Marvel's New #1 Teaser - What Could It Be?!

I'll accuse Marvel of a lot of crazy shit, but I'll never accuse their marketing and PR people as being lazy. It seems we can't go more than a few weeks without them teasing something that will tear the Marvel universe several new assholes. I've done posts on teasers before and usually they're just vague enough to get you scratching your head. But every now and then they do one that is so perplexing that if it were an anime it would induce lethal seizures. This is one of them and it is only summed up as a big ass #1.

Marvel Promises "HUGE Story" With "Marvel" #1 Teaser

So what the hell could it be? First off, let's state clearly what it is and that's another excuse for Marvel to slap a new #1 on a comic book. I've already pointed this out many times before and fans continue to roll their eyes for some reason whenever it's vindicated multiple times. Books with #1 on them sell and until they stop selling, Marvel and DC will continue to churn out books with this magical number that allows them to get more money without having to do any additional work. Speaking on behalf of stoners everywhere, I can say without hestiation that there is inherent worth to such tactics. The folks at Marvel need stripper and booze money too.

But beyond what we know, what the fuck could this #1 entail? It listed a wide range of Marvel characters, some major and some minor and some pissant little redhead that should be dead by now. Is this a new series or some new event spinning right out of Age of Ultron? It's hard to tell, but fuck if I'm not intrigued. I'm sure that's exactly how Marvel planned it. A big ass #1 is all it takes for us brainless consumers to get interested. I want to be ashamed, but I'm too intrigued to give a shit. Nuff said!

Breaking News: Peter David Has Suffered a Stroke

I know recent news on this blog has made a big fucking deal of what has happened to Peter Parker in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man. However, the shit that happens in real life is always a much bigger deal. Earlier today, it was reported that longtime comic writer and current X-Factor scribe, Peter David, has suffered a stroke. Both Bleeding Cool and Peter David's own blog has reported as such:

Bleeding Cool: Peter David Suffers a Stroke On Holiday

Peter David's Blog: I Have Had A Stroke

This guy has done damn near everything in the comic book industry short of shining Stan Lee's shoes. So I can't put a humorous twist on this at all. Please get well soon, Mr. David. The X-men comics and the comic book world as a whole is better when you contribute to it. Nuff said.

Surgery and C2E2

I know this past weekend marked the second major comic convention in the past month. First there was Wondercon. Then just a few weeks later, C2E2 hits Chicago like one of Barack Obama's secret socialist community organizing campaigns. Under normal circumstances, I keep up with the announcements as they come in and if something is interesting or I'm just drunk enough then I'll blog about it. While there was some interesting shit that came about during the course of the three-day event, I was in no condition to blog. And for that, I'm sorry to say I won't be able to offer my usual colorful commentary on the latest news in comics.

It's through no fault of my own, I assure you. As it just so happened, this past Friday I was scheduled for surgery. Since I can't plan my fucked up health around when comic book conventions are in session, I essentially had to miss most of what was going on with C2E2 or be too fucked up to make sense of it. Now in case some of you are worrying that this is a sign that my liver is finally coming back to kick my ass, stop worrying. The surgery was to fix my nose, which has had a long history of being fucked up for reasons I would rather not discuss. The surgery went fine. It's the post-op shit that's been kicking my ass. The prescription drugs, the lack of sleep, and the overly long recovery time has left me in no mood to effectively blog to my usual drunken standards.

So for this, I apologize to all my wonderful X-men Supreme readers. I'm sorry I wasn't able to offer anything from C2E2 this past weekend. And depending on how my recovery goes, it may affect my ability to do reviews this week. I'm going to do my best to make it happen. Unless I slip into a coma, I will review Avengers vs. X-men #2 at one point. However, I may not be able to review much else. It depends on how my recovery goes.

There are still plenty of other sources for info on C2E2. They just won't be as colorful, drunk, or fucked up as me. Check out Comic Book Resources, Newsarama, or Bleeding Cool for info on all the latest announcements. I should be back to my full drunken strength within two weeks, but in the meantime if I'm unable to carry out my normal reviewing and X-men Supreme duties I will announce it. Just want to give everybody a heads up. Thanks for helping this blog kick ass guys! Until next time, wish me a happy and dazed post-op recovery! Nuff said.

Objectifying Women in Comics - The Other Debate

I try not to get too political on this blog. I look at politics the same way drag racers look at speed limits. They're best ignored until the law comes back to bite you. But every now and then, I feel the inescapable urge to comment on a major controversy that won't go the fuck away. And since this controversy happens to involve women and how their boobs are portrayed in comics, I just have to say something.

It started when I read a recent article on CBR about the portrayal of female characters in comics. It's one of many articles that have emerged over the past few months where men and women alike complain about how women are being portrayed in modern comics. It was sparked largely by this.

That's Starfire, the bonerific heroine from Red Hood and the Outlaws, one of the new 52 that DC relaunched last year. She went from the happy-go-lucky alien babe to the mindless sexbot and for some very understandable reasons, people had a problem with that. Now it could have been contained to just this one issue and the result of some overly shitty writing on DC's part. But no. Like Ozzy Osborne taking a piss on the Alamo, it had to become something much bigger than it was. Now it's become a feminist boondoggle that has scrotums shriveling, ovaries kicking into overdrive, and drunks like me banging their heads against the wall for reasons that don't involve running out of blow.

I'm already a frustrated drunk to begin with and I was content to just let other people fight this out, but it's gotten to a point where there is no debate anymore. People are starting to miss the fucking point and I feel compelled to bring it up since nobody else will or at least won't without a few shots of tequila in their system. So for all you men and women, get ready because I'm going to go on a rant about gender issues. I'm probably going to offend some women and some men. There's absolutely no way around it in this politically correct world so please bear with me because I'm not just ranting this time. I'm actually going to try and make a valid point in this debate that I hope will set it to rest in some ways.

First off, I get it. I understand why women are upset with how they're portrayed in comics. That's not sarcasm or cynicism either. That's the honest truth. Women do have a reason to be upset with a lead female character like Starfire is turned into a glorified blow-up doll. They have a right to be upset when characters like Rogue, Power Girl, Catwoman, and Huntress are posed in ways that encourage masturbation. They're right when they say there's a double standard when it comes to men and women. Now does that mean I agree with the article on CBR and all others like it? Well it's not that simple. See, the debate for me goes like this.

Outraged Woman and/or Man: "Women in comics are being portrayed in an overly sexualized, objectified way that's insulting and demeaning!"

Me: "And?"

I know what you may be thinking. I'm implying that I don't care about their argument, but that's not what I'm saying. If I didn't care I would say "So what? Now where's the nearest bar?" But I didn't say that. I said "And?" because that argument isn't a complete thought. It's only half the debate. The other half is supposed to be the solution or at least what you think is a viable solution. At no point do I ever hear anybody propose such a solution. It's just "This is a moral outrage!" and that's it.

Well there's a word for that kind of talk. It's called whining. It's what little kids do when their parents tell them they can't get a candy bar at the check-out line in a grocery store. In the adult world when you point out a problem or criticism, you at least try to advocate a solution. Bringing awareness isn't a solution in and of itself. It can be part of the process, but at some point you need to put something down on paper or you're just wasting time and breath.

The writer of the article was Kelly Thompson on CBR. She's a good writer and she makes plenty of valid points. But I ask both her and every other man and woman who has made the same argument. What's the alternative? What's the solution? Hell, what's the compromise? What is it? What would you do to make things different? Those are not rhetorical questions. Those are real questions that need to be answered if your argument is to have merit. Don't play a game of hypothetical and paint a picture of an ideal world in your head where this issue didn't exist and everything was all peaches, cream, and imported vodka. Give the rest of us, the readers and the male audience that are the targets, a viable solution with the keyword being viable.

Let's start simple. How would you want them posed? You want them all to pose like the men? You want every female character to do absolutely nothing to distinguish themselves from the other gender? That almost implies that they're ashamed to be women and want to be men. Same goes for clothes. You want Rogue, Catwoman, and Huntress to dress like men? Wearing baggy blue jeans and a shirt that says "Ask Me About My Prostate?"  More importantly, how would that be just as memorable or viable in the comic market? Would men still buy it? Would more women buy it? How do you know this? Flip these images of Hulk and She-Hulk and tell me they work just as well.

Let's look at it form another angle here. How much objectification is really at work here? Thompson claims that women are built like porn stars while the men are built like athletes. Are they? NFL linemen are considered athletes. Sumo wrestlers are considered athletes. Fuck, golfers are considered athletes. The men in comics are NOT fucking athletes. They're male models. Pretty boys. Jocks. The kind that make up over 99 percent of all the douche-bag antagonist in every 80s teen movie ever made.

Moreover, do comics do this because of or in spite of reader tastes? Comics don't exist in a vacuum. They're part of a market that relies both on sex selling and selling quite well. That market uses evolutionary biology to full effect. Men are visual creatures. That's not an opinion or a criticism. That's a scientific fucking fact. Here's a study that proves it in a way no whining can resist. Like it or not, men are going to respond more strongly to the presence of sexual imagery than women and comics are a visual medium. To be against using sexual connotations in comics is akin to being against birds for using wings. Now is the current situation excessive and egregious? I would argue yes. It is. But again, what the fuck are we supposed to do about it?

Finally, there's a reason why men aren't dressed up in the ridiculous outfits that female comic characters wear. It's the same reason why men don't pose like women in comics. It's because, and I know this is a politically incorrect thing to say, men and women are different. Men have a penis, balls, and hair on their ass. Women have boobs, a vagina, and ovaries. There are a long list of other differences and like every other animal in nature, those differences result in different manifestations of behavior. This isn't even about comics anymore. This is about fucking evolutionary biology. It doesn't justify the current situation, but it does imply a different perspective.

I know we live in a multicultural society that values equality and shit, but men and women are still fundamentally different at the end of the day. Whining about them not being completely equal is like whining about the sky being blue. It's just plain whining and it's no better than that little kid making a scene in the grocery store I mentioned earlier. It's not going to make the imagery of Emma Frost flaunting her sexuality or Namor flaunting his male bravado any less potent.

So I'm all ears. What do we do about the current situation? What do we, the consumers, propose to Marvel and DC and every other publisher out there as a reasonable solution that will ensure they're just as viable if not more so as an industry? I don't know what it is and I've yet to hear anything from anybody that offers something tangible. Maybe someone on this blog can offer something. I know I come off as a raving nut job here, but I'm not being disingenuous when I say I respect women. But I respect men as well. I'll comment on boobs as much as I'll comment on dicks. At the end of the day, it doesn't change anything. So for this debate about women and comics and all debates like it, I implore the morally outraged parties to quit with the fucking whining and start proposing viable solutions. Nuff said.

CBR X-POSITION: X-Editors - My Questions Asked and (Mostly) Answered

I've always suspected that the big wigs at Marvel get way too many kicks out of the power they have over legions of fanboys like myself. At some point I'm sure they stop and think "Gee, I can legally profit off the awesome of these characters and mold them in my own vision. Damn, that's cool!" There are times when they use that power responsibly. There are times when they abuse it with the ferocity of hungry lion in a pack of wounded zebras. But lately, they've been doing a lot of shit right so for that I raise my glass and drink to their contributions. Keeping in mind, of course, that I drink to damn near anything.

Whenever the editors (you know, the ones with the REAL authority at Marvel), come out from their secret underground base built that's probably nestled somewhere in the Alps it's a big deal. Especially when a huge event like Avengers vs. X-men is on the horizon. Pretty much everyone at Marvel won't shut up about it and why would they? They're pitting the Avengers against the X-men while the freakin' Phoenix Force is on it's way to cook them like a pound of bacon in an Epic Mealtime video. It's led to all sorts of speculation and what not. So for this week's X-POSITION column, the X-Editors took time to further tempt us X-men fans into parting with our money and part of our souls.

CBR X-POSITION: X-men Editors

As any responsible drunk, I took some time between hangovers and binges to write a few questions for the find folk putting together this epic event. Not all of them were asked, but the fine folk at CBR were nice enough to ask the important ones. This is what they said.

MarvelMaster616 is next, and he begins our descent into the world of queries surrounding "Avengers vs. X-Men."


1) I've really been enjoying Jeph Loeb's work on "Avengers: X-Sanction." Can you talk about how the events of this story will fit into what happens in "Avengers vs. X-Men" and the books preceding it?


2) It's already been established that the Phoenix Force will be a big part of "Avengers vs. X-Men." However, there's been no mention whatsoever of Jean Grey. If I recall, Jean Grey supposedly merged fully with the Phoenix Force during the events of "Phoenix -- Endsong," yet she's been utterly divorced from the Phoenix Force as it has interacted with Hope, the Cuckoos, and Rachel Grey. When did the Phoenix Force become completely separate from Jean Grey?


3) In one of the covers to "Avengers vs. X-Men," Wolverine looks torn between fighting alongside the Avengers and the X-Men. What can we expect from him as the conflict unfolds?


Old chum, MarvelMaster616! Have you lost weight? You look terrific! Anyway, let's answer your queries!


1) "Avengers: X-Sanction" will have no effect on the books preceding AvX (as it's one of them and isn't finished yet), but it will have big effects on AvX itself. That will become way more clear when you've seen issues #3 and #4.


2) You are correct that there has been no mention of Jean Grey leading up to AvX. Read into that however you would like. Can't say much more than that, I'm afraid.


3) That's another question I can't say too much about without spoiling things. But the gravitational pull between the A and X will weigh heavily on Wolverine. You'll see this in AvX #1, "Wolverine and the X-Men" #9 and "New Avengers" #24.

I'm not sure if it's a good sign that the X-crew recognize my drunken ramblings or not. I'm also not even sure if Nick Lowe was just screwing with me. It may be a little of both since I doubt he reads this blog. But he's always been among the more eccentric members of the Marvel crew so I take some of his words with a grain of salt. But at least he made an effort.

The first question about X-Sanction was poorly worded on my part. I probably shouldn't have used the words 'preceeding.' I meant to ask whether X-Sanction would effect any other books besides Avengers vs. X-men. But whether he intended to or not, he may have already answered it in stating that it would affect the event itself. If I can take that at face value (and I'm never sure with Nick Lowe), that means that the outcome of X-Sanction probably won't be felt in other X-books until Avengers vs. X-men kicks in. So I got my answer there.

I didn't expect him to spoil the ongoing conflict between Wolverine's hatred of Cyclops, his membership to the Avengers, and which side he takes. But I always appreciate it when someone actually gives me issues to look forward to so that I at least know when I get my answer. It's better than Tom Brevoort just saying "wait and see" on his Formspring account. That shit just gets old after a while. So I appreciate that.

Where things get fuzzy though is with the Jean Grey question. And honestly, is that surprising? Everyone at Marvel has been allergic to Jean Grey lately. That's understandable when there isn't a rip-off character that looks just like her in Hope Summers running around and when the Phoenix Force isn't on it's way to broil the Earth. Unfortunately, this isn't the case. Despite being dead for nearly a decade, Jean Grey still comes up in pretty much every major interview about the future of X-men. Yet Marvel is trying much harder than usual to avoid addressing her on every level. Some may see that as a sign that she's going to play a part in this event. I interpret more as an "if we ignore it long enough then maybe it'll go away." It doesn't work with cockroaches so I don't see why it would work with Jean Grey. This begs the question as to why Jean hasn't been mentioned. Forget for a moment that Hope Summers looks just like her, adopted her dress sense, and was raised by what is technically her biological son. When the fucking Phoenix Force is involved, Jean Grey is usually not far behind. Even in shitty stories like Phoenix Warsong, she's at least mentioned at times. None of that shit has happened with Avengers vs. X-men. This may or may not be Jean's triumphant and overdue return. Or it may be the event the finally separates her fully from the Phoenix Force and entrenches Hope as her replacement. I'm personally inclined to believe the latter given Marvel's utter revulsion to bring Jean back while bringing characters like Sabretooth back. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm not getting my hopes up for Jean's return. There have just been too many false teases for it to have any real meaning.

I'm still excited about Avengers vs. X-men. I feel it's going to be the biggest event since the invention of whiskey. But if you're a Jean Grey fan and are banking on this to be her big comeback, I would caution you to tie your ass to a tree and hold on because when that rug gets pulled out from under you it'll be a hell of a fall. Other than that, this has all the necessary potential to be the biggest event in a decade. The onus is on Marvel to blow our minds and I've got the paper towels and windex ready. Nuff said!

CBR X-POSITION: Marjorie Liu - More of My Questions Asked

There are very few writers in comics or any form of writing for that matter that have my consistent respect. I'm not the kind of fanboy that will swallow whole any shit that a particular writer pushes. I'll praise their work one week, but I'll compare it to the entrails of a dead moose the next if that's what they earn. Thankfully, I've spared my blog many dead moose with Marjorie Liu. Ever since she took over X-23, she's proven that she can write compelling stories and compelling characters in a way that isn't just awesome for the action and the teen angst. She can actually write a story with heart. She can take someone like X-23 that is as temperamental, messed up, and utterly fucked up at times and give her heart. Even if you didn't give three tenths of a damn about X-23 before, she writes X-23 in a way that's appealing and strong. I've given high marks to nearly every one of her issues that I've reviewed and she's one of the few writers to which I'll give some leniency on the little things.

Now I know I come off as a drunken madman at times, but I do actually put thought into the reviews I write and the books I need. If I wanted to just stare at pretty pictures, I'd raid my uncle's Playboy stash. As a guy who tries to write as much as he can with what little time of sobriety he has, I value good writing and good storytelling. For the most part, that's what Marjorie Liu has consistently delivered while so many other Marvel series have relied on gimmicks and spectacles (Generation Hope, Brightest Day Aftermath, and Ultimate Marvel, I'm glaring at your sorry ass). Since Liu is a novelist by trade, she's added a unique touch to the X-23 series that is just too awesome for any imported substance from Columbia.


CBR: X-POSITION - Marjorie Liu

Seeing as how I'm almost as passionate about X-23 as I am about booze, I had a number of questions I wanted to ask Marjorie Liu. Most were relating to the ongoing X-men Schism event that has been making so many waves. Others were just simple curiosities.


Really? Maybe MarvelMaster616 can get you to loosen your lips...

1) X-23 has been off on her own for a while now. How will the events of "Schism" affect her current journey as a character?

X-23 had already made the decision to split with the X-Men so, in some ways, the events of "Schism" won't affect her journey. On the other hand, seeing the split also justifies her original logic -- and maybe sets her free in unexpected ways.

2) In some of the teasers for "X-Men Regenesis," it's been revealed that Jubilee is on Cyclops' team. X-23 developed somewhat of a friendship with Jubilee in the recent arc. Will this complicate things for the two of them moving forward?

No, I don't see why it would.

3) Sinister made an appearance in an earlier arc of "X-23." It's now been revealed that Sinister will be a significant part of Kieron Gillen's "Uncanny X-Men." Will Sinister's reemergence affect X-23?

That, I can't say. We'll see.

Okay, so there wasn't much to offer. From the looks of it, Schism won't have much of an effect on X-23. That's just fine with me. I'm perfectly content with Marjorie Liu being left to her own devices with X-23. She wields them so well and Schism is spreading enough shit throughout the X-books. That doesn't mean that every X-title should share the same stench. Based on Liu's words, one could argue that X-23 is the freest X-man at the moment. She doesn't need to take a side. She doesn't have to get involved with the whole politics of mutants. I think that's kind of liberating for her. It also ensures that the X-23 series will offer a reprieve to some of the X-men fans that are tired of seeing the Wolverine/Cyclops dick-measuring contest.

I'm more intrigued by her response about Sinister. I certainly hope that his appearance will somehow tie into X-23. The story about her, Miss Sinister, and Mr. Sinister was a major moment in X-23's journey. If he comes back, I doubt that Sinister would be able to resist fucking with her. Like R. Kelly, he just can't resist messed up teenage girls. In some ways that would help show that while X-23 is off doing her own thing, the events of the other X-books still affect her. She's still an X-man at heart even if she's not on an official roster at the moment. Now she gets to take a page right out of Wolverine's playbook and rub elbows with other Marvel heroes. She's doing it with the FF now. She's set to visit Avengers Academy in the near future. She'll get around and unlike Wolverine I can't make too many sex jokes about it.

So my hopes are high on the X-23 series. I'm still excited about the prospects for Schism, but there's only so much bad bromance breakups that I can take. X-23's story is compelling in it's own right and it doesn't require mutant politics to get in the way. So for this, I thank Marjorie Liu for crafting something special. I hope she stays on with X-23 for years to come! Nuff said.

Rumors for X-men in 2012: Wolverine vs. Cyclops

I normally don't post rumors about the future of comics. To me that's like speculating on what Lady Gaga is going to wear next. It's an impossible task. However, just recently the fine folk at www.bleedingcool.com reported some potentially groundbreaking news about the future of the X-men comics. A reporter from the claims a reputable comic source (which can be code for some stranger he did coke with in the bathroom of a gay bar for all we know) says that Marvel has laid out plans for 2012.

Bleeding Cool - Wolverine's X-men And Cyclops's X-men for 2012?

Since the Messiah Trilogy began, the mutant race in Marvel comics has been united in it's struggle for survival. Now that the war is over and the mutant race is safe with the return of Jean Gre-I mean Hope Summers, everyone has to adjust to a new mentality. Some don't adjust as well as others. With no enemy to fight, the mutant race will start to bicker again. This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. Marvel couldn't keep all the mutants united together, singing songs around a camp fire and making jokes about Emma Frost's bra size. Something has to give and it seems that Fear Itself, Marvel's next big event, will be the line of coke that's one high too much. Remember this teaser?

Well assuming it's not bullshit, Cyclops is going to have to confront what fans have been bitching about since Messiah Complex. Him being the leader of the mutant race has led him to cross lines he never used to cross. He's become someone that even Magneto bows to. In that sense, he may become the very thing he once fought against. So if Bleeding Cool isn't reading coded messages from the walls on the mens room of a gas station on the Jersey Turnpike, Cyclops may finally humble himself in a way he hasn't been humbled since he swapped souls with Apocalypse. It may lead him to rethink how he handles the team and not everyone would go along with it. Wolverine, the guy who spent much of his time trying to steal Cyclops's wife, may not go along with it. It could set the stage for a divided X-men that will make for a big transition for the X-men.

I love this idea, Wolverine and Cyclops leading different teams of the X-men. If this rumor is true and not some bullshit speculation from a guy who smoked too much weed, I think it would make for some great stories. It's about time that Cyclops reconnect with his more Xavier-ish roots. Wolverine, being the guy behind X-Force now, might not agree with that. Others like Hellion and Namor probably wouldn't agree with it either. So they would side with Magneto and let's face it, Magneto was never going to remain a good guy. It seems to relate to what Kieron Gillen said about winning the war and now winning the peace. I don't think anyone would be surprised if factions started breaking off. But Cyclops vs. Wolverine? Can't get much better than that!

Actually, I know of a way it could be better. I would LOVE it if Emma Frost actually broke rank for once and sided with Wolverine instead of Cyclops. Ever since Astonishing, wherever Cyclops has gone Emma Frost went along like an obedient dog. She's supported him even as he became the undisputed mutant dictator of the mutant race. She even encourages it, which would somewhat explain why Cyclops has crossed lines he didn't used to cross. If he stops crossing those lines, then what's Emma to do? He won't be the same powerful man he once was. Emma has always had a thing for powerful men and if Cyclops isn't so powerful anymore, he may not tickle her fancy as he once did. She also won't be able to take advantage of his position and for Emma Frost, that's a big problem.

Maybe it's just me, but the Cyclops/Emma relationship has become too bland. It's everything people used to criticize about the Cyclops/Jean Grey relationship except Cyclops and Jean Grey had history and chemistry on their side. The pairing isn't going anywhere. Even Matt Fraction, the biggest fanboy of this pairing, stated they're not getting married. They haven't really done much of anything with this pairing since Joss Whedon left. So here's a chance for them to really shake it up. If Emma sees Cyclops pulling back, how would she react? Beyond being a girlfriend, she does have mutant kind's best interests at heart. If she doesn't feel Cyclops embodies that anymore, she won't follow his plans.

I would love for this to happen, but I doubt it will. We don't even know if this rumor is true. I believe Cyclops is set up to lose his rank as the top leader of the mutant race and I believe the Cyclops/Emma relationship has lost all sense of depth. But for the moment, it doesn't seem as though Marvel or Kieron Gillen want to do anything with it. So I'm left to take the skeptical, cynical approach. I would love to be proven wrong, but time and again my pessimism tends to pan out more than any optimism I can hope to fane

Overall, I hope Bleeding Cool knows what they're doing. I also hope that Marvel finds time in between the clear up that whole Hope/Jean issue that's driving so many fans like me crazy. It's an exciting time for the X-books. Second Coming set the stage for all sorts of changes. Besides the Mayan prophecy, 2012 looks to be an eventful year. All I can say to that is Excelsior!

Jack

X-POSITION: Nick Lowe - My Questions Asked

Comic Book Resources had another X-POSITION earlier today and since my questions were asked, I'm compelled to post them as I always do. I know I shouldn't keep getting so giddy about it, but I can't help it! It's fun to see one of the Marvel big-wigs actually clear up some of the crazy thoughts that are going through your mind. Today, Nick Lowe drew the wrong straw and answered some questions about various X-titles.

CBR: X-POSITION - Nick Lowe

The news wasn't too big, consisting mostly of teasers for upcoming issues and a general restating of what was already announced at the New York Comic Con. The next big event appears to be Age of X, which starts in January 2011. Not much info has been given, but details are supposed to come out with future solicits so the thinly veiled answers should start coming in. I didn't bother asking these questions. Mine were more specific, including one about my favorite shape shifter.

Speaking of Mystique, MarvelMaster616 is wondering if she feels the pain of motherhood in light of recent events:

1) Does Mystique know that Nightcrawler died during the fight against Bastion? Will her reaction (and necessary revenge) become an issue at some point? I can't imagine she would be too happy with Cyclops, Hope, or Wolverine at the moment…

Mystique knows, certainly. As for if anything will come of it, you'll have to keep reading.

2) What is the status of Storm's marriage to Black Panther? If he's now taking on the Daredevil mantle, what does that mean for them? Will this necessarily lead to marital drama?

As a long-married man (one Herculean year), I need to answer this questions with another: what doesn't lead to marital drama?

3) Is Namor going to remain with the X-Men on a long-term basis? If so, how much does Emma Frost influence that decision? The man can't seem to resist blonds…

Namor is with the X-Men for the long haul. And Emma definitely weighs heavily into that fact. Haven't you been reading "Uncanny?"

There was another question I posted. It was about the status of Mr/Mrs. Sinister. I don't know why that got cut, but I was especially curious about that one. Sinister has been MIA since Messiah Complex and the promise of new mutants must have some appeal to a guy like that. Perhaps he'll show up in Age of X. Perhaps they'll wait for when Generation Hope heats up and the Jean/Phoenix/Hope storyline is finally resolved (which was mentioned BTW).

I'm cautiously optimistic. I really do want to to see what happens with Generation Hope, Age of X, Namor, and Mystique. There's a lot of potential here, but there's also a lot of potential for horrendous disappointment and I'm always trying to prepare myself. That's why I'm keeping things with X-men Supreme going. Without that, my spirit would be an empty shell. Hopefully it doesn't come to that and my optimism and past frustrations will pay off.

In the meantime, stay tuned for Supreme Reflections! That's coming up at the end of the week. Also keep your eyes out for new artwork! I'm always looking to expand it. Until next time, take care! Excelsior!

Jack