X-Men and Eternals face their biggest threat in Marvel Comics’ Judgment Day

If there are any true novelties in the world of superhero comics these days, it’s a big summer crossover event that’s actually feels like an adventure of coordinated parts, rather than a sensory overload. It’s also available in English. AXE: Judgment day, I’m officially itching to get a new issue.

Going in, we knew that the A, X, and E were for a fight between the Avengers, X-Men, and Eternals. AXE: Judgment day #1 kicked off the triple whammy of kaiju-sized Eternals attacking Krakoa, the full power of the Uni-Mind psychically flattening mutant leadership, and Thanos’ granddad (presumably) decimating the mutant population on Mars single-handedly.

But what happens if AXE: Judgment day#2 doesn’t have much to say, but the superheroes may have something more important to be concerned about: teaming with one another to combat god. My research shows that god can be quite vulnerable when surrounded by very talented teenage friends. The X-Men, however, should do just fine.

Were there other things happening within the pages of comics we love? We’ll tell you. Welcome to Monday Funnies, Polygon’s weekly list of the books that our comics editor enjoyed this past week. This list is from the past few weeks. It’s part society pages of superhero lives, part reading recommendations, part “look at this cool art.” There may be some spoilers. You may not have enough context. There will still be some great comics. This is the latest edition.

“I live... therefore... I judge,” thinks a newly born Celestial as it rises from its cover of snow and ice to reach out a massive hand and bellow “CEASE!” in A.X.E.: Judgment Day #2 (2022).

AXE: Judgment day#2 ends when the Avengers’ and Eternals create a new Celestial. This Celestial is the only thing that will tell the Eternals not to try to eliminate all mutants. Unfortunately, the new Celestial has a monkey’s paw, and the paw has a thumb.

This is what I mean by it DoesAll Eternals must be stopped. It also begins immediately to judge, which Celestials are best known for. All of humanity — humans, Eternals, and mutants alike — have 24 hours to prove themselves more just than wicked, or they will be destroyed.

It is a classic story, with heroes fighting each other but soon turning into a team up. However, Kieron Gillen keeps the stakes high and the art of Valerio Schiti delivers the big visuals. Just ’cause a story’s old doesn’t mean it can’t be done well.

“And so the Seat of Loss takes command, says a rising Magneto, cape billowing. his eyes glow pink, as does the gaping cavity in his chest that’s filled with little biological-looking filaments in X-Men Red #5 (2022).

X-Men Red is becoming a “What mic-drop moment did Magneto have This month?” book. It is an honor.

After a mid-issue death fake-out, it turns out that a mutant made of bugs managed to keep a few allies alive even after Magneto’s heart had been torn from his chest. Magneto against the force is the issue’s next headline. Appearance to have destroyed nearly all mutant life on Mars — and Magneto versus genocide is always a sight to see.

“I know, I know,” thinks Poison Ivy as she and another woman walk out of a Home Depot with their arms full of flowers and leaves, smiling. “I spend a lot of time contemplating murder. But what I really love is buying plants,” in Poison Ivy #3 (2022).

I was very happy to hear that G. Willow Wilson and Marcio Takara’s Poison IvyIt has been renewed for six additional issues because this botanic Gothic quer rage comic is really a banger. Hannibal Annihilation vibes. The panel has the same design, and will be a fantastic background for many of my friends.

With a great BROOOM and a WHOOOMMP! the Defenders are pulled into the Neutral Zone, in a double page spread of comics panels shattering and rotating into a vortex, in Defenders: Beyond #1 (2022).

Maybe the best-looking comic of 2021 was Al Ewing and Javier Rodríguez’s Defenders, and it’s lovely to see the team come back for a sequel — especially with Ewing low-key making it a reunion for the cast of his supremely underrated Ultimates series.

Mary Marvel screams as a brown rabbit leaps out of her purse to cheerfully tell her “To keep innocents safe from harm, you have been chosen to be the new champion of Shazam!” which is also the name of the comic (2022).

You love to see creators working on their favorite lesser-known characters, and Mary Bromfield’s (formerly Mary Marvel) new star turn as the superhero known as Shazam is exactly that for artist Doc Shaner. Additionally, he also draws. Really great talking rabbit.

“SCRAWWW” a Predator alien shrieks as the woman it’s menacing slices off one of its mandibles. “Leave us alone!” shouts a small, tearful girl, picking up the machete, in Predator #1 (2022).

Marvel’s new PredatorSeries is a kind of… PreyBut in space? Spaceship AI friend and a teenage girl search the galaxy in search of the Predator with three legs that murdered her parents. It is a terrifying hunt that leads to terror for all who see it. It’s a Great concept.

“I am Azrael, the Avenging Angel. It is my duty to bring punishment,” says the brilliantly colored, many-winged and many-eyed form of the angel Azrael. “What is it? What do you want to show me?” gripes Jean Paul Valley, shielding his eyes from the radiance, in Sword of Azrael #1 (2022).

Maybe it’s just because I’m a ’90s kid and a Batman fanatic, but I’ve always had a soft spot for Jean-Paul Valley and his vigilante alter ego, Azrael. Which is another way of saying I’ve been waiting three decades for someone to come along and make him more than “Catholic Moon Knight.” Writer Dan Watters and artist Nikola Čižmešija have piqued my interest in their first issue with, among other things, revealing what Tumblr might call “biblically accurate angel Azrael.” This rules.

“Hey, easy,” Spider-Man approaches the four hesitant metal arms of Doctor Octopus, which are walking on all fours like a dog, with the waistband as torso. “There you go,” Spider-Man pets its “back” and it leans into him, curving its middle into a heart shape. “How ‘bout you take me to you owner? That sound good, girl?” From Amazing Spider-Man #6 (2022).

I find it difficult to muster a lot of interest in the core Spider-Man books at the moment but I am not immune to drawing Doctor Octopus’ arms like a scared dog that just wants Spider-Man to help its captured master. It’s so funny and it is good.

A blonde man in a wrestling uniform and hoodie stands over a table strewn with papers, whiskey glasses, cigarettes, and a luchador mask in Do a Powerbomb #2 (2022).

I thought I couldn’t be any more on board for Daniel Warren Johnson’s Do a PowerbombThe comic is about professional wrestlers being pulled into a tournament that offers supernatural prizes, where one can resurrect their loved ones. Then, the second issue revealed that the masked wrestler who slipped and accidentally killed the hero’s mom is… THE HER DAD IS EQUALLY TRUMATIZED. The drama.

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