#x-treme x-men vol 2

[demonstenes]

X-Treme X-Men Vol 2 (spoilers)

My favourite Wolverine and Hercules parts (spoiler: it's most of them)

[in case you need an explanation of what's going on: this Wolverine and Hercules are from another dimension]

[spookyfoxdreamer]

[th3d0nutl0rd]

UGHGHHHSGSGS GAY POOLVERINE PANELS OKAY BYE

Edit: Comics listed in ?order? ISH?

Uncanny X-Force #34

X-Men V7 002

The Spectacular Spider Men #6

X-Force Vol 6 20

X-Treme X-Men Vol 2 (#10? I think?)

Defenders #7

[positivelybeastly]

If I may, what's your opinion on Hank from Earth-41001/X-Men: The End and GeNext: United?

So, I had to brush up on my X-Men history for this one, because Chris Claremont's post-2000 work often tends to slip my mind, especially his The End series, which has as many insane and weird choices as it does good ones.

The man really did lose a step after he got taken off the books in the 90s, and while I think that he's written some good stuff after that (his 2000s Excalibur runs are honestly better than I remembered them being), there's a reason he doesn't get asked back to do much more than the occasional story here and there, like the recent Uncanny #700 feature on Mystique, Nightcrawler, Destiny and Rogue.

Compare and contrast that to Louise Simonson, who got asked back to do a whole Jean Grey mini-series during Fall of X, and it's pretty clear that he's just not considered frontline talent anymore.

That being said, I think this Hank, and Claremont's work on GeNext, definitely skews more towards the good side of the scale.

This version of Hank is, of course, best known for his relationship with Cecilia Reyes, which, in this universe, blossomed into a fully fledged marriage with multiple kids - and that's a good choice, honestly! Of all his romantic partners, Cecilia has always struck me as the most level headed, the most stable, and the most likely to want to settle down, which Hank has, on some level, always wanted to do, and has perhaps the best ability to out of a lot of the X-Men.

Despite his physical mutation seeming like the biggest obstacle to him living a normal life, Hank's work with the Avengers and Defenders has resulted in a massive boost to his popularity in-universe, he's equivalent to a real life celebrity, and it's made it easy for him to settle down and stop doing superhero work if he so chooses.

It doesn't hurt that his public persona, of a well spoken, charming, and funny blue little guy, is an effective one, and one that's easy for him to maintain because, well, it's pretty damn close to what he's actually like.

But, back to The End and GeNext. It's a clear sequel to X-Treme X-Men in a lot of ways, something Claremont establishes pretty clearly by bringing up Hank's trauma regarding the death of Psylocke in Valencia, which I appreciate, because I feel like it really gives a lot of important emotional context to Hank's state of mind in New X-Men, and it weighs heavily on him. I don't think Hank is a person who takes death easily, and Claremont gets that.

I also have to include this, because it is hilarious.

I also really appreciate this moment, because . . . yeah, Hank is the guy you want to leave behind, because Hank is a fundamentally nurturing, bridge-building, educational force. There was a period of time, from roughly 2001-2005, where the X-Men became a lot more like the school focused book that people always kind of think of it as, where hundreds of mutants were running through the halls and the X-Men were teachers.

And, to be frank, a lot of those X-Men didn't really feel fit to be teachers? A lot of them have very good practical experience to teach certain applied subjects, but Hank, Emma, and a few select others have always felt like the most suited to actual higher education for the students, which is why Hank's recurring role in New X-Men vol. 2/Academy X always felt like such a natural fit.

Like, this man was born to be the cool teacher.

And born to be a dad, too.

I'll be real, I'm not . . . 100% on the clothing? I'm not an expert, but I don't know that a WASP man, even if he's blue, should be wearing this kind of clothing, even if he does rock it. Someone who's more of an expert on American cultures and African clothing would need to weigh in here, but it's not a choice I personally would have made? It feels a little bit 'older hippie accidentally strays onto the landmine that is cultural appreciation because he has a non-white girlfriend.' But, then again, this series was written in 2006, and Claremont is an older generation writer, so I can't judge it too harshly.

So, now we move on to GeNext, which, as the first issue states, deals with the premise that the X-Men's ages progressed in real time, rather than being stuck in the sliding timescale, which means that Hank is nearing 50. I've long since headcanoned that his healing factor, even if it isn't up to Wolverine or Sabretooth's levels, means that he should be just as agile and spry age 50 as if he were 20, and this series generally tends to hold to that?

I do appreciate that this series leverages the differences in Hank and Cecilia's outlook on the X-Men. Hank's always bought into Xavier's dream, always regarded the work the X-Men do as necessary, and while Cecilia holds to that, she reflects another aspect of Hank's take, which is that it's a worthy job, sure, but not everyone with an X-gene is suited to be an X-Man, and it's a worthwhile thing to consider.

Sometimes, people just want enough training that they can control their powers, and then they just want to bounce, and that's an outlook that should be respected, even if it doesn't always pan out.

This is a particularly interesting development, given where Scott would fall on the axis of letting kids be kids, versus making kids into X-Men, later on in the 616 continuity.

But it makes sense. In this universe, the Decimation never happened, and the arc of these two characters changed as a result - hell, Hank never turned feline, either, which I always regarded as a massive learning process and maturation for him, a furthering of his arc in New Defenders where he was learning what it meant to be a responsible adult.

It feels, in this universe at least, like he never quite lost the devil-may-care spirit that feline Hank's brushes with mortality beat into him. Maybe that's a good thing, maybe that's a bad thing, but it's hard not to see his point - if good kids have the power to effect change, then they're going to do it, with or without your say so. Denying that fact only leads to a New Mutants/Magneto situation, where they kind of end up resenting you for holding them back, even if your intentions are only to keep them safe.

His tune does change a little bit in United, though it's a very different situation here - rather than pushing the boundaries as an Xavier sanctioned X-team, seemingly with some training wheels on, as Hank seemed to be suggesting, here, Cooper is hinting at a more formal, more high stakes, more original flavour X-Men solution, which. Hank has thoughts about. Though, it wouldn't be Hank if he weren't capable of holding two contradictory viewpoints at the exact same time about the exact same thing.

It does always make me laugh when people say that Hank always turns evil in alternate futures. What about this one? He's like the coolest old guy ever. He's solid. He's reliable. He's flexible. He's understanding. There's not a goddamn evil bone in his body. He counts just as much as Dark Beast does, is all I'm saying . . .

Soft. Sweet. Gentle. This is Hank McCoy at his purest.

Hank McCoy. Everyone's friend.

That being said, I'm a sucker for moments like these.

Oh, shit, yeah, Hank IS strong enough to bench press ten tons, and he IS a raging beast with uncanny speed, reflexes, and brutality. Maybe fucking with him and removing the thing that tempers and controls and keeps him reasonable - his soul - isn't a good idea??? Oops.

There's not a ton more left to comment on, Hank is very much a supporting character in United, but it does remind me of something that I've always felt in my heart of hearts - that even though Chris Claremont didn't get to write Beast very much, he had a very strong appreciation for the character, and enjoyed writing him when he had a chance.

There's an alternate universe out there where Hank stayed with the X-Men rather than joining the Avengers and Defenders, and though I don't think I'd want to live in that universe - I enjoy New Defenders entirely too much to give it up for anything - I definitely think it'd make for an interesting What If, where Hank's present for much more of Claremont's defining 16 year run on the X-Men. I definitely think he would have done him justice.

[maedelin]

X-Men Vol 6 #35/#700

It ended like I thought it would; every mutant we need to come back is given the chance to. Every chance we could to synthesize the stories of the past, we did. This was a phenomenal era, even if you didn't like the story, we haven't seen this level of coordination across so many books and so many teams in the X-Office. To date.

I'd like to take another moment to talk about the implications they're laying here: Like Moses, unable to enter the holy land, so too are our favorite mutants unable to enter their Promised Land. Yes, the story puts the onus on the characters, which the story must do. They need to decide whether or not they wish to remain behind. Though, my own gleefully bitchy personal headcanon is that Exodus was asked to stay behind. Because Krakoa didn't want to deal with him yet.

Aside from it being those who remain; it's perfect for the story and narrative. Their reactions are beautiful. What they made is something to be proud of. They partook of it for a time, and may once again. But the tools were damaged in the making. They aren't ready, perhaps they aren't made for Krakoa. But for a moment, they saw the dream realized. The work was done. It was not the ending of the work, but it was the ending of the work on Krakoa. (A small Wheel of Time reference. Not the ending, but an ending...) The rest of the world, the rest of this reality waited. And they're going to go back to it; made a little better for spending a short time on paradise.

I'd like to take a moment to point out Gambit's reaction next to Rogue in the last group shot of everyone, with tears. Gambit is not crying, but his gaze is averted. (I added Kurt because we love him) I'm of two minds of it: 1) He is upset, because he wanted to go with that Krakoa and continue on in another reality, like when he almost ascended to Heaven in X-Treme X-Men. I'll be honest that I like this interpretation because it might be the thing that breaks up Remy and Rogue. Her commitment to duty, and his desire to "set the mountain down". (Yes, two slight Wheel of Time references in one post)

Or, 2) He's just so ingrained when part of his childhood was raised by Catholics who called him literally a White Devil for his dark eyes, that he cannot behold something so holy with his same sinful, mortal eyes. Maybe he thinks he's not good enough to enter Heaven, or even look at it. That makes me sad. Folks know I'm mostly on the side of demanding good character stories for Gambit, even if I want him away from Rogue. I think he deserves to outline himself as the hero he wants to be.

As an aside to that, I actually think the person who would really bring it out of him would be to have him date Frenzy. The two of them are on similar journeys and are very near to each other's story paths, in a meta-textual sense. Both look to be regarded as wonderful heroes, but both feel they haven't super-earned it yet, perhaps. I'd love to see that story.

Anyway, just a few more thoughts as our mutants watched the paradise they built move on without them, into a new tomorrow.

And they into theirs.

[souurcitrus]

Other versions of Sabretooth I would have liked to see. Some of them are not even known

1 - Sawtooth from Earth-20329. He's a fucking GOD, lord of the wild. Appears in X-Treme X-Men (Vol.2) #1-3. He's a menace, and just like all gods doesn't care for mortals and is cruel. But he looks cool. Doesn't do much in this comic.

2 - Creed from from Earth-51212. He is from steampunk old western world with cowboys and mutants. The Logan from his world is just a kid, but he faces other Logan from other universe. Also from X-Treme X-Men (Vol.2) #4-6. In the last issue he appears, Xavier from another world makes him a little more nice.

3 - Sabretooth from Earth-21923, of course. He's dead I don't care. Everyone likes him. Appears for real in Dead Man Logan.

4 - Graydon Creed Sr. from Earth-15730. Remember when Cassandra Nova made him nice? He's from X-Men '92 Infinite Comic. I just think he's silly in this last appearance.

5 - Weapon S from Earth-11326. I just like him. He appears in just one issue and dies. He "helps" the Avengers track some mutants and basically acts more like an animal than a person (when they will stop murdering my man?) He is in Age of X: Universe #1.

[xolta]

part 4

Xolta's Big old recommended games list Part 4 Gen 5

Gameboy Color: Bomberman Max (bomberman/adventure) Bomberman Quest(action advenutre) Dragon Quest Monsters 2(monster rasining rpg) Pokemon Gold and sliver(monster rasining rpg) Game & Watch Gallery 2&3(mixed bag) Konami GB Collection Vol. 1-4(mixed bag) Pocket Bomberman(Adventure/bomberman) Pokémon Pinball(pinball) Shantae (metroidvania) Super Mario Bros. Deluxe (platfromer) Wario land 2&3(Greedy bastard em up) X-Treme Sports (anime sports) X-Men: Mutant Academy(jank ass fighting game)

N64: Army Men: Sarge's Heroes 2 (Tps) Banjo-Kazooie (3d platformer) Banjo-Tooie(3d platformer) BattleTanx 1&2(tank combat) Blast Corps (blow shit em up) Bomberman 64 (bomberman) Bomberman 64: The Second Attack!(bomberman) Buck Bumble(shooter) Mario kart 64(kart racing) Chameleon Twist 1&2(platformer) Conker's Bad Fur Day (platformer) Custom Robo1&2(tiny mecha fighting) Diddy Kong Racing (kart racer) Mario 64(3d platformer) Resident evil 2(Miracle port/ survival horror) Extreme-G 1&2(SUPER FAST RACING F zero X(SUPER FAST RACING) mystical ninja starring goemon(adventure) Hybrid Heaven (action rpg/wacky) Mace the Dark age(fighting) Killer Instinct Gold (fighting) Kirby 64(platformer) Mario party 1-3(party/ firend ship destoryer) Mischief Makers (platformer) Super Smash bros(platfrom fighter) Paper mario(rpg) Turok 1&2(fps/bullshit in latter levls) doom 64(fps) Starcarft 64(rts) pilot wings 64(flight sim)

Sega Saturn: Astal (platformer) Burning Rangers( tps) Castlevania Symphony of the night(metroidvania) Daytona USA: Circuit Edition(raceing)

3D0: Super Street Fighter II Turbo (fighting)

Neo Geo Pocket/color: Bust A Move! Pocket (puzzle) Gals Fighters(fighting) King of Fighters R-2 (fighting) Metal Slug: 1st Mission&2 mission(run and gun) Sonic the Hedgehog: Pocket Adventure (platforming/pits every were) SNK VS. CAPCOM: CARD FIGHTERS' CLASH(tgc)

Playsation 1: Air Combat 1&2(air combat) Ape Escape (platformer) Croc(platformer/werid controls) BattleTanx: Global Assault (tank combat) Bomberman Party Edition (bomber man) Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (metroidvania) Castlevania Chronicles (platformer) Crash Bandicoot 1-3(platformer) Crash Team Racing (kart racer) Dino Crisis (survival horror) Doom(fps) Final Fantasy VII(jrpg) Final Fantasy Tactics (Srpg) Future Cop L.A.P.D. (Tps) Ghost in the Shell (action/jank) Rapid Reload (run and gun) Heart of Darkness (platformer) Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (fighting) Klonoa: Door to Phantomile(platformer) Lomax(platformer) LUNAR: The Silver Star Story Complete (rpg/bad transaltion) Marvel vs. Capcom (fighting) MediEvil 1&2(plafromer) Mega Man Legends (action adventure) Mega Man X3-5(Platformer) Metal Slug X(run and gun) Mortal Kombat Trilogy (fighting) Oddworld 1&2(platformer) Parappa the Rapper (rhythm) Point Blank (light gun) Quake II(fps) Resident Evil 1-3(surivival horror) Rising Zan: The Samurai Gunman (character action) Silent Bomber(BOMBS!) Spider-Man (action) Spyro 1-3(platformer) Time Crisis(light gun) Twisted Metal 1&2( combat racing) Vigilante 8 1-2(combat racing) Wipeout (future racing)

Jaguar: Alien vs Peradtor(fps)

Vitural boy: Wario land(greed/play with 3d moded out)

[night-gay]

Into the Anthill pt 34 - The Justice League

Who doesn’t love a crossover? This event starts with both the Avengers and Justice League competing to grab rare items like the Infinity Gauntlet and Cosmic Cube. With that out of the way, they work together to deal with the guy trying to break both universes apart for science. Hank got a few stand-out scenes in the big splash pages and helped build the ship they used to get to Krona, but Marvel’s key players here were Cap, Wanda, and Vision.

They sure packed a lot of fanservice into these four issues.

🐜🐜🐜

Avengers/JLA vol 1 #1-4

The Avengers found themselves facing a threat from not just another world, but another multiverse entirely: Starro, the deadly mind-controlling starfish. With new threats arising across the galaxy, the Avengers attempted to stop a costumed group from taking the Ultimate Nullifier and failed. As the alien intelligence Metron would soon reveal, this group was the Justice League and the Nullifier was one of 6 artifacts that they needed to claim to doom this universe. The Atom, who the JLA  had sent as a spy, was shocked to hear this because the Grandmaster had given them a similar speech and labeled the Avengers as the offending party.  Metron offered them a Mother Box to use to travel to the other Earth and departed. 

The Avengers were shocked to arrive in a world that idolized and worshiped their heroes, erecting statues and museums to them in a way that Captain America assumed must have been demanded of them. Now face to face, the teams came to blows. Cap and Batman, who had ducked aside to fight each other, agreed to a truce due to their shared suspicion that they were being used as pawns in a greater game. As the rest of their teams split up to gather the artifacts the two of them struck out on their own to find a solution from the shadows.

They learned that Krona, a multiversal seeker of knowledge, sought Galctus’s wisdom from before the Big Bang and would destroy the universe to obtain it. Grandmaster challenged him to a game to keep him away and the terms of it required them to each play using the other’s heroes as their game pieces. Finally understanding the game’s stakes, Cap and Batman tipped the competition in the JLA’s favor to keep Galactus out of Krona’s hands. Unfortunately, with the artifacts now under Grandmaster’s control, he used their powers in tandem to rewrite the history of both universes into one the heroes would never want to leave. 

In this new timeline, the Avengers and Justice League had been working together across universes for years and met regularly for team-ups and parties. As Superman and Captain America realized that this was a ruse, the boundaries between worlds began to shatter. The Phantom Stranger led them to Grandmaster, who revealed that Krona had overpowered him and manipulated the new overlapping realities into colliding, leading to the destruction of both if they continued. Before he died, Grandmaster showed them the tragedies they would face in their own timelines if they chose to separate the worlds. They agreed that it had to be done.

Superman suggested that the teams unite under Cap’s leadership. With their resources combined, they confronted Krona in his stronghold built from Galactus’s corpse. Krona summoned every villain he could from both worlds to hinder them, along with the temporal shifts constantly changing their uniforms and roster, but the heroes pressed on. Supercharged by Vision’s solar energy, Superman wielded Mjolnir and Cap’s shield and broke through Krona’s final barrier so Hawkeye and Flash could free the artifacts. Without the power under his control, The Spectre was able to separate the worlds and restore them to their previous state.

Minor/Cameo appearances from this period:

The Order vol 1 #2-3, 5-6

Thor: Godstorm vol 1 #1

Marvel Universe: The End vol 1 #1, 4-6

X-Treme X-Men vol 1 #11

[big-gay-apocalypse]

- You mean to fight?

- I mean to win.

[wolverineholic]

X-Treme X-Men Vol 3 #2 (2022)

cover by Salvador Larroca

[hessobbingincabo]

Rating Betsy Braddock and Kwannon’s Outfits Throughout Their Comic Book History

Ground rules

I’m gonna start from the left side, top to bottom and do the same on the right

My opinions are highly subjective, keep that in mind

I may discuss some costumes that are not pictured and will add to the quiz if I find a good image of said costumes

Warning: LONG POST BELOW THE CUT.

Credit

Art - Russell Dauterman, Hellions #12 Cover Variant

Costume Galleries > http://psylocke-butterfly.blogspot.com/2015/02/psylocke-costume-gallery-update-beyond.html < & > https://uncannyxmen.net/characters/revanche/costume-gallery <

Dissassembled Psylocke II (from Uncanny X-Men [vol.5] #2, 2018) - starting off strong, this one is actually one of my most favorite Betsy looks. The soft purples are a really nice change of pace from her regular deep indigos and it’s a welcome one at that! The details on her bodysuit really add to that “psychic powerhouse of an elite team of mutants” vibe. A solid 9/10.

Astral Plane Princess Psylocke (from Uncanny X-Force [vol.2] #3, 2013) - to be completely transparent, I don’t really dig the whole “warrior princess” vibe it gives off. The dress looks unpractical and way too frilly, the headband is out of place and the boots are too voluminous (but do match the shoulderpads, I’ll give ‘em that). Confidently, a 2/10.

X-Treme Psylocke (from X-Treme X-Men [vol.1] #1, 2005) - even though it is very reminiscent of her original costume, as sexy and revealing as it is, it looks very dull and unimaginative, sticking to the basics. Only adding an awkward red streak that doesn’t match anything, on her face, solidifies this as a 3/10.

Puzzle Quest Revanche (from X-Men [vol.2] #21, 1993) - not even gonna lie, I lowkey enjoy spy-catsuit Revanche. In my opinion it holds up well even to this day, adding a certain flaire to miss Kwannon. The pink also compliments really well her deep purple, rounding up the score to a good 6/10.

All-New All-Different Psylocke (from Uncanny x-Men [vol.4] #1, 2016) - weirdly enough I feel somewhat indifferent towars this costume. It does it’s job of revitalizing the original costume into something more slick and stylish well, but it lacks flair and elegance as it is basically “Ninja Psylocke”. A decent score of 6/10.

Mutant Massacre Agent Braddock (from Uncanny X-Men [vol. 1] #213, 1987) - as tacky and a “product of it’s time” it is, I absolutely adore this rendition of Psylocke. Despite the grim title, this costume is very happy, bright and comforting, with soft pink hues and bulbous sleeves. It strays far from Psylocke’s usual ensamble, but maybe that is a good thing and so I give it a happy 7/10.

Original/The Hand/Blue Team Psylocke (from Uncanny X-Men [vol. 1] #256, 1989) - ah, the original Psylocke costume, giving you and me all the flashbacks. Absolutely no doubt in my mind that this is the most iconic Psylocke costume, though, that doesn’t mean it’s even close to being a favorite of mine. The version where every X-Men just put on a jacket over their regular costume and called it a day, actually looks a bit more dashing to me. Maybe it’s too simple or maybe it’s the oversaturation of media picturing Betsy/Kwannon with this suit that has me sighing at the sight of it. For it’s time it worked, but I’m glad we moved onto bigger and broader horizons with her. Still, an iconic look nonetheless, so a decent score of 6/10.

Acts of Vengance Lady Mandarin (from Uncanny X-Men [vol. 1] #257, 1989) - I’m really conflicited about this look - on the one hand our girl looks badass and truly formidable, on the other hand, she becomes unrecognizable and even looks messy, as cohesive as it TRIED to be. It was an interesting change, along with her moniker, that never truly paid off. An even score of 5/10.

This Is Forever Kwannon (from Uncanny X-Men [Vol. 5] #16, 2019) - channel your inner ninjas everyone, Kwannon has opened a dojo. No really, this look is the epitome of “mysterious ninja”. It’s a classic trope that suits Kwannon’s personality as a calculating assassin, perfectly balancing the darkness of her palette with the shadows (and perfectly contrasting with the brightness her psi-blade), while still having that panache usual for Kwannon and Betsy’s outfits. So, in secret, here is a shady 8/10.

Psi-War Psylocke (from X-Men [vol. 2] #78, 1998) - I’mma straight up say it - Psylocke looks like she is Blackheart’s daughter. Like legit! But anyways, if you didn’t know would you even CONSIDER that this is Psylocke? In some cases straying from a character’s original design pays of but here we just flopped, as there is nothing memorable in this design. And to top it all off, guess what? The red streak is back. And the low scores are also back - 2/10.

X-Uniform Psylocke (from Uncanny X-Men [vol. 1] #273, 1991) - as is costumary, Psylocke also has the iconic yellow and blue garb. Nothing much to say as every X-Man has to, at one point, wear these colors and show their worth to mutantkind. That warrants an equally costumary score of 5/10.

Revolution Psylocke (from X-Men [vol. 2] #100, 2000) - is it just me or does she look like an anti-hero/rogue (pun totally intended) type of character with that scarf and bandana? I kind of like how silver looks on her but the red streak AND the red bandana are back which really lowers the score to a 4/10.

Australian Outback Psylocke (from Uncanny X-Men [vol. 1] #232, 1988) - and here we have the inspiration behind one of Revanche’s costumes, as Betsy donned the “knight” look as the X-Men were stranded in Australia. Honestly I really don’t mind this look, as it was a refreshing take on Betsy’s colours and costume as it stayed true to her mysterious persona. Some may find if bland, but I do love a good costume switch-up once in a while so here is a good score of a 7/10.

R.C.X. Agent/Original Captain Britain (from Captain Britain [vol. 2] #13, 1985) - taking her brother’s mantle for the first time, Betsy was experimental with her look and it really shows. Her hair is supposed to represent the flag’s colors, but they left the pink for some reason? I prefer the Lady Brtion outfit, to be completely fair. I mean nothing really stands out, except for the hair and even with it’s flaws and partial blandness, this suit still recieves a rating of 6/10.

Marvel NOW Psylocke (from Uncanny X-Force [vol. 2] #1, 2013) - putting it as bluntly as I can - I like this outfit. Nothing that special or eye-catching about it. Just a simple black suit with markings and a belt for good measure.Remember - sometimes simple doesn’t equal dull. Decent look gets the decent score of 8/10.

Dawn of X/New Captain Britain (from Excalibur [vol. 4] #1, 2019) - now we’re talking! Not only is this the last look from the cover, it’s also the newest one, so far, in terms of comic books! This costume is probably one of the very few times where I enjoy how the red and pink clash and mix together, as the look itself IS cohesive. The psi-sword is also a nice touch, so here is our first 10/10.

Ranking of more of Betsy and Kwannon’s costumes is below the cut!

Runner-Ups/Honorable Mentions

Hellfire Gala Captain Britain (from Excalibur [vol. 4] #21, 2021) - I’ve already stated my thoughts on this outfit, in the post where I rank the Hellfire Gala looks, so I’m just gonna rank it. The butteflies really made this one grow on me so here you go - 7/10.

Dark Angel Saga Death (from Uncanny X-Force [vol. 1] #17, 2011) - so... um... Betsy became a Horseman of Apocalypse. Don’t ask, it’s complicated. I just want to say that I am astonished at how different she looks. It fits her archetype and the story allows for a costume change so I’m giving it a deathly 8/10. (PS. The psi-blade in blue looks SO GOOD.)

Planet X Psylocke (from Uncanny Avengers [vol. 1] #19, 2014) - as far as alternative universes go, our girl in purple runs the show here. Her costume actually makes her look x-tra powerful and authoritative, as she is one of the most powerful psychics in the world! I even like the clash of red and purple! I’m happily giving away a 9/10 here.

Horde’s Illusion Psylocke (from Uncanny X-Men Annual #11, 1987) - Jocasta called, she wants her body back. Honestly as far off as this look goes from Psylocke I actually kind of like how it looks. It’s like if Betsy & Colossus had a kid, this is what her “steel” form would look like. An iron 5/10.

Danger Room Psylocke (from X-Men [vol. 4] #13, 2014) - all the bad and good clash in this outfit. The damn bandana is back, but at least it’s steel now. The shoulderpads really don’t match the rest of the outfit and what’s up with the psi-bow? The lack of shoes also baffles me but the top actually looks very good, so I present you - 6/10.

Viper’s Pawn Psylocke (from Wolverine [vol. 2] #125, 1998) - I would be reaching if I said it’s one of my favorites, but this specific shade of green actually looks so good on her. A bikini with shoulderplates really doesn’t make for good battle armor but it’s sleek, it’s sexy and it captures Betsy’s personality as a “deadly seductress” pretty effectively. Here comes the slithering score of 7/10.

Contest of Champions Psylocke (from Contest of Champions II #3, 1999) - no. Just no. Why is she wearing bones? Is she Marrow’s sister? Is she a spider goddess? And my dear friend - the out of place red streak is back, looking as dawdy as ever here due to the equally hideous armor. A definitive 1/10.

Danger Psylocke (from Uncanny X-Men [vol. 2] #16, 2012) - hear me out... I’m not even into anime but the “mecha queen” vibes this gives me are immaculate. I also like how reminiscent it is of her original suit, even with all it’s stylistic touches and armor. The palette also only works in it’s favor. So in summary - 9/10.

.EXE Psylocke (from What If? X-Men [vol. 1] #1, 2018) - moving swiftly from anime to cyberpunk, I present - 2077 Psylocke! Not really, but the cyberpunk vibes really ARE at hand. The visor/glasses are really a strong point of this outfit as they realy stand out against the dark palette. The soft purples as armor features also add to that “soft blade runner” type of feel. An 8/10 is due!

Excalibur Psylocke (from Excalibur [vol. 2] #1, 2001) - only strong contenders down here! While you could say it’s very basic and bland, this costume serves it’s job as a momentary costume change well. It isn’t anything to write home about, but it’s simplicity works in it’s favor. Also the mark is pink now! Such an easy change that makes everything look superior and more cohesive. And yeah the sword is actually pretty cool (glowing along with the streak to signify she is using her powers). An easy 7/10.

X-Women Psylocke (from X-Women #1, 2010) - nothing really screams Psylocke here. If anything, I’d say this is Chimera with a hair colour change! That isn’t necessarily a bad thing though. The coiling dragon on her dress is nice, but I would’ve liked them to stick to Psy’s original color palette as it is iconic and would’ve worked well with this outfit. I’m dishing out a 4/10, strictly because I’d like to see them keep to the purple and pink hues.

Warlock Psylocke (from New Mutants Annual #2, 1986) - we can all agree on one thing, right? Yellow is NOT Betsy’s colour. At all. I understand the purpose of the Warlocke (get it?) suit and why it looks the way it looks, but c’mon. Almost ANY colour would’ve been better than yellow.Thankfully the black makes-up for it slightly. For that, I’m bestowing it with a sunny 2/10.

Psylocke’s Dream Marvel Girl (from New Exiles [vol. 1] #8, 2008) - what did I just say? What did I say? Yellow is NOT Betsy’s color. And mixed with the red? AND the purple hair?! This outfit is a pure travesty on all fronts. I get the Marvel Girl idea, but some tweaking of the colors to suit Psylocke would’ve been the better move. And so this outfit moves to the bottom of the list with a 2/10.

Days of Future Past Red Queen (from Wolverine: Days of Future Past #1, 1997) - I REVERE the idea of Betsy joining the Hellfire Club. But as far as alternative universe titles go, we really couldn’t get a “Violet Queen” in huh. As for the outfit, it is absolutely all over the place. The weird spikes, the red bodysuit, the weird cape that doesn’t match anything and even the DAMN RED STREAK. Sorry, but for how much I love the idea of Betsy being part of the Hellfires, this outfit is not it and so a 1/10.

Earth X Psylocke (from Universe X #2, 2000) - a GODDESS. A DAMN GODDESS. I would be lying if I said that Betsy doesn’t deserve that status, because you and I know her power. As far as the outfit goes it isn’t anything crazy - the cloak is basic, guiding your eyes towards her head, which is understandable as it is the main attraction (now that I’m thinking about it couldn’t we have had something similar as a Hellfire Gala look for either Betsy or Kwannon?). It does it’s job of her looking divine, but something more interesting with her body could’ve been done, so I grant it a 5/10.

Fantomex Psylocke (from Uncanny X-Force [vol. 2] #7, 2013) - so... this is a thing that exists... I can understand this was never meant to last, but really? Much more could’ve been done to tie together this look - adding some dark purple lining along her body, a buttefly design on her mask or gun, darker boots and gloves and a longer ponytail would’ve sufficed. And a disappointing 3/10.

Psychic Armor Psylocke (from Uncanny X-Force [vol. 1] #33, 2012) - is it just me or are you getting Deathbird vibes too? Maybe it’s the helmet. There is literally nothing cohesive about this look - the random pieces of bright pink details, the random lines on her bodysuit, the shoulderplate that’s just there? And drum roll please... the award you recieve is.... a 2/10.

Mojo’s Pawn Psylocke (from Uncanny X-Men Annual #10, 1987) - the late eighties had some gems. Note that I said some. This outfit, is not one of them. The weird green, the random lines and the unsuitable hue of Betsy’s hair make for an unsatisfying ensamble. The highest score I can gift out is a drab 3/10.

Original Astral Plane Psylocke (from Uncanny X-Men [vol. 1] #456, 2005) - you know what? I actually don’t hate it. As much as I go on about “sticking to the colour palette”, here the mint actually matches her purple accents very masterfully. Much better than her later dress, which makes you wonder why’d they even change it? If it ain’t broken... Anyways, a decently high score of 6/10 is proper. I’m only some taking points away for lack of detail on the kimono.

Utopia Psylocke (from Uncanny X-Men [vol. 1] #514, 2009) - the catsuit is the most basic you can get with character design. That isn’t always a bad thing, I mean look at Black Widow and Catwoman for example. But Betsy always had a taste for the flashier, for the bold. Seeing her like this is a far cry from her regular flamboyance and not a welcome one at that. You could say it’s too far of a cry. So as far as I can get, 5/10 is the farthest I can go.

New Exiles Psylocke (from New Exiles #1, 2008) - all of Betsy’s Exiles costumes follow the same formula. A deep, almost black-ish blue with very little purple as details. The colours really don’t do it for me, as in this outfit especially she just could be any random woman. How can you even tell that is supposed to be Psylocke? Anyways, without too much rambling I rank all her Exile uniforms at a firm 4/10.

X-Force Psylocke (from X-Force [vol. 4] #1, 2014) - what is this? I’m expecting an apology video in the very near future. I can say literally NOTHING good about this outfit. I really tried to find a single good thing, but even that is notably abscent. 1/10. Sorry.

2099 Prechronal Collapse Psi-Girl (from Spider-Boy Team-Up #1, 1997) - you cannot tell me this isn’t Saturn Girl. You just cannot. The colors are altered slightly and her hair is down, but this is Saturn Girl. At least her Postchronal Collapse look is better (look it up)! A 5/10 for copyright infringement, and for the way too vibrant pink.

Movie Adaptation Psylocke (from X-Men The Movie Special Edition, 2000) - so as we all know in the early X-Men movies, the cast stuck to the black outfits as the “yellow would’ve been too tacky”. I call bullshit. Psylocke does lowkey look badass though, but I do wish the purple on her suit was a bit more visible and prominent all around. Overall not a horrible depicting though! An anchored-in-reality score of 7/10 is adequate. I’m only taking points away for the red streak, as you could’ve guessed.

Age of X Psylocke (from X-Men: Legacy [vol. 1] #245, 2011) - okay, okay I see what they did here. The softer pink hues are a suprisingly good look on Psylocke. I even kind of like the yellow scarf. Can you believe that? A good mix of yellow and pink on a Psylocke costume? Someone write that down. The only thing throwing me off are these beige boots and the weird shaped daggers, but everything else really bounces off of each other and creates a coherent silhouette. Adequately, 9/10.

Sword of the Braddocks Psylocke (from X-Men: Sword of the Braddocks #1, 2009) - the black catsuit makes a return and so does the Spylocke look. Honestly nothing much to say, as it is just a skintight black one-piece. I like it, but again - some violet lining could’ve elevated the outfit much more. 6/10.

Weird War Psylocke (from Excalibur: Weird War III #1, 1990) - the name of the suit really summarises what I think. It is very out there in terms of colors and vibrancy, but other than that it really has nothing going for it. It’s again a simple one-piece with a weird funky design. It’s something straight out of the 80′s, despite the release date of the comic it debuted it. Something MARINA would wear, so this pin-up doll gets a 5/10.

Nocturne’s Reality Psylocke (from Exiles [vol. 1] #42, 2004) - why do I kind of dig this look on Psylocke? The blue mixed with the 60′s dress really makes me happy for some reason. I really don’t have any major gripes with this design so I present you with another 8/10.

Ultimate Psylocke (from Ultimate X-Men #84, 2007) - the Ultimate universe is really infamous for a multitude of reasons. This costume is one of them. I don’t know about you but when I think of Psylocke, I am far from the thought of Sailor Moon. And that is exactly what they did here. The not so stellar score of 4/10 is the highest I can I go.

The End Psylocke (from X-Men: The End - Book Two #2, 2005) - listen... I don’t loathe this design. The red is incorporated well as just a logo on her chest, whie the rest of her clothes are a simple dark, almost black-ish blue. It gets point for actually managing to stay cohesive so a nice score of 6/10 is owed.

All-New X-Men Psylocke (from All-New X-Men #25, 2014) - so this is basically what Psy would look like if she joined Alpha Flight or the Corsairs full-time. While I don’t hate it I have the complete opposite problems with it, compared to her other suits - it has too much detail. There is just way too much to look at and the purple becomes a tiny bit overbearing. Still, not a bad outfit, so this space girl that I saw a lunar eclipse with gets a 7/10.

Sentinel Territories Battleworld Psylocke (from Secret Wars Journal [vol. 1] #4, 2015) - I’m getting “sorceress” vibes from this for some reason. Like if Scarlet Witch and Psylocke merged this would be the result. That being said, I wish the violet colors were more prominent and the blue was less so. In fact, if her suit was purple, it would be a straight-up 9/10. But due to the pure blue, it’s a 6/10 from me.

Arcadia Battleworld Psylocke (from A-Force [vol. 1] #5, 2015) - so big Marvel NOW inspirations all-around. It’s super visible, but maybe that is the point? I loved that outfit and I love this one too, the white accents on the black with the purple hair are a really enjoyable combo so again a good 8/10. Almost perfect :)

O-Chiyo Braddock (from 5 Ronin #4, 2011) - okay but bathouse owner vibes anyone? Try telling me that she doesn’t meet Chihiro at point. Enough Studio Ghibili references for now, but I really do dig this ensamble. The blue waves/flowers compliment the less saturated red on her belt well. Real talk, a good 7/10.

Captain Britain Corps Captain Britain (from Excalibur [vol. 1] #44, 1991) - contrary to our last entry, here the blue and red don’t mix well AT ALL. It is a very messy design and I really don’t get the shard/sharp motif around her costume. The hue of her hair also clashes with the 2 already clashing colors. The score I can give, as low as it is, is 2/10.

The Hand’s Illusion Betsy Braddock (from Uncanny X-Men [vol. 1] #256, 1989) - to be fair, out of all the Hand Illusion Betsies, this one is my fave. As basic as her outfit is, here simple = elegant. And if you look up the other 2, you will understand why this one is the best out of the 3. But no matter, still a good 6/10.

House of M Psylocke (from Uncanny X-Men [vol. 1] #463, 2005) - as far as House of M looks go, I really like the shapes and how they play on Betsy’s figure. The dragon is literally such a good inclusion, sadly it isn’t in too much of her other designs. The psi-katanas are also an insanely simple but smart addition that just boosts the vibe of the suit. The only thing stopping me from giving it a perfect score is that damn belt. If it was removed or was a different color to match, this look would’ve been flawless. Nonetheless, a good 9/10.

The War Day Lady Mandarin (from New Exiles [vol. 1] #7, 2008) - the Lady Mandarin looks have never been strong, but this one is especially weak. Psylocke doesn’t fit the “knight” shtick as she is too elegant and mysterious for that. The weird armor, the blue cape, my dear friend - the red streak all make for a chaotic look, and so a chaotic score of 1/10.

Barbarian Warrior Besty Braddock (from New Exiles [vol. 1] #11, 2008) - like I just said, the “barbarian” vibe isn’t Betsy nor Kwannon’s vibe for that matter. The 2 are way too elegant to be putting on animal skulls, leather bandanas and weird thigh rings. But this is exactly what was done here. I know that there can’t be done a lot with a viking age X-Men, but some unrealistic colors that fit Betsy could’ve been overlooked for the sake of cohesiveness. At least the blade adds a point up, so a 3/10.

S.T.R.I.K.E. Agent Betsy Braddock (from The Daredevils #3, 1983) - this outfit is basically the lesser sister of the Mutant Massacre Agent Braddock costume. This is technically Betsy’s first “superhero costume” so I can cut it some slack. I mean it’s just normal clothes that don’t really match her hair... I really don’t get why red but whatever. I strike it down with a 4/10.

Original Psychic Armor Psylocke (from Uncanny X-Men [vol. 1] #324, 1995) - in fairness her latter psychic armor is worse. The design, while messy - the headgear, the choice of a bright blue as a primary color, the kneepads, the metallic accents that are just there for the sake of being there is still slightly more cohesive than her later armor. Sorry Psy, but it is another 3/10.

X-Club Psylocke (from Uncanny X-Men [vol. 1] #512, 2009) - I don’t know if it’s the pose, the look or the outfit itself but I’m getting a retro “desperate housewives” from this. It looks like Betsy just gave up on being a hero and just retreated into a cottage to take care of her 3 children while her husband is at war. For this grieving widow, a 3/10.

Mystery in Madripoor Psylocke (from Hunt For Wolverine: Mystery in Madripoor [vol. 1] #1, 2018) - despite how sleek this looks, nothing stands out. I would’ve added some rings, bracelets, earrings to really add to that powerful vibe. The boob window is kind of ridiculously big. I like the color of the bodysuit tho, so I’m giving it a 5/10 as it’s not dissapointing, just lackluster.

Multiverse Captain Britain (from Excalibur [vol. 4] #17, 2021) - bland, dull and boring. I’ve said it. I think it’s supposed to be bland, but in reality something COULD’VE been done. I like the ponytail though. A dazzling 3/10.

New Captain Brtain Corps Captain Britain (from Excalibur [vol. 4] #16, 2020) - one of my personal favorites from the Captain Britain Corps, this Betsy looks full with confidence and authority. Her fur and cape really signify the “I’m powerful” vibe (and also leave me thinking about Lionheart and her time as Captain Britain) and her belt adds to that, referencing her time in the X-Men. A fantastic score of 7/10 is due.

Captain Britain Corps Titania Captain Britain (from Excalibur [vol. 4] #16, 2020) - I can see that this costume is trying to reference Brian Braddock and his simple but tasteful look. Buff Betsy is never a bad thing and her hair is also a really nice shade of purple, fitting for the unsaturated reds and blues on her costume. A bloody 6/10, love.

Captain Britain Corps Elspeth Braddock (from Excalibur [vol. 4] #19, 2021) - another strong contender for the best Captain Britain Corps costume title. I really love this medieval look on Betsy, with the lantern that (pressumably) has glowing will-o-wisps in the form of butterflies. Very “witch from the woods” vibes. Fancy a 8/10 rating.

Captain Britain Corps Queen Elizabeth III (from Excalibur [vol. 4] #19, 2021) - okay but our girl looks absolutely royal in this garb. I wish the dress was more intricate and clever with the inclusion of the Captain Britain colors and flag, but the hair, the cape, the sword and the forehead dangles really sway me to the 8/10.��

(Also thank you so much if you managed to reach all the way down here, you a real one! Let me know which Betsy/Kwannon look is YOUR personal favorite, even if it isn’t on the list!)

[notunwise]

Queer superheroes recs (from the Montreal Comiccon 2019 panel)

Thank you to everyone who came to the queer superheroes panel this year! It had been a while for me, and it changed quite a lot from what I used to do. Mostly I chose to give emphasis to very different issues, and I like it that way (although I’m still a bit nostalgic of what the panel used to be 5-10 years ago, in a way…) So at the end of the panel I gave out some recs, and because they, too, have changed a lot, I’m making a whole new post instead of editing and reblogging one of the old ones. I link all the comics to a way to buy them, even if they’re sold out, mostly so you can have a reference to which run exactly I’m recommending, because let’s be real, there are usually 3 vastly different comic series for every title. TV shows BATWOMAN STARTS ON OCTOBER 6th please watch it!! Black Lightning Doom Patrol Young Justice Runaways Supergirl Umbrella Academy Legends of Tomorrow Arrow (Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Flash and Gotham all have queer characters, but not in a significant enough way that I really want to rec them.) Comics: Marvel Young Avengers - Heinberg's initial run, The Children's Crusade and Gillen's run Runaways - all of it: The Complete Collection volume 1 volume 2 volume 3 volume 4, followed by Battleworld and the recent volumes by Rainbow Rowell (3 volumes out so far, volume 4 coming out in October) Dark Wolverine vol. 1 and 2 (there's an omnibus for those that have those and a bunch more things with Daken) Daken: Dark Wolverine 1 X-Treme X-Men (2013) : volume 1 volume 2 volume 3 Venom - Mike Costa's run except volume 1 (volume 1 is before Venom and Eddie get back together, no one needs it): volume 2 volume 3 volume 4 First Host Loki: Agent of Asgard, there's an omnibus coming out in December, just go for it. Iceman (2017) and Iceman (2018) volume 1 volume 2 and volume 3 Comics: DC Batwoman: Elegy volume 1 volume 2 volume 3 volume 4 Gotham Central: the 4 volumes exist separately, but there is also an omnibus Secret Six (2014): volume 1 volume 2 volume 3 volume 4 Harley Quinn (2014) - the entire run + extras is collected in 2 omnibus (omnibus 1 omnibus 2) or 6 regular-size volumes: volume 1 volume 2 volume 3 volume 4 volume 5 volume 6 Midnighter (2015) volume 1 volume 2 Midnighter and Apollo (2016) Comics: Other The Authority (starting in 1999) - there is no way I can link to all the volumes... Wikipedia has a list of the collected editions you can refer to... Enigma (by Peter Milligan) Oath: An Anthology of New Queer Superheroes - this one is a weird rec because I just realised there's no way to buy the ebook anymore? I don't know what happened, but if I'm just bad a Google, know that it exists. Novels: The Posterchildren by Kitty Burroughs - this is the link for the ebook. The paper version exists but is harder to find. Hero by Perry Moore Fanvid: "Straightening up the house" by Eruthros "Superheroes can't be gay" by Kollektivet

[thewanderer42]

漫威漫画的宇宙学&神明 (六)

5. 魔法领域 （续）

5.2 外层位面的神秘领域

X-Men Unlimited Vol 1 #12：深红宇宙是超越凡人现实的众多现实之一，充满魔法的维度位面和口袋，受奥术和不祥力量支配

X-Men Vol 1 #33：深红宇宙是整个宇宙，其中不存在时间

Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme Vol 1 #44：

奇异博士指出在猩红宇宙中，任何道路都通向Cyttorak

猩红宇宙中压抑的、被红色污染的空气会拖慢它的敌人的速度，让他们犹如在水中行走一般

猩红宇宙便是Cyttorak本身

Cyttorak将三维宇宙视为较小的领域(lesser spheres)

Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z Update Vol 1 #1：

Cyttorak是一个同时拥有神明和恶魔特性的魔法实体，之前一直在地球上受到崇拜，但后来在未被揭露的情况下被驱逐，从而变成了深红宇宙的统治者。

Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme Annual Vol 1 #2：Aggamon指出他贩卖巫师得以用于集中、存储和增强他们的魔力的宝石，因而他的维度必须保持中立

Strange Tales Vol 1 #140： Aggamon与Tiboro皆被列为是Lords of the Netherworld中的一员，因而Tiboro的领域很可能也在外层位面或者分裂领域之中，地位与Aggamon起码接近

Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Vol 2 #14：第六维度是由Tiboro所统治，他是一个曾经在南美洲大片地区占据统治地位的外星存在。近年来，Tiboro已经感觉到地球接近危机点，并打算在文明衰落时重返地球的世界进行重新统治

Doctor Strange Vol 1 #175：Tiboro曾经指出他的领域是一个宇宙

5.3 分裂领域的神秘领域

考虑到秘客的Limbo(Otherplace)的重要性与独特性，这一领域放到后面单独列出

Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Vol 1 #7：

蜿蜒之路也被认为是一种神秘的力量，蜿蜒之路所给予的力量会随着修行者的力量随着他们在蜿蜒之路上的位置而变化。

Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme Vol 1 #21：

包括黑暗维度、噩梦维度、第六维度等宇宙的空间维度数量都是非理性的，这些神秘的数字一直延伸到无穷大，任何人类对这些宇宙的视觉表现都必然是扭曲或不完整的

黑暗维度有着比起人类的宇宙更大的空间维度，内部物体间引力随距离变大而快速衰减，因此群星轨道不稳。恒星无法存在，因为引力无法抵消压力。电子要么从原子中逃逸，要么螺旋式进入原子核中导致了电场力的消除。因此，光本身成为一种可变现象，受制于当地条件。同样的，这里的宇宙结构较为松散，因为引力——作为宇宙的胶水——更弱。这导致了翘曲的丰度较大，进而生成了无数个相邻的口袋宇宙。 但即使是在这种最不宜居住的宇宙里，生命还是崛起了。由于黑暗维度在根本上的不稳定性，和众多不同的本地条件和其他相连的口袋宇宙，这里的生命形式多种多样。比如，其中一个口袋宇宙中诞生了Mindless Ones。并且还有许多其它形式的生命。后来当地的居民学会了操纵神秘能量形成火焰，不仅能照明更能稳定引力。简单地说，这种以太火焰可以在黑暗维度中从混乱中强加秩序

Strange Tales Vol 1 #146：黑暗维度之中不论是时间还是物质都并不是真实的

Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme Vol 1 #3：Clea指出虽然不如地球宇宙那般大，但黑暗维度也依旧是整个宇宙

Strange Tales Vol 1 #139：黑暗维度与地球宇宙间隔了无数个维度之远

Captain Britain and MI-13 Vol 1 #8：

每一名地狱公爵都负责宇宙的一个魔法方面， 例如Mindless Ones是纯粹混沌，不论在黑暗维度还是其他维度都是一股政治力量

——考虑到Mindless Ones并不在地狱领主的范畴，并且来源于黑暗维度，因此其适用范围可能比故事中所称的更为广泛

Magik Vol 1 #3：Thog、Muranai、Hedron the Faceted、Haemovore Kings of the Outer Dark、Siffror of the Lifeless、Malevolence, King of Pain、Skarabrous the Stalker、Molgotha、甚至奥林匹斯神系的死神普路托都被指为是分裂领域的领主

——这其中大部分分裂领主的领域的名字都未给出，但显然分裂领域中包含的其它未知名领域还有许多，奥林匹斯神系的死神普路托的领域哈迪斯也显然在分裂领域之中

Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Horror 2005：因此Thog所统治的领域Sominus，以及其对应的光明面反射Therea无疑也应该位于分裂领域

Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Horror 2005：噩梦的领域噩梦世界被指出位于梦境维度之中，而梦境维度既与人类的集体潜意识连接，也被集体潜意识所塑造

Marvel Knights Vol 1 #8：梦魇的领域足以吞噬凡人的现实，是一个和凡人宇宙同等广阔和复杂的宇宙，有其自己的科学法则与物理法则，数十亿的知觉生命居住于其中，但只被作为纯粹邪恶的宇宙学、王的噩梦所统治

Marvel Knights Vol 1 #9：奇异博士指出噩梦的领域不受时间、空间或现实没有意义，它们是可塑的

Doctor Strange Vol 2 #50：噩梦的领域存在于凡人位面之外，一个奇异博士对时间和空间的微薄感知之外的现实

Doctor Strange Vol 2 #52：噩梦的领域是timeless的

Nightmare Vol 1 #1：在噩梦的领域之中，噩梦以物质存在，并且统治

Nightmare Vol 1 #4：噩梦便是其领域本身，没有他的话噩梦什么都不是

Avengers No Road Home Vol 1 #3：在梦中，一切都是隐喻的

Doctor Strange Vol 2 #13：噩梦的维度充满了每个人想象中令人敬畏的残余物

Incredible Hercules Vol 1 #118：Ajak称梦魇统治着疯狂与神话之间的边界，掌握着甚至超越他理解的知识

Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme Vol 1 #79：奇异博士指出没有噩梦，整个地球上的所有人都会变得不合理，甚至宇宙中的所有灵魂都会陷入疯狂

Symbiote Spider-Man: Alien Reality Vol 1 #4：噩梦领域如同人类的想象力本身一样古老，是梦境维度的一个亚区域，也是想象力发芽的土地

Symbiote Spider-Man: Alien Reality Vol 1 #5：噩梦领域是想象力的零点

Fantastic Four: True Story Vol 1 #3：虚构之地(Land of Fiction)存在于梦魇、麻醉和昏迷的领域旁边

Fantastic Four: True Story Vol 1 #1：虚构之地的角色知晓他们是故事中的存在，甚至同时也知道主世界的英雄处于漫画之中

Fantastic Four: True Story Vol 1 #2：

虚构之地中名为Fountainhead的存在是所有人类创造力的源泉

噩梦指出人类的梦境世界和虚构之地都属于他们的集体潜意识的一部分

关于噩梦的领域，实际也存在着诸多的疑点

例如 Thor & Hercules: Encyclopaedia Mythologica便曾经记载，澳大利亚原住民众神的神域Alchera是与恶魔噩梦的梦境维度接壤，并且同时存在于Dreamtime之中

然而不论是Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z  #12亦或是The Marvel Tarot之中的记载， Alchera都处于内层位面，而梦境维度则位于分裂领域之中(Handbook之中同时也提及了噩梦仅仅统治了梦境维度的黑暗面，而不是整个梦境维度)

——不过话说回来，梦境维度在手册中也被指出连接着Mindscape（也位于内层位面），或者只是同为心灵与梦境性质的领域的连接罢了，而不是正常空间上的接壤

但不论如何，Dreamtime是宇宙中所有知觉生命的集体潜意识

Incredible Hercules Vol 1 #118：Dreamtime是全宇宙种族的无限意识，有着无限的大小，是纯粹的知觉

X-Treme X-Men Annual Vol 1 #：通过Dreamtime，可以访问整个时间和空间的概念，并将意志传播到整个造物中

Iron Man Vol 3 #59：澳大利亚原住民被认为有着在过去、现在和未来之间穿越的能力，他们称之为Dreamtime，一个时间并不是线性的概念，类似梅林往后活着。接着便是多元宇宙理论，无限的宇宙由每一刻所做出的决定所创造，过去、现在和未来都同时存在着，但彼此异相

Avengers World Vol 1 #5：Dreamtime被描述为宇宙之梦，每个宇宙都有一位Manifold与其连接

——结合上方设定，或许表面每一个宇宙都连接着Dreamtime

Doc Samson Vol 2 #4：存在着名为Symbol Space的空间，这边是荣格所提及的全人类的集体潜意识，精神的蒸汽会从每一个时间线中穿过众多汇聚到噩梦所在之地

——Symbol Space所指具体为何暂不清晰，但其链接所有时间线的特性与Dreamtime类似

Marvel Vol 1 #2：通过与所有活着的存在有神秘联系的至尊法师，以奇异博士的梦为链接，噩梦占据了世界中每一个梦、每一个做梦者，并让凡人世界转化为他所有，其中每一个想法都是名副其实的壮举。并且以此为开端，噩梦更是占据了无限数量的强大领域

Marvel Vol 1 #4： 梦通过它们的本质便足以定义现实，那是没有限制、可以做到任何事情的世界，甚至足以让噩梦击败最为强大的宇宙实体们，他只需要简单的梦到他可以 利用奇异博士而得到了对梦境的主宰，噩梦得以梦的力量重塑现实、为他自己创造出一个没有限制的宇宙

[newamsterdame]

thanks for answering my previous question about comics! i actually would love some recs if you don't mind! i think i'd be interested in diana/wonder woman, and (arthur and) mera and you also got me super curious about rogue and gambit. but now that i think about it, that might be a lot of characters/recs, so please feel free to answer this as briefly or as extensively as you want!

sure thing! here are just a few places that might be useful starting points–

wonder woman

wonder woman vol 2 by george perez (1985)

the legend of wonder woman by renae de liz (2016) *

wonder woman: the hiketeia by greg ruka (2002)

wonder woman vol 2 by greg ruka (2003)

wonder woman vol 5 by greg ruka (2016) *

wonder woman vol 3 by gail simone (2006)

sensation comics featuring wonder woman by various (2014)

aquaman & mera

aquaman vol 7 by geoff johns (2011) *

aquaman vol 8 by dan abnett (2016)

before that, things get a bit dicey with regard to continuity and mera’s often missing from large swathes of aquaman canon, so i’d start with johns’ run and go back from there if you enjoy it

gambit & rogue

x-men vol 2 by chris claremont and jim lee (1991) *

rogue vol 1 (1995)

x-treme x-men (2003)

gambit vol 1 (1993)

gambit vol 3 (1999)

gambit vol 5 by james asmus (2012) *

rogue & gambit by kelly thompson (2018) *

marked with asterisks are what i think would be the most accessible starting points. but comics is generally a “pick one up, be confused for a bit, then suddenly know all continuity” kind of game, so i wouldn’t worry too much about that. 

[scarletwitching]

On Not Being Trendy or Hip Or Diverse Enough

This is the first part in a series of posts where I examine the ways Wanda is typical and atypical of the superhero genre. This post is a repurposed outtake from another part of this series. That post is taking way too long (and has transformed into an Erik Killmonger think piece), and I realized that this section works well as an introduction to the series as a whole. At the very least, it gives me something to publish while I'm still working on the other one. All the other metas from this series (when I post some more) can be found in this tag.

Wanda has a recurring problem: she doesn't fit the times. In the letter columns of the 90's, you'll find comments saying she wasn't "trendy or hip" enough. Wanda is a decidedly Silver Age character, and the 90's was the era of pouches and muscles and x-treme edge. It was a time for Bloodstrike and Cable and Settlers of Catan.

The post-9/11 period saw more militarized superheroes. Suddenly, everything was SHIELD. If a story wasn't about the ethics of invading other countries, it was about the Patriot Act. Wanda didn't fit in there either. It's hard to imagine her in jackboots and stealth apparel, on a secret mission to further destabilize the Middle East. She's too weird, too powerful, too far removed from gritty realism.

The trend in reimaginings (both official and fan-made) has been to position her as a radical leftist, usually of the Mutant Rights variety. This makes more sense than Wanda Maximoff: Agent of SHIELD, but it has issues. At some point, Wanda should transition into the role of hero. How do you handle that when she stands in opposition to the heroes ideologically? Do you erase those ideological convictions? Do you frame her heel-face turn as a purely pragmatic decision? No one has managed to navigate the transition well. Wolverine and the X-Men might have done it, but it got cancelled.

Recently, Marvel comics have been focused on diversity, both in terms of characters and the kinds of books they publish. There is a certain cynical reading of Marvel's push for more diverse characters (I.e., that Disney is using Marvel as an IP factory and wants new characters to use in the MCU) that I more or less agree with, but it is also part of a broader cultural trend towards more representation. This would be happening on some level even if The Mouse wasn't looking for a new Iron Man.

You would think Wanda would be well-suited to the era of diversity. She's a woman and a minority. She lends herself to the kind of experimentation with the genre that Marvel has been embracing. There's a problem: Wanda's not the right kind of "diverse."

This argument goes back a long way. There's a storyline in Avengers volume 3 where the Avengers are being criticized for their lack of diversity. Wanda was on the team at the time, and one of the anti-Avengers protesters had this sign:

Avengers Vol. 3 #24

No, your eyes do not deceive you. The words that are partially obscured say, "Aren't Enough."

There’s a lot to unpack here.

The point this panel is trying to make is not simply that having one Romani character doesn't make a team diverse. It's that the Romani don't qualify as "diverse" in the first place. At least not in the USA-centered context of superhero comics. This is partly caused by ignorance and partly caused by the limitations of American racial discourse. It results in an environment where the way people talk about the Romani, when they bother to talk about them at all, is so. fucking. weird. Not just terrible (though it is that), but strange. Like they're space aliens or something. To the point where “(marginalized ethnic group) is not enough” seems, to some, like a valid way to make the case for including other marginalized ethnic groups. “They don’t count. Give us a real minority.”

Everything must be viewed from the same American perspective that has continually erased the Romani from existence. Wanda can never be elevated to the level of "diverse character" because Marvel is not going to get credit from the general American public for including her. Romani characters don't get you articles in USA Today and so they have no value in the world of corporate-driven diversity. This kind of ignorance is cultural. It isn't limited to comics fandom, and it isn't going away because I wrote this essay.

There's a sorta similar situation with Ashkenazi Jews. They only count as "diverse" when it's in the context of a list. For example, "this team has a Latinx character, a lesbian character, a Jewish character, etc." Is acceptable. But one Jewish character on their own? Ehhhhhhhhhh, maybe not.

It’s not that increased attempts at representing minority groups are bad, even in the context of giant multimedia companies. It’s that those initiatives can be self-serving and often leave out whole groups of people.

People seem to be confused by the very idea that Romani people should be included in the discussion about representation. When they are discussed, it's not about them as a group and their concerns. It's about a laser focus on one of two characters: Wanda or Dick Grayson. Doctor Doom is not a part of this. Most of the time, Quicksilver is not a part of it, even though he's Wanda's brother.

The focus on individual characters transforms this from an issue of representation to a question of characterization, how this or that character should be handled. This is how progressive voices in the comics community (like the now defunct Comics Alliance) can act like Romani representation doesn't matter. Because it's about Wanda and we don't really care for Wanda now do we?

The problem of Romani representation cannot begin and end with Wanda Maximoff: Controversial Character.

This is what RomaPop has been trying to explain to people. This is not about one or two fictional characters. It's not about whether or not you think Wanda "deserves better." She doesn't deserve anything. She doesn't exist. Actual, flesh and blood Romani people are who matter. They are the ones who deserve better. Yes, Wanda is a part of that because she's one of the most famous Romani characters and she gets subjected to every terrible trope imaginable. That Marvel, while claiming to be invested in better representation, has no problem treating her so poorly is a symptom of the erasure of the Romani from the greater discourse. It can't be the only way we think about that problem because 1) that's a kind of erasure in and of itself and 2) then it becomes about whether or not people care enough about Wanda to get mad.

And most of the established, think piece-writing comics journalists don't. In fact, some of them won't shut up about how much they hate her. Not that I have a list of names or anything. There's a view – and this is another reason Wanda doesn't get to be a "diverse character" -- that Wanda is the wrong kind of female character. She isn't Empowering the Kids the way that Carol Danvers is. Even the ones who don't like Carol admit she's a positive character, but they can't figure out what in Wanda's history (which is full of struggles -- with racism and abuse and trauma -- and perseverance and complexity) is worth caring about. She's just not a positive role model. This isn't the fault of writers (the real human beings in charge of her actions). It isn't the fault of editors who only ever assign white male writers to write her. It's Wanda's fault for being a bad character.  

When that's the tone of the argument, it's no mystery why we can't get these people to relate the problems with how Wanda is written to greater issues of representation.

[mister-wagner]

Hey, I'm pretty new to xmen, but Kurt is 1000% my fave. I was wondering which comics I should read to get more of his story! I love your blog too great stuff

Okay, first of all: there are too many books he appears in, so I just tried to list some important ones (and this not even close to listing everything!) And if you want to simply read books he is in, you really need to go through many team books.

The easy part, Nightcrawler series:

- Nightcrawler (1985-1986) - 4 issue- Nightcrawler Vol 2 (2002-2002)- 4 issue- Nightcrawler Vol 3 (2004-2006) - 12 issue- Nightcrawler Vol 4 (2014-2015) - 12 issue

- X-Men: Manifest Destiny Nightcrawler #1 (May, 2009)- X-Men Origins: Nightcrawler #1 (May, 2010)

———————————————————————————

Some important appearance/story from the beginning until now:

- Uncanny X-Men: start with his first appearance in Giant-Size X-Men #1 (1975) but I’d say read UXM of 80’s.(AND/OR read Classic X-Men, which is a reprint of uncanny issues, but with new panels/stories!-Classic X-Men #1-45,-X-Men Classic #46-110)

- Excalibur (1988-1998) - a must

(After Excalibur he’s in Uncanny X-Men again - from 1998, so you can continue here )

- in 2003 he gets an origin story ‘Draco’ in Uncanny X-Men by Chuck Austen (but you need to know, it’s one of the most hated X-Men stories. For reasons.)Chuck Austen’s run on UXM: #410-441, and Draco: #428-434 (2003)(And before Chuck Austen, the priest story happend.)

- Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont from #444 (2004) (better story, good art)

- X-Men: Second Coming related books (2010) - (he dies here)

- Amazing X-Men (2014) 19 issues (resurrected) - a must( the last solo series begins in 2014 too)

- Extraordinary X-Men (2015) -  (it’s not the best Nightcrawler story again…)

- X-Men Gold - current X-book  - (it’s ok so far)

——————————————————————————

Significant Issues: (by marvel universe wiki)

Killed foster brother (X-Men Annual #4, 1980); first joined X-Men (Giant-Size X-Men #1, 1975); first used image inducer (Classic X-Men #4, 1986); first blended with shadows (X-Men #102, 1976); first encountered Mystique (X-Men #141, 1981); injured by Marauders (Uncanny X-Men #211, 1986); co-founded Excalibur (Excalibur: The Sword is Drawn, 1988); regained full powers (Excalibur #37, 1991); formed N-Men (Excalibur #45, 1991); learned Mystique is mother (X-Men Unlimited #4, 1994); rejoined X-Men (Uncanny X-Men #360/X-Men #80, 1998); first seen studying for priesthood (X-Men #100, 2000); first encountered Supreme Pontiff (Uncanny X-Men #400, 2001); quit priesthood (Uncanny X-Men #419, 2003); learned Azazel is father (Uncanny X-Men #432, 2003); died (X-Force #26, 2010)————————————————————————

A few issues I can think of and recommend:

(there’s definitely much more!)

- Amazing Spider-man 161 & 162  (1976)- Guardians Team-Up #6 (2015)- Deadpool/Spider-Man  #14 (2016)- Deadpool (2012) #27 (wedding)- Nation X #1 (2009) - (road trip)- Wolverine (2003) #6 - (I don’t need to say anything here :D)- Axis revolution #2- Classic X-Men #4 - The Big Dare! - Male Bonding (Marvel Comics Presents, #101 - 108) (with Wolverine)- Wolverine weapon X #16 (2009) - Death of Wolverine: Life after Logan (2014)- Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #17 (2017)- Exiles #28-30 (2001) - (meets his daughter from another universe)- Bizarre adventue  #27 (1981) (mentioned in his first solo series)- What If? Vol 2 #98 (if Mystique had raised Kurt)- Uncanny X-Men #204

—————————————————————————

A comic made exclusively for the movie: X-Men 2 (2003):

X-Men 2: Nightcrawler - Official Movie Prequel

—————————————————————————

Alternate univers Kurt

(this is not in order)

- Kurt Darkholme / Age of Apocalypse Nightcrawler (Killer version of Nightcrawler): Uncanny X-Force Vol 1 , X-Calibre, X-Termination 1 & 2, Age of Apocalypse Vol 1, Astonishing X-Men Vol 3

- Kurt Waggoner (Kid version of Nightcrawler): X-Treme X-Men Vol 2Astonishhing X-Men Vol 3————————————————————————

And lastly here’s another longer list of important issues about Kurt that are worth a read:

https://uncannyxmen.net/characters/nightcrawler/checklist————————————————————————I hope it helps. If anyone wants to add something to the list, please do!I might’ve made mistakes; in that case let me know.