are you guys happy with AXM being teachers?

[Brickbatstone]

the MU has a diverse amount of unused characters, plenty of them being mutants. im enojying reading both astonishing xmen and new xmen but i wish that new xmen would have different teachers. i hate it when characters on one book show up almost on a monthly basis on another book

[Omega Alpha]

Of course i am. So what there are characters being unused? For one thing, the dynamics of both books and the X-men as a whole would be radically different if it changed. Also, which mutant or former X-men not appearing in any book (or even appearing in others) is a better scientist than Hank, a leader and tactician as good as Cyclops, a more skilled h2h fighter than Wolverine,etc? While i'm not saying AXM should always remain the same (and i even think Logan is not appropriate), they all bring something to the table and have plenty to pass to the students.

Not to mention one of or the main purpose of Morrison's NXM was have the X-men do something beyond superheroes, help the mutant community as a whole and be the face of it, teach the next generation to use their powers well and be more integrated with both human and mutant communities, etc. Sure that's not possible with Joe Q's Decimation, but still, you don't have to destroy everything.

[caney]

It's an important part of the X-books that the main characters be involved in teaching the future generation of mutants. One thing that sets the X-Men apart from the typical superhero group is their sense of responsibility towards the future of all mutants and part of this responsibility includes teaching mutants how to control their powers and how to deal with a world that doesn't fully accept them. While saving the world from bad guys is part of their job, the X-Men always have the larger goal of gaining equal rights and societal acceptance for all mutants. It's imperative that the senior X-Men have a large part in the teaching duties, because the school is the very heart of what they're trying to accomplish.

Of course I wouldn't mind some supporting characters helping out with the teaching, but the Astonishing team needs to be a big part of the staff.

[Affinity]

I'm cool with it since they are, in my mind, the flagship team and title. It'd be cool if people like Karma could finally be acknowledged, even if I don't even like her that much.

[chickrockguitar]

I gotta go with "YES". I like them for teachers. Mainly cos there my fave X-team - apart from the NXM team, lol. And I like to see my fave characters interact. :)

[Diablito]

I like the Astonishing X-Men as teachers. However, I want to see ALL Astonishing X-Men as leaders, with Lockheed teaching language courses, and Hisako teaching defense tactics :D. I would be unimaginabely(sp?) happy.

[frog]

It's an important part of the X-books that the main characters be involved in teaching the future generation of mutants. One thing that sets the X-Men apart from the typical superhero group is their sense of responsibility towards the future of all mutants and part of this responsibility includes teaching mutants how to control their powers and how to deal with a world that doesn't fully accept them. While saving the world from bad guys is part of their job, the X-Men always have the larger goal of gaining equal rights and societal acceptance for all mutants. It's imperative that the senior X-Men have a large part in the teaching duties, because the school is the very heart of what they're trying to accomplish.

Of course I wouldn't mind some supporting characters helping out with the teaching, but the Astonishing team needs to be a big part of the staff.

What he said. I'm hoping that the school part of the X-Men won't be destroyed by what happens in Messiah Complex.

[Brett P]

I think they all work great in teacher-roles - each brings something different.

Whether it's physical teaching like Colossus DR exercise, survival with Wolverine, sciene stuff with Beast etc etc...

Yea, its cool!

[Monty_Cristo]

i wish that Shortpack were a teacher. it's not that big a transition from field-handler to teacher. and he's very knowledgable about geography. it's a shame that he has been forgotten about.

[Alex A Sanchez]

I'd rather have more of the original New Mutants and other limbo characters be teachers. At least that way we get to see what they are up to.

[Zombienorthstar]

I've always had a big issue with the Astonishing team being so interlinked with the school. For me it's purely a feasibility issue.

Not because they are the Astonishing team, or because i feel that any other roster would be better suited, simply because they are an active squad of paramilitatries fighting hugely powerful villains. Think, in the last ten years alone how many students have been killed, not because arguably they are mutants, but because someone came looking for the X-Men?

With all the genius level intellects on that team you think someone should have turned round and said 'hey, maybe running these two things from the same base doesn't make much sense...I mean remember Generation X...sure a few of those died but still, this just feels silly'

It's like that issue where Cyclops restructures the teams and Northstar says 'Am i expected to just teach?!' i felt like screaming 'For gods sake yes!'

[Shonuff]

It's kinda sad that it's been so long since the initial issues of Astonishing the people have forgotten that the team is primarily teachers. Scott and Emma are co-headmasters, Kitty is a computer genius and the student liason, Wolverine is basiclly P.E....honestly when you look at the other X teams on a few people on them are capable of teaching (the first coming to mind being Kurt, Bobby, and Xavier).

[Monty_Cristo]

I've always had a big issue with the Astonishing team being so interlinked with the school. For me it's purely a feasibility issue.

Not because they are the Astonishing team, or because i feel that any other roster would be better suited, simply because they are an active squad of paramilitatries fighting hugely powerful villains. Think, in the last ten years alone how many students have been killed, not because arguably they are mutants, but because someone came looking for the X-Men?

With all the genius level intellects on that team you think someone should have turned round and said 'hey, maybe running these two things from the same base doesn't make much sense...I mean remember Generation X...sure a few of those died but still, this just feels silly'

It's like that issue where Cyclops restructures the teams and Northstar says 'Am i expected to just teach?!' i felt like screaming 'For gods sake yes!'

wasn't the destruction of the Mass. Academy the reason they placed the students back at the institute? for protection?

[caney]

With all the genius level intellects on that team you think someone should have turned round and said 'hey, maybe running these two things from the same base doesn't make much sense...I mean remember Generation X...sure a few of those died but still, this just feels silly'


That's an interesting point that I've been thinking about as well. At first glance it seems incredibly stupid to have a school operating out of the same place as a group such as the X-Men (and I've even made posts saying that in the past). But when I think about it in a little more depth, it starts to make sense. Since M-Day, the children have become a major target. Groups like the Purifiers, the Children of the Vault, and the Weapons Plus Program have specifically targeted the younger mutants. In each of those instances, the X-Men on hand at the school stepped in to help protect the students. If they had been located at another site, the students would most likely all be dead by now.

I suppose they could always relocate the school to somewhere top secret, but I doubt they'd be able to keep any location hidden from all the enemies specifically targeting the younger mutants. Another option would be to have a sort of virtual school where all the kids are kept separate from each other and taught online. While that may be a good idea, that doesn't seem to be very fun, and it's certainly not the best environment in which to learn.

Thus, if the X-Men are going to continue to operate a school (which I think they must in order to keep in line with their primary purpose), they need to locate the school in a place where the students can be quickly protected from the inevitable attacks directed at them. I doubt they'd feel comfortable outsourcing their protection to another group, so the only option left is for the X-Men to be nearby to protect the students themselves.

[_Jayme_]

Sure, considering it is a school. I don't see any reason why..I liked when it had Kitty teaching and I think Gambit taught at one point to Quill..

I'd like to see it more of a school after Messiah CompleX with training and etc but if you take out the drama of the past few arcs, it will slowly decrease in sales, I think.

[jarrod]

I prefer it honestly.... no code names, no spandex, just teachers, visionaries and intellect. My dream Astonishing lineup would be...

Emma Frost (sole headmistress)
Charles Xaiver (brought back for good behavior, more advisory role)
Henry McCoy (still here)
Katherine Pryde (still here x2, minus the dumb boyfriend)
Shan Coy Mahn (recently rescued from the laundry room, lesbo-a-go-go)
Brian Braddock (retired the CB mantle, doing something more "worthwhile")
Forge (hangin' around, makin' stuff)
Paige Guthrie (the other wunderkid computer genius, basically Emma's answer to Kitty)

...I'd like to see Jean-Paul in the group too, but with everything he's gone through it doesn't make much sense now. It'd be better to position him on the more action/strike force/underground oriented Uncanny imo... maybe striking out a new friendship with Betsy, given she went through much of the same trauma and survived it.

Also, if Cece's confirmed not dead, I'd want her on Astonishing too. <3 <3

[CE_Rap]

Paige Guthrie (the other wunderkid computer genius, basically Emma's answer to Kitty)


That cracked me up:p

[Alex A Sanchez]

It's kinda sad that it's been so long since the initial issues of Astonishing the people have forgotten that the team is primarily teachers. Scott and Emma are co-headmasters, Kitty is a computer genius and the student liason, Wolverine is basiclly P.E....honestly when you look at the other X teams on a few people on them are capable of teaching (the first coming to mind being Kurt, Bobby, and Xavier).

Don't forget Hank. Him and the Prof are the only X-men qualified to teach at the University level. I'm sure, but Alex and Lorna might be there as well- I know they were graduate students... not sure if they ever got their doctorates.


But thinking about someone else's statements: how many students at the school have passed away? Is it possible to list them all here (I know that bus exploding in New X-men makes things difficult to keep track of).

As far as I can remember (not including the bus):

Doug
Warlock
Illyana
Icarus
Everette
Angelo