Marvel August 2016 Solicitations

Posted by John Klein III on May 20, 2016
Posted in: Solicitations. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

http://www.newsarama.com/29318-marvel-comics-august-2016-solicitations.html

THE FALLEN #1
CLASSIFIED
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

THE ACCUSED #1
CLASSIFIED
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

CIVIL WAR II #5 (OF 7)
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • DAVID MARQUEZ (A)
Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
B&W VIRGIN CONNECTING VARIANT F COVER BY KIM JONG GI
VARIANT COVER BY MICHAEL CHO
CHARACTER VARIANT COVER BY PHIL NOTO
The devastating fallout from the first half of this event is enormous and being felt in every corner of the Marvel Universe. The truth about Ulysses’ future-seeing power is revealed and it is a game changer. Sides are irrevocably drawn and the gauntlet is thrown for the biggest battle in Marvel Universe history. And that’s just the stuff we can tell you. All this, and the story goes galactic!
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

Drax and Grimm are on the cover so could the rest of the Guardians be in this?  Who died, isn’t that shocking but I do like an issue of celebrating that person

CIVIL WAR II: CHOOSING SIDES #4 (of 6)
DECLAN SHALVEY, JOHN ALLISON AND DEREK LANDY (W)
DECLAN SHALVEY, ROSI KAMPE AND MORE (A)
COVER BY JIM CHEUNG AND DECLAN SHALVEY
VARIANT COVER BY GURIHIRU
• The battle is heating up, but nothing’s hotter than the limelight! When the media starts muckraking, how far will heroes go to stay out of the public eye?
• Featuring Nick Fury, Power Pack and jolly J. Jonah Jameson himself!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

CIVIL WAR II: CHOOSING SIDES #5 (of 6)
Declan Shalvey, Chip Zdarsky and ENRIQUE CARRION (W)
Declan Shalvey, Ramón Pérez and ANNAPAOLA MARTELLO (A)
COVER BY CAMERON STEWART AND DECLAN SHALVEY
VARIANT COVER BY Ramón Pérez
• As the body count rises, no one expected the biggest casualty of them all: Friendship. Will these Avengers betray their closest confidants to stay true to themselves?
• Featuring Nick Fury, Colleen Wing and Alpha Flight!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Five doesn’t  have much going for it but Four has Power Pack, that’s pretty cool. 

CIVIL WAR II: X-MEN #3 (of 4)
CULLEN BUNN (W) • ANDREA BROCCARDO (A)
Cover by DAVID YARDIN
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
• An Inhuman with the ability to profile the future has emerged, upsetting the delicate balance of power between the Inhuman and Mutant nations.
• Refusing to let his people fall by the wayside, the mutant master of magnetism, MAGNETO, gathers those who sympathize with his cause to aid him in his crusade: an assault on Attilan to take the new Inhuman off the board!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Magik isn’t on the cover to this issue, so that’s disappointing but I’m sure she’s still in this issue.

CAPTAIN MARVEL #8
Ruth and Chris Gage (W) • KRIS ANKA (A/C)
CIVIL WAR II TIE-IN!
• No time for second-guessing, Captain Marvel is determined to change the future to protect the present.
• With wins on her side, Carol knows her mission is the right thing to do, but does everyone else?
• Sensational writing team Ruth and Chris Gage (Marvel’s Daredevil on Netflix) bring you a Civil War II story that will change everything for Captain Marvel.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

I like how the solicits are being coy and smart about not hinting at what is really going on but providing an illusion of information.  I’ve decided I’m on Team Carol but I could be swayed if Kitty is on Team Tony but I can’t imagine she would be – just based on characters.  That’s another fun element, we know what the sides are but not who Is leading which side.  At least, I don’t know but I’m not really following this event’s press releases.   

MOCKINGBIRD #6
CHELSEA CAIN (W) • KATE NIEMCZYK (A)
Cover by JOËLLE JONES
CIVIL WAR II TIE-IN!
• A top secret mission on behalf of an old friend, a tropical cruise. What could go wrong? Turns out it’s a theme cruise – super-hero themed, naturally – a floating comic con. Now Bobbi is trapped on a boat with a thousand cosplayers, caped colleagues she was trying to avoid, an ex-boyfriend who keeps showing up at inopportune times and a rampaging herd of corgis.
• When a passenger is murdered, Bobbi must play Hercule Poirot to find the killer and confront some uncomfortable truths from her past in the process.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

I wonder if the cosplayers in the issue will all be Mockingbird related or will there be other heroes?  I know Marvel Database didn’t list costumes for that one Wolverine and the X-Men issue, Issue nine of volume two. 

Marvel August 2016 Solicitations Guardians of the Galaxy 11 Art Adams Cover
Art by Art Adams

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #11
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • VALERIO SCHITI (A)
Cover by ARTHUR ADAMS
MARVEL TSUM TSUM TAKEOVER VARIANT COVER BY TBA
CIVIL WAR II TIE-IN!
• When things get rough for CAPTAIN MARVEL she calls in some friends from out of town.
• WAY out of town…
• Iron Man doesn’t stand a chance!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Look how gorgeous Art Adam’s cover is there!  He needs to do a Guardians title, I wish Pryde had a bigger spot in it but she’s on Team Carol, so that feels right.  I can only imagine that Magik is also on Team Carol, along with the bulk of the X-Men.  Those Tsum Tsums are pretty cute, I want to get my wife the Little Mermaid ones and I want to get the Dumbo ones for me.   

ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT #8
NICK KOCHER (W) • Michael Walsh (A)
Cover by DAVID LOPEZ
MARVEL TSUM TSUM TAKEOVER VARIANT BY BRIAN KESINGER
CIVIL WAR II TIE-IN!
• CAPTAIN MARVEL has called for backup, and ROCKET and GROOT are here to turn the tide!
• But as CIVIL WAR pits PARTNER against PARTNER, can Rocket and Groot’s friendship survive a TRENCHANT DISCUSSION OF THE ISSUES AT HAND?!?!
• Probably! But can THEY survive a confrontation with GWENPOOL?!?!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Shame that the Guardians story isn’t just spreading out to the other titles under the umbrella but that is nicer on the ol’ wallet.  Gwenpool is starting to appear in other titles, so that’s interesting. 

VENOM: SPACE KNIGHT #11
ROBBIE THOMPSON (W) • GERARDO SANDOVAL (A)
Cover by ZACH HOWARD
Variant cover by Gerardo Sandoval
CIVIL WAR II TIE-IN!
• Venom versus the Amazing Spider-Man!
• Secrets, symbiotes and superiority! Flash and his hero have enough to fight about
without the conflict that’s tearing the Marvel Universe apart!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Looks like the Guardians are on Earth for Civil War II so they could appear in several titles, or backgrounds of titles.  I do like Flash and Peter having a lively discussion.   

CIVIL WAR II: ULYSSES #1 (OF 3)
AL EWING (W) • Jefte Palo (A)
Cover by Francesco Francavilla
VARIANT COVER BY STEFANO CASSELLI
A CIVIL WAR II PREQUEL!
• How did Ulysses join the Inhumans?
• What difficult journey did he have to go through to master his powers?
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

This does seem like it should be an important to the event, as Ulysses is the Inhuman in the center of the entire event.  I’m not sure who Al Ewing is but it makes me think that is isn’t going to be as pivotal as I would think it is.

MARVEL TSUM TSUM #1 (of 4)
Jacob Chabot (W) • DAVID BALDEON (A)
COVER BY CHRIS SAMNEE
VARIANT Cover by GURIHIRU
PHOTO VARIANT AVAILABLE
MARVEL TSUM TSUM 1 CLASSIFIED CONNECTING VARIANT A AVAILABLE
JAPANESE GAME VARIANT ALSO AVAILABLE
In case you’ve been living under a rock, Tsum Tsums are HUGE! Well, not LITERALLY (they’re actually pretty tiny) but these seemingly cute and cuddly creatures are sweeping the globe! So what happens when these pint-sized piles of fur find their way into the Marvel Universe? After a crate of them falls to Earth en route to THE COLLECTOR, one small group of Brooklyn teenagers will find out! Featuring all of your favorite Marvel heroes and villains, this is sure to be TSUM-thing you won’t want to miss!
32 PGS./All Ages …$3.99

I feel like this series should have been $2.99, right?  I’ll track this to see if Kitty, Lockheed or Magik appear in it.  Lockheed would be so gosh darn cute in it!  Four issues does seem to be a bit much but ideally, the trade should be under ten dollars, right?  Probably not as the series itself will cost sixteen, monthly. 

INTERNATIONAL IRON MAN #6
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • ALEX MALEEV (A/C)
BLACK PANTHER VARIANT COVER BY CHRIS VISIONS
• Tony is reeling from the reveal of who his biological parents are as his past and present collide in ways that will define his character for years to come.
• But will any of this change Tony’s tune as relates to the monumental events of CIVIL WAR II?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

They can’t make Tony’s parents already established characters, can they?  I thought it was dumb to even make Tony be adoptive but I get that when one runs out of times, a writer has to go back to the character’s origins and tweak it.  I understand that Bendis didn’t introduce this element but he could have done what the next writer will do and just ignore this development.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #17
DAN SLOTT (W) • GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI (A)
Cover by ALEX ROSS
BLACK PANTHER VARIANT COVER BY AFUA RICHARDSON
BEFORE “DEAD NO MORE”!
• The Prowler (and our readers) meet the new Electro!
• Who is this woman and what does she have to do with the Man in Red?!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

A female Electro, could this be Electra?  Or would that be to on the nose? 

DRAX #10
CM PUNK & CULLEN BUNN (W) • SCOTT HEPBURN (A/C)
HERE BE DRAGONS!
• A COUNCIL OF DRAGONS comes looking for a newly hatched baby dragon. BABY! DRAGON!
• But scarier than DRAGONS is KILLER THRILL — loose on Drax’s ship and looking for the hatchling!
• Luckily, some powerful FRIENDS are stopping by as backup!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Dragons?  And powerful friends are stopping by?  Could this be Lockheed’s first appearance in the All New All Different Marvel?  That would be truly great. 

HOWARD THE DUCK #10
CHIP ZDARSKY (W) • JOE QUINONES (A/C)
• The person behind all of Howard’s troubles is revealed! Who could it be? Is it Spider-Man? Wolverine? Thor? Ms. Marvel? Am I just mentioning these characters on the off chance that some retailers will just skim the catalogue looking for character names and will accidentally order this?
• Who knows???
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Grimm and Rocket are on the cover, could Kitty be within the pages? 

DOCTOR STRANGE #11
JASON AARON (W)
KEVIN NOWLAN & LEONARDO ROMERO (A)
COVER BY KEVIN NOWLAN
VARIANT COVER BY ADAM HUGHES
MARVEL TSUM TSUM TAKEOVER VARIANT COVER BY RYAN STEGMAN
“Last Days of Magic” aftermath!
• How did Stephen Strange become the Sorcerer Supreme?
• And how has he lost it all?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Wait, has this all been leading up to a retelling of Strange’s origins?  Magik has been active in the beginning of this arc so I’m hoping that she keeps appearing in it. 

THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL #11
RYAN NORTH (W) • ERICA HENDERSON (A/C)
• This special one-off issue promises two amazing things: SUPER HEROICS and COMPUTER SCIENCE.
• Yes! By the end of this issue, you will know both how Squirrel Girl can take down COUNT NEFARIA and also a few really fundamental concepts in computer science!
• Have we found a way to express CS concepts through the medium of super hero fights? YOU’LL HAVE TO ORDER THE ISSUE TO FIND OUT!
• But yeah, we totally did.
• Featuring all the greatest Squirrel Girl tropes you love! Including fights, jokes and COLD, HARD LOGIC.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Count Nefaria?  That’s going to be pretty awesome when they talk about this on the Uncanny X-Cast!

A YEAR OF MARVELS: THE UNSTOPPABLE #1
PAUL ALLOR & CHUCK WENDIG (W)
DIEGO OLORTEGUI
& JUANAN RAMIREZ (A)
Cover by JAMAL CAMPBELL
• Sam Alexander’s finding it hard to cope with the fact that his dad is M.I.A. in the far reaches of space. Luckily, this Father’s Day, Nova’s got the chance to help former New Warrior Midnight’s Fire put his family back together. But when Iron Man shows up to inform his young teammate he’s backing the wrong horse, will Nova cool his jets?
• Celebrating the Fourth of July is complicated enough for a patriotic symbol turned soviet assassin, but then Hydra agents had to go and rob the Winter Soldier’s
secret storage locker. Who sent them? What do they want? Bucky doesn’t care — he just wants his #$%& back.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

These have looked amazing, in the store but I haven’t had a reason to really read one yet.

ALL-NEW X-MEN #12
DENNIS HOPELESS (W) • MARK BAGLEY (A/C)
BLACK PANTHER VARIANT COVER BY WILFRED SANTIAGO
NEW STORY ARC STARTS NOW!
• One is a time-displaced cosmically powered angel from the ‘60s.
• The other is a homicidal clone struggling to fulfill her dead father’s legacy.
• But who says Angel and Wolverine can’t make their relationship work?
• Also: Another burgeoning romance may place one of the All-New X-Men at odds with the rest of their team…
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

I do like Angel and X23 together. 

EXTRAORDINARY X-MEN #13
JEFF LEMIRE (W) • Victor Ibañez (A)
COVER BY HUMBERTO RAMOS
MARVEL TSUM TSUM TAKEOVER VARIANT COVER BY DAVE JOHNSON
“KINGDOMS FALL”STARTS NOW!
• An ancient evil stirs in the periphery of Limbo, consuming mystical realms…
• …and little does Magik suspect that the X-Men’s newest charge is drawing it straight to X-Haven!
• Meanwhile, Colossus is rampaging across Earth…as a Horseman of Apocalypse. Can Nightcrawler and Iceman stop their longtime friend and teammate and wrest him from Apocalypse’s grasp?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

So is Apocalypse Wars over?  Did they leave Colossus as a Horseman as an afterthought?  I like Magik taking mostly center stage in this title. 

X-MEN ‘92 #6
CHRIS SIMS & CHAD BOWERS (W) • ALTI FIRMANSYAH (A)
Cover by DAVID NAKAYAMA
VARIANT COVER BY AARON KUDER
• The X-Men are working security at LILAPALOOZA – Westchester’s biggest festival!
• But just because they’re security, doesn’t mean they stop being TARGETS!
• Guest-starring: THE FLAMING LIPS, TOADIES AND LILA CHENEY!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Lila Cheney totally deserves to have her own palooza! 

STAR WARS: DARTH VADER #25
KIERON GILLEN (W) • SALVADOR LARROCA (A)
Cover by JUAN GIMENEZ
VARIANT COVER BY ADI GRANOV
VARIANT COVER BY Jamie McKelvie
VARIANT COVER BY Michael Cho
VARIANT COVER BY KaMome Shirahama
VARIANT COVER BY Joe Quesada
SKETCH VARIANT COVER BY JOE QUESADA
VARIANT COVER BY Chris Samnee
VARIANT COVER BY Sara Pichelli
VARIANT COVER BY Cliff Chiang
VARIANT COVER BY SALVADOR LARROCA
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
It has all built up to this! Vader’s trials against Cylo’s creations! His machinations against the Emperor! His covert missions with Doctor Aphra and her murderous droids! All comes to fruition in an oversized 40-page issue by the stellar team of Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca! You won’t want to miss this ending!
56 PGS./Rated T …$5.99
Star Wars © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All rights reserved. Used under authorization. Text and illustrations for Star Wars are © 2016 Lucasfilm Ltd.

So this is suppose to be the final issue of Darth Vader, is that right?  I suspect he survives this ordeal and probably end up meeting a young man and just getting to know him. 

THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL BEATS UP THE MARVEL UNIVERSE OGN-HC
Written by RYAN NORTH
Penciled by ERICA HENDERSON
Cover by ERICA HENDERSON
Proof that we’re living in the best of all possible worlds: Marvel is publishing a Squirrel Girl graphic novel! It’s a standalone adventure that’s great for both old fans and new readers! It’s a story so huge it demanded an original graphic novel! It’s a story so nuts it incorporates both senses of that word (insanity and squirrel food)! And it’s the best! Squirrel Girl kicks butts, eats nuts, talks to squirrels and also punches really well. She has defeated Thanos, Galactus and Doctor Doom (twice!). But now she’ll encounter her most dangerous, most powerful, most unbeatable enemy yet: herself! Specifically, an evil duplicate made possible through mad science (both computer and regular) as well as some bad decisions. In other words, Squirrel Girl beats up the Marvel Universe! YES!
120 PGS./Rated T …$24.99
ISBN: 978-1-302-90303-9
Trim size: standard

This does sound like a lot of fun. 

UNCANNY X-MEN VOL. 2 HC
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Penciled by CHRIS BACHALO, KRIS ANKA, VALERIO SCHITI, ANDREA SORRENTINO & MORE
Cover by CHRIS BACHALO
Brian Michael Bendis concludes his Uncanny X-Men era! After relentless persecution and a near-fatal attack, Cyclops and his revolutionaries are targeting S.H.I.E.L.D.! But is the spy organization really responsible for the return of the mutant-killing Sentinels? Sins and secrets will be revealed as warring X-Men gather to hear the reading of Charles Xavier’s last will and testament — but its contents may lead to the team’s ultimate undoing! With the end fast approaching, Scott Summers finds himself driven ever closer to the precipice of disaster. Will Cyclops save himself from ruin or leap off the edge? Plus: Life-changing events rock Dazzler, Iceman, the young mutant Eva Bell and more! Collecting UNCANNY X-MEN (2013) #19-35, #600 and ANNUAL #1; and ALL-NEW X-MEN ANNUAL #1.
488 PGS./Rated T+ …$50.00
ISBN: 978-1-302-90171-4
Trim size: oversized

Bendis’ run doesn’t end on the highest notes but that Kitty and Illyana done-in-one was simply amazing!  $50 is too much. 

DEADPOOL BY POSEHN & DUGGAN OMNIBUS HC
Written by BRIAN POSEHN, GERRY DUGGAN & MORE
Penciled by TONY MOORE, SCOTT KOBLISH, MIKE HAWTHORNE, DECLAN SHALVEY, JOHN LUCAS, SALVA ESPIN, REILLY BROWN, SCOTT KOLINS & MORE
Cover by PHIL NOTO
Births, deaths and marriages — they’re all here in Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn’s hilarious take on the Merc with a Mouth. But mainly deaths — and in the case of a zombified horde of U.S. presidents, undeaths! Meet the daughter Wade Wilson never knew he had, the voice in his head he never wanted and the monstrous Mrs. he should never cross — the succubus queen Shiklah! Enjoy Deadpool’s newfound bromance with Wolverine and Captain America before it ends in tragedy, and head deep inside the darkest recesses of his mind to learn his Original Sin. With uproarious flashback tales revealing Wade’s hidden history across the Marvel Universe, Posehn and Duggan work their magic on Deadpool’s past and present — but will they leave him any future? Collecting DEADPOOL (2012) #1-45, DEADPOOL: DRACULA’S GAUNTLET #1-7 and DEATH OF WOLVERINE: DEADPOOL & CAPTAIN AMERICA #1.
1344 PGS./Parental Advisory …$100.00
ISBN: 978-1-302-90228-5
Trim size: oversized

Does this really collect their entire run?  45 issues alone is well worth $100 and some of these were so very grand!

SECRET WARS TOO TPB
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN, BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS, MARK MILLAR, BRIAN K. VAUGHAN, J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI, JASON AARON, MATT FRACTION, STUART MOORE, ELLIOT KALAN, WYATT CENAC, PAUL JENKINS & MORE
Penciled by JIM MAHFOOD, MIRCO PIERFEDERICI, BRENDAN MCCARTHY, JOE QUINONES, COLLEEN COOVER, JACOB CHABOT, CHRIS MORENO & MORE
Cover by SKOTTIE YOUNG
Because Hugh demanded it! Who’s Hugh? The guy who loves side-splitting super-hero satire as only Marvel can deliver it! Prepare for hilarity in the ultimate parody of 2015’s epic SECRET WARS — starring D-Man, Jessica Jones: Herald of Galactus and…Jonathan Hickman?! Plus: more sideways looks at CIVIL WAR, FEAR ITSELF, Marvel NOW! and more funny-book funnies. And Forbush Man returns as creators pose the greatest “What If?”s ever asked. Not a hoax! Not an imaginary trade paperback! (Though it probably should be.) Who says this isn’t the Mighty Marvel Age of Mocking Ourselves? Collecting SECRET WARS, TOO; WHA…HUH?; ULTIMATE CIVIL WAR: SPIDER-HAM; CAPTAIN AMERICA: WHO WON’T WIELD THE SHIELD; SHAME ITSELF; and MARVEL NOW WHAT?! — plus material from WORLD WAR HULK: FRONT LINE #2-5, ORIGINAL SINS #5 and MARVEL 75TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION.
208 PGS./Rated T+ …$17.99
ISBN: 978-1-302-90211-7

This is such a fun collection of stories! 

SECRET WARS TPB
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN
Penciled by ESAD RIBIC & PAUL RENAUD
Cover by ALEX ROSS
The Marvel Universe is no more! The interdimensional Incursions have eliminated each and every alternate universe one by one. And now — despite the best efforts of scientists, sages and superhumans — the Marvel Universe and Ultimate Universe have collided…and been destroyed! All that exists in the vast empty cosmos is a single, titanic patchwork planet made of the fragmented remains of hundreds of devastated dimensions: Battleworld! And the survivors of this multiversal catastrophe all bend their knee to Battleworld’s master: Doctor Doom! What strange creatures inhabit this world? Which familiar faces will return? And what happens when Battleworld’s domains go to war? The Marvel Universe is dead — and the victors of the Secret Wars will determine what comes next! Collecting SECRET WARS (2015) #1-9 and material from FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2015 (SECRET WARS) #0.
224 PGS./Rated T+ …$34.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9895-6

I’ll be curious how well this sells as it is completely missable.  I liked the first issue but the rest didn’t do much for me. 

X-MEN: WORST X-MAN EVER TPB
Written by MAX BEMIS
Penciled by MICHAEL WALSH
Cover by MICHAEL WALSH
Bailey Hoskins has just discovered he’s a mutant. For someone who’s never been special, never stood out, this could be his big moment. But as he gains entry into the halls of Xavier’s School for Gifted Children, what, exactly, is his gift? He’s used to being hated, but is he anything to be feared? Bailey struggles to find a place alongside his fellow students, but the X-universe is a big one — perhaps Mystique will see his potential. Could Magneto have just the mission for him? Or maybe the magic of time travel will reveal days of future glory. (Don’t get your hopes up). Max Bemis, frontman of the band Say Anything, makes his Marvel debut with the story of a misfit among misfits, just trying to fit in. Bailey Hoskins? Worst. X-Man. Ever. Collecting X-MEN: WORST X-MAN EVER #1-5.
112 PGS./Rated T+ …$16.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9354-8

I need someone to tell me if Kitty or Magik appear in issues two through five as Marvel Database isn’t updating those issues and comicbookdb just repeats the cast from the first issue for the rest of the series. 

DEFENDERS EPIC COLLECTION: THE SIX-FINGERED HAND SAGA TPB
Volume 6 in the Defenders Epic Collections
Written by J.M. DEMATTEIS with MIKE W. BARR & MARK GRUENWALD
Penciled by DON PERLIN with JERRY BINGHAM, STEVE DITKO & MIKE ZECK
Cover by MICHAEL GOLDEN
The greatest non-team in comics gets the Epic treatment! J.M. DeMatteis and Don Perlin take Doctor Strange, the Hulk, Nighthawk, Hellcat and the Son of Satan on wild adventures into the occult — and against each other! These weird tales begin with a broken Eternity; evolve to include demons, Dracula and the Devil-Slayer; and culminate in a double-sized issue #100 extravaganza! If the Defenders can’t prevail, it’ll be hell on Earth — literally! Known as “The Six-Fingered Hand Saga,” this is one of the most compelling Defenders adventures of all time. Plus: Captain America teams up with the non-team in hopes of staving off the beginning of World War III. And witness the shocking death of a Defender! Collecting DEFENDERS (1972) #92-109, MARVEL TEAM-UP (1972) #101 and CAPTAIN AMERICA (1968) #268.
480 PGS./Rated T …$39.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9599-3

I’ve never heard of the Six-Fingered Hand Saga but JM DeMatteis writing this proves that it is worthy of reading. 

MINI MARVELS: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION TPB
(NEW PRINTING)
Written by CHRIS GIARRUSSO,
SEAN MCKEEVER, MARC SUMERAK,
PAUL TOBIN & AUDREY LOEB
Penciled by CHRIS GIARRUSSO
Cover by CHRIS GIARRUSSO
All-ages fun, featuring the wild and crazy kid counterparts to Marvel’s greatest heroes! All of your favorite hilarious, action-packed Mini Marvels adventures collected in one complete volume! Spidey gets the paperboy blues, Wolverine embarks on a cereal quest, Hulk goes on a date, and alien Skrulls impersonate the Fantastic Four! Iceman and Firestar help Spidey deliver his newspapers while he babysits Power Pack! Thor returns, Iron Man builds armor for the Avengers, and Hawkeye squares off against Galactus! And where did Red Hulk and Blue Hulk come from, anyway? Plus: Hawkeye battles the Curse of the Crimson Crown! And who is Elephant Steve?! All this, and a complete run of Mini Marvels comic strips!
216 PGS./All Ages …$24.99
ISBN: 978-1-302-90322-0

This is such a great collection of stories! 

X-MEN: FATAL ATTRACTIONS TPB
(NEW PRINTING)
Written by SCOTT LOBDELL, J.M. DEMATTEIS,
FABIAN NICIEZA & LARRY HAMA
Penciled by BRANDON PETERSON, JOHN ROMITA JR., RICHARD BENNETT, ROGER CRUZ, JOE QUESADA,
GREG CAPULLO, JAN DUURSEMA, ANDY KUBERT, ADAM KUBERT, KEN LASHLEY & MORE
Cover by JOHN ROMITA JR.
The thrilling saga that commemorated the X-Men’s 30th anniversary! As Magneto’s Acolytes amp up their attacks on Homo sapiens everywhere, the X-teams join forces to put an end to the villainous zealots’ mad crusade against humanity once and for all. But has their leader, messianic madman Magneto, returned from the dead? And as a mysterious disease begins creeping through the mutant community, claiming the lives of hated foe and dear friend alike, which X-Man will buckle under the strain? Matters come to a head in the most shocking way possible, culminating in a devastating attack on Wolverine — and a showdown between Professor X and Magneto that must be seen to be believed! Collecting UNCANNY X-MEN (1981) #298-300, #303-304 and #315; X-FACTOR (1986) #92; X-FORCE (1991) #25; X-MEN UNLIMITED (1993) #2; X-MEN (1991) #25; WOLVERINE (1988) #75; and EXCALIBUR (1988) #71.
504 PGS./Rated T …$39.99
ISBN: 978-1-302-90105-9

X-MEN: X-TINCTION AGENDA TPB
(NEW PRINTING)
Written by CHRIS CLAREMONT & LOUISE SIMONSON
Penciled by JIM LEE, ROB LIEFELD, JON BOGDANOVE & GUANG YAP
Cover by JIM LEE
The X-Men, the New Mutants and X-Factor are targeted for X-Tinction! To rescue a friend, the X-Men must invade the mutant-enslaving island nation of Genosha — but the Genoshans’ memories are long, and their revenge will be terrifying! As the Magistrates strike, X-Factor and the New Mutants are drawn into the conflict — and soon discover old foe Cameron Hodge powered up and pulling the strings! The three X-teams are kidnapped, brainwashed, stripped of their powers, forced into combat — and at least one among them will die! Old friends return, minds are controlled, and mutants are transformed. Can the powerless X-Men triumph over the military might of an entire nation? And when the dust settles on this classic crossover, will the X-universe be changed forever? Collecting UNCANNY X-MEN (1981) #235-238 and #270-272, NEW MUTANTS (1983) #95-97 and X-FACTOR (1986) #60-62.
328 PGS./Rated T …$34.99
ISBN: 978-1-302-90100-4

I do like these famous X-Men sagas being kept in print, that’s a good call. 

. . .

So August is a super light month for me, which makes sense when an epic crossover that I’m not involved in is occurring.  So I’m getting –

Civil War X-Men 3            $4
Guardians of the Galaxy 11          $4
Marvel Tsum Tusm 1 of 4              $4
Extraordinary X-Men 13                $4

So I’m getting four titles at $16 with four dollars off makes my total $12 for the month.  That makes me feel safe that I can at least plan on getting five other titles without it breaking my budget.

. . .

Probably silly and I won’t be buying the series for sure but I have to add Tsum Tsum to my pull list.  I will also have to check all of these variant covers to make sure none of my favorites are on any of them.

X-Men Omega

Posted by John Klein III on May 19, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

X-Men Omega

Story Scott Lobdell

Dialogue Mark Waid

Pencils Roger Cruz

Inks LaRosa, Townsend, Kesel, Candelario, Hanna, Milgrom

Letters Richard Starkings with te ComiCraftsmen

COlors Steve Buccellato with the Electric Crayons

Cover Dated 1995

One day, I’ll own X-Men Alpha.  I should review X-Men Prime, which takes place two weeks after this issue but that issue essentially just ensures all of the pieces are back in their proper place, after this e-mail so I’ll just review that at some other time.  This issue, is the end of the official crossover, which is why I wanted to end with this issue, and did the Chosen handbook prior to it.  I have a few more issues I’m planning on doing, so we’re not quite done with Age of Apocalypse here at S&FwM.

This issue, also, had me pretty confused as I only read one miniseries, a handbook and one additional comic of the proper event.  This issue ties everything together but hopefully, taking it one page at a time, it all starts to make place.

Issue opens with Magneto, who looks like he should have fallen to his knees – hours ago.  He’s still standing as he’s the greatest of pimps.  Magneto has been fighting Holocaust – the son of Apocalypse.  The two are . . . I’m going to be generous to Magneto and say they are fighting – though it seems pretty one sided.  They are fighting in front of Apocalypse who is straight up sitting in a throne.  He reveals that there is a trap set below, as he has lured the X-Men to them, so that Magneto and the X-Men can die together.

Apocalypse reveals that he knows all of Bishop’s secrets.  He knows that the timeline was changed and he wants this one to remain.  Magneto knows that the only way to prevent time being rewritten is with the M’Kraan Crystal, and that’s exactly what Apocalypse has.  So how disappointing is Gambit and the X-Ternals, if that series just ends with Gambit failing in spectacular fashion?  I know I’ll never read it nor seek out a review of it – except if someone tipped me to a review of it.  The X-Men need the M’Kraan Crystal to rewrite time.

Cut to outside of Apocalypse’s stronghold.  Angel is about to land in front of some goons.  He isn’t happy that his partner, Karma, was taken from him.  That happened in Amazing X-Men 2 – which wasn’t hinted at all in the fourth issue.  It looks like he lands on a goon, gomba style.  He finds Karma in the very next panel.  She dies in his arms, she was helping Apocalypse.  I’m not sure what were her motivations but from Angel’s reaction, he seems like he understood and forgives her.  I imagine she was simply trying to survive.  Angel is going to make Apocalypse pay for this.

X-Men Omega Shadowcat 1

Thanks to Blink, the X-Men are within Apocalypse’s stronghold – I guess that’s the name of it as that’s the description everyone keeps using.  I like how everyone gets name checked – Iceman Rogue, Colossus, Illyana, Destiny, Nightcrawler, Jubilee, Gambit, Blink, Quicksilver, Bishop and Shadowcat.  I’m not usually a fan of teams with more than seven or eight characters but 12 seems like a decent number.  This team seems pretty ripe, the only downer is Destiny’s inclusion but I’m not that familiar without her after issue 142 of Uncanny X-Men.

X-Men Omega Shadowcat 2

Rogue doesn’t like how easy this is being.  Colossus wants the mission to keep being easy as he doesn’t want to risk his sister’s life on a fool’s errand.  Shadowcat is still mean eyeing him.

Gambit finds a hairy dude, with two hands – so it isn’t Wolverine but they never name check him.  He’s blind and has teeth like Sabretooth but seems on the small side.

Meanwhile, Cyclops and Jean Grey are leading a horde of former prisoners to freedom.  They are heading to New Jersey, away from the fight – which is smart.  One of the prisoners isn’t really what they appear to be.

Angel, now strapped with bombs, nose dives into Apocalypse’s force field generator.  He’s dead but now the heroes can get inside the stronghold.  The first to make a move, is X-Man.

Some two headed dude comes screaming about how Apocalypse’s southwest kingdom is wrong.  The two headed fellow is the Shadow King.  Rex, one of Apocalypse’s advisors, confirms that nuclear bombs have gone off and the Midwest is no longer a thing.  Apocalypse wants to retaliate, and take his anger out on Magneto but before he can make a move, he is knocked down.

X-Man is standing there, like a champion.  Magneto recognizes him as, The One, the one that Forge promised to deliver.  Magneto wants a team up to try to make the most of these last precious seconds.

X-Men Omega Shadowcat 3

Meanwhile, in the crystal chamber below.  The X-Men are now within the stronghold.  Quicksilver calls the hairy fellow “that beast” so could it have been Dark Beast?  But he’s blind, but I guess he could have restored his sight later, he does have twenty years to develop that skill.  Shadowcat wants to keep an eye on him.

The M’Kraan Crystal responds to the new bodies in the room.  Visions of the Proper Marvel Universe come to light, too many visions that it throws Destiny off.  Destiny now knows that they have to succeed, her and Illyana.  Quicksilver wants to give them an escort but Destiny turns him down.  Destiny, Illyana and Bishop doesn’t have counterparts, so they must go.  Colossus is sadden to hear this news.

X-Man is fighting Holocaust.  Rogue tries to get X-Man to stand down.  Magneto tells Rogue to get out of X-Man’s head, and she’s just so happy to see her husband is still alive and goes to him.  While there is a very distracting battle, Magneto wants to go back tot he original plan of saving the original timeline.  Magneto takes a knee and asks Illyana to aid them – which I like him taking the time to do and respectfully asks Illyana for help.

Illyana asks if there is a Sugar Man in this other timeline, Magneto doesn’t believe so, and she’s all in.  Bishop further explains her importance.  I wonder if there was a plan to have AoA Illyana and Destiny in the Proper Marvel Universe?  Why stop at Dark Beast, Sugar Man (sadly) and X-Man for showing up?

X-Men Omega Shadowcat 4

The stronghold starts falling apart.  Destiny wants the trio to head towards the M’Kraan Crystal.

Colossus threatens to kill Magneto, if this doesn’t work.

Shadowcat is part of the team trying to keep the crystal safe.

Back with Jean and Scott.  Jean feels the deaths of the Midwest and knows that bombs are coming their way.  From the skies, One-Hand-Wolverine is parachuting down.  He’s the reason why bombs are coming down on Apocalypse.

X-Man is getting the upper hand against Holocaust.

Armageddon Minus Thirty Minutes.  The X-Men are fighting goons. Sugar Man knows it is a losing fight and jumps into the M’Kraan Crystal.  Colossus isn’t going to allow his sister to die, not without him standing by her side.  Iceman attempts to stand his way but Colossus runs right through him.  If only Shadowcat saw this, things might be a tad different.  Looks like Gambit blasts Colossus to his back and puts him down – for a time.

The trio are standing in front of the M’Kraan Crystal.  They are treated to visions of the Proper Marvel Universe.  They finally answer the question I’ve been having – if Illyana is barely ten years old, her powers shouldn’t be activated just yet.  Destiny tells her to envision the powers she is going to have and the crystal is going to gift her with those powers.  Seems pretty convenient to me but they have to wrap up the story somehow.  Illyana opens a portal so that Bishop can step through.

Armageddon, Minus Twenty-Five Minutes.  a couple of flatscans are sad as they see Apocalypse’s nuclear missiles being fired at Europe.  Apocalypse is pretty proud of himself,, that his actions lead to both mutants and humans having equal strength.  So now, the strongest will survive.

Armageddon, Minus Twenty Minutes.  Apocalypse doesn’t get long to gloat as Magneto puts him down.  Magneto goes from a simple black outfit to a supped up red armor suit.  From there, he starts punching Apocalypse’s dumb face.  While he is doing that, Magneto mentions how when he was a boy, a Berlin house painter tried this same thing.  The weak won that war too.

Apocalypse turns Magneto’s attention to Strong Guy, who is holding little Charles.

Armageddon, Minus Fifteen Minutes.  Weapon X is trying to get to Jean, he will die by her side.  Jean is shot in the back by . . . Havok!  Havok is also attracted to Jean, because why not?  I’ll never get the whole everyone-is-attracted-to-Jean story.  Unless she was forcing dudes to like her.

Cyclops yells at his younger brother, now that Jean is knocked out, the missiles are falling faster.  Havok starts a monologue but Weapon X snikts him and Havok dies.  Weapon X goes to Jean, who dies in his arms.  Logan recalls a legend he heard once, long ago about a fiery bird that could be reborn.  Unfortunately, Jean is no Phoenix – as of course, they got to work that into this as well.

Armageddon, Minus Ten Minutes.  Bishop is back in time, as Legion is about to kill Magneto.  Xavier shouts to his son to not hurt his friend.  Bishop is about to do something about it but 90s Bishop stops him.

Armageddon, Minus Eight Minutes.  Dark Beast slashes Morph, and tries to teleport away.  Quicksilver messes with the controls, fouling up Beast’s schemes.  Quicksilver wasn’t trying to do anything in particular, he was just trying to screw Beast over.  Beast’s plan was to teleport into the heart of the M’Kraan Crystal.

X-Men Omega Shadowcat 5

Armageddon, Minus Five Minutes.  Colossus has gotten up and is still madly running towards Illyana.  Gambit wants Shadowcat to get out of the way, but she knows Colossus won’t hurt her.  So she doesn’t phase and we get the beginnings of my hating Colossus.  Age of Apocalypse Colossus just killed his wife, via running right through her.  Is it s a dumb way to kill off a far greater character with an extremely lesser character?  Yes, she should have just phased, it is what she does.  It doesn’t even take much of a thought for her to do it.  Especially as she’s spent five other issues knowing that he is insane.

Proving he isn’t a waste of a character, Gambit blasts Colossus to the back, again.

X-Men Omega Colossus Death

This was a death blow, as it turns out.  Colossus reverts to human form, which may be the first time we’ve seen him in the flesh.  Illyana has come to her brother, to tell him of their success.  Instead,, she finds her brother dead and her sister-in-law murdered.  Illyana is about to grab her brother’s hand but Quicksilver snatches her as goons were about to attack her.

Armageddon, Minus Four Minutes.  I do like how the death clock wasn’t sped up with Jean’s death, the clock had taken that into consideration.  We catch up to Rogue who is about to straight murder Strong Man.  Which she does, and her son just wants to hang out with her afterwards.

Off panel, Magneto took a dive and Apocalypse is escaping.  At first, I thought he was talking to X-Man about how his plan is to join the Proper Marvel Universe but he was only talking to himself, aloud.  X-Man arrives and stabs Apocalypse.  X-Man is angry, the main reason is that Forge is dead.

Armageddon, Minus Three Minutes.  AoA Bishop sucker punches 90s Bishop.  Yes, I recognize AoA Bishop is pretty 90s himself.  Ponytail Bishop, I guess would work and Bald Bishop.  I guess this is how our Bishop doesn’t know about this other timeline.  Hence why he isn’t talking about it all of the time.

Legion is about to murder Magneto and Xavier is about to foolishly take the hit but Baldy Bishop shouts “David” and this surprises Legion.  As no one should know his real name, at this point.  I’m not sure why Xavier didn’t read David’s mind when he first arrived.

The two are fighting and Bishop forces David to see the future his actions are about to cause.  Though, he could still kill Xavier (accidentally) but tell Magneto to find Apocalypse (early) and kill that fool.  Is there a What If? that handles that possibility?

David is exhausted after seeing the possible timeline.  David starts to fade away, as does Bald Bishop.  Not sure how Ponytail Bishop gets back to the present.  Our Storm and Iceman are standing around, as well, so this must be where Legion Quest ended.  With David being gone, a super plot hole appears and takes Iceman, Storm and Bishop back to the present.

Left behind, is Gabrielle Haller, Xavier and Magneto.  Haller could have sworn a dude said he was her son but now there isn’t anyone around and the bros just shrug their shoulders and move on.

Armageddon,, Minus Two Minutes.  X-Man and Magneto have team-up again and are taking the fight to Apocalypse.  Holocaust arrives to pick up his fight with X-Man.  X-Man stabs Holocaust with the shard of the M’Kraan Crystal and a strange backlash occurs.

During this distraction, Apocalypse grabs Magneto by his throat.  Except that Magneto wasn’t the one that was distracted.

X-Men Omega Magneto Kills Apocalypse

Magneto just kills Apocalypse!

Armageddon, Minus One Minute.  Magneto gathers his wife an child to him.  Apocalypse is dead and soon, his world will be dead too.  Magneto looks forward to not even being a memory.  I do like seeing Magneto and Rogue together, they do make a nice couple.  As long as you don’t think too much about the age difference.

X-Men Omega World Ends Last Page

In his last moments, he remembers his old friend, his son’s name sake.  Charles Xavier had a dream.  With his final words, Magneto thanks Xavier for changing his life.  As the world of Age of Apocalypse comes to an end.

Or does it?  We’ll be coming back to it, in four days.  Before that, we take a fun detour.

A-Force 5

Posted by John Klein III on May 18, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

A-Force 5

Writers Marguerite Bennett & G. Willow Wilson

Artist Jorge Molina

Colorist Laura Martin

Letterer VC’s Cory Petit

Another Secret Wars 2015 series ends, and this is the only issue that I really read.  Let’s see how we do.

A-Force 5 Recap

A-Force cast is – She-Hulk, Dazzler, Captain Marvel, Loki, Nico Minoru and Singularity – who is still a mystery.  They live on Arcadia, which is on the border of the Shield (that is mostly, the Fantastic Four’s Thing).  Loki, apparently tore a hole into it and now Marvel Zombies are coming through.  So this issue is mostly a lot of fighting – which is nice for me, as I missed out on four issues.

I do like this cast though, I was hoping Singularity was going to be Cosmic Kitty Pryde (or that Kitty would be in this title) but she isn’t.  I thought that as they both are blue and sparkly.  We do get Kitty in this issue, hence why I own this comic.

Issue opens with She-Hulk giving an inspirational speech.  Everyone who stands up, and fights, will become a member of A-Force.

I see Winter Solider in attendance, so dudes are on the island.  On the zombie side, Green Goblin, Venom, Doctor Octopus, Magneto and Sabretooth.

A-Force 5 Shadowcat

Hulkling is there, as well as, Namor.

I’m not sure who Sera is but she knows Angela, but that is some fun dialogue.  Molly, like Nico – is from Runaways – and she is standing between a brunette with yellow gloves and a blue shirt, as well as Colossus.  So I agree with Marvel Database, and that must be Kitty Pryde.

Luke Cage, is holding Danielle, while Jessica fights zombies – I like that.

Spider-Gwen saves Mary Jane, so I’ve now officially read a comic that had Spider-Gwen in it.

On the very next page, I get some Ms. Marvel, so now I’ve read a comic with her in it.  So she has, basically, Reed Richards’ powers, right?  Stretching powers?  She’s fighting along with Spider-Woman and Captain Marvel in the background.  On this same double splash page, we get lots of mutants – who haven’t been in this series, to much.  Dazzler and Jubilee are present, along with Runaways’ Karolina.  X23 is slashing away.  We get a SHIELD panel, with Mockingbird and Black Widow.  I like how all of the ladies are keeping a light attitude, in the face of the living undead.  That’s the way to do it.  We also get a ninja panel with Elektra and Psylocke.  We see where the zombies are heading, to the Jean Grey School.  Dust and Rescue are in front of the school.  Jean, Scarlet Witch, Emma and Storm are on the steps of the school.

Black Bolt is losing a fight with the zombies.  Which seems silly, even with his dying breath, he can clear the area with a stutter.  There is a Zombie Hulk, which seems super scary.  Monica, former Captain Marvel, is she Photon now?  I can’t keep up with her.  She blows a giant hole through Hulk’s chest.

Nico comes across a zombie shark, which sounds awesome!  Singularity saves Nico from the shark.  Singularity talks in one word sentences or fragments.  I guess Nico learns her name, which makes me think that Singularity may be too mysterious.  Singularity drops Nico near She-Hulk and Captain Marvel (Carol) and goes to face off with the, now, giant shark.

Maybe I’m not following the art, but it looks like Singularity whirlwinds up all of the zombies and the water and goes into the higher atmopshere and explodes.  Everyone is sad, Nico implies that they lost someone else, recently.  I haven’t really heard any news about this series, besides that they will be getting a new number one, Post-Secret Wars 2015.

The day is saved!  Carol, She-Hulk and Nico are crying.  Tigra and Ms. Marvel are happy.  Black Cat and Spider-Gwen are high fiving.

She-Hulk brings Loki to Sif, Valkyrie and another green Asgardian lady.  Is it racist to think that this lady is a powered up Gamora?  I should have read further on the page, it is Gamora.

Two Days Later.  The ladies are repairing the damage done to Arcadia.  Spider-Gwen has a giant wrecking ball amount of debris – sort of like her move in Avengers Alliance.  Captain Marvel has a slightly less bag.  Steve Rogers, wearing the outfit from Heroic Age or the Winter Soldier film and Spider-Woman is carrying some pipes.

She-Hulk checks in on Nico, who is crying.  She has lost America (who I only know from the Siege series – which may be where she disappeared to), Loki and Singularity.  She-Hulk doesn’t believe that Singularity is dead.  Apparently, Medusa died but lived on in Singularity, so who knows what that broad can do.   She-Hulk goes on to describe how they schooled Singularity and essentially shaped her to be who she was / is.

The last page shows Singularity, floating about in space.  Which is hinting at her moving over to the All New All Different Marvel, Post-Secret Wars 2015.

Not a bad series, there is an ad (which is pretty smart) showing the cast of the new title.  Nico, Dazzler – still in her Bendis Anka punk look, She-Hulk, Captain Marvel and Medusa.  Singularity makes up the background.  Which will be a tad awkward, if the ladies don’t recall her at all, if their memories of Secret Wars 2015, don’t survive.

Age of Apocalypse : The Chosen

Posted by John Klein III on May 17, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Age of Apocalypse Chosen

Cover Ian Churchill / Scott Hanna

Cover Graphics Ashley Underwood

Designer Ronnie Lawler

Computer Imaging Steve Alexandrov

Cover Dated April 1995

I really should have read this one shot first, as it would have built the world better for me.

The framing device, for this handbook, is that one of the Madri has decided he wants to know all of Apocalypse’s secrets.  What he finds is profiles.  Each is given either a “Chosen” or “Forgotten” tag.

Magneto & Rogue, Chosen

X-Man, Forgotten

Cyclops, Chosen

Havok, Forgotten

Sinister, Chosen

Storm, who Apocalypse writes, is in love with Quicksilver, so I’m not sure if they are romantically together.  Chosen

Quicksilver, they must be a couple.  Quicksilver lost his mother and his sister – Polaris, who Rogue absorbed her powers and Magneto was cool with and married and sired a child.  A child for a child, I reckon.  Chosen

Northstar / Aurora, Forgotten

Beast, Forgotten

Four Horsemen – Odd how they are not name checked in the two paragraphs.  I recognize Sinister and Abyss.  I believe Holocaust is one and I know Mikhail Rasputin is another.  Chosen

X-Calibre, Forgotten

Human High Council, Gwen Stacy was a member of, I believe.  Forgotten

Weapon X & Jean Grey, Chosen

Gambit & The Externals – Lily Cheney is a member of the group.  Forgotten

Age of Apocalypse Chosen Colossus Salvador Larroca Sergio Melia
Colosssus, Chosen
Art by
Salvador Larroca / Sergio Melia

We learn that Magneto’s school is on Wundagore Mountain.  Apocalypse knows that Colossus is married to Katherine Pryde.  Apocalypse knows that Illyana is a prisoner in his breeding pens.

Angel, Chosen

Sabretooth & Wild Child, Chosen

Bishop, Chosen

Charles Xavier, Forgotten but Apocalypse wonders what type of world it would be if Xavier wasn’t killed.

Issue ends with the Madri being Chosen but Apocalypse doesn’t like spies and he kills the one Madri and changes their status to, Forgotten.

Bob Wiacek was the inker for the X-Man and the Four Horsemen profiles.  Terry Austin was the inker for Quicksilver and The Beast profile.  90s Tim Sale artwork for Sabretooth & Wild Child and Bishop profiles.  Sabretooth & Wild Child do look like traditional Tim Sale art.

Larroca / Melia also provide the art for Magneto & Rogue, Cyclops, Storm, Human High Council and Angel profiles.

. . .

Thanks everyone that visited the site yesterday.  We outdid our single best day from 275 to 326!

X-Men Apocalypse Final Trailer

Posted by John Klein III on May 16, 2016
Posted in: Fun With YouTube. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

Thanks to 20th Century Fox for hosting the video!

Some new and surprising footage is put in this final trailer.

Always nice to see the Graymalkin Lane sign, it feels like a Singer film.

Xavier having a school and students, he’s coming along nicely.

That desert island local looks pretty nice.  Magneto’s new costume isn’t too bad either.

Xavier really thought he was going to have a fist fight with Apocalypse?  That must be on the astral plane, right?

I like the hints of a school uniform, with the black suits and white collars.  I would like more color but that’s not going to happen.

Mutant Arena, there’s a fun way to sneak a bunch of mutants into a scene.  Angel v Nightcrawler, reminds me of Ultimate X-Man, still the only place those two characters worked together for a long time.

Quicksilver knows that Magneto is his father, something that was strongly hinted at in Days of Future Past, but I like the confirmation.  Mystique is caught by surprise.

Angel gets metal wings!

Beast v Psylocke, has to be a fast fight.  Was that a purple telekentic flare up on her sword?  So terrific!

Jubilee!  She’s suppose to have a few scenes in this, but that’s the first time I really saw her in one of these.

X-Men Apocalypse Final Trailer Mystique White Dress

At the two minute mark, it looks like they are trying to give Blue Mystique a white dress type outfit, I like that direction.  See it again at the 2:10 mark.

Looks like we get a full blue body glimpse of Mystique, not sure why that is necessary.

X-Men Apocalypse Final Trailer Wolverine Claws

2:27 mark, that answers that main question I’ve been having!  We got to get a little Wolverine and Cyclops fun in there.

I read that the ideal sequel will deal with the Dark Phoenix Saga, which if they can work Lockheed and Kitty back into this, that would be awesome but I imagine they want to do a 90s film next.  Plus, anything that keeps correcting the mistake of X3 (besides the excellent casting of Ellen Page) I’m all for it.

 

Amazing X-Men Volume One Issue 4

Posted by John Klein III on May 15, 2016
Posted in: Fun With YouTube, Games, Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Amazing X-Men V1 4

Plot Fabian Nicieza

Penciler Andy Kubert

Inker Matt Ryan

Lettering Richard Starkings and ComiCraft

Color Art Kevin Somers and Digital Chameleon

Confessional Bob Harras

Cover Dated June 1995

Now, this is the only other issue of Age of Apocalypse, besides the final issue – Omega.  This issue was pretty confusing but maybe I’ll be able to follow this one better.

The issue opens with the Madri torturing Bishop, as he may ruin all of Apocalypse’s schemes.  Shadow King was able to see Bishop’s memories of the proper timeline.  Bishop has been tortured for two days now.  Does Bishop ever comment on his memories of this timeline?  I imagine he could work it into many conversations.  But he also doesn’t talk about his childhood of the future either.

Storm drops from the sky, here to save Bishop.  With a gust wind, the Madri are thrown back.  This gives Storm the time she needs to use her lockpicks to unlock Bishop.  Bishop is surprised to see them and Storm asks if his Storm doesn’t have these skills and works in how she was an orphan in this timeline.

Storm hints that her fellow X-Men, Quicksilver and Banshee are outside.  They are trying to find the source of the Madri’s power.  Banshee lets out a hypersonic signal that knocks out the first guard.  Banshee states that all the cats and dogs in the ten mile area are losing their minds.  With the opening of a door, they see that the Madri really are . . . .Jamie Madrox!  Who is a bit insane, at first, I thought he was Jamie Braddock.  Their mission is to kill him but he looks insane, due to spreading himself so thin.

Amazing X-Men V1 4 Shadowcat 1

The Remains of the Xavier Estate.  We find the Astonishing X-Men (so I’m not sure besides the above three, who makes up the Amazing roster).  The Astonishing X-Men are Sabretooth, Blink and Morph (both of whom I know from Exiles), Wild Child and Rogue.

Iceman told them, so I guess he’s part of Amazing?, that Bishop and Magneto were captured.  Rogue is worried that both her husband and son are in danger.  Apocalypse had personally been there to oversee the mission.

Sabretooth sniffs all three Rasputins.  Sabretooth just says, a child, so Rogue thinks it may be her son – Charles.  Colossus pipes up that the child is his sister.  They were successful with their mission.  Colossus hints at the horrible price as Shadowcat stands at a distance, not pleased.

Amazing X-Men V1 4 Shadowcat 2

Rogue is sad to hear about the deaths of Generation Next.  No hint that Colossus allowed them to all to die, so that his sister may live.  Blink is shock, as she should have been on that team.  Which is the opposite of what happened to her in the Proper Marvel Universe, where the Pre-Generation X team (with Jubilee) was on a fateful first mission and Blink had died during.

Rogue goes to comfort Shadowcat , who I do like how she goes by Kate in this timeline.  She didn’t have the proper childhood that allowed a silly pet name, like Kitty.  Kate tells Rogue that she has no tears left to cry.  Kate also says that the estate was empty when they arrived.  Exodus and Dazzler (possible other Amazing cast members?) are in the tunnels looking for Charles.

Kate further tells the team that Quicksilver went to Quebec.  Rogue tells Sabretooth that he is with her.

Rogue, Sabretooth and Wild Child are now in the Tunnels, I can only imagine these are the Morlock Tunnels.  They come across Dazzler and Exodus.  With them are Gambit and Jubilee, I believe.  Gambit knows where Charles is.

Rogue is punching Gambit (which is a fun sight) as he had to let Charles go.

Quebec.  Storm and Bishop are quickly losing ground, they need support.

Elsewhere.  Quicksilver and Banshee don’t know what to do; meanwhile, Madrox is begging them to kill him.  Once he is dead, the Madri will fade away.  Quicksilver is conflicted but Banshee is all for killing him, as it is war time.  Before they can make a decision, Abyss arrives to taunt them.  Quicksilver has defeated Abyss before.  Abyss doesn’t allow that to phase him, as he jokes that Bishop and the woman that Quicksilver loves (Storm) are in dire straits.  I guess it is a secret that he has feelings for her as Quicksilver is surprised Abyss knows that.

Abyss calls Banshee a coward and this unleashes Banshee, I really dig his costume redesign, he should wear that outfit again.  Banshee tells Quicksilver to grab Madrox and save Bishop & Storm.  Banshee is willing to die, if he takes Abyss with him.  Banshee enters Abyss’ body and causes him to explode from within.  This reminds me of how you defeat Abyss in X-Men Legends II.

Thanks to YouTuber ShadowMokujin for hosting this video.

Quicksilver makes it out, but he is sad as a man he thought of as a brother, has just died like the hero that he is.  Madrox still wants to be killed.  If Madrox dies, Storm & Bishop will no longer be in danger.  Storm is loved and Bishop is needed so Madrox allows himself to die – though I’m not sure how.

Minutes Later.  Storm cries over the deaths, more sacrifices being made to stop Apocalypse.  Quicksilver hugs and comforts her.

Amazing X-Men V1 4 Shadowcat 3

Xavier Estate.  Gambit has confessed that Strong Man took Charles.  Guido took him, as he was the best chance of Charles escaping peacefully.  So “took” isn’t the right word.  From Rogue’s reaction, I take it he isn’t an ally so it must still be a bad decision.

I like how this issue is the pay off of both Generation Next and X-Calibre, as we learn that Generation Next was successful in their mission of saving Illyana and we learn that X-Calibre (Kurt’s team) was successful in saving Destiny.  I doubt Gambit’s series (X-Ternals) was about saving Charles but maybe it was but it doesn’t feel like a conclusion.

A ship lands and Quicksilver, Storm and Bishop come out.  I like seeing Rogue and Quicksilver having a moment.

Sabretooth states that Gambit was the only one who failed their mission.

Issue ends with Quicksilver stating what they have to do.  Get the piece of the M’Kraan Crystal (that Gambit failed to do) and save his father and brother (took me a second to realize he’s talking about Charles).

This will all conclude in X-Men Omega, that we will get to but we have one more stop to make.

Generation Next 4

Posted by John Klein III on May 14, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Generation Next 4

Created by Scott Lobdell & Chris Bachalo

Inks by Mark Buckingham

Lettering by Richard Starkings and ComiCraft

Colors by Steve Buccellato and Electric Crayon

Cover Dated June 1995

Illyana is narrating this issue, at first, from inside Mondo.  All she knows about life is the Core.  She tries to reach out, as we see Mondo trying to sneak out of the core before she dissolves inside of him.  Her hand breaks out from his chest and he tries to push it back in there.

Several Levels Above.  We catch up with Quietus as ‘he’ has shot Chamber, to make Sugar Man happy.  Bachalo was really firing on all cylinders with this series. This is an awesome double splash page and Sugar Man never looks much better.  Which is impressive as this is only his three appearance, after appearing for the first time in the second issue.

Sugar Man doesn’t care for being made to look foolish in front of the slaves.  Sugar Man knows that no one breaks into a place like The Core without backup.  So he stabs Quietus and Vincente oozes out of the husk.

Vincente is hurt, even in his gaseous state.  Skin is checking on him.  Husk is bleeding out.  Husk turns into her proper form and brags that they are the Next Generation of X-Men – so she couldn’t work the title of the series into dialogue.

There is a giant explosion from above them and Chamber is on his feet, bragging about how he tricked them all into thinking he was shot.  A mutant comes at Chamber but Skin extends something out of his forehead and runs the mutant through.  Sugar Man tries to escape, or get back up but Chamber blasts him apart.

Colossus lands and tells his young charges to find his sister and escape.  Sugar Man, who is tiny at this point, recognizes the name of Illyana.

Below.  Two thugs keep punching Mondo, even though he keeps asking them to stop.  He pushes the two of them off the cliff.  The little girl that Mondo saved, asks to be rescued as well.  Mondo tells her there isn’t enough room for two but he will try.  Just then, Skin and Chamber arrive and remind him of the mission.

There is a four page ad for the Ultraverse.  In 1961, Marvel launches the Modern Age of Super-Heroes.  1975, Marvel launches the Modern Age of Mutants.  Now, Marvel announces the Age of Ultras!  Marvel and Ultraverse and putting on a six month event starting with April 1995’s Rune / Silver Surfer 1, and leads into Black September 1995 – that will change both universes . . . FOREVER!!!  Other titles are – Lord Pumpkin 1 (May 1995) Hardcase 23 / UltraForce 8 (June 1995) Curse of Rune 2 / Mantra 22 (July 1995) UltraForce/Avengers Prelude 1 / Eliminator 3 / Lord Pumpkin 4 / Night Man 22 (August 1995) UltraForce/Avengers 1.  Guest stars include Silver Surfer, Loki, Thor, Black Knight, Infinity Gems and the Avengers.  From the Ultraverse – Prime, Rune, Mantra, UltraForce and Lord Pumpkin.  Safe to state, that I didn’t read this and never heard anything from it.  I did like the UltraForce cartoon, the two episodes I remember seeing.  I wished I had watched Night Man, as the concept sounds insane.  Plus, an appearance of Manimal, a show I thought was cheese as a kid but I bet I would love it now.  That and AutoMan.

Like Sugar Man did to Quietus, he stabs his tongue through Mondo.  Illyana falls through the newly created hole.  Sugar Man makes the mistake of threatening to eat Illyana.  Just then, Colossus double stomps onto Sugar Man.  She immediately recognizes her brother, she always knew he would come to her rescue.  Such a great splash page, of him holding her.  She’s so tiny in his left hand.  Him calling her “little snowflake” wins me over.

Mondo’s new friend’s name is Gel.  Chamber is going to rescue her.  They are going to rescue and free everyone.

The human slaves are starting to attack their mutant overlords.

Generation Next 4 Shadowcat 1

Colossus tells his students to get back to back, they will make it to topside.  Shadowcaat phases out of Colossus, where she’s been hiding this entire time.  We don’t really get a scene of the two sister-in-laws.

Chamber gets knocked down and Skin follows suit.  Shadowcat tells the others to flee as she gives chance after the boys.

Generation Next 4 Shadowcat 2

Before Shadowcat can actually do so, Colossus grabs her arm.  The mission is to safe Illyana, that comes before saving others.  Shadowcat loses respect for him but takes his lead.  Husk shouts to not leave them behind.

Sugar Man’s back up as arrived and humans are being slaughtered.

Generation Next 4 Shadowcat 3

Once they are outside, Shadowcat unphases them.  Illyana is clearly safe and Shadowcat is going to go back for her students.  Colossus refushes to lose both is sister and wife so he will go safe the students.  Illyana finds her brother to be brave but Katya has her doubts.  Which is pretty intense.

Colossus is trying to make his way to the front door but it is closing quickly.

Generation Next 4 Shadowcat 4

Colossus makes crazy eye contact with Husk, as she is clearly fighting.  Colossus falls to his knees, an utter failure as Illyana hauntingly narrates that he wouldn’t let the students die.

Generation Next 4 Shadowcat 5

Hours later, Colossus has waited an appropriate amount of time and has come back – empty handed.  Shadowcat knows that he didn’t really fight.

Issue ends with Sugar Man, tiny again, hiding inside a fold of Colossus’ costume.  Next issue blurb is for X-Men Omega, except we are stopping by two other comics.

X-Facts April 1995.  The Wish List –

Astonishing X-Men 4
X-Man 4
Generation Next 4 – Trapped deep behind enemy lines . . . surrounded on all sides by Apocalypse’s goons . . . it’s do-or-die time for the next generation of mutants!  Will they finally liberate Illyana Rasputin so that she can help save the universe, or was this mission all for naught?  By Scott Lobdell & Chris Bachalo!
Weapon X 4
X-Calibre 4
Amazing X-Men 4 – Together again for what may very well be their final reunion, X-Men past and present unite to safe Bishop from the Madri and the maniacal Abyss!  By Fabian Nicieza & Andy Kubert!
Factor X 4
Gambit & the X-Ternals 4
X-Men Chronicles 2
X-Universe 2
X-Men Omega – This is the one you’ve all been waiting for!  The crystallization wave is about to inundate this last bastion of extistence, and it’s up to the X-Men to stop the tide before the entire universe is destroyed!  By Scott Lobdell, Mark Waid & Roger Cruz!

Such a great series!

Lukas Graham – 7 Years

Posted by John Klein III on May 13, 2016
Posted in: Fun With YouTube, Songs. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

Thanks to Lukas Graham for hosting his own video.

I’m currently obsessed with this song, I want to listen to it – all of the time.

Leah Guest did a fun and more positive version of the song.

Thanks to Leah Guest for hosting her own video.

I usually just want to listen to the proper version, at the halfway point.

. . .

Post 1,050!

X-Men Apocalypse Bracket Tournament Round Three

Posted by John Klein III on May 12, 2016
Posted in: Voting, Websites. Leave a comment

http://x-men.wikia.com/wiki/User_blog:MrBlonde267/X-Men_Apocalypse_Bracket_Tournament

Round Three! Voting ends on May 13th.

Cyclops v Banshee – Cyclops!
Nightcrawler v X23 – Nightcrawler!

Jean Grey v Professor X – the telepaths – Professor X, I guess.
Juggernaut v Colossus – Juggerlossus! – Juggernaut!

Right Side

Wolverine v Deadpool – Weapon X – Wolverine
Mystique v Psylocke – boo to Mystique beating Kitty, boo! – Psylocke, out of spite!

Magneto v Storm – Magneto!
Rogue v Archangel – boo to Archangel beating Lockheed, boo! – Rogue, out out of spite!

So this will be my last post spotlighting this as I’m super disappointed.  I probably just update this post with how I voted in the next rounds.  I really didn’t think Lockheed was going to lose to Archangel.

Edited on May 13 : Round 4!  Voting ends May 20th

Cyclops v Nightcrawler – now this one was a tough one!  I had to go with Nightcrawler
Jean Grey v Colossus – the worst v the worst – I guess Jean wins this one.  Chances are, we get Scott v Jean, which will be a slam dunk option for this fellow

Wolverine v Psylocke – Wolverine
Magneto v Rogue, a lovers squabble! – Magneto!   Magneto v Wolverine is a fun match up! I’ll go for Magneto in that scenario.  Magneto v Cyclops, it could very well happen!  It won’t but it could!

Generation Next 3

Posted by John Klein III on May 11, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Generation Next 3

Created by Scott Lobdell & Chris Bachalo

Inks Mark Buckingham

Colors Steve Buccellato and Electric Crayon

Lettering Starkings and ComiCraft

Cover Dated May 1995

Issue opens with Skin and Chamber, not really liking their odds for success.  Skin is narrating this issue.

We see that Apocalypse mutant goons mistreat flatscans horribly.  One of them kills a young girl’s father, as he was giving his daughter three day old food – from their last meal.  It takes all of Skin’s strength to keep Chamber from lashing out.  Skin wants to wait, until they actually have a chance at winning.  We do see that Skin camouflages himself to resemble a guardrail and as the guy who killed the father is leaning on it, Skin allows himself to relax and the mutant guard falls to his death.

Elsewhere.  We see Husk and Vincente, still masquerading as the Chief Administrator of Mutant Resources.  They are surprised that they have made it as far as they did, into the Core.  They are in Quietus’ office and can’t find any records on Illyana Rasputin.

Sugar Man is outside of Quietus’ office, we learn that Sugar Man is Quietus’ boss as well as the boss of the entire Core operation.  Once inside, “Quietus” is having a shower, trying to hide his new scent.  Sugar Man explains that Shadow King noticed someone going through their files.  A possible break-in is suspected.

Inside the shower, we see that Husk only has Quietus’ head and it is her body onto of Vincente’s actual form.  Sugar Man laughs at the idea of a break-in and leaves.  Once they are alone, Husk states how much she loves Chamber.  Vincente states that is why she’s been a red head for the past year.

Generation Next 3 Shadowcat 1

At the Core Entrance.  Shadowcat is phasing herself and Colossus through walls.  Her phasing makes it possible for Colossus to be as light as a feather.  Skin narrates that he has also noticed that Colossus has become reckless, only caring about getting his sister back.  The two teachers are going to wait for a signal.

Below.  Illyana asks an older lady, May, to describe sunlight.  One of the guards pushes Illyana’s new friend off a cliff.  Luckily, Mondo is there to save the girl.  Is Mondo not Skin?  That might explain my confusion about the two of them.  Reading these again, I do recall a sense of confusion of what was happening.  Maybe I didn’t buy these in order, back in the day, reading them as I bought them.

Okay, Mondo and Skin are two different people.  Skin and Chamber are still on the surface.

Malibu Comics must be a thing, or Marvel’s ownership is, as there is a two page ad for Prime vs Incredible Hulk, as it is a mail order comic for Ultraverse.  $10 for the comic or $40 for the Super-Premium version, signed by the creative team and has a metallic ink cover.

“Quietus” finally catches up with Skin and Chamber.  They can tell it is Husk, pretty quickly.

Generation Next 3 Shadowcat 2

Above.  Know-It-All is providing an update to the married couple.  Things are not going well.  Shadowcat wants to go down there but Colossus doesn’t want to risk being detected.

Sugar Man likes that Quietus is getting rough on two intruders.  Sugar Man wants Quietus to kill them, “he” pauses but agrees to do it.  Quietus aims his gun but Sugar Man stops him.  Why use a gun when he has his sweet mutant power.  Quietus tries to make a few excuses but mostly, Husk doesn’t know what his powers are.

While putting his new lady friend down, Mondo spots Illyana and promises to come back.  Mondo grabs Illyana and makes a break for the surface.

Generation Next 3 Shadowcat 3

Know-It-All announces that Mondo has saved Illyana.  Mondo absorbed Illyana, so the more he uses his power, the more likely he make start dissolving her.  Colossus tries to convince his wife to stay behind but she reminds him that they are together for better or worst.  Colossus restates that she will always be the love of his life.  We’ll find out if he really means that later.  Not in this series, but later on in the event.  Shadowcat wants one last “intangible fast ball special” and he tells her that there will never be a last one.

Issue ends with Sugar Man giving Quietus the kill order.

We get the Marvel X-Facts bulletin.  The Wish List is –

Astonishing X-Men 3
X-Man 3
Generation Next 3 – The mission to rescue Illyana Rasputin takes a turn for the worst!  And if Sugar Man doesn’t kill Chamber and Skin, it looks like Husk may have to for him!  By Scott Lobdell and Chris Bachalo!
Weapon X 3
X-Calibre 3
Amazing X-Men 3
Factor X 3
Gambit & The X-Ternals 3
X-Universe 1 of 2

One more issue to go!