Enter the Shaman Era.
However for all the splendor feats, young Nate had no formal training in its use of his powers. He spent most his life time in the nutrient chamber, until he became a teenager (or his body rapidly matured into his adolescent stage). From here, he spent what little time he had with AoA Forge. However Forge could hardly be called, a proper mentor in the realm of psionic. So for issues 1-63, most of his feats where simply trail and error. However this came to an end in issue 64 and onward. We are greeted, with what seems to be a re-worked Nathan Grey. Blazing with confidence, and understanding of his own powers. Applying telepathic feats, that would awe Xavier, and leave Jean Grey in amazement of his fine telekinetic control.
We finally learn, just how Nate Grey attained this knowledge, with some more surprises in issue 70. To make long story short. He met his alternate self, both battered and injured. They merged their conscious, powers and traded genetic traits with one another to rebuild each other. In the processes, Nate became more powerful, more knowledgeable, and the X brand mark in his chest that counteract the degrading factor in his body, due to energy load his mental powers create.
Queen Jean, wanted to usurp a fully functioning Nate Grey. This was in efforts to rekindle her power, and go on to “devour” this universe, and every other universe from their on. However Nathan Grey, became much more, and his mind has bin released from her mental hooks. Its power was enough to destroy her, and its futuristic city in one decisive blow.
I cant see, Shaman X-Man in an on going X-Title his power is well above the status quo..who would challenge him?. Look at Cable, his God Like form was a short lived era. Yet we the fans, wanted to see what Nate could do if he had the knowledge to apply its power. And we received an answer. He single handedly became reality guardian, and attempted to police the multiverse. Yet his interaction with mainstream went down, fans hated the knew look, and sales plummeted…which lead to his cancellation. Why did marvel had to kill him, instead of placing him aside is beyond me. He would have bin just fine in Guardians of the Galaxy, Excalibur, or Exiles doing the save the universe from even more powerful opponents.
Marvel does have a long history of reviving characters. Unless its done right, in a proper setting. I hope marvel considers other wise, then to farther stain and ruin this character. With that said, this is one X-Man last known appearances. It takes place before its death, in X-Men Unlimited #31.
Young Nate meets a young mutant who is capable of anything into gold. However she can not oxygen touch her skin, or else it burn her. So the room, is sealed shut…as in air tight. It seems, that Nate has no problem creating breathable air. Not surprising, he doesn’t have to eat anymore to survive!
Lord Yaru, is aware that Nate is a telepath and had his mansion laced with psi inhibitors. However, the moment Nate entered the mansion. Well he dismantled the psi inhibitors on his way in. With a thought Nate then proceeds to dismantle the mansion, in its entirety.
In a fight, everything is not about raw power. There are many variables, and factors to determine who would win. I wager that X-Man would lose, to God Like Cable despite being in the same power level. But as Shaman X-Man, well things are no longer clear cut. X-Man became a vary serious, and competent character. Willingly he will out right kill his opponent. These small factors, play a huge role on the impact of the fight since it ensures that if a match takes place in character. At least Nate Grey will employ smart tactics like uses of TK barriers, and look for ways to apply his mutagenic gifts for a victory via his opponents death. And his opponent better by sufficiently well protected, or powerful because X-Man has a surplus of power then the average character.
Newsrama just recently had interview with Joe himself and they were asking him about past characters coming back and the reasons why they could and could not come back. This is what he said about Nate
NRAMA: X-MAN
Best suited for ongoing solo, limited series, or cast member
JQ: A cast member, perhaps a limited series.
Why it worked/didn’t work in the past:
JQ: X-Man was a fun concept but I also feel a product of his time. Why he worked was simple, he spun out of Age of Apocalypse and he had two great creators at the helm.
What it would need to work today?
JQ: There is one huge obstacle with X-Man and that’s that his origin is so complex that it’s hard to wrap your arms around it. Here is mired in X-Men lore and without a working understanding of the world of X-Men he won’t resonate with the reader.
Keep in mind, he was never intended to be a character who stared in his own monthly book, but Jeph Loeb and Steve Skroce tapped into that magic lighting that is so hard to catch in a bottle and fan response was so huge that there was no choice but to launch him in his own title. I don’t think the character of Nate Grey as he exists could sustain an ongoing. I think fans would be thrilled to see appearances by him, but I also believe that the name “X-Man” is one of the coolest titles for a book ever, so who knows.
Odds of seeing a new starring project in the next 2 years:
From the CBR interview it sounds like he'll still be Shaman and won't be depowered.
There was one “Dark X-Men” character that Cornell could talk about in some detail though. He's not a team member, he's a target. His name is Nate Grey AKA X-Man. The son of an alternate reality's Jean Grey and Cyclops, Grey first appeared in the 90's X-Men storyline “The Age of Apocalypse.” At the close of that storyline he found himself in the mainstream Marvel Universe where he put his vast mutant powers to work as a hero. During one of those exploits it looked like Nate sacrificed his life to save the world from alien invasion and “Dark X-Men” marks his return to the Marvel Universe.
“He's near omnipotent, the mutant shaman, and he's terrifying to my cast of characters,” Cornell said. “That’s because he's exactly what they don't want in play right now: a very powerful, charismatic, alternative leader of mutant affairs. And a Summers, to boot. X-Man is dreaming his way back into the world, the deadliest possible hero.”
Unfortunately for the cast of “Dark X-Men” they’ll have no choice but to confront Nate Grey because he quickly becomes part of an important mission that Osborn tasks them with. “The story is called ‘Journey to the Centre of the Goblin’, and, though it won't become clear until towards the end, that's exactly what it becomes about, getting inside Norman Osborn's head,” Cornell revealed. “On the way, we encounter the world haunted by Nate, the cult that S.H.I.E.L.D. became, and the twisted psyches of our four leads, which skew the story in ways that might surprise you.”
. . .
Kirk couldn’t reveal much about the other characters he’ll be drawing in the mini-series but he is currently brainstorming possible looks for X-Man. “I haven’t drawn his grand entrance, yet but I suppose his look will be closer to his more recent appearance with the tattoo on his chest but there might be a few tweaks to his design. I’d rather not mess too much with it though. As much as I enjoy designing and redesigning characters, I prefer not to do it if it isn’t really necessary.”
oh ok, i was hoping i didnt have to start collecting dark x-men, but now with the return of nate grey, i gotta start getting up to date with the dark x-men series.
(please log in to view the image) DARK X-MEN #2 (of 5)
Written by PAUL CORNELL
Penciled by LEONARD KIRK
Cover by SIMONE BIANCHI
X-MAN, A.K.A. NATE GRAY IS BACK! Sadly, the X-Men that he first encounters are Norman Osborn's X-Men and they don't like the idea of an Omega-level mutant that won't tow the company line. Do they have a chance of defeating X-Man? And if they don't, what does that mean to Osborn's agenda?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
People he has not even reformed, that is just one person with a fraction of Nate essence in him. Remember his dismantled himself, into every living cell of every living creature across the planet. (please log in to view the image)
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Nov 5th, 2008 12:21 AM
