AOA #2 Review and Spoilers

[hoopoe]

I would review this issue and give some spoilers if I HAD ANY IDEA WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS GOING ON!!!

I can't understand Bachalo's art. It drives me crazy. I've tried to give it the benefit of the doubt, but I always find myself getting a headache trying to figure out what in the world is going on.

Did Northstar and Aurora die?? Again? Is there any other X title we can kill Northstar in this month? Or maybe he didn't die. I have no idea. Can Wolverine fly now in AOA? Where did he and X-23 jump out of. I'm so confused.

Please translate.

[Karl J. Barnes]

I think that it will be one of those mini-series/specials that will tie everything up in the end. That last bit was heavy sarcasam. It does seem like we've come into the middle of a conversation. We know the people and we are kind of sure what they are talking about, but everything is a bit iffy.

Maybe if I could remember, the first A of A better, I might be able to piece together where they are going with this second mini-series. And yes, Bachalo's art is hard to follow. It looks neat, but figures and faces mesh together. I'm not sure if I am looking at scenes or abstract art.

It does seem that Northstar is getting picked, doesn't. Still, I'll see this through and maybe the writer will surprise me and tie it up in the end. I'm just not going to hold my breath...

[Dread Pirate Bluetail]

The art in this series is too similar to his work in the "Ultimate War" arc, which was the major turn off for me in those issues...I browsed through them today at my local shop, intrigued as I'd ever be at an Apoc. title, but I couldn't bring myself to pick these up.

[Titan Slade]

I guess I will still be the only poster on these boards, that has no problem following Bachalo's art pannels. And it also appears, that i am the only person who thinks this AOA mini is the best thing to happen to the X-Universe in about 10 years :D .

[Beast]

Not a bad issue. But the script and art especially give me a blazing headache. I had hoped to see AOA Xorn and Beak, and now wished they weren't in the series. How the hell did Xavier's death turn Xorn into a blond-haired metal masked woman? And Beak didn't even look like a birdboy, even though Xorn said he was. Like some sorta 'If they Mated' featuring Jay Leno and a Frog. :p

[Omega Orange]

And Beak didn't even look like a birdboy, even though Xorn said he was.

I was thinking the exact same thing, wondering if I'd missed something.

[jetter_cheeze]

This issue just seems like more of a "let's make AOA versions of every x-men that has been created since AOA" comic. Wasn't too impressed, the script just seems forced and flawed. The AOA stopped existing, that was the best appeal about it to me (meaning that giving it a start, middle and end is the closest thing to a complete x-story we will proabably ever get). This just seems like a waste of my time and money, so no more for me.

[roguestorm]

there ruining what made the aoa so special in the first place. it's originality, storm wasn't a weather goddess in aoa she was more of a weather witch who had the hots for quicksilver, but now it seems as if they've reverted her to her 616 form "by the goddess!!". *vomits* they even turned feral and marrow into the typical 616 baddies there known as. i will say however, that this issue was good solely because of the interaction between x-23 and logan, i like this since in the aoa logan doesn't seem very excited that he has offspring unlike his 616 counterpart who was so eager to take x-23 under his wing.

[Sabre]

Well, AOA Northstar and Aurora were pretty nasty, so they kind of deserved it. The versions in 616...not so much.

[KHNH]

Well, AOA Northstar and Aurora were pretty nasty, so they kind of deserved it. The versions in 616...not so much.

even then... They are creepy Quebecois twins... and that might be enough!
hehe

[Sabre]

even then... They are creepy Quebecois twins... and that might be enough!
hehe

I won't tell my Quebecois cousins you said that ;)

(I know you're just kidding :p )

[SleepWalker]

This issue didn't do much for me. Not a lot really happened beyond Magneto beginning to doubt the dream and X-23 convincing Weapon X to join up with the cause again.

Like everyone else here, I didn't have a clue what was going on in this issue because of Bachalo's confusing work. Thankfully we have text bubbles.

[fishtaco]

While the art was vomit-inducing, most of the plot wasnt bad. Im glad to see an AOA X-23, Silver Samurai (first shown in the 1-shot), Feral, Thornn, Xorn, Beak, Leech, and Skids.

The one problem that I think ruined half the issue was that there was a Dani Moonstar down with the Morlocks. Apparently, the writer isnt paying attention to X-Calibre. There already was a Dani Moonstar. She was a Pale Rider, who was killed by Damask in X-Calibre # 2. Such ignorance to continuity can ruin something completely.

Otherwise, it was OK. And yeah, the AOA Wolverine killing AOA Northstar was...hmmmm. It looks like Magneto is going to revert to 616 Mag's mutant superiority beliefs, as shown with his conversation with Rogue. That seems to be what is hinted at, unfortunately.

I think Jean is going to come back as Phoenix.

[Jared_Humpherys]

Great. Now they're bringing the making the AOA Jean into the Phoenix. That's what stopped the missiles, that's what Magneto's fear was, and that's what Sinister has in that weird tank. I just wish they'd do something more original.

[Vegetarian Goat]

i liked parts of this, but i agree with most of the points that have been said so far.
I didn't get why Dani was in it...
As for Beak, i think it was just a coloring error. He looked way too much like Leech to me, and i can see how the colorist would make the same mistake.
And i think Xorn is someone we know, and there will be a big reveal shortly. I get the feeling that the name and visage of "Xorn" has now become this all-purpose disguise for any character to wear when the need arises. Kind of like Erik the Red was for awhile...

and of course, i was very happy to see Dazzler in it... even if it was only for a panel or two.:)

[Karl J. Barnes]

Great. Now they're bringing the making the AOA Jean into the Phoenix. That's what stopped the missiles, that's what Magneto's fear was, and that's what Sinister has in that weird tank. I just wish they'd do something more original.



Now that you say it, I get it now. And yes, I agree with you on the whole originality thing.

[Crimson]

Is it confirmed to be X-23 in this issue? I have my collection set up so I can search for any character on my PC and I get a list of what issues I have with them... I haven't got #2 yet and won't for over two weeks so while I'm adding #1 (I just got it) can anyone let me know if it is X-23?

[DDM]

Is it confirmed to be X-23 in this issue? I have my collection set up so I can search for any character on my PC and I get a list of what issues I have with them... I haven't got #2 yet and won't for over two weeks so while I'm adding #1 (I just got it) can anyone let me know if it is X-23?

In the AOA reality, X-23 is procured by Mr. Sinister. In the flashback, her suspended animation cell had the name "X-23" on the top. Therefore, it appears the female Wolverine is indeed X-23, although she has three claws as opposed of the two in our reality.

[Crimson]

In the AOA reality, X-23 is procured by Mr. Sinister. In the flashback, her suspended animation cell had the name "X-23" on the top. Therefore, it appears the female Wolverine is indeed X-23, although she has three claws as opposed of the two in our reality.

Ok, cool. Thanks man :)

[KHNH]

In the AOA reality, X-23 is procured by Mr. Sinister. In the flashback, her suspended animation cell had the name "X-23" on the top. Therefore, it appears the female Wolverine is indeed X-23, although she has three claws as opposed of the two in our reality.

Awww... That sucks! Why the heck did they bother with the Wolvie/Mariko mini-story, then?? Damn clones.

[Atomic Mongoose]

I agree that this AOA series seems to be just an excuse to create AOA-counterparts for characters that weren't featured (or hell, created during the time of) in the original crossover.

One of the things I liked best about the original AOA, was how drasticly the characters were different in that reality. In many cases, these characters were also obscure or just plain underused in the main 616 universe (Blink, Morph, Dazzler, Wildchild, Sunfire, etc.). But in the current crossover... ugh... did we really need an AOA-version of Marrow, Feral, Thornn, and The Hellions, who all look and act exactly the same as their 616 counterparts???

The continuity glitches were great, too. There's nothing beaky about Beak... apparently, Xavier's death caused him to be born a frogman instead. Also, the very cool AOA version of Dani Moonstar decided she was sick of being dead (after Damask killed her in X-Calibre #2), packed her belongings, threw on a Pocahontas costume, and set up shop in the Morlock tunnels. Storm is now completely indistinguishable from 616 Storm, aside from the tattoo on her eye. X-23 is making an appearance as well... what... the... f#@&??? At this rate, I honestly will not be suprised if we see AOA versions of Thunderbird III, Lifeguard, Slipstream, Maggot, Stacy-X, Sublime, and every friggin' member of The Neo.

In regards to 'Who is the female-Xorn?'. My money is on her being the AOA version of Cassandra Nova.

[The Fury]

Just got issues 1 and 2 and loving it so far, I like my atlernate reality stuff.

I don't mind the way they are putting the newer charactrs into this series.

[fishtaco]

In regards to 'Who is the female-Xorn?'. My money is on her being the AOA version of Cassandra Nova.

I would love to see AOA Cassandra Nova. that would rock. Why was there never an AOA Psylocke or an AOA Longshot?

Who was the guy in that lab with that capsule? Was that Sinister with the Phoenix egg?

[Dazzler]

and of course, i was very happy to see Dazzler in it... even if it was only for a panel or two.:)

well, issue number 3 has AOA Dazzler huge on the cover...how's that for cool? ;)


now if we could only stop the Northstar killing in every other issue. They'll have to invent versions of Northstar to off.

--Dazz

[Dazzler]

I would love to see AOA Cassandra Nova. that would rock. Why was there never an AOA Psylocke or an AOA Longshot?


AOA Cassandra Nova? please, spare me, i can't take the gag refelx it would bring upon me. ;)

As for Psylocke and Longshot...Apocalypse had all known telepaths killed or neutralized so as to be less a threat to him upon his ascension to the throne. Longshot isn't of this dimension, so he either never hooked up with the X-Men or never came through in the first place.

--Dazz

[roguestorm]

Is X-23 Suppose To Be Part Japanese? I Got That Vibe Off Her In This Book.

[Archyduke]

now if we could only stop the Northstar killing in every other issue. They'll have to invent versions of Northstar to off.

X-Babies Northstar... he could choke on a pacifier or something.
Days of Future Past Northstar, beaten up by a Sentinel, 'natch.
Dinosaur Northstar... I don't know, seems like a Claremontey thing to have.
Ultimate Northstar... have they even had and killed an Ultimate NS yet?
Various Exiles Northstars... so many Northstars to kill, and editorial hasn't hopped on it yet?

Seriously, poor Jean-Paul. The guy can't catch a break, even in dystopian alternate futures. When was the last time he was actually allowed to something cool? Lobdell's Eve of Destruction thing? As if being a gay, French-speaking mutant wasn't hard enough, people have to be killin' the poor guy all the time... :(

[KHNH]

Is X-23 Suppose To Be Part Japanese? I Got That Vibe Off Her In This Book.

Well, she has dark, straight hair... I can't really tell by the facial features. I always did want Wolvie to knock Mariko up. No more of this "We adopted this random girl so that she's available for a plot device only when we need her" stuff.

[LoneWolf21]

well, issue number 3 has AOA Dazzler huge on the cover...how's that for cool? ;)


now if we could only stop the Northstar killing in every other issue. They'll have to invent versions of Northstar to off.

--Dazz

The weird thing is, I thought Northstar had been killed off in Factor X in the original AOA.

[That JonoGuy]

I was thinking the exact same thing, wondering if I'd missed something.

I think it may have just been a coloring error. Both Beak and Leech had similar clothes on, they might have colored them the same by mistake. I think he could have looked more birdlike with the correct coloring.

[cosmicspidey]

Awww... That sucks! Why the heck did they bother with the Wolvie/Mariko mini-story, then?? Damn clones.

Magneto found her in a stasis pod (or whatever you want to call it). They said in the issue that they didn;t know if Sinister had found her and put her there or if she was one of his experiments like X-Man was. I still think a Mariko/Wolverine hook-up is how she came to be.

[discostu]

Magneto found her in a stasis pod (or whatever you want to call it). They said in the issue that they didn;t know if Sinister had found her and put her there or if she was one of his experiments like X-Man was. I still think a Mariko/Wolverine hook-up is how she came to be.
yeah, why else would they show mariko in the one shot?

[fishtaco]

The weird thing is, I thought Northstar had been killed off in Factor X in the original AOA.
nope. Him and Aurora were just comatose after they fought Cyclops who was rescuing Polaris in Factor X #2. :)

[Vegetarian Goat]

after giving it a little bit of thought, i'm wondering if the new Xorn isn't Illyana. I mean, she was slashed open, and then later after everyone left, we saw that she had some weird metal where the slash was.

Eldritch armor, maybe?

[fishtaco]

Where is AOA Magik now, by the way? I know she appeared in the 1-shot, and I missed #1, so does anyone know what happened? Also, where is AOA Destiny?

[The Fury]

Thought, During the battle between the X-men and the Morlocks, Feral refered to Xorn as Wallflower as well. think ther's any connection?

Also, Beak didn't much look like a bird.

[CodeMonkey]

Well. When X-23 said she had flashes of memories when Wolverine was mentioned, it flashed to her remembering Mariko, so I'm guessing there is a tie there, especially given the one-shot.

What bugged me most is Magneto doing a complete 180 on his attitude. He gets shown his greatest fear with the Mirage-whammy, and now he's saying human's don't trust them?

Last issue, the president is praising their help, and people seem to like them a decent amount. Lame.

This is pretty much the opposite of what I was expecting this return to be. They're just capitalizing on the AoA name, throwing in enough hooks to the old universe, and just writing a completely mediocre story.

[Sean Whitmore]

Magneto found her in a stasis pod (or whatever you want to call it). They said in the issue that they didn;t know if Sinister had found her and put her there or if she was one of his experiments like X-Man was. I still think a Mariko/Wolverine hook-up is how she came to be.


That would explain the flashback panel of X23 standing there with Mariko. :)

Not hard to theorize what happened after that. Mariko was killed, X-23 was kidnapped to be experimented on in Sinister's labs.


SEAN

[bagheera]

Hold on a minute! I did not assume that was Mariko necessarily standing there next to the young girl nor did I assume it was a trustworthy "memory".

Beak looked like a tadpole. :mad:

[StarsAndGarters]

Great. Now they're bringing the making the AOA Jean into the Phoenix. That's what stopped the missiles, that's what Magneto's fear was, and that's what Sinister has in that weird tank. I just wish they'd do something more original.

I thought there was only one of the aforementioned thingy, which was why... blech!

If there's only one Phoenix force, which is why Rachel and Jean can't both be the Phoenix at the same time. How could there be a different Phoenix in the AoA?

[fishtaco]

I thought there was only one of the aforementioned thingy, which was why... blech!

If there's only one Phoenix force, which is why Rachel and Jean can't both be the Phoenix at the same time. How could there be a different Phoenix in the AoA?
There is only one Rachel throughout the whole Multiverse. Therefore, there is no AOA Rachel, so it doesnt matter really.

[The Fury]

There is only one Rachel throughout the whole Multiverse. Therefore, there is no AOA Rachel, so it doesnt matter really.
EDIT: First time made no sense, I'm tring again.

There is no AoA Rachel becuase in the AoA Jean and Scott never met like they did normally and Rachel was never born. There are other realities where Jean and Scott did produce Rachel, the normal MU not being one of them.

[Grendel0606]

There is only one Rachel throughout the whole Multiverse. Therefore, there is no AOA Rachel, so it doesnt matter really.
That was Claremont's original take, but with versions of Rachel having appreared both in different issues of What if and, more importantly, in Exiles, i think we can forget about the "Rachel is unique" angle. More like "very rare".

[fishtaco]

That was Claremont's original take, but with versions of Rachel having appreared both in different issues of What if and, more importantly, in Exiles, i think we can forget about the "Rachel is unique" angle. More like "very rare".
oops. my mistake then. Apparently whoever was writing Exiles was not paying attention to what is aleady established. There was an adventure that Excalibur went on through numerous different realities where they always encountered their realities version of Excalibur, minus Rachel. They never found a Rachel.

[MrBiggs7]

Multiverses hurt my head as much as this book's artwork.

Besides the hiccups I do dig the story though.

[chicainery]

oops. my mistake then. Apparently whoever was writing Exiles was not paying attention to what is aleady established. There was an adventure that Excalibur went on through numerous different realities where they always encountered their realities version of Excalibur, minus Rachel. They never found a Rachel.

That would be Excalibur's storyline The Cross-time Caper, which I just read for the first time...at 50 cents a piece. Much love to the cheap comic boxes.

[Stagier]

wait i thought that that was karma in the morlock tunnels.. did she say greatest fear? or mind possesion, gonna have to read that again.
why did feral call thornn feral?
def. raised an eyebrow to xorn and beak. maybe now yoshida will explain what a xorn is....

[jade_nova]

This issue felt kind of flat. Beak should have been more bird like. Do we really need another Phoenix storyline? The fighting in the Morlock's tunnel is very confusing. I like Wolverine's reason for working for Magneto, revenge.

[Mr. Jip]

wait i thought that that was karma in the morlock tunnels.. did she say greatest fear? or mind possesion, gonna have to read that again.
why did feral call thornn feral?
def. raised an eyebrow to xorn and beak. maybe now yoshida will explain what a xorn is....


Magneto's greatest fears, Apocalypse & the Phoenix, were manifested.
The mutant never said she was Dani, but her powers are the same, & she's got feathers in her hair. Everyone knows that Amerindians put feathers in their hair, even if they're not in their teepee but underground in the sewers.

That book is YET another evil Marvel trick to take away my well-earned savings. Danielle Moonstar was a wicked Pale Rider bitch who got killed in X-Calibre.

[TJ Shoun]

So any guesses as to what Mag's "greatest fear" was?

Looked like Sinister with a Phoenix avatar to me.

I'm guessing this has something to do with this "horrible" secret he's keeping from everyone about how he really saved the day in the AoA one-shot.

I think Bachalo is incredible.

One of the most stylistically original artists the industry has seen in a decade.

[The Fury]

Looked like Sinister with a Phoenix avatar to me.

That's the easiest guess, although I really don't want the Phoenix involved in this at all.

The Phoenix never occured in this reality right? Jean was never bonded to it, how would Magento know about it? The problem is that there has also been hints abot Jean. If she comes back to life with the Phoenix it would make no sense, she's just human in this.

[TJ Shoun]

That's the easiest guess, although I really don't want the Phoenix involved in this at all.

The Phoenix never occured in this reality right? Jean was never bonded to it, how would Magento know about it? The problem is that there has also been hints abot Jean. If she comes back to life with the Phoenix it would make no sense, she's just human in this.

See, that's where 10 years worth of forgetting comics screws this stuff up for me. :)

But really, if that isn't a Phoenix avatar, what is it?

[KHNH]

See, that's where 10 years worth of forgetting comics screws this stuff up for me. :)

But really, if that isn't a Phoenix avatar, what is it?

PLEASE be something else.
I mean, there was (thank god), so little Shi'ar/alien involvement in AoA so far, (save the "Gambit & the XTernals", which, btw, featured YOU KNOW WHO!), and to see the Phoenix come to earth, (for no reason, mind you), and manifest in Sinister (for no reason yet again), would be detrimental for my appreciating this run.

[Ryan K]

I liked this issue and I like the mini series OK so far. Some thoughts.

-AoA X-23. We really could have done without this.

-AoA Beak. Kind of looks like a dinosaur.

-Storm knocking out Leech to nullify his powers. Has Storm done this before? Either in the comics or in the cartoon? I seem to remember her doing it, but it might have been someone else.

-We need AoA Jubilee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[fishtaco]

-We need AoA Jubilee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Whatever happened to her? And AOA Lila Cheney too?

[jade_nova]

See, that's where 10 years worth of forgetting comics screws this stuff up for me. :)

But really, if that isn't a Phoenix avatar, what is it?

Apocalypse playing with fire. :)

[Titan Slade]

I think Bachalo is incredible.

One of the most stylistically original artists the industry has seen in a decade.

That is what I keep telling people, but their brains are not big enough to follow his stuff. Pea-brained fan boys, the lot of you :D .