Rachel wakes up from a nightmare Kitty, Logan & Rogue go to West Virginia to locate three new mutants Rogue feels at home They locate one, and find a second one at a strange house
X-Men find the second mutant, Darla, who has an extremely tragic origin She also has the ability to create illusions to ones memories, real enough to fight I like seeing Kitty & Rogue chatting
Darla is responsible for the illusions, Logan wants to put her down, Rogue wants to stop him Kitty is trying to get Krystal (who has psionic powers) wants to make a confession Kitty crashes a car, and is knocked out, as townies approach with ill intensions
Kitty learns that Krystal also has a tragic backstory & more about her powers Rogue vs Logan Town is falling apart as the drug runners try to take control & everybody's worst memories are out for all to witness
Kitty's idea of Xavier helps turn the tide Krystal & Darla hash out their problems Brahm Revel creates a reason to draw classics like Storm & Nightcrawler, so that's fun Cristiane Peter has been doing an amazing job on colors Krystal handles the press
Ewing, Carnero, Woodard, and Sabino gave us such a gift
Kitty really gives us a rundown of why she was exhausted, both physically and emotionally
Carnero should some TMNT, some of the best rats I’ve seen in comics in a while
I really like Priti, Kitty’s roommate. Who can have a dog, but Kitty can’t have a dragon?!
Seriously, my only complaint about the issue is the lack of Lockheed, BUT! we did get representation
I also just love Carnero’s clothes she draws for everyone, they just feel real & right
We even get a page with Magik on it!
so we get the Shadow, Flame, and Magik content that I so crave!
this is how you flagship
I also just feel Kitty’s exhaustion here
The preview pages didn’t do Kitty any favors, but in context, it all feels understandable
Bronze is a delight, we don’t get Melee in this issue
Bronze was going to get shot between the eyes, like dead center, that Security guard had an agenda
Kitty still has her moves, picking up some base security guards – who at this point, are doing their job, though are firing wildly in a concert, so not great at their job, but they’re panicking, which is also not great.
Someone should complaint to their Board of Private Security.
We’re back to Kitty, which also, in context, makes sense
She’s introducing herself to Trista, who I really like this issue, who is clearly a teenager, looking for a role model.
Kate is Krakoa & Kitty is trying to rebuild herself
We don’t get a pronoun for who her date was with.
Trista has a lovely grandmother.
We get to my favorite page of the issue
Lockheed statue!
on Friday, we get the Infinity Comic, so hopefully he’s on his way to this series 🤞💜
Trista won my heart with the present she gives to Kitty, so sweet, how can Kitty not want to mentor her!
We get our co-star of the title, Emma Frost, and she’s reviewing who she wants to hang out with
Banshee
Storm
Bishop
Logan
Kurt
then lands on the best one!
it reads fun to me
oh! and I like how Kitty took breaks to narrate to the world, it took me until her second time doing it, that she’s our narrator. didn’t feel like a fourth wall break, but a narrator choice
Didn’t feel like a fourth wall break, but a narrator choice
Overall my favorite issue of the relaunch, but I’ll admit I’m geared to enjoy it
Hopefully Kitty isn’t too resistant to being a mentor, as Trista clearly needs some guidance in this world.
plus, Issue 1, is Lockheed approved!
. . .
I stand corrected, we still have bi-sexual queen, Kitty Pryde
Inks Andre Araujo, Lorenzo Ruggiero and Walden Wong
Colors Rachelle Rosenberg
Letters VC’s Joe Sabino
This second team of X-Treme X-Men are also the newest form of The Exiles. The team members are – Dazzler, Kurt Waggoner, General James Howlett (who is dating his universe’s Hercules – which is pretty cool), Charles Xavier (with his head in a globe) and Sage – I believe she is our Sage, a hold over from the Exiles team. This is a .1 issue, which was meant to be perfect jumping on points for new readers. This is the only issue I own of this second volume. The main mission of the X-Treme X-Men are to kill ten evil Xaviers. I thought this was the Dazzler of our universe.
Issue opens inside Sage’s robot space ship. Dazzler explains how evil Xaviers are going to destroy the multiverse. Howlett was the former Governor-General of the Dominion of Canada. Kurt is fourteen. I like comics with these character caption boxes, perfect for the .1 program.
Dazzler asks Sage for help finding their Futurama Xavier.
Seventeen Minutes Later. Sage was able to locate the nearest Xavier, so the mission begins. They see a few Brood and with an amazing page turn reveal, we see a giant Acanti with Xavier’s face! So crazy! He is being controlled by a pimp Brood Queen, who wants to go to a defenseless dimension. It is defenseless due to it not having a Xavier.
We see Cyclops, waking up in a tent off the shore of Utopia, the former home of the X-Men. I’m not sure if this is suppose to be the Proper Marvel Universe. I suspect that it isn’t, as his powers are broken but he is living on his own and eating trash. Scott sees an Xavier but turns out, he is a Brood induced nightmare.
Dazzler kills the few Brood that was holding Cyclops.
Later. Dazzler confirms it is not her Cyclops. This Earth was practically ruined by the Avengers versus X-Men battle. Here, the same X-Men were given parts of the Phoenix Force, including Magik. Hence, why I bought this issue.
Howlett says that Cyclops are stubborn in every dimension. This Cyclops did kill his Xavier. Dazzler and Kurt recount the evil Xaviers – Cowboy Xavier, Steampunk Godworld Xavier, Cthulu Floating Brian Xavier and this Cyclops’ Xavier – four dead, six to go.
The Acanti Xavier appears on Earth. The Brood Queen instructs her minions to feed on the planet. The X-Treme X-Men start killing the Brood.
A Brood grabs Johnny Ito, Dazzler’s lover.
Cyclops wants to kill whale Xavier, but Dazzler is concern with all of the deaths once he lands on the ground. Howlett saves Johnny Ito. Howlett gets to cut loose on the Brood, it gets pretty bloody.
Acanti Xavier lands on the ground, Howlett kills the Brood Queen. Sage thinks it is too easy but Xavier reveals that he was resisting the Queen’s influence. Xavier tells Dazzler to kill him, there is too much as risk if two Xaviers unite. She does it.
Later, Cyclops is mad at Dazzler, as there were other options, there was no need to rush to the decision to kill Xavier. Issue ends with him giving her some advice on leadership.
. . .
With this issue, I complete all of my reviews of the comics my Mother-In-Law was nice enough to give me a Mile High Comics’ gift card so I can buy them. Been a pretty fun bunch of comics and only one of them, I didn’t need for the collection.
The solicit for this miniseries was not promoted as Magik stuck in Limbo and needs rescuing. So I didn’t get the series pulled for me until issue two. Issue one was impossible to find anywhere, for me.
I’m just reviewing this issue as I got it for Father’s Day.
This miniseries takes place during the events of New Mutants Volume Three Issue 12, part three of Second Coming. The storyline that brought Hope and Cable back to the present day.
Magik is only on the first two pages, setting up the miniseries.
New York. Yesterday.
One of the cool things the villains did in this crossover was that they made a huge attack on all of the teleporters.
Magik was about to teleport the team away. Once her stepping disc opens up, demons grab her and pull her in.
Colossus freaks out!
Utopia. Now.
Colossus tells Cyclops that he is going after his sister. He will not lose her and poor dead Nightcrawler, on the same day.
Cyclops tells him that he can’t spare him. Hope is what matters now. I simply love Colossus throwing Cyclops against the window, cracking it. Colossus is leaving.
Scott tells him that he isn’t going but he is sending an away team to rescue Illyana.
The Infirmary.
Cannonball is gathering a team. He must have gone to Cyclops first. During New Mutants, Karma lost her leg on Sam’s watch. He isn’t going to leave Magik behind.
Pixie is on the team, as she can get them to Limbo. She doesn’t want to, as Magik took a piece of her soul. She makes a mistake of calling her a monster. Colossus almost kills her!
Anole is on the team to try to convince Pixie to go. He isn’t sure if Magik should be saved. Last time he was in Limbo, he lost his arm. So he now has a massive arm.
Dazzler is on the team. She’s cool about it.
Northstar is on the team. I like how these two are X-Men, you tell them they are on a mission, they are on a mission.
Trance is going, but she isn’t bringing her body. Her name is Hope, that isn’t good.
Gambit is the big name on this team. This is right after he was an Horseman of Apocalypse, as we are going to see in this story.
Anole convinces Pixie to go on the mission.
The Hangar. Cannonball goes over the best case scenario. Northstar wants to go over the worst but Cannonball doesn’t think that will be necessary.
Of course, in an incredible double splash page, it is the worst case. Pixie has instant regret.
The team starts fighting off a horde of demons.
Gambit disappears and we see his eyes as his Horseman persona is coming out.
Issue ends with who I thought was Blackheath, but the Internet has told me it is N’astirh. Whoever that is.
There is a bonus back up of the origin of Magik’s soulsword – from the excellent fourth issue of Magik’s miniseries from the 80s.
I really like the Medina’s art this issue. The Nimrod Sentinels look hard and mechanical and the people, especially the women, have a nice softness to them. Marte Gracia is becoming one of my favorite Colorists as he really makes the issue pop. Also, I imagine he is responsible for actually making the art look soft and real when necessary.
Prior to this issue, Kitty Pryde fought and killed Stryker. By doing so, his consciousness went into the Nimrod’s so now they think like a mad man. This issue opens with how the Nimrods are attacking various locations that are heavy with mutants.
One of the locations is Camp Angel, where Storm is the known mutant. Nimrods are attacking and we get to see Ultimate USAgent, John Walker. He doesn’t hate mutants, as he tries to rescue as many as possible. Meanwhile, one of his soldiers are trying to get him to leave them behind as they are only mutants and he isn’t listening to that nonsense.
Storm wants to know why the government has sent the Nimrods after them and Walker tells her that it wasn’t them who sent them.
There is an ad for a Honda Civic, honestly who buys a car based off of seeing it in a comic?
At the White House, we see Val Cooper and a guy named Phil, who is freaking out over the situation. We find out from Val that the Nimrods are attacking four states – Oklahoma, New Mexico, Nevada, and my home state, Arizona. These are the locations of the mutant camps, the camps that once the secret that the government created mutants, is where the mutants were sent to.
With Stryker’s consciousness inhabiting the Nimrods, the robots have taken a religious flare reciting “His will be done.” Val views the machines attacking the cities, along with the camps, as punishment for siding with these devil spawn. Proving once again, that robots are the ones that are evil and destructive. Show me one good robot and I will counter you with four evil ones – and usually of the same model.
Phil states that this is worst than the events of Ultimatium, which good for Spencer to not act like Magneto’s attempted world conquering didn’t happened. It was more than 11 issues ago so he could not referencing it but since this title is still dealing with those ramifications, it makes sense to remind from time to time. Since Magneto essentially flooded the New York City and ruin the world at large, afterwards, mutants were hunted on sight and sent to the camps. Then once the government secret came out, things were not made easier.
Phil also asks if the Ultimates and Nick Fury can help and Val tells him that they are across the world dealing with their own issues. I’m not even sure what that is referencing but it at least explains why they are not helping America at this point, but it is probably being bothered with Reed Richards turning evil and the twin countries of Tian. Which I completely missed out on until Jean takes over that floating country and plays a larger part in Ultimate Comics X-Men.
Phil gets some pages and asks Val why the police, army and National Guard are not fighting the Nimords. She tells him as they know it is pointless, they have already lost.
With that, we get an awesome two page spread showing Nimrods attacking – Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, Phoenix and Las Vegas, the city capitals plus Las Vegas. Which I’m find with Phoenix being attacked, that means they are probably going to leave Yuma alone. I have to choose my battles.
We get a couple pages of Kitty sneaking back into the Morlock Tunnels, which is their base for now. The X-Men at this point are Kitty, Rogue, Jimmy and Iceman along with Human Torch, plus whichever mutants they could find on their way down to the sewers.
Kitty has bought the younger mutants, including Ultimate Maggot, bananas. They were hoping for marshmallows but she bought them nature’s candy. Which I thought was raisins but maybe in the Ultimate Universe, it is bananas, which I also like. My favorite fruit, actually. No idea why bananas can’t escape strawberries, so many other and better options.
Johnny wants some quite as the President’s speech, who is clearly President Obama but to try to keep this comic dateless, he is shrouded in shadow – which must have made it an awkward speech to watch.
The President tells of the Nimrods are no longer being controlled by the government. We are told the death toll as of now is in the thousands. That isn’t even the worst part. The President straight up tells American that the Southwest is lost to the Nimrods and are no longer considered part of the country. How crazy is that? Is that really the plan if something like this happens? Just give up the state and try to get the Americans out while we can.
I do like how this clearly changed the Ultimate titles for a bit. Though I believe it was never really brought up in Ultimates or Spider-Man, at least Kitty is never named in any issues, so this is strictly an X-Men story. But the landscape has clearly been changed and this can’t stand.
The President states the battle isn’t lost and tries to rally the rest of the country.
Issue ends in Arizona, where we see Nimrods heading home to a giant Master Mold that is also stating “His will be done” so something needs to happen and quick.
I had own this issue but for some reason, I didn’t log it into my comicbookdb collection so I had to consider it a back issue.
Back cover ad is Captain America riding a Harley-Davison. Now that I know Cap approves of this brand, I am for sure to buy one.
Deadpool is lot of things these days – Avenger, Assassin, Superstar, Smelly and a Husband. He is also a mercenary and now has a group of mercenaries of his own, that he has been neglecting. These other folks make up the team that appear in Mercs for Money – a title I still don’t get. Are there mercenaries that do what they do as volunteers? Mercenaries are all about that sweet cash. Or they are undercover cops posing as guns for hire. Currently, these Mercs for Money have not been happy with Deadpool as he’s been very busy being a beloved hero. So money isn’t coming in.
This issue opens with Deadpool trying to sexually satisfied his wife, Shiklah. She’s not quite there yet. I do like these two together, they should still be newlyweds, except for the whole eight month gap. There is a subplot about how there are odd hairs in their bed. I’m not sure what that is about
Deadpool is trying to get Shiklah to commit her monsters of Monster Metropolis to helping with the coming threat. Before Shiklah can commit, she wants him to watch their shows together.
The monsters start moving out, Shiklah is leading the Howling Commandos so they are joining the fight too.
We catch up to the Mercenaries and the opening fight from Civil War II. The Mercenaries are – Masacre, Terror, Stingray, Foolkiller, Solo and Slapstick. I’m not that familiar with Masacre or Foolkiller. Masacre looks knew, he’s a Spanish Deadpool – is what I can tell. They are way out of their league, as they see the Celestial.
Stingray takes the time to proposition Solo about breaking away from Deadpool, he isn’t earning them any money. The other mercenaries are saving civilians.
Solo and Foolkiller seem to be wearing the same uniform. I remember when Solo’s color scheme was green, now it is maroon. Solo is rocking one of those 90s Cyclops head socks so his hair can breathe.
Solo and Stingray playfully save a lady and her baby. Solo teleports the mother and she throws up on him – he’s use to it. I like how, nearly off panel, she grabs her baby from Stingray.
We get to Magik’s moment during Civil War II! Deadpool refers to this team as “Doctor Strange and the Avengers of the Supernatural” a title I would buy today if it was on the stands! I like how Hawthorne draws Magik’s costume, as it really covers her.
The citizens of New York City are happy that the day is saved. High fives are all over the place. Shiklah kisses Deadpool, as she walks away, he comments again on how she has a new dog. Where is this leading to? I hope not a divorce!
Deadpool gets a text that there is a party at Stark Tower. The Mercs For Money are excited but Deadpool is only bringing Shiklah. I’m sure Tony would have allowed more people but I guess they do work for Deadpool so it is his call.
Once Deadpool is gone, the Mercs plan a mutiny. This splash page shows that Solo is in a maroon costume and Foolkiller is in a purple costume. Similar design but definitely different color schemes.
The Mercs get back to base and Foolkiller asks if Cable is going to the after party. Cable wouldn’t be caught dead in Avengers Tower. Foolkiller doesn’t like Cable and how he’s a hard arse.
Avengers Tower. Deadpool is chatting with Vision. They are discussing Ulysses as he walks up. Deadpool doesn’t buy into the Inhuman’s powers.
J. Jonah Jameson is flying his own news helicopter and it states “Fact Channel News” whatever happened to the Daily Bugle? Peter starts Parker Industries (well, Doctor Octopus did, right?) and the Daily Bugle ceases to exist? I know Jameson became the major of the city at some point but that’s about all I know. Apparently Jameson is a big fan of Deadpool (does that make any sense?) and he still doesn’t like Deadpool.
Jameson refers to the Mercs as hirelings which upsets the hirelings. Terror (Inc) breaks the television. Agent Adsit (who I remember from the previous volume) is going back to SHIELD as he doesn’t want to be Deadpool’s agent any more.
Solo brings up how they should own their own business.
A little while later. Solo has created a website, as I guess mercenaries are okay to have websites promoting their illegal activities – in the Marvel Universe. Maybe it is on the Dark Internet.
Stingray mentions how they need to get start up capital. Cable walks in with an armful of money. Apparently Cable just goes back in time with the little amount of money he has and redeposits it into his banking account and lives off of the interest. He’s finally down to his last millions, in 2016.
Issue ends on a very funny note of Stingray offering to become Cable’s new Six Pack or New New Mutants. Cable wants nothing to do with these goons.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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 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.
This series is the sole title that bridges Secret Wars 2015 with the All New All Different Marvel. As in, it makes reference to Secret Wars 2015 that no other title is bothering with.
This issue promises to have The Collector and The Grandmaster versus Maestro and Punisher 2099 – Jake Gallows.
I’m not quite sure what happened in the other five issues as this issue reads like an origin story – which probably would have been good prior to the sixth issue but dems the breaks, I guess.
Will this issue finally reveal that the soulsword on Maestro’s back is Illyana’s? Let’s find out!
The Battlerealm. After the Secret Wars. Before the Contest. Maestro wakes up, he was left behind after Battleworld crumbled. He was confronted by The Elders of the Universe. They are – The Collector, The Runner, The Gardener, Father Time, The Explorer, The Trade, The Obliterator, the Astronomer and The Judicator. There are also – The Professor, The Champion and The Grandmaster. The only ones I recognize are The Collector, The Champion and The Collector. I suspect the other ones are madeup. The Judicator looks like Kid Gladiator.
The mutliverse did indeed die and was reborn. Now this new omniverse is full of potential. No one is sure how to divide the power. Typically, The Grandmaster proposes a Contest of Champions. I like how the Professor predicted that and is unimpressed with the suggestion. Each will pick a champion and whoever wins, gets all of the power.
Maestro promises to kill them all, so Collector picks him for his champion.
Mark is her Darkchylde persona but since she isn’t all red, I doubt she’s from the Inferno Secret Wars 2015 series. Though that would have made sense, if she was pulled from before she died. The contests were not “to the death” but that’s just how Maestro fights.
These fights only take place in these flashbacks, the fights prior to this issue are all overseen by Maestro. Punisher 2099 also fought to the death. On top of that, these two made it to the finals. The two start forming a plan. Grandmaster’s champion is Punisher 2099. The two final champions finally face off but Maestro refuses to fight. So now these two are going to pick their own champions and this apparently goes on and on until we get to the beginning of this series.
Maestro teleports to Grandmaster’s headquarters and four-and-a-half minutes later, has beaten the elder utterly. Now he has the bulk of the power, which they call ISO-sphere. Which is what they call the energy in Avengers Alliance, so is this a game related comic? I feel like I’ve seen Contest of Champions in the Google Play store.
I had no interest in it until I saw that Magik is a playable character. Since I stopped playing Avegners Alliance, I’ve been sort of looking for a new game to play. Does anyone know the fastest route to recruiting her? The game is 375MB and my phone is lousy with data, I really need to buy a SD card or something. Maybe one of these days.
Anyway, Maestro teleports to The Collector and defeats him. Now with the ISO-sphere complete, he becomes the God-King that Doctor Doom was during Secret Wars 2015.
Punisher 2099 starts getting the heroes in line, I guess he’s cool with being Deputy God-King.
Earth. The Triskelion. New York City. Issue ends with Black Panther’s Ultimates team now taking notice of Maestro. I imagine that this is leading to a crossover but I’m out until Magik gets another appearance or namechecked.
Not a bad issue but definitely feels like an outlier of the series instead of a typical issue. Of course, I could be wrong about that.
Correspondence with Champions, letters are from – Andrew J. Shaw, Challenger, Alex Martin, Joseph D. Urbick, Fernando Valencia, Chris Velayo of Manilla Philippines, Dan Tandarich and Naiajah. I do like this issue having two pages of letters. There is also a Marvel Games Team Spotlight, which is really worth reading as well.
So this is definitely a game tie-in comic and we still don’t the deal with the soulsword that Maestro has.
Another terrific Secret Wars 2015 miniseries, comes to an end.
Inferno. The Outer Boroughs. Darkchild is eating hot dogs, watching her demons wreck havoc. She’s pretty bored. N’astirh arrives with news.
I adore how much Darkchild isn’t dismayed that N’astirh is holding his head in his hands. He tells her that her brother is the one that beheaded him, and that he has her soulsword. The only news that fazes her is that Madelyn Pryor has tamed Bamfy, the deformed Nightcrawler.
Darkchild does like knowing that all of her enemies are united and down in the sewers.
The Sewers Beneath NYC. Sinister is trying to get people pumped. He has been stuck, for five years, in the sewers and he will not let Darkchild stop him from enjoying the surface. Sinister has faith in his clone army but Scott Summers points out how she defeated the vast number of X-Men, in minutes. Sinister wants to use Colossus and the soulsword, against Darkchild – the combination is most likely, Illyana’s only weakness.
While Sinister goes on, Madelyn relives her origins. Sinister and the X-Men will fight off the demons, as Colossus finds and fights his sister. Madelyn, not listening to any of this, charges at Sinister. She controls the Boom Boom Goblin hybrids and they start attacking Sinister. One of them attacks Havok.
With Sinister out of commission, Colossus and Domino reach out to Tabitha. Bamfy starts to take out the rest of the hybrids.
A giant battle occurs – X-Men v Demons v Goblins v Hybrids. It is chaos. Scott looks up, as things are about to get worst.
Darkchild has arrived to the battle. She has brought along another army of demons.
Colossus starts slashing away at demons, trying to lead Domino and Meltdown to safety.
Colossus is about to come out of the sewer, and his sister brings him up, the rest of the way. Darkchild really enjoys mocking her brother. He has committed to the fact that she is pure evil.
I really like the color contrast between the Rasputin siblings, Sotomayor does a great job here and with the entire issue.
Colossus finally gets enough courage to try to fight slash save his sister. He had to get angry enough but he is ready to attack her with her own sword. She plays a sinfully delightful mind trick on him, making him see her as the sweet snowflake that she use to be.
As Charlton Heston taught us, so many years ago – on Space Ghost Coast to Coast – thou shall not hesitate! As Colossus didn’t see that episode, Episode 53 – Dam – so he gets his chest ripped apart.
Domino isn’t going to just stand by and watch this happen.
Darkchild uses black magic, so she can make Colossus bleed. As he has never bled before, in his armor form – he rightfully freaks out.
Darkchild trips over some rumble and has fallen before her brother. He goes in for the killer strike, but she plays another mind trick on him.
Domino shouts to man up and slay the demon spawn.
Pretty great that Colossus even tries to go through with it, I’m sure it would be a moment that haunts him.
Darkchild parries and is straight prepared to murder her older brother.
Garron has really brought it this issue. Look at Colossus’ innards! This issue is pretty intense.
Domino is tired of watching her boyfriend get completely outmatched. Her guns have no effect on Darkchild. Domino gets to close and Darkchild is about to add two more dead X-Men, to her already impressive resume.
This is all the motivation Colossus needed and he cuts Darkchild straight down the middle!
Instead of seeing some innocent form, of Illyana, all that is on the ground is an empty husk. Now that Colossus’ burden of his sister, has been lifted, he shifts back to boyfriend mode with Domino. I really like these two together.
Tabitha breaks up the genuinely nice moment. Tabitha informs the couple that most of the X-Men are dead and the sewers are being overrun with demons.
Colossus hears a voice in his head, telling him that he may be able to teleport with the soulsword – which actually works. The trio are going to hop regions as they are okay with letting this region burn. Which goes back to my theory about living in a world that knows about alternate universes. If you have any slight thought that the world you live in, isn’t the real world – the stakes are always low. Especially if you can hop to other universes.
Later. Madelyn and her son, Nathan, arrive at Darkchild’s dead body. Darkchld had so much power, that hours later, she is still bleeding power. Nathan wonders where it is going. Madelyn steps into the flames and comes out, looking even better!
Shame this won’t go anywhere, except that I do believe she did appear in Secret Wars 2015 6, but in a more traditional Goblin Queen outfit.
I really like Sabino’s commitment to making their speech balloons are upside down, along with them. AoA Shadowcat and Peter Quill are blaming each other, for their present situation.
Gambit corrects them, they are both to blame. Gambit, correctly, assumes that Quill is Pryde’s sidekick. He denies, this, though he is willing to be Thor’s sidekick.
Gambit likes to remind Pryde of their time together in Higher Avalon. I like how he wants to put a Spider-Man mask, on her. They make references to the other domains, as they are in the know.
There is a huge KLANG and Gambit goes to investigate.
Shadowcat explains why she is powerless against Widget. When God Doom created Battleworld, he knew he would be having duplicated heroes. I guess he also figured they would eventfully meet and wanted to make sure that any fights, will have to be bad arse.
Look at those various Shadowcats! A teenage one, maybe from House of M. Ultimate Shadowcat. Black Queen, from Mutant X – so great! AoA Shadowcat, in the center, as she is the star of this series. Widget, from the Proper Marvel Universe or that one from the Uncanny X-Force storyline when they went to the Captain Britain Corps (Otherworld). issues 20 – 23. Proper Kitty Pryde, from the costume and the awesome Lockheed! Finally, there is a Tigra Shadowcat, which is pretty fun.
Quill gets a plan, since Widget is a Kitty Pryde, it should be attracted to him – so he starts a flirtmance.
He sings, as he always does, Once Upon A Dream – from Cinderella.
Thanks to YouTuber DisneyMusicVEVO for hosting the video.
It totally works and Widget and Quill kiss!
Gambit comes back, he couldn’t find anything except for a tacky white jacket.
Since it worked, Widget has let StarKat go. Shadowcat tries to stab Gambit, we are told more about the actual mission in Avalon. Gambit stole the Sword of the Knight Crawler (get it?) so that must be how he screwed her over. The knife she tried to use, was one of the Longshot knives so it bounces off of Gambit. It bounces from Gambit, off of Shadowcat, off the head of a statue of God Doom, nearly misses Widget and it slices Quill’s right arm.
What a fun and soft homage to Uncanny X-Men 141. At first, I didn’t think it was suppose to be that, but the posters of God Doom and Shadowcat’s outstretch arm, seals the deal.
God Doom appears and scares Gambit. I keep typing it “Gabmit” does anyone else do that?
With a nasty upper cut, Gambit is taken out. Shadowcat starts trying to explain the situation. I take it, that she deals more with Valeria, his daughter.
God Doom was really Fun Loving Drax, which I’m sure must be super illegal!
Later. Quill and Drax want to know what has been in the briefcase, this entire time. She reveals what it is . . . A tail! Quill instantly recognizes that it is his old pal, Rocket’s tail! Apparently, there is a rumor that Rocket’s tail is fake, if that makes any sense.
Twenty minutes later, Quill is still hugging the tail. Drax reveals that he left Gambit in front of a defaced God Doom poster, Doom Sux. The Thors arrive, the penalty for defiling the image of God Doom, with a typo, is . . . DEATH! I sort of love the concept of that rule book, with that cause in it.
Shadowcat wants the tail back. Quill, in a very touching moment, doesn’t want to depart with it. It is the only piece of home he has, plus of his friend, that he has seen in forever. Shadowcat can relate, as she isn’t home either. Quill tries to hand it over, but she lets him keep it.
Look how happy he is! This comic (and series) has been so great. Quill proceeds to try to ruin the moment.
Pryde can’t resist anymore, all of that disgust has turn around to attraction. He guesses at what it was, that turn her.
It was his puppy dog eyes. She does love that song, good thing Disney films are everywhere. Pryde leaves, stating that she hopes he doesn’t get himself killed.
Drax hears Quill’s real name, as he was using “Steve Rogers” as an alias. Drax knew he wasn’t a variant of Captain America, as Rogers has never had a singing voice.
Issue ends with the two guys joking, Quill wants an army of Rockets.
This has been one of the best series to come out of Secret Wars 2015. From the writing, to the art, to the coloring, the atmosphere has just been pure fun.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 