The X-men their ally, Lilandra Neramani, have been countering that agenda every step of the way. The presidential election is coming up and Senator Robert Kelly is running on an anti-mutant agenda. Together, they fight for peace in a world that hates and fears them. While I’m unsure where Charles Soule’s story fits in with the rest of the Marvel Universe, I’m positive that some of these consequences will bleed over into other books when it’s all said and done.Professor Charles Xavier and his X-men were born with extraordinary powers. It has a notable X-Men villain who has twisted morals, it has a questionable Charles Xavier, and it contains epic science fiction qualities. What to Expect Next?Īll in all, ASTONISHING X-MEN #8 is a classic X-Men book.
His shades of green for Proteus are beautiful, and his color choices for each X-Men make them pop, particularly when they’re all standing together. These drawings are assisted heavily by the color work of Edgar Delgado. This took some vivid imagination on Siqueira’s part, and it really paid off. But, of course, there’s the grotesque final page. I love how Siqueira depicts Proteus, and the imaginary castle X and Psylocke find themselves at is stunning. The pencils from Paulo Siqueira are clear and crisp in ASTONISHING X-MEN #8.
While this series doesn’t fit in with the rest of the Marvel Universe, it’s proving to be one of the strongest X-Men books on the shelf. Finally, is Proteus really trying to make amends? We can hardly trust X, how can we trust Proteus? And is Mystique going to come back to the “good” side once again? It’s shaping up to seem so. The way the ASTONISHING X-MEN roster has been collaborating is clear indication that proper thought was put into this lineup, similar to the X-Force squad from Remender’s UNCANNY X-FORCE run. His love for Rogue has had fans shouting with glee, but will it last? Soule’s choice to have these two together (as well as the other members of this team) is definitely purposeful. The usage of Gambit that has been fantastic as well. Having the lovable Warren with the power of Archangel may allow for this character to make a stronger mark in X-Men culture. Warren is a character who constantly goes from boring to exciting, depending on his writer and given power set. The fact Warren is now in control of the Archangel is very exciting. When this series first started it was all fine and dandy, but now? I’m not sure what to think this series seems as though it’s not even in mainstream continuity.Įpisode 82: The Dark Angel Saga and Rick Remender’s UNCANNY X-FORCE (part 1)īut with all that said, Charles Soule is doing amazing work in ASTONISHING X-MEN #8 that I hope gets carried over into other X-titles. And, if it is, it’s extremely out of character, despite his portrayal in the 2000s making him more of a jerk.Īnd then there’s the question of continuity: when does this story actually take place? With “No Surrender” occurring in AVENGERS right now, Rogue’s inclusion here is mind-boggling. Is this Charles Xavier? Or, if it’s just a shadow of his former self, how much can we actually trust him? His decision to attack Proteus seemed rather bold and aggressive, making me believe this isn’t exactly Charles. ASTONISHING X-MEN #8 is Exciting Yet ConfusingĪfter an epic first arc, ASTONISHING X-MEN gets a bit strange with its inclusion of X. However, it’s much too late, and Proteus attacks the two, resulting in one of the most perturbing endings to an X-Men book in years. This backfires tremendously, and Psylocke even points out the flaw in X’s plan. X doesn’t buy it and instead tries to attack Kevin. X reprimands Bishop here, showing Charles Xavier’s much harsher side that has become prevalent for his character since the early 2000s.Ĩ Fresh Takes in the Marvel May 2018 Solicitations His inclusion of Proteus continues that bizarre streak, for there isn’t an immediate battle like one would expect from this X-Men enemy. I nstead, Bishop takes action and tries to distract Proteus with bullets, feeding the monster in the hopes that it will keep him from harming humans.
With an entity claiming to be Charles Xavier inhabiting Fantomex’s body, Charles Soule continues to create one of the most bizarre contemporary X-Men tales in ASTONISHING X-MEN #8. Plus, we receive impressive artwork from Paulo Siqueira and Edgar Delgado. Can we trust this new incarnation of the late Charles Xavier? Charles Soule provides hints towards this question and more in this issue.
What does this green monstrosity have in store? Well, it’s not entirely clear, but one thing is certain: X is still a very questionable character. After over a month of waiting, we finally learn Proteus’ first move upon escaping the clutches of the Shadow King in ASTONISHING X-MEN #8.