Death Valley. Siphon has X23 by the throat. Daken, who Doe tries his best to model-fix Daken from Larroca’s attempt. The mutton chops are still there but now Daken’s full head of hair is a narly Mohawk type of cartoon samurai sort of thing.
Daken wants Siphon to turn his attention back onto him. It wasn’t Siphon that got X23 involved, she wanted the fight to end and now Siphon will attempt to end her. I really like how bored with all of this, Blade is. Blade does like X23’s style, but that is it. Siphon keeps taking hits, making him dumber and Daken keeps getting bones broken.
36,000 Feet Above. Another great plot in this issue? Shogun just plain being done with Mystique and her silly secretive plans. Mystique keeps playing dumb, which is the wrong move. She should just reveal the next step in her plan and gain a little credibility.
Mystique does hint what the plan is, that it is risky but it will solve all sorts of problems.
Siphon knocks Blade outside, which causes Blade to drop his s-word. Siphon tries to pick up the sword but loses all of his fingers on his left hand. That Blade, he really likes to keep his swords. X23 starts taking petty on Siphon, as his brain has been reduced to only being able to make grunts. Daken has the chance to kill Siphon but chooses not to, Blade takes his sword back.
The Changling arrives to pick everyone, but Blade, up.
Daken gets on the plane and wants to know how they knew where they were. They had jumped out of the plane and then stole a semitruck, and got to their final destination.
Shogun tries to explain that it is the tracking devices that they have that lead them there. Daken knows that Mystique had a hand in it. Shogun is excited about Siphon being on board, they could learn more about healing factors.
I like how Sabretooth is under the impression that Junk is the resident tech guy, but all Junk knows how to do is press the computer buttons.
Daken suspects they are all lying to him.
Two Hours Later. Daken comes into X23’s room. X23 instantly recognizes Daken as Mystique, she feints shock but doesn’t change shape. X23 states that Mystique is clearly close to her timetable but threatens to ruin it by leaving. Once X23 leaves the room, Mystique shifts back to her proper form.
I do like how X23 tells Mystique that she will never tell how she knew it was Mystique the hold time. I wonder if she has known for a while, as in the first few issues, Mystique posed as Daken. I believe she didn’t do it to X23, so that’s why she is probably confident in her Daken impression.
Next issue promises to have Mister Sinister back! Probably find out if Endo actually died, in an earlier issue.
So the answer to my question, how you name a fifth part of a four part storyline is to title it, Epilogue. I guess I would have still numbered them, 1 of 5, though.
Since this is the final chapter, I sort of like how we get a revisit to the characters’ early days.
That isn’t the most girlish panel of Illyana that I have ever seen but that has to be her, right? That is clearly a tractor behind Colossus. If not, I didn’t need to buy this issue.
I like how Fornes keeps the same pattern. Top Left – Cyttorak, Top Right – Cain Marko; Bottom Left – Colossus; Bottom Right – Charles Xavier. The placement makes sense, as Cyttorak’s story leads to Cain, I suppose it would make more sense to switch Xavier and Colossus, as Marko leads to Xavier easier and Xavier transitions to Colossus, easily as well. Though I do like how the corners work together. Cyttorak and Xavier have been both destructive, through their avatars or students. Marko and Colossus just been the front line.
It is a nice four page sequence.
Southeast Asia. Now. Colossus is trying to hold off Juggernaut. Cyttorak granted Colossus’ wish, to be given more power than ever before, power enough to kill Cyttorak. Cyttorak choose, instead, to give it to Marko. Cain wants to avenge his brother (I’m glad someone picked up this plot point. It was nice when Carey remembered it for David in Legacy) by killing Cyclops.
Since Juggernaut isn’t going to be convinced, with words, to not kill Cyclops – Storm instructs the team to take off Juggernaut’s helmet.
Marko takes off the helmet, and his head sort of looks like Neuro’s head, so even without the helmet, he is resistant to telepaths. In fact, Juggernaut has no weaknesses.
Juggernaut puts the helmet back on, all of the X-Men let Xavier die so they are all targets of his. Colossus stands before him and starts wailing on him. He is pretty sure that he breaks his hands. Oddly, he narrates that he is one of the strongest beings on the planet. I’m pretty sure that he is on the weaker end of that scale. I doubt he is even in the top ten.
One punch later from Juggernaut, Colossus is regretting his decision, even more. Colossus searches for another strategy, and he things “what would Logan do?” Wolverine would have cheated. Apparently they were on a cliff and Colossus breaks the ground under their feet and Juggernaut goes into the ocean. They both end up in the ocean but Colossus comes to the shore first. The X-Men joke about last issue’s reveal that Colossus likes to make the self-sacrifice.
Since Juggernaut is unstoppable, he is still sinking to the bottom of the ocean.
Issue ends with the gathered X-Men choosing to not warn Cyclops and Juggernaut punches his way through the rock bottom.
Pretty good arc, I would say! Who knows if I will get the next issue.
Now that the silliness of the pure Deadpool issue is behind us, we can get back on track as this series ends with issue twenty and I imagine these last six issues are going to be fruitful. Now that Ogun may be completely out of Shogun’s head, I’m not even sure I should be buying this? I’m sure he will bounce back, it is Ogun, that is what he do!
36,000 Feet Above Neveda. Mystique is trying to get all of her players where she needs to have them. I like that we get her To Do List.
Daken must be ready to
Siphon must be brought
X23 needs to go to De
Portal is Essential
Deathstrike must f
Neuro cannot retu
Sinister will br
Deathstrike and Sinister is purposely vague but the rest makes sense with the reading of this issue.
Mystique calls Daken, using a fake identity. We get to the main problem with this issue. Larroca draws Daken as if he is Wolverine. He has a full head of hair and even worst, mutton chops. That isn’t Daken in they very least! The point that other characters call him, Daken, and that he is missing his left eye and arm, prevents this from being another character. How did an editor not catch that? Also, does Larroca think that Daken looks just like Wolverine? I suspect that Daken has never looked like Wolverine, like ever. Well, except for when he was Dark Wolverine but that was merely a costume choice.
Mystique tells Daken where Siphon (the green fella that stole his healing factor) is located, he jumps out of the Changling. Mystique, as Mystique, tells X23 what is happening.
X23 jumps out of the plane.
Mystique calls Sabretooth, Shogun, Deathstrike to the bridge.
For some reason, both Daken and X23 crash hard onto the ground. Even with their parachutes deployed, they don’t land like they’ve jumped from planes for years. A big rig truck comes by and Daken throws the driver out, via the window. They head to a deserted gas station. Once inside, they see both Siphon and Blade.
I do like X23 quickly trying to get Blade to recognize her from the X-Men Volume Two relaunch with Victor Gischler’s Curse of the Mutants storyline. Blade remembers her, not like it really matters.
Blade was hoping to kill Siphon but is okay with Daken softening him up.
Sabretooth notices that two of their number are missing. Mystique simply states they stepped out. She has an announcement to make. Just then, Portal (who owns a similar mask to Darkhawk) portals in and attacks Mystique. Sabretooth punches Portal to the back of his dumb head.
I really like how casually Shogun knocks Portal out. Shogun isn’t impress at all. He can tell Mystique was manipulating the entire situation, he sees right through her.
Mystique hints that Portal is going to be a huge help to them.
In the middle of their fight, Siphon starts quoting Miyamoto Musashi’s Book of Five Rings.
Blade asks who Siphon is, and I like how Siphon speaks up, revealing the origin that he knows. He is another Paradise reject. When he hungers, that is all he can do is feed. Once he feds, though, he starts remembering who he use to be. He may have been a teacher. Siphon apologizes for stealing Daken’s healing factor, he was told that Daken was better off dead – as he is a mass murderer. Siphon isn’t wrong on that front.
With each new cut, Siphon warns, that he uses up the healing factor power that he . . . siphoned. When that happens, he will hunger again and be simply a monster – once again. Blade knows monsters and commits to taking out whoever wins between Daken and Siphon. X23 would rather that the fighting just stopped.
Siphon, now that he can be a gentleman, agrees to Daken’s duel.
“The only reason a warrior is alive is to fight. The only reason a warrior fights is to win.”
Siphon appears to break Daken’s one arm (or make it go numb) at the elbow.
Just then, the floor breaks apart as vampires come rushing out of the ground. Of course
Daken is on the floor, crawling back to Siphon, when X23 has had enough. It is a sad sight. She comes at Siphon, cuts him deeply. He (somehow) grabs her by the throat and is about to siphon her healing factor.
The issue ends with Daken, getting to his feet, he isn’t ready to go down yet.
“Do not fear death”
I can only imagine that come issue fifteen, Daken looks back on model.
Or issue 250 of Volume One, pending on who you ask. Since the Indicia states, 45, that’s the one I’m going with. I own this for
Deadpool Roasts the Marvel Universe
An Infinity Gauntlet Tie-In
Words Gerry Duggan & Brian Posehn
Lines Scott Koblish
Hues Val Staples
Balloons VC’s Joe Sabino
Special Thanks to David Mandell
How great is it that 24 years later, we are getting an Infinity Gauntlet tie-in!?! So great!
You can tell that we are about to begin a twenty page awesome story with just that title page above! I’m surprised the entire thing isn’t on the Internet yet (as oppose to other stories being fully available, maybe it is the length of it?)
“The writers chose to write bizarre versions of current characters and to include characters that had never been seen before. . . . wait 24 years” so great.
Then. Deadpool has just successfully stolen something. Inferno is coming, Spider-Man is a clone, Phoenix is dead – pretty much tells us where we are in the world of Marvel. Gosh, from 1991 to 2015, so much has happened!
Deadpool’s client is . . . Thanos, in his legendary Thanos-copter (of course). Thanos had Deadpool steal him a cosmic cube. Turns out, Deadpool didn’t give Thanos the real cube, he used it to snatch the Infinity Gauntlet from Thanos.
What does Deadpool do with the most powerful item in the universe? One Night One : Deadpool Roasts the Marvel Universe. This will be my second most favorite Marvel Roast. Deadpool does this so that he can get back at everybody that has kept him down. A lady mistakes him for Spider-Man, so he erases her from continuity. Before he can start, Howard the Duck arrives. Howard changes the marquee, as it is in his rider to – Deadpool Roasts the Marvel Universe Special, Guest MC : Howard the Duck.
Deadpool’s dais consists of – Hulk, Spider-Man, Thor and Nick Fury.
I own this entire $9.99 comic due to the one panel that Magik appears in above! Emma gets a line later in the comic and Illyana isn’t even in that panel!
Like any good roast, there is a common easy joke that everyone can make, in Deadpool’s case, it is his face. His face is pretty tore back, due to his cancer, which is pretty messed up to make fun of him for it.
Howard makes a great joke about how everyone only likes Deadpool when he graces their comic cover, as that is a boost to their sales.
There is a great panel of how the blind characters got horrible seats. There is Stick, Shroud, Daredevil, Blindfold, her mother, Destiny, Madame Web, Echo and Blind Al. I thought Echo was deaf and not blind.
The first roaster is Wolverine, wearing a Goblin Queen outfit, but he doesn’t know it. Elektra is enjoying herself. Sabretooth is not happy that he is trying to be the new Wolverine.
Storm is up next, she is surprised to see that Hitler is in attendance. Magneto isn’t happy to discovery that Hitler is sitting at the table behind his. Hitler gleefully says that he was the star of issue 26, the issue prior to Deadpool and Shiklah’s wedding.
Deadpool starts to grow tired of Howard’s antics and makes a reference to Howard’s after credits scene in Guardians of the Galaxy.
Thanks to YouTuber Eczavier Chaff for hosting this video.
Emma is tired of this silly business. I wish Magik got to be appear in that panel! Poor Phoebe, she still can’t get colorist to color her hair red, outside of Uncanny and All New.
Cable is up next and he is extremely tired of being paired with Deadpool. There is a second theme of the roast, that people are just plain tired of Deadpool.
Thor states that no one likes Deadpool, god or mortal. Deadpool’s face looks like Heidrun the Goat’s backside, which looks like Mangog’s backside. Magog does not appreciate that and makes fun of Thor via a Thunderstrike reference.
Spider-Man gets on the mic and bombs. He references seeing Gwen’s dead and her father, George Stacey’s death. He discusses the Venom symbiote, Agent Venom states that Spider-Man likes it. Spider-Man tries to fake that Doctor Octopus has controlled again. Doctor Octopus chimes in, that he is the superior joke teller.
Daredevil jokes that he has heard back things. Howard the Duck makes fun of the lame joke and Blind Al swears at him, again.
Kim, who has had forced surgery to look like a purple Nightcrawler (I reviewed an issue he was appeared in issue 38 of Volume Three). He compliments Deadpool, so Howard pushes him off the stage. Kurt, the real Nightcrawler, takes the stage and claims that being dead is funnier than listening to Deadpool.
Agent Adsit takes the stage. He chooses to not make any jokes about Deadpool’s face – instead, going after Little Deadpool. He describes it as being a hot dog that has been microwaved too long. Shiklah laughs so hard, as it is so true.
Michael the Necromancer states that he is no hero but neither is Deadpool, which isn’t the most untruthful thing to say.
Hulk is next. He starts strong, with stating that he is the strongest there is. Except in stink, Deadpool wins that. When the jokes don’t go over well, he smashes his way out of the room.
Nick Fury Jr. is next but he doesn’t know what to say, so his father steps in. Proper Nick (not the old guy from Original Sin, so this must be a LMD) states that Deadpool is the worst guy in the universe. Which, funny enough, insults Hitler.
Captain America (but also not old) states that he doesn’t get a lot of Deadpool’s jokes but ends with a cheesy joke about how Deadpool and Red Skull must share a dermatologist.
Doctor Strange says that Deadpool covers his pain with jokes and wishes that no one had to be present for this.
A giant lizard dude shows up but isn’t name checked, I was hoping he would be. Deadpool and Thor tore him a new one and now he shits in a bag, which he offers to show people. I wish we got the name and the issue number that happened in.
The Ghost of Benjamin Franklin gets a turn. He comments on how horrible Deadpool’s face is that people are ignoring the fact that he is a horrible friend and pretty shallow.
Shiklah (I can’t seem to remember how to spell her name) takes the microphone. She agrees that his face isn’t great, vampires even feel bad for him but he is the hottest man she has ever met. They have a rule, no matter how much they battle, their love making is that much more intense.
Agent Preston gets her turn, her son – Jeff – wrote the jokes. The jokes are all poop jokes but funny poop jokes. “Your face looks like a doody took a doody on it. Your face looks like a sewer farted on it. Your face caught on fire and someone tried to put it out with poop. You face looks like a wizard made a poop sword and a young knight pulled it out of a poop stone and stabbed your face with it.” Deadpool is very proud.
Deadpool finally gets to defend himself. He gets a swipe at Alpha Flight. Because he is wearing the Infinity Gauntlet, his jokes are super funny to those who hear them and everyone starts laughing. He starts taking shots at the guests. Man Thing’s table is giant size. Deadpool has never killed anyone in a wheelchair, unlike Cyclops. Though Xavier wasn’t in a wheelchair at that time. Deadpool says that once Domino is done with her guest panel, she will go back to obscurity. Nightcrawler isn’t able to teleport away, as people start noticing something is wrong.
Deadpool was making people laugh as nothing matter, as he thinks about his origins retold in five panels (the lights of the Infinity Gems). Due to him wearing the Infinity Gauntlet, he can see us, the reader. Deadpool is depress as he knows he isn’t real and his torments are due to us needing to be entertain. Howard the Duck knows who Deadpool is talking too, as Howard the Duck was breaking the fourth wall decades before Deadpool came out of Rob Liefeld’s pen.
Issue ends with Thanos, still in the Thanos-copter. Deadpool gives Thanos the Infinity Gauntlet and is kicked out of the copter.
The other stories in the issue are –
The main story, which is pretty fun.
Thanks to the Recap page, we learn that Deadpool has a daughter, Ellie, and Agent Preston has been raising her.
U.L.T.I.M.A.T.I.U.M. is going after Deadpool’s friends and family but they are being killed as they make their attempts. Agent Adsit is shot though. Flag Smasher suspects Deadpool is going to go the traditional route of over reacting and barge at them with the full fury of an animated wounded animal. Instead. Deadpool has a plan that pretty much goes as he planned it. Deadpool has everything finalized, including buying a farm in Kansas and he invites U.L.T.I.M.A.T.I.U.M. to attack him. Deadpool starts killing everyone of these foolish fools. He makes a AXIS reference by referring to his Zenpool identity. Deadpool saves Flag Smasher for last. Wade Wilson kills Deadpool, so that he can keep his friends safe and that he can spend time with his wife and child.
Six Days Later. Everyone is on a stolen yacht. Agent Adsit is in a wheelchair, so he lives.
The final Incursion between the Proper Marvel Earth and the Ultimate Earth. Wade thought all of this Incursion silliness was Avengers nonsense, which I thought so as well. Wade hugs his daughter one last time.
The main story ends with the Death of Deadpool but also, of everyone else as the Incursion of the Proper Marvel Earth and the Ultimate Earth begins.
There is a section of stories regarding Deadpool’s Pals ‘N’ Gals
Shiklah in Shiklah’s Catching Up (this credit page is what I kept referring back to so that I spelled her name right)
Agent Preston in The Family S.H.I.E.L.D.
Evan Sabahnur in What Do We Want? Apocalypse! When Do We Want It? Now!
Agent Scott Adsit in The Thwipster and the Quipster Battel the Hipsters!
Benjamin Franklin in All About the Benjamins
Michael the Necromancer in Parents : The Meeting
Then came the Roast
There is a three pages of #RIPdeadpool reprints that I wish I had known about so that I could have gotten involved.
Finally, a fun page of Clark Gregg yelling at editor Jordan D. White for killing off Deadpool.
Good thing there is a Previously page. Miles told Katie Bishop, his girlfriend, that he is Spider-Man. She has Hydra agents for parents, so she told them – naturally. Her father took the only natural step there is and . . . drugged and kidnapped Miles, Miles’ father and Miles’ best friend. Oh Hydra, keeping it classy since 1965. To compound troubles, Doctor Doom is working with Hydra.
Brooklyn Visions Academy. Miles’teacher notices that Miles, Ganke (his best friend) and Katie are missing from class. Judge, Miles’ roommate, leaves class to check on Ganke, and sees that his dorm room has been wrecked.
Hydra Secret Lair. Miles wakes up, in full costume (minus the mask – so he is primed for being in a movie) and he and Jessica are in floating cubes.
Doom is mad from the All New X-Men, Miles and Ultimate X-Men coming to Latveria and destroying his castle (unless there was another Spider-Man / Doctor Doom confrontation), I doubt it and Bendis wrote both stories so that must be where the original confrontation.
Judge checks on Miles and his dorm, and their room has been trashed. Just then, Cloak and Dagger come barging into the room. Judge falling all over himself, in shock, feels pretty real. A couple teleports into your room, I would be falling backwards, as well. Dagger calls Bombshell (but she uses both hers and Bombshell’s real names, in front of a third party – Tandy and Lana, respectfully. Tandy, that is an odd name, right?) Bombshell is suppose to call “the others” which since I’m reviewing this issue, that can only mean one person in particular appears in this issue. Get excited!
Dagger asks Judge if there is anything he needs to tell them, he admits that he knows who Miles ‘really’ is, which he should have said prior to Dagger’s use of real names. Especially with those two names, I don’t know anyone named Lana or Tandy. Lana Lang is the only other fictional character I know with that name.
Hydra turns on these laser lights onto Miles, which is a great way to obtain DNA samples, villains don’t have to come near the hero and no person has to do any work besides pressing a button, Jetsons style. Van Damme has plans to compare Miles’ living cells with his soon to be dead cells.
Van Damme is very happy with Mr. Bishop’s results. Bishop would hug Doom but he doesn’t appear to be the type, Doom tells him that he is correct – it is a very fun panel.
Miles is getting frustrated with all of these threats and starts struggling. He unleashes a massive power surge, somehow. Miles and Jessica are out of their floating cubes.
Brooklyn 70th Precinct Police Department. A guy dressed as Captain Universe, is being arrested.
We see that former SHIELD Director, Maria Hill, is now (I hope, a high level) detective. Shadowcat, still in that yellow and red costume – and the Ultimates arrive. Shadowcat asks Hill to help them locate Miles (can’t they use code names, for those who may be overhearing the costumed folk in the room?).
Two Hydra goons are dragging Miles away. Van Damme tells a third Hydra fellow, to start dissecting Jessica – as she serves no more purposes. Hearing this, Miles starts taking names. Van Damme is not impressed and blasts Miles. Bishop points a gun to Jessica’s unconscious head and tells Mr. Morales to settle down. If only it was to, simmer down. That always works. We see Jessica’s eye open.
None of Hill’s former connections have any leads. I like how Shadowcat looks there, like she is bored but also, that she isn’t able to do anything productive. Hill is told from another detective that unusual disturbances are coming from Staten Island. People make the typical Staten Island jokes but the heroes decide to check it out. Cloak teleports everyone away.
Shadowcat notices that it is too quiet, so they must be in the right place. A window explodes and everyone starts heading inside.
Miles has had enough of his love ones being threaten and has taken out every single Hydra member and has recently knocked out Van Damme. Everyone is impressed with Miles now, including Shadowcat. Dagger checks on Jessica. Miles thanks Judge for pointing the way to him, though I don’t think that is what he did. Miles wants to seeing see his father and Ganke. Katie (I’m not sure if she is an expert with a bow and arrow) offers to help Miles find them, she knows where they should be. Miles accepts her offer but makes sure she knows that they have broken up. Dagger finally gets to hurt Katie, something she has wanted to do in a while.
There is an ad for Secret Wars 2015 – Infinity Gauntlet & Old Man Logan, I’m pretty sure I am skipping both of those. Even though Kitty did appear in both of them for one issue each.
Miles finally gets to hug his father. Later, Ganke confirms that he did not tell Judge Mile’s secret – it must be an issue with him. Shadowcat is curious how Miles did that, he got yet another power upgrade. Bombshell then sees a sight that puts her at unease.
I would shit myself if I saw another planet start to slowly approach my planet. It looking like Earth, would be a second thought I have.
Miles will be in Secret Wars 2015, I imagine in both Ultimate End but the proper eight issue series as well. I’m hoping Shadowcat appears in both Ultimate End and the proper series but I will settle for Ultimate End. I would also be very happy if she just plan lives at the end of Ultimate End.
Since this is the last issue of the series, we get a nice Thank You section from some creators – Mark Paniccia, Senior Editor / David Marquez, Artist / Cory Petit, Letterer.
Letters are from – AJ Lotson / Brian Jacob of Maplewood, NJ / Benji Bajorek / Robert Morvay / Justin Rueff / Jeff Medhurst / W. Rosenthall / David Johansson of Lulea, Sweden and Joe Sanchez.
I really only bought this for the last page of the main comic (there is a cute one page comic strip, in the back). In classic Annual goodness, Duggan has taken the opportunity to pair up his two ongoings – so fans of one can try out the other. That’s pretty smart! Surprised he didn’t try to work Deadpool into it! I’m glad he didn’t as that would have made this something else entirely.
Once again, the Previously page is pretty essential reading. I forget that Sam (Nova) is only 15 years old. I thought Sam’s father was dead but apparently he is stranded in space. That could have came out of Original Sin. I read Duggan’s Hulk 9 (and really enjoyed it) but I barely remember Hulk in AXIS, besides when he turned into Kulh, the Hulk’s Hulk. Poor Duggan, hopefully that series of his didn’t have to get sidelined too much due to that silly crossover. During the Kulh situation, he goes to Carefree, Arizona and Nova fights him. As a reward, he is made an Avenger but his helmet is beyond repair.
Nova has gone to see if Reed Richards could fix his helmet. Reed is out but Doc Green (as I have to remember to refer to him) is there – for some reason. He apologizes for his actions in Carefree. Doc Green offers to fix Nova’s helmet, he is afraid of his secret identity becoming known.
Doc Green gives Nova a brown paper back (just like Spider-Man had to do in Amazing 258, for the same reasons. As he didn’t want the Fantastic Four to learn his identity, once he lost the black symbiotic costume). In both circumstances, the extra step feels silly. What are the chances, even in New York City, that they would even recognize Nova or Spider-Man in their civilian identities? The chances are pretty low, plus the characters would be more careful once they see the Fantastic Four and Doc Green, the next time they come across them.
Doc Green reveals that nothing on Earth can fix the helmet. Nova believes he knows a location that has the spare parts. Doc Green states that he isn’t going to space, as nothing good happens up there (the same with Shadowcat!).
Doc Green offers to loan Nova a spaceship but Nova is only use to propelling himself through space, he doesn’t know how to fly an actual ship. Nova (playfully) threatens to have She-Hulk sue Doc Green, as he does owe Nova for the helmet breaking in the first place.
In one of the many great pages in this comic, Doc Green agrees to go with Nova. Sam takes off the bag over his head and Doc Green, in a truly funny scene – grabs the sides of his face, in shock that he now knows Nova’s secret identity. Sam is confused as he shouldn’t know him, and Doc Green states that he doesn’t. Proving how silly a brown paper bag, over one’s head, is.
Nova makes some small talk by telling Doc Green some of his accomplishments. He met a cool girl, he beat up a space pirate, blew away a Chitauri fleet. His father has been captured, somewhere in space – so that wasn’t good.
Light years from Earth. Nova’s helmet picks up a distress signal, but only that it registers one. Sam believes it could be his father but we will learn more about that later. For anyone who reads this blog, on a regular basis, and knows the timing of this issue, it may be obvious but we will get there.
In a handy editor note, we learn that the bunker these two heroes are going to, was discovered back in Nova 20, he found it with Rocket. They get to the bunker, and none of the three helmets have the missing parts. Nova puts on one of the broken helmets and asks it to locate another Black Nova helmet. Which I’ve noticed that he doesn’t wear a yellow one like Richard Rider did, but I thought maybe the change was only cosmetic.
The helmet quickly shows a location but Nova wanted more time with the map but Doc Green knows where they are going. Which is, Xandar, the home of the Nova Corps – which has seen better days.
Nova and Doc Green come across a salvager, Zarihs Didisiqui, and his family. They tell the duo that the current overlord, Gron, has a black helmet – and that he is horrible. Nova offers their space ship for the location of Gron – which doesn’t make Doc Green happy, as it is his ship.
We see Gron, who is electric whipping Xandarians. Gron is excited about the prospect of getting a second black Nova helmet. Doc Green recognizes Gron as being of the race, Darkamite. After confirming a Darkamite’s power set, Doc Green uppercuts Gron across
Nova asks if that is how hard Doc Green punched him but Doc Green doesn’t keep track of how hard he punches fools. It would be fun, if he did. Doc Green examines the helmet and it has the missing part that Nova has. Doc Green doesn’t want to tell the family about the helmet but as he says that, Nova sees their spaceship fly away. Another great page and excellent pacing!
Doc Green gets to fixing the helmet, Sam takes a nap. He wakes up and tries out the helmet. It works perfectly, as he flies into space and blasts rocks. As thanks, and after he asks how long Doc Green can hold his breath, Nova grabs his new buddy and they fly into space. Doc Green loves the experience.
Knowhere, Cosmo’s Crib. Cosmo, the astronaut dog (seen in the Guardians of the Galaxy film), wakes up to two new guests. Nova wants to use Cosmo’s teleporter to get Doc Green back to Earth. Cosmo is more than happy to help, as nothing good happens when the Hulk is in space.
Nova gets back into space and hears that the distress call came from Lydia, Star Lord’s computer system on his new ship.
The Haunted Moon. We get Nova coming into Black Vortex Alpha. Look at Baldeon’s Lockheed, not too bad, as is his Shadowcat!
Nova 28 handles his own issue that we’ve already reviewed already, at this point.
I was missing this issue but Hastings was able to back order it for me, which was pretty nice! Now the only issue of the series I’m “missing” is issue 13 but that’s an all Deadpool and Fantomelle issue, so we’re skipping that one. Can’t believe Fawkes and Soule didn’t check in with the main cast of the title, for even a page. They did the same for issue three, which I also don’t own, as that is a pure Fantomelle issue.
After issues 9 – 12, that seemed like they took a major detour involving Fang of the Imperial Guard, it is nice to read this issue and how the series had a clear direction.
Nevada. Mystique is getting a status update from the previous issue. Mister Sinister not only stole Wolverine’s statue body but also Daken’s left eye and arm. Neuro also tells her that Sabretooth and Shogun are offline.
Destiny is who Mystique is hearing in the narration boxes.
It makes perfect sense that the two groups of characters are not working well a a team, as the Paradise folks are essentially holding the Wolverines hostage, with the codewords.
The Wrecking Crew have made short work of Skel, Shogun and Sabretooth. Wrecker is ready to move on, as there isn’t anything keeping them there, now that Sinister is gone. Lady Deathstrike is still on the move.
Daken is freaking out, rightfully so. X23 is trying to sooth him and Junk is way over his head.
Mystique starts to give Endo and Neuro orders. I don’t miss those two characters, at all. Mystique sends Endo inside to retrieve Daken, I guess they don’t know that he doesn’t have his healing factor.
Junk says Daken’s control word to put him to sleep, Arquebus. X23 can’t believe Junk had the nerve to that.
Endo comes running in and gets a crowbar to the legs. Before the Wrecking Crew and start a beat down, Mystique offers them money, to simply walk away. If not, she will hunt down all of their family members and ruin their lives. Wrecker accepts, as he is being paid twice for doing the one job and the crew goes.
Everyone gets on board the Changeling. I like Junk having to ask, who is Sinister. That makes perfect sense, really, like only a hundred people probably should know who he is, he isn’t one of those villains that gets in front of a camera.
Shogun starts arguing with Ogun, as he knows what to do to heal Daken. Shogun had picked up a few Regen Serums, Ogun rather just let Daken die, one less threat.
Neuro would rather not waste one of the limited Regen Serums on Daken either, they need those with healing factors (to save the Paradise folks) so if Daken no longer has his, he is no longer essential. X23 can’t believe the folks she is stuck on a ship with.
Shogun does the right thing and injects Daken.
One Hour Later. X23 has stayed by Daken’s side, so she is there when he wakes up. Now that Logan is dead, sadly, Daken is the closest thing to family that she has.
Lapland, Findland. Sinister’s base. He starts running tests on Wolverine.
The team wants to take the fight to Sinister. Mystique warns how dangerous Sinister is, he uses time and space as weapons.
Not only that, if he captures you, he will turn you into a mindless weapon. Or worst, just take some DNA, and keep making clones of you that do whatever he wants. Mystique doesn’t know where Sinister is, but Neuro does.
Daken had a tracer on him, that was luckily in his arm, so now they know where Sinister is.
Neuro gives the reason why they need Wolverine, as vague as it is. Wolverine’s body apparently has the key that will free the Paradise experiments from their internal death clocks. Neuro had uploaded all of Paradise’s research, so he knows a great deal about Sinister.
Neuro just wants to find someone first, Fantomell, who will be perfect for this breaking and entering. We see her on the last page, so I guess I own her first appearance now. Not like I suspect she will be a big character once this series last issue (20) comes out nor after Secret Wars 2015. Though Soule does seem to be sticking around Marvel, and he and Fawkes seem to really like her, so maybe she will become a big character.
So that is why it came out when 39 came out, and I wanted to do the Black Vortex issues as a group so I also am writing this after 37. I imagine that the story that was hinted above, will probably show up in issue 600. There is 40 pages of that issue, but I reckon that if she didn’t get any pages done, the story above is never going to be seen. Not that I was all that excited to read a Bobby and Hank buddy book, especially as they have barely hung out for 37 issues prior to this. Instead, we got a Jean and Emma story.
Madripoor. Magik has teleporrted Jean and Emma, so that Emma can give Jean some in the filed training. Magik doesn’t want to leave the ladies behind. I don’t blame Illyana for not wanting to go back to the school. What is there for her to do that will trump this adventure. Illyana leaves and the issue suffers for it.
Jean talks about how Illyana is getting tired of being a taxi service, which more people need to talk about that. She has so much potential but instead, she ends up bookending stories.
Emma gives a brief history of Madripoor. It was a Hydra Terrority, a Ninja Assassin Terrority and then Mystique’s attempt at a mutant paradise. Jean also learns about MGH, Mutant Growth Hormone, which apparently has been around forever now. I thought it was something that came along in the 90s with the Legacy Virus but it has been around since 1972, with Amazing Adventures 11,which is the first appearance of Grey Furry Beast. That’s two things!
Emma shuts off Jean’s telepathy, she can do that. I like Emma implication that Xavier was putting blocks on Jean’s mind since their first sessions together. Jean can’t believe it but if she just researched Xavier’s deeds, she would find out that he has done so much worst.
Emma’s powers have come back as she has been earning them back, with the assistance of the Cuckoos.
Emma’s goal for Jean, today, is to practice her telekinesis. Jean claims she uses her telekinesis but she isn’t flying about.
Jean finds her target, the Blob, who is both in charge of Madripoor and extremely addicted to MGH. Bob is confused as Jean looks so much smaller here than how he remembers her. Which I like, the existence of the Original Five is not a known detail to the public at large. Though Mystique knows but she must not have told Blog about that.
Jean throws Blob across the room, along with everyone else but he gets right back up and charges at her. Something I wouldn’t want done to me. He flings Jean across the island. Jean is littler and Blog is much larger. Like Kitty, I enjoy seeing Jean use a gun, of course, bullets have no effect on the unmovable object.
That could make a decent What If, the Blob did join the X-Men, way back in Uncanny X-Men 3.
Jean and Blob end up floating about in the sky. He calls her bluff and she drops him to the ground. The fall doesn’t kill him but he is knocked out. Emma approves of the session and gives Jean back her telepathy.
Issue ends with Emma wanting Jean to be better. Magik isn’t coming to pick them up but how does someone leave an island? I imagine Emma keeps a credit card on her for these circumstances.
Inks Tim Townsend, Wayne Faucher, Mark Irwin, Victor Olazaba & Al Vey
Colors Chris Bachalo & Rain Beredo
I could go for more covers of one character with multiple costumes. That is an awesome gimmick!
We get Uncanny back on track with this issue, hopefully!
The Xavier School, Location, secret. Today. Scott comes outside and sees his brother, Havok, standing about. Havok’s face is all scarred from AXIS. One of maybe three consequences from that event. They hug, which is nice to see. The base is empty.
Three hours ago. Scott is breaking the news that the Jean Grey School is going to be taking the students. No one wants to go, why would they? They have been told for months how horrible that school is and the teaching staff. Hijack seems to be taking this the hardest. It is simply nice to be reading about the students again.
Scott has decided to turn himself over to the authorites, due to his actions that lead to Xavier’s death. Mostly, that Scott told Xavier to walk away and Xavier, instead, chose to keep playing with fire. I imagine the authorities are going to do a quick Google search and see that Xavier has ‘died’ at least four times and shrug their shoulders.
This is the first Magik has heard about this part of the plan.
Goldballs loses control of his balls and slaps them against Scott’s face.
Now. Havok is taking a nap and Scott is in the room, doing some packing. This wakes up Alex, who has been sleeping for fourteen years. Apparently this happens a lot, after a major super-power event, which is as decent of a name for crossovers, in-universe. Poor Scott, all that he owns, can fit into a few bags and boxes.
Havok wants to tag along with Cyclops. Cyclops is trying to take back the public perception of him. Xavier leaving everything to Cyclops, blew his mind. He wasn’t the guy’s son, he actually had one of those (before Legion wrote himself out of continuity) and Cyclops killed his adopted father.
I like Scott’s answers to Alex’s “what’s wrong with us?” Parents captured and mother killed by aliens. They had powers in a world that hates and fears them.
Then. Scott is knocked out by Goldball’s balls.
Kitty wants all of this tomfoolery to just stop. Magik wants Kitty to come with her, Kitty just got back from space with her boyfriend. So is this Post-Black Vortex? Kitty wants a shower but Illyana grabs her arm and the two ladies are off to what will most likely be my favorite arc of this series!
Emma tells Triage to heal Scott. Just let the guy take a tad nap.
Emma isn’t going to the Jean Grey School, why would she, she should totally go back to the Hellfire Club. Someone should make that group, important again.
Now. Alex asks the question most of us had this entire volume, when is this Revolution going to start? I like how Bachalo clearly doesn’t want to draw Alex’s scarred face, so he keeps picking angles that only hint at his left side.
Then. Emma and Scott are finally have the conversation they should have had prior to this volume. Their break up has never really been addressed. Emma apparently asked Scott about the revolution too.
Nothing Cyclops did, has ever worked, in terms of mutant and human relations. The X-Men fought for the dumb flatscans and they were feared. They fought alongside them, and mutant children died. They moved to an island and it was attacked in full force. All Cyclops had, was threats.
Emma was willing to start over with Scott, she knew all of his motivations already. Emma implies that she is willing to get back with him, but he tells her that he wouldn’t touch her with Namor’s trident. Which goes to show how much he paid attention to Namor. Why did they break up? Was that ever really addressed? They sort of where together under Kieron Gillen and Bendis had them broken up by the time his first issue came along.
Emma diamond forms up. Emma has had full use of her powers for a while now. He keeps wanting to know when her powers came back, and she keeps talking about how much she has been on his side. I really did enjoy the Emma Scott relationship. She has let Scott in like none before him, and they were the best of teams.
Alex is way to excited about Emma being out of Scott’s life.
People made a big deal of last issue’s cover, with Havok and Cyclops fighting, not being reflective of that issue but it isn’t reflective of this issue too. It should have been them hugging but I guess that would have tipped the emotion of the issue.
Alex has a plan to get Scott back on track. Scott takes a guess that it is a, Summers Brothers Pizza Parlor, and Alex wishes that was what he came up with. There is a What If, I sort of what to read!
Next issue, Monsters! Which has Magik and Shadowcat, being Demon Hunters, which was hinted at way back in All New X-Men 25! The only hinted at story that people wanted to see and now it comes! I hope it isn’t disappointing nor just one issue. I also wish that Lockheed will be involved! I’ms o excited!
The Changeling. Deathstrike’s Chambers, So the fight has moved from Shogun’s room to Lady Deathstrike’s room. Ogun is trash talking Shogun, so he must know what is happening here. Ogun reveals that he and Lady Deathstrike have a partnership, built around the idea to erase Sharp.
Fang wants to speak to Shogun. Mystique wants Junk to set up the spectral disruptors, which one would think she would have a code word for that, so that she wouldn’t tip her hand. Junk does so and now Fang is distracted. Mystique has a gun, that Reed found a similar one in the Negative Zone but this gun, she got from AIM. The gun shoots across universes, so now she can destroy the gland that contains Fang’s soul. X23 doesn’t want Mystique to succeed but Daken holds her back. Which is awkward, as he only has the one arm, how much leverage is he really holding over her?
While this fight is going on, Lady Deathstrike is pushing Shogun closer to death. Ogun prepares to make his move, while Fang is losing a fight to Sabretooth.
Fang teleports himself and Shogun away. Mystique and Lady Deathstrike are both upset with this turn of events. Mystique is sure that the gland was hit so Fang is truly vulnerable.
Galaxy Desginate NGC 4945. An Unnamed Planet. Ogun is distracted by the new environment but decides to soldier on.
Fang grabs him by the head.
Sharp is back in control again and now he can’t hear Ogun’s voice. Fang shut Ogun down! Sharp takes responsibility for Logan’s death.
Shogun (I will continue using that name) recognizes that Fang is not at full strength. Fang falls over but he has enough energy to send Shogun back to Earth or to keep him on the planet. Which makes no sense, as the second option, requires no energy at all.
Sharp retells the ending of Death of Wolverine 4, that he was present for. Sharp had a brief . . . fight, seems to be too generous of a term, with Wolverine. It was mostly a delay tactic.
Wolverine stopped fighting and just stared down Sharp. I like seeing Proto-Sharp, as I could barely remember his first costume design. Sharp kept fighting but one counter later, he was knocked out. Sharp woke up to the lab destroyed, he suspects that Cornelius is dead but he isn’t. Marvel Database confirms that Cornelius dies but I thought he got away on the helicopter. I guess I should reread that issue.
Fang wishes he was there for all of that. Instead of thanking Fang for burying Ogun, he starts fighting him. Probably as he suspects that Fang plans on resetting him so that he and Ogun are sharing the same body. I imagine that Fang would have listen to the request to keep him the same.
Fang fights back, revenge was never what Wolverine was about – but I recall at least ten stories where that was all Wolverine was about.
Fang sends Sharp back to Earth.
Lady Deathstrike wants to know where Shogun is, as he teleports back in front of everybody. Shogun tells the gathered villains that Fang is done with them all. Lady Deathstrike wants to know who is in charge of the body, but it is Sharp.
Barcelona, Spain. Fantomelle is looking over her Wolverine treasures and sees Fang’s costume. She isn’t sure how it got into her room. Culpepper brings in another costume but I don’t recognize it. They are putting everything in boxes as their client is on their way.
Issue ends with the client being . . . Deadpool! I like how fans could tell it was him, from the previous two pages, with the yellow dialogue balloons.
Deadpool recognizes the costume but I still don’t. The color scheme, more orange than yellow with blue stripes, does look familiar. Deadpool wants to be the next Wolverine.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 