Shadow and Flame with Magik

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!