Category Archives: X-Men
Review: X-Factor #243
Now we’ve come to the Polaris issue! I think every character who is leaving X-Factor is getting their own issue in this ‘Breaking Points’ storyline, and now we’ve arrived at the Polaris one. It’s a good issue, revealing new facts in Polaris’ already twisted backstory while providing some nice supporting work by the other characters. But it kind of comes out of nowhere. Was anybody really eager to hear some new convoluted twist to Polaris’ life? And other than hardcore Polaris fans, was anybody really interested in seeing a whole issue dedicated to her problems?
X-Factor #243
Polaris, and to an extent Havok, have been non-characters for so long. It’s nice of writer Peter David to try and make something of them, but I think it’s too little too late, especially considering where they’re going.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good.
This is a solid issue of X-Factor. It’s got some good humor, some great character work and tells a complete story. It also builds on a few ongoing storylines and teases the next issue, which looks to focus on Banshee, though I hope she’s staying in the book. My problem is with Polaris, and I’ll explain more after the jump. She’s such a messed up, blank slate character at this point. How does it help her for PAD to add some crazy new wrinkles to her backstory…unless he thinks he’s smoothing them out. Her character has been through Hell, both mentally and physically, over the past few years. She’s due for a smoothing out. But I don’t know if that is accomplished in this issue.
Still, like I said, it’s a pretty fun issue of X-Factor. The team acts like a group of friends/frenemies just trying to help each other get by. And that’s the real strength of this series.
Cannonball Steps Up Big Time!
This is kind of a minor thing, but apparently the superhero Cannonball is going to join the Avengers in the new Marvel NOW! relaunch!
That’s him in the upper left hand corner
That’s a set of three covers from the new series, by writer Jonathan Hickman. There are a few new characters – as well as every single Avenger from this summer’s big movie – but the important one, to me, is Cannonball. Not that I’m a huge Cannonball fan or anything, I just generally like the idea of minor characters like that stepping up to do something new and bigger than their usual fare.
Plus, I remember back in the 90s when Cannonball ‘graduated’ from X-Force onto the X-Men. That was treated like a really big deal at the time, and I enjoyed him on the team. I miss the days when being on a certain team meant something, as did shifting from one team to the other. Still, perhaps you’ll enjoy the look at the new Avengers lineup. I’m sure it’s going to last…4 months.
Dog Logan Set to Return…Again
Does anybody remember Dog Logan, Wolverine’s half-brother? He was in the comic Origin from 2001, when they revealed that Wolverine was really James Howlett, a sickly boy who was born in Canada in the late 19th century. James was the illegitimate son of Mrs. Howlett and the groundskeeper, Thomas Logan. Whereas Dog was Thomas Logan’s actual son. It was a cool twist, believe me. I liked Origin.
Wolverine isn’t the one you think
Well apparently sometime last year…or this year, who knows…Dog returned in the pages of Astonishing Spider-Man & Wolverine because the two heroes went on some jolly quest through time and managed to bring Dog to the present day. I didn’t read it. The comic was one of those random mini-series that Marvel puts out because having the names Wolverine and Spider-Man on a comic book cover is sure to sell. That Dog returned in that comic, let alone came to the present day, was a fact that seemed to avoid my notice. Apparently he’s since been living out in the wilds of Canada doing research on his half-brother the superhero and headmaster of the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning.
He also likes to cook and eat actual wolverines, because Dog is nothing if not a believer in poetic justice.
His beard appreciates his wit
Well writer Jason Aaron – friend of the site – is going to use Dog in upcoming issues of Wolverine & The X-Men. He said as much in a recent interview with CBR.
On the story side of the coin, Dog Logan should shake up the series in a major way in the wake of its “Avengers Vs. X-Men” crossover tales. The villain was a major player – and major mystery – in Marvel’s successful “Origin” series where it was revealed that Wolverine had a half-brother, but since then the character’s appearances have been few and shrouded in secrecy. Most of that was by Aaron’s design. “I’ve always had plans for Dog, ever since having him pop up in ‘Astonishing Spider-Man And Wolverine,” the writer said. “And I’m really excited about the chance to dig into his character and really figure out what makes this guy tick. He’s one of those deeply-flawed sorts of characters that I love to write. And while he will be coming back into Logan’s life to raise some hell, I want him to seem like much more than just some mustache-twirling bad guy with a grudge against his brother. I think Dog is a pretty tragic figure, so I want him to be a much more complicated villain. But he’s also still a Logan. And Wolverine’s big brother. So I would expect there to be plenty of asskicking going on.”
That should be pretty cool. I always thought Dog had a lot of potential, especially since he wasn’t overused. He hasn’t had any major appearances since Origin, after all – though someone decided that Dog would grow up to be Sabretooth when they made the movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine. That was suspected in Origin, but thankfully Marvel never went that route.
Though how Aaron is going to establish Dog as his own character instead of just another version of Sabretooth/Romulus/Daken/any evil Wolverine ever is anybody’s guess…
Review: X-Factor #242
The deck clearing continues in X-Factor #242, as writer Peter David removes a few characters, settles several dangling plotlines and offers at least one little hint about future strangeness. It’s an entertaining issue, with more than a couple funny lines, but you’d be hard pressed to find a more by-the-numbers issue. I don’t mean that to be cruel, but look no further than the fact that this issue stars Darwin of all characters to see just how unimportant and workmanlike this is in the grand scheme of things.
X-Factor #242
Darwin is the red-headed step child of the X-Men franchise. And being rechristened as a demon-hunter is either the most brilliant or the stupidest choice possible for the character.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good.
Like I said, it’s a good issue. The story is solid, the characters are themselves and it’s funny in places. The art by Leonard Kirk is also great, as usual. It’s just the fact that PAD is taking care of business is evident on every page. He’s got some plans for the new Marvel NOW! relaunch, which involves a smaller cast for X-Factor and new stories. So this issue, and this Breaking Points storyline, are all about removing characters as safely and calmly as possible. He’s also tying up dangling plot threads that I don’t think anybody particularly cares about anymore, and he’s doing it as quickly and as cleanly as he can.
For longtime X-Factor fans like me, it’s a fine enough issue. No major complaints. Other than that, it’s not much of anything. Unless you’re a huge Darwin fan. Or are excited to see Wolfsbane as a mom.
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review!
Review: Avengers vs. X-Men #10
In order to enjoy the rest of Avengers vs. X-Men, I’m just going to have to accept that Cyclops is evil now. Despite everything he has ever done or said in this comic, despite all the good he has done around the world with the Phoenix powers, despite never having done a single evil thing at all in this series, I’m just going to have to bow down to Avengers’ peer pressure and accept that Cyclops is the bad guy. Heck, they come right out and just tell me that he’s evil several times in this comic. So why not believe the Avengers? It’s not like they brought this on themselves or anything.
Avengers vs. X-Men #10
If you’re willing to accept that Cyclops is evil, this is a good comic with some kickass moments as the Avengers fight for their lives against a god-like force. If, like me, you’re not willing to accept that Cyclops is evil, this is yet another issue where characters just say that he’s the bad guy while trying to kill him, as if they can convince him of his new badness.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good.
Despite my continued frustrations with Cyclops’ heroism, this is still a good issue, and Avengers vs. X-Men is still a good series. And if I read the comic how I want to read it, with Cyclops as the hero, it’s also a good issue. The battle in this issue is pretty awesome, with some truly great comic moments as the Avengers and Hope take on Phoenix Cyclops in the mystical city of kung fu. Meanwhile, Emma Frost really has become evil due to the Phoenix, and she’s off in the wings becoming what will probably be the ‘final boss’ of Avengers vs. X-Men. And after this issue, I’m legitimately excited to see what side Cyclops will pick in the final battle.
Will he live up to my continued endorsement of his heroism? Or will the Avengers be right when they compare Cyclops to a certain World War 2 villain? Either way, he’s pretty dangerous in this issue, that’s for sure. I wish Avengers vs. X-Men would have spent some time in Cyclops’ head, showing us his motivations and reasons for doing what he’s doing. Instead, we don’t get any of that here. No characters take center stage to help us understand the events. It’s mostly all action. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, it’s just the issues with a focal character have usually been stronger.
Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review!
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