266. X-Force vol 1 #12 ... Marvel ...

First 12 issues marking one year in publication and one year of success ... so it's a little disappointing to find that there is no special commemorative effort when this issue first came out ... no momentous storyline ... no one died or left the team ... no double-sized issue or special back up feature ... nothing!

About the only thing special here is that the new artist for the cover is able to channel that Liefeld energy and detail in his work. Check it out. It's awesome

As for the storyline, well, as you can see, we got to learn more about a new sub plot but this is not the end result yet of said sub plot. Basically there is something called the Externals i.e. mutants who are long lived and generally more powerful than most regular breed. They know each other, fight with each other trying to weasel themselves into positions of power. Now with the way they look and dress, one is surprised that no one knew of their existence and where the F is En Sabah Nur, Apocalypse, eh? Or for that matter another protege of his?

Anyhow ... let's move on. So here like in any clan, there are those who are more dog like and those who strut and be the ruling class and so it happens that Krule (wow how imaginative) decided he has had enough being a dog and went against Gideon (guy with long hair) who seemed to be a good fighter and that's all his mutation gave him

So it's a decent slugfest type of tale ... and that's it!

Yes, X-Force does feature but they play a backseat in this issue!

Ratings: 6/10

265. X-Force vol 1 #11 ... Marvel ...

It's almost the end of fabulous Rob Liefeld's tenure on X-Force but at the time this issue came out, I obviously was not aware and about the only gripe I had with this run so far are the fill-ins where we buy because Rob does the cover only to find out that he is not handling the interiors. However, if he gets a good fill-in like here, hey, it's cool

Basically in between missions, X-Force heads back to base

And here we discover someone who is not what she seemed as one night, in comes none other than Merc for Hire, Deadpool. This is the Pool's third appearance because he is such a hit character and what does he do? He snuck in and finding Domino on duty, the 2 of them go to it with a vengeance

However, all as we said is not what it seems as apparently Pool came to serve a reminder to Dom to remember who she really is and who she is on assignment for ?!?!??! Boy was that a sudden twist in the storyline that left us wondering WTF is really going on?!?!?!?!

Ratings: 7/10

212. Cabbot: Bloodhunter #1 ... Image ... Rob Liefeld, S Platt, Rick Veitch

First up, before there was David Finch, I was a fan of Stephen Platt. However, he did so little comic work before moving out of the industry. All I know is that he started towards the end of the Moon Knight run and then did a smattering of Prophet for Image and then a bit more here and there followed by covers ... and that's it!

Anyway, what I loved is the fact that his artwork is chockful of details including extra bubbles and circular lumps and bumps and what-nots ... splatter effect ... kind of like how he spells his own name in his work ... S.Platt

Okay as for the story, it is actually quite interesting. We have Cabbot former leader of Bloodstrike dead again. But for someone in Project Born Again ... dead is merely a time to heal before someone in the government brings him or her back to our world to do yet another mission

So here we have a bit of an argument where Cabbot in the past wants the chance to actually die while in the service of his country and to stop bringing him back. However, thanks to all the skullduggery around, one time after another, he found himself back

And this time around, we are shown more of the players some of whom wants him back and some don't. And we are given a quick glimpse of all the fights he was in and some of the times he died i.e. a good recap first issue so that we more or less know what's going on

However, once we are settled, the issue ends with a BANG and we are left with the questions of whether Cabbot wants to be back and this time, who is going to pull his strings?

Unfortunately we couldn't find any other issue to continue after this ... damn!

Ratings: 6/10 (extra 1 point for that cover)

211. Supreme #36 ... Image ... Rob Liefeld, Dan Fraga, Danny Miki

I am not a fan of Supreme when it first came out and by fan, I meant following each issue. I have issue one simply because of the enhanced cover (sue me for liking those covers) and naturally anything from Image at that time was what made me want to read comics. The only challenge was that there were too many titles so I had to make a decision on what to follow and what not to. Sorry Supreme!

I got this from the back issue bins ... and I have to say ... if you are not a fan of Supreme you will be completely lost by this issue. I mean, the cover is a bloke screaming Hate but inside?

Hate is but side or sub plot in this very issue actually!

Let's  see ... it opens up with a lady dressed sexily and floating in space (we think!) but the way her cape is billowing even when she is not moving ... we have to assume that there is some wind somewhere ... and it is quite confusing her thoughts ... as apparently she seemed to think she is a woman who was in the body of the true Supreme or something but got walloped by some bad guy and now transformed back into a woman???

Then there is kid Supreme caught up in a web of hate ... but finally coming to find himself only to encounter some woman villain whom he didn't actually defeat but walked away ... leaving her to plot coming after him

And finally SPOILER ALERT we see potentially one Supreme with Beard capturing another Supreme

Well ... that's not much of a review but more of a summary on what happened within ... did I enjoy it? Not really. Did I dislike it? Not really. I guess if I lived in a place where there is a comic bookstore, I would go out and buy more to see what happens. Otherwise, it would get dropped ... yet again ...

Ratings: 4/10