X-Men Unlimited (Vol. 2) #11 Discussion: Review and Spoilers

[Ryan K]

Synopsis:

Brother's Keeper
Story: Chris Yost
Pencils: Billy Dallas Patton

This story takes place around Uncanny X-Men #444. Rachel Grey is having trouble dealing with the fact that her "mother" is dead and her "father" has taken so little time to start a relationship with Emma Frost. So after a danger room session she and her "uncle" Havok head to a restaurant to talk. Rachel vents. Havok, while trying to stay neutral, tries to defend his brothers actions by explaining to Rachel the kinds of lives they lead as X-Men. Rachel comes away from the dinner somewhat more at ease with her "father's" decision while still not really forgiving him.


So This Guy Walks Up to a Fruit Whipz Counter...
Story: David Hahn
Art: David Aja

This is a flashback story to the early New Mutants days (Proffessor X is still around). After betting Sam that he can get a girl to go to a party with him, Roberto asks a girl out. WHns she says name, he tries to figure out why and eventually even sets up a dating scenario in the Danger Room to try and improve his chances at asking her out again. He fails again. The girl just wasn't interested (though she might have been interested in Sam). Rahne tells Roberto she had the ability to see through Roberto's bull$#%&.

Review:

The first story was decent enough. It was nice to see Rachel hanging out with Alex. I just couldn't get into the argument. Rachel has a point and everything but it's nothing new that hasn't been implied already. And to be honest it just sounded like every anti-Emma rant I've ever heard on here. Overall it was OK.

The second story was OK . . . until the end. The end where Rahne says BULLSHIT! What version of Rahne is this?!? Am I the only one who found that utterly and completely out of character?!? I can't tell you how much that pissed me off.

The rest of the story was, like I said, OK. The art was interesting and I liked the idea of the kids using the danger room for dating scenarios. But that last word of the issue uttered by Rahne completely took me out of it.

Thoughts?

[Beast]

Agreed with you on pretty much all counts, Ryan. I'm glad they set this story around Uncanny X-Men #444. It wouldn't make as much sense if it was after Chasing Hellfire, given that Rachel finally put so much of her 'Grrr, I hate Emma' whining behind her. It was nice to see Rachel and Havok hanging out, that's the biggest problem with multiple team books, the lack of inter-action between the casts.

As for the second story, it didn't even really pop into my head that Rahne's comment was out of character for her. I knew it felt wrong, but just couldn't place why. Thanks for reminding me. Otherwise, it was fairly good. Certainly better than X-Men Unlimited has been in a while. Especially with all the recent mangling of canon in the series. Still makes me long for when the series actually had an impact on canon.

[fishtaco]

This if the first X-Men Unlimited issue in years to actually tell a story that is not hit or miss. This rocked!

I thought the flashbacks were awesome. Rachel as a Hound, plus all the villains with Cyclops. And we finally find out how DOFP Havok died, too. That was kind of left dangling. The art was decent. Not the best, but still decent.

The second story was hilarious. I think that Rahne's line at the end was very out of character for her, but it was funny anyway. The concept of using the danger room to practice attracting women is hilarious, and Sunspot's James Bond approach actually made me laugh out loud. I thought only CDP can make me do that! The art was also great for this story. It was really funky, and had that abstract style that reminds me of when Bill Sienkewicz was on the New Mutants. Cannonball's head looks like John Kerry's head in political cartoons. Great stuff.

10/10

[Ryan K]

Who the hell was the blonde kid with long hair sitting in the chair by the fire place wihile Roberto and Rahne talke in the second story?!?

EDIT: I mean I guess it was probably supposed to be Cypher, but that was pretty random sice there are no other NM's in the book and it just looked like they drew Sam with the wrong hair.

[Cayman]

I really liked the first story; it was a nice conversation between two of my favorite characters, who despite their family ties don't interact much in the main books. I didn't like the way the artist drew faces.

On the second story, I really liked the art. It had a cute Josh Middleton-meets-cartoony style. As for the story, it wasn't bad in itself - a little bit afterschool special. The characters just didn't feel quite right, maybe because of the attempt to modernize the dialogue.


Cay

[Cayman]

Who the hell was the blonde kid with long hair sitting in the chair by the fire place wihile Roberto and Rahne talke in the second story?!?

EDIT: I mean I guess it was probably supposed to be Cypher, but that was pretty random sice there are no other NM's in the book and it just looked like they drew Sam with the wrong hair.

That was my guess. Doug Ramsey.

Cay

[Gaveedra 6]

That kid was totally Doug. It was great to see the NM drawn true to their original designs. Roberto, kind of runty but handsome, Sam, gawky and akward, with the ears and flat top, Rahne, little and scruffy, and Doug, NOT DEAD! :D

Their unique, realistic looks were a big part of what made them so memorable, IMO. They weren't a team of The Beautiful People like the current New Mutants. You could tell the artist and writer of this piece were fans of the origina NM. I loved it.

-The first story, with Rachel and Havok, didn't do as much for me. I was hoping for alot. Finally, face time for two of my favorite characters! But they didn't really say anything too original, and I thought the art was pretty bad. That flashback pinup page with Phoenix on it was just auwful. And Rachel looked 10 years too old. The coloring was off too. Their haircolors were nearly the same, and it bugged me.

[David Hahn]

Yes, that is Doug Ramsey at the Mansion. Also, I wrote a different line originally that Rhane says at the end, a line about woman's intuition with an extra beat, but editorial had me re-write it to what was printed. Anyway, I'm glad most of you enjoyed the story.

David Hahn
writer/artist

[Jack Flash]

Good to know David. I really enjoyed the story, I could tell you (like me) really enjoyed the characters and their past series. The Art on your story was exceptional.

[Beast]

Yes, that is Doug Ramsey at the Mansion. Also, I wrote a different line originally that Rhane says at the end, a line about woman's intuition with an extra beat, but editorial had me re-write it to what was printed. Anyway, I'm glad most of you enjoyed the story.

David Hahn
writer/artist
Understandable, Mr. Hanh. The story was good, and even though Rahne's swearing was against type, it didn't destroy the story. Nice job, Sir. :)

[Black Hole]

I really only bought this issue for the New Mutants flashback. I was very happy to see this era represented again, they should make a series of untold tales for this era, that would rock.

I didn't feel that Sunspot was in character though. Roberto had nothing less than total confidence in himself, sometimes to the point of arrogance, and a DaCosta...running danger room simulations to pick up girls? I couldn't see it..

But even with the the Rahne discrepancy that others mentioned, I couldn't help but be excited and happy at this tale. We should see more of this!

[fishtaco]

About the Rahne issue, it would have been cleared up if the writer used Illyana instead, because swearing is certainly not beyond her.

[David Hahn]

Actually, the story was written for Hank, Bobby Drake, and Jean, but it was determined that the Danger Room wouldn't have been sophisticated enough at the time of the original X-men to do what the story called for. So we just made it a youger generation, i.e, the New Mutants.

David Hahn
www.hahndynasty.com

[Black Hole]

Actually, the story was written for Hank, Bobby Drake, and Jean, but it was determined that the Danger Room wouldn't have been sophisticated enough at the time of the original X-men to do what the story called for. So we just made it a youger generation, i.e, the New Mutants.

David Hahn
www.hahndynasty.com


AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH. Now it all becomes clear. That story would have been so excellent for those characters! Too bad about the danger room snafu, though...

With the above in mind, a great job transposing that story to new characters. :)

[Beast]

Actually, the story was written for Hank, Bobby Drake, and Jean, but it was determined that the Danger Room wouldn't have been sophisticated enough at the time of the original X-men to do what the story called for. So we just made it a youger generation, i.e, the New Mutants.

David Hahn
www.hahndynasty.com
No wonder the early solicits said Bobby Drake! I thought maybe Marvel screwed up when they wrote the solicitation. Now it makes a great deal more sense. But yeah, that makes more sense. Though I think it being Hank, Bobby, and Jean would have been more amusing. :)