Bunn – Cullen

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Civil War II : X-Men 1

Posted by John Klein III on September 20, 2016
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Civil War II X-Men 1

Writer Cullen Bunn

Artist Andrea Broccarado

Colorist Jesus Aburtov

Letterer VC’s Joe Sabino

Cover Artist David Yardin

Hopefully this miniseries is better than Civil War : X-Men.  I imagine we are getting Magneto v Storm, whereas the first one had Cyclops v Bishop.

Civil War II X-Men 1 Recap Page

The Inhumans let lose a global terrigen mist bomb.  Mutants are on the run.  Storm’s team, the Extraordinary X-Men have sworn to protect humans, Inhumans and mutants alike.  Magneto’s team, the Uncanny X-Men, have decided to seek out opposition and stop threats before they have had a chance to strike.

Dubai.  The mist is on the way to the grand Arabian city.  The rich mutants of the city have locked themselves inside the penthouse.  Magneto’s team – Sabretooth, M and Psylocke – arrive with the poorer mutants.  No mutants will be killed due to the cloud’s effects this day.  That was, until the servants turn out to the Prime Sentinels.  They want all mutants to be dead, so they blow out the windows.  Which does seem odd, I would imagine instead of a penthouse, the mutants should have gathered in a baseman.

The Uncanny X-Men start trying to get the mutants away from the incoming cloud.  Just then, the winds start blowing the mist into the opposition direction.

Civil War II X-Men 1 Magik 1

Storm and her Extraordinary X-Men have arrived.  Man, Illyana looks so off without her bangs.  We’re seeing too much of her forehead!  It looks unsettling.  The Extraordinary X-Men are – Iceman, Teen Jean Grey, Magik, Nightcrawler and Old Man Logan.

Civil War II X-Men 1 Magik 2

Storm orders her X-Men to assist Magneto’s X-Men.  Teen Jean doesn’t know about Sentinel Primes.  She does point out how Magneto should have just ripped apart the Sentinels when they first appeared.

Magik starts to teleport the bystanders.  We get some more tension between M and Magik, which Bunn hinted at in his Uncanny X-Men series, issue five.  I’m still not sure where the hostility comes from.

Kurt and Psylocke see each other, though I’m not really sure that they have that much history together.  They teamed up several times during his Excalibur days.

Civil War II X-Men 1 Magik 3

Magik and Jean hint that they have been given future knowledge.  This catches M’s attention.

Is this the first time Sabretooth has met Old Man Logan?  It seems to waste their first meeting in this miniseries, if that is the case.  They do not get along, which makes sense.  I do like Sabretooth teasing Old Man Logan.  Old Ma Logan looks weird without wearing his jacket.

Magneto saves Storm from being attacked by Prime Sentinels.

Civil War II X-Men 1 Magik 4

If Storm could move the T-Cloud why isn’t she just constantly moving these clouds?  Old Man Logan doesn’t like being called, Wolverine.

Since when did M become a slight telepath?  She knows about Ulysses as she picked up the thoughts from Magik and Teen Jean earlier.

Civil War II X-Men 1 Magik 5

Magneto doesn’t like that Storm is willing to work with the Inhumans.  The Inhumans’ actions have brought death to mutants and that is unforgivable.

I like Bunn taking the time to tease his Uncanny run, if someone wants answers, they could pick up those issues.  I imagine they are hinting at (Arch)Angel, as he isn’t with the team here.  If that was the case, though, why wasn’t Psylocke shown has having her head down and being sad?

Civil War II X-Men 1 Magik 6

I do feel like I want to be on Magneto’s side with this as I too do not care for the Inhumans, ever since Inhumanity started.

M mentions Ulysses by name and Pslocke, a full telepath, decides to now use that power on Teen Jean.

We get a page recap of Civil War II 0 & 1.

Teen Jean straight forces Psylocke to throw up – which seems both unnecessary and disgusting.  She’s the worst.

The two teams go separate ways.

Issue ends with War Room X, in the Savage Land.  Kurt has decided to switch from Storm’s side to Magneto’s side.  Which makes sense as

Magneto Was Right

Magneto is right.

I know I’ll be getting the second issue so we’ll find out more.  Hopefully Kurt isn’t just being a spy for Storm as that seems too easy.

Uncanny X-Men Volume Four Issue 6

Posted by John Klein III on August 28, 2016
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Uncanny X-Men V4 6

Going Public

Writer Cullen Bunn

Penciler Paco Medina

Inker Juan Vlasco

Color Artist Jesus Aburtov

Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna

There is a main story but I got this for a very silly reason, in the backup.

The backup deals with the fallout from Storm’s very televised speech during Extraordinary X-Men 1.

The Fact Channel.  Sentaor Laclan doesn’t care for Storm’s speech, he’s racist towards mutants.  Valerie Cooper is there for the other side of the debate.  Laclan refers to her as “Ms. Cooper” but I’m pretty sure she’s Doctor Cooper.  Typically, Laclan can point to something Magneto did to prove a point.  Magneto sank Genosha, and he did it to send a message.  So this is humans receiving the message.  Magneto isn’t taking a page from Storm’s book, he’s not wasting time making speeches, he is taking action.

If Storm’s X-Men is the Mutant Freedom Fighters, then Magneto’s X-Men are the Secret Death Squad but they are not hiding in the shadows.

The Hellfire Club Inner Sanctum.  Nice to see Sebastian Shaw back at the head of the Hellfire Club – maybe they can become a threat again.  Shaw is worried that Magneto is going to ruin everything.

The Avengers Unity Squad Headquarters.  Old Man Steve Rogers knows he has to address this.  Rogue isn’t happy with Magneto’s actions.  Deadpool is eating popcorn.  I guess Quicksilver (if that is him in the purple) and Brother Voodoo are just watching the newscast.

Uncanny X-Men V4 6 Going Public Mojoverse Magik on screen

Mojoverse.  Mojo is just happy to have something good on television.

That image that Mojo is looking at –

Extraordinary X-Men 1 Magik 6

is from Extraordinary X-Men 1.

Tibet.  Magneto is talking to Xorn – which seems like that shouldn’t be possible.  This has to be Xorn’s brother, right?  This Xorn watches soap operas and Impractical Jokers, with Brian “Q” Quinn.

I like Magneto owning to what he is doing, it really isn’t different from what he has done before.  Except that he is going after those who will do mutants harm, in a specific way.  He’s not just attacking random military bases.

Not sure if this is new information but Magneto is there so that Xorn can heal him.  Magneto really sunk Genosha, so that he will never try to make it a mutant refuge again.  He had those bombs there for months, it was a case of very good timing.

I’m not sure what the Someday Corporation is but they are a threat on the back burner.  Magneto was declared dead and was defeated, that’s what Magneto is being healed from.

Not a bad backup story, I like the time being taken to tell this story.  It is silly that I kept this issue just because of a tiny reprinted image of Magik but that’s how I’m a super fan.

Uncanny X-Men Volume Four Issue 5

Posted by John Klein III on August 26, 2016
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Uncanny X-Men V4 5

Writer Cullen Bunn

Penciler Greg Land

Inker Jay Leisten

Color Artist Nolan Woodard

Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna

So this is my first issue of the fourth volume, which will clearly be relaunched with whoever is going to write the series next.  Which is a shame, especially as Uncanny X-Men was the longest title Marvel had without a relaunch and now it has made up for that.  But that’s the old 34 year old comic book fan in me.

Uncanny X-Men V4 5 Recap Page

The Uncanny X-Men are – Magneto, Psylocke, Sabretooth, M and Archangel.  Apocalypse’s Dark Riders are behind a string of murders of mutant healers.  After Magneto and Psylocke saved Triage, Magneto sent the team to the Dark Riders’ home base.  Magneto and Triage are in Genosha.  Meanwhile, Mystique and Fanotmex are up to something.

Nice that triage hasn’t been forgotten and the Dark Riders’ subplot is clearly setting up the Apocalypse Wars.

Egypt.  M and Psylocke are breaking their way out of the Dark Riders’ page.

Genosha, Magneto is holding his own against the Dark Riders.  They offer to let Magneto flee, they only want to kill Triage.

One of the Dark Riders, Gauntlet, looks just like –

Doctor Doomsday Analagm Comics

Doctor Doomsday, of Amalgam Comics.

Uncanny X-Men V4 5 Gauntlet Triage Stabbed

While looking up Dark Riders Gauntlet, turns out he has always looked like that so maybe Doctor Doomsday looks like him.  Except that Doctor Doomsday is basically just Doomsday with a sweet green cloak.

Triage gets stabbed and is out of the action.

Magneto starts getting tired, from all of the attacks but still holds his own.  With perfect timing, his team arrives and start taking out the Dark Riders.  Triage heals himself, which I didn’t know he could do that.  Triage suspects that Magneto didn’t know that either.

Magneto sets off a bomb that sinks Genosha and kills the Dark Riders.  I can’t believe Genosha just got destroyed!

Archangel doesn’t fly in the Blackbird, so I guess the team has to update him on everything they talked about, when they land.

Sabretooth doesn’t like not being included in all of Magneto’s plans, but Magneto doesn’t have the time to explains things to the idiot.

Uncanny X-Men V4 5 Magik 1

X-Haven.  Triage thinks he is in hell but Magik jokes that he is in the same zip code.  Illyana, wanting to continue the fun, is about to say the famous “hope you survive the experience” but M (like the total bitch that she is) stops her.  M and the team have had some experiences that they didn’t survive.  I’m not sure who they lost and I’m really not sure why Magik doesn’t care for M, do they have they spent any time together?

Uncanny X-Men V4 5 Magik 2

Storm and Psylocke hug, these two have loads of panel time together, over the years.  Magik is going to show Triage around the place.  Magneto and Storm have panel time together, in the 80s as a team and during the Utopia era of Cyclops’ team. Storm gives Psylocke some advice about not following Magneto blindly.  M has no time for Storm’s kindness.

The Savage Land, Magneto’s War Room X.  Why he would have a base with an “X” in the title, I’m not sure.  Psylocke relays Storm’s advice.  I do like how Magneto laughs at the idea of this team being considered an X–Men team, as they are not really following Xavier’s dream.

Los Angeles.  Mystique and Fantomex are chatting about their powers as the issue ends with Magneto wanting to speak with them.

Drax 1

Posted by John Klein III on June 14, 2016
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Drax 1

Writers CM Punk & Cullen Bunn

Artist Scott Hepburn

Color Artist Matt Milla

Letterer & Production VC’s Clayton Cowles

I figured I would be buying a few issues of these Guardians of the Galaxy spinoff titles but I wasn’t expecting to be buying a first issue, that’s pretty quick.

Drax 1 Recap

I’m surprised that CM Punk is using his wrestling monikers.  I recall reading an article, way back in the day, that whenever Dwayne Johnson is credited as “The Rock” that Vince McMahon gets a cut of some of the movie’s revenue.

CM Punk, retired, and isn’t associated with WWE – at all – so I’m not even sure how that works.  He probably has been using “CM Punk” for the past fifteen years.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CM_Punk

He’s with UFC now.

Like most of the Guardians, I don’t really have much connection to them, until Bendis started writing the title.  Which I know annoys the Abnett Lanning crowd.  Batista, another WWE wrestler, did a great job portraying the character, in the film – as far as I know.  I know Drax isn’t that dumb of a character, but it felt right.

Drax 1 Kitty 1

Issue opens with the Guardians fighting some aliens, which is how I imagine I’m going to get treated to these issues.

The entire creative team does a great job of handling the new Star Lord, Kitty Pryde.

I do like how, in eight months, Agent Venom is already tired of hearing Ben Grimm shout “It’s Clobbering Time!”  Makes me wonder how much Johnny Storm got tired of it.  But, if he didn’t say it, I’m sure the members of the Fantastic Four would either miss it or wonder why he didn’t say it.

Groot’s “I am Groot” quickly followed by Flash’s “This is hell, isn’t it” must be how television characters feel when they are surrounded by multiple other characters, that have catch phrases.

Rocket is about to ambushed, and with a page turn, we get what will most likely be the tone for this title – Drax just rips the alien in two.  Blood and entrails scatter about the room.  Which isn’t what I read comics for but I know there is an audience for it.  Rocket brings up the great point, about how blood is hard to get out of fur.

The Guardians are there, to prevent a bomb from exploding.

Drax 1 Kitty 2

The rest of the aliens turn to Drax, as he is permanently taking out their elk, and he starts tearing into them, as well.

Look at the disgust on the faces of his fellow teammates!

Drax 1 Kitty 3

They get to the bomb, Rocket and Groot know a place where they can dismantle it.

We get the scene that makes me wonder if the Guardians are spread too thin.  Like the logistics are throwing me off.  Will their main title, be only for the big adventures that forces them to come back as a team?  Which makes sense but does that mean some of them, won’t make it to the big adventure?  Or will their main title have to have throw away lines regarding their solo titles?

Grimm and Venom are going to get a drink from a space station that has Irish liquor, proving how much influence Earthlings are having in outer space.

Kitty just gives the “until next time,” leaving Drax without a friend.

Drax 1 Kitty 4

Not hearing what Kitty is up to, Drax tries to join her with her plans.  She is doing “girl stuff” which makes me realize that she’s the only member that doesn’t have a solo title announced.  That seems sexist to me, but also, she’s the best character of the batch, so it makes some sense to keep her isolated to the big title and guest appearances in the spin off titles.  Now that I wrote that, Grimm doesn’t have a solo title, so maybe racist is the term to throw about?  Probably more a Bendis call than scheduling, but who knows.

Grimm and Thompson’s side ship doesn’t have room for a third, so Drax can’t join them.

Drax, defaulting to his main goal – decides he will go kill Thanos.  Rocket is going to lend Drax a barely functioning spaceship.  Whiling flying, who knows if he even knows where to start looking for Thanos – another ship tries to board his ship.  They see that the ship is barely held together by string, so they keep flying away.

The ship starts falling apart so Drax has to crash land on a moon.  Space problems.  After trekking for some time, on a desert looking planet, he comes across a bar.  He’s looking for a mechanic.  Who he does find, is Terrax!  Who I mostly only know from his time as a Herald of Galactus.

Not a bad issue, and I’m super cool with just buying the first issue of storylines but I doubt I’ll be following this series.  Unless Drax wishes he had a teammate with him (and name checks Kitty) but  I doubt the spinoffs titles are going to have storylines that end with the team showing up and resolving the situation.

House of M Volume Two Issue 4

Posted by John Klein III on May 26, 2016
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House of M V2 4

Writers Dennis Hopeless & Cullen Bunn

Artist Ario Anindito

Color Art Matthew Wilson

Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna

I’ve read the first issue and now, I’ll be reviewing the last issue.  Let’s see what we’ve missed!

House of M V2 4 Recap

Magneto has lost his powers, just when Quicksilver and the Humans, have decided to attack him and his throne.  Quicksilver, working with Namor, announce Magneto’s death and Quicksilver as the new King.  Being King, means that Quicksilver now has the command of SHIELD.  Last issue, I imagine, Magneto has joined with his greatest enemy – humanity!  Along with his daughter, Polaris, they have teamed up with Death Locket, Misty Knight, Black Cat and Hawkeye, are staging a prison break – as if they were Michael Scofield.

Monarchy of M.  Human Relocation Center.  Magneto, Polaris and the humans, are sneaking out, through the tunnels.  Black Cat is impress with Polaris, and her abilities to be sneaky.  Magneto is powerless but he has truckloads of fight within him.  His grandchild, Wiccan and Speedy arrive.  Once they learned that grandpapa is powerless, Wiccan attempts to restore his powers.  It doesn’t work, they need their mommy.

House of M V2 4 Magik

So happy that the creative team remembered that Magik was in training to become a SHIELD agent.  Looks like she made the grade.

We get a huge stand off of the mutants versus the humans.  Race war style!

Meanwhile, in Magneto’s throne room.  Quicksilver is trying to get himself prepared to even sit on his father’s throne.  Quicksilver is technically, the king but he doesn’t feel like he has earned it yet.  His father comes into the room, shouting and yelling at his silly son.  Quicksilver notices that his father’s yelling isn’t causing all of the metal, in the room, to shiver.

Polaris comes in, to try to even the playing field.  Namor comes in, right after her, and harpoons her!  In her dying moments, Quicksilver kicks her, to her face!  Namor starts to choke Quicksilver but Magneto attempts to fight the sea king.  Since he is depowered, Namor makes short work of the (former) Master of Magnetism.

Meanwhile, Wanda’s twins knock out the harpies, that are keeping their mother in a coma.  Wiccan can’t wake his mother up, so they head back upstairs, Namor doesn’t miss a beat, taking out Speed then turning his attention to Wiccan.  Before Wiccan is knocked out, he successfully restores Magneto’s powers.  Before that page ends, Namor is super dead.

Magneto takes his throne, Shaw reports to him that the humans have been arrested.  Magneto explains that the Atlanteans were the true enemy.  Magneto releases the humans, who are now spared reeducation.  Always a good thing.  Oh that Magneto, he isn’t quite that different from those he despises.

In private, Magneto tells his grandchildren that he was just paying a debt, he still views humans as the enemy.

I’m glad that Polaris wasn’t killed.  Quicksilver can’t believe he has been forgiven by his father.  Polaris still holds a grudge, as she hits him with her right elbow.

Magneto’s Private Chambers.  I like how this final page, bookends the first pages of the first issue.  Magneto was bored, and now that he has survived a three day battle – he’s happy to just sit back and enjoy being king.

Not a bad issue, I will just go ahead and assume that Wanda wakes up.

Magneto Volume Three Issue 21

Posted by John Klein III on April 4, 2016
Posted in: Review, Websites. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 2 Comments

Magneto V3 21

Writer Cullen Bunn

Artist Gabriel Hernandez Walta

Colorist Jordie Bellaire

Letterer VC’s Cory Petit

Magneto V3 21 Recap

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.

Magneto V3 21 Kitty Pryde 1

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.

Magneto V3 21 Kitty Pryde 2

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.

Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe 3

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

Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe 3

Writer Cullen Bunn

Artist Dalibor Talajic

Colorist Lee Loughridge

Letterer VC’s Joe Sabino

Cover Artist Kaare Andrews

Cover Dated October 2012

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

Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe 3 Recap

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe 3 Kitty 1

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

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

Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe 3 Kitty 2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Also next issue, Punisher gets Punished!

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

Deadpool’s Secret Secret Wars 2

Posted by John Klein III on January 25, 2016
Posted in: Review, Websites. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars 2

Writer Cullen Bunn

Artist Matteo Lolli

Colorist Ruth Redmond

Letterer VC’s Joe Sabino

Now.  Battleworld.  Deadpool is still under the impression that the heroes are dead.  Just then the Lizard jumps at him, as Lizard is under the impression that Deadpool may be the one who broke Wasp’s heart.  So did Deadpool get Magneto’s role from the original Secret Wars story?  Deadpool admits to Wasp using and seducing him, so that doesn’t help matters.  Deadpool ends up ripping off Lizard’s tail, which seems rather harsh.

A Few Days Earlier.  Deadpool is with the X-Men as they prepare to leave the hero’s base for Magneto’s.  We get some funny comments from Deadpool here.  Storm states that they will bear no oppression and Deadpool chimes in that they will also not oppress any bears.  Wolverine sees where this is heading and tells Deadpool that he isn’t a mutant, thus he shouldn’t be there.  Deadpool defends himself – Wolverine stabs things, so does he.  Storm has control over lightning but he can sense the electricity.  Strangely, he states that he can’t teleport like Nightcrawler, which throughout his first ongoing, he was teleporting all over the place – so maybe that came with the Joe Kelly’s legendary run?

Xavier senses Spider-Man and we get that quick fight where Spider-Man defends himself against the entire X-Men, which still seems out of place.

Brian Cronin of Comics Should Be Good, writes more about it her e-

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2015/04/02/the-wrong-side-spider-man-vs-the-x-men/

Then keeps making fun references to it, whenever Spider-Man is featured in The Wrong Side feature –

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/category/the-wrong-side/

or really, whenever he can bring up Spider-Man, he mentions how Spider-Man trounced the X-Men to great humorous effect.

Spider-Man runs off and Deadpool gives chase.  Spider-Man wants to find the other heroes and snitch on the defectors.

Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars 2 Lockheed 1 Shield

Spider-Man enters a room full with shields, with images of events the series, both of the past and yet to come scenarios.

We get a pretty nice Deadpool v Spider-Man fight sequence.  The fight ends with Spider-Man swinging Deadpool into the shields and he webslings away.

Deadpool grabs a shield and meets back up with Xavier and Wolverine.  Xavier has mind wiped Spider-Man, so the X-Men’s plan is okay.  Xavier senses some sort of psychic energy off of Deadpool’s sword.  We get the image of Ryan Reynolds, as Deadpool, spoofing Burt Reynolds’ pose on the carpet in front of a fireplace.

Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool spoofing Burt Reynolds

Now.  Deadpool is trying to talk sense into Lizard.  Deadpool tells Lizard that he is trying to save the Wasp, which calms Lizard down.

That Time With The Mountain.  The classic moment from Secret Wars 4, with the mountain being dropped on the heroes, including Deadpool.  Hulk is holing it up as Reed tries to make a machine to free them.  Deadpool takes on the role of angering the Hulk, which frees up Reed.

There is a fun gag about Deadpool trying to make Captain America jealous as Deadpool’s shield showed him pictures and all Cap’s shield does is be thrown.  Reed takes the machinery out of Deadpool’s shield, which Deadpool is sure that Cap must be happy about that.

Now.  Lizard tells Deadpool that Wasp fixed up Lizard’s arm, which is why he is so protective of her.

Earlier.  Zsaji, the healer, is healing She-Hulk.  She-Hulk sees that Deadpool is hurting but he is only hurting emotionally as he misses his shield.  She tells him to go get healed, which Zsaji is just finishing up with Human Torch.  She heals Deadpool, and with the cancer gone, he is handsome and mustachio.  He picks her up and proclaims his love for her.  We can see that Human Torch never got to bag her, so that probably means Colossus will not be falling for her either.

The issue ends with the shield flickering to life and showing Deadpool holding Zsaji in that classic Pieta pose.

Next issue promises to deal with Secret Wars 8 with the symbiotic black costume but on Deadpool!  of course

Deadpool’s Secret Secret Wars 1

Posted by John Klein III on December 21, 2015
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars 1

Writer Cullen Bunn

Artist Matteo Lolli

Colorist Ruth Redmond

Letterer VC’s Joe Sabino

Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars 1 Recap Page

This miniseries has an awesome premise – What If Deadpool was involved in the Original Secret Wars?  And the story is pretty great.

The Surface of Battleworld.  Now… (Circa 1984…)  Deadpool is surrounded by the remmants of Cap’s shield and Thor’s arm and hand grasping for Mjolnir.  Deadpool is healing, so this scene takes place around the third issue or so.

Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars 1 Lockheed 1A Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars 1 Lockheed 1B

Days Earlier.  We get the recreation of the top panel of the page below from the first issue of Secret Wars.  I like that the introduction scene is giving the double page splash page – it seems like a moment that should be highlighted.

Secret Wars 1 Lockheed 2

Plus we get some additional scenes and dialogue (as Deadpool is now there).  Points still go out to Colossus for making sure that Lockheed is introduced.  I’m sure the Avengers are pretty impressed with the X-Men having a purple space dragon counted amongst them.

Magneto has an awesome introduction, he should present himself more often.

Deadpool comments Wasp on her big balloons, her word balloons.  Secret Wars really should have been funnier than it was.  The stakes were not that high.  Deadpool is just like Spider-Man but with guns and charm.  Just to let everybody know how ‘off’ this issue is – Secret Wars 1 came out in May 1984 (cover dated) and New Mutants Volume One 98 is cover dated, February 1991.  Which is seven years before Deadpool’s first appearance.

Deadpool makes a reference to Iron Man but he doesn’t know that the man in the iron mask is Rhody and not Tony Stark.

Deadpool asks if the X-Men recognize him and no one does, including Wolverine.  Captain America states that everyone is noble and just and Deadpool points out that Magneto is on their ship.

We see the ships that the two groups of costumed individuals are on.  It was pointed out to me that the ships they are on (seen in the image above) is the same style ship that the Proper Marvel characters used as their Life Raft in Secret Wars 2015 1.

Xavier senses that there is overwhelming evil from the other ship.  Deadpool doesn’t miss a beat to point out how he is on the hero ship.

The Beyonder announces the goal of the miniseries (and the maxiseries) slay your enemies and what you desire is yours.  Deadpool whips out his swords and wants to murder the villains so quickly.  This scares the assembled heroes.  Deadpool whispers to Wolverine, I love all of Deadpool’s asides in the issue – and asks how Wolverine can tolerate all of this goody good shoes.  Wolverine states that the bulk of his healing factor is used to repair his pride.  It is this page that I realize that Deadpool has a “DP” in the same style of Daredevil’s DD – and he isn’t in this series.

Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars 1 Lockheed 2

The heroes, including Lockheed!, teleport to the surface of this, Battleworld.  Reed doesn’t see any villains but Wasp points out that Magneto is standing right over the hill.  Magneto is tired of all of this finger pointing, and knocks the heroes backwards.  He flies off after stating that only Thor deserves to stand counted amongst him.

Xavier asks who should be their leader, he is in a wheelchair.  Reed turns it down, as he is distracted as his wife is pregnant with their second child, and back at home.  Hulk isn’t interested.  Wasp defers to Captain America, who accepts the role.  Wolverine won’t follow a mere human but Deadpool tells him to get in line as you don’t want to be seen as Anti-American.

Now… Deadpool is resting and healing.

Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars 1 Lockheed 3

The first battle.  Look who Lockheed is bravely taking on!  The Absorbing Man!  That Lockheed, he goes for the tough foes.

Cyclops is tending to Colossus, as he is the worst.  Wolverine v Wrecker.  Cap v Thunderball.  Spider-Man v Doctor Octopus, careful!  I forget that Kang is involved in Secret Wars.  He doesn’t do much, from what I can remember.

Deadpool fights Lizard, who scratches his outfit.  This enrages Deadpool as there isn’t a machine that repairs clothes here – which there is and Deadpool knows in a fourth wall breaking fashion.  Deadpool flirts with Enchantress and She-Hulk.  Enchantress is disgusted and She-Hulk wants him to focus up.

Absorbing Man absorbs Deadpool, hoping to learn what his powers are.  That isn’t how Absorbing Man works, right?  It has to be inanimate objects – that is how I know his powerset.  Absorbing Man absorbs Deadpool’s cancer, so that isn’t great.

Deadpool takes out Kang, single handedly – which is up there with Squirrel Girl’s abilities!

The heroes are getting the unconscious villains ready to be their prisoners.  Cap sends Storm to do some recon.

Now.  Deadpool is feeling better and starts heading outside.  As this section of the issue ends with us seeing Deadpool, fully healed, shirtless and with a beautiful head of blonde hair and a mustache to match!

Here is hoping that Lockheed keeps showing up in this!  He appears in three issues of the original Secret Wars and in two issues of the four of Spider-Man & Secret Wars.  So if his track record holds, he should appear in one more issue of this.  I imagine it will be the final and fourth issue.

 

. . .

Contest of Champions : Bonus Round

Writer Cullen Bunn

Artist Jacopo Camagni

Colorist Veronica Gandini

Letterer VC’s Joe Sabino

Deadpool's Secret Contest of Champions Recap

Contest of Champions’ first issue came out in June 1982, two years prior to Secret Wars; thus nine years before Deadpool was a thing.

Deadpool's Secret Contest of Champions Kitty

Camagni really likes to draw Kitty from behind!

Can’t really blame the art team for not making sure costumes match from the original series.  It shouldn’t have been hard to get it right, as the trade is still in print – I believe.  Shamrock and Kitty both should have a full head mask, but that’s okay.

Deadpool is speaking on the behalf of the the B-Level characters (perhaps C-Level) as the Grandmaster and Death have chosen their champions.  So the two contestants make a bonus round.

In addition to their proper champions –

Grandmaster’s Team is – Captain America, Talisman, Darkstar, Wolverine, Captain Britain, Defensor, Sasquatch, Daredevil, She-Hulk, le Peregine, Blitzkrieg and Thing.

Deaths’ team is – Iron Man, Vanguard, Shamrock, Iron Fist, Storm, Arabian Knight, Sabra, Angel, Invisible Woman, Black Panther, Sunfire and the Collective Man.

For the bonus round, their champions are –

Grandmaster’s Team – Rocket Racer, She-Man-Thing, Vile Tapeworm and Frogman

Death’s Team – Deadpool, Howard the Duck, Doop and Pink Sphinx

She-Man-Thing is terffic in this issue, I wish she was a real character – or that she became a bigger character now.  I’m all for Death’s team.  I forget that I actually do enjoy Doop.

Deadpool wants to split up, immediately but Howard tells him that is foolish.  Pink Sphinx, also a new character (along with Vile Tapewom) reveals the hidden object is in Patricia’s Platinum Playroom.  Deadpool wishes she just whispered the information as now the other side knows where to look.  Deadpool knows where that location is, in St. Louis so he will seek it out and asks Doop and Howard to hold back the other side.  Essentially splitting from the group.

Deadpool grabs the object and the issue ends with the object just being a Participant globe, which upsets everybody.  Well, except for Death who makes out with Deadpool – in an awesome reference to Joe Kelly’s run on Deadpool, wherein Death is attracted to Deadpool.  Which, yes, Kelly does involved Thanos eventually, which may be my favorite Thanos appearance.