Yay! A New Post

Since I haven't done this in awhile, I thought today I'd lay out a couple of things I would do if I was Editor In Chief of Marvel. The first would be that when they show a crowd scene at a nightclub or bar or whatever, somewhere in the background there would be a Madrox dupe. I think this would be a fun idea and a neat little Where's Waldo type gag running through all the Marvel books.
Next I would create a Marvel Team-Up book that each month would focus on a completely different team (I've already listed some of my favorite ideas for one in previous posts) and finally, I would have a series devoted to the misadventures of Wolfsbane and Husk. I really think this would make for an awesome series especially considering both gals' connection to Cannonball.
Oh, something that I would do if I ever got to write a Spider-Man book, every couple of issues I would tease that the next book would be the one where Spidey gets married.

Paige and Rahne

So, lately I've been thinking about how awesome it would be if Marvel let me write Marvel Team-Up and who I would team-up (besides the War Machine Gambit team-up I wrote about a few months ago) and one I came up with that I think would be all kinds of awesome is Husk(Paige Guthrie) and Wolfsbane(Rahne Sinclair). Now anyone who has been here before probably already knows how much I love Wolfsbane, as I've written about that love quite a few times here at Monkey Knife Fight. Though, I haven't written as much about how much I dig Husk (mainly because of my made love for her teamate Jubilee) I really dig Sam's sister and have been so happy that she and Jubilee have been getting a bunch of screen time in the X-Men vs. Vampires books(which is an awesome series if you haven't gotten the chance to check it out). Anyways back to the main topic, I think it would be fun to have these two team up. Since, we haven't seen them interact much in the books even though they both are connected to Cannonball in one way or another. I also, like this pairing because any criminal who ran into them would certainly start thinking about a new vocation after tangling with these two, since their powers are pretty freaky. I think that their differing personalities would make for some neat moments throughout the story and they would both get a chance to show off different parts of their personalities we don't often get to see. Plus, it would be neat to have them talk about Cannonball and his goofiness. If you want to know more about what I'd do with this pairing, I guess you'll just have to start petitioning Marvel to let me write Marvel Team-Up.

The Irredeemable X-Men

So, for a while now I've been toying with the idea of making up an X-Men team made up of the mutants that get no respect for the powers and came up with the idea of the Irredeemable X-Men team which consist of:

Iceman - The leader of the team, who's trying to prove to Scott and the others he can lead and that making ice is not just a parlor trick seeing how he can control one the the most abundant of the elements on Earth.

Jubilee - Besides being one of my favs she's got an awesome personality and can control the fourth state of matter (plasma) with her "fireworks".

Husk - Every team needs a big guy and I think she would be a fun one to go with. though she's not made fun of as much as the two above her. She hasn't gotten a lot of face time in the X-Men books (well, other than in the X-Men vs. Vampires books).

Wolfsbane - Even though she doesn't get teased too much about her actual powers, I do feel she could be used better with in the X-Men books which tend to focus on her religious views in a way that I think is unfair (Like some of the jokes her X-Factor teammates have thrown her way) and that she would make a good team mom for this rag-tag group.

Cypher - Last but not least the guy who can understand all forms of communication. Granted the new New Mutant book has been treating him better (especially when he pwn'd the team in his first re-appearance). He still doesn't get nearly the respect he should based on his powers. Heck, look how crazy awesome Cassandra Cain was using only one of the techniques available to him.

So, there you have it, the Irredeemable X-Men team. Hopefully someone at Marvel will make this happen and then maybe Joey Q will stop getting so much flack (from people like me) about Spider-MAn's satanic divorce.

Jay's All New, All Different X-Men Team.

I haven't done this in a while. So, I thought it would be fun to take a Little time and come up with the teams I would use if I were writing the X-Men Books. First off I would use the idea from the 90s of a gold and blue team. I would also have them based out of the mansion again and have a support team of Forge, Moira, Cypher and, Cyclops leader of the entire group.
The Gold Team. For this team I thought I'd go with a more experienced group.

Havok - Team Leader. Like his brother. Havok is a natural leader and has led many of the members on this team before.

Polaris - Besides being Alex's on again/off again love interest. She's a flier with long range powers.

Rogue - Heavy hitter and a flier.

Cannonball - Though, a good leader in his own right. He is the only one of the New Mutants to make this team and like Rogue, he is a flier and heavy hitter.

Nightcrawler - He can be stealthy, is good with malee weapons and can get help out of a fit in a pinch, with his teleporting powers.

Wolverine - He had to be on at least one of these teams so, might as well be on the one with someone whom knows how to deal with him.

Gambit - Besides also having Rogue on this team. With all the time he's spent reigning in Logan. I figured Havok could control Gambit a lot better than the leader of the Blue Team and it's always good to have someone that can blow stuff up on at least one of the teams.

Psylocke - Again, she has experience working with Alex and, her powers are complimented by being on this team.

Colossus - The team's heavy hitter.

Kitty Pryde - With Piotr and Logan on this team you could've guessed she was going to be on this team. Plus, much like Nightcrawler she's good to have around in case the fight starts to go sour.

BLUE TEAM. Though, not as experienced as the Gold Team. They're not a team to be taken likely.

Multiple Man - Team Leader. Since, starting up X-Factor investigations. Madrox has been the type of leader a guy with his powers should be.

Siryn - With her and Jamie's personal history. She could be good at keeping him in line as well as her long range and flight powers.

M - Jamie knows how to deal with her and she is a powerhouse, no matter what time she's on.

Angel - I put him and a couple of the original X-Men on this team to work as mentors to the younger members. Plus, he's a flier and it's always good to have a few of those on your team.

Wolfsbane - The malee fighter of the team.

Husk - She was on a team with M and in a relationship with Angel. So, there will definitely make things interesting. Plus, the her powers she can be whatever supporting member the team needs.

Jubilee - With Husk and M on the team it's only natural to have Jubes on the team. Plus, I think it would be entertaining how she and MAdrox would butt heads.

Iceman - The main reason I put him on the team was because of this team's lack of long range attackers and him being a bit more immature than the folks on the other team. I thought he'd make a good fit on this team.

Sunspot - The team's powerhouse and a former teamate of Rahne's I felt this was the team for him.

Beast - A heavy hitter and able to find solutions for problems no one's thought exist. I feel he would make a good mentor to all the members including Madrox and I kind of think that if he had a choice he would pick to be on this team, for the entertainment of watching these personalities trying to work together.

Well, there you go. My Gold and Blue X-Men teams.

Everyone enjoys a little Rahne every now and again

Taking a brake from all the listy goodness for a little bit. I thought I would right about something that's been bouncing around my head for the last couple of weeks. A couple of weeks ago while I was at Comic Fest me and the friend I went with were chatting about this and that and it got me thinking about how (despite her low profile) Wolfsbane has been in more titles than almost any other New Mutant, heck she's even co-starred in a couple of mini-series with Wolverine (and weirdly enough both were also written by Peter David). Seriously, you never hear much in fandom about Ms. Rahne Sinclair (not even on any of the feminist type blogs), Even though, she was in New Mutants, two versions of X-Factor and is now one of the main characters in the new X-Force book as well as being in the New Mutant/New X-men book while she was dating Elixir. I'm not really sure why this is, though I do have a sinking suspicion that Peter David really digs the character. After all, he has written two series and to minis that she has co-starred in. Yet, she barely rates a mention on the internets and that is a real shame. Now granted,I really dig Wolfsbane, in all of her incarnations and was extremely happy when I found out that one of my quarter bin finds from Comic Fest was X-Factor #99 where Haven cures her of the mutate thing and she was able to revert back to her human form and was no longer mind linked to Havok. All in all it's not a bad issue at all. Anyways getting back to the subject I think one of the strength's and why she has been in, is that she is really good supporting character. For one her background and her faith makes for interesting exchanges between her and other characters (especially,when some kind of moral dilemma is being discussed). Plus, with her powers of lycanthropy it makes a good visual, even in the background of a fight scene. What's weird is still thinking about all of this the other day, I started thinking about whether or not she would be able to carry off her own mini series and even as a huge fan of the character I don't really think she could. Unless of course, a very talented write had a story they felt could only be told with her in the lead. Other than that though, I think she works best as a supporting character that occasionally has an issue or to that spotlight her. Lately, I started re-reading the latest version of X-Factor up until she left and joined X-Factor and I think what I really enjoy about her is how Peter David writes her as a girl with a fierce and tough exterior in a vain attempt to hide her caring and soft personality and the conflicts and hurt that stem from her upbringing as well as from the conflicted ways she feels about her powers and mutant abilities. I really feel that even as a supporting character she is really fleshed out well (especially when written by Peter David) into a character that you really care and hope for as she deals with the traumas of her childhood as well as her mutant powers while growing into a woman of deep faith and conviction and it's a shame she doesn't get more coverage on the blogs or in the comic press and hopefully here soon, more people will realise just how awesome she is. Plus, who doesn't love a gal with a Scottish accent.

Shhhh... It's a Secret Part. 2

Still in a list making mood and not quite ready for my New Mutants casting call. I thought it would be fun to give you fine folks another peak into how my mind works with second edition of the secret gifts/guilty pleasures of some of my favorite characters.

Alex Summers(Havok)- Besides being better at crossword puzzles than Scott, he's also better at the game of Scrabble. In fact he's one of the best Scrabble players at the X-Mansion and he and Beast have an ongoing rivalry as well as a bet on which one is actually the best.

Rahne Sinclair(Wolfsbane)- Though it's not something she would admit to, she enjoys reading "Bodice Rippers" and just to make it more humorous. In my mind it was Monet how introduce her to these trashy books, while she was still on X-Factor and that is one of the few things they were able to bond over as team members.

Tim Drake(Robin/Red Robin)- Is not very good at Wii sports. For all his training under Bruce Wayne, Tim just can not win at any of the games on Wii sports. He maybe a ninja and one of the best detectives of the DCU. But he is a terrible Wii boxer, bowler,etc.

Bobby Drake(Iceman)- Really hates when his friends ask him to make slushies, margaritas, dacaries or any other type of drink that requires ice and a blender and even more mysteriously he didn't mind it until after college.

Betsy Braddock(Psylocke)- Much too everyone's surprise (especially considering the outfit she fights in)her most prized clothing item is her full length flannel nightgown. She loves nothing more on a slow evening than to curl up on the couch in flannel nightgown with a good book in front of a roaring fire.

Well, there you go another list of some of the things I think these characters are into and that some of them would rather no one knew about.

Casting Call: X-Factor: The 90s Edtion

While at Comic Fest over the weekend I was catching with the friend I went with and thought it would be neat to revisit the X-Factor casting call dealie I did awhile ago. But, rather then just changing the actors, since i think I did an awesome job. I thought it would be fun to think about who I would cast if I was doing the 90s version of the team and don't worry I'm going with different actors for Rahne and Jamie since they would be younger in this version of X-Factor. So, here you go:

Alex Summers/Havok - Owen Wilson. Besides being blond and the right age. i think Owen would make a really good Havok, he could even channel some of the energy he has from being in the same profession with more well know brother Luke. Plus, he's got the charm to pull off some of the trademark dickishness the Summers brothers are known for, without you hating him.

Lorna Dane/Polaris - Diane Neal - With her years on SVU. I think she would make a very good Lorna who had been manipulated by various people through out the years of her being associated with the X-Men and I feel she she could bring that depth to the character. Of course, this also depends on how she looks with her hair dyed green but, I think she could pull it off.

Valerie Cooper - Jeri Ryan. Seeing some the more bureaucratic roles since leaving Voyager. I think she would make a good choice for the Mutant Affairs liaison and boss of X-Factor.

Guido Carosella/Strong Guy - Ethan Suplee. As mentioned in the other post. I think Ethan would make a great choice for bringing Strong Guy to the silver screen and I'm keeping him as my choice here.

Jamie Madrox/Multiple Man - Seann William Scott. That's right, in my flick Stifler would make the perfect guy to play the less focused and more immature Jamie Madrox of this team.

Rahne Sinclair/Wolfsbane - Michelle Trachtenberg. Even though she's a bit older than Rahne was during these stories. I feel she could still pull off playing a 16 year old werewolf, with her work on Buffy and the stuff she's done since then. I think she would do a really good job as the Havok obsessed Rahne of this era.

Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver - David Hyde Pierce. A bit of an adment to the other posting I think he would actually make a better Pietro than Cary Ewles. So, he's out and Niles, is in.

Nathaniel Essex/Mr. Sinister - Jeremy Sisto. With his role as Batman in New Frontier and his gravelly voice. I think he would be great in the role of evil geneticist and villain Mr. Sinister.

So, there you go there's the 90's X-Factor casting call.

You make me feel like spring had sprung

I couldn't really think of anything to post today.So, I thought I'd do another one of my patented lists. Just to be different I thought for this list I'd be different and instead of doing the usual type of lists. I'd make this one about the gals in comics that I have (or had) a crush on through out the years. So, without to much more of an introduction here are the top 5 (fictional) comic girls I crush on :)

Jubilee - If you've been here before, you should already know about my mad Jubilee love. If your new to Monkey Knife Fight. One of the things you should know is I love Jubilation Lee. I have since, the first time a saw her in a comic (The X-Men's Atlantis Attacks Annual). I could go on and on about how much I adore this character. How many gals do you know could appoint themselves Wolverine's sidekick and get him to go along with the program. Really, (to me atleast)it felt more like he was her sidekick most of the time.

Wolfsbane - She's so vulernable and adorable, I just want to wrap my arms around her. She was my favorite New Mutant back in the day, but what really got my crushing hard on her was the way PAD wrote her in the current X-Factor books.

Lady Blackhawk - Ah, Zinda, Zinda, Zinda. What's not to love about Ms. Zinda Blake? She's tough, she likes to drink, she's sweet and sassy and as a bonus she wears a skirt. I am a big fan of girls that wear skirts and dresses, real girls or fictional. If they wear a lot of skirts I'm gonna fall in love with them :)

Kitty Pryde - I think it's alomost a prerequist that if your into comics at one point or another you're gonna have a crush on Kitty.

Catwoman - How could any red-blood guy not crush on Seline Kyle? Honestly,she is like every generation of Batman fan's crush. Whether it's the purple dress, or Julie Newmar, or Lee Mariweather,Michelle Pfeiffer, the Animated series or Darwyn Cook's artwork. Everyone has a Catwoman they adore :)

So, there you have it. The five comic book gals that really get my motor running. This is either a really neat or really, really sad. I'll let you make the call :)

Geek-Cred and how to get it

For some reason this question comes up quite a bit. I think it has to do with my age and that I still like reading comic books (total geek-cred). Well the main reason is the stories comics have a more layered story than alot of the other forms of storytelling, especially movies and TV. Another reason is the characters. One of my favorites is a girl named Rahne (pronouced Rain) Sinclair, who grow up in a strict presbyterien household. Then when she was 14 she discovered she had a mutant power which in abled her to change into a wolf. For years she struggled with her animal and human sides along with her strict christian upbringing which for along made her feel like she was evil because of her powers.In the comics she's gone from someone who was shy and full of self loathing into a women whom is confident and outspoken,while still remaining true to her faith. Another fav of mine is the Maxx,a construction worker who suffers a psychotic break with reality and comes to beleive he must portect a women named Julie from threats that are mostly in his imagination.More than that Julie bonds with him and helps him to see were reality really lies and occassionally he does save her from real danger.Of course his brain does turn would be muggers into super villians,but that's the fun of it all.It's also more than that (but you'll have to read it to find out how much more,or rent the video). I think there is something really cool about using pictures to tell a story,maybe even something primal wrapped around the strands of our DNA. After all cave drawings were basicly one or two frame comics telling the story of great feats. Still there's more something about reading such an amped up version of the human condition. Which is what makes Spider-Man such a great character,sure he has amazing superpowers.But, he still has to worry about paying the rent, will his checks bounce,is he going to be fired all question we all ask ourselves and on top of that he has to stop complete psychopaths from trying to destory his city or kill his loved ones. Some of his best stories are the ones inwhich he must choose between helping someone he loves or saving the city from some napherious plot. Comics also seem better at mixing in humor with meledrama than movies or television.Books are somewhat better at this. There also seems to be something in human nature,where we feel our heroes and villians should have some type of supernatural or superhuman power. From Hercules fighting the giant Cyclopses to King Aurthur and Merlin.I use these examples because besides just stories I think of comic books as a sort of modern day mythology. Who knows maybe in a couple hundred years the people of that time will think of comics in the same quaint way we think of greek or roman mythology or maybe they'll just think of them as crude drawings the way we look at cave drawings or not.Yes, some comics are just plain dumb but what medium doesn't have that problem. Another cool things about comics is it's one of the few American art forms along with jazz,the mystery story and the banjo. I could go on and on but since nobody will probably read this I think here is a good stopping point.

The geekiness continues

Since I haven’t done a list in awhile, I thought it would be fun to share with you my favorite super heroines. Plus, I thought maybe this would give me a little insight into the type of girls I like
(and in case you’re new to this place these are in no particular order)
So,without any further ado...
Zatanna - What’s not to love, she’s a sorceress with a neat gimmick (sdrawkcab meth gniyas yb slleps gnitsac) and what red-blooded guy doesn’t love a girl in fishnets and tails.
Wolfsbane - Ah, Ms. Rahne Sinclear I’ve dug her since back in her New Mutant days. There’s just something about a shy girl with a christian upbringing and the ability to turn into a wolf that just had me from the word go.
Jubilee - Oh, how I luv Jubes (when I was a wee lad I had a huge crush on her) I know her powers are kinda lame and she can be obnoxious.But, it doesn’t matter.
Big Barda - What can I say Barda is just awesome. She’s just as strong as Superman and is married to the super escape artist Mr.Miracle.
Kitty Pryde - I don’t think there is any guy whose into comics whom has not had a crush on her at some point. She’s super smart, she’s a ninja and she has a pet dragon (what’s not to love).
Rogue - especially when she could fly and had super strength and it makes you sad thinking about how if she kisses or holds hands with a fellow she could kill him. The poor girl
Stargirl - She’s just fun :)
Raven - Aw, my love of goth girls knows no bounds.
Black Cat - MEOW!
Siryn - PAD is such an awesome writer she has totally crept in (plus how can you not like a girl who dated Deadpool and actually dug him).
Well, that’s all of them I can think of right now.Plus, I don’t wanna go on listing and listing and listing until the eyes of the few people who read this glaze over. The only similarities between these girls seems to be their XX chromosomes. Unless someone else out there has a bit more insight. I guess, what I’ve learned is I like girls everyone of them I’ve liked (in the real world and not so real worlds of DC and Marvel) has a something unique and special about them that I just can’t resist (Now,if only they felt the same way about me but, I guess that should probably be left for another post). I dunno, I’m all outta ideas so... Until next time... Keep watching the skis...um, I mean skies