Thanks YouTuber Andy Grammer for hosting his own video.
There are a slew of cute couples in this video! I sort of want to know how all of these folks met!
I really like the couple who have been together for two years (a lot of them are!) but their friend has been a third wheel for eight years.
Writer Zeb Wells
Pencils Diogenes Neves
Inks Cam Smith with Ed Tadeo
Colors John Rauch
Letters VC’s Joe Caramagna
Cover Ryan Benjamin, I’m not sure what his connection is to the New Mutants but he does variants for issues two and four. Magik isn’t on either of them, so this is the only one I want and need.
Cover Dated July 2009
Return of the Legion, Part One of Five
I bought this issue and a part four, so that should be reviewed soon.
Inside front cover is a Hugh Jackman, as Wolverine, in a Got Milk? ad – promoting Wolverine Origins.
So the great thing about Zeb Wells’ run, as there is a lot of great things, is that he got the entire cast (eventually) into this title. The cast, stating out, is – Cannonball / Sunspot (boo!) / Magma (boo!) / Magik (yay!) / Karma / Dani Moonstar (yay but does not appear in this issue, boo!).
Westcliffe, Colorado. Two weeks ago. Karma enters a room with a young girl, who is holding a doll – that will play a major role later in the arc. Karma knows her name, Marci, and tells her that she and Dani have been looking for her. The walls start being ripped apart and Marci grabs Karma.
Marin Headlands, CA. X-Men Headquarters. Now. (so this is like a year prior to Utopia).
Magik comes falling out of a stepping disc. Which I’m not sure if we have ever seen her fall out of a stepping disc, not in control of the jump. Look at the way she falls in that third panel! She isn’t even trying to land on her feet.
I was hoping there would be a reference on the UncannyXMen.net summary or on the Marvel Database page for this issue, to see which future issue this Illyana is from. It has to be part of the Fall of the New Mutants storyline.
http://uncannyxmen.net/comics/issue/new-mutants-3rd-series-19
It appears that issue 19 is where Magik is from. From what I can gather from reading the Notes (my favorite part of the reviews on that site) section.
Either way, that is some long term plotting, very impressive!
The New X-Men (the younger class) not quick to not be pleased with Magik’s return. At the end of X-Infernus, Magik stated that she wasn’t going to be joining the X-Men. Though that clearly didn’t go well so this future Magik is here to fix that. During “Quest for Magik” in New X-Men, Anole lost his right arm (and now has a larger arm). Pixie, lost a piece of her soul, so she isn’t happy either.
I like how Magik has no time for these children.
Cannonball grabs Anole, who looks like he was going to foolishly try to fight Magik. She would break him, so fast and easily! Anole and Rockslide don’t care for Cannonball or the other ‘upperclassmen” as they are no longer in a school environment.
I can’t believe that the graduates Cannonball and Sunspot (who could be darker here) are threatening to beat up barely teenagers.
Magik really should be off limits, like Sunspot says, Colossus hears you dissing on his little snowflake, he is going to pound you to the ground.
Magik collapses, faintly stating that Dani and Shan are almost dead by now.
X-Brig. Magma is visiting a blind Empath, who is still the worst. Empath is blind via Pixie’s soul dagger, during the Red Queen slash Sisterhood arc of Uncanny X-Men.
Cannonball interrupts this session, to let Magma know that Illyana is back.
Beast is examining Magik. Her examine goes well, she is healing fully and she likes Beast’s new lion look. They share a nice but weird moment, about how monsters get use to themselves. I like the softer side of Illyana, we don’t get to see it, nearly enough.
Magma has her doubts that it is really Illyana but they have their proof. Magma wonders why Illyana is back now. Sam tells her that Shan and Dani are, apparently, in danger. Cannonball wants to reform the New Mutants, which is still a name that I doubt they really called themselves but here Sam is doing just that. Sunspot is way in and Magma seems doubtful.
Cyclops’ office. Scott tells Sam that Dani and Shan went to Colorado on an education mission. For some odd reason, Sam keeps calling Scott, sir. Like, they are barely ten or fifteen years about and they have been teammates for so long. Sam isn’t a kid, anymore. Scott approves Sam’s team of New Mutants. Scott goes as far to tell Sam to work with Beast to make new uniforms, so this is officially, ON! Scott gives the best lesson on leadership that Xavier ever gave him – The most important part of leading wasn’t Personality, Tactics or Training. It was doing whatever it takes to get your team back alive. Scott wants Sam to bring everyone back alive, every one.
Beast tells the team that the modifications are made, the color scheme is up to them – which I wish we got these scenes more often in these books. We see the team dressing up and a classic old school photo of the team. They all will be joining, soon.
Not a bad design! The classic blue and yellow, just like their original colors. I do like the added detail of Sam having two more uniforms, over his shoulder. They take off in the jet that Cyclops provided them – must be nice.
There is a two page ad for Wolverine Origins Uncaged edition, I can’t recommend the XBox360 or PS3 verisons enough. Skip the PS2 version, though.
Cannonball is flying them to – Westlciffe, Colorado. Magma still doesn’t understand how Illyana knows that their future teammates are in danger. lllyana explains that it was Magma that told her as Magma blamed Illyana for not being around back then. So now, Illyana is here, to help. Illyana further explains that future Magma wasn’t making much sense – as she had a giant hole where her stomach was suppose to be. Magma wonders if Magik is making this up and Illyana just gives her a devilish smile. Demonic smile?
Good thing Illyana had bangs, as I’m not sure if we could easily tell these two apart on these pages.
Illyana wants to do some girl talk but the way she goes about it, isn’t very friendly. She is curious why Magma visits Empath, even after he tried to kill the X-Men. Magma is shock that that information is known to Illyana. Illyana starts to tease her, stating that she can cure Empath, as anything Pixie can do, Magik can undo. Which will come up again with Juggolossus and how Magik can undo that spell. Illyana teases that maybe Magma likes Empath to be helpless and Magma starts stuttering her words. It could be their little secret, Illyana says.
Westcliffe, Colorado. City Limits. Sam lands the plane and they all press buttons on their watches, causing their uniforms to turn into street clothes. Sunspot presses a blue button and a jeep lowers from the hanger bay.
Westcliffe, Main Street. The team enters a bar. Illyana sees the missing child poster for Marci. The bartender isn’t happy that there are outsiders in his bar. There are six other missing children posters, besides Marci. Illyana knows that Marcia is only seven and starts feeling very sad.
Illyana is now going to take the lead on this case. Sam doesn’t like getting side tracked, he only wants to save Dani and Shan. Illyana has to explain, as Sam’s head is up his own butt, that no seven year old girl should be taken from her family. This brings the team down but she really shouldn’t have to explain it. Magma will go with her so the boys can keep exploring the town.
Sam asks if the bartender if he has seen a Vietnamese and a Native American women. Sam also orders a beer but this other guy grabs it. Sunspot spends his time, failing at picking up the ladies. The bartender, slaps his forehead and tells Sam that he has to go or the bartender will call the police. The men of the bar start standing behind the boys.
Marci’s house. The ladies start questioning Marci’s parents when Illyana dashes into the room and turns left to see three statues. How she knew they were behind the door, is beyond me. A prince disguised (a frog), a King on his knees (Elvis) and laughter eternal, who knows why Magma got so hinty and creative with her dying breath.
Marci’s father starts trying to push Illyana out of the house and the mother encourages him. Illyana just keeps going into rooms, like the kitchen. The father gets his gun and Magma melts it.
Over at the bar. The drunkards have bats and are coming at Sam and Bobbi. The bartender gets scared once it is known that they boys are mutants. Sam pursues him.
Now begins the sequence that would only work in a comic. In the basement, Illyana and Amara hear Shan’s voice and keep approaching a giant box. Shan is trapped in the box. Amara calls Sam and tells them that they have Shan. Sam and Bobbi don’t believe it, as they are looking at Shan, tied to a chair.
Sam says that Shan looks catatonic. The ladies keep saying that they hear Shan’s voice, coming from the box. Amara melts the box handles and we see a pair of hands come out of the box. Shan’s voice is coming out of . . . Legion’s face. Which ends the issue.
Back cover ad is for the Honda Insight.
Writer Brian Michael Bendis
Penciler Stuart Immonen
Inker Wade Von Grawbadger
Colorist Laura Martin
Letters & Production Chris Eliopoulos
Cover Dated October 2010
Cover by Joe Quinones
I own this issue, just for the cover.
Steve Rogers, as Director of SHIELD, has made a couple Avengers teams. This one boosts of a cast of – Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Captain Marvel, Mockingbird, Spider-Man, Wolverine and Thing! Which is a pretty awesome roster, actually.
Brother Voodoo is the Sorcerer Supreme, was attacked by possessed Doctor Strange and Daimon Hellstrom. They were after the Eye of Agamotto so Voodoo sent it to Cage. The demon that took over Strange and Hellstrom’s body, also took over Cage’s body. Iron Fist took the Eye of Agamotto (which I may end up learning how to spell, without having to refer to the last time I wrote it above) and then the demon took Iron Fist’s body and vanished. After that, the sky opened up with fire and lightning and a horde of demons are entering this dimension.
Now you know what I know, up to this point.
Issue opens with Victoria Hand, sitting in her car. Apparently, Steve Rogers placed her on the New Avengers team. She was Norman Osborn’s right hand person, at HAMMER. Looking her up at Wikipedia –
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Hand
Apparently she dies in issue 32 of this series. That explains why I haven’t seen her much, these days. Reading more on that page, the events of this issue play out for the rest of this volume, at least – up to issue 32. That’s some long form writing.
Hand is not happy with being forced onto the team, it is a jail sentence. Her punishment will be to hearing teases from Wolverine and Luke Cage. She looks up and sees that the sky is on fire.
Iron Fist is in a white room, with two voices, who want him to hand over the Eye of Agamotto.
Central Park. Captain Marvel (she’s Ms. at the time but that does seem backward), Thing, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Doctor Voodoo, Hellstorm, Dr. Strange and Mockingbird are wondering what to do.
Hellstrom suspects he recognizes the demons but Strange says he is misidentifying them. Carol (that’s what I will call her, why not) asks if she can just punch the problem. Mockingbird is curious if Carol really needs permission. I like these two being on the same time, though I don’t really know Mockingbird.
Carol, taking charge, takes along Spider-Man and Thing – who I like in this issue and on this team.
Strange takes Hellstrom and Brother Voodoo (I don’t get why they renamed him, Doctor Voodoo, Strange is an actual doctor – the word ‘doctor’ isn’t associated with being the Sorcerer Supreme – if anything, he should be called Supreme Voodoo – or something) away, as they need to handle the bigger issue. Strange casts the, Mordune’s Reversal Teleportation Spell.
Jessica is going back to the Mansion, to get her baby to safety – which will be her mother’s house in Jersey. Which I thought her family all died in that toxic spill. I guess not. Wolverine tells Cage that they need a nanny -which will be Squirrel Girl, eventually. That happens in issue seven and has the job until the final issue, 34.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squirrel_Girl
Carol reveals she never saw Ghostbusters, which Thing and Spider-Man both start questioning her about that. Which is where the fun of this issue comes in, as we get classic Bendis team interplay. Spider-Man starts talkin to Thing, about how this would be a perfect time for an ol’ Clobbering Time shout but Thing wants a new more Avengers expression. Spider-Man points out that he, himself, hasn’t stopped making with the jokes. Spider-Man gives the people what he wants, whereas Thing wants to grow, as a person.
Avengers Mansion. Jessica lands and starts fighting the demons off. Veronica Hand starts blasting at the ghost demons with a giant gun and this gives Jessica a chance to grab baby Danielle and take off. Cage sees that his family is safe and can commit to the fight. Wolverine wonders if the magic folks are having better luck.
Doctor Voodoo’s Sanctum Sanctorum, New Orleans. The trio start reading books, trying to research who is behind the threat. Hellstrom keeps asking Strange, who is strong enough to possess Strange. Strange can’t think of anyone and we can tell that troubles him.
Over in the Astral Plane (I’m guessing) with Iron First. One of the voices recognizes Iron Fist’s molten heart of the dragon, Shou-Lao – proving he is a mystic warrior. This voice condemns the other voice for being an idiot – he possessed the one hero that could resist them. Issue ends with the big reveal that the smarter voice is . . . The Ancient One, he who trained Doctor Strange!
Not a bad issue, I’m a little more curious, after reading up about how tightly the next thirty issues are plotted.
. . .
Part of the Heroic Age relaunch, and having Bendis writing the Avengers titles, was that this gave Bendis a chance to retell Avengers history, via The Oral History of the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. This is Chapter 5.
Those interviewed are – Kang (the time traveller, would-be conqueror), Reed Richards, Alicia Masters, Ben Grimm, Hank Pym, Tony Stark, Rick Jones, Captain America.
This chapter mainly deals with Kang, and his influence on the Avengers. So this takes place, from what I can tell – Avengers Volume One issue 8 to 16. Kang appears in those two issues and in-between those, in issue 11.
The next chapter takes place in Avengers 4, which I reviewed here –
Writer Christos Gage
Penciler Mike McKone
Inker Andrew Andrew Hennessy
Colorist Jeromy Cox
Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna
Cover Dated October 2010
Cover by Amanda Connor and Paul Mounts
I own this, just for the cover.
Scared Straight, Part One of Three
Previously in this title, Norman Obsorn – as Director of HAMMER (formerly SHIELD) – found six fledgling superhumans and turned their powers up way pass eleven. These students, thought they were suppose to be the next generation of Avengers, instead, they learn from Osborn’s files that they were on the risk list of becoming super-villains. The students (and their powers) are – Veil (transform into various gases), Hazmat (toxins), Striker (electrically powered), Mettle (invulnerable powerhouse), Finesse (polymath) and Reptil (dinosaur morphing). Reptil is nothing like his Super Hero Squad cartoon counterpart. Some of the students took the news poorly. Finesse has started blackmailing Quicksilver, so that he will train her like how his father, Magneto, trained him. Hazmat is angry at Osborn, as she is stuck in her containment suit – for the rest of her days. Mettle should be angry too, as he is a red solid steel type of fellow, but he seems pretty relaxed. He is the Rockslide of the team.
The main faculty are – Hank Pym (as Wasp – as she is “dead” due to the events of Secret Invasion), Quicksilver and Tigra. Oh, and New Warriors alums – Justice and Speedball (he is back to using this name, after being Penance since Civil War).
Now you know what I know about this title, thus far. I have read issue 38 and I want to own issue 32.
This issue opens up with Hazmat’s origins, which is essentially Rogue’s origin – but much worst. She’s kissing a guy, he starts to cough, they both agree to keep going, as they are both virgins and today is the day. After running tests, the doctors found out that she is toxic. She isn’t a mutant, so she figures she can’t join the X-Men or reach out to them – which I imagine they would have took her in. Instead, Osborn tells her that he can cure her. Instead, he amps up her powers.
Infinite Avengers Mansion. Home of Avengers Academy, Now. The students are sparring. Finesse allows Reptil to kiss her, in front of the team. Apparently, she teased him in one of the previous issues – that he hadn’t kissed a girl before. Hazmat is mostly jealous over the fact that she can’t be kissing anybody.
Iron Man 2 must be coming out soon, as there are so many ads for pinball machines, backpacks and shoes.
Veil thinks Reptil and Finesse look cute together. Hazmat rolls her eyes so hard and Mettle starts to flirt with Hazmat, though she thinks he is only messing with her. He will eventually grow on her.
Justice shows up and tells them that the students are going to be getting some special guest star mentors, over the next week. Since the Avengers have always been more of a team, compared to the X-Men’s family feel – this makes sense. Plus, this is a great way to boost sales.
Intermediate Hand-to-Hand Combat . . . Instructor, Iron Fist. Gage gets to show why characters like Taskmaster (and Finesse) only work, if they practice their powers. One can’t merely look at Captain America throw his mighty shield, one needs to learn how to incorporate that into their own style or it isn’t going to last long in a fight.
Hank Pym’s big plan is to take the students to The Raft, the super villain prison. Hazmat knows Osborn is there, and she wants to kill him. The reason why the students are going there is to be Scared Straight.
Two Days Later. Tigra and Hank Pym aka The Wasp. I like this version of Tigra, where she doesn’t talk like a cat, instead, sounding like a real human character. Tigra informs Pym that Valkyrie is currently instructing the lady students in the ways of combat.
Tigra explains the reasoning is due to all of the research that shows that ladies learn better in single sex classrooms. This way they actually learn more male dominated subjects – math, science and armed combat. I’m not sure how right that is, it doesn’t sound right. Pym states that he read the same research, his problem is – does Valkyrie know that she is suppose to be teaching combat.
Superhuman Gender Roles. Instructor, Valkyrie. Valkyrie is expressing how disappointing men are – on the battlefield and in the bedchamber. The Asgardian Valkyries embrace the concept of chastity. She is about to go into the topic of masturbation aids. Tigra barges into the room, upset about the topic at hand and ever more so that Valkyrie allows the ladies to be drinking Mead. This is probably the most fun Valkyrie has ever been.
Hazmat tries to recruit Veil into the “Kill Osborn” plan.
Infinite Avengers Mansion Hanger. Everybody is getting ready to go on their field trip. Mettle wants in on Hazmat’s plan. Pym asks Justice if Speedball is coming along, so he goes to check.
Speedball’s Quarters. Justice walks in as Speedball is putting away his Penance mask. It was Speedball’s fault that he had recruited some rookies to be the latest incarnation of The New Warriors. They got a reality show and a fight broke out with some villains and Nitro exploded close enough to a school bus, killing a busload of students. This sparked the entire Civil War plotline. Feeling so reasponsible, Speedball quit his fun loving ways and turned into Penance. Penace’s costume made it possible for Robbie to be stabbed by 612 spikes, which was how many people died in that explosion – 60 of them were children. Something happened and now Speedball feels like he can be fun loving now (possibly Osborn being unseated and he is no longer a member of Thunderbolts, I’m figuring). This page ends with Speedball revealing that he is still cutting himself.
The Raft Maximum Security Federal Penitentiary, Off the Coast of Manhattan. Avengers Academy meets Luke Cage, who is running the Raft now. They really make a big deal of Captain America villain, Crossbones, being at the Raft.
The first villain to try to scare them straight, is Iron Man villain – The Ghost. His rantings about how Iron Man is almost as bad as most of his villains, seems to resonate more with the students.
There is a house ad for Secret Avengers 4, with Steve Rogers placing the Nova helmet on.
Juggernaut is up next. He provides how his father use to beat him up every morning, and how that made him want to beat up others.
Outside the room, Moonstone (who I really liked in the original Thunderbolts) is brought in to evaluate the students. She gives Speedball a hard time, as his energy signature is blue, like Penance’s instead of Speedball’s traditional, orange. Wasp asks her to not mess with Speedball’s head. Weird that we, the reader, don’t see the energy signature.
Reptil just wants to hear Juggernaut to proclaim “I’m the Juggernaut” which I like that he rolls his eyes but is willing to do it.
Hazmat shuts the power off, as she has the ability to create an electromagnetic pulse. Crossbones tells Hazmat where Osborn is.
Osburn is not scared of Hazmat, Veil or Mettle, as the issue ends.
This is part of a crossover with Thunderbolts, and it concludes back in this title, next issue.
The letters page has letters from – Sophea Uk of Salem, OR / Brian Edwards of Toronto, Canada and Katie Tran of West Lafayette, IN.
Script Greg Pak
Pencils Andre Araujo and Raul Valdes
Inks Andre Araujo, Lorenzo Ruggiero and Walden Wong
Colors Rachelle Rosenberg
Letters VC’s Joe Sabino
This second team of X-Treme X-Men are also the newest form of The Exiles. The team members are – Dazzler, Kurt Waggoner, General James Howlett (who is dating his universe’s Hercules – which is pretty cool), Charles Xavier (with his head in a globe) and Sage – I believe she is our Sage, a hold over from the Exiles team. This is a .1 issue, which was meant to be perfect jumping on points for new readers. This is the only issue I own of this second volume. The main mission of the X-Treme X-Men are to kill ten evil Xaviers. I thought this was the Dazzler of our universe.
Issue opens inside Sage’s robot space ship. Dazzler explains how evil Xaviers are going to destroy the multiverse. Howlett was the former Governor-General of the Dominion of Canada. Kurt is fourteen. I like comics with these character caption boxes, perfect for the .1 program.
Dazzler asks Sage for help finding their Futurama Xavier.
Seventeen Minutes Later. Sage was able to locate the nearest Xavier, so the mission begins. They see a few Brood and with an amazing page turn reveal, we see a giant Acanti with Xavier’s face! So crazy! He is being controlled by a pimp Brood Queen, who wants to go to a defenseless dimension. It is defenseless due to it not having a Xavier.
We see Cyclops, waking up in a tent off the shore of Utopia, the former home of the X-Men. I’m not sure if this is suppose to be the Proper Marvel Universe. I suspect that it isn’t, as his powers are broken but he is living on his own and eating trash. Scott sees an Xavier but turns out, he is a Brood induced nightmare.
Dazzler kills the few Brood that was holding Cyclops.
Later. Dazzler confirms it is not her Cyclops. This Earth was practically ruined by the Avengers versus X-Men battle. Here, the same X-Men were given parts of the Phoenix Force, including Magik. Hence, why I bought this issue.
Howlett says that Cyclops are stubborn in every dimension. This Cyclops did kill his Xavier. Dazzler and Kurt recount the evil Xaviers – Cowboy Xavier, Steampunk Godworld Xavier, Cthulu Floating Brian Xavier and this Cyclops’ Xavier – four dead, six to go.
The Acanti Xavier appears on Earth. The Brood Queen instructs her minions to feed on the planet. The X-Treme X-Men start killing the Brood.
A Brood grabs Johnny Ito, Dazzler’s lover.
Cyclops wants to kill whale Xavier, but Dazzler is concern with all of the deaths once he lands on the ground. Howlett saves Johnny Ito. Howlett gets to cut loose on the Brood, it gets pretty bloody.
Acanti Xavier lands on the ground, Howlett kills the Brood Queen. Sage thinks it is too easy but Xavier reveals that he was resisting the Queen’s influence. Xavier tells Dazzler to kill him, there is too much as risk if two Xaviers unite. She does it.
Later, Cyclops is mad at Dazzler, as there were other options, there was no need to rush to the decision to kill Xavier. Issue ends with him giving her some advice on leadership.
. . .
With this issue, I complete all of my reviews of the comics my Mother-In-Law was nice enough to give me a Mile High Comics’ gift card so I can buy them. Been a pretty fun bunch of comics and only one of them, I didn’t need for the collection.
Story and Script Chris Claremont and Joe Pruett
Pencils Brett Booth and Ron Lim
Inks Scott Elmer, Michael Kraiger, Rich Perrotta, Cliff Rathburn, Rod Ramos and Vince Russell
Colors Kevin Somers
Letters Sharpefont and PT
Cover Dated June 2000
Thunderbird’s, Neal, Origin issue! X-MEN 100 is his first appearance, but chronically, this issue comes before that one.
I suspect Lim did the flashback pages and Booth did the present day pages. I only think that due to the flashback pages being a cleaner style.
Scotland. Neal Sharra is waiting to leave the dock to go to Moira MacTaggert’s Muri Isle. Jean Grey shows up on a speed boat, along with a very sea sick Cable. Neal wastes no time hitting on Jean. He doesn’t know this, but Jean has recently lost Scott – who was combined with Apocalypse at the end of The Twelve storyline. I’m surprise to see Cable being so sick, I’m sure that isn’t continued from here.
Seven Months Ago. The Port City of Calcutta, in Eastern India. Neal is from a very rich family, who owns a very prestigious tea plantation. Neal’s brother, Sanjit, has gone missing. Sanjit is a reporter and was looking into the impoverished of the city. Neal wants to go, but his father forbids it. His father is the Chief of Police. Neal doesn’t listen and takes off. Neal seems, to me, to be in his late twenties, so he isn’t a mere child.
Muir Isle. The three of them are greeted by Wolfsbane and Colossus. Neal hits on Rahne, so he has a thing for red heads. Colossus states that he is only visiting the island. Colossus is on his way to Cape Canaveral, setting up X-MEN 100, which Neal will come along for that mission. Neal is impressed with Colossus, as he has never met an astronaut before. Colossus mentions that his brother, Mikhail, was the astronaut of the family – we all have one of those, right? Colossus does state that he has been to space, which is an odd thing to just throw out there.
Neal picks up on the hint that Mikhail is no longer in the present, and he can relate to a lost of a brother – hinting at where the flashback tale is heading.
Calcutta. Neal runs into some thugs, who attack him. Neal is saved by Karima Shapandar, Omega Sentinel, making her first appearance! That’s pretty cool that I own her first appearance, I didn’t even know that! PLUS, I bought this for under two dollars on Mile High Comics, so you can own it as well and not pay too much. She isn’t Omega Sentinel, at this point.
Muir Isle. The group of five are relaxing. Cable, as he got distracted, his metallic arm starts going haywire. Jean tries to calm Cable down, and we see the Phoenix Force aura around her. Rahne is going to get Moira and turns into a werewolf, which is the point when Neal freaks out. As Wolfsbane runs into the other room, Blue Ape Beast drops all of his books, but he gets to say that they are, The X-Men. Colossus armors up, a good thing, as Neal throws a flameball at Colossus. All of this seems odd, as he knows he is a mutant, at this point. Did he not do any research before going to the Muir Island Research Facility? Neal human torch flies away.
Calcutta. Neal and Karima are flirting, and slowly falling in love.
Bullpen Bulletins. Available May 3rd. There are six oneshots coming out, all of them are from the vantage point of What Are Comics Like Within the Marvel Universe? I own all of these, at one point and I still own the X-Men one by Mark Millar and Sean Phillips. Comicbookdb refers to these comics as Marvels Comics : X-Men, I will reveal it one of these days.
Neal and Karima kiss and are shot with darts at the command of . . . Bastion!
Muir Isle. Neal is embarrassed by his over reaction. He is also naked. Jean is the first to find him in the woods. Rahne lead her to him, she also brought a spare X-Uniform. She is confused why, until she sees the very naked man. Jean opts out of having to explain the science of the uniform. This, though, he has researched. He goes on about how Reed Richards created these unstable material on a molecular level.
Calcutta. Neal is the first to wake up. He sees his brother, Sanjit. Bastion explains that Sanjit is no longer human, instead, he is a Prime Sentinel – a human / Sentinel hybrid. Operation : Zero Tolerance was three years ago at this point (1997) but he is still around. Claremont takes this opportunity to explain his name. His goal is to stand as humanity’s final bastion against the forces that threaten to destroy it.
Bastion gives the signal and Neal and Karima are electrocuted. This process reveals two details. Karima would make a perfect candidate for the Prime Sentinel program and Neal is a mutant, which disgusts Bastion.
Muir Island. Neal narrates that his family and Moira’s have been family friends for decades. He is there to be tested on. Colossus forgives Neal’s attempt to burn him. Moira hugs Neal, which I wouldn’t have done unless he actually successively hurt Colossus. Neal looks around, realizing that these people know each other so well, and he is an outsider.
Colossus reveals his origins, so we get to see Illyana – one of the reasons why I bought this issue. Actually, I’m pretty sure that this is the sole reason why I bought it. Kitty being shown in the lost pages of X-Archives, was a bonus.
Calcutta. Neal is trying to fight off a slew of Prime Sentinels. Sanjit dies and Karima is in the beginning phases of becoming a Prime Sentinel. Neal has been running ever since.
Muir Island. So Neal’s powers were awaken, from a dormant state, which is why he is so much older. He needs help controlling his powers. This is why he is joining the X-Men.
. . .
There is also a section of unused art from the X-Archives!
Including this unused page from X-Men 100!
Art by Leinil Francis Yu and Mark Morales
Letters are from – Gabe Kveton / Doug Cook / Scot W. Myers / Paul Slattery
1. Stop
2. 2 Become 1
3. Too Much
4. Wannabe
5. Say You’ll Be There
Thanks to YouTuber, Emimusic, for hosting the videos!
Guest Writer Jay Farber
Guest Artist J.J. Kirby
Guest Colorist Chris Walker
Letterer Randy Gentile
Cover Dated September 2002
Issue 8 is the last issue of Devin Grayson and UDON’s time on X-Men Evolution, hence all of the Guest creative teams.
Issue opens with Xavier explaining that he is leaving for the weekend.
Xavier explains (mostly for our benefit, as the cast would already know this) that Storm, Beast and Wolverine took most of the students on a training exercise. So these six students are now, Home Alone – hence the cover. Scott is in charge of – Nightcrawler, Spyke, Jean, Rogue and Shadowcat.
At school, Kurt (for some silly reason, that is beyond me) tells Freddy that the mansion is completely empty of adults. Freddy, like a dick, announces that there will be a party at Xavier’s. For another reason, the student body accepts this invitation, even though they should know that guy isn’t living at the Institute. Scott is not happy with this announcement.
Danger Room. Spyke is telling Scott that the party should be fun.
Kurt is sure that Xavier wouldn’t know, but Jean has to remind him that Xavier can read minds. Kitty says that Xavier forbids reading their minds. But he still does it, as we all know. Jean raises the second problem, that the Institute isn’t exactly a safe place.
Kurt says that a party will get them closer to the human students of the school. Kurt also mentions how none of them live with their parents. Besides Kitty and Spyke, none of them have parents to speak of. Maybe Jean, but her parents may think she is crazy. Scott agrees to have the party, hoping everything goes well. Also, the time to turn down the party was immediately, not the day of.
Naturally – Toad, Blob and Avalanche, come to the party, no one wants there. Scott tells the X-Men to watch the Brotherhood kids.
Jean and Kitty follow Blog, who almost enters the Danger Room. Jean uses her telekinesis to keep the door close but tells Kitty to come up with a plan to distract Blob.
The outfits that Kirby has Kitty and Jean wearing, the heck! Sexy isn’t the right word, but I do like them having party clothes but these seem out of place. Jean is barely wearing a half shirt. Kitty’s is at least modest.
Kitty’s plan is to bring the big lug to the kitchen.
Avalanche (a word I still can’t spell, unassisted) and Toad find the empty hanger. Scott and Kurt confront them, a quick fight occurs until Freddy shows up. Kurt teleports Avalanche and Toad into the woods.
The party isn’t getting out of hand. The final straw was some kid rolling around in Xavier’s wheelchair. The party guests are told to leave, they do, angrily.
There is an ad for the Ultimate Titles. Ultimate Spider-Man 24, The Secret of the Goblin’s return. Ultimate 20, the issue before Ultimate Shadowcat’s debut. Ultimates 7, new storyline (so the team isn’t fighting each other) and Black Widow appears.
Kitty shuts down the music, but the electronics blow up, causing a slight fire. Kurt teleports the equipment to the river. The team puts out the fire and Blob has eaten himself into a deep sleep.
Xavier returns, and they try to play it off like everything was okay. Issue ends with Scott confessing everything that happened, so Xavier states that he does trust them now. His smile indicates that he read all of their minds when he first arrived.
Writer Devin Grayson
Art and Colors Udon with Long Vo, Charles Park, and Saka of Studio Xd
Letterer Sharpefont’s Randy Gentile
Cover Dated May 2002
Issue opens with Nightcrawler waking up from a nightmare, wherein he was being burn at the stake. I really enjoyed this issue and Grayson’s take on Kurt and having to use his image inducer. This is the type of story this comic should have been filled it, stories that feel like they are in the X-Men Evolution universe, but character driven stories that – for whatever reason, wouldn’t make it onto the show.
Xavier Institute. 8am. Scott wakes up Kurt, apparently, poor Scott, has to wake up everybody and keep them on a schedule. Scott reminds Kurt that he needs to turn on his image inducer, as the world isn’t ready for blue mutants, just yet. Which seems harsh, as he still has maybe twenty minutes where he can be his natural blue elf self.
Scott is trying to hurry Rogue along, it has to take so long to put all of that chalk white make up on.
Kurt asks the question that has always bugged me, Everybody calls Rogue, Rogue – even the teachers and fellow classmates at the school. That doesn’t even make sense. I guess, if that is her real name, that could work but ooof, that isn’t very good. Scott uses the reasoning that Jean is Jean, at school and in battle. At least, to Rogue’s credit, she is one of the half of the X-Ladies who have maintained her codenames.
Spyke, that idiot, almost runs down Kitty in the hall, on his skateboard. He must not be aware of how much damage skateboards can cause in old buildings.
Scott does yell at Spyke, so that’s something. Kurt asks if Scott picked, Cyclops, or was that Xavier. Kitty wants to know if she can change her codenmae, she likes Shadowcat, but she wants to know if she can change it.
Jean sympathizes with Scott, as it can’t be easy to wrangle teenagers, especially in the morning.
Bayville High School. 8:25am. Apparently, and I totally get this, most students don’t care for the Xavier Institute people. Which makes total sense, as the X-Men (no matter the dimension) bring destruction wherever they go.
Kurt’s teacher, for the weekend, assigns homework – write what you can be at home, that you can’t be at school.
Danger Room. Xavier Institute, 3:37pm. The X-Men are having a training scenario. At first, I thought it was a coloring error, but it isn’t. Kurt is using his image inducer in the session, for some reason, he isn’t as agile as he is in his natural state. The session wasn’t that successful.
Xavier tells his students that it is dinner time. Kitty reveals she is a vegetarian, which isn’t that great. At least, it isn’t my lifestyle.
Jean tries to cheer up Kurt. Kurt tells Jean something that she never thought about. How Jean is always trying to be perfect, for those who would consider her a role model. This shakes Jean’s confidence but Scott is comforting when he tells her that is she up to the challenge. As a reward, she touches his bare face with her gloveless hands. Scott touches his own face, so that boy is super desperate for any physical contact.
Kurt is struggling with his assignment. We see on his sheet of paper, that today’s date (or Monday’s) is February 27, 2002. I looked it up and it was a Wednesday, so the teacher is giving them plenty of time.
Kitty enters Kurt’s room, and there is a softness of her in these pages that makes me really like the coloring and art style of this issue. Kitty wants to borrow Kurt’s history book.
There is an ad for Disney’s Atlantis, which is promoting Mike Mignola being the art inspiration for the film, so I should have known that a while ago instead of sometime last year. The DVD came out in January 29, 2002 – which I still need to own this as we really want to get the boy centric Disney animated films for Walker Dennis.
Kitty asks if Kurt sleeps with his image inducer turn on. He says he doesn’t. I’m surprised more Kurtty fans don’t seek this issue out, as they have two great scenes in this issue.
Kurt turns off his image inducer and has another nightmare, where in his butt naked and blue in front of his classmates.
Xavier Institute. Yoga Room, 7:32am. Wolverine is getting everyone to get into a Tree stance. Rogue can’t do it nor can Kurt.
Xavier calls Kurt over, he knows about his nightmares, as they are so powerful that Xavier can’t ignore them.
Because Xavier took all of this time, Kurt missed the ride to the school. Kitty did too, but like that episode where she just wanted some alone time, I imagine she walks to school a bunch. Grim Reminder, 1×11, one of my favorite episodes.
Kitty shares with Kurt, that at first, she enjoyed being at school more than being at the Institute. Her intelligence makes her stand out at school but at home, she is just another mutant with powers.
A slew of flatscans with rape intentions start harassing Kitty. Kurt keeps telling her to run. For some reason, she doesn’t decide to kick their butts.
Instead, Kurt turns blue and scares them away, which devastates him.
Kitty thanks Kurt but he is having a hard time accepting that his blue self is only good for scaring fools.
Kitty thinks Kurt is the good weird, which is sweet. Blue is her favorite color.
Bayville High. Later that morning. Cut to a classmate that has blue dyed hair! There are not enough blue things in the world to eat.
Xavier Institute, study of Professor Charles Xavier. Storm, Wolverine and Xavier are discussing their students. Rogue can’t cut it as a tree. Spyke has a hard time of keeping his true abilities a secret. Kitty is aces. Kurt is settling in.
Bayville High. Kurt’s teacher, Ms. Vasquez, pulls Kurt aside. She is concern that Kurt may be sad or depressed, as his answer to – what I am at home that I can’t be at school – is BLUE. He stapled his sheet to other sheets, so that is clearly an F paper. I like this page, as it shows that Vasquez cares as clearly he is sad at home.
Pretty fun issue.
Thanks to YouTuber Disney UK for hosting the video!
When Walker Dennis was only a few months old, I discovered that this song, sung by Indina Menzel, calmed him down. I discovered this as I kept hearing the song and had a moment in the car and used my fancy YouTube app and listened to it. I went from having a crying baby in the back seat to having a calm baby.
It wasn’t until a few days later that I learn that it was just my phone that calmed him down.
Regardless, I really like the song.
Thanks to YouTuber The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon for hosting the video!
I also like this video as we get to see the Oscar winner actually singing the song, plus Fallon and the Roots – can’t go wrong with them either.
I don’t care for the Demi Lovato version of the song. Why have two versions of the same song? Especially if the one from the film is actually being used on the radio? I don’t know. Maybe Lovato needed a new car? That could be it.
Actually I just looked it up, she didn’t get the Oscar for the song. Apparently only the ones who write the lyrics and the music win the Oscar. Which makes sense. That’s why you want to always get a writing credit for any song you sing – at least, get a co-writing credit. That way, you keep making money off of the song. Even if it gets covered by someone else, they have to credit the song writers.
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