What If? Peter Parker Became The Punisher? #1

For the month of October, the alternate timeline comic What If? returns in a series of one-shots. In this issue, the question 'What If Peter Parker Became the Punisher?' is explored. 

For those of all wondering why put Peter Parker in the role of the Punisher, let me explain why it's not such a far-off idea. First of all, the Punisher originated in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man (#129, the Holy Grail of comics for those Coyote Ugly fans out there) as a villain of Spidey. Secondly, when Spider-Man first decides to fight evil-doers, he questions whether to do it out of justice or revenge. In his origin story, Spider-Man chooses justice. But what if he choose the path of murderous vengeance instead?

This is one of those few times where I read a comic, rated it in my head, did some research and then gave the book a higher rating. My issue with the story was that Peter Parker went dark from the very beginning. Before fighting crime, Parker went on TV as a celebrity wall-crawler to make money for his ailing caretakers. It's not until his Uncle Ben was murdered in response to Parker's selfish actions that Spider-Man becomes a superhero. To have Spidey wearing the Punisher's skull on his costume  before Ben's death didn't make any sense. So I went back over the first couple of pages again.

In this alternate tale, Peter is bitten by a radioactive 'false widow' spider, in which he obtains his spider-like powers from. The spider in this story has what looks like a skull on it's back. I decided to google this spider and there really is a false widow spider! And this spider will sometimes have markings that looks like a skull on it's back!!! So, I upped my rating of this book from a 6 to an 8.

One thing that prevented me from going any further in my ratings adjustment is the lack of a host. Both the original, 90s revivial and other one-shot What Ifs have had the Watcher as the host, guide and sometimes narrator of the title. I know that currently, the Watcher is dead. But it's not the same What If? without him. Couldn't Marvel have used one of Uatu's kind? Or even have the new Watcher, Nick Fury hosting this issue? Either would have been better than no host as all.

This one-shot was pretty good. With real-life science, this is a great example of the scope of science fiction storytelling. However, this modern version is missing that X-factor (and I am not talking mutants here) that could have made this story an all-time classic What If.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint #5

    The reason behind the Flashpoint is finally revealed!
     Wow such a twist!
     What such an amazing point of view from the Reverse Flash!
     
     Now the Flashpoint storyline is playing out every Tuesday night on the CW. I'm actually glad that I waited until now to read Flashpoint. The first two seasons of the Flash were completely new stuff to me. I was really up to date with everything from Barry Allen's Silver Age debut through the Crisis on Infinite Earths. But Barry's return- well that was undiscovered territory. I really think if I had, the last 2 year's would've been kinda predictable.
      I just hope season 3 is as exciting and new as the previous 2 seasons. But if it does get a little too much like this storyline, I really hope they don't a have scene where all sorts of random unexpected players suddenly enter the final Atlantis/ Themyscira battlefield and just kinda preen and threaten.
      It was the height of ridiculousness! 

    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

   

Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost #3

 Kid Flash has finally figured out that the reason Brainiac has conquered the year 3001 is that someone changed the timeline and de-powered his grandfather Barry Allen. In order to give the Flash a much needed boost of the Speed Force, Kid Flash races through time, robbing history's other speedsters of their abilities. 

   This is timeline changing stuff. The only chapter of Flashpoint is issue #5. But you must read this issue in order to know what's going on. Trust me on this- you won't regret it!

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Emperor Aquaman #3

     Aquaman's secret weapon is accidentally sent into overload and now threatens rip the planet in two.
     I somehow forgot to review this one in order. It happens folks.
     A good tale that seems to focus more on Wonder Woman. It's really odd- Emperor Aquaman deals more with Wonder Woman and her super-powered army of Furies while the Flashpoint Wonder Woman tie-in dealt more with Aquaman's side of the story. Was this intentional? I'm really not sure but it makes for some uneven reading no matter how enjoyable these miniseries are.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Citizen Cold #3

     It's a rematch between Citizen Cold and his Rogues Gallery. After the murder of his sister, Lisa, at their hands, Leonard Snart looks to end this blood feud once and for all.
     This book is rated Teen but some of the ways characters meet a gristly end makes me wonder if this book should've been rated Teen+. If not mature level gore but it's more than your standard comic book fare. Proof again that the Flashpoint universe is not your dad's DC.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance #3

   Betrayed! Lois Lane and the Resistance find themselves up a creek without a power when one of the group is revealed to be a double agent. 
    The finale was okay but it wasn't as action packed as some of these other endings of the  Flashpoint tie-ins. 
    Note to perspective Flashpoint readers- read this issue before you read Wonder Woman and the Furies #3. The Flashpoint checklist actually switched the reading order of those two books and they got it wrong!

    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Legion Of Doom #3

   Heatwave and his fellow inmates have taken control of Oliver Queen's flying fortress prison for super-villains and is now heading on a collision course for the Motor City. It's Heatwave's ultimate act of revenge on his arch enemy, Cyborg, to destroy his hometown of Detroit. But with Cyborg's internal batteries failing, can the Flashpoint America's greatest hero save his home from a apocalypse of 9/11 proportions?
    This was a thrilling conclusion to the Legion of Doom miniseries. I loved the action. I loved the drama. And I absolutely loved the plot twists. The saying 'there is no honor among thieves' is presented in flying colors here.
    I mentioned 9/11. That tragic date in history is used so often in stories about alternate history and though it's not mentioned by name- the threat of a giant flying prison set to destroy a major American city; well the allusion to that event wasn't lost on me.
    Oh, and the ending- wow! It was freakin' awesome! I just wish there was one more page...

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Wonder Woman and the Furies #3

   Queen Diana has discovered who really is behind the Atlantean-Amazonian War. Now she must convince Emperor Aquaman of the deception. But the King of the Sea, mourning the death of his bride, Queen Mera, is out for blood. With the earth teetering on possibly splitting on two, time is running out...
    Another amazing finish to a Flashpoint tie-in. But if you aren't reading the books in order, it really spoils some of the surprises. There's a checklist at the end of each Flashpoint book; be sure to stick to it. I'm trying but even I've not done so great at this. 

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Hal Jordan #3

     Hal Jordan prepares for the suicide mission upon the Amazons on New Themyscira. Armed with a Queen Industries Green Arrow missile, Highball Jordan is the human race's last hope in stopping the Atlantean/ Amazonian War that's taken half of Europe with it and threatens to split the earth's crust in two. But he's not going alone as Carol Ferris will be his wing-man on this mission. Will she be an asset or Jordan's greatest distraction?

    A very good conclusion to this Flashpoint tie-in with fantastic art by Cliff Richards (All-Star Western) and I'm really digging the cover by J.G. Jones (52.)

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Project Superman #3

   Subject Zero has finally escaped from the Phantom Zone and has his eyes set on Kal-El! In a dramatic battle in the streets of London, it's a fight to the finish between Supermen with Resistance fighter Lois Lane stuck in the middle and no-one to tell her how many P's are in rapist! (See the first Superman movie for that reference.)
    Really great finish to a very unique and interesting take on the Man of Steel. I loved the very last panel of this issue. It's got a great iconic twist vibe going and I don't want to spoil the ending but the ending was truly epic.
   One of the best tie-ins of the Flashpoint bunch. Project Superman should be required reading for any DC fan interested in alternate takes of some of the most iconic characters in the entire DC Universe. Plus, the artwork by Gene Ha is fantastic. Why he isn't utilized more by the folks at DC is a mystery to me.
  
   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint- Secret Seven #3

  Together again and for the first time (?), the surviving members of the Secret Six confront their old leader, Shade. 
   DC's magic books or as some fans refer to them- Tales of the Weirdoverse- both fascinate me and confuse me. Maybe it's because I'm too simple minded or that I don't do enough drugs to expand my mind (a phrase used by both Alan Moore and Grant Morrison to describe those readers who don't understand their works.) 
    One thing I did get was how the Secret Six are a lot like the Seven Soldiers of Victory in that they were a team that didn't really know that they were a team. Though why this title wasn't Secret Seven is beyond me. Dang it- this title is Secret Seven but I keep confusing them with that team of baddies the Secret Six. Ugh- I am a dunce!
    A bunch of characters finally get what coming to them. That is except Abra Kadabra who really started this whole mess way back in issue #1 by outing the members of this team to the media.
     A shame that Flashpoint is over because I loved how this book ended and really wanted to know what happens next. 
  
    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: The Outsider #3

  The Outsider vs. a very not-so-nice J'onn J'onzz. The Martian has an axe to grind. Hey,  decades of experimentation and abuse at the hands of the Soviets will do that to a person. 
    Really was disappointed in the ending. The Outsider: I really hate that guy. He's worse than Lex Luthor and that's saying volumes. 
    This issue is concluded in Flashpoint #5, but I really can't figure out what good the Outsider is gonna be able to do considering how poorly things are looking out for Barry Allen, Cyborg, and their dwindling band of allies.

    Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Booster Gold #47 (A Flashpoint Tie-In)

  Booster Gold comes face to face with the man in control of the monster, Doomsday: General Nathaniel Adam. For Booster, whose from the unaltered DC Universe, it's like seeing an old friend and wondering whatever did he do to piss him off. For Adam, as a member of the Flashpoint, he's never seen Booster before in his life and the Air Force officer is convinced that this newcomer is a shock trooper from Emperor Aquaman's Atlantean forces. Now bound with metahuman resistant chains, how will the Hero You Never Heard Of find the ket to reversing the Flashpoint- Barry Allen!
    The thrilling conclusion to Booster Gold is not without it's detractors. For one thing, I hate that in the New 52! Booster Gold was merely a footnote as a member of Justice League International. I hope with Rebirth, he'll be a major player again. So, parts of how this book ended was bittersweet. I did however, LOVE that it's revealed who, how, and why those mysterious phrases were written on the chalkboard in Rip Hunter's base (see Time Masters: Vanishing Point #6.) Why they had to be written in code is still a mystery. But I at least was happy with how that plot point turned out. 

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Deadman and the Flying Graysons #3

    Hiding from an army of Amazons tasked with finding the Helmet of Nabu, Boston Brand must bear the weight as Dick Grayson's new guardian while the lad's father slowly dies.

     An amazing finish to a great Flashpoint tie-in. Too bad the New 52! wiped out Flashpoint because whole this chapter ends, this would have been one hell of a series.
    
    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: The World of Flashpoint #3

   It's father against daughter as Traci Thirteen must take on her old man Dr. in order to stop a satellite from ending the Atlantis-Themyscira War and destroying what remains of Western Europe with it. This mission seems easy enough. Only her father has been consumed with dark magic, thus every time Traci uses her magic against him, her abilities slowly extinguish herself. Can Traci Thirteen stop her maniacal father before she runs out her bag of tricks? The young witch may have to rely on the father-daughter bond to end the menace of Dr. Thirteen!

    This was a thrilling conclusion to World of Flashpoint. At this point, it's one of my favorite (if not the favorite) of the Flashpoint tie-ins. Lots of magic, action, and shocking twists await. 

      It just kept getting better each issue. I can only imagine what I would rate this if it went to a 4th issue!

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars. 

Flashpoint: Abin Sur-The Green Lantern #3

 Sinestro, seeing the control of Barry Allen as his chance for ruling the galaxy, has Abin Sur on the ropes. His hand severed and his power ring out of reach, can the Green Lantern of Sector 2814 ever find a way out of this deadly scenario? He’ll have to muster all of the willpower possible to overcome his former best friend and possibly save the universe.

   Another dynamic Flashpoint tie-in finale. This one really kept me guessing- but in a good way. I must say I’m slapping my forehead not figuring out the identity of the mysterious entity that the Guardians hid deep inside the earth’s core. But the finale was so awesome that I didn’t want it to end.

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Batman- Knight of Vengeance #3

  Relive the terrible night in crime alley when a cowardly lugger pulled his gun's trigger and murdered young Bruce Wayne!

   The dramatic close of Knight of Vengeance with such an incredible twist as to who is the Flashpoint Joker.

  When it comes to spoilers, what's the rule of thumb before you can let slip a major plot point? This issue is 6 years old and I still don't feel right letting the ending slip. So, you'll just have to goggle it do yourself a favor and read this crazy storyline for yourself.

  Worth Consuming.

 Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint #4

   Spinning out of the pages of Hal Jordan #2, America's last hope to end the Atlantis/Themyscira War has failed. Meanwhile, Barry Allen's memories of the pre-Flashpoint universe have nearly been wiped from existence. For Thomas Wayne, that means that any hope of a universe in which his son Bruce Wayne lives is fading fast- and so to prevent that, the Batman has finally decided to lead Cyborg's coalition. But who will answer the call to save the DC Universe?
     The first half of this issue is filled with lots of interesting quantum theory and strategic planning. The last half is filled with dynamic action that pulls no punches and is filled perhaps some of the most shocking and graphic death scenes ever illustrated in the pages of DC Comics. When the cover says that it's rated Teen- the editors aren't lying.  
    The penultimate chapter of this universe changing classic. It may not be the most exciting (or my favorite) of the miniseries crossover event, but it's not to be missed either. 
     Note: the editors at DC missed a great opportunity by not having a miniseries based on the SHAZAM! gang. That's all I will say about that without giving away any spoilers, but DC dropped the ball on that one, folks. That's for sure.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.
    

Flashpoint: Kid Flash Lost #2

Kid Flash and Hot Pursuit enact a plan to free themselves from Brainiac's twisted version of the year 3001 and restore the timeline. But how can you beat a foe that operates faster than the speed of thought? The answer is easy… run faster!

   Quick paced adventure that doesn't let up.

   Worth Consuming

    Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Project Superman #2

  

 Meet Kal…

       In another life, everything would be perfect for him. An adopted ma and pa who loved him very much. A devoted girlfriend who was nosy as she is beautiful. A best bud and a beloved dog with whom he could share his inner secrets with without fear of exposure to the outside world. It’s an ideal life.

      But this is the Flashpoint and life for the young Kryptonian boy, Kal-El is anything but.

      In the Flashpoint, Kal is put under the microscope by researchers affiliated with the US military, constantly tested in hopes of becoming America’s greatest weapon. Life is scary for the alien child. Project head, General Sam Lane is doing his damndest to make Kal’s life a little bit easier, seeing the lad as the son he never had. Playing catch, reading him bedtime stories, and allowing Kal time with his puppy Krypto, Lane is trying to give the youth the life he deserved, in another life.

      But when the General suddenly disappears, a new commander will assume ranks and any hope of a normal and compassionate life for young Kal will be a thing of the past.

     The origin stories are the best part of Flashpoint. This chapter of Project Superman is no exception. In Flashpoint #3, you see Kal’s life in the modern day Flashpoint universe- he’s extremely timid, fearful, and as gaunt as a starving man who’s been marooned at sea for months. After this big reveal,  you wonder ‘how did ‘the Man of Steel’ get this way?’

     This issue explains that and so much more.

     Plus amazing art from Gene Ha! (Top Ten.)

     What more can you ask for?

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.