2014 X-Book Awards- The Results

[Fokken]

Yeah, this should officially make her ineligible for "Breakout Character" next year, I'd say. If you win in that category, and/or the "Best Character" overall at some point, I think you're already pretty well established.

She transcends space and time. That's why she keeps "breaking out" and now officially "breaking through".

[MentalManipulator]

Second Runner-up…

Nightcrawler! (33 points, 6 first place votes)

Already back from the dead, Nightcrawler’s got all sorts of ladies trying to get their hands on his blue furry **** and adventure wherever he looks. Sure, it’s always a bit weird when he’s kissing on his adopted sister, but she got killed and Kurt immediately gained a new love interest in the form of Bloody Bess from the Crimson Pirates.

He’s managed to go to toe to toe with Azazel, Sabretooth, Mystique, Trimega, the Crimson Pirates, an army of Wendigos, and the Shadow King and currently has come out on the winning side of every one of those fights. Hopefully 2015 is even kinder to our favorite fuzzy elf.




First Runner-up…

Storm!(34 points, 8 first place votes)

If you’re not noticing a pattern, X-characters with solo series did rather well for themselves in 2014. And Storm was no different, kicking ass in about every X-book out there. Uncanny. Amazing. Adjectiveless. Wolverine & the X-Men (vol. 2). And in her own solo? Wow.

Storm punked the entire army of the nation of Santa Marco (also known as the country the original Brotherhood pwned back in X-Men (vol. 1) #4, handled Callisto like she wasn’t even a thing, took down a crime lord from Breakworld in solo combat, and successfully saved a passenger jet loaded with people who would have fallen to their deaths WHILE A SECURITY DETAIL TRIED TO SUBDUE HER.

Ororo is, quite simply, a badass. But who took the #1 spot this year?



The Voters’ Pick for Best Hero of 2014 is…

Magik! (40 points, 7 first place votes)

In both 2012 and 2013, Magik got the silver medal in this category. She won “Best Breakthrough Character” 3 years ago, so it’s nice to see her breakthrough for the gold herself after having been so well represented in all that time.

Magik was thought to just be the plot device by which Cyclops’ X-Men team could teleport wherever they needed to go, and jump around the Marvel Universe from place to place… the Magik Bus, when the roster of Uncanny X-Men was announced.

Instead, she’s become one of the highlights of the book, travelling back in time to study with Dr. Strange in the past long before he ever gets pissed off at her for the events of “AvX”, she even has pulled down enough training as a sorcerer to pull off spells like the one shown above to make her even way more of an offensive threat than she already is. In one of the annuals this year, we saw that there’s at least an alternate future where she becomes the Sorcerer Supreme.

When you combine that much potency in terms of fighting ability with some outstanding one-liners, Magik has become one of the most beloved X-characters out there today, enough so that she won this award against some of the most prolific X-characters in history.

The best heroes of 2014 would make for an awesome bad-ass lineup:
Cyclops, Storm, Magneto, Psylocke, Nightcrawler and Magyk on a new team needs to happen now!

[somacula]

The best heroes of 2014 would make for an awesome bad-ass lineup:
Cyclops, Storm, Magneto, Psylocke, Nightcrawler and Magyk on a new team needs to happen now!

Yeah, but I'd like to see first strom being less stuborn and somehow agree to accept with mags, magyk and cyke; I'm sure betsy and kurt would have no problem with it tough

[grinningdemon]

Yeah, but I'd like to see first strom being less stuborn and somehow agree to accept with mags, magyk and cyke; I'm sure betsy and kurt would have no problem with it tough

I don't know...even if Schism and AvX never happened, I'm not sure Cyclops and Storm on the same team would end well...there's a reason it's only ever happened briefly here and there since the early days.

[Andru]

Yay Illyana

And I didn't even vote!

[sunofdarkchild]

Yay Illyana

And I didn't even vote!

I think most of the 'Magik appreciation' crew didn't vote. I know I didn't.

[JackalsIII]

Yeah, this should officially make her ineligible for "Breakout Character" next year, I'd say. If you win in that category, and/or the "Best Character" overall at some point, I think you're already pretty well established.

That's what I was thinking but then again, more Magik representation on the polls is always good.

I voted for Magik, Shadowcat never does well on this list. So I tried to represent.

Cyclops, Storm, Magneto, Psylocke, Nightcrawler and Magik - would make a great lineup. Surprised we haven't had that yet.

[useridgoeshere]

Thanks for the awesome job with the awards, WBE. They're great so far!

Magik's pretty deserving, so I'm glad she won. Bendis has done a great job with her.

I can't believe The Future and Arkea didn't place higher as terrible villains (1st and 2nd sound about right), but I guess not everyone reads X-Men.

With SHIELD, the year also ended with them blowing up Magik (the best hero) and Scott. Yeah, they're villains.

And I'm surprised Rogue didn't do better in the favorite mutant outside of an X-book, but maybe some people didn't know if UA was an X-book.

[Starleafgirl]

Second Runner-up…


Havok! (27 points, 6 first place votes)

Havok got horribly scarred by Kang, and was suddenly madly and deeply in love with the Wasp after the events of “Avenge the Earth”. He then was easily kidnapped by Red Skull’s S-Men and taken to Genosha to participate in AXIS, where he was given his umpteenth heel turn by Marvel writers, and trying to assist the X-Men in detonating a bomb in New York City that would kill all humans.

There is clearly some deep psychological trauma happening here... And the fact that no one bothers to tell Scott that his brother is evil/psycho is, uh... XD Guess Marvel's character assassination of X-Men continues and Havok "Hate the M-Word" is leading the way.

The Voters’ Pick for Least Favorite Hero of 2014 is…


Beast (56 points, 12 first place votes)

This multi-genocidal maniac has placed very highly in this category, even before Schism, but always had the benefit of someone like Havok or Wolverine being more of an inept jackass or sellout in any year to avoid getting this X-Razzie.

This year, he provided the memorable moment of throwing a tantrum that Cyclops was Right, and worked with the Illuminati on a bomb that could destroy planets. Oh, and he also tried making a temporary healing factor boost out of what he THINKS are neutralized samples of Arkea. Even Jubilee, who is legally mentally challenged, raised a red flag on that decision. Beast is such a f*** up that Uatu the Watcher, who’s never supposed to speak or interfere showed up to tell him that he’s disgusted with him. Like, THAT WAS IT. The whole reason for the visit from a cosmic being was to be told you’re a s***heel. That is NOT a good sign. Uatu doesn’t even do that to Red Skull or Dr. Doom.

This made me laugh, more than once, out loud, despite being a Jubilee fan, so thanks for this and all the rest of your hilarious descriptions for "winners" in various categories. ;D

And yay for Storm making it to second place in the Best Hero competition!

[RLAAMJR.]

The Voters’ Pick for Least Favorite Hero of 2014 is…


Beast (56 points, 12 first place votes)

This multi-genocidal maniac has placed very highly in this category, even before Schism, but always had the benefit of someone like Havok or Wolverine being more of an inept jackass or sellout in any year to avoid getting this X-Razzie.

This year, he provided the memorable moment of throwing a tantrum that Cyclops was Right, and worked with the Illuminati on a bomb that could destroy planets. Oh, and he also tried making a temporary healing factor boost out of what he THINKS are neutralized samples of Arkea. Even Jubilee, who is legally mentally challenged, raised a red flag on that decision. Beast is such a f*** up that Uatu the Watcher, who’s never supposed to speak or interfere showed up to tell him that he’s disgusted with him. Like, THAT WAS IT. The whole reason for the visit from a cosmic being was to be told you’re a s***heel. That is NOT a good sign. Uatu doesn’t even do that to Red Skull or Dr. Doom.

I mean, fan hate for Azazel dissipated possibly because he just took the time to kick Hank McCoy in the face.

Beast. Your “Worst Hero” winner for 2014. Let’s hope he wins back some credibility by actually being useful in some X-Men stories, like when he provides tech support to Storm in her ongoing. Because he needs to get some wins, and fast.

I like him a lot before.

But Beast lost his charm. I even prefer somebody else helping Storm in Storm's ongoing solo.

[Shambles]

Fantomex won a 'best of' category and Beast came first in a 'worst of' category. I voted for these two myself so I understand why it happened, it's just that it feels so wrong.

[Wind Rider]

The best heroes of 2014 would make for an awesome bad-ass lineup:
Storm, Magneto, Psylocke, Nightcrawler and Magyk on a new team needs to happen now!

Agreed on the line up. This was a great year for Betsy. I have been lovung her in XX-Men, X-Force, and Nightcrawler.

[Wind Rider]

I like him a lot before.

But Beast lost his charm. I even prefer somebody else helping Storm in Storm's ongoing solo.

Awesome to see Storm place so well. Looking forward to the rest of the results .

[anthony_lynch15]

Really loving the commentary worstblogever.

First Runner-up…
Sunspot! (44 points, 10 first place votes)

For the first time, Roberta Dacosta remembered he’s one rich mother****er, and spread the cheese around in such a way that it won over villains by just BRIBING THEM TO BE NICE. That’s right, with all the fanatical “Death by Science!” bucket-heads from A.I.M. giving the Avengers problems, he had a unique solution… take the nerds out partying, get them drunk, and buy their loyalty right out from under Andrew Forson. And boy, did it work. I’m honestly wondering why Tony Stark never tried this.

I want to note that Sunspot got more first place votes in this category than who got the win, which is an achievement in and of itself. Unfortunately, almost all the people who voted him #1 gave two points of votes to the person who edged him out.

Poor Sunspot, robbed of his award. LOL.

The Best Mutant Appearing in a non X-book in 2015 is…
Cannonball!(45 points, 6 first place votes)

Sam Guthrie is a daddy now, having finally begun to live up to his father’s legacy of being ridiculously fertile by putting a baby in his Avengers teammate, Smasher, aka Izzy Kane. I cannot confirm or deny if they were using protection, but it stands to reason that Cannonball’s little swimmers are immune to contraceptives when they’re a-blastin’, just like he is.

Strangely I have actually thought to myself that the pregnancy could have been caused by his little swimmers a-blastin'. LOL.

Second Runner-up…
The Future! (22 points, 6 first place votes)

Shogo Lee had to come from somewhere more specific than Hungary, and it was never quite explained how The Future was related to him (calling Shogo his “heir”)… just that The Future wanted him back. So the villain decided to send a message to the X-Men that he wanted the baby… by having a host of his attempt to assassinate Primal II and Sprite III.

.................................

I can’t tell what’s dumber, his plans, his motivations, or his name.

Glad to see The Future on this list.
It's not very often I think a comic book story is awful - but that storyline and Mr The Future have that privilege.

The Voters’ Pick for Least Favorite Villain(s) of 2014 is…
Kade Kilgore and his Hellfire Club (27 points, 8 first place votes)

Jesus. We actually got a 4-Peat. The Hellfire Brats were supposed to be out of commission. Like, Enduque and Frankenstein… they were on the run as of the end of Wolverine & the X-Men (vol. 1), set on the loose by Toad, but at some point halfway through the year, those two were being given cameo appearances as still being at the JGSHL as a part of the student body.

.........................

We’ll have to wait and see if any writer opts to use them again in 2015, and give them a shot at this award for a FIFTH time.

LOL, I love that they keep winning this.
Maybe someone can give them 2 panels to make them eligible for the award next year.

First Runner-up…
SHIELD! (29 points, 7 first place votes)

Wow. S.H.I.E.L.D. managed to win out over the Red Skull for “Best Villain”? How far down the toilet have you led the agency, Maria Hill?

In a year where they unknowingly were taken over from within, rather easily by a terminally ill Dark Beast, had Mystique easily infiltrate them by replacing Dazzler (and no one noticed Agent Blaire had o light powers) and got Exodus to work as a telepathic operative, only to see him end up getting death benefits by feeding him to godlike threat Matthew Malloy… these fascist scmucks were still the main antagonists to Cyclops’ team of X-Men, but more in the way that Roscoe P. Coltrane is the antagonist to the Dukes of Hazard.

Oh SHIELD, what have you become.

The Voters’ Pick for Best Villain(s) of 2014 are…
Fantomex!(30 points, 9 first place votes)

Fantomex had his psyche split into three parts at the end of Uncanny X-Force (vol. 1). During Uncanny X-Force (vol. 2), it started to become more clear that those three parts were all a bit unbalanced, in their own way, and E.V.A. was even aware of the damage.

Well, in 2014, Simon Spurrier sent the man they call Le Pew off the deep end, his own inferiority complex being the impetus to make him feel like he had something to prove. His own need to be superior to everyone around him sent Fantomex over the edge, and he’d shoot one of Cable’s clones, and then Forgetmenot as his madness rapidly progressed. (He also had some weird cyberfling inside a mindscape with Hope Summers that probably should have gotten him at least a visit from Chris Hansen from “To Catch a Predator”, but whatever.)

....................

And doing all this while being obnoxiously faux-French was enough to win Fantomex the award for your Best X-villain of 2014.

IMHO this story is the only good thing to come out of Fantomex being split in three.
This psycho inferiority-complex version is fun to read.
The fact that Cable has been manipulating him makes it even better.

Second Runner-up…
Havok! (27 points, 6 first place votes)

........................

At the end of that crossover, he kidnapped his “wife”, and stashed her… somewhere, before opting to lay low by joining Cyclops at the New Charles Xavier School. No Avenger or X-Man has bothered telling Scott his brother is still evil, and none of the Stepford Cuckoos or Emma Frost noticed either.

I have no idea how this will play out, but I’m leaning towards it being a ridiculous amount of plot-induced stupidity, myself. On the upside, Havok did not give any speeches this year to sell out his own people, at least.

I'm very excited to see where this evil Havok story goes.
Hopefully the plot induced stupidity will be kept to a minimum.

The Voters’ Pick for Least Favorite Hero of 2014 is…
Beast (56 points, 12 first place votes)

This multi-genocidal maniac has placed very highly in this category, even before Schism, but always had the benefit of someone like Havok or Wolverine being more of an inept jackass or sellout in any year to avoid getting this X-Razzie.

...................

Beast. Your “Worst Hero” winner for 2014. Let’s hope he wins back some credibility by actually being useful in some X-Men stories, like when he provides tech support to Storm in her ongoing. Because he needs to get some wins, and fast.

I kinda wish they'd just get to Beast redemption story at this point.
Hard to watch him become more and more unhinged and ********* like.

First Runner-up…
Storm!(34 points, 8 first place votes)

If you’re not noticing a pattern, X-characters with solo series did rather well for themselves in 2014. And Storm was no different, kicking ass in about every X-book out there. Uncanny. Amazing. Adjectiveless. Wolverine & the X-Men (vol. 2). And in her own solo? Wow.

........................

Ororo is, quite simply, a badass. But who took the #1 spot this year?

Well deserved. I've never been a big fan of Storm.
But she's been great the last year.

The Voters’ Pick for Best Hero of 2014 is…
Magik! (40 points, 7 first place votes)

In both 2012 and 2013, Magik got the silver medal in this category. She won “Best Breakthrough Character” 3 years ago, so it’s nice to see her breakthrough for the gold herself after having been so well represented in all that time.

Magik was thought to just be the plot device by which Cyclops’ X-Men team could teleport wherever they needed to go, and jump around the Marvel Universe from place to place… the Magik Bus, when the roster of Uncanny X-Men was announced.

Instead, she’s become one of the highlights of the book, travelling back in time to study with Dr. Strange in the past long before he ever gets pissed off at her for the events of “AvX”, she even has pulled down enough training as a sorcerer to pull off spells like the one shown above to make her even way more of an offensive threat than she already is. In one of the annuals this year, we saw that there’s at least an alternate future where she becomes the Sorcerer Supreme.

When you combine that much potency in terms of fighting ability with some outstanding one-liners, Magik has become one of the most beloved X-characters out there today, enough so that she won this award against some of the most prolific X-characters in history.

Magik has been great this year - infact she's been great for ages - but I'm glad to see the trend continue and that she's more than just the MagikBus people feared she would be in Uncanny X-Men.
And I agree, she's definitely ineligible for breakout star now.

[worstblogever]

LEAST FAVORITE COVER OF 2015
Last Year’s winner was Wolverine & the X-Men (vol. 1) #27, which was one of four separate covers for that title that placed in this category, the equivalent of “hitting for the cycle”. Due to fewer votes in this category in 2014, we’ve scaled it back to a Bottom 3…


Second Runner-up…

Uncanny X-Men (vol. 3) #27! (8 points, 2 first place votes)


First Runner-up…

Cyclops #1 (Land Variant) (10 points, 3 first place votes)

A Greg Land Variant, you say?

The Voters’ Pick for Least Favorite Cover of an X-Book in 2015 is…

Uncanny X-Men (vol. 3) #24! (14 points, 4 first place votes)

Dazzler's makeover, including mysterious exploding pants takes it.