Four-Month-Old Comics: The Superhero January 5 and 12 (2022) Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Amazing Spider-Man #84 (January 5) and #85 (January 12):  This story is a two-parter, so I'm reviewing these issues together.  

Per pet peeve #2, Ziglar reveals that Dr. Octopus didn't just discover in issue #80.BEY that Beyond was using the Spider-Man name that he trademarked but also some inventions that he created.  Needless to say, he isn't happy.  

In issue #84, he breaks into one of Beyond's offices to steal a drive that Maxine later underscores is essential to Beyond's operations.  Spidey tries to stop him, but Otto somehow manages to use Beyond's own security system against him.  We're also treated to some "classic Doug" (as Ben quips) when he runs into the guy who gave him the anti-"weirdness" pill in issue #80.  Ben's interaction with Doug is an issue #84 highlight.

In issue #85, Otto storms into Beyond HQ to recover his inventions and take out Maxine so that he can take over Beyond.  I have to say that I don't totally buy this part; it feels too impulsive for Otto.  At any rate, Ben arrives in time to save Maxine from Otto.  Their fight spills onto a nearby rooftop where Otto gives Ben the drive to show him that Beyond chose him due to his unstable psychological profile.  Ben loses his shit over the revelation, as it undermines the sense of belonging that he finally found at Beyond.  Later, he smashes a mirror that showed a faceless reflection, which mirrors (heh) a nightmare about a faceless Uncle Ben that he's been discussing with Dr. Kafka.

In other words, we're going places, and all directions seem bad for Ben.  Ben lies to Maxine and Janine here, telling them that his fight with Otto destroyed the drive.  Before Dr. Octopus' roof-top revelation, Ben seemed off-kilter most of this issue, obsessively focused on the idea that he belonged and that Beyond let him do good.  Now that he's adrift, I worry where we're going.

Inferno #4 (January 5):  This issue begins with a bang.  

Surprising Magneto and Professor X, Nimrod and Omega Sentinel kill the Orchis soldiers who arrived with them in Terra Nova.  They explain to Magneto and Professor X that they hate humans as much as they hate mutants.  They crow that Magneto and Professor X's nightmare has arrived:  mutantkind has conquered humanity only for its real enemy - machines - to arrive.  

Confirming what I thought last issue, Destiny and Mystique left behind Moira's arm to draw Magneto and Professor X to Terra Nova and escaped to somewhere else.  Moire "reminds" Mystique that she can't die, and Mystique disagrees.  Mystique shoots Moira who...

...doesn't die.  It looked like she did, thanks to the excellent art team.  But, it turns out Mystique shot Moira with the weapon that Forge created to strip mutants of their powers.  (Hickman really is Chekhov, man.)  Setting up the moment, Hickman expands the scene from last issue between Destiny, Emma, and Mystique.  Emma tells the pair that Moria's tracker is in her arm (I was wondering how they knew to leave behind her arm) and gives them Forge's weapon.  

In the present, a now-human Moira admits to Destiny and Mystique that her hard-won knowledge led her to believe that the only way mutants win is by not existing:  her goal was to "cure" mutants before they manifested, a cure that we saw her create in her third life.  I have to admit, Hickman really sells this moment.  Moira clearly has PTSD from a millennium's experience with death and war, to the point where it's hard to fault her for taking the position that she does.  Despite Omega Sentinel's insistence that the mutants always win, Moira claims that they always lose, either to the humans or the machines.  

Before Mystique can kill her, though, Doug arrives, looking sexy as fuck.  He reminds Mystique that Moira is now human, so Mystique can't kill her under Krakoa's laws.  Mystique declares that she's going to kill him instead, though Bei, Krakoa, and Warlock make it clear that it won't be easy.  Destiny tells Moira that Doug is the axis around which they all didn't know they spun.  By deciding to save Moira, Doug creates three possible outcomes:  1) Mystique is exiled for killing him, and Destiny dies six months later and isn't resurrected; 2) they fail to kill him, and Mystique dies but is likely resurrected; or 3) they agree to let Moira go, and she and Mystique consolidate powers as does Doug.  They obviously choose the latter.  

Doug has Warlock provide Moira with an arm and Krakoa with a one-way gate that will close to her forever once she passes through it.  In a hilarious scene, she asks if he's going to wish her luck before she goes through the gate, and he simply replies, "Nope."  She asks Destiny and Mystique if they'll come after her, and Destiny tells her that it won't just be them.

After dying at Nimrod's hands, Magneto and Professor X are later resurrected.  Since Nimrod crushed Cerebro, they don't remember their conflict with him.  They also awaken to learn about the changes that happened while they were dead.  Professor X is condescending as usual when he asks Emma what she's done, and her answer puts him in his place.  She told the Council all their secrets, and they all agreed that the only thing that Magneto and Professor X did wrong was keeping their secrets to themselves.  As Emma says, the Council now becomes a curse, and Professor X gets to resume his status as primus inter pares because he's the guiltiest of them all.  Ha!  So true.

All in all, this series was excellent, and Hickman leaves us wanting more, which I assume that we'll see addressed in "Immortal X-Men."  To whit:

• I have to assume that Magneto and Professor X didn't know what Moira was planning.  When they learn, they're going to have to confront the fact that Destiny and Mystique were correct and they were wrong.

• I'm curious how and when Moira was planning to act on curing mutantkind.  Why was it necessary to allow Krakoa to come into fruition before she acted?

• As Destiny said, Moira's future is also unclear.  Does she join Orchis?  Does she focus on stopping the machines?

• It'll be interesting to see how the power dynamics evolve on the Council.  After all, Magneto and Professor X were working with someone bent on destroying mutantkind, and it was Destiny and Mystique who saved the day. 

• Of course, Cypher stopped them from killing Moira, opening up a new power center on Krakoa.  Doug's ascendancy is the most interesting story for me going forward.

I've talked a lot of smack about Jonathan Hickman over the years.  But, I am just beyond thrilled with what he's done with the X-Men.  Fair winds and following seas, Jonathan.

X-Men #6 (January 5):  Holy fucking shit, this issue is fucking intense.  

The issue starts "a week ago" with the appearance of a hero dubbed Captain Krakoa.  Six days ago, Scott is furious when the Quiet Council insists that he has to accept Captain Krakoa onto the X-Men's roster.  

Meanwhile, Feilong arrives on Phobos to colonize it, a move that, frankly, the X-Men probably should've seen coming.  But, I didn't see it coming and, honestly, I laughed out loud when it happened.  Brilliant.  When an Arakkii mutant arrives to take out Feilong, Sunfire tries to stop him, but Feilong doesn't need the help:  he uses his post-human powers to incinerate him.  

Duggan first hinted that something is amiss when we learn that Feilong found Nightcrawler's corpse on Phobos.  But, it all comes to a head when Captain Krakoa arrives at the Treehouse with a memorial to Cyclops underway.  We learn that Cyclops died recently in a public manner and that he's Captain Krakoa.  

When a furious Scott calls Ben Ulrich, likely to confirm his resurrection story, Ben has no memory of it.  The last panel is haunting, as a stunned Scott sits on a subway platform alone.  I have no idea where Duggan is going here, but this issue is so perfectly executed that I cannot fucking wait. 

Darkhawk #5 (January 12):  This ending is solid because it leaves a lot on the table.  Normally, I'd be annoyed by that, but Higgins does it in a way that shows how much potential Connor has a character.  

First, Connor comes with a lot of drama.  Derek's sister resents the fact that Connor defined her brother's life, a point that the paparazzi appearing at Derek's funeral to get photos of Connor underlines.  Plus, Shawn reveals that he knows that Connor is Darkhawk after Darkhawk's too quick appearance after Connor's departure last issue.  (That said, I'm glad Higgins went this route, because plenty of other authors would've pushed our willful suspension of disbelief by having Shawn remain clueless.)  I assumed that Higgins was going to kill off Shawn since he knows Connor's secret identity, but he doesn't, which really catapults Shawn into arch-nemesis territory.  Moreover, Connor outs himself to his teammates about his multiple sclerosis, and they encourage him to keep playing while he can.  It's all a lot for a teenager.

But, the Darkhawk drama isn't insignificant either.  It seems like Chris Powell is alive at the Tree of Shadows, though given how menacing he seems it could also be someone else, like Robbie Rider.  I'm also loving Connor's friendship with Miles Morales, and I hope that continues.

Again, we don't get resolutions here, but Higgins hopefully convinces Marvel that Connor has enough juice to give him a monthly title.

Hawekye:  Kate Bishop #3 (January 12):  I've read virtually every issue with Kate Bishop in it, and I still have no idea what Nijkamp is doing with her here.  The "ring" that her sister hired her to find is also somehow a Cosmic Cube fragment that her sister swiped from either her ex-husband or her father.  I think?  Also, it appears that the Circus of Crime is responsible and likely arranged everything to entrap Kate.  Maybe?  Honestly, I have no fucking idea.

Marauders #27 (January 12):  "Marauders" wraps up more or less how I expected, which isn't a bad thing.  

Emma and Shaw leave their posts to focus on the Quiet Council, which I assume is driven more by the upcoming "Immortal X-Men" series than any real desire on their parts to abdicate the roles that have defined their adult lives.  Lourdes will replace Shaw, and the Five in One will replace Emma.  

Again, I'm not sure that I buy Shaw leaving so easily, though Duggan makes a good go at explaining it as Shaw seeing an opportunity for Shinobi to take over the Hellfire Trading Company, which women now run.   (It's nice that Shaw still views Shinobi as his son, despite Leland being Shinobi's biological father.). You'd think after Emma, Kate, and Storm have all recently beaten his ass that he'd be more enlightened.  Ah, Shaw.

Duggan also throws in a surprise, as Kate seems willing to give Mr. Fantastic the knowledge that Charles wiped from his mind so that she can use the gates.  This step seems incredible dangerous on Kate's part, a level of selfishness that we don't usually see from her.  As such, I'm assuming that she has something else up her sleeve here.

My only real disappointment is that Iceman is leaving, though I'm hoping that it means that we'll see him somewhere else.  I did enjoy the idea that he's off flexing his muscles, something that clearly excites Christian.  Omega top time!

Also Read:  Dark Ages #4 (January 12)

Six-Month-Old Comics: The Superhero October 6, 13, 20, and 27 (2021) Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Amazing Spider-Man #75 (October 6):  If I'm being honest, I have to admit that Spencer's run gave me PTSD just like Peter.  I opened this issue with a certain amount of dread, expecting to end it as frustrated as I often was after a Spencer issue.  The good news is that it's a pretty solid start for this new chapter.  The bad news, to the extent that it's "bad," is that I still don't feel ready for full optimism.

As mentioned, Peter is struggling with the events of the last few weeks, most notably Harry's death.  Ben Reilly's return represents another hit after Ben reveals that Beyond bought the rights to the Spider-Man name after Parker Industries (i.e., Otto) trademarked it.  Peter takes it reasonably well after Ben tells him that he's not asking for permission, stressing that he has the same compulsion to do good as Peter has.  (I'm sure that it didn't really help Ben's case, though, when he paid for lunch mentioning the "stupid" amounts of money Beyond is paying him.)  Ben never explains why Beyond wants a Spider-Man other than it wants to get into the "superhero game."  I'm sure they're just totally altruistic.

Later, when the U-Foes attack Empire State University for...some reason, both Ben and Peter respond.  These scenes play to Wells' strengths, as Ben and Peter's banter leaps off the page; they're more than the sum of their parts.  Wells and Zdarsky are probably my favorite Spider-Man writers, and I'm thrilled that he's serving as the Beyond Board chair, if you will.  

Wells makes the wise decision to take Peter off the board for a few issues.  After X-Ray explodes to take out both Spideys, Ben is left standing given his suit's "radiation-shielding and air-scrubbing micro-mesh," but Peter lapses quickly develops radiation poisoning.

Again, I'm excited to see where we go here.  The Beyond Board clearly has a vision, and I'm excited where that vision is going.  But, Spencer also had a vision, and it went some...not great places.  That said, this Spider-Man looks and sounds more like the Spider-Man I know, so I'm going to take the win, temporary though it may be.

Dark Ages #2 (October 6):  It's weird reading this issue six months further into the pandemic than when it was released.  Peter describes a world that lost billions of people to the natural disasters and power struggles that came after electricity disappeared from Earth.  Given COVID-19 has killed 6,000,000+ people and Russia invaded Ukraine a few weeks ago, it isn't that hard to connect with this situation.  The action-forcing event here is Apocalypse kidnapping Iron Man to help Reed Richards and RiRi Williams reawaken the Unmaker so Apocalypse can steal his power.  He reveals that they're using Magneto to block the Earth's electromagnetic field enough to build a Faraday cage and that he's using the Purple Man to force the hero geniuses to work for him.  Given Apocalypse has established a brutal dictatorship in Europe, it isn't hard to see what his goals are.

Amazing Spider-Man #76 (October 13):  As I recover from my PTSD, I'm happy to say that I enjoyed this issue.  I mean, "enjoy" is probably the wrong word, since Peter eventually slips into a coma from his radiation exposure.  

But, I feel like the Beyond Board walks us through a pretty logical series of consequences stemming from X-Ray's attack.  First, Peter is in a bad way.  It's pretty clear that he's only alive due to his Spider-Powers, but he's barely alive.  Second, Ben is struggling with his loyalty to Peter and his desire to embrace his life as Beyond's Spider-Man.  In violation of his contract, he takes off his uniform to bring Peter to the hospital and calls Aunt May and MJ to meet him there.

Later, Ben again defies his handler, Marcus, when he refuses to go after the U-Foes immediately and instead goes to the hospital to seek Peter's blessing to be Spider-Man.  Here, Wells does the reverse of what Spencer did during his run.  Instead of showing Peter's good heart by having him wallow in guilt, Wells has Peter understand that if he feels like Ben is asking him to share his life with him then it has to be even harder for Ben.  Peter gives Ben his blessing and beseeches him to "be amazing."

As usual with Wells, we get great character moments along the way.  Peter remains funny as he weakly jokes about his situation, and Aunt May is a force of nature when it comes to berating the doctors for not helping Peter.  I particularly enjoyed Colleen and Misty telling Marcus to have some respect after he says that, in Beyond's eyes, Ben is the only Spider-Man.

Do I dare to hope that I'll look forward to reading "Amazing Spider-Man" every month?  Maybe!

X-Men:  The Trial of Magneto #3 (TPB) (October 20):  This issue is beyond odd.  As we saw last issue, someone resurrected the Scarlet Witch.  However, she seems to have almost no memories of herself.  Jean and Rachel provide her with her "greatest hits," as Rachel calls them.  

But, before they can help Wanda process them, three kaiju suddenly attack Krakoa.  The Avengers and X-Men assemble to fight them, but they seem nearly unstoppable.  Meanwhile, Wanda somehow re-enters the astral space that we've previously seen her occupy and discovers her older self, who - based on her white costume - seems like the person who killed her?  

It's fine to drag out the mystery so you can hit four issues, but the kaiju attack is such a random way to do that that it feels like Williams (or, probably more to the point, the editorial staff) just picked it from a hat labeled "obstacles."

Amazing Spider-Man #77 (October 27):  I've dreamt of Kelly Thompson writing "Amazing Spider-Man," so I'm thrilled to see her here.  Ben has functionally taken over the title at this point as Peter remains in a coma.  But, as usual, everything isn't wine and roses for Ben.  I mean, not only does Morbius bite him, but he also forgets how one of his memories about Uncle Ben ends as he's recounting for Dr. Kafka.  Ruh-Roh.  Given the long line of clones who suffered degeneration syndrome, I'm worried where the Beyond Board is going with this one.  Ben also meets Maxine, the head of Beyond's superhero program, and she's...intense.  It's also a reminder that we know very little about Beyond or its goals.  I'm sure they have Ben's best interests in heart.

Inferno #2 (October 27):  We have a lot to cover here, as Hickman is telling essentially five separate, though connected, stories.

First, Hickman walks us through how Mystique used her powers to trick the Five into resurrecting Destiny.  It's pretty straight-forward:  she was the Magneto whom we saw last issue grabbing Cerebro from Island M (is it a duplicate?) and the Professor X whom we saw getting Destiny's DNA from Mr. Sinister.  Posing as Professor X, she then has the Five resurrect a younger version of Destiny, at the age she was when they first met, a gift to both of them.

Second, we have the Council machinations.  Mystique is able to assemble a coalition of Exodus (the believer), Mr. Sinister (the spoiler), Nightcrawler (the son), and Shaw (the cynic) to vote with her.  The surprise is Emma, for whom she obtains a special object in exchange.  We'll return to this point later.

Third, we have the Orchis drama.  First, Omega Sentinel reveals herself as a mutant (I think) to Nimrod, though it's unclear right now where that story is going.  The main development is that Orchis has managed to create a translocator from Earth to the Forge.  However, I'm not totally clear how they plan to use that.  The monkey doctor tells Mystique disguised as Sage (I think) - who found the Orchis HQ after discovering the X-Force mission log about the Paris gate - that they want to unleash the Sun through the portal.  I initially thought that he meant on Earth, but I'm now guessing that he means Arakko?  A lot relating to this thread isn't clear.   (One question I have is how Mystique knew to look for the security log?)

Most importantly, we have Moira.  She seems pretty damn near crazy, yes?  At this point, the main question to me is still why Moira is so afraid of Destiny.  She's right that Destiny is onto her:  she tells Mystique that she sees a "hole" in the future, and we all know what (or who) that means.  But, if Charles, Erik, and Moira are really committed to building a paradise for mutantkind, why would Destiny care?  Isn't that essentially what she told Moire to do when the Brotherhood killed her in issue #1?  

Moira also mentions that Destiny will see through Charles and Erik.  If I'm reading between the lines correctly, it implies that Destiny discovering that Moira is lying and scheming to destroy mutantkind wouldn't the only spoiled plot:  Charles, Erik, and Moira are clearly planning something that Destiny wouldn't see as in mutantkind's best interests.  Charles himself mentions how willing Moira is to spill blood.  Then again, Erik refuses to kill Destiny simply because Moira finds it expedient, so maybe Charles and Erik are comfortable with the risk of mutantkind learning of their (likely not as heinous as Moira's) plans.

Returning to the Council machinations, Charles and Erik suggest to Moira that they bring Emma into their scheme because they can trust her.  In exchange for the truth, she would then support their choice for the final Council seat.  (Moira is skeptical that a Council seat alone would get them the support that they need.)  At the Louvre, Emma meets Moira with Charles and Erik and reads her mind, learning "the truth."  But, the plan backfires:  Emma is appalled at how long and how much Charles and Erik have manipulated her.  Emma apparently sees the threat that a precog represents, though it's clear yet that she's willing to play ball.  After Emma leaves in a huff, Moira acknowledges that their best bet at this point is putting someone on the Council they can trust, who they decide is Colossus.  The literal glint in his eye as he appears before the Council makes it unclear whether they're right or not.

All in all, I'm pretty happy with where we're going here.  Charles and Erik seems finally to be getting some form of comeuppance, and I hope that Emma is the one to serve it.

Marauders #25 (October 27):  OMG, this issue couldn't have been better.  I rolled my eyes at the end of last issue when Rixlo spaced the Marauders, but Duggan and Noto are spectacular as we watch the team work together to survive.  Bobby creating the ice bubble, Bobby and Pyro creating water that scientist Kate could electrify to create oxygen, and Bishop and Shaw serving as the "dude-thrusters" were all just great.  (I only had to stretch my ability to suspend my disbelief at the idea of Bobby "catching" some oxygen in the ice bubble right after they were spaced.)  As Emma said, Kate then ghosting into the ship and kicking Rixlo's difficult-to-kick ass was quite exciting.  It's exactly the sort of story that I was hoping that we'd see again in this title.  Boo yah.

Moon Knight #4 (October 27):  I think I've mentioned on this blog that "West Coast Avengers" was my jam when I was a teenager.  I've always been a sidekick person - Bucky Barnes, Clint Barton, Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Sam Wilson - and "West Coast Avengers" was the greatest assembly of sidekicks ever.  As such, I was thrilled when Tigra walked through that door.  As Tigra's rooftop conversation with Marc reveals, Marc could really use a friend in his life right now, isolated as he is.  (I'm going to have to read this Avengers' arc where he fights them on Khonshu's behalf.)  Moreover, McKay is putting together a rogue's gallery that really fits with Moon Knight's commitment to protecting the night.  All in all, I continue to be happy where we're going here.

Also Read:  New Mutants #22 (October 6); X-Men #4 (October 13)

Eight-Month-Old Comics: The Superhero August 18 (2021) Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Guardians of the Galaxy #17 (August 18):  This issue trips a bit over the ever-confusing Cosmic Marvel continuity, as the issue's big reveal - that Ego and Galactus at some point bonded, meaning that the Dormammu-dominated Ego is now the Dormammu-dominated Galactus - comes after a lot of exposition.  Do I understand?  No, not really.

For me, the most relevant part of the story is Rich trying to convince everyone that they're trusting Doom way too much.  Ewing makes it seem like Rich is just immature as always, and everyone but Gamora ignores him.  (Remember those sparks?)  But, as Doom takes advantage of Dormammu conquering Chitauri Prime to colonize it for his Rigellian allies, the rest of the team reconsiders Rich's position.  I'm always thrilled when we treat Rich like an adult.  

All that said, this issue does reveal Dormammu's plan:  he's invading five ancestral worlds that form a pentagram to bring our dimension into his dimension.  In other words, it's pretty low stakes.  :)

Marauders #23 (August 18):  This issue starts poorly, as I had to Google a bit to discover what the fuck happened to the Marauder.  It's a poor showing to have the fate of the series' titular ship determined in a different series with nary an editor's note to tell us what the fuck happened.  The rest of this issue is fine, though, as Emma, Jumbo Carnation, Kate, and Tempo help Banshee stop rivals mobs from stealing Krakoa's medications from an Irish warehouse.  I'll be honest that I wish we'd stop focusing so much on Emma at the expense of characters like Bishop, Iceman, and Shadowcat.  But, we'll see where we go as the dust from the Hellfire Gala continues to settle.

Moon Knight #2 (August 18):  Cappuccio is spectacular in depicting this issue's villain lost in the sea of Marc's god-touched mind.  He builds the tension panel by panel to the moment when an enormous and monstrous Moon Knight appears in the villain's mindscape to destroy his mind.  In terms of the plot, the unnamed spectator hired the villain to confront Moon Knight.  We also start rounding out Marc's supporting cast here, as I'm pretty sure Soldier is going to appear again after Marc saved him and his mother from the villain and his mind-controlling sweat.  I mean, how could you not?

Sinister War #3 (August 18):  I mean, Spencer is really drawing out this story, but he does a better job making this issue fill less like the filler that last one was.  At some point, you start to wonder if Spidey really has a hope of surviving.  Usually, he manages to swing to safety, but so many villains are after him that he never gets that break.  It's hard to believe that we only have one more issue.

X-Men:  Trial of Magneto #1 (TPB) (August 18):  This issue is spectacular and as such difficult to review.  The summary doesn't quite do the emotions justice.  

X-Force and the X-Men watch as X-Factor investigates Wanda's murder, discovering that a supernatural magnetized object strangulated her to death.  Suspicion obviously falls onto Magneto, who loses his fucking mind when the Quiet Council refuses to resurrect her.  He almost kills Professor X with Cerebro and sermonizes about the Council's "hopelessly antediluvian human concept[s]."  It's just like the old days.  

X-Factor tries to arrest him after he storms from the Grove; to put it mildly, he resists arrest.  Polaris arrives to try to stop him, and he's brutal, calling her "unhinged and inconsistent at [her] best."  Lorna is withering in her response, asking:  "How many women is it now you once claimed to love who all perished during your brief window of affection and attention?"  

Before X-Factor and the X-Men can stop him, Quicksilver arrives and almost beats him to death.  Northstar stops him, and Quicksilver breaks into sobs on his shoulder.  (In one of the best "Dawn/Reign of X" scenes, Pietro arrives at the Blob's bar and has a drink with him, Mastermind, and Toad.)  Logan asks Jean if she can read Magneto's mind, but she says that his subconscious is just a nightmare of grief.  The issue ends with Wanda on some other plane of existence revealing that she's dead but also not dead at the same time.

This issue is a tense procedural until Lorna's and Pietro's grief leap off the page.  Although the Krakoan mutants should have known that grief drove Magneto's actions in the Grove, Jean reading his mind makes it clear that he's just as hysterical as Lorna and Pietro are.  It seems pretty clear that he didn't do it, and I'm a little surprised how quickly all the Krakoan mutants accept that he did.

Going forward, we have a number of unanswered questions.  Professor X says that Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch were able to trick Cerebro into thinking that they were mutants, so back-up versions of them do exist.  But, I don't get how they did so.  Did Wanda do it?  In "Uncanny Avengers" #4, we learned that the High Evolutionary gave them their powers.  Why would Cerebro ever read them as mutants if they don't have the X-gene?  Are we preparing to re-ret-con this development?  Also, the obvious question is:  if Magneto didn't kill her, who did?  Virtually every mutant wanted her dead, as the celebrations after her death show.  It's part of the reason that I'm surprised everyone jumped to the conclusion that Magneto did it.

All I know is that once Billy learns that she's dead, someone is going to have Hell to pay.

Eleven-Month-Old Comics: The Superhero May 5 and 12 (2021) Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Marauders #20 (May 5):  This issue is excellent, as Duggan has the team say farewell to Storm on the eve of the Hellfire Gala.  It involves everyone telling their favorite Storm stories and guessing how many knives she carries.  As usual, Emma steals the show, when she thanks Storm for making sure that the wind was at Hellfire Trading's back during its launch.  But, the issue's end is the most interesting, as it seems that Shaw is going to propose the Council bring back mutants before Cerebro came online.  (Time travel?)  Duggan also hints at the "Hellfire Expedition" proposal, which I'm guessing will define the post-Gala status quo for this series.  Given how uneven the last few issues have been, it's nice to have Storm's send-off meet the series' original promise.

Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man:  King's Ransom #1 (May 12):  Whoa.  I mean, it isn't all that surprising that Boomerang betrayed Spidey and was working for Kingpin this time.  In fact, his entire redemption arc only really makes sense because it wasn't true.  Still, poor Spidey.

Reading about Spidey vouching for Boomerang, I was reminded when Boomerang killed Jackpot's husband in front of her and her daughter in "Amazing Spider-Man Presents:  Jackpot" #2 (I think).  Sure, his moment at the Bar with No Name shows that he knows what he lost.  But, it's Boomerang.  He always knows what he's lost, and he does it anyway.  It took me a while to figure out that Fred's "disagreement" with the Kingpin on the "compensation package" is what led the Kingpin sending New York's underworld against him, even though he was still willing to provide Kingpin with the last fragment of the Tablet of Life and Destiny.

The big news is that Wilson decides to resurrect his son, Richard, instead of his wife.  (I was a little surprised Richard was resurrected fully dressed in his Rose outfit instead of, you know, naked.)  Wilson made that decision after Kindred refused to resurrect Vanessa and, in a scene we didn't see at the time, then asks him why he thinks that she wants to return to him.  He realizes that he could atone for Vanessa's greatest sin - murdering her son - and resurrect him.  I've been down on Spencer for a while, but, OK, this twist is actually interesting.  

Moreover, Spencer appears to be putting aside this need to have Peter blame himself for everything.  When he convenes the New Avengers to help him find Fred, he realizes (again) the extent to which he's isolated himself from his family and friends in a misguided drive to protect them.  

Guardians of the Galaxy #14 (May 12):  First, these Booth covers are awesome.  Moving onto the story, Ewing is finally telling the type of Guardians story that I was hoping we'd see in this series.  

First, on Rimworld #360-3715, Team B discovers that Sister Talionis is trying to open a "dark doorway" to allow He-Who-Waits to enter.  Kl'rt recognizes the three stars that she names and hypothesizes that Talionis is making a constellation from them to summon dark powers.  When he notes that the other star would have to be exactly in the right place for the spell to work, the team realizes that this suspiciously perfectly located "new planet" is actually Ego the Living Planet.  Ego is apparently He-Who-Waits' herald.  The team returns to the Almond (the Bowie's successor) as Talionis' minions slit their hands for a blood offering.  They then begin to die in terrible ways to make way for He-Who-Waits.

Meanwhile, on Throneworld II, Doom swaps bodies with Teddy so that he can wield the Sword of Space.  Ewing does a great job with Doom, as he has the team on the ropes for a while.  Moondragon eventually has the team goad Doom into switching bodies again (by implying that he chose Teddy given the similarity his powers have to Mister Fantastic's) and then hijacks his consciousness and places it into Rocket's.  Doom says that he's only trying to get the Sword of Space because he senses "something" coming, and Team A realizes that it's He-Who-Waits.  Peter then conscripts Doom into the Guardians to help.

Seriously, it's great stuff.  Given how difficult to follow this series' first twelve issues were, Ewing spinning a classic Guardian tale is all the more rewarding.

Spider-Man:  Spider's Shadow #2 (May 12):  First, I am here for a bearded Peter Parker.  It's like when Mayor Pete finally grew one.  

More importantly, this issue is intense.  By the end of it, Peter has killed Kingpin, Scorpion, and Shocker and broken JJJ, Jr.'s hand.  I mean, before he kills Kingpin, Spidey throws Scorpion and Shocker's dismembered limbs at him, since it was Kingpin who sent them after him.  In other words, it ain't your father's friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

Something I think that Zdarsky gets absolutely right is that people are underestimating Spidey because they don't quite believe that he's a killer now.  Kingpin actually taunts him, as if Peter wasn't going to kill him right then and there.  

Zdarksy shows Peter struggling with the shame, particularly after he confesses to MJ that he killed Hobgoblin, but it's clear that the symbiote is quickly taking over full control.  While Reed Richards has Johnny Storm trying to find him, Doctor Octopus is putting together the Sinister Six so they can kill him before he kills them.  

So far, each development makes sense to me, and, as such, I'm really worried for Peter where we're going.

Also Read:  Amazing Spider-Man #65 (May 5)

Year-Old Comics: The Superhero April 7 and 14 (2021) Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Marauders #19 (April 7):  The Marauders respect the letter, if not the spirit, of the law when they send in the Morlocks - technically not Krakoans - to save Lowtown.  Of course, they don't exactly respect the letter of the law, as Kate sneaks into Lowtown to plant the Krakoan gate that allows the Morlocks to enter and Bishop blows up Frankenstein's laboratory.  But, they don't get caught so it counts.  I have to say that I'm totally down with this series occasionally focusing on Lowtown - now Mutietown - stories featuring the Morlocks.  In sad news, the Reavers kill Lockheed's friend's (Ai Tran's) dad, but the Morlocks offer Ai a job running the Princess Bar.

Darkhawk:  Heart of the Hawk #1 (April 14):  If you've read this blog for a while, you'll know that Darkhawk is right up there with Nova and Spider-Man 2099 on my list of favorites.  He was a teenage '90s heroes roughly my age, and I always clicked with him the most.  He wasn't a nerdy genius like Peter Parker or a handsome dude like Rich Rider.  He was a normal teenager who felt overwhelmed with the responsibilities unfolding before him.  His story sang to me.  Marvel does a spectacular job of creating the perfect introduction to Chris for new readers with enough to get us committed fans excited.  

Danny Fingeroth somehow summarizes the original "Darkhawk" series in just a few pages as Chris accidentally finds himself on a date with the daughter of the mobster who corrupted his father.  It made me want to dig out my old back issues and remember all the twists and turns that those issues had when it came to Chris' father.  I had definitely forgotten that he was Savage Steel.

Then, Dan Abnett gives the same treatment to Chris' cosmic years, portraying him as a lonely figure trying to help where he can in the aftermath of the War of Kings.  Darkhawk's cosmic adventures often put Chris's story on the back burner as Darkhawk's armor's increasingly complicated and contradictory back story became most stories' focus.  This story puts Chris firmly in the story's center, thankfully, as he grieves the loss of heroes like Nova and Star-Lord and tries to do his best to bring justice to a broken galaxy.

Higgins seemingly shows us Chris' death.  At a breach point, Chris has spent the last three weeks trying to prevent "what's on the other side from coming through."  But, he can't prevent the "Shadow War" that he sees coming from happening anymore, as the ship has expended all its energy.  Before the ship explodes, he sends the amulet through Null Space with all his memories - his datasong - in the hope that someone  will find it and learn from his mistakes.  Ramírez's Chris is my preferred one here, once again a handsome yet normal guy who just happens to be a superhero.

All in all, I'm excited that Marvel seems ready to bring back Chris.  He seems a perfect fit for joining the new Guardians, and I hope we go in that direction.

Guardians of the Galaxy #13 (April 14):  This issue is great.  It's exactly what a "Guardians of the Galaxy" issue should be and yet somehow is still rare.  In a template that works well for future issues and stories, Ewing splits up the Guardians into two squads to address separate threats.

Nova leads the first squad to Throneworld 2, where an extra-galactic civilization called the Progenitors are attacking.  As a civilization willing to experiment on "lesser species," they're exposing the Kree to a mutagenic mist to study the results.  Nova, Gamora, Groot, Moondragon, (a shirtless) Peter Quill, and Rocket arrive to help Hulkling and Wiccan take out the Progenitors.  

Meanwhile, Phylla-Vell leads Drax, Marvel Boy, and Quasar to a newly discovered rimworld where a survey team vanished.  It turns out a Skrull cult - the Brethren of the Forgotten Flame -  waiting for the return of "He-Who-Waits" has taken over the planet (and killed the survey team).  Let's just say that they're not thrilled that a pacifist Earther child is running the Empire.

Ewing also includes some surprises here.  First, Wendell Vaughn is now sharing the quantum bands with Avril Kincaid, like Captain Marvel used to do with Rick Jones.  Second, when Gamora complains about how distant Peter is, he confesses that he had a son in Morinus.  Finally, the Throneworld team sends away the Progenitors only to get its ass kicked by...Doctor Doom!

Also Read:  Amazing Spider-Man #63 (April 7); Spider-Man:  Spider's Shadow #1 (April 14)

Over Year-Old Comics: The Superhero February 3, 10, 17, and 24 (2021) Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

King in Black:  Black Knight #1 (February 3):  Honestly, this issue is almost incomprehensible.  I've read a lot of Dane Whitman stories, and the Dane Whitman whom we see here is almost unrecognizable.  Instead of a hero nobly trying to fight the Ebony Blade's dark and murderous impulses to help people, Dane is a spineless, stuttering fool begging the Blade to stop making him kill people.  Moreover, Spurrier uses Knull of all "people" to ret-con the Black Knight legend.  Apparently, Merlin chose Dane's ancestor Percy to wield the blade because he was the most craven, not heroic, knight.  Of course, Spurrier doesn't explain why the alien God of the Symbiotes is apparently the only entity able to understand Merlin's motivations in awarding the Blade to Percy; we're just supposed to accept that.  Plus, the "humor" throughout this issue is just bizarre.  Most of the issue's dialogue is dedicated to Aero and Sword Master's argument over whether Dane is crazy or not.  No, really.  Just like Knull, Aero and Sword Master are awkwardly inserted here for no real reason.  I could continue, but I've already wasted too much time thinking about this issue.

Amazing Spider-Man #59 (February 10):  It's clear that Spencer is drawing inspiration from Stern's run on "Amazing Spider-Man," where Hobgoblin's identity was a mystery for 50+ issues.  Throughout that period, Peter faced trials and tribulations other than Hobgoblin.  With the Kindred story fading to the background, Martin Li accepts his Mr. Negative persona to save Aunt May.  Later, Mr. Negative informs Kingpin that Lemuria also created a Tablet of Death and Entropy, which allows resurrection one time when combined with the Tablet of Life and Destiny.  Kingpin recruits Mister Negative to join other criminals whom he's hired to wrest the Tablet of Life and Destiny from Boomerang.  I'm on board with this sort of story, but Spencer has to do a better job of really letting go of the Kindred story.  If he isn't going to solve it anytime soon, he needs to put it on the back burner more fully.

Captain America #27 (February 17):  This issue is one of the best Red Skull stories ever told.  The Skull realizes that he doesn't have to stoke hate; he just has to direct it.  When the Fact Channel organizes a rally in Central Park to jeer Captain America's call to remember our better angels, the Skull has his New Watchdogs plant a bomb.  Speaking over images of Captain America trying to keep the various right-wing groups from killing each other before the bomb exploded, the Skull calls on these right-wing groups to stand against the man who tried to deny them their freedom of speech.  Coates wrote this issue a year before Putin's invasion of Ukraine, so his depiction of the far-right groups rallying to the Skull's cause rings particularly prophetic.

Guardians of the Galaxy #11 (February 17):  Ewing continues to bring all the pieces together, particularly when it comes to Nova and Star-Lord.  When the team decides to face the Olympians on Daedelus-5, a world that Annihilius destroyed during the Annihilation Wave, Rich walks through his feelings during a remote session with his therapist.  Although he's still unwilling to see himself as a hero, his therapist is maybe getting him to see that he isn't alone now, just like he wasn't alone then.  Later, though, he gets a moment that'll hopefully heal even more wounds.  When Rich apologizes for bringing Peter into the fight with the Olympians, Peter tells him that he should thank him for that, as it gave him his life on Morinus.  He also reminds him that, even if Nova didn't tell him about the Olympians, Star-Lord would've found out somehow and done the same thing.  He tells Rich that he may not be the man who he was, but that he's still him.  They hug, and I hope that hug means Rich may sleep through the night one night soon.  Of course, he has to survive the Olympians first.

Marauders #18 (February 17):  I'll admit that I'm not quite sure why the Marauders have decided to poke Verendi in the eye in Madripoor.  I mean, I get why they'd want to keep tabs on them and make sure that any mutants in Madripoor are safe.  But, actively buying property  in Lowtown to prevent Verendi from building its skyline seems unnecessarily aggressive.  As Kade says to Frankenstein, they're just screwing with Verendi to screw with them.  It not only distracts the Marauders from their goals, but it gives Frankenstein the excuse to roll out his new Reavers, humans who the various X-teams maimed in previous fights.  (I did like Bobby refusing to feel badly about the Reavers whom he maimed after the Red Queen's "death."  As he says, they were trying to kill him with the limbs that he took.)  The issue ends with the United Nations banning the Marauder from Madripoor given a brawl that Bishop, Iceman, and Pyro had with the Reavers there.  I still don't get why it's the United Nations' job to do so.  Can't Verendi, as Madripoor's government, do so?  Also, can't they just use public-domain law to seize the land that the Marauders bought?  At any rate, I've never liked the Kiddie Hellfire Club, and I still don't get why we're dwelling on them here.

Amazing Spider-Man #60 (February 24):  In my review of last issue, I said that I hoped that Spencer would let the Kindred story fade into the background.  Instead, we belabor it yet again.  This time, though, we have Peter delivering a truly ridiculous monologue about his angst over Kindred.  When I say "monologue," I mean "monologue:"  MJ has him deliver it in an abandoned theater.  Also, Mysterio seems to know Peter's secret identity, since he approaches MJ after Peter leaves?  I haven't really focused on this development because I basically keep hoping that it disappears.  [Sigh.]

X-Men #18 (February 24):  Darwin, Synch, and Wolverine's journey into the Vault is one of the better stories that Hickman has spun on this series.  First, the threat to Krakoa is clear:  the Children of the Vault seek to dominate Earth, and they (correctly) see mutantkind as hindering that goal.  Second, it isn't the usual characters:  I like all three of these characters individually (it's great to see Synch in action again after all these years), and Hickman has created a virtually indestructible trio in the way their powers interact.  Finally, it isn't clear which side will win:  the trio might be virtually indestructible, but the Children of the Vault are, too.  Whereas the plots of "Marauders" and "New Mutants" have meandered for quite a while (even before "X of Swords"), it was nice to read a story that has a point.

Also Read:  King in Black:  Marauders #1 (February 3); New Mutants #16 (February 24)

Over Year-Old Comics: The Superhero January 6, 13, 20, and 27 (2021) Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Amazing Spider-Man #56 (January 6):  At some point during Slott's "Superior Spider-Man" run, I decided that I just had to grit my teeth and go with it.  I wasn't going to get the resolution in the time frame that I wanted, so I just had to let the story unfurl at its own pace, unpleasant as it was.  I feel the same way with the Kindred saga.

First, I accept that Sin-Eater cleansed Norman of his sins and that Norman then cooked up the deal with the Kingpin so that he could get Harry to Ravenloft where Norman had the tools to help him.  As plans go, it's pretty solid.  

Moreover, Spencer makes it clear that MJ was aware of the plan:  Norman used a flash grenade to make Kindred think that MJ was hurt.  When an enraged Kindred came after Norman, MJ told Peter that she was fine and that Norman wanted them to use the distraction to evacuate the Order of the Web.  This part also makes sense.  I mean, yes, I'm frustrated that we keep vacillating between "bad" Norman and "good" Norman.  It's hard enough to believe that Norman isn't setting up elaborate double- and triple-crosses at all time, so it's just as likely that Norman is only pretending to be good Norman for Harry and that he's really bad Norman with Kingpin.  As I've previously said, these sorts of Osborn stories are such beaten paths that it's hard to care.  But, at least good Norman's plan as presented to us makes sense.

I'm also fine with the idea that, once Kindred released all the sins from Sin-Eater, they returned to the original sinners except for Norman. 

I even like the idea that a revived Overdrive realized that he needed to surround himself with better people, so he asks out Carlie Cooper given her devotion to him in the hospital.

Unfortunately, I draw the line at the core premise of this story:  a captured Kindred informs Norman that he did what he did to him and Peter because he wants them to remember "the truth [they've] been running from."  Apparently, if Peter acknowledges that he was the cause of all his family and friends' suffering and if Norman is cleansed of all his sins, they'd have free enough minds to remember the dark, terrible secret that they apparently can't remember.  We've had hints that Harry may mean Peter's deal with Mephisto, which Peter doesn't remember (but MJ may).  But, I don't get what it has to do with Harry and/or Norman?  And, again, I don't care.  But, I guess that I have to go down this road anyway.

Guardians of the Galaxy #10 (January 6):  I feel like Ewing seriously rights the ship in this issue.  As uninteresting as Knull is to me as yet another all-powerful evil that the heroes have to defeat, he serves as a good foil for Peter to reveal his new amped up powers.  Though, at this point, it's unclear to what extent his new powers are part of his (still unexplained) role as Master of the Sun or a Star-Lord or part of him still possessing half the Olympians' powers.  But, I trust Ewing to get there, particularly as we now have, more or less, a coherent team.  I'm particularly thrilled that it includes Nova, and I'm hopeful, based on the blurb about next issue, that Drax, Gamora, and Groot will rejoin the club soon.  In other words, it feels likes we're back to the actual story that Ewing is telling and not just the distractions and diversions that we've encountered over the last few issues.

Amazing Spider-Man #57 (January 13):  This issue feels like a placeholder, as the only real development is Peter telling Norman that he's done with his feud with the Osborns.  Norman begs him to speak to Harry, and Peter refuses.  I have to say that I'm proud of him for it.  I totally agree with him that the feud just serves to fuel the Osborn's sense of victimhood and Peter needs to exit the scene.  Of course, Spencer can't make it that simple, so Kindred reveals that he intentionally let Norman trap him.  That seems a bit of a reach, the idea that he knew that the Kingpin could use Spot to trap him in the Darkforce dimension, which happened last issue.  But, as this story goes, it's a mild complaint.  The only other development worth noting is that, like Ben Reilly did, Peter is suffering from PTSD as a result of Kindred repeatedly killing and resurrecting him.  He almost beats Norman to death here, and it's clear that Kindred wanted him exactly in this headspace.  I guess we'll see why at some point.

Marauders #17 (January 13):  Duggan acknowledges in the intro page what I've been saying the last few issues, that the Marauders are lost in the past and seem to lack direction for the future.  We move a step in the right direction in this issue as Emma publicly announces the changes that she privately informed Shaw were happening last issue, namely that the White will handle the black market whereas the Black will handle the (I'm sure much less profitable) "yes" countries.  The Red's role is left unclear, which seems like a missed opportunity.  But, I assume that Duggan has something up his sleeve.  After all, in this issue, the Hellfire Club finally starts circulating invitations to the Hellfire Gala, and Storm decides to leave Krakoa (though serves as Callisto's Crucible sponsor before she goes).  Change is in the air; I just hope that it doesn't take too long to arrive, given how scarred I am from Spencer's Kindred story.

Amazing Spider-Man #58 (January 27):  Speaking of Spencer's Kindred story, I don't even know what I have to say about this issue.  Instead of resolving the Kindred issue, Peter gets drawn into Martin Li's attempt to fight off his Mr. Negative persona.  His Demon Knights have apparently contacted the Kingpin on his behalf, offering to help him resurrect Vanessa (as Kindred refused to do).  I mean, Mr. Negative was one of the best characters to emerge from "Brand New Day," so I'm not complaining that he's back.  But, OMFG, how long can Spencer draw out the Kindred story?  Is he trying to win a bet?

New Mutants #15 (January 27):  I can't quite put my finger on it, but something about Ayala and Reis' issues aren't working for me.  

It may just be that we have too many characters moving through each issue.  After some Googling, I learned that (the always delicious) Daken appears to be dating Aurora in "X-Factor."  Ayala makes that clear here, when Gabby (i.e., Scout) is upset that Daken doesn't have time for her.  But, it feels like a non sequitur, or, put another way, this series seems to have enough happening with some of its more established characters that we don't need to add drama.  For example, we've got Dani's efforts to help Xi'an deal with the aftermath of Cosma's possession (as seen last issue), Dani pledging to help Rahne find a way to resurrect Tier, and Anole, Cosmar, No-Girl, and Rain Boy under the Shadow King's influence: it's a lot.  

It overwhelms something that I should've enjoyed more thoroughly, namely the original New Mutants all getting together for Doug's wedding celebration.  I mean, a drunk Bobby basically ignoring that a devirginized Doug just returned from his honeymoon because he wanted to be there to celebrate the devirginizing?  That's excellent New Mutant-ness right there.  But, it's lost amidst Cosmar's disappointment that the Crucible can't return her original body to her and Scout's anger at Daken wanting to sex up Aurora instead of play with her.

At this point, I'm willing to entertain the chaos so that Ayala can show us all the various mutants interacting under the New Mutants umbrella.  But, I think it would help if we soon had a more core group of characters to follow.

X-Men #17 (January 27):  Other than the joy of seeing Cannonball and Sunspot, this issue is mostly notable for the fact that Cyclops and Marvel Girl are in their X-Factor costumes and holding hands.  I believe that it's the first confirmation that they're together?  Hickman has been coy about that since he took over the title.  Although I'm glad to see it, I'd also really like to get an issue dedicated to how that happened.  In fact, I wouldn't mind Hickman eventually showing us how Krakoa came about existing.  The jump in time was necessary to jolt us into this new era, but now that we're well in it I don't think that it would hurt to show how the key characters came to be where they were when "House of X"/"Powers of X" started.  Oh, yes, also, Jean, Ororo, and Scott help Smasher stop an assassination attempt on Xandra as Bobby and Sam babysit.  If Hickman ever stops writing X-Men, I'd love for him to stay and do a Bobby/Sam series.

Over Year-Old Comics: The Superhero December 9, 16, 23, and 30 (2020) Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Amazing Spider-Man #54 (December 9):  Oh, God, make it stop, please, make it stop.  Nick Spencer has entered Tom King territory, and I just can't.  As Peter himself acknowledges, we once again witness a melodramatic fight between an exhausted Peter and a crazy Harry...except this time he's a demon?  I don't know.  Spencer wants me to care, but I don't.  As Peter says, it's exhausting to have Harry always be the guilty party when something bad and crazy happens.  Under pet peeve #3 rules, Spencer doesn't get credit for having a character acknowledge the ridiculousness of his own plot.  [Sigh.]

Guardians of the Galaxy #9 (December 9):  Ewing is clearly re-ret-coning Peter's origin to match his original origin.

That said, I only have a vague idea of what his original origin is.  It clearly involves the Master of the Sun?  It seems like the Star-Lords are a group like the Nova Corps, since the Master of the Sun tells Peter that he'll make him "a" Star-Lord.  But, Peter is convinced this origin is a false memory, though it's unclear why he's having the memory now and why he doesn't believe it.  

At any rate, we learn that Peter used the Element Gun to absorb the Olympians.  He then spends 144 years in a place called Mornius where he enters into a bisexual thruple and seemingly has a child named Rocky.  But, he uses his Element Gun enough over that 144 years that he's released enough of the Olympians' powers for them to reconstitute themselves.  Peter is forced to return to our galaxy just in time for Knull's invasion.

Although the story is easy enough to follow, the meta-story is much more is difficult to follow.  The issue is structured as Peter passes through Morinus' 12 houses, though Ewing never really tells us what they are or why they're important.  Although he does an impressive job investing us in Arcadia and Mors (Peter's spouses) in such a short time, it's a double-edged sword because it's hard not to want more.  

I feel like we could've gotten some really great Morinus stories, but Ewing had to cut it short for the "King in Black" crossover.  It's disappointing given how great it could've been.

Marauders #16 (December 9):  I mean, I guess this issue is OK?  I dunno.  I don't have any reason not to like it, because, I mean, how could I possibly dislike Emma, Kate, and Lockheed kicking Sebastian Shaw's ass?  But, something about it bordered on eye-roll inducing, though I can't quite put my finger on it.

Captain America #26 (December 16):  Just like "Marauders," I haven't been feeling these last few issues.  Bucky, Cap, Sam, and Sharon's mission to save Misty, Natasha, Peggy, and Ross feels like the sort of thing that we'd cover in a few pages in an epilogue to a long-running story.  Maybe it's because the stakes don't feel real at all:  it isn't like we believe that they're going to fail to rescue them.  Even when it seemed like Peggy was going to die at the end of last issue, I found myself struggling to summon any sense of sadness.  As Sharon said in that issue and Steve in this one, pretty much every major character in this issue - Bucky, Lukin, Natasha, Peggy, Ross, Sharon, Sin, Steve - has been dead at some point or another.  With stakes that low, as I said, it's hard to care a lot about the outcome here.

New Mutants #14 (December 16):  Hickman has Ayala address one of the issues lurking in the background of many of the "Dawn/Reign of X" series, namely the younger mutants appear to be drunks.  The older New Mutants write the Quiet Council asking for help, and the Council promptly puts them in charge of running the education program.  Using the Captains' "synergy" approach, the older New Mutants begin training the rest of the new mutants in the Wild Hunt.  It's all well and good except for the fact that several trainee New Mutants are under the Shadow King's influence.  I'll admit that I'm surprised that we're lumping Anole in with several characters created for this story.  I mean, he's been a character for almost 20 years.  You'd think that he'd at least be part of the Young X-Men group and not demoted to this one.

Amazing Spider-Man #55 (December 30):  OMFG, how is this story not over yet?  I thought with "Last Remains" ending we'd be done, but, no, we're just beginning?  

I mean, I know Spencer is all about returning to Peter's past, as this issue's multiple references to Harry and Peter's previous confrontations makes clear.  But, I didn't really need to return to the era where Mary Jane is always at the point of getting fridged.  Possibly even worse, we're also returned to the era where Norman somehow never suffers any consequences.  After all, he apparently cured himself of his insanity (including thinking that he was Carnage), and was immune to Sin-Eater's bullets.  Is Norman the Devil?  Maybe?  Who knows?  Who cares?  

I also cannot - cannot - take another minute of Harry pinning blame for Norman on Peter.  Even Norman tried to do so in issue #49.  I get that it seemed dodgy that Peter didn't tell Harry that Norman was the Green Goblin once he realized that Norman suffered from amnesia.  But, Harry was basically having nervous breakdowns over poorly toasted bagels at that point in time.  Yes, Peter benefitted from not having to expose his secret identity, but it didn't mean that his benefit was the only variable in the equation.  Plus, as Norman's behavior in this issue shows, Norman is beyond saving.  But, the fucking Osborns keep trying to pin everything on Peter, and he buys it.

I'm so fucking bored of this schtick.  I really could never read an Osborn story for as long as I live and I wouldn't care.

X-Men #16 (December 30):  Hickman makes it clear that he's not done with Arakko when it turns out Arakko doesn't want to unify with Krakoa now that it's arrived on Earth.  

Isca the Unbeaten is appalled at the X-Men's weakness, something that Hickman plays up well when Isca essentially emasculated Professor X for arriving with a Krakoan flower for her.  (To be fair, he was simply trying to help them set up a portal so they didn't have to cross the strait between the two islands, but it's clear that Isca didn't even see that reason as a good one.)  Meanwhile, Cyclops and Marvel Girl decline positions on the Quiet Council as they plan to restart the X-Men.  They plan to hold annual elections for the roster, and I'm sure that it won't get political at all. 

I have to admit that I feel like Hickman is losing some steam here.  The X of Swords event seemed to happen at a weird time, in retrospect.  We haven't even established the status quos of all the X-Men and associated characters, but now we're adding 20 times the number of mutants on Krakoa with the addition of Arakko.  Moreover, it's getting hard to tell what the modi operandi of all the Krakoan teams are, and now we're adding the X-Men into the mix.  

As amazing as Hickman's work with "Dawn/Reign of X" has been, I feel like it might be time to break up the central narrative control and let creators tell stories where the only notable part about Krakoa is that it's where the mutants happen to live.  Duggan gets as close as we've seen to that on "Marauders," and that series' best issues are when we barely mention Krakoa at all.

Also Read:  MODOK:  Head Games #1 (December 2); Amazing Spider-Man #54.LR (December 23)

Over Year-Old Comics: The Superhero October 7, 14, 21, and 28 (2020) Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Amazing Spider-Man #49 (October 7):  OMFG, I just can't.  For the big 850th issue, I thought that Spencer would reveal who Kindred was.  Instead we just take a fucked-up trip down fucked-up memory lane with fucked-up Norman.  

One of my main complaints about this issue is that Spencer amps up Peter's sense of responsibility so high that it's hard to believe, even for Peter.  For example, Norman tells Peter that he blames Peter for his nervous breakdown and subsequent amnesia.  Norman feels like Peter should've supported him (an adult) when he revealed his identity to him (a child).  To be fair, Peter points out the fact that he was, indeed, a teenager at the time.  That said, he fails to mention that Norman had, you know, stalked and drugged him to set up the aforementioned little tête-à-tête.  Of course, Norman blames his behavior on the drugs' side effects.  In Norman's mind, I guess that Peter should've been able to look past the fact that Norman was holding him hostage.

You'd think that Peter would dismiss this entire argument.  But, no.  Instead, he winds up telling Sin-Eater that his conversation with Norman made him realize that Stan's death is his fault, too, because Stan tried to connect with him and Spidey refused the overture.  I mean, seriously.  I get that Peter has an overdeveloped sense of responsibility, but Spencer is laying it on really thick here,  Are we supposed to believe that Peter is so megalomaniacal that he feels that he, and he alone, is responsible for the decisions that both Green Goblin and Sin-Eater made?

To make matters worse, Pete goes through all this trouble to protect Norman from Sin-Eater only to realize what everyone else already knew:  the only way to stop Norman without killing him is to have Sin-Eater cleanse him.  This epiphany comes after Norman realizes that Ghost-Spider is Gwen Stacy and refers to the God forsaken events of "Sins Past" as he leers at her.  OK, I get it.  It's upsetting.  But, you would've thought that Peter would've realized that Norman was beyond saving when Norman tried to kill him after they successfully subdued Sin-Eater.  But, no, it has to be saving someone else where Peter draws the line.

(As I sidebar here, I don't understand why the Order of the Web just sat there waiting to see what Peter would do.  Yeah, yeah, yeah, the Web of Life and Destiny told Madame Web that it wasn't the right moment to intervene, but, ugh, I hate that.)

I wish I could say that the back-up stories helped, but they were all but incomprehensible.  This issue is a waste of time from start to finish.  The only good thing about it is that I'm reading it so late that it was free on Comixology.

Marauders #13 (October 7):  This issue makes it clear that the swords named at the end of "X of Swords - Creation" #1 are the swords that each champion - ten on each side - need to bring to fight for the future of Krakoa and thus Earth.  For Storm, it is Skybreaker, the Wakandan king's vibranium sword.  Unfortunately, only the Wakandan king can wield said sword, and it can never leave Wakanda.  Despite Storm's urgent pleas, T'Challa fails to reply, forcing her to fight Shuri to steal Skybreaker.  T'Challa arrives as Storm is leaving and allows her to leave with it, and she joins Magik and Wolverine on Krakoa, ready for battle.  The best part of this issue is Storm's exasperation with the Wakandans, who believe that she should wait for T'Challa's return.  She steals the sword because, as she tells Shuri, Wakanda doesn't get to dictate every situation.  It's yet another reminder that everyone still doesn't accept that the world has changed.

Amazing Spider-Man #50 (October 14):  OMFG, thank God.  Honestly, I just couldn't take it anymore.  It's been pretty clear for a while that Kindred was probably Harry Osborn, and I'm glad that we finally establish that here.  It makes me much more excited about where we go from here.  After all, I feel like we're in a good place now.  

Spencer reveals that Kindred was just using Sin-Eater to get to Norman.  I'm not sure how he chose Overdrive, the Lethal Legion, and Juggernaut as the villains whose powers he stole, but it certainly worked to his advantage to get to Norman where he was hiding deep inside Ravencroft.  

Kindred takes all the sins that Sin-Eater has collected and...dismisses Sin-Eater?  I'm not sure if it's the right word, because it seems like he actually goes to Heaven instead of Hell after Kindred made him admit to himself that he killed his partner all those years ago.  More importantly, though, Kindred then takes the sins that he took from Sin-Eater and infects the Order of the Web with them.

At this point, Madame Web reveals why, at the end of last issue, she said that Peter's decision to sacrifice Norman came too late.  When Peter goes to Dr. Strange for help, Dr. Strange berates him for making a deal with a demonic figure.  We all kind of glossed over that part, didn't we?  We were all, "La la la, Norman will be cured!  What's the downside?"  Oh, right, demonic figure.  While the Order of the Web seems like it's coming after Peter, Norman is now panicked as he knows that Kindred is Harry and wants to save his son.  Probably a little too late, buddy.

New Mutants #13 (October 14):  Brisson starts the issue informing us that Cable and his Light of Galador is one of the X-Men's swords.  Of concern to everyone, though, Doug is also one of the combatants, with Warlock as his sword.  Krakoa does everything in his power to convince him not to go, and Magik tries to train him despite knowing that he's no match for an Arakkii combatants.  But, it's Doug who insists that he go, committed to fulfilling the obligation that he feels to his fellow mutants.  Brisson does a good job here not only giving us insight into Doug's thoughts but also providing updates on other plots, such as Sinister's attempt to steal the Arakkii combatants' swords and the Five's temporary inability to resurrect anyone.  I'll admit that I'm not sure that we really needed this story, but I'm still enjoying it nonetheless.

Amazing Spider-Man #50.LR (October 21):  This issue isn't essential to the main plot, but it certainly fleshes it out a bit as Peter confronts the demonic Order of the Web before he makes his way to Dr. Strange's in issue #50.  We also see Dr. Kafka skeptically deal with Norman Osborn as he tries to convince her that he's reformed.  She suggests that Norman can't simply reconcile with Harry; in case of such family trauma, it helps to have a trusted intermediary.  Enter Mary Jane Watson!

Guardians of the Galaxy #7 (October 21):  This issue is fun.  I particularly enjoyed the screwball moments, like Noh-Var somehow looking guilty of murder on not one, but two, occasions.  It's basically intergalactic "Clue."  I'm also glad that Ewing has Rich mention his therapist, since it's clear that it's working as we get a more stable Rich now.  In previous "Guardians of the Galaxy" series, just as Rich's story started to get interesting, he'd disappear to stop yet another galactic invasion.   That said, Ewing's delivery and packing does still seem a bit odd; I constantly feel like I missed an issue.  I'm hoping that Ewing intentionally implanted this awkwardness (like the bizarre post-credits page) because he's building to something.  Otherwise, it's just strange.

X-Men #13 (October 21):  As Healer and Hope heal him, a dying Apocalypse recalls the moments after the Arakkii mutants realized that they were going to lose.  After the White Sword and his One Hundred Champions left Krakoa to cross into Amenth, Apocalypse recalls that the mutants remaining on Krakoa were initially stronger.  They beat back the hordes that cleaved Okkara into two parts, and Genesis' conversation with the Golden Helm of Amenth and its god Annihilation left her stronger.  But, once Genesis' sister, Isca the Unbeatable, defected to the other side (since she can't lose), Genesis' fire dimmed as they all now that they faced no clear victory.   Leading the mutants into Arakko, Genesis left Apocayplse on Krakoa to ensure only the fittest survive.  I have to say, it is a brilliant rewriting of Apocalypse's origin, giving his obsession with exactly that goal - only the fittest surviving - the type of urgency that I always felt was missing.  Although we now have a better understanding of how the mutants survived the initial fight with the Twilight Blade's hordes, I'm eager to learn how eventually they come close to falling in battle, I think, with the White Sword.  In the meantime, Apocalypse reassembles his sword, Scarab, and prepares to join the champions.

X of Swords:  Stasis (October 28):  This issue is more Hickmanesque than I'd like.  But, if you focus on the events that unfold and put aside the misdirection, it's a pretty straight-forward issue.  

Betsey Braddock, Captain Avalon, and Gorgon join Apocalypse, Cable, Doug Ramsey, Magik, Storm, and Wolverine as Krakoa's sword bearers.  (Notably, they are only nine, not ten.)  On Arakko, a resurrected Genesis, wearing the Golden Helm of Amenth, orders Summoner and the Four Horsemen to seek out the other sword bearers:  Redroot, the Forest (Doug's counterpart as Arakko's voice); Pogg Ur-Pogg (a mercenary who joins Arakko's forces on the promise of getting to plunder a new world - i.e., Earth); Bei the Blood Moon (who really just wants to kill people); the White Sword of the Ivory Spire (who agrees to join Arakkii's force because they agree to grant him whatever he wants if they win, and he clearly has something in mind); and Isca the Unbeaten.  From the chart, it looks like Death, Genesis (as Annihilation), and War are sword bearers along with someone named Solem, though I don't think that we've encountered her/him yet

The X-Men travel to Otherworld and are surprised that they're not immediately faced with combat,  Apocalypse notes that the swords may just be the key to entry, which means that we might not exactly see a sword-based brawl.  Saturnyne arrives and refuses to clarify, sending the X-Men to their quarters before a banquet that night.  In their rooms, they each discover a tarot card linked presumably to the role that they'll play in the contest.  Apocalypse is furious that he got the Lovers and confronts Saturnyne, only to discover why he got it, as he faces Genesis and realizes that she is now Annihilation, his greatest enemy.

Also Read:  Captain America #24 (October 14); Falcon & Winter Solider #4 (October 21); Amazing Spider-Man #51 (October 28)