In culture, comics, science fiction, and politics there has always a confusion between mutation and mutatis mutandis. A mutation is a random change of the genetic structure. Mutatis mutandis is Latin for “after the necessary modifications.” In the popular mindset evolution makes everything better and better .So it was that the first mutant superhero was […]
Tag Archives | X-Men
“The Third One’s Always the Worst” — X-MEN: APOCALYPSE
When reviews hit for X-Men: Apocalypse, it wasn’t looking great for Fox’s mutant franchise. Critics were giving it lower marks than even 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand, which nearly brought the series to a screeching halt until 2011’s First Class, which kicked off this latest trilogy of period-piece X-Men films. I loved First Class and […]
Marvel Firsts: X-Factor #19
Introducing the Horsemen of Apocalypse! X-Men: Apocalypse, which debuted this past weekend, saw Fox’s X-Men franchise launch their own very different version of the Horsemen than we originally saw in the comics: Storm, Magneto, Psylocke, and Archangel. In honor of their apocalyptic debut on the big screen, let’s take a look back at their first […]
Marvel Firsts: X-Men #129
Introducing everyone’s favorite intangible teen, Kitty Pryde! I read X-Men #129 as a part of The Dark Phoenix Saga trade paperback, which is of course a must have for any X-Fan. Chris Claremont and John Byrne’s landmark story had a huge impact on Marvel Comics – so much so that fallout from this story still […]
Protecting a World That Hates and Fears Them
A runaway hit in both comic shops in the ’80s and ’90s and movie theatres every few years since 2000, the X-Men were the heavy hitters in Marvel’s lineup for decades. However, it’s easy to forget that for much of the series’ existence, the X-Men were distant third-stringers in the Marvel Universe, with their comic […]
The Mystique of Brian K. Vaughan
That right there is maybe the worst title ever, but I just can’t help myself. It’s a self-control issue. Anyway, there aren’t many people who need to be convinced that Brian K. Vaughan is one of the best comic book writers in the game. Y: The Last Man has reached legendary status, Runaways has […]
The Blastoff Art Gallery – Scott and Jean
New banner time, as we move into the month of May. Love is in the air, as is talk of the X-Men, thanks to the new film premiering soon. So thanks to our always astounding Artist-in-Residence Elena Casagrande, let’s take a look at one of our favorite couples in comics:
Putting Things Right
Bryan Singer’s X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST was not a film I was particularly looking forward to, mostly because of how much I enjoyed Matthew Vaughn’s X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, and had been hoping to see Vaughn carry on with the adventures of his X-Men. Which is why FUTURE PAST came as such a genuine surprise, […]
Like a Child (of the Atom) Again
It took me something of an adjustment period, but I eventually grew to quite appreciate and be a fan of the Brian Michael Bendis era of AVENGERS, after the rough start that smacked of sensationalism and death-for-death’s sake. I came to see Bendis’s real affection for the characters and the Avengers history, and enjoyed his […]
A Merry Mutant Christmas
An overlooked holiday favorite from the ’90s:
Longing for Big Feet
Karl tells us about the first X-Men comic he ever bought for himself, and why he wanted to be The Beast as a kid: And you can own the issue, X-MEN #49! Click here for all the details!
Five Of My Favorite Kitty Pryde Moments
I liked Kitty Pryde aka Sprite aka Shadowcat aka Ariel as soon as I met her in Uncanny X-Men #129. The young girl who could phase and walk through walls and possessed unstoppable spunk grabbed my attention. I adored how she instantly bonded with Storm and soon proved she wasn’t scared to jump into the […]
Meet the Mutant Master
Think back for a minute to say, high school or college. A pretty sizable chunk of your life, right? Now imagine spending four times that long writing a single group of characters. Sixteen years. That’s how long Chris Claremont was the writer on Marvel’s UNCANNY X-MEN, the series he revitalized, which in turn revitalized the […]