Uncanny X-Force #1 is X-Men with a twisted dose of nastiness and attitude swirling in those mutant genes. New writer Sam Humphries doesn’t try to follow in Rick Remender’s trail but uses what’s happened before to launch into new concepts and settings with new characters and favorites moving in new directions.
Psylocke and Storm are working out some “issues” in this adventure that takes them into a seedy, drug fueled Los Angeles underworld where they encounter Puck, Spiral and a new threat that may be behind a hive mind of drug addicted ravers.
Humphries reveals the aftermath of the previous Uncanny X-Force finale and how Wolverine and Elizabeth’s relationship and roles have changed. I like the way Humphreys writes Ororo as Betsy’s “wingman” so to speak. Storm has issues of her own to work out. I love seeing the driven, passionate Psylocke – especially when she unloads on Spiral. Those two women have a serious history of hurt. I didn’t mind but I definitely noticed that Humphies has Betsy cursing like she’s in an X-Men flick by Quentin Tarantino.
I loved Puck’s introduction, the new costume designs by Kris Anka, Ron Garney’s 90’s vibe art and the naughty surprise on the final page. This book has edge, an attitude and I’m ready for more.
Young Avengers #1 by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie will pop with amazing style. Marvel will celebrate the relaunch with variant covers by Stephanie Hans, Trent Moore, and this Bryan Lee O’Malley (Scott Pilgram versus The World.)
Marvel.com shared O’Malley’s cool variant showcasing those teenage dreams of the Marvel Now. Could this be the must-have variant of the week?
Kid Loki assembles Miss America, Marvel Boy, Wiccan, Hulking and Kate Bishop for his new team.
The Women of the Atom star in a brand new X-Men #1 by Brian Wood and Olivier Coipel. Jubilee, Storm, Psylocke, Rogue, Kitty Pryde, and Rachel Grey will face an evil blast from the recent past. Brian Wood told Comic Book Resources why Sublime (from the Grant Morrison New X-Men era) turns to the mutatns for help.
“Without giving too much away, Sublime surrenders to the X-Men because he has a serious problem of his own that he can’t handle, and the X-Men, being his most formidable opponents, are his best source for help. We get right into that, as he walks onto the grounds of the Jean Grey School and surrenders to Rachel and Psylocke.
Elsewhere, the others are picking up Jubilee who calls in a panic, having travelled halfway around the world to make it back “home” to the X-Men, and yeah, she’s got a baby with her. How these two story lines connect is what I’m not getting into just yet, as well as the cosmic thing and the threat to the planet. And the baby, I promise you, the baby is not evil nor does it die.”
“I was simply having a look at villains, early on in the pitch process, and he seemed interesting to me. I devised this story around him, this first arc. He won’t be the only villain in the book, and he’s actually not the only villain in this first arc. At the end of issue #1 there’s something of a reveal, exactly what this problem is that Sublime needs the X-Men’s help with. No other villain could work in this story, and I’m looking forward to adding a few more layers to his character.”
Brian Wood also said having Storm on the team was a must. Wood’s 2012 X-Men: Proto Mutants storyline was one of my favorites of the year. No creator had written Ororo that good since Chris Claremont.
Sublime was a major threat to mutants during Grant Morrison’s run. Sublime is a sentient bacteria that took a human host and become Dr. John Sublime – a scientist with connections to the Weapon X project that created Wolverine. Sublime diverted itself into the drug known as “Kick” that mutants abused to enhance their powers. Quentin Quire – under kick’s influence – led the riot at Xavier’s.
Heroes of the Marvel Universe are about to be devastated by the Avengers’ greatest enemy. This March Brian Michael Bendis and Bryan Hitch usher in the Age of Ultron.
Bendis has revealed that Ultron has already won when the series begins. The big question is which heroes will survive the insane android’s wrath? From the new Marvel images is appears Black Widow and Red Hulk are leading the resistance. Before the series is over which heroes will submit or perish?
Bucky Barnes and Natasha Romanoff are the hottest couple of the Marvel Universe. Evil operatives, brain washing and cold war comebacks have ripped Bucky and Black Widow apart. All the men in Natasha’s life (Wolverine, Nick Fury, Daredevil) have guest starred in this action packed epic but it all comes down to Bucky.
In this week’s Winter Soldier #15 what will Bucky sacrifice to save the woman he loves? It’s the grand finale of the Black Widow Hunt and the final Marvel comic from Ed Brubaker – for now.
(Brubaker’s creator owned Image book Fatale is a must!)
Brubaker’s final Captain America issue was last fall but this week’s Winter Soldier is the end of a an era. The return and redemption of Bucky Barnes will stand the test of time – and is the inspiration for the next Captain America sequel. Brubaker made Marvel’s dark underworld of gritty espionage a perfect setting where Steve Rogers, Bucky, Natasha and Nick Fury could rise to newfound glory.
Thanks to Ed Brubaker for an amazing run. Long live Bucky!
The hero who takes center stage in the current Astonishing X-Men arc is not a mutant but Warbird is a breakout character to watch! Warbird was introduced in Jason Aaron’s Wolverine and the X-Men as the bodyguard of Kid Gladiator (aka the heir to the Shi’ar Empire.)
When Marjorie Liu took over Astonishing X-Men Warbird joined the roster and now the wayward alien warrior is front and center. Warbird’s flirtation with Iceman has been hilarious and the flashbacks of her tragic past have been haunting. In this week’s Astonishing X-Men #58 Warbird is an enemy of Earth and the Shi’ar Empire. Can the alien artifact she’s discovered save her?
Not since Hepzibah was part of Ed Brubaker’s Uncanny X-Men run have I enjoyed such a great non-mutant hero hanging with the Children of the Atom. I hope Warbird sticks around or perhaps guests in Marvel’s space-based books like Nova or Guardians of the Galaxy.
Sam Humphries and Ron Garney relaunch the covert X-team book this week. Uncanny X-Force #1 stars Psylocke, Storm, Spiral, Puck and a brand new (sorta) good bad girl: Cluster!
In the finale of the previous series Fantomex’s three brains were born again in three different clone bodies. Sam Humphries tells Comic Book Resources which of the three will appear in the new volume:
“We knew when I started plotting the new ‘Uncanny X-Force’ that Rick was going to split Fantomex in three, and we also knew that he planned on ‘killing’ Fantomex for a certain number of issues. We didn’t want to undercut that though. So that’s why we’ve been very coy about Fantomex, the identity of Cluster and how and why they’re involved in the book. We wanted the end of Rick’s run to have as much impact as possible.
So we can finally reveal that Fantomex is in the new ‘Uncanny X-Force.’ Both Fantomex and Cluster are in issue #1 and joining the rest of the crew in this new era of mutant ninja noir. We can also reveal that Cluster is not a ‘Lady Fantomex’ or ‘She-Fantomex.’ She’s the cloned third brain of Fantomex; an aspect of what used to be ‘Fantomex Prime’ now split off into an individual person.”
Uncanny X-Force #1 courtesy Marvel
“Cluster is the nicest and most nurturing of Fantomex’s brains, but that doesn’t mean she’s the most heroic. I don’t know if heroic is quite the right word to apply to any Fantomex. To some people saying you are the nicest version of Fantomex may be like saying you are the tallest version of Danny Devito,” Humphries said with a laugh. “‘Fantomex Prime,’ or the old Fantomex, was constantly wrestling with the three sides of his personality. He had Fantomex, Cluster, and Jean Philipe. Jean Philipe being the dark, evil sentinel brain within him. Cluster calls herself ‘the nicest’ and that’s certainly true. She’s the most loving and most in touch with her feelings and her emotions. She’s not the rakish, devil-may-care, Fantomex.””All three Fantomexes have feelings for Betsy, and all three Fantomexes are still Fantomex,” the writer remarked. “So you’ll see the immediate ramifications of how that dynamic plays out in the first issue of ‘Uncanny X-Force.’ It will be something that we’re going to play with in the long-term future of the book.”
Uncanny X-Force #1 hits comic shops tomorrow.
By Editor
Op: So does this mean Betsy and Fantomex could rekindle their attraction but in a very different way? How very Trill Love aka Jadzia Dax of Deep Space Nine could that be?
An all-new Young Avengers #1 arrives this week. Kid Loki assembles the teens for a nefarious purpose. Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie shared their plans for the powerhouse kids on Marvel.com.
Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung’s Young Avengers is highly acclaimed and loved (especially by yours truly.) Gillen revealed how this new team and title are different.
“Any time I try to describe Young Avengers I sound like I’m having a full neurotic breakdown. I loved Allan Heinberg’s Young Avengers and would never try to duplicate it. That was a book about being 16, looking up to the Avengers like parents. This is a book about being 18 and entering the world on your own terms.”
The Heinberg/Cheung team broke up after Avengers: The Children’s Crusade. The new kids are brought together by Loki (like the original Earth’s Mightiest Heroes) but with a wicked twist.
“The other Avengers books are about big organizations. Young Avengers is about the ideal of Earth’s mightiest coming together.”
“At the end of Children’s Crusade, the traditional Young Avengers agreed they shouldn’t be doing this anymore. The prime mover in getting everybody back together is Kid Loki. He’s recruiting Miss America and people to essentially kill Wiccan.”
One of the new faces is Miss America from Joe Casey’s Vengeance series.
“Miss America is very…violent. She’s been a super hero longer than anybody knows, and she’s not doing it to be famous. The question of what she knows about Wiccan is the big mystery of the book.”
Young Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel
The earlier volumes were recognized by GLAAD for their portrayal of young gay heroes Wiccan and Hulking. The troubled teens in love will be part of the new team.
“Wiccan and Hulkling are the core romantic couple of Young Avengers. Wiccan is phenomenally powerful in ways people don’t understand. He makes a mistake early on and that drives the book. It’s almost a Hank Pym plot in how he creates all his own problems.”
“Hulkling is creeping out at night to do super hero stuff. He figures he has a talent and should be using it.”
“I love drawing Wiccan and Hulkling, their emotional interactions as well as the punching,” added Jamie McKelvie.
Kate Bishop was attracted to Patriot but Gillen has recruited the fiery former Marvel Boy to be on the team and her potential love interest.
“Kate Bishop starts the book off to one side with Noh Varr. They’re a B-plot to the first part. Noh Varr has been kicked out of both the Kree and the Avengers, but he’s back on Earth, because nobody ever told James Dean what to do. He’s a hipster alien.”
Gillen stresses this book is not just about teen romance.
“I’m trying to create a book that covers anything connected to youth in the Marvel Universe. I have ideas of a larger infrastructure down the line. I don’t want to over promise though. It’s a book with a focus that can move. You’ll see with issue #6.”
“I knew how the book felt before I knew what the story was. I saw Marvel Boy and Hawkeye waking up. The first night with a strange new boy. She pulls the curtain and they’re in orbit. It’s a perfect metaphor. You take teenage emotions and transform them into the hyper real.”
Young Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel
Gillen wrote about Kid Loki’s search for identity in Journey Into Mystery and will continue exploring that them in this book.
“The question of ‘who can I become?’ remains key to Loki and to the book. Not quite in the same way it was in Journey Into Mystery, but still there.”
Wiccan is on the team but what about his brother: Speed?
“Hopefully. There’s a reason he’s not there to begin. I didn’t want to overload the cast and not just have somebody there to have them there. I like them Speed. I plan to come back to him around issue #6. Where he is gets covered briefly in the first issue.”
Like most teens the young heroes will have a hangout – a diner.
“Super powers is the most important thing in Young Avengers. The second most important thing is breakfast.”
Young Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel
The Young Avengers often clashed with their elders in the previous volumes. Will the kids meet the adults in the new series?
“The Avengers are in issue #2 briefly. It’s hard to explain without giving away the plot…where the Young Avengers are going, they can’t be helped. I don’t want to say much more than that. Parents and growing up are key to the book.”
For the entire liveblog here’s the Marvel.com link.
