Tini Howard, Wilton Santos, Oren Junior, and Erick Arciniega take Excalibur back to where it began with issue #7. It’s the Warwolves. It’s always the Warwolves. Let’s hunt.
Charlie Davis: So Nola…another issue of Excalibur down and dare I say it…I honestly don’t think there has been an issue out of 7 that have missed for me. I’m not saying that to inflate anyone’s egos, I just genuinely think that pound for pound it’s got the best blend of plot, interpersonal character work and mysterious threads running through it. It feels tinged with old Excalibur in a way you want a book with the same name to feel, while not being shackled to nostalgia. It really is a feat Tini is pulling off here and I take my hat off to her. Or I would if I wore hats…either way, bravo!
Nola Pfau: I admit to a little bit of trepidation at the notion of a substitute artist; those substitutions don’t always go well, and Marcus To has been doing such a great job! But I have to say, Wilton Santos makes for a great pinch hitter; his style is unique and distinct from To’s, but complimentary enough that we still feel like we’re “home,” as readers, so to speak.
CD: You’re exactly right. I’m not getting whiplash from an art style that’s so out of left field, but Santos’ strengths are his own and the way you can see that peppered throughout the issue is really nice. This is a good substitute, like the substitute teacher that lets you watch movies in class while the teacher is out for the day. Keep on the theme of substitutions; I feel that that’s a thread that kind of weaves fittingly into an issue that is centered around the warwolves. Well, that and unexpected appearances, but I bet you I can weave that into the theme as well. Before that however, let’s talk about everyone’s favorite interim King, Jamie Braddock. I must say that even if putting him on the throne of Camelot is a terrible, no good, very bad idea…I do like that his reality warping abilities seem to also hold the butterfly motif now. It’s a really nice unifying touch.
Brother In A Kingdom Other
NP: I’m actually curious why that is; is it a new stylistic direction for him going forward, or is it a way for him to subtly mock his sister? I suspect the latter, given how strained relations between them generally are. In any case, this first scene with him and Betsy has reminded me of a nagging question: Where are the people of Otherworld? Where are its subjects? Do they willingly bend the knee to Jamie? What does it mean for them that a mutant from Earth has installed a madman on the throne? As much as I’ve enjoyed the tension and dynamics of this new Excalibur iteration, I would like to know more about the consequences of •┤Ȧ├•’s war of expansion—something that has been textually acknowledged as of this issue, I must point out.
CD: I’ve been concerned about the people of Otherworld ever since Jamie was installed on the throne. The fact that they are all simply missing is…distressing, especially because Jamie could have just written them all out of existence. And if they are all gone, I wonder if it’s basically to make Otherworld one but testing site for •┤Ȧ├•’s less than savory plans? •┤Ȧ├•’s expansion and conquering of Otherworld should make people raise their eyebrows at the very least. At least it’s got Betsy’s hackles raised. At the end of the day Jamie is just a pawn of •┤Ȧ├• just like everyone else. It’s upsetting because I fear mutants are turning a blind eye to things like this in the name of the nation state of Krakoa and that…feels icky and very intentional.
NP: I have to say I find that reversal a little delicious; in prior appearances, Jamie has very much been portrayed as a puppet master, literally pulling at strings of reality to twist people to his whims. Here, he’s a puppet king instead, a monarch installed by •┤Ȧ├• to suit whatever ulterior motives •┤Ȧ├• has. It’s the sort of thematic twist that I really enjoy, and a very good move, story-wise, because it puts Jamie in a position of subservience, something his ego is not generally fond of.
On the subject of •┤Ȧ├•, his statement that Otherworld is Krakoa now feels ominous, and Betsy seems to let it slide, as much as she seems untrustworthy. After all, she still steps out to do his bidding after their conversation! Which brings us to another Excalibur staple: Warwolves.
Y’know. Of London.
CD: One last thing before we get to those little monsters. Everyone’s subservience to “the good of Krakoa” really bugs me. Gambit has the right idea and I want someone to throw some middle fingers up. ANYWAY. I’m not super familiar with the Warwolves, but I know that they basically eat people and then end up taking their shapes via using their bodies? It’s weird and bizzare and oh so OG Excalibur, but I found myself really loving the framing of a Fox Hunt for them. It’s a little crude, but I can’t help but see it fit in with a new character who’s joined us for the issue. Cullen Bloodstone. The Warwolves have been relocated from the London Zoo to the Bloodstone Family reserve.
For…reasons.
NP: It is, in fact, so OG Excalibur that the Warwolves are the first threat they ever faced, first in Excalibur: The Sword is Drawn, and then the first two issues of the Excalibur ongoing, in a story entitled “Warwolves of London,” one of my favorite jokes in all of Chris Claremont’s writing.
For those not as steeped in Excalibur lore as I am, the Warwolves are a product of the Mojoverse; they are intelligent creatures who like to consume living creatures, mutants especially. When they consume a person’s essence, they then usually wear that person’s skin in order to impersonate them. According to the history set forth here, prior to their purchase by Cullen, they’ve been in the London Zoo since being put there in that same first arc. This is interesting; the Warwolves have actually escaped the Zoo twice, appearing in issues of Fantastic Four and New Excalibur, before going into hiding for a number of years, then showing up in that short-lived Nightcrawler ongoing from a few years ago. Nevertheless, their first arc lead to another favorite of mine, namely this panel:
It’s interesting that they feature here; we’ve gone from substitute artist to substitute monarch, and now to creatures whose entire deal is impersonating people and standing in for their lives.
CD: They waste very little time playing their tricks as well. Excalibur is there for their heads, a hunt, and a vicious one at that. We don’t know why their heads are needed, but at least we know that unlike the data page we saw earlier would lead us to believe, the Warwolves haven’t regressed to animalistic behaviors. At least not entirely. One springs a trap on Gambit and almost catches him in it. I’ll cut him some slack as he was distracted while trying to convince Ric that •┤Ȧ├• is bad news no matter what he’s trying to say otherwise. A good lesson that SOMEONE should take to heart. Everyone quickly comes back to top form and they act as a team to flush out the Warwolves on the reserve which brings me…to Cullen Bloodstone.
The Warwolves really aren’t the only things wearing human masks around these parts. How much do you know about Cullen, Nola?
Bloodstone
NP: Well, we actually do know what •┤Ȧ├• wants the skulls for! He wants to use them as magical homing beacons, presumably so that he can establish more portals between Earth and Otherworld. Moving on to the bit with Gambit, he’s actually never encountered warwolves before this issue, so it makes sense they’d get the drop on him! They actually predate him in Marvel continuity by three years or so, and their other appearances haven’t been anywhere near him.
As for Cullen, I don’t know a single thing! I assume he has a familial relationship with Elsa Bloodstone, whom I only know from having her action figure and the fact that she appeared in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3. He seems like kind of a $#!%. [Ed. note: Nola, go read Nextwave.]
CD: Going through massive amounts of trauma and being one of the only survivors from a group of teenagers that were abducted by Arcade and forced to kill each other on an island will do that to you. Cullen seems like he’s not adjusted very well afterward. And you would be correct, Cullen is the brother of Elsa Bloodstone, legendary monster hunter. He befel a terrible fate when he was a child and was possessed by a creature that lived in a void space. He’s also gay. So…gay, mean, maladjusted monster boy. Here he is. [Ed. note: Charlie is being fed so well.]
NP: Indeed! Deprived of his sport as Excalibur proves more than capable of killing warwolves, Cullen calls for a substitution of his own! He’s decided his new quarry is mutants, which makes me wonder…does he realize the whole Krakoa deal? Or is he just not a big thinker? Either way, this can’t go well for him, void creature or no.
CD: I’m not sure what his motivations are. Usually Cullen isn’t really in control of the monster inside of him, but it’s been YEARS since we’ve seen him and he’s always flirted with the dark side. I’m wondering if his monster just doesn’t think that everything is lower on the food chain than him or if maybe this has a direct tie to something happening in Otherworld. I wonder if •┤Ȧ├• knew Cullen had two Warwolves. I wouldn’t doubt it at this point. I do hope he’s not entirely gone from the side of good or at the very least, his hot crush Aiden shows up to help out.
NP: That’s another point about the Warwolves I’m interested in—of the original six that Mojo had created, four Warwolves survived the initial attack on Excalibur, two of whom die this issue. Did you know they have names? They’re not just a group of generic hunters, they have their own distinct identities! We never find out the name of one of them before it dies, but the others are Bowzer, Ducks, Jacko, Popsie, and Scarper. Rachel killed Bowzer way back when, so I wonder which two of the survivors died here. I suspect at least one is Ducks, as it says “We miss the taste of mutant” here, and the only time one of them has eaten a mutant, it was Ducks, who ate Shadowcat. I wonder if Tini will enlighten us? I guess we’ll have to wait and see!
X-Traneous Thoughts
- My personal headcanon is that the sixth warwolf was named Zevon.
- Attire for the Warwolf hunt: Cape Casual.
- Santos’ version of Dragon Shogo is SO CUTE.
- Please someone let Gambit stab someone or something. He’s itching for it.
- DAYS WITHOUT SHATTTERSTAR: Too many to count.
- Dennis Hallum named Cullen Bloodstone after the writer, and his personal friend, Cullen Bunn and I think that’s neat.
- Krakoan reads: Fighting Fair
Nola Pfau is Editor-in-Chief of WWAC and generally a bad influence.
Charlie Davis is the world’s premier Shatterstarologist, writer and co-host of The Young Ones.
Charlie Davis is the world’s premier Shatterstarologist, writer and co-host of The Match Club.
Nola Pfau is Editor-in-Chief of WWAC and generally a bad influence.
