Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Almost Two-Year-Old Comics: The Top-Shelf June 10 and 24 (2020) Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Undiscovered Country #6 (June 10):  As with everything related to this series, it's hard to tell which development here will ultimately be the most important.  

After Pavel frees himself, he sends Uncle Sam's blimp-shuttle to rescue the heroes instead of him, electing to free as many Wall prisoners as he can before the Destiny Man's guards overcome him.  It seems a suicide mission - Pavel relishes the chance to return to his days as a soldier, saving people - but Pavel has survived before when we thought he was lost so we'll see.

Daniel proves that he wasn't the Destiny Man's lackey when he convinces the Destiny Man to hold up his end of their bargain - providing Daniel with a dose of the cure for Sky - and then detonates his former submarine.  (It was packed full of explosives he intended to use to kill himself if someone caught him during his first incursion into America.)  The explosion destroys the rest of Destiny Man's rolling city, which the Destiny Man had already reduced in size to activate "booster" mode.  In so doing, he had been able to get ahead of Sam and the team as they headed to the Wall's Ninth Star (the New Hampshire Star) on the train that Sam materialized last issue.  

(This part initially confused me, because last issue Sam said that the keyhole wasn't in the Wall.  But, I guess the gate itself is in the Wall; it was just the keyhole that wasn't.  The keyhole also gave us the train, which maybe you need to get in the gate?  It's a little unclear.)

After one of the Destiny Man's followers assassinates Sam, Daniel manages to get the team into the Wall as the Destiny Man's followers and the Silent Majority devotees fight each other, only to have Aurora gun them all down.  Inside the Wall, Charlotte, Chou, and Janet vote to use the helicopter Aurora provides them to leave.  However, Valentina injects Charlotte with the cure, changing her vote as they need to stay to get more of it.  They now begin walking the Spiral, unaware Aurora has decided to give the Destiny Man the chance to do so, too.

I'll admit that I enjoyed this issue less than previous ones given the fact that it's just too crazy.  At some point, the issue devolves into the two factions' soldiers just shouting Americana phrases, like "Live free or die!"  Snyder implies that the next zone - Unity - will be more of a technological wonder, and I welcome that change of pace.  I'm also hoping we get a little more insight into how America got this way, since, after six issues, we still don't have a lot along those lines.

Die #11 (June 24):  I don't have too much to say about this issue because we don't particularly learn anything new.  As Gillen says in the "backmatter" (as he calls it), the first arc was about building the blocks but this one is about tumbling them.  

Although the party stands reconfigured, neither side particularly understands what their goals are.  The most interesting development, which I don't think that I realized last issue, is that Ash is unable to use the Voice because she's currently using it to bind Zamorna to her.  When she approaches Sol, he expects Ash to use it on him, but she surprises him when she tells him that she's simply seeking out her friend.  

Later, Ash and Isabelle discuss what their goals are - paying Izzy's debts to the gods, making Angria safe for Augustus and the Dictators, and cleaning up the mess that they made in Glasstown.  They agree that they'll leave after that, though Hans makes it clear that Ash is considering what Sol told her when she went to see him, that she has the power to take on the Grandmaster like he did.  Their discussion is interrupted when an aide informs Ash that Little England is on the verge of invading Angria for disturbing the Great Game.  

Meanwhile, Angela, Chuck, and Matt have dispatched a group of Fallen to acquire Fair so Angela can expand her stealth shield and they can cross the border.  But, everything changes when Angela comes face to face with Molly, who appears to be her daughter.  If we hadn't just gone through a similar child-related reveal with Ash, I might be shocked.  Instead, it feels like a bad omen that we're repeating tropes already.

Also Read:  Star Wars:  Bounty Hunters #3 (June 24)

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