Dark X-Men #5

Spoiler alert for Dark X-Men #5. You may want to read the issue before reading this column.

This week saw the end of the Dark X-Men series, and I must admit this has been one of my favourite Dark Reign spin-offs. I was overjoyed to see the return of the X-Man, and I hope this isn’t the last we see of him, but his short term prospects do not appear great. In the future, I would love to see him teamed with Noh-Varr, they now have a lot in common, both screwed over by Osbourne, and both tasked with the defence of humanity on a global scale.

Still, even Nathan Summers was not the highlight of the series for me. Each of this characters (barring maybe Weapon Omega, although he shows promise) have been favourite characters of mine, and each of them have received an abject lesson in this story.

Mystique learns how she has quite clearly backed the wrong horse. Again. You would think she would have learnt by now, but her time as one of Xavier’s operatives and her many encounters with the X-Men seem to have taught her nothing. She leaves the series as owned by Osbourne as when she began.

The Mimic was given glimpses of the potential he could reach. If you happened to read Exiles, then we know what Calvin could be here in the real world, erm, I mean mainstream world (I must remember they are different. They are!). He needs to be put in a team where he can finally, well, grow a pair. Maybe Marvel should have him fall in love and either have a child or lose his partner in an Uncle Ben situation. After all, he could be up there with Nate Grey and Noh-Varr. But not while he remains the poster boy for depression.

Then again, more attention could be paid to his depression, he has been clinically diagnosed if I remember correctly, and that is story worthy in and of itself, but only in a team book. I don’t want Calvin to miraculously recover, it has to be believable else it denigrates the topic, but he needs to walk the path of the hero sometime. After all, we’ve only been waiting since the Sixties.

So Weapon Omega, Michael Pointer, is potentially the most important mutant on the face of the planet according to Nate? Now there’s a tidbit! However, what’s the chances that throwaway comment will disappear into the mists of obscurity?

I’ve not got a great deal to say about the Dark Beast, except how can you not love this character. He is the perfect corruption of everything Henry McCoy is, and long may he reign. He is a perfect sleeping threat, much like Mr Sinister under the shadow of Apocalypse was for so many years.

However, the very best insight has to be how, within the confines of Norman’s fractured mind, both Norman and the Goblin have made peace, and both support each other. We have seen this implied with his many conversations with his reflection over the years, but here we see something new. The Goblin acts in Norman’s interest, rather than simply his own. Has Norman finally found approval from his daddy issues?

Whatever the fate of Osbourne, this team needs to continue. After all they have the explosive chips inside of them in a true Suicide Squad tradition, so who would be the best person to take the reins? Valerie Cooper? Henry Peter Gyrich? Doom? Or maybe some new mover and shaker, taking up the mantle of the late Senator Kelly?

I sincerely hope this is not the last we have seen of this team.  They need a few more members, but they must not fade away, they have too much potential.  Are you listening Marvel?

Age Of Heroes #1

It looks like Marvel have been listening to me, and my love of the 8-page story format, as once the Dark Reign draws to a close in the Siege of Asgard, we launch into the Heroic Age. To celebrate this, Marvel will be launching an anthology title named Age Of Heroes in June, planned in the style of Nation X.

Woohoo! They listen! (I’ll totally ignore the fact that they have obviously been listening to my words precognitively, that would just burst my bubble, and I’m not sure I could stand up to that!)

So this is a tool to assist in the recalibration of the Marvel Universe into a brighter, happier, more positive place. About time one might say, having the deck stacked against the heroes makes for a good story, but it can’t last forever. As fans, we want a break as well, not just for the characters we know and love, but also for ourselves. After all, isn’t that the purpose of escapism?

Still, I worry for the titles future. It’s been a while since an anthology title had any longevity. The relaunch of Marvel Comics Presents didn’t last long, and the previous title, although a very healthy run, rather shot itself in the foot, with stories that were not of the highest quality, and failed to be character driven IMHO.

Mind you, with a team of writers like Kurt Busiek, Rick Remender, Paul Cornell, and Dan Slott and artists like Marko Djurdjevic, Chris Samnee and Leonard Kirk, this is something to really look forward to.

Right, what am I looking forward to this week? When I am starting with Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers Unleashed #1, I’m not sure the word recommendations can be taken seriously. But nonetheless, have you read the previous series? It’s great!

Otherwise – SWORD #5, The Mystic Hands Of Dr Strange #1, Twelve Spearhead #1, R.E.B.E.L.S #14 and Superman Last Stand Of Krypton #1, which shows the end of the New Krypton storyline is in sight.

New Mutants #9, it's not what it appears.

Well, now we have it, the explanation of who the current Magik/Illyana is, and we discover the 2.0 version we now see comes without added Illyana. She is simply the Dark Chylde, resurrected and abandoned by Belasco, and claims she has no soul, only the body and mind of the deceased sister of Colossus.

Which begs the question, why did she even return to the X-Men fold? This is put to her by Emma Frost, and somehow I would have thought this confrontation would be more dramatic, yet it is almost as if they are simply sharing a nice cup of tea together. Even stranger, that a young girl would have the upper hand over the former headmistress of the Massachusetts Academy. Yet when asked about her absence after she left San Francisco, Illyana reveals that she had been searching for years for her Blood Stones (fragments of her soul conjured by Belasco) and when she had returned to the team, she had travelled back in time. The smile on her face as she offered Emma a peek into her mind seemed so mischievous, and as Emma discovered that it would have been by her own hand that Legion would finally have been defeated and slain, but only after he had destroyed most of the X-Men, this demonic creation comes up smelling of roses.

While Emma is left shaken to her core. Oh, Kitty would have been so proud.

The other comics to read this week – Siege: Embedded #1, and to my surprise, Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #2.

Siege has finally kicked off, for which I am glad, because if I saw one more promo of it, then I would have been tempted to burn the lot of them. In the main story, even the President has finally realised that Norman is ‘out of control’. However, in the pages of Siege:Embedded, we see Ben Urich and an ex-colleague discover Volstagg and follow him for the story that will hopefully topple the new Osbourn empire.

What made the issue for me was the quick Glenn Beck parody, of a TV pundit whom Osbourn decided to recruit as he was so very positive about Norman’s policies. And I quote:

‘But this is a commercial break, and I need to be preparing for the next segment. I’m going to cry on camera. It takes some level of preparation.’

Bwah-ha-ha-ha! Absolutely priceless. Marvel, you are almost forgiven by that one act for your ‘Embrace Change’ flyers during election season.

My other recommendation of Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #2, gives an insight into the events of Blackest Night #6, and Diana’s battle with Mera, the former wife (and Queen) of Aquaman, and with the Black Ring itself. Of course, Diana gets some divine assistance, but it gives quite the insight into what is going on with the ‘resurrected’ characters forced to bear the ring. I didn’t like the ending of Blackest Night #6, I mean just how many people do we need wearing these rings? However, this story goes to somewhat justify that. However, I am beginning to think that this crossover is dragging on for too long, and I am relieved to see that Siege is only a mere four issues. So finally the end of the Dark Reign is in sight. Just in time for the evils of the Fault in Realm of Kings, or the Elder Gods as heralded by the Dark Chylde to arrive. Mayhap they will be one and the same (although I rather doubt it.)

Erm, am I a traitor if I root for Asgard?

X-Necrosha The Gathering One-Shot

Now this is a week where I wish the major companies had sorted out their digital offerings, as my bank manager would balk at this weeks delivery.

Nation X starts this week, as part of the X-Necrosha crossover, joined by X-Necrosha: Gathering One Shot. And the regular issue of Deadpool.

Realm Of Kings is being a little more gentle, with only the second issue of Imperial Guard.

Zombie Watch is also busy this week, with Blackest Night crossovers in Adventure Comics #5, Booster Gold #27, Doom Patrol #5 and REBELS #11.

Ouch.

Of course, this is not counting the various Dark Reign themed tie-ins. Now don’t get me wrong, on a story level I am loving these, and it is only natural that to Big Two compete with respective crossovers of their own. But three crossovers, just at one company? That’s too much.

Now as fans we have admired the connections between titles for years. It was that very web of associations that attracted me to comics in the first place, but boy, do I miss the era of single issue stories. It’s tempting to defect totally to the Marvel Adventures line.

I remember in the mid-nineties when I ran my own shop the cost of paper spiralled some 300% in an unbelievably short period of time. Environmental considerations aside, this is an expensive hobby.

I’ve often thought that the very ‘shape’ of comics (like that of the study of history or politics) mirrors the form of the internet. In this new age of technology, surely those of us who wish to dispense with paper, or even just make room for an expanding family, deserve an alternative. Especially one that doesn’t break the bank, or criminalise someone. The comic companies have not yet followed the example of the RIAA or the MPAA with regards file-sharing, but it is only a matter of time. They need to realise that this would be a very profitable market. After all, we do we buy the comics?

We’re hooked, that’s why. Now if they offered digital product there’s lower production costs, no printing companies to pay, and nigh on infinite product.

Which would make it so much simpler to follow these huge crossovers.

Thunderbolts #137, Not zombies, honest guv

Thunderbolts is not a title that I have been reading regularly since it renumbered itself, however after picking up the last three issues, I may have to change that.

In the latest issue (#137), there was none of the original cast that I remember (although they have featured in previous issues), but nor did I care. However, if you are an old-time fan of the duo Power Man and Iron Fist, this is an issue not to be missed. The cover headline states they are joining the Thunderbolts, however they look more like refugees from Marvel Zombies.

I don’t want to give away the entire plot of the issue, but suffice to say that Norman Osbourne arranges for the capture and brainwashing of Danny Rand, in order to turn him into a weapon against Luke Cage, for revenge over something I obviously missed happening. (There’s only so many comics even I can read!). This tests their friendship and teamwork to the limit. Well, briefly.

The other ‘Bolts I am psyched about are the Ant-Man and Paladin. Now I have always liked Paladin ever since he dated Janet van Dyne back in the late eighties and also worked with Captain America for a while (in the Superia Strategem, oh how I loved Mark Gruenwald’s stories) and I feel he is a character who deserves a lot more attention and detail. I have still to find it in these pages however, but it seems everyone gets their turn. I’m even liking the Ghost!

As for Ant-Man, he is successful in escaping Osbourne’s clutches, but the escape route he has to take? Euuwwwww! I’m not gonna spoil that one for you, just don’t read this issue while you are eating.

Tomorrow, Zombie Watch begins again, with the climax of Blackest Night: Titans, Green Lantern #47 and Blackest Night #4 hitting the stands. I can’t wait!

Siege #1 cover, released in January

In January, Osbourne launches the Siege Of Asgard, with a central series and numerous tie-ins, the seeds of which have apparently already been laid. I think I need to go read my Thor issues. I rather hope that this will be more poignant that the Dark Reign:The List issues, which so far have been little more than amusing stories of Normans failure.

It’s nice to know there is light at the end of the tunnel, but that light won’t be dawning until at least April, as Siege is a four issue series. However, today’s release of Dark Reign: The List Avengers is included in the Road To Siege Hardcover, so I think that this will be one not to miss.

With the upcoming Necrosha, and Nation X, and the already commencing Realm Of Kings, it looks like the age of the uber-story is here for the duration. Great for continuity freaks like myself, but not so easy on the wallet. I hope once the dust settles from the Dark Reign, Marvel will allow each series freedom to pursue their own plotlines, but the solicitations don’t yet seem to reveal the threat posed by Adam Magus, the new, evil form of Adam Warlock. If they are paying homage to the original timeline of Jim Starlin’s Warlock, then I feel that may yet be waiting in the wings.

So in comparison, Blackest Night is certainly cheaper, but certainly not lower quality. And January’s solicitations have revealed what I knew! Nekron is the big, big bad. The only release this week is Blackest Night:Superman #3, I only hope this series in it’s final issue manages to be as relevant as the excellent Blackest Night: Batman.

My other recommendation for today? Zenescope’s Escape From Wonderland #2. If you haven’t picked any of this series up so far, you have missed a treat. The Wonderland they portray is even more twisted than in the original novels, and if you like your classic stories with a twist, this is the one for you.

Dark Reign: The Hood #4

Not a lot released this week on the Big Two’s events. Blackest Night – Superman #1, the conclusion of the Dark Reign: Mr Negative mini and the penultimate issue of Dark Reign: The Hood.

I have to comment that the first two really didn’t grab me a lot. In Blackest Night – Superman we see the resurrection of various characters, Zor-El as I had hoped for, and a pair that really surprised me, the original Earth-2 Superman Kal-L and his wife Lois. Now there was a couple that I had hoped were truly laid to rest. I wasn’t happy with how they were used in Infinite Crisis, and even less so now. However, I suppose this did raise the feeling of moral outrage that accompanies the horror of the main series.

Other than that, very little appeared to happen in the issue, but then it was just another set-up issue. We could have spent a little more time on New Krypton, but then I suppose other than Zor-El, very few people have died there yet. It will be nice to see Alura realise that what is in the interests of Earth may easily be in the interests of New Krypton as well.

The Mr Negative mini was okay, but it had the feeling of a back up strip. It was nice to see Betty Brant in the foreground, as I have said before I do not often read Spider-Man, so most of this series was lost on me I think.

The gem for me has to be Dark Reign: The Hood, where we see Parker Robbins basically keeping his minions happy while also concentrating on the welfare of his family. The White Fang sub-plot moves along as the Fang in her civilian guise meets Mrs Robbins, and did I mention Satana is back? YAY!

Another thought before I go, I’m worried about the Justice League. Previously when we have had a League fall apart storyline, it has always led to dire times, not just for the league but for the readers as well. Despite the quality of Justice League: Cry For Justice (which I am really enjoying, I mean Starman Mikaal? Congorilla? What’s not to like?), I hope the main League resolves its issues promptly. The current storyline is okay, but not as great as the previous Star-Breaker/Milestone epic, but even as the writers attempt to turn the Royal Flush Gang into a credible threat, I don’t want okay from the League, I want Great! With a Capital G.

So it looks like out of this weeks comics that I have read so far, once more I will ‘Make Mine Marvel’, but only by default. Looks like I need to turn to the Indies for some inspiration.

Dark X-Men TheBeginning 2 cover

When Cloak and Dagger were revealed as members of the (Dark) X-Men, my initial reaction was ‘Huh?’

They are favourite characters of mine, and have been ever since their first appearance all those years ago in the Spider Man titles. In fact, they soon became my main reason for reading the Spider-Man titles, I never had much time for Peter at that age, not that I have a great deal now. (A story has to be highly recommended for me to dig it out of the back issue bins.)

However, despite one encounter with four of the New Mutants back in an old Marvel team-Up annual, and maybe the big face off with the Beyonder at the culmination of the second Secret Wars where both they and the X-Men were present, our duo have never had a great deal to do with the Marvel mutant community.

And working for Osbourne? I had assumed that the talents of Emma Frost would be required to reel them into his clutches in the first place. It didn’t gel with me, despite being visually striking. Like his recruiting of Psionex and the Force Of Nature into the Initiative program, it just seemed like a random decision, played out mainly to give the story some background colour.

Boy was I wrong.

Dark X-Men – The Beginning #2 started off with the story of exactly how Tandy and Tyrone ended up in Norman’s latest team. It is believable, very realistic (well, as realistic as one can get in a world of mutants, thunder gods and aliens), and true to their character. The pair, led as ever by Dagger walk reluctantly into an offer that is too good for them to refuse, mainly government support in their own war against drugs. Cloak as ever is appalled and rebellious, but even he cannot deny what Osbourne dangles before them.

Of course now they are in Emma Frost’s tender care, but I wonder at just how much she would be able to dominate Cloak, as even his mind seems to exist within the Dark Dimension. But it would be great to see them enter into the X-Universe full time, the pair have been skirting comic book limbo for far too long.

There are a few questions that still need answering however. Unless I have missed a major storyline somewhere, how is it that the pair are back together again. The last I remember was that they had had a fall out and parted ways. Still, I suppose Cloak will always be drawn back to Dagger, as she remains the only one that can assuage the hunger of the darkness within his cloak. A true symbol of addiction, as caused by the drugs they make war upon.

Now if you are unfamiliar with the pair, then I have a recommendation for you from your local back issue bins. The second series of Strange Tales (1987-88) was 18 issues split between Doctor Strange and our duo, both very good stories in my eyes and well worth digging out.

So, here’s hoping we get to see a lot more of Cloak and Dagger in the future.

(One word of apology, this looks to have been uploaded late as it floated in the system and should have come out last week.  I must have had a brain lapse.  Oops.)

So much attention has been paid to the Blackest Night and it’s prequel the Sinestro Corps War, that it has been easy to forget that Marvel have also been having a big cosmic crossover. And it rocks.

I’ve been as guilty as anyone, I admit. However I started reading comics with Marvel, and I have been blown away with their recent space sagas. Both Annihilation and Annihilation: Conquest, great epics on their own, have set the scene for the current War Of Kings. And let’s face it, everyone who is anyone on the cosmic scene has been in these, even the most obscure of characters, from Paibok the Power Skrull to Stellaris the Celestial Slayer.

We’ve seen the Inhumans finally grasp the destiny for which they were designed, as the Royal Family adopt the Kree Empire as their ward. The third Summers brother Vulcan launches the Shi’ar into an expansionist phase, and the new Guardians Of The Galaxy stuck in the middle.

(SPOILER ALERT – READ NO FURTHER IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE SERIES BUT PLAN TO.)

Lilandra has now been assassinated. And the culprit Darkhawk.

I have always liked Lilandra, and this one will echo for years if she stays dead, there seems to be nobody to take her place. I for one will miss her.

As for Darkhawk, I always thought he was a character with a lot of potential, and in the capable hands of Dan Abnett this has been realised. This week we have seen the final issue of War Of Kings: Ascension, and Dan has managed to completely revamp the character without contradicting any of his previous history. Christopher Powell has now had the ‘Nova-treatment’ and is finally a force to be reckoned with.

Elsewhere in the MU, Doctor Doom has had a great increase of power, in a story that many may have missed, what with Dark Reign and the War Of Kings hogging the spotlight. Spiralling out of the Marvel 1985 series (and somewhat justifying it), he was apparently slain by the Marquis Of Death, a future version of Clyde Wyncham, the reality altering first mutant of an alternate earth, sent back to the time of the dinosaurs and worked his way forward again step by step. Considering the next issue of the FF continues on from their Dark Reign mini, I hope we will see more of this new uber-Doom. After all, Norman Osbourne will not know how much his ally has changed.

So there’s my recommendations for this week – War Of Kings:Ascension #4 and Fantastic Four #569.

So Captain America is alive again. Or will be. Or was somewhen and is coming back.

Who does he think he is? Jean Grey?

Actually I love the idea of the bullet locking his body in time and space at the point of his apparent death, causing him to come unstuck from the normal flow of time. Though how that causes his awareness to bounce around his personal timeline, well, I’m not sold on that yet, but I suppose it will enable him to leave messages for his teammates in the future. I’ll have a double helping of Deus Ex Machina please, hold the Exiles. We don’t want Cap working with the dirty mutants, just because he may be ‘unstuck in time’.

Despite the fact that I honestly think Cap could have stayed dead for a lot longer than this IMHO. Still it serves to balance what I have seen as a symbolic deficit with Marvel.

Now I’ve stated that the Secret Invasion issues were weak, concentrating on action at the expense characterisation in the main series. However, the story itself was a good one, as indeed is Dark Reign.

But come on. The ‘Embrace Change’ flyers going out during the Democratic Primaries and during the US election itself? Followed by the Dark Reign? Hell no, can’t read any symbolism there.

That’s either very clever (and nasty) marketing, or someone has a very evil sense of humour. So, Obama’s not the Anti-Christ after all, he’s a Skrull! (The fact that Stan Lee was a contributor to Hilary Clintons campaign has nothing to do with it all.)

Politics not withstanding, the Dark Reign storyline is proceeding along nicely, giving us looks into various dark corners of the Marvel universe. It’s good to see Dormannu taking a hand in earthly politics though the Hood. But what is really rocking my boat is Emma Frosts involvement in the Cabal.

We are led to believe that Emma has finally shown her true colours. However, as with anything to do with the White Queen, I truly doubt it is as simple as that. The Dark Avengers/X-Men Utopia-X crossover, coupled with the new ‘Dark’ X-Men series finally promises to do what only the Decimation did, and finally change the face of mutant politics.

I’m holding out for the hope that Emma is still on the side of the angels. After all her agenda has never been that far from Xaviers, protect mutanity at all costs.

Still, we’ll just have to wait and see.