Unplug This Cable

When I first heard about the new monthly Cable and X-Force series, I thought: Good.  There's one title I don't have to worry about picking up.  Why?  Because Cable is a product of the awful 90s when comic books took a downward turn.  As are Domino and Dr. Nemesis.  Forge was interesting when he first came on the scene in the 1980s and romanced Storm, but then he, too, jumped on the 90s bandwagon.  No longer was it about storylines, character development, superpowers, or quality art.  It was all about misshapen, disproportionate men and women carrying weaponry.  It was about multiple issue covers, holograms, and foil-embossed covers.  In other words, anything to generate additional sales and not giving quality in return. 

However, (and you knew there had to be a "however"), when I heard that Salvador Larroca would be doing the artwork, I had to give it a shot.  He was amazing on Iron Man.  The detail that he puts into his art is astounding.  The characters look so real...and attractive.  To top it off, one of my favorite under-utilized characters -- Colossus -- was going to be on the team.  Colossus mixed with the Juggernaut = BAD.  Colossus mixed with Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat (or whatever name she goes by today) = GOOD.  Even though Kitty wasn't going to be a part of the team and they're not "together," I still wanted to see what was going to be done with Piotr Rasputin.  

Sadly, after reading the first four issues of the series, I'm disappointed.  The writer, Dennis Hopeless, provides no character development.  Instead, we're treated to some ridiculous storyline about aliens at a company.  Worse, Larroca's art doesn't seem up to par.  The art doesn't jump off the page like it did in Iron Man.  It lies there flat.  The cover art by Larroca is fantastic, but the interior art is disappointing.  

I think Cable and X-Force will soon be pulled from my Pull List.

The Silly X-Men

I've been reading the new Wolverine and the X-Men comic that resulted from the team "Schism."  Now, it doesn't take a marketing genius to know that the split of the 500+ issue series Uncanny X-Men into two new series (a new Uncanny X-Men series and a Wolverine and the X-Men series) was just an excuse to increase sales because X-Men-related comics are the biggest sellers.  I guess DC was offering more Batman monthly titles and Marvel had to find a way to compete.  

Naturally, I'm one of the gullible souls who was reading only the original Uncanny X-Men (no X-Men Legacy, Astonishing X-Men, or even just X-Men) but now have been purchasing Uncanny X-Men and Wolverine and the X-Men at $3.99 each, so they got me for an extra $4 per month.  And lately, they've been releasing each comic twice monthly, so they're making an extra $12 from me every month. 

The extra money spent wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the awful product I'm getting in return.  I'm speaking specifically of Wolverine and the X-Men, which should really be retitled as The Silly X-Men.  Yes, Wolverine does appear in the comic (although seriously, what comic doesn't Wolverine currently appear in?).  However, it's primarily about a bunch of young silly mutants that I don't even know or care to know.  Quentin Quire?  Who the hell is he?  Isn't he the oversexed dude on Family Guy?  Oh, no, wait.  My bad.  He's a stupid punk-ass kid with pink hair, a la Perez Hilton.  Or, as I like to refer to him, the Danny Chase of the X-Men.  (See: When the New Teen Titans Went South.) 

I liked the concept of the "Schism" storyline wherein Cyclops would lead a team of X-Men off the coast of San Francisco on Utopia and Wolverine would start up a new school in Westchester, NY.  I also liked that Wolverine and the X-Men promised to feature Wolverine, Kitty Pryde, and the Beast teaching at the new Jean Grey School.  Sadly, we barely get glimpses of Kitty Pryde, Beast, or even Wolverine (!).  We mostly see these younger X-Men in training.  And they're not even the good Young X-Men.  Where are the characters from the Young X-Men short-lived series?  Dust?  Anole?  Graymalkin?  These characters had depth and personality.  The current motley crew consist of a bunch of whiny, annoying brats whose names I don't even know.

So, Marvel, I'm taking my $4 (or $8) and putting it toward the new Astonishing X-Men.  With Marjorie Liu scripting and Northstar making headlines, it's bound to be the better pick. 

Gillen Rocks the X-Men

Uncanny X-Men #535

I enjoyed Matt Fraction's run on the Uncanny X-Men, as he really brought some -- excuse the pun -- humanity to the X-Men.  However, I'm really enjoying Kieron Gillen's take on everybody's favorite mutant team even more.  He seems to really know the characters and their personalities and even manages to interject a lot of humor into the dialogue.  He's also not all about unnecessary fight scenes. 

Two of my favorite X-Men characters of all time are Colossus and Kitty Pryde (whatever her code name may be nowadays), so I'm glad to see them so prominently featured.  (He rocks those hoodie sweatshirts and cargo shorts!)  I love the dilemma the two of them are now facing.  After years and years of being apart due to their age difference (Kitty being a minor and all), they finally consummate their relationship (see Astonishing X-Men #14) and then Kitty is rendered into an all-the-time intangible state.  The only way she can touch or be touched is when she's wearing some special suit.  That, of course, makes it difficult to...you know..."consummate" again.  ;)  Brilliant!  The agony of not being together continues...

Seeing the wickedly hated Agent Brand in there, I thought, "Wow, she looks like Agent Diana Prince."  Then I realized...oh, it's Terry Dodson drawing (same artist who drew Wonder Woman when she was going through her Agent Diana Prince phase). 

I hope Gillen has a good, long run on UXM.  I'm looking forward to the interpersonal relationships between the characters finally being explored much more.  (And, yes, that goes double for Scott Summers and Emma Frost!)