Tag: X-Factor

Geekscape Comics: Shawn Maddens “Five Titles You Should Be Reading”

by Shawn Madden

So, not too long ago Scott Alminiana did a list of books you should be reading. With it being such a slow news day I thought i’d take it upon myself to do my own list of five titles I think you should be reading.

UNCANNY X-FORCE

This book is a no-brainer. With a team consisting of Deadpool, Psylocke, Wolverine, Fantomex and Archangel (currently replaced by AoA Nightcrawler) and the creative team of Rick Remender and Jerome Opena this is one of the best X-books out there right now.

‘The Dark Angel Saga’ was critically acclaimed and even won IGN’s Best Story Arc Of 2011.

Currently we see the team going head to head with The Omega Clan and the new Brotherhood Of Evil Mutants in ‘The Final Execution’. While everyone was praising this weeks Batman…i’m sorry but this weeks Uncanny X-Force excelled. The art and writing were flawless and back on track for this book after the somewhat weak last story arc. This book has improved over time unlike a number of titles.

I think one of the most interesting aspects of this book is the conflicting personalities amongst the team. The particular highlights of characters in this book are Fantomex (especially his relationship with Psylocke) and Deadpool who can seem to make light of any situation and make you crack a smile in the darkest of books even. I’m not ranking these five but this title is definitely at the top of my list.

SUPER CROOKS

It’s Millar. It’s Yu. It’s like ‘Oceans Eleven’ with a bunch of supervillains if Steven Soderbergh made that movie a bloody violent mess. At first I was quite skeptical of this book but chose to pick it up just to check out Lenil Yus artwork. But man…am I glad I started reading this. This book is fun while violent and *&^%$’ed up at the same time.

Now…i’ll say this right off the bat. If you do NOT like Mark Millar…this book may not be for you. But if you like, love or just kinda-sorta like his work here and there. Check this title out. For $2.99 it’s well worth it.

RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS

DC somehow managed to take a character that no one liked and turned him into one of the coolest characters in their universe. If you haven’t been reading comics for awhile…Red Hood equals Jason Todd. Remember Jason Todd? The Robin that fans voted to die at the hands of The Joker with a crowbar? Yeah. Its him. Throw in the sexually promiscuous Starfire, ex-addict Roy Harper aka Arsenal and toss in some mystic elements with the beautiful artwork of Kenneth Rocafort and writing by Scott Lobdell and you have one great DC title.

There really is nothing I dislike about this title. I’m not the biggest DC fan but I make sure and read this book the day it’s released. Even though i’m not sure if Kenneth Rocafort and Scott Lobdell will be staying on after they take over Superman but i’m really hoping so because i’ve loved this book so far and gotten quite a few people hooked.

ULTIMATE COMICS: X-MEN

“What? An Ultimate title?! Why would I read that?” says die-hard Marvel fan. And i’m going to tell you why. It is good. No, it’s not just good. It is fantastic. “But there is no Wolverine or Cyclops in this book!” Good point. Too bad the writers of this book make you not even care that the house hold X-names are not present. I actually came into this title late out of curiosity around issue six. Lets just say the comic shop saw me return the next day to pick up issues one through five.

I think what I like most about this book is its a 180 of the current status of mutants in the Marvel U. In the Ultimate U they’re on the run. They’re labeled as terrorists. They’re put into containment camps. And in recent issues they’ve been pushed and now they’re pushing back. All of the Ultimate books are about engage in something big with ‘Divided We Fall’ which is starting soon and a big part of that can be seen in Ultimate Comics: X-Men. The team of writer and Nick Spencer and artist Paco Medina  really delivered with this title. With the most recent issue Brian Wood has taken over writing duties and not dropped the ball one bit. This book is a “top of the stack” title for sure.

X-Factor

Yup…it’s another X-book! Holy $#!+ Peter David is writing a GREAT book here. You have Neil Edwards pencilling. And you have a book with Havok, Polaris, Siryn, Longshot, Shatterstar, Madrox, M, Strong Guy, Rictor and Rahne. Those should be selling points alone.

I’m not going to get too deep into why you should be reading this book but if you haven’t reaqd this title in awhile…come back. If you’ve never read this title…check it out. This is another one i’ve told people to check out and it has ended up on their pull lists.

Feel free to comment in the box below!

Geekscape Casts The ‘X-Factor’ Movie!

by Matt Blackwood

With the financial and critical success of X-Men: First Class breathing new life into the franchise, Fox is almost certainly on the lookout for the next breakout title in Marvel’s extended mutant family. I have no idea how writers might squeeze the convoluted continuity of Peter David’s super-powered detective agency into the confused canon of the film universe, but I do know who I’d like to see in an X-Factor movie.

JOSHUA JACKSON as MULTIPLE MAN

Over the past few years, Peter David has made Jamie Madrox one of the most complicated and interesting characters in comics. Madrox has used his simple ability to create duplicates of himself to learn several lifetimes’ worth of skills, which he uses to investigate mutant-related crime.

Joshua Jackson naturally exudes Madrox’s boyish charm and disdain for authority. He is also credible as a man of varied talents; he’s in his fourth season playing jack of all trades Peter Bishop on Fox’s sci-fi drama Fringe.

 

BRYCE DALLAS HOWARD as SIREN

Not only is Howard the spitting image of Theresa Cassidy, but growing up in the shadow of her famous father gives her an emotional inroad to play Banshee’s daughter. She can also scream with the best of them, as evidenced in last year’s The Help. Plus, she is a bona fide nerd, having publicly declared her love of the Luna Brothers’ The Sword.

 

PAULA PATTON as MONET

Monet St. Croix hit the genetic jackpot: flight, super strength, invulnerability, mind-reading, AND the looks of a supermodel. Paula Patton can definitely pull off the looks aspect but also proved she could balance emotion and action in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.

 

PAUL “BIG SHOW” WIGHT as STRONG GUY

No ordinary man could fill the over-sized shoes of Guido Carosella (whose code name is a joke that stuck), but the Big Show is far from ordinary. The 7-ft, 200-lb wrestler might actually look believable lifting a car AND he can act, recently carrying the entire feature Knucklehead on his broad shoulders.

 

KELLY MACDONALD as WOLFSBANE

Boardwalk Empire‘s import has been in over 30 movies since her debut in 1996’s Trainspotting. She definitely has the range to capture the mood swings of the lycanthropic Rahne Sinclair WHILE using her natural Scottish brogue.

 

ELLE FANNING as LAYLA MILLER

Young Elle Fanning hinted at her potential in Spielberg’s Super 8, and playing the precocious and enigmatic Layla Miller would let her realize it. Check out her spooky performance in The Nines, and you will believe she knows stuff.

GAEL GARCIA BERNAL as RICTOR

Julio Richter’s ability to generate earthquakes is awesome, but it will take more than just knowing your faultlines to bring the bisexual superhero’s emotional depth to life. Acclaimed actor Bernal usually stars in Oscar bait like Amores Perros and The Motorcycle Diaries, so this role would be a great opportunity for him to shake things up.

 

JERI RYAN as VAL COOPER

Jeri Ryan is a great actress who has plenty of nerd cred, having played 7 of 9 in over a hundred episodes of Star Trek: Voyager. Not to mention she may as well have modeled for X-Factor’s government liaison.

That’s just one fan’s opinion. Let me know what you think!