Age of X-Man: The X-Tremists #1 (spoilers/discussion)

[Mutant X]

Honestly none of the series first issue were very exciting. X-tremists was the worst bc it was the one I was expecting more.

[PrezValentine]

Honestly, while this wasn't bad per se, it wasn't good. I'm sad to say Leah left me pretty underwhelmed here. At least somethings went right, like the overall creepy tone and Bobby's moments with Jubilee. I like how much of an ******* Moneta is. If she makes the jump, I hope she becpmes a villain focused on this "trying to make the perfect world" thing.

[Heroine Addict]

Well, just got done with it, and... likin' the art even less than I did with the preview, and feel like it's the book's biggest drawback, bad pun intended. As far as the story, I did find that the subtle, underlying creep factor, made it the most uncomfortable AoXM read yet. One thing the visuals did do successfully, was make Rat-Girl repulsive, in her Mutant transmorph form. But maybe it's just 'cause I don't like rodents, in general.

TBH, I was a lil' underwhelmed, but did find things of promise overall. Blob seems uncharacteristically kindhearted & gentle, here, which takes some getting used to. Hints of his & Psylocke's preeXisting affection were peppered at the arrest & after. Betts' hard eXterior housing a softer inside, was pleasantly evident, by the end. Williams seems to have a handle on Northstar the best, and I appreciated that, but she could pull back a lil' on Bobby & Jubes' more prominent traits. Going by just page 3, like more than a few others, hate EVERYthing about Moneta. Find both her personality & powers quite detestable, but think that's the point, and the purpose she's supposed to serve.

The most intriguing moments for me, were when Rat-Girl said, "You won't take me this time." Wonder how she remembers? The pregnancy maybe, has rendered previous mind-wipes null & void, now? But Loud Luke did say he'd find her again, just like last time, so IDK. The other was when Bobby revealed "Retrograde" as the insult in full during the last panel, and despondently told that obnoXious, offensive, lil' French snot to stop using it in the process. Must be Jubes' compassionate imploring to be more sensitive & respectful after their apprehension of LL, really got to 'im. OR... was it something else? Hmm... OK, will read others' comments now, and see if they bring anything else to mind.

[Dementia5]

I thought this was a pretty solid first issue. Sure it was a little slow, but to be fair so were all the other first issues. These are just the setup, and it’s supposed to ramp up from there. The art was ok - not spectacular, but not bad either.

The real punch in the gut for me is knowing that as the fog lifts these characters are going to be left reeling and enraged as they each deal with the enormity of what they’ve done (well maybe not Blob or Moneta). If issue #5 doesn’t include a multicoloured mushroom cloud I’ll be very disappointed.

[Rosebunse]

I thought "Retrograde" being a slur was so silly, but then again, I guess all the other potential slurs wouldn't be too appropriate for a book with this rating.

I think we're meant to see Bobby's stupid humor as him trying to cope with not being very comfortable with the situation. In fact, the only one who was comfortable was Moneta.

I think the pregnancy thing is definitely meant to play on our heartstrings and on the hearts of the characters. If they hurt a pregnant woman and her innocent baby, then how can they be the good guys?

[Rosebunse]

I thought this was a pretty solid first issue. Sure it was a little slow, but to be fair so were all the other first issues. These are just the setup, and it’s supposed to ramp up from there. The art was ok - not spectacular, but not bad either.

The real punch in the gut for me is knowing that as the fog lifts these characters are going to be left reeling and enraged as they each deal with the enormity of what they’ve done (well maybe not Blob or Moneta). If issue #5 doesn’t include a multicoloured mushroom cloud I’ll be very disappointed.

I feel for Blob here. He's so...so nice. Here's the hero here he was never in 616. I think he's going to be confused and upset when he remembers.

[Dementia5]

I feel for Blob here. He's so...so nice. Here's the hero here he was never in 616. I think he's going to be confused and upset when he remembers.

I know, and part of me hopes the hero turn takes hold back in 616, because I kinda liked this version of Fred.

[jpmst17]

I just finished it too and felt it was all right. If i had to rate it I would give it a 6/10. The bobby and jubilee joke got annoying, the french talk was annoying, the art was inconsistent. I did like Northstar and Blob in this though

[nx01a]

I was expecting something dark and militaristic... but this certainly wasn't that. Taking it for what is was, however, I didn't find the humour funny or the art engaging. I doubt I'll continue reading this one.

[spirit2011]

The whole idea of lovers still reconnecting through mindwipes just on the basis of how strong their love was really great. I loved the page of Luke professing to Nezumi that no matter what, they’d always find their way back to each other. Not that Bishop and Jean are the world’s most iconic couple, but it’s interesting how even after being mindwiped, Jean still found her way back to Lucas. And maybe if Lucas had one less breach against Nate’s rules and had just been mindwiped again, the two may have ended up in the Danger Room together.

They will probably only meet each other on the Omega issue. So much heartbreak

[Heroine Addict]

... Leah’s been hinting that Ric may show up. That or she just likes talking about the character a lot.

She said the other day that she was looking for specific hair references for Ric. So either he's showing up in The X-Tremists (or one of the other projects she's been teasing!) or she's commissioning some detailed art. XD

Ooh... this is MOST encouraging news, bring on the Rictor, and let the rumbles commence!

... The art was a bit better but I think Jeanty would benefit greatly from a different inker/colorist. ...

Agreed, 'cause I think it looks A LOT better here:

New from Georges Jeanty:

This is the big action shot where Department X, the branch of Mutants who protect and enforce, raid a deviant socialist Mutant group who secretly promote the crime of reading banned books and the display of affection.

... untouched, and in its raw form.

Why would Jubilee "use the facilities" in the shrubbery when she could just use the bathroom inside the house? She's not that much of a slob, is she?

I doubt she was telling Bobby the truth, she was most likely doing something she could get away with if easily hidden.

... Jubes is up to something. She was definitely freaked out by Bobby dehumanizing their target and was definitely annoyed by Moneta's fanaticism.

What she was up to, who can day, but she's up to something.

I think she's hooked, and was inhaling her own head-stash of those confounding cookies.

I thought "Retrograde" being a slur was so silly...

Think about it, tho:

adjective

• directed or moving backward.
• reverting to an earlier and inferior condition.
  
  synonyms: for the worse, regressive, negative, downhill, unwelcome, unprogressive; worsening, deteriorating, degenerate, declining
• (of the order of something) reversed; inverse

noun

• a degenerate person.

... its meanings are representative in many ways, of what's goin' on in the AoXM world.

[responsarbre]

I can dig the idea that this title was subverting expectations by making the X-Tremists less 3egdy5u than they seemed in the other titles, and going for a 'banality of evil' kind of thing. But the high concept of this AU kind of hinged on this world having a real darkness to it, and I don't think that defanging that darkness serves the story at large very well. Going for a darker color palette and less of a jokey atmosphere might have conflicted with what Williams wanted to do with this mini, but I think it could have served the AU better.

Also, there were like three minor mistakes with the copious amounts of French that Williams was using. Which is obviously unforgivable.

[Rosebunse]

I'm not saying that Retrograde isn't a bad slur, but it's so on the nose and just doesn't have that ring to it that makes for a good slur.

The meaning behind it makes perfect sense, but the word itself just doesn't do it for me.

I know, and part of me hopes the hero turn takes hold back in 616, because I kinda liked this version of Fred.

Yeah, I would like to see this Fred a bit more in 616. I like him.

[Rosebunse]

I can dig the idea that this title was subverting expectations by making the X-Tremists less 3egdy5u than they seemed in the other titles, and going for a 'banality of evil' kind of thing. But the high concept of this AU kind of hinged on this world having a real darkness to it, and I don't think that defanging that darkness serves the story at large very well. Going for a darker color palette and less of a jokey atmosphere might have conflicted with what Williams wanted to do with this mini, but I think it could have served the AU better.

Also, there were like three minor mistakes with the copious amounts of French that Williams was using. Which is obviously unforgivable.

I think that Williams was trying to "pull the curtain back" on the group. We have seen them as just near unstoppable monsters for weeks, so she was probably hoping to surprise us. The issue is that the cookie sheet joke went on for way too long and the French was just sillym a few words here or there would have been fine, that's what normally happens in comics and it works. Having whole sentenses where you didn't know what they were saying just hurt the pacing.

[LoganAlpha30X33]

I'm not saying that Retrograde isn't a bad slur, but it's so on the nose and just doesn't have that ring to it that makes for a good slur.

The meaning behind it makes perfect sense, but the word itself just doesn't do it for me.

Yeah, I would like to see this Fred a bit more in 616. I like him.

Well I don't expect him to carry over outside of him being some writers pet character...