Hope is at the center of the battle on the cover Avengers Versus X-Men #2. Marvel revealed the amazing cover by superstar Jim Cheung today.
Iron Man and Magneto are in the foreground. It appears Wolverine (with claws ready to slash) is leaping for Hope (who appears to be in a fiery light, is she hosting the Phoenix?)
This cover fuels the fan fire to many points raised so far:
– Which will Wolverine choose? On AVX #1Logan appears to be on the Avengers team going into battle against the X-Men. In this image Logan is clearly going in for the kill – aiming for Hope.
– The Phoenix Force is heading to Earth in search of a human host. Emma Frost has seen the Phoenix image surround Hope before and some call Hope the mutant messiah so she seems to be the likely candidate for the entity.
Marvel included this description along with the image:
“With the opening salvo fired, the time for talking is over and in Avengers Vs. X-Men #2, allegiances are decided upon as quickly as they are broken. What side does Wolverine choose and what decision will Hope make that may turn the tide of the war… just as it begins?”
Comics Newsarama made more interesting points based on the cover.
The Cast of X-Men: First Class courtesy Marvel.com
Michael Fassbender was the Master of Magnetism in X-Men: First Class and the focus of George Clooney’s show stealing joke at the Golden Globe Awards for his performance in Shame. The actor’s hot streak continues with Haywire. While promoting that new film Fassbender talked about filming Prometheus with Ridley Scott to In Style.
“The first thing that struck me was a good script. Really intelligent script. A real thriller. Real anticipation. The first alien had that. The atmosphere was thick. You knew that something was going to happen. Which is very rare that you can read that in a script. And also, Ridley Scott is the master. He’s amazing. Really something else to watch him work. His attention to detail. And also his mischievousness, his playfulness. And again, no idea is stupid for him. He’ll let you bring it to the floor and have a go at it. I really, really enjoyed working with him. And of course the cast.”
Fassbender confirmed he will be playing an android named David. Thanks to Comic Book Resources for finding the story.
Because you can’t get enough of this trailer here it is again!
Kieron Gillen has resurrected old villains on the new Uncanny X-Men title featuring Cyclops and his Utopia based Extinction Team.
In a new interview by Comic Book Resources featuring fan questions – the British writer tackled classic villains and upcoming events.
Why did Gillen kick off the relaunched title with Mister Sinister?
“I wanted a classic heavyweight X-Men villain and Sinister was simply the only one with the appropriate level of gravitas who wasn’t already elsewhere in play. Magneto is with the team. Apocalypse is busy over in “X-Force.” Sabretooth was already involved in plans you’ll be aware of now (and would be annihilated in a millisecond if he went up against the Extinction team, to be honest). Who else but Sinister? No one, that’s who. So I tried to work how I could do something that was entirely new yet true to what I sawa as the core of the character (mutants as research material, Victoriana, scheming and manipulating, upgrading of self, sinister-ness), and ended up with Sinister is a System — Sinister is a species and someone whose idea of an escape route is to blow off his own head.”
On Cyclops becoming the Magneto of the 21st century?
“I think his current position is that he’s willing to pretend to be more like Magneto to get what he wants — which is no one to fight and kill each other. It’s a specific tactic for a specific situation for a specific timeframe. From Cyclops’ position, it’s a case of keeping mutants alive until Hope does whatever Messiah-y things she’s born to do — if embracing the fact they are feared is a short-term compromise he thinks is the best solution. Cyclops is synthesizing various philosophies. There may be more Magneto in there than previous, but it’s not the dominant strand by any means.”
This is an excellent question: Would Cyclops recruit Daken to replace Wolverine?
“It’s certainly something that could happen — but I don’t think Scott would trust Daken. He’s got a lot of reformed villains on his team, but he’s more convinced by their reasons for being there than the ever-sociopathically manipulative Daken.”
Uncanny X-Men preview art courtesy Marvel.com
Gillen says Storm and Namor will play big roles in the Avengers Versus X-Men tie-in issues and Magic “comes under hard focus in my AvX issues.”
The Cast of X-Men: First Class courtesy Marvel.com
Michael Fassbender says another X-Men film is likely given the success of X-Men: First Class. The in-demand star talked with SuperHeroHype at the National Board of Review Gala where the star received the Spotlight Award for his roles in four 2011 films including the X-Men prequel.
“I have no choice. They contracted me for two options. I gotta get down with it,” he joked. “We’re at the ground level, but yeah I think there’s going to be another one.”
Before potentially reprising the Magneto role, you can see Fassbender in Haywire and Prometheus.
AvX Iron Man Vs. Magneto preview art courtesy Marvel.com
New art for the upcoming Iron Man/Magneto battle from AvX Vs #1. Marvel previously announced Jason Aaron and Adam Kubert will be the creative force behind this clash of the Iron Avenger and Master of Magnetism. This art was a Comic Book Resources Exclusive.
Who will win? The edge would seem to go to Magneto but never underestimate Tony Stark’s brilliance and creativity!
Mike Carey’s final X-Men story is here. After five a half years Carey is saying goodbye and setting up the future for Rogue, Gambit, Frenzy and Magneto in X-Men Legacy #260
Mike’s portrayal of Rogue is my favorite since Chris Claremont. You could sense the affection for the character in every panel.
It’s the end of an era for one of my favorite writers on the X-Men creative team. X-Men Legacy #259 arrives Wednesday, November 30th. This issue marks the final X-Men arc of Mike Carey after 5 and a half years.
Mike took over X-Men #108 and took riders on a thrilling ride with the most unlikely but unforgettable team in mutant history. Cyclops gave Rogue the authority to form her own field team…he didn’t agree with her choices. Rogue’s lineup eventually was Iceman, Cannonball, Mystique, Cable, Lady Mastermind, Cable and Karima Shapandar – a human transformed into an Omega Sentinel.
Carey’s first arc was Supernovas. Rogue’s team encountered brand new enemies, The Children of the Vault, a race that wanted to wipe out humanity and mutants. After years of whining about Gambit and the curse of her power, Rogue was finally written as bold, brash and fun. It was Rogue’s improvisation in battles that inspired Cyclops to make her a team leader.
X-Men #192 Courtesy Marvel.com
Carey created more inspired new villains for Rogue’s field team. Pandemic infected Rogue with a bizarre virus that raised her power to deadly levels. Billions of alien psyches invaded her mind as she battled the alien Hecatomb. Some of Rogue’s teammates eventually showed their true colors. Lady Mastermind and Mystique were working for Mister Sinister’s revamped Marauders in Blinded by the Light.
Endangered Species is one of Mike Carey’s most crucial contributions to X-Men history. After the events of House of M and Decimation, millions of mutants lost their powers. The mutant race was on the verge of extinction. Beast was obsessed with finding a cure. Hank reached out to some of the most brilliant scientists on earth including some of Marvel’s most notorious villians.
Messiah Complex was the epic storyline that meant new hope to save the mutant race. During the search to find and save the mutant miracle baby, Rogue had a climatic showdown with her Mystique, her foster mother.
X-Men became X-Men Legacy. Mike made Professor X and Rogue the stars of the book. When Cyclops reunited the X-Men in San Francisco and then moved them to their island base, Utopia, he recruited Rogue to be the mentor to the young mutants in training. In the Second Coming event, the mutant child from Messiah Complex returned a young woman. Cyclops chose Rogue to be the protector of Hope.
Age of X is one of Mike Carey’s pivotal arcs that will have an impact on the X-Men for a long time. Rogue became torn between her feelings for Magneto and Gambit. Age of X marked the transformation of Frenzy/Joanna Cargill, a former villain and longtime back burner character. The experience of being a hero and the wife of Cyclops in the Age of X made Frenzy want to change her ways. Joanna is now part of Wolverine’s post-Schism team.
Mike Carey’s portrayal of Rogue is the best since Chris Claremont first brought her on the team. You could sense his love for the character in every issue. Legacy was a good choice to add to Mike’s X-Men given the legacy he is leaving behind.
Mike Carey is the author of supernatural novels starring Felix Castor. His ongoing series Unwritten is published by the Vertigo imprint of DC Comics. Carey told Comics Newsarama he is leaving X-Men Legacy to work on new novels and screenplays.
