Shadow and Flame with Magik

Writer Sam Humphries

Penciler Ed McGuinness

Additional Pencils Kris Anka

Inkers Kris Anka, Mark Farmer, Jay Leisten & Mark Morales

Colorists Marte Gracia & Marcelo Maiolo

Letterer VC’s Travis Lanham

Black Vortex, Chapter 1 (obviously)

Look, VC got another letterer!

I’m glad this official cover covers up McGuinness’ poor choice in putting Magik in that position that is impossible unless she broke her back.

Why would she be so hunched over?  Stand up straight, young lady!

After months of build up and hype, Black Vortex begins!

Issue opens with Quill wondering if anyone wants to try the Black Vortex?  Did they steal it in an issue that I missed?  I remember issue eight of his series with Kitty wanting to steal it.

Twelve Billion Years Ago.  Planet Viscardi.  A rocket ship is blasting off in front of a Celestrial.  Apparently, the aliens of the planet have been trying to get pass the Celestrial as it keeps eye blasting the ships.  Gara, of the Viscardi, shouts at the Celestrial – that she calls, Godhead.  Within four generations, they went from the caves to the sky.  Nine rockets later, she is losing her mind, a little.  She wants to live out in the stars, and she doesn’t understand why their god isn’t impress with their efforts.  The Godhead turns its head, for the first time in forever, and creates the Black Vortex right in front of her.  She sees her reflection, and older version of herself.

The Jean Grey School for Higher Learning.  Storm wants Beast to fix what he broke, she wants him to return the Original X-Men back to their proper time period.  I bet that once they left the school, he hasn’t given them much thought.

I like how every character gets a quick introduction caption, that was so great and useful when Fraction was on the books.  Magik’s caption reads “Illyana Rasputin aka Magik, Demon-Witch Teleporter” which pretty much sums her up.

Magik teleports the All New X-Men in front of Storm and Beast.  Magik tells Beast that Professor K is summoning him to outer space.

Bobby is way to excited to see these two fallen X-Men.  Such a great exchange between Magik and Bobby, she wants him to recite what she told him about his attitude.  “Be the terror you wish to be in the world.”  I can see her saying that and I can see him repeating that to himself, constantly.

I really like Magik ignoring Storm, as she should.  Beast wants to know why Kitty is in outer space.  Magik doesn’t approve of Quill, for some reason – I imagine it is because she doesn’t want to lose her best friend to outer space.  Magik tells him that Kitty will explain herself.

The Guardians of the Galaxy, minus Quill but including Agent Venom and Captain Marvel – are playing a universal version of Dungeons and Dragons.  Rocket is the Dungeon Master, for copyright purposes, he is called – The Game Master.

Quill interrupts the game with a phone call, which annoys them all.  I like how the Guardians have a Game Night, that seems pretty awesome.

Quill is in big big trouble and needs his team.  We begin the sequence of how they came about having the Black Vortex.  They snuck back onto his father’s floating base through the laundry – which apparently smells worst after it is clean than it did when it was dirty

Kitty’s character caption reads “Kitty Pryde, Intangible, X-Genius.  Good Girl, Usually” which also sums her up rather well.

Kitty points a gun at the laundry folks and they steal their uniforms.  Quill informs the Guardians that Mr. Knife is his own father.  Quill admits that if he had her powers, he would never stop stealing, which she kisses him.  This whole adventure is pretty exciting, I suppose.

They phase their faces through a wall to see . . . J-Son, Thane and someone about to touch the Black Vortex, the last remaining Blood Brother. Blood Brother stare into the Black Vortex.

He becomes a massive version of himself!  He joins the rest of the Slaughter Squad, who are now called – Slaughter Lords!  Which I appreciiate having the characters renamed, as I still can’t keep their names in my head.  Father Diablo, Delphina, Czar Doon and Misa the Hunter.  They have all stared deeply into the Black Vortex and received massive power upgrades.  Why J-Son hasn’t powered himself up yet, is beyond me.

Kitty recognizes the villains.

Quill wants to escape and forget this galaxy ever existed.  Kitty, being a hero, needs to do something about the new threat.

J-Son explains to Thane, if he wants the power, he has to submit to the cosmos and to his true potential.  He begins to submit.

Just then, StarKat surprises J-Son and Thane and phases the Black Vortex through the floor.

I like Misa the Hunter stating her own name, that saves me having to flip back a page.  Misa knows where they are heading, so J-Son can take his time following.

There is an ad for Spider-Woman 5, with Jessica Drew’s new costume – which I’m not really loving.  Seems like someone really wanted to give her a Spider-Man style shirt.

Planet Spartax.  Quill is not happy that no one is paying him attention as the others are taking the time to catch up.

Gamora, X23 and Flash are comparing sharpness of weapons.

Storm makes fun of Kitty for dating yet another Peter.  Illyana refers to how Kitty’s hamster growing up was named, Peter.  It is all related.

Bobby tries to make fun of Groot.

Beast and Carol hug as it has been far too long, I like how she lifts him.

Beast wants to inspect the Black Vortex and Quill takes the time to make a Disney’s Beauty and the Beast reference.  As oppose to the awesome Ron Perlman / Linda Hamilton Beauty and the Beast.  Such a great theme song!

The children of the orphanage come out to see what all of the superhero types are doing on their front lawn.

Kitty calls him, Dr. McCoy and Beast calls her, Space Commander Kitty – in a very cute exchange.

Rocket wants to see what his Black Vortex version would look like.

One of the kids is staring deeply into the Black Vortex, Storm takes a look and sees her version.  She apparently has desires to destroy planets.

Planet Viscardi.  One Year After the Advent of the Black Vortex. Gara has killed the last of her species, after they all got turned.  After she kills him, she turns to Godhead who is not impressed and leaves.

Back on Spartax.  Gamora wants to try the mirror but Storm says no.  I like how Gamora doesn’t know who Storm is, and doesn’t feel the need to take anything she says seriously.  Bobby isn’t taking this seriously.

I like these first hints that those in live in space know how important true power is and those who live on Earth, want to shut down this power source.

Carol wants to consider keeping the Black Vortex around, in just case.

The Slaughter Lords appear and they want their mirror back.  I adore Kitty not backing down.  Carol puts on her Captain Marvel helmet, one must always think – safety first!

Ma Savage takes a gun out and threatens to shoot them all, and Quill tries to get her to wrangle all the children back inside.

Gamora, being the smart one of the group, grabs the Black Vortex.

Kitty gives the command to keep the Slaughter Lords away from the mirror.

Look how happy X23 is!

Quill instructs Lydia to call for help.  I’m not sure who else is out there in space?  Oh, Cyclops & the Starjammers and Nova are, that makes sense.  I saw that Silver Surfer has a title now, I’m not sure why he didn’t get involved in this.  He’s the one hold out of the cosmic titles.  I guess Marvel didn’t want to force all of the cosmic readers to take part in a crossover, so Silver Surfer is there for those who don’t want a massive story to follow.

Issue ends with Gamora having been powered up by the Black Vortex and she looks awesome, now that she has a cloak and galaxy styled clothes.

From the checklist, this looks to be a 13 part story.

We are off to a great start with this storyline.