House of M #4 [SPOILERS!]

[anthony!]

Hmmm not bad...not bad at all.

I'm really starting to enjoy the usage of unexpected characters. These second and third stringers in the Sapien resistance make up a pretty interesting team in their own right.

And I especially enjoyed the ending and Emma's little "pep" talk, not to mention the minor hints at what Magneto has done to Charles.

Something tells me that Quicksilver ain't going to be let back into the Avengers any time soon.

[Escron]

So can we get a synopsis on what happened?

[anthony!]

SPOILERS!!!!








Basically Wolverine shows up and Hawkeye shoots him to remove the tracker.

Too late though, the Sentinels show up.

Cloak transports Wolverine, the survivors and a certain Layla Miller to Wilson Fisk's empty office.

There they talk and Wolverine explains what has happened since issue #1. Cage, to Logan's surprise, believes him— as Layla Miller, a girl he's never met, came to him the previous day out of the blue and told him the same story. Hawkeye now knows that in the real world he is dead.

The major revelation is that in this world Wanda is human. Or at least that is her public image.

To gain more allies, Logan and the rest go to Emma Frost's home. In a brief conversation Logan tells Layla she is a mutant (though we aren't sure what her powers exactly are). Emma shows up and thinks they are all burglars, but quickly Layla's abilities cause Emma to regain her true memory.

Emma is majorily pissed and says its time to kill Magneto. And his children. For real.

Logan agrees, but thinks they will need more help— though that might not be enough to restore the world the way it was.

There is also a brief inconsequential scene with Magneto and a "grandson".
Xavier briefly shows up all sweaty and stressed looking in Emma's returning memories of just before the world changed.

[Expletive Deleted]

Wolverine tries to talk to Cage and the sapien resistance fighters, but Hawkeye shoots him in the head. Wolverine recovers quickly, and anti-sapien Sentinels attack. Cloak teleports Wolverine, Cage, Hawkeye, and some of the other humans to safety (the Kingpin's office - he's not there, though).

Cage, Hawkeye, and Wolverine chat a bit, and Wolverine explains the whole "this isn't the way the world is supposed to be" thing and they explain the House of M reality to him. Wanda's a human, apparently.

There's a teenager in the group named Layla Miller who also remembers everything. Turns out she's a mutant, and that's part of her power (she may have Wanda-esque reality warping powers, according to the SECRETS OF book that also came out this week). She's able to help people remember the "real" world.

So, with Cage and company mostly convinced, Wolverine decides that the next person to recruit is Emma Frost. He tracks her down and, with Layla's help, gets her to remember. There are some hints about what happened to Charlie.

And that's about it.

By the way, I read it pretty quickly during lunch, so I make no claims of completeness.

[Tobias March]

Perhaps Layla is a failsafe of sorts, a check and balance installed by Wanda in the of House of M subconsciously.

[anthony!]

Oh and Cage mentions that he has inside people in S.H.I.E.L.D., which I would imagine explains why Jessica Drew is there, likely pretending to be a mutant. I'm sure that will come into play towards the end.

[Cayman]

This issue was a bit talky, but still pretty interesting. I enjoyed seeing the Magneto-helmet Sentinels attack, and Cloak's prominent role. I wonder if Wanda's powers were somehow shunted to Layla Miller, leaving her seemingly human?

Also picked up Secrets of the HoM, but haven't had time to read it all yet.

Cay

[Nightcrawler]

This issue was a bit talky, but still pretty interesting. I enjoyed seeing the Magneto-helmet Sentinels attack, and Cloak's prominent role. I wonder if Wanda's powers were somehow shunted to Layla Miller, leaving her seemingly human?

Also picked up Secrets of the HoM, but haven't had time to read it all yet.

Cay

That makes sense. Could be that her dream would to not have powers, so she gave them to someone else.

[Keith_Martineau]

I wonder if Wanda's powers were somehow shunted to Layla Miller, leaving her seemingly human?

Also picked up Secrets of the HoM, but haven't had time to read it all yet.

Cay

Actually that was my first thought too. Wanda may have wished to be rid of her powers, and wished for children, and those two kind of resulted in Wanda being human, and certain aspect of her powers, and wish for children manifested in Layla Miller. Sorta like when Warlock purged himself of good and evil after obtaining the Infinity Gauntlet, creating the Magus and Goddess.

[fishtaco]

I thought this was so awful. I got lost completely in the dialogue. They were like,

"What?"
"Nothing"
"Oh. Nothing."
"What?"
"No what did you just say?"
"What?"
"Yeah"
"Ohhhhhh" :rolleyes:

A generous 5/10

[Kevinroc]

The story is finally moving forward. So color me entertained. Marvel seems to love this Layla character. She's alright so far. Don't have much to say about her.

[jetter_cheeze]

Flipped through it at the shop and decided to give it one last try. Amazingly, there is an actual story in this issue. Now it seems like something is going to happen.


Charles in on it? Wouldn't be too surprised. Wonder what the reasoning is for him to do it though....

[Jake V]

So, that was pretty cool. After 3 issues of set-up and exposition, the real mission of the book is set up.

First, who is the kid who gives Magneto the ship? One of his grandchildren, but who's son is it? I love that line, "I made this for you. With my mind"

Second, I love how Wolverine is the hero and these second and third-stringers are the group that is gonna change the world.

Third, did anyone else catch that in Wanda-world, Lorna is definitely Magneto's daughter?

Fourth, I like how it was explicitly stated that Wanda through Charles gave the people what they always wanted.

Fifth, I REALLY dug that the first person Wolverine felt he needed to recruit was Cyclops. I think he went into the appartment hoping to find Jean Grey as well. Apparently, wanda's powers have no pull over the phoenix force.

Last, I think that Layla Miller is really Xavier's mind hidden in a girls body. Maybe Xavier secretly hid his mind in her as a way to set the world right. It looked like Magneto was using Xavier to change the world against his will.

Thumbs up for the issue.

[thik_3rd]

pretty weak if you ask me...

the main thing im trying to figure out is who all the people in the room with cage and hawkeye were...specifically the ones who didnt make it out when the sentinels attacked and presumably died. if this really is gonna effect the mu permanently i'd like to know who got offed. they mentioned an "abe". im drawing blanks on who that could be.

[Cayman]

I'm guessing Wolverine will come out of House of M still remembering all his past memories, prompting "The Quest" storyline in his book that's been mentioned elsewhere.

Cay

[anthony!]

Fifth, I REALLY dug that the first person Wolverine felt he needed to recruit was Cyclops. I think he went into the appartment hoping to find Jean Grey as well. Apparently, wanda's powers have no pull over the phoenix force.

Actually to me the joke was that the audience thought Logan was referring to Cyke as "a friend" (I think), but he was really referring to Emma. She seemed to be the one he was expecting.

Which makes sense given that in this kind of situation your going to need a telepath to help you get everyone to "remember". That and the fact that she, like Logan, was an advocate for killing Wanda.

[Cayman]

pretty weak if you ask me...

the main thing im trying to figure out is who all the people in the room with cage and hawkeye were...specifically the ones who didnt make it out when the sentinels attacked and presumably died. if this really is gonna effect the mu permanently i'd like to know who got offed. they mentioned an "abe". im drawing blanks on who that could be.

They are listed on the recap page.

Cay

[anthony!]

I'm guessing Wolverine will come out of House of M still remembering all his past memories, prompting "The Quest" storyline in his book that's been mentioned elsewhere.

Cay


That would be an interesting development, considering part of House of M's purpose was supposedly to put genies BACK into their bottles.

[Beast]

Great issue. Really like what is going on so far here.

And everyone should pick up the 'Secrets of the House of M' book. It gives a great deal of info about the woogied reality versions of the cast. Including focusing on how they're lives were different. Even people who haven't appeared yet like Iceman, etc. Very very good guidebook. :)

[Cayman]

That would be an interesting development, considering part of House of M's purpose was supposedly to put genies BACK into their bottles.

He can always get a bump on the head later.

Cay

[Joe Zool]

I like Magneto, as an anti-hero, as a villain, whatever. I LIKE him.

But the foreshadowing, pssah. He's gonna die. And I'm going to be so pissed.


I know, I know, you say this is Marvel, everybody comes back, but Magneto being killed off has become an old and tired cliche. Especially by Wolverine.

[ibrakeforchinwe]

Sounds like the best yet, but still not anything to write home about.

[jadegiant77]

GOD, WILL SOMETHING HAPPEN ALREADY????

Too damn much talking, not enough action. Oh, and the Secrets of HoM says Layla has the power to alter reality and see parallel timelines. How convenient.

[Expletive Deleted]

if this really is gonna effect the mu permanently i'd like to know who got offed. they mentioned an "abe". im drawing blanks on who that could be.Abe could be Abe Jenkins, formerly the Beetle and currently the leader of the Thunderbolts.

I sort of doubt being killed off in HOUSE OF M is going to be permanent for most characters, though.

Let me put it this way: If Wanda's changes altered reality to the extent that dead characters in the MU are alive in HOUSE OF M, then whatever deus ex machina reverts things at the end of the storyline probably won't be unable to bring back the briefly deceased cannon fodder.

[Keith_Martineau]

I don't think Mags is gonna get offed at the end. He has to pay pennance. Or something.

[xakko]

I hate to say that this series is kinda losing me. I'm not the biggest Wolverine fan, so the focus on him is a bit trying.

What I'm wondering is why Anya isn't still alive. She and Magda would seem to be among Magneto's greatest wishes. That Anya was human almost makes me think that Wanda has transformed herself into Anya, and her powers became Layla.

[Expletive Deleted]

Among his greatest wishes. Maybe being king of the world just takes precedence.

[DDM]

GOD, WILL SOMETHING HAPPEN ALREADY????

Too damn much talking, not enough action. Oh, and the Secrets of HoM says Layla has the power to alter reality and see parallel timelines. How convenient.

Uh Oh, the mutants better kill Layla! She could alter reality to be like without mutants in control of the world. You know, Earth 616... :rolleyes:

[1HELLBOY]

Loved the issue. Not liked, LOVED. I got nine issues today, and this one was near the top of my favorite, if not the favorite. I loved everybit of this book. Don't really wanna go into detail, too lazy :p .

10/10 for this awesome book.

[Beast]

the main thing im trying to figure out is who all the people in the room with cage and hawkeye were...specifically the ones who didnt make it out when the sentinels attacked and presumably died. if this really is gonna effect the mu permanently i'd like to know who got offed. they mentioned an "abe". im drawing blanks on who that could be.
The Abe they mentioned is "Abe Brown" aka Black Tiger.

http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/blacktig.htm

Check out the 'Secrets of the House of M' handbook. :D

[Bart Simpson]

Ominious prediction: Soon Marvel will start soliciting that Layla Millar is the hottest new character the world has ever seen and she is a fan favorite. They will then shove her into books and down our collective throats. :evilsmile

So far this series is so BORING. Maybe if it wasn't over hyped, it would have better.

[Beast]

Ominious prediction: Soon Marvel will start soliciting that Layla Millar is the hottest new character the world has ever seen and she is a fan favorite. They will then shove her into books and down our collective throats. :evilsmile

So far this series is so BORING. Maybe if it wasn't over hyped, it would have better.
She's already being hyped that way. She's supposed to become a major new character in the marvel universe after HoM is over with. Bendis is supposedly going to be using her for some project. :)

[fishtaco]

She's already being hyped that way. She's supposed to become a major new character in the marvel universe after 616 is over with. Bendis is supposedly going to be using her for some project. :)I fail to see how she is the most important person in the Marvel Universe.

[Brian M.]

I fail to see how she is the most important person in the Marvel Universe.

Well being as how she can set right the memories of people in the 616-HoM altered reality I'd say that's pretty important in getting things back to how they were.

[jade_nova]

I got confused reading this thing with the panel setups on the two page spreads. I could not tell which direction to read them in. I did not like how Emma described her powers it sounded kind of lame and the conversation between Cage and Hawkeye at the beginning hurt my head.

[Michael P]

The story is finally moving forward.
And it's only half-over!

[Volk1]

I like the fact that Polaris is actually the daughter of Magneto in this universe...i wish 616 could make up its mind about it as well....

I like how Cage's crew has all the obscure super-humans working together like Moon Night, Iron Fist, Cloak.....I actually enjoyed Wolverine in this issue...I mean, yeah he's the ultimate machine...practially immortal, great tracker, and ferocious fighter, (find it funny that he finds Frost by a phone book....) but still got to give it to him with his whole vendetta here....they're going to start some trouble now...let's see how the Magnus regime conflicts with it........

[Erik Lehnsherr]

So, that was pretty cool. After 3 issues of set-up and exposition, the real mission of the book is set up.

First, who is the kid who gives Magneto the ship? One of his grandchildren, but who's son is it? I love that line, "I made this for you. With my mind"

Second, I love how Wolverine is the hero and these second and third-stringers are the group that is gonna change the world.

Third, did anyone else catch that in Wanda-world, Lorna is definitely Magneto's daughter?

Fourth, I like how it was explicitly stated that Wanda through Charles gave the people what they always wanted.

Fifth, I REALLY dug that the first person Wolverine felt he needed to recruit was Cyclops. I think he went into the appartment hoping to find Jean Grey as well. Apparently, wanda's powers have no pull over the phoenix force.

Last, I think that Layla Miller is really Xavier's mind hidden in a girls body. Maybe Xavier secretly hid his mind in her as a way to set the world right. It looked like Magneto was using Xavier to change the world against his will.

Thumbs up for the issue.

On the topic of Lorna, I peeked throughout another book called "Secrets of the House of M". It gives ALL the info on every major player in the House of M universe with Lorna definitely recognized as Magneto's daughter and living alongside him in Castle Magnus with Wanda, Pietro, and the grand children. It also seems that Quicksilver is bringing back his retro AoA self in falling in love with Ororo while on assignment from Magneto. Some things never change. I love the this story. Magneto is the mutant EVERYONE wants to lead the world, Doom is his right hand man, his children are at peace, Apocalypse is a Magneto lackey, and mutants are the majority. Perfection. Magneto was MEANT to rule the world.

[ibrakeforchinwe]

So maybe this is how the series will end. Wanda will actually be turned human in issue 8, therefore no one is there to turn the universe back so Layla has to do it. She cant fully change it back cuz she isnt that powerful and things will never be the same?

Did I just crack the internet in half? :p

[DarkisLight]

On the topic of Lorna, I peeked throughout another book called "Secrets of the House of M". It gives ALL the info on every major player in the House of M universe with Lorna definitely recognized as Magneto's daughter and living alongside him in Castle Magnus with Wanda, Pietro, and the grand children. It also seems that Quicksilver is bringing back his retro AoA self in falling in love with Ororo while on assignment from Magneto. Some things never change. I love the this story. Magneto is the mutant EVERYONE wants to lead the world, Doom is his right hand man, his children are at peace, Apocalypse is a Magneto lackey, and mutants are the majority. Perfection. Magneto was MEANT to rule the world.

Though I won't be able to get the comics until tomorrow, I'm not too happy with the news that Lorna is Magneto's daughter. Never settled with me because it was never written very well, but if someone can come along and write a decent story on how Magneto met Lorna's mother--I may change my mind. As long as Lorna isn't miss "I'm better than my other two siblings because I have daddy's powers" or "even though my half siblings had to go through Magneto's crazy bullshit and have known him longer, I'm going to pretend like I am completely fine with his dream and closer" then I'm good, but of course that's after HOM is over. For all we know, Wanda only made it true because that's what she currently believes. Watch Lorna end up not being his daughter afterwards and the emotional backfire it will have...could be a decent story...

I also kinda like the idea of this AOA homage to Quicksilver having a crush on Ororo. Though I really wish Luna was alive here since she was forgotten pre-HOM and it would be interesting to ACTUALLY see her communicating with her grandfather...

It just bugs me that in this new world, Magda and Anya aren't alive...just seems weird considering how in Excalibur we saw his greatest desire is to have them back.

[Brian M.]

I'm not sure how I feel about Apocalypse being a lackey for Magneto. He has to be up to something more, kinda like Doom. I don't see Apoc playing 2nd fiddle to anyone.

[Jake V]

I'm not sure how I feel about Apocalypse being a lackey for Magneto. He has to be up to something more, kinda like Doom. I don't see Apoc playing 2nd fiddle to anyone.
Magneto created the world they are in. It's not like Apocalypse has much of a choice about it.

[Vegetarian Goat]

Actually to me the joke was that the audience thought Logan was referring to Cyke as "a friend" (I think), but he was really referring to Emma. She seemed to be the one he was expecting.

I'm not so sure about that... I read it as he was looking for Jean, and became disappointed upon seeing the picture of Scott and Emma. But he realized that Emma's a good second banana, so he settled for her. Wolverine ain't no dummy!

[Vegetarian Goat]

I fail to see how she is the most important person in the Marvel Universe.

She's only been in about 10 pages total! Give her some time, man! :cool:

[ibrakeforchinwe]

I wonder if Emma will still have Diamond form after House of M?

[pesmerga316]

Wolverine said himself "She gave me everything I ever wanted" so it makes sense that he expected to find Jean with Scott, although Emma would prob be better for the task he has in mind seeing as they are alike

Layla is supposed to come out of this a major player, well at least a good plot point to be used. The way I read her is she was a mutant or superhuman child in the normal 616 Universe who also had reality alternating powers, it hints at this in the handbook specifically. Because of this she wasn't affected and knew and expected the world to be the same when she went outside. She lives in Hells kitchen and she specifically states that she went outside to find Daredevil when she felt something was wrong because he was a hero she had access to being in Hells kitchen. She found Cage instead who she knew as a New Avenger and decided to go to him instead, it specifically states this. When she did so her powers overode Wandas and restored all of Cages memories of how things were, and has the same effect on whoever she approaches

As for Xavier, if anyone read Astonishing this week, when he is fighting Danger she asks him if the Xmen even know who he truly is about? And he states that he liked to think that Jean knew, so something is up there. Magneto IMO is being affected in this reality just the same as everyone else, I think it will be revieled that he is an unwilling pawn to all of this and will come out of this a good guy. Xavier on the other hand has a major part in this, I think it was him and someone else currently unknown behind everything. When Emma got her memory restored I don't think the image of CHuck was one showing what happened to him as if in a memory, I think it more has to do with Emma sending out a very strong telepathic call to him which worked and sent him into shock at being discovered. Restoring Emma or a powerful telepath (Jean more so which I think was the original puprose, was key into locating Chuck who had dissapeared (Wolvering does say his name when he realized who provided the info to Wanda) and in this case it worked as Emma broke through, she may not have located him but he felt it and was thrown off his Rocker. It also shows him flanked by shadowy figures whom I do not believe to be Magneto or his children

[The Shadow]

Loved the issue.

I've really enjoyed the series but I think this is the strongest issue so far. Can't wait to see what happens in 2 weeks.

[Shadowcat]

Well being as how she can set right the memories of people in the 616-HoM altered reality I'd say that's pretty important in getting things back to how they were.


are you aware of how many reality warpers there are out there in the mu? layla is NOTHING special.

[Beast]

are you aware of how many reality warpers there are out there in the mu? layla is NOTHING special.
Jamie Braddock (Nuttier than a tree full of Squirrels)
Proteus (Should still hopefully be dead)
Franklin Richards (Powers removed by Reed/May not remember reality)

[cholizo]

I love where this is going. I think Logan went looking for Cyke and Emma, not Cyke and Jean. This is supposed to take place after Phoenix Endsong, so Logan knows Jean is gone and not coming back. It's also pretty evident that Cyke and Emma belong together.

This is another typical Bendis book where he makes 2nd and 3rd string characters into main characters and it works perfectly. Loved seeing Moon Knight, Iron Fist, and the rest of them as the leaders of the Sapien movement.

Anyone else think that Magneto isn't really gung-ho about things? The last two panels, he didn't look too pleased with things. I'm guessing that Wanda did this to make him happy, and he's starting to remember things as they were. I really want Magneto to come out of this intact as I was starting to dig the good guy Magneto.

[bakla]

On the topic of Lorna, I peeked throughout another book called "Secrets of the House of M". It gives ALL the info on every major player in the House of M universe with Lorna definitely recognized as Magneto's daughter and living alongside him in Castle Magnus with Wanda, Pietro, and the grand children. It also seems that Quicksilver is bringing back his retro AoA self in falling in love with Ororo while on assignment from Magneto. Some things never change. I love the this story. Magneto is the mutant EVERYONE wants to lead the world, Doom is his right hand man, his children are at peace, Apocalypse is a Magneto lackey, and mutants are the majority. Perfection. Magneto was MEANT to rule the world.

Lorna still may not be Magneto's real daughter in 616 - it may just be what she really wants, hence the fact that her life revolves around Mags in House of M. Also, Wanda's being 'sapien' might be what she because she realizes the gravity of the atrocities of what her powers have caused the world in recent history. This would also explain Clint's ressurrection, because she'd not want to be resposible for his death, although I wonder if the rest of the Avengers she killed originally have all been ressurrected...

[MrBiggs7]

I'm wondering if this Layla girl is just Scarlett Witch seperated and put in another body. Think about it: We have Wanda the Sapian so where'd her mutant part go?

[Radical_dreamer]

I'm sorry but it might be shallow but I really dont want the house of M to revert back to normal. I mean this just proves that magneto was right. the world is a far better place if mutants are in control. No world is perfect but this one seems to be damn close. I really dont see why emma would want to change it back. She has everything she's ever wanted.

[Lord S]

I'm not sure how I feel about Apocalypse being a lackey for Magneto. He has to be up to something more, kinda like Doom. I don't see Apoc playing 2nd fiddle to anyone. I absolutely agree with this sentiment...as much as I think he's overrated, Apocalypse is a major player, and like Doom, doesn't fit the role of lap dog. Look for some treasonous behaviour from the two.

Anyway, yeah, I'm thrilled about this series. This is the most exciting crossover to come out of Marvel in recent memory...in an era dominated by writers pandering to the needs of incessant fanboys, this is a very refreshing story.

Anyone notice the red eyes of Magnus' grandkid (can't remember if it was a boy or girl). Mephisto is a name that has been tossed around by many...and this kid lends more credence to the idea that the demon may be directly involved in this somehow.

[Shadowcat]

Jamie Braddock (Nuttier than a tree full of Squirrels)
Proteus (Should still hopefully be dead)
Franklin Richards (Powers removed by Reed/May not remember reality)

remember that mutant boy in x-staix? or gaia from generation x?

[Expletive Deleted]

I mean this just proves that magneto was right. the world is a far better place if mutants are in control.It's a better place, but it's not like it happened naturally. This reality has been stage managed by Wanda to ensure that Magneto is in charge and that things are spiffy. I don't think we're supposed to take it as an example of what the world would be like if Magneto had really come out on top.

[streator]

remember that mutant boy in x-staix? or gaia from generation x?
or mikhail rasputin.
either way, reality manipulation is a powerful force in the marvel universe.

[DDM]

Jamie Braddock (Nuttier than a tree full of Squirrels)
Proteus (Should still hopefully be dead)
Franklin Richards (Powers removed by Reed/May not remember reality)

The Molecule Man
Michael Rasputin
Sir James Jaspers

[DDM]

Jamie Braddock (Nuttier than a tree full of Squirrels)
Proteus (Should still hopefully be dead)
Franklin Richards (Powers removed by Reed/May not remember reality)

The Molecule Man
Michael Rasputin
Sir James Jaspers

[Brian M.]

To complain about someone with the same powers as another mutant is kinda pointless, how many dam telepath's do the X-Men have?

[DDM]

To complain about someone with the same powers as another mutant is kinda pointless, how many dam telepath's do the X-Men have?

Telepathy has many uses depending on the mutant. A reality warper is just plain lazy writing given Wanda's powers affects probability--not alter reality with one super hex. Wanda should have to cast thousands of hex spheres to properly "alter reality." Bendis just picks & chooses things, but ignores other past developments to give his storylines merit. "Avengers Disassembled" is just a mess.

[Dante]

I really enjoyed this book.

I think my favorite part about it is Cloak. I love Cloak and we never see him anymore. I hope that one of the things that changes out of HOM is that Cloak becomes a major player again. I want to see Cloak have his own series... heck his own mini series every once in a while would be great. But alas... I know it will never be true.

I don't like (like many here) that the focus of this series is Wolverine. I was hoping it would be more Avengers, because I'm not the biggest X-Fan in the world.

Dante

[Brian M.]

A lot of this story is about putting the Marvel U in a new direction. The aftermath of HoM, what gets put back and what doesn't is what will give this book meaning. The story is good and is picking up pace and still has 4 issues left. The aftermath of the book is what will determine whether this mini was worth it or not.

[Beast]

Either way, most of the reality warpers in the Marvel Universe are dead, missing, or depowered at the point of HoM. So who cares if Bendis wants to introduce a new character into the mix that has similar powers.

[jade_nova]

The worse thing about this miniseries that we pretty much know what is going on from reading the articles about this series. I was reading this thing yesterday and I wasn't all that surprised by what was happening. A child can figure what would happen next. Let me say this about Layla Miller she is a Deus Ex Machina.

[Christopher O]

Telepathy has many uses depending on the mutant. A reality warper is just plain lazy writing given Wanda's powers affects probability--not alter reality with one super hex. Wanda should have to cast thousands of hex spheres to properly "alter reality." .
Normally, you're correct. In this case, Bendis established that Wanda's powers have grown and gotten out of control. It's no different than when Jean or Rachel or now, apparently, Psylocke have had dramatic increases in power.

Bendis just picks & chooses things, but ignores other past developments to give his storylines merit. "Avengers Disassembled" is just a mess.
What did he ignore? He RetConned somethings, but I'm not sure what he ignored, and in Wanda's case, I'm not sure it matters. Most writer never write Wanda's powers in the same way as another.

[Winter Version]

The worse thing about this miniseries that we pretty much know what is going on from reading the articles about this series. I was reading this thing yesterday and I wasn't all that surprised by what was happening.

I feel the same way. I'm enjoying HoM but I think reading it would be a far more rewarding experience if I didn't already know what was going to happen in each book.

And as for the Layla thing, why are we making judgments on character we've barely seen anything of? Give the writer(s) time to flesh her character out before we decide whether or not she's worth our time.

[StoneGold]

This is probably not going to be like Onslaught, since this isn't going to lead into Heroes Reborn. Worst case scenario, it's Zero Hour, which had some cool tie ins, but never really did what it was supposed to do, which was streamline some of the post-Crisis continuity issues. But considering there's still a good chunk of the series to go, and we haven't even dealt with the aftermath yet, it seems unlikely.

[SMKSPY]

slow moving, but decent issue. I wish the pace would pick up a bit, but can you expect anything less from Bendis. ;)

[Shadowcat]

Telepathy has many uses depending on the mutant. A reality warper is just plain lazy writing given Wanda's powers affects probability--not alter reality with one super hex. Wanda should have to cast thousands of hex spheres to properly "alter reality." Bendis just picks & chooses things, but ignores other past developments to give his storylines merit. "Avengers Disassembled" is just a mess.



exactly wanda's powers for the most part were unique now there disgusting bland and redundant.

[DDM]

House of M is, in a strange parallel, a comparison to The Wizard of Oz. Wolverine is Dorothy, who realizes that this wonderful magickal world is not what it seems, as his fragmented memories are crystal clear of Earth 616's past. Wolverine--in the 3rd issue (should have happened in the 1st issue)--slowly gathers his motley crew of allies. In this case, he has most of the underground Sapien movement plus, conveniently, a little girl who can also alter reality & see the world as it was. How convenient. Emma Frost is the second major mutant character to join the fold since she too suddenly remembers her past reading Layla Miller's mind. How covenient. Is Layla Toto? Xavier is the mysterious Wizard of Oz. Magneto is the Wicked Witch of the West.

The glacial pacing compounded by the thin storyline kills the book. I can see the twists coming a mile away. For instance, in House of M #4, Wolverine realizes Xavier is helping Wanda alter reality.

Bendis story is predictable & too long for his mediocre short story. Story decompression is killing what might be a good story.

6/10

[sschroeder]

The woman on the upper right of page 5, holding a gun and wearing an Asian style outfit. Does anyone know who she is? I could not tell that she escaped with Cloak. This probably makes her some unnamed member of Sons of the Tiger?

[bloodyarts]

I'm enjoying the series so far, but I have to admit, I don't like Layla, either. I mean, it's just TOO convenient that she should come along, remember everything, and make anyone she comes into contact remember also. That's lazy writing, to me. If it turns out "Layla" is Wanda, or someone else who could logically undo the HOM-verse, then I'll give Bendis due credit.

I also have an issue with Wolverine and Emma wanting to kill Wanda. What makes them think killing her will set everything straight? What if things get infinitely worse? Is it worth taking that chance? This is where Magneto and Quicksilver should step in and totally own Logan and Emma, and show them that's not the answer.

I'd also feel better if Xavier could be a minor bit player in all this. I know that won't happen, as no mutant issue in the MU can go down without his involvement. But this is Magneto and his children's show. They should be the ones to determine the final outcome.

That aside, I like some of the developments that have come out of this event, namely Fearsome Four and Hulk. I also don't mind Wolverine being the star of the story, though I don't know why he remembers everything right off the bat. I'm hoping he goes back to being "Logan", and that whole "Origin" nonsense is forgotten. Some things are just better left unknown.

[Keith_Martineau]

I'm enjoying the series so far, but I have to admit, I don't like Layla, either. I mean, it's just TOO convenient that she should come along, remember everything, and make anyone she comes into contact remember also. That's lazy writing, to me. If it turns out "Layla" is Wanda, or someone else who could logically undo the HOM-verse, then I'll give Bendis due credit.

I also have an issue with Wolverine and Emma wanting to kill Wanda. What makes them think killing her will set everything straight? What if things get infinitely worse? Is it worth taking that chance? This is where Magneto and Quicksilver should step in and totally own Logan and Emma, and show them that's not the answer.

I'd also feel better if Xavier could be a minor bit player in all this. I know that won't happen, as no mutant issue in the MU can go down without his involvement. But this is Magneto and his children's show. They should be the ones to determine the final outcome.

That aside, I like some of the developments that have come out of this event, namely Fearsome Four and Hulk. I also don't mind Wolverine being the star of the story, though I don't know why he remembers everything right off the bat. I'm hoping he goes back to being "Logan", and that whole "Origin" nonsense is forgotten. Some things are just better left unknown.

I'm pretty sure most of your concerns have already been answered. Logan remembers everything right off the bat because Wanda is granting everyones wish, and his wish was to remember everything about his past. Says so right on the page. And Xavier is involved because whoever is behind this whole mess is USING Xavier to know and grant everyones wish. That too is said right there on the page.
Although it's important to note that Emma says she wants to off Mags AND his children, not just Wanda.

[bloodyarts]

I'm pretty sure most of your concerns have already been answered. Logan remembers everything right off the bat because Wanda is granting everyones wish, and his wish was to remember everything about his past. Says so right on the page. And Xavier is involved because whoever is behind this whole mess is USING Xavier to know and grant everyones wish. That too is said right there on the page.
Although it's important to note that Emma says she wants to off Mags AND his children, not just Wanda.

Why Wolverine remembers everything was answered, but my concerns about Xavier and the desire to kill Wanda really aren't. How could they; they're just opinions.

I know Xavier's role in this. I merely said I wish his role was more minor.

[Keith_Martineau]

Thank you, I wasn't going to use myself as an example cause I didn't wanna seem like I was working purely from my own opinions on the matter.

You are damn right that when I got into X-Men, it was because the characters were hella interesting. It was in the middle of the X-tinction Agenda, and there was about a trillion character motivated moments going on.
People were sad about Warlok's death.
"Who was that and why are they so sad?"
Wolverine and Archangel were made to fight against eachother and they weren't going to hold back because of things that happened with Jean Grey.
"Holy cow, whats the story behind that!"
Everyone was still all curious about Gambit, a then new and mysterious character.
"Who is this guy that nobody trusts?"
And any number of other elements. I did not like them cause there was a dude with cool metal wings, and a dude with claws and a girl who could control the weather.

And I'm going to continue to use the Fantastic Four as an example because it was the best one. Stan and Jack specifically used powers that had been done to death. Stretchy skin, human torch, big strong monster. Dunno if Invisiblity had been used much before, but everything else was conventions that had definately been seen and used a lot before. People got interested in the Fantastic Four because Stan and Jack were doing different, unconventional (for the time) things with the characters who had those cliche powers.
At the very least, you look cause of the power, and stick around cause of the story. And Layla's story has not been told yet.

[Keith_Martineau]

Why Wolverine remembers everything was answered, but my concerns about Xavier and the desire to kill Wanda really aren't. How could they; they're just opinions.

I know Xavier's role in this. I merely said I wish his role was more minor.

Sorry, misread.

[DDM]

I've liked Lorna Dane ever since I read the reprint of Uncanny X-Men #97 in Classic X-Men #5:

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/large/17292128602.5.gif

The unexpected came again for Polaris when Malice possessed her in Uncanny X-Men #219:

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/large/97792366288.219.gif

Lorna's problem is that she is a mutant who wants a life outside of the X-Men; therefore, she became vulnerable to many of the X-Men's foes such as Mesmero, Davan Shakari, & Mr. Sinister.

Lorna's personality did very will with Peter David, but many writers since then never "got" Lorna--Chuck Austen & Peter Milligan among them.

[Blackcat]

The woman on the upper right of page 5, holding a gun and wearing an Asian style outfit. Does anyone know who she is? I could not tell that she escaped with Cloak. This probably makes her some unnamed member of Sons of the Tiger?

She is White Tiger. I do not know much about this character thou, she seems to be human.

You know what really suprised me? Not one of you talkes about the fist known hero who dies in this series: Misty Night did not survive the Sentinel attack. She died..!

I am one of the persons who thinks the things happening in the HoM will stay and that HoM is used to clean-up the Marvel Universe a bit. This means Misty Night is the very first victem of HoM.

It was cool to have Cloak back. In another thread their is a discussion about 'rests' well it's good to know the long rest of Cloak seems to be over now.

[fishtaco]

Lorna's personality did very will with Peter David, but many writers since then never "got" Lorna--Chuck Austen & Peter Milligan among them.I thought you didnt like PAD? Well, glad you do.

The one little minor thing that annoys me about not just this series, but the whole House of M stories is how the derogatory term for human is "sapien". Im finding that word weak, and kind of annoying. I believe Quesada is using his editorial authority to make other writers use the word to be cohesive. Well, Im glad he's coordinating, but the word "flatscan" is so much better. It sounds stronger, more offensive and racist, and has been used by mutant supremicists for years and years now in the X-universe.

[Flight]

ERASE Austen's rubbish Dane-Maximoff connection Bendis!!!

[Brian Cronin]

Just to be clear....some modes of discussion that are inappropriate for this forum:

1. Saying stuff like "Why does everyone hate Character X?" Don't do that - just say, "I think Character X is cool." Then if people disagree, simply debate the point using facts and observations rather than resorting to"You're just being negative!"

2. Telling people that "you're just being negative!"

3. Telling people "Why do you read the comic, then?" So long as they are being civil about it, people can criticize a comic over and over and over and over if they want to. You can feel free to ignore them, let their incessant complaining be like white noise to you...but you cannot personally attack them for their pursuits. Tell them that their positions are unfounded. Tell them that they are not backing up their points with any facts at all. Just do not personally rip them.

4. The ol' "Opinion Back and Forth," as in "This is just MY opinion!" "That's just YOUR opinion!" We get it. If you are saying something, it should be understood by everyone that it is your opinion. No need to discuss it further.

5. I will allow a lot of hyberbole go, stuff like "This is the worst comic that I ever read," stuff like that...but let us be reasonable, people. Simply stating "Book X sucks" just is not all that helpful of a contribution to the overall discussion.

SUPER GOLDEN RULE. Keep the discussions about the COMICS, not your fellow posters. If you need to just vent, go do so in X-crescence, that is its reason for existing.

[Brian Cronin]

If I see any of the above on this thread again, whoever does it is getting his or herself a ban.

If you don't like reading about people "hating on" something that you enjoy, then do not come to a public messageboard.

Go talk with friends of yours whose opinions match yours.

Go write a blog.

But if you come to a public messageboard, people's opinions are going to differ from yours.

Keep the discussions about the COMICS, not your fellow posters. If you need to just vent, go do so in X-crescence, that is its reason for existing.

Deviation from this WILL lead to bans.

Continue your discussion!

-Brian

(And don't reply to these posts on this thread)

[tjarvis]

She is White Tiger. I do not know much about this character thou, she seems to be human.

You know what really suprised me? Not one of you talkes about the fist known hero who dies in this series: Misty Night did not survive the Sentinel attack. She died..!

I am one of the persons who thinks the things happening in the HoM will stay and that HoM is used to clean-up the Marvel Universe a bit. This means Misty Night is the very first victem of HoM.

It was cool to have Cloak back. In another thread their is a discussion about 'rests' well it's good to know the long rest of Cloak seems to be over now.

Don't worry about Misty too much. At the SDCC, Jimmy Palmiotti stated that he was working on a series, Daughters of the Dragon, where one of the main characters is Misty Knight.

[Emerald Ghost]

I found the story enjoyable.

Layla is cute, and seems to be a fun character. I am afraid I had a bit of a problem with her dialogue, but I'm sure it's a case of "we didn't really see her that much, just a few pages", so I will just keep reading.

James Howlett remembering everything? Coolness to the fifth power. It's about time! I look forward to it, as it's been quite a while.

I hope Wolvie trains that ragtag band of heroes to kick butt. It's going to rock.

I am enjoying the pace of the story, as it lets me experience the time and place of House of M, what the world is like.

It's kind of disappointing the Hulk wasn't in this book. I loved him in the series though.

[Will.S]

Bendis story is predictable & too long for his mediocre short story. Story decompression is killing what might be a good story.
This would be a problem if it weren't coming out bi-weekly.

[moebius]

Well, Im glad he's coordinating, but the word "flatscan" is so much better. It sounds stronger, more offensive and racist, and has been used by mutant supremicists for years and years now in the X-universe.

Weird, isn't it? Flatscan was a term Claremont came up with in X-Men #1, and it stuck. Is there anything over the last 15 years that anyone else has done that Claremont did not directly contribute? Bishop maybe, Cassandra Nova maybe, but after that I'm out of ideas. Even Claremont's racial slurs stuck.

Uhhh, anyway, enjoying the HoM discussion I'm in the "Old World," so I'm going to come back at the end and read the whole thing in trade. Which, being Bendis, I have to admit will improve the quality of the read. Maybe biweekly is different.

[DarthDookuk]

I think this has been a great book. I cant understand why people say they were lost in the dialogue. I thought the whole scenario with wolverine and Luke Cage was awesome. And then the little girl just added to it. It was a bit of a spoiler, reading in the Secrets of HOM, that the little girl has reality altering powers. Then they go to Emma's house. I thought that whole scene was amazing. And the way Emma read everyones mind, and then the way she reacted was great.

There was one picture of Charles in the HOM world that was kinda creepy. He was sitting in his chair in what looked like a dark church. He had two guys in robes with hoods standing next to him with their heads bowed down. Charles seemed to look very sinister. Im very anxious to see what is going on with him. In the Secrets of HOM, it said that Charles had helped Magneto build the mutant empire for reasons unknown, and that he has disappeared since. I cant imagine whats going on with him, but im guessing he knows everything and just doesnt know if he wants to change it back to normal. He pretty much has everything he ever wanted. A world where mutants are accepted. But it is a conflict of his morals. Is it worth the extinction of the human race, for mutants to be accepted.

[Dussan]

Definitley cool, and once again this will read a hell of a lot better in TPB form.

If they are going to do this, then they need to release the comics a lot sooner.

As for CLoak, impressed. Very impressed.

Luke Cage is once again showing how kick ass he is when a competent writer uses him.

I just hope we won't see some stupid crap with Wolverine and Frost "running the show".

[DDM]

This would be a problem if it weren't coming out bi-weekly.


The problem is House of M #1-3 could have easily been in one double size issue. Bendis is stretching the story for TPB reasons; in the meantime, he's cutting himself short by not making enough story fit the 8 issue storyline. The problem remains.

[Go Go]

Yikes! This series continues to let me down. Dialogue just isn't quite right in issue 4. It's not that I don't like it; it just seems to be coming from the wrong people. Emma being the blood thirsty type just isn't quite right. I can understand her wanting to kill out of revenge or protection reasons. When she says that she wants Magneto and his kids dead in this issue, her statement doesn't seem to be originating from either of those reasons. Instead, she seems more annoyed than anything that Wanda's messed with reality. Instead of being scared that Wanda's powers have been demonstrated in a way that all of the world knows how powerful she is and just what she's capable of doing when not in control, Emma's reactions seem to be more "let's kill her to make this stop." Eh, true, Emma did start off as a villain shown to be capable of getting blood on her hands, but to be as outright bloodthirsty as Wolverine (heck, she even seemed to be wanting blood more than him) just isn't the White Queen. Bendis was close to making me believe Emma capable of behaving that way, but he ended up dropping the ball and making it harder for me to believe her.

I'm also curious about the death of Misty Knight in this issue. I'm afraid that when reality gets put back, Misty might not be alive. But then again, given what's said and shown, it doesn't look like White Tiger or Mach 1 made it either. I say Mach 1/Beetle only because I don't know a whole lot of other human Abe's that might be mixed up with this bunch. So potentially those people could be gone as well.

[Beast]

I'm also curious about the death of Misty Knight in this issue. I'm afraid that when reality gets put back, Misty might not be alive. But then again, given what's said and shown, it doesn't look like White Tiger or Mach 1 made it either. I say Mach 1/Beetle only because I don't know a whole lot of other human Abe's that might be mixed up with this bunch. So potentially those people could be gone as well.
Abe as posted several pages back is Abe Brown, aka Black Tiger.

http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/blacktig.htm

And Misty Knight will be fine, she's in a book post HoM. :)

[Tobias March]

Yikes! This series continues to let me down. Dialogue just isn't quite right in issue 4. It's not that I don't like it; it just seems to be coming from the wrong people. Emma being the blood thirsty type just isn't quite right. I can understand her wanting to kill out of revenge or protection reasons. When she says that she wants Magneto and his kids dead in this issue, her statement doesn't seem to be originating from either of those reasons. Instead, she seems more annoyed than anything that Wanda's messed with reality. Instead of being scared that Wanda's powers have been demonstrated in a way that all of the world knows how powerful she is and just what she's capable of doing when not in control, Emma's reactions seem to be more "let's kill her to make this stop." Eh, true, Emma did start off as a villain shown to be capable of getting blood on her hands, but to be as outright bloodthirsty as Wolverine (heck, she even seemed to be wanting blood more than him) just isn't the White Queen. Bendis was close to making me believe Emma capable of behaving that way, but he ended up dropping the ball and making it harder for me to believe her.
.

Beyond the whole "she used to be a villain", side of the question --> she's just found out her whole life is a lie. Supposedly the one that she wished for most in the world. Being a small-town teacher, in love with Scott, no Hellfire Club or Genosha massacre to deal with...Then bamm Logan's standing in front of her and she's confronted with a rush of memories, bound up with all the misery and treachery of her 'real', life. It's gonna prove irksome, y'know.

Also I had to laugh at Logan's "Hey Em's". :p That was nice.

[Go Go]

Abe as posted several pages back is Abe Brown, aka Black Tiger.

http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/blacktig.htm

And Misty Knight will be fine, she's in a book post HoM. :)

Very cool. Thanks Beast for the info. It's been awhile since I've been here. Also, I tend to skim when people just go off about how the writer sucks, the book sucks, that kind of thing. I guess I just skimmed to much and too far.

Oh really? Misty's coming back?! Fantastic! While I'm overjoyed to hear that Misty's going to be in an ongoing, it also makes me realize that this series is again another summer crossover that's going to have little if any lasting reprecussions in regards to characters living and dying.

[Go Go]

Beyond the whole "she used to be a villain", side of the question --> she's just found out her whole life is a lie. Supposedly the one that she wished for most in the world. Being a small-town teacher, in love with Scott, no Hellfire Club or Genosha massacre to deal with...Then bamm Logan's standing in front of her and she's confronted with a rush of memories, bound up with all the misery and treachery of her 'real', life. It's gonna prove irksome, y'know.

Also I had to laugh at Logan's "Hey Em's". :p That was nice.

That dialogue was exceptional at times. The "Hey Ems" made me chuckle too.

But having Emma say let's kill Magneto, Lorna, Pietro, and Wanda all just struck me as a bit much. Yeah, Emma's not someone you want to piss off, that's for sure. But it's not for fear of her going off on a bloodthirsty rage that should get make one afraid. It's the idea of only being sexually aroused by bad art for the rest of your life that should make you think twice.

I don't know. You do make a good point. I just hope you might be able to see where I might not agree 100% with you.

[Tobias March]

I don't know. You do make a good point. I just hope you might be able to see where I might not agree 100% with you.

Oh I understand. And I figure I may just be a teensy bit naieve to be holding out for this series :p I am enjoying it so far. For one thing it's refreshing for an alternate world not to be a complete dystopia. Not original, Alan Moore's Superman story featuring the parasitic plant that recreates your deepest fantasy is very much a precursor, all the same...

I also enjoyed Danny Rand's reaction to Logan flinging the photo across the room :)

[Blackcat]

And Misty Knight will be fine, she's in a book post HoM. :)

Were did you read that fact, I like to seeprove on that course it would mean that HoM will have no influance at all, as they (Marvel) has suggested all the time...!


.

[Beast]

Were did you read that fact, I like to seeprove on that course it would mean that HoM will have no influance at all, as they (Marvel) has suggested all the time...!


.
Someone else mentioned it, you'll have to ask them. :)

[Blackcat]

Someone else mentioned it, you'll have to ask them. :)

Won't believe it until I see actual prove thou!

.

[Christopher O]

Were did you read that fact, I like to seeprove on that course it would mean that HoM will have no influance at all, as they (Marvel) has suggested all the time...!


.
No influence at all? If the only influence this series has is getting so-called "washed-up" characters back in the spotlight (Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, Misty, Dazzler, etc.) with this top-selling series--which means reintroducing them to a broader audience--and then sending them to new ongoings, then I'll be happy with that. As it stands, that's exactly what's going on, and on top of that, we get a pretty interesting story with fantastic art.

[Christopher O]

Won't believe it until I see actual prove thou!

.
Quoted from Newsarama:
"Daughters of the Dragon’s Jimmy Palmiotti said he always thought the characters were the “coolest chicks in comics." Misty and Colleen will be bounty hunters hunting low-end supervillains in New York. The first issue open with them chasing the Rhino down the West Side Highway and destroying everything in site."

http://www.newsarama.com/SDCC05/Marvel/cup_o_joe/cup_o_joepanel.html

[Beast]

Quoted from Newsarama:
"Daughters of the Dragon’s Jimmy Palmiotti said he always thought the characters were the “coolest chicks in comics." Misty and Colleen will be bounty hunters hunting low-end supervillains in New York. The first issue open with them chasing the Rhino down the West Side Highway and destroying everything in site."

http://www.newsarama.com/SDCC05/Marvel/cup_o_joe/cup_o_joepanel.html
Thanks for finding that, Deus ex Chris. :)

[Christopher O]

Thanks for finding that, Deus ex Chris. :)
Not a problem. ;)

[jetter_cheeze]

The problem is House of M #1-3 could have easily been one double size issue. Bendis is stretching the story for TPB reasons; in the meantime, he's cutting himself short by not making enough story fit the 8 issue storyline. The problem remains regardless of the bi-weekly status.


While i do agree with you about how 1-3 could have been one issue, i do take some issue about how Bendis writes for trades. The entire time i have been reading Bendis books seems to be in the decompressed style, something he is good at writing. Like many of his comics, it is better to read it in its entirety than an issue at a time. This happens to be a bonus for Marvel because now they can market trades for the bookstore market better than anything. Bendis is writing for the multi issue storyline, a feet that is not too uncommon in the industry.

[jetter_cheeze]

The glacial pacing compounded by the thin storyline kills the book. I can see the twists coming a mile away. For instance, in House of M #4, Wolverine realizes Xavier is helping Wanda alter reality.

Bendis story is predictable & too long for his mediocre short story. Story decompression is killing what might be a good story.

6/10


So what is the next great twist that can be seen coming? Wolverine killing Mags seems to be one i can see coming.

[handOFfate]

My favorite issue of House of M so far. It's cool seeing the normal human characters, many of which haven't been seen in mainstream Marvel in years, banding together. My only regret is that we haven't seen Daredevil yet, who is obviously some sort of important resistance leader. And Cage's comments hinted that someone in the House of M is an insider working for the resistance. My money is on Drew.
One other thing. I won't be satisfied if Magneto doesn't die in this series (unless he wasnt responsible, which is possible). I hope Xavier does it, but my guess is it'll be Wolverine.

[DDM]

So what is the next great twist that can be seen coming? Wolverine killing Mags seems to be one i can see coming.

Every X-Man that was in House of M #1 is gathered by Wolverine. He already has Emma Frost & more than likely Cyclops. Shadowcat, Colossus, & Beast is next. The cover for House of M #8 has been posted showing Wolverine stabbing Magneto...again. Wow how original.

[Brian M.]

The "twists" are going to be what the affects of HoM are. I think a pretty big twist is that Xavier is helping change reality. He is the cause of many many human deaths due to the war that occured between Mutants and Humans. He is associated with the mistreatment of humans now. I don't see how the X-Men can go back trusting him.

[DDM]

The "twists" are going to be what the affects of HoM are. I think a pretty big twist is that Xavier is helping change reality. He is the cause of many many human deaths due to the war that occured between Mutants and Humans. He is associated with the mistreatment of humans now. I don't see how the X-Men can go back trusting him.

The X-Men will go back eventually. After all, most of the X-Men--aside from Storm's team--trusts Xavier, although he is responsible for the Xavier Protocols. The Marvel Universe will essentially be the same with little changed affected by House of M. The status quo will come back eventually too.

[Erik Lehnsherr]

Every X-Man that was in House of M #1 is gathered by Wolverine. He already has Emma Frost & more than likely Cyclops. Shadowcat, Colossus, & Beast is next. The cover for House of M #8 has been posted showing Wolverine stabbing Magneto...again. Wow how original.

Where is the cover?

[anthony!]

We don't know for sure that Chuck is helping them willfully— we only know that he was used to know what everyone's greatest desire would be.

My feeling is that the Xavier that called the meeting between the Avengers and the X-Men might not have been the real Xavier. After all, didn't the X-Men express surprise that Chuck wanted to speak to them after the supposed falling out in Astonishing X-Men #12?

Magneto might already have incapacitated Xavier before he went to New York, even before he argued with Quicksilver.

[Blackcat]

here it is, hope you like what you see, I don't. Someone else should be doing that, Quicksilver or Rogue, that would be a suprise ending!!!!:

http://www.uncannyxmen.net/covers/previews/hom8.jpg

[Will.S]

Most, if not all the House of M covers reflect the happenings of the inside of the books so I wouldn't be surprised if that scene of Wolverine with Magneto at his mercy came to pass but I also wouldn't be surprised if it didn't.

[Erik Lehnsherr]

here it is, hope you like what you see, I don't. Someone else should be doing that, Quicksilver or Rogue, that would be a suprise ending!!!!:

http://www.uncannyxmen.net/covers/previews/hom8.jpg


There's more to it than it seems. Doom is gonna play a big part in the ending as will the children and Xavier. Wolverine won't be the savior this time. Not without some huge consequences to the X-family.

[Beast]

Most, if not all the House of M covers reflect the happenings of the inside of the books so I wouldn't be surprised if that scene of Wolverine with Magneto at his mercy came to pass but I also wouldn't be surprised if it didn't.
Agreed. Hell, Beast appears as classic Blue Furry Apeman Beast on two different HoM covers so far. Yet he's Kitty Cat going in, and Human looking during the actual storyline. Here's hoping that it's just a tease of what to expect once HoM wraps up. I want the real Beast back, not the kitty cat abomination. :)

[jetter_cheeze]

I forget who it was (quesada or Bendis) saying that #8 deals with the fallout of everything with #7 being the climax of the story. If Wolverine were to kill Mags in #7, then it would make sense for this cover to be correct in not showing what is happening in the issue.

Every X-Man that was in House of M #1 is gathered by Wolverine. He already has Emma Frost & more than likely Cyclops. Shadowcat, Colossus, & Beast is next. The cover for House of M #8 has been posted showing Wolverine stabbing Magneto...again. Wow how original.

Somehow i don't see this happening, seeing how Colossus is in Russia. I don't see Wolverine taking a sidetrip to Russia to find him. Plus, wolvering already has a team right there with him willing and able to help.


So people say that this is predictable writing from Bendis. Well please, anyone post what will be the next major plot point for the next issue and give some reasoning. It will be funny to see who is right.

[Beast]

Of course #8 dealing with the fallout from #7 is likely moot now. Since we have "House of M: The Day After" to wrap everything up for us. :p

[Dr. Banner]

Why does every character in these stories start off most sentences with "The Hell..."?

Is the word "what" illegal now or something?

Besides this (for some reason, it's REALLY bothering me), I'm LOVIN' the book. The whole "what if" angle is too cool and a lot of fun.

[bagheera]

Man, me, too! I can't stand them dropping "what" from "what the hell". Once I can deal with but every single time? Who talks like this?

ppppfffffftttttt


While I'd rather it not be Wolvie to off Mags (yes, DDM, it's too repetitive), it is a great cover!

[Beast]

A lot of people talk like that, sadly enough. I catch myself doing it on occassion myself. It does get irritating, but it isn't outside the plausible. :p

[bert]

Were did you read that fact, I like to seeprove on that course it would mean that HoM will have no influance at all, as they (Marvel) has suggested all the time...!


.


marvels panel at SDCC. .

new title "Daughters of the Dragon". . starring Misty Knight (and the other girl. . )

[Brian M.]

The X-Men will go back eventually. After all, most of the X-Men--aside from Storm's team--trusts Xavier, although he is responsible for the Xavier Protocols. The Marvel Universe will essentially be the same with little changed affected by House of M. The status quo will come back eventually too.

Eventually could be 3 or 4 years from now. I think this story will allow many different kinds of stories to be told althought out the MU-616. I see Xavier's role in this completely different than the HoM. The X-Men can understand him creating Protocols to kill them, hell how many have gone evil/brainwashed? But the fact that he changed the course of reality, created a reality that is the direct opposite of what they had and what was the opposite of what they were fighting for. They were fighting for coexistance, not mutant superiority over humans. It's like after the Civil War the slaves were freed but they were equal, in the 50's and 60's during the Civil Rights movement seperate but equal meant the complete opposite. Xavier has helped create this. I can't see them going back to trusting him.

[cholizo]

It'd say it's still a 50-50 toss up for the ending. Magneto dies or Magneto kills Wanda.

[Jared_Humpherys]

I'm thinking it might be Xavier who kicks the bucket(in a way similar to AoA, perhaps?).

[The Dosadi Experiment]

this is a mess

4 issues in and this is already one big recap, with a nice repetative opening scene.

Decompressed storytelling that doesn't even look good in TradePaperback format.

Why the hell am I reading this still?

We've gotten nothing. Supposedly this Layla Miller fullfills a role of some importance, this being her introduction, and she's basically in the background hovering near wolverine doing nothing, just being there when she gets shoved the the foreground to do her thing, whine a bit, act confused, and then it's done.

What exactly have we gotten storywise with #4?

Layla miller did something to Luke Cage off-panel, Wolverine explains everything to Cage, who tells him that he already knew all that, they all travel to Emma, who is brought up to date by Layla, and that's it.

Do we need 4 whole issues to reach the point where three characters know that something is wrong? Jeez, issue 3 looked like the start of the actual story, but whatever momentum it created stopped with #4, only to build up to a momentum again in the last couple of pages. #3 seems like a false start, people thinking that finally the story is beginning, and then get served #4, the big recap where nothing new is told and it's told in too many pages.

Could this get any more slower!?

It's boring, repetative, and only now do we have something of a direction, and this is smack in the middle.

Issue 7 is the climax, issue 8 the aftermath... so we get two issues 5 and 6 to actually get a story building up, and quite frankly, I can only see failure. Either the story gets moving in a productive manner through Layla Miller who is used as a deus ex machina, or the tale is rushed in such a way that we're left with 4 issues of fluff, 2 issues of dense story one climax and one aftermath prologue

yeah... that's going to work big time

[Doom Hammer]

I'm enjoying HoM immensely. I've loved it since the beginning, and this issue was great.

First off, the art is just spectacular. Jake V made a good point a while ago: Coipel's use of background and expression make even the simplest dialogue seems just jump off the page. Some of Bendis' other collaborators (namely, Dave Finch) frequently use closeups and profiles during Bendis' dialogue-heavy scenes, often resulting in many boring pages. Not Coipel. The guy makes everything in the book worth looking at.

Aside from that, I'm very much enjoying the pace and progression of this story. I know inevitable comparisons between this and the eventual DC Infinite Crisis mini will be made, but IC had SIX MONTHS of prequel minis and buildup. Both the characters and creators of Marvel have to take the situation with Wanda and run with it. There was virtually nothing to start this story off (unless you count A:D, which I don't) except for HoM #1.

Now, this whole alternate (okay, altered :D ) reality is really cool. With the "Secrets of the House of M" book and the many HoM tie-ins, you get a good feel for the new culture and the new world as a whole. All the details about the Mutant/Human War are interesting and thought-provoking. Where IS Fury? What HAPPENED to Xavier? Etc.

As for the pace, I have no problem. This book is bi-weekly, so it's not like there's a huge wait between these books.

Issue #1: The reason is given as to why reality will be altered, and the heroes band together.

Issue #2: Reality is altered, and we see the heroes recieve everything they've ever wanted. We also see where the conflict is gonna come from, as Wolverine remembers the "old reality."

Issue #3: Wolverine takes steps to restore reality, and encounters the Human Resistance Movement, a group of people with a similar goal. He also meets the dead Avenger, Hawkeye.

Issue#4: The Human Resistance Movement makes its first steps to restore reality after almost being killed by Sentinels, and speak with a young girl with reality-altering powers. She may be the thing they need to fix reality, but they enlist the help of Emma Frost just to make sure.

Now, from where I'm standing, that's a full story. And a damn good one, at that.

[The Dosadi Experiment]

Issue #1: The reason is given as to why reality will be altered, and the heroes band together.

In the worst way possible. A meaningless empty discussion where two people state their points, and one of them gets a follow-up, no interaction between different viewpoints, no case is made to support the proposition, it's accepted and the other is rejected.

None of the characters are introduced. They're just there. Resulting in apathy from the casual reader. If you don't know the characters involved, there is nothing to the story that would have you sympathise with them.

Emma: let's kill the cow.
Cap: Let's not.
Emma: We are going to kill her.
Xavier: I agree with Emma.
Cap: I don't.
Emma: It's decided then, let's kill her.
Cap: Let's not.

Next scene Avengers and X-men are heading to Genosha.

And voila, a giant vagina swallows the universe whole.

and look Peter Parker gets an intro, a whole page dedicated to him waking up next to Gwen Stacy. Who is alive and well in this strange new world...

Issue #2: Reality is altered, and we see the heroes recieve everything they've ever wanted. We also see where the conflict is gonna come from, as Wolverine remembers the "old reality."

we get a whole issue of nothing. Scenes that can be shortened to a panel or two get a whole page dedicated to them. There is no story, there is only set up, which rings hollow as we are never given the status quo of the altered characters in the first issue.

We're happy together, look at us we get a whole page dedicated to us being happy.

I'm a teacher, look at me I get a whole page dedicated to me being a teacher.

I'm a farmer, look at me, I get a whole page dedicated to me being a farmer.

I'm Hank Pym, and if you didn't know me before, this whole scene is pointless and is only about how humans are a minority now, look that's Beast, he's a mutant and in this reality he's an asshole, but if you didn't know him before, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

I've got huge boobs, look at me, I get a whole page dedicated to me and my freakishly big boobs, oh and by the way that's Janet Something-or-other, if you didn't know her before this issue you wouldn't even know that she was even a real character that has something of a history.

I'm Dazzler, I'm popular now, look a whole page dedicated to me having a talkshow, with Wonderman, who is an established character, but if you didn't know him before, you wouldn't have known that, also, don't worry about me being here, I'm an obscure character and you won't see me in any of the other issues, except in the background, I'm just here to please my fanbase.

oh and incidentally, here is one page where we give you a vague hint that Wolverine knows something more... and forget about that scene with the Sentry, because he won't show up anymore after this.

Issue #3: Wolverine takes steps to restore reality, and encounters the Human Resistance Movement, a group of people with a similar goal. He also meets the dead Avenger, Hawkeye.

slight correction... Wolverine wakes up and runs away, aimlessly in search of someone who can provide him with an answer, people chase him, he gets caught by the Resistance, and that's it for this issue.

Hawkeye being there, not a big deal at all, alternate reality and we've established in issue one that some dead character are quite alive.

Wolverine takes absolutely ZERO steps to restore reality, all he does is run around being confused.

That's it.

Issue#4: The Human Resistance Movement makes its first steps to restore reality after almost being killed by Sentinels, and speak with a young girl with reality-altering powers. She may be the thing they need to fix reality, but they enlist the help of Emma Frost just to make sure.

Correction, the Movement doesn't take any steps.

They get attacked flee, Wolverine then does this whole recap thing, with information the reader already knows, and then Cage says that he also knew all of this because he has walking plot device named Layla Miller by his side, some young brat who just wandered into his underground movement in the middle of a ghetto filled with humans... you know... the place where all little blond and confused underaged girls end up at sooner or later.

Wolverine tells them to go to Emma Frost, they bring her up to date and we're still at the same place we were in issue 3, except that we now have a pissed of Emma Frost, Wolverine, Luke Cage, and a walking blond plot device named Layla Miller.

Incidentally, Cage's entire posse, his entire Resistance, is clueless as to what's going on, they're standing there in the background doing absolutely nothing, as they don't even know that the world's gone crazy.

Cloak doesn't really add anything to the story', he's just there because they needed a teleporter, other than that you can exchange him with any other teleporter, but he got picked because obscure characters appeal to the older fanbase... re: Dazzler

So in this Bi-weekly mini-series, huge event, we get the 4th issue as a big recap issue, where the opening is a repeat of the last scene of issue 3, and where the end is stating the objective of the main characters in this altered reality.

Now, from where I'm standing, that's a full story. And a damn good one, at that.


Let's compare shall we.

Days of the Future Past/Present/Perfect/Predicator/Subject/Whatever had 2 issue to establish a whole dystopian future, gave us a good look at what had happened to the heroes of that time and world, and provided us with more story than 4 issue of the biggest event EVER!

4 issues of the Age of Apocalypse and we were already informed on what the world looked like, we knew who was who and what they were doing, and we were running towards the final chapter of storyline. 4 issues into the House of M and we've just seen the main characters state their objective, their goal, the point of their quest in this new reality...

[DocZulu]

GOD, WILL SOMETHING HAPPEN ALREADY????

Too damn much talking, not enough action. Oh, and the Secrets of HoM says Layla has the power to alter reality and see parallel timelines. How convenient.

LMAO.

Yeah...I was unimpressed by this issue. We have 2 issues of set up and 1/3 of this issue is summary. :rolleyes: Then Bendis is compelled to compress the action to propel the story.

It should move along now, though. It better.

[Brian M.]

You can't compare this to AoA. You can't compare the pace of the story to AoA. AoA series were 4 issues long total so of course by issue 4 you knew what was going on. We're getting into the conflict now in issue #4 of this series and we still have 4 other issues to go.

[Doom Hammer]

In the worst way possible. A meaningless empty discussion where two people state their points, and one of them gets a follow-up, no interaction between different viewpoints, no case is made to support the proposition, it's accepted and the other is rejected.

None of the characters are introduced. They're just there. Resulting in apathy from the casual reader. If you don't know the characters involved, there is nothing to the story that would have you sympathise with them.

Emma: let's kill the cow.
Cap: Let's not.
Emma: We are going to kill her.
Xavier: I agree with Emma.
Cap: I don't.
Emma: It's decided then, let's kill her.
Cap: Let's not.

Next scene Avengers and X-men are heading to Genosha.

And voila, a giant vagina swallows the universe whole.

and look Peter Parker gets an intro, a whole page dedicated to him waking up next to Gwen Stacy. Who is alive and well in this strange new world...



we get a whole issue of nothing. Scenes that can be shortened to a panel or two get a whole page dedicated to them. There is no story, there is only set up, which rings hollow as we are never given the status quo of the altered characters in the first issue.

We're happy together, look at us we get a whole page dedicated to us being happy.

I'm a teacher, look at me I get a whole page dedicated to me being a teacher.

I'm a farmer, look at me, I get a whole page dedicated to me being a farmer.

I'm Hank Pym, and if you didn't know me before, this whole scene is pointless and is only about how humans are a minority now, look that's Beast, he's a mutant and in this reality he's an asshole, but if you didn't know him before, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

I've got huge boobs, look at me, I get a whole page dedicated to me and my freakishly big boobs, oh and by the way that's Janet Something-or-other, if you didn't know her before this issue you wouldn't even know that she was even a real character that has something of a history.

I'm Dazzler, I'm popular now, look a whole page dedicated to me having a talkshow, with Wonderman, who is an established character, but if you didn't know him before, you wouldn't have known that, also, don't worry about me being here, I'm an obscure character and you won't see me in any of the other issues, except in the background, I'm just here to please my fanbase.

oh and incidentally, here is one page where we give you a vague hint that Wolverine knows something more... and forget about that scene with the Sentry, because he won't show up anymore after this.

So, out of curiousity, who are these masses of people who are reading HoM with absolutely no knowledge of the Avengers, the X-Men, or the Marvel Universe? I mean, I know big events may attract readers loyal to other companies, but come on, how far can the complaining go? "This book is written only to please Marvel Comics fans! How are the DC fans gonna enjoy this?!" Please. Excuse Bendis for writing a story that would appeal to fans of the company.

slight correction... Wolverine wakes up and runs away, aimlessly in search of someone who can provide him with an answer, people chase him, he gets caught by the Resistance, and that's it for this issue.

Hawkeye being there, not a big deal at all, alternate reality and we've established in issue one that some dead character are quite alive.

Wolverine takes absolutely ZERO steps to restore reality, all he does is run around being confused.

That's it.



Correction, the Movement doesn't take any steps.

They get attacked flee, Wolverine then does this whole recap thing, with information the reader already knows, and then Cage says that he also knew all of this because he has walking plot device named Layla Miller by his side, some young brat who just wandered into his underground movement in the middle of a ghetto filled with humans... you know... the place where all little blond and confused underaged girls end up at sooner or later.

Wolverine tells them to go to Emma Frost, they bring her up to date and we're still at the same place we were in issue 3, except that we now have a pissed of Emma Frost, Wolverine, Luke Cage, and a walking blond plot device named Layla Miller.

Incidentally, Cage's entire posse, his entire Resistance, is clueless as to what's going on, they're standing there in the background doing absolutely nothing, as they don't even know that the world's gone crazy.

Cloak doesn't really add anything to the story', he's just there because they needed a teleporter, other than that you can exchange him with any other teleporter, but he got picked because obscure characters appeal to the older fanbase... re: Dazzler

So in this Bi-weekly mini-series, huge event, we get the 4th issue as a big recap issue, where the opening is a repeat of the last scene of issue 3, and where the end is stating the objective of the main characters in this altered reality.





Let's compare shall we.

Days of the Future Past/Present/Perfect/Predicator/Subject/Whatever had 2 issue to establish a whole dystopian future, gave us a good look at what had happened to the heroes of that time and world, and provided us with more story than 4 issue of the biggest event EVER!

4 issues of the Age of Apocalypse and we were already informed on what the world looked like, we knew who was who and what they were doing, and we were running towards the final chapter of storyline. 4 issues into the House of M and we've just seen the main characters state their objective, their goal, the point of their quest in this new reality...

Yeah, um, that would be the other point of view. The one I disagree with.

We can argue all day about the issue. You'll continue to say that nothing happened and minimize the events, I'll continue to see them for all they're worth. You're not enjoying the mini. I am. It's as simple as that.

Now, after the train-wreck of Avengers: Disassembled, I can see why some people are not anxious to like this book. Bendis, being a big name, has generated a lot of hate, and reactions such as yours are expected. Reasonable, even. I'll admit, Bendis tends to decompress, and he's going it with HoM.

And I never compared it to DOFP or AoA. Comparing any modern comics to classics like DOFP is a bold move and usually one made in ignorance. Stories like DOFP have survived for decades; stories like HoM aren't even finished yet.

So no, I'm not labeling this as one of the greatest comics ever. That would be stupid.

But I am saying that it's enjoyable. I'm buying every HoM tie-in, and because of that, I have a good feel for the world of HoM. I get it. I like it. And in conjunction with the tie-ins, I really do think this is a great story. (Note: great; not greatest.)

I like the cameos. I like the ressurections. I like the way the story's progressing. I like the entire set up. And at this point, I have very little to complain about, personally. The story appeals to me.

I'm not going to rule out the possibility of this event becoming a disaster. But until there's something a bit more substantial than the book moving slow, I will continue to enjoy it and continue saying so.

[Brian M.]

This is what I don't understand really, the book isn't moving slowly. You have 8 issues and now by issue 4 we are starting to get right into the thick of it. You have characters who know something is wrong, you have identified who caused it, you have a character who has the power to correct it/ It's all leading up to the big fight in the last couple of issues. To compare the pace of this story w/ AoA is wrong b/c that was a shorter, by issue number, story arc.

[Doom Hammer]

This is what I don't understand really, the book isn't moving slowly. You have 8 issues and now by issue 4 we are starting to get right into the thick of it. You have characters who know something is wrong, you have identified who caused it, you have a character who has the power to correct it/ It's all leading up to the big fight in the last couple of issues. To compare the pace of this story w/ AoA is wrong b/c that was a shorter, by issue number, story arc.

Well, I agree. But for the sake of argument, I'm saying that even if this book is moving slowly, good thorough storytelling is more important than a fast-moving series of events.

I guess the thing is, some people forget, there's 4 main parts to a story, (or at least, a good story): Exposition, Rising Action (Complication), Climax , and Falling Action (Resolution).

The basic situation is started in issue one, where Wanda Maximoff has altered reality to create a mutant utopia. We see the results of this in the cameos in the second issue. There's the exposition. The complication is that Wolverine remembers that reality is not as it should be. We're at the point in the story where events stemming out of the complication (like Wolverine meeting the Human Resistance Movement, Layla Miller's involvement, and Emma Frost being recruited) will lead to the climax. The climax will probably include a gathering of the heroes, some revelations regarding things such as the powers truly behind the reality warp, and will determine the fate of the characters and HoM world as a whole. The resolution will be issue #8, which is supposed to be the immediate aftermath.

Bendis is taking his time, while still using the proper outline for effective storytelling, to build up suspense and tension.

I am enjoying it entirely.

[The Dosadi Experiment]

So, out of curiousity, who are these masses of people who are reading HoM with absolutely no knowledge of the Avengers, the X-Men, or the Marvel Universe? I mean, I know big events may attract readers loyal to other companies, but come on, how far can the complaining go? "This book is written only to please Marvel Comics fans! How are the DC fans gonna enjoy this?!" Please. Excuse Bendis for writing a story that would appeal to fans of the company.

Excuse Bendis for making a story that is inaccesible even to the fans of Marvel.

I don't read every title out there, in fact I don't read Avengers, never have, probably never will. I am however someone who reads X-men, and have read them for quite some time.

The Avengers are barely introduced, if introduced at all. I recognize a couple of names, vaguely. Other than that I have no idea who Luke Cage is, what Pym does or doesn't do in his daily life, and who Janet van Dyne is.

I didn't even know Hawkeye was dead.

Carol Danvers I know of her history with Rogue.

But none of the characters there were introduced, they were just there, in the background. When they pop up in the altered reality I couldn't care less about the roles they fullfill, because I have no status quo, no original to draw from. Janet Dyne, or whatever her name is, makes clothes, big whoop, why should I care, for me this is what she has always done, and perhaps what she always will do.
Pym and McCoy working together, so what, should I know this Pym character? Was he in the previous issue, was he even mentioned by name?

Yes sure it's nice to have a story that introduces no character and that forces the reader to rely on what he already knows, but don't pass it off as brilliant or even good, heck, it isn't even solid.

If your entire second issue is dedicated to showing just how much the status quo has changed, then you should give the readers at least the knowledge of how it should be.

If you're going to write a crossover for people who are fans of the Avengers AND the X-men, then make it some distant crossover.

As it stands now, the three largest properties of Marvel are engulfed in this mega-event, and you're compelled to follow it, because according to the adverts this is a pivotal storyline in everything.

If it's presented in such a way that I might not even understand the titles I'm currently reading two months from now, then I'm forced to follow this through, otherwise I risk getting alienated down the line.

You see they aren't writing this for a large crowd. They're writing this for a select group, and then force the large crowd to follow it, and they do so by threatening the large crowd that if they don't follow this, they won't be able to understand what will happen to the titles they read six months from now.

Meanwhile, casual readers, or readers of just one property, are stuck with a story they are particularly luke-warm to. With half a cast they don't know, and who was never introduced, and the other half they do know because they happen to follow that property.

Combine that with a lackluster story that moves at a snails pace and you get a boost in sales in the short term, and a greater loss in the long term.

After this debacle is over I'm cutting down my comics to a few titles, and if there is a next big event I'm not even going to bother, because I already know from this experience that it's going to be all hype, no substance, just a bunch of people pumping out hot air and then failing to deliver me with a decent product.





And I never compared it to DOFP or AoA. Comparing any modern comics to classics like DOFP is a bold move and usually one made in ignorance. Stories like DOFP have survived for decades; stories like HoM aren't even finished yet.

Exactly, DoFP has survived for more than a decade, and it wasn't a lengthy drawn out decompressed half-arsed attempt at some mega-event that you had to follow for 8 issues (minus tie-ins) in order to understand forty different comics six months later.

They told a story, and told it with accuracy and efficiency.

HoM isn't an efficient tale. In four issues, it hasn't even accomplished what half an issue of DoFP accomplished. In four issues it has just barely reached the same point in storytelling that one issue of the AoA titles reached.

And with the repetition involved in issue 4 and the long drawn out recap sequence, that could have been cut in half without damaging content, you get a story that doesn't even look proper in TPB-format.

Not to mention the fact that the recap page releases information about past issues that weren't even in the issue itself.


So no, I'm not labeling this as one of the greatest comics ever. That would be stupid.

You aren't, but Marvel is. They've set this up as something monstrously important. They're ordering us to read this in order to be able to continue to read their titles.



I'm not going to rule out the possibility of this event becoming a disaster. But until there's something a bit more substantial than the book moving slow, I will continue to enjoy it and continue saying so.

And I will be there saying that it's a flawed producted riddled with shoddy storytelling and ill-paced progression.

[The Dosadi Experiment]

Bendis is taking his time, while still using the proper outline for effective storytelling, to build up suspense and tension.



that's the kind of statement that offends me, because while essentially correct, you're using something quite shallow to gloss over other less desirable facts.

True the basic story-building is there, but it's also drawn out needlessly long.

The first two issues you can collapse and let fall into a single issue of perhaps four pages extra length, you get scenes that can be cut in half, and not lose impact or fuctionality.

Do you need an entire page of Collossus pulling a plow in Russia? Or Scott and Emma being happy? Or Kitty being a teacher? Or Captain America being a tired old man? Dazzler having a tv-show?

It makes for some nice scenes, but it also makes for a whole lot of fluffy nothingness. Drawn out in a redundant fashion.

You get an 8 issue mini-series that could have been done in 6 issue or even 5 issues, and it wouldn't lose the basic storytelling pattern.

Just because he follows a pattern doesn't mean that it's a good thing. It only means that he follows a pattern, it's as simple as that.

Tons of failed stories have followed the same basic structure, and they're miserable abominable stories still.

Bendis follows the pattern, but does so in an ineffective manner, devoid of actual content. He draws out elements that needn't be drawn out in such a fashion.

He also fails to build up tension properly. You're so willing to comment and praise him on his use of "proper" structures, then you should also be able to acknowledge that if you're going to go by the rules, by the proper manners, through the right channels, he's failing miserably at building up tension.

[Brian M.]

Going back to the events in this issue, I just reread it and did anyone else love Emma's reaction after Layla fixed her head or whatever the chick does?

I'm not an Emma Frost fan for obvious reasons, but I have to say that scene right there got me to like her for one of the first times. It felt like a real reaction, like if you were in her shoes those would probably be the same words you would say. I'd probably drop a few more 4 letter words surrounding Magneto but still, that maybe one of my favorite scenes so far.

[Doom Hammer]

Excuse Bendis for making a story that is inaccesible even to the fans of Marvel.

I don't read every title out there, in fact I don't read Avengers, never have, probably never will. I am however someone who reads X-men, and have read them for quite some time.

The Avengers are barely introduced, if introduced at all. I recognize a couple of names, vaguely. Other than that I have no idea who Luke Cage is, what Pym does or doesn't do in his daily life, and who Janet van Dyne is.

I didn't even know Hawkeye was dead.

Carol Danvers I know of her history with Rogue.

But none of the characters there were introduced, they were just there, in the background. When they pop up in the altered reality I couldn't care less about the roles they fullfill, because I have no status quo, no original to draw from. Janet Dyne, or whatever her name is, makes clothes, big whoop, why should I care, for me this is what she has always done, and perhaps what she always will do.
Pym and McCoy working together, so what, should I know this Pym character? Was he in the previous issue, was he even mentioned by name?

See, this is why they have tools such as "The Secrets of House of M" Handbook to explain their roles. So fans who don't recognize the characters can stay in the loop.

As for accesibility, I've been reading comics regularly for only a few years, (less, maybe), and even still, I caught every reference. I can't speak for everyone, but as something of a new guy, I can say I have no problem with this book. At all.

Yes sure it's nice to have a story that introduces no character and that forces the reader to rely on what he already knows, but don't pass it off as brilliant or even good, heck, it isn't even solid.

Again, I never said it was brilliant. A comic doesn't have to be a stroke of genius to be enjoyable. And in your attempts to shoot this comic down, you revealed the reason you don't like it: you don't understand half of it! Now, that's okay. I'm not insulting you, (why would I insult you for being less of a geek? :D ) but you can see why out opinions differ. I understand the references, I appreciate their meanings, and I like seeing my characters in a different setting. It's a creative means of characterization.

The point it, I understand why you don't like the book. And it's a fair complaint. But I don't argue for the opinions of other people, I argue for my own opinions. Maybe a lot of people, like yourself, don't know the characters. Maybe this is a bunch of garbled nonsense to them.

But I can't make that call, and it's not my call to make. You may say that the book should be more accessible, and hey, maybe it should. But to me, and my understanding of the characters, it works.

If your entire second issue is dedicated to showing just how much the status quo has changed, then you should give the readers at least the knowledge of how it should be.

If you're going to write a crossover for people who are fans of the Avengers AND the X-men, then make it some distant crossover.

As it stands now, the three largest properties of Marvel are engulfed in this mega-event, and you're compelled to follow it, because according to the adverts this is a pivotal storyline in everything.

If it's presented in such a way that I might not even understand the titles I'm currently reading two months from now, then I'm forced to follow this through, otherwise I risk getting alienated down the line.

You see they aren't writing this for a large crowd. They're writing this for a select group, and then force the large crowd to follow it, and they do so by threatening the large crowd that if they don't follow this, they won't be able to understand what will happen to the titles they read six months from now.

Meanwhile, casual readers, or readers of just one property, are stuck with a story they are particularly luke-warm to. With half a cast they don't know, and who was never introduced, and the other half they do know because they happen to follow that property.

Yeah, that's fair enough. I see where you're coming from. But that doesn't apply to all readers, such as myself. I'm not sure how you can say this book is terrible when you're not even understanding it, y'know?

Aside from that, there's plenty of resources to give you brief summaries of the characters. That's how I got to know the MU. And if you're not interested in the MU as a whole, and just want to read X-books, that's okay, but I'm not sure why you'd engulf yourself in this universe-spanning story. It's bound to have some characters you don't know! Yes, this book may influence some of the books you read in the aftermath, but it's nothing that can't be explained with a recap page or a tiny bit of research. House of M is not a neccesary read. It is entertaining and ultimately useful, but in no way are you being made to read this, so don't claim to be.

You aren't, but Marvel is. They've set this up as something monstrously important. They're ordering us to read this in order to be able to continue to read their titles.

False. Just plain false. Marvel pimps all these big events. They did it for A: D and now they're doing it for HoM.

They are warning the readers that changes are to be made to the Marvel Universe as a direct result of HoM, which may be true. But as I said, the read is not neccesary, so don't argue that point. You're basically saying that you don't want this comic, and you don't understand a lot of it, but you're forced to buy it. That is absolutely not the case.

[Doom Hammer]

that's the kind of statement that offends me, because while essentially correct, you're using something quite shallow to gloss over other less desirable facts.

True the basic story-building is there, but it's also drawn out needlessly long.

The first two issues you can collapse and let fall into a single issue of perhaps four pages extra length, you get scenes that can be cut in half, and not lose impact or fuctionality.

Do you need an entire page of Collossus pulling a plow in Russia? Or Scott and Emma being happy? Or Kitty being a teacher? Or Captain America being a tired old man? Dazzler having a tv-show?

In this case, absolutely yes. When establishing an alternate (altered) reality, you have to show what's going. If you don't show how the characters' lives changed, then how is the universe altered? And the one-page-per-character was a nice touch. It was dramatic, and for one issue, a very cool way to show the altered reality. (That was entirely the purpose of issue #2, to show off the new universe on a broad scale.)

It makes for some nice scenes, but it also makes for a whole lot of fluffy nothingness. Drawn out in a redundant fashion.

What you call "nothingness" and "redundance," I call establishing a base on which the entire story will be told. Which, in the case of this 40+ issue event, is neccesary. Don't you see that? You have to be able to apply those 40 issues to some kind of world, so Bendis gave us a picture of that.

Just because he follows a pattern doesn't mean that it's a good thing. It only means that he follows a pattern, it's as simple as that.

Tons of failed stories have followed the same basic structure, and they're miserable abominable stories still.

You argued that Bendis was going too slow, and that by the very structure of the story, he was lagging. I argued that he's following the natural progress of a story, and in the case of this 40+ issue event, that takes a little time. I just tried to justify the "slow pace" that's bothering you. I wasn't saying that he's succeeding just because he's using the right structure. I was saying that he's moving slowly because he's usinfg t