X-Lapsed, Episode 12 – Powers of X #6 (2019)
X-Lapsed, Episode 12
Powers of X #6 (December, 2019)
“House of X”
Writer – Jonathan Hickman
Art – R.B. Silva & Pepe Larraz
Colors – Marte Gracia & David Curiel
Letters – VC’s Clayton Cowles
Design – Tom Muller
Edits – Bissa, White, Cebulski
Cover Price: $5.99
On-Sale Date: October 9, 2019
We have finally made it, gang! I can actually now say that I’ve read the entirety of HoX/PoX. I always intended to read it… but, I never saw myself actually talking about it on the air for something like ten hours (or would that be “x” hours?).
Today we wrap things up… but perhaps not with as tidy a bow as I’d hoped, as we read Powers of X #6. We’ve got A LOT to talk about here… and I’m so happy to finally be part of that conversation. Feedback is definitely appreciated! Thanks to those of you listening in real-time for your support… and for not spoiling me on anything!
What happened? What still “is”? What never “was”? Where do we go from here? I… well, um… I don’t know if any of those questions get answered here, to be honest… and, if you listen, you’ll probably have even more questions when we’re done!
Join me next time, as we jump into the Dawn of X proper with X-Men #1… or, izzit X-Men LGY#645? Ehh, we’ll save that senses-shattering discussion for then.
I've finally got round to listening to this last episode of HOXPOX and it's the first time our opinions have really differed over the course of this series. We really reacted differently to the final revelations.
First I see no change in established continuity in terms of what happened, only in terms of why they happened. Everything is the same but they've added an extra behind-the-scenes manipulator. I love the fact that they are bending over backwards to incorporate everything even the stuff most fans would happily ignore like the leprechauns, the Nightcrawler's dad nonsense, AvX, Deadly Genesis. There is no reboot. There is a back door set up to create a reboot later (ie when Moira dies) but none as of yet.
Your reaction reminds me of someone who is unable to create a relationship because their last partner cheated on them. They are always waiting to have their trust abused again.
I was with you in hating the year 1000 stuff but I got something different out of it's ending. I was pleased to see Moira's lives as resetting the same universe rather than an alternate reality. It means there is a higher threat level. If she dies the real World ends. It also means that people cannot travel between the Moira lives.
I think they were implying that the Phalanx was outside time and space so them having knowledge of Moira and her abilities would enable them to more fully absorb the entire Universe. Her dying allows a Universe to rise up to destroy the Phalanx because she can keep trying different strategies to stop them. The Librarian is wrong as evidenced by his getting himself killed by Wolverine.
I also think you're overthinking the Moira diaries. Magneto has been shown joining the plan on his island placing it post Uncanny 150. I expect the loss of Magneto refers to his return to villainy circa X-Men 1. I'm not surprised that he left the plan as this story says that Moira genetically altered Magneto.
Similarly the death of Moira's golem references her dying with the Legacy virus. The only real change to that storyline is she's no longer the first human to get it, although you can understand why she would hide her abilities.
Let's move on to talk about footwear.
You talk about expecting another shoe to drop and not getting one. I read this issue expecting them to throw all the shoes up in the air as set-up for DOX and I got my wish. Hickman has got most of a shoe shop swirling around.
What is Moira's plan?
Are Charles and Magneto going to follow it? We know they've done things Moira disapproves of in the past.
What is Apocalypse planning? Does he know that Moira is alive?
What will Mystique do when they don't resurrect Destiny? How do they stop Rogue (an X-Men leader) from resurrecting her Mother?
What will Orchis do? They still have sentinels and the space station.
What is Sinister doing? Why? What happens if he stops helping them?
All these questions and more had me so excited about DOX. I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. My negative reaction to DOX is because I desperately wanted to see how and where the shoes dropped and instead it felt like everyone was walking around barefoot.
I think I've overstretched the shoe analogy. I felt like all the major storylines were being paused to be picked up later. I bought X-Men up to issue 9 and there was one issue (6) that felt like a genuine contribution to the central premise. I'm not saying there is nothing of value in the other issues. I enjoyed some of the soapy stuff and I liked what they did with Broo but I'm not getting enough of the story to warrant the cost. I can read everything on Marvel Unlimited in 6 months or pick them up in the clearance box in a year or so.
The other issue was the art. RB Silva, Marte Gracia and particularly Pepe Larraz were spectacular. As you said their work was impeccable. The art on DOX was not as good. Apart from Rod Reis on New Mutants (who was alternating with other more X-Men Gold artists) and Marcus To on Excalibur the art has not really worked. Lienil Yu is a great artist but for some reason they've put a lot of comedy into X-Men which he can't deliver. You'll notice my pick of favourite X-Men issue was drawn by Mahmud Asrar. He would be a much better pick.
Generally speaking I feel like DOX is an attempt to fleece money out of me. HOXPOX was great whereas DOX is okay. If I was grading on a curve I would be more generous. There are many times in the last 30 years when okay would've been a huge improvement but I've just read HOXPOX so I know they can do better.
Talking of doing better I need to once again big you up. I'm loving your coverage. I've got a busy couple of weeks coming up so I know I'm going to fall behind but I'm really looking forward to hearing what comes next and maybe you'll convince me that I'm wrong about DOX.