r/xmen • u/VengefulKangaroo Shatterstar • Apr 10 '24

Weekly Discussion X-Men Comics New Releases for April 10, 2024

Ultimate X-Men #2

  • THE ULTIMATE X-MEN GO BACK TO SCHOOL! High school, that is! It's a new school year for Hisako as she tries to get a grasp on her new powers… Where she meets a cool, white-haired punk girl named Mei (A.K.A. Maystorm), who understands all too well the challenge Hisako faces. And they team up to embark on a creepy adventure to learn who is behind the creepy shadow that has been haunting — and taunting — them!

Ms. Marvel: Mutant Menace #2

  • THE (IN)FAMOUS X-MAN! Now that Kamala is very notably and very publicly an X-Man, she is attracting all sorts of attention…and you know who uses attention as currency? That's right — it's the return of the X-Men's old media mogul mastermind — MOJO!

Resurrection of Magneto #4

  • RETURN OF THE KING! The Master of Magnetism has returned to the world… but it is not the world he left. Nor is Magneto the same man who left it. Has death changed him for the better, or for the worse? And when he sees what ORCHIS has done to mutantkind… will it change him again?

Wolverine #47

  • SAVAGE ESCAPE! LAURA KINNEY must escape the clutches of the SAVAGE SABRETOOTH! Will VICTOR CREED'S WEAPON spell the end for LOGAN? LEGACY #389

The Invincible Iron Man #17

  • Iron Man is mutantkind's last hope! Tony Stark's greatest accomplishment may have just become the world's most advanced coffin. Trapped within a deactivated armor, Tony must face down his demons and his legacy. Can Iron Man escape, or will mutantkind's hopes die along with him? LEGACY #667

X-Men '97 #2

  • SABRETOOTH STRIKES! …and he's not the only threat the X-Men are facing! As Jean Grey and Cyclops prepare to embark on a bold new adventure, a sinister foe makes his move from the shadows, unleashing a torrent of new terror. Can an old friend turn the tide — or will it be too late to save Wolverine from being ripped to shreds?!

Weapon X-Men #2

  • ONE HAPPY WOLVERINE! Across almost every universe in existence, Wolverine is driven by pain, by the sins of his past and his future. But in one world — the very one that Onslaught has targeted next for annihilation — has a Wolverine unlike any other. A Wolverine… who got what he wanted. And for the Logan from Earth-X? That news just might be the claw in the coffin. The Phoenix's handpicked Band of Logans go to war!

Related & Unlimited Releases for 4/10

  • Discuss other Marvel comics impacting the X-Men releasing this week, including Unlimited exclusives.

Other

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28

u/VengefulKangaroo Shatterstar Apr 10 '24

Ultimate X-Men #2

25

u/BYINHTC Apr 10 '24

I don't know if that is a pretty huge high-schooler or is a fat teacher. Either way he feels...creepy. Gives some serial killer/don't come to school tomorrow vibes.

37

u/[deleted] Apr 10 '24

Kinda loving the pace of this series, it's slower, calmer, but still rolling along

37

u/Built4dominance Storm Apr 10 '24

Peach Momoko is giving me the mix of Junji Ito + mutants that I didn't know I needed.

4

u/klaxterran Nightcrawler Apr 11 '24

a creepy horror themed x-men book. HELL YA!!!

3

u/RodrigoZago Apr 11 '24

Funny "coincidence": Junji Ito is referenced on Weapon X #2 that was released this same week. Apparently on some alternative Earth Mariko and Logan's kids love it.

12

u/simonthedlgger Apr 10 '24

X Men will be a high school team filling the void Peter Parker left. Can't wait to meet Nico!

Momoko has such a unique blend of comedy and horror in her stories, big fan.

whoa I just realized...do you all think this will get a TREASURY EDITION??

11

u/Koolsman Apr 10 '24

Really liked this story so far as it has been a showing of decompression. No multiple storylines to keep up on, very focused storytelling on one (now two characters) slowly finding their way in the world with their powers. The imagery is fantastic with the eyeballs, the security being whatever the fuck he was and Maystorm actually being a huge chiller.

Not the most exciting but I do really like it.

-9

u/JackFisherBooks Phoenix Apr 10 '24

But this issue basically re-did the plot of the first issue...right down to the part where Hisako receives a hand-written note telling her to meet at some creepy, secluded location. That's not decompression. That's repetitive and predictable. Also known as just plain bad writing.

10

u/Koolsman Apr 10 '24

Except it didn't. It didn't do that. Just because one plot point is similar to another doesn't mean its the same plot. We see her getting eggs to her mom and considering going to where the note says to go. Last time she didn't and just went anyways. However, she meets Maystorm and realizes she has a gift as well and decides to look at this note for herself but this time with a friend.

We are given the knowledge that she didn't go into this one headfirst like she did last. She brought someone who also had a gift and might be able to help her. She might also feel responsible because the teacher that mentioned last issue is dead. She know it wasn't a suicide and now she knows that this guy is apart of it and wants to stop.

She goes in with her friend and we see the full extent of the guys powers that we weren't privy to beforehand. They barely escape and we are given the face of the shadow guy from beforehand who might be causing the suicides (or maybe now, we don't know yet).

Just from this issue alone we are:

  • Given the introduction of Maystorm

  • Shown a flash of her powers

  • See the face of possibly the main bad guy of this arc

  • Shown the mystery of this arc as well with people committing suicide and the shadow guy doing something with

  • Finally, shown just how deeply responsible Hisako feels for trying to figure this out (Almost like it has something to do with how she feels about her best friends death or whatever).

That's not just repeat information.

12

u/ravonna Jean Grey Apr 10 '24

I'm kinda disappointed? I know it's slowly setting up the scenario and showing us glimpses of Hisako's trauma/depression, but the pacing is so slow that it feels like nothing is happening. It feels like this is one of those stories where I should let the issues pile up to be bingeread later on.

Like, I'm more looking forward to Ultimate Spiderman and I don't even read Spiderman comics before this.

Or maybe because it's a bit more somber compared to how upbeat Spiderman is. But yeah, I'm not really looking forward to reading the next one.

Mei is totally adorbs tho. Love her spunk.

15

u/Thingymcjig Apr 10 '24

Nothing happened? I disagree, we meet the person who’s seemingly behind the deaths, Hisako’s starting to become more proactive into stopping the shadow monster, and meets a fellow mutant.

-13

u/JackFisherBooks Phoenix Apr 10 '24

It's still a beat-for-beat repeat of the first issue, complete with an ominous hand-written note and Hisako winning by her powers just randomly winning the fight for her without her having to do anything. It feels like Mel's presence didn't even matter here. It was bound to end the same exact way.

It's one thing to have a slower pace than the other Ultimate books. But the plot was exactly the same. This Shadowking wannabe did the exact same thing and got the same result. And Hisako, despite Mei's presence, basically made the exact same mistakes.

And again, the word mutant didn't even get said here. For all we know, Mei and Hisako are Harry Potter style wizards.

The only meaningful thing that happened in this comic was that Mei was introduced. Everything else was either a pointless repeat or bad writing tropes.

9

u/Koolsman Apr 10 '24

She didn't win though. She hasn't won anything. They escaped. The kids still died no matter what. Also, based off the fact that no one is saying mutant is probably the fact that mutants aren't as well known to the world around us. Also, its called X-Men. Momoko knows that readers knows what mutants are and she's not going full in-depth on what they are.

Also, what bad writing tropes. It's going for more of mystery flavor. Also, Shadowking wannabe? You mean the shadow king because that's what he is.

-12

u/JackFisherBooks Phoenix Apr 10 '24

Call it what you want. Survival/winning...it's the same thing. And it played out the same way. Hisako's powers just conveniently manifest exactly as she needs them to at just the right moment...no effort, no training, no willful agency of any kind. At least when Mei used her powers, she actually put in some effort, ineffective as it might have been.

My point is that what happened was every bit as contrived as the first issue. And this being the second issue, it really didn't add much beyond showing this version of Shadowking is incompetent and unimaginative for using the same tactic twice, and failing twice. Are we really supposed to take him seriously?

When a plot in the second issue of a series basically re-tells the same as the first with only a few minor additions that don't fundamentally change the outcome...what else would you call that other than bad writing?

11

u/Koolsman Apr 10 '24

Few minor additions? We've seen the main bad guy! We know what he looks like. We've met one of the other mutants and have seen their powers in action. We've seen how much damage the main bad guy is doing in her city. These aren't minor additions to the plot which I already stated elsewhere.

Also, the whole thing about her ability is that it works when she has her little doll out. It's almost like she still doesn't fully know how to use her powers but the little doll she has makes her feel safe. She probably thinks that pulling her little doll out is the way her powers but it obviously isn't. It almost like she fully doesn't understand her power yet or something.

3

u/[deleted] Apr 11 '24

[deleted]

5

u/Koolsman Apr 11 '24

I know. I’ve seen him around. He just struck me as a guy who was never going to like this work no matter what (he was posting about how it would ruin the ultimate when it was announced) and I hate bad faith critique.

I’m not bothering him again as it seems.

-9

u/JackFisherBooks Phoenix Apr 10 '24

Whatever.

I'm not going to bother arguing with you on this. You're clearly not going to be convinced of anything I say. If you're that determined to defend this book, then we're just wasting our time.

I didn't like it. I thought it sucked. But I did like Mei. She made this issue better than the first. But that's about it.

Let's just leave it at that.

3

u/[deleted] Apr 12 '24

I'll never understand these downvotes on this site like oh they don't see things like we do, let's trash their comment... at the same time, who even cares? People are weird.

1

u/droppinhamiltons Apr 12 '24

That’s funny, I find it to be kinda disjointed and jumps around quite a lot but that just might be the style. Last issue I said that I think this is a cool comic that’s simply not for me and this may have confirmed it. I think I’ll snag one more but this isn’t what I was hoping for with a new Ultimate X-men. That being said, really happy others are enjoying it.

12

u/wowlock_taylan Apr 10 '24

I just love the horror manga vibes of this. Without calling it X-men, you wouldn't know if it was a mutant book and that is fine. I like Hisako's more spiritual connection with her powers and this shadow guy's 'remote ploting literal maggots and shadows with a talisman bucket on his head. Now that is creative!

Maystorm makes her entrance. Wonder how she will seperate herself with her powers from Storm that is in Ultimate Black Panther. Obviously, Mei here is a kid and possibly a gyaru trope, which I love btw.

And the art is of course great.

3

u/droppinhamiltons Apr 12 '24

“Without calling it X-men, you wouldn't know if it was a mutant book and that is fine.“

Is that fine though? I love seeing new concepts and styles being used in western comics and I’m glad people like it but… I feel like this just isn’t an X-men book so the title is very odd to me. Peach said in an interview they’re very unfamiliar with the X-men which I think can certainly bring an interesting/new outsiders perspective but why make this an X-men book?

3

u/Asn_Browser Apr 13 '24

Agreed. This doesnt feel at all like an X-Men book and shouldn't be X-Men. Not the main X-Men comic in the ultimate universe at least. I do like it though.

1

u/wowlock_taylan Apr 13 '24

Because it is a different take that is free of the main universe constraints of keeping the mutants in the same box all the time. That they can never move past 'hated and feared'.

Now, we don't know how the mutants would be treated here yet but with Maker's changes and Magik being on the council that is ruling the world, well it is refreshing to see the potential of mutant stories that does not involve random citizen yelling 'mutie!' and spit as they pass by. That mutants living like everyone else.

Besides, we are still at the start. I mean Hisako just finding out about his armor/spirit power. And Maystorm seem to be surprised someone else has powers like her too. So we may be seeing the start of something and how the public would react to that.

2

u/lepton_neutrino Apr 13 '24

That's assuming Magik is a mutant in the Ultimate Universe.

2

u/ProtoReddit Krakoa Apr 11 '24

Well, if it wasn't clear enough already by previous appearances and Peach's New Mutants approach to this book in general, if you ask me, this page absolutely confirms the current antagonist to be this new Ultimate universe's version of Amahl Farouk / the Shadow King.

She's a pretty straightforward storyteller in both art and writing, so I doubt giving this character those glasses, weight, and headwear is intended as some sort of mislead.

I think this book's critics might start enjoying it more if they think of it as New Mutants, and not X-Men.

2

u/TERRAxFORMER Armor Apr 11 '24

I really enjoy the body horror aspects of the book. They’re just the right amount of creepy. Works so well with Peach’s art. This is my favorite book right now I’m interested to see where it goes.

2

u/YourEvilHenchman Apr 13 '24

still just a mediocre horror manga that doesn't feel remotely enough like an x-men comic, ultimate or not. this should not have been the flagship x-men book for the new ultimate universe. there's a line between "different enough to be interesting" and "too different", and this way oversteps that.

4

u/DarkAlphaZero Cyclops Apr 10 '24

Really, really good issue.

Art continues to be stunning, Mei is pretty fun and she and Hisako are adorable, getting a little hint at the shadow man's true nature and motivation was cool and has me curious to see where exactly Peach goes with him.

With bodies starting to pile up and our two leads together, I'm expecting issue 3 to be a bit faster paced and I'm super excited for it

6

u/Ratcatchercazo2 Apr 11 '24

Issue 3 is flashback to Mei origin and to why Storm is her idol.

1

u/DarkAlphaZero Cyclops Apr 11 '24

I'm really curious to learn more about her so that's good news to me

1

u/Ratcatchercazo2 Apr 11 '24

The fact Mei knows about Storm means the events happening in Africa is not unknown to the rest of the world. 

3

u/psuedonymousauthor Apr 11 '24

alright guys, crackpot theory here. is the guy at the end Professor X of this universe? The hat he was wearing is giving me Cerebro vibes.

I think the knee jerk reaction is the Shadow King but we saw him act like he just saw Hisako for the first time and recognized her while the shadow knows who she is.

2

u/Landon1195 Apr 11 '24

Another good issue. Really love the tone of this so far.

1

u/DarkAlphaZero Cyclops Apr 10 '24

I haven't gotten to read it yet but this and issue 7 of Skybound's Transformers dropping on the same day is an absolute treat, can't wait to get off work and pick them up.

1

u/klaxterran Nightcrawler Apr 11 '24

yay im love that ultimate x-men is a horror book. i hope it gets creepier and creepier.

1

u/Blitzhelios Magik Apr 12 '24

This continues to be great and the horror elements and style that are being used are really up my street and reminds of almost classic new mutants but updated with momokos style.

The interactions between armor and maystorm are fun but maystorm comes off a little bit meh so far for me but its only one issue so i imagine she will get alot more interesting.

Hisako's more spiritual connection to her powers and this shadow guy's 'remote ploting literal maggots and shadows with a talisman bucket on his head is something you wouldn't see in any other western comic and momoko is truly what she knows to a main book and its tons of fun.

Also i feel like an idiot for not realising the kid who commited suicide is the kid who dies in Armor's original origin in the main universe for an x men character ive always liked i forgot her origin

Art continues to be gorgeous and the writing continues to be interesting. This book might not be for everyone but its for me

1

u/[deleted] Apr 10 '24

[deleted]

1

u/Worried-Ad1707 Nightcrawler Apr 10 '24

Is that who it was supposed to be? I was so confused

1

u/[deleted] Apr 10 '24

[deleted]

1

u/sunspot1002 Havok Apr 10 '24

Wait it isn’t shadow king? He’s literally the shadow

-10

u/JackFisherBooks Phoenix Apr 10 '24

I hated the first issue. I think it had no business being an Ultimate comic or an X-Men comic. But I wanted to give the second issue a chance.

And it was better, but not by much. The only reason I think this issue was an improvement over the first was because of Mei. She's the only one who actually showed a measure of personality in this comic. Being an OC, that's pretty remarkable. She's already much more likable than Hisako.

But other than her, this issue was basically the same beat-for-beat plot as the fist.

Hisako gets a mysterious note telling her to meet in a secluded area. She foolishly listens. She gets attacked by the same shadow monster. And she beats it the exact same way by having her powers magically manifest exactly when and how she needs them to.

Seriously, it's the same...damn...plot. And in the second issue, no less. It's one thing for a comic to have a slower pace. But it's quite another to basically reuse the same plot from the previous issue.

This is still, by far, the weakest Ultimate comic. And it's a terrible X-Men comic, overall. I still want to give this a few more issues. But I am not the least bit encouraged.

3

u/psuedonymousauthor Apr 11 '24

a lot you said here that essentially sums up that this isn’t the book for you, but you should maybe go back and look at Hisako using her powers! the first time it was defense while this time it was an attack, I think she is growing into them!

-2

u/JackFisherBooks Phoenix Apr 11 '24

Did we read the same comic? Because there was no real difference in how Hisako used her powers. She wasn't like Mei, who seemed to have an active grasp on how to use them. All Hisako did was get overwhelmed, scared, and anxious while being attacked. And at the exact times she needed, they manifested and saved the day...just like the first issue.

On top of that, this Shadowking wannabe used the exact same tactic as the first issue...handwritten note, secluded area, and a targeted attack that triggered her powers. If he's so stupid and inept that he tries the same method again in the very next issue, expecting a different result, then how can anyone take him seriously as a villain?

I've read this comic as closely as you have. I'm just not as willing to ignore terrible, inept writing.

5

u/psuedonymousauthor Apr 11 '24

based on your comments it sounds like you don’t want to find something to like about the book! I on the other hand am looking for things to enjoy. I didn’t think this issue was as good as the first one, but I still enjoyed it.

also it has been what, one or two days since Hisoka first manifested powers? and you expect her to have so tell over them?

-2

u/JackFisherBooks Phoenix Apr 11 '24

Did you even read my comments? I said I liked Mei. And I was very skeptical about Mei. But, much to my surprise, she was the only good thing about this comic. She actually had a personality that went beyond brooding and anxiously overwhelmed. That's an improvement compared to the first issue.

But everything else was terrible.

And your comment about her powers just made my point for me. It's only been a few days since her powers manifested. And yet, they manifest in a way that conveniently saves the day without her really trying? At least Mei showed some agency when she used her powers. With Hisako, they only seem to manifest exactly when she needs them to in exactly the right way and with no conscious effort on her part.

At the very least, the second issue should've done something to have her get a better handle of her powers. But no. It just redid the same plot as the first issue. Mei's presence didn't really change anything.

Again, that's just terrible writing. Compared to what other Ultimate books have achieved in just two issues, this has no excuse.

3

u/Redeem123 Apr 11 '24

they only seemed to manifest exactly when she needs them

Yeah because that’s not a super common way for heroes to discover their powers.

-4

u/JackFisherBooks Phoenix Apr 11 '24

I know you're being sarcastic, but this isn't some random mutant's powers manifesting in a chaotic, messy way. Hisako's powers are manifesting in a way that's ordered and just happen to be exactly what they need to be in order to solve whatever conflict is in front of her, be it an oncoming car or a shadow monster. She doesn't have to make any effort, like Mei does. She doesn't need any training or insight or failures. Her powers just magically fix the problem in the most convenient, contrived way possible.

Again, that's just terrible writing. And for someone tasked with writing an X-Men comic, that's a huge red flag.

1

u/[deleted] Apr 11 '24

[deleted]

1

u/JackFisherBooks Phoenix Apr 11 '24

Not just appearing. Not just manifesting chaotically like Cyclops' optic blasts or Charles Xavier's telepathy.

It took a clear, ordered form that effectively defended her against the shadow creature's attacks without her having to do much of anything. No training. No concentration. Nothing of the sort.

It would be no different if a wizard just appeared, cast a spell, and solved the problem without Hisako having to do anything.

That's what it means to be contrived. Look it up in a dictionary. Or just look up all the tropes associated with bad writing. This issue, as well as the first, are a case study in terrible writing, especially when compared to what other Ultimate books have done in just as many issues.

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