Writer Brian Michael Bendis
Artist David Lafuente
Colorist Justin Ponsor
Letterer VC’s Cory Petit
Cover Dated July 2010
Tainted Love, Part Two of Six
Issue opens with the principal asking the agents to have a heart. The one agent saying the class is only for humans, is going way to far! What mess up federal law was that? Kenny punches the agent to his dumb face. Johnny has some respect for Kenny now. Agent Stevenson is the not horrible one. Kenny starts shouting about how Kitty is innocent.
Bobby wants to get in the fight but Peter says to stand down. Johnny also wants to do something but listens to Peter. Peter asks Kitty to put an end to this, and with a tear, she dies inside. Her one non-powered friend, is willing to go to jail to her, while her three powered friends, decide to just stand there and do nothing.
Kitty stands up and tells everyone to stop. One of the agents tries to arrest her but she reminds Kenny that she was an X-Man.
Kitty starts phasing Kenny through the floor. Everyone is happy that she is on the run, which is an odd reaction. The agents start running, somewhere. The principal and Peter exchange a look.
Iron Man is coming to theaters as there is a slew of products.
Kitty has phased the two of them into the sewer. Kitty is pretty thankful to Kenny for standing up for her. Kenny awkwardly tells her that he still loves her, but it wasn’t like he wanted to get back with her, that wasn’t his motivation. Though, he would get back with her, if she wanted to. I don’t quite recall them dating or why they broke up, but I’m sure we’ll get to those issues one day. They kiss.
That is some kiss! Kitty comes up with a plan.
At a school assembly, the principal is disgusted by the turn of events. He gives an impassioned speech, which ends with him stating he is resigning. Not like it mattered, as he was about to be fired, regardless.
At the Parker Home for Wayward Heroes. No one is happy with their decision. Peter knew that it would have escalated if powers got involved. Bobby really wanted to do something, X-Men Represent, yo! Peter tells everyone to hero up and they end over to Kitty’s house. The media has gotten word of what happened and they are camped out in front of the Pryde home. Spider-Man sees something.
There is a huge explosion! The Shroud appears and starts cursing at the stupid flatscanners.
Spider-Man foolishly dives at the Shroud and passes right through the person. Bobby uses the word, phase, and finally figures out who the Shroud. A mystery that has lasted since the first issue of this relaunch. Shroud punches Bobby’s dumb face.
The Shroud takes off her mask, revealing her to be . . . KITTY PRYDE!!! Which is a pretty awesome reveal.
Shroud is disgusted with her would-be friends. Why will they help her now when they wouldn’t at the beginning of all of this? Shroud calls Human Torch a himbo, a word that was popular back in 2010, oh so many years ago.
Ultimate Kitty becomes like the Proper Vision, is that she controls her density, which is a power upgrade I wish the Proper Kitty Pryde would learn. It makes her even more of a threat.
Spider-Man wants her to stop, as she is becoming the threat the media always said she was. She goes all Quieten Quire and says that, Magneto was right.
Shroud superpunches Spider-Man’s stupid face. Mrs. Pryde wants Spider-Man, who crashed through her window, to help her daughter.
Human Torch tells her to calm down, which is something that has always helped. Iceman freezes Shroud, he walks up to the ice cube to inspect it and Shroud phases her head, resulting in giving him a headbutt. A move, I would never recommend anyone does, it hurts both you and your opponent.
Shroud explains the obvious power upgrade. She gets to lash out on her silly friends. She calls Spider-Man, a human, which is as low as insults go. Iceman is a race traitor. She starts phasing into the ground.
The boys head over to a manhole cover. Johnny heats it, Bobby freezes it and Spider-Man smashes it with his foot. He does go as far as to say that he could have done his part from the beginning. Or, you know, they could have just lifted it like people do.
Johnny isn’t built for sewers. They can’t see her, even with Johnny’s flame lighting the way. Spider-Man shouts that they love her and they only want to help. Iceman calls her, Kit, which doesn’t sound good. Johnny wants them to leave, like how she requested.
I know Lafuente has a rep for being a cartoony artist but look at that page above. So much intensity there!
Issue ends with Mary Jane reviewing the recording she made. Jessica Jones looks over her shoulder and declares that Mary Jane just bought herself into any college she will want to attend.
I relooked at the pages above and I don’t see her recording any of it, she is simply holding her binder but maybe it was from the previous issue.
I will be reviewing the next chapter of this storyline and it will be my last as Kitty doesn’t show up for the rest of the storyline or the series until the 15th issue. I have that issue on my Wishlist.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 