The X-Men have an awesome ally in the Shi'ar Superguardians. The newest issue of X-Men shows that the Shi'ar have a unique way of doing things when it comes to superheroes. The way they approach team-building might be beneficial for Marvel's mutant team to take note of.
The Shi'ar Superguardians are the beings that make up the Shi'ar Imperial Guard. The Superguardians enforce the laws of the Shi'ar Empire and guard the Emperor or Empress. They were created by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum. This team first appeared in 1977 within the pages of X-Men #107. They are occasionally featured in their own comics but tend to make appearances with their sometimes foes and occasional allies, the X-Men.
In X-Men #17, one of the Superguardians has done something that the X-Men don't do. Smasher has super strength, can fly, and can use Shi'ar Exospex to "download" one additional superhuman power. The Exospex is standard issue for the Shi'ar, but that isn't the only thing that the Shi'ar does differently from Earth's heroes. In the middle of a battle with Urr, a Shi'ar zealot with anti-imperial beliefs, Smasher sends out a call for back-up. This call is answered, but not by a secondary team of X-Men or any other recognizable, independent superhero team as might be expected.
When Smasher calls for back-up, help arrives in the form of other Smashers. The Superguardians do not have independent identities for every individual with powers the way that standard Marvel teams do. While there have been replacements for some of the bigger superheroes over time (ex: Captain America, Ant-Man), the Superguardians actually train multiple people with the same powers. In a way, they serve as understudies for the main role. If a Superguardian is killed, another is ready to take up the mantle. This has happened before. The original Nightside (formerly known as Nightshade) first appeared in X-Men #107 along with the Superguardians team in 1977, but she was killed in War of Kings #1 in 2009. After her death, a new Nightside took over, who was shown being recruited in an issue of Avengers from 2014. This issue makes it clear that there aren't always just one or two understudies. There are at least eight different Smashers shown flying in.
This form of back-up is definitely not what fans would expect to see from Marvel. Usually, another team is called in to help, such as the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, or another group of X-Men. While there are heroes whose abilities include duplicating themselves, using different individuals in the same role at the same time is basically unheard of. It would seem almost absurd for the X-Men to duplicate their abilities and call in back-up like this. What if the X-Men were able to send in a dozen different Wolverines on a mission instead of just a team that included Wolverine on it? While it could be fun to see so many Wolverines in action, it may also look like a cheap approach where Earth's heroes are concerned. What would it matter if one got hurt? Another could just take his place. A lot of the appeal of heroes is that they are unique in some way. This is why fans have favorites or favorite iterations of a certain character and debate which wears the mantle better (ex: Barry Allen vs Wally West as the Flash). If a team member is the only one, then the loss of their abilities mid-fight could severely hurt the team, depending on the foe being fought. This makes for creating high tension and conflict, which keeps readers reading. On the flip side, it would make the X-Men's job a lot easier at times if they could call up multiple of the same hero. If used appropriately and sparingly, this could be a fun new technique. If it were to be overdone, Marvel would lose a lot of what makes them so appealing - pitting heroes against impossible odds.
Next: The X-Men, Ranked Least To Most Likely To Win The Hunger Games
https://ift.tt/3b7sq5W
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar