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Ever know a character? I mean really know a character? Do you know how he/she will react, how he/ she will think? Does that ruin the story, knowing so much?

Do you ever get to the point of reading a character that you know how they think, how they will react in certain situations? Characters go through some strange times over the course of their time in comics. Overall there’s a consistency to the character created out of the events that happen to them; Xavier meeting the Shadow King, Spiderman losing Uncle Ben, etc. If you’re familiar with certain events you can guess what actions a character will make. Will that ruin the story if you know how the character will act? Will you in turn ruin it for yourself?

I recently read the first issue of World War Hulk: X-men. I’m going to throw out a theory on the plot of this book, if it turns out I’m right, I apologize for spoiling it. The basic idea around this mini series is that the Hulk wants to know how Professor Xavier would have voted if Xavier been around, with the other Illuminati, to make the vote. This is one way to make the X-men a part of this World War Hulk event, but also another method for us to learn more about how Xavier thinks.

The question is how would have Professor Xavier voted, send Hulk into space or not. In the first issue two separate characters ask Xavier the big question and each time we’re left on a cliff hanger. After reading a hundred issues or more with Xavier, I think I have a pretty good idea what his vote would have been. I’m confident that Xavier would have voted no to launching the Hulk into space (If you’re curious as to my reasons for making such deduction, please check out the Popsyndicate forum).

After a wonderful deduction made by me, I can pretty much predict the rest of the next two issues for this series. Mind you this is all based on the idea that Xavier voted against sending The Hulk into space. This places me in a predicament. Do I really want to pick up the other two issues if I think I know how it ends? While I might not know the specific ending for this series I’m pretty sure we’ll get two things: a Hulk X-men battle and some sort of revelation for Xavier’s decision. Oh, Xavier I know you to well.

Does knowing Xavier, and the way he thinks, ruin the book for me? Is all the mystery of the character gone and therefore any story with Xavier redundant? No. Just because I know what he’s thinking and acting doesn’t mean he can’t surprise me. I thought I had Xavier figured out, but then the skeletons in his closet started rattling. Reading Astonishing X-men and X-men: Deadly Genesis, showed me that a character I thought I knew might not be who I thought he was. This could be tricky because a revelation could be inconsistent with the character’s past reactions which could lead to an inconsistency in the character. I hope you all know how I feel about inconsistencies in stories (Check out “Is it Canon or Continuity?” column).

When “World War Hulk: X-men” issue #2 arrives. I’ll pick it up. When Xavier reveals what his decision would have been and it turns out I’m wrong, I’ll be surprised. If he voted the way I think he would, I’ll still be surprised. Am I easily surprised? Yes in some respects, but when it comes to these stories just because you know how it might end it never really prepares you for how it really does. While I’ve read hundreds, okay maybe only dozens, of stories with Xavier, I’m not him. His experiences aren’t mine and I can only know them through comics. Sure I can do my fair share of guessing but the only way to truly know who he is, is to read the comics. Does knowing Xavier ruin story ideas? No, it can make them so much better.