Immortal Hulk #16-17

Written by Al Ewing

Penciled by Joe Bennett
Published April- May 2019

   At Shadow base B, General Fortean watches as the scientists drizzle gamma over Rick Jones' corpse. Meanwhile, Jackie McGee gets a new assignment - to track down what happened at Bruce Banner's wife's house. She arrives to do some investigating, as a reanimated Betty Ross Banner, aka Harpy, secretly stands watch.

Marvel Execs, 1968: "You can make Betty a Hulk, but we already have a She-Hulk. So you have to make her a bird hulk."

   In New Mexico, Banner and Doc excavate the site where Hulk came to. But with nightfall, big green emerges and not a second too soon. The two are forced to fight off some gamma monsters while Fortean launches phase II - lights illuminate the complex and Hulk... unhulks.

Excuse me, Doc, while I melt all over the floor.

   Now vulnerable, Bushwaker attacks, seemingly killing Doc Samson while a wounded Banner slinks away. The only problem for him though is that the light has transitioned Banner into his grey hulk counterpart's personality, Joe Fixit. With now a much stronger disposition, “Joe” is able to fight back. He fights his way into the computer’s control room and overrides the power dampeners. But does he make it in time?

Well, good thing he's a hulk.

   Bushwhacker rounds the corner and pumps him full of lead but the damage is already done. The lights intensify and eventually turn into full on Gamma. Banner aka Joe becomes super, mega Hulk. But he’s gonna have his hands full. Rick Jones’ body has mutated into an abomination? And I’m sure a mega fight is just around the corner? What’ll happen next? We’ll have to wait until the next issue to find out.

Gross.

   So the interesting thing about this series is that it never ends. The story line goes on and on and on.  No arcs. It’s just one continued story like Walking Dead. Or Batman. There’s pros and cons to that but overall, I think it’s a plus. This is a monthly book so there’s no overdoing it. Plus seeing from the awards this series has been picking up, the critics seem to like it too. I give this little run they’re on a 10/10.   

If you like this review, check out my video of it HERE.

You can also buy my physical copy of this book below:

Immortal Hulk #16
Immortal Hulk #17

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War Of The Realms #1-6

WAR OF THE REALMS 

Written by Jason Aaron
Penciled by Russell Dauterman
Published April-July 2019

    This epic 6 issue foray isn't necessarily Jason Aaron's first charge into space opera. After all, he had a pretty long turn on the Star Wars wheel after stints with Wolverine and Ghost Rider. Still, some of his greatest work has been on the god of thunder himself, Thor. Between making Odinson unworthy to wield Mjolnir, he also gave us Jane Foster's long run with the mantle. But although Asgard has seen it's fair share of war and turmoil under his watch, this is basically the culmination of everything he sought to do with the two of them in the first place. 

   Malekith has finally brought the battle to Midguard after vanquishing the other 9 realms. Probably one of the greatest run Aaron helmed was the long tales of destruction of all the others, now it's time to bring the fight home while we sorta Thor-out everyone in the Marvel universe. Obviously we need Spider-Man in a Valkyrie helmet, we need Daredevil manning the bi-frost, and we need Captain America and Wolverine on flying horseback. I mean, why not. It's cool.

   Unfortunately for some, there's sacrifices. Loki is eaten by his real father, only to later carve himself out of the frost giant. Cul Borsen fights to the death, and Brunnhilde loses her head. But thanks to a tenacious defense from Earth's mightiest heroes, the Agents of Wakanda, supernatural, vibranium forged suits of Iron Man armor, and an entire army of Thors, the forces are able to eventually overcome.

   The series ends with Malekith being torn apart by gnarly viking dragon tigers, Thor able to pick up a brand new Mjolnir, Jane Foster being named the new Valkyrie and Odin bowing before his son, the new All Father, Thor. And with that, plus about a million more tie in issues, this storyarc finally drifts to a close.

   So with a mega-crossover event in the books, Marvel is probably going to sit on their laurels and mail it in, right? Not so fast. With Venom and Spider-Man set to face off with Carnage, the X-Men gearing up for a 12 issue mini-series to wrap Uncanny up, and all new Loki and Jane Foster books, the summer of 2019 is ending on a high note. As for the War of the Realms - really what was not to love. It was long. It was epic. And for what it's worth, all my hopes and dreams were tidied up for Thor thanks to incredible story telling from Jason Aaron and moderate-to-ok artwork from Russell Dauterman. I didn't love it all, but I loved enough of it and I'm kinda glad it's finally over. I give this series an 8/10.

If you like this review, check out my video of it HERE.

You can also buy my physical copy of this book below:

War of the Realms #1
War of the Realms #2
War of the Realms #3
War of the Realms #4
War of the Realms #5
War of the Realms #6

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Major X #1-6

MAJOR X

Written by Rob Liefeld
Penciled by Rob Liefeld, Brent Peeples, and Whilce Portacio
Published April - June 2019

   Somewhere between the end of the New Mutants and the formation of X-Force, a mysterious time traveler named Major X arrives with his future Beast looking companion and explains to Cable that they're in grave danger. A magical mutant haven dimension known as the X-istance has crumbled apart, and he needs to find the X-Men before it's too late.

Nice to meet you. Now I'm gonna beat you up.

   Before long, a shoulder-pad wearing, Deadpool-alternate named Dreadpool appears. He's been sent to kill the Major and anyone who stands to aid in his mission. Between fighting Major X, M'Koy, Cable, X-Force and Wolverine, we learn the Major is actually Cable's son from the future - Alexander Nathaniel Summers.

But where's that glowing eye thing?

   He explains to them that the X-istance was formed by the X-ential, shortly before the Catalyst brought devastation and ruin to all mutantkind. Through the portals, he also took all of the Atlanteans, but their living conditions in the dimension are slowly poisoning them all to death. Attempting to stop Namor from destroying the X-istance, Cable and Major X timeslide to Cable's underwater armory but are nearly killed before they can transport back.

Back to the Future!

   Having retrieved some time-traveling assistance from his father, they leap to the Watchtower to protect the X-ential from his Atlantean assassins. Instead they meet Dreadpool and the Scourge, and after a long battle are finally captured by the Administrator. Shortly after, Namor's agents apear and it's a three way battle as Major X eventually flees with the mutant savior to Genosha.

Don't worry - they won't bite... much.

   Once there, and standing amidst hundreds of deactivated Sentinels, the X-ential makes contact with Aura - his protege. He announces he is dying, but his essence will be transferred. As his body fades ala Jedi robe dropping, we soon discover it is into Aura. The refuge is short however, and the Administrator soon arrives to the battle but is quickly felled by Aura and her now legions of operable Sentinels.

Well dang - you should have turned those things loose a while ago.

   Back at Atlantis, Namor knows his last chance is to kill Major X-s mother before the mutant can ever be born to protect the X-ential. He sets his sights on the present - to take out the X-Men and Nathan's someday mother to be - Storm. Before long, Namor's leviathan attacks... but Aura feels a imminent change. With no time to lose, an aged Cable and Deadpool arrive from a portal and take out the once again attacking Dreadpool.

BoomBoom!

    The series ends with a super powerful Aura able to send the Leviathan back to the sea, and capturing an enraged Namor to be later judged before an X-istance tribunal. She fades from the future with her prisoner, and the Major says his goodbyes to his future mother after turning down an offer to join the X-Men. They all walk through the portal, and with that, the future timeline for mutant paradise is saved - and this storyarc comes to a final close.

He was compelled to join the X-Men but time travel is much more fun,

   So reading some reviews on this one, some folks were less than impressed with Rob Liefeld's attempts at a cheap nostalgia grab. I however thought completely differently. If anything, this series rests is a perfect companion piece to New Mutants 98-100 and X-Force 1-2. The artwork is clean and crisp, the story is coherent and rich, and the characters are intricately developed. There was some strange inclusions of Wolverine... and the Dreadpool thing was a little unnecessary - but who cares? That's just what makes it that much more awesome. I give this one a 9/10.

If you like this review, check out my video of it HERE.

You can also buy my physical copy of this book below:

Major X #1
Major X #2
Major X #3
Major X #4
Major X #5
Major X #6

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