Not-Very-New Comics: The September 26 Non-Spider Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

The Realm #9:  This issue moves along pretty quickly and it's not a good thing for our crew.  Zach makes his way down the dark, narrow tunnel we saw open at the end of last issue and seems to fall to his death, igniting his resurrection powers.  That said, he seems to remember his previous life here, as he recognizes Molly, so I'm not sure if that's exactly what happened, since it all occurred off-screen.  Elsewhere, Johnny Eldritch hires someone named MacInnis and his band to track down Will and the team.  Meanwhile, the master of the fire-mouthed goblins -- who appears to be a different race from the goblins -- reveals they captured Will because they can see the creature inside him "like a candle in the dark."  The Cr+eee-like creature on the master's shoulder asks how it's possible for Will to contain the creature, leading him to wonder if Will is "el'odai" and is merely wearing a man's shape.  The master assumes Will isn't el'odai, but they threaten to torture Will to learn the truth.  Will truly seems not to be able to control his powers, as the master himself notes, since he likely would've used them previously.  (It's also not entirely clear he knows he has them.)  But, the torture appears to awaken the creature, and the issue ends with Molly and the team opening a door, possibly just as the creature emerges from Will.  Good times!

X-Men:  Blue #36:  This series was always superior to Guggenheim's run on "X-Men Gold."  Bunn was probably at his best when he left the kids in space and focused on telling Havok's story.  Despite Guggenheim's intentions, it was these stories where the X-Men seemed the closest to their Claremont origins.  Bunn spends this issue wrapping up loose ends, going so far as having Jean say they're doing so.  The oddest part, though, is that this issue came out the same week as "Extermination" #3, as the events of this issue lead directly into the start of "Extermination" #1.  But, I guess I'm beyond having faith in Marvel's editors telling a coherent story.  Bunn was a capable steward of the X-Men's name, and I hope he feels like it was time well spent.  That said, it definitely seems time for the original X-Men to go.  Combined with Guggenheim randomly recycling Claremont stories, it feels like it's been a long time since we had an honest-to-goodness X-Men series.  Needless to say, I'm excited about the relaunch of "Uncanny X-Men."

X-Men:  Red #8:  One of the most interesting constants of the X-Men is Jean Grey's fluctuating abilities.  It doesn't matter what author writes her, Jean is near omnipotent when she needs to be and useless when it suits the plot.  Here, she's unable to link Honey Badger and Trinary's minds while also fending off an attack from Cassandra Nova.  That being said, I mostly liked the conclusion of this issue, as Trinary uses her powers to turn the power of hate against itself.  (It was like reading "Dragonlance Chronicles" again.)  The only curious part is the X-Men's decision to let Cassandra Nova stay free.  It seems unrealistic, with all their experience, that they would believe Storm really wiped her off the map in Genosha.  You'd think they'd at least go check.  As a result, they also leave Forge under her control, and it also seems weird they never put two and two together to realize Nova herself would unlikely have the technological power to do what Forge (almost) accomplishes here.  But, like all Marvel series lately, this series is ending soon, so it hardly matters.

Also Read:  Detective Comics #989; Extermination #3; Marvel 2-in-One #10; Old Man Hawkeye #9; Star Wars:  Doctor Aphra #24

Not-Very-New Comics: The September Marvel 12 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Fantastic Four #2:  This issue is solid.  Slott makes the right call in aging Franklin and Valeria into teenagers, as they're much more interesting now than they were as children.  Valeria's attraction to a Namor-like prince and Franklin's snarky self-confidence make them both more human than they've ever been:  she's less arrogant, and he's less bland.  They're at the heart of this issue as the Griever at the End of All Things attempts to undo all Franklin's work as he finally hits the end of his ability to create new Universes.  She destroys the Molecule Man, and the team begins to flee to the Universe the most anchored to reality, where Reed feels they can save the next 1,000 Universes.  But, Valeria isn't buying it, as it would mean sacrificing her prince's Universe.  As such, she crash-lands them there to make a stand, where the Griever easily defeats them.  However, Reed has an ace up his sleeve.  As she crows about defeating the Fantastic Four, Reed reminds her she really just defeated the Future Foundation.  He tricks her into allowing him to call for the Fantastic Four, and she's surprised to confront everyone who's ever worn a Fantastic Four uniform.  When Slott's been at his best, it's been in these sorts of grand tales, and I'm excited to see where he goes from here.

Iceman #1:   As happy as I am for "Iceman" to be on the stands again, I feel like Grace still is struggling to find his voice.  In the previous iteration of this title, he had down Bobby's personality but the plots left something to be desired.  Here, the plotting is much better.  Bobby and Bishop manage to prevent the second Mutant Massacre when they foil Sinister's plan to purge mutantkind of mutants who don't look like Bobby.  In fact, Grace really explores both pretty and white privilege here as the anti-Morlock mutants exalt Bobby as the ideal mutant.  Who better than a handsome white guy to convince humans that mutants aren't all that bad?  Of course, after seeing what he's seen over the course of his lifetime, Bobby isn't buying it, and it sets him on a collision course with Sinister that promises to test his Omega-level powers.  But, it's hard not to find this Bobby obnoxious.  It's one thing to portray Bobby as a jokester, it's another thing to portray him as a man trying to be a teenager.  It plays into the stereotype of gay men as stuck in a perpetual adolescence, something Bobby is too experienced to be.  As much as I want to like this series, I also don't want to be party to Bobby becoming a caricature of gay men.

Infinity Wars #3:  This issue isn't bad per se, but Gamora's decision to fold the Universe in half seems motivated solely to generate tie-in issues.  She's allegedly doing it to distract the heroes so she has time to go the God Quarry and discover why she can't see beyond the Quarry.  But, it seems a somewhat extreme remedy to that problem.  After all, if she's omnipotent and omniscient, couldn't she find an easier way to distract them?  Moreover, I don't get what Duggan is trying to say about the Soul Gem.  Loki mentions the Soul Gem is merely a door, so I guess that means "our" Universe is behind it.  But, if "our" Universe is essentially in the Soul Gem, what exists outside it?  It sounds like Devondra's hunger will eventually be sated, at which point the Soul Gem will be healed (for reasons that aren't clear to me) and a new reality will emerge (for reasons that aren't clear to me).  Moreover, it's hard to understand Gamora's motivation here.  Last issue, her soul was made whole, but for some reason she now wants to rebalance the Soul Gem.  Couldn't she just call it a day?  Or is she trying to prevent Devondra from successfully eating our Universe?  Duggan implies it's because she's gone insane with power, but he never actually makes that clear.  It's why this event feels so hollow, like you can see behind the set at a musical.  At the very least, I didn't get sucked into all the tie-in issues for this one.

Peter Parker:  The Spectacular Spider-Man #309:  This issue concludes one of the best two-and-done arcs I've ever read.  Zdarsky seemed to be gearing for a significant arc, with all the mysterious time-travel allusions last issue.  But, he wraps up everything neatly here.  We learn a Sandman from an alternate Universe took advantage of Spidey opening up that multiversal door while fighting the Vedomi to travel to "our" reality.  He seizes control of "our" Sandman to avoid the end of his Universe.  (In the process, we learn our Sandman's consciousness resides in one grain of sand.)  Our Sandman discovers that he can somehow transfer his powers to another person, so he empowers Spidey to fight the other Sandman.  (I'll admit this part makes the least sense, even if it's cool.)  This fight is tailor made for Chris Bachalo; it's one of the best fight scenes I've ever seen.  Spidey calls on Ben and Johnny for help, and Johnny arrives with the Multisect just in time to save him from the alternate Sandman.  When the dust (heh) settles, Sandman thanks Spidey for the save.  He's understandably disturbed to learn that he's not really human anymore and that he may very well live forever.  Is there a Zdarsky-penned "Sandman" title in our future?  Because I'd buy it.  Otherwise, I just continue to love this series and everything Zdarsky and now Bachalo are doing with it.  It reminds me of the best parts of "Brand New Day."

X-Men:  Blue #35:  Bunn does a great job here articulating what I've been feeling over the last few issues.  I'll admit it feels weirdly anti-climatic that he presents the kids as having decided to return to the past, as I can't really put my finger on the moment when they made that decision.  Bunn seems to argue they accepted the inevitability of their return and it's as good of a time as any, but we never really see them get to that epiphany.  Maybe it was Magneto's defection to the Dark Side (again) that made them realize they're tired of fighting a fight that isn't their fight.  At any rate, Bunn does a great job of showing how Bobby and Scott will suffer the most from returning home.  Bobby, Sr. tells Bobby, Jr. at least he'll get to come out of the closet on his own terms, as opposed to Jean outing him.  But, that's not really true, given Bobby, Jr. essentially outed Bobby, Sr.  But, Bobby, Jr. hits the nose on the head when he says he feels awesome now; he's not comforted by the idea he'll eventually be awesome.  Plus, Scott has to accept the fact that it really is suicide for him; it feels that way for everyone else, but they at least have an adult counterpart.  He will die.  But, Bunn doesn't dwell on that too much.  In fact, he has Hank specifically say it's Bobby who suffers the worse fate, because they really are destroying the people they've become and he's gone the farthest (even if it came form Jean's intervention).  If anything, I'm disappointed it's Brisson and not Bunn who'll wrap up the kids' story, but it is what it is, I guess.

Also Read:  Amazing Spider-Man #5; Darth Vader #21; Detective Comics #988; The Weatherman #4; Ms. Marvel #34

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Not-Very-New Comics: The August 8 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Amazing Spider-Man #3:  This issue makes not a lick of sense.  Don't get me wrong, it's fun.  In fact, it doesn't make sense in part because Spencer is trying to invoke the same sense of fun (and wackiness) that Stan Lee and Steve Ditko did:  Peter and Spider-Man are split into two separate people thanks to yet another accident involving the Isotope Genome Accelerator.  Suddenly, Peter sees the real possibility of living his life without the burden of being Spider-Man.  He won't have to feel guilty that he's not out there as Spider-Man, because Spider-Man will still be out there, fighting terrible evil like the...Tri-Sentinel.  On the downside, Peter discovers Spider-Man got his intellect and his powers, but not his sense of morality and responsibility.  Uh-oh.  Unfortunately, this premise gets a little...wobbly the more you think about it.  For example, the creative team shows Spider-Man only in costume, almost implying if you lifted up his mask his face would be blank.  It's just a little over the top, particularly as Peter doesn't seem anywhere near as worried about it as I think Peter probably would be.  I guess we'll see where Spencer goes from here.

Bloodshot Salvation #12:  I was tempted not to continue reading "Bloodshot" the last time Lemire seemed to give Ray a happy ending, but I’m happy I hung in here.  This issue isn’t perfect, as Lemire seems to be in a rush to hit his marks to get us to the finale.  For example, we never really confirm the identity of his 4002 A.D. doppelgänger or why Baron Samedi wanted the maintenance worker killed.  Moreover, Punk Mambo’s powers seem a little too conveniently strong here, as she essentially shuts down all of Omen’s systems to let Magic and the Bloodshots invade.  But, I’m willing to look past the plot holes because the excellent character beats remain the same.  Lemire never turns Ray into a full-fledged good guy; he murders the maintenance worker because he had to murder him.  Lemire makes it clear that Ray feels some guilt, but he doesn’t regret it, because he did it for his family.  Lemire also reminds us Magic has never been just a scared girl hiding in a hotel room; her childhood left her comfortable with mayhem and murder, making her a match for Bloodshot’s neutral-goodish outlook on life.  Their happiness at the end feels hard won, and it feels like a good time to exit this train with Lemire.  Good luck, Ray.  I’m sure you won’t need it.

Detective Comics #986:  Yup, I’m definitely canceling this series.  I’m not going to stand for Barbara Gordon getting treated like a rank amateur in favor of some C-list hero from Metropolis.  Firstable, she was right to question Jefferson's "plan."  His attempt to keep everyone from the fight likely would’ve resulted in the children dying, because Orphan wouldn’t have been on hand to save them.  Second, I’m also not exactly sure what Jefferson’s powers are.  He controls lightning...and explosions?  Whatever.  Then, Batman announces Black Lightning — a guy he barely knows — speaks for him.  He still can’t let Dick Grayson totally into his circle of trust, but this random guy from Metropolis is basically the new Alfred?  I’ll stay for James Robinson’s arc but then I’m done.

Fantastic Four #1:  Look, Dan Slott and I have been on a long, rough road, and I'm not saying I'm here for the long haul.  But, I've loved what Chip Zdarsky has been doing with "Marvel Two-in-One," so I'm definitely here for as long as it takes to tell the story of Reed and Sue's return.  However, as Skottie Young himself says in the Mr. Impossible short that ends the issue, I'm not quite sure what that timeframe is.  In "Marvel Two-in-One," Ben and Johnny are stranded, powerless, on an alternate Earth.  However, they're back on our Earth here.  Moreover, Victor has apparently lost his pretty face, which I don't think we've seen happen in "Marvel Two-in-One" yet.  It raises questions how Marvel could've timed these releases so poorly, particularly because they seem to have done so intentionally.  To make matters worse, Slott still struggles with conveying emotions here, despite Ben proposing to Alicia and Johnny tearfully accepting Reed and Sue's fate.  I can't exactly put my finger on the problem, but these emotions never feel organic.  It's like a dog trying to explain what they hear to us.  But, it is what it is.  I'm tired of complaining about him and he'd be tired of hearing about it if he knew who I was.  We'll see where we go from here.

Hunt for Wolverine:  Adamantium Agenda #4:  I initially bought this mini-series reluctantly, annoyed with Marvel for using the reunion of the New Avengers as part of its bloated “Hunt for Wolverine” “event.”  But, I can’t say I’m disappointed.  Not only was it great to see the team together again, but Taylor takes us some interesting places here.  First, his character work is excellent.  Tony recalls Wolverine beseeching him to see people before potential after Logan reveals he knew Tony created the superhero suicide-machine.  Logan accepts Tony’s explanation that he’d never use it, but stresses to Tony how its deployment nonetheless proves his point.  As such, Tony caves to Jessica and Peter ordering him to destroy Mister Sinister’s catalogue of the DNA of every living person.  However, he had initially started to decrypt the catalogue, and he learned two things along the way.  First, Laura Kinney isn’t a clone; she’s the actual daughter of Logan and Sarah Kinney.  (I don’t follow X-23 closely enough to get all the implications of that, but I get why it’s important.)  Second, one of the X-Men isn’t a mutant; s/he’s been genetically engineered to appear as one, possibly as a sleeper agent.  Given we don’t know who set loose Tony's suicide machine or invaded Sinister’s catalogue in the first place, Tony seems to be onto something.  This mini-series still doesn't really show us how Logan was resurrected, but that's almost besides the point.  Taylor told a self-contained story that raises some interesting questions for Logan and the X-Men down the line.  I'm not saying it's essential, but it's one of the better examples of the tie-in genre out there.

Oblivion Song #6:  Whoa.  I really didn’t see that one coming.  Kirkman reveals here that Nathan and his team of scientists were the ones who caused the Transference, after a device they built to explore an alternate dimension went haywire.  Nathan explains they built the device because they sensed energy on the other side of the field, but he tells Bridget the field shouldn’t have expanded the way it did.  He initially hypothesized it was because some energy on the other side amplified his device’s power, but he hasn’t seen any technology capable of that on the other side.  To make matters worse, he’s relaying this information in handcuffs, after the feds arrested him for building the device they found in the storage locker.  It's particularly bad timing, too, as he’s convinced his brother Ed to return with him to see what Earth is like.  As such, Ed is functionally stranded on Earth.  Underlining how no one is really having a good go of it, Benjamin appears at Bridget and Duncan’s doorstep when they’re already fighting about Nathan.  Shit’s getting real, folks.

X-Men:  Blue #33:  Yet another time-travel story, yet another unclear situation.  Magneto arrives in the future he's previously hinted he's seen and intuitively knows the devastation he sees there is his fault.  A Nightcrawler-looking child exposits that he assembled a Brotherhood of Mutants — Magic, Toad, Exodus, the Blob, Sabretooth, and someone I think is Unuscione based on her head gear — to stop the "Reaver virus" from destroying the world.  The Avengers and X-Men had been unable to stop the virus because it meant killing the hosts, and Nightcrawler, Jr. tells Magneto that he and the Brotherhood were the only ones willing to do so.  Before we learn more, an Iceman-less team of the original X-Men appears, less than thrilled to see Magneto.  It makes you wonder if Nightcrawler, Jr. isn’t skipping over some parts, since he seems to view Magneto as a hero.  This story ties into “Extermination,” so I wonder where we go from here.

Also Read:  Darth Vader #19; The Wild Storm:  Michael Cray #10

Not-Very-New Comics: The July 25 Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Infinity Wars Prime #1:  OK, here we go.  After the pretty crappy ending of "Infinity Countdown," I can't say I'm all that excited about this event, but I'm game for at least reading the main series.  We'll wait and see about the tie-in series.  At any rate, Duggan gives us three separate (and seemingly unconnected) stories here.  First, Loki discovers that he remembers the tales told in the books in the Asgardian library differently than they're recounted.  He complains he's never the hero of the story, and I wonder if we're going to get an explanation why everyone has seemingly turned their back on Loki as the God of Stories (as he was at the end of "Loki:  Agent of Asgard").  When Loki asks why the stories all involve the same people in different universes, the tomekeeper leads him to a book she remembers dealing with that subject.  But, they're both surprised when the ending has been torn from the book, so they go to the Quarry of Creation, which the tomekeeper remembers also has something to do with the tale.  Elsewhere, Adam Warlock consults with Dr. Strange about the disturbing changes within the Soul Gem.  When they use the Ropes of the Xiand Nomads to enter the Soul Gem (the ropes allow them to stay anchored to our realm), an enormous creature (presumably the one that entrapped Hank Pym in a dreamscape at the end of "Infinity Countdown") looms over the landscape and kills a surprised Adam Warlock.  Dr. Strange is forced to reveal his possession of the Time Gem to Adam in order to save him.  Finally, Requiem, as we seem to be calling the person who had the dwarf create a sword for her in "Infinity Countdown," kills Thanos and then the Chitauri warriors he ruled.  Standing over Thanos' body, she declares the past dead.  (It's some form of Gamora, right?  Maybe Nebula?)  All in all, it isn't a terrible issue, though I still feel like I'm missing something.  At the end of "Infinity Countdown," for example, Dr. Strange summoned the Infinity Watch.  Yet, here, he's lying to Adam Warlock about having the Time Gem.  Does this story take place before "Infinity Countdown" #5?  If not, this part doesn't seem to make much sense.  Whatever.  We'll see where we go from here.

Marvel 2-in-One #8:  Chip Zdarsky, STOP MAKING ME CRY.  After the most recent issue of "Peter Parker:  The Spectacular Spider-Man," it's just too many feels!  With their powers gone, Ben and Johnny are forced to live normal lives on this strange new world.  After Johnny learns Ben asked this Universe's Amadeus Cho to send out a signal to the Avengers and not just Reed and Sue, he realizes Ben has lied to him:  Reed, Sue, and the kids are dead.  Their subsequent fight is heartbreaking, as Ben confesses he lied because he was worried Johnny was falling to pieces and Johnny only half-heartedly insists he was pulling himself together.  The Fantastic Four returns shortly, but I'm going to miss this period of Ben and Johnny needing to find a way just to rely on each other.  But, I won't miss the crying, Chip!

Mr. and Mrs. X #1:  This issue is goddamn perfect in every way.  Thompson gives Remy and Rogue the wedding they deserved, not the afterthought ceremony we saw in "X-Men Gold" #30.  Moreover, her mastery of their banter is even better than it was during the "Rogue and Gambit" mini-series.  They're definitely in love, but it doesn't mean that they don't have issues or that they can't laugh at each other's expense.  In the letters page, Thompson explicitly mentions how comics can be hard on marriages.  In so doing, she addresses the elephant in the room, essentially promising at least a decent amount of time before we have to worry about them getting a divorce.  With that sort of commitment -- the commitment I think we all expected to get with Bruce and Selina and Kitty and Piotr -- our couple and this series are on solid footing.  It allows Thompson to jump into the deep end, as she does here as Remy and Rogue take a honeymoon in space and come face-to-face with a mysterious egg, Cerise and the Imperial Guard, and Deadpool!  Best start to a series EVER!

Multiple Man #2:  I mean, OK, it's not like I expected a mini-series about the Multiple Man that also involved time travel was going to make much sense.  Rosenberg even plays with that premise throughout this issue to great effect.  But, at some point, it has to make some sense.  As far as I can tell, the dupe we meet here somehow became evil and killed hundreds of thousands of people when he took over the world.  His recent jaunt to the future has already changed it, though seemingly making his repression even more brutal.  Moreover, his return to that future gives him the idea to create the super-powered dupes that save him last issue, completing the loop.  But, at this point, you just have to wonder why he doesn't go to the past and save the real Madrox the moment before Black Bolt releases the Terrigen Mist.  In fact, he could save everyone who died because of the Mist.  After all, altering the "future" isn't any better than altering the "past" since at some point they're the same thing.  [Sigh.]  Fucking time travel.  At any rate, Madrox's interactions with his son and Layla are the best, as the creative team makes Davey's hope and Layla's despair evident.  But, I'd like to follow what's happening at some point.

X-Men:  Blue #32:  Magneto has seen the future, as he mentions here, though I'll admit I can't remember when that happened.  At any rate, he seems to have seen disaster, including something happening to Bobby in particular.  But, he won't tell the kids, though they seem to draw the conclusion that their time in the "present" is growing short.  I'm still intrigued how Marvel is going to resolve their story, and it's increasingly clear we're getting there soon.

Also Read:  Amazing Spider-Man #2; Star Wars:  Doctor Aphra #22; Star Wars:  Lando - Double or Nothing #3

Not-So-New Comics: The July 11 Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Amazing Spider-Man #1:  Since "Brand New Day" began, I’ve been bothered by two developments:  Mary Jane and Peter making a deal with Mephisto to dissolve their marriage (obviously) and Peter accepting the doctorate Dr. Octopus got for him.  Spencer unexpectedly fixes both of them here.  First, a new technology designed to identify plagiarism correctly pegs Otto as the author of Peter’s dissertation.  Later, Peter’s near-death experience fighting Mysterio inspires him to tell Mary Jane he needs her.  As thrilled as I am in Spencer addressing these issues, I can’t say it’s a fun issue to read.  As Kingpin himself says, Peter needs to be isolated to be defeated, and he is here.  Robbie is forced to fire him to protect the Bugle’s integrity, and Aunt May is appalled when he refuses to take responsibility for his mistake.  But, Kingpin didn’t count on Mary Jane.  My hope is Spencer doesn’t take Peter any lower than he is now.  After the events of the “Fall of the House of Parker,” Slott and Spencer have now taken everything (including Aunt May) but Mary Jane from Peter.  If we go much lower, we’re going to return to the terrible period during the “Clone Saga” when he turned his back on Peter Parker because his life was so terrible.  I just can’t do that again.

Infinity Countdown #5:  From the hurried art to the dropped plots, this issue is the definition of rushed, even at 36 pages.  We start with Black Widow appearing to Dr. Strange to tell him -- via a hand-written note she passes to him -- someone is listening to her through the Space Gem.  (Duggan never clarifies how Nat knew that, at least as far as I can tell.)  Dr. Strange chimes a "crystal that was grown in the lowest dimension known to exist," presumably to find the eavesdropper, though Duggan never makes that clear.  The frequency leads him to Turk.  (If Turk was using the Mind Gem to read Nat's mind, wouldn't he know what she wrote in the note?  Isn't the whole point of reading minds not needing people to say their thoughts aloud?)  At Oblitus, Warlock approaches the Guardians, hoping they can lead him and Kang to the Time Gem.  Gamora asks Warlock to show her the Soul Gem, and he agrees, but tells her he cannot open it without help.  Gamora demands he does so, and Drax tries to help her, punching Warlock and grabbing the Soul Gem as he drops it.  Something...happens when Drax touches it, and it results in Drax throwing in his lot with Warlock.  He tells Gamora no one can open the Gem and it's no longer the heaven it was.  Cryptically saying he "saw someone in the trees[;] they all died horribly," he follows Kang and Warlock through a portal after Kang realizes the Guardians don't know where the Time Gem is.  Peter, Groot, and Rocket then refuse to go after them with Gamora, who's becoming increasingly unstable.  (That said, she's not necessarily wrong that Peter leaving Rich in the Cancerverse was a good indicator of how he'd behave here.)  Meanwhile, in the Soul Gem, something traps Hank in a fantasy of his own making where the Avengers rescue him and greet him with open arms.  The issue concludes with Dr. Strange calling an assembly of the Infinity Watch; in this moment, we learn Peter has the Power Gem (even though Drax is shown as possessing it in the intro page).  In other words?  It's all just a fucking mess.  It's hardly an inducement to read "Infinity Wars," given how rushed even this 36-page issue is.  Barely anyone's actions are explained.  I still don't understand why Peter, Groot, and Rocket didn't support Gamora.  I have no idea why Drax threw in his lot with Warlock and Kang.  Again, we also never get confirmation it was Turk eavesdropping on Nat through the Space Gem.  Moreover, other than the Gems changing hands, nothing has actually happened since the start of this prelude.  Darkhawk, Dr. Strange, the Guardians, Natasha -- they're all essentially where they started.  I can't believe I spent money on this event (and that I'm still likely to get the main "Infinity Wars" series).

Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk #4:  Sims and Bowers again change a status quo here, as Dark Starhawk seems to evolve simply into Starhawk before our eyes.  He executes Gyre, announcing he’s evolved beyond advancing Gyre’s goals (which I’ll be honest weren’t entirely clear to me).  Now, he's dedicated to safeguarding order in the universe by taking out entities with special powers that threaten it (like the possessors of the Infinity Gems).  However, Chris takes back his amulet, destroying the nexus between his soul and Robbie’s body.  Robbie disappears, and Rich vows to imprison Chris if he sees him off Earth again.  To be honest, Rich is pretty true to character here:  he leaps to conclusions and doesn’t even pretend to listen to Chris as he explains Robbie willingly sacrificed himself to become Dark Starhawk.  We end the issue with Chris committed to staying on Earth.  However, that night, Sleepwalker pays him a visit, telling him he needs to become a Sleepwalker, too.  I mean, why not change everything all over again?

The New Mutants: Dead Souls #5:  This issue is really solid.  Tran manipulates Illyana into breaking into Dr. Strange’s house and drawing her Soulsword.  In so doing, she apparently (and conveniently) breaks the seals that prevent him from entering the house.  Rictor then inadvertently presents Tran with what he wants, a gem that converts him to his physical form.  Reborn, Tran is all the more formidable.  This series of errors seems to prove his point that this team is the B-team.  Guido grabs Tran and has Illyana send the two of them into Limbo.  This moment is significant because Rosenberg had earlier forced Rahne and Guido into a room in the house that seemed to show them their nightmares.  There, Rahne learned that her nightmare — Guido killing her son — is also Guido’s nightmare.  It brings resolution to their story as Guido tearfully begs Rahne for forgiveness and Rahne grants it to him.  (I totally cried.)  Reconciled, Rahne refuses to let Guido stay trapped in Limbo, knowing how nightmarish it would be for him.  But, Rosenberg also uses it as a bit of therapy for all of us, showing us how we remain stuck in cycles of grief and guilt that serve little purpose.  This series just continues to get better and better, and I think Rosenberg makes a great case for continuing it as an ongoing.

X-Men:  Blue #31:  Although the last arc was awful, Bunn rights the ship here, as the kids follow Magneto’s path of devastation as he makes his way to Emma.  Bloodstorm exposits that Magneto was driven over the edge when he was forced to kill the Mothervine-controlled mutants in his care who attacked him, though I’ll admit I don’t totally buy that.  Bunn seems to be arguing that Magneto is inherently unstable and violent (if not exactly evil), and the events of the Mothervine arc simply overrode his ability to control his behavior.  But, he is slowly but surely destroying Hellfire Club chapters along the way, so we’ll see where it all goes.

Also Read: Darth Vader #18; Detective Comics #984; The Hunt for Wolverine:  Adamantium Agenda #3; Ms. Marvel #32

New-ish Comics: The June 27 Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Infinity Countdown:  Darkhawk #3:  Seriously how many times can Marvel ret-con Darkhawk’s origin?  We learn here the Gardener, one of the Elders of the Universe, created the Tree of Shadows.  He was obsessed with seeing where he could grow life, and he saw the Darkforce Dimension as a challenge.  He apparently forgot about the Tree after planting it.  However, millennia later, the Shi’ar and Skrulls somehow discovered it and fought over it.  A Shi’ar soldier gets to the Tree first and steals a seed, and it somehow transforms him into a set of “living armor.”  (I'm definitely not sure how that happened.  Did his armor take over his body?  If so, how and why did the Tree make that happen?)  Moreover, the soldier observes the Skrulls changing shape, which somehow allows him to change shape?  I don’t know.  At any rate, he seems to be the first Raptor.  Chris gets this information from Razor, who was supposedly dead but whose essence is apparently still rattling around wherever Chris’ consciousness/soul is.  Along those lines, I think the amulet is Chris' soul now?  He mentions how his soul is powering Starhawk; since Robbie became Starhawk when he got his hands on the amulet, the transitive property means Chris' soul is the amulet.  At any rate, Razor’s pep talk here means Chris can suddenly alter his armor again.  This time, he sheds his former armor like a skin and becomes a new set of armor that can turn into a ship.  I don't know.  This whole story just feels like a mess.

Multiple Man #1:  "Dammit, Jamie!  Stuff like this is why everyone finds you so annoying!"  Truer words, Beast, truer words.  The new New Mutants find one of Jamie's dupes in a sealed-off lab, though we're never told why they're looking for the lab in the first place.  It turns out this dupe had all of Jamie's science abilities and was trying to create a serum that would stabilize dupes and let them live independently from Jamie, in cases just like this one, where Jamie Prime is dead.  However, he's not as smart as Beast, so the serum only works temporarily.  As Beast works to stabilize the serum, Jamie swipes Bishop's time-travel device and heads to the future.  He returns almost immediately to stop something (we're not sure what yet) from happening, and he unexpectedly brings back versions of himself who are also Cable, Deadpool, Dr. Strange, and Hulk.  Yeah, it's confusing.  At this stage, Rosenberg hasn't hinted Jamie Prime survived the Terrigen Mists, so we're left to assume Jamie Prime is really dead.  But, that said, if Jamie could travel to the future, why not travel to the past, grab Jamie Prime, travel back to the present (skipping the Terrigen Mists), and have him reabsorb Jamie?  Anyone?

Peter Parker:  The Spectacular Spider-Man #306:  I've said it before and I'll say it again: this title is the Spider-Man title.  From his fresh take on JJJ, Jr. to his introduction of new characters (like Teresa), Zdarsky is telling a modern Spider-Man tale, not entangled in all the usual clichés and tropes Spider-Man carries with him after 55 years.  But, it's still a Spider-Man story at its heart.  In the present, Daredevil leads Peter and the gang to the Resistance's secret base in the Baxter Building.  There, T'Challa analyzes the device the Vedomi scout gave Peter and reveals it's a capsule that connects a biological consciousness with the Vedomi's hivemind.  The connected person would then be able to override the Vedomi's directive, making them see Earth as an empty planet.  Before anyone can react, Peter opens the capsule and absorbs the programming.  It allows him full access to his memories, including his parents.  He's overwhelmed, but Teresa encourages him to embrace it, a reminder that he needs to save the people who love him.  (He sees MJ at one point, and I wonder if the editors would let Zdarsky have Peter remember the deal with Mephisto...)  At any rate, these sequences are what makes this story a Spider-Man story, grounded as they are in Peter Parker and his experiences.  He tells Teresa he's not going to survive this adventure, since his body is overheating due to the presence of the programming.  He makes his way onto the ship, but, before he can merge with the core, the Tinkerer appears.  (Earlier he had hacked into Ironheart's armor and used her as a ride to the ship.)  Dun-dun-DUN!  Zdarsky even manages to upgrade the Tinkerer here into a threat in and of himself.  I'll admit I rolled my eyes at the claim that Peter is going to die, but, otherwise, Zdarsky is telling a great story here.  Whereas I'm bored of the similarly long "Daredevil" arc about Wilson Fisk as Mayor of New York, Zdarsky has managed to keep this tale fresh as we enter the last act.

Star Wars:  Doctor Aphra #21:  Spurrier is clearly writing for the trade, because I had to re-read last issue and this one just to get a basic sense of the plot.  But, it's not just because there are twists and turns, because twists and turns are good.  It's because it's all lost in a variety of technical mumbo-jumbo that I find hard to understand but is unfortunately key to understanding the plot.  Moreover, the technical mumbo-jumbo consists of a string of overly convenient developments that even Aphra seems unlikely to be able to arrange.  This title keeps creeping down my list, to be honest.

X-Men:  Blue #30:  These two issues have just been uncharacteristically terrible.  I barely care about Jimmy let alone Jimmy as the central figure in a storyline that continues from a cross-over event I didn't read.  It's like a particularly bad hangover.  Like last issue, this issue focuses on Jimmy as a Poison, something we're supposed to believe means he's functionally dead.  Yet, Bunn has already shown Jean was able to resurrect herself, so it's clear Jimmy will be able to do so, too.  As such, I'm not sure why Bunn made the decision to extend this story, when he has much more interesting ones to tell.  Whatever.  This series ends in six issues anyway.

Also Read:  Marvel 2-in-One #7; Ms. Marvel #31; Old Man Hawkeye #6; Star Wars:  Lando - Double or Nothing #2; Thor #2

New-ish Comics: The June 13 Marvel "N-Z" Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

The New Mutants:  Dead Souls #4:  This issue is great.  I was pretty sure Rictor wasn’t dead, but the revelation that Illyana's dream sequence was Tran manipulating her into revealing Xi’an’s plans was brilliant.  At this stage, we still don’t really know what those plans are, and it’s pretty clear Illyana is also getting impatient for them.  But, Rosenberg is drawing back the curtain a bit for us, as Prodigy asks Xi’an if she wants to activate the second team as they look for the missing plane.  Xi’an also seems to suspect Illyana might not totally be on her side anymore, making for an interesting conversation next issue.  As Illyana points out here in her dream sequence, the places Tran has appeared seem random, so it’ll be interesting to see what the connection (presumably) is in the end.  At any rate, as someone who just read the first few issues of the original “New Mutants” series, it’s hard to believe it’s taken this long for Tran to assert himself against Xi’an.  I’m totally game for this ride.

Peter Parker:  The Spectacular Spider-Man #305:  I love this series.  It lost its way a little there, but it rebounds here, as younger Peter realizes it’s time he stops hiding.  As Doom activates the time platform to send back JJJ, Jr., our Peter, and Tessa, younger Peter joins Gwen in trying to hold back the Sinister Six.  When our Peter realizes what’s happening outside the building, he joins the fray, and the Avengers and Tessa later follow suit.  Cap is killed during the fray, another moment that underscores for younger Peter that he can’t hide any longer.  Our Peter is reluctant to leave with Osborn still out there, but he finally realizes everything can't be about his guilt.  Happy to see younger Peter take up his role as Spider-Man again (and kiss Gwen), our Peter leaves with JJJ, Jr. and Tessa.  It’s hard not to draw parallels to the Trump administration here, as Zdarsky shows Osborn as the lunatic he’s always been.  But, our Peter tells Osborn he defeats him in every world in every way, and it inspires younger Peter to have the faith he can do the same.  It's a helluva lesson for us all.

Thor #1:  I honestly don't have a lot to say here, despite this expanded issue relaunching Odinson as Thor.  Aaron is great as he always is, and del Mundo is an excellent successor (though not replacement) for Dauterman.  He imbues the story with a cinematic sensibility; you can hear the seagulls calling as Thor returns to his boat.  Thori and Toothgrinder make for excellent comic relief as always, and Loki’s presence adds the expected level of intrigue, as he offers to serve as Thor’s own Bifrost bridge...for an as-yet-unrevealed price.  Thor wisely pulls Loki with him as Loki opens a portal to the heart of the war, and they find Balder greeting them in Hel/Niflheim.  Aaron has been carrying on the War of the Realms for a long time at this point, and it definitely feels like it’s time for Thor to handle it directly.  But, hopefully it won't be over too quickly.

X-Men:  Blue #29:  You’d be forgiven for thinking you missed a dozen or so issues picking up this one.  Only a brief footnote lets us know that, in “Venomized” #5, all the Poisons were destroyed except the one inhabiting Jimmy.  (I thought they were indestructible, which is why Scott had all the sads for Jean?)  You’d also be forgiven for not caring.  This storyline was maybe interesting for two or three issues, but it’s always been a forced cross-over event driven by the fact Bunn happened to write both series.  Neither Venom nor the Poisons bring out anything particularly interesting in the team.  It’s time to put this one to bed.

New-ish Comics: The May 30 Marvel Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Amazing Spider-Man #800:  This issue is great.  Really.  The story is actually 80 pages, which makes it feel less like the money grab it still obviously is.  (Seriously, Marvel, stop with the $9.99 issues.)

I wasn't sure how Slott was going to pull off an 80-page story, but he really nails it.  The story doesn't drag, and the resolution feels hard won.  Each step that brought us closer and closer to the resolution felt well supported by the steps preceding it.  Slott accomplishes this feat (rare for him lately) by keeping everything grounded in characterization:  Flash sacrifices himself to allow Peter to keep the powers he needs to take on Norman, Peter uses his brains and not brawn to defeat Norman, Norman's ego undoes him, etc.  We even have Aunt May implying she knows Peter is Spider-Man and telling him she's proud of "Spider-Man" for saving so many people, herself included, over the years.  Peter’s speeches to Flash and Jonah carry the weight of almost 60 years, and Slott made us feel that weight in a good way.

I’m not saying it’s a perfect issue.  After all, JJJ, Jr.’s decision to shoot Norman feels like an afterthought, when it's really a huge deal.  First, Immonen (unusually for him) screwed up the positioning, as Peter takes the shot to his shoulder well above Norman’s head.  Given JJJ, Jr.s was firing nowhere near Norman's body, it actually reads more like he was firing a warning shot.  But, we can tell from the narrative he wasn't, and Slott really never addresses the idea JJJ, Jr. is willing to murder Norman.  Compounding matters, Peter just categorically forgives JJJ, Jr., an example of moral relativism that we don’t often see from a guy committed to making sure no one dies.  Sure, he let Clash off the hook for stealing, but it was because he was playing Robin Hood; attempted murder is something else entirely.  I get where Slott was going with the idea of Peter forgiving Jonah, as it's part of Peter pledging to Flash he'll stop engaging in his own form of bullying.  But, I still don't understand what Peter meant by that.  His wisecracks?  It's a pretty big leap to go from taking responsibility for making fun of criminals to condoning attempted murder.  Moreover, Slott is writing a check here he’s not going to cash; I’m not sure I understand how a more serious Peter (if a non-joking Peter is what Slott is setting up here) will play.

As I've said previously, I loved Dan Slott at the start of his run.  "Big Time," "Spider-Island," and "Ends of the Earth" were great Spider-Man stories:  they were ambitious, fun, and innovative.  They showcased the best and worst of Peter Parker, from the extended supporting cast that makes him who he is to the nagging self-doubt that threatens constantly to undermine him.  Then, "Superior Spider-Man" happened.  At this point, the wheels went off the bus.  Slott and his editor, Stephen Wacker, presaged the Trump era by dismissing anyone expressing confusion or disappointment with the poorly structured story as an enemy.  Slott's then seemingly lost his ability to tell large-scale stories as both "Spider-Verse" and "Dead No More:  The Clone Conspiracy" were complicated, sprawling, and tedious.  Then, Peter essentially became Tony Stark; it's no irony Slott is going to write him next.  You could've replaced Iron Man for Spider-Man for the entirety of "Amazing Spider-Man" volume 4 and likely not have noticed a difference.  At this point, it was increasingly clear it was time for Slott to go.

Slott wraps up his time next issue, and we'll see how that goes.  At this point, I'm glad "Go Down Swinging" brought back some of that magic "Big Time" had.  We could all use a little magic right now.

Daredevil #603:  I’ll admit this story is starting to feel too long, as if Soule is going to drag out this night for several years of stories.  I mean, Henderson’s art is great here, so I’m not exactly complaining.  But, the Hand’s ninjas retreating from the streets of New York so the Beast could unleash a toxic cloud on the city felt like an excessive escalation of the assault.  Wasn't a plague of ninjas enough?  Moreover, Matt seems completely incapable of doing anything believable in terms of fighting off the Hand’s superior force; releasing Black Cat, Diamondback, Hammerhead, and Owl doesn’t do much to stop a toxic cloud.  You’d figure Murdoch would’ve put someone (Dr. Strange?) in charge of finding a way to stop the Beast.  Moreover, it’s hard to believe this assault is just because Blindspot refused to kill Muse as part of his deal with the Beast.  It seems completely disproportionate.  It makes more sense for the Beast to get revenge on Matt by making him mayor and thus making him responsible as the Hand destroys his beloved city around him.  If the Beast is willing to destroy New York because of a teenager's broken promise, it makes you wonder why he hasn't already done so.  Someone somewhere had to disappoint him previously.  It’s all serves as a distraction from the great story about the Kingpin’s reign as mayor, making you wonder if Soule wouldn’t have been better off sequencing the stories rather than telling them overlappingly.  I know that’s how "real" life happens; “Batman” arcs are always at their best when he’s juggling multiple enemies a the same time.  But, again, it feels like Matt is going up against nuclear weapons with flint knives here.

Infinity Countdown:  Captain Marvel #1:  This issue is fine in terms of scripting (if a little too rah-rah), but it makes no sense in terms of the plot:  Carol’s consultations with the other Captain Marvels helps her learn how to defeat Blastaar in a less destructive way than she originally did, but she concludes her gut is a better guide (even though it, by definition, wasn’t).  It's not terrible, but it definitely feels like a cross-over event tie-in issue.

Marvel 2-in-One #6:  This issue somehow manages to wrap up this story quickly, without skimping on the emotions.  A freed Johnny Storm uses the Power Cosmic to sate Galact-a-Doom’s hunger in time for Emma to transfer her mind into his body.  Using a Trojan Horse code Reed wrote, she turns herself into a creator instead of a destroyer.  (You have to wonder why Reed didn't turn him into a creator the first time he appeared at Earth, but it is what it is.)  Johnny then uses the remaining part of his Power Cosmic to empower Norrin to follow Emma into the stars to recreate the Universe.  But, the best moments are saved for the team, as our Johnny encourages our Victor to trust him (and not prevent Emma from taking over Galactus) because it's what made the Fantastic Four great.  Then their Reed tells our Ben he knows his Reed and Sue are dead.  Overall, it makes for an unusually sad issue (particularly when we learn Galen died of madness, knowing full well what he did as Galactus).  Although Ben and Johnny might have helped recreate this world, as far as Ben knows, his universe doesn’t give him that same hope.

Spider-Gwen #32:  Gwen wraps up some loose ends here before Captain DeWolff arrests her.  She reunites with the Mary Janes, and Reed records their band practice as the source for a device whose sounds incapacitates Matt Murdoch.  It allows Gwen to swipe the Web-Watch and leave Murdoch for the Hand, whose leadership has declared war on him for his incompetence.  It’s hard to count out Murdoch, though; his pledge to get revenge on Gwen feels real.  Meanwhile, Gwen assures the Mary Janes that she knows what she’s doing.  Her father believed in honesty, but Gwen realized “honesty” was about emotions; George was trying to get the people of New York to see Spider-Gwen through his eyes, essentially asking them to trust him.  To Gwen’s mind, the truth (not "honesty") allows the people of New York to draw their own conclusions about her.  It’s a compelling case, though we’ll see if Gwen can live with the consequences.  In another note, Gwen seems to tell Murdoch the device doesn’t hurt her because it’s the voices of the people she loves, implying she’s found a balance with the symbiote.  (I'm not sure I'm buying that, but I think it's what Latour is arguing.)  In fact, she implies Murdoch believed the symbiote feared sonics because he feared sonics.  It’s a bit of a stretch but I get where Latour is going with it.  It goes to the idea of Gwen as a fully integrated person, not just the sum of all her various personas.  We'll see what happens next issue.

X-Men:  Blue #28:  It was always clear Alex was going to be cured, both body and soul, and Bunn takes care of that pretty effectively here, as Havok, Bastion, and Miss Sinister are defeated on several fronts.

First, Magneto calls Elixir and Exodus from the past (or future) to stop the spread of Mothervine:  Exodus uses his powers to teleport them from infection site to infection site while Elixir cures everyone who didn’t actually have the mutant gene to start.  Meanwhile, Emma is appalled as Miss Sinister tortures Jimmy and Bloodstorm, mostly because she doesn’t like the idea of mutants being manipulated.  (Sinister also confirms the mutants of Jimmy’s world were manufactured, and he carried the code — Mothervine — in his DNA.  I'm not sure if we knew that previously, but there you go.)  Emma turns against her, taking control of Mach-2 and using her magnetism to free Jimmy so he can slice Miss Sinister into ribbons.  With Emma’s control lifted and Sinister’s presence gone, Lorna, Daken, Gazing Nightshade, and Xorn are free.  They join forces with Emma, Bloodstorm, and Jimmy to take down Havok and the remnants of his Brotherhood (Bastion, Toad, and that white-haired guy, as far as I can tell.  Bastion tries to assert control, but Xorn releases his singularity, seemingly destroying himself and Bastion in the process.

All that’s left is for Alex to be saved.  Bunn does his best here to make it clear why it was only now that the specific confluence of factors necessary to heal him were presented.  Emma uses Lorna’s memories of Alex to punch through his defenses and invert him, lamenting the loss of his potential as a bad guy, and Elixir uses his powers to heal his face.  Alex is shaken from the experience, feeling as if part of his soul has been ripped from him.  If Bunn stumbles at all through this issue, it’s in Emma’s decision to become an unrestricted good guy.  I get why she turns against Miss Sinister, but it’s less clear why she finally decides to heal Alex.  Even if Lorna’s memories of (i.e., love for) Alex served as the necessary Trojan Horse to cure him, Bunn doesn’t tell us why Emma would actually turn the switch.  As she herself says, he would've been a powerful ally.  But, Bunn does a solid job with healing Alex’s scar. I never bought into the idea that Alex’s skin was somehow destroyed on a molecular level, as it really made no sense.  (We can resurrect people from the dead, but we can't fix Alex's scar?)  As such, Elixir healing him here felt like a logical fix to a problem that should’ve been solved a long time ago.

At any rate, I’m just glad to have Alex back.  “AXIS” was a pretty terrible event, and it made little sense to sandbag such a great character — particularly given what Remender did with him in “Uncanny Avengers” before “AXIS” — with that legacy.  (Plus, I’m not going to object to his handsome face returning.)  Now, I’m just exited to see Emma and a furious Magneto go to war.

Also Read:  Ms. Marvel #30; Pathfinder:  Spiral of Bones #3; Star Wars:  Lando - Double or Nothing #1; X-Men:  Red Annual #1

Almost-New Comics: The April 18 Edition (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

Amazing Spider-Man #799:  Holy fucking crap, this issue is amazing.  In fact, this arc is so good I feel like Slott is redeeming himself for all the terrible storylines over the years.  (I’m looking at you, “Superior Spider-Man.”)  First, Slott reminds us how strong Peter’s “web” of “amazing friends” is:  the Human Torch is watching MJ, Miles is watching Aunt May, and Silk is on the “Bugle” team.  Peter asks Anti-Venom to keep an eye on JJJ, Jr., and Flash reports he already has JJJ, Jr. (as we saw last issue).  But, JJJ, Jr. bolts from Flash to run to his apartment and FaceTime Peter so he can tell him he slipped and revealed Peter's identity to the Goblin.  Peter’s stoney faced look is amazing (and handsome, oy), and JJJ, Jr. is panicked when Peter cuts off the connection.  JJJ, Jr. pledges to make it right, and I’m more sure than ever he’s dying next issue.  Meanwhile, Peter contacts Clash, letting him know he’s been watching him and approves of his Robin Hood schtick.  He then asks him to watch the Osborns like the hero Peter knows he is.  With all the players set, the game begins.  Harry, Liz, and Mark awaken to discover the boys are missing, but Liz reveals she had Normie chipped.  As such, they head to the Port Authority, where they find them with Emma.  Emma tells them they're idiots, as she was trying to save the boys before Norman found them.  On cue, Norman arrives and reveals “Emma” is Harry’s long-thought dead mother, Emily.  Dun-dun-DUN!  ("The Clone Conspiracy" maybe?)  Clash reports the Goblin's arrival to Peter, and the Torch arrives to work with Clash, hitting the Red Goblin (and, most importantly, the symbiote) with fire and sonics.  However, Norman reveals the combination of the Carnage symbiote and Goblin serum gives him all the powers of Carnage and the Green Goblin but none of the weaknesses.  He not only makes quick work of this pair, but also dispatches Miles and Silk without breaking a sweat.  Flash gives him more of a challenge, as he's surprised by Flash's ability to harm the symbiote.  But, he correctly plays to Flash’s sense of heroism, as Flash spreads himself too thin trying to heal the dying heroes surrounding him.  Norman overwhelms him, and Peter (with Immonen showing us a lovely shot of his abs) pulls on his costume and leaps into action, busted leg and all.  Norman chases after his family, and Peter arrives to marvel in the devastation.  Flash uses his last ounce of power to heal Peter’s leg, just as Norman does what I was worried he’d do:  he turns Normie into a symbiote.  When Harry suggested he take Stanley and Liz take Normie, Normie had once again complained Harry cared more about Stanley than him.  Norman clearly plans to use that rage against Harry.  It’s...brilliant.  Honestly, I don’t know how Peter wins here.  Norman is all-powerful, and it’s not in an unbelievable way.  Slott has built this story slowly, and the combination of Carnage and the Green Goblin really just feels like Norman may have found the key to winning.  You almost believe he really is going to kill everyone next issue.  Plus, Slott’s weakness is usually his scripting, but he’s solid here.  You can feel JJJ, Jr.’s desperation to make things right with Peter.  Moreover, Peter is legitimately scared, not only by what Norman may do to his family and friends, but also for himself.  It's legitimately exciting.  Throwing in the fact Immonen and the art team are on fire, this title is finally at the top of Marvel’s game where it deserves to be.

Avengers #689:  The authors do an OK job wrapping up the story here, though I'll admit I felt something missing.  Maybe it was because Lightning's gambit to save the Earth (as well as the Human Torch and Red Wolf) via a game of Texas Hold 'Em with the Grandmaster felt too self-servingly heroic.  He wins the game because he's willing to be forgotten.  In fact, it's probably more the narration surrounding the game that does it, as Lightning keeps telling us how heroes don't do what they do to be remembered.  Making matters worse, the fight with the Challenger was ridiculous at points, from Jan (and not Nadia) creating "nano-acid" arrows for Hawkeye to Sam connecting telepathically with the Challenger because Doreen guessed he evolved from birds or dinosaurs because he was an alien.  (No, really.)  In fact, the Challenger never really seems like a threat beyond the moment he seemingly obliterates Wonder Man; everyone else -- including Squirrel Girl and the Wasps -- easily lands punches.  In the end, Wanda casts a spell that seems to channel the Avengers' hearts and souls into a magic blast that destroys the Challenger, and it's so effective you wonder why she didn't do it earlier than she does here.  (I think we're supposed to believe she was inspired when Voyager rallied the Avengers by reminding them what being an Avenger meant to each one of them.)  I'm not saying the issue is awful; it's OK, due largely to the art team really conveying a cinematic scope to the fight with the Challenger.  But, if they dialed back Lightning's over-the-top narration and showed the characters really struggling with the Challenger, it would've been a lot stronger issue, where we would've been kept guessing from start to finish.

Batman #45:  If the goal of this issue was for me to find Booster Gold hi-lar-ious and subscribe to his series, it was a major fail.  His schtick was tedious by the third page, and I can’t believe I was subjected to an entire issue of it.

Infinity Countdown #2:  Holy crap, Robbie is Talonar!  No way!  This issue is insane, and I mean that in the best possible way.  Something about the Guardians lends itself to a certain amount of believable ridiculousness.  Duggan plays that card expertly here, from Rocket appearing on Xitaung in a Galactus suit to Groot wanting to murder everyone.  That said, it's still hard to tell where Duggan is going.  Last issue, he used the fight on Telferina as a stalling tactic, and, in this issue, the Guardians are still fighting to protect the Power Stone.  You have to wonder when something will...happen.  But, it's fun, so I'm game.

Ms. Marvel #29:  This issue is really, really lovely, and I’m just happy it’s out there in the world.  Bruno’s honesty with Kamala is bracing, and Kamala has to find a way to match it if they’re going to coexist (if not become friends) again.  Her initial response to his overture feels immature, as she blames Bruno for hiding Mike from her.  Bruno makes it worse for her by continuing to show how much he’s matured:  he reminds her that he found her kissing the Red Dagger on the Circle Q rooftop and confesses that he always thought he’d be her first kiss.  Her subsequent conversation with Sheikh Abdullah is an amazing testament to Wilson’s skills as a writer, as it perfectly encapsulates the divide between children and parents when it comes to love.  Amidst it all, Wilson also imbues the issue with humor, from Bruno’s roommate hilariously asking Bruno to be his cultural interpreter in a developing country like America to Zoe falling for the new meaner girl version of herself.  It's hard to imagine a better comic-book series than this one.

Nightwing #43:  Moreci does a solid job getting down everyone’s voices here, with Dick feeling overly responsible for this ad hoc team, Roy just happy to be throwing some punches with his bro, and Damian being...Damian.  It’s not necessarily the strongest issue in terms of plotting.  After all, Roy magically understands the complicated science behind the League of Assassins' plan to use a device to suck the oxygen from Gotham but doesn’t know what “subterfuge” means.  But, it’s still fun, and I honestly wouldn’t mind seeing more of characters like Arsenal and Damian in this series.  Higgins did a solid job building out a supporting cast for Dick with the Run-Offs, but something about having Dick’s old-school allies and friends appearing in an issue really kicks it up a notch.

Tales of Suspense #104:  As Rosenberg says in his letter at the end of this issue, Bucky, Clint, and Nat are three of my favorite characters, and it was a real joy seeing them together.  I loved that Bucky and Clint don’t develop a deep sense of respect for each other at the end of this issue; Clint thinks Bucky’s a homicidal maniac, and Bucky thinks Clint is an incompetent buffoon.  That feels right to me.  I also loved that Natasha is in charge from start to finish.  She has a mission, and she intends to complete it.  Rosenberg made it clear Natasha had to eliminate any possibility of her returning in another cloned body, because she couldn’t find herself under the Red Room’s control once again.  (My only real question is that I honestly didn’t understand the role Anya and Yelena played.  I thought all the clones Natasha used on her various missions were her own clones, and not Anya and/or Yelena's.  It’s probably the only instance of Rosenberg writing for the trade here, as I’m sure their roles would be clearer if you read all five issues together.)  I also totally bought that Natasha had to let go of Clint.  His vision of her as a better person might have worked before she died, but it doesn’t work any longer, after what she has to do here.  But, I also love that it pushes her to chose Bucky, at least as a partner.  (Rosenberg made it clear she doesn't actually need either of them.)  In other words, Rosenberg returns Natasha to the land of the living in a way that stays consistent with her character but doesn’t come without consequences.  I couldn't ask for more.

X-Men:  Blue #26:  Now, this issue feels like an old-school “X-Men” story.  The entire creative team in on fire here.  Alex and his cronies unleash Mothervine, and the new X-Men scramble to help the emerging mutants handle their powers.  They encounter Unuscione as she tries to fend off two Sentinels arriving to "help" her and two emerging mutants.  However, her secondary mutation proves to be unstable; Xorn and Daken try to calm her to prevent her from randomly blowing up everyone and everything around her while Lorna and the rest of the team battle the Sentinels.  (See?  Old school.)  The Sentinels claim they’re there to help, but no one believes them.  They shouldn’t, either:  it turns out Alex and his cronies can control everyone Mothervine affected.  Emma is appalled, but Alex assures her they’ll have taken out Miss Sinister before she can use that army against them.  (I’m...doubtful, as Emma is.)  Meanwhile, they send the Marauders after both the new X-Men and Magneto, while using their control of the emerging mutants to bolster the Marauders' numbers.  It’s a tough time to be an X-Men.  Bunn’s plotting isn’t just excellent; his scripting is great.  Lorna gets in a solid one-liner as she encourages anyone other than Bloodstorm or Daken to comfort the victims, and Jimmy is demonstrably upset over the idea his DNA (and the DNA of other mutants from his world) was somehow used to create Mothervine.  The art team is also great, delivering a kinetic battle with Sentinels and using unique perspectives — like showing Magneto and Ferris through the gauze of a hospital curtain — to keep you engaged.  This continues to be the main X-Men title for me, and I'm actually loathe for the kids to return.

Also Read:  Quantum & Woody #5