I thought it would be fun to review Wolverine : Enemy of the State, but from a Kitty Pryde perspective. With a bonus Agent of SHIELD issue to conclude it.
Would make a fun two part animated movie.
Here’s a page from What If : Wolverine – Enemy of the State
Story Mark Millar
Artist Chris Bachalo
Colors Dave Stewart
Letters Chris Eliopoulos
World Tour, Part Three of Four
Cover Dated July 2002
I found a reason to buy an issue of Ultimate X-Men prior to issue 21, Shadowcat’s first appearance. Marvel Database states that this is Illyana’s first and only appearance. On her page, it states that Colossus mentions her but she doesn’t really appear. This issue shows Colossus having a blonde sister and a brunette brother; so I would understand the assumption that the blonde must be Illyana. I rechecked Marvel Database for the bulk of Ultimate X-Men issues and I don’t see her being mentioned in any of the issues that I don’t own. He also doesn’t name her in this issue. Another point, in issue 32, Colossus’ family is flown to the mansion and there, he has several siblings and I don’t recall seeing a blonde amongst them. Regardless, I’m counting it as well, until otherwise told.
If you would like to follow along, this website has the entire issue :
I read this originally in a trade, when it first came out, 13 years ago, so my memory is a bit faded – hence how I barely recall Illyana being in it. I was probably looking for her name, to make it official. So the non Colossus parts, I’m going to just use the context of the issue, to guide me through it.
Prior to this, the World Tour title comes from Xavier’s book tour that half of the team is with him – Storm, Wolverine, Iceman and Beast. Cyclops and Jean are in Russia, trying to get Colossus back on the team. Xavier is on Muir Island, spending time with his ex-wife Moira MacTaggert. In the Ultimate Universe, Proteus is also Xavier’s son, which makes sense as an Ultimatation of a character. Proteus, being who he is, is body jumping about. STRIKE agent Betsy Braddock has been enlisted to aid the X-Men, helping her is Dai Thomas – who I must not have recognize the name of the old inspector who was annoyed by Excalibur, that is uncanny research on Millar’s part! Apparently, last issue, Proteus jumped into Wolverine’s body.
Saint Petersburg : Scott and Jean are bugging Piotr, at work. 69 Russian sailors are stuck in a submarine. If Colossus isn’t willing to rejoin the X-Men, these two are trying to get him to at least save the sailors.
Piotr makes the excellent point of it not being his problem. They live in the world of governments and the Ultimates, clearly Iron Man can fix the problem. Piotr is 19 years old and very practical. Stupid and jerkwad Scott throws in Piotr’s face that he only makes three dollars a week in a car factor – what a jerk!
Pitor tries to make Jean and Scott feel bad by explaining to them how badly they need Xavier’s school. Jean is on the verge of going insane and Scott needs the glasses and visor that Xavier created to see. Colossus is a power that he can turn on, at will, and when he doesn’t want it, he can turn it off and look like everybody else. In London, people actually spat on them, and that was too much for Piotr. Jean tries to make an analogy about how their mutant powers are like a bird choosing not to fly. Piotr, in maybe my favorite thing any Colossus has ever said, spins the analogy around and says, “No, it is like a skunk that refuses to stink.” I wish a fourth character was there to shout, oh snap! Rasputin leaves so that he can eat dinner with his family.
Berlin. Storm wishes they were sunbathing instead of chasing Xavier’s crazy son. They are at the airport to meet the new super team that Nick Fury is sending. Betsy Braddock is the psychic on the team, and she is able to track Proteus. Xavier isn’t able to as Proteus has already been inside his mind and can block him. Braddock is spending a lot of time with Xavier.
Moira has realized why Proteus picked Berlin. This was the site of where Glasgow Rangers drew with Borrusia Dortmund in the European Cup in 1995 which was also the last Xavier Family Holiday. Betsy and Xavier are having a psychic conversation. She can’t believe how shaken up Wolverine is. Xavier is planning to rehabilitate his son, which surprises Betsy as she figured he was grooming his son to be an X-Man. Xavier reveals that poor Proteus has spent seven years of his nineteen years tied to a bed, which would drive anyone bonkers – to use the medical term.
Xavier tells Betsy (and us) of his and Moira’s history. They were madly in love and young. After knowing each other for only three weeks, they got married. He respected her enough to get married in a kilt. Moira and him wrote the book on post-human medicine. Moira created the prototype of the giant Cerebro machine.
Magneto eventually learn of their research and wanted in. Xavier grew to have a man crush on Magneto. Their human wives couldn’t compete with each other’s bright eyes and fast minds. They would talk on the phone for 72 hours on the phone. Which sounds maddening to me. I barely want to talk to people for five minutes on the phone. Magneto’s twins, who are older than Proteus – so their mutant gene kicked in before his – had no interest in talking to a flatscan. Xavier couldn’t keep watching television at night with his human family so he left to join Magneto in the South Sea.
On the island, Utopia, Magneto crippled Xavier over an argument. After that, Xavier received secret funding for his school and he hired his ex-wife. She is the second best mind in genetics and he also wanted to provide for his ill son. Betsy wonders if Xavier ever feels guilty for abandoning Proteus, whose real name is David – like Legion’s – so they really are an amalgam of each other. The day after Xavier left, David’s power kicked in. Xavier doesn’t feel guilty about that, but he does regret not guiding him when he needed it most. This page ends on the worst note a father can say about a son. Xavier does love David but that love is more akin to an owner’s love for pet. It is still love but ooof, that isn’t nearly enough. Betsy just stares at him.
Jean and Scott, who I can only imagine invited themselves to the Rasputin home OR just creepily followed him home. Jean updates Piotr about how the Russian government failed with the submarine and now it is up to Iron Man to save the navy men.
I imagine that must be Illyana who is sucking on her thumb. Scott can’t believe Piotr isn’t more grateful for all that Xavier did for him, as he got him out of the Russian mafia. Piotr feels like they are even as he has helped Xavier plenty. Plus, he only knew Xavier for a year. It isn’t like he is Scott, who has been with him since he was a child. If Ultimate Cyclops has the same origin story, he may not.
Piotr disagrees with Xavier’s decision to not kill Magneto but try to rehabilitate him. All he wants, is to stay here with his family.
Scott throws in Piotr’s face, he really is a grade A jerk in these scenes, that he hasn’t spent time with his family since he was twelve – so seven years. Jean tells Piotr that the X-Men are his family now, so the X-Men have the same policy as the Proper X-Men, join the team and forget your old family and friends – the X-Men are a gang.
The two semesters Piotr spent at Xavier’s were the lonely of his life. He didn’t train with anyone and no one invited him to hang out, either. He quizzes the two on what his favorite show is – Jean is quick to say it is Will & Grace. Piotr doesn’t appreciate that the team telepath took the guess. I like Karen as much as the next guy, but that show really fell apart at the end. I remember being all types of angry when they cast Harry Connick Jr as Grace’s husband, as I knew even then, that he wasn’t going to join the show so the characters’ divorce was already written. Which wouldn’t happened in today’s television culture, they would have filmed all of his scenes at one moment or sign a contract to film around his schedule.
Piotr doesn’t want to be a superhero, he wants to be a normal person. Jean takes this opportunity to be really inappropriate and an arse, and takes a “guess” that another reason why he doesn’t want to come back to the school is that he has a crush on a teammate who will never return his affections. He sternly tells them to leave, good for him.
The news updates on the submarine situation. Iron Man is no longer available to assist as he has been called elsewhere. The newscaster essentially reports that all hope is lost.
The Barents Sea : Colossus suits up, I feel bad that he doesn’t have a non-X-uniform, so he has to represent the school. He dives down and brings up the submarine.
There is an ad for the various Ultimate titles. Spider-Man 22 – Green Goblin returns. Spider-Man Special 1 – All Star Artist Jam. Ultimates 5 – first mission. Marvel Team-Up 16 – Shang Chi. 18 – Colossus’ Home Turf.
Russia loves Colossus now.
Last three pages of the issue is Xavier and Betsy talking. Colossus is back on the team and the team is meeting him at the airport. We learn that Xavier’s line about how he loves his son, was only to get a rise out of him as David is in Betsy’s mind. David is excited to have the X-Men all in one place, so he can kill Xavier’s second family.
David has killed Inspector Thomas and the Ultimates were never called. Also not coming, is the other superhero team Betsy was the leader of.
The issue ends with Xavier and Betsy / David knowing each other’s plan. As I don’t own the next issue but I do know that Colossus apologizes for this in issue 32 – Colossus kills Betsy / Proteus, just like how the Proper Colossus does.
There is a back up feature starring Jay Leno & Spider-Man.
Writer Mark Millar
Artist Chris Bachalo
I really like seeing Bachalo’s art in quasi-motion. We get all four issues of the miniseries here. As well as X-Men 1 (the comic that started it all way back in 1963!) and Giant Size X-Men 1 that gave the X-Men a new lease on life.
The worst part of this is Ken O’Brien as the voice of Iceman. Not as bad here as he isn’t a main part of it but X-Men 1, ooof, that is hard to listen too.
I’ll go into the individual issues once I review the actual comics but as a DVD, this is a good story. The story is that Magneto has escaped and this is worst as the world thought he was dead but instead, Xavier just tricked everybody with his disgusting mind powers in believing that so the world’s guard was down. SHIELD has the Ultimates go after the X-Men as they are as bad as Magneto’s crew.
I don’t own issue one as Kitty doesn’t appear in it so the entire first part was a surprised. I had read it in the trade version (as that’s how I was reading Ultimate X-Men for the first ten or so trades until I started buying back issues) but that was a while ago.
This DVD only cost me $1.99 but most times, if you try to search for it, people want like $50 to $100 for this item. Who would pay more than ten dollars for this, is beyond me.
I wish there was more to this collection but the run stops here, the first five trades were converted to motion comic.
I’m not sure why they went with solely Ultimate X-Men and not bothered with Ultimate Spider-Man as I would have bought those as they were being released.
This DVD came out in October 12, 2004 – so the first one would have been out to tie in with the X2 at the time. Though Spider-Man 2 was around that same time but who knows why they went one direction and not the other.
Story Mark Millar
Pencils / Breakdowns Adam Kubert
Inks / Finishes Danny Miki
Colors Dave Stewart
Letters Chris Eliopoulos
Cover Dated June 2003
Return of the King, Part Six of Seven
Mark Miller’s penultimate issue to his Ultimate X-Men run!
Here is the website to view the entire issue :
Hopefully this person is okay with me borrowing the images and the providing the links. I can’t tell but it appears they haven’t uploaded any new scans in forever so I may be the first person to visit the site in a while.
Miami. Jean doesn’t throw the nuclear power plant into the sun, like I thought was going to happen. Instead, she just dematerializes it. Which is a far more impressive use of her powers. She has scary level of molecular power, in that case. Xavier’s reaction is pretty dead on with how much potential she now has.
Arctic Circle.
Scott and Logan are about to have their big throw down. I like how Wolverine tells the team to stand back and he deserves whatever punishment Cyclops is going to deal out. Which he really does, and the team knows that Wolverine is a dirt bag, so they probably want to see him get a beat down.
Wolverine does his thing and charges at Cyclops who in one panel, just optic blasts Wolverine to the ground and he is out.
Which really boils down how the two characters fight. Wolverine is a close range guy, so as long as you can keep him at a distance, he is essentially useless. Cyclops is a ranged guy and isn’t much of a threat up close. Unless you think about a full force blast from his visor, and how that must hurt. But if he can’t get his hand to his visor or to his palm trigger, then you stand a decent chance of fighting him.
Wolverine though, if he can stab you, that’s knives into your flesh and that has to hurt. I never want to be stabbed, as it seems not great.
Miami. Jean is trying to assure Xavier that she is in full control. Jean comments on how the Phoenix persona is no longer in her head, she is able to control her vast powers and no longer needs to imagine a cosmic god living in her head to try to wrap her mind around her powers.
Rogue gives everyone a heads up that the humans are making their way to them. Xavier tells everyone to huddle around Jean so that she can create a shield around them.
Everyone is keeping to code names so Jean is being called, Marvel Girl, which sounds super awkward.
Turns out the humans were getting close so that they can cheer for the X-Men. One would think with two of the greatest telepathic minds in the world, that they would have heard all of those thoughts and not have been scared at all.
The next day, the world has become Pro-X-Men. Which I like how Millar is responsible for creating the Ultimate X-Men and their original status quo and now that he is done with his run, he is setting up their status quo so that the next writer can do whatever they want to do with their run. That next writer is going to be Brian Michael Bendis, with his Blockbuster and New Mutants arcs. We will be reviewing Blockbuster parts four, five and six after this issue. As those are the ones I ordered from Mile High Comics for Father’s Day.
The X-Men are on all types of magazine covers. These must be special editions as that is an awfully quick turn around time for it to be the proper issues.
Xavier tells Barbara Walters that Wolverine is no longer off the team, in an interview. So awkward now the whole world now knows that Wolverine left Cyclops for dead so that he can get with Jean and that that plan actually worked. Seems a little intimate to let everyone know. Also, I know Wolverine joins the team soon after this so how do they just let that go?
Cyclops is a bigger person than me as whenever I wanted to give orders to the team and stupid Wolverine opened his mouth to either object or crack wise, I would be like “or what, Wolverine, you going to leave me for dead again so you can get back with Jean?” I would bring it up constantly as screw that guy.
President Bush, which I like how Millar doesn’t hide the fact who the President is. I know Bendis liked to keep the president in the shadows so that the comic isn’t immediately dated in four or eight years (though it is just by virtue of existing in the then present). Which I know when I first read the Clone Saga in trade form, and when Nixon gives a speech, that took me out of the story.
President George W. Bush and his cabinet, are having a meeting with Fury and Tony Stark regarding what to do now with the X-Men. Fury wants to incorporate the Xavier Institute under the Ultimates funding in the Federal budget. Bush realizes that mutants are being born every day so it probably is a smart idea to have a testing ground where they can be molded to the benefit of America.
I wonder if Bendis / Millar, at this point – as they are the architects of the Ultimate Universe, if they have the idea of revealing that the mutants are the product of an experiment that the American government came up with, as revealed in Ultimate Origin and is the basis of the Ultimate Comics X-Men initial storyline.
At the Xavier Institute.
Poor Nightcrawler, he is a new member of the team and Xavier’s first mission for him is to go around giving people drinks and food. No wonder he will go crazy eventually.
They are hinting at the Bobby / Kitty relationship. Glad Kurt didn’t give Bobby any liquor.
There is a big party at the Xavier School, students’ parents are in attendance (though like the proper Marvel universe, the parents will be forgotten about eventually).
Xavier meets with Rogue and her parents. She is joining the team as well.
Xavier meets with Mr. Braddock, who reveals the European Union are working on their own version of the Ultimates. Which is an awesome way for Millar to set up his epic Ultimates 2 series. We learn that Betsy’s consciousness is now in a body of an Asian young lady named, Kwannon. So now Psylocke matches her proper version. Which isn’t something that had to happen but as Colossus killed her during the Ultimate Proteus storyline, it makes sense to save her. Her death and Beast’s are the rare except to the Dead is Dead rule in the Ultimate Universe.
Colossus overhears that Betsy isn’t dead and goes over to apologize for killing her. Which is nice that in comics, one gets the opportunity to do such a thing.
Mr. Braddock does say his son, Brian, will be a member of this new team.
This transitions us to Colossus and Beast. Beast tells Colossus that his parents would never come to something like this has they are racist. Colossus is confused as he just saw his parents minutes ago.
There is an ad for the X-Men Legend of Wolverine DVD, that has some episodes from the 90s X-Men cartoon. The cool thing is that Claremont does the introductions for the episodes. Magneto’s first episode is also thrown in there.
Beast is treated by his parents who look younger. They have a three book deal, describing how they raised one of the famous X-Men. There is even talk of a movie being made, starring either Sean Penn or Tim Robbins. They continue to explain how they are no longer racist.
Which sets up the fun scene of Beast introducing them to his “girlfriend” Storm and they are not physically thrilled with that. Storm and Beast give each other thumbs up.
Outside, Colossus is united with his family. We see it from Jean’s point of view and she’s across the yard so we don’t get to make out anybody. The only blonde amongst them has short hair so I don’t believe that Ultimate Illyana is amongst them – if she even exists. I checked comicbookdb, UncannyXMen.net and Marvel Database – none make the call that Illyana is there. Those three sites are the trinity of comic book websites for me.
Thor and Jean are chatting. He tells her that Xavier doesn’t know everything and to beware that the Phoenix may be just playing her.
I forgot to mention that Cyclops is not at the party as his parents are dead and that Tony Stark was hitting on Storm, who he confirms is 18 (but just barely).
Issue ends with Fury and Xavier talking after the party is over. Both are happy that the Xavier School is a training ground for future members of the Ultimates. There is some hints that this entire Magneto situation worked out for the best for both of them. Fury got the X-Men and Xavier got access to America’s military.
Fury leaves to do business and Xavier is going to feed his cat, Mystique, some dinner.
Story Mark Millar
Pencils / Breakdowns Adam Kubert
Inks / Finishes Danny Miki
Colors Dave Stewart
Letters Chris Eliopoulos
Cover Dated May 2003
Return of the King, Part Five of Seven
Here is that website again :
Rainbow Falls Generation Plant, Miami. The Nuclear Plant that Magneto set into motion to explode, has started to do just that.
Arctic Circle.
Magneto gloats to Kitty that before she was able to successfully ruin his machine, that he was able to set into motion his plan in Miami.
Poor Kitty, phases back to the main room to find out that she saved the world but not a city or a coast of America. One has to find her victories where one can.
Magneto turns his attention to Wolverine, whose skeleton is full of metal, so he can have as much fun torturing someone before the military breaks through his defenses. The other X-Men just have their fillings and belt buckles, which can be fun but Magneto wants to do maximize his time.
Which, really, at this point, shouldn’t the X-Men not have metal in their belt buckles? I mean, during Millar’s run of Ultimate X-Men, Magneto has been a constant threat. Other things happened, like the introduction of Kitty and the Hellfire Saga and the concept of the Phoenix, but Magneto has been the common threat.
I was going to wait until the next issue to go on about how Mark Millar started this series and stayed with the title for the first 33 issues, which is an impressive run. I don’t own issue 33 – as Kitty doesn’t appear in it – so this issue and the next, are our only visits to the Mark Millar run, for the time being.
The next sequence with Colossus working up the confidence and just sheer being able to do it, crawls over to Magneto. Magneto does taunt him that his metallic skin is within his ability to manipulate as well, which one would think torturing Colossus opens up some insane torturing techniques and visuals that torturing Wolverine, wouldn’t have. But Wolverine is the bigger name and Magneto has history with Wolverine. Magneto had hired Wolverine to infiltrate Xavier’s team and destroy it from within. But Wolverine got the hots for Jean and that entire plan went out the window.
I have no idea as to why Magneto let Colossus get as close to him as he does as Colossus gets a double page splash to punch Magneto in the gut and from there, just unleashes on him.
Rainbow Falls Plant, Miami – three minutes after impact. We see Xavier and Nightcrawler trying to evacuate as many people as possible. It makes sense with how the issue is happening within real time (as much as one can expect) so Xavier wouldn’t have been able to move from Cuba to the Arctic Circle that fast. Rogue is there too, good thing she is as she’s pretty crucial to the plan. These three, and nameless others, are moving closer to the nuclear plant on the backs of Sentinels.
Arctic Circle. The X-Men get it together to join in Colossus’ attack. Cyclops wants to keep Magneto distracted and beaten, so that Jean can do her thing and give Magneto a complete mental makeover.
Magneto makes a reference to the ending of the 1951 classic, The Thing from another World. Which I’m more familiar with the 1982 classic, The Thing. Apparently, The Thing from 2011 is a prequel to the 1982 film. I did not know that.
Magneto makes a reference to the film as he learn a very important lesson from the film – he rather die than be locked in a cage for the rest of his days.
Just then, planes start crashing into the Citadel, Magneto’s defenses have dropped. Luckily, Jean created two shields, one with the team in it and other with Magneto and Beast in it.
Jean tells Magneto that Beast is about to start giving him a beat down.
Xavier telepathically calls the team, as he needs some additional help to save Miami. Iceman tries to come up with some plans but all of them require Nightcrawler teleporting to them. Which would be fine but he teleports at a max of two miles at a time so by the time he got there and back, Miami and most people would be dead.
Rogue is trying her best to keep the radiation back, as much as she can.
Xavier tires of waiting for these children to come up with a plan and unblocks Jean’s crazy Phoenix persona (if I remember my Ultimate Jean / Phoenix history correctly – we will cover the Hellfire and Brimstone story, one of these days.
Jean flies straight to Maimi, lefts the ground under and around the Nuclear Plant and tosses it into the sun. Well, we don’t see where she puts it after that but where else can it go?
Since Jean is not in the Arctic anymore and they can’t do anything else, Wolverine has an idea.
No, Wolverine, a simple apology from you will not make up for the fact that you left Cyclops to die so that you can bang his girlfriend. Which, I’m not sure if those two got together after that, I want to say so.
In fact, I want to say that before Cyclops and Jean were even a couple, that Wolverine joins the team, and he and Jean quickly get it on and then he leaves. Which gives Cyclops the opening to ask Jean out and that’s how things play out.
By the time Hellfire and Brimstone ends, Cyclops is left to die in the Savage Land, so that storyline ends with issue 24 and Cyclops doesn’t come back until 29, so I’m not sure what happens in the meantime.
When Ultimate X-Men was first coming out, in late 2002, I was only reading the trade – same for the Ultimates. So I read those trades right when they were published, a few months after the final issue of the storyline came out.
Storm gives Cyclops, a backup pair of ruby quartz glasses. I’m not sure if every member has an extra pair of those glasses for when Scott loses his or his visor, but that’s pretty smart planing.
Issue ends with Cyclops telling Wolverine that his apology (which, technically, Wolverine doesn’t do – he just talks of doing one) will not do.
I do plan on reviewing Mark Millar’s penultimate issue and then we are done with Miller’s Ultimate run for the time being.
Story Mark Millar
Pencils David Finch
Inks Art Thibert
Colors Chris Sotomayer
Letters Chris Eliopoulos
Cover Dated May 2003
Return of the King, Part Four of Seven
Turns out, this website has all one hundred issues scanned, so I am going to keep borrowing images from it, as it is both handy and useful :
http://www.spumonte.com/files/pdfs/_Ultimate%20X-Men%20%5BSeries%201%5D%20Vol%201%20%2801-100%29_/
The North Pole. Magneto is preparing his master plan. Sounds like what he will later successfully accomplish with Ultimatum.
The Citadel’s Infirmary. Cyclops wakes up and starts optic blasting dudes.
There is an ad for the latest Pokemon games, Ruby and Sapphire, for the Game Boy Advance.
Cyclops is in tighty whiteties.
The Citadel, 0200 hours. Magneto steps into the device that Forge created to amplify his powers. Think a higher production version of the machine from the first X-Men film.
Magneto states that the power increase is that of a pocket calculator being made into a super computer. He cam erase tapes in Japan and can change the weather in Hawaii, at the same time.
Magneto sends troops to where Xavier is being kept prisoner. One of the Sentinels says, oh God, which why would a robot be programmed to have that reaction?
The Brotherhood take Xavier to Magneto. He would hate to see his old friend die with all of the humans.
Sabretooth mentioned earlier, how it is a shame that dogs and cats have to die as well. Magneto assures him that an ark was created to keep some animals alive.
As Magneto is about to perform the death strike, Cyclops optic blasts him from behind. Still in his underwear.
Magneto starts to taunt Cyclops and call him names for being alone.
Cyclops gives the awesome line of not being alone, as the Blackbird crashes through the window. I really like how we were not given any hints of the cavalry was on the way.
Scott and Jean continue their cute, Mr. Summers / Ms. Grey routine.
Wolverine cuts Sabretooth’s head clear off.
Cyclops gives Kitty the order to tamper with Magneto’s machine. Which she successfully does.
Magneto, in a last ditch effort, destabilizes the core of a nuclear reactor in Miami, Florida.
The East Coast is set to be destroyed.
I plan on reviewing issue 31 soon
Story Mark Millar
Pencils Adam Kubert
Inks Danny Miki
Colors Dave Stewart
Letters Chris Eliopoulos
Cover Dated April 2003
Return of the King, Part Three of Seven
This website has the entire comic to be downloaded, it is where I got the scans :
http://www.spumonte.com/files/pdfs/_Ultimate%20X-Men%20[Series%201]%20Vol%201%20(01-100)_/Ultimate%20X-Men%20[Series%201]%20Vol%201%20-%20Issue%2029/
The X-Men at this point are : Xavier, Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Storm, Wolverine, Shadowcat, Beast and Colossus.
Issue opens in the Savage Land, four weeks ago. This was Kitty’s first mission, though she snuck onto it.
Wolverine left Cyclops for dead, so he can have sex with Jean some more. He told the team that Cyclops is dead, so no one is looking for him.
Day One for Cyclops, is no good. He is badly broken, I can’t take my eyes off of how his left arm is wrapped around his neck.
Austin, Texas.
Kitty broke into a SHIELD base to learn if they know where Magneto is. They don’t. The X-Men want to find him, as Magneto has given a deadline that he will strike at the end of it.
These are the only pages Kitty is in the comic for.
Downtown Los Angeles, Wolverine and Colossus are fighting some Brotherhood extremists. Colossus wants to try out a new maneuver he has thought if – a fastball special.
Day 26 for Cyclops. We see four soldiers land in the Savage Land.
There is an ad for the Daredevil soundtrack, which is so good! Fantastic Four s first soundtrack and the one for the Avengers’ film are good as well.
San Diego. Beast and Storm, who are broken up at this point, are in the Blackbird. He still wants to know if Xavier was forcing them together. Storm still loves him.
There is an ad for Dardevil v Spider-Man DVD, I own it and it is good. The Fantastic Four episode that Dardevil appears in, is included.
Camp X-Factor, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Xavier and Nightcrawler are prisoners. It reminds me of the Dark Avengers / X-Men crossover, Utopia, when Xavier and Beast were prisoners together.
Issue ends on Day 31 for Cyclops, as he is on Magneto’s floating base.
I will be reviewing issue 30, soon.
At the back is a Ballot for the Wizard Awards 2003.
Here is who I would have voted for –
Favorite Writer
Brian Michael Bendis (Ultimate Spider-Man)
Mark Millar (Ultimate X-Men)
Favorite Penciler
Adam Kubert (Ultimate X-Men)
Favorite Inker
Danny Miki (Ultimate X-Men)
Art Thibert (Ultimate Spider-Man)
Favorite Letterer
Chris Eliopoulos (Ultimate Spider-Man)
Favorite Editor
Tom Brevoort (Avengers, Iron Man)
Favorite Hero
Spider-Man (Ultimate)
Favorite Heroine
Emma Frost (New X-Men)
Though I would have really wrote in Kitty Pryde on the line.
Favorite Villain
Green Goblin (Ultimate)
Favorite Supporting Character
Mary Jane Watson (Ultimate Spider-Man)
Favorite Ongoing Series
Ultimate Spider-Man
Favorite Mini-Series
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume Two
Spider-Man : Blue
Favorite Publisher
Marvel Comics
Favorite Comic Merchandise
HeroClix : Marvel Clobbin’ Time (WizKids)
Marvel Legends Action Figures (Toy Biz)
Favorite Comic TV or Movie Project
Blade II
Justice League
Smallville
Spider-Man
X-Men Evolution
Since, I would have voted for all five, I would choose X-Men Evolution
Writer Mark Millar
Penciler Steve McNiven
Inker Dexter Vines
Mark Morales (Pages 15 & 16)
Colorist Morry Hollowell
Justin Ponsor (Pages 15 & 16)
Letterer VC’s Cory Petit
Old Man Logan, Part Five of Eight
Cover Dated February 2009
This is the only chapter of this famous story, as it is the big reveal of why Old Man Logan quit being Wolverine.
Here is what happened before. 50 years ago, the villains won and America was divided. The Wolverine is dead, his claws haven’t been popped, since that eventful day. Logan has been leaving in Sacramento, with his wife and family.
May I say, that I’m a huge sucker for fictional maps? I love just looking at them, at the landmarks that the map maker deems important. Then I look at where Yuma, Arizona is – here it is in the Kingdom of the Kingpin (formerly the Domain of Magneto). The names of cities hold so much potential story and history. Montana falls in the vast unclaimed area, the Wastleland, I believe they call it in this title.
Logan was living in Hulkland. To the right of the Wasteland, is Doom’s Lair, next is Clyde’s Pit and lastly, is The President’s Quarter. Certain villains have cities, along the path that Logan is now taking.
I’m getting ahead of the recap. Logan is a farmer, and the grandchildren of the Hulk, want Logan’s rent but he is pretty behind.
Clint Barton, the now blind archer – wants his old friend to cross the country with him. Logan agrees, as long as he doesn’t have to get involved with any violence. They are heading to New Babylon, which is in The President’s Quarter. What is in the package, that Clint has to deliver, is another mystery of the storyline.
They have met Moloids and clone tyrannosaurs, they are currently being stalked by the venom symbiote. At the end of last issue, Logan agrees to tell Clint what happened that day.
Now we are at this issue.
Back in the day, most likely a Tuesday – Jubilee tells Wolverine that every hero team is sending out a distress signal. The villains are rising up. There is a huge explosion, and it is on!
There is an ad for the Honda Fit, it breaks up my comic and this review.
Now, we get to the panel that got me to buy the issue. That brunette, in the third panel – telling everyone to get to the evacuation tunnels, that has to be Kitty Pryde, right? It is her or X23 but I say, X23 would be popping her claws and heading towards the attack. Kitty would hang back, and make sure the students were okay. There are not that many brunette X-Women, and not that many with a modest breast size. Sorry but in a world of Double Ds and larger, normal breasts stand out.
Marvel Database use to list Shadowcat, as being in the issue but I imagine now they don’t list either lady, as there is no way to prove which one it is. Unless Millar and McNiven have revealed the script for the issue or have been asked. I say it is Kitty and thus, I own this issue.
There is another panel, that she could be in, later but we’ll get to that one.
comicbookdb has Shadowcat listed for the issue, so they are with me, on this.
http://comicbookdb.com/issue.php?ID=157230
http://marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Wolverine_Vol_3_70
Wolverine starts to defend the Mansion, by himself. One would think that the other X-Men will eventually step up. He’s taking the charge, by himself.
Wolverine kills Doctor Octopus and Klaw, so fast. Too fast! Next is Stryfe!
Then it is these two no names. Is that suppose to be Demogoblin?
Wolverine slices Silver Samurai’s head, clear off!
After that, he starts asking where everybody is.
Two students are not sure and Wolverine tells them to get the heck out!
Wolverine then, somehow, slashes Blob but he is so focused on murder, that nothing is sinking in.
Sabretooth and Mister Sinister enter the fray and Wolverine punches Sinister to his face! Has that ever worked, to the extent that blood comes out of his face?
Sabretooth and Lady Deathstrike go down. As do Omega Red, Absorbing Man and Scorpion. Shocker even tries to do it. as if Wolverine would be easier to kill now that he has killed thirteen other villains.
So great that McNiven got to draw this assortment of villains. When would he be able to draw Scorpion or Shocker, before this?
There is a double page ad for Spider-Man : Web of Shadows, a game I wanted to play, when it came out. I recall it didn’t get great reviews.
The only villain to really put up a fight, is the last one – Bullseye! They fight for 90 minutes, taking pieces out of each other.
Wolverine straight up thrusts his claws through Bullseye’s chest.
I’m not sure if what is making all of this is possible, was just wearing off or if it was due to Bullseye being the last, but the fog starts to lift over Wolverine’s eyes. Bullseye calls Wolverine, friend, and this startles Wolverine.
Wolverine is holding Jubilee’s body! She was Bullseye! How she was able to withstand a 90 minute fight with Wolverine, is beyond me – much less take chunks out of him. OR! Even being able to survive one slash of his claws.
Turns out, the villains big plan to take the X-Men off the board, was to get the big ol’ dumb Wolverine to do it for them!
I like Mysterio, who is clearly a hologram – giving Wolverine shit for thinking that he could have taken out all of these named villains.
I’m surprised no one has ever had Wolverine face off with Mysterio, after this issue came out – but Mysterio has been off the board, for a while now. Last I read him, he was involved in Spider-Men, as Mysterio was also, Ultimate Mysterio!
Wolverine straight up murdered these X-Men! Gambit, Iceman, Havok (who was Stryfe, as he has no head!). Colossus, with who I thought was Shadowcat – on his chest but that is clearly Psylocke with her costume (butt sticking out, and all) and the purple tint to her hair. Cannonball, Storm, Longshot, Beast, Cyclops, Nightcrawler, Polaris and even Forge is dead!
We cut to the present and Clint is being a good guy, not judging Old Man Logan for something he is clearly still broken by and it was fifty years ago.
Mysterio was so good that he could even affect the way Wolverine’s senses worked.
After Wolverine killed the X-Men, Logan walked away and kept on walking, for weeks, maybe even months. Logan decided to kill Wolverine, so he put his head on a railroad track and let a train run it over. He survived as, of course he did.
There is a hint of what happened to the other heroes, there was a giant battle in Vegas where the heroes fought the villains – and clearly lost.
There is an ad for Bendis / Deodato’s Dark Avengers, a pretty great title in a fun era of Marvel Comics. I only read issue eight, which was written by Fraction and what part of the Utopia crossover. Luke Ross was the penciler, so I don’t even own any issues with the main creative team.
Old Man Logan uses this story to emphasis why he doesn’t want to be a fighter, he uses his hands as a farmer.
Dwight’s Toll. I really like the choice to have a light page, after the bulk of this issue being so heavy on death. Dwight is a teenager (or maybe a twelve year old boy) who has an Ant-Man helmet. The kid only wants people to pay him eighty cents, to cross the bridge. For those who don’t pay – and many don’t, as we can tell from the view from below the bridge – get killed by a million ants. I do like the idea of this kid, knowing he has picked a silly amount for a toll so he gets to get his fair share of stupid kills but for those who know him (like Clint) they know to take the toll very seriously.
Doom’s Head, Illinois. Clint apologizes to Old Man Logan, for bringing him on this trip, where hazards are everywhere.
Issue ends with a giant T-Rex, with the Anti-Venom symbiote.
What an intense issue!
Writer Mark Millar
Pencils Greg Land
Inks Matt Ryan
Colors Justin Ponsor
Letters VC’s Randy Gentile
President Thor Part One of Three
Issue starts with Reed meeting future versions of this Fantastic Four. By future, I mean 24 hours into the future. Their plan is to go back to the moment when the initial experiment happen that gave them all their powers.
Reed comes back to the present and gathers himself. He calls Sue.
Susan is at a archeological cite. With her, from the X-Men, Jean Grey and Kitty Pryde. Back when they were civil to each other. Millar “created” or “reimagined” or better yet, Ultimatized Kitty. He is why we were so lucky.
Johnny is hanging out with the Zombie Fantastic Four from the previous arc, that gave the world, the Marvel Zombies.
Turns out, ever since they all changed, Ben has been having a hard time. He has been extremely depressed and suicidal. This day, the police are mad at him because he was not helpful. He tries to say that the UFF have saved the world. The officer, which I adore, states the past few storylines, and how the team save the world, but only after causing it releasing the original threat. They are not very good superheroes, or scientists. Reminds me of how many times the proper Fantastic Four has had to clean up their own messes.
On this same day, Johnny has his birthday party. He tells Ben to come dressed as a lady. Of course, no one else is dressed. Ben leaves ashamed, embarrassed and wanting to kill himself even more.
Thor was not impressed. Johnny is worried that this incident will hurt his chances of joining the Ultimates. I suspect, he never had a chance. He never does join that team.
With this new information, they are all decided to change the past. We come full circle from the beginning of this issue, but this time, we are following the future team.
The panel with the Pre-Tranformed folks, Doome looks so weird and clearly, something is wrong with him.
The team changes the past, right as a Skrull shows up to prevent the change.
In this new timeline, Thor is the President, hence the title of the arc. Reed is the Vice President. If a non-American can be president, then a twenty year old can be the vice president.
Also, everyone has super powers. That last page, in the very next second, there must have been a giant collision as you have people flying to the right and people flying straight at the reader.
Not sure what happens next, as this is the only issue of this storyline I own. I do know this new timeline never took off.
 | Muhammad Taufiq on Cataclysm Ultimates Last Stand… |
| Number One Lockheed… on Star Lord and Kitty Pryde… | |
 | Luke Petersen on Bounce Patrol |
 | John Klein III on Astonishing X-Men 15 |
 | MoxieMk5 on Astonishing X-Men 15 |
Shadow and Flame with Magik 