Writer Chris Claremont
Artist Steve Leialoha
Colorist Glynis Oliver
Letterers Buhalis & Orzechowski
Cover Dated December 1985
So last issue, it looked like Magik betrayed the team to Shadow King, who is currently using Karma’s body, as a host. Warlock isn’t happy about that.
Warlock is out to hurt Magik! Which is silly, as Magik can defeat every member of the team, but I guess trying deserves a few points.
Magik believes that Warlock has been given some bad advice from that always-scheming S’ym. Since this fight is happening in Limbo, the demons of the realm want to help their boss. I could always be down for a miniseries or ongoing, of just the politics of Limbo, as I can only imagine that Magik has a slew of contacts and friends there. Will, not anymore, since she absorbed the region, but during the classic years.
Warlock wants to attack but Dani told him never to absorb living matter, unless she told him too. Since she is a hostage of Karma, all bets are off!
He turns two of the demons into techno-organic matter, so that he can absorb them, properly. Magik knows that this is her fate, if Warlock has his way. But she governs this realm, and can do anything she desires. I like how she refers to it as “my magick is law” does she pronounce it with a very hard k?
Magik changes from her New Mutants uniform to a powder blue dress, to calm him down. She looks so different, dressed like an innocent girl. She tells him that she has a plan and he is important to it. Warlock is still not trusting of her, so if he wants to kill her, she won’t stop him. This conflict blows up his head, as they are friends.
My copy is in VF condition, which I normally don’t really notice it but this copy of the issue, has some thick inks over some words.
Warlock starts melting, so disappointed in himself. She gives him a very encouraging pep talk and he is back together. I do like how he keeps calling her, OnceFriend. Like Doug is, TrueFriend, and I want to say he calls Wolfsbane, FirstFriend.
Magik opens a scrying pool, to spy on Karma. So they must not know that she is being controlled by the Shadow King, yet. The rest of the New Mutants and Storm, are Karma’s prisoners and puppets.
Karma has instructed Storm to humiliate her body and have her soul savaged. Since this goes against Storm’s true nature, she starts fighting the command. Karma brags that only Xavier can resister her commands.
Illyana feels horrible, as she herself has been made into a slave of a foul and cruel master.
I do like Karma insulting her clientele, loud enough for everyone to hear. They may think her disgusting but her club, Pharaoh, is the hottest place to be.
Karma starts toying with Storm, stating that Storm knows Karma’s true identity, that of Xavier’s oldest, bitterest and deadliest foe. I suppose that is up for debate, who is the biggest opponent of Xavier’s, Magneto or Shadow King? I think as exclusively Xavier villains, the Shadow King gets the point but I feel like Storm shares him with Xavier. Magneto is more of a team villain but so is Shadow King.
Karma King’s big goal, for the night, is to do some psychic operations, to ensure that her puppets are her’s for all time.
Cairo, twenty years ago. So Storm must be 26 or 28, I can buy that. We see (as does Magik and Warlock) Ororo stealing Xavier’s wallet. Xavier stops Ororo but then Xavier is stopped by an unknown force (Shadow King). I adore how happy Magik is, with herself, for getting a time jump correct.
Magik witnesses the great mental battle of Xavier v Amahl Farouk, the Shadow King. I love that Leialoha doesn’t cut to the astral plane. We see Xavier sit down, Farouk fall face first onto a table and Xavier get up. That is how you do it!
Magik uses some sweet deduction skills, and figure out that Farouk may have physically died but may have lived on, psychically. I do like how of the New Mutants, Magik and Warlock have the least experience with Karma, so they are having to figure out why this former team member has turn bad.
Warlock brings up the excellent point, that they should probably call the X-Men, but FriendIllyana tells him that they don’t have any time, after tonight, the stakes will be at an all time low, as Karma would permanently have control of their friends and Storm.
Is the kiss to Warlock, Magik’s first kiss? It is on the check but still,, it should count.
Pharoh. Shade-ma (Shadow King / Karma) tells Ororo how Shadow King survived. Once his body was dead, he escaped onto the Astral Plane. It took a while for him to focus, and once he did, he found Karma in a weaken form. Shadow King’s scheme is to find another body, and leave Karma to be arrested for his crimes. Plus, super overweight. Shadow King plans on having Storm kill Xavier, which would be a bonus.
There is a two page ad for the NBC Saturday Morning lineup –
1985-1986
Snorks
Adventures of Gummi Bears
Smurfs
Punky Brewster
Alvin & the Chipmunks
Kidd Video
Mr. T
Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends
Plus : One to Grow On
During Shadow Karma’s big speech, Illyana interrupts, like a boss! One can’t merely lock a door, against a teleporter. Magik wants to be Shadow Karma’s partner. S/he wants to seal the deal with a kiss.
Shadow Karma starts crushing Illyana’s hands. As this is happening, Illyana is teleporting the team away. As her hands are about to be crushed, her entire body melts away. It was never Magik, it was Warlock! Which is pretty awesome of Claremont, as I wouldn’t have anticipated that. Thanks to their unique abilities, Shadow Karma wouldn’t have been able to read either of Magik and Warlock’s minds, so this twist is a real surprised.
Since Magik brought the team to Limbo, she can undo any damage anyone did, as in Limbo – she rules supreme. The team returns, super enraged and ready for a battle! Dani makes FarouKarma (Warock’s name and it really does work!) see their worst nightmare, which is invading helicopters in Vietnam. So Karma is in confront.
Poor Karma, wakes up, possibly in the worst situation. Cannonbal and Sunspot are quick to think that Farouk has jumped into another body. Wolfsbane is taken out, as she would be able to detect his presence.
Illyana shouts that Farouk must be in Storm’s body and jumps at her, with soulsword primed to strike!
The Checklist –
New Mutants 34
Squadron Supreme 4
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe 1, completely revised and up-dated!
Power Pack 17
Micronaunts 15
Alpha Flight 29
Longshot 4 – guest-starring Spider-Man and She-Hulk
Vision and Scarlet Witch 3
ROM Annual 4- Guest-starring Gladiator and the Imperial Guard, from the X-Men!
Marvel Heroes for Hope – A special event featuring the X-Men
ROM 73
Nightcrawler 2
X-Men 200 – Magneto is tried before the World Court in Paris, in this anniversary double-sized issue
X-Men / Alpha Flight 1 – Mutants united to battle the menace of Loki! Special cross-over with the New Mutants Special 1
Secret Wars II 6 – Featuring the greatest super hero of all — The Beyonder! With Cloak & Dagger, Power Pack, the Micronauts Thor, Power Man and Iron Fist!
New Mutants Special 1 – Up against the combined might of Loki and the Enchantress by Claremont, Art Adams and Austin! Special cross-over with X-Men / Alpha Flight 1.
Marvel Agge 33 – A first look at X-Factor!
Magik does a classic fake out and stabs Doug! oh Dani, she says (very loudly) that Doug is their weakest member! That’s pretty harsh! Pretty good plan, on Farouk’s part. That could have been a decent What If, right there!
Storm fights DougFarouk but Karma gets to give the finishing blow. Cool visuals, Doug v Karma, until we cut to the Astral Plane. We get to see Karma’s original skinny body.
Shadow King escapes. Karma freaks out, as she rather die than have him take over her body again. Karma starts straight weeping, as she is super overweight and ashame of everything that has gone on. The team promises to stick with her, and will get her back to normal. Which segues us to New Mutants Special Edition, where Karma will lose all of the weight due to Loki putting her in the middle of a desert, and letting her walk it off. That Loki, he is a good guy.
There is a house ad for Nightcrawler’s original miniseries, that is awesome, written and drawn by legend – Dave Cockrum. The minsieries also guest stars Lockheed!
Inside back cover is for Secret Wars II 6 with its tie in issues – Thor 363, Micronauts 16, Power Man and Iron Fist 121, Power Pack 16 and Cloak and Dagger 5.
. . .
So again, long time readers know this – but today is my birthday. I am now 34 years old today – hence the issue 34 reviews. I’m a clever one.
Please come back tomorrow for the beginning of . . . Lockpool Month! Or, Deadheed Month! We are going to do both Lockheed Month and Deadpool! Sort of like last August, when I tried to do both Big Brother and a proper Fantastic Four Event Month. I’m hoping it all works out though.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 