Random Happenstance

I'm not going to mince words: this summer has kind of sucked ass so far? It's too damn hot, everything is terrible, and I've lost the ability to feel any emotions beside perpetually vaguely annoyed. But, the kids are getting excited for the upcoming Deadpool and Wolverine--like, really excited. Avengers: Endgame excited, and if this one doesn't blow the doors off the theatre; hell, we might as well go back to cowboy movies or whatever the hell we used to watch. But, this is a blog about comics, so let's see one: from 2014, Deadpool vs. X-Force #1, "Time to Die #1" Written by Duane Swierczynski, art by Pepe Larraz.

In 1777, the British army is making short work of a band of "dirty, undisciplined American rebels," when seemingly from nowhere, Deadpool rushes their line, guns them down, then takes out the English general, after checking a book to make sure it was OK. Meanwhile, centuries later, Cable was having visions of the timestream collapsing, and makes a visit to Dr. Francis Talbot: a billionaire who laid the groundwork for the time machine Cable would himself use centuries later. Talbot admits, he's done "something...impulsive." which we can probably guess. After his grandson had died in Operation: Desert Storm, Talbot had hired a mercenary to change the past; a mercenary who instead pushed him down and stole his prototype and disappeared. Cable could've gone after the mercenary--who he doesn't know yet!--but going in alone might be a bad idea, so he brings Warpath, Boom Boom, Cannonball, and Domino. X-Force? No, not yet; regardless of what the cover might say. Where does this fall in continuity? Before New Mutants #98? Midway through that one?

Deadpool is in waiting, to snipe another target in his copybook, when Cable walks across his sights: Pool wonders, what's the glowy eye about? Mascara? Cable tries to call him out, and gets shot; but that gives time for his team to strike. Pool disappears, but realizes he dropped his book, which Domino finds. Cable realizes Pool's next target; and he, Domino, and Warpath go after him, to 1863. Where Deadpool ambushes them, with a band of Confederate soldiers! To be continued...aw, seriously? The J. Scott Campbell cover didn't note anywhere that this was issue one of four or anything; I thought this'd just be a one-shot. Boo.