Tag: Cyclops

X-MEN: New Hero and New Legacy

X-Men Legacy #1 courtesy Marvel

A brand new X-Men Legacy series starring Legion? This is one of the most surprising titles of the Marvel NOW relaunch. Writer Simon Spurrier and artist Tan Eng Huat create this week’s X-Men Legacy #1 starring one of the most powerful and dangerously unstable mutants in the Marvel Universe – the son of Professor X.

 

X-Men Legacy #1 courtesy Marvel

Writer Simon Spurrier (X-Club) and Editor Daniel Ketchum shared their vision and plans for this new series on Marvel.com.

“It’s kind of the black sheep of the X-Men family,”Spurrier says of the book and star, “is he going to step up and try to fill his father’s shoes? Is he going to go in a completely opposite direction? At the same time, how are the X-Men going to feel about this?”

X-Men Legacy #1 courtesy Marvel

“How do you feel when you’ve grown up in the shadow of a great man?” Legion is someone who has largely defined himself by who his father was,” Spurrier said of Professor X’s son.”

You could call Legion an enemy of the X-Men because of the evil personalities that took over David but Spurrier plans on giving him his own voice.

X-Men Legacy #1 courtesy Marvel

“It was wonderful to give Legion a voice & get into the nittygritty about what he is all about.”

Legion will confront the X-Men in issue #4 and questions their decision to keep mutants closed away at a school.

How will Legion react to meeting Cyclops – the man who murdered his father?

“I haven’t written Cyclops yet, let’s just say that,” Spurrier replied.

Since Legion grew up on a small island off Scotland Spurrier said he will give him a slight Scottish accent. Spurrier said he’s a fan of Chamber and Blindfold is a “brilliant and broken character” who will have a big part to play. Wolverine, Storm and Frenzy will appear in the series.

What about Legion’s famous hairstyle?

As you can see from the interior art by Tan Eng Huat, Daniel’s classic hair is staying.

Op/Ed: Professor X’s son has been central to many storylines but as a supporting character but now he’s the leading man. In the aftermath of AvX it makes more sense that Legion assume a greater role in mutant affrairs except that Daniel Haller isn’t the most stable guy. Legion’s mental instability and drastic actions created the Age of Apocalypse and Age of X. Professor X’s son will struggle with his psychic demons while trying to save his father’s dream. It may seem very unorthodox but this new X-Men Legacy #1 really takes on a personal and literal meaning.

By Editor

 

Past Meets Present in All-New X-MEN #1

All New X-Men #1 courtesy Marvel

Will a blast from the past reshape the future of Marvel’s mutants? In All-New X-Men #1 Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen bring the original five teen mutants from the past in the Marvel Now. Bendis and X-Men Editor Nick Lowe talk about the time twist and how it will affect the mutants on Marvel.com.

In many ways All-New X-Men is a twist on Chris Claremont’s Day of Future Past. Scott, Jean, Hank, Bobby and Warren of the past have arrived in what to them is a horrific future. Their mentor is dead. Cyclops is in prison for the murder. Anti-mutant hate is raging. The X-Men are without a leader. How will the meeting of past and present X-Men affect the mutant and Marvel universe?

“I am fascinated by the power and responsibility of abusing time travel for your own selfish purposes. I do believe it will create a butterfly effect,” Bendis said, “something that happens in All New X-Men will create a cosmic stir.”

After Schism – Logan rebuilt the a school for mutants. I’m a huge fan of Wolverine and the X-Men by Jason Aaron. The staff and students of the Jean School will be front and center in the new book.

“The time traveling X-Men will be trained in the Wolverine school is different and unique ways,” Bendis said, “Hate is very interesting to write but someone appreciating you for your differences will be explored.”

All-New X-Men #2 courtesy Marvel

Bendis revealed that the core of the new book is not just old X-Men.

“There’s a lot more going on in the book than just the five coming here,” he said. “A lot of it has to do with modern day Cyclops and who his alliances are with. That will take shape very quickly in the first issue — a very new X-Men idea. What he’s going to do is a completely different shape akin to when the Avengers moved from Avengers Mansion to Avengers Tower.” “There’s new X-Men. We’re not calling it ‘All-New X-Men’ for nothing. There are all new X-Men debuting in our first issue. Brand new characters, you’re welcome Fox. They’re going to be representing a new look at mutants … a very modern take. All this is going on in every issue going forward.”

During his Avengers run Bendis’s stories (“No More Mutants” in House of M, The Dark X-Men and formation of Utopia in Dark Reign) had a huge impact on the mutants. Expect Bendis’s X-Men stories to affect the entire Universe. The

“I want to make the X-Men a part of the Marvel Universe proper,”he said. “you’ll see the X-Men interacting with The Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy.”

This is exciting news. The mutants have a stellar (pardon the pun) tradition of conflicts with alien races (The Shi’ar, The Brood, The Skrulls) and there’s a rich history of family connections (The Starjammers, Vulcan, Phoenix – Jean and Rachel, Deathbird) with those alien empires. Bendis is writing a brand new Guardians of the Galaxy series. Maybe we’ll revisit the infamous M’Krann Crystal?

Bendis said to watch out for a certain shapeshifter!

“A very big, positioned antagonist is going to be Mystique,” Bendis said. “She’s going to be very interested in the past X-Men coming here.”

All-New X-Men #1 arrives this week.

By Editor

Thanks in part to Comic Book Resources.

Uncanny X-Men Begins Again!

Uncanny X-Men #1 courtesy Marvel

If you thought Uncanny X-Men and Cyclops’s Extinction Team were extinct…think again! Brian Michael Bendis and Chris Bachalo relaunch Uncanny X-Men for the Marvel Now in February 2013. It was confirmed today on Marvel.com.

It appears Cyclops may not trying to make up for his actions in Avengers vs. X-Men. The new mutant population boom has the fallen leader inspired to save his race – by any means necessary. Magneto, Emma Frost and Magik join Scott on his missions to recruit young mutants and protect them from a world that fears and hates them.

  “You will discover in the very first issue of ALL-NEW X-MEN exactly where Scott Summers’ head is at. Of all the X-Men that feel it is their job to further the legacy of Charles Xavier, no one feels it more strongly than Scott Summers.

  Scott Summers himself is not only trying to save these kids but he is trying to train them and get them ready for what he feels is coming mutant revolution These new students represent his only hope for true redemption. And his only hope to make the world the way he really thinks it should be.”

All-New X-Men #1 courtesy Marvel

The new Uncanny X-Men follows after All-New X-Men, both written by Bendis. The writer reveals which is the flagship and how the books connect to Wolverine and the X-Men by Jason Aaron.

  “I feel the audience decides what is or is not a flagship title, but I will say that UNCANNY X-MEN will be the one-stop shop for these very important characters in the mutant [corner of the] Marvel Universe and the Marvel Universe proper. I’m very lucky that I get to write ALL NEW X-MEN and UNCANNY X-MEN at the same time. I can examine this fascinating part of the Marvel Universe from vastly different angles.

  I can’t think of a time where the mutant part of the Marvel Universe has been more exciting. Every character is so complex and there are so many characters interacting. Literally anything could happen,

  It is not unlike the job I had writing NEW AVENGERS and DARK AVENGERS at the same time, even though this is not DARK X-MEN.”

Bendis revealed that the new Uncanny X-Men came out of story planning for AvX.

I love this response from Bendis comparing the friends and family aspect in Earth’s Mightiest Heroes versus the Children of the Atom.

   “Absolutely. If the Avengers are a family, then UNCANNY X-MEN is a very, very, very dysfunctional family.  But these characters really do need each other. And some of them love each other. And some of them don’t.”

Avengers vs X-Men #11 courtesy Marvel

Even though I love Jean I’ve said before that Emma Frost is the best thing to happen to Scott Summers. Bendis confirms that Cyke and Emma are over.

  “The romance is done. They are not together anymore romantically. It’s pretty hard to come back from what they went through in Avengers Vs. X-Men.Things were said, powers were stolen, and as we will discover in the very first issues of UNCANNY X-MEN, some things happen between them that cannot be taken back.

  And because they are Scott and Emma, this breakup is going to take a while. And it’s not going to be pretty, but fun to write.”

Magneto has been the ultimate X-Men enemy, headmaster of Xavier’s and in recent years an ally loyal to Scott. I love Bendis’s teasing answer to the question: Is Magneto reformed?

  “What you are going to see with Magneto is a very specific new chapter in his life. At the last Marvel [creative summit] we were talking about the fact that we often break our heroes but never do much to our villains. We would put the Fantastic Four through the ringer but Doctor Doom  is always Doctor Doom. I gave that conversation a lot of thought.

  What happens in the pages of UNCANNY X-MEN will establish a very bold, new chapter for Magneto.”

Bendis said he’s creating brand new mutant characters for that will be front and center with the main cast. I’m always excited for the debut of new mutants. I won’t name names but some work, some don’t.

The big question for me: Cyclops’s new headgear?

For the entire interview here’s the Marvel.com link.

  All-New X-Men #1 debuts next week! Uncanny X-Men #1 hits in February!

By Editor

New UNCANNY X-MEN Confirmed?

Uncanny X-Men #1 by Chris Bachalo courtesy Marvel and Chris Bachalo Illustation

  Last week’s tease:

Uncanny. Bendis. Bachalo.

  But could it really mean a third volume of Uncanny X-Men?

  Artist Chris Bachalo confirmed the relaunch on his personal blog according to Comic Book Resources.

  The artist writes:

  “Launches are tough as there’s a lot of ground to cover to get things rolling,” Bachalo said. “Characters are re-imagined, writing styles adjusted to, locations established. It’s a tough learning curve that typically takes a few issues to figure out and grow comfortable with. We’re still very early into the creative part so hard for me to comment on exactly what to expect. The daring part is that the tone of the book — feels like, its early — will be a little darker. Characters powers have been ‘adjusted’ as a result of the Phoenix Five fallout and I was asked to redesign costumes for the entire cast. Everyone. Plus, as of today, there are two “new” mutants. It’s a big jump that I’m sure will turn a few off but, we’re betting on, that most will welcome and enjoy. One thing that you can count on is that Brian will always give you something worth reading. He never fails to be interesting. Launch is two issues in February.”

  The preview art showing Cyke’s new costume does match the one on earlier the Marvel Now! teaser art by Joe Quesada. The shot shows a new helmet on Magneto and the lovely Miss Emma Frost.

  I have loved Chris Bachalo’s work since his co-creation of Generation X and Age of Apocalypse. Bachalo has rejoined the X-Men family so many times but each time he brings exciting new takes to Marvel’s mutants. Bachalo is near the top of my wish list of “I MUST MEET” at a con!

 Uncanny X-Men arrives in February 2013.

By Editor

AvX Aftermath! The Future of Cyclops

Spoiler Warning:

 

This review/post reveals key elements of AvX: Consequences #4 and #5.

 

Seriously.

 

Here is comes.

 

AvX: Consequences #5 courtesy Marvel

Kieron Gillen wrapped the second volume of Uncanny X-Men but he has more mutant stories to tell that propelling fan favorites into the Marvel Now. Gillen’s Extinction Team have been the stars of AvX: Consequences. This 5-part epilogue to Avengers vs. X-Men reveals how the Phoenix Five are facing the consequences of their actions while possessed by the cosmic entity.

In Chapter 4 Cyclops submits himself to Tony Stark as a cosmic lab rat. Scott has been playing the martyr but is he really playing possum to outwit the genius?

Abigail Brand of S.W.O.R.D. has been keeping secrets. She’s hiding fugitive members of the Phoenix Five and she reveals that she’s more than a green haired alien. I really hope Brand might pop up in Gillen’s upcoming Iron Man run.

If you’re wondering about Hope and Namor’s roles in the Marvel Now this is the issue! Hope and the King of Atlantis share an exchange in the underwater ruins of Utopia. In one line Gillen captures the personality of Namor and why I love him so much.

Storm and Colossus fought it out in Brian Wood’s final issue of X-Men but here Peter and Ororo share a bitter reunion. Colossus may be free of his demons but his former little snowflake left him filled with hate. I know that Peter will be part of Cable and X-Force and I can’t help but think of when Nathan recruited a rage filled Warpath to join his first incarnation of the team.

Wolverine comes back to prison to deliver sad news to Cyclops. I really enjoyed this encounter. After the bitter fallout of Schism and AvX I think Gillen is setting the stage for a reconcilation between Scott and Logan. (I wrote this part of the post before I read issue #5)

I think the most exciting plot springboard is when the fugitive Magneto finally makes his appearance. Erik is back playing the role we all know he can do best: the villain.

This week’s final chapter picks right up with a new mutant unholy trinity: Magneto, Magik and Danger. The clues have been there the entire series but I wanted to believe Scott Summers was accepting his role as the martyr and on the road to redemption.

Logan said it best when he tells the Avengers, “Scott is gone.”

Magneto, Magik and Danger stage a daring jailbreak and execute Cyclops’s severe punishment on his prison tormentors. Scott leaves a note for Logan. The letter sums up what Kieron Gillen has pulled off: the role reversal of Wolverine and Cyclops. The bad boy who did the dirty work to keep mutants safe is now the heir to Professor Xavier’s legacy of teaching young mutants. The former golden boy is now the self-appointed and ruthless defender, protector and avenger for the mutant race.

All-New X-Men #1 courtesy Marvel

From the preview art for All-New X-Men #1 we know Cyclops, Emma Frost, Magneto and Magik will be part of Brian Michael Bendis’s Marvel Now X-Men era. Marvel has teased another Bendis book (with Chris Bachalo on art) with the simple word: Uncanny.

From the finale of AvX: Consequences #5 it looks like my theory of an Avenging X-Men may not be that far off! You may have read my earlier op/ed about how AvX should have been called Operation Hate Cyclops. This week’s finale may cement the hate for some of you.

 

All-New X-Men #1 courtesy Marvel

  All-New X-Men #1 is out November 14th. Maybe we’ll find out then?

By Editor

UNCANNY X-MEN by Bendis?

courtesy Marvel.com

Marvel tease machine rolls on with a new one! This will mean 3 Marvel Now books with “UNCANNY” in the title. Rick Remender and John Cassaday have launched Uncanny Avengers. Sam Humphries and Ron Garney will relaunch a brand new Uncanny X-Force.

Brian Michael Bendis (All-New X-Men) and Chris Bachalo will launch a new Uncanny ? book in February 2013. What will it be? Kieron Gillen just wrote the finale of a second volume of Uncanny X-Men. Maybe Marvel just can’t do without that classic title? The second volume was about Cyclops’s Extinction Team. All-New X-Men is being called THE flagship mutant book starring the original five students of Professor X. Perhaps this new Uncanny X-Men will be Bendis’s version of New Avengers or maybe even a mutant Illuminati?

What I hope it will be? The redemption of Scott Summers. Cyclops and Emma were affected by events in the Bendis Avengers run (House of M: Decimation, The Void, Dark Reign) so he owes them?

What do you think?

By Editor

All-New X-Men Preview

All New X-Men #1 courtesy Marvel

The Children of the Atom are mutating again. Will a blast from the past reinvigorate the future for Marvel’s mutants? In All-New X-Men #1 Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen bring the original five teen mutants from the past in the Marvel Now. Bendis and X-Men Editor Nick Lowe talk about the time twist and how it will affect the mutants on Marvel.com.

In many ways All-New X-Men is a twist on Chris Claremont’s Day of Future Past. Scott, Jean, Hank, Bobby and Warren of the past have arrived in what to them is a horrific future. Their mentor is dead. Cyclops is in prison for the murder. Anti-mutant hate is raging. The X-Men are without a leader. How will the meeting of past and present X-Men affect the mutant and Marvel universe?

“I am fascinated by the power and responsibility of abusing time travel for your own selfish purposes. I do believe it will create a butterfly effect,” Bendis said, “something that happens in All New X-Men will create a cosmic stir.”

After Schism – Logan rebuilt the a school for mutants. I’m a huge fan of Wolverine and the X-Men by Jason Aaron. The staff and students of the Jean School will be front and center in the new book.

“The time traveling X-Men will be trained in the Wolverine school is different and unique ways,” Bendis said, “Hate is very interesting to write but someone appreciating you for your differences will be explored.”

All-New X-Men #2 courtesy Marvel

Bendis revealed that the core of the new book is not just old X-Men.

“There’s a lot more going on in the book than just the five coming here,” he said. “A lot of it has to do with modern day Cyclops and who his alliances are with. That will take shape very quickly in the first issue — a very new X-Men idea. What he’s going to do is a completely different shape akin to when the Avengers moved from Avengers Mansion to Avengers Tower.” “There’s new X-Men. We’re not calling it ‘All-New X-Men’ for nothing. There are all new X-Men debuting in our first issue. Brand new characters, you’re welcome Fox. They’re going to be representing a new look at mutants … a very modern take. All this is going on in every issue going forward.”

During his Avengers run Bendis’s stories (“No More Mutants” in House of M, The Dark X-Men and formation of Utopia in Dark Reign) had a huge impact on the mutants. Expect Bendis’s X-Men stories to affect the entire Universe. The

“I want to make the X-Men a part of the Marvel Universe proper,”he said. “you’ll see the X-Men interacting with The Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy.”

This is exciting news. The mutants have a stellar (pardon the pun) tradition of conflicts with alien races (The Shi’ar, The Brood, The Skrulls) and there’s a rich history of family connections (The Starjammers, Vulcan, Phoenix – Jean and Rachel, Deathbird) with those alien empires. Bendis is writing a brand new Guardians of the Galaxy series. Maybe we’ll revisit the infamous M’Krann Crystal?

Bendis said he did not want to bring the Professor X of the past into the here and now “I considered Professor X like a wet blanket”

The way this story is structured is that since Xavier won’t be there, he won’t be able to “mind-wipe” the X-Men.

All-New X-Men #4 courtesy Marvel

I have openly said AvX should have been called Operation: Let’s Make Eveybody Hate Cyclops. The leader now sits in prison (for his actions as the Dark Phoenix) even though he was right about the role of the Phoenix Force and the restarting of the mutant race. Bendis revealed how Scott will not be left rotting in prison and off the burner.

“To the world at large, the public doesn’t know Cyclops killed Xavier,” revealed Bendis. “Even though everybody saw it … everybody saw a different thing. To the public, there was a very cool guy named Scott Summers [who changed the world], did it and then suddenly disappeared.” Bendis said Cyclops will become a very public face of a mutant revolution. “When I say these things, it’s not everyone. There are some people who really like him, there are some who really don’t.” The X-Men will be forced to change their roles and everyone has very different ideas on how to handle Cyclops.”

Bendis said to watch out for a certain shapeshifter!

“A very big, positioned antagonist is going to be Mystique,” Bendis said. “She’s going to be very interested in the past X-Men coming here.”

All-New X-Men #1 arrives November 14th.

By Editor

Thanks in part to Comic Book Resources.

Uncanny X-Men Questions Answered

 

Uncanny X-Men #9 courtesy Marvel.com

  In Uncanny X-Men #20 Kieron Gillen wrapped up the story of Cyclops’s Extinction Team. It was a satisfying ending, set up some characters for their new roles in the Marvel Now and left some intriguing possibilities for others.

  You could say Gillen was back for a post-op in his final X-Position (a must read each week for me) on Comic Book Resources. I wanted to share some of the best answers and my thoughts on them.

  Colossus has been a tortured soul for years. Peter was possessed by Cyttorak, became the Juggernaut and it cost him Kitty Pryde. Colossus became a member of the Phoenix Five and created hell on earth with Magik. Turns out Peter was being tortured by his twisted sister the whole time. A fan asked if Peter was the only member of the Phoenix Five who regretted his actions in the Avengers vs. X-Men conflict.

“Well, Colossus does like having a big ol’ whine.

  More seriously, I think you’re a little hard on the Phoenix Five. Colossus is most openly repentant, but just because Scott would do it all again doesn’t mean he doesn’t wish it went a different way. I’ve written him openly suicidal in “Consequences,” for example, and that’s not a man who is entirely at home with what he’s done. We’ve seen very little of Emma and absolutely nothing of Namor post-Phoenix Five. And even when we have seen them, they’re two incredibly proud individuals. Even if they did have regrets, who would they admit it to?

  And Magik keeps her cards close to her chest. She kept the fact she was torturing her brother secret for 25 issues. Who knows what’s going on in the be-banged head of hers.”

 Magneto joined the X-Men because he believed in Scott for uniting the mutants on Utopia. How does the Master of Magnetism connect to Cyke now?

  “You’ll see more of Magneto in “Consequences” shortly, but while he’s certainly hurt mutants’ reputation, he’s also brought them back. There will be a future mutant race. You have to suspect that Magneto will respect that.”

Avengers vs X-Men #6 courtesy Marvel

  I’ve always thought Scott’s drastic actions have been because he was possessed by the Void. Emma and then Scott kept this sliver of Robert Reynolds (aka The Sentry’s) evil dark side in the minds. A fan asked if Cyke was possessed or if he truly became the new Magneto.

  “I think Scott’s route to where he is now was taken a step at a time. I don’t think he’s Magneto, even now. I think there’s still a sliver of idealism in him — which is something I explore in “Consequences.”

  You’re right to bring up the concept of possession though — how much is Scott to blame for it? I’ve said that Logan considers he really is, as he was of his right mind as he went along that road. But, once he’s started, he’s definitely being influenced. That Scott held himself together for as long as he did is no small thing.”

  I believe Cyke was right but what does Gillen think about Scott’s stance in AvX?

  “Scott was right in many ways. However it’s also worth stressing — and I suspect this is the thing which most pro-Scott advocates are skirting over — is that if we did everything like Scott said, the Earth would have been destroyed. Hope wasn’t ready. She was ready eventually but that required time.

(That said, there’s also the reading that Hope was always fine and could have dealt with it if she had too. I think that’s a bit of a reach — but we’ll never know.)

  Scott’s position was always a fatalistic, providence-heavy one. The Avengers’ resistance was all part of the universal plan. Scott taking the Phoenix for as long as he did allowed Hope to be ready. It all worked out.

  That’s the thing which makes Scott’s mono-vision more questionable, for me. By believing it all worked out in the end does mean you remove the possibility that it could have worked out in a better way.

  Though I suppose when you’ve killed your mentor and father figure, that’s a question you may want to avoid for as long as possible.”

  Gillen is taking over Iron Man with Greg Land and said Tony’s role in AvX Consequenceswill foreshadow what he’s had planned for the Armored Avenger.

 Gillen is also launching a new Young Avengers with Jamie McKelvie and said he will use a member of the New/Young X-Men team.

By Editor