We conclude the week with the end of the Godwheel Mini-Series from Malibu Comics. As I said, I felt this story was advanced to use as a start to the Marvelication of the Ultraverse. This is the issue that Thor will at last appear and that all this fighting over the Crucible of Life will conclude. It is a satisfying end and doesn't let off the accelerator as we speed along to the end.
When we stopped there was one team and one item left on the quest for power. Lukasz and Warstrike had teamed up to find the Crystal Crown and by doing so stop Argus in his quest to return to ultimate godhood. It was no surprise to the reader that Necro Mantra would be the one that they would face. Why they were surprised was funny in a way as they should have realized it would come down to that match up.
The battle is strange and at one point Eden Blake takes control back from Thanasi. While the romantic angst is playing out Warstrike finds and dons the Crystal Crown. It activates his pre-cognative abilities and he sees the Earth drowning in blood as people are mutilated around a throne. Warstrike sees himself on the throne and he is served by Necro Mantra. This vision melts his mind. In the end Necro Mantra retrieves the Crystal Crown.
I could bore you with the action, but I will instead hit the high points. The Crucible of Life is activated. Pressure stumbles out as we find out she has been replaced by Rune during the Quest. Boneyard might be dead. Necro Mantra betrayed Argus. Argus outsmarts her by using Primevil. Millions of tiny Lord Pumpkins. Big old fight.
Rune attacks Necro Mantra and Thanasi flees leaving Eden Blake as Mantra. Mantra plays a big role as it is her magical interference that brings Thor over. Of course with Thor rallying the Ultra Heroes the day is won and we get a extra crossover as Loki slips into the Ultraverse unseen. It is here that I felt maybe new Ultra character would be used if the buyout had never happened. Maybe even Ogma being returned and the start of an area where secrets of the Ultraverse would be told and the battle between Rex Mundi and The Alternate brought in.
Over all this is a great read. Having knowledge of the Ultraverse would help, but is not necessary to enjoy. It is too bad that months from now Marvel will beging a round of lay offs and budget cutting that will destroy the Ultraverse as if Argus had won this battle.
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
