Tag: Unit

Action, Insight and the X-Men’s Hannibal Lecter

Uncanny X-Men #11 courtesy Marvel

  Kieron Gillen is on a wicked roll with Uncanny X-Men #11. UNIT was established in the previous issues as a powerful new threat to the mutants. I call him the X-Men’s version of Ultron. Gillen calls him a cross of “C3PO and Hannibal Lecter” and that’s perfect description given the eerie moment in the latest issue.

  UNIT may be caged under Utopia but he’s still a real menace. There’s a scene between Hope and the alien/machine that reminds me of Hannibal and Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs when his finger touched hers.

  The issue moves before and between the events of AvX #1 and #2. While this issue is packed with action, Gillen takes us inside the minds of these X-Men. Colossus and Red Hulk’s battle underwater continues and it’s a brutal beating on both sides. Peter has an epic war inside his mind and soul. This fight begins as a trying to defeat an Avengers but turns into a battle for what’s left of Peter’s humanity. There’s even an “oh —-” moment when the Red Hulk looks scared. The journey of the Colossal Juggernaut continues to be one of the most intriguing element of Gillen’s X-run.

Uncanny X-Men #11 courtesy Marvel

  I really enjoyed getting inside the mind of the arrogant and awesome Namor. I’ve loved the Atlantean being part of the X-Men world but we learn why he’s chosen to stand with the mutants and insight into the Cyclops

 I think Gillen possesses a real grasp of each X-Man’s “voice.” This power packed issue really adds a vital new element to the AvX conflict.

The Next Great X-Villain Is Here

Uncanny X-Men #10 courtesy Marvel

  Kieron Gillen is firing on all wicked cylinders with Uncanny X-Men #10. AvX is taking over for a while but I can’t wait to see what happens next with the devious plot threads he launched with this issue.

  Unit is an alien computer-like creation that’s cold and clinical. He’s a chilling hybrid of C3PO and Hannibal Lecter – that’s Gillen’s description and it’s spot on! I say he could be the X-Men’s Ultron. 

  Unit stages a prison break unleashing alien criminal across Earth and uniting the X-Men and Avengers one last time before AvX. But Unit’s real objective is the mutant messiah.

  Scott’s Extinction team of most powerful mutants is skillfully taken apart with cold precision by Unit. The monster’s endgame is an audience with Hope with the promise (or is it a lure) of learning about the Phoenix.

  Watch for two big confrontations for Cyclops in this event filled issue. Due to Scott’s actions Steve Rogers sees a different side of the mutant – planting the seeds for how each leader may strategize against each other in AvX. Abigail Brand of S.W.O.R.D. and Cyke have a testy moment where they share dark secrets and the beginning of  darker covenant.

  Oh and I if you love Emma Frost and Colossus – there are some surprises for them in this issue too that will reverberate into future stories.

And I freakin’ love Adam Kubert’s cover – it’s a perfect representation for what Gillen does to the team and this book.

By Editor

AvX Before the War

Uncanny X-Men #10 courtesy Marvel

  Avengers Vs. X-Men #1 is out. War is declared. This week sees the final X-Men/Avengers team-up before the conflict in this week’s Uncanny X-Men #10.

  I sure hope the X-Men survive AvX so they can face Unit again. In last issue, the android triggered a prison break and unleashed an arm of escape alien criminals on earth. Writer Kieron Gillen calls Unit a cross “between C3PO and Hannibal Lecter.”

He’s created what I think could be the next great X foe in their extensive gallery of enemies. I think of him as the possible Ultron for the X-Men.

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