X-Men Gold #31 Preview

[PsychoEFrost]

Mesmero also once got Phoenix Jean under control, so it’s not the feats that are an issue. It’s that he’s humilated Rachel half a dozen times now where with Jean it only happened once.

I just read his Wiki entry with no mention of that. What happened there?

Also, the Marvel writers just cannot stop letting people control Rachel. What is this... 6 different groups? It makes Rachel look like a weaker telepath than just about anyone. If I were a bigger Ray fan, I'd be pissed.

[244]

Empath doesn't really have any reason to be a villain apart from "we need more villains".
When Fraction used him, he had been kidnapped and sexually abused and brainwashed by Madelyne Pryor, and then he was thrown, blind, into the Utopia prison (which didnt make much sense). Nobody asked if he was in college in Spain or what was he doing before that. Magik gave him back his sight and he escaped when Bastion attacked Utopia.

5 years before that, right after M Day, Emma called him to rescue Amara because she was causing earthquakes and eruptions in Ecuador because her depowered boyfriend burned alive and that made her crazy, he rescued her, took her to the mansion, and left (and that was the only interaction he had with Emma since the 80s, a shame)

I've read as many Magik related back-issues but I don't think I remember that part. When did it happen?

[jalsrix]

The preview looks good. This is the start of the Dark Rachel saga, too bad it will only last two issues instead of six issues.

The art looks good and with Colossus leaving the team, X-Men Gold has only four members? Kitty, Storm, Dark Hound, Kurt. This really sucks.

Why aren't they recruiting other members like Iceman, Pyro into the team on a permanent basis?

[Purplevit]

Looks good. #30 was beautifully written so I hope this arc will be good too.

[Grimsmack]

I just read his Wiki entry with no mention of that. What happened there?

Also, the Marvel writers just cannot stop letting people control Rachel. What is this... 6 different groups? It makes Rachel look like a weaker telepath than just about anyone. If I were a bigger Ray fan, I'd be pissed.

I think he's talking about the time Jean ran into Mesmero while shopping in Manhattan. He hypnotized her, had her take him back to the X-Mansion, where he proceeded to enslave the All-New, All-Different X-Men. After spying a picture of Nightcrawler in the circus, he decided he'd turn the X-Men into circus freaks.

The best way to read this is in Classic X-Men #17 (I would get #18 and #19, too- each story is VERY good and helped to elevate the X-Men into superstars). Classic X-Men #17 is a reprint of Uncanny X-Men #111, but it also has the backstory of Mesmero enslaving Jean.

#17 - X-Men as circus freaks (this is the start of the so-called "X-Men World Tour" storyline that's often regarded as one of their best adventures).
#18 - New X-Men fight Magneto for the first time and get WHUPPED.
#19 - X-Men are trapped in Magneto's Antarctic base.

You can still find these issues at many comic shops for a couple of dollars - so worth it! Story by Claremont, art by John Byrne. Cover art and inside details by Art Adams. These issues are gold.

[Digifiend]

The preview looks good. This is the start of the Dark Rachel saga, too bad it will only last two issues instead of six issues.

The art looks good and with Colossus leaving the team, X-Men Gold has only four members? Kitty, Storm, Dark Hound, Kurt. This really sucks.

Why aren't they recruiting other members like Iceman, Pyro into the team on a permanent basis?

Mr and Mrs X takes place at around the same time as the last half dozen issues of Gold, so that explains Rogue, and Gambit. Is it possible Iceman's upcoming solo also starts before Gold ends? But yeah, there's definitely still Pyro, Magik, Ink, Armor, and Magma.

Piotr's departure in this issue makes sense, as Astonishing X-Men #13 is also out next week. Dazzler's one-shot takes place between Gold #31 and Astonishing #13.

[ChibaMariners]

That really sucks for Peter :-(

Glad he seems to be taking it in stride somewhat

[MarvelMaster616]

I still have mixed feelings about how X-men Gold #30 played out. We've seen this happen before. Kitty and Colossus find an excuse to not be together. They go their separate ways. Then, they find their way back to one another. But after what happened in the last issue, I worry that Kitty did some permanent damage, both to her relationship with Colossus and to her character. How do you come back from hurting someone like that? It's hard to imagine, but I'm interested in seeing where she goes from here.

Interesting development with Rachel too. I wonder if Jean knows about how serious her relationship with Kurt is. I hope that conversation happens at some point.

[useridgoeshere]

So.Im guessing Mesmero, in addition to being Matchmaker, is also gonna be the Mastermind to Rachel's Jean. meh.

That's exactly all this is. A direct lift. And meh is my reaction, too.

[jamgut]

I've read as many Magik related back-issues but I don't think I remember that part. When did it happen?

I was also wondering where that occurred. I recall Magik saying she could, but not taking any specific action.

[DearMachine]

I'm interested in seeing where the Dark Rachel saga goes, and what Mesmero's role has been in controlling her, even though it has a bunch of - let's be nice and call them homages - homages to the Dark Phoenix saga.

Also, why are Piotr and Kitty staying at the same hotel? Why are they even at a hotel, when the wedding was happening at the mansion?

[brer rabbit]

I believe that Mesmero should always be a joke character as this is the guy who lost to a thirteen year old Purple Girl (with a mullet)who barely had any training.

[WhiteQueenEmmaFrost]

The art looks good...the writing is....back to normal

[Maestroneto]

I'm interested in seeing where the Dark Rachel saga goes, and what Mesmero's role has been in controlling her, even though it has a bunch of - let's be nice and call them homages - homages to the Dark Phoenix saga.

Also, why are Piotr and Kitty staying at the same hotel? Why are they even at a hotel, when the wedding was happening at the mansion?

Probably hired an expensive wedding suite.

[WhiteQueenEmmaFrost]

Also, why are Piotr and Kitty staying at the same hotel? Why are they even at a hotel, when the wedding was happening at the mansion?

The wedding didn't happen at the mansion...the mansion is in Central Park...there are no cliff views in central park.