Blended For Your Enjoyment! Unlimited Access 4 Review!

Captain America, Jr.! Jean Black! Green Goliath! Quick Freeze! Redwing! Thor-El! Wonder Wasp! Heroes Amalgamated from the DC and Marvel Universes! Can they defeat the "Combined Forces" of Darkseid and Magneto - and their New Gods of Apokalips and Brotherhood of Evil Mutants!

It's hard to tell how Darkseid's horde and the Brotherhood are Amalgamated - yet they are! The heroes and villains wage their battle aboard the Justice League satellite, 22,000 miles above the Earth!

The core of Kesel's story, with continued eye-candy by Olliffe and Williams, is not so much about Darkseid and Magneto, The Avengers and the Justice League, Uncanny X-Men, DC sidekicks or even the Amalgamated heroes and villains. No, the true story is Access versus Evil-Access! There are two versions of Access. The older one, who ends up a bum with a glowing cardboard box in an alley. He passes the mantle on to younger Access.

In the end, there can. Be. Only. ONE!

The conclusion is pretty basic and simple. Hit reset and everything goes back to normal. The only nit to pick is that DC and Marvel don't have a community or shared reality, so that, when a reader picks up a cross-company team-up, it happens across Metropolis and New York. Skip the whole introduction and get right to the action. Readers come for the action, not so much the exposition. I know we just met, but I'm not sure I like you, so I think I'll argue and fight you until it's time to work together against a common enemy.

Access, DC and Marvel teaming up and creating an Amalgamated Universe is fun. It would be nice to see more of the Amalgamated Universe characters as well as Access.

Unlimited Access wraps up with three stars! 

This is It! For all the Marbles and the Whole Enchilada! Unlimited Access 3 Review!

 As he makes his departure through a Boom-Tube, Darkseid instructs Amazing Grace to pit The Avengers versus the Justice League! Access can only stand by in gaping surprise as the teams go "toe-to-toe", fist to fist in battle! Thor versus J'onn J'onzz! Aquaman versus Captain America! Hal Jordan versus Iron Man! Giant Man versus Barry Allen! Black Canary versus The Wasp!

Meanwhile, Darkseid and his New Gods of Apokalips enlist Magneto and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants! But to what end? World domination!?!

Access can only think of one solution! This looks like a job for Superman! However, it's the electric Blue Superman that none of his teammates recognize! Still, with his new powers, he's able to snap the heroes out of their trance!

Quicksilver captures Access, who calls on a group of sidekicks (who are either part of the Teen Titans or will become part of Young Justice) who free him and best the Brotherhood.

The X-Men arrive just as Darkseid and Magneto issue their ultimatum! There's more arguing, which causes Access to Amalgamate Angel and Robin into Redwing!

Kesel knows what readers and fans want: The Avengers versus the Justice League! And it's a Classic match-up! This is where the whole time travel aspect works perfectly! It's a shame that we don't get a Classic "Fab Five" Titans versus the Original, Uncanny X-Men... maybe another time. The story leads up to the inevitable, almost predictable Amalgamation. DC and Marvel heroes blended into Amalgam characters. Your mileage may vary on that.

Olliffe and Williams do an awesome job on art. The whole look of this book is enjoyable.

Over all, "The Greatest Heroes of All Time!" earns four stars.   

One Small Leap for a Man... The Unlimited Access 2 Review

 

Access and the Legion of Super-Heroes have somehow crossed over into the X-Men's dystopian future "Days of Future Past", where the Sentinels have captured and imprisoned all mutants. Magneto and the X-Men wear inhibitor collars to keep them from using their mutant abilities. Wolverine has managed to remain free and runs supplies to the captives. Brainiac 5 manages to "McGuyver" an inhibitor disrupter. With that, the two teams are able to overpower a pair of Sentinels. Magneto agrees with Access that the Legionnaires must return to their own place and time period. As the leave Ferro Lad and Colossus take down a Sentinel. Another destroys the inhibitor disrupter! Magneto is paralyzed. Fleeing, Wolverine remembers one thing - the inhibitor collars can be disrupted!

Access bounces Classic Daredevil to Gotham City where Axel is almost run over by the Batmobile. Returning Daredevil to New York, Axel then tumbles through one time period after another witnessing different pairings and team-ups. Notable among these is the Justice Society and The Invaders! He then encounters Morty, the homeless man from the alley. Turns out, "Morty" is really Axel!

Morty provides an "info dump" telling Axel that he can't stay in one place very long in order to keep the Marvel and DC universes separate! Morty flees just as a Boom Tube opens dumping Darkseid's horde from Apokalips. The Avengers arrive to turn back the horde. They are joined by the Justice League, who arrive to rescue Axel. Just when the combined forces seem to be working, Amazing Grace turns the teams against one another, with Access caught in the middle!

Pat Olliffe and Al Williamson really carry Kesel's amazing story. So many characters, so many different places and timelines. Olliffe is such eye-candy. His take on the different teams is really enjoyable.

"Let's Do the Time Warp Again" Unlimited Access 2 earns five stars.    

Access Back in Action! The Unlimited Access 1 Review!

Pat Oliffe's cover is very cool! Access is the keeper of the Amalgam Universe. "Inside" Access, too, is the gateway between the DC and Marvel Universes as well! The cover shows that within Access is The Amazing Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, Green Lantern Hal Jordan, Wonder Woman and The Juggernaut!

The unique and fresh spin for Unlimited Access, is not just space. The two universes, Marvel and DC coming together and teaming up against mutual foes, but bouncing around - or, quantum leaping - through different time periods of each universe! What starts in the present, with Spider-Man and Wonder Woman facing Mantis and The Juggernaut, bounces to Coast City four years after Barry Allen died and Hal Jordan facing The Hulk! Next, Access encounters Jonah Hex and Two-Gun Kid! After sending Jonah Hex off into the future to end up as Hex, possibly, Access ends up with The Legion of Super-Heroes facing The Sentinels!

Karl Kesel, Pat Olliffe and Al Williamson make an enjoyable team for an enjoyable story. The time travel element keeps things fresh!

Bouncing around significant time periods in each universe is a brilliant idea. Okay, maybe not so much original, as Access is now following a somewhat typical story trope. Kesel, Olliffe and Williamson manage to keep things interesting. It's nice that they manage to bounce Axel's relationship troubles off Peter and MJ. There's another laugh when MJ calls out Spider-Man flirting with Wonder Woman.

It's a fun, exciting, thrilling story. "No Time Like the Present" Unlimited Access earns five stars.   
 

Putting the Genie Back in the Bottle, The DC/Marvel All Access 4 Review

 

Wow. That cover. A horrified Access can only gape in abject terror as the X-Men battle the Justice League! It's a return match between Storm and Wonder Woman! That expression on Access' face is just... Wow. 

Access is referee when the teams collide. Superman demands that the X-Men let The Batman go. It's all a tense standstill, until Batman reignites things with Bishop. Then it all cuts loose. Team versus team. Access and Dr. Strange in the middle. Access blinks to keep Ming out of harm's way. 

Then it all comes out. Strange has been taken over by Dr. Strangefate who wants to bring back the Amalgam Universe! He has banished the real Strange, bouncing him from one place to another to keep him from being discovered and rescued. Strangefate manages to Amalgamate the X-Men and Justice League! Access must find a way to return Stephen Strange and restore the separate universes!

It turns out to be a tricky process. Tricky, but successful. 

In the end, Axel ends up with Caitlin Fitzgerald.

DC/Marvel All Access 4, "Savior" wraps it all up for three stars.

Scuffle in the Sanctorum! The DC/Marvel All Access 3 Review

After besting Two-Face, Jubilee and Robin (Tim Drake) are confronted by The Scorpion! Batman arrives and puts the beatdown on the Spider-villain. 

Using a bit of deductive reasoning, Access feels that answers to the mysterious Crossings may lie with Dr. Strange. It takes some doing, however, he manages to convince The Batman to accompany him to New York and Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum.

There, Access and The Batman engage in accusations and finger-pointing. Jubilee returns with the X-Men. Not a Classic line-up, mind you, Cyclops, Iceman, Jean Grey, Bishop and Cannonball. They fight with Batman. As The Dark Knight collects himself, Access himself returns with the Justice League! 

Guice and Rubinstein are back at it on Ron Marz's story. Lee Loughridge on colors; Digital Chameleon on separations. It's a pretty standard issue where hero's face a misunderstanding and end up arguing and fighting until they reach a lightbulb moment of clarity.

That moment may come in the next issue!

What is enjoyable is the diversity and somewhat unpredictability. The Batman and Dr. Strange? X-Men versus Justice League? The Batman spies The Black Cat?

This is what fans long for.

DC/Marvel All Access 3 earns three stars.

Young Heroes in Love The DC/Marvel All Access 2 Review

 

Ah, young love.

That Guice cover of swingers, Robin and Jubilee is just so sweet, innocent and cute. Whatever could possibly stand in the way of these two young heroes in love?

Having set the separate universes right again, Axel Asher enjoys a carriage ride in the park with his Marvel Universe girlfriend, Ming. Until Jubilee and Generation X show up. Jubilee has tracked Axel down in order to plead with him to use his Access powers for a chance to meet Robin (Tim Drake) one more time. They didn't get a chance to say goodbye after the events of DC Versus Marvel/Marvel Versus DC. Jubilee has a crush on The Boy Wonder and really wants to see him again. In return, she'll make it up to Axel by fixing things with Ming. Jealous Ming.

Against everything he should be about, the whole keeping the two universes separate, Access agrees to cross Jubilee over to hook-up with Robin. What could possibly go wrong?

Access is overpowered by Two-Face! Using the same gimmick that Robin used to beat Jubilee, the pair outsmart and overpower Dent. After that, they're confronted by The Scorpion!

Guice gets support from Joe Rubinstein on finishes and Lee Loughridge on colors. The look is a lot less over-the-top, so to speak. It all looks smooth. Even with a wonky premise, the story plays out pretty well. It's a fun romp.

DC/Marvel All Access earns three stars.    

Between a Rock and a Hard Place The DC/Marvel: All Access 1 Review

 

Ordinarily, I'm a fan of "Butch" Guice. I enjoyed his art for Wally West as The Flash after Crisis on Infinite Earths. I liked his work on Ruse. I'm somewhat familiar with his work on Justice League and "The Death of Superman" storyline...

There's just something about his art on DC/Marvel: All Access that just feels like a square peg in a round hole. Maybe it starts with the cover. Guice has Access in a "Hero or Villain?", quite menacing pose. Access looks angry! He looks unfriendly! Like perhaps, Monarch - when the former Hawk, of Hawk and Dove went rogue and sent the DC Universe reeling through a "Crisis in Time"! Surrounded by DC and Marvel Comics' heavy hitters, Access is leading the charge! It's a cool cover, but somewhat off-putting. Yes, just who is this new character, Access? What powers does he wield? What control? What does he have to do with the best, brightest and finest of two universes?

That question can only be answered by reading, nay, investing, in the story!

Axel Asher, Access, is late AGAIN meeting his Marvel Universe girlfriend, Ming. This is kind of the standard hero trope. Axel, like Peter Parker and Barry Allen is the Everyman, the good guy off doing good things, on his own, saving the Universe and THAT's getting in the way of his social life. He can't commit because he's already committed to The Good Fight. Guice carries Ron Marz's story. The seizure that Axel has looks a lot more painful than Spider-Sense. Messy, too. Axel senses that Venom has crossed over to Metropolis and has to run off to fix that. One would think that Superman could handle Venom, however, one would guess amiss. Only the combined teamwork of Superman AND Spider-Man, is Venom overcome. And while in Metropolis, Access manages to rescue a fair damsel in distress. One Caitlin Fitzgerald, "Fitz" for short. 

After Superman, Spider-Man and Access stop Venom, Axel returns the webslinger and his archfoe to the Marvel Universe. Where, Doctor Stephen Strange notices... "it begins!"

Venom is an interesting choice. Not an "A-List" bad guy. Also interesting is the ongoing cliche of the hero late for a date, and relationship issues. Guice's art is decent, except that it just seems over-the-top, especially showing Access reacting to a Crossing.

DC/Marvel All Access earns three stars.