Monday, January 30, 2017

Someone on Twitter the other day said, "Every day feels like ten days." I don't think they're wrong, but I also think we've just seen the tip of the iceberg; and if you can take a moment to contact your senator or representative and let them know what you think. (You can find your local reps here.) I'm trying to stay in and not get swamped by the constant stream of garbage from the White House: don't give up.

But since this is a stupid blog about comics and toys, today I'm going to complain that even though every day feels like ten, it's not June yet, so I don't have a Darkhawk figure yet. Which does give us time to look at the only other Darkhawk comic I had handy, which didn't even have his name on it! From 2009, War of Kings: Ascension #3, "The End of All Things" Written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, pencils by Wellington Alves, inks by Scott Hanna and Nelson Pereira. There is a nice line effect on the cover, but his head does block a good portion of the title.

Set against the larger backdrop of the latest Kree/Shi'ar War (with Vulcan one side and the Inhumans on the other) Chris Powell had seemingly found some answers about his mysterious Darkhawk armor, when he meets the similarly armored Talon, of the Fraternity of Raptors. Since Chris had been having anger-control issues with his armor, he follows Talon into the Negative Zone, which may have been a mistake: the Fraternity is not only evil, Talon intends to give Chris's armor to his brother, Razor. Chris is cast into the Null Zone, the pocket dimension-slash-operating system of the Darkhawk armors. (Presumably, where the suits go when not in use, for one thing.) Breaking free from his amulet casket, Chris is able to elude the keeper-demons and get to another one, where he meets a Skrull trapped, the living sacrifice powering the suit. (The Darkhawk armors may be as much sorcery as science, and may involve releasing an ancient spirit via a living sacrifice.) The Skrull explains, that Chris's problems may have just been him learning the system, and that he may be able to do more than he thinks.

Meanwhile, in the larger universe, Talon's plans move apace: King Blastaar is given a Cosmic Control Rod, and his marching orders. The Rod has safeguards to keep him in line, since the Fraternity wants him to not attack earth yet, but align with Vulcan and the Shi'ar. Step two in that plan: Razor, in disguise, visits Chandilar, the Shi'ar Throneworld, for an assassination that would take Vulcan out of power? I'm not sure about that, but Chris picks an unfortunate time to retake his armor from Razor: just after Razor had assassinated Empress Lilandra! (A bad time to be yelling "I did it! I did it!") Leaving Chris holding the bag, as Gladiator and Havok are coming right at him.

Having missed the previous issues, I'm not sure what was up with the markings and Christmas tree lights on Chris here. Darkhawk would somehow survive this, and I think his next appearances were in a book we mentioned the other day, Avengers Arena. Which I think he would survive as well, but I'm not sure he's shown up lately. He'll turn up; and his figure will as well.

1 comment:

Mr. Morbid's House Of Fun said...

I can't freakin' wait until that Darkhawk figure comes out! Sure I wish it was his 1st appearance look, but I'll take what I can get at this point.

Oh, forgot to call you, you watching the superbowl this sunday? If not, I'll give you a ring.