"The End" Week: Nexus #80!

Every year, there's always one issue I'm surprised we haven't hit before! We might have mentioned it, but time to dig in: from 1991, Nexus #80, "Prelude to a Kiss-Off" Written by Mike Baron, pencils by Hugh Haynes, inks by Arne Starr. Cover by Les Dorscheid. 

Dragon lady-type (not literally!) Ursula is torturing her kids' nanny, former interim Nexus Lonnie Loomis, to see if she still had powers: she decides no, but then finds her young daughters Sheena and Scarlett spying on her, and drags them off for punishment. Lonnie did have at least some powers left though, and manages to escape, accidentally killing a guard in the process. Meanwhile, on Ylum, Horatio Hellpop was Nexus again, and kills a corrupt businessman who was buying a condo there. (That seems like a poor choice of location for a murderer to buy a place!) Horatio is a little put off that he had to snuff a guy in front of his wife, but honestly, that was how he rolled: he wasn't going to wait and kill him in the bathroom or anything. Sundra tries to comfort him, but also light a fire under his ass, since they had to go a museum opening, since Horatio had donated most of the exhibits.

A ton of fun cameos there, from Badger and his supporting cast, Grimjack, Skeevo from Dreadstar (a great character I wish could still be used!), Space Ghost, Bruce Lee, and Elvis...Unfortunately, at the opening Horatio has to deal with the new ambassador from Earth and her husband, but when he and Sundra leave, Lonnie is in their car, and warns them the ambassador was actually a spy for Ursula, who was building an army of women. (The women were treated as second-class citizens by their religious zealot men, but were now fanatics themselves for Ursula, who trained them and gave them opportunity to prove themselves.) It's bad news, but then Horatio has to tell Lonnie that when he had to kill the replacement Nexus Stanislaus Korivitsky, Lonnie's little sister Michana had been powering him, and Horatio had been forced to kill her as well. Lonnie says no, she couldn't tell how, but Michana was still alive...

Somewhere, deep in an asteroid belt, Michana has a tea party with a stone copy of her stuffed animal Otis, and fantasizes about her mother and sister Stacy coming for her, and not that rat traitor Lonnie. (The Loomis sisters all got powers in the Next Nexus limited, to avenge their dad, who of course had been killed by Horatio.) Michana's mom doesn't come for her, but Ursula does; which might be biting off more than she can chew. Michana was a formerly spoiled little girl turned stone psycho-killer, with all the Nexus fusion-casting powers and zero compunction against killing...to be continued? 

Eventually! As we mentioned when we looked at Grimjack's last issue, First Comics was trying to transition from monthly comics to squarebound one-shots or limited series. On the creative side, that seemed like a good idea: less burnout, more time to make something a special event. But on the sales side, that sounds like a nightmare: unless you have a lot of books in the pike, you don't have the steady stream of income like you would with monthlies, and pre-internet First would've had to maybe spend more to get the word out? Sadly, First Comics would go under in 1992. But Nexus would return, with original artist/co-creator Steve Rude for the Origin and Alien Justice in 1992 at Dark Horse, although it felt like a much longer gap. The letters page for the last First issue also mentions Nexus the Liberator as a two-issue deluxe, but it would instead also be released by Dark Horse in 1992 as a four-issue mini. Nexus continues, sporadically, to this day: the most recent was Nexus: Scourge from 2024. Oddly, both Baron and Rude are still working on Nexus, but separately! I don't know if there was any animosity, or if they both just wanted to do their own things with the character, or maybe their schedules didn't line up to keep working on it together.

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"The End" Week: Death's Head II #16!

I've said before, talking about Marvel UK; that there was an unfortunate stretch in the 90's, I think pre-bankruptcy, where the once expansive and all-encompassing Marvel universe was more siloed off, broken down into little subgroups like the X-books, the Spidey books, Marvel Edge or the Ghost Rider/magic type books, etc. The intent was to maybe keep some of the more popular guys from being used all willy-nilly, but it also seemed like if you wanted to use Spider-Man for a guest-spot then you had to go hat in hand down to his editorial office. I mention that because this feels like a silo that was closed off unnecessarily; or maybe a field left to go to seed. From 1994, Death's Head II #16, "Origin of the Species" Written by Dan Abnett, art by Henry Flint.

Death's Head II gets dragged to a distant, distant future, by the alien Chronozone: humanity had destroyed all other life in the universe, so he wanted DH II to go back to the late 19th century, and kill humanity while still in its proverbial cradle. DH II resists, and while freaking out a little over being so far in the future, alone; he discovers Chronozone's bone depository, which included his own skeleton! (Why Death's Head II has a skeleton...or horns for that matter...I couldn't say. Also, while some of the skeleton doesn't appear organic, that doesn't explain the serrated edges on his pelvis, which looks painful as heck, for him!)

Activating "syphon configuration," which resembles Dreadstar's sword to me, DH II sucks his own memories out of his skeleton, and realizes the truth: humanity wasn't the bad guy there, Chronozone and his race had tried to conquer the universe, and only those pesky humans stood up against them--those pesky humans, and Death's Head II. It ended with everyone dead, except Chronozone. With his past memories to guide him, DH II is able to beat Chronozone down, and force him to send him back: those memories would also prevent that future from ever coming to be, since he would make sure the humans weren't taken by surprise. Chronozone is left, crying and alone, the last living thing in his universe.

Holy--per the Wikipedia for Marvel UK, when Death's Head II was cancelled, "distributor Capital only sold 7,400 copies." (This copy in hand was, of course, from a dollar bin; and not so minty that I feel bad about putting it in the scanner.) One, of probably several errors of the period, was that while the X-Men and other Marvel characters guest-starred in most of the Marvel UK books, how often did Marvel UK characters get to guest in regular Marvel titles? Like maybe once: Motormouth and Killpower's guest spot in Incredible Hulk #409. (And that's largely because their original artist Gary Frank was the current Hulk artist!) This is why you need a proper Marvel Team-Up or even Marvel Comics Presents, to keep characters out there even if they can't carry their own title at the moment. Death's Head II and Dark Angel probably would be far better known today, if they had maybe got a reciprocal visit or crossover with proper X-books. A ball dropped, probably. Read more!

"Encounter."

Last strip of the year! 

I had to go make a correction--and it took me a couple tries--but Bearface really is a Canadian whisky that's supposed to be pretty good. And thematically appropriate for Logan, since the bottle appears to have claw marks on it! Except I keep wanting to call it 'Bearclaw,' which hopefully is a knock-off version a couple of shelves down in Canadian liquor stores. 

Have we ever seen Howard the Duck go all Ghost Rider-y? It definitely feels like something that would happen to him, and he'd get like the most embarrassing flaming vehicle possible, like an electric scooter. Anyway, this isn't based on any actual continuity, I just thought maybe it's tough to put out hellfire once it's lit. Can Wolvie tamp down the rage, or even the general annoyance? Or will extreme measures be needed...?

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"The End" Week: Atari Force #20!

Like hopefully a couple of other "The End" posts, I'm writing this in the summer, where we've had what feels like more 100-degree days than usual, and more than a few days where it was far too hot to go biking when I usually would've. Which left me, too many days, staring into space and not accomplishing much. One thing I could've done, that I still haven't as I type this, is look at some runs I've been putting together on the cheap and figure out what issues I actually need; maybe prevent myself from buying the same books multiple times. I've got a much longer stretch of Kamandi than I would've figured, almost all of Strikeforce: Morituri, but have recently stalled out on getting Slapstick or Arion. Oh, and as of now I have four of this series, although there are some more to track down besides: from 1985, Atari Force #20, "Trial...and Verdict!" Written by Mike Baron, pencils by Eduardo Barreto, inks by Ricardo Villagrán.

As the title implies, this issue the team faces judgment: they had defeated series big-bad the Dark Destroyer, but had committed a few crimes to do so. The authorities still don't seem to believe there had ever been a 'Dark Destroyer,' despite testimony from lawman Rident, and later psychic evidence from Morphea. The team organizes a small-scale jailbreak, walking out of court, the verdict no longer mattering to them. In a "multiverse shuttle" that resembles a larger version of the Legion's time bubble, the Atari Force heads from New Earth to old...and whatever adventures they might have in your imagination. Oh, and the Atari Force Special, which maybe hit stands in 1986! Collect them all, unless somehow DC or somebody has announced a trade collection in the four months since typing this. (The editorial page from Andy Helfer tries to paint this last issue as merely the natural conclusion of the story, as opposed to losing the license or being unwilling to shell out to maintain it; but I'm pretty sure Atari Force sales were well above cancellation level even in the end, so they aren't horribly difficult to find. The special and mini-comics, maybe.)

But, like we mentioned last time, this issue also features "Hukka vs. the BOB," from Keith Giffen, Robert Loren Fleming, and Karl Kesel, a slapstick masterpiece! Tempest buys "Personal Pal" robot Bob, to keep the Hukka company while he studies. But, when Hukka ignores (or, probably can't read) the warning "Do not immerse in water" Bob stops playing nicely. Hijinks ensue! Read more!

"The End" Week: Captain America: Steve Rogers #19!

I'm actually typing this on July 4th, having just bought this issue at the most recent EntertainMart sale. It's hard to believe this was from like eight years ago...and how much it's like now. Also, everything in the post title was a lie: this wasn't the end, there was a ton of crossover to go; I'm not sure he was a captain, he was hardly for America, he wasn't Steve, I'm not even sure he ever Rogered...From 2017, Captain America: Steve Rogers #19, written by Nick Spencer and Donny Cates, pencils by Javier Pina, inks by Andres Guinaldo. Cover by Jesus Saiz, although there's a Jim Lee Gambit trading card variant, which honestly might be the way to go? The scene above doesn't happen this issue, and it's been memory-holed anyway.

This was the last issue of this series, of course, 19 issues of slow build-up to Secret Empire. Steve Rogers had been transformed, retroactively, by a Cosmic Cube, into a HYDRA sleeper agent. Which feels like a perfectly fine plot for a few issues, maybe a mini-series, but 19? Also, the waters get muddied, since Fascist-Cap Steven Grant Rogers is considered from an alternate timeline; but I have a hard time believing he'd give up the name "Captain America" no matter how many times he was asskicked or killed. Him becoming "Flag-Smasher" just takes away from the O.G. possibly because it gets harder every year not to admit the old one with the black-and-white costume and mace had some legit points.

Anyway, this issue: Hydra-Cap had been trying to be a kinder, gentler fascist; but his increasing frustration over the increasing resistance and the loss of his girl Elisa/Madame Hydra were forcing his hand; the same way an abuser would say "look what you made me do." Also, I didn't read the previous issues, but from the wiki entries and such, I'm not sure how Elisa got into this timeline? She had sacrificed herself to save him, which I think was because she saw his destiny as Supreme Uberfuhrer (or whatever) of HYDRA. Steven also visits Thor Odinson, who didn't seem to like or trust him anymore, but wasn't immediately kicking his ass because he currently wasn't worthy and didn't have Mjolnir? Steven tells 'Odinson,' if he had objections to the way Steven was running things, he could bring them up, but he better have a hammer in his hand. (That's almost a badass scene, although at Odinson's expense. I'm not sure what Steven's title was at that point, but this was maybe a political fight that Odinson was not in the right headspace for.)

Then, Steven visits Sharon Carter in her cell, and she wonders if that had been Rick Jones's cell before his demise. (Yay, looking it up, Rick's not currently dead! Although, even more nonsense appears to have happened to him...) Casually, Sharon repeatedly needles him: that the Red Skull would be proud of him, and that the better future he was supposedly building was worth all the bodies, sure...fascist. Steven admits, she was right: that had been Rick's cell. In his quarters, Steven puts aside his Cap uniform, and puts on a green general-like outfit with a yellow cape, for an appearance in front of the press, with a HYDRA-emblazoned podium. (You can absolutely picture human trashbag Karoline Leavitt behind that thing.) 

Since there was no next issue, that page instead has the cover for Captain America #25 and teasers for Secret Empire #7-8: it would probably have been immensely satisfying for Sam to kick the tar outta Steven, but they still had issues to go and had to bring back regular, good Steve. Sam kinda gets the shaft there, since the next issue after #25 would be Captain America #695, with the return of Steve, and by my count the third time Mark Waid had taken over to level things back out. (After Gruenwald's long run tapered out, after Heroes Reborn fizzled out, and there!) I got this last issue for a buck, specifically for "The End," and I can't remember if I read the first issue when it came out; I might have. I can't imagine sticking with this, for 19 issues, at $3.99 a pop? And I think there's even issues in there, in the altered HYDRA timeline, where they were having trouble breaking Steve to become one of them, but HYDRA eventually does, or he keeps getting forced into situations where even well-intentioned choices still lead to fascism: well, that sounds inspiring...Again, it's one thing to do this short-term, or a What If? but this is too much. 

The only thing I'd like to see holdover from this whole thing, is the next time anybody tries using a Cosmic Cube in Cap's presence, he whomps their ass for 40 straight pages. (Yes, double-sized issue! Make an event out of it.)

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"The End" Week: Over the Edge #10!

OK, that gargoyle is clearly a Warwolf from Excalibur...For those of you who maybe don't recall the 90's, Marvel experimented a few times with ninety-nine cent titles: the regular issue of Daredevil the month this came out, #355, was $1.50, although there was a price increase coming up shortly. Untold Tales of Spider-Man is doubtless the best known of the ninety-nine cent titles; largely because it was just really good. And I quite liked Uncanny Origins, but I don't think I had read much, if any, of this title until recently. Luckily, I'm only paying about a penny over the 1996 price! Over the Edge #10, "The Politics of Infamy" Written by Joe Kelly, pencils by Stephen B. Jones, inks by Mike Witherby, Al Milgrom, Justin Bloomer, and Tom Palmer.

This issue did feature something I don't think you see much anymore, but was a staple maybe going out of favor at the time: the one-off villain! No huge arcs, no massive origin set piece; just fight the hero for as many pages as necessary, then wait for a surge of reader mail demanding their return; but "Infamnia" probably needed a couple more passes on workshopping that name. Daredevil saves a third-party presidential candidate from a fire, then from an attack by Infamnia, who had odd, tentacle-loaded gauntlets. The candidate tries to explain her away as a former scientist employee, who had been diagnosed with cancer, underwent the prerequisite experiments, then went nuts. It takes DD a minute, but yeah, the guy was lying, and later sets an attack helicopter on him and Infamnia. (I do feel like DD should've heard that thing coming a mile away...) She tries to kill herself in the ensuing fire, but Daredevil saves her, which also makes sure the candidate will face justice. Still, with a better name and maybe different motivation, Infamnia could've been a nice Doc Ock-kinda baddie for later use.

I also had to check Mike's: Joe Kelly wasn't the regular writer for Daredevil yet; he would take over after Karl Kesel's run. I don't know if this issue would've been a try-out for Kelly, but it's written closer to Kesel's throwback/fun-loving Daredevil; and Kelly's own run would revert him back to his more familiar brooding/borderline depressive nature. Now to throw this out there, since it's been in my head since reading these...I know it's not quite the same, but still.

 

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"The End" Week: Immortal Thor #25!

I wasn't reading this regularly, and seemingly missed the Roxxon-sponsored issues as well; but I did get several of this series from the dollar bins. It was probably always headed here, but there was at least one thing I liked about this issue...that probably won't be touched anywhere else, even though it should've been. From 2025, Immortal Thor #25, "The Twilight Kingdom" Written by Al Ewing, art by Janeth Bazaldúa Nava, Justin Greenwood, and Pasqual Ferry. Cover by Alex Ross.

The last few issues had the cover banner "Even an Immortal can Die," and sure enough, Thor is dead as Hel from the get-go here. While he had seemingly won his trials against Utgard-Loki, regular young Loki had stabbed him in the back: betrayal and murder...or sacrifice? While Sif and the Warriors Three are enraged, Utgard-Loki is merely confused: Loki advised him, "Would you know more, old trickster? More will be told." before disappearing. Skurge had been left on the Black Bridge by Thor, and had been told to stop Utgard-Loki and his forces at all costs: Skurge shatters the Black Bridge with his Bloodaxe, and falls into nothingness with a seemingly wry smile. The Black Bridge had been the opposite of the Rainbow Bridge Bifrost, and the two had been tied: the Bifrost shatters as well, and Asgard is seemingly separated from Midgard...retroactively, as we see a game show contestant struggle with but finally name all of the original Avengers: Iron Man, the Hulk, the Wasp, Ant-Man, and...Beta Ray Bill! (Yeah, give Bill some love! He's so cool.)

Sif, with sight like her brother Heimdall's, sees "a wave of forgetting...of rewriting the stories," and wonders if Bill remembers her. Asgard was now again only myth, and Thor entered into his death.

Thor finds himself, not in Valhalla or Hel, but in Vidblainn, the land of lost souls; with no Mjolnir and no storms. He is then visited by Har, Jafnhar, and Thridi: you know them, even if this was the first time we hear those names. They were Those Who Sit Above in Shadow, from X-Men/Alpha Flight #1! I don't know if they have direct analogs in traditional Norse myth; I feel like they were created as a narrative device for Loki to have someone to get power from and subsequently judge him. Here, they have some cryptic advice and warnings for Thor, as he walks the path of sacrifice, as Odin had before him, but that Thor would take a path not yet taken. (There's also a bit of foreshadowing for Thor's son Magni; who I think the Enchantress had pulled out of an alternate future, and was probably headed for a bad end.)

Next, Thor is visited by Don Blake, his one-time mortal identity...who was no longer. His eyes burned out by snake venom, Thor realizes Blake had been put through Loki's torment: Blake describes himself as having everything Loki no longer wanted. Thor feels bad for what Blake had been through, but he was dead now, so maybe time to let that go? Blake advises, he "could be so much deader," and tries to beat it out of him with Hellnir, a dark version of Mjolnir. Blake blinds Thor, which ironically opens his eyes: Thor had before, possibly more than once, sacrificed an eye for wisdom. He sees a way to "sacrifice himself to himself," and pick up a human soul neither he nor Blake now possessed. This leaves "Blake" now a soulless serpent-man, and Thor...gone.

Back on earth, the elfin boy "Lukki"--"Lucky?"--wakes up a man in an alley, seemingly after a mugging. Lukki returns a wallet and apartment key, but advises there was no ID, he would have to remember who he was himself. "Sigurd Jarlson." This would of course set up the next series, the Mortal Thor: somewhat tellingly, it only has that title on the covers, it's just "Thor" in the indica. And the first issue was Legacy #787, so I'd be surprised if he wasn't at least moderately more godly by #800. But what I wish, is that Marvel took a moment to acknowledge the continuity change and maybe retell a big Avengers issue, with Beta Ray Bill redrawn in for Thor! Avengers #166 would've been perfect for that. 

Also, darn it: I recently picked up but haven't yet read the Thor: Epic Collection Hel on Earth: it's later Roy Thomas issues, and not a highwater point for the character, but features maybe the start of Don Blake's "I want to be a real boy" heel-turn, from around Thor #475 in 1994. Wait: Thor, and Blake, debuted in Journey Into Mystery #83 in 1962. Walt Simonson phased out Blake in 1984's Thor #340, as the ability to change to a civilian identity was given to Beta Ray Bill. (Bill wouldn't turn into Blake, but would apparently lose that ability later.) I mention this because it looks like Blake's heel-turn has lasted longer than he did as a secret identity!

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"The End" Week: Sergio Aragonés Funnies #12!

Even though I often lament that I don't have the organizational skills god gave a goat, I have been putting together a short box full of Sergio Aragonés stuff. Which is mostly Groo, sure, but there's some others! From 2014, Sergio Aragonés Funnies #12, story and art by Sergio Aragonés.

This was his last issue with Bongo, which still had a couple years left in it; and Sergio explains his intention to continue the series at another publisher: I'm not sure he did, at least under this name.

If I'm lucky, maybe I blogged Sergio's issue of Solo this year; which features "I Killed Marty Feldman." This issue features a more upbeat story of him meeting an idol, in this case the great Toshiro Mifune during the filming of Ánimas Trujano. Sergio's dad Pascual Aragonés had been a production manager and producer, and Sergio often seemed to show up for 'visits' conveniently whenever some star was around! Read more!

"The End" Week: Star Wars #50!

Hmm, I think I'm missing another Marvel Star Wars last issue (2020's #75!) and I wonder if I might not have preferred that one. From 2024, Star Wars #50, "The Path of Hope" Written by Charles Soule, art by Madibek Musabekov, color art by Rachelle Rosenberg.

This was the finale of Marvel's second modern Star Wars books, after the original classic. The first was set immediately after the first movie--"A New Hope" or "Episode IV" if you must--while this series was set after Empire, which meant Han was off the board. (There were probably flashback issues or something in there somewhere!) But, this issue begins much later, at the new Jedi temple on Ossus, as Master Luke Skywalker has a talk with his star pupil, Ben Solo. That little bitch. He's the bad guy, I think you're supposed to hate Kylo Ren, and I do. I really do. Look, I could see rebelling--so to speak--against his parents Han and Leia, maybe; or even turning away from his master's teachings. What I can't buy, is that somehow, that kid went bad, when he had mothersmurfing Chewbacca in his life! I'm pretty sure Chewie was like an uncle to him, if not half-raised Ben himself: I can't imagine choosing to live my life in such a way that would disappoint Chewbacca, and I've never even met the big guy. Anyway, the framing sequence is Luke telling Ben about the year his dad was the "Hansicle."

Seeking Jedi knowledge, Luke revisited the fungal "Living Sea of Gazian," and got a tip from the memory of Azlin Rell, who had been a Jedi centuries before Luke's time...before being forced to become something else; which should already be a massive warning sign. Azlin knew Luke was looking for a way to fight the Empire, without risking his friends, and gives him coordinates to something. Luke later discusses it with Leia, Chewie, and Lando: it could be an assassination weapon and ethically dicey, or it could not exist; let's go see! After a search on a far-off, frozen planet; and a skirmish with an Imperial garrison guarding it; the heroes find a device that Threepio translates as the "Grim Rose." Labelled with instructions, if provided with genetic material, it would kill a person, "through some arcane mystical power," anywhere in the universe. Which meant, if they could find something of Emperor Palpatine's...

This leads to a search on Naboo, with Lando going undercover disguised as an Imperial officer. An archivist sees through it--Lando slips on the rank, noting nobody could read those rank badges--but she still gives him what he was looking for, asking only that he use it to kill the Emperor. Now the ethics question could no longer be avoided, but Chewie ends the discussion by dumping Palpatine's sample into the Grim Rose. He then asks Threepio to translate, largely for the reader's benefit: with his homeworld Kashyyyk enslaved and his family possibly dead, "the Wookies do not have the luxury of debate." Using the Force, Luke tries to see how the Grim Rose worked: by following people connected or affected by Palpatine, working its way to him. Threepio then realizes, that maybe cleared up some "ambiguities" on the label: once it found it's target, it would kill them...and everyone it had touched on the path to get there.

When Luke wants to stop it, Lando advises, let it run: they had to stop the Emperor, to avenge Alderaan, and it was probably searching through Imperials anyway...Still, so far Luke could see the Grim Rose had touched over a thousand people and was still running; and there was the possibility Palpatine could defend or hide himself somehow, which would just increase the search. Luke tries to destroy it with his lightsaber, but to no avail. Returning to Gazian, Luke goes back in, to try and get more information from Azlin Rell, who seems really excited that they used the Grim Rose and wanted to hear how it went. Luke asks if the target can be changed: sure, but why would you want to? Fighting past Azlin, Luke finds the oldest body in the sea, and takes a piece from it: given a target already long dead, the Grim Rose deactivates. Ben asks, what was the point of this story? "Don't become evil to fight evil." Great, I'm sure he took that to heart. 

While I've enjoyed picking them up randomly, I tried getting a subscription to I think this series, like I had for so many years as a kid! Only for the book to immediately be just mired in crossovers; like I would've needed two other subs to keep up. I did read the first four or five issues of the newest, post-Return of the Jedi Star Wars, since they brought back the Nagai from the end of the classic run; but while the art was pretty, it didn't feel as lively or wild as I'd like.

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"The End" Week: She-Hulk #15!

I've mentioned Savage She-Hulk #25 before, as one of the first last issues I ever read; but Jen is probably more blase about it than most, since I think she would've had, um, like at least four after that and before this one! From 2023, She-Hulk #15, "Girl Can't Help It, part 5" Written by Rainbow Rowell, art by Andres Genolet, color art by Dee Cunniffe. Cover by Jen Bartel.

Jen had spent most of this series getting closer to Jack of Hearts, but had been tempted by the handsome, roguish Scoundrel; who has been revealed as less dashing and more of a cad, as his client Drapurg was going to blow up New York City! Scoundrel was trying to save Jen, for himself; but she can't let NYC blow up, and calls Jack before he crushes her phone. (I don't have the previous issues next to me, but Scoundrel had "magically fortified" powers and a space yacht, so he wasn't coasting entirely on his looks!)

As Drapurg's alien horde attacks the city--I think the plan was, get the super-heroes in fighting them, then blow them all up--Jen's friends, and enemies, in her fighting social "Punch Club" commence punching them. Jen ties up Scoundrel, who was game at first, then races through the fight in Central Park trying to find the hidden bomb, in a fountain. A quick search says there's over 200 in the park, but I think that dumb thing means drinking fountains...it's probably in Bethesda Terrace and Fountain, 'cause that's maybe the first one to show up on Wikipedia! It appears to get destroyed, but Jack was there to absorb all the energy. (The dialog makes it seem like Jack sucked the juice out of it before it blew, but it's drawn more like it exploded and he just took it in, and the fountain was wrecked, so...)

Full of energy, Jack is free to kiss Jen without messing with her gamma powers, then flies off to release the excess energy into the sun. Titania and Ben watch him go, with Titania commenting "holy crap, Walters. You sure like 'em weird," while Ben is surprised Jack wasn't dead...to be continued in Sensational She-Hulk #1! Yet another Marvel relaunch where the first issue got more variant covers than the series got issues; but she'll be back. Read more!

"The End" Week: Black Cat #10!

Not picking on Jed MacKay, this was just next in the pile! From 2021, Black Cat #10, "Infinity Score, part 3" Written by Jed MacKay, art by C.F. Villa, color art by Brian Reber. I had this variant, that wasn't in the GCD, by Ema Lupacchino and Brian Reber.

Although this was the last issue of this series, it wasn't the end of the storyline: it would wrap up in Giant-Size Black Cat #1: Felicia was after the Infinity Stones, which were currently embedded in people, giving them powers, even if she didn't think much of them. Nick Fury was after her, as well as Nighthawk this issue: not the classic, but the new one from Coulson and Mephisto's Squadron Supreme! Nighthawk remembered the Heroes Reborn universe (not that one, the other one...man, comics sometimes) and Felicia from it. He tries to sway her, to bring back what he considered a better world; maybe with them as a couple? But, Nighthawk also uses the past tense, when talking about her mom, so no deal. (Which is weird, because Felicia is such a daddy's girl; I don't think I knew she had contact with her mom. I thought at best it was like Daredevil's mom, if not Bambi's...)

Fury isn't quite trying to murder Felicia--yet--but absolutely can't have those two working together, since he didn't want to "wake up living in the United States of Nighthawk or some damn thing." But, she's saved by Odessa, who I had not seen before: she forces Fury off with a rocket launcher. Odessa appears to be part of some guild, presumably thieves'? I don't know if it's the same thieves' guild seen in Gambit books, either. She's breaking some rules to help Felicia, who's trying to stall for time, that Odessa will probably cave and give to her; but there was at least one other miscreant with an Infinity Stone out there...(Odessa also seemed to have ninjas, who drop back for her and Felicia's conversation, like they did not want in on that drama!)

This wasn't bad, although not as good as Felicia's current book! After this series, I think she had multiple ones with Mary Jane, as Jackpot or just herself. Read more!