A.X.E.: Judgment Day #6: You know, this event wasn't half bad!
Gillen delivers what I can honestly say is the best concluding chapter to an event in recent memory. The resolution isn't convenient or easy, and the Marvel Universe's status quo really is changed. Go figure, right?
First things first, the heroes win by convincing the Progenitor to change his mind. Gillen walks us through the Progenitor's thought process throughout the issue, as he finds himself impressed in the small and big ways the Earthlings are resisting his efforts. That said, he's still actively trying to destroy the Earth and decides to go straight to the Eternals' city at the Earth's core to destroy the Reality Loom.
Meanwhile, Tony's team makes its way to the Progenitor's core, where they encounter the Progenitor's astral form (more or less). Before Jean can go all Betsy on it, Ajak stops her. I initially thought it was the moment Ajak turned on the team in the Progenitor's defense. Then she pointed out he's the only way for them to resurrect the seven billion humans that he's killed, a consequence she (rightfully) says Jean isn't taking seriously given the mutants' ability to resurrect themselves.
At the Earth's core, Cap, Nightcrawler, and Starfox respond to the Progenitor's arrival by opening up Uranos' armories and arming all the humans who sought refuge in the city. To help defend the city, Syne the Memotaur works with Exodus to somehow channels mutantdom's powers into her so she can take on the Progenitor. To Jean's horror, Orchis also helps fight the Progenitor. Believing that they don't have anymore time, Jean commits to taking out the Progenitor and saving who she can.
However, the Progenitor surprises everyone by revealing that he was aware they were in his core (despite him seemingly ignoring them). He tells the team that Jean's actions secured his belief that the Earthlings deserve to die, since they're all creatures guided by self-interest. To prove him wrong by showing the Etnerals can change (as seen in "A.X.E.: Eternals" #1, when the Progenitor feed them from their restraints), Sersi has the Machine connect her to the world's population. She reveals that the Eternals kill a human whenever they're resurrected and asks the non-Eternal Earthlings to judge them for it. As Sersi tells the Progenitor that her actions show the Eternals' ability to change, he kills her since the Earthlings wanted her dead.
Before the Progenitor can finish off Earth, Jean reminds him that he failed her for killing a planet when she was totally insane and points out he's doing so with a "cold heart." She ask if he thinks he can live with his choice, and he begins to realize that he can stop his course. (Previously, he mused that stopping himself would mean that he made a mistake and thus wasn't a god, something that he comes to realize). Tony gets him there by saying that he makes amends every day for his actions. Finally acknowledging that he isn't a god, the Progenitor uses his power to fix what he's done. Dying from the power he's expended, he asks Ajak if he was a worthy god and she says no. He agrees and tells her to be better as he gives her his remaining power.
As Tony's team takes in its win, Ajak arrives as Ajak Celstia. She says that the Progenitor didn't resurrect Sersi as she's a martyr for the Eternals' "new church," bringing "a chance of redemption for our fallen people."
In the epilogue, we get a number of touching moments. Kenta tells his parents all about the people who helped him in the Eternals' city, not realizing that they were dead. As a parent, Gillen tugs at my heart strings here as Kenta's parents realize that they're weirdly comforted to learn that kind-hearted strangers took care of their son after they died.
Meanwhile, Zuras apologizes to Storm in front of the cameras for the Eternals attacking the mutants and offers the Arakkii Uranos for one hour in compensation. Zuras later reveals that he sentenced Druig to serve as Uranos' cellmate, which isn't going to be a pleasant experience for him.
The biggest status quo change here isn't that humanity hates the Eternals (though it does). It's the revelation of Starfox's plan: the resurrection of worthy humans. Jean explains to the world that mutantkind will first resurrect the mutants who died in the mutant genocides. Then, since mutantkind doesn't have the resources to backup the minds of eight billion humans, Jean will personally backup the chosen few through the Phoenix Foundation, with a priority on "the vulnerable, the weak, the poor and those whom the world has abandoned." The Five will use five percent of their time to resurrect them.
Scott tells Jean that it's a win, and it's hard not to see it as such. In fact, it feels like it really fulfills Hickman's promise of a new reality for the X-Men. They're not only helping to extend humans' lives and heal humanity's sick, they're now resurrecting humanity's most vulnerable. But Scott points out the fight was also a win for Orchis, too, given its publicly viewed heroics, which complicates matters.
All in all, though, it was a pretty solid event. I think we probably could've wrapped it up more quickly and you probably only really enjoyed it if you're an X-Men fan. But I definitely take a good event any day!
Amazing Spider-Man #11: Oof. This issue is a mess.
When Norman confirms to Peter that Kingsley was on hand when Hobgoblin thrashed him, Peter heads to Betty's. When Betty confirms that Ned has been wearing the costume again, she sends Peter to Ned's secret office. There, Peter learns that Ned is using the "Winkler device," which is what Kingsley originally used to make Ned think that he was Hobgoblin.
As such, it isn't a surprise when the Hobgoblin attacks Spidey or when Spidey unmasks him as Kingsley. It is a surprise when Kingsley seems unaware that he was at the site of Hobgoblin's hit on Kingsley and Norman and when Ned appears beside Kingsley as Hobgoblin. Two Hobgoblins!
I'm assuming Kingsley is actually Daniel Kingsley, Roderick's twin brother. If he is, Wells has to explain how he isn't dead. But I'm disappointed that Wells seems to tread on familiar ground hre. Insane Hobgoblins with memory issues aren't really a hot take on this old character. We'll see where we go.
Moon Knight Annual #1: We get an excellent annual here, as Jack Russell kidnaps Diatrice in order to fulfill a prophecy that allows him to murder Khonshu. Marc and Badr stop him, obviously, but not before McKay makes you wish that Marlene would allow Diatrice to stay in New York so we could marinate in her awesomeness more often. In addition to Diatrice's awesomeness, McKay peppers great character moments throughout the issue, like when Marc slips into the Jake persona over the shock of seeing Marlene and Badr showing almost a sense of humor when he refuses to obey Khonshu's orders to kill Diatrice. Marlene's warning to Reese that she'll one day realize that she can't keep Marc safe also rings scarily true. All in all, it's a textbook definition of what a great annual should be.
New Mutants #31: I have the same problem with this issue as I do with most gay movies, which is that I don't understand how we gays can make good movies for straight people but not for ourselves. You would think that Charlie Jane Anders could write about the transgendered mutant she created for "Marvel Voices: Pride" in a way that worked. Instead, Escapade feels just like every "Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss," where the only notable thing about the character is that they're [x]. Knowing this series is canceled after another two issues, I don't feel the need to hang around any longer.
Sins of the Black Flamingo #5: For how uneven the last few issues were, Wheeler really sticks the landing here.
The issue begins with Sebastian touching the Devil's Tooth so that he can find Ezekiel. (Apparently he saw Ezekiel the first time he touched the Tooth, which I don't remember.) We then move to Ofelia later meeting with Scar and offering him Ezekiel's location since she's (allegedly) furious that Sebastian is going to give him to the Nazis. Ofelia also gives Scar the Tooth as proof she isn't lying and asks only that Scar doesn't kill Sebastian.
At Ezekiel's location, Merrilee is none-too-pleased when Scar's men surprise her men. Believing Sebastian betrayed her, she shoots him. Sebastian plummets off the roof of the building where they're standing as Scar and Ofelia land in his helicopter. Ofelia is furious that Scar let Sebastian (seemingly) die, though Scar makes the excellent point that he didn't kill Sebastian and it isn't his fault if Sebastian has so many people who want to kill him. (Fair.)
As Scar prepares to retrieve Ezekiel, Sebastian arrives burning a magical incense that paralyzes Scar with fear. Having covered himself in "dead things that allow us to walk among marsh lights" (whatever that means), Sebastian reveals that he's immune to the incense's power. He then opens the storage container where Ezekiel is imprisoned and tongues him.
Meanwhile, in a nearby alley, a distraught Ofelia contemplates leaving behind magic and living a quiet life somewhere nice. ("Open a bakery. Date someone in flannel. Live, laugh, love.") Always-sexy Abel is with her and worries about Sebastian. Ofelia is also worried, though more because Abel dies if Sebastian does. It isn't looking good for Sebastian (and Abel), though, when Scar reveals that he was playing dead and stabs Sebastian in the neck with the Tooth.
As Abel collapses, Ofelia begins a spell that would sever his connection to Sebastian, though Abel stops her from completing it, giving Sebastian some time. Sebastian proves worthy of Abel's trust as we learn that he slipped Ezekiel a shard of the Tooth when they kissed. Ezekiel uses it to cut his collar and then destroys Scar and heals Sebastian, possibly also returning his soul (which Sebastian allegedly sacrificed when he touched the Tooth again, according to Ofelia). As Ezekiel dissipates, he encourages Sebastian to live.
In the epilogue, Ofelia and Sebastian walk with Abel contemplating how to make the world a better place.
If it isn't clear from this recap, this issue crackles with efficiency and energy. You really don't know what Sebastian is planning from page to page, making his redemption not a foregone conclusion but a welcome one when it comes. I'm excited for the next installment in Sebastian's story, because he may just start seeing the benefit of walking on the light side. Either way, he should definitely fuck Abel.
Also Read: X-Terminators #2
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