A.X.E. Death to the Mutants #3 Spoiler Free Review

The Progenitor has judged humanity and found it wanting. To speed up Armageddon he pushes the Machine that is Earth to do his bidding and destroy the planet. Can the Eternals stop it before the Machine obeys?

Writer: Kieron Gillen

 

Art: Guiu Vilanova

 

Colors: Alex Guimarães & Erick Arciniega

 

Letters: VC’s Travis Lanham

 

Design: Jay Bowen

 

Cover: Esad Ribić

 

Variant Cover: Simone Bianchi

 

Publisher: Marvel Comics

 

Price: 3.99

 

Release Date: October 12th, 2022

Daredevil #4 Spoiler Free Review

Hell’s Kitchen is in the rearview mirror as Daredevil travels to Elektra’s new Fist base. But before they can claim leadership, Daredevil and Elektra must pass a deadly rite of initiation.

Writer: Chip Zdarsky

Art: Rafael De Latorre

Colors: Matthew Wilson

Letters: Clayton Cowles

Cover: Marco Checchetto & Matthew Wilson

Variant Covers: Paulo Siqueira & Rachelle Rosenberg; Marco Checchetto & Marcio Menyz

Publisher: Marvel

Price: 3.99

Release Date: October 12th, 2022

Fantastic Four #48 Spoiler Free Review

Reed's locked in a vault, Ben's buried in rubble, and Johnny's eating pizza. Sue is the only who can save the Baxter Building and Oubliette just won't have it.

Writer: David Pepose

Art: Juann Cabal

Colors: Jesus Aburtov

Letters: Joe Caramagna

Cover: Cafu

Variant Cover: Mark Buckingham & Dave Stewart

Publisher: Marvel

Price: 3.99

Release Date: October 12th, 2022

Fantastic Four 47: Spoiler Free Review

John McClane and Hans Gruber stroll on into the Baxter Building. Except this time it’s Sue Richards and Oubliette. But it’s a heist in a building, and you know what that means!

Writer: David Pepose

Art: Juann Cabal

Colors: Jesus Aburtov

Letters: VC’s Joe Caramagna

Cover: Cafu

Variant Covers: John Tyler Christopher; Russell Dauterman

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: 3.99

Release Date: September 21st, 2022

Predator #2: Spoiler Free Review

Theta has crashed on a barren and frozen world, and her quest for revenge–not to mention her life–is in peril unless she can repair her ship and escape. But is she about to become someone else’s prey?

Writer: Ed Brisson

Art: Kev Walker

Colors: Frank D’Armata

Letters: VC’s Clayton Cowles

Cover: Leinil Francis Yu & Sunny Gho

Variant Covers: Natacha Bustos & Matthew Wilson; Salvador & Guru eFX

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: 3.99

Release Date: September 14th, 2022

Daredevil #3: Spoiler Free Review

If the system isn't working then the system has to change. At least that's what Matt Murdock thinks. And he's taking it upon himself to do just that.

Writer: Chip Zdarsky

Art: Rafael De Lattore

Color: Matthew Wilson

Letters: VC's Clayton Cowles

Cover: Marco Checcetto & Matthew Wilson

Variant Covers: Alex Maleev; Paulo Siquiera & Rachelle Rosenberg

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price 3.99

Release Date: August 17th, 2022

Gambit #2: Spoiler Free Review

He may be a charming and mischievous Cajun thief, but Remy LeBeau is still a good guy–especially when he has the chance to help a lovely woman in danger.

Writer: Chris Claremont

Art: Sid Kotian

Colors: Espen Grundetjerk

Letters: VC’s Clayton Cowles

Cover Artists: Whilce Portacio & Alex Sinclair

Variant Cover Artists: Russell Dauterman & Matthew Wilson

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: 3.99

Release Date: August 31st, 2022

A.X.E. Death to the Mutants #1: Spoiler Free Review

Mars is being decimated, Krakoa is facing destruction, and Tony Stark is building a Celestial. But what are the Eternals up to? Now we get a look behind the scenes and see what the Eternals are up to as mutants fight for their lives.

Writer: Kieron Gillen

Art: Guiu Vilanova

Colors: Dijjo Lima

Design: Jay Bowen

Letters: VC’s Travis Lanham

Cover: Esad Ribić

Variant Cover: Leinil Francis Yu & Sunny Gho

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: 3.99

Release Date: August 17th, 2022

Daredevil #2: Spoiler Free Review

Kirsten's dead and Goldy is responsible. But maybe it was for the greater good? Goldy wants to make Matt into a better Daredevil and thinks God has told him this is the way to do it. The issue is fascinating exploration of fate and free will.

Writer: Chip Zdarsky

Art: Marco Checcetto

Color: Matthew Wilson

Flashback Artist: Rafael De Latorre

Guest Artists: Alex Maleev, Paul Azaceta, Phil Noto, Chris Samnee, Klaus Janson, Mike Hawthorne, John Romita Jr. & Scott Hanna

Letters: VC's Clayton Cowles

Cover: Marco Checcetto & Matthew Wilson

Variant Covers: Gary Frank & Brad Anderson; Pete Woods; Bill Sienkiewicz

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price 5.99

Release Date: August 17th, 2022

The Predator #1: Spoiler Free Review

There are severed heads and exploding heads a-plenty in this first issue. But some of those heads actually belong to Predators! The script may finally be flipped in this new Predator series.

Writer: Ed Brisson

Art: Kev Walker

Colors: Frank D’Armata

Letters: VC’s Clayton Cowles

Cover: Leinil Francis Yu

Variant Covers: Ryan Brown; David Finch & Frank D’Armata; Inhyuk Lee; Ron Lim & Israel Silva; Peach Momoko; Rahzzah; Philip Tan & Sebastian Cheng; Skottie Young

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: 4.99

Release Date: August 10th, 2022

Demon Wars: Iron Samurai #1 Review

Peach Momoko crafts a truly immersive experience, pulling the reader in the world of Japanese muth while maintaining a connection to the Marvel Universe.

Story & Art: Peach Momoko

Co-Script: Zack Davisson

Lettering: VC’s Ariana Maher

Cover Art: Peach Momoko

Variant Cover Artists: Peach Momoko; Gurihiru; Matías Bergara; Terry Dodson & Rachel Dodson; Alex Maleev; Audrey Mok; Humberto Ramos & Edgar Delgado; Matteo Scalera & Moreno Dinisio; Rickie Yagawa & Jordie Bellaire

Designer: Jay Bowen

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: August 3, 2022

Operation: Zero Tolerance - 25 Years Later Part 11: The Secret Files

So what's up with those Xavier files that Bastion retrieved from the mansion? You know...the ones that may or may not have been secured and/or deleted before "Operation: Zero Tolerance" began? Readers who only followed the main thrust in X-Men and Wolverine never really got resolution for that plot point--which is somewhat unfortunate given how big a deal Lobdell makes about them. It would take following Cable's tie-ins to find out what, if anything, came of them. And readers not following Cable would only be pointed in that direction if they read Uncanny X-Men 346 (even X-Force 69, which cuts to a scene of Cable in the mansion, doesn't tell readers what he's doing or direct them to his own title to find out).

As for Uncanny X-Men 346, it's easily the strangest tie-in of the event. It's the only Uncanny X-Men issue included in "Operation: Zero Tolerance"--because it's the only issue of Uncanny X-Men running during the event that doesn't feature the X-Men. Yes, you read that right. The Uncanny X-Men team went to space in issue 341 and still haven't returned so their issues can't exactly be part of a U.S. centric event. The logical decision, obviously, is to have Uncanny X-Men 346 star J. Jonah Jameson and Spider-Man.

Also...Nate Grey does a thing and (you guessed it!) complains about it in the process.

The following contains major spoilers for Uncanny X-Men 346, Cable 45-47, and X-Man 30.

Gambit #1: Spoiler Free Review

Gambit may be an X-Man now, but once upon a time he was quite the thief. Chris Claremont takes us on a trip back to the days immediately before Gambit joined the X-Men and starts weaving a complex story that fits in perfectly with his Uncanny X-Men run.

Writer: Chris Claremont

Art: Sid Kotian

Colors: Espen Grundetjerk

Letters: VC’s Clayton Cowles

Cover Artists: Whilce Portacio & Alex Sinclair

Variant Cover Artists: Salvador Larroca & Edgar Delgado; InHyuk Lee; Peach Momoko; Scott Williams & Sebastian Cheng

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: 3.99

Release Date: July 27th, 2022

Operation: Zero Tolerance - 25 Years Later Part 10: Is Everyone A Spy?

Like Generation X, X-Force's involvement with "Operation: Zero Tolerance" was on the periphery. Nothing in the two tie-in issues (technically four though two are unbranded) impact the main story or deal with Bastion. But unlike James Robinson's efforts on Generation X, X-Force writer John Moore seems interested in telling a good story. Moore ties the events of "Operation: Zero Tolerance" into ongoing subplots and character development that makes these issues work effectively as part of the larger story while still feeling distinctly X-Force.

Moore uses "Operation: Zero Tolerance" as a way to forward strong character threads for Dani Moonstar, who makes a return in a big way, and Domino with whom he creates a personal connection to one of the Zero Tolerance troops. And perhaps most importantly, the events featured in the pages of X-Force leave a lasting impact on the series.

The following contains major spoilers for X-Force 67-69.

She-Hulk #5: Spoiler Free Review

Just what is Jack of Hearts' connection to tarts? Explore more of the mystery at the heart of She-Hulk in this issue! ...And read about a lovely dinner date.

Writer: Rainbow Rowell

Art: Luca Maresca

Colors: Rico Renzi

Letters: VC’s Joe Caramagna

Cover: Jen Bartel

Variant Cover: Romy Jones

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: 3.99

Release Date: July 20th, 2022

New Fantastic Four #2: Spoiler Free Review

Why are there demons in Las Vegas? How did Father John Priest get involved? And what is Spider-Man’s new battle cry? If you want answers to these questions–plus a shocking desert rivalry and a hot guest star–look no further than The World’s Funnest Comic Magazine.

Writer: Peter David

Art: Alan Robinson

Colors: Mike Spicer

Letters: VC’s Joe Caramagna

Cover: Nick Bradshaw & Romulo Fajardo Jr.

Variant Cover: Nick Rochie & Felipe Sobreiro

Designer: Carlos Lao

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: 3.99

Release Date: July 20th, 2022

Operation: Zero Tolerance - 25 Years Later part 9: Iceman Steps Up and the Rest Fall Down

The real action of "Operation: Zero Tolerance" unfolded in X-Men and Wolverine. The plot threads running through Generation X, despite the series more or less kicking off the whole thing, prove uninspired and there was the sense that new writer James Robinson was just trying to get through the whole thing so he could concentrate on the stories and characters central to the series.

X-Men writer Scott Lobdell and Wolverine writer Larry Hama, on the other hand, embraced the story in their series and delivered fast paced, high energy issues that advanced the plot at breakneck speed while including a great deal of character development. These issues would see the introduction of Cecilia Reyes, a mutant with no attachment to the X teams who provides the point of view of an ordinary person caught up in the assault on mutants. Iceman would move into a major leadership role, continuing the strong character arc that had been running through the X-Men books since before "Phalanx Covenant". And a number of big name X-Men would find themselves removed from the main thrust of the fight, pushed more into a position of needing to survive rather than fighting back against the primary threat.

And it all started with quite a bang.

The following contains major spoilers for X-Men 64-66 and Wolverine 115-116.

Open Fire

X-Men 65

The strongest "Operation: Zero Tolerance" issue of Generation X was 27 where Bastion interrogated Jubilee. At the end of that issue he gives the command for Zero Tolerance to begin. That carries over into the final pages of X-Men 64 when Cyclops, Jean, Storm, Wolverine, and Cannonball run into Zero Tolerance forces on their flight back from Japan.

The encounter between the X-Men and Zero Tolerance's new sentinels is barely a fight. Zero Tolerance's forces make short work of the team, knowing just how to disable Cannonball, Storm, and Cyclops. Jean has been rendered temporarily powerless thanks to burst of psionic power that sent her to the Heroes Reborn universe (part of a storyline that Lobdell was building but which was never resolved after his departure from the title). Wolverine's major contribution is to save Jean's life when the team's plane crashes.

The captured X-Men are taken back to Bastion's Hulkbuster base where he taunts Jubilee (he previously lied to her in Generation X 27 about having defeated them). The Zero Tolerance troops think Wolverine is dead and let their guard down as they prepare to dispose of his body (given Bastion's apparent knowledge of the X-Men's abilities, this seem unlikely). Wolverine seizes the opportunity and makes short work of getting the rest of the team out. At a key moment Jubilee, still being taunted by Bastion, slows him down just enough to help the X-Men escape.

Alone in the New Mexico desert, the five X-Men stumble on a small encampment and are greeted by a man Wolverine at first suspects is a sentinel. The X-Men don't know much about the sentinels beyond their new appearance as ordinary people with technological enhancements. The man explains that he was simply the survivor of a plane crash and is up and about thanks to a nearby doctor helping him with things like leg braces and metal plates. Wolverine, not sold on the story, investigates the doctor's facility at night and discovers that it's full of materials needed to transform people into sentinels.

X-Men 66

Welcome to the X-Men Cecilia Reyes, etc. etc.

Operation: Zero Tolerance isn't just interested in the X-Men; they're after every mutant. Shortly after the announcement that Zero Tolerance's forces have engaged the X-Men, Doctor Cecilia Reyes--after listening to several colleagues talk about how bad the mutants are and how much they approve of these moves against them--is attacked by a sentinel who she thought was an ordinary dead man. Her colleagues are horrified (both because they were working alongside a mutant and because the sentinel is threatening them to force Cecilia's surrender).

Iceman, back in action after taking time away to be with his father who was attacked in Uncanny X-Men 340, arrives just in time to save Cecilia. Iceman reveals that Xavier, after approaching Cecilia to train her and being told she wants nothing to do with the X-Men, charged him with protecting her if anything happened. 

Rubbing Xavier's Nose In It

X-Men 65

At the same time as the X-Men are being attacked and Cecilia is being outed, Bastion and his forces are securing the mansion. Using the information he received from Jubilee, Bastion accesses the secret portions of the mansion and gains access to the Danger Room files, the Xavier Protocols, and the mutant underground files. They're encrypted, but Bastion expects he'll be able to break the encryption.

Bastion also taunts Xavier with images of the captured X-Men.

Jubilee, File Shenanigans, Xavier's Not So Secret Secret, and an Unlikely Rescue

These issues are great overall but there are a few things that stretch believability. The first is Jubilee's appearance in Wolverine 115. Her portrayal in Generation X 27, an issue written by Lobdell, was one of a strong character. Even if Lobdell asserted that she wasn't an X-Man the issue before, he wrote her as a strong, defiant character. This was effectively undone by James Robinson in issues 29-31 where Jubilee appeared week and unable to contribute meaningfully to her own escape. Meanwhile here she resisted Bastion's efforts to break her down even in the face of the X-Men's capture, and she ultimately contributed to their escape. I specifically left this moment out of the Generation X entry because Larry Hama's writing was far more in line with Lobdell's characterization while James Robinson's effectively undid the strength she showed in Generation X 27.

Wolverine 115

Connected to the Jubilee story thread was Bastion's ability to get into the X-Men's facilities in the mansion and access the encrypted files. Cable 40 established that much of the mutant underground files had been deleted (and were continuing to be deleted) which was the reason he went looking for Renée Majcomb. Moira was worried Majcomb might be unreachable once the files were gone. And including the Xavier Protocols required a bit of slight of hand. While previous X books established that the Xavier Protocols were stored on Muir Island (seemingly only on Muir Island) and that they were sealed after an attempt to steal them, they are now conveniently available in full at the mansion necessitating further security measures (as seen in a future entry). As we'll later see, Bastion's announcement to Xavier that he has access to the files seems purely for dramatic effect in the story as they ultimately play a limited role.

While on the topic of Xavier, it's important to remember that at this point in time Xavier's status as a mutant was not generally known. This was one of the most frustrating aspects of Onslaught Epilogue. Larry Hama presented Bastion as though he couldn't quite decide whether Bastion knew Xavier was a telepath or not. He definitely didn't seem to know Xavier was Onslaught. And at no point in any issue leading up to this did he give an indication that he knew Xavier was associated with the X-Men. As a result his clear awareness of Xavier's relationship with the X-Men and his telepathic abilities (now lost) seems to come out of nowhere.

X-Men 66

The final criticism isn't a revision of previous stories but a simple exercise in convenience. That Xavier would charge Iceman with the protection Cecilia Reyes in the event of some kind of attack doesn't really pass the smell test. Did Xavier assign various X-Men to protect every mutant that refused his offer to join up. Does Iceman have a responsibility for other mutants (he doesn't mention it). Unquestionably I'm in favor of Iceman's continued development, but this is a little difficult to believe.

Checking in with Bastion

It's worth noting that there is variation between these issues in how Bastion is portrayed. He ranges from being certain of his purpose to reconsidering it (though ultimately deciding it is the right course of action). That he's certain of his purpose is consistent with his origin as later revealed. Second thoughts are absolutely not. But it's unclear whether Lobdell knew what Bastion's origin was at this point and even if he did, Lobdell had left the X books by the time it was revealed so there's no way of knowing if his origin was changed.

Despite the criticisms listed here, these four issues are a strong beginning to "Operation: Zero Tolerance", and they do a very good job establishing the stakes and subverting expectations by removing the major characters from the primary conflict.

Additionally, the art is top notch. Carlos Pacheco handles the X-Men issues and (in concert with with Art Thibert's inks and assorted colorists) creates high energy issues that accompany the urgency of the script These issues are fun and go quickly. The Wolverine issues are rougher by comparison. Leinil Francis Yu applies a great deal of detail to the characters. Edgar Tadeo's heavier inks and Joe Rosas's subdued colors make the issues feel a little more desperate and in some ways more intense. These are the A-list X-Men, and they aren't really in a position to fight back. The art reflects the dark times they are facing.

Like "Onslaught" before it, "Operation: Zero Tolerance" has a surprisingly strong beginning considering the state of Marvel's writing at the time. The question is...will it fare any better than "Onslaught" when it ends?

~~~

For an index of the entries in this "Operation: Zero Tolerance" retrospective, jump back to the landing page here. And for an issue-by-issue commentary check out Twitter @theronscomics #XMenOZT.

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Immortal X-Men #4: Spoiler Free Review

By day she’s the elegant head of the Hellfire Trading Company and a member of Krakoa’s Quiet Council. By night she’s…a diamond? Emma Frost is front and center this issue, recovering from the Hellfire Gala and dropping a bombshell revelation on the council. Plus–more machinations with Mister Sinister!

Writer: Kieron Gillen

Art: Michele Bandini

Colors: David Curiel

Letters: VC’s Clayton Cowles

Design: Tom Muller & Jay Bowen

Cover: Mark Brooks

Variant Covers: Phil Noto; Meghan Hetrick; Betsy Cola

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: 3.99

Release Date: July 13th, 2022