Bobby Drake: Iceman Appreciation 2022

[PolarIceFire]

Two developments I really liked and would be very keen on seeing eXplored a lot further, are:

... The Green Lagoon. Krakoa. Bobby, Rictor, and Northstar catch up over drinks. Jean-Paul notes, “Sounds like you’re making up for all the time you lost growing up in the closet,” after which Rictor chimes in, “Look at you! All scruffy, going solo X-Man, moving out of mutant paradise to a crappy mancave in L.A.”



Bobby admits, “ Since I came out, I’ve never had a chance to take a break from the X-drama and just focus on myself for awhile. I need this.” After Rictor asks him about Christian Frost, Bobby admits, “ Oh we’ve grown to admire and care for each other very much. But it didn’t lead anywhere serious.” Bobby says he's “very much” single and “secretly craving old-fashioned romance.” ...

... The Climate Action Summit. Bobby is giving a speech on climate change and mutants’ role in ameliorating it. He notes, “I can’t solve climate change on my own. I can put polar Band-Aids and fight unfrozen aliens, but Earth is a delicate living organism, and it can’t be terraformed like Mars without unbalancing things even more…It’s up to the people in great power to take the great responsibility and make structural changes. Because, rest assured, mutants will survive a human-caused climate catastrophe. But the rest of you won’t. And we’d still like to share the world we all live in.” ...

So, yeah... his new, "solo" crash [and smash!*] pad on the West Coast + burgeoning eco warrior activism, were pretty great IMO, with loads* of potential to... 'Infinity' & BEYOND!! I also like that his bond with Julio & JP continues to be highlighted, too.

* Sorry, couldn't resist... old habits die hard, lol.

[Til]

I missed out on most of Dawn and Reign of X, so I was wondering if there are any big Bobby stories that happened during that time? Also, was he consistently in anything aside from Marauders? I...don't love Marauders.

[PolarIceFire]

His developments were largely in Marauders, so you answered your own ?, and I guess... are SoL?

Anyway...

https://twitter.com/AlexMathewrs/sta...71139740573697

Alex M❄
@AlexMathewrs

this will never be forgotten

[Nicoclaws]

His developments were largely in Marauders, so you answered your own ?, and I guess... are SoL?

Anyway...

https://twitter.com/AlexMathewrs/sta...71139740573697

Nice ! This costume looks sexy and cool, and I like Iceman in yellow

BTW Roasif (Rodrigo Marques)'s latest take one him :

FZaDdIcWAAEHSU0.jpg

[Til]

His developments were largely in Marauders, so you answered your own ?, and I guess... are SoL?

Well to be fair my dislike of Marauders is based on the current run, which I just looked up and saw is a different creative team from the vol. with Bobby in it, so that won't be an issue.

[NewMutant]

I'm in the minority but I really liked vol 1 of Marauders. I even felt it was the flagship team till the X-Men debut; it's my hope that Iceman carrying over into Duggan's will only enhance/spotlight Iceman on a major team again. While I don't think Marauders cast was evenly showcased; I felt Duggan continued Sina Grace's solo run - growing his relationship Christian/friendship with Kate, Iceman is responsible for the new Reavers of the Krakoan era (a badass Wolverine move from the Claremont era), not to mention terraforming Sol/Mars. In terms of character beats it seems to me Duggan used him decently, but it would have been nice to have seen few fleshed out scenes.

Speaking of... who are your favorite Iceman writers?

Only a few come to mind...

Scott Lobdell
Fabian Nicieza
Marjorie Liu
Sina Grace

And Duggan would probably be the 5th.

Claremont, Morrison, and Hickman didn't really use him.

[Til]

Speaking of... who are your favorite Iceman writers?

I'd definitely have your first three:

Scott Lobdell
Fabian Nicieza
Marjorie Liu

And I'd throw in Mike Carey. It was forever ago, but I remember liking how he wrote Bobby during his Adjectiveless run.

[NewMutant]

I'd definitely have your first three:

Scott Lobdell
Fabian Nicieza
Marjorie Liu

And I'd throw in Mike Carey. It was forever ago, but I remember liking how he wrote Bobby during his Adjectiveless run.

I like Carey's run a lot. I actually think Blinded by the Light is great story that's plagued with bad Ramos art and falling in a continuity spot that didn't make sense with Astonishing. I wasn't the biggest fan of him and Mystique, it didn't feel very authentic. But I enjoy his friendships with Rogue and Cannonball.

[BobbysWorld]

I'd throw in Louise Simonson - I know original X-Factor was hit or miss for some, but I maintain it has some of Bobby's strongest and most consistent characterization throughout it.

[Nicoclaws]

I'm in the minority but I really liked vol 1 of Marauders. I even felt it was the flagship team till the X-Men debut; it's my hope that Iceman carrying over into Duggan's will only enhance/spotlight Iceman on a major team again. While I don't think Marauders cast was evenly showcased; I felt Duggan continued Sina Grace's solo run - growing his relationship Christian/friendship with Kate, Iceman is responsible for the new Reavers of the Krakoan era (a badass Wolverine move from the Claremont era), not to mention terraforming Sol/Mars. In terms of character beats it seems to me Duggan used him decently, but it would have been nice to have seen few fleshed out scenes.

Speaking of... who are your favorite Iceman writers?

Only a few come to mind...

Scott Lobdell
Fabian Nicieza
Marjorie Liu
Sina Grace

And Duggan would probably be the 5th.

Claremont, Morrison, and Hickman didn't really use him.

The fact that you didn't include Vecchio is SHA-DY !

I'd say, in order, Vecchio, Liu, Lobdell and Carey. Grace was fine too.
I don't think I ever read Nicieza. Austen and the writer before him (cannot remember) during Morrison's era were just bland or worse.

And I put Lobdell in the top three SOLELY because nostalgia and Madureira art.

[PolarIceFire]

Nice ! This costume looks sexy and cool, and I like Iceman in yellow

BTW Roasif (Rodrigo Marques)'s latest take one him :

FZaDdIcWAAEHSU0.jpg

It IS! The more I look at & think about it, the more I like it. The artist was Ivan Fiorelli, https://twitter.com/FiorelliIvan, and I *think* the 1st 3 Marvel characters he did [over a yr. ago, in May '21] WERE:

AleX: https://twitter.com/FiorelliIvan/sta...16786938613765
Bobby: https://twitter.com/FiorelliIvan/sta...39993291317255
and Lorna: https://twitter.com/FiorelliIvan/sta...64549303799811

WHICH is kind of a *weird* coincidence, but NGL... things like that [seem to] happen often enough, where I start to question whether it's... just by accident, or if, IDK... some grand plan is at play, I guess. I just have... such BIG ideas for them [re. the *infinite* potential I believe they possess], and others too, of course [the Magnus fam, Sunfire, Dazzler, Dani Moonstar, Rictor, etc. ... just the X-Men as a whole, and ALL mutants+, really]. Sometimes I wish I could stop thinking about them, lol. But doing so and talking about them [+ all the creative processes that revolve around them], brings me so much joy & inspires such passion... that I don't want to, and probably couldn't even if I tried. It's like they... complete me, almost, for lack of a better way to eXpress what the *connection* eXactly is. YIKES, really went off on a tangent there, BUT... I'ma gonna roll with it.

Anyway, here's a bigger image of Fiorelli's look for him:

as well as the b&w version, and Polaris':

His work definitely has LOTS of anime/manga energy, which I feel Bobby, Lorna, & AleX in particular, play into especially well when it comes to their respective vibes. Of note, he went on to officially work for Marvel:

Ivan Fiorelli Finally Gets To Draw the X-Men in Marauders #23, @BleedingCool

almost immediately thereafter, and still is now.

And that RoAsIf commission has definitely got some things I like [the face, for instance], as always, but isn't quite hittin' the way some of his other, past works have. He's GREAT, though, and I always look forward to his latest revealing & welcomely suggestive pieces.

[johnnysv75]

Speaking of... who are your favorite Iceman writers?

Only a few come to mind...

Scott Lobdell
Fabian Nicieza
Marjorie Liu
Sina Grace

And Duggan would probably be the 5th.

Claremont, Morrison, and Hickman didn't really use him.

1. Luciano Vecchio
2. Luciano Vecchio
3. Luciano Vecchio
4. Sina Grace
5. Marjorie Liu

[PolarIceFire]

Well to be fair my dislike of Marauders is based on the current run, which I just looked up and saw is a different creative team from the vol. with Bobby in it, so that won't be an issue.

Oh shoot, my bad, I'm sorry. Just so used to "fans" crappin' all over Duggan, that I almost immediately go on the defensive. I like him & his work, A LOT... and along w/Zeb Wells [Hellions], Leah Williams [X-Factor/Trial of Magneto; X-Tremists], + to a lesser eXtent Jonathan Hickman [HoX/X-Men+] combined w/Tini Howard [X of Swords: Creation; + eXcalibur for Ric], AND Vita Ayala [Prisoner X; New Mutants]... I don't think I've ever been so pleased with how ALL my favorites together have been treated, at the same time.

I'm in the minority but I really liked vol 1 of Marauders. I even felt it was the flagship team till the X-Men debut; it's my hope that Iceman carrying over into Duggan's will only enhance/spotlight Iceman on a major team again. While I don't think Marauders cast was evenly showcased; I felt Duggan continued Sina Grace's solo run - growing his relationship Christian/friendship with Kate, Iceman is responsible for the new Reavers of the Krakoan era (a badass Wolverine move from the Claremont era), not to mention terraforming Sol/Mars. In terms of character beats it seems to me Duggan used him decently, but it would have been nice to have seen few fleshed out scenes.

Speaking of... who are your favorite Iceman writers?

Only a few come to mind...

Scott Lobdell
Fabian Nicieza
Marjorie Liu
Sina Grace

And Duggan would probably be the 5th.

Claremont, Morrison, and Hickman didn't really use him.

Yeah, of the 6, original Dawn of X offerings, I also found Marauders to be the most consistently engaging & entertaining of the bunch. Even though I had my issues with it, it seemed like it knew the most, of what it wanted to be. And with #8, I really sat up & took notice. I personally also liked a lot of the later teen numbered issues, when they were mostly in Madripoor, I think. That's when the new Reavers came back to haunt him [and later Lorna, in Dugg's X-Men #5 ], and he not only started feelin' himself more, but also began to question how he could be more responsible in the use of his vast powers. Like the big messes his ice constructs often leave behind, and of course, how the Reavers subplot came back to bite him in the ass. I've said it before & I'll say it again, him & Polaris [others, too, but I see it as the most pronounced with them], have been on almost the EXACT same trajectory development wise, since the Krakoa era started. And that can't just be coincidence. I have thoughts on why that is, because of *who* they are & what they can do but... prefer to see if it continues to play out as I foresee. I think he, her, and others like AleX, Shiro, & Wanda, are in the best positions they've been in since... I can't remember when, honestly. I don't think I've been this excited about where I see him [them] headed, since all the way back to around Operation Zero Tolerance.

Which brings us to Lobdell, who yes, is probably at/near the top of my list too... when it comes to the best Bobby writers, that I remember fondly. Also agree that some strong contributions probably came from his co-conspirator Nicieza, and definitely Liu. Grace, as well, but I also have some grievances there. More pro than con, though, so I guess it balances into a net positive. Carey gets a shoutout for sure, and Anthony Oliveira a VERY SPECIAL mention for last year's meaningful & moving Pride short, as well as most honorable ones to both Lee & Thomas. Vecchio I have to reserve judgement on, for I'm not at liberty to justifiably say at this time, but will be making a concerted effort to do so ASAP.

[PolarIceFire]

I'd throw in Louise Simonson - I know original X-Factor was hit or miss for some, but I maintain it has some of Bobby's strongest and most consistent characterization throughout it.

DAMN, I knew I'd forget somebody! YES, we'd be remiss in not including her.

[PolarIceFire]

I will be reading Vecchio's Iceman Infinity mini throughout the week, as it progresses...
and posting my individual reactions to ea. issue RT, as I have been for recent releases.
It actually works out perfectly, coincidentally again, in preparation for neXt wk.'s XM13.

*So*... PREPARE yourselves, little SPIRITS,

and let the GAMES BEGIN!!