S.W.O.R.D. #2 Review/Spoiler Thread - King in Black Tie-In

[EldonMaguan]

1461C8B5-C8B9-47F2-90BF-92B449B617E0.jpgCC0B3918-4600-42CD-AECA-7F4755F9881D.jpgPersonally , I always thought that he was maybe Jewish myself (from XFactor 118 , 1995)

[Hcmarvel]

Another great issue. Just a crazy flex on Ewing's part to devote most of issue two to going into Mentallo's whole deal. It shows the confidence of the Krakoa era that a book who's biggest stars are Magneto (who is very much a supporting character) and Teen Cable can already feel like a premier part of the line.

A lot of gripes in reviews that S.W.O.R.D. is already dealing with a crossover but I mean, this is the exact threat they are there for? Like...if a giant Alien goo monster invades the Earth, that's part of what S.W.O.R.D. is supposed to respond to so that really does not bother me.

I have to say how wonderful the art is over all. The line work and coloring is just excellent.

Starting to get a little tired of "To Me, My X-Men". They need to retire that statement line-wide for a year or so.

[Lucyinthesky]

It was a great issue. I didn´t expect at all Brand´s plan would involve kidnapping the Five unless she told this to someone else she will have problems with Krakoa about that.

My favorite part was the hint to X-men #1 with Magneto, Cortez and Johana, it will be interesting to see what Cortez wants to tell the council.

I can´t wait to see more of Brand´s hidden plans, the fight with Knull-Cable and more interaction with Guardians of the Galaxy and the Kree/Skrull Empire.

[Sutekh]

Who could that redacted woman who is apparently a power booster be? Is it Hope?

Probably Chance, from the Fallen Angels mini-series back in the 80s.

Edit: Which only got ninja'd like ten times. So, like, a Hand raiding party worth of ninjas.

I almost skipped this book, turned off my the KiB crossover, but then I was getting The Union 2, which was also a KiB tie-in, so figured what the hell. Glad I changed my mind. This is good stuff. And I love that the goo-dragons are bad bad stuff to everyone else in every other title and Taki is like 'meh, stop annoying me, I'm working here. ZAP!'

So awesome. Killer symbiote space dragon gets owned by Z-lister. Who. Is. Bored. By the encounter.

[chamber-music]

Cortez and Mr Sinister would make a hell of a evil pair with all their Machiavellian scheming.

Have Fabian Cortez and Empath ever interacted? Would be interested in seeing those two egotistical Spanish aristocrats hang out.

I guess they could dangle resurrecting Fabian's sister to help keep him in line.

[Fokken]

This book is proof positive of a perfect creative team combination.

Everyone -- EVERYONE -- giving 100% and it shows.

Ewing is a genius when it comes to personalizing the interactions so they have meaning, and Valerio is selling EVERYTHING from the expressions to the floor panels, and Gracia gives us tone, temperature, mood, ALL THE DAMN THINGS.

Its. So. GOOD.

I say leave it to Chance.

Omfg that kind of DEEP dive would be SUCH an Ewing move!

[lefthanded]

I thought it was a fine tie-in issue. It used the event as a backdrop to move the SWORD story along, as opposed to the cross-over event just interrupting the series.

Seems like the most interesting thing from this issue is the redacted power booster (despite symbiote-Cable being the cliffhanger).

It's hard to figure out what female mutant would be involved with the Snarkwar. Hope wouldn't really have any connection to Snarkwar unless this diary page is written by Brand in the future after Hope has been involved (which wouldn't make sense, as if this was a future entry, Hope would already be a part of SWORD due to Protocol V).

[Fokken]

Snarky, obscure, power booster.

[Jackraow21]

Another great issue. Just a crazy flex on Ewing's part to devote most of issue two to going into Mentallo's whole deal. It shows the confidence of the Krakoa era that a book who's biggest stars are Magneto (who is very much a supporting character) and Teen Cable can already feel like a premier part of the line.

A lot of gripes in reviews that S.W.O.R.D. is already dealing with a crossover but I mean, this is the exact threat they are there for? Like...if a giant Alien goo monster invades the Earth, that's part of what S.W.O.R.D. is supposed to respond to so that really does not bother me.

Agreed. While I don’t necessarily like that this book was pushed into a big event this early in its run, you cannot have S.W.O.R.D. ignore precisely the type of galactic threat it was created to defend against, right? And Ewing did a masterful job with it IMO. In fact, you really wouldn’t even need to read any of the King in Black to follow what’s going on here. Provided you had even a passing knowledge of Venom and his alien symbiote. Essentially it explains that “big, bad god of the symbiotes came to Earth and took it over, encasing it in a massive shell.” Good to go from there.

I have to say how wonderful the art is over all. The line work and coloring is just excellent.

Agreed. This book, X-Force (Cassara) and Wolverine (Kubert) have the best art right now IMO.

Starting to get a little tired of "To Me, My X-Men". They need to retire that statement line-wide for a year or so.

It’s very, very played out. Though here it kind of works since it’s a Knull-possessed Cable, uttering it in sheer mockery.

[Glio]

No way you can't risk them. If one of them gets killed everything is screwed. Honestly I'm shocked there wasn't people guarding them.

There are 3 Omegas, a chronokinetic and ... well, Goldballs.

They do not need protection.

[Frobisher]

Probably Chance, from the Fallen Angels mini-series back in the 80s.

Edit: Which only got ninja'd like ten times. So, like, a Hand raiding party worth of ninjas.

I almost skipped this book, turned off my the KiB crossover, but then I was getting The Union 2, which was also a KiB tie-in, so figured what the hell. Glad I changed my mind. This is good stuff. And I love that the goo-dragons are bad bad stuff to everyone else in every other title and Taki is like 'meh, stop annoying me, I'm working here. ZAP!'

So awesome. Killer symbiote space dragon gets owned by Z-lister. Who. Is. Bored. By the encounter.

I love that S.W.O.R.D. are just this blase about the global invasion stories now. Kind of fits with how Manhattan island just goes back to normal for six months until the next demonic fascist army from the Crab Nebula turns up to massacre nameless civilian extras in the street, however-will-the-Earth's-combined-heroes-stop-them?

[Alphaxman]

I love this issue and Ewing is quickly becoming my favorite writer. Schiti is a star; a great storyteller - expressive faces distinct layouts - exceptional action sequences - a star.
Brand was always meh for me, but her favorability is rising.
I haven't cared about Mentallo since Gruenwald's Cap America. Such a lovable sleeze.
I don't know if he built it or if S.W.O.R.D. station was already equipped with that gun, but Taki took out that wack dragon thing with one push of a button, while Magneto, Banshee, and Sunfire struggled. KING
Joanna didn't do much but looking great and clocking douchebag Cortez (who do look fine in that suit).
It was cool to see Random get some dialogue.
I kinda wish Sean would get something to say in this Age of Krakoa, now that he's back to normal, but it was understandable that he can't talk while wailing.
As someone stated earlier, Sunfire is notorious for being a Japanese nationalist so it's weird seeing him here, but whatever. Maybe he was visiting when the invasion happened.

As for the main debate going on here, I think the redacted entry is Change. She hasn't been seen since the 80s, so her loyalty could be to Ariel. And the part about the Snarkwar could be that Coconut Grove was involved and now Chance and Ariel are back on Earth.

[danielsan52]

Snarky, obscure, power booster.

SNARKWAR! The redacted character description mentions Snarkwar, not being Snarky! Snark's are an alien race from Power Pack.

I wonder if the character will end up being an Inhuman rather than a mutant.

[lefthanded]

SNARKWAR! The redacted character description mentions Snarkwar, not being Snarky! Snark's are an alien race from Power Pack.

I wonder if the character will end up being an Inhuman rather than a mutant.

Yeah, I was thinking of Pietro's daughter, which would fit the bill for mutant + galactic connection (Inhumans/Kree), but I don't think her power set (and age) and 'loyalty' would fit Brand's entry.

[Alphaxman]

Yeah, I was thinking of Pietro's daughter, which would fit the bill for mutant + galactic connection (Inhumans/Kree), but I don't think her power set (and age) and 'loyalty' would fit Brand's entry.

And technically she's not a mutant. Originally she was the ironic human daughter with mutant/Inhuman parents. It wasn't until Pietro forced the Terrigen Crystals on her, making her an impowered Inhuman with empathic powers.