Category Archives: X-Men
6 Best and 6 Worst Superhero Costume Changes
What would superheroes be without their iconic costumes? The bright colors, the capes, the logos, the masks; it’s all part of the grand spectacle of the superhero. And what’s not to love? You wouldn’t expect athletes to play basketball in jeans and t-shirts, would you? Superheroes need their uniforms too.
And all the best superheroes have more than one – some good, some bad.
That’s a lot of Iron Mans
There are a lot of reasons for a superhero to change his or her costume. Maybe somebody new has taken up the mantle, or maybe it’s simply a change in the season, or a change in technology. Take Iron Man for example. He started with that big, bulky metal thing, but once he got his hands on his own equipment, he designed the sleek red and gold battlesuit. Or maybe the hero is getting a new comic series, and they need a new look.
Whatever the reasons, superheroes change their costumes all the time. And I’ve put together my list of the 6 best and the 6 worst superhero costume changes. I’d love to hear your thoughts and your choices in the comments!
Review: X-Factor #240
The latest issue of X-Factor focuses on Layla Miller, and it’s a very good issue, even if it’s a little over my head. This issue probably bears repeated readings. It’s a take on the classic film Run, Lola, Run, and I am damn glad I saw that film back in college. If you haven’t, then how about The Simpsons episode ‘Trilogy of Error’ with the robot Linguo? It’s similar enough that this issue will make more sense. It’s basically a look into Layla’s ability to “know stuff” and how that is seriously messing with her head these days. It works well because it’s a very contained story, giving us a lot of depth into a character that we still don’t know that much about.
X-Factor #240
Layla Miller, or Butterfly, is really the only character Peter David created for X-Factor, instead of just re-using old, forgotten X-Men. He’s always had a good handle on Layla, and he really makes her latest problems shine in this kooky story.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good!
Layla was originally created as just a plot device by Brian Michael Bendis for his event comic House of M. I can still remember Bendis crowing on the Internet about how Layla was going to be the biggest, most important character in the Marvel Universe. In the end, Layla was really only a plot device that magically allowed the heroes to see through the illusion of the House of M and return to their old lives. After that, it seemed like she was added to X-Factor because nobody knew what else to do with her. Once Peter David had his hands on her, he basically ignored everything Bendis wrote for her in House of M, literally using the ‘it was all a dream’ cop-out to explain away Layla’s parents, and I think PAD has even established that Layla was putting on an act when she helped out the heroes.
The whole “I know stuff” schtick is an entirely PAD creation.I don’t think Bendis has given Layla a second thought after House of M. But no biggie. Layla has been very kickass in X-Factor, and this is a fun issue for her and her recent troubles.
Join me for a full synopsis and more analysis after the jump.
Review: Avengers vs. X-Men #8
There’s no denying that Avengers vs. X-Men #8 is a definite step up in quality and clarity from last issue, but holy crap this is a frustrating comic. I’m trying to stay objective in this, I really am. But speaking as someone who supports Cyclops and the X-Men, Marvel doesn’t seem to have any idea what they’re trying to say with this story. Everything reads as if they’re trying to paint the X-Men as the overwhelming bad guys and the Avengers as the scrappy underdogs. But while that may be implied, at least in my opinion, it is not reflected in what actually happens on the page.
Avengers vs. X-Men #8
Or maybe I’m just reading this comic wrong. I just don’t know anymore. Suffice to say, this was an entertaining issue with a great fight scene and actual emotion and nuance pushing the narrative forward. Unfortunately, it’s just so damn frustrating!
Comic rating: 3/5: Alright!
I’ll get to specifics when I get to the synopsis, because I don’t want to spoil anything here in the opening segment. But basically the X-Men are painted as evil, violent monsters who must be stopped – but other than Namor attacking Wakanda, the X-Men have done nothing wrong. In fact, they’re doing great things that are making the world a better place. But they must be stopped, just because. Meanwhile, the Avengers are pig-headed bullies who are blindly following an arrogant and stubborn Captain America. Even Black Panther and Beast, who dared to question him two issues ago, are still gladly following Cap’s command.
Yet there are specific and actual lines of dialogue in this issue that reveal Captain America to be the jackass I said he was, who’s only interested in being right. It boggles the mind. If Marvel had decided to just go for it and have the Avengers be heroes and the X-Men be villains, maybe I’d like this comic book more. But they’ve so greatly smudged the two sides that it’s just getting too frustrating to fully enjoy.
At least the art is still great. This time by Adam Kubert. Marvel got some major art talent on this series. Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and a better explanation about what I’m getting at.
October is Going to Be A Big Month for Me and Marvel Comics
The solicitations for the first month of Marvel NOW have hit the web – and things look pretty damn cool! Marvel plans on launching a new #1 issue every week, and the first one will be Uncanny Avengers #1, which I already told you guys about. So there aren’t any more fancy new comics to tell you about. But there are still dozens of other post-Avengers vs. X-Men comics coming out in October, and apparently Marvel has geared a lot of them towards some of my favorite characters. Weird! But awesome!
You can read all of the solicitations here, but I’m going to be going through a few of my favorite titles.
X-Factor #245
X-Factor #245: Starring Multiple Man, my all-time favorite comic book character, it seems that the book is getting a pretty big shake-up. We already know that Havok is leaving the team to join the Uncanny Avengers, but who else?
“BREAKING POINTS” Conclusion!
• In the last of five issues that will change the face of X-FACTOR forever, two characters find their lives irrevocably altered.
• When the smoke clears, the team’s roster will be nearly halved…
Finally! I’ve been complaining about the size of X-Factor’s cast for a long time now. It’s about time writer Peter David trimmed the fat and made the team more manageable. It’ll make for a much better series. I hope he keeps Multiple Man, Strong Guy and Wolfsbane for sure. The rest can come or go as he sees fit. Based on an interview I read about Marvel NOW, one of the Marvel head honchos said that X-Factor is going to be largely unaffected by the relaunch. On the one hand, that’s too bad. But on the other hand, I’m glad it will be sticking around in a version that’s similar to what I’ve been enjoying for years. X-Factor doesn’t sell very well, but it has a very loyal fanbase, myself included. So I’m glad it’s not going to have its feathers ruffled too much by this relaunch.
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Secret Avengers #33
Secret Avengers #33: I’ve written a bit before about Eric O’Grady, the Irredeemable Ant-Man! He’s been a member of the Secret Avengers for awhile now, but most recently, he was ‘killed’ and somehow brought back to life by the bad guys. Well in October, it looks like he’s going to become a full-on villain!
THE RISE OF THE DESCENDANTS part 1
• THE RISE OF THE DESCENDANTS BEGINS HERE! The event that will devastate the lives of the Secret Avengers!
• Descendants siege on Avengers Lighthouse station!
• Father launches his invasion. Can the Marvel Universe survive the plague of contagious robotic evolution?
• A terrible new Avenger’s foe is born: Beware the bite of The Black Ant!
I can’t say as how I really like this change, because I was a big fan of O’Grady’s perverted, jerkass version of a superhero. He had a lot of potential as a member of the Avengers. But I suppose he could make an interesting villain, maybe. Though aren’t red ants far more evil and dangerous than black ants? But then the superhero Ant-Mans usually dress in red, so I guess he needed to dress differently. We’ll see where this goes.
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Hobgoblin Fight!
Amazing Spider-Man #695 & 696: Writer Dan Slott is finally getting around to doing something awesome with Phil Urich, the new Hobgoblin! Though it looks like Phil might be in the crosshairs, because the solicitation sounds like a former Hobgoblin is going to be coming back and gunning for Phil. That makes sense, considering Phil had to kill the previous Hobgoblin to take over. And nobody stays dead in comics.
ISSUE #695 – DANGER ZONE Part 1
• Dark times are coming for Peter Parker and change is closer than you even fear.
• As we aim headlong to ASM #700, The Kingpin ‘s latest plan turns one of Spider-Man’s greatest strengths against him.
• Hobgoblin is back…but his days may be numbered as the past sharpens its blades.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
ISSUE #696 – DANGER ZONE Part 2
• GOBLINS GO TO WAR…and Peter Parker is caught dead-center!
So I’m worried that Phil would make for an easy death. He’s not as established as the previous Hobgoblin, and hasn’t exactly proven himself to be all that great. Since he became Hobgoblin, Phil became a total jobber, thrown into books like Venom and Spider-Girl just to be beaten, to make the heroes look good. Not to mention the fact that he hasn’t beaten Spider-Man. Though of course I hope Phil’s days aren’t numbered. Maybe he’ll become a good guy again! That would make my life.
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But the October solicitations are not all good news! The solicitation for Uncanny Avengers #1 mentions “the funeral of one of Marvel’s greatest heroes!” So it looks like Cyclops is going to bite the big one after all at the end of Avengers vs. X-Men. And it appears that X-Men: Legacy is getting cancelled only a handful of issues after writer Christos Gage made the Mimic an X-Man again. Mimic barely got to do anything! So I guess from now on I just have to hope that he shows up somewhere else…I must hold on to hope!
And finally…where’s the Scarlet Spider comic?
Review: X-Factor #239
Forgive me for saying this, oh great comic book gods, but I think X-Factor is starting to show its age. If we take into account the renumbering, this current volume of X-Factor has published roughly 90 issues since 2005, and that’s not including the excellent MadroX miniseries that serves as an introduction. And all 90 issues have been written by the great Peter David. But after 90 issues starring essentially the same team members doing essentially the same thing, I’m starting to think this series is running a bit thin. Why do I say this? Because this one-off issue about Havok and Banshee teaming up to fight a real Banshee doesn’t really offer a whole heck of a lot.
X-Factor #239
Sure there is action and peril, but where is the character depth? Where is the exploration of the relationship between Havok and Banshee? Or more appropriately, where is the heart and soul of the comic?
Comic rating: 3/5: Alright.
Peter David is a master of character work. The early issues of this volume of X-Factor are a glorious examination of the Multiple Man character and the new headspace that David created for him. Not to mention all the twists, turns and relationships of the rest of the cast. Peter David is hailed as a genius for the character work he did with Quicksilver back in the now legendary X-Factor #87 from the 1993. And when Peter David is at the top of his game with this cast, he’s turned out some fantastic single issues. I was in stitches that time Multiple Man took the team to Las Vegas, because it was just such a fun and funny issue.
But after the last few issues, and especially this one, I’m just not feeling it anymore. They’re goods reads, I suppose. I enjoyed myself. But this issue is as bland as bland can get – except for a small scene between Strong Guy and Monet that captures that Peter David genius I’ve been talking about. That scene is stellar. But everything with Havok and Banshee is just boring. Maybe it’s the characters. It’s not like Havok and Banshee have any kind of history to draw on together. But as the writer, it’s Peter David’s job to provide an interesting relationship between these two characters, to make me care about them teaming up like this. And unfortunately, in that regard, he fails.
Full synopsis and more review after the jump!
Henchman-4-Hire 