Wolverine and the X-Men by Jason Aaron and Nick Bradshaw is my favorite book right now and a pure joyride with action, humor and outrageous storylines.
Here’s a quick recap:
Wolverine built the Jean Grey School for young mutants after his schism with Cyclops. Kitty is pregnant – sort of. Beast and some kids are inside Kitty’s body trying to save her. Logan and Kid Omega – that brat – are in an outer space casino cheating at gambling to get money to keep the school open. There’s a nice Brood student who talks and won’t eat you. The school is being invaded by an army of Brood – the nasty kind you know and hate.
On April 3, over 1,100 comic shops will give devoted fans the opportunity to be amongst the first to read Avengers Vs. X-Men #1 at AVX Launch Parties! New promo art was revealed today.
courtesy Marvel
Comic shops are loaded with either Avengers or X-Men themed exclusive mini posters, buttons, variants, lithographs and more that no fan can miss! And with an Avengers Vs. X-Men #1 Blank Variants.
A new preview of Avengers Vs X-Men from writers Brian Michael Bendis and Jason Aaron.
In a new interview with ABCNEWS.COM the writers reveal how AvX is written for the hard core geek (like me and probably you) or the fan who just knows the characters from the movie.
You may have read my post in favor of Victor Gischler’s radical transformation of Jubilee in his X-Men series. The young mutant who was Wolverine’s spunky sidekick with fireworks generation powers is now a creature of darkness. In a new interview with Comic Book Resources, Gischler reveals who was behind the decision to turn Jubilee into a vampire.
“The initial idea to turn her vamp came from the big brains in the X-office. I jumped on the idea and ran with it. Jubilee was a big part of the “Curse of the Mutants” arc. Jubilee had been de-powered and it was not only a cool plot point to turn her vamp but also an exciting way to get her more actively in the mix again.”
If you haven’t been following Jubilee was turned into a vampire in X-Men #1: Curse of the Mutants. Jubilee disappeared from the team’s last mission and ended up with a unique vampire clan calling themselves the Forgiven. Gishcler talks about the long mutant/vampire history that led to his ongoing epic.
“I was sent a huge PDF file of all Marvel vamp lore when I started designing the different vampire sects for “Death of Dracula.” I started with ideas that were already there and sort of formalized and expanded them. Dracula, the sects and The Forgiven are now players in the Marvel U and we’ve already seen them make cool appearances in other books. They’ll continue to crop up now and then.”
Gischler says Storm will stay team leader but expect roster changes for the team. Will Jubilee stay if she can learn to control her vampire urges or will she join Logan at the School?
Does the impeding Avengers Vs. X-Men epic have you longing for events past? X-Men #29 is just what the event addict ordered. In Marvel’s May solicit for the issue by Victor Gischler and Will Conrad, relive Secret Invasion when the Skrulls conquered Earth.
In X-Men #29 a team of the shapeshifters infiltrates the X-Men. Pixie is taken hostage “or did she go by choice?”
I loved all of Secret Invasion especially the X-Men limited series. I wouldn’t mind some more Skrull-crushing!
Marjorie Liu and Mike Perkins are the new team on Astonishing X-Men. The lineup includes Wolverine, Iceman, Gambit, Warbird, Karma and Northstar. With the cancellation of Alpha Flight I had hoped Marvel would bring Jean Paul back to the X-Men. Northstar is at the Jean Grey School and he’s continuing his relationship with boyfriend Kyle.
The mutant with mind possession power is losing control over her own. How will the X-Men stop Karma from taking control over her teammates. Northstar’s boyfriend Kyle is in danger. Will Jean Paul be forced to choose between him or his team. Plus Marvel promises that his issue’s ending will “be the most talked about moment of the year!”
Following in the path of Rogue, Frenzy is a character searching for redemption. Joanna Cargill debuted as part of Apocalypse’s Alliance of Evil in the original X-Factor then joined Magneto’s Acolytes.
Mike Carey started evolving the ex-villain in Age of X. The heartbroken Frenzy awoke from that alternate world arc learning her passionate romance with Cyclops was lie. Christos Gage now has Joanna flirting with bad boy Gambit in X-Men Legacy. Gage told Comic Book Resources about Frenzy’s motivations and his plans for her.
“I’ve always been a sucker for characters who are seeking redemption, and Frenzy is most definitely one. I think her primary motivation right now is to be a hero, the kind of person she was in the world of “Age of X.” An interesting catch is that in “Age of X” she was protecting and defending mutants, not humans. As a former mutant supremacist, she hasn’t really addressed how she feels about protecting a world that hates and fears her. We’ll be exploring that coming up.
Cyclops and Frenzy share a kiss courtesy Marvel.com
I think that her struggle after discovering her relationship with Cyclops, which meant so much to her in “Age of X,” was an illusion is the very reason she shared a kiss with Gambit. It was implied back in the ’90s that they had met before joining the X-Men, when both were freelance mercenaries and that they were both enemies and lovers. It’s not terribly uncommon for people who are emotionally vulnerable to turn to an old flame for comfort; even if they know there are probably pretty good reasons that old flame is not a current flame. I think she and Gambit are in a similar place emotionally, and it’ll be intriguing to see where it goes, if anywhere.”
For Gage’s entire interview here’s the Comic Book Resources link. I love David Baldeon’s art on X-Men Legacy especially Frenzy.
On a geek personal note:
Nicole Beharie by John Shearer courtesy WireImage.com
I think Frenzy would make a perfect for Magneto’s Brotherhood in the X-Men: First Class sequel. A passionate and strong African-American woman like Joanna would be a great character to explore the turbulent 1960’s and the struggle for racial equality and mutant equality. Frenzy could become Erik’s love interest. Michael Fassbender could reunite with his Shame co-star, the stunning Nicole Beharie. The two had incredible chemistry in that film.
As a huge fan of Mike Carey’s X-Men Legacy run, Christos Gage had big shoes to fill, especially when it comes to writing Rogue. I’m thrilled to say that I’m really enjoying his initial issues. I wanted to share some highlights of Gage’s interview with Comic Book Resources.
I really like his take on why choosing between Cyclops and Wolverine (after Schism) was difficult for Rogue and why she’s so comfortable with new role at the Jean Grey School.
“I think Rogue’s struggle with the Schism wasn’t so much over what side to choose but rather the fact that it was happening at all. It hurt her to see two men she liked and respected so much in Cyclops and Wolverine disagreeing so strongly, and to see the X-Men divided. It was especially tough on her to leave Magneto in the early stages of their burgeoning yet largely undefined relationship, before she’d had a chance to sort out her feelings about him.
X-Men Legacy #261 preview art courtesy Marvel.com
That said, I think she was always going to go to the Grey School. She had been working with the X-Men’s younger kids for a long time, and I think it gave her a feeling of doing something positive while at the same time giving kids in situations similar to hers when she was young — often confused and scared by their powers — opportunities she never had. It’s good for her and it’s good for the kids. I think she feels better about her role in the world — what she’s doing with her life — than maybe she ever has.”
X-Men Legacy #262 arrives February 22nd with a stunning Mark Brooks cover.
