Behold the Eyes of Sauron

The X-Men have barely had time to calm down since the excitement of the mutant genocide and they’re about to face a monster. This isn’t a lost, hapless mutant. This isn’t some guy in a suit with a fancy gadget. This isn’t a bank robber, a robot, or some pathetic megalomaniac plugging the holes in his ego. This isn’t Magneto’s crazy face. This is a god damn monster. Sauron is one of the first villains they’ve faced that could easily rip them limb from limb. He is a villain to fear, and I’m excited to see where he comes from. Issues 60 and 61 tell the story of his origin, his tragedy, and his first encounter with the X-Men.

The Sentinels Wreak Havok

Getting back to the X-Men and their impending doom, issues 58 and 59 are going to up the ante. There are more villains, more heroes, more danger, and more action than anything we’ve seen up to this point. It’s an epic story with high stakes, resulting in both triumph and tragedy. There will be secrets revealed and plots set in motion, as the events of these issues will shape a large part of the X-Men universe in the decades that follow. Get ready for the mutant genocide, finally put into motion by a revengeful, grieving son. Trask Industries is back online.

Happy St. Paddy’s Day!

I hope everyone is having a safe and happy St. Patrick’s Day.

The Gang Gets Ugly

At the end of issue 39, the team once again gets new uniforms. They’re very colorful and I guess they’re indicative of the time period, but man… this team is a fashion disaster. The blue and gold motif is gone and instead the team is a mess of primary colors. This was an attempt to make them each look more distinct, but they end up looking pretty stupid.

The Mutant Brawl

At long last, Factor Three is coming to an end. The saga that began way back in issue 28 now reaches its epic conclusion in issue 39. This group has kidnapped Charles Xavier, enslaved Banshee, invaded the X-Mansion, fought Spiderman, put the X-Men on trial, and even toyed with the Juggernaut. Now it’s do or die, as two teams of powerful mutants will collide on one battlefield. All the while, the fate of Earth hangs in the balance. Cyclops and Iceman are under attack from the US military, trying to stop a nuclear launch. Beast, Marvel Girl, and Angel are imprisoned in Moscow, accused of a failed assassination attempt on several communist leaders. The Blob is in the cell with them, unconscious. The Mutant Master watches calmly, convinced of his success.

X-Men on Trial

At last, the X-Men have a solid lead on Factor Three. This secret organization, its members and its plan, will be unmasked. With so many villains that could be holding a grudge against the X-Men, who will we see? We’re certain to see some new faces as well. Whoever they are, they’re planning on holding the X-Men on trial for crimes against the mutant race. Issue 37 is one of the most exciting I’ve read in a while.

While Dad’s away, let’s get our asses kicked by Spider-man!

Okay, so first of all, I feel the title is just begging for comment. I mean, I sure feel like I’ve seen this title before. Anyone else? Well, here are some numbers for you that I have recently made up. Not only are 27% of all Spider-man titles “Along Came A Spider”, but 85% of crossover comics that feature Spider-man also use this title. In fact (and somewhat surprisingly), it turns out that when you look at all non-Spider-man Marvel books published between 1960 and 2010, a whopping 38% of those individual issues use this exact title. So, that’s weird. Anyway, it’s issue 35 and The Banshee is out looking for his lucky charms!

Meet the Banshee

Issue 28 introduces two new villains, and one of them is a character that I’ve long known to be an X-Man. Banshee! I wasn’t expecting to see him pop up so soon, and I had no idea that Banshee was ever a villain. Issues like this are a perfect example of why we started this blog.

Banshee and another villain, the big, clunky Ogre, are plotting to kidnap Professor Xavier and ruin the X-Men. They will reveal the existence of a new secret crime syndicate and hint at a larger plot that will affect the world. This issue is full of secrets.