Monday, March 18, 2024

X--Men Unlimited Infinity Comic #131 Art

X--Men Unlimited Infinity Comic #131 Spoilers

Spoilers: At the External Stronghold in Nova Roma, Cerebra, Tulkas, and Somnus are imprisoned, tasked with caring for mutant children. Suddenly, zombie Orchis troops throw a Jamie Madrox dupe into their cell. In a flashback, Dani discusses the plan with Jamie Madrox, with the latter emphasizing the need for more intel to stop Selene's ritual. Jamie Prime prepares his dupe for a mission by injecting him with a needle and syringe, requesting Betsy to induce psychic sleeping time before the injection. Additionally, Betsy installs subliminal pain nullifiers to alleviate any discomfort. Layla suggests using technology against the Externals' psychic defenses. With Wiz-Kid and Trinary's help, they implant a camera in the dupe's eyes to gather intel. Multiplying the dupes, they hope one will be captured by Selene's Orchis forces. The plan succeeds as two zombies seize a dupe.

Returning to the present, Jamie's dupe instructs Somnus and Cerebra to smile for the camera, knowing they're being watched by the X-Corps team. Thunderbird expresses relief at seeing the Camp Gozhoo children alive and praises their resilience, eager to rescue them and confront the Externals. Somnus and Cerebra inform X-Corps of the Externals' plan to gather mutants for Selene's ritual, revealing the existence of multiple cells like theirs. Determined to disrupt Selene's plans, Jamie's dupe volunteers to be chosen as the next sacrifice, successfully drawing the attention of Orchis goons. As he is carried away, he braces himself for what lies ahead, motivated by his commitment to Layla and Davey.

In Selene's chamber, surrounded by a gruesome scene of death and blood, the zombie Orchis goons present Madrox to her. Delighted by his presence, Selene prepares to feed on him. However, the attention shifts to a figure tied to the ceiling above Selene, revealed to be Tempo. Betsy realizes that Selene needs to manipulate time, using Tempo to achieve her ascension. Despite their revelation, the X-Corps team faces a new challenge as the camera feed is corrupted, prompting Trinary's alarm. Suddenly, Gideon appears on the monitor, taunting them with the Externals' ability to breach their systems, reminding them of the game they're playing.

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Dead X-Men #3 Spoilers

Spoilers: Rachel sends the X-Men to Moira's ninth life, directly into Apocalypse-9's throne room. En Sabah Nur-9 recognizes them as visitors from another reality and dispatches a host of Archangel drones to attack. The X-Men signal Rachel to get them out. Back in the White Hot Room, the X-Men explain that they accidentally gave Cyborg Moira the ability to jump to Moira-Prime's past lives. Now that Cyborg Moira is altering events, they need to track her down before she ruins Xavier's mission. After much discussion about the mission's viability, Rachel decides to fling them back and forth until they hit the correct timeline where Cyborg Moira is. The X-Men deduce that the Cyborg's goal is to reach Moira-Prime's first life. Mother Righteous tries to tempt Rachel by offering help, but Rachel rejects her. Rachel then sends the X-Men to a past life of Moira-Prime.

Meanwhile, Cyborg Moira travels to Moira-Prime's tenth, third, second, fourth, and sixth lives, interfering and altering events.

Moira's Fifth Life: In this life, Charles and Moira established Faraway, a secluded mutant nation and technological utopia. It became a target for Sentinels, and Moira-5 fell into a coma due to an injury. While Beast-5 and Dr. Cecilia Reyes-5 examine comatose Moira-5, Faraway's systems detect the arriving X-Men. They are approached by the X-Men-5 from the fifth life: Psylocke-5, the leader, her husband Cyclops-5, Wolfsbane-5, Banshee-5, and Sway-5. Since the Sentinel attack occurred only a week ago, Psylocke-5 orders an attack on the strangers. Dazzler subdues Banshee-5, Cyclops-5 overcomes Jubilee, and Cannonball incapacitates Wolfsbane-5 but is quickly defeated by Sway-5. Frenzy tries to reason with Psylocke-5, who prefers not to take risks and to attack first. Frenzy asks Braddock-5 to read her mind when Cyborg Moira arrives in the fifth life, using her M Weapon to unleash a powerful blast against both groups of X-Men.

Dead X-Men #3 Teaser


Meet tomorrow the X-Men from Moira's Fifth Life:
Psylocke, her husband Cyclops, Banshee, Wolfsbane, and Sway.

Monday, March 11, 2024

X-Men Monday #242 – Steve Foxe, Steve Orlando, and Phillip Sevy Talk ‘X-Men Unlimited’

AiPT!: From Sunfire and Firestar to Thunderbird and Captain Britain, everybody’s getting time to shine in a scrolling format. So, it was only fair that X-Fans got to check in with Steve Orlando and Steve Foxe — along with Phillip Sevy, the artist on several of X-Men Unlimited‘s chapters — and ask about Rictor, Shatterstar, and other fan-favorites.

AIPT: Betsy Braddock came out swinging in X-Men Unlimited with a voice that’s more certain and powerful than we’ve seen recently. Would you say all the events happening in the U.K. and the world have brought out the “gives no *****” Betts? And how much fun is writing her this way?

Orlando: I definitely think the events in the U.K. and the world, in general, have put Betsy in an imperative position. But it’s been a blast to watch her flex her power and agency. And as a special note, it’s been an asset having some fellow X-Writers on speed dial to ensure Betsy’s British lingo is as on-point as possible.

Foxe: I think our Betsy follows pretty closely on the heels of the transformative work Tini Howard did on the character across Excalibur, Knights of X, and Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain. Betsy, in whatever form, has been a nuanced and quite spicy character for decades, and Tini helped establish Betsy as a leading lady for a new era. Fall of X pushed a lot of characters to their limits, and Betsy – who not only has responsibilities toward mutantkind, but to the United Kingdom as a symbolic crusader – really got a raw deal trying to tolerate the antics of Orchis and the British government. She’s been enormous fun to write and a huge asset to the cast dynamic.

AIPT: Phil, I’ve loved your rendition of Betsy Braddock. Not only has that helmet never looked cooler, but I feel like every time we see her, she’s accompanied by crackling psychic energy (whether around her head, fist, or sword.) What do you love about illustrating Betsy?

Sevy: I’ve tried to use the helmet in a way that illustrates her power. When her helmet is off, she’s Betsy and she’s a bit more vulnerable. She’s showing you her face and what she looks like. I draw her a bit more feminine in those scenes. When her helmet is on, it’s go time. I use that as a reason to draw her more aggressive and masculine. She’s in battle and at war.

As a character, I very much connect with how Betsy’s identity is internal, and her external representation isn’t always reflective of who she is — so trying to show different sides of her (feminine, masculine, soft, aggressive, etc.) in how I depict her is the fun challenge. And also, I came into X-Men with the Jim Lee Psylocke design — so it was psychic knives and all that. So when I got a chance to draw her impaling Absalom’s head with her dagger, I was like “9-year-old me is SO happy right now.”

AIPT: Phil, you’re drawing so many different characters throughout this X-Men Unlimited arc. As an artist, is that an exciting challenge? An intimidating one?

Sevy: With this book, since there are so many characters that come at you so fast, I haven’t had as much time — but there are basic shortcuts that you can use to capture a character. Thunderbird — big guy, cocky, aggressive. Shatterstar — lithe, flirty, agile. Betsy — powerful, annoyed, a presence. Etc. Keeping costume details correct when you’re drawing a gaggle of characters can be really hard. Thankfully I have a giant reference folder I have open constantly.

X--Men Unlimited Infinity Comic #130 Spoilers & Art

Spoilers: In the Sanctum of the Thieves Guild beneath New Orleans, Gambit is delivered to Candra by an assassin, who is revealed to be Feint in disguise. Candra acknowledges Feint's impressive metamorphosis but notes that an assassin would never come before her after a failed contract. Gambit and Candra engage in a fight, during which Gambit presses Candra for information about Selene's plans. Candra reveals that the Externals, excluding Apocalypse, seek to pay a price in blood to ascend as True High Lords, using the war between Orchis and Krakoa as distraction. Ascension means achieving not only immortality but also permanent invulnerability, free from the sensations of pain and suffering. Candra distrusts Selene, suspecting her of betrayal and a plan to destroy the world. Feint helps Gambit leave the Sanctum, and they relay the gathered information to Betsy telepathically. Feint expresses reluctance to venture into such dangerous territory again, while Gambit knew Candra would release them with minimal harm. As they depart, Candra hears Selene's warning in her mind about interference in the ascension process.

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Uncanny X-Men #700 Bids Farewell to the Krakoan Age

Marvel.com: This June, creators from the X-Men’s past, present, and future come together to bid a final farewell to the Krakoan Age in X-Men #35, the milestone 700th issue of Uncanny X-Men.
 

X-MEN #35 (LEGACY #700)
Written by GERRY DUGGAN, KIERON GILLEN, AL EWING, CHRIS CLAREMONT & GAIL SIMONE
Art by PHIL NOTO, JOSHUA CASSARA, LUCAS WERNECK, JEROME OPEÑA, STEFANO CASELLI, WALTER SIMONSON, LEINIL FRANCIS YU & MORE
Wraparound Cover by PEPE LARRAZ
On Sale 6/5

In July 2019, the world of the X-Men was shattered and reborn on Krakoa in visionary writer Jonathan Hickman’s HOUSE OF X. In the years since, fans have experienced a golden age of mutant storytelling, filled with bold ideas, astonishing character developments, and revolutionary new takes on the mutant metaphor.

Now, the next seminal shift in the history of the X-Men is on the horizon, but first, Marvel Comics proudly presents the final act of the Krakoan Age this June in X-MEN #35! X-MEN #35 will be the milestone 700th issue of UNCANNY X-MEN and will feature an epic-length story by acclaimed writers and artists who shaped the Krakoan Age, including Gerry Duggan, Kieron Gillen, Al Ewing, Lucas Werneck, Joshua Cassara, and more.

The giant-sized issue will also feature a story of family by X-Men master Chris Claremont and offer a glimpse of things to come in the new X-Men titles launching this summer. It’s a landmark issue for one of pop culture’s most beloved franchises that no comic book fan will want to miss!

All good things must come to an end, and as good of a thing as the Krakoan Era has been for mutantkind… its time has come at last. The tragedy and triumph of FALL OF THE HOUSE OF X, the madness and mystery of RISE OF THE POWERS OF X… they have all come to their end and led to this moment that will change the future of mutantkind for years to come.

On closing out this groundbreaking period of the mutant mythos, Senior Editor Jordan D. White shared, "Being a part of the Krakoan experiment has been a true thrill. Honestly—in many ways—it echoed the experience of mutantkind itself in the era. We worked differently, we tried new things, we survived incredible new experiences. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have worked with such fantastically talented creators throughout the era, and working on the glorious ending is truly bittersweet. I will miss it with my whole heart, but I do know… Krakoa will live on within us forever."