Top 5 Comic Book Picks 9/26/12

Astonishing X-Men #54 courtesy Marvel

Astonishing X-Men #54 Susan Hatchi reveals her mutant connection. The new villainess has already blown up Wolverine and the rest of the team is infected with her nanobombs in their blood. Can former New Mutant Karma escaped Hatchi’s control to save her team.

Batman Incorporated #0 You need an international army to fight a global terror network like Leviathan. See how Bruce Wayne recruited his worldwide team of crimefighters in this origin issue.

Happy #1 A hit man’s world of murder, sex and corruption – not your usual Christmas tale. Grant Morrison and Darick Robertson team up for this new Image mini-series of an unjured assassin on the run from the cops, the mob and connected to a killer Santa.

Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2 # 5 Captain Picard is faced with an impossible choice that could save or damn the universe. Only Doctor Who may be able to convince the Captain to team up with his greatest enemies.

Talon #0 A new hero in a new series spinning out of the Batman: Court of Owls epic! Calvin Rose is the only man to escape the Court of Owls. Can this former assassin live a normal life and become a hero? The Court is back and they’re after their prize killer.

By Editor

Hugh Jackman as The Wolverine! First Official Photo

Hugh Jackman as The Wolverine courtesy Marvel and 20th Century Fox

  Hugh Jackman has the acting muscle and definitely packed on the physical muscle to once again play the fan favorite X-Man!

  Agent M of Marvel.com shared via Twitter the first official photo of Hugh Jackman as Logan in The Wolverine. Based on the classic story by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller, the upcoming film will share Logan’s adventures in Japan in which he fights the Silver Samurai, Ninjas and the Yakuza. Logan will fall in love with Lady Mariko – the true love of his life.

  The Wolverine is filming in Australia and will claw into theaters in 2013.

By Editor

Storm’s Demotion in X-Men?

X-Men #36 courtesy Marvel

Storm will survive AvX to appear in at least 3 Marvel Now X-books: Uncanny X-Force, All-New X-Men and Wolverine and the X-Men, in which she will become a teacher at the Jean Grey School.

In the soon to be relaunched Uncanny X-Force by Sam Humphries Storm will be taking orders from Psylocke. That’s a role reversal from the current X-Men book by Brian Wood. I have loved the way Wood writes Storm. I would even say it’s the best portrayal of Ororo I’ve read in a long time.

This week’s X-Men #36 may be setting the stage for Ororo stepping down. Storm’s security team discovered an ancient genetic secret (the extinct ancestors of modern mutants) and when the material got in the hands of a crazed cult leader Storm sent Domino and Psylocke into action. Storm has been on her own agenda, has her own secret team of human scientists and kept secrets from Cyclops and Wolverine. Storm’s leadership has been called into question. Will she be taken down and a new member may be joining the unit but who can trust which side they’re really on?

If you want old school X-Men mixed with a dash of Torchwood then this is the book for you. I’m just disappointed Brian Wood is leaving the book but he is staying on Ultimate Comics X-Men.

By Editor

Jet City Comic Show Reunion With Kitty Pryde and Colossus

photo by ComicsBlend.com

Jet City Comic Show is a back to basics one day of comics and costumes in Seattle.

photo by ComicsBlend.com

It was a reunion with my favorite X-Men couple (Seattle’s own Kitty Pryde and Colossus.) Since I last saw this costumed couple at Emerald City Comicon the cosplay couple has added some fine touches.

photo by ComicsBlend.com

Kitty is now sporting Lockheed the dragon and Peter is has an optic option to give him the complete organic steel look!

 

photo by ComicsBlend.com

By Editor

Avengers vs X-Men Finale Preview!

Avengers vs. X-Men #12 courtesy Marvel

  Cyclops has become the most powerful force on Earth…possibly the universe. Avengers and X-Men are in mourning. Tony Stark has pushed every scientific mind to find a way to fight the Phoenix Force and come up empty.

  It all comes down to Scarlet Witch and Hope. These were the only heroes able to do some damage to the entity. The Phoenix was almost afraid of Wanda.

Avengers vs. X-Men #12 courtesy Marvel

  Jason Aaron and Adam Kubert are the creative team on the final showdown. I wanted to share Comic Book Resource’s first look inside Avengers vs. X-Men #12.

  The heroes look defeated. Hope and Scarlet Witch have their own issues to work out before taking on the Dark Phoenix Cyclops. Wanda will survive to join Uncanny Avengers. Scott will be part of All-New X-Men. Is this Hope’s fate?

courtesy Marvel

AvX #12 comes out Oct 3rd.

By Editor

Cyclops Vs. Cyclops in All-New X-Men

All-New X-Men #3 courtesy Marvel

  The final chapter of AvX is Cyclops (in Dark Phoenix mode) against the Avengers and X-Men. It appears Scott will survive the showdown to appear in All-New X-Men by Brian Michael Bendis. Will the modern-day Cyke be at war with his younger self?

All-New X-Men #4 courtesy Marvel

  Bendis is bringing the original five X-Men into the here and Marvel Now. Comic Book Resources has the exclusive first look at the covers for All-New X-Men #3 and #4 by Stuart Immonen featuring Cyclops against Cyclops.

In case you missed it here’s my op/ed on the transformation of Scott from hero to zealot to hopes for his redemption.

By Editor

 

Magneto’s Wrath in AvX Aftermath!

 

AvX #4 courtesy Marvel

  Kieron Gillen (Uncanny X-Men, soon to be Iron Man) explores what happens right after the final chapter of Avengers vs. X-Men. What will be the fate of the mutant leader and race? Marvel revealed this variant cover to AvX: Consequences #4 by Mark Brooks.

  Magneto is full of rage. Erik pledged his allegiance to Scott and admired what he build on Utopia…until the Phoenix took control. Will the reformed Master of Magnetism go back to his more villainous ways in the aftermath of AvX #12?

  Scarlet Witch will join Rick Remender’s Uncanny Avengers to fight a reborn Red Skull and his anti-mutant agenda. I hope Magneto joins his daughter in the fight. I just hope the crafty and cunning Quicksilver finds a home in the Marvel NOW too.

By Editor

LGBT in the Marvel NOW?

Astonishing X-Men #51 courtesy Marvel

Northstar made Marvel history, generated a ton of media attention and sold a lot of comic books. Jean-Paul’s wedding to Kyle Jinadu in Astonishing X-Men #51 was a huge success story. But will Northstar and Kyle’s story continue in the Marvel NOW? What about other GLBT characters in the relaunch?

Faithful followers of this blog have been sharing their concern over the fate of GLBT characters in the upcoming relaunch. So based on their suggestions and a Marvel NOW tally of announcements so far here are some great characters that will hopefully survive and thrive in the relaunch.

Striker: Several members of the soon to be departed Avengers Academy will graduate and appear in the recently announced Avengers Arena but Striker is missing from those kids.

Wiccan and Hulkling’s romance was a fan favorite element of Avengers: The Children’s Crusade. Wiccan does appear on the cover of the an upcoming Marvel Now Point One issue. Anole is a background character as a student of the Jean Grey School in Wolverine and the X-Men. The romance of Rictor and Shatterstar has been a fan favorite storyline in Peter David’s X-Factor which sure seems like it’s ending with the current Breaking Points arc.

X-Factor’s Shatterstar and Rictor courtesy Marvel.com

One fan’s idea is a team of all GLBT characters. A storyline in which GLBT heroes use their powers to patrol and prevent bullying could have strong potential. I think it’s important to have more than just an all-gay cast. I remember how much I enjoyed Anole and Rockslide’s team up in the X-Men: Manifest Destiny series. Wiccan and Hulkling have always had the support of their straight friends in the Young Avengers.

Hopefully there will be more Marvel NOW announcements about books with GLBT characters. (I really hope Marjorie Liu’s Astonishing X-Men run continues and Peter David on X-Factor.) The publisher has shown a commitment to showing diversity in the Marvel Universe. It is the comics business. Publishers are willing to invest in GLBT characters and stories if readers invest in the books. You have the power.

By Editor