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 #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.
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
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