Eight-Month-Old Comics: The Superhero August 4 and 11 (2021) Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Sinister War #2 (August 4):  Like "Amazing Spider-Man" #71, this issue doesn't really do anything to advance the plot.  Spidey simply gets bounced from fighting the Savage and Sinister Sixes to fighting the Syndicate, the Superior Foes of, well, him, and the Wild Pack.  In fact, he doesn't so much as fight them as get tossed between them.  I think Kraven's daughter manages to snag him, but it seems that she may not work for Kindred?  I think that he sends everyone else after her to get Spidey?  I think?  Maybe?

X-Men #2 (August 4):  Remy playing cards with Black Cat, Rhino, and the Thing - or, as Rogue says, "the entire Bar with No Name," shows at least someone is enjoying their time in New York!  

The rest of this issue focuses on the X-Men taking on the latest threat Gameworld sent, namely an Annihilation Wave that a suicide bomber unleashed.  Jean and Polaris join powers so Jean can read the dead Gameworld agent's mind (making an "MRI machine for memories"), and Jean now knows Gameworld's game.  

Duggan also makes it clear that the X-Men is serving as a powerful public-relations tool.  Dr. Stasis is hoping to stoke fears that "mutantdom is a secretive island cult."  However, given that the residents of the town that the X-Men saved serve them up some barbecue, Orchis is going to has an uphill fight on that front.  

Finally, Larraz continues to shine on this title, and I dream of him taking over "Amazing Spider-Man" one day.

Spider-Man:  Spider's Shadow #5 (August 11):  This series ends pretty much along the lines I expected, as Spidey figures out a way to take out the symbiote.  He uses an image inducer to trick it into thinking he's Johnny Storm, which I'm not sure that I totally buy, since I'm assuming that the symbiote has other senses that would tell it that Johnny wasn't Peter.  But, I'll go with it.  I more or less expected the courts to exonerate Peter, given that the other heroes (most notably, Cap) could testify that they had limited control over themselves while under the symbiote's influence.  

I was most surprised when Sue Richards offered Reed's spot on the team to Peter.  (The symbiote killed Reed to ensure that Peter couldn't free him and get help from him.)  I get that Johnny and Sue would forgive him, since, after all, Ben could also testify to them what it was like under the symbiote's influence.  But, I have a hard time believing that Peter could return to being Spider-Man.  Given how front and center his guilt is, I just don't know how he'd manage it.  

That said, Zdarsky shows MJ telling Peter last issue that he's the best person she knows not because he's perfect but because he isn't perfect and does good all the time regardless.  That sentiment certainly exists in this ending enough for me to believe that it's a possible outcome.  But, I'd imagine that Peter struggles with that guilt in pretty serious ways for the rest of his life.  

All in all, it's been a solid series.  I'm not sure how stoked non-Spidey fans would be with it, but, from this Spidey fan to other ones, I'd say that it's worth a read (particularly if you're into beardy, sexy Peter).

Also Read:  Guardians of the Galaxy Annual #1 (August 4)

Nine-Month-Old Comics: The Superhero July 7 and 14 (2021) Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Amazing Spider-Man #70 (July 7):  This issue isn't terrible, which is a relief.  Spencer is finally starting to bring some stories to a close, so I feel more willing to engage him where he is.

First, it turns out we have three Harrys.  "Real" Harry explains to Carlie that he was in Europe checking out some old Oscorp accounts that suddenly became active when Kindred (i.e., Kindred Harry) threw Real Harry into the cell where Carlie also now finds herself.  Carlie exposits to us that the extra body that she found in the morgue was Harry's body (i.e., Dead Harry).  It's all very "Clone Saga," but I'm going with it for now.

Second, I can't say that I hate the Sinister War set-up.  First, we've got Kindred slowly but surely reassembling the original Sinister Six.  But, Kindred reminds us that a number of other super-villains are also gunning for Spidey:  the Foreigner is looking for revenge and has hired Black Ant and Taskmaster to help him get it, Overdrive is reassembling the Sinister Syndicate and looking for redemption, a Vulture-led Sinister Six is looking "for blood," and the Syndicate is looking to make a name for itself.  The Vulture-led one is news to me, as I don't think that we've seen him building his team in this series.

Finally, Otto rather brilliantly uses the isotope-genome accelerator that separated Peter and Spidey in issue #3 to separate Curt Connors from the Lizard, clearly making the Lizard all the more lethal.

In other words, it seems like Spencer is finally going to wrap up his Kindred story so we can be free.  Free!

Amazing Spider-Man Annual #2 (July 7):  I know that I'm writing this review ten months after this issue appeared, but if I can just stop one person from buying this issue I'll have done my job.  OMG, it's so bad.  I could recap it, but it would be too painful.  Pacheco leans heavy into the humor, which would normally be fine.  But, it's hard to see Peter engaging in such heartfelt support for, and witty banter with, "Star" given that she vivisected a former high-school classmate who bullied her.  (How has DC not sued Marvel over this Stargirl rip-off?)  Star herself is all over place:  she was a nerd, but everyone called her stupid; she was bullied, but she looks like a model.  It's like someone had to create a character from traits that they pulled from a hat.  Also, I'm not quite sure how Peter developed the power to shrug off the Reality Stone, but it's the least of my issues here.  Just trust me:  do not buy this terrible issue.

Captain America #30 (July 7):  Coates wraps up his time on this title in the same way that he approached the title throughout his run, giving no one any easy wins.

Steve breaks into Red Skull's headquarters after brutally taking out Crossbones.  He then goads Skull into admitting that he doesn't care about his followers' lives; if they sacrifice themselves to help him build his vision of the West, so be it.  Of course, the Daughters have recorded the conversation, hacked into Skull's YouTube channel, and posted his rant.  In the weeks that follow, the team observes no further rallies, eliminating the hate-bomb threat for now.  I particularly like that Coates has the team resolve this problem though words (Skull's words, in particular) and not fists; you can't always just punch hate into submission.

But, Coates has the team live in the same world that we do.  The Fact Channel has already proclaimed that the Skull's "frankness is refreshing," showing its support of the "Red Skull was Right" movement.  It's this part of America that Steve has the most trouble accepting; as he said at some point to Skull, he and others have to answer for the fact that they left a generation open to Skull's manipulations.  Coates also reminds us that everyone here is damaged:  Peggy lost her mentor when Alexa went bad, Bucky spent years not only frozen in time but used as a weapon, and Sharon and Steve lost their child.  They're all walking wounded.

Steve acknowledges as much when Sharon confesses that she gave Kingpin the information on Alexa (which he provided to the Foreigner).  He realizes that so many people are trying to tear apart what they have that he doesn't have to do so.  As he says, there are codes older than his approach.  Is it the sort of moral relativism that we don't usually see from Cap?  Yes.  But, it's also a sign that maybe he's starting to live in the same world that Coates and the team and we do.

Meanwhile, Coates completes Sin's re-transformation into Mother Superior, and I think that it's probably Coates other major legacy, beyond Cap's comfort in working in the grays.  Sin has always been scarier than Skull; if he's lawful evil, she's chaotic evil.  Her pledge to get revenge for Alexa in blood sent chills down my spine and doesn't bode well for the team enjoying their moment for long.

As sad as I am to see Coates end his run, it was truly a pleasure to read it.  I can't wait to see what he does next.

X-Men #1 (July 7):  This issue is excellent.  I can't imagine Duggan throwing anything better at us than he does here.  

First, he gets the intangibles perfect:  every character acts how I expect them to act and interacts with other characters how I expect them to interact.  They feel like a team right off the bat.  Moreover, the Treehouse is something that I always thought the X-Men needed.  I mean, I can't claim that I dreamed of something as amazing as the Treehouse; Duggan earns all the stars there.  But, I always thought the X-Men needed to plant their flag in New York.  If Krakoa is going to prove that it isn't a threat to humanity, it needs to show that it lives in the same world (and with the same threats) as humanity.  Duggan has the X-Men defeat a threat before the Avengers and Fantastic Four can get on the scene, and it's exactly what they need to be out there doing.  After all, Krakoa has enough teams focused on helping mutants.

Second, Duggan gives us not one or two but three threats.  The most brilliant one is someone who we already knew but didn't know we knew:  the Feilong Industries founder.  He thought that he was going to terraform Mars first, going so far as changing his body to accommodate Martian conditions.  When the mutants create Arakko, he swears vengeance, and Duggan makes it clear that he's a dangerous opponent already.  Second, the entity that the X-Men defeats is sent from a casino world called Gameworld.  Its host, Cordyceps Jones (whom I recognize from "Guardians of the Galaxy" Annual #1), announces that they'll be gambling on various attempts to rid Earth of Earthlings now that the Krakoan/Arakkii mutants have put it on the galactic map.  That should be good fun.  Finally, a mysterious figure pledges to find out how the X-Men are resurrecting people, focusing (along with Ben Ulrich) on Jumbo Carnation's resurrection, since everyone knew that he was dead.

In other words, as excited as I was when Hickman started his work on the X-Men, I'm somehow even more excited now.

Sinister War #1 (July 14):  I'm going to focus on the positive here.  Based on Dr. Strange's conversations with Mephisto, Spencer seems geared to undoing "One More Day" or, at the very least, modifying it.  Of course, he throws some obstacles in the way, namely Vulture's Savage Six attacking MJ's movie premiere and revealing to Peter that MJ's director is Mysterio.  (It turns out the Savage Six appeared in the "Amazing Mary Jane" series, because Vulture is furious at Mysterio's depiction of him in the movie.)  The fight sequence is pretty great as the Savage Six and the Sinister Six attack each other, leaving MJ and Peter to fight on the sidelines.  I'm not quite sure how Spencer is going to get where he wants to go, but I'm happy that at least we're doing OK for now.

Spider-Man:  Spider's Shadow #4 (July 14):  This issue seriously rights the ship, as we return from the more fantastical elements of last issue to a more believable and serious set of circumstances here.  First, I have to note yet again how adult and handsome Peter looks as I continue my lobbying for Marvel to realize that we deserve this Peter in the main title.  In terms of the story at hand, Peter travels to Four Freedoms Plaza and is appalled to find the symbiote has covered it.  He unmasks to the on-scene Avengers and pledges to Cap that the symbiote won't ever control him again.  The symbiote opens the building to him, and Johnny and MJ enter with him against his wishes.  Peter manages to throw a possessed Ben outside the building, but he and Johnny struggle to take out a possessed Reed.  But, the symbiote reveals that he's just trying to save everyone like Peter wants and emits symbiotes throughout New York, leading to Peter suddenly staring down the possessed Avengers.  I'm not sure we're getting a happy ending to this one, folks.

Ten-Month-Old Comics: The Superhero June 2, 9, and 16 (2021) Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Amazing Spider-Man #67 (June 2):  Ugh.  

"Lifetheft" is probably my least favorite "Amazing Spider-Man" story during an era of pretty terrible ones.  I have no idea why Spencer is opening this can of worms.  That said, he hasn't been shy about "Sins Past" returning to bite us in the ass at some point, so I guess that I shouldn't be surprised. 

We're actually dealing with two separate Chameleon stories.  Teresa confronts Chameleon in prison about whether or not she's also a Life Model Decoy, like the ones Chameleon created in "Lifetheft."  He then introduces her to the Finisher, the man who apparently killed her parents.  Chameleon tells Teresa that he's been manipulating her so that she'd place him in the same prison with the Finisher.  As such, I'm sure that he has more dastardly cards up his sleeve.  Meanwhile, a pregnant Betty Brant tells Peter that Ned is her baby's father after Chameleon and Scarlet Spider resurrected him in the "Clone Conspiracy."  Didn't Ned die a few issues ago?  Yes, yes, he did.  But, he's alive again!

As if all the ret-conning insanity wasn't enough, Spencer throws more pitches at us.  We get a deep dive into Peter's lab partner Jamie here, as we learn that he was using Clairvoyant to gamble at Chance's casino to pay off his mother's medical bills.  (Of course he was.)  Unfortunately, he exhausted Clairvoyant's energy supply and started losing.  Chance is calling in the debt so that he can use Clairvoyant to make sure the Palace (i.e., the house) always wins.  His scheme involves stealing a power supply that the Lethal Legion recently tried to steal, which I'm assuming is how Peter'll eventually get involved.  Moreover, Spencer continues to preview "Sinister War," with Kindred promising to restore Otto to the man he was as he apparently only remembers his pre-"Superior Spider-Man" self.

I mean, I can't say that I particularly dislike anything happening here, but I also can't say that I'm all that interested in it either.

Amazing Spider-Man #68 (June 9):  This issue has two authors and three artists, and, boy, it shows.  First, we get a very complicated re-telling of Ned's complicated history.  If I'm following, Ned survived the Foreigner's men "killing" him thanks to the Goblin Serum.  As such, the Ned whom Chameleon and Scarlet Spider cloned - and who subsequently died - wasn't the real Ned.  I think?  Also, it turns out the story that Betty and Ned were both covering is Chance and the Foreigner's attempt to use Clairvoyant at the Palace.  Not surprisingly, Peter rushes to Jamie just as he and Slyde are sneaking into the room where the Catalyst (i.e., the energy source that Chance wants to use for Clairvoyant) is held.  Do I care?  I'm not sure.

Spider-Man:  Spider's Shadow #3 (June 9):  This issue is where we enter what I typically associate with "What If...?" territory.  Whereas the series' first two issues were pretty grounded in reality, we start to get more fantastical here.  I felt that Eddie Brock killing Doctor Octopus last issue so that he could be the one to kill Spider-Man was pretty ridiculous, but Zdarksy goes even farther down that road as Brock somehow easily takes over Otto's arms.  That said, Zdarsky has always had a great read on JJJ, Jr. and shows it here, as JJJ, Jr.'s conflict over his role in taking out Spider-Man is just as emotional as his concern for Peter once he discovers his identity.  Moreover, Pasqual Ferry can draw Peter Parker any time that that he wants in my book.  Beyond the (amazing) beard, Peter looks like a man here, a stark contrast with his teenage animé appearance in "Amazing Spider-Man" #68.  I'd love to see him this way in the regular series.

Planet-Size X-Men (June 16):  The most interesting part of this story - not only this issue's story but the entire story that Hickman has been telling - is that it's a story of creation.  Whereas his run on "Avengers" and "New Avengers" focused on destruction (i.e., the Illuminati needing to stop the collision of parallel Earths before our Earth was destroyed), his run on "X-Men" has focused on creation.  It's such a fascinating take on superhero comics, as mostly superheroes fight super-villains to prevent them from destroying something.  

Here, humanity doesn't know how to stop mutantkind from creating something.  It was true of Krakoa, and it's particularly true (and I now understand the ending of "Marauders" #20) of Arakko, i.e., Mars.  In a way, it addresses the problem that Captain America raises here with Scott (and to which he alluded in "Marauders" #20):  suddenly Krakoa grew 500% and added millions of mutants.  It was a threat waiting to happen, particularly given the Arakkii commitment to war.  Magneto provided a solution:  send Arakko and its people to colonize Mars.  As Hope tells Quentin, it's a debt paid to the Arakkii, who saved not only Krakoa but Earth and suffered centuries of war for it.

Hickman spends most of the issue walking us through how Magneto assembles groups of mutants to make the impossible happen.  It's important to establish Arakko's credibility, though it doesn't really make for the most exciting reading.  It also admittedly strains credulity at times.  Although I buy that Magneto could bring iron from other parts of the Solar System to Vulcan and Hope to revive Mars' core, Jamie Braddock suddenly summoning a new S.W.O.R.D. base and a spaceport (Port Prometheus) felt like too much.  After all, why not just have him snap his fingers and do everything?

Overall, though, it's a solid issue that sets up the stories that now unfurl before us.  I think that it's entirely likely that this entire enterprise is sheer folly, as Magneto has now given a planet to mutants who could very well become Krakoa's enemies.  After all, a society predicated on war so far hasn't shown much interest in making nice with the Krakoan mutants and their new kumbaya ethos.  

But, I was struck by a smiling man on a panel where Arakkii mutants are streaming to a point (a scene that I honestly didn't totally follow).  It reminded me that the Arakkii aren't monolithic.  Perhaps some Arakkii will find themselves longing for love and peace.  That's a story that I'd be happy to read, and I'm hoping that we'll get a series dedicated to them soon.

New Mutants #19 (June 16):  This series remains a confusing jumble of characters and emotions, and I'm getting close to calling it a day.  

I still find Anole's group of misfits frustrating.  If Ayala reveals that the Shadow King has been manipulating them the entire time, it almost doesn't matter:  it's still annoying to follow their whiny antics now.  I mean, I'm not against what they represent:  various X-Men comics have explored the fact that some mutants have an easier road to travel than other ones given their human appearances.  But, it's why they live on Krakoa now, isn't it?  I get Cosmar still adjusting to her new appearance, but Anole?  

Although my main complaint with this series is Ayala treating Anole like he's a child, I also feel like I have previously with this series, that I don't get how no one is paying attention to the misfits' behavior.  If Anole is still struggling with his appearance after all this time, isn't there any sort of therapist on hand to help?  I get that Dani is busy as she's torn between Rahne and Xi'an, but the Crucible addressed Xi'an's trama.  Moreover, Magik and Warpath has been hands-on mentors.  If Magik can chase down the group of bullies in issue #16, she can't notice that the misfits disappear for long periods of time?  Gabby even brought her concerns to Warpath last issue, and he just deferred to her to address them, which doesn't really seem like him. 

Beyond the lack of anyone paying attention, this story gets to one of my other complaints, namely how Krakoa's premise pretends all mutants have other mutants' best interest at their heart.  Sure, we've outlawed murder, but you can do a whole lot short of murder (as Sinister can tell you) to fuck up some lost kids.  Shouldn't someone care about that?

Also Read:  Marauders #21 (June 2); X-Men #21 (June 9); Captain America Annual #1 (June 16)

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)