Well, news of Ed Brubaker taking over this title with a cast including Havok, Warpath, Nightcrawler and, possibly, Lorna will keep me buying. Unfortunately, I think Marvel Girl stays around, too.
Ah, well- at least her inclusion will apparently be leading to a big throwdown with the Imperial Guard. This time drawn by an artist that can handle a big, colorful cast. Unlike during Morrison's use of the Guard.
As for this issue? Whatever sympathy I'd mustered for Rachel is leeched away by her irresponsibility. She's never been an identifiable character, to me. She changes drastically in personality from issue to issue. Even when written by the same writer.
From: Knoxville, TN | Registered: Jul 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Mystery Lad: Does anybody know exactly what it is these Death Commandos do? Super-power wise, I mean? Or even who they are? Does anybody care?
I really hope it's the *traditional* Imperial Guard that the X-men will be meeting up with/fighting in the upcoming Brubaker year-long arc.
I hope so, too.
I've often wondered whether Claremont cared about the Imperial Guard at all, or whether it was Dave Cockrum, John Byrne, and others over the years who were the ones who wanted to keep bringing them back.
posted
Not only do I not know who is who, but I can't really make out any of them. Bacchalo's art here is muddied, other than the birdman, I'm not sure what any of them look like. It doesn't bode well for his run on X-MEN.
As for Cannonball, whoopdeedo. His appearances just seem like set-up for the roster changes coming. His uniform bites, why the "C" on his chest? No one else has a chest emblem. The googles are okay, but all his hardware looks clunky. Give him the simple blue/gold he had just prior to AOA.
[ March 07, 2006, 07:18 AM: Message edited by: CJ Taylor ]
From: Denver, CO | Registered: May 2004
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posted
Grrr! When did Bishop and Sam switch personalities?! These last few issues have really annoyed me because Sam is my favorite X-Man ever. Seriously. I'm so... so...
Just so annoyed. So bitter. So bored. So ready for Bru to take over, it's not even funny.
-------------------- Abin: You know what to do with a Cali sandwich? No but neither do Cobie and CJ! CJ: Yeah, we do. She's smiling, isn't she?
Context... who needs it?
From: Sunny Cali-- er, Planet Earth? | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
Ahhhhh, Claremont finished his Marvel Girl arc. And I'm finished with this title. Sorry but the X-office has been doing some shoddy work following House of M.
Tan's work here merely points out the poor job Bacchalo has been doing recently. It's a shame he only did the last part of this 3 piece; we might have been able to get some idea of our "villains." Tho' the story started strong and ended rather weak, too quickly to really appreciate them. So maybe it's as much Claremount's responsibility.
From: Denver, CO | Registered: May 2004
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That pretty much says it all about this stupid, stupid arc. I hope Claremont chokes on his own spit and dies. Well, maybe not quite. But still!! Retire, damn it!!
Honestly, when is Bru coming? Sooo don't wanna read 'til then... ><
-------------------- Abin: You know what to do with a Cali sandwich? No but neither do Cobie and CJ! CJ: Yeah, we do. She's smiling, isn't she?
Context... who needs it?
From: Sunny Cali-- er, Planet Earth? | Registered: Jun 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Mystery Lad: Does anybody know exactly what it is these Death Commandos do? Super-power wise, I mean? Or even who they are? Does anybody care?
I really hope it's the *traditional* Imperial Guard that the X-men will be meeting up with/fighting in the upcoming Brubaker year-long arc.
I hope so, too.
I've often wondered whether Claremont cared about the Imperial Guard at all, or whether it was Dave Cockrum, John Byrne, and others over the years who were the ones who wanted to keep bringing them back.
Stealth, he's used the IG a bit in the End series'. But I haven't read them just looked through them real quick. I was waiting till they were all over and them reading them together.
From: Tampa | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
Yes, I know he did, but I think the only reason Claremont put the Imperial Guard in X-Men: The End was because he knew that a lot of fans wanted to see them in the "final" X-Men story, not because he likes them or enjoys writing them.
posted
I see the IG as the only really challenge the X-Men have ever faced. I mean as a team, they easily overwhelm Mags, Pocy, or anyone else they come across. And very few of the other teams they've squared off against have been as tough a challenge as when Claremont first introduced Glads and co.
From: Denver, CO | Registered: May 2004
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Y'know, this would've been a great FANTASTIC FOUR/X-MEN crossover premise. Why not make the most of the use of the FOURSAKEN? I kind of liked the visual of the FIRST FALLEN and his general kooky method of cleaning up the cosmos. That motivation made next to no sense, but it served to end the mystery of Psylocke's return. For that, it was worthwhile, I suppose.
and
.
UNCANNY X-MEN ANNUAL #1
Well, Storm, nice to see you. Haven't recognized you for a *long* time. I liked this issue and it's use of Jean Grey in her Marvel Girl costume (I wish she'd come back in that guise-- let Phoenix pick on somebody else for awhile...), Forge and Kitty Pryde as Storm's interior sounding boards.
The plot of political bad guys in Africa was OK-- not as real world cognitive dissonance inducing as those types of stories sometimes are. It's a little convenient that the dictator turns out to be related to Storm-- but I can go with it. I liked seeing Storm connect with her mother's people. That's been a long time coming.
Guess I'll have to read the Black Panther/Storm wedding that's upcoming. Sure hope it's grander than the Luke Cage wedding from a few months ago. Given the folk involved, I'd guess it'd have to be.
From: Knoxville, TN | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
X-MEN 475 Yay! The return of the little heads around the Marvel cover box! Too bad, though, about the logo 'X' covering up one of the members.
Aside from that, this is the first issue of a run that I think could well bring back many readers who've abandoned the X-Men. (I know, I know-- it was the X-men that abandoned you/them.)
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Professor X, walking now, but no longer a telepath, assembles a team to head into outer space to find and 'fix' a mistake that the good prof made years ago. One that's recently resurfaced and made Xavier an outsider in the institute that he began.
His chosen team?
NIGHTCRAWLER: "So what fire are we jumping into next, then?" The line speaks for itself.
WARPATH: Chosen because he once hated Xavier, but got over it. He's now wielding a pair of 'pure vibranium blades' given to him by Storm. (Note: Xavier says, "Ororo will be happy to see her gift to you, at least, is being put to good use." Which means, to me, that Storm gave lots of folks gifts. Not just Warpath. Possibly everyone's got a pair of the blades. Or other vibranium goodies. Or Wakandan art or something. I've read lots of comments that fixated upon why Ororo would single out Warpath. I don't think she did.)
HAVOK: We aren't told/shown yet why Xavier chose Alex. It's self-evident that he accepted. The mistake Xavier's atoning for involves the long-running dangling plot of the third Summers brother. Xavier trained Vulcan (the third brother) years ago and kept his existence a secret from the his brothers and the other X-men. As a result, Xavier's on the outs with Scott, so I guess little brother's an acceptable replacement. I'd love it, though, if Alex was Xavier's first choice. I keep remembering that there was a period when Xavier had only two X-men at the mansion with him. I'd think that would result in a pretty close relationship for those three. One of the two X-men was Alex. And the other?
POLARIS: Lorna Dane, of course. Who seems sane and mostly balanced (finally!), though she finds her new Apocalypse-granted artificial magnetic powers harder to control than the mutant ones that were stripped from her in the events of HOUSE OF M/DECIMATION.
Lorna's the first character to appear-- indicating the possibility that she's going to be featured in this year-long X-men in space storyline. She's not an entirely willing participant. We'll see how that plays out. She's back to a uniform that's fairly similar to the first one she wore back in the '60's. Still the best look for, IMO.
Rounding out the cast: MARVEL GIRL: Rachel, not Jean. She's recently been targeted by Shi-ar commandos. Most of the Grey family was killed by them. Revenge on her mind? She says not, but I think we know what's coming.
Oh, yeah-- the issue closes with Xavier telling his little team that their first mission will be to steal a spaceship.
Cool issue. Well worth picking up, I think, if you've avoided the X-men for awhile and have any liking for the characters I've listed. Hints about future issues have included that there'll be a wedding and the warning that all the characters might not return to Earth the same or at all.
I'm quite excited about this run. The art looks great and Brubaker is on a roll. My one complaint is that there's a bit too much flashbacking, making the sequence of events a tad muddy.
From: Knoxville, TN | Registered: Jul 2003
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