Peter Piper: Magnificent Milligan's Magical X-Men - From Beginning To Bitter End [Archive]

Seres

01-05-2009, 10:24 AM

http://comicbookdb.com/graphics/comic_graphics/1500_20060102145507_creator.jpg

Peter Milligan:
Writer: X-Men #166-187
Primary Roster: Havok, Polaris, Emma Frost, Iceman, Wolverine, Rogue, Gambit

What, another one?

Ladies and gentlemen of the good ship CBR, bring out your back issues! We’re about to tread into familiar territory, in the form of a newfangled ‘Peter Milligan: From The Beginning’ Thread-type thing of little repute or substance.

Now, many people don’t think too much of ol’ Pete’s tenure with the X, which lasted from issues 166-187, a few years back. He followed on from perhaps one of the least-liked writers in X-Men history, in the form of Chuck Austen, and was given a team made up primarily of clutter. There was Polaris, Iceman, and Havok, for a start. Polaris had been on Genosha during the Sentinel Attack, and was experiencing a mental tangent of sorts: after Havok left her at the aisle for some reason she had gone mental and attacked everyone, and then started dating Iceman. It was a tangle which hadn’t really made much sense at the time, and was even more bizarre now. Also on his roster were Rogue and Gambit, whose relationship was the same as it ever has and probably ever will be: untouchable (see what I did there? Ha! You can expect several more sizzling jokes as we go on with the thread) You can start to see the troubles that Peter walked into now, can’t you? At least Juggernaut wasn’t around anymore.

But despite all this, his run isn’t nearly as bad as everyone remembers it being. In fact; it’s rather jolly. So in this thread, let’s see if we can't all revaluate his run with the X-Men and enjoy it for the subversive, shiny, spiffy piece of super that it really is. And even if you didn’t like the run and refuse to ever do so, now you have a chance to slag him off repeatedly in a place where your fellow dislikers can appreciate it. Drag out your old boxes and rummage through them in a feral manner, and get out the comics he wrote, and join in! There’s going to be laughs and there’s going to be tears, and at one point Emma Frost is going to try and cut her face off. What more could you want?

So, Milligan Mondays start next week – but for now here’s something to get you started. What are your memories of his run? Do you remember it as fun and groovy, or as poor and bland? Before you read it again, what did you think at the time and are you hopeful that this thread will turn you into a Mate Of Milligan?

Rules Of The Thread:

1. Don’t spoil what happens in later issues. Please!
2. Jarrod is not currently banned. (Subject to change.)
3. Errr….
4. That’s it.

timbox

01-05-2009, 10:25 AM

I disagree with rule #2.

Seres

01-05-2009, 10:26 AM

This thread is going to backfire on me, isn't it?

I disagree with rule #2.

I'm sure he'll be banned sooner or later.

Mitteloss

01-05-2009, 10:35 AM

Oh God... I haven't heard that song for about 8 years now.

I liked Milligan's run... but only for X-Men #187. The rest I have... mixed emotions about. It was great at certain moments, but was horrible at other times (What Lorna Saw Part 1 was a good start, but Part 2 was terrible).

timbox

01-05-2009, 10:37 AM

This thread is going to backfire on me, isn't it?

Phase one is rule negotiation.

I feel your thread will be more successful if you include the Supernovas arc.

Pach!

01-05-2009, 10:43 AM

I would love it if the Blood of Apocalypse arc was non existent.

Waterlily

01-05-2009, 10:49 AM

nevermind......

blehbeh

01-05-2009, 10:50 AM

I've re-read issues of the run a few times since they came out, and really...I've found nothing redeemable about them. They all still come off as pretty mediocore to bad.

The only good things to come out of them, IMO...

- I love the idea of Bling! - A freakish mutant daughter of a celebrity is an interesting backstory. But of course, it was never, and probably will never be explored further.

- I liked Onyxx too, but with Rockslide around he's just repetitive...

- The Leper Queen, if only because she'll probably now provide an interesting story in upcoming X-Force issues.

Aaaannnnd....that's it. Not much.

Omega Alpha

01-05-2009, 10:51 AM

The worst X-men writer of all time. And I'm counting Austen.

Prodigy55

01-05-2009, 10:53 AM

I liked his stories.

The crazy Golgotha thing was cool.

Joe Acro

01-05-2009, 10:54 AM

What, another one?
Considering david will probably make one eventually, yes, another one?

This one isn't worth its own thread.

lockerogue

01-05-2009, 10:57 AM

Golgotha is my favorite arc in his run. I just loved reading everyone go crazy. Especially Emma who tried to give herself plastic surgery with a pair of scissors.

blehbeh

01-05-2009, 11:07 AM

The worst X-men writer of all time. And I'm counting Austen.

It's a close call, but I might have to agree with you. As bad and ridiculous as most of Austen's run was, I'd have to say I liked Austen's first Garney-drawn arc, and the few Sean Phillips issues that followed better than anything Milligan did.

MartinRedmond

01-05-2009, 11:34 AM

I loved it! I'm not suprised it wasn't popular, his X-Statix outdid Morrison's NXM and it the readership on it or the hype didn't last. They should rehire him for a second run. :)

The reason I like his X-Men better than X-Statix was the death count in XS was too high, it kind of ruined it a little for me. In XM, he had to keep characters alive longer than one issue and flesh them out.

jarrod

01-05-2009, 11:42 AM

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f64/donny2112/cat_zombie.jpg http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f64/donny2112/cat_happy2.jpg http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f64/donny2112/cat_happy1.jpg

And UGH at all you haters. Keep it to yrselves aholes.

I'm sure he'll be banned sooner or later.
As there's no Hepzibah or Armour present, I think I can control myself.

Push You Down

01-05-2009, 11:47 AM

...threads like these defeat the purpose of the "From the Begining" threads...You can't just jump ahead!

You can't!

jarrod

01-05-2009, 11:52 AM

I am impatient! Milligan's genius deserves exception!

darknessatnoon

01-05-2009, 12:04 PM

...threads like these defeat the purpose of the "From the Begining" threads...You can't just jump ahead!

You can't!

As if the other From the Beginning threads would ever move past CC's run.

The Black Guardian

01-05-2009, 12:16 PM

The worst X-men writer of all time. And I'm counting Austen.
Yeah. At least I liked Austen's Juggernaut and Northstar.

Seres

01-05-2009, 12:18 PM

...threads like these defeat the purpose of the "From the Begining" threads...You can't just jump ahead!

You can't!

Think of this thread as being an out-of-continuity miniseries. Besides, by the time David R's superior thread reaches Milligan, all this will be long gone and forgotten. There's only about 24ish issues, we'll be over within a year.

Shaid O Gray

01-05-2009, 12:20 PM

Main complain-points for me:

-With the exception of maybe Wolverine or Emma, pretty much everyone acted either out of character, or reduced to the basic stereotypes of their character. There was a certain generic quality tot he dialgogue too. Often, Iceman/Havok and Lorna's bickerings were indistinguishable from Rogue and Gambit's.

-A lot of plots just went nowhere. After all the build-up, Golgotha is reduced to shooting blobs in space without any trouble. Mystique just sorta goes away. then sorta comes back. (And that whole Foxx/Pulse thing was just ridiculous. No reason for Mystique to do any of that, and no precedence that she even would ever want to do any of that) Blood of Apocalypse ends with 'we kinda punched him and he went away'. The few interesting notions of the plots' beginnings were often just sorta forgotten about.

-No knowledge of the past. With Gambit and Rogue, he kept writing them as if they had still never touched, completely ignoring the fact that fairly recently, they'd lived like a normal couple in California for months, without any powers. How about we write about how hard it is to go BACK to not being able to touch after that period? Seemed like Milligan didn't even know about it.

-Some interesting ideas from Golgotha (hidden feelings coming out) were at least fodder for future dramatic tension, but after having played with it, he never really touched upon any of it again.

-Not Milligan's fault, but if would've helped of Larocca had been able to draw Fox as really beautiful. As opposed to fuglier than ay other X-Woman in the mansion, like he did.

-Gambit's going to Apocalypse, and becoming Break-Wind Man was nearly as dumb and ill-conceived as 'the Draco'. Oh yes, I said it....

Nothing against the guy, but I really think Milligan is just not a good fit for a mainstream title. Especially X-Men.

Mitsaso

01-05-2009, 12:33 PM

It was apparent from Milligan's writing in those X-Men issues that he treated his stint with the X-Men as an uninspiring temp job, something that was made clear to me when I met him in a comic convention in Athens right before his "Blood of Apocalypse" arc!

I brought him a bunch of his comics to sign on for me (it was mostly X-Statix trades), when he pointed at the first issue of "What Lorna Saw" and stated "That is not mine!":eek:
At which point I had to tactfully show him his own name on the cover to remind him it WAS his work...!:tongue:

I guess it wasn't something he treated seriously if he couldn't even recognise his own issues afterwards, right?

Nevermind, no matter how bored he was while writing the X-Men, he's still a very talented writer and glimpses of his brilliance were could be seen even in his most bland issues! Under his pen, X-Men turned into a weird, trippy and soap-operish version of itself, with Milligan overplaying the eternal soap-operish nature of the franchise while subcosciously injecting it with the bizarreness that characterizes his writing.

Overall, it could have been so much better if Milligan was actually into writing the X-Men, it's as if he had already accepted that he wasn't proper for mainstream titles. I still liked his run way more than Austen's (strangely enough, it was the oversexed themes that I liked in that run!), or than the bland stuff Bru did in his epic Uncanny space opera right afterwards. (I, of course, loved Carey, until he was forced to ditch Rogue's hardcore team for an introspective in Xavier's psyche few people care about :tongue: )

I'd still prefer 24 more issues of X-Statix over this run, though!

Prodigy55

01-05-2009, 12:34 PM

I forgot about him having Shan completely out of character.

How awful.

Mikl C

01-05-2009, 12:37 PM

Larrocca art killed it.

AWFUL.

darknessatnoon

01-05-2009, 12:41 PM

I forgot about him having Shan completely out of character.

How awful.

She was hungry. How is that Out of Character? She nearly starved to death once, on the boat; like she was going to let that happen again! I loved Milligan's run.

k.i.n.g.

01-05-2009, 12:56 PM

It was all pretty trashy.

jarrod

01-05-2009, 01:19 PM

Milligan gave us the best Emma Frost since Morrison. Just perfect, Whedon, Carey, Bruction, Ellis and all the others could've learned a thing or three had they paid attention.

darknessatnoon

01-05-2009, 01:21 PM

So, let's discuss an issue. Where's our issue 1 recap?

I move that we never discuss the Black Panther cross-over, since I do not care for non X-Men such as Storm and Black Panther.

jarrod

01-05-2009, 01:25 PM

We need to cover at least the start of it to get that Hott Emma/Alex/Storm sandwich.

Vanish

01-05-2009, 01:57 PM

lockerogue

01-05-2009, 02:40 PM

Oh how I loved this arc.

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/6672/235667-7628-emma-frost_super.jpg

Seres

01-05-2009, 05:43 PM

So, let's discuss an issue. Where's our issue 1 recap?

I move that we never discuss the Black Panther cross-over, since I do not care for non X-Men such as Storm and Black Panther.

This is exactly my plan. I do not accept that the crossover ever happened. I have some recaps already written, but my heart is set on Milligan Mondays because alliteration makes me giggle. Here is a picture of the first cover, anyway.

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/7/70/X_Men_166_2005.jpg

Do you know who doesn't even appear in the issue? Wolverine. Marvel's marketing department are fiendish.

Also, does anyone know of a better picture of Peter Milligan for use at the top of the thread? This one irritates my brain. I love you all.

MarvelGirlBoy

01-05-2009, 06:01 PM

She was hungry. How is that Out of Character? She nearly starved to death once, on the boat; like she was going to let that happen again! I loved Milligan's run.

Boo to this.

That was my favourite arc, excepting possibly Golgotha.

It's amazing what a good writer can do with Hudlin's fodder, the X-Men, Africa and some apes.

Was I the only person who occasionally quite liked Larrocca's stuff?

EDIT: Oh wait, do you just mean the BP issue? I don't actually remember that, maybe I only read the first half...

darknessatnoon

01-05-2009, 06:11 PM

Boo to this.

That was my favourite arc, excepting possibly Golgotha.

It's amazing what a good writer can do with Hudlin's fodder, the X-Men, Africa and some apes.

Was I the only person who occasionally quite liked Larrocca's stuff?

EDIT: Oh wait, do you just mean the BP issue? I don't actually remember that, maybe I only read the first half...

I meant the irrelevant BP issues. Plus, Storm doesn't belong in X-Books anymore.

The Black Guardian

01-05-2009, 09:41 PM

She was hungry. How is that Out of Character? She nearly starved to death once, on the boat; like she was going to let that happen again! I loved Milligan's run.
Feh... she wasn't even really starving. She's been manipulated by fiendish villains. She's not going to let that happen again either!

The Sword Is Drawn

01-06-2009, 03:20 AM

I loved it! I'm not suprised it wasn't popular, his X-Statix outdid Morrison's NXM and it the readership on it or the hype didn't last. They should rehire him for a second run. :)

Now don't get me wrong here, I was never really a great fan of Morrison's run (It started quite interesting, but I still feel it was the run which finally broke the X-Men) but even I am not naive enough to believe that X-Statix overshadowed it in any way. Which book is still on the shelves? Which book is still considered to be the most significant?

I came to Milligan's X-Men as a fan of the guy. I'm probably one of the very few who bought the whole of his Elektra run from the late 90s, and I loved a lot of his work for 2000 AD. So I had high hopes for him doing X-Men.

Dear God was I disappointed.

My biggest complaint with Milligan's run is that it's just so obvious throughout that he has such utter contempt for the book and characters he is writing. The entire run almost seems to be written without any depth, and with two dimensional characterisations, as if Milligan is trying to stick two fingers up at the reader for being stupid enough to buy the crap he's writing.

It's bad.

I only recall one decent issue - where Alex follows Lorna as she leaves the X-Men. This was the only issue containing some genuinely well thought through character interaction. But even that issue was ruined in the end, by the arrival of the still yet to be explained 'Daap'. So that's what sent Polaris crazy in space? Seriously, what??

His refusal to play ball with the aftermath of House of M, by repowering Iceman instantaneously after such a perfect set-up of the guy being depowered, was another fine example of why his run did not work. Any writer with half an ounce of sense would have relished trying to include a depowered character (One of the original X-Men at that!) on their team, and write about the tension it caused. Milligan refused.

The bottom line is that you can tell the guy hated the characters he was using, didn't have any interest in the X-Men brand, didn't care much for researching past stories or trying to write stories which hadn't been done better before. I think he also underestimated the level he was playing at, the attitudes of the fanbase and just how big a ob he had taken on.

This run was a mess, and it did his reputation as a writer quite a bit of damage as well.

x_goalkeeper

01-06-2009, 05:17 AM

I really loved Golgotha and Bizarre Love Triangle. And I hate Gambit, so it must have been really good in my opinion :cool:

darknessatnoon

01-06-2009, 10:47 AM

I really loved Golgotha and Bizarre Love Triangle. And I hate Gambit, so it must have been really good in my opinion :cool:

Gambit was repeatedly humiliated, which is what made BLT so good.

Ryan W

01-06-2009, 02:48 PM

Except for, you know, the parts where it sucked.

x_goalkeeper

01-06-2009, 03:25 PM

Gambit was repeatedly humiliated, which is what made BLT so good.

I think I prefer no Gambit to humiliated Gambit :biggrin:

But it was cool though :cool:

AcesX1X

01-06-2009, 03:36 PM

humiliated gambit was pathetic. it's no wonder he bowed at apocalypse's feet.

jarrod

01-06-2009, 03:38 PM

humiliated gambit was pathetic. it's no wonder he bowed at apocalypse's feet.
He was. I prefer him now that he's rubbing Shaw's feet.

passer-by

01-06-2009, 03:42 PM

x_goalkeeper

01-06-2009, 03:44 PM

He was. I prefer him now that he's rubbing Shaw's feet.

I thought he was rubbing Shaw's chest? :biggrin:

jarrod

01-06-2009, 03:46 PM

I thought he was rubbing Shaw's chest? :biggrin:
Oh, I'm sure he's rubbling lots of Shaw's parts.

passer-by

01-06-2009, 04:11 PM

Oh, I'm sure he's rubbling lots of Shaw's parts.Scans, please! :redface: :biggrin:

Seres

01-12-2009, 05:14 AM

Previously For The X-Men…

Emma Frost joined the X-Men and immediately had Magneto kill Jean Grey for her, so she could move in with Cyclops. She is now headmistress of the institute.
Polaris experienced the Genoshan Massacre first-hand, and is suffering from trauma as a result.
Havok kindly helped her out by jilting her on their wedding day.
To add to her misery, now she has to date Iceman. Ick!
Gambit was blinded by Rogue in an ‘accident’, but had his sight restored to him by the miraculous Sage in what is probably the worst single comic I've ever read.
Iceman is a tosspot.
Wolverine likes stabbing people.

Seres

01-12-2009, 05:17 AM

X-MEN #166
“Golgotha Part 1: And What Dark Beast…”

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/7/70/X_Men_166_2005.jpg

Featuring: Havok, Rogue, Polaris, Emma Frost, Gambit and Iceman.

Our band of heroes (and Iceman) have gone to the South Pole after receiving a distress call from some mutants who were trying to build “a mutant utopia” away from Magneto and the X-Men and all that political nonsense. Obviously, this plan has not gone well. Iceman has not read the case notes he was given by Havok, so Polaris tells him off for being such a child. After blasting a way in, Havok leads them into the compound and finds that all the mutants inside are dead. Gambit makes a sadistic joke about the poor structuring of the building, and Rogue rolls her eyes. It appears, however, that the mutants weren’t attacked by an outside force, but instead turned on each other for some reason. Iceman recognises one of the dead – Butterfly – and calls him a “z-list mutant, X-Men wannabe”, but Rogue ignores him and goes to check the bodies instead. This is because Milligan’s X-women are much smarter than the men. The body she kneels over has only just passed, and it appears that he killed himself by ripping his own heart out. On the wall is one word: Golgotha. Written in blood!

Rogue starts to explain what the word means – “Also known as Mount Cavalry, the place of the crucifixion of Christ.” She starts to explain the Latin terminology of the word, which leads the rest of the team to realise that Rogue is merely repeating what Emma Frost is telling her telepathically. Iceman asks her for the football scores, and Emma gives him the derision he deserves. In fact, she goes on better then that and tells him that his remark was so stupid that it deserves disdain. Remember the days when Emma Frost was the most fun X-Character? She tells Rogue about some other attacks – including one which has taken over the whole of Los Angeles - which may be linked to this one, but Rogue doesn’t have time to tell any of the others because a stranger appears. He calls himself “the sinner”, and then he then shoots himself in the head for no apparent reason at all.

Rogue gives us some monologue about how much she wants to hold Gambit’s hand for reassurance after seeing something so horrible, so obviously the poor girl is in shock and has started lying to herself. Lorna also has a reaction to the violence, although it is less ridiculous – she starts reliving the genocide she was witness to and starts shaking. “This is all my fault…” she begins, and Iceman goes over to comfort her by telling her that this isn’t Genosha. And in doing so, he has implied that she was responsible for Genosha. Oh, Iceman. Havok gets very clingy when he sees Iceman hug Polaris, and shouts at him for breaking defensive formation. While the two of them argue, another mutant appears and utters the immortal line “I’m gonna love you like only a mutant with superhuman explosive bone marrow, infrared eyes and low-level paranoid schizophrenia can love you…” Ooh! I love this character! Lorna does not, however, and she blasts him away. There’s a fight, but Lorna quickly ends it by choking the mutant to death with some metal tubing. Slight overreaction there, but fair enough.

Later on, Havok has a chat with Lorna about how killing is bad, and that true X-Men don’t do it ever. Well, sometimes. He’s interrupted by the arrival of some zombified mutants. I’m not sure the X-Men even move for the majority of this issue. The problems always seem to come to them. Anyway, Havok tries talking to the zombies but gets nowhere. This is probably because they are zombies, Havok. Rogue has another idea, and takes off her glove… Havok tries to stop her, but she says “what’s the point of having these ridiculous ideas if I don’t use them once in a while”, which tells us that Milligan’s going to write the first interesting portrayal of Rogue in a long while. She touches a woman and instantly relives all of her life – in reverse order, which means she ends up as a foetus. A Rogue-foetus. It’s an odd image, and Emma immediately goes in after Rogue in order to save her from regressing back into someone else’s testicles.

When Rogue wakes up again, she finds herself in the middle of an attack from some crazed mutants, and has to go on the offensive. While fighting, Havok asks her what happened, and she replied “I got weirded out.” It turns out that the memories had been wiped by someone, leaving blank holes of memory for her to get trapped in. Once the battle is over, Havok interrogates one of the attackers, but gets only babble in return. “You’ll be next!” cries the attacker, before he bites off his own tongue. Yikes. Rogue sighs, because she knows that she’ll have to touch this psycho in order to find out what’s going on, but Havok blocks her yet again. Before he can do anything, though, Emma turns up and immediately takes over, which says more about Havok’s leadership skills than I ever can. She takes the piss out of Alex and Rogue for a bit, and then watches on with a smirk whilst the tongue-biting mutant suffers a heart attack and dies.

Emma is smirking because she managed to quickly read the mutant’s mind before he died. “I know who Golgotha is,” she tells the group. “Or more to the point… I know where Golgotha is…”

To Be Continued!

Seres

01-12-2009, 05:23 AM

Thoughts!

This was a solid first issue, although there are some jarring scene changes throughout. The way in which the creatures all came to find the X-Men one after another was a bit silly, and the artwork by Salvador Larocca – although solid, and with great emphasis on the characters – sometimes grows confusing and hard to follow. Milligan is having to deal with several old plotlines as he starts off, most notably that of Polaris/Havok/Iceman, and at the moment it seems that both Havok and Iceman are going to behave childishly as a result of their feelings for Lorna. Hopefully this is leading to a payoff later on. Lorna herself is far more broken than she was during Austen’s run, and seems to be reacting more realistically to the trauma she’s meant to be suffering from. The relationship between Rogue and Gambit seems forced, and they both seem quite bored of one another. It's a decent start, but nothing brilliant.

Character Rankings:

1: Emma Frost - great fun!
2: Havok - wasn't irritating!
3: Polaris - crushed a guy with a metal pipe!
4: Rogue - became a weird psychic foetus thing!
5: Gambit - didn't really do anything!
6: Iceman - ugh.

timbox

01-12-2009, 05:25 AM

Gambit was blinded by Rogue in an ‘accident’, but had his sight restored to him by the miraculous Sage in what is probably the worst single comic I've ever read.

Sage always has to save these silly X-Men from themselves, it is glorious. I do not understand how you could hate it?

timbox

01-12-2009, 05:30 AM

6: Iceman - ugh.

That about sums up my feelings on this issue. Did Iceman think he was in the Danger room? Hey, idiot, pay attention and stop goofing off.

I was also pleased to see Rogue treating Gambit like he deserves.

Seres

01-12-2009, 05:32 AM

Sage always has to save these silly X-Men from themselves, it is glorious. I do not understand how you could hate it?

I had no issue with Sage. The trouble was, she was the only character who seemed remotely herself. It was a Christmas issue, and right at the end X-23 smiles and invites a family to enjoy Christmas with the X-Men.

Does that seem right to you?

Milligan.

The Sword Is Drawn

01-12-2009, 06:50 AM

I had no issue with Sage. The trouble was, she was the only character who seemed remotely herself. It was a Christmas issue, and right at the end X-23 smiles and invites a family to enjoy Christmas with the X-Men.

Does that seem right to you?

Milligan.

Not really, does it? I mean, sure, there's nothing wrong with a Christmas issue, but I do think that Laura is the wrong person to be delivering that invite.

MartinRedmond

01-12-2009, 09:33 AM

Thankfully, there's no cheap fanservice characters like X23 to be seen in Milligan's run. So let's keep on subject please. I liked that Rogue used her true powers, not the Ms Marvel ones. The childish interaction between Alex and Bobby was cool. I'm sure Lorna enjoys playing them one against the other when she's not busy with her carreer of being tortured and mind controlled.

Seres

01-12-2009, 12:04 PM

Rogue-foetus.

I think this needs to be explored further. A tribute to the X-Babies, taken one step further than Claremont could ever dream? Milligan is every bit as weird as Grant Morrison, when you look at what he passes off as everyday.

Thankfully, there's no cheap fanservice characters like X23 to be seen in Milligan's run. So let's keep on subject please. I liked that Rogue used her true powers, not the Ms Marvel ones. The childish interaction between Alex and Bobby was cool. I'm sure Lorna enjoys playing them one against the other when she's not busy with her carreer of being tortured and mind controlled.

I don't think Lorna even notices either of them at this point. She seems to be in her own little world, and every so often a man comes to annoy her, but she quickly shakes them off and carries on doing her thing.

I can't remember what powers Rogue has at the moment, but I think... I think they are Sunfire's. She flames up when she uses them, at any rate.

Vanish

01-12-2009, 12:06 PM

I will find this issue, if I still have it.

I was charitable and only kept the best of the best Bling! and Pulse issues!

Mitteloss

01-12-2009, 12:23 PM

Seres- I forgive you about you know...

Thankfully, there's no cheap fanservice characters like X23 to be seen in Milligan's run. So let's keep on subject please. I liked that Rogue used her true powers, not the Ms Marvel ones. The childish interaction between Alex and Bobby was cool. I'm sure Lorna enjoys playing them one against the other when she's not busy with her carreer of being tortured and mind controlled.

Oh please. Lorna's never played them off. It was mainly their fault to begin with, not Lorna's. She made it clear who she wanted to be with, even back in the 1960s, neither of them could accept it when they weren't with her. And besides, during Milligan's run, as Seres perfectly said, she was too off in her own little recovering world to really notice. Ugh, blaming the woman when it's clearly not her fault.

And that and being mind controlled and tortured is not all she's done, shows great ignorance of Lorna on your part. If you have a problem with her being mind-controlled or tortured anyway, don't blame Lorna, blame the writers for not using her properly (un-like PAD, Yost and Austen after #430, nearly anything Genoshan). And even Milligan had her mind-controlled because she had to be for the greater good of her character. Same goes for Yost for what he's currently doing. That leaves Claremont.

MartinRedmond

01-12-2009, 01:26 PM

Don't let that act fool you. Lorna loves giving cute sensitive boys a reason to cry over her. Had Thunderbird III been there, she'd have played him just the same. You think she gets into one situation with an abusive joe after the other like this by accident? You ever saw Shannon and Boone's relationship in Lost?

-"I'm in danger Alex! Come rescue me and cry!! :'( "

FieryCajunforPolaris

01-14-2009, 11:52 AM

FieryCajunforPolaris

01-14-2009, 12:07 PM

Main complain-points for me:

-No knowledge of the past. With Gambit and Rogue, he kept writing them as if they had still never touched, completely ignoring the fact that fairly recently, they'd lived like a normal couple in California for months, without any powers. How about we write about how hard it is to go BACK to not being able to touch after that period? Seemed like Milligan didn't even know about it.

-Gambit's going to Apocalypse, and becoming Break-Wind Man was nearly as dumb and ill-conceived as 'the Draco'. Oh yes, I said it....

Nothing against the guy, but I really think Milligan is just not a good fit for a mainstream title. Especially X-Men.

That was the best part of his run, he ignored the disgusting Rogue and Gambit realtionship, to focus on more better characters like Iceman,Polaris, and Havok. It was about time Gambit left Rogue, she did nothing but give him heartache anyway. Ms. Marvel should have killed her on the spot when she showed up at Xavier's school wanting to join, would have saved us the melodrama of her pathetic life we have to put up wit today. Milligan run was kool, I just wish he could have had more room to write Polaris, but he couldnt because characters like Emma,Storm,Mystique,Foxx, and Rogue was in the way. :rolleyes:

FieryCajunforPolaris

01-14-2009, 12:14 PM

YAY MILLIGAN
BOO Larocca.

I wish he had another artist.

I loved his run except for:
- The House Arrest Arc
- The boring Blood of Apocalypse arc except for the awesome conclusion
- Gambit & Rogue (as a couple and as individuals)
- Larocca art except in Golgotha where it was okay

I agree wit u there, pretty much everything u said. Larroca's art was real good on Namor's solo series and in the beginning of X-treme. It was ok on Austen's run and on Golgotha, but after that his art got bad, I think it was either rushed or he jus wasnt inspired anymore.

Mitsaso

01-14-2009, 12:21 PM

Thats Pete Milligan? He looks much younger than the other writers, he looks in shape also. All the other writers look, I dunno, lol, way older and totally different..... I liked his run somewhat, his best issues of Lorna was 166, 181, and 187, 3 issues dedicated to her, so I give him credit where it is due! :smile:

That's an old pic of Milligan, probably from the 90's!
He looked quite older when I met him up close.

FieryCajunforPolaris

01-14-2009, 12:25 PM

This is exactly my plan. I do not accept that the crossover ever happened. I have some recaps already written, but my heart is set on Milligan Mondays because alliteration makes me giggle. Here is a picture of the first cover, anyway.

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/7/70/X_Men_166_2005.jpg

Do you know who doesn't even appear in the issue? Wolverine. Marvel's marketing department are fiendish.

Also, does anyone know of a better picture of Peter Milligan for use at the top of the thread? This one irritates my brain. I love you all.

Milligan must have liked Lorna's bewitching purple costume, never had it changed during anytime of his run. Usually when a new writer takes over they will change character's costumes, in this case it stuck til the end of his run. Brubaker gave Lorna a new costume, which was simliar to her original. I like all her costumes, but after 3 years I feel like she should be entitled to a new one to give her a refreshing look and to keep her inspiring. :smile:

FieryCajunforPolaris

01-14-2009, 12:31 PM

Now don't get me wrong here, I was never really a great fan of Morrison's run (It started quite interesting, but I still feel it was the run which finally broke the X-Men) but even I am not naive enough to believe that X-Statix overshadowed it in any way. Which book is still on the shelves? Which book is still considered to be the most significant?

I came to Milligan's X-Men as a fan of the guy. I'm probably one of the very few who bought the whole of his Elektra run from the late 90s, and I loved a lot of his work for 2000 AD. So I had high hopes for him doing X-Men.

Dear God was I disappointed.

My biggest complaint with Milligan's run is that it's just so obvious throughout that he has such utter contempt for the book and characters he is writing. The entire run almost seems to be written without any depth, and with two dimensional characterisations, as if Milligan is trying to stick two fingers up at the reader for being stupid enough to buy the crap he's writing.

It's bad.

I only recall one decent issue - where Alex follows Lorna as she leaves the X-Men. This was the only issue containing some genuinely well thought through character interaction. But even that issue was ruined in the end, by the arrival of the still yet to be explained 'Daap'. So that's what sent Polaris crazy in space? Seriously, what??

His refusal to play ball with the aftermath of House of M, by repowering Iceman instantaneously after such a perfect set-up of the guy being depowered, was another fine example of why his run did not work. Any writer with half an ounce of sense would have relished trying to include a depowered character (One of the original X-Men at that!) on their team, and write about the tension it caused. Milligan refused.

The bottom line is that you can tell the guy hated the characters he was using, didn't have any interest in the X-Men brand, didn't care much for researching past stories or trying to write stories which hadn't been done better before. I think he also underestimated the level he was playing at, the attitudes of the fanbase and just how big a ob he had taken on.

This run was a mess, and it did his reputation as a writer quite a bit of damage as well.

Oh, so Milligan went down the hill after his run n X-men? What has he been up to, does he still write in other universes?

$5 Milkshake

01-14-2009, 12:34 PM

I missed Milligan's run, it went down during my hiatus. I love his roster (Havok, Polaris, Emma Frost, Iceman, Wolverine, Rogue, Gambit) so I'm curious, but...I dont hear good things.

FieryCajunforPolaris

01-14-2009, 12:35 PM

Seres- I forgive you about you know...

Oh please. Lorna's never played them off. It was mainly their fault to begin with, not Lorna's. She made it clear who she wanted to be with, even back in the 1960s, neither of them could accept it when they weren't with her. And besides, during Milligan's run, as Seres perfectly said, she was too off in her own little recovering world to really notice. Ugh, blaming the woman when it's clearly not her fault.

And that and being mind controlled and tortured is not all she's done, shows great ignorance of Lorna on your part. If you have a problem with her being mind-controlled or tortured anyway, don't blame Lorna, blame the writers for not using her properly (un-like PAD, Yost and Austen after #430, nearly anything Genoshan). And even Milligan had her mind-controlled because she had to be for the greater good of her character. Same goes for Yost for what he's currently doing. That leaves Claremont.

Well said Miteloss! Lorna wouldnt waste her time wit either of them boys, its they, who keep running to her!

FieryCajunforPolaris

01-14-2009, 12:39 PM

That's an old pic of Milligan, probably from the 90's!
He looked quite older when I met him up close.

I was wondering why that pic was black and white. He looks like he doesnt care much bout things, he couldnt even smile in the pic. :rolleyes:

MartinRedmond

01-14-2009, 01:27 PM

Karl H

01-14-2009, 01:37 PM

X-Statix was love.

This run was heinous and totally un-Milligany.

Sucksville.

FieryCajunforPolaris

01-16-2009, 09:37 PM

I think Lorna's costume was taken from the Nightstalkers videogame. Kya Asamia came up with that one.

Milligan's been writing since the mid 80s. He did some minis for independent companies. Super Hero wise, after X-Men, he's done Infinity Inc for DC, which I enjoyed. Maybe he really farms out to some ghost writer, but I enjoy it anyway.

He's currently doing a Namor series, but no one except John Byrne can make me buy a Namor comic, so I dunno. And it looks all like a bunch of sappy talking heads. If someone tells me I'm wrong, and that Namor is as regal as he was in the Busiek/Larsen Defenders series, I'll get a copy right away.

I agree that the costume came from Morrigan on Darkstalkers. While it was darker and fitted her character at the time, I didnt really like it until Larroca started drawing her and modified her costume. The best version of it was in House of M FF, u should check it out. As for Milligan writing Namor, is it an ongoing or a mini? I havent heard anything on it yet, when does it come out?

The Sword Is Drawn

01-17-2009, 03:45 AM

X-Statix was love.

This run was heinous and totally un-Milligany.

Sucksville.

Completely agree.

david r

01-17-2009, 07:35 AM

I bought Peter Milligan's first issue, with high hopes. I remember liking the artwork, but pretty underwhelmed by the story content. I knew we were in trouble when Milligan said in an interview he "didn't know all things X-Men". I got the sense he liked them, but had little to actually say with them. And I think his X-run pretty much states that as a truth.

Hi-Fi

01-17-2009, 08:02 AM

I loved Golghota and I'm probably the only Rogue fan who really liked Bizarre Love Triangle. Both arcs were so out there. I wasn't really a fan of the rest, though.

I did wish Mike Allred was the artist at the time, instead of the always boring Larroca. That would have made this run a bit more special, as X-Force/ X-Statix was.

Canemacar

01-17-2009, 08:05 AM

Hi-Fi

01-17-2009, 08:14 AM

I think Milligan was trying to make an over-the-top parody of the X-men during his run, but didn't put enough humor in it to keep it from being just bad.

Polaris going crazy and evil at the drop of a hat, grating romance angst with Rogue and Gambit, Havok being an impotent leader, etc. He took long-standing character traits and turned the volume up to 11.
I kinda agree that he WAS trying to make a parody, but it didn't work as well as X-Statix. That said, I thought Golghota was pretty serious stuff that touched on the characters fears and imperfections, so I have to say the parody theme wasn't what he had on the top of his mind at the beginning.

Just a correction, Austen made Polaris evil and crazy, Milligan just made her a little bit unstable (but never evil, not until Apocalypse got her) and then completely cured her from her insanity.

But yeah, his treatment of Gambit was pretty bad. If I remember correctly from interviews after Milligan was out of the book, his intentions were to have Gambit and Rogue still love each other but have a physical relationship with other people (I'm not sure if it was Foxx for Remy, but in Rogue's case, it was Pulse), making their love story platonic. I think he said that in a convention Mitsaso attended.

He did write a great Emma and an even better Storm, though.

MartinRedmond

01-17-2009, 01:54 PM

Namor, is it an ongoing or a mini? I havent heard anything on it yet, when does it come out?

I think it's a miniseries.

Seres

01-26-2009, 05:42 AM

X-MEN #167
“Golgotha Part 2: The Night Of The Mutant”

http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/thumb/a/ae/Emma_Frost_%28Diamond_form%29_001.jpg/397px-Emma_Frost_%28Diamond_form%29_001.jpg

Featuring: Havok, Rogue, Polaris, Emma Frost, Gambit, Wolverine and Iceman.

A mutant walks through the streets of Los Angeles, as an unknown narrator assures him that he’ll be just fine out on his own in the big city. Even as the narrator tells him that “they won’t try to hurt you”, two large mutants jump out of the shadows and attack him. Nonplussed, he casually fires hot lasers from his eyes and burns them to death before walking on. He has demon eyes! Alternatively, he’s a mutant. His name is Boy, he tells us, and he’s been working as a servant for a snooty family who treated him as if he were a sub-human. When they retreated to their bomb shelter once LA became a breeding ground for crazies (as Emma Frost informed us last issue) they had no desire to have their mutant servant live with them, so they chucked him out. Since then he’s hit the streets and recruited a small army of maligned mutants, and he is their leader. His army walk past a wall with “Golgotha!” written on it.

Back in the South Pole, Emma leads the team to Golgotha, which turns out to be a giant fungus-thingy encased in a large tank.. Rogue asks her what the point of keeping a giant fungus thing in the colony, and Havok calls the dead inhabitants of the colony “crazy mutants”, which seems a bit harsh under the circumstances. And in fact Gambit of all people calls him out on it, but Havok refuses to apologise. Suddenly Gambit smells the creature, and he starts to reminisce about a dead body he once found, which makes him feel sick. Emma explains that Golgotha is triggering random memories for no real reason, and must therefore be telepathic. She finds it interesting, but Havok doesn’t agree with her and is about to start an argument when Golgotha cracks the containment unti it lives in and swipes a tentacle at the blonde eejit (Havok, not Emma). He blasts it away.

Gambit, meanwhile, is in a state of panic for some reason, and Iceman tells him to “relax, dude. I’d feel like that too if my girl didn’t let me touch her.” Rogue is immediately fired up, because she rules, and gives him a thorough telling-off for being a twat. Polaris, meanwhile, is unhappy and uses her powers to blast the fungus into submission. Havok tells her to “stop it! This is crazy!”, and she stops, upset at being called crazy. Iceman fails to console her, and Havok – who has had enough – tells them to take the fungus into the open, so they can destroy it. Cue a splash page of Iceman, Gambit (who is on all fours), Havok and Rogue all pulling Golgotha outside, while Emma is fabulously absent. Happy with where they’ve taken it, Havok tells the team to blow it up – but Emma stops him.

She wants to study it at the mansion for some reason, but Havok insists that it should be killed. For some reason. He talks a lot of nonsense, while she mocks him repeatedly. It’s going nowhere, but then Wolverine appears from the wilderness and offers them a compromise. That’s right: Wolverine turns up. So… yay for that. They decide to hang Golgotha from the jet and fly home with it. On board, Polaris starts wondering about the creature, and if anyone will eat it, and rambles off into something about Gods. Wolverine and Havok worry about her, but Havok is also worried that the rest of the team don’t see him as a proper leader. Iceman apologies about his no touching comment to Gambit, who forgives him – but he sighs that the no-touching thing is perhaps becoming an issue for him. Rogue tries to look concerned by this news.

Back in Los Angeles, the posh skanky family are having a dinner party when they hear a sound outside. Boy has turned up, with his army behind him…

The team have put Golgotha in the bottom of the Cerebra room. In there, Emma frowns on Havok for having naughty thoughts about Polaris “after what you did to that poor girl”. And because she is now completely in charge of him and he’s a pushover, she tells him to go with the team to Calvary, which is the original site of Golgotha. He goes, and Rogue and Gambit meet an old man there selling trinkets. She starts to ask her beau (ha!) about the no-touching deal, but they’re distracted by a trinket which looks suspiciously like Golgotha. After showing it to the rest of the team, Havok decides that they should go deep into the underground caves nearby, to see if they can clear up the mystery any further. Emma, meanwhile, is still at Cerebra, and her probing of Golgotha’s mind backfires when it telepathically knocks her out. She collapses on the floor of Cerebra, with Golgotha leering from below.

On the news is a bulletin called “Night Of The Mutant”. Boy and his army have killed all the members of the dinner party, and left a message on the wall. In blood. It says “Golgotha”.

To Be Continued!

Seres

01-26-2009, 05:46 AM

Thoughts!

This issue was downright confusing! I had to reread it several times, and fill in a fair few parts, in order for things to make sense. Lorna’s attack on Golgotha is poorly conveyed by both Milligan and Larocca so it’s hard to know what’s going on, and the later scenes in Calvary don’t make any particular sense at all. The relevance of the trinket is unknown and never really explained, which makes their decision to go further into the underground completely irrelevant to everything else. Further to the point, Golgotha is a bizarre thing, and isn’t yet explained properly. Hopefully Milligan will remedy this later on, because at the moment it makes the story hard to read.

However, the one thing which is clear is that Milligan has a fantastic grasp on character – Emma is on form throughout, and Rogue gets a chance to show off the fire which will make her such a good leader in future (apart from the whole “team falling apart” bit). Iceman is an idiot, Havok is a child, and Gambit is nonsensical. Just how it should be! If he can fix the plotting in future issues, he’ll be set.

So.... Where Is Peter Now?

Peter has been writing for everyone! Having just finished a miniseries about Namor (although rarely featuring Namor), Mr Milligan also recently completed part of the Batman story "The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul". On top of this heavy work he's been writing screenplays and TV adaptions, and also a few one-shots for Marvel, including a Christmas tale featuring Moon Knight.

And now he is the main writer of Hellblazer!

http://www.newsarama.com/preview_images/dcnew/jan09/8/hlb_cv251.jpg

Hurray for Peter Milligan!

timbox

01-26-2009, 05:52 AM

timbox

01-26-2009, 05:54 AM

and Rogue gets a chance to show off the fire which will make her such a good leader in future (apart from the whole “team falling apart” bit).

Rogue's problem is that she focuses her energy in the wrong direction. Here, she should really be concentrating on either trying to make Gambit less of a wimp, or just getting rid of him altogether.

This flaw is consistent with Rogue though, even through Carey’s run.

Seres

01-26-2009, 06:02 AM

Why does Emma continue to allow Havok to exist? He is nothing but trouble, which I think was the entire focus of this issue.

Iceman and Havok seem to have a competition going to see who can be the most annoying.

Emma was wonderful, of course, but one day these telepaths will realize that probing alien minds always results in a wicked backlash of psychic power.

Rogue's problem is that she focuses her energy in the wrong direction. Here, she should really be concentrating on either trying to make Gambit less of a wimp, or just getting rid of him altogether.

This flaw is consistent with Rogue though, even through Carey’s run.

As soon as Emma turns up in this issue, you can see that she is a natural leader. Havok's attempts to be good at anything are my least favourite way to spend time in a comic. It's a shame neither of them have been killed off yet; Mike Carey's persistance in keeping Iceman and Gambit around are bewildering.

Rogue really does need to find a new man. I wonder if she'll find someone for her later on in this run who turns out to be a much better prospect than Gambit?

timbox

01-26-2009, 06:10 AM

Rogue really does need to find a new man. I wonder if she'll find someone for her later on in this run who turns out to be a much better prospect than Gambit?

She does seem to be tiring of Gambit’s antics. Hopefully a replacement is in order.

Seres

01-26-2009, 06:47 AM

She does seem to be tiring of Gambit’s antics. Hopefully a replacement is in order.

How do you think he should be killed off, Timbox?

timbox

01-26-2009, 08:20 AM

How do you think he should be killed off, Timbox?

Something simple and merciful.

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/6754/249905-154675-rogue.jpg

MartinRedmond

01-26-2009, 08:46 AM

It's odd Hellblazer is still being published. It has to be one of the most aimless series ever conceived.

Seres

01-26-2009, 10:08 AM

Something simple and merciful.

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/6754/249905-154675-rogue.jpg

Logistically, that's probably one of the most painful deaths available within the Marvel Universe. You're a monster!

It's odd Hellblazer is still being published. It has to be one of the most aimless series ever conceived.

Not now that Peter Milligan has taken over!

MartinRedmond

01-29-2009, 01:17 PM

Now that I've seen the artist for the next arc, I'm there! http://seangordonmurphy.deviantart.com/

I thought Vertigo had an internal publishing policy against having interior art this good.:confused:
Bring back Milligan on X-Men with Sean G Murphy. >:(

david r

01-29-2009, 08:15 PM

It's odd Hellblazer is still being published. It has to be one of the most aimless series ever conceived.

It is? I thought it was supposed to be a good series. I've thought about getting the trades.

lockerogue

01-29-2009, 08:21 PM

I cannot wait to read your summary and your thoughts on the next issue Seres.

MartinRedmond

01-30-2009, 12:47 PM

It is? I thought it was supposed to be a good series. I've thought about getting the trades.

It's for readers who enjoy reading the exact same crap over and over every month. It's super formulaic .

Seres

01-30-2009, 12:52 PM

I cannot wait to read your summary and your thoughts on the next issue Seres.

I've always admired your taste, lockerogue. Also, you put Darkstar on your Mutant League team. We should be BFF?

It's for readers who enjoy reading the exact same crap over and over every month. It's super formulaic .

And I bet there's a very nice Hellblazer thread somewhere where you can discuss this with others! Looking back at this issue, I'm surprised nobody else has picked up on the idea of Wolverine being an old-timer hitching a ride with the X-Men because they make him feel relevant (try saying that sentence out loud. I bet you can't do it!). He's in about seven different comics, but none of them ever seem to add any new characterisation to the poor old chap.

MartinRedmond

01-30-2009, 12:58 PM

I'm surprised nobody else has picked up on the idea of Wolverine being an old-timer hitching a ride with the X-Men because they make him feel relevant.

Because that's the kind of details that puts Milligan apart from others.

Seres

01-30-2009, 01:03 PM

Because that's the kind of details that puts Milligan apart from others.

And with that, you are instantly redeemed.

Waterlily

01-30-2009, 01:06 PM

Over-all, I plain loved all the craziness in this issue.

I've always admired your taste, lockerogue. Also, you put Darkstar on your Mutant League team. We should be BFF?

And I bet there's a very nice Hellblazer thread somewhere where you can discuss this with others! Looking back at this issue, I'm surprised nobody else has picked up on the idea of Wolverine being an old-timer hitching a ride with the X-Men because they make him feel relevant (try saying that sentence out loud. I bet you can't do it!). He's in about seven different comics, but none of them ever seem to add any new characterisation to the poor old chap.

I said it out loud, although, I found myself having to pause between "ride" and "with".

My favorite semi-recent Wolverine characterization:

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/1013/93931-182409-wolverine_super.jpg

Cassandra Nova makes everyone a better person.

lockerogue

01-30-2009, 01:09 PM

I've always admired your taste, lockerogue. Also, you put Darkstar on your Mutant League team. We should be BFF?

Yes we should.

Seres

01-30-2009, 01:22 PM

Over-all, I plain loved all the craziness in this issue.

I said it out loud, although, I found myself having to pause between "ride" and "with".

My favorite semi-recent Wolverine characterization:

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/1013/93931-182409-wolverine_super.jpg

Cassandra Nova makes everyone a better person.

Admittedly, that was fun. I especially enjoyed seeing Beast defeat Wolverine in battle. But is Wolverine too old for the X-Men? Perhaps he should have his legs broken and be put in a wheelchair so he can become a mentor figure?

Yes we should.

As I am English, I will make you some scones! What are you looking forward to most next issue? Is it Emma?

lockerogue

01-30-2009, 01:32 PM

Admittedly, that was fun. I especially enjoyed seeing Beast defeat Wolverine in battle. But is Wolverine too old for the X-Men? Perhaps he should have his legs broken and be put in a wheelchair so he can become a mentor figure?

As I am English, I will make you some scones! What are you looking forward to most next issue? Is it Emma?

OMG Yes. The next issue is my favorite out of this arc.

Seres

01-30-2009, 01:40 PM

OMG Yes. The next issue is my favorite out of this arc.

I would happily stand by the fact that it's the best opening sequence of any X-Men comic ever.

I don't have any scans though, sadly.

MartinRedmond

01-30-2009, 01:54 PM

And with that, you are instantly redeemed.

LOL You're the one who brought up Hellblazer. Go on! Hit me! The Seres solution to hearing anything Seres doesn't like.

Seres

01-30-2009, 02:01 PM

LOL You're the one who brought up Hellblazer. Go on! Hit me! The Seres solution to hearing anything Seres doesn't like.

I will kick you in the shins. We will take this feud to the streets.

timbox

01-30-2009, 02:50 PM

Perhaps he should have his legs broken and be put in a wheelchair so he can become a mentor figure?

Armor can be his caregiver.

x_goalkeeper

01-30-2009, 04:16 PM

I liked Emma in this run. :smile:

Maybe this is not the right place to ask, but who was considered the leader of this team in the Gologotha arc?

Seres

02-09-2009, 06:36 AM

I liked Emma in this run. :smile:

Maybe this is not the right place to ask, but who was considered the leader of this team in the Gologotha arc?

Havok was meant to be the leader, but he kept second-guessing himself in front of Wolverine, so Emma Frost stepped in.

Perhaps Emma should step-in during War Of Kings too, and sort that mess out before Havok makes things even worse for himself.

Seres

02-09-2009, 06:49 AM

This post is meaningless, I want to put Issue #168's review on a fresh page.

Seres

02-09-2009, 06:49 AM

This post is just as pointless as the last one was.

Seres

02-09-2009, 06:51 AM

X-MEN #168
“Golgotha Part 3: The Crazy Gang"

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/a/a8/X_Men_168_2005.jpg

Featuring: Havok, Rogue, Polaris, Emma Frost, Gambit, Wolverine and Iceman.

In one of the best opening sequences in X-Men history, Emma Frost unconsciously activates Cerebra even while lying on the floor, sending it several orders as she wakes up from being knocked out by Golgotha’s telepathy. What did she ask Cerebra to do? Make her a delicious cup of Lapsang Souchong. Thus satiated by her brew, she contacts Rogue to warn her that there is more than one Golgotha creature out there, but Rogue… well, she’s already found this out, because it’s attacking her team. Havok and Wolverine kill the thing, as Emma notes that some mutants in Los Angeles are still affected by Golgotha’s madness, and will need to be stopped before they kill any more people.

Meanwhile, the aforementioned mad mutants take a much-needed break after their killing-spree in LA, and Boy tells them that it’s time to set up a political manifesto. This idea promptly goes nowhere, as instead a brawl breaks out and a mutant called Frankie kills one of the other members of the group. Boy pulls him off, and tells Frankie not to be so sensitive all the time. Obviously they’re still all mental, then.

Speaking of, the X-Jet reaches LA (they must’ve beaten Golgotha off-panel, then) and Wolverine gives his orders to Havok. He wants some backup and he wants to be picked up by the X-Men once the mission is over. He then makes the customary joke that all X-Men writers make Wolverine say, when he frets about the hassle of getting his claws through airport security. Gambit and Polaris are chosen to go, but Iceman – who last issue mocked Rogue/Gambit, remember – offers to go instead. Havok isn’t happy, and Wolverine grumpily notes that Havok must still have something for Lorna. He then jumps out of the plane before he has to hear Havok complain. Smart move.

Los Angeles is a wreck. More so than usual, even, and the trio make their way through; Wolverine leading. Iceman is a lot nervous at the bad neighbourhood, but Lorna is concerned by the zombified state of many of the citizens. A man comes up to her with a flyer for the local church, but Iceman mistakes the man for an attacker, and freezes him. Polaris sighs at her choice in men, and tells Iceman off. She wanders away, and Wolverine tries to sort out the Lorna/Alex/Bobby triangle all on his own. Iceman protests that he doesn’t owe an explanation to anyone, and that all he wants is to keep Lorna same from everything. “From everything?” Logan says. “In this business? Good luck, Bub.”

On the Boy-front, his army go and attack a movie studio because the producers cancelled a TV show they really liked. One of the victims tries to talk his way out by saying that he’s a comedian, so Frankie asks the comedian to tell a joke. The feller stutters, and then comes out with his best effort: “There’s this Jewish guy, an Arab and a mutant…”

We emerge a short while later, after Frankie has dramatically killed the guy, and Boy asks them what they want to do next. Before they get anywhere, however, Wolverine appears. Brilliantly, the mutants are star-struck to finally meet the great Wolverine, but that doesn’t stop Frankie from attacking, proclaiming “he looks so short in real life!” Wolvie counters, “I think you’re confusing me with Tom Cruise,” and cuts Frankie’s razor-hand thing to pieces. The rest of Boy’s army attack, with Boy himself firing some nifty eye-lasers through Wolverine’s heart. Iceman wastes time icing up this wound, and Wolverine swears at him for being so useless. Luckily, Lorna takes out all the mutants in one swoop, and Iceman praises her ability as if she were a pet. She ignores him, as the X-Jet pulls up above them, and asks if she can have a window seat on the way home.

Back at the institute Emma admires the two Golgotha creatures they’ve captured and killed, which are now in giant tanks of some kind. Havok does not share her admiration. Their conversation is cut short when Wolverine and the team lead in Boy to the room, who is wearing one of Cyclops’ old protective helmets so that he can’t attack anyone with his eyebeams. Havok asks where the rest of the army is, and Lorna starts worrying about them - they’re in cells within the institute, all of them having gone mad. Boy laughs. He tells them that much worse will happen soon, once Golgotha gets into their minds. “In the land of the insane, the somewhat disturbed but not entirely fruitcake is king!” he proclaims, and Wolverine goes to shut him up. Yet Boy starts laughing at Logan, calling him an old man who hangs around with kids as a sad attempt to be relevant. This strikes a nerve, and Wolverine kicks his face in. That was not one of Boy’s wisest tactics.

Gambit pulls Wolverine away but Logan is in a berserker, and pulls his claws on the guy, saying “don’t you ever put your filthy Cajun hands on me again.” This makes Rogue mad, and she breaks up the fight and sends Wolverine away. Because she is fierce. Wolverine goes back to his room to calm down, but can’t stop going over his actions with Gambit. He self-examines himself, and wonders if Boy was right. Is he really just an old guy hoping that the X-Men’s optimism and youth will rub off on him? As ever, he stops his soul-searching to go down the pub for a beer, and heads for the door – but as he stands by the door, Cerebra suddenly hails him and says that the institute is going into lockdown for twenty-four hours. Emma appears behind him, and tells him that she’s issued a quarantine on everyone – so they can “sweat this craziness out”. Crikey!

To Be Continued!

Seres

02-09-2009, 06:54 AM

Thoughts!

This was easily Milligan’s best issue to date – from the fun characterisation which includes a new angle on Logan (and it can’t be easy to find one of those) right through to the pacing, which is FAR less confusing and bizarre. Emma and Wolverine especially come out well, while Polaris and Rogue also get small moments to shine amid the building plotline of the Golgotha arc. Especially good are the throwaway lines, with some completely mad phrase and words tossed out casually from all the characters, seemingly at random. Boy's 'fruitcake' line is silly and madcap, and Polaris gets a load of strange nonsense to spout. The setup is improving in texture, and the sense of tension is slowly mounting. Larocca’s artwork is gaining expression, too.

All in all, things are rapidly improving during this arc.

Best Emma Frost Ever?

Emma Frost is the one character who stands out above all the others in Milligan's writing. He seems to have a great grasp on her character, and exploits it ruthlessly during Golgotha. She is smart, snobbish, and sarcastic, and yet deeply insecure at heart. Grant Morrison is widely thought to be the man who defined the 'new' Emma Frost, but is there a chance that during his run, Milligan bettered this portrayal? With no Cyclops or Jean Grey to get in the way, he was given free reign to explore how Emma functions with a general group of mutants, and she comes off as simultaneously eager to help and standoffish. Milligan comes into the series between Morrison and Joss Whedon, who are both considered to have done great things for Emma. So, was this period of time one of the best ever for fans of Frost?

timbox

02-09-2009, 07:51 AM

Milligan's Emma is good but I missed having Jean around for her to be constantly mocking.

This issue was indeed magical.

Come To Deathstrike

02-09-2009, 08:08 AM

darknessatnoon

02-09-2009, 08:40 AM

I have never had Lapsang Souchong tea.

Is it good? Shall I order some?

timbox

02-09-2009, 08:41 AM

I have never had Lapsang Souchong tea.

Is it good? Shall I order some?

It tastes like a camp fire, I am sure you'd enjoy it. It was good enough for Emma.

B. Kuwanger

02-09-2009, 09:37 AM

Seres

02-09-2009, 10:36 AM

Now, this may be the dumbest post many of you have ever read, but I love Milligan to the point of often not reading his books. Sometimes they're too awesome. It's been a long time, and I have yet to finish X-Statix, Shade, Rogan Gosh, or Enigma, even though they're all under my bed. Some of his X-Men run is also under my bed. I doubt it's too awesome to read, in fact I know it's not, but the bits I did read it weren't that bad, either.

I'll actually finish buying the run today or tomorrow and see if I can keep up and get a good opinion of it.

Given that Timbox is currently wittering on about camp fires, your post strikes me as enlightened in contrast. I wish I knew more about Milligan outside of this run, but alas I live on TPBs, and it is hard to find a complete run available anywhere. Likely, they are far too awesome for anyone to be allowed to physically read.

timbox

02-09-2009, 10:44 AM

Sometimes I have to put Seres on ignore for a period of time because their posts are too awesome to read.

Seres

02-09-2009, 10:50 AM

Sometimes I have to put Seres on ignore for a period of time because their posts are too awesome to read.

I know where you live.

timbox

02-09-2009, 10:58 AM

I know where you live.

I'll have the Lapsang Souchong waiting.

Seres

02-09-2009, 11:08 AM

Milligan is love.

THOUGHTS.

Astonishing can have Cyclops and no Emma.
Uncanny can have them together.
X-Men can have Emma and no Cyclops.

This way everyone is getting the A-list characters.
But they are allowed to shine like Milligan's.
And Make Lapsang Souchong

I can't remember how good Carey is with Emma Frost. She should shun Xavier and Rogue and have a solo title, which features Firestar and most of her family. Cameos from Cyclops and Wolverine and Beast and the Cuckoos, naturally, but also there will be pages and pages devoted to Emma visiting other famous Marvel characters and verbally taking them apart.

I'll have the Lapsang Souchong waiting.

Please don't set me on fire.

jarrod

02-09-2009, 11:10 AM

Quarantine! Ugh, I want to talk about NEXT week's ish already!

Milligan's Emma <3 <3

jarrod

02-09-2009, 11:13 AM

I can't remember how good Carey is with Emma Frost. She should shun Xavier and Rogue and have a solo title, which features Firestar and most of her family. Cameos from Cyclops and Wolverine and Beast and the Cuckoos, naturally, but also there will be pages and pages devoted to Emma visiting other famous Marvel characters and verbally taking them apart.
Carey's Emma has annoying Claremontian super competency (ie: Storm, Sage, Kitty ,etc) but she's still harsh and slightly sadistic. A step up from most, but not on level with Milligan/Morrsion imo, there's no humor in it.

Come To Deathstrike

02-09-2009, 11:18 AM

I do not suggest Emma go into Carey's hands.
I simply say she is most fabulous when she is alone.
(UXM ANNUAL #2 - FRACTION FIERCE)

Hi-Fi

02-09-2009, 11:21 AM

The next issue is the best issue of Milligan's run and simply one of my favorite X-Men issues ever. Get to it already, Seres.

lockerogue

02-09-2009, 11:30 AM

So I've decided that this issue and the next issue are my favorites throughout Milligan's run.

Seres

02-09-2009, 11:34 AM

I do not suggest Emma go into Carey's hands.
I simply say she is most fabulous when she is alone.
(UXM ANNUAL #2 - FRACTION FIERCE)

I defer to you, as always. Solo Emma is Ghetto Fine.

Quarantine! Ugh, I want to talk about NEXT week's ish already!

Milligan's Emma <3 <3

The next issue is the best issue of Milligan's run and simply one of my favorite X-Men issues ever. Get to it already, Seres.

So I've decided that this issue and the next issue are my favorites throughout Milligan's run.

The issue summary is only a fortnight away. No pressure!
Don'tpanicdon'tpanicDON'TPANIC.

Personally, I think I prefer Bizarre Love Triangle to Golgotha.

timbox

02-09-2009, 11:35 AM

Seres, you are in demand.

I hope you can perform.

jarrod

02-09-2009, 11:39 AM

Personally, I think I prefer Bizarre Love Triangle to Golgotha.
OMG totally.

Nothing beats Misty feeding Onyxx toilet. <3 <3

Seres

02-09-2009, 11:42 AM

Seres, you are in demand.

I hope you can perform.

It's all sex, sex, sex with you.

OMG totally.

Nothing beats Misty feeding Onyxx toilet. <3 <3

I'm going to go read it again! A Xorn-style retcon is required to bring back Foxx!

MartinRedmond

02-09-2009, 11:50 AM

Carey's Emma has annoying Claremontian super competency (ie: Storm, Sage, Kitty ,etc) but she's still harsh and slightly sadistic. A step up from most, but not on level with Milligan/Morrsion imo, there's no humor in it.

As opposed to Milligan's? Milligan made her: law expert, doctor, surgeon, psychiatrist, ho, etc...

jarrod

02-09-2009, 11:53 AM

As opposed to Milligan's? Milligan made her: law expert, doctor, surgeon, psychiatrist, ho, etc...
Milligan only followed others leads on most of those. Except surgeon, which was brilliant.

darknessatnoon

02-09-2009, 12:34 PM

I do not suggest Emma go into Carey's hands.
I simply say she is most fabulous when she is alone.
(UXM ANNUAL #2 - FRACTION FIERCE)

That issue has a glaring prejudice induced error in it. I bought several copies but I am shredding them.

jarrod

02-09-2009, 02:12 PM

That issue has a glaring prejudice induced error in it.
Shaw getting pwnmed by Emma Frost? I know, as if!

Seres

02-23-2009, 06:56 AM

X-MEN #169
Golgotha Part 4: "Quarantine!”

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/c/c1/Wolverine_and_Rogue234.jpg

Featuring: Havok, Rogue, Polaris, Emma Frost, Gambit, Wolverine and Iceman.
Guest Starring: Imaginary Cyclops! Imaginary Mr Sinister! Gazer!

Emma Frost finally explains what’s going on for us poor readers. The Institute is being locked down for twenty-four hours because Golgotha has escaped. Emma has realised that the giant fungus things were just a shell for the little Golgotha pod that lives inside, and has now escaped and is somewhere in the building. If they don’t destroy it within twenty-four hours, it’ll reproduce and cause a whole mess of other troubles. The students have been locked in their rooms (must be strong doors then) so they won’t be a problem, and Emma doesn’t expect to be affected herself by the telepathic waves of crazy Golgotha emits. But then she looks in the mirror and sees her reflection has begun to age. She’s growing fat… and ugly. Oh dear, Emma.

The rest of the team are out investigating, with Polaris and Iceman searching through the kitchens and Gambit and Rogue investigating the tunnels. Ha! Brilliant. A creature which makes you go crazy and visualise your fears is in the building, and you send Gambit to the tunnels. That'll go really well. Rogue and G-Man talk for a bit, but then sense that something is in the tunnels with them… Back with the other pair, and Lorna asks Bobby how he’s feeling. He’s says that he’s fine, but we get a look at the world through his ice-o-vision. He’s losing it. They go to the hangar and Lorna says they should check the jet. Straight away, Iceman says “Okay. That bird’s cleaner than Scott Summer’s underwear. Let’s go”. Lorna is understandably confused by Iceman, seeing how they never went into the jet, but believes Bobby and decides she must’ve had a blackout. She’s not helped by Bobby forcing his opinion on Lorna, and he then starts patronising her – “Don’t do that again, Lorna. It scares me” he tells her, so she blasts him away. He’s really irritating in this scene. She asks one more time if they did check the jet, and he assures her that they did.

We cut to a splash page of the pod sat in the jet. It looks adorable!

The something which is in the tunnels with Rogue and Gambit turns out to be Wolverine. He’s gone mad and paranoid on his own and is scratching up the walls something proper. You teach those walls, Logan! Before they can do anything, Logan grabs Gambit and accuses Remy of treating him like a silly old man. Rogue isn’t happy about this, and touches Logan on the back of the neck and takes him down. Instead of being happy though, Gambit is annoyed that Rogue fought his battle for him, and starts complaining about their “pretend” relationship. He says that if they could touch, they wouldn’t stay together and she’d have been just another one-night stand. He leaves her with Wolverine, saying that they always had a thing for each other anyway. Rogue is shocked, and this gives Wolverine a chance to take advantage of her – he says “is it craziness to say we always had a thing for each other?” and kisses her. Letch. And then, of course, Rogue’s powers sucks his life away. Before she finishes killing him, Emma telepathically breaks them up. She needs Rogue’s help, because her reflection has grown even more old and unattractive.

Gambit now has some time to himself, and convinces himself that he was right – he shouldn’t be with Rogue. Not because he’s a dick, though. Because she’s emotionally unavailable as a result of being unable to touch anyone. Naturally. He stops dead, as someone confronts him...

Emma is in her room, worrying about her looks. The only option for her is a face-life, she decides. She could even do it herself, so she picks up a pair of scissors and holds it up to her face… but she’s interrupted by Cyclops. “What’s wrong?” he asks, and she unloads. She’s terrified that if she ever lost her looks, Scott would leave her forever, and as she reveals all her fears we see that she’s talking not to Scott, but to a very confused Havok. He tries to explain but she knocks him down and reads his mind – and oh dear, sees that ‘Scott’ is in love with Polaris. Emma does not take this well at all, and starts psychically crippling Havok in revenge. Luckily Rogue turns up and breaks up the fight, and Emma realises the illusion she’s in. “Glad to be of assistance, bub”, she says, and Emma asks her why she’s acting like Wolverine. This leads to a brilliant scene of Rogue claiming that she is Wolverine – and to prove it, tries to pop out her claws. When she fails, she sits on the floor on her own, scared. Poor Rogue.

Lorna and Iceman have found Gambit, who is fighting an illusionary Mr Sinister. It’s hilarious. They stand there and wonder if they should break up the psychosis or not, and Lorna leaves this problem for Iceman to solve, seeing how she’s just had an idea. Once she leaves, Iceman freezes the entire sewers in fear. Polaris’ plan involves not believing Bobby and re-checking the jet. Which, naturally, is now covered in a gigantic spawn thing. She goes to tell the team, and they reassemble before the jet. Havok complains at the failure of the Polaris/Iceman team to spot the pod first time round, and gets into a hissy fit with Iceman where they fight for the attentions of Lorna while she wears a pained expression of “leave me the hell alone you childish losers”. Okay, I’m probably reading too much into it, but still. Alex and Bobby both make very clear their intentions with Lorna, and Emma breaks it up, disgusted by both of them for being so rubbish.

Emma sums up the issue, just as she began it, into her Dictaphone. She let Havok kill the Golgotha pod, even though she wanted to study it, and the X-Men sent the ashes into space. She sits back and relaxes at the end of the mission, but gets a message from Gazer, a mutant stationed in space. He has something to show her – a swarm of Golgotha are heading towards Earth, looking for vengeance…

To be concluded!

Seres

02-23-2009, 07:02 AM

Thoughts!

This was easily the best issue of the Golgotha arc so far (and using my powers, I can say comfortably that next issue will not be better) as we finally got down to what Milligan created the threat for in the first place - to get a better look into the minds of all the main characters. We get somewhat standard beats for Gambit and Iceman, but seeing Polaris keep it together despite being the character you'd assume would fall apart first was great. Emma Frost's daydream made for the best scenes of the issue, as you could laugh at her but also sympathise with her motivations. She's not sure of herself, despite her desire to make everyone think she is.

Milligan nailed a lot of characterisation and created a lot of new ideas of his own. I still really like the idea of making Logan feel like he's clinging to the X-Men to make him feel valid, and not a useless old man. There's mileage there which never got followed up on by any other writers, which is a shame.

Salvador Larocca doesn't make any of the events too showy, and his storytelling is rather impressive in this issue. Sometimes his work makes things look a little generic, but during this arc he's been generally sound. His depiction of wrinkly Emma is just the right amount of crazy. It's nice that Milligan is trying to tell a proper story, but keeping his weirdness intact. He's almost playing it straight. Almost.

jarrod

02-23-2009, 07:04 AM

Ems, Po and Rogue rocked this ish. As usual. <3 <3

Ugh, guys!

MartinRedmond

02-23-2009, 07:48 AM

[CENTER]X-MEN #169
Golgotha Part 4: "Quarantine!” The students have been locked in their rooms (must be strong doors then) so they won’t be a problem,

Did the student rooms include a bathroom? Knowing Emma will let mutants sleep in tiny tents along with murderers, while the school is full of huge empty rooms, I wouldn't put it past her to leave them all 24 hours without basic necessities.

Seres

02-24-2009, 10:28 AM

Ems, Po and Rogue rocked this ish. As usual. <3 <3

Ugh, guys!

Totally! The girls dominate every arc Milligan ever wrote. I bet he'd do a great job on a Miss Sinister solo series.

Did the student rooms include a bathroom? Knowing Emma will let mutants sleep in tiny tents along with murderers, while the school is full of huge empty rooms, I wouldn't put it past her to leave them all 24 hours without basic necessities.

The students are useless. Once they prove capable of not dying when left on their own for more than a few hours, they can have bathroom privileges.

Hi-Fi

02-24-2009, 10:34 AM

X-Men #169 is a masterpiece.

Pixie_Solanas

02-24-2009, 10:59 AM

Shaw getting pwnmed by Emma Frost? I know, as if!

Yeah, complete bunko. Fraction and fierce does not compute.

Is Milligan's run on X-men compiled in trade?

Seres

02-24-2009, 11:06 AM

Yeah, complete bunko. Fraction and fierce does not compute.

Is Milligan's run on X-men compiled in trade?

Completely. Golgotha, Bizarre Love Triangle, Wild Kingdom (with Black Panther), X-men... The Day After and Blood Of Apocalypse are all in trade, although Blood of Apocalypse is a nightmare to find anywhere.

lockerogue

02-24-2009, 11:09 AM

I fucking love this issue.

timbox

02-24-2009, 11:17 AM

Yeah, complete bunko. Fraction and fierce does not compute.

Is Milligan's run on X-men compiled in trade?

Marvel.com has it all in digital format too, if you're into that sort of thing.

Pixie_Solanas

02-24-2009, 11:18 AM

Marvel.com has it all in digital format too, if you're into that sort of thing.

I'm a luddite, I like the tactile sensation of paper against my sweaty man palms.

timbox

03-09-2009, 11:35 AM

I have it on good authority that #170 is ready. What seems to be the problem, Seres? Are you waiting for a fresh page to appear?

Seres

03-09-2009, 11:37 AM

I have it on good authority that #170 is ready. What seems to be the problem, Seres? Are you waiting for a fresh page to appear?

Who are you, and how do you know my username?

timbox

03-09-2009, 11:39 AM

Who are you, and how do you know my username?

It's right here, written on the wall of this filthy public restroom.

Seres

03-09-2009, 11:50 AM

X-MEN #170
Golgotha Part 5: "Fall-Out”

http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/c/c2/X_Men_170_2005.jpg

Featuring: Havok, Rogue, Polaris, Emma Frost, Gambit, Wolverine and Iceman.
And: Gazer!

This issue is going to be a pain to recap(itulate? ture? I don’t know what recap is short for), because it’s almost definitely the single worst issue Milligan wrote for the X-Men. If you remember the team were recently besieged by giant fungus creatures called ‘Golgotha’ which fed off thoughts and made them realise their worst fears. Well, just as they managed to kill off the last Golgotha on Earth, a whole herd of them began to swarn towards Earth from space. We start the issue with Emma Frost trying to persuade a US general to let the X-Men deal with the swarm, but the president is apparently very happy about the idea of having a war – I’m guessing this was written during Bush’s time in power. Good ol’ Blighty writers! – with aliens, and rejects them. Polaris and Emma start complaining at him until he gives in, and gives them a week to stop the Golgotha. Cut to a splash of a space shuttle taking off.

So now we’re in space, Emma counts the number of aliens to be destroyed – three hundred and sixty two! Lorna starts feeling a bit uncomfortable with the mission, and Iceman tells her that she can stay back if she wants. Havok, of course, is a prick about it and insists she forms the main part of the attack, along with himself. Meanwhile, Wolverine stands back and mutters darkly to himself. Havok sees this as the perfect time for an inspirational speech, and discusses all the slightly mad things (“crazy” says Lorna) they’ve done over the past few days. He thinks they should pretend that none of it ever happened. Way to go, Havok.

Rogue and Gambit, who in this issue are actually quite sweet together, are standing by a big window. She asks him for a glass of water, and he vanishes for a page – therefore getting to miss all of Havok’s speech. The rest of the team agree that it would be for the best to forget everything – apart from Wolverine, who just grunts. Perhaps he’s devolving. Iceman says “Compared to you guys, I’m like a picture of mental health,” which seems a bit cruel with Lorna standing next to him. I wish Iceman would die. Gazer, who lives on the satellite they’re currently in, appears and Emma introduces him to the others. Gambit reappears with a glass of water for Rogue. Aww. Gazer tells them about the satellite, and how his mutant power allows him to withstand the massive amounts of radiation which is prevalent on the satellite. Havok starts to complain, but Gazer cuts him off, and asks if anyone wants to play chess. Gazer is amusingly befuddled. The team decide to put on their suits and get on with it.

As they do so, Gambit apologises to Rogue, and she accepts it. They put on their helmets and blow kisses to each other. Wolverine, on the other hand, isn’t sure why he’s there – the claws aren’t much use in space, really. Havok tells him that it’s because he is a born leader, and has experience. Logan worries is that’s just another word for “senior citizen”, but Alex assures him that Wolverine can’t ever grow old. He’s always going to be The Wolverine. He then tells Rogue to absorb some of his powers in prep for the fight, and with that they leave the satellite. Havok leads the way, and tells them all not to think too much – “should be second nature to you, Iceman”, brilliant – but Lorna tells him off for being too hard on Bobby. You can never be too hard on Bobby, Lorna. He’s an idiot.

Iceman, Polaris and Lorna start bickering and it’s quite confusing to tell what’s going on, but Gambit gets irritated at Iceman for shirking his duty, so all is as you’d expect. The Golgotha swarm, but the team see them off without too much difficulty. Suddenly Havok and Lorna vanish. Iceman panics, and even Wolverine starts to get nervous at their absence, and wonders if this is part of Havok’s plan to get her on her own. Wolverine and Iceman continue explaining their theory to Emma, who gets very irritated with the pair of them, but then Wolverine decides to make a break for it and see if he can find them. Again, it’s next to impossible to work out what’s actually going on in at the moment. Before Logan can go anywhere though, the Golgotha all explode simultaneously. Emma guesses this must be some kind of hive mentality, and Wolverine calls her on making up her theories as she goes along. She smiles and agrees.

From out of the massive explosion come Polaris and Havok, and the X-Men all float together in a circle. Havok is mad that the rest of the team all thought he was trying to take Lorna for himself in a suicide pact, Wolverine tells him to forget about it. Giant space fear-monsters, and all that. The last Golgotha starts to sneak away. Iceman asks Lorna is she’s alright, but she seems traumatised. “It looked right at me…” she mutters, before she blasts the last Golgotha to pieces. Iceman pushes her on what she saw, but sh shrugs him off. She doesn’t want to talk about it. With a smile, she asks if they can get back indoors now.

On the way back home, Emma reveals that the only reason they were allowed into space in the first place is because the General assumed they’d all get killed, and thus there’d be seven less mutants to worry about. “You chose not to share this with us?” Wolverine asks. Emma says that she didn’t want them having negative thoughts before they went into battle. That made me laugh.

Back at the White House, the mutant-hating general has been impressed by the team’s work. He asks the President if they should really keep this a secret from the World. The President replies “I got nothing against these people personally… but that doesn’t mean I want to turn them into heroes.” Oh, George!

Seres

03-09-2009, 11:54 AM

Thoughts:

The character stuff at the start was really fun, but the scenes of battle were utterly confusing and impossible to understand. Putting the characters into spacesuits makes it difficult to tell any of them apart, which was a mistake on Milligan's part which is heightened through Larocca providing no visual distinction between the different outfits. This makes it very difficult to tell which character is saying what, which distracts from the flow of the battle in space: itself, a poorly defined premise stretched out for too long. If the Golgotha spent four issues making it hell for the X-Men, how come they now float around waiting to be destroyed by Havok?

It’s a silly, overdone ending to a story which probably never needed to exist. What would've been more interesting is if Milligan had spent the issue dealing with the fallout of his last issue, preparing for his next arc, 'Bizarre Love Triangle'. As it stands, Golgotha is a decent story let down by an over-the-top finale which exists for no apparent reason. On to Bizarre Love Triangle!

MartinRedmond

03-09-2009, 12:02 PM

Perhaps he’s devolving. Iceman says “Compared to you guys, I’m like a picture of mental health,” which seems a bit cruel with Lorna standing next to him.

I remember that. His iceman was so boyish. Whoever ghostwrote that for Milligan gets my appreciation. Why couldn't Lorna understand that Bobby leading her by the nose with his wisdom was RIGHT for her? ;)

jarrod

03-09-2009, 12:56 PM

OMG I cannot wait for BLT!!

Seres

03-09-2009, 01:24 PM

I remember that. His iceman was so boyish. Whoever ghostwrote that for Milligan gets my appreciation. Why couldn't Lorna understand that Bobby leading her by the nose with his wisdom was RIGHT for her? ;)

Honestly? I always hoped Lorna would end up with Emma. They seemed perfect for each other, during this run. Havok and Iceman come off as whiny and insecure (granted, there is a large pod creature making them like this during 'Golgotha', but then they retain this attitude during the rest of the run). Milligan was much better with women than men - I think most people would probably agree with that?

OMG I cannot wait for BLT!!

If I fall behind schedule, you'll have to pick up the slack for me. Can you handle the burden?

Frank

03-09-2009, 01:30 PM

It was rather underwhelming and boring. I also didn't like Larroca's new art style(I like even less what he's doing now).

It was like Milligan was too restrained, he wasn't allowed to go nuts.

jarrod

03-09-2009, 01:32 PM

Seres, I commented on the Emma/Lorna potential the Polaris thread! So much obvious room for common ground and chemistry!

If I fall behind schedule, you'll have to pick up the slack for me. Can you handle the burden?
OMG! I want to but I'm too OCD/lazy to actually do full reviews... it would read like bizarro-Novaya. :/

x_goalkeeper

03-09-2009, 03:47 PM

I liked the entire golgotha arc really, but the ending was the least interesting of the issues. It was OK but it was the weakest of a strong group :smile:

MartinRedmond

03-09-2009, 04:23 PM

[ QUOTE=Seres;8545466] Milligan was much better with women than men - I think most people would probably agree with that? [/QUOTE]

Not really. Rogue was a whinner, Lorna was nuts and Emma was vain. Iceman was my favorite, he was so clueless, trying to carry a sinking ship.

alf_to_the_rescue

03-09-2009, 05:15 PM

The Golgotha arc was my favourite arc, but I agree the last issue was the weakest, but not the weakest in his run. That honour i would bestow on the Black Panther tie in.

Seres

03-09-2009, 05:36 PM

Seres, I commented on the Emma/Lorna potential the Polaris thread! So much obvious room for common ground and chemistry!

OMG! I want to but I'm too OCD/lazy to actually do full reviews... it would read like bizarro-Novaya. :/

When Lorna returns to Earth (which is going to happen, people) I hope that she gets treated as a senior member of the team. Cyclops could be maimed somehow, and Lorna can take his place! Polaris/Emma should be in charge!

Not really. Rogue was a whinner, Lorna was nuts and Emma was vain. Iceman was my favorite, he was so clueless, trying to carry a sinking ship.

Oh, but personally I hate Iceman, so I'm never going to appreciate anyone who writes him. He is inappropriate to my eyes. Emma and Lorna - despite their varying issues - were the most fun characters in his entire run.

I liked the entire golgotha arc really, but the ending was the least interesting of the issues. It was OK but it was the weakest of a strong group :smile:

I agree. Definitely Milligan should've given this extra issue over to extra-Bizarre Love Triangle setup.

The Golgotha arc was my favourite arc, but I agree the last issue was the weakest, but not the weakest in his run. That honour i would bestow on the Black Panther tie in.

Luckily, we plan on avoiding the Black Panther crossover. Handy!

x_goalkeeper

03-10-2009, 05:04 AM

I agree. Definitely Milligan should've given this extra issue over to extra-Bizarre Love Triangle setup.

I think it would have been better that way too! The space issue as the start of Bizarre Love triangle.. Foxx could have invaded the X-Mansion while Emma and the team were in space. Then when they come back Emma decides Foxx is under Gambit's teaching :smile:

Seres

03-23-2009, 08:11 AM

X-MEN #171
“Bizarre Love Triangle Part 1: Dangerous Liaisons”

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/thumb/d/d6/Xmen171.jpg/398px-Xmen171.jpg

Featuring: Havok, Rogue, Polaris, Emma Frost, Gambit, Wolverine and Iceman.
And introducing: Foxx, Rain Boy, Onyxx, Flubber, Bling!

Firstly, a quick look at the cover: Rogue and Gambit are facing opposite direction, looking pensive! You’d almost think that Gambit was thinking about something, if that wasn’t for the fact that he is Gambit, and we all know he never thinks properly. New character Foxx is separating them, whilst Emma stares out the cover without any interest in what’s going on. Havok is firing a blast of energy upwards for no reason, and seems completely oblivious. Larocca’s characterisation of Alex Summers continues to be spot-on.

Onto the issue, the first of four-parter ‘Bizarre Love Triangle’! We see a silhouetted character, a teenager, on the run from a gang of persecuting humans. As she runs through a forest they set dogs on her, but she breaks their necks and leaps the gate into the Xavier Institute, where she can ask for sanctuary. Emma Frost is naturally impressed by this display, although Havok isn’t sure if the girl, named Foxx – “a proper noun or a verb”? asks Emma – should stay at the institute. He especially feels it would be a bad idea to place Foxx on Gambit’s team of students, given Remy’s past history of shagging absolutely anything he can. He’d rather Foxx went with Iceman instead, but Emma turns him down because she is more powerful and important than he is. Bobby wouldn’t be much better, she tells him, before asking Havok is Foxx really is as attractive as all the men have been saying. Havok, the dirty bastard, stares at a photo of her and goes “oh ye-eah”. I hope Lorna dumps him after War Of Kings.

Gambit is training his team – Onyxx, Flubber, Rain Boy (ugh) and Bling! in the danger room when Emma introduces them all to their newest team member. Foxx walks in, and is apparently Neve Campbell with blue hair. Instantly she creeps me out by asking Gambit if he could give her some “one-to-one” lessons, so Bling! steps in to tell her to stop being such a tramp. Emma Frost seems to know more than she’s letting on, here.

So anyway, Emma Frost spends a lot of her time during this issue offering counselling sessions for Gambit and Rogue, in the hope that eventually they’ll be able to touch each other and do rude stuff. In the first telepathic-sequence we see, the two of them are having a picnic and sharing some of the most dreadful romantic talk ever put into a comic. They start kissing, which prompts Rogue to think back over her past with the Cajun. Because she’s so caught up in her daydream she kisses Gambit for so long that he shrivels up and dies. It’s hilarious.

If that wasn’t enough romantic nonsense for you, Iceman and Polaris are at the X-men canteen sharing a conversation about when Havok used to cook a Thanksgiving meal using his powers. Lorna worries that she shouldn’t be talking about Havok in front of Iceman, but he says it’s fine. She gives him a kiss and Rogue, behind in the queue and wearing a skeletal expression, flips out and throws fire at them “can you two please stop slobbering over each other?” she asks. Iceman is mad, but Lorna is thankful that someone tried to kill Bobby because he’s awful. Rogue storms out in a huff, and bumps into Foxx. Foxx wants to tell Rogue how much she admires the X-Lady, but Rogue brushes her off. Foxx leaves, only for Onyxx to make a pass at her. She tells, him, and in this one line of dialogue I think everyone can work out what’s going on here, “The only fun I might have with you is tearing off your ridiculous face. Now remove your hand before I leave you with a stump.” Yeah, I think that probably explains a lot.

In the canteen, Havok presses Lorna on what it was she saw in space that freaked her out. Iceman is overly defensive. They squabble until Lorna gets pissed off and throws them both to the floor, telling them to just die already so she can start dating characters who aren’t annoying. What’s great about this scene is that Wolverine is sat there the whole time, watching and saying nothing.

Back in Emma’s psychic dojo, Gambit is recovering from the astral body-suck thing which happened with Rogue. Emma explains that she had to put him into a forced coma in order to recover properly, and Rogue worries about their decision to have these psychic sessions. Emma doesn’t know if they’ll work, and they’re pretty dangerous. Gambit wakes up and is a bit disgruntled as dying psychically, or as he puts it “I got sucked dry, just as I reached a romantic crescendo.” How delightful. As he stalks out Emma tells Rogue not to worry. He’ll get over it, “probably”.

He gets over it by beating up his students in one of the training rooms. Funny thing is? Still a better tutor than Magneto. Before Foxx can enter the fight he ends the training, and heads off for a shower. Rogue and Wolverine are watching from being a one-way mirror, and Logan tries to calm Rogue’s nerves. She doesn’t see any reason to worry – “Gambit would never be unfaithful” she declares. Wolverine doesn’t look so sure about that. At least Foxx isn’t dressed up as a nun! She is, however, waiting for Gambit in the showers, and tries to seduce him by systematically insulting everything about him. If you haven’t guessed what’s going on yet, you haven’t read enough X-Men comics.

She tells him: “Your prime was several years ago. And every celibate day moves you further away from your peak. Your libido fades by the hour”. With that she leaves, and Gambit has to lower the temperature of his shower. He's tempted!

To be continued!

Mitsaso

03-23-2009, 08:26 AM

timbox

03-23-2009, 08:35 AM

I agree with Mitaso.

I would also like to applaud Seres on a wonderful review.

psycwave

03-23-2009, 08:39 AM

Wonderful review Seres! you know I actually liked the concept of Foxx. She would have been a great X-forcer. I loved her pale skin and blue hair and that the fact that grown men were lusting for her underage lady parts.

Seres

03-23-2009, 11:51 AM

"Bizarre Love Triangle" was my favorite arc of Milligan's X-men.

The whole thing is just so deliciously scandalous!
And the main concept of you-know-who hitting on Gambit in order to you-know-why is so fresh, so wrong and yet so right!

What I also love was the usage of the word "bizarre" in the title! It's one of my favorite english words! yay!!!

The last scene of this issue had some scorching art by Larocca. Shame his art went to hell a few issues later...

I was looking at the cover as I posted this issue, and I was impressed by how clean it looked. I think half the trouble is that Larocca's colourists make everything grimy or shiny, and this definitely becomes a bit of a problem later on.

I agree with Mitaso.

I would also like to applaud Seres on a wonderful review.

Stop being so sexy.

Wonderful review Seres! you know I actually liked the concept of Foxx. She would have been a great X-forcer. I loved her pale skin and blue hair and that the fact that grown men were lusting for her underage lady parts.

Gambit, Havok and Iceman all need serious therapy, given their reactions to this girl. Especially Iceman.

MartinRedmond

03-23-2009, 11:55 AM

No way, Iceman is the best thing for Polaris, if only he'd OBEY her despite her mild to average interest in him.

Pixie_Solanas

03-23-2009, 11:58 AM

Foxx was one of my favorite characters ever until the cornball Mystique reveal. Just a completely wrong character in every sense of the word, how could you NOT appreciate that level of boundary-crossing?

IseeFrost

03-23-2009, 02:01 PM

I liked his run...it was honestly original and dealt more with the internal workings of the team than "villian of the week"

Everyone, but Lorna, going insane was awesome

Prodigy55

03-23-2009, 02:05 PM

Foxx <33333333333

But I don't like the rest of Gambit's squad.

Pixie_Solanas

03-23-2009, 02:41 PM

Foxx <33333333333

But I don't like the rest of Gambit's squad.

Onyxx and some other rock dyke broad. And some other guy? Blob Herman?

jarrod

03-23-2009, 03:04 PM

Disliking Bling! is against CBR TOS. Cronin just hasn't updated the rules yet.

And Onyxx eats toilets. How can you not like that?

Pixie_Solanas

03-23-2009, 03:25 PM

Disliking Bling! is against CBR TOS. Cronin just hasn't updated the rules yet.

And Onyxx eats toilets. How can you not like that?

BLING! That's right.

I always liked Onyxx - preferred him to Rockslide as the burly, rock-like jackass of the group. And the toilet-eating was a definite check in the credit column for him.

Plus, he had the hotttz for Foxx.

Prodigy55

03-23-2009, 08:25 PM

Seres

03-23-2009, 08:34 PM

Is there some Bling appearance other than this run and her random cameo in 1 issue of New X-Men?

Onyxx is the best of them. I like his profile in Messiah Complex: Mutant Files, that toilet attack caused him severe trauma.

She appeared in Jim McCann's X-Men Christmas Special! That was a magical issue, that one. Otherwise, she has been noticably absent from comics.

Anti-lesbianism agenda? Joe Q won't let Fraction 'out' Pixie or Armor, after all...

Prodigy55

03-23-2009, 08:38 PM

Good, I hate that broad.

Pixie is obv a lesbo though, Fraction is waiting for the Sisterhood arc so he can expose it.

psycwave

03-23-2009, 09:35 PM

Yes Onyxx is definitely the superior out of ugh...Rockslide. Its not even a competition.
Bling! is a princess and she will be respected.
And Agent_Torpor the childs name was Flubber, never mistake him for the great GLOB Herman we all know and love.

You are on notice.

x_goalkeeper

03-24-2009, 02:20 AM

I liked the way Emma decided to play with danger by putting Foxx with Gambit's team. It was good for the story and in Emma's personality :smile:

Pixie_Solanas

03-26-2009, 03:16 PM

Milligan needs a return to the X-world.

Underrated gems, he did produce.

Push You Down

03-26-2009, 03:50 PM

reading this may cause eyes and ears to bleed.... also... it sucks.

Pixie_Solanas

03-26-2009, 05:05 PM

reading this may cause eyes and ears to bleed.... also... it sucks.

Milligan was the thinking man's x-run.

Azure

04-18-2009, 12:04 PM

Bizarre Love Triangle was a brilliant, fun storyline. I hope no-one minds if I write the next issue review/recap thingy?

timbox

04-18-2009, 12:15 PM

Bizarre Love Triangle was a brilliant, fun storyline. I hope no-one minds if I write the next issue review/recap thingy?

Oh I supposed that would be alright, but you cannot possibly do as great of a job as the fabulous Seres(S).

NewMutant

04-18-2009, 12:37 PM

I liked the way Emma decided to play with danger by putting Foxx with Gambit's team. It was good for the story and in Emma's personality :smile:

I thought Milligan wrote Emma really well. I enjoyed most of his run, not a fav, but was decent. His first arc ended up being the worst.

Azure

04-20-2009, 05:13 AM

X-MEN #172
“Bizarre Love Triangle Part 2: Temptation”

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/77/88558-10731-106171-1-x-men_super.jpg

Featuring: Havok, Rogue, Polaris, Emma Frost, Gambit, and Iceman.
And: Foxx, Gambit’s Student Squad, The Stepford Cuckoos, and Nightcrawler.

The cover: new student Foxx takes the entirety of the cover, in a cleverly arranged pose which has her not only holding a knife behind her back but also one of Gambit’s playing guards in front of her. She’s wearing some totally bodacious earrings, and a butterfly is happily perched on the very tip of the knife. It’s a great cover.

We start the issue with Gambit approaching Foxx in the showers, intent on arranging a ‘meeting’, “Guilt-free.” They get closer… and then Gambit wakes up. Total psyche-out, dude! It was all a dream! Although as his scream upon snapping out of the dream wakes up Rogue, sleeping in the bed next to him, he decides to tell her that it was a nightmare instead. He sits up, and Salvador Larocca draws his bum in much the same way he used to draw Sage’s. Rogue thinks it’d be fun to analyse the dream together, because she is apparently now into mysticism, but Gambit shrugs her off. He needs a cold shower again.

Next day, the pair attend a psychic therapy session with good ol’ Emma Frost, who takes them both into a mindscape where they can work on their touching problem. Rogue thinks the mindscape is rather like The Garden Of Eden, and Gambit instinctively seizes upon the chance to discuss snakes. Because he’s got a filthy mind. The pair of them start flirting, and Rogue mounts him – his excitement gets the better of him though, as he visualises Foxx doing the mounting instead of her, and then panics. Emma slaps him out of it, “smkk”, and decides that perhaps Gambit isn’t mature enough for this sort of therapy yet. Rogue is understandably annoyed, and suggests that maybe Gambit should spend his time on Foxx instead.

Gambit mutters that perhaps this would be an easier option, and instantly tries to apologise for being such a twat. The women are having none of it. “Go cheri yourself”, Rogue spits, as she stalks out the room. Emma asks Gambit if there’s anything he’d like to share with her, but he refuses. He tells her that he’s going to take his students on a field trip for the evening, and for some reason thinks that getting away from the institute would be a good idea. According to the art, he then walks through the wall and leaves.

We next see Gambit enjoying a swim with his young squad of five, Foxx using every chance she has to throw innuendo his way. Bling! is getting pissed off with the whole thing, while poor little Onyxx is getting rather jealous of the entire situation. “Man’s looking to make a fool outta himself,” the superior alternative to Rockslide suggests. Bling! later confronts Foxx about everything, and tells her to back off Gambit. For her sake, for Gambit’s sake, and for Onyxx’s sake. She also takes this opportunity to make it clear that she is lesbian, single, and looking for a lady in her life. Foxx snaps, and attacks Bling. The pair start fighting, and Bling remarks that Foxx is going to quite a lot of trouble for the sake of a crush. “Like him?” Foxx grins. “D’you think I’d be going to all this trouble if I liked him?”

Back at the institute, Rogue breaks up a conversation between Emma and her Cuckoos. There’s some kind of psychic blind-spot overhanging the mansion, it seems, but Rogue is far more concerned with Gambit. What did he see in the mindscape that panicked him? So… didn’t Rogue see what had happened earlier on? She seemed to know at the time. This scene is a bit unclear.

Back at camp, a jealous Onyxx attacks Gambit, and shrieks that the Cajun is abusing his position as her mentor. Gambit disagrees, and pirouettes away, only to be confronted by the rest of his team (minus Bling!, who has now mysteriously vanished). They agree with Onyxx – Gambit is going too far. They are fantastically pissed off with him. Onyxx even calls him “Mr Romeo Gambit Sir”. I love these students. Foxx reappears at this time, and asks if Gambit needs any help. In no uncertain terms, he tells the kids to mind their own business.

Time for the B-Story, as Iceman and Polaris have a chat with Rogue at the canteen. Words can’t describe how pathetic Iceman is in this scene. First he tries to flirt with Rogue while Polaris is RIGHT THERE, and then he gets in a strop when Nightcrawler teleports over without any forewarning. Kurt is fun in this scene, and wants to know what Polaris saw when she went into space - but he’s cut off before she can tell him anything.

Gambit returns back with his dispirited squad, and he goes to see Emma for his next scheduled psychic session. Rogue doesn’t turn up, and Emma again asks if there’s anything that Gambit may want to confess to her. He stalks off yet again and finds that she’s moved her things from their room Scared, he runs through the mansion looking for his woman - turns out she’s standing outside, looking at the sunset. She’s been doing some thinking, and she can’t see any future in their relationship anymore – she tells him to go be with Foxx, instead. Isn’t Foxx meant to be underage? No morals, that Rogue. At any rate, Gambit sees this as a challenge, and tells Rogue that he’ll transfer Foxx over immediately. He still only loves Rogue. Aww!

He goes to Foxx, who doesn’t care less about being transferred. She immediately starts trying to seduce him again, but this time he is determined not to give in. He casts her aside, which is when – oh shock and horror, I never saw this coming – into Mystique! “Foxx?” Mystique says. “Foxx is a woman I created to seduce you.” Go Mystique! She wants to seduce Gambit, she explains, to alleviate the tension between him and her adopted daughter, Rogue. Mystique’s mind has always been… unique. When she finds that Gambit doesn’t want to sleep with her anymore than he did with Foxx (which is to say… maybe a little), she transforms one last time. Into Rogue. Her boobs are ridiculously big. Gambit gulps, because he’s definitely not mature enough to resist this.

She sidles over to him, and whispers in his ear: “It won’t be like cheating.”

To Be Continued!

timbox

04-20-2009, 05:44 AM

Azure

04-20-2009, 05:57 AM

Not bad for a cheap knock-off of the original reviews.

Gambit continues to put his lack of intelligence on display, only to be outdone by Iceman.

I have to admire Mystique's resolve. When Bling was openly coming on to "Foxx," the urge to make out was almost too much to resist. Mystique cleverly used violence to subdue her desires. Fighting is as good as sex to Mystique.

Next issue, I expect Gambit to invite Mystique (disguised as Rogue) to their next psycho-sex session with Rogue and Emma. I'm sure Emma could put Mystique to good use.

I'm glad you've done your homework! Gambit truly proves himself worthy of death in this issue, and I wonder if that could be foreshadowing for something? I'm glad you agree that Iceman is woeful!

Resisting Bling can't be too difficult. Even Mystique would probably have trouble finding out a way to have sex with her.

Cheap knock-offs are often better than the original.

timbox

04-20-2009, 06:06 AM

Cheap knock-offs are often better than the original.

My BFF from Wales would not approve of this statement.

This cover is fantastic, one of Larroca's best. I only wish Foxx was standing up so we could get a better look at her glorious outfit.

Azure

04-20-2009, 06:37 AM

My BFF from Wales would not approve of this statement.

This cover is fantastic, one of Larroca's best. I only wish Foxx was standing up so we could get a better look at her glorious outfit.

He's a very good cover artist, but I always think that when he's doing work in sequence it tends to dip in quality somewhat. I blame the colourists.

I'm utterly surprised by the decision made by the writers of Academy X and New X-Men not to focus on any of Gambit's students, having re-read this arc. Onyxx is a less self-aware and more interesting version of Rockslide, whilst Rain Boy and Flubber could both have stood up to further character development. Bling! in particular is good fun, and it seems silly not to have featured her at all.

timbox

04-20-2009, 06:42 AM

They're all too ugly and disproportionate to be taken seriously.

I agree about Larroca's colors. I don't even know who this Liquid! person is.

Azure

04-20-2009, 06:47 AM

They're all too ugly and disproportionate to be taken seriously.

I agree about Larroca's colors. I don't even know who this Liquid! person is.

We need more ridiculous-looking mutants! There are barely any freakish ones left anymore, which makes me cry tears of manly sadness. In fact, I would claim that Marvel has some sort of policy going on which means that freakish mutants are not allowed to be heroes, apart from Wolverine.

Larocca could do with brighter colouring, in the J Scott Campbell/LordofArt Humberto Ramos tradition.

Home made ectoplasm

04-20-2009, 06:51 AM

Is there some Bling appearance other than this run and her random cameo in 1 issue of New X-Men?

Onyxx is the best of them. I like his profile in Messiah Complex: Mutant Files, that toilet attack caused him severe trauma.

I will go back and re-read "Azure" and timbox's contributions but I just wanted to mock so called New X-Men fan Prodigy55 for not knowing Bling! had a cameo in limbo in the critically acclaimed arc "Quest for Magik"

Prodigy55

04-20-2009, 08:02 AM

Thank you for ruining the best story ever for me jau. I can never read it again for fear of seeing Bling!.

But on topic:
Gambit is gross.

Pixie_Solanas

04-20-2009, 09:39 AM

My BFF from Wales would not approve of this statement.

This cover is fantastic, one of Larroca's best. I only wish Foxx was standing up so we could get a better look at her glorious outfit.

Timbox. You have never expulsed more truth from one of your orifices than with this statement.

Foxx's outfit is on my top-5 list, for sure. And the cover is one of my all time faves, too.

jarrod

04-20-2009, 09:47 AM

I love that cover. When the hubby gets home I'll emulate Foxx's do-me-face and see if it works...

Pixie_Solanas

04-20-2009, 09:48 AM

I love that cover. When the hubby gets home I'll emulate Foxx's do-me-face and see if it works...

I have a pair of boots you can borrow for maximum effect.

MartinRedmond

04-20-2009, 12:33 PM

Let us know how things work out! (:

MartinRedmond

04-20-2009, 12:34 PM

apart from Wolverine.

Didn't they make him 6 foot 3 as soon as the movie hit?

Azure

04-20-2009, 12:36 PM

Didn't they make him 6 foot 3 as soon as the movie hit?

Tall people are freakish.

Azure

05-04-2009, 07:50 AM

X-MEN #173
“Bizarre Love Triangle Part 3: The Foxx In The Attic”

http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/thumb/9/9a/Rogue_gambit_003.jpg/399px-Rogue_gambit_003.jpg

Featuring: Havok, Rogue, Polaris, Emma Frost, Gambit, and Iceman.
Also: Foxx/Mystique, and Gambit’s Student Squad.

The cover for this issue sees Rogue fireblasting the hell out of Gambit. No particular symbolism going on there, although I would’ve preferred if Greg Land had drawn Gambit's face.

We start with a man breaking in to the house of some rich folk. He wonders why he lives this life on crime, when he is already wealthy, but most of all he wonders why he never turns his phone off when he goes on thefts. His phone, as sod’s law dictates, goes off. It’s Mystique calling, dressed as Rogue still and looking post-coital on a bed. She’s worried about her psi-shield, as Emma Frost is apparently starting to break into it. As her mysterious male friend cuts out a painting and steals it, he asks how she’s doing – luckily for her Wolverine is off out with the New Avengers, so nobody’s caught onto her yet.

Gambit returns to Rogue, and tells her that he’s having Foxx transferred immediately. Rogue is a passive-aggressive bitch towards Foxx in this scene, and I love it. “Oh, that would be a shame,” she says, when Gambit tells her that Foxx may leave the institute, not a single honest bone in her body.

Havok is still pushing Polaris to reveal what she saw out in space that freaked her out, this time bringing in Emma to do the dirty work for him. Emma replays sound recordings of the incident, which drives Polaris mad. So mad, she fries the sound system with her powers and walks off. Havok, still pushing, asks Emma to go into Lorna’s mind and find out anyway. She is disgusted by him, as she rightly should be, and tries to change the conversation to the psychic black-spot which has been bugging her for the past few days. Havok thinks it’s due to Lorna, and Emma subtly implies that Havok is a cockroach. Yay.

He goes back after Lorna – JUST BACK OFF ALREADY, ALEX – where she is in a bad place, mentally. She regrets becoming an X-Man, and then goes into a stream of consciousness asking why she is an X-Man in the first place. “Why can’t I call myself an X-Woman?” she wonders. Alex quickly changes his mind and says that he’s come to apologise, but as if he has, and finally confesses to Lorna that the reason he’s been so overprotective is because… he still loves her. Well, yeah, you hid that one well. Lorna is tired of him – acting as an audience surrogate - and decides that what she really wants to talk about is what she saw in space. He then tells her all about his feelings while she tries to talk about space. It’s a fun scene, and Polaris wins it by bringing up the whole “nurse” thing. Emma interrupts, asking for some X-Men assistance with something.

Rogue finds Foxx, to make sure that the little madam is finally leaving. They have a few words, and Foxx makes no attempt to stay in character anymore. “You’re worth twenty Gambits,” she says under her breath, before Emma walks in with Havok, Iceman and Gambit as backup. Emma has finally rumbled Foxx for being a shape-shifter, and Iceman uses the situation to pretend that he isn’t homosexual. Rogue is confused. Gambit, about to be rumbled, asks Rogue if she’d go indoors, but Foxx turns into Mystique before Rogue can move. Emma immediately realises that Gambit already knew about this, and confronts him – which leads to Rogue confronting him.

Mystique, in character from her solo-series, takes this opportunity to flee. Havok tries to stop her, but she lands an incredibly satisfying punch to his jaw. “I can’t stand people pawing at me!” she declares, crushing Josef F’s dreams in the process, before she’s tackled by Gambit. He’s forgotten he has powers? Mystique mocks him and then punches him, but he then smacks her back. Rogue, worried, hurls fire at them both and blows them up, so they fly in opposite directions. This sequence is pretty impressive, so well done. Mystique and Gambit both praise her use of her powers, but she ignores them both.

Emma wants an explanation for why Mystique came back, and Mystique says that she did it simply because she has the ability to. And then, once she saw Gambit with Rogue, she got angry and decided to split them up. She deems Gambit as a loser. “Are we gonna let her talk about an X-Man like this?” he cries. “Yes,” Emma replies. Hee. Mystique continues her explanation, but Gambit keeps interrupting and has to be restrained by the others. When Mystique finally gets the chance to finish, she reveals that she’s feeling lonely. She wants to be reunited with her family, and somewhere in England Mike Carey rubs his hands together in glee. Mystique wants to join the X-Men.

Gambit’s squad, in the meantime, have no idea any of this is going on. They’re debating if Havok could take Gambit in a fight (probably not, IMO), and Onyxx declares that Gambit is a coward. Bling!, the only smart one of the team, calmly tells him that when Gambit refused to fight them at the field trip, he was doing them a favour. She then wonders where Foxx has got to.

Back with Mystique, who is being forced into a toilet. Emma attempts to read her mind, but gets nothing, so she activates a laser force-field to keep Mystique locked in the bathroom. As the X-Men then leave her to stew, they debate whether they’re actually going to consider Mystique’s request. Emma and Polaris, the voices of experience, say that the X-Men have accepted villains before. Rogue can’t deny that logic, but is unhappy. As they reach a lift, Emma decides that a vote will ne necessary, and they will summon the rest of the X-Men along tomorrow to decide her fate. Rogue is furious, but when Gambit tries to calm her down she tells him never to speak to her again.

That night, Emma ponders the situation while in bed with Cyclops. She is wearing clothes. Scott’s glasses appear to have swallowed the rest of his face. Rogue, meanwhile, heads to the holding cell in the dark to ask her mother a question. “Why did you come here?” Mystique answers that she wants to be close to her daughter again, but then admits that her real reason was to seduce Gambit. Rogue is shocked by this idea but is then shocked further when Mystique admits that Foxx didn’t work so she made herself look like Rogue, instead, and offered herself to Gambit in this form. “Did you give yourself to mah man?” Rogue demands. Mystique says nothing. Uh-oh.

To be continued!

timbox

05-04-2009, 08:22 AM

She wants to be reunited with her family, and somewhere in England Mike Carey rubs his hands together in glee. Mystique wants to join the X-Men.

Is Peter "Magnificent" Milligan partially responsible for Adjectiveless X-Men's greatest run of all time? Mike Carey's tenure, specifically his use of Mystique, will be heralded as the must-read run for generations to come.

This issue was okay, but Havok and Polaris need to go back to space already. It was nice to see Emma drive a little bit more craziness into Polaris’s head, though. That and psychically taking apart Mystique made Emma the star of the show once again.

I was disappointed that Rogue, Gambit, and Foxx never got to take advantages of Emma’s sexual playground.

MartinRedmond

05-04-2009, 09:13 AM

Mystique admits that Foxx didn’t work so she made herself look like Rogue, instead, and offered herself to Gambit in this form. “Did you give yourself to mah man?” Rogue demands. Mystique says nothing. Uh-oh.

To be continued!

Break her face, Anna Marie! >:D Milligan better write another x-book some day soon. :/

Azure

05-04-2009, 10:23 AM

Is Peter "Magnificent" Milligan partially responsible for Adjectiveless X-Men's greatest run of all time? Mike Carey's tenure, specifically his use of Mystique, will be heralded as the must-read run for generations to come.

This issue was okay, but Havok and Polaris need to go back to space already. It was nice to see Emma drive a little bit more craziness into Polaris’s head, though. That and psychically taking apart Mystique made Emma the star of the show once again.

I was disappointed that Rogue, Gambit, and Foxx never got to take advantages of Emma’s sexual playground.

I am absolutely certain that Mike Carey was influenced by Peter Milligan. Milligan's run is one of the most influencial of all time - look at how important Rogue/Gambit's relationship is in Legacy, or who the best villain in X-Force is right now. Add to this the way Havok/Polaris have been brought back together, and Emma Frost's superiority to all other characters in the X-Universe, and the idea that Wolverine is outdated because of Daken and X-23 - an idea first posited by Milligan - and we can see that his influence has been utterly vast.

Mike Carey's run is pretty super too, of course, although he did have certain advantages to him which Milligan didn't. That neither of them are currently writing an X-Men team book is a shambles and inherently wrong.

Rogue, Gambit, and Foxx never took advantage of Emma's sexual playground on-panel.

Break her face, Anna Marie! >:D Milligan better write another x-book some day soon. :/

Why have we never seen a full-on fight between Mystique and Rogue? Mummy dearest always seems to wait until Rogue is distracted before she attacks/makes her retreat.

Pixie_Solanas

05-04-2009, 10:25 AM

timbox

05-04-2009, 11:03 AM

Polaris works best when she has someone like Emma to keep her on the edge of psychotic breakdown. Crazy characters need to be taken advantage of or they quickly become boring.

Azure

05-04-2009, 11:14 AM

Pete Milligan is one of my favorite x-scribes of all time. I treasure his adjectiveless run like a fine-leathered first edition of a timeless classic.

Polaris was finally enjoyable, being the utter nutcase supported/divided by the two meathead himbros on the x-squad (bobby and alex). She's a fuggin' TRAINWRECK under Milligan and it only gets better in the two-part DOOP spectacular coming after the BLT arc. I cannot WAIT for those summaries in this thread.

That spectacular is actually quite a long way away, still - we still have the Black Panther crossover (Hudlin's BP appears to be superman in blackface, more discussion on that later) and then the Decimation story featuring Hellion getting... well, you'll see.

Polaris works best when she has someone like Emma to keep her on the edge of psychotic breakdown. Crazy characters need to be taken advantage of or they quickly become boring.

That's why Psylocke was paired up with Sage.

Pixie_Solanas

05-04-2009, 11:14 AM

Polaris works best when she has someone like Emma to keep her on the edge of psychotic breakdown. Crazy characters need to be taken advantage of or they quickly become boring.

Alex constantly riding her ass as to what she saw up in space didn't help either, nor Bobby's desparate ploys to prove heterosexual persuasion at her expense.

Pixie_Solanas

05-04-2009, 11:16 AM

That spectacular is actually quite a long way away, still - we still have the Black Panther crossover (Hudlin's BP appears to be superman in blackface, more discussion on that later) and then the Decimation story featuring Hellion getting... well, you'll see.

That's why Psylocke was paired up with Sage.

I'm giddy with anticipation. But the talking baboons and dialectical materialism in the "Wild Kingdom" arc will keep me sated.

FeminineMystique

05-04-2009, 12:01 PM

His refusal to play ball with the aftermath of House of M, by repowering Iceman instantaneously after such a perfect set-up of the guy being depowered, was another fine example of why his run did not work. Any writer with half an ounce of sense would have relished trying to include a depowered character (One of the original X-Men at that!) on their team, and write about the tension it caused. Milligan refused.

Now see, while I hated Milligans run, THAT I liked. He rightfully ignored the pitiful excuse for a story that was the House of M and just repowered Iceman, most likely as a two fingered salute to the stupidity of the "Decimation". (This seems to have been the mindset behind the No More Mutants garbage: Oh wow, there really are a lot of cool mutant characters out there! What shall we do with them? I know, let's TAKE AWAY THEIR POWERS rendering them utterly useless)

So Milligan, if by some hundred to one chance you're reading this thread, while I don't respect anything else you did during your run, I respect your choice to not "Play ball" with what was easily one of the worst stories Marvel has put out in the past ten years (Right up there with "One More Day" and "Secret Invasion")

Azure

05-04-2009, 12:07 PM

I'm giddy with anticipation. But the talking baboons and dialectical materialism in the "Wild Kingdom" arc will keep me sated.

And more Polaris torture! I can hardly wait, you guys!

Now see, while I hated Milligans run, THAT I liked. He rightfully ignored the pitiful excuse for a story that was the House of M and just repowered Iceman, most likely as a two fingered salute to the stupidity of the "Decimation". (This seems to have been the mindset behind the No More Mutants garbage: Oh wow, there really are a lot of cool mutant characters out there! What shall we do with them? I know, let's TAKE AWAY THEIR POWERS rendering them utterly useless)

So Milligan, if by some hundred to one chance you're reading this thread, while I don't respect anything else you did during your run, I respect your choice to not "Play ball" with what was easily one of the worst stories Marvel has put out in the past ten years (Right up there with "One More Day" and "Secret Invasion")

Peter Milligan frequently frequents this forum. I'll make sure he gets this message.

Pixie_Solanas

05-04-2009, 12:09 PM

Peter Milligan frequently frequents this forum. I'll make sure he gets this message.

In that case, I <3 Pete Milligan.

MartinRedmond

05-04-2009, 12:38 PM

I enjoyed his run, but I was still under the impression that he was working under a heavy editorial hand.

Pixie_Solanas

05-04-2009, 02:35 PM

I enjoyed his run, but I was still under the impression that he was working under a heavy editorial hand.

He probably was - and still pulled gold out from the tightly-clenched ass of the lowliest Marvel editor.

FeminineMystique

05-05-2009, 06:33 AM

The cover for this issue sees Rogue fireblasting the hell out of Gambit. No particular symbolism going on there, although I would’ve preferred if Greg Land had drawn Gambit's face.

Oh god, can you imagine? "Yes chere! Burn me! Burn me good!"

Azure

05-07-2009, 05:02 PM

I've just snuck a peak ahead at the next storyline, the crossover between X-Men and Black Panther.

I love the fact that Hudlin treats Black Panther as some sort of genius godlike figure who is never wrong and always perfect, because Milligan then spends all his time taking the piss out of said godlike character. Hurray for Peter Milligan!

Pixie_Solanas

05-07-2009, 05:13 PM

jarrod

05-07-2009, 05:19 PM

Storm & Emma eiffel towering Alex! Cannot wait!! YUM!

Azure

05-07-2009, 05:20 PM

Milligan scales the heights of pure madness with the WK arc.

The simple fact that an aged Soviet scientist feels the need to discuss dialectic materialism with a talking baboon is so good it hurt me in my pleasure zone.

The idea of a "New Socialist Simian Republic Of Niganda" is beautiful. It's the greatest villainous scheme ever.

Prodigy55

05-07-2009, 05:21 PM

Oh god, that Black Panther crossover was AWFUL.

Azure

05-07-2009, 05:31 PM

Oh god, that Black Panther crossover was AWFUL.

Even the parts written by Peter Milligan?

Pixie_Solanas

05-07-2009, 05:38 PM

Oh god, that Black Panther crossover was AWFUL.

Not the Milligan parts, I assure you. He deconstructed that crossover with laser-like precision and fine craftsmanship.

Prodigy55

05-07-2009, 05:41 PM

The Milligan parts were as good as he could do with Black Panther...

Azure

05-07-2009, 05:49 PM

We're getting ahead of ourselves, anyway. The next issue has nothing to do with Black Panther, and everything to do with toilet-based violence.

Pixie_Solanas

05-07-2009, 05:50 PM

We're getting ahead of ourselves, anyway. The next issue has nothing to do with Black Panther, and everything to do with toilet-based violence.

Fuck yes, the immortal Onyxx toilet-eating scene of massive import and gravitas. Deconstruct with a fine-toothed comb, pls. Don't leave out ANY morsel of Milligan goodness.

Prodigy55

05-07-2009, 05:51 PM

*marks calendar* Oh to relive that scene, the highlight of X-Men comics.

Cher

05-07-2009, 06:06 PM

Onyxx should be proud Goddess Raven hit him with a toilet.
Rocky-boy be frontin' if he don't be liking his claim2fame.

Azure

05-16-2009, 07:24 AM

This post never happened, because it's Saturday and not Monday. What kind of time-warped idiot posts an entry for Milligan Mondays on a Saturday? Pah!

Azure

05-18-2009, 07:44 AM

I like ice-cream!

Azure

05-18-2009, 07:45 AM

When I grow up, I want to live in a bouncy castle.

Azure

05-18-2009, 07:45 AM

X-MEN #174
“Bizarre Love Triangle Part 4: Election Day”

http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/thumb/7/7e/X-Men_174.jpg/398px-X-Men_174.jpg

Featuring: Havok, Rogue, Polaris, Emma Frost, Gambit, Wolverine and Iceman.
Also: Mystique, Nightcrawler, Beast, Colossus, Cyclops, Kitty Pryde, Rachel Summers, Bishop, Psylocke, Storm, Rain Boy, Onyxx, Flubber, and Bling!

The cover: Most of the famous X-Men are gathered around Mystique, who is handcuffed and seemingly repentant at their feet. Wolverine is sexually excited by this prospect, while Polaris is leaning towards Havok rather than Iceman. Rogue is naturally front-and-centre, and distanced from Gambit. Nightcrawler is teleporting for some reason.

Emma Frost has stolen Mystique’s mobile phone, so when the mysterious thief from last issue calls up he is speaking not to a fiery vixen, but to an ice-vixen. Emma demands to know who he is, and he starts listing off all the different names he has for himself, showing off for the new lady. Emma isn’t interested by his self-interest, and undercuts him. “Who are you?” she repeats. “Who are you?” he asks.

Meanwhile, Rogue continues her interrogation of Mystique, who refuses to reveal if Gambit slept with her or not. She does call him a “filthy Cajun”, however, before transforming into him in order to tease Rogue with the fact that he probably did give in to the temptation. Rogue, irritated, blasts Mystique into the wall and then grabs her skin, absorbing her memories. We don’t know what Rogue sees, but she seems irritated. Gambit, meanwhile, is trying to teach Bling! about mutant history – I wonder how he handles the Mutant Massacre period? – but failing because he’s an idiot. Rogue blasts straight through the door, smashing it off the hinges. She accuses Gambit or prepping Bling to be his next conquest, and then throws the girl out the room. Feisty! Rogue demands an explanation from Gambit about his actions, and he offers her some guff about not wanting to upset her with the knowledge her adoptive mother had snuck into the mansion. He also denies sleeping with her, for what that’s worth.

Later that night, Rogue flies off to find Bling, and offers the girl and apology. Sort of. It’s not the most gracious apology of all time. Bling, who is still unaware of everything that’s been going on, asks Rogue to tell her what’s going on. We head on to the next day, and the students have no idea what’s going on, or why all the X-Men are gathering together at the mansion. Onyxx thinks that they’re going to punish their team for rebelling against Gambit, and tells them all about the graveyard the X-Men keep out in the woods. In the woods? That graveyard seems to move each time it appears in a story. Bling corrects him, and tells them the truth about Foxx. The boys take this news… badly. “Foxx? My Foxx?” stammers Onyxx, before charging Bling. The rest of the team hold him back, and try to console him his loss of an arm-ripping lover. He collapses on the floor, sobbing. Awww!

Emma is getting ready for the meeting in her office, only to be interrupted by Rogue. “You look hot,” Rogue tells her, setting the male readership aflutter. She explains herself – Emma looks confident in herself, because she has trust that her boyfriend loves her and only her. Obviously, she is trying to butter the headmistress up so Emma’ll read Gambit’s mind and tell her if he really did sleep with Mystique, or not. Emma says that she can’t read Mystique either, and tells Rogue that Havok asked Emma to read Polaris’ mind only a short while ago. Rogue can’t believe how sneaky the menfolk of the X-Men are, and wonders if all men are bad news. Cyclops, walking in, says he hopes not. Oh, Cyclops! He tells them that Mystique’s membership vote is due to begin soon. Emma asks Scott what he’d do if he couldn’t touch her. His response? “I’d throw myself even more into my work.” Emma is, as you’d expect, charmed. Cyclops made a joke!

Mystique finishes off her argument for why she should be accepted into the team, with Rogue refusing to listen to a word. Mystique thinks that because she had to fight for so longer to survive, she believed violence was the answer to everything – she wants to join the X-Men to have another chance. After all, many of the X-Men have been villains in the past (and Larocca makes sure to focus in on Colossus when Mystique says that). Speech over, Colossus escorts her out of the room while the vote can take place. The X-Men start debating the topic, Rogue comparing Mystique to Hitler and Gambit agreeing with her for the sake of agreeing. This irritates Iceman, who is sexist. Polaris wants to turn this into a feminist debate, and Storm agrees with her. Most of the team seem to be leaning towards accepting her onto the team, and Havok agrees with the idea because Lorna does. Iceman is pissed off, because don’t forget that he’s a sexist.

Mystique invites Colossus to a game of strip poker. He refuses, and leaves her cellroom, leaving her alone with a shadowy figure. “What are you doing down here?” she asks. It turns out to be Onyxx, who demands an explanation for why she was trying to seduce him, and she gives him a faceful of sarcasm. This makes him angry, and he grabs her by the throat. “Turn back into Foxx and say you love me!” he shouts, which serves no purpose other than to annoy her. A fight breaks out, and Mystique starts beating the living hell out of him – seeing as he’s mostly made of stone, this is impressive. As she smacks him to the ground, a voice tells them to stop. Not quite finished though, Mystique grabs the toilet and rips it off the wall, before smacking Onyxx round the face with it. Fantastic! It makes a really satisfying sound effect as it cracks over his skull, and Larocca really makes the most of this splash page. Mystique's finest hour.

The voice of reason turns out to have been Nightcrawler, who awesomely tells his mother off for not acting her age. “You should know better. You’re older than he is.” This is perhaps one of the only times Nightcrawler has ever been given a scene with Mystique, and he’s telling her off. I love this issue. He tells Mystique that – even though she wants to be with Rogue – she shouldn’t forget that she has a son in the team, too. And he wants her to leave so he can wrap his head around the idea of her as an X-Man. She owes him.

Emma announces that Mystique has been voted into the team. Rogue and Gambit go to tell her the news, but find that she’s broken free of her jail-cell, and Onyxx is unconscious. They rush him to a hospital ward where Emma makes him sign a legal waiver, and they wonder where Mystique went. It turns out that she’s gone to meet her thief, who she called ‘Augustus’. She wants to set him up with Rogue, but he’s more interested in whether she slept with Gambit or not. She refuses to say, and they drive off into the sunset.

Next: Wild Kingdom!

Pixie_Solanas

05-18-2009, 10:33 AM

So good. Onyxx lashing out his uncontrollable hormonal rage against x-commode was a scene for the ages.

psycwave

05-18-2009, 10:42 AM

So good. Onyxx lashing out his uncontrollable hormonal rage against x-commode was a scene for the ages.

QFT. He was so into Foxx. If Mystque would have just adhered to his wishes she would have had the ultimate lackey on par with Toad and Magneto. Switching into Foxx from time to time and letting Onyxx look at her would have been completely worth it.

As for did they or didnt they? I totally think they did.

Azure

05-18-2009, 10:50 AM

As for did they or didnt they? I totally think they did.

I agree. Mystique definitely shagged him. She's shagged all the other rubbish characters, so it only makes sense that she's added Gambit to that list.

Prodigy55

05-18-2009, 11:11 AM

Oh man, Onyxx was so pathetic.

Moonshine

05-18-2009, 11:11 AM

As for did they or didnt they? I totally think they did.

It makes no sense if they did that Mystique would then refuse to tell Rogue they did and then allow her to absorb the memory to prove it. That was the whole point of her trying to seduce him afterall. The only way it makes sense for her to never directly tell Rogue and to keep her thoughts hidden one way or the other is because they didn't since that allows doubt to creep in.

Yes I know Milligan wrote the X-Men as all idiots but even Gambit could have guessed that given Raven was all over him yet more than expressed over and over she hated him, that it was a trap. That everyone would know if he did because Mystique would have loved to have broadcasted her thoughts about the act all over the place then - heck even turned into herself halfway through.

It just makes no sense for Mystique to be coy about the whole thing unless he turned her down. Also, I've yet to meet the guy who after the act immediately runs to his girlfriend's room to tell her things are ok and said "trist" is leaving. That more sounds like Gambit holding the attempted seduction over her head to get her to leave without Rogue knowing, but of course, this is Milligan's X-Men so he could easily claim different since as I said he wrote everyone as a complete idiot and seem to assume that we as readers must be too.

psycwave

05-18-2009, 11:17 AM

It makes no sense if they did that Mystique would then refuse to tell Rogue they did and then allow her to absorb the memory to prove it. That was the whole point of her trying to seduce him afterall. The only way it makes sense for her to never directly tell Rogue and to keep her thoughts hidden one way or the other is because they didn't since that allows doubt to creep in.

Yes I know Milligan wrote the X-Men as all idiots but even Gambit could have guessed that given Raven was all over him yet more than expressed over and over she hated him, that it was a trap. That everyone would know if he did because Mystique would have loved to have broadcasted her thoughts about the act all over the place then - heck even turned into herself halfway through.

It just makes no sense for Mystique to be coy about the whole thing unless he turned her down. Also, I've yet to meet the guy who after the act immediately runs to his girlfriend's room to tell her things are ok and said "trist" is leaving. That more sounds like Gambit holding the attempted seduction over her head to get her to leave without Rogue knowing, but of course, this is Milligan's X-Men so he could easily claim different since as I said he wrote everyone as a complete idiot and seem to assume that we as readers must be too.

Because after she did it she felt completely filthy and is now too ashamed to even admit it. Plus the damage was done no need to bring up mistakes when the goal is achieved.

Moonshine

05-18-2009, 11:25 AM

Because after she did it she felt completely filthy and is now too ashamed to even admit it. Plus the damage was done no need to bring up mistakes when the goal is achieved.

Please. She admitted to shagging Sabretooth and Azrael (is that how it is spelled?) and only now she feels filthy and ashamed? Right. :rolleyes:

psycwave

05-18-2009, 12:40 PM

Please. She admitted to shagging Sabretooth and Azrael (is that how it is spelled?) and only now she feels filthy and ashamed? Right. :rolleyes:

Sabretooth is HAWT. We would all be lucky enough to be ravished by him. Red Demon is misdirection. We all know that Kurt's true father is Mystique. The cajun is an offense of the highest caliber and not even she can admit to doing such a dirty deed.

Azure

05-20-2009, 01:34 PM

I expect more comments than this, you wretches!

http://www.marvel.com/universe3zx/images/thumb/5/55/Onyxx442.jpg/440px-Onyxx442.jpg

lockerogue

05-20-2009, 01:52 PM

I expect more comments than this, you wretches!

http://www.marvel.com/universe3zx/images/thumb/5/55/Onyxx442.jpg/440px-Onyxx442.jpg

LOL Uncanny needs more scenes like this.

Pixie_Solanas

05-20-2009, 02:47 PM

I expect more comments than this, you wretches!

http://www.marvel.com/universe3zx/images/thumb/5/55/Onyxx442.jpg/440px-Onyxx442.jpg

Only the cultured effete of the x-boards appreciate the genius that is Peter Milligan.

As an aside, have you read his "Enigma" for Vertigo? Flying lizards and sweaty man-on-man sex action.

Prodigy55

05-20-2009, 02:56 PM

I just tried pulling the toilet off the wall/floor in my bathroom... Mystique must have super strength, that shit is bolted down hard.

Pixie_Solanas

05-20-2009, 03:00 PM

I just tried pulling the toilet off the wall/floor in my bathroom... Mystique must have super strength, that shit is bolted down hard.

Were you re-enacting that scene? You have to have liquid leather leggings from AA and I can let you borrow a pair of boots.

Prodigy55

05-20-2009, 03:03 PM

Were you re-enacting that scene? You have to have liquid leather leggings from AA and I can let you borrow a pair of boots.

My leggings have major strechy-knee, so I'll need a fresh pair. Send the boots.

Azure

06-01-2009, 06:11 AM

X-Men #175
“Wild Kingdom: Part 1”

http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/f/f9/X-Men_Vol_2_175.jpg

Featuring: Havok, Rogue, Polaris, Emma Frost, Gambit, Wolverine and Iceman.
Also: Storm.

We’ve entered the ‘Wild Kingdom’ crossover between X-Men and Black Panther. For those of you who have never read an issue of Black Panther, he is essentially a black guy who can do everything everything, everything. Under writer Reginald Hudlin, who handles the BP half of this story, Black Panther seems to be able to do anything and is always right, never wrong. Peter Milligan’s approach to the character is less godlike, however, which means that while one half of the crossover is spent endlessly praising the character, the other half is spent taking the piss out of him. Guess which half is most fun?

We start in the ‘country’ of Niganda, where a reporter is eaten midway through a report he’s filming about the overthrow of local tyrant M’Butu. Someone who doesn’t see the on-air eating is Emma Frost, who is busy playing about on Cerebro. When Havok comes over to show her the news report, she laughs at him before joining him in the big video room (there’s probably a better name for that, but still). Gambit, Polaris, Rogue, Iceman and Wolverine are all staring up at a frame of the reporter being eaten – by a giant mutated crocodile thing. Iceman starts telling bad jokes to lighten the mood, but he’s so annoying that not even Polaris can force herself to laugh. Havok tells him off, and Emma gives the squad their directions: they are to investigate Niganda to find out what’s going on. Storm appears, and tells the team that she’ll be going too, much to Emma’s joy. If Havok can’t control one powerful woman, how will he handle having two? Needless to say, Storm isn’t discussing this. The team set off, while Emma decides to stay in Cerebro. “You’re not staying behind because you think I can’t handle having two women have authority over me, are you?” Havok asks. “No, Alex. I was merely toying with you,” Emma replies.

In Africa, a group of men have another man, a doctor, at their mercy. Their leader is a man with sunglasses, because the lead baddie always wears sunglasses. They throw the man into a death pit for helping ‘The Niganda Liberation Army’, and a bizarre lion-thing jumps out of the shadows, and presumably eats the good doctor. The X-Jet flies past this scene, as Gambit tries to talk to Rogue again – she’s not having any of it. Havok tries to make smalltalk with Storm, and is buffeted aside. We then get to hear a bit of Storm’s narration. Seeing how she grew up in Africa, considered to be a Goddess, she can’t understand why she isn’t happier to be back. More on this later!

They land, and the cameraman who filmed the reporter being eaten leads them to where it happened. He wants to take footage of the X-Men, but Havok pushes him aside. Emma asks them for an update, and mentions how the Black Panther has mysteriously gone missing while his neighbours are so close to war. Wolverine picks up on this too, and as Storm tries to defend the BP there’s a clever panel layout where she is stood there one second, and attacked the next. I liked that. A giant crocodile has grabbed her and dragged her underwater, and Havok prepares to dive in after her. Wolverine, being smarter, holds back, as a giant lightning bolt pierces the water and knocks out all the crocodiles at once. They float to the top of the water, and Rogue starts setting them on fire. Iceman wants to use his powers in unison with Polaris, but it messes up. Havok walks in, and instantly things are back to how they were in the old days, between the two, as they blow up half the crocodiles together. Iceman sulks.

After the battle, Havok wants to go after the few crocodiles who escaped, but Storm has other plans. She’s going to go talk to the locals, find out what’s happening. Havok orders her not to, but she throws his commands back in his face. She flies off. Wolverine sympathises with Alex for a few seconds, before he walks off too. Nice work, leader. Storm flies to the next village, which happens to be where sunglasses man is winching a woman and her baby into the pit of lion doom. Storm frees the lady, and then faces down sunglasses man. He pulls a gun, but as soon as he does three claws appear from nowhere and give him a good slashing. Wolverine smash! Sunglasses man tumbles into the pit, and is eaten by his own lion. How shameful.

Rogue and Gambit have a bit of a bicker as they pursue the rest of the crocodiles, and it falls to Emma to make them shut up. She calls the pair of them ‘children’, which is always funny. Storm and Wolverine return, with information, and share a bit of banter. Milligan writes the pair of them pretty well, and Storm isn’t even boring anymore. The team head to an old factory, which is filled with cages that hold mutated creatures. They discuss everything for a short while, before Wolverine picks up a scent. Polaris rips off the doors for him as he runs through the building, following a trail which leads him all the way to… The Black Panther. “Not the nasty, dangerous monster you were looking for?” BP asks.

Azure

06-01-2009, 06:14 AM

Black Panther #8:
‘Wild Kingdom Part 2: House Of Paine”

http://prettythings.pullbot.com/artworks/25104/XMEN176_col_medium.jpg

BP tells the team not to enter the room, and seals it. There’s a scientist locked in with BP, though, and when BP starts beating him up Rogue blows up the door and they charge in. The scientist turns out to be evil, and BP was right all along, The X-Men get beaten up and look like absolute idiots as this one old scientist guy beats them all up – and in the process, steals the powers from Rogue Wolverine and Iceman, before Havok blasts him through the metal roof. The X-Men, thusly, have helped the baddie escape. Nice going, X-Men! BP tells them that this scientist was called Erich Paine (groan), and then explains the rest of the background (in reality, the past seven issues of BP, which I won’t detail here cos I haven’t read them). BP then tells the team off for not having at least one telepath, and Havok is humbled. The team leave, and Storm and BP exchange cringy dialogue about each other. “You are wise, T’Challa… but you will not break my heart a second time!” cries Storm. Oh, Lord. The X-Men walk into a trap at the factory, and are all knocked out by poison gas and captured by Paine. Storm, meanwhile, has gone back to the village for some reason, and randomly electrocutes some gang members. Finally, BP is attacked… by gigantic, talking monkeys. They exchange some awful, woeful banter, before hypnotising him. They prepare to strike a killing blow…

To Be Concluded!