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View Full Version : Adjectiveless X-Men #179 (SPOILERS)


Cayman
12-14-2005, 06:01 PM
Summary

The Institute grounds: Outlaw of Deadpool/Agent X fame and Peepers are travelling through the surrounding forest towards the Mansion (curiously, Peepers already made this trek in HoM: The Day After) when they spot some movement in the trees. It's the Leper Queen, in a daze after her arm was frozen by the un-deciMated Iceman at the conclusion of the previous issue. Peepers extends a hand to help Leper Queen, but she attacks him, and then turns on Outlaw before fleeing. "Who was that masked woman?" asks Outlaw.

Not far off, Cyclops, Rogue, and Havok are freaked by Bobby's icy transformation. Bobby's surprised but pleased to find he really isn't depowered. Bobby asks after Lorna.

Lorna, meanwhile, is being menaced by the Sapiens League. Wolverine pushes her out of the way of the pursuing vehicles as Cyclops appears on the scene and hits them with an optic blast. "This ends now!" demands Scott. As he helps get Lorna to cover, Logan asks Polaris why she didn't use her power. She weakly excuses herself as not having had time to react.

Lorna's surprise at seeing Bobby as Iceman is overshadowed by the arrival of an invisible Sentinel. Sentinel Squad O*N*E has a stealth Sentinel, piloted by the mutant-phobe squad member whose name I've forgotten, and he joins the fray. Scott isn't too pleased with this intervention, and even less so when the Sentinel nearly punts him into orbit.

Meanwhile in Egypt, the archeologist Dr. Foster continues to explore the catacombs he fell into last issue. He sees strange techno-organic tendrills everywhere and comes across the body of a certain clown-faced evil mutant. I didn't quite get this next panel, someone is looking down into the hole Foster fell through and saying "Oh, Foster! Shame on you!" - a minion of Apocalypse perhaps? *Shurgs*

The battle with the Sapiens League continues on the Institute grounds. Val Cooper tries to convince Cyclops how great it is that the Sentinels and X-Men are cooperating against a common foe. Cyclops isn't as enthusiastic, pointing out that one of the machines nearly killed him, that some students and X-Men have already been hurt, and that one of the Sentinels caused major damage to the Mansion which it collapsed. "What does it take to make you happy, Scott?" she wonders.

As O*N*E* helicopters approach, Cyclops asks Val is the instutute is now just a "Reservation For Mutants". Val replies "It's security, Scott. Maybe that costs a little freedom." "That's how it begins, isn't it? Give up a little freedom in the name of security ... then you're asked to give up just a little more freedom..." Cut to the Leper Queen retrieving her mask.

Elsewhere, Mystique finally makes her first post-HoM appearance (so the speculation that she's the Leper Queen is now obsolete) along with the Fantomex-looking guy from Bizarre Love Triangle. His name is Pulse. He's a blonde-hottie with glowing eyes. Mystique tells him they are to return to the mansion and conclude their scheme, which involves getting Rogue to dump Gambit in favor of Pulse. Eep!

In the medical center, Rogue checks on Gambit. Peeper and Outlaw meet Bling (yay!) and Rockslide. Outlaw's a bit perplexed by why the X-Men are accepting help from Sentinels.

Elsewhere, Bobby lies on an examination bed. Emma reveals that she suspected that Iceman's depowering was subconsciously self-induced. Emma explains that she didn't turn Bobby's powers back on by meddling with his brain, but merely helped him reconnect with them. Lorna wonders if Emma can do the same for other deciMatees. Emma less than tactfully reminds Lorna that Bobby had never actually lost his powers. Bobby puts his hands on Lorna's shoulders, but the extreme cold hurts her. Alex demands Bobby try and control himsef. Bobby demonstrates that he can control himself well enough to regain human form, which surprises and dismays Scott. Cyclops tells him that the X-Men can't risk him becoming stuck in human form again.

Lorna prepares to reveal her loss of powers to the group, but none are surprised except Bobby and possibly Alex. Lorna tells them she'll leave right away.

Havok and Cyclops try and convince her to stay, but Emma bluntly tells her she won't be of much use. Lorna is adamant. Nothing's gone right since she had her vision in space, and she believes she'll regain her powers if she is there for the arrival of the entity that is approaching the Earth. Bobby is about to follow her, but Alex tells him not to. Havok will also leave the X-Men to accompany Lorna on her quest.

Cay

Cayman
12-14-2005, 06:07 PM
Thoughts This was generally a good issue, but frankly I just don't buy the thing with Bobby. It doesn't seem to synch up with the events of House of M. Granted, the events of M-Day haven't been all that consistently portrayed throughout the various books, but I still don't quite get how he'd wake up not being stuck in his ice form anymore and suddenly feel so traumatized that he'd block out his abilities. This makes even less sense given that he was not a major player in the finale of HoM. It just seems like an annoying bit of gimmicky misdirection.

Other than that, everything was pretty good. I'm disappointed that the Fantomex-looking character is some unknown guy, although Marts revealed Pulse's name in the chat last week. I'm dismayed that each issue seems to screw over my favorite character, Polaris, more and more, but there's a lot of cool stuff building.

Cay

Joe Zool
12-14-2005, 07:12 PM
Thoughts This was generally a good issue, but frankly I just don't buy the thing with Bobby. It doesn't seem to synch up with the events of House of M. Granted, the events of M-Day haven't been all that consistently portrayed throughout the various books, but I still don't quite get how he'd wake up not being stuck in his ice form anymore and suddenly feel so traumatized that he'd block out his abilities. This makes even less sense given that he was not a major player in the finale of HoM. It just seems like an annoying bit of gimmicky misdirection.


Cay

/agreed.

It irks me that nobody has the guts to stick with the DeciMation roadmap. Oh, well. As they say, c'est la vie/it's just a comic book. :)

Faded
12-14-2005, 07:40 PM
Something occured to me after reading this issue: if some mutants retained their physical mutation, doesn't that mean they still retained their X-Gene if that mutation remains.

streator
12-14-2005, 08:11 PM
Bobby demonstrates that he can control himself well enough to regain human form, which surprises and dismays Scott. Cyclops tells him that the X-Men can't risk him becoming stuck in human form again.

Cay
so cyclops is basically telling bobby to stay iced up all the time?

tjarvis
12-14-2005, 08:17 PM
So is Cyclops going to be leading the adjectiveless team now? Make sense I suppose. If Wolverine can get around to every team, so can Cyke. What's more, with the Apocalypse storyline coming, nobody is going to be initially more effected by it than Scott who was merged with Apocalypse for a while.

Volk1
12-14-2005, 09:29 PM
So Bobby loses Lorna once again! Who's going to start the "Bobby/Northstar" thread again?! Because I'm not!

For some reason, I though this issue completely saved the arc and rounded out the whole storyline pretty well. I thought, for once, that LaRocca and Milligan were on the same page this time, the character dialogue was on par and though Bobby's change and revelation esounded with a big "that's it?" from me, I thought it best that Bobby be back to normal.

I just don't get why Havoc always beats Bobby to Polaris. I mean if she truly loves Alex then why don't they d osomething about it. Don' t keep playing with Mr. Drake.

Keith_Martineau
12-15-2005, 08:14 AM
On the same page? Possibly.
However the second half of this issue was abysmal, art wise. I hadn't totally agreed with the notion that Larocca's art was getting worse---but here, definately. It's obvious that he needs the break he's getting for the next couple of issues.
I hope to see him back, fully energized, and lighting the world on fire.

jeangreydp
12-15-2005, 08:21 AM
My favorite line was when Cyclops says "Start making sense"
because thats what I was thinking through the whole issue.

What a mess, this book is totally lame.

I mean, Mystique is going to break up Remy and Rogue SOMEHOW! Sounds like a plot from Days of Our Lives. And all that stuff w/ bobby/lorna/alex... oh please. They are all way too good of characters to be acting this way. :rolleyes:

Joe Zool
12-15-2005, 08:36 AM
One other thing which confuses me about Bobby's powers...

How can it be a psychological issue if Bobby DOESN'T remember "House of M"? I mean, was it even established that he remembered that event? Because if he did, then I could buy it being a psychological issue.

However, if he DOESN'T have a clue about what happened in "House of M" then how is it an issue? In "The Day After," we saw him emerge powerless right after the X-Men got transported back to their reality. So, if he wasn't there and doesn't remember--

Ugh, head hurting now...

Brian M.
12-15-2005, 08:36 AM
Someone needs to give the Adjectiveless team a direction and leadership. Havok failed to do it and you notice that at the right moment he decides to go off and leave the team he was CHOOSEN to lead. I never wanna hear him bitch about Cyclops again b/c he had his chance and he left.

Valmore
12-15-2005, 09:19 AM
Geez... how lame is this? Bobby loses Polaris... Polaris goes back to Havok... they just leave... well Havok throws a hissy fit and leaves...

Not to mentio it appears we're going to endure another lame "Mystique wants to set Rogue up with this guy" story in the near future. Remember when Mystique was actually a cool villain? Yeah... me neither. And it doesn't appear Pulse is all too keen on the idea, what with having to deal with Gambit and all.

*Sigh*

Maybe Polaris should have dragged Gambit off with her when she left, maybe yell something about Rogue abusing him or something. Anything that's freakin' DIFFERENT!!!

Adam Crocker
12-15-2005, 09:24 AM
Maybe Polaris should have dragged Gambit off with her when she left, maybe yell something about Rogue abusing him or something. Anything that's freakin' DIFFERENT!!!

"Because I am powerless I can no longer stay with you X-Men! But as a revenge on the world for my plight I shall kidnap other people's boyfriends to build my own harem! SO SAYS POLARIS!!!"

Valmore
12-15-2005, 09:28 AM
"Because I am powerless I can no longer stay with you X-Men! But as a revenge on the world for my plight I shall kidnap other people's boyfriends to build my own harem! SO SAYS POLARIS!!!"

Well... it would have been different.

Turd_Ferguson
12-15-2005, 09:47 AM
This issue really reminded me of all of Chuck Austen's retarded romance angles on UXM and X-Men during his run. That's not a good thing.

Black Hole
12-15-2005, 11:42 AM
I hate to just come on here and be negative negative negative...but there really is nothing else to be said about this issue. This was one of the worst issues of ANY X-Men series that I have ever read. This writer is clueless about how to tell a good (or even comprehensible) story. He, and the editors who keep buying this nonsense, should be absolutely ashamed of themselves.

About Bobby, didn't we learn in HOM: The Day After that they tested the depowered mutants and that their X-Gene was completely gone? Wouldn't they have seen that Bobby was not truly affected? Sheesh.

The new "Madame Masque" villain is utterly, completely lame. She's supposed to be so bad-ass and she can't even kill Peepers? Whatever.

Polaris. So they knew she lost her powers and were just waiting for her to tell them?? My God. This is a dire situation, possibly the most dire situation they've ever been in. There's no time to coddle anyone! And for pete's sake woman speak up! Just horribly written...

I still take issue with the X-Men's rather poor showing against the Sentinels and the Human League (or whatever they're called). I know they were shocked and reeling, but all that training and experience has to count for something doesn't it?

Oh yeah...Sentinel O*N*E Squad...I know they're coming out with a mini-series, but do they really warrant a cover blurb?? Kids at comic stores everywhere are going "Sentinel O*N*E Squad is in this issue?! YES! I've gotta buy this!"

Havok. The way he is written disgusts me. He dumps Lorna for Annie, then acts like he has the right to just force Bobby out of the way. I mean apparently Lorna wants to be with him, so there's not much to be done, but I really feel like Bobby should slug him one. I'm so tired of Alex always getting the best of him. I wish they would write these two out (Alex and Lorna) and never bring them back (with this writer, anyway). I really don't even CARE what Lorna saw...just get lost...

Oh yeah...Iceman to Scott: "Change back into ice?" SCREW YOU!" Look, I know they need help, but don't ask (tell) the man to possibly sacrifice his humanity again.

There's much more to be disgusted with here, but memories of this issue are bringing the bile to the back of my throat. Aaaarrgghh...

fishtaco
12-15-2005, 11:59 AM
I want Milligan off the book now. ugh!!! Put on Peter David!!!!

Brian M.
12-15-2005, 11:59 AM
Yea Havok really pissed me off in this issue. I started to really like the character but this just walking away from leadership after he bitches about it all the time is pathetic. Than he goes after Lorna and Bobby says nothing? I don't get Milligan.

jj9126
12-15-2005, 12:17 PM
I'm a broken record with this comment: but I still can't believe this is the same Peter Milligan who wrote X-Force/X-Statix.

Austin, come back...all is forgiven.

Blackcat
12-15-2005, 12:28 PM
What is happening with the arm of Leaper queeen??? Does Peeper do that, or............is she a mutant?

Cayman
12-15-2005, 12:43 PM
What is happening with the arm of Leaper queeen??? Does Peeper do that, or............is she a mutant?

She touched Iceman at the moment his powers kicked in again at the conclusion of the previous issue, and it froze her arm.

Cay

Blackcat
12-15-2005, 01:25 PM
So, Havok and Polaris leave, hmmmm. Wonder who will replace them!

Brian M.
12-15-2005, 01:32 PM
Why the hell does Havok have to be such a pansy? He wants to lead and Scott gives it to him than he leaves. He doesn't want Lorna than he does. What a prick.

Gaveedra 6
12-15-2005, 01:40 PM
So, Havok and Polaris leave, hmmmm. Wonder who will replace them!
From preview pages online, it seems like the story will continue to follow them, just not at the mansion.

Cayman
12-15-2005, 01:42 PM
Why the hell does Havok have to be such a pansy? He wants to lead and Scott gives it to him than he leaves. He doesn't want Lorna than he does. What a prick.

It's because she's the love of his life.

Cay

Brian M.
12-15-2005, 01:43 PM
It's because she's the love of his life.

Cay

He did a great job showing that at the wedding alter.

Cayman
12-15-2005, 02:12 PM
He did a great job showing that at the wedding alter.

But he regrets that now, and isn't gonna let the woman he loves go and meet some alien by herself - especially now that's depowered and kinda unstable.

Cay

Brian M.
12-15-2005, 02:13 PM
But he regrets that now, and isn't gonna let the woman he loves go and meet some alien by herself - especially now that's depowered and kinda unstable.

Cay

He really is a Summers brother after all. Minus the leadership part.

Cayman
12-15-2005, 02:16 PM
Well, he's been a poor leader since his resurrection.

Cay

Gaveedra 6
12-15-2005, 02:19 PM
I'd like to see Havok and Po's relationship explored from the angle that they were lovers for a long time, but are now just friends. Former lovers can make the best friends, but there's alot you have to work out. I've never really seen that covered in a comic, other than a little bit with Kitty and Colossus. If Milligan goes there, I'll give him props.

But if they do get back together, I hope Iceman gives them hell. I mean, he's a good guy, who's never tried to be anything but nice to Polaris, and twice she's ditched him. He deserves better.