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Mar. 26th, 2019 08:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatI've been reading comic books again. The X-men are actually doing some interesting things. They do occasionally -- after a two-three year slump (which I blame Marvel Agent's of Shield and Marvel's ill-conceived notion of doing away with the X-men and replacing them with the Inhumans...thank god, the Inhumans television series bombed. I liked it better than Marvel Agents of Shield -- which frankly puts me to sleep -- it's a good antidote for insomina, I will give it that. But other than that...eh.) - the X-men bounced back. Big time. The new writing team and editorial team is rather good.
Although the plot is beyond convoluted at this point. Like all long-running serials, the new writers basically take over and play in the sandbox with the old writer's toys -- long running serials are well, incredibly fanficcy. Continuity? Eh. It's there, but you have to squint a bit to find it. Also, as I was discussing with cubical mate -- in comics and well soap operas, one thing you can count on -- writers will bring beloved characters back from the dead at whim. So if a favorite character dies -- don't worry, just wait a few years, they'll be back.
Anyhow...
* Black X -- almost done with it. The best two stories in it are Mystique and Emma Frost. Apologies to LondonKds, you were right, I was wrong -- the Mojo story is a thinly veiled critique of right wing fan boys who want the X-men to return to how they were in the good old days. I don't know why I didn't see it the first round. Sometimes I'm blind to socio-political themes -- most likely deliberately, or I'd have curled up in a ball in the middle of my bed by now.
I didn't mind the Magneto story by Chris Claremount, but it's nothing new. Nor was the Juggernaut story. Mojo was a bit surprising. And I thought Mystique and Emma's gave a bit of depth to their characters -- both are ends justify the means sort of gals, and they are also masters of deception. Apparently they are now the new Black King and White King of the Hellfire Club -- watch out world. Those two are devilish and by far my favorite villains in the Marvel Verse.
Emma's story -- as written by fangurl Seanan McGuire, is better than I expected. (I'd read some of McGuire's early stuff and didn't like it, so I was pleasantly surprised. A good editor can do wonders.) It chronicles how Emma manipulates the X-men into helping her take over the Hellfire Club and dethroning Shaw. Go Emma.
Nice way to deal with your grief over Cyke. Cyclops was in a way the best thing and the worst thing to happen to Emma. I can't wait to see how she deals with his resurrection.
Haven't read the Apocalypse story yet. I don't like Apocalypse as a villain, I find him rather cheesy and over the top.
* Age of X-men: The Amazing Nightcrawler -- interesting analysis of a utopia that appears great on the surface but is rotten underneath. Nightcrawler has essentially gotten everything he ever dreamed of -- he's a movie star, he's popular, he's not ostracized...but he's also in an clandestine relationship with his leading lady in a world that prohibits sexual or familial intimacy on any level -- deeming it exclusory and the root of all evil. (Yes, the creators of this world definitely have their issues). Although one can see their point. What to do? Also his movie company is in reality a propaganda firm that produces movies that further the message. So the comic is examining what this world would be like and exploring how we handle taboo intimacies...and how film furthers a political message. The writer is Roma, and identifies with the female leading lady (also Roma) and is exploring taboo romance.
Is it any good? On the fence. Found it to be bit slow for a comic.
* The Extremists -- I like this one better. It has Psycholock, The Blob, Jubliee, Iceman and Northstar as a police force that ensures no one indulges in forbidden intimacy, and if they do -- they are split apart and sent to prison or rehabilitation. Mind-wipped, and brainwashed, and made to forget who they loved and why. Two of the characters are gay -- but have been mind-wiped to forget that they are gay. The writer is using the comic to explore gay conversion therapy and the horrible human cost. She's LGBTQ.
This one was paced better. Also there's chemistry between the characters.
* Prisoner X -- is a prison tale that is sort of puzzle. Nothing is what it seems.
Like I said, it's gotten innovative.
* UnCanny X-men #14 - 2018 -- everyone online liked this issue more than I did. I actually liked the previous five better. I think, because I prefer character exploration to plot or action? There's some good character moments here, but not quite as many as in the previous books -- even though more happens action wise.
The art is slightly better. And there's some nice quest appearances, also a new team member. It's still my favorite of the X-books, but that's mainly because I am a fangurl of Cyclops. I read these things for the characters, folks.
Although the plot is beyond convoluted at this point. Like all long-running serials, the new writers basically take over and play in the sandbox with the old writer's toys -- long running serials are well, incredibly fanficcy. Continuity? Eh. It's there, but you have to squint a bit to find it. Also, as I was discussing with cubical mate -- in comics and well soap operas, one thing you can count on -- writers will bring beloved characters back from the dead at whim. So if a favorite character dies -- don't worry, just wait a few years, they'll be back.
Anyhow...
* Black X -- almost done with it. The best two stories in it are Mystique and Emma Frost. Apologies to LondonKds, you were right, I was wrong -- the Mojo story is a thinly veiled critique of right wing fan boys who want the X-men to return to how they were in the good old days. I don't know why I didn't see it the first round. Sometimes I'm blind to socio-political themes -- most likely deliberately, or I'd have curled up in a ball in the middle of my bed by now.
I didn't mind the Magneto story by Chris Claremount, but it's nothing new. Nor was the Juggernaut story. Mojo was a bit surprising. And I thought Mystique and Emma's gave a bit of depth to their characters -- both are ends justify the means sort of gals, and they are also masters of deception. Apparently they are now the new Black King and White King of the Hellfire Club -- watch out world. Those two are devilish and by far my favorite villains in the Marvel Verse.
Emma's story -- as written by fangurl Seanan McGuire, is better than I expected. (I'd read some of McGuire's early stuff and didn't like it, so I was pleasantly surprised. A good editor can do wonders.) It chronicles how Emma manipulates the X-men into helping her take over the Hellfire Club and dethroning Shaw. Go Emma.
Nice way to deal with your grief over Cyke. Cyclops was in a way the best thing and the worst thing to happen to Emma. I can't wait to see how she deals with his resurrection.
Haven't read the Apocalypse story yet. I don't like Apocalypse as a villain, I find him rather cheesy and over the top.
* Age of X-men: The Amazing Nightcrawler -- interesting analysis of a utopia that appears great on the surface but is rotten underneath. Nightcrawler has essentially gotten everything he ever dreamed of -- he's a movie star, he's popular, he's not ostracized...but he's also in an clandestine relationship with his leading lady in a world that prohibits sexual or familial intimacy on any level -- deeming it exclusory and the root of all evil. (Yes, the creators of this world definitely have their issues). Although one can see their point. What to do? Also his movie company is in reality a propaganda firm that produces movies that further the message. So the comic is examining what this world would be like and exploring how we handle taboo intimacies...and how film furthers a political message. The writer is Roma, and identifies with the female leading lady (also Roma) and is exploring taboo romance.
Is it any good? On the fence. Found it to be bit slow for a comic.
* The Extremists -- I like this one better. It has Psycholock, The Blob, Jubliee, Iceman and Northstar as a police force that ensures no one indulges in forbidden intimacy, and if they do -- they are split apart and sent to prison or rehabilitation. Mind-wipped, and brainwashed, and made to forget who they loved and why. Two of the characters are gay -- but have been mind-wiped to forget that they are gay. The writer is using the comic to explore gay conversion therapy and the horrible human cost. She's LGBTQ.
This one was paced better. Also there's chemistry between the characters.
* Prisoner X -- is a prison tale that is sort of puzzle. Nothing is what it seems.
Like I said, it's gotten innovative.
* UnCanny X-men #14 - 2018 -- everyone online liked this issue more than I did. I actually liked the previous five better. I think, because I prefer character exploration to plot or action? There's some good character moments here, but not quite as many as in the previous books -- even though more happens action wise.
The art is slightly better. And there's some nice quest appearances, also a new team member. It's still my favorite of the X-books, but that's mainly because I am a fangurl of Cyclops. I read these things for the characters, folks.