Storm doesn’t blink, she wants Charles back. Husk is perfectly intent to rip out the X-Men’s heart so she’s going to keep Charles.
To make sure that nobody mistakes Husk for not being properly motivated, she retells her origins. Generation Next risked their very lives in order to get Illyana and no one could be bothered to regroup and come back to the Core and make sure their families had bodies to be buried.
Her team – Chamber, Skin and Vincente – are all dead. The goons in the Portland Core (I’m sure it switches back and forth from Portland to Seattle) didn’t know what to do with prisoners.
Once word came down that Apocalypse was defeated, everyone abandoned the Cores. The Gurthries apparently heard a rumor where Paige’s body could be found and they followed it. Her real family (who she turned her back on, so she could become an X-Man) found her when the X-Man abandoned her.
Storm tries to explain how Colossus (the worst) told the X-Men how only Illyana and Kate survived.
Husk doesn’t need excuses, the X-Men went to check on Bishop, they should have gone back for everyone. Weapon X sneaks up to Husk but doesn’t get Charles. In fact, everyone is standing pretty close to each other, not sure why no one just grabs Charles. Kurt should just teleport in and out. Dash and grab, as it were.
Silver Samurai tells Weapon X to stand down as help has finally arrived. Psylocke has arrived and somehow, has become Asian in this timeline! She hands Charles to Weapon X.
Weapon X tells Nightcrawler to teleport away with Charles, he takes offense to Weapon X giving out orders but he follows them.
The X-Men have a quick fight with the Guthries but then Magneto arrives. Magneto has Sunfire burn the Guthries. The two make short work of the youngsters.
Quicksilver is about to punch Husk but Rogue tells her son-in-law to stop. Stepson, right? Rogue tries to explain how, once Apocalypse was dead, the X-Men decided to start anew with the living and not worry about the dead. I guess that is harsh but that’s a decision winners can make.
Rogue won’t kill Husk, just lock her away in a cell. I guess for attempted child capture? After giving that threat Kirika kills Husk, so that was a waste of a page.
With Paige’s dying words she reveals that Charles was bait and Sinister has larger plans for Magneto. Rogue asks Magneto what he knows about Sinister being alive. Magneto reveals that he didn’t save the day, when the bombs were dropping. The issue ends with the reveal that Jean stopped the bombs, even though we saw her super die at the hands of Havok. Also, Sinister has Jean.
I imagine the X-Men free Jean and Sinister gets his butt kicked.
. . .
With this, we end our visit to the Age of Apocalypse.
Retrospective of the Wolverine satellite of titles from M-Day to Second Coming, from Wolverine’s perspective. Those titles are – Wolverine, Wolverine : Origins, X-Force, X23 and his son, Daken the Dark Wolverine.
The events that span that era are – House of M, Civil War, World War Hulk, Secret Invasion, Dark Reign, Necrosha and Second Coming.
The one we care about the most this the X23 section, as it mentions Laura’s involvement in Belasco’s attempt to bring Magik back in New X-Men : Quest for Magik.
So that makes this a keeper.
I must state though, that not really ever been a follower of X23 nor Daken, it was nice to be able to read what their deals were as we start with their origins and follow their tales up to the then present day. Also, it gave me a chance to find out what that whole Romulus nonsense was all about in the Wolverine titles.
There is a list of trades in chronological order. I can only recommend these ones :
Wolverine : Enemy of the State / Agent of SHIELD
Wolverine : Old Man Logan
X-Necrosha
Wolverine : Origin
Weapon X
X-Men : Original Sin
. . .
Happy Memorial Day! Thank you to all of those who served in the military and sacrificed their ultimate gift.
It took ten years but Bachalo has become the leader of an army of inkers.
Yoshida is the writer of the excellent, Kitty Pryde & Lockheed – Shadow & Flame miniseries featuring Paul Smith on pencils.
In the previous issues, Magneto and his X-Men are the protectors of the populace. Their main mission is to hunt down the rest of Apocalypse’s goons. The X-Men are no longer the ragtag group but are now a large team.
The X-Men have met a group of young mutants. Magneto, Sunfire, Gambit and Quicksilver are on a separate mission. Weapon X and a new mutant, Kirika have defeated Northstar & Aurora and are now on their way to rejoin the X-Men.
This issue opens with a classic X-Men playing football scene. Weapon X and Silver Samurai let old scores surface but Storm tells them to calm down. Like anytime anyone is told is clam down, it doesn’t work. The two keep fighting as Kirika keeps trying to break it up and protect Weapon X.
After the game, the X-Men are watching news coverage of the Guthrie clan making a very public appearance. Which will be the reason why I own this issue and the next.
The Guthries are Cannonball, Icarus and a blonde sister. It can’t be Husk as she was part of Generation Next, and is believed dead.
Cannonball blasts Weapon X out of the fight and Kirika calls Weapon X “dad!” so that’s a thing now. I’m pretty sure she’s suppose to be AoA’s X23.
The sister has the ability to grow to Giant Man height, if not bigger, so she’s a new one. She’s able to make short work of this B-Team of X-Men.
Kurt teleports Dazzler up to the giant’s ear and she dazzles the giant. Storm finally knocks her off of her large feet.
The Xavier Institute. Monitor Room. Xorn comes in to relief Rogue. Xorn, who looks like a lady or a dude in a mask with long hair. Xorn doesn’t like hearing that the Guthries are losing the fight and side kicks Rogue. Xorn takes off her mask, and Rogue claims that she had died. Xorn corrects her, it was more like “left to die.”
Meanwhile. Cannonball is doing better in any fight that he would ever have against a Wolverine. Weapon X tries to soak Cannonball but in the distraction, the Guthries all motor off.
The Mansion. The B-Team comes home (it is what the giant Guthrie called them) and they get worried as clearly a fight broke out. Storm asks where Rogue and Charles are.
With a “Welcome Home, X-Men. Hope You’ll Survive the Experience.” –
Husk is back and she is (rightfully) pissed!
Dazzler thought she died in the Seattle Core. Husk has to correct yet another X-Fool, and state that she was left for dead. She’s pretty upset that no X-Man ever came back, clearly years have gone by (maybe just the one) and someone should have gone to the Cores and check on them.
Issue ends with the four empowered Guthries reunited.
This is our last visit to the Civil War tie-ins that I own.
This is the only X-Factor issue I own of this volume, so lets learn about what has been happening for the past eleven years.
The villain of the series, Singularity Investigations (a bad detective agency to counter X-Factor Investigations – the good detective agency) is still present. Madrox and Strong Guy have learn that Damian Trip,, the head of Singularity, shares the same DNA as his son. I like how everyone is astonished in this recap. A little tease of who may be appearing in this issue. Spider-Man has told Siryn that the X-Men and key Avengers know the secret of M-Day, and that news hasn’t made it to X-Factor, until now. Monet, Rictor and Wolfsbane has learn that a Madrox duplicate is not only a SHIELD member but also a registered hero. Layla (who is still a great character at this point) had a run in with Quicksilver but wasn’t that astonished as she saw it coming.
The team is upset with Quicksilver as they know he was critical in the House of M event. He cost Rictor his powers, and countless others. Quicksilver tries to explain that his love for his sister, Wanda, and the Avengers were going to kill her. Strong Man grabs Quicksilver by the throat, I guess I also hadn’t thought about how Pietro was choosing one live over millions but he too didn’t know that was going to be the outcome.
Quicksilver brags about how his new ability, thanks to the Inhumans’ Terrigen Mists, can give depowered mutants a version of their powers back. He threatens to try his powers on Strong Guy, as he doesn’t know what would happen if he touched a mutant who still has his powers. This makes Strong Guy put Quicksilver down.
Quicksilver wants them to be united as they fight a common foe. Monet cites that the former population of Mutant Town would say that Pietro was the common enemy. Quicksilver likes Monet, she reminds him of himself in his younger days.
Everyone turns to Madrox to get his opinion. Should they reveal the truth about M-Day, should they let Quicksilver join the team and should they register? He can’t take the pressures and leaves.
Madrox walks down the steps and runs into Layla. She knew the truth about M-Day as she was the new character find of House of M. Madrox is upset as she is clearly holding information back, he threatens to do something to her. She questions if he is going to send her back to the orphanage, as a cab is coming up in a few minutes. This quiets him.
There is three panels of quiet. Madrox isn’t good at making decisions, hence why he is a good team leader. Layla is there to provide some direction. She tells him to go North, and to buy a certain hat, gloves and a scarf – it’ll come in handy. She hints that they will be arguing for a long time, he asks what makes her say that. Because they will be married, eventually. Going in this direction, should give him some insight on the registration issue.
Madrox is thinking about how Quicksilver’s plot is making him forget about Tryps. Is the son really the younger version of the father? Tryps is like time trips, right? Madrox thinks Tryps could be a clone, that is another option. This train of thought makes him think about how Spider-Man must be a clone, as he is everywhere. Madrox does eventually buy a hat, gloves and a scarf.
Madrox runs into Aegis, who was a member of New Warriors, when I last read of him. Aegis is running as SHIELD is after him, as he isn’t going to register. Aegis is under the impression, that once you register, the government can make a super group of whichever needed heroes and send them on missions. Which is sort of what the Initiative does, but they stay in one state. Madrox is going to stick around with Aegis, as heroes should hang together.
SHIELD stands down a street, waiting for Aegis. Little did they expect, a crowd of folks are storming down that same street. Naturally, it really is Madrox, times a hundred. Aegis is also dressed like how Madrox is, so he is able to sneak in the middle of the crowd. That’s who the extra set of clothes was for.
Madrox offers Aegis a spot on X-Factor but he rather go through the sewers and hope to run into Captain America.
Once alone, Madrox summons his dupes back to him. Once he has everyone, he gets dizzy and falls backwards down the subway tunnel that Aegis just went down.
Quicksilver is trying to rent a storefront from a lady. Someone shouts that Pietro should come outside.
It is the Astonishing X-Men! Wolverine can smell Quicksilver but Kitty is quick to point out that only Wolverine can smell him. Calero does a great job of handling these legendary characters.
Quicksilver tells the team that he is letting the lady exit stage left, so don’t harm her.
Beast can’t believe the lady doesn’t know the X-Men are the good guys, in this scenario. Layla arrives, and Cyclops and Wolverine recognize her. Kitty should too, but she doesn’t get a moment with Layla. Layla mentions that X-Factor knows the truth about M-Day. Layla explains further about how she had parents in the House of M timeline but here, she doesn’t have parents.
X-Factor arrives and Siryn speaks first. Cyclops’ team should have shown some respect for X-Factor by telling them that they were arriving. Rictor is the reason they are there, as he called them as he thought this was the only way to force the confrontation. X-Factor really doesn’t like that they were not informed about M-Day, I reckon it is because it makes them feel like a satellite team or a C-Team – which they were at this point, so removed from the X-Circle.
Colossus begins to make a move but Siryn shuts him down. Cyclops blasts Madrox, which instantly creates ten of him. Madrox stands up to Cyclops, daring him to blast him a few more times.
Scott tries to explain their reasons but Madrox points out that those reasons were already present, people will always fear and hate mutants.
Cyclops tells them how Emma promised Stark that the X-Men are staying neutral during Civil War. Also, they don’t need to register, they don’t have secret identities and they work and live at a school, so training has never been an issue with the X-Men.
Kitty doesn’t like that Quicksilver and enter and exit scenes,, as he pleases.
Madrox is going to call a press conference and declare that X-Factor stands against registration.
Since Cyclops won’t stand with Madrox, he tells them that they can get the heck out of Mutant Town. Cyclops tells his team that they are leaving. He also warns that once Quicksilver steps out of Mutant Town, the Astonishing X-Men will be back for him.
Issue ends with Wolfsbane wondering if they won but Madrox isn’t sure.
There are several short stories in this issue but we’re only focusing on one of them –
“Talking About My Generation”
By Scott Lobdell & Alvin Lee
Inker Scott Hepburn
Colorist Gary Yeung
Letterer Dave Sharpe
UDON Chief Erik Ko
Most of the stories take place before the original crossover, except for the last one as it sets up the upcoming miniseries.
This story opens with Colossus sitting on his butt, as the X-Men fight Sentinels. He’s thinking about all he has ever known, is fighting.
I do like how Rogue and Sabretooth keep fighting on, as if they always expected Colossus to falter. Sunfire is there too, he’s also disappointed in Colossus. Rogue promises to have words with him, later.
Back home, Magneto is even more disappointed in Colossus. This is probably the most Colossus deals with the fact that his brother is a Horseman of Apocalypse.
Look at Shadowcat there! Why would you ever leave the house!?!
Colossus starts to unload his problems onto his common-law life. She’s ready to just leave and recommit themselves to having a family. Hopefully they don’t plan on moving to the Midwest.
Magneto arrives, he has a new goal for the couple. He wants them to start teaching the next generation of students.
There’s a story featuring Sabretooth. A character who gets plenty of attention in the pages of Exile.
Weapon X, Logan, gets a story, back when he had both hands.
The final story picks up with the bombs would be exploding at the end of X-Men Omega. The bombs were exploded overhead, so no one dies.
I’ve read the first issue and now, I’ll be reviewing the last issue. Let’s see what we’ve missed!
Magneto has lost his powers, just when Quicksilver and the Humans, have decided to attack him and his throne. Quicksilver, working with Namor, announce Magneto’s death and Quicksilver as the new King. Being King, means that Quicksilver now has the command of SHIELD. Last issue, I imagine, Magneto has joined with his greatest enemy – humanity! Along with his daughter, Polaris, they have teamed up with Death Locket, Misty Knight, Black Cat and Hawkeye, are staging a prison break – as if they were Michael Scofield.
Monarchy of M. Human Relocation Center. Magneto, Polaris and the humans, are sneaking out, through the tunnels. Black Cat is impress with Polaris, and her abilities to be sneaky. Magneto is powerless but he has truckloads of fight within him. His grandchild, Wiccan and Speedy arrive. Once they learned that grandpapa is powerless, Wiccan attempts to restore his powers. It doesn’t work, they need their mommy.
So happy that the creative team remembered that Magik was in training to become a SHIELD agent. Looks like she made the grade.
We get a huge stand off of the mutants versus the humans. Race war style!
Meanwhile, in Magneto’s throne room. Quicksilver is trying to get himself prepared to even sit on his father’s throne. Quicksilver is technically, the king but he doesn’t feel like he has earned it yet. His father comes into the room, shouting and yelling at his silly son. Quicksilver notices that his father’s yelling isn’t causing all of the metal, in the room, to shiver.
Polaris comes in, to try to even the playing field. Namor comes in, right after her, and harpoons her! In her dying moments, Quicksilver kicks her, to her face! Namor starts to choke Quicksilver but Magneto attempts to fight the sea king. Since he is depowered, Namor makes short work of the (former) Master of Magnetism.
Meanwhile, Wanda’s twins knock out the harpies, that are keeping their mother in a coma. Wiccan can’t wake his mother up, so they head back upstairs, Namor doesn’t miss a beat, taking out Speed then turning his attention to Wiccan. Before Wiccan is knocked out, he successfully restores Magneto’s powers. Before that page ends, Namor is super dead.
Magneto takes his throne, Shaw reports to him that the humans have been arrested. Magneto explains that the Atlanteans were the true enemy. Magneto releases the humans, who are now spared reeducation. Always a good thing. Oh that Magneto, he isn’t quite that different from those he despises.
In private, Magneto tells his grandchildren that he was just paying a debt, he still views humans as the enemy.
I’m glad that Polaris wasn’t killed. Quicksilver can’t believe he has been forgiven by his father. Polaris still holds a grudge, as she hits him with her right elbow.
Magneto’s Private Chambers. I like how this final page, bookends the first pages of the first issue. Magneto was bored, and now that he has survived a three day battle – he’s happy to just sit back and enjoy being king.
Not a bad issue, I will just go ahead and assume that Wanda wakes up.
Special thanks to our friends, Tina & Damian for watching Walker Dennis for nearly four hours before we made it back to pick him up. Without them, we’ll never watch movies in the theater.
This film is an absolute blast!
We are going for full spoilers here.
In 1991, we see Winter Soldier being sent on a mission to kill two targets.
In Largos. The film puts the year and the countries’ names in giant white text, which feels like a bold choice. I really like how we first see Captain America leading his team of Avengers – Falcon, Black Widow and Wanda. They are chasing Crossbones and we see some great team dynamics. Everyone gets a moment to shine. Unfortunately, one of Wanda’s moments is that Crossbones tries to kill himself (and Cap) and she starts floating him to the sky. He doesn’t quite make it there and explodes, taking out an entire floor.. Seven Wakandans were in the building, and are now dead.
At MIT, Tony gives a speech and a demonstration of a new therapy tool. It lets you essentially have a holodeck session from Star Trek Next Generation. He relives a moment with his father (returning John Slattery) and his mother, played by the beautiful and elegant Hope Davis! I’ve liked Hope Davis ever since I saw Mumford – one of my all time favorite films! We see a young CGI Robert Downy Jr. that looks like it could have been from one of his earliest films. Though the scene lasts too long and I start thinking about how it is only slightly better than the face lifts that Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan received in X3. We get the first hints that Tony and Pepper are no longer a couple.
Jim Rash, of Community fame – who the Russo Brothers directed this film (and Winter Solider AND the next two Avengers films) also directed Rash in several episodes of Community.
General Ross, now the Secretary of Defense, has come to the Avengers Compound with news. I like how William Hurt came back to reprise his role. He is there to tell them about the Sokovia Accords. Cap is not a fan of the Accords. The UN is run by dudes, and dudes have agendas. What if they don’t approve of a mission that the Avengers really want to go on or are told to go on a mission that they don’t want to be involved with.
I’m not sure how anyone can be Team Tony but I’m definitely Team Cap, I was back in the original comic storyline and I’m still committed.
Vision makes a few good points but he’s wrong as he is on Team Tony. Vision makes an argument about escalation, buy does his best not to use that word as that is how Batman Begins ended with that incredible speech of Commissioner Gordon’s.
I do like Vision and Wanda together, I wish it had more romantic undertones, instead of me reading too much into their moments.
Him wearing that sweater is pretty great too.
If they don’t sign the Accords, those members will no longer be Avengers.
The character who will later be revealed to be Baron Zemo – played amazingly by Daniel Bruhl, torments a retired Russian general. I sort of recognize him from Inglourious Basterds, at least, I can visualize him from it. I need to watch Rush to see him with Chris Hemsworth. I’ve never seen this before but he hangs the general upside down, so that his head is in the sink. The sink continues to fill so that, ideally, the water will rise to the point that it goes above his nose. Seems like a truly gruesome way to torture someone and to die. He really wants to know where Winter Soldier was kept in 1991. Oh, we saw earlier that Winter Solider can be controlled by repeating 12 words in a certain sequence.
Cap gets a message that Peggy Carter died in her sleep. We go to LONDON for her funeral. We see the lovely Emily Vancamp from Winter Solider and ABC’s Revenge. She’s back as Sharon Carter. She recites the amazing speech from Amazing Spider-Man 537 –
Such a great speech and Emily really nails it. We can see that Cap likes her too, she’s Peggy’s niece.
We never see her wear this –
but bravo someone tricky her to get into this outfit and getting photographed.
Vancamp and Chris Evans have great chemistry together. There is a moment where the two kiss and Falcon & Winter Solider totally see it and give Cap thumbs up, like jerk best friends. We don’t get enough of this but whenever Falcon and Winter Solider are together, their rivalry is so fun to watch. They are both best friends of Steve’s and they know it and hate it.
Vision is alone with Wanda, she doesn’t know it yet but she’s not allowed to leave. She likes Vision and we can tell he likes her, but there isn’t enough romantic tension for my taste. Wanda is playing the role of Nitro in this but is then quickly forgotten about, for a sizeable chuck of the film. I guess that happened to Nitro too, in the first quarter, he was mentioned a bunch but then the story moves away from him and he’s forgotten. Outside of the Wolverine tie-in issues, of course.
VIENNA. The Accords are being signed by like 119 countries. We meet T’Chaka, the current King of Wakanda. So we know something horrible is going to happen to him. He seems very friendly. T’Challa is standing by a window and sees an oddly parked white van. The van explodes and T’Chaka dies. The world suspects that Winter Soldier was the cause of the explosion. Cap and Falcon go off to bring him in, ahead of the military and police. Black Widow tells them not to as they are not signed Avengers.
T’Challa is played by Chadwick Boseman who was Jackie Robinson in 42. A film I still need to watch. I know him from a nonhit NBC show, Persons Unknown, that we watched on Hulu or Netflix, years later and I still think about to this day, like three years later. He was also on Lincoln Heights, a show my wife started watching, as she watched nearly everything on ABC Family but not so much now that it is Free Foam. At first, T’Challa is bad arse but it isn’t until the final scenes of the film when I became all about Black Panther. I do like the character, especially written by Christopher Priest and his “Sturm und Drang,” Black Panther Volume Three Issues 26 – 29. Such a great storyline that involves all of the Kings of Marvel – Black Panther, Magneto, Namor and Doctor Doom. So great!
We are introduced to Everett Ross, played by Martin Freeman, Bilbo Baggins from the Hobbit films. I wish we got a scene with Everett Ross and T’Challa, that would have been fun for this Christopher Priest fan. I really need to watch BBC’s Sherlock, especially now that Freeman (Watson) and Benedict Cumberpatch (Sherlock) are now in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Also, Doctor Who’s Steven Moffat is heavily involved in the series. Plus, the seasons are way short so I should be able to do so. I’m working my way through X-Men Evolution Season Two (expect to see that post one of these days) and the OC (a show I’ve been wanting to watch for a long time and Hulu now has) then maybe I can watch Sherlock then. If my wife doesn’t want to watch it as well. We like Elementary so she might want to see Sherlock, same characters but that’s all they have in common.
The chase sequence with Winter Solider being chased by Captain America, who is being chased by Black Panther who is being followed by Falcon, is so great! Black Panther, in action, is a real treat to see. That stairway sequence that starts it, and how Cap doesn’t want to fight the German police but he has to protect his friend Bucky, is so much fun.
BERLIN. Cap and Tony are arguing about what to do. Zemo reads the twelve words and now the Winter Soldier is his. I like how Cap and Tony are about to reach an agreement but Tony says one wrong thing and Cap backs out of the deal. Tony’s dad mentioned a bunch over the years, how he knew Captain America, in his younger days. The government has taken Cap and Falcon’s equipment. Steve chases Winter Solider and has this great moment, on the roof, when he grabs a rail and the helicopter that Winter Solider is using to escape and Steve actually prevents the helicopter from taking off. He’s so strong!
Bucky, finally under his own control, reveals that Zemo wants the other five would-be Winter Soldiers.
We begin the sequence of heroes recruiting heroes to fight their friends.
Sharon Carter gives back Cap and Falcon’s weapons. Cap recruits Hawkeye, who recruits Wanda. She takes out Vision, at the Avengers Compound. Hawkeye also recruits Scott Lang, Ant-Man and Paul Rudd’s first minutes are instantly classic. The film really takes a depature here as we lead up to one of the best scenes in a film, possibly ever. We’ll get to that in a few paragraphs. Ant-Man shakes Captain America’s hand, way to long. Lots of jokes here and I want another Ant-Man film, so quickly.
Meanwhile, Natasha and Tony chat. She wants to recruit Black Panther and Tony wants to recruit someone else. QUEENS. In a very small apartment, we see Marisa Tomei as Aunt May. I honestly thought we weren’t going to see the character outside of the airport scene so this entire scene (and how long it lasted) was a very pleasant surprise. We of course, meet Tom Holland, the third actor to play Peter Parker, in fifteen years. He sort of looks like a young Tobey Maguire – they both have wide faces. Maybe I’m crazy.
Turns out, RDJ and Tomei dated back in their early acting days. Both were together for films “Only You” and “Chaplin” which I’ve seen the second one but don’t quite remember Tomei being in it. I’ve liked Marisa Tomei but when I look at her films, I haven’t seen that many of them so I’m not sure where I really like her from. I didn’t care for My Cousin Vinny, not when it came out (I was too young) and I couldn’t get into it a few years ago either. Too much that Joe Pesci, I like mine a little more controlled like in JFK or in smaller doses like in the Lethal Weapon films. What Women Want, The Guru and Anger Management, I’ve seen her in, not large parts but she’s the aspect in those films. I don’t quite remember her from both Wild Hogs or Loverboy but I’ve seen those. She was interesting in Lincoln Lawyer, a film I couldn’t get into. Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is a good film, while she’s on screen. She was great in Crazy, Stupid, Love. I still want to watch the Wrestler. She had a small part in the great, The Big Short, film too.
Tom Holland is a new face to me, he’s great as Peter Parker and sign me up for that upcoming Marvel / Sony Spider-Man film. He tries his best to not repeat “With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility” when Tony asks him why he fights the good fight. Have to save that for his solo film, I suppose. I like how small their apartment is and how Peter had to build everything he wanted. Tony has great chemistry with Peter too, I’m glad RDJ is signed on for Spider-Man : Homecoming. I imagine at some point, that film will have a dancing scene in it.
The Airport Scene. So many great scenes leading up to this and out of this but this scene, I just want to watch again, if that’s possible without spending twenty dollars.
Thanks to Tumblr user, ageofsuperheroes, for the following images.
We get Team Cap –
vs Team Tony –
Plenty of images of Team Cap but it was so hard to find an image of Team Tony, I imagine due to Spider-Man.
It really is a great costume redesign –
I really like how they kept the white eyes, that’s crucial ever since Amazing Spider-Man did it right. I like the bold reds and the blues and how separate they look. I know there are smaller details that might bug me but overall, it is a costume I can approve of. I’m hoping that we don’t get too much of the make-shift outfit in his own film – I”m also hoping we don’t get an hour of origin story either – and so his solo film takes place 30 minutes before Civil War and the rest of his film takes place after the film.
We get some great matchups here. Spider-Man gets plenty of time to banter. Falcon has to tell him to stop at some point. Ant-Man gets flung from one of Hawkeye’s arrows into Iron Man’s suit. Black Widow fights Hawkeye. Black Panther gets to fight Winter Soldier. Falcon v War Machine. Ant-Man turns into Giant-Man, as there is an ant in every giant. That’s a WordWorld reference for you folks that don’t young children.
Thanks to YouTuber Abdoukarim Bonitzer for hosting that video!
Vision phases through Giant-Man, and Scott Lang freaks the heck out. I wish Kitty got to fight this much, like Vision does, in the X-Men films.
Captain America and Winter Solider steal the Avengers Quinjet, after Black Widow lets them do it. In the chase, Vision misses Falcon and hits War Machine, knocking him out of the sky. Poor Rhodey is nearly crippled by this action. Tony is sad that his friend is hurt.
I kept waiting for this meme to take place in the film, but that would have been too much fun in a film that is already pretty fun.
Black Widow knows she’s going to be in trouble and leaves. Spider-Man’s mask is lifted, providing a reason to have Holland on set, as he clearly could have been CGI-ed up to that last part, but clearly he was present as he has such a presence.
Bucky tells Cap, in the Quinjet, that he remembers all of his kills.
Tony, in his own jet – and this reminds me that I do sort of like Iron Man’s new armor. Mostly red with yellow highlights. He learns that Bucky was set up and that it was Zemo, dressed as Bucky, that blew up the United Nations. Tony goes to The Raft, where Hawkeye, Ant-Man, Wanda and Falcon are being kept prisoner. Falcon reveals where Cap and Bucky went but only if Tony promises to go there as a friend and ally. Tony is all committed to this. Which I have to remember that we have yet to get the Cap/Bucky shield fight with Iron Man, which I can’t imagine how they get to that point. When they do, it is spectacular!
All the heroes, including Black Panther following Iron Man in a jet, make it to the snow base that Zemo has been trying to get all movie long. He killed the five would-be Winter Soldiers, he never wanted them. Behind a glass plated door, he starts a devastating film. We see the beginning of the tape from the beginning of the film, but now we see who Winter Soldier killed. Winter Soldier straight up killed Tony’s parents! Including Hope Davis!
If Cap was a good friend, he would let Tony beat on Bucky for like ten minutes and then break up the fight. Tony realizes that Bucky was under mind controlled but Winter Solider killed his mother so a beating must be thrown down.
Zemo, not a German (which is a real shame) is from Sokovia and has been listening to voicemails throughout the film of his wife about their son. They died, and by the time he got back to his family (he was on a mission) the Avengers were gone and his father were holding Zemo’s wife and son’s dead bodies. He thought they were safe living so far out of the city but since the entire country was air lifted, no one was safe. Zemo wanted to take the Avengers out from within. Which may not have completely worked but the Avengers have definitely said and done things that no one will be forgetting anytime soon.
Since Cap won’t let a rightful beating happen, he prolongs the fight by getting involved. At the end, Tony wants his dad’s invented shield back and Cap drops it. Iron Man took off Winter Soldier’s cybernetic arm.
Zemo is about to kill himself but Black Panther stops him and it is this moment that I really dig the character. His fight was never with Bucky so he changes to the proper target. Something Tony tried to do but his mother’s murderer is standing in front of him so justice must be beaten out.
Everett Ross has Zemo (who I also wish had some sort of purple fabric on) in the same prison cell that Winter Solider was in earlier. Zemo’s plans may have been stopped but he hints that he may have additional plans that are still playing out.
At the Avengers Compound, Tony got Rhodes some cybernetic leg braces. Stan Lee, as a FedEx carrier, asks Tony if he is “Tony Stank” which I and Rhodes enjoys. In the box, is an old school phone from Steve and a letter. Whenever Tony needs these (Secret) Avengers (that’s what I’m calling Cap’s team, in my mind) they will be there. As Cap is breaking out the Avengers from The Raft.
Credits start to roll and we get the mid-credit sequence wherein Black Panther agrees to put Bucky on ice until they can find that red Russian notebook with the twelve words. Cap’s cool with it but it seems an odd choice.
So then two minutes of credits and I have to use the bathroom so we missed the after credits scene.
Thanks to YouTuber Closery for hosting this video so that I could pee with peace of mind This would have been fun to have seen in proper quality and sound.
I forgot how Spider-Man and Cap shared that fun exchange about Queens / Brooklyn, that was a nice touch. Spider-Man also got to make a Empire Strikes Back reference too.
This was such a great film, lots of humor and great characterization. Everyone got a moment to shine and clearly the Russos know how to handle this many characters so we don’t have to fear for the space Avengers films.
I believe that captures all of my thoughts on the film. I’m not sure if I’ll get to watch X-Men Apocalypse, but who knows at this point.
In 2005, for the Tenth Anniversary of Age of Apocalypse, Marvel released a handbook, a one shot and a sequel series. This is how we are ending our Apocalypse visit with these issues.
Spotlights in this handbook are –
The Age of Apcolyse
Apocalypse, a name i misspell every fifth time.
Abyss
Dark Beast
Holocaust
Mikhail
Sinister
Sugar Man
The X-Men! Sadly, Shadowcat is deceased. Her art is provided by Alvin Lee. We’ll see more of that in our next review.
Magneto
Insane Murderer Colossus
Dazzler
Gambit
Jean Grey
Nightcrawler
Quicksilver
Rogue & Charles Lensherr
Art by Mark Brooks
Poor Kate Pryde, has had a rough life.
Storm
Sunfire
Weapon X, one hand Logan
Wild Child
New Mutants
The Exiles, who visited the timeline during 2005. Also, Blink, Mortph and Sabretooth come from Age of Apocalypse.
Beak
Blink
Art by Randy Green
The Exiles’ Magik also had a rough life but I love how much she enjoyed being rough around the edges.
Magnus
Mimic
Morph
Namora
Nocturne, this handbook is working as an AoA / Exiles handbook, with all of them getting entries
Sabretooth
Sasquatch
Sunfire
T-Bird
Timebroker
Weapon X (the evil Exiles)
There is an Age of Apocalypse Checklist in the back, which includes the 2005 titles. Nice that they added Exles 60 & 61, so now we all know those issues as well. I don’t own either of those as Magik was no longer in those issues.
This is my first Post Secret Wars 2015 Marvel issue!
We begin the first of two All New All Different Marvel titles (the other is Extraordinary X-Men) that I am guarantee to be buying. So fun to start on the ground floor with something like this.
The Negative Zone. If you know anyone from here, you’ve made a huge life mistake somewhere. Annihilus and the Brood Queen are having a meeting, more were expected to join – the rest of the Kings and Queens of the Galaxy. Even though eight months have passed, it seems like none of the power vacuums have been filled. J’Son is out of power (and Peter Quill didn’t get the invite, I suppose), Supreme Intelligence hasn’t recovered from Black Vortex, Gladiator seems to be ignoring the invitation and the Chitauri were not invited. So of the entire galaxy, there are only six people to make up the Space Cabal. Without missing a beat, the Brood Queen wants to split the galaxy in two.
The Milky Way Galaxy. Home to a lot of things. Including you . . . and all of your stuff. Totally worth guarding. Bendis shows up, right away, that he totally gets Ben Grimm – formally of the Fantastic Four. He always wanted to be an astronaut. Sure, Reed took him to alternate dimensions and timeless, even space on an occasion – but Grimm has never had an etensive stay in space. Well, on the original Battleworld – Post Original Secret Wars.
Grimm is fighting a Chitauri horde.
When he needs them, his new team arrives – The Guardians of the Galaxy! I love how classic Marvel this page feels, with all of the heroes getting their logos shown. I wish Kitty as Star Lord, got a different font or something. She does look great, in the new (old) gear. Schiti just plain slays this issue.
Grimm calls her, Kit – which I’m cool with. These two being on the same time, feels like a long time in the making. She calls him, Mr. Grimm, which I sort of like. I remember, as a youngster, calling him, The Thing, and my mother telling me how that is a horrible name.
Groot looks like he still has his power upgrade from Black Vortex, even though he gave that power up.
Grimm is in one of Rocket’s rocket packs – one of the good ones, which upsets Rocket.
Rocket, who is the leader of the group now- from what all of press and interviews stated – asks if they are going to do the thing. Kitty is fine with that plan. So there is a story of Kitty joining the team, prior to Thing joining, that I really want to read about.
Kitty phases through the energy attack, forcing it to be rerouted.
I love seeing what Kitty can do, if she is given the opportunity to do so! Kitty is now playing on a larger scale, and she has the power to do so.
Venom, is still learning what Pryde can do – so they couldn’t have been together for that long. Or his solo series, is keeping him from the title, for periods at a time. Flash is curious why she doesn’t phase through her clothes. Rocket, quickly, points out how Flash is wearing alien goo and he doesn’t question that (to his face).
Drax, like everyone should be, is very impressed with Pryde. Rocket really likes this new Star Lord. Drax wonders how the old one fares, whom Rocket calls “the fancy boy king.” Rocket isn’t that impress with Quill.
Planet Spartax. It’s Damn Nice. Quill is in yet another board meeting, losing his mind with boredom. Quill starts to stand, when his main adviser asks where he is going, he doesn’t have a good answer. The adviser knows what is happening and assures Quill that the meeting is almost over. If a few hours, can be translated as almost. This probably explains why his own ongoing, is a flashback story.
The Guardians’ Ship. Nicer than it looks. I’m hoping this series has plenty of these scenes. The team has an alien artifact and don’t know how to open it.
Grimm brings up a thought, that I’m sure he has been wanting a share. If there is an Infinity Gauntlet, shouldn’t there be an Infinity Armor?
Schiti does great action sequences but can make a page of team dynamics swing, as well!
I’m not all that aware of what the Chitauri do. I know in the Ultimate Universe, that is what the Skrulls were called – and “Skrulls” being a racial slur. They are also the alien threat in the first Avengers film – that sums up what I know. So I also don’t know what’s in the box. WHAT’S IN THE BOX!?!
Great use of two silent panels, the team having the same thought an same reaction – to hide behind the furniture.
Rocket wants to open the box. They don’t have any experts, on call – so Drax’s idea doesn’t work. Flash wants to call the Avengers, like he always does (apparently). If Rocket doesn’t want to go to Earth, Kitty has a planet they can go to.
I sort of want these few pages to be acted out. I never have that desire, with any other writer – besides with Bendis.
What they are not saying, speaks volumes.
Planet Spartax. Again. President Quill is having a meeting with a pink alien queen (who is all neck). She wants to procreate with him, it makes sense, to bridge their two planets. She licks his face, as company arrives.
Quill confirms that Kitty is still his fiance – but they do seem strained. Look how excited Rocket is to point out that Kitty sees Quill and the other alien, together.
Quill hints that Rocket and him had a falling out.
Pryde is clearly angry or annoyed with Quill.
Rocket doesn’t want to share any details with Quill. Flash explains why they are there. Grimm is still going on about Infinity Jockstraps.
Quill’s adviser doesn’t like the idea of helping the Guardians.
It appears that the Guardians were followed. The red hot light crashes down to the planet’s surface. Quill seems to have a suspicious of what or who it is.
Gamora is back! She, like Kitty, doesn’t appear to have kept her Black Vortex upgrade. Gamora mutters that it took all of her power to escape, to escape from the destroyer of worlds.
The final page reveal, is that it isn’t Galactus but Hala, and she is here to destroy Spartax.
Such a great first issue! I have so many questions but I’m sure they will be explained, eventually.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 