The Psylocke Poll - In which body do you want Psylocke in?

Okay! This past week was not so productive. No Psylocke news at all! So let's do a little poll. It's simple. In which body do you want Psylocke in? I ask it because I see a lot of fans complaing about the British body returning because Asian Psylocke is iconic and popular, and because of her they've became fans. Others complain about the Asian body because they feel this is simply not what Psylocke was supposed to be. It's a travesty! Before a Civil War breaks out in Psylocke fandom, let's all agree that Psylocke rocks in whichever body she's in! Poll is right here, on the right! Vote!

Remastered X-Men Poster by Jim Lee

Marvel.com: Marvel is proud to unveil a completely remastered "X-Men Forever" Door Poster by Jim Lee, celebrating the hotly anticipated release of X-Men Forever #1. This is your chance to own one of the most iconic images in X-Men history like you've never seen it before! On-Sale — 6/24/09. Pretty cool, huh?

Speaking of X-Men Forever, Claremont talks a little bit about Psylocke in the upcoming series in a interview with ComicMix:

Claremont: "Everything that relates to the X-Men specifically has not happened. The origins of characters that were established after I left are not necessarily the origins that we will encounter here. For example, the reality in this book is that Sabretooth and Wolverine are father and son. Betsy Braddock has not been transferred into a cloned dead Asian body."

In case you may not know, Claremont absolutey despises the Revanche retcon. He originally planned for Psylocke to be turned into an Asian woman through magic and plastic surgery.

Uncanny X-Men #510 Art

Uncanny X-Men #510 Spoilers

Spoilers: Pixie teleports X-23 and Armor out of the mansion when Chimera is about to attack them. Meanwhile, the Red Queen commands Spiral to bring in a new playmate to Wolverine: Psylocke, wearing her classic Outback armor, appears and attacks Logan. In the meantime, Emma overcomes Lady Mastermind's psychic restraints (with a little help from someone at the White Hot Room) and knocks her out. Afterwards, Emma helps Cyclops, Northstar and Dazzler, who were all also stuck in a illusion. Wolverine and Psylocke keep fighting brutally, and the Red Queen orders Deathstrike to attack him too. While he's busy, the Red Queen enters Logan's room and grabs a little box, that was over his dresser. Pixie looks for Elixir and the Cuckoos, who were away, and teleports them inside the mansion. Elixir heals the X-Men; the Cuckoos fight with Chimera; and Pixie uses her soul dagger on Empath, after she realizes he led the Sisterhood there. The main battle continues, and Logan says he won't hold back, because Betsy isn't quite herself. The Red Queen says she already has what they came for, therefore Spiral teleports all of the Sisterhood girls out. Logan is willing to kill Psylocke, but Spiral tells him that if he harms her, she will kill the kids. Cyclops reaches Wolverine and tells him to let Betsy go, thus she is teleported out of there too. Scott asks Logan what did they want in his room; and Wolverine says that they took something he had kept: a lock of Jean Grey's hair! To be continued...

Thoughts: I haven't read it yet, but from what I've been told here's what happens: Psylocke is still brainwashed and a Sisterhood member. She only uses her psi-knife, therefore I assume she's a telepath again! She gives Logan a hell of a fight, so again I assume she retains her ninja skills! And last but not least, she remains in her British body for the entire issue, even tough she's Asian on the cover. So let's not jump to conclusions because of future covers showing her as Asian. We still have one issue to go and anything can happen!

Psylocke by Jim Lee !

Here's a new sketch by Jim Lee! He still draws an amazing Psylocke after all these years! The background is awesome and her psychic knife looks deadly. Overall it's fantastic for just a sketch! Shame we'll never see him get to draw her again in an ongoing.

X-Solicits for August 2009

Uncanny X-Men #514

Written by: Matt Fraction
Pencils & Cover by: Terry Dodson
Variant Cover by: Simone Bianchi
70th Frame Variant by: TBA
UTOPIA: Chapter 4
UTOPIA rages on! Norman Osborn's victory in San Francisco is cemented when the Dark X-Men succeed where the X-Men can't. All the while the Dark Avengers are forced to watch from the sidelines. But how long will Bullseye and Ares sit idle?


Dark Avengers #8
Written by: Matt Fraction
Pencils by: Luke Ross
Cover by: Mike Deodato
Variant Cover by: Simone Bianchi
70th Frame Variant by: TBA
UTOPIA: Chapter 5
Norman's X-Men, as led by Emma and Namor, are the face of mutant law and order! The X-Men look played out of position as Osborn's dark reign falls over California-- but Scott Summers isn't done yet. The X-Men strike at Norman, at H.A.M.M.E.R., at his fraud X-Men and his sham Avengers all at once! This is the book where, at long last, the Marvel Universe starts to fight back-- and it sets the stage for next month's unbelievable conclusion in UNCANNY X-MEN/DARK AVENGERS - EXODUS!

X-Men: Legacy #227
Written by: Mike Carey
Penciled by: Dustin Weaver
Cover by: Terry Dodson
UTOPIA TIE-IN
While San Francisco is still reeling from the onslaught of the Dark Avengers, Rogue struggles to cope with the power and perspective of a God, the young X-student Trance undergoes a terrifying transformation, and X-Men Legacy takes a dramatic new direction.

Uncanny X-Men #514 Cover

Here it is! Although Marvel's August solicits won't come out until next week, CBR has an exclusive look at the "Uncanny X-Men #514" cover. The art by Terry Dodson features the Dark X-Men again, including Dagger, Cloak, Namor, Daken and Emma Frost. This should be Chapter #4 of the Uncanny X-Men/Dark Avengers crossover.

Among other things, writer Matt Fraction says we'll see throwdowns like Bullseye vs. Wolverine and X-kids and Colossus vs. Venom. Solicits texts will be up next Monday!

Marvel 70th Anniversary Frame by Jim Cheung

Marvel.com: 2009 marks Marvel's 70th Anniversary, and to celebrate this August, all ongoing Marvel Comics series will have a 70th Anniversary Variant. Featuring a frame by superstar artist Jim Cheung, these 70th Anniversary Frame Variants will also feature an iconic shot of a Marvel character from that title by another of Marvel's talented superstar artists.

Guess who's part of the anniversary frame by Jim Cheung? Psylocke! I think it's great that she was chosen to be on the frame along with Marvel's most popular and iconic characters. This frame will be featured in 38 variant covers this August.

Uncanny X-Men #510 Preview

Cover by: Greg Land

Writer: Matt Fraction
Pencils: Greg Land
Inks: Jay Leisten
Colored by: Justin Ponsor
Lettered by: VC - Joe Caramagna

The Story: SIEGE! The Sisterhood executes a massive raid on the Graymalkin Facility, taking their fight to the Uncanny X-Men, and you won't believe the ferocity. No one is safe! Everybody fights! But why? How? What do they want? And how long can violence at such an insane level last? Oh, about most of the issue.

In Stores: May 20, 2009

Claremont Talks "X-Men Forever"

Writer Chris Claremont is giving some hints concerning the future of the upcoming X-Men Forever over at ComiX-Fan. He pretty much confirms Psylocke's appearance in future issues. Take a look:

Chris Claremont: Well -- we're actually looking at the #11 - #15 arc as being single-issue stories, character focused, some relating to those in the mansion, others to those back home, such as Piotr Nicholievitch &/or Elizabeth Braddock. With a surprise of sorts set for 15 to start the new-year (since it's release date is 01/10. I also think there's supposed to be an Annual in here somewhere but MP & Co are too busy right now trying to get Ultimates up to speed for me to pester them for any kind of definitive answer).

Considering X-Men Forever is a bi-weekly series, issues #11-15 will be released sometime between November and January 2010.

Guess Who's Back!

This is the advertisement being published on the pages of several Marvel books these past few weeks in order to promote Psylocke's return to the pages of Uncanny X-Men. Although Betsy officialy returned in issue #508, Uncanny X-Men #510 has been long hyped for a while as the issue we'll finally see Psylocke in action. Just one more week, folks!

X-Position: Chris Claremont

Claremont talks about the upcoming "X-Men Forever" in his first X-Position. There's also some Psylocke info . It seems that in "Forever", Betsy leaves the X-Men and returns to England (To be a member of Excalibur, maybe?). There are some preview art in this article too. When I asked Claremont about Psylocke a while ago, he told me that:

"I assume Betsy's on her way back to Mainstream Marvel and a reunion with Brian and the rest of the X-Canon. My own vision of the character, I'll be carrying on in X-Men: Forever, which will debut in roughly a couple of months (mid-June, with an issue seeing print every fortnight.) I hope you enjoy it."

So if you miss CC's Psylocke, she will most likely guest-star in "Forever" at some point.

1) I'm a huge fan of your work and am very excited for “X-Men Forever” so we can see what you truly intended! What can we look forward to with Psylocke and Dazzler? There was no Revanche at this time, and Dazzler had not yet gone to Mojoworld with Longshot. Will we see some very divergent paths for these characters outside of what we got under other writers in the 90s, or are they not really on the radar?

Claremont: Thanks for your kind words, Ben. I very much look forward to hearing your response to the book itself when the run itself starts. As for these characters, Betsy is back in the UK with Brian. Dazzler, I suspect, is still on the “road” with Longshot. As for what the future has in store for them, you’ll simply have to wait and see.

2) I keep noticing that in preview art for “X-Men Forever” we see several X-Men except for Psylocke, Banshee, Forge, Colossus, Iceman and Archangel. Will we be seeing these characters in the series? And am I right to assume we will see Shadowcat and Nightcrawler in the book even though they were not members at the time?

Claremont: Simplest answers: yes, we’ll be touching base with all the X-canon characters over the course of time, though perhaps not necessarily in the way folks expect. As regards Kitty and Kurt, their presence will be defined in the first arc.

Silvestri's cover updated - Colored/Complete

Here's Silvestri's cover finalized and colored. Psylocke's hair is jet black not a hint or hue of purple so I'm guessing she really is back to Asian. Now since we have that confirmed, let's hope she's at least a telepath by then!

Psylocke by Adam Hughes

I stumbled upon this sketch by accident earlier tonight. This was done by the amazingly talented Adam Hughes for a fan at a convention it was recently uploaded as of March of this year. I think it's gorgeous and shows a beautiful British Psylocke!

On a side note, do you guys like when sketches are posted? I try to only post ones that are recent and by artists that are well liked or talented. Or would you guys like for us to focus more on just news? Feedback would be appreciated! :)

Uncanny X-Men/Dark Avengers #1 Variant

Here's the unfinished Marc Silvestri variant cover to the upcoming Uncanny X-Men/Dark Avengers one-shot that kicks off the summer crossover event. As you can tell from the cover Psylocke will indeed be returning to her Asian body and in her old Jim Lee costume. I have to say I'm very disappointed in this decision to make her Asian again. Oh well at least she's back in the main titles again and looks like she's going to be more than just wallpaper.