I don't see why Julian's so mad there's no "Father Christmas," it's not like he was told there's no Santa Claus.

We mentioned this issue not long ago, and it's entirely possible this was her best selling issue! And she spends a good chunk of it gagged and bound, but everyone was probably here for cover-boy Cable. From 1992, Motormouth & Killpower #7, "Return to Sender" Written by Graham Marks, pencils by Edmund Perryman, inks by Cam Smith and Bambos Georgiou.

Both of the regular leads spend most of this issue captured: Motormouth gets grabbed by the Bad Boys, and trussed up with a gag to counter her vocal powers; while Killpower had been caught by his old handler-slash-"mother" Mrs. Mullarky. Killpower's escape attempt fails, as two members of the Mys-Tech board knock him out; but Motormouth gets away in a walk after a boss removes her gag to question her, and she screams the flesh right off his skull! Neither of those plotlines get as much page space, as Nick Fury's latest attempt to get information out of Mys-Tech, with a ringer: Cable! Who's working his own mission, one he says he couldn't even explain to X-Force. Fury, Cable, and cyborg Badhand sneak into Mys-Tech Central: Cable doesn't want the other two to find out what he was up to, but also had someone on the inside.

Cable and Badhand end up scuffling with "Bysshe," who may have been a "grade-A whacko" and from another dimension, or both, but had powerful energy zaps. Cable beats her with a mirror, probably because they were running out of pages, and recovers "the Clavis Key," which had previously been brought back by the Warheads, but no one may have realized its power. It's implied Cable had been ordered, by someone, to return it; but we don't see that here. Nor do we see Fury's infiltration, but maybe that's for next time; although Motormouth was probably going in to get Killpower, and that seems like a lot of people in and out of Mys-Tech's base of power! Read more!

You don't really have to kill Wizard, the changing comic marketplace and over-investing in conventions would take care of that...

...oh, that's "Off to kill a wizard." My bad. From 1993, Motormouth and Killpower #10, "The Saving Graces" Written by John Freeman (based on a story by Graham Marks), art by Rosie Mendoza.

This issue, on their way to a Faith No More concert (which probably isn't appropriate for Killpower, since he was mentally what, eight?) the pair's Moped technology (not like that, it was dimension-hopping tech implanted in Motormouth) takes them to a medieval, barbaric world; complete with evil wizards and the swordswoman Sabra, who bears a distinct resemblance to long-running sci-fi heroine Axa. Motormouth gets zapped away for a bit, coming back with a gun and a caption box saying it would be explained in a future issue, but she only had two left, so I'm not sure it was?

As per the usual generic prophecy, Motormouth and Killpower are the chosen ones, the fabled "Saving Graces," from a prophecy allegedly written by Motormouth herself. With the wizard's power waning, and his werewolf forces reverting to men, he uses what was left of his power for a final curse, leaving a shiny brooch for Motormouth to find, prick her finger on, and go all Sleeping Beauty. It takes a bit, but the prophecy does mention that Killpower could wake her with a kiss on the cheek, which he sheepishly does, and embarrassedly doesn't mention to her later.

Also this issue: a USPS Statement of Ownership, which again, I believe means somebody was subscribing to this one? Or it was an option, anyway. Average number of copies sold during preceding 12 months (total paid circulation): 25,228. Actual number sold for issue nearest filing date (total paid circulation): 94,510. That feels like a big bump! Best guess from checking Mike's, but that 94K was probably #7, with Cable on the cover. Which, not unlike this issue, feels like Motormouth was often like the third lead in what used to be her own book! Read more!

"The End" Week: Motormouth & Killpower #12!

I loved the first issue of this book! But, their artist would go on to bigger things; the title somehow squandered guest-stars Nick Fury, the Punisher, Cable, and Death's Head II; and the second-banana somehow got second billing. From 1993, Motormouth & Killpower #12, "Unfinished Business" Written by Andrew Cartmel, pencils by Richard Elson, inks by Ramón Rosanas. 

 Motormouth was Harley Davis, a formerly homeless British teen, who had picked up some powers from Mys-Tech gear. Her sidekick/partner was Killpower, a massive genetically engineered super-soldier with huge guns (figurative and literal) and the mind of a child: he had been sent to hunt her down, but she would teach him to be better than his creators. I found him super-annoying, which makes me feel bad, since he would later get killed off in Revolutionary War, the 2014 Marvel UK event. 

 

This issue, a somewhat homesick Harley had wanted to revisit one of her old stomping grounds, only to find a giant skeletal monster that speaks in cliche panhandler lines. (This was of course from years before, but the overall effect is like them having to fight one of those giant Halloween decorations from Home Depot.) Death's Head II was also on the case, since it was an escaped A.I.M. project; Harley finishes it off by shooting it through the ear. But, she seems burned out by the violence and death. They teleport away, while a mysterious figure says soon she will work for him...which was a teaser for Dark Guard. 

 

A better teaser for Dark Guard? The back-up feature, with art by that series' artist, Carlos Pacheco! It's a slight but fun number, as Motormouth and Killpower bail on a distant planet, after KP insults the local "god," a jerky alien minotaur. The minotaur tries to re-assert itself, but bit off more than it could chew. ("The Prophet" Written by Mathew Hyde, pencils by Carlos Pacheco, inks by Oscar Jimenez.) 

 While they've appeared a few times since, Motormouth and Killpower are probably best remembered for a guest-spot in the Incredible Hulk, with their original artist, Gary Frank. When I was pitching who I would want for a Guardians of the Galaxy book; I wanted Motormouth and Dark Angel: Motormouth would be more fun than Lila Cheney, but Her/Kismet and Dark Angel would overlap, and I think three Marvel UK characters might be a lot...

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I'm hoping your local comic shop didn't have to eat a ton of these...

Ah, 1993: a long comics boom, fueled by speculators and unwisely extended lines of credit, was about to catch fire and auger in. But this book probably had better sales than most today...I say, based on not much! It wasn't on Comichron's 1993 sales chart, but it had a shiny cover, which may or may not have gotten them anywhere. From 1993, Dark Guard #1, "Tour of Duty" Written by Dan Abnett, pencils by Carlos Pacheco, inks by Oscar Jimenez.

If you had been reading Marvel UK for a while, this book would've been your Avengers, bringing all your favorites together under one cover: Death's Head II! Motormouth and Killpower! Dark Angel! And the rest! Some of whom don't even survive the issue, although not in a dramatic, heroic sacrifice, but by opening an airlock when attempting to leave in a tizzy.

Wikipedia cites this as the book that broke Carlos Pacheco in America, and for that early in his career it's polished stuff! And we've seen Dan Abnett's work on the blog a number of times, usually with more recognizable characters. Actually, I did like Motormouth (early Gary Frank art!) before Killpower kinda took her book over. Come to think of it, the big menace the Dark Guard are brought together to fight, evil organization Mys-Tech, were the bad guys in her first issue too. I have zero recollection of what they were up to. Maybe if they had been used in a non-UK book; which would've made them seem big and badder, and hyped up the UK stuff. Hell, they could still be around, for all I know. Maybe they won...
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