Well, there were a few points I wanted to talk about from this issue. This issue highlights some great future potential, and has some interesting character potential. So let's quit with the jabberjawing and get right down to it.
1.) X-23 does not need training.
Within the first 3 pages we're shown X-23 doesn't need any training. She's here because she needs the social interactions with peers her age. It also shows in many regards with her interactions to fellow students she's going to be a borderline counselor/teacher's assistant/tutor which could prove very interesting.
2.) X-23 and Finesse both needing help dealing with emotions.
This is something I can't wait to see explored. These two are quite an interesting pair and together it could be quite explosive once Finessse's competitive nature starts to kick in. There's a lot of potential between these two to be good friends, or have a friendly rivalry that become onesided as X-23 doesn't see the world like that enough to notice one. It could humanize Finesse though over time.
3.) Striker and Lightspeed's heart to heart talk.
I've said before this makes sense with his history and search for fame, but it also dances softly on the old standard of what parents blamed for their kids 'turning gay.' It's interesting here to see how Gage handles it, diving into it's not the past that caused it but the past that makes it harder to cope with. I do wish writers would stop using this repetitive stereotype, but the reason it is a stereotype is because it has happened a lot to many kids all over the world. Though I do kind of wish a writer would have the balls to dive into a scenario that's less clear cut and dry. Like say maybe a boy that was molested by a girl the same age as him, and what that does to a youth because he can never speak about it and the rammifications that happen because of that from the world's slanted perspective. Overall it was handled very tastefully though. I just wish they pushed a little bit more on the edge of it's not just those with sexual identity issues that don't like labels, or even how ignorant teenagers can be trying to force someone to come out of the closet that never was homosexual. Lot's of schoolyard bullying and sexual harassment happens towards both straight and LGBT alike whether they are or aren't. It's sickening and sad, but it happens. Personally, it's annoying to me to see the bullies who called someone out for superficial stupid reasons be right, since that's rarely the case(though in this case it's the natural evolution of the character in questions other appearances). It does happen though. I do commend the point it brings up about how even some people have their own bigotry towards bisexuals. It's a great point to have brought up. I look forward to seeing how Lightspeed develops as a character, and I'm glad it brought up the point about personalities over gender. Striker gets no sympathies from me as I tend to view characters and people alike should overcome what happened to them to be better people than their attacker, but he's slowly starting to redeem his past in his actions. Instead, Hazmat is quickly becoming the member of the team I have the strongest distaste for.
4.) Future Finesse suffering from memory loss.
This is something brought up before when she faced off with Taskmaster. Sooner or later Finesse will have so many fighting styles and weapons knowledge because of her power it'll start overwriting all her other memories. Even the memories of her own family or loved ones.
5.) Future Reptil focusing on changing the future.
Is he the only one that's traveled back to change or push a timeline? Are there more pieces falling into place about this in other comics like X-23's ongoing? This could prove interesting. Only time will tell, but it seems like the master of chess that is X-23 will be going against someone that knows all her moves from seeing them in the past when she made them. It also raises that same question of will we see that mystery woman again.
6.) X-23 is free to come and go as she pleases.
This goes back to what I was saying before about her feeling more like a student teacher. She has more freedom than the other students, and seems to have earned the faculties respect already. I'm curious how future issues will play out in this regard, especially when Captain America shows up with those two having history. Her being able to freely come and go also fits her personality though. X-23 has always had a small tendency to run away as it seems, feeling she's better off alone when she starts to feel emotions or attachments. The team is too new to her as yet, but this could be an interesting future note as she learns to care about her fellow students. Especially since Gambit, Jubilee, among others have seemingly temporarily broken her of this habit. They've made her stay and shown her that feeling good isn't bad, and that she deserves to be happy and have fun without fear or running away from it. It also prevents her from feeling like she's trapped and the faculty trusts her. She may not realize what that means yet, but it could be interesting how that plays out on a subconcious level.
7.) X-23 likes to read?
Before X-23 and Mettle have a talk about killing and the rammifications(the entire counselor bit I mentioned before), X-23 is shown reading in a tree. Reading is one of the great escapisms of the world to new lands and lives, but it also reflects Laura's education and pedigree too. The book she's reading is never given a title, but it's an interesting point nonetheless.
No comments:
Post a Comment