Week Forty-Three

Spoiler Alert: I’m phoning this week in.

Here’s what happens: Animal Man’s creators patch him up and leave him back on the asteroid where they found him. Without the ability to absorb any animal powers around him, he reaches as hard as he can for one last shot, fusing with Sun-Eaters, which gives him the powers of migration maps and homing abilities, and he’s fast on his way back home. Elsewhere, Lady Styx is reborn. The rest of this issue (and the more interesting part) focuses squarely on the Black Marvel Family. Specifically, that cry-baby brother-in-law to Black Adam, Osiris.

He’s still all torn up about ripping Persuader in half back in Week Thirty-Four. This week, Osiris, along with his trusty crocodile chum Sobek, ventures into the Rock of Eternity, where he hopes the Marvel Family will take him as one of their own and rid him of the horrible powers Black Adam gave him. Of course, Black Adam and Isis show up, some punches are thrown, and, eventually, Black Adam talks some sense into the little brat and convinces him that his powers are a gift, and he should be proud to have them. Osiris agrees, and all’s well that ends well.

Or not. At the issue’s close, Osiris explains to Sobek that he was merely appeasing the rest of the fam back at the Rock of Eternity (by the way, what’s the Rock of Finality?), and he’s still going to desert Kahndaq and go somewhere else. Sobek gently coaxes him into saying the name of Black Adam and rescinding his powers, at which point, Osiris turns back into a weak little cripple, and Sobek devours that mealy-mouthed little son of a bitch!

Ladies and gentlemen, the Fourth Horseman has made his presence known.

Nothing more needs to be said. Let’s kick the tires and light the fires. Bring on the final nine!

See ya in a week.

P.S. Until I find the actual cover-art, my MSPaint fill-in will have to suffice.