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.   

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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.

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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.

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

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Champions #4

BEAT THE DEVIL pt IV

Written by Jim Zub
Penciled by Steven Cummings
Published Apr 3, 2019

   Ms Marvel catches up with Spider-Man in Dubai, who explains that he and Brawn made a deal with Mephisto to bring her and Viv back from the dead. It triggers her to nearly quit the team but not to be outdone, Myles quits first.

NO! I QUIT FIRST!

   Meanwhile Kaldera continues her vengeance mission on the now powerless Sam Alexander. Possessed with rage, she lashes out at all of the Champions until they're eventually able to capture her. After learning that he's just a regular guy without his helmet, the assassin agrees to take Sam back to the Nova Corps to get it back. So she can kill him at full strength.... Right?

Scoot over, little meat.

   The issue ends with Mephisto relishing Miles' torment and laughing with his forever tortured son, Blackheart.. But what does this mean for our heroes? We'll have to wait to find out as this issue is left to be continued.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA! I'M IN ALLLL THE MARVEL COMICS NOW!"

   So this is the last Champions before the War Of The Realms kicks off, and hopefully that will be thr shot in the arm this series needs. I love Jim Zub, and to be honest, I don't know if he ever let me down.. but to say he's mailing it in here would be an understatement. Let's hope he manages to put it together soon... because for this issue, I give it a disappointing 6/10.

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Deadpool #10-12: Good Night

GOOD NIGHT

Written by Skottie Young
Penciled by Scott Hepburn
Published Mar - May 2019

   Deadpool has been having some bad luck lately. Someone seems to be fleecing every job he picks up, leaving a calling card reading "Good Night" at the scene of every hit. Using Hydra Bob as a decoy, he finally meets his adversary. The massive figure appears and subsequently tears every single bone out of Deadpool's body.

Deadpool hanging out like a Chicken McNugget

  It turns out that years back, Wade assassinated the man's parents. Later, a hooded figure appeared and promised the boy revenge... but at a cost. He took the rap for the murder, and at several times in his life, is cast through various time portals which eventually harden him into a super powerful warrior. To complete his training, he's cast into hell and forced to battle his demons one final time. But as he monologues, Wade heals. And suddenly their fight proceeds to spill throughout town with a vengeance.

Pah-YOW!

   Although he manages to put up a fight, Deadpool finally finds himself at his complete and total end. He begs for death, but the hooded figure appears and shuts his demonic minion down. It's revealed that the once-dead weapons dealer Weasel has somehow been resurrected, and with Mephisto's help, he seeks to show Wade a pain that would rival anything he as able to put others through. The issue ends with a sad Ellie looking at images of a news story of her father while Mephisto and Weasel look on, but it, this story arc comes to a sad close.

That's messed up, bruh.

   Back when Gerry Duggan was at the helm of this book, it took a while to hook me but when he finally did, I doubted anyone would come close again. When it was relaunched under Skottie Young, it was about as surface and banal as anything I'd ever seen Deadpool get, but I agreed to give it time and boy, am I glad I did. With only a dozen issues under his belt, Young is building some depth to his version of such an iconic character. I'm finally firmly onboard and can't wait to see where the future takes him. I give this story a 9/10.

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

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Deadpool #10
Deadpool #11
Deadpool #12

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Captain America #7-12: Captain Of Nothing

CAPTAIN OF NOTHING

Written by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Penciled by Adam Kubert
Published Jan-Jun 2019

   With Thunderbolt Ross mysteriously dead, as well as the Power Elite making moves to frame him, Captain America is under heavy suspicion and decides to turn himself in. Bucky does all he can to try and track down leads but it's to no avail. Steve Rogers finds himself in Baron Von Strukcer's private prison - the Myrmidon as Sharon Carter reveals her new top secret crime fighting squad: The Daughters of Liberty.

TA--DAAAAAA!

   Forced to try and find allies, Cap does his best to fit in - all the while the prisoners are forced to watch their peers' livestreamed torture sessions. Meanwhile,  Selene and Alexa Lukin murder Steve's evil Hydra counterpart to further the Real-Steve-Is-Still-Evil-Steve ruse. Sharon blackmails the Kingpin and gets info on Ross's real murderer...the elusive assassin known as The Foreigner.

This took an entire jump drive to reveal? One page? And it looks like they Photoshopped it for effect...

   Alexa Lukin meets up at the Fact Channel offices to spin the Supreme Commander connection. back at the safe room, the Daughters give a status report to their defacto leader, the Dryad. The first attempt to help Cap break out of jail is by triggering a riot, though all it really does is just help bolster the Fact Channel's fake news.

Sharon Carter probably has the text all enlarged.

   Undeterred, Daughter member Susan Franklin breaks in and doses her inside man Thunderball with a technovirus. As his condition continues to worsen, he's brought to the prison sickbay while Von Strucker viciously fights a weakened Captain America in front of everyone. Luckily Thunderball's chaos virus disables the prison's power dampeners, allowing the gen pop to fairly fight back.

Oh y'all did it now!

   Things get violent inside the Myrmidon. While the Daughters of Liberty work in lockstep to infiltrate their plan, the Dryad finally faces off with the Foreigner. With Von Strucker's guards on the ropes, he deploys his robot AmeriCops - who are quickly disabled by Misty Knight. With the prison unguarded, the criminals all flee into New York, but more importantly, the Daughters have freed Cap, and captured Von Strucker as well.

We can float them back in this Wubble Ball.

   Now a fugitive - again, Steve and Sharon consider their options. A world that is now teetering on edge of believing Captain America was actually the Hydra leader. He meets with the Daughters of Liberty and explains their next mission will be to drive Cap's message in the absence of an actual Captain America. Because while Captain America is dead, Steve Rogers lives. And as the last page reveals - so does Peggy Carter? The Dryad? So what does this mean? We'll have to wait as this story comes to a close.

Agent Carter - sporting the rad new nose ring look.

   So Captain America is a wanted man again. This isn't really anything new, but under the tutelage of Coates and Kubert, they certainly know how to put a different spin on things. Should be an interesting thing seeing how Peggy Carter somehow rose from the dead, and even more interesting - how will Steve Rogers react. Either way, this series did an excellent job moving away from though keeping the Secret Empire arc alive and well, and it was such a brilliant tale, I believe it certainly deserves as much. I give this one a 9/10.

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

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Captain America #7

Captain America #8

Captain America #9

Captain America #10

Captain America #11

Captain America #12

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Doctor Strange #12-17: Herald Supreme

HERALD SUPREME

Written by Mark Waid
Penciled by Barry Kitson
Published March-August, 2019

   Relaxation for Doctor Strange is few and far between, and of course this time is again interrupted by a strange being seeking answers. Zoloz, a magic welder of Zarax, seeks help to stop Galactus from inevitably eating his planet. He demands it without conversation, and eventually utters a spell that sends the World Eater into the depths of the mystic realms.

Oh well that's neat.

   Of course, this is no good. And as Doctor Strange follows him drifting from and consuming magical realm to realm, he eventually finds help in his ex-wife Clea. She in turn partners with Dormammu's sister Umar, who goes on a mission to unite every mage she can find while Galactus keeps eating magic. After some searching, Strange finds a planet Galactus can eat. Unfortunately it's a ball of dark energy that allows Dormammu to become his new herald. 

Easy there, Galactus. Slow it down.

   In response, life throughout the entire universe exchanges science for magic. This causes havoc all throughout but as the now magical, demonic world eater continues to hunger, he eats even his demonic herald's lifeforce. Strange, Umar, and Clea are forced to take dire measures, and Steven offers a future wish to Mephisto in order to point them in the right direction.

Oh well I'm sure this won't affect anything later.

   Strange seeks out every magician and scientific mind the world has left - including the best of the X-Men, Avengers, Alpha Flight... EVERYONE has to offer. They're on deck as Galactus just rifles through Clea and Umar's dream team of magical forces. One by one, he mows through the best Earth as well the far reaches of the galaxy has to offer. But he finally reveals his plan to the love of his life. Every one of them must fall. All life must be consumed by Galactus until he can't eat anymore. With the world eater stuffed, Doctor Strange strikes - and suddenly... he's the only thing left standing.

Wait, where are we?

   Eternity finally appears, and now with the power of a god, Doctor Stephen Strange the surgeon must rewrite every modicum of galactic history. The big bang, the birth of man, every triumph, every calamity, every win, every loss, every savior, every dictator - until he's back in the Sanctum and ready for Zoloz. Acting quickly, he talks the alien into being a herald for Galactus in order to save his planet. And it looks like everything is back to normal - except for one tiny thing.

"Doctor who?"

   Mephisto is still owed his favor. And just to make it worse, forces Stephen to see his chances with Clea linger in what could have made him forever happy. He casts a spell on Clea that makes her forget he ever existed. And so poor Doctor Strange is left again to be forever alone. With that, this epic tale comes to a super long and drawn out conclusion.. and it's kind of a drag, but at the very least, it's finally all over.

"... all by myself. Don't wanna be all by myself..."

   So for the longest time I can remember, I've had an aversion to Marvel's space jaunts. I liked my superheroes to be either mutants, super soldiers, or even the occasional mystic but the one thing that they all shared was they usually stayed on earth. Doctor Strange is a different animal though, and although he spends a lot of time on Bleeker Street, it's not uncommon for the Starjammers or Watchers or even Silver Surfer to pop up from time to time. As long as it's well written, I'll take it.. and this story most definitively didn't disappoint. Mark Waid is the real magician here, but that's of course nothing new. Barry Kitson keeps things about as old school as you'll see in a modern age comic and this title completely deserves it. I give this incredible story 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:
Doctor Strange #12
Doctor Strange #13
Doctor Strange #14
Doctor Strange #15
Doctor Strange #16
Doctor Strange #17

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