I own this, from the Critical Mass set
Writer Marguerite Bennett
Artist Mike Norton
Colorist Fco Plascencia
Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna
Cover Art Adams and Paul Mounts
I like how the Character List has Cameron with a spray painted “Pryde” now. Nice touch!
The Ruins of Centrum. The Great Mutant Haven. New York City. Storm and Rachel are assisting Wolverine, Angel, Colossus and Magneto. Magneto and Angel discuss how the endgame is near.
No one mentions if they found Lockheed, or if he is alive. Hopefully we find out his fate, next issue.
The Last Mutant Internment Camp. The Pryde offspring are trying to free the imprisoned mutants.
Destiny starts wailing into Christina. She sets up Avalanche to kill Christina but Kate saves her daughter and Avalanche, rightfully, dies.
Meanwhile, Cameron kills Pyro, but not until Pryo tells him about the compromise. The Brotherhood of Mutants have been able to walk freely but they have been giving up their fellow mutants. Those poor unfortunate souls, have been tortured. I wouldn’t cry over Pyro’s death but now I really wouldn’t.
Magneto arrives in the Sentinel that was in Centrum, but I thought it was only the head of a Sentinel. I imagine that, after fighting so many Sentinels – this evening – so that is easily explainable. Magneto Sentinel starts punching the troops.
I could have gone for a full page of Wolverine and Cameron’s exchange. Christina is happy to see her Uncle Erik. Would have also been good to have a reunion moment with Storm and Kate.
Wolverine checks in with Christina, who si pretty shaken with all of the death.
Cameron, proving he has his mother’s brain – notices the computer screen. He figures out that Kelly was going to fake an attack on himself but Magneto was going to turn it into a real attack. Magneto was also going to sacrifice Pryde’s Pride.
There is an ad for Secret Wars 2015 7, and at this point, I only still own the first issue. Which is one better than I thought, I would.
Kate is upset, as she naturally signed on for the death of her children. Magneto, to shut her down, steals Destiny’s collar dampener and places it around Kate’s throat. There is also a great moment when Magneto shuts down Wolverine. Which he should just always be doing.
Magneto comes at Christina, like a predator. She has to die for the cause, which is pretty messed up – as he points out that he raised her for this purpose. Also twisted is that Rachel was down with the plan.
Kate tells her son to give chase. Cameron kills both Pyro and Magneto in this issue, that’s quite the kill list.
Christina and Cameron start having an intellectual conversation, but it leads to fisticuffs. Cameron wants the mutant race to end, as clearly nature is trying to undo this evolutionary hiccup. Issue ends with Christina, ready to attack her brother.
I can’t wait to find out how this concludes, if the next issue is even the final issue.
I own this! He’s from the Giant Size X-Men collection.
Writer Brian Michael Bendis
Penciler Mark Bagley
Inker Scott Hanna
Colorist Justin Ponsor
Letterer VC’s Cory Petit
Avengers Tower. The SHIELD Hellicarrier arrives. Our Maria Hill is talking to Ultimate Nick Fury, they are not finding either Iron Man. Out from the Hellicarrier comes – Ultimate Thing, Ultimate Hawkeye, Spider-Man, Ultimate Cap (who they still not explaining how he is no longer dead), FalCap, Ultimate Human Torch, Ultimate Invisible Woman and Black Widow. The gathered heroes are not looking forward to fighting two Iron Men and a Hulk. They are not sure how to proceed, as they are in front of the door. Do they knock, or do they knock the door down.
Just then, every Iron Man armor greets them. Without a minute passing, Ultimate Cap figures out what is happening. Cap notices that the Iron Man armor was holding back. This was all a distracting ploy. Our Tony wants to protect his friend, Banner, and he really didn’t want to fight his friends. He’s okay with annoying Ultimate Fury. Ultimate Stark wants Tony to break the communication signal.
Brooklyn. Bombshell is telling civilians to run, as the Punisher is trying to kill her, with a sniper rifle. I didn’t know she could use her blasting powers to fly (or jump high). She finally gets to where he use to be, but only sees the rifle.
Punisher was behind a wall and shoots Bombshell. Just then, Ultimate Cloak and Dagger (to bad that we won’t see the two Cloak and Daggers meet!) arrive on teh scene and take out Punisher. Bombshell is bleeding but only from her ear. Punisher is constantly ranting about how it is all of their faults. Cloak absorbs the Punisher, into his . . . cloak.
Cloak gets a belly ache and Punisher comes out, firing. Punisher throws some grenades and leaves. I do believe this is Ultimate Punisher, who is crazier than regular Punisher.
I like how Bombshell says “swear word” instead of actually swearing, when Ultimate Iron Man arrives. He needs the young heroes help. He has called the FBI and the police, to deal with the Punisher. As that has always worked in the pass.
Doomstadt. The High Court of Doom. Doom. Valeria is talking to Doom, informing him of the Manhattan domain. We get a hint that there are dimensional anomalies, that has resulted in doppelganger chaos. So that might explain why nothing there makes sense. Doom has a special interest in this region. She tells him that there is a fraction that is going against his will.
Ultimate Tony wants to tell Doom’s Science team of their findings. Proper Stark wants to keep it a secret, until they know something for sure. Proper Banner really suspects that they should have worked this out before hand.
I’m not really sure what this page is for, besides to give Bagley a chance to draw all of these characters. Which is pretty great but it goes to show, that this isn’t quite the last hurrah of the Ultimate Universe, like how it was billed.
It does have Old Man Logan in it, as he has escaped his region and is now touring Battleworld. Which is tight continuity, but it helps that Bendis is writing both of these titles.
Doom wants to see how this all plays out.
This is essentially the same page as from Issue One –
No, it is exactly the same page. Still pretty great, but I’m glad the previous page was included.
I’m not really sure what makes the two universe’s heroes start fighting each other, the next issue is the last – so we have to get to this moment eventually.
Doom isn’t concern, as he can just undo and restart this region – like how he has, in the past.
Issue ends Valeria wondering what would happen if something unexpected happens – which we see Miles Morales webslinging, so I guess he’s the last hope. It would make sense, as he has to jump over to the Proper New Marvel Universe.
Hopefully we get answers in the next and final issue.
Writer Louise Simonson
Penciler Steve Scott
Inker Kris Justice
Colorist Pete Pantazis
Letterer Blambot’s Nate Piekos
Cover by Marko Djurdjevic
Cover Dated August 2007
To let new visitors know what is happening, every Easter, I feature a comic that features Magik. Thanks to Comic Book Queers, Episode, 93, gave me this great idea. What better character to spotlight on this day of Resurrections, than Illyana Rasputin! So I’ve been doing titles that chronicle her return to us after her tragic death in Uncanny X-Men 303.
Comic Book Queers Episode 93 :
http://www.comicbookqueers.com/?p=28
Onto the issue!
This issue takes place during New Mutants Volume One Issue 32. I reviewed that issue here –
Mystic Arcana was a very soft event where Marvel was hoping this event would spark a renew interest into the magic corner of the Marvel Universe. Sort of like how Marvel is currently doing just their latest crop of magic titles.
I sort of love that (very hard to read) opening paragraph. 1602 played with the concept of the importance of the series of four and the elements. It starts with references to the first two heroes of the Marvel Golden Age – the android Human Torch and the great king, Namor. Next came Captain America. The first heroes of the Silver Age – the Fantastic Four – all of them being elemental base – water (Reed), air (Sue), flame (Johnny) and earth (Grimm). There are four higher cosmic beings. Four types of magic. Four cornerstones of creation.
We get a break down of who Magik was, as she hadn’t returned at this point in time. W get the note about how this issue takes place during New Mutants Volume One Issue 32.
Ian McNee, who frames the entire Mystic Arcana event. He wants to rival Doctor Strange. I’ve never heard of this fella until this event and haven’t heard from him since.
Issue opens with Doctor Ian McNee has summoned Oshturi, one of the great cosmic beings. McNee is stuck on the bottom of a mystic frozen ocean. Oshturi will help him but only McGee will have to restore an ancient magician – Heka-nut. McGee agrees and is teleported to his Magic and Curid Shop in Brooklyn, New York.
So this issue is going to be setting up who Heka-nut is.
Someone is looking at tarot cards, that match both Illyana and Dani. The two best New Mutants. The third card is Storm’s great Egyptian ancestor. Heka-nut, who must be the one holding the cards, implies that he is the brother to Storm’s ancestor. Ancestress? That can’t be it, right?
Illyana and Dani have left the pages of issue thirty-two of New Mutants’ first volume. Illyana instantly knows she royally screwed up her space and time jump. Dani is happy that they are in Egypt
That’s an impressive tarot set, that has a card for time travel.
Illyana quickly reminds Dani of her powers’ weakness. The farther she goes, the more unbalanced her timing is. She wanted five thousand miles and got there, but five thousand years into the past.
Xavier never taught them Egyptian, but they get that they are in trouble.
Dani wants Illyana to teleport them but Illyana’s powers are not kicking in. She needs to rest.
Ashake finds the two New Mutants and tells them to hide with her.
Ashake must look like Storm as that is who Magik thinks saved them. Ashake is glad that her bloodline is still alive. A spell makes it so that they understand each other.
It was Ashake with the tarot cards earlier. Illyana takes an interest in the cards, I do miss this more innocent Illyana. Maybe not innocent but definitely younger. We won’t be seeing her belly button nor thighs in this issue.
Ashake has a tarot set, made from bone! Illyana tells her how, in her present day, they use paper instead of bone. Thus, paper beats rock. Which I still don’t get, as I place a rock on a piece of paper, that paper isn’t moving one bit. Sure, it’ll try to escape but it won’t. When has paper ever defeating rock? So silly
Ashake can read Dani’s mind but she can’t read Illyana’s. Ashake consults with the cards. She can tell that Illyana is a ruler but of a burden land. Illyana reveals that her kingdom is Limbo but on Earth, her powers manifest in two ways. She also reveals that her powers have a dark undercurrent. Ashake admires how Illyana fights that temptation. Ashake sees that Illyana and Dani are in danger. Danger from . . . Heka-Nut!
Heka-Nut’s forces enter Ashake’s home, she quickly turns Dani invisible. Illyana isn’t worried about him corrupting her soul, as hers is already corrupted. Illyana tires to teleport away but she’s still too tired.
Since Heka-Nut’s forces are powered by magic, Illyana’s soulsword actually has an effect on them. Ashake tells Illyana the Heka-Nut wants the New Mutants for his quest for the Sword of Bone. One of the goons isn’t magically endowed and in her shock, another one knocks her out.
Illyana wakes up with Heka-Nut monologuing over them. Magik tries to escape but any pressure against the binds hurts Ashake.
Heka-Nut wants to take Magik’s soul so that he can use her in his quest. He can’t as her soul is corrupt so he threatens to hurt Ashake unless Magik helps him. Illyana killed a version of Storm, so she feels like she owes Ashake.
There is an ad for the Fantatsic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer game, which if it was as bad as the first game, I recommend skipping this one.
Heka-Nut explains the backstory of the Sword of Bone. Turns out, it is one of the cornerstones of existence. Magik tells him that she will help.
Hours Later. Ashake and Magik are exploring a temple. I guess Dani must be sleeping in that invisibility spell.
The two spring a trap and Magik teleports them to Limbo. Ashake is taken back by the sight. Magik says this is home, which I like her owning it. While there, Magik is able to locate the sword. They get in front of the sword but it is defended by a giant snake. Magik’s soulsword is powerless against the snake.
A mystic alligator, sent by the Great Ma’at, steps on the snake. Ashake casts a spell, and the Sword of Bone is seen and she picks it up. It really needs a better name.
They are about to give the sword to Heka-Nut but he betrays their deal. They knew this was going to happen so they gave him a fake sword.
There is a quarter ad for Marvel Adventures Hulk, coming in July2007.
Heka-Nut is defeated and the two ladies both have swords now. Ashake refuses to kill Heka-Nut as it is both the wrong thing to do and it will taint her soul. The Bone Sword wants a new master but Ashake sends it away to where they found it. The story ends with Ashake returning Illyana to Dani, who was sleeping during all of this. The two teleport back to their present.
Ritual of the Sphinx
Part One
Story – David Sexton
Art – Eric Nguyen
Lettering – Blambot’s Nate Piekos
Place : A train bound for the Theban Necorpolis. Time : The Present. Ian McNee is flirting with a gal who is wearing an ancient perfume. The girl, of course, is another magic user. This is McNee getting the Sword of Stone, from the beginning of the issue.
This section continues to Sister Grimm’s tie-in, next will be Scarlet Witch and finally, Black Knight.
Back cover ad is a Got Milk ad featuring the film versions of the Fantastic Four, the original cast of the 2007 film.
Writer Sam Humphries
Artist Alti Firmansyah
Colorist Jessica Kholinne
Letters VC’s Joe Sabino
Cover Yasmine Putri
I had to add the Annie Wu Variant to my Wishlist.
Pizza My Heart. Best Slice in the Manhattan Domain. Shadowcat has Quill handcuffed to her arm. We get our first glimpse of . . . The Mutdroids!
The Mutdroids are awesome! These are robotic New Mutants – Cannonball, Dani Moonstar, Warlock, Magik and Sunspot. Shadowcat is not intimidated by these foes. She slices Sunspot’s knees, which is awesome.
Quill is trying to understand why Shadowcat is working for Doom.
This Shadowcat is intense! Cannonball comes . . . cannonbaling towards the non-couple, and Shadowcat opens the microwave and melts the young man from Kentucky.
Quill is trying to explain to Shadowcat that Battleworld is a fake, he is from the previous world, and knows that Doom has masterminded this world’s creation.
Quill gets in the fight, flinging pizzas around the place. Shadowcat phase punches Dani to her dumb robotic face. So fun having Dani say “malfunction..the focused totality of my psyyyychic powwwwwers” even though that isn’t the thing she says – that would be Psylocke but I love that silly expression.
We get a slight tease of a Shadowcat v Magik fight but it is over, off panel.
Quill takes the time to see the similarities between this Shadowcat and his fiance, Kitty Pryde. He can’t help falling in love, though she frightens him.
We do see that Shadowcat has pushed her claws through the bottom of Magik’s head and straight through her eyeballs.
Warlock shows up, upset that all of his friends are dead. Shadowcat notices that he is speaking with nouns, so she shreds into him. Doug was using Warlock like a suit of armor. She forces him to reveal where Gambit is. He tells her Gambit is at the museum. Shadowcat and Quill start walking away when Doug makes the fatal mistake of recognizing Shadowcat. She can’t let him live, and snikts him through the chest. Warlock is sad and self-destructs. Selfgoodbye.
The Union of Doom Square. Later. Shadowcat wakes up, to discover that Quill has undone his handcuff. She is impress that he didn’t run off. She saved him, so he felt obligated to stick around.
Since the stakes are low, they take the time to chat. This issue can be broken down into three parts, the first opening battle. This nice scene in the Square and the final one, but I really adore all three of them. This is such a great issue.
Shadowcat asks about her counterpart, Quill really loves her. The coloring in this issue, is outstanding. Kholinne makes the issue look light hearted and fun.
Shadowcat asks if the two ladies are the same, and Quill is far to quick to say that they are nothing alike. This, naturally, offends her.
I can’t believe we got an issue where Kitty Pryde killed both Magik and Doug Ramsey! At least there wasn’t a scene where she strangled Lockheed!
They get heated, which is also fun to see. She’s a freakin’ psycho. He’s a lousy singer and she isn’t good at kissing.
I like the very real quiet beat there, for the top panel. The two let the moment rest, probably replaying the previous minutes, in their heads.
Quill needs to have the situation explained to him. Kitty can’t request backup, as she is on a renegade mission. Doom has two hands – one hand with Science, the other, Law. The two often collide.
Shadowcat confirms that she is from the Kingdom of Apocalypse, so now we know that she is the AoA Shadowcat – or some version of that one. If she didn’t go work for Doom, everyone in the region would be killed.
Shadowcat allows Quill to walk away but he is committed to follow this through. This doesn’t thrill her, at all.
The Doomenheim Museum. Quill isn’t impressed that Doom made himself a museum. Shadowcat has to explain that Doom had nothing to do with it, Doom doesn’t care about any of this nonsense. She phases the two of them through the ceiling, which the falls excites Quill. Who lets out a giant scream, when they are on a covert mission?
They fall to the ground, she falls on top of him and they look like they are about to kiss.
Shadowcat pulls away, as she sees Gambit’s bag, with the lock of hair in it. She opens the bag to reveal . . . WIDGET!!! That’s right, ya’ll, Humphries straight up brought Widget back! So awesome!
Widget is able to cancel Shadowcat’s powers, which informs her that Widget is an alternate version of herself. Quill doesn’t know how to make of this. Gambit, who I haven’t enjoyed this much – in years – waltzes in.
Issue ends with Gambit revealing that he wants to add Shadowcat to his own collection. So creepy! but understandable – still creepy!
Such a great series! By far, the best series to come out of Secret Wars 2015 – including the mains series, itself.
Story Karl Kesel
Pencils Pat Olliffe
Inks Al Williamson
Letters Jim Novak
Colors Greg Wright
Marvelous Editor Tom Brevoort
Direct Consulting Editor Mike Carlin
Chief Bob Harris
Guiding Spirit Mark Gruenwald
Cover Dated January 1998
This is the Batman side of my tie-in with Batman vs Superman.
I’m a huge sucker for Access, the new character find of the Marvel vs DC crossover. From that crossover, he was in the Doctor Strangefate comic, the Amalgam title. DC did All Access, and now Marvel gets their turn. This is also the last time we’ve seen Access. He who walks through the two universes.
Something else I love from the late 90s of Marvel, is the gatefold unfold cover. On the inside is the premise of the title and the cast list. I’ve kept this issue for the sweet opening scene with the X-Men of Days of Future Past and the Legion of Super-Heroes. When I was reading this, this time, I honestly thought it opened with the Daredevil * Batman, so I was a bit concerned that I didn’t own the issue with the two characters.
I meant to make the Batman reveal be a surprised but I already typed all of that, shoot!
Previously. Axel Asher (Access) is dating his girlfriend from the Marvel Universe – Ming Kuo-Fan. Don’t worry, he doesn’t have a DC girlfriend. Spider-Man wasn’t doing so well against Juggernaut and DC’s Mantis, of the New Gods. Jack Kirby’s New Gods. To help Spider-Man out, Access got Wonder Woman – which was pretty cool. Seriously, I”m a total nut for late 90s Marvel era of titles. Quicksilver, Heroes for Hire, Thunderbolts and the entire Heroes Return era.
There was a moment, and this says a lot about me – I had a sweet First Choice (word processing program on my old old computer) that I was keeping track of all of the Character Lists. It was a horrible program, super simple it was a blue screen with yellow text.
Once he was in the DC Universe, Access realized he can time travel, as well as merely jump between the two universes. At one point,he went into the past and had Hal Jordan as Green Lantern, fight the Hulk. Since he went back in time, naturally, that issue ended with him being in the Days of Future Past. Who else would be there, but the Legion of Superheroes.
At one point, when I was thinking of becoming a big fan of a DC character – I was going to go with the Legion’s Shadowlass. DC’s version of Shadowcat – in regards to their powers. We’ll get to that whenever I reveiw Superboy Team-Up (one day). Instead, I went with Chase Cameron, as she is pure awesome.
The only story I’ve read of the Legion was the pure awesome, Great Darkness Saga. Thanks to Wizard’s Top 100 Trades.
Shadowlass is now going by, Apparition.
Another reason I didn’t go with Shadowlass was due to how complicated the Legion’s continuity is.
This issue opens with the Legion fighting Sentinels.
For some reason, I thought Ultra Boy’s tattoo looked like Gen13’s Grudge’s tattoo. Or to respect time, that Grudge’s tattoo looks like Ultra Boy’s insignia.
But it doesn’t look similar at all.
I do enjoy how all the characters name check themselves. Triad has the ability to split into three persons and this confuses the Sentinel.
Wolverine arrives on the scene, he wants the Legion to run away. I do enjoy how Saturn Girl and Braniac 5 get name checked. I like how Kesel kept the year at 2012, which is fourteen years ago from the printing of this comic. Four years ago from writing of this post. Saturn Girl has read his mind, and has the decency to read his thoughts – aloud- while he is only a few feet away.
Access vouches for Wolverine, he knows that Wolverine is the best there is at what he does.
Seeing what is left of the X-Men – Rachel Summers, Colossus, Franklin Richards, Kate Pryde, Storm and Magneto. Since Magneto is standing and walking about, we know this takes place prior to the Days of Future Past storyline. Which I really enjoy the decision to make this take place prior to the story. It gives this issue a moment that it can run with. We’ll get to that in a few pages.
Saturn Girl gives Storm a quick recap of what the Legion has been going through. They were in the 30th Century and now they have been stuck in the 90s. Storm’s “My condolences” rings so true to me. Though, for Storm, the 90s were not that bad for her.
Magneto recalls the 90s and being the legend that he is, he would have recalled The Legion.
Access tries to explain, something he is going to get loads of experience with explaining. If he was more rested, he would have fixed this by now.
Rachel hears the story, and in her desperation, wonders if they can escape too.
Franklin, Rachel’s husband, consoles Rachel. They can’t escape, they have to fight through. If his father, Reed Richards, was still around he could create a way to turn off the inhibitor collars.
Braniac 5 hears the idea, and wanting to help, creates a dampener. He thinks he is so clever, that he used Sentinel parts to create it.
Kate Pryde wastes so time and starts phasing through walls. She allows herself a small smile. Storm says that Kate is like an Apparition, which is what Shadowlass is going by currently. A tad on the nose but it is the late 90s.
The Legion wants to help the X-Men but both Magneto and Storm tell them not to help.
Access opens one of his portals and the Legion starts to go through it. Spark, who isn’t present (and I imagine is Lightning Lass). Storm mentions how Spark doesn’t have her powers, which Storm can completely relate too. Rachel and Saturn Girl have a telepathic moment. Ferro is about to step through the portal, when a Sentinel has found the X-Men. Poor Ferro doesn’t get a moment.
Nah, I”m just kidding. Colossus and Ferro totally team-up! It is as if there was a secret list of what people wanted to see out of a match up of the X-Men and the Legion. The only thing I wanted was Shadowcat and Shadowlass together but they barely are in the same panel together.
Since Ferro is made of metal (I think) Magneto flings him through the portal. Magneto then hand pushes Access through it.
The Sentinel locates the device that is keeping the inhibitor collars active. I’m not sure why the X-Men didn’t just have Kate take off the collars the moment she could. Then again, it doesn’t look like too much time passed between them having their powers and not having their powers, again. Wait, but they all had goodbyes and such, there was time.
The Sentinel shoots a harpoon (like one would do and kill Storm with in Days of Future Past) right through Magneto’s spine. Now we know how he lost the use of his legs.
Wolverine runs away, probably to join the Canadian Resistance. He knows the collars can turn off and willf ind a way to do it again.
Picking up with Access, again, we see he is about to get run over by a weird looking car. In time to save him, is Daredevil in his classic yellow costume.
I should have wrote about this before, but I really like the look and feel of Olliffe’s art style. I first feel in love with it, during Untold Tales of Spider-Man – written by Kurt Busiek. It makes the series have a wonderful timeless look.
Batman gets out of the batmobile and compliments Daredevil for the sweet save.
Daredevil senses that Access is suffering from a fever and needs a hospital.
Daredevil doesn’t recognize where he is, so they are in Gotham City. Batman offers to take the two of them to the Thompson Clinic.
Batman is super impress with Daredevil’s heighten senses. I like this complimentary Batman.
Access touches Daredevil and begins to teleport the two away. Batman seees the flash but Daredevil doesn’t.
I forgot to mention, once Access is gone, the characters forget what has been happening.
Access, in his sickness, starts bouncing between the two universes and time. He sees Fing Fang Foom and the Challengers of the Unknown. Devil Dinosaur and DC’s WWII hero, Enemy Ace. The awesome Justice Society of America and the Invaders.
Access is saved by Monty the bum from the original Marvel vs DC event. The two are shouting at each other, and Monty lets it out that Monty is Access, of the future. Which means, when Access saw him die in the event, he saw himself die. Monty, for clarity’s sake, reveals that Access can’t stay in one universe for too long. Since the two of them are in the same place and time, instead of being a door between two universes, they are now a floodgate.
Mont7 gets out of there.
Darkseid and all of Apokolips arrive. Access, quickly, knows how much trouble he is in. Shit got real! We learn that they are on the Marvel Earth and still the 60s. We know this as we see the original Avengers – Thor, Giant Man, Wasp, Iron Man and Captain America.
Kanto, who name checks himself (luckily) as he tries to kill Captain America, via sword blade. Kalibak (also name checking himself) throws Thor down. Thor does get to punch Kalibak as Giant Man tries to get into the fight but mostly watches. Mad Harriet jumps at Giant Man. Wasp stings Stompa.
I do like how the fights are pretty even, with good give and take.
The original Justice League – Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Aquaman and Black Canary – arrive, as Access has summoned them.
Dareseid tells Amazing Grace to do some mind tricks and the issue ends with the Avengers and Justice League about to fight each other.
Such a great series!
So I got tired of how much Walker Dennis was watching BabyTV’s Songs and Rhymes on HuluPlus. I appreciate that there are nine episodes and it was good background music for maybe 45 minutes but I couldn’t do those songs anymore.
Thanks to YouTuber Hankshostak for hosting the video.
So this past Easter, I was looking for Easter songs. I was mostly wondering if there were even such a thing. What I found has captured my imagination.
Not only does Bounce Patrol have one Easter song, they have three!
Thanks to Bounce Patrol Kids for hosting their own videos.
So that is 27 minutes of pretty great songs.
Here is a video, containing 35 minutes of songs. We usually play these back to back. This one has some fun Halloween songs, one of them containing a Magneto costume!
So I wanted to make sure that Bounce Patrol was a good nature group and not up to anything sinister. That lead me to finding almost no information about them.
http://www.bouncepatrol.com/about/
They are a very nice Australian group. My favorites are Jacinta and Alyssa, who is a Canadian. Will and Jackson are pretty fun too. You would see a tall man in some videos, who I am not sure who that is. He is never name checked and Rachel, who joined the crew in 2014, replaces him – as I’ve never seen them together. Whatever happened to that guy?
Then I found this video –
Kids Life, Better than a Playground – which breaks from the norm of all of their future videos as it is outside, away from their green screens. I couldn’t find the release date of it but they all look noticeably younger here. It was released three years ago.
The only other video that I know that has such synchronize dancing is –
Halloween Rules
Just to include it, here is the “Everybody Loves Halloween” that features Jackson in an awesome Magneto costume
Anyone know who this fourth lady is?
Maybe she is a producer?
I do like how they have taken the steps to get some Playlists together.
In the Alphabet Songs, they have gotten up to M, and that was only a few months ago. I like this as I’m really hoping that Walker Dennis will eventually pick up on all of the sounds and start talking.
Here is the big announcement that Rachel is joining the crew. They hint that Alyssa is going away for a tiny bit. I’m not sure which videos seem to be effected by this, as they seem to make a point of leaving one person out of each of their videos. Sometimes they have all five but those seem to be special occasions. How does a Canadian get hooked up with an Australian children musical troupe? How does anyone join a children musical troupe? I’m pretty fascinated with that concept. Good for them, doing a job that I can only imagine is super rewarding and a real treat.
The production aspect to, Colors, really fascinates me as well. They must be wearing green screen styled shirts too, right? I do like how they made the point of doing Yellow and Blue makes Green, then they go with Yellow and Red making Orange. But nothing rhymes with Orange! They should have just gone Blue and Yellow making Purple and not have been so awkward but they sure are having fun with the whole thing.
Does anyone know anything about Bounce Patrol? No one seems to be discussing them online, that I can see. I see from their YouTube page that they do have fans, as they have uploaded some videos.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC56cowXhoqRWHeqfSJkIQaA
I’m pretty sure they don’t have sinister intentions and Walker Dennis loves the songs, so I’m committed to them for the time being.
One last video –
“To the Music” makes no sense. It is catchy as all heck but the things that they can do ‘to the music’ why would anyone? I will freely admit that I’ve given them way too much thinking time, to the point where I had to make this post, so that I could get the thoughts out of my head.
Thanks for indulging me!
Honestly, who is this man in the red shirt? What is his name? Why did he leave the show?
My current theory is that Will didn’t like being regulated to the role of the cat in Kids Life. Or that Will didn’t like being known as the third dude and convinced production that two dudes and three ladies is a winning solution.
Take for instance, Old MacDonald Had a Farm –
Will is regulated to the farmer role, giving no lines and not great costuming. Those gray eyebrows throw me off.
I do like how they gave the song a preface, that is pretty nice. Is that an Australian thing or a Bounce Patrol thing?
Update, so my investigation revealed this interesting Facebook post –
So that guy’s name is Sam and he had another job that made him not able to commit to the show, at that time. I can only imagine that that job has since become a full time commitment.
So I suppose that Will is off the hook, but I still suspect him of some involvement in it.
On May 15th, the day before Walker Dennis turned seventeen months old, they released another compilation video!
So in addition to the 35 minute video and the 27 minute video, they now have a 33 minute video.
At first, I figured this video was going to be a collection of songs, minus the holiday ones, as they should have one of those that doesn’t include Halloween or Easter songs, like a timeless collection. It isn’t like they are also including their Christmas songs in any of these.
A pretty good mixture of all of their songs across their different eras.
In our continued quest to learn more about our favorite YouTube Childrens Sensation, I found this video –
http://www.msn.com/en-au/lifestyle/relationships/bounce-patrol/vp-AAcgnVE
I wish it was up on YouTube, as it would be nicer to have in this post. A great video about who the members of Bounce Patrol are. I’m glad that they are becoming a recognizable force and that they are beloved around the world and not just in our living room here in Helena, Montana.
. . .
Post 1,000!!!
Cover Dated September 1998
http://uncannyxmen.net/secrets-behind-the-x-men/changing-x-men-directions
UncannyXMen.net has this great series of, Secrets of the X-Men, feature.
There are several Wizard issues that are referenced. So I rescued this issue from my For Sell list from Lonestar Comics.
Other issues that are on my Wishlist are – 90, 159 and 219. My collection has several before and after 90, so I am not sure where issue 90 is. I own the Elektra / Jennifer Garner cover instead of the Cassaday Astonishing X-Men cover for 159, so on the For Sell pile it stays.
The Chris Claremont interview is on pages 46 – 50. In it, there is a sidebar where Claremont wanted Kitty Pryde for his terrific Fantastic Four run. The X-Office turn down his request. The entire interview is about his Fantastic Four run, that is just starting, along with his short Wolverine run. The run that marries Wolverine and Viper, that we will review here one of these Novembers.
Other points of interest in this issue :
The first five pages are ads for Marvel that I really wanted to own when I was at San Diego Comic Con that year.
These were celebrating the X-Men 35th Anniversary issues. Uncanny X-Men 360 and X-Men 80. MC2 is just about to start. As is Mutant X and yet another Blade miniseries. Along with a checklist for all of Marvel’s August comics.
I harassed the Marvel stage guy for a little bit, trying to take these two cardboard posters home with me. I’m sure they were thrown away soon after the convention.
Wolverine and Superman cover is by Kevin Maguire, and they are promoting the Top 25 Moments in Comics.
There are several DC Comics’ ads promoting how they are the Original Comic Universe.
I love how much this is a time capsule of what was happening at the time.
Beastie Boys’ Hello Nasty came out.
Halloween H2O came out, it is only okay. Though it will turn out to be the last good one in the franchise.
There is a poll result with which Marvel Knight book is most anticipated –
Daredevil 74%
Punisher 11%
Black Panther 10%
Inhumans 5%
Only Punisher is not good.
Dark City is on DVD now.
There is another poll asking if we would buy a second Green Lantern title and if we would support a Hal book and a separate Kyle book. Oh, how I have forgotten the Hal v Kyle debate. Kyle, for me.
October will be Deadpool month, which was awesome. Joe Kelly’s run, go buy it!
Rumor that Gambit will join the 35th Anniversary team. He does.
Vampirella is getting a revamp, mostly getting a full body armor. Which I can only imagine that putting clothes on her is the go-to idea to revamp her. I am sure that it is never successful.
Battle Chasers is hitting big. I really liked it.
Generation X 40, the infamous issue that explains the complicated Penance and Monet origins. It is not very good.
Last Man Standing – Superman v Spawn. Superman wins. Drawn by Barry Kitson.
Joe Casey interview on pages 38 – 44, I wonder if Chad Nevett knows about this. I just love Casey’s Cable run – which the interview covers.
The 25 Most Memorable Moments –
25. Hal Jordan destroys the Green Lantern Corps from Green Lantern 49 (I’ve read it and owned it for some time)
24. Terra revealed as a traitor from New Teen Titans 34 (I own it from the Judas Contract trade)
23. Flash dies saving the Universe from Crisis of Infinite Earths issue 8 (I own the trade)
22. A Man Without Fear from Daredevil 229 (I own the Born Again trade)
21. Death of Krypto from Action Comics 583 (I own the Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow two issue trade)
20. Thor threatens Loki’s head from Thor 359
19. Cap defies Thanos from Infinity Gauntlet 4 (I own the trade)
18. Galactus Falls from Fantastic Four 243
17. Doom outwits the Devil from Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom : Triumph and Torment (I own this)
16. Reed Richards learns his baby died from Fantastic Four 267
15. Morpheus leaves Hell from Sandman 4
14. Return of Kid Miracleman from Miracleman 15 (I own the trade, 3 : Olympus)
13. Superman to Mongul : Burn from Superman Annual 11 (I’ve seen the Justice League episode : For the Man who has Everything)
12. Elektra dies from Dardevil 181 (I own the Frank Miller Visionaries trade)
11. Thunderbolts revealed as Masters of Evil from Thunderbolts 1 (I use to own the entie run until the stupid Fight Club storyline)
10. Gwen Stacy Dies from Amazing Spider-Man 121 (I feel like I use to own this in various editions and trades)
9. Batgirl Shot from Batman : The Killing Joke (I own this)
8. Cap decapitates Baron Blood from Captain America 254 (I own this in the War & Remembrance, I believe)
7. Wolverine Dead from Uncanny X-Men 142 (I own this issue)
6. Captain Marvel arrives at the Gulag from Kingdom Come 3 (I own this trade)
5. Spidey discovers Burglar that killed Uncle Ben from Amazing Fantasy 15 (a story I own and read in numerous reprints. It is only a 15 page story, so Marvel has tacked it on, so many times)
4. Wolverine emerges from sewer from Uncanny X-Men 132 (I own this in the Dark Phoenix Saga trade. It is also the first appearance by Kitty that I don’t own. She appears via flashback)
3. Phoenix kills herself from Uncanny X-Men 137 (I own this via the Dark Phoenix Saga trade)
2. Ozymandias Victorious from Watchmen 11 (I own the trade)
1. Batman beats Superman from Dark Knight Returns 4 (I own the trade)
Decent list
Danger Girl gets the Casting Call treatment. This and Battle Chasers, I was a huge fan of. I didn’t get the vampire title Cliffhanger released.
These are pretty decent.
Charlize Theron as Abbey Chase
Who is Gena Lee Nolan?
Elizabeth Hurley as Sydney Savage
Claire Danes as Silicon Valerie
Who is Dan Schneider?
Sean Connery as Deuce
Timothy Dalton as Donovan Conrad
Jon Polito as Peach
Billy Zane as Johnny Barracuda
Cheech Marin as Kid Dynamo
Richard Moll as Mr. Giggles
Coming Attractions, oh boy, this brought me back.
FOX had the Captain America and Avengers movie rights.
Batman the Animated Series is entering its final season.
Marvel is still in bankruptcy at this point.
Dilbert, the cartoon, is coming to UPN.
Doctor Katz is entering its fifth season.
Futurama is just starting.
King of the Hill is starting its third season.
Men in Black, the cartoon, is starting its second season.
Micronauts is slated for a movie on the SciFi channel – it never came out. Nor the cartoon series.
Simpsons are starting their tenth season.
South Park starting its second season.
Spawn is also starting its second season.
In Trailers,
Tom Cruise is working on an Iron Man treatment for FOX.
Bryan Singer is getting close to finalizing an X-Men film.
Matt Damon is rumored to be Daredevil, which I would have preferred.
Batman / Superman Adventures won a Daytime Emmy for World’s Finest.
Rumor is Alan Moore’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is going to be made into a film. Oh dear
Fantastic Four 1/2 is being offered.
Basic Training with Dale Keown, how to draw proportions
Toy Chest
JLA toys based on Rock of Ages, I own both sets
Video Games
Sega Dreamcast is coming
X-Men fighting game coming to PlayStation One.
Tomb Raider film is coming, no actress has been chosen yet.
Superman is coming to Nintendo 64, oooof
Metal Gear Solid is also coming
Top Ten Heroes and Villains
1. Batman
2. Wolverine
3. Witchblade
4. Spawn
5. Captain America
6. Deadpool
7. The Darkness
8. Green Lantern, Kyle Rayner
9. Savage Dragon
10. The Demon, which is Gene Simmons in the KISS comic
Comic Picks
Untold Tales of Spider-Man : Strange Encounter
300 : 4 of 5
Astro City 17
Avengers 9, si close to the better 10
Battle Chasers 4
Hitman 31
Iron Man 9
JLA 23, Grant Morrison and Howard Porter – Starro the Conqueror
JLA Year One 10 of 12
Justice League of America : The Nail 3 of 3
Preacher 42
Strangers in Paradise 17
Superman For All Seasons 2 of 4
Thunderbolts 19
Uncanny X-Men 360
X-Men 80
Character Profile – Angel Supergirl
Top Ten Creators
I always wished there was a way to get the two to work on a project together
Writers / Artists
1. Kurt Busiek / Joe Madureira
2. Joe Kelly / Michael Turner
3. Mark Waid / Jim Lee
4. Grant Morrison / J. Scott Campbell
5. Grant Ennis / Alex Ross
6. Steven T. Seagle / Andy Kubert
7. Peter David / Chris Bachalo
8. Kevin Smith / Adam Kubert
9. Matt Wagner / George Perez
10. Christina Z / John Romita Jr.
I’m pretty sure none of those pairings have happened.
Top Ten Comics
1. Battle Chasers 1
2. Oni Double Feature 1
3. Thor 1
4. KISS : The Psycho Circus 1
5. Danger Girl 1
6. Clerks 1
7. JLA 1
8. Witchblade 1
9. Uncanny X-Men 350
10. Mage : The Hero Defined 1
June Top 100
1. Uncanny X-Men 358
25. X-Factor 128
75. Legends of the DC Universe 7
100. Ka-Zar 16
Price Guide
Uncanny X-Men 129 … $28.00
Uncanny X-Men 166 … $6.00
Writer Kieron Gillen
Artist Filipe Andrade
Color Artist Rachelle Rosenberg
Double Page Spreads Yasmine Putri, Kyle Strahm & Jesus Aburtov; In-Hyuk Lee
Letterer VC’s Clayton Cowles
The Shield. Brand is trying to get Leah to not go after Magik. Leah has to go, she loves her. As she should! Leah is sure she can find Thanos, before Kang could. Brand isn’t looking forward to having to work with Kang, at all. Leah believes she can find Magik and come back, before the 20th day, when the Shield is philosophized to fall, from a future Kang. If Leah can find Magik, then Illyana can use a stepping disc to come right back. Which, if she could do that, Illyana would be there right now.
How great is this double page spread? So many pages like this, in these first two issues!
Brand’s Journal. Brand likes Magik, immediately – who wouldn’t? Leah and Illyana got together, as they worked well together, as they both employ magic. So they were paired up, quite often. Look how happy Illyana is there! I didn’t even know she could smile!
Illyana’s prescense brings out the lighter side of Brand – which I like.
I really need to learn more about Leah, Marvel Database makes it seem like she has a complicated short history.
Leah is determined to go after her special lady friend. Leah takes off, confident that she will, both, find Magik and return.
15 Days Later. 5 days Before the Shield Falls. Which is a crazy time jump! Kang takes great pleasure in announcing his promotion, as Leah and her Hel-Ranchers have gone missing. This news takes Brand to her knees. She is super angry at how Kang went about telling her the news.
Apparently, if Brand fights anyone, if the other person wins – they become the Commander of the Shield. Summers attacks Kang, so that Brand wouldn’t have to. This makes Kang believe that Brand is weak.
Summers doesn’t live with any fear, he is like the thousandth clone, so he can be replaced. Summers reveals that Brand doesn’t make friends easy, or at all. She has lost few and has even lost her love of her life.
This leads to another two page spread. Hank McCoy, Beast, has returned to the Shield. Except he did it as a giant gross worm like creature. Brand had to kill him with a laser, through the head. Head shot, boom!
Brand hasn’t loved anything, ever since. Kang respects Brand now, as her underlings have such loyalty for her.
Later. Leonardo Da Vinci reveals that Thanos is seeking a glove, one might even call it – an Infinity Gauntlet. Kang suspects the future Kang was a fake, as any Kang should be a master of the timestream.
Brand wonders what would Fury do, and this segues us to a flashback. Fury believes that Brand is too hard on people.
Brand asks the robots, Unit and another Unit. There is no Thanos in their database. Units access the Perfection database, the Ultron database. This is what the Ultrons have been waiting for, as the Unit robots are bombarded. The Units believe in 47 years, the Ultrons will own the wastelands – but not the Wastelands where Old Man Logan is from. Every week, the Ultrons attack one part of the Shield, severely weakening it.
I had to read this page, so many times!
Ms. America calls the pride of blue kitties, Kitty Pride – but I thought she was calling Kate of Bishop, that she was Kitty Pryde. It was pretty confusing. I think the cats being blue, like Beast – really threw me off. Hopefully they appear in anther issue, so that I can make sense of it all. So it is like five cats, that share a hive mind, like the Cuckoos? That’s my guess.
On the Wall. The issue ends with Brand seeing who is leading the Ultrons. It is Nick Fury! It looks like the Fury, as he did as the final boss fight of Avengers Alliance 2, but all purple.
Siege 2’s Last Page –
Ultimate Alliance 2 –
Well, I guess they are not that similar but that was the impression I got.
The official countdown, in Two Days, the Shield will fall.
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Shadow and Flame with Magik 