Thank you everyone who has ever come to the blog, returned to the blog, followed me to YouTube, and hopefully, listening to me wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
At 26,552 views – our most popular post is still my post about Bounce Patrol.
At 6,105 views – our new most popular comic review is All New X-Men 2, topping Death of Wolverine 2’s 3,327 views. Reading that post, I’m not sure why All New X-Men 2 has raised so high.
Best Month : April 2025, with 8.134 views
Most Popular Day : April 22, 2025, with 3.4K views
Best Day : Wednesdays
Best Hour : 10:00 am
Countries with nine views : Seychelles, French Polynesia, and Martinique Welcome, French Polynesia, to the list! Four years running for both Martinique and Seychelles.
At 10,655 views, our most popular YouTube video is my 31st Victory as Kitty Pryde in Fortnite!
The podcast is quite active, and I super appreciate the very loyal handful of people who keep coming back each week. Thank you so much, it never fails to make me smile seeing the download number.
The first book I’m getting is Deadpool / Batman, as I’m a sucker for a crossover.
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X-Men of Apocalypse Alpha 1, taking place right after AoA Omega, means no Shadowcat, so this is a pass for me. Maybe she’ll show up for a panel?
Spider-Man 94 1, I guess this isn’t going to be a spinoff animated series? At least JM DeMatteis is writing it.
Battleworld 1, shame they went with Storm from Days of Future Past, instead of Kate Pryde. I wonder if she’ll show up for a panel?
Marvel Zombies : Red Band 1, a series focused on the Fantastic Four and zombies.
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I’m definitely tempted to get Godzilla Destroys the Marvel Universe 3, as it is supposed to be the X-Men issue. I’m surprised Magik didn’t make it to the cover. I do like that Iron Godzilla cover.
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Imperial War : Exiles 1, the Xaviers – Charles, Xandra, and Lilandra, are on the run. This would be the part of Imperial I would care about, if Xavier wasn’t there.
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The third comic I’m getting in September is Ultimate Spider-Man : Incursion 4, and either Magik featured cover works for me.
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The fourth comic is Ultimate Wolverine 9. Wolverine and the Opposition is taking the fight to Magik!
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One World Under Doom 7, of 9, Doom tries to his best maintain power.
Spider-Man & Wolverine 5 vs Dreadshadow and Shadow Coven. Whoever they are.
Wolverines and Deadpools 3, final issue, vs Shadow King, which is disappointing.
Uncanny X-Men 20, Logan and Ransom get the spotlight.
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is that a Kitty Pryde and Lockheed cosplayer next to Captain Marvel?! I might have to get this cover.
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I HAVE to get that Alex Ross Kitty Pryde and Lockheed cover! Hopefully it isn’t $35, otherwise, I’ll have to get it through eBay.
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X-Men 22 implies October is going to have a big X-Event, involving Apocalypse and Doug Ramsey – The Revelation.
Laura Kinney : Wolverine 10, guest starring a sick Gabby, and Clea Strange, as they deal with Dracula’s son, Xarus.
Storm 12, Storm vs the oldest storm god, Hadad.
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Magik double ships, so I don’t love that for my wallet, but this is pretty awesome. Shame instead of a Magik Alex Ross cover, we get a Havok, so that’s a hard pass for me.
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Phoenix 15, still dealing with Sara Grey.
Wolverine 13, Logan heads the mafia.
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No reference to Lockheed, but maybe he shows up in this?
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Emma Frost : White Queen 4, Emma in Las Vegas!
Do we need a Civil War 1 reprinting month to month?
Deadpool/Wolverine 9, both are horsemen for Apocalypse.
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Predator Kills the Marvel Universe 2, the X-Men get referenced, and a few on the cover, but no Kitty Pryde or Magik.
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No Psylocke 11?! That’s a real shame. Especially if there is a big crossover coming.
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Deadpool / Batman (twice, as Walker D wants a copy) Godzilla Destroys Marvel Universe 3, maybe Ultimate Spider-Man : Incursion 4 Ultimate Wolverine 9 Uncanny X-Men 21, convention cover Exceptional X-Men 13, the Alex Ross cover Magik 9 Magik 10 It’s Jeff & Other Marvel Tails 1, maybe Predator Kills the Marvel Universe 2, maybe
This feels like an expensive month, so I’ll probably get the maybes off of eBay, if necessary. I really have to keep my comic purchases around $30 or so, can’t be getting too wild.
This issue is going to be my comic of 2025, I can just tell. It makes me so happy.
In issue 9, Emma defeats Mister Sinister, but at a price. Not only did Emma defeat Sinister, but she also rescued Axo. Now Emma is trapped inside Sinister’s mind, where he’s having a Mad Hatter inspired tea party.
Federica Mancin draws these pages in a very fun decision. I really like the visual continuity of having Woodard do the coloring for both artists.
Emma reflects on her and Kitty’s origins, and we get a page from New Mutants V1 15.
Emma is still haunted by her Hellfire Club days, and her treatment of Kitty Pryde. Which, of course, makes me wonder if she is haunted by Firestar’s beloved horse, Butter Rum.
We catch up to the rest of the Exceptional X-Men team, Kitty Pryde, Iceman, Melee, Bronze, and Axo. They are distraught by Emma still being unconscious. Axo tells them that Emma is very much still in danger, and has to go back in to rescue her.
I do like how all of the students are X-Men now. They took down a major X-Villain, so they have earned it. Let’s hope they survive the experience.
Kitty, to her credit, did not want them to be present for the confrontation, as she wasn’t raising child soldiers. Sinister sent a clone Iceman to get them, and bring them, but since they are here, they got into the fight.
We see in Sinister’s mindscape, that he’s ten, but not a cute ten year old, he’s Sinister but as a ten year old. He likes to perform dissections, and is generally a cruel child.
Axo returns to the mindscape, Emma doesn’t miss a beat that she sacrificed herself to free him, so this undoes all of that. Sort of like the climax of Top Gun : Maverick.
Meanwhile, the Exceptional X-Men having to fight Sabretooth sabretooth clones. As there is no end to what Sinister will do with Victor Creed’s DNA.
Axo finds a cute plush elephant of Sinister’s, which calms Sinister enough that Axo can force him to nap. Emma compliments Axo, and they are free!
Emma wakes up, which means Sinister wakes up.
in a very classic Claremont Care Bear stare, the united Exceptional X-Men team take down Sinister.
But was it the real Sinister? All we know is that, like the fake Axo clone, or how Dr. Stephanie Burt phased him, Faxo, he explodes in a goo.
But we have no time for that, as Kitty looks over, and sees . . .
LOCKHEED THE DRAGON!!!
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it took ten issues, but we are here!
I keep fondly remembering this fun exchange I had with Carmen Carnero
Way back on April 9, 2025, and a took a while, but her dragon drawing skills are exceptional.
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I can only imagine the only way to top this issue will be if we keep getting more and more Lockheed, but getting him back in monthly comics is all I’ve wanted for so long.
We’re no longer in a Lockheed-less era!
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I do have a concern that Sinister made Sabretooth sabretooth clones, that this could be a Lockheed clone that he created to mess with Kitty Pryde, and all of our emotions, but maybe he was also just keeping him prisoner too?
One of my least favorite villains, and one of my top two favorite characters prisoner.
I’m really hoping that this is the genuine Lockheed, as I don’t want to be hurt again.
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This also explains why we’ve seen him on the covers to Giant Size House of M and Giant Size X-Men 2 as
as Lockheed is back!
I can’t stop smiling 🙂
What a great day this as been, and came at the best time as the school district has decided to shut down the elementary school my wife teaches at, so this comic worked as a perfect distraction when I needed it most.
X-Men of Apocalypse Alpha Gambit and various other mutants right after X-Men Omega come to 616. Which seems missable to me, unless Magik and/or Kitty are involved.
Marvel All On One 1 Thing vs Marvel, as apparently everyone is doing that these days. All told in splash pages. Could be fun, and I do see some mutants on the two variant covers, but no Kitty nor Magik.
Thor 1, as it is that time of year again. Still by Al Ewing.
Black Cat 1, but not by Jed Mackay, but G. Willow Wilson, so that’s super intersting.
All New Spider-Gwen : Ghost Spider 1, still by Stephanie Phillips. I really liked that issue with Phoenix.
Godzilla Destroys the Marvel Universe 2, now covered in the symbiote. Which just kills my buzz. Plus, wouldn’t the instant Godzilla uses his mouth blast, the symbiote get knocked off? No Kitty or Magik on any of the variant covers, and Black Panther, and the Fantastic Four are referenced in the solicit. I’ll get a copy if my three favorites show up at all.
Venom : Black, White & Blood 1, features a story by JM DeMatteis, set right after Maximum Carnage, so my favorite spider-writer, writing a story around one of my favorite spider-eras.
I don’t have much interest in Imperial. Though Stephanie Phillips writing Imperial War : She-Hulk sounds interesting.
One World Under Doom 6, heroes keep trying to unseat Doom, when all it takes is for him to grow bored.
X-Men : Tooth and Clay, printing the From the Ashes 13 – 18 Infinity Comic. Magik isn’t in any of those issues, so this is a pass for me.
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The first comic I’m buying for August. We’re getting the other exclusive story from the Paragon Collection. Thanks to AIPT Preview pages
Kitty Pryde and Lockheed are in this, so I have to get it.
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Marvel Rivals : Hellfire Gala 1, does have Magik on the cover, but like the Funko Rivals Magneto, I sort of don’t want anything to do with the game until I can play it, and me getting a PS5 seems like forever from now.
Jeff The Land Shark 3, features Psylocke and Wolverine (the boy one), so I like that.
Wolverines and Deadpools 2, of 3, vs Shadow King.
Spider-Man and Wolverine 4, the first issue was pretty fun.
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I wish I wasn’t on such a budget, as I would just buy this as Katherine Pryde is part of the Opposition, but does using the organization name mean she is in the issue? Especially as it states Wolverine vs Ultimate Angel? I guess I’m worried about it just being Black Widow like from the incredible fifth issue. I should just buy it, and give it to Walker if she’s on in it. Or maybe Magik will be?
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Ultimate Spider-Man : Incursion 3, Miles meets the Ultimate X-Men, so that should be interesting to see someone else write and draw these characters who isn’t named, Peach Momoko.
Ultimate X-Men 18, the conclusion of volume 3! No idea what volume four could consist of.
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The second comic I’m definitely buying. Interesting that the Jeffrey Brown variant cover isn’t shown, as they revealed it earlier in the week.
I really need to get Jeffrey Brown’s Days of Future Fun, and his Hulk Teaches books. I’m hoping this variant cover isn’t too much, but that’s when eBay will come in for the assist.
I’ll skip on preordering issue 21. Odd X-Men is the title that they are double shipping for months now. Must be because of Magik.
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The third comic I’m definitely buying. I need that Dauterman variant cover! Hopefully it is cover price, and not a $50 cover, which I’ve gotten the Cyclops Dauterman cover for X-Men 16, and that was essentially cover price, so I should be okay. I do love that Dani is a co star of this title. Now that we got the Russell Dauterman Magik costume gallery variant, here is hoping we finally get the Kitty Pryde cover!
The fourth comic I’m buying. I don’t love that Kitty Pryde is missing, but at least she’s on the cover. There is a variant cover, but I’ll just commit to the proper one. Maybe she’s looking for Lockheed?
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Laura Kinney : Wolverine 9, Gabby is still in the title, so that’s great! Xarus, son of Dracula also shows up, which is less great.
Phoenix 14, still in the Sara Grey arc.
Psylocke 10, dealing with the Lady in White, with Kwannon’s face! That happens to her sometimes.
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The fifth comic I’m buying. No variant covers, just landing with Alan Davis. The mini that got me using DCBS in the first place, which I’ve been loving. #NotSponsoredButWouldLoveToBe We will never view Uncanny X-Men 192 the same, but I just checked, and we only see Kitty hugging everyone, so not that drastic. Time will tell.
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Wolverine 12, Mrs. Howlett is back, which is great! So is Sabretooth, which is less great.
Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe One Last Time 5, of 5, the first two issues were not for me, so I’m not really tracking this anymore.
Deadpool / Wolverine 8, Joshua Cassara is back! We meet new mutant, Legacy.
Emma Frost : The White Queen 3, no covers jump out at me, and I’ll have someone tell me if this is a retro series worth following.
The Thing 4, vs Juggernaut, who is back in his red outfit.
West Coast Avengers 10 is really committing to Ultron.
Hellverine 9, is really committing to Hell Hulk.
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After thinking I missed it last month, Predator Kills the Marvel Universe 1 is out in August. Makes sense to not launch the same month as Godzilla Destroys Marvel. Interesting no variant covers are shown. No Kitty, Lockheed, or Magik, so I’m passing on this for now. I reread Predator vs Wolverine 4, and I loved when the X-Men showed up, especially Kitty Pryde and Dani Moonstar easily defeating a Predator, so hopefully those two show up in this, and survive, of course.
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Let’s see what I’m committing to :
Wolverine by Claremont 1, either cover X-Men 20, the Jeffrey Brown variant cover Magik 8, the Russell Dauterman variant Exceptional X-Men 12, main cover Wolverine and Kitty Pryde 5 Ultimate Wolverine 8, either cover
I’ll commit to Ultimate Wolverine 8, six comics, that sounds pretty reasonable to me.
Six comics is usually $30 at DCBS, with bags & boards, and shipping, so should be fine during a tight summer.
They’re doing a great job of showing plenty of X-Men, just not the two X-Men I care about the most. I’ll probably wait until there is a cover with Kitty Pryde and/or Magik on it before committing to the preorder. July appears to be a very expensive month, so I’ll pick up this series as neccessary. BUT! If Kitty and/or Magik make an appearance, I’ll definitely get those issues as I do love a crossover.
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Godzilla vs Thor so we’ll continue doing one offs as well.
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First comic I’m definitely buying, as Lockheed makes his first of what I thought I saw, three cover appearances! Seriously, all it takes for me to buy a comic guarantee now these days.
Also, all I wanted from House of M originally was more School Teacher Kitty Pryde, and we’re finally getting it!
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The second comic I’m definitely buying, a we get present day Exceptional Kitty Pryde and Lockheed together!
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Bring on the Bad Guys event, has cool covers.
Imperial 2, I’ll wait to have someone tell me how important this is.
Marvel Knights : The World to Come 2, Namor joins the fun.
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The third comic I’m definitely buying. Lockheed is in all but one of the previous four swimsuit specials, and Kitty is in all of them, so I imagine she will make an appearance in this. I’ll let DCBS decide which cover I get, but I’m definitely tempted by either the Mark Brooks cover with Rogue, or Dauterman’s cover with Scott and Jean (the cover with the most mutants on it), or Clarke’s Psylocke cover.
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Wolverine Revenge Red Band Raw : Black & White 1, did people really like this mini that much? The last issue was the best one, and only because it references Old Auntie Illayana. Dani shows up not enough in this too.
Spider-Man vs Sinister Sixteen is a title I just love.
New Thunderbolts* 2, has Laura Kinney, so I’ll be reading. *Dark Avengers
Emma Frost : White Queen 2, retro series set during her Hellfire Club days, my least favorite era for Emma.
Wolverines & Deadpools, 1 of 3, I only care about this for Laura Kinney. Though I do like how silly that title is.
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The fourth comic I’ll be buying. This was part of the Chris Claremont Paragon Collection, being reprinted individually for the first time. Technically, it is Uncanny X-Men 140.5, setting up Days of Future Past, hence the very clever “Prelude to a Future Past” title. Claremont writing Rachel, Sage, and a version of Betsy, and it has Magik on the cover, and I’m a sucker for an Uncanny 141 homage. Reprints 141 & 142 to make it something worth owning.
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Doom’s Division 5, final issue, hopefully Karma moves to another series after this. Issue 1 was pretty fun.
GODS : One World Under Doom 1, interesting to see what Ryan North takes from Hickman’s original GODS series.
Avengers 28, has Storm, so I’ll be reading.
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Frank Tieri getting me interested in 2099 again with Rachel Summers, The Phoenix, plus Bishop, should be fun.
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My fifth comic I’ll be buying. Right as I was thinking about how each Hellfire Gala got worst for our merry mutants, this series was announced. I’ll be getting the regular cover as that has Magik on it, and I can only imagine her and Kitty will be appearing in this. Features Emma, Storm, and Rogue.
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Storm 10, Thunder War kicks off!
Psylocke 9, often my third favorite title that comes out monthly, if not, top five. Such a great series. No reference to Magik.
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My sixth comic I’ll be buying (see how expensive this is getting?!) I want Dani to never leave this title! Either cover works for me, but I rather go with the one with Dani on it.
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Uncanny X-Men 17, we start getting horror in our X-Men.
Uncanny X-Men 18, I was right about how Kurt’s new lady friend was definitely pro-mutant, as we get a Mutant Appreciation Day! Be fun if they have a real world date so we can celebrate it annually.
Laura Kinney : Wolverine 8, Haymaker returns, a character I have no clue about.
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My seventh comic I’m buying! Either cover works for me. Penultimate issue!
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X-Men 19, Doug Ramsey and friends returns, and he isn’t Yellow Apocalypse anymore.
Wolverine 11, vs Sabretooth, ooof.
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My eighth comic! I love so much how the Carnero cover and the Vecchio cover were given the same assignment. Any of the three covers works for me, as I really like the Voon cover too. I also like how LoCG puts the artist name near the image, that’ll help for ordering it. Eve Ewing found a clever way to work Ironheart into the series! Also, I’m super glad Sinister didn’t kill this series off.
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Phoenix 13, now with Cable.
What If Goofy was Spider-Man? Interesting choice.
Savage Wolverine 1, getting a second volume.
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My ninth comic! Lockheed doesn’t show up until issue six, but then is in the rest of the series, plus, on the cover! Ideally, we’re heading toward the Lovable Lockheed print edition.
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Jeff the Land Shark 2, has a variant cover by Gonzales that features Magik, but I’ll have to wait on that.
Marvel Zero 1, which collects all of the FCBD 2025 comics, which is nice.
Spider-Man and Wolverine 3, sitting in a tree in the Savage Land.
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My tenth comic! It states the Opposition, so maybe Katherine is just in this series now? We get Ultimate Darkchild, and she is on the cover, so I’m committing.
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Ultimate Spider-Man : Incursion 2, I’m waiting for when the Ultimate X-Men and Wolverine join this mini before I get too hyped for it.
Ultimate X-Men 17, continues to be amazing.
Ultimates 14, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver debut!
I didn’t see any X-Men on these Spider-Man covers.
West Coast Avengers 9 is really committing to the Ultron of it all.
Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe : One Last Time 4, vs Doctor Doom, another series I’ll wait to see if any X-Men I care about shows up in.
Deadpool / Wolverine 7, Stryfe is still in this.
Hellverine 8, still dealing with Hell Hulk. Helk?
Predator Kills the Marvel Universe 1 isn’t shown?! Maybe that starts in August? That’s another series I’ll wait to see if Kitty and/or Magik show up. Kitty was in Predator vs Wolverine 4, and defeated a Predator super easily there, with Dani Moonstar’s help, so ideally, she’ll be in this series at one point.
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Return of Wolverine Omnibus Collectss: WOLVERINES (2015) #1-20; HUNT FOR WOLVERINE (2018) #1; HUNT FOR WOLVERINE: WEAPON LOST (2018) #1-4; HUNT FOR WOLVERINE: THE ADAMANTIUM AGENDA (2018) #1-4; HUNT FOR WOLVERINE: THE CLAWS OF A KILLER (2018) #1-4; HUNT FOR WOLVERINE: MYSTERY IN MADRIPOOR (2018) #1-4; HUNT FOR WOLVERINE: DEAD ENDS (2018) #1; RETURN OF WOLVERINE (2018) #1-5; WOLVERINE: INFINITY WATCH (2019) #1-5; and material from MARVEL LEGACY (2017) #1, “WHERE IS WOLVERINE ?” subplot pages
Uncanny X-Men : Brian Michael Bendis Omnibus Collecting UNCANNY X-MEN (2013) #1-14, #15.INH, #16-35, #600 and ANNUAL (2014) #1; ALL-NEW X-MEN #16-17 and ANNUAL #1; WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN (2011) #36-37; X-MEN: BATTLE OF THE ATOM #1-2; and X-MEN (2013) #5-6. Would look great on the shelf, and one of my favorite runs
X-Men by Al Ewing Omnibus Collects S.W.O.R.D. (2020) #1-11; X-MEN RED (2022) #1-15 and #17-18; STORM & THE BROTHERHOOD OF MUTANTS #1-3; RESURRECTION OF MAGNETO #1-4; CABLE: RELOADED; X-MEN: BEFORE THE FALL – HERALDS OF APOCALYPSE; and material from X-MEN RED (2022) #16 and MARVEL’S VOICES: X-MEN.
Marvel Team-Up Omnibus 1 Collects MARVEL TEAM-UP (1972) #1-30, DAREDEVIL (1964) #103, GIANT-SIZE SUPER-HEROES #1, and GIANT-SIZE SPIDER-MAN (1974) #1-2.
Secret Wars : Battleworld Omnibus Collects FUTURE IMPERFECT #1-5, GHOST RACERS #1-4, GIANT-SIZE LITTLE MARVEL: AVX #1-4, GUARDIANS OF KNOWHERE #1-4, HAIL HYDRA #1-4, HANK JOHNSON, AGENT OF HYDRA #1, HOUSE OF M (2015) #1-4, HOWARD THE HUMAN #1, INFERNO (2015) #1-5, INFINITY GAUNTLET (2015) #1-5, INHUMANS: ATTILAN RISING #1-5, KORVAC SAGA #1-4, and M.O.D.O.K.: ASSASSIN #1-5. Giant Size Little Marvel : AvX and Inferno, were my favorites of this batch
Ultimate Spider-Man Omnibus 5 Collects ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN (2009) #150-160; ULTIMATE FALLOUT #1; ULTIMATE MARVEL TEAM-UP #1-16; ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN SUPER SPECIAL #1; and material from ULTIMATE FALLOUT #2, #4, and #6. So many great comics here
Magik Volume 1 Collects MAGIK (2025) #1-5 Five of my favorite modern comics
Ultimate Wolverine Volume 1 Collects ULTIMATE WOLVERINE (2025) #1-6 and material from ULTIMATE UNIVERSE: ONE YEAR IN. Collects Ultimate Katherine Pryde’s first appearance. (and Gambit)
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Okay, so the list my future self is going to need :
Giant Size House of M 1 Giant Size X-Men 2 Marvel Swimsuit Special 2025, any cover besides the Hughes Avengers cover Claremont Prelude to a Future Past X-Men Hellfire Vigil Magik 7, the Dani cover Wolverine and Kitty Pryde 4, either cover Exceptional X-Men 11, any cover (any other month, I may have been tempted by all three) Infinity Paws Ultimate Wolverine 7
Ten comics, ya’ll!
Thankfully, I’m using DCBS, and they have the comics discounted, hence the D, so I can afford these, especially at Giant Size and Special One Shot prices.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 