168 – Paul Smith
5 – Jamie McKelvie and Matthew Wilson
Such great covers!
Wilson – Matthew
All posts tagged Wilson – Matthew
Writer Chris Claremont
Artist Todd Nauck
Color Artist Rachelle Rosenberg
Letterer VC’s Joe Sabino
Cover by Jamie McKelvie with Matthew Wilson
Awesome homage cover to Uncanny X-Men 168
Previously in the series, in defeating Amanda’s mother – Amanda has been banished to a different realm and the day was won.
Issue opens with Kurt playing baseball, with mostly himself. The Bamfs are there too, adding support.
Nauck still draws an awesome Nightcrawler and super cute Bamfs.
Poor Rosenberg, good thing they do digital coloring as she would spend a fortune on blue colors. Especially once Beast shows up.
Next, we get to the single page that I bought this comic for. I really need to just look at all the X-related comic previews that Comic Book Resources has. Instead, I wait until I’m told to look and find out after the fact – that Kitty appears in a comic.
Classic Claremont baseball game!
I wish that Lockheed appeared on this page as there is a clear Uncanny X-Men Annual 7 reference and Lockheed was there for that issue.
Past this page, it has great moments that I really like and a future villain subplot that I have no interest in.
The spirit of Jean Grey shows up to tell Kurt to keep the faith. Why a guy who just left Heaven, has no faith, is beyond me.
Kurt is looking for a gig at the Jean Grey School.
Rachel and he come up with him being the Danger Room instructor.
I like how for the session, the students don the basic trainee uniforms. I recognize Armor and Mercury. I like the squid / lobster guy, Rico is his real name. There is a death tree looking chap, that I want to know more about.
I checked the comicbookdb page for this issue, and the tree fellow isn’t named. Shoot!
Rachel dons a costume that I am not sure if she should wear around impressionable young boys. I like how Rachel programmed Emma Frost to be the villain of the session.
In Maryland, apparently these villains are the Crimson Pirates. I have no interest in them. They are seeking a young lady, whose name is Ziggy Karst. Which I have to think about Ziggy Stardust, whenever I read the name. That is on purpose, right?
The Jean Grey School. Storm gifted Kurt with the original Blackbird, the SR-71X. He is repairing it.
Rico shows up, he is like the modern day Nightcrawler. I sort of like him.
Storm gives Kurt the mission to seek out the new mutant. Who, of course, is Ziggy Karst.
Unless Kitty is seen or mentioned, I’m sure this is it for me with this title until the next storyline – I’m sure.
Writer Brian Michael Bendis
The issue is billed as the ‘Greatest Artist Roster Ever Assembled” and here is why :
Artists David Marquez with Justin Ponsor on colors for the Framing Device – the others are :
Letterer VC’s Cory Petit
Along with the incredible artistic talents of :
Bruce Timm & Laura Martin, Arthur Adams & Justin Ponsor, David Mack, Skottie Young & Jason Keith, Robbi Rodriquez & Justin Ponsor, Lee Bermejo & Marte Gracia, Kent Williams, JG Jones, Ronnie Del Carmen, J. Scott Campbell & Nei Ruffino, Maris Wicks, Jason Shiga, Dan Hipp, Max Wittert, Jake Parker & Matthew Wilson, Jill Thompson and Paul Smith & Bob Wiacek & Jordie Bellaire
That is an impressive lineup!
Thanks to The Complicated’s Review thread over at the X-Boards of Comic Book Resources. He took the nice to match up the artists with the pages (as the comic doesn’t do it for us).
http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?492706-All-New-X-Men-25-Reviews-and-Spoilers
Here is what he wrote :
“David Marquez drew, with Justin Ponsor colors, drew the Beast and Watcher scenes
Bruce Timm draws a recap of Jean Grey’s history and then her (possible) future: Sitting on a throne of almost-naked people in her Xorna get-up (sans mask and pants).
David Mack shows us Cyclops getting burnt on an x-shaped cross because he has no team to back him in his fight for equality.
Skottie Young and Jason Keith finally has Iceman unleashing his full potential: Hordes of Icemonsters.
Robbi Rodriguez and Justin Ponsor has Archangel/Death/Apocalypse killing everyone.
Lee Bermejo and Marte Gracia gives us Colossus channeling his inner Cable with a BIG-ASS GUN!
Kent Williams paints Emma Frost going insane.
Arthur Adams and Justin Ponsor shows us Beast being a beast in the Savage Land.
JG Jones and the X-Men on parade!
Ronnie Del Carmen gives us Kitty and Illyana “Free to live. Free to love. Free to experience adventure and friendship. Free to just be all that one can be.” which apparently involves them teaming up and fighting dragons, demons and ninjas and I really want this as an ongoing pronto.
J. Scott Campell and Nei Ruffino have Storm, Psylocke and Nightcrawler in space with guns. Presumably having fun.
Maris Wicks presents us with the epic and hilarious romance of Kitty Pryde and Peter Rasputin.
Jason Shiga gives us old Scott and Logan living together as “BFFs Forever!”
Max Wittert has an alternate reality installment of his Jean Grey comic strips where she and Logan are finally together.
Jake Parker and Matthew Wilson shows us the Sorceress Supreme, Illyana Rasputin, meditating in her Sanctum Sanctorum.
Dan Hipp gives us the children of the X-Men (and some Avengers)
Jill Thompson with EMMA FROST: AGENT OF SHIELD alongside Pixie, a red-headed woman and someone with green and white hair!
Paul Smith, Bob Wiacek and Jordie “Fresh Prince of ” Bellaire gives us quick cuts of Cyclops and Mimic in an optic blast battle, Wanda Maximoff being famous, Doctor Doom choking Magneto, Nightcrawler and Captain America fighting AIM, Tempus time-freezing criminals for the police and Beast tumbling around fighting Skrulls in space.”
So thanks for that as I wouldn’t have been able to figure it out on my own!
The framing device is Present Day Beast is in bed, not able to sleep and the Watcher shows up. So this is clearly a tie in to Original Sin but it doesn’t state that anywhere either.
Uatu, the Watcher shows him first all of these bad realities that he is responsible for. Then he shows him some nice ones, the hard truth is that the nice ones can never occur because of Beast. Not sure if it is all his fault or if Uatu is going to go to the other Illuminati members and showing them the error of their ways. From what I’ve read in New Avengers, the Illuminati are destroying alternate Earths. To save the Proper Marvel Earth but still. That’s a lot of lost lives.
JG Jones gives us the parade, both Kitty and Lockheed are there. Lockheed needs to be painted more often.
Ronnie Del Carmen, I really want a Kitty and Illyana ongoing! Come on Marvel, give us our Demon Hunters ongoing already! Thanks to DakenGirl for the better image!
Maris Wicks does a great job of recapping the Kitty and Colossus relationship. I even like the implied future too. He even added a little Lockheed that I just noticed!
Jake Parker and Matthew Wilson, I am all for Magik being the Sorcerer Supreme. When Bendis had Strange step down, I thought he was going in this route. Instead he went with the ‘shocking’ Brother VooDoo. It didn’t last.
Dan Hipp gives us some never before seen children of X-Men and Avengers hookups. I am curious about Captain America and Magik’s son. What must that relationship be like? I imagine she dominates him, in every way.
Can’t believe Marvel got Paul Smith and Bob Wiacek to do a page and it doesn’t even feature Kitty nor Lockheed. Instead, we get – Cyclops, Mimic, Scarlet Witch, Doctor Doom, Magneto, Nightcrawler, Captain America and Beast.
Still not interested in Original Sin.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 