X Men: complaints, likes, & predictions

So I just wanted to give my thoughts and opinions about the X-Men as of late and my possible theories of what might happen with them next.

To start off with, I feel that the House of M was a good step that Marvel took with the X-Men and an exciting idea which was a big part of why I started reading comics again. The mutant population seemed like it was becoming a bit too large and less of a unique occurrence. While that event was a smart move, the aftermath has been lack luster for me.

1.The whole survival mode of all mutants having to band together seems overplayed to a degree. I realize the mutant population is now a fraction of what it once was but I don’t feel like that means all the mutants would rally together or feel more threatened. I mean if you were a mutant and still are after the events or even if you’re a de-powered one that doesn’t really change who knows you are a mutant. Seems like most mutants can just fit into regular society without being noticed. My point is it just seems a bit overdone that all mutants need to come together under the X-Men. That’s what it feels like too that most mutants are now under the X-Men’s protection or now part of the team. So to me it now seems like it isn’t that unique to be an X-Man. It seems like most anyone can be an X-Man these days and I don’t really like that.

To go along with that last point a bit more, there have been some characters as X-Men that don’t seem to fit at all. Before Messiah Complex Mystique and Sabertooth were part of Rogue’s team and I that rubbed me the wrong way. I know (or at least I think I’m right) that both have had involvement with the X-Men in the past but really Cyclops and the others just let them join the team?? I know the mutant population is a fraction of what it once was but both characters are just evil and you have to know that they are going to burn the X-Men in the end, which they did. Also Namor being an X-Man as well seems fairly unnatural. I don’t know too much about Namor’s character but he kind of seems like a jerk and doesn’t seem like the kind of guy that’s going to be one of Cyclops’s chess pieces.

2. I get the feeling when I’m reading the X titles that the X-Men are like an army with Scott Summers as their general. I think that’s what the writers are going with it to further show the crisis of the mutant race but its not how I pictured the X-Men over the years. They are a super powered team that beats the out of bad guys just like the Avengers or Fantastic 4. I haven’t really read much of the new X-Force but with crossovers and what not I get the sense that it really comes out in that. I mean I think X-Force is referred to as Scott’s black ops squad. Its just an aspect that they have been playing out lately that I don’t really like. The upside to it is that I think that will set up some interesting stories down the road. Clearly Beast had an issue with it, Nightcrawler did before he died and recently Storm has objected to the new X-Force and its missions. I think it can led to some nice story arcs and I hope they do run with that tension that they have been building.

3. My last point and maybe the thing that upsets me the most is that they have such a large cast but it seems like only a few X-Men are really highlighted so it actually seems smaller. I remember when the X titles each had a specific team to it with the blue and gold teams. I enjoy when the X-Men are set up like that with a nice group of 6 or so and you get to see those X-Men in it each month. I guess Uncanny is the one that has been most guilty of this. They have an island filled with mutants yet I feel that I only read about Cyclops and Emma Frost in any depth at all. I think some characters are just lost in the shuffle with this and it seems kind of ridiculous. For example, I haven’t seen Iceman in forever it seems like. I see him in the background some and in Second Coming he was part of the action but we didn’t hear much from him. It just seems kind of crazy that a major character like him is in the background.

4. Anyways… I think I did enough complaining. I was fairly satisfied with the Second Coming arc. It had allot of Sentinel fights and time traveling so defiantly had some classic X-Men themes. I like the tensions/relationships that they started to build between Hope and some of the characters like Cyclops, Wolverine and Magneto. I think the end had it wrapped up pretty well and got me excited for the next arcs which I still am excited about and enjoying so far. The Five Lights arc in Uncanny seems interesting. Its good to see some new mutants and clearly seems like these ones are different and I’m hoping the story will remain intriguing. Its also interesting in the first one how the new mutant had an almost instant and somewhat unnatural loyalty to Hope. I really enjoyed the latest issue of X-men Legacy as well with Rogue taking some of the younger mutants to India. I really like Rogue and think having the book focusing on her is working out so far. I know I had left early complaints of villains being on the X-Men but I like Magneto’s involvement so far. Magneto is one of my favorite villains if not number one and his relationship with the X-Men is different and find him joining the X-Men at this time is believable and works out.

5. I have a few predictions and/or theories about what might being happening with X-Men and what I’d like to see happen. First, Gambit is my favorite X-Man and I’m glad to see him back with the X-Men. I’m not a big fan of his Death persona that has been popping out, although it was pretty cool when it came out during the Second Coming Hellbound arc which I thought was surprisingly good. So far in the X-titles this instance of Gambit turning into Death and trying to kill and corrupt his teammates hasn’t been brought up which is a bit weird but I think its just due to the fact that they can’t fit it into the current stories going on right now. Anyways my theory with his Death persona is that its actually Mr. Sinister’s consciousness at least partly. A while back Gambit was basically talking to this Death persona in which Death asked Gambit if he knew who it was. Gambit replied: the Death persona that Apocalypse made (basically) and it replied: not quite. Back in X-Men Legacy, Professor X and others destroyed a machine that would awaken Sinister’s consciousness within Professor X, Shaw or a few others. I think Sinister did something like this with Gambit when Gambit joined up with him in the Messiah Complex. I’m hoping something will be done in which Gambit and his Death persona are separated so Gambit is himself and hopefully Sinister is back as well.

My other theory of what might happen and what I’d like to see happen is a split with the X-Men to some degree. Like I was saying earlier seems like there are at least a few X-Men that aren’t pleased with Cyclops’s tactics especially his X-Force. I’d like to see Professor X led a team of X-men back at a rebuilt X-Mansion while Scott is a leader of a different team on Utopia. For me that would be perfect if that happened. Its seems like Xavier has been in exile so to speak long enough for the crappy things he did. I feel like some of the X-Men would be ready to give him another chance and split with Scott as well. I don’t feel like there would have to be tension or that the two teams would fight like a X-Men civil war or anything. I just think some X-Men aren’t happy with Scott and would be willing to take a shot with Professor X again. I think it would help to make more defined teams as well. Scott’s team could be focused on the Uncanny title and Xavier’s team could be focused in the X-Men title or what not.

So that’s all my ramblings for right now. If anyone else has some thoughts please comment. Love to talk about it even more.