Re: Got that new Ultimate X-Men Annual #2... Let's Talk!! <Spoilers>
Please try posting a description of the issue if you are gonna open a thread.
Not mandatory, but common courtesy and much appreciated.
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It opens with a flashback of Night Crawler assassinating a politician under orders from Weapon X.
NC really kicks some *** and it remind us of his first appearance under Millar.
Then another flashback to a month ago when Rogue returned to the mansion and first talked to Xavoer. She chats with Xavier about the fact that Gambit's power haven't faded and Xavier states it is only a matter of time before they do.
Then we move to Dazzler's room, last night. NC is watching over her creepily. She awakes from her coma and asks what's going on.
NC stares blankly for a short while and then completely snap : He tells Dazzler the X-Men have been attacked and she needs to go into hiding with him!
I did not see that coming!
He teleports her to a sealed off cave he uses when he wants solitude (not sure how he would have stumbled upon it but...)
Dazzler wants to know what's up, NC says he doesn't know and sticks to a simple "We're under attack and are hiding, Xavoer will tell me when it's safe" story. Hard to disprove, he has Dazzler comepletely isolated and relying on him for information.
Then we reach today (magic comic book time!). Xavier is chatting with Wolverine. It isn't stated outright but it looks a awful lot like Wolverine killed the Magician (in next UXM). They are interrupted by a call of the hospital stating that Dazzler has disappeared.
Back to the cave. NC is trying to get into Dazzler pants. No, not really, but he's spinning a good story and at this point Dazzler think it's sweet he cares so much but remind him she's still with Warren. NC goes back for supplies.
Back to the school, Xavier is taking the disparition seriously and wants the X-Men to look for her in her usual haunts (assuming she left of her own free will) while he goes to the hospital to do what psychics do.
NC comes in late in the briefing, wonder what he's goin on. He is told, says he wants to help, says he'll cover more ground by teleporting. He refuses to let Wolverine tag alone, saying it'll go faster alone.
Wolverine stays behind and report to Xavier that he picked Dazzler scent on NC. Xavier says he picked up the situation from NC mind (One days Xavier will need to stop with the charade that he asks permission before snooping in your brain!) and he is assembling the team telepathically in the hangar. Wolverine goes along but is advised not to kill Kurt under any circumstances.
Back to the cave, NC comes back with supply and start to chat with Dazzler but while his back is turned Kitty comes in and phase Dazzler out of the cave.
NC goes back to the surface to confront the X-Men, furious. Where's Jean when you need her? Turns out it's damn tough to capture a teleporter, especially if you try not to hurt him too bad.
Spectacular fight. NC sends Colossus in the cave, teleports Wolverine a miles away and Cyclops a hundred yard into the air (he did that last and by then was really losing it).
During the fight, Rogue's Gambit power fail her.
NC is stunned when he has the bad luck of being under Colossus when he fights his way back to the surface. The combat slows down as NC, Cyclops and Dazzler exchange choice words. And then he is neutralized by ROgue who touches him. Her powers are back!
Back to the house, Xavier wants everyone to keep quiet as he tries to help Kurt. He keeps him sedated (so he doesn't teleport away) and will try to heal him mind. He doesn't want Kurt in SHIELD custody.
Dazzler in unhappy ; now that what Kurt did is clear, she is furious at him and proclaim that if Kurt had kidnapped a choice student like Jean he wouldn't get the kid's glove treatement. She declares that she quits the X-Men.
Last Scene has Rogue visiting in secret the unconscious Kurt. She tells him she knows what it is to grow up with people thinking you are a monster. But after being in his head (thanks to her powers), she knows he is a monster. She leaves, Kurt, while apparently unconscious, cries.
The END
Bonus scenes with different artist : the explanation for Mystique the cat. We see a panel of Mystique furious at Xavier because he is now involved with Emma Frost. It is unclear if Xavier cheated or if their relationship was over. Next panel, Emma convince Xavier to keep a cat she is fond of, he reluctantly agrees and then sees the cat has made a mess in his office. Emma proclaims he should call the cat Mystique.
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I liked it but you have to be ready for Night Crawler to go completely bat**** out of his mind. It was building under Kirkman's run and also a bit under BKV ; Kurt was becoming more isolated. Kirkman does a good set up by reminding us that Night Crawler did the same kind of ugly things Wolverine did (albeit not for as long).
Still, it does run counter to that scene where Kurt prevented Storm from killing the Weapon X commander.
Art is pretty good and the action sequences are well plotted and highlight NC's power the same way X2's intro did. Very cool.
4/5