Edge of Spider-geddon #2: Wow, this issue is intense. It really invokes "Edge of Spider-Verse" #2, where we first met Spider-Gwen. Thompson and Nadler fill out Peni Parker's story, introducing not only the VEN#m suit but also a lot of questions. The authors start the issue by reminding us this Aunt May and Uncle Ben aren't the parental types. They see Peni as little more than SP//dr's pilot. May refuses to comfort Peni as she struggles with being "special," telling Peni she's not really special. To May's mind, a lot of people work on the SP//dr project; Peni is just one of them. This detachment sets the tone for the rest of the issue. Peni is also understandably upset when she learns about the VEN#m suit, particularly the revelation it has equipment she doesn't. It raises the obvious question of why Ben and May didn't just focus on making SP//dr better. But, the decision to create a second suit might be explained by May's cryptic comments that Ben understood the dangers of the Sym engine when he installed it in VEN#m. May tries to save VEN#m's teenage pilot as the engine possess her, but May is also lost to VEN#m. Later, Ben only manages to admit to Peni he's not the best father when their conversation is halted when Spider-Ham arrives to take Peni with him. As evident by this short review, Thompson and Nader cram in a lot of action and plot here. Most importantly, they really nail the characterization. I'm not sure we need a full-time series dedicated to SP//dr, but it's a thrill to see Peni and SP//dr back in the mix again.
Extermination #2: This issue is marginally better than the first one, as Brisson does a better job of conveying the original X-Men's emotions. Scott serves as the reader's surrogate, reeling from the guilt he feels over Bloodstorm's death and the confusion they all feel over the situation. Young Nathan ups the ante when he kidnaps Warren, though Jean and Scott are able to identify him before he disappears. Meanwhile, Ahab arrives and appears to be acting independently of (and possibly at cross-purposes as) Nathan. I'm guessing they're both trying to use the original X-Men to convince their older counterparts to advance their own agendas in the future, but that's still unclear. However, I'm still not sure I care. Although I mentioned Brisson does a better job of portraying the original X-Men's emotions, parts of this issue still make little sense or feel obviously wrong. For example, Shatterstar seems an odd voice for outrage over Cable's death, given he's not really known for his emotions. Second, it's hard to share his feelings since it seems unlikely Cable is going to stay dead for long. Whatever.
Extermination #2: This issue is marginally better than the first one, as Brisson does a better job of conveying the original X-Men's emotions. Scott serves as the reader's surrogate, reeling from the guilt he feels over Bloodstorm's death and the confusion they all feel over the situation. Young Nathan ups the ante when he kidnaps Warren, though Jean and Scott are able to identify him before he disappears. Meanwhile, Ahab arrives and appears to be acting independently of (and possibly at cross-purposes as) Nathan. I'm guessing they're both trying to use the original X-Men to convince their older counterparts to advance their own agendas in the future, but that's still unclear. However, I'm still not sure I care. Although I mentioned Brisson does a better job of portraying the original X-Men's emotions, parts of this issue still make little sense or feel obviously wrong. For example, Shatterstar seems an odd voice for outrage over Cable's death, given he's not really known for his emotions. Second, it's hard to share his feelings since it seems unlikely Cable is going to stay dead for long. Whatever.
Hunt for Wolverine: Dead Ends #1: This series of miniseries has really been much better than it had any reason to be. The authors have really collaborated well on a story that strikes at the heart of the Marvel Universe. It reminds me of the old days, when everyone would get together to attack a problem before we decided such stores had to revolve around how their personalities made that impossible. Sure, Tony is an asshole, but he also knows it's Kitty's show after the mysterious Persephone kills ten mutants whose powers haven't manifested themselves yet. I read "The Adamantium Agenda," so the revelation that Persephone swiped Mr. Sinister's DNA catalogue was particularly rewarding. (FYI, it's how she's identifying the potential mutants. Storm has to explain to Tony that she chose the perfect threat when she said she'd kill more unactivated mutants if they didn't stop hunting for Wolverine, since Cerebro can only track activated mutants.) In "The Adamantium Agenda," we learned one of the mutants was a genetically-enhanced mole; I wonder how we're going to see that information unfold in "Return of Wolverine." Meanwhile, I'm half-tempted to get Daredevil's Wolverine-related miniseries, particularly given the presence of Cypher. All in all, I'm really happy how this understated event is developing, much to my surprise.
The New Mutants: Dead Souls #6: I'm honestly not sure what exactly we see happen here. If I'm following the story correctly, the explosion in Warlock's cabin in Connecticut happened several months ago. Xi'an sent Dani to find him, but he absorbed Dani because he was injured and needed her help. Around the same time, Illyana realized that Xi'an was trying to weaponize magic, inspiring the team's off-the-books trips to New Orleans and the Arctic. But, she's smart enough to realize it wasn't Xi'an so much as it was Tran manipulating Xi'an. (Xi'an was motivated by a desire to give the mutants a company -- i.e., the Hatchi Corporation -- to control, like Rand, Stark, etc.) We learn Xi'an's psyche has shattered as a result of years of Tran's manipulation and their eventual separation. Surprising everyone, she possesses Illyana to attack Tran with the Soulsword, reabsorbing him. Here, it gets weird. (I know, as if it weren't already weird.) It seems like Tran was somehow behind Warlock's problems. Xi'an sent Dani after Tran not Warlock; Warlock was simply an unexpected complication. (I don't think we learn how Tran came to possess -- as I'm assuming he did -- Warlock.) But, Xi'an took advantage of the moment, and she's had Warlock stashed in a closet making replicas of the New Mutants all this time. At this stage, it's fight time. War-dani tricks Rahne into possessing her, and Illyana sends Boomer, Rictor, and Shatterstar to safety before summoning Guido. But, Guido has a heart attack, and Illyana agrees to let Warlock try to save him. (Guido has been in Limbo for years even though only 36 hours passed on Earth.) But, it's a trap: a now possessed War-guido takes control of Illyana. Her/his plan realized, Tri'an calls "General Callahan" (as Tran) and promises test subjects (the New Mutants), but War-yana takes over Tri'an as well. Unexpectedly, the issue ends there. It seems pretty clear Rosenberg was planning to extend this series past six issues, and we seem likely to see something soon, as Dani, Guido, Illyana, Rahne, and Tri'an are left as part of the Warlock collective now. But, Marvel might be right in having us stew with this shock for a few months before scratching our curious itch.
X-Men: Blue #34: On the plus side, Bunn does an excellent job building to the moment when Magneto reforms Asteroid M and the Brotherhood. After all, he's been building to this moment all series, and that careful spade work pays off here. We're not seeing Magneto randomly embracing his dark side, as he often has in the past. Instead, it's more like Scott Summers' gradual evolution into an extremist, with each development leading him farther and farther down that road. Magneto is shaken to learn of the destruction in the future, though it's still unclear if it's all because of the war with the Reavers or not. Nightcrawler, Jr. keeps insisting Magneto saved everyone from the Reaver virus, but older Scott tells Nightcrawler, Jr. he doesn't understand the full scope of Magneto's actions. The older original X-Men try to prevent Mangeto from returning to the present after they realize he hasn't committed his greatest crime yet, but he manages to escape. When he returns to the present, he finds the lab where the Reaver virus began and kills everyone there. (Creepily, he leaves a statue of himself on the site, echoing the statues dotting the landscape in the future.) My only criticism of these developments is Magneto is smart enough to realize that destroying the lab may very well be the "greatest crime" that sets in motion the events of that future. He doesn't even pay that lip service here, which seems like an oversight. Moreover, I'll admit it's hard to keep straight all the strains of time travel happening right now. In "Extermination," we've got the young original X-Men in the present facing young Cable and Ahab from the future and here we've got the older original X-Men in the future facing Magneto from the present. I like Bunn's story better, but it all contributes to the sense it really is time to wrap up the kids' story.
Also Read: Dungeons & Dragons: Evil at Baldur's Gate #5; Marvel 2-in-One #9; Ms. Marvel #33; The New World #2; Star Wars: Lando - Double or Nothing #4
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