Cable #156-157

PAST FEARS pts II and III

Written by Lonnie Nadler and Zac Thompson
Penciled by German Peralta
Covers by Daniel Warren Johnson
Published April 18 and May 16, 2018

   Cable and a young and depressed Hope Summers walk through the Wastelands when she spots some vagrants. Starving, she takes some offered food but when it turns out to be an attempted kidnapping, Cable blows some heads off. Eventually the baddies get the upper hand but Bishop, unluckily manages to find them.
   Outside, Cable knocks out the future X-Man and they make a run for it. The next morning, he trains her to shoot and he tells her about his parents. They search for supplies when Cable's arm flares up with the technovirus. Metus appears again, this time in the form of Wolverine. Cable blasts him just as Bishop again catches up to them. The monster wrangles them both, taking Bishop's form. Attempting to run away with Hope, Bishop blasts him before Metus absorbs him via his cybernetic arm and they bodyslide away.
   Years previous, an unconscious Nate Gray timeslides into Cable's lab. When he awakens, the technobeast again tracks them down, but Nate is too weak to fight him. With things getting dangerous, the two of them time jump to the end of time, where several different era Cable's have been gathered..
   Cable tells them about Metus and how they have to find him. They all talk strategy with the surliest one accusing Nate of being the monster. He leaves to get some rest, but is later consumed by the monster. They copies that are left are asked to prove they all have telekinesis to prove they're real. But once unrest is sowed again, the beast begins pulling the remaining clones in - one by one.
   The issue wraps with Cable strangely protecting Metus from Nate. As he lowers his pistol and prepares for a final shot, Cable allows the monster to flee. Nate tells his half brother that a time will come where'll have to deal with him... but Cable explains that time is not now. With that, they timeslide to another place - but we'll have to wait to find out what's next, as this issue is left to be continued.
   Like a lot of readers, I was concerned Ed Brisson leaving this book would know it back a peg, but these rookie writers have clearly shown they know everything that's supposed to be in a Cable book. These tales remarkably give off those old school X-Force vibes and I really like where they're taking things. I give these two a 9/10.

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Batman #45-46

THE GIFT pts I and II

Written by Tom King
Penciled by Tony S Daniel
Covers by Daniel Morley and Tony Daniel
Published April 18 and May 2, 2018

   In a freakish alternate Gotham timeline, Booster Gold meddles as scores of Bruce's associates live in an anarchic state ruled by President Cobblepot. Several "jokers" apparently terrorize people incessantly, a problem which Jason Todd works to solve. But either way, Booster is looking for Batman so he can deliver him a wedding gift. He finds him numerous times, but using facial recognition, Skeets announces that this Batman is actually Dick Grayson. 

Bat-Wrong!

   In this world, Thomas and Martha Wayne are sill alive. Booster finds them all and explains to Bruce that in other timelines, he's marrying Catwoman. But his gift essentially shows him a reality he never got to experience... the only problem is that all hell broke loose. Bruce loses it and smashes Skeets, walking back to his party.

How you like this shit?!

   A year goes by and still stuck in this alternative future, Booster breaks Selina out of Arkham. Meanwhile, Thomas and Bruce talk business before the elder Wayne collapses. Booster works to reach an obviously far more psychotic Catwoman while Martha and Bruce wait at the hospital for news on Thomas. Finally the doctor walks out and he has good news.

The good news, your dad will live. The bad news - he has a shitty doctor.

   Meanwhile, super hardcore, gun-toting Batman Dick Grayson tries to blow Booster and Selina away. They make a run for it, hatching a plan to introduce Bruce to his missed love interest. They break into the mansion and clearly to everyone’s surprise, Catwoman immediately murders Alfred. Thomas screams that he was part of the plot to keep Selina in jail, resulting in his too being clawed to death.

Hardcore Cat 2.0

   Batman shoots Catwoman and bombs Booster but is attacked by Selina. He manages to shoot her again but in the crossfire, Bruce guns down his own mother as well as Dick Grayson. With everyone dead and lying in pools of blood, Bruce howls in anguish as Booster wonders how he saved the world... What’s gonna happen next? We’re left to find out as this issue is left to be continued. 

   I want to hate DC comics so badly. With the lack of free digital downloads, they’re clearly losing ground to the house of ideas. But one thing that just seems to never change is this book. And what a book it is. Tom King has got to be the greatest comic book writer in the industry at the moment and I don’t think he can be overtaken. Even with Brian Michael Bendis now in the office, game better recognize game. This book is on top. I give it a 10/10.

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Amazing Spider-Man #799

GO DOWN SWINGING pt III

Written by Dan Slott
Penciled by Stuart Immonen
Cover by Alex Ross
Published April 18, 2018

   With Pete being both injured as well as promising the Red Goblin he wouldn't interfere, he's assembled a spider-team via comms. Meanwhile Liz reveals to Harry that their missing kids are microchipped, as well as an apologetic Jonah telling Pete he gave the Goblin his secret identity.
   At the Port Authority, Liz and Harry catch up with Emma just as Norman surprises them all. He reveals that Emma is actually Emily Osborne - Harry's long thought dead mother. Suddenly Clash and Human Torch attack, but are immediately taken out after they fail to damage the Goblin. Silk and Miles Morales are equally cut down.
  Luckily, Anti-Venom attacks, harming the Carnage symbiote. But he chooses instead to save the injured others. As a hurt Spider-Man swings to the action, Flash is cut down. As Pete arrives, Anti-Venom uses all the power he has left to heal Spidey just as Liz and Harry flee with their boys. Norman is able to catch up with them, and swipes young Normie from his grasps. The issue wraps with a now demonically carnage infected Grandfather and grandson ready to enact revenge. What happens next? We'll have to wait to find out as this issue is left to be continued.
   So you may have noticed I'm combining some books to review just to clear out my backlog. Sometimes it's impossible to do, and luckily Amazing Spider-Man just so happens to suffer from that. It's chocked full of action, with almost never ending surprises and plot twists. As Dan Slott's swan song approaches, he's certainly saved some of the best for last. I give this one a 10/10.

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X-Men Red #3-4

THE HATE MACHINE pts III and IV

Written by Tom Taylor
Penciled by Mahmud Asrar
Covers by Travis Charest
Published April 11 and May 16, 2018

   In the middle of the night, Cassandra Nova breaks into the X-Mansion and doses Storm with a test tube, uttering a mission to protect Wakanda. Meanwhile in India, the X-Men fight a sentinel. Suddenly Trinary is able to completely control the machine. Later she identifies a part of the robot that hates mutants, a directive similarly inside the nearby protesting humans.

Down, boy.

   They fly the sentinel to Wakanda as Gambit deals with other mutant protesters in Louisiana. As the machine closes in, they see Storm who strikes them all down with a bolt of lightning. In the water, Jean is able to tell that Storm is being controlled just like the protesters

Jean figured it out.

   Jean faces off with the now mutant hating Storm. Scrambling her mind's mission, she falls to the ground and tries to end her own life with lightning before Gentle expands over her, protecting her. Jean explains to Black Panther that their injured need urgent medical attention.

Wakanda just gives, gives, gives and people take, take, take...

   Jean uses Black Panther and Trinary and removes the nanite controlling Storm. Later they examine the tiny controller, determining it could end the mutant race. They decide to recon in Atlantis and seek Namor's help. Using Wakandan technology, they don suits to block the sentinel nanites, announcing the underwater hideout as their first new mutant nation.

Namor is like "Wait - we need to talk about this.."

   The issue wraps with Cassandra Nova showing off her nanites to various world leaders. With Forge working under her control, she demonstrates by one of the newly infected leaders killing a closeted mutant guard. What happens next? We'll have to wait as this issue is left to be continued.

Never trust a big butt and a smile...

   With Tom Taylor slowly recovering from All New Wolverine's cancellation, he's managed to save the characters by spinning them off into an X book. This could only help, as there's just too many characters in the franchise looking for regular appearances.  This book started off slow but it's slightly gaining ground, and I'm starting to look a little forward to it. I give these two an improved 7/10.

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X-Men Blue #25-26

CRY HAVOK pts III and IV

Written by Cullen Bunn
Penciled by Jorge Molina and RB Silva
Covers by Jorge Molina and Mike Choi
Published Apr 11 and Apr 25, 2018

  As Polaris breaks free from Malice’s control, she promises aid to Gazing Nightshade and her Raksha. Meanwhile Magneto refuses Havok’s offer, pointing out his allies are no real friends to mutants. They attack him with all the power of their secondary mutations. Taxing him to the breaking point, he doses on his own hidden vial of mothervine and escapes.

BINGO!

   Back at the infirmary, Jimmy and Bloodstorm return with Xorn. Daken and Briar Raleigh equally walk up the stoop, later to be joined by an injured Magneto. Watching the mothervine bombs drop around the world, Briar reveals to him the new team of X-Men she’s assembled.

Look what I did, Dad!

   Out in deep space, a powerless Danger drifts with the four remaining time displaced X-Men aboard. They work on the ship to return home, while back on Earth, the mothervine bombs begin affecting humans and mutants coast to coast. The new X-Men attack the sentinels sent to help on Havok’s behalf, but with nobody alive to interrogate, they wait for the killer robots to call for backup.

GOOD/[NOT GOOD]

   Xorn works to control former Acolyte Unuscione but her new secondary mutation makes her unstable. The rest of the new X-Men try to calm down the new mutants, but suddenly their approaching aircraft explodes, littering the city with debris. Scores of the newly mutated rise and fight the X-Men...

It sure is a good thing the X-Men have 10,000 Blackbirds.

   The issue wraps as Miss Sinister reveals Havok's plan. The mothervine not only works to create mutants, but also for this new collective to control them. Emma argues with Alex that this wasn't what she signed for. Meanwhile at the infirmary, the Mauraders arrive unannounced as Magneto has to defend home base. Problem is that they're not alone. The Mothervine mutants close in on them as well... What's left to happen next? We'll have to wait to find out as this story arc is left to be continued.

"We came as soon as we heard..."

   As this series is now the longest tenured current X-book, Cullen Bunn still proves that he's one of the best at his craft. X-Men Blue has dipped at times but rarely strays from everything you want in a book like this. it's well written and these two books are filled with beautiful artwork. I'm excited about where this is headed. I give these two a 9/10.

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Despicable Deadpool #298-299

THE MARVEL UNIVERSE KILLS DEADPOOL pt II and III

Written by Gerry Duggan
Penciled by Mike Hawthorne
Covers by Mike Hawthorne
Published Apr 11 and Apr 25, 2018

   Deadpool battles against a myriad of criminals trying to claim the twenty million dollar bounty on him, including both Juggernaut and the Taskmaster, until eventually being run over by Bullseye in a New York Taxi. 

Yes! The Tathmather!

   Finally knocked out, Taskie and Bullseyet bring the merc to their secret lair where he explains to them that he's the one that levied the bounty on himself in the first place. After finding out the truth, they realize killing him only gives him what he wants, so they decline.

Meh, it ain't worth it...

   Meanwhile, Maria Hill consults with her Deadpool taskforce when a heavily bandaged Hawkeye walks in. Problem is the real Hawkeyes are right behind him. They corner him on a rooftop, and after trading a few blows, he reveals a few of the good deeds he did during Secret Empire amid the awful ones he did at the behest of Evil Cap.  

I did some nice things too...

   Elsewhere, former Avengers accountant turned Nova commander Scott Adsit learns about Coulson and Preston's death - and heads back to earth to avenge them.

Bad news when even the nerds want in.

   The issue wraps with the non-evil Captain America greeting an old, recently re-animated friend. Under the sheet recovering, Agent Emily Preston rises from the dead. With plans to seek out Deadpool for one final time, it looks like Wade may finally be out of time. We'll have to wait to find out though, as this series coasts to an amazing conclusion.

Well, Shiklah is DEFINITELY hotter at this point...

   On the twilight of Gerry Duggan's legendary Deadpool run, there's not a lot for me to say other than how much this book will miss him. I picked up this book with low expectations so long ago, and though it's rarely irritated me, it usually left me wanting more. I can't wait to see how they wrap this one up... I give these a 10/10.

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Old Man Logan #38

MOVING TARGET pt II

Written my Ed Brisson
Penciled by Dalibor Talajic
Cover by Mike Deodato Jr
Published March 28, 2018

   In Mayor Fisk's office, he laments Bullseye was careless in his fight with Logan. Meanwhile, Bullseye removes the flash drive from Sarah's PC while she tries to bribe him. Back on the streets, Logan is in pain but hopes he bought Sarah enough time to escape. Suddenly he's recognized. The mutant crazed crowd chases him but he disappears.

"Hey, that's Wolverine!"

   Back in the apartment, Sarah is getting nowhere with Bullseye and starts shooting, missing with each shot. He flings a plate at her and makes his escape with the drive. He leaps from her apartment and finds a car to hijack outside.

BINGO!

   A bleeding Sarah meets Logan in her hallway, explaining that Bullseye was able to get the drive. He tells her to go to the hospital and leaves out in search of Bullsye. Meanwhile Bullseye calls Fisk to tell him he was able to get the drive. Not paying attention, Logan leaps into his windshield. He demands the drive and drops a few threats in the process. Getting him on the ground, Bullseye is in trouble but passes out before Logan can get any more answers.

Hey, wake up!

   Logan drags his unconscious body to Kingpin’s office, who later has his guards stand down so they can have a conversation. Logan holds up the drive, asking him what’s so important on the drive that he’d have people killed for it. Fisk tells him to pop the drive in his PC and reveals it’s all just pictures of he and his wife Vanessa in happier times.

See? BORING!!!

   Logan is enraged, telling Fisk he isn’t allowed to kill people for things like this. Later he punches his claws into the Kingpin’s desk, who bargains with him. He’ll allow Sarah Dewey to live a happy life in exchange for walking away. Frustrated, Logan leaves. Sometime, somewhere, somehow Fisk will screw up. He goes to check on Sarah and tells her that she has a lot to live for. With that, this issue is left to be continued.

Dude doesn't like hospitals.

   Ed Brisson is still doing some amazing work but this series is sorta hitting a skid. I know they can’t all be winners all the time, but it just seems a character like Logan is too complex to just be facing random baddies like Bullseye and a resurrected Mariko. With Young Man Logan returning, it’s only fitting his older counterpart should be part of his reemergence. Brisson has shown that he’s better than this. Hopefully he digs a little deeper in the coming issues. I give this one a 7/10.

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