Comics Why is Iceman always getting "sucker punched"?

[ProfeZZor X]

I can accept the writers making him a "B" list character, but damn... It seems like everytime he's in a confrontation with a villain he always get's knocked out or sucker punched, and is out cold for the rest of the fight.

This guy has been around since the very beginning, has encountered hundreds of villains, had a hole blown right through his chest (Onslaught arc), evaporated into mist (X-Men Forever arc), his head blown off (Nightcrawler/Azael arc), and the only thing the writers can come up with is to have him, and ONLY him (out of the entire team) get punched with an only obvious blow from a villain standing only a foot or two away, then knocked out cold until all the "A" list characters defeat the villains. He's either really stupid, or writers are steadily running out of ways to disable team members without resorting to physical blows.

Case in point, is the Blood Of Apocalypse story line (recent issue). How is it that he can do an offensive move on Gambit (the horseman), then turn his back to make a comment to Rogue on not hurting him, then Gambit knocks him out? What the bloody hell?

How does he go from being one of the top 5 omega class mutants, to the sorriest loser in X-Men history? (Please no omega class discussions, it's been done already)...

 

[Honey Vibe]

I can accept the writers making him a "B" list character, but damn... It seems like everytime he's in a confrontation with a villain he always get's knocked out or sucker punched, and is out cold for the rest of the fight.

This guy has been around since the very beginning, has encountered hundreds of villains, had a hole blown right through his chest (Onslaught arc), evaporated into mist (X-Men Forever arc), his head blown off (Nightcrawler/Azael arc), and the only thing the writers can come up with is to have him, and ONLY him (out of the entire team) get punched with an only obvious blow from a villain standing only a foot or two away.

Well that just makes it hilarious, doesn't it?

 

[chamber-music]

At least he doesn't get the northstar treatment!

 

[jaydawg]

But Iceman doesnt suck...

 

[ProfeZZor X]

At least he doesn't get the northstar treatment!

Northstar doesn't get humiliated by other team members, or have lame excuses why his powers don't work (got scared of losing his powers after House of M, but really turned them off himself, even though his secondary mutation was PERMANENT) , or get knocked out after a villain hits him just once.... Northstar may be out of the action for the moment, but he still has his dignity and integrity.

 

[FieryBalrog]

Same reason Wolverine always gets shot.

Because he can take it.

 

[Cyclops]

Not to mention the fact that he's... well, he's ICEMAN, a character who's been conditioned for a very long time to be a total loser.

 

[Manic]

Iceman is pretty much being used as a measuring stick. Bobby is basically unkillable, so writers feel free have him knocked out and shattered on a regular basis just to get the point across that the villain is supposed to be a badass. They did the same thing to Superman during the first season of the Justice League cartoon. The writers eventually caught that, and started fixing it. Here's hoping Marvel's staff catches on, too.

 

[ProfeZZor X]

Not to mention the fact that he's... well, he's ICEMAN, a character who's been conditioned for a very long time to be a total loser.

So true.... I'd rather see him killed off than to endure his constant disgrace and humility. Sometimes I think they're just keeping him around because he's an original member. And to be honest, if they did kill him off, I'd more than likely stop reading X-Men comics. He's pretty much the only reason why I still collect'em.

 

[ghost113]

iceman is a really cool character he just needs a writer who likes him enough to get him out of this funk he is in

 

[ProfeZZor X]

Iceman is pretty much being used as a measuring stick. Bobby is basically unkillable, so writers feel free have him knocked out and shattered on a regular basis just to get the point across that the villain is supposed to be a badass. They did the same thing to Superman during the first season of the Justice League cartoon. The writers eventually caught that, and started fixing it. Here's hoping Marvel's staff catches on, too.

In a recent interview with the writer of the upcoming Avengers Civil War arc, the "b" list characters are suppose to be getting more "screen time", and the "a" listers wont be as prominent. This will also tie in to the X-Men, as some of the "a" list X-Men will be involved with that story as well.... And like yo said, "here's to hoping"

 

[ProfeZZor X]

iceman is a really cool character he just needs a writer who likes him enough to get him out of this funk he is in

I say bring back the writer from Uncanny #300-310. He, and Romita Jr. did an incredible job with Iceman. That was the main reason why I got back into comics, because of how they portrayed Iceman.... Great story arc, great illustrations, and great character (with balls).

 

[ghost113]

maybe the writer but i've never really enjoyed romita's work.

 

[ProfeZZor X]

maybe the writer but i've never really enjoyed romita's work.

You can't tell me this is not one of the best looking Iceman illustrations ever... (By John Romita Jr.).. His current powers are far and few from what you see below. And the funny thing is, this is within the same timeline as right now. There were many story arcs that have gone by, but there weren't any that would change today's continuity. Legion Quest could possibly be one, but even that reverted back to the "normal" X-Men continuity when it was all over.

Whoever started writing stories after this, didn't have Iceman in mind.

 

[ProfeZZor X]

Like I said.... Sucker punched:

http://www.milehighcomics.com/firstlook/041906/images/xm185p3.gif
http://www.milehighcomics.com/firstlook/041906/images/xm185p4.gif

And why does he have that weird extraterrestrial look. Did Emma ever correct the problem he has with his powers yet?

 

[ghost113]

okay his work is good but i must not like his work on spider man

 

[ProfeZZor X]

okay his work is good but i must not like his work on spider man

I agree with you though. Most of his work isn't very good, but this is the one issue that got me back into comics. I started buying tons of back issues to find out how Iceman became this "man's - man" of mutants. By the time the Onslaught arc finished, he was reduced to the ball-less loser that he is today. Even in the X-men Forever arc, he was still reluctant to use his powers creatively.

 

[ghost113]

he did use one of his new powers but not in any of milligans arcs it was the one where they found Xorn in china, He uses size changing to fight a group of guys who were able to merge and become this one big guy.

 

[ProfeZZor X]

he did use one of his new powers but not in any of milligans arcs it was the one where they found Xorn in china, He uses size changing to fight a group of guys who were able to merge and become this one big guy.

True, he hasn't done that before, but he has used the moisture in his surroundings to increase his mass before. Like the picture shown above. It just hasn't been on the scale of that one issue you mentioned. Still though, in the beginning of that fight, he was getting the crap kicked out of him.

 

[GNR]

He got suckered in Ultimate X-Men too by Kitty.

 

[Advocate05]

Wow. That was a lame sucker punch too.

Lame.

They need to stop treating him like a child. Everyone matures, its not like only in Comics do people not mature.

 

[Exploding Boy]

I never understood why his hair went away when he iced up.

 

[ProfeZZor X]

I never understood why his hair went away when he iced up.

I don't have an answer for that one, but I would guess that the tiny little strands would break off when converting himself to ice. Then again, the picture above shows him with a full head of hair. I guess it all depends on the artist.

Although it wouldn't make any sense for it to fall off when he ices up, then return as soon as he converts back to flesh.

 

[Exploding Boy]

Yeah, i always liked him better with hair.

 

[ghost113]

me too.