Writer Brian Michael Bendis

Pencils Billy Tan

Inks Matt Banning

Colors Justin Ponsor

Lettering RS & ComiCraft’s Albert Deschesne & Jimmy Betancourt

Cover Art Billy Tan, Matt Banning and Jason Keith

Cover Dated July 2009

Search for the Sorcerer Supreme, Part Three of Four

I feel like, at this point, my time with Bendis’ was fading away as I was just feeling disconnected from it.

After Secret Invasion, Tony Stark was no longer in control of SHIELD.  Instead Norman Osborn was, so that’s how we are in the Dark Reign era.  Osborn rebranded SHIELD to HAMMER.  The Avengers are on the run and are living in BuckyCap’s safe house in Brooklyn.  During World War Hulk, Doctor Strange overtaxed himself trying to stop the Hulk.  He hasn’t been seen since then.  He’s been looking for his replacement.  I was excited at the aspect of Magik being a shot at the title but that was clearly never going to happen.  I do get the feeling that Bendis has been trying to correct that ever since.  Meanwhile, Dormammu has chosen the criminal, The Hood, to also seek out who the new Sorcerer Supreme is.  Last issue, in New Orleans, The Hood shot Daimon Hellstrom.

New Orleans.  We get some classic Bendis dialogue in the Quinjet.  Hawkeye, who is dressed in his Ronin gear, as we’re at that point in history.  Clint can’t land the Quinjet as all of the rooftops have air condition units on them.  Spider-Man tries to talk to Luke Cage about Jessica Jones’ confession about how much she loved Peter back in high school.

New Avengers 51

That happened in New Avengers 51.  I don’t own issue 52 but do own 54, but we’ll review that issue some other day in the future.

Spider-Man jokes that he will stay away from Jessica, as he respects the institution of marriage.  Since Luke is with Jessica now, that leaves Iron Fist available so Spider-Man si going to check on him.  Luke does not take kindly to this.

The other Avengers are – Spider-Woman, Captain Marvel (Carol, who may be still Ms. Marvel at this point), BuckyCap and Wolverine.

The Eye of Agamotto shows the candidates for the next Sorcerer Supreme.  We see that Magik is in the running, but that’s a false promise.

The Eye of Agamotto disappears, as it may have found the next Sorcerer Supreme.

Madame Masque blows the Quinjet out of the sky.  Wolverine jumps out and attempts to attack her but she unleashes so many bullets at him.  Spider-Man swings by and saves Wolverine.  Spider-Woman gets close enough to start fighting Madame Masque.  I like how the fight is done in a middle of smoke, very fancy.  BuckyCap throws his not-as-mighty shield and Spider-Woman kicks Madame Masque off the rooftop.

Clint updates Strange that the Hood is in town, as Hood is dating Madam Masque.  Strange is concern as that means Hood could have killed the next Sorcerer Supreme and taken the Eye for himself.

Five Minutes Ago.  Daimon Hellstrom’s New Orleans Apartment.  Turns out, bullets don’t hurt Daimon Hellstrom, as he’s the flipping son of Satan, himself! Daimon doesn’t want to talk to Hood, instead he rather Dormammu speak directly to him.  The Eye appears before both of them and disappears immediately.

There is a full page house ad Runaways 11, One will Live Again by Kathryn Immonen & Sara Pichelli with covers by David LaFuente, coming June 2009.

There is another house ad for Captain America 600, Girl Without A World.

BuckyCap starts handing commands.  He tries to give Spider-Man a gun but he doesn’t want one, no one wants guns.  This confuses BuckyCap, and he really wants to stop being called “BuckyCap.”

Hellstrom and Hood’s fight breaks out in the streets, that are now on fire.  Dormammu has taken over Hood’s body, so he’s like 95 percent demon now.

Carol and Spider-Man catch up to Madame Masque, who has a nice lady at gunpoint.  Carol is giving Whitney until the count of three but then Whitney starts counting to three as well.  Spider-Man offers that everyone should be counting to a hundred.

There is an house ad for Skaar, Son of Hulk 12, by Greg Pak, Ron Lim and Dan Panosian.  Covers by Ed Mcguinness.  Planet Skaar, Father vs Son.

BuckyCap head shots Whitney, but her mask takes the blunt of it.  For some reason, Spider-Woman isn’t wearing her mask.  Spider-Man hates guns.  Down the street, a giant explosion occurs.  Strange is confused, if both Hood and Daimon don’t have the Eye, then who has it?

Last page gives us the answer – Jericho Druhm, Brudder Voodoo, is the new Sorcerer Supreme!  It won’t last that long.