Ultimate End 3

Posted by John Klein III on February 10, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Ultimate End 3

Writer Brian Michael Bendis

Penciler Mark Bagley

Inker Scott Hanna

Colorist Justin Ponsor

Letterer VC’s Cory Petit

Ultimate End 3 Recap

I didn’t get the second issue of this series, but the third one more than makes up for that!  From what I read, of the second issue, it was pretty much a giant fight of the two Hulks.

It has been brought to my attention that the versions of characters seen in this series, both the Proper Marvel Universe and the Ultimate Universe – may not actually be those versions of the character.  Which probably explains why Ultimate Captain America is just walking around, after seemingly dying towards the end of Cataclysm.  Which was with this creative team, so they could just undo that story.  Plus, I never really thought Cap died in there, as he was shown running towards the back of the Quinjet prior to it hitting Galactus, so he must have survived that.

There was also some wordage that implied that Doom had created and recreated this region, several times.  I bright all of this up as the Cyclops, seen in this issue, is not the real Cyclops – as we saw what happened to him in Secret Wars 2015 issue 4.  There is no way this miniseries takes place between issues three and four of the main series – that I still only own the first issue of.

Ultimate End 3 Magik 1

This issue opens with Bruce Banner, the proper one, is a prisoner of Ultimate Nick Fury’s.  All the united heroes, including Magik! – are present.  Fury is not impressed with Banner, at all.  People died, good SHIELD agents, in the attack that occurred in the prison, and Banner (being a Hulk) is fully responsible.

Proper Iron Man wants Fury to calm down, as that’s no way to speak to one of his friends.

Ultimate End 3 Magik 2

I thought Ultimate Captain America would just be on the cover but he is there, confronting his Fury.  Spider-Man really doesn’t like Fury saying his real name, but Fury was use to saying Ultimate Peter’s real name.

Emma reads Bruce’s mind and assures him that he should tell the story.  Bruce, as Doc Green, is confronted by Ultimate Banner – who wants Green to stop his research.  As a Hulk, all they ever do is ruin everything.  They go back to worth until they fight.  Which is weird, and maybe this is explained in the second issue, but Doc Green turns pink (like Banner) and loses the goatee while Ultimate Banner turns into a proper green Hulk.  Like Ultimate Hulk’s appearance stole the gamma radiation from Proper Hulk and that’s what happened.  But Proper Hulk is still Hulk, but pink and with brown hair – so maybe what we are seeing being depicted is him unHulking out?

Ultimate End 3 Magik 3

Bruce tries to explain what happened, but it still doesn’t explain it.  Maybe it is him using “Hulk out” that is throwing me off, as it appears like he did the opposite.  He Hulked down.

Fury has heard enough and tells everyone to leave.

I do like Proper Tony claiming Bruce as a friend, I guess in times like these, those of a same universe just stick together.  Falcon tells Tony to back down.

Ultimate End 3 Magik 4

Tony tells his universe folks that Fury is looking for an excuse to start locking them up.  Tony walks away, and passes by Magik.  I love Bagley, but showing Illyana having her soulsword holstered, is a mistake.  How is that sword attached to her?  Does she have a giant belt loop where the widest part of the sword can go into.

Poor Banner, he just wants to help.

We get to the second half of the issue and we get a little awkward section.  We see Frank Castle, in prison guard, gets to a safe house.  This must be the Ultimate Punisher, right? He has a black belt.  Proper Punisher, I imagine, comes in, and he has the classic white gloves, white boots and matching gloves but Ultimate Punisher throws a knife and kills him so quickly.  So this is awkward as I can’t imagine the Proper Punisher dying so easily – even if confronted by an Ultimate version.  Proper Punisher has been an angel, has been turned into FrankenCastle, I mean, he shouldn’t be that confused.  But he also hasn’t been this blood thirsty to kill costumed folks so that’s why I think it is Ultimate Punisher, moving on.

Brooklyn.  Bombshell confronts Proper Wrecking Crew (as their Ultimate counterparts are, Damage Control).  The Wrecking Crew are angry as they are forced to become bank robbers so that they can make some money, so they don’t mind that they are four grown muscle men, about to fight a high school student.  Just then, Thunderball gets a bullet through his head.  Punisher kills Wreckler, Piledriver and finally, Bulldozer.  He turns his eye to Bombshell but we cute to a new scene – so if she doesn’t die on panel, I would like to think that he didn’t kill her.  Even though he narrates, this is the only way it could end.

Triskelion Containment Center.  Two scientists are looking over Bruce, he’s trying to help them but they are not amused.  Just then, the power goes out.  Which is weird, as one of them claims that it is impossible to have a power outage, when it happens ALL THE TIME!

Issue ends with Banner, inside an Iron Man suit, as Tony brings him to safety.

Not really sure where this series is heading.  Clearly this series isn’t going to end with the two universes separated, as Secret Wars 2015 will have that big moment.  So is this just a very fancy Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe, which I will be all for, but it sure doesn’t feel like the last hurrah for the Universe Universe, like I thought it was going to be.

Excalibur 68

Posted by John Klein III on February 9, 2016
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Excalibur 68

Plot Scott Lobdell

Script Dan Slott

Pencils Steve Buccellato

Inks Harry Candelario

Letters Chris Eliopoulos

Colors Steve Buccellato

Dead Space, Part One of Three

Cover Dated August 1993

Alan Davis and Mark Farmer left the series and now we have Lobdell back on board.

The opening narration reveals that, on the way back from the Days of Future . . . Future, Captain Britain got separated in the timestream.  There is a handy editor note, from Suzanne Gaffney, that informs that we hadn’t missed an issue, we are merely jumping into the action.  We are also heading towards trying to fold Excalibur into the X-World.

Meggan is catatonic, in the waterfall, her has morphed her body to match the water.  The team is quite worried about her.  Rachel can’t reach her, even with her telepathic powers.

Kitty gets out of a car, she’s in a foul mood.  To make matters worst, microMAX is now in charge of the team.  He is wearing a business suit.  He believes that, with Captain Britain and Meggan gone – the team really needs to train more.  Kitty is in no mood for this jerk’s dick attitude.

Overhearing this, Kylun leaps from a tree and microMAX grows in size and prepares for a fight.  Kylun was merely testing his new friend’s wit.  microMAX is in charge, by FI6, and he hints at previous storylines – exploding bathrooms, dinosaur doppelgangers and cross-time capers.  Did Dan “Amazing Spider-Man” Slott really read these issues?  Does he even remember writing this issue?

Excalibur 68 Lockheed 1

What has Kitty in such a foul mood?  One of her closest friends, Illyana, is dying of the Legacy Virus; and she’s suffered too much death with Doug and now Brian’s disappearance.  To make the tears continue to fall, she thinks about Kate Pryde and how she was all alone, with her friends and family dead.

Feron arrives, and like a giant douche, commands Kitty to stop crying.

Excalibur 68 Lockheed 2

This, of course, doesn’t work as it isn’t – at all – what one should do to someone who is crying.  Feron’s intentions were to distract her and have her be able to direct her anger towards something else.  She finds it sweet, and Lockheed is so relieved!  Kitty hugs Feron, for his lame attempt as she really needs a friend right now.

Why she doesn’t go to Kurt and Rachel, is beyond me.  Though we do see this pair, as they go back inside.  I get that Rachel was always ‘edgy’ in her manner of dress but she just looks like a biker chick.  Rachel apologizes to Kurt, for being so indifferent about losing Brian.  Cerise comes flying into the room and grabs Kurt, they instantly start making out.  She hasn’t see him in 15 days.  Which I can’t recall if she didn’t go on the mission- or why she didn’t.  Kurt is upset, as no one seems to be caring that Brian is gone.

There is an ad for Mortal Kombat, coming in September 1993!  I was in the seventh grade and people were obsessed!  Rayden / Sub-Zero / Liu Kang / Johnny Cage / Sonya Blade / Kano / Goro / Scorpion, the original eight!  The franchise has gone so much over the past 16 years!  It still can’t even play its own self!

A Grove Behind Braddock Manor.  As microMAX and Kylun are sword fighting when they are ambushed by . . . THE STARJAMMERS!

Is Stridex even a company, any more?  I recall these zit pads never working.

Rachel senses danger and summons the team otuside.

Kitty and Kurt don’t understand why their allies are harassing their new team.  Corsair and his peeps are here for the worst war criminals in Shi’ar history.  So the team thinks this is regarding Rachel, again.

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microMAX gives the order to fight, which Kurt disagrees with but joins the fight.

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The two teams haven’t seen each other since Spotlight on Starjammers 2, which had them fighting there, as well.  Hepzibah fights Kurt, with Lockheed trying his best to assist. Feron binds Cosair, who has flashbacks to when the Shi’ar first captured him.

Excalibur 68 Lockheed 5

Feron is taken out.  Lockheed has changed targets to, Raza.  Who I had as an action figure in the 90s and totally didn’t play him correctly.  Lockheed’s good buddy, Shadowcat, phases through Raza and he is down.

Rachel announces that this fight is useless, she isn’t going to go with the Starjammers.  Chod states that they are not here for her, which surprises Nightcrawler.

Cosair says they are here for a grave murderer of the Shi’ar.  Cerise arrives, in full battle garb.  This storyline is the beginning of Cerise leaving the title and not appearing again until issue 125.  I’m not sure why editorial thought they had to get rid of her.  I believe, just from reading the rest of the series, that they wanted to get the team back down to the main five original members.

Cerise surrenders and Kurt kicks Raza in his dumb face, Chris Sims style!

Some titles that were on sale, that week –

Dark Angel 13
Deadpool, 1 of 4
Doom 2099 8
Excalibur 68 – Scott Lobdell is the new regular writer!
Marvel Age 127
Spider-Man 37
What If 52 – What if Wolverine Led Alpha Flight?  Some how, everyone dies – I imagine
X-Men 23 – The Dark Riders spring a test on Cyclops, and he forgot to study!

Corsair instructs Hepzibah to open the stargate and the Starjammers and their new prisoner disappear.

Excalibur 68 Lockheed 6

Rachel is telekinetically keeping the stargate open, Kurt had this plan the entire time.  Kitty reminds him that someone should stick behind for Meggan – which is odd as that is what Pre-Ahab and Moira are there for.  Well, Moira lives here too.

Feron volunteers to stick behind.  Kitty is actually going to stick behind too, as they need an adult.  Though there are already two of them, but I guess they need an official member of Excalibur.

The rest of the team go through the portal, Kurt doesn’t have a plan at all, he’s playing it as it goes – as the issue ends.

The back cover ad is for Crunch n Munch, that had Marvel trading cards, which I feel like was on the back of so many covers during this year or era.

The next issue we are reviewing is issue 74 of Excalibur!

Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe 3

Posted by John Klein III on February 8, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe 3

Writer Cullen Bunn

Artist Dalibor Talajic

Colorist Lee Loughridge

Letterer VC’s Joe Sabino

Cover Artist Kaare Andrews

Cover Dated October 2012

In the same vein of Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe (a one shot I have to rebuy one of these days), comes this miniseries.  I only read this issue, as this is the X-Men issue.

Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe 3 Recap

Here is what happened in the previous two issues.  Deadpool has already killed – The Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Avengers and the Hulk.  Taskmaster has been hired to stop Deadpool, who is feeling compelled to keep murdering heroes.

Taskmaster is following the path of destruction that Deadpool has left.  Taskmaster comes across several of Multiple Man’s bodies, a beheaded Green Goblin and have caused Power Pack’s ship to crash.  The death of Power Pack spurs Taskmaster to make sure Deadpool dies for this.  I’m sure that makes Brian Perillo happy.

We catch up with Deadpool, who is currently torturing Xavier, who is sitting in front of thirty television sets.  Deadpool stabs Xavier in the leg, forcing him to summon his X-Men with his classic “to me, my X-Men.”  To they come, as why wouldn’t they?

Cyclops is leading Emma Frost, Cannonball and Pixie – when he gets a red glob thrown at his head.  Cyclops, foolishly, tries to blast it off his face and his entire head explodes.  It was worth a shot, I suppose.  Emma, Sam and Pixie die in the fallout.

We get hints that Deapdool is killing everybody, as he knows they are all fictional characters.

Next up is Colossus, Gambit and Rogue – so one of these should be getting a great death.  Colossus is trying to hold up a falling door when the floor electrocutes the three of them.  That was a twist!

Xavier tries to read or control Deadpool’s mind but he’s never really been able to, in the past.

Deadpool decides to let Xavier in on the secret.  In issue one, I imagine, Psycho Man messed with Deadpool’s head.  Deadpool has known he’s been breaking the fourth wall but he finally realizes what is beyond the fourth way.

Xavier is done with the madness and shuts down Deadpool’s head, well tries to, anyway as whatever he saw, kills him.

Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe 3 Kitty 1

Deadpool is disappointed in Xavier’s easy death.  He checks in on Magneto, who is dead inside jellified acid.

Finally, is Kitty Pryde.  Here we go.  That isn’t a bad costume design, pretty much her classic outfit with a stylish red headband.

Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe 3 Kitty 2

Deadpool couldn’t quite figure out how to kill Kitty so he contains her, and she’ll probably starve in there.  I like to think, that after this issue – she makes it out and is sad about what she finds, outside of her cage.

Wolverine is still running around, Deadpool thought he killed him already.  Wolverine runs into Arcade, who is crying about the use of his MurderWorld.  Wolverine straight kills Arcade, for his involvement.

Wolverine enters another room.  He sees X23 and Daken, dangling from wires.  Deadpool informs Wolverine that the computer is set up, so whenever their healing factors kick in, flamethrowers turn on.

We get another Deadpool v Wolverine fight.  Deadpool is armed with a carbonadium blade, so Wolverine’s wounds are going to stick.  Deadpool explains to Wolverine that it isn’t his healing factor that keeps Wolverine coming back.  It is his popularity.

There is a two page ad for Hickman’s two-part crossover involving The Wizard.  Fantastic Four 610 (art by Stegman) and FF 22 (art by Dragotta).  Something to do with Bad Father / Worse Son.

Meanwhile, over at 177A Bleecker Street.  Taskmaster is inside Doctor Strange’s home.  He isn’t impressed with the detour.  Doctor Strange has been killed but clearly Deadpool was looking for something, as books are thrown in every direction.  Even upside down!

Issue ends with what Deadpool was looking for, the directions to . . . the Nexus of All Realities!  Next issue is going to have Man-Thing, ya’ll!

There is a full page ad for Punisher 16, Prepare for the War Zone by Greg Rucka and Marco Checchetto.

Also next issue, Punisher gets Punished!

Not that many X-Men actually die in this issue, Ten for sure, and three more eventually and maybe four if Kitty doesn’t make it out.

Excalibur 64

Posted by John Klein III on February 7, 2016
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Excalibur 64

Writer / Penciler Alan Davis

Inker Mark Farmer

Letterer Chris Eliopoulos

Colorist Glynis Oliver

Cover Dated April 1993

Inside front cover ad is for the film, Fire in the Sky, which I still need to watch.  In November 5, 1975, there was an alien abduction, at 5:49pm, in the White Mountains of Northeastern Arizona.

Issue opens with an absolutely amazing three page sequence of what Rachel saw, right before dying.  We see Jean and Scott giving her a bamf doll, Xavier dying, Ahab (pre-cyborg days), the gravesite of Days of Future Past.  What I like, is that each panel is from Rachel’s viewpoint, so we are seeing what she is seeing.  We are treated to Kate Pryde, in the classic blue Excalibur outfit, the time traveling to the present, her joining the Uncanny X-Men, watching Maddie and Scott with baby Nathan, her feud with Selene, Wolverine stabbing her.  Which is pretty intense, as we get an extreme close up of Wolverine’s face with a SNIKT effect – which must be what so many people have seen, before dying.  Rachel’s time with Spiral in Mojoworld gets a panel, her joining Excalibur, Ahab as even more of a cyborg and the conclusion of the previous storyline, her big fight with Necrom.

Rachel comes around, surprised she isn’t dead.  She can’t locate Necrom, the Phoenix Force informs her that Necrom is dead.

On Earth.  Captain Britain and Meggan are having a tough fight with the Warpies.  They lose this fight and are brought to Cloud Nine.  Snoop is informing Peter, the director of RCX.

To be honest with you, I’m not crazy for this RCX arc.

Meanwhile, a well intended doctor, Nicholas, is with Nightcrawler and Shadowcat.  Kurt is training, so that Nicholas can learn more about mutants.  RCX has been experimenting and they want Excalibur to cure the children’s illness.  Except that they are tricking Excalibur, to be there.  Kitty is super suspicious of the whole situation.  Kitty fakes a reason to go off on her own, but the doctor insists that Static goes with her.  All Static can say is, meep.

I really do miss this art team together.  Kitty has a holographic version of herself, in a space opera – so this distracts Static.  There is a great moment when Kitty sees her holographic self and thinks about how old her uniform is.  She still won’t end up changing it for quite some time.

Now that Kitty is on her own, she can search around the complex.

Excalibur 64 Lockheed

Braddock Manor.  Now we get to the good stuff.  Davis’ Lockheed may be more cartoony than dragon but there is no denying the playfulness and expressiveness.

Poor Lockheed is stuck with Feron, so neither can understand each other.   Feron starts complaining about Lockheed’s “mistress” Lockheed angrily shows Feron the list of chores Feron is suppose to complete.

Things to Do –
Clean West Wing (done)
Disinfect Lavatories (done)
Weed Rose Garden (done)
Unclog Foundation
Wax Hall Floor
Clean Attic Room
Paint Stable Door
Catalogue Library

Just then, Widget appears.  It is trying to talk to Rachel, trying to get her to remember and trust it.  Of course, Rachel is nowhere near the planet.

I guess Lockheed and Feron can communicate, as long as Lockheed can stick to one syllable words.

Such a fun scene!

Cloud Nine.  Captain Britain has doctors poking him and he lashes out at him.  Peter tires to calm Cap down, it doesn’t help that the Warpies arrive behind Peter – so now Cap knows that Peter is with the bad guys.  Peter tries to explain that the Warpies would never have threw the first punch but since Captain Britain did, the fight escalated.  Peter explains that they might be able to answer the question of why Captain Britain’s powers have been broken, as of late.

Peter explains that 64 percent of parahumans are effected with genetic destabilization.  Cap has it, as does Meggan.  These special children, are being created so that they can try to eliminate the disease.  Kitty is watching from behind a vent, not being happy that Brian is falling for this.  Ferret, another one of the Warpies, shocks Kitty.  He isn’t happy that it appears to have hurt her.  Luke, who looks like 90s Lex Luthor, with the big beard of red hair and the red hair mane on top of his head.  I guess it would have been Lex’s “son” the “clone” but without the baldness gene.

Luke is going to put Kitty in a tube, next to Meggan, microMAX, Kylun and Alistaire.

Meanwhile, a fake Kitty Pryde tells Kurt that RCX can be trusted and there is nothing to worry about.  Pretty sneaky, RCX!

Hypeline : On Sale This Week – Dark Angel 10, Doctor Who 196, Doom 2009 4, Excalibur 94, Marvel Age 123, What If 48, X-Factor 89 and X-Men 19.

Meanwhile, in deep space.  Phoenix Force Jean is continuing to have a nice chat with its host, Rachel.  The issue ends with Rachel adopting the Dark Phoenix red suit.  Which I want to say, she keeps it for a while.

Next Issue – white lies and dark truths.

Sword Strokes, letters from – Mark Phillips of Knoxville, TN / Dan Woodward of Fresno, CA / Helen Moore of England, Dale Critchley of Madison, WI / Robin Bielefeld / Damien Cox of Beckley, WV and Kayla Griffin of Canada.

We’ve reviewed issues 66 & 67 already when we did our Days of Future Past Event Month.  So the next issue we are going to cover is – Excalibur 68!

. . .

For Super Bowl 50, we’re rooting for the Denver Broncos – my mother-in-law’s favorite team.

Deadpool Corps : Rank and Foul

Posted by John Klein III on February 6, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Deadpool Corps Rank and Foul

Head Writer / Coordinator Jeff Christiansen

Writing / Coordination Assistants Mike O’Sullivan, Markus Raymond & Mike Fichera

Writers Michael Hoskin, Ronald Byrd, Mike O’Sullivan, Jacob Rougemont, Madison Carter, Markus Raymond, Kevin Garcia, Stuart Vandal, Chris Biggs, Rob London, Sean McQuaid, David Wiltfong, Eric J. Moreels and Mike Gagnon

Cover Artists Humberto Ramos and Edgar Delgado

Cover Dated May 2010

I own this for the Kitty Pryde references in two spotlights.

aDeadpool Corps Rank and Foul Doctor Bong

Doctor Bong gets two pages, that reference Deadpool Volume One Issue 27.  Deadpool’s entry references this adventure, but only that he fought Wolverine at Doctor Bong’s suggestion.

Deadpool Corps Rank and Foul Zero

Weasel’s profile sneaks in there next to Zero.  Zero’s Kitty Pryde reference is from Excalibur 77 – 80.

Other entries of note –

Due to Deadpool’s time with the Great Lakes Avengers / X-Men / Champions / Initiative (and formerly, Lightning Rods) many of the members make the handbook!  Big Bertha, Dinah Soar (probably my favorite team member, I love the pun of her name), Flatman, Grasshopper (who had a very brief stay as a member and a living person) and Mr. Immortal, their leader.

Blind Al

Bob, Agent of Hydra

GW Bridge, who has a first image of him being very old and overweight, when did that happened?

Zoe Culloden from the Joe Kelly run, and of LL&L.

Deadpool’s own profile is five pages – which makes sense.

Domino gets two pages

Madcap gets two pages, a character I made a reference to that I didn’t know too much about.  Still not seeing why he was worth bringing back.

Ilaney Brukner

Montomery, his life ends up being okay

Mercedes Wilson

Not a bad handbook, at all – such a great resource.

Excalibur 61

Posted by John Klein III on February 5, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

Excalibur 61

Writer / Penciler Alan Davis

Inker Mark Farmer

Letterer Chris Eliopoulos

Colorist Glynis Oliver

Cover Dated Late January 1993

We catch up with Rachel, who we haven’t seen in quite a while.  The Phoenix Force has been healing her, it has also been learning so much about life, through her eyes.  Rachel is on a different planet, one that is about to be consumed by Galactus!  Rachel tries to tell Galactus to not feed on this planet, as it does contain life.  Which has never stopped him before.  Rachel blows up his machien and now he is angry.

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Earth.  Brian and Kurt are fighting, it is a fair fight as Cerise has given Kurt some armor.  Kurt believes he has the advantage but Brian is still faster than him.

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Meggan doesn’t like that they are fighting, but Kitty corrects her that they are merely training.  Kurt knocks Brian out, which surprises everyone.

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Brian comes to his senses, more embarrassed than anything.  Brian hasn’t been sleeping, wanting to seek out Sat-yr-9 and punish her for killing Courtney Ross.  This upsets Meggan, as he (foolishly) said that is the only thing that matters.

Kurt has yet another “how to love Meggan, properly” chat with Brian.

At a radio station, with DJ Scott Wright.  A lady chauffeur arrives, to take him to a television station – his star is on the rise.  The chauffeur is really part of the villain group, the Warpies, he tries to impress them than he is actually, microMAX.  They are not that impress, as they already knew that.  I didn’t know he was a DJ.

The issue, twice now, as cut to this beautiful full page splashes of Rachel fighting Galactus.

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Beneath Braddock Manor.  Kitty and Lockheed are trying to figure out what is wrong with the mastermind computer, its organic circuitry isn’t operational anymore.  Feron is down there, as he won’t take a hint or become useful.  He refuses to aid Kitty, yet doesn’t leave her side.  I love this Kitty, super feisty!  Feron is suppose to be learning social skills, but his base personality of being a jerk, is a huge obstacle.

Feron tries to compare himself to Kitty, both of them had elders that were guiding and protecting them.  Feron had monks and Kitty had the X-Men, but the X-Men never sheltered her.     Kitty is about to get loud with Feron when . . .

Excalibur 61 Lockheed 5

Widget crashes into the room!  It isn’t in its cute ball form but in its humanoid form.  It warns Sentinels are coming, and it disappears again.  This story, will be what Davis & Farmer are leading up to.

Kitty is going to inform Kurt but she wants Feron to keep hooking up the computers.  If he doesn’t, Lockheed has permission to scorch Feron!

Another beautiful Rachel v Galactus page.

Brian has taken Meggan to the Braddock Summer Cottage, on England’s South coast.  Those Braddocks, sure had money!  The young couple are having fun, playing in the ocean and enjoying each other’s company.  They have decided to take a week off, and enjoy a brief vacation.  Brain has decided to fully accept his position as Captain Britain, both on Earth and in the Captain Britain Corps.  Brian finally musters up the courage, after two days, of finally proposing to Meggan!  So great!  It will still take twice as many issues (64 of them!) to get to issue 125, where they finally get married!  Sadly, the scene ends with them in the target of some goon.

Since Rachel stopped Galactus from feeding, he isn’t nearly as strong as he should be – so she has a chance.  He gets real with her, that he and the Phoenix Force stink of death and destruction.  Galactus, coldly, draws her attention to how she was trying to save this foreign planet but in their duel, she has destroyed it.

Excalibur 61 Lockheed 6

Excalibur has come together for a debriefing.  Kurt mentions how this is Widget’s ninth cryptic message.  Their phone rings, Kitty answers to discover Alistaire on the other end.  He has been searching for those who killed his sister, but he has gotten too close.  The issue ends with him being knocked out!

Sword Strokes, letters are from – Dietmar Dath of Germany / Daniel Hazard Jr of Milwaukee, WI / Jeff Maccubbin of Baltimore, MD / Dor Rumsower of Forestville, CA wrote a nice poem.  Matthew Pearson of the United Kingdom, Derek E. Wright of Sale Creek, TN, Jason P. Arnold of Canada and Richard Olney of Syracuse, NY – all wrote letters, as well.

Next issue has Excalibur v RCX, while Phoenix faces her future.

Inside back cover ad is for Wayne’s World VCR Board Game!  So silly

. . .

Lockheed next appears in Excalibur 64, so that will be the next issue we review.

Deadpool Volume Two Issue 16

Posted by John Klein III on February 4, 2016
Posted in: Review, Websites. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Deadpool V2 16

Writer Daniel Way

Penciler Paco Medina

Inker Juan Vlasco

Colorist Marte Gracia

Letterer VC’s Joe Sabino

Cover Dated December 2009

Cover Artist Jason Pearson

Want You to Want Me : Part Two of Four

I must have been reading this series, but I don’t recall much about it.

Deadpool V2 16 Recap

Here is what happened in Part One.  Essentially, it tied up anything from the previous storyline and ended with Deadpool watching Cyclops’ big speech that all mutants are welcomed on Utopia.  Deadpool wants to be an X-Man!

Deadpool V2 16 Magik probably

Right off the bat, with the first page, we have the reason why I bought it and maybe the reason why I shouldn’t.  This goes back to my issue with how Magma and Magik look similar, from a distance.  Typically, Magik has bangs and Magma doesn’t.  Magma usually has basketball sized breasts and Magik . . . doesn’t.  The Blonde, in the New Mutants costume, looks like the confusing combination of both, that we get from time to time.  She doesn’t appear later, so this is one of those, take it or leave it, situations.

http://comicbookdb.com/issue.php?ID=181455

http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Deadpool_Vol_2_16

comicbookdb agrees with me but Marvel Database believes it is Magma.  Now, to be honest, I was probably the guy who listed Magik, on the comicbookdb but no one has corrected that, so I still stand by it.

Deadpool asks Cyclops if he can stay on Utopia.  Cyclops says “hello no” which is super understandable.

Later That Day.  Wolverine tells Cyclops that wasn’t the way to handle Deadpool.  Dagger is there, as this is after the Dark X-Men.  Has her costume always been that revealing?  I know it has been but Medina has drawn her with larger breasts so it seems even more mature.

Deadpool is too volatile to be trusted on a small island nation but he is too dangerous to not be contained on a small island.  Dagger, who doesn’t know of Deadpool, wonders what is so bad about him.  Cyclops and Wolverine, in a fun moment, say at the same time “everything.”  I missed these days of Cyclops and Wolverine.

Dagger, proving how much of an outsider she is, says that people say the same thing about Wolverine.  How she is even in the same room with these two, I’m not even sure.  Dagger further points out that isn’t this the point of Utopia, to take in those who the world doesn’t want.   Dagger, looking outside, states that most mutants (at this point) have checkered pasts, and they are accepted here.

Meanwhile.  Deadpool is upset as the X-Men are hypocrites.  I’m reminded of why I didn’t like Way’s run.  Deadpool has his classic yellow narration boxes but now he has this second white narration box, running commentary as well.

Brian Cronin explains what that was all about –

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2015/08/16/abandoned-love-where-did-deadpools-second-inner-monologue-go/

which seems confusing to me but I’m not aware of who Madcap is.

Deadpool decides he’ll show Cyclops some of his sweet moves.  Just then, Mercury’s father – Ellis Kincaid – goes on live television and declares that the X-Men are keeping him away from his daughter.  The United States government are powerless to do anything, so he is trying to bring media awareness.

Cyclops is watching this, standing behind a sitting Prodigy.  Prodigy explains how Mr. Kincaid has been on financial hard times.  That is, until Norman Osborn bought out his businesses.  So Kincaid is working for Osborn, who is still upset about losing to Cyclops.  Cyclops doesn’t recognize the last name, Kincaid.  Luckily, Mercury comes into the room, apologizing for her father.  Turns out, Ellis has been the definition of a deadbeat father and barely has any connection to Mercury.  She’s afraid of being kicked off Utopia but Cyclops isn’t going to play that game.  It is a simple matter of having Mercury emancipated.  He’s going to call Angel’s lawyers and get them working on that.  A couple exchanges of paperwork and this shouldn’t be a story, after a few days.

There is an ad for Halo 3 ODST, I only played a little bit of it – I didn’t see the big attraction to the game franchise.

Deadpool has found an abandon warehouse and starts preparing to take out Mr. Kincaid.

Cyclops and Wolverine enlist Domino to seek out Deadpool.  These Domino pages, the bulk of the rest of the issue, are delightful! Domino is confused, as she has bad history with Deadpool but Wolverine believes that makes her perfect candidate.

Deadpool is sitting up his sniper post and completely ignores Domino, as she tries to offer him a place on Utopia.

Utopia, later that day.  Domino is telling Cyclops the story of what happened next – as we see the events unfold.  Deadpool takes note of Domino, finally, and threatens to kill her.  He is under the impression that she was sent here to kill him.

There is a half page ad for Sentry’s guest spot in Moon Knight 2, by Gregg Hurwitz and Jerome Opena.  Coming in October 2009.  There is a full page ad for Wolverine : Weapon X 6 by Jason Aaron and Yanick Paquette.

Early that morning.  We see Deadpool is making 372,944 pancakes.  Back to Domino, Deadpool forces her to walk on top of a sky light.  He breaks the glass under her feet and we see her land on the pancakes.  To which, she slaps Cyclops for making her even go through any of this nonsense.

Domino asks about the motivation of the pancakes.  Either, Deadpool would have ate pancakes with an old friend or he would have killed an old friend and ate pancakes afterwards.  I like how they both do end up eating pancakes together.

One of Deadpool’s conditions of joining the X-Men, is that he wants to be able to wear his own X-Uniform. Essentially it is one of the New Mutants costumes, but with Deadpool’s name on the back – like a jersey.

Deadpool still wants to show Cyclops his moves, so he reveals to Domino that he still plans on killing Mr. Kincaid.

There is a full page ad for Incredible Hulk 603, by Greg Pak and Ariel Olivetti – which has Bruce Banner, Hulk’s son Skaar, Wolverine and his son, Daken.

Either the next issue or the conclusion has this fun moment when Deadpool makes a reference that Domino completely gets and this frightens her because she is getting a glimpse of how his brain works.  I no longer own that issue but this was a fun arc.

Demi Lovato – Up

Posted by John Klein III on February 3, 2016
Posted in: Fun With YouTube, Songs. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

Post 950!

Actually, this is Olly Murs’ song that features Demi Lovato

Thanks to OllyMursVEVO for hosting the video

I’m not that aware of Olly Murs but I really dig this song.

Really Don’t Care

Thanks to YouTuber DemiLovatoVEVO, for the rest of the videos.

Which features Cher Lloyd, who I also am not that familiar with.  This was my first video of Demi’s that I saw.

Heart Attack

My favorite sections are the ones that feature her in the white outfit and the black inked hands but not with the ink around her neck.  There is something that is haunting about those brief moments.

Demi Lovato Heart Attack Clean

One draw back is, around the two minute mark, it sounds like an alarm clock is going off.  That isn’t great.

Give Your Heart A Break

I’m pretty sure this was the first song of hers that I heard.

I was hoping for a fifth video but I couldn’t really settle on another one of hers, so I’m going with her version of

Frozen

Which is lame, I know but I dig the song.

Demi is also featured on The Vamps “Somebody To You”

Thanks to TheVampsVEVO for hosting the video!

Like the video itself, Demi seems to be just tacked on to the track.  Take her out of it, and it still stands as a decent song.

The main gal is Laura Marano, who is very pretty but way too young.  Reminds me of a slightly younger Danica McKellar.

Her latest video – Cool For The Summer – \

is pretty great!  I guess that answers the question if she still has body issues.  She’s in killer shape!

She also assisted Fallout Boy in their hit song, Irresistible –

Thanks to FallOutBoyVEVO for hosting their video.

Joey Fatone also shows up, as this video is a play off of NSYNC’s Bye Bye Bye video but with action figures instead of puppets – which is better.

For my money, I like Fallout Boy’s solo version of their video –

Which is super fun to watch and great use of the audience!

To get it back to Demi, she has this video, that features Sirah – Waitin for You –

That is super intense!  Demi doesn’t blink, once!  Well, she does but the look she is giving me (the viewer) I can’t stop thinking about how mad she is at me or us.

Deadpool Volume One Issue 27

Posted by John Klein III on February 2, 2016
Posted in: Review, Websites. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Deadpool V1 27

Nightmare Specialist Dr. (Joe) Kelly

Art Therapy Dr. (Walter) McDaniel

Inkblots Dr. (Whitney) McFarland

Color Charts Dr. (Kevin) Somers

Handwriting Analysis Doc (Richard) Starkings & Comicraft

Paranoia Dr. (Matt) Idelson

Prozac Boy Dr. (Bob) Harris

Cover Dated April 1999

Joe Kelly is by far, one of my favorite Deadpool writers.  I owned all of his issues, before downsizing my collection.  I’m glad that at least one of his issues stayed in the collection.

This issue deals with the fallout of the incredible, Dead Reckoning, storyline.  In it, Deadpool had to fight Captain America so that he could kill an alien messiah so that people could have free will.  Thus, everything bad that happens – to anyone – is on him, as humans would have been walking mindless drones.  Which is a good thing, that we still have free will but it is a pretty heavy burden to carry.

The issue opens with Deadpool, screaming on Doctor Bong’s (an old enemy of Howard the Duck’s) couch.  Deadpool keeps seeing white bunnies and a brunette lady in a purple dress.  The brunette is setting up the next storyline.

Deadpool is Doctor Bong’s first patient as he has recently completed his psychology Ph.D.  So he is finally a real doctor.  Doctor Bong still postures, as it is hard to quit that old habit.

I miss this Deadpool, the one that kept making pop culture references.  Sure, the comments with Janet Reno makes the comic a tad dated but I like it.

Doctor Bong does have a suggestion that will help Deadpool’s situation.  A hero must die!

Bolivia . . . the former hacienda of a former Bolivan general formerly among the living.  I missed Montgomery, whatever happened to that guy?  It appears as if he just fades away, which is probably for the best as he had gone through some stuff.

http://comicbookdb.com/character_chron.php?ID=2396

I’m sure I read issue 81, I just don’t recall those later issues as much.

Monty doesn’t recommend Deadpool take Doctor Bong’s advice.  Deadpool’s depression is natural after making the decision that he made to save the entire world.

There is a half page ad for Avengers Forever, by Kurt Busiek and Carlos Paceco.  Such a great series!

Deadpool thinks it is a good idea as getting in a fight does help clear his head.  Deadpool calls his new lady pilot, Ilaney – who I also liked.  Deadpool had such a great supporting cast during this run.

The Next Day.  Ilaney is practicing her English – she’s Swedish, I believe or German.  Deadpool is using his image inducer.  They are in Chinatown of San Francisco.  Doctor Bong, in full costume, is also present.

Deadpool V1 27 Kitty 1

We finally get to the reason why I own this issue!  Kitty Pryde and Wolverine are guest starring!  Seeing Wolverine’s red narration boxes takes me back!  He’s inner monologuing about how smells and memories are so well tied.  Kitty and Wolverine are there to meet Black Crane, who I don’t recognize as a character.

An old lady shop keeper starts poking Wolverine with a stick.  The lady speaks in yellow dialogue balloons, so we know that is Deadpool.  S/he implies that Kitty is a prostitute and Logan is her client.  Wolverine knows it is Deadpool now.

Deadpool V1 27 Kitty 2

Wolverine doesn’t view Deadpool very highly even though he has to look up at most people.  He asks Kitty to phase the old lady, which she does and now everyone sees Deadpool.  Deadpool is embarrassed that now everyone knows about his cross-gender cross-cultural cross-age  cross-dressing!  So very funny!

This is Deadpool and Kitty’s first meeting!  I doubt she has even heard of him, before this moment.  He grossly hits on her, which disgusts her.

Wolverine doesn’t have time for this, he has that meeting to get to.  Deadpool is trying his best to get Wolverine mad, by insulting Kitty.

Deadpool V1 27 Kitty 3

Deadpool grabs Logan’s wrist, he wants to be snikt-ed so hard!  Logan isn’t taking the bait.

Deadpool knows what to do, and he shoryukens Kitty!  She goes flying!  It is now . . . ON!

Morocco.  We check in on Deadpool’s current financial backer – Alestaire Grunch, who is doing an experiment on a cat.  He gets an envelope in the mail and freaks out.

San Francisco.  Doctor Bong is having a fight with his lady friend, Barbara.  She’s not every understanding nor supportive of his new career choice.

We’re treated to an awesome double page spread, of Wolverine in full feral mode, and Deadpool in full pop cultural references mode.

Deadpool V1 27 Kitty 4

Deadpool gets the upper hand and puts a knife in Wolverine’s side.  This shakes Wolverine out of his feral state.

Kitty is slowly getting up from being sucker punched.  Doctor Bong asks her to not get involved in the fight.

Ilaney is shocked by the actions and the people that Deadpool knows, she’s starting to get excited about all of this – which is what Monty was worried would happen.  That Deadpool found this lovely and simple lady and is corrupting her.

There is an ad for Power Rangers Galaxy, for anyone keeping track of that.  I would have stopped watching by this point.  Once Amy Jo Johnson was gone and replaced with Kat who can turn into a cat, I was pretty much done.  Outside of that awesome Forever Red episode.

Wolverine and Deadpool are not able to exchange dialogue, which is all Deapdool wanted.  Plus, they keep fighting, as they are professionals.

A man says Logan’s name, startling Deadpool and he shoots the guy – the guy was Black Crane, who I definitely don’t recognize.

Bullpen Bulletins.  Comics on sale for March 3 –

Cable 67
Captain America : Sentinel of Liberty 9
Daredevil 7
Fantastic Four 17
Spider-Man : Chapter One 0
Thor 11
Uncanny X-Men 368 – Requim for an X-Man!  In the aftermath of “The Magneto War,” X-Men past and present gather at Xavier’s Institute for Higher Learning to bid a final goodbye to their fallen comrade.  By Alan Davis and Adam Kubert.
X-Men Manga 27

Wolverine checks with Black Crane, he’s going to live.  Now that his friend is okay, Wolverine starts to fight Deadpool again.

Deadpool V1 27 Kitty 5

Deadpool’s vision of the lady and the rabbits (who have been present, off and on) are now just standing around.  Deadpool asks Doctor Bong about the meaning of all of this.   Doctor Bong tells him that he is on a cusp of a breakthrough and to confront the hallucinations.

Kitty shouts to Wolverine about how she is stuck in a force field.  Doctor Bong hits the force field to silence her, and offers to give her therapy to work her daddy issues that she has with Wolverine.

Deadpool doesn’t know where to start with chatting with the hallucinations.  They started standing around when Wolverine was going on about the past so Deadpool asks for another story.

Wolverine starts talking for half of a page, all in mid leap!  Good for Ilaney for pointing out how odd that is to be able to do.  Wolverine is talking about how the past will always come back to haunt, so now Deadpool knows where to start.

Deadpool V1 27 Kitty 6

Look how great that two page spread is!

Bong hits the force field again and Kitty swears this is the last time she guest stars in a non-X-Book.  Look at Kitty getting into the fourth wall breaking fun!

Doctor Bong starts psycho-analyzing Deadpool, helping to explain what must be happening in his mind.  All of this is not correct, if I’m remembering the rest of the storyline correctly.  Deadpool is about to recognize who the lady is when . . .

Deadpool V1 27 Kitty 7

Wolverine puts all six claws into Deadpool’s back!  Doctor Bong teleports himself, Ilaney and Deadpool away.

Ilaney is worried about Deadpool but he explains that he has a healing factor.  Deadpool tells Doctor Bong not to worry about who the brunette is, she broke his heart years ago and is dead now.

Epilogue.  Atlanta, Georgia.  We see the brunette, her name is Mercedes (I recall that) and she looks like she’s been running or escaping for a while now.

Such a good issue!

Back cover ad is for The Mod Squad movie, when old shows were getting the revamped movie treatment.  I didn’t watch it and I don’t recall anyone ever seeing it.  I don’t really know the television series either, it isn’t one of those that gets brought up.  Claire Danes, Omar Epps and Giovanni Ribsi are the Mob Squad.  There was a while there, that I was watching every movie Giovanni was making.  I wasn’t seeking him out but he kept coming into films I enjoyed or saw.  Josh Brolin is also in it.

Excalibur 60

Posted by John Klein III on February 1, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

Excalibur 60

Writer Scott Lobdell

Penciler Scott Kolins

Inker Jon Holdredge

Colorist Mike Thomas

Letterer Michael Higgins

Cover Dated Early January 1993

This issue picks up right where the last issue does.  With the All New All Different Excalibur (the name Kitty gave them), which consists of – Shadowcat, Meggan (in disguise), Captain America, Iron Man (but really, it is the War Machine armor, with Rhody in the suit) and Black Panther.  They are trying to defend Wakanda from Icon, who is a wooden tree, given life!  With his touch, he has turn several Wakandians into tree people.

This is such a great line up, I wish they could have their own series!

War Machine doesn’t recognize the name, Excalibur, neither does Black Panther.  Captain America recognizes Meggan, even in her new form, so he knows who she is.  He recognizes Kitty Pryde, of the X-Men but also from her current team, Excalibur.  That Captain America, he stays current!

Since his people’s lives are at stake, Black Panther surrenders his throne.  Since he has done this, willingly, the new team are powerless to do anything about it.  If they did, it would start a war!

Excalibur 60 Lockheed 1

Meggan worries about Brian Braddock, who is Captain Britain but Black Panther didn’t know that, so when Icon appeared, he placed Brian into a safety hut.  For some reason, Braddock keeps his identity secret.  Even though he doesn’t do anything, except be Captain Britain.  Also inside the hut, is Lockheed!

Braddock notices the soft mud, beneath his shoes and starts forming a plan.

Meanwhile, in London, Nightcrawler and Cerise is following the trail of The Knight Errant, who is stopping crime but in a harsh manner.  He’s an old gentleman, so I say, let him go out in style!

Excalibur 60 Lockheed 2

Braddock punches through the mud, can can rejoin the fight!  He doesn’t care that Lockheed may have swallowed some mud!

Icon’s first decision, as King of Wakanda, is to kill Excalibur’s weakness member, well the member he deems the weakest, but he chose the wrong one!  Kitty presses the trigger on the gun, and it blasts her and War Machine!  War Machine learns that she can turn ephemeral.  She brags that is only one of her gifts, she is also great at trigonometry.  In the blast, War Machine’s armor got a super upgrade.

Groot, I mean, Icon, grabs Meggan.

Excalibur 60 Lockheed 3

This upsets Jungle Man (Captain Britain, a la Tarzan, but with brown hair – from the mud), who Kitty names.  Lockheed is right behind him!  War Machine, Black Panther and even Icon, can’t believe yet another hero has arrived!  Yesterday, Wakanda had one defender and now she has seven!

Jungle Man tries to go with the name but tries to give the character a bit of a vocabulary.

 

Excalibur 60 Lockheed 4

Captain America has heard less horrible names.  To which, Jungle Man calls Cap – Star Forehead Man, which is right up there with Hulk’s Wing Head.

Jungle Man is inspired (which ruins the previous joke) to call himself, Captain Wakanda!  Which may be the fastest hero name change, in a while!  Captain Wakanda saves Meggan, who preferred the Jungle Man name.

I do like how, Icon not being familiar with superheroes, just takes it that this team is known as, Excalibur.  War Machine points out that Excalibur is a name for a sword, an English sword – so he isn’t sure why they even have that name!

Previously, Knight Errant discovered a nuclear warhead and took off.  Nightcrawler and Cerise are now talking to Inspector Thomas, about how they didn’t go after the knight, as the warhead was enough of a win.  Over at the Eden Park Nursing Home, Mr. Mason (the knight) is going back to pretending to be a feeble old man.

Wakanda.  Captain Britain thinks to himself, that he has to really understand his powers more.  He is out of his traditional suit, but he should still have his strength and flight powers but he doesn’t.

With the power upgrade, War Machine is able to shut down all of the tech-inspired guns, so now Icon is powerless.  He falls to his knees and reverts back to human.  Black Panther instantly recognizes him as, Dr. A’Kurru, a brilliant scientist.  He blames himself for his daughter’s death as she died from radiation exposure.  Which is the entire reason why all of these heroes are present, as they were at the conference to settle what to do with all of this excess radioactive waste.

Excalibur 60 Lockheed 5

Black Panther forgives the grieving father.  Kitty points out that Icon’s issue was about to be resolved, on its own so everything is okay.

Not a bad issue!

Sword Strokes, has letters from – Michael D. Krabbenholt of Maquoketa, IA / Mike Shamoto of Pearl City, HI / Matt Schrot of Newton, MA / Mr. Joey Marchese of Union, NJ and Dachelle Skipwith of Covina, CA.

Back cover ad is for the Super NES Hook game.

. . .

We kick off the Lockheed portion of the month with the last issue of Scott Lobdell’s brief run on the title, before Alan Davis and Mark Farmer take it back, which we will review in our next installment.