chris Bachalo’s art since way back when Generation X premiered. I’m loving Emma Frost’s new look with a slight nod to Lady Mastermind’s uniform during the Mike Carey/Bachalo Supernovas run.
Eisner-Award Winning Artist Francesco Francavilla joins Matt Fraction with Hawkeye #10 this April. If you’re not reading this book (you should!) this book is about the Avenging Archer when he’s not an Avenger! This issue kicks off a new storyline
“On HAWKEYE we’ve been blessed with not only one of the biggest writers in comics with Matt Fraction, but also some of the best artists like David Aja, Javier Pulido and now Francesco Francavilla,” said Stephen Wacker, Senior Editor, on Marvel.com. “Though he’s only on the series for issues #10 and #12, Francesco is going to leave his mark on Clint with some of the most beautiful art you’ll see all year!”
And don’t forget to pick up Hawkeye #7 – click here to learn how buying this comic book will help victims of Hurricane Sandy.
An X-Man got married to a Man. A gay Green Lantern was born. A Riverdale teen met his geek (and gay) icon. A twist on who was a Slayer in Buffyverse. Those were just some of the GLBT characters and storylines that made mainstream headlines, boosted comics and possibly helped change our culture.
GLAAD revealed their nominees for Outstanding Comic Book. Congratulations to the writers/artists/editors and publishers for the recognition. The nominations reflect on the big year for gay characters in comic books and the impact they have on society.
Astonishing X-Men, Earth 2, Kevin Keller, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Batwoman are great books by talented creators but which book should win and why?
Op/Ed:
Do I have a favorite? I admit I have a X-Men bias but it was my first comic book.
I have go to with Astonishing X-Men. Northstar’s wedding to Kyle Jinadu was not just a one issue stunt. Jean-Paul has been out since 1992. Jean-Paul an Kyle’s romance developed in earlier volumes of Uncanny X-Men and the most recent Alpha Flight series.
Astonishing X-Men #51 variant courtesy Marvel
In Astonishing X-Men #51 Jean-Paul and Kyle got married in New York’s Central Park surrounded by teammates. Marvel even gave the book 2 variants: one with Jean-Paul and Kyle kissing and one with the happy couple on the cover with some of Marvel’s most famous couple’s on their big day. You may call that smart marketing. It is. By looking at this special cover it sent a message that Jean-Paul and Kyle’s ceremony and relationship was the same as Reed and Susan Richards and other Marvel super couples. (Let’s hope they turn out better than Scott & Jean, Storm & T’Challa or Quicksilver & Crystal!)
The wedding was not the end of Kyle’s screen time in the book. After the honeymoon Marjorie Liu continues to explore the complicated life of being married to a superhero in every issue. Who would have thought Wolverine would be giving a guy relationship advice about his husband? Remember when Jean-Paul couldn’t come out?
Astonishing X-Men #54 courtesy Marvel
Northstar wasn’t the only GLBT character featured in this book. Former New Mutant Karma was central to the storyline of Liu’s thrilling arc. Liu didn’t touch on Karma being a lesbian just a conflicted character who showed why she’s a great hero and mother figure to her younger siblings. It didn’t matter than Karma was a lesbian but perhaps Shan may find love now that she’s survived the villain of Liu’s first arc.
It’s not too late to jump on one of the most enjoyable titles of the Marvel Now relaunch. This week’s Indestructible Hulk #3 is the third outstanding example of how great storytelling has made one of oldest icons fresh and fun again.
I definitely have to call this book cinematic. If you enjoyed Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner and the Hulk from The Avengers then you’ll enjoy the ride Mark Waid and Leinil Yu will take on in this new series.
Banner is now working for S.H.I.E.L.D. Bruce gets to be a great scientist. Maria Hill gets a big green W.M.D. After showing up Tony Stark in a battle of the brains with his new invention, Bruce HULKED OUT on Iron Man to prove a point.
Maria Hill has given Bruce a job, a lab and the chance to show Tony and Marvel’s other big brains that he’s their scientific equal (or perhaps better as the series go along!) In this issue Maria recruits Banner’s lab team. Seriously who would want to work for a boss who could become a monster?
While science geeks audition to be part of Banner’s think tank, Bruce goes on a mission against A.I.M. and discovers a technological blast from the past that could pose a new threat. Waid and Yu craft a confrontation packed with action, humor and moments that may inspire a “awesome!” from you.
This is the best issue so far in a new series that’s big on action and fun.
