Pick of the Week

July 29, 2009 – X-Men Forever #4

What did the
iFanboy
community think?

160
Pulls
Avg Rating: 3.8
iFanboy Community Pick of the Week Percentage: 0.9%
 
Users who pulled this comic:


Size: pages
Price: 3.99

It was inevitable really. My maniacal enjoyment of X-Men Forever seems to have struck a nerve with the greater comics community, for reasons that are a mystery to me. Admittedly when the first issue of X-Men Forever came out, I thought that my reaction to it would be a one-note joke, that we would laugh over the insanity of it and, for all of our collective sanity’s sake, move on. And then a funny thing happened. As the “real” X-Men comics get dark, I found the book I was talking about the most when at my local comic shop was not Uncanny X-Men, Dark X-Men, or any other X-title, rather it’s been X-Men Forever.

When I sat down with my stack of books tonight, I thought to myself how funny it would be to actually pick X-Men Forever #4 as the Pick of the Week, purely for the absurdity of it all.  And yet, after reading through all my books, the one title that I found to legitimately and sincerely give me the most enjoyment was X-Men Forever #4.

Now I’m not delusional. I know picking X-Men Forever is insanity, and compared to the beauty of Detective Comics #855 or the quality of The New Avengers #55 or the inventiveness of Proof #22 or simply finally getting our hands on Fear Agent #27, X-Men Forever #4 pales in comparison. But there’s something there that is tickling the comic fan in me every issue of this new series. I’ve struggled with what exactly is happening with X-Men Forever. Why am I so fascinated by it? Am I really that nostalgic to be falling for this so easily? These are all questions I’ve wrestled with on this evening where I’m left with no answers other than shrugging my shoulders and standing proud behind my enjoyment of this book.

The simple idea behind X-Men Forever, basically an extended What If…? pitch, where writer Chris Claremont, along with artist Tom Grummett, picks up the X-Men book where he left the book in 1991 is so simple and bizarre it started out as a curious piece of work. I’ve gone on record before where I’ve shared my enjoyment of creators who could be interpreted as possibly being self indulgent, or as I like to describe them, mad geniuses. Creators whose creativity cannot be contained by the standards of the comic book industry and cannot be kept down by the wave of popular opinion. No! These creators respond to a higher calling. One that says, “Yes! Tell your stories no matter how insane they seem! No matter what people think! You were put on this earth to tell this story!” And with all those voices in their head, how can they do anything but write or draw their hearts out and give us the comics they believe we so rightly need.

(Another example of mad genius, and one that could be described as “a bullet dodged” this week, would be Glamourpuss #8, also released today and came very close to being the Pick as well. You think X-Men Forever #4 is a bad Pick? Go visit the alternate universe when I picked Glamourpuss #8 and see the torment and destruction caused by that one. You thought the Terminator world was bad? Be thankful I went with X-Men Forever #4)

X-Men Forever #4 is Chris Claremont at his most Claremontian. The style of comic books I was raised on, with thought balloons, telepathy chatter, bizarre left turns in the story, plot points buried so deep only to be unearthed when you least expect it, and nary a quiet moment. Combined with a shocking cliff hanger ending, this makes up the kind of comics I cut my teeth on. The first three issues were to be as expected, but starting with the cliff hanger from issue #3, where Kitty Pryde discovers she has one of Wolverine’s claws in her arm, leading to the beginning of this issue where we see a shadowy group of people discussing the current events as they’re happening to the X-Men, I realized that Claremont means business. He’s had these stories in his head for nearly 20 years and he’s finally letting them out, whether they make sense or not. And you know, that’s okay. Because in the process I’m getting some damn fine entertainment from the X-Men. Much more than I’m getting in the main X-Men books currently.

I literally have no idea what expect every time I turn the page. Kitty with a Wolverine claw, Jean Grey ready to go into field clad in a new costume after waking up from a coma, a blind Sabretooth acting like he’s not blind, Nick Fury just hanging around in a suit, characters running off panel to end scenes virtually on every page and teenager Storm making a surprise re-appearance at the end. It’s total and complete chaos and I love it!

Taking a moment from the insanity of the story is the balancing act of Tom Grummett’s art and layouts, which bring a calmness to the insanity. Without the stability of Grummett’s storytelling, I don’t think this could work. But his art acts as a balancing act to Claremont’s heavy story, keeping things moving along at a fast pace and never leaving anything to be misunderstood or confused.

It’s a crazy world, these comic books we read and while the highest of the high brow is great, sometimes you need to go a bit wacky and remember what it is about the absurd super hero comics that got us into these in the first place. Reading X-Men Forever #4 isn’t like reliving those glory days at all as one would think, rather it’s almost like a remix of a classic album. Taking the source material and adding something to make something new and different, yet familiar and safe. I can’t ignore the simple enjoyment I extract from this title and I know next week I’ll be talking about it at my LCS, wondering what insanity will come in the next issue. And that’s not something I’m doing with a lot of the books I’m currently reading, which to me, says a lot.

Ron Richards
Everything is an exclamation!
ron@ifanboy.com

Comments

  1. I’m proud of you for sticking with your gut! Let’s hope the flaming isn’t too bad this week around. People really need to remember that the only criteria for the pick of the week is whichever book the reader enjoyed the most. You obviously enjoy this series and I sure as hell enjoy you talking about it. I’m hoping you can get the other iFanboys to read this ish before the podcast. It would lead to some pretty great conversatin’.

    Still haven’t decided my pick. Nothing really jumped out to me this week.

  2. See, this is why I couldn’t run ifanboy. Cause if I did, I’d do nothing but apologize for picking Incredible Hercules every week.

    This has turned from a joke to a ‘oh my, he’s really serious’ type of worry. You my friend must be the only person in the world that would make this the ‘best comic of the week’. Very bold and if it was a normal week for me, I’d flip out on you like no one’s business.

    But with no books out for me this week and just to see the carnage that is about to go down. (Oh I can’t wait for OhCaroline to post about this. Nor can I wait for the podcast) I’m gonna sit on the sidelines and watch the good times rolls.

    Great review btw.

  3. HAHAHA! YES!! I haven’t read my copy yet, but this is a LANDMARK PICK in iFanboy history! 😀 Should be a VERY entertaining show on Sunday! You should have no regrets, Ron–you are entitled to your opinion, can back it up, and will provide us with much infotainment in the process!

  4. @TNC. Remember, it’s not the "best comic of the week." The only rule is to pick whatever book you enjoyed the most. In my mind, there’s a difference. That’s why I can never understand why anybody gets mad over the pick. It’s a bit ridiculous if you ask me. You are right, though. This podcast is gonna be great!

  5. @Anson17: It’s ron’s ‘best comic of the week’. Not saying it’s the best comic for ifanboy; but for Ron it’s what he considers ‘the best’.

    Although I have to comment on the review, even though it is well written. Just like what josh did for Detective Comics; there is basically very little reason why this was ron’s ‘best’ this week. He explains way to much about how crazy this is and how insane Claremont has become. There’s like one small paragraph explaining some of the exploits of this issue….but barely.

    Sorry, don’t mean to be a jerk about it, just honest criticism. I know we had a huge debate about how people go about reviewing issues. Just reading it again it became more apparent then ever.

  6. "Claremont means business.  He’s had these stories in his head for nearly 20 years and he’s finally letting them out, whether they make sense or not. And you know, that’s ok."

    Amen!

    "Because in the process I’m getting some damn fine entertainment from the X-Men.  Much more than I’m getting in the main X-Men books currently. "

    Preach!

  7. Bravo, Ron! I have had more fun reading X-MEN FOREVER for the last two months than I’ve had reading ANY X-Book in years. I’m loving all the crazy twists and the fast pace and the sheer density of the story. I love captions and thought balloons. I love that this book is bright and colorful and just revels in being a comic book.

    And extra special kudos to Tom Grummet, who’s put out 4 great looking issues in 2 months. I still can;t figure out why this guy isn’t a bigger star than he is. 

     

  8. god damn, I  picked it!!

     this is what is I said in the Detective Comics 855 thread:

    "looks good…

    who’s pick is it? Ron’s? I look forward to reading the POW review of X-men Forever or War of Kings: Ascension"

     good choice, ron

  9. I’m worried that this is the pick of the week.  Oh, I don’t care about other ifanboy readers’ reactions.  I don’t worry that there’s anything wrong with Ron’s mental health (though I will note he has probably not slept since mid-June in prep for, and during Comic Con).  I worry that this praise will do one of two things: make the insane, doddering, Chris Claremont more powerful; or take him by such surprise that he has a heart attack and dies.  I don’t want either of those things to happen.

     

    Aside to Ron, I am in no way questioning your decision to make this pick of the week, but if you’re looking for fun you should really check out Dark Reign: Sinister Spider-Man, it’s insanely fun, funny, and has art that puts every other title (aside from Williams’s Detective Comics) to shame.  It makes my run on sentences turn into marathons of praise.

  10. Dear Jesus, why?  I’ve read every one of these and hated each one of them, lol.

    Ron and that damned nostalgic bone of his.  He’s such an enjoyable combination of Elvis hair, pork chops, geekiness within geekiness, and misprounounced words. You’re awesome Ron:)

  11. Yeah Ron, but if they announced that this was now in continuity you would flip a shit.

  12. Ron come on fess up either you got your legalized marijuana card and have been toking on some awesome cush or CC is backing up a dump truck full of money to your front door, just kidding. Even though we all have a opinion about what the POTW should be and even though Ron is absolutely WRONG!!!! The internet should allow for divergent views and wrongheaded conspiracy theories. Please keep finding a way to pick the X men books and Josh picks his favorite indy books because we all know that Conor is the only who can pick worth a damn. I guess from now on I’m going to have to listen to every third week of the podcast to get my Conor goodness. I’m kind of hoping that they will livecast this weeks podcast so that we can give Ron his raspberry award which he so richly deserves.

     

    I hope the guys find this at least somewhat humorous and know I’m just having fun with Ron because even though I don’t agree with the pick I can’t wait to hear the glory that Ron will drop on us during the podcast. Hopefully Conor and Josh give Ron just a little hell for the comic gold that this topic will generate.

  13. The pick sux0rzs! Ron is insane! I fartboy forever!

  14. Great now we get to listen to Ron giggle like a fat little school girl over this book for an even longer period of time than the last few.

  15. Most fat little school girls don’t giggle, or laugh in general, because people like you make fun of them skeets:)

  16. I’m very much looking forward to the Ron Richards play-by-play commentary on this week’s show about this book. It’s too hysterical. I don’t pick up this book because having Ron explain it gives me more enjoyment than if I actually read it.

  17. You got be shitting me… I see where your coming from though, It’s like a bad soap opera and you cant pull away; still you got to be shitting me!!!

  18. Very fun review and gutsy pick.  Can’t help but wonder if your description of the rebellious artist might be slightly self referential.  "I’ve shared my enjoyment of…[ifanboy hosts] whose [POWs] cannot be contained by the standards of the comic industry and cannot be kept down by the wave of popular opinion.  No!  These [ifanboy hosts] respond to a higher calling.  One that says, ‘Yes! [make your POW!] no matter how insane [it] seems.  You were put on this earth to [make this POW].’  And what with all these voices in [my] head how can [I] do anything but [pick]  the comics [I] believe we so rightly need".

  19. It’s almost as if each of the ifanboys is deliberately pushing the POTW boundaries here, testing to see just how far they can go…first Josh picks Scalped against Blackest Night, just knowing what tirades there will be from the ifanbase, and now….well….and now this…..

    and we thought swine flu was a sign of the coming apocalypse…

     

  20. However, having said that, I’m still a firm believer that the pick, whether made by ifanboy or members of the ifanbase, is a personal choice and only representative of that person’s tastes, whatever mad, unholy tastes they may be.

  21. I think that the fact X-Men Forever seems to be striking SUCH a chord with X-men fans right now is less of a statement of praise for the title itself, but more of a damning statement on just how wrong the main x-titles have gone in recent years.

  22. I am inclined to agree with theswordisdrawn on this one.

  23. Avatar photo Paul Montgomery (@fuzzytypewriter) says:

    Hahahaha….

  24. Is it still Remy Picard?

  25. I look forward the X-Men Forever story update on the next podcast.  This book sounds like awful but manic fun.

  26. I had a crappy day yesterday. I woke up this morning, dreading today. I ran to my computer, thinking the iFanboy POTW would give me the high spirits I need to get through my ordeal. Then i saw this. Now, I shall have to fight back tears as I work. Ron Richards, you just stabbed me in the heart. I weep. 

  27. I’m so happy you picked this! Everytime you talk about this title on the show it’s obvious you get an absolute kick out of it, and I love listening to that.

  28. I picked up Adventures of Superman #501 with the die-cut Superboy shield cover yesterday in the discount bin at my LCS, and was reminded how great Tom Grummet’s art can be. I think that issue might be his best work.

  29. You know what? This pick made me smile. You go, Ron!

    -J.

  30. the Q!PAW guys would be so proud of you, Ron…

  31. I look forward to hearing Ron energetically discuss this book every time it comes out.  Now that this is the pick, I’d like for him to read it to us for the first 10 minutes of the POTW podcast in the style of Tom vs The Flash (imitation is the sincerest form of flattery).  I’m not sure what else could happen during the podcast given that neither Josh nor Conor read this.

  32. what is this? I don’t even

  33. 90’s X-Comics represent!

  34. I don’t understand anger over someone’s opinion over what they enjoy more from week to week.

    I think Batman Returns is the greats of all bat-films. Better than Batman begins and better tha The Dark Knight. Am I wrong? Maybe. But I enjoy it more than all the others.

    Oh wait… this is the internet.

  35. Also apparently I make a lot of typos early in the morning. Damn.

  36. Avatar photo Jeff Reid (@JeffRReid) says:

    @stuclach: I totally see that happening.  This is going to be a fun podcast.  Can’t wait ’til Sunday!

  37. Awesome. I can NOT wait to hear this show! It will be an extra large dose of Ron’s fantastic descriptions of this book with even more Ron Giggles! I’m so excited!

    How long till Sunday?

  38. @JeffR & @Megnolia – Perhaps the next limited edition shirt should have the picture of Ron decked out in goth gear (from the Sandman episode) on the front and then on the back "Ron Giggles!". I’d buy the shit out of that shirt. (They also need to put the Premio sausage ad on a limited edition shirt, but that has already been pointed out by numerous members of the iFanbase.)

  39. Ron, it was my pick too.  This book was the one that I couldn’t wait to read.  It fun!  Remember when comics were fun?  Stay strong.

  40. Am I glad or sorry that I’m not on the show this week? Is it better to participate in this madness and attempt to steer it somehow, or just to sit back with headphones on and let it wash over you?

    I will say this: I am troubled by the way in which praise for this book is being used as an opportunity to say that the "real" X-Men book has not been good lately, which is scientifically, provably incorrect and makes God cry. How can I show you how enjoyable Uncanny X-Men is right now? What do I have to do to get you into this book today?

  41. @Jimski – Show me a picture of God crying or the scientific proof that the book is good.  Do either one and I’ll buy it. Honest.

  42. At an average rating of 4.5, the people reading this book are enjoying it.  For whatever reason that might be.

  43. Awesome.

  44. Hell yes!  Cannot wait till Sunday!

    Ten minutes of Ron’s enthusiastic love for all things ‘X’, Conor’s bemused skepticism, and Josh’s schadenfreude at Claremont’s storytelling techniques.

    This will be great

  45. I think Batman and Batman Returns are both better than Batman Begins.  The Dak Knight on the other hand?  I don’t know.  I really loved the Micheal Keaton Batman movies as a kid, but The Dark Knight brought a much fresher approach to the franchise.  I would have to say that if The Dark Knight came out at the same time as the Keaton Batman pictures, I would have enjoyed the Keaton pictures more.  Now if the Keaton Batman movies came out today alongside The Dark Knight at this tiny bit more mature point in my life, I would definitely go with Dark Knight so it is a close call.

  46. @Jimski: Three words: “kitty cat Beast!” Any X-Men comic with kitty cat Beast has a rebuttable presumption on sucking.

  47. Dear lord.

    Ps hey @theswordisdrawn! I didn’t know any cbrers were here!

  48. Brave pick – good for you, Ron. I can’t wait to hear the discussion on this one.

  49. I can just hear the crickets from Josh’s side of the room as Ron giggles and guffaws and "Ok, so, anyway"s his way through his manic justification for this pick. You are not alone, Josh. Oh, no.  You are not alone.

  50. Brave? Gutsy? Seriously, guys its a website about comic books.  I enjoyed the review and I look forward to listening to the podcast, but I dont think we need to be talking about courage when dealing with the pick of the week.  It’s their damn website, they can do whatever the hell they want.

  51. @josh,conor: Seriously, how much are you guys dreading to record the podcast this week? I know I’m gonna hear a lot of groans from conor, and josh having a less then happy attitude about the whole situation. If the past two discussions of this title is to be remembered.

    Everything says ifanboy has a bias towards a particular publisher. I don’t believe that, cause I calculated that you guys have evenly picked Marvel/DC by looking at all of your reviews. If there’s one thing to mention though: You guys are totally bias on X-Men. In terms of characters, the X-Men are the most picked by this website. By "guys" I mean ‘Ron’s picks’ of course.

  52. Ron picking an X-Men book makes me feel that all is right with the world.

     Just like Josh, I have no interest in this book or the X-Men, but goddamn I can’t wait to hear Ron talk about this on the podcast. Please, I don’t care if it takes up half the show, do a Ron vs X-Men Forever style review on Sunday.

  53. I feel very similarly about it myself.

    I can’t say it’s good on most normal levels… but it’s also so fucking fun. I kind of love it.  

  54. I was about to drop Xmen Forever but I will stay on for at least one more issue. Nice job Ron!

  55. Wow.  Ron has balls of steel to pick this.  Go for it man, stick to what you like.

    I picked Detective Comics.  It was amazing, of course.  I’m a bit taken back by the fact that Renee seems to use her body to get what she wants, and wears a lot of revealing clothes.  She wasn’t like this in the Crime Bible mini, have things changed for her since then?  Either way, good book.

    No Proof at this certain LCS, so I have to go pick it up today at another store.

  56. I’m so looking forward to the podcast this week. Can you discuss the book for a full 30 minutes? It will make my Monday morning at work so much more enjoyable.

  57. Please do this Ron vs. X-men style in your best immitation of a Tom Katers Podcast. It would make my week.

  58. The second I saw this as the pick I knew Ron had the PotW.

     Great review though. I might actually go out and buy the first 4 issues of this and see what I think. Who knows. Maybe it’ll be added to my box list.

  59. While I would hardly call it best comic of the week, or even a "good" comic, there’s something pretty amazing about X-Men Forever. It has all the craziness of Claremont from back in the day that makes you cringe every time I read it, the same style of writing that he used on Exiles that ruined the book for me unil they recently rebooted it. It’s convoluted and insane and makes me wonder why I ever thought this was good when I was a kid, and yet it’s strangely compelling. It’s a rapid fire, out of no where style of story telling that just isn’t seen these days. I love Geoff Johns and all that he does, but there are more plot twists in one issue of X-Men Forever than there has been in the entire very long leadup to Blackest Night. It’s a glaring example of how comics have changed over the years to a much slower medium rather that the quick passed insanity of days past.

     It’s also fun because X-Men #1 was when I really started getting into comics, so it’s literally a back to the beginning experience for me.

  60. OH THE HUMANITY!!!!!! 

  61. Oh man, I can’t wait for the podcast now. Honestly if comic books were cheaper, I’d be totally picking this up. Looks hillarious and it’s interesting in that it is essentially a creator owned book.

  62. Ron = AWESOME

    The ONLY reason this wasn’t my pick is because my store didn’t get any copies.

     

  63. I’d feel weirder about this pick if I didn’t have such an off week myself.  2 4/5’s and a 2/5… Here’s to hoping next week’s better… and bigger.

  64. I just can’t believe this didn’t happen sooner.

  65. Good for you, Ron!  Seeing that this was your pick made me laugh out loud… in a good way!  Your enthusiasm for this title almost makes me want to buy the first trade when it comes out.  Almost.  Sunday’s podcast cannot come soon enough.

  66. Congratulations to you Mr. Richards.

     

     Lately, you boys have left me scratching my head.  I still love ya with all my rum filled heart.  But I am still a bit confused.  🙂

     

    the Tiki 

  67. Look forward to this podcast. I won’t lie, I’m really considering picking up the trades, because I’m not sure how long this book will last (it seems anything Claremont has his name on goes for about 20 some issues before being cancelled and he’s moved to some other odd ‘X’ project) but as long as this goes, I think I’ll be picking up the trades. 

    "Wow Cameron you have quite the collection" "OH yeah, there’s the entire Preacher, Bone Omnibus, Absolute Watchmen, and my trade collection of X-men Forever." 

  68. @Ron regarding your review..

    "When I sat down with my stack of books tonite, I thought to myself …"

    Ur so awesome you read your stack in the past future tense!!!(just kidd)

    Best parts 1) ablinded sabretooth catching Kitty out of the sky as Storm drops her and

                    2)as Storm leaves the morlock tunnels…Consortium Agents ….that explains IT!!!!(huh?)

    WTF indeed

  69. Good review, Ron. I was debating getting X-Men Forever, as I got into comics with X-Men #1 but just didn’t end up getting it. It may be a trade purchase, though. As well, I can’t begrudge you picking this as it was a rather terrible week for me comics wise. Even my POTW was done more because I wanted to, rather than feeling anything was particularly good this week. Indeed, I would go so far as to say my best book this week was a trade from last week!

  70. I’m pretty sure come sunday, hilarity will ensue. Until now, Ron’s recaps of XMF have been a blast and like Josh said, I guess, I won’t touch that book wit a 10′ pole, but I sure love Ron giving us his summaries of the plot.

    Wolverine dead, Kitty having one of his claws…*shakes head*

    Oh, lest I forget, no pressure, guys, about having to be hilarious on sunday. Just do your regular routine, I’ll be laughing out loud and have the rest of the people on the train doubting my sanity…again!^^

  71. @ Nachturne

    Hello! Yes, sadly I get EVERYwhere. ;D

  72. Wow. I would lol but it’s too depressing.

  73. I don’t get why people get so peevish. Everyone has their thing and this is that thing hitting Ron in that particular spot. He’s getting something of a contact high from this material that pulls on nostalgia and his own comic festishisms. He’s given all his reasons why this brings more pleasure then everything else.

    You can serve me the finest desserts from 6 continents and in the end a good Lemon Meringue Pie will always be my favorite.

    My pick was Detective Comics, mostly due to the Art, I wanted to pick Fear Agent but in the end, I went back to Detective Comics and flipped through the pages 5 or 6 times trying to figure out what piece I would love to have as a full sized painting. It’s more beautiful then anything else I see coming out, it may very well be my favorite comic book art of all time. 

  74. Josh’s pick of Scalped and now Ron’s have reminded me that POTW is about what you the reader enjoyed the best, not what you think the community would deem the ‘best’ book of the week.  Mine was Ultimatum Spider-Man: Requim.  I knew the ifanbase was going to go with Detective but I went with what I liked.

  75. Hurm… interesting….

    It sounds like a good issue… I mean if you "like that sort of thing" *snicker*
    But seriously I’m going to give it a try since I’m an x-fanatic too.

  76. even the cover layout looks like a 90s comic or one of those x-men or other reprint anthologies you get here in the uk in big stores like borders or local newsagents

  77. u have balls to pick that over anything else and went with your gut.

  78. I knew this pick was coming someday.  Can’t wait for the podcast.

  79. Awesome.  Making it PoTW means we get the extended recap version from Ron.  Looking forward to it! 

  80. What’s interesting about this thread is that, unlike many PotW threads, no one is saying "Why didn’t you pick ____________?"  Is that out of shock that Ron picked this book, or was there just not another book this week that really strove for contention in the community’s mind?  It’s an interesting discussion to be sure.

    And Ron, let your freak flag fly.  I don’t read this book, but I am an X-Fan and I’m glad you found an X-Book to rave about.

  81. @TheNextChampion   So you know, I’m at the beach this week, I haven’t seen a single new comic, and I’m currently in the middle of maybe 30 minutes of Internet time I’ll have all week, from the public library.  And I went straight to ifanboy to read this insanity, because my friend already texted me about it.  Go, Ron?

  82. Also, Jimski’s right — think whatever you want about X-Men Forever, but I can’t agree with using it as an excuse to slag on the current ‘Uncanny’ storyline, which is easily as good as that particular title has been in decades.

  83. I wouldn’t agree with this pick but that s the thing it isn’t my pick.  I haven’t enjoyed any of Claremonts writing in a long time.  I’m an Exiles fan and hated his run on the New Exiles.  However, if Ron gets some enjoyment out of these then more power to him.  I’m sure this will make for a very entertaining podcast this week.

  84. The cover actually says "this kitty’s got claws!"

  85. @ohcaroline: Didn’t read comics yet eh?

    Was texted about this huh?

    You at the beach hmmm? 😉

    If I can say anything nice about this comic. I love that cover. Especially that 90’s design for the X-Men title on the page. Brings me back good memories of the cartoon.

  86. I love how we’re all saying how brave Ron is for picking this book. Like he just voted on an important ammendment to the Constitution, or like he just took place in a daring civil rights moment haha

  87. @comicBOOKchris: Like people coming back from World War 2, they were the lucky ones 🙂

  88. KICK ASS Ron!!! It’s nice to see you man up a little in your X-men love (even if you did pick one of the more embarrassing titles in the X family, thank god you’re not reading GeneXt). Josh can go on about his pretentious indy books and Conner can have his unfettered worship of all things DC, no matter how bad…cough…cough…Judd Winick, but every time Ron brings up an X book, no matter what it is, he always spends half the time apologizing for it.

  89. People would make stronger points if they were based on facts.

  90. @conor – Or, spell your name right.

  91. Ron is a mad genius!!!!

  92. Oh, boy, I can’t wait to see how Jim Shooter’s "Secret Wars II Forever" fares.

  93. Downloaded it (I’ll buy it when my store gets it in, ok?), read it, loved it. *Totally* the Pick of the Week.

  94. explain yourself richards!

  95. No doubt about it. Somewhere during San Diego, Ron was replaced by a Skrull.

    What? Skrull jokes are stale? So is Claremont.

    All kidding aside, I am glad it tickled that Claremont "X Itch" for ya. It wouldnt have been my pick, but thats why they make cars in different colors.

  96. good for Claremont. Just going for it… 

  97. I had a weird POTW myself.  I went with the Son of Hulk because I was surprised how good it was.

  98. Okay, yeah, this comic is painfully bad.  I really need to stop buying it.  Except I totally want to see Scott and Jean have it out in the next issue.  Damn you, Claremont!

    In any case, the POtW show should be hilarious.  Do not mistake this for me thinking this was a good comic.  Though I kind of like Jean’s new outfit.

    In  a no-brainer, DETECTIVE was my pick of the week, though Immonen on New Avengers was a joy, as well.  I haven’t  been reading Ultimate Spider-Man, but it made me want to look for the trades of his issues, because the collaboration with Bendis on Spidey was so fun.  AND STOP CALLING HIM PETER!

  99. I had a lot of fun getting drunk and sleeping with a fat girl once.  Did I make it my pick of the week of great things I did that week?  Nope.  Thats where your love of X-men should be forever kept!  With other things that shame you!

  100. that should read "X-men Forever should be kept!" don’t let my inability to write coherently or put down the bottle of gin in my right hand take away from the sadness you should feel!

  101. Millar’s FF finished strong with The Thing’s wedding.  Very touching.

    Of course, Detective was very strong, too.  Beautiful book and Batwoman is turning into a strong, unique character. 

  102. … I agree with Conor, it was a real sucky week for issues. Nothing but filler/build up plot actually happened. The only exception was Detective Comics 855 and the only reason it didn’t make my pic was because I was hoping for an oversized issue (the way the panels were structured would have worked much better if there was more pages to tell a story)

  103. Nearly everything about that cover is horrible, especially the tag line

Leave a Comment