Warlock and the Infinity Watch #40: Review

May 1995

John Arcudi, Patrick Olliffe

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Story Name:

Things fall apart

Synopsis

Warlock and the Infinity Watch #40 Synopsis by Rob Johnson

Last issue Moondragon (Heather Douglas) was severely burned by a blast from Domitian. Drax the Destroyer and Pip the Troll brought her home to the Infinity Watch's base on Monster Island and now she's in an intensive care bed (that her doctors are willing to let her have in this old castle!). Drax won't leave her side (despite not remembering that he used to be Arthur Douglas her father), not even to attend a meeting that Pip tells him their leader Adam Warlock has just called for. So the Troll leaves to report to the boss.

Adam understands and decides to proceed with the reduced team. With MD in a coma he needs to appoint a temporary new guardian for her Mind Gem. Maxam immediately proposes himself. He's not actually a member of the Watch so he's the only 1 here who doesn't have an Infinity Gem to guard. But he points out that he's proven himself a valuable ally. And with the Gem he might be able to cure his own amnesia. Adam considers it but as expected Gamora objects vehemently. She puts up various reasons but doesn't mention her prime reason for distrusting him (that before he arrived in #16 her Time Gem had given her a vision of him standing over Adam's dead body, and in #17 he attacked Warlock as soon as he saw him).

Maxam leaves the decision to Adam, commenting that Gamora will go along with whatever he decides because of her crush on him. This barb strikes too close to home for the green-skinned woman so she gives him a severe beating. Maxam reminds her that he defeated her before (in #17) but she responds that she should have killed him *then*. And she tries to fix the mistake with an axe from a suit of armour (that all castles have).

But we take time out to visit Thanos in his Dreadnaught 666 spaceship. He's depressed but he drives away the robot servitors who try to help him. He's remembering his litany of failures. He had the Cosmic Cube (Captain Marvel #27-33). He siphoned the power from the 6 Infinity Gems (or Soul Gems as they were all called then - Avengers Annual #7 & Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2). He combined the 6 Gems on the Infinity Gauntlet (Thanos Quest & Infinity Gauntlet mini-series). And each time he planted the seeds of his own downfall (as pointed out in the recent Cosmic Powers Unlimited #1). And he caused Death to finally reject him and his love (CPU#1 again). But he now sees the last item as a challenge which he will rise to with the help of the Reality Gem and something else.

In the castle Gamora is still after Maxam with the axe. But she also goads him into lunging at her and then dodges so that he smashes through a wall. And so it goes. Warlock daren't interfere in case he gives 1 of them an opportunity to kill the other. Pip daren't teleport 1 of them away because he'd get blamed and hit. So they ponder making another attempt to get Drax to help.

But Drax turns up behind them complaining that Moondragon is making his head hurt. She then telepathically explains that she's using his brain as a conduit for her mental powers. She strains to take over more of his brain so she can try to affect the combatants. But we see Drax talking to her inside his head apologetically suggesting this might not be a good idea. She tells him to keep quiet. But then her image in his head changes to that of pre-teen Heather, Drax starts to recognise Arthur's daughter. This causes a psychic explosion which manifests telekinetically in smashed walls and floors with the debris separating Gamora and Maxam. Pip teleports away for safety as Adam tries to get through to MD to stop this. Drax collapses whimpering for Moondragon to get out of his head.

Pip pops back to take Drax to his room. Adam berates Gamora for attacking Maxam. She accuses him of taking the stranger's side, but Adam claims to be making an unemotional judgement. She asks if the time they spent together in Soul World (from MTIO An#2 to Silver Surfer #46) meant nothing. He says he's changed since then (when he purged good and evil from his soul at the end of the Infinity Gauntlet series). She quits the team and he asks for the Time Gem back. She throws it at him and stalks out.

Later Maxam ponders the events, including that Warlock has now entrusted the Time Gem to him. He wonders if this Gem can unlock his amnesia. He puts it on his brow and gasps at what he sees.

Review / Commentaries

Rating:

Warlock and the Infinity Watch #40 Review by Rob Johnson (June 15, 2024)

Jim Starlin's Electric Prism company does the colour separations for Ian Laughlin.

Gamora, Thanos and Warlock are here directly after their encounter with Silver Surfer in Cosmic Powers Unlimited #1.

Everyone will still be around for the final 2 issues.

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John Arcudi

Patrick Olliffe

Keith Williams

Ian Laughlin

Patrick Olliffe (Cover Penciler)
Patrick Olliffe (Cover Inker)
? (Cover Colorist)