[Astonishing X-Men] #19

[hermionesviolin]

So this is the first of Joss' fourth and final AXM run. (Gifted, Dangerous, Torn... this one's called "Unstoppable")

I find it interesting that an issue which is primarily about the X-Men (still recovering from Emma/Cassandra and also getting caught up with Brand's exposition about what the current situation is) opens with Breakworld citizenry. Of course what is particularly striking is what a different look at the Breakworld this is than the one we'd been getting from Ord. "One human cannot destroy a world. The world does that itself." It's also interesting that she says not only, "Who could destroy such a mighty and merciless race," but also, "And who in all the worlds could save us?"

Ord: "Celestial hell, but I am sick of magnets."
Hee.

Brand: "Gonna put a bullet in my head?"
Kitty: "For starters."
The gun phased in Brand's head = awesome. Though I feel a little iffy about the believability of Kitty's reaction; I mean, it's not like Brand's about to kill them, though given Kitty's recent trauma I can understand her twitchiness.

Hisako: "Why is everyone so calm?"
Logan: "Suck it up, kid. We've been off-world lots."
Hank: "And I"m not sure I'd characterize us as 'calm.' Assuming the term is still in the popular vernacular...? ...I'd go with 'fried'."
Boo on them for incorrect (in America, anyway) punctuation placement.

Brand: "I got a lotta variables on this mission, if she's a direct threat--"
Hank: "Agent Brand, Emma is an X-Man."
Brand: "And?
Hank: "I'm unaware of the need for a conjunction."
♥ (Oh, Scott smiling.)

Kitty, to Piotr: "And you killed yourself one time! Yeah, temporarily, and for a really good cause, but... How do I know you're not gonna... I'm just gonna need some time."
Such a Whedon line; I could totally hear Buffy or Willow saying that.

Brand: "I'm assuming you're as mystified by this as the rest of us, Rasputin."
Piotr: "No, I'm not. I have been planning to destroy the Breakworld since I was a child."
[Everyone turns to look at him.]
Piotr [uncomfortable]: "This is why I don't make so many jokes. I never know when is good."
Aww.

Hank: "You kidnapped us."
Brand: "We're not past that yet?"
Kitty: "It was four hours ago."
Heart.

Brand: "But I didn't kidnap you all for giggles, of even for the time I"ll buy."
new panel, and she takes off her shades for possibly the first time ever since we've seen her (care to discuss cf. Scott, likeadeuce?) Okay, checking back, I don't own the trades (yet) but I have the single issues back to #13 [the beginning of the Torn arc], and she's bare-faced mid-#14 at the meeting where they find out which X-Men is destined to destroy the Breakworld (she's wearing gold hoop earrings at that meeting) and in the opening of #16 when Ord escapes; in neither of those does she have the green lipstick she's rocking in #19.
Brand: "I did it because right now, I need superheroes."
I have always loved Brand.

And we end with:
Scott: "What's Plan B?"
Brand: "We all die now."
Scott: "What's Plan C?"

Comments

[likeadeuce.livejournal.com]

You know that Scott will find plan C.

I don't think it was unreasonable for Kitty to assume that Brand wanted to kill them (and particularly Peter). That's actually what I've been thinking; the idea that she wants them to be superheroes for her is kind of a twist.

I'm not really sure what's up with the Breakworld stuff but Agent Exposition is doing a pretty good job at being interesting. I actually felt for her on the reaction shot after Peter's "joke". I hadn't thought about Brand, the constantly shaded, being the one to notice Scott's lack of eyewear. Huh.

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

I don't think it was unreasonable for Kitty to assume that Brand wanted to kill them (and particularly Peter)

Fair point. I think I was expecting her to dump them all on the Breakworld or something -- get them out of her hair -- but figured since she's so all about the big picture she wasn't going to kill them all right then. But mostly it's probably that I sympathize with Brand.