The big fight

[colonel_green.insanejournal.com]

Four scans from War of Kings #3.

So, issue #2 of Marvel's latest cosmic event ended with this less-than-thrilling cliffhanger:

I'm sure you'll be shocked, shocked! that Lilandra doesn't die on the first page of this issue.

Her uncle, Admiral Ka'ardum, intervenes and remonstrates with the emperor that killing her would be a mistake, arguing that while she lives, she's the focus of all resistance, but if she dies there'd emerge another rival claimant to the throne.  Vulcan agrees, and orders that she be brought back to Chandilar for show-trial and execution instead.

On the way back, the Starjammers and Guardians intercept the transport.  Fight of the century: Rocket blasts Gladiator with some anti-Gladiator gizmo:






That was in no way completely telegraphed from the first moment of the first issue of this series.

Still awesome, though.

Elsewhere, the Inhumans are all dicks except Crystal.

Comments

[cainofdreaming.insanejournal.com]

A hyper-advanced civilization like Shi'ar... and they still use mops? Huh, the more things change.

Props on Rocket though, taking on Gladiator with a mop and a redhead.

[arilou_skiff.insanejournal.com]

Goddamnit. Now you almost got me shipping Rocket/Rachel.

[aaron_bourque.insanejournal.com]

No.

[aaron_bourque.insanejournal.com]

No.

[aaron_bourque.insanejournal.com]

No.

[cainofdreaming.insanejournal.com]

Yes, no to this 'almost' whatever. Let the furry flow.

[dorksidefiker.insanejournal.com]

*done in The Brain voice*

YES!

[juliansinger.insanejournal.com]

Oh. Sure. Why not?

[his_spiffyness.insanejournal.com]

Yeah, why's the mop glowing anyway?

[sherkahn.insanejournal.com]

Why do I read that last page and see Lois & Clark where Gladiator and Lilandra stand?

And the blonde alien was the newest Smasher, yes?

[colonel_green.insanejournal.com]

Yep, that's Smasher III (earlier in the issue, he thanks Gladiator for the chance to serve).

[demonprawn.insanejournal.com]

His name is Kallark.

[psychop_rex.insanejournal.com]

That's Gladiator's name, actually.

[sherkahn.insanejournal.com]

The anaology is not lost on me, nor is the close up of the final frame, especially HIS right hand shoulder, made to look like Superman that this is their take on him, should Kal El have grown up elsewhere.

[unknownscribler.insanejournal.com]

Lilandra's doing a real good job of the old T&A twist in her first 2 panels.

[book_of_daniel.insanejournal.com]

Charles was an ass man.

[unknownscribler.insanejournal.com]

Charles was an ass, man.

Fixed that for you ;)

[jlbarnett.insanejournal.com]

at least Gladiator finally made a choice. This looks pretty good to me.

Still I think Rachel could have been a little more effective than just generating an illusion.

Gladiator's thing is confidence. When Sam Guthrie showed his blast field was strong enough to withstand Gliadiator's best shot his confidence dropped. I bet Rachel could whip up a TK field that strong

[unknownscribler.insanejournal.com]

Remember that she's just been depowered by by what appears to be the return of Jean, so she's just got her own unassisted teep/teek talent.

[bruinsfan.insanejournal.com]

Interesting, since she's previously used the Phoenix force when Jean was alive and also capable of channeling it.

Even if Rachael's unaugmented telekinesis wouldn't be that effective in a fight against Gladiator (and she's pulled buildings down with it, so I bet she could could manage a pretty good delaying action even if she couldn't hurt him), I'd expect her to be a good enough telepath in her own right to win a conflict in that arena.

[xdoop.insanejournal.com]

Not that it's a big deal, but I thought Rachel lost her tattoos in Excalibur?

[psychop_rex.insanejournal.com]

While I'm not up on recent events, to the best of my knowledge, Rachel has never lost her scars (I believe that's what they're supposed to be, although they do look like tattoos here). She just conceals them through the use of illusion. A good way of telling when she's just lost control of a situation (or is diverting all of her power into something else) is when she lets the illusion slip, and her scars show.

[cainofdreaming.insanejournal.com]

Nah, they're (psychic?) tattoos from her time as Ahab's Hound. And she's lost them from time to time, iirc even so far back as that classic "Wolverine guts Rachel" story that got posted a short while back she'd lost them and was surprised when they re-manifested.

[psychop_rex.insanejournal.com]

Really? That's weird; I have a graphic novel that depicts them as scars.

No, Rachel's scars were removed in Excalibur 52

[clanaskani.insanejournal.com]

The Phoenix Force restored Rachel in Excalibur 52 and removed all of her Hound genetic modifications, including the Houndmarks.

Whatever happened in Kingbreaker #4 undid everything the Phoenix Force did to Rachel, including removing the Houndmarks.

Seems like a stupid retcon to me, but oh well... And why Rachel can't cover them up like she used to has not been explained.

Re: No, Rachel's scars were removed in Excalibur 52

[psychop_rex.insanejournal.com]

Perhaps she still can, but has simply made a conscious decision not to for the time being. Or, more likely, the current artist just thinks they look cool.

[psychop_rex.insanejournal.com]

I love how RR tries to persuade Gladiator not to hurt him by offering his fur to be stroked. Cats have tried the same tactic with me more than once.
Oh, and STARJAMMERS! I love the Starjammers.

[moneyless_jew.insanejournal.com]

IT'S ABOUT FUCKIN TIME.

Gladiator is such a fascinating, complex and underutilized character in part BECAUSE he has been taking it up the ass for every tinpot dictator for the last 30 years. I'm glad he finally changed it up though.

I'd put him on Earth in a major team book for awhile, just to be quazy.

[arilou_skiff.insanejournal.com]

Gladiator has crushed stars in his fists. Earth is a bit too small for him, I think. Unless He's on the Defenders of course.

[unknownscribler.insanejournal.com]

Someone needs to handle Bob when the Dark Reign ends...

[menagerie.insanejournal.com]

I would pay money to see Gladiator lay smack down upon the Sentry.

[arilou_skiff.insanejournal.com]

It would be an interesting "thematic" fight too, Sentry doesen't have much confidence and Kallark is powered his confidence.

[book_of_daniel.insanejournal.com]

Thank God he finally grew a pair.

[proteus_lives.insanejournal.com]

I'm liking this mini but they are setting up the Inhumans for a BIG fall.