Over the years, the X-Men have faced many enemies in the battle for survival and equality. This has led them to create many specialized combat maneuvers, based around creative combinations of their superpowers. One of these most famous maneuvers just got an interesting twist, as part of the Fall of X event.
Fall of the House of X #1 by Gerry Duggan and Lucas Werneck finds the X-Men striking back against the Anti-Mutant group Orchis. Multiple teams of the Mutant heroes hit key Orchis strongholds around the Earth. One of these groups worked to free Cylcops, who was enduring a show-trial accusing him of crimes against humanity. It was here that Colossus and Wolverine executed a new twist on a classic X-Men combat maneuver.
Wolverine and Colossus Invert the Fastball Special
Perhaps the most famous of the X-Men’s combat maneuvers, the Fastball Special is simple yet effective. The attack involves a super-strong hero lifting an ally and then throwing them at an enemy. This tactic was first pioneered by Wolverine and Colossus, but countless other heroes have utilized the same attack since then.
Unfortunately, the close quarters of the sewers under the courthouse holding Cyclops’ trial did not allow for the Fastball Special. However, Colossus adapted it, grabbing Orchis soldiers from the shadows, and throwing them at Wolverine. This resulted in a rather messy end for the Orchis soldiers, as they were sliced apart in midair.
Effective as this inverted Fastball Special was, Wolverine and Colossus were unable to think of a suitable name for the new X-Men maneuver. Wolverine dismissed “the piñata special,” presumably because piñata are beaten, not sliced. Wolverine favored calling the new attack “the screwball special.” His justification was that the Orchis soldiers who faced it “were screwed.” Colossus seemed to agree, but the new maneuver’s name has yet to be officially codified.
Fall of the House of X #1 is now available at comic shops everywhere.
