Captain America #11: I've really enjoyed Coates run so far, but I'll admit that I've lost the plot somewhat. Like, I get the overall plot, but I don't remember why Cap agreed to flee the Myrmidon. I think it's because Cap realizes that von Strucker wants him dead, so he has to flee when the opportunity presents itself. But, I'm not entirely sure. As Cap himself says here, it doesn't feel like Cap. But, Nomad, here we come. (Note: When I first read this issue, I totally missed the fact that the Invisible Woman and Misty Knight had taken von Strucker with them after the Invisible Woman knocked him unconscious. I guess that it's the Plan B to kidnapping the Foreigner, which Dryad fails to do after Crossbones and Sin (allegedly) assassinate him mid-fight, presumably on Lukin's orders.)
Guardians of the Galaxy #6: I guess this arc ends OK. The Guardians and Dark Guardians merge into one team to try to stop Hela from resurrecting Thanos, using Lockjaw as transport. The battle sequences here are well done, and Cates does a solid job in making sure that no one gets lost in the shuffle of so many characters. Peter tries, and fails, to stop Gamora from killing Eros when it's revealed that he's Thanos' host. Peter says that he just spent days trying to prevent the Dark Guardians from killing her, so her killing Eros would make her like them. She then (truthfully) tells him that she is like them and stabs Eros through the heart. But, because Peter is a love-sick puppy, he confesses to Gamora that he loves her and he needs her to know that because they almost die a lot. It's a solid note of characterization, to be honest, one that shows how weary both Gamora and Peter are after "Infinity Wars" and its aftermath. Peter tries to reassemble the Guardians, but it doesn't go great, as Gladiator, Nebula, and Nova all bail. On the plus side, Beta Ray Bill, Lockjaw, Moondragon, and Phyla-Vell stay (along with Gamora and Groot, presumably). Phyla-Vell then asks the question on every one's mind: what about Rocket? I'm excited at the very least to see the answer to that question. I'm also hoping Shaw stops drawing Peter like a homeless person, so we'll see how the next few issues go.
Star Wars #67: Killen ends his run here, and I'm hard pressed to remember someone wrapping up so many loose ends so well. Moreover, he not only neatly wraps up his own run but starts setting the stage for the Rebellion's move to Hoth. The amazing role that this series has played in bridging the gap between "Star Wars" and "Empire Strikes Back" can't be understated. I'm tempted to reread all the issues in a row, as I feel like they form a trilogy's worth of developments in and of themselves. In terms of this arc, the only two remaining loose ends were how the team was going to stop Benthic and the Partisans from destroying Shu-Torun and then how the team was going to escape the Imperials. Gillen accomplishes both tasks in great fashion.
On the first item of business, Tunga decides to play hero, drawing off the Tie Fighters so Chewie can save the rest of the team from the Retreat before Kanchar destroys it. Arriving at the Spike, Leia convinces Benthic that destroying Shu-Torun would make them no different from the Imperials. Benthic had appealed to their shared tragedy -- her loss of Alderaan, his loss of Jedha -- and it's exactly this shared loss that enables her to convince him to change his course. In so doing, Gillen draws a clear contrast between Leia and Luke in Benthic's eyes: Luke's bumbling and whining pleas fell on Benthic's deaf ears. (As Tunga says as he tries to imitate Leia earlier in the issue, it's all in her "nasal 'I-know-best' diction.")
It's then Han's turn to save the day. As the Spike implodes, Han flies them through its collapsing remains, since, after all, it's essentially just a tunnel that bisects the planet. It's pretty spectacular, and one of the few times that I've felt something here would be even better depicted on screen, because Unzueta struggles to convey the true ballsiness of the gambit. Then, all's well that ends well. We learn Tunga survived (the Cult of the Central Isotoper saved him and declared him -- possibly against his will -- a new member) and Kanchar didn't (Vader killed him for his dogged pursuit of the team, for reasons that Gillen doesn't make exactly clear).
Most importantly, Gillen also gives Han a rare moment of emotion -- a portrayal more believable after seeing "Solo: A Star Wars Story," to be honest. After the team drops off the Partisans on a new planet, Han tells Benthic that they don't have to be who they don't want to be. Leia rushes the moment, telling Han to "stop yapping," which is perfect in its own way, as Han then puts back on the mask he normally wears. But, in just those two or three panels, we get the best explanation that I've seen for why Han came roaring back in "Star Wars" and continued to stay with the Rebellion. When Han asked him why he stopped being a hero, Benthic told him that the galaxy changed. Han dared him to change, too, as he had, even if he didn't want to admit it. I can't think for a better ending for this crowd as we launch into "Empire Strikes Back."
Star Wars: Tie Fighter #3: I was just phoning in this series, to be honest, but holy fucking crap Houser kicks it up a notch here. Lyttan and Zin are killed in a few short minutes as Shadow Wing escapes the mining facility and head for the Celerity, which Imperial forces loyal to the Empire free from Admiral Gratloe. (Gratloe planned on selling the Celerity to the Rebellion, and Lyttan and Zin are killed as the Rebels arrive to complete the sale.) In killing off Lyttan, we unexpectedly lose a character who we first met in "Star Wars: Han Solo - Imperial Cadet," and it ramps up the tension in this issue. (The back-up story last issue certainly helped, as it made all the more present in our minds the devastation that Lyttan's twin brother will feel when he learns of his death.) Zin's death is also unexpected, as issue #1 seemed to establish her as a Rebel spy. In fact, Shadow Wing's three remaining members are perhaps the least connected to each other. Is Ganem really going to hang in there with Zin dead? Is Jeela going to turn in Ganem, believing him to be the Rebel spy? The back-up story in this issue also reminds us that Teso has a reputation for surviving engagements that kill off members of his crew. His surprise at Lyttan's death seemed genuine, but Houser definitely has us guessing at this point. I'm totally buying "Alphabet Squadron" now.
Uncanny X-Men #20: This issue is better than previous ones, but it still has its weaknesses. On the plus side, it's fun to watch oft-overruled Alex and Madrox be right about the insanity of trusting Dark Beast, particularly after he reveals that he worked with Sinister to perfect his "cure to the cure." Also, I loved the twist that the X-Men have never been working with Captain America. As Dark Beast says, it's time for the X-Men to get a telepath, because a lot of people are in their heads right now. (Sinister apparently implanted "subconscious suggestions" in the minds of the X-Men to support his plan, something I wasn't aware that he could do.) These developments make it clear that Rosenberg does actually have a plan, something that hasn't really felt evident in the last few issues. But, again, it's not perfect. I really don't understand why the Upstarts murder the Nasty Boys to attract the X-Men's attention, since they seemed to have a lot of other options, like maybe even teaming with them? I also definitely don't believe that Shinobi Shaw would commit suicide, particularly not because he allegedly thought the X-Men were working for Emma and she would come after him. Also, Rosenberg never explains why Dr. Nemesis is with Captain America, particularly if Captain America hasn't been working with the X-Men. Is it another trick? Do I care? Meh.
Also Read: Marvel's Spider-Man: City at War #4
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