Cry Havok!: Havok Appreciation

[maxi_miceli]

So they're saying the AXIS thing coming... that Havok apparently gets brain washed and becomes a villain....

Again? how many times they are going to have him brainwashed?

[Adam-X]

Spoilers dude

Yeah, sorry. Did not include spoilers, because it's speculation, from what I have heard. But I have no form of confirmation.

[Adam-X]

Again? how many times they are going to have him brainwashed?

Marvel, the House of Ideas. Again, just speculation from what I have heard on BleedingCool... But I don't have evidence of it.

[Mikekerr3]

So they're saying the AXIS thing coming... that Havok apparently gets brain washed and becomes a villain....

Becomes a villain? It is a bit late for that

[Adam-X]

Becomes a villain? It is a bit late for that

I love Havok, and I got the first two issues of Uncanny Avengers - but I couldn't stomach the writing or the art, so I am not sure of Havok's current situation.

I miss the days he led X-Factor and the Starjammers.......

[LordAllMIghty]

Alex use to be my favorite Summer (next to Rachel) but since he joined the Avengers I can barely stand to read about him. Not sure what changed in my head.

[KurtW95]

Alex use to be my favorite Summer (next to Rachel) but since he joined the Avengers I can barely stand to read about him. Not sure what changed in my head.

Nothing changed in your head. It was the person writing him.

[Adam-X]

Nothing changed in your head. It was the person writing him.

^ Truth.

So. Much. Truth.

[havok]

I would never go to the dark side. Unless I was brainwashed.

[Pharozonk]

I would never go to the dark side. Unless I was brainwashed.

Until Marvel makes you do it again

[Will J.]

I love Havok, and I got the first two issues of Uncanny Avengers - but I couldn't stomach the writing or the art, so I am not sure of Havok's current situation.

I miss the days he led X-Factor and the Starjammers.......

Well, I'm still collecting UA because I'm enjoying the overall storyline, but as it pertains to Havok specifically, having read through the annual and the first twenty issues in one sitting, I have yet to get 21, I've got to admit that it's a fairly underwhelming portrayal of Alex that Remender's putting out there. Not necessarily a bad one to me, but I do think both Yost and DnA wrote a better Havok since you mentioned his time in the Starjammers, which I miss myself. I'm not ready to call it quits yet, but if the AXIS speculation is true, which I still doubt in all honesty, while I wouldn't be happy about it, I'm more inclined to enjoy a villainous Havok than I am the guy Remender's currently writing.

On a lighter note, it's definitely good to see a Havok appreciation thread again.

[a0040pc]

Latest entry from my read through blog.

Issue Information
Title- X-Men (Volume 1) #54
Release Date- March 1969
Writer- Arnold Drake
Artist- Don Heck & Werner Roth

Major Notes
First appearances of Abdol aka The Living Pharaoh aka The Living Monolith and Alex Summers aka Havok

Brief Summary

Wanted: Dead Or Alive
Cyclops is about to be arrested by two policemen for murder but he has no idea what they are talking about. His mind flashes back to a few hours earlier when he and the other X-Men visited Landon College. Cyclops has secretly had a younger brother named Alex who is graduating from the college. Alex meets the team before quietly making his way to his dorm so that he can prepare to go out and celebrate. When he enters he is attacked by two men wearing ancient Egyptian style clothing. They take him by surprise and knock him out, they escape with him and when the X-Men investigate they find that he has been taken. Jean begins to scan the room for the last brainwaves of the people who took Alex. A short time later Alex is placed on a slab looked on by the villain known as the Living Pharaoh. He reveals that the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt were mutants and he plans to use Alex’s blood to rule over the world. But before he can plunge the dagger into Alex the X-Men arrive and take on the Living Pharaoh’s minions. They then move onto the Living Pharaoh who is able to fend them off but he eventually they begin to overwhelm him he throws down a gas grenade and begins to release more of his minions. The X-Men combat the minions but during the fight Angel’s wing is pinned to the wall by a spear. He is freed with the help of Beast and Cyclops takes on the Living Pharaoh alone who is able to fire an energy beam from his hands. Cyclops begins to weaken so Jean tries to attack the Living Pharaoh with her telepathy. But he is able to force her brainwaves back at her and suddenly there are violent sound vibration. The X-Men are unable to prevent the Living Pharaoh and his minions from escaping but Cyclops is more concerned with Alex. He frees his brother and reveals that he is the leader of the X-Men. The team leave Cyclops and Alex alone so that they can talk things out. They begin to talk but the Living Pharaoh reappears and uses a strange artefact and his own mutant abilities to knock the brothers out. When Cyclops awakens he is confronted by two policemen who attempt to arrest him for murder. Cyclops sees the dead body of the Living Pharaoh close by but he cannot see Alex. Reluctantly he attacks the policemen so that he can escape and find his brother. The X-Men hear about Cyclops on the radio and they cannot believe what they’re hearing. Below the Living Pharaoh’s hideout Cyclops is searching through the tunnels trying to find Alex but he is confronted by the villain himself who turns out not to be dead. The Living Pharaoh intends to kill Cyclops.

Million Dollar Angel
A childhood Angel has climbed a tree on his father’s property and has found his father’s missing golf balls in a bird nest. He falls out of the tree but is saved from harm by landing in the swimming pool. Angel is sent to his room while his parents think about what they will do with him. They decide to send him to private school where he begins to excel in sports and academics. The other students notice that he has very large shoulder blades and one night he wakes up to find a large feather on his back. When he investigates he discovers small wings on his back. He is able to get himself into his own private room sometime later where he discovers that his wings have grown. He smells smoke and realises that the main dorm is on fire. He quickly launches out of the window and flies for the first time. Before he goes to the rescue he picks up some rope along with a wig and a nightgown to hide his identity. He then flies to save those trapped and when everyone is rescued he flies away to safety. He returns under his normal guise and sees the good that he has done.

My Thoughts
I’ll start off by saying that this issue was a big improvement on the previous one and is also one of some significance. This issue was the first appearance of Cyclops’s brother Alex which you might all know as Havok. Although he is not as well known as many of the other X-Men he is still a very important one nonetheless not just for Cyclops but for the franchise in general. Although you don’t actually see what his mutant powers are in this issue he is in my mind possibly one of the most destructive mutants in the comics. His ability to generate waves of plasma might be powerful enough to destroy practically anything. I’m not sure if there would be any kind of limit to his power but we’ll find out over the series. The issue also introduces the minor X-Men villain named Living Pharaoh also known as the Living Monolith. He is a powerful mutant but hasn’t made all that much of an impact on the X-Men series but I see him as being the stepping stone towards Apocalypse. Many people would think that the X-Men’s first ancient Egyptian enemy was Apocalypse but it is actually the Living Pharaoh and if they had used him right he could have been a major thorn in the X-Men’s side. His powers aren’t fully shown in this issue and from the looks of it he has several powers that have not been explained just yet. I think the issue could have been done a little better if they had introduced Alex earlier in a minor way and then fully using him in this issue. His sudden appearance like this seemed to be a little forced and I feel that they should have slowed the pace down. The opening page sets up the entire issue and the cliff-hangar draws the reader in as they see that the Living Pharaoh is still alive and if Cyclops will be proved innocent of his murder. For the second story it was fun to see the start of the X-Man Angel although he is my least favourite of the original X-Men, but I guess even he deserves his own origin story. Angel’s fearlessness of heights seems to have started from early childhood before his mutant powers were even manifested. I think if this was real life there would have been a lot more hysteria over his appearance for those who believe he is an actually angel. The point was made in the character’s introduction in the Ultimate X-Men series but it was funny to see not as many people really noticing the biblical implications. To finish off I’m giving the issue an 8 out of 10, overall very enjoyable but could have been a bit better.

Next Issue
X-Men (Volume 1) #55

[sifighter]

Apparently Katie, Alex's and Janet's daughter from Uncanny Avengers, might survive the Avenge the Earth arc because the artist for Uncanny Avengers #23, Sanford Greene, has her in the character designs. Looks like Havok has a daughter for a while, and the summers family continues its crazy family tree.

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[a0040pc]

Latest entry of my X-Men Read Through Blog

Issue Information
Title- Incredible Hulk (Volume 1) #150
Release Date- April 1972
Writer- Archie Goodwin
Artist- Herb Trimpe

Major Notes
Features Lorna Dane and Havok

Brief Summary

Cry Hulk, Cry Havok

The Hulk is hiding behind a wall in an underground complex while a platoon of soliders led by General Ross. At first the soldiers believe that the Hulk has been killed but he comes out of hiding and swats a few of the soldiers away. The remaining soldiers quickly start to fire gas canisters at the Hulk and he begins to feel the effects. Quickly he grabs a gas mask off one of the unconscious soldiers and tries to cover his face. The mask itself is too small for him but it is enough to keep the majority of the gas from entering his system. He swats away more soldiers and even confronts General Ross, but instead of taking vengeance the Hulk escapes due to his system absorbing more of the gas. General Ross commands that when the Hulk lands from his jump that he have a squadron ready to take the Hulk down.

Sometime later the Hulk is sitting on a plateau thinking about his love Jarella who is a princess of a microscopic world. He wishes to find her again and he remains on the plateau for the entire night. Come the morning a squadron of helicopters have discovered the Hulk and they begin to fire gas canisters at him. But the wind carries the gas away and the Hulk is able to knock one of the helicopters out of the sky. The other helicopters begin to fire rockets at the Hulk and at that moment a squadron of tanks arrive and also fire at him. But before they can finish the job they receive word that they are to report to Washington D.C. and that the Hulkbusters are to be suspended. They begin to retreat as the Hulk looks on in some confusion.

Sometime later at the Capitol Building a group of congressmen discuss about the threat of the Hulk and Project Green Skin. One congressman named Roger Dutton speaks about the failures of the project and says how the wasted money could have been used for more positive purposes that really matter.

But back in New Mexico Betty Ross and Glen Talbot are driving in a jeep searching for the Hulk. They spot him from a distance leaping in a particular location. Something green has caught his eye and he follows a woman with green hair driving in a car. The woman is Lorna Dane of the X-Men and she is being harassed by a biker gang. The Hulk leaps down right on top of a few of them. He is convinced that Lorna is his love Jarella but as he looks at her car he discovers that she is gone.

Some distance away Lorna has escaped and is heading towards a hut. Suddenly she hears the sound of a motorbike engine and she turns around and sees that one of the bikers has followed her. But before he can get close a plasma blast destroys the bike and when she looks up to a nearby plateau she sees Havok standing there. He climbs down and the pair meet up. As they walk to his hut Lorna tries to convince Havok that he has to return to the X-Men so that he can control his powers. Havok begins to remember a confrontation that he had with fellow X-Man Iceman over Lorna. They squared off and after firing a plasma blast at Iceman he fears that he has killed him. Lorna reveals that Iceman is alright and that Professor Xavier believes that Havok can learn to control his power. But Havok thinks that he is too dangerous and should
remain out here by himself. Suddenly the Hulk lands between the pair and he is after Lorna. Havok runs into the hut to change into his costume but by the time he returns Hulk has captured Lorna and jumped away.

At a nearby plateau Hulk climbs to the top with Lorna but when he reaches it he realises that she is not Jarella and he begins to become angry. He is distracted by Betty’s incoming jeep but it is still some distance away. Hulk turns his attentions back to Lorna but suddenly he feels a blast strike him. When he looks down from the plateau he sees Havok there and when he jumps down to confront the mutant he is blasted once again. Hulk is able to recover and rips up the ground underneath him. He then grabs Alex’s hands but the mutant is able to blast himself free. Enraged the Hulk is able to break off part of the plateau and unfortunately it is the part that Lorna is standing on. Havok tries to convince Hulk that he needs to put the plateau down for Lorna’s safety but the emerald giant isn’t listening. Havok realises that Lorna will die if he doesn’t do something quick and he begins to concentrate his energy. He fires a small but intense blast at the Hulk’s mind. The pain causes the Hulk to put the plateau down and then
he falls unconscious.

Havok is able to use his plasma rays to lower Lorna back to the ground and as they walk away he agrees to return to the X-Men so that he can learn how to properly master his powers. But unseen to the pair the Hulk reverts back to Bruce Banner and only moments later he is found by Betty and Glen. Betty holds onto Bruce as he begins to wake up but instead of hearing her name as he love he mutters the name Jarella instead. In tears Betty askes Glen what he means and the Major can’t answer the question
and he tells her that only Bruce himself can answer.

My Thoughts

Once again we have to jump forward a bit because unfortunately at this point in history the X-Men series is only reprints and so everything that is happening to the team is
not being shown at this moment in time. Instead members are popping up every now and again in different series and this one is no different.

As seen at the start of the issue that the US army are attempting another ill-fated adventure in trying to stop the Hulk. I would have thought by now they would have learned that they can’t stop the Hulk. They have tried practically everything on him and nothing has worked, maybe rather than trying to destroy the Hulk they should get to him when he is Bruce Banner and maybe use a method that will keep him calm and not allow him to transform into the Hulk. They could even help the poor man find a cure and it would be a way of getting rid of the Hulk for good, but then you would lose one of Marvel’s most popular and well known characters ever.

I somewhat don’t get how the Hulk could mistake Lorna for his love Jarella. Lorna has green hair and that’s it on that front, Jarella has green skin and is a blond. I don’t really see how he could have made the mistake, even for someone like him he would have been able to tell the difference for a distance. Maybe his love her blinded him to what was blatantly obvious. It would have made more sense if he had gone for a blond haired woman who was wearing green but a woman with green hair and Caucasian skin is something else entirely.

About Jarella herself from the quick research that I’ve done she’s a princess from a microscopic world that the Hulk fell in love with. This meant that the woman the Hulk was looking for was too small anyway to be found by conventional means. That also means that Lorna herself is practically infinitely larger than her. But again the Hulk in his state probably didn’t think of the difference until he realised that she was not Jarella.

Havok’s reasons for originally leaving the X-Men was understandable. If I had powers like his and the lack of control I’d also want to get away from any living soul. But the fact that he put all that to one side to save Lorna just showed how much he must care for her. He also demonstrates two things that I’ve never seen him do before or since, he was able to use a plasma blast to lower Lorna down from the plateau. I’ve never seen him do that before and shows that he has some level of control over his powers.
He also was able to attack the Hulk’s mind with a well-placed precise plasma beam. I don’t think he has used that again but then again I haven’t read all of Havok’s appearances over close to four and half decades so he might have done it since then.

In conclusion I’m gonna give the story an overall 7 out of 10. It was alright but it could have been much better.

Next Issue
Amazing Adventures (Volume 2) #11

[gambitxremy]

Apparently Katie, Alex's and Janet's daughter from Uncanny Avengers, might survive the Avenge the Earth arc because the artist for Uncanny Avengers #23, Sanford Greene, has her in the character designs. Looks like Havok has a daughter for a while, and the summers family continues its crazy family tree.

tumblr_n93cibKrgV1sqltzeo1_1280.jpg

So Katie summers connects the summer's family with ultron and pyms crazy familys