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The New X-Men Team Stands Revealed!
I love the idea of an X-Men election. I love all the little ways the Krakoa-era is changing things up for mutants and the X-Men. And the idea that they would have the citizens of Krakoa vote on the roster for the official team of X-Men is a great idea!
And today, Marvel revealed that lineup!
The team looks fine. Nothing too crazy or exciting…but maybe that’s just me. We’ve got Cyclops and Jean Grey, with Rogue, Polaris, Sunfire, Synch and Wolverine. Seems a pretty solid lineup. Polaris won the reader poll, so that’s cool. Sunfire is a pretty unique choice. I hope to see great things from him. And Synch and Wolverine are obviously building from that very interesting story Jonathan Hickman has been running with, when they took on the Children of the Vault.
Unfortunately, Hickman won’t be writing the new ongoing X-Men series starring this roster. Gerry Duggan will be writing. And while I’ve liked what work of his I’ve read, I think his Marauders has gotten a bit lost in the weeds recently. But I’m going to remain positive.
Still, Strong Guy would have looked great on this team.
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Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 2/29/20
Howdy ho, everybody! Did you check out my review of the Harley Quinn cartoon earlier this week? That show was great! The first season just wrapped up last week, and season 2 is coming in April! DC really nailed this one!
Speaking of which, I don’t review very many DC comics this week! Really just Far Sector, which remains awesome. Though I do check out stuff like Ant-Man and Force Works from Marvel, as well as a new Power Rangers comic.
Comic Book of the Week goes to X-Men #7 for an issue that might just be exactly what I’ve been waiting for in Dawn of X. This issue is bonkers in all the best ways!
Someone is finally using Apocalypse well
Meanwhile, speaking of Dawn of X, I glanced through the Giant-Sized Jean Grey and Emma Frost issue and it’s fine. It’s one of those totally silent issues, relying on the art to tell a crazy story set in Storm’s mindscape. I’m not a fan of dream settings, but Russell Dauterman’s art is fantastic. Why Marvel hasn’t put him on a main X-Men title yet, I do not know.
Comic Reviews: Ant-Man #2, Far Sector #4, Force Works 2020 #1, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #48, New Mutants #8 and X-Men #7.
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 11/16/19
Have you listened to my movie podcast yet? I can’t necessarily say if it’s any good, but it exists and I want it to be successful so…*shrug*. Don’t worry, I’m not about to start cramming it down your throats.
We had a lot of nice comics this week. Dawn of X gave us the final new series, Fallen Angels, which I both liked and couldn’t care less about. We also have the final issue of Unbeatable Squirrel Girl! It’s great and wins Comic Book of the Week for being so momentous!
I don’t have the heart to tell her
Just don’t tell Far Sector #1, which is a truly standout comic starter and was the best comic I read this week.
Meanwhile, I owe a big apology to Black Cat writer Jed MacKay. I’ve missed the past two issues because Black Cat came out during busy weeks and it was at the bottom of my read pile. But in last week’s issue, MacKay sent Felicia on a date with Batroc the Leaper and delivered a truly phenomenal issue.!This is exactly what I want from comics. They go on a normal date, talk about work, then go out and do some burglary for the fun of it. Felicia is written so well, Batroc is written so well, their world is explored like we rarely see. MacKay delivered!
Though I still wish they got some better art on Black Cat.
Comic Reviews: Fallen Angels #1, Far Sector #1, Go Go Power Rangers #25, Runaways #27, Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #50 and X-Men #2.
The Ending To Inhumans vs. X-Men Is Worse Than I Could Have Imagined
Oh, dear lord. How has it come to this? Everything that could have gone wrong in the finale of Inhumans vs. X-Men goes wrong in the new issue. A violent sect of religious extremists are given all the credit and hailed as heroes. The legitimate good guys are shamed and retreat with their tails between their legs. And even that turdburglar Young Cyclops gets a moment to be even more of a sanctimonious prick.
And on top of all that, no Strong Guy!
And so my Strong Guy Watch has ended
I try not to let comic book stories bug me as much any more. I don’t want to come off like the typical Comic Book Guy, getting all heated over these funny books. But man, nothing raises my ire more than Marvel grinding their supremely awesome Cyclops storyline into the mud. For years there, they were telling the most exciting, nuanced and brilliant X-Men story in a long time. Renegade Cyclops was like reading gold.
But Inhumans vs. X-Men is the final indignant boot heel into all that good will. Cyclops is dead, his legacy rotten to the core, and Medusa gets to be the pretty, pretty princess superhero that Marvel wants.
This is madness.
Join me after the jump! Full SPOILERS for Inhumans vs. X-Men #6.
Mosaic is an Alright Guy, But Marvel Might Not Know How His Powers Work
I want to get one thing straight right off the bat: I kid because I love. I love Marvel Comics. I love the X-Men. And from Schism to Secret Wars, I absolutely loved what Marvel was doing with Cyclops. They made him the most fascinating character in their universe, with more shades of gray than a steamy, fan fiction romance novel.
Which is why I’m so disappointed that Marvel is completely futzing up Cyclops’ story in the current Inhumans vs. X-Men crossover. All the nuance and complexity is gone as they forcefully paint Cyclops and the X-Men as monsters — until the new issue this week, which might just prove that Marvel knows what they’re doing after all. And it all hinges on that most interesting of new characters, Mosaic.
Words to live by
For those of you who don’t know, Mosaic is a new Inhuman with the power to jump into your mind and control you like a puppet. He’s also the star of his own brand new ongoing solo series, which is very rare for Marvel these days. They don’t just go around handing ongoing solo comics to brand new characters.
I’ve been reading Mosaic and it’s alright. Personally, I think it’s wasting time on surface level stuff instead of diving into the real drama that’s simmering in the background, but maybe that’s just me. Regardless, Mosaic is a pretty interesting dude, and he plays a pivotal role in this week’s issue of Inhumans vs. X-Men.
How pivotal? Join me after the jump to find out! Also, between all of his appearances in this event, I don’t think the memo is going around about how Mosaic’s body-control powers work.
SPOILERS for Inhumans vs. X-Men #4, as well as the Mosaic ongoing series.
Henchman-4-Hire 