The Black Vortex
| "The Black Vortex" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| Publication date | February – April 2015 |
| Genre | |
| Main character(s) |
Guardians of the Galaxy All New X-Men Star-Lord Nova |
| Creative team | |
| Writer(s) | Sam Humphries |
| Penciller(s) | Ed McGuinness |
The Black Vortex is a 2015 comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics involving the All-New X-Men and the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Plot
Prologue
Star-Lord is still trying to maintain a long-distance relationship with Kitty Pryde, while constantly avoiding the Slaughter Lords and bounty hunters since Mister Knife put a bounty on his head. He is eventually caught by ex-Spartax warriors trying to raise funds to rebuild the Spartax army. Their captain turns out to be his half-sister Victoria. They concoct a plan to turn him in on prison planet Viderdoom, collect the bounty, and then steal the remaining funds from their jailer, Bligh.[1] The Slaughter Lords then approach Thane to join Mister Knife, but Thane has disavowed violence and is a minister with his own congregation. [2] Unbeknownst to him, Mister Knife kills his flock to enrage him into joining Knife's cause. Star-Lord is later captured by Mister Knife while teleconferencing with his girlfriend Kitty Pryde. He learns that Mister Knife is actually his father, J'Son the dethroned emperor of Spartax. Kitty Pryde flies out to space and rescues Star-Lord by throwing herself from her ship, then phasing through his flying fortress, grabbing Peter Quill, and phasing both themselves through the bottom of the fortress and landing back into her ship. She at first is angry that Quill is back to his pirating ways, but then learns that all his booty is sent to the orphanage on Spartax where he grew up. She then decides that she will help him steal the Black Vortex from Mister Knife.[3]
Main event
Twelve billion years ago, an ancient race called the Viscardi were visited by a Celestial. He gifted them with a mirror known as the Black Vortex. Anybody that "submits" to the Black Vortex gains Celestial power, but as the Viscardi gain immense power they kill each other to extinction. Only one survives, Gala, and the Black Vortex is lost. Eventually Mister Knife is able to locate it after visiting a Celestial graveyard. Kitty Pryde and Star-Lord decide to steal it from Mister Knife before he uses it on himself and Thanos' son Thane. Unfortunately he uses it on his Slaughter Squad, now the newly renamed Slaughter Lords. Kitty and Star-Lord recruit the X-Men, Nova and the Guardians of the Galaxy to prevent the Slaughter Lords from retrieving the Black Vortex. They debate whether or not to use the power of the Vortex, but the Slaughter Lords attack. Greatly overpowered, Gamora, Beast and Angel submit and tip the balance of the battle.[4] The team then fights between themselves. Distracted, Ronan the Accuser comes in and steals the Black Vortex.[5] Gamora, Beast, and Angel are enraged, so they attack Hala, the crown jewel of the Kree empire. The team split into three groups, one group battles Gamora, Beast, and Angel, one team stays on Spartax to distract the Slaughter Lords, and the third team speak with the Kree Supreme Intelligence. The Supreme Intelligence is against using the Black Vortex anymore and demands that Ronan stand down until their starfleet can return. Ronan disobeys and uses the Vortex anyway. He is successful in repelling Gamora, Beast and Angel, but is banished by the Supreme Intelligence. The Slaughter Lords and Mister Knife uses this as an opportunity to sneak into Hala and try to steal the Black Vortex. Once they think they secured the Vortex, Mister Knife's floating fortress unleashes a massive missile barrage that destroys the entire planet of Hala. The heroes narrowly escape and Nova is able to secure the Black Vortex from the Slaughter Lords. The Collector follows Nova back to Earth and attempts to steal the Vortex, but Nova runs away back to Spartax and unknowingly returns it to Mister Knife who then powers up Thane.[6] Thane then uses his super-powered "Living Death" power and engulfs Spartax in amber. Mister Knife then allows the Brood to invade Spartax and use its citizens as hosts. His plan was to take out the two largest empires, Spartax and Hala, then allow the Brood to spread. Then, together they will take over the galaxy.[7]
Cyclops, Iceman, and Groot are captured by the Slaughter Lords, but are able to escape and steal the Black Vortex. They give themselves cosmic powers and pass the Vortex to Captain Marvel.[8] She is confronted by a super-powered Thane and Mister Knife. She resists the temptation to use the Vortex, and instead uses the mirror surface to reflect Thane's Living Death blast at Mister Knife, who is then encased in amber. Gala then returns and defeats Thane, but attempts to destroy the Black Vortex before it can corrupt anyone.[9] Captain Marvel is able to return the Vortex to the team and they debate who should use the power one more time to save Spartax. Jean Grey offers, but everybody is worried about a repeat of the Dark Phoenix. Star-Lord contemplates, but knows if he is super-powered he will waste his potential. Kitty Pryde volunteers to shoulder the burden. Gala agrees to it being used one last time.[10] Kitty Pryde now has cosmic powers and uses her phasing ability to phase out the entire planet of Spartax from the amber, except for the Brood, which are then destroyed. the Slaughter Lords retreat. Cyclops, Iceman, Groot, and Beast return their cosmic powers, but Gamora, Angel, Kitty and Ronan keep theirs. Star-Lord then proposes to Kitty and Gala takes away the Black Vortex. The Collector collects the amber-encased Mister Knife. The Ebony Maw then attaches himself to the cosmically powered Thane.[11]
In the aftermath, Ronan vows to rebuild the Kree Empire and Victoria, Star-Lord's half-sister, meets with the Collector. She strikes a deal with him in order to secure Mister Knife's body, but secretly steals the last remaining seed of the Kree Supreme Intelligence.[12]
Titles involved
| Number | Title | Issue(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Prologue | ||
| Legendary Star-Lord | #4-8 | |
| Main series | ||
| Part One | Guardians of the Galaxy & X-Men: The Black Vortex Alpha | #1 |
| Part Two | Guardians of the Galaxy (vol. 3) | #24 |
| Part Three | Legendary Star-Lord | #9 |
| Part Four | All New X-Men | #38 |
| Part Five | All New X-Men | #39 |
| Part Six | Guardians Team-Up | #3 |
| Part Seven | Guardians of the Galaxy (vol. 3) | #25 |
| Part Eight | Nova (vol. 5) | #28 |
| Part Nine | Legendary Star-Lord | #10 |
| Part Ten | Cyclops (vol. 3) | #12 |
| Part Eleven | Captain Marvel (vol. 8) | #14 |
| Part Twelve | Legendary Star-Lord | #11 |
| Part Thirteen | Guardians of the Galaxy & X-Men: The Black Vortex Omega | #1 |
Collected editions
| Title | Material collected | Pages | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guardians of the Galaxy & X-Men: The Black Vortex | Guardians of the Galaxy & X-Men: The Black Vortex Alpha #1, Guardians of the Galaxy (vol. 3) #24-25, Legendary Star-Lord #9-11, All-New X-Men #38-39, Guardians Team-Up #2, Nova (vol. 5) #28, Cyclops (vol. 3) #12, Captain Marvel (vol. 8) #14, Guardians of the Galaxy & X-Men: The Black Vortex Omega #1. | 312 | July 14, 2015 | 978-0785197706 |
In other media
The Black Vortex storyline was added as an add-on mission in the Facebook game Marvel: Avengers Alliance in June 2016.[13]
References
- ↑ Legendary Star-Lord #2
- ↑ Legendary Star-Lord #7
- ↑ Legendary Star-Lord #8
- ↑ Guardians of the Galaxy & X-Men: The Black Vortex Alpha #1
- ↑ Guardians of the Galaxy (vol. 3) #24
- ↑ Nova (vol. 5) #28
- ↑ Legendary Star-Lord #10
- ↑ Cyclops (vol. 3) #12
- ↑ Captain Marvel (vol. 8) #14
- ↑ Legendary Star-Lord #11
- ↑ Guardians of the Galaxy & X-Men: The Black Vortex Omega #1
- ↑ Legendary Star-Lord #12
- ↑ Morse, Ben (2016-06-21). "Go Inside Avengers Alliance: Spec Op 35 | News". Marvel.com. Retrieved 2016-07-01.
External links
- "Guardians of the Galaxy & X-Men: Black Vortex Alpha Vol 1 1". Marvel Database.
- "The Black Vortex Reading Order Checklist". How To Love Comics.