Fantastic Four #8-9: Herald Of Doom pts III-IV

HERALD OF DOOM pts III-IV

Written by Dan Slott
Penciled by Aaron Kuder
Published Mar 27-Apr 24, 2019

   While Dr. Doom continues to siphon power from Galactus, the Fantastic Four is held in various brutal torture chambers. Meanwhile Franklin and Val are getting tired of waiting for word. But as Doom addresses the world, Reed reveals a secret plan. Using a recurring power spike, they free themselves and Sue embarrassingly makes Doom's armor disappear in front of a worldwide audience.

Susan... SUSAN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!

   One by one they escape their cells. Reed uses an exploded Doombot to hack into the Latverian network, turning his Big Bang cannons into vacuums to free Galactus. He returns to space, but back home, Franklin and Val have problems of their own. On the run from tiny demons, the two use the new teleporter they've built to send the demons to Doomville while subsequently returning their parents back to Aunt Petunias. Trouble looms in Latveria but the Fantastic Four are all safe and sound... At least until next month when War Of The Realms begins. But at least for the time being, this story arc comes to an end.

Hooooray!

   So obviously I've talked Dan Slott up a great deal since his departure from Amazing Spider-Man. But to say that he's being underused in the World's Greatest Comic Magazine is a bit of an understatement. This certainly isn't Brian Michael Bendis's Victor Von Doom, but he's playing his part in this series sorta like he always has. This series is kind of in neutral, but honestly I expect it to ramp up dramatically in a month or so. What can a Dan Slott 'War Of The Realms' tie in look like? We'll see soon. But for this story, I give it a 7/10.

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Fantastic Four #8
Fantastic Four #9


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Daredevil #3-5: Know Fear III-V

KNOW FEAR pts III-V

Written by Chip Zdarsky
Penciled by Marco Checchetto
Published Mar 27, Apr 17, and May 15, 2019

   After being shot by former Chicago turned NYPD Detective Cole North, Daredevil uses everything he's got to escape only to later fight him while being badly injured. Eventually the Man Without Fear is in cuffs, but New York's finest refuse to perp walk him. Suddenly gunfire erupts. And Daredevil has been saved by... The Punisher?

"You're safe and sound back here in 1955..."

   As he begins to come to, he watches Frank Castle beating one of The Owl's restrained goons for information. Finally seeing Daredevil actually kill someone, Castle sees him as a kindred spirit. While the two vigilante's trade insults, the fight soon turns lethal. After blowing up the secret hideout, Daredevil delivers the Punisher to the hood of a police car while Cole, realizing that even Hell's Kitchen is more crooked than the Windy City, gets a congratulatory phone call from the Kingpin. 

Because only the BEST cops get phone calls from the Kingpin. Right?

   Using the Punisher's information on Owlsley, Daredevil raids the mobsters safehouse wearing the merc's familiar skull emblem. But still hurt, he's quickly outmanned. While the fight spills out across the city, he finds himself going down when he's rescued by the Defenders. Waking up again in a patched up state, the conversation turns surreal as he finds out he and all his superhero consorts are occasional accidental murderers. He takes off and finds himself on the run once again.

Aw crap - We're all murderers!

   The story ends back at his apartment with Spider-Man being able to sneak up on him way too easily.  The webslinger feels for him, and confides in him that accidents happen in their line of work - even to him. But this version of Daredevil is wreckless, and it's time to stop. Matt removes his cowl and hands it to Spider-Man. It's over. But what happens next? We'll have to wait to find out in "No Devils. Only God" coming up next.

You need an extra mask?

   So it seems every writer who ever pens a Daredevil story deals with this. Matt comes to terms with being the devil every couple of years. But in a city with Wilson Fisk as mayor, and now with what could or could not be innocent blood on his hands, this could be a different Daredevil than we've ever seen before. Chip Zdarsky has my attention, and I'll follow the Man Without Fear wherever it takes me, but this story feels just a little like I've heard it before. Still - when you've been around since 1964, some tales probably get spun a handful of times. I give this one an 8/10.

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Daredevil #3
Daredevil #4
Daredevil #5

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Amazing Spider-Man #17-23: Hunted

HUNTED

Written by Nick Spencer
Penciled by Humberto Ramos, Gerardo Sandoval and Ryan Ottley
Published Mar 13 to Jun 12, 2019

   For all the characters who didn't get a sizable War Of The Realms tie in, Marvel worked overtime to make sure their readers still had quite an opportunity to blow their comic book money. This time, Nick Spencer gets his first major multi-book arc and it most definitely didn't disappoint. This is the Nerdiest Kid You Know's review of Amazing Spider-Man #17-23: Hunted..

Kraven usually walks around like this.

    So Kraven's back, even though he never really left. And this time he's brought his own cloned, psychopathic son to help map out his next homicidal adventure. Thanks to kidnapping the Lizard's son Billy, as well as the Black Cat, he's lured his favorite target in to help. Spider-Man is captured after trying to save them. But as he wakes up in his favorite retro-black spidersuit, he finds some not so friendly faces waiting to attack.

"Hey dudes. Long time no.. um.. LOOK OUT!"

   It's not long before they're all on the run from some bio-mech Kraven hunting humanoids. It seems the elusive Arcade has helped Kraven arrange a gigantic robot hunt for the rich. Their targets? The most expendable spidervillains the Marvel universe has ever seen. Even once Kraven ally Black Ant is thrown into the foray -  care of Taskmaster. And worst of all for Peter Parker, the hallucinations of Mary Jane Watson being tortured and in pain continue to flare up.

This is Spider-Man's brain on drugs. Any questions?

   Eventually Black Ant levels with Spider-Man and explains to him what the true situation is. As he plans his return to Kraven's home base, the Lizard has a plan of his own. Meanwhile, Kraven Jr can't stand idly by while these rich jerks get to hunt for sport. He takes off to enact his revenge. But little does he know, he too is a pawn in his father's greatest hunt. As it turns out, the unsuspecting customers are the real targets, and in the wild of Central Park, the Vulture is on the hunter's side.

So the Vulture is a liar?! Who could have ever foreseen this?!

   Kraven captures Spider-Man and presents him with a Sophie's Choice. Dr Curt Connors stands before him and their key to freedom is unleashing the Lizard. But once he goes there, there's no going back. The uncontrolled beast bounds into the woods while Kraven explains to the webslinger his final hunt.

"Goodbye, Spidey..."

   It seems Kraven's only escape from life is to be killed by the Spider. Of course though, Pete could never do such a thing. Although he does his best to bait the web head, it's all for naught. Finally the hunter figures out another way. Using a dummy spidersuit, he's able to trick his own son into fighting what he thinks is Spider-Man to the death. But it turns out to be Kraven. 

Sorry. The answer is "Yes."

   In his final act of defiance, the hunter pens a long note to his killer. And as the Avengers round up the both the supervillains on the outside, and the super rich poachers on the inside, Spider-Man races home to check on MJ. She's safe. Billy Connors is safe. All is well in midtown and Hunted finally comes to an end with the Kraven clone donning his father's lion vest. There's a new villain in town but this story arc drifts to it's final conclusion.

Kraven v.2.0

   So with a few  thoughts on this story, there's no doubt to me that Nick Spencer is equal to or as good of an author in this series as his predecessor Dan Slott was. Obviously one to check the archives, Spencer pulled as many D-list villains out of the woodwork as Tom King did with Batman a few years ago. Seeing the Gibbon, White Rabbit, Frog Man, Man Bull, 8 Ball - it's just as bizarre as Kite Man was in that recent Joker storyline. But if anything I can take away here, it's that Spidey is clearly on an amazing incline. I give this story a 10/10.

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Amazing Spider-Man #17
Amazing Spider-Man #18
Amazing Spider-Man #19
Amazing Spider-Man #20
Amazing Spider-Man #21
Amazing Spider-Man #22
Amazing Spider-Man #23

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Uncanny X-Men #14-16: This Is Forever

THIS IS FOREVER pts IV-VI

Written by Matthew Rosenberg
Penciled by Salvador Larocca

Published in Issues #14-16
Mar 20, April 3, and April 17, 2019

   As the This is Forever storyline finally wraps, it leaves a lot more questions than answers. But that's nothing really new in the X-world. Matthew Rosenberg has proved it in this series that he's not afraid to experiment with auxiliary X-Men and he definitely proves it here. This is the Nerdiest Kid You Know's review of Uncanny X-Men #14-16: This Is Forever pts 4-6.

   Cyclops has been getting intel that the MLF is reforming. But still dealing with the Warlock virus affecting a few of his teammates, it's one of many battle fronts the X-Men have to deal with. First off, the Morlocks need a new home. Scott Summers wastes no time installing them in the new Chernayan wasteland recently liberated by the Punisher. But before they can celebrate a tiny victory, Captain America shows up to ruin the fun.

Oh good - it's Captain NO FUN!

   It seems the MLF has finally mobilized. At a campaign rally, they are able to assassinate a politician who works to hurt mutantkind. Luckily the X-Men are there to capture them, and although Cyclops loses an eye, Wolverine is able to nearly stab Hope Summers to death... and somehow talk her into rejoining the team.. I guess. 

This is how Wolverine recruits X-Men.

   More good news. Dark Beast heals the X-ladies infected with the Transmode virus at the expense of a Jamie Madrox clone. On the heels of yet another victory however, Cyclops announces he's stepping down as leader. Because if there's one thing he's good at besides leading the X-Men, he's good at quitting being the leader of the X-Men.

Cyke: Quitting since '83.

   Meanwhile, Wolfsbane leaves the team as well. And it comes at a rather bad time. Magneto and his new brotherhood attack a Transian air force base. But just as the fun gets started, they dislodge his helmet and figure out he's a clone. Either way, his time is short as he's decapitated by a Japanese speaking Psylocke But if that wasn't enough, Moonstar is able to quickly psychically deduce that somewher far far away, Wolfsbane is dead. So what can this mean? We'll have to wait to find out as this story concludes and the next, We Have Always Been, begins in issue #17.

"I know something you don't know!!! Somehow..."

   So with some final thoughts on this story, I really love the places that Matthew Rosenberg has been able to take this one. Some writers clearly want to get out of the sandbox with the same old boring X-characters, and using a group of old New Mutants, plus Havok, Dark Beast, Multiple Man - it's clear that he's up for telling new stories. Although he throws out IMF and Brotherhood retreads from time to time, the fact he's willing to expand in other directions is far more promising. I give this story an overall 8/10.

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Venom #12

THE ABYSS pt IV

Written by Donny Cates
Penciled by Joshua Cassara
Published Mar 20, 2019

   While Eddie continues to allow the Maker to pry his symbiote away, we learn more about he and Dylan's origins. Eventually the alien is able to overcome the evil Reed Richard's tests and escapes. In a last act of defiance, it frees Dylan from Carl, aka Eddie's father. After channeling a meeting between the two, it deposits Carl in the middle of nowhere and saves Dylan and Eddie - but what happens to the symbiote? Donny Cates continues to shed some brilliant light on these characters right before War of the Realms. I give this one a 9/10.

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Thor #11

THE EVE OF WAR

Written by Jason Aaron
Penciled by Lee Garbett
Published Mar 20, 2019

   As the War of the Realms prepares for kickoff, Thor and his mother Lady Freyja spend some time bonding over trying to get Mjolnir back. Later they sprint across Midguard in an attempt to save the world from natural disasters, no doubt due to Malekith's trail of destruction. But as the Asguardians ready themselves for war, we learn that former Thor Jane Foster is now cancer free, that the Valkyries plan to fight alongside their warrior counterparts, and that Loki still sits riddled with guilt. But it also reveals the dark elves just about to step through the portal. Jason Aaron and guest artist Lee Garbett remind us of the good times right before the real spoils of war. I give this one an 8/10.

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Star Wars #62-67: The Scourging Of Shu-Torun

THE SCOURGING OF SHU-TORUN

Written by Kieron Gillen
Penciled by Angel Unzueta and Andrea Broccardo
Published in issues #62-67
March 6 to June 19, 2019

   Fresh off the events of the Escape (56-61), Kieron Gillen pens his final Star Wars masterpiece for Marvel and lucky for us, it's one of the best arcs I've read this year. Princess Leia and the rebels have been teasing some kind of retribution against Queen Trios for awhile now, and since Gillen's leaving the title was no secret, you kind of expected he'd save the best for last. This is the Nerdiest Kid You Know's review of Star Wars #62-67: The Scourging Of Shu-Torun.

Leia means business, yo.

   Since Gillen got his Star Wars start in the pages of Darth Vader, Shu-Torun has been a long standing subject you had to know he'd revisit. The mining planet's Vader appointed ruler Queen Trios was once seen as one of Leia's allies, but since her double crossing of the rebels at the battle of Mon Cala, they'd always sought revenge. This time her plan included recruiting a shape shifting actor name Tunga, the Rogue One famous Partisans - plus their leader Benthic, and an engineer named Meorti. 

The gang's all here.

   At a party, Tunga shapeshits into an ore-duke and is able to scan Trios' eye. With that retina scan, Leia is able to lower the shields surrounding the planet and it's powerful centerpiece, the Spike. Luke Skywalker and Benthic are able to enter it via the Millennium Falcon, but Benthic's hatred of the Empire and what they did to Jedha leads him to try and destroy the planet completely.

"Check out this rad earring, your majesty... NO, NO... YOU HAVE TO REEEEALLLY LOOK AT IT!..."

   Eventually Trios is able to catch up to Leia and they finally get the duel we've been waiting for about 15 issues for. Apparently the princess is some kind of ninja master as well, and is able to mortally wound the Queen when they all suddenly realize the Spike is going to explode. Although down below he surface, Luke and eventually Leia was able to change Benthic's mind but it was too late. The mining rich planet is done for.

Sorry but I have to kill you.

   With revenge in hand for her fleet's destruction, Leia and the rebels are able to escape. Meanwhile, Commander Kanchar is forced to explain to Vader his failure to kill the fab four, which of course leads to his execution since the sith lord wants his children kept alive. With that, and of course along with a tearful note on his departure, Kieron Gillen's last Star Wars arc draws to a close.

Ok, everyone gather around this really convenient shot of us getting on the Falcon.

   So with some final thoughts on this story, I'm going to miss Gillen's attention to detail. Since way back in issue #38 when he came to this title, his stories have been nothing less than impressive. Using characters introduced in not only the original trilogy, he also created far more that seamlessly fit the Star Wars canon. I know that Marvel has had a long relationship with Lucasfilm since way before Disney owned both of them, but it's so awesome to see this title allowed to flourish with the same attention to quality that they've had together since 1977. With Marvel vets Greg Pak and Phil Noto set to inherit the series next month, I have no doubt they'll be able to keep the quality up - and can't wait to see what they have in store for that galaxy far, far away. I give the Scourging of Shu-Torun a well deserved 10/10.

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Star Wars #62
Star Wars #63
Star Wars #64
Star Wars #65
Star Wars #66
Star Wars #67

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