Rob and Brian aired my ninth voicemail! Mine airs and the discussion from 21:22 – 23:34. This one is about how sad I was about Alan Rickman dying and not caring for the finale of Secret Wars 2015.
The guy did segue the voicemail into a discussion of Love Actually, a film that I only watched because of how the guys enjoyed it. It really is quite good. I would still rank Die Hard over it, for better Christmas movie.
The guys did hip us to this awesome YouTube video –
Lila Cheney featuring Dazzler& The New Mutants – I Will Steal Your Heart
Thanks to Greasy Pig Studios for hosting the video.
Crazy how dedicated to the New Mutants this video is. I like Josephine Hies as Magik,
Legendary Inker Bob Wiacek worked his magic this issue! Pacheco’s art is amazing, as per usual, but there is something that makes this issue pop out.
While checking to see if Bob Wiacek was on Twitter, he isn’t, but I found this link to a commercial that he did – way back in 2003 – with 50 Cent and G-Unit
Thanks to YouTuber and Marvel Legend, Bob Wiacek for hosting his own video! I subscribed so hard to his channel.
How cool is that!?! Pretty darn, I say!
Warren Ellis, one of my Top Five favorite Kitty Pryde writers – Claremont, Humphries, Davis and Byrne. Ellis started his run with issue 83 and went until 103. We will be reviewing five of his issues, this month. This issue, Ellis brings Lockheed back after a two year absence, ever since issue 76!
The very first page is the villain, Mountjoy’s face as he says it’s a tasty world.” We’ll learn more about him later.
The second page has, this issue moves pretty fast and is pretty awesome – Jean Grey, at the Xavier School, picking up the mail. Alistaire Stuart has some to the X-Men, trying to get in touch with Excalibur. Talk about being on the wrong side of the pond!
At the same time, 7am, in an expensive chunk of New York real Estate – Shinobi Shaw, the Black King, is still awake. Shaw isn’t happy, as the London branch is up to something but he has no connections to the Inner Circle there. Martine, his assistant, is bored. Shaw has to reach out to Brian Braddock, as he has a standing seat at the table.
If it is 7am in New York, then it is noon on Muir Island Medical Research Station. Which four hours doesn’t seem like Excalibur should be that out of touch with what is happening, state side.
Nightcrawler is bouncing a soccer ball off of his own head. He is debuting a new look, shaved head and a goatee. I like this era of a fun swashbuckler Nightcrawler. It was Amanda’s idea, for the makeover. Colossus and Kitty are hanging out with him.
Picking up on a thread, from way back in Excalibur 76! Kitty is still wanting to check on her father. Which was twenty issues ago, so nearly two years have passed – in our time.
Kurt whiptails the ball to Kitty (hard!) and she tosses it to Colossus, who bounces it off of his own head.
There is no chance of Kitty’s parents ever getting back together.
Kitty doesn’t like loose ends, and that reminds Kurt that Amanda has been bugged by a loose end for some time now. Kurt kicks the ball back.
Mile High Comics is having a giant X-Men & Spider-Man sale! Uncanny X-Men 122 -128, 130 – 139, are $13.00. They must have been out of 129.
Colossus catches the ball, no hands mister! Colossus advises Kurt that he should be direct with Amanda.
Meggan arrives, also sporting a new look! – which I like. Kurt has a phone call. Jean is on the phone. Meggan also points to Lockheed, who is no longer sulking about. Lockheed has been protesting the Pryde & Wisdom relationship. He has taken measures to letting his protest be known, as he is chewing on Wisdom’s pants.
The Inner Circle of the London Hellfire Club. Instead of Black and White houses, they have Black and Red, they must be checkers fans. Black is mad at Red, as the events of Excalibur 88 – 90 (the always helpful editor, Suze, lets us know) regarding the Dream Nails storyline, have tampered with the Hellfire Club’s goals. Now they have to move up their plans, and in a hurry.
The Red King mentions that Wisdom has killed a lot of people. The Black King (I wish they would name check each other) wants to make sure that the final steps of the plan, are done correctly. Black Air, the British version of SHIELD, in a way, needs to be tighten up, as Dream Nails, was one of their operations. This lady, with long finger nails, does magic and she is getting inpatient.
There is an ad for Generation X, the made-for-television film, which is set to premiere February 1996, to FOX.
Kurt, Kitty and Colossus take the call and Jean and Scott are on the other line, they are talking through a fancy big screen television phone.
Cyclops warmingly greets Kurt and Kitty, leaving out Colossus. Jean starts with wanting them to tell Brian that his sister, Psylocke, is still in a coma.
Thanks to the always helpful, uncannyxmen.net, Psylocke is in a coma, thanks to Sabretooth. Uncanny X-Men 328 – 330.
Kurt realizes the two X-Men didn’t greet Colossus and asks Colossus to come into view of the camera. Cyclops and Colossus reference that Colossus was experiencing head trauma, when he joined Magneto and now that has been fixed.
Jean turns the camera around, to reveal Alistaire Stuart. Which is weird that he stood by, silently, as these peeps exchanged pleasantries.
Stuart and Colossus are wearing pretty much the same outfit. So they are both, brunettes wearing brown trenchcoats, which is an odd choice for Pacheco to make.
Kitty asks Alistaire to explain why he is in America. Like an idiot, Colossus, asks who this guy is. Like really? I get that you don’t know him, but clearly Kurt and Kitty do, so maybe just stand there, listen and soak in the information. If you have questions, ask afterwards. You dummy.
Alistaire explains that Black Air, the sinister product of the peaceful WHO agency.
Great scene of the three Excalibur teammates whispering if they should believe him.
Kurt states that he is on his way. Kitty is seen stating that she is going to ask Brian for the Midnight Runner and that she is going to bring Meggan along. I’m sure the speech balloon tail should be pointing towards Kurt.
Muir Island gets a second call and Kitty takes it. Shinobi Shaw wants to talk to Brian.
Eastern England. Sebastian Shaw, who isn’t dead (but Shinobi thinks he is, as that is how he became a member of the Upstarts) and he is meeting with Scratch, with Black Air. In exchange for a box, Shaw receives some files. What is in the box, is what Black Air needs and wants. Shaw and Tessa (Sage) leaves and we could follow their adventure in X-Man 15. I own issues 12, 13, 16, 26 and 60 – so I won’t be taking that trip. With Onslaught looming, the titles are going to start crossing over.
Back at Muir Island. Kurt leaves with Meggan, in the Moonlight Flit. Now, uncannyxmen.net points out that this is an error. As earlier, Kurt states that he will ask for the Midnight Runner and now is flying the Flit. My No Prize solution, as Brian will leave, next issue in the Runner – is that Brian didn’t want lend Kurt the Runner and gave him the Flit.
The Flit is a complete medical plane, it has no weapons and is completely voice operated, as sometimes, you can’t be saving someone and flying a plane. Just read X-Men 25, and how hard it is to fly a plane with a wounded Wolverine and bad weather. The Flit doesn’t have weapons as Brian doesn’t want to fight anymore.
Brian has a videoconference with the younger Shaw. Psylocke was always more into the Hellfire Club – for the parties and their father liked it for business reasons, Brian was never really into it. Shaw mentions how one of the Inner Circle isn’t who they say they are. Back in a Bishop miniseries (I know!) a character, Mountjoy, was introduced. He is a shape-stealer, instead of a shape-shifter. He takes on the shape of a person, as he digests that person. Sort of like a Warwolf, but with a longer process, I guess?
I like how the footnote states that it happened in the pages of a Bishop series but a page turn, you get everything you sort of need about the character. Also great is the transition of Shaw telling Brian about Mountjoy to Kitty telling Brian about Mountjoy.
Brian decides that he will join the Inner Circle. I wonder what happens to the current Bishop, once Brian arrives?
Meanwhile, Wisdom and Lockheed are having a disagreement. Wisdom wants his clothes back and Lockheed wants Wisdom gone. This is so great!
Douglock is still trying to find his place in the world. He tried to view it through the lens of logic but now he is going to give chaos a shot.
On the way back to Muir Island, the Moonlight Flit is attacked. I wouldn’t have minded seeing the scene of Meggan meeting Cyclops and Jean Grey. The issue ends with the Flit, falling out of the sky.
X-Facts, the current version of Bullpen Bulletins. Wolverine’s title reaches the 100th issue mark. Will he get his adamantium back? The second wave of Analagam are coming. Spider-Boy is the issue I remember the most. Cable and Nate Grey meet up. Those are the featured stories. Issues coming out in February –
Uncanny X-Men 331
Cable 30
Generation X 14
Wolverine 100
X-Factor 121
X-Man 14
Excalibur 96 – When the malicious Mountjoy inflitrates the newly-established HELLFIRE CLUB in London. Shinobi Shaw comes to EXCALIBUR for help! By Warren Ellis & Carlos Pachaco!
X-Men 51
X-Force 53
Storm 3
Professor X & the X-Men 6
Magneto & the Metal Men 1
X-Patrol 1
I own only one of these. Now I wish I was keeping track, of all of these past Wish List.
Swordstokes, the letters page. Letters are from – Mark Shakespeare / Jon Prive of Bucks County, PA / Chris Wright of Moody, ME / Robert Jones / Rockwell N. Greene of Overland Park, KS / James Binnington of Coloma, MI / Catherine D. Kobasiuk of Mastic Beach, NY / Tom Malinowski of Bloomingdale, IL / Doud Ohmer of Covington, KY / Steven J. Wolfe of Mexico City, Mexico. Three pages of letters!
Next Issue : Join Us for Harpoons, Dogfights and Turncoats.
For once, we are actually going to read the next issue! Please, come back in two days!
This is the first and only issue of Sovereign Seven that I have own, and read. Luckily, this is written by Chris Claremont, so the characters are clearly defined and properly introduced.
I know a lot more about this series than I did prior to reading this issue. This series was created by Claremont and Turner, but Claremont is the one that owns these characters. That’s right, DC gave Claremont his very own creator-owned title, that exists in the Proper DC Universe.
I own this issue, for only two panels but we will get to that in a moment.
So I was reading this issue, trying to figure out how we got here. I got to the letters page, and I find a very helpful Previously box. The team works at a bar called, Crossroads, which is also the Nexus of Realities, for the DC Universe. So that is how the cameo that got me to buy this issue, happens. The team’s leader, Cascade, was investigating the basement and was taken over by an entity, now she is known as – Nike, the Greek Goddess of Victory. Since she is a Clarmeont character, Nike likes to dress in very revealing outfits, as she is a bad girl.
Inside front cover ad is for Bon Jovi’s These Days, featuring the single, This Aint’ A Love Song.
The issue opens with Finale, falling off a cliff. To be honest, this issue is a pretty big fight issue of the Seven versus Nike, well, the six versus Nike. Nike throws Rampart towards a door.
Elsewhere. On the other side of the door, is Maitresse and Morgrin. Maitresses is Cascade’s mother, and they have a very dicy relationship. Morgrin is Maitresse’s advisory and oldest friend.
Meanwhile. Network and Indigo are watching over Cascade’s body, as Nike is her spirit – twisted and given form. Network is the team’s telepath, so she establishes a mind link to the rest of the team. Cruiser is the team’s muscle, he has to eat to maintain his strength, and his life. Reflex, the team’s speedster, tries to assist Cruiser, as he holds the team’s lives in his hands.
Zelus, a tiny little guy, punches Network and she goes over the edge that Finale did, but she is able to catch herself on the ledge.
There is an ad for Batman Forever trading cards, so that film must be coming out. I’m pretty sure I had a full set of these cards.
Meanwhile, back at Crossroads. The two ladies who run the place, Violet and Pansey, are upset with the Sovereign Seven. When the Seven came to Earth, they wrecked the bar and are now working off the damage. It worked for Doc Hollywood. It is this scene that I finally get what Cruiser is doing. He is on the main level, and is holding onto the team. Reflex is fast but he is also a giant of a man, so he isn’t able to go down to the cavern slash basement. Which reminds me of Excalibur’s Lighthouse.
Referring to Excalibur, Claremont used the nature of Crossroads to sneak in fun cameos. This issue gives us Kitty Pryde, Illyana and Lockheed! Lockheed orders a latte! Illyana and Kitty are worried about their homework.
Here is a higher quality of the cameo –
Conal Savoy, a waiter, delivers sandwiches to Reflex who gives them to Cruiser.
The rest of the issue isn’t as great as the cameo but let’s keep going. Everything reads and looks fine but my interest isn’t really there.
Network saves Finale, who was still falling! As the team tries to reunite, Nike is still whacking away at the door. Finale is back, and wants a fight and tackles Finale.
There is a two page ad for The Adventures of Batman & Robin, on Sega’s two systems – Game Gear & Genesis. I had a Genesis but I don’t think I owned this game.
Finale loses the sword fight with Nike, but Nike doesn’t kill Finale. Instead, she uses the sword to breach the door.
The team tricks Nike into re-entering Cascade’s body. Cascade doesn’t want her mother freed, so she closes the door again. Her mother, Maitresse, is a great evil force, so it is a good thing that she is locked behind a door again. Cruiser pulls the team back up.
There is an ad for The Adventures of Batman & Robin, with four villain spotlight VHS Tapes, each for $9.95! The Riddler, Two-Face, Joker and even Robin got his own tape.
The Letters Page, there is a contest to name it (classic comics!) has letters from – Michael Sheridan of Merchanicville, NY, John D’Ugo of Staten Island, NY, Joe Kucharski III of Haddon Heights, NJ, Andy Boudreau of Rose Bud, AR and James Hannum of Pleasantville, TN.
We also learn that Task Force 7 + 1 is the umbrella credit for Tom Orzechowski, L. Lois Buhalis and Clem Robins.
Next issue, team keeps getting use to Earth. There is a killer on his way, with a grudge against one of the seven.
This was the second to last issue of Marvel Comics Presents, so that is why the stories were either solo adventures or second to last chapters. Though, I do suspect that they were getting rid of all of their inventory stories, as the series end was nearing.
This story takes place just before Excalibur 42, which came out in October 1991. This issue and Excalibur 86 came out in February 1995
So this story was sitting in a vault for almost three and a half years.
The Technet have invaded the Excalibur Lighthouse base. The only one in the basement, is Lockheed.
Lockheed holds his own against Ferro.
I like Posella’s choice to darken Lockheed, right before he spits hot fire.
Lockheed also torches Gatecrasher’s hair. Which caused me to flip back a page but I still couldn’t tell what hair was burnt.
For this, Gatecrusher opens a portal and Lockheed and Devil Dinosaur trades places.
I’ve been a fan of Devil Dinosaur and Moon Boy since I first read Amazing Spider-Man Annual 1998. Such a fun comic and the pair of Kirby characters, are even more fun.
The Technet have no defense against Devil Dinosaur as he makes very short work of them.
Moon Boy is more than happy to make friends with a smaller purple dragon. He doesn’t quite understand where his buddy went.
I wish the Technet were better introduced, so I didn’t have to keep looking up the characters. Ringtoss gets a ring around Devil Dinosaur’s mouth. Now Gatecrasher can switch the two reptiles again.
Lockheed gives away Kitty’s sunglasses so that Moon Boy will give him a delicious meal. Moon Boy thinks he now looks like Boom Boom, who he met during the Fallen Angels miniseries. Really glad that someone is keeping that miniseries alive . . . not!
I like that now that Moon Boy has Devil Dinosaur back, he now misses his new found friend.
Kitty phases into the basement and sees that Lockheed has taken out the Technet. They are getting back to their feet and she challenges them to another round. They leave, as they are pretty smart.
Kitty isn’t sure where Lockheed got rid of her sunglasses, but that’s okay. I wouldn’t mind an extra page of Kitty telling Kurt the adventure and him being proud of Lockheed.
This was a fun eight page story.
. . .
There are three other stories, in this issue.
Vengeance, that is on its penultimate chapter – though I can’t tell how many chapters it had
Cover has a fun spin on the “Hope You Survive the Experience” tagline.
Inside front cover ad is for Naked Gun 33 1/3, the Final Insult. It was mostly okay.
Cottbus, Germany, 1994. This issue is super dated. It has been nearly a half of a century since the death of Hitler. Ten years after Orwell’s Big Brother failed to appear. Four years since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Two years after the breakup of the Soviet Union.
People are fighting in the streets. This is all due to D’Spayre and his lady companion, Margali (Amanda Sefton’s mother, who is green at the moment). I feel like this is the fourth comic I own with D’Spayre, and as silly as his name is, I sort of dig him. He’s causing all types of despair (get it?) to the good Germans. We haven’t seen D’Spayre in these pages since Excalibur 35.
It has been 41 issues, so that’s so nearly three and a half years.
During the events of Issue 75, Nightcrawler got hurt. He’s in the hospital, amusing the nurses. Amanda shows up and asks for his help. They kiss, they get their superhero uniforms on, and they are out.
Actually, Nightcrawler is hurt from the events of X-Men Unlimited 4, that just came out. Two decades later, the worst kept secret is finally canon – Mystique is Nightcrawler’s mother.
There is a two page ad for the game I never got to play but wanted to, SO MUCH! – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Tournament Fighters.
Amanda tells Kurt that their mother (Margali is Kurt’s adopted mother) is in trouble. Since Kurt believes Mystique is dead (she sacrificed herself so that he can save Rogue), he wants to protect his other mother. We do get a fun moment when Kurt realizes who is in his family tree now. Rogue, his adopted stepsister. Graydon Creed, his half brother. Sabretooth, is a technical stepfather. That’s up there with the Maximoff / Pym family tree that I’m such a huge fan of.
Since the last time Shadowcat saw Nightcrawler, he was jumping into a jet and flying to America – so she has been waiting for any sign that he is okay. Look at that sweet looking Lockheed, by Lashley & Elliott. His shade of purple is pretty nice as well, good job Matthys & Garrahy! Makes him look a little grim.
Look, also, at how sweet Lockheed is! He’s putting a blanket over his best friend! That guy is the best!
Kitty has been through an emotional roller coaster. Illyana has died, Rachel is lost in the timestream, Captain Britain is back but with a few screws loose, thus Meggan has received a power upgrade as he has, as well.
Carmen Pryde calls his daughter but she sleeps through his message. Poor Carmen, doesn’t look so good there. He tells her that he loves her, like a good father. Kitty mutters that she loves him too, which wakes her up.
We don’t see him again until Excalibur 14 (the Magneto / Xavier not-so-buddy book) and that’s only in a flashback that we learn that Xavier and Mr. Pryde were old war buddies. That’s in 2005, so that is 11 years later. Mekanix, in 2002, is when we learn he dies in the Genosha genocide, New X-Men 115. Which I just now realized that I don’t own and should add it, just for that connection.
Kitty tries to answer the phone. In her rush, she phases through the computer, causing it to go haywire. We’ll have to see if this subplot ever comes up again. Not during this month, but maybe some other day.
Kitty hears a sound and goes to investigate it.
In the MedLab, Dr. Rory Campbell is trying to hold Brian back. Brian is calling himself, Britanic, and wants to leave. Rory notes that Brian has some clear memory issues. Since this is only the next issue, the scientists don’t know enough about his time spent in the timestream, to allow him to travel about.
Britanic is being summoned and he wants to go.
Kitty and Meggan agree to follow, to make sure he doesn’t hurt himself or anything else.
Poor Campbell learned, last issue, that he will one day turn into Ahab, of the Days of Future Past. Which is pretty heady. Now knowing that, he is unsure of any moves that he should make, as it may trigger that future becoming a reality. Why he just doesn’t leave and spend no time with mutants, is beyond me.
Issue ends with Kurt and Amanda, in Germany. They start trying to quiet the riots. Kurt takes a brick to the head! Proving that he is a mighty X-Man! Kurt goes down and D’spayre loves it! We’ll have to find out what happens, some other time.
On Sale, Then –
Beavis & Butthead 3
Doom 2099 17
Excalibur 77 – Concluding Nightcrawler’s origin! With Captain Britain
Ghost Rider 2099 1 – which is also spotlighted in the Hype Box
GI Joe 148
Marvel Age 136
Sabretooth Classics 1
What If 61 – Spidey flips out when the unthinkable happens to Mary Jane
X-Factor Annual 9 – Professor X finds there’s no safe place to hide from Haven
X-Men 32 – Are you hungry for Revanche? Read this issue!
X-Men 2099 8 – Say — that couldn’t be the original X-Men in this issue — could it?
Sword Strokes, letters from – Courtney Knapton of Manchester, CT / Tue Sorenson c/o Waage of Denmark / Robert Smith / Stephen Strawn of Little Rock, AR / Chris Stempie of Canada / Dharma Aymara Arthur of Panama City, FL and Joey Marchese of Union, NJ.
Next issue – Conclusion of the D’Spayre storyline, the beginning of The Douglock Chronicles and Zero from X-Force and the first Deadpool Limited Series.
. . .
We’re taking a break from Excalibur to review Marvel Comics Presents 174 and DC’s Sovereign Seven 3. Then we come back around for Excalibur 96 – Lockheed is missing from nearly 25 issues, that’s two years! Marvel must have gotten so many letters!
I must have been reading this series, but I don’t recall much about it.
Here is what happened in Part One. Essentially, it tied up anything from the previous storyline and ended with Deadpool watching Cyclops’ big speech that all mutants are welcomed on Utopia. Deadpool wants to be an X-Man!
Right off the bat, with the first page, we have the reason why I bought it and maybe the reason why I shouldn’t. This goes back to my issue with how Magma and Magik look similar, from a distance. Typically, Magik has bangs and Magma doesn’t. Magma usually has basketball sized breasts and Magik . . . doesn’t. The Blonde, in the New Mutants costume, looks like the confusing combination of both, that we get from time to time. She doesn’t appear later, so this is one of those, take it or leave it, situations.
comicbookdb agrees with me but Marvel Database believes it is Magma. Now, to be honest, I was probably the guy who listed Magik, on the comicbookdb but no one has corrected that, so I still stand by it.
Deadpool asks Cyclops if he can stay on Utopia. Cyclops says “hello no” which is super understandable.
Later That Day. Wolverine tells Cyclops that wasn’t the way to handle Deadpool. Dagger is there, as this is after the Dark X-Men. Has her costume always been that revealing? I know it has been but Medina has drawn her with larger breasts so it seems even more mature.
Deadpool is too volatile to be trusted on a small island nation but he is too dangerous to not be contained on a small island. Dagger, who doesn’t know of Deadpool, wonders what is so bad about him. Cyclops and Wolverine, in a fun moment, say at the same time “everything.” I missed these days of Cyclops and Wolverine.
Dagger, proving how much of an outsider she is, says that people say the same thing about Wolverine. How she is even in the same room with these two, I’m not even sure. Dagger further points out that isn’t this the point of Utopia, to take in those who the world doesn’t want. Dagger, looking outside, states that most mutants (at this point) have checkered pasts, and they are accepted here.
Meanwhile. Deadpool is upset as the X-Men are hypocrites. I’m reminded of why I didn’t like Way’s run. Deadpool has his classic yellow narration boxes but now he has this second white narration box, running commentary as well.
which seems confusing to me but I’m not aware of who Madcap is.
Deadpool decides he’ll show Cyclops some of his sweet moves. Just then, Mercury’s father – Ellis Kincaid – goes on live television and declares that the X-Men are keeping him away from his daughter. The United States government are powerless to do anything, so he is trying to bring media awareness.
Cyclops is watching this, standing behind a sitting Prodigy. Prodigy explains how Mr. Kincaid has been on financial hard times. That is, until Norman Osborn bought out his businesses. So Kincaid is working for Osborn, who is still upset about losing to Cyclops. Cyclops doesn’t recognize the last name, Kincaid. Luckily, Mercury comes into the room, apologizing for her father. Turns out, Ellis has been the definition of a deadbeat father and barely has any connection to Mercury. She’s afraid of being kicked off Utopia but Cyclops isn’t going to play that game. It is a simple matter of having Mercury emancipated. He’s going to call Angel’s lawyers and get them working on that. A couple exchanges of paperwork and this shouldn’t be a story, after a few days.
There is an ad for Halo 3 ODST, I only played a little bit of it – I didn’t see the big attraction to the game franchise.
Deadpool has found an abandon warehouse and starts preparing to take out Mr. Kincaid.
Cyclops and Wolverine enlist Domino to seek out Deadpool. These Domino pages, the bulk of the rest of the issue, are delightful! Domino is confused, as she has bad history with Deadpool but Wolverine believes that makes her perfect candidate.
Deadpool is sitting up his sniper post and completely ignores Domino, as she tries to offer him a place on Utopia.
Utopia, later that day. Domino is telling Cyclops the story of what happened next – as we see the events unfold. Deadpool takes note of Domino, finally, and threatens to kill her. He is under the impression that she was sent here to kill him.
There is a half page ad for Sentry’s guest spot in Moon Knight 2, by Gregg Hurwitz and Jerome Opena. Coming in October 2009. There is a full page ad for Wolverine : Weapon X 6 by Jason Aaron and Yanick Paquette.
Early that morning. We see Deadpool is making 372,944 pancakes. Back to Domino, Deadpool forces her to walk on top of a sky light. He breaks the glass under her feet and we see her land on the pancakes. To which, she slaps Cyclops for making her even go through any of this nonsense.
Domino asks about the motivation of the pancakes. Either, Deadpool would have ate pancakes with an old friend or he would have killed an old friend and ate pancakes afterwards. I like how they both do end up eating pancakes together.
One of Deadpool’s conditions of joining the X-Men, is that he wants to be able to wear his own X-Uniform. Essentially it is one of the New Mutants costumes, but with Deadpool’s name on the back – like a jersey.
Deadpool still wants to show Cyclops his moves, so he reveals to Domino that he still plans on killing Mr. Kincaid.
There is a full page ad for Incredible Hulk 603, by Greg Pak and Ariel Olivetti – which has Bruce Banner, Hulk’s son Skaar, Wolverine and his son, Daken.
Either the next issue or the conclusion has this fun moment when Deadpool makes a reference that Domino completely gets and this frightens her because she is getting a glimpse of how his brain works. I no longer own that issue but this was a fun arc.
Joe Kelly is by far, one of my favorite Deadpool writers. I owned all of his issues, before downsizing my collection. I’m glad that at least one of his issues stayed in the collection.
This issue deals with the fallout of the incredible, Dead Reckoning, storyline. In it, Deadpool had to fight Captain America so that he could kill an alien messiah so that people could have free will. Thus, everything bad that happens – to anyone – is on him, as humans would have been walking mindless drones. Which is a good thing, that we still have free will but it is a pretty heavy burden to carry.
The issue opens with Deadpool, screaming on Doctor Bong’s (an old enemy of Howard the Duck’s) couch. Deadpool keeps seeing white bunnies and a brunette lady in a purple dress. The brunette is setting up the next storyline.
Deadpool is Doctor Bong’s first patient as he has recently completed his psychology Ph.D. So he is finally a real doctor. Doctor Bong still postures, as it is hard to quit that old habit.
I miss this Deadpool, the one that kept making pop culture references. Sure, the comments with Janet Reno makes the comic a tad dated but I like it.
Doctor Bong does have a suggestion that will help Deadpool’s situation. A hero must die!
Bolivia . . . the former hacienda of a former Bolivan general formerly among the living. I missed Montgomery, whatever happened to that guy? It appears as if he just fades away, which is probably for the best as he had gone through some stuff.
I’m sure I read issue 81, I just don’t recall those later issues as much.
Monty doesn’t recommend Deadpool take Doctor Bong’s advice. Deadpool’s depression is natural after making the decision that he made to save the entire world.
There is a half page ad for Avengers Forever, by Kurt Busiek and Carlos Paceco. Such a great series!
Deadpool thinks it is a good idea as getting in a fight does help clear his head. Deadpool calls his new lady pilot, Ilaney – who I also liked. Deadpool had such a great supporting cast during this run.
The Next Day. Ilaney is practicing her English – she’s Swedish, I believe or German. Deadpool is using his image inducer. They are in Chinatown of San Francisco. Doctor Bong, in full costume, is also present.
We finally get to the reason why I own this issue! Kitty Pryde and Wolverine are guest starring! Seeing Wolverine’s red narration boxes takes me back! He’s inner monologuing about how smells and memories are so well tied. Kitty and Wolverine are there to meet Black Crane, who I don’t recognize as a character.
An old lady shop keeper starts poking Wolverine with a stick. The lady speaks in yellow dialogue balloons, so we know that is Deadpool. S/he implies that Kitty is a prostitute and Logan is her client. Wolverine knows it is Deadpool now.
Wolverine doesn’t view Deadpool very highly even though he has to look up at most people. He asks Kitty to phase the old lady, which she does and now everyone sees Deadpool. Deadpool is embarrassed that now everyone knows about his cross-gender cross-cultural cross-age cross-dressing! So very funny!
This is Deadpool and Kitty’s first meeting! I doubt she has even heard of him, before this moment. He grossly hits on her, which disgusts her.
Wolverine doesn’t have time for this, he has that meeting to get to. Deadpool is trying his best to get Wolverine mad, by insulting Kitty.
Deadpool grabs Logan’s wrist, he wants to be snikt-ed so hard! Logan isn’t taking the bait.
Deadpool knows what to do, and he shoryukens Kitty! She goes flying! It is now . . . ON!
Morocco. We check in on Deadpool’s current financial backer – Alestaire Grunch, who is doing an experiment on a cat. He gets an envelope in the mail and freaks out.
San Francisco. Doctor Bong is having a fight with his lady friend, Barbara. She’s not every understanding nor supportive of his new career choice.
We’re treated to an awesome double page spread, of Wolverine in full feral mode, and Deadpool in full pop cultural references mode.
Deadpool gets the upper hand and puts a knife in Wolverine’s side. This shakes Wolverine out of his feral state.
Kitty is slowly getting up from being sucker punched. Doctor Bong asks her to not get involved in the fight.
Ilaney is shocked by the actions and the people that Deadpool knows, she’s starting to get excited about all of this – which is what Monty was worried would happen. That Deadpool found this lovely and simple lady and is corrupting her.
There is an ad for Power Rangers Galaxy, for anyone keeping track of that. I would have stopped watching by this point. Once Amy Jo Johnson was gone and replaced with Kat who can turn into a cat, I was pretty much done. Outside of that awesome Forever Red episode.
Wolverine and Deadpool are not able to exchange dialogue, which is all Deapdool wanted. Plus, they keep fighting, as they are professionals.
A man says Logan’s name, startling Deadpool and he shoots the guy – the guy was Black Crane, who I definitely don’t recognize.
Bullpen Bulletins. Comics on sale for March 3 –
Cable 67
Captain America : Sentinel of Liberty 9
Daredevil 7
Fantastic Four 17
Spider-Man : Chapter One 0
Thor 11
Uncanny X-Men 368 – Requim for an X-Man! In the aftermath of “The Magneto War,” X-Men past and present gather at Xavier’s Institute for Higher Learning to bid a final goodbye to their fallen comrade. By Alan Davis and Adam Kubert.
X-Men Manga 27
Wolverine checks with Black Crane, he’s going to live. Now that his friend is okay, Wolverine starts to fight Deadpool again.
Deadpool’s vision of the lady and the rabbits (who have been present, off and on) are now just standing around. Deadpool asks Doctor Bong about the meaning of all of this. Doctor Bong tells him that he is on a cusp of a breakthrough and to confront the hallucinations.
Kitty shouts to Wolverine about how she is stuck in a force field. Doctor Bong hits the force field to silence her, and offers to give her therapy to work her daddy issues that she has with Wolverine.
Deadpool doesn’t know where to start with chatting with the hallucinations. They started standing around when Wolverine was going on about the past so Deadpool asks for another story.
Wolverine starts talking for half of a page, all in mid leap! Good for Ilaney for pointing out how odd that is to be able to do. Wolverine is talking about how the past will always come back to haunt, so now Deadpool knows where to start.
Look how great that two page spread is!
Bong hits the force field again and Kitty swears this is the last time she guest stars in a non-X-Book. Look at Kitty getting into the fourth wall breaking fun!
Doctor Bong starts psycho-analyzing Deadpool, helping to explain what must be happening in his mind. All of this is not correct, if I’m remembering the rest of the storyline correctly. Deadpool is about to recognize who the lady is when . . .
Wolverine puts all six claws into Deadpool’s back! Doctor Bong teleports himself, Ilaney and Deadpool away.
Ilaney is worried about Deadpool but he explains that he has a healing factor. Deadpool tells Doctor Bong not to worry about who the brunette is, she broke his heart years ago and is dead now.
Epilogue. Atlanta, Georgia. We see the brunette, her name is Mercedes (I recall that) and she looks like she’s been running or escaping for a while now.
Such a good issue!
Back cover ad is for The Mod Squad movie, when old shows were getting the revamped movie treatment. I didn’t watch it and I don’t recall anyone ever seeing it. I don’t really know the television series either, it isn’t one of those that gets brought up. Claire Danes, Omar Epps and Giovanni Ribsi are the Mob Squad. There was a while there, that I was watching every movie Giovanni was making. I wasn’t seeking him out but he kept coming into films I enjoyed or saw. Josh Brolin is also in it.
So I just typed all of this for my X-Men Classic 49 review but thought it would work as a separate post.
When I was a child, I didn’t respect the whole ‘fortune teller’ gimmick and the lady probably picked up on that at the state festival. She read a few cards, showed them to me and told me that I was going to die on August 23, 2023. She didn’t give me the date but told me this sequence of numbers that if I did it right (the memory of the math hasn’t stuck with me like the original plot and the date has). So that has messed me up and I want to say I was ten or eleven at the time.
My second experience with gypsies came on the last day of the Shakespearean Festival that a club I was part of went to in Phoenix. Money was running low and we were just trying to get back to the bus. This was circa May 2000, or right before it as I was definitely a senior at that point. This lady tried to get my attention and to buy a chocolate covered frozen banana. I like bananas but never been a huge chocolate fan. Plus it was frozen, I didn’t want to deal with all that and so I turn it down. She aggressively tried to bargain with me (not sure why it was so important to her) and I again turn her down. Then she placed a curse on me that whenever I see a chocolate cover frozen banana, I will instantly start desiring one and my mouth will start watering.
Which just typing all of that, has made my mouth water. It is so silly but I’ve been cursed! The only time I’ve seen one or had it offered to me is at the Prospect Avenue Dairy Queen. It was a sign on their drive through window. I read the sign and my mouth starts to water. Good thing they didn’t ask me if I wanted one!
So those two stories and Doctor Doom, are my only experience with gypsies.
What I need is a positive experience with a gypsy.
I could not figure out a way to get it to just show up here.
Ooof, I am getting older as nine years is so much less than the 30 years I remember thinking was forever from now. By August 23, 2023 – I would be 41 which now seems too young.
Color Artists Rico “Excelsior” Renzi & Rachelle “Face Front” Rosenberg
Letterer Travis “True Believer” Lanham
I like comics that have fun recap pages, this one makes me want to check out the previous issues. Squirrel Girl’s recap pages are pretty fun too. Previously, in this series – Howard the Duck took on a case where he was hired to locate a lost necklace. He found it, somehow ended up in space with a guest appearance by Rocket. He got back to Earth and Aunt May (that one!) ended up stealing the necklace. This was part of a scheme the Ringmaster (of Circus of Crime fame), that involved getting the elderly to commit his crimes. Turns out, the guy who hired Howard, was Talos the Untamed!
Which is the issue that Rick Jones married Marlo during. Mile High Comics, at the most expensive, has a copy for $7.20 or $2, if you don’t mind having dulexe edition. The cheapest is $2.35 or $1.50, the deluxe being a lower quality so I would go with the cheaper but Fine quality but I’m not really sure what the difference between the DeluxeNews and the Special versions.
Talos has twelve appearances.
Onto the issue. Detective Mike is also getting a recap from Howard. It has been thirty minutes, since the previous issue. Howard the Duck used his Duck-Fu to fight Talos. Peter Parker is not happy that his never-dying aunt was used as a pawn.
The Next Day in New! York! Cityyyyy! Howard is telling his friend, Tara Tam, that he is going to keep investigating the necklace. He is going to go consort his old friend, Doctor Strange – from the cover. I like how Editor Wil Moss (who probably don’t have time for two l’s) instructs that we look at the cover, to see who Doctor Strange is.
Greenwich Village, NYC. Yes, it is a village inside a city, just go with it. Wong, at Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum, tries to cover for the good doctor, as he is busy at the moment – in a different dimension. Howard, knowing that he can help with that, jumps into the portal. Tara stays back, as she doesn’t like magic.
Howard using some Duck-Fu on some demons and finds Strange, at a poker game! Strange, sometimes, makes up these elaborate tales, so that he can spend a few minutes away from Wong.
Once back, Howard takes the opportunity to use this information to tell Wong and Tara that he saved Strange’s life. Strange, not wanting to lose his cover story or the ability to use a cover story, to have to swallow his pride and confirmed that Howard did save his life. So funny.
Strange reveals that there is a second famous, gauntlet, the Abundant Glove. The gems that go onto it are – Compassion / Laughter / Dance / Respect / A Second Dance Gem. It is clearly the B-Grade hand accessory. It is the Mark Wahlberg to Matt Damon’s Infinity Gauntlet. Strange has found the location of the gem and the trio (minus Wong) go on a slight trip.
Soon. Shortly. Soonly. The trio run into Human Torch, who gives a little background on his experience with the gem.
We get to the reason why I bought this issue! Good ol’ Colossus cheating on Kitty with Zsaji, keeps paying off with my Marvel purchases.
I like how Johnny Storm refers to his shameless flirting as “Captain Kirking” but the responses from the ladies is to be disgusted. Awesome use of ‘new continuity’ by having Deadpool being present in Secret Wars. I thought it was just the cover blurb about the new miniseries. That’s a fun synergy.
Also great? That Spider-Man panel, the middle outfit is the outfit Peter Parker wore in Amazing Fantasy 15!
So great, that the present day scene takes place at the Fantastic Four’s Pier 4 headquarters. Johnny brought the gem home and just lost it, in the move or sometime later.
Now this new group of four go to Bohemian Valhalla, where cool warriors chill. One-bedrooms starting at $850.00, opening Fall 2015.
I do like the Human Torch thinking that the trio were the current roster for the Defenders, with Strange leading them.
The heroes get to the corner where the gem should be and a huge explosion occurs.
Issue ends with Talos the Untamed, with the Abundant Glove – fully stocked.
There is a huge back up feature, drawn by Katie Cook and colored by Heather Breckel. It stars Howard the Duck, White Rabbit (who I feel like I just saw in another comic, not too long ago) and Ant Man.
The Letters Page, Feather Regons – has letters from – “Quack” Goettemoeller, Jack Cooper of Cardiff, Wales and Adam. I sent a letter, we’ll see if it ever gets printed.
Now. Battleworld. Deadpool is still under the impression that the heroes are dead. Just then the Lizard jumps at him, as Lizard is under the impression that Deadpool may be the one who broke Wasp’s heart. So did Deadpool get Magneto’s role from the original Secret Wars story? Deadpool admits to Wasp using and seducing him, so that doesn’t help matters. Deadpool ends up ripping off Lizard’s tail, which seems rather harsh.
A Few Days Earlier. Deadpool is with the X-Men as they prepare to leave the hero’s base for Magneto’s. We get some funny comments from Deadpool here. Storm states that they will bear no oppression and Deadpool chimes in that they will also not oppress any bears. Wolverine sees where this is heading and tells Deadpool that he isn’t a mutant, thus he shouldn’t be there. Deadpool defends himself – Wolverine stabs things, so does he. Storm has control over lightning but he can sense the electricity. Strangely, he states that he can’t teleport like Nightcrawler, which throughout his first ongoing, he was teleporting all over the place – so maybe that came with the Joe Kelly’s legendary run?
Xavier senses Spider-Man and we get that quick fight where Spider-Man defends himself against the entire X-Men, which still seems out of place.
Brian Cronin of Comics Should Be Good, writes more about it her e-
or really, whenever he can bring up Spider-Man, he mentions how Spider-Man trounced the X-Men to great humorous effect.
Spider-Man runs off and Deadpool gives chase. Spider-Man wants to find the other heroes and snitch on the defectors.
Spider-Man enters a room full with shields, with images of events the series, both of the past and yet to come scenarios.
We get a pretty nice Deadpool v Spider-Man fight sequence. The fight ends with Spider-Man swinging Deadpool into the shields and he webslings away.
Deadpool grabs a shield and meets back up with Xavier and Wolverine. Xavier has mind wiped Spider-Man, so the X-Men’s plan is okay. Xavier senses some sort of psychic energy off of Deadpool’s sword. We get the image of Ryan Reynolds, as Deadpool, spoofing Burt Reynolds’ pose on the carpet in front of a fireplace.
Now. Deadpool is trying to talk sense into Lizard. Deadpool tells Lizard that he is trying to save the Wasp, which calms Lizard down.
That Time With The Mountain. The classic moment from Secret Wars 4, with the mountain being dropped on the heroes, including Deadpool. Hulk is holing it up as Reed tries to make a machine to free them. Deadpool takes on the role of angering the Hulk, which frees up Reed.
There is a fun gag about Deadpool trying to make Captain America jealous as Deadpool’s shield showed him pictures and all Cap’s shield does is be thrown. Reed takes the machinery out of Deadpool’s shield, which Deadpool is sure that Cap must be happy about that.
Now. Lizard tells Deadpool that Wasp fixed up Lizard’s arm, which is why he is so protective of her.
Earlier. Zsaji, the healer, is healing She-Hulk. She-Hulk sees that Deadpool is hurting but he is only hurting emotionally as he misses his shield. She tells him to go get healed, which Zsaji is just finishing up with Human Torch. She heals Deadpool, and with the cancer gone, he is handsome and mustachio. He picks her up and proclaims his love for her. We can see that Human Torch never got to bag her, so that probably means Colossus will not be falling for her either.
The issue ends with the shield flickering to life and showing Deadpool holding Zsaji in that classic Pieta pose.
Next issue promises to deal with Secret Wars 8 with the symbiotic black costume but on Deadpool! of course
Shadow and Flame with Magik 