Tag: X-Men

Top Comic Book Picks for 9/12/12

Avenging Spider-Man #12 Spidey and Deadpool go back to high school? I’m sure there’s something much more sinister going on but the idea of Peter Parker and the Merc With a Mouth in detention is too good to pass up!

Avengers vs. X-Men #11 courtesy Marvel.com

Avengers vs. X-Men #11 X-Men join the Avengers in a last stand against the cosmic might of the Phoenix Two. What happens when Cyclops and Emma Frost turn on each other? What is Professor X prepared to do to save humanity? Marvel is teasing a fatality – who will pay the ultimate price to defeat the Phoenix Force?

Batman #0 A look into the past. Bruce Wayne returns from his global quest ready to launch his war on crime. See how the gadgets, Batcave, costume and more were born.

Manhattan Projects #6 Some of the most famous scientific geniuses in history as you’ve never seen them before. Creating the atomic bomb was nothing compared to what this American think tank was really up to. You can catch up with the first 5 issues in a new collection. Now see the other side of this twisted alterate history and weird science. Go back into the Cold War days and inside the Russia’s scientific counterpart to the Manhattan Projects.

The Massive #4 How you continue to have the moral companss of a pacifist when the world has gone to hell? A crew of environmentalists sail the poison oceans in search of their friends and trying to survive modern day pirates. What happens when the Captain meets a ghost from his past when he was a corporate mercenary.

I could have written a top 15 this week there are so many good books out there! Here’s my previews of the Doctor Who Annual, more Batman Family Zero issue books and a legion of X-Men books!

By Editor

Gillen Teases Second Marvel NOW Book

Iron Man #2 courtesy Marvel

Kieron Gillen and Greg Land will leave Uncanny X-Men for a brand new Iron Man series. Gillen is saying goodbye to Journey Into Mystery too. In a new Comics Newsarama interview Gillen teased he will be writing a second title in the Marvel Now relaunch.

  “Hmm. What can I say about my other Marvel NOW! book. On a work-happiness level, I’ve enjoyed writing two ongoing books at Marvel with contrasting stances. One is the book where I find a way to make a pre-existing Marvel powerhouse operate as well as I’m able to make it. The other is the one where I try to make a book from the ground up, and create something relatively unprecedented. Uncanny X-Men was the former, and Journey Into Mystery was the latter.

Clearly, Iron Man is the former, and the unannounced book is the latter.

So at the least, in terms of how it fits in my head, the new book is related to Journey Into Mystery. However, I’ll be pushing whole different areas. It’s not a high fantasy book, for example. While I want to push some technical stuff, rather than trying to reclaim and renovate ’90s caption excess and hyper-compression (normally via the particular choice of ironic narrator), this is trying to push in a whole other bunch of ways. I’m working hand in glove with an artist. I wanted to do something that felt as aesthetically coherent as [Mark] Waid and collaborators have managed to make Daredevil.”

So what will Gillen’s second new series be?

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

I’ve said on this site before how much I love UNIT. The alien android villain is a brilliant creation with terrifying potential. I think UNIT could be the Ultron for the X-Men and a foil for Tony Stark.

I was a fan of his Generation Next so could Gillen take on a new teen team? Runaways?

What characters would you want to see Gillen write?

By Editor

X-Factor #243 Polaris Exposed

X-Factor #243 courtesy Marvel

Lorna Dane is one of the great tragic heroines of the Marvel Universe. Peter David reveals the truth about the biggest mystery of her life in Day 3 of Breaking Points in this week’s X-Factor #243.

Polaris is the daughter of Magneto. Her mother’s death has haunted Lorna until now. The search for the truth unleashes Lorna’s magnetic fury against her own teammates. Peter David is on fire writing this soap opera packed with drama and great characterization. This issue is tense as Polaris is pushed and pushes back in her obsession to learn the truth about her parents.

Polaris has a history of shock and loss: the airplane crash that killed her mother and the man she thought was her dad, the revelation that the evil Magneto was her real father, being possessed by the mutant Malice, the loss of her mutant powers twice and being dumped by Alex Summers at the altar.

Uncanny X-Men #50 courtesy Marvel

In a series of mind games and magnetic manipulation – M and Longshot finally reveal the truth. It’s worse than Lorna thought!

I LOVE this cover. Polaris was co-created by Jim Steranko. This David Yardin cover beautifully captures the Steranko vibe and how Lorna has been torn and twisted between Havok and Magneto.

The ending of Breaking Points Day Three leaves Lorna and Alex at a major turning point. Havok is joining Uncanny Avengers. I’d like to see Polaris survive and thrive in the Marvel NOW. Back in the early days Lorna chose Alex over Bobby Drake. With the original Iceman coming into the present in All-New X-Men maybe Polaris will have a second chance? I’d love to see Lorna heal the pain, start fresh and become a strong heroine and mutant champion.

By Editor

Long Lost X-Men

The First X-Men #2 courtesy Marvel

Legendary Neal Adams and Christos Gage are telling a tale of The First X-Men. Logan and his ally (yes, ally!) Victor Creed are hunting for fellow mutants thinking there is strength in numbers. Logan and Creed attempted to recruit Charles Xavier in the premiere issue.

In this week’s The First X-Men #2 Logan, Creed and their new recruits track down a Master of Magnetism. The older mutant is on his own mission of vengeance in Argentina hunting Nazi war criminals. This Magneto is not exactly Michael Fassbender but he will remind you of how the character was portrayed in X-Men: First Class. Logan’s invitation does not go as planned.

Adams was an artist in the early days of X-Men. He dives into the conspiracies and key government figures of that era to shape the big threat of this mini-series and is still affecting mutantkind today.

In this lost X-Men tale Adams and Gage have introduces us to new/old mutants Holly Bright aka Holo, Bombast Aghast and a Yeti. The team shows early on how Logan can be a tough drill instructor and encouraging teacher.

This tale of lost mutants reminded me of some other great stories of “new” mutants created in stories of the X-Men’s past. There have been some great characters created for these stories…but they’re doomed.

X-Men: Deadly Genesis Ed Brubaker created four fascinating lost mutants in this tale of Professor Xavier’s darkest secret. The Professor sent his All-New, All-Different X-Men (Storm, Nightcrawler, Thunderbird, Wolverine, Banshee, Colossus) to save his original students from the living island Krakoa. But there was another team. The Professor’s biggest secret comes back to haunt him, leaves an X-Man dead and severs the teacher’s relationship with Cyclops. Kid Vulcan, Sway, Petra and Darwin were four fascinating mutants with great backstories and cool powers. Xavier sent these young kids into action unprepared and they paid the ultimate price. Vulcan and Darwin were revived and all hell broke loose.

X-Men: The Hidden Years #1 courtesy Marvel

X-Men: The Hidden Years The Children of the Atom almost vanished from comic book history! In the 1970’s the series went into reprints only. John Byrne created some amazing new tales set in those lost years. The original X-Men even encountered Storm when she was just Ororo.

The First X-Men will join the pantheon of “lost” tales of the past and leave us with “new” characters from the past that might survive and thrive in the here and now.

By Editor

 

Top 5 Comic Books for 9/5/12

Hawkeye #2 courtesy Marvel.com

Earth 2 #0 The first issue of this series has been the best. The epic and tragic final battle between Darkseid and the big trinity (Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman) was just the beginning of this alternate world. DC promises this “zero” issue reveals the origin of this world’s most tragic villain.

First X-Men #2  Legendary Neal Adams continues his untold tale of an X-Men before Professor X founded the school. What happens when Wolverine and Sabretooth recruit Magneto for their mission against the government?

Hawkeye #2 Matt Fraction and David Aja reteam on a new series starring Clint Barton. The premiere issue was a pleasant surprise – a “slice of life” superhero book? Young Avenger Kate Bishop becomes Clint’s partner in stealing from the rich.

True Blood #4 The series that shows what happened when vampires came out came a hairy twist! This issue is for fans of Alcide the werewolf!

X-Factor #243 What happened to the mother of Polaris? How was Magneto involved? What does it do to the tragic romance of Havok and Polaris?

By Editor

Uncanny Avengers Preview: An Attack and Hero’s Funeral?

In the aftermath of Avengers vs. X-Men – the Uncanny Avengers are born. Captain America assembles Thor, Wolverine, Rogue, Scarlet Witch and Havok against the threat of a reborn Red Skull and his S-Men. Rick Remender and John Cassaday launch this first book of the Marvel NOW relaunch in October.

Uncanny Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel

Marvel revealed the first look inside Uncanny Avengers #1. Three inked pages by John Cassaday show an attack in the heart of New York City.

Uncanny Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel

Marvel calls this the Red Skull’s first attack. It sure looks like Avalanche – a former member of Mystique’s Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. The villain was last seen a reformed man running a bar out west.

Uncanny Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel

Captain America and Thor rush into action. Cap hurls himself into battle against the villain while the Odinson is flying survivors out of the danger zone.

Marvel also says this premiere issue will include the funeral of a great hero and threaten Professor Xavier’s dream. I can only imagine what Rick Remender has planned. He is one fearless writer!

It’s so good to see John Cassaday drawing Marvel heroes again!

By Editor

X-Treme X-Men: Doing It for Dazzler

Uncanny X-Men #130 courtesy Marvel

  Looking at the shelves a fellow comic book reader (with excellent taste and insight) and I were talking about Greg Pak’s new X-Treme X-Men. Almost in unison we say “I’m giving this book a shot for Dazzler.”

  How a character that should have failed (the Disco singer was created at the end of the Disco era) still be so beloved? Ali debuted in 1980 in Uncanny X-Men #130. Marvel worked with Casablanca Records (home of KISS and Donna Summer) to develop the character and even proposed a movie for the character. Dazzler soon rollerskated her way into her own series. It didn’t last.

Alison Blaire survived and became part of the Chris Claremont/Marc Silvestri Uncanny X-Men era. Matt Fraction moved Ali out to San Francisco when the mutants relocated out west. Pixie was a fan but Ali soon fell to back burner status.

 Greg Pak is sending Ali (along with alternate versions of Emma Frost, Wolverine and Nightcrawler) across the dimensions on a mission to kill…Professor X.

Dazzler is a creation from a bygone era that has been dangling on the edge of comic book banishment for years. Greg Pak tells Comics Newsarama why he saw potential in Ali and put her on his new team.

X-treme X-Men #2 courtesy Marvel

  “I bought that first Dazzler issue way back in the day and always though the character was a hoot. But I never had the chance to write her before, so I hadn’t really thought deeply about her until her name came up while I was in the early stages of developing X-Treme with the X-Editors. But as soon as I started mulling it over, I realized she was just perfect. First, she’s hugely powerful — her ability to manifest solid light blasts make her a pretty good Cyclops analogue, power-wise, which is a nice thing for a team leader.

But more importantly, she’s a great, grounded character with a fun self-deprecating vibe who would be a great POV character to run through a bunch of alternative realities with. Finally, she’s a straight-up hero. And embracing her sometimes goofy past while seriously delving into her character gives us great contrast, increased believablity, and a really strong hero’s journey. ”

Pak gave Ali a new boyfriend named Johnny Ito in X-Treme X-Men #1 and the a change in her sound. Why did this former disco diva go country?

“She’s getting real. And she’s having fun. Dazzler’s a pop star and an icon, which means she’s constantly reinventing herself,” Pak explains, “Keep your eyes open, too — she’ll go through a variety of costumes throughout the series. And she’ll sing a song in just about every issue. [Laughs.]”

In case you’re just joining the series here’s my review of X-Treme X-Men #1. The rest of Dazzler’s team is Emmeline Frost from Ghost Boxes story by Warren Ellis and James Howlett and Kid Nightcrawler are from Pak’s Astonishing X-Men Exalted arc. And how could I forget: the severed head of Professor X in a bottle!

Here’s a link to Dazzler Essentials Volume 1 by legendary X-Men writer Chris Claremont. Ali went up against gangsters, Gods and even Galactus!

By Editor

For more of Pak’s interview here’s the Comics Newsarama link.

 I did it for Dazzler but Pak’s writing is keeping on the X-Treme team!

Uncanny Avengers Scarlet Witch by Granov

 

Uncanny Avengers #1 courtesy Marvel

  It’s the week of the Witch..the Scarlet Witch! Wanda graces the cover of two variants for upcoming issues of Uncanny Avengers this October. Wanda will join Captain America, Thor, Wolverine, Rogue and Havok on a new team of Avengers and X-Men united against the threat of the Red Skull reborn.

  Marvel revealed this variant by Adi Granov (Iron Man Extremis.) I have this on the beautiful illustration on the cover of Granov’s sketchbook that I got at Emerald City Comicon earlier this year. Earlier this week Marvel shared this cover by Milo Manara.

 I’m loving the Scarlet Witch comeback but I suspect we’ll see some Rogue variants soon.

By Editor