X-men #33: Review & Spoilers

[sunofdarkchild]

In theory, I can tolerate the idea that in a literal war and when facing the genocide of millions of mutants, the gloves come off and they cross lines they wouldn't otherwise cross, including killing. The Justice League cartoon's 3 episode pilot had the heroes killing many aliens from the race that was attempting to wipe out all life on earth, even Batman, who was fully established as having an absolute no-killing rule. And none of that killing affected the characters' morality or their usual no-killing rules, because of the way it was presented and the fact that everyone could see there was no choice. The way this is presented doesn't come across that way. For one, the people they're killing are humans, not shape-shifting goo aliens. And the gore factor just doesn't work for characters who are supposed to be as heroic as the X-Men are.

It could have worked if it was only now, when they learn that Orchis was actually against all biological life and not just mutants, that they started brutally killing everyone. Then it would be clear that it's not about revenge, but about saving the world, and the humans serving Orchis would be seen as tragic but necessary casualties. That would be easier to come back from than the direction they've taken since the hellfire gala massacre.

[Havok83]

In theory, I can tolerate the idea that in a literal war and when facing the genocide of millions of mutants, the gloves come off and they cross lines they wouldn't otherwise cross, including killing. The Justice League cartoon's 3 episode pilot had the heroes killing many aliens from the race that was attempting to wipe out all life on earth, even Batman, who was fully established as having an absolute no-killing rule. And none of that killing affected the characters' morality or their usual no-killing rules, because of the way it was presented and the fact that everyone could see there was no choice. The way this is presented doesn't come across that way. For one, the people they're killing are humans, not shape-shifting goo aliens. And the gore factor just doesn't work for characters who are supposed to be as heroic as the X-Men are.

It could have worked if it was only now, when they learn that Orchis was actually against all biological life and not just mutants, that they started brutally killing everyone. Then it would be clear that it's not about revenge, but about saving the world, and the humans serving Orchis would be seen as tragic but necessary casualties. That would be easier to come back from than the direction they've taken since the hellfire gala massacre.

On the flipside we have the Avengers joining Fall of X and facing hte same enemies and instead of killing, they are apprehending and neutralizing them. Its Duggan that is going overboard with the killing

[mugen]

orchis massacred, tortured, many mutants man, woman and child throughout the krakoa era because the mutants refused to attack them at first, result krakoa is destroyed and even more innocent mutants died but now the mutants should not not kill them? It's been over 20 years that mutants never do anything against humans who want to kill them because yes "we have heroes who don't kill" and as a result it always ends with a massacre of innocent mutants and then the mutants start playing the role again. nice heroes with a smile on their face as if it was just another Wednesday in the life of mutants.

the problem for me is not that the mutants kill under Duggan it's that they were written for more than 20 years as super heroes under Stockholm syndrome who continue to protect humans who kill them and hate them by applying the super heroic code has enemies who exterminate them like the anti-mutants were super villain bank robbers who were let escape for a new super heroic adventure full of genocide in the next issue...

the avengers did not kill orchis because the famous heroic code which makes no sense in the face of genocidaires, also because it is not them who are victims of genocide and who have lost their nation, apprehend the members of orchis rather than killing them it will only allow these anti-mutants to escape and continue killing mutants quietly.

Duggan's x-men is not perfect and I'm not a fan of Fox which is only a return to the mutant genocide but at least I finally see the mutants react as they should to anti-mutants who want to exterminate them and have already killed many mutants who just wanted to live in peace and for that I can thank Duggan.

[Havok83]

orchis massacred, tortured, many mutants man, woman and child throughout the krakoa era because the mutants refused to attack them at first, result krakoa is destroyed and even more innocent mutants died but now the mutants should not not kill them? It's been over 20 years that mutants never do anything against humans who want to kill them because yes "we have heroes who don't kill" and as a result it always ends with a massacre of innocent mutants and then the mutants start playing the role again. nice heroes with a smile on their face as if it was just another Wednesday in the life of mutants.

the problem for me is not that the mutants kill under Duggan it's that they were written for more than 20 years as super heroes under Stockholm syndrome who continue to protect humans who kill them and hate them by applying the super heroic code has enemies who exterminate them like the anti-mutants were super villain bank robbers who were let escape for a new super heroic adventure full of genocide in the next issue...

the avengers did not kill orchis because the famous heroic code which makes no sense in the face of genocidaires, also because it is not them who are victims of genocide and who have lost their nation, apprehend the members of orchis rather than killing them it will only allow these anti-mutants to escape and continue killing mutants quietly.

Duggan's x-men is not perfect and I'm not a fan of Fox which is only a return to the mutant genocide but at least I finally see the mutants react as they should to anti-mutants who want to exterminate them and have already killed many mutants who just wanted to live in peace and for that I can thank Duggan.

Again, no one is capping for Orchis nor think fighting back with force is unjustified. The problem is that the display of killing is egregious and overkill (no pun intended) at this point. Literally every issue we are seeing the mutants decapitate, slice in half and/or have their enemies eaten.. There is no reason we need to see this EVERY single issue. We know they are at war and are in a position to kill. They can allude to that without having to display it in the goriest ways every month. Like someone else said, those pages could have been used to do more to advance the plot, character development, etc.. Whatever impact and shock we had when this started is lost bc it happnens every issue in a very predictable fashion. Its not really adding anything

[plasmaintights]

Again, no one is capping for Orchis nor think fighting back with force is unjustified. The problem is that the display of killing is egregious and overkill (no pun intended) at this point. Literally every issue we are seeing the mutants decapitate, slice in half and/or have their enemies eaten.. There is no reason we need to see this EVERY single issue. We know they are at war and are in a position to kill. They can allude to that without having to display it in the goriest ways every month. Like someone else said, those pages could have been used to do more to advance the plot, character development, etc.. Whatever impact and shock we had when this started is lost bc it happnens every issue in a very predictable fashion. Its not really adding anything

This era might have been a lot more interesting post-Hickman if Orchis became a publicly-owned corporation and Sunspot just bought it, the way he bought AIM when he as an Avenger, and defeated the organization with a series of carefully worded memos.

[Wolverine12]

Does that even matter? He is such an irrelevant character that has received no development. I dont think anyone would be clamoring to see more Devos in the future.

Devos should have been a name to fear, like Trask. Instead, Devos / Feilong / Gregor have less impact despite their Sentinels being theoretically more successful against Mutants than Trasks were.

They might as well just use a random character instead of trying to use the “Devos IP” (much like how Duggan also shoehorned Hydra-Cap into becoming Flag Smasher).

Exception: If Ewing decides to use/reference Devos in one of his future comics, I’d be all for that.

That’s what I’d like to see. He was criminally underdeveloped during the Krakoa era but I think he could be another good reoccurring character.

I’d disagree with you about Feilong, he definitely has had an impact on the X line and had some decent development. I just think it’s hard to compare new IP with the classic’s because we’re still in the development phase. Alia Gregor had a REALLY good start with the Nimrod as her dead husband angle but that got gutted unfortunately. Definitely feels like a missed opportunity.

[Mutant X]

I no longer blame Duggan.
He's doing what he does, writing Deadpool.

The problem is the editorial that allowed him to do this.

Since JWD announced he was leaving, the franchise has gotten completely out of control and no one cares.

It's like Rosenberg's Uncanny X-men, but for all titles.