Read Astonishing. I'm totally with the woo-hoo, Colussus! crowd. And of course I look forward to seeing what Joss does with he and Kitty. I was going to ask how he "died" and was happy to see my question already answered. I stopped my recent classic X-Men reading with the early 90's issues when they split the team up into to separate books (well, 3 if you count Excalibur.) but the big metal lug and Kitty were two of my favorites from that era. (Though I liked Wolvie, Rogue and Gambit too.)

That was fun.

Yep, sure was.

The version of Colossus in Ultimate is very different from the main universe -- probably moreso than anyone else. He was very idealistic and sweet and innocent, which is probably why he worked so well with the much younger (well, 5 years, but she was pretty damned young) Kitty. In Ultimate he's quite the hardened brute by comparison. The effect of not having gotten out of the country earlier, perhaps.

Hmm. I feel like Steph's characterization (though not mine, because if a DC writer were to write me, I'd want it to be Devin Grayson) has been nothing more than a plot device lately. I've read the early Robin titles that she's in as Spoiler (like Robin: Flying Solo), and I really like her in those. So my assumption is that *something* was needed to kick off War Games, and Steph ended up being the most expendable.

SA and I were listing characters we thought would be dead by the end of War Games/Identity Crisis, and came up with (tell me if I should whitefont, but these are NOT spoilers; pure speculation):

Tim's Dad
Tarantula (pleasepleaseplease)
Steph
and I'm also going with Darla, though she doesn't really mean all that much to the storyline, except inasmuch as her death will serve to make Timmay that much more nuts

She had pretty much the same reaction that I did at the Batman panel.

I, uh, may have growled happily at that panel. I loved Batman's confidence that Tim would have all the recon they'd need like a good soldier. Also loved Nightwing's protest that Tim might not because nobody's perfect -- boy's STILL freaking about how Bruce will react when he finds out about Blockbuster. And then Nightwing brushes off Tim as Timmy's putting the puzzle pieces together. And Batman following the trail of bodies to the infirmary! Oh, Tim, how I adore thee when you let your vigilante hair down instead of trying to act like a normal boy.

I still haven't seen a new issue of Outsiders. And I forgot to buy Catwoman.

Yeah, that's pretty much how I'm feeling, Tep -- I never really loved her before, but there's definitely been a shift. The pathological and dangerous attention-seeking seems to have replaced a character that I used to think was at worst sometimes fine and sometimes annoying. Hrrmph. And, agreed on "expendable" -- but I called that one as soon as they leaked the Robin casting. I just wish it weren't so obvious (and so literal).

I still haven't seen a new issue of Outsiders.

Oh, yeah. DAMN ALL OF YOU! When SA was in Seattle, she ganked the current run of Outsiders from Plei, and then put them on a CD for me (among many many many other titles). I read Outsiders 1-4 last night.

DAMN YOU ALL! Now I have another title to buy.

So the outsiders line goes Victor -> Plei -> SA -> Teppy. I think the only revenge solution is for you to get someone else hooked on Outsiders.

amych, in the Bat titles I've read in the past, Steph's characterization has probably been inconsistent, but I've liked her a lot. In a lot of the Robin backissues, I actually liked her enough to get why Tim was dating her. She's cute, funny, and gets the whole vigilante thing, even if she's... well, not entirely suited for it. She tries too hard, wants Bat-approval, and acts impulsively -- but I think it was more of the "endearingly irritating" kind of characterization. A good writer can carry it off; Willingham isn't so much a good Bat writer.

And I agree with Steph that, hee, Steph definitely could be considered expendable. I mean, we've all been expecting it for months, but somehow I doubt it'll turn out to be a "you were watching the wrong hand!" mislead.

Exactly, shrift.