Advance X-Solicitations March 2010

NATION X #4 (of 4)

Written by PETER MILLIGAN, ROBERTO AGUIRRE-SACASA, JOE CARAMAGNA & IVAN BRANDON
Penciled by MIKE ALLRED, NIKO HENRICHON, HARVEY TALIBAO & RAEL LYRA
Cover by PHIL JIMENEZ
All the pieces fall into place as this final issue concludes with a bang!  Namor has never taken orders from anyone before, so why does he take them from Cyclops? Where does Emma get all those Jimmy Choo's? And when a mystery strikes Utopia, who does Cyclops send to solve it?  DOOP!
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99 

X-23 #1
Written by MARJORIE LIU
Pencils and cover by ALINA URSOV
X-23 has spent her short life being used by those in power, from the military to the X-Men. But when she is forced to confront a being who can control her life with nothing but a thought, will X-23 finally learn how to fight -- not for others, but herself? Guest-starring NYX!
48 PGS./One-Shot/Parental Advisory …$3.99

X-FORCE #25
Written by CHRISTOPHER YOST & CRAIG KYLE
Pencils & Cover by CLAYTON CRAIN
Variant Cover by CLAYTON CRAIN
NECROSHA ENDS HERE!
Everything Destiny foretold has come true. The Black Queen has become the Dark Goddess, but X-Force's mission stands...KILL HER. But how do you fight a god with claws, knives and guns? And how many members will X-Force lose before the fight is over? PART SIX (of SIX)
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$2.99

X-MEN: PIXIE STRIKES BACK #2 (of 4)
Written by KATHRYN IMMONEN
Penciled by SARA PICHELLI
Cover by STUART IMMONEN
X-23, Armor, Blindfold, Mercury and Pixie are stuck in a nightmare high school and they can't get out.  Who is the person responsible?  Could it be Pixie's father?  And who is he? Here's one hint—Hellfire.
32 PGS./Rated A …$3.99

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X-Force #22 Variant Cover

X-23 One-Shot in March!

The news that absolutely made my day! I can't even describe how thrilled and happy I am!

As a member of both X-Force and the X-Men, X-23 calls the X-Men's island of Utopia, which floats off the coast of San Francisco, home. However, come March, she'll return to the mean streets of New York City in the "X-23" one-shot by writer Marjorie Liu ["NYX: No Way Home," "Dark Wolverine"] and artist Alina Urusov ["Young Avengers Presents," "X-Force, NYX"]. CBR News spoke with Liu about the special, which is part of Marvel Comics 2010 year long "Women of Marvel" celebration.

Marjorie Liu: Unlike Daken, Laura was raised in a lab, brainwashed, under constant supervision (receiving some kindness from her surrogate mother), and then later abused sexually - after which she eventually found her way to the X-Men. Logan, I'm sure, was the first male role model in her life who treated her decently, and with affection. All this, and she's still a teen.[...] I don't think it's just being with the X-Men that has given her that streak of compassion - she showed a willingness to help others when she was with Kiden. [...] The abused don't always become abusers. Some rise above their circumstances, and become better for them. Others, not so much.[...] Despite the fact that she's powerful, dangerous, and ruthless, Laura is, still, just a kid. Okay, maybe I shouldn't say "just a kid," but she's a young teen girl who has been through hell. Raised in lab, then pimped out as a whore, now used as a killing machine for the X-Men. She's spent her entire life being used - mostly by men in authority - and she's just beginning to realize what that means, and what a mental trap she's found herself in: this odd circle of power and powerlessness that she keeps returning to.[...] 


What is X-23's physical and emotional state when the "X-23" one-shot begins?
Marjorie Liu: Laura's emotional state, at the beginning, is...introspective. Physically, she's fine - but isn't she always? It's her mind and heart that need bolstering.

Power and powerlessness, the cages we put ourselves in without realizing it, the strength it takes to stand up for ourselves when people are hurting us – not physically, but mentally. Friendship, love, hope - I tried to cover all the bases for Laura!
As for the plot, it's rather simple: Laura and Logan come to New York to help an old friend of his (Jubilee, as a matter of fact), and Laura picks up Kiden's scent. She follows it, finds them - and someone else finds her. Someone very powerful, who wants to control her life. Something, unfortunately, that she's all too familiar with. [...] The greatest enemy one ever faces is one's own self. With Laura, this is taken to a much deeper level, with higher stakes. She must take that first step in becoming her own person, or else risk losing her identity altogether.

Kiden and the other kids of NYX first met Laura when she was at her very lowest. She was being used as a whore, and her mind had truly shut down. Her body was just a thing for men to use. She didn't even think about it or fight her treatment.
But Kiden's friendship brought her, for all intents and purposes, back to life. It made her wake up. And the thing about Kiden and the others was that they didn't want anything from her. Not one thing, except to help and keep her safe. That would have been something Laura had never encountered.
They were the first people to show her true friendship, and that's not something she can ever forget. So there are a lot of hard emotions for Laura when she encounters Kiden and the others - and, as with the first time she met them, their presence will make her rethink the circumstances of her life.

What do you feel the book's artist, Alina Ursov, brings to the comic?
Alina is fabulous. I can't say enough good things. Her art is fluid, delicate, with just the right mix of strength and beauty. Truly, it's a joy working with her. She was the artist who was originally intended to draw this one-shot, and I'm thrilled that's still the case.
Is X-23 a character you'd like to revisit again someday? Do you have any ideas on where you'd like to take her next?
I loved writing her, so sure! I suppose I'd like to carry on exploring some of the themes and issues raised in this one-shot.

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X-Force #22 Preview

COVER BY: Clayton Crain
WRITERS: Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost
PENCILS: Clayton Crain
INKS: Array
THE STORY:
The unthinkable happens as NECROSHA continues! Selene's actions on Genosha have changed everything, and while the X-Men were desperate to save their species...this isn't what they had in mind. But as the siege by dead mutants continues, things get even deadlier with the arrival of Selene's very much ALIVE Inner Circle at the X-Men's headquarters. With Eli Bard in tow, WITHER, MORTIS, SENYAKA and BLINK have come for one thing, and anyone who gets in their way will die. PART THREE (of SIX) PLUS - A CABLE BACKUP STORY! Parental Advisory …$3.99
PRICE: 3.99
IN STORES: December 16, 2009 

X-Necrosha: The Gathering Preview

COVER BY: Clayton Crain
WRITER: Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost
PENCILS: Kalman Andrasofszky, Leonardo Manco, Ibraim Roberson, Mateus Santolouco
THE STORY:
Selene's Inner Circle stand revealed... Wither, Mortis, Senyaka, Eli Bard and Blink. But what led Selene to gather some of the deadliest mutants in the world? Why would one of the X-Men's students join her? Who is Mortis? How is Blink alive? The stories of the Black Queen's death dealers are told in this anthology one-shot by some of today’s hottest artists! Parental Advisory ...$3.99
IN STORES: December 9, 2009

Emma Frost fanblog

Emma Frost fans assamble! - My new fan blog

"Auntie Emma's little Secret"

A little addition

X-Force #22 page (another Emma Frost's little ghost - Negasonic Teenage Warhead) and X-Force #21 second printing cover)

Plus - Mike Carey, the X-Men - Legacy writer, has promised us more work on some New X-Men characters like Onyxx, Dust and a Generation X character Husk. Hellion and Mercury were mentioned, but the author claimed them to be too popular and that the others deserved more spotlight. Yeah, right, oh, and he wants to make Onyxx (you remember him? Hellion helped Laura out for the first time at the training when Onyxx almost ran into Laura and Emma Frost forced X to stay and not move) more like Rockslide. God, why? I love Rockslide, but why on earth would we want two same-looking characters with the same personality? Thats just nuts. Plus - Hellion didn't get any spotlight, only some cameo appearances, so it's not like he and Mercury are some kind of superstars here...

More X-Force Annual Preview Pages

New pages for the X-Force Annual announced earlier. I should say, I certainly do not look forward to reading this book. Actually, this Annual makes me angry - Wolverine has his freaking share of ongoings, minis, solos and guest appearances! And so does or new "He's in so many books I'm starting to hate him"-King - Deadpool. Maybe the writers forget that X-Force is a complicated team and its actual leader is Cyclops and this team actually HAS other members. And putting them on two (or less) pages doesn't make it X-Force comics. I think X-23, Warpath, Elixir and Domino made enough this year to deserve to be in they're own annual comic book. Disgusting. And Deadpool - yeah, he might join the team, maybe even in this book, but still, annual should be about all team members. If you still haven't given up on hope to see the team in much more than just the preview pages - just look at the cover. Still, Laura is on the list of people to play some role in one of the stories smiling like she never does and already telling us she'll be badly out-of-character-written, so who knows?

Awesome X-23 by Mike Choi

Yes, this picture has been out for some time now, sorry I couldn't post it earlier. This is brilliant - a birthday gift from Mike Choi to Craig Kyle.

X-Solicits for February 2010

NATION X #3 (of 4)
Written by CHUCK KIM, GRACE RANDOLPH, CORY LEWIS & OTHERS
Penciled by GABRIEL HERNANDEZ WALTA, JAMES HARREN, CORY LEWIS & OTHERS
Cover by DUSTIN WEAVER
Danger is back with the X-Men and it’s time to pay for the death of her first victim, Wing, in ASTONISHING X-MEN. First in line for pay-back is Armor. Meanwhile, Magik has banished Anole to Limbo, but why? Cannonball’s hands are full dealing with the incoming military jet threatening the mutant’s new home. All this plus a story that is so top secret we can’t tell you who is writing it or drawing it or who it’s about!

X-FORCE #24
Written by CHRISTOPHER YOST & CRAIG KYLE
Pencils & Cover by CLAYTON CRAIN
Variant Cover by CLAYTON CRAIN
NECROSHA PART FIVE (of SIX)
Death comes to X-Force! The final battle begins as X-Force storms Necrosha to find and kill the Black Queen...but there are 16 million of her slaves between them and her. As the team's least likely member goes on a suicide mission to save Warpath, Selene achieves her heart's desire…and someone doesn't walk away from this fight.

X-MEN: PIXIE STRIKES BACK #1 (of 4)
Written by KATHRYN IMMONEN
Penciled by SARA PICHELLI
Cover by STUART IMMONEN
Pixie, X-23, Armor, Mercury and Blindfold face a new kind of hell: high school! Things get even worse when Pixie’s mother shows up on Utopia demanding to see her daughter. Discover the truth about Pixie, inculding the answer to something even SHE doesn’t know: the identity of her father- one of the most dangerous X-Villains ever!

X-Force Annual #1

Unexpected, behind our backs, something horrible appears: X-Force Annual #1
It might be not as scary us it looks, but holy ####, the art is so bad it almost tells me to kill myself. It really reminds me of this horrible "Times and Life of Lucas Bishop" art. Just look at X-23's face. But, I guess it will be one of the million Wolverine comics and "X-Force"'s name only is there to get the readers, so it doesn't matter. I am almost certain that the only part of other team members we'll get to see is the one in the preview. Is it a good or a bad thing - I have no idea.
The second part is more interesting, though!

X-FORCE ANNUAL #1
Written by ROBERT KIRKMAN, CRAIG KYLE & CHRISTOPHER YOST
Art by JASON PEARSON & CARLO BARBERI
Cover by JASON PEARSON
Wolverine is sent into the heart of a Hydra base alone. His mission: like a needle in a haystack, he's tasked with bringing in one specific Hydra agent. But why? And what does this mission have to do with the dwindling mutant population and X-Force? (Autor's comment: Nothing.)
Plus, a NECROSHA BONUS FEATURE!! The Black Queen's forces are consuming Utopia. The X-Men and X-Force fight for their lives. And amid the chaos, a squad of resurrected Acolytes have come for the former White King of the Hellfire Club...Magneto. But what they find instead is much, much worse: DEADPOOL! The Merc With a Mouth (and Loa) joins the fight in 'UNDEADPOOL.'
40 pages /Parental Advisory.....3.99

Hero Initiative Wolverine 100 Project

Terry Dodson's drawing for Wolverine 100 Project featuring Wolverine and X-23. The drawing was done with pencil, Pitt and Copic Markers on a blank-cover Wolverine : Weapon X #1. This will be featured in the Wolverine 100 book and will be available for auction. For more details - click here. You can see other Wolverine covers here.

X-Force #21 Preview

Cover by: Clayton Crain
Writers: Craig Kyle & Chris Yost
Pencils: Clayton Crain
Inks: Clayton Crain
Colored by: Clayton Crain
Lettered by: VC's Cory Petit

The Story: Necrosha continues here! The resurrected dead lay siege to the X-Men's headquarters, and the fight to survive the Black Queen's vengeance begins. But while Warpath and Wolverine realize what's happening, they may be too late to stop it. Because Selene is already well on her way to achieving ultimate power half a world away. And as the rest of the X-Men fight mutants back from the dead, Wolfsbane struggles to survive a very different threat. Plus! The long awaited return of the Vanisher. Part Two (of Six)
In Stores: November 11, 2009

P.S.: "Is Elixir in a save place?" - Awwwww! ^^ Haha

Another Homage X-Force Cover

New homage ("Underworld") variant cover from X-Force #23 by Clayton Crain.

X-Force #20 Review

After a weekly delay X-Force #20 is finally out. 20th issue is the final issue of the "Not Forgotten" arc telling a story about Laura being kidnapped by the Facility. I guess it would be in order to look back and see what exactly we saw here. My little review might content SPOILERS.
Personally, I'll eat up everything you give me with Laura in it. I might not love it, but I will read it. Especially if Yost and Kyle are the writers and Oback and Choi are the artists. I'm not entirely sure if I liked this ark or not. There's nothing to say to the art - it's perfect as always. But it's the story that bothers me. Single issues are good, they could be much better (who needs lame Snow Giants storyline? It was such a waste of pages!) but they are OK. We saw Yost and Kyle writing much better stories, though. If you look at Not Forgotten as at a complete story you realize that it... kinda didn't tell us anything. There's absolutely nothing new except for agent Morales. We didn't learn anything new about Laura or about Kimura (her promise to eat Laura's brain was hardcore even for her, though), the Facility is just the way it was in the first X-23 series, minus a lot of coolness... I don't know. I am very thankful that we got a story about Laura, but in the end it was like smelling food instead of eating it. The end of the 20st issue still impressed me, no matter how old the whole object of Kimura being a bitch was. Laura's reaction really got to me. Kimura's words really made me shake a little. I really understood what Laura felt at the moment, I could foresee her reaction although I would never logically suggest X'll burst in tears. But she did. Moments like that make me realize how much I love X-23.

P. S.: The cover sucks. Not visually, it is. People, we all know the covers are not supposed to tell the exact truth, but if they lie they should symbolize something. This cover - it looks at us and thinks we are idiots.

X-Force writers are leaving

As announced here on CBR, [Craig Kyle and Chris Yost] will leave "X-Force" at the end of the recently disclosed "Second Coming" storyline. Before anyone panics, though, fans will still be able to enjoy the duo's work on the title for a number of months to come – and those months look to be busy! After concluding the current "Not Forgotten" arc, "Necrosha" and its tie-ins will occupy readers' time for quite awhile. This will be followed by the aforementioned "Second Coming," which will help conclude events kicked off way back in the "Messiah CompleX" event.

Is there any chance you'll be sticking around the X-Universe and write something else? And if so, will you be taking any of the "X-Force" characters with you?

YOST: As far as I know, the book is going to continue. [...] Here's the thing: we love to be honest with the fans. But we're still eight or nine months out, so it's really hard to talk about future plans or endings or anything like that. [...] There's many reasons to want to stick around in the X-World, as well as being fans since we were kids. "Who knows?" is the short answer, but we have many reasons to stick around is the second part of that. And let's not forget about all the fans who have been amazing to us since we started.

Should fans be looking for your works at companies other than Marvel?

YOST: Um, I don't know how to put this, but "Red Robin" is on sale monthly (from DC). I mean, I've got big love for Marvel – obviously – even though I'm working on a DC book right now. And of course, you're going to see Craig's work outside of the X-Men universe.

KYLE: [...] I'm a Marvel boy and I've said it out loud. And it's not as though I don't have wonderful friends like Geoff Johns at DC, but, you know, unlike guys who can jump back and forth between worlds, I'm very comfortable in the world of Marvel. So I'm sticking around. If I'm doing comics, I'm doing Marvel comics.

YOST: And the third bottom line is, we love the X-Office so it's hard for us to say "no." If they come up to us and say, "Hey, do you want to do X-whatever," it's hard for us to refuse that stuff because we love it.

Some great new Gabriele Dell'Otto pages for the "X-Force: Sex & Violence" mini were released not too long ago, so I was wondering if you could give us an update on the status of the project?

YOST: The second issue is about halfway done. I wouldn't be surprised if you see it in the solicitations by this spring, but that's just a guess.

KYLE: [...] It's a three act film, and it's real intimate, real fun, and, obviously very sexy and very violent. I think the fans are going to enjoy it, and the way Gabe has translated that story – it's just thrill after thrill. So no matter how long it takes, I assure you no one wants it on the shelves more than Chris and I. It's going to be worth the wait.

What are the chances of any of the "living dead" staying in the land of the living once "Necrosha" dies down?

KYLE: I think the bigger concern is how many of the living are going to stay a part of that world and not go to the land of the dead, because we're not screwing around with this crossover. Is the potential there for those that were lost to return and stay? Maybe, but it really is the threat that's posed to those that are still alive and have never been dead.

YOST: [...] And the X-23 storyline is the focus of issue #20 which is coming up and it's great – it's gorgeous.

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