Shadow and Flame with Magik

Writer Christopher Yost

Art Marcus To

Color Art David Curiel

Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna

Cover Dated April 2014

I don’t have a faithful history with the New Warriors.  I only read the issues of the first volume that featured the Scarlet Spider.  I do like the team, in concept, as I like Firestar, Justice and Nova.  Speedball too, now that I think of it.  The Big Four!  I read all eleven issues of volume two, that was going to be my era of New Warriors but it didn’t last long.  Volume Three was what set up Civil War.  I didn’t even realize there was a fourth volume before this one.

Thanks to Marvel Database for having that easy reference –

http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/New_Warriors_Comic_Books

I bought this issue, as it is the last appearance of my favorite ROM villain of all time!  Which might not be saying much but after writing my review of ROM Annual 3, I needed only five more issues to own all of the appearance Hybrid made.  Hastings only had this one but at least they had one of them, I put in a request for the other issues but they haven’t arrived yet – or ever will, I imagine.

Issue opens with a bleeding Bova, so I’m already suspicious as I sort of have a soft spot for that lovely talking cow lady.  She’s all heart and she’s definitely the best of High Evolutionary’s crew.  Though it does look like High Evolutionary is the one attempting to murder her – and apparently, has killed some of the other New Men.

Justice and Speedball are the first two New Warriors that we see.  I would say that those two are musts so that the team can be called, The New Warriors.  Though I believe Speedball has been the only veteran a few times, in the past.

New Salem, Colorado.  The two are fighting Salem’s Seven, a villain group I’m not that familiar with.  The two groups are fighting only because Speedball mistook Brutacus for a villain.

Mazatlan, Mexico.  Keeping the one time tradition of having a Scarlet Spider on the team, Kaine – the new Scarlet Spider, is going to join this team.  Kaine also went with the blonde look to separate himself from Peter.  Kaine, who will always be “Kaine” to me.  He has a gal pal, Aracely, who I only really know from those two Scarlet Spider issues I read, issue 17 of his own series.  I would have bought 18 but Hastings didn’t get that issue in.

The two are away from Houston, for supplies and food.  There is a mugging occurring that Kaine doesn’t want to stop as it isn’t his problem.

Like a good Spider person, the Scarlet Spider arrives to stop the mugging.  Aracely is going by, Hummingbird, who didn’t get much play in that one comic.  She’s on the cover, above the Scarlet Spider.

That costume is a major step up from his original 90s costume but it still doesn’t come close to the original Scarlet Spider, Ben Reilly’s costume.  I’m a huge sucker for that red unitard and blue sweatshirt costume.  If I were to cosplay, I would totally go as the Scarlet Spider.  The costume seems easy to make and I love it, so I just need the excuse.

This must be early in Kaine’s superhero career as Hummingbird appears to be pushing him along the heroic path.  If I recall correctly, he was more of a bounty hunter / gun for hire type of fella.

Kaine needs to work on his bedside manner as he starts yelling at the would be victims for putting themselves in that position.

There is a two page splash for Uncanny X-Men 19 by Bendis / Bachalo, Uncanny Avengers 18 by Remender / Acuna and Avengers 16 by Hickman / Morales.  These came out in March 2014, the biggest creators and the best characters.

New York City.  Sun Girl, a new character from what I can tell.

http://comicbookdb.com/character_chron.php?ID=71623

This was during the great Superior Spider-Man era and she first showed up as a recurring character in SpOck’s Team-Up title.  Then she dd these 12 issues and haven’t been seen since All New Invaders 13, that came out the month after the 12th issue of this series.  So just a year of not being seen, but that could be the last for a while, since Secret Wars 2015 happen.

Sun Girl is chasing down a criminal.  This reminds me that the second volume of New Warriors had a couple of new faces in it as well.  I also like how, with the first volume, it was under the Spider-Umbrella at one point and this team already has three characters from the Spider-Office in it now.

New Salem.  Justice and Speedball are hanging out with Vertigo and Brautacus.  Justice and Vertigo go for a walk as the other two play video games.  New Salem has become a haven for people born of magic.  Justice is down as he is trying to reclaim the New Warriors title, as people still associate the name with the Stamford incident.  So the team name was lent to Iron Man as Volume Four was an Initiative series.

If Vertigo, the daughter of the devil, can build a new reputation, Justice and the New Warriors should be able too.  Having Speedball on the team, probably doesn’t help matters.

A bright light appears ad three robots are on the scene.  They refer to Justice as a half-breed mutant, so he has to be purged.

Mexico.  Aracely is unhappy with Kaine, as they lay on the beach.  She wants him to use his powers responsibly but he tells her that’s Peter’s nonsense.  They notice the ocean is red, with the bodies of Atlantians.  From Atlantis, comes Faira Sar Namora – she’s looking for heroes  Which reminds me, Namorita is one of the founding members of the New Warriors, I take it this new Namora is her substitute.

New York City.  Sun Girl has made it to the subway and sees those robots attempting to kill the Morlocks.  Poor Morlocks, that’s all writers know how to do with them, to massacre them.  We see Sunder and Marrow, along with a few others.

Albuquerque, New Mexico.  The New Nova, Sam Alexander, is taking on Hybrid.  Nova isn’t doing well, mostly as looking directly at Hybrid, is unsettling.  Hybrid reverts back to his James Marks human persona.

With Nova’s guard down, Hybrid goes for the kill but gets attacked from behind!  Those robots arrive here, claiming Hybrid’s blood is tainted.  He’s half Dire Wraith and Human.

Nova is attacked from behind.

Once Nova is knocked out, High Evolutionary starts talking – which is the way to do it.  First knock out your opponent, then start your monologue.  That way, you get to say your peace and you don’t have to worry about a fight after talking so much.

He has named the robots, the Evolutionaries – for such a smart guy, it isn’t that clever of a name.

The Evolutionaries only say they “got Hybrid” so he could not be dead but he hasn’t been used since.

I’ve checked Marvel Database for the rest of the eleven issues and Hybrid isn’t seen nor mentioned again.