Over-a-Year-Old Comics: The December 18 (2019) Non-Event Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Guardians of the Galaxy #12:  This issue is how you end a story!  I totally cried with Pete as the original Guardians sat at Raccoon's bedside and Pete told him the galaxy could wait while he got better.  Cates sticks the landing so well here.  As Rocket said, a raccoon doesn't defeat J'Son:  an engineer does, as Rocket rewires the ship's polarity and frees the heroes.  The gang makes short work of J'Son's Drax clones while Rocket reveals that he also programmed the ship to return to its original time.  Lockjaw skedaddles the heroes off the ship as J'Son comes face to face with Thanos and Death at the End of Everything.  Cates took the Guardians to a pretty dark place in this series, but he promises brighter horizons, particularly as we end not only with Pete and Gamora holding hands but also a resurrected Drax.  "Guardians of the Galaxy" was one of the few superhero comics I'm keeping on my pull list, and this issue makes me very glad that I will.

Invaders #12:  This series just sort of ends.  Unsurprisingly, the Invaders win, defeating Machan before he can use his Doomsday machine to flood the world.  (I have no idea why London seems to be the only place flooding or how Spider-Man and the Thing managed to get there so quickly, but it is what it is.)  

The exciting part, for me, was the question of how Cap and the rest of the Invaders would deal with Namor once the threat passed.  The answer?  They just forgive everything because he was an Invader.  Cap doesn't even try to excuse Namor's behavior with Machan, as Namor himself admits that Machan didn't do anything he wouldn't have done.  Cap just says that he can't stay mad at Namor, no matter what we does, because they were Invaders.  Really?  Like, attempted genocide is totally fine if an Invader bro does it?  

Given how grounded in psychology this series was, I was surprised to see Zdarsky take the easy route here instead of giving us a Cap truly wrestling with his responsibilities toward, and his comradeship with, Namor.  Instead, he just shrugs his shoulders.  (Actually, he just has another beer with Bucky and Jim, but you get the point.)

I feel like Zdarsky must've written himself into a corner here, like Claremont did with Phoenix when he revealed that she destroyed a planet.  I wonder if the Powers That Be at Marvel decreed that Cap and Namor had to be buds, because it's the only reason I could see for Zdarsky swerving from the wall at the last minute.

King Thor #4:  I don't know what to say here.  This issue is a sprawling mess, which isn't necessarily bad but also isn't necessarily good.

The first ten pages unfold as expected, with Thor somehow finding the power he needs to defeat Gorr the Necroverse because, as Loki says, "Thor is Thor."  Does that make any sense?  Not really.  It has something to do with Thor spending his whole life defining "worthy" as eliminating his demons, but instead he now realizes that it means embracing them and marshaling his rage and shame into "the storm."  Sure, whatever.  At this point, I'll give Aaron a pass because it's his last time at the trough.  

Then, for lack of a better term, we drift into space.  In the Halls of All-Knowing, Shadrak, "god of imbeciles and imbecility," angers the Librarian by knocking over some Thor tomes.  Shadrak looks through them, and we discover that they detail Thor's exploits before he becomes King Thor.  We're now "treated" to a truly bizarre sequence of pages, with Thor:  as "God Cop," policing other gods; as a world ("Thor the Thunder World") spitting "rune moons made of solid uru;" as an amesiac Lord of the Ice Apes of Jotunheim, etc.  Marvel can't pass the chance to get in some advertisements, as Balder becomes King of the Norns, Jane is shown as Valkyrie, and Sif takes over Heimdall's role.  Then, we finally see our Thor sitting on his throne.  At this point, though, Aaron's overwrought narration has me skimming.  I know that Aaron wanted me to be immersed in this story at this point, and I wanted to be.  I really did.  But, I was mostly just bored and confused.  This feeling of dissociation with the story that I thought Aaron was telling is made worse when we return to Shadrak, who tell us that he's looking forward to reading more Thor stories the next day.  I'm glad he is.

We shift to the future (or present, at this point).  We learn that Gorr survived his encounter with Thor, but he's now a simpleton with no trace of the Necrosword remaining in him.  He lives in a garden on Indigarr, watched by loving gods.  Lest we think that Gorr deserves worse, Aaron reminds us that it's unclear if this outcome is Heaven or Hell for Gorr.  Meanwhile, we also learn that Loki has sacrificed himself to rekindle a dying sun, with Midgard seemingly the sole planet left in creation.  Wrapping up the sacrifices, Thor hands over Mjolnir to the girls and then somehow becomes the new support system for the devastated Universe, the pillar on which creation will rise again.  How?  I don't know.  I guess we'll never know.

In other words, man, I'm disappointed.  It doesn't overshadow Aaron's accomplishments when it comes to this character, but it does make me wish he would've just ended with "War of the Realms."  When I saw "King Thor" marketed, I was worried that it seemed self-indulgent, and it seems that way now.  I guess there's a lesson in there somewhere.

The Last God #3:  This issue is interesting, as with previous ones, more for the stories that we're not being told than the ones that we are.  

We start the issue in the past with Try lying to Cyanthe that her father left the group because he seemed angry.  Cyanthe is devastated, blaming herself for driving away her father after their argument the previous evening.  Veikko knows better, accusing Tyr of murdering Cyanthe's father not because he had the Plague but because Tyr wanted Cyanthe to himself.  As the trio travel, they discover dead Aelvan near the Pinnacle, which Veikko explains humanity made Aelvan slaves build on the ashes of their previous place of power.  Veikko realizes that a beast called an ursulon killed the Aelves and has the trio flee.  The ursulon later finds them, and Veikko assumes that they're goners until Cyanthe realizes why it's enraged:  it's carrying its dead cub in its hand.  Cyanthe uses her teymsong to quiet the beast, allowing them to share a moment of grief over their lost family members.  It's a really touching moment, a rare show of emotion so far in a series that prides itself on how such feelings don't have any place in such a cruel world.  Veikko watches in wonder, having previously asserted that only Aelvan prayers have power.

In the present, Cyanthe, Eyvindr, and Veikko make their way to the Pinnacle, where Eyvindr witnesses the meager conditions that the people in his hero's empire endure due to Tyr's negligence.  Cyanthe announces Eyvindr will stay at the Pinnacle after she and Veikko recruit Skol and her Eldritch Knights to travel to the Black Stair; after they win, he'll return to the slave cradles "where [he] belong[s]."  As the arrive at the Pinnacle, Eyvindr announce that he's leaving for the Stair on his own, tired of what he (correctly and incorrectly) sees as Cyanthe's lies.  She seemingly lies again, telling him that he can't go to the Stair because Mol Uhltep told them that Eyvindr would be the one to bring about the end of the world.  Cyanthe claims that it's because Eyvindr appeared in the arena in the yellow-tin crown reading all "[Tyr's] old lies" to him, a reference to the "true crown hidden by a false one of gold" prophecy.  It seems pretty clear that Eyvindr is the true crown of the prophecy, with Tyr's being the false one, despite Cyanthe seemingly implying otherwise.  Moreover, Cyanthe's spin doesn't explain the flashback that we saw in the first issue, of Tyr seemingly trying to kill an infant Eyvindr, since it's unclear how he knew Eyvindr would one day become the man in the arena.  That said, Eyvindr still isn't having any more of Cyanthe's lies.  He starts to leave, when Mol Uhltep appears to them in the form of a dead woman and her child sitting on the bridge.  He sends the Plague after them and the issue ends with Eyvindr plunging off the bridge in the melee.  

Star Wars:  Empire Ascendant #1:  This issue is sloppy, signified by the fact they accidentally switched two of the interstitial pages.  The main story is treacly, its concluding page's dialogue reading like something a middle schooler would've written.  The Vader story is fluff, not even attempting to tell a story that we've seen a thousand times already, about how ruthless Vader is, particularly when it comes to prizing victory over failure.  The Beilert story is the best of the lot, as the Aphra story is hindered by heavy narration via holovid that doesn't even sound like Aphra.  In the end, it feels like a money grab.  It's a shame, too, because I feel like it was Marvel's chance to tell a few pre-"Empire Strikes Back" stories that it didn't get to showcase during the initial "Star Wars'" run.  Instead, it's a forgettable issue that has me eager for the real story getting under way.

Star Wars:  The Rise of Kylo Ren #1:  Soule has an unenviable task here, as he's forced to impose some form of coherence to both the Knights of Ren and Kylo Ren himself.

Rian Johnson famously axed the Knights of Ren in "Star Wars:  The Last Jedi," only for JJ Abrams to reinstate them as Ren's own Praetorian Guard in "Star Wars:  The Rise of Skywalker."  Despite their appearances (or not, as the case may be), we never really got an explanation for who they were.  In terms of Ren himself, he's constantly switching personalities, bouncing among confident, desperate, focused, and shattered.  Soule not only has to try to forge a consistent vision of Ren but also needs to make us care despite the fact that we all know (spoiler alert if you haven't seen "Star Wars:  The Rise of Skywalker") that he dies in the end.

This issue is at its best when Soule tries to address the Knights of Ren.  Soule seems to imply that "ren" was the name of the Force "long ago," with the Knights dedicated to its service.  Although it's clear that the Knights aren't good guys (they are, after all, trying to recruit a kid who brags about killing over 100 people), it isn't clear that they're formally aligned with the Sith either.  The Knight's leader refers to a "friend" providing them names of Force-sensitive potential recruits, who I at first thought meant Snoke since I didn't initially realize that we were seeing a scene in the distant past.  I'm assuming that it's a Sith, but I guess we'll see.

Soule struggles a little with Ren, but it really isn't his fault.  Ren is as sniveling as Luke was in the first trilogy.  When three of his cohort from Luke's temple return to find everyone -- including, they think, Luke -- dead, Ren is outraged that they don't believe him when he tells them that Luke tried to kill him.  He's alternatively vicious and appalled as he fights them, never dealing a killing blow despite his at-times blood-thirsty rhetoric.  He reads almost like Two-Face at times, more mentally ill than someone struggling to reconcile the life he thought he was living with the circumstances in front of him.

Overall, though, it's a good start.  Soule has shown an ability in previous work to mine newfound insights to characters with muddled histories, so I'm optimistic that he can do the same with Ren here.

Not-Even-Remotely-New Comics: The October 16 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Captain America #15:  Coates really isn't making it easy for Steve.  After the Watchdogs raid last issue, Steve and the Daughters of Liberty are reviewing what they know, and Steve recognizes Alexa Lukin as one of the Power Elite members.  Steve asks who the Daughters have tracking Alexa, and the Daughters respond that they have their best agent on it...but they won't tell Steve who it is.  Steve then takes Sharon to a separate room, and he's furious at her for keeping secrets.  But, she rightly throws that argument right back at him, noting that he's always kept secrets and she's always the one waiting.  Steve leaves in a huff to go meet Bernie after she contacts him about a cop who asked for Steve's help before someone killed him.  As Steve leaves to take the case, Bernie warns him that New York isn't the same place that it used to be.  She isn't just talking about the Kingpin as mayor, but about New York as part of the larger "something ugly" happening in the entire country.  When he goes to the address that the dead cop provided to Bernie, Steve discovers that Misty and Spider-Woman already there, fighting Watchdogs.  After helping them win the fight, he comments that their friends in the police department would love to get a shot at the Watchdogs, and Misty responds that she doesn't have many friends left in the Department.  Steve takes her point later as they review the video that the dead cop left, of a bunch cops entering a warehouse and Scourge killing all of them.  Scourge working with the Watchdogs who themselves are working for the Power Elite:  Coates is definitely telling a story here. My only complaint is that it's starting to feel like we've taken a lot of turns down alleys and I'm not quite sure how we find the boulevard again.  I'm not saying that it's impossible, but we may want to head back that way soon.

Guardians of the Galaxy #10:  Cates explains how Kid Magus exists in this reality, and he does a pretty solid job of keeping it entertaining.  Kid Magus explains that he was originally entrusted to Gamora but he needed someone to deal with his "darker impulses" better.  So, Gamora went to take care of Rocket as he "lay dying in [his] hovel," and the Order of the Healing Truth, a bunch of ex-Universal Church of Truth followers seeking to right the Church's wrongs, took in Magus.  Of course, they came to see him as one of those wrong and intended to kill him, resulting in him killing all of them and becoming the monster that they feared that he'd become.  He eventually became friends with a group of sandworm-esque monsters who lived near the Order's HQ.  (They hilariously act like dogs, with Groot rubbing one's belly as Kid Magus tells his story.)  Rocket recruits Magus to freak out the Church long enough for him, Groot, and Moondragon to rescue their friends, and Magus agrees because he's "bored."  Although this issue mostly just sets up the slugfest to come, what a slugfest it seems like it's going to be!

Journey to Star Wars:  The Rise of Skywalker - Allegiance #2:  I enjoyed this issue because Leia is forced to confront a lot of uncomfortable truths.  First, the team's raid on Mon Cala in the main "Star Wars" series was one of the highlights of that run.  But, Sacks reminds us here of the price that the Mon Calan residents paid for their mutiny, as many of the king's advisors loathe Leia for the pain and torture that their families suffered in the mutiny's wake.  Moreover, one of the Mon Calans points out that Leia's father (i.e., Darth Vader) is the one who engaged in said torture, something you definitely don't see mentioned often.  At some point, you start to side with the angry Mon Calans:  Leia really does have some nerve asking for more help from them.  But, I'm guessing that Leia will remind them that none of them really has much of a choice if they don't want to live under the First Order's thumb.  The Finn and Poe story is a fun distraction, though I'll admit that I find the Rey and Rose story tedious.  Sacks portrays Rey as little more than a female Luke Skywalker from the first film, whining about how bored she is, and his Rose is so nervous that I wonder if they don't have anti-anxiety medicine in space.

The Realm #15:  This issue is great.  It's a wordless romp as Shirtless Bear Fighter -- I mean, Ben -- escapes from the goblins' clutches and tries to escape Johnny's cathedral of evil.  He makes it to the exit, even past Johnny (thanks to some well timed grenades), only to utter "Fuck me" -- the issue's only words -- when he realizes that he has to go through the dragon stables.  Ha!  I'm totally bummed that the guys haven't published another issue in almost six months, but I guess that I'm current at least?  Still, we've got a lot of pieces on the board at this point...

X-Men #1:  This issue is more Hickmanesque than we've seen so far, but I'm still OK with it.

He begins with Magneto, Polaris, Scott, and Storm striking at Orchis' last outpost on Earth and in so doing freeing a group of mutant children who Orchis was holding in stasis.  Scott and Storm's conversation as they make their way through the base is particularly Hickmanesque as he also entirely forgoes any attempt to make it sound conversational.  For example, Scott says to Storm:  "For years we've endured small wins.  We've called incremental change 'progress' when what we've really needed was a giant leap forward.  Well, this is it."  It's particularly striking that he takes the time to mansplain recent mutant history to her as they fight their way through the base.

At any rate, the team is surprised when they come upon a posthuman girl from the future in one of the stasis tubes.  She looks like a photograph negative, with stark black skin and stark white hair.  She initially commands Storm not to see her, which fails.  She seems to have some sort of powers, but they're not working the way that they presumably would because she emerged before she was "fully cooked."  But, she says that "wild gods" are loose in the world, so she says that she had no choice.  She disappears, and the team returns with the rescued mutants to Krakoa.

While Dr. Reyes examines the new arrivals, throngs of children greet Magneto, eager to hear his stories. Polaris and Scott share a moment over it, with Scott reminding her how long they've all waited for him to find this sort of redemption.  Scott then talks about how scared he was when he had Nathan because he knew that he'd suffer for his heritage.  Scott was right, but he says that he's so happy that he held in there because he now has his family.  He isn't just speaking idly, either.  The resurrection team has brought back Vulcan, and the extended Summers clan -- Scott, Alex, Vulcan, Nathan, Rachel -- as well as Jean and Logan now live on the Moon, since Scott wanted a view.  (Heh.)  We're treated to these family dynamics because Corsair has come for a visit.  Hickman essentially reinvents Vulcan here, as we've only ever seen him as a totally unhinged experiment gone insane.  Hickman's Vulcan is all self-conscious teenager, as he has no idea how he's supposed to act in social situations.  But, we see flashes of humor from him, like when he's barbecuing steaks with Logan, and I'm excited in particular to watch him develop.  We also have Nate calling Jean "Mom" as he asks if he can trade guns with Raza when he learns that Raza's guns have antimatter rounds, and Alex and Scott giving Corsair a Krakoan gate so he can always visit.  As Scott said to Polaris, they've all waited a long time for this moment.

But, the main conversation is the one that Scott has with Corsair.  Scott is bouncing on his toes throughout this issue, so happy to be in the place that he is.  Corsair expresses his concern that this whole endeavor puts a target on them, but Scott convincingly (to me, anyway) argues that history proves that they've always had a target on their backs, so he's decided to focus on what makes him want to live with said target.  It's a nice moment.  I mean, it's obviously not going to last, but if I'm glad for anything about Hickman's reboot it's getting a happy Scott for, like, the first time ever.

The other main story here is that we're introduced to a new Orchis leader, Director Devo.  We learn that he was in transit to the Forge when the X-Men destroyed Mother Mold.  He's surprised that Dr. Gregor didn't attend her husband's funeral, but she explains that his legacy is in her work.  Plus, she reveals that her work has led her to the point where she believes that she can resurrect him.  Dun-dun-DUN!  If humans have the same resurrection technology as the mutants, it obviously changes the game significantly, particularly in terms of the mutants' "no killing humans because they can't be resurrected" policy.

Hickman plants some other seeds of future storylines here.  One theme throughout the issue is how tired Storm is, though Hickman initially portrays it as exhaustion from working so hard.  But, it's possible that something else is afoot.  Magneto allegedly took out the Orchis scientists (who turned themselves into apes to fight the X-Men) by asserting his dominance so they turned on each other, but I'm not sure if we're supposed to believe that he didn't kill them.  Finally, I feel like Vulcan's return highlights how liberally we're taking the amnesty.  After all, I imagine he killed thousands of people when he was the mad Shi'ar Emperor.  Won't someone object to his and other mutants' crimes at some point, especially once the kumbaya feelings start to fade?

All in all, it's a solid start to the story that Hickman is actually telling.  We'll see how the other series build on this one, but I was glad to see Hickman leaning on the structure that he built in "House of X" and "Powers of X" but also not dwelling on it too much.  I think that this reboot has the best chance of sticking if it becomes less about the world-building and more about the stories that Hickman and the other authors want to tell in this world. This issue shows that Hickman believes that, too, so I think that we're in a good place.

Not-Even-Remotely New Comics!: The August 21 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Guardians of the Galaxy #8:  I cried basically this entire issue.  First, Rocket reveals that he was originally bred as a support animal for patients on an asylum planet.  But, the robots left to care for the patients evolved him and his brethren to take their place after they also left.  Alone, it's a heartbreaking story as we see poor Rocket torn from his kind owner.  He later lies to Groot and Moondragon that he doesn't miss being "soft."  But, we also then learn that everyone is mad with Rocket because he left to die without saying good-bye, desperate for them not to see him weak.  As if all these revelation aren't emotional enough, Groot really amps up the feels when he tells Rocket that he doesn't belong just to himself and that he doesn't get to control how he says good-bye.  (Did I mention that Gamora was protecting Rocket so that one of his enemies didn't kill him before he died?  Sniff.)  I even teared up a bit when Cosmo showed his belly to Lockjaw in honor of meeting him and, paraphrasing Aragorn, Lockjaw told Cosmo that he shows his belly to no dog.  (To quote Peter, space dogs, man.)  It's issues like this one that remind me why I didn't cancel this series, as Cates just really keeps delivering on the feels that come with this family.

Powers of X #3:  In the previous issue that displayed the timeline of Moira's life, lives #9 and #10 had dotted lines, not showing how they ended.  I originally figured that it might mean that those lives were somehow running concurrently, but it turns out Hickman just didn't want to spoil the surprise.

In X2, the X-Men use the device they stole to find the file that tells them when Nimrod went on line.  While the Cardinal, Rasputin, and Xorn sacrifice themselves to distract Nimrod and his troops, Apocalypse, Krakoa, and Wolverine go after the file.  (It turns out the figure that I thought was Groot last issue is a combination of Krakoa and Cypher, which obviously makes more sense.  Also, Apocalypse wasn't trying to send Nimrod after humanity, as I thought last issue; he's trying to wipe Nimrod from history.)  While Apocalypse sacrifices himself to buy them more time, Krakoa returns Logan to Asteroid K.  He then feeds the information to Moira and kills her, ending life #9 and sending her into life #10 with this knowledge.  (Charles' comment to Magneto that they were engaged in a long plan makes much more sense now.)

This timeline seems now to come to an end.  Assuming it didn't cease to exist once Moira died (an ongoing question for me), Rasputin opens up Xorn's helmet and exposes the singularity there, presumably descending this world into a black hole.  (That said, if either the timeline or the X2 Earth end, how is Nimrod still alive -- albeit in a reduced form -- in X3?)  Before ending it (presumably), Hickman made this timeline as scary as possible.  At one point, the Church of the Ascendancy injects what I can only assume is some form of the techno-organic virus into a child.  The Church's tenets are that you have to see your humanity as your fallen self, aware of the perfection (i.e., the machine part) inside you and how far your humanity misses that ideal.  Better to serve in Heaven than rule in Hell, after all, as the bishop quotes.  This part makes it clear that the "Man-Machine Supremacy" is really just the machine supremacy, with humanity completely subjugated.  Until this final gambit, we learn that the X-Men were still trying to get humanity to join them in revolting against the machines.  We also learn more about the lineages, like how the Cardinals were made from Ajax (thanks again, internet!), Jean Grey, and Nightcrawler.

At this point, I think the only loose end related to X2 (beyond this question of what Moira does to the timelines she leaves) is from one of the interstitial pages, where it looks like the Cardinal, Clyobel, Percival, and Rasputin provided genetic material for Mother, or Akkaba.  I wonder when we'll return to that interesting prompt...

Star Wars:  Tie Fighter #5:  This series was really, really solid.

First, characters actually died, and not just in the final issue.  It injected the sort of stakes into the story that you don't often see in superhero comics, where you know dead characters are really just temporarily dead.  Second, the action scenes were exciting.  Antonio does a really great job in depicting the battle against the Rebel base here, making it easy to follow which character is doing what, a notable skill that not every artist working on "Star Wars" comics has shown.  But, Houser also shines as the misfit toys finally come together as a team, with Jeela letting down her tough exterior to admit this team is the only one where she's really belonged and Bansu supporting a usually overconfident Rac after he mistakenly cripples a X-Wing in a way that sends it into a Tie Fighter bomber.

But, all that pales in comparison to the unexpected closing sequence, as Shadow Wing's victory fizzles upon news that the Emperor has been killed with the Death Star.  It's the first time that I've ever seen that moment from the Imperial side.  The cadets start to panic about the Empire's future and their leaders try to reassure them, noting that the command structure remains.  I may have held my breath the entire time, so surprising this entire sequence was.

That said, I'm not sure what the B story is supposed to tell us.  In a flashback, Teso joins Jeela at the target range.  She assumes that he wants to take her off the team because she's often not a good fit, and he reminds her that they're not clones -- they're humans with faults.  It's a great moment, particularly given Teso's "reputation" -- it's a reminder that he's a leader who's had to make tough decisions.  But, he tells her that he's there to talk about another aspect of the mission, but Houser doesn't tell us what that is.  I feel like maybe I just missed it in this issue, but it might be alluding to a side mission in a series to come, which I would totally support.

All in all, it was a great series, giving us a pretty unique perspective on the Star Wars Universe, which is a feat at this point.  I'm definitely going to pick up "Alphabet Squadron."

Transformers '84 #0:  This issue is more in line with what I hoped the relaunched "Transformers" series would be.  We learn that Optimus Prime launched the Ark as a way to lure Megatron to his doom.  He brought his best warriors along with him (to their presumed doom) so that Megatron wouldn't suspect anything.  I mean, whoa.  Heavy is the head that wears the crown.  Meanwhile, the B story involves a team looking for an ark.  In the original cartoon series, Optimus' Ark crashed landed millions of years before 1984, and the B story is set in Medieval Earth, so I assume it's the Ark that they're trying to locate.  But, Prime made Counterpunch promise not to allow anyone to look for them, to ensure that Megatron never troubled Cybertron again, so something is afoot, clearly.  Again, overall, I'd say this series so far holds more promise than the relaunched one, in terms of getting to spend time with the characters that I love.

The Weatherman, Vol. 2 #3:  We get a lot of information here.  But it isn't just some sort of expositive data dump; LeHeup constantly reminds us of the very real human stakes behind each revelation along the way.

The revelations come because the team stumbles upon Dr. Argus as he's picking up a supply drop.  We learn that the biophagus isn't a virus:  it's a "single-cell organism that flash-feeds on animal DNA."  The zombies whom we saw in the previous two issues aren't people:  they're constructs that the biophagus created.  It started as a mist when it first arrived on Earth, but it can take on the shape of any animal that it consumes.  On Earth, it takes the form of people to lure more people into its clutches.  Argus and Dr. Nyseth were working on a weapon that attacks the biophagus' "neuropressin" pheromone, which allows it to communicate with itself telepathically.  It turns out Argus wasn't exposing lottery victims to the virus last issue to create a cure; he's trying to turn his former lab assistant into a biophagus-human hybrid so he can serve as the delivery mechanism for the weapon.  Also, Dr. Argus dug Nyseth's grave because she died two weeks ago of a brain aneurysm.  Ruh-roh.

Argus then informs the team that Ian's memory drive might be at Syngen Station, where Nyseth first worked when she came to Earth.  But it's (of course) one of the most highly protected facilities in the world, because it was the center of biophagus research.  As such, Cross has to kidnap Argus to enter it, because he's the only one with access.  However, Nathan encourages her to let Argus continue trying to "cure" the biophagus, giving Argus time to hit a SOS button.  Cross is forced to reveal to Nathan that Jenner has the other sample (of biophagus, I think).  As such, they don't have time:  they have to get Ian's drive to learn what the Sword of God is planning.  (I'm guessing that Jenner is going to release the biophagus on Mars?)  Argus' rescue team arrives at the lab but the team manages to escape.

Oh, also?  The victims who "won" the lottery from issue #1?  It turns out they're the piles of bodies that we also saw in issue #1.  Kestrel is feeding the "winners" to the biophagus to keep it controlled; it's the only way that they've been able to survive.  (I was wondering how or why they piled up the bodies so high.  Like everything with this series, the answer is grimmer than I thought.)  But the revelations don't stop there.  It turns out Pickles (Pace's bear) is a "brain-damaged" construct; he was exposed to radiation and somehow forgot his biophagus connection, bonding onto Pace instead.  We also learn from Argus that Nyseth didn't really die of a brain aneurysm, as he later confides to Cross.  After Nyseth was chosen in the lottery, Kestrel exempted her to continue her research, but a mob killed her anyway.  We also learn that the Marshal was friends and partners with Ian Black before he joined Jenner's crew.  It's all...a lot.

As revelation-heavy as this issue was, though, it didn't just read as exposition.  In moments when it came close to that, LeHeup quickly made sure to focus on the emotions driving these characters.  For example, in a flashback, we see that Garren confronted Cross over her lack of a plan to get off Earth.  They kiss, but they have to stop when they arrive on Earth.  Cross remembers this moment as she weeps over Garren's loss.  Ugh.  It was a punch right in the feels, man.  Did I mention the Martian president has to decide whether to let a terrorist strike continue so they can kidnap one of Jenner's Inner Circle without him realizing they captured the agent?  LeHeup just really knows how to make a bad situation worse.

(I edited the texts of my "The Weatherman" reviews in November 2024 as I occasionally called Cross "Amy" instead of Amanda and the Marshal as "Cowboy" or just "Marshal.")

Also Read:  Marvel's Spider-Man:  City at War #6

Not-Even-Remotely-New Comics: The July 24 Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Guardians of the Galaxy #7:  I was planning on canceling this series, but I have to say that Cates really held my interest here.  He not only brings back the Universal Church of Truth as an amped-up threat from the future, but he reveals that J'Son, Peter's father, is the Patriarch.  After J'Son manages to entrance (verb, not noun) everyone else, Groot and Moondragon flee the ship.  Cates and Smith do an amazing job making their panicked escape feel like a horror movie.  Cates even goes one better:  Groot and Moondragon go to a dying Rocket as their last resort, finally answering the mystery of his absence.  In other words, I'm definitely hanging in here.

House of X #1:  If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know that I dislike Jonathan Hickman.  But, I obviously need to get past that, because I'm a happy camper with what he does here.  The highest compliment I think I can pay to Hickman after reading this issue is that the amazing innovations at the center of this series is just the beginning.

First, the innovation:  Professor X uses "Krakoa flowers" as a deus ex machina to solve several problems that the mutants have long faced  First, he creates yet another island nation for mutants, somewhere in the Pacific.  But, it isn't the usual rigamarole on this front.  The flowers also create habitats around the world that serve as extensions of the island itself as well as gateways that mutants (and only mutants) can use to travel between them.  Perhaps even more importantly, Xavier uses the flowers to synthesize three drugs for humans:  L, which extends human life by five years; I, which serves as a universal antibiotic; and M, which curses mental illnesses.  Xavier offers these drugs to the nations of the world in exchange for amnesty for all mutants and the soveriegn recognition of Krakao.

I just have to say that it's all remarkably clever.  It truly creates a believable justification for considering Hickman's run a reset of the brand.  First, mutantkind is no longer scrambling for a home.  But, Krakao isn't just another Asteroid M or Genosha or Utopia.  The mutants finally have leverage in the form of the drugs; they're not just feared now, but needed.  As we've seen over and over again, fear was never enough to keep them safe; the drugs may be.  The combination of the homeland and the drugs puts them on steadier ground than they've possibly ever been.  Some unhinged security official always used to come after them, and no one in the U.S. government really cared all that much if he killed a bunch of mutants.  With the drugs, it's different this time.

But, the greater innovation is the Orchis Protocol.  We're used to mutants having to think outside the box and innovate.  How many times has the X-Men's status quo and modus operandi changed?  But, here, the humans are also innovating.  Dr. Alia Gregor has put together a team pulled from some of the most advanced "strategic organizations" in the Marvel Universe (S.H.I.E.L.D., S.T.R.I.K.E., S.W.O.R.D., etc.) to protect humanity.  She activated the Protocol when she realized the extent of Charles' plans.  It's the yin to Charles' yang:  Hickman is reminding us that Xavier isn't the only one fighting for his species' survival here.

To that end, Gregor has created the Forge, a high-tech spaceship built around the head of a Mother Mold Sentinel orbiting the Sun.  (I originally thought that it was a Celestial's head, but Hickman later reveals that it's a Mother Mold's.)  While the machines that created the Forge are mining Mercury for resources, Gregor and her team prepare for more humans to arrive.  Hickman goes to great lengths to show that Gregor isn't a racist.  She started developing the Protocol after she studied the Genosha genocide.  Her research found that mutantkind would've displaced humanity within ten years if not for Genosha; she now reckons that they have 20 years left.

The Orchis Protocol is important because otherwise this issue would have no dramatic tension.  Just as the mutants step up their game, humanity does, too.  As Magneto says at the end of the issue, it's clear that humans have new gods now.  The quote at the end of the issue -- about humans needing to speak Krakoa's name with reverence -- perfectly underlines the religious aspect of this rebirth.  Also, we're talking about a literal rebirth here.  We don't have all the information yet, but it's clear that Xavier -- if it is Xavier -- has used Krakoa to resurrect dead mutants, as Vulcan appears to be one of the mutants emerging from the pods that we see at the very start of the issue.  (His name is also listed on the interstitial page of Omega-level mutants later in this issue.)  In other words, the mutants now enjoy territorial control, financial power, and a standing army.  You can understand why Gregor activated the Protocol.

But, the Orchis Protocol seems to exist outside Xavier's cognizance.  Moreover, it isn't like humanity outside the Orchis Protocol is going to go without a fight.  Scott's interaction with the Fantastic Four here has an edge, as he essentially announces mutantkind has finally drawn a line in the sand when it comes to its relationship with humanity.  Hickman also doesn't stop with humanity existing as the only threat:  in one of the interstitial pages, he tells us that Krakao seems to suffer from something called No-Space, a part of his consciousness he's unaware that he has.  In other words, rebirth or no rebirth, it's still the X-Men:  to paraphrase Milhouse, it may not yet be smooth sailing for the mutants.

Also Read:  Amazing Spider-Man #26; Star Wars #69

Not-Even-Remotely-New Comics: The June 19 Rest of Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

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

Not-Even-Remotely-New Comics: The June 5 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Age of X-Man:  Prisoner X #4:  Like the other series in this event, this issue covers the same ground that we've previously covered without adding anything particularly new or interesting.  The only real development is Dani putting to words what we've all already known, that every time someone manages to break free of Nate or Legion's control their control over everyone else slips.  As such, it's no surprise that Bishop is able to get a full-scale riot going here.  But, it's still unclear what role Legion plays in it:  I can't tell if he encourages Forge to release the power-dampening collars or if Forge did it on his own.  I honestly can't say I care all that much at this point.  This entire event is just an awkward transition as we move to whatever mess Hickman plans on making.

Batman #72:  Every time I think this series can't get worse and more repetitive, it does.  I have to give King that, I guess.

Guardians of the Galaxy Annual #1:  This issue is interesting in that it maintains the main series' modus operandi, focusing not just exclusively on the Guardians team as we traditionally know it but also including the various Marvel Cosmic characters as well.  As a Nova and Quasar fan, I was of course most interested in their story.  I thought Ewing did a great job teasing out their characters through their dispute, as Rich criticizes Quasar's breezy optimism as a sign that he's lost touch with reality given his dealings with cosmic entities like Galactus.  The conversation starts with Rich admitting to Quasar that he's on "therapeutic leave" after he watched the Skrulls destroy one of their renegade worlds.  He had just saved a family from a group of Skrull soldiers when Adsit tells him that the Skrulls had withdrawn from the Pan-Worlds Treaty and revoked the Nova Corps jurisdiction over the planet.  Adsit compels him to leave just before the Skrulls destroy the planet.  Rich observes to Quasar that the Kree and Shi'ar are likely to withdraw as well, meaning galactic war is coming.  Quasar essentially tells him that he's sure everything will be fine, prompting Rich's criticism.  In an obvious parallel to our current era, Rich tells Quasar that he's on the front lines dealing with real people.  He sees the hard-liners taking over the political system, the galactic economy collapsing after years of inequality and upheaval, etc.  He warns Quasar that people like him are looking for a Thanos, when it's really the 30-credit beer that sparks revolution and chaos.  Sound familiar?

Spider-Gwen:  Ghost Spider #9:  As I think I've mentioned, I feel like this series has gotten increasingly repetitive, recycling the same story lines over and over again.  McGuire does it again here, as a bad guy interrupts yet another Mary Janes' performance trying to get at Gwen.  But, the good news is that Man-Wolf is at least a different villain, injecting some much needed energy into this issue.  We don't yet know why he's targeting Gwen, other than his assertion that he's defeated all the city's heroes.  It seems like he's essentially offended Gwen thinks she could superhero in "his" city.  That said, the cop who helps Gwen ID Man-Wolf somewhat contradicts this claim, telling her that he appeared during her incarceration.  Did he really defeat everyone in the short time she was in prison?  Although the rhythm might be the same, at least the person playing the instrument is different.  I'm not sure I'm going to stick with this title when it's (once again) relaunched, but for now I'm at least glad that I have a reason to hang in there.

War of the Realms #5:  This issue is the point where it feels like this story spun beyond my ability to grasp.  Previously, the tie-in issues had been supporting the main title, so they weren't necessary to read to understand the main title's plot.  Although I've been reading many of the tie-in series, this issue is where I feel like you had to read specific tie-in issues to understand the developments here.  I had to re-read several issues just to assemble the rough timeline I put together here, and even then I'm still not sure that it's right.

Some leaps you can legimitately make on your own.  Last issue, most of the teams reconvened at Avengers Mountain, and it's clear that it's when they slammed the Boggle cube on the table to make new teams.  She-Hulk brought the dwarves from Nidavellir in issue #4; in this issue, they joined forces with Iron Man to become, awesomely, the War Machine Dwarves.  Meanwhile, She-Hulk is leading Daredevil, Deadpool, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage to take Australia from the Trolls.  But, even when you can make some leaps on your own, it isn't all necessarily clear.  For example, Jennifer has somehow gotten a hammer and Ulik calls her "Thunder-Hulk."  I assume that happened in a tie-in issue that I didn't read.

In some cases, you can make the leap, but it's still hard to follow.  Carol Danvers is a great example.  She led the War Avengers (Black Widow, Captain Britain, Deadpool, Sif, Venom, Weapon H, and the Winter Soldier) in the Battle of London in issue #3 and "War of the Realms:  Strike Force - The War Avengers" #1, but they seem to surrender in issue #3 when Malekith teleports Venom and himself...somewhere.  They resume the fight at the end of "War of the Realms:  Strikeforce - The War Avengers" #1, taking on dark elves at the Great Wall.  But, in issue #4, the Agents of Atlas have replaced the War Avengers in the fight with Carol at the Great Wall without explanation.  In issue #5, Captain Britain has re-appeared in London, found the Black Blade, and is now fighting alongside Captain America, while Carol has moved onto Shanghai with Hawkeye and Shang-Chi.  The Agents of Atlas are presumably somewhere.

In some instances, you just have to assume existing tie-in series end happily.  Last we saw him, Sir Ivory was unconscious in Africa after fighting Kurse in "Spider-Man and the League of the Realms" #2; in issue #5, he joins Queen Featherwine and the Punisher at the head of the Light Elf Rifle Brigade in Wakanda.  (It seems like the entire "Spider-Man and the League of the Realms" mini-series happens between issues #4 and #5, after Spider-Man returns from Jotunheim and the Punisher brings the Light Elves to Midgard.)  Balder and Thori were trying to save Balder's sister in "War of the Realms:  Journey into Mystery" #4, but now Balder is with Dr. Strange, Ghost Rider, and Spider-Man taking on the Enchantress in Montevideo and Thori is with Captains America and Britain in London.  (I guess Spider-Man hitched a ride from Africa.)  Kurse also apparently survived, because she's fighting the Destroyer somewhere.

In other words, the wheels come off the bus here as Aaron's ambition gets the better of him.  I get what he was trying to do, instill in us the magnitude of the battle.  He does accomplish that; it's awesome to see everyone fighting all over the place.  But, the plot gets lost in the shuffle of players across the chessboard, a point Carol herself made in "War of the Realms:  Strikeforce - The War Avengers" #1.  After all, Thor is the key here, but we barely get a sight of him.  I get the symmetry of Thor hanging himself from Yggdrasil like Odin did.  I just don't get why he does it.  Insight?  Did he really need insight to know that he has to take on Malekith?  I assumed that it was to reforge Mjolnir, but that didn't seem to happen.  I feel like we could've had fewer slugfests and a few more panels teasing out this very, very essential plot point.  Aaron has pushed this moment of "OK, time to wrap up this story" longer than most authors, so I'm not complaining too much.  But, it's time for the end to come, as it thankfully does next issue.

Also Read:  Black Cat #1; Marvel Team-Up #3; Star Wars:  Age of Rebellion - Luke Skywalker #1; Uncanny X-Men #19; War of the Realms:  Journey into Mystery #4

Not-Even-Remotely-New Comics: The May 15 Non-X Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Amazing Spider-Man #21:  Holy shit, this issue and "Star Wars" #66 make for a fucking intense week.  Kraven eventually "rescues" Peter from the horde of Vermins, because they're just a prelude to his actual plan.  Said plan is a doozy:  to prove Peter is man enough to take on the Hunter, Kraven sets up Peter to rip out Curt Connors' inhibitor chip so the Lizard can, in turn, save Billy (and the Black Cat) from Kraven's son.  Yup.  To Kraven's mind, Peter is forced to sacrifice his "No One Dies" code (and, by extension, his view of himself as an uncompromising hero) to save Billy and Felicia.  I wouldn't necessarily see it that way, but Spencer make a compelling argument that Peter does, and Peter's opinion is obviously the only one that matters.  Moreover, on the road to this denouement, Curt and Billy reveal (to Peter and the Black Cat, respectively) that Billy remembers his dad eating him.  Oy.  As I said, intense.  "Hunted" has been cruising on auto-pilot since the Gibbon issue, but Spencer floors it at the right moment.  I can't wait to see how it ends.

Batman #71:  Reading an issue like this one, I always wonder how exactly it got to be this bad.  Yes, some people will continue to interpret (or, to my mind, confuse) King's obtuseness for genius, in the same way that I feel people interpret (or confuse) Hickman's obtuseness for genius.  But, this issue goes beyond just the question of whether obtuseness equals genius.  In both stories we see here, Bruce isn't Bruce.  In both stories, he's spouting phrases that it's impossible to see him saying in any form, from repeatedly telling Bane that he's going to break his "damn back" to busting into a hospital mumbling paranoid dribble about seeing the truth behind Bane.  King pretty clearly seems to be building to a reveal where we learn Bruce was right all along and Bane has been running Gotham in secret.  But, King has dragged out this story well, well, well beyond any point where I could care.  Taking into account that the Bat-family connects Bruce's current state of mind to Catwoman leaving him at the altar, King has functionally been telling this story for almost a year at this point.  But, nothing has happened.  Sure, maybe Bane, with the help of Bruce's father, is secretly running Gotham from Arkham and Bruce had to escape a machine designed to make him crazy to stop Bane.  Or, maybe Bruce has just been...staring at the wall imaging that for the better part of the last year?  Even if Bane is engaged in shenanigans, it's been 21 issues and we're not even close to confirming if he is, let alone to getting to the point where Bruce addresses it.  I almost literally feel robbed.

Guardians of the Galaxy #5:  This series has pleasantly surprised me from the start, but revealing that Thanos chose Eros, not Gamora, for his host was great.  First, it makes total sense from a biological standpoint:  as Hela says, it had to be a Titan.  But, it also makes sense from a characterization standpoint as well, as it's so...cruel.  Thanos delights in the fact that Eros thought himself to be a leader finally, assembling a team to do what it needed to do to save the galaxy from Thanos.  In the end, he just achieved Thanos' goal of distracting everyone so they couldn't see the truth right in front of them.  I'm used to this level of plotting from Aaron and Gillen, but it's nice to see someone like Cates throwing his hat into that ring.

Star Wars #66:  Gillen actually gives Trios redemption here, something that I didn't think possible.  She attempts to get Kanchar to end his aerial bombardment, but he refuses, committed to killing Leia even if it means killing Trios.  (He assumes another "pampered aristocrat" will take the throne, so it's no great loss to the Empire, to his mind.)  Trios realizes that she has no other option other than take out Leia and hopefully stop the assault, so she rushes Leia and her squad's position in the throne room.  She and Leia have a full-on sword fight, which Leia wins.  Trios calls Leia a monster at the start, and Gillen reminds us that she thinks Leia is trying to destroy Shu-Torun.  After Leia strikes the killing blow, she explains that she's only trying to disable the Spike.  Trios informs Leia that the plan has "gone awry."  Leia promises to stop the Partisans, something Han notes might be a tall order.  But, Trios' dying words are the best part here.  She tells Leia that she fought for Shu-Torun like Leia would've for Alderaan.  She curses the fact that she survived the attack on her family and laments that Shu-Torun may be destroyed because of her actions.  As she dies, she tells Leia that she believes her and apologizes for making Leia believe her.  It's sad.  Gillen makes us really feel the weight on Trios' shoulder this entire time, as she was forced to choose between a set of increasingly bad options.  The only good news for Trios as she dies is that she's leaving behind a pissed-off Leia committed to saving her planet.

Star Wars:  Tie Fighter #2:  This issue is interesting not because of anything its usual cast of characters does, but because of the issue's "villain."  Shadow Wing finds itself captive after it fails to protect the Star Destroyer that it was supposed to protect and squad leader Broosh surrenders to the assailants.  It turns out an Imperial officer, Admiral Gratloe, is running the outfit, hoping to operate a small mining operation outside the Imperials' notice.  It's not entirely an enthralling issue, particularly since Shadow Wing goes all do-gooder here, in the sense that they plan on re-claiming the operation for the Empire.  But, it does do something that we don't normally see, showing us the expanding chaos in the post-"Return of the Jedi" galaxy.  Gratloe just wants to get him some, and I find myself relieved that the Powers That Be in "Star Wars" Land finally show this type of story.  In all the galaxy, someone has to try to seize the moment.  We often only see this galaxy far, far away through the eyes of ideologically motivated protagonists.  But, I love watching a NPC operating on the margins and hope we get more issues like it.

War of the Realms #4:  I haven't really written about "War of the Realms" mostly because I continue to enjoy it.  Aaron hasn't really provided anything worth criticizing, but he also hasn't presented anything so amazing that I felt the need to comment.  It's just a really solid event.  

Aaron's plotting is above reproach, where he yet again manages to keep so many balls in the air while still giving each one its due.  Virtually every other event author at this point in the story has you confused and tired, usually because they're trying to incorporate events that happen in the various tie-in issues.  Not so here.  The tie-in issues flesh out the events here, sure.  But, honestly, you could really just read this mini-series and completely understand the events transpiring in it.  How often do we get that, huh?  Moreover, Aaron is funny as ever.  The dwarves' reactions to She-Hulk calling on them to help her smash were hilarious, from one of them saying that he had dust in the eye to another one complimenting her on her motivational speaking.  Thori is also great, as always, and Spider-Man continues to have such on-the-nose one-liners that I'd love for Aaron to write him one day.  Dauterman is also, as always, on fire.  The Iron Odin suit?  Amazing.  As Ghost Rider said, it's all very metal.

The only criticism I could find is that Aaron doesn't have a ton of space for emotional beats.  Aaron has spent months, if not years, showing us the virtually non-existent relationship between Odin and Freyja.  Here, Odin appearing to help her at her final stand on the Black Bifrost may have her claiming he finally "turned her on" for the first time ever, but it's rushed.  If Aaron had more time, I could imagine him using flashbacks to remind us where we've been with these two, building to this rapprochement, instead of just hurling it at us to give us (presumably) the requisite event deaths.  Again, it isn't a hideously off-note; it's just a note that I wish Aaron had more time to hit.  It's a minor complaint for an otherwise great event, but there it is.

Also Read:  Nightwing #60; Spider-Man and the League of the Realms #1; Star Wars:  Age of Rebellion - Lando Calrissian #1; Transformers #5; War of the Realms:  Strikeforce - The War Avengers #1

Not-Very-New Comics: The February 20 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Avengers:  No Road Home #2:  I was perfectly OK with this series not serving as a sequel to "Avengers:  No Surrender."  After all, the first series was a fun romp, so I was totally down with Marvel get the band back together for another one.  But, the authors do actually make it a sequel in an unexpected way.  In a flashback to Nyx and her children murdering the Olympian gods, we learn Zeus imprisoned Nyx somewhere until the sun disappeared.  Well, the Challenge and the Gamemaster managed that when they moved Earth during their challenge, freeing Nyx to seek out her revenge.  The authors then rely on a similar format as the first series, as Voyager sends three teams of Avengers to beat Nyx's children in capturing the shards of her soul that Zeus scattered around the Universe.  But, the authors go one better here, as it isn't all about the action.  Clint provides an increasingly dramatic narration throughout the issue, as he talks about how people often ask him how he does what he does, fighting alongside and against gods.  He admits he's just lucky, but his luck seems to have hit a wall:  he awakens in a hospital room missing the thumb on his right hand.  Clint barely has time to process that when the Hulk reveals himself, ready to exact his vengeance.  It shows the authors are working multiple stories on multiple levels, just like the first series.  I'm definitely happy I picked up this one.

Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #3:  OMG, this issue was awesome.  It turns out Leilani -- the mother of the two orange-skinned kids -- is the daughter of the dictator of Under York, an underground version of New York accessible by a magic elevator.  We learn Under York used to interact with our New York, but the dictator cut off ties, forcing Under York to stagnate.  (Apparently all our best ideas -- like the Empire State Building -- come from Under York.)  Peter and the Rumor manage to break into the dictator's penthouse and nab Leilani.  Peter gets shot in the process, but he manages to scale the miles-deep elevator staff with the two women after the Under Yorkers cut the power.  The Rumor warns Peter to prepare for a small war.  I know it sounds insane, but Taylor's script really sells it; I could read Peter and the Rumor bantering all day.  Taylor manages to capture the spark of a Spider-Man story without weighing down the issue with all of Peter's usual bullshit.  This issue really carries on the great tradition of Zdarsky's work in "Peter Parker:  The Spectacular Spider-Man."  I can't wait to see where we go from here.

Guardians of the Galaxy #2:  OK, this issue is really good.  Like, really good.  First, Cates makes it clear that Peter is spiraling into alcoholism and depression because he can't get over the fact Gamora killed him.  That's...sound.  (To be honest, I barely remember her killing him, and I definitely don't remember how he got resurrected.  Oh, "Infinity Wars."  You were such a bullshit event.)  Cates does a great job of not telling us this information, but showing it to us, through Peter's late-night call to Kitty.  Phyla-Vell even tells him he looks terrible when he delivers some uniforms to her and Moondragon.  But, Peter doesn't just get to sleep the sleep of the drunk, as he has to break up a fight between Ghost Rider and Groot.  This part of the issue is the only part I disliked.  I'm still struggling with the characterization of Groot as an adolescent surfer, and Ghost Rider doesn't really sound the way Frank Castle sounds.  That said, their fight is hilarious, as Ghost Rider inadvertently creates an army of mini-Groots by cutting off parts of him.  They're fighting as Ghost Rider learned Beta Ray Bill and Groot plan on saving Gamora.  Peter invites him to leave if he wants, notably telling Beta Ray Bill and Groot to do the same, showing he has no intention of saving Gamora.  Castle leaves, leading us to realize just how big of a story Cates is telling.  The Shi'ar have rescued a now-scarred Starfox and some other "heroes" who fell into the vortex, and Castle joins their crusade to find Gamora.  Also in this group is Nebula, who suggests they'll find Gamora through the "stupid boy she loves:"  Nova.  Peter might be upset about that, particularly since he thinks he and Groot are the only ones who know where Gamora is.  We also see Hela and the Black Order in action here, as they shake down the Collector to discover Thanos' head is in the Negative Zone.  Does no one burn a body anymore?

Nightwing #57:  Although Lobdell's plot is fine here, it's Kaplan who really makes this issue sing.  It's the first one in the Ric Grayson era where Ric feels like a character in and of himself.  Kaplan makes it clear that Ric's moral compass is essentially the same as Dick's:  he's moved beyond words when he accompanies Bea to a community meeting with a councilman eager to destroy a homeless shelter to build a parking lot for a new stadium.  Bea reveals she grew up homeless, and it's a clever move on Lobdell's part.  It would feel ridiculous to watch Dick Grayson, ward of wealth, try even to comprehend that, but Ric is another story altogether.  Kaplan also really sells Ric finding himself agreeing to work with the Nightwings, particularly in playing up the hilarity of Detective Sapienza exerting such a sense of ownership over the identity.  Despite the jumble of authors who've worked on this story, they've carefully built each supporting character piece by piece; no revelation has felt forced.  At this point, they all feel like fully fleshed out characters at this point, and, regardless if Ric recovers his memory, I hope they all stay.  But, it isn't all about the perfect tone Kaplan is able to strike.  Lobdell using the Joker's Daughter in a war against elites doesn't feel over the top.  She kidnaps the councilman and sends him into a fancy restaurant as a suicide bomber, interrupting all the conversations praising gentrification happening at the moment.  If that isn't a 2019 plot device, I don't know what is.

Return of Wolverine #5:  Honestly, I'm still not entirely sure what happened here.  Like, sure, I get Persephone's evil plan to kill all of humanity and then resurrect them as her mindless slaves.  But, I'm still not sure how Wolverine himself was resurrected.  If I had to guess, his fire claws were some sort of secondary mutation that activated once he was encapsulated in the adamantium, allowing him to claw his way to freedom.  Or maybe Persephone gave him that power?  I honestly don't know.  Soule does manage to wrap up the primary story about Persephone in a believable way (Logan destroy the space station, natch), but I'm surprised after all the preceding mini-series and then this series I'm still not clear on how we got to this point in the first place.

Uncanny X-Men #12:  Man, you put Scott and Logan together and they can really find themselves some trouble.  Logan somehow knows O.N.E. is keeping a group of mutants hostage, and he and Scott pretty roughly break into the relevant base.  Logan tries for subtlety by posing as a O.N.E. solider and kidnapping another, but the plan goes hilariously awry when the kidnapped soldier yells out Logan is trying to break in the base.  Once they deal with the soldiers, they encounter the en-Warlock-ed New Mutants, who O.N.E. has tried to turn into living Sentinels.  We learn Magik and Rahne have managed to emerge from the techno-organic virus, with Rahne positing because they're also shapeshifters they have a certain immunity.  They also discover a few Jamies as well as Havok, who O.N.E. is using to power the base.  Magik is unable to use her powers to teleport, and O.N.E. soldiers pounce on them all as they try to escape.  Someone at O.N.E. has implanted bombs in the Madri, and Strong Guy sacrifices himself to take the brunt of the blast.  Thankfully, said blast knocks out the field disrupting Illyana's powers, and the team manages to escape, with O.N.E. Director Callaghan now aware the X-Men have returned.  I have to say, Scott and Logan find themselves with a helluva team.  Even if the New Mutants have to stay on the sidelines, an X-Men team of Cyclops, Havok, Wolverine, Rahne, and Magik is no freaking joke.  As I mentioned in my last review, Rosenberg really imbues this issue with a "What If...?" sense, as if we're reading "Days of Future Present" come to life.  You really have no idea where we're going next.

The Wild Storm #20:  This issue is really more about letting Davis-Hunt and Buccellato run wild as they depict Midnighter and Apollo make short work of a Skywatch team sent to capture (or kill) them.  But, we do learn some interesting things along the way.  First, Miles is under obvious strain and asks Ben Santini, the leader of the Razors Alpha CAT, for advice.  He suggests Miles uses IO's resources to engage in violence to distract people from the evils of "dark capitalism," implying IO has been behind civil wars, school shootings, terrorist attacks, and other violent acts.  Miles listens to his advice and then dispatches Ben to give Ivana and Jackie their "pension plans."  Meanwhile, Skywatch's spaceships arrive at Midnighter and Apollo's farm, and they annihilate them before they can hurt anyone in town.  Along the way, based on a sketch of Apollo's eyes, it seems like he's actually some sort of android.  One of the spaceship's pilots panics and hails Skywatch on an open line, allowing Jennie Sparks to travel to Skywatch HQ.  Once Midnighter confirms no one in the town was hurt, the two of them depart.

Also Read:  Avengers #15; Batman #65

Not-Very-New Comics: The January 23 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Batman #63:  This arc reminds me of a plotline from "Calvin and Hobbes."  Bill Watterson was having Calvin wordlessly grow larger and larger, to the point where he was a lone figure towering above planets and then galaxies.  In one of the collected editions, Watterson explained he planned to keep the shtick going for weeks to test the readers' patience, but then realized it was a terrible idea to do that and stopped.  King didn't seem to learn that lesson.  Here, we have yet another a dream sequence, as John Constantine explores life with Bruce and Selena if she didn't leave him at the altar.  Of course, it's not Constantine; he's just a figure that Bruce's sub-conscious has seemingly created to tell him he's hooked to a machine whose operator wants to drive him insane.  The problem isn't just that we have three more issues of this craziness, but Janín's art reminds us of the good ol' days of Bruce and Selena before King set fire to everything.  I think it's fair to say I'm enduring this series at this point.

Guardians of the Galaxy #1:  I went into this issue with a certain amount of trepidation, because I've been down this road many times with the Guardians.  We get a great first few issues filled with Peter at his charming best, but the series grows stale quickly.  I wouldn't mind if the Guardians just bounced from job to job, leaning into Peter as a surrogate for Han Solo.  But, the previous series have been way too focused on the weirder aspects of the Guardians' personal lives, from Peter's Spartax heritage to Drax and Garmora's tragic backstories.

The good news is this series legitimately seems different.  For one part, Cates gives them a raison d'être immediately.  On Titan, Starfox has gathered together the galaxy's greatest heroes -- or, at least, the ones with a slightly skewed moral compass -- for a reading of Thanos' last will and testament.  Thanos reveals that he's transferred his consciousness into someone else's body, and Starfox wants the heroes to take out the most likely candidates, starting with Gamora.  But, the meeting is disrupted when the Black Order attacks.  They steal Thanos' headless body and detonate a bomb that rips a hole in the fabric of space-time.  Beta Ray Bill is able to hurl his hammer through the hole just as all the heroes are sucked into it.

Meanwhile, Peter is a drunk at this point, wandering the galaxy with only Groot as a companion.  He brings them to Knowhere to keep his bender going, but they're surprised to discover Knowhere is gone.  (We know from the attack on the heroes that the Black Order is using it as a base of operations.)  After a chat with some Nova Corps guardians, he's preparing to depart when Bill's hammer finds him.  Bill has managed to attach a rope to it, dragging Cosmic Ghost Rider, Moondragon, and Phyla-Vell with him from the other side.  Before the Nova Corps can take them into custody for questioning, Peter makes them part of his crew, forcing the Corps to get a warrant if they want to interview them.  

It's a clever moment, made all the more fun because this entire sequence reads like a police procedural.  This approach gives the series the sort of underpinning it's long been missing, but the "Star Wars" comics have.  Part of the importance of making it clear the galaxy actually does have a certain structure is so that you can appreciate when the Guardians rebel against it, as Peter does here.  It also gets us a new cast with a mission.  Even if we're going to find Drax, Gamora, and Rocket at some point, it's a fresh start that I think this team really needs.

Lando #1-#5:  I didn't catch this mini-series when it was first published, but I'm glad I found it now.  Of all the prequel "Star Wars" mini-series, this one is the most interesting, because it shows Lando in a very different place.  For example, Leia is Leia in her prequel mini-series:  she's noble to a fault.  Han, in both his prequel mini-series and "Solo:  A Star Wars Adventure," is explicitly portrayed as the good guy we've always known him to be, even if he didn't.  But, Lando really is a scoundrel here.  Here's a little more mature than the guy we saw in "Solo:  A Star Wars Adventure," but he's definitely more callous than the guy we eventually come to know in "Empire Strikes Back."  People die frequently in Lando's schemes, and he seems disinclined to care.  Here, when an old friend turns out being the bounty hunter the Emperor has sent after him (because Lando has inadvertently stolen his pleasure craft), Lando doesn't even consider the danger into which she's putting herself by helping him.  When all three of his accomplices are killed (one at his hand), he barely blinks.  But, it's when Lobot sacrifices himself (or, at least, his personality) to save Lando that Lando faces a crossroads, at last.  Lobot beseeches him to lead, noting Lando's "luck" comes from the people who naturally flock to him.  It recalls "Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" perfectly and, most importantly, shows an evolution that feels natural.  It's a great read; I highly recommend it.

Star Wars #60:  This issue didn't go where I expected it to go.  I thought we were going to see Luke take out Kreel, but instead Tula sends him running to a graveyard...to meet her father.  It turns out Markona had been testing them the entire time.  He saw the Death Star as the Empire's test, and Han, Leia, and Luke's behavior as his guests was the Rebellion's test.  (Apparently, Luke didn't fail Markona's test when he activated the transmitter; he passed it, because it proved he was willing to do what he had to do to advance the cause.)  It's also clear Markona feels guilty for whatever job he did for the Empire that earned him the moon; if I had to guess, it seems like the data he swiped helped build the Death Star.  At any rate, Markona sacrifices himself to delay Scar Squadron while Tula leads the rest of the clan, Sana, and the gang to escape.

Uncanny X-Men Annual #1:  This issue is pretty solid, to be honest.  Brisson does a surprisingly good job of showing how young Cable resurrected Cyclops.  It involves the untold story of Cyclops saving a MIT student from a mad scientist, an obscure "Secret Avengers" issue, and a now-canon scene from "Phoenix Resurrection" #5.  But, you know, it actually works, mostly.  Most importantly, young Cable tests this new Cyclops, forcing him to choose between saving the now-grown MIT student from the now-free mad scientists and helping the X-Men in their confrontation with Nate Grey.  Brisson uses this decision to show how Scott recognizes his actions as a villain were wrong; Scott explains to Nate that he was so distraught over the plight of mutantkind that he couldn't stop himself from using the same tactics their enemies did.  I'm glad to see Marvel putting Scott on the right path.  (He saves the MIT student.)  I mean, don't get me wrong, I was impressed with how carefully they moved him to the villain role over years and years of storytelling.  That storyline was a credit to the fans, where we didn't just have Scott wake up one day as a bad guy.  He made his decisions based on his experiences and embraced the consequences.  But, it's also OK for him to acknowledge that he went too far.  Mostly, I'm just excited it means we're going to have a '90s era feel to the line sometime soon, with the gang all together again.

The Wild Storm #19:  Ellis more or less puts all his cards on the table here, using a variety of characters to explain the background of the Khera's war with the Daemons.  It isn't the most exciting issue as a result of all the exposition, but Ellis does his best to keep us engaged.

We begin with Jenny Sparks explaining her history to Angie, the Doctor, and the Mayor.  She was part of the Skywatch team that settled Mars in 1955.  The original group of settlers died of cancer within the first 18 months, revealing to Skywatch they had to place the colonies underground.  (Jenny notes they should've been underground anyway, given Skywatch's need for secrecy and civilians' ability to use telescopes to see the Martian surface.)  Jenny quits Skywatch where she returns because it was "full of maniacs," something that got worse when Bendix took the reins and believed he could basically terraform the solar system.  ("If Skywatch weren't above being seen, and could really go for it, you could walk around Mars in a breath mask and jacket in fifteen years.")  Jenny notes the treaties between IO and Skywatch kept everything in check, but Angie broke that truce when she used her hybrid IO-Skywatch suit to save Marlowe.  Angie informs the group Marlowe is also a "space alien with his own covert operations team," which eventually leads the Doctor to confront her council.

Before we get there, we get a new version of Midnighter (now African-American) and Apollo (now a brunette).  They're in bed together watching a video of a guy explaining how he saw lights in the sky 30 miles away and then a whole town disappeared.  Midnighter refuses to believe Skywatch is that brazen and supposes Apollo wants to investigate.  But, Apollo observes Midnighter was the one who insisted they didn't go after Skywatch until they were ready.  Of course Apollo then lists all the times Midnighter has gone after Skywatch because he can't "keep it in the holster."  Midnighter reminds Apollo they'd have to investigate at night, which isn't Apollo's strong suit, but Apollo dismisses his concern, saying he can just save up a good solar charge before they go.  (I'm sure we'll get a sexy shot of him sunbathing at some point.)  Midnighter jokingly asks Apollo why he loves him, and Apollo responds that he "blew up a secret experimental station in the middle of nowhere" so he could escape "an evil space empire" for him.

Meanwhile, the Doctor goes to the Hospital and demands to know more about the aliens Angie mentioned.  The Council reluctantly agrees.  They explain that the Khera have five types of species, "highly specialized sibling species in a single society."  Marlowe is Emp, a feudal lord from a species with a serious Napoleon complex.  The Khera travel the Universe looking for a client species to serve as their slaves to "forward escape," or transfer their entire species to a new Universe where maintaining life is easier.  ("This is a cold universe.  There is very little life in it.  It's very hard to stay alive.")  The Council isn't sure how exactly they plan to pull off the "escape," but they assume they need an entire planet of sentient beings, since presumably they would've just used robot slaves if that worked.  Marlowe was surprised when he learned the Daemons were already on Earth.  They also seek to help Earth move past the Gaian Bottleneck, but for more altruistic reasons, to get them to an autonomous culture.  The Khera are apparently unaware of the Daemons' Shaper Engine, the device they use to help a species evolve and survive, namely by creating defense mechanisms like Jenny Sparks.  In-fighting among the Khera as well as Daemon resistance eventually result in a disillusioned Emp scuttling the Khera's vessel and abandoning their mission.  His goal is now more in line with the Daemons', seeking to transform humanity into a companion, not client, species worthy of sharing the Universe with the Khera.  However, the Council warns the Doctor that Marlowe isn't as smart as he thinks, and he probably should've just modified the mission not abandon it.  The Council tells the Doctor she's going to have to serve as a combat medic.

In other words, Ellis connects a lot of dots here, but we still have a lot of questions.  Given the change to his mandate, Emp/Marlowe now more or less agrees with the Daemons, though it's unclear to me if he realizes (or embraces) that.  Moreover, I'm not sure what IO or Skywatch really knows about Marlowe.  IO sent Michael Cray to kill him in the first issue, but we don't know why.  Moreover, how does war between IO and Skywatch complicated Marlowe's and the Daemons' plans for Earth?  Ellis has a lot of ground to cover in the last four issues.

Also Read:  Avengers #13; Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #2; Star Wars:  Beckett #1; Star Wars:  Han Solo - Imperial Cadet #1-#3