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Deadpool Volume Four Issue 14

Posted by John Klein III on September 21, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Deadpool V4 14

Writer Gerry Duggan

Penciler Mike Hawthorne

Inker Terry Pallot

Colorist Jordie Bellaire

Letterer VC’s Joe Sabino

Deadpool V4 14 Recap Page

Deadpool is  lot of things these days – Avenger, Assassin, Superstar, Smelly and a Husband.  He is also a mercenary and now has a group of mercenaries of his own, that he has been neglecting.  These other folks make up the team that appear in Mercs for Money – a title I still don’t get.  Are there mercenaries that do what they do as volunteers?  Mercenaries are all about that sweet cash.  Or they are undercover cops posing as guns for hire.  Currently, these Mercs for Money have not been happy with Deadpool as he’s been very busy being a beloved hero.  So money isn’t coming in.

This issue opens with Deadpool trying to sexually satisfied his wife, Shiklah.  She’s not quite there yet.  I do like these two together, they should still be newlyweds, except for the whole eight month gap.  There is a subplot about how there are odd hairs in their bed.  I’m not sure what that is about

Deadpool is trying to get Shiklah to commit her monsters of Monster Metropolis to helping with the coming threat.  Before Shiklah can commit, she wants him to watch their shows together.

The monsters start moving out, Shiklah is leading the Howling Commandos so they are joining the fight too.

We catch up to the Mercenaries and the opening fight from Civil War II.  The Mercenaries are – Masacre, Terror, Stingray, Foolkiller, Solo and Slapstick.  I’m not that familiar with Masacre or Foolkiller.  Masacre looks knew, he’s a Spanish Deadpool – is what I can tell.  They are way out of their league, as they see the Celestial.

Stingray takes the time to proposition Solo about breaking away from Deadpool, he isn’t earning them any money.  The other mercenaries are saving civilians.

Solo and Foolkiller seem to be wearing the same uniform.  I remember when Solo’s color scheme was green, now it is maroon.  Solo is rocking one of those 90s Cyclops head socks so his hair can breathe.

Solo and Stingray playfully save a lady and her baby.  Solo teleports the mother and she throws up on him – he’s use to it.  I like how, nearly off panel, she grabs her baby from Stingray.

Deadpool V4 14 Magik 1

We get to Magik’s moment during Civil War II!  Deadpool refers to this team as “Doctor Strange and the Avengers of the Supernatural” a title I would buy today if it was on the stands!  I like how Hawthorne draws Magik’s costume, as it really covers her.

The citizens of New York City are happy that the day is saved.  High fives are all over the place.  Shiklah kisses Deadpool, as she walks away, he comments again on how she has a new dog.  Where is this leading to?  I hope not a divorce!

Deadpool gets a text that there is a party at Stark Tower.  The Mercs For Money are excited but Deadpool is only bringing Shiklah.  I’m sure Tony would have allowed more people but I guess they do work for Deadpool so it is his call.

Once Deadpool is gone, the Mercs plan a mutiny.  This splash page shows that Solo is in a maroon costume and Foolkiller is in a purple costume.  Similar design but definitely different color schemes.

The Mercs get back to base and Foolkiller asks if Cable is going to the after party.  Cable wouldn’t be caught dead in Avengers Tower.  Foolkiller doesn’t like Cable and how he’s a hard arse.

Avengers Tower.  Deadpool is chatting with Vision.  They are discussing Ulysses as he walks up.  Deadpool doesn’t buy into the Inhuman’s powers.

J. Jonah Jameson is flying his own news helicopter and it states “Fact Channel News” whatever happened to the Daily Bugle?  Peter starts Parker Industries (well, Doctor Octopus did, right?) and the Daily Bugle ceases to exist?  I know Jameson became the major of the city at some point but that’s about all I know.  Apparently Jameson is a big fan of Deadpool (does that make any sense?) and he still doesn’t like Deadpool.

Jameson refers to the Mercs as hirelings which upsets the hirelings.  Terror (Inc) breaks the television.  Agent Adsit (who I remember from the previous volume) is going back to SHIELD as he doesn’t want to be Deadpool’s agent any more.

Solo brings up how they should own their own business.

A little while later.  Solo has created a website, as I guess mercenaries are okay to have websites promoting their illegal activities – in the Marvel Universe.  Maybe it is on the Dark Internet.

Stingray mentions how they need to get start up capital.  Cable walks in with an armful of money.  Apparently Cable just goes back in time with the little amount of money he has and redeposits it into his banking account and lives off of the interest.  He’s finally down to his last millions, in 2016.

Issue ends on a very funny note of Stingray offering to become Cable’s new Six Pack or New New Mutants.  Cable wants nothing to do with these goons.

Star Lord 7

Posted by John Klein III on September 9, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Star Lord 7

Writer Sam Humphries

Artist Javier Garron

Color Artist Antonio Fabela

Letterer VC’s Joe Caramagna

Cover by Mike Hawthorne and Jordie Bellaire

Out of Orbit, Chapter Two

Issue opens with Rocket and Groot playing a table top game.  Rocket is still upset that StarKat has broken up, as they were so happy.

Star Lord 7 StarKat 01A Star Lord 7 StarKat 01B

The Collector, looking more like the Joker here than himself, wants to know why the two Star Lords broke up.

Star Lord 7 StarKat 02

Pryde has learn how to swear in other space languages, it is because she hangs out with Rocket so much.

In the audience, we see Doop, the truly horrible Starfox and Gatecrusher & Hard-Boiled Henry (the Tweedy Bird looking fellow).

Collector wants to know if there is any chance the two of them will get back together.

Star Lord 7 StarKat 03

Both Star Lords want the other to apologize.

Collector has quite the collection and now he is moving onto higher concepts.  Collector was quite taken with Quill, having recently learned his origins.  So I’m taking it this storyline is going to havesome meta references.

The Collector wants to relive their big breakup.

Star Lord 7 StarKat 04

Pryde calls the Collector, a creepy emotional vampire.  Pryde says some harsh things, but dead on, about how she doesn’t want her personal life to be yet another part of some spectacle for a lonely, pathetic, emotional stunted fanboy.  So there’s some meta there, I hope I wasn’t part of that group.  Especially as I’m not all that lonely or emotionally stunted.

Collector turns on the shock treatment and it must have really hurt as look how distraught Kitty looks in the middle panel.

Quill whispers his plan to Pryde, to stall and make up things to buy time.  Quill says he will protect her but she counters that she’ll end up protecting him – which has to be true.

Quill clicks his boots together, which should be sending a distress call.

Star Lord 7 StarKat 05

Collector threatens to rip them down to the molecule level, if they don’t share everything.

Collector reveals that Skrulls are going to be performing reenactments.  They were also the ones who were fighting the Star Lords in former costumes.  They are the Skrull Dining Theater Thespians.

Star Lord 7 StarKat 06

20 Minutes Later.  Quill fakes that Pryde broke up with him as he cheated on her with all three – She-Hulk, Storm & Scarlet Witch.  Kitty will hate both the player and the game.  Which is a super fun line!

Pryde is ashamed and insulted that is the story Quill made up.

Star Lord 7 StarKat 07

20 Minutes Later.  So I imagine that they have to write the story, someone turns it into a script and then the SDTT rehearse it and we are seeing it now.

Quill confesses why she should break up with him –

  1. He has broken every promise
  2. Has the wandering eye of a 14-year-old
  3. He talks over her
  4. His jacket stinks

Pryde is the Superior Star Lord – a spin off title I would totally buy!  We had Superior Spider-Man, how about Superior Star Lord!

Pryde could be dating a younger version of Jeff Goldblum.

Star Lord 7 StarKat 08

This begins the two of them trying to one up the other.  Quill tells that Pryde couldn’t handle his success as a football player, she being his cheerleader.  Pryde, as Captain Marvel (Carol’s current costume) punching him in the stomach, as she was too intimidating for him.  Which I can totally buy.

Quill says their schedules couldn’t match – we get a bit of a Slave Leia Pryde.  Pryde says they were in different places in their lives.

The two start just shouting differences at each other.

Star Lord 7 StarKat 09

Quill is clearly really upset that she stole his hero name and look.  Pryde repeats that someone had to pick up his slack.  Quill, maybe revealing some secrets here – states that Pryde doesn’t care about helping people, she’s all about making sure people love her and to make him look bad.

This stuns Kitty, as clearly anyone would love her if you just read anything that features her.  She’s the best!

Star Lord 7 StarKat 10

Pryde starts to cry, as Quill is a big time jerk.  She made him look bad as she is clearly better at him at so many things.

Star Lord 7 StarKat 11

Quill tries to apologize.  Collector wants to know how Pryde is feeling and she’s simply done.  She’s willing to be fried to death, to just end this.  Collector must be a good host and producer as he calls this a day.  The two get another shock treatment.

Star Lord 7 StarKat 12

Pryde wakes up first, she’s exhausted.

Star Lord 7 StarKat 13

Pryde repeats Quill’s foolish plan.  Quill was faking his rage but then some hard truths came out.

Collector wearing that, what is it, a bathroom?  A skimpy robe of some tiger print – it is not very flattering.  Reminds me of something Joan Rivers might wear, which isn’t great.

Star Lord 7 StarKat 14

Quill tries to threaten Collector but he is only here to talk to Pryde.  He wants to give her a tour of his collection.  He wants to show her Puck’s ex-wives axes and Wolverine’s browser history – neither sounds all that interesting.

Star Lord 7 StarKat 15

She does take him up on his offer, I imagine as it is something to do.  Pryde threatens to phase away but he knows she won’t do that, as he still has Quill captive.  Collector knows that Pryde still loves Quill.  Which may be true but people break up with those they love, as life happens.

Star Lord 7 StarKat 16

Collector offers to free them, if she reveals the truth of why they broke up.  If she doesn’t, he’ll keep her as part of his collection and kill Quill.

Star Lord 7 StarKat 17

Collector reoffers for her to tell him the truth.  Meanwhile, Quill keeps clicking his heels.

We catch up with Rocket and Groot, as they are too busy fighting over their game (well, Rocket is the one fighting Groot) so the call goes unnoticed and unanswered.

Really enjoying this arc so far!

Marvel June 2016 Solicitations

Posted by John Klein III on April 3, 2016
Posted in: Solicitations. Tagged: , , , . Leave a comment

http://www.newsarama.com/28501-marvel-comics-full-june-2016-solicitations.html

Civil War II is upon us!  From the teasers, the X-Men and the Guardians of the Galaxy are going to be involved with this.  So I’ll be getting some parts of this crossover. 

CIVIL WAR II #1 (OF 7)
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • DAVID MARQUEZ (A)
Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
CIVIL WAR II 1 BLANK COVER VARIANT COVER ALSO AVAILABLE (MAR160714)
CONNECTING VARIANT COVER B BY Kim JUng Gi (MAR160712)
TEAM CAP HIP-HOP VARIANT COVER BY TERRY DODSON (MAR160713)
VARIANT COVER BY DAVID MARQUEZ (MAR160711)
VARIANT COVER BY STEVE MCNIVEN (MAR160709)
SKETCH VARIANT COVER BY STEVE MCNIVEN (MAR160710)
VARIANT COVER BY MICHAEL CHO (MAR160708)
TEAM IRON MAN HIP-HOP VARIANT COVER BY RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE (MAR160706)
CHARACTER VARIANT BY PHIL NOTO (MAR160707)
Hot Wheels VARIANT COVER BY MANUEL GARCIA (MAR160705)
BATTLE VARIANT COVER BY CHRIS SPROUSE (MAR160704)
PARTY VARIANT BY YASMINE PUTRI (MAR160719)
IT’S HERE!
The explosive first chapter in the comic event EVERYONE will be talking about. And we come out swinging with a blistering double-sized first issue from the creative team behind last year’s best-selling debut of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN and Miles Morales. A new Inhuman, with the ability to profile the future, emerges and the ramifications ripple into every corner of the Marvel Universe. Lines are drawn, bodies fall, and the Marvel Universe will be rocked to it’s very core. The action starts here!
56 PGS./Rated T+ …$5.99 (MAR160703)

CIVIL WAR II #2 (OF 7)
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • DAVID MARQUEZ (A)
Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
Variant cover by Jim Steranko
CONNECTING VARIANT C COVER BY Kim JUng Gi
VARIANT COVER BY MICHAEL CHO
CHARACTER VARIANT COVER BY PHIL NOTO
Two issues in one month? Hell yes! As the Marvel Universe reels from the events of the first issue, Tony Stark decides to take matters (and the law) into his own hands and declares war on the Inhumans. But not everyone agrees with Tony’s perspective and they are willing to die trying to stop him.
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

$6 and $5 per issue, isn’t great.  All I can care about is that I know I shouldn’t be getting these early issues of the event.   

CIVIL WAR II: CHOOSING SIDES #1 (OF 6)
DECLAN SHALVEY, BRANDON EASTON, CHAD BOWERS & CHRIS SIMS (W)
DECLAN SHALVEY, GORAN SUDZUKA & LEONARDO ROMERO (A)
Cover by JIM CHEUNG
VARIANT COVER BY DECLAN SHALVEY
CHARACTER VARIANT BY PHIL NOTO
YOUNG VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
If you knew something bad was about to happen, would you stop it? How far would you go? The line is drawn. Everyone in the Marvel Universe has to ask themselves: are you with Captain Marvel or Iron Man? Kicking off an all-new series, this first issue features Nick Fury, Damage Control and Night Thrasher!
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

Kudos for listing the main characters, helps me know that I can avoid this first issue.  Hopefully the cast changes every issue. 

Marvel June 2016 Solicitations Civil War II X-Men 1 of 4 Cover Magik
Cover by David Yardin

CIVIL WAR II: X-MEN #1 (OF 4)
CULLEN BUNN (W) • ANDREA BROCCARDO (A)
Cover by DAVID YARDIN
YOUNG VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
CHARACTER VARIANT COVER BY PHIL NOTO
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
Terrigen Mists circle the globe, igniting the Inhuman race while crippling mutantkind, pitting the two nations against one another. But when a new Inhuman with the ability to profile the future emerges, the X-Men fear that he may tip the scales in the Inhumans’ favor, spelling doom for their kind. And one mutant is willing to wage war with the Inhumans AND his own people to prevent that from coming to pass… The X-Men enter the fray of CIVIL WAR II when the world’s most terrifying mutant, MAGNETO, takes mutantkind’s fate into his own hands!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Magik is on the Yardin cover, so I’ll be buying the first part of this, at least.  I do like how we should be getting more light on what happened during the missing eight months between Secret Wars 2015’s first and last issues. 

 THE TOTALLY AWESOME HULK #7
GREG PAK (W) • ALAN DAVIS (A/C)
CIVIL WAR REENACTMENT VARIANT COVER BY Mike Perkins
CIVIL WAR II TIE-IN!
• BRUCE BANNER’S fate during the 8-month gap post-SECRET WARS is revealed!
• Was he really cured by AMADEUS CHO? Did he survive?
• Has Amadeus made a disastrous miscalculation?
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

We finally learn what happened to Banner during the missing eight months. 

ALL-NEW WOLVERINE #9
TOM TAYLOR (W) • MARCIO TAKARA (A)
Cover by BENGAL
CIVIL WAR REENACTMENT VARIANT COVER BY Joyce Chin
On the road to CIVIL WAR II!
• LAURA and LOGAN. We’ve seen it before.
• But this isn’t the man Laura once knew. OLD MAN LOGAN has stepped out of a dystopian future and into our world. His past full of horrors, he’s about to bring a lot of baggage, and carnage, Laura’s way.
• With a CIVIL WAR set to divide the heroes’ world, will Old Man Logan and WOLVERINE stand together against the coming nightmare? Or will they shred each other apart?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

New Wolverine and Old Man Logan meeting could be pretty interesting. 

VOTE LOKI #1
CHRISTOPHER HASTINGS (W) • LANGDON FOSS (A)
Cover by TRADD MOORE
Variant Cover by VALERIO SCHITI
Loki is many things — god, trickster, brother, liar, son, villain, even hero. Now he wants to add one more thing to the list: President of the United States. That’s right, the God of Lies has set his sights on becoming the ruler of the free world, but is this just another scheme? One thing’s for certain — with Loki’s winning smile and silver tongue on the campaign trail, this election just got a lot more interesting…
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

 How can Loki even run for President of the United States?  This being a one shot means it could be a silly issue but it seems super missable.   

ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT AVENGERS #10
MARK WAID (W) • MAHMUD ASRAR (A)
Cover by ALEX ROSS
• The Search for Nova’s father begins! The Avengers join Sam Alexander for a spacefaring mission to find Nova’s lost father–
only to find themselves trapped on a galactic prison planet!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT AVENGERS #11
MARK WAID (W) • MAHMUD ASRAR (A)
Cover by ALEX ROSS
• The Avengers–captives on the Stalag of Space! Its mysterious alien warden cannot be beaten by conventional means, but the Avengers’ prison break will take them into an even more dangerous realm!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Are they still looking for Nova’s father?  Might be time for a new plotline!  

UNCANNY AVENGERS #10
GERRY DUGGAN (W) • PEPE LARRAZ (A)
Cover by RYAN STEGMAN
ULTRON!
• Hank Pym’s journey leads him to a dark discovery.
• Something wicked this way comes…from outer space!
• Plus: the eagerly awaited return of Janet Van Dyne!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Where has Janet Van dyne been?  Since when has Hank Pym part of the Uncanny Avengers?

THE ASTONISHING ANT-MAN #9
NICK SPENCER (W) • RAMON ROSANAS (A)
Cover by JULIAN TOTINO TEDESCO
• It’s Ant-Man’s Eleven! To pull off the job of a lifetime and stop a mastermind criminal, Scott has to pull together a new gang of… yeah, you guessed it. Criminals. It’s a vicious cycle.
• Wait, are you allowed to count yourself in the eleven? This is confusing…
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Would the eleven be from his own title or will this be a fun team-up opportunity?   

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #13 & 14
DAN SLOTT (W) • GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI (A)
CoverS by ALEX ROSS
POWER PLAY CONTINUES!
• Things aren’t going well between the Amazing Spider-Man and the Invincible Iron Man and their conflict is opening the door for Regent and his plan against our heroes!
• Now that Regent has started imprisoning HEROES and stealing their powers things have gone from bad to worse.
32 PGS. (each)/Rated T …$3.99 (each)

 Makes sense that Spider-Man and Iron Man would have beef, with Mary Jane being in Iron Man’s story. 

SPIDER-GWEN #9
JASON LATOUR (W) • ROBBI RODRIGUEZ (A/C)
“WEAPON OF CHOICE” STARTS NOW!
• Gwen is dealing with the effects of the SPIDER-WOMEN crossover but has to face FRANK CASTLE head on!
• And The Mary Janes are all over this issue!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

SPIDER-WOMAN #8
DENNIS HOPELESS (W) • JAVIER RODRIGUEZ (A/C)
• Even though, she’s a mom now, Jessica Drew is still kicking ass and taking names as SPIDER-WOMAN!
• This time, she’s tangling with the baddest fish in the sea – TIGER SHARK!
• FUN TIGER SHARK FACT: Did you know Tiger Shark has the DNA of both Namor the Submariner AND a tiger shark? Think about that for a second.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

SILK #9
ROBBIE THOMPSON (W) • STACEY LEE (A)
Cover by HELEN CHEN
• With Silk’s life turned upside-down by the events of SPIDER-WOMEN, she’s not sure what to do.
• I’m pretty sure running more robberies with Black Cat is the wrong choice.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Seems like Spider-Gwen and Silk are worst to wear, after the SPIDER-WOMEN crossover.  Jessica seems to have come out of it okay. 

SPIDER-MAN 2099 #11
PETER DAVID (W) • WILL SLINEY (A)
Cover by FRANCESCO MATTINA
SINISTER SIX 2099!
• Stranded in a 2099 he doesn’t recognize, Miguel wakes to find himself held captive by a group of villains calling themselves the SINISTER SIX!
• But how is it that this timeline is so different than the one Miguel left behind?
• Can Spidey escape the clutches of his captors and find a way back to the past so he can fix the future?
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

That doesn’t seem overly complicated, at all.  I guess he doesn’t recognize his own future, and he’s use to the past, he might as well try to get back to the past.   

SILVER SURFER #6
DAN SLOTT (W) • MICHAEL ALLRED (A/C)
SILVER SURFER #200! Oversized anniversary issue!
• After Norin Radd’s massive status quo change in the 50th Anniversary issue (no spoilers!), it’s now Dawn Greenwood’s turn. With one simple act of kindness, the Surfer may have forever changed her world.
• What’s going on? Why is San Francisco overrun by monsters? And what wall-crawling, web-spinning guest-star is swinging by to help out? (Okay, we’ll tell you that one! It’s Peter Parker, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN!)
• All this and tons of cosmic weirdness, surprise super heroes, and special stories as we celebrate the 200th Silver Surfer issue!
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

What surprise super heroes will appear!?!   

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #9
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • VALERIO SCHITI(A)
Cover by ARTHUR ADAMS
GAMORA AND DRAX FIGHT A MONSTER OF THE BADOON!
• The two most deadly people in the galaxy together again! Drax and Gamora go on a side mission involving the Badoon that’s going to put their skills to the test like never before.
• But the Badoon aren’t just playing the same old game and these Guardians are going to have to learn the rules really quickly.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

This title does seem to be becoming the place where the team members who don’t have solo or buddy titles, go to have adventures.  I was hoping it’ll be more like Grant Morrison’s JLA, wherein this title had the epic and grand adventures.  Seems like I’ll be skipping some issues. 

Marvel June 2016 Solicitations Star Lord 8 Mark Hawthorne Kitty Pryde Cover
Art by Mike Hawthorne

STAR-LORD #8
SAM HUMPHRIES (W) • JAVIER GARRON (A)
Cover by MIKE HAWTHORNE
VARIANT COVER BY RON LIM
VARIANT COVER BY JIM STARLIN
MAKING UP IS HARD TO DO!
• Especially when you and your ex are being held captive by THE COLLECTOR!
• And he wants to acquire the story of your breakup for his personal use! So GROSS! WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!
• Can Kitty and Peter come together to defeat this cosmic conundrum, or will their house divided be unable to stand?!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Whereas this title is going to be my new favorite as it seems to be where Kitty should be in every issue.  I really hope these two crazy kids can get back together, just so Kitty can be in a title every month.  Are all Marvel books now $4, that’s going to hurt my budget. 

ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT #6
SKOTTIE YOUNG (W) • Brett Bean (A)
Cover by SKOTTIE YOUNG
MADNESS ABOUNDS!
• We’ve gotten Rocket and Groot in trouble before, but this…HOO BOY.
• Seriously, what is this? What are we doing in this book? Someone should probably stop us.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Kitty was in issue three of this title, so now I have to really pay attention to it.   

GUARDIANS OF INFINITY #7
DAN ABNETT & ROBBIE THOMPSON (W) • CARLO BARBERI (A)
Cover by GARY CHOO
• God of the Newcomers HERMETIKUS was there at the inception of the GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY…
• …and if he has his way, he’ll be there at the END!
• And writer ROBBIE THOMPSON (VENOM: SPACE KNIGHT, SILK, SPIDEY) reveals more about the noble, mysterious SPACE KNIGHTS!
40 PGS./Rated T …$4.99

No mention of a backup feature, which has been the best part of this title. 

DRAX #8
CM PUNK and CULLEN BUNN (W) • SCOTT HEPBURN (A/C)
REFUGEE KIDS FREE TO A GOOD HOME!
• Drax’s mission to return all of the Fin Fang Foom refugee children continues to go well. Except, you know, for all the bounty hunters after him.
• Ironically, one of the bounty hunters is CAMMI, another child Drax was tricked into caring about. Will she lead him to the person who put the hit out on Drax?
• Who are those other bounty hunters she’s with? Oh, only PIP THE TROLL and…PLANET TERRY???
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Cammi is in this, she is going to end up being my last recruited character on Facebook’s Avengers Alliance, as – once again – I’m having to stop playing that game as it was just simply taking over my life again.   

MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR #8
AMY REEDER & BRANDON MONTCLARE (W) • NATACHA BUSTOS (A)
COVER BY AMY REEDER
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
“COSMIC CUTIES” CONTINUES!
• Nothing scares fearless genius LUNELLA LAFAYETTE more than change. So of course, big change is at her doorstep!
• How big? How about finding her mind trapped in DEVIL DINOSAUR’S body?
• And how does the big red T-Rex feel about being trapped in a 9-year old human girl’s body…during a test?
• All this and the first appearance of MOON GIRL’S new 9-year old super-powered rival: KID KREE!!!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

This sounds like a very fun twist on the whole body swapping plot.   

BLACK PANTHER #3
TA-NEHISI COATES (W) • BRIAN STELFREEZE (A/C)
CONNECTING VARIANT COVER C BY SANFORD GREENE
VARIANT COVER BY KYLE BAKER
• The most anticipated Marvel series since Whedon & Cassaday’s Astonishing X-Men!
• The Midnight Angels continue the liberation of Wakanda with extreme prejudice, and T’Challa’s indecisions could cost him more than just the throne.
• Coates and Stelfreeze weave a quintessential Black Panther tale that will change the tapestry of the Marvel Universe forever.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

 I find it very hard that this book is going to rank up there with Whedon/Cassaday/Martin’s Astonishing X-Men.  That type of hype makes me imagine my future self reading each issue with my arms cross thinking “this is no where near that good.”  Plus, I haven’t even heard of these creators before, besides Kyle Baker on a variant cover.  Way to oversell and put yourself way behind on the eight ball.  Hopefully it is good but time will tell. 

GUIDEBOOK TO THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE – MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. SEASON ONE
Written by MIKE O’SULLIVAN & THE OHOTMU TEAM
Cover by MIKE DEL MUNDO
Level 7 access granted! The MCU Guidebooks reach a new milestone as Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the first Cinematic Universe TV series, takes center stage! Our comprehensive coverage of the fan-favorite Marvel Studios films and Marvel Television shows continues as we reveal everything you need to know about the worldwide peacekeeping organization and Agent Coulson’s elite team!! Featuring fact sheets, movie-to-comic comparisons, behind-the-scenes artwork and production stills, this issue is packed with profiles and updates on agents including Phil Coulson, Skye, Melinda May, Leo Fitz, Jemma Simmons, Antoine Triplett and the Koenigs; and foes including Grant Ward, John Garrett, Raina and Ian Quinn!
Plus: Deathlok! Sif! Victoria Hand! And Hydra! Relive the thrills of 2013-2014’s Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season One right here, and continue building your indispensable library of Cinematic Universe reference books!
32 PGS./ One-shot /Rated T+ …$3.99 

Maybe I can finally learn more about Victoria Hand but I recall the first season was pretty rough until like the midway point when it got totally retooled.  Well, not totally but they were put on notice and got their act together. 

AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. #6
MARC GUGGENHEIM (W) • GERMAN PERALTA (A)
Cover by MIKE NORTON
• “The Coulson Protocols” concludes! Coulson’s strategies could kill every super-hero in the Marvel Universe… unless the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. have something to say about it. Guest starring as many super-heroes as we cram into 20 pages. Plus: The moment you’ve been waiting for: Coulson vs. Ward!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

hmmmm, so lots of guests stars seems to be becoming a new trend.  Here’s hoping three of my favorites make it!   What’s this business about 20 pages?  I had to double check the page numbers, most state they are 32 pages so I guess there is 12 pages of SHIELD focus. 

THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL #9
RYAN NORTH (W) • ERICA HENDERSON (A/C)
• The comic that got TWO #1s in its first year now reaches a new milestone: its very first #9!
• In Part 2 of “I Kissed A Squirrel And I Liked It,” Squirrel Girl’s date with a chump gets interrupted by MOLE MAN, who is a man who lives underground and can’t see that well! Hence the name!!
• Squirrel Girl is really good at empathizing with bad guys and talking them down, but what happens when she’s TOO good at that?
• Buy this comic to find out, because we show exactly that taking place! Spoiler alert: there’s punches AND jokes.
• Not a dream! Not an imaginary story! ONE the following three things WILL ACTUALLY OCCUR in this issue! 1) A pleasant visit to a coffee shop with friends; 2) A man with fishy powers suggests using fish to solve a problem, big surprise; 3) SQUIRREL GIRL USES HER TAIL TO KNOCK THE SMIRK RIGHT OFF A DUDE’S FACE!!
• Haha whoa I hope it’s the third one
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Wow, nine issues is pretty impressive!  Plus, her first ninth issue, that’s a big deal!  I remember when Nova finally got a 25th issue.   Though, I recall that not being consecutive.  So that is the opposite of that.   

A YEAR OF MARVELS: THE INCREDIBLE #1
DENNIS CULVER & TBA (W) • LEONARDO ROMERO & TBA (A)
Cover by Jamal Campbell
• AT LAST! The Infinite Comic that had everyone talking makes it to print! Full of fun, heart, and pranks, this is one folks’ll be talking about for years!
• Presenting: a Mother’s Day story to curdle the blood!
• Meet the sinister Wendigo Sisters! Will the combined might of She-Hulk and Wolverine be enough to stop them from murdering their OWN MOTHER?
• Could there be more to this story than we’re telling you? Probably! Read and find out!
40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$4.99

I must be on the wrong websites as I never hear about hype, maybe I need to start visiting some main pages but seriously, if Newsarama nor Comic Book Resources are not going out of their way to promote, which websites are? 

CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS #9
AL EWING (W) • PACO MEDINA (A)
COVER BY SKAN
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
• A new team of heroes is registered for the Contest —and they are VERY pro-registration!
• Their next mission: exterminate the renegade champions scattered across Battleworld!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

I wonder who these new heroes are?  Magik finally showed up in a flashback sequence in issue seven. 

UNCANNY X-MEN #8 & 9
CULLEN BUNN (W) • KEN LASHLEY (A)
Cover by GREG LAND
“APOCALYPSE WARS” CONTINUES!
• Fearing their teammate Archangel has once more fallen under the sway of the villainous Apocalypse, Psylocke and Magneto have embarked on a mission to save his life.
• But little did Psylocke suspect that the mission would bring her face-to-face with her former flame, Fantomex! (And believe me, things did NOT end on good terms!)
• Meanwhile, Sabretooth and M make a horrifying discovery in the Morlock tunnels beneath New York City. A ghost from M’s past has resurfaced…and she’s determined to make this run-in their last!
32 PGS. (EACH)/Rated T+ …$3.99 (EACH)

Magik was in issue five of this series, so I imagine she’ll keep being involved in the Apocalypse Wars.  She better be, if I’m going to be buying it.  Glad this title is still $4 instead of $5.   

ALL-NEW X-MEN #10
DENNIS HOPELESS (W) • MARK BAGLEY (A/C)
“APOCALYPSE WARS” CONTINUES!
• The ALL-NEW X-MEN are on a mission to write their own futures…and none is more determined to escape their destiny than Evan Sabahnur, who is to one day become the next host for the genocidal villain APOCALYPSE.
• But now, by way of unintentional intervention by his teammate Beast, Evan finds himself thousands of years in the past, in Egypt…and on the run alongside his predecessor, En Sabah Nur, the boy who will one day become Apocalypse himself!
• To change his future, will Evan literally change the course of history?
• Or will he instead be Apocalypse’s first victim??
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

This one seems more like an intimate look at Evan, so maybe I won’t have to get this one. 

EXTRAORDINARY X-MEN #11
JEFF LEMIRE (W) • HUMBERTO RAMOS (A/C)
“APOCALYPSE WARS” CONTINUES IN “OMEGA WORLD” PART 4!
• Trapped one thousand years in the future on a world ruled by the genocidal tyrant Apocalypse, the X-Men are literally mutantkind’s last hope!
• But in fighting Apocalypse’s newest horsemen, the X-Men’s future is slipping away from them…
• …especially when one of those horsemen is a Wolverine with a Venom symbiote!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

This crossover is starting to remind me of Battle of the Atom, having way too many side storylines with visits to both the past and the future.   

DEADPOOL V GAMBIT #1 (OF 5)
BEN ACKER & BEN BLACKER (W) • DANILO BEYRUTH (A)
Cover by KEVIN WADA
Variant cover by Tim Seeley
Gambit—one of the smoothest, best-looking operators in the world of the X-Men. Deadpool—one of the most annoying, ugliest dirtbags in the world of everything. Naturally, these guys got beef. But do you know what they have in common? A secret history of working together to pull con-jobs. That’s right—the grift is on as the Regeneratin’ Degenerate and the Ragin’ Cajun begrudgingly take on one last job together. Writers Ben Acker & Ben Blacker (THUNDERBOLTS, The Thrilling Adventure Hour) and artist Danilo Beyruth (GWENPOOL) lead us into the dirty underbelly of Deadpool and the squeaky-clean abs of Gambit!
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

 Could this be a preview of what the Gambit movie might end up being?  If it ever comes back on track. 

DEADPOOL #13
GERRY DUGGAN, CHARLES SOULE, & DAVID WALKER (W)
MIKE HAWTHORNE (A)
Cover by FRANCISCO HERRERA
VARIANT COVER BY ROB LIEFELD
VARIANT COVER BY RON LIM
DAREDEVIL VARIANT COVER BY KHOI PHAM
POWER MAN & IRON FIST VARIANT COVER BY CHRIS STEVENS
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
HIT-MONKEY VARIANT COVER BY Brent Schoonover
An all-new epic four-issue crossover in one package! This issue of Deadpool (lucky number 13) LITERALLY contains two issues of DEADPOOL, one issue of DAREDEVIL, and one issue of POWER MAN & IRON FIST! When Deadpool take a gig protecting a banker who betrayed his cartel partners, they seek the help of Assistant District Attorney Matt Murdock, who calls in the assistance (and fists) of Power Man Luke Cage and Danny Rand, master of the Iron Fist! A mega-violent, street-level, face-punching, gut-busting, kung-fuing, ninjitsuing crime story guaranteed to knock your teeth out! Bringing together the writers of the DEADPOOL, DAREDEVIL, and POWER MAN & IRON FIST series: Gerry Duggan, Charles Soule, and David Walker!
96 PGS./Parental Advisory …$9.99

Now this, I like this concept of a four part series, done in one issue.  Sure ten dollars is high but it is a real savings!  I’m intrigued.   

X-MEN ‘92 #4
CHAD BOWERS & CHRIS SIMS (W) • ALTI FIRMANSYAH (A)
Cover by DAVID NAKAYAMA
• The X-Men face the danger of THE DARKHOLD…
• …in a new “virtual” realm called “CYBERSPACE”!
• Plus: they’re still surrounded by VAMPIRES!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Still no Magik, I really expect her to show up at one point.  Probably be in a flashback sequence if Colossus can ever appear. 

X-MEN: WORST X-MAN EVER #5 (OF 5)
MAX BEMIS (W) • MICHAEL WALSH (A/C)
• What becomes of the worst X-Man ever?
• Journey decades into the future and find out!
• Is it possible for things to actually get worse for Bailey?
32 PGS./RATED T+ …$3.99

I really liked the first issue, still can’t find a website that confirms if Kitty is in the second one.  I didn’t see her in it and comicbookdb clearly has the cast of the first issue copied and pasted to the other four issues.   

TIMELY COMICS
They’re the comics everyone is talking about, now is your chance to hop on board before you get left in the dust! Marvel is proud to announce TIMELY COMICS, a new imprint of titles specially designed to get you caught up with hot All-New, All-Different Marvel titles! Reprinting the first three issues of select titles at an introductory price point of $3.00, Timely Comics will take you on a path through the restored Marvel Universe! The forming of the Avengers, Daredevil’s fight for Chinatown, the birth of the Totally Awesome Hulk and so much more! These titles sold out and burned up the charts, so don’t miss out on them now. Your new favorite series awaits, so get three issues for the $3.00 this June with TIMELY COMICS!

TIMELY COMICS: INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #1
Reprinting INVINCIBLE IRON MAN (2015) #1-3.
72 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.00

TIMELY COMICS: ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT AVENGERS #1
Reprinting ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT AVENGERS #1 (A STORY) and #2-3.
72 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.00

TIMELY COMICS: ALL-NEW INHUMANS #1
Reprinting ALL-NEW INHUMANS #1
(A STORY) and #2-3.
72 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.00

TIMELY COMICS: CARNAGE #1
Reprinting CARNAGE (2015) #1-3.
72 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.00

TIMELY COMICS: DAREDEVIL #1
Reprinting DAREDEVIL (2015) #1-3.
72 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.00

TIMELY COMICS: DRAX #1
Reprinting DRAX #1-3.
72 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.00

TIMELY COMICS: DOCTOR STRANGE #1
Reprinting DOCTOR STRANGE (2015) #1
(A STORY) and #2-3.
72 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.00

TIMELY COMICS: MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR #1
Reprinting MOON GIRL AND
DEVIL DINOSAUR #1-3.
72 PGS./Rated T …$3.00

TIMELY COMICS: NEW AVENGERS #1
Reprinting NEW AVENGERS (2015) #1-3.
72 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.00

TIMELY COMICS: SCARLET WITCH #1
Reprinting SCARLET WITCH (2015) #1-3.
72 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.00

TIMELY COMICS: SQUADRON SUPREME #1
Reprinting SQUADRON SUPREME (2015) #1-3.
72 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.00

TIMELY COMICS: THE TOTALLY AWESOME HULK #1
Reprinting TOTALLY AWESOME HULK #1-3.
80 PGS./Rated T …$3.00

TIMELY COMICS: ULTIMATES #1
Reprinting ULTIMATES (2015) #1-3.
72 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.00

TIMELY COMICS: UNCANNY INHUMANS #1
Reprinting UNCANNY INHUMANS #1
(A STORY) and #2-3.
72 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.00

TIMELY COMICS: VENOM: SPACE KNIGHT #1
Reprinting VENOM: SPACE KNIGHT #1-3.
72 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.00

TIMELY COMICS: WEB-WARRIORS #1
Reprinting WEB-WARRIORS #1
(A STORY) and #2-3.
72 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.00

I have to agree with Rob and Brian of the Uncanny X-Cast, I bet I don’t ever come across these.  If I do, at Hastings, I would recommend – Drax, Venom Space Knight and Doctor Strange.  Three out of twelve, so a quarter, that isn’t bad.  Nine issues for ten dollars is a pretty decent tale.  Half of a trade for a quarter of the price too.  If Marvel is smart, they would have the trades coming out pretty soon after this too.  Or at the same time, but then again, who buys half a story when for five dollars more, you can get the whole thing. Well, maybe ten dollars more.  Plus, if you are going to sample it, you might as well sample the entire trade, you’re flipping through pages already, what’s 60 more?     

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS ADAPTATION #1 (of 5)
Chuck Wendig (W) • Luke Ross (A)
Cover by Esad Ribic
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
SKETCH VARIANT COVER BY ESAD RIBIC
BLANK VARIANT COVER ALSO AVAILABLE
VARIANT COVER BY John Cassaday
SKETCH VARIANT COVER BY John Cassaday
VARIANT COVER BY JOE QUESADA
SKETCH VARIANT COVER BY JOE QUESADA
MOVIE VARIANT COVER ALSO AVAILABLE
It’s true—all of it! The biggest movie of the year jumps from the big screen to the comic book page! It’s been three decades since the Rebel Alliance destroyed the Death Star and toppled the Galactic Empire…but now, on the remote planet of Jakku…there is a stirring in the Force. A young scavenger named Rey…a deserting stormtrooper named Finn…an ace pilot name Poe…and a dark apprentice named Kylo Ren…Their lives are about to collide as the awakening begins. Written by Chuck Wendig (STAR WARS: AFTERMATH) and drawn by Luke Ross (HERCULES), take us on our first steps back into the Saga of a lifetime!
40 PGS./Rated T …$4.99

So, five dollars an issue and it is five issues long, so that’s $25 dollars.  So you can spend five dollars a month on this adaption or just spend the $25 for the bluray that is already out.  Who buys these adaptions?  They must sell well as they keep making them.  The trade might end up being just $20 but that’s still six months away.  It is faster to read the thing than sit through the movie but I feel like the movie is the way you want to revisit the story.   

AVENGERS: STANDOFF HC
Written by NICK SPENCER, MARC GUGGENHEIM, GERRY DUGGAN, MARK WAID, AL EWING,
JOSH WILLIAMSON & FRANK BARBIERE
Penciled by MARK BAGLEY, JESUS SAIZ, DANEL ACUNA, GERMAN PERALTA, RYAN STEGMAN, MAHMUD ASRAR, ADAM KUBERT, GERARDO SANDOVAL, MARCUS TO, PAUL RENAUD,
MIKE HENDERSON & BRENT SCHOONOVER
Cover by JESUS SAIZ
On his 75th anniversary, Captain America is about to face a challenge unlike any other. Prepare for an assault on…Pleasant Hill! Three shield-wielders past and present — Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson — find themselves in a standoff, with high and very personal stakes. And as this tense conflict quickly escalates out of control, it draws in three teams of Avengers, the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and more! But it all begins in an idyllic community with friendly neighbors…and a terrible, dark secret. What is going on behind Pleasant Hill’s closed doors? Collecting AVENGERS STANDOFF: WELCOME TO PLEASANT HILL; AVENGERS STANDOFF: ASSAULT ON PLEASANT HILL ALPHA and OMEGA; AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. #3-4; UNCANNY AVENGERS (2015B) #7-8; ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT AVENGERS #7-8; NEW AVENGERS (2015) #8-10; CAPTAIN AMERICA: SAM WILSON #7-8; ILLUMINATI #6; and HOWLING COMMANDOS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. #6.
384 PGS./Rated T+ …$34.99
ISBN: 978-1-302-90147-9
Trim size: oversized

The idea of brainwashed villains to serve out their sentences in relative peace, is pretty clever.  This would be the format I would want to read that story, but I haven’t read any buzz about it besides that it sets up Civil War II. 

SPIDER-MAN: CLONE SAGA OMNIBUS VOL. 1 HC
Written by TERRY KAVANAGH, JM DEMATTEIS, TODD DEZAGO, HOWARD MACKIE, TOM DEFALCO, TOM LYLE, TOM BREVOORT, MIKE KANTEROVICH & MORE
Penciled by STEVEN BUTLER, LIAM SHARP, PHIL GOSIER, MARK BAGLEY, JOHN ROMITA JR., TOM LYLE, MIKE MANLEY, SAL BUSCEMA, BOB MCLEOD, RON LIM, STEWART JOHNSON, TODD SMITH & MORE
Cover by MARK BAGLEY
One of the most explosive sagas in comics history! Peter Parker’s world is rocked like never before by the return of his clone, long thought dead. For years, the clone has lived in peace as “Ben Reilly,” but now he’ll be drawn back into wall-crawling action as the Scarlet Spider! But who or what is Kaine? Both Peter and Ben will be caught in a web of death spun by the Jackal, and their power and responsibility will be tested to the limits as the villain’s game of smoke and mirrors raises the question: Just who is the real Amazing Spider-Man? Collecting WEB OF SPIDER-MAN (1985) #117-125, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1963) #394-401, SPIDER-MAN (1990) #51-58, SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN (1976) #217-224, SPIDER-MAN UNLIMITED (1993) #7-9, SPIDER-MAN: FUNERAL FOR AN OCTOPUS #1-3, SPIDER-MAN: THE CLONE JOURNAL and material from SPIDER-MAN COLLECTORS’ PREVIEW.
1240 PGS./Rated T …$125.00
ISBN: 978-1-302-90216-2
Trim size: oversized

I wish they would say Volume One of Five or something, how many would it be?  Web Of doesn’t last through the run of it.  Amazing ets rebooted, Sensational doesn’t start it out.  I know Amazing Spider-Man 425 guest stars X-Man and has Peter in the red and blue.  I would totally love to revisit this story gain but $125 times even two, is way out of my price range.   

INHUMANS/X-MEN: WAR OF KINGS OMNIBUS HC
Written by ED BRUBAKER, CHRIS YOST, DAN ABNETT, ANDY LANNING, CB CEBULSKI, CHRISTOS GAGE
& JAY FAERBER
Penciled by BILLY TAN, CLAYTON HENRY,
PACO DIAZ, PAUL PELLETIER, BONG DAZO,
DUSTIN WEAVER, HARVEY TOLIBAO,
WELLINGTON ALVES, ANDREA DI VITO, KEVIN SHARPE,
BRAD WALKER, WES CRAIG & MORE
Cover by DAVID YARDIN
A cosmic epic connecting the Inhumans, X-Men and Guardians of the Galaxy! The Inhumans leave Earth and take their destined place as rulers of the Kree Empire! Meanwhile, Cyclops and Havok’s power-mad brother, Vulcan, claims the Shi’ar Empire’s throne, bringing the galaxy to the brink of destruction! With the Nova Corps, Starjammers and Guardians caught in the middle, two empires make cosmic war — and the fallout might just tear the galaxy in half! Collecting UNCANNY X-MEN (1981) #475-486, X-MEN: EMPEROR VULCAN #1-5, SECRET INVASION: WAR OF KINGS, X-MEN: KINGBREAKER #1-4, WAR OF KINGS: DARKHAWK #1-2, WAR OF KINGS: WARRIORS #1-2, WAR OF KINGS #1-6, WAR OF KINGS: ASCENSION #1-4, WAR OF KINGS: SAVAGE WORLD OF SAKAAR and WHO WILL RULE?, NOVA (2007) #23-28, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2008) #13-19, MARVEL SPOTLIGHT: WAR OF KINGS and material from X-MEN: DIVIDED WE STAND #2.
1304 PGS./Rated T+ …$100.00
ISBN: 978-1-302-90225-4
Trim size: oversized

Look at them trying to bill this as Inhumans / X-Men, instead of Annihilation : War of Kings.  I’m  not being fooled. 

THE UNCANNY X-MEN OMNIBUS VOL. 2 HC
(NEW PRINTING)
Written by CHRIS CLAREMONT with JOHN BYRNE, MARY JO DUFFY, SCOTT EDELMAN & BOB LAYTON
Penciled by JOHN BYRNE & DAVE COCKRUM with JOHN ROMITA JR., BRENT ANDERSON,
MICHAEL GOLDEN, PAUL SMITH, GEORGE PEREZ, JOHN BUSCEMA, BOB McLEOD, KEN LANDGRAF
& JIM SHERMAN
Cover by JOHN BYRNE
Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum and John Byrne took a little reprint series called X-MEN and turned it into the all-new, all-different titan that conquered comicdom. Now, you can experience the thrills and excitement of their classic tales from “The Dark Phoenix Saga” to “Days of Future Past” and so much more in this enormous Omnibus! Including the debuts of X-universe mainstays Emma Frost and Kitty Pryde, the threat of Mystique’s Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, Magneto’s return, Wolverine’s first solo story and a rare Savage Land adventure — plus the original ending of “Dark Phoenix” and a host of bonus stories! Collecting X-MEN (1963) #132-141, UNCANNY X-MEN (1981) #142-153, X-MEN ANNUAL (1970) #4-5, AVENGERS ANNUAL #10, MARVEL TREASURY EDITION #26-27, BIZARRE ADVENTURES #27, PHOENIX: THE UNTOLD STORY, and material from MARVEL FANFARE (1982) #1-4 and MARVEL TEAM-UP (1972) #100.
912 PGS./All Ages …$100.00
ISBN: 978-1-302-90166-0
Trim size: oversized

This bugs me so much.  The volume should really go from 129 through 160, right before the Brood Saga and then the next volume could be the Paul Smith hardcover we’ve all been wanting.  Or go 129 through 150, at the very least.  Splitting the Dark Phoenix Saga into two omnibus doesn’t make sense to me.  I would have been tempted, seriously tempted, to get this one of these days.  At leats the third volume should complete all of Paul Smith’s run. 

SPIDER-WOMEN TPB
Written by ROBBIE THOMPSON, JASON LATOUR & DENNIS HOPELESS
Penciled by VANESA DEL REY, TANA FORD, BENGAL, JAVIER RODRIGUEZ & JOELLE JONES
Cover by YASMINE PUTRI
The Spider-Women of two worlds join Silk for a story too big for just one of their books! New mother Jessica Drew is taking a mentor role with Silk and Spider-Gwen, and the trio enjoys a brunch break on Gwen’s Earth-65. But when nefarious spy organization S.I.L.K. and its leader — a certain Cindy Moon — notice the interdimensional interlopers, everything goes wrong! Can the arachnid adventurers find a way home, or will they be trapped in a world they never made? And if they do escape Earth-65, will their troubles follow? Jess meets the Mary Janes, and Silk comes face-to-face with her counterpart’s family — but who’s looking after little baby Drew? It’s an epic that will shake all three Spider-Women to the core! Collecting SPIDER-WOMEN ALPHA and OMEGA, SILK (2015B) #7-8, SPIDER-GWEN (2015B) #7-8, and SPIDER-WOMAN (2015) #6-7.
176 PGS./Rated T+ …$29.99
ISBN: 978-1-302-90093-9

I do like the concept of this crossover, small and precise and self contained.  Might be worth a flip or two. 

UNCANNY X-MEN: SUPERIOR VOL. 1: SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST TPB
Written by CULLEN BUNN
Penciled by GREG LAND
Cover by GREG LAND
Desperate times call for a darker team of X-Men! With mutantkind in extinction’s crosshairs once more, Magneto leads a group of the deadliest that Homo superior has to offer to fight for the fate of their species! Refusing to accept even one more mutant death, the most ruthless possessors of the X-gene on Earth — deadly warriors like Sabretooth, Fantomex, Mystique and Psylocke — have banded together to proactively mow down their enemies. But with a team populated by killers, can they stay away from each other’s throats long enough to take down their targets? And can the Master of Magnetism curb his own homicidal instincts long enough to find out who’s trying to speed up mutantkind’s descent into the grave? It’s X-Men with the emphasis on Uncanny! Collecting UNCANNY X-MEN (2016) #1-5.
112 PGS./Rated T+ …$15.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9607-5

Magik is in the fifth issue, and that was pretty good.   

VENOM: SPACE KNIGHT VOL. 1: AGENT OF THE COSMOS TPB
Written by ROBBIE THOMPSON
Penciled by ARIEL OLIVETTI
Cover by ARIEL OLIVETTI
Flash Thompson is many things. Soldier. Veteran. Double amputee. Guardian of the Galaxy. Host to a powerful yet newly tamed alien symbiote. Now Flash is tasked with being an intergalactic ambassador of Earth and an Agent of the Cosmos! Join Flash for high adventure in deep space as he swashbuckles his way across the universe! But as Venom travels the galaxy, helping the helpless and punishing the violent, he will go from Guardian to gladiator when he’s made to fight in an alien arena. And when facing an emergency on a planet of volcanoes, how can he serve as a Space Knight when his symbiote suit of armor is afraid of fire? And when an enemy seeks to corrupt the symbiote, will this mark the return of the big bad Venom? Collecting VENOM: SPACE KNIGHT #1-6.
136 PGS./Rated T+ …$17.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9654-9

Kitty was shown in an early issue of the series and it wasn’t a bad issue.   

ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT VOL. 1:
TRICKS OF THE TRADE TPB
Written by SKOTTIE YOUNG
Penciled by FILIPE ANDRADE, AARON CONLEY & JAY FOSGITT
Cover by SKOTTIE YOUNG
Rocket Raccoon breaks bad! But can Groot bring back his best pal from the dark side? Find out in the ultimate buddy book, filled with tall tails and arboreal adventures! When Rocket undergoes a dastardly transformation, Groot battles to remind him who he truly is — but will that only leave the walking, talking tree in the dictatorial Lord RakZoon’s torture dungeon? RakZoon may be short, but he casts a long shadow over his empire — one that may bring about a bleak future for the galaxy’s greatest friendship! Is this the end for Rocket and Groot? Or will Raccoon-narok come later, with the epic voyage of Rocket the Red and Leaf Grooterson? And in between all this drama, there’s fun and games to be had — with our heroes as ringers in an intergalactic football league! Collecting ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT #1-6.
136 PGS./Rated T …$17.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9973-1

Kitty was also in issue three of this series. 

THUNDERBOLTS CLASSIC VOL. 2 TPB (NEW PRINTING)
Written by KURT BUSIEK, ROGER STERN & JOHN OSTRANDER
Penciled by MARK BAGLEY, JEFF JOHNSON, RON FRENZ & PASQUAL FERRY
Cover by MARK BAGLEY
The Thunderbolts’ true identities as the villainous Masters of Evil have been revealed to the world! Leader Baron Zemo’s plans for global domination have been put into effect! The world’s greatest super heroes have fallen under Zemo’s mental control — including the Avengers, Fantastic Four and more! Who can stop Zemo’s mad plans from escalating before it’s too late? Only the Thunderbolts! Their time in the heroic limelight has changed some of them for the better, and they’re not ready to give up these new lives just yet. But are these former villains willing to complete their redemption and fully side with the angels? Or will hard decisions and deadly consequences split the team right down the middle? Guest-starring Black Widow, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and the Heroes for Hire! Collecting THUNDERBOLTS (1997) #6-14 and HEROES FOR HIRE (1997) #7.
256 PGS./Rated T …$34.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9684-6

HAWKEYE & THE THUNDERBOLTS VOL. 2 TPB
Written by FABIAN NICIEZA & KURT BUSIEK
Penciled by MARK BAGLEY, PATRICK ZIRCHER, GEORGE PÉREZ & PAUL RYAN
Cover by MARK BAGLEY
Earth’s mightiest marksman continues to steer the Thunderbolts to greatness in a volume filled with revelations! Citizen V is unmasked at last! A heartbreaking killer is exposed! And Moonstone learns far more than she bargained for about the source of her power! As the team enters a showdown with the V-Battalion, Sandman lends a great big hand — but can he be trusted? Wonder Man has it in for Atlas, and Black Widow swings by — could this be a warmup for a full-on Avengers/Thunderbolts crossover? You betcha! And Count Nefaria might be more than both groups can handle! Old friends return, and a new Scourge attacks — but as more secrets spill out, will this be the end of a beautiful friendship for Hawkeye and the Thunderbolts? Collecting THUNDERBOLTS (1997) #38-50 and AVENGERS (1998) #31-34.
440 PGS./Rated T …$39.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9547-4

So weird that they are not just waiting for Thunderbolts Classic Volume Three to come out before releasing the Hawkeye era of the title.   

MARVEL FIRSTS: THE 1990S VOL. 2 TPB
Written by DG CHICHESTER, FABIAN NICIEZA, TOM DEFALCO, TERRY KAVANAGH & MORE
Penciled by RON GARNEY, ART THIBERT, RON FRENZ, GABRIEL GECKO, TOM TENNEY & MORE
Cover by VARIOUS
The notorious nineties roll on! The decade’s biggest stars — Venom, Cable, Deadpool and Gambit — win solo titles! The clone-tacular Scarlet Spider swings in, as Bishop and X-Man blow away the competition! The Avengers and Fantastic Four get Force-ful spinoffs, as do Thor and Iron Man! Generation X joins the Xavier School! Blade and the Nightstalkers rise! ClanDestine makes its uncanny debut, Nightwatch’s origin is revealed, and Vengeance goes solo! Collecting NIGHTSTALKERS #1, VENOM: LETHAL PROTECTOR #1, CABLE (1993) #1, DEADPOOL: THE CIRCLE CHASE #1, THUNDERSTRIKE (1993) #1, GAMBIT (1993) #1, WAR MACHINE (1994) #1, BLACKWULF #1, FORCE WORKS #1, BLADE THE VAMPIRE-HUNTER (1994) #1, GENERATION X SAN DIEGO PREVIEW, FANTASTIC FORCE (1994) #1, WEB OF SPIDER-MAN (1985) #118, BISHOP #1 and X-MAN #1 — plus material from WEB OF SPIDER-MAN (1985) #100, and MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS (1988) #147 and #158.
472 PGS./Rated T …$39.99
ISBN: 978-1-302-90097-7

This is so weird, these collections, as they don’t print the second issues or make them readily available.  Plus, there isn’t a way to tell which stories are the reason people are buying this. 

X-MEN: THE TRIAL OF GAMBIT TPB
Written by SCOTT LOBDELL, BEN RAAB & STEVE SEAGLE
Penciled by JOE MADUREIRA, MELVIN RUBI, BRYAN HITCH, CHRIS BACHALO, ANDY SMITH & CARLOS PACHECO
Cover by JOE MADUREIRA
For years, they’ve loved each other from a safe distance. Now Rogue and Gambit will become closer than ever — and it may shatter their lives permanently! For when Remy LeBeau’s past actions are revealed, he’ll be put on trial — but who will serve as judge, jury and executioner? In other action, a suitably uncanny battle between Cannonball and Gladiator sends one squad of X-Men on its latest intergalactic adventure. Can they free the Shi’ar from the deadly grip of the Phalanx and return to Earth in one piece? Meanwhile, another team grapples with the Kingpin and Sebastian Shaw over a possible cure for the Legacy Virus! Plus: Flash back with Rachel Summers and Magneto, witness a furious Marrow take on Spider-Man, and meet the mighty Maggott! Collecting UNCANNY X-MEN (1981) #341-350 and #-1, and X-MEN (1991) #62-64 and #-1.
400 PGS./Rated T …$34.99
ISBN: 978-1-302-90070-0

I really like the fact that this is pretty printed, makes me hopefully that other 90s X-Men trades might come of it.

LUKE CAGE: AVENGER TPB
Written by MIKE BENSON, ADAM GLASS, BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS, JOHN ARCUDI & FRANK MILLER
Penciled by DALIBOR TALAJIC, LEINIL FRANCIS YU, BILLY TAN, ERIC CANETE, PEPE LARRAZ & HERB TRIMPE
Cover by STUART IMMONEN
The steel-skinned Avenger shows exactly why he’s one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes! Discover how young Carl Lucas, imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit, gained his powers and became the hero he is today! As Civil War rages, Luke picks a side and makes a stand — but it might divide him from his wife, Jessica Jones! But when their daughter, Danielle, is captured by Skrulls, Luke will make a deal with the devil to save her. Then, a ghost from Luke’s past takes him back to the Hero For Hire biz — and a classic street level team-up pits Luke, best pal Iron Fist, Daredevil, Moon Knight and Spider-Man against the Kingpin and Killgrave the Purple Man! Collecting AVENGERS ORIGINS: LUKE CAGE, NEW AVENGERS (2005) #22 and #49, NEW AVENGERS: LUKE CAGE #1-3 and MARVEL TEAM-UP ANNUAL #4.
200 PGS./Rated T+ …$24.99
ISBN: 978-1-302-90194-3

In time for this to hit shelves for the Netflix show in September, though it would be way early and have lots of dust on it, by then. 

. . .

So looks like June might be pretty expensive for me –

Civil War II 1  $6
Civil War II 2  $5
Civil War II X-Men 1 $4
Guardians of the Galaxy 9      $4
Star Lord 8      $4
Rocket Raccoon & Groot 6    $4
Uncanny X-Men 9      $8
All New X-Men 10     $4
Extraordinary X-Men 11        $4
Worst X-Man Ever 5  $4

Ten titles for $47, with a dollar off per title, gets me to $37 – which right at my budget limit.  Grant it, I probably won’t be getting those Civil War II issues, besides the X-Men tie-in.  So there’s eleven dollars off, right there.  I probably own’t get Rocket Raccoon & Groot either.

. . .

I have to add Civil War II and Civil War II X-Men to my pull list.

Marvel May 2016 Solicitations

Posted by John Klein III on February 18, 2016
Posted in: Solicitations. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

http://www.newsarama.com/27984-marvel-comics-full-may-2016-solicitations.html

CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS #1
NICK SPENCER (W) • JESUS SAIZ (A/C)
Cover by JESUS SAIZ
VARIANT COVER BY STEVE EPTING
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
YOUNG VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
AGE OF APOCALYPSE VARIANT COVER BY Paul Renaud
HIP-HOP VARIANT COVER BY TBA
CAPTAIN AMERICA 75TH ANNIVERSARY VARIANT COVER BY TBA
He’s back! The original Sentinel of Liberty returns, with a new shield, a new team, and a new mission! And he’s not the only one who’s back! Like the saying goes– cut off one LIMB, two more will take its place! HAIL HYDRA!
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

Well this was bound to happen and it at least takes advantage of the : setting up that anyone’s name could follow. I’ll be passing on this.

THE PUNISHER #1
BECKY CLOONAN (W) • STEVE DILLON (A)
Cover by Declan Shalvey
HIP-HOP VARIANT COVER BY TIM BRADSTREET
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
VARIANT COVER BY ALEX MALEEV
YOUNG VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
AGE OF APOCALYPSE VARIANT COVER BY Chris Stevens
BLACK PANTHER 50TH ANNIVERSARY VARIANT BY PHIL NOTO
CAPTAIN AMERICA 75TH ANNIVERSARY VARIANT COVER BY TBA
FRANK CASTLE LOSES CONTROL!
A by-the-numbers drug bust is about to take Frank Castle by surprise…and he HATES surprises. The horrible fallout threatens to send The Punisher into the heart of darkness, but Castle won’t make that journey alone: A DEA agent is on his trail and attempting to get into his head…but what horrors will she find there, and will she survive the experience? First-time Punisher writer Becky Cloonan and quintessential Punisher artist Steve Dillon are forcing Frank Castle out of his comfort zone and taking him to the edge of the world he thought he knew!
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

This is another one that makes sense with Punisher being the main adversary in the Netflix Daredevil series. I’ll also be passing on this series.

 THUNDERBOLTS #1
Jim Zub (W) • Jon Malin (A/C)
VARIANT COVER BY MARK BAGLEY
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
AGE OF APOCALYPSE VARIANT COVER BY TBA
HIP-HOP VARIANT COVER BY TONY PIPER
FROM THE ASHES OF AVENGERS: STANDOFF!
They’re a renegade team rampaging across the Marvel Universe under the direction of the Winter Soldier! But are the Thunderbolts heroes or villains—and do even they know for sure?
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

I do like that homage cover to the original and great series cover. I’ll be passing on this series as well.

NIGHTHAWK #1
DAVID WALKER (W) • RAMON VILLALOBOS (A)
Cover by DENYS COWAN and BILL SIENKIEWICZ
VARIANT COVER BY Rafael Albuquerque
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
HIP-HOP VARIANT COVER BY BILL SIENKIEWICZ
YOUNG VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
Straight from the pages of SQUADRON SUPREME comes one of the most brutal super heroes of the Marvel Universe. Nighthawk is Chicago’s dark protector, dispensing swift, decisive justice to those that truly deserve it. When the city’s shadiest power brokers turn up murdered in gristly ways, the apparent work of an inventive serial killer, Nighthawk must ask himself, Does this predator deserve to be caught? Who is the killer? What is he after? What does he want from Nighthawk? To answer these questions, Nighthawk must first look in the mirror.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

I didn’t know that there were going to be all of these number ones, that I wouldn’t be interested in.

 CIVIL WAR II #0
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • OLIVIER COIPEL (A/C)
VARIANT COVER BY ESAD RIBIC
CONNECTING VARIANT COVER A BY KIM JUNG JI
CHARACTER VARIANT COVER BY PHIL NOTO
From the creative team that brought you House of M and Siege comes a blistering first chapter in Marvel’s new explosive event. Watch as the players are introduced and the table is set for a storyline that fans will be talking about for years.
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

So if these crossovers get worst – House of M, then the very missable Siege, does that mean that Civil War II will be even more passable? Here is hoping the X-Men have some reason to be involved in this, if they want me to buy this series.

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #9
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • MIKE DEODATo (A/C)
AGE OF APOCALYPSE VARIANT COVER BY TBA
• Tony and Rhodey are best friends on and off the battlefield but their friendship is tested in ways it never was before as the new power players in the Marvel Universe reveal themselves in a bloody and dangerous fashion that threatens everything they stand for. A Civil War II prologue story!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

I like Mary Jane Watson being in the Iron Man armor, always fun when she was in a Spider-Man costume.

ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT AVENGERS #9
MARK WAID (W) • MAHMUD ASRAR (A)
Cover by ALEX ROSS
VARIANT COVER BY ALEX ROSS
AGE OF APOCALYPSE VARIANT COVER BY Khoi Pham
New Story Starts NOW!
• Introducing the all-new Wasp! Who is she? What is she? And what does she intend to do about Earth’s Mightiest Heroes?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

I wonder who is the new Wasp? Also, whatever happened to Jan?

THE VISION #7
TOM KING (W) • MICHAEL WALSH (A)
COVER BY MIKE DEL MUNDO
A NEW STORY STARTS NOW!
• Once upon a time a robot and a witch fell in love. What followed was a tale of the dead and the dying, of the hopeful and the lost, of the wronged and the avenged. And in the end, after both had fallen, the witch and the robot rose from their dirt and eyed each other across a field of blood and bone.
• Forty-five years in the making, this is the story of Scarlet Witch and the Vision. Before family, there was love. And war.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

I am a sucker for the Vision / Wanda relationship, I may have to give this issue a read.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #12
DAN SLOTT (W) • GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI (A)
Cover by ALEX ROSS
AGE OF APOCALYPSE VARIANT COVER BY Jamal Campbell
• POWER PLAY begins here!
• The Amazing Spider-Man, Iron Man, Spider-Man and the rest of the All-New All-Different Avengers come together for this huge story!
• The most dangerous foe from SECRET WARS, REGENT makes his true intentions known – and it will take the greatest heroes of the Marvel Universe to stop him.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

I must not have read Secret Wars 2015 that closely as I don’t recall seeing the name, Regent, anywhere.

SPIDER-WOMAN #7
DENNIS HOPELESS (W) • JOELLE JONES (A)
Cover by YASMINE PUTRI
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
VARIANT COVER BY Javier RODRIGUEZ
SPIDER-WOMEN: PART 7!
• What’s happened in the Marvel Universe during Jessica’s time on Earth-65?
• What’s happened in HER HOME?!
• WHO’S THAT WITH HER BABY?!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

This is part of the Spider-Women crossover but I didn’t know she had her baby. Has the baby daddy’s identity been revealed? I can only imagine Newsarama would spoil that for me but they haven’t yet.

SPIDER-MAN #4
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • SARA PICHELLI (A/C)
• Miles is just finding his feet in the all new marvel universe; the media is growing obsessed with his skin color and now he has to share his own book with a hot new mutant who goes by the name of… wait for it…
• All this and the Queenpin of New York, the Black Cat, has set her sights on this new Spider-Man. She has put out a hit on his head and now no one is safe!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

The mutant must be Goldballs, right? Bendis hinted at that letter he wrote in Uncanny X-Men 600’s letter. When did the Black Cat become the Queenpin of Crime? What happened to Fisk, or did she realize that there was a title that she could claim and took it?

AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. #5
MARC GUGGENHEIM (W) • GERMAN PERALTA (A)
Cover by MIKE NORTON
• Coulson captive! Simmons dying! The Amazing Spider-Man marked for death! And if that wasn’t enough… the Marvel Comics Universe debut of GRANT WARD.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Great, the worst character on Agents of SHIELD is now in the comic!

Marvel May 2016 Solicitations Star Lord 7 Mike Hawthorne
Art by Mike Hawhtorne

STAR-LORD #7
SAM HUMPHRIES (w) • JAVIER GARRON (a)
Cover by MIKE HAWTHORNE
NO FIGHTING ON A MISSION, YOU GUYS!
• STAR-LORD VS. STAR-LADY!
• Turns out working with your ex might not go super smooth. Who knew?
• Will Peter and Kitty be able to make it out of this mission alive? Who is more dangerous, their enemy…or each other???
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Kitty clearly wears that outfit better! So glad to see her in this title, finally! Even if they are broken up now.

GUARDIANS OF INFINITY #6
DAN ABNETT AND ERIC PALICKI (W) • CARLO BARBERI & PAOLO VILLANELLI (A)
Cover by GARY CHOO
ONE GUARDIAN, INFINITE TROUBLE
• Newcomer god Hermetikus has captured all the Guardians, possibly to turn them into unwilling brain donors!
• Just one hero manages to slip away: Nikki Gold must find her way through the Structure, with nothing but her wits and her guns.
• AND ERIC PALICKI (writer FAKE EMPIRE, ORPHANS) and artist PAOLO VILLANELLI (G.I. JOE, CLIVE BARKER’S HELLRAISER) team up Kitty Pryde and Gamora to figure out if there’s more than ONE Most Dangerous Woman in the Universe!
40 PGS./Rated T …$4.99

Kitty gets her second backup feature! So great and her teaming up with Gamora has to be fun!

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #8
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • VALERIO SCHITI (A)
Cover by ARTHUR ADAMS
AGE OF APOCALYPSE VARIANT COVER BY Dale Keown
VENOM AND GROOT VERSUS: SKRULLS!
• Venom and Groot get in WAY over their heads fighting against SKRULLS!
• Last time this writer wrote those aliens it changed the Marvel Universe. This time he’s thinking even bigger!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

Hopefully Kitty still has a role in this issue!

ULTIMATES #7
AL EWING (W)
KENNETH ROCAFORT (A/C)
– On the road to CIVIL WAR II!
– The Ultimates deal with the fallout from their journey Outside – and the return of the Anti-Man!
– Meanwhile, Project: Pegasus holds the key to humanity’s survival… or destruction…
– …and THANOS is coming for it!

Is there a third unaccounted for Ant-Man? I guess there is the Irredeemable one.

HOWARD THE DUCK #7
CHIP ZDARSKY (W) • KEVIN MAGUIRE (A)
COVER BY KEVIN MAGUIRE & JOE QUINONES
AGE OF APOCALYPSE VARIANT COVER BY Bobby Rubio
• When a case takes Howard and Tara to the SAVAGE LAND, they need all the help they can get! But instead, they make do with SPIDER-MAN, SHE-HULK, DAREDEVIL and STEVE ROGERS!
• Join Chip and special guest artist KEVIN MAGUIRE (!!!!) for an issue we like to call “Howard the Duck Volume Six, Issue Seven!”
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Such a fun solict ending!

GWENPOOL #0
CHRISTOPHER HASTINGS (W)
DANILO BEYRUTH & GURIHIRU (A)
Cover by DANILO BEYRUTH
VARIANT COVER BY CHRIS BACHALO
• “Who is Gwenpool, and where did she come from?” Ever since she made a splash in her first cover appearance, those have been the questions on everyone’s lips as they lounge about, sipping from a tropical beverage!
• Now, get all three of the original Gwenpool backup stories from HOWARD THE DUCK #1-3 featuring Ms. Poole’s first appearance and her battle alongside our favorite private duck in one convenient package!
• Plus: See Gwen’s first Xmas in the Marvel Universe, and the guy she killed to mark the occasion!
48 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

This would be helpful for any questions I have, after reading the third chapter of her backup story. But I’m sure I will forget this is coming out, once it does come out.

DAREDEVIL/PUNISHER #1 (OF 4)
CHARLES SOULE (W)
SZYMON KUDRANSKI (A)
Cover by REILLY BROWN
A simple change of venues for one of Matt Murdock’s cases becomes more complicated when THE PUNISHER attempts to send the defendant away…permanently! If DAREDEVIL and BLINDSPOT want to get this mobster his day in court, it will take every ounce of wit and wile they have. All Frank needs to get what he wants is a bullet. The race is on!
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

Another clever miniseries to tie in with the second season of Daredevil.

DAREDEVIL #7
CHARLES SOULE (W) • Matteo Buffagni (A)
Cover by BILL SIENKIEWICZ
AGE OF APOCALYPSE VARIANT COVER BY TBA
• Marvel’s most deadly assassin is back in the Big Apple and has just dropped a bombshell of secret.
• Now, Matt Murdock is forced to consider the true cost of being the Man Without Fear.
• And now, with Elektra raising hell in Hell’s Kitchen, Daredevil may have to give up his biggest secret…
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

This makes sense too, with Elektra being in season two of Daredevil. I imagine she gets her own ongoing soon, as well.

ILLUMINATI #7
JOSHUA WILLIAMSON (W)
Shawn Crystal (A/C)
AVENGERS: STAND-OFF AFTERMATH!
• It’s recruitment day! The villains of the Marvel Universe are pissed off after the events of Stand-Off, so naturally the Hood sees a perfect opportunity to enlist them into the Illuminati. But what he has planned next could sicken even the most hardened of criminals…
• But will Titania continue working with The Hood or focus on saving her marriage to Absorbing Man?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Hey, there actually is fallout from non-event crossover, Avengers Stand Off – that’s pretty impressive.

DOCTOR STRANGE #8
JASON AARON (W) • CHRIS BACHALO (A/C)
AGE OF APOCALYPSE VARIANT COVER BY TBA
THE LAST DAYS OF MAGIC STORY CONTINUES!
• All of Doctor Strange’s magic has been destroyed and our world is on the edge of disaster.
• What on Earth can Stephen do?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Strange should recruit Magik! That’s what he should do!

CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS #8
AL EWING (W) • RHOALD MARCELLIUS (A)
COVER BY PACO MEDINA
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
ULTIMATE FIGHTING” continues!
• Here come… THE SYMBIOIDS! Half Venom – half Void – and all deadly!
• Are the Ultimates a match for the cosmic critters? And can they knock the Maestro off his throne?
• Plus – Battleworld breakout! Which contestant returns to Earth – and which one leaves in a box?
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

I wish I knew the characters better to take a guess but I imagine it will be the one that doesn’t have a proper counterpart, who is already in the limelight.

THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL #8
RYAN NORTH (W) • ERICA HENDERSON (A/C)
NEW STORY STARTS NOW!
• In this story, Squirrel Girl faces off against a giant monster, AND a gross old man, AND goes on some dates!
• So that’s three challenges right there
• Whether you’re a fan of seeing a squirrel lady punch someone OR a fan of seeing a squirrel lady struggle to make an online dating profile that isn’t weird and embarrassing, this is an excellent comic for you to purchase!
• EVERYONE IS ONE OF THOSE TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE — search your heart and you will find it is true
• Oh P.S., the story is called “I KISSED A SQUIRREL AND I LIKED IT” — how amazing is that?
• Answer: very
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

So silly but I do like the energy of her solicts.

ALL-NEW X-MEN #9
DENNIS HOPELESS (W) • MARK BAGLEY (A/C)
CONNECTING VARIANT COVER C BY KEN LASHLEY
AGE OF APOCALYPSE VARIANT COVER BY Pasqual Ferry
“APOCALYPSE WARS” CONTINUES!
The ALL-NEW X-MEN’s entry into “APOCALYPSE WARS” starts here! The ALL-NEW X-MEN are on a mission to step out of the shadows of their predecessors and write their own futures. And none are more determined to forge their own way than Evan Sabahnur, who is allegedly destined to one day become the genocidal villain APOCALYPSE. But now, by way of an unintentional intervention by his teammate Beast, Evan is brought face-to-face with Apocalypse himself…and also brought face-to-face with the question he’s been running from: Can you escape your destiny?
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

UNCANNY X-MEN #7
CULLEN BUNN (W) • KEN LASHLEY (A)
Cover by Greg Land
AGE OF APOCALYPSE VARIANT COVER BY Ryan Sook
“APOCALYPSE WARS” CONTINUES!
• Fearing their teammate Archangel has once more fallen under the sway of the villainous Apocalypse, Psylocke and Magneto have embarked on a mission to save his life.
• But they’re about to make a discovery that will make them doubt everything they thought they knew!
• Meanwhile, Sabretooth and M make a horrifying discovery of their own in the Morlock Tunnels beneath New York City…
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

EXTRAORDINARY X-MEN #10
JEFF LEMIRE (W) • HUMBERTO RAMOS (A/C)
AGE OF APOCALYPSE VARIANT COVER BY Reilly Brown
“APOCALYPSE WARS” continues here in “OMEGA WORLD”: Part 3!
• Trapped a thousand years in the future, the X-Men are literally mutantkind’s last hope!
• Not only has Apocalypse deemed the mutant race obselete, but he’s also claimed one of the X-Men as his newest Horseman.
• Can the X-Men survive a trip across the perilous landscape of Omega World to restore mutantkind’s future and rescue their teammate?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

I’m getting the impression, from the covers, that I won’t be following this crossover that closely as Magik has yet to appear in these three solicts or on the covers. I imagine she will be in the background of at least two of these titles and really be in the issue of Extraordinary X-Men.

 DEADPOOL & THE MERCS FOR MONEY #4 (OF 5)
CULLEN BUNN (W) • SALVADOR ESPIN (A)
Cover by DECLAN SHALVEY
ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER
VARIANT COVER BY RON LIM
DESIGN VARIANT COVER BY MIKE HAWTHORNE
• Ever wanna see Deadpool and company on a long haul in a big rig?
• How about if it’s driven by an immortal, demonic trucker?
• I cannot hear your response — but I hope it was a yes.
• Because that happens in this issue!
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

Another fun solict!

DEADPOOL: LAST DAYS OF MAGIC #1
GERRY DUGGAN (W) • SCOTT KOBLISH (A)
COVER BY HUMBERTO RAMOS
VARIANT COVER BY RON LIM
VARIANT COVER BY TBA
From the pages of Doctor Strange…the Empirikul are waging a war on magic with the goal of wiping the fantastical from the pages of existence. This concerns Deadpool, because some of his best friends are magic. As the Empirikul forces batter the defenses of the Monster Metropolis ruled by his demonic wife, Deadpool wades into battle alongside his most spell-casting-est friends. And you know the old saying “Nothing ever goes wrong in a war.” That’s a saying, right?
40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/PARENTAL ADVISORY…$4.99

Look at Doctor Strange’s comic getting a Deadpool oneshot! That seems impressive! Especially has Duggan is writing it.

X-MEN: WORST X-MAN EVER #4 (OF 5)
MAX BEMIS (W) • MICHAEL WALSH (A/C)
• Bailey has never fit in with the X-Men…
• …but Magneto wants him for a very special mission.
• The X-citing X-mini from Say Anything frontman Max Bemis continues!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

I have heard that the first few issues were fun but I haven’t received any and the character list on issue three hasn’t been updated. I guess the title has had some delays though, if issue four is just now being promoted.

BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS: CRIME NOIR OMNIBUS HC
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS & MARC ANDREYKO
Penciled by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Cover by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
A compendium of classic, character-driven drama written and drawn by the king of crime, Brian Michael Bendis! What brings David Goldfish, an enigmatic grifter with a heart of gold, back to his old haunts — where his old flame practically runs the city’s underbelly, and his ex-partner-in-crime is now a police detective? Who is the bounty hunter Jinx Alameda, and what treasure is she hunting? How will she get drawn into Eliot Ness’s real-life pursuit of one of America’s most notorious serial killers? Plus: Bendis draws from real life in a compelling exploration of the complex world of international intelligence! For fans of powerful, modern takes on pulp fiction and true-world crime stories, it doesn’t come any better than Bendis! Collecting AKA GOLDFISH: ACE, JACK, QUEEN, KING and JOKER; JINX #1-5; FIRE #1-2; and JINX: TORSO #1-6.
1152 PGS./Mature …$125.00
ISBN: 978-1-302-90159-2
Trim size: oversized

Goldfish, Jinx and Torso are such great comics!

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 HC
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Penciled by ED MCGUINNESS, VALERIO SCHITI, DAVID LOPEZ & FRANK CHO
Cover by ALEX ROSS
The Guardians continue their cosmic odyssey in a volume filled with revelations and recriminations! Discover how Star-Lord, Drax and Thanos really escaped the Cancerverse — and learn the true fate of former Nova, Richard Rider! After Venom leads the team to an entire world teeming with alien symbiotes, will they ever trust Flash Thompson again? Then, the Guardians and the X-Men are caught in the pull of the Black Vortex! With the Slaughter Squad hot on their tails, the two groups 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 is more deadly than ever! Ronan is deposed! And Peter Quill meets his destiny — but does he want it? Collecting GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2013) #18-27 and ANNUAL #1.
264 PGS./Rated T+ …$34.99
ISBN: 978-1-302-90008-3
Trim size: oversized

Kitty Pryde is in this volume, so that should be all that needs to be written for the sale!

DEADPOOL MINIBUS HC (NEW PRINTING)
Written by CULLEN BUNN
Penciled by DALIBOR TALAJIC, MATTEO LOLLI, SALVA ESPIN
& RAMON ROSANAS
Cover by MICHAEL DEL MUNDO
Deadpool’s wildest adventures, collected in one blood-soaked volume! What if Deadpool decided to kill everyone and everything that makes up the Marvel Universe? What if he followed that up by slaughtering the most famous fictional characters in classic literature? And what if he finally took aim at the ultimate target: himself? You’d have the fan-favorite “Deadpool Killogy,” that’s what! But when Deadpool battles Deadpool, will he win or perish? Yes! Then: Deadpool wakes up from a food coma to find…the zombie apocalypse has occurred! Can the Merc with a Mouth avoid becoming the Merc in their Mouths?! And when Deadpool takes on Carnage, good-crazy battles bad-crazy, blood will flow — and Deadpool will literally go to pieces! Collecting DEADPOOL KILLS THE MARVEL UNIVERSE #1-4, DEADPOOL KILLUSTRATED #1-4, DEADPOOL KILLS DEADPOOL #1-4, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEADPOOL #1-4 and DEADPOOL VS. CARNAGE #1-4.
480 PGS./Parental Advisory …$75.00
ISBN: 978-1-302-90192-9
Trim size: oversized

Minibus is a clever turn of a phrase!

NEW X-MEN OMNIBUS HC (NEW PRINTING)
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Penciled by FRANK QUITELY, ETHAN VAN SCIVER, LEINIL FRANCIS YU, IGOR KORDEY, JOHN PAUL LEON, PHIL JIMENEZ, KERON GRANT, CHRIS BACHALO & MARC SILVESTRI
Cover by FRANK QUITELY
Grant Morrison’s wildly innovative X-Men saga returns! The X-Men, re-imagined with a new look and a new mission, must face weird new threats including evil twins, organ harvesters, sentient bacteria, rebellious mutant youth, power-enhancing street drugs and living weapons! Joined by wicked telepath Emma Frost and mysterious powerhouse Xorn, the X-Men go public — expanding Xavier’s school to train a new generation of mutants including the insect-like Angel, the bird-boy Beak, the living sandstorm Dust and eerie telepathic quintuplets the Stepford Cuckoos. And as secondary mutations alter familiar mutants, the team is tested when Emma Frost sets her seductive sights on Cyclops, the all-consuming Phoenix threatens to rise again, and shocking traitors plot the destruction of everything the X-Men have accomplished! Featuring the Shi’ar Imperial Guard, the X-Corporation, Fantomex and more! Collecting NEW X-MEN (2001) #114-154 and ANNUAL 2001
1120 PGS./Rated T+ …$125.00
ISBN: 978-1-302-90196-7
Trim size: oversized

I own the first version of this. The stories are pretty good.

DEADPOOL MINIBUS 2 HC
Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI, GERRY DUGGAN, PETER DAVID & CULLEN BUNN
Penciled by PEPE LARRAZ, MATTEO LOLLI, JACOPO CAMAGNI, SCOTT KOBLISH & NIK VIRELLA
Cover by SHANE DAVIS
Back up the minibus, it’s time for a second trip into the crazy world of the Deadpool limited series, where anything can happen — and probably will! Everything you knew about Deadpool and Cable was wrong — find out why in a time-hopping showdown with the original X-Force! When Wade crosses paths with the avenging archer Hawkeye, it’s merc against marksman! Sun Tzu? Sun who?! DEADPOOL’S ART OF WAR is the only masterwork of military strategy Loki needs to conquer Earth! What’s worse than a plague of the walking dead? A plague of walking Deadpools! And three decades after SECRET WARS, discover how Deadpool waged the most secretive warfare of all on the original Battleworld! Collecting DEADPOOL VS. X-FORCE #1-4, HAWKEYE VS. DEADPOOL #0-4, DEADPOOL’S ART OF WAR #1-4, RETURN OF THE LIVING DEADPOOL #1-4 and DEADPOOL’S SECRET SECRET WARS #1-4.
512 PGS./Parental Advisory …$59.99
ISBN: 978-1-302-90197-4
Trim size: oversized

A tad awkward that this isn’t listed right after the previous one above.  The other one is only a new printing but still, they should be right next to each other.

DOCTOR STRANGE OMNIBUS VOL. 1 HC
Written by STAN LEE & STEVE DITKO with ROY THOMAS & DENNIS O’NEIL
Penciled by STEVE DITKO
Cover by ALEX ROSS
Direct Market Cover by STEVE DITKO
Vain, greedy and prideful, Dr. Stephen Strange was a world-renowned surgeon until a car accident crippled his hands. Broken and destitute, he journeyed to Tibet in search of a legendary healer. He found not a man of medicine, but the venerable Ancient One — and the path to the mystic arts! From Doctor Strange’s eerie house on a Greenwich Village corner, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko unleashed new dimensions and otherworldly terrors — stories that remain as influential today as they were on 1960s counter-culture. Now, Marvel is proud to offer this Omnibus collection of the complete Lee/Ditko Doctor Strange run! In one beautifully restored hardcover volume, experience the iconic first appearances of Baron Mordo, Eternity, Dormammu and the Mindless Ones, as well as Wong and the lovely Clea! Collecting material from STRANGE TALES (1951) #110-111 and #114-146, and AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #2.
456 PGS./All Ages …$75.00
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9924-3
Trim size: oversized

DOCTOR STRANGE OMNIBUS VOL. 1 HC VARIANT (DM ONLY)
456 PGS./All Ages …$75.00
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9925-0
Trim size: oversized

Ditko on Strange is mind-blowing! $75 is a bit much but not really for the high production value that I’m hoping this has. Is this all of the Ditko issues, I wonder?

MARVEL: THE HIP-HOP COVERS VOL. 1 HC
Watch creative worlds collide like never before in the ultimate fusion of hip-hop and the House of Ideas! With an introduction by award-winning author Ta-Nehisi Coates — a National Book Award winner, a recent MacArthur Genius Grant recipient and the writer of Marvel’s BLACK PANTHER — this stunning volume showcases 70 comic-book covers inspired by some of the most iconic albums in music history. Experience page after page of incredible artwork featuring the heroes of the All-New, All-Different Marvel Universe — from A-Force to the X-Men — by an unbelievable roster of talent including Adam Hughes, Brian Stelfreeze, Jim Cheung, Mike Del Mundo, Sanford Greene, Jenny Frison, Phil Noto, Mahmud Asrar, Damion Scott, Tim Bradstreet, Keron Grant and Ed Piskor. Their finished covers sit side-by-side with behind-the-scenes sketches, showing the process of rendering some of the most famous images in hip-hop, Marvel style. Straight outta comics — and on to your bookshelf!
168 PGS./Rated T+ …$34.99
ISBN: 978-1-302-90233-9

How is this $35 for 70 pages of material? Shouldn’t that be somewhere between $15 and $25?

 DRAX VOL. 1: THE GALAXY’S BEST DETECTIVE TPB
Written by CM PUNK & CULLEN BUNN
Penciled by SCOTT HEPBURN
Cover by SCOTT HEPBURN
You know him as the heavily tattooed muscle for everybody’s favorite spacefaring super-team, but what does Drax do when he’s not Guarding the Galaxy? Pursue his own bloodthirsty quest to achieve his destiny and slay Thanos, of course! Determined to find and kill the Titan once and for all, Drax is ready to take on the universe, one heavy hitter at a time! When Drax the Destroyer and Terrax the Tamer walk into a space cantina, it’s no joke. Then there’s the Temple of Foom! Fin Fang Foom, that is. But you know Drax’s motto: The bigger they are, the harder they die screaming. It’s Drax the Destroyer, rampaging through the cosmos on a starship named the Space Sucker. You just know, whatever happens, this one is gonna be epic! Collecting DRAX #1-5.
112 PGS./Rated T+ …$15.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9662-4

The first issue was pretty good and I’ve flipped through the other issues at Hastings.

STAR-LORD VOL. 1: FIRST FLIGHT TPB
Written by SAM HUMPHRIES
Penciled by JAVIER GARRÓN
Cover by DAVE JOHNSON
The stirring story of Star-Lord begins here! Before Peter Quill traversed the universe, before he was a Guardian, before he was legendary, he was…an astronaut! Well, he wanted to be, at least. But as NASA’s biggest washout, it looked like the future Star-Lord was destined to stay grounded on Earth forever. Now, discover how Marvel’s scoundrel of the spaceways finally journeyed out into the galaxy, with a death to avenge! But getting off-world is one thing — surviving is another. When Yondu’s crew finds him, Peter will have to get on board with their pillaging lifestyle — yes, it’s a space pirate’s life for him! But will he be so merciless as to betray his species and steal the mysterious Asterion One? Witness the unlikely origins of a legendary hero! Collecting STAR-LORD (2015) #1-5.
112 PGS./Rated T …$15.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9624-2

The second trade should be spectacular!

BLACK KNIGHT: THE FALL OF DANE WHITMAN TPB
Written by FRANK TIERI
Penciled by RAFFAELE IENCO, LUCA PIZZARI & KEV WALKER
Cover by JULIAN TOTINO TEDESCO
What do you do when it’s your destiny to be damned? For centuries, thats the grave question that has plagued each wielder of the Ebony Blade — and all of them ultimately succumbed to the sword’s curse. Now, as his own addiction to the weapon grows ever stronger, this shocking truth is laid bare to its current owner, the former Avenger Dane Whitman. Will this revelation be the reason he ends up in the strange and dangerous realm known as Weirdworld? Or are there other forces at work? When the Uncanny Avengers hunt him down, will Dane’s past actions finally catch up with him? And in the ensuing battle, will his stay in Weirdworld come to a premature end? It’s swords, sorcery and one man’s struggle to not lose his soul! Collecting BLACK KNIGHT (2015) #1-5 and material from ORIGINAL SINS #2.
120 PGS./Rated T+ …$15.99
ISBN: 978-1-302-90031-1

This was the first ANAD Marvel title to be cancelled so I’m not sure how good this trade could be. I did like Frank Tieri being back at Marvel though.

COLOR YOUR OWN LITTLE MARVEL BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
Penciled by SKOTTIE YOUNG
Cover by SKOTTIE YOUNG
Grab your pencils, crayons and pens, and go to town on Eisner Award-winner Skottie Young’s ever-adorable artwork! Loads of “Little Marvel” covers — together with indelible imagery featuring Rocket Raccoon, Young’s Avengers and plenty more — have been stripped down and rendered in crisp black-and-white, ready for your imagination to take over! Chaos or order, it’s up to you! You want an orange-and-purple Spidey? You got it! You’re turning Black Bolt pink? Fine! You like your Hulks green and red, only both at the same time? Polka-dot yourself out! But swapping Cap’s red, white and blues for yellow, indigo and ceruleans? Why, that’s downright un-American! Rediscover the pure, unadulterated joy of coloring — Marvel-style!
120 PGS./All Ages …$9.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9555-9

I may have to order this to see which covers are reprinted here. I bet they look great in black and white! $10 is worth the investment. Hastings leads me to believe that adult coloring books are selling like hot cakes as the store is lousy with them.

 SPIDER-MAN: TOMBSTONE VOL. 1 TPB
Written by GERRY CONWAY
Penciled by SAL BUSCEMA & MARK BAGLEY
Cover by SAL BUSCEMA
Spider-Man’s life takes a grave turn! He’s about to encounter Tombstone — the highest-priced killer in the business — and the whispering hitman will make a big noise in the wall-crawler’s life. Who is Tombstone? Why is Joe Robertson investigating him? What devastating action will Tombstone take to put a stop to that? And how will it all end with Joe on trial?! Whatever the answers, the albino assassin is about to get Spider-Man’s attention — and the Punisher’s, too! Meanwhile, Boomerang makes his comeback, “Evolutionary War” breaks out, “Inferno” rages, and the Hobgoblin goes demonic. Carrion is spooky enough, but which face from Spidey’s past makes a ghoulish return? And when the wall-crawler faces Tarantula, whose side will Captain America choose? Collecting SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN (1976) #137-150 and material from ANNUAL #8.
368 PGS./Rated T …$34.99
ISBN: 978-1-302-90064-9

Why are they printing this? If Sal Buscema is on art for Spectacular Spider-Man, then you know that you are in for a great read!

X-MEN: INFERNO VOL. 2 TPB
Written by CHRIS CLAREMONT, LOUISE SIMONSON, TERRY AUSTIN, JULIANNA JONES
& MARK GRUENWALD
Penciled by MARC SILVESTRI, ALAN DAVIS,
WALTER SIMONSON, ROB LIEFELD, BRET BLEVINS,
MIKE VOSBURG, JON BOGDANOVE & JIM FERN
Cover by MARC SILVESTRI
As Manhattan burns, S’ym, N’astirh and the Goblin Queen fan the flames! But the manipulative Mister Sinister may be the most incendiary threat of all! Madelyne Pryor’s secrets are revealed, while Colossus and the New Mutants learn the truth about Illyana Rasputin! While X-Factor hunts Cyclops’s baby son, Excalibur is drawn into the fray! One by one, his teammates fall, but Longshot’s luck holds out — will anyone else survive to join him in a last stand against Sinister? Meanwhile, Power Pack and Cloak & Dagger struggle with demons of their own! Collecting UNCANNY X-MEN (1981) #241-243, EXCALIBUR (1988) #6-7, X-FACTOR (1986) #37-40, NEW MUTANTS (1983) #73, CLOAK & DAGGER (1988) #4, POWER PACK (1984) #44 and material from X-FACTOR ANNUAL #4.
368 PGS./Rated T …$34.99
ISBN: 978-0-7851-9544-3

This should complete the Inferno epic.  I would be tempted by a proper Omnibus.

. . .

So I’ll be buying –

Star Lord 7                   $4
Guardians of Infinity 6                  $5

Maybes –

Guardians of the Galaxy 8                  $4
All New X-Men 9                  $4
Uncanny X-Men 7                  $4
Extraordinary X-Men 10                  $4

Six comics for a total of $25 minus six dollars for my total of $19, which is pretty great! I was worried the crossover issues would add up but that’s still not too bad.

No new titles to add except for the Color Your Own Little Marvels by Skottie Young, that I will probably end up ordering and maybe buying.

Deadpool Volume Three Issue 38

Posted by John Klein III on March 7, 2015
Posted in: Homage, Review. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Deadpool V3 38

Writers Brian Posehn & Gerry Duggan

Penciler Mike Hawthorne

Inker Terry Pallot

Colorist Ruth Redman

Letterer VC’s Joe Sabino

Cover Artist Mark Brooks

Great Cover Homage to Uncanny X-Men 210, which I wouldn’t have bought on that alone but Kitty is in the character corner.

The reason why Kitty isn’t on the cover, is that the ones featured on the cover are in the issue as – for some reason – there are North Koreans who have been transformed into the X-Men!

With the AXIS Inversion spell, Deadpool has been balanced, he is now ZenPool.  It is a thing.  It makes sense as he tries to be good by doing bad things and he also does bad things while trying to be good, so him becoming balanced seems to be the right direction.

So Zenpool and the North Korean X-Men are fighting the proper X-Men – Colossus, Nightcrawler, Storm and Rachel Grey.  The North Korean X-Men are people who are forced to look like – Colossus, Nightcrawler and Storm, with powers and all.  It is easy to tell the pairs apart as the North Koreans look like they have skin grafted on top of them. The two groups fight and fight.

Zenpool gets them out of the Danger Room.  There is a quick fight once they are out of the Jean Grey School – not sure where the thousands of students are but it is only the X-Men who are present.

Les Metropolis Monster.  Mrs. Deadpool, Shiklah, is not happy with Zenpool.  She misses their games of grab ass.  Zenpool isn’t as passionate as Deadpool was – which makes sense.

Later, inn the Mages Guild of the Monster Metropolis.  The mages are trying to figure out a way to reverse the AXIS Inversion spell.

Apocalypse makes an announcement on live television, that Zenpool sees on his phone.  Apocalypse has given humans 24 hours to evacuate New York City.

Issue ends on the War-Torn Streets of Manhattan.  Zenpool confronts Apocalypse and gets punched through the stomach for his troubles.

The Letters Page is answered by Deadpool, which I adore.  Letters are from – AK of Norway, Ewan, Erik Tkach of San Jose, CA, Ivan Borodin of Los Angeles, CA, Scotty Joe, Megan from Canada, A person without a grasp of poetry, Auora and Marie.

Deadpool Volume Three Issue 27

Posted by John Klein III on June 4, 2014
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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Let’s take a closer look at Scott Koblish & Val Staples’ Guinness World Record holding, most characters on a single issue cover, 236 known characters.

Deadpool_27_Cover

The very first thing I notice is Kitty and Lockheed are standing apart from the X-Men.  Next, that Human Torch is setting Lockheed up for a prank on Thing.

Odd how Rachel and Magik are nowhere near Kitty, but then Colossus is next to his sister – explaining that.

Next to Rachel, are four of the Original X-Men as Angel is flying high.

I like that Cable is the best man.

Black Panther is staring at Storm.

Beast and Wonder Man are next to each other.  Probably due to no one else wanting to stand next to them.

Leech and Artie are the ring bearers.

Kurt is marrying them.

Superior Spider-Man’s backpack is holding his spider-legs.

Reed and Sue are hugging.  Captain Britain and Meggan are also hugging.

The Pet Avengers have assembled!

Hulk and Impossible Man are mean eyeing each other.

I like how the Asgardians get their own row.

As part of Deadpool’s wedding party – Luke Cage, Wolverine and Captain America.

The Bride’s bridesmaids are – She-Hulk, Wasp, Domino, Siryn, Lady Deadpool and Squirrel Girl.

Hopefully Marvel gets it together to make a shirt out of this.

Also, the cover implies that this is the most important issue number 27 in the history of comics!  With a quick scan of my collection, I own these other issue 27s :

Excalibur, Exiles, Generation X, Ultimate Comics X-Men, Ultimate Fantastic Four, Uncanny X-Force Volume One, Wolverine and the X-Men, X-Treme X-Men and Deadpool Volume One – that has Kitty, Wolverine and Doctor Bong.

Onto the issue.  There are multiple stories but Kitty only appears in one of them.

The Wedding of Deadpool

Writers Brian Posehn & Gerry Duggan

Artist Mike Hawthorne

Colorist Jordie Bellaire

Letterer VC’s Joe Sabino

This is a run I’ve been wanting to try for a while as I am a big Brian Posehn fan.  I met him once at the San Diego Comic Con.  He was just minding his own business and I recognized him (how could you not?) and just walked over, told him how much I really like his comedy performances.  He said thanks and I left him alone after that.  I met him right before I saw Lou Ferringo, Lou wasn’t happy that all I wanted to do was shake his hand.

I have been reading great reviews for this comic for a while now and I’m glad this wedding issue happened so I can see what was going on.

Issue opens with Deadpool, SHIELD Agents Emily Preston (now in a new robot body) and Scott Adsit as they are fighting agents of ULTIMATUM.  I really like the character of Preston, seems like a lot of fun.

Deadpoool is explaining to them, while they are all in a middle of a shoot out, that he is having a ceremony later.  He and his wife, Shiklah, are already technically married, the ceremony is just for friends and family.

All of a sudden, we hear a voice from a distance, one of the ULTIMATUM agents were not killed.  Deadpool and Preston look at each other, as they know they killed their opponents.  Adsit has to admit that he may have only winged the guy.

The three head outside, another ULTIMATUM agent comes running out of a van, Death to Deadpool, then we (or at least I) finally see who Shiklah is.  She is a giant demon lady!  Don’t worry, she has a weaker form, that of a lovely lady.

Shiklah and Preston get along like old friends.

Shiklah shows the agents where she lives, Monster Metropolis.

Deadpool reveals that Shiklah has a fued with vampires.

Adsit asks who will be actually marrying them.  Deadpool slaps his own forehead.  He hadn’t thought of that yet.  Doctor Stange turns down the offer.  Captain America also says no, and is insulted that he wasn’t asked first.  Wolverine turns him down, but Nightcrawler states that he will marry them.  Good thing he is alive again.

I like how comfortable Deadpool is to be seen without his mask on.

Blind Al gets sent to the wrong address.

At the outdoor wedding.  Bob the Agent is there.  So is Cyclops and Squirrel Girl.

It starts to rain, good thing Thor is there to stop it.

Deadpool V3 27 Kitty Wedding

They kiss as they are married, and I like that Shiklah dips Deadpool.  Also, that Kitty Pryde was in attendance.  At least, if I see a brunette with a ponytail, I figure that gal is Kitty.

Deadpool V3 27 Kitty Pryde Reception

Kitty is also at the reception, which is a real party – she is sitting at a table with Iceman.  Hulk and Colossus are staring each other down.  Northstar and Kyle are dancing.  As is Kurt and Storm.

The newlyweds come in to cheers.  They dance and this story ends with another kiss.

Actually it ends with ULTIMATUM planning their next move against Deadpool.