Not-Very-New Comics: The March 27 Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Age of X-Man:  X-Tremists #2:  Williams does a great job of showing how tentative Nate's grasp on this reality is.  First, we learn that the X-Tremists are setting the wildfires so that it gives the X-Men something to do.  I'm assuming Nate is aware of that (though I'm also pretty sure that the X-Men aren't), but if he isn't then it raises questions about how actively Nate is calling the shots.  After all, someone gave the X-Tremists the order to set these wildfires.  But, Williams also shows how Nate's ability to prevent people from forming connections is doomed to fail, as Blob admits his feelings for Betsy.  If even his enforcers can't live by his rules, Nate is in trouble.  So far, the most interesting character in this series is Moneta.  She's violent in her treatment of the pregnant woman the X-Tremists (or "Department X" as they're known in-world) rounded up last issue, though we haven't yet been shown why she's such an extremist (heh).  She was created for this event, so she doesn't have a "real-world" analogue to give us a hint about her motivations.  We'll see where we go from here.

Amazing Spider-Man #18:  Spencer is on creative fire here.  I mean, I already thought that it was ingenious to reveal that Kraven's fellow hunters were controlling the Kravenbots through "advanced VR control unit[s]" imbedded directly into their cerebral cortexes.  But, he then turns it into Fortnite, as you can use your credit card to upgrade your hunter.  Brilliant.  But, I'll admit my enjoyment of this issue was constrained by Spencer going all "Women in Refrigerators" with Mary Jane.  He reveals that the Goblin-looking figure we've seen a few times is in the apartment with her, and I found myself rolling my eyes.  I mean, Spencer does some great work with MJ here, as she contemplates how much better she is about handling the stress of Peter's time as Spider-Man than she used to be.  But, it's overshadowed by turning her into a helpless victim yet again.  I get that Spencer seems to be setting up the next arc here:  Peter isn't able to save MJ because he's trapped in Arcade's Thunderdome.  But, I wonder if it was really necessary, because I would've preferred Spencer to spend more time on the fights in the dome.

Mr. and Mrs. X #9:  This issue reads like Kelly Thompson just read a Brené Brown book, and I'm totally on board with that.  Rogue realizes that it's her fear of connection that led her to keep her powers unchecked, putting a physical and psychological wall between her and the world.  Rogue tears down those walls here as she leans into her fear.  "Everything we've ever wanted.  It's up to us and nobody else.  Exactly as it should be."  I kind of need to hear that today, to be honest.  I can't wait for us to kick Mojo's ass next issue.  #issueoftheyearcandidate

X-Force #5:  This issue is a coda to "Extermination," which is why I'm tagging it here.  We finally see the future events that cause Nathan to force the original X-Men to return to the past.

In the future, Nate is fighting his war against the New Canaanites when suddenly two of his Clan Chosen soldiers, Bava and Flintshard, dissolve into the timestream and another solider, Spheeris, becomes a different soldier entirely, named Dorna, who claims that they all know him.  Eventually, Blaquesmith arrives and brings Nathan to one of the underground safehouses that older Nathan built.  The computer recognizes him and informs him that 893 temporal breaches have occurred since he was last there, but only one was critical:  Hank bringing the original X-Men to (our) present.  Blaquesmith explains the results of this decision are now hitting the present as timelines gets confused.  Blaquesmith and the computer introduce Nathan to Graymalkin, giving him his mission to maintain the timestream.  Blaquesmith expresses his disappointment in Nathan's older self for allowing his emotions to blind him.  (I'm still not entirely sure that we've ever gotten an adequate explanation for why Cable didn't send back the kids, but I think we'll get there eventually.)  It's a cool moment, as Hopeless is essentially showing us the moment that Marvel rebooted Cable to his younger self.  Cable then watches as his remaining allies, including his lover, Aliya, dissolve into the timestream.  Hopeless makes it clear that it's this loss that hardens Nate against Cable, showing him appearing at the burnt-out Xavier Institute as he did in "Extermination."  Meanwhile, we also see Stryfe and his Mutant Liberation Force learn about Nathan's activities from a pair of grotesque, Sugar Man-esque (but larger) figures.  Stryfe and the MLF follow Nate into the timestream to prevent Nate, who they deem a terrorist, from destroying their timestream.

In other words, Hopeless does an amazing job of covering a lot of ground while also telling a coherent story.  Is it functionally a reboot of the original Cable/Stryfe story?  Yes.  But, I love the return of Stryfe and his war with Cable, so I'm not complaining.  I can't wait to see where we go from here.

Also Read:  Avengers:  No Road Home #7; Star Wars:  Vader - Dark Visions #2

Not-Very-New Comics: The December 19 and 26 X Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Extermination #5:  Honestly, I'm surprised Brisson was able to wrap up not only this mini-series but the original X-Men's entire story as well as he does in this issue.  It's clear that he and Marvel put a lot of though into it, just as Bendis and Marvel did when they originally brought the original X-Men to their future/our present.  It's why the kids' story has been so compelling, since it wasn't just a by-product of some half-assed event.  Brisson ends the story with the same integrity as Bendis had when he started it, a rare win for a risky story like this one.

First, Brisson resolves the ongoing plot and proves Kid Cable's point all in one fell swoop.  We start the issue learning Young Scott didn't die; Mimic did while impersonating Young Scott.  But, it's the only good news, because the twins are turning too many X-Men into hounds too quickly, making it impossible for the remaining X-Men to turn the tide.  Older Jean agrees it's time for the kids to return, but Young Jean refuses, because she doesn't want to leave the X-Men on their own to fight Ahab and his hounds.  Kid Cable says it's exactly why he was trying to force them back into the past:  given the lives they lead, the X-Men will always need some help to save the world.  Young Scott agrees with Kid Cable and convinces Young Jean they're causing more problems than they're solving at this point.  Before they leave, the Bobbys tearfully embrace, as Older Bobby tells Young Bobby no one can take away the gift his younger self gave them.

Kid Cable then timeslides them to the Mansion "five years before the end."  Nate explains Manon and Maxime's parents were students at the School.  The twins aren't yet evil, so he sends Jean to try to talk to them.  But, Ahab has followed them, and the rest of the team prepares to face him and the hounds to buy Jean time.  Jean finds the twins and learns Maxime is an empath and Manon "can give people memories" and then control when they remember them.  Jean asks Manon to show her how she does so.  Outside, Young Scott and Kid Cable manage to destroy Ahab's ship, preventing him from returning to the future.  Young Jean emerges from the mansion and confirms she has what she needed, and Kid Cable returns them to the past.  In the past, Young Jean prepares to mindwipe them, but, it's here where Brisson is at his best:  Young Jean uses what she learned from Manon to release their memories in their older counterparts' minds, ensuring they are not lost.  In so doing, Brisson maintains the kids' legacy.  It means this whole story doesn't just feel like a cheap stunt; they were real.  (Well, you know, for comic-book characters...)  Now, the original X-Men -- the adult versions -- feel ever realer somehow.  (My only nitpick here is that it's weird Jean could "learn" Manon's power, since it seems like it's her actual power and not just her application of her telepathic power.  But, whatever, I like the result, so I'll allow it.)

Brisson makes quick work of wrapping up loose ends.  Nate almost manages to kill Ahab, though he survives and disappears with Rachel in tow to cause trouble another day.  Older Jean (now Only Jean) asks Nate if it's really him -- her son -- and he confirms it is, even calling her Redd as he departs.  (Does that mean Cable always knew how he was going to die?)  The X-Men mourn Cable and, later, the remaining four original X-Men get shakes together, toasting in Scott's honor.  Brisson then plays his final card, as Kid Cable returns to his safehouse and hands a root beer to his father, Cyclops.  With Jean's return, it's been pretty clear that Scott was going to return at some point, particularly as his death during such a forgettable event was the most temporary-seeming death of all comic-book deaths.  But, Brisson leaves some loose ends out there to keep us interested.  Beyond Ahab still out there, we also never learn who Manon and Maxime's parents were.  All in all, I'm legitimately happy, if also sad, with how Brisson brings the original X-Men's story to a close.  I know they'll be just a memory soon, but at least they'll be a memory, and not just a ret-con.  That's pretty good, for comics.

Iceman #4:  This issue is...not good.  Grace makes the odd decision to focus it mostly on a speech Kitty and Storm give at a mutant-pride parade instead of on Bobby trying to find Mr. Sinister.  Also, Grace borrows heavily from the social-justice warrior lexicon, but then veers from the point he seemed to be making.  For example, Bobby pledges to break out Madin's brother, Ash, from prison after he was arrested in a previous issue.  Madin launches into a tirade about how it’s just another example of Bobby's privilege as a white pretty-boy mutant, since he’s confident he won’t face any repercussions for such actions.  It’s not a terrible point, to be honest.  But, it’s undermined when it turns out Madin wasn’t mad:  he was just hangry.  (No, really.)  It's further undermined when he realized that after his doyenne served him lunch.  After all, it undermines the point he was making about privilege when his servants feed him.  It seems like Grace just wants to tell too many stories in his time allotted here.  Instead of getting a series about Bobby, he's trying to queer the X-Men in five issues.  I’d be totally down with that, but not here.  We’ve waited too long to get Bobby’s story, and he deserves the limelight of his own series.  Nothings says erasure more than making a gay character's book about straight characters.  I would've much rather have seen Bobby try to process younger Bobby's memories (which he now has, thanks to "Extermination" #5), reconciling himself with the time he lost.  Instead, he's helping straight characters get to feel woke.  Hard pass.

X-Force #1:  I don't have a ton to say about this issue, but I would like to note it's a strong debut.  Brisson makes the point of the series clear, as X-Force seeks out Kid Cable to "question" him while he and Deahtlok seek to remove future technology from our timeline.  It's a premise with a lot of legs, and I'm down with seeing where we go from here.

Also Read:  Uncanny X-Men #6-#7

Not-Very-New Comics: The October 31 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Batman Secret Files #1:  I don't exactly understand why we got this one-shot, but I can't say I'm disappointed, because it's really quite good.  Every story here is a solid one that goes somewhere unexpected.  Given how many comics I've read in my day, even one story going somewhere I didn't expect is saying a lot.  In fact, each story left me wanting more, because each author leaves Bruce stumped at the end.  He's unsure if he needs superpowers, he can't cure one of the Scarecrow's victims of his fear, he doesn't know how to prevent Wayne Enterprises' technology from falling into the wrong hands, he panics when he's on his own:  the Batman we see across these stories is one not entirely sure how to engage with the world around him.  I particularly wanted more time with Yeselle and Detective Chimp as they both force Bruce to confront his flaws in a way he normally doesn't.  All in all, it's a really solid outing.

Extermination #4:  Brisson really cranks up the pressure here.  We learn Ahab is in his past (our present) because he wants to kill one of the younger X-Men so s/he can’t safely return to his/her past, thus destroying their timeline.  We also learn young Nate killed Cable because his older self's sentimentality meant he allowed the kids to stay in the present, when he should’ve been doing everything he could to send them back to the past.  Young Nate (it's like he's a rapper) has taken on that burden himself, undoing the changes to the X-Men — like Angel’s cosmic wings — so they can return as Hank originally found them.  (Yes, it's super Nateus ex machina, but I actually didn't mind too much.)  But, Ahab surprisingly succeeds here, killing young Scott and making me legitimately wonder where we go from here.  The fact the timeline still exists implies Scott somehow survives and returns, but I’m intrigued how Brisson pulls that rabbit from his hat.  After all, Scott takes a spear to the chest here.  It's hard to write around that.

Marvel 2-in-One #11:  My problem with the Fantastic Four has always been that Reed is an arrogant asshole and I can't understand why anyone would love and trust him.  Although I don't think he intended to do so, Zdarsky proves that in this issue.  Reed brings Ben with him to retrieve the Thinker from the planet where they left him, and Ben confronts Reed about letting him and Johnny think they were dead.  At first, Reed claims he did so because he thought Ben and Johnny would be bored of all the science-ing, because he's apparently such a fucking idiot that he thought traversing the Universe as explorers wouldn't put him and his family in danger.  Ben doesn't buy it, particularly given the fact Reed could've just told them they were go exploring and wanted to do so on their own.  Dodging the issue, Reed then introduces Ben to an alternate Universe Doom who Reed befriended in their travels.  In this Universe, Reed is dead, and Doom is a mostly good guy.  Reed now says he let Ben and Johnny think he was dead because he thought that it would somehow enable them to save our Doom.  But, Reed is forced to admit even this "good" Doom is "Doom-y."  Ben chastises him for his belief he could fix everything and encourages him to trust his friends and family.  But, the whispered conversation Reed has with Doom at the end makes it clear he's not listening.  I'm pretty happy with my decision to stay with this title and the main title just through the wedding, but I'm also glad Zdarsky isn't letting Reed off the hook here.

Multiple Man #5:  This issue makes a certain amount of sense if you don’t think about it too hard.  Like, I’m pretty sure Rosenberg established one of the dupes sent into the future never returned, as we see at the end of this issue, but maybe he didn't.  It also makes a certain amount of sense that “our” Jamie becomes Emperor Jamie, that they're not two separate people.  But, it also doesn’t matter.  At some point, you just have to meet Rosenberg on his own terms and accept he’s telling a crazy Madrox story.  As other people have said, it wasn’t the Madrox story I wanted, but it’s the one we deserved.

The Realm #10:  Haun and Peck do a spectacular job evoking the ambiance of a good ol' fashioned dungeon crawl.  In the tension-driven plot, the goblins' master is surprised Will is able to hold even the fraction of the mysterious creature's power that he possesses.  He brings forth an amulet that severs Will's link to said creature and plans to dissect Will to learn more.  But, the issue's best parts are with Molly and the crew slowly but surely making their way through the dungeon.  For example, the room they entered at the end of last issue wasn't the room where Will was being held; it was a wizard's laboratory.  The team takes advantage of the moment and swipes all sorts of books, magical items, and scrolls for David to use later.  In perhaps the best sequence, given its nod to something from the original "Monster Manual," they stumble across a skeleton suspended -- along with his coins and sword -- in green slime.  Eli announces he previously encountered green slime in a subway, telling the group they'll be fine so long as they keep moving, as the slime is "slow and persistent."  It's all just so evocative of the red-boxed "Dungeon & Dragons" set, but as if running into green slime were a legitimate threat you could experience in your day-to-day life.  Meanwhile, the Queen reminds Johnny Eldritch that their master sent her after Will and his team, informing him she knows about the team he dispatched.  He's not particularly inclined to care.  Back in the dungeon, Molly and the team arrive just in time to save Will from the master's knife.  As the goblins start to combine into a gestalt, Zach knocks the amulet from the master's hands.  Eli grabs it and, before the master can kill him, Will cuts him in half.  Good times.  The team departs the dungeon to find dragons in the sky, but not before David picks up the amulet...

Spider-Force #1:  This issue is OK, I guess.  Spider-Kid is pretty insufferable as a character, in no small part because Priest has to define the street slang he uses, because we're not hip to the lingo.  It’s always embarrassing when comics do that, like your great-grandfather saying “dope” or “sick.”  The idea that this team is the Spider-People’s version of X-Force is a great one, but Priest makes it unnecessarily confusing by starting in media res.  We start on the planet where the Web-Warriors initially trapped the Inheritors, with Kaine announcing everyone on Spider-Force is going to die of exposure after their radiation suits are opened.  I mean, we all know they're not going to die.  I think it would’ve been much cooler to see Kaine and Ashley talk about starting Spider-Force and deciding on recruiting Spider-Kid and Spider-Women.  At any rate, we’ll see where we go from here.  Hopefully Priest just sticks to the story at hand and stops trying to cram every possible comic-book trope into this series.

The Wild Storm #18:  The team is apparently going on hiatus for a few months to prepare for the last six issues.  I said last issue that I wasn't sure how Ellis was going to manage to address all the possible loose ends before issue #24.  But, after this issue, I think I'm a believer, as he successfully sends everyone after Miles at the same time. 

• Jackie puts two and two together and tells Miles that Cole and Adriana aren’t working for Skywatch:  they’re involved in a rogue C.A.T. (or a Wild C.A.T., if you will).  However, Miles still seems to lump them into the same category as Skywatch as he lists his woes over the last few weeks.  (He alludes to "visiting punishment" on Skywatch's Ground Division as costing him two C.A.T.s.  But, I initially read that as him talking about the C.A.T. or C.A.T.s he lost when they tried to grab Angie from the safehouse.  The Wild C.A.T.s were responsible for that, not Bendix.)  At any rate, Jackie is sick of it, and she tells Miles it’s time to go to war with Skywatch because they killed one of their own (Mitch).  She recalls the speech Miles gave when he took over IO, saying they were the secret angels working to save humanity -- but, sometimes angels destroyed cities and didn’t just save them.

• In space, Bendix talks to Dr. Helspont, one of the original Thunderbook researchers.  Helspont explains the slave triggers in the Wetworks members were developed in three phases. The original triggers create uncontrollable violence in the subjects, and the second generation only points the subjects in a direction.  Apparently only Helspont's triggers work in actually controlling the subjects.  Slayton seems to fall in the second category of triggers whereas, disturbingly, Apollo and Midnighter might be from the last phase.

• Speak of the devil, Slayton tracks down Lynch, but Lynch convinces him — or, more specifically, his alien — to go after Miles since he’s the bad guy.  (Maybe it's just his second-generation trigger pointing him in a direction.)  As Lynch explains, the only people who can stop Slayton are IO, and his advantage is IO doesn’t know about Thunderbook.  Meanwhile, Michael Cray is heading to New York to kill Miles, or at least we assume he is.  Also, he may really have burnt down his father’s house after he tells a woman on the train his father would’ve sold information about his destination to “corporate headhunters” ten minutes after he left.  At Skywatch, Bendix also declares he’s going to destroy IO, so it looks like Miles is going to have a bad week.

• Angie defects to the Doctor’s team, where she meets a cleaned-up Mayor who explains Skywatch experimented on him.  (I think, but am not sure, Helspont likely did it after moving to Skywatch from IO/Thunderbook.  Earlier, we learned he made the move after Lynch shutdown Thunderbook.)  Angie says she came to them because the Khera spoke highly of them as “the authority.”  (Heh.)  Meanwhile, Marlowe and the C.A.T.s discover she’s gone but deploy to swipe a cosmic particle IO has caught.

• We have a super weird interlude between two disguised Khera sitting at a bar in Los Angeles who explain Zealot broke with Marlowe after Emp said he didn’t want to turn Earth into a slave camp anymore. (Zealot is at said bar, but doesn’t recognize them.)  Does that mean Marlowe still does?

In other words, Ellis really continues a masterful level of storytelling.  Miles comments about Skywatch vice the Wild C.A.T.s are the only ones that left me vaguely confused, despite Ellis alluding to storylines he started 18 months ago in issue #1.  If going on hiatus means the last six issues will be even more awesome, I'm all for it!

Also Read:  Avengers Halloween Special #1; Old Man Hawkeye #10; Vault of Spiders #1; West Coast Avengers #3; X-Men:  Black - Emma Frost #1

Not-Very-New Comics: The August 29 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Edge of Spider-geddon #2:  Wow, this issue is intense.  It really invokes "Edge of Spider-Verse" #2, where we first met Spider-Gwen.  Thompson and Nadler fill out Peni Parker's story, introducing not only the VEN#m suit but also a lot of questions.  The authors start the issue by reminding us this Aunt May and Uncle Ben aren't the parental types.  They see Peni as little more than SP//dr's pilot.  May refuses to comfort Peni as she struggles with being "special," telling Peni she's not really special.  To May's mind, a lot of people work on the SP//dr project; Peni is just one of them.  This detachment sets the tone for the rest of the issue.  Peni is also understandably upset when she learns about the VEN#m suit, particularly the revelation it has equipment she doesn't.  It raises the obvious question of why Ben and May didn't just focus on making SP//dr better.  But, the decision to create a second suit might be explained by May's cryptic comments that Ben understood the dangers of the Sym engine when he installed it in VEN#m.  May tries to save VEN#m's teenage pilot as the engine possess her, but May is also lost to VEN#m.  Later, Ben only manages to admit to Peni he's not the best father when their conversation is halted when Spider-Ham arrives to take Peni with him.  As evident by this short review, Thompson and Nader cram in a lot of action and plot here.  Most importantly, they really nail the characterization.  I'm not sure we need a full-time series dedicated to SP//dr, but it's a thrill to see Peni and SP//dr back in the mix again.  

Extermination #2:  This issue is marginally better than the first one, as Brisson does a better job of conveying the original X-Men's emotions.  Scott serves as the reader's surrogate, reeling from the guilt he feels over Bloodstorm's death and the confusion they all feel over the situation.  Young Nathan ups the ante when he kidnaps Warren, though Jean and Scott are able to identify him before he disappears.  Meanwhile, Ahab arrives and appears to be acting independently of (and possibly at cross-purposes as) Nathan.  I'm guessing they're both trying to use the original X-Men to convince their older counterparts to advance their own agendas in the future, but that's still unclear.  However, I'm still not sure I care.  Although I mentioned Brisson does a better job of portraying the original X-Men's emotions, parts of this issue still make little sense or feel obviously wrong.  For example, Shatterstar seems an odd voice for outrage over Cable's death, given he's not really known for his emotions.  Second, it's hard to share his feelings since it seems unlikely Cable is going to stay dead for long.  Whatever.

Hunt for Wolverine:  Dead Ends #1:  This series of miniseries has really been much better than it had any reason to be.  The authors have really collaborated well on a story that strikes at the heart of the Marvel Universe.  It reminds me of the old days, when everyone would get together to attack a problem before we decided such stores had to revolve around how their personalities made that impossible.  Sure, Tony is an asshole, but he also knows it's Kitty's show after the mysterious Persephone kills ten mutants whose powers haven't manifested themselves yet.  I read "The Adamantium Agenda," so the revelation that Persephone swiped Mr. Sinister's DNA catalogue was particularly rewarding.  (FYI, it's how she's identifying the potential mutants.  Storm has to explain to Tony that she chose the perfect threat when she said she'd kill more unactivated mutants if they didn't stop hunting for Wolverine, since Cerebro can only track activated mutants.)  In "The Adamantium Agenda," we learned one of the mutants was a genetically-enhanced mole; I wonder how we're going to see that information unfold in "Return of Wolverine."  Meanwhile, I'm half-tempted to get Daredevil's Wolverine-related miniseries, particularly given the presence of Cypher.  All in all, I'm really happy how this understated event is developing, much to my surprise.

The New Mutants:  Dead Souls #6:  I'm honestly not sure what exactly we see happen here.  If I'm following the story correctly, the explosion in Warlock's cabin in Connecticut happened several months ago.  Xi'an sent Dani to find him, but he absorbed Dani because he was injured and needed her help.  Around the same time, Illyana realized that Xi'an was trying to weaponize magic, inspiring the team's off-the-books trips to New Orleans and the Arctic.  But, she's smart enough to realize it wasn't Xi'an so much as it was Tran manipulating Xi'an.  (Xi'an was motivated by a desire to give the mutants a company -- i.e., the Hatchi Corporation -- to control, like Rand, Stark, etc.)  We learn Xi'an's psyche has shattered as a result of years of Tran's manipulation and their eventual separation.  Surprising everyone, she possesses Illyana to attack Tran with the Soulsword, reabsorbing him.  Here, it gets weird.  (I know, as if it weren't already weird.)  It seems like Tran was somehow behind Warlock's problems.  Xi'an sent Dani after Tran not Warlock; Warlock was simply an unexpected complication.  (I don't think we learn how Tran came to possess -- as I'm assuming he did -- Warlock.)  But, Xi'an took advantage of the moment, and she's had Warlock stashed in a closet making replicas of the New Mutants all this time.  At this stage, it's fight time.  War-dani tricks Rahne into possessing her, and Illyana sends Boomer, Rictor, and Shatterstar to safety before summoning Guido.   But, Guido has a heart attack, and Illyana agrees to let Warlock try to save him.  (Guido has been in Limbo for years even though only 36 hours passed on Earth.)   But, it's a trap:  a now possessed War-guido takes control of Illyana.  Her/his plan realized, Tri'an calls "General Callahan" (as Tran) and promises test subjects (the New Mutants), but War-yana takes over Tri'an as well.  Unexpectedly, the issue ends there.  It seems pretty clear Rosenberg was planning to extend this series past six issues, and we seem likely to see something soon, as Dani, Guido, Illyana, Rahne, and Tri'an are left as part of the Warlock collective now.  But, Marvel might be right in having us stew with this shock for a few months before scratching our curious itch.

Nightwing Annual #1:  I've been pretty on board with Percy's dark-web story because it's an intriguing premise, the idea the machines are more actively controlling us than we think they are.  But, he always risked pushing too far with the social commentary, and we cross that line here.  This issue is essentially a screed against the modern news media.  Nightwing goes so far as to exalt the era when Walter Cronkite's had a total command of the truth.  Beyond the fact he was too young to remember that era (something he acknowledges), it's also a weird position to take.  (I'll let pass having Dick reminisce about the days when straight white men controlled the facts.)  I get that Percy has reinvented Dick as a Luddite, but that type of story feels very ten years ago.  No one living in this particular moment would think it's even possible to return to that world.  It's not about getting rid of technology; it's about managing how we use it.  I thought Percy was telling that sort of nuanced story, but the wheels seem to come off the bus here.  

X-Men:  Blue #34:  On the plus side, Bunn does an excellent job building to the moment when Magneto reforms Asteroid M and the Brotherhood.  After all, he's been building to this moment all series, and that careful spade work pays off here.  We're not seeing Magneto randomly embracing his dark side, as he often has in the past.  Instead, it's more like Scott Summers' gradual evolution into an extremist, with each development leading him farther and farther down that road.  Magneto is shaken to learn of the destruction in the future, though it's still unclear if it's all because of the war with the Reavers or not.  Nightcrawler, Jr. keeps insisting Magneto saved everyone from the Reaver virus, but older Scott tells Nightcrawler, Jr. he doesn't understand the full scope of Magneto's actions.  The older original X-Men try to prevent Mangeto from returning to the present after they realize he hasn't committed his greatest crime yet, but he manages to escape.  When he returns to the present, he finds the lab where the Reaver virus began and kills everyone there.  (Creepily, he leaves a statue of himself on the site, echoing the statues dotting the landscape in the future.)  My only criticism of these developments is Magneto is smart enough to realize that destroying the lab may very well be the "greatest crime" that sets in motion the events of that future.  He doesn't even pay that lip service here, which seems like an oversight.  Moreover, I'll admit it's hard to keep straight all the strains of time travel happening right now.  In "Extermination," we've got the young original X-Men in the present facing young Cable and Ahab from the future and here we've got the older original X-Men in the future facing Magneto from the present.  I like Bunn's story better, but it all contributes to the sense it really is time to wrap up the kids' story.

Also Read:  Dungeons & Dragons:  Evil at Baldur's Gate #5; Marvel 2-in-One #9; Ms. Marvel #33; The New World #2; Star Wars:  Lando - Double or Nothing #4

Not-Very-New Comics: The August 15 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Astonishing X-Men Annual #1:  This issue is creepy as hell, but it does something most X-Men stories don’t (but should):  it presents Charles Xavier as an unapologetic asshole.  Jean holds a reunion of the original X-Men (leaving a seat for Scott) and they ponder how far their lives are from the lives they wanted as adolescents.  (Hilariously, they agree Bobby is actually doing pretty well.)  However, "X" (as we're now calling him) arrives and whisks them to Lago, New York.  It's the location of an anti-mutant hate crime that happened when they were students at the School.  X reveals Lucifer — the alien who stole his ability to walk — has taken over the town.  Underlining how different he is from Xavier, their conflict ends when X manipulates Angel into becoming Archangel to kill Lucifer.  (The severed link also kills the townspeople, which X doesn't really seem to mind.)  X uses the fight to tell the X-Men to shove their pity party, as the only choice they ever had was to save the world or die in it.  Jean asks if he cared if they were happy.  As he wipes away their memories of these events and departs, he says he had hoped they found happiness in doing good.  The group replays their dinner the next night in a much happier mindset.  It’s hard to know if X changed their perspectives forcefully or they're in a better place through the faded memory of the experience, but it is what it is.  I still can’t say I’m buying “X,” but this issue does make me feel like Marvel should probably be doing more to get the band back together again.  I'm fine with Scott staying dead for a while so we can finally see Jean without him, as we were able to see him without her.  But, it doesn't mean we can't get the four remaining "originals" together to heal some of the wounds they identified before X mindwiped them.  I'd read that series quite happily.

Extermination #1:  I appreciate what Brisson tries to do here, but I don't know if it really works.  "X-Men Blue" has been such a chaotic series lately that Bunn barely had time to imbue Bloodstorm with much personality, making it hard to feel as devastated by her death as Brisson wants us to feel here.  Sure, I feel bad for Scott, but it's also hard to believe he was so attached, seeing how he recently spent a significant amount of time in space.  Also, does anyone even remotely believe Cable isn't going to magically return from the dead?  Brisson tells a more interesting story when it comes to the idea the X-Men are facing two seemingly unconnected threats.  We don't know why Ahab decides to make a play for Cyclops here, but his presence in the present explains why Rachel's hound persona has been emerging lately.  Meanwhile, young Nathan accuses older Nathan of neglecting his duty in not forcing the original X-Men to return to their time.  According to young Nathan, this decision leads to a slaughter at the Mansion 20 years in the future.  Older Nathan claims he's wrong; in a grammatically challenging sentence, he says "they needed them to see...what they became" so they could return to the past and be better.  I'm assuming older Nathan means he allowed the kids to stay in the present in the hope they'd return to their time with some lessons learned.  But I don't get that, because it assumes they'd remember their time in the present, which we seem already to know doesn't happen.  Separately, it's possible Ahab and younger Nathan are working together, but the X-Men know that it wasn't Ahab who "killed" older Nathan.   As we go forward, I hope Brisson keeps the focus on the kids and doesn't get lost in the sprawling time-travel narrative.  If this story ends with the kids accepting a fate where they don't remember their time in the present, it means Bobby accepting returning to the closet, Jean and Scott accepting the deaths and heartbreaks in their future, Warren accepting the horror his life becomes, and Hank accepting the sadness that weighs on him today.  Walking us through that heroism is the story, as I see it, and hopefully Brisson keeps that in mind. 

Multiple Man #3:  Emperor Jamie's shock troops make pretty quick work of the team, though Forge manages to create the time bracelets that send the dupes into the future to become the superhero versions of Jamie.  (Super-Jamies?)  Emperor Jamie has this Jamie brought before him, and we learn Emperor Jamie became unstable around the time the Beast gave him a serum to turn him into the Prime Jamie.  (I don't get this part.  Prime Jamie was the original Jamie.  You can't just turn a dupe into Prime Jamie.  What exactly did the serum do?)  But, this Jamie says it's not why he became unstable; they were in that bunker in the first place because they were the "evil, megalomaniacal" version of Prime Jamie, plotting to displace him.  Emperor Jamie doesn't necessarily buy that argument, but it doesn't matter, because he kills this Jamie.  Yeah, I'm not sure I care anymore either.

Peter Parker:  The Spectacular Spider-Man #308:  The thing about Chip Zdarsky is that he’s probably the best in the business right now of telling multilayered stories.  He reminds me of Peter David during the “X-Factor” heyday.  Here, we could just be getting a story of Sandman’s death, as his body can no longer stay cohesive.  If it were just that, it would still be great.  The scene where Spidey takes him to the beach at Coney Island is spectacular (heh).  Zdarsky infuses it with incredible emotion, from Flint telling us how his mother would get plastered while he built sandcastles there to him telling Peter not to take off his mask because he doesn’t want to learn he’s Chris Evans handsome.  (Flint tells us he always pictured Spidey as having an ugly mug.)  It’s funny and wistful and meaningful.  It has that certain je ne sais quoi that “Extermination” #1 lacked, that ability to convey emotions through dialogue and lines.  I have to single out Chris Bachalo here as well, as he captures the scenery perfectly; I could hear the seagulls calling, the beach scenes were so evocative.  But, Zdarsky goes one further.  Using Sandman's dreams, he hints that one version of Sandman is living in our future and made of glass and another version of him faces a grimdark iteration of Spider-Man.  These hints are what makes this issue so propulsive, elevating it from a simpler story.  Even with Nick Spencer’s debut on “Amazing Spider-Man,” this title is the main Spidey title to me.

The Weatherman #3:  Well, I certainly didn't see Nathan (allegedly) killing Cross (a.k.a Amanda) coming.

Nathan realizes that Cross doesn't care about him.  From the start of the issue, though, LeHeup hints Cross has some ability to differentiate Ian from Nathan and thus some sympathy for his plight.  But she also has her mission.  It turns out Dr. Nyseth kept records of the minds she wiped, but she was gone when Fitch's agents got to her lab.  Cross is now trying to find Nyseth's former assistant, Orin Wetzel, with the goal of getting back Ian's memories.  However, Nathan realizes she intends to implant the memories into his brain, turning him into Ian so she can discover details about Jenner's plan.  LeHeup and Fox do a great job of showing Nathan on edge at this point.  

He and Cross spent most of this issue fleeing people in hot pursuit of them, after the two bounty hunters alert the news media to their presence in Tharsis.  But, throughout this chase, he's actually in a good mood:  he has a blast piloting the car while Cross opens fire on the pursuers, a sign of his inability to take anything too seriously.  But the grim look on his face as he (allegedly) murders Cross makes it clear Ian might not totally be gone.  

Meanwhile, other intrigue builds in this issue.  The Martian president realizes Fitch had gone rogue when her team informs her Cross escaped the Nebula before it was destroyed.  It's an interesting angle, as I had figured Fitch was running a sanctioned operation in tracking down Nathan.   LeHeup also subtly implies we shouldn't rule out the Sword of God's motivations being more complicated than simply looking to do evil.  Sure, it's hard to imagine how they would justify blowing up Earth was for the greater good.  But an answer may be out there.  

Meanwhile, LeHeup and Fox continue to drive home the horror of that loss, as Cross and Nathan encounter a dead junkie addicted to a drug that allows you to re-live your memories.  The woman has a stuffed bunny on her lap, and Cross explains that "tethers" help users stay attached to their positive memories while using the drug.  It's hard stuff.  Meanwhile, we're introduced to a crime lord who tortures to death a former employee who stole from him, though it's still unclear how that part of the story connects to Nathan's.  I'm guessing it's not a happy connection.

The Wild Storm #16:  At this point, as much as I'm enjoying this series, I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop, with so few issues left.  John continues his tour of Thunderbook subjects, this time meeting with a woman with pretty incredible powers over matter.  Angie discovers she can directly access the internet, bringing her to Jenny's attention.  Jenny decides Angie's a cool chick and invites her to work with her and the Doctor if she ever gets tired of Halo.  After this interaction, Angie decides she's tired of hiding and asks Cole to teach her how to shoot a gun.  It's all interesting stuff, but we only have eight issues left.  If everyone goes to war, it's hard to see how it's going to happen in such a short time.  Ellis had previously mentioned two series would follow this one, and it's hard to know which way he'll go.  Will it be StormWatch and Wild C.A.T.s?  I guess we'll see.

Also Read:  Batman #53; Edge of Spider-geddon #1; Infinity Wars #2; Thor #4