Not-Very-Deep Thoughts: The November 23 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Captain Marvel #10:  So...much...talking...

Civil War II #7:  I feel like I've read issue #5 three times at this point.  The only interesting thing to happen here is that Ulysses has a vision of the future where Captain Marvel seemingly destroyed the world after Iron Man pushed her too far.  But, he isn't really sure.  In the present, it seems clear Ulysses' vision of Spider-Man killing Captain America isn't actually Miles killing Steve, but Miles holding Steve's body after Captain Marvel and Iron Man's battle killed him.  But, are we really going to kill Steve Rogers again?  At this point, it's either that or Ulysses is wrong.  Either way, it's going to be anticlimactic.

Death of X #4:  OMG, this issue makes no sense on a number of levels.  First, all the X-Men titles published after "Secret Wars" asserted Scott did something so terrible even mutants wanted nothing to do with him.  (I can't remember which series it was, but I distinctly remember a new mutant expressing horror at the idea she would be on Scott's side.)  But, all he does here is destroy one of the Terrigen Mist clouds.  Why is that so awful?  After all, Black Bolt (who I didn't even realize was still alive after "War of Kings") murders him in cold blood.  Isn't that worse?  How the hell could anyone think Scott was the villain here?  Scott didn't kill anyone, but Black Bolt murders him.  Why is everyone so accepting of the Inhumans' religious fervor over the Mists?  Does protecting them justify any action the Inhumans take?  The Inhumans asserting the right of the cloud to pass around the world even though it actively kills people is essentially like arguing a maniac gets to murder people because his religion puts a high value on death.  It seems pretty clear Marvel had something else in mind, but had second thoughts, unable to make Scott do something that couldn't be undone.  It actually gives me hope he's going to return someday, since Marvel seems concerned about his reputation.  (By the by, we also never learn why Scott was riding those...things in "Secret Wars" #1.)  But, I'm sad to report this debacle isn't the worse part.  We discover it wasn't Scott at all.  Scott died in the lab on Muir Island, almost immediately upon entering it.  Everything since then was Emma, who seems to have lost her mind as a result of Scott's death.  It's just too much.  First, we kill off Scott fucking Summers in a flashback sequence.  Moreover, he dies mewling on the ground at the horror of it.  Then, his name is desecrated (even though it shouldn't be) without him even committing the acts he's accused of committing!  Emma reveals the truth to Havok, and then he doesn't do anything about it.  I just don't understand how anyone could read this issue and feel satisfied.  We've been force-fed "suspense" about these events for the last several months, but Marvel treats it like a footnote to "Secret Wars."  I just can't with them and their events anymore.

Detective Comics #945:  This issue is spectacular because Spoiler is spectacular in it.  Stephanie comes out swinging when she sees through Bruce's feeble attempt to gather information about the Victim Syndicate by hiding behind two-way glass while Leslie Thompkins psycho-analyze her.  First, she calls out Bruce and his tendency to underestimate his own allies (something she proves by seeing through his ruse).  But, she also refuses to absolve him of Tim's death, saying he only cares about his colleagues' feelings when he needs forgiveness.  She is 100% correct.  I had never thought of it that way, but Tynion hits the nail on the head.  Plus, she identifies the team as a group of potential threats -- three daughters of super-villains and an actual super-villain -- that Bruce wants to control.  It's also something I hadn't put together, but it totally fits.  In one fell swoop, Tynion dismisses the Bat-family's long-standing ethos, where the colder and more technically minded you are, the better asset Bruce believes you to be.  It's why Tim always seemed to be higher in Bruce's estimation than Dick, Harper than Stephanie, Damian than Jason.  But, Stephanie isn't having it.  She's not only smart-smart but emotionally smart, and, Jesus, the Bat-family could really use someone like that right now.  Take 'em down, Stephanie.

Han Solo #5:  This issue ends pretty much the way I expected it to end, with the least likely candidate revealed to be the assassin and Han intentionally losing the race only to win.  Liu seemed to be writing for the trade with this series, because I'll admit I couldn't for the life of me remember why this "master list" was important.  I thought we just had to find the traitor?  But, more importantly, Liu manages to really sell Han's connection to Loo Re Anno, drawing a rare hint of emotion from Han as he contemplates his future of loneliness if he truly just sees himself "of the stars."  That said, Loo gets her happy ending as the gate at the end of the Dragon Void is revealed to be the connection to the rest of her people.  As a result, Han decides to stay with the rebellion for increasingly clear reasons, as he hand inches closer to Leia's.

Spider-Gwen #14:  The art change here is terribly, terribly timed.  Just as I'm tearing up a bit (a lot) as Gwen realizes May not only knows her secret but doesn't blame her for Peter's death, we switch to an exaggerated cartoon-y style as Jessica and her family appear for Thanksgiving.  It totally spoils the moment, the moment we've been waiting to see since Spider-Gwen was introduced.  Talk about an editorial blunder.

Star Wars #25:  I admit Aaron loses me a bit here.  I'm not entirely sure why it was necessary for the Rebels to hijack a Star Destroyer if the only thing they did with it was disable some moon bases and send down some escape pods filled with supplies.  Couldn't they just have warped into proximity and sent down the pods?  It didn't seem like the Empire was guarding the moon bases that closely.  Also, couldn't the Empire just take back the supplies?  It's not like the Rebels stay to defend the planet.  Are the Tureenians really that well equipped that they can hold off the Empire?  Aaron also has some lazier moments here that I find surprising from him.  For example, at some point in this arc, the Empire put the captain of a rebel ship on the prow, damning him to freeze to death in the vacuum of space.  (Similarly, Aphra almost immediately freezes to death after Vader expelled her from his ship in "Darth Vader" #25.)  But, here, Han and Leia are able to float totally safely outside the ship.  Separately, one of the members of SCAR Squadron gives Sana a weapon so she can fight to the death honorably.  It's a really comic-book-y moment that interrupts the realism Aaron has used throughout this series.  SCAR Squadron had even fewer agents on the ship than the Rebels; they didn't really have the luxury of giving everyone a fighting chance.  Overall, it feels like Aaron was forced to rush the ending for reasons that aren't totally clear.  This arc had great promise, so it's sad to see it end with a whimper.

Titans #5:  Abnett and Booth do their best to inject this issue with suspense, but it's ultimately hard to believe DC will get rid of Wally West five issues after they resurrected him.  As such, the tension we feel in this issue is mostly thanks to Booth's innovative panel arrangements, showing Wally's struggle to race faster than he's ever raced before.  Abnett also hints that the main point of this arc is Linda finally remembering Wally, perhaps because his sacrifice is so clear.  As such, it's particularly hard to believe he's lost in time; in fact, it feels like just another way to keep Linda and Wally apart, like we're in the umpteenth season of "Friends," where they're going to have to send Ross to prison for him not to be with Rachel.  My guess is we're going to see the Titans jump into the time stream to find Wally.  That could be interesting.  Here's hoping.

Also Read:  All-New X-Men Annual #1; Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1; Batgirl #6; Mighty Thor #12-#13; Prowler #2

Not-Very-Deep Thoughts: The October 19 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Batman #9:  Batman assembles his own Suicide Squad in this issue with the goal of breaking into Santa Prisca, and I have to admit I'm excited.  King does the right thing by starting off things slowly.  Some authors would've leaped into the action, showing Bruce punching his way through Santa Prisca while assembling the team in flashbacks.  But, jumping into the action would've failed to build the tension that King so deftly creates here.  As the issue progresses, Dr. Arkham objects to the criminals Bruce wants to release and Bruce ignores his complaints.  It all builds to the revelation at the end of issue of the worst offender:  Selena Kyle.  She's shown at first with a mask, and we're clearly supposed to believe her to be the Joker (even though he currently doesn't exist) because she's apparently in jail for 200+ counts of murder.  I assume those charges are related to her mob-boss days, though King doesn't make that clear.  Hopefully at some point he'll flesh out those details.  But, for the time being, I'm happy to live with the mystery and see where we go from here.

Captain America:  Sam Wilson #14:  I don't really have much to say here, mostly because Steve has executed his plan perfectly.  He stage-manages an attack on the Senator orchestrating the #takebacktheshield movement so Sam is unable to save him.  As Steve says, it not only removes a loose end (since the Senator can't tell anyone Steve asked John to go after Sam), but it also throws more logs onto the fire when it comes to Sam's continued possession of the shield dividing the country.  Spencer reminds us here why Steve is such a formidable enemy.

Death of X #2:  This issue is marginally better than the first one, but it still relies on you believing:  a) Emma and the Cuckoos can reach every mind on the planet, and b) Scott is desperate enough (or dumb enough) to incite a city-wide riot by informing the world that the Terrigen Mists approaching Madrid are deadly to mutants.  I don't really believe either proposition, so I still found myself rolling my eyes at times.  I get Lemire and Soule are trying to show that Cyclops is erratic at this point, but we're not given any reason why he's been pushed to this point.  After all, he's faced the destruction of Earth and mutantkind on numerous occasions; it seems unreasonable to think he'd lose his shit over the Terrigen Mists in the way he does here.

Nightwing #7:  Seeley hopefully isn't setting up the revelation that Raptor is Dick's father.  But, Raptor does seem to think of himself that way, and (again, so long as Seeley doesn't actually go there) it's what gives this issue the tension that keeps you turning the page.  Raptor was clearly in love with Nightwing's mother, though it's unclear if the feeling was reciprocated.  We learn he's been following Nightwing for years, and his comment the first time we met him about being a better mentor than Batman now make sense.  He views himself as a more appropriate father for Dick, one in tune with the circus way of life the Graysons lived.  (I wouldn't be surprised if we learn that Raptor filed for custody at some point.)  Raptor kidnaps Bruce from a public event in this issue, and suddenly we're looking at a battle royale between Dick's father figures.  Earlier, Bruce noted how tense things have been between him and Dick, and Seeley seems to be setting up a chance for Bruce to make it right.  Are they actually going to hug at the end of this issue?  The mind boggles.

Pathfinder:  Worldscape #1:  Mona throws us right into the action in this issue, and it's as disorienting for us as it is for the characters.  First, we begin with Kyra, Merisiel, Seoni, and Valeros fighting Thulgroon, their "old enemy."  This part is disorienting not only because Ezren and Harsk are nowhere to be found, but because I don't remember Thulrgroon at all, making me raise an eye at the description of him as an "old enemy."  Given Kyra is a recent addition to the band (and thus unlikely to share an "old enemy" with it), it raises the possibility the action that opens the issue happens somewhere in the significant future.  But, before we can explore that, the band is whisked to the "Worldscape," where Valeros awakens alone.  He's eventually imprisoned by an evil empress and forced to fight in her arena, where he confronts a similarly displaced Red Sonja.  Sonja confirms what another prisoner told Valeros earlier, that they need to win the games to become the Queen's Champion, getting close enough to assassinate her.  By then, we've also learned the characters have been plucked from their homes seemingly at random, and the queen appears to have something to do with that.  Before we can explore how she benefits from these kidnappings (beyond amusement in the arena), Merisiel is revealed to be one of the queen's advisers, shocking Valeros during his fight with Sonja and allowing her to stab him through the chest.  It's not exactly the ending I was expecting.

Also Read:  Amazing Spider-Man #20; Black Panther #7

Not-Very-Deep Thoughts: The October 5 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Amazing Spider-Man #19:  Honestly?  I flipped through this issue until I got to the end.  Slott has made it clear since Jay fell ill that he was going to die, sacrificed to amp up Peter's personal investment in the story.  It makes sense, since the Jackal always strikes at the heart of Peter's personal life.  But, the execution (so to speak) is terrible.  First, as a reminder, Jay is only in this situation because of his previously undisclosed genetic condition.  Based on his Spider-Sense, Peter insists that Jay should receive the conventional treatment available for the condition, rather than going with New U's experimental technology.  But, it raises the obvious question of why Jay didn't get the conventional treatment years ago.  Why is he only getting it now that he may die?  (The answer is that Slott needed a hook, but in theory we're supposed to be shooting higher.)  Moreover, Peter is in a difficult position because he can't simply tell Jay and May his Spider-Sense is the "data" telling him the technology isn't reliable.  But, it also stretches belief that Peter would risk Jay's life over his hunch.  We know why the deal is bad, but Peter has no reason beyond his Spider-Sense to know that.  In normal circumstances, I get going with his gut, but we're actually talking about life and death here.  What's worse than death?  In fact, knowing what the deal actually is, I'd say better should've taken it, since it would've at least bought him time.  To make matters worse, Peter recants at the very last minute, urging Jay to get the experimental treatment.  We have all that angst only for him to decide to just go with it at the end.  In other words, I continue to wait for the day when we're free from Dan Slott.

Death of X #1:  First, I have to comment on the "death" of Madrox here.  Peter David's "X-Factor" always seemed to exist more or less outside the other X-books' continuity.  They rarely got involved in the drama occurring elsewhere.  It was one of the reasons why the book was so special.  Madrox's presence on Muir Island -- where Scott and his team find him dying -- feels almost like Marvel forgot how "X-Factor" ended, with an exhausted Jamie retiring and deciding to settle on his family's farm with Layla.  Adding fuel to the fire, Madrox is not only without Layla here, but he's also in his union suit without his trench coat.  It's almost like Marvel went even further, turning back the clock to 1993, when Jamie was dying of the Legacy Virus in Genosha.  However, Lemire and Soule don't even allude to the fact that Jamie was in a similar situation 20+ years ago, dying of the mutant disease du jour.  This total neglect of Jamie's history makes it hard to accept his "death," because it makes his character unrecognizable.  I understand the need to sacrifice a mutant so the X-Men can learn the Mists are poisonous to mutants.  (Actually, Marvel would just be doing it to make the "event" mean something, but you get my point.)  But, this sequence is so disrespectful of Jamie's character that I basically don't accept it.  I hope we'll see Jamie somewhere else, and it'll all be ret-conned.  Of course, starting an event hoping against hope it immediately gets ret-conned probably isn't exactly what Marvel was hoping would be my reaction to this first issue.  But, there you have it.

Dungeons & Dragons:  Shadows of the Vampire #5:  In the end, we don't really get a satisfying resolution to the mystery at the heart of this miniseries.  Strahd gets his hands on the amulet, and he learn he has some hope the amulet will free him from Ravenloft.  Before we can explore that interesting idea, the ghost of Sergei, Strahd's brother, appears, preventing Strahd from using the amulet.  He wants to ensure Strahd is punished for him crimes by being forced to stay in Ravenloft.  However, Delina is able to use the amulet to transport the team somewhere else, though that somewhere else doesn't exactly look all that safer.  The good news is the lack of resolution isn't really too disappointing.  Zub does a great job showing how awesome Strahd is as he easily dismisses the team, even when they seem to have him cornered.  The fact we never learn what Strahd intended to do with the amulet fits with the idea of Strahd as the unquestioned master of Ravenloft, the only all-knowing one among us.  Not surprisingly, Zub also uses darker tones here than we've seen with Delina's team.  Although no one dies, Strahd tells the team the darkness of Ravenloft will follow them, a threat that doesn't feel hollow as they find themselves battered and alone in a range of snow-covered mountains.

Justice League #6:  After this yet-again-rebooted series' disastrous first arc, I admit Hitch has a ways to go to convince me to hang in there.  Despite some uneven art, this issue is an improvement, though not the home run we needed.  Hitch focuses on the League's interpersonal relationships, but it isn't simply to work on characterization.  The threat in this arc has something to do with fear, and Hitch uses the team members' relationships to provide a vehicle for that fear to spread.  For example, Jessica attacks Barry on their first date, and Superman decides to travel to Gotham to kill Bruce for not trusting him. Presumably, Aquaman and Wonder Woman and Cyborg and Green Lantern will come to blows next issue.  Beyond our lack of understand of why the characters are feeling this fear in the first place, their responses to it all feel formulaic; only Jessica's predicament provoked any real emotional response in me.  But, it's better than the last arc, so I'm willing to give it a whirl for the time being.  In the meantime, I keep wondering if we're ever going to see the Rao arc in "Justice League of America" come to a conclusion.

Midnighter and Apollo #1:  As much as I enjoyed Orlando's "Midnighter" series, my consistent complaint was he didn't do a great job explaining why Midnighter was fighting the people he was fighting.  For example, we never learned why Prometheus chose him as a victim in his war against superheroes.  Here, Orlando also doesn't do a great job of explaining Henry Bendix and his beef with Midnighter.  He appeared several times in the first series, and I don't know if we ever really learned more about him beyond having a hand in creating Midnighter.  He's now decided to take out Midnighter, though we're not told why he chose to act at this moment.  (It's possibly because Midnighter has decided to go after him, though, again, we don't know why Midnight would be doing so now.)  But, just like in the original series, these questions aren't as important to my enjoyment as Midnighter's relationships, and Orlando continues to deliver on this front.  I was always surprised in the last series that people embraced Midnighter's violence so readily, but we see Apollo broach that subject here, wondering if Midnighter has to be as brutal as he is.  I'm excited to get insight into the two of them as a couple, something hopefully not ruined by the fact Bendix has hired some demons to bring Apollo to Hell.

Spider-Man 2099 #16:  The revelation that Jameson and Power Pack were deep-undercover Skrulls engineering the superhero-registration debacle to hide an invasion is so brilliant I don't even know what I can say.  David is essentially using the premise of "Secret Invasion" to send up "Civil War II."  It's almost something you'd see in one of the satirical back-up stories Marvel ran in their Annuals in the 1980s.  Moreover, it leaves behind yet another possible future.  All in all, it's a great conclusion to this arc and an inspired use of an event.  Looking ahead, I wonder what Roberta is going to do with the knowledge that her husband, Harry, experimented on her.  Of course, we still have the First out there, which probably poses a more immediate threat to Miguel.

Also Read:  Batman #8; Bloodshot Reborn #18; Nightwing #6