Neal Shaara.
Oh Neal! I'd forgotten about him, but he needs a new codename. As fitting as Thunderbird is, it's feels awkward with Warpath ever around.
Speaking of Warpath, I'd like for them to keep using him. Others I'd be interested in reading about Sunfire, Bedlam, and Prodigy.
Neal needs a big come-up. He was supposed to be the anti-Phoenix or Phoenix counterpart or something during under Claremont, wasn't he? I don't know if he's ever explained those plans at length. Neal gets no respect, but it's not like he's a total embarrassment like Slipstream and Lifeguard. XXM made everyone look bad, it's just the handling. He needs a big push AFAIC. In my dream world Ellis takes Excalibur back with Betsy, Pete Wisdom, and Neal overhauled with a sun/cosmic-based power set on par with, say Apollo from The Authority. (And yes, I'd keep the Thunderbird codename)
Bishop was a very thin '90s archetype Claremont actually reconceived well ("I'm a cop!" x90) and in a way that stuck with other writers for years to come. He still has a load of potential. But MC is a hard thing for me to get past. I know they blamed all that on the Demon Bear or whatever(?) but I mean, he did spend centuries trying to kill a baby.
That story with Prodigy taking over the world was like, the only story in that Academy/New X-Men crew that I actually really enjoyed. He is the only character of that generation I really would like to see more focus on(maybe Dust too but she's a Morrison).
So yes to Prodigy coming back(even with just his already absorbed knowledge/skills he is basically the perfect human, I wouldn't even repower him because we need to focus on the earlier, better model...), but Synch is the one that is most pressing. He's a Midwestern boy who loves BP and wanted to be the best X-Man in the world(and he could have been). I would put him, Monet, and Roberto in the next soapy love triangle. It would be incredible. They could be young Superman-Wonder Woman-Batman under the right writer. #blackexcellence
Okay, so other than the kids, I need Bishop to be strongly revitalized, leaning into his leadership potential in something like X-Force or X-Factor, where his detective/black ops training/experience can take center stage. I'd also like to see Manifold come into the X-fold, and you can even lean into their experiences with Gateway, and the Australian, ancient aboriginal angle they come from.
With that said, we need a new, modern African American adult male[from the present]. Bishop kinda was supposed to be that in the 90's, but he's from a weird future and he's a cop. Automatically that makes him a little hard to relate to. Bedlam was another attempt at something in this theme, but wow, his introduction in X-Force was rough!! It's like they did not want anyone to like him. He got probably the best refinement out of all characters in that last attempt revamp under Ellis just before X-Force/GenX/Excalibur all got cancelled, but it was too little too late.
I guess he could be brought back and finessed, but you have someone like Static Shock who has come up since then, though I guess it is common for DC and Marvel to copy each other. While I wouldn't mind him (and his brother, as a villain or maybe even a grey antihero like Emma/Magneto) coming back in some capacity, it might be even better to create a new black African American male character in alignment with the times; and a unique, powerful ability.
Last edited by yogaflame; 08-06-2019 at 01:36 PM.
Let the flames destroy all but that which is pure and true!
I'm completely with Yoga on this.
Time to create a new Black male mutant superhero (he doesn't have to be American-been there...or even African-done that)...as we have some hawtt Black men right here in the Caribbean)
Hickman needs to bring <3 Manifold <3 from the Avengers office
Anyone have any information or links that add color to the rumor that Neal Shaara was intended to be called “Agni”?
Yes. More Bedlam and Prodigy please.
Bring back Threnody full time
Threnody! I forgot all about her. WEHT her?
Darwin could definitely be the man with the right writing (FC Darwin had some swag), as could Neal. Bishop, as stated, already has a solid angle and place that can be built on. I don't remember much about Synch as I rarely bothered with Gen X but I always loved his power signature. Could he synch multiple powers at once? Was he the brain of the team?
As a Black man, I'm gonna need my homie SYNCH to come back!
Yes we need more black xmen period and of just as much importance as the summer/grey children pls