X-men and Buffy comics and writing sci-stories...

[shadowkat]

So, hmmm...I've become weirdly obsessed with Scott Summers/Cyclops character arc in the X-men, mainly because it's completely unexpected. They basically took an upstanding, whip-smart, somewhat introverted, brooding hero and leader and turned him into an anti-hero, badass, vigilante. He went from being Professor Xavier's star pupil, and son, to well working with Magneto and becoming a hunted fugitive. (They did it gradually, not all at once. And it made sense. This arc is actually really well plotted and written.)

Whoa.

What happened was the character sacrificed himself to Apocalypse to save his son -- and even though they were able to save him, exorcising Apocalypse from his consciousness, this changed the character's personality a bit - woke up some of those dark impulses which he'd been repressing. Impulses he was ashamed of and could not confide in his wife, a telepath or his mentor, also a telepath. (So ahem, think about how hard that would be.) Then, Jean ended up accessing the Phoenix energy again. He couldn't talk to anyone about the consequences of his possession...except for Emma Frost, the former White Queen and current team member - who was not judging him. He cheats on Jean in his thoughts, although not really. Jean gets pissed. Crap happens. She dies. He teams up with the White Queen to lead the X-men. And well, more crap happens, which over time chips away at his belief that what they do actually matters, and they can make a difference. Eventually he begins to buy Magneto view...that they must save mutant kind at all costs and the ends justify the means. He slides from hopeful, fearless leader to a bitter, ruthless vigilante, who is attempting to redeem himself, and has far too much power for his own good. Shows how you should fear a man who believes he's right and justified. Summers used to question everything, including himself, because he couldn't control his powers. When he obtains control over them, he grows in confidence, and over time stops questioning his actions, believing he must be pragmatic and do what must be done.

It's the story they should have done with Angel -- and didn't. I was highly disappointed. Or for that matter, Buffy, and didn't quite pull off. I saw them going down that road with her in S8, but instead of following through and asking those tough questions -- they did the stupid Twilight space-frak, oh I'm possessed by an evil universe.

X-men however appears to have done the storyline, the right way. See that was my difficulty with the Buffy comics -- Whedon was borrowing heavily from Marvel comics, but not borrowing the right things, but all the wrong ones.

Serials, all serials have highs and lows. There are brilliant moments. It's why I love them. I particularly love the fact that they take time out for personal discussions and emotional moments.
Characters get a lot more exploration in a long-running serial...mainly because you can do every what-if story imaginable.

[Went on a bit of a electronic comics buying spree, courtesy of the Kindle and Itunes (Marvel Comics App). Also picked up samples of the recommended Unwritten by Mike Carey, and the Empowered by Adam Warren. Along with Funhome by Alison Beidel.

Part of this is research for a story that I'm playing with. Been telling it in my head for the last five years now, so it it more or less completely plotted out. It's about a labor contract negotiator and online comic book fan artist who ends up, after an alien invasion, becoming a guerilla leader, with her online friends as her associates. Except the aliens aren't evil. It's not that black and white. And she does more harm then good. After her spouse and partner in crime is killed, she goes on a quest - convincing various associates and splinter groups to help her find a way to negotiate a peace settlement with the ruling alien government. She ends up falling for the alien leader against her wishes, at the negotiations. But they have to convince the rest of the planet to agree with them, and she has to find a way to make amends for the things she's done as does he.

I don't know if it works. Been keeping it locked up in my head, because I fear it's too romantic in concept. Although most of the time, the two characters aren't even within shooting distance of each other. And it's more about forgiveness, negotiating, redefinition, and the consequences of difficult decisions.

This takes me back to the Buffy series, specifically S7, along with Angel the series, and the Buffy comics, and well Firefly as well...for that matter -- my main disappointment with these series was the writer took it to a specific point, but then copped out. He was examining abuses of power, but he didn't want to show the consequences. Not really. The ruthless choices result in prices we may not want to pay. You do an eye-for-an-eye, you may not have any eyes yourself at the end of the day.
Everything you do comes back around to bite you in the ass. I'm not saying that Whedon's characters got off easy, they didn't. But he often would...whitewash things. Or rush through it. Not really showing the toll. And well the plotting was off.

I think it the series had had less potential, I'd have been less disappointed? And most likely less obsessed? OR not.

If you weren't a fan or didn't have these issues? Ignore me. It's impossible to explain. ;-)

[ETA: Ugh. I can't seem to write anything without skipping words. I don't know what is up with that.
I'll re-read what I wrote and go, wait, what happened to that word? I know I wrote it. It's almost as if my brain is moving faster than my fingers can type. Or it thinks my fingers are typing the word and they aren't. I need another pair of eyes and apparently fingers. Does this happen to anyone else or is it just me?]