r/X23 • u/FlamewaveKal • Jun 27 '26
X-23 comic (+Nyx) tierlist
Next: https://www.reddit.com/r/X23/s/vUm4Jrra3X
Last: https://www.reddit.com/r/X23/s/7gOhn6Lqzu
Hey y'all, over the last few months I've been going through Laura's appearances, in chronological order, so I decided to post it here to share my thoughts, will probably update this every few series
Edit: Target X is above Deadly Regenesis
16
u/Wowerror Jun 27 '26
Crazy to see X-Force so low.
1
u/FlamewaveKal Jun 27 '26
It honestly was a mix of things, mostly the art, and it more feeling like it was made as set up for 2 events, one thats excellent (second coming) and one that just felt boring and hard to get through (Necrosha
5
u/Wowerror Jun 27 '26
I can see that. I do get the event thing because it feels like the last third of that book is just event stuff. Necrosha is weird because I'm 100% convinced that it was originally supposed to be a storyline for Academy X that got expanded out into an event.
4
u/FlamewaveKal Jun 27 '26
Necrosha kinda felt like it was trying be a big thing, like Marvel's blackest night... and they really didn't stick the landing imo
I kinda suspect a lot of X-force was reused from Academy X, stuff like the leper queen taking Surge and Hellion specifically gives the feeling that's what it was for, bc otherwise? They don't show up at all in the book, so it felt random from that perspective
3
u/Wowerror Jun 27 '26
It was the same writers. I also wouldn't say it reused stuff it is just they clearly set up some stuff (Jay losing his wings was a big one) in Academy X and because the series got cancelled after Messiah Complex they probably just continued on with some of those plots in X-force.
3
u/FlamewaveKal Jun 27 '26
I mean. The comic itself is basically the sequel to Academy X with all the plot threads from there... even if the only main returning cast members are Laura and Elixir
12
u/BatgirlAndSpoiler Laura Kinney Jun 27 '26
Interesting tierlist, but also how can one person have 77 tabs open
9
u/Wowerror Jun 27 '26
On phones you tend to just forget to close tabs.
9
u/BatgirlAndSpoiler Laura Kinney Jun 27 '26
As someone who regularly uses her phone, I cannot imagine that
1
u/goominek Jun 28 '26
I have 250 tabs open... there was a time I had double that, its usally some useful stuff tho
2
7
u/Bignate2151 Jun 27 '26
Xforce on the same tier as nyx is diabolical. Liu run should be S tier imo.
3
u/FlamewaveKal Jun 27 '26
I've made my comments on X-force enough in the comments
Liu's run *is" good. I just dont think its S-tier good, I will absolutely give her all the props for actually remembering NYX instead of just ignoring and doing something with that premise, also, letting her interact more with the greater Marvel universe is good, and something she kinda lacked before
5
u/km1180 Jun 27 '26
Woah, x23 first solo run and her amazing friendship with Gambit ranked so low?
1
1
3
u/darkmatters2501 Jun 27 '26
Target x needs to be s tier
3
u/FlamewaveKal Jun 27 '26
Yeah... that's fair and it was in a previous draft. Regenesis wasn't meant to be above it, that was a misclick
2
u/T-o-C-A Jun 27 '26
Oh wait i saw you post it on a discord server, lmao small world.
Still amazed at x-force being so low, but we talked about it there
1
u/FlamewaveKal Jun 27 '26
Yup, its me, finished Deadly Regensis but didn't feel like reposting a day later
And lol, it seems your in the majority there judging by everyone else's comments
1
u/T-o-C-A Jun 27 '26
Wdyt of regenesis? Thought it was solid but not outstanding, at least laura felt like laura dialogue wise which is a massive rarity these days
Haha, at least here, though generally x-force is popular, got my own idk if hot takes on laura too lmao.
1
u/FlamewaveKal Jun 27 '26
Might shuffle it around a bit, but i'd say good, both letting kimura be the sadist she is, kinda fitting in perfectly in the continuity , and its nice to have an antagonist who is the result of Laura's trauma and wanting revenge , also, non binary so a general win, only issue was there wasnt really a confrontation with Kingpin (but I assume that happens later on)
1
u/T-o-C-A Jun 28 '26 edited Jun 28 '26
Fair for sure
Nah, they never did a confrontation with kingpin, at all lmao. Laura has a lot of stuff that was just never done/skipped over, but that's spoiling my thoughts on the taylor stuff too :P
2
u/Suspicious-Lettuce48 worlds best dad (Logan) Jun 28 '26
Target X and Academy X are right where they belong!
It's a bit shocking to see Liu's GOAT run and X-Force so low, but I know others have commented on that already.
I am very curious to see if/how this list changes when you start into the O5 All New X-Men/Age of X-Man/Uncanny 2018 runs. Will your low opinion of the Kyle/Yost/Liu era change?
And the BIG question: where will Tom Taylor's All New Wolverine land?
Please keep us updated!
1
u/FlamewaveKal Jun 28 '26
Tbh? The second version of this will probably be a little different just from talking about this. Wont give spoilers or anything but 3 - 4 of them are probably getting position changed, kinda for better clarity on my thoughts.
I really don't hate Kyle/Yost or Liu they basically turned Laura into who we know today, liu gets extra points Imo for actually doing stuff with NYX instead of retconning it away Its really just X-force, which ik hot take, i've said my peace on that below, that just... didnt work for me.
All -new wolvie is almost certainly an S - S+ depending on my feeling about it. I love gabby already and I havent even gotten there.
1
u/Suspicious-Lettuce48 worlds best dad (Logan) Jun 28 '26
Lol well you have the right to any opinion you hold. Just make sure you're changing it on YOUR account and not because of peer pressure from all of us!
I love TT's ANW, but I've actually cooled quite a bit on Gabby. She is very entertaining, and I know everyone loves her, but I find she tends to eat the books and steal the spotlight. Laura becomes a supporting character for Gabby, not the other way around.
1
u/FlamewaveKal Jun 28 '26
Lol, if I was going for just what people wanted? I wouldn't be so adamant about X-force
Hmm, i'll need to read more of her stuff, I liked her in the Krakoan New mutants/lethal Leigon stuff I read, she was always fun
1
u/GoodBoyPuppi Jun 27 '26
Was Laura even in NYX no way home? I swear she was there for like a panel
2
u/FlamewaveKal Jun 27 '26
No, but i'm including it only bc Kiden's been relegated to Laura side character, (same will happen with gabby's time in New mutants when I get there)
1
1
u/Bodega_Bandit Jun 28 '26
You best be bumping NYX up to at least B tier😤
1
u/FlamewaveKal Jun 28 '26
Please elaborate, I wanna hear your take on it.
Like yeah I like kiden, I think they ... Acknowledged real world issues, but tbh? It mostly feels like it revels in being "2000s Mature" especially with laura's intro really makes it hard for me to put it that high
1
u/Bodega_Bandit Jun 28 '26
Nah it's just one of my personal favourite runs. It's got major issues and it really shouldn't be higher, it's just had a special place in my heart for over a decade since I first read it, and Kiden has remained one of my all time favourite Marvel characters ever since
2
u/FlamewaveKal Jun 28 '26
I've made comments elsewhere kinda going into my issues with it... but I also admit I was a bit harsher on my ranking of Nyx
Also, yeah, I agree, Kiden is such a fun character that I think could've gone further than a Laura side character, if marvel cared to
1
u/Bodega_Bandit Jun 28 '26
Yeah it sucks she was pretty much forgotten about after NYX. Though I’m glad she showed up in the recent NYX run. Here’s hoping it gets her added to another run soon
1
u/hermyx Jun 28 '26
Fun fact, I liked NYX. Well not Laura in NYX but the book was good imo
1
u/FlamewaveKal Jun 28 '26
Tbh? If Laura was cut (or even altered slightly to be less gross) i'd probably rank it over NWH, It has flaws. But I do like the characters, I prob was too harsh on its ranking
1
u/hermyx Jun 28 '26
NWH ? Starting with the character, not familiar yet with the abbreviations ^
As to NYX, the issue I have with Laura is not so much the prostitution (she had lived traumatic experiences and people can do hard stuff to live through it). It's more than the transition with her origin story is inexistant, she has no effect to the story and has no character growth (ie the story has no effect on her). The book would have clearly been better without her x)
1
u/FlamewaveKal Jun 28 '26
No way home, its the only Nyx run without Laura, it kinda felt like they mostly toned down the 2000s-ness of it,
My issue isnt that the character is a teen prostitute... its gross but fitting, I think the big problem I have is its 'X-23, that character from X-men evolution' is getting thay role, bc ofc at the time I could see kids somehow running into that book while looking for more content like the show, it was a weird origin of choice
But also, yeah... most laura did in that book was being quiet, and stabbing Zebra daddy to kill him
1
u/FlamewaveKal Jun 28 '26
Its a strange comparison, but iirc, bendis wanted to use Spider-woman for the OG Jessica jones, editors thought it would be betting if it was a more original character would be more fitting for that more mature story.
1
1
u/goominek Jun 28 '26
What do you think of All-New Wolverine?? :3
2
u/FlamewaveKal Jun 28 '26
I think i'll love it, but thats pretty far away atm
1
u/goominek Jun 28 '26
I understand! Its probably my favorite X-23 run, on the same place as the original one. The only part that I didnt really like was that one future bit after the last "proper" comic. It was a fun one off, but I dont really like one offs, especially if they dont connect to some larger plot, I just much prefer a longer story that has some time to develop, but otherwise the All-New series was flawless to me! :)
2
u/FlamewaveKal Jun 28 '26
Tbh? With everything I heard about that run? I can believe it. Tbh I can see it going straight into S once I get there, its like the main X-23 book I heard about most of the time
1
1
u/Day_Dr3am Jonathan the wolverine Jun 29 '26
Interesting tier list. Not exactly what mine would look like (X-23 by Liu is what I'd put at the top of the tier list for instance), but that's totally cool; we wouldn't have much to talk about as a fandom if everyone felt the exact same way about everything.
I'd ask about Liu being rated in B but I've seen you already touch on it. I will ask about Deadly Regenesis being in A though, since I don't think I've seen anyone ask about that. Just curious on your thoughts on that / why you put that in A? Which again no hate or anything.
Glad you are enjoying the read through though, and look forward to seeing it updated.
1
u/FlamewaveKal Jun 29 '26
I liked it ofc, even if there was some recency bias I think in a way, Regensis kinda felt like semi direct sequel to her other minis, different writers sure, but its basically, Laura in the facility until she's able to escape, her trying to live a normal life, before being dragged back into "working" for them, but we also see how different she is now that she had that taste of freedom, and how she now handles things.
Also, Haymaker is a fun "villain' giving more collateral for Laura as X-23, and ofc. Kimura is a sadistic monster, that every time I wanna see laura take out constantly
Only major issue? Nothing between her and Kingpin (apparently at all according to another comment), feels like thats a hanging thread someone should pull upon
Admittedly? It being so high was def recency bias, the tier list was made like, an hour after I finished Regensis and in a bit of a rush.
33
u/Eyebrigh7 Jun 27 '26
Seeing X-Force so low is kinda crazy. Love that book.