Astonishing X-Men
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Astonishing X-Men is the name of three X-Men books, the first two were limited series and the third an ongoing series.
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[edit] Volume one (1995)
The original Astonishing X-Men was a four-issue series that replaced Uncanny X-Men during the 1995 alternate universe storyline Age of Apocalypse, in which all X-Titles were given new names and issue numbers. In this storyline, Professor X is murdered 20 years in the past by his own son, Legion. Magneto, witnessing his friend's death, commits himself to Xavier's dream and creates his own team of X-Men. However, he can not stop the rise of the despotic Apocalypse.
Astonishing X-Men, written by Scott Lobdell and illustrated by Joe Madureira, featured a team of X-Men led by Rogue and consisting of Sunfire, Blink, Morph, Sabretooth and Wildchild. This particular team travels to Chicago to stop the mass murder of ordinary humans carried out by Apocalypse's "son" and first horseman, Holocaust.
[edit] Volume two (1999)
The second limited series to bear the title Astonishing X-Men was published in 1999 and occurred after The Shattering storyline. In this series, most of the regular X-Men leave the team over a conflict with Professor X. The three-issue series, written by Howard Mackie and illustrated by Brandon Peterson, featured an interim team consisting of Wolverine, Phoenix, Cyclops, Archangel, Cable and Nate Grey.
This team protects the Mannites (a group of super powered, genetically engineered children) from Death, a horseman of Apocalypse. Wolverine is apparently murdered by Death in the final pages of the series. However, it was later revealed that "Death" was actually a mind controlled Wolverine, and that the "Wolverine" who was killed was an imposter, a shapeshifting Skrull.
[edit] Volume three (2004-present)
In 2004, Marvel used the title Astonishing X-Men for the ongoing X-Men series written by Joss Whedon (best known as the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly and co-creator of Angel) and illustrated by John Cassaday. It is a continuation of the New X-Men title and features a similar line-up of characters, including Cyclops (as team leader), Emma Frost, Beast, Shadowcat, Colossus, Lockheed and Wolverine. This team has become the usual focus for most X-Men limited series too. Whedon/Cassaday's Astonishing X-Men has introduced a number of original characters into the Marvel Universe. These include: Abigail Brand, Hisako Ichiki, Ord of the Breakworld and Blindfold.
Whedon's initial contract with Marvel Comics was for twelve issues (one year) but has since been renegotiated for an additional twelve. Cassaday is expected to remain with the title during Whedon's run. However, Whedon's first "year" (the twelve issues for which he was originally contracted) ended 4 months late, in September 2005. After a break of several months, the title resumed in February 2006 with new story arc: "Torn". Beginning with issue 13, the comic temporarily went from monthly to bi-monthly for the next four issues to allow more time for Whedon and Cassaday to finish each issue and to avoid further late releases. The book resumed a monthly schedule in September 2006 with issues 16 and 17, but was delayed once again with issue 18, which was released on November 15th, 2006.
Whedon, Cassaday, and the title have been nominated for several Eisner Awards. The series won best continuing series in 2006 and John Cassaday won "Best Artist/Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team" in 2005 (tie with Frank Quitely) and 2006.
[edit] "Gifted"
Issues #1–#6 - The first story arc focuses on the gathering of this particular team of mutants. While trying to save a group of hostages, the X-Men come up against the alien Ord. At the same time, a press conference is held to announce the discovery of a "cure" for mutants. While investigating both of these incidents, the X-Men reunite with Colossus, who had been resurrected by Ord's alien technology to help find the cure. With Colossus' help, the team takes down Ord, but not before it is revealed that a mutant (probably an X-Man) will destroy his home planet—the Breakworld—within the next three years.
The film X-Men: The Last Stand bears influence from the first arc of Astonishing X-Men Volume three: "Gifted." In some ways, "Gifted" bears a striking resemblance to a 1993 episode of the X-Men animated series, entitled "The Cure", and the episode that immediately followed it, "Come the Apocalypse", both written by Mark Edward Edens.[1]. As is the case with "Gifted", in Edens' scripts, the scientist who claims to have discovered a cure is revealed to be working with a superpowered enemy of the team; Apocalypse on the TV show, Ord in the comic book—a plot device that doesn't occur in X-Men: The Last Stand. Whedon has said that while he knows "many people have done cure scenarios before me" (apparently referring to the various X-Men–related comic books that tackled the subject before he did), he wasn't familiar with any of those earlier stories at the time he started working on "Gifted." [2] Astonishing X-Men was Wizard magazine's Book of the Year in 2004.
[edit] "Dangerous"
Issues #7-#12 - The team fights a murderous, self-aware personification of the "Danger Room" training facility, dubbed "Danger". The fight takes them to Genosha where, with the help of Charles Xavier, the X-Men are able to defeat Danger for the time being.
In Wizard #173, Whedon admitted mistakes in the second story arc, saying he was so fascinated with the idea of the "new intelligence" that he neglected the action and thus prevented the story from flowing well.
[edit] "Torn"
Issues #13-18 - The X-Men are manipulated by a new Hellfire Club, consisting of Cassandra Nova, Emma Frost, the enigmatic Perfection, Negasonic Teenage Warhead, and Sebastian Shaw. Colossus is revealed as the X-Man most likely to destroy the Breakworld. Perfection is revealed to be identical to Emma, in the exact form/costume she had when first introduced as the White Queen. It is later revealed that this is because Perfection, like the rest of the new Hellfire Club, are in fact psychic projections created by Cassandra Nova, who is trying to free herself from the form in which the X-Men trapped her.
The final panel of issue 15 is an homage to the final panel of Uncanny X-Men #132.
[edit] "Unstoppable"
Issues #19-24 - According to www.marvel.com, the story arc "Unstoppable" will be Whedon and Cassaday's final arc.
