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aion-rsa · 4 years

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Who Is Taskmaster? Black Widow Movie Villain Explained

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Marvel's Black Widow movie features Taskmaster as its main villain. Here's everything you need to know about him.

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With Marvel's MCU Phase 4 rapidly approaching, it’s almost surprising that it has taken this long for the Taskmaster to show his skull-covered face. Taskmaster has been taking on various Marvel heroes since 1980 and has gone on to star in two miniseries while getting the occasional supporting character role. He’s on that border where it was hard to tell whether he’d show up in the movies or get relegated to TV, showing up as a villain on Agents of SHIELD or something from the Defenders’ neck of the woods on Netflix. But now we know he'll be the villain of the Black Widow movie, and we got our first look at him in the trailer.

Taskmaster first appeared in Avengers #195, created by David Michelinie and George Perez, mainly as a cliffhanger villain to set up his showcase in the next issue. A fifth-rate villain by the name of Pernell Solomon had a rather inconsequential plot involving cloning himself that ended badly, mostly because it exposed the Avengers to the existence of the Taskmaster and his secret villain school. You see, Taskmaster has a special power called “photographic” reflexes. If he sees someone perform an action – as long as it is a human movement – he can do the same on command. He’s essentially a greatest hits mixtape of every great warrior in the Marvel Universe. That shot of him in the Black Widow trailer wielding a bow might tell us that he has encountered Hawkeye at some point, for example.

But seriously, he can’t do superhuman stuff. He once tried to copy the movements of living cartoon character Slapstick and Bane’d himself.

At first he was going to become a superhero, but he realized that being a villain is where the money’s at. Then he came up with an even better and safer plan: keep the mercenary part of the job minimal and instead make money by teaching goons how to fight. If you’re joining Hydra or AIM and you want to know how to fight, just pay the guy who knows exactly how Captain America throws his shield so well and can perform Daredevil’s exact flips. He’d be able to make all that money using his skills while refraining from taking on superheroes head-on.

In his first appearance, Taskmaster easily took down Scott Lang Ant-Man, Hank Pym, and Wasp. He was even able to take on Captain America and Iron Man at the same time. His downfall was when he got in a one-on-one with Jocasta, who had no human movement to play off of, plus she was straight-up out of his league in terms of power. The other Avengers caught up and Taskmaster barely escaped.

In the years that followed, he remained the renowned villain coach while taking the occasional job if the money was right. Taskmaster was driven by greed as he had no trouble working for Crossbones or the US government if they paid up. During the memorable storyline where Steve Rogers was stripped of his Captain America title, the government had Taskmaster train John Walker, the star-spangled replacement who would later go on to be US Agent.

Marvel was weird about Taskmaster’s identity. For the longest time, they never gave him a real name, but they also didn’t seem to mind showing him unmasked from time to time. Like one time the Punisher nearly killed him and Daredevil later visited him in the hospital. Other than some bandages on his head, Taskmaster looked like a completely average white dude, albeit with a history of plastic surgery. We would eventually get some answers on his backstory, but there would be some contradictions.

Taskmaster appeared in the second issue of Joe Kelly and Ed McGuinness’ legendary Deadpool run where Taskmaster kidnapped Deadpool’s sidekick/abused best friend Weasel. The showdown was played for laughs as Taskmaster, boasting about how he can read anyone’s movements and can predict your attacks before you even think about it, was completely helpless against the unpredictable Deadpool. Initially, this was supposed to build towards Taskmaster as a major nemesis for Deadpool during the Kelly run where the plan was that he’d start gaining the ability to inherit strategies the same way he inherits movements. That subplot was cut early on.

Regardless, Taskmaster remained a major part of Deadpool’s corner of the Marvel Universe and would appear in countless runs. While at times Taskmaster would be targeting Deadpool, other times, he would be his long-suffering partner in crime. One of their more memorable meet-ups had Taskmaster one of many hired guns working for a mobster against Deadpool and Spider-Man. Taskmaster whispered to Deadpool that his heart wasn’t really in it and offered to throw the fight for old time’s sake.

It was through that Deadpool connection that we got the brief “UDON Taskmaster” phase in the early '00s. The art studio UDON was drawing the Gail Simone run of Deadpool while also taking care of Ken Siu-Chong’s Taskmaster miniseries. The connecting tissue of this was mainly Sandi Brandenberg, a love interest to Taskmaster and secretary to Deadpool. But also, Taskmaster changed up his appearance, going from “albino Skeletor” to “street-wise Skull Man.” He was more gun-based than sword and shield.

The miniseries went deeper into his abilities, showing that he can remember every moment of his life with 100% clarity. He can also amp up his powers by watching fight footage in fast-forward, which makes him move at super speed at the cost of his body breaking down if he does it for too long. There’s also a neat anecdote about the pitfalls of his powers, as when he was a kid, he watched someone perform a perfect dive, copied it, and then almost drowned because he didn’t know how to swim.

Also, they finally revealed that Taskmaster’s real name is Tony Masters. Of course it is.

The miniseries and the cancellation of Deadpool coned into a new series called Agent X, centered around a scarred-up amnesiac named Alex Hayden who had Deadpool’s powers and personality and appeared months after Deadpool’s supposed death. Taskmaster was a major part of the series, taking time to be annoyed by Hayden’s antics, pining for Sandi, and being an all-around badass.

read more: Agent X: The Strange History of the Other Deadpool

While the UDON Taskmaster look showed up here and there, he was back to his original appearance by the time he was going after Moon Knight. He ended up getting more play thanks in part to Civil War and its aftermath, going from a member of the government’s pro-registration force to training cadets in Avengers: The Initiative. It was there that he became friends with one of his students, Eric O’Grady, the Irredeemable Ant-Man.

Once Norman Osborn took over the superhero wing of the government, Taskmaster briefly joined Osborn’s inner-circle of top villains, otherwise known as the Cabal. Taskmaster ultimately hated being Osborn’s whipping boy and secretly worked against him, eventually escaping and laughing when Osborn’s empire came crumbling down.

In 2011, Fred Van Lente and Jefte Palo joined together to create another Taskmaster miniseries, which was not only fantastic, but it added a few twists and retcons to the character’s backstory. It showed that Taskmaster answers to a higher power called the Org that calls him and gives him orders. Also, Taskmaster has a mental problem where he can only retain so much knowledge, so his brain tends to dump information that isn’t based on physical survival. In other words, he can fight in countless ways, but he can’t remember who he is or really anything about his past. Just a nagging feeling of unforgiveable guilt.

In this story, he protected a diner waitress named Mercedes from all sorts of assassins, only to discover that not only is Mercedes his Org handler, but she’s also his wife. Taskmaster is in fact a SHIELD agent who took a special kind of Super Soldier Serum that gave him his powers, but forces him to constantly forget the woman he loves. Hence the endless guilt.

There's also the thing that he's been unwittingly working for SHIELD all these years.

While that take on Taskmaster was eventually forgotten about (how fitting), it did lead to Avengers Academy member Finesse. Finesse is an Audrey Hepburn lookalike with powers exactly like Taskmaster’s who may or may not be his illegitimate daughter. When she tracked him down and fought him, it was heartbreaking to Taskmaster, as she only fought with copied movesets and he’d never be able to remember her for being her.

Since then, Taskmaster has shown up here and there, usually working alongside Black Ant, who is a robot duplicate of the Eric O’Grady Ant-Man. He tends to pop up whenever Marvel needs a throwaway villain and they’re tired of calling in the Wrecking Crew.

Outside of main continuity, Taskmaster’s shown up in a handful of alternate universe stories. One thing I find amusing is how there’s a What If issue based on the whole “John Walker as Captain America” storyline that has Taskmaster explain his powers by claiming to be a mutant because back then, nobody at Marvel thought too hard about how he got his skills. Then there’s House of M: Avengers, where Taskmaster does the same for the sake of fitting in with the high-status mutant community.

read more: Marvel Movies Release Schedule: Complete MCU Timeline

Taskmaster only showed up in the Ultimate comics towards the end of its run, but there wasn’t much to him. The only thing memorable was that they made him black.

The series Deadpool MAX reimagined Taskmaster as a grizzled and horny woman assassin who turned Wade Wilson into a killing machine and groomed him in the sexual sense. It's probably better that they didn’t go with this version of the character for the movie.

Taskmaster has shown up on several cartoons and in some video games. One of the more memorable is the recent Spider-Man for PlayStation 4 where he acts as a bonus threat, serving a similar purpose as Riddler in the Batman Arkham games. In a look that merged his classic appearance with his UDON appearance, he stalked Spider-Man through the city and came off as more of a knockoff of Deathstroke.

No wonder he and Deadpool keep crossing paths.

Lastly, I can’t help but mention Taskmaster’s appearance in Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Not just because you get to play as him and pull off sweet moves stolen from Hawkeye, Captain America, and Black Knight. Not just for his charming Brooklyn accent. Instead, it's for his rad-as-hell theme song.

Hopefully we'll hear this when he goes into action in Black Widow. I’m pumped for anything after listening to that song.

Gavin Jasper writes for Den of Geek and feels that if Taskmaster was more realistic, he’d be doing way more breakdancing. Read Gavin’s other articles here and follow him on Twitter @Gavin4L

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Gavin Jasper

Dec 3, 2019

Marvel

Black Widow

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#aion-rsa #Books

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wellhalesbells · 5 years

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I see you reblogging some comic stuff an I was wondering if you have a favorite comic or favorite character or ship?

this ask is from so long ago but [DEEP BREATH IN] i’m finally going to answer it, nonny. finally. i kept wanting to read a little bit farther in my comics stack because.... maybe i’ll like that and will regret not having recced it, i just hafta--get--to it, see? and, honestly, i’m still there BUT, come on, i’ll never be caught up because that would mean comics would just have to stop coming out and i would be sad forever if that happened, SO

i’m not even going to pretend like i can narrow this down to one comic. (one ship? sure, that’s spideypool. one character? sure, that’s the merc with a mouth, the regenerating degenerate, wade motherfucking wilson. but one comic?!) there is just straight-up too much out there to make a definitive ‘yes, this is it, this is THE ONE ™ ’ statement. instead, uh, let’s break this shit down, yeah? (super special secret bonus round, will note all lgbt+ rep and standalone comics.) in no particular order, here the frig it goes!

HORROR

infidel, by pornsak pichetshote and aaron campbell. in case you haven’t seen this on every 2018 best list ever, here it is. and, yeah, it was good. a muslim-american main character living in a haunted apartment building where the entities feed off the xenophobia of its occupants. if that’s not a fucking modern horror story i don’t know what is.

spread, by justin jordan and kyle strahm. THIS IS ONE OF MY NEW AND ALREADY ALL-TIME FAVORITES. what an awesomely weird and epic story. the spread is an uncontrollable, unstoppable monster-making force that humanity accidentally unleashed by digging too deep. it infects everything it touches and basically all of humanity is running from quarantine to quarantine just hoping for the best. and speaking of hope.... she’s a baby, rescued by no, and the only thing that’s ever been able to stop the spread. also, no’s gay? and i just DID NOT see that coming. it seems like it’s going to be such a formulaic, bro-y story about the action hero who kisses the face off his girl (her name’s molly and she’s batshit insane and amazing) and instead, nope, it is not that at all. lgbt+ main characters.

the black monday murders, by jonathan hickman and tomm coker. hate capitalism? think all the rich and powerful are evil, soul-sucking monsters? [obnoxious, low-budget commercial sound effects] MAN, HAVE I GOT THE SERIES FOR YOU.

the beauty, by jeremy haun and jason a. hurley. i just started this recently but so far, oh my good golly gosh, i looove it. a sexually transmitted disease that makes you conventionally gorgeous.... at least before it explodies you. [wide, creepy smile] the art is gorgeous, the characters are aces and i am very, very pleased so far. lgbt+ minor characters.

the great divide, by ben fisher and adam markiewicz. this? was a COOL idea. the execution stumbled a bit but, gosh, was it neat. it’s post-apocalyptic where touching another person will literally kill.... one of you. the survivor then absorbs the memories of the person who dies, taking on a ‘rider.’ some people collect them, some people go mad, some form a bond, all have the side effect of dyslexia. like i said, neat as all get out. lgbt+ minor-ish/main-ish character. standalone.

revival, by tim seely and mike norton. a rural town in wisconsin experiences ‘miracle day,’ where the dead rise again.... except, they were kinda already mourned and buried and this is really just fucking up the status quo.

the woods, by james tynion iv and michael dialynas. a high school gets picked up and plopped down in an entirely new, and wickedly hostile universe. it’s all survival and alliances and seeing what you’re really made of when it comes down to it. lgbt+ main characters.

clean room, by gail simone and jon davis-hunt. a cult, a journalist and a clean room walk into a bar...

anya’s ghost, by vera brosgol. you think it’ll be a cute story of a girl and her ghost. HA HA THAT IS NOT WHAT HAPPENS AT ALL, OKAY.

FANTASY

rumble, by john arcudi and james harren. SCARECROW WARRIOR GOD, SCARECROW WARRIOR GOD, SCARECROW WARRIOR GOD!!! okay, first off, the art in this? pushes every friggin’ button i’ve got, and many i did not know i had. second, this book is so fucking fun. it’s mythology that’s balls to the wall ridiculous, funny, and features a main character whose life motto is basically: ‘do i have to?’ infinitely relatable and then some.

heathen, by natasha alterici and rachel deering. UGH, ONE OF MY FAVORITES. the art is just horribly, horrendously gorgeous and it’s LESBIAN VIKING MYTHOLOGY, OKAY. OKAYYYY??? lgbt+ main characters.

the wicked + the divine, by kieron gillen and jamie mckelvie. one of my favorite ever series right here. it’s a hella cool concept (gods reincarnating as humans every twelve years, and burning up their hosts in two), whip-smart and if you’ve ever met a human being who likes a pun more than kieron gillen i defy you to produce them. lgbt+ main and minor characters.

batgirl, by gail simone and adrian sayaf and vicente cifuentes. you know how people rave about gail simone? there’s a reason people rave about gail simone. honestly, i’ve never had much interest in babs. i don’t tend to go for superheroes who don’t kill and i have even less interest in ‘the killing joke’ story line and i am convinced only gail simone could’ve done the recovery on that and she did a GLORIOUS job of it.

red hood and the outlaws, by scott lobdell and dexter soy. (ignoring recent - and annoying - developments), this is my favorite of all the rebirths dc did. scott lobdell is the only writer to have gotten the idea down of: okay, we’re starting over, i assume you don’t know anything but i also assume there are a bajillion people reading who know everything, and hit the perfect medium between those two things. so if you want to start a jason todd run, you legitimately can here, and get all the found family, badassery, batman-teasing enjoyment there is to be had.

iceman, by sina grace and robert gill (covers by kevin wada). classic super-heroing here and bobby’s first solo title. he’s figuring out coming out while fighting (and flirting) with baddies. sina really gets his humor and how truly wonder-awful it is! lgbt+ main character.

spider-man/deadpool, by joe kelly and ed mcguinness. watch those names there, those are your guys right there, period. they looked at the void of a spider-man/deadpool series and filled it with absolutely everything you could possibly want for the pair (sans a hardcore make-out sesh, though they did get a few variant covers with some puckered up lips in there!)

limbo, by dan watters and caspar wijngaard. a fusion of 80s aesthetics, voodoo elements and a noir tone. just some remarkably cool shit in this. the ending, for me, left something to be desired but it was more than worth it to see worship via mixtapes. standalone.

hawkeye: kate bishop, by kelly thompson and leonardo romero. kate bishop is, apparently???, a super impossible character for a lot of writers. kelly thompson is not one of them. kelly thompson is my favorite kate bishop writer, actually, and the fact that she is ever not writing her is a gd travesty.

the unbeatable squirrel girl, by ryan north and erica henderson. honestly, i’m so tempted to just stick this under ‘contemporary,’ because it really does just feel very... normal. doreen’s navigating college, new friendships, and y’know... the squirrely-ness. this had every opportunity to suck and instead it’s funny as heck, never takes itself too seriously, and is just pure good-hearted entertainment through and through.

wolf, by ales kot and matt taylor. a paranormal detective and the-possible-antichrist go on a road trip. people hated this comic and i don’t know how you can hate a comic that has a character called freddy chtonic who has tentacles for a mouth???

ms. marvel, by g. willow wilson and adrian alphona. hi, you read ms. marvel because the world is a garbage fire and people are terrible and your cynicism is at an all time high and then kamala khan waltzes in and reminds you people generally want to help each other and the world improves when we work together and that thing optimists feel? you’ll feel that for as long as you’ve got the pages open and that’s a magical thing. lgbt+ minor character.

monstress, by marjorie m. liu and sana takeda. psychic links with monsters, matriarchal societies, magic and witchery, half-human/half-animal (and other ratios) characters, all through a steampunk lens. what’s not to like about that??

inhuman, by charles soule. i love this series, i love the idea of being a total average joe/joanne, getting smacked in the face by a cloud of mist and suddenly having to figure out how to live basically a whole new life. also, if you don’t fall madly in love with dante pertuz, i don’t even know what to tell you, my dude.

heart in a box, by kelly thompson and meredith mcclaren. break-ups suck, but only because of that whole pesky broken heart thing, right? so emma gives hers away. problem solved, no? standalone.

i kill giants, by joe kelly and j.m. ken niimura. i didn’t cry my eyes out or anything. did not. standalone.

sex criminals, by matt fraction and chip zdarsky. having sex = stopping time, which leads suzie and jon to the only logical conclusion: let’s rob some banks!

hawkeye, by matt fraction and david aja. honestly there are a lot of other artist combos in this run but the only ones that are worthwhile are the ones that have fraction and aja’s names on them - sorry not sorry.

SCIENCE FICTION

black bolt, by saladin ahmed and christian ward. saladin revived this character one hundred million percent. there is absolutely a reason this was parading around all over ‘best’ lists when it was released. it really, really did the damn thing.

saga, by brian k. vaughan and fiona staples. this is the comic you recommend to people who don’t even like comics because it is that good. like, my dad - who hadn’t read a comic since he was a pre-teen, eagerly awaits each new trade. the world-building, the characters, the care put into every single solitary bit of all the things? unparalleled. lgbt+ minor characters.

frostbite, by joshua williamson and jason shawn alexander. a post-apocalyptic story that has humanity dying from a plague that literally freezes you from the inside out. very neat, very cold, very readable. standalone.

descender, by jeff lemire and dustin nguyen. this had a rough start, for me, with the main character of the first trade being tim-21, an android who is literally incapable of having the depth to be a lead BUT that does not last through to the next trade, thank god. lots of space and found family and world-building in this to be had! but you know how people rave about jeff lemire? there’s a reason people rave about jeff lemire.

paper girls, by brian k. vaughan and cliff chiang. the 80s and time travel and lifelong friendships. it’s brian k. vaughan, you know it’s good, okay? why do i even have to sell you here, man? lgbt+ main characters.

injection, by warren ellis and declan shalvey. this is another one on my list that started out a little rough but really appealed to me later on. there was just a lot to absorb in that first trade but, once you’ve got it, the ride gets way, way smoother. lgbt+ main and minor characters.

black science, by rick remender and matteo scalera. this was a rocky start, because the main character is such an asshole but in a way where he can’t see he’s an asshole, he’s just a tortured genius who’s superior to all of you, don’t you know? but i am so glad i persevered because if that’s the set up? the rest of the series is knocking him back down. super scientist grant mckay finds a way to access the eververse, every possible reality the universe has on offer, and that’s really what causes every single problem that follows. hard to cause the apocalypse and be an arrogant prick, ya know?

CONTEMPORARY

giant days, by john allison and lissa treiman. this series is so funny and smart and warm. these girls are so kind to each other and relatable and failing at adulting regularly and often and i love reading about them. lgbt+ main character.

lumberjanes, by noelle stevenson and grace ellis and brooke a. allen. this is funny and ridiculous and kind and cool and all other awesome adjectives and you should read it, fact. lgbt+ main characters.

my brother’s husband, by gengoroh tagame and anne ishii (translator). this is such a sweet story about acceptance and family tbh. lgbt+ main character.

fence, by c. s. pacat and johanna the mad. i mean... i need to see nicholas and seiji hook-up, i need that, stat. stat means now! lgbt+ main characters.

WEB/INDEPENDENT COMICS

long exposure, by kam heyward. so mitch and jonas are my absolute faves and i love them to death and the author is so kind in that they actually put this up in print on indyplanet so i can read it the way i, personally, love to read comics (and - bonus! - support them with the monies). lgbt+ main characters.

modern dread, by pat shand and ryan fassett (editors). i’ve been trying to find more better horror comics lately so i’ve been kind of half-heartedly stumbling through kickstarter on the hunt and this was SUCH a great find. it’s an anthology but more cleverly done than any other kickstarter anthology i’ve read, with a main story line that seamlessly strings together the would-be-disjointed ones. this was really thoughtfully put together and really well done! standalone.

heartstopper, by alice oseman. a very sweet story about two high school-aged boys becoming fast friends, playing rugby and falling in love. the two characters are mentioned as an aside in the author’s book, solitaire, and she became so invested in them that she wrote their backstory as a free webcomic. lgbt+ main characters.

the pale, by jay fabares. JUST started this (like, just a day or so ago) but i’m enjoying it so far!

hotblood!, by toril orlesky. i mean... is it a webcomic about a centaur falling in love with his boss? it just might be. did i get a bound edition through a kickstarter campaign? maybe. maybe i did that. who’s to say? lgbt+ main characters.

the bay, by bbz. life on mars through the lens of three young professionals who form an odd but lasting friendship. lgbt+ main characters.

hard drive, by artroan. is it a nsfw comic about a dude and a robot? .... it might be a nsfw comic about a dude and a robot. [coughs] lgbt+ main characters.

seen nothing yet, by tess stone. a nsfw comic about two amateur ghost hunters. can’t imagine why i might be interested in that [coughs] lgbt+ main characters.

captain imani and the cosmic chase, by lin darrow and alex assan. i mean did i want a starship captain who can’t help but lust after the smuggler he’s chasing. i mean, maybe i did. maybe. lgbt+ main characters.

taproot, by keezy young. ghost falls in love with boy, boy falls in love with ghost, AND THEY LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER. lgbt+ main characters.

always raining here, by bell and hazel. just two boys falling in lurve. lgbt+ main characters.

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gokinjeespot · 5 years

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off the rack #1242

Monday, December 24, 2018

I was hit by a spasm of back pain on Saturday like the ghost of Christmas Past. That'll teach me for being such a Scrooge this time of year. I try not to be naughty but being nice is such a pain in the pants. I am slowly recovering under the gentle ministrations of Santa's Helper. Being around family and friends is better medicine than any pain pills I could take. My brother and sister-in-law hosted a brunch yesterday and seeing everyone together laughing and happy soothed me greatly. Just holding baby Oliver and making him smile eased my back pain.

I saw the Ottawa premiere of Aquaman thanks to my Jee-Riz partner Chris, who won passes from the comic book store Myths, Legends and Heroes. I can sum up how I felt about the movie in one word; wigs. I wish they had spent some of the Atlantis special effects budget on better wigs for the actors. Arthur's dad's toupee was glaringly obvious. I've seen better hair on Cosplayers than Nicole Kidman's wigs. It looked like Amber Heard/Mera was wearing a wig at times but even when it looked like her real hair the colour red they chose was too unnatural looking. The movie's saving grace for me was Jason Momoa. He makes a great Arthur/Aquaman. I'm glad I didn't pay to see this one.

Ugh. Stan Lee tribute covers. Terrible marketing idea.

Dead Man Logan #2 - Ed Brisson (writer) Mike Henderson (art) Nolan Woodard (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). A couple of things really annoyed me this issue. Sin, the Red Skull's daughter, acted like a spoiled brat. It's not a stretch to foresee the villains losing at the end of this 12-issue story. Then we have Forge repairing a machine that can get Old Man Logan back home. They actually go there and he doesn't stay. I'm for super heroics as much as the next nerd and maybe I'm selfish, but that irked me to no end. Old Man Logan has been whining about getting home ever since he showed up in this timeline and now he wants to stay to prevent all the super heroes from being killed by all the super villains. There isn't even a guarantee that is what happens in the future. And why don't they use the machine to fix things? Man I hate time travel. I really like Mike Henderson's art but this looks like another travelling super heroes versus super villains battle every issue, and that's not very interesting to me.

Defenders: The Best Defense #1 - Al Ewing (writer) Joe Bennett (pencils) Belardino Brabo (inks) Dono Sanchez Almara (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). It's the big Defenders reunion to save Earth. Old Man Dr. Strange, Hulk, Namor and the Silver Surfer have to sidetrack The Train in order for Earth to survive. It's a bit complicated and I'm surprised that you didn't really need to read all the one-shots to get what's going on. I mean all those scenes where the stabby killer in the bed sheet is killing aliens isn't even mentioned in this story. So what was up with that?

Marvel Knights #4 - Vita Ayala & Donny Cates (writers) Joshua Cassara (art) Matt Milla (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Here's where they explain why all the super heroes have forgotten who they are. T'Challa/Black Panther is featured in this issue that ends with him discovering the lair of villains. I'm wondering how the bad guys retained their memories.

Old Man Hawkeye #12 - Ethan Sacks (writer) Francesco Mobili (art) Andres Mossa (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). That was a very satisfying ending. What a great prequel to the Old Man Logan story where Clint and Logan go on a road trip. This is where Clint loses his sight for good. I loved the last page epilogue showing Clint tracking down someone who will help him to continue to fight the bad guys despite his blindness.

Runaways #16 - Rainbow Rowell (writer) Kris Anka (art) Matthew Wilson (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). Reading this Christmas special is better than getting a lump of coal. Having Doombot as a dinner guest made this a treat. I wish he was a regular member of the team.

West Coast Avengers #6 - Kelly Thompson (writer) Daniele Di Nicuolo (art) Triona Farrell (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). The good guys have been captured by the bad guys: Satana Hellstrom, M.O.D.O.K., The Eel and Madame Masque. Kate is still free however and she's not going to abandon her team mates. Too bad she gets waylaid on her way to rescue them. Her captor is a complete surprise, which will make the next issue a hoot.

Thor #8 - Jason Aaron (writer) Mike del Mundo (art) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). This is an awesome issue with Thor fighting the Angelus. It ends with an ex-Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. being paid a visit by the Black Panther. I like how this book is being tied into The Avengers.

Season's Beatings #1 - Jason Latour (writer) Greg Hinkle, Chris Brunner, Veronica Fish & Mario Del Pennino (art) Rico Renzi, Jim Campbell & Veronica Fish (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). I should have realized from the cover that this was a Deadpool Christmas Special. If I had known, I would have bought a pair of socks from the Dollar Store with the $4.99 US that this comic book costs. Unless of course, you're a big Deadpool fan or West Coast Avengers fan or even an X-Force fan. They're all in here too. Plus Squirrel Girl and Doctor Doom. Come to think of it, this is an everything but the kitchen sink gift for a Marvel Comics fan who will get a few chuckles out of it.

Freedom Fighters #1 - Robert Venditti (writer) Eddy Barrows (pencils) Eber Ferreira (inks) Adriano Lucas (colours) Deron Bennett (letters). This is some heavy duty patriotic poop right here. We start this 12-issue story in 1963 America that is ruled by Adolf Hitler and his "ratzi" party. The original Freedom Fighters meet to plot a resistance attack on a war robot factory. Things don't go well for the good guys. Jump forward to 2018 and the surprise appearance of the New Freedom Fighters; Black Condor, Doll Woman, the Human Bomb and Phantom Lady. All we need is Uncle Sam. Robert Venditti holds nothing back showing the Germans as ruthless racists. The art is really well done so I will give these Golden Age heroes a chance to see how they fare in modern times.

Middlewest #2 - Skottie Young (writer) Jorge Corona (art) Jean Francois Beaulieu (colours) Nate Piekos (letters). A new character named Jeb is introduced who helps Abel get out of a bind. Jeb reminds me of the first time we meet Gandalf. Abel's quest continues and we find out a bit more about the symbol on his chest. I predict he'll meet his mother down the road but unlike the talking fox, I won't be travelling down it with him.

Cover #4 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) David Mack (art) Michael Avon Oeming (Owen art) Zu Orzu (colours) Carlos Mangual (letters). This issue is a great example of how a comic book can tell a story with words and pictures. I felt like I was watching a TV show or a short film. Brian, David and Michael work together seamlessly

Hardcore 1 - Robert Kirkman & Andy Diggle (writers) Alessandro Vitti (art) Adriano Lucas (colours) Thomas Mauer (letters). Yeah man, it is. Agent Drake is a drone pilot but what he controls are other human beings. A new nanotechnology allows him to take over and move a remote body for 72 hours so he can complete wetwork missions. It's really cool. The big problem arises when the guy who invented the tech comes back to reclaim it from the government. That guy is not asking nicely. I like this concept and the predicament that Agent Drake finds himself in at the end of this issue. Therefore, this goes on to my "must read" list.

Klaus and the Crying Snowman #1 - Grant Morrison (writer) Dan Mora (art) Ed Dukeshire (letters). This $7.99 US one-shot tells the tale of how Sam the snowman helps Klaus save the Earth from murderous aliens. I loved how they wove in Norse mythology. You'd think a crying snowman would be doomed in the end and you'd be right, but fear not, 'tis a happy ending.

Betty & Veronica #1 - Jamie Lee Rotante (writer) Sandra Lanz (art) Kelly Fitzpatrick (colours) Jack Morelli (letters). The BFFs are back with a 5-issue mini that starts off their senior year of high school. I know that these slightly more mature Archie Comics want to draw in a new audience but Betty dating Reggie? Sacrilege. A few other things bothered me storywise that turned me off even more. Betty drinking a spiked punch without noticing? C'mon. Then there's the art. I didn't like the interiors compared to the nice cover that Sandra drew. I expected my girl Betty to be treated better than this.

Catwoman #6 - Joelle Jones (story & art) Laura Allred (colours) Josh Reed (letters). The finale of "Copycats" is a quick read so I read it twice. The first time was to see how Catwoman deals with the evil Mrs. Creel and her pumped up on drugs son. The second time was to see Catwoman in action and to savour the beautiful art and layouts. I wish Joelle Jones would do a Betty & Veronica mini.

Extermination #5 - Ed Brisson (writer) Pepe Larraz (art) Marte Gracia (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). I tolerated this time travel tale because of the amazing art. I wish Pepe Larraz would do a Betty & Veronica mini. If you thought that the mutants being exterminated was a real threat then you haven't been reading X-Men comic books for very long. This story puts the young X-Men back in their own time and all is well again. The big surprise comes on the last page and I'm thinking "oh geez, here we go again".

Domino #9 - Gail Simone (writer) David Baldeon & Michael Shelfer (art) Roberto Poggi (ink assist) Guru-eFX (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Soldier of Fortune part 3. The ladies are asked to kill Longshot. Haven't seen him in a while. Might not see him for long though, since he's supposed to bring about the end of the world. This is interesting because both Domino and Longshot have the same super power. Who's luck is going to run out first?

Firefly #2 - Greg Pak (writer) Dan McDaid (art) Marcelo Costa (colours) Jim Campbell (letters). Mal and Zoe are being hunted by a gang of thieves and the Alliance. Darn tootin' there's going to be shootin'. I have been watching Nathan Fillion's new cop show The Rookie and I quite like it.

Batman #61 - Tom King (writer) Travis Moore (art) Tamra Bonvillain (colours) Clayton Cowles (letters). Knightmares part 1. The "what the!?" appearance on the last page of #60 is explained here as a new story starts. I knew something was hinky when I saw the string of pearls around the dead body of Martha Wayne in the alley. I thought we were in an alternate universe and we sort of are but it came as a complete shock when what was going on was explained. Arkham Asylum is getting a new inmate. At least he's new to me unless I want to go back and read Batman #38.

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eddycurrents · 6 years

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For the week of 20 August 2018

Quick Bits:

Aphrodite V #2 is pretty damn great. Jeff Spokes’ artwork is instantly compelling, drawing in the reader with darkness and interesting angles into this increasingly enthralling story of a machine cult from the future by him and Bryan Hill.

| Published by Image / Top Cow

Avengers #6 concludes the first arc in widescreen fashion. Lots of action and big ideas from Jason Aaron with gorgeous art from Ed McGuinness, Paco Medina, Mark Morales, Juan Velasco, and David Curiel. Again I’m reminded of those early issue of JLA from Grant Morrison and Howard Porter. This has been fun so far and I’m intrigued by what else they have in store.

| Published by Marvel

Beasts of Burden: Wise Dogs & Eldritch Men #1 is a very welcome return, even without Jill Thompson for this go around. The artwork from Benjamin Dewey is beautiful as he reminds us that he’s one of the best nature artists in comics, and possible beyond. His animals are just stunning. The story from him and Evan Dorkin is also interesting, suggesting some arcane traps luring in the paranormal. Great stuff for all ages.

| Published by Dark Horse

Big Trouble in Little China: Old Man Jack #12 concludes the series with an epic battle between the forces of heaven and hell as it teaches us the true meaning of friendship. It’s funnier when you actually read it. This has been an entertaining series from John Carpenter, Anthony Burch, Jorge Corona, Gabriel Cassata, and Ed Dukeshire, with this final chapter also delivering a nice farewell to the movie as well.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Black Hammer: Age of Doom #4 has some very interesting revelations that ultimately only lead to more questions than answers. What’s going on isn’t nearly as cut and dried as we were led to believe last issue and the mystery has just deepened. Jeff Lemire, Dean Ormston, Dave Stewart, and Todd Klein have managed to elevate this story higher again.

| Published by Dark Horse

Black Panther #3 finally parcels out a tidbit of what might actually be going on with the series and the Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda, just in time for a surprise attack and more action. Thankfully, the art from Daniel Acuña is still overwhelmingly gorgeous.

| Published by Marvel

Britannia: Lost Eagles of Rome #2 is even better than the first issue. The mystery deepens as Antonius and Achillia reach Egypt and find incongruities they don’t expect within this province of the Roman Empire. The artwork from Robert Gill (with colours from José Villarrubia) is probably among the best I’ve seen from him, really bringing some very strong work here with backgrounds, vehicles, and character designs that are particularly impressive.

| Published by Valiant

Cold Spots #1 is the start to another horror series from Cullen Bunn, this time accompanied by Mark Torres with the artwork, and as per many of Bunn’s previous tales, this is a great start. There’s a genuinely creepy atmosphere from Torres’ art and the plot of a missing daughter and her child, amidst the spooky maybe-ghosts, is a good one.

| Published by Image

Daredevil #607 gets into how there can possibly be a Mike Murdock running around New York and it’s an interesting and possibly hazardous diversion. Gorgeous art from Phil Noto.

| Published by Marvel

Die!Die!Die! #2 is more entertaining over-the-top humorous action that feels like it’s channelling Garth Ennis. Great art from Chris Burnham and Nathan Fairbairn.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Hunt for Wolverine: Mystery in Madripoor #4 is probably the most succinct in sticking to its plot without real deviation of all of these minis. Basically sticking to the thread of these X-women tackling the Femme Fatales. It’s been a relatively decent story from Jim Zub, Thony Silas, and Felipe Sobreiro, even if the art’s been a little uneven. There’s a really nice sequence of Psylocke finding herself again in this issue, though, from Leonard Kirk and Andrew Crossley that has interesting implications going forward.

| Published by Marvel

Jughead: The Hunger #8 is a great jumping-on point for new readers, offering a bit of a history lesson and summary reinterpretation of the events of the overarching plot of the series to date. Great work from Frank Tieri, Pat & Tim Kennedy, Joe Eisma, Bob Smith, Ryan Jampole, Matt Herms, Andre Szymanowicz, and Jack Morelli.

| Published by Archie Comics / Archie’s Madhouse Presents

The Life of Captain Marvel #2 continues what is shaping up to be possibly one of the defining and quintessential Carol Danvers stories. I love what Margaret Stohl is doing in bringing out the backstory and interpersonal dynamics of Carol’s family. The art from Carlos Pacheco, Rafael Fonteriz, and Marcio Menyz in the present day and Marguerite Sauvage’s flashbacks is wonderful.

| Published by Marvel

Mr. & Mrs. X #2 continues this fun ride, tossing in Deadpool and more of the lesser used intergalactic X-characters. The dialogue from Kelly Thompson is hilarious and the art from Oscar Bazaldua and Frank D’Armata is great.

| Published by Marvel

Old Man Logan #46 begins another arc tying up loose ends before the endgame of Dead Man Logan kicks off. Wrapping reconnecting with Alpha Flight around a horror story evoking shades of The Thing and Slither results in a wonderful story perfectly fitting Damian Couciero’s artwork.

| Published by Marvel

The Punisher #1 is both a continuation of Matthew Rosenberg’s stories and ideas from the last volume of the series and a kind of back-to-basics approach to Frank Castle. Basically, he’s lost the War Machine suit, but he’s still taking on the world-spanning super-villains. It’s pretty epic and this is great jumping-on point. The dark humour is perfect, reminding me of Garth Ennis’ work with Castle, and seriously this is probably the best art that Szymon Kudranski has ever done. Along with Antonio Fabela’s colours, it’s like he was born to draw The Punisher.

| Published by Marvel

Royal City #14 is an introspective end of saying farewell to the past and accepting change to move forward. This has been an interesting series from Jeff Lemire, focusing on his most often used theme of family, and it’s been a good exploration of their different dynamics.

| Published by Image

The Sentry #3 is pretty dark, telling the flipside of the first two issues from Billy Turner’s perspective as he goes about stealing Sentry’s identity. This is almost at Kid Miracleman levels of demented. Jeff Lemire is playing with some interesting ideas here, beautifully brought to life by Kim Jacinto, Joshua Cassara, and Rain Beredo.

| Published by Marvel

Shadowman #6 has some truly beautiful artwork from Renato Guedes, as this arc of Jack falling through time visiting the different holders of the shadow loa takes an interesting turn in ancient history.

| Published by Valiant

Shanghai Red #3 is probably the best issue to date, as Molly reunites with Katie, recriminations are hashed out, and we get a bit of a tour of Portland. Christopher Sebela, Joshua Hixson, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou have tapped into something unique here, and this tale of revenge and some of the lesser told side of American history is incredibly compelling.

| Published by Image

TMNT #85 brings Leatherhead back into the fold, with very interesting and potentially dangerous ramifications following the war between the Utroms and Triceratons. Brahm Revel’s clothes-peg take on the Turtles is an interesting visual choice.

| Published by IDW

The Thrilling Adventure Hour #2 I find better than the first issue. The humour hits home a bit more for me and the leads of Sadie and Frank don’t seem nearly as insufferable as the first issue. The art, though, from MJ Erickson and Brittany Peer is just as good as the first. Entertaining stuff.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Venom #5 is another great issue. The mythology-building in this series is just incredible, growing Venom and his world into so much more. Donny Cates, Ryan Stegman, JP Mayer, Frank Martin, and Clayton Cowles are creating magic.

| Published by Marvel

West Coast Avengers #1 is a great debut, filled with action and humour, as this highly dysfunctional team comes together. It’s nice to see Kelly Thompson doing more Hawkeye and Hawkguy, and the collection of characters coming together to make up the team are bizarre and fitting, carrying on a few of the themes and plot developments of the previous Hawkeye and America series. Though you needn’t have read any of that before you pick this up. Making it nigh unmissable is the gorgeous art from Stefano Caselli and Triona Farrell. This is fun.

| Published by Marvel

Witchblade #7 returns for its second arc, continuing the extremely high level of quality that Caitlin Kittredge, Roberta Ingranata, Bryan Valenza, and Troy Peteri set for themselves.

| Published by Image / Top Cow

X-Men Red #7 advances us a bit further as the X-Men attempt to uncover evidence of Cassandra Nova’s influence on the world and thwart her attack on Atlantis. Tom Taylor has definitely been taking a slow approach to unfurling this story, but it has allowed for the beautiful art from originally Mahmud Asrar and now Carmen Carnero & Rain Beredo time to breathe.

| Published by Marvel

Other Highlights: Amazing Spider-Man #4, Avengers: Wakanda Forever #1, Barbarella #9, Bedtime Games #3, Betty & Veronica: Vixens #9, Curse Words Summer Swimsuit Special #1, Days of Hate #7, DuckTales #11, Gasolina #11, Hack/Slash: Resurrection #10, Hit-Girl #7, Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: Coronation #6, Lumberjanes #53, Mammon, Mickey Spillane’s Mike #3, Night’s Dominion - Season Three #2, Old Man Hawkeye #8, Quantum & Woody! #9, Red Sonja/Tarzan #4, Redneck #14, Stairway - Volume 1, Star Wars: Darth Vader #20, Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #23, Sullivan’s Sluggers, TMNT: Bebop & Rocksteady Hit the Road #4, Wasted Space #4

Recommended Collections: Avengers: Back to Basics, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Cloak & Dagger: Predator & Pray, Deadly Class - Volume 7: Love Like Blood, Giant Days - Volume 8, Jimmy’s Bastards - Volume 2, Li’l Donnie - Volume 1: Executive Privilege, Lockjaw: Who’s a Good Boy, Postal - Volume 7, Sex Criminals - Volume 5: Five-fingered Discount

d. emerson eddy too wonders where all the cowboys have gone. Is it a nefarious plot from some shadowy organization? Or are they all just at the Calgary Stampede?

#This Week in Comics

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cablexdeadpool · 6 years

Note

Hello!I love your blog! So, I'm kinda new on this cablepool thing, I've read the Cable & Deadpool series, the Split Second and some other conic issues with them, but I'v curious abut current status of their relationships. I know that recently in the comic was some heavy story with Stryfe blackmailing Wade and threatening to his daughter to make him kill Cable. Could you maybe tell me more about those events?

I can’t, I’m afraid – I haven’t been keeping up with that event (been burned a few too many times by writers-who-are-not-Nicieza effing up their relationship – nowadays I mostly assume that when the rare good writer comes along, eventually someone will let me know). Personally, I gave up a few issues into Uncanny Avengers (last book featuring the both of them I tried following) when it became apparent that it was largely going to be another exercise in frustration for me. But maybe someone else watching this tumblr can give you some details – anyone?

My own go-to recs for fans wanting to see more of the characters tend to go: Deadpool Pulp (wild AU territory that I got into more than most), Joe Kelly’s original run on Deadpool Volume 1 (Cable only appears in one issue, but damn if I didn’t adore the rest of it too), and a few other odds-and-sods from around that era which get increasingly difficult to rec due to complicated continuity matters. But since it sounds like you’re more looking for more recent stuff, I’m going to have to hope someone else watching here can fill you in.

#Anonymous #asks #canon recs #Cable and Deadpool

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terracollinsbeiste · 2 years

Conversation

Text | Myerra | 12/21/21

Terra: They say curiosity killed the cat, but it's going to keep bugging me until I ask. What game(s) did a college age Myra Chang enjoy?

myra: Oh?

myra: I dabbled in MMOs and JRPGs. I spent most of my time in a guild in World of Warcraft, and in my spare time I played my way through Final Fantasy XI.

Terra: Huh. Interesting. God, I haven't touched WoW in a hot minute. Think everyone I knew who played it either stopped or never made it home.

Terra: Which is hella depressing now that I've said it.

myra: Ah.

myra: I played on Stormwind. I was a mage. The best damn mage they had, I'm quite sure.

Terra: I started out with a very in your face warrior on Stormwind myself. Never did learn the meaning of the word "block"

myra: ...I remember you, then.

Terra: What?

myra: I believe we were playing at the same time. That is, unless you don't remember a very impatient mage calling out raiders for not sticking to formations.

Terra: That was you?!

myra: Indeed, it was.

Terra: Always wondered what happened. I got back from that first deployment and you'd disappeared.

myra: I'd gone through somewhat of a state of turmoil in college. Too many classes on my plate. I'd broken down at some point.

myra: Eventually, I went back and completed my degree. So I stopped playing.

Terra: Huh.

myra: Hm?

Terra: Nothing. You just seemed to enjoy it. The idea that you dropped it and never looked back entirely for college is weird, but I guess everyone does things differently.

myra: It was a distraction.

Terra: Distractions can be important.

Terra: Though most of us just call them hobbies.

myra: Mmhm. Of course.

myra: It was within my best interest to finish my degree.

Terra: Doesn't mean you had to give up what you enjoyed.

myra: Mm.

myra: Tell me more about you. What have you been up to?

Terra: I was a Marine. Ended up a Marine Raider, which is special forces. Uh, then 4 years ago I nearly died. 2 years ago I was officially retired due to being medically unfit for duty. I've technically been back in town since, but have kept to myself for the most part. Within the last year I started working for Carter at Spidey Senses because I was officially starting to drive myself crazy.

myra: I see. You've been busy.

myra: I hope you can find some peace of mind here. Despite the constant chaos.

Terra: I guess. I was just doing my job. Getting used to civilian life is hard, but it'll happen eventually.

This is nothing compared to what I was used to, honestly. I'm used to warzones. Lima is anything but.

myra: I suppose so.

myra: What are your favorite comics?

Terra: I like Deadpool, Batman, Harley Quinn, X-Men uh... yeah. I don't own a lot of physical comics anymore, just because digital is easier to read because I can zoom in.

myra: I've only ever read Harley Quinn, mostly because I was at the bookstore looking for something else, and it happened to catch my attention. I've toyed with the idea of grabbing a few more.

Terra: If you're looking for really well written women in comics, I definitely recommend the Birds of Prey run written by Gail Simone, or her run of Wonder Woman, ot Red Sonja or... honestly if it's written by Gail Simone it's going to be good.

myra: Interesting. I'll definitely keep that in mind. I've also been eyeing Deadpool, because I did enjoy those movies, believe it or not. I've just done some research, and it seems as though the Joe Kelly authored ones are the way to go.

Terra: If you want them, I'll see if we have them in stock at Spidey Senses and if not I can order them for you. Just let me know. Also, the moped in Deadpool 2 is a reference to Gail Simone, she was the one who originally wrote him having one, as is Bob's wife from the first film and she's named drop again in the second when he's calling for the Yakuza boss. She's often considered the best, despite not having written too many issues.

myra: Oh? Thank you, that's kind. ...I can see why you're perfect for this job.

Terra: Yeah, of course. I got into a lot of nerdy stuff while in the military, kind of branched out past sports and sudoku. Comics ended up being a big love of mine because they were relatively easy to ship compared to other things.

myra: A vast knowledge of any subject is impressive. And it makes sense, for your situation. I'm not easily convinced in a new hobby, but I may have to stop by soon.

Terra: Do you have any hobbies?

myra: Does grading papers count?

Terra: No, that's work.

myra: ...Hm.

Terra: I will take that as a "no" then

myra: I haven't had time for anything except TV occasionally.

Terra: There is always time for hobbies if you know how to manage your time.

myra: I wake up at 6:30, I attempt to make breakfast and end up having milk with toast, I work from 7 until 3pm, then I'm grading papers and going over lesson plans until dinner. If I have dinner.

myra: Fitting in hobbies is difficult.

Terra: Wow. But also, what do you do after dinner? It's not healthy to only work, you have to take some time for yourself.

myra: I usually make sure that there's not going to be any work piling on me for the next day.

Terra: You seriously need to invest in you time, like... pronto.

myra: How? If I don't stay on track, I'll fall behind.

Terra: You just have to be okay with not always being on top of things because if not your health will falter. You have to prioritize yourself sometimes and play catch up later.

myra: My health is fine. Staying on top of things is how I've succeeded for so many years.

Terra: But what is success at the cost of your own happiness?

myra: My own happiness?

myra: I don't-

Terra: Yes, if you work for a living and you're doing nothing for you and you've more than implied you don't enjoy what you do, there's no happiness there. Like, I'd go so far as to say you're probably barely a person.

myra: ...

myra: I see.

Terra: I went into the Marines because it was my dream. From the time I was little, I wanted to be a Marine like my daddy. But, I made a deal with myself and with my dad, that if I ever felt like it wasn't what i wanted or I was losing myself, I'd quit. I never did, because I made time for myself, to take care of me, to make sure I was happy. If I could find time in literal warzones to take care of me, I'm sure you can figure out how to do it as a teacher.

myra: ...

myra: Maybe so.

Terra: I believe you can do it, you just have to be willing to try.

myra: I've never thought of my own happiness. I'm not sure I know what that means.

myra: I'd always been under the impression that being successful, and having my head on my shoulders, was enough to make me happy.

myra: Or, that's what should make me happy.

Terra: That's what the world tells you, but it's wrong. When I told the counselor in high school that I planned to go directly into the military, she genuinely tried to talk me out of it. Said I was wasting my potential, because I was so smart. I'd have regretted going to college. Never once have I regretted being a Marine. It's about finding what actually makes you happy and pursuing it, no matter what. And it's never too late to figure that out.

myra: The older I get, the more it feels like it's too late. Perhaps I should stop wasting time.

Terra: We're not old, and it's definitely never too late. And, if you need a little help with ideas, I'm pretty good at coming up with those. Though, my suggestion is fall back on what you already know you enjoy and branch out from there.

myra: You did mention possibly redownloading WoW.

myra: I may be rusty. But logging in again, especially now that they brought back WoW classic, seems tempting.

Terra: My brother was a little late on telling me it wasn't in my best interest so...

myra: I don't see why not.

Terra: Just let me know when and we'll do it.

myra: I have some free time on my hands now that it's winter break. I could...not lesson plan for a bit.

Terra: Sounds like a good time to me. And I think you could use the break.

myra: Ha.

Terra: What?

myra: It's just funny. A friend of mine has been telling me I've been ignoring my health and need for breaks. I suppose I never thought about it until now.

Terra: They sound like a good friend who knows what they're talking about.

myra: They are, yes.

Terra: Good, everyone needs good friends.

myra: It's a very rare thing. You knew me, I never made friends. It was too distracting.

myra: Somehow, I've changed my mind.

Terra: That is called growth and I'm happy to hear you have.

#long post #i: myra chang #t: myra chang #t: all

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creperend-a · 6 years

Text

I’m still trying to piece together how Wade’s level of empathy and morality works (since a lot of it was established in the Joe Kelly run, which is something I’m working towards reading up on) so some of what I’m about to say here is subject to change later down the line, but it’s one of the things I’ve been meaning to write about on this blog. I’ve noticed that my headcanon tag is sorely lacking, especially considering I’ve been fleshing out Wade outside of this blog while I was gone. So let’s jump right into it. (Also sorry in advance if this seems incomprehensible or inconsistent at points, I’m trying to word things as well as possible.)

Warning for spoilers for both Deadpool movies, death/murder and abuse mentions!

Between Wade’s states of mania and conscious decisions, sympathy, to him, is a switch he tries to keep off at all times. In his line of work, this is necessary for him to carry out his orders. And usually it works! He’s not very sympathetic to people unless they’re going through the same things he is. If he can’t relate to you, he won’t care. This is where his empathy comes in. It just so happens that a lot of the time, said switch turns itself on as a result of his empathy. Wade’s personal morality dictates that if someone doesn’t deserve death, they shouldn’t HAVE to die. People who are seen being spared by Wade usually belong to oppressed minorities, are children or suffering from a terminal illness, or are innocent in whatever Wade’s employer accused them of. These are all issues he can relate to. If he witnesses something he can identify with, he stops being a mercenary; he stops being Deadpool, and starts being Wade Wilson.

(What sometimes happens as a result is that he always has the potential to ‘suddenly’ turn against his employer whenever he feels like it, and at that point it stops being about the money and starts being about the principle, or doing the right thing in his eyes. This makes him a dangerous mercenary to employ, and definitely a wildcard in many ways. It’s why the Avengers won’t trust him, and why he is often hired by people who are convinced they are in the right. As a side note, if his employer is crooked in any other way (won’t pay him, betray him, etc.) he will also turn against them.)

Sometimes he happens to have no choice in his marks, or he just doesn’t know enough about the situation (which is why over the years he vets his employers more carefully, though some slip through from time to time godIamsosorryyoudidn’tdeservesecretempiresweetie), which is partly why Wade makes his kills quick. He has no intention of making their deaths slow, unless the person is particularly deserving of it or he was ordered to make it slow. The other reason being is, Wade doesn’t care if the person he is killing feels remorse or not. What matters to him is whether the world will be a better place when they die. If they deserve it, his empathy dictates that his employer’s life will be better for it, just like his own became better once he kills Francis in the movies, and Butler in the comics. He thinks of bad people as terribly annoying insects that won’t be a bother any more when he gets rid of them. After all, why not get rid of something annoying as quickly as possible so they’re prevented from harming any more people? And they can’t mock you when they’re dead. When Wade kills someone, he wins. At this point, there is no sympathy, only death.

[[ The only exception I’ve found with this is when he gets convinced not to go through with the murder when someone he cares deeply for tells him there is a better way to deal with things. This can be seen in the classic run, and again when he becomes an Avenger for a while, and once more during his friendship with Spider-Man in their comic run together, particularly during the first story arc. ]]

While I could go on to cite specific comic sources on this, it’s easier to refer to the movies, where Wade kills Francis and his employees as soon as they are disposable, and where, as soon as Russell tells him he was being abused, his first instinct is to grab his gun and shoot the bastards. Wade is very in touch with social issues because he has suffered from them himself, and he channels that anger into creating immediate justice for the people he hates. It is very heavily implied, if not explicitly shown he was abused as a child in some way, in both the comics (some issues from the early 2000s come to mind) and the movies, and as someone who is still a kid at heart, he loathes child abusers, and in extension, abusers in general. (I could go on to talk about my grievances with his ex-wife in the comics and how that whole thing was written, but more on that some other time.) I would even go so far as to say he even thinks like a child on this. Simplistic, logic-based, black-and-white thinking. Combined with his military and mercenary background, he doesn’t know there’s solutions other than murder until someone else tells him. (Or rather, he doesn’t seem to want to know, since his own solutions worked out in the past.) “ If a person is bad for you, why not get rid of them? ”

[[ As a side note, I would like to refer to this post someone made that says it better than I could. “ Wade assumes that everyone can recognise the signs because he grew up with them. He grew up surrounded by shitty people who hurt him and he is on the lookout non-stop. ”

“You can always tell.”

Wade reacts empathetically violent to the news that Russell was abused. He understands why Russell reacted the way he did, and in fact reacts quite the same in his own way. He takes matters into his own hands, because he is able to, and he doesn’t think about social repercussions, because he can’t read social cues and can’t tell when a situation is tense or when his behavior is inappropriate. He doesn’t follow the rules simply because he doesn’t understand them. ]]

In other words, Wade’s morality tends to be complicated and based on empathy more than anything else, but he knows how it works, and when something isn’t right to him, he is a man of direct action.

#headcanons ;#whoops! here it is #idk if putting a cut here was wise or not because it's important and I want people to read it but also . it's longer than I wanted ))#I hope it's readable with my theme aghhh. I can remove the cut if people want me to ))

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nyangibun · 6 years

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So, about marvel... top 3 characters and why you love them? same for otp? mcu or comics? both? also have you read Ajas/Fractions Hawkeye and if not drop everything. and DO.

Oooh good questions… Thanks, Anonny.

Let me preface this by saying I’m not a comic book expert. I never grew up with it and only got into it a few years ago.

1) Wade Wilson aka Deadpool is my absolute favourite. Joe Kelly’s run of the comics was probably the best out of all the iterations because that’s when Wade had heart. He was created as a parody of Deathstroke from Teen Titans, sure, but Joe gave him relatable human qualities. He was funny, sarcastic, as well as traumatised, scarred, insecure and self-loathing. It was very explicit that Wade had PTSD and it played out in many of his stories. Wade was also deeply insecure about how he looked. I just think as funny as he is, later reiterations of Wade often overlook that part of him. And he doesn’t flirt with every character in some misguided toxic masculinity where ‘straight’ men do it as a joke and to be dominating in a situation, but Wade is canonically pansexual so when he flirts with another character, it’s usually because he’s attracted to them. I like that about him as well.

2) Matthew Murdock aka Daredevil is a close second. He is such an iconic hero. Gritty and dark, but with a very distinct moral compass. I like that he’s more of a low-scale hero as in his story arcs almost always revolve primarily around Hell’s Kitchen because that’s his home. Not to say he doesn’t go out and do bigger than life stuff in the comics, but you know what I mean… Matty’s connection to Hell’s Kitchen is literally his most defining factor sometimes. As I’m not as well-versed in the comics for Daredevil though, I have to talk about the Netflix version. I think they did an amazing job by really grounding Matty to more human elements. He’s very real whereas, in the MCU movies, the heroes are very much extraordinary. Yeah, Matty is too, but if you watch the fight scenes, they’re choreographed so well, in the way that you can see him struggle and begin to tire.

3) Wanda Maximoff aka Scarlet Witch is also a favourite. I don’t think the MCU did Wanda justice because Wanda’s character has always been defined by her struggle with her powers and coming to terms with who she is and what she can do. She’s canonically also Magneto’s daughter and she was constantly exploited by men around her because her powers are so immense. Tbh, I need to read more Scarlet Witch comics, but from what I know, she’s infinitely more complicated and conflicted than what the MCU makes her out to be, and a lot more vulnerable. I think by killing off Pietro so early, they cut out a lot of Wanda’s development from the comics, and then cut that in half by not having Magneto be her father, but then, I don’t know. MCU’s never been great with their portrayals of women, so it’s less about what they didn’t include and more about them needing to hire female writers. But that’s another topic entirely lol.

But I would also like to say as a whole I much prefer the X-Men stories to the Avengers. I find the whole mutants storylines much more compelling. And from there, I really like Gambit and Wolverine.

And oh my god, honourable mention here, but:

4) Jean Grey aka Phoenix! What’s not to love about her? She’s one of the strongest heroes/villains in the entire Marvel universe. She’s incredibly complex and just utterly fascinating.

My favourite ships… well…

1) Spideypool – But not MCU’s Tom Holland as Spiderman. I mean in the comics when they’re older because in recent issues, Deadpool and Spiderman are just adorable. Their camraderie, Peter’s constant exasperation with Wade and Wade’s constant flirting and banter with Peter. How they still team up. Just everything about them is great.

2) Thunderblink – This is new and not comic book canon, but from Fox’s new The Gifted show about mutants. John Proudstar aka Thunderbird and Clarice Fong aka Blink have stolen my heart. Big, strong John, who is as pragmatic as he is full of heart, and sarcastic, guarded Clarice, who struggles with finding her place in the world. I am so trash for them already and it’s been 5 episodes. I just love them, okay?

3) Scarlet America – This is 1000% a crackship since I do really ship Scarlet Witch and Vision in the comics and stuff, but in the MCU-verse, I love the idea of Wanda and Steve Rogers. I think they’re similar in a lot of ways. They’ve both been experimented on and are completely displaced in their current world. And I know in the movie, Steve is supposed to care for her in an older brother kind of way, but Chris and Elizabeth just have so much great chemistry together that it comes off non-platonic. But this is a crackship so I don’t expect it to be canon. Although, Steve and Wanda do have this sexual tension in the comics that’s kind of canon! ;D

Thanks for the question!! Sorry, this is all a bit rambly. Hopefully it made sense!

EDIT: Also no I haven’t but I am looking into it now!! *_* I love me some Hawkeye tbh

#marvel #wade wilson #matthew murdock #wanda maximoff #spideypool #thunderblink #scarletamerica #mcu #asks

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ao3-spideypool · 7 years

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The Spanking

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2vEUsBW

by Hexes

Peter's been running himself ragged, so Wade decides to fix it. By tying him down and fucking him breathless. Y'know. How you do.

Un-beta'd.

Words: 2407, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Spider-Man/Deadpool - Joe Kelly (Comics)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Peter Parker, Wade Wilson

Relationships: Peter Parker/Wade Wilson

Additional Tags: Daddy Kink, ddlb, Anal Fisting, Bondage, Spanking, Subspace, Topspace, Aftercare, A Bit of Fluff, More spider-like Peter, Under-negotiated Kink, Love Confessions, Some Plot, filthy sex, Post-Coital Cuddling

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2vEUsBW

#IFTTT #ao3feed #fanfic #spideypool

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jordandwhiteqna · 7 years

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Oh, hey, Comixology has a Deadpool collection sale on! Can I get a recommendation for a collection you edited, and one you didn't?

Oh man--here’s the sale, but it ends today so act fast!

As to your question, if you have not read the Deadpool books I’ve been working on, I’d recommend starting with the Dead Presidents volume--it’s the start of Gerry Duggan’s run, which has been going on for...a LOT of issues now. He’s written more Deadpool than any writer before him, I believe. That’s the first volume of...what, 8 in his first run, then they continue in the Deadpool: World’s Greatest vol 1 through...5 at least so far.

As for things I did NOT edit, you’re going back a few years. At that point...the Deadpool books that made me fall in love with Deadpool were the Joe Kelly issues. Issue 1 of his run is in Deadpool Classics vol 1, but Deadpool Classics vol 2 is ALL Joe Kelly, I think.

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aion-rsa · 5 years

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Who Is Taskmaster? Potential Black Widow Movie Villain Explained

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The MCU might finally be introducing one of Marvel's coolest villains in Black Widow. Here's what he's about.

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With Marvel's MCU Phase 4 rapidly approaching, it’s almost surprising that it has taken this long for the Taskmaster to show his skull-covered face. Taskmaster has been taking on various Marvel heroes since 1980 and has gone on to star in two miniseries while getting the occasional supporting character role. He’s on that border where it was hard to tell whether he’d show up in the movies or get relegated to TV, showing up as a villain on Agents of SHIELD or something from the Defenders’ neck of the woods on Netflix. But now it appears that he'll be the villain of the Black Widow movie, which is coming in 2020.

But seriously, he can’t do superhuman stuff. He once tried to copy the movements of living cartoon character Slapstick and Bane’d himself.

Also, they finally revealed that Taskmaster’s real name is Tony Masters. Of course it is.

read more: Agent X: The Strange History of the Other Deadpool

There's also the thing that he's been unwittingly working for SHIELD all these years.

read more: Marvel Movies Release Schedule: Complete MCU Timeline

Taskmaster only showed up in the Ultimate comics towards the end of its run, but there wasn’t much to him. The only thing memorable was that they made him black.

No wonder he and Deadpool keep crossing paths.

He's appeared in the trailer for Marvel's Avengers, which is pretty perfect, considering it will come out right around Black Widow, when the mainstream will presumably care about the skull-faced merc.

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Hopefully we'll hear this when he goes into action in Black Widow. I’m pumped for anything after listening to that song.

Read and download the Den of Geek SDCC 2019 Special Edition Magazine right here!

Gavin Jasper writes for Den of Geek and feels that if Taskmaster was more realistic, he’d be doing way more breakdancing. Read Gavin’s other articles here and follow him on Twitter @Gavin4L

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Jul 18, 2019

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#aion-rsa #Books

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eddycurrents · 7 years

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For the week of 28 August 2017

Just one comic stood out as a favourite for me this week; Generations: The Archers - Hawkeye & Hawkeye by Kelly Thompson & Stefano Raffaele. Published by Marvel.

Like the previous Generations one-shots, this follows the formula of a modern day hero sent back in time (or wherever) to interact with their predecessor. Also like the previous one-shots, there’s no explanation as to why or how that’s happening, which is a detriment to the overall plot, but here it’s easy to look past.

The main plot of the issue hinges on a straight-forward enough contest of champions to see the “best marksman alive”, with other characters being drawn to a mysterious island...mysteriously. It’s simple, but it allows Kelly Thompson to do what’s best about this issue and that’s character development. It also helps that there’s a good amount of humour throughout the issue that keeps the dialogue zipping along.

One of the editorial points of the Generations exercise is for modern heroes to learn or be influenced by something from the past (or whenever) heroes and Thompson delivers that in spades with the conversations between Kate and Clint. The mentor/student dynamic is mirrored in the revelation of who’s behind the contest and there’s a nice moment of revelation for Kate.

It’s also really nice to see Stefano Raffaele around again. Especially on a Hawkeye story, since I have fond memories of his art on an earlier Hawkeye series he did with Fabian Nicieza. His work is brighter and cleaner here than then, but it’s no less impressive. There are some very nice panoramas and establishing shots amid strong character work throughout the book, aided by a brighter colour palette from Digikore.

Thompson and Leonardo Romero’s Hawkeye series starring Kate is easily one of my favourite books from Marvel right now, deftly mixing humour, character development, intriguing plotlines, and drop-dead gorgeous artwork and page layouts that remind me of some of the highlights from Matt Fraction and David Aja’s Hawkeye, while still having its own distinct voice and purpose. This Generations one-shot is a natural extension of that, essentially being Hawkeye #9.1, or maybe #12.1 since this story is supposed to continue (kind of) in #13. This one really feels essential if you’re reading the ongoing Hawkeye series.

Quick Bits:

Black Magick #7 largely keeps the numerous plates spinning, advancing the various bits in smaller degrees. All of it brought together by some truly gorgeous art by Nicola Scott & Chiara Arena.

| Published by Image

Faith & The Future Force #2 ups the stakes a few times as Timewalker, Ank, Faith, and friends continue to travel through time to try to stop an “evil robot”. It’s still not clear exactly when the present of the series takes place (I’m guessing before Harbinger Renegade #5, but definitely after the end of the Faith ongoing series), especially since other characters are plucked out of different time frames, and we’re still not given any exposition on exactly who this evil robot is and what he’s doing other than messing with time (erasing Adolf Hitler was apparently one of the first things, eliminating the Civil War another), but it’s still entertaining to see them continually throw larger and larger groups at it with reckless abandon. It’s a fun way to “kill the Valiant universe” without actually killing the Valiant universe.

| Published by Valiant

Jean Grey #6 is the first of two X-dips into magic and the supernatural this week, with young Jean turning to Doctor Strange for help in her trip of self-discovery and preparation for the oncoming Phoenix. We also get to see which “spirit” has been dogging Jean since the first issue. Maybe. I say “maybe” because since the first issue Dennis Hopeless has largely been setting up the possibility that things might not be 100% real. And maybe Jean is just crazy. That’s unlikely, but it’s still possible.

This issue also features some excellent guest art from Paul Davidson. His depictions of the astral plane and trips through the life and times of adult Jean Grey are worth the price of the book alone. It would be nice to see him get some regular work again.

| Published by Marvel

Lady Killer 2 #5 is wow. That’s all I can really say. This is one hell of an explosive end to the series. Joëlle Jones delivers another stunning issue. Do yourself a favour and buy both this series and the first volume. You won’t be disappointed.

| Published by Dark Horse

Optimus Prime #10 gets another of IDW’s Hasbroverse titles up to speed for the First Strike “crossover” that is already underway. That several of the other titles are also still out of sync is a similar problem that Revolution had. The stories are usually very good, but shipping late and out of order ruins momentum and important story beats. Read in a vacuum, though, the individual titles are still excellent and this issue of Optimus Prime is no different.

| Published by IDW

Saban’s Go Go Power Rangers #2, like the first issue, is fun. I was never a fan of the TV shows, but have been greatly enjoying what BOOM! has been doing with the license in comics. Ryan Parrott delivers on a mix of humour, character development, and action, all while Dan Mora continues to show that he should really be one of comics’ breakout talents.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Spawn #277 continues what is shaping up to be one of the most inventive and compelling runs on the title. The team of Darragh Savage and Jason Shawn Alexander have brought an atmosphere of dread and horror to Spawn that I don’t think I’ve seen since the Hellspawn series. I’m really liking this.

| Published by Image

Spider-Gwen #23 is kind of an odd place for a Mary Janes interlude just as the Predators story-arc was hitting a critical point. It’s a decent story by guest creator, Hannah Blumenreich, but it makes me kind of hate MJ. The art is great, though.

| Published by Marvel

Star Wars: Jedi of the Republic - Mace Windu #1 reminds you that you need more Denys Cowan in your life. His art here is a little more restrained than I’m used to, but it still shines throughout this first issue. There’s also some nice humour peppered throughout the script by Matt Owens that lightens the mood for this otherwise action-packed debut.

| Published by Marvel

Uncanny Avengers #26, excluding the Generations one-shots, is one of the first post-Secret Empire stories without said branding to deal with the fallout. It also gives a first step to an idea as to where Jim Zub may be going with the book as he makes it his own, bringing Scarlet Witch back into the fold for the first time since I think Rick Remender’s run, a kind of redemptive arc, but I had thought that a lot of the animosity between her and Rogue had been stitched up. Apparently not. Like the ruins of Avengers Mansion their still camping out in, it gives a sense of rebuilding for the team.

It’s also nice to see Zub reunited with one of his Thunderbolts compatriots, Sean Izaakse. I liked his art there and thought it was a shame he only did a couple of issues.

| Published by Marvel

Vampirella #6 extends Paul Cornell’s run on the series by the first of a two-issue arc. It also sees Andy Belanger of Southern Cross take over art chores, which in itself should make the comic an instant purchase. It’s an interesting trip through Vampi’s psyche personified through dream with some really, really nice artwork.

| Published by Dynamite

X-Men Blue #10 is the second of the X-dips into magic and the supernatural this week, as Beast hooks up with the Goblin Queen again. It also brings yet another alternate X-Men team to the title, since the original five and dimension-displaced, mind-wiped mutants from the Ultimate universe aren’t enough. To his credit, though, Cullen Bunn is really making this work. I’m not as keen on another rehash of the Jean/Scott romance plot, with an added Wolverine stand-in for a love triangle, for what seems like the millionth time. Bunn is very good with the characterizations, but seriously I think this plot has been done to death.

| Published by Marvel

Other Highlights: Animosity #9, Bankshot #3, Black Panther #17, Black Panther & The Crew #6, BPRD: Devil You Know #2, Crosswind #3, Deadly Class #30, Deadpool #35, Doctor Strange & The Sorcerers Supreme #11, Dungeons & Dragons: Frost Giant’s Fury #5, Ghostbusters 101 #6, GI Joe #8, The Normals #4, Paklis #4, Planetoid: Praxis #6, Rapture #4, Ringside #11, Saga #46, Star Wars #35, Thanos #10, There’s Nothing There #4, TMNT: Dimension X #5, Victor LaValle’s Destroyer #4

Recommend Collections: Archie - Vol. 4, Bullseye: Colombian Connection, Copperhead - Vol.3, Jupiter’s Legacy - Vol. 2, Magdalena: Reformation, Old Guard - Vol. 1: Opening Fire, The Other Side - Special Edition, Providence - Act 3

d. emerson eddy is unsure what he made anyone do and might like to apologize for it, maybe, but he doesn’t know what it was. Was it the slightly charred red peppers?

#This Week in Comics #Generations: The Archers #Kelly Thompson #Stefano Raffaele

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gokinjeespot · 4 years

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off the rack #1299

Monday, February 3, 2020

I had a busy Sunday yesterday with hauling boxes of comic books back and forth from the Walkley Arena where Jee-Riz Comics & Appraisals had another successful day selling old comics. I want to thank my partner Penny for all her help and my other partner Chris for all his hard work organising everything and making my job of manual labourer and security so much easier. Then it was home to rest before a yummy chicken dinner with roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts while watching the Super Bowl. I stayed up way past my bedtime to see if the Kansas City Chiefs would win (SPOILER ALERT) and they did. I was happy for them as it had been 50 years since they had been to the big game.

Doctor Strange #2 - Mark Waid (writer) Kev Walker (art) Java Tartaglia (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). The Wrecker was introduced last issue and he's joined by his partner in crime Thunderball to battle Doctor Strange. This time Stephen has a surprise up his sleeve to help him defeat the bad guys. It seems that someone is giving super villains magical weapons and Doc is going to find out who. I like this new more assertive Sorcerer Supreme.

Something is Killing the Children #5 - James Tynion IV (writer) Werther Dell'Edera (art) Miquel Muerto (colours) AndWorld Design (letters). I thought that this was the climax where Erica dispatches the beast. She triumphs but then it's uh-oh. The hunt continues. This new twist will keep me reading.

Action Comics #1019 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) John Romita Jr. (pencils) Klaus Janson (inks) Brad Anderson (colours) Dave Sharpe (letters). Lex Luthor and Leviathan (if you haven't been reading all the Event Leviathan books his secret identity is revealed here) team up to kill Superman. Their weapon of Superman destruction is none other than the Red Cloud. The art is really bothering me now. When I can't make out Lex Luthor in some pages that's just bad. John Romita Jr. should not be drawing costumed super hero comic books anymore.

The Immortal Hulk #30 - Al Ewing (writer) Joe Bennett (pencils) Ruy Jose, Belardino Brabo & Cam Smith (inks) Paul Mounts (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Simple Hulk escapes from the belly of the beast just in time to see Xemnu coming to save the day. Roxxon is framing the Hulk for all the death and destruction so what happens next should be good.

Jessica Jones: Blind Spot #2 - Kelly Thompson (writer) Mattia De Iulis (art) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Now I'm really hooked. There's a mystery within a mystery what with Jess waking up from a bullet to the head. Add Misty Knight and Elsa Bloodstone into the mix and this story is one I'd pay money to read.

Avengers #30 - Jason Aaron (writer) Ed McGuinness & Francesco Manna (pencils) Mark Morales & Francesco Manna (inks) Jason Keith (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Yes, the Starbrand is reborn. The big fight is between the Avengers and everyone else that wants the Starbrand to be destroyed. It's a power equal to the Phoenix Force and must not be wielded. But nope, this baby is being delivered no matter what. I rolled my eyes when the three heralds gave gifts to the baby. Way to rip off the Bible Jason. I wonder who's going to raise this kid?

Fallen Angels #6 - Bryan Hill (writer) Szymon Kudranski (art) Frank D'Armata (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). Psylocke soars for the win. Apoth never had a chance no matter how much the villain gloated. X-23 gets handed the leadership of the team so if they go on another mission I'll be there.

X-Force #6 - Benjamin Percy (writer) Stephen Segovia (art) Guru-eFX (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). New plant based super villains are introduced this issue so you won't want to miss this exciting development. There will be no more stars and garters as Beast gets super serious. Could be a prelude of Hank becoming a bad guy.

Amazing Spider-Man: Daily Bugle #1 - Mat Johnson (writer) Mack Chater, Francesco Mobili & Scott Hanna (art) Dono Sanchez-Almara & Protobunker (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). If you're curious about how the good old Daily Bugle is doing this 5-issue mini is for you. Editor-in-Chief Robbie Robertson makes some changes and they include Peter Parker. There are three weird elements in this first issue that intrigued me enough to want to read the second issue. One involves Koi Boy, a friend of Squirrel Girl's. I've never heard of him before. I want to see what other weirdness shows up.

Ravencroft #1 - Frank Tieri (writer) Angel Unzueta (art) Rachelle Rosenberg & Dono Sanchez-Almara (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). The one-shots leading up to this 5-issue mini were good enough for me to want to read this first issue to find out where they were going with this Institute for the Criminally Insane. The good guys are Mercedes "Misty" Knight and John "Man Wolf" Jameson. The bad guys, well judge for yourself. Would you consider Grizzly to be insane? One of Misty's colleagues is a certifiable homicidal maniac. His alter ego wears green and throws pumpkin bombs. Even his presence didn't turn me off. It wasn't until Mayor Wilson Fisk introduces the rest of the staff that I decided to shut this thing down. Not even the mysterious dweller in the dark is going to get me to read the rest of this.

Detective Comics Annual #3 - This $4.99 US issue is dedicated to the dearly departed Alfred Pennyworth.

The first story by Peter J. Tomasi (writer) Sumit Kumar (art) Romulo Fajardo Jr. (colours) & Tom Napolitano (letters) has an old MI-6 agent who worked with Alfred asking Bruce for help to bring in a traitor to the British Empire. It must be the week where we find out the real names of beloved characters. I didn't know that Misty Knight's real name was Mercedes and here we find out that it's Alfred Thaddeus Crane Pennyworth.

The second story by Peter J. Tomasi (writer) Eduardo Risso (art & colours) & Tom Napolitano (letters) tells the origin story of Batman's costume.

I am really disappointed that there hasn't been a proper funeral issue for Alfred in either Batman or Detective. I think the character deserved to be honoured more.

Avengers of the Wastelands #1 - Ed Brisson (writer) Jonas Scharf (art) Neeraj Menon (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). This story takes place in the world where Old Man Logan came from. Don't get too excited, he's dead. I'm not familiar with these characters but you don't have to be to understand that they band together to fight Doctor Doom who is running rampant across the land with his army killing anyone who won't submit to his rule. A guy named Dwight has the Ant Man costume. Dani Cage, daughter of Jessica and Luke, has Thor's hammer and there's the son of Bruce Banner who is a Hulk. These Avengers will defy Doctor Doom. I liked the surprise appearance of another hero at the end so I'm going to keep reading this 5-issue mini.

Deadpool: The End #1 - Joe Kelly (writer) Mike Hawthorne (pencils) Victor Olazaba (inks) Ruth Redmond (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). I read this because Joe Kelly wrote it. I like how he writes Deadpool. This one-shot has many endings and Deadpool doesn't die. I didn't know that Wade has a daughter named Ellie.

Suicide Squad #2 - Tom Taylor (writer) Bruno Redondo (art) Adriano Lucas (colours) Wes Abbott (letters). This book is about trust. Trust between team members, all of whom are super villains. Some of them hate each other. Trust that the Squad does what their overseers want them to do. All that trust leaves plenty of room for plot twists and I love that. The team goes on a mission to free a politician and one team member is left out of the loop. This issue was a lot of fun.

Hawkeye: Freefall #2 - Matthew Rosenberg (writer) Otto Schmidt (art) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). There's a Spider-Man cameo here that makes me think Matthew Rosenberg would be a good fit for Amazing. He does snappy banter well. The shocking twist at the end means I have to keep reading this series. I would anyways because I'm having fun too.

Thor #2 - Donny Cates (writer) Nic Klein (art) Matthew Wilson (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). In order to save the universe, Thor must be Galactus's herald and guide him to worlds that he can feed on. Donny Cates proves he's a worthy writer this issue as Thor and Galactus fight over an inhabited planet before Galactus can eat. The planet eater must have five meals before he's strong enough to stop the coming universal catastrophe. Thor just wants to save any sentient beings before Galactus chows down. The surprise appearance of a friend to Thor and a foe to Galactus has me anticipating the next issue with relish and hot sauce.

X-Men #5 - Jonathan Hickman (writer) R.B. Silva (art) Marte Gracia (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Cyclops sends three mutants on a mission into enemy territory and one of them is X-23. I know it's futile but I really hope they change her and Logan's costumes. I hate the pointy flaps on their head gear. The spies are going into The Vault which seems to have appeared out of the blue. I don't remember any reference to this place before. There's a big twist in The Vault as time moves differently there. By the end of this issue X-23, Darwin and Synch have been inside for three months and five days or five hundred and thirty-seven years Vault Time. I don't think they're coming out alive.

Conan the Barbarian #12 - Jason Aaron (writer) Mahmud Asrar (art) Matthew Wilson (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). The Life and Death of Conan concludes. Does the King of Aquilonia die? Does the evil god Razazel walk the earth again? Read this to find out. I was happy with how this story ended.

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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Deadpool 3: The MCU Questions and Connections

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Deadpool is coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While the X-Men Cinematic Universe fizzled out as Disney bought out Fox, it doesn’t take a marketing genius to remember that Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson is a license to print money. Much like JK Simmons reprised his role as J. Jonah Jameson in Spider-Man: Far From Home, we’re once again going to see Reynolds as Deadpool because if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! And even if he was broken, Deadpool has the innate ability to fix hims—

Sorry, got lost there.

They aren’t just going to reintroduce the character like Jameson, though. We’re getting Deadpool 3 and it’s going to be rated R. This will be a sequel…but in a different continuity than its first two films. Interesting novelty.

Deadpool 3 is the ultimate wild card because we don’t really know how it’s going to really work. Just the idea of Deadpool 3 being part of MCU canon fills the room with elephants. So while we have a long time to wait on this, here are some questions that arise about Deadpool 3.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR CABLE?

We got one Thanos joke in Deadpool 2, but if Cable’s coming back, then expect even more references to Josh Brolin’s other big Marvel role.

Cable’s a tough nut to crack here. On one hand, he was such a major fixture in Deadpool 2 and it felt like a given that he’d be sticking around as Deadpool’s long-suffering gun buddy. He even chooses to stay in the present and save Deadpool because he feels he can fix the future by making a better world.

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But…what future? Cable’s future is null and void at this point. While Deadpool 2 didn’t go into canon connections, Cable’s father hasn’t even been established in the MCU. Not to mention the headaches that come from mixing and matching X-Men-style time travel and how it works in the MCU.

He’s too big a name to just ignore, but he’s also going to be a square peg in a round hole.

WILL X-FORCE BE CONSIDERED THE FIRST MUTANTS OF THE MCU?

Deadpool 3 doesn’t have a release date, but realistically, it can’t be showing up any earlier than 2023. We’re going to have two-to-three years of a stacked Marvel movie release calendar going on before we get to see Colossus and the others again.

Now, they haven’t announced any X-Men movies during that time (yet), but that doesn’t mean that mutants won’t be popping up. We all know that making mutants work as a concept in a superhero universe that’s been around for nearly a decade and a half is something that’s going to need some thought, but if they do figure it out, they could always sprinkle characters into different movies and shows. For instance, it would absolutely make sense for Mystique and/or Rogue to show up in Captain Marvel 2.

There are even rumors out there that a certain tentacled, Soviet mutant will be making his debut in Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Man, did they really go thirteen X-Men movies without giving us Omega Red and his MUTANT DEATH FACTOR?

Then again, there’s also the possibility that X-Force and the like won’t get any real screentime, focusing just on Deadpool, Vanessa, and maybe Dopinder.

WILL THE CONNECTION BE PART OF THE NARRATIVE?

Even from the original screenplay, Deadpool and its sequel were really loose about its connections to the other X-Men movies. Deadpool mentions he doesn’t know which Xavier actor he’d be meeting, established characters are extremely different from their previous appearances (Deadpool included), and even the X-Men’s public status as superheroes isn’t really something you see in the main movies outside of the first act of Dark Phoenix. Good luck figuring out how Wade’s movies tie into X-Men movie canon.

It would be absolutely forgivable if they kept that loose approach with the MCU. The difference is that the MCU is actually coherent. The X-Men movies are a gigantic pile of contradictions and retcons that leave you with a bunch of jigsaw pieces that just don’t fit well. Even when they tried to fix it all with time travel, they still screwed it up immediately after.

Also, why the hell did nobody age between First Class and Dark Phoenix?

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Ahem. So anyway, the MCU has its cracks, but its pride comes from the fact that the movies and some of the higher-profile spinoffs tie together and do it well. You’re more likely to see Deadpool 3 play ball a little more specifically with the world around him.

But how important is this change of scenery? Is it an unexplained alteration that we aren’t meant to question and barely notice or is it going to be part of the storyline? This is a time when we’re already getting WandaVision, Spider-Man 3, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness so close together and they’re all about exploring and mixing realities. For all we know, Deadpool might even show up in the Doctor Strange 2 post-credits. It would make as much sense as anything.

WHAT BIG NAMES ARE GOING TO GET ROASTED?

Deadpool’s already made references to the MCU here and there, like doing the Hulk lullaby to Juggernaut, fighting on a Helicarrier, being old friends with a guy whose very identity is tied to being from HYDRA, and whatnot. What happens when he goes full ham? Are we going to see Weasel recast with Ed Norton or Terrance Howard?

But really, we have dozens of movies to go on. Lots of stuff to poke fun at. Did he lose Vanessa again due to the Snap and then get her back? Is he unsure whether or not he’s allowed to talk about Venom? Is he going to be meta about the fact that it’s probably for the best that a Ryan Reynolds character didn’t show up until after the Scarlett Johansson character was killed off?

WHAT SMALL NAMES ARE GOING TO GET ROASTED?

Making jokes about Thanos and the Infinity Stones is one thing, but I’m into the obscure jabs. There are rumors going around about certain Netflix Defenders characters popping up in MCU projects, such as Daredevil being in Spider-Man 3. That means I only want Deadpool to dig deeper.

While I wouldn’t be against seeing knocks on Runaways or Cloak and Dagger, the real target I’m interested in is Inhumans. Inhumans, the property that Marvel spent years and so much effort trying to overshadow mutants with only to absolutely fall on their face when the movie was changed to a TV series and then flopped in its first season. The kind of project that is supposedly one of those “never bring it up or you will be fired” blunders.

Hey, they put that series on Disney+. Might as well give everyone a reason to check it out.

WHO WILL BE THE VILLAIN?

Deadpool’s rogues gallery hasn’t always been too impressive. During his defining Joe Kelly run, his big bad was T-Ray, but following writers proceeded to phase him out of importance. Even though Ajax was from the Deadpool comics, he was mainly there for one story arc before getting killed off (he did get briefly resurrected after the first movie came out, but even then only had one appearance). Deadpool 2 had Juggernaut and Black Tom, who were more plug-and-play X-Men villains in general who only had a limited connection to Deadpool himself.

Really, if anyone’s going to be the villain in Deadpool 3, it’s Mr. Sinister. Deadpool has dealt with him a few times in the comics and he was, for whatever reason, the main villain in the aggressively mediocre Deadpool video game. Thing is, if Deadpool 3 is the last true gasp of the X-Men Cinematic Universe as it transfers into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, then it’s probably going to be the big villain that they spent several movies building up (X-Men: Apocalypse, Deadpool 2, New Mutants, and technically Logan) only to never have him appear.

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Besides, it’s not like Sinister is above fourth-wall breaking humor. You could loosely base the story on What If #100, a story where Sinister became aware of his fictional nature and tried to break free from its imprisonment.

Why should Deadpool have all the self-aware fun?

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