Saturday, September 14, 2013

ADJECTIVELESS X-MEN 1-3: THIS IS THE END


Back in the day, when I was pledging a fraternity (which I did because I was sold a false bill of goods that frat lords bang hot babes on the reg), one popular move by the brothers was to stuff all us pledges in the women's bathroom (yes, we had a men's and women's bathroom in the basement, natch), and blast The End by the Doors over the house speakers. Then they would slowly but forcefully enter us from behind. Get it? The End = our butts!

No just kidding. They did play that song but then the worst the hazing got was we had a eat and drink gross shit and puke a bunch. Haha, BARF. The point is, this is the end of Claremont's run on the X-Men, and this is also the end of this blog. Even tho Claremont had already stopped writing the Uncanny X-Men, the first 3 issues of the brand new ongoing series, JUST X-MEN (but there was no "just" in the title, it was just "X-Men". Yes I know I said "just X-Men" again, great bit, Laurel and Hardy), these 3 issues are all part of the same story Claremont started way back in Uncanny X-Men 94, lo so many years ago.

Now, if you want actual analysis of Claremont the maestro and his criminally under rated accomplishment, please go to this real blog with a real writer who did a real critique. If you look closely you might even find me, acting like a total spaz in the comments, trying to be all serious and shit.

However, since this is one of those jagov MS Paint dick and fart joke blogs, I'll just do a brief recap and then make a bunch of dumb comments and non sequiturs about butt holes or whatever.

So after the Muir Island Saga, all of the X-Mans of the world found themselves hanging out at the X-Mansion again, which has been rebuilt for like the 3rd or 4th time (at least their supporting their local contractors). Xavier's all like, great to be back X-Bros, how about we split up into two fuckin teams so as to double our revenue streams I mean double the amount of protecting a world that fears and hates us? And the X-Men are alike, yeah sounds fucking sweet, once we get all these pouches and belts and shoulder pads rocking on our new costumes we'll be ready to fucking go.

And then the X-Dudes fight each other because they are training and the readers need to learn all their powers and personality quirks (oh Gambit, you rapscallion!) but then Magnet Breath shows up and is like, HAHA, I'M A BAD GUY AGAIN! FUCK YOUR BALLS, X-PUSSIES!

Here's where I should pause and explain what a great thing it is that Claremont the maestro did with Magoman. You see, back when he was the boss of the hilariously poorly named Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (fuckin no one calls themselves evil!), Magsiepoo was all one dimensional and dumb. But then Claremont came around and he did something wonderful. He gave him MOTIVATION. And more importantly, BELIEVABLE motivation. I mean for fucking comic books anyway. Magballs was a holocaust survivor, and he wanted to make sure his people (mutants, natch) weren't persecuted into extinction. JUST LIKE THE JEWS. ITS AN ALLEGORY.

The best defense being a good offense, Magtetons was like, NOT IF I FUCK YOU FIRST, HUMANS. And THATS why he was being such a tremendous cock and balls for so long. Because it was the flat scans (humies, natch) that MADE him that way.

Anyway, now Magneebo is in space. Because everything is cooler in SPACE. And he kind of just wants to mind his own god damn business and chill out on his space rock and chill out with some space beers, as anyone with his fucking power would.

But then these sycophants show up and they're all like, dude, Magneto, we are you Acolytes! Fuckin teach us and we'll be like an army of mutants and fuck humans or some shit! And Magneto is all like, bros, thanks but no thanks, I'm up her to chill out and pound space beers, not lead any more mutant revolutions. Fuck all that noise.

But then some asshole humans chase the mutants to Magento's space rock and kill someone in cold blood and Magneto is all like, you know what? You're right, humans are fucking bullshit. Fuck humans. I will be your leader.

And then the X-Men and Magneto go at it for 3 issues and in the end, the X-Men win, but only because Magneto is all like, "I will sacrifice myself so that Xavier can have his fucking pussy ass dream of humans and mutants living together. Fuck y'all, peace I'm outta like a Saudi from Loudon County."

And then Magnet Breath dies. The end.

There's obviously way more shit going on but that's basically the gist of it. Whats probably the coolest thing about these comics is that Jim Lee, another maestro, and Claremont are both trying to pack in as much rad shit as possible. So all the art is pumped up Jim Lee action to the max and then crowding in every panel's nook and cranny is elaborate purple prose and speechifying by Claremont. It can get to be a bit much but its still more cool then cumbersome.

But probably the COOLEST coolest thing is there is a character named Delgado, who may or may not be two people. He starts off as one of the humans pursuing the renegade mutant Acolytes IN SPACE, and then next thing you know there is an Acolyte named Delgado who looks just like the human Delgado from before. At some point someone even comments, "Um, is Delgado a good guy or a bad guy? I guess we'll never know..." So I'm inclined to believe this was a plotting error by Jim Lee that Claremont wasn't able to fix in the dialog until after it went to the printers and then was like, eh fuck it, I'm done after these issues anyway.

Kind of absurd but maybe a little endearing?

So anyway, thats fucking that. The story off the fucking X-Men. There's been like, 300 more issues of Uncanny X-Men since then, so double what once was. And like a kabillion X-Men spin offs. Man, those corporate comic book companies, they fucking love making money!

And Adjectiveless X-Men number 1 definitely made some fucking money. They supposedly sold 8.1 million copies of that fucker. Which is just dumb. There aren't 8 million people reading comic books. Even then, MAYBE 100,000 people were buying comics regularly. That sales number was inflated by dickheads like me, buying 5 copies or more, because I was 10 years old and at the time it was literally the most awesomest thing that had ever happened in my lifetime.

And now this is the awesomest thing in my life. Some jagov blog for idiots. Great, grand, wonderful. AND NOW TO READ ALL OF THE NEW MUTANTS EVER, CAUSE WHAT THE FUCK ESLE IS THERE FOR ME, HONESTLY?

Monday, September 2, 2013

The best X-Men stories of all time? I'LL BE THE JUDGE OF THAT

OK so I really did it. Now what? How about some retrospection? Sure let's do it!

The magnificent blog Comics Should Be Good just ran a reader poll that ranked the top 50 X-Men stories and X-Men related stories. Just now they finished it up! Tremendous!

So now I, the owner and possessor of EVERY GOD DAMN X-MEN COMIC BOOK will rank the rankings! Wisdom of the crowds don't mean shit when you're the straight up boss of X-Men comic books!

Actually this list is a good reminder of how much I still don't know about comic books. I mean I like the X-Men but some people REALLY like the X-Men. I'm actually jealous.

Anyway, using the super rad CSBG blog and their super cool readers as a resource for which to plunder, lets get judging!

Sunday, September 1, 2013

X-MEN 279: BAD TO THE BONER

THE END OF AN ERA.
 
WELL I DID IT. I REALLY FUCKING DID IT. ALL THE X-MEN. BY CHRIS CLAREMONT. HOLY SHIT WHAT A MONUMENTAL WASTE OF TIME.

WHATEVER, THESE COMIC BOOKS ARE AWESOME AND SO AM I.

OH GREAT, FUCKING COLOSSUS IS BACK. NICE POSTURE FUCKING COLOSSUS.

I LOVE THESE PANELS. "BLAH BLAH BLAH - AAAAHHHHHH! WE'RE FALLING DOWN A FUCKING CLIFF!!!!! AAHHHHH! ANYWAY BLAH BLAH BLAH"

NOW COLOSSUS IS ALL RED. STAND UP STRAIGHT, WEIRDO.

WHAT IS THIS A FUCKING WIERD POSE OFF?

WHAT ARE THEY TAKING A TANDEM SHIT? THE FUCK.

I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE LAST PAGES OF UNCANNY X-MEN SCRIPTED BY CLAREMONT. HE CAME BACK SEVERAL YEARS LATER BUT THOSE ISSUES WERE CRAP.

THIS NARRATION BOXES EXPLAIN THAT COLOSSUS HAS FOUND A NEW LIFE AND RETIRED FROM BEING A SUPER HERO. BUT THEN HE WAS FORCED TO COME BACK BY THE EVIL SHADOW KING. AND THEN CLAREMONT BASICALLY SAID FUCK THIS NOISE, I'M OUT. THE END.

BUT THERE IS STILL HALF A SHITTY COMIC BOOK LEFT. LOTS OF X-MEN VS MIND CONTROLED X-MEN ACTION.

ANDY KUBERT DOES NOT DO A VERY GOOD JOB WITH THE CHARACTER POSES.

WAS ROGUE FLYING UPSIDE DOWN WHEN SHE GOT SHOT?

SERIOUSLY, WHAT THE FUCK IS UP WITH XAVIER'S HUNCHBACK IMPRESSION?
 
Well well well, here were are, right in the middle of a fucking crossover, right in the middle of a fucking issue, yet our job is done. Claremont's run on the Uncanny X-Men is over, and basically so is this blog.
 
I'll come back to write more when I don't have such a fucking headache. Anyway, Xavier is attacked by mind controlled Colossus back in the basement of the ruined X-Mansion. The rest of the folks are either under the Shadow King's thrall or fighting the aforementioned enthralled X-bozos.
 
Andy Kubert is a skilled artist but this issue is pretty shitty. He's doing his Jim Lee impression but exaggerating the negative qualities and not adding much else. But whatever, it gets much worse than this. Mainly its just the ridiculous poses. So bizarre.
 
The Muir Pen15land Saga wraps up a couple issues later, with X-Factor, ie the original 5 X-Turds showing up. Forge grabs an enthralled Psylocke's hand whole she's making a psychic knife and stabs Polaris in the head. Polaris is being used, for whatever reason, as the nexus holding the Shadow King's purely psychic being tethered to the corporal world. Xavier's son, Legion, dies (or does he????) and the Shadow King is defeated.
 
But that happens a couple issues later. Then all the X-titles are rebooted and the suck much more forever.
 
Now I need a fucking nap. God damn hangover.