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X-Factor Reunion Pt 2

 

  I experienced an enjoyable sense of Deja Vu this week from X-Factor #230. It’s a reboot event and some mutants are left without a team for post-Schism dodgeball! Rogue (via writer Mike Carey) brought Havok, Polaris and Rachel Summers back from deep space. Rachel signed up to teach at the Jean Grey School. Havok and Polaris seemingly had no place (or X-title) to call home until this week when Logan brings the long-suffering lovers to X-Factor Investigations.

  I could help but think back to the aftermath of the Muir Island Saga when a second X-Men title was born (and the original X-Men left X-Factor for these books) and X-Force, Excalibur regrouped back in the early 90’s. I was an ignorant youth back then when I thought ‘they just put all the leftover characters in this other title that doesn’t have anybody!’

X-Factor #71 courtesy Marvel.com

  Havok, Polaris, Madox, Wolfsbane, Quicksilver and Guido (I’m the Strong Guy so call me Strong Guy) became the mutant team working for the U.S. government. I was a huge fan of Peter David from The Incredible Hulk so I gave this team of what I thought were leftovers a try – and it was perfect.

  Peter David and Larry Stroman took these refugees from every corner of the mutant-verse to create a team that was compelling and often hilarious.  David transformed background mutants into major characters I cheered for and cared about.

  This X-Factor faced Mister Sinister’s Nasty Boys, Helle’s Belles and even went up against the Hulk and the Pantheon in the “War and Pieces” crossover with The Incredible Hulk. The government team were part of the X-cutioner’s Song crossover with their mutant cousins. Joe Quesada later became the artist and co-created Random, an X-Factor enemy turned ally. 

X-Factor Visionaries Peter David Volume #1 courtesy Amazon

  Earlier I recommended this is the time to join or rejoin the drama and fun at X-Factor Investigation with this week’s #230 but should go back in time to see the rebirth of X-Factor when Alex and Lorna first joined the motley mutants.

  There’s a good reason why they call it X-Factor: visionaries because Peter David is brilliant at taking the oddest assortment of characters and evolving them into a compelling “family” you want to be part of.

AVX Cyclops Hawkeye

AVX image courtesy Marvel.com

  Marvel triggered a fan frenzy this week with teaser images to promote Avengers Versus X-Men.

  This final image pits X-Men Extinction Team Leader Cyclops against Hawkeye, soon be leader of the Secret Avengers, by Esad Ribic.

  This is a matchup I’d really like to see because both men are hardened leaders who think strategically but I give the edge to Cyclops on this possible fight.

Emerald City Comicon Calls on The Voice of Batman

Emerald City Comicon announced the addition of two classic voice actors to this year’s event!

Kevin Conroy is best known as Bruce Wayne/Batman in Batman: The Animated Series, a role he still plays in games and films from Justice League to Batman: Arkham City.

Maurice LeMarche is known for his work as The Brain in Pinky and the Brain, Destro on G.I. Joe, Kif Kroker on Futurama and many more.

For the impressive list of media guests, comic book writers and artists and other voice actors coming to Seattle visit Emerald City Comicon.

X-Factor Reunion Pt One

X-Factor #230 courtesy Marvel.com

  X-Factor #230 wasn’t a point one issue but I felt the urge to pick up the book after a long absence. The stunning David Yardin cover (with Wolverine) was tempting and heck I’m trying everything else with the Regenesis banner. I’m excited to encourage you to book an appointment with X-Factor Investigations. This issue is a lesson in what point one issue should be.

  This is what a ‘jumping on’ or in my case ‘jumping back on’ issue is all about – a character driven story showing just enough to provide an introduction and invitation to learn more about the agency’s diverse, fun, engaging staff.

  Emaneula Lupacchino’s art is gorgeous. She makes the characters expressive with their facial cues and body lanaguage giving you part of the story.

  X-Factor leader Jamie Madrox is dead to the team but really travelling through other dimensions. Wolverine’s guest appearance isn’t just a sales stunt but a critical part of the team’s evolution. Logan and Butterfly share a moving exchange as she grieves for Jamie, but is there for another purpose. Wolverine is recruiting X-Factor for his plan for mutantkind and brings in their newest members – Havok and Polaris – more on that reunion later.

 X-Factor #230 is “my one book you should try this week.” I just made up a new segment! I felt like I never left and I think you’ll want to get to know the enjoyable cast of X-Factor.

 

The Walking Dead Season 2.2 Image

courtesy AMC

  AMC revealed the promo poster for the return of The Walking Dead Season Two featuring Sheriff Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln). The pose appears to taken from the final moment of the last episode – which I won’t spoil just in case.

The Walking Dead returns February 12th.

Avengers Post AVX

AVX Image by John Romita Jr courtesy Marvel.com

  After a week of AVX teaser images I found this quote from the Axel in Charge column on Comic Book Resources intriguing.

Marvel Editor in Chief Axel Alonso was asked about the future of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes as Brian Michael Bendis plots his departure and how AVX affects the exit strategy. How do you cap the writer’s huge era. 

  “All I can say is that there will be one. “AvX” did not derail Brian’s plans; he’s been down for this event since day one — which is why he, along with Jason Aaron, is one of the core plotters of the event. Brian will be wrapping up his Avengers run the way he wants to — we wouldn’t have it any other way. Who’ll follows him on “Avengers” and where he’ll land in the future is going to blow readers away.

Does this mean Aaron could assume the role? I’m betting on Matt Fraction.

  For the rest of this week’s Axel In Charge column here’s the link to Comic Book Resources.

Thunderbolts Clash Reunion!

 

Thunderbolts #172 courtesy Marvel.com

  The original Thunderbolts together again for the 15th Anniversary. The entire creative team including writer Jeff Parker and artist Declan Shively were featured in Marvel’s Next Big Thing event.

  Kurt Busiek developed the original incarnation with Mark Bagley on art. The concept was villains pretending to be heroes but as they became more celebrated for their heroic acts, some actually liked being good guys. In Thunderbolts #172 a time twist sets up a fight between the original and current teams.

“This story will matter in Thunderbolts history. It will change things. I can’t spoil anything because that’s the best part.” -Jeff Parker

“It comes down to Zemo vs Centurius in terms of leadership struggles. They are the two planners and schemers. There is a confrontation between those two massive egos,” Parker continued. 

 

Thunderbolts #173 courtesy Marvel.com

 

  The time crossed teams mean a unique challenge for the artist.

  “It’s been very hard to draw the older fashions than I thought it would be. Especially Moonstone. I think Mark Bagley was changing her costume from panel-to-panel. I had to make a model sheet based on what he drew that I could follow myself.” -Declan Shalvey

   I was always a fan of Dr. Karla Sofen in all her evil incarnations and outfits.

 

 

Captain America is Center of The Avengers Movie

Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Chris Evans as Captain America in The Avengers courtesy Marvel.com

  The Avengers Assemble under Joss Whedon. The stars were all signed up. The fans are excited. The director talks about the real challenge in the new issue of Entertainment Weekly and how he solved it.

“I set out with a very simple problem: There is no reason for these people to be in the same movie. So that’s what my movie has to be about.”

Whedon says Steve Rogers’ awakening in modern times from Captain America: The First Avenger sets the stage for this movie and serves as the audience’s path into the story.

“So much of the movie takes place from Steve Rogers’ perspective, since he’s the guy who just woke up and sees this weird-ass world,” Whedon says. “Everyone else has been living in it.”

  Although Tony Stark’s ego may not approve I think this is a great choice.  I’m looking forward to seeing Cap’s ‘innocence’ and ‘wholesomeness’ interact and inspire Stark, Clint and Thor. Imagine Cap’s reaction when she first sees Black Widow!

  See the heroes recruited by SHIELD to save the world from Loki from Thor (and his unrevealed secret army) on May 4th.

For more of the article and the 2012 movie preview visit EWOnline.