Fear Itself: The Fearless is one of my favorite maxi-series starring one of my favorite Marvel heroines. In the aftermath of Fear Itself – mystical hammers of Asgard are lost on Earth. Valkyrie defies the Avengers on a mission for Odin to recover them. It’s more than just honor at stake as we learn the emotional reasons why Valkyrie will risk all to recover the ancient weapons.
Sin and her empire of demonic allies are after the weapons too. If you loved, loathed or didn’t read Fear Itself – I think you’ll still enjoy this thrilling tour of the Marvel universe packed with exciting battles, bloody fights, and shocking betrayals. We learn of Valkyrie’s haunted past and hope for love in the afterlife. She invades Atlantis, Utopia and every corner of the Marvel world with the Avengers on her trail.
Fear Itself: The Fearless #8 courtesy Marvel
Valkyrie is definitely the star of this series but it’s packed with awesome moments: Wolverine vs. Crossbones, Doctor Strange and the Avengers vs. an army right of out Inferno plus Valkyrie vs. Storm is worth the whole dang series!
Valkyrie’s race against Sin was gripping and fun. Cullen Bunn, Matt Fraction and Chris Yost created this exciting quest for one of my favorite heroines. Mark Bagley and Paul Pelletier tag team on art with Art Adams on covers. Never fear you will enjoy The Fearless. Get it at your local comic shop of here’s the Amazon link.
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.
I saw this cool image of Bane RISES painted across a Gotham City sewer lid on Facebook. Look closely to see how the artist uses the Batman logo for Bane’s eyes.
This is from The Fire Rises – a real time stragety game for The Dark Knight Rises. The message invites you to join Bane’s army, capture territory and join his uprising in Gotham City. You can also enjoy the moody chant from the movie trailers.
Image Comics teased fans on Tumblr with this image for The Walking Dead #100: Lucille Is Coming. The milestone issue by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard arrives next month.
Astonishing X-Men #51 preview courtesy Marvel on Comics Newsarama
When a hero gets married it can lead to a dead end…creatively. Marvel even wiped out Peter Parker’s marraige to Mary Jane. Northstar gets hitched in Astonishing X-Men #51. After the headlines and hype over a gay wedding in a comic book what happens next for Jean-Paul and Kyle?
Writer Marjorie Liu tells Comics Newsarama how Northstar’s married life will fit into the series and the difference of telling a story with a married versus single hero.
“This is just the beginning. By getting married a whole new direction has opened up, story-wise, for them both. Marriage isn’t the end-point of a relationship. It’s just a stepping stone, one aspect of a long-term evolution between two people who have, for whatever reason, decided to take a leap of faith and say, “Well, hey, this is a person who I want to *try* with for the rest of my life.” Which is not a guarantee of perfection — far from it.
Certainly, the stresses haven’t changed. Kyle is still a human man who has to watch his husband leave at a moment’s notice to save the world, and who can’t be at his side, or help protect him. In some ways he’s a liability — in danger, because of his husband’s “profession” as super hero. For Northstar, he has to deal with the fact that he’s part of a team, a family, that will always understand what he’s going through in ways that Kyle never will — and that can be very lonely when he goes home.”
Northstar was Marvel’s first openly gay hero. Marjorie Liu was asked about the importance of Jean-Paul to Marvel and to fans.
“Northstar is certainly important as a representative of the gay community within the Marvel Universe. But his value as a character is also grounded on something more than just his sexual orientation (as would be the case in real life). He’s vain, arrogant, but also a man who risks his life without a thought in order to help others. You can count on his loyalty — and his quick temper — and he’s been portrayed, again and again, as someone who lives life to the absolute fullest, without regrets or second-guesses. He loves, and acts on that love; he gets angry, and then acts on that anger. Northstar is no fake.”
As a long-time fan of X-Men and Alpha Flight – I’m thrilled to see Aurora and rest of Jean-Paul’s Canadian team in the big wedding issue.
For the entire story and more preview art here’s the Comics Newsarama link.
Flash is front and center with his fellow heroes in the palm of a bad guy’s hand! DC Comics revealed Jim Lee’s variant cover to Justice League #11 as the iconic heroes battle Element Woman in part three of The Villain’s Journey.
The Geoff Johns penned issue also continues the back story origin of Shazam with Gary Frank on art. The issue arrives July 18.
Astonishing X-Men #51 The wedding of Northstar and Kyle Jinadu will make comic book history this week. The first openly gay X-Man is getting hitched but he’s also a target. Who is the mystery woman behind the recent attack by a new team of Marauders? Northstar’s nightmare of the X-Men out to kill him is coming true. Could the wedding be just a dream too?
Avengers vs X-Men #6 Five of the most powerful X-Men are now possessed by the Phoenix Force. Earth is being radically changed. The Scarlet Witch enters the war but on whose side?
Nightwing #10 Dick Grayson is recovering from the shocking revelation from Night of the Owls when he checks out a double murder in Old Gotham. The evidence points the finger right back at….him? DC introduces a new threat to Batman’s battered ally. Who is Paragon and his Republic of Tomorrow?
Saga #4 An against all odds love story amid a galactic war. Two soldiers from enemy races fell in love, had a child and are now running for their lives. This issue introduces a distant planet where darkest fantasies can come true. Will this the runaway family’s safe haven or hell?
True Blood #2 A new comic book will help satisfy your craving for Sookie, Bill, Eric and all the other sexy scary characters from Bon Temps. Alan Ball, Ann Nocenti (Daredevil, Longshot) and Michael McMillan create a perfect companion to the HBO series.
Guardian, Vindicator, Shaman and Marrina are resurrected from the dead to join Northstar, Aurora, Sasquatch and Snowbird. The reunited champions are branded traitors and fight a conspiracy within their own government in the aftermath of Fear Itself.
For Northstar and Kyle fans – this collection is a great way to see their back story. Kyle becomes collateral damage as the team fights the manipulations of the Unity party. A theme that continues as the couple have relocated to New York City and the X-Men.
Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente’s Alpha Flight Complete Series is collected and available in comic book shops and here’s the Amazon link. Ben Oliver and Dale Eaglesham provide the art with Phil Jiminez on covers.
Alpha Flight’s loss is the X-Men’s gain. From the previews for Astonishing X-Men #51 is appears Jean-Paul’s teammates will be there for the wedding in New York City. I’m big fan of John and Heather Hudson (Guardian and Vindicator) and hope Marvel could find a storyline for them.
