Category Archives: X-Men
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 7/25/15
Only one week until Boston Comic-Con! That’s my first comic-con of the season, where I’ll be shaking hands and kissing babies in the name of Gamer Girl & Vixen! Anybody else going? I could buy you a hot dog!
As for comics this week, we’ve got some good ones! Cyborg #1 makes its big debut at DC comics, though it’s about four years late. Still, it looks like a good start, though I would have liked more. I also checked out the first issue of Kate Leth’s Power Up and was equally wishing she’d gone just a bit further in her debut issue. Alas.
As for really good comics, we’ve got new issues of Spider-Woman and We Are Robin, both of which are sizzling. And the new issue of Uncanny X-Men is a Goldballs spotlight issue! I’m beside myself with glee.
Comic Book of the Week, however, goes to Grayson #10 for its downright gorgeous artwork and fun style!
Why do we all not live there?
Artist Mikel Janin is going place! Heck, I’m not even sure why DC is keeping him on Grayson when he could be drawing Wonder Woman, Superman or anything else!
Comic Reviews: Cyborg #1, Grayson #10, Power Up #1, Prez #2, Spider-Woman #9, Uncanny X-Men #35 and We Are Robin #2.
First Official Look at Apocalypse is Underwhelming and Blue
That great bastion of superhero reveals, Entertainment Weekly, has launched their cover piece on X-Men: Apocalypse, revealing the first official look at the titular villain. He’s big, he’s blue, but he’s also…underwhelming. Apocalypse has always been largely defined by his looks, especially that blue-lipped mug of his. But they’ve apparently decided to forgo those iconic lips for a normal, ordinary face.
I curse the god of Photoshop!
Magneto and Psylocke look pretty awesome, but Apoclaypse looks like a dude who doesn’t want to be in that picture.
Where’s the epic chin? Where’s the power and demeanor? What makes this guy so special? Ah, whatever, it’ll probably still be a good movie.
And if you want to see and learn more, you can check out this article in Entertainment Weekly for some plot info, and click here for some other hi-def pics. I’m only slightly disappointed that Multiple Man isn’t going to be in this one. He’ll get his due one of these days.
Oh, and I’ve posted the full magazine cover after the jump!
The 6 Characters on My X-Men Team
Welcome to Comic-Con Week! The party is rocking down in San Diego, but here I am still shuffling around Central New York. Such is my lot and life, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have some comic book fun! In what’s becoming an annual tradition for Henchman-4-Hire, I’ve decided to spend Comic-Con Week playing one of my favorite games: superhero dream team!
If I was hired to write the X-Men, which characters would I choose for my team? Last year, I did the Justice League, and the year before that it was the Avengers. I’ve also done X-Force, the Fearless Defenders, the Teen Titans and the Sinister Six. But this year, it’s the X-Men!
Maybe you’ve heard of them (and if so, remind Marvel that they exist)
This is a very open-ended proposition, considering how many X-Men teams and squads there have been over the years. Once upon a time, team membership was sacred, but now every single change in writer brings on a new lineup, not to mention all the different X-titles available. There are already dozens of lineups in continuity, so what difference would mine make? Good question! Just trust me when I say it would be an awesome, super fun comic!
Join me after the jump to check out my roster. And please join me in the comments to pick your own! I’d love to hear your ideas.
And Here’s What’s to Become of the X-Men This Fall (Among Others!)
UPDATE: Here’s a gallery of all the covers for the new comics!
Marvel (with a little help from Bleeding Cool) has finally revealed their plans for the X-Men in their big relaunch this fall. There are still going to be a ton of X-Men comics, starring a variety of X-characters, with some new writing blood behind the wheel. I can’t necessarily say that any of these titles interest me right away, but I’ll probably give them all a chance.
The big news is that something has happened between mutants and the Inhumans that has them at odds, or at the very least, is shaping what this relaunch is going to be all about. We know that Marvel really wants the Inhumans to take over from the X-Men, but we’ll see how far they take that. Other important developments include the fact that the Young X-Men are still around, Cyclops has gone missing and Beast has taken sides with the Inhumans. Also, no sign of Multiple Man anywhere, in case you were as eager as me.
Extraordinary X-Men
Jeff Lemire and Humberto Ramos will launch a new X-title featuring old characters, and will tackle the Inhuman problem head on. Their team will include Storm, Iceman, Magik, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Young Jean Grey and Old Man Logan, who is coming to the Marvel Universe following Secret Wars.
You can read an interview with Lemire at ComicBookResources.
Uncanny X-Men
Cullen Bunn and Greg Land will be creating a villainous X-Team to take over the main title. Their series will star Magneto, Sabretooth, Mystique, Fantomex and Psylocke.
All-New X-Men
Dennis Hopeless and Mark Bagley will get to take over the Young X-Men, in a series starring the remaining teen heroes (minus Jean Grey), along with X-23. Word has it they’re going to all pile into a van to cruise around searching for their destiny.
Speaking of X-23, she’s going to be taking over as Wolverine. And Old Man Logan is going to get a solo series. And Deadpool will still be around.
Honestly, a ton of Marvel titles are dropping now, probably not necessarily at the speed Marvel wants. But that’s what Bleeding Cool does. Check out this Reddit megathread to find links to all of the announcements. There will be new comics for Daredevil, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Carnage, Silk, the Uncanny Avengers, Angela and many more. In fact, there’s also going to be a new Karnak solo series written by Warren Ellis. My brother will be excited to hear that.
Basically, there’s a whole lot of fun coming out of Marvel in the fall. Though I can’t say that anything has really caught my eye. I like Jeff Lemire and Humberto Ramos, but I can’t say as how I like any of those X-Men due to their heavy anti-Cyclops feelings as of late. I think those evil Uncanny guys could be fun, but it’s drawn by Greg Land. None of those solo superhero are any of my favorites either. Lots of neat stuff, and I’ll probably check a bunch of them out, but nothing has really hit me like lightning so far.
But there’s still time! And more comics to be announced!
What do you henchies think of these new X-Men comics? Or any of these new titles? Let me know in the comments!
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X-Men Floating Hands Continues to Tease 2007!
Thanks to wogoat, I was reminded that the Floating Hands X-Men parodies are coming out with new episodes! They’re stuck parodying Messiah Complex though, which was a storyline all the way back in 2007. It’s really odd. This parody is so specific to the events and characters of Messiah Complex that I almost didn’t get all the jokes and references! But I know my X-Men, so I was fine.
There’s a special whit and charm to these cartoons. No wonder my friends and I still sometimes quote them. And the next episode is coming along shortly!
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Henchman-4-Hire 