Shadow and Flame with Magik

Writer Brian Michael Bendis

Penciler Olivier Coipel

Inker Tim Townsend

Colorist Frank D’Armata

Letterer Chris Eliopoulos

Gatefold Cover by Olivier Coipel

House of M Part One of Eight

Cover Dated August 2005

Of House of M, I own all the issues except for parts three and four.  Of issue one, I own this cover, the regular cover by Esad Ribic and the Director’s Cut.

This was my first real exposure to the wonder that is Olivier Coipel’s art.  I’ve seen it before but this was the first time I was able to follow him on a series.  I still say a huge credit needs to go to D’Armata’s work with the coloring, as it looks amazing!

The Gatefold is a work of art!  Also, a fun way to just let Coipel draw a bunch of characters.

On the Left Side of the Gatefold – Havok, Dazzler (in an outfit she hasn’t worn in decades), She-Hulk, Cloak, Daredevil, Hank Pym as Yellow Jacket, Storm, Doctor Strange, Falcon, Gambit, Sentry and Wolverine.

The middle and the actual cover – Mockingbird (right?), Emma Frost, Nightcrawler, Wasp, Luke Cage, Cyclops, not sure who that cat lady is above Cannonball, Spider-Woman, the idiot that is Wonder Man and Xavier in the middle.  Kitty (making a face I rather she wasn’t) and she is next to Captain America!  Look how much bigger he is than her!  I know people don’t like the way Coipel draws characters with pudgy faces but it works for me for whatever reason.

Right side of the cover – Forge (maybe?), Bishop, Beast, Moon Knight, Mystique, Rogue, Iron Fist, the worst that is Colossus, Warbird, Iron Man and Spider-Man.

Not bad, I just can’t name one character outfit.

On the inside of the gatefold is an ad for the Man-Thing film, which I still haven’t seen.

Issue opens with Wanda giving birth.  Now that I’ve experience this (via watching one happen inches away from me) her first son coming out belly down, isn’t great but he is colored paler than the second son, so that’s a nice touch on D’Armata’s part.  Second son is coming out, back down and head first so that’s the preferred way.

Wanda loves her sons, Vision is happy that they are healthy and there are smiles all around.

Then Xavier comes into the room, demanding that she reset reality to what it really is.  For some reason, Cyclops is also part of the newborn party.

Wanda resets and remembers that she killed the Avengers (her husband, Hawkeye and Jack of Hearts back in Avengers Disassembled).  That was six months ago.

Later, Magneto (wearing his pajamas) and Xavier are discussing Magneto’s daughter, Wanda.  She is sleeping again but only because Xavier made her do so with his mind magic.  Xavier informs her father that he can’t keep doing this to her.  She is losing more and more of his ability to stay in this actual reality.  Magneto mostly just feels bad for himself as he is the worst father in the Marvel Universe.

These two scenes take place on Genosha – or what’s left of it after Grant Morrison had Cassandra Nova destroy it.

In New York City.  Carol Danvers, Wonder Man and Falcon are on their way to Stark Tower, they are wearing their uniforms under jackets and trench coats.  Under the words, New York City, eagle eyed readers can see Quicksilver (he’s under the N) – that will pay off later.

Carol isn’t thrilled with not being invited to join the ‘New’ Avengers.  The team had only recently been formed.  The general public doesn’t know that Stark Tower is the headquarters to the new team.  Also, the message was that no fly ups, everyone has to use the elevator.

Before getting onto the elevator, they have to identify themselves with real names and hero names.  Carol calls herself Ms. Marvel.  Falcon asks her about it but the word balloon response comes from Wonder Man, oops!

The Astonishing X-Men land the Blackbird on Stark.  The panel of them coming out of their plane, feels like the first time we saw them wear their uniforms in the first issue of Astonishing X-Men Volume Three.

 

Now that I see them side by side, I’m not sure why I thought that.   (or included it here!)

Cyclops is getting impatient with while they were asked to come.  Also, he calls them, Wolverine’s Avengers, which if it was spoken aloud, must be said with a sneer.  Wolverine wants him to just wait four more seconds.

There is an ad for the Fantastic Four game for the first movie (I played it on the PS2).  It wasn’t horrible but I only got as far as the Diablo level then the game started not loading correctly.

The X-Men enter the room to see the assembled Avengers –

From left to right – Hank Pym as Yellow Jacket, Captain America, Wasp, Carol “Warbird” Danvers, Wonder Man, Xavier, Doctor Strange, Iron Man, Falcon, Spider-Man, She-Hulk, Luke Cage and Sentry.

I really like the poses the heroes are in.  I wonder if they look at Luke Cage with jealousy, as he gets to be comfortable.  Though by now, I bet they love wearing spandex and that is more comfortable to them than wearing jeans.  Imagine living that type of live?

Kitty gives Xavier a big ol’ hug.  This is after Astonishing X-Men 12 (the final issue of the Danger arc) so the X-Men had turn their back on Xavier for his abuse of Danger.

Emma has read Xavier’s mind and knows why they are there.  I really like Emma in this scene.

Xavier wants the combined heroes to judge the fate of Wanda Maximoff.

There is an ad for the Batman Begins video game.  I never got to play it but I heard some people really like it.  I’m under the impression it is like an entire game of Predator missions from Arkham Asylum, so if that is true – I would imagine I would like that game.

Quicksilver has rushed back to his sister’s side.  His father comes into the room.  Pietro knows that the Avengers are coming to kill Wanda.  He has sworn to protect her, first from their father and now from the Avengers.  Magneto is quiet but his son knows that Magneto has made peace with his daughter being killed.  He does have that other daughter in reserve – but I’m sure it doesn’t work like that.

Back in Stark Tower.  Emma is so cold with her decision that Wanda needs to be killed.  Cap and Wonder Man won’t hear of it.  Wolverine is all for killing Wanda as well.

Emma confirms that Xavier can no longer help Wanda.  She turns to Doctor Strange, he also has not found any solutions to help but he is still looking.  This gives Cap hope and so he repeats that they will not be killing Wanda this day.

Kitty is very surprised by Emma’s continued push for death.

Emma wants to vote on it and Cap won’t allow that at all.  Plus, he makes a point of stating this is an Avengers issue and not an X-Men issue.   Emma tells him that Wanda is a mutant threat and that’s what the X-Men deal with.  Kitty speaks up that they deal with threats to mutants and not mutant threats.  Emma tells her that they do both.  Which really, I hate to take a side that Kitty isn’t on but they do both.  That is their bag.  I think Kitty was just waiting for a chance to disagree with Emma and took the first low hanging fruit that she could.

Emma goes on to why Wanda is no goodskees.  If the world found out that a mutant with reality warping abilities killed the Avengers, forced them to disband and is now even crazier, mutant relations will be thrown back to the stone age.

Wolverine wonders how many more Avengers have to die before they are willing to put two in the back of Wanda’s head.  Or one to the neck.

Spider-Man is worried that if his powers ever got out of control, that they would kill him.  Wolverine hopes that is exactly what would happen if that ever happen to Wolverine.  Which is odd as it has happen at least four times by this point and one time after this and they still didn’t kill him.

Wasp and Warbird both want to talk to Wanda, and see what she wants.  As if Wanda will be told the pros and cons and be like “oh sure, that makes sense – suicide by Avenger, please go ahead.”

They decide to go, hoping that Xavier and Doctor Strange can keep them safe.  Page ends with Spider-Man commenting that he won’t be home for dinner this day.

On the plane ride to Genosha, Kitty hates the site of the island nation.  She goes on to comment that it is a reminder what humans will do to mutants.  Even though the attack was done on a mutant’s orders.

The heroes get to Wanda’s room and it is empty.  Emma and Xavier can’t detect her, nor can Doctor Strange.

Kitty states that they should get out of there, to which Spider-Man says “no duh.”  This is the interaction that the Proper Marvel Universe Spider-Man and Kitty Pryde have under Bendis’ pen.  Ultimate Spider-Man Annual 1 is still a year away.

Spider-Man notices Xavier is gone.  Then Emma gets a signal.

On the way to the church.  Iron Man is holding Cyclops arms up as they fly together, that can’t be comfortable.  Warbird is carrying Emma, only sightly better with the classic one hand under the legs the other supporting the back.

The church is empty and no one can detect anything.  Spider-Man tells everyone how his Spider-sense works.  He then gets a signal, leading people around.

Then a giant white aura happens, leading to a full page of the effect.

The final page is Peter Parker waking up to a cry of a baby.  His wife tells him it is his turn.  He gets up.

The last panel, we see Peter and Gwen’s wedding photo and her blonde hair sticking out of the sheets.

. . .

So with this, let me say, happy July 4th everybody!  Please be careful out there on the roads and around any fireworks.

. . .

Big Brother 16 – Joey being Alex, was sort of fun.

Was Chenbot wearing blue due to Joey’s hair and Pao Pao wearing a blue dress?

Wish the two gals’ speeches were funner but Pao Pao’s was better as Joey set her up well.

Caleb, I may not know ladies well, but I know you can’t walk up to a lady and tell her that she likes you.  Amber handled it has well as one can expect.

Joey is gone from the house.

I am glad that there were some fun interactions in the hallway prior to their votes.  Chenbot’s little sentence description prior to the houseguests’ votes are still horrible.  The writers need to give her some better material.

Chenbot’s interview with Joey, was not bad.

1st HoH – Amber

2nd HoH – Devin

I don’t care for production forcing gender heads of household.  This is going to get out of hand.

Poor Hayden, dropping at the wrong moment!  That is twice now!

Also, poor Cody, being dethrone on a technicality.

Another week of safety for the Bomb Squad.

Feel so bad for Donny being Team America.  Hopefully the curse stops at Joey.  My wife and I are Team Donny!

. . .

Independence Day film, just because I keeping wondering.  The running times are –

July 2nd – 54 minutes / Blast Ray Aftermath

July 3rd – 47 minutes / First Lady’s Death

July 4th – 50 minutes / Plus Credits

Another year of no Margaret Colin major appearances