Writer Sam Humphries
Pencils Paco Medina
Inks Juan Vlasco
Colorist David Curiel (credited twice! – he is that good!)
Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna
Black Vortex, Chapter 9
Now that the last piece that J-Son has been waiting for, Thane becoming all powerful, is in place – he is ready to strike. J-Son wants Thane to place Spartax under the Living Death. So Thane starts doing his jerb.
Kitty tells everyone to head inside, as if that would make things better. I suppose it at least gives them something to do.
J-Son is super excited that his former planet is encased in amber – just like the dinosaur DNA in Jurassic Park. Which I’ve been having a thought about the Jurassic Park. What was, in their honest opinion, was the worst case scenario? Even the Brontosaurus, if they escape their cube, outsize humans by like thousands, so the idea of bringing dinosaurs back into existence, was not a very good idea. Is it awesome? Oh yes but it wasn’t very smart, not even at the onset.
We learn that J-Son’s deal with the Brood is to deliver to them, planets.
Quill, Jean, Storm, Drax and Carol have made it to Spartax, and Quill loses his mind seeing all of the folks covered in amber.
Jean senses the planet’s anguish, they are all in agony. Quill puts his eyes on Pryde and comes running at her.
Quill starts telling Kitty all the things he has been thinking. She was right, something she loves to hear and he will be saying more often. That he should have listen to her.
The stakes are at an all time high, Black Vortex (the crossover) has already cost the galaxy, two planets.
I like Quill telling Pyrde that she is the best person in the whole galaxy. Truer words were never written.
I imagine Pryde was able to finally focus on something besides her current predicament. She is able to phase herself out of her amber state.
How great is that page above? Medina and Vlasco and Curiel are amazing talents!
Quill and Pryde exchange, I love yous, and it is super sweet!
Humphries is quickly growing to become one of my favorite Shadowcat writers. Lines like calling Quill, a dumbass. That she will berate him later. She just wants her dumb space boy to kiss her. Shame we don’t get to see that kiss though.
Drax tries to punch the amber off of folks but it doesn’t work. Kitty gets hugs from both Storm and Jean, which I like. Kitty is sure she can’t phase anyone else out. I wish we can at least she her attempt to get Lockheed out. Agent Venom is encased in amber, so I’m sure the known heroes will eventually make it out of this.
I really dig Nova taking full responsibility of this planet wide terror. Storm forgives him, as he was outnumbered.
It only took two chapters and we got the team back together, which I like! Magik has brought back with Rocket – Warren, Beast and Gamora.
Quill starts yelling at Beast but Magik puts the hammer down on that. The Enlighten Ones have return and that is all that matters.
What is with Kitty’s shirt in that last panel?
A Brood ship enters Spartax space.
In Orbit Around Spartax. J-Son officially gives Spartax to the Brood Queen. J-Son explains to Thane, for every ten planets he gives to the Brood, they give him one. Before too long, he should have an empire. Which seems odd to me, as it took him until now to get the one planet. But if he only points Thane into the direction of lesser known planets, that would really work. As there are only five chapters left, I doubt they will get another one.
Tiny new breed of Brood babies are flying to the surface. Quill grabs one and no one recognizes the new breed.
Storm announces that there are millions of the insects. The babies are feeding off of the amber.
Beast quickly dissects one of the babies and discovers the Broods goals. These Infestoid Brood are going to burrow through the Spartax folks’ brains and impact their eggs. He does some quick math and before the sun comes up, there will be seventy two billion new Broods in the universe.
The heroes know what to do, they have to kill the little critters. Before they can do that though, the Slaughter Lords shows up.
Chapter Ten continues in Cyclops! Which I don’t own yet so there will be a delay between chapters now. With Cyclops 12, though, we enter the final four chapters.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 