Bachalo

All posts tagged Bachalo

Wolverine and the X-Men Volume One Issue 10

Posted by John Klein III on September 3, 2014
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

248415_20120511115621_large

Writer Jason Aaron

Penciler / Colorist Chris Bachalo

Inkers Tim Townsend, Jaime Mendoza. Al Vey and Victor Olazaba

Letterer Chris Eliopoulos

Cover Dated July 2012

See Wolverine in Scott’s visor on the cover?  I missed that for the longest time until someone else drew my attention to it.

Wolverine X-Men 10 Kitty Newsfeed

This issue takes place three hours after the events of AvX 1, when Wolverine and the Avengers attacked Utopia.  In the recap panel, we get to see Bachalo draw Spider-Man, Sunspot, Thing – which looks simply stunning and Giant-Man.  We’ve seen him draw Cyclops, Magik, Domino, Wolverine, Psylocke, Namor, Cannonball and Warpath before.

There is a newscaster showing footage and commentary about the fight but I’m not sure how they got that footage or found out about it.

Kitty, this is during her red attire phase, before she moved on to pink.  Wolverine is talking to her about how conflicted he is over the fight and popping his claws on friends and those he considered family.  He wonders where Cyclops and his team disappeared to.  Kitty looks out the window and draws his attention to outside.

Wolverine X-Men 10 Magik Teleport

We see Kitty and Wolverine approaching Cyclops, Emma and Magik.

We get an awesome two page spread that Bachalo comes up with a great way to get a bunch of talking out of the way and Aaron’s plot and keep the energy and momentum moving.  The top two thirds of the page is Rachel and Iceman talking about how they feel conflicted that they are not in this fight yet.  They are also talking about the new Warren after the events of Uncanny X-Force’s Dark Angel Saga.  Rachel confirms that it is Warren’s body but his mind is a completely new slate.  Iceman swears to find his old friend and bring him back to the surface.  I know they were original five together but have they ever been shown to be that close?

They head out as Wolverine tells Krakoa to fetch.  We get an incredible 80 percent of the page dedicated to Krakoa trying to eat Cyclops.  Wolverine is moving in to end this and Emma diamond punches him in the face.

There is an ad for AvX Vs for issue three, that has Black Widow fighting Magik (Illyana wins) and Juggerolossus fighting Thing, which may have been a draw or Juggerolossus won.

Iceman asks Illyana to not fight and she comments on how much conversations she and her Limbo demons have wondered about if Bobby feels pain when his ice melts.  Turns out he does.  I sort of like how during Illyana’s down time or her ruling time in Limbo, she has demon friends so she isn’t lonely and gossips about her fellow X-Men.

Kitty tells Rachel to hold down Emma so that Kitty can carve herself some earrings.  Rachel is only so glad to do that.

Cyclops finally shouts that this is enough.  He is there to only to talk to Wolverine, one final chance before the war with the Avengers gets out of hand.

From here, Krakoa can be seen watching with just one red eye following them.  It is the only way he learns what is happening.

We see Warren trying to prove he is an actual angel.  He decides to fly to Heaven.  He flies to high and starts crashing to the ground.

Husk is trying to get the students away from the windows.  Genesis is doing research on who Apocalypse is, as his fellow classmates keep calling him Apocalypse Junior and such.

We get another artistic two page spread broken into three sections.  Wolverine and Cyclops on the upper left corner are walking to the right side of the page, through the lobby.  We see Doop is happy to see Cyclops and waves big at him.  The two of them go down an elevator on the right side of the page and exit onto the furthest right panel so they just moved down one panel, like an actual elevator.  Now they are walking from the right side of the page to the left side of the page.  We see Krakoa still watching them.  Looks like they are walking pass the stables.  We see them entering the garden.  On the bottom left panel, we see them now in the garden.  Great use of the comic page, the pacing is wonderful and you get some great implied motion.  When people ask why I like Bachalo so much, it is because he really knows how to use the comic page and panel grids to tell a story.

Genesis catches Angel from hitting the ground.  Angel looks into Evan’s soul and sees Apocalypse but tells him that he sees a kind soul.

The AvX June 2012 issues including Avengers 27, New Avengers 27, Avengers Academy 31 & 32 (I need to buy 32 still), Wolverine and the X-Men 12, Uncanny X-Men 13 & 14 (I own both of these) and X-Men Legacy 268 & 269, which I also own both of those.  So during this, as Kitty and the Jean Grey School stayed out of the fights, I only followed Cyclops and Magik’s side.  It made the event affordable for me.

Wolverine tells Cyclops that he can’t help him and he is sticking with the Avengers.  Cyclops tells him that Wolverine isn’t the only X-Men at this school.

Wolverine X-Men 10 Kitty Magik fun

We get a fun panel of Emma and Kitty talking about having a future Quiz Bowl to compare teaching styles and progressive.  If only we got a baseball game out of this.

In the panel right next to this, Quentin Quire hits on Illyana.  She turns him down with a “I would tear you apart, little boy, like the bear does the baby goat.”  Which may be harsh but he knew his chances were low.  A real shame that Kitty and Illyana never speak to each other in this issue.  They really don’t speak again until Battle of the Atom, a year later.

Rachel tells Wolverine that some of them want a piece of the fight.  Wolverine states that is good as the avengers are going to need all the help they can get.  Rachel tells him that she is choosing Cyclops side.  Which is nice as those two characters have not spoken or been in the same issue in years.

Rachel, and this is the only issue that addresses this, maddenly enough, Rachel states that she hosted the Phoenix Force for years and never had a problem.  Which Marvel completely forgot about that as they only wanted to talk about how the Phoenix is never been a real force for good.  This is just another example in a long history of Marvel forgetting about Excalibur completely.

Iceman states that Cyclops as saved his life more than anyone else has ever had and feels loyal to him.

Angel tells everyone that he is not a real angel as he just liked to a friend so now he is ready to admit that he is a human and ready to fight the Avengers.

Oya asks Wolverine if Hope is okay.  He tells her that it is too early to tell.  Oya states Hope is her best friend, and starting with Schism they haven’t been seen to speak to each other in years.

Issue ends with the Death Commandos who only mission is to kill the Phoenix.

This issue’s title is Avengers vs. X-Men … Vs. X-Men and there probably isn’t a better way to wording it so good job.

Uncanny X-Men Volume Three Issue 22

Posted by John Klein III on September 2, 2014
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Uncanny X-Men Volume Three Issue 22

Writer Brian Michael Bendis

Penciler Chris Bachalo

Inkers Tim Townsend, Marc Deering, Mark Irwin, Jaime Mendoza, Victor Olazaba & Al Vey

Colorists Chris Bachalo & Jose Villarrubia

Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna

The Hidden New Xavier School.  Emma and the students are watching a mysterious plane about to land.  Emma tells the Cuckoos that they should diamond up.  Which I like that that power is being remembered.  Did I enjoy Phoenix : Warsong and like the reveal that the Cuckoos were five of possibly millions of clones of Emma Frost?  No, no I did not.  But I like how Bendis knows that the Cuckoos have that power, though it is never used, and it was a nice touch.

In the plane, is Magneto and real Dazzler.  Poor Dazzler, Magneto didn’t stop anywhere to get her a proper outfit so she is still in her hospital gown.

I like how Dazzler wants a Walkman, she needs something with noise so she can power up.  Also, that her insticts is to ask for a Walkman and not an iPod.  Are iPods even a thing anymore or do people just listen to music on their tablets?  Instead of listening to music on a mp3 player, I just pull up the music video on YouTube via the KindleFire and that’s how I listen to music these days.  Plus, my mp3 player does not work.  Or I listen to music on my new fancy phone.

When I worked at Hastings, we could not sell mp3 players or iPods but they were also being still priced at a hundred dollars or so which seems silly now that phones play music and are still phones.

Westchester, New York.  Now.  Hijack steals a car and takes off.  I like the small talk from the locals, as they know that the X-Men live in their city.

Jean Grey School.  Maria Hill is losing even more control of the situation as multiple Hellicarriers are laying waste to the school.  She starts calling for the Avengers to assist.  She informs the White House of the situation as well.  Like either are going to do anything for the X-Men.

The art on this page of all of the characters trying to do anything and the bombs falling, it is chaotic like a real battlefield.

Beast is in his lab and he for sure knows who is behind the attack.

Hill asks Dazzlique to help out and Mystique just walks away.  Without missing a beat, Hill gives the order that if anyone sees Dazzler, to shoot her on sight.  Seems a bit extreme to me.

The MysteriX is ready for the final bravo and presses a button.  Now the SHIELD created Sentinels and their nuclear bombs are deployed.

Which I can’t believe even after the X-Men handily defeated the SHIELD Sentinels during Battle of the Atom, that SHIELD didn’t decommission these killer robots as all their creation accomplish was to annoy Cyclops and make him target SHIELD in the first place.  Cyclops is not a man one wants to make an enemy of.

Right when things look like they couldn’t get worst, all of the Sentinels and the attacks from the Hellicarriers stop.  MysteriX is shocked by this.

The best part of it is the interaction from Hill and the crew that is left on the Hellicarrier.  A bit of a comedy routine with the one blonde saying, “something has taken control over the Hellicarrier from the thing that took the Hellicarriers.”  Which then Hill responds with another way of phasing it.  “You mean that who took over the Hellicarrier has now lost control over the Hellicarriers.”  Its pretty funny.

Uncanny X-Men 22 Comedy Gold

Cyclops wakes up and wants to start taking control over the situation.  Beast tells him that Cyclops needs to confront the actual threat and not the noise outside.  Magik is ready for the fight.

Uncanny X-Men V3 22 Magik wants answers

I like how instantly Cyclops recognizes that his former student, Hijack, is the one who is saving the day.  In this technologically advanced world, he really is one of the strongest mutants now.

Hijack gets a great line about how he was hoping to enroll into this school.  He hopes saving the day gets him a scholarship.

Beast explains to Cyclops that the reason his powers don’t work as well anymore is that he has Nanotech Sentinels in his bloodstream.  Which explains that little subplot from the first issue.  Though how those nanoSentinels got in their bloodstreams, I bet, is never explained.  It doesn’t take much to just assume that they breathed it in at one point and that’s how it happened.  Though how Magneto’s powers were affected by them, is beyond me.  Wouldn’t he have noticed foreign metal in his body?

Beast also tells Cyclops that the side effect to getting rid of the nanoSentinels is some diarrhea.  ha cha cha

On Cyclops’ order, Magik goes to the New Xavier School – picks up Emma, Magneto and the gang and brings them back to the Jean Grey School.  I like how Magneto says “I shall come with you” and Emma’s response is “yes, you shall.”  Which feels like a real thing someone would say after hearing the word, shall, in this modern time.  I do like how Magneto still uses the word, shall.

Magik doesn’t get time to ask why Dazzler is there and in a night gown but there are bigger issues at the moment.

Once back at the Jean Grey School – Magik next teleports herself, Beast and Cyclops to the location of MysteriX.  The villain of the day starts talking and Cyclops optic blasts him.

I like how Beast, being likeable for the first time in possibly half a decade, comments on the fact that Cyclops was right.  A Beast was responsible for fouling up everything, but it wasn’t him, but Dark Beast.

I also like Cyclops’ little joke / comment about how there are far too many alternate versions of themselves running about the place.

Another fun moment, I’m now realizing how much I liked this issue, is that Cyclops calls him “Dark Beast from the Age of Apocalypse” as I do wonder how the characters themselves refer to things that we ourselves in RL call them.  Like, do the New Mutants really call themselves that?  They do from time to time.  Did the X-Treme X-Men call themselves by that name?  Do the mutants even refer to that timeline as the Age of Apocalypse timeline?  Now that several of them have gone back to it and have encounter people from there, we know that they do now.

Beast reveals that Dark Beast is dying, from all of the experiments he has performed onto himself.  Which the last time I saw him, was during the Frozen storyline towards the end of Astonishing X-Men – also called the Dark Iceman Saga, to some.  He was funny there.

Of course, Dark Beast had a plan in case he was defeated and there is a bomb set to explode in 18 seconds.  Magik teleports Hijack there and he is able to turn off the bomb.  He has evolve from having to say actual commands like, stop.  He can now just point at things and get them to do what he wants.

Back at the Jean Grey School, we start wrapping up the issue.  Hill starts shouting that there will be an investigation regarding how Dark Beast was able to take over the Hellicarriers.  Hill shouts that they are going to decommission the Hellicarrier program after this.  Which should have happened years ago with how often those things crash into the ground.

Also, she tries to blame Cyclops and he quickly turns it onto her and how if it wasn’t for her bombs and Sentinels and floating death machines, none of today’s actions could have happened.

Hill then sees Dazzler and wants her arrested.  Magneto has to inform Hill of how on stop of everything else today, that Mystique has infiltrated SHIELD and has been posing as Dazzler since day five.  Dazzler shouts at Hill that she was abducted on the Hellicarrier.

Hill refers to Dazzler as an Agent of SHIELD and Dazzler tells her that joining the organization was a huge mistake as she is an X-Man first and quits.

Next issue, the Uncanny X-Men tie in to Original Sin with the Last Will and Testament of Charles Xavier.

Uncanny X-Men Volume Three Issue 21

Posted by John Klein III on July 19, 2014
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , . Leave a comment

Uncanny X-Men V3 21

Writer Brian Michael Bendis

Pencils Chris Bachalo

Inks Tim Townsend, Mark Irwin, Jaime Mendoza & Al Vey

Colors Chris Bachalo

Uncanny X-Men V3 21 Magik 1a Uncanny X-Men V3 21 Magik 1b

Last issue, Cyclops lost control of his powers in front of the Jean Grey School.

Storm wants him to leave, which is pretty insensitive of her.  Magik defends him.  Storm wants both of them gone.

Illyana loses her control of her powers, releasing a giant sandworm from Beetlejuice.  She passes out on top of Cyclops.

Beast wants to take them to his lab.  Mystique as Dazzler wants to take them with her and SHIELD.

Madripoor.  Blob is losing his mind with withdrawals.  He is a junkie dickhead, as they say.  I do like how he is still bragging about being Original Brotherhood.  It has probably gotten him free drinks and a few free meals.

Blob gets to Dazzler’s room.  Before he can do anything, she is saved by Magneto.  Magneto doesn’t recognize her at first, but after being swapped and taken prisoner in issue nine – she is saved by Magneto, of all people.

Back at the Jean Grey School.  Dazzlique is negotiating with Beast when Maria Hill shows up.  She will let Beast have one hour to figure out what is wrong with Scott and Illyana.  Which is pretty generous of her.  I like how she calls Dazzler, Agent Blaire, in front of third parties.

We see that the mutant threat version of Mysterio, who is on the cover, has been monitoring this entire conversation.  Also, he may be directly causing Cyclops, Emma and Illyana’s power fluctuations.  He takes over the Hellicarrier and unleashes its full arsenal onto the school.

Storm blasts lightning onto the carrier.

The Hidden New Xavier School.  Emma isn’t happy being left behind.  Her and the students see something in the sky, but we only is a shape.  Is it a plane or a bird?  I’m sure it is Magneto holding Dazzler.

Jean Grey School.  Firestar, fresh from a shower, and the known students come rushing out.

Uncanny X-Men V3 21 Magik 2

Maria Hill’s override commands have no effect.

I like how quick Beast figures out who us behind this.

The secret villain comments aloud that there is one lesson Beast never learned, and how the villain is going to have to teach it to him.

Pretty exciting issue, next issue promises some answers.  Finally.

I’m glad that Dazzler finally got rescued.  That is a relief!

Uncanny X-Men Volume Three Issue 20

Posted by John Klein III on June 17, 2014
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

301410_20140416190623_large

Writer Brian Michael Bendis

Pencils Chris Bachalo

Inks Tim Townsend, Wayne Faucher, Jon Holdredge, Jaime Mendoza, Victor Olazaba & Al Vey

Colors Chris Bachalo

Great cover!  Magik should be on every cover.

Maria Hill is still trying to get Cyclops’ whereabouts from Hijack.  Hijack has a frame Howard the Duck cover on his wall.  What is that about?

One of Hill’s agents tells her that they have a positive Cyclops sighting in Chicago.  Also that he and his X-Men are having to fight another batch of Sentinels.  Which surprises Hill.

The SHIELD Hellicarrier is over Akron, Ohio.  Which I know Bendis either is from Cleveland or lived there, so that probably explains the location.

I like the use of black and white coloring to show that Cyclops and the Cuckoos are in Maria Hill’s mind.

Cyclops confronts Hill about the Sentinels.  The Cuckoos confirm that Hill believes SHIELD has nothing to do with them.  They also reveal that Hill is attracted to Cyclops.  I could be cool with this pairing.  Scott deserves to date a non-telepath.

While the five of them were having this psychic conversation, the other agents on-board were unconscious.

Madipoor.  Blob is trying to get some more of the mutant growth hormone drug, that he is clearly addicted to.  He discovers that Dazzler is the source.  Without the drug, he won’t have his powers.

Mystique is disappointed in Blob.  Clearly he was going to steal the drugs.  She tells him that she would have given him more.

Mystique as Dazzler, looking good too, is on the Hellicarrier.  She updates Hill that Magneto was just at Madipoor.  Hill approves Dazzique’s plan to follow the Magneto trail.

We see that the NotMysterio person has a live video feed from the Hellicarrier as he continues to work on Sentinels.

Hijack leaves his house, he finally put on some pants.  SHIELD has a man tracking him.

Uncanny X-Men V3 20 Magik 1

Cyclops is having a team meeting, all members are present.  Fabio is out of his hero uniform – not sure if that was a one time appearance.

Cyclops is wondering how they are being tracked.  He figures it has to be through Cerebro.  They all list the suspects – Magneto, Xavier, Stark and Richards.

Emma and Magik, at the same time, name Hank McCoy.

Tempus offers that they should turn off Cerebro.  Cyclops tells her that is a good idea.

Cyclops and Magik teleport to the Jean Grey School.  Emma is surprised she wasn’t included.

Emma tells the team that is no longer a revolution, they are at war.

Uncanny X-Men V3 20 Magik JGS

At the School.  Storm comes immediately to tell the two to leave.  Iceman, Rachel and Beast come out to repeat the sentiment.

Storm makes a rare witty comment, that Cyclops has his own Beast to talk to.

Cyclops confronts Beast.  Beast doesn’t want to prove his innocence.  He hates Cyclops so much.

Cyclops stops talking, as he gets a massive migraine.

Uncanny X-Men V3 20 Magik Final Page

On the final page, it looks like Cyclops full on optic blasts Beast on a major scale.

Issue ends with SHIELD knowing that Cyclops is at the Jean Grey School.

 

A+X

Posted by John Klein III on April 10, 2014
Posted in: Retrospective. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Of the 18 issues, I only own five issues – 1, 2, 8, 11 and 18

On my Wishlist are – the Del Mundo variant of issue 2, McGuinness Variants for both issues 2 and 4. Yes, I only want the fourth issue one because Lockheed and Kitty’s feet are dangling on the top of it. But it would make an awesome connecting cover once I get both of them.

Issue One, I only own for the Skottie Young Baby Variant that had Kitty and Lockheed on the cover.

The Team Ups and Creative Teams in the issues I own are :

1A – Captain America & Bucky + Cable by Dan Slott and Ron Garney

1B – Incredible Hulk + Wolverine by Jeph Loeb and Dale Keown

2A – Black Widow + Rogue by Chris Bachalo

2B – Iron Man + Kitty Pryde with Lockheed by Peter David and Mike Del Mundo

8A – Spider-Woman + Kitty Pryde with Lockheed by Gerry Duggan and Salvador Larroca

8B – Hawkeye + Deadpool by Christopher Hastings and Reilly Brown

11A – Thor + Magik by Mike Benson and Mark Texeira

11B – Superior Spider-Man + Cyclops by Jim Krueger and Ron Lim

18A – Vision + Kitty Pryde by Jim Krueger and Will Sliney

18B – Captain America + Cyclops by Gerry Duggan and Matteo Lolli and David Yardin

Once I own issue four it would be

4A – Beast + Amazing Spider-Man by Kaare Andrews

4B – Captain America + Quentin Quire by Jason Latour and David Lopez

Overall, I like the concept of the title as I was always a fan of Marvel Team-Up, especially once the second and third volumes got away with the mandatory Spider-Man starring role.

Uncanny X-Men Volume Three Issue 19

Posted by John Klein III on March 22, 2014
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

Uncanny_X-Men_Vol_3_19.NOW

Writer Brian Michael Bendis

Pencils Chris Bachalo

Inks Tim Townsend, Al Vey, Jaime Mendoza, Mark Irwin & Victor Orlazara

Colors Chris Bachalo & Jose Villarrrubia

Lettering & Production VC’s Joe Caramagna

Uncanny X-Men vs. SHIELD Part One

Issue opens, in Atlanta, with Maria Hill and some SHIELD soldiers in Hijack’s apartment.  Hill tells him that there are no vehicles for him to control, the entire neighborhood’s cars have been towed.  Imagine how loud that must have been?  Also, people running out of their homes, all angry.  Hill wants to know where Cyclops is.

In an unknown location, we finally see where Mystique is keeping Dazzler.  It is what I was worried it is, not a spa at all but a hostage situation.  Dazzler’s eyes are taped over, Mystique reveals to Sabretooth – who looks like Triple H here, that Dazzler’s ears are plugged as well.  Mystique doesn’t quite know how her powers work, so she has to take every precaution.

Mystique, and by that I mean Bendis, says some horrible things about Dazzler.  How she is a race traitor, a sell out whore.  Quite despicable.  Makes me wonder how Bendis / Mystique feels about the Scarlet Witch.

Hill repeats her question.  Hijack tells her that he doesn’t know.  Not sure if it is out of loyalty or what, but we know he knows that they are at a Weapon X facility.  Which is all she would need to know, to locate these X-Men.

To lighten the mood, she gives him some advice – don’t beg in a text, women don’t like that.  Which makes sense as begging is already a sign of weakness, then on top of that, it is a text – so she can reread that statement over and over.

There is an ad for Avengers Confidential – Black Widow & Punisher, a new Marvel animated film.  It doesn’t look anime inspired.  If it was based on any story, it would already have some buzz to it.  Instead, I have to find out about it in print.  Which tells me Marvel isn’t really behind it.  Thor, Iron Man and Hulk are along for the ride.  So Punisher replaces Cap, which is awkward as he has a movie coming out in two weeks.

I really like the shade of blue for Mystique.  It is darker than her usual color, and the white of her dress makes her look darker, it really works.

Mystique also reveals that Dazzler is the source of the Mutant Growth Hormone drug.

The scene ends with those two leaving and Dazzler saying, ow.

Hill explains to Hijack, that this is all going along Cyclops’ plan.  Kick him off the team, have SHIELD approach Hijack and learn what they know.

Meanwhile, Cyclops is using his Cerebro and not thinking about Hijack at all.  He is speaking with Tempus, wanting to know what happened to her during the students’ trip to Tabula Rasa.  I really like Scott not wearing his cowl, reminds me of his 90s look.  He should go back to that.

Tempus looks older. Her hair is longer, it is a good look.

Cyclops tells her that she can tell him anything, she isn’t sure about that.

Cerebro detects a power mutant, he runs off shouting, To me my X-Men.

In Chicago, the Uncanny X-Men arrive.

Goldballs is in an awesome costume, it is a total throw back design.  I wish we got the scene of him revealing his costume to the team.  Did he go to Cyclops with the design?  No, I see that being an Emma department.

Celeste believes their presence is upsetting the normies.  Magik counters, that people find them exciting.  Also, how Emma doesn’t wear proper shirts.  Which Emma quips that neither does Magik.

I want a miniseries or a sister ongoing series, where Magik and Emma just hang out or do stuff – I don’t care, I love those two together.  Issue 14 and small scenes here and there are not enough.  I would be cool with a solo Magik series, where she tells a third party what happens in Uncanny, and she gets to be snarky.  It would be awesome.

Irma tells Magik that a guy looking at them has pooed himself.  This is the benefit of a hive mind.

In the background, is a giant Sentinel, it is a trap!

The giant Sentinel burps out smaller Sentinels.

Cyclops orders Magik to get everyone out of there as he unleashes Optic Rage!  Not exactly sure how he blasts from the side of his head.

Magik isn’t able to teleport, her power is being blocked.

Tempus creates a time bubble.

Uncanny X-Men V3 19 Magik spell

Magik’s mutant power may be blocked, but not her sorcerer powers.  As she unleashes a giant orange dragon.

In a continuation of how Doctor Stange’s powers were displayed during Age of Ultron, with the same font even, shows the spell’s name and location in the magic book.  Julani’s Spell of Energy Manipulation.  From the Scrolls of Agamotto.  Nice touch.

Magik takes out all of the man sized Sentinels.

Odd how these Sentinels could only block ‘known’ powers.  Or a makes perfect sense, as it must be easier to design a Sentinel to block specific powers instead of countering all powers.

Cyclops learns that Magik is being tutored by Doctor Strange.

Cyclops gives Tempus a, well done, and she likes the attention.  Celeste whispers that Tempus has to tell Cyclops about her crush.  But what would that do?  He isn’t her real teacher, so they could have a relationship, it would be awkward with Emma being right there.

Goldballs, my balls are working again.  He is so excited and Emma has been working with him on his wording.

Uncanny X-Men V3 19 Magik smarty

Cyclops thinks SHIELD is behind the attacks.  Magik is quick to point out, it could be someone trying to make him think that.

The crowd turns on them as the issue ends with Cyclops declaring war on SHIELD.  Either it is SHIELD or someone framing SHIELD and yet SHIELD isn’t stopping that third party.

Who would be that poor man’s Mysterio from right before Battle of the Atom and the Irving issues.

Next issues cover is by Bachalo with Cyclops centered and Emma and Magik on either side of him.  I did not realize before this, are Emma and Magik wearing the same black booty shorts, just with differing size belts?

Wolverine and the X-Men

Posted by John Klein III on March 4, 2014
Posted in: Retrospective. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

I own these 33 issues :

1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 29, 30, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 and 42.  Plus the Annual.

I have these issues on my Wishlist :

1 the Nick Bradshaw Variant, 2 the 50th Anniversary Variant, 3, 4 the Venom Variant, 25 the McGuinness Variant, 32 and 36 the Kris Anka Variant.

Once I own the 25 Variant, then I can get rid of the issue proper as Kitty doesn’t appear in it besides on the last page with the names of faculty members.  The variant has a picture of Cameron Drake, her and Bobby’s son.  32, I need as Hastings never got that issue in.

Of the 43 issues, Jason Aaron wrote every issue.  Which is pretty impressive at modern day Marvel.

Chris Bachalo – 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 12, 16, 42

Duncan Rouleau – 3

Matteo Scalera – 3

Nick Bradshaw – 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 13, 19, 21, 22, 23, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 42 and Annual 1

Jorge Molina – 14, 15 , 18

Mike Allred – 17

Steve Sanders – 20, 42

David Lopez – 24

Ramon Perez – 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 42

Salva Espin – 30

Pasqual Ferry – 30

Pepe Larraz – 30, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42

Giuseppe Camuncoli – 36, 37

Todd Nauck – 41

Nuno Alves – 42

Shawn Crystal – 42

Tim Townsend – 42

Actually the only issue Aaron didn’t write was 27U, the Age of Ultron tie in which I don’t believe should count against him.  Art for that issue was done by Paco Medina, Jack Kirby and John Buscema.

Storylines included Regenesis, Mutatis Mutatandis, Avengers Vs. X-Men, the unnamed Frankenstein Monster arc, Savage Learning, The Hellfire Saga and Battle of the Atom.  Including the Annual, which was the title’s Infinity tie in.

This was the core title, once Schism happened, that Wolverine’s side had.  I was a huge fan of the title, then Battle of the Atom happened and Kitty changed sides and I quit reading the title as she no longer appeared.

Issue 17, the Doop issue, is still my favorite of the run.

Thanks to this title, not only did I gain a new found appreciation for Doop, we got to see Kitty become the Headmistress of the Jean Grey School, see her go from her red phase to a pink phase, Kitty officially getting over Colossus so we are now done with that relationship, Colossus as one of the Phoenix Five place crab legs on whales and most importantly, I discover Nick Bradshaw and fell hard for his art style.

Wolverine and the X-Men 42

Posted by John Klein III on March 3, 2014
Posted in: Homage, Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

297177_20140226212630_large

Writer Jason Aaron

Artists Nick Bradshaw, Pepe Larraz, Ramon Perez, Shawn Crystal, Steve Sanders, Nuno Alves, Tim Townsend & Chris Bachalo

Color Artists Matt Milla & Lee Loughridge

Letterer VC’s Clayton Cowles

No Kitty or Lockheed this issue, but I am a sucker for Uncanny X-Men 141 homages.  Also, I adore the throw back character box with Doop.

Issue opens with Wolverine and Oya in the future.  She has to be in her late twenties, so it is at least ten years in the future but Wolverine looks like he is in  his eighties.  The two of them are getting ready to close the Jean Grey School as it hasn’t had a student in years.

During the present day, the Jean Grey School is celebrating its first graduation.  I really like that you see some parents show up as I worry about how the X-Men sort of force its members to abandon their families.

I like how both of Eyeboy’s parents wear glasses.

Quentin Quire is hating his life.  He use to be the next big mutant threat and now he hasn’t threatened anyone in months.  Oya shows up to be with her boyfriend and try to cheer him up.

In the background, Krakoa is throwing kids in the air, so fun.

Fantomax is there to be Genesis’ parent, which he sort of is.  Brand is there to be Broo’s parent.  Fantomax would like swap parenting tips with Brand, she wisely turns him down.

Quire confirms Oya’s family is dead, which is a mood killer.  Hope, in a very nice dress that resembles her hero uniform.  Hope and Oya hug, and now Quire is alone again.

Once you graduate, you becomr an official X-Man.  Those who graduate this day are – Pixie, Armor and Anole.

Quire hates how this day is unfolding.  Captain America shows up to chat with Quire.  Quire hopes that he is there to arrest him.  Instead, Cap is there to hang out and be Quire’s parent for the day.  Quire has fallen even farther than he thought.

Logan calls Quire to the stage.  On stage along with him are Rachel and Storm.  Quire is graduating today as well.

In the future, Logan is shutting down the Danger Room.  He informs us readers that Beast died, but after losing the rest of his marbles – which makes perfect sense.  Oya asks what are his plans for the Bamfs, who are also old.  They are apparently quite rich with Wall Street jobs.    Krakoa left the school some time ago, he fell in love and now has a family of small islands in the Caribbean.

Oya starts telling him while some X-Men couldn’t make it.  Broo is the head of SWORD, and Mars is invading Venus.  Kid Gladiator is now Super Gladiator, and punching Thanos.  Sprite and Rockslide are on duty in Subterranea.

Then we get confirmation that this is the Battle of the Atom future, with a reference to Iceman having his ice castle.  Storm apparently does something that the world witnessed.  There is a hint that Genesis doesn’t turn out well.

Logan tells Oya that they were the only odd school at one point.  Now the Fantastic Four’s Future Foundation started a school in the Negative Zone with four billion students.

Oya gets a phone call from Eye Man and Shark Woman, they need her to join them as they are fighting a new Brotherhood led by the terror that is Snot – he with the toxic nose excursions.  One of the Bamfs teleports her to the battle after she kisses Logan on the cheek.

Now Logan is alone with only the Bamfs, there is only one last thing to do.  In his office, he is doing whiskey shots with the Bamfs.  Then a giant DOOM sets off the alarms.  Logan starts popping his claws.  We get a sad, sni, as it takes a while to get the claws all the way out.

Quire is there, and he still has the powers of the Phoenix.

In the present day, Quire is still upset that he is now a graduate.  Logan finds him and tells him that now that Quire is an adult and responsible – the world will fear him again.

Oya catches up to Quire, she wants to see his diploma, he claims he burned it.  Then he starts to get harrassed by his student body.

Logan starts sneaking away and Storm stops him.  He isn’t going to be sneaking away this day.  She tells him he is no longer Weapon X, he is now Professor Logan.

In the future, Quire snaps his fingers and tells Logan that he enrolled the mutants of the Negative Zone and now the Jean Grey School now has two million students.  I like how it is a next page reveal, and we see that the students are actual Negative Zone inhabitants.  I had thought Reed had open a school in the Negative Zone, due to lack of space on Earth, like Prison 42 during Civil War.

Logan fakes anger, then Quire leaves and Logan is happy to be teaching again.

In the present, Master Pandemonium and Swarm are getting ready to invade the school the next day.  I don’t know Master Pandemonium but Swarm is an awesome Spider-Man villain – a scientist whose body is now consisted of bees.  Before they can begin their attack, Doop shows up with a guitar.  He fights them off with the sweet sounds of funk.  I like how Master Pandemonium doesn’t recognize the sound but Swarm does.

Issue ends properly with two pages done by Chris Bachalo, the artist who started the title.  Turns out, Quire did not burn his diploma.  Logan pops his claws, as he didn’t do it at all the other day.

Then we are ‘treated’ to things to come in the second volume that comes out immediately after this issue.  I do like how Aaron got to write every issue of this volume, so it makes sense to end it with his last issue.  I don’t see myself buying any of the initial issues of volume two, but time will tell.

Uncanny X-Men Volume Three Issue 17

Posted by John Klein III on February 24, 2014
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

Uncanny X-Men V3 17

Writer Brian Michael Bendis

Pencils & Colors Chris Bachalo

Inks Tim Townsend with Al Vey & Jaime Mendoza

Lettering & Production VC’s Joe Caramagna

Issue opens with Magik teleporting the students into a mysterious new location.  We learn later that it is Tabula Rasa, which means that this issue takes place in Montana!  My adopted state.

I like whenever Goldballs freaks out, he loses control over his gold balls and they scatter.

This issue also has Phoebe having already dyed her hair, glad we didn’t have to witness her dying it.  So now we have Irma being a brunette and Celeste still a blonde but finally, we can tell them apart, which is awesome.

Magik teleports them in and then leaves, this is a test.  Irma refers to her as Magik and Celeste corrects her to state, Professor Magik.  I took it as Cyclops’ team wanting to be like Kitty and being called Professor now.

The students have no idea why they are there, they assume it is a training exercise.  It is fun to see how the students interact with their lives on the line as well as without the senior X-Men.

Irma thinks they are in the Savage Land and Phoebe says that they are not.  Tempus doesn’t know what a Savage Land is but wonders why it smells.  Triage starts thinking that they are in the Danger Room.

I like Triage and Benjamin in this moment.  Triage states that they use the Danger Room to beat on them, and Benjamin tries to correct him with, train.  Next Triage states that they use the room for mind games, and again Benjamin states, training.  Goldballs starts thinking that they are in the Danger Room.  We also find out that Hijack was a homebody before joining the New Xavier School, which I completely get that as why leave your house?

Irma wonders if they are even on the planet anymore and that surprises Tempus as an option.  Goodballs recommends that Tempus uee her time powers to get them out of there and she states that isn’t how her powers work, she thinks.  Which I really like that we are still tracking their power progression.

Hijack takes out his phone, Triage states that he shouldn’t even have that.  Hijack retorts that he couldn’t get out of his phone contract, so he kept his phone.  He’s older than these other students, so it makes sense that he is practical.  Benjamin explains why no phones, Cyclops doesn’t want them to be able to be tracked by SHIELD or any other agency.

Tempus pipes up that they should listen to what Cyclops wants.  This turns the conversation and everyone starts claiming she has a crush on Cyclops.  Which I have read online somewhere but I can’t recall when that is revealed or who she revealed that too.

Hijack reveals they are in Montana, so of course, they are in Tabula Rasa.  Irma now knows where they are.  Before she can reveal the location, we are treated to a double page spread of them being attacked by a giant rhino-like creature.  Goldballs loses his mind and also, control over his goldballs, big time.  They all scattered.

Goldballs and Tempus are one team.  Hijack, Benjamin and Celeste are another.  The third is Phoebe, Irma and Triage.

A giant ostrich comes across Tempus and Goldballs.  she throws up a time bubble but Goldballs was outside of it so only she is inside of it.  He keeps losing his godlballs and one of them goes into the ostrich’s mouth and he defeats it.

We get another two page spread, Triage and the two Cuckoos are trying to find their way.  I really like the use of the green lighting in the scene.  We learn that Triage is afraid of spiders and starts to panic, he is screaming.  Irma goes into his mind and makes him brave and not afraid of bugs.  They hear a rustle and it is Goldballs making his way to them.  He was following the girl’s screams and wonders which Cuckoo it was.  He lost Tempus.

Meanwhile. Benjamin and Hijack (the only ones in X-Men uniforms – Triage and the Cuckoos are wearing suits) and Celeste are trying to find their way.  I like the yellow in this scene.  Celeste explains what Tabula Rasa is.  Celeste picks up a foreign mind.  Next, she collapses.  Then three dude no faces show up.  Benjamin starts morphing into one of them, to try to communicate with them.

Cut to Phoebe and Irma, who sense that Celeste is no longer with them.

One of the no faces touches Benjamin’s face and he that lasts a bit.  It ends with Celeste waking up, extremely angry.  She wants to attack them and we see that the no-faces do in fact, have more than just eyes, and once we see their mouths, it have big teeth and are biters.  That panel is very unsettling.

Luckily, a time bubble appears around them.  We see Tempus, with long air and a very torn uniform.  She looks older, like nineteen to now twenty-five.  She sees Benjamin and hugs him, she has been through a lot.  The rest of the students show up, and Celeste telsl her sisters that she is okay.

Eva asks Celeste, who she knows can read her mind, to not tell the others what she just read.  Which is a nice moment as Celeste hates pretty much everyone who isn’t her sisters, and them, she barely likes.

Goldballs shows concern for Tempus and she kisses him on his forehead.  I’m sure it is the white streak in her hair but I’m getting a total Rogue vibe from the Aussie now.

Triage offers to heal her and gets punched as thanks, what is that about?  Maybe she likes being older or doesn’t want to lose the experience she went through.  I find it funny, and this has to be on purpose, that Tabula Rasa was made via a time bubble of sorts that caused Beavertown, Montana to age 130 million years in a span of a day.  Now Tempus has aged in a similar way, also in Tabula Rasa.

Turns out, that SHIELD has shown up.  We have some armored soldiers, Nick Fury Jr., Agent Coulson, Hawkeye and Spider-Woman.

Goldballs whispers to Hijack, that this is why they don’t have phones.  Triage reveals that Nick Fury isn’t a young man, Fury Jr. wants to move on.  He must get that a lot.  The agents and two Avengers are all shielded from psychic attacks, as Phoebe tried.

Hijack takes over the SHIELD armor and by doing so, reveals his powers to SHIELD.  I really need another word besides, reveal, I will work on that.  Before he can force the attack, they are teleported back to the school.

Uncanny X-Men V3 17 Magik Final Page

Hijack reveals that Cyclops is now going by Professor Cyclops, it just seems clumsy to me.  Cyclops states that it was a training exercise and he failed.  Celeste thinks he meant the students all failed and he only meant Hijack.  Cyclops is proud of Goldballs, but Hijack failed.  Not only did he reveal his powers to SHIELD but they did essentially get captured.  Cyclops straight up kicks him off the team.

Issue ends with Magik teleporting him back to his house and that is it.  No second chance, which I think is harsh.

I do like how Kitty is in the room when Cyclops is talking to the students, she is clearly part of the Uncanny team, if it isn’t official yet, hopefully soon.  Scott needs her as his right hand advisor.  It would be foolish to not use her as a resource.

Next issue’s cover looks stunning with a gun to Cyclops’ head.

Uncanny X-Men Volume Three Issue 16

Posted by John Klein III on January 21, 2014
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , . 2 Comments

Uncanny X-Men V3 16

Writer Brian Michael Bendis

Pencils & Colors Chris Bachalo

Inks Tim Townsend with Al Vey, Mark Irwin & Victor Olazara

Lettering & Production VC’s Joe Caramagna

This issue serves as Magneto’s exist and back door pilot for Magneto’s new ongoing – of which, I can only imagine I will get a few issues of if they do any flashbacks or references to Magik.

Magneto gets a pretty grand exist.

Issue picks up right where we left off before Battle of the Atom, back at the college at Ann Arbor, Michigan.  Instead of majority of students being pro-mutant or anti-bigots, now the ground is mixed.

Magneto meets with Agent Dazzler, who are both double agents in a way, as Mystique is still posing as Dazzler.

Mystique instructs Magneto to check out Madripoor, as it is becoming a save haven for mutants.  A New Vegas for Mutants, which I’m not sure is better.

Magneto gets there, now sporting a goatee.  In a scene that looks very much inspired for the awesome scene in X-Men : First Class, Magneto goes to a bar.  There is something about the coloring that makes the scene feel gritty.  Magneto discovers that someone is selling mutant growth hormones.  He takes out three thugs.

Magneto goes to a the headquarters of the new queen of Madripoor.  On his way there, he runs across the Blob.  Who looks much bigger than his last appearance that I remember, which would have been the Generation M miniseries.  I am under the impression that he is still powerless but maybe he has gained his powers again.  Blob is flattered that Magneto believes he could be in charge of the country.

I like to think that Jimenez’s two parter over in Savage Wolverine 12 and 13 is the reason why Tiger Tyger is no longer the head of the country.  There is nothing that implies that but that’s what I’m going with here.

Magneto meets the new Silver Samurai and Sabretooth.  In an awesome reveal, Sabreooth tells Magneto that there is a new queen.  Then we see Dazzler come out of a plane.  In right in front of Magneto, Dazzler transforms into Mystique.

I like, with the inclusion of Blob, that we have a nice mixture of old and new Brotherhood of Mutants here, except I am not sure if Sabretooth has ever been a member of that group.  I imagine at this point, he has to have been.

The quarter page of Mystique, she has never looked so good.  I like the shade of blue used here, it looks fantastic with the white outfit.  Bachalo sure does draw himself an amazing Mystique.

She reveals the entire plan.  Dazzler is somewhere resting, I’m really not going to be happy until we find out where she is.  Hopefully is she at a resort, a prisoner, but comfortable.  I fear she is in a closet somewhere, not getting any proper meals.

Magneto straight up loses his mind, taking control and forcing Silver Samurai to attack Mystique.  She inherited the mutant growth hormone operation but she didn’t stop it as it makes money for her.  Also, she has been using SHIELD to send her here and been using their money to established the country as a safe haven.

Magneto teaches Sabreooth why you never wear metal around Magneto.  Magneto leaves the country but not before destroying her headquarters.

Uncanny X-Men V3 16 Kitty

Last page shows Kitty asking Cyclops where Magneto is.  Emma reveals that he never knows where he goes or when he will come back.  I really do adore that Kitty is in Cyclops’ inner circle, even if she isn’t on the team officially.  It would be silly to not use her as a resource.

Next issue implies that the focus will be on the students as they are in the middle of nowhere.