X-MEN: APOCALYPSE Final Trailer Released!

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All New X-Men, Angel, Apocalypse, Brian Singer, Cyclops, James McAvoy, Jean Grey, Jennifer Lawrence, Magneto, Michael Fassbender, Mystique, New X-Men Apocalypse Final Trailer, New X-Men Apocalypse Trailer, Nightcrawler, Oscar Isaac, Professor X, Psylocke, Storm, Wolverine, X-Men Apocalypse, X-Men Apocalypse Official Trailer

New X-MEN: APOCALYPSE Final Trailer Released!

Check out the final trailer for Brian Singer’s X-Men: Apocalypse, even more action in this one, and a there’s even special surprise appearance at the end! It looks brilliant, can’t wait for this movie!

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New X-MEN: APOCALYPSE Trailer!

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Angel, Apocalypse, Brian Singer, Cyclops, James McAvoy, Jean Grey, Jennifer Lawrence, Magneto, Michael Fassbender, Mystique, New X-Men Apocalypse Trailer, Nightcrawler, Oscar Isaac, Professor X, Psylocke, Storm, X-Men Apocalypse, X-Men Apocalypse Official Trailer

New X-MEN: APOCALYPSE Trailer!

Check out the brand new official trailer for Brian Singer’s X-Men: Apocalypse, it looks awesome, really looking forward to this movie!

Fox’s official synopsis: Following the critically acclaimed global smash hit X-Men: Days of Future Past, director Bryan Singer returns with X-MEN: APOCALYPSE. Since the dawn of civilization, he was worshipped as a god. Apocalypse, the first and most powerful mutant from Marvel’s X-Men universe, amassed the powers of many other mutants, becoming immortal and invincible. Upon awakening after thousands of years, he is disillusioned with the world as he finds it and recruits a team of powerful mutants, including a disheartened Magneto (Michael Fassbender), to cleanse mankind and create a new world order, over which he will reign. As the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance, Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) with the help of Professor X (James McAvoy) must lead a team of young X-Men to stop their greatest nemesis and save mankind from complete destruction.

X-Men: Apocalypse is set for release on May 27, 2016

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All New XMen #14 Review

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All New X-Men, All New X-Men #14, Brian Michael Bendis, Jason Wyngarde, Jean Grey, Lady Mastermind, Marvel Comics, Mystique, Phoenix, Sabertooth, Silver Samurai, Stuart Immonen, The Original X-Men, Wolverine, X-Men

Al New X-Men #14

Review by Paul Bowler

[Contains Spoilers]

Having learned from the Uncanny Avengers that Mystique, Sabertooh, and Lady Mastermind have been using their identities to conduct a number of robberies, the Original X-Men set out to track them down with the help of Wolverine and Kitty Pryde. Meanwhile in a disused warehouse, Mystique and her Brotherhood are meeting with Madame Hydra and her terrorist organization. As the Silver Samurai stands guard by Madame Hydra’s side, Mystique offers all the money that her Brotherhood has stolen so that she can buy the island of Madrpoor from Hydra. But before Mystique can seal the deal, Wolverine, Kitty, and the original X-Men gatecrash the meeting. As the battle rages, Jean Grey is overwhelmed by Lady Mastermind’s illusions, and her powers begin spiralling out of control as the Phoenix Force is apparently unleashed…

Brian Michael Bendis and Stuart Immonen have crafted another fine issue of All New X-Men as the sudden appearance of the Phoenix Force throws everyone off balance. All New X-Men #14 has the Original X-Men coming face to face with something they can scarcely begin to understand, while Kitty and Wolverine must face the unimaginable dread of Jean becoming Phoenix at an age where she can hardly even control her original powers.

All New X-Men #14 sees the X-Men, the Brotherhood and Hydra reeling from Jean’s sudden manifestation of the Phoenix Force. By catching Jean off guard with the illusion of  Jason Wyngarde, the original Mastermind and Regan’s father, Lady Mastermind hoped to make Jean suffer for destroying her family, and when Jean appears to be transforming into Phoenix, it looks as if history is about to repeat itself. However, Brian Michael Bendis ingeniously blindsides those of us who thought the Phoenix effect was another one of Lady Mastermind’s illusions, when the X-Men realize that it is Jean who is projecting the Phoenix image to deceive their enemies.

Jean’s inexperience with her powers means that she has inadvertently projected the image into the minds of the Original X-Men, Wolverine, and Kitty Pryde as well. Fortunately for Jean she is able to regain control before Wolverine’s attempt to end the Phoenix menace gets her slashed by his claws, just as Lady Mastermind strikes back with an illusion of Professor Charles Xavier to give the Brotherhood and Hydra a chance to regain their senses.

The warehouse soon becomes a raging battle ground, with the Original X-Men proving to be more than a match for their opponents: as Cyclops, Iceman, and Beast deal with Sabertooth and the Silver Samurai, while Jean gives Lady Mastermind a taste of her own medicine, Kitty takes on Madame Hydra and Wolverine confronts Mystique. The art by Stuart Immonen on All New X-Men #14 is as fantastic as ever, together with Wade Von Grawbadger’s inks, and the welcome return of Marte Gracia’s fantastic colors, this issue looks absolutely stunning. All New X-Men #14 places the Original X-Men right in the thick of the action, it’s great to see them battling the likes of Sabertooth and the Silver Samurai, and Stuart Immonen really captures the youthful sense of exuberance that makes their teamwork and tactics so effective.

There are some really fun moments after Lady Mastermind attempts to cover her escape with an illusion of the Uncanny Avengers, especially once the real Uncanny Avengers turn up at the scene after Kitty has captured Regan, and Iceman throws a snowball at Thor because he thinks that the Uncanny Avengers are still an illusion. The young Iceman continues to say and do all the wrong things at the most inappropriate moments, it’s hilariously funny, and the way the God of Thunder responds to Bobby’s mistake is brilliant.

Brian Michael Bendis also manages to include a nice little interlude between Alex and Scott, with a Summers brother high five, it’s a great scene, and follows on nicely from their first encounter during the last issue. Mystique is imprisoned in The Cage Extra-Max Prison at the end of the issue, but as Maria Hill quickly discovers, it’s not easy to keep Raven Darkholme under lock and key.  By the end of this issue Bendis’ takes the opportunity to hint at just how profound an effect Jean’s foreknowledge has had on her, as she sits alone on the basketball court pondering over the memories behind of the Phoenix image she projected psychically during the battle.

The cover of All New X-Men #14 by Immonen, Grawbadger, and Gracia depicts the young Jean Grey being led towards us by Jason Wyngarde. This stunning cover is as sinister as it is opulent, with Jean entranced by Mastermind against a lavish backdrop, providing a chilling reminder of how Wyngarde’s influence originally transformed her into the Hellfire Clubs Black Queen – an event that ultimately led to Jean being corrupted by her own power during the Dark Phoenix saga.

All New X-Men #14 is another superb issue by Bendis and Immonen, the Original X-Men get to fight side by side with Wolverine and Kitty, and the foreboding coda as Jean reflects on her actions hints that things might not have been resolved as easily as we thought.

All New XMen #13 Review

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All New X-Men, All New X-Men #13, Brian Michael Bendis, Cyclops, Havok, Iceman, Jean Grey, Kitty, Marvel Comics, Mystique, Stuart Immonen, The Original X-Men, Uncanny Avengers, Wolverine, X-Men

All New X-Men #13

Review by Paul Bowler

[Contains Spoilers]

Jean Grey continues to struggle with her newly awakened telepathic powers and the knowledge she has gained of the future, while her team mates wonder if Angel’s defection to the adult Cyclops’ rival team will be permanent. To complicate matters further Mystique, Sabertooth, and Lady Mastermind have been using the X-Men’s identities to conduct a series of high-profile robberies. The young X-Men later encountered the Uncanny Avengers and Scott met his brother Alex. Together with Wolverine and Kitty, the teenage X-Men set out to find Mystique and clear their name, but first they need to find out exactly what she intends to do with all the money.

All New X-Men #13 opens in spectacular fashion, with a jaw-dropping sneak peak at the issues closing moments, before turning the clock back six hours to show the events leading up to this momentous event. The original X-Men accompany Wolverine and Kitty to Resilient International in Seattle, where Jean uses her psychic powers to hide their presence so they can investigate the scene of the robbery. Wolverine picks ups Sabertooth’s scent just as Jean’s concentration falters, they are discovered, but Iceman shields them with an ice barrier so they can escape.

However, it is after they resume their search for Mystique where the young X-Men hear the speech Havok made earlier in the day, along with Kitty’s response to it, and the story she recounts about her first experience of racism that proves to be the real highlight of the issue. Brian Michael Bendis skilfully addresses this issue as the original X-Men discuss Warren’s departure, allowing Jean and Scott to share a quite moment together, before they ask Kitty‘s opinion about Havok’s speech. It a superb piece of writing by Bendis, where Kitty tells a story from her teenage years – about an anti-semitic comment a boy made without knowing she was Jewish – that draws a stark contrast with her own heartbreaking experience and Alex’s statement that the “M” word represents everything he hates. Kitty is proud to be Jewish and proud to be a Mutant, and although Alex Summers speech is a well intentioned attempt to smooth over the damage to human / mutant relations in the wake of what his brother did in AvX, its certainly clear that Kitty doesn’t feel that she, or anyone, should ever have to shy away from telling people who they are in the way that Havok‘s speech implies.

Its moments like this that makes All New X-Men such a rewarding experience. Brian Michael Bendis has such a grasp on these characters, Kitty’s passionate speech not only highlights the differences between what the X-Men and the Uncanny Avengers are trying to achieve, but it also shows the inner strength that Kitty possesses – and makes you realise just how Havok’s speech could actually end up being incredibly counter productive. A page of this speech, which originally took place in Uncanny Avengers #5, is reprinted at the end of this issue – serving to create a synergy between the two books while placing their opposing views into context against the backdrop of these events.

The art by Stuart Immonen really brings this scene to life, he captures the reactions of the Original X-Men to Kitty’s response to Havok’s speech perfectly, and this is probably some of the finest work he has done of the series to date. While the colours might not be quite on par with Marte Gracia’s work, Rain Beredo has still done a great job with this issue, and he manages to maintain the consistency and tone of the previous instalments.

There are some really funny moments involving Iceman this issue, especially after he discovers that Tony Stark is actually Iron Man, and later when he asks Logan if his mutant name is Hound Dog as he attempts to detect Sabertooth’s scent at Resilient International.

We also get learn to what Mystique has planned for the all money her new Brotherhood have stolen, when  Madame Hydra and the Silver Samurai arrive for a meeting with Raven, Sabertooth, and Lady Mastermind. It seems that Madame Hydra has control of something that Mystique wants, namely the island called Madrpoor, and Raven offers her the money the Brotherhood have stolen so she can buy this centrepiece of vice and criminality.

All New X-Men #13 races to a dramatic conclusion as the Original X-Men disobey orders to join Wolverine and Kitty in gate crashing Mystique’s meeting with Hydra, offering Lady Mastermind the perfect opportunity to take revenge on Jean Grey for destroying her family and driving her father mad by seemingly reaching into Jean’s mind and triggering her apparent manifestation of the Phoenix Force. Whether this shocking turn of events is actually real, possibly caused by some bizarre time travelling paradox, or just another one of Lady Mastermind’s illusions remains to be seen, but it certainly provides an exciting cliff-hanger.

This is another fantastic issue by Brian Michael Bendis, his writing has made All New X-Men one of the best comics around, and the art by Stuart Immonen is absolutely incredible. I always look forward to reading All New X-Men, and this issue is one of the best ever.

All New XMen #9 Review

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All New X-Men, Angel, Brian Michael Bendis, Cyclops, Iceman, Jean Grey, Kitty Pryde, Marvel Comics, Marvel Now, Mystique, Original X-Men, Sabertooth, Sentinels, Stuart Immonen, The Beast, X-Men

All New X-Men #9

Review by Paul Bowler

 

After encountering his future self, Warren helped his metal winged counterpart defend Avengers Tower from an attack by Hydra, but after witnessing both Angel’s in action the Avengers decide to return with them to the school where the Beast explains the situation to Captain America. When the Avengers leave Angel breaks into Hank’s lab, determined to return to his own time. The young Jean Grey intervenes, shocking everyone when she uses her newfound telepathic powers to forcibly alter Warren’s mind and make him stay.

The original X-Men face one of their toughest challenges yet in All New X-Men #9 when Kitty decides its time for their first training session in the Danger Room. With the exercise set against the backdrop of Times Square, the young X-Men struggle to cope as they find themselves attacked by the Sentinels. After her students fail to work together as a team, Kitty ends the training programme, and encourages them to discuss how they went wrong.

As they head for their next class, Jean telepathically pries into Scott’s mind, and asks him who Mystique is. Kitty is horrified that Scott didn’t tell them about Mystique, but he refuses to discuss it, and storms out of the room.

Meanwhile a Maria Hill arrives at The Raft by helicopter with a new prisoner for the Ryker’s Maximum Security Installation, the Mutant known as Sabertooth! Once inside the facility Sabertooth breaks free of his shackles and tears the guars apart, leaving Mystique free to sheds the disguise of Maria Hill and release Lady Mastermind from her cell. Mystique has a proposal for Regan, one that involves using their extraordinary powers to get rich!

Back at The Jean Grey School of Higher Learning the young Angel questions the Beast about why there is no sign of the mutant genocide he told them about. Hank explains how hopes the presence of the original X-Men will make this eras Scott Summers see reason, that he brought them here to avert a disaster, not to witness a mutant genocide. However, the school day is suddenly brought to an abrupt end, when some surprise visitors materialise outside…

All New X-Men #9 is another outstanding character driven piece by Brian Michael Bendis. I really like the dynamic that Bendis has built up between Kitty and the original X-Men. She has forged a great relationship with her students, helping them learn from their mistakes, and it’s good to see Kitty addressing the way Jean has been abusing her telepathic powers. When it emerges that Cyclops has been approached by Mystique it leaves everyone stunned, especially as he refuses to talk about it, leaving us wondering exactly what he intends to do next. One of the best aspects of All New X-Men is the way Bendis has taken the time to allow the story to evolve at a natural pace, although it might by a bit too wordy and slow for some, I feel its one of this books strongest points.

We also discover more about Mystique’s plans, and that her agenda involves more than simply manipulating the young Scott Summers doubts about his mission. The way Mystique organizes Lady Mastermind’s escape from The Raft with Sabertooth is brutal in its simplicity, as Sabertooth quickly disposes of the guards, leaving Mystique free to make a deal with Regan that will enable them all to become extremely rich.

It’s also nice to see Angel finally getting to play a more active role, after being effectively sidelined for the most part, his conversation with the Beast in his lab offers us a greater insight into the reasoning behind Hank‘s actions. The way that Beast makes Warren realise how events could unfold if he hadn’t acted is truly inspired. Faced with only two possible outcomes, Hank sought out a third, and in doing so he believes that the shock of seeing original X-Men will bring Scott Summers to his senses and end his call for a mutant revolution.

All New X-Men #9 features the return of Stuart Immonen to the series with some incredible action set-pieces as the original X-Men take on the Sentinels in Times Square. This spectacular sequence is the highlight of the issue, the Sentinels look amazing, and it’s great to see the original X-Men going up against them. Immonen is also equally adept at the quieter moments that punctuate the action, perfectly capturing every emotional beat and facial expression, particularly when Kitty and Jean clash over the way she keeps sneaking a look at everyone’s thoughts.

Together with Bendis’ time warping storyline and Immonen’s stunning art, All New X-Men continues to build on its original premise, and with yet another fantastic cliff-hanger it remains one of my favourite titles from Marvel Now.

All New XMen #7 Review

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All New X-Men, Brian Michael Bendis, Cyclops, David Marquez, Iceman, Jean Grey, Marvel Comics, Marvel Girl, Marvel Now, Mystique, Original X-Men, Scott Summers, Wolverine

All New X-Men #7

Review by Paul Bowler

Having travelled into the future, the young Scott Summers is having a tough time coming to terms with the fact that he is destined to become the murderer of Professor X and the instigator of a mutant civil war. Deciding that he needs some time away from the Jean Grey School of Higher Leaning to gather his thoughts, Scott takes Wolverine’s motorbike and sets off, but he finds that the future is not as clear cut as he first realized. Wolverine tracks him down but Cyclops blasts him with his optic beams, using the opportunity to give Wolverine the slip and head for Manhattan.

Cyclops arrives as a bank where the assistant takes him to his safe deposit box, but one of the staff members recognises him and alerts security. As he attempts to leave Wolverine catches up with him in the foyer of the Bank, and he uses his Avengers ID Card to persuade the security guards to let them leave the building. In an alleyway Wolverine suddenly changes into Mystique, she leads Scott away and dupes him into telling her what has happened at the school. She tries to persuade him that the school turned its back on Xavier’s dream, that he should go back and close it down, before confronting his older self and shutting him down as well.

After Mystique has left Wolverine shows up in his jeep to give Cyclops a lift back to the school, unaware of the poisonous lies the shape shifter has been telling Scott, while Kitty places her new students on a vigorous exercise regime. Wolverine and Scott return, as Logan leaves Storm in charge of things, Scott walks over to Jean and gives her a very special invitation…

All New X-Men #7 is another fine issue from Brian Michael Bendis, who continues to elevate this tale to new heights with the addition of Mystique. I really like how the young Scott Summers is finding his feet in his own future, the scene where he checks out the contents of his safe deposit box in the bank are really good. The objects inside, the wedding invitation in particular, really illustrate how cleverly Bendis has been in bringing the original X-Men into the future. It’s as if Scott is rediscovering himself as he dons the ruby quarts glasses stored in the box, looking through memories that might never even exist if his mission to save his future self from himself goes wrong.

Mystique is one of my favourite Villain’s, the way she uses her powers to mimic Wolverine are really funny, and she proves to be at her manipulative best as she plants some telling seeds of doubt in Scott’s mind. David Marquez is on fine form as he continues to stand in for Stuart Immonen, there may not be any big action sequences, but the quiet moments between Scott and Mystique are really captivating and draw you into the story. It was also great fun to see Kitty squaring up to Iceman when he doesn’t want to take part in her exercise class, their banter is hilarious, and she quickly shows him who is boss when she throws him to the ground.

All New X-Men #7 is a great issue, the pace may be a tad slower than previous issues, but the last few moments as Scott gives Jean the wedding invitation he found in the safety deposit box are brilliant. He then walks away before she can say anything, leaving her to silently come to terms with the fact that one day they might become husband and wife.