zarkzrrk

Aspiring comic book writer/editor. Comic discussion, analysis and criticism.

[zarkzrrk]

Whenever a ‘Cyclops fan’ ‘blames’ Emma Frost for Cyclops’ ‘radicalization’, I immediately cannot take you or your takes on Cyclops or Scemma seriously because that shows me how much you lack empathy & nuance.

Whether you like Scemma or not, it is a now crucial aspect of Cyclops’ character & how much he values empathy & redemption.

Emma’s impact on Scott & vice versa are simply support systems in their relationship. They were already in the process of changing their approach on their principles.

[brainwavejrsoldermankink]

When the panel is just RED <3

also

[zarkzrrk]

Handing it to Alex Paknadel for using the Reavers as a villain for Cyclops. Cyclops HATES fascists/bigots. The Reavers dehumanize themselves & willingly turn themselves into bigoted weapons. Just how fascists dehumanize & withdraw their empathy to target minority groups.

[zarkzrrk]

We’re shown that that Pierce doesn’t even see his reavers as people, his attitude is to failure is replacement. When you don’t get your goal done, you are a failure. You get replaced and thrown away.

[fynnlink]

Biblically accurate Scott Summers is back!

I've missed this characterisation for Scott since the Utopia / Re-Evolution days.

This Solo has been feeding us well, first expanding upon his past and his protectiveness over Alex and now the way he protects Mei as well as accurately portraying how he differs from Logan.

[behold-the-basilisk]

As he himself said, Scott Summers is a soldier. He is fighting in a war without end. He was trained to do whatever it takes to win. Blow up a mountain as collateral? So be it. Teach kids how to fight like him? He was a kid too and he turned out functional. Drag a half broken cyborg carcass that is still begging for help, to use as a weapon? Victory by any means necessary.

Treating Wolverine having a sense of honour, even if it does not preclude murder, as a counterpart to Scott being truly ruthless for victory is a fun parallel between them. Wolverine is the best there is at what he does, but Scott is the best man for the war.

[zarkzrrk]

Cyclops #3 was definitely my favorite issue of the Cyclops mini so far. I love the issue. I just have one critique. Here at the beginning, Mei is talking to Scott about Krakoa. I wish Alex included how Scott felt about Krakoa. How it made him feel. The conflicting factors- like we could’ve had an insight on how Scott saw Krakoa’s governance, the inclusion of X-Men villains on the roster (Apocalypse, Sinister especially), and his role in its operations, which is mostly just X-Men work to be fair.

[zarkzrrk]

Handing it to Alex Paknadel for using the Reavers as a villain for Cyclops. Cyclops HATES fascists/bigots. The Reavers dehumanize themselves & willingly turn themselves into bigoted weapons. Just how fascists dehumanize & withdraw their empathy to target minority groups.

[zarkzrrk]

Cyclops #3.

Yup. This is by far, the coolest Cyclops moment since he called his X-Men team an equivalent of a nuclear weapon. Probably my favorite issue so far. It has everything I have wanted since it started.

Scott and Mei interactions, Scott teaching Mei the RESIST protocol, being uplifting and patient with her. Scott acknowledging how he is perceived by others. Scott’s patience, training, perception, pragmatism, and brutality is all showcased in this one issue.

Scott warns this goon that he needs those glasses for everyone’s sake. He tries to reason with him. It doesn’t work and chaos ensues. He has Mei make a impactful and difficult move, it’s dependent on their survival and the other captive mutants.

Mei strikes the other goon and she sees that she brutally incapacitates them, which sends her into a state of shock and panic. She runs off into the forest. By this point, Scott’s glasses are broken, Mei has run off and Scott is pissed.

He does what he has to.

He blasts the goon with his optic blasts and we get another proper look at how destructive Scott’s powers are. They aren’t lasers! Scott then takes the weapons and DRAGS Tearjerker along for the ride. Scott reiterates that he’s sometimes the hero, but that he’s also a soldier.

Excellent issue.

[zarkzrrk]

I thoroughly enjoyed this issue. Cyclops teaching Mei the RESIST protocol when she was struggling with her fears. Scott telling her that she has the strength to be herself. Nice touch!!

[cluescorner]

I am so thoroughly haunted by the backup issues of Classic X-Men 41-42. They fuck me up so much.

Like, Robyn Hanover I love you so much and I am so sorry you got brainwashed. I am happy that you seem to be un-brainwashed in the Cyclops mini that's coming out right now, even if you're also dying at least you are dying as yourself. Bogarts you will forever be the 'what could have been' that hangs over my head. They wanted Scott, genuinely wanted him, and for that they were killed. Sinister is a genuine fucking monster and that is ESPECIALLY TRUE considering the weird relationship between 'Nate' and Scott. Like...are we meant to take the Toby's taunts as just bullying or are we meant to take them as 'Nate' and Scott are in some kind of relationship that goes beyond the platonic? If it's the former, that's fucked. If it's the latter, HOLY FUCK THAT IS SO FUCKED. It also adds a whole other layer to the language Sinister uses regarding Scott during Inferno.

I hate seeing Scott call himself a 'brain case' because I recognize that kind of internalized ableism way too much. I hate that he doesn't know who Alex is, even as he calls out for him in the midst of a breakdown. I hate that he was so close to getting out TWICE. I hate that Charles just fuckin left Scott in that hellhole. I hate that this is the first time Jean connects with Scott, not as a hero or even another student but as a kid who seriously needs help that she has been instructed not to give him. I hate that we know more about this period of Scott's life than he probably does because of how much Sinister has locked away from him. I hate that Scott might not know that 'Nate' is part of Sinister and I hate what plots that leaves open for future fuckery. I hate that, outside of the recent Cyclops mini which DID bring back Dr. Hanover (though it seems she is already out of the picture, sad times for me), nobody has touched these backups for a very long time. Because I would love to see this story expanded on with a modern lens. Or maybe I'd hate it because then we would need to answer a LOT of questions that I squirm thinking about the answers to.

[absolutecyclops]

I gotta show y’all how marvel gave up on Scott/Emma (a relationship built within a decade) vs how they’re milking Tony/Emma (the short political marriage that ended in a mailed divorce lol)

[behold-the-basilisk]

I will never understand the obsession Marvel has with this ship. Emma and Tony have no chemistry, no connection, and no flavour bringing them together. It is the most bland slop you could get, and nothing from the Fall of Krakoa or Age of Revelation they wrote for this so called ship has even slightly convinced me otherwise.

[absolutecyclops]

Say it louder!!!

[nico-di-angelol]

can i just say that i’m starting the krakoa now and very interested in the premise and the storytelling. the art, plot and writing are phenomenal. but. i can’t pretend that it doesn’t piss me off to no end that everyone is just pretending that the last 10 years worth of comic events simply did not happen. don’t get me wrong, i understand the purpose of a reboot but this comes at the cost of so many compelling unfinished character/relationship arcs that simply don’t get resolved. wolverine and cyclops are probably fucking now but hey?? what about the fact that logan hated scott for all the years after schism? are we not talking about ALL the xmen collectively hating scott after the phoenix possession & casting him out? are we not talking about cyclops killing his father/mentor figure ever again and what that could possibly mean for his relationship w him?? are we not talking about emma frost destroying cyclops’ reputation by literally puppeting his corpse around? don’t even get me started about sinister on the quiet council btw.

you might’ve guessed i’m a cyclops fan through this rant and i recognise that i haven’t read anything past HoX/PoX but the fact that none of these issues is mentioned during that entire run baffles me. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt but tbh, the fact that scott’s trauma, issues and wrongdoings towards him are constantly and consistently overlooked by comic writers doesn’t give me much faith. scott if u ever need a lawyer i’m here :(

[behold-the-basilisk]

To be honest, this was one of my most consistent issues with the Krakoa era. It felt like everyone had this collective amnesia about most everything that happened for the last 10-20 IRL years. Hell, I can't even remember if Utopia or Schism or AvX or anything like that came up at all, despite being very relevant for Krakoa.