"The End" Week: Crystar #11!

Mildly surprised we hadn't blogged this one yet--I better double-check, I already nearly doubled up one! But we have blogged almost half the series, so we might as well: from 1985, Crystar #11, "Resolution" Written by Jo Duffy, art by Ricardo Villamonte. Cover by Michael Golden!

Although I read most of this when it came out, I've never had any Crystar toys; but this was a better toy tie-in book than it needed to be. I think the sales were probably pretty strong the first issue, but despite being set in the Marvel universe, it didn't have the same legs that ROM Spaceknight did. This issue, after losing one of his men, Koth; Crystar confronts his uncle (and current regent of Crystalium) Feldspar: he had been trying to keep things neutral, but Chaos was escalating the war, having made the local savages into Malachite men, to back up the Lava Men. Chaos wizard Zardeth is thrilled with the bloodthirsty Malachon's performance, while Crystar's brother Moltar is starting to question his role. Koth wasn't dead yet, but had been captured and was to be tortured; Moltar asks him to give up something so they'll kill him easy, but Koth refuses to salve his conscience.

Back with Crystar's forces, his newest warrior, the snooty Bekk, suggests why doesn't their wizard, Ogeode, just turn more guys into crystal warriors? Maybe even up the numbers a bit? Indignantly, Ogeode explains that simply wasn't done: if Order increased its numbers, Chaos could up theirs geometrically...that doesn't seem fair; but Bekk points out they should be able to at least replace Koth. Ogeode grudgingly agrees, and reaches into his pocket to get his magic crystal...as on earth, Alpha Flight's Puck, Northstar, and Shaman fight a Chaos monster. (Snowbird is on the cover, but Northstar's a better fit, since he is catty in this one.) They restore it to human, but Northstar is injured, so Shaman reaches into his medicine bag for bandages; and gets the crystal--then an arm--instead! The three get pulled into Crystalium, which Puck recognizes: what, you've never been? After some conversation, they get attacked by Lava Men, who are accidentally killed by Shaman when he hits them with a blast of "glacial cold."

Northstar flies recon, and observes the Chaos forces about to kill a prisoner, whom Crystar realizes must be Koth. Moltar is disgusted by Zardeth's catering to the Malachite men's sadism, and a Lava woman (with Princess Leia buns!) tries to stop the execution. Moltar turns against Zardeth, while Crystar challenges Malachon to single combat, killing him in like two panels! The battle then commences: Bekk dies saving his ex Ika, and even the Lady Macbeth-like Lavour turns against Zardeth. Before the wizard can kill Moltar and Lavour, Crystar kills him, but Zardeth has time for a final curse: turning Moltar back into human, so he could never touch his lava girlfriend again. Moltar renounces his claim on the throne, Crystar is named king, and it's a happy ending for everybody.

Warbow--and later Crystar--would return, years later, in Weirdworld; but is probably best remembered for a Robot Chicken bit. Which isn't really fair, it was a perfectly fun little book...okay, "crystal warriors" is hilarious, but still.

"The End" Week: Nothing really ends, as long as we remember it relaunch it, over and over and over...

Good lord, last week I got, in my yard of comics from the dollar bins, five issues of what I thought was the most recent Ghost Rider series. Nope!  From the series before, and the current Ghost Rider book was actually ending this week! I almost wish I could easily track the sales numbers for those, because those returns have got to be diminishing, right? Or does every incarnation of a character like this sell about the same baseline, regardless?

In that vein, I don't read that many mainstream Marvel books, probably in part because of this sort of thing; but (at least!) three I read got cancelled this year...and relaunched virtually immediately. So, let's bite off more than we can chew, and check them out! First up, probably the most permanent cancellation...sort of. Punisher #12, "Punisher No More" Written by Jason Aaron, art by Jesús Saiz and Paul Azaceta. 

I think the Hood or somebody tried this before, but the hook for this series was the resurrection of Frank's wife, Maria; by the ninja clan the Hand, in exchange for the Punisher becoming their "Fist of the Beast." It's literally as well as figuratively a deal with the devil, but if it kills criminals, yeah, Frank's up for it. What Frank may not have known, was that before her death in Central Park, Maria had been on the verge of divorcing him: he was very obviously damaged, from the war and earlier, and utterly incapable of fixing himself or reaching out for help. Maria is also not thrilled when she finds out what Frank's done, in her name and the name of her children: year after year of brutal murder. She shoots Frank with a magic gun he had rigged up to kill Ares, and the Archpriestess of the Hand confronts the bleeding "Fist," a colossal disappointment, that she still believes in: maybe he'll be better, when she brings him back...

The Archpriestess may have jumped the gun, since Frank still had enough power to drive her off, but he's then captured by Doctor Strange, Wolverine, Captain America, Black Widow, and Moon Knight. Who are then at a loss, as to what to do with Frank; who no longer has the power, but isn't the slightest bit repentant. His only request is to Natasha, on behalf of Maria; since he seemed to think Strange or the others would decide she should be dead again. Instead, the coldly furious Maria confronts him: with Natasha's help, she cashed in the Punisher's various assets, and gave Frank's half to charities in the names of their kids: she didn't want him using them as "an excuse for slaughter" anymore--he would have lost them, regardless. She tells him, wherever he's going, "do us all a favor...and stay dead." Frank is left, with no regrets as the Punisher...and nothing but regrets, as a husband and father. 

Strange had left Frank the bullets he had dug out of him, and Frank makes a final prayer (or final threat?) to the Beast. Before the heroes can pass judgement on him--which he figures "wouldn't be enough" anyway--Frank uses a final burst of power, and disappears in flames. Strange says, he was no longer in that plane of existence: "The Punisher...is no more." But...well, let's put this after the break!

  

While the Archpriestess approaches a new candidate for the position of Fist--a young serial killer, in jail--and Maria drives off, with two duffel bags full of cash, and a positive pregnancy test; in a final epilogue, Frank saves four more orphans, in the wars on Weirdworld. Wars he doesn't want any part of...for now, seemingly content with saving lives, as he tells a young girl "Call me Frank."

The Hand stuff seemed like a weird fit from the start, but Aaron's argument seems to be Frank would get into bed with just about anyone that's going to get him to kill more criminals, especially since Frank was pretty obviously intending to wipe out the Hand later on anyway. This series also--and quite intentionally, I think--gives Maria more agency than she's ever had; partially because it's more page time than she's ever had alive. I did feel like she waffled a little in her choice; but despite Frank's shortcomings, she loved him once and saw him as someone who would protect her and her kids...which he didn't, if we get down to it. Aaron's also done Weirdworld before, of course, but sending Frank there...that's straight-up leaving an out for later, as needed. And Aaron had written another end for Frank before, in PunisherMAX #22! There are some interesting character bits with the other heroes here: Frank tells Natasha he's not a "friend" any more than a gun would be; while Moon Knight seems to look at him and see where exactly he was damaged, even if nothing could be done about it. 

There was also a crossover in this series, that should have mattered more to both titles: Chip Zdarsky's Daredevil. I was up on the book almost three years ago and thrilled to get an Elektra-DD figure, which just makes the rest of the run all the more disappointing.

I'm trying to do this without re-reading a couple years' worth of books (and tie-ins!) but let's see: Matt went to jail, as Daredevil, for murder. Elektra took up the mantle of DD on the outside, to maybe prove something to Matt but that might've shown her something as well. There were clones of Bullseye and Mike Murdock was real now? And the wedding of the Kingpin and Typhoid Mary before Matt got out--which was another Daredevil last issue? #36/Legacy #648, and it might be time to admit comic book numbering is just a crapshoot now. Huh, that was in the drawer there, too...("Lockdown, Part 6" Written by Chip Zdarsky, pencils by Manuel Garcia, inks by Cam Smith, Scott Hanna, and Victor Nava.) That's not a great cut-off, since new #1 or not, Zdarsky only had 14 more issues. Well, it seems longer, because the Devil's Reign crossover was next. (The ending, setting up the crossover, isn't bad! Wilson Fisk finds an old file labeled "Daredevil's Identity," but is furious that it seems to be blank; from the last time the genie got crammed back into the bottle.)

Then, the "Red Fist Saga," which felt like a series of stumbles for me. Like a runner coming off the blocks wrong and never hitting stride: something interesting would be brought up, then not used, or actively ignored. Matt and Elektra are "married," even if it doesn't feel real, as it has something to do with some prophecy for the final battle between the Fist and the Hand. Matt recruits some guys like Stegron (!) and Speed Demon, but in an interesting way, like Zdarsky was trying to say something about justice and rehabilitation...that gets completely left by the wayside. Ditto the battle with the Punisher and the Hand: that doesn't come down to Matt and Frank, probably because Aaron and Zdarsky were maybe working in different directions? There's a fight with the Avengers and Spidey; Elektra is framed for some murders but out before the last issue; Stick, Foggy Nelson, and some unnamed and unseen world leaders are trapped in Hell by the Hand; Matt tricks Elektra into killing him, so he can face the Beast (and the Beast's sister, who I don't know we ever saw before) to save those souls, but is seemingly left behind in hell.

I was kind of joking before, but how many beats does this share with earlier last issue Daredevil #512? With Matt Murdock gone, Foggy Nelson struggles to go on, but has a new partner to help: former cop Cole North. And Hell's Kitchen has a new protector: Elektra as Daredevil, who muses she never used to scare people, mostly because she killed them before they ever saw her. She also confronts new "Kingpin," Butch Fisk, who's presenting a friendlier, white-collar crime vibe; but probably isn't. Foggy has a visit with Reed Richards (who appeared in #36/648 as well, oddly enough) and they discuss loss, and how if anyone was going to come back, it'd be Matt.

Elektra, who is charmingly uncaring about her "secret" identity, beats a couple thugs to help out a storekeeper from earlier in the series; then seems to see Matt heading into a church. And inside, she seems to find him, as a priest: he tells her her scent is familiar, but he doesn't know her, and Elektra isn't about to destroy his peace for her own benefit. But, Elektra had told Butch he could be freed from history, to be something else: Matt hears a man, catch a beating from loan sharks, and moves to do something about it...("The Red Fist Saga, conclusion" Written by Chip Zdarsky, art by Marco Checchetto, color art by Matthew Wilson.) 

 We've long since established on this blog, I'm a godless heathen. No love for the church. Matt as a priest...ah, I'm sick of his mopey, guilty ass anyway. Elektra's my new Daredevil, long may she reign. I really liked when she first put on the horns, and was struggling in the role ("How would Matt do this...in the stupidest, hardest way possible.") but she's like an all-star that's just figured out the offensive scheme: she's got it from here. There is of course a new Daredevil series out already, and sweet Smurfberry crunch, it looks like the same beats of Matt getting his groove back, Ben Urich, Bullseye...hard pass. Marvel's still getting my money, though; with Elektra in the Gang War crossover and a Black Armor mini.

Ugh, I didn't think I was gonna have to blog four comics for this thing, what the hell...still, this one hasn't been relaunched...yet. Today. You have to wait a month! But, this is a sad end for a fun series, all too soon, even if it's been teased out for seemingly months...Moon Knight #30, "The Terminal Seconds of Moon Knight" Written by Jed MacKay, art by Alessandro Cappuccio.

Moon Knight and his allies are in final battle with Black Spectre...like the third Black Spectre. He's really Robert Plesko, who was allegedly killed earlier in the storyline, and actually dates back to 1992 as part of Marc's 'Shadow Cabinet.' Sure. I think a lot of this is a retcon insert, and maybe the last issue isn't the place to do it? Feels like trying to change the rules for a catch while the ball's in the air...Yes, I am watching a lot of football lately, why? Plesko knew Marc back in his merc phase, and describes himself as "a student of atrocity." He wants horrible stuff to happen, just out of curiosity then? Swell.

Back at the Midnight Mission, the vampire Reese confronts the earlier big-bad of the series, Zodiac; who felt like Plesko was deserving a shot at Marc. And if he killed Moon Knight, well, hell, he'd just come back, right? ...right? Zodiac is stunned to hear resurrection was off the table, and doesn't want to lose his chance to kill him: he cuts a deal with the Mission, to get out. Shot and bleeding out, Moon Knight sees Khonshu, who says while he can't help him, he was still proud of him; and Marc struggles to stop Plesko's sonic weapon, but not alone: Marc still had Jake and Steven at his side. With a final apology to Tigra, for breaking his promise, Marc blows up with most of the building; saving the city.

Plesko wonders why his sonic weapon hasn't gone off, and Zodiac tells him "You can't plan for Moon Knight." Still, he had a plan for him, for cheating him of the chance to face Moon Knight again...A month later, the Midnight Mission was still open, and still helping people, with the vampires Reese and Soldier in white suits, redeemed baddie 8-Ball and Khonshu's other fist Hunter's Moon in black, and Tigra. But, instead of Midnight Mission #1 next month, it's the return of Vengeance of the Moon Knight: I don't know what the over/under would be, but my money says it's Zodiac in the new costume, which I don't love, even with the moon-axe things.  I'm hoping it isn't just an amnesiac Marc, or Khonshu forbid, another new personality. 

Relaunching here feels like, thirty issues is positively old growth forest nowadays: I'll say it now, I'll be genuinely surprised--and impressed--if Vengeance hits half that number. Comics would be nothing but goddamn #1's if they thought they could get away with it. 

"The End" Week: Battlestar Galactica #23!

Even though I watched the show, and was already deeply hooked on comics by Star Wars, I honestly can't recall if I so much as flipped through an issue of this series when it was on the racks! This is an issue I'd been looking to find for "The End" for years now, and finally: from 1981, Battlestar Galactica #23, "The Last Hiding Place" Story and pencils by Walt Simonson, inks by Klaus Janson.

No Cylons this issue, as the Colonial Warriors are working the case of some food pirates, which might be related to the seeming disappearance of 47 of the 50 richest surviving colonists. Duh, of course they're hoarding goods, and willing to commit murder to cover it up. The parasites don't quite get what's coming to them (a trip out an airlock) but they do get brought down: charmingly, semi-regular lug Jolly gets a heroic turn and the girl in the end! And, a pathway to earth might have been discovered, and the Galactica sets out for it...

Marvel was of course chasing that Star Wars high, and aside from maybe a bump at the beginning, I'm not sure this series ever got close. It ran longer than Marvel's first Star Trek, though.

"The End" Week: Tarzan #29!

So, we saw the penultimate issue of this series last week, although I didn't buy these issues at the same time? Huh. Well, let's see if this one's as good, although I don't know from the opener, with Tarzan and his entire supporting cast in a lifeboat. From 1979, Tarzan #29, "Adrift!" Written by Bill Mantlo, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by P. Craig Russell.

Korak had previously rescued Tarzan and Jane from the top of the Empire State Building, and the bootlegger Blackjack arranges passage for them and Tarzan's animal companions back to Africa. The trip starts off pretty well, with everyone having a great time--well, the animals weren't loving it, but they weren't caged up, either, so it wasn't awful. But, headed for dinner, Tarzan overhears a Snidely Whiplash-looking blackmailer extorting a diplomat with scandalous letters, and puts a stop to that. But the blackmailer wants revenge, and later blows up the boiler room in a attempt to kill the diplomat that wasn't expertly executed. Tarzan goes back to get the animals, and gets them to the lifeboats as well--luckily, there appeared to be enough for everybody, for a change; even if some of the snootier passengers aren't keen about sharing with monkeys or a lion.

After two days in the lifeboats, though; they reach the African shore; conveniently near the cabin built by Tarzan's father: this was very much putting the toys back when they were done with them. A bit rushed, and not as good as the previous issue, but okay. Marvel wasn't entirely done with the ape-man, either: there was an Annual between the previous issue and this one, then two issues of Tarzan of the Apes in 1984.

"The End" Week: Scavengers #14!

No Shako in this issue, but I don't like to let the year wind down without flipping through one of the Quality last issues: from 1989, Scavengers #14.

Two serials from the pages of 2000 AD end here: "Ant Wars," written by Gerry Finley Day, art by Jose Luis Ferrer; and "the Helltrekkers," written by Alan Grant and John Wagner, art by Horacio Lalia and Jose Ortiz. The latter was a Judge Dredd tie-in, as homesteaders and survivalists leave the (relative) safety of Mega-City One to find a new home in the Cursed Earth. The convoy has a pretty low survival rate; worse, since Dredd has run so long, it wouldn't surprise me if the characters were revisited years after their (relative) happy ending here. It's only a happy ending, if you know where to stop reading...

"Ant Wars" featured, as you might guess, giant ants, mutated by an experimental pesticide. An army captain and a native boy go out fighting but win in the end...although, the pesticide was going back into service, so it was probably open to a sequel. Also this issue: short horror number "Spiders Can't Scream" from, um, Scream #2, which I hadn't heard of before. (Written by John Agee, art by Ron Smith.)

"The End" Week: Justice League Odyssey #25!

We saw an issue of this some time back, although without looking I couldn't have told you what crossover this series sprung from, or into what crossover it returned. Ashes to ashes, funk to funky...wait, that's not right. From 2020, Justice League Odyssey #25, "Last Stand" Written by Dan Abnett, art by Will Conrad.

Anyway, I think I liked the idea of this and the lineup maybe more than the actual execution, but part of that is probably just the nature of the crossover mill, and that probably at least three of these characters were needed elsewhere. This issue finds the space-based JL team of Starfire, Azrael, Cyborg, and Green Lantern Jessica Cruz; with series regular Dex-Starr and Orion, and Starfire's sister Blackfire, and doomed timeline versions of Cyborg and Jessica; all in a final battle to keep Darkseid from rewriting the timeline. If that seems a little esoteric or out of character for him, it probably was, but he wasn't at the top of his game...until afterwards. His plan gets stopped, doomed Cyborg and Jessica sacrifice themselves, and the team separates to warn the universe of Darkseid's new rise. Oddly, although he mentions it later, we don't see Azrael return to earth in the end: he joins Dex-Starr and Orion, to prepare for war...starting on Thanagar? Orion says it's a planet of warriors, but didn't he shoot the hell out of the planet in Cosmic Odyssey?

I'll look later, but I think I have the next appearance for Jessica, where she gets traded to the Yellow Lanterns, presumably for a draft pick in the next round. Cyborg and Starfire return to earth, and get immediately redesigned, for Death Metal. Fun...

"The End" Week: Kull the Destroyer #29!

After the toy show, I mentioned I was going to go through my Conan box; which included this last issue (and a copy of Claw the Unconquered #1!): From 1978, Kull the Destroyer #29, "To Sit the Topaz Throne!" Written by Don Glut, pencils by Ernie Chan, inks by Ricardo Villamonte.

It's the former king of Atlantis, Kull, versus the current king of Atlantis, Ardyon--really Thulsa Doom!--for the crown of Torranna. Wait, Torranna? Thulsa Doom wasn't content with forcing Kull into exile; he wanted his foe to win the crown of Torranna, but not as a consolation prize: Torranna was a kingdom of corpses, kept alive by magic, but only three of their wizards could live outside of the city's walls. Unless a certain prophesy was fulfilled, which involved a scar-faced champiton taking the crown; then the Torrannians would be able to leave their city, albeit as Thulsa Doom's slaves, while their king would be trapped there forever! Kull isn't going to just let that happen, though; and gives Doom a pretty good shot to the face with an axe, but the skull-faced wizard doesn't even bleed.

While most of the fight takes place with them projected to Doom's homeland, Grondar; back in the throne room a barely-conscious Kull is about to be crowned, when he makes a last ditch effort and wrestles Doom onto the throne and the crown on his head: the earlier blow to his face had scarred it, fulfilling prophecy! The citizens of Torranna age into nothingness, while the city collapses and Kull and his minstrel Ridondo make a break for it. Kull guesses the Torrannians took life from their king, but Thulsa Doom had been dead for centuries, so they had nothing but death on top of death. Ridondo, thinking quickly, had nicked Kull's old crown when it fell off Doom's head; and they head back to scenic Valusia. The court had noticed "Ardyon" had disappeared, but were in no hurry to get him back, the bloom had come off that rose and they almost missed Kull. Kull takes back the throne, since he knows none of them are about to talk back to him...at least to his face.

The letters page mentions something we noted when we checked out Kull #16: the title had been cancelled multiple times, and this would be the third and final time. Still, he would of course continue appearing in Savage Sword of Conan, and would get more series later. I don't know if anybody's doing Kull stories now; I also don't think he's received the public domain treatment like Conan would get with those "The Cimmerian" comics. "The Atlantean" is right there!

"The End" Week: G.I. Joe Special Missions #28!

Over the years of "The End," I think the book I'm still most surprised to have found was Conan the Barbarian #275, so now one of the books I'm most looking for (on the cheap!) would be G.I. Joe #155. That would be the last issue at Marvel, although it would be relaunched multiple times and Larry Hama has since continued the narrative and I think the numbering. This title was re-used later as well, although without continuing the numbering. From 1989, G.I. Joe Special Missions #28, "Condor" Written by Larry Hama, art by Herb Trimpe.

This opens with what I believe was a reoccuring point in the Joe books: avoiding satellite observation; as the Joes scramble a launch of their space shuttle, the Defiant. (Interesting link there, to 3-D Joes!) Cutaway from there, to another spendy toy: the carrier U.S.S. Flagg in the Caribbian. The Joe team had been building a stealth base in the fictional Central American country, Punta del Mucosa; which was next to Cobra's new country, Sierra Gordo. The base was supposed to be secret, but the bodyguards for Punta's presidente have pretty obviously sold him out. Cobra Commander explains to his new arms dealer, Darklon, he's allowed the Joes to finish their base, because he wanted to destroy it while they had planes on the ground, and make it costly for them. Wild Weasel leads a flight of radar-proofed Cobra Conquests, to shoot missiles at the Flagg. One gets through the anti-missile defenses, damaging the steam catapult launch systems, so most of the planes were stuck, except for Dogfight and his little prop-driven Mudfighter, but what can it do to jets?

Joe stealth pilot...what's-his-name, manages to get his Phantom X-19 into the air from the base, and engages the Cobra Condor bomber and its supporting Stellar Stillettos...this issue feels expensive as hell. (The stealth pilot's code-name wasn't used in Marvel comics, since it was Ghostrider! The joke in the book was, the guy was since childhood just militant about not being noticed; his teammates admit they can't remember the guy unless they're looking right at him.) The ensuing dogfighting isn't as good as "Shake Down" but is still fun. I do have to wonder what kind of reference the artists got for something like this: I'd hope a bunch of toys, but kind of doubt it. The title wraps with a little closer from Hawk, encouraging readers to follow the continuing regular book.

"The End" Week: Batgirls #19!

I know I bought a few issues of this: it was fast-paced, fun, colorful, a fan-favorite setting itself apart from other Bat-titles. Of course it only lasted like a year and a half. From 2023, Batgirls #19, "From Hell's Heart, finale" Written by Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad, art by Robbi Rodriguez.

Because internet searches are kind of garbage now, I haven't been able to figure out if the creative team was leaving to do something else; or if editorial wanted to move Cassandra Cain over to Birds of Prey, or if sales really just weren't what they wanted them to be; because Google will find you stories about the tax write-off Batgirl movie or the cancellation of the CW's Batwoman. Still, the Batgirls go out on a high note, as Gotham rallies behind them.

Stephanie Brown gets to win a fight, taking down Gunbunny with the Deadpool-mouth-off technique: everybody knew, the one in black was the asskicker. I'm hoping both Batgirls are still out there kicking ass, but Steph probably got sent back to the minors, for like the fifth time. Still, just a matter of time before there's another Batgirl series. Probably.

"The End" Week: Punisher #18!

I might have to build up to his most recent last issue, so here's the end of one of his shorter series: from 1997, Punisher #18, "Double Cross" Written by John Ostrander, pencils by Tom Lyle, inks by Robert Jones.

We saw the previous issue a while back: this was around the time of Onslaught and Heroes Reborn. The amnesiac Punisher was hiding out in a half-demolished church that still had a Sentinel head in it. While he seems to instinctually recall his training and habits, Frank tells a familiar nun, Maggie, that he remembers just enough to know he doesn't want to know more. Still, he gets involved in both the return of an abusive boyfriend--Frank had beat his ass before, and promised a broken arm was next if he abused again, but he might as well skip ahead--and some gun dealers. Somewhat unusually, Frank seems to be asking himself, are there other ways of punishing? Maybe not immediately going with murder. He gives the gun dealers a chance to surrender or run, and maybe knocks out one, but once the shooting starts there's no mercy.

Frank tells a boy he might not have his memory, but he had a mission--and that's it? He was left amnesiac in his last issue? This would've been about the same time as Marvel's bankruptcy, and I believe they had some strict rules about profitability when that went down: they maybe couldn't have taken a chance on keeping the book going then. Which is a shame, because narratively it leaves some cash on the table: with the disappearance of a lot of earth's heroes, criminals and villains would have been emboldened, and Frank's role could have been much more important. Of course, the next Punisher book was the "angel" version, which retconned a lot of Frank's history...briefly, as it was almost immediately reversed. Still, Bernie Wrightson art, feel like I should at least flip through it one of these days. (Have I ever read it? I wanna say no, but...)

"Blackmail."

Deadpool probably should insist on payment up front, but he probably started getting mouthy with Tombstone and got distracted.