Monet St. Croix Appreciation 2024

[Harasar]

I like Monet, but her current costume is rather bland and boring. Although it is better than most of her other costumes, so it makes senses the artists return to it all the time. IMHO her attire for the first Hellfire Gala (minus Penance-like hat that looks bad) would work as a costume much better; it have the same color scheme, but looks more unique.

[Thirteen]

I like Monet, but her current costume is rather bland and boring. Although it is better than most of her other costumes, so it makes senses the artists return to it all the time. IMHO her attire for the first Hellfire Gala (minus Penance-like hat that looks bad) would work as a costume much better; it have the same color scheme, but looks more unique.

The current costume is a bit generic jumpsuit-y. Could easily be worn by any character or even just be a generic "red shirt" uniform for background/support troops characters. My preference is still for the first X-FACTOR suit by Ryan Sook with the caplet. It felt fashionable and worldly befitting Monet. Nice color as well.

[Hakka84]

Was there ever an explanation for why Monet became Penance proper on Krakoa? Perhaps in the short-lived X-CORP?

Not on X-Corps. Monet just had the chance to say that she's not controlled by Penance and she's not scared of Penance.

I think (or at least hope) one of the things Tiny Howard wanted/planned to explore in X-Corp, if the title was an ongoing/lasted, was why she (and Warren) got their "baddie" side back despite the resurrection in HoX.

[Grunty]

Not on X-Corps. Monet just had the chance to say that she's not controlled by Penance and she's not scared of Penance.

I think (or at least hope) one of the things Tiny Howard wanted/planned to explore in X-Corp, if the title was an ongoing/lasted, was why she (and Warren) got their "baddie" side back despite the resurrection in HoX.

Since it can at times feel like writers treat and write Monet akin to an "Emma Frost 2.0" stand in (rich, snobby, snarky, confident, powerfull woman), perhaps they also felt that she needed a visual "melee mode" upgrade similar to Emma's diamond form and the whole Penance "kerfuffle" offered an ideal excuse for it.
Especially in a time when backstories or established character dynamics and relationships were seemingly considered "optional" and major personal developments or forming friendships could be relegated to have occured off pannel.

Only here it's not necessary for her to be a capable melee brawler, since her default powerset is powerfull as it (infact her original powerset was likely "too ideal" in order to set up the reveal that something was not right about her), but perhaps makes for a more interesting visual appearance (and optional).

[Havok83]

I think Hickman really wanted to just give her a mutant name and since she had already been Penance, decided to restore that for her. I think giving her the Penance form naturally came about from that as he really had no intent to develop it beyond that

[Harasar]

The current costume is a bit generic jumpsuit-y. Could easily be worn by any character or even just be a generic "red shirt" uniform for background/support troops characters. My preference is still for the first X-FACTOR suit by Ryan Sook with the caplet. It felt fashionable and worldly befitting Monet. Nice color as well.

Agree, it's generic. It is only saved by a color scheme; can't remember any other hero using this combination of colors. And also agree about her X-Factor's costume, especially the color, it was great and unique. Maybe combining this color with her Gala's outfit (for example, instead of black for pants and gloves) would look great.

I think Hickman really wanted to just give her a mutant name and since she had already been Penance, decided to restore that for her. I think giving her the Penance form naturally came about from that as he really had no intent to develop it beyond that

Penance is indeed a better name than "M", but IMHO like Jean and Emma, she could just use her name and don't have a codename. "Monet" is good enough.

As for her penance form, the easiest solution would have been to say what it is the power of their mother and what all three sisters inherited it, but it was dormant. Monet activated it after being merged with Emplate, and the twins got it after being repowered by the Five. And original Penance/Hollow could be revealed to be their mother who actually wasn't killed by Emplate, but imprisoned by him for all these years.

[Thievery]

I think Hickman really wanted to just give her a mutant name and since she had already been Penance, decided to restore that for her. I think giving her the Penance form naturally came about from that as he really had no intent to develop it beyond that

Maybe it was just done to set Monet up for X-Corp. Howard may have wanted the form.
But it definitely needs to go. She's not really gained anything from it. She's going backwards.

[marhawkman]

Unfortunately Carol is uberpowerful these days. She can absorb and create massive amounts of energy, fly at lightspeed or faster in the vacuum of space, is hugely durable and strong. Monet at her absolute best might match her durability/strength(she did go up against World War Hulk, but he just threw her away), but she's nowhere near as fast and has no energy projection(I'm not sure if Carol has anti-telepathy measures, but in theory she might could absorb psionic energy). That's the only possible edge Monet would have against her, her telepathy and mental genius, but most writers don't even lean into that much anymore.

Ah, so the core problem is that Marvel decided to make Carol more powerful than the rest of the Avengers combined or something...

I'm pretty sure Monet could at least hear what her enemy is thinking, even if she doesn't do anything fancy.

[Havok83]

Ah, so the core problem is that Marvel decided to make Carol more powerful than the rest of the Avengers combined or something...

I'm pretty sure Monet could at least hear what her enemy is thinking, even if she doesn't do anything fancy.

Id say Wanda and Thor are probably on par with her in their own ways

[Bunch of Coconuts]

Monet was the only Gen-X character I was not able to collect a trading card of back in the day. I don't have any of them anymore and cannot remember how I gathered them up over time, but I had everyone else except her.

[BroHomo]

Monet was the only Gen-X character I was not able to collect a trading card of back in the day. I don't have any of them anymore and cannot remember how I gathered them up over time, but I had everyone else except her.

I think I had her card....she was in her red GenX costume

[JB]

https://aiptcomics.com/2024/01/11/ex...ack-panther-8/

[JB]

[Factor]

Oh no. She’s in the Penance form. The dialogue isn’t looking good for either character. At least she looks cool in that one pre-Penance panel.

[Havok83]

I dont like her coming for him