GIANT-SIZE X-POSITION: The "Uncanny" Brian Bendis Returns - Part 1

[grinningdemon]

We've seen her in the previews a great deal for the issue, if she's going to be there that much and actively doing something in an arc that wont be ending anytime soon than she should get name dropped at least once.

A lot of X-Men appear in this arc...should he namedrop all of them? We still don't know how important her role is in this and it's not a character Bendis normally writes so there weren't a lot of questions about her...now, if this X-Position were about the "X-Men" series and she wasn't mentioned, that would seem like a glaring oversight...not so much for this though.

Considering that she's set to appear in comics after this is all said and done there's no way she dies in this.

You're assuming they're actually coordinating these things...but I agree it's unlikely she dies.

[Sardorim]

They should name drop the one that's actively doing more than talk and is dealing with the big threat at the very least. Heck they name dropped other characters multiple times, even those that aren't even participating currently in the Will arc!

They had another Article where Rachel was shown in nearly every page/panel for the X-Men series and she wasn't name dropped once there either. This isn't a random occurrence, she's being shown but not named despite the fact that there she's also playing an important role and is currently taking up the spotlight as main character of that arc.

I assume they coordinate somewhat. Such as how Bendis will have to acknowledge some of AXIS apparently even if he doesn't want to. I also assume that Spiderverse will make note that Earth-X Mayday is currently a part of the big Kang story that RR is trying to tell so either her appearance there will be minor or she wont appear at all.

It's sorta like how Rogue is off-limits for everyone but RR currently unless he gives a heads up as he has plans for her and doesn't want anyone else messing with said plans.

So I have no doubt that Bendis wont kill Rachel considering that she's in multiple other books and is currently the main focus/character of the current X-Men arc. Killing her off would cause a ripple effect elsewhere and hurt sales on those, like X-Men, that are using her as more than wallpaper. Besides, they're already killing off Wolverine. So killing her would be pointless ad quickly overshadowed by the Wolverine death.

If anyone dies before or quickly after Wolverine's "death" they could easily end up in limbo and forgotten. So, yeah... I feel bad for any character that dies in that time frame.

[Sandman]

I'm assuming he's talking about things like Cyclops leading the assault on the New Mutants at the end of the Brood Saga, his taking down all the X-Men on his own in UXM 175, and the XM/Alpha Flight mini (also by Claremont & Smith) where his was willing to fight a pregnant Maddie (Asgardian powered though she was) to do what he thought was right...to me, the character did come off a little edgier in those stories than previously seen so I can kind of see where he was coming from on that.

And I definitely agree Claremont has written an awesome Cyclops when he wanted to...it's just a shame he rarely wants to and usually either ignores him or writes him as a total douche.

Those events that you mentioned are all great Cyclops moments (especially 175 - one of my favorite comic stories of my childhood ever) but they were really spaced out during that period. I was a kid at the time collecting that run monthly. Cyclops was my favorite character (maybe tied with Iron Man - who back then wasn't really a popular character) but he had no monthly presence from X-men #168 till X-factor #1. I'm remember being really disappointed not seeing him in each new x-men comic i bought or if he did appear it was for a panel or two. Maybe a page if i was lucky.
I don't really see him as being eagier during this period, just maintaining his high moral beliefs like Captain America would.

[Maniacal]

Cyclops power upgrade. That pic shows Cyclops avoiding the hummingbird in his line of fire but STILL firing. Does he have some sort of directional control. Some form of Targeting. Like his mind tracks/controls
each blast until impact?

[Sardorim]

Well, he seemed to have more control in the special. So who knows? Maybe that transfers to here?

[vaf2675]

Here's what I don't understand. He says Remender isn't using any of his characters, but then Marvel displays Cyclops quite prominently in some of the advertising for Axis. So is that advertising just one big red herring?

[grinningdemon]

They should name drop the one that's actively doing more than talk and is dealing with the big threat at the very least. Heck they name dropped other characters multiple times, even those that aren't even participating currently in the Will arc!

They had another Article where Rachel was shown in nearly every page/panel for the X-Men series and she wasn't name dropped once there either. This isn't a random occurrence, she's being shown but not named despite the fact that there she's also playing an important role and is currently taking up the spotlight as main character of that arc.

I assume they coordinate somewhat. Such as how Bendis will have to acknowledge some of AXIS apparently even if he doesn't want to. I also assume that Spiderverse will make note that Earth-X Mayday is currently a part of the big Kang story that RR is trying to tell so either her appearance there will be minor or she wont appear at all.

It's sorta like how Rogue is off-limits for everyone but RR currently unless he gives a heads up as he has plans for her and doesn't want anyone else messing with said plans.

So I have no doubt that Bendis wont kill Rachel considering that she's in multiple other books and is currently the main focus/character of the current X-Men arc. Killing her off would cause a ripple effect elsewhere and hurt sales on those, like X-Men, that are using her as more than wallpaper. Besides, they're already killing off Wolverine. So killing her would be pointless ad quickly overshadowed by the Wolverine death.

If anyone dies before or quickly after Wolverine's "death" they could easily end up in limbo and forgotten. So, yeah... I feel bad for any character that dies in that time frame.

Again, we don't know how big Rachel's role will be here...yes, she went on the mission but, for all we know, she gets knocked out on the second page and doesn't appear in the issue again...I think she was only in a couple panels of the last issue...and this interview was mostly about things beyond the current arc which likely wouldn't include her at all. I'm aware of the other article that showed her in a lot of preview art but didn't mention her (mostly because I remember your post pointing it out) but, if I recall correctly, wasn't that one of Axel Alonso's columns? Because they routinely show preview art for various books in those that often aren't even mentioned (let alone the characters appearing in them). I don't think it's some grand conspiracy...Rachel certainly has her fans (I'm one of them) but she's not one of the big draw characters so it isn't surprising that she doesn't get a lot of talk in interviews...especially if they aren't interviews discussing titles she regularly appears in.

As to the rest, I agree there are certainly aspects of major stories that other writers are forced to acknowledge but I'm not sure that is true across the board and I'm also sure there are mistakes that make it through...but I already agreed with you that she likely wouldn't die in this (or any other major character with Wolverine's death taking center stage currently).

[OpticDreams]

Here's what I don't understand. He says Remender isn't using any of his characters, but then Marvel displays Cyclops quite prominently in some of the advertising for Axis. So is that advertising just one big red herring?

From what I've read Cyke does very important stuff in AXIS #4 and #7. I think 4 is where the Uncanny X-Men take over a new home.

[Sardorim]

Regardless, she should be name dropped at least once when she's taking such an active role. It is Bendis so this is typical but the X-Men article was criminal as it literally talked about past stuff, recent issue, and the issue coming out after and alluded to a future story. Rachel was shown everywhere on the pages yet she wasn't name dropped once. Heck, her father has nothing to do with the X-Men's current series yet he was name dropped multiple times.

It's simply frustrating that Rachel is continually being treated in the "Show but not name or talk about" capacity even in stuff she's supposed to be playing an important role in or is even a Main Character of. Reminds me of Amazing X-Men where she's barely talked about at all despite appearing in many of the issues. She isn't even on most of the covers in the issues she's in which is a lot of them! They have room for literally everyone else in the team-up BUT Rachel. You can't tell me they couldn't fit Rachel on there as well with all that extra space! It's like she's purposely being excluded!

So that's why I'm being nitpicky when they do stuff like this due to past history.

[grinningdemon]

Those events that you mentioned are all great Cyclops moments (especially 175 - one of my favorite comic stories of my childhood ever) but they were really spaced out during that period. I was a kid at the time collecting that run monthly. Cyclops was my favorite character (maybe tied with Iron Man - who back then wasn't really a popular character) but he had no monthly presence from X-men #168 till X-factor #1. I'm remember being really disappointed not seeing him in each new x-men comic i bought or if he did appear it was for a panel or two. Maybe a page if i was lucky.
I don't really see him as being eagier during this period, just maintaining his high moral beliefs like Captain America would.

Those events aren't as spaced out as you might remember...the end of the Brood saga was UXM 167...then, of course, UXM 175...and XM/AF was only a year or so later...all Paul Smith stories and all within a couple years of each other. I agree Cyclops did maintain his high moral beliefs in those stories but some of the actions he took as a result were a bit on the edgier side than had been previously seen from the character...nothing on par with his more recent appearances but I can see it kind of starting there.

[grinningdemon]

Here's what I don't understand. He says Remender isn't using any of his characters, but then Marvel displays Cyclops quite prominently in some of the advertising for Axis. So is that advertising just one big red herring?

More likely it just means that Remender isn't going to significantly change any of his characters (at least not permanently).

[grinningdemon]

Regardless, she should be name dropped at least once when she's taking such an active role. It is Bendis so this is typical but the X-Men article was criminal as it literally talked about past stuff, recent issue, and the issue coming out after and alluded to a future story. Rachel was shown everywhere on the pages yet she wasn't name dropped once. Heck, her father has nothing to do with the X-Men's current series yet he was name dropped multiple times.

It's simply frustrating that Rachel is continually being treated in the "Show but not name or talk about" capacity even in stuff she's supposed to be playing an important role in or is even as a Main Character. Reminds me of Amazing X-Men as well where she's barely talked about at all despite appearing in many of the issues. She isn't even on most of the covers in the issues she's in which is a lot of them! They have room for literally everyone else in the team-up BUT Rachel.

So that's why I'm being nitpicky when they do stuff like this due to past history.

Again, we don't know how active her role will even be in the story...she hasn't really done anything yet beyond getting on a plane...didn't even get a major speaking part...I'm not sure it warrants a namedrop.

As to the other article, I'm pretty sure it wasn't specifically about the "X-Men" series but more about the X-Men titles in general and it makes sense that Cyclops would come up in any such article since, as has been said ad naseum in various threads recently, he is the driving force behind the franchise currently. I wish Rachel would get more spotlight too but, as I said, she's not a big draw and I'm mostly happy she's still around and no one has killed her off...she's also often viewed as superfluous when Jean is alive (as she currently is...kind of) and her role was previously superceded by Hope (though I certainly wish it wasn't). It is what it is...and she's getting more spotlight now than she has in years so I wouldn't complain too much.

[Narasinha]

Or maybe Rachel will have an important role and Bendis don't want to spoil it...

[Sardorim]

Again, we don't know how active her role will even be in the story...she hasn't really done anything yet beyond getting on a plane...didn't even get a major speaking part...I'm not sure it warrants a namedrop.

As to the other article, I'm pretty sure it wasn't specifically about the "X-Men" series but more about the X-Men titles in general and it makes sense that Cyclops would come up in any such article since, as has been said ad naseum in various threads recently, he is the driving force behind the franchise currently. I wish Rachel would get more spotlight too but, as I said, she's not a big draw and I'm mostly happy she's still around and no one has killed her off...she's also often viewed as superfluous when Jean is alive (as she currently is...kind of) and her role was previously superceded by Hope (though I certainly wish it wasn't). It is what it is...and she's getting more spotlight now than she has in years so I wouldn't complain too much.

Talking about the previews where she's being shown on multiple pages talking and preparing to make contact wit the Beyond Omega dude. So she's going to be talking as she kinda needs to since making contact and not saying a word would be freaky and not accomplish anything.

No, it was about the X-Men's current series called "X-Men". It has nothing to do with Cyclops. He literally had no reason to be mentioned and what was mentioned was old news as it was brought up before in other articles. While Rachel, one of the main characters alongside Storm, wasn't mentioned at all. Yet Storm was name dropped multiple times even when she's taking a less important role while the spotlight is all on Rachel at the moment. It's about equal representation and Rachel continues to be stuck in the "Show but not name or talk about" capacity even when she's a Main Character or playing a multiple role.

Hope did nothing to Rachel as Rachel hasn't been a Phoenix Host for years. Hope doesn't look like Rachel either and they don't have the same personality or even the same power set.

Clearly Rachel is a big enough draw considering that Storm and her are the Main Characters of the X-Men series, she's in multiple books, and everyone and their mother was raging about AvX and how Rachel was ignored despite being the #1 Phoenix Expert on the planet. She was also heavily demanded, alongside Nightcrawler and Colossus, to appear in Uncanny X-Men and All-New. Especially All-New since it's the common belief that no one can teach her teenage mother better than Rachel herself and that their last time together was pretty bad as they ignored the other.

Or maybe Rachel will have an important role and Bendis don't want to spoil it...

This is Bendis, he would have teased something I'm sure. I mean he can't stop himself from teasing about Cyclops, Eva, and Magik and issues involving them down the line that we wont see for months.

[grinningdemon]

Talking about the previews where she's being shown on multiple pages talking and preparing to make contact wit the Beyond Omega dude. So she's going to be talking as she kinda needs to since making contact and not saying a word would be freaky and not accomplish anything.

No, it was about the X-Men's current series called "X-Men". It has nothing to do with Cyclops. He literally had no reason to be mentioned and what was mentioned was old news as it was brought up before in other articles. While Rachel, one of the main characters alongside Storm, wasn't mentioned at all. Yet Storm was name dropped multiple times even when she's taking a less important role while the spotlight is all on Rachel at the moment. It's about equal representation and Rachel continues to be stuck in the "Show but not name or talk about" capacity even when she's a Main Character or playing a multiple role.

Hope did nothing to Rachel as Rachel hasn't been a Phoenix Host for years. Hope doesn't look like Rachel either and they don't have the same personality or even the same power set.

Clearly Rachel is a big enough draw considering that Storm and her are the Main Characters of the X-Men series, she's in multiple books, and everyone and their mother was raging about AvX and how Rachel was ignored despite being the #1 Phoenix Expert on the planet. She was also heavily demanded, alongside Nightcrawler and Colossus, to appear in Uncanny X-Men and All-New. Especially All-New since it's the common belief that no one can teach her teenage mother better than Rachel herself and that their last time together was pretty bad as they ignored the other.



This is Bendis, he would have teased something I'm sure. I mean he can't stop himself from teasing about Cyclops, Eva, and Magik and issues involving them down the line that we wont see for months.

Those are characters he regularly writes that have big roles in his books...Rachel is not. The preview pages are never more than 2-3 pages...it doesn't necessarily mean a huge role for Rachel...but, even if it does, you said it yourself, he's mostly talking about future stories...not this one.

And the other article I was talking about was not just about the "X-Men" series alone...unless you've been posting this same complaint in several threads. That said, Cyclops has something to do with all the x-books right now as all the main books either revolve around what he's doing in some way or exist as a counterpoint to it.