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Deadpool Volume Four Issue 14

Posted by John Klein III on September 21, 2016

Posted in: Review. Tagged: 2016, Bellaire, Civil War II, Deadpool, Duggan, Hawthorne, Magik, Pallot - Terry, Sabino - Joe. Leave a comment

Writer Gerry Duggan

Penciler Mike Hawthorne

Inker Terry Pallot

Colorist Jordie Bellaire

Letterer VC’s Joe Sabino

Deadpool is lot of things these days – Avenger, Assassin, Superstar, Smelly and a Husband. He is also a mercenary and now has a group of mercenaries of his own, that he has been neglecting. These other folks make up the team that appear in Mercs for Money – a title I still don’t get. Are there mercenaries that do what they do as volunteers? Mercenaries are all about that sweet cash. Or they are undercover cops posing as guns for hire. Currently, these Mercs for Money have not been happy with Deadpool as he’s been very busy being a beloved hero. So money isn’t coming in.

This issue opens with Deadpool trying to sexually satisfied his wife, Shiklah. She’s not quite there yet. I do like these two together, they should still be newlyweds, except for the whole eight month gap. There is a subplot about how there are odd hairs in their bed. I’m not sure what that is about

Deadpool is trying to get Shiklah to commit her monsters of Monster Metropolis to helping with the coming threat. Before Shiklah can commit, she wants him to watch their shows together.

The monsters start moving out, Shiklah is leading the Howling Commandos so they are joining the fight too.

We catch up to the Mercenaries and the opening fight from Civil War II. The Mercenaries are – Masacre, Terror, Stingray, Foolkiller, Solo and Slapstick. I’m not that familiar with Masacre or Foolkiller. Masacre looks knew, he’s a Spanish Deadpool – is what I can tell. They are way out of their league, as they see the Celestial.

Stingray takes the time to proposition Solo about breaking away from Deadpool, he isn’t earning them any money. The other mercenaries are saving civilians.

Solo and Foolkiller seem to be wearing the same uniform. I remember when Solo’s color scheme was green, now it is maroon. Solo is rocking one of those 90s Cyclops head socks so his hair can breathe.

Solo and Stingray playfully save a lady and her baby. Solo teleports the mother and she throws up on him – he’s use to it. I like how, nearly off panel, she grabs her baby from Stingray.

We get to Magik’s moment during Civil War II! Deadpool refers to this team as “Doctor Strange and the Avengers of the Supernatural” a title I would buy today if it was on the stands! I like how Hawthorne draws Magik’s costume, as it really covers her.

The citizens of New York City are happy that the day is saved. High fives are all over the place. Shiklah kisses Deadpool, as she walks away, he comments again on how she has a new dog. Where is this leading to? I hope not a divorce!

Deadpool gets a text that there is a party at Stark Tower. The Mercs For Money are excited but Deadpool is only bringing Shiklah. I’m sure Tony would have allowed more people but I guess they do work for Deadpool so it is his call.

Once Deadpool is gone, the Mercs plan a mutiny. This splash page shows that Solo is in a maroon costume and Foolkiller is in a purple costume. Similar design but definitely different color schemes.

The Mercs get back to base and Foolkiller asks if Cable is going to the after party. Cable wouldn’t be caught dead in Avengers Tower. Foolkiller doesn’t like Cable and how he’s a hard arse.

Avengers Tower. Deadpool is chatting with Vision. They are discussing Ulysses as he walks up. Deadpool doesn’t buy into the Inhuman’s powers.

J. Jonah Jameson is flying his own news helicopter and it states “Fact Channel News” whatever happened to the Daily Bugle? Peter starts Parker Industries (well, Doctor Octopus did, right?) and the Daily Bugle ceases to exist? I know Jameson became the major of the city at some point but that’s about all I know. Apparently Jameson is a big fan of Deadpool (does that make any sense?) and he still doesn’t like Deadpool.

Jameson refers to the Mercs as hirelings which upsets the hirelings. Terror (Inc) breaks the television. Agent Adsit (who I remember from the previous volume) is going back to SHIELD as he doesn’t want to be Deadpool’s agent any more.

Solo brings up how they should own their own business.

A little while later. Solo has created a website, as I guess mercenaries are okay to have websites promoting their illegal activities – in the Marvel Universe. Maybe it is on the Dark Internet.

Stingray mentions how they need to get start up capital. Cable walks in with an armful of money. Apparently Cable just goes back in time with the little amount of money he has and redeposits it into his banking account and lives off of the interest. He’s finally down to his last millions, in 2016.

Issue ends on a very funny note of Stingray offering to become Cable’s new Six Pack or New New Mutants. Cable wants nothing to do with these goons.

Star Lord 7

Posted by John Klein III on September 9, 2016

Posted in: Review. Tagged: 2016, Bellaire, Caramagna - Joe, Fabela - Antonio, Garron - Javier, Hawthorne, Humphries - Sam, Out of Orbit, Star Lord, StarKat. Leave a comment

Writer Sam Humphries

Artist Javier Garron

Color Artist Antonio Fabela

Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna

Cover by Mike Hawthorne and Jordie Bellaire

Out of Orbit, Chapter Two

Issue opens with Rocket and Groot playing a table top game. Rocket is still upset that StarKat has broken up, as they were so happy.

The Collector, looking more like the Joker here than himself, wants to know why the two Star Lords broke up.

Pryde has learn how to swear in other space languages, it is because she hangs out with Rocket so much.

In the audience, we see Doop, the truly horrible Starfox and Gatecrusher & Hard-Boiled Henry (the Tweedy Bird looking fellow).

Collector wants to know if there is any chance the two of them will get back together.

Both Star Lords want the other to apologize.

Collector has quite the collection and now he is moving onto higher concepts. Collector was quite taken with Quill, having recently learned his origins. So I’m taking it this storyline is going to havesome meta references.

The Collector wants to relive their big breakup.

Pryde calls the Collector, a creepy emotional vampire. Pryde says some harsh things, but dead on, about how she doesn’t want her personal life to be yet another part of some spectacle for a lonely, pathetic, emotional stunted fanboy. So there’s some meta there, I hope I wasn’t part of that group. Especially as I’m not all that lonely or emotionally stunted.

Collector turns on the shock treatment and it must have really hurt as look how distraught Kitty looks in the middle panel.

Quill whispers his plan to Pryde, to stall and make up things to buy time. Quill says he will protect her but she counters that she’ll end up protecting him – which has to be true.

Quill clicks his boots together, which should be sending a distress call.

Collector threatens to rip them down to the molecule level, if they don’t share everything.

Collector reveals that Skrulls are going to be performing reenactments. They were also the ones who were fighting the Star Lords in former costumes. They are the Skrull Dining Theater Thespians.

20 Minutes Later. Quill fakes that Pryde broke up with him as he cheated on her with all three – She-Hulk, Storm & Scarlet Witch. Kitty will hate both the player and the game. Which is a super fun line!

Pryde is ashamed and insulted that is the story Quill made up.

20 Minutes Later. So I imagine that they have to write the story, someone turns it into a script and then the SDTT rehearse it and we are seeing it now.

Quill confesses why she should break up with him –

He has broken every promise
Has the wandering eye of a 14-year-old
He talks over her
His jacket stinks

Pryde is the Superior Star Lord – a spin off title I would totally buy! We had Superior Spider-Man, how about Superior Star Lord!

Pryde could be dating a younger version of Jeff Goldblum.

This begins the two of them trying to one up the other. Quill tells that Pryde couldn’t handle his success as a football player, she being his cheerleader. Pryde, as Captain Marvel (Carol’s current costume) punching him in the stomach, as she was too intimidating for him. Which I can totally buy.

Quill says their schedules couldn’t match – we get a bit of a Slave Leia Pryde. Pryde says they were in different places in their lives.

The two start just shouting differences at each other.

Quill is clearly really upset that she stole his hero name and look. Pryde repeats that someone had to pick up his slack. Quill, maybe revealing some secrets here – states that Pryde doesn’t care about helping people, she’s all about making sure people love her and to make him look bad.

This stuns Kitty, as clearly anyone would love her if you just read anything that features her. She’s the best!

Pryde starts to cry, as Quill is a big time jerk. She made him look bad as she is clearly better at him at so many things.

Quill tries to apologize. Collector wants to know how Pryde is feeling and she’s simply done. She’s willing to be fried to death, to just end this. Collector must be a good host and producer as he calls this a day. The two get another shock treatment.

Pryde wakes up first, she’s exhausted.

Pryde repeats Quill’s foolish plan. Quill was faking his rage but then some hard truths came out.

Collector wearing that, what is it, a bathroom? A skimpy robe of some tiger print – it is not very flattering. Reminds me of something Joan Rivers might wear, which isn’t great.

Quill tries to threaten Collector but he is only here to talk to Pryde. He wants to give her a tour of his collection. He wants to show her Puck’s ex-wives axes and Wolverine’s browser history – neither sounds all that interesting.

She does take him up on his offer, I imagine as it is something to do. Pryde threatens to phase away but he knows she won’t do that, as he still has Quill captive. Collector knows that Pryde still loves Quill. Which may be true but people break up with those they love, as life happens.

Collector offers to free them, if she reveals the truth of why they broke up. If she doesn’t, he’ll keep her as part of his collection and kill Quill.

Collector reoffers for her to tell him the truth. Meanwhile, Quill keeps clicking his heels.

We catch up with Rocket and Groot, as they are too busy fighting over their game (well, Rocket is the one fighting Groot) so the call goes unnoticed and unanswered.

Really enjoying this arc so far!

Doctor Strange : Last Days of Magic 1

Posted by John Klein III on September 4, 2016

Posted in: Review. Tagged: 2016, Aaron, Bellaire, Beyruth - Danilo S, Brown - Dan, Doctor Strange, Duggan, Last Days of Magic, Magik, Perkins - Mike, Petit - Cory, Robinson - James, Romero - Leonardo, Troy - Andy, Worrells - Veronica. 1 Comment

Zelma Stanton Framing Sequence

Writer Jason Aaron

Artist Leonardo Romero

Colors Jordie Bellaire

Letters Cory Petit

Spanish Translation by Veronica Worrells

This 45 page comic is broken down to two other parts. I spent so much time reading this comic at Hastings. Marvel Database said Magik was in it so I kept looking for her, I was looking for her soulsword and maybe her black glove holding it, I could not find her. They should have called this comic, Last Page of Magik, then I would have been able to zero in on her. Basically, I’m only attached to the framing sequence now. Actually, from what I can tell, the above art team handled everything but the Doctor Voodoo pages and The Wu pages.

Doctor Voodoo

Writer Gerry Duggan

Artist Danilo Beyruth

Colors Dan Brown

The Wu

Writer James Robinson

Artist Mike Perkins

Colors Andy Troy

Jason Aaron has come a long way since his Wolverine and the X-Men days.

I own issue four and I’ve added issue six to my Wishlist, which works as a prologue to this storyline that kicks off with this issue. So here is what happened since issue four, I believe. We get only the one recap sentence. The Empirikul are killing masters of magic and magical landmarks.

Eight Days Ago. The Sanctum Sanctorum. Doctor Strange’s librarian, Zelma Stanton, isn’t enjoying her task of organizing the library. One of the books melts her gloves and another one gives her a rash. She finds a book about Doctor Mystical, which transitions us to –

Now. Deep in the Lacandon Jungle of Mexico. We see an army of Empirikul, who look like short cute Stromtroopers, but with big round balls instead of proper helmets. Their name is suppose to evoke “Empire Kill” right? That’s what they do? I’m sure that is on purpose. Doctor Mystical causes a rain of sharks, which seems to kill some of the Empirikul. I like how Doctor Mystical’s Spanish isn’t translated.

Then. Zelma does the weakest transition I’ve ever seen with her just smelling gumbo and thinking of Doctor Voodoo.

Now. Nice that Jericho didn’t have to give up his “Doctor” title when he was no longer the Sorcerer Supreme. He lives New York to go protect his armory in New Orleans. I guess his brother no longer haunts him as Mr. Marguandi does now. Voodoo corrects the ghost that he isn’t Mister but Doctor now. Voodoo narrates how Strange’s magic is otherworldly, so that’s why he isn’t as strong these days. Voodoo’s magic comes from the Earth so he’s still in the fight. Voodoo is restocking as someone taunts him outside.

The Empirikul have found Doctor Voodoo. He actually does pretty well until his powers begin to fade. The Empirikul has finally weaken the Earth based magic. Voodoo is on his knees, read for death. Before they can kill him, they optic magic blast Doctor Voodoo’s armory – which he was kneeling right next to. Voodoo feels pretty badly that all of those items are gone. They turn their attention to him and do the trick again. They believe they kill him but he used Pym Particles and was out of sight. This section ends with him not knowing how they are going to defeat the Empirikul.

Then. Zelma sees tow books – Xu is burning and Doomveor is humming.

Now. A secret monastery of mystic monks trained a young man in their arts and ways. He would later return to murder them all. All but one of them, Mahatma Doom – the nega-Doom. Doctor Doom, naturally, was the one who killed all of the monks. Professor Xu arrives to provide support against the invading Empirikul.

Then. Zelma is becoming exhausted in her task. Wong recognizes the book, the Medico Mistico. This reminds him of an earlier adventure of Doctor Strange’s.

Past. Strange is chasing any leads he can to find Dormammu. Strange meets August Wu of the Coral Shore, Hong Kong’s magical guardian. Strange seems taken with her. She takes him to her home and introduces him to her husband (who is a police officer) and her daughter, Alice Gulliver. Alice is full of attitude and teenage angst. Strange later found Dormammu and found that fight. Unfortunately Wu found the demon she was chasing and didn’t fare as well. When she died, her daughter’s hair changed from brunette to pink.

Now. Alice Gulliver is a police detective who uses magic to fuel her bullets. Her captain is aware of her magic abilities, which is smart. She’s chasing some non-Empirikul villains and takes them out pretty easily. I imagine she’ll be pretty important later in this event.

Then. Zelma finds a book that stinks of Vodka, with “Kaoz” on the cover.

Now. Egypt. The Empirikul have taken Kaoz captive. I sort of like this guy. When he was nine, he ate a bear. Turns out, it was a magic bear. Oh, he’s a brand new character, appearing in issues 4, 6 and 7 of Doctor Strange’s current series. So I own all but the sixth issue, I’ve requested Hastings to find me a copy of it but it isn’t working out.

Once, Kaoz killed 20 Croatian Devil boards with only his spit. He has a magic plate in his head. His section ends with him going face first into a crowd of the Empirikuls.

Then. Zelma can’t believe there is this much magic in the world.

Now Zelma feels magic being eliminated in the universe.

Some guy, I imagine he leads the Empirikuls, is ripping Doctor Strange’s red cloak, the Cloak of Levitation.

Zelma believes that magic just died, with that act.

We see that the Empirikuls have the following mages tied to stakes – Mahatma Doom, Kaoz, Professor Xu and El Medico Mistico. Somehow, between Kaoz and Xu is Magik! How did she get taken!?! They went to Limbo and got her, I imagine?

Pretty good issue and the stakes are at an all time high! I’m sure issue seven explains how Magik was take.

Magneto Volume Three Issue 21

Posted by John Klein III on April 4, 2016

Posted in: Review, Websites. Tagged: 2015, Bellaire, Bunn - Cullen, Last Days Of, Magneto, Petit - Cory, Secret Wars 2015, Tumblr, Walta. 2 Comments

Writer Cullen Bunn

Artist Gabriel Hernandez Walta

Colorist Jordie Bellaire

Letterer VC’s Cory Petit

This issue, which is pretty great, has plenty of flashbacks. This great website has annotated issues, three of which I own and will be reviewing next.

http://xcyclopswasrightx.tumblr.com/post/127801022372/by-any-chance-did-you-read-the-recent-magneto-21

The buzz for this title has been outstanding, and I’m glad I finally had a reason to buy an issue. Bunn did such a great job with this series, that it got him the Uncanny X-Men Volume Four gig. I’ve been a fan of Walta’s work since the Dark Iceman Saga in Astonishing X-Men. Bellaire does such a good job, with giving the present day and the flashbacks, very distinctive looks.

This is the final issue of the series, has – from the cover – these are Magneto’s Las Days, prior to the start of Secret Wars 2015.

I guess, from the recap page, that Post-AXIS, when Magneto lost his parentage of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, so he has made attempts to get closer to his only child, Polaris. Unfortunately, he has absorbed her powers, so that he can attempt to fight off the Incursion, that ends the Marvel Universe. Spoilers, he doesn’t succeed, but I like the idea of him, admitting to fight the Incursion. Which does form a nice framework, that as he sacrifices his life, he also sees his life, flash before him.

The reds of the flashbacks are so bold, as are the yellows of the present day.

Issue opens with Magneto and a flashback to his, and the X-Men’s first appearance. He is fighting the troops at Cape Citadel, as the X-Men approach.

In the present day, Magneto is absorbing all of the military planes – which, naturally, looks like him attacking them.

Flashback # 2. This is from Uncanny X-Men 150, wherein Magneto sinks a Russian nuclear submarine. The submarine was filled with soldiers and Magneto (as a hologram) watched them die. I’m surprised the Marvel AR logo isn’t all over this issue.

There is an ad for the Guardians of the Galaxy cartoon, coming to Disney XD, it already aired on September 26 (I’m typing this on, September 29th – which is forever ago, when you read this!) but I have to wait until it comes to Netflix. Too bad the cast is missing Kitty Pryde and Thing!

In the present day. Magneto is thinking about how he will never shake the label of being, a monster. It is uncanny how much the X-Men have just shrugged their shoulders and accepted these deaths as something that happened but they don’t question it now.

Raleigh, Magneto’s lady companion – I guess – tries to comfort Polaris. Polaris is having none of that nonsense, as Raleigh lured her there, just so Magneto can steal her powers. Raleigh has a leg brace, a metal one, that tears off of her leg, Polaris catches her, before she can fall to the ground. Magneto is absorbing all of the metal, that is around. Polaris recognizes that Magneto, is always good at sacrficing himself. Especially as he doesn’t usually pay the price.

Flashback 3. This one is from X-Men 87, the conclusion of the Magneto War. Xavier, in classic hoverchair, is confronting Magneto, about how he has gone too far. They couldn’t try Magneto back in Uncanny X-Men 200 (they tried) but flatscans won’t get a second chance. Magneto will not stop until mutant kind stands above the humans. Magneto, at this point, was trying to tilt the poles, which is what Ultimate Magneto did, at the beginning of Ultimatum. If humans could have given him a small country, they sure would have, if they known the utter destruction that that action will bring.

Wolverine tries to rush Magneto, Rogue and Storm holds him back – which is silly, as the worst Wolverine can do, is be thrown down into the snow.

The United Nations Security Forces arrive, I can’t recall if this is the North or South Pole, I believe it is the South Pole, a it doesn’t look like a floating land mass.

Dr. Alda Huxley, representing the United Nations, is here to cede Genosha to Magneto’s rule. That face of Xavier’s, is so fantastic! Made even better, by the smirk of Magneto!

Present Day. Magneto is taking on all of the power of every device, that is around him.

I’m not sure what the quick glimpses are for Flashbacks 4, 5 & 6. The sixth involves the Avengers but the other two look like generic Magneto v Wolverine & Cyclops and humans (for the fifth one).

Flashback 7 is from X-Men 25, so the flashbacks are not in chronological order. I owned X-Men 25, until this post but Kitty Pryde isn’t involved in this issue. Nightcrawler and Captain Britain are, but not Shadowcat. She is in Wolverine 75, which takes place, after X-Men 25, but I added it to my For Sale pile, over at MyComicShop.com. Their website stated that they won’t be buying it for a few months, but still, another lost that this blog has caused. X-Men 25, of course, is the issue wherein Magneto ripped out the adamantium from Wolverine’s skeleton, which brought on the bone claws of Wolverine.

Present Day. Magneto forces all of his absorbed energy into the Incursion but it fries him in the process. Then it engulfs the of the peeps in the crowd. At least Magneto tried.

Such a great issue! I may have to try to read the trades of this series, or at the very least, follow along Bunn’s Uncanny X-Men run.

Groot 2

Posted by John Klein III on January 29, 2016

Posted in: Review. Tagged: 2015, Bellaire, Groot, Kesinger - Brian, Loveness - Jeff, Shalvey - Declan. Leave a comment

Writer Jess Loveness

Artist Brian kesinger

Letterer Jeff Eckleberry

Cover Artists Declan Shalvey & Jordie Bellaire

I bought this for the cover. So great that Kitty, Illyana and Rachel all made the cover, if only Lockheed did too!

Last issue, Groot and Rocket were on their way to Earth when a bounty hunter, Eris, captured Rocket and now Groot has to get him back.

Issue opens with Grrot’s fantasy of Earth superheroes, all appearing like Groot and all speaking his language. We see Groot inspired – Hulk, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Iceman, Falcon, Iron Man, Scarlet Witch, Cyclops, Black Panther, Howard the Duck, Thing, Doctor Strange, Elektra and Utau the Watcher. The fantasy continues as we see – Galactus, Captain America, Thor, Human Torch, Invisible Woman, Colossus and Storm.

This series takes place prior to Secret Wars 2015.

Turns out, this sequence was brought on due to Groot getting hit by a space bus. Groot falls off the buss and we get a flashback to how Groot and Rocket met each other.

Years ago. These jerkwad guards are harassing Groot, as he can only say – I am Groot. Groot has enough and fights back, and is thrown into, The Pt. In there, is also Rocket. They spend so much time together, that Rocket eventually learns Groot’s language.

One day, the power goes out and Rocket and Groot fight a slew of guards and escape the prison.

Groot finds a tracker that can guide him to Rocket, when he is struck by something. Issue ends with the reveal that Silver Surfer and his female companion, Dawn Greenwood, were the ones that hit Groot. Silver Surfer gets the fun line of “He is Groot.”

The Letters page – Looseleaf – has letters from Mason, Cathy U, Anthony B, Jose S, Kevin Dean and Paul Abramowitz. I sent an e-mail to mheroes@marvel.com – we will see if it gets printed.

Pretty nice issue.

–

41 issues, all written by Brian Michael Bendis! It should be stated that Cory Petit lettered every issue as well, which is pretty impressive to keep the same letterer for an entire series.

The series ran from, cover dated, January 2013 to August 2015

Since this was the main flagship title, sharing the honor with Uncanny – a lot took place in this series. This is the series where the time misplaced Original Five X-Men starred. Crossover overs storylines were – Battle of the Atom / Trial of Jean Grey / Black Vortex. Other storylines include the much demanded sequel to Battle of the Atom, the Ultimate Adventure and the Utopians arc.

Art Teams were –

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 14, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29 – Stuart Immonen, Wade Von Grawbadger, Colorist Marte Gracia and VC’s Cory Petit

Issue five, Inker Von Grawbadger had help from Craig Yeung and Gracia had help from Jason Keith. Issues nine & ten, Gracia had help from Rain Beredo. Issue twenty-nine, Gracia had help from Jason Keith.

6, 7, 8 – David Marquez on both pencils and inks, Gracia and Petit

12, 13 – Stuart Immonen, Wade Von Grawbadger, Colorist Rain Beredo and VC’s Cory Petit

15 – David Lafuente on both pencils and inks, Colorist Jim Campbell and VC’s Cory Petit

19 – Brandon Peterson on both pencils and inks, Colorist Israel Silva and VC’s Cory Petit

20 – Brandon Peterson and Mahmud Asrar shared art duties, Colorist Gracia returned and helped Silva and VC’s Cory Petit stuck around as well

21 – Brandon Peterson and legend Brent Anderson (did a few pages on his own) Silva colored Petersn’s pages and Campbell did the Anderson pages, VC’s Cory Petit did all of his own lettering

25 – The All Star Jam Issue! Artists David Marquez with Justin Ponsor on colors for the Framing Device, VC’s Cory Petit on lettering duties – the other artistic talents of :

Bruce Timm & Laura Martin, Arthur Adams & Justin Ponsor, David Mack, Skottie Young & Jason Keith, Robbi Rodriquez & Justin Ponsor, Lee Bermejo & Marte Gracia, Kent Williams, JG Jones, Ronnie Del Carmen, J. Scott Campbell & Nei Ruffino, Maris Wicks, Jason Shiga, Dan Hipp, Max Wittert, Jake Parker & Matthew Wilson, Jill Thompson and Paul Smith & Bob Wiacek & Jordie Bellaire

30 – Sara Pichelli, Colorist Marte Gracia and VC’s Cory Petit

31, 32, 33, 34, 36 – Mahmud Asrar on both pencils and inks, Colorist Marte Gracia and Letterer VC’s Cory Petit

Issue 31 Gracia had helped from Jason Keith. Issue 34, Gracia received some support from Marcelo Maiolo.

35 – Mahmud Asrar on both pencils and inks, Colorist Marcelo Maiolo and Letterer VC’s Cory Petit

37 – Mike Del Mundo on pencils, inks and colors, though Marco D’Alfonso helped with the coloring and VC’s Cory Petit on lettering

38, 39 – Andrea Sorrentino on pencils and inks, Colorist Marcelo Maiolo and Letterer VC’s Cory Petit

40 – Mahmud Asrar on both pencils and inks, Colorist Rain Beredo and Letterer VC’s Cory Petit

41 – Mahmud Asrar on both pencils and inks, Colorist Marte Gracia and Letterer VC’s Cory Petit

There was a whole host of variant covers with this series so I’m not listing cover artists – not that I do but in case you were wondering.

Ultimate Comics X-Men 28

Posted by John Klein III on November 24, 2015

Posted in: Review. Tagged: Asrar, Bellaire, Sabino - Joe, Ultimate, Wood. Leave a comment

Writer Brian Wood

Penciler Mahmud Asrar

Inker Juan Vlasco

Colorist Bellaire

Lettering & Production Joe Sabino

Natural Resources, Part Five of Five

Cover Dated August 2013

This is another comic that I got in Great Falls from Kelly’s Komix. With this purchase, I now own all of the regular issues of this series. Now my Wishlist, only has the two variants for the first issue, and the variants for issues 13 and 29.

This the conclusion of the American military invading Utopia (a plot of dead land given to the mutants, in New Mexico – that they turn it around and made into a living and thriving land). It also sets up the next storyline, Utopia (Shadowcat) v Tian (Jean Grey).

No wonder Bendis wanted Asrar for his All New X-Men visiting the Ultimate X-Men storyline.

This issue opens with Rogue, who has always been close to “Utopia” the greenery of the land. She speaks to it and believes it speaks to her, and she sics the foliage onto the invading military. It does so, with ease.

Jean is with a dying Psylocke, or whoever this is suppose to be as Psylocke has died twice already, in the Ultimate Universe. The first time, she switched bodies with a Japanese gal (of course) and then some time again, after that. Before she dies, she tells Jean that her mission was to perverse the end of the mutant race. She entrusts Jean with this mission. Farbird, who is Jean’s right hand flying metal spy fella, is Jean’s companion here.

I do like how Wood, throughout his run on this title, choose to skip big fight scenes and just show the beginning and the tail end of them. We don’t need to waste a page or four, with people throwing punches and kicks. General Ross (that one) calls for a cease fire. With Psylocke’s death, the mutants she was controlling are now free.

Shadowcat, now that the fighting is over, allows Ross to approach her.

I do miss seeing Ultimate Shadowcat, dressed all in white. I still say that it is an odd choice for someone is essentially living out in the desert and on the land, but she rarely gets dirty, so she makes it work. The clothes really make her stand out. Plus, it is always good to have a color scheme. Not sure why that idea was dropped for All New Ultimates, probably because not many people read Ultimate Comics X-Men, especially not those who work for Ultimate Marvel, as nothing in this run is ever referenced in All New Ultimates nor anything that Bendis wrote.

Ross has ordered a full retreat and withdrawal. Ross offers some advice, Shadowcat has won their independence, they own their land and an ideology. His advice is that she should try to not reminding humans how scary mutants can be. Mutants should lay low, which is the opposite of what Jean will be doing next.

Shadowcat informs Ross, that that was never mutants intentions. Mutants are the victims and the “let’s blame the victims” mentality needs to end. Mutants have tried to hide and they are always chased from the shadows. Ross tries to turn it around, saying that they are young and should live life and enjoy life. Shadowcat informs him, and I love how she isn’t just going to allow him to talk in generalities – she tells him that they all wish they could have had childhoods.

Once the military is gone, the X-Men try to rebuild. Mach Two and Shadowcat hug it out, as they no longer need to be fighting over leadership – especially as Mach Two isn’t being mind controlled. Which explains why Mach Two had such a drastic character change from the scared little girl Shadowcat found in the old Morlock tunnels, to being so confident and causing a rift in the mutant community of Utopia.

The mutants have grown, Shadowcat’s ideology was never compromised, they stayed on target. The mutants are proud, pleased and loyal.

Jean and Farbird are discussing their next plans. She orders him to go to Tian, in under two hours (he would prefer three) and access her Operation : Supersonic project. Jean is hoping to not go this far but if she must, she will.

There is an ad for Guardians of the Galaxy 5, Angela (from the pages of Spawn) is joining the title. Brought to us by Bendis, Gaiman and Pichelli – but Gaiman is mostly there for the copyright issue. The issue came out in July 2013, and Angela is in the Marvel Universe due to the events of Age of Ultron.

Shadowcat and Jean are having an official meeting. Shadowcat is pleased to see that Jean is no longer pretending to be “Karen Grant.” Jean can’t believe that Shadowcat could see through that disguise. Shadowcat states it is due to the sentient seed, which I was tempted to refer to the jungle as “the seed” which should teach me to not read the full issue before doing the review for it. But I sort of like reading the comic and writing the review at the same time. Shadowcat was never fooled by the disguise.

I love how Shadowcat crosses the room, with such confidence. She refuses to let Utopia fall under the umbrella of the hateful, Tian. Shadowcat wants Utopia to be a save haven for mutants and humans, to co-exist. Especially as segregated societies have never worked, anywhere nor anytime.

Jean will never understand Utopia and should just leave.

Jean grabs Shadowcat, by the neck, and shouts at her. I’m reminded that Jean and Kitty barely had any real scenes together, so it isn’t like they were ever best friends. Jean was always on the A-Team and Kitty ran with the B-Team, hence why she survived post Ultimatum.

Jean calls Utopia an embarrassment to mutants and Shadowcat just phases Jean’s hand always from her – so great. Shadowcat is not prone to fighting, as it is mostly pointless.

Jean is finally willing to listen to reason. I like how slyly Shadowat hints that Jean doesn’t have her telepathy here, the jungle shuts it down. Shadowcat wouldn’t have minded a Sister Nation partnership between the two communities but she refuses to work with Jean.

I get why Bendis didn’t want to use this Jean in his All New / Ultimate crossover and Wood did try to calm her down at the end of his run on this title, but I can never forget that Ultimate Jean was practically all powerful, at one point in time.

Jean tries to intimidate Shadowcat, by going full Phoenix but Shadowcat doesn’t blink. It is clearly a desperation move.

Kitty tells Jean to go home, which is so great. Jimmy James is impress that Utopia, once again, didn’t have to fight to win the battle.

The issue ends with World War X being teased as Project : Supersonic is brought to ‘stand by status’

I have reviewed, World War X, already, which is pretty handy and not usually how it works here at S&FwM.

All New X-Men 25

Posted by John Klein III on June 2, 2014

Posted in: Paul Smith, Review. Tagged: 2014, Adams - Art, All New, Bellaire, Bendis, Bermejo, Campbell - J. Scott, Del Carmen, Gracia - Marte, Hipp, Jones - JG, Keith - Jason, Lockheed, Mack, Marquez, Martin - Laura, Original Sin, Parker - Jake, Petit - Cory, PMS, Ponsor, Rodriguez - Robbi, Ruffino, Shiga, Thompson - Jill, Timm, Wiacek, Wicks, Williams - Kent, Wilson - Matthew, Wittert, Young - Skottie. 1 Comment

Writer Brian Michael Bendis

The issue is billed as the ‘Greatest Artist Roster Ever Assembled” and here is why :

Artists David Marquez with Justin Ponsor on colors for the Framing Device – the others are :

Letterer VC’s Cory Petit

Along with the incredible artistic talents of :

That is an impressive lineup!

Thanks to The Complicated’s Review thread over at the X-Boards of Comic Book Resources. He took the nice to match up the artists with the pages (as the comic doesn’t do it for us).

http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?492706-All-New-X-Men-25-Reviews-and-Spoilers

Here is what he wrote :

“David Marquez drew, with Justin Ponsor colors, drew the Beast and Watcher scenes

Bruce Timm draws a recap of Jean Grey’s history and then her (possible) future: Sitting on a throne of almost-naked people in her Xorna get-up (sans mask and pants).

David Mack shows us Cyclops getting burnt on an x-shaped cross because he has no team to back him in his fight for equality.

Skottie Young and Jason Keith finally has Iceman unleashing his full potential: Hordes of Icemonsters.

Robbi Rodriguez and Justin Ponsor has Archangel/Death/Apocalypse killing everyone.

Lee Bermejo and Marte Gracia gives us Colossus channeling his inner Cable with a BIG-ASS GUN!

Kent Williams paints Emma Frost going insane.

Arthur Adams and Justin Ponsor shows us Beast being a beast in the Savage Land.

JG Jones and the X-Men on parade!

Ronnie Del Carmen gives us Kitty and Illyana “Free to live. Free to love. Free to experience adventure and friendship. Free to just be all that one can be.” which apparently involves them teaming up and fighting dragons, demons and ninjas and I really want this as an ongoing pronto.

J. Scott Campell and Nei Ruffino have Storm, Psylocke and Nightcrawler in space with guns. Presumably having fun.

Maris Wicks presents us with the epic and hilarious romance of Kitty Pryde and Peter Rasputin.

Jason Shiga gives us old Scott and Logan living together as “BFFs Forever!”

Max Wittert has an alternate reality installment of his Jean Grey comic strips where she and Logan are finally together.

Jake Parker and Matthew Wilson shows us the Sorceress Supreme, Illyana Rasputin, meditating in her Sanctum Sanctorum.

Dan Hipp gives us the children of the X-Men (and some Avengers)

Jill Thompson with EMMA FROST: AGENT OF SHIELD alongside Pixie, a red-headed woman and someone with green and white hair!

Paul Smith, Bob Wiacek and Jordie “Fresh Prince of ” Bellaire gives us quick cuts of Cyclops and Mimic in an optic blast battle, Wanda Maximoff being famous, Doctor Doom choking Magneto, Nightcrawler and Captain America fighting AIM, Tempus time-freezing criminals for the police and Beast tumbling around fighting Skrulls in space.”

So thanks for that as I wouldn’t have been able to figure it out on my own!

The framing device is Present Day Beast is in bed, not able to sleep and the Watcher shows up. So this is clearly a tie in to Original Sin but it doesn’t state that anywhere either.

Uatu, the Watcher shows him first all of these bad realities that he is responsible for. Then he shows him some nice ones, the hard truth is that the nice ones can never occur because of Beast. Not sure if it is all his fault or if Uatu is going to go to the other Illuminati members and showing them the error of their ways. From what I’ve read in New Avengers, the Illuminati are destroying alternate Earths. To save the Proper Marvel Earth but still. That’s a lot of lost lives.

JG Jones gives us the parade, both Kitty and Lockheed are there. Lockheed needs to be painted more often.

Ronnie Del Carmen, I really want a Kitty and Illyana ongoing! Come on Marvel, give us our Demon Hunters ongoing already! Thanks to DakenGirl for the better image!

Maris Wicks does a great job of recapping the Kitty and Colossus relationship. I even like the implied future too. He even added a little Lockheed that I just noticed!

Jake Parker and Matthew Wilson, I am all for Magik being the Sorcerer Supreme. When Bendis had Strange step down, I thought he was going in this route. Instead he went with the ‘shocking’ Brother VooDoo. It didn’t last.

Dan Hipp gives us some never before seen children of X-Men and Avengers hookups. I am curious about Captain America and Magik’s son. What must that relationship be like? I imagine she dominates him, in every way.

Can’t believe Marvel got Paul Smith and Bob Wiacek to do a page and it doesn’t even feature Kitty nor Lockheed. Instead, we get – Cyclops, Mimic, Scarlet Witch, Doctor Doom, Magneto, Nightcrawler, Captain America and Beast.

Still not interested in Original Sin.

	Luke Petersen on Bounce Patrol
	John Klein III on Astonishing X-Men 15
	MoxieMk5 on Astonishing X-Men 15
	Moxiemk5 on SDCC : New Mutants @ Home
	John Klein III on Excalibur 39

Shadow and Flame with Magik

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