Presumably Agent Brand... That means that now all the new hero X-Men characters Whedon created have now made it out of Astonishing X-Men (Blindfold was in the first arc of Young X-Men, Armor appeared in the background to a recent Uncanny (possibly 500? clearing up Sentinel Mess) and Brand is appearing in this one. Wing isn't, but then he's dead. So whatever.)

[ edited by Sparticus on 2008-11-05 18:15 ]

Sparticus | November 05, 18:15 CET

Brand has already showed up in Secret Invasion, if that counts.

Loves me some X-books.

EDIT: I bet the Canadian on the team will be Sasquatch.

[ edited by Nolan on 2008-11-05 19:45 ]

Nolan | November 05, 19:42 CET

Can we please get Joss to fix Ultimate X-Men? Let's make BKV challenge him by saying Joss wouldn't do better than he did on Ultimate X-Men, he would totally fall for that.

Pretty_Hate_Machine | November 05, 19:45 CET

Ohhhh, Fraction! (I love this guy).

I heard some speculation that the Joss-created character he's referring to here might actually be Kavita Rao. Since it's mentioned in the context of Beast's fringe science, and since she showed up in the Endangered Species mini, I think that's a good bet.

likeadeuce | November 05, 19:49 CET

It hasn't been good since Millar left.

Simon | November 05, 20:02 CET

You didn't like Brian K. Vaughan's run?

Pretty_Hate_Machine | November 05, 21:58 CET

Truthfully, I've never liked Ultimate X-Men. Never really saw the need for the Ultimate Universe, outside of the obvious marketing plan of getting younger readers into Marvel characters without the need for them to understand decades of backstory. For longtime readers like myself, who were already well invested in the established Marvel Universe, it seemed like a waste of time and money to get into what was essentially a rewrite of what had gone before. A rewrite that was in no way as good as the original version.

That said, Ultimate Spider-Man was a good read, now and again.

Highlander | November 05, 22:53 CET

I'm hard pressed to remember what Vaughan's run actually consisted of. Same for Kirkman. Millar's take felt fresh and memorable.

Simon | November 05, 22:55 CET

Ultimate X-Men started out really great, I remember a panel where Xavier hugs Magneto that was very touching, but I wasn't established in the Marvel Universe so for me the Ultimate verse was the best place to start. Also Ultimates 1 & 2 are some of the best comics I've ever read and since I started reading comics I've read a lot. Also I love most of Ult. Spidey


I agree that Millar's run was really good, but BKV's run was pretty good too, in BKV's run Longshot was introduced, I believe. Also the whole escape from prison plot involving Magneto, Mystique, Mastermind and Polaris. Kirkman's run was terrible imo, that's where the series really started getting bad. I especially hate what he did to Nightcrawler.

Pretty_Hate_Machine | November 05, 23:18 CET

Ultimate was great, but is now as bloated (well, almost) as Earth-616. They should just restart the ultimate universe every five years. Or something. Interesting call with Kavita Rao, though not sure she was enough of a character to make it? Also, can't see Beast forming a science team without Brand seeing as they're dating (xenophilic experimentation partner) or whatever. But the Kavita is more mutant biology.

Sparticus | November 05, 23:35 CET

Also, someone mentioned an idea once of Whedon writing Spiderman with Chris Bachal drawing. That'd make me happy. Not as happy as Whedon writing X-Men with Chris Bachalo, that'd be awesome.

Sparticus | November 05, 23:37 CET

Armor was also in Runaways as the future leader of the X-men.

urkonn | November 06, 22:03 CET