by Elisabeth@TFAW

This week’s Dark Reign update covers some of our favorite titles–including the reboot of Ms. Marvel, which was unexpectedly enticing. If you’re new to these updates, however, be warned: SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Wolverine Origin #35Dark Avengers #4Dark Avengers #4 continues completes the Morgana La Fey story arc. After losing a couple of team members in the last few issues, Doom and Osborn deal with this threat once and for all. There’s a series of four “Castle Doom” pages that appear later on in the book that just took my breath away. Mike Deodato is the man. He reminds us that great comics don’t need words to tell a story.

If you’ve been following Dark Reign, you’ll really dig this issue, and I think the last couple of pages of this book hint at where this event will end up. Is that sweat on your brow Gobbie? See you back here for Dark Avengers #5.


Ms. Marvel #38As many of you know, Ms. Marvel #39 marks a new era, with a new Ms. Marvel–Karla Sofen (the former criminal known as Moonstone). Now, I have gone on the record as wishing there was a little more buildup to the new Ms. Marvel. Plus, the new Ms. Marvel looks just like the old Ms. Marvel, but with a different costume! However, after reading this pipe bomb of an issue, I realize that the new Ms. Marvel is an entirely different animal, and I am really interested to see where this goes.

So what do we know about this new Ms. Marvel? She started out as a psychiatrist who encouraged her depressed patients to commit suicide in her presence. Her powers come from a Kree moonstone. And she doesn’t just stop the bad guys–she kills them. I’m not sure how much development this character has undergone in the past–I never read Thunderbolts–but there’s a doozy of a revelation about her past revealed in this issue, and I really, really want to read Ms. Marvel #39.


Wolverine Origin #35Thunderbolts #131 The beginning of Thunderbolts #131 left me thinking I had missed an issue. Last we saw, Deadpool and Taskmaster were both wearing Deadpool costumes, and one of them had been tricked into getting onto the Thunderbolts jet. This issue starts, and our hero is chained up and Norman Osborn is standing right in front of him, exclaiming, “WHY IS HE STILL ALIVE?!”

Other than that, the issue was pretty great. Taskmaster kicks a little butt, and Wade shoots himself repeatedly when he gets Ants in his pants–and then he really loses his head. Get this issue. I won’t tell you if Wade gets his payday in this issue, but you won’t be disappointed with the outcome. Next month’s Thunderbolts #132 starts a new arc, which makes it a perfect time to jump aboard, if you’ve been standing on the sidelines. (I don’t know if those metaphors work together?)


Dark Reign CabalDark Reign Cabal is an interesting-enough read, consisting of five short stories by different writers and artists that offer insight into the five Dark Reign Cabal members: Doctor Doom, Emma Frost, The Hood, Namor, and Loki.

On one hand, it’s nice to get some extra motivation as to why each of these characters is participating in Norman Osborn’s Dark Reign. If you’re a fan of any of these particular players, you may learn a little extra history about them. I particularly enjoyed Adi Granov’s art in Doctor Doom: . . . And I’ll Get the Land. However, if you’re not hugely into Dark Reign or the members of the Cabal, you’re not missing anything special if you skip it.


Wolverine Origin #35War Machine #5 Oh War Machine #5, how do I say it? I think things may be over between us. It’s not me, it’s you. All you ever talk about is the Ultimo virus, and I just don’t think it’s working out.

Don’t get me wrong, I still appreciate your artwork, but Jim Rhodes can only push his body so far. Sure, it was fun to see the flashbacks, and we had some good panels in the middle of the book there, but it’s time to call it what it was: a five-issue stand, a brief tryst.

Look out for Elisabeth’s review of War Machine #5. I, in turn, will be taking over her duties with Avengers: Initiative. Wish me luck!

So readers, when’s the last time you broke up with a comic book? When’s the first time you broke up with a comic book? You tell us yours, and we’ll tell you ours!