And that’s it for CONTEST II. The plot is fine, the artwork is good, and there are some fun moments, but none of it together ever rises above serviceable. Claremont gives us so much unnecessary wordage that again I can’t help but wonder if he would rather be writing prose. YMMV.
CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS II #5: The Contest is officially over, with the victors selected to carry the alien Badoon and Brood into the future. But Hawkeye interrupts the victory celebration, and the fallen heroes follow suit. It’s the final throw down!
CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS II #4: The violent Contest of Champions continues, while Iron Man and his merry crew of castoffs try to organize a rebellion to take on the Badoon and the Brood.
Also, Lockdown and Rosetta Stone from Shadow City meet up with Spider-Woman, Iron Man, and Psylocke in the jungle where the competition’s losers have been cast off—and they discover who they are really up against!
CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS II #2: In the next round of superhero games, Human Torch goes head-to-head with Spider-Woman. Meanwhile Iron Man, cast off to an alien jungle after losing his bout last issue, fights for survival.
CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS II #1: Intergalactic game masters the Coterie kidnap the world’s superheroes for battle competitions. Using nanites to force them to participate, they don’t have to worry about dissenters—except for Iron Man, whose armor has protected him.
This moment with Namorita shows that Valeria isn’t the only anomalous entity in the area.
FANTASTIC FOUR (v3) #23: The team’s attempts to cure the Thing, She-Hulk and Bounty of the nanites that infected them last issue lead them to San Diego, where a certain convention just so happens to be going on. It’s a RIOT AT COMIC CON!
FANTASTIC FOUR (v3) #22: Reed tries to unravel the truth about Valeria, but Sue’s reaction to the girl’s outlandish claims causes her to run away. While fleeing, she runs into She-Hulk who is, for some reason, tearing apart the city with Titania and Absorbing Man.
