Except that in the mid-90's, overreliance on the Big Event came and bit them in the ass.

Sure, but I like this set up a lot better than how they usually do it: the events of IC filtering thoughout the regular titles, simmering, and then coming back together in the next crisis is a heck of a lot more interesting tham "Stop everything! The Beyonder's on Earth!"

Mind, the events of Marvel's "Chaos" annoyed me mightily, and sories centered around Magneto and family are hardly unique, but I'll probably give it a shot.

ita, who else would it have been on the phone?

And so Phoenix has not made an appearance in UXM till now, then? Has there been any foreshadowing?

There has been foreshadowing, but I'd have to look through my issues to be sure of where. During a Scott/Jean makeup, I think.

As for the phone -- if it was obvious, I think they'd have just said. I'd like it much more if they weren't undercutting the previous pages. MUCH.

Re: Outsiders. Well, that was certainly graphic and weird.

Re: Nightwing 103. I see my question from last issue has been answered. Boston Brand is dead and Deadman by this point. It's good to see Jason in there, too. This issue was more subdued than last. I'm wondering if that will be a pattern with the storyline.

Green Arrow needs to lose the new art team. Painful. Painful.

JSA is managing to kick ass still.

I have sooo much more to read.

Liked the story in UXM, but the art continues to be varying degrees of ass with the occaisional splash of brilliance like the Pheonix shot. It's frustrating because panels like that show that the artist can do good work, but just doesn't most of the time. Prime example being the first panel where Bobby's eyes are two different shapes and the left side of his jaw looks like he has a cancerous growth. I don't know if SI can't balance quality with speed or what but it's extremely off-putting.

The boot thing cracked me up, though.

Ultimate (UXM is only Uncanny to me): So is Longshot gay, then?

No idea. Not enough evidence yet either way. I mean, if a huge guy made out of metal told me to stand behind him in that situation I'd happily do so, too.

I would have let it go as subtext, but then Dazzler seemed to want to raise it.

Well, I think Pete most-likely is. Longshot on the other hand hasn't really said or done anything to indicate his preference yet.

ETA: And Dazzler was specifically asking about Pete. I don't she knows Longshot well enough to even care at this point. But she's likely been picking up a vibe from Pete and his interaction with Longshot probably brought it to the fore of her mind.

In that scene, they show Dazzler in front (IIRC) with a quizzical look, so I assumed that it was that line that prompted the question. In a segueish fashion. Because Pete didn't say anything gay.

I'm pretty sure about Petey myself, and have my suspicions about Angel, but need to reread the intro issues to remember why.