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-men Second Coming Chapter 10: Uncanny X-men #525 - Awesome With Shortcomings

Though the Second Coming crossover has been a clinic in awesome since it began, there has been a distinct pattern emerging through each issue. No event is perfect. There will always be some weak points along the way. What's distressing about Second Coming is that those weak points are all coming from the same source: Matt Fraction and his issues of Uncanny X-men. Between all the writers involved in his crossover, his name has been attached to the issues that give X-fans the most headaches. Granted, he's not obliterating the crossover Jeph Loeb style, but he's playing his role as the proverbial ball and chain. He's like the Al Davis of the professional comic writer's league, charismatic yet annoying as fuck to the fans. Uncanny X-me #525 isn't complete trash and it does move the story along, but it does have some glaring flaws you could have an AC/DC concert in front of.

The issue picks up immediately where the last issue of X-Force left off. Cyclops has just sent Cable and X-Force into the Days of Futures Past timeline to stop the incoming hoards of Nimrod Sentinels. It's a desperate move, but when you're dealing with Nimrod sentinels that's the only kind of move you can afford to make. Needless to say, Hope is pissed. She makes no bones about it either. She heard Cyclops musing at the end of the last issue that he just killed his son. You would think a guy as smart as Scott Summers would know when to keep that shit to himself. Guess some writers need to throw in a few dramatics. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it can still make a reader's eyes roll about halfway. It's not terrible, but not awe-inspiring either.


This is also where one of the biggest developments yet in the crossover emerges. Hope Summers, who hasn't flashed any powers since the Cable series when she stopped Bishop's bullet in mid air, showed some of her messiah aura. It's been a huge question mark since the beginning of the crossover. How in the hell is this teenage girl who looks strikingly similar to Jean Grey going to save the mutant race? What kind of powers could she have? She's been hinted at being everything from a telepath and telekinetic to a mimic to some mutant power backup or whatever hell that entails. Here, her eyes flash red in the same color as Cyclops's optic blasts. It could be just out of anger or it could be something else. But it's definitely apparent some power is there and it seems to lend support to the mimic theory, even if that doesn't explain the many other feats she's accomplished like breaking Cerebra, healing Rogue, and pulling off a number of psychic feats.


She runs off before she can flash any more hints and this leads to a huge shortcoming in the issue. This is actually the last scene Hope Summers is in for the rest of the issue. I get that there's a lot going on, but after a sign like this just leaving it alone feels like a real douche-bag sort of move. So she flashes these powers and Cyclops does absolutely nothing to investigate? Aren't her powers supposed to be the key to their salvation? It's enough to make a readers head feel as though it just got whacked with a baseball bat. The world isn't just spinning. It's destabilizing. On top of it all, Hope's outburst comes off as that of an immature brat. This is a girl who to this point has shown the strength and courage instilled in her by Cable every step of the way. She's had her share of vulnerable moments because she is still a teenage girl (and let's face it, teenage girls can make a hell of a scene), but only Matt Fraction has made her look so blatantly immature. He did it in Uncanny X-men #523 when he had her jumping on the bed of her hotel and he has her doing it here. It's really an insult to the character that's been fleshed out since Messiah Complex. It's probably the single greatest shortcoming of this issue. It only hints at Hope's development and doesn't actually follow through.

While the Hope moment is disappointing, the issue does pick up in the next scene when the rest of the Marvel Universe joins the Second Coming party. It is here where the events of Second Coming Revelations: Blind Science coincide with the arrival of the Avengers. Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, and the Fantastic Four meet up with Dr. Nemesis and the Science Team to analyze the barrier that has San Francisco completely sealed. They really doesn't reveal anything new. It's impenetrable. That was already established. What is established is a plan. They need to open up a hole just big enough for Cap to get in. Seriously, that's the plan. It makes about as much cents as Cambodian garbage man. But at least it's something. You would think bringing in heroes like this would yield something more elaborate. Even if it's still building to that, it feels like a waste of precious ink.


Thankfully, Fraction does pick up the pace from here. Back on Utopia, Cyclops is forced to adjust his tactics. More Nimrod sentinels are coming through the portal and they're cutting them off at every turn. He's in turn forced to deal with the damage in a tactical manner. He cuts off power to pretty much every part of Utopia except the sick bay. It may seem extreme, but it adds some real world elements to the battle. Because that's what this is. It's a battle and Cyclops has to employ serious tactics. It may not seem logical to casual readers, but it's the kind of thing Generals do in the real world. They make necessary strategic sacrifices to reinforce the bare essentials. Since Fraction can't resist making Cyclops look awesome, he has a Nimrod sentinel show up shortly after that he blows away like Susan Boyle singing the national anthem.


But Cyclops isn't the only one who gets to kick ass. The rest of the X-men are still swarming the city, fighting the Nimrod sentinels and doing their best to protect a pants-shittingly terrified public. Storm actually gets to carry herself as an X-man instead of being a fluffer for Wakandan royalty, hitting the sentinels with her unique brand of wrath while others like Psylocke and Surge throw their weight around. It highlights some solid action scenes by artist, Terry Dodson. The colors and details are rich and powerful. It's definitely an appropriate ambiance for an issue like this. It carries on a tradition of strong art that has really helped make Second Coming one of the most visually appealing books in long time.


The art would have been a key driving force in the journey towards awesome that every comic goes through. But Fraction doesn't make it easy when he tries to throw in a few goofy one-liners that he may think are funny, but are just blatantly stupid. There's a time for humor and a time for jokes and this ain't it! Worst of all, he tries to make a joke of Watchmen using Fantomex. Maybe I'm just respecting one of the most critically acclaimed comics of all time too much, but a joke like that doesn't make a comic witty. It makes it look like an asshole. If you're going to make a joke at the expense of another comic, at least make sure it's a comic that has no respect. Make a joke about Ultimatum or the Clone Saga. These are books nobody gives two shits from a raccoons ass about. Maybe it works in a Deadpool comic, but Second Coming is written in a far more serious context. The least any writer could do is respect that.


Poor joking aside, the issue continues to move forward at a solid pace by picking up with Cable and X-Force in the Days of Futures Past timeline. Old school fans will feel their nostalgia boner shoot up when they see the familiar dystopian future that has been the focal point of so many classic stories. As it just so happens, Cable and X-Force arrive right in front of the famous wall that lists all the mutants who have been slain. Only this time, there are no blank spots. Every picture has a distinct label 'slain.' Needless to say, that freaks everybody out because it means they got a lot more riding on them now. The way time is unfolding, the X-men will lose and Bastion will win. Arcangel whines about this for a moment, but X-23 gives him and the rest of the team a necessary kick in the balls. Again, Fraction can't seem to resist making some characters more whiney than usual, but after the Hope outburst readers should have a tolerance for that shit the same way professional drinkers (alcoholics to some) have a tolerance.


From here, there isn't much time to keep whining. The anti-mutant forces that have long since fallen off the genocide-is-wrong bandwagon show up and start shooting. As expected, X-Force doesn't take kindly to their shit and they attack. The plan here is still understated, but in this instance it makes sense. Their only real objective is to get to Mastermold and stop the Nimrods from pouring into the past. There really aren't many elaborate ways that can be written and Fraction shows his strength here by laying out the path before them and sending them right into the fire. In terms of the grim and gritty action that X-Force is known for, it works perfectly. Craig Kyle and Chris Yost would certainly approve.


While this fight is unfolding, another unexpected (if not completely out-of-the-blue) development occurs on Utopia. Professor Charles Xavier, who hasn't shown his face at all during this grave affair, finally confronts Cyclops looking as though he's been kicking back peacefully while everyone around him fights for their lives. He goes off on this heart-felt apology, telling Cyclops he never thought it would get this bad. If only the X-men had a nickle for every time he said that they could bribe Bastion into quitting with all his bullshit.

It's a major hole that in many ways should have been filled sooner by other writers, not just Fraction. Where the hell has Xavier been all this time and what the fuck has he been doing? Has he just been hiding out on Utopia, watching on Fox News as his students suffer (and die at times)? I get that he's allowing Cyclops to work and lead, but you would think a guy whose very name is literally synonymous with the X-men would at least be present. Only now he's showing up? It's enough to make anyone who has been following this crossover to wonder if they're suffering from temporary amnesia because something had to be missing.


Outlandish timing aside, Fraction does try to make the best of it. For one, the strange connection between Hope and Rogue is not forgotten. Cyclops is now entrusting Rogue to go after Hope and calm her down so she actually cares enough to be the messiah she's supposed to be. He also reaches out to Xavier by asking that he enlist the services of his schizophrenic, illegitimate, omega level mutant son, Legion. This is something else that's coming out of the blue. Where the hell has he been the whole time and why wasn't he used sooner? A lot is flying over the readers' head here, but it's hard to blame Fraction for this because it's a plot that really shouldn't have been at least hinted at. I know these comics only have a limited amount of space to work with, but when they need a trump card to work with a few hints go a long way.

At the very least, it's nice to see Professor Xavier back in the fold. It makes the crossover feel that much more complete and hopefully he'll get his moments in the final few issues. This would have been a great place to end it, but there's one last scene with the Avengers and the science team. Again, not much seems to happen here and their presence really seems like a waste of ink. The only thing the final scene accomplishes is throwing in the typical "we're all doomed" and "everybody's going to die" cliffhanger. It would be much more powerful if it wasn't so cliched, but that seems to bring all the shortcomings of this issue into perspective.


Taking everything into account, Uncanny X-men #525 is still an awesome issue and it certainly doesn't bring down the whole Second Coming crossover. But it still comes off as the ugly step-child to an otherwise picturesque family of issues. Fraction's handling of Hope, one-liners, and the Avengers just feels disjointed from the tone of the rest of the comics. It's like that lone LA Clippers fan at a Lakers game. It may have the right passion, but it's horribly out of place.

Fraction still succeeded in a number of ways. He moved the story forward and he set up some promising plots for the third and final act of Second Coming. Along with Terry Dodson's art, the issue has undeniable quality. The problem is that the tone just doesn't match with the rest of the series and it makes Fraction seem like a writer who is out of his element. He can do so many things with these characters, but his style just doesn't fit the context.

The final score for Uncanny X-men $525 is a 3 out of 5. It's a long ways away from being terrible, but still not within spitting distance of being as awesome as the other issues of the crossover. Now that Fraction has finished his part, it's up to Zeb Wells to continue with New Mutants. With Legion now entering the picture and Rogue linking up with Hope, there is a lot of potential. What still baffles me is that at this stage nobody has commented on Hope's resemblance to Jean Grey and she still hasn't flashed her Phoenix potential as hinted at in all the teasers. Time is running out. There are a lot of loose ends to be filled. Second Coming has been a wondrous display of awesome thus far, but if it leaves too much open then all that awesome will be for nothing. This crossover deserves better. Nuff said.

X-Force #27 - Grim, Gritty, and Awesome

Since the end of Messiah War, reading X-Force has been like a ten minute orgasm while surrounded in the scent of melted chocolate fudge. Between the art, the action, and dark character portrayals it has been a book that never fails to deliver. So naturally, it earns a special place in the scope of Second Coming. It's one of those comics you never have to worry about being anything less than awesome. X-Force #26 continues that tradition, although not without some bumps along the road.

Now for anybody who has been disappointed by the lack of action in the past few issues, you can shut up now because the first ten pages ice nothing but knock-down, dragged out, eye-gougingly intense action. There is no dialogue. There isn't even any narration directing the reader with musings from 18th century freedom fighters making a stand against an imperial power to highlight the deep philosophical and historic significance of this story. It's just the X-men kicking the shit out of dozens of Nimrod Sentinels pouring in from the future. If this does not quench your thirst for action, then you're just being an asshole.


The art of Mike Choi is absolutely brilliant here. His style and that of X-Force has always been dark and graphic. This kind of thing would never work on a happy-go-lucky type story featuring Spider-Man, the Power Pack, and Donald Duck. It works best in an environment were a certain level of blood, guts, and various other body fluids are spilled and X-Force #27 has all that in abundance. The previous issue in X-men Legacy #236 really set things up nicely. For ten pages the likes of Cyclops, Namor, Rogue, Angel, Hellion, Surge, and a whole host other X-men fight off an invasion of Nimrod Sentinels. Anyone who is familiar with the history of the X-men knows that Nimrod sentinels are like the T-X Terminators of the Marvel Universe. One alone would be a bitch to handle. But throw dozens if not hundreds into the mix and you might as well save yourself the trouble, tie a noose around your neck, and throw yourself off the nearest five story structure. The X-men still hang strong, but the Nimrods do some serious damage. Arms are burned off, skin is burned, and bones are broken. It's a fight of gritty realism mixed with the awesome of mutant powers. You couldn't get much better than that without a topless woman and a pound of blow.


It's often understated when heroes get hurt in comics. Part of the X-men's appeal is that they're very human. You punch them and they'll bleed. You hurt them and they'll get hurt. The Nimrod sentinels definitely do that. But they don't land the killing blow. They seriously wound the X-men and dampen what little pride they have left. It's basically the same as a bully walking up to a kid in the schoolyard, roughing him up a little, and then saying they'll beat the living shit out of him after school so he has something to look forward to. The Nimrods do more than just rough up. They have the audacity to call this attack a scouting mission because they do pull back even though they have the X-men on the ropes. Now if this sounds a little confusing, bear with me because there is a method behind the madness and it's not worth bitching over.


More of Bastion's tactical brilliance is showcased here because he does something that would normally give villains the kind of headaches that would make them become postal workers. He understands that there is a future (the Days of Futures Past timeline to be precise) where neither humans nor mutants win the struggle. What he does in the present really won't amount to a pile of cow shit if the future remains the same. In order to change the future, he has to work in four dimensions and not just three. It would make Doc Brown from Back to the Future proud.

The plan is simple yet terrifying elegant. He's going to open a portal to allow 170,000 Nimrod sentinels to pour in from the future and deliver the final blow to the X-men. In terms of sheer force that's like swatting a fly with an H-bomb. In this case, however, there's no such thing as overkill. Bastion went through the trouble of trapping the X-men and killing their teleporters and he's going to make good use of this opportunity damn it!


Needless to say, the X-men are deadpanned. They got a whole city that's going to hell because of them and a fight that's taking place in both the future and the present. Even for a leader as strong as Cyclops, it's a lot to take in and seems like only a matter of time before a "we're fucked" mentality sets in. Some like Prodigy have already began returning to the fetal position. He starts whining that they're all going to die like that guy in the street corner preaching that the alien supergod Assholio is going to return and anally rape them all to death. Logan has to forcibly retrieve his balls from the recesses of his ass, but he gets him an everyone else to focus.

The decision is painfully clear for Cyclops. If Bastion is going to fight them in four dimensions then they'll have to do the same. This is where that one final time jump Cable has comes into play.


If readers would recall New Mutants #13 way back when they'll remember Cable mentioning he has one last time jump to the future. He threatened to use it to take Hope away from this madness, but Hope decided against it. Now they're going to have to use that jump anyways. They're going to send X-Force into the future to take down the Nimrod sentinels before they can pour through and deliver the Mike Tyson punch out of killing blows. It goes without saying that this is a suicide mission on par with diving naked into a volcano to retrieve an ant sized diamond. But that's never stopped Cable or X-Force before. Even though Hope is dead set against it, Cable does not shy away from the mission.


This leads to a touching moment that was hinted at in one of the variant covers. Cable, who has been raising and protecting Hope since she was just an infant, has to part ways with her. He won't allow her to come with him to the future. Her place is now in the present. Naturally, Hope gets emotional, but she doesn't try to stop him. They share a tender moment. Hope doesn't call her father or anything. She still calls him Nathan, which kind of shows she's a little pissed that he's leaving her behind. But that doesn't stop Cable from telling Hope he loves her. It's not so much the "I love you" a man gives when he tucks his daughter in at night. It's more like the "I love you and I may never see you again" that a guy tells someone when he's going on a suicide mission and doesn't expect to come back in one piece. That takes a big heart as well as planet sized balls. It's probably the most emotional Cable has ever been in decades.


In between these emotional moments and suicide missions, there's still a plan in the present to worry about. Cyclops doesn't just have mutant kind on his shoulders. He has the whole city of San Francisco and all the liberals, hippies, and homos that live in it. To keep the scope of this clusterfuck in perspective, Craig Kyle and Chris Yost take some time to show the sheer chaos that has erupted throughout the city. Most of the people have no idea what the fuck is going on and look ready to shit every pair of pants in their wardrobe. Then again this is the Marvel Universe. You would think people have gotten used to this. The only ones who benefit are the pants makers of the world. They fucking love it.

In addition, Kyle and Yost spend some time going over the wounded within the team. It's a good way to reinforce the point that the X-men are running out of able-bodied people to fight Bastion with. The injuries are mounting and so is any sense of hope that they'll get out of this in one piece. If any readers suffer from Generalized Anxiety Disorder they would have seizures over this shit. They not only have to keep the city from falling apart, but they have to be ready for Bastion's final move. If nothing else, they'll be plenty pissed when they finally get a crack at this asshole who can't help that he was programmed to be such a douche-bag.


The final scene is a powerful moment for Cyclops. He, Emma, and Hope watch X-Force and Cable disappear into the future. It's at this point Cyclops laments. He knows he's sent a team that includes his own son on a suicide mission. He tries to maintain his stern leader-like poise that every writer seems to gush over since the Morrison run. Only here he looks a lot more vulnerable. Even with Hope in the room, he's distraught that this is what it comes to. It sets things up nicely for Matt Fraction in the next issue of Uncanny X-men because he just loves writing how kick-ass Cyclops is. It almost makes me wonder if he got on his knees and begged Kyle and Yost Anna Nichole style to end the issue like this.


So X-Force #27 had action, drama, scope, and heart from cover to cover. So what's the problem? I know I haven't mentioned any shortcomings through the review, but there's a reason for that. The biggest problem this issue has (and I say biggest in relative terms) isn't something minor on certain pages. It's an issue that stems the whole book. As great as Mike Choi was with the art, there are just some areas where it doesn't work. When Hope is hugging Cable to say goodbye and when Cyclops is lamenting that he's killed his son, their faces look like statues. You might as well be looking at monuments on Easter Island because that's how much emotion they convey. It's not a good thing when the variant cover by David Finch has the most emotion of the book. I know that's not necessarily the style of X-Force, but this is within the context of Second Coming. Since so few panels are dedicated to these moments, the artistic representation is important. It doesn't help that the dialogue falls a little flat here. It makes what should be some very powerful moments into something the reader can easily gloss over.

It's not terribly egregious. The comic still has plenty of awesome to make up for this, but this definitely holds it back from being another perfect 10. It also falters on some of the themes set up by Mike Carey in the previous issue. For Kyle and Yost, I expect better than this. Granted those standards are pretty high, but they don't get a pass. They still have an issue to make up for this and there's no reason why they can't.

One other criticism (which isn't just restricted to this book) is how nobody has commented on Hope's appearance yet. She has red hair and green eyes and a dress sense very similar to Jean Grey yet nobody says anything? It's getting to be pretty late in the game. If someone doesn't pick up on this theme soon then someone at Marvel needs to be fired. They have been dropping hints that Hope is Jean or the Phoenix since the end of Messiah Complex. If they don't even attempt to address it in the next four issues then that's enough to take this whole crossover down. There's still time, but it needs to be addressed. I don't see Fraction doing it since that would fall under the category of time not making Cyclops and Emma awesome, which is his least favorite activity. There is plenty of room for others to fill the void and hopefully they do because this has been making fans like myself bang our heads against the table for years and the doctors say I may brain my damage if it doesn't stop.

Because of these small but important shortcomings, X-Force #27 gets a 4 out of 5. It has everything you want in the awesome that is Second Coming, but some little yet profound issues keep it from being perfect. This basically marks the end of Act 2. There is only one month left to follow! Bring it on, Uncanny! Hopefully we'll be getting some answers regarding Hope, the Phoenix, Jean Grey, and the mutant messiah very soon.

Jack

X-POSITION: Mike Carey - Four for Four!

Last week I was ecstatic to see another question of mine posted on CBR for the 3rd time. This week the tradition continues. My question was once again posted for Mike Carey, writer of X-men Legacy. Of all the ongoing X-titles, Mike Carey is one of my favorite because he does characterization better and more consistently than any other writer. He's done more for Rogue and Charles Xavier than any writer in decades and it's very satisfying getting an answer from him. The question I asked wasn't easy, but I felt it was pertinent and it involved Mystique.

MarvelMaster616 is dying to know more about Mystique's mystique - what secrets can you divulge?

I've noticed that for all the history revealed about her, there is still a good deal of mystery surrounding Mystique's past. There is no story that reveals what she was like as a child or how she came to be the twisted shape-shifter we all know and love. Will we ever get a chance to see the story of Mystique's childhood?

That would be very cool, MM. I don't know of any current plans to delve into Mystique's past (was "The Draco" in 2003 the last time this was done?), but clearly there's a lot more to be revealed about her - not least what experiences in life have made her so mercilessly manipulative of others. You'd need the right platform, though; unless it was a self-contained miniseries, there'd have to be a reason in terms of current events for delving into and uncovering her past. That was the sort of story I loved telling when "Legacy" was Professor X's book.

CBR X-Postion: Mike Carey

It's been a question I haven't heard many people ask. Mystique is one of the most notable characters in the X-men's class of villains. Her history is pretty extensive and she's been behind some pretty destructive moments in the past. That being said there's very little insight into her past. There's no comic in the 616 continuity (or any continuity for that matter) that describes where she came from, who her parents were, and what she was like before she became a shape shifter. With the death of Nightcrawler in Second Coming, I was hoping this would be a good medium to tell that story. It doesn't look like that's going to happen. Mike Carey's response seems to imply there's no room for it at the moment and I can see where he's coming from.

I still hope that story gets told. I certainly plan to tell it in X-men Supreme when the time comes. In the meantime he'll be one of the writers I'll be following even after Second Coming. His work remains a standard by which other X-men writers are measured by. Now there's Jason Aaron in the mix for X-Position. Guess I better find something to ask him as well! Nuff said.

X-men Legacy #236 - Continued Legacy of Awesome

As strong as X-men Second Coming has been, it hasn't been perfectly consistent. My last two reviews of Uncanny X-men #524 and New Mutants #13 both had a healthy dose of cynicism as well as praise. But that's nothing to bang your head against the wall over. Even the best titles can't be consistent. However, there are a few that regardless of the circumstances still managed to shine with a consistent level of awesome. In the scope of Second Coming, Mike Carey's X-men Legacy is one of those rare titles and this issue shows it.

There's no subtle build-up this time. The very first few pages are like a slap across the face, a splash of liquid nitrogen, and sledge hammer to the balls. Mike Carey gets right into the action, picking up with the investigation into these mysterious oil rigs that Bastion has been tweaking lately. They don't have to investigate for very long. Before the big brains of the X-men can channel their inner Einstein, the damn thing literally blows up in their face.


The result is something that will generate one big "oh fuck" among everyone in the X-men in addition to pretty much everybody in the greater San Francisco area. These devices employ some classic comic book physics and by physics I mean the kind of impossible manifestations that you can only visualize with the aid of weapons grade LSD and hallucination mushrooms. A giant red shell of unbreakable energy forms over the entire city and traps the X-men inside. Keep in mind that they lost all their teleporters like Vanisher, Nightcrawler, Pixie, and Ariel. They even lost their X-jet. So they really are trapped. Bastion has them cornered and isn't going to let them get away. Cyclops described his strategy the best. He cut off their communications and their escape routes. Now he's free to deliver the killing blow.


Their initial response is expected. Is there any way out of this thing? Most readers will naturally scoff and say "why don't you just go underneath it?" as if it were the easiest thing int he world. Well if your average fanboy can figure that out, so can Bastion and the X-men. Cyclops wasted no time in contacting Namor to see if this barrier extends underground. Guess what? It does. It's not a dome. It's a sphere. That's Bastion 1, know-it-all fanboys 0. When he's looking to trap his enemies, Bastion takes no chances.


From this point on, Bastion has the mutants right where he wants them. So naturally he's going to get a little cocky. He basically tells his friends in the Sapien League they can put their feet up, take five, and chill back home with a tub of ice cream and some movies because the mutants are doomed. They have nowhere to hide and he's got everything he needs to take them out. He's essentially telling everyone he's got the biggest dick in the city before anybody can take off their pants and start measuring. It's more a classic kind of villainy and one that shows a great deal of confidence, if not overly so. It seems cliched, but any experienced comic leader wouldn't expect anything less.


Now something this bad is going to gain a lot of attention. It's at this point that Mike Carey does something that hasn't been done yet in the crossover. He incorporates it into the greater Marvel universe by having the Avengers show up. From the looks of it, they've already gotten a head start on the Heroic Age. It almost seems as though Carey lifted them from Avengers #1 that came out this past week as well. They basically arrive on the scene and try to break through the barrier. Thor takes a whack at it with his hammer and it doesn't even make a dent. As the science geeks explained it, this barrier is part matter and part energy. It can't be broken in the same way a slab of mud can't be broken. So the Avengers are helpless to assist the mutants and the X-men are on their own.


Now some may say that this is kind of a waste. Remember, this is an X-men comic. What the hell are the Avengers doing soaking up precious ink that could otherwise be used for X-men? Well it's another one of those little things that the insufferable douche-bags of the world often overlook. For an event this big, it would be pretty stupid for it to go unnoticed by the rest of the Marvel Universe. This brief entry not only shows that the Avengers know about it, but they try to do something and are unsuccessful. Maybe Carey had another scene in mind, but this helps clear out that hole and makes Second Coming an event that is truly a Marvel event. In that sense it's more than worth the extra ink.

While the big guns are going at it, there is still room for those important character moments that make these titles so special. In the last issue of the crossover Hope Summers admitted that she lied when she said she was ready to come back to the present. This leads to a powerful scene with Cable where he discusses the importance of the mission. At the same time he never forgets her role as guardian. He says that if she wants they can make one last time jump into the future and leave this all behind. It would mean the death of the X-men, but if she wants this then he can make it happen. Hope is left with a very difficult decision because at this point it still hasn't been revealed what's so special about her and why she's supposed to save all mutants. Even so, she makes her decision. She decides to stay.


It's an important moment for her character. Hope Summers shows that she isn't some tool. She's a real character who has very human flaws. Like all messiahs, they have doubts along the way. She's seen so much destruction happen in her name and it's only natural to have that affect her. So here she is trembling for a bit, but then sucking it up and moving forward. Fate is trying to press her down and she's kicking it in the balls. It's a very admirable act. Kind of reminds me of another certain redhead, but that's another story.

It's a great mix between character development and action. However, Mike Carey doesn't make every drop of ink count. In a very rare shift this issue had very little Rogue in it and most Carey comics give at least some screen time to demonstrate her awesomeness. She does show up here, but only in a limited capacity. All she does is have a conversation with Toad and that's about it. For someone who has given Rogue some amazing moments in this crossover thus far, it seemed a little half-assed. It was like Carey had to arm wrestle the editors or something to put Rogue on at least a few pages and it feels a little out-of-place. If he's going to use Rogue, he might as well make it meaningful and it just wasn't that meaningful here.


Meaning aside, Mike Carey saves the best moments for last as Cyclops and a team of X-men fly into the city in an effort to contain this unfolding disaster. Along the way they see a glowing ball of light that appears to have been lifted right from the Terminator movies. Seeing as how the X-men don't keep up with the movies, they go to investigate it. And guess what pops out? If you've seen Terminator you won't be at all surprised. It's a fleet of Nimrod Sentinels. For those of you who don't know their X-men history, the Nimrod Sentinels are the Terminator equivalent of the T-1000 that has spawned a bastard child with the T-X from Terminator 3. It's mean, it's nasty, and it's indestructible. One alone would be a hassle. An army would require an entire new wardrobe of underwear because you would have shit every one of them.


This sets things up perfectly for Craig Kyle and Chris Yost, who take on the next chapter in X-Force. This is right up their alley, taking on a bunch of killer robots under Bastion's control. It's the kind of over-the-top battle that sprays napalm into your skull and dumps gasoline on it. For an issue that started off with a bang, it's the perfect way to cap it off.

Mike Carey has once again proven to be the most consistent X-men writer of the Second Coming crowd. His stories and handling of the characters remains the standard by which all others are measured. He is able to get deeper both into the light and dark aspects of the X-men, making for a balance that just isn't shown in other comics. It should make writers feel secure because he's staying on board after the crossover is over while Kyle and Yost are jumping ship. In addition to his writing the art by Greg Land is a perfect compliment. It isn't the best art in the series and it is a little inconsistent at times. But it definitely works and works pretty damn well.

The whole package is sound. The last two issues may have been bumps in the road, but they're officially a thing of the past. Mike Carey has brought Second Coming back to prominence. This issue gets a stellarly awesome 5 out of 5 and an A-plus. The stage has been set for X-Force and the awesome is just screaming to be let out. X-fans everywhere would be wise to listen.

Second Coming New Mutants 13: A Step Back Towards Awesome

As you may recall, my last report on Second Coming portrayed a harsh bump in the road for what is supposed to be the biggest X-men crossover in decades. Uncanny X-men #524 was the first major pothole in what had been a smooth path towards legendary awesome. Matt Fraction did the crossover a disservice with his latest installment and Zeb Wells was forced to get the train back on the track with New Mutant's #13. It's kind of unfair, like having to clean up a hotel room that had been the stage of an after party by Led Zeppelin. Wells had to wade through his share of semen stained filth to clean up the series and his efforts were solid for the most part.

The issue starts off a bit more disjointed than the others. It takes the action to Domino and Vanisher of X-Force, who are just learning who had been killed in action. Naturally, Cyclops wants a teleporter back into the mix and Vanisher is the only one left. Unfortunately, Vanisher lost his balls somewhere and wanted no part of it. He preferred to go on a brothel run in Portugal, which may seem smart to some guys. Unfortunately, those same guys were waiting for him with guns and he got wacked Sopranos style.


It was an inglorious way to go. Compared to the deaths of Nightcrawler and Ariel, Vanisher's demise was kind of cheap. This is a guy who fought alongside X-Force. For him to just die like this felt contrived, like the man had an expiration date and rather than enjoy the rest of what he had to offer the writers just cut their losses and threw him in the trash. It may work for milk, but not here. He may be a lesser character, but still. He's a character. It's a shame he has to go out like this.

The death of Vanisher isn't really dwelled on. In fact, that's the last he's heard of in this whole issue. The next scene takes us to Donald Pierce, who escaped from captivity and is ready to implement the next stage of Bastion's plan. In this the plot of Second Coming really shines because it shows some strategy behind the madness. This isn't some ultimate evil looking to attack the good guys with brunt force. This is a foe who doesn't have their head too far up their ass. They've clearly read Sun Tzu's "Art of War" and are employing a vital strategy that will become a big factor later on.


The New Mutants get some moments next. Each are still pretty devastated by what happened to Karma and many are having doubts. But not much is made of this at first because more focus is placed on Cyclops and Beast. They're still in the infirmary looking over the wounded and here it seems Wells is making up for some of the bullshit Matt Fraction unloaded in the previous issue.

One big criticism of Uncanny 524 was that Beast showed up and he came off as a flaming asshole, chastising Cyclops while he was holding the grave of his dead friend on his shoulders. Here, he's a bit more tame. He still is as comfortable around Cyclops as a gay, Jewish, black guy around a card carrying member of the KKK, but he's a lot more respectful this time around. The two men have a civilized conversation and Beast agrees to stay on board with the X-men until the end. It's a good thing too because an event this big without Beast is like demolition derby without the crashes.


There's nothing wrong with this scene, but it just feels like it wouldn't have been necessary had Fraction not turned Beast into a raging asshole in the last issue. This scene could have been used for something more useful, but Wells seemed obligated to address it so that Beast wouldn't come off as too great a douche bag. It seemed as though this scene should have expanded on the earlier scene with the New Mutants (because it is their comic after all). However, that scene got cut short and because there's so much going on in Second Coming they're basically left on the back burner like undercooked flanks steaks.

The next few scenes don't help them as they focus on the science team's expedition to an offshore oil rig. Given the news oil rigs have been getting lately, it's only fitting that they would be the sight of Bastion's next demonstration in douche-baggery. The team uncovers what looks like glorified wall clocks from a 70s disco bar, but they turn out to be these bombs that explode with manifestations of pink clouds. If that sounds fucked up, don't be afraid. Your brain is still working. There are just few words to describe it and that's par for the course with Bastion.


While this is going on, the New Mutants finally get some more screen time as Cable leads Hope to the cafeteria to get some much needed nourishment. It makes sense considering from her perspective, she just came from the future and has only had time to gorge on candy bars for nourishment. And that can't be healthy for a teenage mutant messiah.

This is where she comes face to face with Danielle Moonstar, who wasn't too happy about what happened to her friends earlier. She seems to echo the same sentiment Wolverine did at the end of Uncanny X-men 524. She has doubts that all these sacrifices they're making in the name of this teenage girl are really worth it. And who could blame her? One of her friends lost a leg. She has a right to be a little pissed so she takes it out on Hope. That would seem smart if this wasn't a girl who was raised by Cable.


An old fashioned food fight erupts. It's like a scene out of an old teen comedy. Danielle is the stupid jock bully and Hope is the undersized yet ballsy upstart looking to prove herself. She definitely shows some grit here in taking on Moonstar. While this is going on, Cyclops comes rushing in and tries to break it up. But Cable stops him. As far as he's concerned, it's better to just let them fight. Apparently, that's how all the world's problems get solved. It's worked for him plenty of times before and it's pretty awesome. So who are we to argue?

This leads to a heated conversation with Cyclops that forebodes on Cable's fate. He says at one point he has one last time jump to the future and he can use it to take him and Hope away from this madness. Now based on the solicitations of future issues, that's probably not going to happen. Hope will likely stay, but it seems more likely now that Cable is going to get stuck in the future again and Hope is going to be left behind. It's not the same as killing a character off, but considering how Vanisher died earlier that's a nice alternative if they go that route.

What's strange here is that the food fight is probably the most drawn out fight scene in this issue. That's kind of a shame because there was potential for more and it came in the very next scene.


Remember how Pierce was snooping around earlier? Well he made good use of his snooping and managed to blow up the X-men's jets and transports. This way they're stranded on Utopia and without any teleporters, they're basically boxed in. As far as tactics go, Bastion deserves a gold star here. This is pretty solid planning and there isn't much the X-men can do.

From here, it seems a fight is going to break out. Namor and X-23 show up to vent their frustrations on Pierce. But if you were hoping for a more drawn out struggle, you'll be disappointed. Pierce goes down faster than a Vietnamese hooker. Cyclops finishes him off before the fight can become truly awesome. It has the same problems with the fight against Vanisher. You get excited about what it could lead to, but it's over too soon. It's the comic book equivalent of premature ejaculation.


So the X-men are royally screwed and boxed in. Naturally, Danielle is going to feel vindicated while Hope is going to be beating herself up. This leads to one of the most powerful scenes in the issue. Hope confesses to Cable that she lied when she said she was ready to come back. She had no idea her presence would cause this kind of death and the guilt is eating her up inside like a flesh eating disease. Who can blame her for feeling a little guilty? For the sad predicament she finds herself in, it's a very human and very understandable reaction. The mere fact she isn't puking out of disgust shows just how strong a character she is.


The end of the issue is the strength of the issue. It helps tie together some of the dangling plot lines left over from Uncanny X-men 524 and makes for a nice moment before X-men Legacy picks it up. This issue has much more going for it than the previous issue and Zeb Wells succeeds in many of the areas where Fraction fell short. It doesn't completely rebound from the previous issue and some of that is beyond Wells's control. The contrived action scenes in conjunction with the deep character moments simply didn't mesh well. It leaves the reader wanting more in the same way you want more potato chips upon finding out the other half of the bag was eaten by a greedy roommate. It's still as solid as can be. The dialogue is great and the art is beautiful, fitting in nicely with the rest of saga thus far.

So what kind of score does New Mutants 13 get? For having to deal with the shortcomings of Matt Fraction's previous installment, Zeb Wells deserves a little bonus. As such, the issue earns a 4 out of 5. It has action, but of the limited variety. It has solid character moments and it moves the plot along in a clear and meaningful way. Overall, it is a worthy and solid installment in the Second Coming saga. It sets the stage for what promises to be an action packed Act 2, which begins with X-men Legacy. To that all I can say is bring it on! Second Coming is still awesome and hopefully it can stay that way through the final two acts!

X-Position: Matt Fraction - Another Question Asked!

Last week I was thrilled when I saw that a question I sent to Comic Book Resources was asked to Louise Simonson. Now normally when I ask a question I get the sense it's buried in a pile of mail somewhere between the Viagra adds and the links to sexy singles looking for a good time. Last week I was really happy to see each question asked and Louise Simonson give a thorough and thoughtful answer. This week I asked another question for Matt Fraction, the writer of Uncanny X-men. I didn't expect anything to come of that either. Again, I was wrong.

X-Position: Matt Fraction

My question did indeed get asked, but only part of it. My questions was concerning Emma/Namor, a plotline he seems to have forgotten recently because he's too bent on making Cyclops/Emma look like the greatest thing since free internet porn. I expected a pretty dry answer because of this, but this was not so. Here's what he said.

MarvelMaster616 has romance on his mind. Can you share some info that might titillate and entice?

I love the chemistry you gave Namor and Emma during "Utopia," but Namor has been a bit quiet in his affections for Emma since then. Is that ever going to become an issue again? Namor does have a history of pursuing blondes, and he doesn't seem to respect Scott Summers nearly as much as he did Reed Richards...

Yeah, of course! Imminently, even. Namor and Emma come to the forefront again in our first "Second Coming" storyline, "The Five Lights." That's a story I've only just started to tell, and I'll be getting back to it once the dust of "Second Coming" starts to settle a little bit...it's been a busy year from "Utopia" to "Second Coming," y'know?

We just got an amazing Terry Dodson cover featuring the two of them, as a matter of fact.

And I think Namor respects Scott - after "Second Coming," I know it for a

Fact - but they're not married. Y'know? Scott shoulda put a ring on it. And as we've already seen, Namor and Emma have a hot-and-bothered history. Ssssooo...

So it looks like he hasn't forgotten. That's a good thing because based on his usual interviews and his Twitter account, he often comes off as more eccentric than Willie Wonka on LSD. Emma/Namor is something he developed with Utopia and since Second Coming is not his baby, it doesn't make sense for him to flesh that out during such an event. The arc that comes after it "The Five Lights" appear to be the next big story and Namor may finally get some face time. It's a good thing too because his depiction of Cyclops and Emma Frost is really an insult to the chemistry set up by Grant Morrison and Joss Whedon. I get that Fraction loves those two together, but it's so blatant it makes the characters come off as a product of horrendous bias.

This brings me to the question that didn't get asked. When I sent my message into CBR, I originally asked two questions. The first one, I felt, was a bit more important than the last one because it brought up Matt Fractions blatant Cyclops/Emma bias and cited an answer he gave in an earlier interview. Here is what never got asked:

A while back you described Emma Frost as the love of Scott's life and Jean as the love of Scott's youth. But how can Jean be the love of Scott's youth when they were married for over a decade in comic time? Do you recall how they ventured into the future together to raise Cable for 12 years? That doesn't seem too befitting of mere youthful love. Doesn't Scott and Jean's love deserve more credit than that?

I would have loved to hear his answer on this because it is an answer that generated a lot of buzz on the internet forums. A lot of people weren't thrilled to hear an X-men writer was so blatantly bias towards a pairing that he completely ignored a relationship as being a product of 'youth' when the nature of the relationship propagated for over a decade. That gives the impression that he doesn't even know the full history of the characters that he's writing about. If that's the case, then it's no surprise his writing is so bias.

Either he didn't care to answer the question or CBR didn't ask it. Whatever the case, it's a question that deserves scrutiny and I hope that future X-Positions give me or someone else a chance to bring it up. Either way, at least I know my voice is being heard. That alone is awesome in a ways that a fan such as myself can deeply appreciate. Nuff said.

Jack

Second Coming: X-Force #26 - Bloody and Awesome

The wave of awesome just keeps coming with X-men Second Coming. This past week the fifth part in the crossover was released and Marvel has been teasing that this is where a major character dies. Some will recall that someone already died in the previous issue, Ariel, but that wasn't a character that would send shockwaves through the X-men universe. The emotional loss in this story doesn't just send shockwaves. It sends a comet of awesome into the furthest depths of the ocean and kicks up a tsunami so rich with awesome that people and animals would line up as the shores just to be overtaken by it.

Like all the previous parts, X-Force #26 moved seamlessly from the previous issue of X-men Legacy. Once again, it's worth pointing out how smooth these transitions are. This is a new standard in crossovers where the move from one issue to another feels so easy it might as well be named it's own book. For all we know that's what the Marvel writers intended all along. I would be willing to bet a steak dinner that this was proposed, but thrown out for cost cutting measures (keep in mind they're on Disney's dollar now). Whatever they intended, the finished product is truly uncanny.

The action picks up just after the X-men's communication link with Utopia was shut down by Bastion. This leaves Cable and the rest of the Alpha team to fight off Bastion's forces while Nightcrawler and Rogue try to get Hope to Utopia as fast as possible. The action is very well scripted for the Alpha Team. The readers are even treated to the always popular Fastball Special, only this time it involves Psylocke launching X-23 towards a flying fighter jet. It is essentially a case study proving that anything that is well-done by men can be made infinitely hotter when performed by two hot women.

While the Alpha Team fights on, Nightcrawler and Rogue come face to face with Bastion himself in Las Vegas. It seems appropriate that a guy as evil as Bastion would launch his attack in a place nicknamed "Sin City." The fight that ensues is epic. Rogue, flushed with the powers of pretty much every X-men she could find, took on Bastion and beat on him in ways that would make Mystique herself proud. But Bastion being Bastion does like many Las Vegas hookers and not go down easily. He is able to fight off Rogue despite all her power and go for Hope. Her response? She tries to hit him over the head with a metal pipe. That's basically as effective as one would expect it to be. In other words it was stupendously stupid.

That's when it happens. Just as Bastion goes for Hope, Nightcrawler makes his move. He teleports to her and in the process Bastion picks up on it. He ends up appearing between him and Hope with Bastion's arm sticking right through his body. It essentially confirms what Marvel has done a piss poor job keeping secret. Nightcrawler is the one to die.


It's a powerful moment. The man who criticized Cyclops the most for his tactics with X-Force ends up making the ultimate sacrifice. He in this one panel shows that his balls are bigger than even Cyclops could ever dream. It's the kind of badassery that makes Emma Frost's panties wet. But Nightcrawler wasn't done. Despite having a freakin' ARM lodged in his torso, he takes a page straight from Braveheart and summons the strength he needs to teleport Hope away from Bastion and onto the shores of Utopia. Hope is understandably moved and probably turned on as much as Emma would have been (she is 17 after all).


What happens next is a tribute to the art of Mark Choi. The X-men return to Utopia and gather around the rescued Hope, only to see that they've lost one of their own. It's one of those moments in comics where no words or dialogue is needed. Everything is conveyed in the expressions of the characters. It's the ultimate "nuff said" moment. It's a fitting way to end the fight to get Hope back to Utopia and with the X-men.


RIP Nightcrawler. You are truly an X-man worthy of badass legend.

But as awesome and heartfelt as Nightcrawler's sacrifice was, this does lead to some plot holes in the issue. For one, most X-fans know that Nightcrawler's teleportation range is two miles. He can't go further than that. Yet suddenly with an arm lodged in his chest he can go from Vegas to Utopia, which is hundreds of miles away in San Francisco bay? That may be very awesome, but it's also stretching the fabric of comic reality. There were also some holes in the time that's been elapsed. How did the team link up so quickly? The time flow is messed up a bit here and it's not as smooth as previous issues.

Those criticisms, however, are completely eclipsed by the sheer awesome of the issue as a whole. Craig Kyle and Chris Yost keep the Second Coming awesomeness going full throttle and their X-Force style blends perfectly with the events in this crossover. It basically took them five issues to get Hope from Westchester to Utopia. They probably could have spent the whole crossover doing this, but they made it just as long as it needed to be. Now comes the next step. They have Hope. Now what?

I've still been disappointed thus far that nobody has commented how Hope looks like another redhead they know and love and shares her dress sense. Now that the fighting as stopped, maybe they'll finally bring it up. They better because that would be a plot hole big enough to drive a fleet of Hummers through. There is also the aftermath of Nightcrawler's death they have to deal with. How will they cope? What will this do to the team? It leaves so much to look forward to that readers may have a heart attack from the awesome that now clogs their system.

Overall, this issue gets yet another 5 out of 5, a 10 out of 10, and an A-plus. Second Coming isn't just starting out strong. It's starting out flawlessly. If it were a diamond it would be on display in a museum and Ocean's Eleven would have stolen it by now. That's how great it is. Bring on the next part! Second Coming is still awesome and is shaping up to be the best X-men story in a long time. Nuff said.

Second Coming: X-men Legacy #235 - Drama and Death

Another week has gone by and another chapter of Second Coming has arrived. This time it's Mike Carey's turn to flex his awesome and he does so in a way that would make a steroid abusing body builder enraged with envy. The story continues the tradition set up with the first issue, moving seamlessly from the previous installment with New Mutants and continuing into X-men Legacy. It actually feels so seamless that you could probably just call X-men Legacy something basic like Second Coming #4 and it would work just as well. That may not seem like much, but for anybody who has ever been caught up in these kinds of crossover's that's huge. It used to be a running gag that crossovers like this were akin to a bunch of lab rats running in all different directions through the same maze to get the same piece of cheese. For a series to be this coordinated is tantamount to seeing a mermaid riding a unicorn across a rainbow to a leprechauns pot of gold.

X-men Legacy has traditionally focused on Rogue as the main character and this issue certainly brings her into the picture. Her entrance feels natural since Cyclops and the Alpha team can't seem to track Hope and Cable anymore so they need to rely on Rogue, who seems to have a connection with Hope after she healed her in Messiah Complex. They use Ariel to teleport her to the action and they get right back on the trail of Hope and Cable, who are already hiding in the middle of nowhere as they so often have done.

While this is going on, the real action continues with the New Mutants as they battle Cameron Hodge. Karma was hurt at the end of the last issue and at Hodge's mercy. She is saved by Cannonball, but Hodge continues to show his douchebaggery by ramping up the assault. It ends up falling on Warlock to take down Hodge in a scene that is very satisfying to anybody who can't stop droning on about how inferior races are doomed to perish. It's like watching Hitler and the KKK get repeatedly disemboweled while they're forced to wear dresses and sing show tunes. Warlock hasn't had a lot of moments to shine up until this point, but he sure does here.

This is a big positive for the X-men, but that quickly gets washed out when Bastion deals the X-men another ace and shorts out Cerebro. Now Emma and the Cuckoos are blinded and the Alpha team is stuck going after Hope and Cable blind and dumb. As if Bastion weren't devious enough, he sends a fighter jet to bomb the Alpha Team's envoy and singes Wolverine and X-23 to the bone. He also kills Ariel, the teleporter who was supposed to be their escape plan. She's the first casualty in Second Coming and one of the few lowlights of this issue. For all the emphasis Cyclops put on mutant death, this one is brushed off pretty damn quickly. Even though Ariel is a lesser known character, it's forgotten faster than Ryan Leaf's pro football career. I expect more of Mike Carey here, but he more than makes up for it.

The Alpha team does find Hope and Cable just as the Purifiers are closing in and open up some much needed ass-kicking. This is where they end up having to make a hard decision. Bastion is tracking Hope by tracking Cable, whose techno-organic virus is essentially a neon sign blaring "I'M RIGHT HERE" to the very people looking to take Hope out. So the only way to protect Hope is to separate her from Cable. This leads to a very powerful moment between the two. Cable has rarely if ever let Hope out of her sight since she was a baby. For him to agree to this, he has to be desperate on a whole new level or possibly bat-shit from all the time traveling he's had to do.

After a brief debate, Hope agrees to go with Rogue and Nightcrawler. For added measure, Rogue powers up by absorbing as many mutant abilities as possible. By the end she looks so badass and tough she's practically a one woman army.


Need I say more? Given how much Mike Carey loves Rogue, it's only fitting she step up in this issue. It ends leaving Craig Kyle and Chris Yost a great opportunity for Logan, Cable, and the rest of X-Force to throw down and kick ass while Rogue and Kurt get Hope to safety.

There isn't much else to be said about how awesome this issue is. It continues the trend started by the previous three issues of being so cool there's next to nothing bad to report. If there is any worthy criticism it has to do with Ariel's death, which I already went over. There's also the matter of nobody reacting much to seeing Hope for the first time. Given she's not a baby anymore and bears an uncanny resemblance to Jean Grey, one might expect SOMEONE to notice. Then again, that would probably count as nit picking among Jean fans considering this is all going on in the heat of a battle. Hope could look like the Virgin Mary herself and they wouldn't have time to react. Hopefully, that comes in later. Other than this, there really isn't much else to criticize. The dialogue is fantastic, the pace is perfect, and the dialogue is spot on.

The next issue promises a prominent death. Many are still banking that Nightcrawler will be the one to bite it. That remains to be seen. Whatever the case, Second Coming is going hard and strong! It's riding a tidal wave of awesome and it promises to keep going. It is definitely worthy of a 5 out of 5, a 10 out of 10, and an A-plus. Bring on the next part! Second Coming is still awesome and dares to be better with each passing issue.