Amazing X-Men # 1

[seamonkey72]

Kurt Wagner aka Nightcrawler adjusts to the “afterlife.”




Amazing X-Men # 1 opens with Kurt’s monologue about his life and death. He is staying at the edge of paradise as he is not quite ready for his reward, he’s still “earthbound” and adventure is still calling to him. That’s why he jumps into a much needed swash and buckle with some pirates from beyond.












Enter Azazel. Yeah, I know, I know (and I suspect Aaron does as well – brave man). Zazzy proceeds to insult Kurt and says yo mama and talks about his plans of interdimensional domination.



"...You're dead." taunts Azazel.

Back at the JGS school there is a new player and it’s Firestar, hoping for a job at the school. Firestar feels a bit caught off guard in the X-Men’s casual weirdness. Weirder than what she had to deal with as an Avenger or New Warrior? I guess the X-Men have their own special brand of weirdness.



Firestar notes how cute Bobby is in her thoughts (who seems stuck on Kitty) obviously a nod to the cartoon of Spiderman and his Amazing Friends and their mini-series together a while back.

Hank is trying to figure out what’s going on with the Bamfs and their portal machine thingy. The staff: Hank, Logan, Ororo, Rachel, Bobby and co. study the machine and discuss the Bamfs strange behavior. The portal eventually sucks Jean Paul and Logan into the dimension Kurt is residing in. Of course Logan knows Kurt’s bamf smell anywhere (as much as Kurt knows how often Logan changes his underwear). That’s what friends are for. But Logan seems quite happy that he may finally be reunited with his “Elf.” Or… will he?



Ok, admittedly I’m not good at this so forgive the rather corny summaries. Overall I liked this issue. If I have a gripe it’s that Firestar comes across a bit green and it seems to forget Angelica's past wariness of the X-Men particularly because of Emma. Also, Kurt getting too stuck in the religious theme but so far it isn't enough to turn me off. I think the idea of a man not ready to take his reward, because well, it’s too boring can make for some interesting stories especially coming from such a peaceful character as Kurt. Again, my concern is Kurt’s character getting brought down by the whole Schism Wolverine vs. Cyclops feud, which I’ve found quite uninteresting actually. But, I’m finally getting that swashbuckling Kurt I’ve been complaining about so I’m going to give this a go and see what Aaron has planned. Again, I liked this issue enough to look forward to number 2 which came out yesterday.

Comments

[captainbellman]

Fapfap.

FAPFAP

[xamda]

Motto. sir. Motto.

[seamonkey72]

Yeah, I noticed that too. His tail got a fap as well. Maybe its officially canon that his tail serves as a second..., uh, never mind.

I'm going now.

[featheredserpent]

It's the little Bluebird of Fappiness.

[crinos]

Okay, maybe this is cause I am on a massive DnD/pathfinder kick at the moment, but this totally reads like a Planescape adventure.

DM: You guys are fallen adventurers chilling out in Heaven, suddenly the plane is breached by a pirate ship filled with demons. Go get em.

Mod Note!

[icon_uk]

Hi

Please reduce the size of the image above the cut to be within the board rules about such things, 300x400 is the largest permitted.

Thanks

Re: Mod Note!

[seamonkey72]

Will do. Sorry! ^^;

Re: Mod Note!

[icon_uk]

Thanks

[randyripoff]

You know, it would have been awesome had Azazel actually said, "Yo Mama".

[his_spiffynesss]

I guess Angelica is taking over the Kitty Pryde role.

[seamonkey72]

Yep, sadly, for me anyway. I like Firestar but I was really hoping for a Kurt/Kitty reunion. Their friendship is one of my favorites and has been ignored too long.

[silvercat17]

"Enter Azazel. Yeah, I know, I know (and I suspect Aaron does as well – brave man)."

I don't know and I'm not finding the wikipedia page enlightening. But anything involving swashbuckling Kurt is good in my books.

[darkknightjrk]

Azazel was introduced in the Chuck Austin run of Uncanny. If I recall right, he was introduced as Kurt's father, who was using him (then a priest) as an unwitting undercover agent to take over the Vatican or something awful like that. It was pretty bad, like most of Austin's run.

[psylynce]

Yay! I don't know either! Yay! Someone please inform me!..or us actually...

[donnblake]

Azazel was introduced in a much maligned run, which also included elements such as an evil cult planning to murder thousands (millions?) of Catholics with distintegrating communion wafers to convince them that the Rapture was being triggered, and Angel having sex with a young woman in midair, in full view of her mother.

Azazel was the patriarch of a clan of extra dimensional demonic-looking mutants, who were at were with a clan of extra dimensional angelic looking mutants. I haven't read the story in a while, but he was kind of a dick. He was trying to escape his extra-dimensional prison by making short jaunts over to Earth and impregnating local women. The story was generally reviled, both on its own merits, and on the basis that many felt we didn't need another A) ancient race of mutants tied to one of the X-men, or B) Individual claiming to be the inspiration for the biblical Satan.

Personally, I think his reception might have been a bit better if he had always been presented as a dimension-hopping soul-pirate.

[halloweenjack]

Even the X-Men movie origin--that he's just another mutant, and (it's heavily implied) Nightcrawler's dad--would have been better.

[wizardru]

The big problem with Azazel, IMHO, is that he directly damages Kurt as a character. One of the core ideas of Nightcrawler originally is that he was the most inhuman looking of the x-men in appearance, but most against type in every way. He was (and remains) humane, kind and understanding.

The core idea of the all-new, all-different X-Men was that appearance didn't matter, nationality didn't matter and race didn't matter: all that mattered was your core humanity. Your family can be who you choose it to be and as long as you care for each other, that's all that matters. Kurt was the living embodiment of that ideal: a character who looks for all purposes to be a demon from legend, who is in fact the polar opposite of one.

Then along comes Chuck Austen, who decides that Kurt is LITERALLY the son of a demon, which is pretty on the nose. Then he ties him up in a big story where azazel created him (or claimed to, it gets confusing) and hundreds of other kurt-like beings to allow to escape Hell...even though he apparently did that to create them and....well, it doesn't track terribly well. The point is that making Kurt the son of a demon robs him of narrative power, IMHO. But Aaron is a good writer, so maybe he can fix that particular crap-sandwich.

[darkknightjrk]

Ah yes, this was loads of fun. Now that the word is that Aaron's leaving Wolverine & The X-Men, it's good to hear that we'll at least continue to get some zany X-Men madness in this book. :D

[seamonkey72]

Agreed! I'm really enjoying it! :-)

[ablackraptor]

I'm still weary; I've not enjoyed Aaron's writing a lot, mostly because he hits a few pet peeves of mine which ruins it for me, but this does look good. I might check out the first trade when it comes out, but it depends on how Kurt falls in with the Schism.

[spacebetween]

With Wolverine no doubt and not because of his friendship with Wolverine. He probably would feel that he would be of greater assistance their. Plus I don't think he would be impressed with how Cyclops has been acting of late.

[ablackraptor]

Given Aaron is writing this, probably. I'd imagine if it was someone else (and if he actually spoke to Cyclops first, since he keeps getting misrepresented by Wolverine's side) he'd probably at least understand Cyclops' position more, but Aaron seems to have a serious hate-on for Cyke that he's really not subtle about.

[seamonkey72]

I really hope Kurt doesn't become one of Logan's "Scott sucks" people. I want to see him have a more complex view than him simply choosing sides. I also want there to be some acknowledgement about other things that happened before he died like hiding X-Force, which Kurt was shown to be upset about and Logan killing Mystique without telling him. I don't expect much really given Marvels latest track record but I'd hate every thing to be all buddy buddy with Logan again and a Scott is evil rant from Kurt. I mean I want them to remain friends but I'd like there to be some tension. If not Kurt will look like a fool in my opinion.

[spacebetween]

Early Schism Cyclops was reasonable, while on the other hand as of late I haven't found much that is really agreeable with him. I do want Nightcrawler to look and talk to both of them, but given his nature I do think he would go to the Jean Grey School.

Can still see him going to Scott, but more to try and reach out to older Scott that he knew.

[seamonkey72]

Very much agree with this. Kurt would definitely try to reach out to who Scott was even if he doesn't agree with his methods. That would be totally Kurt.

[crabby_lioness]

Fuzzy Elf is Fuzzy Elf.

All is good.

[selke]

I missed fun X-men.

[theflames]

Art is great, never really understood the appeal of 'swashbuckling' Nightcrawler, but it's nice to see. Wolverine is such a pain to acknowledge, I don't trust Aaron's writing.

[seamonkey72]

It doesn't have to be swashbuckling. I just like seeing him kick ass either way. He's been sidelined so long for years up until his death while others got so much play. I would be even happier for some good character development. :)