Top 5 Comic Book Moments of the Week: Gods, franchise crossovers and one particularly gruesome car accessory
Spoiler alert for 'Wonder Twins' #12, 'DCeased: Unkillables' #1, 'He-Man and the Masters of the Multiverse' #4, 'Flash Forward' #6, and 'Guardians of the Galaxy' #2
Continuity can be rough. What happens when an unstoppable god crosses over into a universe that already has too much power and no thematic limits? When a grim, gritty, realistic warrior comes across his more cheerful, animated self or when a resurrected sidekick comes across the corpse of the man who killed him? All this and more on this week's top comic moments.
5. The Wonder Twins give the Justice League a piece of their mind
The Wonder Twins have been having a pretty rough time on Earth. Though they're interning with the Justice League, they've had to bend a few rules and break a few laws in order to get things done. Jayna, in particular, has been growing disillusioned with life on planet Earth and she takes her frustrations out on the Justice League. After all, it's not her job to have to fix everything that's wrong with the planet - it's theirs.
4. Jason Todd decorates the Batmobile's 'hood'
'DCeased' is an alternate universe story about the citizens and superheroes of Earth all being corrupted by an Anti-Life virus - one that effectively turns them into zombies. While an ark of uninfected heroes and assortment of civilians managed to get away, there are still plenty of people left behind on Earth and in 'DCeased: Unkillables,' we learn their story. Jason Todd is, in many ways, the perfect Robin for the apocalypse and when he comes across the corpse of the Joker, the Red Hood decides to really lean into the world's new apocalyptic vibe.
(Tom Taylor/Karl Mostert/Trevor Scott/Neil Edwards/John Livesay/Rex Lokus/DC Comics)
The Joker was the man responsible for killing Todd the first time he died, so wanting a little posthumous revenge is about as Jason Todd as it gets. Even so, one imagines the Joker would appreciate the fact that the Red Hood uses him as a hood ornament - a pun right up the Joker's alley.
3. Comics He-Man meets the original animated version of himself
This is the moment fans have been waiting for since 'He-Man and the Masters of the Multiverse' was first announced. The He-Man of the comics has been fighting against the Anti-He-Man (a riff on the Anti-Monitor that is a blend of lazy, brilliant and hilarious), saving the He-Men of the Multiverse. He is aided by a younger, uncorrupted version of Skeletor; Prince Keldor of Eternia. Their latest trip through the Multiverse leads them to a world of distinct, simple color tones and a moralizing He-Man who keeps trying to impart lessons to an unseen audience. That's right, it's the original flavor He-Man from the 1983 animated series, looking EXACTLY the same. Keldor, who has been nicknaming the various He-Men to tell them apart, has an especially choice one for the animated originator.
2. Wally West becomes the new Doctor Manhattan
It's been a strange ride for Wally West ever since his mentor, Barry Allen, returned from the Speed Force. Where Wally West had been DC Comics' Flash for well over two decades, he now had to don a new costume as a new Flash, was then erased from existence after 'Flashpoint,' returned during 'Rebirth,' dealt with the trauma but then accidentally killed many friends and allies in 'Heroes in Crisis'. He then found atonement in battling the Dark Multiverse and saving his children in 'Flash Forward' and now...he's rewriting the history of the DC Universe with the powers of Doctor Manhattan.
He is now confronted by the Mobius Chair, whose former occupant Metron was killed by Doctor Manhattan way back. The chair now holds his power and all the secrets of the DC Universe besides. In order to save the Multiverse, it's a power that Wally West has to accept. He does so, erasing the last of the cancerous Dark Multiverses threatening the regular one and all but loses himself in omniscience, with a significant power upgrade besides.
1. Star Lord takes out the gods of Olympus risking his own life
The gods of Olympus have received a serious power upgrade, being reborn as futuristic harbingers of doom for reasons that have not quite yet been made clear. Whatever the reason, however, they have all become a lot more ruthless and violent and have been devastating planets in their conquest through space.
The Guardians have a plan to take them out but the battle against the gods is not an easy one. Complications ensue and Star Lord finds out that these new gods are even more sadistic than anyone realized. When it's time for the Guardians retreat, Star Lord realizes that he can't allow the gods to continue their conquest, no matter what the cost. Using his helmet to pilot his ship, the Bowie and the rest of the Guardians to safety, he remains behind to activate the Black Hole bomb manually. He stops the gods but loses his own life in the process.
This being comics, there is always a way for someone to return, but the moment hits particularly hard with Rocket Raccoon's reaction.
That's all for this week. What were your favorite moments from this week's comics? Let us know in the comments.