Source: Marvel/ProjectRadio
John Balash: Good day, dear Ian! Ready to discuss the uncanny adventures of our favorite mutants?
Ian Carlos Crawford: Yeah, duh!
Source: Marvel/ProjectRadio
JB: I suppose we should start with some background - Marvel's mutants marked a milestone with the publishing of Uncanny X-Men #600, Brian Michael Bendis said goodbye and finished his run on the book, as well as the series, which won't be returning as part of the new Marvel relaunch.
ICC: So, how did you feel about the issue? I enjoyed it? I actually really enjoyed it which is a shame because boy did I not like Extraordinary X-Men.
JB: It was like Bendis was trying to tie up loose ends while leaving some laces ready for the next writer to pick up and run with (or trip over). We were promised more about Iceman's coming out but it was about an intervention of Beast for essentially destroying the time stream when he brought the original 5 X-Men to present day. The intervention parts were boring to me and just served to make Beast leave so he could go join whatever team he's joining (Inhumans?). I wanted more of the character vignettes, which were sweet. I haven't read Extraordinary X-Men yet (which I think should be X-traordinary X-Men) but the art I've seen looks good.
ICC: But, also, I kinda agreed with Beast? Like, having every single student there seemed a bit…much?
Source: Marvel/ProjectRadio
JB: Yeah, I think Storm was throwing some major shade and trying to humiliate him in front of the student body.The first half of the issue was Beast explaining he did it all because Cyclops is such a dick but the end of the book had Cyclops bringing together all of mutantdom in a peaceful and redeeming moment that Professor X would've been proud of.
ICC: Yeah, I did enjoy that. I liked some of the flashbacks that tied up those loose ends. Although, I am V ready for the god damned time-displaced team to go back to their own time. I was really hoping they’d go back after Young Bobby Drake and Old Bobby Drake worked their shit out.
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JB: I don't think they're going to. I'm on the fence about them since I like having Jean back but now she's making out with young Beast! I love her but girl really knows how to mess with guys' hearts! And, speaking about the younger X-Men and their current day counterparts, we were mainly asked to cover this because Younger Iceman finally confronted his current day counterpart about whether he was gay.
ICC: And, last time I covered this, I had people calling me “faggot” when Brian Michael Bendis retweeted it and then had people calling me biphobic when Geeks Out tweeted it. It was fun fun fun.
JB: Which is ridiculous on so many levels that they would say that.
Source: Marvel/ProjectRadio
ICC: But, I really liked the Bobby Drake scene? How’d you feel about the scene? I got a little choked up…but I also have all the feelings all the time.
JB: I liked it too. It was touching and a real full-circle moment. Most people, myself included, come to terms with their homosexuality as they get older but this was a case of the Younger Bobby Drake trying to help his older version accept himself.
ICC: It was oddly touching, wasn’t it?
JB: It was and I've had strong feelings about Bobby Drake since about age 4 when I was watching Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends and a de-powered and nearly naked Iceman sparked more than a passing flame in me. He always reminded me of myself; never living up to his potential, the joker of the team, and always hiding something about himself.
ICC: Also, the sentence “I teared up when Older Bobby Drake talked to Younger Bobby Drake about his sexuality” sounds real absurd.
JB: I wanted more of this scene to be honest and to see what Bobby's next steps will be but I guess that's for the next writer to determine.He teared up too and dropped an icy tear out of his eye.
Source: Marvel/Tumblr
ICC: UGH I KNOW AND THAT REALLY GOT ME! Also, it was weird that Jean was there?
JB: When young Iceman was outed by his telepathic teammate Jean Grey at first, like many people, I thought he's not gay and then I thought oh, that makes total sense. I agree it was a little unnecessary for Jean to be there though - I think it would've been more touching if it was just them like a heart-to-heart with a literal and metaphorical accepting yourself.I honestly don't even know why Jean was there. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Ms. Grey, but she didn't add to the conversation Iceman had with himself.
ICC: Yeah. I agree.
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JB: Overall, I was a little let down because I wanted Bobby to go tell his teammates and make it this big affirmation but I think it's going to be baby steps.
ICC: I just…I wish they were now in the same book together.So we could get more of them talking
JB: I'm really wondering if he's going to reach out to the first superhero to come out, and his fellow X-Man, Northstar. I'd like to see them getting beers at a gay bar or something. I think it will be interesting seeing Iceman coming to terms with the burden of his homosexuality and learning to love himself for who he is. And, yeah why aren't they in the same book? Although I think I might annoy myself after too much time too.
ICC: Oh, I’d totally get annoyed with myself - especially a younger version of myself.
JB: I'd probably end up hitting on the same guy on Grindr and then he'd like the older and younger me and it would just be awkward. I'd get jealous and mad at myself...just a mess.
ICC: But yeah, I’d love to see Iceman and Northstar being buds at a gay bar together. We never get enough of gay characters just being friends.
Source: Marvel/Tumblr
JB: Agreed.Then I was wondering if older Iceman ever had any gay romances or affairs we never saw in the comics.That's where my dirty mind initially went when Younger Iceman asked him if he thought Angel was cute. I thought that was a sweet moment.
ICC: I did like that. I could’ve read like, 5 pages of them just discussing who they thought was hot on the team.
JB: I'm glad they're making it like, Iceman has this attraction, it doesn't mean he's not a hero, and it doesn't mean he's some lecherous sexual deviant, because he's obviously not.
ICC: SO MY BIG QUESTION IS….did Jean Grey know this? Did Emma? Like, were they just like, “Yep, he’s gay but closeted so let’s just not say anything."Because I guess I could see Jean doing that…but not Emma? I feel like the first chance Emma got, she’d be like, “Shut up, closet case."
Source: Marvel/ProjectRadio
JB: Well there's the real answer which is writers may have dropped hints along the way like the way like when Emma took over Bobby's body but maybe Bobby had it buried to deep Emma didn't know?Maybe she felt sympathetic to him too after living in his body and didn't want to hurt him.
ICC: But, also, it’s hard when it’s a character who has been around for 50-ish yearsbecause not every version of the character would be consistent.
JB: Editorial oversight comes into play. I think Mark Millar tried to make Ultimate Colossus and Wolverine a thing in Ultimate X-Men but then it just sort of went away.Also when Grant Morrison had Beast come out and then say, "nah, just kidding" during his run on New X-Men. This seems more permanent and a nice icicle to add to Bobby's somewhat one-dimensional character.
ICC: Yeah, I remember being so annoyed when they did that with Beast because it kinda made sense for Beast to be gay with how I always read him, I guess?
JB: Probably more than it made sense for Iceman even! Iceman has had more girlfriends but neither have had very successful relationships.
ICC: I mean, it’s whatever. I’m a garbage can and I’ve had sex with a lady as recently as 6 years ago and I’ve been out for a long time. And I’m really gay.
JB: Bobby was also pretty cold to Northstar when he joined the team and I remember thinking, "Bobby doth protest too much" like those guys in high school who pick on the gay kids so they don't get outed. I haven't gone that route with ladies but would consider it. Opal Tanaka and Kitty Pryde are both total babes.
ICC: I just always throw that in because like…I can have sex with a lady but still identify as gay. So, ya know, so can Bobby.
JB: Yeah totally and people think of sexuality like an on/off switch when it's more like a dimmer switch. I'm very dim on ladies but not completely off – but, very dark though.
ICC: Should we talk more about the rest of the issue?
Source: Marvel/ProjectRadio
JB: There was a nice moment with Kitty and Peter and he seemed okay with her having a relationship with that other Peter, Quill, and living out in space if she was happy. I want them together in the end but it's a journey.
ICC: Yeah, I like them at least being friends.
JB: Magik and Colossus also had a nice dysfunctional family reunion. I guess they were fighting again? I can't keep up with all their familial drama.
ICC: ME NEITHER!
JB: I think the other most important moment was Cyclops peacefully bringing all the mutants together en masse to show they could stand there, be cool, and not fight. I was so happy they didn't fight.
Source: Marvel/ProjectRadio
ICC: Yeah! I think they needed to all come back together. I deffo wanted that to happen.
JB: This was also ominous because knowing what Marvel is planning with the Terrigen mists killing off mutants this might be the last time they're all together alive.As an X-Men fan it's a little sad to see Uncanny end. I know it's just the name but it was THE X-Men book for decades.
ICC: It was. And, I also ::ahem:: didn’t love Extraordinary X-Men which bummed me out after how much I loved Uncanny 600.
JB: Overall the X-Men have been marginalized by Marvel because they don't have their sole movie rights - however, if not paying attention to them allows exciting character developments like Iceman coming out I think it's not a bad thing.
ICC: ::sigh:: They really have been.
JB: It was a nice end to the series but they could've squeezed Wolverine in! I know he's dead but I wanted this to be more of a farewell issue too, which it wasn't so much.
ICC: I wish Fox would just give me the gift of sharing the movie rights with Marvel Studios.
JB: Agreed!
Source: Marvel/ProjectRadio
ICC: And, yeah, I forgot Wolverine was even dead. I kinda just assumed he had come back.Even though he didn't, clearly.
JB: Well, Old Man Logan is back. Well, not back as much as borrowed from an alternate timeline.I swear, The Avengers comics don't have such messy backstories!
ICC: Okay, so now we can have our next discussion about which one of gets to date Iceman...
JB: Deal!
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