Not-Very-New Comics: The August 1 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Astonishing X-Men #14:  OK, last issue might’ve been slow, but this issue is pretty great.  Rosenberg leaves you feeling like a fly on the wall as he focuses on the banter, conversation, and dynamics between the characters.  We get an incredibly sexy, bearded Colossus sounding like Colossus should sound in my head canon (as he rarely does in other authors' hands).  We get Dazzler desperate to leave her middling tour only to discover the “team” actually came for Forge because he was on the hit list that Beast found in one of the Reavers’ processing units.  We have Warpath joining the team under orders from Kitty.  Last but not least, we’ve got zombie Banshee, who...doesn’t seem to be doing so well.  Rosenberg makes it clear that they’re all there for redemption, even if they maybe wished for different teammates for that journey.  But, rather than just use overwrought dialogue to exposit that information, Rosenberg uses witty banter to get there, such as Dazzler criticizing Alex for putting together a sausage party after she learns that he’s not there for her or Alex constantly having to explain that they’re not technically X-Men.  It reminds me of Fraction’s run on “Uncanny X-Men,” which is high praise.

Batman #52:  OK, I’m willing to buy the idea that someone framed Freeze by freezing the women’s brains after the coroner examined them.  But, King will have to explain the coincidence of it being women exactly Freeze’s wife’s age who died at exactly the same time and of exactly the same problem.  (I assume if you buy that Freeze is being framed, that could work.)  I also guess that I can accept the idea of him preemptively preparing for a conflict with Batman, even if it violated his parole to do so.  But, like the difficult woman on the jury, I just don’t buy that he continued to confess to the GCPD for days because he was scared of Batman.  It’s here where Bruce is confusing “reasonable doubt” with any ol' doubt.  Like, yes, in theory, space aliens could’ve caused Mount Vesuvius to explode and wipe out Pompeii.  But, it's unlikely.  “Reasonable” doubt means a believable double, and Bruce’s failing to convince me of his “doubt.”

Captain America #2: I’m really excited about where Coates is going here, as he seems ready to take on a lot of sacred cows.  Steve admits to himself that HYDRA took over the United States not just with a guy wearing his face but with a guy driven by his same need for people to see him as a man:  Coates recalls how Kobik told him to be strong again.  (We have echoes of "Avenging Spider-Man" #5 here.)  It’s what drove Steve to volunteer for the Super-Soldier Program because he was afraid that he was going to be the only boy to remain a boy in the wake of the war.  It’s a brilliant insight into Steve, giving him an honest-to-God weakness for possibly the first time. It’s also driving his need for redemption, as he’s unable to forgive himself as Sharon tells him that he needs to do.  (Don’t we all, Sharon?  Don’t we all?)  It's why he’s made a deal with the Black Panther to take on the Nuke soldiers, despite Thunderbolt Ross telling him that he had to stop his unauthorized missions.  But, Coates goes even one step further:  he shows Steve marinating in the FACT Channel’s conspiracy theories about him, that he and the Supreme Commander are the same person.  Ross alluded to the lack of trust that Washington now has in him, and Steve is obsessed with that absence.  He’s obsessed with it just like the rest of us get obsessed over how people see us, unable to disconnect when we know we should.  In other words, man, Coates is really on fire here.

Infinity Wars #1:  Blah blah blah.  Gamora hornswaggled Peter with a kiss and stole the Power Gem, somehow became Requiem in the day or so between that moment and the Infinity Watch meeting here, and demands the Soul Gem.  She also allegedly kills Peter after saying nothing ever dies.  Sure, OK.  But, it’s really the timeframe that bothers me here.  In “Infinity Countdown,” we saw Requiem force the dwarf to make her the sword, which we now know contains the Power Gem.  I guess that it could’ve happened in the short timeframe we see here, but I thought it actually happened a long time ago.  Also, in “Infinity Wars Prime” #1, Dr. Strange was still lying about possessing the Time Gem even though he called together the Infinity Watch at the end of “Infinity Countdown” #5.  I guess in theory that it could all work sequentially, if you just assume the events of “Infinity Wars Prime” #1 happened before the end of “Infinity Countdown” #5.  It just feels unnecessarily complicated, with Duggan skipping steps.  (We also don’t learn why Iron Lad, and not Kang, came with Adam Warlock to the Infinity Watch meeting.  But, that seems a minor concern at this point.)  Also, Loki meets a version of himself from another universe who wields Mjolnir and talks about the “original” universe.  Is he talking about the one before “Secret Wars?”  I guess we’ll see.

Nightwing #47: This arc doesn’t wrap up nicely, and I totally dig that.  Dick and Babs discover Cloke is really just Wyrm’s somewhat willing victim, as we learn that Wyrm approached him about getting revenge on the three men who shoved him in front of a subway train.  But, we still don’t really know Wyrm’s plans.  We know that he wants to ensnare Earth’s heroes in a “dark web" and that he thought that Dick was the perfect target given his extensive connections with other heroes.  But, we don't know what he wants to do once he was them all in his web.  Dick says that Wyrm is heading to Gotham next, though Percy doesn’t make it clear how Dick knows that.  That said, I’d do the same thing if I were Wyrm.  Making matters all the more confusing, Wyrm manages to pull Cloke through Babs’ phone before he can reveal much more information to the pair, making me wonder in what form we’re going to see him next.

Star Wars #52:  C-3PO, Action Hero!  I always love stories where Artoo and Threepio are the secret heroes of the Rebellion, and this one is no different.  Han realizes that he can’t outmaneuver Vader long enough to pass Luke the message that the hangar doors will open if the ship is broadcasting a Rebel frequency.  However, he notices that one of the cruisers is jettisoning loose escape pods, and it gives him the idea to fire Threepio in a pod at Luke's cruiser.  Han maneuvers through the fire and rubble of the destroyed cruiser to lose Vader for a moment, and Threepio makes it to the cruiser.  But, he’s forced to crawl his way to the airlock, where Luke finds him.  He mentions that it isn’t in his programming to do all that, and Gillen is really making a larger point here, about how Threepio has exceeded his programming.  He’s doing it for his friends, and, man, it made me cry, just as Luke naming his group of ships Rogue Squadron in honor of Jyn Erso did.  This series just gets better and better.

X-Men:  Gold #33:  This issue serves as a coda to my complaints about “Batman” #50 and “X-Men Gold” #30, as Rachel breaks off her relationship with Kurt in order to process the realization that she almost killed everyone.  She says she can’t do so as one-half a couple, again making it clear the editors and authors of Marvel Comics clearly break off relationships the minute anyone faces trouble.  I just don't know what to do with that anymore.

X-Men:  Gold Annual #2:  In this annual, McGuire uses a story about a 14-year-old Kitty Pryde’s time at camp to underline the scapegoating problem that mutants face.  Kitty returns to the camp to try to be normal, something she gets to feel when she reunites with her summer best friends.  Later, looking for her missing phone, Kitty discovers that the junior counselors have been stealing people’s stuff for years, and she uses her powers to return the items to everyone.  But, she goes one step further, scaring the counselors by pretending to be a ghost.  The counselors tell everyone that they saw a real, live mutant, and anti-mutant hysteria takes over the camp.  Kitty’s best friends out her as a “mutant sympathizer,” and she’s forced to meet Asher, one of the kids outside the popular clique to which she belonged.  He’s also a mutant, and when they kiss he’s horrified, saying that breeding for people like them should be a crime.  (Getting a little ahead of ourselves, aren't we, kiddo?)  Kitty’s friends eventually apologize, and she points out the junior counselors were humans and dangerous assholes (e.g., they pushed a girl in a wheelchair into the lake).  But, McGuire makes his point here, that hate is irrational:  her friends sort of agree, but it’s half-hearted.  Asher’s self-hatred shows how deep this hatred runs, and Kitty is left realizing that maybe she doesn’t want to be normal after all.

Also Read:  Ben Reilly:  Scarlet Spider #22

Not-Very-New Comics: The July 25 Everyone-but-Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Detective Comics #985:  This series increasingly feels like they asked someone who's never read a "Batman" comic to tell a "Batman" story.  It turns out "Karma" is a "gun-runner" who was operating in Markovia "years ago."  He was also apparently a torturer, even though a gun runner, by definition, is the person selling the illegal weapons and generally not the one using them.  But, whatever.  Karma was a gun runner and torturer who Batman exposed to Scarecrow's gas for his crimes.  Surprised Batman would punish someone with Scarecrow's fear gas?  Yeah, me, too.  Wondering why Bruce was in Markovia in the first place?  OMG, me, too!  (In the flashback, Bruce says the people of Markovia needed freedom, but is he really a freedom fighter now?)  Anyway, Batman "accidentally" creates Karma when, shocker, Scarecrow's gas fractured his mind.  All that said, it's still not clear why Karma wants to purge Bruce of his "weakness," i.e. the Bat-family.  But, do I care?  No.  No, I really don't.  Hill seems unaware that he's just repeating the plot from the much better (but not actually good) "Death of the Family."  He also seems unaware that Barbara isn't a child like Cassandra and Duke.  I'll give it one more issue, but this series is officially on notice.

Doomsday Clock #6:  Not much actually happens in this issue, but I'm not complaining.  Snyder continues to tell character-driven stories here, as we get the sad origin of Marionette and the Mime:  crooked cops murdered their store-owning parents for not paying protection money.  Story-wise, the Riddler tries to convene a League of Villainy to decide whether or not the super-villains (presumably of the United States) should band together in the wake of the Superman Theory hysteria or take up Black Adam's offer of sanctuary in Khandaq.  The Joker brings along a still-paralyzed Batman in a wheelchair, though the group is unexpectedly underwhelmed.  (Only Scarecrow seems to want to look under the mask.)  The group scatters when the Comedian suddenly starts assassinating people in his search for Ozymandias.  Marionette realizes the Comedian probably knows where Dr. Manhattan is, and the Joker is likely to join them in the search because he's (not really all that surprisingly) taken a shine to the two of them.  But, perhaps the most interesting twist here has nothing to do with the narrative but with the costumes.  It seems pretty clear we're dealing with the pre-DCnU versions of these characters based on what they're wearing, and it seems like we have to conclude the DCnU is progressing at least in part alongside the DCU.  I have no idea how Snyder is going to resolve that, but it seems likely it's where this entire endeavor is going at this point.

The New World #1:  I like Ales Kot a lot, not just for his amazing run on "Secret Avengers" but also for his Tumblr feed.  I'm a pretty buttoned up guy and he...isn't, and he makes his kink (for lack of a better word) accessible to me in a way it wouldn't normally be.  This issue is another aspect of that accessibility.  In fact, one of Kot's great skills as a writer is the ability to present a narrative that seems, on the face of it, disconnected but intuitively feels coherent.  Here, Stella the guardian has sex with Kirby the hacker at a club only to learn she has to arrest and possibly kill him the next day.  It's all more complicated than that, obviously.  Her grandfather happens to be the president of New California, one of the successor states to emerge from the dissolution of the United States after five nuclear warheads exploded without explanation over five cities.  At some point, her parents tried to flee to Mexico, but the Great Wall prevented them from doing so.  (The art team makes New Los Angeles seem so colorful you wonder why anyone would want to leave it, accentuating the realization that the reality must be dark indeed.)  It seems like she was raised in her grandfather's care, and she's now one of the top three "guardians" of a popular reality TV show where they hunt down criminals.  If she doesn't get to Kirby, her colleagues (including the one who doesn't share her aversion to following the crowd's wishes to see the perps killed) will.  It's that ability to bottom line it while hinting at the larger dynamic that makes me glad to see Kot back.  

The Realm #8:  Haun and Peck create a creepy as fuck vibe here as Molly and her crew get caught in a series of traps:  they go through a door that closes and locks behind them, the stairs go flat so they tumble into the goblins' lair, and then even that door disappears, leaving only a goblin-sized exit that only Zack can enter.  Along the way, David displays even more magical ability, summoning (possibly unconsciously) a barrier when a goblin leaps at him.  Meanwhile, Will is having dreams of becoming a full-fledged demon, awakening to find himself suspended on a wall in the weird webbing the goblins apparently can produce.  Elsewhere, we learn "the Queen" needs to find the party because the artifact they're carrying is key to re-opening "the portal."  (I assume she means the larger portal that allowed the mass invasion and not whatever means she seems to have -- I think -- to move between the dimensions.)  But, the artifact is hiding itself (and the party) from her.  Good times for the gang, I'm sure.  Basically, it all feels like a "Dungeons & Dragons" session come to life, and I can't think of higher praise than that.

Also Read:  Dungeons & Dragons:  Evil at Baldur's Gate #3; Pathfinder:  Spiral of Bones #5

Not-Very-New Comics: The July 25 Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Infinity Wars Prime #1:  OK, here we go.  After the pretty crappy ending of "Infinity Countdown," I can't say I'm all that excited about this event, but I'm game for at least reading the main series.  We'll wait and see about the tie-in series.  At any rate, Duggan gives us three separate (and seemingly unconnected) stories here.  First, Loki discovers that he remembers the tales told in the books in the Asgardian library differently than they're recounted.  He complains he's never the hero of the story, and I wonder if we're going to get an explanation why everyone has seemingly turned their back on Loki as the God of Stories (as he was at the end of "Loki:  Agent of Asgard").  When Loki asks why the stories all involve the same people in different universes, the tomekeeper leads him to a book she remembers dealing with that subject.  But, they're both surprised when the ending has been torn from the book, so they go to the Quarry of Creation, which the tomekeeper remembers also has something to do with the tale.  Elsewhere, Adam Warlock consults with Dr. Strange about the disturbing changes within the Soul Gem.  When they use the Ropes of the Xiand Nomads to enter the Soul Gem (the ropes allow them to stay anchored to our realm), an enormous creature (presumably the one that entrapped Hank Pym in a dreamscape at the end of "Infinity Countdown") looms over the landscape and kills a surprised Adam Warlock.  Dr. Strange is forced to reveal his possession of the Time Gem to Adam in order to save him.  Finally, Requiem, as we seem to be calling the person who had the dwarf create a sword for her in "Infinity Countdown," kills Thanos and then the Chitauri warriors he ruled.  Standing over Thanos' body, she declares the past dead.  (It's some form of Gamora, right?  Maybe Nebula?)  All in all, it isn't a terrible issue, though I still feel like I'm missing something.  At the end of "Infinity Countdown," for example, Dr. Strange summoned the Infinity Watch.  Yet, here, he's lying to Adam Warlock about having the Time Gem.  Does this story take place before "Infinity Countdown" #5?  If not, this part doesn't seem to make much sense.  Whatever.  We'll see where we go from here.

Marvel 2-in-One #8:  Chip Zdarsky, STOP MAKING ME CRY.  After the most recent issue of "Peter Parker:  The Spectacular Spider-Man," it's just too many feels!  With their powers gone, Ben and Johnny are forced to live normal lives on this strange new world.  After Johnny learns Ben asked this Universe's Amadeus Cho to send out a signal to the Avengers and not just Reed and Sue, he realizes Ben has lied to him:  Reed, Sue, and the kids are dead.  Their subsequent fight is heartbreaking, as Ben confesses he lied because he was worried Johnny was falling to pieces and Johnny only half-heartedly insists he was pulling himself together.  The Fantastic Four returns shortly, but I'm going to miss this period of Ben and Johnny needing to find a way just to rely on each other.  But, I won't miss the crying, Chip!

Mr. and Mrs. X #1:  This issue is goddamn perfect in every way.  Thompson gives Remy and Rogue the wedding they deserved, not the afterthought ceremony we saw in "X-Men Gold" #30.  Moreover, her mastery of their banter is even better than it was during the "Rogue and Gambit" mini-series.  They're definitely in love, but it doesn't mean that they don't have issues or that they can't laugh at each other's expense.  In the letters page, Thompson explicitly mentions how comics can be hard on marriages.  In so doing, she addresses the elephant in the room, essentially promising at least a decent amount of time before we have to worry about them getting a divorce.  With that sort of commitment -- the commitment I think we all expected to get with Bruce and Selina and Kitty and Piotr -- our couple and this series are on solid footing.  It allows Thompson to jump into the deep end, as she does here as Remy and Rogue take a honeymoon in space and come face-to-face with a mysterious egg, Cerise and the Imperial Guard, and Deadpool!  Best start to a series EVER!

Multiple Man #2:  I mean, OK, it's not like I expected a mini-series about the Multiple Man that also involved time travel was going to make much sense.  Rosenberg even plays with that premise throughout this issue to great effect.  But, at some point, it has to make some sense.  As far as I can tell, the dupe we meet here somehow became evil and killed hundreds of thousands of people when he took over the world.  His recent jaunt to the future has already changed it, though seemingly making his repression even more brutal.  Moreover, his return to that future gives him the idea to create the super-powered dupes that save him last issue, completing the loop.  But, at this point, you just have to wonder why he doesn't go to the past and save the real Madrox the moment before Black Bolt releases the Terrigen Mist.  In fact, he could save everyone who died because of the Mist.  After all, altering the "future" isn't any better than altering the "past" since at some point they're the same thing.  [Sigh.]  Fucking time travel.  At any rate, Madrox's interactions with his son and Layla are the best, as the creative team makes Davey's hope and Layla's despair evident.  But, I'd like to follow what's happening at some point.

X-Men:  Blue #32:  Magneto has seen the future, as he mentions here, though I'll admit I can't remember when that happened.  At any rate, he seems to have seen disaster, including something happening to Bobby in particular.  But, he won't tell the kids, though they seem to draw the conclusion that their time in the "present" is growing short.  I'm still intrigued how Marvel is going to resolve their story, and it's increasingly clear we're getting there soon.

Also Read:  Amazing Spider-Man #2; Star Wars:  Doctor Aphra #22; Star Wars:  Lando - Double or Nothing #3

Not-So-New Comics: The July 18 Everyone-but-Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Batman #51:  After last issue, I'm loath to trust King again, but I have to admit this issue is clever.  He hints at the pain Bruce is feeling after the broken engagement by having Mr. Freeze tell a courtroom that he confessed to killing three women because Batman was different the night he found him:  Freeze legitimately thought Batman would kill him.  The twist is Bruce is on the jury, and he may agree with Freeze:  he is the sole juror to question Freeze's guilt when they enter sequestration.  In other words, Bruce's pain might not be directly addressed, but it's present throughout the issue, from Dick (acting as Batman) telling Gordon that Batman isn't doing OK to Bruce ripping a urinal off the wall of the court's restroom, a display of the rage he feels.  I'm grudgingly intrigued.

The Weatherman #2:  Holy fucking crap.  We learn a lot in this issue.  Nathan is allegedly Ian Black, a member of something called the ORCA program.  He and his team were sent to "win the war for Titan."  Afterward, he joined a "mercenary group on the Venusian frontier," but his former commander, Jazen Jenner, recruited him into the Sword of God.  He detonated the bomb that destroyed Earth.  Later, a "fringe neuroscientist named Dr. Mirian Nyseth" helped erase and replace his memories; Ian Black became Nathan Bright.  The problem is Jenner is looking to finish what he started, to destroy Venus and Mars so he can rid them of the same "evil" he felt was infecting Earth.  But the "springboard" protocol prevents Nathan from remembering his life as Ian; a telepath confirms he remembers nothing before the day of the incident.  However, Amanda, in her zeal, almost breaks Nathan's mind in pushing him to remember, so they can maybe learn something helpful in stopping Jenner.  (At one point, she dumps Sadie, Nathan's dead dog, on his shoulders.)  Her commander, Fitch, reminds her that the lives of everyone on Venus and Mars are at stake.  Shortly thereafter, the mercenaries seeking Nathan last issue attack the spaceship where they're located and Fitch's secretary detonates a bomb, destroying the ship.  But Amanda is able to spirit away Nathan just in time.  Wow.  Just wow.

The Wild Storm #15:  Everything starts to unravel here as Bendix, John, and Miles try to control the situation but ultimately can’t (though John is probably the only one to realize that).  Bendix sends a “Little Stick” of diamond crashing from orbit into IO’s Hightower station, destroying it.  (Interestingly, Pennington confirms IO wasn't behind the incursion, but Bendix doesn’t seem particularly interested in who it was.)  The Doctor cures the Mayor.  He then remembers Skywatch experimented on him so he could survive as a slave in a polluted environment, presumably after the Khera destroy Earth.  (It gets even more grim from here.)  Slayton continues his killing spree for the Carer (i.e., the Khera inside him), and John finds Andrew Kwok, another Thunderbook subject.  He’s abandoned the identity John created for him, getting plastic surgery and creating another one.  As John has still (somehow) managed to find him, Kwok tries to kill John for fear John's already lead “them” to him, and John is forced to kill him first.  Bendix seemingly confirms his plans during a rant to Miles, saying he has no problem using a Little Stick on IO’s building in New York because he just wants Earth to be a source for slaves for his breakaway civilization.  For a reason I don’t understand, Miles agrees to let Bendix have back his Ground Division (presumably the part conducting the aforementioned experiments to turn people like the Mayor into slaves), though he’s seen his C.A.T.’s footage and bans Lucy Blaze from New York.  (I’m not sure what the footage showed, but I’m assuming it has something to do with her assassinating Mitch, even though I don’t know how it would appear on C.A.T. footage.)  Jackie says that Skywatch’s countermeasures to the bot attack have revealed their location, and Miles is surprised when Jackie suggests nuking them in space.  But, it’s clear Jackie wants vengeance for Mitch, something she tells Miles she’s going to get.  Finally, Pennington tells Zealot she has to leave New York and implies it’s not a bad thing since New York might not be there much longer.  It goes to a larger point Pennington made a while ago, about how they’re all just edging closer and closer to open conflict and revealing themselves to the world.  With nine issues left, we definitely seem to be going there.

Not-So-New Comics: The July 18 Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Avengers #5:  OK, this issue is (finally) pretty great.  The story Aaron has been (slowly) building finally hits full steam here.

Loki exposits the secret history of the Marvel Universe to Cap, revealing the Horde managed to infect the Progenitor while s/he traveled space; life on Earth began from his/her excrement and vomit.  (Nice touch, Jason.)  The divine and radioactive nature of said excrement and vomit is why we have so many superheroes.  The Progenitor’s lover, Zgreb the Aspirant, came to find the Progenitor, but instead the Horde infected him, too.  Odin and his prehistoric Avengers defeated Zgreb, and the First Host came to find him and the Progenitor.  But, they left without them, possibly for fear of the Horde infecting them, too.  The Horde innovated this time, turning Zgreb into a Dark Celestial (Zgreb the Sorrower) instead of killing him.  Somehow the Horde then got its many hands on other Celestials, creating the Final Host, which killed all the other Celestials.

With the history lesson complete, the team swings into action.  Black Panther manages to charge Carol and his suit with the same energy as the Horde emits, allowing them (apparently) to destroy its composite members.  Ghost Rider rescues Cap from Loki’s clutches in the Arctic Ocean, and Cap inspires him to go big, using his powers to take control of one of the dead Celestials.  She-Hulk and Thor ingest Ymir’s blood, growing to the same size as the Celestials, and Tony calls on his Godkiller MKII armor from Mars.  Now, these four "Giant-Sized" Avengers (again, clever, Jason) take on the Final Host.

It’s all pretty great.  I'll say I’m having some trouble buying Cap’s more jocular tone here, but otherwise Aaron has everyone’s voices down so well it’s like watching a Marvel movie, which I assume this arc will eventually be.

Old Man Hawkeye #7:  The problem with this issue is that it's hard to engage emotionally with it when you know it isn't "real."  In fact, it almost leaves you wishing you'd pick up an issue of an event that unfolded this way.  It would be truly shocking to see Magneto murder Wanda.  (Paging "Age of Ultron" #1.)  Instead, Sacks just hits his marks of shocking death after shocking death without really explaining how the villains got the upper hand.  I mean, sure, Magneto unexpectedly kills Wanda, which helps set the stage for the Thunderbolts' successful betrayal; Wanda would've definitely helped mitigate their impact on the battlefield.  But, we're never told why the Thunderbolts betray the Avengers in the first place.  In fact, Abe wants us to believe Melissa is devastated by her decision, though Sacks never explaining why she made it in the first place.  (I assume she made it under duress and we'll learn that once Hawkeye finds her at the convent where she's been hiding.)  However, Atlas gleefully murders the Black Knight and Quicksilver here, despite Hawkeye initially swearing he trusted Eric.  What changed?  Also, Creel's murder of Thor happens essentially off-panel; we're supposed to believe he managed to absorb Wanda's magic (after she died) and Thor's lightning and somehow became a god.  But, would Thor really be hurt by a lightning- and magic-powered Creel?  Isn't he lightning- and magic-powered?  I mean, it's not a terrible issue, but it's not as amazing as the editors wanted us to believe it was going to be.

Peter Parker:  The Spectacular Spider-Man #307:  Man, Chip Zdarsky has to stop making me cry.  Between Peter and Tinkerer sharing each other's pain to Teresa's decision to turn herself into the authorities before she meets Aunt May, this issue is an emotional fucking roller coaster.  The next issue is a preview of Peter going against the Sandman, and I just hope it's a nice, normal slugathon.  My emotions need a rest.

Spider-Gwen #34:  As I've mentioned before, I wasn't previously a fan of Jason Latour.  I could go into details, but I won't:  let's just leave it at that.  Then, "Edge of Spider-Verse" #2 happened.  Now?  I'm hard pressed to think of a more consistently coherent and emotional story than the one he, Robbi Rodriguez, and Rico Renzi have told over the course of this series.  At no point did a loose end slip or a ridiculous arc drag.  Every moment was packed with emotion and honesty and it drove the next moment packed with emotion and honesty.  From Gwen's original sin of "killing" Peter to her tearful conversation with Harry in Madripoor to her resolved argument with her dad in this issue, this series has always been about her relationships.  Do I really, really hope "Ghost-Spider" involves Gwen traveling town to town with the Mary Janes, solving crimes and righting wrongs in a way that would make Bill Bixby proud?  Yes, yes, I do.  But, it doesn't have to happen.  Latour, Rodriguez, and Renzi have already told the story of a young woman coming to terms with the mistakes that she's made and overcoming the shame those mistakes inspired in her to become the hero she always was.  Origin stories can often glide over the emotional side of this phase, focusing instead on the hero simply learning (usually with an emphasis on comedy) how to use his/her new powers.  Unlike possibly anyone who came before him, Latour put the emotional and relationship mistakes front and center of Gwen's story.  She couldn't simply learn from her mistakes; she had to take responsibility for them.  That's who Gwen Stacy is.  It even took her a while to get there, making you wonder at some points if she would get there.  Now?  She's Spider-Gwen, damn it.  I can't wait to see what she does next.

Star Wars #51:  This issue reads like a goddamn movie and I feel downright privileged to have read it.  The rebels realize the Shu-Torun program only blocks the flight-bay doors from the inside; if someone can fly a ship broadcasting the Rebel frequency near the doors, they should open.  One of the generals tries to fly one of the shuttles (that I assume was attached outside the cruiser via airlocks), but the Empire easily destroys it.  However, Han unexpectedly arrives and, in a bid to impress Leia, takes on the task himself.  I can't tell you the joy I felt reading this issue, from Han putting Threepio on the shields and telling him "life-and-death stakes are a great motivator" to Threepio later yelling, "We're doomed" when Vader manages to hit them.  Did I mention that Vader appears from nowhere just as they're ready to activate the doors?  The first few issues of this series really captured the sense of watching a sequel to "Star Wars" and Gillen recreates that magic again, as everyone acts and sounds the way you expect them act and sound.  I couldn't be happier with this issue.

Thor #3:  It’s hard to believe this issue is only a standard size, given how much happens in it.  After the various children and grandchildren of Odin fight and squabble in hilarious fashion, Loki proposes Balder and Hel get married so they can unite the fractured armies of Hel behind them and take on Sindr before she destroys Niffleheim.  However, Thor reminds Loki the souls in these armies weren’t warriors in real life; they need the Einherjar from Valhalla.  However, you can’t get to Valhalla unless you’re dead, so Loki murders Thor at his request, just as Thor is telling him he still believes in him and loves him.  (It’s hilariously poignant.)  But, it all comes to a head as an unexpected figure stops the wedding:  Thanos.  Honestly, I totally didn’t see that coming, but I can’t get over how brilliant it is.  As ridiculous as this entire issue is (and seeing Thori as a flower girl is as absurd and awesome as it possibly could be), it all works because Aaron has everyone’s characterization and voices down so well.  As Sindr learns from Gar-Toom the Blooddrinker how to murder souls, we come to appreciate the threat Odin’s family faces and why this wedding maybe isn’t as ridiculous as it seems.  It all happens against the backdrop of some of the best art and colors I’ve ever seen.  Aaron and the creative team are quite simply on fire.  (Sorry, I couldn’t help it.)

Also Read:  Daredevil #605; Darth Vader Annual #2; X-Men:  Gold #32; X-Men:  Red #6

New Mutants #10: "Betrayal!"

Summary

Surrounded by Bobby, Dani, and Sam, Rahne, in wolf form, is sitting on a throne, which a group of slaves is carrying on a liter through the streets of Nova Roma.  As Sam complains about feeling like an idiot waving to the people, Gallio thought-bubbles how Nova Roma views him as a hero for bringing to it the "living representation of our most revered deity."  Deriding the crowd as fools (of course), he plans on using that belief to break the power of the Senate and end the Republic forever.  As Aquila darkly looks at him, he crows that even Aquila can't stop him from becoming emperor.  Sam comments on them glaring at each other to Bobby, but Bobby says it's none of their business as he instead thinks about his mother.  He figures the patrols would've found her if she had survived; given the lack of word, he worries she's dead.  He sees Dani looking at him and tries to keep up a brave face as he doesn't want his teammates to see how upset he is.  Dani sees through his act, cursing him for being too proud to talk about his feelings but then realizing they're very much alike, which is why she cares.

At the conclusion of the parade, Gallio escorts the kids into a place he's giving to them.  Dani finds a robe for Rahne as she changes into human form, expressing her concern the Nova Romans calling her a goddess is "na' proper."  Gallio chides her, saying she is a god to them and even hypothesizes the Roman gods were actually mutants like them.  (That's an interesting theory, to be honest.)  Gallio brings out a banquet for the kids, but Sam expresses concern slaves are serving them, prompting Bobby to note his father was a slave and their luxury comes at a price.  This talk concerns Dani, remembering how close they came to being slaves themselves and how Gallio could change his mind.  

Later, Dani thanks Gallio for his kindness, but Sam, naively, notes the dark look the guy gave him at the parade.  Gallio says he can guess who it was, but tells him not to concern himself with Senator Aquila.  Sam realizes it's Amara's dad (having noticed a resemblance, apparently) and asks if they don't get along.  Gallio says he's of the patrician class, "born and bred to uphold the ideals and traditions that have made Rome great."  However, Aquilla is "plebeian," a commoner like other Senators, though they serve more honorably than he does.  Gallio tells the kids Aquilla respects "no law but his own and desires nothing but power."  He claims Aquilla is trying to make himself emperor, but Sam isn't buying it.  Gallio reminds Sam of the slick company reps who used to screw over his father and his fellow miners by burying the details in their contracts.  But, he realizes Gallio sees them as kids and Dani's successfully playing him with her obsequiousness, so Sam plays along, too.  He says Amara told him her father ran the republican party, and Rahne bursts into hysterics, screaming at Sam that Amara is a liar and a sneak.  The New Mutants express shock at Rahne's outburst, with Dani wondering why Rahne has been on Amara's case since the start, if it's an issue between her and Amara or her and Sam.  Gallio tells Rahne she shouldn't judge Amara harshly; she's a loyal daughter to Aquilla.  But, he then notes she didn't accompany them to the arena, leaving the New Mutants to their fate.  Rahne agrees, saying the New Mutants stand by their friends and offering her support to Gallio.  Gallio thanks her and then leaves them to rest.

Relieved, Bobby activates his powers and shatters his armor, apologizing to the other kids for his outburst but nothing how hot the armor is.  He collapses into a chair and tells them to wake him in a week "preferably with a kiss."  Sam isn't having it, though:  he asks what Rahne is "playin' at," offering their help to Gallio without running it by the team first.  Rahne asks why she shouldn't have done so, and Sam reminders her they're strangers in a strange land with no idea who the good or bad guys are.  (Good point, Sam.)  He tells Rahne that her "crazy hate" of Amara is blinding her, and Rahne shoots back, telling Sam he likes Amara and it's confounding his judgment.  She asks who made him -- "high-an'-mighty Guthrie" -- leader of the New Mutants, and Sam hilariously tells her to mind her elders.  Rahne gives as good as she gets, telling him she's not going to mind an elder who acts like a baby.  (I'm not really buying Sam acting like a baby here, Rahne.)  Bobby leaves, noting how Dani has been taking lead lately so he'll let her handle the situation.  He realizes she's a better leader than him, since he doesn't have the patience to be one; his answer is to punch someone.

In the hallway, a slave girl offers to "ease [his] sadness," but Bobby says he wants to left alone.  He ponders how his feelings are so evident and if he likes feeling sorry for himself, reviewing for the reader how he was too slow to prevent the death of Juliana, the loss of Xi'an, and the disappearance of his mother.  In tears, he wonders what good his powers are if he can't save the people he loves.  He wishes his father were there, because when they're together they "talk like pals."  (Enjoy that now, 'Berto...)  Just then, he passes a window and notices two women leading a handcuffed woman with red hair into a building.  Bobby rushes down the steps only to encounter armed guards preventing him from leaving, telling him Gallio has ordered them to stay in the palace "for [their] own protection."  Bobby powers up abilities, but he then thinks of Professor X and how he'd be appalled at him for threatening an innocent man doing his duty.  He also realizes the woman has disappeared and assumes he just imagined her.  (Does he often imagine red-haired women who look like his mother?)  He powers down his abilities and apologizes, to the "decurion's" relief.

Later that night, Dani sneaks from her room, using her powers to summon the image of two scantily clad women to distract the guards.  Dani feels guilty given how happy the guys looked, but makes her way outside.  She figures no one will notice her given she's Native American and the city is half Incan, but a hand places itself over her mouth before she can get far.  Later, Rahne is sitting in a window worried that Dani hasn't returned but Bobby assures Rahne that Dani can take care of herself.  He rubs her hair and she laughs, but then admits she's ashamed of herself for saying such hateful things to Sam and for blaspheming by pretending to be a god.  She then sobs that she wonders why God hasn't struck her dead and frets over burning in Hell.  Bobby tells her she shouldn't worry if her beliefs aren't shaken, but she confesses they are shaken, as she likes being a wolf more than a girl, a feeling that increases every day.  Bobby doesn't know what he should say, but then notices a gun pointing from behind the drapes.  The shot glances off his shoulder and sends him tumbling out the window, awakening a boxer-clad Sam.  Sam blasts from his bed out the window to grab him, reminding us again that Bobby isn't invulnerable, even as Sunspot.  Sam hastily returns, as Rahne is in the room with the attempted murderer, but she's already turned into a wolf and leapt at the assailant.  Of course it's Castro, and Gallio and his guards (suspiciously) enter immediately.  Sam tells Gallio they need a doctor, but an enraged Bobby points out Castro is the man who killed his mother.  Gallio promises he'll face justice, but when he asks Castro who sent him Castro spits on him.  Gallio threatens to leave him with Bobby to settle the matter and an allegedly panicked Castro says it was Aquilla.  (Of course it was.)  Gallio orders his centurion to arrest Aquilla.

Meanwhile, Dani awakens in a cave dressed in a bikini and notices two other girls drugged and dressed the same way, including Amara.  Dani supposes her "mutant metabolism" burned off the drug more quickly.  She asks a barely conscious Amara where they are and Amara mutters that she doesn't know.  She asks why they're there and a brute carrying a torch tells her to be sacrificed.  A still woozy Dani realizes she can't fight as she doesn't have control over her spirit forms.  The guards lead her, Amara, and the third girl to a large pit of fire, apparently the "sanctuary of the Cult of Fire" where the girls will be sacrificed to the "eternal flame."  Suddenly, Selene, "daughter of the moon, mistress of fire," appears, telling the girls to come to her.  Dani recognizes the psychic tug and realizes her training is helping her to resist Selene's call.  The third girl begs Selene to stop as she continues to walk closer to Selene and Dani frantically tries to summon her power.  Dani realizes Selene knows she has powers and is blocking her from using them as she sends the third girl to her death so she can have life.  (Aha!)  Selene exposits she's a goddess who's walked Earth before the dawn of time and asks whether Amara or Dani will go next.

At the Aquilla estate, Sam blasts through a wall, surprising Aquilla's personal guards.  However, he thought-bubbles that Castro fingering Aquilla was suspicious, especially since Gallio had his army all set to go after him.  He laments they have no time to think, particularly as Bobby just wants to bust heads.  One of the centurions refuses to allow Rahne to follow Bobby and Sam, as she's the "living heart" of the city.  Sam grabs Bobby, telling him the centurions don't need help massacring other centurions.  Sam acknowledges Rahne might be right about Amara getting to him, but he tells Bobby he doesn't trust Gallio and they can make sure he doesn't "accidentally" kill Aquilla in trying to arrest him; Bobby concurs.  On cue, Gallio's cronies burst into Aquilla's room, where he's ready with a sword.  He takes out one centurion as another declares Gallio wants Aquilla's head on a pike, a different order than we heard Gallio give in front of the kids.  Sam and Bobby arrive in time to prevent the centurions from killing Aquilla.  In Latin, Aquilla asks Gallio if he's disappointed to see him alive.  Gallio privately curses the meddlesome kids but then tells Aquilla he'll be dead soon enough, once the Senate convicts him of high treason due to the "overwhelming" evidence against him.  Aquilla calls him the traitor, and Gallio gloats Aquilla couldn't stop him even if it were true.  Gallio thanks the kids for their help, and Bobby reveals he speaks Latin and realizes they've made a terrible mistake in trusting Gallio.

Meanwhile, Selene has Amara on a platform, telling her she knew she'd come to her as her mother did.  She reveals she knew Senator Aquilla was trying to save her by hiding her in the Amazon with the other refugees from her cult.  She tells a drugged Amara she'll die by her hand and Gallio will kill her husband, spelling doom for the Republic.  Dani is appalled, but Selene is too strong as she tries to break free.  She finally overcomes her, creating a spirit form that scares the goons and allows her to make her way to Selene.  A surprised Selene focuses on Dani for a moment, but quickly recovers before Dani can shove her into the lava.  She tells Dani she realized she was a fellow mutant the moment she entered the arena, and she's surprised she is one, given Selene thought she was alone.  Dani realizes why people hate mutants if they're all such monsters.  Selene asks Dani to join her as she scratches her face and licks the blood, telling her it's allowed her to see into Dani's soul.  (Um, OK.)  Amara suddenly shouts "murderer" and exposits the fight broke Selene's hold on her.  (So it wasn't the drugs?)  But, Selene easily backhands her into the lava pit.  However, suddenly, an earthquake sends columns toppling in Nova Roma, creating a fissure with lava.  In the cave, Amara's powers are fully evident and she swears vengeance on Selene for all the people she's killed.

The Review

This issue really kicks the Nova Roma storyline into high gear.  Claremont does a great job of using the situation to test the kids in a way they previously haven't been, bringing out new aspects of their personalities.  Despite his country-bumpkin act, Sam is insightful in his reading of the political situation in Nova Roma and shows maturity in acknowledging Rahne could be right that his feelings for Amara might be clouding his judgment.  Bobby also shows maturity for recognizing his shortcomings and in embracing Dani's leadership of the team.  For her part, Dani recognizes her pride has led her to build walls around her that aren't helping her, an example she clearly sees in Bobby.  In fact, Rahne is the only one not to show growth here; instead, she reminds us just how much of a sheltered child she remains.  All in all, this arc really sees the kids becoming full-fledged characters and this series really hitting its stride.

Some other thoughts:

- I thought Gallio proclaimed Rahne to be Caesar's descendant because of her short, not red, hair.  In the narration here, it says Caesar had red hair, which was news to me.

- I'm surprised to the extent everyone just accepts Sam's feelings for Amara, given they've all basically spent less than 24 hours together.  Other than carrying her while he was nearly naked last issue, I don't really remember them interacting all that much.

- At the pit of fire, Dani notices she and the other two girls are terrified and wonders why she's so affected, pondering if it was the drug.  Um, maybe it's the huge pit of fire into which Selene is going to hurl you, Dani?

- Sexy time with slaves!  Helping centurions murder other centurions!  Sexy time as slaves!  Seriously, Claremont continues the trend of putting the kids in adult or dangerous situations wearing little more than underwear.  Bobby is thirteen years old, but Claremont has no problem showing a slave throwing herself at him.  (I'm impressed by Bobby's ability to resist.)  It's all very...questionable.  ("X-Men and the Micronauts"  really pushes this envelope.)

- I'm surprised Selene, who's allegedly walked the Earth for centuries, didn't know other mutants existed.  What the what?  Like, she hasn't left the Amazon in centuries?

New Mutants #9: "Arena"

Summary
The Legionnaires march the New Mutants through a tunnel to reveal Nova Roma, the legendary Roman city we heard about last issue.  The city is nestled in a cloud-covered valley.  A half-naked Sam exposits the clouds hide the valley from flights and the tunnel is the only entry into the valley.  When Rahne expresses regret Bobby's mother isn't there to see it, Bobby notes she might be injured "...or worse."  Bobby (not unreasonably) wonders why they're allowing the Legionnaires to march them into the city, instead of defeating them and searching for his mother.  Dani responds they're not in any shape to fight.  (Really?  They can defeat two Sentinels, but they can't take down five spear-wielding Legionnaires?)  She notes the Legionnaires (somehow) speak English and expresses hope they know where Bobby's mother is.  However, Amara whispers to Sam (who's carrying her) that they shouldn't resist the Legionnaires as "much more [is] at stake than [their] lives."  Sam expresses surprise she's conscious, accusing her of playing possum, and she tells him she's trying to blend with his party; if he betrays her, she's doomed.

Dani's hopes are dashed when a Legionnaire throws them into a cell, telling them their fates will be determined the next day.  Dani asks Rahne to check for eavesdroppers via the space under the door, and she confirms they're alone (and that the place smells).  Bobby demands answers from Amara, and she introduces herself as Amara Juliana Olivia Aquila, the daughter of Lucius Antonius Aquila, the first senator of Nova Roma.  She apologizes to Bobby about his mother and prays she's alive.  But, when Bobby asks if she could be in the city, Amara responds she'd likely be in the dungeon with them if she were.  Sam tries to comfort Bobby, but he asks to be left with his rage.  Meanwhile, Dani seems a little perturbed by Amara's brown-face act, and she asks why she's so scared if she's a Senator's daughter.  Amara exposits that much of the city is descended from Incans who fled there during the Spanish conquest.  She claims the Incans seek to overthrow the Nova Roman republic and replace it with an Incan absolute monarchy, as they are accustomed to having.  Amara is part of the opposition to that group.  If her "activities" are revealed, it could damage her father politically.  Bobby asks why they were following his expedition, and Amara says it's because of their general wariness of strangers.  She stresses Nova Roma has existed for so long because of its isolation.

Amara sits in the corner while the New Mutants confer, with Rahne saying she doesn't trust her and Bobby agreeing.  However, Sam defends her, saying she might be too scared to reveal the whole truth to them.  Rahne doesn't disagree, but she stresses Amara is, in fact, holding back the "whole truth" because she can sense it.  Dani wishes that Professor X were there or that she were a telepath when she suddenly pulls Amara's greatest fear from her mind, of a woman in a robe throwing her into a pit of flames.  Sam screams at Dani for scaring Amara silly, and Dani stammers that she didn't mean to do so.  Amara murmurs to herself about the "black priestess" and her "pit of fire" where so many have died.  Sam decides it's time for them to blow the joint and starts charging up his power.  But, Dani (uncharacteristically) counsels caution, because they need more information before they can act.  Bobby stops Sam, telling him his power is unfocused.  Instead, Bobby uses his powers to break the door.  Amara warns him not to do so, but she's too late, as the door shatters and poisoned darts hit the kids, paralyzing them and knocking them unconscious.

At the Senatorial baths, the statuesque Marcus Domitius Gallio enters.  The more rotund Senator Aquila calls for him from where he's getting a massage, and Gallio tries to rush past him, stating urgent state business as the cause.  Aquila asks if it's about the captured outlanders, and Gallio's Legionnaire escort expresses surprise Aquila already has the information.  Aquila mentions they're children, and Gallio compliments him for his spy network.  Aquila asks his intentions, and Gallio reminds him the law is clear and makes no provision for age:  the boys will go to the arena and, if they survive, they will become slaves.  Aquila announces his approval.  After Gallio leaves, Aquila exposits that Gallio would prefer him in the arena, since he's the only thing between Gallio and his ambition.  He darkly notes he's willing to sacrifice children to stop him.

In his villa, Gallio is in full rant when his wife Selene (!) enters.  He tells her about the children, noting he would be invincible if he could press them and their abilities into his service.  He blames Aquila for forcing him to send them into the arena instead, and Selene offers to off Aquila.  Gallio refuses, saying his death will come from his hand not her "black arts."  Selene tells him one day her black arts will save him.  At that, she leads Gallio into the catacombs under their villa, telling him she has other ways of helping him if he won't let her use her black arts.  She causes a blank wall to transform into a door and leads him to Castro, the guy who attacked the kids on the boat last issue. Castro tells them that his "great lord" wants to exploit the "natural wealth" of the land.  He proposes an alliance:  Gallio will give Emanuel da Costa mining rights, and Emanuel will give Gallio weapons.  Intrigued, Gallio has Selene free Castro from his prison so they can talk in a more civilized setting.

Meanwhile, in the house where the female slaves are kept, the other slaves give the girls baths.  Rahne complains her hair never grows longer than it is and envies Dani's hair, though Dani warns her about tangles.  They splash water at each other, and one of the other slaves gives them wine.  Amara warns Dani it's drugged, but she doesn't listen, and soon Dani and Rahne are incoherent, wondering if Professor X would punish them for being "naughty girls."  Behind the scenes, the slave who administered the wine tells Melantha, the woman who seems to run the house, that she gave the girls an extra dose of the drug.  Melantha tells her to administer another dose at breakfast so they'll be right there cheering with the crowds as their "companions" are forced to fight to the death.  Amara is unable to do anything, as she's panicked she'll be discovered.  As she creeps through the halls later that night, she exposits that her father sent her from Nova Roma while he tried to ascertain the identity of the "black priestess."  Amara is amazed at how brave and unafraid the New Mutants are, because she's scared half to death.  Confident her father will protect her, she tries to wake up Dani and Rahne to no avail.  (She also warns them that they'll spend their lives in the fields as slaves and they better hope their master doesn't find them attractive.)  Pleased her sip of wine didn't leave her drugged, Amara tries to escape but suddenly feels dizzy and weak, a feeling she's previously had.  She thinks no one's heard her, but she suddenly comes face-to-face with Selene, who pledges to make us of her, gift of the gods that she is.

Beneath the circus, Bobby and Sam have been stripped to loincloths and are hanging from chains attached to the wall.  Bobby laments not being able to use his powers.  One of the shirtless gladiators sparring in front of them exposits that it's because of a drug that makes them weaker, keeping them from causing mischief before the games.  Bobby asks what happens then, and the gladiator takes his chin and tells him he fights.  If he survives, he'll become a slave, though the gladiator's sparring partner says, if he's lucky, he might get a chance to become a citizen one day.  Sam notes it's hardly a fair fight if he's drugged, but the original gladiator laughs, telling him they'll be ready after the "lanista" has finished his work.  Later, the circus is completely filled and Gallio arrives, accompanied by Selene as well as Dani and Rahne dressed as princesses.  But, they're still drugged, believing themselves to be in a dream.  Under the circus, Bobby and Sam have been dressed in slightly less skimpy outfits; at least now they've got chest plates.  Two gladiators restrain them as the lanista pours drugged wine down their throats.  The lanista informs Sam they'll be consumed by an "irresistible berserker fury" in a few moments to compensate for their lack of skill.  They'll only stop fighting if they're maimed, killed, or victorious.  Sam encourages Bobby to resist the drug, telling him they're not killers, but Bobby tells him to speak for himself.  He activates his powers, saying he'll prove right all the people who called him a monster, and takes out two gladiators.  People in the stands start wagering on him as Sam realizes the lanista and his cronies didn't realize they have powers and worries they could inadvertently flatten the place in a rage.  He figures they deserve it for making them slaves and realizes the drugs are affecting him.  Seeing the girls enjoying the show, Sam decides to give them one, destroying a Mad Max-esque tank coming his way.  The boys show little care when some of the gladiators are trampled as the horses pulling the tank run free.

Bobby notices a chariot coming his way and decides to duck under it, despite his powers not giving him invulnerability.  The crowd cheers and gasps (including Dani and Rahne) as they think he's trampled, but he appears on the other side and hurls the chariot into the air.  Meanwhile, Sam takes out the other tank, but slams into Bobby in the process.  Gaius whispers to Gallio that he's concerned the "barbarians" could turn against the crowd, but Gallio assures him he's got the situation in check with his 60+ archers on standby.  Bobby is enraged at Sam hitting him, recalling how Sam struck him from behind when they met in "Marvel Graphic Novel" #4.  Sam asks if he wants to make something of it, and the two slam into each other, knocking themselves for a loop.  Depowered by the shock, they start fighting with their bare hands, with Rahne egging on her "love," Sam.  Sam has the edge as he's bigger than Bobby, but Bobby begins to regain his powers and starts to win, prompting Rahne to try to save him.  Gallio's guards try to restrain her, but she transforms into a wolf.  Something about the activation of her psychic connection with Rahne in her wolf form awakens Dani, and she summons an image of the Professor to bring the other three to their senses.  (She says it's the first time she's ever summoned a specific spirit form.)  Noting that she would've loved to have the Professor on had to see her big moment, she also thinks they probably need his help.  She rushes to her friends as Sam apologizes for what he said and did.  Bobby tells him to worry about it later as the natives are looking restless (and then hurriedly apologizes).  The crowd dismisses them as demons and calls for the archers to open fire.  However, Gallio announces their most ancient prophesy has come true:  Rahne's short hair marks her as a descendant of Gaius Julius Caesar and her wolf form means she's descended from the she-wolf who suckled Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome!  He declares the children as immortal gods and bestows upon them the laurel wreath of triumph.  Dani express hope that means their OK, but Sam says he'll believe it when he sees it.

The Review
This issue kicks of the pretty great Nova Roma saga.  I have mostly minor quibbles here:

- It took me a minute to realize Sam put the red shirt he was wearing last issue around Amara, which explains how she's no longer dressed in a bikini while he's so scantily dressed he looks like he's going to perform in some sort of gay-for-pay video to feed his family.  Conversely, it also looks like Amara had some time to get a blowout at a dry bar off-panel.  At the very least, she seemed to find some gold hoop earrings on the way to Nova Roma.

- I mention Sam's state of dress because it continues a theme of how sexualized the stories Claremont tells are.  Amara implies Dani and Rahne could become sex slaves if their eventual master takes a liking to him, and the sweaty shirtless gladiator grabbing Bobby by the chin certain carried an air of sexual menace with it.  It's pretty hard to believe this sort of stuff got past the Code at the time.

- Rahne commenting to Bobby "If only yuir mother could be with us t' see" when they enter Nova Roma seems...harsh, given he's had about 15 minutes or so to react to her death.

- How exactly do the Legionnaires speak English?  According to Wikipedia, "old English" didn't even come into existence until the 5th century A.D.

- It's taken me several readings, and I'm still not sure what Amara's "activities" with the Incans were.  I think she joined them as a spy, so she could report their activities to her father.  But, in issue #8, one of the Incans called her Lady Amara.  Were they part of the pro-republican Incan faction that opposes the other pro-monarch Incan faction?

- That said, Claremont does a good job of switching perspectives in the issue.  When we first meet Aquila, he seems a fat cat trying to maintain his power against noble Gallio.  But, then Claremont reveals Aquila is actually the one trying to hold the line against Gallio's corruption.

- The twist with Rahne is super clever, from the idea that her short hair is similar to Caesar's to the connection to the she-wolf that suckled Romulus and Remus angle.  I wonder if Claremont saw that connection first and created Nova Roma around it.  Moreover, it gets Gallio access to the children, denying Aquila's plans to have them shipped into the field and far from his influence.

Not-So-New Comics: The July 11 Everyone-but-Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Detective Comics #984:  We learn in this issue the figure who attacked Duke and Cassandra isn't a new O.M.A.C. but a guy named Karma.  He bought some sort of (possibly alien) mask off a (presumably Russian) weapons dealer.  However, it's still unclear why he's using the mask's power to read thoughts to go after Bruce's network of teenage crime-fighters.  Conveniently, Bruce has brought on board Black Lightning to take over teaching and mentoring said teenagers, because Bruce seems to agree with Karma:  they make him weak.  I will admit this part is starting to feel like an Elseworlds story, as Black Lightning seems a fairly random choice to bring into the Bat-family.  But, we'll see where we go.  My excitement about the Bat-titles in general is waning after "Batman" #50, so I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to hang around here.

Oblivion Song #5:  The interesting part here is Kirkman doesn’t take the easy route, having Ed reject Nathan once it’s revealed he’s the one returning the transferees to Earth.  Each brother makes his own argument for his actions, and they’re both compelling.  We learn Ed was something akin to a criminal on Earth, and it’s only in Oblivion that he’s found his purpose, emerging as the transferee’s leader.  But, Nathan also notes no one returned to Earth ever asked to be returned back to Oblivion (though Duncan seems close to that).  It seems entirely possibly each brother will embrace the other one’s view, and that’s what makes this series so interesting so early in its run.

Also Read: Bloodshot Salvation #11; The Wild Storm:  Michael Cray #5

Not-So-New Comics: The July 11 Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Amazing Spider-Man #1:  Since "Brand New Day" began, I’ve been bothered by two developments:  Mary Jane and Peter making a deal with Mephisto to dissolve their marriage (obviously) and Peter accepting the doctorate Dr. Octopus got for him.  Spencer unexpectedly fixes both of them here.  First, a new technology designed to identify plagiarism correctly pegs Otto as the author of Peter’s dissertation.  Later, Peter’s near-death experience fighting Mysterio inspires him to tell Mary Jane he needs her.  As thrilled as I am in Spencer addressing these issues, I can’t say it’s a fun issue to read.  As Kingpin himself says, Peter needs to be isolated to be defeated, and he is here.  Robbie is forced to fire him to protect the Bugle’s integrity, and Aunt May is appalled when he refuses to take responsibility for his mistake.  But, Kingpin didn’t count on Mary Jane.  My hope is Spencer doesn’t take Peter any lower than he is now.  After the events of the “Fall of the House of Parker,” Slott and Spencer have now taken everything (including Aunt May) but Mary Jane from Peter.  If we go much lower, we’re going to return to the terrible period during the “Clone Saga” when he turned his back on Peter Parker because his life was so terrible.  I just can’t do that again.

Infinity Countdown #5:  From the hurried art to the dropped plots, this issue is the definition of rushed, even at 36 pages.  We start with Black Widow appearing to Dr. Strange to tell him -- via a hand-written note she passes to him -- someone is listening to her through the Space Gem.  (Duggan never clarifies how Nat knew that, at least as far as I can tell.)  Dr. Strange chimes a "crystal that was grown in the lowest dimension known to exist," presumably to find the eavesdropper, though Duggan never makes that clear.  The frequency leads him to Turk.  (If Turk was using the Mind Gem to read Nat's mind, wouldn't he know what she wrote in the note?  Isn't the whole point of reading minds not needing people to say their thoughts aloud?)  At Oblitus, Warlock approaches the Guardians, hoping they can lead him and Kang to the Time Gem.  Gamora asks Warlock to show her the Soul Gem, and he agrees, but tells her he cannot open it without help.  Gamora demands he does so, and Drax tries to help her, punching Warlock and grabbing the Soul Gem as he drops it.  Something...happens when Drax touches it, and it results in Drax throwing in his lot with Warlock.  He tells Gamora no one can open the Gem and it's no longer the heaven it was.  Cryptically saying he "saw someone in the trees[;] they all died horribly," he follows Kang and Warlock through a portal after Kang realizes the Guardians don't know where the Time Gem is.  Peter, Groot, and Rocket then refuse to go after them with Gamora, who's becoming increasingly unstable.  (That said, she's not necessarily wrong that Peter leaving Rich in the Cancerverse was a good indicator of how he'd behave here.)  Meanwhile, in the Soul Gem, something traps Hank in a fantasy of his own making where the Avengers rescue him and greet him with open arms.  The issue concludes with Dr. Strange calling an assembly of the Infinity Watch; in this moment, we learn Peter has the Power Gem (even though Drax is shown as possessing it in the intro page).  In other words?  It's all just a fucking mess.  It's hardly an inducement to read "Infinity Wars," given how rushed even this 36-page issue is.  Barely anyone's actions are explained.  I still don't understand why Peter, Groot, and Rocket didn't support Gamora.  I have no idea why Drax threw in his lot with Warlock and Kang.  Again, we also never get confirmation it was Turk eavesdropping on Nat through the Space Gem.  Moreover, other than the Gems changing hands, nothing has actually happened since the start of this prelude.  Darkhawk, Dr. Strange, the Guardians, Natasha -- they're all essentially where they started.  I can't believe I spent money on this event (and that I'm still likely to get the main "Infinity Wars" series).

Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk #4:  Sims and Bowers again change a status quo here, as Dark Starhawk seems to evolve simply into Starhawk before our eyes.  He executes Gyre, announcing he’s evolved beyond advancing Gyre’s goals (which I’ll be honest weren’t entirely clear to me).  Now, he's dedicated to safeguarding order in the universe by taking out entities with special powers that threaten it (like the possessors of the Infinity Gems).  However, Chris takes back his amulet, destroying the nexus between his soul and Robbie’s body.  Robbie disappears, and Rich vows to imprison Chris if he sees him off Earth again.  To be honest, Rich is pretty true to character here:  he leaps to conclusions and doesn’t even pretend to listen to Chris as he explains Robbie willingly sacrificed himself to become Dark Starhawk.  We end the issue with Chris committed to staying on Earth.  However, that night, Sleepwalker pays him a visit, telling him he needs to become a Sleepwalker, too.  I mean, why not change everything all over again?

The New Mutants: Dead Souls #5:  This issue is really solid.  Tran manipulates Illyana into breaking into Dr. Strange’s house and drawing her Soulsword.  In so doing, she apparently (and conveniently) breaks the seals that prevent him from entering the house.  Rictor then inadvertently presents Tran with what he wants, a gem that converts him to his physical form.  Reborn, Tran is all the more formidable.  This series of errors seems to prove his point that this team is the B-team.  Guido grabs Tran and has Illyana send the two of them into Limbo.  This moment is significant because Rosenberg had earlier forced Rahne and Guido into a room in the house that seemed to show them their nightmares.  There, Rahne learned that her nightmare — Guido killing her son — is also Guido’s nightmare.  It brings resolution to their story as Guido tearfully begs Rahne for forgiveness and Rahne grants it to him.  (I totally cried.)  Reconciled, Rahne refuses to let Guido stay trapped in Limbo, knowing how nightmarish it would be for him.  But, Rosenberg also uses it as a bit of therapy for all of us, showing us how we remain stuck in cycles of grief and guilt that serve little purpose.  This series just continues to get better and better, and I think Rosenberg makes a great case for continuing it as an ongoing.

X-Men:  Blue #31:  Although the last arc was awful, Bunn rights the ship here, as the kids follow Magneto’s path of devastation as he makes his way to Emma.  Bloodstorm exposits that Magneto was driven over the edge when he was forced to kill the Mothervine-controlled mutants in his care who attacked him, though I’ll admit I don’t totally buy that.  Bunn seems to be arguing that Magneto is inherently unstable and violent (if not exactly evil), and the events of the Mothervine arc simply overrode his ability to control his behavior.  But, he is slowly but surely destroying Hellfire Club chapters along the way, so we’ll see where it all goes.

Also Read: Darth Vader #18; Detective Comics #984; The Hunt for Wolverine:  Adamantium Agenda #3; Ms. Marvel #32

On the Past Not Being the Future

I am obviously a fan of comic books as an art form.  This blog is a testament to the copious amount of time I spend on them:  reading about them, obsessing over them, writing about them.  Comics often tell tales that move me deeply, in ways even the best works of literature can't do.  At the end of the day, someone reading all seven volumes of "Remembrance of Things Past" will still spend a finite amount of time with its characters.  Conversely, someone who purchased "Action Comics" #1 in 1938 could still be reading about Superman 80 years later.  (I hope someone is!)  In other words, the serial nature of comics allows these characters to work their way into your life in a way Proust's characters cannot.

It's why what Marvel did to Kitty and Piotr in "X-Men Gold" #30 and DC did to Bruce and Selina in "Batman" #50 are unforgivable sins.  It's why Marvel turning its back on some of its most innovative new series (and DC not even trying to innovate) makes me wonder why I'm still reading comics.  Lately, DC and Marvel are telling us nothing will ever change.  In so doing, they're telling me I know what stories I'm going to be reading five to ten years from now:  "Civil War III," "Infinity Wars and BEYOND," "Maximum Cloneage Redux," etc.  If comics are going to survive, they need to stop desperately trying to stay in 1968 at worst and 1992 at best.

The Problem with the Weddings
I feel like the only conclusion you can draw from "Batman" #50 and "X-Men Gold" #30 is that DC and Marvel believe their writers to be talentless hacks who can only tell the same stories over and over again and their readers to be mindless drones who can only read the same stories over and over again.  I can't see any other conclusion, as sharply worded as that might be.  The editors just don't believe their writers are sufficiently creative to let their characters evolve.  In dumping Bruce, Selina says that Batman can't be happy and fight crime, so she's sacrificing her happiness for Gotham's.  In dumping Peter, Kitty argues she can't marry him given it took them so long to get to the altar. 

These positions are incredibly cynical.  Simply because Batman has always been miserable while fighting crime doesn't mean he has to be miserable to fight crime.  Does DC think police officers should be monks?  In marrying Selina, Bruce could easily have found new motivation to make the world a better place.  He could fight for a world where he, his wife, his son, and his surrogate sons don't have to put on spandex and fight crime every night.  It's just as heroic of a motivation (if not more of one) as his misery-born need to ensure another child doesn't suffer the loss he suffered.  In fact, Selina herself says Bruce hasn't matured at all since that day in Crime Alley.  It's just hard to believe the editors at DC really believe that.  All these experiences and he's still the boy he was?  On the Marvel side, you have to wonder how long the editors feel is an appropriate amount of time to wait before getting married.  My husband and I were together for seven years before the Supreme Court ruled same-sex marriage constitutional.  Does Marvel believe we should've just called it quits because it took us so long to get to the altar?

To make matters worse, both women are portrayed as making impulsive decisions as a result of input from their best friends.  Holly tells Selina she thinks Bruce can only be Batman if he's miserable, and Illyana raises her doubts with Kitty when pressed.  Selina and Kitty then respond as if these doubts never occurred to them.  To believe the events of these issues, you have to believe Selina and Kitty aren't the capable, confident, and insightful women they clearly are.  It's a lot to ask. 

These colossal failures of imaginations are bad enough, but my disappointment with these issues goes beyond that.  DC and Marvel hyped both events for weeks, building up the excitement by offering a number tie-in issues.  The "Prelude to the Wedding" books DC published were some of the best Batman stories ever told.  (The Marvel ones...not so much.)  Nothing in either set of prelude issues implied either member of the happy couples had any doubts.  Why would Kitty propose to Piotr if she worried about their long path to the altar?  Why tell Damian she had his back if Selina worried she couldn't marry his father?  Why risk hurting Dick's feelings by selecting Clark as his best man if Bruce didn't think the wedding would happen?  If I remember correctly, "Batman Annual" #2 showed Selina with Bruce in his final days.  In other words, King never even slipped in a moment of doubt there.  Sure, he had some cockamamie excuse for why Batman and Catwoman, and not Bruce and Selina, were getting married.  But, otherwise, it was (allegedly) the real deal.  It again advocates this belief that both Selina and Kitty made impulsive decisions to agree to get married in the first place and equally impulsive ones to end their engagements.  It's like DC and Marvel are the embarrassed parents of the bride who called off her wedding apologizing to everyone who spent money to travel to the wedding.  Except, they knew the bride was going to cancel the wedding before the tickets were bought.

But, it's not just my disappointment in the stories that drives my anger.  Between the "Prelude to the Wedding" mini-series and the X-Men's "Wedding Special," I spent $24.95 on related issues.  My sister asked me to buy her two copies of "Batman" #50 so she could frame one.  At some point, it's hard not to feel like DC and Marvel are taking advantage of me, turning my enthusiasm for their product against me.  It's moments like these where I feel a little silly reading comic books as a grown man.  I start to wonder why I'm reading these stories if the characters aren't allowed to progress beyond adolescence.  To make matters worse, DC and Marvel aren't even allowing us to be a 2018 adolescent; they're forcing us to be 1968 adolescents.  

The Fading of Diversity
With the cancellation of "Generation X," "Hawkeye," and "Iceman" (to name a few), Marvel has virtually turned its back on any story that doesn't involve single, white men taking out their rage with their fists.  (DC never even tried to tell these stories, so at least Marvel deserves some credit for the effort.)  By my count of the relevant Wikipedia page, Marvel is currently running 29 solo series featuring men, 14 series featuring teams, nine series focused on events, seven series featuring a duo, and six solo series featuring women.  As far as I'm aware, only five of the solo series feature non-white characters:  "Black Panther," "Rise of the Black Panther," "Lando:  Double or Nothing," "Ms. Marvel," and "Star Wars:  Dr. Aphra."  (It's notable two of the diverse series are "Star Wars" ones.)  I believe Aphra is the only non-straight character with a solo series.  If I'm feeling generous, we can look at the duos and add in Cloak from "Cloak and Dagger" and Moon Girl from "Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur."  But then we also have to add in Ant-Man and the Wasp (twice), Dagger, Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm, Devil Dinosaur, Gambit and Rogue, and Deadpool and Spider-Man.  As I said, it's mostly straight, white men taking out their rage with their fists.  

For me, canceling "Hawkeye" in particular felt like Marvel abandoning an innovative title whose creative team obviously put great care into the story it was telling.  It was easy to see a future where Kate split her time between superhero-related adventures and regular-person cases, giving Marvel a rare title that didn't focus entirely on the good guys punching the bad guys into submission.  Instead, they canceled "Hawkeye" and gave us "The Sentry."

"Generation X" and "Iceman" trod more familiar ground when it came to the punching, but they were groundbreaking because they focused on LGBTQIA+ themes.  "Generation X" was a cornucopia of queer kids, from Benjamin and Nathaniel's burgeoning romance to Quentin's undefined orientation.  In fact, Nathaniel's powers --being able to see the inner-most thoughts of any person he touches -- were a made-to-order nightmare for a teenager.  They reminded me of Miles Morales once expressing concern over Jean Grey reading his mind because she'd see a lot of "teenage-boy stuff."  Christina Strain gave Benjamin and Nathaniel a happy ending because Benjamin's feelings for Nathaniel were so all-consuming (as teenagers' feelings tend to be) they eliminated any possibility of Nathaniel seeing something he couldn't handle.  But, how interesting would it be to see where they found themselves in 40, 50 issues?  That would be some fertile ground for storytelling.  One of the best stories I've read in the last few years is when Gillen introduced doubt into Billy's relationship with Teddy in "Young Avengers."  Strain had a lot of places to go with that.  Combined with Bobby Drake's journey in "Iceman," "Generation X" allowed my middle-aged self some sense of wish fulfillment, as I got to see people like me represented in a way I hadn't seen before.  But, then Marvel lowered the boom.

This situation got worse from there.  Jane Foster gave up the hammer.  Sam Wilson passed on the shield and couldn't even maintain a solo title.  Bruce Banner, Logan, and Tony Stark have all returned from the dead, replacing their Asian-American, African-American, and female analogues.  Everything is "normal" again.

I raise the diversity issue in the same post as the marriage discussion as I think they both stem from the same problem, a preference on the part of editors to tell the same stories they were telling in 1992 and, in some cases, 1968.  Bruce Wayne can have sex with every socialite in Gotham, but he can't be married to the woman he loves.  Sam Wilson can support Captain America in his crusade for freedom, but he can't carry that burden himself.  Thor Odinson, Steve Rogers, and Tony Stark have to lead the Avengers.  Dick Grayson has returned to Blüdhaven.  It's not only that I increasingly don't recognizing the world I see in the DC and Marvel comics I read; it's that DC and Marvel seem so committed to keeping it that way.

An Argument for Change
I read this excellent piece (yes, I know it's a year old) that really got me thinking about the comics I was reading and buying:  http://www.comicsbeat.com/titling-at-windmillls-259-what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-marvel-comics-anyway/.  As someone says in the comment section, John Walker was a great Captain America exactly because he was a terrible Captain America.  Mark Greenwood was able to tell stories we didn't expect, because John reacted in ways Steve wouldn't.  I still remember -- 32 years later! -- the expression on John Walker's face as he left Left-Winger and Right-Winger to burn to death in an oil fire.  (In retrospect, that might not have been the most appropriate comic for a ten-year-old.)  In other words, good stories come from shaking up the status quo.

Marvel seemed to have learned that lesson, but then blamed sagging sales on its diverse roster and not its inane events.  At this stage, I'm hard pressed to think of a character who's gone through some sort of fundamental change that seems to stick.  Right now, all I've got is Sharon Carter, Groot, Iceman, and Thor.  Sharon is still old.  Groot's metamorphosis was an event-related change, so we'll see if that sticks.  Bobby is still gay.  Odinson is Thor again, but he's having to make do without his hammer.  Otherwise, it's all pretty much the same.  Dan Slott even undid all the changes he made to Peter Parker's status quo over the course of his 100+ run; Peter's life right now is hardly distinguishable from "Amazing Spider-Man" #546, when "Brand New Day" began (with one exception I'll discuss in the next paragraph).

I get the double-edged sword of continuity.  I can only appreciate "Batman:  White Knight" as an innovative take on Batman because I've got the security blanket of "Batman" and "Detective Comics" advancing a 79-year-old story.  I'm loving series like "Oblivion Song," "The Realm," and "The Weatherman" because they're so fresh and new; eighty years from now, they probably wouldn't feel as fresh.  But, some authors have introduced change in a way that worked.  Chip Zdarksy let JJJ, Jr. know Spider-Man's identity a few issues ago, and it totally jolted the Spider-Man franchise to life.  It's not all about replacing one character with another one.  Sometimes, it can just be changing a relationship.  It's what I was hoping to see with Batman, Kitty, Piotr, and Selina.  But, DC and Marvel have decided even that minimum amount of change isn't possible.

Where Do We Go from Here?
I stopped reading comics the last time because Marvel had gotten so greedy with "The Clone Saga" that I couldn't stand it anymore.  The unwieldiness of "The Clone Saga" alone wasn't enough for me to cancel all my subscriptions.  It was the unprecedented money grab that pushed me over the edge.  For over two years, Marvel asked every Spider-Man fan to buy a comic a week just to understand the story.  As a teenager during that era, I didn't have that sort of cash on hand.  I acknowledge, as a comics fan, that everyone once in a while I'm going to have to suffer through a summer cross-over event.  In those moments, I can choose either to dive into the deep end and buy books I wouldn't normally buy or stay in the shallow end and accept the fact I might be a little confused by the events in the issues I would normally buy.  Marvel robbed us of any decision during this era.  For two years, I was getting only 25 percent of the story at any given point in time.  It was just too much.

I haven't given up all hope.  The flipside to Kitty and Piotr breaking their engagement is Gambit and Rogue getting married, giving Kelly Thompson the ability to continue to excellent story she started in "Rogue & Gambit."  Bobby is apparently getting back his solo title.  But, if DC and Marvel continue to embrace a world where few of their characters can change in this way, I can see the percentage of my pull list comprising their issues growing smaller and smaller.  It's time to be brave.