Scott and Jean Appreciation Thread 2021

[lancer]

I didn't intend any potshots and I apologise if it came across like that. I am sorry.

That being said, I reserve myself the right to choose which posts and posters I reply to. I believe everyone gets to choose that, since participation here is voluntary. You're obviously free to quote me whenever you want, but don't expect me to reply, please.

Works for me.

[lancer]

Yupp, absolutely.
At some point you just have to decide if it's worth the time and energy.

This is another, boy do I agree with this post. We certainly don't agree with Morrison's take on JOTT, but this, absolutely. Although I have never, what is it, block someone? You don't see anything they post. I just skip the post when I see the name. Forget engage them, I don' even read it. We are just too far apart in our views.

[lancer]

I agree with everything you've written.

Thanks. That makes one person

[lancer]

I kinda want this toy if only for the Scott and Jean framed pic Attachment 111678

Is that from CAPTIVE HEARTS? I believe that was the TAS episode title Then there was the one where he cuts Scott out of the picture. Didn't think that series did Jean justice as an individual, but a lot of JOTT moments I really enjoyed.

[Legaldrugdealer]

Yup. Yeah I hated how weak Jean was in that series but yes the jott scenes were great

[Hizashi]

LOL, I really do have a masochistic streak even continuing this because I''m no longer invested in it enough to spend this time doing. But here goes. I hesitate to use the word victim. However, I think it is pretty hard to dispute who had the worst motives going into this. Scott really is looking to help his marriage, not have an affair. Nowhere have I called him a cheating sleazebag.

IMO, Emma is taking advantage of a somewhat vulnerable. He has been through an experience and he is having difficulty processing it. But he's not a mental basket case who can't think coherently. He shows how well he an still function, in mission situations, repeatedly. This isn't some PTSD victim who needs severe therapy desperately.

So, yes, Emma is taking advantage of what he's going through to pursue her agenda. And while I see Scott's original motives as pure he allows himself to be persuaded into something that he knows is wrong. He says it at least 2 different times that I can remember, but lets her talk him into continuing. Bottom line, though, Scott is in control of his actions. Emma, at no point, takes away his fre choice. She might bring them to the astral plane without asking his permission, but she didn't force him telepathically to engage in this. He knows it's wrong, but let's himself be talked into it.

If you are thinking of Emma as an actual professional sex therapist, I don't think I do, then obviously her actions betray medical ethics. In my mind, her behavior is immoral either way. And? Emma is the guiltier party. That has never been a point of contention with me. While I might not consider Scott as guilty, he's still guilty. Too guilty for my tastes, but those are my own behavioral expectations for the character. That's my opinion and it's not going to change.

I do think that Morrison was trying to play with the ambiguities of what is cheating. He clearly didn't see it the same or, instead of having Scott stay and face the music for what he had done, in NXM 139, he wouldn't have had Scott storm out the door, after it was shown that he hadn't slept with Emma in Hong Kong, like he was the injured, wrongly accused party.

Meanwhile, I'm reading the book thinking, Grant, do you think I give a crap now that he didn't do it in Hong Kong after every thing he has done since? Well, that is an exaggeration. I did care, but no way in hell was I going to give him a pass on the psychic affair. And I remember thinking when Scott left, It will be a year before they see each other and have a conversation. It dragged on and on and on because he refused to let them talk and how can there be any resolution without that?

This is my take on psychic cheating. I had this email exchange with Joe Quesada within a couple years of it happening. Precipitated, BTW, by his stating that he couldn't end Peter/MJ by either cheating. It would destroy their characters, he said. I asked what he thought Scott doing it did to him. He said that' not cheating and asked if Peter thinks about killing Norman, is he guilty of murder. I then asked him how much he knew about telepathy in the Marvel Universe. Did he know that Charles Xavier was crippled, the second time, from injuries sustained on the astral plane? Don't compare this to phone sex.

We politely agreed to disagree. He added that it's also 2 entirely different levels of character. Spider-Man is on lunch boxes everywhere. Possibly Marvel's biggest character. He simply cannot be allowed to do things that other characters can. I said I agreed with him, and I still do. I also added that this qualifier had not been in the interview.

Last thing. IMO, another example of Morrison missing the boat. Don't force the characters into our plots, plot to fit the characters. IF you want to tell that story to explore the ambiguities, you don't use Scott and Jean. You use a couple where neither is a telepath and the third party is a telepath. Also, and I think just as importantly, Scott and Jean had a psychic rapport. Maybe not post Apocalypse, but for far too long for it not to be a consideration. Too much of their relationship involved the mind, psychic rapports, for it to work on an ambiguous level. For Jean, in character, to view this as anything but a betrayal. Then again, IMO, in character was certainly not always the case with Morrison's X Men.

Lets back up a bit, I didn't make any implications about what you were saying, only stating where I was coming from. And I'm not trying to change your opinion or assert my own as fact or anything of the sort. No need for us to allow our discussion to devolve into an argument; I hope I haven't done anything that made it seem like that's what I was trying to do.

I agree with pretty much everything you've said here, but we don't have to discuss where we disagree if you don't want to.

[Grinning Soul]

I read pretty regularly but I haven't sketched very much in a long while. I'm getting rusty, and on top of that I don't ever use color, which is really gonna kill me.

It’s funny… I’m very rusty too. But sculpting and moving the 3D models around has given me a better idea of what things should look like in 2D.

By the way, I saw some of your sketches some time ago. I like them! They would look really cool with “inks” and colours. :)

Oof, today was a tough one, not from a safety standpoint but a coworker standpoint. I had to play peacemaker all day, very exhausting.

And you still came to the forums to reply to this? You could have skipped it and go do something to unwind. Please, next time, do that. Discussing comics should be fun. Not an obligation.

That being said, I know what’s like when you have to keep acting like a mediator. It’s really draining. So thank you. I really appreciate you replied even after a tough day. :)

I hope today is/was a better day at work.

Exactly, yet another thing I noticed. There's no rationalizing the gates or the diplomatic immunity (which isn't even as it's described, argh!); no country would accept giving up so much of their own sovereignty for drugs.

People may like it and we should respect that. But their enjoyment doesn’t make it more realistic and they should respect it bothers other people.

Yeah, and it's these sorts of things that lead to a lot of disagreements even among fans who share favorite characters.

Yeah. Especially when people can’t focus on one part of the discussion and they keep bringing stuff like alternate universe, personal views, other characters, whataboutisms…

It’s so difficult…

Oh yeah, I'm not complaining. Now, I prefer hardcovers, so whenever I replace a trade paperback, I gift those to someone else. Usually my nieces or nephew, or my roommate.

I had to give up on the printed form of books and comic books. It’s all digital now, when available. I prefer the prints, because I love the feeling of the paper and flipping the pages and even the smell. I also like to be able to look at the whole page at once without having to “zoom out”. But it’s a matter of space, unfortunately.

I've only got a few chapters left on my current book and then I've got The Ten-Cent Plague, and then The Giver, but I can get to it sooner rather than later.

I would keep it in the order you had determined before. You might not like it that much. It’s not the most intricate plot. It’s just masterfully executed. But it’s possible it won’t even stand out to you and then it will just be an okay-ish story.

Oh, laziness is the tamest, most common reason. I'm sure there are worse ones.

I got a funny thought of a selfish person being aggressively nice because someone convinced them it's the most efficient way to live.

Yeah! That’s funny. :D

If you could manage to do it, though, it’d fix the pandemic. I’ll help. You can keep the Nobel Prize. :)

Everything you describe would have to be a bare minimum. Either way, his power would come with some serious setbacks huh?

Well, since he's a mutant, you can always say that everything else is compensated somehow in terms of function. But it would still be a problem if a doctor had to operate him as an emergency and his organs were in completely different positions and his tissues had different tensile strength.

Yeah, I try not to be wasteful of time when I have things to do. Mind you, that's not to say that I always succeed.

Always being successful is overrated anyway. Sometimes, great things come from failures. :)

Was Scott trying to play it cool? Ha, that never works. Good thing for him that's not what Jean was looking for.

I don’t think he was trying to play it cool. I think at first he was genuinely happy to see her, but then he looked in those eyes and he was overwhelmed. He had to look away immediately because he was a shy, awkward teen. But he looked away too fast and he lost his balance. And, to make things worse, the only reason he didn’t land on his behind was because she caught him with her tk. :D

Poor guy. Stuff of nightmares for that to happen in front of the girl you have a crush on, right? :D

But Jean didn’t think he was embarrassing. She thought he was cute (it’s what she says in the next page).



And you’re right: she wasn’t looking for the cool guy. There was a cool guy very interested in her and she didn’t fall for him. There is an issue where she thinks that Warren is a really great guy, but it’s Scott that she likes. And she thought it wasn’t mutual. Poor, silly girl. :)

Oh, my beloved thought bubbles! I was glad to see some of them in the last issue of New Mutants! I hope they’re coming back! :)

It's an interesting scenario.

Oh… okay. It didn’t click. Never mind. :D

Events need to just stop for a good long while. Honestly, if given the choice between writing an X-Book or editing one, I'd rather edit. Firstly, because I am a firm believer that it's probably easy to mess up a story populated by one's favorite characters and secondly, because I'd rather help writers who I know can kill it deliver a stronger story.

Me too.

I don’t think I’d be able to write an ongoing book anyway. I’m not fast enough. But even if I was, it would be one book. As editor, you can help improving the quality of all of them.

Sometimes when you write, things don’t come across the way you intended and it takes a long time for you to go back to the text and see it. Not to mention small (and big) plot holes. That’s why it really helps to have someone reading your story with fresh eyes and discernment.

I don’t want to judge because I don’t know if the editors at Marvel have time to really read the scripts. So maybe it’s not their fault, but be as it may, the editing could be much better.

I didn't think it was meant to be, but Gold and Blue were hardly classics and I thought here was a perfect opportunity to really showcase Jean after her long absence, especially after the lackluster return they gave her in Phoenix Resurrection.

I think Gold was supposed to be the flagship, but it was… meh at best. Though, to be fair, I’m biased here because I didn’t read everything.

I like Red. I have some serious criticism about the vagueness of the concepts and I agree Jean needed a bit more of a temper. But, for me, there are more things to like than dislike. And though I don’t like the extreme in which Jean is determined but too sweet; I prefer that to edgy but push-over (looking at you, X-Force). Any day.

We'll need disguises.

I’m cool with either the pirate or the knight. :D

Me vindicated? Hmm, I guess because it shows that Scott isn't his worst decisions, no matter what some casual fan or internet "journalist" might say. These characters endure for a reason.

You mean the whole thing with Madelyne? Oh, that’s another thing that people have made their minds about and you can show them the panels and they’ll still refuse to see it and, at the very least, cut him some slack. No. He’ll always be scum for them.

I wonder if they would like if people treated them like that: you made a serious mistake, no matter the your state of mind? You’re horrible and you’re doomed forever. No redemption for you.

Of course Scott isn’t his worst decisions. He just happens to be a hero. Anti-heroes can get away with anything. Heroes get condemned forever.

They’re boring if they’re perfect. They’re horrible people when they make mistakes or don’t act in the most perfect way possible.

[lancer]

Yup. Yeah I hated how weak Jean was in that series but yes the jott scenes were great

I don't think she was AS weak as some seem to. For example, fainting. Other characters fainted as well. Storm did, Xavier did. Still, not as weak doesn't mean I think she was done anywhere near justice as an individual powers wise. EVOLUTION Jean did that, IMO.

[lancer]

Lets back up a bit, I didn't make any implications about what you were saying, only stating where I was coming from. And I'm not trying to change your opinion or assert my own as fact or anything of the sort. No need for us to allow our discussion to devolve into an argument; I hope I haven't done anything that made it seem like that's what I was trying to do.

I agree with pretty much everything you've said here, but we don't have to discuss where we disagree if you don't want to.

No sarcasm intended here. I am at a complete loss here. I reread my post. Where did I refer to implications you made about what I said? The only direct reference I made to what you said was the word victim and I don't think I'd use that word.

The rest was just my overall view of what happened. Not rebutting you specifically. In general, this is my take on what happened , Scott's culpability and behavior as well as Emma's. Was the problem, this is my take,my opinion on it, and it's not going to change? That is not meant in a hostile or antagonistic way. More like factual. That said, I use the word opinion. Scott's degree of guilt is not a fact, it's an individual take, view, opinion.

I don't think you've tried to position your view on things as absolutely factual. I don't think you have tried to change my opinion More like express yours, where you disagree and why. We haven't entirely agreed, but it's been cordial in my mind.

Masochistic sure isn't referring to dealing with you, or anyone specifically for that matter. More like the situation in general. If I were stlll reading the books, heavily invested, maybe. Although it's still the same argument for the 1000th time. But I suppose that could be said for a bunch of topics on any message forum I have frequented.

Again, I reread my last post. Perhaps I worded it poorly. My intent was not an attack on you. Mind you, it wasn't with grinning soul either, but I attacked their take more aggressively. They had more really specific takes that I really disagreed with. Of course, how you choose to proceed is up to you. I have no issues continuing to converse with you. You have certainly not said anything that I took offense with. Perhaps disagreed, like with the word victim, but I said my piece and why I feel that way. Again, stating that I don't think my opinion will ever change is not meant in a hostile, confrontational manner. More like realistic

One last thing. Might not seem it just reading this thread. If I had a nickel for every time I defended Scott or Jean since I discovered X book forums, 1997, I believe, I'd have a whole lot of nickels. Every time I defended Scott regarding Colleen, and this imagined romance some think they had, Lee, Betsy or quasi defended his Maddie behavior. It was bad enough without accusing him of things he simply didn't do.

These were my 2 favorite X Men, always. That means as individuals as well. There, I would have given Scott a very slight edge. I would much prefer to defend them. That doesn't mean turning a blind eye. And in my view of the story, no way am I giving Scott any sort of pass for that affair. Just as I'm not going to solely blame Logan for all the kisses when I didn't see it that way. Mind you, they are worlds apart in that didn't damage Jean irreparably for me.

[Hizashi]

No sarcasm intended here. I am at a complete loss here. I reread my post. Where did I refer to implications you made about what I said? The only direct reference I made to what you said was the word victim and I don't think I'd use that word.

The rest was just my overall view of what happened. Not rebutting you specifically. In general, this is my take on what happened , Scott's culpability and behavior as well as Emma's. Was the problem, this is my take,my opinion on it, and it's not going to change? That is not meant in a hostile or antagonistic way. More like factual. That said, I use the word opinion. Scott's degree of guilt is not a fact, it's an individual take, view, opinion.

I don't think you've tried to position your view on things as absolutely factual. I don't think you have tried to change my opinion More like express yours, where you disagree and why. We haven't entirely agreed, but it's been cordial in my mind.

Masochistic sure isn't referring to dealing with you, or anyone specifically for that matter. More like the situation in general. If I were stlll reading the books, heavily invested, maybe. Although it's still the same argument for the 1000th time. But I suppose that could be said for a bunch of topics on any message forum I have frequented.

Again, I reread my last post. Perhaps I worded it poorly. My intent was not an attack on you. Mind you, it wasn't with grinning soul either, but I attacked their take more aggressively. They had more really specific takes that I really disagreed with. Of course, how you choose to proceed is up to you. I have no issues continuing to converse with you. You have certainly not said anything that I took offense with. Perhaps disagreed, like with the word victim, but I said my piece and why I feel that way. Again, stating that I don't think my opinion will ever change is not meant in a hostile, confrontational manner. More like realistic

One last thing. Might not seem it just reading this thread. If I had a nickel for every time I defended Scott or Jean since I discovered X book forums, 1997, I believe, I'd have a whole lot of nickels. Every time I defended Scott regarding Colleen, and this imagined romance some think they had, Lee, Betsy or quasi defended his Maddie behavior. It was bad enough without accusing him of things he simply didn't do.

These were my 2 favorite X Men, always. That means as individuals as well. There, I would have given Scott a very slight edge. I would much prefer to defend them. That doesn't mean turning a blind eye. And in my view of the story, no way am I giving Scott any sort of pass for that affair. Just as I'm not going to solely blame Logan for all the kisses when I didn't see it that way. Mind you, they are worlds apart in that didn't damage Jean irreparably for me.

Okay, it seems that I was the one who misunderstood - I thought when you said you hadn't "called him a cheating sleazebag" that maybe I had implied you had or something. And yeah, I thought the comment about masochism was referring to the conversation in general not the topic in particular. I'm glad that's not the case, thanks for clearing that up.

We do agree generally, but disagree on degree it seems, and that's okay. I'll give you that victim might not be the best word, although I can't think of a better one. I'm not trying to give Scott a pass, maybe I didn't word my argument correctly; he's definitely not blameless, what he did was wrong and I've never said otherwise.

Really, if this topic isn't up your alley, we can just talk about Jott in general, no hard feelings.

[Hizashi]

It’s funny… I’m very rusty too. But sculpting and moving the 3D models around has given me a better idea of what things should look like in 2D.

By the way, I saw some of your sketches some time ago. I like them! They would look really cool with “inks” and colours.

I ink a little, I have brush pens and I even used to have a nib pen and ink set - what I never do is color, it's very intimidating. I didn't do anything for months, I had overtime at work and trade-school, but I had a project given to me by SpiderClops - basically a version of Scott that can metabolize his powers to give himself an overall strength and durability boost that manifests as an aura. I can't decide how best to express that, although I'm beginning to settle on using some Kirby crackle.

And you still came to the forums to reply to this? You could have skipped it and go do something to unwind. Please, next time, do that. Discussing comics should be fun. Not an obligation.

That being said, I know what’s like when you have to keep acting like a mediator. It’s really draining. So thank you. I really appreciate you replied even after a tough day.

I hope today is/was a better day at work.

Today was a good day, very easy work.

Oh, and don't worry, this forum isn't an obligation for me at all, I enjoy logging in even if it's to debate. Trust me, if I do have a day bad enough to keep me from here, I'll take a break.

People may like it and we should respect that. But their enjoyment doesn’t make it more realistic and they should respect it bothers other people.

I couldn't agree more. I can't help but think that part of it could be that when I criticize a book, someone could take that as an attack on their personal taste, which of course is never my intention.

Yeah. Especially when people can’t focus on one part of the discussion and they keep bringing stuff like alternate universe, personal views, other characters, whataboutisms…

It’s so difficult…

Then everyone gets entrenched and the conversation goes nowhere. Yep.

I had to give up on the printed form of books and comic books. It’s all digital now, when available. I prefer the prints, because I love the feeling of the paper and flipping the pages and even the smell. I also like to be able to look at the whole page at once without having to “zoom out”. But it’s a matter of space, unfortunately.

Oh, my dream home would include a library. And if I can't get the size I'd need, I'll be lining all of my walls with shelves.

I don't hate digital comics, but just like you said, I need to feel the paper, and hardcovers are just so attractive to me.

I would keep it in the order you had determined before. You might not like it that much. It’s not the most intricate plot. It’s just masterfully executed. But it’s possible it won’t even stand out to you and then it will just be an okay-ish story.

I don't usually plan out much further than a book or two, and I know you won't take it personally if I find a book I'd like to read ahead of it. It's been recommended to me before, which was partly motivating me.

Yeah! That’s funny.

If you could manage to do it, though, it’d fix the pandemic. I’ll help. You can keep the Nobel Prize.

Well, we need a reverse-psychology guerilla marketing campaign I think.

Well, since he's a mutant, you can always say that everything else is compensated somehow in terms of function. But it would still be a problem if a doctor had to operate him as an emergency and his organs were in completely different positions and his tissues had different tensile strength.

Oh, that's another good one - doctors for mutantkind. I mean, there's gotta be a wide diversity of physiology.

Always being successful is overrated anyway. Sometimes, great things come from failures.

Yeah, learning happens most through failure. At least, that's what I tell my bosses,

I don’t think he was trying to play it cool. I think at first he was genuinely happy to see her, but then he looked in those eyes and he was overwhelmed. He had to look away immediately because he was a shy, awkward teen. But he looked away too fast and he lost his balance. And, to make things worse, the only reason he didn’t land on his behind was because she caught him with her tk.

Poor guy. Stuff of nightmares for that to happen in front of the girl you have a crush on, right?

But Jean didn’t think he was embarrassing. She thought he was cute (it’s what she says in the next page).



And you’re right: she wasn’t looking for the cool guy. There was a cool guy very interested in her and she didn’t fall for him. There is an issue where she thinks that Warren is a really great guy, but it’s Scott that she likes. And she thought it wasn’t mutual. Poor, silly girl.

Oh, my beloved thought bubbles! I was glad to see some of them in the last issue of New Mutants! I hope they’re coming back!

Classic not-actually-unrequited feelings. I think most guys can viscerally relate to that situation, I know I can.

Oh… okay. It didn’t click. Never mind.

Huh, I guess I missed something.

Me too.

I don’t think I’d be able to write an ongoing book anyway. I’m not fast enough. But even if I was, it would be one book. As editor, you can help improving the quality of all of them.

Sometimes when you write, things don’t come across the way you intended and it takes a long time for you to go back to the text and see it. Not to mention small (and big) plot holes. That’s why it really helps to have someone reading your story with fresh eyes and discernment.

I don’t want to judge because I don’t know if the editors at Marvel have time to really read the scripts. So maybe it’s not their fault, but be as it may, the editing could be much better.

Yeah, I don't think I could do an ongoing book. I think I have a few ideas that could translate to a few mini or maxi-series, or graphic novels. Back in high school, a few friends and I put together some crude amateur comics, it was fun. Unfortunately I've lost any copies I had.

I think Gold was supposed to be the flagship, but it was… meh at best. Though, to be fair, I’m biased here because I didn’t read everything.

I like Red. I have some serious criticism about the vagueness of the concepts and I agree Jean needed a bit more of a temper. But, for me, there are more things to like than dislike. And though I don’t like the extreme in which Jean is determined but too sweet; I prefer that to edgy but push-over (looking at you, X-Force). Any day.

I guess more than anything I was left disappointed with the book. Scott and Jean have been wasted since their respective returns, as far as I'm concerned.

I’m cool with either the pirate or the knight.

I'll take that green monstrosity - ha, what even is that?

You mean the whole thing with Madelyne? Oh, that’s another thing that people have made their minds about and you can show them the panels and they’ll still refuse to see it and, at the very least, cut him some slack. No. He’ll always be scum for them.

I wonder if they would like if people treated them like that: you made a serious mistake, no matter the your state of mind? You’re horrible and you’re doomed forever. No redemption for you.

Of course Scott isn’t his worst decisions. He just happens to be a hero. Anti-heroes can get away with anything. Heroes get condemned forever.

They’re boring if they’re perfect. They’re horrible people when they make mistakes or don’t act in the most perfect way possible.

The endless clickbait articles listing why so-and-so character is the worst are also unhelpful.

Boy, I couldn't agree more with your last two points.

[Grinning Soul]

I ink a little, I have brush pens and I even used to have a nib pen and ink set - what I never do is color, it's very intimidating. I didn't do anything for months, I had overtime at work and trade-school, but I had a project given to me by SpiderClops - basically a version of Scott that can metabolize his powers to give himself an overall strength and durability boost that manifests as an aura. I can't decide how best to express that, although I'm beginning to settle on using some Kirby crackle.

Inking and colouring by hand? Oh no, Hizashi, I wouldn’t suggest you went on full Alex Ross! :D

I was thinking about doing both digitally. :)

The first suggestion that came to my mind was to just have a thin red layer around his body. But when I think about his power, I probably wouldn’t be nice and controlled, would it? So maybe a larger layer that fades to transparency and some perpendicular lines to show the layer is actually made of tiny lines?

Either that or some solar corona shapes similar to the All-New crazy rounded patterns?



But, you know, emitting from different angles and other parts of his body as well.

And if it doesn’t have to be an aura, it could really emit from his eyes and bounce back to his body? Why couldn't he re-absorb his own power?

Today was a good day, very easy work.

Oh, and don't worry, this forum isn't an obligation for me at all, I enjoy logging in even if it's to debate. Trust me, if I do have a day bad enough to keep me from here, I'll take a break.

Well, I’m a worrier. But I’ll try to tell myself not to be when it comes to that. :)

I couldn't agree more. I can't help but think that part of it could be that when I criticize a book, someone could take that as an attack on their personal taste, which of course is never my intention.

It is exactly what happens. At least, part of it.

Then everyone gets entrenched and the conversation goes nowhere. Yep.

Have you ever taken a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test?

Oh, my dream home would include a library. And if I can't get the size I'd need, I'll be lining all of my walls with shelves.

I don't hate digital comics, but just like you said, I need to feel the paper, and hardcovers are just so attractive to me.

My dream home would have enough space for big molossoid dogs. Plural. One is not enough. And some beagles to drive me crazy. :D

But yeah, a library would be really cool too.

I don’t hate digital comics, but I don’t like them either except for the fact they don’t occupy space and I don’t have to dust them (or the shelf where they are). I never had a hardcover comic, but I do love hardcover books. They stand so well, so I’m can look at them and be happy they’re there even when I’m not reading them. :)

I don't usually plan out much further than a book or two, and I know you won't take it personally if I find a book I'd like to read ahead of it. It's been recommended to me before, which was partly motivating me.

No, I wouldn’t take it personally at all. Also because, I don’t know about you, but I think we have to read the right book for the right time.

Reading novels for me is never a passive thing. It’s not just entertainment. It’s an experience. And, as such, it’s possible that it is not a good time to engage in certain type of story or you might just really be in a mood for something else.

So, yeah: no need to hurry. You’ll know when it’s time to read it. :)

Well, we need a reverse-psychology guerilla marketing campaign I think.

Mmm… That’s an idea. Those people certainly don’t respond to logic or facts. At the same time, they’re already engaging in the opposite behaviour that we want them to engage… They might just take it as encouragement! :D

We’d have to taunt them, I guess: “I don’t expect you to wear a mask, sir/ma’am, because I don’t think you could do it. They’re uncomfortable. You need to be tough.”

Oh, that's another good one - doctors for mutantkind. I mean, there's gotta be a wide diversity of physiology.

Yep. Which is why the body farm in X-Factor made some sense.

Yeah, learning happens most through failure. At least, that's what I tell my bosses,

Several people put it in different ways, but my favourite version is this one: “a wise person learns from the mistakes of the others, an intelligent from their own mistakes and a fool doesn’t learn”. So, yeah, there’s that.

But there’s also the happy accidents. Think of penicillin. :)

Now, here’s a more intriguing thought: when you petri dishes get fungi, are you paying attention to see if that could actually be a good thing? :)

I try to look pass the frustration of failure and see if I can find my penicilin in there.

Classic not-actually-unrequited feelings. I think most guys can viscerally relate to that situation, I know I can.

And isn’t it cute? Men are cute. :)

Huh, I guess I missed something.

I’ll tell you in private, if you’re curious.

Yeah, I don't think I could do an ongoing book. I think I have a few ideas that could translate to a few mini or maxi-series, or graphic novels. Back in high school, a few friends and I put together some crude amateur comics, it was fun. Unfortunately I've lost any copies I had.

Oh… that’s a shame… :(

I’d love to do something like that nowadays, as a nerd-adult. But who would even have the time?

I guess more than anything I was left disappointed with the book. Scott and Jean have been wasted since their respective returns, as far as I'm concerned.

I couldn’t agree more with you. In so many ways, really. Even their powers have been used poorly. The fight in X-Men#17 still hurts my soul.

Now, I’m hoping - and I know it’s futile - that this X-Men team will become something more than this weird premise that doesn’t make sense. Don’t get mew wrong: I’m all for super heroics. But you have effing Scott Summers and Jean Grey in the same team. In different ways, those two are leaders amongst mutants. Their minds should be somewhere in their 40s. It’s time they stopped following Xavier and Magneto and made their own paths, enact their own dreams.

Please, Marvel, please. They are perfect for it. It would be so epic.

I'll take that green monstrosity - ha, what even is that?

We’ll call it Gator-Thing (or Gator-Raid, if you prefer :P). And my knight will be called Bucket-Master. :D

The endless clickbait articles listing why so-and-so character is the worst are also unhelpful.

Boy, I couldn't agree more with your last two points.

More than clickbait, they’re food for echo chambers. I’m too tired to go against that.

[TheDeadSpace]

He's trying to see if her chest is moving because he's not sure if she's breathing. Can you blame him for being concerned? :P

Hint: read this, taking my kind of humour into consideration.

Definitely. Although I got to say, Scott must have taken a different CPR class from me. Usually we check the pulse for 10 seconds as well. Either that or he's a visual kind of guy and really needed to know she was breathing.

It all certainly caught him off guard when she moved, to say the least.

I'm sure that nothing untoward is happening...

Excellent! That's the perfect excu— I mean explanation for that.

Yep, nothing unordinary happening there.

To be honest though, looking for a chest rise and fall is an actual thing. So...perfect explanation it is!

[Grinning Soul]

Definitely. Although I got to say, Scott must have taken a different CPR class from me. Usually we check the pulse for 10 seconds as well. Either that or he's a visual kind of guy and really needed to know she was breathing. :D

It all certainly caught him off guard when she moved, to say the least.

Seriously, though? He probably was worried out to his mind to even really register she was... covered by shadows. :D

[Hizashi]

Inking and colouring by hand? Oh no, Hizashi, I wouldn’t suggest you went on full Alex Ross!

I was thinking about doing both digitally.

The first suggestion that came to my mind was to just have a thin red layer around his body. But when I think about his power, I probably wouldn’t be nice and controlled, would it? So maybe a larger layer that fades to transparency and some perpendicular lines to show the layer is actually made of tiny lines?

Either that or some solar corona shapes similar to the All-New crazy rounded patterns?



But, you know, emitting from different angles and other parts of his body as well.

And if it doesn’t have to be an aura, it could really emit from his eyes and bounce back to his body? Why couldn't he re-absorb his own power?

I've tried drawing digitally and I haven't found a comfortable setup, I might just prefer physical mediums.

I like your idea though, sounds like a feedback loop.

Well, I’m a worrier. But I’ll try to tell myself not to be when it comes to that.

I'd say I'm a low-level worrier; my mom however is a master-worrywart, she's on another level.

It is exactly what happens. At least, part of it.

Yep, I see it all the time.

Have you ever taken a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test?

Nope, is that the one with the four letters like INFP or something?

My dream home would have enough space for big molossoid dogs. Plural. One is not enough. And some beagles to drive me crazy.

But yeah, a library would be really cool too.

I don’t hate digital comics, but I don’t like them either except for the fact they don’t occupy space and I don’t have to dust them (or the shelf where they are). I never had a hardcover comic, but I do love hardcover books. They stand so well, so I’m can look at them and be happy they’re there even when I’m not reading them.

My brother has a young husky and she never leaves me alone, she's really affectionate with (relative) strangers.

I could spend days in a library. I'd have a coffee/tea setup in my own as well, and couches. I don't hate softcovers, but hardcovers are just more durable and tactile for me.

No, I wouldn’t take it personally at all. Also because, I don’t know about you, but I think we have to read the right book for the right time.

Reading novels for me is never a passive thing. It’s not just entertainment. It’s an experience. And, as such, it’s possible that it is not a good time to engage in certain type of story or you might just really be in a mood for something else.

So, yeah: no need to hurry. You’ll know when it’s time to read it.

Reading is definitely an experience, I wish more people read in general - books and comic books, I think they're all great.

Mmm… That’s an idea. Those people certainly don’t respond to logic or facts. At the same time, they’re already engaging in the opposite behaviour that we want them to engage… They might just take it as encouragement!

We’d have to taunt them, I guess: “I don’t expect you to wear a mask, sir/ma’am, because I don’t think you could do it. They’re uncomfortable. You need to be tough.”

It's definitely a complicated issue though. Besides that attitude, there's definitely some genuine hesitancy and distrust, and what can be done about that?

Yep. Which is why the body farm in X-Factor made some sense.

Body farms, to test out medical information? Do they use cloned bodies?

Several people put it in different ways, but my favourite version is this one: “a wise person learns from the mistakes of the others, an intelligent from their own mistakes and a fool doesn’t learn”. So, yeah, there’s that.

But there’s also the happy accidents. Think of penicillin.

Now, here’s a more intriguing thought: when you petri dishes get fungi, are you paying attention to see if that could actually be a good thing?

I try to look pass the frustration of failure and see if I can find my penicilin in there.

I think most people have a tough time not letting their frustration at failure blind them to opportunity, and I'm among them.

And isn’t it cute? Men are cute.

I used to think that I was pretty bone-headed but my roommate makes me look emotionally-enlightened; I've seen women practically blaring their interest in him in neon signs and he's just oblivious. Of course, maybe I can just notice it in others and men generally can't help themselves? This warrants further research.

I’ll tell you in private, if you’re curious.

Sure, I'm curious.

Oh… that’s a shame…

I’d love to do something like that nowadays, as a nerd-adult. But who would even have the time?

I barely find the time to draw, posting on here takes no time at all.

I couldn’t agree more with you. In so many ways, really. Even their powers have been used poorly. The fight in X-Men#17 still hurts my soul.

Now, I’m hoping - and I know it’s futile - that this X-Men team will become something more than this weird premise that doesn’t make sense. Don’t get mew wrong: I’m all for super heroics. But you have effing Scott Summers and Jean Grey in the same team. In different ways, those two are leaders amongst mutants. Their minds should be somewhere in their 40s. It’s time they stopped following Xavier and Magneto and made their own paths, enact their own dreams.

Please, Marvel, please. They are perfect for it. It would be so epic.

It's time for the New Adventures of Cyclops and Marvel Woman.

Honestly, I really wish they would offer a different view from Krakoa, not in direct opposition but because this hegemony is boring.

We’ll call it Gator-Thing (or Gator-Raid, if you prefer :P). And my knight will be called Bucket-Master.

Gator-Raid is perfect, and Bucket-Master? They'll never suspect a thing.

More than clickbait, they’re food for echo chambers. I’m too tired to go against that.

Yeah, nothing for it but to ignore it.