Astonishing X-Men
 |
| Astonishing X-Men | |
|---|---|
 Variant cover art for Astonishing X-Men #25. Art by Lee Bermejo. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| Format | (vol. 1-2) Limited series (vol. 3) Ongoing series |
| Publication date | (vol. 1) 1995 (vol. 2) 1999 (vol. 3) 2004 - present |
| Main character(s) | Cyclops Emma Frost Beast Storm Wolverine Armor |
| Creative team | |
| Written by | (vol. 3) Joss Whedon (issues 1-24) Warren Ellis(issues 25 -) |
| Artist(s) | (vol. 3) John Cassaday (issues 1-24) Simone Bianchi (issues 25 -) |
Astonishing X-Men is the name of three X-Men comic books from Marvel Comics, the first two of which were limited series. The ongoing series began in 2004, its first run written by Joss Whedon with art by John Cassaday. It is currently written by Warren Ellis with art done by Simone Bianchi [1]. It was a critical and commercial success, focusing on a roster consisting of Cyclops, Emma Frost, Shadowcat, Colossus, Beast and Wolverine. This roster has also been the focus of various limited series, such as X-Men: Phoenix - Endsong, X-Men: Phoenix - Warsong and World War Hulk: X-Men.
Volume one (1995)
The original Astonishing X-Men was a four-issue series that replaced Uncanny X-Men during the 1995 alternate universe storyline Age of Apocalypse, in which all X-Titles were given new names and issue numbers. In this storyline, Professor X was murdered 20 years in the past by his own son, Legion. Magneto, witnessing his friend's death, committed himself to Xavier's dream and created his own team of X-Men. However, he was unable to prevent the rise of the despotic Apocalypse and hence the series primarily dealt with the X-Men's battle against him.
Astonishing X-Men, written by Scott Lobdell and illustrated by Joe Madureira, featured a team of X-Men led by Rogue and consisted of Sunfire, Blink, Morph, Sabretooth and Wildchild.
Volume two (1999)
The second limited series to bear the title Astonishing X-Men was published in 1999 and occurred after The Shattering storyline. In this series, most of the regular X-Men left the team over a conflict with Professor X. The three-issue series, written by Howard Mackie and illustrated by Brandon Peterson, featured an interim team consisting of Cyclops, Phoenix, Wolverine, Archangel, Cable and Nate Grey.
This team protected the Mannites (a group of super powered, genetically engineered children) from Death, a horseman of Apocalypse. Wolverine was apparently murdered by Death in the final pages of the series but it was later revealed that "Death" was actually a mind controlled Wolverine, and that the "Wolverine" who was killed was an imposter, a shapeshifting Skrull.
Volume three (2004-present)
In 2004, Marvel used the title Astonishing X-Men for the ongoing X-Men series written by Joss Whedon and illustrated by John Cassaday. It is a continuation of the first New X-Men title and features a similar line-up of characters, including Cyclops and Emma Frost (as co-team leaders), Beast, Shadowcat, Colossus, Lockheed and Wolverine. This team became the usual focus for most X-Men limited series from then on as well.
Whedon/Cassaday's Astonishing X-Men introduced a number of original characters into the Marvel Universe including Special Agent Brand, S.W.O.R.D., Hisako Ichiki, Ord of the Breakworld and Blindfold.
Also many large scale events in the Marvel Universe such as House of M, Decimation, Civil War and other Marvel crossovers have been ignored almost completely during the run, due to the long delays between issues and Whedon's own stated desire to remain away from big cross-overs, which he personally dislikes, and what he saw as hectic and unfollowable X-men continuity (Wizard Magazine #165, 2005).
Vol. 3 Plot summary
"Gifted" (Issues 1-6)
The first story arc focused on the introduction of several key characters and their involvement on the team. Whedon introduces a "mutant cure" designed by Indian Benetech scientist Dr. Kavita Rao, who is secretely sponsored by warrior alien Ord. The perspective of "real" humanity arouses heavily-mutated Beast, who visits Rao and finds out that the drug is fruit of illegal human experimentation on an unknown victim. The X-Men raid Benetech and are reunited with Colossus. With Colossus' help, the team took down Ord, but not before it was revealed that a mutant (most likely an X-Man) would destroy Ord's home planet, — the Breakworld — within the next three years.
With this 2005 arc, Whedon brought in Colossus four years after his comic book death in 2001. The "mutant cure" plot was also base of the X-Men 3 movie plot. The arc was critically lauded and won the 2006 Will Eisner Award for "Best Continuing Series".[2] IGN called the arc "best X-Men run in a decade" and lauded Whedon for flawless character dynamics.[3]
"Dangerous" (Issues 7-12)
This Whedon arc features a Sentinel attack with a mystery mastermind. The culprit is the Danger Room, who is becoming sentient and appears as a robot called "Danger". Whedon establishes that Professor X imprisoned Danger and made it an unwilling host of the Danger Room, leaving the X-Men disgusted. Whedon also revealed that Emma Frost is aligned with the newly formed Hellfire Club.
"Torn" (Issues 13-18)
The X-Men are manipulated by a new Hellfire Club, consisting of Cassandra Nova, Emma Frost, the enigmatic Perfection, Negasonic Teenage Warhead, and Sebastian Shaw. Whedon established that Emma Frost is blackmailed into servitude by Cassandra, and that Cyclops's non-control of his optic blasts is result of a childhood trauma. Nova initially beats the X-Men (save Shadowcat) by mind control, but Shadowcat frees her colleagues. At the end, the X-Men fight Nova to a standstill. But before the conflict can be resolved, the X-Men are forcibly teleported away by S.W.O.R.D. to a spaceship headed for the Breakworld.
The final panel of issue 15, in which Shadowcat crouches in a sewer clenching her fists, was an homage to the final panel of Uncanny X-Men #132, in which Wolverine did this gesture.
"Unstoppable" (Issues 19-24, Giant-Size Astonishing X-Men 1)
In the following Unstoppable arc, Whedon wrote an adventure taking place on the alien Breakworld. The X-Men square off against the Breakworld leaders, who are intending to destroy Earth by firing a giant bullet. The Danger subplot is also resolved, and Whedon established that Danger is hard-coded not to kill. In the end, Shadowcat phases inside the Breakworld bullet, and when it reaches Earth, makes it intangible, so that the bullet passes through Earth. Shadowcat seemingly sacrifices her life, comic book death-style.
Warren Ellis, Simone Bianchi
Marvel announced at San Diego Comicon 2007 that following completion of the Whedon/Cassaday run on Astonishing X-Men, the series will continue with the new creative team of Warren Ellis and Simone Bianchi. This run was expected to debut in early 2008, but due to the delays in the releases, pushed back to the summer of 2008.[1] Ellis and Bianchi's first issue, Astonishing X-Men #25, was released in July 2008, and features the team relocated to San Francisco, with a base in the Marin headlands. The only addition to the team is Storm.[4] A recent Astonishing X-Men sketchbook was released and showed costume redesigns by Bianchi for the upcoming "Astonishing X-Men: Second Stage". The characters showcased were Dazzler, Beast, Nightcrawler, Archangel, Cyclops, Emma Frost, Colossus, Storm, and Wolverine.
"Ghost Box" (Issues #25-)
Now based in San Francisco, Ellis establishes the X-Men as protectors of the city. The new team consists of Cyclops, Emma Frost, Beast, Wolverine and Armor, and later, Storm arrives. The X-Men uncover a plot of mutant synthesis from an unusual murder. The killer (designated 'X') is located, fixing and restarting the eponymous "ghost box" in a spaceship. X is defeated but kills himself rather than surrender information about his intentions and "the Annex."
Lineups
| Issues | Characters |
|---|---|
| 1-3 | Cyclops, Emma Frost, Beast, Wolverine, Shadowcat, Lockheed |
| 4-19 | Cyclops, Emma Frost, Beast, Wolverine, Shadowcat, Lockheed, Colossus |
| 20-24, Giant-Sized Astonishing X-Men 1 | Cyclops, Emma Frost, Beast, Wolverine, Shadowcat, Lockheed, Colossus, Armor |
| 25-future | Cyclops, Emma Frost, Beast, Wolverine, Armor, Storm |
Reception
Astonishing X-Men has been subject to criticism regarding the delays between the issues. Whedon's initial contract with Marvel Comics was for twelve issues for one year but the final issues were four months late. After a break of several months, the title resumed in February 2006 with the new story arc "Torn". With issue 13, the comic temporarily went from monthly to bimonthly to allow more time for Whedon and Cassaday to finish each issue and avoid further late releases. The book resumed a monthly schedule in September 2006 with issues 16 and 17, but was delayed once again for issue 18. Delays have continued to the present for a variety of reasons, including Cassaday's last minute assignment to pencil the fifth issue of Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America. The delays have also gotten the title out of sync with the other X-Men titles. X-Editor Nick Lowe says that where the story fits will become clearer after its end.
The film X-Men: The Last Stand can be seen as being influenced by the first arc of the series, which is entitled "Gifted" drawing on the cure storyline and related character Dr. Kavita Rao. Whedon has said that while he knows "many people have done cure scenarios before me", he wasn't familiar with any of those earlier stories at the time he started working on "Gifted". [5]
In Wizard #173, Whedon admitted to making mistakes in the second story arc, saying he was so fascinated with the idea of the "new intelligence" that he neglected the action and thus prevented the story from flowing well.
The third volume of the Astonishing X-Men comic book series has generally been well received with comic sales normally being very high. Whedon's run was nominated for several Eisner Awards. In 2006, the series won the best continuing series award and in 2005 and 2006, John Cassaday won Best Artist/Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team (tied with Frank Quitely for 2005). Also, in 2004, Astonishing X-Men's first volume, "Gifted", was given the accolade of Wizard magazine's Book of the Year.
