Thor #12-14: War of the Realms

WAR OF THE REALMS

Written by Jason Aaron
Penciled by Mike Del Mundo and Scot Hepburn
Published April - June 2019

   While the War of the Realms raged in it's own miniseries, Jason Aaron continued the side action in the pages of Thor in three distinct issues. The first of which details just what went on in Loki's head after being eaten by his father, Laufey.

   Inside his own mind, Thor's adopted brother is visited by three different versions of himself. One much older, who shows him a past where Malekith is just an innocent boy. Another vision of where Loki is a spoiled child and finally one where he is corrupted by the Venom-formed necrogod. But either way, the story concludes with him still floating inside the frost giant's stomach.. and obviously he has to find a way out.

   The next story is the ballad of Cul Borsen. Once destined to be the king of Asgard, he was eventually bested by his brother Odin and at one point died. Regardless he eventually returned to life and now is undercover to find out about Malekith's black bifrost. In this issue, he eventually learns its secrets but then dies saving the slave children of the elves. In the end, his name inspires a rallying cry.

   Finally, Thor #14 begins many years in the past with a young Thor unworthy of lifting Mjolnir. He's soon visited by the Fantastic Four, whom in a bid to stop Malekith have united several Thors from different timelines. They charge into battle to fight the dark elf whom is now joined with the Knull symbiote. Between King Thor giving him advice, the youngest of them is able to feel every striking blow. It ends with his mother being threatened, sending the young god into a rage but now worthy to lift the hammer while the war goes on.

  So although these three stories weren't necessarily related, they all furthered the backstory of the War of the Realms and I think did a pretty good job of doing so. I'm obviously not a huge fan of Mike Del Mundo's artwork but his style is definitely fitting of this kind of story. He draws epic landscapes and features and here it just works. And even though Jason Aaron was actually writing the 6 part series, he didn't take anything away from the regular series he's worked on for so long, and it certainly shows here. I give these books a 10/10.

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

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Thor #12
Thor #13
Thor #14

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Miles Morales: Spider-Man #5-7

Written by Saladin Ahmed

Penciled by Javier Garron
Published April - June 2019

   While getting a second of downtime, the fight intensifies for Spider-Man again. This time, he interrupts Tombstone's Harlem crew from trying to muscle into Brooklyn. Between having some serious issues with his girlfriend Barbara, the web head gets another shot to break up another fight - and this time it leads him right to Tombstone's hideout. Taking them out is far too easy, but Spidey finally meets his match when all new vigilante Super Heroine Starling shows up, and she's looking for Tombstone just as eagerly.

   After figuring they're both on the same side... kinda.. it turns out Starling is from Detroit. And let's just say her crime fighting methods are a bit more extreme than Spidey's. After yet again getting mixed messages from Barb, Spider-Man heads for Tombstone's hideout. There he again runs into Starling, but this time they're forced to deal with the man himself.

   She gets the upperhand and flies the gangster straight up to drop him to his death. Miles can't let that happen, so he hitches a ride. Forcing her to make a Sophie's choice, he webs himself together with Tombstone, convincing her to save the two of them. After the police show up to take him away, the two heroes chat. It turns out she's the granddaughter of famed villain Adrian Toomes, aka the Vulture. Their chemistry vibes pretty well but he still can't out his secret identity.

   Miles heads for Uncle Aaron's pad to get the scoop on why Tombey had his picture in his desk. The former Iron Spider explains he'd been recruited for Lonnie's gang war but he declined. Before long, he hears an explosion and he and bombshell quickly diffuse the apparent rogue terminator drone. With the problem solved, Miles hustles to brunch with his folks. Before long they drop the news - Spider-Man is soon to be a big brother.

   Still reeling from the news, he walks back to the library for a study session. Problem is that he never makes it there. A futuristic, ghostly and floating spider-droid kidnaps him. But what does it want with Brooklyn's favorite son? We'll have to wait till next time to find out as this issue is left to be continued.

   You know, it seems like forever that i've waited for Ahmed's control of Bendis's greatest invention to spiral downward, but it just doesn't seem like it's happening. There's plenty of opportunities to stack plot points all over Miles but he manages to keep them simple. And I appreciate that. As far as a monthly book, this creative team keeps most of the stories bound into single our double issue arcs and that's something I've really learned to appreciate of late. I don't know what else they have in store for him, but one thing is for sure - I'm definitely along for the ride. I give this story a 9/10.

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

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Miles Morales: Spider-Man #5
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #6
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #7

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Guardians of the Galaxy #4-6

THE FINAL GAUNTLET pts IV-VI

Written by Donny Cates
Penciled by Geoff Shaw
Published April-June 2019

   The Guardians land on Half World and immediately find Gamora, who after a quick fight, acquiesces to flee with them on the run from Eros. Nova soon finds them but unfortunately leads Gladiator and the Dark Guardians right to them. The fight between the two factions is brutal, and ends with Peter Quill lying unconscious in the dirt.

Oh get up, you big baby...

   When he comes to, Gamora has been taken. But luckily Beta Ray Bill has an ace up his sleeve. Lockjaw from the Inhumans is summoned and before long, their group is once again energized. They'll have to hurry though. Gladiator tries to carry out Gamora's death sentence but is interrupted by Thanos' boyfriend, Hela. Now learning that the entire search for his daughter was just a trail of breadcrumbs to find Eros, it's he that turns out to be the hidden Mad Titan's personality.

"GRAAHHH!" - Eros, 2019.

   Once again reunited with Gamora, the Guardians storm Knowhere. As Frank Castle finds himself in real hell, Gamora makes a break for Eros, stabbing her uncle in the back and stopping the transfer of Thanos' conscience into his old body. With the mad titan now only half complete, Hela fires a black hole cannon at Beta Ray, who reflects it back at Thanos' body.

Even being dead, people still wanna take Thanos shots.

   With Lockjaw racing to save the Guardians, the celestial's head explodes - stranding Hela and the Black Order to float into space. Meanwhile the team does it's best to relax. Inviting them all to join the squad, everyone's on board but Gladiator and Nova. They discuss the next order of business being to find Rocket, but we'll have to wait.. because this storyline, The Final Gauntlet - is over.

Ok Rock-Dogg - it's your turn!

   So It only took a few issues to get the team back in some semblance of shape. Groot is still able to talk. Plus Moondragon and Phyla being involved makes it a nice throwback to some previous Guardian iterations. Just got to find Rocket and maybe Cosmo and we're in business. And I think one of those guys... er raccoons is just around the corner. For this one though, I give it a 9/10.

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

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Guardians of the Galaxy #4
Guardians of the Galaxy #5
Guardians of the Galaxy #6

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The Punisher #10-11

WAR IN BAGALIA pts V-VI

Written by Matthew Rosenberg
Penciled by Szymon Kudranski
Published April-May 2019

   It’s been a long time coming, but the Punisher has finally made his way into Bagalia to take out Baron Zemo. Meanwhile the Baron makes one more bid to rig some international contracts but the explosions rattling the city makes it difficult to take him seriously. 

   He makes a last ditch effort to deploy Jigsaw to stop his old nemesis but the battle slowly surges out of his favor. With the Punisher gaining on all of them, Jigsaw reveals the ace up his sleeve. Sister mercy is dragged to death behind his motorcycle, which obviously only enrages the vigilante. With news that Zemo has cut and run, Frank abandons his fight with Jigsaw and races for the plane.

   They take off in retreat but the pilot notices some drag. Realizing it's clearly the Punisher who is scaling the aircraft, Baron Zemo calls on all Bagalia Hydra Air Control to fire on the plane. Unfortunately they never get the chance. He dumps the plane in the ocean and ejects, with Castle still onboard.

   The issue ends with Hydra rescuing their leader, later giving orders to head for New York. But where is the Punisher? As his familiar skull logo floats among the wreckage, we're forced to wait until next issue to see just what his next move will be.

   So as the War In Bagalia comes to an end, the War on The Streets heats up. I'm a little surprised the Punisher didn't take out Jigsaw for what he did to the sister but I guess that should truly speak to just how badly he hates Zemo. As usual, Matthew Rosenberg takes a simple title and makes it a little more layered, though the banal seek-and-destroy of every Punisher mission still remains. I like where it's still heading, and give these last 2 books of this story arc an 8/10.

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

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The Punisher #10
The Punisher #11

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