Ultimate Spider-Man 200

Posted by John Klein III on January 28, 2017
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Ultimate Spider-Man 200

Writer Brian Michael Bendis

Art Dave Marquez

Art (Kitty Pryde Sequence) David LaFuente

Art (Miles Morales Sequence) Sara Pichelli

Art (Gwen Stacy Sequence) Mark Brooks

Art (MJ and May Parker Sequence) Mark Bagley & Andrew Hennessy

Colors Justin Ponsor

Lettering VC’s Cory Petit

So I bought this issue with my Christmas giftcard to Mile High Comics.  I went with the Peter cover as he is my Ultimate Spider-Man.  If Kitty’s face was on the Miles’ cover, I would have gone with that one but she isn’t.  I had special ordered this issue from Hastings, but they didn’t get their shipment that week (for two weeks!) so I missed out on the issue originally.  If they were out of the Peter covers, I would have been fine with the Miles one.

Ultimate Spider-Man 200 Shadowcat 0

It is weird that Mary Jane and Gwen are both captioned with being Peter’s ex-girlfriends but Kitty isn’t, right?  What is up with that?

I suppose that it is nice that Kitty Pryde isn’t ‘just’ his ex-girlfriend, she has a proper identity outside of him.  I do like how Kenny is only Kitty’s ex-boyfriend – nice that both genders have people with that label.

Queens, Today.  Miles and his friend, Ganke, are on their way to the Parker home.  Ganke is Miles’ plus one, so he brought a gift.  Apparently, he likes Legos and made Gwen a Lego related gift.

The Home of Peter Parker.  Which is up for sale by Realtor Alison Blaire, who is Dazzler’s real name but I don’t see Ultimate Dazzler as a Realtor.   Plus, she died during Ultimatum.

Mary Jane is walking towards the house, with Liam, some dude who understands that she doesn’t want him to go into the house with her.  He kisses her on the cheek, so there’s that.

In a limo, Jessica Drew and Bombshell is arriving.  Their driver almost hits Liam, which on the page before, Mary Jane tells him to not get hit by a car.  The driver references Galactus, so this issue takes place after Cataclysm.

Liz Allen, Firestar, catches up with Iceman, who is on his way to the Parker home as well.  The Human Torch flies on the opposite side and of course, Iceman’s slide melts and he drops.  Which is super funny!

We see the e-mail that May sent to everybody.  Her e-mail address is – silverhippy@jeemail.com

Miles hugs Aunt May.  Ganke gives Gwen the Lego present and she really likes it, Miles watches on as he is concern how this will go.  Gwen gives Ganke a big ol’ kiss, and goes upstairs to put her present away.  Is that ever revealed, what it was?  Or do they ever kiss again?

The doorbell rings and Aunt May answers it.  She sees a giant catering service, Tony Stark couldn’t attend so he sent truckloads of food.

Ultimate Spider-Man 200 Shadowcat 1

Kitty phases through the door, like only she can!  Kitty hugs Miles for saving her life.  This issue takes place after Cataclysm.  Kitty had punched Galactus to his stupid purple hat wearing face and she was about to get sucked into the N-Zone but Miles saved her from that fate.  Thor had already gone through as Kitty was already shrinking and Galactus needed that extra shove.  Invisible Woman also assisted in saving Shadowcat.

I’m not sure exactly how Kitty’s hair goes from long in that first panel, to short for the rest of the issue.

Is that look from Jessica foreshadowing All New Ultimates 4 reveal?

Johnny and Gwen start talking about the fallout from Kitty saving the world.  Kitty wasn’t that impressed with meeting the President.  I imagine not, having being screwed over with the whole Nation X fiasco.

I still don’t get the whole mutant racism in either Marvel Universe.  Liz puts it best, how she is essentially a female Human Torch (plus the daughter of the Blob) but she is hated and feared and he gets to be the poster child of superhero cool.

Aunt May greets Kitty, who says that she thinks about Peter all of the time.  Poor Kitty, I still don’t get why he downgraded from her to Mary Jane.  Except that Mary Jane survived Clone Saga and Peter took petty on her.

Ultimate Spider-Man 200 Shadowcat A

So the knock on the door Aunt May answered, was Kenny!  Kitty came through the back, so Kitty’s entrance happened at the same time.  Which is a fun art / story choice.

Kitty hasn’t seen Kenny since they ran away with each other and lived in the sewers for a while.  When next we saw Kitty, she told everyone that they broke up as Kenny couldn’t take living on the run.  This all happened during the “Tainted Love” storyline in Spider-Man.  Well, the school trying to harass Kitty and her and Kong leaving together.  Kitty reveals Kenny’s fate in Ultimate Spider-Man 155, when she comes back to publication and Peter’s surprised birthday party.  His last before his death, mere days later.  Kenny and his parents moved to Wisconsin, so no one has seen him since he disappeared.  He looks like he lost some weight.  People give Kenny the reputation that he is Bendis’ avatar in the story, which was cool until he started dating Kitty Pryde – then it became a tad . . . creepy isn’t the right word.

That is a nice hug from the two of them.  I mostly remember Kenny being a real jerk to Peter, when he was closer to Flash, but he told Peter he knew his Spider-secret and they became a tad closer after that.  I’m not sure if Mary Jane is right in that they were close friends.

Kitty wants to talk to Kenny later, but I’m not sure if they ever do.  It is never referenced again and Kenny isn’t seen again.

Ultimate Spider-Man 200 Shadowcat B

I do like Ultimate Jameson, it makes sense that after seeing Spider-Man’s heroism, that he would dedicate his online newspaper, is there a better word for that?, to covering Spider-Man.  Not the menace he originally thought but the hero he really is.  He took Peter’s death rather hard, as he knew Peter.

It makes sense that Jameson wouldn’t want to be inside the Parker home, what would he even do there besides be wall paper?  May could chat with him but after the initial ten minutes, what is the point.  His presence would probably change the atmosphere, with what people can talk about with him around.

Mary Jane and Gwen hugging Kenny is nice, supporting characters should appreciate each other.

Aunt May directs everyone back inside.

Ultimate Spider-Man 200 Shadowcat 2

I like Ganke’s idea of inviting Stark to everything, just for the free gift – that’s a genius right there!

That’s a great panel, representing that super awkward silence.

Mary Jane sets up the concept of the next few pages, with people talking about What If Ultimate Peter Parker Was Still Alive?  Or what would the future be like if he was still alive.

Mary Jane starts the sequence with her dream.

Spider-Man is in his Iron Spider costume slash armor.  Bagley gets to draw Spider-Woman, Giant Man, Human Torch, Thor, Iron Man, Nick Fury, Hulk, Miles Spider-Man, Cloak and Dagger and Thing.

Mary Jane describes how Nick Fury came into her room once, which will have to be intense.  Fury was grooming Peter to be the greatest hero the world has ever known.

Ultimate Spider-Man 200 Shadowcat old costume

Aunt May goes next.  I’m including her vision because of the inclusion of Kitty Pryde’s other costumed identity that she debuted in Ultimate Spider-Man 91 – the beginning of the Deadpool arc.  Man, I really should review some Ultimate Spider-Man issues as I’m sort of loving this memory lane that this issue has me going down.

I’m not sure why Aunt May includes it in her thought.  Or why Bagley did.  I do like that robotic Scarlet Spider, I’m a nut for that design.

I completely get May’s thought that Peter would maybe outgrow this superhero idea of his.  It reminds me of Kevin Smith’s Daredevil run, where he wrote Murdock’s end-game being that once he had a child, he would hang up the red costume.  Which seems like a natural time to stop.  Karen told him that she rather kept trying to save the world, so that their child would have a future to grow up with but I side with Murdock on this one.

May’s idea of how Peter would most likely combine his two loves – Spider-Man and Science, for some Spider-Science!  Then I think about Proper Peter Parker and how he only now has Parker Industries and that is only because Doctor Octopus, being the Superior Spider-Man – in every way – came up with that idea.

Gwen talks about one of Peter’s life goals.  He wanted to, one day, combine his love for fighting crime in a blue and red leotard and his love for the news.  He would want to combine the two, so he could fight crimes that no one knows about, or know about instantly.  Or he would want to expose stories that he heard about in the superhero community.  Sort of like Superman.

Miles’ thinks about how nice it would be if he could have teamed up with Peter, sort of like he did during Spider-Men.

Ultimate Spider-Man 200 Shadowcat splash

How tragic is Kitty’s page?  Done all the better by LaFuente and (I imagine) Ponsor.  Great use of purple.  She would have married Peter, if he wasn’t an idiot.

Her in her Shroud identity and him as Spider-Man, fighting crime.  Spider-Man teaming up with the latest incarnation of the X-Men, would have been fun.  I don’t get why Morbius is there, at all.  She wasn’t in even that storyline, except for a small part, which was Non-Morbius related.  This was Ultimate Spider-Man 95.

I do like adult Peter and Kitty together, also, how sweet and sour those bottom images are, as they are simply them spending quiet time together.

I imagine with Kenny in the room, she doesn’t want to voice any of this.

Iceman finishes the sequences with how he and Peter would have owned the superhero community, becoming super popular.

Ultimate Spider-Man 200 Shadowcat C

More awkward silence.

Gwen, who luckily wears a black headband (classic!) so we can tell her apart from Liz – wants to do some good.  Miles gets the great idea to donate the food, which leads into the conclusion of the issue.

a

Ultimate Spider-Man 200 Shadowcat D

Everyone heads back to the Parker home, so they can say their goodbyes in private.

Garke gets a second kiss, this time on the cheek, from Gwen.  Does this get followed up on?  It must, as Bendis has a proper Spider-Man title to write.

Kitty whispers something into Kenny’s ear and waves good to the rest of the crew.  This, though, does not get followed up on as Fiffe gets to write her in All New Ultimates.  Which I imagine this issue is suppose to come first, as the Ultimates don’t seem to be hanging out with each other in this issue.

People start departing, the heroes first by flying or sliding away.  The normal folk leave last.  The issue’s last panel is that someone is watching on.

The last section of the comic, is all of the Ultimate Spider-Man covers up to this point – which is a fun way to show how they came up with the number 200.  As there isn’t 200 issues of a comic title, Ultimate Spider-Man, so to make it work, some funny math is used.

Ultimate Spider-Man – 133 issues
Ultimate Six – 7 issues
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man Volume One – 15 issues
Ultimate Spider-Man 150 – 160 – 11 issues
Ultimatum : Spider-Man Requiem – 2 issues
Ultimate Comics Spider-Man Volume Two – 28 issues
Cataclysm : Ultimate Comics Spider-Man – 3 issues
Ultimate Spider-Man 200

So yeah, that is 200 issues.

Pretty great issue!  I read that the mysterious figure is Ultimate Spider-Man himself, Peter Parker,  Anyone who has the Oz formula in them, is immortal.  So Norman and his son Harry, and Peter Parker.  But I’m not sure if that is still true.

Amazing Spider-Man 370

Posted by John Klein III on January 27, 2017
Posted in: Uncategorized. Tagged: . Leave a comment

13923_20051129162413_large

Sometimes I look at Amazing Spider-Man 370 and I’m amazed with how I wasn’t turn away with how intimidating it should have been for a new reader.  It is in the middle of a storyline.  The Scorpion and Black Cat are on the cover, not the two biggest names in Spider-Man’s cast of characters.  Though I do like the Black Cat.  This is before the 90s FOX Spider-Man cartoon, so I didn’t really know Scorpion yet.  Promoting the mystery of Peter’s parents.  It is shipping twice that month, so I’m going to have to come back soon to get the next issue.  Right there in a corner, Spider-Man turn 30, so there is 30 years of history with the character.  I think about when Quesada was running Marvel and how he made a point, for a year there, that all covers had to be essentially posters with no hint at what was going on inside the covers, that was a disappointing era, artistically.

The comic is cover dated December 1992, so it probably came out sometime in October of that year.  I have been reading comics, essentially straight, for twenty two years with no real breaks.

Spider-Man One More Day came out in 2007 so I was a hardcore Spider-Man fan for 15 years.

Spider-Men 4

Posted by John Klein III on January 26, 2017
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

Spider-Men 4

Writer Brian Michael Bendis

Artist Sara Pichelli

Colorist Justin Ponsor

Letterer Cory Petit

Cover Dated October 2012

I got this issue for the two Ultimate Shadowcat references.

This is the first crossover between the Proper Marvel Universe and the Ultimate Universe.  Ultimate Mysterio, turns out, was really Mysterio using an avatar.  This issue, is the downtime issue, where a bunch of fan service is done.

Queens, New York.  Peter Parker is taking his mask off in front of Ultimate Aunt May and Gwen Stacy.  He can’t believe how young both of them are.  May slaps him and knocks him to the ground and Gwen starts stomping on him.

Miles is there, and those two know him, so he tries to quickly explain the situation.  He’s from an alternate Earth, meanwhile, Peter is ashamed of his decision to come to Queens.  He had only wanted to see where his counterpart lived.  I don’t get why, of all of the alternate Earths and timelines, this one seems to effect him the most.  Maybe, it is due to how much time he is spending here or how similar it is to his home.  Aunt May faints, so some things never change.

The Triskelion — Headquarters of SHIELD.  The US Sanctioned Task Force.  Fury and Stark are chatting.  Stark is mostly embarrassed, as he doesn’t know how Mysterio broke the barrier between worlds.  Fury tries to be helpful, he agrees that they have to bring Parker back in.  He still feels guilty for not doing enough to save his Peter.

Gwen calls Mary Jane, she wants her to know that an older Peter Parker is here.

Now, we get to the fun part of the issue.  Aunt May wakes up and overhears a conversation as she goes upstairs.  Gwen is explaining to Peter the plot of Ultimate Spider-Man 66 / 67, when Ultimate Spider-Man and Wolverine switched bodies.  I own the second one of those issues, so I’ll review it one of these days.

Peter confirms that Gwen lives with Aunt May, she explains it is because her father is dead and her mother left.  Gwen asks about her counterpart, and Peter evades the questions for the most part.  Gwen wants to know if they dated, which he quietly explains that it is complicated.  She mentions MJ and his ears perk up.

Peter states that his MJ is a model, which blows Gwen’s mind.  She fancies herself much more the model type, as Ultimate Mary Jane is more of a bookworm sort.  Gwen really wants to know where she is on Peter’s world.  I get him not wanting to tell her that his Gwen cheated on him with his best friend’s father, who is also his second greatest enemy.  Then she made out with Peter, went to Europe for four months, gave birth to full formed twins and came back, made out with Peter again and then his best friend’s father throws her off a bridge.  In a lame attempt to save her, he breaks her neck with a webline.  So yeah, I get that he doesn’t want to ruin the laughs that they are having.

Peter notices Aunt May and asks her how she is doing.

There is an ad for the Honda Civic, so go out and buy one. It has 41 MPG Highway, so that’s pretty good.

Gwen is super excited to try to explain what and where Peter is from,  Peter tells Aunt May that he isn’t stuck here, or that he is, but it is only temporary.  Miles wonders what Peter’s world Miles is up too.  When this series was officially released, I read the first two or three issues and then maybe the fifth one.  Hastings didn’t have any copies of four – so that’s why I had to buy this as a back issue.  But the fifth issue ends with Peter, on his world, doing a Google search for “Miles Morales” and that is how the series ends.  With his eyes going wide and we haven’t had any teases to it since.  Since Miles may be coming to the Proper Marvel Universe, we may find out what that is.

Peter confirms he has an Aunt May and she raised him along with Uncle Ben.  She wonders if he is alive there, and sadly, he is dead due to Peter’s inaction.  Peter starts his “With Great Power” and she finishes “Comes Great Responsibility.”  This confirms that he is her Peter.

Spider-Men 4 Ultimate Shadowcat mention 1

They hug and that’s a nice moment.  Aunt May appreciates having this opportunity to finally say goodbye to a Peter.  Aunt May tells Peter that she knew he was Spider-Man before he died.  Good thing, as he died on her front yard, that would have been awkward otherwise.  Once he died, the world learned that Peter Parker was Spider-Man and he died a hero.  Gwen mentions, Osborn, and Peter goes cold.  Next, she mentions Kitty Pryde knowing him and that intrigues him, as it should.

Spider-Men 4 Ultimate Shadowcat mention 2

Gwen tells him that his Ultimate version dated Kitty Pryde, of the X-Men.  One would think think that he would go straight back to his world and date his version of Shadowcat.  That is the right thing to do.  Bendis could have done two more issues of just him telling them about his world and them doing the same with their world.

I like Gwen being shocked that Mary Jane is a supermodel as she fancies herself the better looking one.

Miles notices the SHIELD limousine.

Fury enters the Parker home, and Peter knows he has to go and hugs Aunt May.  He also hugs Gwen, which must keep him awake at night.

Once outside, Fury tells Miles to go home.  Peter rather Miles sticks near him and Fury concedes.  Before Peter gets in the van, he sees Mary Jane.  Why he feels so comfortable walking about in full costume but with his mask off, who is he, Tobey Maguire?

Peter takes a step towards her and she darts off.  Once in the van, Miles wonders if Peter has a Nick Fury.  Peter says his is white and Fury is sorry to hear that.  Which is pretty funny.

Aunt May is proud of how she raised Peter and Gwen tells her that she is going to write a book.   The van that the boys are in, flies off.

Peter meets Ultimate Tony and Tony quickly learns that he has an equal in the room.  He tells Tony that his Stark quit drinking a while ago.  Fury like the idea of a sober Stark.  I like Peter telling Tony that Stark hired him, for a time.

Miles recognizes where Mysterio was broadcasting from.  Tony is all types of confused by how a guy like Mysterio figured all of this out.  I do like the idea of a Mysterio taking to YouTube and making his own videos, that makes sense.

I guess they are still seeking Ultimate Mysterio and Fury sends everybody to the location.  The issue ends with who everybody is – Spider-Men, Thor and iron Man.  So I guess only Thor was the only new addition.

Paul Smith – The Creator

Posted by John Klein III on January 25, 2017
Posted in: Paul Smith. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

http://marvel.wikia.com/Category:Paul_Smith/Creator

Look at all of the characters Paul Smith co-created!  I’m not counting alternate versions of characters.  Just Proper Marvel Universe characters.

These are also only the Marvel characters, not even counting the characters from Leave It To Chance or any of his DC work.

 

Madelyn Pryor

Those Who Sit Above in Shadow

Lockheed!

Callisto

The Morlocks

Leeech

Plague

Masque

Iron Lantern (from the Amalgam Universe) and of course, Mandarinestro

Mark Hallett

Healer

Philip Summers

Deborah Summers

Daryl Kane

Andy the Angel

Seera

Zharkah

Beastmaster (Boyd Wilson)

Sam Ross

Paul Domenic

Palik

Agrom

Chosen

Pathfinder (Nick Rodriquez)

Lev

Beginagains

Rask

Vlon

Dykon

Carla Ballinger

The Berzerkers

Nikoh

Swen

Ryest

Xunanguero

Boomer (Reject)

Ceci Ryder

Jak

Earth-Mover (Jeanne Chretien)

Largh

Gopher (Morton Erg)

Slasher (Skid Row)

Wilghe

 

Power Pack 20

Posted by John Klein III on January 24, 2017
Posted in: Review, Websites. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

Power Pack 20

Writer Louise Simonson

Artist Bob McLeod

Letterer Joe Rosen

Colorist Glynis Oliver

Cover Dated March 1986

My copy was bought for Christmas in Good condition through Mile High Comics, it feels like it has serious water damage to it.

Issue opens with Limbo monsters coming out of a pet shop.  There is an editorial note stating this issue occurs prior to New Mutants 37.  Which, to me, meant this was an Inferno tie-in but it really is a Secret Wars II tie-in.  Look at Power Pack, being so cute, trying to tie-in to Secret Wars II.

Power Pack 20 Magik mention 1

The demons, I had forgotten what they were, are heading towards a museum.  The demons are hoping to open a portal back to Limbo.  They know that Illyana has been taken off the board, as Secret Wars II issue eight has happened and then New Mutants 37.

http://cmro.travis-starnes.com/story-arc-list.php?arc=74

Though this issue is not included on that website, so I’m not sure how accurate it can be.

Power Pack 20 Magik mention 2

The demons steal a mummy and now they need a baby to sacrifice.  Magik and the Beyonder have forced these demons to be stuck on Earth.  Crazy how much this is connected to Inferno but that is still three years from now.

Downtown, several hours later.  Jack, who I can’t remember his name without looking it up – everyone else, I know but Jack eludes me – informs us that Christmas is tomorrow.  Mrs. Powers is in the hospital, which am I wrong, isn’t she in the hospital, like all of the time?  I feel like she is when they had the Thanksgiving issue (19) and their grandmother was in the hospital during Thor and the Warriors Four miniseries.  Maybe that’s hwy I think it happens so regularly.

Since their mother is in the hospital, and with the bills, Christmas isn’t going to be plentiful as it typically is.  Kurse, a Power Pack villain – maybe their main one – put her in the hospital.

Power Pack flies up to her hospital room window and overhear the doctor tell their father that their mother isn’t recovering fast enough.  The doctor can’t explain why it isn’t happening, it is like she doesn’t want to fight that hard.  She has an infection and if it breaks by midnight, she might just make it.  The children are in tears, as they can’t believe that they have these powers and can’t do anything to save their mother.

New York City, being the small town that it is, three windows down – the Limbo babies are escaping with a baby.  A nurse shouts from the floor above what happened, so that explains that their mother and the maternity ward are not on the same floor – as that would be confusing.

They actually took several babies, so Power Pack gives chase.  Katie takes one of the babies back, these poor babies!  It does not appear that the demons are supporting their necks.

Power Pack engages the demons in a fight and try to keep the babies safe.  One of the demons notices Katie and tells the others to drop the babies and they plan on getting Katie.

Power Pack 20 Shadowcat mention 1

That page long panel on the right, how intense is that!  The baies are save, and I am super relieved.  Though I can’t believe their plan is to just ditch them somewhere so that the police can find them.  I know they have to protect their secret identities (as if their parents ever found out, they would be driven insane – for some reason.  Conflict, I suppose) but let’s at least hand the babies, gently, to the police officers.

Katie is going through a pouch that one of the demons dropped off, She searches into it and locates Kitty Pryde’s Salem Center Public Library card.  They stole her card in New Mutants 36, I really need to reread these issues.

Power Pack 20 Shadowcat mention 2

Power Pack does stick around until the police arrived.  Alex worries that Shadowcat may have been sacrificed.  Julie is sure that hasn’t happened (it hasn’t) but they should call the X-Men to make sure.

Later, in front of the Hospital.  The Power children are coming up with their cover story.  Julie and Jack are going to call their father.  Alex and Katie are going to call the X-Mansion, well he calls, Katie starts wandering away, to the delight of the Limbo demons.

Dani answers the phone and tells Alex that Kitty isn’t there.  Kitty isn’t in any danger, as Dani says she can call back later.

Power Pack 20 Shadowcat mention 3

Dani explains that Kitty is okay but all things Limbo are New Mutants responsibility.

Why Wolfbane is playing tug-o-war with Sam, is beyond me.  She isn’t a dumb animal when she is in her wolf form.

Dani agrees to bring the New Mutants to St. Vincent’s Hospital.

That panel of the demons taking Katie, super creepy!  Poor Alex notices his younger sister is missing, far too late.

Across town.  Jarvis and Franklin Powers are doing some last minute Christmas ingredient shopping.  Franklin gets a vision of a mall Santa being hit by a taxi and shouts at the mall Santa, saving him.

Upstate New York.  Dani has updated Cannonball and Wolfsbane, they are the team tonight, as the others are doing some last minute Christmas shopping.  Dani summons her horse, Brightwind, and that’s how the three of them are going to the city.  Cannonball isn’t impress and will fly on his own terms.  Dani got Brightwind when they visited Asgard in X-Men Annual 9, when she became a Valkyrie.

Soon.  Cannonball loses the bet that he will get there before the ladies.  Power Pack is slightly disappointed, as they were hoping for the X-Men, not the junior team.  Alex is dealing with all types of guilt, first, it is his fault his mother got injured and now Katie is missing – on his watch.  Dani’s ears perk up at the news of their mother’s illness.  She checks in on their mother and confirms that Death is coming from her – Dani Moonstar, a bastion of hope!  Cannonball, like a jerk, tells Dani that she should fight Death off.  Which is great, put four childrens’ hopes as high as possible.

Dani is upset at Sam, and rightfully so.  As a Valkyrie, she is suppose to collect the dead and not drive off Death.  Dani looks up and sees a dark angel.  This wakes her up, if Manhattan gets pulled into Limbo, millions will die – which sadly, is more important than one woman’s life.  Somehow, in the very next panel, she changes her mind and will stay behind at the hospital.  Everyone else will head towards the demons.  Wolfbane turns into her wolf form and Jack calls her a werewolf – she doesn’t fight him on the label.

Wolfsbane starts tracking the demons scent.  Dani attempts to thwart the dark angel and turns Dani into a skeleton.

Power Pack 20 Magik mention 3

Dani resists the attack and pushes her advantage.

Downtown.  Magik’s other name is, Darkchild, so they call Katie, lightchild – They are not the most clever sort of people.  The demons are drinking to their soon-to-be victory.

The demons begin the process of opening the portal to Limbo.  The teams start trying to get to the stop of the skyscraper.  The process results in a massive power outage.  There are about fifty demons.

The demons start fighting the children.  As the island starts phasing into Limbo, there are all types of explosions as gas mains are erupting.  Alex notices that the area around the hospital has gone dark.

Dani keeps fighting the dark angel from getting to close to the hospital.

Mrs. Power’s spirit does start being drawn to the dark angel.  As Manhattan gets more into Limbo (how crazy that they are this successful) the demons are getting stronger.

Cannonball crashes through the wall that is keeping Katie prisoner.   Katie is bursting with raw energy.

Dani fights off the dark angel, as the combined teams have succeeded.

Katie has become solid again and falls from the skyscraper, luckily, Julie catches her.  Katie isn’t breathing but as Sam is thinking of what to do, she comes around.

The teams get back to the hospital, where Dani and one of the horse people who gave the Power children their powers is there.  They overhear that their mother is going to be okay.

Power Pack 20 Magik mention 4

The two teams hug it out, as tonight has been a good night.  Pretty nice comic.

Ultimate X-Men Volume 5 – Ultimate War DVD

Posted by John Klein III on January 23, 2017
Posted in: Film, Review. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

Ultimate War DVD

Writer Mark Millar

Artist Chris Bachalo

I really like seeing Bachalo’s art in quasi-motion.  We get all four issues of the miniseries here.  As well as X-Men 1 (the comic that started it all way back in 1963!) and Giant Size X-Men 1 that gave the X-Men a new lease on life.

The worst part of this is Ken O’Brien as the voice of Iceman.  Not as bad here as he isn’t a main part of it but X-Men 1, ooof, that is hard to listen too.

I’ll go into the individual issues once I review the actual comics but as a DVD, this is a good story.  The story is that Magneto has escaped and this is worst as the world thought he was dead but instead, Xavier just tricked everybody with his disgusting mind powers in believing that so the world’s guard was down.  SHIELD has the Ultimates go after the X-Men as they are as bad as Magneto’s crew.

I don’t own issue one as Kitty doesn’t appear in it so the entire first part was a surprised.  I had read it in the trade version (as that’s how I was reading Ultimate X-Men for the first ten or so trades until I started buying back issues) but that was a while ago.

This DVD only cost me $1.99 but most times, if you try to search for it, people want like $50 to $100 for this item.  Who would pay more than ten dollars for this, is beyond me.

I wish there was more to this collection but the run stops here, the first five trades were converted to motion comic.

I’m not sure why they went with solely Ultimate X-Men and not bothered with Ultimate Spider-Man as I would have bought those as they were being released.

This DVD came out in October 12, 2004 – so the first one would have been out to tie in with the X2 at the time. Though Spider-Man 2 was around that same time but who knows why they went one direction and not the other.

Official Index to the Marvel Universe 5

Posted by John Klein III on January 22, 2017
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Official Index to the Marvel Universe 5

Head Writers / Coordinators Stuart Vandal & Al Sjoerdsma

Writers Chris Buchner, Robert J. Sodaro, Michael Hoskin, Daron Jensen, Ronald Byrd, Eric J. Moreels, Jacob Rougemont & Jeph York

Cover Dated 2009

This issue covers Spider-Man, Iron Man and X-Men.

Amazing Spider-Man issues 198 (November 1979) through 244 (September 1983) with Annuals thrown in

Iron Man issues 117 (December 1978) through 169 (April 1983)

X-Men issues Annual 8 (1984), Uncanny 193 (May 1985) through 229 (May 1988) plus Heroes for Hope starring the X-Men 1 and Annuals 10 & 11

Uncanny X-Men 227 will be the last Uncanny appearance by Kitty, Lockheed and Kurt for quite some time.  Kitty doesn’t rejoin the team, per Index issues, until issue nine of this Index.

Covers – All New X-Men 1, 2 and 27

Posted by John Klein III on January 21, 2017
Posted in: Covers. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

All New X-Men 1 back All New X-Men 1 All New X-Men 2 All New X-Men 21

A little Present, Past, Present and Future

All covers by Stuart Immonen

Official Index to the Marvel Universe 3

Posted by John Klein III on January 20, 2017
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Official Index to the Marvel Universe 3

Head Writers / Coordinators Stuart Vandal & Al Sjoerdsma

Writers Chris Buchner, Ronald Byrd, Michael Hoskin, Daron Jensen, Eric J. Moreels, Robert J. Sodaro & Jeph York

Cover Dated 2009

This issue covers Spider-Man, Iron Man and X-Men.

Amazing Spider-Man issues 103 (December 1971) through 146 (July 1975) with various Giant Size issues and Annuals thrown in.

Each issue contains – Issue Number, Release month and year, Title, Page Length, Credits, Feature Character, Supporting Characters, Villains, Other Characters, Locations / Items, Synopsis and Note.  The characters have Last Seen and Next Seen in their descriptions, which is pretty handy.

Iron Man issues 15 (July 1969) through 65 (December 1973)

Now the reason why I bought this issue :

X-Men 109 (February 1978) through Uncanny X-Men 150 (October 1981)

Here is Issue 129 –

Kitty Pryde First Appearance

X-Men 129 (January 1980)

“God Spares The Child . . .” (17 Pages)

CREDITS : Chris Claremont (writer, co-plot), John Byrne (pencils, co-plot), Terry Austin (inks), Tom Orzechowski (letters), Bob Sharen (colors), Roger Stern (editor)

Feature Characters : Cyclops, Wolverine, Colossus (prev 3 chr next in SSo #7, ’93 fb), Nightcrawler, Storm (also in CX #20/2, ’88), Banshee (leaves X-Men,next in CX #36/2, ’89 then in X # 133, ’80), Phoenix, Professor X (chr next in SSol #7, ’93 fb) (prev 2 rejoin X-Men)

Guest Stars : Havok, Polaris (both next in UXM #145, ’81), Multiple Man (next bts in CoC #1, ’82), Katherine “Kitty” Pryde (mutant phaser, 1st, also in CX #35/2, ’89), Dazzler (Alison Blaire, bts, chr last in Daz #1, ’81 fb)

Supporting Character : Moira MacTaggert (next in CX #36/2, ’89)

Villains : Hellfire Club Inner Circle : Black King (Sebastian Shaw, mutant kinetic energy absorber, 1st but last in MSH #11/3, ’92), White Queen (Emma Frost, mutant telepath, 1st but chr last in XMU #6, ’05 fb), White Bishop (Donald Pierce, cyborg, unidentified), Black Bishop (Harry Leland, mutant mass enhancer, unidentified, next in X #132, ’80) (prev 2 1st in shadows but last in MSH #11/3, ’92); Mastermind (also in CX #34/2, ’89), various Hellfire Club mercenaries (Cutler indentified, 1st, 3 die)

Other Characters : Carmen & Theresa “Terri” Pryde (Kitty’s parents, 1st, but Carmen chr last in Ex #14, ’05 fb; both next in X #131, ’80), unidentified Hellfire Club waitress.

Locations / Items : Muir Island Research Centre, X-Mansion inc Danger Room & Cerebro, Hellfire Club’s New York headquarters; Pryde home, Deerfield, Chicago, Illnois; Malt Shoppe, Deerfield; Frost Enterprises complex, Chicago (bts) (prev 4 1st); X-Men’s Blackbird, Hellfire Club corporate jet & hovercraft (prev 2 1st), Mindtrip Mechanism (bts)

Synopsis : The X-Men fly back to the States, leaving Banshee behind on Muir Island.  Also crossing the Atlantic in a corporate jet, Jason Wyngarde projects another 18th century timeslip illusion into Phoenix’s mind, of her sailing with him as her husband to the Americas.  She is awakened from the illusion by Scott, who tells her that he loves her.  Arriving at the Mansion, the X-Men find Prof. X has returned from space, but he and Scott soon disagree over team training.  Cerebro detects two new mutants, an Xavier splits the team to contact them, unaware they are being observed by Wyngarde and his allies, the Hellfire Club.  The Club’s White Queen, Emma Frost, approaches the parents of the Chicago mutant, teenager Kitty Pryde, to convince them to enlist the girl in he Massachusetts Academy, shortly before Xavier arrives with Peter, Ororo and Wolverine.  The latter three take Kitty to a Malt Shoppe while Xavier talks to Kitty’s parents, but they are attacked and captured by Frost and her agents; Kitty escapes thanks to her newly discovered power to phase through solid matter.  As the White Queen leaves with her prisoners, Kitty sneaks on board her ship.

Note : Kitty Pryde is stated to be 13 1/2 this issue.  Sebastian Shaw is revealed to be Warhawk’s “master” from X #110, ’78 this issue & his 1st name is revealed next issue.  Pierce & Leland’s names are revealed in X #132, ’80 & their titles as wella s Shaw’s are revealed in OHMU #5, ’83.  Xavier’s memories in Ex #14, ’05 reveal Carmen Pryde served in the army alongside both Wolverine and Xavier; Wolverine’s lack of recognition for Carmen is due to amnesia, while Carmen’s failure to recognize either man is presumably due to Xavier’s interfering with Carmen’s memories back during their service together.  Xavier presumably recognizes Carmen here, but simply pretends not to.

Here is what the abbreviations stand for :

SSol – Super Soldiers
CX – Classic X-Men
X -X-Men
UXM – Uncanny X-Men
CoC – Contest of Champions
Daz – Dazzler
MSH -Marvel Super-Heroes
XMU – X-Men Unlimited
Ex – Excalibur
OHMU –  Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe

I had to look it up, Super Soldiers was an eight issue limited series in 1993.  It was a Marvel UK title.

Marvel Minimates Series 13 : Beast and Kitty Pryde

Posted by John Klein III on January 19, 2017
Posted in: Toy. Tagged: . Leave a comment

It dons on me that I mostly write about things I want instead of what I own.  Probably because there is a slight sense of bragging about it but if you would forgive this, I’m going to start writing about things that I own.  Try to balance things

Marvel Minimates Kitty Beast

Of this set, I only own the Kitty Pryde toy.

Marvel Minimates Kitty Phase

Her hair falls off way to easily!