Tag: Cat Beast

All-New X-MEN #5 Review

All-New X-Men #5 courtesy Marvel
All-New X-Men #5 courtesy Marvel

Everything old is All-New after the first X-Men arc of Brian Michael Bendis. In this week’s All-New X-Men #5 an original X-Man gets a makeover and two X-Women take charge.

Professor X was murdered by Cyclops. Scott, Magneto, Emma and Magik are recruiting new mutants for a revolution. A dying Beast went into the past to bring the original Scott, Jean, Warren, Bobby and Hank into the Marvel Now. Hank’s dream of inspiring Cyclops takes a dramatic twist in this chapter. In the finale of the first arc Beast is reborn, Jean Grey learns entire truth about her future history and Kitty Pryde takes on a new role with Xavier’s original teenage dream.

Bendis delivers drama, action, intrigue and humor but the most important element is heart. A psychic exchange between newly telepathic Jean and the older Beast shows the sense of love and loss these characters are feeling. The storytelling has inspired great moments of nostalgia while still moving the Children of the Atom forward. There’s just a sense of the writer’s love and awe of these classic characters, their history and their relationships. I think I was in a psychic rapport with Bendis and Stuart Immomen as I read this arc!

In these first five chapters Bendis has established the new mutant order with new leaders, new agendas, new mutants, new powers and the potential for exciting new directions. X-Men really is All-New.

By Editor

X-Man Makeover in All-New X-Men

Spoiler Alert:

 

Do NOT read this post until you’ve read All-New X-Men #5

 

Seriously.

 

Here it comes.

 

OK.

 

All-New X-Men #2 courtesy Marvel
All-New X-Men #2 courtesy Marvel

  All-New X-Men #1 opened with Beast dying from his mutating mutation. In this week’s All-New X-Men #5 Henry McCoy survives (thanks to help from the young McCoy) and emerges with a new look. The Ape looking beast is back but without haircut that looks like Wolverine or the Owl. Stuart Immonen designed the new look.

This is a big shift from the feline Beast that debuted in the Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely New X-Men era. X-Men Editor Nick Lowe talked about Hank’s transformation with Comics Newsarama.

“I’m a big Beast fan, period. I do love the Cat Beast look, as not only do I think that he looks more like a “beast” in that look rather than the classic Gil Kane/George Perez/etc… rendition but I pretty much love every line Frank Quitely has put on paper, so…

Anyway, we would often get in big disagreements (by we, I mean me and most of the room) at editorial retreats about Cat Beast vs. Ape Beast. Also, the old design doesn’t look like an ape! Anyway, my resistance was against reverting to the older version because I thought that the more beastly looking works better for the actual character. But since this is a new, still beastly design and not just a furry guy with big hair, I was all in! But my passion on the subject does open me up to lots of ridicule. But that’s OK, I’m the youngest of three in my family so I’m used to that.”

For the entire interview here’s the link.

All-New X-Men #5 courtesy Marvel
All-New X-Men #5 courtesy Marvel

Now that Henry is NOT dying can we expect a return of the happier, bouncing Beast? Maybe a reunion with Trish Trilby? Hank and the reporter split after his change into the Cat Beast.

I’m really showing my age here but since the Ape Beast is back – how about a limited series with Wonder Man? That would take me back to the classic George Perez days!

What do you think of the new Beast?

By Editor