Guardians of the Galaxy #18 (September 22): This issues goes pretty much as I expected, as we knew that Doom was going to get something from his involvement with the Guardians.
Using Drax, Groot, Moondragon, and Star-Lord as the other points of the pentragram, Doom casts a spell to drain Dormammu of his powers. He then uses part of this drained power to send the Guardians across the galaxy, to where Gamora, Nova, and Rocket are waiting with the gun that Cable helped Rocket build in "Cable: Reloaded" #1. With Peter powering the bullet, Gamora firing it, and Nova providing some extra oomph, it shatters Ego. Dormammu is forcibly expelled to the Dark Dimension, and Ego is now an asteroid belt around Spartax. Hurrah!
The only remaining question is what scheme Doom planned. Of course, he kept the rest of Dormammu's power. It turns out he was in cahoots with Sister Talionis this entire time. As his Doombots have conquered Chitauri Prime, he gives it to her, from where she plans to launch her revolt against Hulkling. Of course, Doom thinks that he's outsmarted everyone, but Rocket knows that Doom pulled some sort of fast one here so he's on the case.
The best part of the issue is Gamora, Pete, and Rich's interactions. Before they shoot the bullet, Pete tells Gamora that he loves Rich, too, and Gamora says that she knows, that they'll always be family. Rich then tells them that he loves them, too. It's lovely. Later, at Gosnell's, Rich confesses that peace means that he can actually do what he wants, that he doesn't have to feel so alone. Storm then welcomes everyone to Arakko after Marvel Boy suggests that it's a good place for Rich to go have some fun. As Gamora says, Rich may be a pessimist, but I'm thrilled that he has a chance just to be.
I'm sad that Marvel ended this title, but I'm sure we'll be seeing everyone again. It was really a spectacular run, and I hope that it's Ewing who brings back the team soon!
X-Men #3 (September 22): This issue is fun because the High Evolutionary's Evolutionary Guard hand the X-Men their asses.
When the X-Men refuse the High Evolutionary's "gift" of a virus that'll sterilize humanity, he agrees to depart so long as he gets a drop of Synch's blood. His interest in Synch makes it pretty clear that Duggan plans on making Synch and his seeming Omega-level powers a core part of the X-Men's story going forward.
I have to say that Duggan shows a real flair for writing Scott here. I loved when Synch expressed concern that his decision to give the High Evolutionary his blood will haunt them, and Scott quipped, "First time with the High Evolutionary, huh?" (He assures Synch that he made the right decision, because he saved as many lives as possible, particularly because every fight with the High Evolutionary ends this way.) But, I really loved him telling the Evolutionary Guard member chocking him that it was his lucky day that the High Evolutionary stopped the fight because he had them right where he wanted them. I mentioned the choking, right? It wasn't just funny; it also underlined the X-Men definitely weren't going to win.
As the dust settles, Jean and Scott decide to split the team after the High Evolutionary gives Jean more information on Gameworld, so I'm excited to see how Jean's team does in space. But, it isn't like Scott is going to have an easy road. First, Dr. Stasis gives Ben Ulrich the information that he needs (in the form of Scott's autopsy report) to write about mutant resurrection. Second, Gyrich is working with Feilong, who wants a seat at Orchis' table in exchange for his plan - which has something to do with still colonizing Mars - succeeding.
No one said it was going to be easy, Scott.
Amazing Spider-Man #74 (September 29): In terms of the positive developments during Spencer's run, I think that we have to give him credit for undoing "Sins Past" and most of "one More Day." I thought that he'd undo all of "One More Day," with MJ and Peter remembering their deal with Mephisto. In the end, he made it clear that he didn't need to do that. As the kiss on top of the skyscraper shows us, they found their way back to each other. It's even more profound than another snap of Mephisto's fingers.
But, I can't ignore Kindred.
It turns out Kindred was Gabriel and Sarah, not Harry and Sarah. Mephisto was the one who kept resurrecting them, though I'll admit that I'm not totally sure why he did so, other than possibly that he enjoyed them torturing Peter. When MJ saves Peter from the rubble under which Kindred(s) buried him, Dr. Strange wins his bet with Mephisto. As a result, Gabriel and Sarah die since their service as Mephisto's pawns was over.
I'll admit this part doesn't make sense to me. Mephisto was using them before the bet, if I've been following this story correctly, so I don't understand why he'd give up such useful tools simply because he lost the bet. To be honest, I was hoping that he'd just free them from his service. After all the trauma, they deserved to live a life on their own terms. Either way, though, I don't get why their fates were tied to the bet.
I also can't ignore Harry. Spencer confirms that he was a clone; when he died in "Spectacular Spider-Man" #200, he really died. Harry went straight to Hell for his "Lifetheft" and "Sins Past" machinations (which Mephisto hilarious said were low, even for him. There, Mephisto tells him that he's always been collateral damage in a larger game.
This part also doesn't make sense to me. For example, who activated Harry's clone? I'm assuming that Mephisto did, but I don't really get why he wouldn't just resurrect him; clones aren't really Mephisto's deal. I've read online that people thought that it was the Harry AI, which makes sense. But, I re-read this issue and issue #73, and Spencer doesn't actually say that.
All that said, I was surprised that Spencer killed Harry and left Norman alive, though I guess Peter needs some trauma in his life. Notably, Mephisto honors his deal with Dr. Strange: although I thought that he'd reveal his meddling in MJ and Peter's relationship, he releases Harry's soul. It isn't a happy ending, but it's better than Harry soul's status quo was.
I'm less clear on where the Ben Reilly story is going. I know of Janine only because I read the "Life of Reilly" blog; I never read "Spider-Man: The Lost Years." It seems a lot to ask of us to be emotionally invested in a character who appeared in two four-issue limited series over 15 years ago. Moreover, it seems to ignore everything Ben Reilly has been through these last few years. Some of it I don't mind: I really disliked "The Clone Conspiracy" turning him into a villain without little explanation, and the series that followed it did little to undo that characterization. But, I read "Free Comic Book Day 2021: Spider-Man/Venom," and it didn't shed any light on how we went from Ben crying in an alley at the end of "Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider" #25 to (blond) Ben freeing the love of his life from prison here.
At any rate, it is what it is. Kindred(s) is finally behind us, and I'm excited to turn this page.
Darkhawk #2 (September 29): Man, Higgins really summons the angst and tension of the original "Darkhawk" series here. Then, Chris Powell was trying to fight crime and support his family after finding out that his dad was (supposedly) a crooked cop. Now, Connor Young reveals his secret identity to Derek after he realizes that Derek was one of the thieves.
It all happens after Connor turns into Darkhawk to save Derek after he goes after some guys who stole the shoes that they just bought. Higgins really ups the ante, though. Connor doesn't just reveal his identity to Derek: Derek sucker punches him with a bomb after revealing that he needs to steal the armor for Shawn. Of course, when he later tells Shawn that he couldn't do it, Mr. Colt shoots him. Is he dead? Or is someone else under the grave next issue? We'll see!
Meanwhile, Higgins does a great job of reminding us how few options Derek had in Woodlawn. As he explains to Connor, at some point he realized that he should simply rob the stores rather than work in them for the rest of his life for minimum wage. I'm not sure that plan is going to work out so well for Derek, but I get the sentiment.
Inferno #1 (September 29): Hickman has mostly focused on external threats so far but switches to internal ones here, much to my delight.
Staying on the external threats for a minute, though, Director Devo and Dr. Gregor review Krakoa's various attempts to take out Nimrod. Devo expresses his surprise that the mutants haven't evolved and successfully taken out Nimrod. Gregor suggests that they must not remember the attacks, which we know isn't true. But, Omega Sentinel notes that someone remembers, which is why they keep trying.
Here, we segue to Moira's third life, as she and her colleagues have successfully developed a cure for mutants. The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants attacks, killing Moira's colleagues. Destiny and Moira then have the conversation that cues this event's premise, namely Destiny demanding that Moira spend her next life trying to help mutantkind instead of destroying it. It's also the conversation where Moira learns that she has ten or eleven lives depending if she makes the "right choice" at the end.
In the present, Moira is visiting sites important to her and returns to her No-Place to find Charles and Magneto waiting for her. We learn that they've ignored her previous advice, though it isn't particularly clear what she told them to do. At any rate, they acknowledge that their repeated attempts to take out Nimrod have failed and basically admit that their way isn't working. Moira notes that only two real threats exist: Nimrod and Destiny. She stresses that they have time to address the Nimrod situation but must take Destiny off the board immediately. Moira suggests that they take away Mystique's leadership role and destroy all samples of Destiny's DNA.
When Scott resigns as Captain Commander due to his X-Men role and the captains promote Bishop in his place, Charles and Erik use this moment to suggest that anyone who wants to retire from the Quiet Council should do so. It doesn't go according to plan: instead of Mystique retiring, she introduces a resurrected Destiny to take Apocalypse's place.
All in all, I'm pretty thrilled with this issue. Hickman has a number of plots moving here that could go in all sorts of ways.
For example, it feels like Moira wants Destiny removed because she plans on betraying mutantkind and doesn't want Destiny to know that. It seems related to her potentially 11th resurrection: if she removes Destiny's DNA in this life, does it mean Destiny is gone in her 11th, allowing her to destroy mutantkind more easily? Also, it appears that Mystique has somehow gotten around the Resurrection Protocols, which raises all sorts of issues going forward.
Moreover, Charles and Erik each clearly have their own agendas, and their difficult relationship with Moira implies to me that Nimrod isn't their own frustration. (It does explain that they're not just being assholes in refusing to resurrect Destiny. I wonder if they knew that Mystique would fail to take out Nimrod in "X-Men" #20 and thus could "promise" to resurrect Destiny. If they didn't, I wonder how they would've done if she had succeeded)
In other words, all in all, I'm pretty stoked about this event.
Also Read: Free Comic Book Day: Spider Man/Venom (2021) #1 (August 14); The Last Annihilation: Wakanda #1 (September 15); Marauders #24 (September 15); X-Men: The Trial of Magneto #2 (TPB) (September 15); Moon Knight #3 (September 22); Winter Guard #2 (September 29)
No comments:
Post a Comment