Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Archangel, astonishing x-men, axel alonso, bishop, cassandra nova, charles soule, fantomex, frank quitley, gambit, jim cheung, marvel, mystique, old man logan, Psylocke, Rogue, x-men

Just Who Is The Familiar Menace In Astonishing X-Men? #ResurrXion

Published Thu, 09 Mar 2017 17:30:23 -0600

by Joe Glass

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So today we got the final revelation about that mystery X-Book, which it turned out that was not a new X-Force book like everyone assumed, but in fact Astonishing X-Men. So let's engage in some fun speculation, eh, and in July we can all look back and see how right we may have been.

Making the big last announcement with much more information, from Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso and Astonishing X-Men writer (and also co-writer on Inhumans vs. X-Men, which you can see my review of here) Charles Soule, the press release includes this tantalising tidbit.

Old Man Logan, Archangel, Mystique, Rogue, Gambit, Bishop,Psylocke and Fantomex. Together, they are the Astonishing X-Men. But what brings this eclectic collection of heroes together? A familiar menace has once again reared its ugly head – reborn, renewed and resurrected. To defeat one of their greatest foes and rescue one of their own, the X-Men's greatest will assemble for a mission that will take them places you never thought they'd go!

Aside from the characterising of Mystique as a 'hero' -yes, she's been an X-Man before, but hardly going so far as hero, there is always an agenda there- it's the 'familiar menace' that draws my eye. In particular, how it is 'reborn, renewed and resurrected.'

So what 'greatest foe' of the X-Men is currently dead and would be a substantial threat for a prestigious new ongoing such as this?

Well, how about Cassandra Nova.

Okay, technically she's not actually dead. But 'downloaded into an alien blob and kept in a box, although really originally suggested/intended to have been X-Men student Ernst in a regressed body/mentality, but hey, Grant Morrison left and burned his bridges so like hell were Marvel gonna stand for that' is a little long winded, so dead would kinda work better.

She's definitely a substantial threat, having successfully committed mutant genocide by slaughtering almost the entire population of mutant island nation Genosha. She also almost crippled the Shi'ar, driving Lilandra insane, almost destroyed the school, and all of which just as part of her psychopathic game with her twin brother Charles Xavier. The fact that she has been the cause of such horrific and large-scale mutant loss of life would even explain how villains join up with the heroes to fight the threat.

Hey, it's just a guess. Roll on July to learn more, I guess.

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