Writer Dennis Hopeless

Art Javier Garron

Colors Chris Sotomayor

Letters VC’s Joe Sabino

Limbo.  Illyana’s Lair.  Colossus, finally at the spot where he failed a year ago – stands before Illyana’s black onyx door.

There is an ad for the Powers Season 1 BluRay, now I can watch that show!  I do like how Michael Avon Oeming’s name comes before Brian Michael Bendis’, that is a nice touch.

The problem is that Darkchild is not at home.  Madelyne Prior is also surprised that Darkchild is not sitting on her throne but she doesn’t care.  The empty seat is ripe for the taking, and that’s all Maddie wanted.

Colossus and Domino share a moment, he is worried about their limited time in Limbo.  Domino is whispering but that is pointless as Maddie has telepathic powers.  Maddie can see what Darkchild is up to.

X-Headquarters.  Unfortunately, Darkchild is about to switch targets in this war.

Scott shits himself, as the demons and their leader, are right outside his door.

Colossus wants to take everyone home to fight off his sister’s army.  Havok and Maddie (and the others) laugh at the idiot.  There is a giant forcefield that is keeping everyone inside Limbo.  Darkchild and her army are no longer stuck, as they can use Nightcrawler, who is soulless now and being ridden like He-Man’s Battlecat.  Colossus is sadden over Kurt’s current state.

Pryor tries to draw attention to the bright side of this.  She is the new Queen of Limbo and Colossus got his evil sister, out of Limbo.  Maddie implies that Darkchild was all powerful in Limbo, but out there, she is limited in her resources.

See an inch below Banshee?  That’s Shadowcat, taking names!

Jean, who apparently didn’t die in the first issue, refers to the Nightcrawler themed creature as, Bamf Dragon.  She reads its mind and realizes that it is Nightcrawler.  This information stuns Scott.

Darkchild makes short work of both Captain Britain and Rogue.  I sort of love this Illyana, completely free of her good side and playing for keeps.

Scott calls his X-Men, to him.  They must keep the forcefield up or the entire city will be destroyed.  The magic crew – Brother Voodoo, Forge, Nico, Vision and Broo come onto the scene.  Scott isn’t happy as they are needed to keep the magical forces at bay.  Forge claims that Beast and Doctor Strange can hold the forcefield together.  That is when Scott realizes that Darkchild is not on the battlefield.  With the protection spells, in place, Illyana can’t teleport into the building.

Beast and Doctor Strange are taken by surprised when Darkchild, riding Nightcrawler, comes into their room.

Domino has a quick chat with Colossus.  She tries to finally get him to recognize that his sister is lost.  Colossus has to realize that their fight is over.  They kiss, as that’s all that they really can do.

Maddie calls the lovers’ attention to outside, as the forcefield crumbles.

Scott can’t believe that Darkchild has allowed this to happen.  He asks her, foolishly, what is she doing.  Her response is so awesome – I’ve won.  Next issue is going to be intense!

Meanwhile, the issue ends with the reveal that Mister Sinister is the puppet master.  It makes sense that he will show up, in this series, as he is the only player from the original crossover that hasn’t appeared yet.

Writer Dennis Hopeless

Art Javier Garron

Colors Chris Sotomayor

Letters VC’s Joe Sabino

The Streets of Inferno.

Issue opens with a Morlock looking dude dragging Meltdown’s almost dead body to his master.  Who is a scientist.

Goblin District, Inferno.  Maddie Pryor has summoned the bulk of her horde.  She introduces Colossus to them and then throws him down at them. I love her insults about Colossus, and his tiny red shorts.

S’ym and Havok have a quick discussion, explaining (to us, I imagine) what the Goblin Queen’s true intentions are.  She is hoping to incite a riot and force Colossus to fight back the masses and earn their respect.

One of the demons, riding a giant green T-Rex like demon, takes the first shot at Colossus.  The goblin has the ability to possess anything demonic – so he is able to control Colossus’ right arm that Darkchild twisted and corrupted.

Colossus has already spent six of his allotted twenty four hours.  I don’t quite recall what happens at the twenty four hour period, besides Cyclops getting to say, I told you so.   Colossus gets mad enough to drop the goblin.

Maddie Pryor is happy that her scheme is working.  Colossus discovered Illyana’s soulsword and grabs it.  His Rasputin blood makes it so that he can wield it.  It helps that he uses his demon enchanted hand.  It makes him radically stronger (and cooler).  The horde now both fear and respect him.  He can be the leader now.

The Goblin Queen’s Prision.  Meanwhile .  . . Domino runs into young Nate Summers, whose Techno-Organic virus is running rampant over his left side of his body.  They are getting along nicely, which is an awesome call back to their friendship in the former Marvel Universe.  They bond over their mutual love for armory.

The Darkchild’s Base of Operations.  We see what Darkchild is up to with Nightcrawler, it isn’t good.

Darkchild has been torturing her former friend (it has been five years so the friendship is probably waning).  as another demon watches and enjoys the show.  The demon’s name is, N’astirh.  Kurt makes the mistake of referring to his soul, which Darkchild is attempting to break.

Poor poor Kurt.  He gets his soul ripped out of him!  This title just got even more intense!

Colossus wants to know where Maddie got his sister’s sword.  Illyana, apparently, got cocky and dropped it and never came back for it.  Colossus starts to have a running commentary in his head but Pryor can read his mind, which is new.

The Goblin Queen suggests a partnership, as they both want the same thing – Illyana Rasputin, back to the way she was.

Colossus wants Illyana alive and Pyror doesn’t necessarily need that to be the case.  She explains that the soulsword, used against the Darkchild, should save her.

A grenade is dropped into the room and Colossus takes the blunt of it.  Domino comes in, armed and Nate can’t believe what his new friend is attempting to do.  Nathan is upset as he doesn’t want his mother to be harmed.  Colossus strikes Nathan, which is harsh as he is a man and Nathan is barely a teenager.

This may be my favorite page of the issue.  I sort of love seeing Maddie being a mother to Nathaniel, we barely got to see that in the proper issues.

Nathan wants to be called, Cable and the look on Maddie’s face is awesome and priceless.

Colossus is reunited with his girlfriend, Domino, so he only needs to find Kurt and Meltdown now.

Gagzee, a spy – I imagine – quickly tells Darkchild that her brother not only has her souldsword but has aligned himself with the Goblin Queen.

Darkchild isn’t even breaking a sweat.

The issue ends with Darkchild revealing Nightcrawler’s current state, which looks like an awesome dragon thing.  It most likely resembles a proper nightcrawler, but larger.  Shit is getting real, yo!

It isn’t that as a nightcrawler is a worm, which I forget that.

I can’t wait for the third issue!

Writer Dennis Hopeless

Art Javier Garron

Colors Chris Sotomayor

Letters VC’s Joe Sabino

I had to add the Adi Granov variant to my wishlist as Hastings didn’t get the variant for this issue or Secret War Journal.

In this region of Battleworld (but it doesn’t have the Battleworld banner, for some reason), Limbo won Inferno instead of the X-Men.  Now it is five years later.

Inferno : Year Four.  Empire State Building.  Colossus is Cyclops’ perfect soldier, all year long.  But on the anniversary of the X-Men’s defeat, Colossus gets to lead a team into the Limbo controlled section of the realm and attempt to save Illyana.

On the fourth year, the X-Men got closer than they have ever been before.  This level’s boss fight is with N’astiah — Silver-tongued demon lord.  The X-Men on this mission are – Nightcrawler, Boomer, Cyclops, Jean, Beast and Colossus.

Jean uses her telekinesis to throw Cyclops at N’astiah.  In a counter attack, N’Astiah deeply hurts Cyclops.  This enrages Jean and it blows up the top of the building.

Colossus sees his younger sister, for the first time in four years.  Instead of being a baby, she is still a teenager.  Illyana plays sweet and innocent to get him closer and then she turns all types of evil.

Illyana converts to Darkchild, Illyana Raputin’s demon form, ruler of Inferno.  In doing so, she twists Colossus’ dumb arm so much that it is no longer functional.

364 Days Later.  (so the present day).

6am – Colossus has been awake and his girlfriend, Domino, is now waking up.  I do enjoy the Colossus / Domino relationship, I’m glad that their relationship has survived into Secret Wars 2015.

6:01am – They talk about how tomorrow this the big day.

6:13am – They bone in the shower

6:48am – Colossus is reviewing his former paintings of his sister.  Domino rather they used the room as a guest room or a gym.

7:23am – The couple go on patrol.

11:45am – They fight Inferno-infused Omega Red.

1:19pm – They chase down Pyro.

5:32pm – Boomer can’t wait for tomorrow.

11:11pm – Colossus has marked the day off.

3am – Colossus can’t sleep.

Inferno.  Year Five.  X-Headquarters.  The couple, plus, Boomer, are excited about who the team and what supplies will they be bringing.  The X-Men have learned that they need to combined magic with technology, if they are to ever stand a chance.  Doctor Strange, Wiccan, Nico (of Runaways fame) and a fourth person, make up the magic side of the research time.

Colossus asks Beast about what tech they are bringing.  Beast doesn’t know how to respond.  Turns out, earlier, when the narration box states that Scott’s sacrifice was enough to set Jean off, they just meant his use of his legs.  Scott, of course, is in a hoverchair, just like Professor X, but he gets to keep his hair.  Scott says that last year’s price was too high and they are no longer going to do this.  Which seems like a dick move, to not tell Colossus prior to this day.

Scott also mentions how he is the baron of the region, which I’m surprised it isn’t Magik.  I imagine Doom can work easier with Scott.

Kitty, according to Marvel Database – but I agree it has to be her, but why she isn’t more interested in pursuing the rescue mission, or on the mission itself, is beyond me.  Kitty tells Scott that is is a dick move and he agrees to allow Colossus to go, but he is on his own and with any other fools who want to go with him.

Later.  Colossus, Domino, Boomer and Nightcrawler are in Inferno.  Kurt had to come to get them in and out of the dome.  They take out the first wave of demons, rather easily.  Too easily as thousands of demons come at them.  Boomer is killed by N’astirh – via arm through her chest.

Darkchild is thrilled to have Kurt, as a prisoner, as he can teleport.  I imagine, since Limbo is a place on Earth, that Illyana can’t teleport as she can’t access the other dimension.  Darkchild, her right hand demon and Kurt leave.

Colossus attempts to fight his way away from the demons.  The day is lost but he won’t know by how much until it is too late.  Domino starts being dog piled on by the demons.

The issue ends with Madelyn Pryor — Jean Grey Clone and Goblin Queen, arriving and has grabbed Domino.  With her is Alex Summers — former X-Man, current Goblin Prince and Queen’s concubine.  Which gives me an awesome Mutant X vibe, and I’m all for that.

This series seems to be about the darker aspects of Battleworld, and i’m all for that.  I can only imagine that Magik keeps playing a major role in the series, so I imagine I will be getting all of the issues and I can’t wait!