Powers Vol IV: Supergroup.

Dude.

Just...dude.

Dude.

Hoo boy, oh yeah. That's FG-3, right? Which has a splash page of a massive evisceration, and ends with Zora's death? Yeah, it's crazy shit.

The next Powers collection isn't all backstory, though. It picks up with our two leads where we left 'em at the end of the tale, with some time having passed and Christian Walker's hair having mysteriously changed colors [tm things I am bitter about for no really necessary or discernable reason].

I like Emma's turning-to-diamond thing because, while it has its bonuses, it's not entirely practical. Genetic mutations aren't required to be practical, and I like that they're recognizing this more in recent years. Perhaps the most deus ex machina thing in X-Men has been that every mutant's mutation is directly beneficial for either fighting crime or perpetrating it. As someone who has an actual genetic mutation himself, I like the much more real idea that sometimes a mutation just is. Beak is a good example; dude looks like a half-chicken, half-human. He can kind of fly, but not well, and he doesn't have any other apparent useful upturns to his mutation. Done soapboxing now. Go about your business.

I like Emma's turning-to-diamond thing because, while it has its bonuses, it's not entirely practical. Genetic mutations aren't required to be practical, and I like that they're recognizing this more in recent years. Perhaps the most deus ex machina thing in X-Men has been that every mutant's mutation is directly beneficial for either fighting crime or perpetrating it. As someone who has an actual genetic mutation himself, I like the much more real idea that sometimes a mutation just is. Beak is a good example; dude looks like a half-chicken, half-human. He can kind of fly, but not well, and he doesn't have any other apparent useful upturns to his mutation. Done soapboxing now. Go about your business.

Perhaps the most deus ex machina thing in X-Men has been that every mutant's mutation is directly beneficial for either fighting crime or perpetrating it.

The ones that figure into the plot, sure. But we get to see scads of mostly nameless secondary characters (think of many Morlocks, for instance, or Genoshans) who have nothing useful that they can do.

The X-Men is a self-selecting group, and so are their opponents.

And given that the diamond form makes her one of the strongest and toughest people on the team, it looks more practical than some of the other X-Mutation.

Tell that to Madelyne Pryor.

To be fair, "dying" on national television and then having no contact with your bereaved husband for months afterwards pretty much removes one's right to a "how could you?!?" reaction. I don't think Scott knew Maddy was alive until she went Goblin Queen on his ass. and Scott kept and raised Nathaniel, didn't he?

"dying" on national television and then having no contact with your bereaved husband for months afterwards pretty much removes one's right to a "how could you?!?"

When did Madelyne do this? When Scott left her for Jean, she was alive.

To be fair, "dying" on national television and then having no contact with your bereaved husband for months afterwards pretty much removes one's right to a "how could you?!?" reaction.

That whole story was a mess, wasn't it? I mean, Scott did go chasing after Jean when she turned up alive, even if they weren't romantically involved again at first.

When did Madelyne do this? When Scott left her for Jean, she was alive.

I thought Scott didn't become romantically involved with Jean (again) until after Madelyne and the X-Men "died" fighting that lame Trickster adversary in Dallas, got sucked through Roma's Siege Perilous for an identity makeover, and relocated to Australia.

And people wonder why I'm afraid to try to figure out the X-men continuity...

Think I'll stick with Astonishing and Ultimate, and just let my continuity issues slide...