New-ish Comics: The May 9 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Batman:  White Knight #8:  Murphy really nails the landing here, making this limited series one of the best "Batman" stories I've read since Snyder's "Black Mirror" run on "Detective Comics."  Batman and the GTO successfully take down Neo-Joker, liberating Clayface (and, as a result, the mind-controlled villains) and getting Mr. Freeze to the cannon in time to reverse its effects.  In the aftermath, Jack carries out his end of the bargain, releasing a video explaining how he controlled the villains and destroyed his own library to turn the city against Batman.  Bruce then confronts Harley, telling her Jack fingered her as the person who manufactured the pills that controlled the Joker as well as maneuvered Batman into administering them.  In fact, Murphy hints Harley had a much larger role in the events of this mini-series than we thought.  Right before he's imprisoned in a new cell (a reward for his cooperation), Jack comments how he "found" the Joker in his old cell.  When Bruce asks Harley what Jack meant by that, Harley (not convincingly) says she doesn't know.  (Did Harley create the Joker?)  Moreover, Bruce doesn't answer her question about why Jack never told her that he knew she was the one responsible for creating the pills.  Given these questions, I could see Murphy returning to this setting soon, like how "Batman:  The Long Halloween" followed "Batman:  Year One."  After all, Jack isn't the only character who evolves here:  Bruce also fulfills his promises.  He turns over the keys to all the Batmobiles to Jim, admitting not only that he was wrong not to allow the GCPD to use them in the first place but also that he enjoys hurting criminals.  He then reveals his identity to Gordon, with the intent to reveal it to the world, saying it's the only thing that'll make them -- but particularly Jim -- trust him again.  Finally, Bruce reads Alfred's note with Barbara and Dick, and Alfred expresses his joy that Bruce has finally embraced them as his family (as Alfred knew he'd have them with him to read the note).  Stories like this one can really reinvigorate a character, and I highly recommend this mini-series to any Batman fan out there.

Darth Vader #16:  This issue is devastating.  As the Inquisitors take out Barr's disciples one by one, Soule and Camuncoli show us the reasons why they were driven to join Barr in the first place.  Soule and Camuncoli do so without editorial restraint, making clear their disdain for Barr's deception in promising them they could defeat the Empire.  Camuncoli and the colorists are masterful in showing the hope the disciples feel as Barr offers them a future, making their deaths all the more poignant as they're eliminated.  Barr has his back against the wall as the issue concludes, left with only one disciple.  But, realizing the troopers accompanying the Inquisitors are clones, he orders them to execute Order 66, turning them against the Inquisitors as well.  It's a brilliant tactic, as Barr increases the odds that he'll take down as many Inquisitors before his death that he can.  But, it still doesn't answer what Barr thought he was doing on Mon Calamari.  He tells one of his disciples his plan now is simply to flee to another planet to sew more rebellion.  Knowing the high cost the Mon Calamari will pay for this rebellion, it's hard to see him as a hero.  Instead, he feels like an angry old man willing to resort to any means necessary to have a measure of revenge, even if it ultimately accomplishes nothing.  In a way, it reminds us why Leia is such a different (and inspirational) character, as she's driven by hope, not hate.

The New Mutants:  Dead Souls #3:  We get right into it here:  the New Mutants are fighting the Mindless Ones in the Morlock tunnels when Prodigy calls for help from on board a crashing airplane.  Illyana manages to teleport them onto the plane, and Prodigy reveals the pilot is trying to kill him because of what they're doing (i.e., whatever Xi'an's plan is).  Guido asks what he means by that, showing that Prodigy is more in-the-know on said plans than the other team members (except, obviously, for Illyana).  The team begins bickering among themselves, likely due to the pilot's telepathic influence (as he's also turning the passengers against them).  In a way, though, their disputes actually make sense; Rosenberg reminds us that Guido murdered Rahne's son, so it raises the question why they're on the same team anyway.  (Illyana apparently helped Guido get back his soul at some point?  I re-read some of my "X-Factor" reviews to refresh my memory of that entire crazy storyline, and it really doesn't make any sense that Rahne is working with Guido without some explanation).  Illyana eventually uses her Darkchilde powers to get into the cockpit (as the pilot was telepathically blocking her mutant powers) and, not surprisingly, we learn Tran is possessing the pilot.  Illyana informs him he's dead, but he exposits he's really just trapped in Xi'an's body.  He also implies Xi'an and the New Mutants aren't necessarily the good guys here.  (Per the above point, Tran is the one who points out how weird it is they're all working together.)  Illyana is surprised to learn from Tran that Xi'an sent someone else after him, and she tells Tran that Xi'an hired her to imprison him in Limbo while Xi'an figured out what she wanted to do with him.  However, Tran claims he's going to save the world from Xi'an.  Tran doesn't seem to be the most reliable narrator here, but it all just got more interesting.

Peter Parker:  The Spectacular Spider-Man #304:  This issue is fascinating for a number of reasons.  First, "our" Peter discovers that Doom's warning about the Time Variance Authority didn't meant they couldn't alter the past; it just meant he couldn't return to his present.  In the new present, "past" Peter is the head of Parker Industries, but he's in a constant state of war with his wife, Gwen, given her support for the Resistance.  The Resistance, you ask?  Right.  Norman eventually leaves prison and builds a second career,  turning the Goblin Serum into a vitamin supplement after he convinced influencers "green is beautiful."  (Brilliant.)  He uses his funds to get Harry elected President and install Dr. Octopus as police commissioner.  (We don't see Harry here, so it's unclear at this point why he'd take Norman's bait, other than possibly the Goblin mania affecting him.)  Gwen sends "our" Peter to meet with the Resistance, i.e., Cap, Dr. Strange, and Riri, but it's grim.  Their only hope is freeing Dr. Doom from prison (after Norman had Harry invade Latveria years earlier).  But, the most fascinating part is JJJ, Jr. confessing to Teresa that this future scares him because it shows he was wrong all these years:  the world is worse without Spider-Man.  When you throw in a Venomized Ben Grimm as the prison's head guard, it's just a great time from start to finish.  I really dislike time-travel stories, but Zdarsky isn't just putting an innovative spin on the trope, but also successfully using it to tease out everyone's personalities.  Beyond JJJ, Jr.'s realization, you've also got the steady heroism of Gwen Stacy and the broken wreck of both Peter Parkers.  "Past" Peter is so afraid of losing someone that he can't live his own life, and "our" Peter realizes his inability to trust anyone puts him in the situations that cost him dearly.  Um, yeah, Peter.  Good job realizing it now.

The Wild Storm:  Michael Cray #7:  Well, I certainly didn't see that coming.  After getting a vision of the future from the gods he worships, Constantine sends for Michael Cray.  Surprised to be invited to meet the man he's supposed to kill, Cray arrives in Constantine's town house with the intent to kill him.  But, Constantine comments on Cray's increased loss of control, something Constantine's agent, Dion, also mentioned when she delivered the invitation.  It results in Michael delaying in killing Constantine long enough for Wonder Woman (Dion is her avatar, I think?) to lasso him.  The entity in Michael's brain was hot for him to kill Constantine, so I wonder if Constantine's going to reveal something about Michael's powers that's inconvenient for the entity.  On a side note, Constantine is also creating free energy for, I believe, Wonder Woman, though I'm not sure why.  Curiouser and curiouser.

Also Read:  Detective Comics #980; Oblivion Song #3; X-Men:  Blue #27; Youngblood #11

Almost-New Comics: The April 4 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Amazing Spider-Man #798:  OMG, this issue is soooo effing good.  Honestly, I’ve been disappointed with Dan Slott for a long time, but I love that he’s going out this way.  Seriously, I can’t imagine a better issue.

Norman is a completely over-the-top threat here -- as he should be -- and Slott hits the right notes at every point to make sure we understand that.  When he threatens the lives of the "Daily Bugle" staff, it’s not an idle threat, as he actually has a bomb connected to the tritium.  (Of course he does.)  When the "Daily Bugle" veterans — Joe, Betty, and Ben — play a game of verbal hot potato to keep him distracted, he sees right through it.  (He seems almost offended.)  But, it’s when he pretends to be impaled (once again) to lull Peter into a false sense of security that Slott and the art team really hit the gas.  Norman Osborn has been with us for 53.75 years (according to Wikipedia), but he enters a whole new phase the minute he laughs that red laugh.  Red Goblin is terrifying in his first interaction with Spider-Man, and you can feel Peter’s blind panic, as he himself calls it, as he struggles to clear his mind and think of a way just to land a punch, let alone defeat him.  (Peter’s initial response to Norman becoming Red Goblin -- a censored “Fuck me” -- felt totally organic.  I felt the same way, Pete.)

Of course, it's all made worse by the fact Norman now knows Peter’s identity.  Slott doesn't sleep on this part, as he shows JJJ, Jr. desperate to free himself from his bonds to save Peter.  In fact, JJJ, Jr. is so desperate I wonder if he isn’t long for this world.  Through JJJ, Jr.'s desperation, Slott shows how deeply JJJ, Jr. cares about Peter and how much he wants to prevent him from suffering the losses he himself has suffered.  But, it's so convincing I'm now worried, and I hope they don’t kill off JJJ, Jr. just as we see him in this new light.

That said, Slott is so convincing you actually sort of wonder whether Peter is going to survive.  In possibly the greatest development of the year, Norman unveils Carnage bombs, extensions of the symbiote that verbally harangue Peter as they fly at him.  One grabs Peter’s leg and explodes, and I wondered if Slott wasn’t going to have Peter lose said leg.  Instead, Slott does one better.  Norman demands Peter stop being Spider-Man or he’ll kill everyone he loves.  Peter agrees, attaching his jersey to a flag pole, and Norman laughs in triumph.  But, Peter vows to take out Norman as Peter Parker.  Slott seems to be building to a moment where Peter redeems himself, at least in his own eyes, as Peter and I can’t think of a better way for Slott to end his run.

But, Slott also has other irons in the fire, as “Emma” incapacitates Harry, Liz, and Mark with tranquilizer darts and grabs the children.  It's still not entirely clear who her employer is, though we're led to believe it's Norman.  Moreover, Slott has shown Normie as extremely jealous of Stanley, and I have to wonder if he'll bond with Stanley through the kidnapping or if Normie will ally himself with “Pop-pop” to disastrous results.  Man, it’s a good time to be alive.

Avengers #687:  “We are all exiles from the divine.”  Jarvis, everybody.  Can the guy give a rallying speech or what?  I totally cried, along with Bruce Banner.  As the rest of the Avengers scramble to try to save Vision and figure out a way to handle Voyager, Jarvis finds a despondent Bruce Banner sitting by himself in a ruined courtyard.  We learn Nadia brought Jarvis to the Mansion because she thought it would help his recuperation, and Jarvis remarks -- mostly to himself -- that she apparently thought they would serve him.  He's clearly not having it (evidenced by his tuxedo and forehead bandage), and his response to a broken Bruce Banner is to serve him tea.  Bruce tells Jarvis he can't face the Avengers, particularly Hawkeye, after what he's done to them, and Jarvis quotes “Paradise Lost,” reminding him the mind can turn heaven into hell and vice versa.  He then succinctly boils down the essence of Avenging in a way no one has:  they are avenging their own crimes and faults.  They all know they aren’t heroes, but they try to be.  Jarvis encourages Bruce to keep trying to be, because it’s the only thing that matters; it’s not the evil he’s capable of doing -- the only thing he sees -- but the good he does (and most importantly, to Jarvis' mind, wants to do).  Man, Jarvis, I really needed to hear that right now.

It’s not just Bruce who gets a pep talk, though.  Lightning is despondent he couldn’t stop the Hulk and save Vision, and Simon’s pacifism here works well.  Lightning is particularly disappointed he wasn’t powerful enough to fight off the Hulk, and Wonder Man reminds him they would’ve kicked out Hawkeye on the first day if it was all about power.  The best part, though, is Simon is poised to dive into the inspirational part of his speech when Quicksilver tells him to be quiet so he can focus.  It’s the perfect snarky Quicksilver moment; in the 70s, he would've made some sort of arch remark about Simon's inane prattling.  But, it's all the better because he’s not wrong: he’s trying to find something whizzing around them.  (It turns out being the “mite” that’s keeping everyone in stasis.)  Emily enters the room at the fuss, and Pietro can’t face her.  But, she tells him he did what he thought was best and she got hurt; it’s the price of heroing.  (I hope at some point we get a deeper dive into Synapse, because she really deserves it.)  At any rate, it's a good thing the Avengers had a minute to regroup, because the Challenger has decided to take out his fury over the Gamemaster's cheating (and likely disappearance, not death) by destroying the board, i.e. Earth!

Batman #44:  I'm not sure how he did it, but King somehow makes Catwoman looking for a wedding dress -- by breaking into a bridal boutique at 3:00 am -- into a perfect character study.

Batman:  White Night #7:  This issue is remarkably solid, as everyone is called on their bullshit in some way.  Jack is forced to admit the drugs are starting to lose their effect, making his confrontation with Neo-Joker all the more precarious as it's unclear if she'll face Jack or the Joker.  Jack holds it together through the confrontation (barely), but she demands he bring back the Joker, dismissing Jack as the "sane man" she was always worried would take the Joker from her.  Jack laments to Harley that he played by the rules to try to prove Gotham didn't need law-breaking vigilantes to save it, but he's still faced with a law-breaking criminal holding it hostage.  Harley brilliantly calls bullshit, reminding him he didn't play by the rules at all:  he used the Mad Hatter's technology to hijack criminals' minds to scare the city into giving him power.  Harley then does what Bruce knew she would do all along:  she sends Jack to Batman.  Bruce agrees to work with him only if he provides a full confession:  he attacked the financial district, destroyed his own library, and created the Neo-Joker (if inadvertently, in the latter case).  Jack agrees, but only if Harley goes free.

Jumping into the Batmobile, Bruce ups the ante:  he asks for the Joker's confession about Robin, but Jack admits he's been fighting the Joker to get that information.  Under pressure from Bruce, he concentrates harder.  (Honestly, this part was the only flaw in the issue.  Jack claims he's been trying to figure out Jason's fate, but he literally just scrunches up his eyes harder here to get it.  It's a minor complaint, but I mention it because Murphy had other options here, like Jack simply confessing.  I'm not sure why he went this way.)  He eventually breaks through the Joker's walls and reveals the Joker tortured Jason to get Bruce's identity, something Jason surrenders at the final moment, saying he wish he'd never heard the name Bruce Wayne.  But, we also learn the Joker let Jason go free, because it was much more damaging to know Bruce would mourn his loss and then eventually learn Jason hated Bruce so much he'd let him think he was dead.  (Jack also tells Bruce he knew he was Batman after discovering Wayne Enterprises funded the Batman Devastation Fund, not taxpayers.)

The pair finally arrive at their destination:  Mr. Freeze reveals the existence of Thomas Wayne's tunnels under Gotham, which the Army used to help Baron von Fries build the weapon.  They return to GCPD, where Bruce provides the GTO with Batmobiles.  Jack struggles to control the Joker as Bruce shows Barbara and Dick a note Alfred wrote for him when he had Freeze save Bruce instead of him.  He tells them he can't read Alfred's last words to him yet, and he confesses the note he'd write the kids would tell them how he was no longer motivated by avenging his parents' deaths, but making Gotham a safer place so they could take off their masks.  They hug him, and, honestly, it's the moment for me.  It's one of the few explanations of his motivations at this point in his career that have ever made sense to me.  I hope someone adopts it into mainstream comics.  As everyone heads to war, Gordon tries to apologize to Bruce for arresting him, but Bruce won't have it:  he not only tells him he was right to do so -- that it all had gone too far -- but that he planned on revealing his identity once the caper is done.  (I assume that means he's going to die before that happens.)  He and Jack then head into the tunnels to find Harley as Jack, riding with Bruce, loses control for the final time.

Marvel 2-in-One #5:  Making it clear this title is leading to a reboot of the "Fantastic Four," Zdarsky does a great job using the alternate versions of them to make us hungry for the real thing.  Ben and Johnny learn Doom saving Earth as Galactus so broke this Universe's Reed Richards that he's done nothing to find a way to stop him, focusing instead of improving people's lives during the time they have left.  However, he comes to his senses when Ben and Johnny join this Earth's heroes in fighting Doom's legion of Doombot heralds.  The return of at least half of the Fantastic Four rallies the heroes, and Johnny saves Reed from one of the heralds.  However, Johnny's power misfires right then, and Reed saves him as he plummets to Earth.  Reed now realizes he has to do something.  Surprising no one, Doom from our Universe appears, having hitchhiked with Ben, Johnny, and Rachna.  Reed is momentarily distracted when learning of Ben and Johnny's plight, discussing his theory all metahuman powers come from a universal power source but admitting he never thought about an interpersonal one.  He starts to offer to help, but our Doom, offering his assistance, wisely keeps him focused on the task.  Ben and Johnny are sent to a farm where the Silver Surfer -- now human -- lives with Emma Frost.  We've heard a number of whispers about the terrible fate of this Universe's Johnny Storm, and Emma and Norrin's shocked reaction at seeing him shows how terrible it must have been.  At this stage, all we know come from Emma, who comments on how much Johnny and Norrin suffered.  That doesn't sound good.

The New Mutants:  Dead Souls #2:  Rosenberg does a solid job teasing out the team dynamics here, as Julio takes Boomer and Tabitha to brunch (with Shatterstar!) to ask them if they trust Magik.  Of course, she appears with Strong Guy right behind him as he admits he doesn't trust her and whisks them all (minus Shatterstar) to October Revolution Island off the coast of Russia.  They quickly find themselves in battle with a frost giant, and Julio takes charge in getting the team to flee to safety after Magik refuses to acknowledge they're overpowered.  They make their way into tunnels beneath the surface and discover researchers were digging for an old Norse battle whose participants were frozen in time.  The team finds one of the researchers alive, and we learn someone named Tran was interested in his research on the battle.  Dun-dun-DUN!  After that, he remembers nothing else, including the fact his excavation released the aforementioned frost giant.  Magik teleports Boomer into the giant's belly to destroy him, but it doesn't really resolve the situation.  Rahne tries to talk some sense into her about her erratic leadership, but it goes to a point Rictor previously made at brunch, when he wondered aloud why Magik (and not Dani) is running the team and why Shan hired them in the first place.  (In fact, other than the obvious Tran connection, I'm not sure what the ruse was to get the team to come to October Revolution Island in the first place.  Did Shan pretend her company owned something here?  I'm not sure if Rosenberg ever established that.)  The issue ends continuing the B story from last issue, with some kids in Connecticut daring an alleged mutant their age to prove he's not a mutant by approaching the Alone Man's house.  It turns out the Alone Man is...Warlock!

Spider-Man #239:  It's hard to believe we're where Bendis wants us to be for his finale on this title, but it is what it is.  If you put aside the pressure of next issue, it's actually pretty solid.  Aaron comes very close to successfully delivering the helicarrier to Lucia van Bardas, but he underestimates Miles.  Bendis shows us Miles learning about a safe Aaron kept in his closet a decade ago, and he breaks into said safe in the present, looking for clues.  He finds Aaron's burner phone and, searching through its history, finds out where he's going.  Miles arrives with the Champions, and a pretty great battle ensues.  However, von Bardas acts like an actual villain, ordering her men to open fire on Aaron and Miles as they fight.  Miles told his uncle he was trying to save him, because he believes he's better than a thief.  The front cover of this issue implies next issue Aaron will die, but I'm not so sure.  Also, Ganke's girlfriend gives him some sort of note, but we don't know what it says.  I have no idea how Bendis is going to wrap up all these threads, but we'll see.  (All that said, Miles comparing himself to Batman was great.)

Star Wars #46:  Man, this issue is awesome.  The plot is tight, as the team successfully executes its plan to swipe the Moff and use his bio-signature, with the codes Trios stole for them, to enter the prison where they're keeping Lee-Char.  But, it's all the little moments of characterization that make it a thrilling issue, from Han not passing up a chance to profit (even when posing as a bathroom attendant) to Threepio's anxiety (and titillation) when Leia leaves him in charge of making sure the shape-shifter stays in character as the Moff.  The Moff's shock the Rebels were able to get their hands on such sensitive codes furthers the sense the Empire is going to quickly realize Trios is the weak link.  Dissecting it further would be a disservice, so I really just recommend giving it a read.

X-Men:  Gold #25:  Guggenheim's storytelling can feel random at times, and this issue is a great example of that problem.  "Iceman" #11 promised Bobby a shot at leading a team of X-Men, and this arc was supposed to fulfill that promise, as Kitty and her team were trapped in prison.  But, it doesn't happen that way.  As Scythian attacks Paris, Bobby and his team head over there, while Kitty's team laments their imprisonment.  That part makes sense.  But, then, Storm breaks from her confinement, because apparently the mutant-canceling technology isn't all that good if you're really, really mad.  She threatens the warden into releasing them, as if the warden actually had the power to decide that.  They arrive in Paris thanks to Magik, and Kitty just simply takes over giving orders; we don't even see Bobby for several panels, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't get in a word edgewise after Kitty's arrival.  Also, Storm's distress in imprisonment summons Stormcaster, an Asgardian weapon I vaguely remember her using in the day.  However, everyone stresses how even an amped-up Storm can't put a dent in Scythian, so the plan is merely to distract him until Magik can send him to Limbo.  But, then Kitty slams the Blackbird into him and that apparently does the trick?  Yeah, I don't know.  It's Guggenheim, so what can you do?  Also, the X-Men's actions in Paris not only mean that the NYPD apparently just forgives them for assaulting its cops but the Senate majority leaders says the deportation act is stalled.  Hurrah!  Cigars for everyone!  Honestly, I could've dealt with a little less Stormcaster, a little more sense here.

Also Read:  Astonishing X-Men #10; Nightwing #42

Not-So-New Comics: The March 7 DC and Valiant Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Batman #42:  I mentioned an issue or two ago I'd like to see King next turn to an old-fashioned story focused on Bruce as a detective after the last several issues focused on Bruce and Selina's relationship.  I'm glad to say he does exactly that here.  Janín does a great job establishing the mood on the first page, with an Ivy-controlled Superman hovering menacingly over Wayne Manor.  (It reminds me of the awesome splash page from last week's "Peter Parker:  The Spectacular Spider-Man" #300, as Peter is poised over the Tinkerer with the car.)  Bruce and Selina decide to go for a drive to Batburger, where they each have burgers.  (I'm not sure if they Jokerize their fries.  Notably, Batman eats hamburgers with his hands, even if Bruce doesn't.)  They then (seemingly randomly) stop by a suburban house to ask if a mysterious "he" is home.  Ivy warns Bruce she told him to stay home, but we learn Bruce has a method to his madness (obviously).  The trip to Batburger confirmed Ivy's controlling everyone through the food they eat after he noticed they were still serving lettuce, onions, and tomatoes on the burgers.  (Leave it to Bruce -- and King -- to use Batburger to prove his theory.)  It's doubly confirmed when he realizes Ivy has kidnapped a boy (the mysterious "he") the Wayne Foundation had been helping who couldn't eat vegetables (since she obviously couldn't control him).  He taunts Ivy for killing him, and she has Superman kill him in a rage.  Later, she confirms to Selina she had someone resurrect Bruce, and Selina observes she doesn't think Ivy is acting on her own.  Ivy does seem almost stoned, acknowledging she killed people during the War of Jokes and Riddles but asserts she's acting on her own now.  Meanwhile, Bruce awakens to Harley standing over him, and he confirms he wanted exactly that.  After Ivy sent Superman after him when she needed power and Flash when she needed speed, he'd figure she'd send someone with four degrees in neurology to heal him.  Why does he need Harley?  I guess we'll see.  After last issue's decidedly slow pace, this issue sings, unveiling some mysteries and adding new ones.

Batman:  White Knight #6:  The pivotal moment in this series comes, as Jack gets what he wants and then realizes maybe he didn't want it in the first place.  With the destructive car chase from last issue fresh in his mind, Gordon wants Batman's identity so they can end his threat to the city once and for all.  Babs and Dick balk at the demand, but Dick agrees to help them arrest Bruce so long as his identity remains a secret.  (After all, it's Batman who committed the crimes.)  Napier agrees to Dick's terms, but Babs is appalled Dick and the GTO refuse to give Batman a second chance when a supposedly reformed Joker is the one giving them orders.  Dick and the GTO then successfully trap Bruce by using a brilliant light to blind him while driving the Batmobile, and it's Napier who puts down a still-dazed Batman.  Napier ponders the moment, something he'd been waiting decades to happen.  His hunch that it's too much is confirmed when Neo-Joker freezes Gotham with a weapon Mr. Freeze's father built under the German Embassy.  (Unless Gotham is suddenly the capital of the United States, I'd just like to point out it would be a Consulate, not an Embassy.)  Meanwhile, Babs gets the full story about the weapon from Fries:  Thomas Wayne ran a program for the U.S. government that convinced Nazi scientists to share their inventions with the United States.  Thomas only wanted to use Fries père's innovations for medical applications, but the military fired him, preferring for Fries to build devices for military purposes.  Babs realizes Freeze knows Bruce's identity, and he said he'd keep it safe to honor Thomas' memory, as he was like a father to him.  With Batman "safely" in Arkham, Napier is left to face Neo-Joker on his own.  He's downing pill after pill to keep down the Joker as Harley begs him to ask Batman for help, telling him he's over his head.  But, in the end, the Joker reemerges.  In other words, it's going to be a hot time in Gotham next issue!

The Wild Storm #12:  Halfway through this series, Ellis definitely moves to the next phase here.  IO successfully hacks into the Skywatch systems to steal information, but is taken off guard when the Wild C.A.T.s take out its Hightower site at the same time.  They're forced to accept the total loss of whatever it was the Hightower folks were doing (I'm not sure they know) since the only way to stop the attack is to shut down IO's systems and they can't do that while they're hacking into Skywatch.  Meanwhile, Lucy's monitoring of Mitch's phone means she heard Jackie announce to Miles they were going to do something to Skywatch they weren't supposed to do, allowing Bendix to put two and two together and realize they're behind the "North Korean bots" attack.  Miles orders Jackie to scour through the information they've downloaded as quickly as possible until they can find something he can use to fend off a revenge attack from Bendix, but Jackie warns him she thinks they're already at war.  Indeed.  Meanwhile, Lucy follows Bendix's orders and kills Mitch, something IO is unlikely not to notice.  Also, someone who looks like Sam Elliot and who I'm assuming is Lynch given he has a wonky eye arrives to his snow-covered cabin in the woods with a dead wolf to receive a message saying "Index file received."  Good times.

Also Read:  Bloodshot Salvation #7; Nightwing #40

Not-So-New Comics: The January 3 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

All-New Guardians of the Galaxy #150:  To overuse an expression, this issue doesn’t really represent an end, but a beginning. The Guardians and Nova Corps make short work of the invading Raptors.  Scott realizes they can see the Raptor's enormous ship through its force field, meaning light can penetrate it.  He manages to hitch a ride on a photon and then embiggen, wrecking the ship.  However, it's not all a win.  Peter’s inability to keep his mouth shut means several Corps members who weren’t exactly all that committed to the cause overheard him talking about the Power Stone to Rich.  They subsequently get out word to their various bookies, bosses, and masters.  Oblivious to this development, Peter drops off Drax at the planet where the Power Stone is located after Drax decides to quit the team (since he keeps accidentally killing people, as he did during the fight on the ship).  Afterward, the team plans on making its way to Telferina to take on the Gardener and his mad Groots.  (Gamora wanted to go after the Stones, but she lost that argument.)  The most significant development is Adam Warlock’s resurrection, as he busts free of a cocoon to find himself face-to-face with Kang!  Dun-dun-DUN!  Duggan has made it clear this story is the beginning of a much larger arc, likely leading to an Infinity Stone-related cross-over event this summer or fall.  I’m OK with that in theory, but he’s still got to dance this dance well.  Any long-time reader of Marvel Comics has been down this seemingly infinite (heh) road many, many times before.  It’s going to be a challenge to make it feel new, but we'll see what Duggan's got.

Astonishing X-Men #7:  Soule makes it clear a lot is going on here.  First, Xavier isn’t exactly Xavier.  He asks the team not even to call him that, preferring “X.”  He speaks as if he’s as young as his body, raising the question whether he’s really in control here or if he’s somehow blended with Fantomex’s mind.  To this point, Psylocke visits Fantomex in the Astral Plane to make sure he made this decision voluntarily.  He concedes Psylocke’s concern that X might've coerced him into doing it, but he also feels happy with the outcome, something Psylocke has to concede to X when she returns.  Soule drops several hints it's not that easy, though.  For example, Psylocke remarks to Fantomex that her Xavier wouldn’t coerce Fantomex into accepting his (X’s) proposal, but here X makes everyone in the British special-forces command room forget all about the Shadow King’s attack.  (Is X maybe more of a blend of the Shadow King and Xavier, rather than Fantomex and Xavier?  That said, I question Psylocke's certainty that "her" Xavier was so morally upstanding.)  X says erasing their memories is one of his “gifts.”  He delivers another "gift" when he draws the negative energy the Shadow King spread through London into one giant ball. (X apparently has gifts for everyone, like giving Warren control over his Archangel persona just like that.  By the way, Warren saved London when he successfully re-directed the missile the special-forces folks fired at it, giving X the chance to draw together the negative energy.)  The resulting energy ball is so huge Bishop searches his end-of-days database, which informs him the “green sun” over London presages the “Mindkiller Apocalypse,” which sterilizes 97 percent of the Earths in the multiverse where it appeared. We learn how that likely happens when X tries to disperse the ball, but it explodes instead, revealing Proteus has returnUIKeyInputDownArrowed with X. Bad move, X.

Batman #38:  Wow.  After firmly establishing Bruce’s relationship with Selena, King turns his focus to more typical storylines.  Of course, I mean “typical” in the “Batman” context as “disturbing.”  Here, we’re treated to a mentally ill pre-teen who has his butler kill his parents so he can become the next Bruce Wayne.  Yeah.  But, the most interesting part of the issue is King using the crime as a way to show how Selena accepts Bruce completely for who he is:  she sleeps through him waking up one night talking his way through the crime, she barely notices him swiftly leaving dinner after he realizes the pre-teen did it, etc.  In other words, King continues making the argument they’re in it for the long haul, these two, because they understand each other so well.

Batman:  White Knight #4:  The best line in this issue is one of the best lines of the year.  When a female African-American news anchor notes Napier’s social-media war on Gotham elites is working, her white male partner asks disillusionedly whether Batman is supposed to tweet back.  This exchange is insightful, because it helps advance the narrative Murphy is pushing, namely Bruce doesn’t know how to change with the times.  The main tension of the issue comes from Duke, here a former cop and community organizer in Backport, endorsing Napier for city council, embracing him as Backport’s white knight.  But, the real development is Jack convincing Gordon to embrace his plan:  getting Batgirl and Nightwing to join the Gotham Terror Oppression (GTO) unit, where they share their technology with the GCPD and join an elite task force of vigilantes and cops to take out super-crime.  Napier gets Gordon by noting the $3 billion a year going to the Batman Devastation Fund could’ve been buying the GCPD the equipment it needed if Batman had only shared his technology.  It’s a compelling argument, and it continues to isolate Bruce.  Not only does he not tweet, but his megalomania is being more directly exposed; it’s clear he wants to be in total control, even if it means GCPD lives.  Murphy also ups the pressure on Jack, too:  Other Harley turns herself into the Neo-Joker, getting the Mad Hatter (I think) to re-hack his control bands, instantly providing her with an army.  (I have to say, the only weakness I see here is how Napier took his eyes off the Hatter.  Given his control of the super-criminals relied on controlling the control bands, it seems an unforgivable mistake.)  It seems pretty clear we're building to, as they say, an "explosive conclusion."

(Update:  After posting this review, I re-read “Batman:  White Knight” #3, where Neo-Joker frees Mad Hatter.  I still don’t entirely understand how Harley found Hatter or, as I mention here, why it took so long for Jack and Harley to realize he and the super-villains were gone.)

Phoenix Resurrection:  The Return of Jean Grey #2:  Rosenberg spends most of this issue on Waitress Jean, revealing her world is populated by dead people, such as Jamie Madrox, Thunderbird, Annie (presumably her friend who died), and, as we saw last issue, Sean Cassidy and Scott.  We learn she's been suffering from bad dreams, including one where she died on the moon.  Meanwhile, on Earth, Kitty reveals all their psychics are either missing or incapacitated.  The only one left standing is Cable, but he's also taken off the board when he tries to use Cerebro to find the Phoenix.  However, he glimpsed some coordinates before the feedback rendered him unconscious.  Kitty sends Beast and Jubilee with teams to hunt down the psychics while she, Old Man Logan, Dazzler, Rogue, and Bobby lead their own teams to track down the Phoenix.  It all gets interesting when these storylines collide.  In Waitress Jean's world, Magneto appears in her diner.  Unless you count his disappearance from the timestream in "X-Men Blue" as him "dying," it means his presence in Waitress Jean's reality is an anomaly.  Rosenberg draws a line under that when he has an earlier version of Magneto confront Bobby's team.  During the fight, the team hears him ordering a cup of tea (clearly at the diner).  Rosenberg shows how these realities are blending together, at least in some way.  The issue ends with Magneto reappearing at the diner (after concluding the fight with Bobby's team) and asking Jean if she feels better.  She says she does as she sees an image of the Phoenix burning the town around her.

Spider-Man #236:  First things first:  when did Miles get glow-y webs that incapacitate people?  I've been reading this series for a while, and I do not remember glow-y webs that incapacitate people.  Venom blast?   Yes.  Glow-y webs?  No.  Beyond that problem, this issue is mostly solid, as Bendis is bringing a number of pots to a boil.  Ganke inadvertently reveals Miles' name to the Spider-Man fan he's dating, and Miles is shocked to discover his Uncle Aaron is still alive.  But, it's still hard to tell where Bendis is going with it all.  For months now he's been implying Miles is going to give up being Spider-Man and, if he's going to have that happen on his watch, he only has four issues left to do so.  Right now, it's hard to see how he's going to wrap up all the loose ends out there.  Beyond the ones I just mentioned, we also still have the status of Miles' parents' relationship and the reformed Sinister Six's now-numerous plots to steal the Helicarrier.  Bendis isn't the strongest at these sorts of complicated stories, and it seems a monumental task for even someone like Peter David or Nick Spencer to stick this landing.  We'll see how it goes.

Star Wars #41:  Jesus, everything goes to hell in this issue.  But, we learn lessons!  Luke and Chulco go to the Temple of the Central Isotoper at the edge of the blast crater, and the priests have them stare into the Abyss and meditate.  Luke realizes he's so desperate to understand the Force and the Jedi that he's risking his soul by walking down the path without a guide.  However, Chulco fails to learn that lesson:  he proverbially falls into the Abyss and to the Dark Side.  He attacks Luke, who is forced to stab him with his lightsaber.  Chulco awakens from his mania in time to warn Luke of the strength of the Dark Side and then dies.  Meanwhile, Ubin engages in a suicide mission to try to take out the Leviathan (the "Continent-class crawler" the Imperials deployed last issue).  She fails, but Benthic told Han and Leia about her plan so they're able to rescue her.  (Han delivers possibly the best line of this series:  "I'll tell you how we save the galaxy!  We don't all die before we save the galaxy!")  Meanwhile, Chewie and his shipmate arrive in Jedha space, only to fail to pass through the quarantine.  The Imperials open fire, and Luke arrives just in time to save them, thanks from a tip from the Central Isotoper priests who heard the ship's distress signal.  They arrive at the base, where Chewie gets medical treatment and Leia reveals he secured an item for Shu-Tron that could save the day.  I have to say, Gillen is really killing it here.  This entire story has been a joy not just because "Rogue One" is probably my favorite "Star Wars" movie, but also because he's really forcing these characters into difficult positions, even for them.  I mean, Luke is forced to finally learn an actual lesson and not whine about it.  Who would've thought it?

Also Read:  Captain America #697, Hawkeye #14, Iceman #9, Jean Grey #8-#10, Nightwing #36, X-Men:  Gold #19

Not-So-New Comics: The November 1 DC Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Batman #34:  OMG, this issue is the best issue ever.  I’m almost loathe to review it, because it feels like ruining it’s magic (the second time, I believe, I’ve said that about one of King’s issues).  It just has all sorts of amazing moments between Bruce and Selena, where her personality in particular shines like a diamond.  It reminds you why he’s attracted to her, why she’s a challenge for him.  She seems to treat Talia as simply a rival for Bruce's affection in her banter, but King makes it clear she understands the threat Talia poses perfectly well.  Moreover, Bruce’s detective work is spectacular as he deduces the gunless, tongueless ninjas Talia sent after them were just there to tire them.  We're also treated to more excellent Dick and Damian interactions, with Damian actually thanking “Richard” for coming with him, and Dick telling him he’s with him all the way to the end.  (I think I have some sand in my eye.)  King's Damian is just a damn treat:  he tells Superman (who prevents him and Dick from entering Khadym) he’d simply sell his soul to a demon (“blah blah blah”) and use magic to kill him instead of kryptonite like everyone else tries. Supes wisely tells him he believes him, but also that Jon probably wouldn’t want to go adventuring with him anymore.  In other words, this issue is a tour de force of characterization and everyone should read it right now.  #issueoftheyear

Batman:  The Devastator #1:  These tie-in issues have really been much, much better than I expected them to be, and this one is no different.  Like the other authors, Tieri makes this Batman’s pain palpable, and he had a rougher road than pretty much all the others:  he had to turn himself into Doomsday to take out a crazed Superman.  He talks about the moment as building a wall of bone around his heart so he could do what he never thought he would have to do, and Tieri does a great job of reminding us how hard it is for Bruce to trust someone in the first place.  Unlike the other issues, though, this one is also directly related to the main plot, as Barbatos has this Batman steal the tuning fork from the Fortress of Solitude and place it on the mountain in Gotham.  It seems pretty clear it’s going to interact with the battery Superman is powering in the Dark Dimension (per "Dark Nights:  Metal" #3), and that doesn’t seem to bode well for our gang.

Batman:  White Knight #2:  Murphy really is telling a sprawling (in the best way) story here, as Jack tries to stay on track in his push to save Gotham.  Hilariously, we learn cheerleader Harley replaced original Harley at some point without Joker noticing.  This revelation comes as cheerleader Harley refuses his proposal (because she loved him for the chaos), and original Harley knocks her on her ass and accepts the proposal (because she loved him for him, but left him after she realized he loved Batman more than anyone or anything.)  It’s remarkably clever, not just as a joke but as a sign of how completely demented Joker had become.  Original Harley (or Harleen) also serves the role of psychiatrist for us, explaining the pills are working because Jack has a chemical imbalance that exacerbates the personality traits that made him the Joker in the first place.  It means all those traits are still there, and Murphy makes it clear Joker is stalking Jack every step of the way.  All that said, perhaps the most intriguing part is the revelation that the fate of Jason Todd is unclear.  In the past, Harleen fled to Batman as Joker was beating Jason to death, but, when they arrived on the scene, Jason was gone.  If I had to guess, Jason will return, revealing he left because he couldn’t stand the violence any more.  That would strike a blow to Bruce.  Murphy also does a great job of showing Bruce rattled as one of his peers admits he (and pretty much everyone else) has used Batman’s war on crime to rake in profits (in this guy's case, flipping real estate in the poor neighborhoods where Batman is active).  Murphy showing Jack/Joker as a hero of the 99% is particularly topical, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t see the themes he develops here appear in the mainstream Bat-books soon.

Also Read:  Justice League #32; Nightwing #32

Not-So-New Comics: The October 4 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Astonishing X-Men #4:  Detrimental to the story Soule is trying to tell, I’m not really sure what the criteria are for someone falling under the sway of Shadow King vice someone getting “saved” by Professor X.  Here, Fantomex, Gambit, Mystique, and Rogue all seem to embrace their hearts’ fondest desires, but it's Gambit who the Shadow King winds up possessing; Professor X is able to whisk away the other three.  It might seem nitpicky, but the whole point of this arc is Professor X and the Shadow King are playing chess for the X-Men's lives:  it would help if we understood the rules.  (It all feels more like checkers to me.)  But, we get a shirtless Angel with some chest hair here, so I’m not complaining all that much.

Avengers #672:  I stopped reading Waid’s run on this title because everyone was acting like assholes, and I have to say it’s unfortunately still true.  For a guy who just inspired Earth's mightiest heroes to unite against HYDRA, Falcon is a full-on jerk here, overruling Kamala like she’s a cadet Avenger.  Presumably at the end of this cross-over story everyone is going to learn something about respecting each other’s differences and seeing them as strengths, but it just makes me roll my eyes.  I'm intrigued a new satellite orbiting the Sun proved Counter-Earth doesn’t exist but also revealed a rift that belches a meteorite filled with an angry-looking bull dude at Earth.  You don’t see that every day.

Batman #32:  I really didn't like this story.  I mean, it says something when said story involves an artist as capable as Janín drawing Bruce in his tiny, tiny underwear all the damn time.  But, putting aside all the baggage, King delivers as close to a decent resolution as I could've imagined here.  First, Riddler reveals he engineered the entire war with Joker to get him to laugh.  It was the only interesting riddle left for him:  how do you make a Joker who doesn't laugh anymore laugh?  The answer was to create a foil like Kite Man and have him be the reason Riddler lost their war.  But, Joker doesn't laugh at this revelation, to Riddler's fury.  I loved the moment where Batman tries to interrupt Riddler's tirade and Riddler rebuffs him, telling him every story isn't about him.  (He also says they all don't kill him because he's fun, and it's probably as good of an answer to that existential question as I've heard.)  We now finally learn Bruce's deep dark secret:  he tried to kill Riddler in that moment.  He was so appalled Riddler callously killed Kite Man's son, whose last words to his father Bruce overheard, he couldn't take it anymore.  However, Joker stops the blade with his hand and finally laughs again.  Bruce is obsessed over this moment:  he tells Selena Joker "made" him because he "allowed" him (Batman) to be the guy on the right side of the line.  He asks Joker about it in Arkham and Joker tells him he'll understand why he did what he did when he understands the difference between a riddle and a joke (a confounding theme of this arc).  It's here where Selena shines and reminds us why Bruce loves her in the first place.  She tells him the answer:  who cares?  It's also her answer to Bruce's question if she can love him even though he tried to kill Riddler:  who cares?  Selena quite rightfully states that we're all the sum of our baggage.  If Joker made Batman, does it matter?  Is that all he really is?  This moment produces the single best page of the series since the two of them had sex under a starry night:  Selena has Bruce ask her to marry him again, but as a question and not a demand.  He asks.  She says yes.  I admit, I felt like a crowbar would immediately go through her, but hopefully the writers all do the unexpected and have them live happily ever after.  That would be something novel.

Batman:  White Knight #1:  Murphy does a solid job of selling us on a reformed Joker ready to take on Batman.  He has to use some sleights of hand to get there, but they mostly work.  He’s successful in doing so because everyone here is easily recognized.  Sure, Batman’s a little more violent than he is in “our” Universe, but we’ve seen him behave that way before.  As such, you can reasonably believe the set-up that starts the issue, of a careless and distant Batman single-mindedly pursuing Joker while Batgirl and Nightwing try to limit his impact on civilians.  The hand-waving part comes in the form of the pills Joker has Batman administer to him to “cure” him.  Here, Murphy is playing both sides.  On one hand, Joker seems pretty sane before he takes the pills.  He rails against Batman’s claim he doesn’t matter by stressing he only ever gave Bruce what he could handle.  In other words, he could’ve razed Gotham to the ground if he had wanted to do so, but he didn’t because he was really in it for the game.  The “cured” Jack Napier also echoes that sentiment.  He said he turned to crime from comedy because Gotham was a city so traumatized it couldn’t laugh; he had to start killing people to get a rise from it.  This continuity of thinking raises the question what exactly the pills cured.  The Joker we get here doesn’t seem like he’s suffering from a mental illness; he just seems like a guy whose moral code is different from everyone else’s.  Murphy might still reveal exactly that, so I’m not rushing to judgment.  After all, Napier’s first action is to sue Batman and Gotham for the disproportionate attack on him:  he stole a scooter, and, in chasing him, Batman drove a tank over rooftops, injured three construction workers as he blew past them, and knocked down the guard standing outside the factory where the pills were manufactured.  He then beat Joker senseless and administered the pills until Joker couldn’t breathe.  This lawsuit leaves the impression everything happening here is happening as part of a larger scheme; Joker might not be “cured” so much as playing a long game.  I’m definitely intrigued.

Darth Vader #6:  The Jedi at the end of this issue is so peaceful looking that I find myself wanting to cancel this series immediately.  After all, we’re about to watch Darth Vader and the Emperor’s Inquisitors stomp across the galaxy killing any Jedi who escaped their purge.  Soule and Camuncoli use this final image - of a Jedi petting her pet while sipping tea - as not only a sign of things to come but as a reminder of how completely Vader has embraced the Dark Side if he's willing to ruin this peace.

Hawkeye #11:  It’s rare for me to be 11 issues into a mystery and not feel confused.  Usually, I’m re-reading half the issues to try to remember all the breadcrumbs the writer left along the way.  But, Thompson has done a bang-up job of weaving enough clues into each issue that you remember where we’ve been and where we’re going.  As a result, Kate’s maturing in this issue feels hard won.  Thompson has revealed her father and Masque’s plans slowly but surely, even making sure to highlight areas where we’re not sure what the truth is, like whether Aggregate self-destructed or Masque detonated him lest he reveal his connection to her.  When Kate tears down her bulletin board and only tapes up the word, “Mom,” it isn’t cleaning the slate; it’s a sign we’ve moved onto the next chapter.

Iceman #6:  Grace almost went too far here with Judah, Bobby's love interest.  First, they meet cute.  Bobby and the Champions have assembled in Los Angeles to mourn Natasha, and this trip down memory lane leads Bobby to worry he's always just "trying stuff on to see what fits."  He returns to the college where Professor X sent him to get his accounting degree, and he buys some self-help books.  This part is fine.  In fact, Bobby's text conversation with Kitty revealing these concerns is really well scripted; it's a clever way to drag this information from Bobby "I don't talk about my feelings" Drake.  (This characteristic is a theme of the issue, with Bobby realizing a woman was building a Sentinel in her backyard just as Warren was trying to have a heart-to-heart conversation with him.)  At any rate, Bobby is reading his "Born to Gay" book on line to buy a new pair of sneakers, where he meets Judah.  (Bobby is into sneakers, apparently.  He also apparently wears size 12s.)  As Bobby said, Judah spouts the sort of cheesy lines Bobby would, and it pushes the boundaries of believability:  it's like watching a poorly written "Will and Grace" episode.  (He tells Bobby he can teach him more about being gay than a book (sigh) and invites Bobby to a WeHo bar that night.  Here, we go from poorly written "Will and Grace" to even worse written "Queer as Folk.")  But, Grace pulls out a win when he has Judah kiss Bobby on a dance floor and then admit he's tired of the teacher/student shtick.  He tells Bobby he only goes to a bar twice a year, and he invites him to his place to talk.  But, as usual, Bobby has to X-Man as the aforementioned Sentinels attack.  (The woman building the Sentinels is trying to go from building weapons for super-villains to running her own prop company.  Bobby and Warren's appearance in her backyard earlier that day inspired her to have the Sentinels attack the X-Men to drum up business.)  Initially, I felt like Grace was moving Bobby too fast here.  Most of us don't have a remarkably handsome guy pluck us off the streets of Los Angeles and usher us into gay life in a West Hollywood club.  But, as Judah himself says, most of us don't have Bobby's arms.  That said, the more I thought about it, the more similar it was to my own story.  You just have a moment where you throw on your light and get out there, making stuff happen.  See, I was all cynical until I realized Grace really knew what he was doing here.  Grace and Thompson on "Hawkeye" are really working on making Bobby and Kate Peter Parker's heirs, focusing as much, if not more, on their personal lives as their superheroing.  I'd really be quite happy for Bobby to stay in Los Angeles, and I can't wait to see where we go from here.

Nightwing #30:  I get why Raptor decided to announce his presence in Blüdhaven by attacking a Paul Ryan analogue.  After all, Dick would quickly put two and two together when someone attacked a blue-blood politician making a name for himself by cutting health-care benefits for the poor.  (That said, Higgins should leave the politics to Spencer.)  I don’t get why (or even if) Raptor involved the Kobra Lanceheads, since they’re apparently a chaos cult seeking to sow discord.  Blüdhaven politics seems a little...specific for them.  Dick is confused, too, though, so I get the sense Higgins will get there.  But, I don’t understand what the point of Raptor revealing himself to Dick is or why, as Dick himself wonders, he’s suddenly willing to risk the lives of blue-collar workers.  (Sure, he knew Dick would save the waitress he slung over the balcony to buy him time to escape, but, as Dick says, the Raptor we've previously seen wouldn’t risk it.  He’s usually so confident he wouldn’t need an escape; he’d just beat Dick silly and leave.  Why the ruse?)  I also don’t understand why the Run-Offs are wearing their super-villain costumes for their group meeting about not being super-villains.  I really don’t understand why Dick tells himself he can’t endanger his friends in trying to find Raptor when, in reality, his friends (including Detective Svoboda) rejected him.  Whatever.  Hopefully we'll just wrap up this arc soon.

Spider-Man #21:  Huh.  It turns out Cable, not Jefferson, gave Miles the suit.  Apparently Cable is a spy now?  He seems to be starting his own agency to fill the hole S.H.I.E.L.D. left.  I guess it's cool, but it feels forced to me. In fact, it feels like Bendis had an extended stay in Japan planned for Miles, but he was forced to cut it short because of the Legacy re-launch.  Tomoe was an interesting character, and she seemed to have a vision for her relationship with Miles.  Bendis made it clear Miles was also intrigued as he uses flashbacks to show how Miles' Uncle Aaron taught him not to lie to girls.  But, Miles somehow knows Tomoe is queen of the Japanese underworld, despite the fact I'm not entirely sure how he knows that.  OK, the underground casino is probably a solid hint, but a lot of people who aren't queens of the Japanese underworld run underground casinos.  Miles eventually calls his father and discovers Jefferson didn't give him a tuxedo.  Somehow, he winds up finding himself in conflict with Tomoe, who declares he can't leave the building alive.  It's all very...sudden.

Star Wars #37:  Based on Gillen's name appearing on the cover for next issue, this issue appears to be the last one for Jason Aaron, and he doesn't waste it.  He somehow manages to tour his greatest hits, reminding us just how brutal this galaxy far, far away really was.  It's one of the few times I'm sad we don't get a valedictory letter from a departing author, because I'd love to get Aaron's thoughts on his run.  But, I guess his work speaks for itself, really.  He reminds us how dedicated both sides are as Kreel and his men seek to redeem themselves in Vader's eyes by destroying a Rebel outpost on Horox III.  Kreel is fanatical in his devotion to the cause, a fanaticism stoked not only by enjoying the faith Vader shows in him by allowing him to keep his lightsaber but also by finding himself in the Emperor's presence when he comes to speak with Vader.  We get an amazing sequence where he's basically the Empire's own action hero as he and his colleagues take out the Rebel base.  Aaron also keeps his face hidden from us, even as he sits on his victims without his helmet.  Kreel believes the Empire brings protection, and SCAR Squadron's victory here hopefully means he'll continue to be a presence in this series.  But, Aaron reminds us the other side is just as dedicated as our crew (with Sana) arrives at the remains of the Rebel base, appalled by the brutality.  Kreel and Sana are probably Aaron's greatest contributions to the Star Wars mythos.  Given we don't see them in the movies (yet), it's clear their fates lie somewhere else, and I honestly find those stories enthralling.  Aaron concludes with a final entry from the "Journals of old Ben Kenobi."  Sorrentino's indistinct lines are the perfect choice for this dark story of an orphaned Tusken Raider trying to survive on Tatooine.  Ben provides a helping hand, and Aaron reminds us one last time just how difficult the lives of every day people in this galaxy are.  Although I didn't really like Chuck Wendig's "Aftermath" novel, this story reminds me how many opportunities we're getting to see these sorts of stories.   Thanks, Jason Aaron, for your amazing contribution to that effort, bringing life to Star Wars that I didn't think possible.  You come back now, ya hear?

Also Read:  Batman:  The Dawnbreaker #1; Journey to Star Wars:  The Last Jedi - Captain Phasma #3; X-Men:  Gold #13