New Mutants Volume One Issue 34

Posted by John Klein III on January 31, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

New Mutants V1 34

Writer Chris Claremont

Artist Steve Leialoha

Colorist Glynis Oliver

Letterers Buhalis & Orzechowski

Cover Dated December 1985

So last issue, it looked like Magik betrayed the team to Shadow King, who is currently using Karma’s body, as a host.  Warlock isn’t happy about that.

New Mutants V1 34 Magik 1

Warlock is out to hurt Magik!  Which is silly, as Magik can defeat every member of the team, but I guess trying deserves a few points.

New Mutants V1 34 Magik 2

Magik believes that Warlock has been given some bad advice from that always-scheming S’ym.  Since this fight is happening in Limbo, the demons of the realm want to help their boss.  I could always be down for a miniseries or ongoing, of just the politics of Limbo, as I can only imagine that Magik has a slew of contacts and friends there.  Will, not anymore, since she absorbed the region, but during the classic years.

Warlock wants to attack but Dani told him never to absorb living matter, unless she told him too.  Since she is a hostage of Karma, all bets are off!

New Mutants V1 34 Magik 3

He turns two of the demons into techno-organic matter, so that he can absorb them, properly.  Magik knows that this is her fate, if Warlock has his way.  But she governs this realm, and can do anything she desires.  I like how she refers to it as “my magick is law” does she pronounce it with a very hard k?

Magik changes from her New Mutants uniform to a powder blue dress, to calm him down.  She looks so different, dressed like an innocent girl.  She tells him that she has a plan and he is important to it.  Warlock is still not trusting of her, so if he wants to kill her, she won’t stop him.  This conflict blows up his head, as they are friends.

My copy is in VF condition, which I normally don’t really notice it but this copy of the issue, has some thick inks over some words.

Warlock starts melting, so disappointed in himself.  She gives him a very encouraging pep talk and he is back together.  I do like how he keeps calling her, OnceFriend.  Like Doug is, TrueFriend, and I want to say he calls Wolfsbane, FirstFriend.

Magik opens a scrying pool, to spy on Karma.  So they must not know that she is being controlled by the Shadow King, yet.  The rest of the New Mutants and Storm, are Karma’s prisoners and puppets.

Karma has instructed Storm to humiliate her body and have her soul savaged.  Since this goes against Storm’s true nature, she starts fighting the command.  Karma brags that only Xavier can resister her commands.

Illyana feels horrible, as she herself has been made into a slave of a foul and cruel master.

I do like Karma insulting her clientele, loud enough for everyone to hear.  They may think her disgusting but her club, Pharaoh, is the hottest place to be.

Karma starts toying with Storm, stating that Storm knows Karma’s true identity, that of Xavier’s oldest, bitterest and deadliest foe.  I suppose that is up for debate, who is the biggest opponent of Xavier’s, Magneto or Shadow King?  I think as exclusively Xavier villains, the Shadow King gets the point but I feel like Storm shares him with Xavier.  Magneto is more of a team villain but so is Shadow King.

Karma King’s big goal, for the night, is to do some psychic operations, to ensure that her puppets are her’s for all time.

Cairo, twenty years ago.  So Storm must be 26 or 28, I can buy that.  We see (as does Magik and Warlock) Ororo stealing Xavier’s wallet.  Xavier stops Ororo but then Xavier is stopped by an unknown force (Shadow King).  I adore how happy Magik is, with herself, for getting a time jump correct.

Magik witnesses the great mental battle of Xavier v Amahl Farouk, the Shadow King.  I love that Leialoha doesn’t cut to the astral plane.  We see Xavier sit down, Farouk fall face first onto a table and Xavier get up.  That is how you do it!

New Mutants V1 34 Magik 4

Magik uses some sweet deduction skills, and figure out that Farouk may have physically died but may have lived on, psychically.  I do like how of the New Mutants, Magik and Warlock have the least experience with Karma, so they are having to figure out why this former team member has turn bad.

Warlock brings up the excellent point, that they should probably call the X-Men, but FriendIllyana tells him that they don’t have any time, after tonight, the stakes will be at an all time low, as Karma would permanently have control of their friends and Storm.

Is the kiss to Warlock, Magik’s first kiss?  It is on the check but still,, it should count.

Pharoh.  Shade-ma (Shadow King / Karma) tells Ororo how Shadow King survived.  Once his body was dead, he escaped onto the Astral Plane.  It took a while for him to focus, and once he did, he found Karma in a weaken form.  Shadow King’s scheme is to find another body, and leave Karma to be arrested for his crimes.  Plus, super overweight.  Shadow King plans on having Storm kill Xavier, which would be a bonus.

There is a two page ad for the NBC Saturday Morning lineup –

1985-1986
Snorks
Adventures of Gummi Bears
Smurfs
Punky Brewster
Alvin & the Chipmunks
Kidd Video
Mr. T
Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends
Plus : One to Grow On

During Shadow Karma’s big speech, Illyana interrupts, like a boss!  One can’t merely lock a door, against a teleporter.  Magik wants to be Shadow Karma’s partner.  S/he wants to seal the deal with a kiss.

New Mutants V1 34 Magik 5

Shadow Karma starts crushing Illyana’s hands. As this is happening, Illyana is teleporting the team away.  As her hands are about to be crushed, her entire body melts away.  It was never Magik, it was Warlock!  Which is pretty awesome of Claremont, as I wouldn’t have anticipated that.  Thanks to their unique abilities, Shadow Karma wouldn’t have been able to read either of Magik and Warlock’s minds, so this twist is a real surprised.

Since Magik brought the team to Limbo, she can undo any damage anyone did, as in Limbo – she rules supreme.  The team returns, super enraged and ready for a battle!  Dani makes FarouKarma (Warock’s name and it really does work!) see their worst nightmare, which is invading helicopters in Vietnam.  So Karma is in confront.

New Mutants V1 34 Magik 6

Poor Karma, wakes up, possibly in the worst situation.  Cannonbal and Sunspot are quick to think that Farouk has jumped into another body.  Wolfsbane is taken out, as she would be able to detect his presence.

Illyana shouts that Farouk must be in Storm’s body and jumps at her, with soulsword primed to strike!

The Checklist –

New Mutants 34
Squadron Supreme 4
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe 1, completely revised and up-dated!
Power Pack 17
Micronaunts 15
Alpha Flight 29
Longshot 4 – guest-starring Spider-Man and She-Hulk
Vision and Scarlet Witch 3
ROM Annual 4- Guest-starring Gladiator and the Imperial Guard, from the X-Men!
Marvel Heroes for Hope – A special event featuring the X-Men
ROM 73
Nightcrawler 2
X-Men 200 – Magneto is tried before the World Court in Paris, in this anniversary double-sized issue
X-Men / Alpha Flight 1 – Mutants united to battle the menace of Loki!  Special cross-over with the New Mutants Special 1
Secret Wars II 6 – Featuring the greatest super hero of all — The Beyonder!  With Cloak & Dagger, Power Pack, the Micronauts Thor, Power Man and Iron Fist!
New Mutants Special 1 – Up against the combined might of Loki and the Enchantress by Claremont, Art Adams and Austin!  Special cross-over with X-Men / Alpha Flight 1.
Marvel Agge 33 – A first look at X-Factor!

New Mutants V1 34 Magik 7

Magik does a classic fake out and stabs Doug!  oh Dani, she says (very loudly) that Doug is their weakest member!  That’s pretty harsh!  Pretty good plan, on Farouk’s part.  That could have been a decent What If, right there!

Storm fights DougFarouk but Karma gets to give the finishing blow.  Cool visuals, Doug v Karma, until we cut to the Astral Plane.  We get to see Karma’s original skinny body.

New Mutants V1 34 Magik 8

Shadow King escapes.  Karma freaks out, as she rather die than have him take over her body again.  Karma starts straight weeping, as she is super overweight and ashame of everything that has gone on.  The team promises to stick with her, and will get her back to normal.  Which segues us to New Mutants Special Edition, where Karma will lose all of the weight due to Loki putting her in the middle of a desert, and letting her walk it off.  That Loki, he is a good guy.

There is a house ad for Nightcrawler’s original miniseries, that is awesome, written and drawn by legend – Dave Cockrum.  The minsieries also guest stars Lockheed!

Inside back cover is for Secret Wars II 6 with its tie in issues – Thor 363, Micronauts 16, Power Man and Iron Fist 121, Power Pack 16 and Cloak and Dagger 5.

. . .

So again, long time readers know this – but today is my birthday.  I am now 34 years old today – hence the issue 34 reviews.  I’m a clever one.

Please come back tomorrow for the beginning of . . . Lockpool Month!  Or, Deadheed Month!  We are going to do both Lockheed Month and Deadpool!  Sort of like last August, when I tried to do both Big Brother and a proper Fantastic Four Event Month.  I’m hoping it all works out though.

Greatest WWE Match of All Time

Posted by John Klein III on January 30, 2016
Posted in: Uncategorized. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

Thanks to DailyMotion’s Rock Wrestling Inc for hosting the video!

Wrestlemania 21 (2005) gave us Shawn Michaels v Kurt Angle in the greatest match up of all time!  These two technicians gave us everything they had and then some!

The entire PPV was worth it just for these two fighting each other!

Groot 2

Posted by John Klein III on January 29, 2016
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Groot 2

Writer Jess Loveness

Artist Brian kesinger

Letterer Jeff Eckleberry

Cover Artists Declan Shalvey & Jordie Bellaire

I bought this for the cover.  So great that Kitty, Illyana and Rachel all made the cover, if only Lockheed did too!

Groot 2 Recap

Last issue, Groot and Rocket were on their way to Earth when a bounty hunter, Eris, captured Rocket and now Groot has to get him back.

Issue opens with Grrot’s fantasy of Earth superheroes, all appearing like Groot and all speaking his language.  We see Groot inspired – Hulk, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Iceman, Falcon, Iron Man, Scarlet Witch, Cyclops, Black Panther, Howard the Duck, Thing, Doctor Strange, Elektra and Utau the Watcher.  The fantasy continues as we see – Galactus, Captain America, Thor, Human Torch, Invisible Woman, Colossus and Storm.

This series takes place prior to Secret Wars 2015.

Turns out, this sequence was brought on due to Groot getting hit by a space bus.  Groot falls off the buss and we get a flashback to how Groot and Rocket met each other.

Years ago.  These jerkwad guards are harassing Groot, as he can only say – I am Groot.  Groot has enough and fights back, and is thrown into, The Pt.  In there, is also Rocket.  They spend so much time together, that Rocket eventually learns Groot’s language.

One day, the power goes out and Rocket and Groot fight a slew of guards and escape the prison.

Groot finds a tracker that can guide him to Rocket, when he is struck by something.  Issue ends with the reveal that Silver Surfer and his female companion, Dawn Greenwood, were the ones that hit Groot.  Silver Surfer gets the fun line of “He is Groot.”

The Letters page – Looseleaf – has letters from Mason, Cathy U, Anthony B, Jose S, Kevin Dean and Paul Abramowitz.   I sent an e-mail to mheroes@marvel.com – we will see if it gets printed.

Pretty nice issue.

Gypsy Stories

Posted by John Klein III on January 28, 2016
Posted in: Websites. Tagged: . Leave a comment

So I just typed all of this for my X-Men Classic 49 review but thought it would work as a separate post.

When I was a child, I didn’t respect the whole ‘fortune teller’ gimmick and the lady probably picked up on that at the state festival.  She read a few cards, showed them to me and told me that I was going to die on August 23, 2023.  She didn’t give me the date but told me this sequence of numbers that if I did it right (the memory of the math hasn’t stuck with me like the original plot and the date has).  So that has messed me up and I want to say I was ten or eleven at the time.

My second experience with gypsies came on the last day of the Shakespearean Festival that a club I was part of went to in Phoenix.  Money was running low and we were just trying to get back to the bus.  This was circa May 2000, or right before it as I was definitely a senior at that point.  This lady tried to get my attention and to buy a chocolate covered frozen banana.  I like bananas but never been a huge chocolate fan.  Plus it was frozen, I didn’t want to deal with all that and so I turn it down.  She aggressively tried to bargain with me (not sure why it was so important to her) and I again turn her down.  Then she placed a curse on me that whenever I see a chocolate cover frozen banana, I will instantly start desiring one and my mouth will start watering.

Which just typing all of that, has made my mouth water.  It is so silly but I’ve been cursed!  The only time I’ve seen one or had it offered to me is at the Prospect Avenue Dairy Queen.  It was a sign on their drive through window.  I read the sign and my mouth starts to water.  Good thing they didn’t ask me if I wanted one!

So those two stories and Doctor Doom, are my only experience with gypsies.

What I need is a positive experience with a gypsy.

http://www.7is7.com/otto/countdown.html?year=2023&month=8&date=23&ts=24&hrs=0&min=0&sec=0&lang=en&show=YMWdhms&mode=t&cdir=down&bgcolor=%23CCFFFF&fgcolor=%23000000&title=Countdown%20To%20Death

I could not figure out a way to get it to just show up here.

Ooof, I am getting older as nine years is so much less than the 30 years I remember thinking was forever from now.  By August 23, 2023 – I would be 41 which now seems too young.

Howard the Duck Volume Five Issue 4

Posted by John Klein III on January 27, 2016
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Howard the Duck 4

Writer Chip “Stan Lee” Zdarsky

Artist Joe “Stanley Lieber” Quinones

Additional Inks Joe “The Man” Rivera

Color Artists Rico “Excelsior” Renzi & Rachelle “Face Front” Rosenberg

Letterer Travis “True Believer” Lanham

Howard the Duck 4 Recap Page

I like comics that have fun recap pages, this one makes me want to check out the previous issues.  Squirrel Girl’s recap pages are pretty fun too.  Previously, in this series – Howard the Duck took on a case where he was hired to locate a lost necklace.  He found it, somehow ended up in space with a guest appearance by Rocket.  He got back to Earth and Aunt May (that one!) ended up stealing the necklace.  This was part of a scheme the Ringmaster (of Circus of Crime fame), that involved getting the elderly to commit his crimes.  Turns out, the guy who hired Howard, was Talos the Untamed!

http://marvel.wikia.com/Talos_(Earth-616)

A character Peter David created, along with Gary Frank, way back in June 1994 in the pages of Incredible Hulk 418.

http://www.milehighcomics.com/cgi-bin/backissue.cgi?action=list&title=42172865216&publisher=MV&snumber=441&instock=1

Which is the issue that Rick Jones married Marlo during.  Mile High Comics, at the most expensive, has a copy for $7.20 or $2, if you don’t mind having dulexe edition.  The cheapest is $2.35 or $1.50, the deluxe being a lower quality so I would go with the cheaper but Fine quality but I’m not really sure what the difference between the DeluxeNews and the Special versions.

Talos has twelve appearances.

Onto the issue.  Detective Mike is also getting a recap from Howard.  It has been thirty minutes, since the previous issue.  Howard the Duck used his Duck-Fu to fight Talos.  Peter Parker is not happy that his never-dying aunt was used as a pawn.

The Next Day in New! York! Cityyyyy!  Howard is telling his friend, Tara Tam, that he is going to keep investigating the necklace.  He is going to go consort his old friend, Doctor Strange – from the cover.  I like how Editor Wil Moss (who probably don’t have time for two l’s) instructs that we look at the cover, to see who Doctor Strange is.

Greenwich Village, NYC.  Yes, it is a village inside a city, just go with it.  Wong, at Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum, tries to cover for the good doctor, as he is busy at the moment – in a different dimension.  Howard, knowing that he can help with that, jumps into the portal.  Tara stays back, as she doesn’t like magic.

Howard using some Duck-Fu on some demons and finds Strange, at a poker game!  Strange, sometimes, makes up these elaborate tales, so that he can spend a few minutes away from Wong.

Once back, Howard takes the opportunity to use this information to tell Wong and Tara that he saved Strange’s life.  Strange, not wanting to lose his cover story or the ability to use a cover story, to have to swallow his pride and confirmed that Howard did save his life.  So funny.

Strange reveals that there is a second famous, gauntlet, the Abundant Glove.  The gems that go onto it are – Compassion / Laughter / Dance / Respect / A Second Dance Gem.  It is clearly the B-Grade hand accessory.  It is the Mark Wahlberg to Matt Damon’s Infinity Gauntlet.  Strange has found the location of the gem and the trio (minus Wong) go on a slight trip.

Soon.  Shortly.  Soonly.  The trio run into Human Torch, who gives a little background on his experience with the gem.

Howard the Duck 4 Kitty Pryde Mention

We get to the reason why I bought this issue!  Good ol’ Colossus cheating on Kitty with Zsaji, keeps paying off with my Marvel purchases.

I like how Johnny Storm refers to his shameless flirting as “Captain Kirking” but the responses from the ladies is to be disgusted.  Awesome use of ‘new continuity’ by having Deadpool being present in Secret Wars.  I thought it was just the cover blurb about the new miniseries.  That’s a fun synergy.

Also great?  That Spider-Man panel, the middle outfit is the outfit Peter Parker wore in Amazing Fantasy 15!

So great, that the present day scene takes place at the Fantastic Four’s Pier 4 headquarters.  Johnny brought the gem home and just lost it, in the move or sometime later.

Now this new group of four go to Bohemian Valhalla, where cool warriors chill.  One-bedrooms starting at $850.00, opening Fall 2015.

I do like the Human Torch thinking that the trio were the current roster for the Defenders, with Strange leading them.

The heroes get to the corner where the gem should be and a huge explosion occurs.

Issue ends with Talos the Untamed, with the Abundant Glove – fully stocked.

There is a huge back up feature, drawn by Katie Cook and colored by Heather Breckel.  It stars Howard the Duck, White Rabbit (who I feel like I just saw in another comic, not too long ago) and Ant Man.

The Letters Page, Feather Regons – has letters from – “Quack” Goettemoeller, Jack Cooper of Cardiff, Wales and Adam.  I sent a letter, we’ll see if it ever gets printed.

Ogun

Posted by John Klein III on January 26, 2016
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Kitty’s only true arch nemesis, an enemy so connected with her that she’s had three miniseries that have dealt with him.

She first met Ogun, who was one of Wolverine’s sensei back in the day – which was a Wednesday, in Kitty Pryde and Wolverine.  Which I really do enjoy the fact that she got top billing in her first miniseries and over Wolverine, that’s pretty impressive!

Then SHIELD recruits her in Kitty Pryde : Agent of SHIELD, as Ogun’s spirit is haunting one of their hellicarriers.

Kitty Pryde : Shadow and Flame – has her dealing with his clan that is trying to keep his memory alive.

He has also shown up in various issues of Wolverine – which makes sense.

So of his 23 appearances, I am only missing three of them.  Which means I own 87 percent of his appearance.

Ogun has a cult following in Shadow and Flame as well as an appearance in X-Men Legacy 2 & 3 where he also had a clan following.

I am missing the three issues of Wolverine Saga that he appearances in. Issue two is also on my wishlist. Wolverine Saga is essentially a retelling of Wolverine’s life concluding in 1989. Which sounds pretty ambitious.

Ogun is another character, clearly, that I am making a point of collecting.  Usually, he just shows up whenever Logan thinks of all of his enemies he has fought.

The only other foe of Kitty’s I can think of is Alice Tremaine, the leader of the Purity division at the University of Chicago.  I own every appearance she has made, which is only eight.  I’m missing Uncanny X-Men 449.

Deadpool’s Secret Secret Wars 2

Posted by John Klein III on January 25, 2016
Posted in: Review, Websites. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars 2

Writer Cullen Bunn

Artist Matteo Lolli

Colorist Ruth Redmond

Letterer VC’s Joe Sabino

Now.  Battleworld.  Deadpool is still under the impression that the heroes are dead.  Just then the Lizard jumps at him, as Lizard is under the impression that Deadpool may be the one who broke Wasp’s heart.  So did Deadpool get Magneto’s role from the original Secret Wars story?  Deadpool admits to Wasp using and seducing him, so that doesn’t help matters.  Deadpool ends up ripping off Lizard’s tail, which seems rather harsh.

A Few Days Earlier.  Deadpool is with the X-Men as they prepare to leave the hero’s base for Magneto’s.  We get some funny comments from Deadpool here.  Storm states that they will bear no oppression and Deadpool chimes in that they will also not oppress any bears.  Wolverine sees where this is heading and tells Deadpool that he isn’t a mutant, thus he shouldn’t be there.  Deadpool defends himself – Wolverine stabs things, so does he.  Storm has control over lightning but he can sense the electricity.  Strangely, he states that he can’t teleport like Nightcrawler, which throughout his first ongoing, he was teleporting all over the place – so maybe that came with the Joe Kelly’s legendary run?

Xavier senses Spider-Man and we get that quick fight where Spider-Man defends himself against the entire X-Men, which still seems out of place.

Brian Cronin of Comics Should Be Good, writes more about it her e-

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2015/04/02/the-wrong-side-spider-man-vs-the-x-men/

Then keeps making fun references to it, whenever Spider-Man is featured in The Wrong Side feature –

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/category/the-wrong-side/

or really, whenever he can bring up Spider-Man, he mentions how Spider-Man trounced the X-Men to great humorous effect.

Spider-Man runs off and Deadpool gives chase.  Spider-Man wants to find the other heroes and snitch on the defectors.

Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars 2 Lockheed 1 Shield

Spider-Man enters a room full with shields, with images of events the series, both of the past and yet to come scenarios.

We get a pretty nice Deadpool v Spider-Man fight sequence.  The fight ends with Spider-Man swinging Deadpool into the shields and he webslings away.

Deadpool grabs a shield and meets back up with Xavier and Wolverine.  Xavier has mind wiped Spider-Man, so the X-Men’s plan is okay.  Xavier senses some sort of psychic energy off of Deadpool’s sword.  We get the image of Ryan Reynolds, as Deadpool, spoofing Burt Reynolds’ pose on the carpet in front of a fireplace.

Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool spoofing Burt Reynolds

Now.  Deadpool is trying to talk sense into Lizard.  Deadpool tells Lizard that he is trying to save the Wasp, which calms Lizard down.

That Time With The Mountain.  The classic moment from Secret Wars 4, with the mountain being dropped on the heroes, including Deadpool.  Hulk is holing it up as Reed tries to make a machine to free them.  Deadpool takes on the role of angering the Hulk, which frees up Reed.

There is a fun gag about Deadpool trying to make Captain America jealous as Deadpool’s shield showed him pictures and all Cap’s shield does is be thrown.  Reed takes the machinery out of Deadpool’s shield, which Deadpool is sure that Cap must be happy about that.

Now.  Lizard tells Deadpool that Wasp fixed up Lizard’s arm, which is why he is so protective of her.

Earlier.  Zsaji, the healer, is healing She-Hulk.  She-Hulk sees that Deadpool is hurting but he is only hurting emotionally as he misses his shield.  She tells him to go get healed, which Zsaji is just finishing up with Human Torch.  She heals Deadpool, and with the cancer gone, he is handsome and mustachio.  He picks her up and proclaims his love for her.  We can see that Human Torch never got to bag her, so that probably means Colossus will not be falling for her either.

The issue ends with the shield flickering to life and showing Deadpool holding Zsaji in that classic Pieta pose.

Next issue promises to deal with Secret Wars 8 with the symbiotic black costume but on Deadpool!  of course

2015 X-Books Awards Results

Posted by John Klein III on January 24, 2016
Posted in: Lists. Tagged: . Leave a comment

WorstBlogEver announced the winners!

http://community.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?67378-2015-X-Book-Awards-The-Results

FINAL RESULTS:

1/18/2016
Best Onomatopoeia
Winner: CRACK
Doom breaking Cyclops’ neck in Secret Wars 2015 4

Best Quote
2nd Runner-up: “I want them to see the Wolverine coming.“- X-23
1st Runner-up: “Of course i was &#$% right!” – Inferno’s Cyclops

Winner: “To me, my X-Men!“- Storm
from Extraordinary X-Men

Most Bizarre Moment (Rouge Mort Trophy)
Winner: The Utopians

Most Shocking Moment
Winner: God Doom breaks Cyclops’ neck!
Secret Wars 2015 4

Funniest Moment
Winner: Gabby the Clone saves fingers
All New Wolverine

Best Fight/Battle
2nd Runner-up: Civil War Storm vs. Civil War Iron Man
1st Runner-up: God Doom vs. Cyclops, Secret Wars 2015 4
Winner: Martha Johansson vs. Rachel Grey
Spider-Man and the X-Men

Best Death:
2nd Runner-up: Matthew Malloy, Uncanny X-Men Volume Three
1st Runner-up: Clone X-23_3PAR, All New X-Men
Winner: Cyclops

Secret Wars 2015 4

1/19/2016
Best Romance/Kiss:
Winner: Kitty Pryde and Star Lord, I voted for this one!

Best Crossover
2nd Runner-up: Last Days of . . . Magneto, I read the final issue
1st Runner-up: Black Vortex, I’m a fan
Winner: Secret Wars 2015, not enough X-Involvement (in the series proper) but it was the defining crossover of the year

Low Point of the Year
Winner: Handling of the Outgoing of Teen Iceman, All New X-Men 40

High Point of the Year
Winner: Teen Iceman comes out, All New X-Men 40

Most Missed Character
2nd Runner-up: Warpath
1st Runner-up: Banshee
Winner: Dani Moonstar, two years running now

Best Debut Character
2nd Runner-up : The Endless Summers, Siege

I was stumped for this category, I should have said Magik from Siege and Kitty Pryde from “Star Lord and Kitty Pryde”

1st Runner-up: Azimuth, Extraordinary X-Men

Winner: Bo! Who I actually voted for! Glad others thought of her too.

Breakthrough Character
Winner: Sunspot, Avengers

Best Mutant Appearing Outside an X-book
2nd Runner-up: Dazzler, A-Force
1st Runner-up: Sunspot, Avengers
Winner: Rogue, Uncanny Avengers

1/20/2016
Least Favorite Villain(s)
2nd Runner-up: Luminous, Uncanny Avengers
1st Runner-up: Mathew Malloy, Uncanny X-Men
Winner: Mystique, Wolverines

Best Villain(s)
2nd Runner-up: Magik of Inferno, so dark and twisted!
1st Runner-up: Goblyn Queen of Inferno, I would have switched these two
Winner: Mister Sinister, Secret Wars 2015, Age of Apocalypse, Inferno and A-Force (he got around)

Least Favorite Hero
2nd Runner-up: Beast
1st Runner-up: Fantomex (X-Force)
Winner: Teen Jean Grey (All New X-Men)

Best Hero
2nd Runner-up: Magneto
1st Runner-up: Magik
Winner: Storm

1/21/2016
Least Favorite Cover
2nd Runner-up: Uncanny X-Men 600 Morlock Cover, also the Paul Smith variant, which means it should be on a least favorite list!
1st Runner-up: Age of Apocalypse 4
Winner: E is for Extinction 4

I didn’t buy any of these!

Best Cover
2nd Runner-up: Storm Volume Three Issue 10
1st Runner-up: All New Wolverine 1 Hip Hop Variant
Winner: Storm Volume Three Issue 11

I also don’t own any of these!

Best One-Shot
2nd Runner-up: Guardians of the Galaxy & X-Men : Black Vortex – Omega 1
1st Runner-up: Guardians of the Galaxy & X-Men : Black Vortex – Alpha 1
Winner: Uncanny X-Men 600

Least Favorite Miniseries
2nd Runner-up: Age of Apocalypse Volume Three
1st Runner-up: Secret Wars 2015
Winner: E is for Extinction

Best Miniseries
2nd Runner-up: Siege, Volume Two – so good!
1st Runner-up: Inferno – so twisted!
Winner: X-Men 92

1/22/2016
Least Favorite Story from a Single X-Title
2nd Runner-up: Counter-Evolution – Uncanny Avengers Volume Two
1st Runner-up: The Last Will and Testament of Charles Xavier – Uncanny X-Men Volume Three
If only it was four issues and two issues of fallout, it probably would have been better
Winner: Utopians – All New X-Men
So many missed opportunities

Best Story from a Single X-Title
2nd Runner-up: Bring the Thunder – Storm Volume Three
1st Runner-up: Once and Future Juggernaut – Amazing X-Men Volume Two
Lots of fun moments!
Winner: Last Days of Magneto – Magneto Volume Three

Least Favorite Ongoing
2nd Runner-up: Spider-Man and the X-Men
The one issue I read of it, wasn’t that bad
1st Runner-up: All New X-Men Volume One
Winner: Uncanny X-Men Volume Three
Bendis lost some luster on his run, towards the end, too many place holders
Best Ongoing
2nd Runner-up: Amazing X-Men Volume Two
1st Runner-up: Storm Volume Three
Winner: Magneto Volume Three

Best Artist
2nd Runner-up: Chris Bachalo
1st Runner-up: Victor Inanez
Winner: Andrea Sorrentino

Best Writer:
2nd Runner-up: Greg Pak
1st Runner-up: Simon Spurrier
Winner: Cullen Bunn

Thanks WBE for compiling the list!

Inferno 2

Posted by John Klein III on January 23, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Inferno 2

Writer Dennis Hopeless

Art Javier Garron

Colors Chris Sotomayor

Letters VC’s Joe Sabino

The Streets of Inferno.

Issue opens with a Morlock looking dude dragging Meltdown’s almost dead body to his master.  Who is a scientist.

Inferno 2 Magik mention 1

Goblin District, Inferno.  Maddie Pryor has summoned the bulk of her horde.  She introduces Colossus to them and then throws him down at them. I love her insults about Colossus, and his tiny red shorts.

S’ym and Havok have a quick discussion, explaining (to us, I imagine) what the Goblin Queen’s true intentions are.  She is hoping to incite a riot and force Colossus to fight back the masses and earn their respect.

One of the demons, riding a giant green T-Rex like demon, takes the first shot at Colossus.  The goblin has the ability to possess anything demonic – so he is able to control Colossus’ right arm that Darkchild twisted and corrupted.

Colossus has already spent six of his allotted twenty four hours.  I don’t quite recall what happens at the twenty four hour period, besides Cyclops getting to say, I told you so.   Colossus gets mad enough to drop the goblin.

Inferno 2 Magik Mention 2

Maddie Pryor is happy that her scheme is working.  Colossus discovered Illyana’s soulsword and grabs it.  His Rasputin blood makes it so that he can wield it.  It helps that he uses his demon enchanted hand.  It makes him radically stronger (and cooler).  The horde now both fear and respect him.  He can be the leader now.

The Goblin Queen’s Prision.  Meanwhile .  . . Domino runs into young Nate Summers, whose Techno-Organic virus is running rampant over his left side of his body.  They are getting along nicely, which is an awesome call back to their friendship in the former Marvel Universe.  They bond over their mutual love for armory.

Inferno 2 Darkchild 1

The Darkchild’s Base of Operations.  We see what Darkchild is up to with Nightcrawler, it isn’t good.

Darkchild has been torturing her former friend (it has been five years so the friendship is probably waning).  as another demon watches and enjoys the show.  The demon’s name is, N’astirh.  Kurt makes the mistake of referring to his soul, which Darkchild is attempting to break.

Inferno 2 Darkchild 2

Poor poor Kurt.  He gets his soul ripped out of him!  This title just got even more intense!

Inferno 2 Magik Mention 3

Colossus wants to know where Maddie got his sister’s sword.  Illyana, apparently, got cocky and dropped it and never came back for it.  Colossus starts to have a running commentary in his head but Pryor can read his mind, which is new.

The Goblin Queen suggests a partnership, as they both want the same thing – Illyana Rasputin, back to the way she was.

Inferno 2 Magik Mention 4

Colossus wants Illyana alive and Pyror doesn’t necessarily need that to be the case.  She explains that the soulsword, used against the Darkchild, should save her.

A grenade is dropped into the room and Colossus takes the blunt of it.  Domino comes in, armed and Nate can’t believe what his new friend is attempting to do.  Nathan is upset as he doesn’t want his mother to be harmed.  Colossus strikes Nathan, which is harsh as he is a man and Nathan is barely a teenager.

Inferno 2 Magik Mention 5

This may be my favorite page of the issue.  I sort of love seeing Maddie being a mother to Nathaniel, we barely got to see that in the proper issues.

Nathan wants to be called, Cable and the look on Maddie’s face is awesome and priceless.

Colossus is reunited with his girlfriend, Domino, so he only needs to find Kurt and Meltdown now.

Inferno 2 Darkchild 3

Gagzee, a spy – I imagine – quickly tells Darkchild that her brother not only has her souldsword but has aligned himself with the Goblin Queen.

Darkchild isn’t even breaking a sweat.

Inferno 2 Darkchild 4

The issue ends with Darkchild revealing Nightcrawler’s current state, which looks like an awesome dragon thing.  It most likely resembles a proper nightcrawler, but larger.  Shit is getting real, yo!

It isn’t that as a nightcrawler is a worm, which I forget that.

I can’t wait for the third issue!

Marvel 2016 April Solicitations

Posted by John Klein III on January 22, 2016
Posted in: Solicitations. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

http://www.newsarama.com/27576-marvel-comics-april-2016-solicitations.html

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #8
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • MIKE DEODATo (A/C)
“THE WAR MACHINES” PART 3!
• Spider-Man, War Machine and Iron Man team up to stop a brand new threat to the Marvel Universe… like only they can. All this plus more hints to next summer’s insane Marvel blockbuster event.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

            Makes sense that Spider-Man will show up in this title, with Mary Jane being around now.

 BLACK PANTHER #1
TA-NEHISI COATES (W) • BRIAN STELFREEZE (A/C)
VARIANT COVER BY ALEX ROSS
VARIANT COVER BY OLIVIER COIPEL
HIP-HOP VARIANT COVER BY BRIAN STELFREEZE
CONNECTING VARIANT COVER A BY SANFORD GREENE
DESIGN VARIANT COVER BY BRIAN STELFREEZE
BLACK PANTHER 50TH ANNIVERSARY VARIANT COVER BY FELIPE SMITH
VARIANT COVER BY RYAN SOOK
YOUNG VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
GAME VARIANT COVER BY KABAM
BLANK COVER ALSO AVAILABLE
A new era for the Black Panther starts here!
Written by MacArthur Genius and National Book Award winner TA-NEHISI COATES (Between the World and Me) and illustrated by living legend BRIAN STELFREEZE, “A Nation Under Our Feet” is a story about dramatic upheaval in Wakanda and the Black Panther’s struggle to do right by his people as their ruler. The indomitable will of Wakanda — the famed African nation known for its vast wealth, advanced technology and warrior traditions — has long been reflected in the will of its monarchs, the Black Panthers. But now the current Black Panther, T’Challa, finds that will tested by a superhuman terrorist group called The People that has sparked a violent uprising among the citizens of Wakanda. T’Challa knows the country must change to survive — the question is, will the Black Panther survive the change?
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

This title makes sense too, and I’ll be skipping it for the time being.

GWENPOOL #1
CHRISTOPHER HASTINGS (W) • GURIHIRU (A/C)
VARIANT COVER BY FRANCISCO HERRERA
VARIANT COVER BY STACEY LEE
hip-hop variant COVER by WOO DAE SHIM
YOUNG VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
BLANK COVER ALSO AVAILABLE
2015’s overnight internet sensation takes center stage in her own ongoing series! Gwen Poole used to be a comic book reader just like you…until she woke up in a world where the characters she read about seemed to be real! But they can’t be, right? This must all be fake, or a dream or something, right? And you know what that means…NO CONSEQUENCES! Could Gwenpool truly be Marvel’s least responsible and least role-modely character to date? She can if she tries!
40 PGS./Rated T …$4.99

Well, this is another non-surprised but I’ll be skipping this fad until I have a reason to pay attention to it.

MOON KNIGHT #1
JEFF LEMIRE (W) • GREG SMALLWOOD (A/C)
Variant Cover by ERIC POWELL
Hip-hop variant cover by RICARDO LOPEZ ORTIZ
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
THE BOOK YOU’D BE INSANE TO MISS!
Marc Spector (a.k.a. Moon Knight/Jake Lockley/Steven Grant) has been fighting criminals and keeping New York City safe for years… or has he? When he wakes up in an insane asylum with no powers and a lifetime’s worth of medical records, his whole identity (indentities) are called into question. Something is wrong, but is that something Marc Spector himself? Jeff Lemire (EXTRAORDINARY X-MEN) and rising star Greg Smallwood are calling everything you know about Moon Knight into question.
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

Another kooky Moon Knight title that I’ll be passing on.

 SPIDER-WOMEN ALPHA #1
Story by JASON LATOUR, DENNIS HOPELESS & ROBBIE THOMPSON
ROBBIE THOMPSON (W) • VANESA DEL REY (A)
Cover by YASMINE PUTRI
CONNECTING VARIANT COVER A BY J. SCOTT CAMPBELL
VARIANT COVER BY STACEY LEE
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
SPIDER-WOMEN PART 1!
The Spider-Event of 2016 is here, bringing SPIDER-GWEN, SILK and SPIDER-WOMAN together for a story too big for any one of their books! Spider-Woman is taking a mentor-role with Silk and Spider-Gwen, and the three spider-heroes take a brunch break on Gwen’s Earth-65. But when the nefarious spy organization S.I.L.K. and their leader (Earth-65’s Cindy Moon) notice the interdimensional interlopers, all of Jessica Drew’s plans go wrong.
40 PGS./One-Shot/Rated T+ …$4.99

SPIDER-WOMEN CHECKLIST
MARCH:
PART ONE – SPIDER-WOMEN ALPHA #1
PART TWO – SPIDER-GWEN #7
PART THREE – SILK #7
PART FOUR – SPIDER-WOMAN #6
APRIL:
PART FIVE – SPIDER-GWEN #8
PART SIX – SILK #8
PART SEVEN – SPIDER-WOMAN #7
PART EIGHT – SPIDER-WOMEN OMEGA #1

            I like this, conceptually, but I won’t be buying any of these.

SPIDER-MAN & SILK: THE SPIDER(FLY) EFFECT #2 (OF 4)
ROBBIE THOMPSON (W)
TODD NAUCK & TOM GRUMMETT (A)
COVER BY Stacey Lee
• Spider-Man & Silk have gone back in time…
• …and accidentally stopped their own origins from happening!
• Thankfully, a friendly Forest Hills local is there to help out…
• …A nice man named BEN.
40 PGS./Rated T …$4.99

             This does sound like a fun miniseries and it could be a nice emotional moment with this moment

 NEW AVENGERS #9
AL EWING (W) • Marcus To (A)
Cover By Leinil Yu
A STANDOFF tie-in!
• Up from the depths! Thirty stories high! He salutes the flag and eats apple pie!
• Corporal Todd Ziller is the AMERICAN KAIJU – America’s ultimate weapon against renegade super-science!
• And he’s going to get the Whisperer back in custody – if he has to break Avengers Island in two!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

            I was enjoying reading this but then the actual plotpoint cropped up and now I’m back to not being interested.

NEW AVENGERS #10
AL EWING (W) • Marcus To (A)
Cover by Declan Shalvey
A STANDOFF tie-in!
• What could possibly hold its own against the American Kaiju? None other than – AVENGER FIVE!
• Five New Avengers in the ultimate ultra-vehicle – fighting to save A.I.M.! But are they giving up their freedom – or their lives?
• Plus: The traitor revealed! Sunspot’s secret schemes! And the guest-star reveal you’ve been waiting for!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Could this be Kitty Pryde finally joining the Avengers? I doubt it.

AVENGERS STANDOFF:
ASSAULT ON PLEASANT HILL OMEGA #1
NICK SPENCER (W) • DANIEL ACUñA (A/C)
CONNECTING VARIANT COVER B BY ART ADAMS
WRAPAROUND VARIANT COVER BY MIKE DEODATO
A STANDOFF tie-in!
• This is it! The explosive finale to the spring’s blockbuster Avengers event!
• Lost heroes return, new threats emerge, and the stage is set for major upheavals all throughout the Marvel Universe!
40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$4.99

Many of these tie-ins don’t sound good at all.

HYPERION #2
CHUCK WENDIG (W) • Nik Virella (A)
Cover by EMANUELA LUPACCHINO
VARIANT COVER BY MIKE DEODATO
IT’S HYPERION VERSUS THE CARNIVAL!
• Hyperion has shown his true atomic hero self to the hitchhiker, Doll, and now he and her are right in the crosshairs of a crew of hell-powered freaks and deviants.
• Throw in a murder mystery, a crime syndicate and a stray dog and it all adds up to an unholy heap of trucker trouble.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

I wonder how crucial the stray dog is.

 A-FORCE #4
G. WILLOW WILSON & KELLY THOMPSON (W) • JORGE MOLINA (A/C)
• Does defeating Antimatter mean the end of Singularity? As Singularity faces Antimatter on her own, prepared to sacrifice her own existence, A-Force rallies behind her. With Tempest Bell’s help, SHE-HULK, CAPTAIN MARVEL, MEDUSA, and NICO MINORU make a final bid to save Singularity from destruction while still saving the world from Antimatter’s ever-growing threat. But every action has a cost, and what will these actions cost A-Force?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

The stakes do seem rather high with this!

 THE ASTONISHING ANT-MAN #7
NICK SPENCER (W) • RAMON ROSANAS (A)
COVER BY MARK BROOKS
CLASSIC VARIANT COVER BY TBA
STORY THUS FAR VARIANT COVER BY CHRIS SAMNEE
CIVIL WAR VARIANT COVER BY GREG HORN
“Small Time Criminal” STARTS NOW!
When The Power Broker hits Ant-Man where he’s most vulnerable, he’ll respond the only way he knows how: That’s right. By breaking the law. Lots of laws, actually. The secret of how Scott landed back in jail is revealed here. (Because that’s what happens when you break a bunch of laws, genius.)
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

            That’s a pretty funny final line there.

AMADEUS CHO: GENIUS AT WORK
GREG PAK & FRED VAN LENTE (W) • TAKESHI MIYAZAWA, GARY FRANK & RODNEY BUCHEMI (A)
Cover by GARY FRANK
• Get to know Cho! That’s teen genius Amadeus Cho, the seventh smartest person in the world — but who’s counting?
• When Cho is declared “Mastermind Excello” by an intelligence contest, his life suddenly spins out of control — and now he’ll need all his smarts just to stay alive!
• Luckily, Cho — and his adorable coyote pup, Kirby — quickly meet and befriend two of the Marvel Universe’s strongest powerhouses: Hercules and the Incredible Hulk!
• When Cho investigates his sister’s fate, a complex web begins to unravel. Who has been manipulating him? And why?
• Can the seventh smartest person on the planet solve the riddle of his own past and future?
• Collecting material from AMAZING FANTASY (2004) #15; INCREDIBLE HULK (2000) #100; and INCREDIBLE HERCULES #126, #133, #135 and #137.
104 PGS./ One-Shot/Rated T+ …$7.99
ISBN: 978-1-302-90101-1

            Pretty smart to release this, not sure why it didn’t come out when issue one of Totally Awesome Hulk did, that would have been the time to do it.

Marvel April 2016 Solicitations Star Lord 6 Dave Johnson cover
Art by Dave Johnson

 STAR-LORD #6
SAM HUMPHRIES (W) • JAVIER GARRON (A)
Cover by DAVE JOHNSON
CLASSIC VARIANT COVER BY TBA
STORY THUS FAR VARIANT COVER BY TBA
STAR-KITTY ‘TIL THE END OF THE UNIVERSE! (OH, WAIT, THAT HAPPENED…)
The engagement of the galaxy is over! But Peter Quill and Kitty Pryde still have to share a ship, and work, and friends, and…yeesh. This is going to get awkward, isn’t it? Well, fortunately they’re surrounded by caring, communicative teammates like…Drax…and Groot…and Rocket…Hoo boy. This is going to be VERY awkward.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Finally, finally we are going to get this story! So they are no longer together – that’s a huge shame! Super awkward, indeed!

GUARDIANS OF INFINITY #5
DAN ABNETT & JEFF KING (W) • CARLO BARBERI & FLAVIANO ARMENTARO (A)
Cover by GARY CHOO
CALLING ALL GUARDIANS!
• Hermetikus’s evil ambitions are tremendous—you could say they’re GALACTIC in scale!
• Does this villain hold a strange connection to the Guardians 1000?
• Even though Rocket, Drax and Groot have joined a GUARDIANS SUPERGROUP, they might be in over their heads!
• Plus! Writer JEFF KING (White Collar) and artist FLAVIANO ARMENTERO show you what happens when Rocket and Kitty act as bodyguards for an interplanetary whistleblower!
40 PGS./Rated T …$4.99

           Someone finally heard me! Kitty (and Rocket) is spotlighted in the backup! Wish this wasn’t a five dollar comic but these things happen. Hopefully not a new trend.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #7
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • VALERIO SCHITI (A)
Cover by ARTHUR ADAMS
CIVIL WAR VARIANT COVER BY TBA
• BEN GRIMM: SPACE BARBARIAN!
• The Thing might miss some things about Earth, but he does admit that space has its perks. Riding alien horses into epic battles is one of them!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

            From the description, I don’t think that is Kitty on the cover. Looks like we’re getting a Thing solo adventure.

HOWARD THE DUCK #6
CHIP ZDARSKY & RYAN NORTH (W) • JOE QUINONES & ERICA HENDERSON (A/C)
VARIANT COVER BY JOE QUINONES & PAOLO RIVERA
CONNECTING VARIANT COVER B BY TRADD MOORE
THE CONCLUSION OF “ANIMAL HOUSE,” A CROSSOVER WITH THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL!
• WATCH! Howard show Squirrel Girl how to be a REAL hero for a change, for which she is eternally grateful!
• LEARN! what happened in last month’s UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL #6 from the recap page!
• LISTEN! to a nice audio file of nature sounds made by Chip & Ryan while you read this VERY good story!
• LOVE! all the guest stars! Like one of the blue guys from X-MEN! And a pretty cool van!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

            This solicts are always fun! I hope it is a guest appearance by Nightcrawler and not Beast.

SILVER SURFER #4
DAN SLOTT (W) • MIKE ALLRED (A/C)
• Massive fallout from the events of Silver Surfer’s 50th Anniversary issue.
• There is a price to pay for what Norrin Radd has done.
• Some actions can never be taken back…or forgiven.
• Will any of Earth’s heroes stand by the Silver Surfer’s side in this, his greatest moment of need?
• A mythic tale in the Mighty Marvel Manner! Guest starring The Avengers, The Thing and major characters from around the Marvel Universe.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

            Looks like Kitty didn’t get involved in last issue’s hijinks from those who appear on the cover. Also from that cover, Silver Surfer may need a few more pillows. That board can’t be comfortable to lay on, or stand on for long periods of time.

DOCTOR STRANGE #7
JASON AARON (W) • CHRIS BACHALO (A)
CIVIL WAR VARIANT COVER BY TBA
LAST DAYS OF MAGIC, PART 2
• As all of his magic dissipates, Doctor Strange is at the mercy of THE IMPERATOR!
• The powerless sorcerer is no longer supreme and can’t possibly best a super-powered foe hell-bent on his destruction.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

He should probably call former student, Magik, for help!

 DOCTOR STRANGE: LAST DAYS OF MAGIC #1
JASON AARON, GERRY DUGGAN & JAMES ROBINSON (W)
MIKE PERKINS, DANILO BEYRUTH and AFU CHAN (A)
Cover by MIKE PERKINS
VARIANT COVER BY KEVIN MAGUIRE
VARIANT COVER BY SHANE DAVIS
This companion to the “LAST DAYS OF MAGIC” epic! THE EMPIRIKUL, led by The Imperator, are destroying all magic and magic users in the Marvel Universe. Jason Aaron brings you Doctor Strange and Wong’s secret history and the ultimate sacrifice that Wong makes! Gerry Duggan shows Brother Voodoo’s stand against the evil magic-eaters. James Robinson introduces a new magic figure in the Marvel U just in time for her last stand!
56 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$5.99

            This also seems like something that should have come out at the beginning of the arc. It wasn’t like Marvel was afraid of too many number ones.

A YEAR OF MARVELS: THE AMAZING #1
RYAN NORTH, AMY CHU (W) • DANILO BEYRUTH, RYAN BROWNE (A)
COVER BY JAMAL CAMPBELL
• Join us in a brand new Marvel comics adventure as your favorite heroes journey through the calendar year one month at a time!
• It’s February and Peter Parker’s got a hot date, but the old Parker luck hits hard…and so does the bank-robbing villain The Vulture! It’s a tale of romance, adventure, and punching! From Ryan North (SQUIRREL GIRL) and Danilo Beyruth!
• When business is down in March, Scott Lang’s Ant-Man Security Solutions will take just about any job offered to them – including stealing back stolen goods! But all is not as it seems! Join writer Amy Chu (Poison Ivy) and artist Ryan Browne (SECRET WARS TOO) as they team together for this Spring Break themed heist!
40 PGS./One-Shot/Rated T+ …$4.99

            Hopefully the X-Men get a month or the new Guardians of the Galazy!

PATSY WALKER, A.K.A. HELLCAT! #5
KATE LETH (W) • BRITTNEY L. WILLIAMS (A/C)
• Hellcat’s out of the bag! I guess she was never in one, but she IS trapped, along with her
favorite shieldmaiden, VALKYRIE! Not only that, but she’s late for a very important meeting with
the infamous HEDY WOLFE.
• Can Patsy and friends make it out of this one? Answer: NO! They all die and the series is over.
• APRIL FOOLS!
•…Or is it?!?!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

            Another fun write-up, it must be the same person, right?

CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS #7
AL EWING (W) • Rhoald Marcellius (A)
Cover by Paco Medina
VARIANT COVER BY Ron Lim
“Ultimate Fighting” STARTS NOW!
After the cataclysmic events of last issue — Battlerealm will never be the same! But Earth’s ultimate superteam has discovered the Contest — and they don’t like it at all! Is this the end of Maestro’s dream of power? Or the start of a whole new Contest of Champions? Fan-fave writer Al Ewing combines two of his new series into one can’t-miss epic!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

            What is the other title? He isn’t writing Hulk and I can’t think of what it could be. Odd ot not promote it here.

THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL #7
RYAN NORTH (W) • ERICA HENDERSON (A/C)
CLASSIC VARIANT COVER BY COLLEEN DORAN
VARIANT COVER BY SIYA OUM
STORY THUS FAR VARIANT BY DAN HIPP
a) This special issue, called “BE THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL,” puts YOU in control of THE MOST POWERFUL CHARACTER IN THE MARVEL UNIVERSE. Will you fight crime and save the day? Or will you be a complete jerk and use her powers to tell everyone off?
b) I’m serious: these are actual choices, and you have to make them RIGHT NOW? To be Squirrel Girl and fight crime, turn to c). To be Squirrel Girl and be a jerk instead, turn to e).
c) Well, you’re in luck vis-a-vis crime-fighting, because Squirrel Girl is going to be facing off against SWARM, a bad guy made out of bees! And that’s not all. To learn more about the other bad guys she can face, turn to d)! But if INSTEAD you’d like to stop reading this and get excited about this book and maybe order it, please: feel free!
d) Nice try, but we’ve got to keep SOME surprises for the book! You decide to definitely buy this comic and see who they are. THE END.
e) What? No, why would you even want to be a jerk? Geez, man, maybe this ISN’T the comic for you. Turn to b) and answer better this time!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

      I wonder how this is going to work with only 22 pages of story. I’ll have to check it out as I’m a big fan of CYOA books.

 POWER MAN AND IRON FIST #3
DAVID WALKER (W) • SANFORD GREENE (A/C)
Variant COVER by KERON GRANT
BROMANCING THE STONE!
• POWER MAN and IRON FIST are swimming through New York City’s currents of crime trying to retrieve the SUPERSOUL STONE. Beware the underworld undertow!
• Meanwhile, JENNIE and BLACK MARIAH’s nefarious plans begin to bear fruit.
• With a magic-fueled crisis at its tipping point and all of New York hanging in the balance it’s the perfect atmosphere to rekindle a smoldering friendship, so GET IT TOGETHER ALREADY, LUKE AND DANNY!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

            I do like telling people “to get it together” or “come on!” “Be better” is another Klein househould favorite.

UNCANNY X-MEN #6
CULLEN BUNN (W) • Ken Lashley (A)
COVER BY GREG LAND
CONNECTING VARIANT COVER B BY KEN LASHLEY
CLASSIC VARIANT COVER BY TBA
STORY THUS FAR VARIANT COVER BY TBA
“APOCALYPSE WARS” CONTINUES!
The first time original X-Man Archangel met Apocalypse, he was transformed into the homicidal Horseman of Death. Breaking free of Apocalypse’s grasp, Archangel eventually returned to the X-Men and formed a relationship with his teammate, Psylocke. Now, years later, Psylocke has found a vacant, drone-like Archangel in the guise of Death once more. Fearing he’s again fallen under Apocalypse’s sway, Psylocke and her team of X-Men embark on a mission to save Archangel’s life. But little do they know that they are about to discover a far more horrifying truth than they could have imagined…
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99
EXTRAORDINARY X-MEN #9
JEFF LEMIRE (W) • HUMBERTO RAMOS (A/C)
CIVIL WAR VARIANT COVER BY TBA
“APOCALYPSE WARS” PART TWO!
• Trapped in the distant future, Colossus and his team of Young X-Men race across a dying Earth to protect the key to mutantkind’s survival!
• But Apocalypse and his new horsemen are in hot pursuit, eager to take it from them.
• Will the Extraordinary X-Men arrive in time to save the future of their species AND their friends?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Hopefully Magik appears in this crossover, at some point. Time travel, I’m not crazy about as Apoclypase should be big enough of a story to tackle. I wonder who Apocalypse’s new horsemen are. Could be the movie peeps – Magneto, Storm, Caliban and Psylocke.

OLD MAN LOGAN #4
JEFF LEMIRE (W) • ANDREA SORRENTINO (A/C)
CIVIL WAR VARIANT COVER BY TBA
• Hellbent on keeping his future from coming to pass, Old Man Logan is on a one-man mission of MURDER across the
Marvel Universe.
• But hoping to end his friend’s rampage, Logan’s OLDEST friend comes to his aid…
• That’s right, it’s OLD MAN LOGAN vs. OLD MAN ROGERS!
• Here’s hoping this fight isn’t decided by natural causes…
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

            Future Old Wolverine and Current Old Captain America is a fun story idea.

ALL-NEW WOLVERINE #7
Tom Taylor (W) • Marcio Takara (A)
Cover by Bengal
• The battle has been fought, and won—but at what cost? As Laura and Gabby attempt to move on with their lives, Wolverine’s past seems destined to catch up with her, and wreak havoc.
• Logan’s legacy has cast a long shadow, how can Laura hope to step out of it?
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

            People seem to be upset over at the X-Books Forum of CBR, that the cover is a major spoiler. I suppose they thought all of X23’s clones were going to end up dead. Instead, the youngest one (and fan favorite) is going to be All New Wolverine’s new teen girl sidekick – which is a fun twist on an old formula.

X-MEN: WORST X-MAN EVER #3 (OF 5)
MAX BEMIS (W) • MICHAEL WALSH (A/C)
• Bailey struggles to fit in among his hated and fear compatriates.
• PLUS: Meet possibly the most powerful X-Man ever…Miranda?
• Max Bemis’s Mutant Masterpiece continues here!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

   For some odd reason, Hastings’ copies of the first two issues have been delayed like crazy. I know I need the first issue for sure.

 MIRACLEMAN BY GAIMAN & BUCKINGHAM: THE SILVER AGE #3
NEIL GAIMAN (W) • MARK BUCKINGHAM (A/C)
Variant Cover by CARLOS PACHECO
Variant Cover by DAVID AJA
YOUNG VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
Hip-Hop Variant Cover by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
• The wait is over!
• Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham present the story you’ve waited decades for — the first ALL-NEW chapter in
“The Silver Age!”
• High atop the Himalayas, Dicky Dauntless searches to find his place in the Age of Miracles. He’ll make new friends and encounter a frightening, familiar face — Johnny Bates!
• It’s Young Miracleman and Kid Miracleman face-to-face!
48 PGS./Mature …$4.99

            I still wonder how Marvel is suppose to earn all of their money back from this purchase. $5 is a start, per issue, but that is going to take forever to equal the first million.

 LITTLE MARVEL STANDEE PUNCH-OUT BOOK
Penciled by SKOTTIE YOUNG
Cover by SKOTTIE YOUNG
Always thought Skottie Young’s incredible artwork leaps off the page? Well, now it does — with a little help — in this colorful collection of punch-out Marvel heroes! Featuring nine sturdy pages filled with die-cut characters just waiting to be popped free, you can build yourself an army of Skottie’s small-fry super-type standees that will serve as an adorable adornment to any home — or place of work! Enliven your living room! Ornament your office! Fashion a mini Marvel chess set! Or just sit down and play Secret Wars with ’em to your heart’s content! From Spider-Man to the Guardians of the Galaxy, they’re all here — and they’ve never looked cuter. Now, make like the junior Avengers and X-Men every time they get together — start punching, and make a stand(ee)!
18 PGS./All Ages …$24.99
ISBN: 978-1-302-90202-5

            I wonder how I’m suppose to order this through Hastings. Nine characters for $25 seems a bit much but if one of those is Magik, I’m all over this!

DOCTOR STRANGE VOL. 1: THE WAY OF THE WEIRD PREMIERE HC
Written by JASON AARON
Penciled by CHRIS BACHALO
Cover by CHRIS BACHALO
Only Doctor Strange can protect our world from the darkness beyond — now, witness the full toll that constant struggle takes on Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme! Every spell cast comes at a cost, but what happens when Strange falls behind on his tab? Find out as the good doctor wakes up somewhere very odd, nearly naked — with no spell books, no weapons and no memory of how he got there…or why all the monsters are chasing him! And as a new visitor to Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum learns one wrong door can lead to oblivion, a magic circle of Strange’s friends and allies are about to face their greatest threat. Dark forces are destroying everything mystical in the multiverse, and their sights are set on this dimension. Magic’s days are numbered, and Doctor Strange is not ready! Collecting DOCTOR STRANGE (2015) #1-5.
136 PGS./Rated T+ …$24.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9516-0
Trim size: standard

            Magik is in the fourth issue of this trade, maybe not worth the $25 alone but it has been a good story, thus far.

SPIDER-MAN BY TODD MCFARLANE OMNIBUS HC
Written by TODD MCFARLANE, ROB LIEFELD & FABIAN NICIEZA
Penciled by TODD MCFARLANE & ROB LIEFELD
Cover by TODD MCFARLANE
Todd McFarlane became a superstar illustrating AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, but he changed the industry forever with his next project: the “adjectiveless” SPIDER-MAN! Taking on both writing and art duties, McFarlane ushered Peter Parker into a gritty new era — and it began with “Torment”! When the Big Apple’s streets run red with blood, the web-slinger heads into the sewers to stop the Lizard’s homicidal rampage. But what is driving his old friend and foe? Plus: Ghost Rider lends a bony hand when the deranged Hobgoblin returns, the wall-crawler finds himself at the center of a clash of claws between Wolverine and Wendigo, and Pete goes back in black to face Morbius the Living Vampire! And in the ultimate nineties team-up, Spidey joins X-Force to battle the unstoppable Juggernaut! Collecting SPIDER-MAN (1990) #1-14 and #16, and X-FORCE (1991) #4.
440 PGS./Rated T …$75
ISBN: 978-1-302-90073-1
Trim size: oversized

            Does this mean that McFarlane and Marvel are on speaking terms? Or is the money from this suppose to help bridge the gap. I wonder why his Amazing Spider-Man issues didn’t make this trade, as they came first. That Torment arc is so good and more people should read the Wolverine storyline, that isn’t referenced enough.

ALL-NEW X-MEN: INEVITABLE VOL. 1 – GHOSTS OF CLYCLOPS TPB
Written by DENNIS HOPELESS
Penciled by MARK BAGLEY
Cover by MARK BAGLEY
More than ever, hatred and fear have made the world a dangerous place for mutants. But as the few remaining X-Men retreat into seclusion, a handful of mutant teenagers refuse to allow their destiny to be decided for them! And no one is more concerned about their fate than Scott Summers, whose young shoulders must bear the heavy weight of the terrible acts committed by his adult counterpart. Cyclops is joined by three of his time-torn teammates — Beast, Iceman and Angel — as well as the All-New Wolverine, Kid Apocalypse and Oya. Together, they’re heading out on the highway, looking for adventure, intent on writing their own futures! But when they encounter the baleful Blob, their road trip may end before it begins! Collecting ALL-NEW X-MEN (2015) #1-6.
136 PGS./Rated T+ …$15.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9630-3

            I guess double shipping means an entire wave of these trades are coming out at the same time. The first issue was pretty decent.

EXTRAORDINARY X-MEN VOL. 1: X-HAVEN TPB
Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Penciled by HUMBERTO RAMOS
Cover by HUMBERTO RAMOS
With the fate of mutantkind in the balance, it’s an All-New, All-Different beginning for the X-Men! Staring down a threat to her race like nothing seen before, Storm pulls together the group she’ll need to ensure mutants’ survival — including Iceman, Jean Grey, Colossus and Magik! But can Storm and Iceman protect the last remaining mutants from a demonic attack? As a new child of the atom discovers her terrifying power, an old foe compounds the horror: Mister Sinister will bring the team face-to-face with their greatest fear. But can anyone be ready for the very first meeting of Old Man Logan and young Jean Grey? Bring all the hate and fear you want, they will fight to their last breath to survive the experience. They’re the X-Men, they’re facing down extinction, and they will be Extraordinary! Collecting EXTRAORDINARY X-MEN #1-5.
112 PGS./Rated T+ …$15.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9934-2

            This has been such a good series, even with the Mister Sinister appearance. This is the flagship title, so I highly recommend jumping on board with this trade.

 PUNISHER: BORN TPB
(NEW PRINTING)
Written by GARTH ENNIS
Penciled by DARICK ROBERTSON
Cover by WIESLAW WALKUSKI
In the waning days of the Vietnam War…the Punisher is born. The year is 1971. With mounting casualties and a rising anti-war sentiment, America’s time in Vietnam is coming to a close. Yet in the isolated Valley Forge Firebase on the Cambodian border, Captain Frank Castle is one of the few soldiers still committed to the fight against the enemy. With dwindling reserves, Castle must stand against an impending Viet Cong attack that threatens to wipe out the entire American platoon. To survive the battle, what grim decision must he make that will forever alter the course of his life? In this acclaimed tale, superstar Garth Ennis reveals the never-before-told story of the horrors Castle was forced to face to come home from Vietnam alive — ending in a shocking twist that will forever change how readers see Marvel Comics’ most famous urban vigilante. Collecting BORN #1-4.
112 PGS./Explicit Content …$13.99
ISBN: 978-1-302-90173-8

            I predicted the ending of this series, after the second issue and was super disappointed that Ennis actually took the character in that direction. There is a reason why there is no lame sequel to this series.

AVENGERS EPIC COLLECTION: UNDER SIEGE TPB
Volume #16 in the Avengers Epic Collections
Written by ROGER STERN, BILL MANTLO, DANNY FINGEROTH & STEVE ENGLEHART
Penciled by JOHN BUSCEMA, DAVE ROSS, STEVE DITKO & MARK BRIGHT
Cover by JOHN BUSCEMA
The Masters of Evil take Avengers Mansion! In one of the greatest comic-book epics of all time, Baron Zemo strikes at the very heart of the Avengers as he leads a revamped and larger-than-ever Masters of Evil in an attack on the team’s home — and wins! And as if that wasn’t enough, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes must survive the climax of SECRET WARS II, and a battle for the ages between Kang and Immortus! The Sub-Mariner’s membership leads to public protests, but that won’t stop the Avengers and Alpha Flight from lending a hand during Attuma’s assault on Atlantis. Meanwhile an old friend turns enemy: What’s gotten into Quicksilver? Two teams of Avengers will assemble to find out! Collecting AVENGERS (1963) #264-277, ALPHA FLIGHT (1983) #39, AVENGERS ANNUAL #15 and WEST COAST AVENGERS ANNUAL #1.
456 PGS./Rated T …$39.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9539-9

            Under Siege is such a must-read Avengers storyline!

X-MEN: MUTANT GENESIS 2.0 TPB
Written by CHRIS CLAREMONT, JIM LEE, JOHN BYRNE & SCOTT LOBDELL
Penciled by JIM LEE
Cover by JIM LEE
A fresh take on a classic saga! Magneto’s future, Wolverine’s past — and the X-Men in between! Magneto acquires a new army, the Hand revives an old enemy, and it’s up to the newly reunited and rejuvenated X-Men to stop both! But from Asteroid M to Weapon X, Marvel’s mightiest mutants are getting brainwashed wherever they go! Featuring mysteries from Wolverine’s history and the first flashback appearance of Team X — plus Acolytes, ninjas and more! Omega Red! Maverick! Sabretooth! And the debut of the classic Blue and Gold X-Men teams! It’s the opening issues of 1991’s blockbuster “adjectiveless” X-MEN series like you’ve never seen them before — remastered and fully recolored in modern style! Collecting X-MEN (1991) #1-7.
200 PGS./Rated T …$24.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9512-2

            The end of Claremont’s first tenure and Jim Lee plots. I don’t quite recall issues four through seven. The first three are high octane though!

X-FACTOR: GENESIS & APOCALYPSE TPB
Written by ROGER STERN, JOHN BYRNE, BOB LAYTON, LOUISE SIMONSON & CHRIS CLAREMONT
Penciled by JOHN BUSCEMA, JOHN BYRNE,
JACKSON GUICE, KEITH POLLARD, MARC SILVESTRI,
TERRY SHOEMAKER, BOB LAYTON & MORE
Cover by RON FRENZ
As one of the greatest X-Men of all makes her triumphant return, and one of mutantkind’s deadliest threats debuts! When Jean Grey is found alive — with a little help from the Avengers and Fantastic Four — she reunites with the rest of Xavier’s original class to form X-Factor! But as Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast, Angel and Iceman face new enemies Tower and Frenzy, little do they know the villains are part of an Alliance of Evil led by…Apocalypse! They’ll encounter uncanny new foes like Bulk and Glow Worm, and old sparring partners in Freedom Force, but there’s no question who will rise to the role of their arch-nemesis. The story of En Sabah Nur begins here! Collecting AVENGERS (1963) #263, FANTASTIC FOUR (1961) #286, X-FACTOR (1986) #1-9 and ANNUAL #1, and material from CLASSIC X-MEN #8 and #43.
384 PGS./Rated T …$34.99
ISBN: 978-1-302-90068-7

            Makes sense to get as many Apocalypse trades out into the world, a month before the movie comes out.

X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST PROSE NOVEL MASS MARKET PAPERBACK
Written by ALEX IRVINE
Cover by JOHN BYRNE
In a dark and dangerous future, the mutant-hunting machines known as the Sentinels rule America with an iron fist. Almost all mutants and superhumans have been exterminated. Only a handful of imprisoned mutants remain to fight against their oppressive robotic overseers. Now Kate Pryde, former X-Man, must travel back in time and warn her present-day teammates of the coming danger — and hopefully prevent this horrible future from ever taking place. Experience the classic, genre-defining X-Men event like never before in this new adaptation!
352 PGS./No Rating …$7.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-8976-3

     I’ve had this special ordered for such a long time now. Glad it is finally coming out!

. . .

So April 2016 still isn’t that expensive, so that’s nice!
What I’m getting for sure –

Star Lord 6            $4
Guardians of Infinity 5            $5
X-Men Days of Future Past Prose Novel            $8

Maybes –

Guardians of the Galaxy 7            $4
X-Men : Worst X-Man Ever 3            $4
Uncanny X-Men 6            $5
Extraordinary X-Men 9            $4
Little Marvels Standee Punch Out Book            $25

Taking out the two books, that leaves me with six total comics. $26, for all six. I’m sure Magik is in Extraordinary X-Men and Kitty is in the proper Guardians title, as well. Six comics is a dollar off per title, so I’m looking at $20 for the entire month. That’s how I like it!

. . .

I have to add Little Marvels Standee Punch Out Book to my order and double check to make sure Guardians of the Infinity is on my list. I’m sure I’ve put issues of it back, already, like I’ve done for Star Lord but now these titles are getting good.