This week delivers one of the most eagerly awaited fights in the Avengers vs. X-Men series so far: Rogue vs. Ms. Marvel. These heroines with a history throw down in this week’s X-Men Legacy #269.
X-Men Legacy #269 courtesy Marvel.com
Back in the day Rogue was to be a bad girl under orders from her foster mother Mystique. Rogue’s first fight with Carol Danvers had dramatic consequences for both women. Rogue permanently absorbed Ms. Marvel’s powers and for years lived with Carol Danvers inside her fractured mind. Rogue eventually left Mystique to ask Professor X for help and began her road to redemption. Ms. Marvel was comatose for years but thanks to the Professor she recovered and eventually became a high-flying hero again.
X-Men Legacy #269 courtesy Marvel.com
In X-Men Legacy 266 and 267 an Avengers squad arrived at the Jean Grey School and fighting erupted. Rogue was reminded of what her mutant power can do…if she’s pushed hard enough. The fight with She-Hulk was just a warm-up. The tragic consequences and bad blood of their past is sure to be a factor as Rogue and Carol battle again. Christos Gage and David Baldeon bring you this AvX rematch in X-Men Legacy #269 out this week.
X-Men Legacy #269 courtesy Marvel.com
Who do you want to win this battle? I love ’em both.
X-Men Legacy #269 courtesy Marvel
X-Men Legacy #269 by Christos Gage and David Baldeon. Mark Brooks created this amazing cover.
Dr. Curt Connors aka The Lizard (Rhys Ifans) will torment Andrew Garfield in the big screen reboot Amazing Spider-Man in just weeks. Dan Slott unleashes the Lizard in this week’s Amazing Spider-Man #688 with art by Giuseppe Camucolo. The rampaging reptilian isn’t the only horrific foe in this new storyline. Spidey is caught between the Lizard and Morbius the Vampire as he tries to cure Dr. Curt Connors.
“We’ve had funny stories, crime stories, team-up stories, summer blockbuster stories, personal stories—this time, we’re going for horror,” Slott tells Marvel.com. “This summer we’re giving you a chiller; we’re going from wall-crawling to skin crawling.”
For the entire interview here’s the Marvel .com link.
My favorite Lizard story is Torment. This was in Spider-Man #1-5 written and drawn By Todd McFarlane. And I recommend The Gauntlet storyline because I love how Chris Bachalo draws the Lizard.
Carol Danvers launches into a new role and costume in Captain Marvel #1. Dexter Soy makes his Marvel debut on the new series with writer Kelly Sue DeConnick. The artist from the Phillipines shares how he joined the House of Ideas and new interior art on Marvel.com.
“I [have] loved to draw super heroes since I was young [and] remember collecting trading cards and trying to draw them during class,” recalls Soy, who began posting his work online as he got older. “I was able to get hired by Marvel when Budjette Tan, a comic book writer here in our country, tweeted my Thor fan art piece and caught [Marvel Senior Vice President, Creator & Content Development] C.B. Cebulski’s attention.
“He asked me for some more of my work and told [me] to do some actual tryout pages. [CAPTAIN MARVEL] editor Steve Wacker noticed my work and proposed if I wanted to on board for [this book], and so I did.”
“My art style reflects the influences of the artists I look up to, like Joe Madureira, Humberto Ramos, Greg Capullo and many others,” he shares. “For my process, I initially do my thumbnail sketches for panels and then darken them up to form silhouettes. Then I work my way to resize the thumbnails and render the black areas to for a tighter image, then color them and finally add necessary textures and effects.” For more images here’s the Marvel.com link.
Captain Marvel #1 courtesy Marvel
Jamie McKelvie designed Carol’s new uniform which Kelly Sue DeConnick says reflects her experience as a pilot.
“I like that the part of her helmet and face mask sort of leaves a space where her hair is flowing, which is at the same time challenging for me to make look really cool.”
“Artistically, I’m always trying to match the mood I picture [from the scripts] in my mind and put it on the page,” he explains. “I [think CAPTAIN MARVEL] will stand out with its great dynamic story and the awesome characterization portrayed by Carol. She will show how much she fits being Captain Marvel.”
Captain Marvel #1 courtesy Marvel
For my interview with Kelly Sue DeConnick on the new series and costume here’s the link.
The Icons of Science Fiction Exhibition just opened. Now EMP Museum is looking for the future filmmakers who might one day inspire an addition to this amazing collection.
EMP Museum is now accepting entries for the 8th Annual 2013 Science Fiction + Fantasy Short Film Festival (SFFSFF). EMP and the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF), encourages the submission of original science fiction and fantasy short films. The festival will accept animated or live-action submissions in science fiction (futuristic stories, space adventure, technological speculation, social experiments, utopia and dystopia), and fantasy (sword and sorcery, folklore, urban fantasy, magic, mythic adventure). Note: The festival will not accept horror submissions. A hand-selected jury comprised of science fiction professionals in film, television, and literature will select 20 films to be screened in Seattle in early 2013. The jury will also award a Grand Prize, Second Place, Third Place, and the Douglas Trumbull Award for Best Special Effects. SFFSFF viewers will cast their vote to determine the winner of the Audience Favorite Award. In order to qualify, submitted films must have been completed after January 2008, and must not exceed fifteen minutes.
Good luck! As you can see from my photo at the Icons of Science Fiction Opening Night party I’m ready to make the move to film – I’m just saying. Here’s my post on the Icons of Science Fiction.
Spandex Fast and Hard by Martin Eden courtesy TitanBooks.com
This week X-Men (and Alpha Flight) fans celebrate Northstar’s wedding to his boyfriend in Astonishing X-Men #51. Northstar and the newly outed Alan Scott/Green Lantern of Earth 2 aren’t the only gay heroes on comic book pages. Direct from England – Spandex is an all-gay team that might give you a new reason to wave those rainbow flags at Pride festivals this weekend.
With a title like Spandex: Fast and Hard I thought this book might be campy fun but I was surprised how much I would care about these over the top heroes and heroines.
Liberty, Prowler, Glitter, Indigo, Butch, Mr. Muscles and Diva are an all-gay superhero team based in Brighton, England that fight giant lesbians, pink ninjas, and a psychic alien while struggling with complicated love lives.
Take Peter David’s clever mix of adventure, inter team romance and satiric humor in X-Factor then shower it with glitter, more sex, turn up the camp and you have Spandex. These scantily clad heroes are great fun but the more I read the more I felt for them.
from Spandex by Martin Eden courtesy Titan Books.
Chapter One Attack of the 50 Foot Lesbian introduces the team as they race into action taking on an angry giant stomping through Brighton. The titanic lesbian is a big threat but there’s an even bigger conspiracy behind her rampage. The Justice League has the Injustice League. Spandex has their own team of enemies. Martin Eden plants a particular sinister yet sexy seed that could lead to a heartbreak and betrayal in the future for one member of the team.
Chapter Two Pink Ninjas takes the team around the world to Japan after a ninja thief’s brazen robbery of the Queen. The adventure leads to a battle with an army of pink ninjas. the addition of a new member and forces to team to face a painful past.
Chapter Three…If You Were The Last Person On Earth was my favorite. The heroes awake to a conquered world. A psychic vampire is turning everyone into zombies (not the mindless eating kind) and sucking the color…all the colors of rainbow seems an appropriate choice of words…out of the world. This final chapter is a parable of coping with how everyday life can take an emotional toll and drain the life out of you.
Spandex! created by Martin Eden courtesy Titan Books
Creator Martin Eden made me laugh, think and relate. I enjoyed these sexy and fun adventures with the campy but complicated heroes of Spandex. Straight or gay doesn’t matter – this is an entertaining superhero comic.
Warning: This book has nudity, sex, foul language and really revealing costumes. This book is not for the easily offended.
Note: I was approached by the publisher to see if I would take a read and offer my thoughts if sent a preview copy. I was not paid to review this book.
The Phoenix Five are remaking the Earth into a peaceful paradise safe for mutant and man…unless you’re an Avenger. Mister Sinister has created his own world under the Earth…and he’s ready welcome Cyclops.
Kieron Gillen gives us a strange detour from the main action of the Avengers vs X-Men conflict in Uncanny X-Men #14. Mister Sinister was obsessed with genetics of the mutant race for years. Sinister is his own race now. Gillen has definitely created his own brilliant take on the old school bad guy. He’s no longer a mad scientist but a mad narcissist. Could we call him an ego-sexual?
Dustin Weaver is a perfect choice to craft this bizarre fairy tale world. Weaver created the historical science fantasy world of the Eternal City in SHIELD with Jonathan Hickman. The artist gives us a haunting new underworld in Sinister’s image and populated by variations of the classic X-Men villain. The faded palette used by colorist Jim Charalampidis is an excellent choice for this Victorian era underworld.
Sinister has manipulated Scott Summers for decades. Nathaniel Essex knows the Phoenix-empowered Cyclops will eventually come to burn him away. Sinister has an army of surprises for his old enemy. I eagerly await the showdown.
A Star Trek living legend will boldly go…to Riverdale. George Takei will guest star in Kevin Keller #6 from Archie Comics this Fall according to BuzzFeed.
Cartoonist Dan Parent pitched the idea to Takei at a recent comic book convention so Riverdale’s most famous gay resident could meet his hero. Takei came out in 2005, married his long-time partner Brad Altman in 2008 and has been a champion for marraige equality and fighting bullying and homophobia.
Before Marvel married an X-Man and DC made a Green Lantern gay, Archie Comics was nominated for a GLAAD media award for creating Kevin Keller. The first openly gay character in Riverdale now has his own series and made mainstream headlines for the gay dream wedding issue.
The wedding of Jean-Paul Beaubier and Kyle Jinadu in Astonishing X-Men#51 this week is the latest reason to celebrate our love of mutant super heroes. The X-Men represent diversity and overcoming differences. These heroes don’t just fight bad guys. They fight discrimination and intolerance.
When Stan Lee created X-Men #1 his young heroes had powers because of genetics. You might say Stan the Man came up with “Born This Way” before Lady Gaga made it a pop anthem. Professor Xavier taught his students how to use their powers for the good of all humanity. Erik Lensherr was a Jew and his horrific experiences in World War II brought him into direct conflict with Xavier’s teachings and he became the X-Men’s number one enemy: Magneto.
In the 1970’s Len Wein and Dave Cockrum helped introduce the “all new, all different” X-Men. The team’s new additions reflected the changing world. Ororo Munroe aka Storm was an African (later revealed to be African-American) woman. John Proudstar/Thunderbird was an Apache Native American. His brother James would eventually take the code name Warpath and become an X-Man. Shiro Yoshida was the first Asian X-Man called Sunfire. The Japanese hero who later lead his own team and title: Big Hero Six.
German Kurt Wager is still my favorite X-Man. Nightcrawler lived the ultimate in irony. Kurt was a compassionate, devoted Catholic. Kurt had a sweet soul but genetics gave him the appearance of a demon. My other favorite is Kitty Pryde, a Jewish girl from Chicago who joined the X-Men as a teenager. Kitty was frightened of Kurt for years and their evolving friendship was one of my favorite ongoing storylines.
Bishop & Storm from X-treme X-Men #30 courtesy Marvel
Writer Chris Claremont was the creative force behind the X-Men for nearly two decades. Claremont made Storm leader of the team. In the early 1980’s having an African-American female in charge of the team was a breakthrough moment. Storm would fall in love with Forge, a Native American mutant and Vietnam veteran. Storm would later become leader of X-Treme X-Men, the Queen of Wakanda (she married the Black Panther) and became an Avenger. Storm is currently leads the security team in X-Men.
Claremont explored the issue of apartheid with the creation of Genosha. On this island nation off the African coast mutants were enslaved and considered natural resources not equal citizens. The X-Men were involved in liberating the mutants of the nation over several storylines.
Claremont was creator of the future generation of X-Men. The New Mutants continued the legacy of creating diversity. Danielle Moonstar was a Cheyenne Native American and became team leader. Karma was a devout Catholic from Vietnam. Karma is now a lesbian and part of the Astonishing X-Men team. Sunspot was Brazilian. An attack and racial remark on the soccer field is what first triggered Roberto DaCosta’s mutant power. Danielle and Roberto are part of a team living in San Fransisco.
The New Mutants graphic novel cover courtesy Marvel.com
John Byrne was a co-plotter and artist on the early Claremont era. Byrne created the Canadian team Alpha Flight including Northstar. Byrne said he intended to have Jean Paul come out back in the 1980’s but it was against editorial policy at the time and the comics code authority. In 1992 Northstar came out in Alpha Flight #106 under writer Scott Lobdell.
The 1990’s saw a new explosion of diverse characters. Lobdell and Fabian Nicieza were the primary writers of the X-Men in this decade. Lobdell co-created Generation X which included Skin, a Hispanic American who escaped from gang life in Los Angeles to join the team. M (Monet St. Croix) is Algerian, Muslim and is now a popular member of X-Factor. The X-Men welcomed Bishop, an African-American X-Man from the future. Dr. Cecilia Reyes is a doctor of Puerto Rican background. She reluctantly joined the team but focused on her career as a surgeon instead of being a superhero. Neal Shaara is a Hindi from India who joined the X-treme team. Jubilee is an Asian-American “mall rat” who joined the X-Men and Generation X. Wolverine’s former sidekick is now a vampire. This is yet another example of how X-writers explore differences while telling a compelling action story as Jubilee fights to control her vampire hunger and hold on to her humanity.
Generation Hope #10 courtesy Marvel.com
The 21st century saw the creation of more mutant heroes from diverse backgrounds. Dust is a devout Muslim girl who always wears her burka. Wolverine rescued Sooraya from Afghanistan. Oya of Generation Hope is from Kenya and her religious beliefs make her think of she and all mutants a monsters. Oya is currently in Wolverine and the X-Men as the new Jean Grey School. Frenzy is an African-American ex-villain who recently joined X-Men Legacy in her search for redemption.
X-Factor’s Shatterstar and Rictor courtesy Marvel.com
Peter David pushes boundaries in X-Factor. After years of hinting that they were attracted to each other Shatterstar (a warrior from another dimension) and Mexican mutant Rictor fell in love. It’s not all perfect for this mutant couple because they often fight because of Shatterstar’s flirting. X-Factor has been nominated by GLAAD for Outstanding Comic Book Series. Other GLBT characters in the X-family include Anole, Bling and Graymalkin.
The X-Men writers and editors have always reflected our world. Characters and storylines have been a way to directly or indirectly explore the issues of race, religion and sexual orientation. X-Men will always be a best-selling title because we can see ourselves, the conflict and the hope that we’ll learn from our differences, survive and thrive.
By Editor
I know there’s probably a favorite mutant I may have left out of this story. Please add a comment or email me who you think deserves to be added.
