Kotobukiya Kitty Pryde Statue

Posted by John Klein III on December 28, 2015
Posted in: Statue. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

Kotobukiya Kitty Pryde

Whenever I see this statue, I think about the move from Arizona to Montana.  This was my only request if I agreed to move to a completely different statue and take our chances, I really wanted to own this.

This is also the last statue slash high ticket item I’ve bought that is comic book related.

I like how much older Kitty looks with this statue, she looks like she is in her mid-twenties and really for battle.  I also like the touch with the Ogun mask, an important part of her character growth, once the Kitty Pryde and Wolverine miniseries concluded, she was a completely different person.  Gone was the innocent young girl and now she was a harden trained ninja.

Master of Kung Fu Volume Two Issue 1

Posted by John Klein III on December 27, 2015
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Master of Kung Fu 1

Writer Haden Blackman

Penciler Dalibor Talajic

Inker Goran Sudzuka

Colorist Miroslav Mrva

Letterer VC’s Travis Lanham

I don’t have much experience with Shang-Chi.  I’ve read the few appearances he had when he was on the Marvel Knights team and I’ve read the various team-ups he has had with Spider-Man over the years.  And now, this series.

Issue opens with some world building, to explain how we got here.  Which is nice that Doctor Doom saw fit to include thousands of years of back story, for this region of Battleworld called – K’un Lun.  All of the Great Masters went to war.  Every school was represented – Red Hand, Panther Clan, House of the Jade Tiger, and the poor bastard from the Spider Cult, is it worth being included if it is only to be insulted?  I imagine some Spider-Fan would have been offended if the Spider Cult was left out.

The battle boiled down to Ten Rings (which makes me think of the Mandarin) and the Iron Fist – who we should mostly associate K’un Lun with.  The two Masters practically destroy the region.  They decided to make a truce.  They created a tournament called, Thirteen Chambers, the winner will rule K’un Lun.  Shang-Chi’s father – Zheng Zu – has been the ruler for a hundred years.  The next tournament of Thirteen Chambers is about to begin.

We start the present day story with a very drunk, Shang-Chi, in the park with his dog.  This Shang-Chi is a very funny drunk.

Three goons from the Ten Rings arrive to escort Shang-Chi out of the park.  Shang-Chi jokes that they are trying to get rid of the dog.  They threaten to burn the pet and Shang-Chi jokes that he is the pet to the dog.  A bald young lady witnesses the commotion.  As she watches, Shang-Chi starts taking out the goons so easily.  Even drunk, he makes short work of them.

Master of Kung Fu 1 Kitten 1

The lady runs off to tell Callisto what she was watching.  Callisto calls the young lady, Kitten, so we know this is the Shadowcat – which makes sense as we’ve seen from the promo piece –

Secret Wars 2015 Shang-Chi Kitty Lockheed

Kitten tells Callisto that someone is finally fighting back.

Master of Kung Fu 1 Shadowcat 1

The goons finally recognize him as Shang-Chi.  The audience can’t believe he has return!  We see a very pale fellow, who is Caliban.  Caliban reveals all of Shang-Chi’s nicknames or titles – The Rising Spirit / Son of Emperor Zheng Zu / Seven-Time Winner of the Dragon Cup.  He is cut off after saying, “Nine-Time Winner of” so we don’t learn that one.  He does finish with the reason why no one has seen Shang-Chi for a while.  He is wanted for the murder of Lord Tuan, Great Master of the Iron Fist.

Shangi-Chi knocks down the goons.

Master of Kung Fu 1 Lockheed

The goons start getting up, and Shang-Chi asks them to stay down.  He tells them that he is no longer a killing man, so now he has a weakness and they press him on it.  Just then, this region’s X-Men (I’m not sure what they are going to be called here) show up to even the score.  Lockheed is the dragon in green!  I rather he was purple but I guess green is a more traditional color for dragons.

Master of Kung Fu 1 Lockheed 2

This page, we get Callisto calling him by his name in this region, Lock.  Which is all the confirmation I need.  You can add this character to your favorite list over at comicbookdb!

http://comicbookdb.com/character.php?ID=81962

Master of Kung Fu 1 Lockheed 3

Lock surrounds the goons with high flames as the heroes make their escape.  Callisto tells Shang-Chi that they are outcasts, which works for who the X-Men are.  Outcasts and rejects, which also works for the Morlocks.  They all go inside a statue to their secret hideaway.

The goons try to catch up and once they realize that they lost Shang-Chi, they know they will have to beg for sweet mercy.

Temple of the Ten Rings.  Great Master Zheng Zu recruits a Laughing Skull.

The Halls of the Red Hand.  Red Sai is also recruited.

Master of Kung Fu 1 Lockheed 4

The Citadel of Emperor Zheng Zu.  The Emperor is not happy that his son has returned to K’un Lun.  Iron Fist is okay if Laughing Skull and Red Sai kill Shang-Chi’s accomplices but he wants the honor of killing Shang-Chi, as he killed Iron Fist’s Master.

Hopefully we keep getting lots more of Kitten and Lock throughout this series.

Teams : Guardians of the Galaxy

Posted by John Klein III on December 26, 2015
Posted in: Teams. Tagged: . 2 Comments

With the fourth volume of Guardians of the Galaxy, Kitty Pryde has joined the team.  She is their new Star Lord.  Leading the team is Rocket Raccoon.  Along for the ride are old standards – Groot, Drax and Agent Venom.  Fellow new face to the team is Ben Grimm!

Peter Quill, old Star Lord and new President of Spartax, is still an honorary member as is Gamora.  Time will tell when these two rejoin the team, on an official basis.

Ultimate End 1

Posted by John Klein III on December 25, 2015
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Ultimate End 1

Writer Brian Michael Bendis

Penciler Mark Bagley

Inker Scott Hanna

Colorist Justin Ponsor

Letterer VC’s Cory Petit

Issue opens with the Punisher preparing to kill every costumed fool in this new Battleworld.

Ultimate End 1 Magik Ultimate Shadowcat 1A Ultimate End 1 Magik Ultimate Shadowcat 1B

Great use of the page break to keep the two worlds’ heroes apart.  The left side has Magik and the right side has Ultimate Shadowcat, so this is on!  There are a lot more heroes on the left, as there isn’t that many heroes left alive on the right.

Ultimate End 1 Recap Map

This is our first look at seeing what the Manhattan region looks like, of Battleworld.  I do enjoy looking at a fictional map.  There are two Baxter Buildings.  Bold to not go with 4a & 4b or rather, 4P and 4U.

Unfortunately, that two page sequence above is the only reason why I own this issue.

Three Weeks Ago.  Proper Spider-Man is swinging along.  He comes across the Ultimate Serpent Squad.  He gets help from the All New Ultimates, minus Shadowcat.  Since the image above has her in her all white uniform, I take it that Bendis is back to ignoring the All New Ultimates title written by Fiffe.  Bendis used this team of characters a lot in the Miles Morales comic, so he knows them rather well.  He typically writes Shadowcat like how Wood did in Ultimate Comics X-Men, when Bendis had a chance to write her in both Catacylsm and the arc where the All New X-Men visited the Ultimate X-Men.

Black Widow, the female clone of Ultimate Peter Parker, talks to Spider-Man, who is still very uncomfortable with her existence.  There is some vague reference to the miniseries, Spider-Men.

The All New Ultimates are insulted that they have not been invited to the big meeting that Spider-Man is going to.

The Triskelion.  Headquarters and home of the Ultimates, the US-sanctioned superhuman task force create by Nick Fury and SHIELD.

At this meeting is – Ultimate Fury / Ultimate Tony / Ultimate Human Torch / Proper Tony / Ultimate Hawkeye / Proper Hawkeye / Proper Black Widow / Proper Doc Green / Proper Scarlet Witch / Proper Emma Frost, back in white / Proper Cyclops / Proper Storm / Proper Spider-Man

So the only ones I have to do the universe tag for will be the Iron Men and Hawkeyes – which is pretty handy.  I thought Cyclops was seen in the Proper Life Raft in Secret Wars 2015’s first issue?  The same for Spider-Man.

The Two Iron Men talk to each other and it is then that I noticed the awesome choice, that I can only imagine should be credited to Petit.  The Proper characters speak in all caps and the Ultimate characters speak in proper capitalization.  Which is an awesome way to distinction the two universes’ characters.  I read somewhere, after I noticed it, that this practice was first used in Spider-Men but I just checked Spider-Men 4 (the only issue of the mini that I own) and Proper Spider-Man is speaking in the Ultimate capitalization so that person got it wrong with that comment.  I really do enjoy that decision and glad someone had thought about it.

Here, is isn’t that big of a deal, as Proper Tony is in his red and yellow Iron Man suit and Ultimate Tony is both drinking and out of armor.  I’m not sure why Proper Tony isn’t in his white Superior Iron Man suit but Emma is back in white, so maybe they all reverted to their last big change.  Except Doc Green is in his current look.  I’m not sure.  Proper Tony is disgusted with Ultimate Tony is drinking alcohol.

Spider-Man taps on the window and Fury lets him in.  Spider-Man is freaking out as everyone knows his name, as when Ultimate Peter died, they plastered his name all over the newspapers.  So the Ultimate heroes know his name and Emma knows his name.  He then, mistakenly, says his name – so now everyone knows his name.

Proper Tony accuses Ultimate Tony of causing all of this, with his research into the dimensional rift.  Which we have seen now in Spider-Men and the Ultimate / All New crossover.  I wish that arc had a handy name.  I like, that in the flashback, we see the S symbol from that crossover.

Scarlet Witch wants to know what Doom has instructed Fury to tell them, I guess Fury is the head of this shared region.  Fury wants to find a way to put everything back to the way it was.  Spider-Man wonders if there even is anything to go back to.

The Proper Heroes are going to keep working on Doc Green’s virtual reality simulation program.  The Ultimate heroes are going to keep working on dimensional solutions.  Fury stresses that Doom cannot find out about any of this.

Issue ends with Ultimate Hawkeye telling Fury that Doom has discovered their plans as the final page, the Battleworld Police Force aka The Thor Corp.  All of them came out for this, including – Thor Groot (Thoort?), Throg, Destroyer Thor,  Thor Storm, Beta Ray Bill, and two proper looking male Thors.

Issue two promises to have the Ultimate Hulk fight Doc Green!

. . .

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

Astonishing X-Men 14

Posted by John Klein III on December 24, 2015
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Astonishing X-Men 14

Writer Joss Whedon

Artist John Cassaday

Colorist Laura Martin

Letterer Chris Eliopoulos

Cover Dated June 2006

Torn, Part Two of Six

The famous Kitty Pryde and Colossus have sex issue!  Before that, this stuff happens!

Issue opens with Scott’s memory of Uncanny X-Men 132, where Phoenix holds back Scott’s optic blasts and then they make sweet sweet love, like one does with a cosmic entity, in New Mexico.

This entire flashback sequence is Emma’s attempt to take Scott off the board.  To make matters, more hurtful, she turns Scott into Logan and we are treated to Logan and Emma kissing.

“Logan” pushes Emma away and claw punches her but silly Scott, he no have claws!  Which he will throw back in her fact, in issue 17.  Well, not her face but Perfection’s face – but he doesn’t know that then.

Astonishing X-Men 14 Kitty 1

Meanwhile, Piotr and Kitty are up to no good and we see Kitty phase through the floor.

Astonishing X-Men 14 Kitty 2

We learn that she was receiving oral sex (good job Piotr!) whens he phased through the floor.  Either Wisdom never did that or she kept herself in control.

Over with Scott and Emma.  Emma is taking Scott apart, piece by piece.  She is now attacking his leadership skills and his original leadership position.  Jean was Xavier’s favorite, Beast was a genius and good with people, Angel was so good looking and Bobby was funny, I guess.  Emma claims that Scott had nothing else, so that is why Xavier picked him for leader.

Does Emma and Scott ever talk about these scenes, once they are on the other side of it?

Scott tries to shut it down.  Emma tries to claim that she is trying to get to the root of who Scott is.

Emma points out that the one time Scott had to fight for leadership, in the legendary Uncanny X-Men 201, he lost to a powerless Storm.

Emma segues this into the topic of Scott not having any control.

SWORD Peak Station.  Brand, Sydren and the other dude are discussing the result of which X-Man is going to destroy Breakworld.  They know who it is but we are not shown which X-Man it is, yet.

Back to Emma and Scott.  She has taken Scott to his “Bug Room” a concept that Grant Morrison / Cassandra Nova came up with, where you see your essential.  Scott’s is three giant cockroaches.  She goes over Scott’s brief origin, that he hit his head once he landed from the burning plane, along with his brother, Alex.

Daily Bugle news page.  Adventure Starts Here – Civil War 1 of 7, MC2 Last Planet Standing 1 of 4, X-Men Fairy Tales 1 of 4 (not very good).  New Beginnings – Wolverine 42 / She-Hulk 8, both tie-ins to Civil War.  Ultimate Fantastic Four 30, return of Doctor Van Damme, Ultimate Spider-Man 95, introducing Ultimate Morbius and Exiles 81, visiting Heroes Reborn slash Counter-Earth.  What Are You Doing Here, guest appearances – Incredible Hulk 95 – Silver Surfer / Ms. Marvel 3 – Fantastic Four and Cable / Deadpool 28 – Domino.    Can’t Miss Moments, anniversaries and climatic battles! – Fantastic Four : Death in the Family one-shot – death of Invisible Woman?  Yes but not our Susan.  Sensational Spider-Man 26 – guest artist, Clayton Crain.  Spider-Girl 97, the return of the original Hobgoblin!

We get a never before scene, that I know of, of a young Scott sitting in a bed.  Young Scott is deciding that he will forever be in control of his power, so he made sure that he wouldn’t be.  I guess?

In the morning.  Logan is eating cereal and he split a little milk.

Astonishing X-Men 14 Kitty 3

Kitty and Piotr come into the room and Logan instantly knows that they have boned.  Which is super awkward that he even addresses it.  The two of them don’t really play it off well.  Was Logan always sniffing her, in the mornings?

Beast, in his lab, is confronted by Cassandra Nova.

Issue ends with Scott, with his brown eyes open, but no optic blasts.

Mails to Astonish – Letters from – John Cribbs / Adrian J. Watts of Melbourne, Australia and Brent Hand of Fort Worth, TX.

There is a blurb for all of the X-Titles that shipped in April 2006 – Astonishing X-Men 14 / Uncanny X-Men 472 / Sentinel Squad O*N*E 4 / X-Men 198 4 / X-Men Deadly Genesis 6 / Cable/Deadpool 27 / New Excalibur 6 / Wolverine Origins 1 / X-Men The End Book Three 4, As the Shi’Ar burn, Kitty awaits the election results in Chicago! (Man, Kitty just sounds lazy).  Storm 3 / New X-Men 25 / X-Men Unlimited 4 / X-Men Apocalypse/Dracula 3 / Exiles 79 / Wolverine 41 / X-Factor 6 / Nextwave 4 (since when is that considered an X-Title?) and X-Men 185.

With this, we end our short revisit to Astonishing X-Men.  We’ll get to the rest of the issues, eventually.

Alvin and the Chipmunks

Posted by John Klein III on December 23, 2015
Posted in: Cartoon, Fun With YouTube, Websites. Tagged: . Leave a comment

I really adore the Alvin and the Chipmunks cartoon that went from 1983 – 1990.  I was surprised to see a lack of “Best Of” websites for the show.

I keep thinking about how great it would have been, if the creators – Ross Bagdasarian, Sr, his son (Jr) and Junior’s wife, Janice Karman (who created the Chipettes!) had paired up the Chipmunks and the Chipettes, not by archtypes but with different pairings.

For anyone who doesn’t know, the proper pairings are –

Alvin – Brittany
Simon – Jeanette
Theodore – Eleanor

Imagine, instead, if we had

Theodore – Brittany
Alvin – Jeanette
Simon – Eleanor

Simon and Eleanor may be the boring or normal pair there but I like the idea of Theodore and Brittany together, as I imagine that they will bring out different aspects of each other.  Instead, as of now, the traditional pairings are just putting up a mirror to each other and that is working.

Simon – Brittany
Theodore – Jeanette
Alvin – Eleanor

Isn’t a bad pairing, except now, Theodore & Jeanette are the normal pair.  I guess I’m all about the energetic and the lovable members being paired and the smart characters are throwing me off.  Though Jeanette and Alvin together, could be fun.

I’m a much bigger fan of the later episodes, with the change of the art direction, than the earlier ones.  Also, making this list, I realize that I (apparently) am a big fan of when they parodied other shows.

What brought on all of these Chipmunk related thoughts?  I keep trying to put Walker Dennis in front of music that I think he would like and that I haven’t listen to a thousand times.  Then I remembered my love for the Chipmunks and threw up the best song from the film, The Chipmunk Adventure –

The Girls / Boys of Rock n Roll song!

Thanks to YouTuber Loren Sylvester for hosting this video!

Also great?  That YouTuber hipped me to this –

Thanks to YouTuber Stuart Danaher for hosting this video!

It is crazy faithful to the original, seen above.  It also looks like a lot of fun!

Here is my list of my favorite episodes of Alvin and the Chipmunks, in no real particular order, so I went with production order, according to this website –

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Alvin_and_the_Chipmunks_episodes

Here are my Top 25 Episodes!  I had a hard time hitting 25, 17 was easy but I figured a round number would be great and then I thought about going for 25 – but that would fill the list with just also rans and such.

YouTube doesn’t have all of these so I’m only able to provide the ones that I could find.  When I couldn’t find the episode, I provided the handy link from the excellent Munkapedia website.

I had more videos but each time they go up, they are forced back down.

The Ruby-Spears Production Years

Season One

1B. The Chipettes

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/The_Chipettes_%28episode%29

The Chipettes first appearance!

4.  The Chipmunks Story

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/The_Chipmunks_Story

The Origin story of the Chipmunks!

Thanks for Cartoons Fox

5B.  Grandpa and Grandma Seville 

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Grandpa_and_Grandma_Seville

We meet Dave’s parents!

(2nd Special) I Love the Chipmunk Valentine’s Day Special

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/I_Love_The_Chipmunks_Valentine_Special

I’ve always liked this episode for how it shows that Alvin really does like Brittany and it isn’t just that they are both chipmunks and are the leaders of their own bands, is the reason why he likes her.  Him having to woo her is terrific.

Season Two

14B.  Rich and Infamous

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Rich_and_Infamous

This episode is when I first heard Uptown Girl by Billy Joel and became a fan of the legend, so the episode always holds a special place in my heart.

15A. Don’t Be a Vidiot

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Don’t_Be_a_Vidiot

Thanks to Super Cartoons for hosting this video.

I’m a sucker for any reference to Putting on the Ritz, ever since I saw Young Frankenstein, I just love that song.

Season Three

34. The Chipette Story

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/The_Chipette_Story

The Chipette origin story!

Film – Chipmunk Adventure

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/The_Chipmunk_Adventure

Thanks to Ali Abd for hosting the video!

Their first and so far, only good, theatrical released film!  I’m still a fan of this film that came out in 1987.

Season Four

37.  Help Wanted : Mommy

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Help_Wanted:_Mommy

Miss Miller adopts the Chipettes!

44A. Chipmunk Vice

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Chipmunk_Vice

Homage to Miami Vice, though I didn’t know that at the time.  I liked how rugged Alvin is in this episode.  The cast really get into their side roles too.

Season Five

45A.  Back to Dave’s Future

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Back_to_Dave’s_Future

This one took a while to figure out which episode it was.  One of my favorite Dave centric episodes, as I sort of like learning about the man who discovered the Chipmunks.  I couldn’t remember how they went back in time, who would have thought it was with the aid of a merry-go-round?

51A. Big Dreams

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Big_Dreams

This is one of those episodes that I still think about, the route not taken.  I really like how they explored all of the different routes.

52A. Just One of the Girls

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Just_One_of_the_Girls

The only good use of Ms. Miller?  Most likely.

DiC Enterprises Years

Season Six

53. Dream Lightning

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Dreamlighting

My love for Moonlighting always keeps this episode close to my heart.  Another great use of the characters in different roles.

54. Elementary, My Dear Simon

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Elementary,_My_Dear_Simon

Great spotlight on Simon episode and Alvin being the villain is a nice touch.

55. Brunch Club

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/The_Brunch_Club

A homage to the Breakfast Club but I never really view it as such.  It is a far better mystery Roshomon concept, so to dismiss it as a simple homage, I feel is a disservice.  Probably my favorite episode of the series.

56. Food For Thought

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Food_for_Thought

This is one of those that I remember fondly as Simon tries to get Theodore to remember history, through the use of food.  I want to say this helped me remember key dates and such but really, the stuff Theodore is trying to remember, is pretty simple facts.

59. Chipmunkmania

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Chipmunkmania

Great use of continuity and clips from previous episodes.  The whole “We’re bigger than Mickey Mouse” line is pretty awesome, homaging John Lennon’s belief that the Beatles have surpassed Jesus Christ’s fame.

61. Alvie’s Angels

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Alvie’s_Angels

A homage to Charlie’s Angels, which I would have known at the time but I never watched that show.  I saw the two films but they are only okay.  Another great use of the characters in other roles, and the Chipettes really come off well, as they are the focus of the episode.  Eleanor’s fear of high heels has stuck with me to this day.

62. Cadet’s Regrets

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Cadet’s_Regrets

One of those that I added to the list to get to 25.  I mostly remember the episode fondly and how the stakes were pretty high.  Is it just me, or does the in-universe reality of the Chipmunks not make any sense.  They are suppose to be mega-successful rock group.  I can see their high school, just being cool with it but then we get episodes where they worry about money and such.  Like, couldn’t Dave just bail them out of the problem with a little cash?  I get that their earnings may be placed in a trust account, which probably explains Alvin’s get-rich schemes, so that he can get more money now – but couldn’t they access that money for emergencies?

68. The Phantom

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/The_Phantom

I like this episode, as it shows that Dave may not want to go down in history as a producer or a stage dad, he wants to see if he can make the cut on his own.

Chipmunk Reunion (3rd Special) / 69. Vinny’s Visit

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/A_Chipmunk_Reunion

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Vinny’s_Visit

I always think of these as one episode but for the sake of the list, I made it two (so that I could get to 25 episodes).  The Chipmunks finally meet their mother!  I love the emotional balance beam the special walks.  Poor Dave is afraid of losing his boys.  Poor Vinny, can’t keep her boys as they are city chipmunks and are use to a certain way of life.  Poor Chipmunks, having to realize that they can’t live in the woods with their mother.  The sequel, essentially, just proves why she can’t live with them in the city.

72A. The Wall

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/The_Wall

This is probably the episode I reference to, the most.  So that probably makes it my second favorite episode.  The Chipmunks to Berlin, and it is eleven months before it will come down – which I can only imagine that they wrote and created the episode probably a year and a half before Germany becomes one country again.  This episode gets pretty real.  Shame that it ends with the adventure being an imaginary tale.

Chipmunks Go to the Movies

Every episode of this season is a homage to a known film property.

90.  Back to Our Futures

http://alvin.wikia.com/wiki/Back_to_Our_Future

I don’t really recall this, I must have stopped watching at some point, but I love the idea of how much this is like a comic book plot.  The Chipmunks of the 90s meet their original counterparts from the 1950s.

That’s my list, the Top 25 episodes of the series!

Just due to me wanting to add this somewhere in the blog –

Cartoon All Stars to the Rescue

Thanks to YouTuber Ryan Willey for hosting the video!

Astonishing X-Men 8 Sketch Variant

Posted by John Klein III on December 22, 2015
Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

Astonishing X-Men 8 Sketch Variant

Cover by John Cassaday and Laura Martin

I bought this at the Yuma, Arizona comic book store, Fan-Quest.  Diane, the owner, had pulled me a copy and I bought them whenever I could.

Since it doesn’t feature Kitty, I probably should try to sell it but I like having one of the many variants this run had.

The review of the issue, proper, can be found here –

https://shadowandflamewithmagik.com/2015/03/18/astonishing-x-men-8/

Deadpool’s Secret Secret Wars 1

Posted by John Klein III on December 21, 2015
Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars 1

Writer Cullen Bunn

Artist Matteo Lolli

Colorist Ruth Redmond

Letterer VC’s Joe Sabino

Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars 1 Recap Page

This miniseries has an awesome premise – What If Deadpool was involved in the Original Secret Wars?  And the story is pretty great.

The Surface of Battleworld.  Now… (Circa 1984…)  Deadpool is surrounded by the remmants of Cap’s shield and Thor’s arm and hand grasping for Mjolnir.  Deadpool is healing, so this scene takes place around the third issue or so.

Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars 1 Lockheed 1A Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars 1 Lockheed 1B

Days Earlier.  We get the recreation of the top panel of the page below from the first issue of Secret Wars.  I like that the introduction scene is giving the double page splash page – it seems like a moment that should be highlighted.

Secret Wars 1 Lockheed 2

Plus we get some additional scenes and dialogue (as Deadpool is now there).  Points still go out to Colossus for making sure that Lockheed is introduced.  I’m sure the Avengers are pretty impressed with the X-Men having a purple space dragon counted amongst them.

Magneto has an awesome introduction, he should present himself more often.

Deadpool comments Wasp on her big balloons, her word balloons.  Secret Wars really should have been funnier than it was.  The stakes were not that high.  Deadpool is just like Spider-Man but with guns and charm.  Just to let everybody know how ‘off’ this issue is – Secret Wars 1 came out in May 1984 (cover dated) and New Mutants Volume One 98 is cover dated, February 1991.  Which is seven years before Deadpool’s first appearance.

Deadpool makes a reference to Iron Man but he doesn’t know that the man in the iron mask is Rhody and not Tony Stark.

Deadpool asks if the X-Men recognize him and no one does, including Wolverine.  Captain America states that everyone is noble and just and Deadpool points out that Magneto is on their ship.

We see the ships that the two groups of costumed individuals are on.  It was pointed out to me that the ships they are on (seen in the image above) is the same style ship that the Proper Marvel characters used as their Life Raft in Secret Wars 2015 1.

Xavier senses that there is overwhelming evil from the other ship.  Deadpool doesn’t miss a beat to point out how he is on the hero ship.

The Beyonder announces the goal of the miniseries (and the maxiseries) slay your enemies and what you desire is yours.  Deadpool whips out his swords and wants to murder the villains so quickly.  This scares the assembled heroes.  Deadpool whispers to Wolverine, I love all of Deadpool’s asides in the issue – and asks how Wolverine can tolerate all of this goody good shoes.  Wolverine states that the bulk of his healing factor is used to repair his pride.  It is this page that I realize that Deadpool has a “DP” in the same style of Daredevil’s DD – and he isn’t in this series.

Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars 1 Lockheed 2

The heroes, including Lockheed!, teleport to the surface of this, Battleworld.  Reed doesn’t see any villains but Wasp points out that Magneto is standing right over the hill.  Magneto is tired of all of this finger pointing, and knocks the heroes backwards.  He flies off after stating that only Thor deserves to stand counted amongst him.

Xavier asks who should be their leader, he is in a wheelchair.  Reed turns it down, as he is distracted as his wife is pregnant with their second child, and back at home.  Hulk isn’t interested.  Wasp defers to Captain America, who accepts the role.  Wolverine won’t follow a mere human but Deadpool tells him to get in line as you don’t want to be seen as Anti-American.

Now… Deadpool is resting and healing.

Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars 1 Lockheed 3

The first battle.  Look who Lockheed is bravely taking on!  The Absorbing Man!  That Lockheed, he goes for the tough foes.

Cyclops is tending to Colossus, as he is the worst.  Wolverine v Wrecker.  Cap v Thunderball.  Spider-Man v Doctor Octopus, careful!  I forget that Kang is involved in Secret Wars.  He doesn’t do much, from what I can remember.

Deadpool fights Lizard, who scratches his outfit.  This enrages Deadpool as there isn’t a machine that repairs clothes here – which there is and Deadpool knows in a fourth wall breaking fashion.  Deadpool flirts with Enchantress and She-Hulk.  Enchantress is disgusted and She-Hulk wants him to focus up.

Absorbing Man absorbs Deadpool, hoping to learn what his powers are.  That isn’t how Absorbing Man works, right?  It has to be inanimate objects – that is how I know his powerset.  Absorbing Man absorbs Deadpool’s cancer, so that isn’t great.

Deadpool takes out Kang, single handedly – which is up there with Squirrel Girl’s abilities!

The heroes are getting the unconscious villains ready to be their prisoners.  Cap sends Storm to do some recon.

Now.  Deadpool is feeling better and starts heading outside.  As this section of the issue ends with us seeing Deadpool, fully healed, shirtless and with a beautiful head of blonde hair and a mustache to match!

Here is hoping that Lockheed keeps showing up in this!  He appears in three issues of the original Secret Wars and in two issues of the four of Spider-Man & Secret Wars.  So if his track record holds, he should appear in one more issue of this.  I imagine it will be the final and fourth issue.

 

. . .

Contest of Champions : Bonus Round

Writer Cullen Bunn

Artist Jacopo Camagni

Colorist Veronica Gandini

Letterer VC’s Joe Sabino

Deadpool's Secret Contest of Champions Recap

Contest of Champions’ first issue came out in June 1982, two years prior to Secret Wars; thus nine years before Deadpool was a thing.

Deadpool's Secret Contest of Champions Kitty

Camagni really likes to draw Kitty from behind!

Can’t really blame the art team for not making sure costumes match from the original series.  It shouldn’t have been hard to get it right, as the trade is still in print – I believe.  Shamrock and Kitty both should have a full head mask, but that’s okay.

Deadpool is speaking on the behalf of the the B-Level characters (perhaps C-Level) as the Grandmaster and Death have chosen their champions.  So the two contestants make a bonus round.

In addition to their proper champions –

Grandmaster’s Team is – Captain America, Talisman, Darkstar, Wolverine, Captain Britain, Defensor, Sasquatch, Daredevil, She-Hulk, le Peregine, Blitzkrieg and Thing.

Deaths’ team is – Iron Man, Vanguard, Shamrock, Iron Fist, Storm, Arabian Knight, Sabra, Angel, Invisible Woman, Black Panther, Sunfire and the Collective Man.

For the bonus round, their champions are –

Grandmaster’s Team – Rocket Racer, She-Man-Thing, Vile Tapeworm and Frogman

Death’s Team – Deadpool, Howard the Duck, Doop and Pink Sphinx

She-Man-Thing is terffic in this issue, I wish she was a real character – or that she became a bigger character now.  I’m all for Death’s team.  I forget that I actually do enjoy Doop.

Deadpool wants to split up, immediately but Howard tells him that is foolish.  Pink Sphinx, also a new character (along with Vile Tapewom) reveals the hidden object is in Patricia’s Platinum Playroom.  Deadpool wishes she just whispered the information as now the other side knows where to look.  Deadpool knows where that location is, in St. Louis so he will seek it out and asks Doop and Howard to hold back the other side.  Essentially splitting from the group.

Deadpool grabs the object and the issue ends with the object just being a Participant globe, which upsets everybody.  Well, except for Death who makes out with Deadpool – in an awesome reference to Joe Kelly’s run on Deadpool, wherein Death is attracted to Deadpool.  Which, yes, Kelly does involved Thanos eventually, which may be my favorite Thanos appearance.

Astonishing X-Men 8

Posted by John Klein III on December 20, 2015
Posted in: Reviews. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Astonishing X-Men 8

Writer Joss Whedon

Artist John Cassaday

Colorist Laura Martin

Letterer Chris Eliopoulos

Cover Dated February 2005

Dangerous, Part Two of Six

I like how the first two pages are laid out.  The panels on the first page go – Wing dead in the Danger Room, two dudes looking down at something and Emma, the Cuckoos and Blindfold hearing something.

Second page – The telepaths are taken out, the two dudes are bathed in red light and the Danger Room’s door is electrified.  So it goes down one page and the opposite panels on the next page.

Astonishing X-Men 8 Kitty 1

Scott looks over Emma.  Wolverine confirms that all of the psychics are taken out.  Kitty goes to check on the rest of the students.

I sort of like the nice touch that Scott and Logan don’t know the kids names but Armor is there to name check Wing.

Some ink kid, comicbookdb nor Marvel Database names him, tells Kitty that the non-ink kid passed out.

Over at the two dudes, we see that whatever they were looking at, is gigantic.  I do enjoy Laura Martin bathing their scenes in red.  The item breaks out of the roof and we see that it is a damaged Sentinel, that states “I hear you, Lord.”

Astonishing X-Men 8 Kitty 2

The team is outside.  Wolverine isn’t smelling anything.  Kitty wonders if Logan can track Wing, but he doesn’t know him.  Like a jerk, though, he promises to kill him, when he finds him – which seems like quite the overreaction.  Of course, Wing is dead at this moment, so that isn’t great.

Scott is with Emma, he doesn’t know how she is still knocked out.  Beast told him that there is nothing physically wrong with the telepaths.  While Emma is passed out, we get a very narration captions, of a second voice in her head.

The Sentinel is slowing making its way towards the mansion.

In space, Abigail Brand is doing some push ups.  We see that on her arms, she has tattoos – “Anna” and “Grace.”  An agent comes in and tells her that the mansion has gone silent, including their mole.

Astonishing X-Men 8 Kitty 3

Look at those amazing backgrounds!

I like that the school only has nine telepaths, that really shouldn’t be a power that too many have.  Wolverine confirms that they are isolated in the county.

Astonishing X-Men 8 Lockheed 1

Lockheed arrives!  He must have been attempting to contact Brand.  Kitty requested him to do some long-range recon, and he is back.  Look at the muscles that Cassaday gives Lockheed!  That dragon is a star!

Wolverine asks how Kitty and Lockheed are able to communicate with each other, if all of the telepaths were shut down.  Kitty explains that their connection is intuitive, more instinct than thought.

Scott wants some lights.

Astonishing X-Men 8 Lockheed 2

So Lockheed lights up the sky, revealing the Sentinel.  Sentinel eye beams the team, Colossus proves useful by blocking Wolverine, Kitty phases through the beam and Scott jumps aside.

Astonishing X-Men 8 Lockheed 3

The Sentinel goes on stating, destroy the oppressors!  It flings a gate and both Lockheed and Scott dodge it.  That Sentinel has gone too far!  Scott makes a poor field decision and instructs Kitty to take the students into the Danger Room.

Scott optic blasts the Sentinel and gets back handed, which is impressive that he can take that hit and get back up.

Astonishing X-Men 8 Kitty 4

Kitty is getting the students into the Danger Room and avoiding eye beams.

Scott tells the boys to get behind him, as he wants the Sentinel off his lawn.  He takes off his visor and leaves a small crater.

Astonishing X-Men 8 Kitty 5

Colossus notes that he heard the Sentinel say, oppressors.

Kitty and Lockheed finally lock the students into the Danger Room.

Astonishing X-Men 8 Kitty 6

Cassaday straight up reuses the bottom panel of the previous page for the middle one of this page.

Kitty and the students (not sure where Lockheed is) see Wing’s dead body.  Kitty calls Armor by her real name, Hisako.  She asks Armor for help but Armor is too busy reeling from the sight of her dead friend.

Some kid notices that the exit door is missing.

Outside, the Sentinel is going on and on about father’s sins, as Wolverine slices into it.

Astonishing X-Men 8 Kitty 7

Kitty attempts to phase through the wall but she can’t leave the room.  Just then, Wing stands up – which is quite the sight!

Outside of the room, Colosus is putting his entire body to try to open the door.  He fails as he sucks at everything.  Scott feels pretty silly for doing exactly what was expected of him.

Emma has woken up and ends the issue stating that the enemy is not in the Danger Room.  THE THREAT IS THE DANGER ROOM!!! WHAT!?!  The Danger Room is angry!

Mails to Astonish, letters from – Luis of Bridgeport, CT / Glen Wadleight of Austin, Texas / Ian Rothe / Mark of Springfield, NJ / A Happy Fan / David Bolung of Melbourne, Australia and Joel Padre of Glendale, Ca.

Marvel March 2016 Solicitations

Posted by John Klein III on December 19, 2015
Posted in: Solicitations. Tagged: , , , . Leave a comment

http://www.newsarama.com/27178-marvel-comics-march-2016-solicitations.html

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #7
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • MIKE DEODATO (A/C)
WOMEN OF POWER VARIANT COVER BY KATE NIEMCZYK
“THE WAR MACHINES” PART 2!
• 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

            Already building toward’s summer’s big event? Makes sense, plus this issue gets to be printed in that event’s trade? Or in one of those “Road to” trades.

INTERNATIONAL IRON MAN #1
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (w) • ALEX MALEEV (a/C)
Variant by Gabriele Dell’Otto
YOUNG VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
hip-hop variant by marco d’alfonso
Who is Tony Stark, really? Since learning that he was adopted as a baby, this question has cast a shadow over Stark’s life. Now, it is time to uncover what his legacy truly is, a journey that will carry Tony into new directions as a man and as a super hero. Alongside his strange new quasi-ally Doctor Doom, Iron Man will discover new things about the Marvel Universe he didn’t know existed before! A character deconstruction from Bendis and Maleev along the lines of their award-winning DAREDEVIL run!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Bendis is going to not only give Iron Man a second title, he’s writing it himself! Bendis / Maleev do make for a great team. I won’t be getting this.

THE INFINITY ENTITY #1 (of 4)
JIM STARLIN (w) • ALAN DAVIS (a/C)
VARIANT COVER BY RON LIM
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
FROM THE PAGES OF THE THANOS: THE INFINITY RELATIVITY OGN!
When last we saw Adam Warlock, he was a captive of Annihilus of the Negative Zone. So where does THE INFINITY ENTITY #1 find him? Hanging with the original Avengers? Then things start getting weird. But what else would you expect from the cosmic team of Jim Starlin and Alan Davis? Guest starring the Guardians of the Galaxy.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

 THE INFINITY ENTITY #2 (of 4)
JIM STARLIN (w) • ALAN DAVIS (a/C)
VARIANT COVER BY RON LIM
Continuing his efforts to piece together his lost recent past, Adam Warlock is confronted by the bizarre and powerful In-Betweener, then begins a nightmarish tour of a ravaged universe. Each answer unearthed produces even more vexing questions, until Warlock receives an astral summons he cannot ignore.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

THE INFINITY ENTITY #3 (of 4)
JIM STARLIN (w) • ALAN DAVIS (a/C)
VARIANT COVER BY RON LIM
Adam Warlock at last discovers the truth about what he has become and his and Thanos’ role in the destruction of the universe. Now the big question is whether or not the universe’s most powerful entities will allow Warlock the chance to rectify his mistakes and save all that there is.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

THE INFINITY ENTITY #4 (of 4)
JIM STARLIN (w) • ALAN DAVIS (a/C)
VARIANT COVER BY RON LIM
With his memories fully restored, an omnipotent Adam Warlock confronts the surprisingly unexpected true architect of all the universe’s recent ills and destruction. This should make for a short story. But all is still not as it appears and our tale ends with a very unforeseen twist.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

            The first issue promises to have the Guardians of the Galaxy, so I should be buying that issue. Hopefully Starlin knows that Pryde and Grimm are part of the team now. Plus, Alan Davis drawing Kitty, is always a reason to buy a comic! I imagine Chad Nevett is excited about this series.

HYPERION #1
Chuck Wendig (w) • Nik Virella (a)
Cover by Emanuela Lupacchino
Variant cover by Emanuela Lupacchino
hip-hop variant by shawna mills
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
BLACK PANTHER 50TH ANNIVERSARY VARIANT COVER BY KERON GRANT
HYPERION IS BACK!
Or is he? The high-powered hero is hiding in plain sight, driving a truck across the U.S. to learn about the country he has adopted. Along the way, he picks up a lone runaway named Doll, who has more baggage than he anticipated. Doll is in danger, chased by a pack of freaks and lunatics known as THE CARNIES. Will Hyperion reveal himself to save her? Maybe! Will he use a tractor trailer as a baseball bat? Probably!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

            Another new number one I won’t be getting.

X-MEN ‘92 #1
CHRIS SIMS & CHAD BOWERS (w) • ALTI FIRMANSYAH (a)
Cover by DAVID NAKAYAMA
hip-hop variant by afua richardson
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
The X-Men of the 90s are back! Continuing from the hit Secret Wars series starring the X-Men of a more EXTREME decade. With Cassandra Nova defeated, the X-Men have taken in all the young mutants she had rounded up and are officially reopening the Xavier School for Gifted Children…but being responsible won’t stop them from having crazy adventures! Especially when Omega Red shows up with the (Formerly) Soviet Super Soldiers!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

            Could Sims be able to bring Kitty Pryde into the 92 series? Or possibly Illyana into her Magik idenity? That would be pretty great!

 BLACK WIDOW #1
Chris Samnee & Mark Waid (w) • CHRIS SAMNEE (a/C)
hip-hop variant COVER by phil noto
variant COVER by Tula Lotay
YOUNG VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
WOMEN OF POWER VARIANT COVER BY TBA
S.H.I.E.L.D.’S MOST WANTED!
The Eisner Award-winning team of Mark Waid and Chris Samnee are taking Black Widow on the lam! Natasha has spent years gathering secrets, and when some of the darkest ones begin mysteriously going public, no one is safe. With her betrayed former confederates at S.H.I.E.L.D. on her heels and a lifetime of training and ingenuity at her disposal, Natasha’s out for answers in a knock-down-drag-out tale of action and espionage! Hidden enemies, old friends and unusual allies collide, and all eyes are on Black Widow. The chase is on!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

             Great that Black Widow is getting a new ongoing! I won’t be buying it but I am a fan of the character.

MARVEL UNIVERSE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN: CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS #1
Adapted by Joe Caramagna
THE CONTEST BEGINS!
• A mysterious being is abducting Earth’s heroes!
• Now, Spider-Man and the Avengers must battle their greatest foes for the fate of the planet!
• Be here for the start of the next great super
hero crossover!
32 PGS./All Ages …$2.99

            I wonder if the X-Men could appear in this?

MOCKINGBIRD #1
CHELSEA CAIN (w) • KATE NIEMCZYK (a)
Cover by JOELLE JONES
VARIANT COVER BY AFU CHAN
Women of Power Variant COVER BY TBA
hip-hop variant COVER by jeff dekal
YOUNG VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
BECAUSE YOU DEMANDED IT! Now in her own ongoing series!
Bobbi Morse is Mockingbird, S.H.I.E.L.D.’s most versatile, most in-demand agent!
But a string of missions gone wrong indicate that something strange is lurking within S.H.I.E.L.D.’s own medical and recovery network. How far will Mockingbird have to go in order to solve this puzzle box and get to the truth? Bestselling author Chelsea Cain teams with newcomer Kate Niemczyk.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Pretty great that Mockingbird is getting her own series! I’ve been really liking the character on Agents of SHIELD.

AVENGERS STANDOFF: ASSAULT ON PLEASANT HILL ALPHA #1
NICK SPENCER (w) • JESUS SAIZ (a/C)
CONNECTED VARIANT COVER BY ART ADAMS
PARTY VARIANT COVER BY TBA
PARTY SKETCH VARIANT COVER BY TBA
Pleasant Hill looks like the perfect small-town community — but underneath the surface, a deadly secret lurks. One so explosive it will draw estranged allies Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson back together to save a friend in danger and put things right. But when the combined might of the Captain Americas isn’t enough, whom do they call? In the face of unspeakable evil, it’s time for the Avengers to Assemble like never before! The blockbuster spring AVENGERS event starts right here!
40 PGS./ One-shot/Rated T+ …$4.99

So this isn’t related to summer event, instead we are having an Avengers Spring Event. Glad I can skip out on this. I wonder if it could lead into the other event though?

ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT MARVEL UNIVERSE
Written by VARIOUS
Cover by DAVID MARQUEZ
SECRET WARS has ended, and the Marvel Universe has been reborn — better and brighter than ever before! To celebrate, Marvel is proud to present this all-new, all-different guide to the Universe! This edition includes brand-new profiles on Phil Coulson’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Ms. Marvel (Khan), “Spider-Gwen” Stacy, Lash, Parker Industries, Singularity (A-Force), Ghost Rider (Reyes) and more! Plus updates on major characters starring in new titles: Iron Man (Stark), Ant-Man (Lang), Doctor Stephen Strange, the Inhumans, Thor (Foster) and Wolverine (Kinney)! Also featuring a global-sized entry for Doctor Doom’s SECRET WARS patchwork planet, Battleworld! Get in on the ground floor of the All-New, All-Different Marvel Universe which starts now!
64 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

            A new handbook for the All New All Different Marvel Universe? Where do I sign up!?!

Captain America 75th Anniversary MAGAZINE
Written by JOHN RHETT THOMAS
Covers by JOHN BYRNE, JACK KIRBY & ALEX ROSS
Celebrate the birthday of a living legend with an All-New, All-Different, ALL-FREE commemoration of 75 years of Captain America! From fans’ first impression of Steve Rogers socking evil in the jaw, to Sam Wilson wielding the shield today, this magazine has it all — bringing you fully up to date with Cap’s comics and films! From a guide to the firmest friends and fiercest foes of Cap’s storied history, to an in-depth look at his timeless costume, to features focusing on some of the finest creators ever to write or draw the Sentinel of Liberty — including John Romita Sr., Mark Gruenwald, Mark Waid and the King himself, Jack Kirby! Do your patriotic duty and take home this FREE slice of red, white and blue. Happy birthday, Captain — we salute you!
96 PGS./All Ages …$0.00
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9904-5
*RetailerS: Check upcoming Marvel Mailers on DETAILS on how to receive your free copies.
Also available for order, special edition covers:
CAPTAIN AMERICA 75TH ANNIVERSARY MAGAZINE 1 BYRNE COVER (SPECIAL EDITION, $9.99)
CAPTAIN AMERICA 75TH ANNIVERSARY MAGAZINE 1 KIRBY COVER (SPECIAL EDITION, $9.99)
CAPTAIN AMERICA 75TH ANNIVERSARY MAGAZINE 1 ROSS COVER (SPECIAL EDITION, $9.99)

            Pretty great that Marvel is going all out for Cap’s 75th birthday! A free magazine is pretty nice. Hopefully Hastings gets a copy, as it would be nice to read.

ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT #3
SKOTTIE YOUNG (W) • FILIPE ANDRADE (A)
COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
VARIANT COVER BY SIYA OUM
FRIENDS FOREVER???
• The horrible truth of Rocket’s dastardly transformation revealed!
• Oh man, that answer only raises MORE questions?! But don’t worry, all will be revealed! Probably! There is a very good chance most things will be revealed!
• Can the greatest friendship in the galaxy survive this terrifying trial? I’d say yes, probably, but really isn’t it the journey more than the destination? Come journey with us, friends!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Again, this series’ solict is pretty grand.

Marvel MARCH 2016 Solicitations Howard the Duck 5 Joe Quinones cover
Art by Joe Quinones

HOWARD THE DUCK #5
CHIP ZDARSKY (W) • JOE QUINONES (A/C)
THE EPIC CONCLUSION!
• A cosmic battle to end all battles with Howard in the middle! Can he put an end to THE COLLECTOR once and for all with the help of the Guardians of the Galaxy and Silver Surfer?
• Seriously, I’m asking you. I’m on, like, page 12 of this script and I. Am. Stumped.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

We have confirmation that Kitty is part of the Guardians appearance for issues four and five! Such a great cover!

DRAX #5
C.M. Punk & Cullen Bunn (W) • SCOTT HEPBURN (A/C)
IF YOU CAN’T STAND THE HEAT, DESTROY THE KITCHEN!!!
• Fin Fang Foom’s got a bun in the oven!
• In Drax’s quest to save the kids Foom kidnapped, the Destroyer is moving out of the frying pan (underground jail) and into the fire (something worse)!
• We could dish out these kitchen jokes all day, but stick a fork in us, we’re done!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

            Kitchen puns are fun!

GUARDIANS OF INFINITY #4
DAN ABNETT & GERRY DUGGAN (W) • CARLO BARBERI & RAFA GARRES (A)
Cover by Gary Choo
AN ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT GOD ARISES!
• This is the dawning of the age of Hermetikus! He’s the Lord of the Newcomers and seems to have access to all of space and time!
• And he also seems to have complicated history with Stella Nega, leader of the Guardians 1000!
• Plus, GERRY DUGGAN and RAFA GARRES bring you a rollicking tale of space brawlin’ with VENOM and THE HUMAN TORCH!
40 PGS./Rated T …$4.99

            I do like the trend of having a backup story featuring a Guardian who isn’t present in the series, but when will it be Kitty’s turn!?!

Marvel MARCH 2016 Solicitations Guardians of the Galaxy 6 Campbell cover
Art by Jamal Campbell

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #6
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • VALERIO SCHITI (A)
Cover by ARTHUR ADAMS
VARIANT COVER BY JAMAL CAMPBELL
STORY THUS FAR VARIANT COVER BY TBA
CLASSIC ARTIST VARIANT COVER BY TBA
WOMEN OF POWER VARIANT COVER BY TBA
“NEW GALACTIC ORDER” STARTS NOW!
Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord, is back with the Guardians, but what does that mean to Star-Lord, a.k.a. Kitty Pryde? Who made it out of the horrifying first arc? Don’t miss this issue!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Great cover by Pryce14, whoever that is? I’ll have to get that variant cover. I had to look it up, Jamal Campbell is pryce14, good to know. I like that new costume for Pryde but I can see it just being a space suit. Glad Quill has rejoined the team, maybe that means Spartax doesn’t survived the first story arc though. Let’s not lose in our first adventure, you guys!

SILVER SURFER #3
DAN SLOTT (W) • MICHAEL ALLRED (A/C)
VARIANT COVER BY STEVE EPTING
Special 50th Anniversary issue!
• In 1966, the heroes of Earth met Norrin Radd of Zenn-La, The Silver Surfer.
• In 2016, for the greatest stakes of all time, he will have to fight them all.
• Not a dream. Not a hoax. This is really happening. A major turning point in the life of Norrin Radd that will profoundly change the saga of the Silver Surfer!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Hey, Silver Surfer is turning fifty next year! I wonder who is being counted as “them all” could the X-Men be there? We’ll have to find out!

 VENOM: SPACE KNIGHT #5
ROBBIE THOMPSON (W) • ARIEL OLIVETTI (A/C)
PIK ROLLO IS A GIANT SPACE PANDA BEAR
• And she is tough as %&#$, while still being adorable.
• But she needs some help from VENOM to rescue her child (also ADORABLE) from our big cosmic bad guy, who wants Venom dead. Venom, and pretty much anyone else getting in his way.
• Panda. Bear. Mercenaries. From. Space.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

            I wonder how adorable is adorable?

POWER MAN AND IRON FIST #2
DAVID WALKER (W) • SANFORD GREENE (A/C)
VARIANT COVER BY BILL SIENKIEWICZ
JENNIE AND THE FAMILY SUPERSOUL STONE
• A villain now has her hands on a mystically powerful stone, and it’s all Luke and Danny’s fault!
• Well, maybe it’s not ALL their fault. They were tricked by an old friend, but that’s little comfort to our two heroes, much less the gangster from whom they took the stone.
• Someone phone Jessica Jones and let her know Luke’s going to be late. Maybe she could binge-watch an awesome streaming super hero show?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

            Nice plug for her show there! We still haven’t watched a single episode, once we finished Shameless, we will get to it.

CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS #6
AL EWING (W) • PACO MEDINA (A/C)
CONNECTING VARIANT COVER BY RON LIM
GAME VARIANT COVER BY KABAM
CHECK AND MATE!
• How did Maestro end up in the Battlerealm? How did he come to be a servant of the Collector?
• This issue has all the answers and then some! As the Maestro takes his revenge…on EVERYBODY!
• The dominoes fall, the plans come together and NOTHING will be the same again!
• DON’T MISS THIS ISSUE!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

We’re going to get answers, I wonder if that includes if that is Magik’s soulsword or not?!

 ANGELA: QUEEN OF HEL #6
MARGUERITE BENNETT (W)
KIM JACINTO & STEPHANIE HANS (A)
COVER BY KIM JACINTO
WATCH THE THRONE!
• Who’s the a new ruler of Hel?
• Angela? Sera? Hela? Leah?
• Plus: The first meeting between Angela and the new Thor! It, uh…it does not go well.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

            Thor v Angela, could get pretty intense!

THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL #6
RYAN NORTH & CHIP ZDARSKY (W) • ERICA HENDERSON & JOE QUINONES (A/C)
Variant Cover by ERICA HENDERSON
WOMEN OF POWER VARIANT COVER BY TBA
Connected Variant Cover by TRADD MOORE
PART ONE OF “ANIMAL HOUSE,” A CROSSOVER WITH HOWARD THE DUCK!
• Squirrel Girl and Howard will team up against an enemy that neither Squirrel Girl (who has defeated Galactus) or Howard the Duck (who has defeated… uh… well, listen, I’m sure he’s got other qualities) could take down on their own!
• Will they fight over a trivial misunderstanding? Will they band together against a common enemy? Will Squirrel Girl say “duck!” to mean “lower your head” but Howard will misinterpret it as a call for his attention, leading him to get hit on the head by something?
• At least ONE of those three questions will be answered with a “yes” in this issue!
• CONCLUDED NEXT MONTH IN HOWARD THE DUCK #6!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

            I like Howard having all of these crossovers and guest appearances, he deserves it!

EXTRAORDINARY X-MEN #8
JEFF LEMIRE (W) • HUMBERTO RAMOS (A) • COVER BY HUMBERTO RAMOS
CONNECTING VARIANT COVER BY KEN LASHLEY
STORY THUS FAR VARIANT COVER BY TBA
CLASSIC ARTIST VARIANT COVER BY TBA
WOMEN OF POWER VARIANT COVER BY TBA
“APOCALYPSE WARS” STARTS NOW!
Mutantkind is an endangered species once more. But what better way to ensure your people see the future…than to skip ahead right to it? As the mutant race’s last hope is jettisoned into the time stream, the Extraordinary X-Men make a startling discovery: the fate of their kind is about to fall into the hands of one of their most formidable adversaries — the immortal APOCALYPSE. Now, the X-Men race into a perilous future, desperate to reclaim what was taken from them…and completely unaware of the horrors that await them.
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

            In time for the Apocalypse movie, well the trade anyways – we get our first X-Men crossover! Everything makes it seem like it is only a three parter, so that isn’t too bad. Not sure why this is an additional dollar, hopefully that isn’t the new price point. Shame Magik was left off of the main cover, maybe I can get one of the variants, in its place. I know she is on the Ken Lashley variant, already.

ALL-NEW X-MEN #6 & #7
DENNIS HOPELESS (W) • MARK BAGLEY (A/C)
• In the wake of terrible acts committed by the adult Cyclops, mutantkind is hated and feared more than ever.
• And try as he might to divorce himself from his predecessor’s legacy, some believe that the young Scott Summers is destined to grow up and commit those sins.
• Now, there’s one mutant who believes that he can spare mutantkind if he prevents Scott from becoming that man.
• Will the young Cyclops’ story end here?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99 (each)

            How can teen Scott Summers grow up to commit adult Cyclops’ sins, when the world will be a completely different place, by then? It isn’t like Marvel is going to repeat AvX in time for that, right? Or that Teen Scott will be around that long, for that matter. Interesting that Extraordinary X-Men 8 kicks off Apocalypse Wars but the other parts are coming out in April and not in the same month.

X-MEN: WORST X-MAN EVER #2 (of 5)
MAX BEMIS (W) • MICHAEL WALSH (A/C)
• Bailey may be the worst X-Man ever…but Mystique sees something in him!
• Meanwhile…he tries to fit into every part of the X-Universe!
• The new X-Mini by Say Anything frontman Max Bemis continues here!
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

            I keep hoping for Kitty or Illyana in this series.

UNCANNY X-MEN #4 & 5
CULLEN BUNN (W) • GREG LAND (A/C)
ISSUE #4 –
• Mutantkind is teetering on the brink of extinction once more! While some mutants seek refuge, others are eager to fight for their species’ survival.
• And in the case of the UNCANNY X-MEN, that means taking the fight to those who would hasten mutantkind’s decline!
• But are the X-Men biting off more than they can chew when they try to hunt down the DARK RIDERS on their own turf?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
ISSUE #5 –
• The final confrontation between THE UNCANNY X-MEN and THE DARK RIDERS!
• One X-Man is dead and the world’s deadliest team of mutants is eager to deliver retribution. But what price will they pay to exact their revenge?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

            We’re already getting a dead X-Man!?! I wonder if Land is doing the Apocalypse crossover.

POWERS VOL. 1: WHO KILLED RETRO GIRL?
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • MICHAEL AVON OEMING (A/C)
TPB (NEW PRINTING) 240 PGS./Mature • ISBN: 978-0-7851-9274-9 • JUL140707…$15.99
PREMIERE HC ISBN: 978-0-7851-5671-0 • MAR110746…$24.99

I’ve read this, it was pretty good but I did stop at the first one.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: NEW ORDER VOL. 1 – EMPEROR QUILL PREMIERE HC
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Penciled by VALERIO SCHITI
Cover by ARTHUR ADAMS
Peter Quill has abandoned the Guardians and his role as Star-Lord to be emperor of the Spartax! Now, Rocket has grabbed the reins as team leader — backed up by Drax, Venom, Groot, Kitty Pryde and brand-new Guardian Ben Grimm, the ever-lovin’ blue-eyed Thing! But what could put the team into the crosshairs of Emperor Quill and his Imperial Guard? Another old face is back, too — but will it be a welcome return for Gamora, or have circumstances changed in the eight months she has been away? When friends like these cause complications for Rocket and the gang, who needs enemies? They don’t, but they seem to attract them anyway. And the newest threat to the galaxy is a doozy. His name is Yotat the Destroyer — and he will have blood. Collecting GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2015) #1-5.
112 PGS./Rated T …$24.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9518-4
Trim size: standard

            Buy this! It is so good! Pryde fits in with this team so well! Makes sense, with the line wide relaunch, all of the trades will be coming out, at roughly the same time.

FIGMENT 2: LEGACY OF IMAGINATION HC
Written by JIM ZUB
Penciled by RAMON BACHS
Cover by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
The legendary Dreamfinder and the unforgettable Figment return in an all-new adventure! Together, they saved the world — but now they find themselves in a time and place not their own! As the pair adapt to a new era, steampunk adventure collides with modern technology as a shadowy threat emerges. Mysteries unfold, old friends return, and fresh challenges present themselves — but Dreamfinder’s greatest test lies ahead. Will his own legacy be his undoing? While the creative minds of the Academy Scientifica-Lucidus fall under a cloud of doubt, a new dreamer joins the journey. Together, can the imaginative team save the school and free their friends, or will the world fall into darkness for all eternity? Don’t miss this sequel based on the beloved “Journey Into Imagination” attraction at Walt Disney World! Collecting FIGMENT 2 #1-5.
136 PGS./All Ages …$24.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9847-5
Trim size: oversized

            Now maybe we can get Lockheed in more titles, than just Groot 6! Unless they plan on making a third trade.

AVENGERS BY JOHN BYRNE OMNIBUS HC
Written by JOHN BYRNE, FABIAN NICIEZA, DANNY FINGEROTH, ROY THOMAS, DANN THOMAS,
MARK GRUENWALD, MICHAEL HIGGINS & MORE
Penciled by JOHN BYRNE, TOM MORGAN, GARY HARTLE, PAUL RYAN, MARK BAGLEY, RON WILSON & MORE
Cover by JOHN BYRNE
Earth’s Mightiest Heroes by one of comics’ biggest names! John Byrne transforms the West Coast Avengers as the dismantling of the Vision sets the android’s bewitching wife, Wanda Maximoff, down a path that is far darker than scarlet! On the East Coast, Byrne steers the Avengers through attack by the Lava Men and into the Negative Zone in search of the Eternals! Then along comes a spider as a friendly neighborhood wall-crawler joins the Assemblers on a journey to the stars! But what is Immortus’s ultimate plan? From the Evolutionary War to Acts of Vengeance and more, it’s an eventful volume filled with epic tales written and/or drawn by Byrne! Collecting WEST COAST AVENGERS (1985) #42-46, AVENGERS WEST COAST #47-62 and ANNUAL #4, AVENGERS (1963) #305-318 and ANNUAL #18, and material from AVENGERS SPOTLIGHT #23 and WHAT THE–?! #6.
992 PGS./Rated T …$100.00
ISBN: 978-1-302-90057-1
Trim size: oversized

            The ruining of Scarlet Witch begins here!

COLOR YOUR OWN CIVIL WAR
Penciled by STEVE MCNIVEN
Cover by STEVE MCNIVEN
Whose side are you on? Colored pencils, crayons or felt-tip pens? Reach a decision across page after page of all-out costumed warfare featuring Steve McNiven’s exquisitely rendered artwork just waiting for you to add the color! Captain America and Iron Man are the feuding Avengers leading the two sides of heroes that battle it out over the rights and wrongs of superhuman registration. This war is far from civil as friendships and teams are torn apart, and one fact is certain: The issues are anything but black-and-white. Luckily, that’s where you come in! From Shellhead’s gleaming red and gold to the stars and stripes of the Sentinel of Liberty, these monochromatic Marvels are crying out to be brought to life in an eye-popping kaleidoscope of conflict. The battle lines have been drawn — now, can you stay inside them?
120 PGS./All Ages …$9.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9559-7

            Hastings actually has the Secret Wars Coloring Book and it looks super fun. Again, I’m not sure if I would be releasing all of these original Civil War trades, as I imagine many people won’t be tricked into buying them. But if a hundred people are tricked into buying every one of the trades, that’s some pretty good profits!

CAPTAIN AMERICA EPIC COLLECTION: MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY TPB
Volume #22 in the Captain America Epic Collections
Written by MARK WAID, BILL MESSNER-LOEBS & TERRY KAVANAGH
Penciled by RON GARNEY, MIKE DEODATO JR., JIM CHEUNG & JOHN STATEMA
Cover by RON GARNEY
Operation: Rebirth! Captain America, thought dead by the nation he loves, returns to the land of the living with a vengeance — but his unlikely savior is one of his deadliest enemies! Reunited with long-lost love Sharon Carter, Steve Rogers must face a foe he hoped he’d never see again. But Cap’s return is good news for the Avengers — with Thor powerless, Iron Man a teenager and the Zodiac attacking, they need him now more than ever. But does America? When Cap is framed and exiled from the United States, he must uncover the truth and track down the mysterious manipulator before time runs out for America! Collecting CAPTAIN AMERICA (1968) #444-454, THOR (1966) #496, IRON MAN (1968) #326, AVENGERS (1963) #396, CAPTAIN AMERICA ASHCAN EDITION #1, CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE LEGEND #1 and material from CAPTAIN AMERICA COLLECTORS’ PREVIEW #1.
456 PGS./Rated T …$34.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9510-8

            This collects the Waid / Garney Captain America run, so it is outstanding!

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 5: THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS TPB
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Penciled by VALERIO SCHITI & FRANK CHO
Cover by VALERIO SCHITI
The Guardians of the Galaxy are caught in the pull of the Black Vortex! With the Slaughter Squad hot on their tails, the X-Men and the Guardians have to find somewhere to stash their precious cargo — but will the temptation of the Vortex’s unknown power be too much for this band of misfits? Rocket leaps into action! Gamora goes on the offensive! Ronan is deposed! Star-Lord is defiant! This story has it all — but does it seem like the Guardians have forgotten something in all the cosmic craziness? Oh, that’s right, Peter got elected president of Spartax! Wait, what?! As rifts begin forming within the team, will their friendship and history be enough to hold the Guardians together? Plus: What is a S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier doing floating in space?! Collecting GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2013) #24-27 and ANNUAL #1.
136 PGS./Rated T …$19.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9738-6

            This collects the last of the Guardians of the Galaxy issues, prior to Secret Wars 2015 – Kitty is in most of the issues (at least the last ones) so I’ll recommend in it.

HAWKEYE & THE THUNDERBOLTS VOL. 1 TPB
Written by KURT BUSIEK, JOE CASEY & FABIAN NICIEZA
Penciled by MARK BAGLEY, LEONARDO MANCO, NORM BREYFOGLE & RICHARD HOWELL
Cover by MARK BAGLEY
Heeeeere’s Hawkeye! Your favorite ex-bad guys are determined to break good now that the ultimate reformed criminal is here to usher them into the big leagues of hero-dom — the Avenging Archer himself, Clint Barton! But can the Thunderbolts’ new leader fend off the old one, Citizen V? Or the Crimson Cowl and her new Masters of Evil? And just who is it under that white mask and that red hood now, anyway? Mach-1 makes a sacrifice, then takes his tech to the next level, while things gets heavy with Graviton. Will Archangel join the team to lift the mood? Hawkeye will lead the T-Bolts into hell and back for a fallen Avenger — but when Clint locks lips with Moonstone, there’s only one word for it: Uh-oh! Collecting THUNDERBOLTS (1997) #23-37, THUNDERBOLTS ANNUAL 2000 and AVENGERS ANNUAL 2000.
456 PGS./Rated T …$39.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9528-3

            I loved Thunderbolts back in the day, so I would recommend this. Maybe get it on sale as forty dollars seems like a lot. I don’t quite recall Casey’s issues, maybe he did the annuals. The series itself, was top notch by both Busiek and when he handed it over to Nicieza.

MARVEL FIRSTS: THE 1990S VOL. 1 TPB
Written by HOWARD MACKIE, GREGORY WRIGHT, FABIAN NICIEZA, CHRIS COOPER & MORE
Penciled by JAVIER SALTARES, JACKSON GUICE, ROB LIEFELD, RICHARD CASE & MORE
Cover by VARIOUS
Marvel’s journey into history reaches comics’ most debated decade: the 1990s! Ghost Rider, Deathlok and Foolkiller are reinvented for a grim-and-gritty era! Mutants go extreme with X-Force and an all-new X-Factor! The New Warriors on the block arrive! Nomad goes solo, Silver Sable shuffles her Wild Pack, Adam Warlock assembles an Infinity Watch, Darkhold Redeemers rise, and new icons are born: Darkhawk, Sleepwalker, Night Thrasher, Terror Inc. and Death’s Head II! Collecting GHOST RIDER (1990) #1, DEATHLOK (1990) #1, NEW WARRIORS (1990) #1, FOOLKILLER (1990) #1, DARKHAWK #1, SLEEPWALKER #1, X-FORCE (1991) #1, X-FACTOR (1986) #71, WARLOCK AND THE INFINITY WATCH #2, DEATH’S HEAD II (1992A) #1, SILVER SABLE & THE WILD PACK #1, TERROR INC. (1992) #1, NIGHT THRASHER: FOUR CONTROL #1, DARKHOLD: PAGES FROM THE BOOK OF SINS #1 and material from CAPTAIN AMERICA ANNUAL #9.
464 PGS./Rated T …$34.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9833-8

            We need an Essential Darkhawk! X-Factor 71 is the beginning of Peter David’s legendary run. I’m not sure if X-Force 1 holds up, those would be the only issues I’ll be interested in.

BLACK PANTHER BY CHRISTOPHER PRIEST: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION VOL. 3 TPB
Written by CHRISTOPHER PRIEST & J. TORRES
Penciled by SAL VELLUTO, JORGE LUCAS,
RYAN BODENHEIM, JON BOGDANOVE, JOHN BUSCEMA & PAOLO RIVERA
Cover by SHIN NAGASAWA
It’s Black Panther vs. Iron Man (with Wolverine in the middle) in the blockbuster sequel Enemy of the State II! Secrets are revealed, punches are thrown, and King Solomon’s Frogs wreak havoc — but who is the second Panther? Plus: Flash forward to T’Challa’s old age, where the once and future king has washed his hands of the outside world. Will he come out of retirement to save Everett K. Ross’s life? And travel back to the Old West as T’Challa finds himself in the middle of 1986’s THOR #370! But when and where in the timestream falls…the death of the Black Panther?! It’s political intrigue, tangled timelines and magic frogs as only Christopher Priest can juggle them! Guest-starring the Hulk! Collecting BLACK PANTHER (1998) #36-49 and #57-58, INCREDIBLE HULK (2000) #33, THOR (1966) #370 and material from MARVEL DOUBLE-SHOT #2.
456 PGS./Rated T+ …$34.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9508-5

            I don’t recall a sequel to Enemy of the State but Priest’s run on Black Panther is a must buy!

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN ULTIMATE COLLECTION BOOK 6 TPB
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Penciled by MARK BAGLEY
Cover by MARK BAGLEY
One of the most ruthless villains in Marvel history, the fan-favorite Carnage gets the Ultimate treatment! And though young Peter Parker has proven himself time and again, can even he hope to defeat this heartless killing machine? Then, a bizarre occurrence brings Spider-Man and Wolverine together for the freakiest team-up in super-hero history! As the two struggle to get to the bottom of this mystery, their lives literally unravel. What strange phenomenon has both heroes too distracted to work together? Plus: Johnny Storm realizes that despite his newfound fame and powers, he still doesn’t have a high school diploma. So where does the young Human Torch enroll? None other than a certain Queens school that also counts Peter Parker as a student. Strap yourself in as Spider-Man’s ultimate adventures continue! Collecting ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN (2000) #60-71.
296 PGS./Rated T …$34.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9632-7

            The Wolverine / Spider-Man mind swap story is pretty fun. These were good issues. I still own issues 66 & 67 (Kitty is part of the Wolverine two-parter)

. . .

So it looks like not an expensive month for me, April may be, but we’ll get to that.

I’m getting, for sure –

Extraordinary X-Men 8            $5
Howard the Duck 5            $4

Maybes –

Infinity Entity 1                        $4
(which sounds funny in my head)
All New All Different Marvel Universe Handbook            $5

For a total of $18, a dollar off each book (4) for a total of $12, that isn’t really that bad.

. . .

I have to add the handbook and Infinity Entity to my pull list.