We are celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Marvel Mangaverse with brand new stories.
Issue opens with Doctor Strange trying to save the day, and that causes this Earth and its Negative Zone to mix. In doing so, several hundred people were giving visions of a bad future, but no one person got a full image of it.
Laura Kinney, Weapon X-Tremis, has mutated her body so that she can hold the Phoenix Force, as of course the Phoenix Force is involved in this.
She’s opposed by her old friend, Illyana Rasputina, Legion. Laura becomes tech is the solution, and Illyana believes magik is the solution.
Another old friend, Miles Morales, Spinja, he’s still trying to find a name that sticks. Pun intended.
He believes the Spider-Clan is the solution, and wants his old friends to stop fighting.
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Miles was told by Master Wong that Illyana was trapped in Limbo by Yokai. Legion (Illyana) creates a very cute purple Yokai (Lockheed), and I was already loving this issue, and then I truly loved this issue.
Apparently creating a Yokai is forbidden, and punishable by death.
I like working Ezekiel into Miles’ mythos here. Remember Ezekiel and Spider-Totems? Joe Kelly does.
I also like that Illyana creates Bamfs to help out. We’re getting all of the cuties here.
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Illyana summons the Crimson Engine Infinite Battle March Yokai-God Cyttorak, so even here she has a friend in Juggernaut.
I like Miles summarizing the differences here. Illyana is with demons, and Laura is with technomancy.
To combat Cyttorak, Laura summons an X-Man, Illyana’s dead brother, Colossus. Which is a line that can never be uncrossed.
So these two are not going to get along going forward.
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We get another match up between Laura and Illyana with Lockheed, as we see Cyttorak and Colossus fighting behind them.
This comic just looks cool.
Miles is determined to stop all of this nonsense.
Laura is about to embrace the Phoenix vessel when . . . she gets sniped to the head.
By the SCARLET SPIDER!!! Who is Miles on a name that he believes will stick now, as he wraps the planet in scarlet bonds. Or webs, if you will.
Next up in the event, is Iron Knight, where Riri Williams is Iron Heart, and teams up with sorcerer Moon Knight.
I know for a fact that Legion is back at the conclusion issue, web of Destiny, but not sure if she’s involved in the other issues of the event. I do like her book ending the event.
Chad Anderson, the brilliant host of Graymalkin Lane, is my guest for Episode 245 of Shadow and Flame with Magik, as we chat about Giant Size Nightcrawler!
Yaga Dyara has been trying to kill the Rasputin bloodline for centuries.
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This issue takes place right after Uncanny X-Men 231, as Colossus is upset that he just liked to his sister, Magik, that he was dead, and only his ghost visited her in Limbo.
I really do like seeing Betsy and Colossus being friends.
Yaga Dyara attacks, and the X-Men fight back.
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I do like how often Colossus thinks about Illyana this issue.
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Betsy goes into Colossus’ mind, and she knows just how to motivate him, that Illyana will never let him live this down.
(Also, you are welcome for the feet pics)
Colossus wins the day, and begins sculpting.
Issue ends with Havok checking on Madelyne Pryor, who didn’t do much, and is feeling bad about that.
Rogue and Remy are having a date night, so Jubilee is in charge of the New Mutants. She resents being constantly placed on the sidelines, as she just can’t shake her junior X-Men status. Then an orb arrives.
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Calio and Ember, and the rest of the New Mutants, are going to locate Logan.
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Ember looks great here!
As Jubilee is about to enter the portal to who knows where, hint, it is the Tomb of Apocalypse, Logan shows up, so they both go in. Logan wants to remain calm, and back out, especially once he learns this is Apocalypse related. Jubilee is tried of him calling her a kid, and wants to push on. They immediately get over their heads, and Jubilee has to keep pushing herself, until she’s actually inside the tomb. There Apocalypse tells Jubilee he was looking for Gambit, but she’ll do. Issue ends with Rictor and Shatterstar showing up, so we’re building our cast.
I suppose the New Mutants are never going to find Logan.
Variant Artist Rod Reis, I had to get the Magik cover.
Krakoa Beast, the 3K Chairman, wants Magneto on his side, and he can restore Magneto’s powers to sway him.
Meanwhile, Joseph, in Magneto’s purple boots, is leading the 3K X-Men – Timebomb, Psychovore, Juice, and Galatea.
The 3K X-Men do NOT care for Joseph.
Cyclops and the Alaskan X-Men (I’m going to try to be as clear as possible with this) are immediately ready for a fight.
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70s Beast and Magik are making their way back to the Factory.
I like how Chairman Beast fumbles his pitch with Magneto. Magneto is Right, we all know this. Magneto’s current state is because it is a message from the future.
Quintin Quire is taken out, so the X-Men have to fight old school.
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Constellation, I’m so happy Magik name checked this guy, as I wouldn’t have known.
I do love Cyclops fighting Joseph, and saying how the 3K X-Men are still unknown to them, but he’s fought Magneto for years.
This entire attack was a distraction as Chairman Beast only needed Magneto’s DNA, and no interference, and he gets what he wants.
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Magik tells her X-Men that she took Magneto to town, which Cyclops immediately knows what the goal was.
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Krakoa Beast has really went to town on Magneto!
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Epilogue. Scott is telling the X-Men how important it was that 3K didn’t get all of their objectives completed.
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Cyclops has a plan, they are going to data mine everything Schwarzchild knows.
The graphic novel follows Neesha Sparks and Gabby Graciana on their respected first days of school at Durham Western High School, probably named after a racist.
Neesha is black, lesbian, activist, costume designer, and has spastic diplegia cerebral palsy. Formerly from New York.
Gabby is a bisexual, Puerto Rican -Mexican surfer, who has PTSD, and incredible shoulders. Formerly from Florida.
Both of them find themselves in North Carolina, Ric Flair country, even though I’ve met several people from North Carolina, and none of them have known who Ric Flair is.
They find each other, and find a way to navigate through the junior year of high school.
This is one of those graphic novels you read, then reread, then think about for a full week, and then feel compelled to tell other people about it.
I love the characters so much, I love the art, and the lettering makes it so easy to read.
Neesha is a defender of all, especially of herself and her friends. She immediately starts the book off confronting her principal about his misconceptions of her disability.
Gabby has a mysterious past that once we find out what happened one stormy night, we completely get her on a different level.
These ladies really enjoy manga, especially Super Navigator Nozomi by Hiromu Takeuchi. Don’t worry dear reader, we are treated to pages of Super Navigator Nozomi that may or may not tie into what the ladies are experiencing in their current lives. There are seven volumes of Super Navigator Nozomi, that they are determined to seek out all seven volumes.
Neesha’s parents are divorced, she is currently living with her mother, Holly, and her father still lives in New York City.
Gabby’s father is a widower, and she lives with him, and her two younger brothers, Ian and Alexander, who are not twins.
I adore seeing how Gabby softens Neesha, who didn’t want any new friends, but gets a great one in Gabby.
I really appreciate how supportive their families are with their daughters, and their friends.
At first, I didn’t like Gabby’s father, Gabriel, who came off extremely intense, but then we get more of an understanding of why that is.
We learn about Neesha and Gabby’s romantic pasts. Gabby starts the novel with her boyfriend, Josh, who is a jerk. She’s dated a Caridad, who kissed Gabby, then broke up with her over text a week later.
Neesha has dated Star, who introduced her to anime and manga, and then dated another gal who . . . didn’t have great intentions.
How they receive the seventh volume, had my eyes start tearing up. Such a lovely moment.
There is also a second volume coming out in November, that you have to read!
Midnight X-Men 2 AIPT guessed we might get Kitty Pryde in issue one, so I’m very excited about issue two.
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Midnight Spider-Man 2 sounds very interesting as well.
Predator vs Punisher 1 sounds like fun.
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I still find it odd they placed Midnight in front of those titles to keep them together, yet, for this Incursions event, they go with the character names first. But also, I’m on board for X-Men Incursions. Days of Future Past Kate Pryde vs House of M, yes please! I’m going to get the regular cover.
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DNX 4, I want the Vicentini cover, as Magik is more featured on that one.
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DNX 5, we’re double shipping DNX now?! We must be making room for whatever kicks off 2027. I want the Camuncoli cover, as it has Magik’s head on it.
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Jean Grey 1, she’s back, and joining Cyclops’ Alaska X-Men, so I should get this as I’m sure Magik will appear.
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X-Men 41, Magik is back to being on the covers, and November is already starting to feel pricy. I’m going to want the regular cover as Magik is more of a focus on that one.
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X-Orcists 1, with both Ashley Allen and German Peralta?! And Magik and Madelyne Pryor?! I’m getting that Russell Dauterman cover, for sure. I would want more covers of this, but I need to limit myself.
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Tomb of Apocalypse 4, I saw Calico and Ember were going to be in issue one, and now I’m having regrets not preordering this series.
Generation X-23 10, it is the story’s finale, but is it the series finale?!
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X-Men United 9, I guess it wasn’t the Shadow King after all (Solicitations can be so silly sometimes). Hopefully Kitty is on one of the five variant covers.
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Uncanny X-Men 38, we’re back to both Graymalkin Prison, and failed Wolverine experiments.
Uncanny X-Men 39, and we’re double shipping!
Gambit Wanted 5, the final issue, and we get a cover with Jean, Logan, Scott, and Lil Ro.
Gambit Gone 3, still a weird miniseries concept for me, but if you like Gambit, this has two of them for you.
Wolverine 29, I wonder who the “friend” is?
Wolverine Paradise 2, odd to me they didn’t put Dazzler’s name in the title here.
Punisher Showdowns : Wolverine 1, another event where they put the title first, and character second. Why is Incursions different? This is the only issue of the event I was interested in.
Friendly Neighborhood Mary Jane 1, with Ashley Allen AND Phil Noto?! If I was ever going to buy a Spider-Man title, this would be it.
Spider-Woman 1, getting a new ongoing to celebrate her 50th anniversary, I like that.
Amazing Spider-Man 1004, has Logan on the cover, that’s pretty cool.
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Black Cat 16, I had completely forgot to anticipate this Black Cat / X-Men crossover! Felicia and Emma Frost are a fun combination. I wonder if Kitty would be in this?
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Iron Man 11, Carmen Carnero drawing Reed and Sue fighting Iron Man? That sounds fantastic.
Captain America 17, we have a young clone of Doctor Doom, named Vic, running around? Okay, Armageddon.
Marvel Meow / Strange Scales 1, printing for the first time, Marvel Meow Infinity Comics 19 – 24, and Strange Scales 1. Fandom has the characters appearances for Meow, but not for Strange Scales. From the descriptions, I don’t think Lockheed appeared in Scales. There is a new story too, so I’ll check to see if Lockheed shows up for this. Maybe we’re getting closer to Lovable Lockheed seeing print?
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Jeff the Land Shark Superstar 5, final issue, and Magikhot is on the main cover, so I’m sold.
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Godzilla Conquers the Multiverse 5, final issue! I wonder if there will be a fourth miniseries? States the X-Men appear, and Magik has appeared before, so I should just preorder it.
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Alien vs X-Men 3, the Chris Claremont back up has both Kitty Pryde and Rachel Summers! They are the truest of friends! Hopefully they appear on one of the two variant covers.
Marvel is revisiting Secret Wars (the Jonathan Hickman one) with telling how some realities clashed with each other, and Alex Paknadel and Jim Towe are bringing us Days of Future Past versus House of M, and we know for sure DoFP Kate Pryde is involved, and I can only hope we get HoM Teacher Kitty Pryde, fresh off of her Giant Size House of M appearance (from last year).
I’m surprised it isn’t Incursions : X-Men, so that all of the one shots will be listed with each other in the future, but I’m not a marketing person.
Other titles will be : Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, X-Men ’92, and Avengers.
I’ll be curious about X-Men 92, pending on what reality they are going up against. Pryde of the X-Men, perhaps?
I suppose that is true for any of these one shots, it’ll all depend on which realities are involved.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 