Super Avenger vs X-Man

We have more monster-of-the-month fun coming to us with issue 29, as an Avengers villain shows up to wreak havoc. It’s the Super-Adaptoid, a giant robot who possesses the powers of four Avengers, including Hawkeye, Goliath, Captain America, and the Wasp. Get ready for quite a fight, because he’s going toe-to-toe with Mimic, the mutant with the powers of five X-Men! It’s like AvX all over again, but in a smaller package.

We also have a lot of drama unfolding between the X-Men, with more snarky passive aggressive nonsense than we’ve seen since their trip to South America. The story starts with the team out behind the Xavier mansion, having some Winter fun. The gang is ice-skating and Beast, Jean, Warren, and Bobby are all having a great time. Scott is being too serious to have any fun, and the only fun Cal Renkin ever has is at the expense of others. Even at a time like this, the guy is just a complete ass. He’s too cool for school.

Still, you can’t deny he’s having more fun than Scott. Scott is being all mopey because of his powers again. Boo-hoo. He still feels that he is a danger to others, and we learn that he has been struggling to control his powers. Apparently he’s been practicing being able to not kill everyone around him with his eyes. That should come in handy the next time someone bumps his glasses off in public. How does that always happen to him? Today he is determined to open his eyes without blasting everything in sight. Literally. He has a good start being able to take his glasses off and keep his eyes closed. His powers were at one point so out of hand that even his eyelids wouldn’t stop his beams. Ok, I guess that is kind of scary and I can start to see his point. When Scott opens his eyes, however, he is not as lucky. Still unable to control his beams with his eyes open, he fires blindly. Figuratively, of course. Then he cries about it. Then he goes berzerk and fires his beam everywhere, causing a small avalanche. Good job, Scott.

That harmless little avalanche just happens to piss off the Super-Adaptoid, who just happens to be living in a cave located not far from the Xavier estate. That’s a bit strange and coincidental, but no bother. The Super-Adaptoid is primarily an Avengers villain, and was first seen in Tales of Suspense #82. He is an android who was created by A.I.M. using a piece of the cosmic cube. If you don’t know what A.I.M. is, then you should go see Iron Man 3, and if you don’t know what a cosmic cube is then you likely have some catching up to do before you head to the theatre. Anyway, Super-Adaptoid was created with one purpose in mind, to destroy Captain America. This is his primary programming. In an earlier encounter with the Avengers, Super-Adaptoid copied the powers of four Avengers, and them seemingly defeated Captain America. Thinking the Captain to be dead (he’s not, duh), the Super-Adaptoid now apparently hibernates in a cave. Or at least he would be if it wasn’t for those meddling kids.

Scott, Jean, Cal, Henry, and Warren all go inside and leave Bobby out on the ice to practice his skating skills. To my surprise, it turns out that Bobby is a horrible skater. It isn’t until he is alone that he activates his powers and skates with terrific skill. Unfortunately, the Super-Adaptoid sees this and attacks, wanting Bobby for some evil scheme. Bobby escapes and runs to tell the others.

When he tells the story of the ten foot robot with the power of four Avengers, no one believes them. And why would they? It’s not like the just fought Magneto, Vanisher, Plantman, Unus, the Blob, Scarecros, Banshee, Count Nefaria, Ogre, the Eel, the Sentinels, el Tigre, the Porcupine, Namor, Lucifer, Unicorn, and the Juggernaut. Why would they believe something like a ten foot flying robot with a shield? Everyone knows monsters aren’t real. Stupid Bobby, always making up stories.

Instead of taking the threat seriously, Xavier brings everyone outside for some more training. As usual, Cal Renkin is being a complete ass to everyone. All this guy can do is throw his ego around. He wouldn’t even have any powers if he wasn’t borrowing everyone else’s, and yet he acts like he’s the big shot of the group. I also notice that he hasn’t acclimated to the X-Men blue and gold uniform, which makes him really stand out from the group. Xavier is just about to completely wuss out when he finally takes a stand…

Yes! Go Charles! Show the Mimic who is in charge. The X-Men can’t afford a loose cannon endangering the group. And he was made leader? Dumb move, Professor. At least he’s making up for it.

Next we’re treated to another reminder of the spooky door from the last issue. We learn that it’s hiding the Professor’s greatest failure. This is also the issue’s only mention of Factor Three, and it’s good to know that someone is still looking into that.

The kids go back outside to play and the Super-Adaptiod shows up again. Does anyone else understand the Sean Connery reference here? I don’t. The Super-Adaptoid wants to abduct the X-Men and turn them into adaptoids themselves.

It doesn’t take long for the Super-Adaptoid to take out each team member until only the Mimic remains. These two make great adversaries, each capable of an entire team’s powers. So who is mightier, Avengers or X-Men? It’s a good fight and it was pretty close, but Mimic came out on top. He almost agreed to be similated into the Borg Adaptoid, but he wised up at the last moment. Nobody puts Cal Renkin in a corner.

By the end of the issue, Cal Renkin has learned the true meaning of friendship. Good for him. After several issues of ego and abuse, Cal Renkin finally got put in his place and was kicked off the team. Only a few pages later the X-Men are apologizing. Will it last? Is Cal Renkin a changed man? Is he still on the team? You’ll have to wait for our next post, when we tackle the Warlock.