Tag: AVX

AvX Should Be Called Operation: Hate Cyclops?

Avengers vs X-Men #11 courtesy Marvel

 Op/Ed:

  Avengers vs. X-Men could be retitled Operation: Hate Cyclops. When AvX was first announced I was on fully on board with Cyclops and the mutants. I posted “Cyke Is Right!” on my blog and all over rallying my fellow X-Men fans. X-Men were my first comic book and I’ve always identified with them. Captain America and the Avengers were yanking away the one Hope the mutants had to save their species.

The architects of AvX turned the greatest hero and leader in comic books into an arrogant, power mad egomaniac. The Marvel masterminds even did the unthinkable – turn me against Scott! I’ve actually rooting for the Avengers. Cyke was right. Now I’m not so sure.

AvX is a dark and critical chapter in Scott’s life. The man Professor Xavier chose to lead the mutants has never had it easy. He’s been put in incredible scenarios against impossible odds and faced tragedy after tragedy. His fellow mutants have constantly been under attack and he’s been forced to make tough calls without a single Avenger coming to his aid. That’s what I love about him.

Scott Summers must always been in control. Holding back his optic blasts is a symbol of the life Scott has been forced to lead. Professor Xavier made him team leader. Cyke pushed himself to be a better leader while the other X-Men got to laugh and escape from training at Harry’s Hideaway. Scott is always living in the Danger Room.

Scott has lost Jean, Madelyne, Nathan. Cyke has hold firm despite insults from Wolverine and wavering support from longtime friends. He’s a better X-Man than any mutant…including Logan.

Avengers vs. X-Men #11 courtesy Marvel.com

This week’s AvX #11 sees the Phoenix possessed Cyclops and Emma Frost turn on each other because there can be only one.  AvX appears to be the end of a powerhouse Marvel romance. Grant Morrison slowly separated Scott and Jean and paired Cyke with the reformed Emma Frost during his New X-Men run. Joss Whedon united Scott and Emma as the mutant power couple in his Astonishing X-Men epic. As much as I love Jean, Emma is the one true woman for Scott.

The Phoenix Force is now divided between Scott and Emma. Scott has been transformed into arrogant cosmic level zealot. The God-like power of the Phoenix Force has twisted Scott’s intense dedication to save his race. Emma’s behavior is now dangerously similar to the Dark Phoenix. The reformed White Queen has always kept her ruthless streak and it’s been necessary and easy for her to slip back into the role of a villain (Dark Reign & Dark X-Men Saga) to use it for the sake of saving the mutants.

I kept hoping Scott and Emma’s extreme and ruthless behavior was a result of having slivers of The Void (The Sentry’s evil alter ego) in their minds. It was these two mutants who sacrificed to trap the Void when the Avengers couldn’t stop him. I wanted some excuse so it would be easy to redeem Scott and Emma for their actions. Alas, I can blame the Phoenix Force but isn’t the entity just feeding off and empowering the emotions and motivations existing in my favorite Marvel power couple?

Avengers vs. X-Men made me side against Scott and Emma. This week’s chapter is teasing a fatality. Will Cyclops destroy his lover or his father figure and mentor? Can Scott live with it if he does kill Emma or the Professor?

Every hero falls. Every fan loves redemption. I hope Scott and Emma survive AvX to rise to greatness again in the Marvel NOW.

By Editor

Top Comic Book Picks for 9/12/12

Avenging Spider-Man #12 Spidey and Deadpool go back to high school? I’m sure there’s something much more sinister going on but the idea of Peter Parker and the Merc With a Mouth in detention is too good to pass up!

Avengers vs. X-Men #11 courtesy Marvel.com

Avengers vs. X-Men #11 X-Men join the Avengers in a last stand against the cosmic might of the Phoenix Two. What happens when Cyclops and Emma Frost turn on each other? What is Professor X prepared to do to save humanity? Marvel is teasing a fatality – who will pay the ultimate price to defeat the Phoenix Force?

Batman #0 A look into the past. Bruce Wayne returns from his global quest ready to launch his war on crime. See how the gadgets, Batcave, costume and more were born.

Manhattan Projects #6 Some of the most famous scientific geniuses in history as you’ve never seen them before. Creating the atomic bomb was nothing compared to what this American think tank was really up to. You can catch up with the first 5 issues in a new collection. Now see the other side of this twisted alterate history and weird science. Go back into the Cold War days and inside the Russia’s scientific counterpart to the Manhattan Projects.

The Massive #4 How you continue to have the moral companss of a pacifist when the world has gone to hell? A crew of environmentalists sail the poison oceans in search of their friends and trying to survive modern day pirates. What happens when the Captain meets a ghost from his past when he was a corporate mercenary.

I could have written a top 15 this week there are so many good books out there! Here’s my previews of the Doctor Who Annual, more Batman Family Zero issue books and a legion of X-Men books!

By Editor

Deadpool Counts His Dollars on Avengers vs. X-Men Finale

Avengers vs. X-Men #12 courtesy Marvel

  The Merc with a Mouth is counting up his cash on a variant for Avengers vs. X-Men #12 by Carlo Barberi.

  Marvel revealed this new cover starring Deadpool with a ton of heavy hitting villains down for the count.

  Deadpool stars in a brand new series by Gerry Duggan, Brian Posehn and Tony Moore in October.

By Editor

Avengers Vs. X-Men The End Teaser (Dark Phoenix Returns?)

courtesy Marvel

  I admit I exclaimed “OH —-!” when I saw this teaser image for Avengers vs. X-Men #12 from Marvel. It’s a haunting blast from the past as what appears to be Jean Grey as Dark Phoenix strikes a pose amid cosmic flames with the ominous title “The End.” 

If you’re old school like me you can’t help but picture Jean Grey pleading with Scott to kill her on the moon before the Dark Phoenix takes over again in the classic conclusion to The Dark Phoenix Saga by Chris Claremont and John Byrne.

  But I’m feeling hope too. Not that Hope. I think of Grant Morrison and Marc Silvestri’s Here Comes Tomorrow modern masterpiece when Jean set Cyclops on the right path to prevent a nightmare future and she went to off to a higher plane. Is Jean back to make things right?

  AvX has been so much more than team vs. team. Heroes on both sides have been in conflict over which side to choose. While I love the action and fights I’ve really been engrossed with the inner conflicts.

  Is this a resurrected Jean Grey or Hope as the Dark Phoenix? How does the final chapter of AvX lead to the original X-Men being brought into the present day?

Avengers vs X-Men #12 by Jason Aaron and Adam Kubert arrives in October

By Editor

Top 5 Comic Book Picks 8/29/12 Doctor Who, Star Trek, AvX, and That Super Kiss!

AvX Vs. #5 One of Marvel’s most iconic power couples is shattered. See the extended battle that led to the breakup of Storm and the Black Panther. Plus, Hawkeye takes aim at Angel. Two huge fights from the Avengers vs. X-Men mega series in this “all fights” series.

Captain Marvel #3 Carol is trapped in World War II with a team of female pilots under siege. Is this time twisting part of a NASA experiment gone wrong?

Justice League #12 Superman and Wonder Woman in love! Have you seen the super kiss? There’s more to romance in this action packed issue as the heroes are tested while fighting their new foe.

Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2 #4 courtesy IDW Publishing

Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who Assimilation2 #3  The Borg and Cybermen are attacking the Federation. Why an alliance of the Time Lord and Captain Picard may be more dangerous than the CyberBorg. What will Guinan reveal to the Doctor?

Winter Soldier #9 Marvel’s hottest superspies and lovers turned against each other. Black Widow’s tragic past has taken hold of her. Can Bucky save her?

By Editor

 

All-New X-Men Reveals Emma Frost, Cyclops, Magneto, Magik!

All-New X-Men courtesy Marvel

  Marvel revealed a third variant by Stuart Immonen for the upcoming All-New X-Men by Brian Michael Bendis. The third cover image revealed at Fan Expo Canada shows Cyclops, Emma Frost, Magneto, Magik and a young man in glasses (no idea here). 

  All-New X-Men will see the original five X-Men from the past suddenly in our present day. A second cover revealed Storm, Wolverine, Kitty Pryde, Beast, Iceman and a mystery woman Bendis say is not Rachel Summers.

All-New X-Men courtesy Marvel

  This new cover makes us assume Scott, Emma, Erik and Illyana will survive Avengers vs. X-Men and be part of the new Marvel NOW! X-Men relaunch. AvX#11 has teases a death: there can be only one. Scott and Emma are currently the only host of the Phoenix Force.

  I still hold on to my theory that if you have an Uncanny Avengers…there can be a team of Avenging X-Men. I hope this cover means Emma (good or evil) will live on in the Marvel Now!

 All-New X-Men debuts with 2 issues this November.

Thanks to Comics Newsarama for the images.

By Editor

The X-Men’s Sinister Showdown

Uncanny X-Men #17 courtesy Marvel

  A sinister showdown in Uncanny X-Men #17 taking place before the shattering of the Phoenix Five in the main AvX series. Gillen orchestrates unexpected action and sharp humor in a last stand between the X-Men and Mister Sinister.

  Psylocke is the breakout star of his issue. From her psychic manipulation of Sinister’s army to her intimate bonding with Danger to infiltrate the stronghold to her declarations “I’m a bloody ninja!”

Psylocke has become the female Wolverine! She’s in every freakin’ X-book but when she’s written this good (Rick Remender and Brian Wood equally rock Betsy) I can enjoy her overexposure.

  Kieron Gillen does a fantastic job wrapping a two-year storyline amid a major crossover. I wish Carlos Pacheco could have rejoined him as this title ends. Gillen breathed new life into a tired old villain and Sinister manages to do to the Phoenix Five in this issue what Avengers’ biggest brains wish they could do.

Uncanny X-Men #9 interior art of UNIT courtesy Marvel

  This looks like the end of Sinister and his own twisted version of London but I hope it’s just the beginning for Unit. I think he’s the X-Men’s version of Ultron. I already pleaded on Twitter for Gillen to pit Tony Stark against the metallic manipulator on his upcoming Iron Man run. Please? I just hope Marvel doesn’t let this brilliant and scary creation fade away.

By Editor

 

Top 5 Picks for 8/22/12

America’s Got Powers #3 Tommy went from teen zero to the number one hero on the world’s highest rated reality series. Behind the celebrity life lies the dark secret that catapulted Tommy to stardom. What happens when this kid with limitless powers finally faces the truth?

Astonishing X-Men #53 courtesy Marvel

Astonishing X-Men #53 A teammate explodes?! Northstar faces a dangerous assignment and Karma vows to kill the mystery woman behind the attacks.

Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan #1 Into the past of the most powerful and most tragic of the Watchmen. Acclaimed creators J. Michael Stryczynski and Adam Hughes go inside the mind of the brilliant scientist turned God-like nuclear man.

Buffy, The Vampire Slayer: Spike #1 The vampire villain who lost his bite after falling for the Slayer goes solo on a mission looking at his past and future. Spike in space with demons, witches and aliens on the moon?

Uncanny X-Men #17 Cyclops and his Phoenix Five in a final showdown with the forces of Mister Sinister. What does the repowered supervillain have in store for Scott and all part of Sinister’s longterm plan?

By Editor