Brian Bendis talks Cyclops

[DarthCyclopsRLZ]

He rescued her because he felt guilty. Don't you dare try to turn that into a win!

Please, as if Cyclops having to put up with Emma's inevitable whining was a win. Hell, it even rubbed off on him.

No, I was laughing my ass off at the Emma/Namor-centric theories regarding Emma's grand escape. The Frosties were wrong; the Cychos were right. Pretty much the textbook definition of a win.

[Whirlwind Dinamo]

I repeat: you're thinking of a teenage tantrum.

Cyclops' old system of beliefs was shattered in the wake of M-Day and the Cooperstown massacre. Instead of whining about it, he quietly, coldly started doing things he never would've done before. The guy might've been mostly rational about it, but he still snapped big time.

Heck, just think of old Chuck Bronson revenge movies. The guy snapped all the time. He just killed people instead of throwing tantrums.

I think it just boils down to lazy writing

[celestialbodies]

I re-read AvsX over the weekend and maintain that with the exception of the killing of Chuck Cyclops was the most balanced. But I just don’t get how he’s supposed heroic, the rejuvenation/repopulation of the mutant population by the Phenix was basically an accident. I don’t get how Cyclops is supposed to be this great hero or revolutionary. He’s basically a boy scout/accountant who leads according basic common sense. He’s no strategist or tactician, there’s nothing I’ve seen in any of the books that leads me to believe that he’s a brilliant man or any kind of problem solver. He’s just a borderline nut who probably latched on to a cause of ‘leading’ the X-Men because he can’t find anything else to do with his life. I really don’t get the appeal why some fans like this him. He’s just a plastic ‘Ken Doll’. When I was introduced to the X-Men in the early mid 1990’s (just after Claremont left) the X-Men were all about being the better people and standing up for themselves and helping others in the face of rejection and persecution. But ever since M day the X-Men seemed to be about self-pity and entlitement. And no one seemed to have a bigger sense of (childish) entitlement than Scott Summers. To me that’s not heroic.

And that's why this treat is for you:




It's one of my main problems with Scott I like his new direction and I'm happy that the character is finally his own man I just wish that the narrative of the X-books could focus a little less on how/why so many things effect the world of Cyke.

[Papa Moai]

I don’t get how Cyclops is supposed to be this great hero or revolutionary. He’s basically a boy scout/accountant who leads according basic common sense. He’s no strategist or tactician, there’s nothing I’ve seen in any of the books that leads me to believe that he’s a brilliant man or any kind of problem solver.

I think that's an unavoidable problem with writing leaders like this. Very few writers can portray such qualities believably. At least they can always make stuff up to portray characters as brilliant scientists. However they can't bluff strategy in the same way, so it tends to become an informed ability. Still, I like the characterization of Cyclops as a bit of an idiot-savant who makes up for his social ineptitude with his skills as a tactician. So, I accept this bit of informed ability and wish some day they find a writer who can write Cyclops as the character he's supposed to be.

He’s just a borderline nut who probably latched on to a cause of ‘leading’ the X-Men because he can’t find anything else to do with his life. I really don’t get the appeal why some fans like this him.

Some of us like our characters flawed, damaged even. Scott's dysfunctionality and the unhealthy way he deals with his own problems by dedicating his life to helping others is interesting to me. Much the way I find it interesting that he's someone whose main motivation is his love for his fellow X-Men, yet the main, if not the only, way he knows how to express that love is by shouting orders and being a bossy jerk.

Not my fault the Cychos are progressively ruining the Xboard. You people make Jean fans tolerable by comparison.

In my experience, the fans are rarely the problem. It's the haters. People are usually polite and reasonable when discussing characters they like. It's the people who want everyone to know how much they "hate" fictional characters, that are usually obnoxious and annoying.

[listererik]

WAAAAAAAAAH! My character isn't as popular as Cyclops!WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

I think Cyke is a great leader, but I don't think the term General applies to him. Heck, I don't think applies to anyone in the MU (maybe Fury, but that's it), and writers throw it around left and right with no real thought. I've heard Cap. described as a general (he's not), as well as Cyke-and what a general does is usually sit back, behind the lines of battle and strategize all day, passing orders down through the chain of command so that their soldiers can fight rather than putting their own lives at risk. They are simply too important in the grand scheme of things to do that.

Also, this is comics, where most writers think that strategy is basically the choice of who to punch in the face first.

Edit: meant to reply to Mia, sorry for the mis-quote.

[Monty_Cristo]

I think Cyke is a great leader, but I don't think the term General applies to him. Heck, I don't think applies to anyone in the MU (maybe Fury, but that's it), and writers throw it around left and right with no real thought. I've heard Cap. described as a general (he's not), as well as Cyke-and what a general does is usually sit back, behind the lines of battle and strategize all day, passing orders down through the chain of command so that their soldiers can fight rather than putting their own lives at risk. They are simply too important in the grand scheme of things to do that.

Also, this is comics, where most writers think that strategy is basically the choice of who to punch in the face first.

Edit: meant to reply to Mia, sorry for the mis-quote.

well i would just assume that the "strategy" comes into play off-the-battlefield. Cyclops oversees a lot of the X-Men's team training. they have shown the ability to coordinate attacks, in the past. they have maneuvers that they fall back on. Cyclops does prefer to lead the charge. but that doesn't mean that there isnt' a strategy at work. he's more a quarterback than a general, though.

[mikekerrIII]

I think Cyke is a great leader, but I don't think the term General applies to him. Heck, I don't think applies to anyone in the MU (maybe Fury, but that's it), and writers throw it around left and right with no real thought. I've heard Cap. described as a general (he's not), as well as Cyke-and what a general does is usually sit back, behind the lines of battle and strategize all day, passing orders down through the chain of command so that their soldiers can fight rather than putting their own lives at risk. They are simply too important in the grand scheme of things to do that.

.

After Annihilation, general applies to Nova, the Nova that is currently dead though

[listererik]

well i would just assume that the "strategy" comes into play off-the-battlefield. Cyclops oversees a lot of the X-Men's team training. they have shown the ability to coordinate attacks, in the past. they have maneuvers that they fall back on. Cyclops does prefer to lead the charge. but that doesn't mean that there isnt' a strategy at work. he's more a quarterback than a general, though.

Yeah, I would agree with that sentiment. I do agree that he has a plan and strategizes, he's just too involved in the action to see the larger picture most of the time, whereas that's all a general really does now-a-days. But I do like the description of quarterback, though, seems to fit Cyke well.

[refrax5]

Disagreed. Cyke's actions are dictated by his strategist mind and his sense of duty. There's no place in his modus operandi for feelings. He ordered his son be murdered when it seemed that he endangered the cause and was willing to let the X-kids die in X-Force. It's all about the cause with him.


Both valid examples. But it pales in comparison to Wolverine bi-monthly berserk rage or Jean threatening to destroy the world. Both in terms of frequency and in scope.

He may have ordered his son to his death, but when it happened---after the mission was over---he collapsed and began sobbing. I always saw Cyclops' personality as being a metaphor for his powers in a way----there's a lot of powerful, dangerous stuff under the surface and that's why he's so controlled and rigid. He's afraid of losing control of his powers and himself. I always thought that was kind of obvious. We've seen him be weak and driven entirely by emotion in his personal life. The guy has emotional problems out the yin-yang.

I always saw his logical, disciplined exterior as him overcompensating. Joss Whedon practically stated it outright when he said that Scott's inability to control his powers was psychosomatic and entirely a result of Scott's fear of losing control. Emma says something like, "The only way you could be sure you'd hold yourself together was to make it impossible not to."

[jsg2295]

Yeah, I would agree with that sentiment. I do agree that he has a plan and strategizes, he's just too involved in the action to see the larger picture most of the time, whereas that's all a general really does now-a-days. But I do like the description of quarterback, though, seems to fit Cyke well.

The only problem with the Cyke leadership is that the X-Men are so incestous now you really dont need someone to order them in battle. Its more of a "social" leadership....Its why I like the change of the status quo ...Scott is taking new mutants and hopefully training them in the use of their powers. Which we will see...judging by the speed of the plots of a Bendis issue.... around UXM #50.

[listererik]

The only problem with the Cyke leadership is that the X-Men are so incestous now you really dont need someone to order them in battle. Its more of a "social" leadership....Its why I like the change of the status quo ...Scott is taking new mutants and hopefully training them in the use of their powers. Which we will see...judging by the speed of the plots of a Bendis issue.... around UXM #50.

Hah! Do you really think nuMarvel books will get to #50, though, or will they reboot to a new #1 once sales inevitably drop? Cause it may be about 20 years before we see another issue #50 again, and the thought of waiting that long to see what you describe makes me sad.

[Winterwind]

Hah! Do you really think nuMarvel books will get to #50, though, or will they reboot to a new #1 once sales inevitably drop? Cause it may be about 20 years before we see another issue #50 again, and the thought of waiting that long to see what you describe makes me sad.

WaTXM is halfway to 50 already. And the recent New Mutants book got to 50 issues so it's certainly doable.

[listererik]

WaTXM is halfway to 50 already. And the recent New Mutants book got to 50 issues so it's certainly doable.

Good point. I forgot that with double shipping, it could be done in under 3 years (@ 18 issues/year). Silly me, thinking of only 12 issues a year from a Marvel book...

[coveredinbees]

We’re going to find out where he’s at

how is his job as a fucking writer?!