I had to add the David Marquez variant to my wishlist. I rather had bought that cover.
So this title feels like a direct continuation to what has been happening over in Miles Morales’ Spider-Man title. I know the bulk of the cast comes from that title, and they are throwing in Kitty Pryde to get me to buy it (that, and she is an awesome character!).
As far as I can tell, I’m not missing anything from not getting Ultimate Spider-Man 200 but still, it would be nice to own that comic one of these days.
I really like the use of everyone (minus Kitty as she isn’t shown) to have their own logo font. Feels very old school. Cloak and Dagger have the same font they have had since the 80s. It is a classic logo, so it makes sense to not change it. Bombshell has a new logo, to me, but she’s a new character to the Ultimate Universe, so that stands to reason.
In Hell’s Kitchen, where Cloak and Dagger live in a church and will be in the headquarters to this new team. Ganke Lee, who is Miles’ best friend, gets mugged by the Serpent Skulls, a new gang in town, taking advantage of the power vacuum and chaos of SHIELD no longer being an entity and the aftermath of Galactus.
Serpent Skulls being the modern (Ultimate) version of the Serpent Society.
Dagger throws a … light dagger into one of the fool’s hands, and it turns black, which must be a power that Ultimate Dagger has that Proper Dagger doesn’t, as far as I know. Proper Dagger’s light daggers only cleanse the evil from one’s soul but I’m not even sure if that’s the case anymore as I haven’t read an appearance of Cloak and Dagger since Dark X-Men.
Ultimate Dagger seems to be wearing a very tiny jacket, which appears to only exist to help create the cross design of her costume. It can’t keep her warm.
Ultimate Cloak’s costume has a cool neon light aspect around the outer edges of his … cloak. Their superhero names really do benefit from being from the 80s, when they could still use one word names for characters.
Cloak and Dagger help Ganke out. They ask if he can be dropped off somewhere, as he doesn’t want to go to a hospital. So they call Spider-Man and they meet up in their westside church base. So they must know Miles’ secret identity or Ganke had Miles’ phone number. Ganke definitely knows Miles’ secret.
It is nice to finally read something with Miles, as I’ve been curious but Kitty never showed up in his series. Ganke doesn’t want to have his parents see him, so Miles offers him to spend the night, all weekend long if he wants. He doesn’t look banged up to me at all but I don’t know.
So the police are trying to follow up on all of these leads. Roxxon, which is an evil corporation just like it is in the Proper Marvel Universe, is experimenting on people and the drugs they use are now on the streets. SHIELD isn’t around to keep them in line.
The Ultimates, minus Kitty who isn’t coming or officially part of this team, show up for their first meeting. Spider-Woman is going to the leader of the team, someone had to step up and she has SHIELD experience.
Bombshell’s real name is Lana. She has a parole officer.
The church smells like a diaper, a description that I totally know what it means now.
Spider-Woman, who is the lady clone of Peter Parker – it doesn’t come up but this is all I know about her, hands out some old SHIELD communicators. That should be used only in emergencies, as all they really do is send out signals.
Dagger asks what they should do if they want to actually communicate. Jessica (Spider-Woman) tells her that they can just text. Cloak tells her that they do not own phones. Apparently, the world believes them dead.
Cloak and Dagger, who seem really into this team, want to know if they can have scheduled meetings. Saturday doesn’t work as that is date night for Bombshell and Poey, whoever that is.
Spider-Woman wants their first quest to clean up the streets. She has leads on the latest Roxxon drug labs.
Serpent Skulls have found a way to turn the Roxxon drug into a simpler product to mass produce. It gives people the scales of reptiles. They have also moved into Bombshell’s neighborhood.
In Chelsea. Kitty is crashing at Jessica’s place. Kitty has deleted all of her online accounts. All types of people are trying to get in touch with her. She saved the world from Galactus, on national television, the world is very thankful and want to show their gratitude. Kitty wants none of it, as it seems like a fad that will eventually go away.
Jessica updates Kitty about the meeting. Kitty isn’t feeling like joining, she wants to recharge. No mention of why she isn’t with the X-Men or leading Utopia.
Kitty is using her phasing powers like crazy all around the house.
Jessica wants Kitty to cut her hair.
Hell’s Kitchen. We are introduced to the Ultimate versions of Styx and Stone, who I know as 90s enemies of Wolverine and one time threat to Spider-Man when he was Ricochet during Identity Crisis. Which was loads better than DC’s version.
Bombshell lives in state funded housing. I wonder where her mother is, as she had similar powers as her daughter.
Serpent Skulls start a fight with Styx and Stone, right outside her home. She signals her team. She jumps in to break up the fight.
Jessica shows up in a new costume, new haircut and new name – Black Widow. She has a jacket now, to go with Bombshell and Dagger. Three different jacket types.
Cloak and Dagger show up. Dagger is about to attack Jessica, so she has to tell Dagger who she is.
Cloak gets hit by one of the Skulls and can’t talk. Spider-Man shows up and punches the Skull.
The cops who have been tracking the Skulls show up, making things worse. Now that SHIELD is no longer, heroes are not protected.
Issue ends with too many players on the field as the leader of the Skulls show up, Diamondback.
Next issue’s cover implies Black Widow gets a second costume.
I own this as the original DVD and the 1.5 DVD. I kept the original one for the fun Easter egg of Spider-Man ruining a shot. Go to Special Features -> Trailers -> the hidden rose on the left.
Thanks to YouTuber BaTiK151, for hosting the video!
I really like James Marsden’s thought process of thinking it is funny and then getting back into character.
Remember interactive menus on DVDs? I know it only lasts a few seconds, but seeing them every time, gets old fast.
I had graduated high school in May and was working in a summer program. One of the rewards for the kids was that we were going to be able to watch this movie as one of the first matinees that were available. I was so looking toward this since the beginning of the year, and once it was announced as an award at the beginning of the summer.
Thanks to Wizard magazine, I was keeping up with all of the news. Blade had been the first real Marvel movie and I enjoyed it but I would never say I was a big Blade fan. Now the X-Men, that, I am a gigantic fan.
I really like this film, great first attempt. I just watched the film and here is my running commentary. 1.5 actually has Bryan Singer commentary.
I know it is a small detail, and easy to miss, but I like how the X in the 20th Century Fox logo sticks a little longer.
I also like how the opening title sequence is barely a minute long.
Film opens with boy Magneto and his family at a Nazi concentration camp, which will have a major pay off for the First Class film.
Meridan, Mississippi – Rogue is the first X-Man we see, but not officially on the team. We learn her real name is Marie, which took the comics several more years before establishing a real name for her. Claremont settled on Anna Marie in his X-Treme X-Men run.
Anna Paquin is so young here. I knew she was an Oscar winner but I have still not seen The Piano. This was my first exposure to her. These films and True Blood are the only work of her’s that I have seen. Also, She’s All That, Almost Famous, 25th Hour and Scream 4 – I guess I may be a bigger fan than I thought.
Poor Rogue, worst first kiss ever.
We get Famke Janseen as Jean Grey and Bruce Davison as Senator Kelly. Famke looks nice here wearing red but later they put her in some unflattering clothes. At this point, I have only seen her in GoldenEye. Still the only non-X-Men film of her’s I have seen.
Bruce Davison, I know from Crazy / Beautiful. From Wikipedia, I have been reminded that I have seen him in – Willard, Crucible, Apt Pupil, At First Sight, Summer Catch and Runaway Jury.
00:07:04, Senator Kelly states that there is a young girl from Illinois who can walk through walls. What stops her from walking through banks, the White House or any of our homes? I knew I was in for a good time with this early Kitty Pryde reference.
Watching is Professor Xavier, played perfectly by Patrick Stewart. Who I know and love from Star Trek : The Next Generation as my captain, Captain Pricard. I was so happy, like most people, as this was dream casting. Also, he deserves to be in a good movie. He seems to try to fight type casting so chooses some interesting film roles. I’ve seen him in Conspiracy Theory, Robin Hood : Men in Tights, Masterminds, TMNT and Moby Dick.
Xavier sees his old friend, Magneto, also played to perfection by Ian McKellen. I had not seen him prior to this but of course, he is Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings films. My wife and I have an ongoing joke about which role is the role that should defined him. Then we saw him wear this :
I also really adore how much Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen have become best friends over the years. I feel like there is a new picture of them together every two weeks. I’ve seen them both sitting on Santa’s lap.
I have also seen him in Apt Pupil. That film and The Usual Suspects, are the only films of Bryan Singer’s I’ve seen, also Superman Returns.
Senator Kelly wants to pass a mutant registration act.
Northern Alaska, we see Rogue get out of a truck. She is wearing a green cloak, which is awesome. Better than that, the driver of that truck is the voice actor for Beast from the 90s X-Men cartoon, George Buza.
00:11:08, Hugh Jackman – a star is born! I really like Jackman and watched several of his films before I had to start selecting them better. I saw Swordfish but then The Fountain came out and I knew I couldn’t watch that. I really liked him in The Prestige. Kate and Leopold was nice. He was also the voice of the Easter Bunny in Rise of the Guardians.
00:13:29, the claws. You can tell throughout the film that they couldn’t settle on how to make them look. That and his hair.
00:17:35, Logan tells Rogue that it hurts every time he pops his claws. She tells him her name is Rogue, he doesn’t question it.
00:20:06, we get a glimpse of both Storm and Cyclops. They showed up as Sabretooth tried to kill Wolverine and Rogue.
By now, they have done a great job of showing us all of Wolverine’s powers, as he has more than one, it makes sense to give him more establishing time.
Sabretooth is played by Tyler Mane. I was a WWE guy, so I don’t know him from WCW. I do know he was Michael Myers, in the Rob Zombie Halloween films.
Halle Berry, I thought she was decent in this one. I definitely don’t follow her career. I’ve seen Monster Ball and Swordfish, as well as Die Another Day. Pierce Brosnan is my Bond. Turns out, I’ve seen several of her films prior to this film – Last Boy Scout, Executive Decision, Flintstones and Bulworth.
Now, James Marsden, I am a huge fan. He is like a respectable Freddie Prince Jr. I really like him in Interstate 60 and Gossip. He’s in a slew of films that I’ve seen and enjoyed – Zoolander, The Notebook, Superman Returns, Hairspray, Enchanted, 27 Dresses and Hop.
In the film, we already have an us versus them mentality.
We get our first Wolverine on an Infirmary bed with Jean standing over him. She still looks good here.
0:24:54 – 25:15 Sumela Kay as Kitty Pryde
Wolverine walks into one of Xavier’s physics classes. Kitty gets to leave the room, come back for her book and then phase through the wall. So awesome!
Then Cyclops and Storm walk in and Xavier tells Wolverine about the sides of the upcoming war. Xavier introduces and states the super hero and villain names. Poor Wolverine doesn’t even recognize Sabretooth. Wolverine makes the fun joke about how Xavier should be called, Wheels.
0:27:51, we see Rogue in a classroom. She is sitting next to Jubilee and once again, Kitty! She showed up in a couple places that I didn’t remember being. I’ve a huge fan of X2, so I’ve seen that one the most.
Also in the classroom is Iceman played by Shawn Ashmore, who I only know from his appearances on Smallville as well as Pyro, played by a different actor.
0:28:30, the word X-Men is said for the first time.
0:29:06, Xavier tells Wolverine that he was 17 when he first met Magneto. Which might hold up in First Class, if a little young. I guess with telepathic powers, he could have earn a college degree much sooner.
0:31:28, we see Mystique, played by Rebecca Romijn. I forgot she was in the Thomas Jane Punisher film. She was in the movie, Godsend, that I’ve been thinking about latest as ABC is doing a show called Resurrection, which seems to be a television version of that movie. How great would this movie have been if they went with the classic Mystique white dress, skull belt instead of the scales? I get why they went with the scales, but I’m sure Romijn would have loved to not have to spend nine hours each day to get the makeup and costume on.
We also see Ray Park as Toad, who I only know as Darth Maul and the rumor of Iron Fist, which now that Netflix is about to make that show, maybe he can finally get the role.
0:32:48, Adamantium is mentioned for the first time. So crazy to hear this clearly comic book words being said on film.
So right now, the X-Men only consist of Cyclops, Jean and Storm. So I get the impression that they haven’t really had any battles up to this point.
0:34:13, we get it confirmed that Henry Gyrich is dead, and has been for quite some time. That’s what Mystique has been up to prior to the film starting. Which must be a shame for Avengers fans. Also, if only he was wearing those glasses!
0:36:40, Jean tells Wolverine that she and Scott share a room. Xavier must have been so pleased on that day when they told him they were moving in together.
0:37:08, Jean tells Logan that Xavier is teaching her and he is so quick to say, I’m sure he is. The hell!?!
0:37:42, we see that Scott has been watching the scene, so he likes to watch. Didn’t announce himself or give a little cough.
0:38:21, we see that Kitty is Rogue’s roommate, with one other person. Most likely Jubilee.
0:39:32, Logan stabs Rogue, which really? How close did they put a man in his 30s next to young ladies in their teenage years so that she can hear his screaming in his sleep? Then she goes in the room, without gloves on and tries to wake him up? She might as well try to put her fingers in his mouth while he is having a seizure.
0:40:08, we see that Kitty is in one frame of the hallway seeing Rogue absorb of some of Wolverine’s healing factor. You can only see her once, then the other students block her.
We see that Senator Kelly now as water based powers. Or that he is simply melting away. Pretty fun seeing his face distort as he puts his head between the bars of his window. Also fun moment with Sabretooth as he can’t pull him back into the cell and so Magneto locks him in there.
0:43:42, Stan lee is serving hot dogs! He is also wearing an unfortunate red shirt and blue shorts combo.
We see that Mystique has taken Iceman’s shape and tells her, as Bobby, to leave the school. She does it, showing that she hasn’t really become close to anyone else as you would think she would have gone and gotten a second opinion.
Scott and Xavier are having a meeting. Xavier wants Scott to let Logan onto the team and Scott doubts he can take orders in a combat situation. They also then mention how Magneto wants Wolverine for some reason.
0:45:58, we see Cerebro for the first time and right before that, a shot of all of the adults as the door opens.
We learn that Magneto helped Xavier build it. I imagine he means this version of it as we know that Beast created the first Cerebro from First Class.
Cyclops’ visor looks so weird with civilian clothes.
We enter the train sequence. Wolverine catches up with Rogue and has a nice chat. Scott and Storm are in the train station, looking for Rogue when Toad and Sabretooth show up.
Meanwhile, Mystique is reversing Cebrebro. Just like what happens with Mastermind in Uncanny X-Men 175.
Storm tells the ticket agent that Rogue is her height, which I’m pretty sure is misleading. They are never going to find her.
Thanks to Toad taking off his visor, Cyclops gives the train station a new sun roof.
Storm lightning blasts Sabretooth after he cracks a window with her head.
0:53:49, we get the awesome sequence of Magneto on the train. We find out why Magneto and Wolverine don’t have a long history with each other as Magneto can fling him away so easily. We get Magneto laughing at Wolverine as why would he want him at all. Turns out, he has been after Rogue this entire time.
The Magneto versus the police scene, is so well done. Also shows how much of a threat Magneto is. Xavier tries to get Magneto to stop his goal, and then Magneto fires a gun and stops the bullet from going into the lead officer’s head.
0:58:40, great delivering of the line “Fight with you. Join the team. Be an X-Man.” by Hugh Jackman to Halle Berry. He says it so fast and sternly, he is finally caught up with everything and now can start making his own decisions.
Senator Kelly shows up at the mansion, and Xavier reads his mind. We get Patrick Stewart being able to walk around, unnecessarily.
We get a team meeting of what their next steps should be.
Kelly dies while holding Storm’s hand.
Xavier tries Cerebro and it backfires on me.
Scott watches over Xavier, and promises to take care of the team and the school.
Jean uses Cerebro for the first time. We see that Cerebro and the Infirmary are on opposite sides of the hallway.
At the Statue of Liberty, Toad is straight up killing guards by stomp landing on them. That has to be a truly horrible way to die. The sound it makes, of the bones, horrible.
Magneto tells Rogue his philosophy.
The X-Men have a fancy 3D map. How does that work?
1:09:10, the uniforms! I completely get why they went the direction they did, but I would have liked if the uniforms had some individuality.
1:09:51, the yellow spandex joke.
The Blackbird is kept under the basketball court.
Wolverine doesn’t show any fear of flying.
Wolverine sets off the metal detector, breaks it and flips Cyclops off with his middle claw. Once they enter the lobby, Hugh Jackman really starts stealing the show.
Wolverine tells Cyclops to keep his eye open. Then we get Wolverine versus Mystique.
Toad takes Cyclops and the ladies down. Toad gets frozen in place by Jean and gets spit goo in her face for her troubles.
Ray Park gets to do a Darth Maul staff move once he throws Storm down an elevator shaft.
Cyclops blasts Jean in the face.
Storm shows she can fly, which is awesome.
1:16:30, worst joke in the film. Storm’s “what happens to a toad when it gets struck by lightning. The same thing that happens to everything else.” So terrible. So many possibilities for a better punchline.
Wolverine meets up with Cyclops, who asks him to prove he really is Wolverine. Wolverine tells him he is a dick, and Cyclops says okay. These two could be best friends.
Inside the head of the statue, Magneto has the X-Men pin to the walls. Magneto has this great retort to Cyclops’ order to Storm to fry him. “Oh yes, a bolt of lightning inside a copper conductor. I thought you lived in a school.”
Wolverine versus Sabretooth
Magneto forces Rogue to take his powers.
1:23:53, we get Wolverine saying ‘bub.’
Poor Statue of Liberty took a bunch of damage.
Good teamwork and use of powers with how the X-Men stop Magneto and his machine. The stress of the situation causes a white streak of hair for Rogue.
Once Wolverine frees Rogue, the score by Michael Kamen kicks in. I liked this score so much that I bought the CD of the soundtrack. This is one of five scores I own.
The X-Men take off in the Blackbitd, leaving Magneto unconscious at the torch. That is a lot of trust that the responding police can handle Magneto.
Back at the mansion, Xavier wakes up. Patrick Stewart has a chest of white hair. As a guy who also has a hairy chest, it is always nice to see that others do as well.
Wolverine is on his third and final Infirmary bed. Jean tells him that his giving Rogue is healing factor worked. Rogue ran around with some of his more charming traits for a while.
Jean tells him that Rogue may be smitten with him. He tells Jean, that his heart belongs to another.
Xavier tells Logan about Alkaline Lake and that there should be answers for him there.
The X-Men are watching Senator Kelly on the news. They freeze frame as Mystique’s eyes can be seen instead of Kelly’s. Why would she do that?
Rogue tells Logan that she is keeping the new hair style. He tells her he will return.
As he rides off on Cyclops’ motorcycle, he drives out if the gate. By the gate is the address marker – Xavier’s School for the Gifted. Westchester, New York. 1407 Graymalkin Lake, Salem Center.
1:37:14, Magneto is in a plastic cell. Xavier and he are playing chess. Magneto asks what would Xavier do if someone tried take to take his students. Xavier states he pities the poor soul who tries.
The film bookends with prisons and Magneto. From Nazi concentration camp to plastic government prison cell.
For the credits, Sumela Kay is the fourth to last credited. Before her is Stu’s friend, her, Shawn Ashmore, Jubilee and finally, Pyro credited as John.
Thanks to my dear friend, Matt Platis from the Joe Quesada message board for gifting me this and issue 142, for practically free. I had commented how I was dreading having to spend like three hundred dollars for two comics. He need I would keep them, and not resell them immediately and shipped them to me. Such a great guy!
Uncanny X-Men 141 is by far my favorite comic book cover, hence why I am a nut for any homage of it. Speaking of such, I added six more comics to my wishlist due to several more homages being created since last I checked.
I may have saw this cover, as my first example of famous comic covers that are homaged, and that this one had the most homages done.
I also own this Marvel Select Days of Future Past Kitty Pryde and Wolverine action figure set –
This issue, changes the X-Men forever – and it really does. After this, the concept of alternate timelines and time travel appear in X-Titles from this point on. Also, the most famous and most revisited future is created – Days of Future Past. Age of Apocalypse might have overtaken it but who is really keeping score?
Inside front cover ad is for Dingo, a type of boot. OJ Simpson is promoting them, in comic form.
The issue opens in the future. Kate Pryde is on her way to meet Wolverine. She steps on a trap door and has to fight off some goons, named Rogues.
Wolverine shows up to help. He’s been in the Canadian Resistance Army. In this future, the Sentinels rule America. If they take one step out of North America, the rest of the world will empty their nuclear weapons onto the continent.
Wolverine gives her the last piece of the device that will turn off the inhibitors that turn off mutant abilities.
An ad for Fun Factory. If I had twenty dollars and was alive at this point, I would have bought some of these products.
Amazing how much world building Claremont and Byrne do in only twenty pages.
It is the year, 2013. Americans are broken into three classes. H, for Human – no mutant gene potential, allowed to breed. A, for Anamolous – potential mutant genes, forbidden to breed. M, for Mutant – hunted, killed and imprisoned.
The front Sentinel inquires why Kate is late. She tells it that she was delayed by some rogues. The Sentinel can tell she is telling the truth.
Next, she has to go pass a security inspection, that we are told is both exhaustive and intentionally humiliating. This one sentence, one’s own imagination can run wild with so much horrible potential!
Then, comes the graveyard. This is the first thing she sees every time she comes back. The tombstones that she sees are – Johnny Storm, Ben Grimm, Susan Richards, Charles Xavier, Lorna Dane, Reed Richards, Scott Summers, Bobby Drake, Warren Worthington III, Kurt Wagner and Hank McCoy.
Kate would like to ask them all for their forgiveness but the best they can do is make it so that this living nightmare never occurs.
I like the wording of the captions here, of all the X-Men who ever were. This of course is not taking account all of the future X-Men that would join over the next 30 years. Of course, there is no way to know who the future X-Men would be. The best Claremont / Byrne could do is make up on X-Man, which they do.
Though within the world of the comic, if the Mutant Control Act passed, then there wouldn’t be many X-Men to join so these probably would be it.
The Future X-Men are – Colossus, Storm, along with new comers Rachel Summers (only named Rachel here) and Franklin Richards – who is an adult now. Then there is an amazing reveal of a gentleman in a wheelchair who approaches. Once he is out of the shadows, we see that it is Magneto. Such a fun swap of a character’s fate.
We learn that Rachel and Franklin are dating. Colossus calls Magneto, Magus, which I believe is the first time that is used as a real name for the character. A real name that Magneto would give himself.
The stakes are high, the X-Men have to free themselves, escape and get to where they are going and succeed. If not, the next day, the world will be at war. Even if they don’t succeed, at least they can’t make matters worst.
Rachel assures the room that she can do what they need. Kate is tired of waiting. Colossus isn’t quite ready yet. He is concern about messing with the very fabric of reality. Clearly Colossus wasn’t around for the Age of Ultron time travel kill Hank Pym debate.
Kate tells him that she has to see this through as they have lost their loved ones, including their babies. The plural of baby makes me want to cry. The Sentinels murdered their babies.
Franklin finishes assembling the inhibitor jammer.
Kate lays down on a mattress and Rachel has Kate come to peace with what is going to happen next. Their minds become one and the final panel on the page, Kate’s soul is through the time matrix.
In the Present. Which in the comic, we learn is October 31, 1980. Today is the final Friday of a close hard fought presidential election.
Kitty has entered the Danger Room. She thought it was safe to do as the door is unlocked. Wolverine shouts that the door is always unlocked. It is a pretty spectacular splash page with all of the X-Men (plus Angel) are in the middle of a training exercise.
The X-Men have to save Kitty and fight off the room as Kitty is frozen in place by fear and confusion.
Kitty’s whole reason being in the room was to tell that that Kurt is going to take a while as he is stuck in the kitchen.
Colossus runs over to Kitty to block oncoming obstacles but he has to revert to human so that he doesn’t crush her. Opening himself to more hassles.
While the X-Men fight off the room and try to save Kitty, any available X-Man is trying to get to the big red button to shut the room off.
Right before Colossus can armor up, a piledriver comes hammering down on him and Kitty. Luckily, Kurt has gotten into the room and pushed the button.
Storm is not happy with Kurt at all! He was cleaning the dishes from earlier but she believes it shouldn’t have taken that long. I sort of love the idea that these Danger Room sessions are mandatory and you have to either find someone to excuse you from one or tell them in advance.
Kurt was watching the news, as there was a story about Xavier and Moira being at the Senate Hearings regarding mutants. He lost all track of time.
Storm turns her wrath towards Kitty. Kurt intercepts, as Kitty’s first official Danger Room session is today and she was overly eager to experience it.
Kitty flinches when Kurt is near her, which he is trying his best to not be offended or turn off by. He is trying to get her to be at ease around him. He’s use to this from other people but from a fellow teammate, it hurts.
Storm tells Kurt, once they are in the control room, to be patient with the young lady, she’ll come around.
Over the intercom, Storm instructs Kitty to get ready for her session. All she has to do is walk across the room. Wolverine tells Kitty that it shouldn’t hurt … much.
Kitty’s thoughts lets us know that the Danger Room is on a low setting but she is still scared. And if her eyes were open, she should be scared as if she wasn’t phasing, she could have been seriously hurt. Her own goal is start phasing and keep her eyes close until she gets to the other side. Obstacles include – sand bags, metal tenacles, trap doors and and slamming walls.
She makes it to the other side, no problem. The X-Men in the control room are laughing. Wolverine reveals Xavier spent weeks working on this test and she passed it with her eyes closed.
Kitty wonders how she did, splendid, Storm informs.
Next, Kitty’s soul is torn from her body and flung to the future. She screams, but all the X-Men hear is Kitty quietly collapsing to the floor.
Kurt teleports down, grabs Kitty and carries her to the infirmary.
Her vitals are good. Wolverine comments how her brain scan is the same but more advanced and complex.
Kate wakes up in her younger self’s body. The first person she sees is Kurt. He’s been dead for so long that she gives him a big hug.
It takes Kate a moment to realize that the plan actually worked. I like the implied dialogue of Kate stating the hardest part would be convincing the X-Men of the past, Kate’s story.
Kate gets to the point, later today Senator Kelly, Xavier and Moira will be killed by the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Kelly’s assassination sets off a course of events that lead to Sentinels ruling America.
Wolverine thinks that she looks like a kid, but stands, talks, moves and smells (smells?) like a woman.
Kate finally tells Storm that they must at least act on the story, as they can’t afford to be wrong about it. Storm agrees to take Kate and the team to Washington DC. Once they get there, they will have Xavier read Kate’s mind. They go there on Warren’s private jet.
Kate goes on to tell exactly what happens after Kelly’s death. Poor Xavier and Moira, their deaths are not really motivating anything. Paranoia and hysteria follows. In 1984, a President is elected who appears to be 70s Stan Lee, is also an anti-mutant candidate. He passes through the first Mutant Control Act. The Supreme Court strikes it down as unconstitutional. So the President reactivates the Sentinel program. Except these are program to eliminate the mutant menace.
There is no better way to do that except to rule. The Sentinels don’t stop with mutants, they also start killing superheroes as well. Heroes who are killed are – Beast, Scarlet Witch, Cyclops, Xavier, Angel, Nightcrawler, Daredevil, Thing, Iceman, Reed Richards, Vision, Doctor Doom, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Ghost Rider, Invisible Woman, Hulk, Human Torch, Black Panther and Captain America.
Seeing the X-Men young and alive is too much and Kate sobs into her hands.
Kate was chosen due to Kitty, at this point, was not trained against psychic attacks.
Back to the Future. The X-Men are in a subway tunnel. Kitty is unconscious. Must be an odd head space to carry his current wife’s body, while her younger self’s consciousness is in her body. Colossus is sad that they had to leave Magneto behind. His wheelchair would have slowed them down. Also, he is back there, covering their escape.
Sentinels find them and straight kill Franklin Richards. Rachel loses her mind and starts attacking the giant robots.
There is an ad for Marvel subscriptions. We can buy four titles for the price of three!
Storm attacks with lightning. Colossus fastball specials Wolverine. Three robots down. More show up, Colossus knocks an entire building down, taking these ones out.
The X-Men are heading towards the Baxter Building, as that is the Sentinels’ continental nerve center. Colossus wonders how Kate is doing, which transitions us back to the present.
I would have liked to see what would have happened if Kitty had woken up in the future. Would have helped against the Sentinels. Plus, the visuals would have changed her outlook.
We find Raven Darkholme, in her position at the office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Development. The captions indicate that she earned this job. Which I really like the idea of Mystique not stealing a job, but really putting the time and effort into a real cover identity.
She enters an office, transforms into Mystique to join her Brotherhood, all in civilian clothes. Save from Blob, this is the first appearance of the other three members. Destiny, Pyro and Avalanche. Which I didn’t even know that I own their first appearance until I looked it up. I also own the issues that Pyro and Avalanche die in. I missed Destiny’s death issue by one. She died in Uncanny 255. Avalanche died in Uncanny Avengers’ first issue. Pyro was one of the many deaths during Dreams End – a pretty decent crossover.
There is a page of ads. One is for Superhero Pez dispensers. Spider-Man, Captain America, Hulk for Marvel. Joker, Wonder Woman and Batman for DC. The other ad is for the Marvel 1981 Calendar, celebrating Marvel’s 20th Anniversary.
Destiny tells Mystique that a new factor has entered her vision, now the future is uncertain.
Destiny also reveals that Blob doesn’t like taking orders from a woman. Blob was part of the original Brotherhood. Mystique tells Blob that if he crosses her, she will show him how formidable she can be.
Over at the US Senate, Kelly is laying down a pretty thick speech about mutants. He really wants a mutant registration act.
The X-Men, apparently changed into civilian clothes on the plane, enter the room. Xavier can tell something is wrong. He reaches out to read Storm’s mind.
I really like this caption – overcoming an instinctive flash of reluctance and distaste, Storm does as she’s told. Even after 48 issues, she still doesn’t like Xavier being in her mind.
One of the news team recognizes Warren as being both a mutant and the financial backer for the Champions.
As Kelly is going on, a crack in a wall forms. Then collapses.
There is an ad for Hostess Fruit Pies starring Captain America in Fury Unleashed!
I really like the layout of the final page. It has three panels. The Brotherhood on the top. Blob and Avalanche approaches and stopped by lightning. Final panel has a faceoff between the X-Men and the Brotherhood.
Blob doesn’t recognize these people, besides Angel, as being the X-Men. Wolverine states that they are better.
I also like Mystique’s goal. Kelly thinks mutants are dangerous and Mystique is out to prove how right he is. When she calls themselves, Evil Mutants, she does so with marketing in mind.
Also, fun how this is the All New All Different X-Men versus the All New All Different Brotherhood.
Issue ends with Mystique ordering her team to kill Storm’s team.
I just noticed both teams are lead by women, that’s pretty outstanding!
Comic ends with an ad for Spider-Woman, in her own monthly title by Claremont, Leialoha and Patterson. I own only issue 37.
When these were originally published as part of the Marvel Bullpen, a page in Marvel Comics that would state what upcoming titles were and any other news. A practice I miss these days. Marvel brings it back every so often, especially with crossovers as it is an easy way to show a checklist and what other issues and how they relate to each other. So this issue has a brand new 28 page feature and then reprints 54 reprints from the Bullpen Bits along with some reprints that showed up in the back of issues of What Ifs.
Kitty shows up in the new story and there is a reprint of one that has Illyana in it. The main plot to many a Mini-Marvel was the adventures of Spider-Man as he did his paper route for the Baily Bugle. These were always a treat, and even when I’m doing older issues, I will make a point to read these as they appear. I remember when there was a new one, and being excited. I probably didn’t realize it at the time, being young and all, that if you bought five comics that week, you were going to get the same Bullpen page and so it makes sense that it would only be a different one per week or two weeks – I’m not sure how they broke down. It was probably a new Bullpen Bulletin each week. In the 80s, they would just do the one for the entire month with the tiniest of fonts.
Paperboy Blues
This story opens with Spider-Man dreading trying to deliver Norman, the Green Golbin, Osborn’s newspaper. It is an ordeal every single time.
I do like how Giarrusso has Spider-Man always in costume but J. Jonah Jameson, Harry Osborn, Gwen Stacy and Aunt May all refer to him as Peter even with the costume on. Aunt May worries over Peter eventually having a run in with Spider-Man, even though he is sitting right next to her in full costume. That’s later in the issue though. Norman, also in full Green Goblin costume, refers to Spider-Man as Peter as well as Peter does the same to Norman.
Goblin crashes through the roof. Spider-Man apologizes to Harry and delivers his newspaper.
Aunt May and Spider-Man eat dinner. Jameson calls Peter to the Daily Bugle. Aunt May warns Peter to watch out for Spider-Man, as she sees him swing away.
Jameson tells Peter, in full costume, that he has costumers who are weeks, months and even a year behind in payments. If he doesn’t get paid, he will lose his paper route to Venom.
His first stop is Gwen’s house. She pays up for the rest of the month. He knew he could count on his girlfriend. Harry shows up to her door with flowers. Spider-Man takes this opportunity to ask Harry for his payment. He pays up and Spider-Man swings off. I absolutely love the nervous energy of Harry in the scene as Gwen is calm and Spider-Man is oblivious.
We get to the scene I kept this issue for. Spider-Man goes to Xavier’s. Of course, the X-Men are playing baseball. Kitty is up next to bat, she is wearing a cute pink outfit with matching mask that shows her face but gives her little cat ears.
Spider-Man confronts Xavier, who is wearing a shirt that looks like Captain Picard’s shirt but with a giant X on it. Xavier plays with Spider-Man’s mind, making him believe the X-Men are paid up.
Wolverine confronts Xavier about the mind tampering. Wolverine pays their bill and he will come along with Spider-Man for the rest of the day.
Rogue and Psylocke think Spider-Man is cute. Storm isn’t sure, with his mask and all.
Norman is upset with Harry for paying Spider-Man. Harry explains that he paid him so that Spider-Man wouldn’t notice Harry was going out with his girlfriend. All Norman hears is, girlfriend, and takes off on his glider with Gwen in tow. Of course, now, I can’t see Gwen and Norman on the page together without thinking about Sins Past. Not sure how any one can be a fan of Gwen after that terrible storyline.
Spider-Man and Wolverine get to Four Freedom Plaza. Ben Grimm is walking around in his human form, so the two don’t recognize him. The other three members are sad that they are down a member. Then before their eyes, Ben transforms into the Thing. Which depresses him. He wants to leave and offers Spider-Man and Wolverine a ride in the Fantasicar. Page ends with a great sight gag of Reed holding a recently fired gun with the label, cosmic rays, on it.
The three arrive at the Avengers Mansion. Captain America answers the door, sees them, and shouts – Avengers Assemble! Which they do, and then are disappointed that Spider-Man only wants to be paid. Iron Man asks Jarvis to cut a check.
Wolverine asks Cap where Hawkeye is. Cap informs him that Hawkeye is leading the Thunderbolts. Cap shows yesterday’s newspaper with the headline, Government to Hawkeye : No Way! Hawkeye thought if he lead this team, he could get them all pardons. Which actually happened in that title.
Cut to Hawkeye lying to the Thunderbolts, that they are going to get pardons. Mach-Two sees the Fantasicar with the three heroes now joined by Captain America. He offers to blow up the car, which irritates Hawkeye. The Thunderbolts are suppose to be reforming, but their first instincts are to revert to bad guy tactics.
Just like at that point in the title, the Thunderbolts are living in a mountain base in Mount Charteris, Colorado.
Spider-Man wants to be paid. Hawkeye doesn’t have the money. The rest of the team feels they shouldn’t have to pay, as they didn’t received yesterday’s newspaper. Captain America offers to give them his copy. Hawkeye quickly pays Spider-Man, grabs the paper and shoves them out the door. Love the unspoken story reason for this.
These two pages start and end the same way, with Mach-Two offering to blow up the Fantasicar as it leaves.
Spider-Man goes back to Jameson with all the money. Jameson is impressed and surprised. He didn’t think Peter could do it, so he already gave Venom half of Peter’s route. Jameson pays Peter for his work.
On the way home, Green Goblin gets Spider-Man’s attention as he has Gwen on top of the George Washington Bridge. Norman wants his son’s money back, which is the same amount Peter just got paid. He gives up the money, but Gwen still gets pushed off the bridge.
Harry, in a Green Goblin costume of his own, catches Gwen.
Spider-Man tears Norman’s goblin bag, setting off all of his bombs. Harry is upset that Spider-Man just killed his father, so he tells him how Gwen is his girlfriend now.
Spider-Man goes into the river and saves Norman. Norman chokes Spider-Man, throws him to the ground and flies away.
Spider-Man catches his breathe as The End appears. Then it gets crossed out, as he still has today’s paper to deliver. Such a fun 28 pages.
. . .
Then we are treated to the first Mini Marvels that appeared in issues of What If?.
I like the one about What If instead of being teased by the kids being called Daredevil, what if they called Murdock, Dorkface. That’s funny.
There is a page from an Essential Wolverine, making fun of how poor a disguise Patch is.
Then a slew of the Bullpen Bits are printed.
I had forgotten how many storylines had happened. They started having their own continuity.
Stories that included Hawkeye making fun of Thor and being jealous of Captain America.
Thanos wanting to date Death.
Spider-Man’s paper route and him getting the black costume, it is living ink. How him getting a new costume – Nova and Hawkeye want and get new costumes.
Colossus drawing comic strips that no one likes.
Beast and how he keeps making formulas that cause him to change his appearance.
Comic ends with a plug for Mini Marvel Movies, that Illyana and her two brothers appear in.
Back cover ad is for Burger King Kids’ Meals now with X-Men Evolution toys and DVDs. Unfortunately, no Kitty Pryde toy.
. . .
With this, Captain America Month comes to an end! Next month, Days of Future Past Month!
I’m not sure if I could be happier with the news of Star Lord’s new ongoing, even more. Super excited that Kitty Pryde is going to be part of his supporting cast!
Even if it is only one page, every issue, and they talk on the phone and we only see him speaking into a phone the whole time – I’ll be buying that issue.
Only Kitty Pryde news was that Wolverine and the X-Men writer, Jason Latour, is not going to have any Nightcrawler and Kitty interactions in his title.
Also, Wolverine may really be dead come October. Let’s see how long that lasts. Can’t believe that Paul Cornell has been building to this for a year and he doesn’t even get to pull the trigger.
The next big event, AXis, is coming this fall, when Original Sin isn’t even officially started. Good grief! At least with this, it has to be Cyclops against Captain America again, so the Uncanny X-Men – inlcluding Magik – will be involved. Which would be awesome!
I literally only own this issue because Magik is listed as one of the dead members of Exiles. They are listing the dead due to Mimic being the latest dead member. Which causes Blink to be pretty sad as he was her boyfriend.
Magik died in issue 44, so it has been a while but like her proper Marvel counterpart, she was great enough of a character to keep being mentioned and remembered from time to time.
Since she’s mentioned at the very beginning of the issue, my memory of the rest wasn’t that clear until this reread. I don’t own the second part so we all will have to be in suspense. I do own issue 83, so the recap will will day explain what happened and the significance of it.
Exiles had this massive World Tour storyline from issue 69 to 82 and this is the only issue I own of it. The plot of it was that due to that foul Scarlet Witch and House of M, in that universe, Proteus was reborn. So he was bouncing from alternate universe to alternate universe. Luckily, Marvel has a team that specifically deals with that type of adventure – Exiles. So the worlds that are visited are – House of M, New Universe, 2099 (where they pick up Spider-Man 2099 as a member), Squadron Supreme (where they pick up Power Princess as a member), Future Imperfect, and finally Heroes Reborn.
Which really, should be the point of Exiles. Sure, they can have their new dimensions and adventures but with the vast history of Marvel and how popular What If was, they should be revisiting already established universes, at least once in a while, revisit some beloved ones. Which they did and definitely did here, in a big bad way.
I missed all of those issues so there’s that. The deal with Proteus, is that he is such a powerful character that he burns up the bodies he has taken over. That’s how he killed Mimic, he tried to use him as a host body. So Proteus went into that body and then bounced around alternate Earths, finding bodies and losing bodies until finally settling into Exiles’ very own Morph. They tricked him into believing that he really is Morph so that’s how all of this ended.
The Exiles at this point are – Blink, Heather Hudson, Longshot, Power Princess and Spider-Man 2099, the least amount of members they have had since the title started.
Now onto the issue itself :
Issue opens with a remembrance of the dead – Magnus (the first fallen), Thunderbird, Sunfire, Magik (!) and Namora. They are not even shown on panel, what type of comic is this?
Blink is pretty down, as Proteus killed Mimic and now essentially, Morph is dead, all because she gave up leadership to Power Princess.
Not only is Morph dead but Proteus is in his body and Morph’s body is extremely powerful and due to its shape shifting abilities, can sustain Proteus forever – most likely / probably. So they lost an ally and gain an even stronger threat. Not an ideal outcome.
In the Panoptichron, the Exiles land back inside the pink crystal palace and Blink immediately takes off for Heather. Heather tells Blink and the team that Proteus is heading back to his home world of Earth-616, the Proper Marvel Universe. Luckily she was able to trick him into actually going to Counter-Earth – which at this time orbits the sun on the opposite side of Proper-Earth. Heather makes a quip about how it is a long story and boy it is! They deal with the origins of it so I’ll repeat it then.
On Counter-Earth, Proteus is freaking out as he is standing on the torch of the Statue of Liberty and New York City is under water up to the nose of the statue. Last time he was on 616, it was the House of M version and it has since reverted back to how it was meant to be but he doesn’t know that. Since he took over Morph’s body, he also has his memories so he is going to figure out soon that this isn’t the right Earth, Heather warns.
Proteus dives under water and meets some Atlanteans who are getting ready to attack the floating island of Attlian. I do like how when he speaks, he has a Scottish accent – that’s good attention to detail!
Heather informs the Exiles how Counter-Earth could have an atomic bomb drop on it and it wouldn’t notice as the world has been constantly hit with disasters.
Blink takes back leadership of the team and tells Power Princess that she is important to the plan.
In a fun comic book gimmick, Proteus hears ‘Attilan’ as ‘Atlantis’ which in print, of course it is two different words but in the reality of the comic, they would sound alike. Or at the very least, when you are underwater speaking to someone from Atlantis, your brain is already anticipating someone to say the word so Attilan would play with the ol’ hearing sensors.
Heather keeps informing the team about who they can expect to meet once they get to the surface. Heather mentions the team, Young Allies, Blink doesn’t recognize the name and realizes she needs more information. The comic itself does not do a good job of explaining who the cast of Young Allies are. We get to see members use their powers and such but there is no one page of introductions or captions.
During this, Blink calls Sabretooth, Victor, and he notices it as she usually calls him, Mr. Creed – as they are both from the same Age of Apocalypse timeline. They are slowly becoming peers, or Blink is finally accepting full responsibility of the team.
Blink orders Sabretooth and Longshot to Counter Earth to track down Proteus. Spider-Man 2099 and Power Princess have left to accomplish their side of the mission.
Back on Counter-Earth, Bucky (Rikki Barnes) isn’t happy with their current circumstances. She is trying to make a deal with Dorma, the Queen of Atlantis. Her goal is to start getting fresh fish to feed everyone on Attilan.
The Young Allies are shown, they are – Bucky, Jolt, Kid Colt, Toro and Order & Chaos. I only really know Bucky and Jolt. Bucky was Heroes Reborn’s Captain America’s new Bucky once he woke up in the then present day. Jolt, I know from the amazing Kurt Busiek / Mark Bagley Thunderbolts run. I haven’t really kept up with her adventures once she left that team and I definitely haven’t kept up with Counter-Earth since that like nine part Doom event when Doctor Doom ruled the entire planet and brought it out from the Pocket Universe Franklin Richards created and brought it to orbit the sun in the Proper Marvel Universe.
Then all of a sudden the Statue of Liberty itself grabs the floating island. This shocks everybody, naturally. Proteus reveals himself to the young heroes. At first, I thought he had used Morph’s power to turn into the statue but then we see him standing on Attilan with the statue still in the background. Proteus used his reality warping power to move the statue.
Proteus wants to make a deal with the Young Allies. He has already stopped the attack from the Atlanteans so now he wants their help to stop the oncoming threat of the Exiles.
Over on the Squadron Supreme world – which the Exiles visited earlier and I haven’t read anything from since the classic Mark Gruenwald’s original Squadron Supreme limited series. The team has appeared in various Avengers comics that I’ve read since then but the world itself, I’m not current on. Then there was the JMS’ Supreme Power which was like the Ultimate Squadron Supreme world or it out right replaced it, I’m not sure. I just looked it up, and it is an alternate timeline (more modern version) of the Supreme Squadron – so it is an alternate take on an alternate take. Does it have to be this complicated? Reminds me of this version of Spider-Man 2099, who is from an alternate 2099 but the only difference is that he comes from one that could be used in Exiles that wouldn’t tarnish the original Spider-Man 2099 from any future storylines. As if Peter David would be mad about it or something.
Regardless, Power Princess and Spider-Man 2099 show up to the Squadron Supreme world, as Nighthawk is dismantling the infamous brain washing chairs. Before they arrive, Whizzer is giving Nighthawk some grief.
They teleport in and we get my favorite page of the comic. It all takes place on one page, with six panels. Nighthawk to the far left, Spider-Man 2099 to the far left, and Power Princess standing close to him on the left side. We only see their heads. Spider-Man 2099 notices the legendary chairs and Nighthawk is both offended and quick to express how they are being dismantled. Nighthawk can’t believe Power Princess is back so soon, she tells him that she was success, he knows she is lying. She knows that no matter what, he will make this difficult. The page ends with her hitting Nighthawk with her shield.
Spider-Man 2099 takes off his mask to take a good look at the chairs. Which is odd, as shouldn’t he be able to see the chairs through his mask like how he sees everything else? Who is he, Movie Spider-Man?
Spider-Man 2099 believes he can do as Blink wishes and modify the technology.
Back on Counter-Earth, Proteus gets the origins of the planet. Amazingly, Bedard is able to get through it in one page, that’s what you can do with an artist like Calafiore. Proteus learns that the planet has dealt with earthquakes, cosmic storms and nuclear wars. They make a joke about how bad things have to be when Doctor Doom is your best option. Which really, is unfair, if it wasn’t for that cursed Reed Richards, Doom would have made the world a better place by now. Maybe not for the bigger cities or New York in general but Montana would be fine.
Then Doom left the planet and without a strong presence, the world has been up for grabs. Young Allies go around trying to save refugees and try to make living bearable.
I like how Bucky ends the tale with trying to gauge Proteus’ reaction to all of this as it must sound pretty confusing. Proteus tells her that he’s traveled to several alternate Earths and all of them have their unique issues. Bucky asks how they compare to other Young Allies that he has met, and he tells her that he has never even heard of the group before.
To make a point, Proteus shifts into the Heroes Reborn Captain America, as shown on the cover, who only real difference is that instead of an A on his forehead, he has an eagle. Proteus claims that he isn’t familiar with this character, and asks for his name. Bucky tells him that is Captain America and to please unshift from that form.
I have to remind myself that this Proteus is from the House of M timeline wherein Cap had lived out his days from WWII and so he appeared to be an 80 year old man. But he was still Captain America but I’m not exactly sure what House of M’s Proteus’ back story is.
Jolt ends the scene asking about what Proteus meant about his enemies.
Sabretooth calls Heather, wanting to know if Power Princess and Spider-Man 2099 have made it back. She tells him no. Sabretooth tells Longshot how he is able to track Proteus. Apparently, Morph doesn’t have a scent, so he stands out. He makes a very odd analogy of how Morph’s body stands out like a black and white character in a color movie. Shouldn’t the comparsion be a color character in a black and white movie? A black and white character in a color movie would look like a white person in a black suit, which we all learn from Pleasantville, isn’t much of a real difference. That film came out in 1998, so Bedard has had eight years to watch that movie and it is a good film, at that. It is suppose to be a throw away line but it stuck out to me.
Spider-Man 2099 and Power Princess arrive at the crystal palace. Spider-Man 2099 holds up a headband, he has successfully made the modification. Phase Two can begin.
Sabretooth and Longshot get attacked, the ground beneath their feet crumbles and they have Kid Colt pointing a gun at them. Longshot has to fight off Toro, a big red bull of a man. Longshot throws knives at Proteus and Bucky blocks them. Longshot asks why they are protecting a murderer to which Bucky counters with an awesome comment about how Longshot is the one throwing knives. Which is a great point, one doesn’t use knives as a weapon unless you want to cut or slash people. It is a pretty violent weapon that doesn’t serve any non-violent purposes.
Proteus points to Longshot, stating he is the main threat and Jolt fries Longshot.
The Exiles show up, and with Longshot unconscious, Proteus can really unleash his wrath. Doing so, makes the Young Allies realize they did in fact back the wrong horse. Proteus does what the original one did to Wolverine back in the Proteus Saga, and warps the Exiles’ bodies out of sorts. Which I know that is a comic book device, but how does one even survive that? By sheer will on the part of Proteus? I know it messed up Wolverine for quite some time afterwards.
Once Proteus reveals this side of his personality, two giants appear. Order and Chaos, I like how their appearance takes place over a two page spread. Chaos, a shadowy male, gets the left page and Order, a green lady, gets the right page. Counter-Earth has been tipping on the scale of chaos and order, and Proteus has finally flung it into one direction. They grab him and all three teleport away.
Bucky states their names as, Order and Chaos, as Jolt explains how they have been ordinary members of their team and never shown a power display like this before. Toro further explains how they are usually their size and not giants. Kid Colt (this is an all hands on deck type of reveal explanation) explains how in the past Order and Chaos have gone on about how they are here to judge the planet but it never amounts to anything.
Bucky apologizes for taking a clear villain’s side in the fight. It is the least she can do. Blink explains that that is what Proteus does. He goes to a planet first, gets the heroes on his side and then those heroes fight the Exiles. Hero types, if you get to them first, they will always fight a fellow hero without warning or questions.
Sabretooth tries to call Heather and there is no response. Cut to the crystal palace – I really don’t like typing Panoptichron over and over and they usually refer to it in the comic as crystal palace – Heather can’t connect to the team either.
Issue ends with one of the Timebreaker bugs (who actually run the machinary under Heather’s direction) explains to Heather that Counter-Earth shows signs of destruction. The line is very dramatically delivered as it is shown as a half page panel that is a close up of the bug’s eye and we see Heather’s shocked reaction reflected.
I can tell you this, Counter-Earth survives as I know it is there for the Onslaught tenth anniversary miniseries written by Sean McKeever. Then from there, anything can happen.
I can also state that Spider-Man 2099’s device does eventually work and it sinks into Morph’s head becoming a part of him and he continues living his life as if he is Morph.
Well, that opening scene is introducing, really, this sort of refugee group of mutants that Kitty’s the leader of in the future. And so, in the movie, it’s before we even meet our X-Men, it’s before we meet Patrick, Ian, Hugh, and Halle. We sort of cold open in many ways on Kitty, Warpath, Blink, Colossus, Sunspot, Bishop, and we sort of wanted to show what a pack of these refugees living day to day knowing the Sentinels are out there, what their life would be like, and what an attack would look like, and also setting up Kitty’s power, of being able to send consciousness back in time to warn people so that they can move away before the attack comes. That’s the sort of critical engine of the movie, her sending a consciousness back to 1973 to warn that something bad is gonna happen that they’ve got to stop from happening.
I love that of the mutants in that opening segment, that Kitty is the leader of that band of mutants. Kitty, Warpath, Blink, Colossus, Sunspot, Bishop and Iceman, that could make a decent team. It never has happened in the comics, not even in Exiles.
they don’t list Iceman, so I wonder if he has his own group or something like that.
Simon Kinberg is one of the writer / producers of the film.
I read that Ellen Page spent the most time on set, out of the original cast and second to Hugh Jackman (naturally) so I’ve been wondering what else she could have been doing there besides touching the sides of Wolverine’s head.
So she can send people’s consciousness back in time, just like Rachel’s powers in the comics. I imagine it will be something like she can only send their thoughts back maybe twenty minutes or something so when she tries sending Wolverine back to the 70s, it is a huge deal. Though, I wonder how she gets their consciousness back?
“Well, that opening scene is introducing, really, this sort of refugee group of mutants that Kitty’s the leader of in the future. And so, in the movie, it’s before we even meet our X-Men, it’s before we meet Patrick, Ian, Hugh, and Halle. We sort of cold open in many ways on Kitty, Warpath, Blink, Colossus, Sunspot, Bishop, and we sort of wanted to show what a pack of these refugees living day to day knowing the Sentinels are out there, what their life would be like, and what an attack would look like, and also setting up Kitty’s power, of being able to send consciousness back in time to warn people so that they can move away before the attack comes. That’s the sort of critical engine of the movie, her sending a consciousness back to 1973 to warn that something bad is gonna happen that they’ve got to stop from happening.”
Read more at http://collider.com/x-men-days-of-future-past-opening-scene-explained/#0As9w2QKB1jlQI6B.99
“Well, that opening scene is introducing, really, this sort of refugee group of mutants that Kitty’s the leader of in the future. And so, in the movie, it’s before we even meet our X-Men, it’s before we meet Patrick, Ian, Hugh, and Halle. We sort of cold open in many ways on Kitty, Warpath, Blink, Colossus, Sunspot, Bishop, and we sort of wanted to show what a pack of these refugees living day to day knowing the Sentinels are out there, what their life would be like, and what an attack would look like, and also setting up Kitty’s power, of being able to send consciousness back in time to warn people so that they can move away before the attack comes. That’s the sort of critical engine of the movie, her sending a consciousness back to 1973 to warn that something bad is gonna happen that they’ve got to stop from happening.”
Read more at http://collider.com/x-men-days-of-future-past-opening-scene-explained/#0As9w2QKB1jlQI6B.99
“Well, that opening scene is introducing, really, this sort of refugee group of mutants that Kitty’s the leader of in the future. And so, in the movie, it’s before we even meet our X-Men, it’s before we meet Patrick, Ian, Hugh, and Halle. We sort of cold open in many ways on Kitty, Warpath, Blink, Colossus, Sunspot, Bishop, and we sort of wanted to show what a pack of these refugees living day to day knowing the Sentinels are out there, what their life would be like, and what an attack would look like, and also setting up Kitty’s power, of being able to send consciousness back in time to warn people so that they can move away before the attack comes. That’s the sort of critical engine of the movie, her sending a consciousness back to 1973 to warn that something bad is gonna happen that they’ve got to stop from happening.”
Read more at http://collider.com/x-men-days-of-future-past-opening-scene-explained/#0As9w2QKB1jlQI6B.99
The thing about it being Late December, is that if you ever export your comicbookdb collection into an Excel spreadsheet (redundant?) the Month bar is all fowled up due to the Late and then you can’t organize it by month easily as the Late throws that part off too. Its a small detail, but annoying.
Also, from the cover, it was the year Spider-Man turned 30. Now he is 50, so this is an old comic.
This is during the era where Scott Lobdell (of 90s X-Men fame) took over the title for a time until Alan Davis and Mark Farmer were ready to start their amazing run on the title. When I reread the entire series a few years ago, I had forgotten most of this awkward year of stories. Not really awkward but it is all over the place in quality. Nowadays, they would have just ended the title and made a new volume of Excalibur once Davis was ready.
How awesome would that team be that makes up the cover. Excalibur II, I would have been all for it, I still am all for it. It would be one kick arse team of Avengers. Black Panther, Captain America, Kitty Pryde and Iron Man (it is Rhody Rhodes in the suit, which will one day be known as the War Machine armor).
Inside front cover is an ad for Disney’s Aladdin. Imagine if you had three wishes, three hopes, three dreams and they all could come true.
The opening splash page’s captions state that there are not many perks of being a member of Excalibur (a running theme for the issue as it will come up two more times). For Kitty, who is sunbathing along with Lockheed in the jungles of Wakanda, there is a superhero fight before breakfast and after lunch, a mufti-dimensional battle to be had. It isn’t often that a superhero can relax in the sun. On the splash page, Lockheed is struggling to crack a coconut.
Then we are treated to a two page spread of Kitty and Lockheed still relaxing. These pages look completely different than the rest of the issue. The coloring is brighter, the art looks softer. It is all around, different.
Speaking of art, this is an early Scott Kolins. I mostly know him from Marvel Team-Up’s third volume and there was something about the art I didn’t care for. Like he was using cross hatching or something or the coloring was off. I’m not sure, it wasn’t too my liking but that could have been attributed to any number of things. I also didn’t care for the art during Geoff Johns’ run on Avengers, I almost dropped the title with his opening Red Zone arc, and then Search for She-Hulk really made me want to drop it. The art really wasn’t to my liking and the story wasn’t great either.
I know Johns is a beloved creator (and Vice President) over at DC but once he was announced as exclusive over there, my immediate reaction was that DC could have him. It may have been that he was the main writer after Kurt Busiek’s simply amazing run and so no one would have been good enough to carry the torch the rest of the way but I was young and money seemed to be plentiful so I kept with it and glad I did as I would have missed Bendis’ Dissembled run that then lead into House of M and the entire New Avengers line up.
Kolins’ art for this issue looks clean and not stylized. The story has a nice flow to it. The inks are good, and the colors vibrant. Lobdell has the characters acting themselves, though there are a few details that I feel he may have gotten wrong but we’ll come to those.
So at one point in these two pages, Kitty and Lockheed suspect they are being watched and then quickly dismiss it. This was during the era when Lockheed was drawn very cartoony instead of like a lizard with wings. He could easily step into a cartoon.
I do like how Kolins has Kitty wearing a simple red one piece bathing suit. She is overly sexualized (or at all really) and she’s with her friend Lockheed, so there is no reason to not be comfortable. The panel where she asks if Lockheed feels they are being watched and then they both look at each other and shrug their shoulders saying, naah. Is so much fun and I really miss these two characters – poor Lockheed isn’t given any real treatment like he use to.
So Captain Britain and Meggan were invited to Wakanda to oversee a business transaction with Black Panther. I should say Brian Braddock, as no one knows he is Captain Britain. Which is interesting as he is Cap all the time. He may be a scientist but that isn’t his day job but more of a hobby. He’s Captain Britain 24 hours a day, seven days a week so I never really thought about him having a ‘secret identity.’ Anyways, Kitty and Lockheed jumped on the plane to head out, Brian told them that they would be bored in Wakanda. Once they got there, Kitty was more than happy to be bored in paradise.
Of course, as a reader, we know that Kitty was being watched. The person thinks to himself that the dragon seems wonky but the girl harmless. Oh how he doesn’t know either of them.
Brian and Meggan are being treated to a Wakandan welcome ceremony. Meggan is hugging Brian close, as she is afraid of being used as a virgin sacrifice. Brian tells her she is safe on both accounts. Which I was ten when I first read that and probably thought that it meant because she is a superhero, she can fight off any attackers. Now that I’m 32, I see what Lobdell did there. Which clearly those two have had a sexual relationship up to this point but that’s probably the closest we get to them talking about such things. Outside of seeing them wake up together in bed.
Brian really wanted Meggan to come along as he wants to broaden her world view. She is still being written as a bit of a simpleton – which when I look back at it, seems odd that Brian would continue a sexual relationship with someone who understands the base concepts of things. I’m talking about a character who, when having to leave a note for Brian and Excalibur, had to draw pictures as she didn’t know how to write. But if you were going to talk to her, she is smart and can continue a conversation. Meggan, a very interesting character. Eventually Alan Davis comes back to the title and Meggan becomes a full proper character.
Actually, I had to go look it up. Lobdell wrote issues 31, 35 – 41, 53, 58 – 60, 68 – 71, 75 – 82.
Alan Davis wrote issues 16, 42 – 52, 54 – 58, 61 – 67. Over at Comics Should Be Good, whenever there is a Top Runs vote, people ask if they can combine Alan Davis’ run into one big run or do they have to do two runs. Which I’ve read those comments so many times, that my memory must have changed to think that there were two big runs but really, it is one big run with the smallest of breaks. A two month break. But I guess story wise, 61 to 67 is one big masterpiece and 42 to 58 are smaller stories that form a bigger story.
Lobdell’s time on the title, I also thought was a shorter era but that’s probably due to my memory trying to break Davis’ run into two different runs. I’m not sure, I may be a crazy person now that I’ve typed all of this. Like, I thought Lobdell was busier Pre-50 but he really dealt with more of what will set up Excalibur for the final half of the title.
Black Panther comes rising out of a volcano that the ceremony is being performed in front of – which is why Meggan thought she was going to be sacrificed.
Brian introduces Meggan to the Black Panther as his administrative assistant. Clearly, Brian failed the first rule of being a couple – he didn’t let her in on the plan. So she embarrasses herself by trying to repeat the title she just read, screwing it up. T’Challa shakes her hand, telling her that her sense of humor is as great as her beauty. Yeah, he is a King alright.
Brian apologizes for having to fill in for his brother’s absence as Braddock Enterprises was always Jamie’s venture. Which is what confuses me. Jasper is mostly known for two things, being a race car driver, and being crazy powerful. Or being crazy and powerful. Imagine an adult Franklin Richards, but who is crazy – which every other alternate future version of Franklin Richards is crazy so that’s easy to imagine. So when did Jasper have time to run a business for more than a month? Anyways, we have to accept this as the entire issue is based on the fact that Brian now runs and operates Braddock Enterprises. Not the day to day operation nor I imagine he doesn’t sign the checks either but he’s the public face.
Meggan asks about how come they are not burning alive as they enter the volcano. Black Panther’s mask does that thing Spider-Man’s mask does, where the eye slits become smaller to show that he’s happy to explain this. It is odd as T’Challa doesn’t strike me as a guy who lets his guard down that quickly but maybe he really likes her innocence.
Black Panther explains that Wakanda has more than one natural resource. The main one is of course, Vibranium but another is this, what they call – a cold volcano. Wakanda is so advance that they were able to build a futuristic laboratory inside the walls of the volcano.
Meggan is finally figuring out that Wakanda balances the traditional African nature with a global world power. Though some inhabitants of Wakanda would wish that they were more the former than the lather.
Once inside the laboratory, Black Panther introduces Brian and Meggan to their other two guests, Captain America and Iron Man. Cap is happy to see them and Iron Man (who is Rhodes at this point – filling in for Tony) mumbles a greeting. Tony would be natural in this environment of meets and greets but Rhodes is a military man first and a superhero second and a guy who likes to meet strangers as a distant third.
There is an ad for the film, Candyman, that I never watched and probably never will. People seem to like it as there is a bit of a franchise. It wasn’t until this movie came out that I even knew there was an urban myth about Candyman. He always seemed to me like the male Bloody Mary. I’ve never been tempted to say either of their names into the mirror as I know a guy who knows a gal whose cousin did it once and was never heard from again.
Meanwhile, at Braddock Manor – they moved out of the Lighthouse a few issues ago – Cerise gives a shout in her Shi’ar language. Kurt comes running in. Apparently, she put her lipstick into her mouth instead of her upper lip and it tastes disgusting. Which, I don’t know how lipstick works – but wouldn’t placing it on your upper lip, still let you taste it even a little? I never really thought about what lipstick must taste like but it makes sense that it would be horrible. Chapstick doesn’t taste good but lipstick has to be better, right?
Kurt and Cerise are getting ready to go to the opera and watch a Verdi play. Cerise wants to learn and experience human culture.
Back at Wakanda, the heroes are giving a toast to the new venture. Cap notices Iron Man drinking, which confirms to him that it is a new person inside the armor. At least Cap doesn’t just assume Tony is off the wagon, that’s a good friend.
At the party, Meggan works her way over to Iron Man and starts to whisper to him. Is Excalibur that not well known that people don’t recognize her as Meggan of Excalibur? She doesn’t have a secret identity but she’s also not a Power Ranger in that she doesn’t wear green when she is not super heroing it up. She talks to Iron Man about how it has been a while, which it has been almost twenty issues so that’s close to two years our time. He of course doesn’t recognize her. That was Tony during that awful Promethium Exchange arc that West Coast Avengers showed up for in Excalibur. Lobdell wrote it so that explains why she is bringing it up here.
He tells her that he doesn’t remember that and she plays it off like he is trying to protect her secret identity. Or his, I’m not sure. Neither is he after she walks away.
The party moves to a giant table and we finally figure out what Black Panther has been talking about this entire time. Wakanda has decided to put a stop to toxic waste before it becomes a problem for Wakanda. Braddock Enterprises has created the self-devouring waste containment device. Stark Industries provided the millions of dollars worth of technology. Then my favorite part, T’Challa thanks Captain America and the United States for donating all of the toxic waste. Cap gives this awesome “oh yeah, thanks” as I’m sure America loves the fact that they have gallons and gallons of toxic waste ready to be disposed of.
Brian thinks to himself that Jamie did good with the company and again, did Jamie ever run that company and why would he care about toxic waste disposal? Maybe during one of his sane moments?
These heroes representing companies and countries reminds me of my all time favorite run of Black Panther, 26 through 29, of the third volume (The Marvel Knights volume) titled Sturm Und Drang : A Story of Love and War by Christopher Priest and Sal Velluto. Such a great storyline. Black Panther representing Wankanda. Magneto representing Genosha. Doctor Doom representing Latveria. Namor representing Atlantis. Such a great storyline and wonderful use of how at the time, Marvel had all of these costumed folks running these countries, it was high time that there was a political story done about it. I suppose, only Magneto was the new face but maybe that’s all it took, having a fourth mask as a head of state. Its criminally never been printed as a trade (a lot of that run hasn’t been) but the issues can’t be that expensive to come by.
Black Panther calls for more food and the first dish is … pizza! I wish we were told the toppings to see what Wakandans put on their pizza. Pizza surprises Rhodes and Black Panther tells him that he picked it for his guests.
During the ceremony a man sized wooden idol is going around, touching people’s heads. Meggan finds the idol, cute.
Back with Kitty and Lockheed, they hear a young lady as she screams. The gal’s head feels like it is being split into two. Then it does and where her human head was, is now a matching wooden head.
This happens back at the festival. Iron Man notices that it is spreading as many more wooden people are appearing. Brian can tell from the screams that it is a forced transformation – he’s a genius after all.
The original dancer comes forward. He wants to be the new king of Wakanda. Black Panther addresses him as, U’mbaya – who was a graduate student at one point. I checked on comicbookdb and it states that this and next issue is the only appearance of the character. The dancer takes the name of, Icon. Not the scariest villain name.
At the opera, Cerise is crying. Kurt doesn’t have the heart to tell her this is a comedy they are watching.
Kurt is given some complimentary champagne, he looks across to the opposite balcony and sees that Sir Raleigh Chamberlain is the one who bought the drinks. He is a suspected (but really is) arms dealer who is glad that up to this point, Excalibur has been too busy to deal with smaller criminals.
Then a new character, Knight Errant shows up, blasts Chamberlain’s girlfriend out of her booth and threatens to do worst to him if he doesn’t leave by morning time. Chamberlain promises to be gone by then.
Cerise asks if he is a fellow hero, Kurt states that his methods should not be encouraged.
This and next issue, which I won’t be reviewing anytime real soon, is also Knight Errand’s only appearances. Knight Errand makes a speech Man of La Mancha that after looking it up, I want to listen to that song – Impossible Dream. I must have heard it by now but I need my memory refreshed.
Kurt teleports Cerise to follow the knight.
Icon is threatening to hurt his newly formed army. He knows the heroes can’t hurt the army as if they do, they can seriously damage the wooden soldiers and they won’t be able to revert back to their human form.
Brian starts to head an attack, when Captain America puts his hand on his shoulder, telling him that he should let the costumed heroes handle this. You’ll think Brian would tell Cap the truth but for some reason decides to let Captain America take the lead.
Black Panther goes an extra step and puts a containment field around Meggan and Brian so that they don’t get hurt at all. Both Meggan and Brian are impressed with the containment field, it is made out of vibranium so it doesn’t make any noise as Brian punches it.
Kitty phases through the bottom of it, stating that they are all lucky that she was in the neighborhood. Brian rolls his eyes so hard.
Captain America asks Black Panther to make the call. They can’t get to Icon without going through his wooden army but his wooden army are actual people. Black Panther states that he really doesn’t have a choice. Icon threatens that he does have two options – make him the new king or watch his people be killed.
Kitty phases through the ground with Meggan claiming that there is another choice – now that the New Excalibur is here! Which is awesome that she just takes control of the situation and deems the gathered heroes the newest form of Excalibur. Meggan, to protect her identity has changed her appearance to a bulky African lady with her same white shirt but no pants. It isn’t the worst disguise.
Issue ends with Icon in disbelief. Usually all of Africa only has the one superhero and the one day, the one day he wants to overthrow the government, he has to deal with five of them!
One day I’ll review 60 but don’t worry, Black Panther retains his kingdom after the next issue.
LEGENDARY STAR LORD #1
MARVEL COMICS Sam Humphries (A) Paco Medina (CA) Steve McNiven
CLASSIFIED
I read over at the X-Boards of CBR that Kitty Pryde is going to be showing up in this, for the first issue for sure.
100TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL #1 X-MEN
MARVEL COMICS Jen Van (A/CA) In-Hyuk Lee
CLASSIFIED
I’m not sure what these 100th Anniverary Specials are in reference too. Might be the point but ooof, that doesn’t tempt me to buy them.
STORM #1
MARVEL COMICS Greg Pak (A/CA) Victor Ibanez
CLASSIFIED
People are under the impression that at C2E2 that some of these classified will be revealed. Surprised Storm is getting an ongoing, but this should make some people happy.
ORIGINAL SIN #5 (OF 8)
MARVEL COMICS
Jason Aaron (A) Mike Deodato (CA) Julian Totino Tedesco
CLASSIFIED
Just found out that I need to buy Original Sin 2, so I’m going to have to do better with looking at previews for this series.
ORIGINAL SIN #6 (OF 8)
MARVEL COMICS
Jason Aaron (A) Mike Deodato (CA) Julian Totino Tedesco
Still annoyed by this series. Saw the cover to the first issue, Figment, a small pinkish purple dragon, is sitting on the dude’s shoulders just like Lockheed does! eeeer!
ROCKET RACCOON #1
SKOTTIE YOUNG • SKOTTIE YOUNG (A/C)
ALL-NEW, IN-CONTINUITY SERIES!
As defenders of the cosmos go, Rocket Raccoon has faced his fair share of galactic battles. He’s been a hero to the weak, a champion of good, a protector of the innocent, a heartthrob to the many intergalactic female species and now–a raccoon on the run?! ( I’m sorry, I’m sorry, a “formidable-and-expert-Guardian” on the run. Rocket is NOT a raccoon, okay?) Rocket’s high-flying life of adventure and heroism may soon be a thing of the past when he becomes a wanted man—and the authorities are not the only one on his TAIL! (We’ll definitely be overusing that pun!)
Superstar creator Skottie Young brings his A-game as writer and artist on the series we’ve been waiting decades for. Because let’s be real, this is the only Guardian of the Galaxy you actually care about. Am I right?
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
Such a fun solict and it is true, Rocket is my favorite Guardian but Star-Lord might be in the running now!
SPIDER-MAN 2099 #1
PETER DAVID • WILLIAM SLINEY (A)
ALL-NEW SERIES FROM THE PAGES OF AMAZING SPIDER-MAN!
The book you have been demanding for months finally hits the stands! Miguel O’Hara is Spider-Man in the year 2099 but he’s currently stuck in the year 2014. He was stranded here by his father who is the head of an evil corporation called Alchemax in 2099. But in 2014, Alechmax has just been formed and Miguel has a chance to stop its corruption before it starts! You’d think being a man out of time would make you a man without enemies, but Spider-Man 2099 is about to discover that he’s not the only one hoping for a better tomorrow, one that might be ensured by The Adjustor eliminating Miguel from the time stream altogether! Join comics legend (and Spider-Man 2099 creator) Peter David and breakthrough artist Will Sliney (Superior Spider-Man Team-up) for the most adventure you’ll find in a book this side of the twenty second century!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
So happy that Peter David is writing this. Hopefully it is good.
UNCANNY AVENGERS #22
RICK REMENDER • DANIEL ACUNA (A/C)
This is it! The final chapter of the story that began in Dimension Z!
• Complete unity is established, but is it too late?
• The fate of the seven prime timelines decided!
• Kang’s ultimate revenge on the Uncanny Avengers revealed.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
I’m starting to think that I don’t need to be buying this on the off chance that Kitty or Magik will appear. Will have to debate that.
AVENGERS UNDERCOVER #7
DENNIS HOPELESS KEV WALKER (A)
“GONE NATIVE” PART 1 OF 4!
• Runaways fans alert: This issue focuses on Nico…and her newly resurrected evil ex-boyfriend, Alex!
• Oh, and something really bad has happened to fellow Runaway Chase! Why are we so mean?
• Plus: What happened to Cammi? Only Baron Zemo knows…
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
See, this is how all solicts should be written. Tells you right there who will be appearing.
ALL-NEW ULTIMATES #5
MICHEL FIFFE AMILCAR PINNA (A)
Cover by DAVID NAKAYAMA
FROM THE CREATOR OF THE HIT COMIC “COPRA”
• It’s a battle royale when the new superteens on the block go up against the most dangerous supergangs on the street!
• Will the bloodthirsty vigilante, SCOURGE, take everyone in a costume down, be it street punk or good guy?
• Will SPIDER-MAN, BLACK WIDOW, KITTY PRYDE, BOMBSHELL, CLOAK & DAGGER survive a second wave of violence when the deadly CROSSBONES joins the fray?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
So happy that this title is back to only shipping one issue a month. That’s how it should be!
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #17
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS • Ed McGuinness (A/C)
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY ARTIST VARIANT ALSO AVAILABLE
• With some new faces on the team, it might be time for the Guardians to have a little team-building vacation.
• Or, you know, they could keep fighting alien warlords and galactic empires.
• Guess they’ll have to plan that team-building retreat for next month.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
Tracking this just for the Kitty references. I’m a dman fool, is what I am.
IRON MAN SPECIAL #1
SEAN RYAN • RAHMAT HANDOKO (A)
CONTINUING THE STORY FROM JUNE’S UNCANNY X-MEN SPECIAL #1
• Iron Man returns to space to settle a score, but ends up embroiled with the fugitive UNCANNY X-MEN!
• Their paths cross in pursuit of Cyclops, who’s been kidnapped by mysterious n’er do wells.
• All this and guest-starring NOVA, THE HUMAN ROCKET!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
I like how the X-Men one was $4.99 but this one is $3.99. It states the Uncanny X-Men appear so I’m imagining Magik must still be on for the ride.
SAVAGE HULK #2
ALAN DAVIS • ALAN DAVIS (A/C)
Variant by RYAN STEGMAN
AN ALL-NEW SERIES BY SUPERSTAR ALAN DAVIS!!!
• While HULK and ABOMINATION have the clash of the century…
• …the X-MEN do the Monster Mash!
• And PROFESSOR X plans to…terminate the Hulk?!?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Still disappointed by the fact that the X-Men in this are the Original Five but they are hot at the moment. The Original Five from their proper time era, I should add.
ALL-NEW X-MEN #29 & 30
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS • STUART IMMONEN (A/C)
• Past, present and future collide as the Future Brotherhood exacts their final judgment on the All-New X-Men.
• Plus, Angel takes control!
32 PGS. (EACH)/Rated T …$3.99 (EACH)
Scott is one and Angel becomes the leader? That’s unexpected!
NIGHTCRAWLER #4
CHRIS CLAREMONT • TODD NAUCK (A)
• The mastermind behind the attacks on Nightcrawler’s loved ones is revealed…
• And when Nightcrawler calls upon his friends for backup, the fight comes to the Jean Grey School!
• But torn between two worlds—his family and the X-Men—who will Nightcrawler stand by?
• One thing’s for sure: When the dust settles, one of his worlds will be changed forever…
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Sounds like Kitty isn’t involved in this issue either.
SAVAGE WOLVERINE #21
JOHN ARCUDI • JOE QUINONES (A)
MAN OF WAR – Part One!
• In the midst of World War I, Logan leads a daring mission…and discovers he isn’t the only mutant at war!
• B.P.R.D.’s John Arcudi returns to Marvel with Joe Quinones (FF) for an epic that uncovers more of Logan’s tortured past!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Another WWI story with Wolverine?
ALL-NEW DOOP #4 (of 5)
PETER MILLIGAN
DAVID LAFUENTE GARCIA (A)
Cover by MICHAEL ALLRED
• The true horror of Doop rears its ugly head!
• Kitty Pryde and Doop find themselves in the middle the scariest moment of their lives with no one to turn to!
• Will Kitty finally accept Doop’s proposal of marriage?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Really enjoyed the first issue and super glad that Kitty hasn’t bailed out of the series yet.
ALIAS OMNIBUS HC
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Penciled by MICHAEL GAYDOS
Cover by DAVID MACK
Meet Jessica Jones. Once upon a time, she was a costumed super hero. But not a very good one. Now a chain-smoking, self-destructive alcoholic, Jessica is the owner and sole employee of Alias Investigations — a small, private-investigative firm specializing in superhuman cases. This deluxe hardcover collects all 28 issues of super-scribe Brian Michael Bendis’ ALIAS — plus all-new, behind-the-scenes bonus material compiled in conjunction with the writer himself! In her inaugural arc, Jessica’s life immediately becomes expendable when she uncovers the potentially explosive secret of one hero’s true identity. But her wit, charm and intelligence just may help her survive through another day. Thrust into the midst of a conspiracy that reaches the highest levels, has Jessica burned too many bridges to turn to old friends for help? Plus: Jessica travels to upstate New York to investigate the disappearance of a teenage girl rumored to be a mutant in a prejudiced small town; goes on a date with the Astonishing Ant-Man; teams up with Jessica Drew; the original Spider-Woman; and confronts the demons of her past! Collects ALIAS #1-28 and WHAT IF JESSICA JONES HAD JOINED THE AVENGERS?
720 PGS./Explicit Content …$99.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9091-2
Trim size: oversized
Surprised they are not waiting for the Netflix series to release it but I’m sure it will be rerelease around then. Surprise for $100 that they are not including the short lived Pulse series.
I’m falling out of love with Revenge, with how it gets good for two or three episodes and then it back slides hard for the same amount of episodes (or how much the show spends on resetting its characters) but interesting it got the comic treatment.
SPIDER-MAN: THE COMPLETE ALIEN COSTUME SAGA BOOK 1 TPB
Written by TOM DEFALCO, DAVID MICHELINIE, CARY BURKETT, TONY ISABELLA, LOUISE SIMONSON & AL MILGROM
Penciled by RON FRENZ, RICK LEONARDI, GREG LAROCQUE, PAUL NEARY & AL MILGROM
Cover by RON FRENZ
When Spider-Man returns from the Secret Wars with a snazzy new black suit, he’s faster and stronger — and has an unending inbuilt supply of webbing! All the better for tussling with foes such as the Rose, Black Fox, Red Ghost, Jack O’Lantern, Puma and the Blob! Not only that, but he’s dressed to impress the Black Cat, too — much to Mary Jane’s dismay. But there’s something about Peter that’s not quite right. Curse that ol’ Parker luck, the black costume just happens to be a hungry alien symbiote — and it’s grown very attached to him! Savor a chronological retelling of Spider-Man’s epic wardrobe malfunction, told across the three Spidey titles of the era! Collecting AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1963) #252-258, MARVEL TEAM-UP (1972) #141-145 and ANNUAL #7, and PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN (1976) #90-95.
488 PGS./Rated T …$44.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-8867-4
I wonder how many books this will take? It didn’t really last that long.
X-MEN: MAGNETO TESTAMENT TPB
Written by GREG PAK
Penciled by CARMINE DI GIANDOMENICO
Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
In 1935, Max Eisenhardt was a schoolboy — who happened to be Jewish in Nazi Germany. The definitive origin story of one of Marvel’s greatest icons begins with a silver chain and a crush on a girl — and quickly turns into a harrowing struggle for survival against the inexorable machinery of Hitler’s Final Solution. Named Best Miniseries of 2008 by IGN, X-Men: Magneto Testament follows Max Eisenhardt from 1935 to 1945 as he fights to protect his family and a Romani girl named Magda from the indignities of a Nuremberg schoolyard, the horrors of war-stricken Poland, and the unfathomable atrocities of Auschwitz-Birkenau. This heartbreaking and historically accurate look at the childhood of one of the most popular X-Men also features in-depth endnotes and extras providing further historical context, including a comprehensive teachers’ guide. Collecting X-MEN: MAGNETO TESTAMENT #1-5.
152 PGS./Parental Advisory …$19.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9172-8
Read some amazing reviews for this story.
Newsarama has a note about how not every comic in July has a solict so here is what was missing that I’m interesting in :
These are most likely more Original Sin tie ins
WOLVERINE #10, maybe
UNCANNY X-MEN #23
UNCANNY X-MEN #24
So my to buy pile is :
Legendary Star Lord 1 $3.99 (I imagine)
All New Ultimates 5 $3.99
Iron Man Special 1 $3.99
All New X-Men 29 & 30 $7.98
Uncanny X-Men 23 & 24 $7.98
Making my total $28. I might add Uncanny Avengers 22 and maybe Wolverine 10 but I think I will just hold off on those as I’m not liking the idea of having to try to resell comics if Kitty or Magik don’t show up them. Same for Guardians of the Galaxy 17. Plus, Hasitngs doesn’t know I’m not continuing with them, so they will be pulling my copies for these titles for me still, so I might as well take advantage of that.
$28 will make my wife pretty happy. That, of course, is before the shipping prices and all of that but still, under $30!
. . .
UPDATE May 7, 2014 –
Right now my total is $21.11 at DCBS before shipping –
100th Anniversary Special 1 (with the wedding of Cyclops and Emma – so I figure it will be a whose who event)
All New Doop 4
All New Ultimates 5
All New X-Men 29 & 30
Iron Man Special 1
Legendary Star Lord 1
Uncanny X-Men 23 & 24
ooof, this day finally came – $42.09 with weekly shipping which is over my $40 budget by two dollars if the bags and boards were that price I would just eliminate them but I guess I now know how many comics I can get and keep it under $40 – 7 is the perfect number. Lousy double shipping!
Let’s try twice a month shipping – $36.09 – that’s more reasonable and I can still stay current … enough. Okay, that works for me and I’m going to have it sent to the PO Box and see how that goes.
So July 2014, my total is $36.09 through Discount Comic Book Service.
Hastings is going to keep me on some titles like Guardians of the Galaxy, Uncanny Avengers and Wolverine so I figure I’ll just save me having to resell those later and just let Hastings store them for me.
Thanks to YouTuber Kids’ WB for hosting this video!
Since we are celebrating Captain America month here at S&FwM, what better episode than his appearance on the wonderful cartoon that is X-Men Evolution.
Unfortunately, Kitty only shows up for the opening credits but we get a fun Rogue and Nightcrawler with Wolverine episode.
There is still one episode I would like to post for Super Hero Squad, but I can’t find a video for it on YouTube so one day. It is the episode titled, “Night in the Sanctorum!” it has a picture of Kitty and Lockheed (amongst others). Captain America is in the episode as well. The only videos I can find are broken up over three parts and That isn’t ideal at nine minutes each. One of these days, hopefully, someone can post the full video.
Back to the episode at hand.
I really like seeing Rogue and Kurt together, we don’t get it as much in the comics. One of the nicer aspects of Evolution was that they were able to delve into their relationship.
I like how Wolverine and Captain America were WWII allies. They saved Magneto as a boy.
Magneto, in the present, finds the same technology that made Captain America the super solider and wants to use it on himself to become younger.
Episode ends on a bit of a sad note, apparently Cap never made it out of the war, he’s been in suspended animation ever since. At least SHIELD is keeping him safe. They are keeping him like a piece of furniture, tucked away in a room but at least no one can harm him there.
We get to see Nick Fury too, which is fun as well. One of the few episodes of Evolution that spotlights a non-mutant character.
Still waiting for X-Men Evolution Season Four to be released, no signs of it coming, so that’s disappointing.
I would also like to have Seasons One and Two released as a simple single box set, that would be nice. If they were willing to just release a Complete Series set, I wouldn’t mind selling my old ones for the new set. It couldn’t be more than $50.00 though, but I imagine they would go crazy with a hundred dollar price tag. Though if they can release a Complete Series, they should be able to make a separate fourth season set.
I can see them not wanting to do that, as it is a guarantee sell of Complete sets then. I just don’t like how I have nine DVDs on the shelf for the series, as it doesn’t look great.
The 90s X-Men Cartoon has a Captain America episode as well. That title is, Old Soldiers. I was going to post the video but there isn’t a good one on YouTube either. You can buy it on YouTube (not sure how that works) through MarvelOnDemand but who wants to do that?
Len Wein wrote that episode, the co-creator of Wolverine!
I’m also waiting for a Red Dawn video from the 90s as that is Illyana’s only appearance on the 90s cartoon – or in animation. Actually, she apparently shows up for a second in the episode, Time Fugitives. Which I don’t remember so I will have to look into that. Red Dawn is her only speaking episode.
She is also mentioned in an episode of Evolution, explaining why Colossus is working for Magneto.
. . .
Thanks everybody for all the support! I would never have envision doing 300 straight posts much less being able to actually pull off Event Months!
I can now announce the next Event Month! Which, really, shouldn’t surprise anyone what it is going to be.
May 2014 is going to be … DAYS OF FUTURE PAST!!! Just in time for the movie!
Sam Humphries (A) Paco Medina (CA) Steve McNiven
Shadow and Flame with Magik 