X-Men Annual '07 - SPOILER HEAVY

[Guardian]

Wish I knew that before when I drove to my shop to try to pick it up and they just gave me a weird look.

Sorry bud, that is kinda embarrasing.
But yeah, advanced copies are cool sometimes. I get a peek at some titles sometimes if my friend is there on Weds. when I get there. He wasn't there last week. I'm sure he was at lunch.

[Guardian]

That issue sounds great by the way.

[Transmetropolitan]

I'm just glad that they're both out of brainwashed-villainland.

[Corvus]

I'm just glad that they're both out of brainwashed-villainland.

Which frees them up to potentially rejoin Alpha/Omega at some point if it becomes an ongoing, so thats awesome.

[Canucklehead]

Do the same for Jefferies and I will forgive Marvel for the whole off-panel death scene.

[SephirothsKiller]

Do the same for Jefferies and I will forgive Marvel for the whole off-panel death scene.

I'd like to see OF (when they get their ongoing) go after Jeffries and take care of that, so one more Alphan is back in teh fold. (Instead of joining the X-Men, which is what will happen with Aurora and Northstar probably. Not that I mind it. I always felt that the twins were sort of like the province they came from, a part of AF, but at the same time posessed of a special partnership that went beyond ties to the rest of the team. Of course that specialness will probably be overlooked if they do join the X-Men...)

[Canucklehead]

That's why I asked earlier why, since Canada is in such need of heroes, would Aurora and NS simply stay in the states with the Xmen. We have USAgent and Arachne sent to us because of the shortage and danger Canada is in now. I can't see the Twins saying, "oh well, I made a promise to Charles Xavier and I'll stick with that" a la Wolverine.

I'd rather they make recuring appearances in OF then standing the background of Xmen.

[Effexxor]

But what about JP's students at the Academy? That would absolutely destroy the poor kids if he left them again. The three kids left on his squad have lost almost everything, including half of their team, most of their friends and they're now shoved to the background because they weren't 'good enough' for Emma's team. And apparently they were closest to JP, only second to his sister (New Xmen : Academy of X #12). JP really should go back to the academy, and I think JM would do well there too.

After all, she was a teacher for a short while. Granted, she was also bat**** insane, but she must have retained some of that. Also, with their minds put together during the weird brainwashing thing, they should be around each other so that they can get through this. And frankly, I think JM would do well with the kids, and they would adore her. After Dani was kicked off the faculty for being depowered, the kids really do need another female teacher, and by now with only Shan around, she must be swamped. And, if that crazy third personality of JM pops up, she'll need a telepath around and Emma and the Cuckoos are strong as you can get.

I'd love for the twins to go back to AF, y'all know that, but right now ain't the best time for it. They need to stay with the Academy, if just for their mental health.

[Phil]

I don't recall stating that they stay with the X-Men... :P

[LuminousVelocity]

Oh...my...god. What a relief that they're finally cured! If they had stayed brain-washed assassins...well, I'm trying not to think about that, lol. I must say I was actually really impressed with the X-Men Annual 2007. I just began reading comics last spring, but I've amassed a very healthy amount of X-Men and Alpha Flight in that time. This issue definitely ranks high among my favorites.

What's great about this issue is we have a fantastic resolution with Northstar and Aurora: their minds are restored, they re-kindled their brother-sister bond to its original love (and it was one another that even pulled them out of their own hysteria!- classy), they helped out in a great fight sequence, AND their powers are fully intact and/or restored despite M-Day.

To top it off, we have the reintroduction of what might become a great recurring villain alongside Sinister. Where one door closes, another opens, eh? And, correct me if I'm wrong, but I have a distinct feeling the 198 won't be in such low numbers much longer. I think Sinister will take a shot at "curing" the now powerless mutants...afterall...Scarlet Witch is still alive... If the Beaubiers' came back from that craziness from brainwashing after brainwashing, perhaps there's still hope for Wanda to turn the tables yet again. 'cues dramatic music...Dum dum dum!!!'

[LuminousVelocity]

Oh, and I'm of the party that thinks Northstar and Aurora will return to the school to teach. Northstar had a bond with his students, and Aurora needs a family-like atmosphere sans nuns. Just seems to fit.

[MistressMerr]

Do the same for Jefferies and I will forgive Marvel for the whole off-panel death scene. Cool

DITTO.

I have been anticipating this issue since it was first solicited, more than Omega Flight, more than ANYTHING. It was so worth the wait.

AWESOME. Just... AWESOME.

[Guardian]

Picked it up today. But I haven't read it yet. Tommorrow.

[kozzi24]

Other than a statement, "I read the advance copy, and AF fans are going to be really happy" and maybe a tease, I don't know that we needed a synopsis from an advanced copy.

The story was great in execution on all points. I don't think the J-M/nuns scene contradicted anything already shown about that time period. I interpretted it as part of Jeanne-Marie's first attempt at controlling Aurora...someone else does it for her, "to teach that Aurora a lesson."

I did get a feel for the friendship between J-P and Rogue, without any clutter, so I was quite happy with that.

I liked the little layer of depth added to the J-P/Clementine relationship as well.

The only thing that kept the issue from being 100% to me was the art. I found the people too cartoony, but that is a statement more to my tastes than to the work of the artist.

[LuminousVelocity]

Now that you mention it, I too agree the art was a little "cartoony." It would've been nice to have a darker realism to the story, perhaps like the art in Civil War. Oh well, it was still colorful and fun to read.