Monday, July 22, 2024

X-Men Monday #260 – Geoffrey Thorne Talks ‘X-Force’ (Plus: X-Force #4 Solicitation and Covers)

AIPT!: What can we expect from this new “From the Ashes” X-Force team, including their interpersonal relationships and future adventures? Let’s find out, straight from Geoffrey Thorne.

AIPT: Those mutants will hook you! OK, X-Force. What would you say your “From the Ashes” run has in common with past X-Force series and what makes it stand on its own?

Geoffrey: It has zero in common with past iterations of X-Force except that a couple of its members have been on prior X-Force teams. This isn’t a continuation of any of those. Not picking up any prior threads or closing off any supposed errors. Nor is it a commentary on or rejection of any of those, good or bad. 100% new. Jump in without any prior knowledge, folks.

It stands on its own because of everything I just said. New team, new mission, new dynamics. That said, Krakoa is over but it left a scar on a lot of folks, which is causing minor-to-major bends in their behavior and worldviews going forward.

AIPT: In an interview with ComicBook.com, you mentioned Betsy Braddock isn’t thrilled to join the team, but does so due to her girlfriend Rachel Summers’ interest. Where is Betsy’s head at going into this series, post-Krakoa?

Geoffrey: Lady Elizabeth Braddock has a great number of things to juggle. The aftermath of Krakoa’s fall, obviously. Her forced split focus between her life in 616 and her duties as Captain Britain and Otherworld. Also, she’s got this new relationship with this insanely powerful and fairly volatile and mercurial girlfriend who’s brought her own baggage on this journey (which is CONSIDERABLE).

X-Force #4
Geoffrey Thorne (W) • Marcus To (A)
Cover by: Stephen Segovia
Tank Variant Cover by: Clayton Crain
Tank Virgin Variant Cover by: Clayton Crain
Variant Cover by: Juan Ferreyra

Man-Thing Strikes as the Nexus of All Realities is at Stake!
The Nexus of All Realities is in danger – meaning if X-Force can’t seal this Fracture Node, they’ve got more to worry about than just one ol’ Earth! What extradimensional forces stand ready to take down Forge’s team? And the Nexus’ guardian, the Man-Thing – is he friend or foe? The all-new X-Force series continues to turn up the heat…and wait’ll you see what we’re cooking!

On Sale: 10/9

18 comments:

randybear said...

Dang was hoping for more preview art

X-Man said...

Me too @Randybear but I like the 2nd cover with Betsy.

Just that look alone conveys the edge/bada$$ery that was missing from her for awhile.

She looks the most ready to do battle of them all lol.

lucasg_i said...

With their mission seeming to be related to stabilizing reality... Wonder if Wanda will pop up at some point. My two favorites on the same page, again, but written for more than one panel by someone more competent than the previous writer, would be a dream

Daud Rotama said...

Hi all. I've been away from this blog for awhile. Been catching up to new updates on Ms. Britain (that's what I'm gonna call her now, pls don't argue). All I can say is/are...

Can artists start coloring her hair purple? She keeps getting fuchsia it frustrates me. One of these days people won't know who's Blink and who's Betsy. Lord up above.

Daud Rotama said...

That would be interesting. Honestly, in an ideal situation, Betsy being a character beyond the X-Men book(s) should make her much more available for crossover to other Marvel books with other characters doing similarly. Let's hope that she's getting another gig other than X-Force.

X-Man said...

For the time being I rather she just be in the X-Universe.

She was so isolated from the rest of the X-Men during Krakoa, that I would like to make her interact more with them right now.

X-Man said...

@Daud trust me its been noticed numerous times lol.

Daud Rotama said...

I would absolutely love her to actually address it on panel why did she leave the Psylocke codename for Kannon. Idk, it just felt strange that the only "explanation" implied was that she felt guilty about using Kannon's body the whole time. Like, I get it, but at the same time I thought she was being kind of neglectful of her abilities and duties as an X-Man because, maybe, to her being Captain Britain would be better? There's also the out of world way to look at it, which was well the white woman was trying her best to be a savior towards the poor Asian woman. It's just very unfortunate.

Daud Rotama said...

And yet only few colorists do their coloring correctly! I mean, sure, fuchsia is categorically within the purple range of color but at the same time it's also not? I hope lavender really makes its way back and never leaves Betsy again. Or, better yet, turn her blonde again darn it! Let Emma chew on some glass or whatever, the real somewhat bitchy psychic X-Man should come back home!

X-Man said...

No please lol.

I don't want her blond lol, purple hair (as it least it still colored inside books that way lol) is still one of the things that makes Betsy stand out and unique lol.

Not to mention she restructured her hair and eyes to be naturally purple at this point and they already forgot enough history at this point lol.

HOXOR said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
HOXOR said...

@Daut Rotama In Madripoor she talks to Jubilee about her mind and body having always been manipulated by others, citing Mojo as an example. While on Krakoa she is constantly dodging Kwannon and thinking about everything she did with that body.

She was Psylocke in her own body for 4 years, while in Kwannon's body she was Psylocke for 30 years. It makes sense for her to leave this name to Kwannon since most of the time it was used in that body.

She keeps the name on the body most associated with him and ends up rejecting Mojo's "gift" (the name Psylocke).

For marketing reasons and Tom Breevort saying he doesn't like characters sharing names, I don't think she will use the name Psylocke again.

Her as just Betsy reminds me of her introduction in the comics, where she was just known as Betsy. Personally, I like her as Captain Britain, as she adds a lot to this mantle while maintaining the connection with the X-Men.

I just wish she was pushed more, in the same way Marvel does with Captain Marvel and Jane Foster as Thor/Valkyrie for example.

If she ever changes her name, I would like Brian to go back to being Captain Britain while Betsy adopts the name Psyche.

I think this name suits her a lot. The powers, the fact that she can be a living soul without a body (the Goddess Psyche herself is known for being the Goddess of the Soul), the fact that she dated the Angel (reminding me of Cupid/Eros), Sapphire Styx (The River Styx trial), Betsy's Psychic Butterfly (the symbol of the Goddess Psyche is butterfly wings), etc.

Too much stuff related!

The name Psylocke itself "was based" (I believe) on the Goddess Psyche, she would just be adopting the original name rather than the variation.

Kwannon would be the "Psy-Lock" and Betsy would be the "Psy-Key".

randybear said...

I don't understand why Betsy had to be cornered into being a generic knight due to there being a billion telepaths on the XMen that and her TP has been severely undermined since Krakoa and most readers haven't realized this.

They're making her more like one of those mutants that you forget they're also a TP similar to Cable or Monet.

Jaime Braz said...

Have been away for quite some time yet some things remain unchanged.

Betsy given not the purple hair in covers, keep losing her butterfly signature and being limited to the stereotypical knight role due to her European descent. The company evidently loves to torture Betsy's fans and does so in the most cruel manner.

With the introductions made, I recently looked into the upcoming waves of solicitions for the X-Men line reboot and confirmed many editors and Marvel writers take inspiration from this Psylocke blog.

Namely, years prior I had the idea of giving Kwannon distinct powers based on her empathic mutation and expand them into a mood stone/ring. Apparently that idea was used by Eve Ewing for her new character Axo who manipulates emotions by changing color. However my idea was for Kwannon to manipulate emotions by having her eyes glow the corresponding color for said emotion and with a matching aura of cherry blossoms around her face.

X-Man said...

@Hoxor I like that name a lot, but I can't agree on the body thing.

Betsy & Kwannon are still individuals with their own likes/dislikes.

They are their own people.

They are more than just bodies. That imo has been the problem with this story in the comics.

Its not the body that had the desire to use the name Psylocke, it was Betsy.

That why I would assume she still used the name in Dissasembled.

It doesn't (imho) make any sense she would just give the name because of the body she had at the time.

although if that's the case then Betsy should go by the name Revanche since Kwannon had that name in Betsy's body lol.

But jokes aside, the story should have always been "its what is on the inside that counts" and the writers failed miserable at conveying that to me.

I also don't think in comic book time it's been 30 years for Betsy either.

So I think we'd have probably been okay lol.

But even if I went with the Betsy thing, what reason would Kwannon (who was also struggling to get her identity back and not be "nothing") want to hold on to all these things that would be associated with Betsy?

Betsy's codename (and in the past claiming that she actually was Betsy), Betsy's color preference, Betsy's powers (and her power signature/structures).

She's not getting her own identity at all.

The only thing she did was have black hair, a child & I'm assuming no British accent lol.

Then there's Betsy getting an identity that has been associated with Brian instead of them at least giving her an original identity (like it'd at least have made more sense for Betsy to have gotten the sword and become Captain Avalon imo).

It kinda has become a mess, I hope X-Force does Betsy justice and gets her very far away from the CB identity and all the harm it did her

Cause I think most of us agree that Betsy was pretty bada$$ in Dissasembled lol, which shows its always been her and her warrior spirit...it was never about the body imho.

Especially even in "Hunt for Wolverine", her first thought was to kill Magneto lol.

That's the Betsy I know lol.

That's the story that should be told imo, that she's still the same person no matter what body she inhabits.

Jmho!

Daud Rotama said...

That idea of Kannon's own emphatic power signature of yours is so excellent, Jaime!

X-Man said...

I wanted that as well.

I wanted Betsy to be a telepathic/precog & Kwannon a Tk/Empath both with martial arts skills.

I played the newest "Life is Strange" on PS5 and it did a great storyline similar to these ideas with an empath.

I mentioned it before once or twice lol.

I would recommend if anyone has a Playstation 5 and looking for something new to play.

Jaime Braz said...

@Daud Rotama thank you very much! It wasn't an idea more of a realization after reading manga surrounding the emotional themes and powers. Empathic abilities often go unnoticed by fans but when done in unconventional ways they are an instant hit. I think Kwannon would benefit from enriching her empathic power in a visible and palpable manner that the emotional spectrum provides. Her dagger, eyes and sakura petals would change according to the emotion she manipulates in somebody. This power is crippling all beings with a brain, nervous system and feelings and does so while looking cool. This references mood rings and color traps that affect emotional stability and health.

Red represents rage
Orange OCDs and fear
Yellow joy and laughter
Green calmness and apathy
Blue sadness and breakdowns
Indigo confusion and disorientation
Violet love and attraction