#battletide

Death's Head II vs Killpower Battle Tide - The Battletide surges on! (Team members include: Dark Angel, Psylocke and Hercules!)(issue 3 of 4, Feb).

Battletide II #4

Good ending.

"Their mission: to capture or vanquish the necromancer Bezial, before he can unleash the Battletide upon planet Earth."

The first 6 issues were of variable quality. All were overstuffed with guest stars and the storytelling was often vague and unsatisfying. Then something clicked. Big time.

These last two chapters were straightforward and story-driven. The location, inside the Battletide, was interesting and allowed this talented artist to deliver consistently impressive visuals. The three main heroes formed a compelling team. (I love Gabriel!) The showdown was action packed. The resolution had lots of original touches.

If they had done more issues of this, I would have been happy to follow these 3 characters into further adventures just like this one. No guest stars!!

On Sale Date: September 7, 1993.

Dan Abnett (8 of 8).

Andy Lanning (8 of 8).

Geoff Senior (8 of 8).

Battletide II #3

Mindless fun!

Inside the Battletide - "the demonic embodiment of all bloodlust and carnage since the Big Bang" - the guys meet Gabriel the (former) Temploid Monk.

The series takes a quantum leap up in quality. Lots of story in this issue, as well as action and a dynamic new character. The art depicts some stunning vistas. Parts of it are funny, parts are exciting. It's like an issue from a completely different series. How the hell did this happen? And why couldn't all the earlier issues have been like this?

On Sale Date: August 3, 1993.

Dan Abnett (7 of 8).

Andy Lanning (7 of 8).

Geoff Senior (7 of 8).

Battletide #3

"By Zeus! I begin to tire of this!"

The Earth contingent continue to battle in The Games.

All the fighting is just stupid at this stage. It does not mean anything. Killpower facilitates an escape. Somehow. We aren't told how. He just does something off-panel. Now, suddenly, the heroes are free to fight back...

There's all the business of the Battletide. "A tidal wave of pure aggression." With demons inside it. Or something. And everything is going to be destroyed. Somehow. It's all vague. And mystical. And nonsensical.

On Sale Date: December 29, 1992.

Dan Abnett (3 of 8).

Andy Lanning (3 of 8).

Geoff Senior (3 of 8).

Battletide #2

Astonishingly bland.

"Every three cycles warriors from across the multiverse are invited here to participate in the greatest bloodsport of them all... The Games!"

Most of the focus is on the team-up between Death's Head and Killpower. They get 10 of the 22 pages. The rest of the comic mostly jumps around, showing a variety of heroes in battle. And Sabretooth, who is definitely not a hero. Attempts at a story feel half-hearted. It really just feels like fighting for the sake of fighting. Definitely not bad. But why would you care?

On Sale Date: November 24, 1992.

Dan Abnett (2 of 8).

Andy Lanning (2 of 8).

Geoff Senior (2 of 8).