R-Type Final 2 Demo Trailer, My Thoughts

When the evil Bydo Empire attacks, the R-9 Arrowhead flies into action to take them down! Since 1987, the R-9 has been kicking Bydo butt in various games in the classic R-Type series. The ship has flown on a variety of consoles and handhelds over the years, and now the latest generation of these games is going to get R-Typed with the demo for R-Type Final 2! Let's look at the trailer!

Don't you worry, folks. I won't let you down! The Bydo Empire is gonna get wrecked!

Ooh, I like this customization idea. You can make your R-9 "Arrowhead" uniquely yours. I wonder if you can do the same with weapon systems. Heck, you could outdo Gradius in that!

I do think the game looks absolutely awesome. It is a feast for the eyes.

(Wow)

I also think that the music is pretty cool. Although it doesn't quite fit R-Type to me. I do hope we hear a nice remix of the first level theme from the first R-Type. That would be nice.

I like that we see the bouncing lasers (the long blue lasers that bounce off walls) and the DNA Laser (The red and blue energy blasts that look like DNA strands). 

(DNA)

I always thought those weapons looked cool. Also, the DNA Laser (I know it likely has an "official" name, but I have no idea what that is) is a rather...appropriate weapon for R-Type, since some of the levels in the original game look like they're inside a monster's body.

Upgrade. Evolve. Destroy. That tagline implies to me that this game has some RPG elements. Maybe you can 

Sorry this is so short, but this is a  

Black Widow Trailer #2, My Thoughts

Back in December 2019, I took a look at the teaser trailer for the upcoming 24th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Black Widow. I remember being incredibly hyped for it when it first came out. I was on vacation at the time, and I was eager to write about it when I got home. 

The film had ended up delayed a couple of times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and I admit, I ended up forgetting about the movie. But it seems we're seeing the light at the end of that particular tunnel, and Marvel Studios is starting up the hype machine again for this film. Let's look at the new trailer!

It's nice we get a little recap of Natasha's adventures in the MCU. Considering how long this film has been delayed thanks to the pandemic, it's a great way to remind Nat that the Avengers to her were not just a family, but a way of seeking redemption from a dark past.

Nat looks good in white.

I think it has been implied that Natasha has trained as an agent her whole life. You can get that impression from this part. This scene with David Harbour's Red Guardian implies that he genuinely tried to be a father to the girls being trained in the Red Room. It's a nice bit of heartwarming in a dark time in Nat's life.

That line from presumably Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova makes sense. In the comics, Yelena desired to succeed Natasha as the Black Widow.

So may memes will come from that dude whispering to Taskmaster. Just sooooo many. Also, I have to admit, I don't dislike the mask as much as I used to now I got a better look at it. Yeah, I do wish they tried to make it look more like a skull, but it could have been worse.

And that's why you buckle up.

I love the Avengers theme being backed with what I presume is a chorus singing in Russian. 

And I am hyped all over again! Yup, I am hyped all over again. I can't wait to see this movie. And since I'm getting my second vaccine soon, I can watch this in a theatre! Yay! I can't wait!

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get vaccinated! See you next time!

Happy Easter!

 Happy Easter! 

If you celebrate it or not, I hope you have a wonderful day!

War of the Realms: New Agents of Atlas #1 (July 2019)

In spring and summer of 2019, the Marvel Universe got rocked as the War of the Realms broke out. Built up from events in Jason Aaron's run on Thor's book, the story told of the evil dark elf Malekith, having conquered the other realms of Norse mythology, sets his sight on Midgard, aka Earth.

The story itself was told in a main mini-series, but it, in the tradition of many event stories, had included tie-in books and mini-series that chronicled what various characters were doing during this war. One of those minis focused on a team called the Agents of Atlas.

The Agents of Atlas were a team that first appeared in What If #9 (June 1978), and were composed of characters that appeared stories that were published in the 1950s by Atlas Comics, the 1950s successor of Timely Comics, and the predecessor of Marvel Comics. It would eventually be established that this team did actually exist in the Marvel Universe in the 1950s. This version would appear in the 2006 limited series Agents of Atlas by writer Jeff Parker and artist Leonard Kirk.

The War of the Realms would see the birth of a revamped version of the team by Korean-American writer Greg Pak and artist Gang Hyuk Lim. This version would be composed primarily of Asian and Asian-American superheroes. So, how this new team get its start? Let's look at War of the Realms: New Agents of Atlas #1 and find out!

The cover is a Billy Tan piece. It's a bit basic, just showing off the members of this new superhero team leaping into action. It's nothing really special, but it does tell you what you get: A new team of heroes.

"Fire and Ice: Chapter One"
Writer: Greg Pak
Penciler: Gang Hyuk Lim
Inker Gang Hyuk Lim
Colorist: Federico Blee
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Editors: Mark Paniccia, Tom Groneman
Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski.

The story begins with two heroines arguing about turf over the seas over the North Pacific.

The blue-haired lady in white is Lei Ling, aka Aero. An architect from Shanghai, she has the power to manipulate air and sense chi. The surfer is Pearl Pangan, aka Wave. A Filipina heroine from Cebu City, she has the power to manipulate water. The two spot a whirlpool, which contains a nasty surprise.

“Pop goes the Weasel!" The two heroines are taken down, a fiery figure proclaiming it was too easy. In Mumbai, India, another pair of Asian heroines are training.

Meet Kamala Khan, the newest Ms. Marvel, and Cindy Moon, aka Silk. They're battling a training robot. They take it down with the help of future Marvel Cinematic Universe star Shang-Chi and Amadeus Cho, aka Brawn. Former SHIELD Agent Jimmy Woo claps for them. You see, they're doing a demonstration for the students of the Pan-Asian School for the Unusually Gifted. Basically, it's a special university for people with superpowers. Kind of like Hogwarts or the Xavier Institute. 

Woo runs the place, and he invited these heroes to show the power of teamwork. Because as we all know, teamwork makes the dream work.

After the heroes meet up with the students, they commiserate over dinner. Shang-Chi and Woo noticed that there was tension between Amadeus and Kamala. Woo is worried about this, as he's hoping they would one day join the Atlas Foundation. He picks up a fruit from pyrus pyrifolia. It's a variety of pear known a a nashi pear. He asks the group what it is. Shang-Chi, being Chinese, says it's a Chinese pear. Silk and Amadeus, both being Korean-American, say it's a Korean pear. The Pakistani-American Kamala says that she's seen those pears sold at a Japanese grocery store, so she thought it was a Japanese pear.  

The point Woo is making is that the pear is just a pear. There's no need to debate about where it's supposedly from. It's a pointless argument. Using the nashi pear for this example is clever on the writer's part as the pear comes from trees that are native throughout East Asia, hence why the pear is often seen as Chinese, Korean, or Japanese. The more you know.

Basically, Woo points out that a lot of time is wasted arguing about things that really aren't worth it. But not all conflict is so pointless. When he leads an Atlas mission, he wants the people he's working with to contribute ideas, not just criticism. This leads to Kamala and Amadeus butting heads, referencing incidents in Champions #2 and Incredible Hulk #714-717 (May-July 2018). Their argument is interrupted by an alert. 

Remember, this miniseries is a tie-in to War of the Realms, and our heroes just witnessed Malekith's attack on New York City in the first issue of that event mini. Woo and Amadeus pick up another interdimensional breach, this one near Seoul, South Korea. Woo has nobody there, so he deputizes the heroes he's gathered to be his Agents of Atlas for this mission...except for Ms. Marvel. That's because she's heading back to New York to join the other Champions in facing Malekith. 

In Seoul, a structure appears, spewing lava. However, the city is not defenseless.

Meet Ami Han, aka White Fox. She's a secret agent who is also the last of the kumiho. Kumiho are Korean fox spirits that are said to be able to assume the form of beautiful human women so they can seduce men...the goal being to eat their hearts or livers. Yeah. White Fox also, in the tradition of characters like Firestar, X-23, and Phil Coulson, actually first appeared in a 2014 South Korean webtoon called Avengers: Electric Rain. She would join the Marvel Universe proper in Contest of Champions #1 (October 2015). The lava also comes with an army.

The Sons of Muspell have come to conquer Korea. But Korea is a country with a long history of dealing with colonizers and conquerors. And the country also has a couple of other heroes to defend it. 

Meet Dan Bi, aka Crescent. She's a young Tae Kwon Do prodigy who wears a magical mask which she can use to summon a big magic bear named Io. And she has some backup.

Meet Seol Hee, aka Luna Snow. She's a K-pop singer with cryokinetic powers. Crescent, Io, and Luna Snow are making their Marvel comic debuts here. All three of these characters originally came from the mobile game Marvel Future Fight. Some of the gathered heroes fly over and watch them fight, while Silk fangirls over Luna. Amadeus wants to jump in and help fight, but Woo points out that they have things under control. A fire demon's spear hits the jet causing it to crash. Woo ends up out of it, and Amadeus ends up the one in charge...much to his chagrin.

You see, Incredible Hulk #714-717 was the "World War Hulk II" storyline, in which Amadeus Cho, then operating as the Totally Awesome Hulk, went on a rampage as a result of losing control of his Hulk powers. It's something that has haunted the teenage hero, and it's made him rather reluctant at the idea of taking charge of anything. 

White Fox sees Amadeus as he tries to get help and, in the new heroes meeting up tradition, assumes he's there to rampage. It results in a brawl. Amadeus spots Luna Snow fighting the fire demons of Muspelheim. Trying to help her, Amadeus ends up accidentally blasting her with a fire hose and freezing her.

The Eighth-Smartest Man in the World, everybody! Although to be fair, it is kind of odd that the woman with cryokinetic powers isn't immune to being frozen.

It's here that the mind behind the invasion is revealed: Queen Sindr, daughter of the Asgardian fire demon called Surtur. And she intends to make Asia into her new realm: New Muspelheim. In the North Pacific, Aero and Wave wake up and realized they've been played. A pair of fire demons taunt them. They're now far away from their respective homes of Shanghai and Cebu City. Too far to help them. But the demons get ambushed.

Yes, it seems our heroines here got some divine help in the form of the Hawaiian goddess Pele. Pele is the goddess of fire, volcanoes, dance...and violence. Yup, we got a war goddess in the house. 

I liked this issue! It's a fun story that shows our team and brings most of them together. We also get to see Luna Snow as well as the Crescent/Io combo kick a little butt in their debut, showing just why they're worthy of being on this team. Amadeus Cho is clearly the character with the central arc in this miniseries as Pak is using the events of War of the Realms to show his growth. I do like the art of Gang Hyuk Lim in this book. 

This miniseries is highly recommended. If you're looking to read it for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2019 trade paperback War of the Realms: New Agents of Atlas. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves, and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get vaccinated! Join me next time as we rejoin the Avengers in the battle of space and time... 

Text Play: Pokémon Zeta #19

Hello, and welcome back to the Vesryn region! This is entry number 19 in my Text Play of Pokemon Zeta!

Wow, it's hard to believe we're almost at the big 2-0 already. I know, I'm surprised by it, too. It's quite amazing. I never imagined I'd get this far in this game. As usual, I want to warn you all that I will be spoiling this game.

As such, I suggest you play the game for yourself before reading this Text Play. You can dowload the game for yourself at the game's wiki here. And with that, let's go!

Since the last Text Play, I've been doing a bit of grinding up. There's going to be some tough battles coming up, and I want my Pokémon to be ready for them. In the meantime, I thought I'd explore the mountain a little bit. Do you remember this area of Mt. Press? 

Of course you do! That's the hive where we added Combee to our collection! Well nearby, there's this area.

The thing is, we need a Pokémon that knows Rock Climb to go to the next level here. It's not a key area to explore if you want to go forward in the game's narrative, but the Pokémon games are all about exploration, so we might as well explore it. I headed back to the Pokémon Center to grab a Pokémon that knew Rock Climb. Unfortunately, I don't think I had any Pokémon that knew it. And unfortunately, I do not have the TM/HM that teaches it, either. Sadly, that means we can't explore the mountain. We have to stick to the main path.

However, I do have the HM that teaches Waterfall. Remember the waterfall we encountered in the last entry inside the mountain? Well, we can use it to literally climb the waterfall and move forward. 

And knowing this game, as soon as we use the HM to get up the waterfall, we'll find an item that lets us scale waterfalls without having to use a Pokémon that knows the move. It's a regular pattern with this game. I've gone on rants before here about how annoying that is to me, so I will not do that again here. It's one of the main things that annoy me about this game. Anyway, I grabbed my Tentacool (No particular reason, I just chose it at random), and taught it Waterfall. Although I will admit, the mental image of a jellyfish climbing up a waterfall is rather amusing. And when we get there, we arrive at a lake.

It's not much of a lake, but there it is. From here, we go to the right. There are a couple trainers here, but they can be avoided.  

This lake has two waterfalls here. The one on the left leads to a nurse.

I like that there's a nurse here. It's a nice little anti-frustration feature. The waterfall on the right leads to a...ledge?

Is ledge the appropriate word here? There is an item behind that rock, but don't worry about breaking it. We don't have the badges for it yet. I know. We need a certain number of badges to break a rock. Pokémon is weird.

The area with the nurse leads to another external path. You have to battle a couple of Trainers to get through here. The first one is pretty funny.

He kind of reminded me of Vegeta in Dragon Ball Z Abridged after I clobbered him. "What kind of juice did your Pokémon drink?!" Ha ha! Yeah, that's one of the fun things about this game, the trainer and NPC dialog. Some of it is pretty darn funny. This part of the mountain is a very good place to grind up your Pokémon. Lots of Audino here. Since they're Normal-type, you can use just about any Pokémon in your team against them. And they're pretty generous with the XP, as far as I can tell. Anyway, we head upwards on the external trail to re-enter the mountain.  

Once inside, we head up a pair of staircases. They lead to a trainer nearby.

Up above her, there is an item.

It's TM64 (Explosion). After grabbing the item, we head upwards over a couple more staircases. In the way, we met this woman, who had something interesting to say.

...I had honestly forgotten there was a Daycare Center near Onega. We first encountered it all the way back in entry #3! I do want to go back there and breed some Pokémon. I do have a Ditto, so I should do that some time. We continue upwards, battling a trainer that uses Psychic-type Pokémon. Near her is a ledge.

Don't worry about that, we don't have Rock Climb. We can get that another time, and you don't need a Pokémon that knows it to make the main way through the mountain anyway. We end up on the exterior of Mt. Press again. From the exit, we turn right and battle a trainer on the way.

We can use the Machete to cut our way back inside the mountain. Once inside, we go to the left and battle a Hiker. Then we head up and take the exit back out to the exterior. 

That seemed...rather pointless. Anyway, it's snowing! We must be getting close to the peak if we're seeing snow everywhere. Although I will admit, it's a good thing we have that Pokémon Trainer constitution, because it can get quite cold up here.

There are trainers to battle here, but I do have to warn you. Because of the snowy conditions here, your Pokémon will get hit by hail, causing them to suffer a little extra damage every turn. Anyway, during my stay in the mountain, I figured I might as well train up my Tentacool. 

Let me explain. As I said earlier, I needed a Pokémon that knew Waterfall to get through Mt. Press. As such, I decided to teach it to my Tentacool. I didn't want to saddle my Kingdra with it if I could help it. Kingdra was one of the fully evolved starters of this game, and I do not like the idea of sticking it with an unremovable HM move. Unfortunately, Tentacool is very underleveled compared to the other Pokémon on my regular team. The rest of my main team are nearly at level 50 right now. I got a lot of grinding to do.

Yeah, that's a pain. But it has to be done. I wish I could go quickly back to Onega Town and breed another Horsea to equip with Waterfall here. That would be handy. But I have neither time nor the desire to do that, so Tentacool/Tentacruel is taking Kingdra's place on the team for this. Sorry, Kingdra. I'll hopefully be able to make it up to ya, buddy.

Continuing on the mountain! After you emerge here, you go up a staircase and battle a pair of twin trainers. After them, you head right and go up. If you go right from the staircase, you find an item.

Don't worry about that now. You need Rock Smash to get it. And I think right here is where we'll stop for now. It's not much further until we're forced into a major battle, and I want my team to be ready. I also want to maintain a regular schedule with these entries. You know, I don't know if I really managed to describe the route through the mountain very well. If anything confused you, here's a link to the Pokémon Zeta/Omicron wiki's description of Mt. Press. I think it did a better job of describing the mountain than I did. Anyway, I got grinding to do, and I gotta prepare for a major brawl with Team Olympus...not to mention another surprise.

Wish me luck! Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves, and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get vaccinated! See you next time!

Pokemon Obtained:
(Mt. Press)
- Garchomp (evolved from Gabite)
- Quagsire
- Spiritomb
- Cloyster
- Golbat
- Audino
- Snover
- Tentacruel (evolved from Tentacool)
- Piloswine
- Snorunt
- Metang

The Suicide Squad Trailer, My Thoughts

Back in October of last year, I gave my thoughts on the roll call teaser for the DC Cinematic Universe's upcoming 10th film: The Suicide Squad. I remember being quite excited for this movie thanks to that teaser. Well, now...there's a full trailer! Let's take a look!

Now, before we begin, I must warn you all. This is a red band trailer. That means this trailer will likely not be safe for work, if you know what I mean. There's gore and some characters using adult language.

Peacemaker isn't wrong here. Harley's a bit...unstable.

It is kind of hilarious seeing Peacemaker in civilian clothes, but still wearing his big silver helmet. I think John Cena's having fun being this guy. 

...Blast it, Harley! You always gotta ruin it!

I still think Savant will bite it. James Gunn is not afraid to kill of Michael Rooker. He's done it before.

Yeah, Blackguard is totally dead.

I think for Weasel, death will be a mercy.

Hey, that's John Ostrander as one of the doctors! Ostrander and his late then-wife Kim Yale co-wrote the run on the Suicide Squad that made the series famous. They also revamped Barbara Gordon into Oracle during that run.

James Gunn is either a god for some kind of film sorcerer. I can't imagine convincing Sylvester Stallone to not only voice a shark-man, but also say the words "NOM NOM". That's just amazing to me.

Heh heh, Peacemaker taking notes.

...I'm actually hoping King Shark makes it now. 

I would not be surprised if Polka-Dot Man spends the entire movie trying to get killed, only to make it through. That would be hilarious.

A personalized license plate beat up Harley's parents once. At least that's what she says.

Eh, Harley's more understandable about coughing without covering your mouth. Especially these days. It's not only rude, but dangerous.

Yeah, Peacemaker is going to be a breakout character. Again, you can tell John Cena is just having fun playing this guy.

Steely Dan's "Dirty Work". Gunn's got great musical taste.

How many King Sharks does it take to rip a man in half? Just one.

Harley Quinn's ballet ideas were rejected by the Bolshoi for a reason.

Aww. I hope those two make it.

OH. MY. GOD. WAS THAT...STARRO?! FREAKIN' STARRO THE CONQUEROR?! THE FIRST VILLAIN OF THE JUSTICE LEAGUE?!

...JAMES GUNN, YOU ARE A MADMAN! YOU ARE A BEAUTIFUL MAGNFICENT MADMAN! IF I COULD, I WOULD HUG YOU!

Oh, this film looks to be quite a lot of fun. I can't wait for this! 

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves, and each other! Stay safe, stay home, wash your hands often, and wear a mask! See you next time!

Solo Avengers #1 (December 1987)

In the late 80s, Marvel released a little book called Solo Avengers. Solo Avengers was a "split-book". What this meant was that the book told two tales, focusing on various characters. The book lasted a surprisingly long time. With issue #21 (August 1989), the series' name would be changed to Avengers Spotlight, which was a better name in my opinion. The title would last 40 issues, the "split-book" format lasting for 35 of those issues.

Hawkeye was the "main" star of the book, often being the focus of the first story. The second story would give focus to a variety of characters, like Moon Knight, Hellcat, and the Scarlet Witch. The book would also be used as a "try-out" book for new talent like writers and artists. For example, artist Amanda Conner's first comics work was in this title. She worked on issue #12 (November 1988), which had a story focusing on the Rita DeMara Yellowjacket.

The comic we're going to look at here is the debut of the book, which gives solo stories to Hawkeye and his then-wife at the time, Mockingbird. Will we see the First Couple of the West Coast Avengers shine in the solo spotlight, or wither like dying plants? Let's look at Solo Avengers #1!

The cover is a Mark Bright and Joe Rubinstein piece. It depicts Hawkeye and Mockingbird leaping into action against some unknown assailants. It's a nice cover, basically showing who the stars of the comic are.

"Here Comes Hawkeye"
Writer: Tom DeFalco
Penciler: Mark Bright
Inker: Joe Rubinstein
Colorist: Ken Feduniewicz
Letterer: Jack Morelli
Editor: Mark Gruenwald
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

The story begins with the Avengers' Ace Archer preparing to unleash a storm of arrows on some implacable foes, while riding a horse like a boss.

What are these villainous targets of his? A bunch of...targets. Yup, he's practicing for a benefit performance he's going to be doing for charity. The charity is a local orphanage. The cause is something that is close to Hawkeye's heart, as he grew up in one alongside his brother Barney.  I like this. I like seeing superheroes do stuff like this. I think it makes sense some of the more famous ones would do this. It not only helps them win over the public, it helps underscore that they are good people under the masks, despite their flaws.

Anyway, after the Barton brothers ran away, they ended up joining a traveling carnival. It was there that Hawkeye met Jacques Duquesne, aka the original Swordsman. It was under his tutelage that Clint Barton became the master archer that he is today.

"But wait!" you ask. "Isn't the Swordsman's whole gimmick that he's a master of swords? How could he have taught archery?" 

Well, that's the same question that fellow West Coast Avenger Simon "Wonder Man" Williams asks to another WCA member (and Clint's wife at the time) Bobbi "Mockingbird" Morse. She herself is unsure of that question. She does later on try to ask him, but...

Yeah, it's hinted that he did that deliberately, almost as if the question set him off in a way. The two departing Avengers are observed by a man who goes to report to another archer. This archer is training some assassins.

It seems this mysterious archer wants Hawkeye's blood, and in comic book fashion, he's going to sabotage the Avenging Archer's performance tonight. How is he going to do this? Well, Step One: Sneak into the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and use a gas arrow to knock out the clowns Hawkeye is working with. Step Two: Dress up as the clowns. Step Three: Use the performance to kill Hawkeye. Step Four: Profit.

The disguised assassins try to take out our hero, but he's got on his Plot Armor today. He's able to defeat them, despite getting his bow broken in the process. Backstage, Mockingbird arrives late, so she decides to go visit her hubby in his dressing room. It's here she finds the gassed clowns...and an unusually-bent arrow.

It's not one of Hawkeye's arrows. And it seems someone wants to prevent her from investigating further. Meanwhile, Hawkeye is able to finish taking down his potential killers. Mockingbird was able to escape her assilant, albeit getting her costume torn-up in the process. She shows Hawkeye the bent arrow, and Hawkeye realizes who it is. You see, someone else actually trained Hawkeye in the fine art of archery. And that man vows to show Hawkeye that there is only one World's Greatest Archer...and that man is him: Trick Shot.

"Listen to the Mockingbird"
Writer: Tom DeFalco
Penciler: Jim Lee
Inker: Al Williamson
Colorist: Ken Feduniewicz
Letterer: Jack Morelli
Editor: Mark Gruenwald
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco

The second story begins with the Mockingbird leaping through some traffic.

The heroine uses her acrobatic skills to hitch a ride on a helicopter to the Los Angeles Coliseum. We get a brief recap of Bobbi's origins. She was a scientist who eventually became a SHIELD agent, and then went solo. This story ties into the Hawkeye story as we see her enter the dressing room to visit her hubby and find Trick Shot's bent arrow. A costumed man attacks her, but she deals with him easily. However, he's got friends.

Bobbi is able to fight this crew off, mocking them the entire time. It's how she became known as "Mockingbird", you see. They flee, with Bobbi overhearing how their compatriots should have managed to finish off Hawkeye earlier. They're able to get the ex-SHIELD agent to back off by taking a hostage. They try to flee in a van, but Mockingbird is able to catch up with the help of a bit of polevaulting.

She's able to rescue the hostage (causing the getaway van to crash in the process) and fight off the remaining goons. She is watched by Trick Shot, who shoots a fiery arrow from his limo at the crashed cars. Mockingbird manages to catch the arrow with her feet, but the limo gets away. We then see her return to Hawkeye, showing him Trick Shot's arrow. We get a bit more to the ending with Mockingbird making Hawkeye promise her he won't face her alone.

Yeah, he's totally going to go face Trick Shot alone. Clint Barton is kind of an idiot like that.

I liked this issue. I really enjoyed that the two stories linked together. It made sense in this case, as the two leads were romantically linked at the time. I also liked that the Hawkeye story fixed a bit of a flub in the Avenging Archer's backstory. After all, when you think about it, it would seem odd that an expert on swordmanship would teach archery. I also think the titular characters were given good characterization. Both Hawk and Mock were shown to be very skilled and capable heroes. 

The art for these stories was done by Mark Bright and Jim Lee. They both turn in fine work. I was surprised to see Lee's name on the credits for the Mockingbird story, as his art didn't resemble his style that would make him famous on X-Men. It looks much cleaner, with much less hatching than in his X-Men work. I'm not sure if that's because of art style evolution or Williamson's inking. But still, it's good stuff.

If you want to read this for yourself, I recommend tracking down the 2012 trade paperback Avengers: Solo Avengers Classic Vol. 1. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! take care of yourselves, and each other. Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, and wear a mask! Join me next time, when we look at a team of Asian heroes brought together to stop a world from burning...