Writer Chip “Stan Lee” Zdarsky
Artist Joe “Stanley Lieber” Quinones
Additional Inks Joe “The Man” Rivera
Color Artists Rico “Excelsior” Renzi & Rachelle “Face Front” Rosenberg
Letterer Travis “True Believer” Lanham
I like comics that have fun recap pages, this one makes me want to check out the previous issues. Squirrel Girl’s recap pages are pretty fun too. Previously, in this series – Howard the Duck took on a case where he was hired to locate a lost necklace. He found it, somehow ended up in space with a guest appearance by Rocket. He got back to Earth and Aunt May (that one!) ended up stealing the necklace. This was part of a scheme the Ringmaster (of Circus of Crime fame), that involved getting the elderly to commit his crimes. Turns out, the guy who hired Howard, was Talos the Untamed!
http://marvel.wikia.com/Talos_(Earth-616)
A character Peter David created, along with Gary Frank, way back in June 1994 in the pages of Incredible Hulk 418.
Which is the issue that Rick Jones married Marlo during. Mile High Comics, at the most expensive, has a copy for $7.20 or $2, if you don’t mind having dulexe edition. The cheapest is $2.35 or $1.50, the deluxe being a lower quality so I would go with the cheaper but Fine quality but I’m not really sure what the difference between the DeluxeNews and the Special versions.
Talos has twelve appearances.
Onto the issue. Detective Mike is also getting a recap from Howard. It has been thirty minutes, since the previous issue. Howard the Duck used his Duck-Fu to fight Talos. Peter Parker is not happy that his never-dying aunt was used as a pawn.
The Next Day in New! York! Cityyyyy! Howard is telling his friend, Tara Tam, that he is going to keep investigating the necklace. He is going to go consort his old friend, Doctor Strange – from the cover. I like how Editor Wil Moss (who probably don’t have time for two l’s) instructs that we look at the cover, to see who Doctor Strange is.
Greenwich Village, NYC. Yes, it is a village inside a city, just go with it. Wong, at Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum, tries to cover for the good doctor, as he is busy at the moment – in a different dimension. Howard, knowing that he can help with that, jumps into the portal. Tara stays back, as she doesn’t like magic.
Howard using some Duck-Fu on some demons and finds Strange, at a poker game! Strange, sometimes, makes up these elaborate tales, so that he can spend a few minutes away from Wong.
Once back, Howard takes the opportunity to use this information to tell Wong and Tara that he saved Strange’s life. Strange, not wanting to lose his cover story or the ability to use a cover story, to have to swallow his pride and confirmed that Howard did save his life. So funny.
Strange reveals that there is a second famous, gauntlet, the Abundant Glove. The gems that go onto it are – Compassion / Laughter / Dance / Respect / A Second Dance Gem. It is clearly the B-Grade hand accessory. It is the Mark Wahlberg to Matt Damon’s Infinity Gauntlet. Strange has found the location of the gem and the trio (minus Wong) go on a slight trip.
Soon. Shortly. Soonly. The trio run into Human Torch, who gives a little background on his experience with the gem.
We get to the reason why I bought this issue! Good ol’ Colossus cheating on Kitty with Zsaji, keeps paying off with my Marvel purchases.
I like how Johnny Storm refers to his shameless flirting as “Captain Kirking” but the responses from the ladies is to be disgusted. Awesome use of ‘new continuity’ by having Deadpool being present in Secret Wars. I thought it was just the cover blurb about the new miniseries. That’s a fun synergy.
Also great? That Spider-Man panel, the middle outfit is the outfit Peter Parker wore in Amazing Fantasy 15!
So great, that the present day scene takes place at the Fantastic Four’s Pier 4 headquarters. Johnny brought the gem home and just lost it, in the move or sometime later.
Now this new group of four go to Bohemian Valhalla, where cool warriors chill. One-bedrooms starting at $850.00, opening Fall 2015.
I do like the Human Torch thinking that the trio were the current roster for the Defenders, with Strange leading them.
The heroes get to the corner where the gem should be and a huge explosion occurs.
Issue ends with Talos the Untamed, with the Abundant Glove – fully stocked.
There is a huge back up feature, drawn by Katie Cook and colored by Heather Breckel. It stars Howard the Duck, White Rabbit (who I feel like I just saw in another comic, not too long ago) and Ant Man.
The Letters Page, Feather Regons – has letters from – “Quack” Goettemoeller, Jack Cooper of Cardiff, Wales and Adam. I sent a letter, we’ll see if it ever gets printed.
Shadow and Flame with Magik 