Cover by Kris Anka
I still need to buy the Art Adams variant, but I’m glad that Hastings had at least one of the variants that I wanted.
Thanks to justintimberlakeVEVO for hosting his video.
Like most people, I’m sort of addicted to this song. It is super catchy! I type that as someone who isn’t a huge JT fan, most of his popular songs don’t sound like songs to me. Like Sexy Back, is he even singing on that track?
This song is for DreamWorks’ Trolls, that should be out on November 3rd, I believe. I’m hoping the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Trolls make it to the film.
I’m not sure if that movie is working under the rules of the Lego Film wherein they have the rights to everything Troll but those were the only ones I ever bought. I’m sure I was given some or gotten one for free but I wasn’t ever swept up in it. My sister had a subscription to Troll magazine and had a lot more of them.
The Trolls film I had already decided I wasn’t going to track the film but then this song came out and I had to look the film up.
There is a more star studded music video –
that VEVO channel hosted this video too.
The stars are – the beatufiul Anna Kendrick, the funny late night host Josh Cordan, Gwen Stafani, @Midnight alum and super funny Ron Funches, Big Bang Theory’s Kuanal Nayyar. The two ladies with the puppies, I didn’t know but that’s Icona Pop.
I know I’ve posted this before but –
Saturday Night Live’s (who hosted this video) Dongs All Over the World, features Anna Kendrick and has an appearance by Icona Pop. Such a fun song!
JustinTimberlakeVEVO hosted this video as well.
I wouldn’t mind if they posted the full video of the stars dancing but they smartly released Anna Kendricks and it is awesome! Is there anything she’s not great in? I doubt it as I’ve seen a lot of her films.
. . .
Post 1,075!!!
Writer Brian Michael Bendis
Art Sara Pichelli, Mahmud Asrar, Stuart Immonen, Kris Anka, Chris Bachalo, David Marquez, Frazer Irving
Inks Wade von Grawbadger, Tim Townsend, Mark Irwin
Color Art Marte Gracia, Jason Keith, Chris Bachalo, Frazer Irving
Cover Art Chris Bachalo
Lettering & Production VC’s Joe Caramagna
Six months after it was suppose to come out, we get Bendis’ final issue of Uncanny X-Men! Though I can’t go on, too much, as this came out in November and I’m now reviewing this in February!
Last time in Uncanny X-Men – Cyclops tried to have a mutant revolution and it went nowhere, after one campus visit. Colossus was mad at his younger sister, as she could have undid Juggolosuss, at any time, but let him keep dmaning himself. Also, Teen Jean Grey forced Teen Iceman to admit to being “full gay.”
Jean Grey School. Storm has asked Beast to come to the cafeteria.
Note Kitty’s sweet space outfit, it will chance from time to time, even though it shouldn’t.
Look how sad or determined people look in this room. Doop doesn’t want to be there.
Iceman announces, like an idiot, that he didn’t want to do this. Kitty, regretting ever making out with the guy, gets the show back on track.
Beast picks up, immediately, that this is an intervention. Which I like how the X-Men finally got around to pointing out to Beast, how off the tracks, he has been. If only Beast had drank, smoked or whatever he means by dating (do people get interventions for dating?) those people can rationalize.
Instead, he has decided to break the laws of – physics, space-time continuum and genetics. One is bad, but one has to be triple threat, to be this ridiculous.
I wish I could tell who did these pages. I can’t distinguish Pichelli or Marquez’s art, for whatever reason. There are seven artists (minus inkers and colorists) but I can tell who the five artists are. Does anyone know which pages were which? I imagine I’m just not telling when they switched, during the intervention.
Beast, only a minute into this, has decided that this is really . . . a trial!
20 Minutes Ago. These pages, are done by Kris Anka.
Colossus, in classic Claremont fashion, destroys a tree! Kitty teases him about it, so that’s pretty great. Also, Kitty is in her classic X-Men outfit.
What does Colossus have on his butt!?!
These two do talk, like they have known each other for years. Like they have gone through some shit together – which they totally have.
Colossus turns the conversation to Kitty’s engagement. She’s surprised the news has made it back to Earth. Which I imagine, it would has Teen Angel came back with a brand new look. Kitty’s engagement would have to be mentioned, as one of the three highlights of Black Vortex.
Kitty hints that Illyana is here to talk to her brother, so he calls her out.
I like how awkward the Rasputin siblings are, it has been too long since they have talked. Illyana, showing some real vulnerability, admits that she has been training with Doctor Strange.
The faces that Colossus and Kitty make, what is that look? Surprised, mixed with disgust? They look, clearly taken back by the revelation.
It is astonishing that Xavier didn’t try to hook Illyana with Doctor Strange or Agatha Harkness, or anyone who is magically inclined. I guess, as there isn’t that many mutants who also use magic, he didn’t know who to reach out too. It isn’t like Amanda Sefton was an expert in the field – at that time. I’m pretty sure Scarlet Witch was still mostly mutant hex powers than sorcery
Colossus tells her to stop.
Bendis really excels with the whole, how people read a comic. As this is a great use of a page flip.
Colossus gives his little snowflake a much deserve hug! Look how happy Magik is!
Kitty announces that Storm is summoning them, and Magik teleports them away. So when did Kitty change outfits? This will happen, one more time.
Illyana joke that Colossus should make a move and stop the wedding, but he’s cool. Is he still dating Domino? I hope he is.
Back at the trial! Storm hints that people have approached Beast about these issues, but he ignores them and keeps on trucking. It was this or have SHIELD arrest him, which I’m sure SHIELD isn’t in the game of arresting Avengers – not with Steve Rogers running the place.
Beast keeps going on about Scott Summers.
Emma steps in, which is smart to have Storm, Emma and Kitty being the ones to do most of the talking. He relates to those three on different levels. Emma likes how this situation should embarrass and shame Beast, maybe the last tactic, will be the one that works.
Beast tries to explain himself. His ideas are so advanced, that he can’t explain himself – which is a bunch of shit. He knew no one would clear his decision to mess up the time stream and bring the Original Five X-Men to the present, so he just goes ahead and does it.
The Icemans (Icemen?) start saying the same thing, at the same time.
Which transitions us to Mahmud Asrar pages. The pages that deal with Teen Bobby talking to his present older self – which Teen Jean, in tow. Iceman makes short work of Cyclops’ new students, they didn’t really get much fighting experience.
Teen Bobby comes out to Iceman (that’s how I’m going to distinguish them). Teen Bobby asks if Iceman is gay too. I do like how Teen Bobby’s motivation to coming out to his older self, is that he doesn’t want to live in the closet, but he realizes how complicated that would make things, for his older self.
Iceman, without missing a beat, tells Jean that this is why no one likes her. Which is completely true! Teen Bobby tries to defend her, saying that people like her too much. Which I imagine is hard to prove. Who would like Teen Jean Grey? She makes poor decision, after poor decision.
Iceman doesn’t understand how his younger self is more put together than he is. Iceman tries to explain he decisions. He was persecuted for being a mutant and an X-Man, he wanted a part of his life that he could just live like a normal person. So he kept himself busy, too busy, to be gay. I guess I can understand that, but it does seem like he went out of his way to get some beards. He dated Opal for like six years! But that does happen.
Irritatingly, Teen Bobby asks Iceman what he is thinking. Instead of giving him a second to answer, Jean goes ahead and reveals what Iceman is thinking – as that worked out so well, before. If he isn’t being selfish to wanting to commit energy into making himself happy, instead of being an X-Man. Which makes sense, as one of the Original Five, he has seen how – once you are an X-Man, that’s pretty much all you are. If you try to do a side project, it will eventually bring you back to the team.
To end on a light note, Teen Bobby asks if Iceman finds Angel cute, which he does. Which is super weird, as the Angel he knows, has gone through the frying pan! I’m sure he hasn’t thought he was cute, since his original Archangel days.
Iceman wants to hug Jean but she doesn’t like how the code makes her front parts. oh Jean, you are the worst. So she gives him a mental hug, which feels nice – apparently. They are summoned to Storm.
Back at the Trial. Storm keeps coming at him. Out of nowhere, he was going to bring up that she married Black Panther, as if that has anything to do with this. Classic deflection! Plus, her decision affected, like no one. Even the people in Wakanda just saw it as an opportunity to have a party and then things were back to normal. Well, besides, Doomwar but that would have happened if Storm wasn’t there.
Beast doesn’t want to be blamed for Future Beast’s issues (from Battle of the Atom and that sequel story), as he also tampered with time and furthering his mutation. He gave himself goat legs, that have only worked for Illyana!
Dazzler, wanting to get involved, points out that Dark Beast tried to kill them, in the X-Men versus SHIELD arc. Which I had forgotten about, already. Probably as that reveal, was essentially “insert any villain” here.
Kitty just wants to be in the conversation, Beast can’t just keep doing whatever.
The New Xavier School. Location Sercret. (Still?) 40 Minutes Ago. (as they have to account for the Icemans segment). These pages are brought to us by Stuart Immonen, Wade von Grawbadger and Marte Gracia. Also, Joe Caramagna, but he does all of the lettering and production, for this extra sized issue.
The All New X-Men, including Cosmic Upgrade Angel and X23 (pre-All New Wolverine) are relaxing on the grass. Which last time they tried this, Bobby tried to comment on how attractive Illyana was and Jean told him how full gay he was and determined how he should categorize himself.
Jean wants a break, from being an X-Man. Cyclops got to have his own adventure, and she wants to see how she should define herself. Which is super ironic. Jean wants to train more, and fight less – which makes sense. Angel agrees, he wouldn’t mind some off time. He just wants to date X23, some more – I bet! Bobby wants some of Angel’s money, which I’m pretty sure NuAngel, has squandered all of that money, as he didn’t know how to spend it. Where is that guy, these days?
Hank walks away, realizing that he broke up the X-Men. Jean confronts him and FINALLY has the conversation they should have had, since Battle of the Atom, when the two kissed! Or, in that event, he didn’t want to run away with her, so she took Scott, instead. Hank is worried, about how much they have changed, in only a few months.
Jean has been reading Hank’s mind, she knows that he has been waiting for this moment and now, she is ready for it. Jean and Hank made out and in full view of Scott, who isn’t happy! Did Scott have a space honey? I thought I read somehow that he did meet a space pirate princess, or some such title.
I’m glad these little segments exist, as this non-trial would be hard to read, otherwise.
Back at the trial. Storm tells Beast that she loves him but he tells her that this isn’t love. Which is classic intervention! From what I imagine. Kitty and Illyana both tell him, that this is love. I like to think that Illyana saying it, is what makes him go quiet.
Beast turns to Young Hank, and asks how he is just standing there. Hank doesn’t like it, the Original Five X-Men were brought here, based on a lie. There was no mutant genocide. Beast tries to say that there would have been, but he stopped it by bringing the Original Five X-Men to the present. Which seems silly.
Beast goes on about Scott Summers, again.
Everyone is so tired of Beast and his breakup with Scott Summers. Beast starts walking away, he is done.
Kitty volunteers to follow Beast but Benjamin gets paged. Cerebro has picked up a unique signature, which seems weird as who it is, shouldn’t be a new detection. Unless it got a new setting or was doing a search for him, but we don’t get any additional information on that front.
This mutant is in Washington DC. Illyana teleports the entire school to the capital.
So Cyclops is in Washington DC! Also there, Kitty, back in her classic X-Men costume. What is she doing!?!
Cyclops makes a point of saying that the X-Men are the last mutants to arrive. He has gathered all of these mutants, to one location. I’m not sure he forced Mystique or Sabretooth, to be there or any of the other villains.
Look how cute Doop is!
Oh, these pages are brought to us by Chris Bachalo, Tim Townsend and Mark Irwin. I imagine Jason Keith, like Caramagna, colors the rest of the issue – outside of Immonen, Bachalo and Irving’s part (which is the last pages).
Cyclops has to explain, that he misused the word – revolution – or that he simply failed at having a unified vision.
Cyclops has clearly lost it, as he states how Washington DC is the heart f everything democratic and good. Maybe democratic, but good? That seems silly.
The real revolution is that all the mutants can be in one location and not be fighting. Just then, Magneto arrives and people are worried that this will spark a race riot. He lands and says how crazy this plan is, but Xavier would have loved it. Which makes Cyclops smile.
The last two pages, are brought to us by Frazer Irving. Tempus talks to Beast, wondering if this is the Trial of Henry McCoy, as she has been foretold about it, three times. I’m not sure what she means with this – because if this was it . . . what do you do with what happened today?” Like, there are too many words or too few words. I’m not sure what she also means “and if this wasn’t it . . . ” I get that she is trying to indicate that things are going to get much worst,
What I’m getting at, is this – the issue ends on not a great note but the rest of it, was pretty good.
There is a nice letter by Bendis. He teases that Goldballs is going to show up in Miles Morales’ Spider-Man title, that I didn’t know, and that Bendis is taking Kitty Pryde, with him, to Guardians of the Galaxy, which I did know about.
For some reason, the Iceman story from Bizarre Adventures 27 is reprinted. There isn’t anything, that I can see, that tells you where that story is originally printed or why it was included, but that’s what that story is.
Bleeding Cool News believes that the story was reprinted due to Iceman commenting on how pretty Angel is. So it is canon, I suppose. Still weird that there wasn’t an introduction page to set up the backup story.
Writer Brian Michael Bendis
Artist David Lafuente
Colorist John Rauch
Letterer VC’s Cory Petit
Cover Dated December 2008
So I remember this issue being promoted as being about Peter and Mary Jane’s teen sex life. So I had to look up the original solicitation.
http://www.newsarama.com/482-marvel-comics-full-october-2008-solicitations.html
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #3
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Penciled by DAVID LAFUENTE
Cover by MARK BROOKS & RICHARD ISANOVE
The relationship between Peter Parker and Mary Jane is one of the most iconic and popular romances in all of comics — and in this very special issue by series writer Brian Michael Bendis (SECRET INVASION), and red-hot artist David Lafuente [HELLCAT], that relationship delves into an area never before seen in any Spider-Man comic! Destined to be one of the most controversial issues of the year!
48 PGS./Rated A …$3.99
Maybe I just read too much into it or there was some interview I read that stated it. Well, skimming it, I didn’t see anything all that controversial.
So the Recap Page does a nice job of summarizing what has been going on, and it is a lot! – symbiotes, mercenaries, clones and Peter cheating on Kitty with Mary Jane and Kitty going to their school. Will Peter and Mary Jane have sex or will they very briefly talk about it?
Last Night. Mary Jane and Peter say they love each other. Mary Jane describes how deadly their lives and become and she poaches the subject that maybe they should do something. At school, they are very awkward with each other. If they are going to do it, they should hurry as Ultimatum is coming and Peter is only slightly going to survive it.
Kitty sees Mary Jane run from Peter. I love how sarcastic Kitty is about those two breaking up. Kitty suspects that Peter did something wrong, as that’s his move. He runs away, upset.
Spider-Man is swinging across the city and he’s thinking about how he’s the jerk in this situation, as he’s the guy. He joins a police chase. We learn that when a costume person joins a situation, the code is 616, so that’s pretty clever. He is able to get the criminal’s car to stop but it explodes, once it does.
Midtown High, Next Day. Mary Jane is in the newsroom with Jessica Jones. Jessica is recapping the heist, she also explains that since Spider-Man clearly goes to this school, any story involving him is a school news story. She also wants to figure out who is Spider-Man.
Lunch Break. Mary Jane sits with Peter, which surprises both him and Kitty & Kong. I believe those two are dating right now too. Peter and Mary Jane seem pretty hostile. She updates him about Jessica Jones coming for him. He wants to talk about the other night. Mary Jane wants to know about the car explosion, instead of talking about the night before.
Peter picks up the story where we last left off. The police are actually talking to him, not trying to arrest him and even trying to get him to help. At the police station, a lady in a Jessica Drew Spider-Woman costume is shouting “embrace change” a fun hint to Secret Invasion, also written by Bendis.
Spider-Man is viewing the bank heist footage. The police have started calling the criminal, Mysterio, who will be a big name in the upcoming volume. Mary Jane is going to solve the mystery of how Mysterio actually robs the place, after he’s done the getaway part.
Greenwich Village, That Night. Maggie, who works for the police department (and showed Spider-Man the video) is also working for Mysterio. He likes the name he’s been given. He wants to lie low now that there is some heat coming his way. Spider-Man crashes through the skylight and sees Ultimate Mysterio. He tires to punch Mysterio in the head but his fists go through it. Maggie tries to run away but her police friends are at the entrance.
Mysterio grabs Spider-Man by the neck, stating that he will be back when he is ready and fades away. With that, the building explodes.
Peter goes to Mary Jane, she was right that it was an inside job. I like Mary Jane asking him if he told the police it was her who figured it out. Like that wouldn’t take more explaining.
They finally get around to talk about “it.” They didn’t and are not going to. Mary Jane loves Peter, and she wants to go all the way, but not right now. She regrets bringing it up. Apparently Flash broke up with Liz over this, as they never had sex. Good for her!
Peter isn’t Flash, he has never brought up sex before. He would love to have sex with her but he’s not pushing it. She worries that he could die any time but he counters that anyone can die any day. He tells her that he wants to marry her and she would totally marry him.
I forget that these two are fifteen, so yeah, they can slow down. They make out, as that’s what they like to do. As the camera pulls back, we see that Mary Jane isn’t wearing pants!
Not a bad issue at all.
I still can’t find an image with the full boarder – which is irritating.
I thought it would be fun to see how I ended up with all of the titles that were Secret Wars 2015 tie-ins.
The missing titles from the image above – and I’m noticing that it doesn’t quite match up with the one I have in front of me now.
So Civil War is missing from the top row.
From the bottom row, to the left of Guardians of Nowhere, House of M was added. From Guardians to E is for Extinction is –
X-Men 92, Armor Wars, 1602, Years of Future Pat, Squadron Sinister, Captain Marvel Corps, Mrs. Deadpool and the Howling Commandos, Giant Size Little Marvel AvX and Spider-Man Renew Your Vows.
So going from the main event, and starting with Master of Kung Fu and going around the border to Ultimate End, I own these issues –
Secret Wars 2015 1
Master of Kung Fu 1 – 4
Secret Wars Journal 1, 4
Star Lord & Kitty Pryde 1 – 3
Deadpool’s Secret Secret Wars 1, 2
Inferno 1 – 5
Old Man Logan 5
A-Force 5
X-Tinction Agenda 2
Giant Size Little Marvel AvX 1 – 4
Years of Future Past 1 – 5
House of M 1, 4
Magneto 21
Ultimate End 1, 3, 4, 5
Not part of the flyer, Secret Wars 2015 Handbook
So of the 47 titles, I bought 13 titles. All in all, 35 issues, which I feel like I didn’t miss out on too much. Except for the event, itself, but I read those issues in the store, so I have a vague memory of it. 36 issues, if we count the handbook. Pretty impressive, of Marvel, that they didn’t really ad too many additional titles, I believe only the Handbook wasn’t originally announced. Unlike Civil War, that had several one shots come out, to fill in the gaps that the delays caused.
. . .
I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has visited this Kitty Pryde blog this year, as we have beaten last year’s numbers and the year is barely half way over. Thanks!
Writer Chris Claremont
Penciler Alan Davis
Inker Paul Neary
Letterer Tom Orzechowski
Colorist Glynis Oliver
Cover Dated 1987
Issue opens with Doug Ramsey, drawn amazingly by Davis and Neary. Doug is listening to a wide range of music, he sets up a new Danger Room session.
Illyana doesn’t hide the fact that she’s bored by how long Doug is taking to get the session started.
This issue takes place after issues 47 – 51, I own all but issue 49 – no Magik so I don’t own it. We know this as Magma and Karma are not part of the training session due to being sick. Dani is sick but as the leader of the team, she had to be present.
Doug starts the training season, Illyana is surprised they are in Central Park whereas Sam is more surprised Doug is having them fight the Avengers. Who are Captain America, Thor, She-Hulk, Monica Captain Marvel, Black Knight and Dr. Druid. I take it, these must be the current Avengers but f you were going to program “The Avengers” you’ll go with the all stars, right?
Sunspot references New Mutants 40 and Avengers v X-Men, in that the Avengers are no friends to the Xavier School.
To even the odds, Doug presses some keys and the Avengers turn into, The Teen Avengers! Davis / Neary are such a great art team, they manage to actually deage the Avengers but also keep them recognizable.
Magik takes on Black Knight but it doesn’t break out into a sword fight like I thought it would. I do like how she simply dodges Captain Marvel.
Sunspot fights She-Hulk, and abuses the Danger Room policy by taking the time to kiss She-Hulk. That’s not using the hardlight constructs correctly!
Captain America defeats Wolfsbane but Cannonball is able to knock him off of his feet. Captain Marvel knocks Sam back though. As Sam continues to fall, Thor catches him.
Captain Marvel is caught off guard by seeing a giant monster in the sky. This was her childhood boogey-man so Dani just took her out.
As Thor is about to land, Cannonball blasts away and throws Thor into Sunspot. Sunspot catches Thor and flings him towards Captain America.
In front of Dani, Sam and Sunspot turn into Thor and Captain America. She was doing a head count and had forgotten an Avenger. She, like me and history, had forgotten about Doctor Druid. Good thing Warlock, who also disappeared, is on set to take out the Sorcerer Unsupreme.
The New Mutants are impress they won over the Avengers but Dani feels like it was too easy. Which it was, once they were turned into teenagers.
An earthquake triggers the Danger Room to go to its default setting. Communication is down, so the team can’t contact Magneto & X-Men, a line of dialogue that is constantly needed to explain why the older class-men are not involved in the high jinks.
They get outside and see –
They see a giant green ship!
Out of the ship comes . . . Impossible Man! This is a sequel to Uncanny X-Men Annual 7.
Dani comes at Impossible Man, as she isn’t up for any nonsense. Illyana starts trying to subtly nudge Dani to calm down. Illyana wants Dani to watch her tone as Impossible Man has untold powers – including the ability to take the mansion out of the ground.
Sam and Sunspot can’t believe that the Scavenger Hunt story was real. Impossible Man enjoys the story and uses his shape-shifting power to retell it. He took Nick Fury’s eyepatch, he took both Black Queen’s and Wasp’s costumes, Iron Man’s original gray armor and Hulk’s purple pants, he took captive Zabu, the Sabertooth Tiger, Doctor Strange’s skylight and the Fantasticar.
He has returned so that he can continue the good times.
The New Mutants walk away, they don’t have time for these games. Impossible Man thinks they are scared and like Marty McFly, Warlock doesn’t like the idea of being called a chicken. Warlock v Impossible Man, is a fun match up, does it need to be a giant sized annual? I’m not so sure but this issue is gong to get pretty big.
Magik has a plan, she can teleport them to wherever the duo goes. From Limbo, she can create a scrying pool to keep an eye on the shape shifters.
Doug doesn’t like that Warlock left, as now he doesn’t have much to offer the team.
Dani agrees with Illyana’s plan, Sam adds that they should use their graduation outfits. Last (and first) seen in Uncanny X-Men Annual 10, so this could be three years since Impossible Man’s last visit.
Art Adams originally drew them but Davis / Neary get a shot to bring them back. I still think Magik’s is probably the best, the others seem to be something Xavier half designed.
At the Hudson River Towers, Hulk (Impossible Man) is fighting Thing (Warlock).
The team tries to calm the civilians. Magik tries to teleport the two to limbo but the floor falls apart out from under her. Before she can fall into the river, Cannonball saves her.
I like do like how Warlock sticks to his yellow and black color scheme whereas Impossible Man is stuck having to stay green and purple. With a giant explosion, the combatants teleport away. Doug recommends they go back to Limbo and relocate them.
The team is now in Sunspot’s home city, Rio de Janiero. I like them pointing out that Warlock and Impossible Man are both aliens, so there is a disconnect there.
Doug is worried that their costumes might start a panic. Sunspot has a solution to that and runs off.
So I can only imagine Sunspot picked out everyone’s swimsuits. Nice of him to give Rahne a shirt, even though she still feels like she is revealing too much. Him giving Dani a one piece and Illyana a bikini, I think, speaks volumes. Doug is worried that someone might notice how tight his swimsuit is. Doesn’t help that Dani and Illyana are flaunting their goods.
Wolfsbane picks up on a scent take takes off.
Dani isn’t happy that all the women in Brazil are attractive. None of the guys try to score easy points by telling her that she is also attractive. Rahne shifts back and everyone catches up to her. She is shocked to see an almost naked man standing and flexing his muscles. Dani also likes what she is seeing.
The two muscle men are actually the two aliens. Impossible Man is in body paint.
Everyone is enjoying the show, maybe too much. Cannonball knocks the two into the water and the water short-circuits Warlock and has Impossible Man’s makeup fade away.
The women of the audience don’t like being tricked by the two guys and start throwing items at them. They disappear again. Illyana teleports the team away.
In London, the duo are having a tennis match. The duo move on and Claremont sneaks in Warlock as Captain Britain and Impy is Captain America. When the boys of the team arrive, Impy turns into Magneto and Warlock takes Xavier’s form. The aliens just want to continue their fun.
The two are continuing their fighting. Impy turns into Viper and Warlock is Spider-Woman.
So naturally, Warlock turns into Spider-Man and Impy becomes the Green Goblin. They’re in Russia now, so the KGB are trying to shut the fight down. Illyana doesn’t live here anymore but she doesn’t want her homeland to be trashed.
Magik teleports Warlock to Limbo and yells at him. Cannonball has a chat with A Thanos inspired Impossible Man.
Warlock comes back, now looking like male Captain Marvel taking on old foe, Thanos. The two keep escalating, Warlock turns into Watcher and Impy is Galactus.
We are treating to Warlock as Red Ronin and Impossible Man is Godzilla. The team finally tells Warlock to stop matching Impossible Man and beat him at something he can’t do. With that, Warlock goes from yellow and black, to multiple colors.
This causes Impossible Man to cry and everyone is back at the mansion. Illyana is tired of all of the crying
Magneto comes home, finally. The students start talking over themselves, trying to hide what they’ve been doing. Impossible Man is in a shape of a chair. The television is on and coverage of the tennis game comes on and Magneto yells at the students.
Back cover ad is for the Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson wedding! Amazing Spider-Man Annual 21, and a special look at their relationship in Marvel Saga 22.
Head Writer / Coordinator / Production Mike O’Sullivan
Overseer Jeff Christiansen
Coordination Assistance Mike Fichera
Writers Madison Carter, Jeff Christiansen, Anthony Cotilletta, Patrick Duke, Mike Fichera, Kevin Garcia, Daron Jensen, Rob London, Chris McCarver, Sean McQuaid, Roger Ott, Markus Raymond, Marc Riemer, Jacob Rougemont and Stuart Vandal
Image Refurbishment / Production Assistance Gally Articola, Anthony Cotilletta, Mike Fichera, Mike O’Sullivan, Roger Ott and Emily Schmidt
Cover Art Mike McKone and Rachelle Rosenberg
Special Thanks Steven Boyd, Shawn “Keebler” Byers, Peter David, Aida Duran, Steve Topper, Jeph York, http://www.g-mart.com and the guys at the Appendix (www.marvunapp.com)
In loving memory of Arthur Jensen (2000-2015)
My heart goes out to Daron Jensen, over the lost of Arthur, as that is simply heart breaking!
I wanted to spotlight a few entries –
Obnoxio the Clown
Nice that the late Alan Kupperberg’s creation gets a spotlight. Kitty isn’t mention in the Old Man Logan spotlight.
Secret Wars II
In my mind, Secret Wars II has a lot to do with the X-Men and the New Mutants but the event was much larger than that. The New Mutants were really affected by the event. Nice that Magik gets name checked in it.
Spider-Man (Morales)
Miles time with the All New Ultimates, which also had Ultimate Shadowcat as a member, gets spotlighted.
“Ultimate Universe” (Reality-1610)
Really surprised that the entire Ultimate Universe can be squeezed down to five pages, especially with the lack of crossovers (at first).
Puff
Glad to see the green dragon from Secret Wars has an official name. I want to say she got the name in Shadow and Flame, but I’ll find out when I reread that series – someday. Also nice is that she doesn’t have any other adventures that I have to track down.
I like how in Zsaji’s spotlight, Colossus cheating on his then girlfriend, isn’t mention. That should be in his spotlight. Zsaji’s entry shall be her heroic sacrifice.
Nice to actually read about Ruby Summers, as I’m not going to seek out those X-Factor issues.
Other spotlights worth checking out –
Age of Ultron
Cabal
Children of the Secret Wars, from the amazing What If 114 issue. Apparently they showed up in another issue, which I wish was revealed in this issue. Apparently Avengers Forever 11 and 12, had an appearance by a few of these kids, I wonder if I picked up on that, when that issue came out.
Egyptia is a region of Secret Wars 2015’s Battleworld, so it is nice to read about the proper version.
Incursions, always good to know more about what Hickman’s Avengers run was leading up to.
Iron Avengers, from Earth X – always nice when Marvel acknowledges that maxiseries.
Maker (Ultimate Reed Richards) had an update, but doesn’t mention Ultimate Kitty Pryde. Not even due to Cataclysm.
Nightcrawler, but the one from Age of Apocalypse, that was a member of Uncanny X-Force.
Shiklah, Deadpool’s wife
Spider-verse, nice to read what that entire crossover event was about, in three pages.
Tyler Stone from Spider-Man 2099, who I read (before) had gotten a complicated twist to his story. Though the entire Stone family is pretty complicated.
Throg, that mentions Pet Avengers, all over the place, but Lockheed isn’t named – not even once. Lockjaw is the only member to get name checked.
Thunderball, of the Wrecking Crew fame, gets two pages.
Volcana, the best aspect of Mocular Man, gets two pages.
Weirdworld, another domain of Battleworld, the original version, gets three pages.
Such a great handbook but I’m a sucker for these.
Story Bill Mantlo
Art WM Johnson
Inks Akin & Garvey
Colors Ben Sean
Letters Phil Felix
Cover Dated 1984
There are sixteen pages before we get to the New Mutants, and from there, this annual gets pretty good. Until then, it is some very deep entrenched ROM plots but I’ll try to get through them so that it doesn’t seem completely odd, once we get to the New Mutants. I type that, as I barely remember this issue.
Issue opens with ROM and a lady Spaceknight (I imagine) as they approach a day care center that has children inside being held captive by Dire Wraiths.
The ESPer Unit of SHIELD is on site to try to help with the Dire Wraith situation. The lady Spaceknight’s name is, Starshine. They all can’t be winners like, ROM! One of the agents states that the terror levels are spiking and Starshine quickly flies into the day care center. Everyone else worries that the children will be endangered but ROM understands that more children will be endangered, if the Dire Wraiths get out of the day care center.
The Dire Wraiths are young and without a leader, so they are directionless. The children’s instructor wakes up and the filthy Dire Wraiths resort to their instincts and murder her – in front of the children! Like the Warwolves, but less less interesting, the Dire Wraiths can absorb the appearance of their victim. Instead of wearing the person’s skin, the Dire Wraith sticks its tongue into the teacher’s forehead and sucks the teacher’s essence and transforms into her as her body turns to skeleton. All of this, again, in front of the teacher’s students – who can’t be older than ten.
One of the other jerk Dire Wraiths is about to do the horrid tongue trick to a small child when Starshine breaks through the wall, with ROM right behind her. The heroes fight the aliens. The children are saved and outside, two Dire Wraiths escape by transforming into Deathwings, like black pterodactyls. The two spaceknights give chase. ROM hesitates to kill the Dire Wraith, as it is only a child. Starshine follows Charlton Heston’s eleventh commandment, “thou shall not hesitate.”
ROM hints that Starshine is really his old friend, Brandy, a character I know I’ve read about in the past but she didn’t much impression besides “lady friend of ROM.”
Apparently, ROM (I had to read this page twice and I wasn’t even to recap it but then I realized it is pretty important for later) fired his gun and kept the chamber open too long – or something. In that fraction of a second, the Limbo ROM sends Dire Wraiths to, something came back!
The being goes down the river until coming across some simple mountain folk. A holy man is baptizing folks when the ooze takes the shape of a young man. They accept the teenager as a gift from God, and we see that the teenager has an evil smirk. He’s going to own these folks.
Now we get to the main point of the issue, the New Mutants arrive! Weeks have passed and Sam is taking his friends to his family home, in Kentucky. Illyana wishes that Storm was here, so she could use her powers to put out the forest fire. This causes Xavier to recap Uncanny X-Men 185, in that Storm lost her powers. Well, more like they were stolen from her by that jerk, Forge, when he was trying to steal Rogue;s powers.
Sunspot and Cannonball aid the firefighters in making a firebreak. They do this, from the shadows and from a distance, so that Kentucky doesn’t feel grateful for having mutants help them – I guess?
Meanwhile, back at the limo. Xavier senses that there is a group of firefighters that need help. He sends Wolfsbane to save them. She finds them and lets out a howl. She’s trapped in the same fire and Xavier wants to send Magik, who has been dreading using her powers.
She has very little control over her stepping discs. She could teleport right to where Wolfsbane is, but maybe a day late or thousands of years early. Being told she is their only hope, so she heads out. Such a nice three panel sequence, where she teleports them to limbo and back to safety.
Illyana, for a moment, gets scared as she didn’t recognize her surroundings. Xavier hugs her as everything went right for her.
Magma is next up, she’s going to put out the fires by creating some hotter fires. As they leave, Rahne notices that a church in the middle of the fire, wasn’t even singed.
Coming out of the church is the Priest and the boy from the river – who now looks like he is in his twenties. The new guy clearly started the fire. ROM and Starshine are nearby, as this is where the Dire Wraith ran to. Following them is the Wraith-Hunter Ranger Command Camp. I wonder what these soldiers are doing these days. In ROM 60, we learn that the Dire Wraiths are gearing up to become a global threat.
One of the ESPers reaches out for Dire Wraith telepathic signals and passes out. This is a stronger connection than the time Doctor Strange helped them, in ROM 54. ROM only had 75 issues, plus annuals, so they are gearing up for the big Total War stroyline, which has actually been going on since issue 52 and ends with 65 with 66 being an Epilogue issue. I guess Mantlo takes nine issues to wrap up everything else.
The ESPer’s last words (before passing out” is “the horror! the horror!” which reminds ROM of another old foe, one he thought was long gone.
The Town of Cumberland, Cameron County, Kentucky. The Gurthries are happy to have their eldest son back home.
Josh, the future Icarus, has been hanging around Illyana and Magma, he’s a bit smitten with them. Illyana finds him cute, in a way. Shame he’s dead now, now that she’s been back for a while.
The local area has had some problems recently, besides with these latest fires. One of the younger sisters, I doubt it is Paige but it could be, thinks it is a miracle that the fire stopped. Robert elbows Illyana, as they were the miracle workers this day.
Mrs. Guthrie references how the new preacher should have a sermon about today’s events. She goes on to talk about the new preacher came out of the river, naked, and not being able to talk and now he quotes scripture like he was always meant to.
ROM and Starshine approach the church. Now that they are finally alone, ROM wants to talk to his love Brandy Clark but name disgusts Starshine. Starshine flies away, as she is upset. ROM is about to go after her, but ROM hears the old preacher repeat “the horror, the horror.”
ROM turns and recognizes the silhouette of an old foe!
We finally get to the villain of the issue, and it is a great one! Probably, my favorite ROM villain – Hybrid! The product of a Dire Wraith and a Human, so he’s a mutant! I really enjoy this villain, he’s a hot mess and so very twisted.
http://comicbookdb.com/character_chron.php?ID=5780
I looked it up, thinking that I owned all but two of his appearances. Of the 13, I’m missing six, so I’m at that part where I own half and the debate rages if I should try to get the other issues. I have to add ROM 62 as Magik appears in that issue, so one day, I’ll be five issues away. So I’m going to see if Hastings has X-Man 31, Avengers Academy 23, 24, 25 and New Warriors (2014) 1 and I’ll own all of his appearances. If Hastings even has three of the issues, I’m going to commit to getting the other issues and add Hybrid to my favorite character list – which, apparently I take very seriously. Hybrid’s appearance in this issue really took me by surprise and I instantly liked this issue even more. Reading this back issues, I have to confess, I feel like I must have skim right through them to get to the next issue. Probably due to me buying back issues by the 20 or 30 (pending on sales) so I was just trying to own them all and read all of them. They feel like a big sense of memory in my head. Thanks to this blog,
Since writing the above, I did go to Hastings (as this post and the next one is going to take forever) and they only had the New Warriors issue so I was able to buy that one. I’ve tried to back order the Avengers Academy three issues and the X-Man issue but I doubt they’ll be able to get them shipped.
Hybrid attacks Starshine, ROM mistakenly shows concern for her so Hybrid now knows that ROM cares for the golden spaceknight.
Meanwhile, Sam and Josh are hunting like how their father use to do.
The old preacher, Joad, has died. The New Mutants and the town comes out to the funeral. As the young preacher arrives, Xavier senses grave evil as the young man arrives. As Illlyana is in-tune to such things, she can also sense the danger. Rahne also senses evil from the young man,
Soon. Sam can’t believe what he is hearing, that Joad was murdered by an evil mutant. Illyana corrects him, not a mutant, something far more sinister. Nearby, Hybrid is able to overhear everything.
Hybrid returns to the church, transforming into his natural form. He gives us a quick recap of his origins, ROM 16 & 17. Hybrid doesn’t waste any time before threatening to turn Starshine into his new bride. This is one of the things that makes him such a twisted villain, he really wants to enslave women and turn them into baby making machines – which is disgusting. He first tried to turn Kitty into his bride in his first appearances (ROM 17 – 19) and then all three – Rogue, Mystique and Destiny – in ROM 31 & 32. He’s a pretty proper character, now that I’m looking at the years of his appearance. Debut in 1981, returned in 1982 and now, two years later in 1984 for this issue. A year later he’ll be back and then disappears for twelve years. Then 15 years later, had a bit of a resurgence and he hasn’t been seen since 2014, two years after his last run.
Hybrid reverses the spells that made Brandy into Starshine and now she is human again. After that, he causes the church to sink into the ground.
The town and the New Mutants are going through the mines to see if they can find the church. Sam doesn’t like being in the same mines that caused his father’s black lung. Magik doesn’t like being surrounded by such darkness, even though she knows it doesn’t compare to Limbo. Hybrid plans on making the ladies of the New Mutants into his brides. He’s the worst. He just happens to be one of those characters that I own so many of his appearances, so I feel like I really get the character, but his character design really sticks with him.
The mine collapses. Sam has a PTSD flashback to something he hasn’t personally experienced. Illyana tells Magma to light up the place as she tries to calm Sam down. Xavier knows that Magma’s flame is going to eat up all of the oxygen in the room. Cannonball blasts his way through the mine, but takes a super nasty fall at the end.
Magma, without missing a beat, tells Sam that she could have made it all the way through, without causing herself any grief. A bright light appears and the team is in front of the church. Is Dani not part of the team? We’re getting references to ROM issues but not New Mutants.
Hybrid brings Xavier to his flippin’ knees with a mental blast. Everyone is super rightfully disgusted by the fact that Hybrid wants to turn Illyana, Magma and Wolfsbane into a breeding ground. Cannonball leads the charge to attack Hybrid.
Hybrid takes the team down. Hybrid gets a good dig into Rahne, who is super religious and he’s an acting preacher, so she feels conflicted.
Magma tries to burn Hybrid but he turns the lava towards Sunspot, which I don’t really mind.
Hybrid is telepathic, so he has an edge against everyone. Look at how gross Hybrid is in the middle panels! He amost kisses Illyana but look at what he was trying to do there, is that his tongue? Illyana luckily teleports away. Hybrid continues his plans to marry Magma and Wolfsbane.
Illyana is in Limbo, to calm down – which must make her sad that that place can calm her. She sees ROM there, so that’s good timing. ROM mentions Kitty, who Illyana says “knew” so what is happening in their title that Kitty may be gone?
Illyana recognizes that this isn’t her Limbo but ROM’s limbo – that’s why there are Dire Wraiths there. Would it have been that hard to have just named ROM’s Limbo something else? Rimbo?
Illyana and ROM teleport back to the church.
Illyana teleports the two into the church, I guess we needed the establishing shot. ROM allows himself to get excited that Brandy has been reverted back to human.
Oh man, how gross is Hybrid kissing Brandy? There’s no coming back from that!
ROM charges at Hybrid, who claims that ROM’s weapons probably won’t affect him. Hybrid also promises to name his first born after ROM.
Magik is tired of being told she’s nothing more than a vagina and brings out her off model soulsword.
Magik runs her soulsword through Hybrid.
Brandy tries to use her spaceknight powers but realizes she is human now. She grabs ROM’s gun and blasts Hybrid until he fades away.
Brandy falls backwards and ROM catches her. She’ll be okay. ROM and the New Mutants say their farewells.
The next issue is ROM 61 but not for us.
There is an ad for the Dazzler and Beast miniseries, Beauty and the Beast. Get it?
Writer Akira Yoshida
Penciler Chris Bachalo
Inkers Irwin, Leisten, Mendoza, Sowd & Vey
Colorist Studio F
Letterer Chris Eliopoulos
Cover Date May 2005
Storm doesn’t blink, she wants Charles back. Husk is perfectly intent to rip out the X-Men’s heart so she’s going to keep Charles.
To make sure that nobody mistakes Husk for not being properly motivated, she retells her origins. Generation Next risked their very lives in order to get Illyana and no one could be bothered to regroup and come back to the Core and make sure their families had bodies to be buried.
Her team – Chamber, Skin and Vincente – are all dead. The goons in the Portland Core (I’m sure it switches back and forth from Portland to Seattle) didn’t know what to do with prisoners.
Once word came down that Apocalypse was defeated, everyone abandoned the Cores. The Gurthries apparently heard a rumor where Paige’s body could be found and they followed it. Her real family (who she turned her back on, so she could become an X-Man) found her when the X-Man abandoned her.
Storm tries to explain how Colossus (the worst) told the X-Men how only Illyana and Kate survived.
Husk doesn’t need excuses, the X-Men went to check on Bishop, they should have gone back for everyone. Weapon X sneaks up to Husk but doesn’t get Charles. In fact, everyone is standing pretty close to each other, not sure why no one just grabs Charles. Kurt should just teleport in and out. Dash and grab, as it were.
Silver Samurai tells Weapon X to stand down as help has finally arrived. Psylocke has arrived and somehow, has become Asian in this timeline! She hands Charles to Weapon X.
Weapon X tells Nightcrawler to teleport away with Charles, he takes offense to Weapon X giving out orders but he follows them.
The X-Men have a quick fight with the Guthries but then Magneto arrives. Magneto has Sunfire burn the Guthries. The two make short work of the youngsters.
Quicksilver is about to punch Husk but Rogue tells her son-in-law to stop. Stepson, right? Rogue tries to explain how, once Apocalypse was dead, the X-Men decided to start anew with the living and not worry about the dead. I guess that is harsh but that’s a decision winners can make.
Rogue won’t kill Husk, just lock her away in a cell. I guess for attempted child capture? After giving that threat Kirika kills Husk, so that was a waste of a page.
With Paige’s dying words she reveals that Charles was bait and Sinister has larger plans for Magneto. Rogue asks Magneto what he knows about Sinister being alive. Magneto reveals that he didn’t save the day, when the bombs were dropping. The issue ends with the reveal that Jean stopped the bombs, even though we saw her super die at the hands of Havok. Also, Sinister has Jean.
I imagine the X-Men free Jean and Sinister gets his butt kicked.
. . .
With this, we end our visit to the Age of Apocalypse.
Writer Jeph York
Cover by Jae Lee with June Chung
Cover Dated October 2010
Retrospective of the Wolverine satellite of titles from M-Day to Second Coming, from Wolverine’s perspective. Those titles are – Wolverine, Wolverine : Origins, X-Force, X23 and his son, Daken the Dark Wolverine.
The events that span that era are – House of M, Civil War, World War Hulk, Secret Invasion, Dark Reign, Necrosha and Second Coming.
The one we care about the most this the X23 section, as it mentions Laura’s involvement in Belasco’s attempt to bring Magik back in New X-Men : Quest for Magik.
So that makes this a keeper.
I must state though, that not really ever been a follower of X23 nor Daken, it was nice to be able to read what their deals were as we start with their origins and follow their tales up to the then present day. Also, it gave me a chance to find out what that whole Romulus nonsense was all about in the Wolverine titles.
There is a list of trades in chronological order. I can only recommend these ones :
Wolverine : Enemy of the State / Agent of SHIELD
Wolverine : Old Man Logan
X-Necrosha
Wolverine : Origin
Weapon X
X-Men : Original Sin
. . .
Happy Memorial Day! Thank you to all of those who served in the military and sacrificed their ultimate gift.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 