Not-So-New Comics: The September 13 Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Secret Empire Omega #1:  SO.  MUCH.  TALKING.

I didn’t really clock that Captain Nazi was still alive at the end of “Secret Empire.”  It’s right there, but I had other things on my mind at the time.  Here, Steve makes his way to the hole where they’re keeping Captain Nazi to confront the man who damaged his reputation so.  If Spencer falters at all here, it’s in his portrayal of Captain Nazi as a more dedicated fascist than the one we saw over the course of the series.  Captain Nazi has always been portrayed as having doubts about his path, though the man we see here is unrepentant.  Maybe his failure and the death of Elisa have steeled his resolve and finally made him a firm believer in the darker side of the cause, but it's a notable shift in his attitude Spencer doesn't really explain.

At any rate, Steve half-heartedly calls Captain Nazi on his bullshit:  Captain Nazi asserts he didn’t do anything the U.S. government didn't authorize him to do as part of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Act, but Steve dismisses this legalistic argument as hardly acceptable given his destruction of Las Vegas and murder of Jack Flag and Rick Jones.  Captain Nazi more or less asks why Steve is there, and Steve tells the story of a young boy who hesitated in fear when Steve tried to help him from the rubble of Washington, DC.  But, it’s not really that compelling of a reason, and Captain Nazi concludes Steve’s simply fascinated with the path untaken.  Captain Nazi is at his most persuasive when he tells Steve he underestimates the millions of people who whole-heartedly embraced HYDRA.  Spencer is at his best here, reminding us we can’t dismiss torch-bearing racists as easily as we’d like. Spencer wraps up the issue with a guard whispering “Hail HYDRA” in Captain Nazi’s ear, a promise to the reader we’ll hear from him again.

The problem is I'm not sure I care.  This part of the story more or less mirrors "Captain America" #350, where the Red Skull embedded his consciousness in a cloned version of Steve’s body.  I wouldn't be surprised if we see some accident burning away Captain Nazi's face, turning him into the new Skull.  But, I hope Marvel doesn't go that route.  Captain Nazi isn't wrong when he says HYDRA has changed:  as he says, it will no longer see conquering the world as getting the chance to rule it, but regaining a rule HYDRA once had.  Marvel has the opportunity to stop using HYDRA as just another incompetent terrorist organization, but a legitimate threat to the established political order.  If Marvel does that, "Secret Empire" will have really changed the game, Captain Nazi's continued existence aside.  That story would be a lot scary if we didn't have a warmed-over Red Skull redux leading the charge, but instead a new character (preferably a Millennial)  who speaks to those people who embraced HYDRA.

Overall, is this issue necessary?  No, not really.  But, it does remind us Marvel has allowed "Secret Empire" to legitimately change the game (with the possibility of changing it even more).  It's a rare cross-over event that does that, so I'll let Marvel have its victory lap.

Amazing Spider-Man #32:  Every once in a while, Slott turns in an issue that reminds us what he can do when he focuses on the story in front of him and not whatever overarching drama he’s trying to sell us.  In this one-and-done issue, we tour Norman Osborn’s soul.  The nanites Peter injected into him are successfully preventing the Goblin Serum from bonding with Norman's DNA, and he’s desperate to solve that problem.  An acupuncturist sends him to the Temple of No Name, and, in his first test, he’s revealed to possess great potential for the mystic arts.  (His comment that he always tests well made me LOL.)  Slott is uncharacteristically good at the details here.  Rather than let the similarity to other characters’ journeys go unmentioned, Norman makes exactly this observation to one of his three masters.  The master in turn observes certain patterns repeat themselves, but the details are specific to the person:  Norman’s struggle might be similar to Dr. Strange’s or Baron Mordo’s, but how it manifests and resolves itself is uniquely his path.  In the end, Norma rejects his totem animal (a tiger) and chooses the goblin instead.  He summons Spider-Man and defeats him.  But, when he kills him, he reveals himself to be a monster, appalling the three masters.  It’s here where Slott unveils his cleverest trick:  this entire sequence has actually been that first test, one that Norman failed.  The masters expel him, noting they’ll warn all the other orders about him. But, Norman, in typical Norman fashion, is undeterred, since the test revealed the Goblin is still somewhere inside him.  As I said, the copious details and thoughtful storybuilding are rare for Slott:  no loose ends, no deus ex machina, no miracle save.  If only we saw this Dan Slott more often...

Ben Reilly:  Scarlet Spider #7:  I’m not usually a fan of cosmic interference in storylines, but David’s literal deus ex machina here really works.  Marlo is revealed to be Death, and she’s visiting Ben because he’s special:  he’s died the most times of anyone in the Universe, and his soul is blackened and cracked.  Death is interested in him since he seems to be on a path to redemption, and she’s intrigued by his journey to fix his soul.  She assures him he can, but it will take time.  (I really hope we get some sort of soul meter at the end of every issue.)  Ben tries to convince her to bring back Abigail and Kaine, but she wants him to pick one.  He chooses himself (to even the scales), but she refuses.  He attacks her, and it’s clear he only wants her to kill him because he just can’t live with himself anymore.  It’s an emotional moment, but it ends with Death laughing, something (as you can imagine) she had assured us she didn’t really do.  Refreshed after this interaction with a mortal, she grants Ben’s wish.  (It’s interesting to note here not even his seemingly altruistic push for Kaine to be resurrected is totally heroic:  after all, he’s also somewhat suicidal.  It’s a reminder that David may have put Ben on the path to repairing his soul, but the asshole he was as the Jackal is still in there somewhere.)  Death even does him one better:  his face is fully healed.  This part is probably the most controversial one.  In terms of the larger story David is telling, neither Abigail nor Kaine needed to die, so returning them to life doesn’t really affect it.  But, I think most of us probably expected the degenerative disease Ben had to be more of a focus, a sort of race against time as Ben tried to cure it.  But, whatever.  I’m on board with David taking it off the board.  It’s really the last hangover of “The Clone Conspiracy,” and I feel like we’re on secure footing now.  Ben is Ben (if still a little damaged), and he’s on a quest to save his soul, with Kaine nipping at his heels.  That’s a story I’m interested in reading.

Generations:  Captain Marvel and Captain Mar-Vell #1:  Why do I keep falling for Marvel’s tricks and buying these issues when I know they won’t be good?  WHY?

Uncanny Avengers #27:  I don't know why Zub and Izaakse keep insisting on putting Johnny Storm in nothing but tight shorts, but I am not complaining.  Talk about an incentive to keep reading!  It helps that the story isn't half-bad either.  The Avengers engage in some honest-to-goodness teamwork here:  Voodoo provides Scarlet Witch an air elemental to help her survive in space, Rogue distracts Graviton so Wanda can return and wallop him, Rogue delivers the coup de grâce by stealing his powers, and Synapse helps her shake off the insanity that comes with said powers.  It's solid teamwork from start to finish and fun to read to boot.

Also Read:  Star Wars #36; Star Wars:  Doctor Aphra #12; X-Men:  Blue #11

Not-So-New Comics: The August 30 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Secret Empire #10:  This series ends more or less how I expected.  As I mentioned in my review of issue #9, some of the excitement has been missing in the last few issues since Spencer had done such a solid job of setting up the denouement.  But, Spencer still does his best to throw some surprises our way.  Bucky has Sam give Captain Nazi the last Cube fragment, figuring (correctly) that unifying the Cube would unify Kobik.  Under the guidance of Dream Steve, Kobik finds the courage to stand against Captain Nazi, erasing the history he and HYDRA created.  Spencer also answers some long-standing questions:  for example, we learn Elisa used a fragment of the Cosmic Cube to rewrite Mjolnir's rules, rewarding the strongest not the worthiest.  It explains why Captain Nazi could wield the hammer in "Secret Empire" #0, though I'm not quite sure we ever learn how Elise got her hands on the shard in the first place.  That said, I still have questions.  We never really resolve the implication in "Secret Empire" #1 that Steve had embraced HYDRA before Kobik rewrote history, and I'm still not sure we learned who the new Kraken is.  (I'm still pulling for it to be Ian.)  Spencer also does the unthinkable and doesn't use Kobik to retcon everything:  Natasha and Rick stay dead, Sharon stays old, etc.  The issue ends with Barf, the young Inhuman who began the series, reuniting with his little brother and returning home to find his house graffiti-ed with HYDRA slogans.  (I admit I teared up a bit at their reunion, a surprising reminder of how emotionally engaged I was with this series.)  The next day, Barf awakens to discover the community helping clean up the house, epitomizing the message Spencer is sending:  Kobik left the scars to remind us what happens when we embrace the easy answer.  Once again, it's not hard to see the parallels to current events, but Spencer gets us there without sounding too preachy.  All in all, as I've previously said, this event has hands-down been the best Marvel has published since possibly "Siege."  Spencer adroitly sets up the "Generations" mini-series and larger "Legacy" relaunch this fall.  But, perhaps more importantly, he told a well constructed and emotionally engaging story about the fight between good versus evil.  Back to basics, indeed.

Generations:  Hawkeye and Hawkeye #1:  Man, as Katie herself says here, I miss these two.  Can we please get the band back together?

Spider-Gwen #23:  This issue might be the most perfect issue of a comic ever.  Mary Jane has to convince Glory to cover drums since Gwen is busy in Madripoor, and Blumenreich and Latour take us on an amazing tour of the girls' lives in the process.  Seriously, I would 100% read a Blumenreich-penned series just about the Mary Janes sans Gwen.  She really taps into what it feels like to be young in a way that reminds you how powerful of a medium comics can be.  We see the best and worst of Mary Jane here, from the self-centered whining Glory cites as the reason she originally left the band to her literal ass-kicking when she beats up the guy accosting Betsy because she wouldn't give him the time of day.  (I don't know how she did it, but Blumenreich immediately telegraphed this guy was bad news when he approached Betsy at the party.  When he accosts the girls on the street, it feels very much like the threat it is.)  The ending on the subway - with Mary Jane telling Glory she'd punch out all the guys for her and Glory not being able to stay mad at her - is just the magic of the friendships of our youth.  As Uatu says (seriously) at the start of this issue, this series used to be fun but it's gotten really dark.  Hurrah for a break from that, for Uatu and us.

Star Wars #35:  Aaron has really been on a roll lately.  After last issue’s great romp with Sana and Lando, I figured we’d be getting a multi-issue arc here.  Instead, we get another great one-and-done issue, as Han outmaneuvers Grakkus to trick him into revealing where his safe house (and all its weapons) is located.  Aaron has Han’s voice down so completely you can hear Harrison Ford speaking the dialogue in your mind.  Moreover, the art is great:  Delgado’s colors are downright cinematic as a result of his amazing use of lighting.  (After only a few pages I flipped back to the title page to see who the colorist was.)  Issues like this one remind me what a golden age of Star Wars it is.

Uncanny Avengers #26:  After all this time, I continue to believe this series is the real Avengers title.  Zub just gets it.  The sexual tension between Johnny and Rogue and Voodoo and Wanda reminds me of the good ol’ days, when everyone was sleeping with each other and it caused problems on and off the battlefield.  Johnny and Rogue are particularly charming here as a couple:  they both start with bravado but fade to honest-to-goodness feelings.  (Johnny Storm!  Talking about feelings!)  Izaakse is a great find, a less highly defined version of McNiven who works well for this title.  (Johnny in his little shorts is particularly a revelation.)  Moreover, Zub puts us squarely in that most Avengers of all moments:  after a great battle where they’re divided and exhausted, they have to find a way to keep on going.  Even the battle itself mirrors their situation:  they’re squatting in Avengers Mansion after the previous occupants abandoned it during “Secret Empire,” and Graviton turns everything upside down in his attempt to prove life is meaningless and random.  They’re literally fighting for meaning here, and it’s a great ride.  I would say I'd like Zub to do a little more with Janet here, as I feel like she's often portrayed as more inexperienced than she is.  I get Rogue is also experienced, but, I mean, Janet is Janet.

X-Men:  Blue #10:  From Hank’s dark-magic use to Bobby’s more serious mien, Bunn is reminding us we’ve gone beyond the point where these kids are the kids we knew.  They’re their own characters, and their new personalities are on full display.  Moreover, we get another amazing group of enemies here, as the Goblin Queen manipulates Hank into bringing her “Hex-Men” into the present.  Adding even more intrigue, this series seems to be the one where Marvel is exploring the fallout of “Secret Wars,” as Jimmy and Warren explore his origins.  When you add in there the possibility of Magneto and Polaris fireworks, this series is really the best soap opera in town!  (Also, Romeo, Jesus, return Bobby's calls!)  

Also Read:  Dungeons & Dragons:  Frost Giant's Fury #5; Rebels:  These Free and Independent States #6

Not-So-New Comics: The August 23 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Secret Empire #9:  Spencer does a solid job of keeping up the suspense here.  It's hard to get us on the edge of our seats the way he did in early issues, given it's pretty clear how the story is going to end:  the heroes will take on a Cube-powered Captain Nazi while Dream Steve convinces Kobik to restore him to reality.  But, the story unfolds well; I only had two nitpicks.  First, I would've loved some sort of chart showing which side possessed which shards.  I initially thought the heroes had two shards -- one from Ultron and one from the Savage Land -- but last issue they only seemed to have the Ultron one.  That said, I don't care that much; it's why a chart would've been helpful, since it would've been simple to understand the status quo.  (Instead, we get the weird "cast of characters" page that adds nothing to the story.)  Second, it's hard to believe Sam managed to free New York from the Darkforce Dimension and bring down the Shield with only one shard (assuming his use of the shard allowed those events to happen).  If true, you'd have to imagine Steve doesn't need some Cube-powered suit to take out the heroes.  He might not be able to rewrite history without the final shard, but it seems like he could easily just wish away his opponents.  At any rate, we are where we are.  Spencer includes some grace notes here, like Carol and Sam taking a moment to reflect on how fun it is to kick the HYDRA troops' asses.  But, for the most part, it's really about following the silver ball through the Rube Goldberg machine while we wait for Kobik to right her wrongs.

Ben Reilly:  Scarlet Spider #6:  I love Peter David, and I'm willing to ride this one until the end with him.  However, I'm surprised I don't really have a great read on Ben Reilly as a character after six issues.  (Conversely, Miguel O'Hara was a fully formed character after just the first three-issue arc of the original "Spider-Man 2099" series.)  David portrays Ben as desperate:  he's trying to save Diva's daughter simply because he doesn't have a lot of great options when it comes to employment.  But, honestly, it's sort of hard to believe.  He could pretty easily just use his Spider-Powers to rob enough banks to set himself up nicely and then decide what he wants to do.  Instead, he just seems to be hanging around Vegas in search of a larger plan.  In other words, after six issues, I still don't get the core conceit of this series.  He's not wandering the country like an outlaw like he used to do or serving as a city's reluctant hero like Kaine did in Houston.  He's just...there.

Detective Comics #963:  I've mentioned previously it's sometimes hard to remember what changed from the DCU to the DCnU, particularly when it comes to Batman's continuity.  For the most part, everything stayed the same, except for some outrageous changes that DC wisely promptly ignored (like Joker manipulating Jason's life essentially from birth to Tim not figuring out Batman's identity).  However, sometimes the change feels more abrupt, as is the case here with Anarky.  Anarky was playing a key role in Fabian Nicieza's run on "Red Robin" when the DCU came to an end, and I think that version of the character is fresh in most of our minds.  Moreover, Buccellato and Manapul introduced a completely different character using that moniker in their own run on this title.  As such, it's hard to tell what character we're getting here.  I acknowledge I don't get all the Bat-family titles.  Maybe he's already debuted in "Red Hood and the Outlaws" or "Teen Titans" (or "Batgirl" since I stopped reading it).  But, it's this uncertainty that detracts from the story Tynion is trying to tell here.  I get why Spoiler would be attracted to Anarky in the abstract.  But, since it's impossible to know what this Anarky feels, it's also hard not to feel at least partially confused.

Iceman #4:  I really, really, really wanted Bobby to make out with Daken.  [Fan sigh.]  That said, something still isn't clicking for me and this series.  At times in this issue, it was an effort to make my way through the dialogue, something I don't think I should've felt given the sexually charged banter the fight between Bobby and Daken brought to the table.  But, I'm hoping Sina finds his groove in the same way I hope Bobby does.  Each issue feels like an improvement, and I'm hoping we'll really be cooking with gas (or, I don't know, freezing the lake?) in a few issues if it keeps improving.

Nightwing:  The New Order #1:  To use the cliché, Higgins leaves us with more questions than answers here, but so far it's a good thing.  First and foremost, Higgins doesn't tell us why Dick decided to turn against the metahuman community.  All we know is he activated a device that stripped 90 percent of metahumans of their powers; the remaining metahumans either were forced to take inhibiting drugs or, if they didn't work, imprisoned until a "cure" could be found.  It's a pretty serious shift to the fascist, and Higgins certainly has to explain how it happened at some point.  It appears Dick had a child with Starfire, so my original guess -- that a metahuman killed Barbara -- might not wind up being true.  Moreover, Alfred himself opposes Dick's approach -- particularly the indefinite detention of metahumans who don't respond to treatment -- making it even more unclear why Dick himself would take this position.  But, we also have the larger question:  why give us this series now?  Did Higgins just decide to launch this miniseries because he had the idea, or will we see either the themes or the outcomes of this miniseries impact the "real world?"  I'm intrigued.

Also Read:  Generations:  The Unworthy Thor and the Mighty Thor #1; Pathfinder:  Runescars #4; Peter Parker:  The Spectacular Spider-Man #3; Star Wars:  Doctor Aphra Annual #1; X-Men:  Gold #10

Not-So-New Comics: The August 16 Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

X-Men:  Blue #9:  This series just gets more and more confusing.  On the plus side, I buy the idea Magneto sent Briar (whoever the fuck she is), Danger, and Polaris to watch over the X-Men during their assault on Emma's mutant nation.  I also buy them acting as the X-Men's teachers now that they survived said assault.  (Is Briar qualified enough to be a teacher?)  But, other parts of this issue make no sense.  Alex is now fully “evil:”  Polaris declares he’s too far gone for her to save.  But, she also says she’s not giving up hope in saving him.  Which one is it?  Is he too far gone, or is he still savable?  Also, we learn the White Queen and Alex are working with Miss Sinister and Bastion on some sort of project called “Mothervine,” which just seems totally unbelievable.  The Goblin Queen?  Sure, I get Alex going down that (sexy, sexy) road again.  But, Miss Sinister and Bastion?  Not so much.  Also, do we have any idea who Xorn really is?  I feel like Bunn just continues to throw these  non sequiturs at us, from Briar to Mothervine to Xorn.  I just dont' get it.

Astonishing X-Men #2:  Soule is playing a long game here, so I'm definitely happy to give him time to tell his story.  But, I wold say I'm not buying the stakes of the "game" Professor X is playing with the Shadow King, where he gets to kill the X-Men if he wins (rather than the Shadow King getting to possess them).  Soule clearly has something up his sleeve but, at this point, it's hard not to roll your eyes at any plot that threatens the X-Men's death.

Spider-Men II #2:  Man, this issue is terrible.  First, Bendis portrays Peter as some sort of brain-injury victim incapable of speaking without quipping.  You get used to a fair amount of inappropriately timed quipping when you read Spider-Man comics, but Bendis takes it too far here.  Second, we have all sorts of weird assertions about timing that make no sense.  At one point, Peter says he’s “sort of” three years older than Miles.  If you’re going to say, “But, Miles is in high school!,” Bendis apparently disagrees with you:  Peter makes fun of him for carrying a backpack because he’s too old to do so, and a girl he likes asks him if the person calling him is his wife, as if you normally ask high-school students that.  Notably, this later conversation happens on the Brooklyn Visions Academy campus, making it make even less sense.  I just don’t get it at all.  Bad script + unrealistic plot = terrible issue.

Also Read:  Generation X #5; Mighty Thor #22; Star Wars #34; U.S.Avengers #9

Not-Very-Deep Thoughts: The August 9 Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Captain America #25 and Secret Empire #8:  OK, here we go.  In “Captain America” #25, Tony reveals he’s figured out each Cosmic Cube fragment has its own juice.  I’ll be honest I’m not quite sure I understand his explanation of the discovery.  He apparently realized Ulysses’ vision of Miles killing Cap didn’t come true because Cap was holding a Cosmic Cube fragment when Miles had a chance to kill him in "Secret Empire" #7.  In other words, Steve wished Miles didn’t kill him, and it worked.  This development results in the usual cascade of problems I've come to expect when confronted with prophecy-based stories, as you have to wonder why Ulysses’ prediction didn’t factor in the Cube fragment’s presence.  But, if I know anything after 30+ years of reading comics, it’s not to expect prophecy-based or time-travel stories to make sense.  In other words, fine:  the Cube changed the history Ulysses predicted because, I don't know, it exists outside reality.  Whatever.  At any rate, Tony's realization sets up the plan we see unfolding at the start of “Secret Empire” #8:  Sam and Tony use the fragment they have to free New York from the Darkforce Dimension and destroy the Shield, freeing the heroes trapped on the other side.  To be honest, this issue is the first one to feel like filler, even though a lot happens.  Spencer builds some suspense by showing the heroes fail yet again to deliver:  Sam gets shot in his attempt to triangulate himself between the Darkforce Dimension and the Shield, failing to give the heroes the juice they need to free themselves.  As such, Dr. Strange’s spell and Rocket’s bomb fail.  But, Spencer reminds us the Cube works in mysterious ways.  Instead, Hawkeye’s jail break allows Maria Hill to kill “Bob,” a.k.a. Blackout, and Quasar’s coma comes to an end.  With the heroes reunited, Namor reveals the ace up his sleeve we saw at the end of “Captain America” #25:  Bucky is alive.  As I said, though, this issue is missing something, given the conclusion seems more and more inevitable.  It's not like the first few issues where I legitimately had no idea where Spencer was going.  It seems pretty clear the team is going to somehow use the Cube to "save" Steve.  That said, it might not have been the most exciting installment of this event, but I also have to admit we do have some momentum carrying us into the finale.

Amazing Spider-Man #31:  Something about Doc Ock makes Dan Slott just completely lose the plot, and I use that expression almost literally here.  Peter orders everyone in Parker Industries to active worms that destroy everything the company has created; he does so to prevent Otto from breaking into PI's systems and using its technology to advance HYDRA.  I get that, but, as usual, Slott takes it too far.  At one point, Phillip Chang physically burns his written notes.  Really?  How exactly was Otto going to access them remotely when he hacked into Parker Industries?  Couldn't Phillip just have left the building with them?  Also, does he really remember nothing of his research?  He basically says he'll never be able to introduce his clean fuel.  It's like he's Drew Barrymore in "50 First Dates" and forgets what he did the previous day until he reads his notes.  It's just one  of several examples showing why this development makes no sense.  In addition, Peter seems to deny Otto’s (entirely accurate) claim he, not Peter, started Parker Industries.  WTF, Peter?  On some level, the story supports this bias, since Peter didn't bother to make sure to scrub Otto from the system.  But, does Peter really not believe Otto started PI?  If he does, wouldn’t scrubbing Otto from the system be the first thing you'd do after discovering Otto had been in charge of your body for months?  OK, first, I’d take a shower at the idea of the dirty things he did with my penis.  Then, I’d make sure I eliminated any back-door programs.  Peter's inability to do so -- and, by extension, inability to acknowledge Otto's role in the creation of PI -- really challenges my ability to suspend disbelief.  It's part of Slott's approach to Peter as a bumbling idiot that I've never bought and just supports my hope we'll one day be freed from his control.

Generations:  Phoenix and Jean Grey #1:  If all "Generations" titles are as meaningless and poorly scripted as this one, I need to admit right now Marvel has yet again figured out a way to swindle me.

Ms. Marvel #21:  I've always been impressed with Wilson's ability to convey complicated social themes in an emotional yet somehow still neutral way, and she really tops herself here.  The revelation Basic Becky's creepy henchman is Josh isn't all that surprising.  It's more surprising Wilson is able to handle him with such care, showing a broken young man who wanted to be seen as more than a dumb white jock.  These sorts of messages can get lost in everyone shouting at each other today ("Poor little white boy!") but Wilson really manages to sell it.  As Kamala says, at some point, it's just Josh and Kamala sitting on the floor of the mosque talking about their hurt.  We probably need a lot more of that.

Star Wars:  Doctor Aphra #11 and Star Wars:  Rogue One - Cassian and K2SO Special #1:  I lumped these two issues together because they basically tell the same story:  both Aphra and Cassian have to deal with droids trying to kill them.  In so doing, the Story Group reminds us just how dangerous this far, far away galaxy is, as you not only have to contend with all sorts of humanoids trying to kill you but droids, too.  Triple-Zero is really the star of the show, though, as he not only manipulates Rur to get in the kills Aphra has denied him but also backs her into a corner as Vader boards the ship.  In so doing, Gillen is setting up a stark reminder about the limits of Aphra's occasional "good" impulses.  Would she allow Triple-Zero to kill more indiscriminately just to keep his talents on her side?  It feels like a safe bet to take.

Not-Very-Deep Thoughts: The August 2 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Champions #11:  Waid does a great job here showing us why the Champions decide to join Black Widow in taking down Cap, as they come up empty in their attempt to find anyone alive after Steve's destruction of Las Vegas.  (They eventually find a newborn, and it gives them some hope for the future.)  It's hard to see what they see and not conclude they have to do something.

Batman #28:  Although I still think the story King is telling has potential, we've gotten to the point where the framing device -- Bruce recounting the War of Jokes and Riddles to Selina -- is starting to weigh down the story itself.  Moreover, King's focus on vignettes from the fringes of the war makes these issues read like they're from one of those cross-over event anthology series.  Last issue, it was the origin of Kite Man; this issue, it's the fight between Deadshot and Deathstroke. (The latter is definitely the more interesting one.)  But, the actual war between Joker and Riddler essentially happens off-panel.  They've already split up the Upper East and West Sides and assembled their armies when this issue starts, even though we haven't really seen how they convince each villain to join their side.  (I think we've only seen Riddler's pitch to Ivy.)  We're shown how Bruce and Gordon are at their wits' end, but we're not really told why they haven't been able to get a handle on the situation.  Gordon tells Batman Joker has wired the entire city with explosives and Riddler has guards hidden throughout the city to unleash terror, but isn't that basically any given Tuesday in Gotham?  I think it's probably time for King to do a little more showing and a little less telling.

Nightwing #26:  It turns out Giz is really dead, and I have to admit I'm impressed:  it's rare we actually kill off good guys anymore.  Dick feels guilty since Giz died looking into the Second Hand, the organization smuggling superhero-killing weapons into Blüdhaven.  Helena appears at Dick's apartment to tell him she and Barbara are worried about him and offers to help him track down someone named Draculi.  (Did I mention Dick is naked in the shower when she arrives?  Well timed, Helena.)  Dick realizes she's only offering to help because Draculi is connected to organized crime and it advances the anti-Mafia crusade she's adopted since leaving Spyral.  (The mob killed her family, and I'm pretty sure it means DC is more closely aligning Huntress with her original DCU incarnation.  I'm guessing it's all happening in "Batgirl and the Birds of Prey.")  The duo track down a fixer in Rome who tells them Draculi has gotten erratic.  He sends them onto Draculi's home, but he's already dead.  However, he leaves a clue:  a flash drive explaining he's Agent 19 of Spyral and someone is messing with his mind.  Dick realizes the Second Hand is Spyral as we see Agent 1 with a group of other agents watching Dick and Helena from the rooftops; one of the agents remarks that they took the bait.  Although it's overall a solid issue, I don't get what we're supposed to believe when it comes to the clue.  It seems like Agent 1 wanted Dick and Helena to find it, but why would he want them to know Spyral was after them?  Isn't it better to surprise them?  Also, how orchestrated was it?  How did Agent 1 know Agent 19 would leave the flash drive connecting himself with Spyral?  Meanwhile, in Gotham, Shawn has decided to embrace Pigeon's war against capitalism.  Bad call, Shawn.  Bad call.

Spider-Man #19:  Bendis makes an admirable attempt to sell Ganke's argument Miles is off his rocker because he resents being a "Spider-Man cover band," but I'm not sure I really buy it.  It seems much more likely he's breaking under the pressure of juggling his secret identity while also dealing with the fact his parents are, at least for now, separated.  I get teenage boys aren't exactly in touch with their emotions, but I don't feel like you have to get inventive when it comes to pinning Miles' stress on a cause.  At the very least, you'd figure someone would mention it as a possibility.

X-Men:  Gold #9:  I've enjoyed Spencer's deft if obvious political and social commentary in "Captain America:  Sam Wilson," but Guggenheim forgets the "deft" part of that equation in this issue.  Kitty is called to Washington to testify before a Congressional sub-committee against a mutant-deportation bill.  If he had focused less on the soap-opera elements of this issue, Guggenheim could've delivered a clever metaphor for the current immigration debate instead of the anti-Trump screed we get here.  However, he's juggling too many balls to manage it; instead, he winds up dropping them all.  In terms of the soap opera, Logan convinces Kitty to take Peter to DC with her as her bodyguard.  Instead of slowly rekindling their romance over a few issues to the point where Kitty can't ignore her attraction to Peter anymore, Peter essentially proposes marriage and Kitty essentially accepts.  (No, really.)  Moreover, Rachel announces she wants to date Kurt because she discovered he was attracted to her when she read his mind a few issues ago and because it'll somehow ensure she doesn't become her mother.  (She's concerned about that because of these amped-up powers I don't really remember her getting.)  I thought Kurt had more self-respect than to dive into a relationship with someone who states the only thing she finds attractive about him is his attraction to her, but I guess Guggenheim doesn't.  When you throw in there the revelation Stevie Hunter is now a Congresswoman but somehow still wearing '90s era jumpsuits, well, it's just a mess from start to finish.

Also Read:  Archangel #5; Darth Vader #4; Hawkeye #9

Not-Very-Deep Thoughts: The July 26 "Secret Empire" Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Secret Empire #7:  This issue is possibly the single best issue of an event -- possibly any comic -- ever.  I was holding my breath as we moved step by step to the end.  (I know I said that last issue, but who knew Spencer would top himself so quickly!)

Let's start at the beginning.  First, I would really love Spencer to write "Captain Marvel," because he gets her better than anyone since Kelly Sue.  Her monologue begging Quasar to awaken so she can redeem herself was a brilliant piece of characterization, as Carol realizes "Civil War II" put them on the path to this moment.  She realizes she's exactly like Tony, desperately seeking for someone to tell her she's the hero she hopes she is.  (It's clearly a bitter pill to swallow, and it really matches nicely what A.I. Tony said to Steve in issue #6).  Spencer's gift here is making everything seem like it's the logical conclusion of past events:  Carol's guilt from "Civil War II," Miles' destiny to kill Captain America from "IvX," Hank merging with Ultron in "Avengers:  Rage of Ultron."  They're important components of the tension Spencer builds throughout the issue.  In fact, Spencer has made it clear from the start the events of this series are not only grounded in the past but are unlikely to be simply ret-conned at the end.  It's really what has made it so enjoyable, to my mind.

Spencer also addresses the generational issues at hand as well.  Natasha locks up Miles so he can't realize his destiny to kill Captain America:  it's like she's saying she wants one more chance for her generation to clean up the mess it's made before the innocent get blood on their hands.  But, she can't.  Punisher stops her before she can pull the trigger, giving Miles time to escape.  She defeats Frank (of course she does), and Sorrentino does an amazing job showing her panicked dash to the scene of the battle between Miles and Steve.  He's equally adept at showing her death, as she leaps between them and Steve's shield shatters her skull.  Natasha Romanova has always, always deserved to be the hero, and she gets to be here, at the cost of her life.  (Sure, she's probably going to return.  But, in the moment, I believed the story Spencer was telling here, unlike most times a character dies.)  An enraged Miles attacks Steve with new vigor, but, picking up the theme of generation change, Wasp gets to him before he strikes the final blow.  She tells him he's not a killer, and she begs him to respect Natasha's sacrifice:  she died because she knew he wasn't a killer.  Miles agrees, and the kids are arrested by HYDRA's security forces.

Later, Steve has his troops bring him to Sharon, where he laments the losses surrounding him.  He whines it wasn't supposed to go this way; he was going to save everyone, not send Bucky, Rick, Elisa, and now Natasha to their deaths.  Sharon then tries to kill him, and I cheered.  Sharon fucking Carter, man.  She never doesn't come to play.  But, he stops her, and it's the last straw:  totally alone, he promises war.  The remaining members of the Underground are broken as they watch Natasha die, and Giant Man asks if it's over.  A voice says it's not, and I teared up a bit as I saw Sam Wilson stand in that last panel wearing his Captain America costume and holding the shield.  White nationalists paraded through Charlottesville the day before I wrote this review, and damn if I didn't feel better seeing Sam Wilson tell me to believe in America still.

Captain America:  Steve Rogers #19 and Captain America:  Sam Wilson #24:  I'm reviewing these issues jointly because they're flipsides of the same coin, with Steve finally putting on his HYDRA Supreme Leader gear and Sam putting on the Captain America uniform (as seen at the end of "Secret Empire" #7).  Steve's issue doesn't have that much emotional impact; Spencer is really just drawing a line under the sense at the end of "Secret Empire" #7 that Steve is putting away childish things.  He's lost everyone -- Tony, Bucky, Rick, Elisa, Natasha, and Sharon -- and he seems to finally accept he doesn't get to be the hero anymore.  I'd recommend reading that issue first, because Sam's issue is much more inspiring.  Misty tries to convince him to put on his uniform, revealing she defied his request to return it to Steve.  (She's right about how she made the right call.)  In a fit of anger, Sam tells Misty he doesn't believe America deserves Captain America anymore, and it's Patriot who convinces him otherwise.  He asks if you really just give up a war because you're outgunned and outnumbered, reminding Sam that giving up the uniform just gave his enemies what they wanted and left the vulnerable without a champion.  It's hard work, Sam, but someone has to do it.

Also Read:  Occupy Avengers #9

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

I'm back!  It's been a hectic few weeks, so sorry for the delay.  I've got a few reviews in the can, so hopefully I'll be current soon!

Secret Empire #6:  I know some people aren't reading this event because they object to Captain Nazi, and I understand that, but, OMG, it's so good and I feel bad for them.  This issue starts off fairly staid but Spencer just keeps building and building the tension until I realized I was holding my breath.  The issue begins with the Champions arguing with Nadia because she refuses to be part of Natasha's new Red Room.  (Natasha is training them for their assault on HYDRA.)  Miles later encourages Natasha to be more forthcoming with the team to address Nadia's concerns.  I thought the rest of the issue would be filled with similar sorts of character vignettes, serving as a stock-taking of the characters' emotional states before the push to the finale.  But, um, no.  First, Spencer reveals Mockingbird wasn't communicating with Cap; she's in cahoots with Maria Hill.  (Hurrah!  Spidey is going to get some!)  Hill has several plans she wants to put into action, but Mockingbird convinced her to delay while they waited to see if Hawkeye could pull off the win.  It turns out Scott betrayed the team because HYDRA got to Cassie.  Spencer does an outstanding job in this sequence, perfectly capturing Quicksilver's outrage at Mockingbird's accusation he was the spy as well as Scott's devastation over once again falling short of being a hero.  On HYDRA's ship, Bruce is speaking in lower-case lettering, making me wonder if he's not the Ultimate Universe version of Bruce Banner.  He refuses Cap's offer to get vengeance on the people Cap claims hated him for never submitting to their will, so Cap activates the Hulk instead.  Cap leads an attack on the Mount, and Giant-Man helps turn the tide when he reveals he's replicated Egghead's robot Avengers.  It gives the team enough time to evacuate the refugees after Thor turns a blind eye.  But, it's the last few pages of this issue that take the cake.  In possibly his most real moment ever, Tony admits to Steve he keeps trying to be him, but he keeps failing because he's not made of the same stuff.  He was trying to save him this time because he wanted to be to Steve what Steve has always been to him:  his hero.  But, he acknowledges he failed, and he activates a nuclear bomb.  However, Elisa sacrifices her life to save Steve, teleporting him from the blast zone.  Devastated upon hearing the news, Natasha assumes everyone is dead and tells the Champions it's time to kill Steve.  It's a gripping ride, from start to finish.  It's one of the best comics I've ever read, and it's probably the best issue of any event ever.  I can't wait to see where we go from here.

Astonishing X-Men #1:  Marvel has marketed this series as an ambitious one, in the mode of Whedon's run on this title.  So far Soule and Cheung don't disappoint.  They really summon the energy of the 1990s X-Men as they assemble an all-star 1990s lineup:  Archangel, Beast, Bishop, Fantomex, Gambit, Psylocke, Rogue, and Wolverine.  The premise is also pretty solid:  the Shadow King is scheming, seemingly killing lesser psychics in his attempt to enter our world.  He then tries to possess Psylocke since she's stronger, but she manages to call for help, hence the all-star lineup.  Archangel and Bishop agree to stay with Psylocke to protect her while she sends the rest of the team onto the Astral Plane to take on the Shadow King.  I'm perfectly content with this start, though I did have some questions about the status quo of several of the characters.  For example, I initially thought Angel and Archangel were still two separate entities, but I was reminded after reading the Marvel Database of the events of "Apocalypse Wars," where they were united.  However, I thought this new Angel still wasn't the same person as the old Angel; he didn't have old Angel's memories or personality.  Soule necessarily deny that, but he does depict enough chemistry between Betsy and Warren that you have to wonder.  I also hadn't realized Bishop had returned from the desolate Earth where Cable stranded him at the end of "Homecoming."  But, again, the Internet tells me otherwise.  This confusion means it probably is time some of these characters returned to the mainstream, so I already feel like Soule has achieved what he intended here.  ResurrXion indeed.

Mighty Thor #21:  Aaron seems to imply both War Thor's hammer and Jane Foster's hammer are scheming against them, pushing Volstagg to kill when he doesn't want to do so and encouraging Thor to sacrifice her health by appealing to her decency.  I'm intrigued to see where he goes with this idea.

Peter Parker:  The Spectacular Spider-Man #2:  I can't say Zdarsky hits a home run here.  Some aspects of the plot are completely ridiculous.  For example, I still don't buy Peter going on a date as Spider-Man.  He may have tried to do that as a 16-year-old, but he's a grown-ass man now.  It's irresponsible, as his date herself notes when she observes it's more dangerous for her to be on a date with Spider-Man than it would be his alter ego.  (Peter argued he stayed in costume because people who know his identity get hurt.)  Also, Riri apparently can't trace the phone Peter gave her but she can trace the "environmentals."  She "scanned" every component of the phone and the "lowest layer of particulates" tells her the phone came from somewhere in a specific square block in Lower East Manhattan.  Tha fuck?  Can she also bend space and time?  I mean, seriously.  Why not just have her find a way to trace the supposedly untraceable phone?  As the writer, you don't have to create such a fakakta method for her tracking down the Kingpin (the owner of the phone).  But, all that said, Zdarsky does a marvelous job of getting down Peter's voice.  He's a little too adolescent at times, but, for the first time in a long time, I feel like I'm actually reading about Peter Parker and not whoever that guy in "Amazing Spider-Man" is.  We get a focus on him as a person, from his friendship with Johnny to his relationship with his "sister."  It's comforting and something we've been missing for a long time.  Moreover, Kubert makes it all look great. If Zdarsky could tone down the sophomoric behavior a bit, I think this title could easily become the Spider-Man title for me.

Spider-Man 2099 #25:  Only Peter David could wrap up the loose ends of this series (and the preceding ones) so well.  As expected, Miguel survives his foretold "death" because Strange teleports him from the moment he dies to the "present" -- brilliantly, New Year's Eve 2100 -- removing any possibility of a time paradox.  But, how we get there is equally brilliant.  Miguel learns he dies saving Tempest in 2017, and Gabri and he (though, notably, not Tempest) agree he has to return to the past to make sure it happens exactly that way.  He does, and we learn Tempest kills him:  Tyler programmed a post-hypnotic suggestion for her to kill him the minute he kisses her.  She also immediately forgets it was her, and Miguel fades to his death hiding that from her.  But, before he saved Tempest, he had sent Roberta to 2099 after confirming it had returned to the way it was.  Gabri apparently traveled to the future to tell Roberta about Miguel's fate, and she had Strange pull him to 2099 the minute he "died."  (I'm not sure how Gabri knew who Roberta was, but I'll ignore that part.)  All's well that ends well!  Including the initial 12-issue run of this series and "Secret Wars" 2099, this issue brings to a close a 42-issue series that introduced Miguel to a new group of fans.  I sincerely hope Marvel pulls the trigger on "Defenders 2100" so we can see what David didn't show us, namely, what the 2099 (now 2100) world looks like.  David also didn't wrap up all the loose ends.  Although we know Tempest and Gabri traveled to 2019 to prevent Tyler Stone from destroying New York (and creating the timeline Miguel was trying to prevent from coming into reality), we don't know why they became time travelers in the first place.  After all, in 2019, Gabri would be no more than two years old.  When's their "real" time?  It may explain why Gabri knew about Roberta, but we don't know for sure.  I'm also not entirely sure why Miguel's presence in the past opened the door to Tyler trying to destroy 2019, something he allegedly wouldn't have done if Miguel hadn't traveled to the past.  But, I'm willing just to concede it did somehow.  David lays the foundation for future shenanigans as well, as Miguel ends the series doubting his ability not to contact Tempest and Gabri.  Fingers crossed Marvel lets him.

X-Men:  Blue #7-#8:  First, who the fuck is Briar Raleigh?  Also, when the fuck did she start paying for the Mansion?  I don't recall seeing her at all in "X-Men Gold," and you'd figure Kitty would be dancing a jig over someone paying for the Mansion.  Also, when the fuck did Havok become Magneto?  I mean, he's not physically Magneto.  But, you could replace him with 1980s Magneto here and his dialogue would perfectly match.  In addition to these mysteries weighing down the issue, Bunn falls into the unfortunate pitfall of most event tie-ins, not having time to explain why everyone chose the side she or he chose.  Firestar is suddenly part of the New Tian strike force?  Has she ever really associated with the mutants?  For that matter, Marrow is totally OK with New Tian?  Shouldn't she view it as one more example of mutants failing other mutants by allowing humans to live there?  As a result, all the fights feel random.  I like the sexual tension between Jean and Jimmy, but everything else just feels poorly aligned.

Also Read:  Ms. Marvel #20; U.S.Avengers #8

Not-Very-Deep Thoughts: The July 12 Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Amazing Spider-Man #30:  Spider-Man has been suspiciously absent from "Secret Empire" so far, and Slott seems on the verge of explaining why.  He left his battle with Otto last issue to join the Battle of Washington, and this issue picks up the story shortly after "FCBD:  Secret Empire" #1.  After Cap lifts Thor's hammer, Peter realizes they're doomed, and he rallies the troops to escape.  He explains to Mockingbird he can't join the Resistance because he has to stop Otto -- and, by extension, HYDRA -- from gaining control of Parker Industries.  Mockingbird promises him that date if they save the world, and Immonen makes the moment cinematically perfect, the sun highlighting both of them as they kiss.  As Otto raids PI's San Francisco HQ, Peter rallies the troops in Shanghai.  Slott takes some shortcuts in getting Dr. Wu and Lien Tang to pledge their loyalty to Peter, Wu because Peter put the value of his cancer research above profit and Tang because Peter gave her a second chance after she betrayed him.  (I still have no idea why Peter gave her that second chance or would ever remotely trust her, but I at least buy Wu feeling some sort of inclination to help him.)  Otto confronts Peter and reveals he remains completely in control of PI, using the back door he built into its systems to turn Tang's Spider-Racers against Peter.  I've been dreading each issue of "Amazing Spider-Man" lately, but Slott is surprisingly on his game here.  You can see into the future after this arc pretty clearly:  Peter seems likely to lose PI and Mockingbird (if she really is Steve's mole in the Resistance).  We'll see how that goes when we get there.  For now, I'm just happy to be happy with an issue.

Uncanny Avengers #25:  Although Zub's characterization of Rogue still feels like it's coming from 2008, this issue is pretty damn awesome.  Rogue berates herself for abandoning the team while trying to stop Scorpia and Shocker from robbing a bank (something I admit I don't quite remember happening last issue).  But, she rallies the two of them into a make-shift team to fight off the demons pouring into Manhattan under the orders of the spirit who took over Voodoo's body.  She's reminded of the importance of teamwork, and we're treated to some pretty hilarious exchanges between Scorpia and Shocker as they grapple with their newfound hero-dom.  (At one point, Shocker explains to Scorpia his gloves don't shoot electricity but vibrate the air, leading to her starting to say he should've called himself the Vibrator.  He stops her before she can finish the word, and I think it's probably the funniest moment in comics.)  Meanwhile, the rest of the team is trying to free Voodoo from possession, and they succeed when Rogue answers Synapse's call for help and provides much-needed muscle.  As the demons disappear, the team shares a nice moment as it ponders this new reality.  For how many artists worked on this issue, it's a pretty great showing, and it helps make this issue one of the best "Secret Empire" tie-in issues I've read.  I really do love this title.

X-Men:  Gold #8:  This issue is notable for a few reasons.  First, it has Piotr admitting he was trying to impress Kitty when he leapt in front of the bullet the serial killer shot, meaning we're going in exactly the direction I'd hope we'd go.  (Guggenheim is an X-Man fan!)  Second, it has Kurt admitting to Logan and Storm he did, in fact, die when the mob attacked him ("mistaking" him for a devil), but he can't return to Heaven as a result of the loss of his soul.  I thought this issue might've been resolved in Kurt's solo series, but it looks like it wasn't.  I assume we'll be addressing that at some point.  Third, it has Kitty deliver one of the best rebuttals to a distraught family-member-turned-killer.  She admits the X-Men might be negligent when they ignore the consequences of solving the crisis at hand and move right onto the next one.  However, she points out this guy is a premeditated murderer, as sympathetic as we might be to his plight.  Guggenheim isn't really buying this guy's insistence he's committing justifiable homicide, particularly with Kitty showing she's fully aware of the compromises she has to make to keep saving the world.  Finally, we see the first hint of the post-"Secret Empire" era, as the bubble is lowered around New York and everything -- including the NYPD and Congress -- appears to be fine.  For all he crams in there, the issue really flows well.  This "Secret Empire" tie-in arc might not have been essential to the larger plot, but it was pretty enjoyable, always a good bar to clear in these events.

Generation X #4:  Strain does a solid job of showing the team coming together as they unexpectedly face an Emplate-possessed Monet in searching for the perpetrator of the attack on Face.  Benjamin and Trevor in particular take on the roles of the responsible adults, and it suits them well.  That said, Strain reverses some of the character development we saw in Quentin under Jason Aaron's "Wolverine and the X-Men," and the story is weaker for it:  Quentin is basically reduced to a caricature of the person we know he can be.  But, Strain does a great job when it comes to Roxy, showing her drive to be an X-Man coming from her panic that it's her only remaining option, since her physical mutation means she can never really fit into human society.  The moment she has with Chamber as she confesses these feelings is touching, and it reminds us these kids really are just kids, in need of the mentorship he and Jubilee can provide.  Strain also does well with Jubilee, as she realizes the kids have fled the Mansion because it's what she would've done.  All in all, it caps a solid start to this series.  Jubilee's pledge to go after Monet also incorporates the original team's dynamic into this series, and it helps convince me to hang in here to see where we go.

Spider-Men II #1:  I didn't read the original "Spider-Men" event in 2012, primarily because I wasn't reading Miles' book at the time and I felt like it probably involved too much knowledge of his character to enjoy.  But, I feel like I'm well versed in Miles' reality now, and I'm ready to take a deeper dive.  Bendis confirms something I don't think we've seen confirmed anywhere, that Miles remembers his old dimension.  This revelation raises all sorts of questions, not just about Miles' memories but also his family and friends' memories.  We know Molecule Man resurrected Miles' mother and moved his supporting cast into the combined Marvel Universe to thank him for giving him a cheeseburger (in "Secret Wars" #7).  But, if Miles remembers the Ultimate Universe, what does everyone else remember?  Did the Molecule Man give them false memories?  Otherwise, you'd assume Ganke and Miles' parents would wonder why the Marvel Universe's Peter Parker isn't a dead teenager.  Ganke and Jefferson should probably wonder why Miles' mother is alive.  Marvel avoided answering a lot of the questions "Secret Wars" raised, and we've mostly just continued as we were, realizing it wasn't as analogous to "Flashpoint" as it originally seemed.  But, Bendis has opened a can of worms here he's going to have to close at some point.  Moreover, we've got the matter of the original Marvel Universe's Miles Morales, who seems responsible for the inter-dimensional rupture that results in a robot's head crashing onto the grounds of Miles' school.  Bendis has a mixed track record when it comes to his performance in events, and I'm just hoping he can navigate these waters in a way that ties up some loose ends from "Secret Wars" and doesn't make matters worse.  It's a low bar, but I'm still not sure we're going to clear it.

Also Read:  Darth Vader #3; Star Wars:  Doctor Aphra #9

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

X-Men:  Gold #7:  Guggenheim cleverly plays with the premise of "Secret Empire" by doing it one better.  The X-Men aren't just trapped, along with the rest of New York, in the Darkforce Dimension; they're also trapped in the Mansion with a serial killer.  Guggenheim lets us know from the start the killer is motivated by Magneto killing his wife and son years earlier, and it's hard to argue with his hatred of mutants as a result.  It also reminds us of the special treatment Magneto has gotten over the years, a seemingly never-ending series of second chances that fly in the face of the crimes he's committed.  I'm not sure if it was Guggenheim's intention to highlight that, but there it is.

Batman #26:  I don't really have much to say about this issue, because King doesn't really do all that much here.  We really only see confirmation, though their actions, that Joker and Riddler are at war, though it's still not clear what the stakes are, exactly.  I'm not sure it matters.  King spends most of this issue introducing us to Joker and Riddler.  If that sounds ridiculous, given how familiar even my mother is with those characters, King reminds us we need to know who they are in this particular moment.  Joker is morose and Riddler is angsty.  It's not their usual modi operandi, and it's why King takes time to stress it.  The only real development is Joker killing Carmine Falcone's mother after he fails to kill Riddler in an hour, as Joker requested.  King doesn't tell us why Joker wanted to use a surrogate to get rid of Riddler, but it seems to have been a bad call:  I doubt Falcone is going to sit out this war, given Joker's actions.  Janín uses a series of splash pages to remind us the War of Jokes and Riddles is at its heart a gang war and Bruce is just becoming aware of how deep into the Gotham underground it spreads.  It's a slow issue, but it was probably wise for King to take the time to make sure we understand the environment in which the story is occurring.  But, he should probably have Joker blow up Wayne Tower or something next issue.

Hawkeye #8:  OK, now we're getting somewhere.  We learn Kate's father has switched into a clone of his original body because he was "ill."  Moreover, this new body has taken a latent ability -- the power of suggestion -- and expanded it into an actionable power.  He explains to Kate Madame Masque's quest to obtain superpowers repeatedly fails because her DNA doesn't have any hint of such a latent ability.  Kate observes she may also have powers (given her share of her father's DNA), and her father agrees.  Kate surmises Aggregate was one of Madame Masque's clones, but she also notes his powers caused him to explode so she recommends her father plays his cards carefully.  Despite all this information, Thompson still doesn't answer all our questions.  First, we don't learn how Kate figured out Aggregate was a clone; I think she just assumes Aggregate's connection to her father meant he underwent a similar procedure.  But, it's possible Kate has information we don't have.  Second, Kate jumps to the conclusion her father was trying to use Aggregate to trash Venice to drive down property values, allowing him to obtain land cheaply.  Again, Kate may have information to which we're not yet privy, but, if she doesn't, it's a serious leap of logic for her to get from Point A to Point B.  Finally, Thompson implies Masque sent Kate on this wild-goose chase in order to overhear the conversation she ultimately has with her father about how he got his powers.  But, it seems a stretch Masque would have to go to all that trouble just to obtain this information.  She doesn't have any other sources?  I'm hoping Thompson fills in some of these gaps, so it doesn't feel as deus ex machina-y as it does now.  All that being said, she does a great job of showing the emotional toll Kate's confrontation with her father has on her.  Their conversation is remarkably tense, something Romero accomplishes even with the limited line work he employs.  Even in such a plot-heavy issue, the creative team helps amplify the characterization, and it's why this series is just so good right now.

Spider-Man #18:  Bendis does a really solid job here with Miles' mom.  She came to his room to apologize, and she's there as Fabio and Ganke return with his wounded self after his battle with Hammerhead.  She takes him to the hospital to get his broken ribs wrapped, and she tells him she's upset with him but still loves him.  But, Bendis distinguishes himself by not turning her into Aunt May or something.  Miles pushes her to forgive his father because they told the same lie, and she essentially tells him to mind his own business.  He presses, and she tells him it's a different relationship.  This nuance is often lost in comics, and I really take off my hat to Bendis for making that distinction.  Moreover, we get some great Goldballs action here, as Ganke encourages Fabio to revel in his powers and he's able to summon a larger ball than he's previously managed to take down Hammerhead.  When you add in Bombshell realizing she's in love with Miles, you've got an all-around solid story.

Star Wars #33:  They could use this issue in comic-writing school to show how to do a one-and-done issue.  Leia and Luke wind up crash-landing their disabled ship on an ocean-covered planet after they have to flee Imperial troops who interrupted their supply run.  With few options, they're forced to go full "Cast Away."  In putting them in this situation, Aaron achieves one of the main goals of this series:  showing us the bonds that developed between the characters off-screen.  This issue helps explain why Leia comments in "Return of the Jedi" that she always knew Luke was her brother.  It didn't make sense if you just saw their oft-discussed kiss in "Star Wars;" after all, they hardly spent any time together in "Empire Strikes Back."  But, it does when you realize they spent three weeks stranded on a desert island together.  They had time to get to know one another and to realize they weren't really interested in knowing each other *that* way.  (Blech.) Moreover, Aaron gives us great insight into Leia as we learn the week she hid in the woods as a nine-year-old (convinced her parents were going to marry her to a prince) was the best week of her life.  Aaron seems to plan on doing something similar for Lando and Sana next issue, and I can't wait for that.  These issues that focus on the characters in discrete moments have tended to be the best ones of this series, and I'd encourage Aaron (and soon Gillen) to keep his focus on them, at least for a while.  "Screaming Castle" was OK; this issue was better.

Also Read:  Bloodshot's Day Off #1; Champions #10; Nightwing #24; Spider-Man:  Master Plan #1

Not-Very-Deep Thoughts: The June 21 Rest of Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Captain America:  Steve Rogers #18:  Some tie-in issues provide important off-panel insights to the event unfolding in the main series; if I remember correctly, a lot of important stuff happened in the tie-in issues related to "Avengers vs. X-Men."  However, the same isn't true of this issue.  Steve gives an uncharacteristically unhinged speech to the rump United Nations meeting in Brussels (as a result of their New York colleagues being trapped in the Darkforce Dimension), threatening governments that don't embrace HYDRA cells in their own countries.  T'Challa ruins the fun by hijacking the meeting via video link and daring Steve to come to Wakanda himself; it's not an idle threat, as he informs the meeting he's killed three previous groups Steve sent to infiltrate Wakanda.  This revelation undermines Steve's "stop spying on us" demand he made at the top of the speech, and he leaves in a huff.  Based on the cover, you'd be forgiven if you thought this issue was going to be about Namor (pet peeve #2), but Namor only sulks at the start and end of the issue.  In fact, I'm not sure why Spencer included him at all, since T'Challa's entry into the fray is a much more interesting development.  After all, we've already seen HYDRA defeat Namor in "Secret Empire" #5.  It makes for a confused narrative and a pretty easily skipable issue if you were only coming here because it's connected to "Secret Empire."

Darth Vader #2:  I've never been the biggest fan of Camuncoli's work (I know, I know), namely because his faces in "Amazing Spider-Man" always seemed...off to me.  But, he's on fire here, capturing just how lethal Vader is, be it as a pilot or as a combatant.  Soule is no slouch either.  Vader invades an outpost cataloging Jedi effects to try to track down a living Jedi.  The only one he finds is a warrior who took the "Barash vow," a sort of penance requiring isolation (meaning he survived implementation of Order 66).  Soule reminds us this Vader isn't the Vader we know by allowing him to get winged by one of the Stormtroopers defending the outpost.  I hope it means we'll see the internal emotional conflict I mentioned in my review of last issue.  All told, we've got a good start here.

Iceman #2:  Grace accomplishes what he intended to do here, using Kitty and her anger over learning from Fabio Bobby was gay to press him to actually connect with people.  She makes a solid point, stressing his family and friends want more from him than just jokes at inopportune moments.  Bobby defends himself accurately, noting he didn't have a say in his coming out:  he only did so because his younger self is running around town with a model boyfriend.  But, something feels rushed here, and I hope Grace slows down.  Grace only alludes to the fact Bobby's alone in the world, but I think it's worth exploring it more.  After all, Jean, Scott, and Warren (at least the Warren he knew) are all dead, and he's estranged from Hank.  He really doesn't have anyone in his corner except an ex-girlfriend.  Moreover, Kitty may raise Bobby's hopes too high here that his parents are going to be in his corner, though the preview of next issue's cover implies we'll find out one way or another.  But, at some point, Bobby needs someone, and it's probably hinting at the fact he could use a supporting case unique to this series.  Finally, the art has some decent moments here, though it's hard to tell what penciler/inker combination is responsible, given four sets of hands are at play here.  You get the feeling Marvel is doing this one on the cheap given the unsteady art situation, and it makes me unfortunately wonder how long this series has.

Mighty Thor #20:  It seems clear the War of the Realms is going to kick into high gear.  After all, at this point, we have three different Thors.  The story of Volstagg becoming War Thor is devastating, though I'll admit I don't exactly understand how he survived the Muspelhiem fire that killed the elven children he was trying to protect.  (Apparently fire-goblin blood is immune to the fire.  If I had to guess, those creatures that appeared with the maggot bombs were fire goblins, and Volstagg coated himself with their blood when he murdered them in a rage.  But, Aaron doesn't really make that part entirely clear.)  At any rate, Odinson is pissed at Jane for becoming Thor, Jane is dying so she might not be Thor that much longer (or she might stay Thor forever, giving up Jane), and Volstagg is ready to kill everyone.  It seems like something is going to happen, given that confluence of events.  But, it's the death of the children that gives this issue its emotional weight.  We obviously don't see that in comics often, but Aaron makes sure it's not gratuitous.  Volstagg is someone different than he's always been, and it ups the ante here, making you wonder what other unexpected developments are in store for us.

X-Men:  Gold #6:  OK, I'm not buying what Guggenheim is selling here when it comes to Rachel.  I can think of any number of instances from the past where Rachel used power on the scale she uses here.  I mean, she took on the Beyonder during "Secret Wars II," if I remember correctly.  It's not like what we've seen with other characters, where they evolve over time, like Bobby eventually coming to realize his full potential or Spider-Man learning "Spider-Fu" when he temporarily lost his Spider-Sense.  She suddenly just has a headache, talks to some folks in her mind, and then decides she's powerful enough to disable the A.I. Sentinel.  It's not just overly convenient, but it doesn't do justice to a 36-year-old character.  Guggenheim also includes smaller odd moments, like Ororo kissing Remy.  All told, it makes for a bizarre ending to this once promising arc.

Also Read:  Secret Empire:  Underground #1; U.S.Avengers #7

Not-Very-Deep Thoughts: The June 14 Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Secret Empire #4:  Spencer handles the Avengers' fucked up family dynamics and history so well here I hope they hand him the reins of that book after this event ends.  I'll admit I can't quite remember where we left things with Hanktron after his arc in "Uncanny Avengers."  But, it seems totally reasonable to me that his response to the current situation is to hide in a city full of his clones in Alaska and wait for everyone to kill each other.

Spencer does a great job of slowly building to the conflict as Tony and his team and Steve and his team make their respective ways to Alaska and the Cosmic Cube shard.  When they unexpectedly encounter each other, we're all ready for a battle royale.  But, instead, Ultron captures everyone and makes them suffer through an awkward family dinner.  Just as I was wondering why Odinson, Scarlet Witch, and Vision were on Steve's side, Spencer uses the dinner as a vehicle to explain:  Thor wants back the Hammer Steve took in "FCBD:  Secret Empire #1," Wanda is possessed by Chthon, and the Vision has a virus.  But, everything goes to Hell in a handbasket why Tony antagonizes Hank, realizing his raging inferiority complex means he might actually be Hank.  Hank just wants everything to be like it was, but it can't be, Tony says, because no one ever forgave him for beating Jan.  I mean, talk about dropping a bomb of truth!

I love Spencer using the Avengers' history as the catalyst for the fight here.  It really heightens the sense I've had throughout this event that Marvel might actually make the developments stick (and not magically erase them with the Cosmic Cube.)  By the second or third issue of most cross-over events -- I'm thinking particularly of "Age of Ultron" and "Avengers vs. X-Men" -- it's pretty clear some device (metaphorical or physical) is going to be used to undo the developments occurring in the event.  But, you really get the sense this event is going to have consequences, as Spencer keeps it firmly rooted in the Marvel Universe's history.  For example, Hank stresses how everyone is tired of Steve's strategizing and Tony's plotting, reminding them how disastrous "Civil War" was.  In other words, everything we're seeing here has been a long time coming, not an artificially manufactured crisis to test our heroes.

In the end, it's Scott Lang who saves the day.  He tells Hank he's his idol because he, too, screwed up his life in one moment, but he kept on going.  Scott says he lives his life by asking what his daughter would do in difficult situations, and he asks Hank what Jan would want him to do.  Hank gives Scott the shard and sends everyone on his way.  But, Spencer has two aces up his sleeve.  First, the destruction of the Atlantean temple in issue #3 sends Namor to Washington to surrender his shard, disillusioning Hawkeye's team.  Mockingbird tries to rally them, reminding them they just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other one.  But, Cap reveals to Dr. Faustus he has a mole on the team.  It's hard to see how the heroes are going to win this one, and it's why this series so far is legitimately exciting.

Uncanny Avengers #24:  This issue starts off oddly, since we ended last issue expecting the team to head to New Orleans to fight Brother Voodoo's brother.  But, Zub makes it clear the team is as surprised as we are to find themselves suddenly trapped in New York.  Spencer hasn't had a lot of time to focus on New York in the main "Secret Empire" title; we've only really seen Dagger lighting the city when she can and Kingpin planning for the post-bubble days.  As such, I'm intrigued to get this insight into New York as it struggles with the isolation imposed by Blackout.  The events in this issue happen right after "Secret Empire" #0, so the team is basically acting as first responders.  Presumably, if we fast-forwarded to where we are in "Secret Empire" #4, they're connected with all the other heroes.  But, right now, they're trying to save who they can.  The weirdest part is Jan and Rogue fighting.  Jan is trying to convince Rogue they need a strategy, and Rogue is just trying to punch stuff.  It's like Zub hasn't read a comic with Rogue in it since 2008.  But, hopefully it's just a weird blip, an attempt to illustrate how rattled they all are by the sudden turn of events.  We'll see.

Ben Reilly:  Scarlet Spider #3:  I can't say it doesn't feel forced, but David at least puts Ben in his original costume in this issue, so I feel like I have some hope for the future.

Ms. Marvel #19:  Willow doesn't pull any punches here, as HYDRA Chuck from the previous gentrification arc has somehow gotten himself made into Mayor Worthy and placed Basic Becky (a.k.a. Lockdown) in charge of the Gestapo.  (They're actually called Keepers of Integration, Normalization, and Deference, or KIND.)  Kamala puts two and two together pretty quickly when KIND "agents" accost her outside her house, revealing they're looking for someone with superpowers.  Like any good bureaucrat, Becky delegates the fight with Kamala to her henchman, Discord.  (I can't remember how Kamala connects KIND to Becky but she does.)  When Discord neutralized Kamala with electricity, she realizes he's spent a lot of time studying her, since he knows it's her weakness.  (We're obviously supposed to believe it's Bruno, but that seems too obvious.)  He eventually zaps her into unconsciousness.  Elsewhere, KIND winds up arresting Aamir, Kamala's brother, believing him to have the superpowers.  Moreover, all these events take place against the backdrop of Eid al-Fitr celebrations.  Although KIND takes in Aamir for allegedly possessing superpowers, it's not hard to see the larger point Willow is making.  (She also has Zoe panic when she hears about KIND, revealing she's an illegal immigrant:  she was born in France.)  Willow makes it even more complicated as Discord gets Kamala to admit to herself the crowds who rallied to Worthy side's in the gentrification arc didn't do so simply because they were mesmerized:  some people really believed what he was saying.  By returning to this issue, Willow shows she's telling an ongoing story about the struggle between freedom and fear.  She manages not to get preachy as she does it, keeping the story focused on the emotions people feel on both sides.  I'm intrigued to see where she goes in the next three issues in this arc.

Star Wars #32:  I have to admit, I'm really enjoying the Screaming Citadel arc.  Aaron cleverly uses a rebooted Rur to exposit not only the regret Aphra feels for abandoning Luke but the fact she doesn't normally feel this way about someone she betrays.  Rur correctly posits they understand each other because of their shared tragedies and all I have to say is I'm beyond excited if we're getting a buddy-comedy series featuring Aphra and Luke.  Aphra reminds us why she's a survivor when she not only returns to save Luke but also infects him with the symbiote.  I know it doesn't sound like doing Luke a solid, but it is:  Aphra correctly figures the Hive is run by the strongest will, setting up a conflict between Luke and the Queen.

X-Men:  Blue #5:  First, I love Bunn adding Jimmy to the team as a way to make sure they always have some sort of Wolverine.  Clever.  Moreover, the fight sequence with the Marauders was really one of the best I've read in a while, exactly the sort of excellent match of opposing personalities and powers that makes for archenemies.  But, Bunn raises the stakes when he reveals the Marauders are all displaced from other realities, presumably ones destroyed as part of "Secret Wars."  They've had their memories wiped, and Miss Sinister reveals to Jean she's taken advantage of that situation to turn them into weapons.  She allows Jean to keep Jimmy since his resistance to telepathy is too strong to make him useful to her, and Jean is left wondering about her agenda.  Bunn doesn't stop the mystery there, though.  First, we have no idea how many of these reality-displaced mutants there are (and how many Miss Sinister controls).  Second, Jean, Magneto, and Miss Sinister all observe something "different' about these mutants:  they're not "just" mutants, but it's unclear what that means.  In other words, Bunn has given us enough questions to keep us interested for a good long while.  Along the way, he's doing a great job with the characterization as well:  Bobby and Quicksilver essentially compete in out-annoying the other one, and I could read that all day.

Also Read:  Captain America:  Sam Wilson #23; Dragon Age:  Knight Errant #2; Dungeons & Dragons:  Frost Giant's Fury #3; Generation X #3; Secret Empire:  United #1