If there was one thing that generated debate and controversy in the realm of comic geeks this week, it was the most recent issue of the mega-event AXIS. Across the internet flame wars from angry and distraught fan-boys and girls. Yet it appears that their cries fall upon the deaf ears of Marvel publishing. While most of you may have no clue as to what I speak, everyone who read the very title I speak of can recount the single page which manages to spit in the face of over 60 years of character development. But was this title really as bad as it is being claimed to be? I will explain my opinion on why I both agree and disagree with the general consensus of the comic side of the internet. this is AXIS #7!
The issue picks up mid-conflict between the inverted villains of the AXIS war, facing off against the inverted X-Men, attempting to stop the wayward mutants from committing mass genocide. Under the leadership of Apocalypse, the X-Men plan to ignite a gene-bomb designed to kill all non-mutant life within its radius. All humans, Super-humans, clones, Inhumans, everything will be wiped out, leaving the world to be inherited by the Mutants!
With the inversion of the villains into heroes, it honestly gets a little jarring and confusing watching how these characters interact with one another. Sabertooth seems almost a dead-ringer for Wolverine, and Carnage is simply a re-skin of Spider-man, albeit a BIT more willing to spread his claws than Spidey ever would. It is even MORE-so jarring listening to the speech pattern given to Deadpool. In his solo-books, Wade comes off very much like a Zen Buddhist monk. In the pages of AXIS, he is portrayed as the biggest hippie imaginable. This is definitely to the books detriment as it shows a lack of communication between writers.
However, this minor issue is not why you clicked on this link. OH NO! You came here looking to hear about the Scarlet Witch, and just what happened that has caused the massive BUTT-HURT across the web. Well my dear readers, let me explain just why this issue has caused such an uproar.
After the Inversion event which inverted the personalities of the heroes and villains, Scarlet Witch did not join ranks with the Mutants. Instead, she departed on her own personal revenge journey, seeking justice against Doctor Doom for how he wronged her in her past. Magneto worked alongside Quicksilver in an attempt to save Doctor Doom, but were quickly pursued by Wanda.
Wanda, being considerably furious due to her inversion, and the sight of her Father and Brother assisting the man who once brainwashed her, lashes out. In her anger, she casts a spell to destroy her father and brother, a spell which would damn her entire bloodline, and destroy them beyond repair. However, once she cast the spell, only Quicksilver was affected by the spell, leaving his broken body limp on the ground beside his grieving father. But Magneto was unaffected by the spell, how can this be? If there was one thing we have known about the Maximoff twins, it is that they are the children of Magneto. According to AXIS, this is not the case.
What is most astounding about this rather EARTH-SHATTERING revelation, is that it is revealed in the space of 2 pages, only to jump back to the battles between the X-Men, the villains, and the Avengers. Step 1. You do not shatter 60 years of character development and history in the space of a single book, let alone 2 pages. How do you think ONE MORE DAY got as famous as it did? Step 2. You do NOT question the integrity of one of the most integral families of the Marvel universe without a DAMN good reason!
Although, many theories have arisen to explain why such a revelation would even come to pass. It is believed that Scarlet Witch is putting on a ruse for the sake of breaking Magneto. This I can see as a distinct possibility, as in her state she would want nothing more than to see her father suffer, and would sacrifice anything to do it.
Another theory is that this is meant to play into the Marvel Cinematic universe, and work alongside their re-written origins for the films. i am VERY much against this idea. As much as I believe it to be a very distinct possibility, I feel it is much too desperate a move for Marvel to make, just so they can work against FOX and their X-Men movies. In regards to this theory, it is also believed that due to the upcoming Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. story arc involving the Inhumans, that it may be revealed that Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are not mutants at all, but instead INHUMANS. While I once again do not LIKE this theory, I cannot doubt its high probability.
This revelation comes as a very upsetting one, and a rather idiotic one overall. I hope that these theories prove to be false, and that we will receive confirmation within the coming week due to the impending end of AXIS. Aside from invalidating 60 years of character history and facts, I just cannot take the idea of Marvel completely breaking up one of the most important and powerful families in their comic universe, simply for a film tie-in.
