X-men #4 Preview

[nx01a]

Was she repowered?

Not that I know of but I'm sure Stacy will turn back up eventually.

[Domino_Dare-Doll]

I guess it comes down to each reader. What you're describing is something I'd like to see too, but I've been happy with what I've seen so far personally. Hopefully some things will come about that you'll feel satiated with also.

I suppose I've just been spoiled with how it's been handled in the past; where we actually get to see and experience these emotions rather than just have the characters feel like mouth-pieces for plot.

[JB]

So they're not so much 'miracle drugs' as 'drugs that maybe work slightly better than what's on the market'?

There's nothing really out there to cure "diseases of the mind" (dementia, alzheimer's), or that extends life by 5 years. The mega-antibiotic may be more along the lines of what you're saying.

[Domino_Dare-Doll]

There's nothing really out there to cure "diseases of the mind" (dementia, alzheimer's), or that extends life by 5 years. The mega-antibiotic may be more along the lines of what you're saying.

That's a question; why do you need to constantly top up the pill that extends life by 5 years? Do you get an extra 5 years with each dose or is it like "Ok, you take 30 pills to get one extra year of life!" ?

[JB]

I suppose I've just been spoiled with how it's been handled in the past; where we actually get to see and experience these emotions rather than just have the characters feel like mouth-pieces for plot.

We do have the FF/X-Men mini coming soon so that will be interesting. I honestly thought part of the dinner conversation in the issue was cordial, especially when Erik was complimented on his Huxley quote. And Hodari admitting the following was nice to see:

"I think we shouldn't act surprised. A nation will act in its own best interest. This is neither new behavior nor unexpected. We have seen it all before. And it would be... dishonest to pretend that our countries don't do the same. We find ways around it. We always do. Call it common ground, if you will."

That, to me, was the greatest couple of panels from the human side. How it's being overlooked is beyond me.

[Domino_Dare-Doll]

We do have the FF/X-Men mini coming soon so that will be interesting. I honestly thought part of the dinner conversation in the issue was cordial, especially when Erik was complimented on his Huxley quote. And Hodari admitting the following was nice to see:

"I think we shouldn't act surprised. A nation will act in its own best interest. This is neither new behavior nor unexpected. We have seen it all before. And it would be... dishonest to pretend that our countries don't do the same. We find ways around it. We always do. Call it common ground, if you will."

That, to me, was the greatest couple of panels from the human side. How it's being overlooked is beyond me.

No, you're right, that was a good line but it is only political chatter. It's always harder to empathise with politicians than it is the average Joe down on the street. They're the one's actually living the reality, after all, and seeing right up close how these changes affect them. The political side is alright, in small doses...but I'm never gonna properly see a view of humanity or even mutant-kind through a small handful of leaders. A broader scope of exploration for these things wouldn't hurt, is what I'm saying.

[JB]

That's a question; why do you need to constantly top up the pill that extends life by 5 years? Do you get an extra 5 years with each dose or is it like "Ok, you take 30 pills to get one extra year of life!" ?

Mr. Magneto said, "There's a cascading effect over time, and the way we've structured it mitigates the negative effects".

[loke13]

Mr. Magneto said, "There's a cascading effect over time, and the way we've structured it mitigates the negative effects".

I can understand the paranoia in this aspect you've got these life altering drugs being administered to the populace from a source that these world governments don't trust all that much.

[Tycon]

No, he gives a vague outline of a plan. That's what he's aiming for; but then, again I ask, what does that mean long term? Like in the example you give: what do you actually do to combat that systematic racism once you've recognised it? How do you solve it rather than just be aware of it? How do you ensure that those attitudes are properly weeded out for the betterment of American society, as Magneto wants to do for Krakoan society?

It's a safe space, but it's also hiding. Mutants might be free to live on their nation, but they're still hiding there because they aren't free to venture outside of those borders yet without being attacked. Until the harmful attitudes that cause that are addressed, they're still hiding on an island.

He’s giving a plan. Whether or not he’s spilling the most intricate inner workings of everything lined out is something that you’re asking for but isn’t needed. Adding laws that offer protections for mutants is a start. Now if you start asking me to address these as “HB[INSERTNUMBERHERE]” then I’m letting you know now I’m not doing all that. But if you’re talking specifically about police reform, here is a pretty good list at what needs to be done:

https://socialistworker.org/2014/12/...eform-policing

Also, harmful attitudes from others don’t translate to you yourself, the oppressed, hiding. Do you actually consider things like HBCUs “hiding”?

[JB]

I can understand the paranoia in this aspect you've got these life altering drugs being administered to the populace from a source that these world governments don't trust all that much.

It seemed their questioning was more about them questioning the dose/pricing. Mingyu calls into question the need for some of the drugs to be taken weekly so that's what Erik responded with.

[pkingdom]

Mr. Magneto said, "There's a cascading effect over time, and the way we've structured it mitigates the negative effects".

And my response is immediately: wait, what negative effects?

If they just don't work on 1 in a million people, or cause cancer or something regular drugs do on rare occasions, fine. But if its like "you turn into a Krakoa tree person!" I think that deserves a big comment from Magneto.

[JB]

I just want to post these because to me, this was the best part of the conversation. Hodari displayed being the most reasonable human in the room. Meanwhile his American homeboy was fiddling with his ear waiting for his assassins to arrive.

Hodari does not seem alarmed with what the Krakoans are asking and aiming for. Why? Because in their own ways, every nation does the same.

[JB]

And my response is immediately: wait, what negative effects?

If they just don't work on 1 in a million people, or cause cancer or something regular drugs do on rare occasions, fine. But if its like "you turn into a Krakoa tree person!" I think that deserves a big comment from Magneto.

That's what I'm thinking, your typical side effects like other mainstream drugs.

Either that or you start growing Krakoan flowers outta your butt. *shrug*

[Kisinith]

No, he gives a vague outline of a plan. That's what he's aiming for; but then, again I ask, what does that mean long term? Like in the example you give: what do you actually do to combat that systematic racism once you've recognised it? How do you solve it rather than just be aware of it? How do you ensure that those attitudes are properly weeded out for the betterment of American society, as Magneto wants to do for Krakoan society?

It's a safe space, but it's also hiding. Mutants might be free to live on their nation, but they're still hiding there because they aren't free to venture outside of those borders yet without being attacked. Until the harmful attitudes that cause that are addressed, they're still hiding on an island.

And the first step towrds being able to do this is to blunt the hostility of nations and governments. This involves both the carrot and the stick. Xavier provides the carrot, Krakoan drugs, while Magneto and Apocalypse provide the stick, attack us and feel our wrath and lose out on the carrot. This puts the onus on the receiver they have to weigh the cost versus the potential gain. As soon as it becomes to costly to try and kill off the mutants governments will stop trying.

But it definitely needs expanding upon if the narrative is to be truly impactful. It can't just be hand-waved and alluded to; we need to experience that through these character's eyes. Otherwise what's the actual point?

Because what you are hearing about represents a fundamental change and those don't happen quickly. The problem with what you want is its jumping many chapters ahead. To quote from Apollo 13

"All right, there's a thousand things that have to happen in order. We are on number eight. You're talking about number six hundred and ninety-two."

The nation of Krakoa has been around for under 3 months now. Fundamental change does not happen that quickly, not in the real world and its so unrealistic as to be unbelievable even in comic books. What you are getting is a plan to address the issue and the first steps, along with some hints that it might work, and problems that might make it fail.

The X-Men have tried community engagement for decades and it hasn't worked and the situation has grown more dangerous. Right now the US government is involved in hostility towards Krakoa (at best) and outright belligerence at worst. The US rep in X-Men was involved in a planned assassination attempt, planned before the mutants even showed up and before he heard what Magneto was saying. Xavier was assassinated (he got better) only a month after Krakoa was established. This does not change quickly, but you are starting to see the seeds of it changing. The data page in Marauders isn't 'hand-waving the issue away' or 'telling not showing'. It's setting it up, an analyst who was hostile, and has no real power (he is one of the nameless faceless multitudes they need to convince thus its kind of fitting that he remains nameless and faceless) starting to think that there may be something to this.

No, you're right, that was a good line but it is only political chatter. It's always harder to empathise with politicians than it is the average Joe down on the street. They're the one's actually living the reality, after all, and seeing right up close how these changes affect them. The political side is alright, in small doses...but I'm never gonna properly see a view of humanity or even mutant-kind through a small handful of leaders. A broader scope of exploration for these things wouldn't hurt, is what I'm saying.

Yes, but until the governments are less hostile this can't happen it remains too unsafe. That's the entire approach of Krakoa, engage the nations first and work down because decades of working from the other direction achieved less than nothing.

[CoCoBandz]

This issue was orgasmic.