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Tomorrow sees the release of Guardians Of The Galaxy and Nova, as we begin the build-up to the Realm Of Kings event. Excited about the return of the Magus, I went back to read his first appearance back in Strange Tales Volume 1 #178 – 181, and I aim to read the rest of story in Warlock #9-15 later. These were reprinted shortly after the time of the Infinity Gauntlet if I recall correctly as the Original Warlock, so you should be able to find the back issues cheap.

Back in the War Of Kings, Phyla-Vell was instructed to slay the Champion of Life at the precise moment she became aware of his identity, and thus was born Adam Magus. The original Magus too was destined to be the Champion of Life, engineered by Master Order and Lord Chaos to battle Thanos, the worshipper of Death.

Thus was Jim Starlins original story, full of big concepts and grandiose titles, seventies sci-fi at its metaphysical best. But our characters have grown since then, Thanos abandoned his love of death, only to finally receive her embrace back in Annihilation. The Magus was the champion of Oblivion when he faced Genis Vell in Peter Davids excellent Captain Marvel series. The one thing you can guarantee is the incestuous nature of the Magus history, born by the actions of the woman whose brother and father were his sworn enemies.

And of course, there is the soul fragment called the Magus who now exists as a phantom in the Soul Gem, it’s whereabouts last seen in Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers. Of course the Magus of the Infinity War was merely that, a subconscious fragment, and has no bearing or relation to the original Magus or this new Adam Magus, who may or may not be the same being. In fact by birth, they are the same being, they all are, but in a universe where the timeline diverges at eth drop of a sonic screwdriver, who’s to say if they remain the same being or not.

So where could this lead? The Thanosi, clones of Thanos created to pursue his agenda way back when, believe themselves to be followers of Death, or at least a warped view of her. Who now will be the Champion of Life? Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen.

Personally, my money is on Rocket Raccoon!

Guardians of the Galaxy #17 Cover

I have to eat my words.

I haven’t read any of this weeks comics yet, but I have caught up with what I missed last week. Specifically the latest issues of Nova and Guardians Of The Galaxy, among others.

What did I say about no clear ending to the War Of Kings? Well, for me, that ending was reached in GOTG #17. Since it has been on the stands for a week, I think I am free to reveal that…….

The Magus is back. With the full force of the Universal Church of Truth behind him. Now that is a biggie, and one that I really look forward to echoing around the universe.

We see how the legacy of Mar-Vell has sunk to even greater depths, and Phyla-Vell reveals just what her bargain with Oblivion was, when she rescued her lover Moondragon. I think Phyla here far outshines Moonie in terms of heartlessness. She slays Adam Warlock mere seconds after he contains the Fault, revealing that she was told to slay the avatar of life, and she would know when to act.

Meanwhile, the great Cosmic Fault is prevented from expanding, but is not in the slightest sealed. Half of the team is trapped in a future seconds away from destruction, a future that is no longer the future of the Marvel universe, as it has been replaced with a timeline that nobody was using.

The timeline of the Magus.

Now this is what I wanted to see, and I think it deserved a special all of its own, rather than being tucked away in the GOTG title. This is the real consequence of the War Of Kings, and promises far grander stories in the future. In fact, this one event justifies the excellent build up that the War provided.

Just like elements of the Kingdom Come storyline have crept into the JSA over in the DC universe, here is another example of a long abandoned alternate future creeping back into continuity. This is a good choice as well, and I think Dan Abnett et al are the perfect creative team to pull this off.

For an older comics fan like myself, this is a total geekgasm.

On an incidental note? Pick up last weeks Fantastic Four if you haven’t already, there looks to be some good developments there. It looks to me like Reed is about to take over the world. Still, if anyone ca wrest control away from Norman Osbourne, Reed is the man.

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.