Tuesday, June 30, 2009

X-Position: Matt Fraction + Psylocke's New Uniform!

Writer Matt Fraction joins CBR's X-Position today to answer questions about “Uncanny X-Men” and “Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Utopia.”

What was your thinking behind bringing back Psylocke's original body, only to fry it and put her back in her second one? Nothing against “Asian Psylocke,” I'm just curious…

To be brutally honest? I saw more value in bringing a character of color into the book than yet another white face. When I came in there were a whole lot of dudes and a whole lot of white folk around; I wanted very much to diversify the genders and the colors of the team somewhat without turning the thing into a Benetton ad or the cast of “Voyager” or whatever. I figured, since we were already asking people to buy a story in which a magic, bodiless psychic spirit performed a grand act of transdimensional psychic necromancy, that your suspension of disbelief had either long ago shattered or was impervious to anything I could throw at it...so why not? Besides, going forward with Psylocke, we'll see that while she might look the same on the outside, inside is a different matter...


"Uncanny X-Men" #514 pencils by Terry Dodson.
How do you guys like Psylocke's new uniform? She's the one on the right. :D

29 comments:

Mirage said...

Costume looks pretty good... not a huge fan of the cleavage (since artists like Dodson are going to have a field day with it), but glad to see the arms and asscheeks are covered! What kind of boots do you guys think she's got on? Same as before?

PS - I hope Fraction was talking about her telepathy being restored and not ANOTHER something taking over her mind...

Anonymous said...

lol at Fraction. I'm reserving judgement on the uniform until we see it properly.

Mr. Hellfire said...

Not to be a total dick, but it's exactly as plain as I thought Dodson would make it.

I'm not singling hers out either, Emma's looks equally unremarkable.

I just think a different artist would've done a lot better (meaning not Land, Dodson, or Bianchi)

Anonymous said...

Didn't Dodson say he didn't design it, though?

Unknown said...

I think it looks very promising! It's hard to see the exact design with the colorist marks in there, but I like the idea of short shorts over the usual bathing suit. She's looking good!

Anonymous said...

MUCH better than the Ninja diaper!!

PoP said...

love the new costume but hate her hair (too flat) and her face (too squished). she looks like pocahantas :). i wonder who's in the cowgirl outfit. fraction is still an idiot.

Mirage said...

Methinks Dani Moonstar is the cowgirl. Is that Emma next to Psylocke?

Chris said...

No. I think it's supposed to be Dazzler (also in a new uniform). Then there's Domino and random Cowgirl. Emma is with the Dark X-Men, so it can't be her.

Soultapestry said...

Definitely Dazzler, Domino, Psylocke and I think that's Outlaw. For those who are unfamiliar with her here's the wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outlaw_(comics)

Can't really tell much about the uniforms since they're not colored... we'll see... not bad though.

centurion said...

I'll reserve my final judgement for when it is colored. There are times in the past where X-Women have had "different" and "new" costumes for a period of time, then reverted to slight alterations of their most definitive uniforms because the new costumes didn't have a resounding impact on the characters. Sometimes, the clothes make the character. Dodson et.al may just be seeking a trial to see how people respond to Psylocke's change in appearance. I think that Psylocke does need a costume change, but her ninja costume from the 1990s was my favorite, and she may very well revert to that costume in the future...

Anonymous said...

Hmm... if that is Dazzler, her costume is the exact same as Emma's (minus the fur and cape).

Anonymous said...

I am sure this outfit will be fine for now, but I doubt that she will stay in it for long. It looks almost like someone was reading the boards and it is a direct response to the whole "butt floss" thing. Hence the almost same outfit except with sleeves and hotpants, and throw in a strappy leg thing so we know its her. At least they didnt go from but floss to granny panties.

To give the artist some credit, I bet they were under pressure to create something less butflossy, but not so different that readers would not recognize her. And in that case this could be a really good transition costume into something more daring.

I have seen some fan costumes that were much better, and one that was a cross between her British costume with asian ifluences that was kind of awesome, I hope they do something like that in the future.

Anonymous said...

it looks like she noticed cyclops checking her out. i hope she doesn't go for it, i want her with angel.

suit looks like it might be metallic. she looks way beautiful.

Anonymous said...

they wouldn't ever cross the british costume with the ninja one. they want everyone to forget the british version ever existed. that's probably why they'll destroy the body once and for all in the mini series. british betsy will never see the light of day and asian betsy is here to stay.

Anonymous said...

I kinda wish she had used the X-treme costume more. It had echoes of the Hand costume but it seemed slightly more classy.

FSaker said...

I like it! This new outfit looks very good black-and-white, so now I hope it looks even better after being colored!

His answer about Asian Betsy, though... I mean, he could justify the choice for the Asian body with a lot of things (more marketable, more established), but how does she add any "color diversity" to the team by being Asian, when the X-Men already have Karma, Armor and Surge in it??

But that's okay, at least she got a new outfit (and this time I hope she sticks with it, at least until the next time ALL the X-Men get new costumes), and I'm very curious to see what Fraction means by saying that "while she might look the same on the outside, inside is a different matter..."!

centurion said...

I have a feeling something romantic might develop between Cyclops and Betsy... I prefer Paquette's Betsy over Dodson, though.

FSaker said...

BTW, can we please count on you to post Betsy's "two background cameos without lines" in Uncanny X-Men #513 later today? Thanks!

Alan said...

I think my favorite outfit, besides the hand and X-treme outfits, is seeing the one on Wolverine and the X-men.

xD

I might just be th only one on that one.

Bianito said...

Awful. :S

Anonymous said...

Its pretty boring...

Anonymous said...

thats moonstar,domino,emma,and betsy

after Utopia Emma and Scott wuld still be together

Anonymous said...

That's not emma, she's with the dark x-men. Its probaly magma or another random blonde.

Anonymous said...

Nah its Dazzler

Anonymous said...

That is NOT Moonstar, that's Outlaw.

Anonymous said...

The idea of Moonstar wearing a cowboy hat is just plain wrong; it's like a redneck wearing a black panther t-shirt.

Anonymous said...

Going againest cultural stereotypes is good imo - I cringed when Betsy was shown in a dragon lady dress.

Anonymous said...

I miss her exiles costume...