X-Men Unlimited #4
“Theories of Relativity”
Writer: Scott Lobdell
Pencils: Richard Barnett
Inks: Steve Moncuse
Colours: Glynis Oliver
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Editors: Kelly Corvese & Bob Harras
Original publication date: March 1994
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”] [/et_pb_code][et_pb_button button_url=”https://www.marvel.com/comics/issue/18143/x-men_unlimited_1993_4″ url_new_window=”on” button_text=”marvel unlimited link” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”14px” button_text_color=”#FFFFFF” button_bg_color=”#ef00db” button_border_width=”8px” button_border_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” button_letter_spacing=”2px” button_font=”Nunito|700||on|||||” button_use_icon=”off” custom_margin=”30px|||” animation_style=”slide” animation_direction=”right” animation_intensity_slide=”5%” animation_starting_opacity=”100%” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ box_shadow_horizontal=”0px” box_shadow_vertical=”25px” box_shadow_blur=”45px” box_shadow_color=”rgba(148,166,191,0.25)” global_colors_info=”{}” button_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off”][/et_pb_button][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”My Books Section” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”23px|||||” custom_padding=”100px||100px|” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”-78px|auto||auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||7px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]We’re relatively sure the team won’t fire Anna for making them talk about this outrageous and sometimes-funny but also eye-searing and fairly nonsensical comic book. In her defense—you wanted us to! In another victory for democracy, you voted, so here we are, discussing X-Men Unlimited #4, “Theories of Relativity,” aka the one where Mystique yeets baby Kurt over a waterfall and everyone is yelling always, constantly. It’s just us this week, which may have made us too comfortable because I think there’s more swearing than usual?
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}"][et_pb_blurb title="On context:" image="https://voxpopcast.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Unlimited_extreme-action.jpg" _builder_version="4.18.0" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}"]“X-Men Unlimited is comparable to the Classic X-Men backup stories except with a commitment to extreme action alongside the slice-of-life moments.” -Andrew
[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}"][et_pb_blurb title="It's still the 90s:" image="https://voxpopcast.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Unlimited_90s.jpg" _builder_version="4.18.0" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}"]“Everything that people criticize about the nineties-ness of the nineties is on full display in this comic.” -Mav
[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" custom_margin="-16px|auto||auto||" global_colors_info="{}"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}"][et_pb_blurb title="On the rhetoric on shapeshifting:" image="https://voxpopcast.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Unlimited_inconsistent-mystique.jpg" _builder_version="4.18.0" _module_preset="default" custom_padding="0px|||||" global_colors_info="{}"]“I like the characterization of Mystique as a chaotic force of nature who is inconsistent—who’s a shapeshifter in terms of character as well as powerset.” -Andrew
[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}"][et_pb_blurb title="On comprehension:" image="https://voxpopcast.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Unlimited_hard-to-read.jpg" _builder_version="4.18.0" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}"]“I can’t think objectively about this story because every time I read this comic I’m so angry about how hard it is to read. The lettering and finishes are exhausting in their muddiness.” -Anna
[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}"][et_pb_blurb title="On what happened next:" image="https://voxpopcast.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Unlimited_lack-of-follow-up.jpg" _builder_version="4.18.0" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}"]“A huge problem with this story is the lack of follow-up. Kurt and Mystique wouldn’t have another meaningful story together for 10 years. And that story is ‘The Draco,’ one of the most hated X-Men stories of all time.” -Anna
[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="4.16" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}"][et_pb_blurb title="On untapped potential:" image="https://voxpopcast.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Unlimited_Kurt-and-shapeshifters.jpg" _builder_version="4.18.0" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}"]“I think Kurt’s difference from Mystique—how she’s a shapeshifter and he experiences persecution because he *can’t* alter his appearance—has a lot of rhetorical potential. Which has never been actualized in a comic book to this day.” -Anna
[/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_blurb title="On missing moments:" image="https://voxpopcast.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Unlimited_kurt-and-mystique-complex.jpg" _builder_version="4.18.0" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}"]“Modern comics act like Kurt and Mystique have this interesting, complicated relationship, but they don’t. Those comics don’t exist.” -Mav
[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-107px|||||” custom_padding=”80px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-63px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]And as usual:
You can find Anna on Twitter (@peppard_anna) and at Sequential Scholars (@seqscholars).
You can find Andrew on Twitter (@ClaremontRun) and at Sequential Scholars.
You can find Mav on Twitter (@chrismaverick) and on his podcast, VoxPopcast (@VoxPopcast).
Enjoy!
-GGW Team
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