Here are some wonderful and informative web links this week, each about continuity—continuity with a CAPITAL C! Definitely all food for thought. And also a short rambling about stuff going on in the world of comic books (outside of the DC Bat-verse).
The DCnU 52: One Year Later by Kent G. Hare
Ask Chris: Continuity and You by Chris Sims
New 52 Continuity : It Ain't That Bad! @ Last of the Famous International Fanboys
I don't usually talk about anything other than Batman-related things on here, but let's take a stroll off the beaten path for a hot second, shall we? My favorite Marvel book (currently and for quite some time now) is Rick Remender's Uncanny X-Force. I highly recommend it—a book where every issue counts to the umpteenth degree and the stakes are always high. I never thought I'd be so over-the-moon about an X book again. It's been years since I've liked any X book. In my humble opinion, the entire concept of the X-characters and mutants in general is a highly flawed and, dare I say it, lame concept. The idea of a world of mutants in the Marvel U has been a lame idea for the past thirty years (in spite of some really great flashes of storytelling and art here and there). What do I mean exactly? Well, Aaron Diaz sums it up quite perfectly:
“Mutations [should] have a clear sci-fi foundation rather than just being random superpowers. Mutants being “the next stage in human evolution” was biologically dubious in the 60s, and now it’s just corny. Additionally, I think the X-Men premise only really makes sense in a setting without other superheroes.”
I agree wholeheartedly. Why have mutants when ostensibly Captain America, Spider-Man, and so many others are basically mutants too? I understand that mutants are born with powers whereas Cap and Spidey were not, but really other than that, how are they any different? Plus, there are plenty of characters in the Marvel U that were born with powers, and yet are not mutants, right?
I think one of the reasons Uncanny X-Force works so well is because its a genuine multiverse book. While it doesn't ignore the mutant dilemma or mutant history linked to overall Marvel continuity, it deals more with the fact that Wolverine, Deadpool, Fantomex (RIP!), Psylocke, AOA Nightcrawler, et al exist in the bountiful superhero world that is the great Marvel multiverse. This isn't your insular mutant X book that lives outside of the rest of the Marvel multiverse, as much of the X-verse has done for decades. Remender is really playing in the multiversial sandbox rather than limiting himself to the mutants-only sandbox. And the end result is an inspired, intense, touching, and unique X title the likes of which we haven't seen before.
