Iceman #5 Spoilers and Discussion

[Wiccan]

Really good issue. I wasn't as emotional as some people here, but that letter still touched me. I kinda wish the parents just had reacted badly and that was it, but I'm happy for Bobby at that last scene.

[Assgardian]

This was fantastic all around. Bravo, Mr. Grace! Well done, really. Got me good.

[Anduinel]

Man, that was a roller coaster - I went from angry over the preview pages to just sad as things wrapped up. Way too much empathy for Bobby on this one. I hope he gets to have some happy fun times in LA, because between the last few issues and the funeral for Black Widow, I just really want some good things to happen for this poor kid.

There was an entire issue of Northstar crushing on Iceman and him being flirty back which was followed up in New X-Men and Wolverine Enemy of the State. On top of the fact that the end of Astonishing X-Men they had moment of friendship. I'm not saying they are besties; but there was chemistry there which I want to be explored. I certainly don't want Northstar upstaging the book or even rush into a relationship but some flirting would be nice as well as a nice queer supporting cast.

I already noted that Jean-Paul and Bobby were friends in Liu's run. I also didn't dispute that Northstar had a crush; that's explicit in the text. Where I disagree with you is the notion that they were friends during Austen's run. Northstar's crush was addressed in UXM #415, but he never flirted with Bobby. The only person we see JP let in on his crush is Nurse Annie; the closest JP came to letting Bobby know was making peevish remarks when one of the refugees seduced Bobby and being concerned when Bobby was injured by her jealous husband. Bobby being "flirty back" was the "Hey, handsome... come here often?" line when JP was trying to revive Bobby, who'd been strangled and concussed by the aforementioned jealous husband. I think it's fair if one wants to read that as a moment of Bobby being out of it enough that he dropped his guard, as opposed to it being his usual wiseacre act, but Northstar didn't take it as a show of interest; he decided Bobby was straight at the end of the issue and didn't pursue the crush after. After that, they don't interact much - there's the confrontation/follow-up rescue mission snark about Warren in "Dominant Species", funeral arrangements in "Enemy of the State" where Iceman says he and Northstar weren't exactly good friends and has to be informed by Dani Moonstar and Polaris that JP even thought well of him, and Northstar leaving a request for Bobby to read a prayer at his funeral in "Enemy of the State"/New X-Men #13 (which, again, surprised Bobby). Additionally, prior to Northstar's death, Bobby acts shocked when Nurse Annie informs him that Northstar's gay. Whether one wants to read that last as Bobby being genuinely oblivious about Northstar while still having not clued in that dating ladies will never work out for him, or that he was playing clueless to keep up appearances (potentially more likely given some of Bobby's initial remarks in UXM #415, but even that varies depending on how much credit one wants to give Austen for being aware of his own writing), that's either another indication of him not knowing Northstar very well or, in the latter case, deliberately keeping his distance.

It would be interesting to see how Jean-Paul and Bobby interact now that the cat's out of the bag, and I hope Grace can find space for JP in the Iceman solo before the series wraps. But there's very little canonical support for the idea that JP and Bobby were friends prior to JP's return from the dead.

Really good issue. I wasn't as emotional as some people here, but that letter still touched me. I kinda wish the parents just had reacted badly and that was it, but I'm happy for Bobby at that last scene.

Yeah, it would have been easier for Bobby to make a clean break if that had been the case; having one more aspect of himself he has to hope his parents can come around on is obviously painful. What his folks said in the opening pages was massively ugly, and reassurances after the fact can't just scrub that away. But Bobby wants a relationship with his folks, so I do think it's good of Grace to at least leave that door open for the character, even if it's not something he gets back around to in this series.

[DDM]

This had it's moments. But real talk, Kitty should've ripped his shitty parents a new one. You could just tell how bad she wanted to go full Kitty Pryde on their ignorant asses.

[Crimz]

This had it's moments. But real talk, Kitty should've ripped his shitty parents a new one. You could just tell how bad she wanted to go full Kitty Pryde on their ignorant asses.

She knew it wasn't her place to get involved (for once).

[Fokken]

Anduinel -- our resident Northstar aficionado, my good people.

[DDM]

She knew it wasn't her place to get involved (for once).

That doesn't sound like the Kitty Pryde I know and love?

[Anduinel]

Anduinel -- our resident Northstar aficionado, my good people.

Gotta have something to do between Alpha Flight relaunches.

[Fokken]

I'm SO excited for the arc in LA.

I'm really eager to see Bobby interact with some new, but familiar, characters.
Also curious to see this new ongoing artist and what they have to offer to the narrative.

Sina's reaction to being told about the loss of Widow was hilarious. Writers are so funny like that. So many of my writer friends just revel in all the tragedy that people go through for their art. ha ha ha.

[cc008]

Gotta have something to do between Alpha Flight relaunches.

You say that with so much confidence. I love it lol

[Anduinel]

You say that with so much confidence. I love it lol

More like cheerful acknowledgment of inevitable disappointment. Have I mentioned lately how I very much prefer Northstar with the X-Men?

[Confuzzled]

I think Bobby should have a non-human boyfriend. Northstar could be Bobby's friend and he can help guide him as he fingers out what he wants in life.

Holy Freudian slip, Batman!

[Anduinel]

Next issue isn't out until October 4th.

I mean, yeah, it could be worse... it could come out at the end of the month. But I'm extremely curious to see Bobby in a change of scenery.

[cc008]

Next issue isn't out until October 4th.

I mean, yeah, it could be worse... it could come out at the end of the month. But I'm extremely curious to see Bobby in a change of scenery.

Woof, that's going to feel like forever considering how quickly the last two came out.

[Fokken]

Woof, that's going to feel like forever considering how quickly the last two came out.

Its both wonderful and dreadful to have this level of enthusiasm about a book again. That ravenous, impatient, feeling.