Blind Prophecy

Stopped by my friendly neighborhood comics shop yesterday and picked up the new issues of Astonishing X-Men and X-Men: Phoenix Endsong. Yay for the pretty! *drools on shirt*

So I thought AXM #9 wasn’t quite as good as previous issues. It felt like a filler/action issue that didn’t substantially move the plot forward until the last page. Not that the issue was bad or anything, just didn’t have much meat to it IMO. We did get lots of Kitty Pride, though, so that kind of makes up for it. Also, we get an explanation of how the big bad danger room came to be big and bad. Lots of referencing earlier parts of the run (“you were here when you said that” “the danger room has been skittish all term” etc.) as well. But the X-jet attacks was awesome.

I’m not loving the artwork quite as much this time. Seems like the characters are starting to look, well, ugly. There’s a particularly unflattering image of Emma Frost right at the beginning. And something seems really wrong with Peter’s toes in the panel where he jumps into the ceiling. Ah, but I’m nitpicking the artwork because I also read…

XM:PhE #4. Oooooohhhh. Shiny.

I have to read each issue of Phoenix Endsong twice. Once for the plot, once to just stare at the artwork. Now this issue moved the plot forward, even with lots of fighting/action stuff going on. Quentin Quire is looking rather studly in all his sick and morbid hormonal obsession. Not that I blame him, the Stepford Cuckoos are hot as hell in this series (even though we only see them for one panel this time). But the line about losing Sophie’s arm… I laughed out loud, then thought maybe I was sick and morbid, then laughed again. Then I made up a little song about necrophilia: the love that always dies.

Okay, squabble time. How in the hell was Emma Frost blocking the Phoenix’s telekinteic power to force Scott’s eyes open? And how did she “throw” Kitty off Scott? I thought she was a telepath, but not telekinetic. Did I miss something somewhere? I’m willing to believe that Emma can (at least for a short time) host the phoenix force, but where did the telekinetics come from? Anyone?

But the Kitty/Emma moment was, perhaps, my favorite part of the whole gorram issue. Kitty finally has her hands wrapped around Emma’s heart, with motive and opportunity to squeeze, and she doesn’t because “there are too many men on this team.” Loved! It!

Just as I loved the dynamic of the Scott/Emma/Phoenix egg and Angel’s “they’ve found their purpose” comments. All those whining fans insisting that Jean is Scott’s “one and only” need to really look at this issue and get the point. Jean moved on. Scott moved on. Even if Jean comes back, it’s time to let go.

Speaking of Jean coming back, I was so distracted by the Quentin, Shi’ar, Hank/Kitty/Angel, Storm/Nightcrawler and Emma/Scott action in the last few panels that I only noticed this on the second read-thru. The ice under Wolverine is cracking. The first time through, I thought this was because of Quentin’s rapid approach followed by Storm’s lightning. Then I remembered Jean Grey and THE ICE IS CRACKING!!!!

One issue left to go and I really have to wonder. Who is the rightful host for the Phoenix Force. Is it Jean, or can Emma take it on? And I really, really want Quentin to live. I know he’s all making it with a dead chick insane and stuff, but if Marvel wants my opinion (and I’m sure they do), he’s just such a cool character in this series that I want him to stick around for a while. Preferably as drawn by Land.

My favorite artistic moment, though, is the full page panel of Emma Frost possessed by the Phoenix Force. Loved! It!

And now we’re back to Stardust again. *reads furiously*

Filed under: livejournal by Jere Keys