This is the first of the ultimate plan when there is a completed run of a series. I want to have all the images link to the posts here on the Blog so there is a quick reference for people. I decided to start with the Ultraverse Godwheel series. I will have these series listed on the sidebar area as well. That is the hope and the goal with things like the Mantra and Mutant X runs. Sorry for those who have read each post consecutively each day. If you stumbled upon this post through a search, then enjoy.
BDS
This is the bridge issue of this mini series. I call it that because we are at the point where much must occur to cross into the climax and final confrontation. Here is where the fight to gain the three items of power begins in earnest. The items are The Windsword, Roc's Egg, and crystal crown. In issue #2 here we will see the acquisition of the sword and egg.
I wish I had more knowledge of the characters from the FREEX comic. I would be more understanding about Feline, Cayman, Flygirl, and especially Pressure who acts very strange according to Cayman. Not knowing her I would think this Valerie is a smart and knowledgeable woman. We watch her understand the science on this godyacht and even how to operate these systems at first glance. Later she seems cold and uncaring.
We also have more distrust of Boneyard. Knowing him it is clear that they should not trust the guy. What we have in terms of action is division into teams to retrieve the items and Argus waiting to see where they go and sending his operatives there. Cayman, Feline, and Pressure go after the Windsword and face off against Primevil. It is here that we watch Cayman get swallowed and being digested by Primevil. His teammate Pressure stands there and watches him being killed. The shock comes as Feline takes the Windsword and chops Primevil's head off and frees Cayman. Now Cayman looks less like a human crocodile and more like a man that has portions that look like a crocodile. Feline has bonded with the sword and Pressure seems very unhappy.
The next team is Flygirl and Hardcase. The ship makes a great new costume for Hardcase and it helps us not have to look at his still messed up appearance after the battle he had in his book with the MN-E thing that is a bane to all the Ultraverse. Flygirl hits on him and it is used I think to make us sympathetic for her later. Lord Pumpkin arrives and he fights off both and even "kills" Flygirl. I do not know for sure if she is dead, but from here own she is no longer with the rest of the group. Hardcase freezes up seeing her "die" and suffers flashbacks to others he has lost in battle. Lord Pumpkin attacks and is using the Roc's Egg to finish Hardcase off when Argus brings him back.
For his betrayal Lord Pumpkin gets his pumpkin smashed and all that is left is his candle. Two objects found, one in the Crucible of Life. The crucible is what will give power to the one who collects all the items. All this and the war is explained by the simulation of Ogma as the heroes and Boneyard travel to the Godwheel. Lots of explanation about the Godwheel and what will happen if Argus succeeds.
Lukaz and Warstrike are the third team and we all know who they will face next issue, right? Necro Mantra is up and these are two guys that care for Eden Blake who is trapped in the body that Thanasi now controls. The question is, will Warstrike kill Mantra to stop Necro Mantra? Will Lukasz let him? Still so questions left as we go toward the final issue and the climax of the series.
BDS
So when we last left the series from Malibu Comics known as Godwheel, Necro Mantra had volunteered to kill all the other Ultras and serve Argus. They flirt some and we have Thanasi show off the Necro Mantra powers and that he can be a better woman than Lukasz. The magic sort of impresses Argus. The thing is he needs three to collect the items of power. So Necro Mantra is given leave to choose her allies. Of course the first thing she does is pick Lord Pumpkin because every team needs a suit wearing Jack O Lantern. Then we get the shock of the moment as she blast the Prime husk and gives it life.She names him Primevil. All looks lost for the frozen heroes as death is to be there fate.
Now comes the fighting. She Pressure was knocked out and not frozen. She awakens in the nick of time to blast Argus and that causes him to lose concentration. We have another free for all until a leader steps forward, Boneyard. Yes, I was shocked as well. Being a Mantra collector I figured he would weasel his way to Team Argus, but he decides that the heroes are the team to eventually betray. This does help get some focus for the group. Hardcase gets a wicked punch in that floors Argus and the heroes flee. We also learn that Argus is losing power fast.
So the group is fleeing and really have no clue until Lukasz steps out of the shadows. The soul of Eden Blake is shown with a relieved face. Seems Necro Mantra teleported instead of disintegrating Lukasz. Maybe Eden had a bit to do with that happening. So the thing is that Lukasz found a ship. It is alive and it was the Pleasure Space Yacht of Ogma named Zumas. Poor old Pressure gets tossed and beaten all the time here and even has rocks fall on her before making it to the ship. They fly off with a computer sim of Ogma telling them the need of finding the relics. Ogma was the head god of these gods who killed each other. He also shows us the Godwheel.
Thor has his first cameo as he is not fully shown. It was cheesy and probably just some Marvel suit wanting a Marvel character in there somehow since Thor is being advertised all over for this series. Next comes the team ups and the search for the items.
BDS
Following the last installment of Mantra Monday is the Ultraverse Mini-Series called Godwheel. It begins as many Ultraverse titles had characters disappear at the end of a story. More on that in a bit. I am going to state an opinion I have about this series. it is purely speculation on my part and I have no idea if it is even close to the truth of the events that surround the story.
My opinion is that Godwheel was not suppose to have happened this quick in the growth of Malibu Comic's Ultraverse. This is the origins of a comicbook Universe laid bare and a place you could change direction with characters and even jumpstart the Ultraverse with new characters. I believe that the buyout by Marvel Comics brought this origin tale forward and it then became the way Marvel would try and market their characters through this purchase.
It just feels forced in so many ways. Like it was rushed. The reason for speculating that it is the origin of the Ultraverse comes from the pages included in the series that explains out the characters and the Godwheel. It looks like a blueprint that writers would have had to know the origins, but never tell us until many years down the road. Near the end when Marvel puts a footprint in the Ultraverse you can easily imagine a different outcome using characters unique and new.
So what was Godwheel? Basically you have a Supergod who is dying. He comes home to find it in ruins and the other gods dead and gone. Three items of power have been scattered across this massive cosmos spinning wheel where vast geography and beings make up a place where power comes from. This Supergod is named Argus. He has been followed by the creepy Ultra Rune and a fight between them gives Argus the ability to use the gems that Rune had to see and call forth beings of power to find the items. He just brings them to this place called Vahdala.
He brings a very beat up Hardcase, Lord Pumpkin, Boneyard, Warstrike, four of the Freex (Feline, Flygirl, Pressure, and Cayman), Prime and Mantra. The problem is he does not get Prime, but a Prime husk that is frozen to keep it viable. Mantra is not Mantra as we know from Mantra #17, it is Necro Mantra. Of course Lukasz in his new male body is brought as well because of him being Mantra.
Basically those with grudges begin beating the stuffing out of each other. Necro Mantra strikes Lukasz and seems to disintegrate him. Lord Pumpkin and Boneyard have a history. Throw in Warstrike being confused by Necro Mantra and you can see that this is a great confusing battle. It is until Argus freezes them all, except Necro Mantra. In the end she, the male Thanasi, flirts and schemes her way into his good graces. She even declares that as a show of loyalty she will kill the rest of the Ultras.
This is a very action packed start to a mini that will redefine the Ultraverse. As I said, it feels rushed. Stay tuned for the next issue of Godwheel.
BDS
#Ultraverse #Godwheel #Mantra
