I guess I've been out of X-Men fandom too long (or was never that involved online) bc I don't remember when it became so fixated on favorite characters vs. the overall story. Maybe I just didn't notice bc I was incredibly dim!
I guess I've been out of X-Men fandom too long (or was never that involved online) bc I don't remember when it became so fixated on favorite characters vs. the overall story. Maybe I just didn't notice bc I was incredibly dim!
For those who say that Hickman's X-Men is lacking social commentary, I would humbly and respectfully disagree. If anything, it's very clear that with both House of X and Powers of X, he's exploring the topic of assimilation, which is what the X-Men have always been about. However, like Grant Morrison's New X-Men (of which Hickman is clearly a fan of), it's moved passed the traditional "Xavier's dream of peaceful co-existence between humans and mutants." It's even moved passed Magneto's desire to rule the world with mutants as humanity's rulers. That's because, like New X-Men, since mutants are the next stage in human evolution, they're going to become the dominant species on the planet anyway.
Instead, Hickman is exploring different kinds of assimilation. Not just racial and cultural assimilation, but ideological assimilation. After four issues, we have:
*Professor X and The X-Men working alongside with Magneto and the Brotherhood for a common cause.
*Professor X wearing Cerebro 24/7, essentially becoming one with his own creation.
*The mutants offering to work with humans in the distribution of their miracle drugs.
*Mutants living together on the sentient island of Krakoa, using organic based technology.
*Former agents of SHIELD, Hydra, AIM, etc. joining forces to create a new breed of Sentinels and cyborgs.
*Cypher, who previously merged with Warlock, potentially merging with Krakoa.
*Moira taking what she learned from her previous lives in an effort to create an amalgamation of them all in her tenth.
*A future depicting a Human-Machine alliance and a far future suggesting a possible Mutant-Machine alliance.
*Genetically engineered mutants who are, in fact, a combination of several different mutants.
*Cyclops adopting an ideology that's essentially a synthesis of Xavier's and Magneto's.
*The return of the Phalanx, which are all about assimilation at the cost of individuality.
*The very fact that House of X and Powers of X are described as "two series that are one."
Basically, Hickman isn't just exploring the X-Men as an assimilation metaphor. He's exploring what assimilation actually means.
--Mike McNulty, a.k.a. Stillanerd. Contributor for Bam Smack Pow! and Viral Hare
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I liked your post
This last issue was my favorite issue so far, even if it bored many posters.
I liked the retcon about the Phalanx, and I liked the exploration of the idea of assimilation into the Phalanx.
Some people will find that horrible, losing, being assimilated into an interfalactic collective AI consciousness. Other people will see it as a good thing, ascending, moving on from stagnation to the only place you could go to, contributing into becoming something bigger than you could ever be on your own. Similar to dying and going to heaven in a way.
This story is not ‘over reliant’ on exposition, whatever that’s supposed to mean. Exposition is a matter of style, pacing, necessary information and technique. Hickman is a professional and you are saying he doesn’t know his job, whereas he is the best exposition writer in the business.
“And I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, 'If this isn't nice, I don't know what is.” ― Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
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"Cable was right!"
But this issue is about the founding of the XMEN, which was lacking of minorities. Your critique is better suited for the past few XMEN writers not so much Hickman. Seems Monet and Sunspot will be getting major spotlight soon, and since Hickman has a reputation for writing multiple characters well, then it's way to early to sound an alarm. I guess its like PTSD considering how much recent writers drop the ball.
I do admit that I'm still worried about Storm. Kind wish Marauders was Storm leading Kitty, and having an Xavier/Magneto relationship with Emma.
Well least we had the closest thing to some girl on girl action. lol
May not be much, but these was a good scene -filled with 3 badass ladies.
And on note of minorities. Least Monet & Sunspot seem to have melanin back, and the latter is on a main team, along with Storm, Bishop. Again not much, but more than we've had the last decade. So heading in the right direction.
I doubt she will. Marvel doesn't like stable couples, so anyone who was apart of them has someone killed off. Mystique won't get Destiny back, but will instead keep getting thrown to Creed.
On another note, I would love Synch back, but Monet won't be getting him back either.
If either of these two did come back, I would be VERY surprised. But it's a nice thought. Be nice to get some pairings that expand on & bring out the better side of some characters. Rather than "stable couples are boring" narratives.
Last edited by Silver Fang; 08-15-2019 at 05:04 PM.
Nah, their chances of coming back are at their best. Hickman seems forward thinking, and Marvel is coming around to pushing minorities thanks to the success of Black Panther and Captain Marvel.
Also, isn't Synch GEN X? Hickman seems to love GEN X no? Mondo got brought back and is being pushed alongside Chamber, Husk, Monet and Jubilee.
I thought you guys were tripping but Moira's 6th life is really missing from HoX #2.
Also, I feel that either in that issue with the Moira x Apocalypse cover or before that, we'll find out that Moira shared the timeline info with Apocalypse (probably before The Twelve or before the Blood of Apocalypse) and she's the one he's keeping in the sarcophagus.
"Cable was right!"