X-Men's Beast aka Hank McCoy Should Join the Marvel Cinematic Universe as an Avenger

Out of all of the X-Men, Beast Hank McCoy is the best mutant to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe because of a rich history w/ the Avengers

#Beast Hank McCoy Should Join Marvel's MCU

A Review of Storm #1 by creators Greg Pak, Victor Ibañez and RuthRedmond

Storm #1 by the creative team of Greg Pak, Victor Ibañez and Ruth Redmond marks the first time the X-Woman leads her own solo series.

What's Fun About This Book

I enjoyed reading Storm #1 for many reasons.  This book marks what hopes to be a long run led by writer Greg Pak.  Storm is such a great character on which to take a risk because she has broad appeal and an even broader audience through the X-Men movie franchise; she's recognized now in pop culture; she's led the X-Men through various incarnations of the team; and she's a strong, African-American (Kenyan) female super-hero who deserves to lead her own series.  Moreover, Storm #1 really attempts to restore the X-Men meta-narrative of social justice without glossing over real-world issues at home and abroad.

"So thank you"

Storm was one of the first black female super-heroes in mainstream comics.  She was introduced by Len Wein and Dave Cockrum in Giant-Size X-Men #1 in the 1970's.  In a way, that issue of the X-Men set the standard for all things, All-New in Marvel Comics publishing.  The readers hadn't seen a new issue of X-Men in years since the Roy Thomas run.  All there was were the reprints of issues from the 1960's run by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.  Heck, they weren't even "Uncanny" until the Chris Claremont run that came after Giant-Size X-Men #1.  Not only was Storm a mutant; she was black.  She was also from Kenya (a backstory actually established later by Claremont), which added a twist.  Yes exotic perhaps, but all of the new characters were from different countries:  Nightcrawler (Germany), Colossus (Russia), Banshee (Ireland), Sunfire (Japan), Thunderbird (Native American) and of course Wolverine (Australia...er...I mean...Canada).  Darn it Hugh Jackman!

Of the X-Men who appeared in Giant-Size X-Men #1, four currently lead their own solo series: Wolverine (of course), Cyclops (finally), Nightcrawler (wow) and of course Storm.  Storm joins Captain Marvel, Elektra, Black Widow and She-Hulk in female-led, on-going series in the All-New Marvel Now.  The girl is in good company.  So her comic book history is one rich with narrative and appeal.  This shows up in the pages of her first issue.

I really like the way Victor Ibañez drew her costume.  It pays homage to the original one she wore in Giant-Size X-Men #1 and throughout her early days.  He also tones down the sexual overtones without totally making her ridiculous.  He simply dresses her in tight-pants.  The waist-cape Storm wears also pays homage to the original, which is cool.  She certainly demonstrates why she's the Windrider.  Overall, the artwork was great.  Ruth Redmond's colors were also fantastic.  She did a good job of depicting different shades of darker skinned people.

The story in this first issue was also good.  Ororo Munroe glides between escape and the tensions of home, which drive home issues of community and interaction in it.  Does she go it alone, or does she find solace in the skies? Can she call any place "home" where she is not welcomed?  Much of this is expressed in a short, but very poignant exchange between her and a student at the school nicknamed "Creep."  Storm is called on by Beast to address some acting out behavior by the student.  At first she reflectively listens to the student rant, attempting to enter the problem-solving process with her.  However, Creep insults Storm's dignity.  Instead of staying in control, she loses it and goes off and away.  She knew better as the adult, but she let Creep push her button.  Boy have I been there.  Creep represents a type of student whom I'm familiar with at the therapeutic day school where I work.  I really identified with this because I too am an educator who works with at-risk youth.  The demands of reaching young people, to supply them with the tools to succeed when it seems like the world is against you, are a real-world challege I and many other teachers face every day.  Oftentimes it only takes one mistake to momentarily lose a kid.  But these young people are resilient.  Often they are ready to forgive when we as educators level with them, own our own stuff, challenege them to do the same, do good repair, love them and still manage to challenge their thinking.  They are looking for their place in the world, who they are and how to navigate it.  Greg Pak hit the nail on the head with this issue, and I hope he continues to explore it.

What's Not So Fun

Kill that mutie!

The fact of the matter is, when one is dealing with serious issues and thought-provoking narratives, there is not a lot of room for levity.  I think an attempt at this was tried in the dialogue between Beast and Storm.  However, causing an international incident somewhat trumps the fun-factor when the issues hit close to home.  As noble as the task was of protecting the people of Santo Marco from its own government, did Storm have jurisdiction?  Rhetorical question.  She justifiably threw jurisdiction to the wind, but what will be the ramifications of this action?  Injecting humor into a book that may see few moments of it will need to be purposeful.  Humor will need to be narrative-driven and character-focused if Team Pak is to write Storm in character.

The Punch-Line

Don't mess with Storm.  Nuff' said.  I guess the joke was on the military of Santo Marco.  Don't think that justice will take a back seat to bigotry with Storm involved.  And a touching end to her first issue: she and Creep worked it out.  Great job Team Pak!

Comics Oughta Be Fun Episode 2

In this week's episode of Comics Oughta Be Fun we jump 32 years into the past to a time when two powerhouse publishing companies thought it would be cool to have their properties momentarily share the same universe.  Those companies would be Marvel and DC, and their collaboration would be "Marvel and DC Present #1: The Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans."  Creators galore, recognized by now as pillars in comic-dom, would grace this unlikely pairing of superhero team books: Chris Claremont, Walt Simonson, Terry Austin, Louise Jones, Jim Shooter, Len Wein, Glynis Wein and letterer Tom Orzechowski.

What's Fun About This Book

What's fun about this book is the very unlikelihood of the X-Men and the Teen Titans meeting in a shared universe.  "Nuff' said," the old generalisimo might say.  The fact that Wolverine would some day go toe-to-toe with Deathstroke the Terminator was yesterday's foregone conclusion wasn't it?  Wasn't this encounter always inevitable?  Not so today in my opinion.

It's not likely that comic book lovers will have a team-up quite the same way this one was touted to be.  With movie deals and license agreements, legal battles over pay-for-hire and rights to characters, the likelihood of this ever happening again in the near future seems slim.  Today, there are more independent and mainstream publishing houses in addition to self-published and digital works than ever before, which is good for everyone.  But once upon a time when their was simply the Big Two. Their monopoly on comics at the time made books like this one possible as the flux capacitor did for time-travel.  That's what's also fun about this book: it's uniqueness.  It's one-of-a-kind.

The Dark Duo of Darkseid and Dark Phoenix

Yeah.  That's right.  I wrote it.  Darkseid and Dark Phoenix.  The New God seeks to fulfill a dream, which includes conquering the universe (which of course all power hungry, malevolent beings seek to do, but I digress).  To do so he makes a pact with the Mobius Chair-bound, time-jumping Metron (i.e. Professor X in cosplay — just kidding).  He wishes to breach the Wall, a barrier to the Source that even the Promethean Giants were unable to breach.  In exchange Metron gives Darkseid a device that he in turn will use to tap into the minds of the X-Men; his soul purpose: to ferret out any and all memories of the Dark Phoenix of whom he believes holds to key to his quest for dominion.  In essence, Darkseid seeks to lure the X-Men into a trap with the goal of siphoning off any residual, psychic energy that might help him summon the Dark Phoenix to his employ.  He hires Deathstroke the Terminator to assist him in tracking them down.

Meanwhile, Raven of the Teen Titans becomes aware of the nightmarish threat of its eminent return. Her premonition resounds to startling terror, awakening Starfire to come to her aid.  In so doing, the Tamaran princess realizes who the source of the omen is and warns the team of the "end of all things."  This juncture is what also makes this book a fun book.  

Claremont and crew portrayed the cosmic threat of the Dark Phoenix as one that threatened a shared universe.  For example, Starfire shares with a gathered team how it was Lilandra of the Shi'ar Empire who contacted all of the "star-faring races," warning them of the destructive power of the "chaos-bringer."  This was done without a lot of explanation or dimensional rifts or other gimmicks.  This was accomplished before "Crisis on Infinite Earths."  The creative team was given permission to take a risk and simply imagine,"What if these characters existed in the same world?"

What's Not So Fun

What's not to love about a book that features properties from competing companies.  It's like Coke and Pepsi in a duet of effervescent flavor. Though not a quick read, was worth it's weight of $2.00 in 1982.  However, the un-fun thing about a book like this is as I said, "It may never happen again."  This book may be the end-of-the-line for one-shot collaborations between the Big Two in our day and age.  There won't be an animated version of this book.  I would personally love for there to be one.  Warner Bros. Entertainment and Marvel Studios (Disney) would have to come to a monumental agreement to make that happen.  I imagine video game licensing of the likes of "Lego: Marvel and DC Presents."  I can dream can't I?  This is no foregone conclusion.

The Punch-Line

"Marvel and DC Presents: The Uncanny X-Men and the New Teen Titans" is a special book that holds a special place in my heart.  I was a book I'd always wanted to get, but could never find or afford at collector's prices 25 years ago.  I remember finding it a few years later for like $10 or $15 dollars some where, and I declared, "Score!"  The wrap-around cover art of Walt Simonson and Terry Austin is beautiful (Dark Phoenix seems to be throwing up gang signs — LOL).  Both Metron and Prof. X could take turns sitting in the Mobius Chair.  Starfire doesn't get enough of kissing Colossus to Kitty Pryde's dismay.  And was that a pre-Crisis, Avengers vs. X-Men Easter egg in the form of a Phoenix-force wielding Cyclops?

FIN