Anyone pick up/have seen the sketchbook?
I think the best part of this is the design of the military complex they're gonna be in. The designs of the place was done by Salvador Larroca, and quite frankly, it's gonna be effin' awesome.
But before I continue, I'll say what I think about the character designs.
Cyclops:
There's really not much change to his costume, but it still looks cool. Cykes, like all the men on the X-Men, will now have the X-symbol over their heart (and yeah, there's actual reason to that). I think I may like his costume the best, even with the tiniest addition not making it stand out from before.
Emma Frost:
There's almost virtually no change to her costume, except that she (like the other women on the X-team) will have the X-symbol in th middle of her chest.
Beast:
Beast now has most of his body covered. Before he just had pants, now he has his abdomen to neck covered as well. In the sketchbook, Beast looks like he's gained a hell of a lot more pounds. Plus he has these arm bracelet thingies that look ugly and ridiculous. Hate it.
Storm:
The worst of the bunch. Simone Bianchi updated her costume (while keeping the classic look/feel) by having it 'connect' to her African roots. It just makes her look like a psycho that's been electrocuted. :sick:
Wolverine:
The only difference (I believe) is just the placement of the X-symbol.
Archangel:
Another one with really no difference. If you weren't told there was a difference, you really wouldn't notice. Bianchi just ended the lines that go down his costume at his thighs. That's it.
Colossus:
I hate how he looks in the sketchbook. I hope he's done better in the actual comic. He's just drawn ugly here (almost each one has a 'finished look' on the pages, Colossus has one). Plus the boots look hideous. It's like he stole some giant ones from Tony and put them on 'cuz they match his outfit. Other than that, costume is cool.
Nightcrawler:
He basically still has his Uncanny redesign from before, except it has a little difference. There are lines added on it (you'll all see later on) and the X-symbol from the middle of his costume to above his heart. And oh yeah, the spooky just-got-out-of-bed-while-riding-a-roller-coaster hair! Can't forget that...
Dazzler:
A new costume, which may look good. Can't actually tell before all there is here is a sketched look with no 'finished' one to see. Just pencil with some ink.
Skipping the promo art sketch and the finished look, we get to see the cover for issues 26-30, with already seeing #26 for August's solicitations. It was all drawn at once on a larger sheet (well, later on. It's just early sketch stages here), then cut off for the respective issues. Wolverine, as we know, is one #26, Sotrym with Cyke's hand on #27, Cykes blasting with some of Emma on #28 (and the blasting with the other arm of Cykes goes from #28-30), Emma and Beast on #29, and Hisako on #30.
Then we get to the blueprint designs of the new X-Men HQ. And like I said, they are great. I'll see if I can actually get to put them up later to see, since it'd be easier to show these than explaining.
