Somehow, I'm used to these guys having a more antagonistic relationship than they do here: today, Lord Chaos and Master Order seem like Waldorf and Statler, settling in to watch another trainwreck of a show play out, maybe engage in a little light heckling. From 1993, the Warlock Chronicles #2, "Rescue" Written by Jim Starlin, pencils by Tom Raney, inks by Keith Williams.

I don't think I had this issue before, but we have blogged most of this limited already; and like most of the series, this was an Infinity Crusade crossover. The aforementioned Lord Chaos and Master Order (and I'm mildly dismayed I got that right first try and didn't use Lord Order/Master Chaos) are watching Adam Warlock, who is trying to ready himself to face his "good" feminine side, the Goddess. Warlock had also been ordered to divest himself of 5 of the 6 Infinity Gems, and gets a visit from Eternity, who isn't wild about his picks to get them. Gamora, sure, she's awesome; Drax and Pip and Moondragon, eh, they'd do, even Warlock keeping the Soul Gem was acceptable. But the protector of the Reality Gem...(No spoilers! It feels kind of obvious, but I don't think that cat would get out of the bag entirely for some time.)

Adam spends most of the rest of the issue tripping balls in a reality distortion; which c'mon, he oughta be used to, that's a Starlin fave! He crashes back into reality at Thanos's secret sanctuary; where the Mad Titan is like, geez, Adam, get off the floor, have some dignity...Thanos also recently had another visitor, the Goddess, who he pretty definitely already recognized; Adam confirms it without wasting time hemming or hawing or trying to cover his ass. Adam is teleported back to Monster Island, where the Infinity Watch...is not; while Thanos makes preparations, to get strapped for battle. (He was getting his Warhammer-esque battleship, Dreadnaught-666; and there's really the feeling that Thanos felt he had outgrown that sort of thing, like he thought it was cool when he was like 12 or something.) Read more!

I have to wonder how many Punisher fans stuck around after this issue, if any.

It's a little weird for that lot, I think. From 1993, Quasar #42, "The White Room" Written by Mark Gruenwald, pencils by Andy Smith, inks by Ralph Cabrera.

Quasar was still dead, after Infinity War, and Thanos had released a copy of Marvel Boy--now calling himself Blue Marvel to serve as a pawn. (I don't know that Gruenwald had a great handle on Thanos; and I'm not 100% sure what Thanos allegedly even wanted Blue Marvel to do. In fact, that maybe was the Magus's duplicate Thanos.) Blue Marvel had quantum bands like Quasar, but was childish, petulant, and just an all-around jerk. I'm not sure I've ever read old Marvel Boy comics--there weren't a lot of them--but I wonder, was he a jerk in those? I know he'd eventually be updated into "the Uranian," and be more alien and weird than just a brat. Anyway, Blue Marvel had fought Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau) and here fights Hercules, Black Knight, and the Eric Masterson Thor. He does manage to get a shot in on Thor, knocking his helmet crooked so he couldn't see out of it, predating the classic Black Canary twists the Flash's mask from JLA: Year One. He then nearly gets choked out by Captain Marvel, and has to quantum-jump away.

Meanwhile, Quasar himself was in the White Room, seated at a long table, with various other Protectors of the Universe from the past. The other Protectors did not seem to have a concensus on what exactly the White Room was: heaven? A trophy room? Purgatory? Storage? Not particularly spirtually inclined, Quasar believes this to be "a crazy hallucination in the dimension of manifestations," which he had visited in an earlier issue, and was where abstract beings took shapes to appear in this universe. The other Protectors think, there might have been somebody else in that seat before him...

Then, we get to our big guest-star, the Punisher, gunning down some nobodies. He is approached by Blue Marvel, who's impressed that he kills people, without powers, and wants to learn from him. Frank isn't interested, so Blue Marvel tries a more battle-ready 90's look, with a helmet and guns. And in another subplot, on the planet Scadam--from the computer game tie-in Questprobe--Kayla Ballantine, Quasar's girlfriend, destroys the malevolent Black Fleet with the Star Brand. 

Back in the White Room, Quasar is arguing against reincarnation, claiming it didn't make sense from an administrative viewpoint: it would take too much energy to figure out what souls should be brought back as what. He's then approached by the spirit of his original mentor, Eon; who wants Quasar to kill him, saying that would free him...and lessen his own guilt. Quasar doesn't seem to be buying it, and wants to free himself without killing. Next, he's visited by the "Angel of Vengeance," who appears as a more-chiseled version of himself; Quasar's pretty sure that's still Eon, and isn't into vengeance anyway.

On earth, the Punisher finds himself surrounded by a SWAT team--either they had staked out the nobodies he killed, or Blue Marvel delayed him too long, but Frank was kicking himself. Blue Marvel opts to prove himself to the Punisher, by using his bands to just wreck the cops, in about three panels. Frank isn't impressed, and tells him if any cops were killed, he'd be coming for him next. He turns his back on him, and Blue Marvel considers killing him, but is interrupted by Thanos, who tells him someone was trying to free Quasar: stop that. Teleported to the White Room, Blue Marvel blasts the "Angel of Vengeance" apart, then turns his gun on Quasar...to be continued?

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Well, at least the kid wasn't turned into cubes.

Cover for 2018's Infinity Countdown: Champions #2 by Clayton Crain. I feel like Rich has given Thanos a good fight in the past--better than his showing in Infinity Gauntlet #4--but this issue, while the Champions manage to beat the Chitauri Warbringer, Ironheart gets her suit destroyed by Thanos, then Sam gets his suit taken away by the Nova Corps. So, the cover's a bit of a lie. 

I know I got this one for a buck at EntertainMart, and they are probably having another sale now! This is why the mountains of comics lying around never get smaller...Have a good weekend!

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The Infinity Gauntlet + Daddy issues = a problem that'll probably sort itself out.

From 2015, What If? Infinity Dark Reign #1, "What If? the Green Goblin stole the Infinity Gauntlet?" Written by Joshua Williamson, art by Goran Sudzuka. 

 Ambrose Osborn is about to lay a whuppin' on young (and disobedient) Norman, when he's unexpectedly transported to the future, and the middle of the big fight towards the end of Siege. Which I know I have, but I'm not positive I've actually read? I know Norman goes off the rails pretty hard there, but here he's getting things under control, like taking down the Sentry with the Infinity Gauntlet! Captain America points out, maybe a lunatic like Norman shouldn't have that, but the assorted heroes are wiped out and Norman's Dark Avengers sent home, so Norman can have some time with his dad. Who maybe should've believed in him more: his kid grew up to be God! A petulant, fallible God, but still. Ambrose isn't overly impressed with Norman's tyranny, and that's before he shows him his greatest work...of art: the death of Gwen Stacy, a moment Spider-Man is locked in, forever. 

Since that doesn't bring dad on board, Norman uses the Gauntlet to change his mind, turning him into a sycophantic yes-man. But, when they return to Norman's tower, the Dark Avengers are dead, slaughtered by Thanos. Norman knows Thanos can't touch him while he has the Gauntlet, but Thanos might think he can get in his head: Daddy's never going to love you, even with the Gauntlet...it maybe doesn't play out soon enough, and Norman melts Thanos. 

Ambrose is proud of Norman, but when pressed "Why?" says it's because he's his son. Norman feels he should be proud of his accomplishments, and wipes him out of the timeline. It takes Norman a moment too long to realize, maybe he shouldn't have retroactively killed his dad, as he fades from existence, leaving the Gauntlet floating empty in space...

The Mystery Science Theatre 3000 episode Reptilicus features the line "A fire in an aquarium? Eh, that'll sort itself out." Which is pretty much what happens here?

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I thought this was going to be a lark, but it went to a dark place.

OK, I guess when we start with five supervillains, working for freakin' Thanos, I shouldn't be surprised, but here we are. From 1994, Secret Defenders #14, "Escape" Written by Ron Marz, pencils by Tom Grindberg, inks by Don Hudson.

Thanos had brought back to life Geatar, henchman of his alleged grand-daughter Nebula; and conscripted a quartet of super-villains for a mission: we saw the first part of this three-parter, um, seven years back? Anyway, the team is the Rhino, Super-Skrull, Titanium Man, and Nitro. And by this point, Thanos has got what he wanted, and hung them out to dry; blowing up their ship and leaving them to face a planetful of angry religious zealots. The guys manage to stick together enough to get to their wrecked ship, and could probably get away in the Super-Skrull's force-field...if he wasn't clipped from behind and knocked out. With few other options, the Titanium Man offers to push their escape pod into space. Not to another planet or anything, just maybe low orbit? That's the least-worst option at the time, so that's it.

With power gone, atmosphere failing, and virtually no hope of rescue; Geatar still makes a final log entry: he had been what, Nebula's first mate in her pirate crew? Making that entry is just him keeping things ship-shape. He loses consciousness, but awakens, saved by the Silver Surfer! And some jerk. To Geatar, that's not so much 'saved' as 'captured,' and he still holds a grudge over what the Surfer did to Nebula. (I believe she was injured, then came away with closer to her modern look!) Still, with his teammates badly injured, he grudgingly accepts help, and the Surfer heals Nitro and the Super-Skrull. Nitro quickly recognizes the Surfer's travelling companion, Legacy; the son of Captain Mar-Vell! Infamously, in a battle with Nitro, Mar-Vell was exposed to nerve gas, which directly led to his cancer. Nitro relishes the twist, since neither the Surfer nor Legacy knew that; and hams it up, asking to shake Legacy's hand. (The Surfer was shown at Mar-Vell's funeral, but was still trapped on earth at that time; it was a Skrull!)

Geatar was a known criminal, and the Surfer was going to bring him in; despite the Super-Skrull pulling for him, Geatar gives himself up to stay close to his captain. While the Rhino and Titanium man can catch a ride to earth, Nitro asks for a little energy for his pod, so he can explore space. Nothing left for him on earth...and he would've been recognized as Mar-Vell's killer on Titan, so he opts out of that.

The Surfer would've encountered Rhino fairly recently, in Silver Surfer #54. This was also probably the last readable issue of the title: the next issue features Cage, Deadpool, and...Dr. Druid? Oof.  

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I scanned one panel from this one, about 15 years ago, for an out-of-office post: long since time for a proper blogging! From 1991, Silver Surfer #48, "Confronting One's Maker!" Written by Jim Starlin, pencils by Ron Lim, inks by Tom Christopher.

Even though Thanos has just gotten the Infinity Gems and the entire multiverse was in danger, the Silver Surfer pauses on the way to earth with Drax the Destroyer, with the need to attend to a personal matter. He likewise sidesteps former fling Nova, on the way to see her boss and his former master, Galactus. Galactus notes the lack of deference in the Surfer's tone, as much as suggesting he check himself. The Surfer pauses, then presses on, for details of their initial alliance. To Galactus, what's to discuss? You saved Zenn-La and got a surfboard. Quit your bitching. It was a good deal for you.

Was it, though? A recent encounter with an alien murderer caused the Surfer to realize, he didn't seem to feel guilty for his part in Galactus destroying "hundreds of worlds," a death toll doubtless in the billions. (I was going to say that was from a seemingly throwaway story in SS Annual #3, but that story had as many pages as this one!) And a recent encounter with Adam Warlock had revealed "Alterations! Modifications! Tampering!" Someone had quite literally changed the Surfer's mind, and he had a pretty good idea who: Galactus. Who makes no bones about it: he needed his herald to do certain things, that Norrin Radd would not have been capable of. Without hesitation, the Surfer asks Galactus to "undo (his) handiwork," which warrants a somewhat gentler caution from Galactus: you sure about that? Your funeral...

There is no flash, no Kirby krackle for this change; merely as Galactus puts it, "a subtle epiphany." The Surfer is fine, for a moment, before the metaphorical blood seems to literally appear on his hands. And it's a lot. He sinks into a sea of blood, seemingly lost forever, until pulled out by Galactus. Galactus offers to put the mental barriers back, but the Surfer again refuses--is that three times he's denied Galactus this issue? I feel like that could be a Christ-metaphor in itself; no shortage of those here. Pulling himself together, the Surfer warns Galactus of the menace of Thanos, but he is as yet unimpressed.

After the Surfer resumes his journey to earth, Galactus calls Thanos out, he knew he was there. Thanos warns Galactus to stay out of it, and to underline his point, wipes away the world Galactus was about to eat, like it never was. His feeding cancelled, Galactus isn't done with the mad Titan. But closer than Thanos would think, in the Soul Gem, Adam Warlock tells the collected denizens within that he would be returning to battle him...

The cover of that one is still one of the most striking images of the Silver Surfer ever, y'ask me. As evidenced by the fact I knew exactly where I had this trading card of it! Let's check out the back:

Also, it's no laughing matter, but I find it darkly hilarious the Surfer thought he was fine--for about three seconds. "I feel nothin--OH CHRIST, BLOOD! BLOOD! AAAGH--!!"

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I kinda want him to show up in the MCU, so the hero can say "Inhumans? Never heard of 'em" while looking directly at the camera.

I think I blogged one issue of this storyline twice already; but maybe we'll finish it before that Quasar figure shows up! From 1991, Quasar #24, "Maelstrom Manifest" Written by Mark Gruenwald, pencils by Greg Capullo, inks by Keith Williams.

Quasar is already dead, his corpse mutilated, and his Quantum-bands now on the wrists of Maelstrom, the "cosmic assassin" and threat Quasar had been trying to find and stop since like his second issue or so. With an Inhuman dad and Deviant mom (and surprisingly plain kid!) Maelstrom had the power to absorb and redirect kinetic energy, and had stopped the earth from spinning to give himself a massive boost. He had also stolen Eon's cosmic awareness, and next on the list? Create a black hole at the new center of the universe, and destroy all reality! That's not a quick process, though; so after telling Uatu to get lost and starting the black hole, he had time to visit the universe's big names and gloat a bit. Maelstrom stops by to see Galactus, Thanos and Mephisto during Infinity Gauntlet(!) and Arishem the Celestial, before realizing Quasar had returned.

Sort of: Maelstrom earlier calls him an "energy simulacrum," a yellow-hued, handless, quantum ghost. In the quantum realm, Quasar had met Infinity, one of the manifestations of the universe like Eternity: he tries to warn her about Maelstrom's plot, but charmingly, she had "utter confidence" that Quasar could handle it. He tries to stop the black hole, but isn't able to from the outside, and isn't sure if even his energy form could survive the inside. Maelstrom arrives in time to stop him, but tackles Quasar and knocks them both into the black hole, which doesn't quite dissipate Quasar, but squeezes Maelstrom's physical form into nothingness. But the black hole is still growing... 

Also this issue: Moondragon guilts the Ghost Rider into taking care of Wendell's friends, and mourns Quasar and Makkari's seeming deaths; while Dr. Strange and a ton of mystic types try to keep earth from being destroyed, but can't start it rotating again. I should've scheduled this for the solstice or something. 

I actually worked extra overtime this last week (more than I usually do!) to try and justify biting the bullet and coughing up for Quasar on Mercari. Best price out there right now was still over double retail, and I don't wanna reward some scalper with that. Also, the chest emblem looked crooked, which probably did more to dissuade me...

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People may be looking for this issue next year. Maybe.

Did I only just this year realize his name was supposed to be pronounced like 'morgue,' or did I know that already but keep forgetting? Anyway, from 1994, Cosmic Powers #5, "The Question is... Which is to Be Master, That's All" Written by Ron Marz, pencils by Tom Grindberg, inks by Don Hudson.

Since I pre-ordered the HasLabs Galactus, I guess I have a Marvel Legends Morg coming, but...I've always felt he was a pale copy of a better herald, Terrax. But if you give Terrax too much nuance--and he didn't have a lot--it can take him out of the role of "mindless cosmic murder thug," and you need a new one; hence Morg. This issue gets a little into his backstory and motivation: a warrior from a barbaric world, where he looked like Conan with male pattern baldness and bad skin, Morg believed in nothing except power. And seeing Galactus as the ultimate power, his loyalty was absolute; although Tyrant is attempting to convince him Galactus wasn't all that.

You may have also forgotten Tyrant, the big-bad from around Silver Surfer #82, which I don't have next to me but don't recall as being great. To build him up as a big deal, Galactus supposedly remembers having fought him centuries prior and acts like he could be a threat again, but I'm not buying it. I almost feel like Galactus could be playing with him, oh noes, not Tyrant, whatever shall I do; and maybe wanted to use him to keep other cosmic forces and his heralds occupied, like a play date or something.

Elsewhere, warrior woman Ganymede has been captured by Thanos and Terrax, but is more than willing to tell them whatever they want to know about her enemy Tyrant. Terrax is bristling at Thanos treating him like a lackey, but come on, man: know your role, and shut your mouth. Likewise, Tyrant gives Morg back the power cosmic, as well as a brain-clamping doodad, and sets him on Thanos. After a few pages of scuffle, Terrax gets into that fight, since he and Morg already hated each other from before. Instead of killing him, Terrax accidentally frees Morg from Tyrant's control; and although he had sworn to kill him, Morg has to get back to Galactus and splits, almost running into the just-arriving Legacy (Genis-Vell) and Jack of Hearts! Jack and Ganymede's relationship definitely moves into the "it's complicated" status, since he's dismayed she would work with Thanos just to get Tyrant. She, not unlike Thanos, was deeply pragmatic: whatever it took. Thanos reaches out to Jack and "the boy," since they were all needed to survive against Tyrant, but Tyrant promises "...you won't." Really feel like that whole sequence needed old-style soap opera dramatic music stings.

Yeah, I kinda think they all survived the next issue, since I know I remember Morg and Tyrant would make it to Silver Surfer #109, in which they and Galactus are all seemingly destroyed by the Ultimate Nullifier. Sure, and if a goat had wheels he'd be a bobsled...or something, I don't know, I'm tired. Galactus just shows up again later and I'm 90% he let everyone think he was dead to get them out of his face for five minutes; but nullification didn't appear to do Morg or Tyrant any good. Morg's corpse--ah, see what they did there--appeared in Annihilation, but Tyrant hasn't been seen since. Read more!

Sometimes I post from a comic to remind myself it was really good. Or really bad. Other times, it's to remind myself I've bought the same goddamn comic like three times. From 1992, Marvel Comics Presents #111.

Technically, since the bar code is on his cover, the lead feature must be Ghost Rider and Werewolf (by Night) in "Return of the Braineaters, part 5 of 6" Written by Chris Cooper, pencils by John Stanisci, inks by Jimmy Palmiotti and Ken Branch. Werewolf biker gang girl Lupe has an attack of conscience, and double-crosses her gang to save a kidnapped child. Dan Ketch finds her before she dies, and an enraged Ghost Rider tears into the gang leader, Scuzz; but he may not have time to kill Scuzz and save the child.

Both covers have the "An Infinity War Crossover" corner tag, for a Thanos eight-pager: "Betrayal, part 4 of 4" Written by Jim Starlin, art by Shawn McManus. Mistress Death has promised her undying love to ol' chinface, if he'll just do one little thing: kill her "tormentor," Adam Warlock! They were on the same team here, Warlock completely unsuspecting--maybe--but Thanos is too much the schemer to take even his beloved at face value. Then, he even wonders if that meeting with Death happened at all, or was it just wishful thinking? Sadly, Thanos opts to not murder Warlock; but I don't know if Death called him out on that later or not.

The second lead feature is what I keep buying this for: Wolverine and Typhoid Mary, in "Typhoid's Kiss, part 3 of 8: Over Exposed" Written by Ann Nocenti, art by Steve Lightle. Logan and the innocent Mary Walker are investigating a secret lab full of animals, and after brutally beating a guard, Logan tells about the biggest lie I've ever seen: "I never kill." Whaaaaat? Later, watching some of the Project's videotapes, Mary shifts over to Typhoid, and comes onto him hard. Wolvie wants to protect poor defenseless Mary; which Typhoid finds laughable. Man, I really need to find the collection for this one; I'm still not sure I've read all of it.

Lastly, an Iron Fist single, "Menace of the Mad Abbot" Written by Joey Cavalieri, pencils by Alex Morrisey, inks by Brad Vancata. It's the recently revived Fist against creepy cultist Thanademos, who is able to revive the comatose to create an army of mummy-looking slaves. Pretty quick, but not as bad as some shorts. Still, I glanced at that panel there and thought it was going to have disco mummies; that would've been something.
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I'm fairly sure this isn't in the next Avengers movie. 90% at least.

It was a race to see which piece would arrive first, and of course they both arrived the same day: we finished the Marvel Legends movie Thanos and SP//DR Build-a-Figures!

Walgreens has had $13.99 Legends for the better part of this month, which led to me hopping on some deals. Actually, I think I bought Cloak and Dagger the week before the sale started, because I'm a moron; then got Elektra, black costume Daredevil, and House of M Spider-Man cheap. The Scarlet Spider cost me, since I had to order from GameStop--that's not a slight on them, I just never saw him in any store. (I never saw the retro card Scarlet Spider with the blond head, either...) The Youngest didn't really like him though, since the design is different than the one from Into the Spider-Verse.

In the course of that, I somehow found an Infinity War Cap still at a Walgreens; which led to getting a Taskmaster from the Comic Book Shop; then to getting a leg off of eBay. All of which feels like a lot of work to build this derpy creep...the head has a terrible, terribly smug expression. Did Dale tell me he looked like Bill Cosby mugging for a pudding pop? Well, I'm gonna blame him, anyway. I liked the previous BAF and the Wal-Mart exclusive Thanos...es better; he needs his little hat!

Maybe this could be in the next movie. I'll be avoiding spoilers for the next month, so don't tell me if I'm right. (I'm not.)

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The real star is that epic codpiece-face.

How that never caught on, I don't know. From 1993, Warlock and the Infinity Watch #19, "True Believers" Created and written by Jim Starlin, pencils by Tom Grindberg, inks by Keith Williams.

This is somewhere in the middle of the Infinity Crusade crossover: I liked Infinity War better, but this is still pretty good. Pip the Troll is comic relief as usual, as he is chased down by earth's heroes...and forcibly bathed. The end of the issue implies Pip may hold a grudge, though. Elsewhere, the Celestials, Galactus, and Adam Warlock all seem uneasy: they know there's more to the Goddess and her plan than they can presently see. Thanos may be in that same boat, but more proactive, as he's doing the math and bringing in "storage unit #D-666." (The D is for Dreadnaught!) And in her realm, Death seems to be watching the Goddess as well and pieced together her endgame, and laughs...

On the Goddess's side, Sister Moondragon administers a little tough love on Gamora, for the crime of being a Doubting Thomas. The Silver Surfer visits Titan to convert them to the Goddess, but finds Eros, Mentor, and the other Eternals there seemingly entranced. Moondragon calls the Surfer back, for a mission, seemingly unconcerned to that mystery.

I don't know if I would have appreciated this issue's art at the time: Grindberg's Mike Mignola-style was far afield from Ron Lim's work on Infinity Crusade. I like it now, though!
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In 2001, Apocalypse Now Redux was released, with an additional 49 minutes of footage. That's like finding almost another half of a movie in there! Similarly, we just found a whole bunch of additional chapters to this one today, but I'm not as enthusiastic about that: from 1994, Thor #470, "Ruins" Written by Ron Marz, pencils by M.C. Wyman, inks by Mike DeCarlo.

In chapter nine of "Blood and Thunder," Thor and his formerly imaginary girlfriend Valkyrie have arrived at Asgard, which is currently pretty wrecked. Still, an enraged and insane Thor is intent on wrecking it up some more; and it's up to Warlock and the Infinity Watch, along with Dr. Strange and the Silver Surfer, to stop him. It does not go especially well, as they're all beaten pretty badly, mostly because there were still four parts left to this thing? The hell...ugh, I'm going to have to go back and edit, since I thought this was a nine-part crossover, and it was actually thirteen! This isn't the last chapter, it would end with next month's Thor #471. Crap, I think I forgot it wasn't just Thor, Silver Surfer, and Warlock and the Infinity Watch, but also the Warlock Chronicles. I think I completely missed those, but it seems like it still read okay.

So I thought I had blogged this whole crossover, but I may have only blogged eight of thirteen? With a couple of issues leading up to it. Urrrrggg...anyway, Strange and Warlock try a combined "karmic-mystic attack" on Thor, which Warlock was worried he would find a counter for: yeah, the Power Gem, in about two seconds. Gamora has a better showing, but is downed when Valkyrie throws Moondragon at her. Although Sif and Beta Ray Bill are on their way, Pip has to act quickly, and grabs the Surfer and teleports them, Thor, and Valkyrie, to Thanos! We've seen that chapter, but I think I'm still missing a chapter between this and the end! Well, considering I started covering this crossover back in 2010, I guess maybe we'll get to all of them sometime.
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Eternity and Infinity are looking at Adam like they need a better lock on the bedroom door...

Here's a quarter-box pick I've actually wanted forever--maybe not wanted enough to go out of my way and get it, but here we are. From 1993, Warlock Chronicles #3, "Dealing with the Devil!" Written by Jim Starlin, pencils by Tom Raney, inks by Keith Williams.

Hmm, was Mephisto even in Infinity War? Because I was thinking this crossed over from that, but it's from Infinity Crusade. Adam Warlock's "good" feminine side, the Goddess, had collected a number of "cosmic containment units," not unlike the Cosmic Cube. For his help against her, Mephisto names his price: he wants one of the units. Although his power was virtually limitless within his home dimension, Mephisto was itching to increase his juice in this universe. While Warlock refuses, Thanos agrees to Mephisto's terms, since he needs the secrets of the units, and how the Goddess was using them.

Mephisto doesn't get deep into it, but the containment units are "pre-sentient," and as such won't obey certain requests. (To drill down into that, the first Cosmic Cube evolved into Kubik; the Shaper of Worlds had been a Cube as well. I think the Beyonder and the Molecule Man may have been one too...) The Goddess intended to rally enough "universal will" to force the units to her end desire. Thanos calls in an old weapon of his, D-666, then takes some time to think things over; while Adam Warlock goes to confer with Eternity. And he walks in on "Eternity and Infinity--melded as ONE!" I'm sure that isn't unbelievably awkward or anything.

Eternity and Infinity...uncouple, long enough to tell Adam maybe he doesn't have to come to them with every little problem he has. Reality had existed for a long time before the Goddess's scheme, and they were pretty sure it would exist afterwards...in some form or another, whatever. Regrouping with Mephisto and Thanos, he orders Mephisto to leave: Thanos agrees with Adam, but tells Mephisto he will honor their bargain. Adam then explains he had already made their plan, and his Soul Gem would explain it to Thanos--as Adam's soul is seemingly absorbed back into the Gem!

Infinity Crusade is the lesser of the three mini-series (Starlin's other related series, like Marvel Universe: the End and Thanos: the Infinity Relativity are years removed and also not huge crossover events) but still has its moments. I always like seeing Infinity as well; I had thought she was a Mark Gruenwald creation, but he may have just been the first to use her as the counterpart of Eternity.
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His big purple mug was on the back cover, it's not a surprise reveal.

We've checked out a couple of these before: in 1998, Marvel did a batch of team-up annuals, often with odd pairings. Deadpool/Death. Machine Man/Bastion. Alpha Flight/Inhumans. Generation X/Dracula. We looked at X-Men/Doctor Doom and Hulk/Sub-Mariner, and today we've got X-Man/Hulk '98, "Call of the Wild" Written by Terry Kavanagh, pencils by Chriscross, inks by Caesar Antomattei, Keith Williams, and Hector Collazo.

I don't think I had this issue back in 1998, and looking back I don't think I was reading X-Man or Hulk at the time. Maybe on Hulk: this might've been right around Peter David's last issue but before Joe Casey's last issue of the series. Bruce Banner was on the run from the military for the millionth time, while carrying the guilt of his wife's death and the recent spinal injury of Rick Jones. Meanwhile, Nate Grey was struggling to make a living deforesting the woods in France. Something had happened, in some other X-book, that affected Nate's telepathy, so he couldn't understand the language now, which is mostly played for laughs; except now he couldn't Jedi-mind-trick his way across borders...

A mysterious voice reaches out to the Hulk from the "dark dimension," enraging him to smash up a chunk of the Grand Canyon (Hey, it only makes it Grander.) and reveal a Stonehenge-like circle. Meanwhile, Nate checks out something weird happening at the real Stonehenge; both events are Thanos! The Mad Titan is trying to get an anchor in the real world to pull him out of wherever he's stuck, and Nate is afraid the Hulk may be tempted by "that demon," but the Hulk is nowhere near that dumb. Nate does appear to get a telepathic glimpse of Thanos's consciousness, and is terrified of him.

When Thanos turns on the Hulk and tries to squeeze Nate out of his "psi-armor," the Hulk inadvertently destroys the stone ring, freeing Thanos. Nate then armors up the Hulk, to keep Thanos in the ring while he rebuilds it, and Thanos is sucked back into whatever. Not his best showing, here. While the Hulk is not greatly affected by the experience, Nate begins to realize the earth may need him, as much as he needs it.
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