This is by far my favorite of the four Whedon / Cassaday arcs.
Issue opens with Emma composing herself after taking Scott down last issue. Also, I imagine she is rehearsing what she is about to say.
Emma tells Wolverine, Kitty and Colossus that Scott is ‘gone.’ Last issue, Wolverine sniffed out that Kitty and Colossus had sex and they just stared at him blankly. So we see here, that they were either still staring at him or they were describing something to him he had no interest in listening too.
Emma sends Wolverine to look for Beast. I like that she calls him, Henry. They are at home, so they might has well just call each other by their real names.
Cassandra Nova is mocking Beast, while at the same time, turning off his higher brain functions.
Poor Beast is becoming just that, a primal blue cat of an animal. Wolverine enters the room but he doesn’t stand a chance against Cassandra Nova.
Poor Scott is just locked inside of his own head. Which we know is quite the prison if it can hold the Void in there for years. I believe it is still in his head, to this day.
Kitty and Colossus come rushing over to Scott’s lifeless body while Emma stays in the door frame. When you are the only telepath, you can be a great actress.
I love Lockheed coming into the room to witness what is going on. That’ll pay off later in the issue but it will be several issues before we know what is happening there. I’ll explain down below.
Emma tells Kitty to check on the students. I think Kitty just realized right there what is happening. First she got rid of Scott, second was Wolverine and now herself. Kitty is so onto Emma! Especially as the bed is made or better, that it was never used.
Colossus brings Scott to the Infirmary. He wants to get Scott’s glasses as his powers could be activated at any moment. Though we can see the brown of his eyes so that should be a clue that something is wrong with his powers.
Kitty runs into Negasonic Teenage Warhead, who she doesn’t recognize.
While Colossus is watching over Scott, he lets Sebastian Shaw sneak up on him. Like an idiot, he starts punching Shaw. As if he doesn’t remember how Shaw’s powers work. I know he isn’t the smartest X-Man, but he could at least try to prove me wrong about being the worst.
Negasonic Teenage Warhead forces Kitty to start phasing through the floor.
We get the page people seem to remember the issue for. Wolverine has been converted to Boy James Howlett. He just wants to cut out paper people and have fun. Beast appears, ready to strike.
Colossus continues to wail on Shaw.
Armor and Blindfold are chatting in the bathroom. Blindfold reveals that we are destined to lose an X-Man.
James barges into the bathroom and hides behind Armor. Beast trashes into the bathroom. Armor and James hide behind a stall. Beast sniffs Blindfold but before he can do anything, Armor punches him in his blue face. Armor grows giant size and scares off Beast.
Kitty starts trying to recoup. Kitty makes a reference to Purple Man, which is pretty awesome. I also like how Kitty doesn’t want to be taken out of the fight by some goth chick. She’s better than that!
We also get a glimpse of what the earth looks like under the Xavier Mansion. Who knew there was lava under there? She must be deep down.
Kitty thinks how she must be getting old, due to thinking the words, some goth punk. Whedon did two things right in his run, he wrote a perfect Kitty and Emma. Also, he used Lockheed pretty well.
We get a moment with SWORD agents Brand and Sydren, two of Whedon’s best creations!
Brand reveals there is a mole in the mansion. Unlike Arrested Development, it isn’t a real mole. It is Lockheed! They made a deal and all Lockheed is doing is providing information.
I simply adore Brand and Syrdren’s relationship. He senses emotions but his observations are pretty obvious. Psychic turmoil is overwhelming and familiar. Not very helpful.
We get a glimpse of Ord as a prisoner. Danger tries to broker a deal with him.
Shaws calls Colossus out for the idiot that he is. Shaw absorbs kinetic energy, every punch makes him stronger. Shaw boxes the idiot’s ears and he goes down hard.
Kitty is getting it together. She can’t stop thinking about Emma’s recent interactions with her. Emma handpicked Kitty to be on this team as she knew Kitty will keep an eye on her.
Kitty is trying to phase back up to the mansion but falters.
Kitty recognizes Emma is the enemy and we get a classic Claremontian moment when Kitty comes out of the water and states, it is her turn. Just like Wolverine did in Uncanny X-Men 132.
I mention in another post about how 132 is the earliest comic I don’t own that I want to buy. I was going to make sure it made it on my next order list – whenever I can do that. But that comic is super expensive!
It is part of the Dark Phoenix Saga (the second to last part of the Hellfire Club portion – otherwise known as the good section) plus it has that famous Wolverine moment.
Mile High Comics is selling it for :
Fair – $17.65 (my price if I were to buy it, but its not available at the moment). Good $35.30, Very Good $63.40, Fine $154.85, Very Fine $289.10 and Near Mint $441.00 – so that is one pricey comic!
Thanks to this great website for having some of these images :
This comic is filled with one page origin stories, which were actually used in some trades in 2010. The following characters get origins –
Captain America, Steve Rogers
Fantastic Four
Doctor Doom
Amazing Spider-Man
Green Goblin
Thor
Loki
Invincible Iron Man
Incredible Hulk
Avengers
X-Men
Writer Fred Van Lente
Art Leinil Francis Yu
Colors Dave McCaig
Letters VC’s Clayton Cowles
So great that Kitty makes it to the cast of characters.
Daredevil
Doctor Strange Writer Fred Van Lente
Artist Butch Guice
Color Artist Val Staples
Letterer Blambot’s Nate Piekos
Black Panther
Nick Fury
Wolverine
Hawkeye
Mockingbird, sometimes the two facing pages relate to each other and sometimes they do.
Black Widow
Punisher
Black Cat
Ms. Marvel, Carol
Hercules
Luke Cage
Immortal Iron Fist
Moon Knight
Ares
Spider-Woman, Jessica Drew
Ghost Rider
Skaar, Son of Hulk (whatever happened to this guy?)
Iron Man 2 is clearly coming out as there are ads for it and various merchandise.
Pet Avengers Writer Chris Eliopoulos
Artist Ig Guara
Color Chris Sotomayor
Letter Blambot’s Nate Piekos
Lockheed! I miss that purple dragon,, he needs to show up in a comic again!
Deadpool
Power Pack gets a very generous two pages
The Hood
Sentry
Captain America, Bucky Barnes – I like how they start and end with Captain America. It at least gives a reason for not starting with the Fantastic Four – though Cap (both of them) predate the first family by twenty years.
I wonder how embarrassing it is that the cover shows Part 4 when it should be Part 5? Who does that fall on?
Speaking of the covers, I wish they took more time to do story covers and not just iconic covers. Ultimate Spider-Man was the worst at that, as much as I love Mark Bagley, but it was either a cover of him standing on something or swinging by something – for the longest time. At least on Ultimate X-Men, the characters match, for the most part.
This cover isn’t the best example of that as it is essentially a Jean / Wolverine issue.
This issue opens with Wolverine, reliving his ‘first’ memory – which is him waking up right after the Weapon X procedure. He is reliving this moment, thanks to Xavier. Xavier knew Wolverine wouldn’t ask for help, so he started without him.
Wolverine is punishing himself for his recent actions involving Scott. Xavier has a gut feeling that eventually, these mercenaries are going to come for the X-Men, or involve them somehow.
The reason they are revisiting this is due to how the mercenaries know about his Weapon X days. Logan is impress that Xavier has been able to pull these memories up as he thought Xavier couldn’t do that. Xavier tells him that he has been working at it for 12 hours and has quite the headache.
Wolverine recognizes the female leader, as she was present at the procedure.
They now know that the mercenaries are recent decommissioned Weapon X soldiers.
Next, they talk about why Wolverine left. The team forgave him and all are willing to work with him again. Cyclops was eve the guy to extend the invitation. Wolverine could hear the whispers and smell the tension. The X-Men forgave them with their heads but their hearts are not there. Xavier calls him a fool, that of course he will have to rebuild relationships and trust – no one is going to want to be on a two person team with them. Heck, Cyclops was on a three person team and was still left for dead!
Xavier has a nice moment, when he reminds Wolverine that the X-Men are still children. Teenagers with all sorts of emotions. They deal with highly adult themes and content but they shouldn’t forget that only Wolverine and Xavier are the adults in the mansion.
Xavier’s next step is to call Fury. For some reason, the two of them are communication through a screen. But not just any screen, but multiple screens. Which must be very confusing as the audio must be coming from all twenty of those as well. They should try to transfer it so that their image takes up all twenty screens. Or just communicate via the middle one. It doesn’t look cool either.
Fury straight tells Xavier that he is going to handle it and dismisses him. Xavier had follow up concerns and questions but those don’t matter.
Wolverine enters the dining area.
Is it just me or is that table way to small and impractical for the team? It needs to be longer.
The death glare from Jean to Wolverine, will come back!
Next, we see him eating outside. Did he make his sandwich is complete silence and found a spot to sit? That must have been super awkward.
Jean goes outside to harass him. If he even thinks about her, she will rewire his brain. Jean will never forgive Wolverine for what he did to her and Scott. She even let him into her sacred spot.
She has more to say but becomes distracted.
We see two pilots on their way to the school. They are mercenaries and their leader tells them to retreat as clearly they have been spotted. They don’t listen as they are dumb men. They want to kill some mutant filth.
That expression sets off Jean and she straight up destroys the helicopters, most likely killing the scum pilots.
When she does this, the Phoenix bird can be seen in the sky.
Issue ends with Logan in shock and Xavier saying, oh no.
If only he said, oh boy, that would have been pretty cool.
One last issue for us with Ultimate X-Men’s Blockbuster conclusion!
Apple Jacks is really owning these back covers. This time, they are asking us to choose what the next shape should be. So silly but it works, I bet.
Hopefully this person is okay with me borrowing the images and the providing the links. I can’t tell but it appears they haven’t uploaded any new scans in forever so I may be the first person to visit the site in a while.
Miami. Jean doesn’t throw the nuclear power plant into the sun, like I thought was going to happen. Instead, she just dematerializes it. Which is a far more impressive use of her powers. She has scary level of molecular power, in that case. Xavier’s reaction is pretty dead on with how much potential she now has.
Arctic Circle.
Scott and Logan are about to have their big throw down. I like how Wolverine tells the team to stand back and he deserves whatever punishment Cyclops is going to deal out. Which he really does, and the team knows that Wolverine is a dirt bag, so they probably want to see him get a beat down.
Wolverine does his thing and charges at Cyclops who in one panel, just optic blasts Wolverine to the ground and he is out.
Which really boils down how the two characters fight. Wolverine is a close range guy, so as long as you can keep him at a distance, he is essentially useless. Cyclops is a ranged guy and isn’t much of a threat up close. Unless you think about a full force blast from his visor, and how that must hurt. But if he can’t get his hand to his visor or to his palm trigger, then you stand a decent chance of fighting him.
Wolverine though, if he can stab you, that’s knives into your flesh and that has to hurt. I never want to be stabbed, as it seems not great.
Miami. Jean is trying to assure Xavier that she is in full control. Jean comments on how the Phoenix persona is no longer in her head, she is able to control her vast powers and no longer needs to imagine a cosmic god living in her head to try to wrap her mind around her powers.
Rogue gives everyone a heads up that the humans are making their way to them. Xavier tells everyone to huddle around Jean so that she can create a shield around them.
Everyone is keeping to code names so Jean is being called, Marvel Girl, which sounds super awkward.
Turns out the humans were getting close so that they can cheer for the X-Men. One would think with two of the greatest telepathic minds in the world, that they would have heard all of those thoughts and not have been scared at all.
The next day, the world has become Pro-X-Men. Which I like how Millar is responsible for creating the Ultimate X-Men and their original status quo and now that he is done with his run, he is setting up their status quo so that the next writer can do whatever they want to do with their run. That next writer is going to be Brian Michael Bendis, with his Blockbuster and New Mutants arcs. We will be reviewing Blockbuster parts four, five and six after this issue. As those are the ones I ordered from Mile High Comics for Father’s Day.
The X-Men are on all types of magazine covers. These must be special editions as that is an awfully quick turn around time for it to be the proper issues.
Xavier tells Barbara Walters that Wolverine is no longer off the team, in an interview. So awkward now the whole world now knows that Wolverine left Cyclops for dead so that he can get with Jean and that that plan actually worked. Seems a little intimate to let everyone know. Also, I know Wolverine joins the team soon after this so how do they just let that go?
Cyclops is a bigger person than me as whenever I wanted to give orders to the team and stupid Wolverine opened his mouth to either object or crack wise, I would be like “or what, Wolverine, you going to leave me for dead again so you can get back with Jean?” I would bring it up constantly as screw that guy.
President Bush, which I like how Millar doesn’t hide the fact who the President is. I know Bendis liked to keep the president in the shadows so that the comic isn’t immediately dated in four or eight years (though it is just by virtue of existing in the then present). Which I know when I first read the Clone Saga in trade form, and when Nixon gives a speech, that took me out of the story.
President George W. Bush and his cabinet, are having a meeting with Fury and Tony Stark regarding what to do now with the X-Men. Fury wants to incorporate the Xavier Institute under the Ultimates funding in the Federal budget. Bush realizes that mutants are being born every day so it probably is a smart idea to have a testing ground where they can be molded to the benefit of America.
I wonder if Bendis / Millar, at this point – as they are the architects of the Ultimate Universe, if they have the idea of revealing that the mutants are the product of an experiment that the American government came up with, as revealed in Ultimate Origin and is the basis of the Ultimate Comics X-Men initial storyline.
At the Xavier Institute.
Poor Nightcrawler, he is a new member of the team and Xavier’s first mission for him is to go around giving people drinks and food. No wonder he will go crazy eventually.
They are hinting at the Bobby / Kitty relationship. Glad Kurt didn’t give Bobby any liquor.
There is a big party at the Xavier School, students’ parents are in attendance (though like the proper Marvel universe, the parents will be forgotten about eventually).
Xavier meets with Rogue and her parents. She is joining the team as well.
Xavier meets with Mr. Braddock, who reveals the European Union are working on their own version of the Ultimates. Which is an awesome way for Millar to set up his epic Ultimates 2 series. We learn that Betsy’s consciousness is now in a body of an Asian young lady named, Kwannon. So now Psylocke matches her proper version. Which isn’t something that had to happen but as Colossus killed her during the Ultimate Proteus storyline, it makes sense to save her. Her death and Beast’s are the rare except to the Dead is Dead rule in the Ultimate Universe.
Colossus overhears that Betsy isn’t dead and goes over to apologize for killing her. Which is nice that in comics, one gets the opportunity to do such a thing.
Mr. Braddock does say his son, Brian, will be a member of this new team.
This transitions us to Colossus and Beast. Beast tells Colossus that his parents would never come to something like this has they are racist. Colossus is confused as he just saw his parents minutes ago.
There is an ad for the X-Men Legend of Wolverine DVD, that has some episodes from the 90s X-Men cartoon. The cool thing is that Claremont does the introductions for the episodes. Magneto’s first episode is also thrown in there.
Beast is treated by his parents who look younger. They have a three book deal, describing how they raised one of the famous X-Men. There is even talk of a movie being made, starring either Sean Penn or Tim Robbins. They continue to explain how they are no longer racist.
Which sets up the fun scene of Beast introducing them to his “girlfriend” Storm and they are not physically thrilled with that. Storm and Beast give each other thumbs up.
Outside, Colossus is united with his family. We see it from Jean’s point of view and she’s across the yard so we don’t get to make out anybody. The only blonde amongst them has short hair so I don’t believe that Ultimate Illyana is amongst them – if she even exists. I checked comicbookdb, UncannyXMen.net and Marvel Database – none make the call that Illyana is there. Those three sites are the trinity of comic book websites for me.
Thor and Jean are chatting. He tells her that Xavier doesn’t know everything and to beware that the Phoenix may be just playing her.
I forgot to mention that Cyclops is not at the party as his parents are dead and that Tony Stark was hitting on Storm, who he confirms is 18 (but just barely).
Issue ends with Fury and Xavier talking after the party is over. Both are happy that the Xavier School is a training ground for future members of the Ultimates. There is some hints that this entire Magneto situation worked out for the best for both of them. Fury got the X-Men and Xavier got access to America’s military.
Fury leaves to do business and Xavier is going to feed his cat, Mystique, some dinner.
The North Pole. Magneto is preparing his master plan. Sounds like what he will later successfully accomplish with Ultimatum.
The Citadel’s Infirmary. Cyclops wakes up and starts optic blasting dudes.
There is an ad for the latest Pokemon games, Ruby and Sapphire, for the Game Boy Advance.
Cyclops is in tighty whiteties.
The Citadel, 0200 hours. Magneto steps into the device that Forge created to amplify his powers. Think a higher production version of the machine from the first X-Men film.
Magneto states that the power increase is that of a pocket calculator being made into a super computer. He cam erase tapes in Japan and can change the weather in Hawaii, at the same time.
Magneto sends troops to where Xavier is being kept prisoner. One of the Sentinels says, oh God, which why would a robot be programmed to have that reaction?
The Brotherhood take Xavier to Magneto. He would hate to see his old friend die with all of the humans.
Sabretooth mentioned earlier, how it is a shame that dogs and cats have to die as well. Magneto assures him that an ark was created to keep some animals alive.
As Magneto is about to perform the death strike, Cyclops optic blasts him from behind. Still in his underwear.
Magneto starts to taunt Cyclops and call him names for being alone.
Cyclops gives the awesome line of not being alone, as the Blackbird crashes through the window. I really like how we were not given any hints of the cavalry was on the way.
Scott and Jean continue their cute, Mr. Summers / Ms. Grey routine.
Wolverine cuts Sabretooth’s head clear off.
Cyclops gives Kitty the order to tamper with Magneto’s machine. Which she successfully does.
Magneto, in a last ditch effort, destabilizes the core of a nuclear reactor in Miami, Florida.
The X-Men at this point are : Xavier, Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Storm, Wolverine, Shadowcat, Beast and Colossus.
Issue opens in the Savage Land, four weeks ago. This was Kitty’s first mission, though she snuck onto it.
Wolverine left Cyclops for dead, so he can have sex with Jean some more. He told the team that Cyclops is dead, so no one is looking for him.
Day One for Cyclops, is no good. He is badly broken, I can’t take my eyes off of how his left arm is wrapped around his neck.
Austin, Texas.
Kitty broke into a SHIELD base to learn if they know where Magneto is. They don’t. The X-Men want to find him, as Magneto has given a deadline that he will strike at the end of it.
These are the only pages Kitty is in the comic for.
Downtown Los Angeles, Wolverine and Colossus are fighting some Brotherhood extremists. Colossus wants to try out a new maneuver he has thought if – a fastball special.
Day 26 for Cyclops. We see four soldiers land in the Savage Land.
There is an ad for the Daredevil soundtrack, which is so good! Fantastic Four s first soundtrack and the one for the Avengers’ film are good as well.
San Diego. Beast and Storm, who are broken up at this point, are in the Blackbird. He still wants to know if Xavier was forcing them together. Storm still loves him.
There is an ad for Dardevil v Spider-Man DVD, I own it and it is good. The Fantastic Four episode that Dardevil appears in, is included.
Camp X-Factor, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Xavier and Nightcrawler are prisoners. It reminds me of the Dark Avengers / X-Men crossover, Utopia, when Xavier and Beast were prisoners together.
Issue ends on Day 31 for Cyclops, as he is on Magneto’s floating base.
I will be reviewing issue 30, soon.
At the back is a Ballot for the Wizard Awards 2003.
Here is who I would have voted for –
Favorite Writer
Brian Michael Bendis (Ultimate Spider-Man)
Mark Millar (Ultimate X-Men)
Favorite Penciler
Adam Kubert (Ultimate X-Men)
Favorite Inker
Danny Miki (Ultimate X-Men)
Art Thibert (Ultimate Spider-Man)
Favorite Letterer
Chris Eliopoulos (Ultimate Spider-Man)
Favorite Editor
Tom Brevoort (Avengers, Iron Man)
Favorite Hero
Spider-Man (Ultimate)
Favorite Heroine
Emma Frost (New X-Men)
Though I would have really wrote in Kitty Pryde on the line.
Favorite Villain
Green Goblin (Ultimate)
Favorite Supporting Character
Mary Jane Watson (Ultimate Spider-Man)
Favorite Ongoing Series
Ultimate Spider-Man
Favorite Mini-Series
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume Two
Spider-Man : Blue
Favorite Publisher
Marvel Comics
Favorite Comic Merchandise
HeroClix : Marvel Clobbin’ Time (WizKids)
Marvel Legends Action Figures (Toy Biz)
Favorite Comic TV or Movie Project
Blade II
Justice League
Smallville
Spider-Man
X-Men Evolution
Since, I would have voted for all five, I would choose X-Men Evolution
Such a fun miniseries! A legendary team forms in the Marvel Universe!
Can you believe that this sold so well that they had to do a second printing? That’s so awesome! That is with variant covers as well!
The variant is just taken from the first page, then the Pet Avengers are added to the side from the interior art.
Issue opens with some back story on the Infinity Gems :
Mind, boosts mental power and permits access to all thoughts.
Space, existence in any location.
Reality, all dreams can be fulfilled.
Time, control over then and now.
Soul, allows user to steal, manipulate or alter souls living and dead.
Power, contains all energy that has or will exist.
Thanos had them on a fancy gauntlet, but no longer.
Turns out, Reed Richards was explaining this to fellow Illuminati member, Black Bolt and his wife, Medusa. Reed believes one of the gems is on the Blue Area of the Moon, where the Inhumans live.
Lockjaw has found the gem, he comes running in, licking Reed’s face. They dismiss the giant dog, like jerks, and he teleports away as the gem activates. Lockjaw found the Mind gem.
Central Park. New York City. Lockjaw has found Throg. The gem activates again, so now the two animals can communicate.
Throg gives his sad origin, drawn by Colleen Coover. I like how his human name is, Simon Walterson. Get it?
There is a reference to the great Frog / Rat war that was referenced in Doctor Strange Volume Three Issue 2.
Throg agrees to join the mission of seeking the gems.
We have come to the best part of this series. When it was announced at the con, I had hoped Lockheed was going to be a member. Not only is he a member, he is one of the bigger names. The cover sort of ranks them from most important to least. Lockheed should be higher, of course.
Ideally, I would like to break the panels out individually, as I want to have every Lockheed appearance chronicled on this blog. I just don’t know how to do that, so full pages will have to do.
Westchester, New York. Lockheed is sad, all of his fellow members of the Flock are dead. He was able to cope with that with his friendship with Kitty Pryde. This series takes place after Giant Size Astonishing X-Men 1.
It is nice that, not only do the X-Men let Lockheed stay at the Mansion, they kept Kitty’s room, too.
Lockheed is lost and sad, which I really like that each member of the team has a distinct personality.
Lockheed joins the team, not to be a hero, but in the name of his fallen teammates.
Brooklyn, New York. They recruit Redwing, who I really like in this series. He is constantly referring to his partnership with Falcon and how he knows Captain America. Redwing is an Avenger like how Lockheed is an X-Man.
Due to Redwing being a bird, he feels superior to the other animals as he can fly.
Queens, New York. Speedball’s cat, Hairball, is recruited. He is being chased by Aunt May’s male dog, Ms. Lion. Hairball hates the dog.
There is an ad for Claremont’s X-Men Forever – which will be the only place to see Kitty and Lockheed together.
Hairball’s real name is Niels and he has the same powers of Speedball, they can bounce.
Throg offers membership to Hairball, he wants to eat the bird. Redwing takes offense to this, naturally.
Ms. Lion wants to come along.
Hairball objects to this. He hates dogs, which I like how fast he realizes that Lockjaw is also a dog.
Ms. Lion knows that Peter is Spider-Man.
I love the long pause above. Such a good series.
Lockjaw accepts Ms. Lion into the group.
Now that they have nearly everybody, they go to the second gem location.
The Savage Land.
I like that Redwing tries to be friends with Lockheed, as they are both flyers. Unfortunately, Lockheed is too depress to make friends. Don’t worry, he stops being overly Eeyore-ish, eventually.
They find the second gem, Reality, I believe. Lockheed is given this one to hold.
Issue ends with the team getting attacked by a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Next issue, they will get their final member. We will get around to reviewing the rest one of these days.
I was really hoping that this series’ success would have lead to a plush Lockheed and better, an animated film or seriee, at least. Would have been easy to adapt. Still is.
Shame Lockheed only appears on the cover. Due to solicitations, the original cover that they promoted didn’t have Colossus on it so there was a giant gap there which people clearly called that the final member of the team as why show a cave with that much empty space?
I like how you can see Lockheed so much clearer on the original cover!
So we wrapped up Gifted and this starts the Dangerous arc, their second on the title. Also, originally, going to be their last one before they renewed a contract for thirteen more issues (including Giant Size). Which is crazy as Gifted and Dangerous are both good but to be the only stories from this creative team? That would have been a waste.
I wonder if they really did renew or were they always signed for 25 but with an out at 12 in case it was a major flop?
There is an ad for Dodgeball, coming to DVD on the inside front cover. I still haven’t seen the film but my gal pal Candice tells me it is funny and that I would enjoy it. There are several ‘coming to DVD’ ads in this issue.
Onto the issue :
The opening page starts with a narration captions of a new character that sensing a new beginning. This will be Danger that we meet next issue.
The second page we see that Wing, the mutant who use to be able to fly until Ord forced the cure onto him in the previous arc. Imagine being able to fly and then having that ability taken from you? That has to be pretty devastating, and we see that Wing is pretty depress about it.
Wing isn’t sure what is next for him. The X-Men have agreed to let him stay at the school. Beast wants to run some tests to see if the cure was only temporary. Everyone looks at him with such pity – including his friend Hisako (Armor) and Miss Pryde. I like how he mentions that she has a ‘big new muscle boyfriend.’ I suspect he has a bit of a crush on Miss Pryde. Who wouldn’t? I wonder if most of the students do have crushes on the senior staff? I imagine Kitty seems more approachable than Emma, so she probably gets more crushes. Plus, Emma can read your thoughts and if you think of her, I’m sure that triggers something for her to shut you down. That’s my Emma anyway. Plus, she was dating Cyclops and who can compete with that guy!?!
Wing walks up to a cliff on the Xavier Estate.
Meanwhile, the X-Men are on their way to New York City via the Blackbird. Colossus is riding on the very top of the plane. I wonder how he asked Cyclops for permission to do that? As they had to build a special handlebar for him to do it.
I get that he has been locked in a room for months and wants to feel as free as possible, the team gets that too. But they had to build that handlebar and they had to make sure it was strong enough to not break while he was in his metal form. That couldn’t have taken ten minutes.
Inside, Beast is trying his best to keep the plane steady as he doesn’t want to lose Colossus as they just got him back.
I like how Whedon writes it as ‘months’ as Colossus died in Uncanny X-Men 390 – also titled, The Cure – cover dated March 2001 and now he came back at the end of 2004 – that’s three years so in comic time, probably is only barely six months.
Also, while they are in the Blackbird, the body of the jet is bathed in red light – which apparently, I am a huge fan of the X-Men in red lit rooms. Laura Martin knows what I like!
Cyclops comments that Colossus has seemed quiet lately. Wolverine jokes that Colossus use to be such a prankster. I do like Whedon’s Wolverine, he doesn’t use him too much but when he does, he gets some stellar lines.
Emma asks Kitty, since they are bosom buddies, if he has open to her at all. Kitty tells her that they have reached their destination.
Outside, is a giant not-Godzilla creature tearing up New York City. It is on a rampage. If only there was a giant werewolf and gorilla to accompany him.
Wolverine isn’t impress, it looked bigger on TV.
Cyclops gives out the orders. This turns on Emma, and Kitty wishes she didn’t have to sit next to her on these flights. Cyclops asks Emma to relay the directions to Colossus, he agrees to them.
Colossus jumps from the plane onto the lizard’s nose. He is commenting to himself, and I do like these next three pages – I sort of miss caption boxes. He notices the difference between Scott in his head and Xavier’s voice in his head from years ago. Scott seems more free than the professor. The word, free, has so much more meaning than it use to. He ends his thought with that he really should concentrate on the situation at hand or nose, as it were.
Kitty continues our second page of inner monologues. She is phasing people out of danger. She believes it means something that it was her who found Colossus, and not someone else. Though during that mission, it could have only been her. Which means, it has to mean something as no one else would have found him. Kitty phases a woman out of the way as a car comes crashing at them. She thinks to herself that she probably should start concentrating.
Wrapping this three page sequence, Wolverine is stabbing the giant lizard and his only thought at the time is – that he really likes beer. A running motif with Whedon’s Wolverine.
We cut to Emma, as she is evaculating an entire building. The civilians’ inner thoughts are – I want to leave in a swift and orderly fashion – in a cycle. She is standing next to Cyclops, who is optic blasting the monster.
Beast is blasting away at the creature while in the Blackbird. Then he gets a call on his phone as the Fantastic Four in their Fantasicar has arrived!
Getting to see Cassaday draw the Fantastic Four is a real treat. If I was Whedon, and just for myself too, I would have tried to cram as many cameos as possible so that I could say I wrote those characters but also to see Cassaday’s version of them. Whedon got to write the Runaways, people don’t seem to talk about that run so I’m not sure how well he did. I suppose the absense of comments is something. But the Runaways are no X-Men, so it could have been the size of the fanbase. Proving that X-Men fans and not just Whedon fans made Astonishing the success it was as I’m sure his Runaways run didn’t do amazing numbers. Or dare I type – astonishing numbers.
I really like Whedon’s Fantastic Four, or mostly, I like how humorous Thing is. He gets some classic lines here. He is first mad that the X-Men are infringing on their giant monster business. Next, he makes a comment about how he thought they made a cure for you people, to which Wolverine thinks he means mutants but he really mans Canadians.
There is an ad for Elektra coming to theaters on January 14th. I actually saw this film in theaters and was highly disappointed by it. I mean, you take an urban character and put her in the woods? How does that even get out of the approval setting? And there is a guy with tattoos that come to life and off of his body? Ooof! The DVD at least as a deleted scene with Ben Affleck portraying Matt Murdock in a dream sequence.
Right after that is an ad for an EyeToy game for the PS2, such a horrible device and failure that was!
Back at the ‘mansion,’ which is the mansion but really a Danger Room sequence. Armor meets up with her old friend. He is thinking of sucide and she does everything short of pushing him off the cliff. She keeps calling him, Eddie, that isn’t his name but since he doesn’t have his gift, he shouldn’t be at the school for the gifted nor have a cool mutant name. His parents are super excited to have their son back as he is no longer a mutant. All of this is too much for poor Wing.
Back in New York City, this happens :
How awesome does that look? Way!
After a quick game of Whack-A-Mole by Thing and Colossus, the monster is back into the ground. Reed is sure that it was one of Mole Man’s creatures, as it was heading towards the Baxter Building.
Reed asks Cyclops why they were there. Cyclops tells him that they are trying to do more superhero stuff. Reed knows that the X-Men have saved the world numerous times but the stinky flatscans don’t know about that.
Sue is happy to have saved the day with the X-Men, as it should do wonders for the mutant community, to be seen working with Marvel’s First Family.
Human Torch wonders what happens if this back fires and they start getting the heat that the mutants gets. Wolverine tells them that he will get a more interesting type of fangirls. Johnny asks his brother in law if they can turn evil. Reed tells him that maybe they can after dinner. Such a fun couple pages!
The X-Men are back in the Blackbird, heading home. Colossus is in his seat. Kitty and Colossus are lost in their own thoughts.
Cut to Agent Brand as she is having to defend herself to the SHIELD committee. They are upset as she made a deal with Ord that really blew up and endangered Earth.
Brand makes a reference to Breakworld having a bullet pointed at Earth’s head – which is amazing foreshadowing that I haven’t picked up on until this reading! And I’ve read these issues a bunch, thanks to my not-so-handy omnibus plus all four motion comics so I’ve had these issues read back to me as well!
An X-Man is slated to destroy Breakworld and all they wanted was that X-Man’s head. That is the price that Brand is happy to pay. She will make any ally, sleep with any foe as long as it protects Earth. There are no lines that she won’t cross as there are no lines to hold her back.
Also, the committee knows about the bullet too, she implies. Once we get to Astonishing X-Men 24, I have to see if she is shock to see the actual bullet or is she pretty unimpressed with it. She may have been wearing her sunglasses too so that might have blocked her feelings from us the readers.
She clearly isn’t demoted and is still the head of SWORD. Good thing too, as she isn’t the leader that we deserve but who we need.
There are back to back ads for DVDS – I, Robot and Napoleon Dynamite. I bought the second one and I keep meaning to own the first one as I would like to use that as my thesis statement for why we should never go into the building robot business. It has never turn out well for us human types. That’s why I can’t believe that Carnegie Mellon University is allowed to exist – especially after one of their robots drew first blood! That whole branch should have been shut down!
Back at home, the X-Men are disappointed that their rescue mission only was given 30 seconds of news time. Which goes back to my thoughts about the reality of the Marvel Universe and especially the state of New York. I imagine the news channels all have like a ‘super hero minute’ as they can’t be spending all day talking about superheroes.
Wolverine comments that he doubts the footage will go nationally. Which, I doubt X-Men and Fantastic Four fighting a giant lizard and all that resulted was some damaged buildings, would be of any interest in Montana. Maybe, just maybe, the entire country does a superhero minute, if there was an infrastructure for it, so they just replay the same footage. I can imagine that being the case.
Emma is more upset that there was three minutes of coverage for Paris Hilton. Colossus doesn’t know who that is, and Beast tells him it doesn’t matter, on a lot of levels. It is a dated reference, in back in 2004 but now, I’ll be surprised if new readers will remember who Paris Hilton is as she isn’t in the limelight anymore. Unless she is and I’m no longer paying attention to celebrity news. I don’t even have time to watch Joel McHale on the Soup!
Though, would celebrities and movies still get the attention they do with superheroes? I wonder if Avatar would still be the highest grossing movie as clearly there will be no Avengers movie in the Marvel Universe.
Kitty can’t believe they can’t get better press than that. Cyclops reveals his thoughts on the news. They have the stories already prepared, they just wait for the right pieces to fall into place or they bend them until they do. The story will never not be about, the Mutant Menace.
Emma then says another line that Kitty wishes she never heard – that J. Jonah Jameson will be tongue kissing Spider-Man before the X-Men can catch a break. I wonder why she says ‘tongue kissing’ instead of ‘french kissing’ is it because she isn’t twelve?
Then Armor comes in, she hasn’t seen her friend Wing in a while. So we know the Armor from earlier wasn’t the real one.
The Cuckoos follow her, stating that Wing doesn’t have much more time. Emma is surprised she didn’t pick up on it but she has had a bit of a day. The Cuckoos point to Blindfold, making her first appearance! She is mentioned in issue four but seven is when we see her.
Blindfold gives a cryptic message that once he dies, a new being will exist.
Cut to Wing, in a puddle of his own blood. He flew one last time, but it only lasted three seconds. Once he dies, the mansion and the cliff disappear, revealing it to have been a Danger Room simulation the entire time. Odd how the message on the screen is, Exercise Complete. It is a bit of a haunting final splash page, a young boy is dead in a giant room.
Wing’s death breaks Danger out of her room and takes on a new shape. It is a decent arc, I would just rank it as the fourth good one as it is just beaten by more enjoyable arcs.
Torn
Gifted
Unstoppable
Dangerous
Unstoppable, loses points for the abandoning Kitty in deep space but once she came back, I could enjoy it more. Thanks to Matt Fraction!
Kitty does get some great moments in this arc but it is the only one where she isn’t the real star of the book.
While rewatching this DVD, I noticed something. It does a great job of crediting Joss Whedon and John Cassaday, as it should – it doesn’t mention Laura Martin, at all.
That got me thinking about how Chris Eliopoulos gets completely screwed with these DVDs. Since the dialogue and sound effects are now spoken or heard, does he not get anything from the success of the comic, that made these motion comic DVDs possible? Does anyone know? It isn’t right that these two don’t get any credit, but to shut out Eliopoulos completely? That is not cool.
I commented on how I thought Kitty did the least amount in this arc, out of the four. I was pleasantly surprised that Kitty probably does just about the same amount here as the other arcs.
Kitty and Lockheed get spotlighted when all the psychics are taken, but these two can still communicate via their empathic ability.
Kitty first confronts the Danger Room, pre new body.
Kitty names Danger.
Kitty saves the team on Genosha from the initial blast from the giant Sentinel that originally killed everyone on the island.
Kitty gets to experience her first fastball special. Also, a major wedgie.
Plus, other situations. I really like the motion comic but the credit business bothered me.
There is an Original Trek meets Original X-Men (plus Bishop, Storm and Wolverine – of course) but that one doesn’t involve Kitty so it lacks being in my collection. This one, involves the best series of the Star Trek franchise – The Next Generation. Largely due to them having the best captain, Jean-Luc Picard. Though those first two seasons are hard to watch, largely due to the heavy focus on Wesley Crusher and Data. So the next generation of the Enterprise meets the next generation of the X-Men.
This story takes place a minute after Star Trek : First Contact –
Thanks to YouTuber Nathan Travis for hosting the trailer!
In that film, old nemesis (and possibly the most dangerous) The Borg go back in time to stop humans “first contact” with an alien race. Hence why this is titled, Second Contact. The Enterprise is in back in time, already but not only go further in time but they also go into an alternate universe where the X-Men are.
In fact, this comic starts one minute after the end credits of that film. Which I really need to see if I can find a copy of the film to watch.
The cast of the two teams are –
Star Trek : Next Generation : Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Commander William T. Rider, Commander Data, Commander Deanna Troi, Dr. Beverly Crusher, Lt. Commander Geordi LaForge, Lt. Commoner Worf and the Borg. X-Men : Wolverine, Storm, Angel, Nightcrawler, Kitty Pryde, Colossus, Banshee, Kang, Sentinels and the Thunderbolts.
Captain’s Log. April 5, 2063 – or so. The Enterprise is trying to wade through time to get back to their present. Once out of warp, they notice they are not near their Earth.
Editor “Continuity Chief” Timothy Tuohy lets us know that this issue takes place before X-Men Zero Tolerance, Heroes Return and Thunderbolts 10 – so we know exactly where we are.
Their attempt to go forward in time has caused them to go backwards in time. Geordi informs them that they need to replace their processing core. Crusher tries to explain that this primitive Earth shouldn’t have that type of continuity. Riker corrects her, there is Shi’ar tech that has been located and will work. Little do they know how much alien life has come into contact with this Earth. Picard is going to send two away teams – to the two locations in North America that has the technology they need.
The first team – Worf, Riker and Crusher, come across the Thunderbolts. In the late 90s, in Star Trek time, New York City should be in the Eugenics War. The three have come to the Baxter Building, which is currently the homebase of the Thunderbolts. Their twelfth issue is so great.
Since the first team came across costume folk, they abandon that goal and try a nice country home in Westchester.
Banshee likes that the X-Men have come together, not during a time of crisis, but to just hang out. This really is a decent group of seven X-Men. Angel serves as the Original Five placeholder; Kitty, Kurt and even Colossus represent Excalibur as well as the inclusion of Storm and Wolverine adds to the 35th Anniversary era. Banshee is the lone holdout, except he adds another face from the Second Class of X-Men.
Kitty likes it when they gather too.
The second away team is – Geordi, Data and Troi. Geordi locates the Shi’ar tech behind a panel. Before he can make much progress, Wolverine pops his two outer claws around Geordi’s throat. Data grabs Wolverine by the shoulder and merely flings him across the room. We get a fun match up between Data and Colossus. Colossus throws a punch, Data tries to catch it but ends up on the other side of the room, as well.
Troi gets between the boyz and quickly explains that they are from the Enterprise. Wolverine recognizes the name of the starship from the previous teamup.
Later, Picard can’t believe that he is following in the footsteps of his most illustrious predecessor.
Such a great double splash page of two groups together. The X-Men took the time to get dressed, as did Geordi, Data and Troi.
We get a very quick recap of the previous crossover. Picard also recaps his film, so now everyone knows what happened before they each woke up this morning.
Kitty, as the smartest person in the room, announces that the Enterprise being here is causing a major upset in the timestream.
I love how much Wolf and Wolverine (who are great together) are so over timelines and alternate Earths. A stable of both franchises.
Troi states that an evil presence is is about to arrive.
That force is . . . Kang! An Avengers villain but the X-Men don’t really have a time traveling foe so the villain borrowing makes sense. Always better to use an established character instead of creating a new one.
Is only Banshee facing Kang? That’s not good staging on Kang’s behalf.
Kang doesn’t waste too much time explaining the stakes. There is a grave disruption in the time space continuities, so the two franchises’ histories are about to mix. As fun as it is to read, it isn’t great for the characters. There are two huge anomalies that need intimidate attention.
I do like Picard and Storm having asides with each other.
Riker’s providing a log. Kang gave them eight chronal compass watches, so there will be two groups of four characters. Team One is – Colossus, Picard, Troi and Kurt. Team Two is – Wolverine, Data, Storm and Worf. A bit of an odd grouping for both sets. At least Wolverine and Worf makes sense. Surprised the writers didn’t try to put Colossus and Data on the same teams, or some other fun combo like Picard and Storm on the same team.
That leaves poor Kitty, Angel and Banshee just standing around on the Enterprise-E.
Team One goes to the Days of Future Past timeline – the most famous of the X-Men’s alternate histories. Makes sense that Colossus is on this team as his future self is in the storyline. Storm was too so she really should have been on this team. I guess Wolverine and Kitty could have been there too.
Kurt talks about this as if it makes perfect sense, I guess Rachel probably painted a very visual telling of this future. 2013 is still the far future, in the late 90s. Filthy flatscans begin to throw rocks at the mutants and Starfleet officers. Sentinels arrive on scene and everyone scatters.
Team Two. Data recognizes that they are in the middle of The Battle of Wolf 359 –
This happens during Star Trek Next Generation’s Best of Both Worlds Part II and Deep Space Nine’s pilot, Emissary, during Captain Sisko’s flashback. Picard was assimilated into the Borg fold at this point. The Borg use his knowledge of Starfleet to make short work of the opposition.
The battle from Emissary –
Thanks to YouTuber Psyker Sith for hosting this video.
The aftermath (and the lead up) from Best of Both Worlds, Part II –
Thanks to YouTuber Mad Monkey for hosting this video.
So for those folks who are not familiar with Star Trek / Borg canon, that’s the best I can do. I hope it helps.
Worf and Wolverine start tearing into the Borg. Storm whips up a tornado, which may not be the smartest move on a spaceship. With a lightning strike, the Borg are taken out.
Days of Future Past. Picard takes down a Sentinel. As do Colossus and Kurt. Troi feels like something is missing. Kang, talking aloud, to himself. He reveals, to himself, his own plans, that the anomalies are keeping history together, so once the heroes fix those two pieces – history should be for Kang’s taking.
On the bridge of the Enterprise. Two officers are getting restless, as Kitty has to watch on. Just then, Wesley Crusher and the Traveler arrive.
Traveler explains how Kang is tricking them into doing his bidding. The anomalies need to stay in place, as time fixes itself.
I do like the idea of Wesley and Kitty being a pair. Traveler is going to guide the Enterprise to where Kang is. Mr. Crusher and Ms. Pryde are going to warn the teams.
As the two youngsters leave, Banshee and Angel reflect on how Kitty has grown up.
Battle of Wolf 359. Sisko is giving orders to Thunderbird, so we know he is the anomaly. Now we just need Sunfire and all of the Second Class folks would be present. Well, and Cyclops too, I suppose.
Wolverine is about to kill Thunderbird (as he’s better than Count Nefaria, I guess). Luckily, Kitty arrives and hugs Wolverine. Wesley is forced to yell at Data to not do anything that Kang told them to do. Storm wants an explanation, I would have just taken Kitty at her word. I’m good like that.
Just then, Sisko is about to be killed when Proudstar takes the hit – like a champ.
Data suspects that Kang wanted Sisko to die so that he never becomes the Emissary of the Prophets. Wesley tells them to use their watches to go back to the Enterprise. Kitty and him need to catch up to the other team. Worf respects how brave Kitty is.
Kang breaks a monitor, as the Enterprise attacks. Kang isn’t gong to go down quietly.
Days of Future Past. We get to see Tasha Yar filling in for Rachel Grey, as Kate Pryde sleeps. Well, as she’s back in the 80s and it is really Kitty’s mind that is taking the nap.
Kurt is able to work in the phase “Days of Future Past” which can’t be easy to do.
Troi confirms this isn’t their Tasha Yar.
Picard can’t bring himself to kill Yar. Wesley and Kitty arrive to stop what Picard has already decided to not do.
Borg inspired Sentinels break through the walls.
I don’t quite get how Tasha Yar was able to send Kate’s mind back to the past, that isn’t part of her skill set. She was a kick arse Security Chief.
Troi volunteers to replace Yar and get the two Prydes minds back to their rightful bodies.
Colossus and Kitty are taking out SentiBorgs.
Wait, did Colossus fastball special Kitty? He’s been doing that since before Whedon did it, that’s pretty awesome.
Kitty destroys a head of a SentiBorg and lands. She sees Troi syncing Yar and Kate’s minds.
Kitty, for the first time, witnesses the event that has been a pretty pivotal moment in her history. One of the first real defining stories of hers.
Wait, am I reading Troi’s dialogue correctly? Kate’s mind is going back to Tasha Yar’s younger mind? Shouldn’t this have been Rachel doing this to a sleeping Yar? That would have make more sense.
Riker, Banshee and the Traveler are on Kang’s ship. As soon as Traveler is finished tampering with Kang’s ship, the come back to the bridge. Picard and the gang are waiting for him.
The two ships begin a fire fight. The Enterprise ends the duel with a win.
Captain’s Log, Kang’s ship imploded onto itself. Kitty kisses Wesley on the cheek! If only we could get a tad more of that relationship. The two teams say their good byes.
The X-Men return to Earth and one second later, are beginning the adventure of Planet X, which we’ll be reviewing in a few days.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 