X-Men: Gold #3 SPOILERS

[Celestial]

These teams would drive readers away. The classic X-Men and Uncanny-X-Men characters from the 80s and 90s are who readers really care about. You've just ignored them in your lineups.

Not me. These teams are way better than what we have now.

[AbnormallyNormal]

Not me. These teams are way better than what we have now.

We have to remember, people on this forum are much more hardcore than the typical comic reader. What we are interested in reflects our greater knowledge of the lore, we get bored with repetition of elements, but the very casual reader is different and they love seeing Wolverine constantly for example.

[bearman]

I would love to see a still muderous Banshee join the team, as an unlikely wild card.

[Aighthomie]

We have to remember, people on this forum are much more hardcore than the typical comic reader. What we are interested in reflects our greater knowledge of the lore, we get bored with repetition of elements, but the very casual reader is different and they love seeing Wolverine constantly for example.

I agree. Sometimes I shake my head looking at some of these "dream teams". It's just going to the other extreme, IMO. Boring line up vs. WTF are these people lineups.

[nx01a]

I would love to see a still muderous Banshee join the team, as an unlikely wild card.

I... I want this. I want this so much.

[rutog98]

Not me. These teams are way better than what we have now.

Storm wasn't on any of those teams. As a fellow Storm fan, how can such lineups interest you?

[DDM]

For raw power, Ororo is by far the most powerful on the team. Her powerset is also physically the most versatile. With Ororo on the team, Rachel's TK would not be missed if she were taken off the roster, but her TP certainly does fill a niche. I think Emma would be more fun on the team because of her unique relationship to both Ororo and Kitty. It is better for storytelling to have some chaotic relationships in the team dynamic. Its good for drama and Emma is a better telepath than Rachel.

In terms of raw power, Rachel definitely outstrips both Emma and Storm. She can telekinetically form a black hole, mindscan the entire Earth (sans Cerebra), astrally project across galaxies or even through time, and even telekinetically alter her own dna. She's a telepath on level with Xavier now (which makes sense given they trained together for months in space) and as a telekinetic she's nearly a reality warper. And this is before we even consider the Phoenix, which she has a genetic link directly to and is the only known host able to assert her own identity over it for an extended period of time.

In no way can Storm even begin to match to her teke. I know you're a feats freak but seriously, let this one go. You'll only embarrass yourself.

[RLAAMJR.]

At least, Storm did something.

[rutog98]

In terms of raw power, Rachel definitely outstrips both Emma and Storm. She can telekinetically form a black hole, mindscan the entire Earth (sans Cerebra), astrally project across galaxies or even through time, and even telekinetically alter her own dna. She's a telepath on level with Xavier now (which makes sense given they trained together for months in space) and as a telekinetic she's nearly a reality warper. And this is before we even consider the Phoenix, which she has a genetic link directly to and is the only known host able to assert her own identity over it for an extended period of time.

In no way can Storm even begin to match to her teke. I know you're a feats freak but seriously, let this one go. You'll only embarrass yourself.

She created a very small and minor black hole that can fit in the palm of your hand. Big deal. Storm has wielded the full power of full-sized heavenly bodies including stars. Heck, she summoned the full power of stars lightyears away from her. Even outside of this, Storm has summoned winds strong enough to redirect the full power of a mutant who could split the planet like a ripe melon.

Where has Rachel astral projected across galaxies without the PF? I have a feeling you are overstating some of these feats or you are leaving out that she had the PF.

Rachel is nowhere near Xavier as a telepath. Nice try, but insert quarter and try again. Xavier was able to project the feelings of an entire alien race on a global scale to Galactus who was off-planet. Xavier also battled the Dark Phoenix on all of the infinite planes of existence simultaneously. When Shadow King mind controlled billions of minds across the planet, he considered Xavier to be his only threat in power. Rachel is a joke of a telepath compared to these feats and she loses almost every psi-battle against other telepaths.

Rachel is no near-reality warper by any stretch of the imagination without the PF.

Candra can also manipulate the DNA structure in people as well as deconstruct matter at the atomic level, yet her TK powers paled next to Ororo's elemental abilities in combat.

Now, lets get on with Storm's feats:

1) She has redirected the full power of a mutant who was strong enough to split the planet like a ripe melon.

2) She has thrown attacks backed by the full power of a star.

3) She wielded the full power of a galactic core (millions of stars crammed into a relatively small area of space)

4) She pulled gamma rays out of a gamma ray gun and fused them with the energies of the world to create a protective elemental shield around the entire planet which deflected a world-destroying blast from the sun.

5) She wielded enough power to defeat the Trion, 3 nigh-omnipotent beings who were the sum of all matter, life, and energy for an entire reality's past, present, and future all at once. Not only did she defeat them, right after, when that dimension was coming undone at its seams, she stitched that reality back together.

6) Hurricanes generate about 200x the world-wide electrical generating capacity: http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/D7.html Consider that the average hurricane in real life is about 500-1000 miles in diameter. Now, Storm has quelled hemishere-sized hurricanes! Not only did she do that, but she was barely a teenager at the time as this was back when she was being worshipped as a goddess in Africa. On top of this, Uncanny 151 establishes that it is more difficult for Storm to disperse storms than create them...and here, she dispersed a hemisphere-sized hurricane.

7) She has channeled continent-sized blizzards through her body.

8) She literally de-atomized a Herald of Galactus in combat.

9) She was established from the start of the Claremontian run to have powers on a par with Phoenix Force Jean Grey and was given feats that not only match those of Phoenix Force Jean Grey, but also exceeds them. So, unless Rachel has the Phoenix Force, she is a joke compared to Storm in terms of raw power.

10) Storm can literally create matter out of thin air via electron manipulation. She once created clothing for herself out of thin air in such a way which totally dwarfs the DNA feat you are talking about with Rachel.

11) She controlled solar winds globally to blanket the entire planet for 4 hours straight and maintained enough control over the solar wind so as to not do any damage to the Earth.

12) Storm is one with creation itself.

13) I trust I have proven my point.

[WallStreeter]

If you want to go that route, I could argue that Storm's winds could also double as a strong man as her winds can lift heavier objects than Colossus can. The problem is, however, no superhero team feels complete without a superstrength guy or gal on the roster. You need to have somebody like Colossus, Warpath, or Rogue on the team on principle alone.

I had the impression, from movies and from the comics that Storm uses lightening/electricity to enhance her strength. We've seen her physically fight with Rogue and Thor and if she wasn't superstrong she'd be dead. And of course powerful telekinetics like Jean and Rachel use their telekinesis to enhance their strength to be superstrong. So do Psylocke, Cable, and Nate Grey.

[rutog98]

I had the impression, from movies and from the comics that Storm uses lightening/electricity to enhance her strength. We've seen her physically fight with Rogue and Thor and if she wasn't superstrong she'd be dead. And of course powerful telekinetics like Jean and Rachel use their telekinesis to enhance their strength to be superstrong. So do Psylocke, Cable, and Nate Grey.

I get that, but still, a superhero team without a strong muscle guy? It just doesn't seem complete. You need somebody like Rogue, Hulk, Colossus, Warpath, Thing, Thor, She-Hulk, etc. on a superhero team to make it feel complete. You need a brick character.

[sunofdarkchild]

Replace Rachel with Magik and the team dynamics improve immensely.

Her relationship with Kitty was dealt with much more recently under Bendis and just a few months ago in X-Men Prime when she moved the school to Central Parkat Kitty's request, making it hard not to address and fresh in reader's minds.

Her brother is on the team, which would make it much more interesting if Kitty discusses her issues about Colossus with her than with Rachel.

Magma is her former teammate, adding an emotional element to Amara's 'betrayal' that was lacking.

She has a very strained relationship with the New X-Men, adding tension with the group dynamics.

Much like like Storm and Rchel, she's OP, but it is canon that she holds back her real power the vast majority of the time, so her low showings aren't plot holes.

The book would become so much more interesting with that one simple change. (Though who knows. Maybe Guggenheim would mess it up as well)

[DDM]

She created a very small and minor black hole that can fit in the palm of your hand. Big deal. Storm has wielded the full power of full-sized heavenly bodies including stars. Heck, she summoned the full power of stars lightyears away from her. Even outside of this, Storm has summoned winds strong enough to redirect the full power of a mutant who could split the planet like a ripe melon.

Where has Rachel astral projected across galaxies without the PF? I have a feeling you are overstating some of these feats or you are leaving out that she had the PF.

Rachel is nowhere near Xavier as a telepath. Nice try, but insert quarter and try again. Xavier was able to project the feelings of an entire alien race on a global scale to Galactus who was off-planet. Xavier also battled the Dark Phoenix on all of the infinite planes of existence simultaneously. When Shadow King mind controlled billions of minds across the planet, he considered Xavier to be his only threat in power. Rachel is a joke of a telepath compared to these feats and she loses almost every psi-battle against other telepaths.

Rachel is no near-reality warper by any stretch of the imagination without the PF.

Candra can also manipulate the DNA structure in people as well as deconstruct matter at the atomic level, yet her TK powers paled next to Ororo's elemental abilities in combat.

Now, lets get on with Storm's feats:

1) She has redirected the full power of a mutant who was strong enough to split the planet like a ripe melon.

2) She has thrown attacks backed by the full power of a star.

3) She wielded the full power of a galactic core (millions of stars crammed into a relatively small area of space)

4) She pulled gamma rays out of a gamma ray gun and fused them with the energies of the world to create a protective elemental shield around the entire planet which deflected a world-destroying blast from the sun.

5) She wielded enough power to defeat the Trion, 3 nigh-omnipotent beings who were the sum of all matter, life, and energy for an entire reality's past, present, and future all at once. Not only did she defeat them, right after, when that dimension was coming undone at its seams, she stitched that reality back together.

6) Hurricanes generate about 200x the world-wide electrical generating capacity: http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/D7.html Consider that the average hurricane in real life is about 500-1000 miles in diameter. Now, Storm has quelled hemishere-sized hurricanes! Not only did she do that, but she was barely a teenager at the time as this was back when she was being worshipped as a goddess in Africa. On top of this, Uncanny 151 establishes that it is more difficult for Storm to disperse storms than create them...and here, she dispersed a hemisphere-sized hurricane.

7) She has channeled continent-sized blizzards through her body.

8) She literally de-atomized a Herald of Galactus in combat.

9) She was established from the start of the Claremontian run to have powers on a par with Phoenix Force Jean Grey and was given feats that not only match those of Phoenix Force Jean Grey, but also exceeds them. So, unless Rachel has the Phoenix Force, she is a joke compared to Storm in terms of raw power.

10) Storm can literally create matter out of thin air via electron manipulation. She once created clothing for herself out of thin air in such a way which totally dwarfs the DNA feat you are talking about with Rachel.

11) She controlled solar winds globally to blanket the entire planet for 4 hours straight and maintained enough control over the solar wind so as to not do any damage to the Earth.

12) Storm is one with creation itself.

13) I trust I have proven my point.

lol at number 9. The only point you've proven is revealing your own crazed estrangement from continuity, logic and possibly reality. Storm is literally nothing compared to the Phoenix. Keep dreaming.

Anyway to your questions about Rachel.

1) The black hole was more the size of a bowling ball, Rachel created it concentrating at a pinpoint. And it took the combined power of the rest of the X-Men, focused through Sage, to stabilize and direct it. Storm included as one of many, her power alone was unable to weild this "minor" black hole.

2) Rachel astral projected across galaxies during Age of X. That's what the Revenant was, her astral projection from the far end of Shi'ar space that raced towards Earth for help. Moira caught her in Legion's warp in this psionic state. No Phoenix either.

3) Like Xavier or the Shadow King, Rachel is now a global scale telepath. She was able to hover above New York City and mindscan the entire planet searching for her lost students. This was the sort of feat Xavier only ever managed with technological aid boosting him (Cerebro). And even early on after they'd met Xavier remarked that Rachel's psibolts were a match for his own. With Xavier gone Rachel is definitely the most powerful telepath within the X-Men. Her only real potential competition being young Jean.

4) Rachel is a molecular level telekinetic, she can literally reshape matter at it's very building blocks. On a small scale that's essentially reality warping. More she can even do this unconsciously. Also, lol at you equating Storm's clothing trick with rearrranging DNA. Rachel can telekinetically change her clothing at will too, and did before taking the Phoenix.

5) Candra's not Rachel. Candra has limits and according to Claremont, Rachel is only limited by her own imagination.

6) Regarding Rachel's potential versus Storm, Rachel was arguably the first identified omega mutant in continuity, while Storm has never been confirmed as an Omega. The closest she got was when Iron Man scanned her as a "possible Omega" once.

[nx01a]

Please don't derail this thread like the others recently with this FEATZ talk. Please.

After searching through the book again, I've managed to come up with one panel that I liked marginally more than the others... and even this was really pushing it.
xg1.jpg

[Aighthomie]

Please don't derail this thread like the others recently with this FEATZ talk. Please.

After searching through the book again, I've managed to come up with one panel that I liked marginally more than the others... and even this was really pushing it.
xg1.jpg

Maybe a list of "Storm's Greatest Featz" should be listed in the first post of every X-Men: Gold issue Review Thread going forward just to get it out of the way. We all know that's what these threads are gonna devolve into anyways.