Lanham – Travis

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Exceptional X-Men 12

Posted by John Klein III on August 23, 2025
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , . 2 Comments

Writer : Eve L. Ewing

Artist : Federica Mancin

Color Artist : Nolan Woodard

Letterer : VC’s Travis Lanham

Issue opens up with Reginald James McNair III, which I like.  Not enough of us IIIs around.

We first met him all the way back in issue 4.  Famously, the issue where the students learn Kitty Pryde has murdered people, and also, Kitty was still not talking to Rogue.

Reggie can create portals, space and time portals.  One might even call them, rifts, as he’s clearly Rift from Expatriate X-Men, as part of the Age of Revelation series. 

Reggie can’t break the fourth wall. 

Poor Reggie believes he killed Kitty Pryde, not that he knows who that is. 

Not Too Far Away, we see the Students holding their own against omega mutant, Iceman. 

Bronze gets the win as she tags Iceman.

Bobby is pitch hitting as Kitty stormed off last issue.  Bobby calls Nina, they hung out in issue 4.  It really was a big issue. 

Bobby has a very awkward phone call with Nina, as why would he even bother calling someone if Kitty has only been missing an hour.  I wonder if Bobby’s favorite umbrella is yellow?

Ironheart brings Reggie, through an open window, so it isn’t breaking and entering. 

Melee is about to say Reggie is Bronze’s crush, but in a sweet recovery – she is an athlete after all, calls him Trista’s creative friend. 

Reggie and Trista now have being mutants in common, along with theater.

Ironheart states that Kitty went through one of the rifts.

Emma, being a great mentor, immediately figures out how Reggie’s rift powers work.  They even form around his forearms. 

Emma prefers to address him as, Reginald, as she’s a classy dame.

Emma refers to his rifts as, swirls, and they’re space-time portals.  His blackouts are minor bursts of time travel.

Iceman volunteers to go back in time to rescue Kitty, but Emma squashes that as Bobby and Emma are important to Kitty’s future.  Which, I don’t think Bobby and Kitty have that much time spent together outside of the Ultimate Universe, and this series.

Well, besides when they briefly dated, but not real history before that, I’m trying to remember of any times before. 

They were in the big battle in ROM 65.  Young Iceman was involving in Excalibur : XX Crossing, present day Bobby never appears in Excalibur properly.  He stands right next to Kitty during Illyana’s funeral in Uncanny X-Men 303.  They’re around each other during Scott and Jean’s wedding in X-Men V2 30.  So really, it was fun that they got romantically paired together.  Which, I was a fan of the relationship as it gave Kitty a chance to have fun.  Setting up Star Lord and Kitty’s relationship, now that I think of it.

Once it is established the students are going back in time, and to be fair, now that they fought Mister Sinister, they are officially X-Men, but it is easier to distinguish them as the students.  Bronze runs off to grab early 80s clothes.  She doesn’t grab any for Ironheart, who can’t go on the mission, but would have liked the invite. 

Emma encourages Reggie to create a rift, and the students are going back in time after Bobby tries to warn them about changing time.

As soon as the students are gone, Sentinel Dogs barge through the wall, so that isn’t great for Priti’s dance studio, but hopefully she got mutant insurance.

Reggie closes the rift, but not before a Sentinel Dog goes through the portal.

Meanwhile.  Somewhen else.  And somewhere else.  Deerfield, Illinois.

The Students land back in time, and not graciously. 

Melee makes a great comment about how Kitty Pryde clearly came from some money, but yet doesn’t have access to that money now.  Probably due to the questionable career choices.  There’s just no money in being an X-Man.

They wonder how they’re going to find Kitty without the Internet, or just asking people.  Bronze offers the phone book as an option, but Melee doesn’t know what that is.

Issue ends with Uncanny X-Men 129’s Kitty Pryde, in her all black outfit, and yellow sweater. 

Our team found Kitty . . . the wrong Kitty. 

Such a great issue!

Also, I got my tenth letter published in it, which is highly exciting for me. 

Chris Wildrick and I had to write in to show our appreciation for Lockheed returning!

Though that’s two issues in a row now that we haven’t seen or heard mention of Lockheed.

Hopefully he isn’t a clone to spy on Kitty. 

Lockheed’s Mini Adventure in Marauders V2

Posted by John Klein III on April 7, 2025
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Issue 2

Issue 6

Issue 7

Issue 11

Issue 12

Howard the Duck Volume Six Issue 5

Posted by John Klein III on August 22, 2016
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Howard the Duck V6 5

Writer Chip Zdarsky

Penciler Joe Quinones

Inkers Joe Rivera and Goran Sudzuka

Colorists Quinones with Jordan Gibson

Letterer Travis Lanham

Howard the Duck V6 5 StarKitty 1

High Over Collection.  Such a fun way to start an issue with Rocket complaining about how he’s already tired of hearing Thing’s catchphrases.  He has three, that immediately spring to time.

Agent Venom is keeping the hole that Howard created last issue, plugged so that no one falls out into space.  I guess Howard doesn’t know how to use the Power Cosmic enough to repair holes in space ships, that he created.

The heroes are about to land on Collection.

Not only does Stan Lee present the comic but so does Chip & Joe and even President Obama!

The Collector is happy to have Howard back in his collection, his collector number is – G5-18-2E18.

Now that Howard has a fraction of Silver Surfer’s power, he is able to stand up against The Collector.  In doing so, Howard uses the last of the borrowed power.

Luckily, Silver Surfer arrives on the scene.  Scout, the would-be Herald of Galactus, tries to get noticed but Collector doesn’t pay her any attention.  I like the two guys calling each other by their whole real names.

Howard the Duck V6 5 StarKitty 2

The heroes crash land.  Kitty immediately starts giving orders.  Kitty is going to free prisoners and Thing & Drax going to are to destroy and punch everything.

Tara wants to help but Thing doesn’t know anything about her so she shows off that she can stretch her legs and transform one of her hands into an anvil.  So she has Ms. Marvel powers, I guess?

Linda, Shocket and Tara are going to find Howard.  One of the prisoners recognizes the lady clones, Taylor, but they look older.  Due to time travel, they’ve been gone for six months but to them, it was 25 years.

While Surfer and Collector are fighting, Tara hugs Howard and they begin to run away.

Howard the Duck V6 5 StarKitty a

The ladies come back with prisoners but no Howard.  Just then, Howard and Tara arrive. He explains that all the prisoners have to do is think where they would rather be and walk into him.  Tara finds Collector to be attractive.

Collector is doing very well against two Surfers.  He breaks away and is about to attack Howard.

Howard the Duck V6 5 StarKitty b

Collector begins to taunt Howard but he tries to draw Collector’s attention to the next prisoner.  Collector tries to grab Howard by the throat but his hand keeps passing through him.

I do like “Lady Star Lord” as a name for Kitty’s era of being Star Lord.

This is a decent page to show off my one complaint of the issue.  Does Kitty and Collector both have to wear red jackets?  Made it hard for me to tell when it was her and him, as I missed scanning two pages because of it.

Pryde is a huge upgrade from Quill, she has a mutant phasing power and she’s smart.  Dude Star Lord has nothing on her.

Howard the Duck V6 5 StarKitty 3

The ladies start shooting Collector, he calls them by their collectible numbers – G5-19-2E30 & G5-19-2E31.

Pryde has airwalked herself and Howard above Collector’s head giving Howard the higher ground.  Howard grabs Collector’s ankles and begins to transport him away.

Howard the Duck V6 5 StarKitty 4

The Collector is gone and Howard is exhausted.  We get Quinones continuing to draw Pryde from behind.

Howard the Duck V6 5 StarKitty 5

Four Hours Later.  Shocket calls her, Pryde, as well – so you know she’s pretty kewl.  Howard sends Shocket and Linda to Mirvos-12.

Howard the Duck V6 5 StarKitty 6

As a next step, Howard is going to join the Guardians as they are clearly allowing anyone to join their ranks.  Something Grimm takes offense too but it is super funny.

Howard and Tara have a nice good bye.  Howard sends Tara to George Clooney, she liked him in Batman & Robin.

Howard the Duck V6 5 StarKitty 7

Howard wants to be separated from the nexus, and I like how easily Silver Surfer separates Howard from the nexus.

Pryde allows Howard to ride with the Guardians, until he can get to where he wants to be.

Scout notices that the nexus is still connected to Howard, just not inside of him anymore.  Silver Surfer seems confused by this turn too.

Howard the Duck V6 5 StarKitty 8

Once Howard walks through it, he should no longer be connected to it.  I like how Howard takes the time to thank the Guardians for their help. He ever thanks the surfers.  He thinks home and walks through the nexus.

Issue ends with Beverley!  Long time lady friend companion of Howard’s.  Looking it up, Beverly’s last appearance was in the fifth issue of the previous volume, that’s pretty fun.

Back cover ad is promoting M&Ms turning 75, so they’re the same age as Captain America.  How zany was the year 1939! I didn’t know Tina Turner was born in 1939.  She’s still amazing.

Howard the Duck Volume Six Issue 4

Posted by John Klein III on August 11, 2016
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Howard the Duck V6 4

Writer Chip Zdarsky

Penciler, Colorist Joe Quinones

Inkers Joe Rivera with Rick Magyar

Letterer Travis Lanham

Cover Artists Joe Quinones & Kevin Wada

Helpful editor note stating that this issue takes place before Ultimates (volume four or five, right?) as in that issue, Galactus gets a reverse makeover and becomes a being of rebirth.

One Year Ago.  Two scientists, Roberta and Mister Wiebe are observers with a giant telescope.  He’s interested in looking for life in the universe.  I like Roberta, she points out how often Earth is invaded by aliens.  There definitely is life out there beyond the stars.  Through the telescope lens, Roberta sees Galactus.  There is an editor note stating that this is from Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Volume One Issue 4.

Now.  The title was this issue was “Fowl Movement!” but they changed it to “Duck! Duck! Loose!” as the other one was too silly.

Howard is trying to convince The Stranger to free him, as Howard makes a terrible prisoner.  Stranger wants to speed up the process of using Howard to open portals as Stranger knows people are going to try to either rescue Howard or steal him for themselves.

The new Herald of Galactus, Scout, has come for Howard.  I imagine this is Roberta.  Stranger has eaten free-range asteroids with Galactus.  Stranger dismisses Scout, with a wave.  Roberta grabs Howard and surfs out of there.

Once they have gone a distance, Scout stops talking like a cosmic Stan Lee character, which she was pretending to do, as it felt like the thing to do.  Howard makes it super clear that he isn’t a cosmic person.  He just keeps ending up in these cosmic situations.  Fun little comment box of the writer saying he’s sorry.

Scout offers Howard to Galactus, but he is tired of all of these pursuits of Scout’s.  Galactus goes on to say that Scout is not his herald.

Once Scout has explained that Howard is the Living Nexus of Realities so she can open portals to a vast number of planets that Galactus can dine on.  This intrigues Galactus.  Howard stands up for himself and Galactus is tempted to to make Howard his new herald.  This upsets Scout.

Just then, Silver Suffer arrives.  Howard isn’t a gift to be given away.  Galactus points out that Dawn isn’t around, she doesn’t like the world devourer.  Roberta tells Surfer that she is a huge fan, which catches him off guard.  .  Surfer asks how she got some of his power.

Five Months Ago.  Roberta, who’s nickname is Scout, meets Alicia Masters.  Roberta finds a small statue that Alicia made from a speck of Silver Surfer’s power, that she shaped into Ben Grimm.  The page ends with Roberta hitting Alicia with the statue, from behind, to her head!

Howard the Duck V6 4 StarKitty 1

We finally get to a page where we see Scout’s character design.

Roberta, wisely, just hints that she found the power – somewhere.  All she wants to do is help, she thought she could cure Galactus’ hunger.  Surfer understands Scout’s earth based desire to help but one can’t give people away like items.  Howard appreciates the slick nudist for standing up for him.  Howard also misses his pantless days.  Which that line made me realize that he is wearing shorts.

We finally get to the reason why I’m buying this issue and the next one.  Kitty Pryde and the Guardians are getting closer to Howard’s location.  Linda is with them.  Kitty takes note of Galactus, but Grimm isn’t that concern.  Rocket points out that others are also in pursuit of Howard.

Galactus silences his two chrome guests.  Galactus will study Howard and see if he is capable of opening portals.  Grimm arrives, surprising Surfer.  Grimm wants to take Howard and leave.  Surfer likes the idea of Galactus being gone, and no more massive amount of deaths.  Grimm lays down the facts about how Reed use to say that Galactus is a balancing force.  Without Galactus, things would get worst.

The writer, Chip Zdarsky, wants to know what happened to Reed Richards – he hasn’t been told how Secret Wars 2015 ended.

There is an ad for the Deadpool game’s rerelease, now on PS4 and XBox One.

Galactus is fired upon by a Kree fool and he turns his attention and shoots his laser eyes, destroying the silly ship.

Groot is holding onto Grimm, but he wants Groot to stop, so he can reach out and grab Howard.

Meanwhile, we see Silver Surfer . . . surfing away with Howard.  Surfer is going to find Howard a safe place to hide.  In case they get separated, Surfer gives Howard a piece of the Power Cosmic.

Howard the Duck V6 4 StarKitty 2

As Howard is trying to use to the cosmic surfboard, he goes straight through a space ship.

We see Kitty’s butt there, in that panel.  So that counts!  Don’t worry, she appears properly in the issue too.

Tara can’t believe this team doesn’t have a telepath, one would think that is a mandatory requirement.

Grimm puts on a space helmet and he is going old fashion with his approach.  He opens the hatch and just shouts at a passing Howard.  He didn’t need to shout, with the power cosmic, Howard hears pretty well.

Howard the Duck V6 4 StarKitty 3

Tara and Howard hug, they both have had quite the day.

We get to see Pryde’s butt again, it is an interesting angle to take.  Pryde asks if Howard is always like this, Tara says that he isn’t typically so naked and shiny.

The ships engines are dead but Howard is powering their ship with the surfboard.

Howard the Duck V6 4 StarKitty 4

Quinones finally draws Pryde properly.

This must be the first time Pryde and Howard have met, as they don’t know each other.  He thinks, very funnily, that this is Quill, but now a woman.  Pryde quickly recaps how Quill is out and she’s replacing him and the team hasn’t been happier.

So funny the exchanges of Agent Venom, Pryde and Rocket.  No one knows how Rocket became leader but they are living with it.

Howard is sending them straight for Collecton, one would think The Collector would have a better name for his house.  Tara can’t believe that they are heading into danger.  Howard, having a sad revelation that he will always be chased and will always get caught up in weirdness.

Tara doesn’t know who Bev is.  Howard refers to Beverly in the past tense, so I would like to know what happened there with her and Howard.

Now that they are minutes away, Howard gets dragged away by a green chord.

Issue ends with Howard vs The Collector!

Feather Regions, letters from – Jason Greenly of Champaign, IL / John Rule of Manchester, England / Steve McSheffrey / Osvaldo Oyola of The Middle Spaces.

I would send an e-mail but I’m crazy behind on my current books as I was way late in getting the May special issues I wanted to cover out.

Howard the Duck Volume Six Issue 3

Posted by John Klein III on August 6, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Howard the Duck V6 3

Writer Chip Zdarsky

Penciler, Colorist Joe Quinones

Inker Joe Rivera

Lettterer Travis Lanham

I haven’t read an issue of Howard the Duck’s previous volume’s fourth issue.  I thought I had checked on Marvel Comics Database when this issue first came out and didn’t see Kitty listed as a character.  Then at Hastings, I remembered the Guardians were going to appear in this title and I thought I might as well check the last page of this issue to see if they were teased, at all.

What I found was a Gwenpool back-up feature, so now I’ve read an appearance of that character BUT the important thing was that the last page of Howard’s main story, was a real winner.  Glad I double checked, but now I’m worried that I may have missed some appearances of Kitty Pryde.

Howard the Duck V6 3 Recap

Here is what has been happening in the title, thus far.  Linda, a female duck like how Howard is a male duck and Shocket (a female Rocket Raccoon) are on an adventure.  The recap page implies that these two dames have a sad origin story.  These two ladies are after Howard.  Apparently he and Rocket caused these two ladies to be on the other side of the universe and now they are after him.   Also, Howard is now the living Nexus of all Realities, which I have to wonder what that means for Man-Thing.  Nice reference to co-creator, Steve Gerber, at the end.

The issue opens with Howard the Duck, riding a cosmic surf board and cast in all chrome – like from the cover.  He’s worried that the universe is after him.

One week earlier, the majestic swamps of Citrusville, FL.  Shocket and Linda have guns aimed at Howard and his female companion, Tara.  Tara implies she is a superhero now, with a fun editor note stating that we can expect to see the “Captain Tara, the Last Avenger” film in 2032.

Shocket shoots Tara, which Linda isn’t happy with that choice.  Linda is about to touch Howard, to plead with him to come with them but Shocket tells her to not to touch him.  They are not sure what could happen.

Somehow, the Wizard (of Frightful Four fame) arrives and takes Howard hostage.  As he touches Howard, there is a flash of light and the Wizard is gone.  Howard freaks out, as he believes he has absorbed the Wizard.  Linda explains the situation.  Howard can now teleport people, or they can teleport him.

Howard asks who Linda is, she says that it is a long story.  An awesome editorial note hips us that this happened in issue two.  Not the previous issue two but the one from the previous volume but not the original volume from 1976 but the early 2015 volume not the late 2015 volume (which this one is, technically).  Which is a fun jab at how silly relaunching this title, as often as Marvel has done.

Actually I got my asterisks backwards.  Linda references how Howard and Rocket were prisoners of the Collector, which was from the early 2015 volume and Linda and Shocket’s story is found in the previous issue of this volume.

Linda, thankfully, explains the situation.  Linda and Shocket are gender-altered clones that the Collector made, so that they would mate with Howard and Rocket (respectfully, I assume) so that their species will continue.  Linda and Shocket, traveled back in time to avoid the Collector’s schemes but here they are now.  I did check and I didn’t see any previous issues of this series at Hastings.  I like Tara pausing the story so that she can process this.  A lot has happened over two pages.

Linda and Shocket want Howard’s help to free the Collector’s other prisoners.  Tara isn’t sure about the plan but Howard is still haunted by the prisoners.  This wasn’t referenced in the later issue that I read.

The four of them are flying towards the Collector.  Tara is excited about being in space.  Howard isn’t that impressed, as space is full of nothing.  Shocket takes offense to his attitude as space is their home.  They have been on the run, for so long.  Linda can’t wait to have a home and not just be on the run.  She’s pretty excited about owning a couch that isn’t connected to a ship.  So the two ladies match the personalities of their male counterparts.

Their ship, the Thundertrek, gets bombarded by one of the Collector’s ships.  Right after that, a Skrull ship comes on top of them.  Howard blames his involvement as to why everyone is after them.  This gives Linda an idea.

Shocket expects that they are able to track Howard’s new cosmic signature.  Linda knows that the other crews are only after Howard.

Tara keeps wanting to contact Doctor Weird (I imagine she really means, Doctor Strange, close enough!) to separate Howard from the Nexus of Realities.

Howard starts getting into flux, as the people on the ships are trying to teleport Howard off of them.  This gives Howard an idea.

Howard is teleported to the bigger ship, that belongs to the Stranger.  Neither one is impressed with the other.  Howard wants answers from the Stranger.  People want Howard as instead of using fancy technology (that could be chancy) Howard is a done-in-one trip.  You think of the location, Howard makes it happen – super simple.  Strange further explains that Howard has the ability to create new universes as well.

Stranger, as a scientist, would love to create a new universe that he can study and be a “god scientist” of.  Howard agrees to be the gateway to this new universe, he only wants his friends to be set free.  Stranger doesn’t like Howard having friends, that could be distracting, so Stranger blows up their ship.

Five minutes earlier, elsewhere.  Tara, Linda and Shocket are teleported into a cargo bay.  They are not sure where they are, they only know that Howard sent them someplace that they can get help at.  They turn a corner to see . . .

Howard the Duck V6 3 Kitty Pryde

The Guardians of the Galaxy!  This is the first part of three issues guest starring the Guardians!

Feather Regions, no letters but some fun plugs and segues.  This is written by Wil Moss, who is a Kitty Pryde fanboy so now I follow him on Twitter.  @Wil_Moss, good guy.

Mostly the page has promotions for Gwenpool and her special that is coming out.

Then we got the final back-up that teams up Gwenpool and Howard the Duck.

Ms. Poole if You’re Nasty
Part Three of Three

Writer Christopher Hastings

Artist Danilo S. Beyruth

Color Artist Tamra Bonvillain

Letterer Travis Lantham

Issue opens with Howard giving Black Cat a box.  Then the next page, starts the tale of how he got the box.

Howard and Gwenpool are crash landing into a Hydra base.  Gwenpool, who seems more like Deadpool than Gwen Stacy – so a lady Deadpool who shows off her legs – something that Spider-Gwen doesn’t do in her costume, she’s covered from head to toe.  Howard is also in a Deadpool-esque story.

There is a female head of Hydra, who isn’t Viper.  She is working on that classic villain scheme of creating a disease and providing the cure afterwards.

Apparently, Gwenpool sold Hydra the disease and now is trying to get it back.  I could have really used a recap page PLUS a page of what Gwenpool’s deal is.

Gwenpool calls the lady, Madame Hydra, but that isn’t her name.  She and Viper are brunettes (though I always prefer Viper as a green haired beauty) but they are not the same person.  Gwenpool references that she read an old Nick Fury story involving Madame Hydra’s weakness which reminds me that I believe Gwenpool is from our reality, somehow in a comic book – probably Marvel’s way of explaining her ability to fourth wall breakage.

Gwenpool grabs the box and drinks the virus.  NotViper tells everyone to evacuate.

Howard stops NotViper by throwing a table at her.  Gwenpool thought the guy, who was affected by the virus, and that he had super-mumps.  She was vaccinated for mumps in her universe, so she thought she wouldn’t have to worry about it.  Howard shouts at her that they have the mumps vaccine in the Marvel Universe too.  Just then, the effects of the virus hit Gwenpool.  Lady Hydra offers the cure, so that she doesn’t get sick and Gwenpool injects herself with it.

The Present.  Black Cat as the box but now the people who first sold it to her want it back.  I take it, there has been several double crosses here.  They offer Felicia double the money and she takes the new deal.

Turns out, it wasn’t the person who sold Black Cat the virus but Gwenpool in disguise.

A decent nine page story, I’m sure I’m suppose to wikipedia “Gwenpool” and I may one day but not today.

I’m super excited about the next two issues of this title though, I can’t wait!