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TOP 5 PUBLISHERS
MARVEL COMICS
Moon Knight (before he dies) guest stars in AVENGERS INC. #4.
Clea guest stars in CAPTAIN MARVEL #3.
Hulk guest stars in SENSATIONAL SHE-HULK #3.
It's strange that SPIDER-MAN: BEN REILLY OMNIBUS VOL 1 HC doesn't include Amazing Spider-Man #149-150. Wouldn't that qualify as his first appearance? What is included are Web of Scarlet Spider #1-4, Amazing Scarlet Spider #1-2, Scarlet Spider (1995) #1-2, Spectacular Scarlet Spider #1-2, Scarlet Spider Unlimited #1, Green Goblin #3, Sensational Spider-Man (1996) #0-3 and Wizard Mini-Comic, Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #407-410 and Annual '96, Spider-Man (1990) #64-67, New Warriors (1990) #67, Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #230-233, Spider-Man/Punisher: Family Plot #1-2, Spider-Man Holiday Special #1, Spider-Man: The Final Adventure #1-4, Spider-Man Unlimited (1993) #11, Spider-Man Team-Up #2-3 and material from Venom: Along Came a Spider #1-4.
GIANT-SIZE SUPER-STARS #1 FACSIMILE EDITION: In case you missed it in (gulp) 1974. I think this is the Hulk-Thing fight that artist Rich Buckler famously lifted from Fantastic Four #25, cleverly disguising the homage by switching the characters.
WOLVERINE BY CLAREMONT MILLER #1 FACSIMILE EDITION: In case you missed it in 1982.
TIMELESS #1 (ONE-SHOT)
Story: Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing | Art: Juann Cabal | Cover: Kael Ngu | Variant: Inhyuk Lee | Teen | $6.99
BEHOLD THE FUTURE OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE — FEATURING THE DEBUT OF TWO NEW MARVEL ICONS!
Joined by acclaimed artist Juann Cabal, writing team Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing will be taking over writing duties from previous Timeless writer Jed MacKay. The superstar team, known for their work on the current Guardians of the Galaxy ongoing series, will introduce readers to the dark future of the Marvel Universe. In this world that’s been doomed by the hubris of its heroes, only one battle remains. Fans will witness the final struggle of Earth’s only surviving superhero as he sets out to end the rule of a cruel god-like being that’s been shaped by some of the most powerful forces in the Marvel Universe. Like previous TIMELESS installments, this ambitious saga will also contain shocking glimpses into the next year of Marvel storytelling including the very events that kick off the inevitable chain of events that led to end of the age of heroes!
In a devastating future born from the choices of today, all of time and space is threatened by the ascension of an ancient evil. The MOON KNIGHT UNENDING has risen — a nightmare born of StarkTech, the Eternal Machine and the God of the Moon — and now all of Earth bows before his overwhelming power! But one man stands against Khonshu's coming tide of chaos: POWER MAN, the Marvel Universe's final living superhero. But who is Power Man — and how did he come to wield the unstable powers of the Sentry, the Hulk and the Iron Fist? What dark, deeply personal conflict underpins this mind-bending apocalypse? And at the end of the line, can the Marvel Universe ever truly be saved? PLUS — a SHOCKING glimpse into the next year of Marvel stories!
I don't think I've ever bought one of these. Are they useful and/or entertaining, Legionnaires?
This issue also continues the trend set in the X-books for creating combination characters (called "Chimeras" by Sinister). Composite Superman bent the brains of us Boomers, a characters with all the powers of the Legion of Super-Heroes. But now Marvel gives us Composite Hulk/Iron Fist/Sentry/Power Man!
"Gang War"
DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU: GANG WAR #1 (OF 3)
Story: Greg Pak | Art: Ciao Majado | Cover: David Aja | Variant: Benjamin Su | Teen+ | $4.99
THE ART OF GANG WAR!
GANG WAR has thrown the crime lords and super heroes of New York into a deadly conflict and as both, Shang-Chi must play each side against each other in a dangerous game of deception! When he became leader of his family’s Five Weapons Society, he promised to use it for good, but friends and foes alike have been unsure of his true intentions. The stakes of Gang War will force his hand as he vows to protect Chinatown and use the opportunity to eliminate the Five Weapon Society biggest rivals! He’ll use his world class fighting skills as well as deceit, calculation, and manipulation to navigate the battlefields as he learns the Art of War is all about the shades of gray!
I remember Shang-Chi hating "games of deceit and death" back in the old Master of Kung Fu days. Because the above implies that he's learned how to play them well, and is more than willing to.
"Gang War" continues this week in MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN #14 and SPIDER-WOMAN #2.
"Fall of X"
IMMORTAL X-MEN #18
Story: Kieron Gillen | Art: Lucas Werneck | Cover: Mark Brooks | Teen+ | $3.99
FOREVER CHANGES!
Being immortal means nothing when you've run out of time. There's no future. There's no past. There's no way out.
If the Kirby estate had a nickel for every time X-Men #1 was homaged, they'd sure have a lot of nickels!
"Fall of X" continues this week in X-FORCE #47.
"Dark Droids"
STAR WARS: DARK DROIDS #5 (OF 5)
Story: Charles Soule | Art: Luke Ross | Cover: Leinil Yu | Teen | $4.99
THE TERRIFYING CONCLUSION OF THE BIGGEST STAR WARS COMIC EVENT OF THE YEAR!
The final triumph of THE SCOURGE! How can THE REBELLION & THE EMPIRE combat such a threat? UNLIKELY ALLIES join forces to fight the greater evil invading the galaxy! And what is the final fate of warrior droid Ajax Sigma?
And, finally, it's over. Did anyone here read "Dark Droids"? Was it worthwhile?
DC COMICS
The Spectre guest stars in ALAN SCOTT: THE GREEN LANTERN #3 (OF 6), instantly making every other character superfluous.
BATMAN #407 FACSIMILE EDITION: Part 4 of "Batman: Year One," in case you missed it in 1987.
It's Santa vs. Krampus for the soul of Christmas in BATMAN/SANTA CLAUS: SILENT KNIGHT #4 (OF 4)! Yes, I will be getting this in collected form. It's Batman teaming up with Santa Claus! How can I possibly pass that up?
NEW TEEN TITANS #1 FACSIMILE EDITION: In case you missed it in 1980.
GREEN ARROW #7 (OF 12)
The only thing that would have made this homage to Green Lantern #76 better is if Neal Adams was alive to draw it.
ACTION COMICS ANNUAL #1 (ONE-SHOT)
Story: Phillip Kennedy Johnson | Art: Max Raynor | Cover: Rafa Sandoval | $5.99
Norah Stone's true form has been revealed, her gateway between worlds is opened, and the invasion of Earth has begun! As the Multiverse's two most powerful families clash above Metropolis, which legacy will Otho-Ra choose? Will the followers of Blue Earth defend their treacherous leader, or their own home? It has all led to this! Three years of Action Comics storylines culminate in this pivotal, dramatic double-sized issue!
"Beast World"
TITANS: BEAST WORLD #3 (OF 6)
Story: Tom Taylor | Art: Lucas Meyer | Cover: Ivan Reis, Danny Miki | $4.99
CAN AMANDA WALLER BRING ORDER TO A WORLD GONE WILD?
The world has gone wild, and Amanda Waller is the only one who can bring order! The mastermind behind the Suicide Squad has now been given frightening authority to deal with the threat at large. She knows what is needed to end this, but will her brutal methods put her on a collision course with the Titans?
In answer to that question: Yes, I expect so. Not really a stumper, is it?
IMAGE COMICS
DUKE #1 (OF 5)
Story: Joshua Williamson | Art/Cover: Tom Reilly | Variants: David Aja, Tyler Boss & Jason Wordie, Steve Epting, Andrea Sorrentino, Jonboy Meyers, David Mack | $4.99
Codename: G.I. JOE begins HERE!
Duke promises to tell the story you’ve never read before — the origins of G.I. JOE and Cobra in a world grappling with the arrival of the Autobots and Decepticons.
Conrad Hauser has made first contact with an alien being ... or was it a UFO? Was it both? But no one, not even Colonel Hawk, will believe the story of the jet fighter converting into a colossal alien robot that nearly killed the man known as Duke.
Now, one of the U.S. Army's most decorated officers is on the hunt for answers, drawn into a conflict that no amount of training could ever prepare him for. A war that only a real American hero has any chance of surviving ...
Duke is the first of four action-packed G.I. JOE miniseries that will introduce the best and worst humanity has to offer in the Energon Universe. Duke will be followed by the launch of Cobra Commander #1 from writer Joshua Williamson, artist Andrea Milana (Impact Winter: Rook) and colorist Annalisa Leoni (Oblivion Song) in January 2024. These miniseries promise to set the stage for a fresh new take on G.I. JOE, Cobra and the iconic characters that you only think you know in a shared universe with TRANSFORMERS and Void Rivals!
The Energon Universe officially began in June 2023 with the surprise first appearance of iconic TRANSFORMERS character Jetfire in Void Rivals #1, introducing the historic new collaboration between Hasbro and Skybound, with TRANSFORMERS and G.I. JOE comics finding a new home with the publisher. The Energon Universe recently expanded with TRANSFORMERS #1 from writer/artist Daniel Warren Johnson (Extremity, Do a Powerbomb, DC’s Wonder Woman: Dead Earth) and colorist Mike Spicer (Stillwater, Murder Falcon), kicking off a brand-new era for the iconic franchise. Fans should expect can’t-miss moments from every issue of the Energon Universe, as secrets are unveiled along the path to answering the BIG questions, including #WhereIsMegatron.
It looks like Image is going to establish that the arrival of the Autobots is what triggered the creation of G.I. Joe and Cobra.
Here's a PREVIEW.
UNIVERSAL MONSTERS: DRACULA #3 (OF 4)
Story: James TynionIV | Art/Cover: Martin Simmonds | Variant: Julian Totino-Tedesco | $4.99
Dr. John Seward struggles against the mounting evidence that his Lucy is under the thrall of a blood-sucking supernatural being!
From the all-star Department of Truth duo of James Tynion IV (W0rldtr33, Something is Killing the Children) and Martin Simmonds (Swan Songs), Universal Monsters: Dracula #3 is the penultimate issue of the limited series inspired by Universal Pictures’ iconic film from 1931.
SO looking forward to the collected edition!
MORE PUBLISHERS
ARCHIE LOVE SHOWDOWN 30TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION TP collects the “Love Showdown” four-part crossover, plus the follow-up “Love Showdown Special” sequel. I read this back in the day, and remember thinking that the ending was a cop-out. I don’t remember much else, which serves as a review.
Here's a PREVIEW of BOOM's BOOK OF BUTCHER #1, a spinoff of Something Is Killing the Children.
CIMMERIAN BOX SET VOL 1 (VOLS. 1-4) collects Abaze’s adaptations of “Queen of the Black Coast,” “Red Nails,” “People of the Black Circle,” “The Frost Giants’ Daughter,” "Iron Shadows in the Moon,” “The Man-Eaters of Zamboula,” “Beyond the Black River” and “Hour of the Dragon.” I bought all these when they came out separately, which irritates me, since I’d rather have the boxed set. Anyway, some of the adaptations were very good, and some weren’t ready for prime time, so it’s a mixed bag. And, of course, nothing will ever top Barry Windsor-Smith on “Red Nails” or John Buscema on “Queen of the Black Coast.” But it’s REH’s best work, so you can’t read it too often.
Fantagraphics' EC's REED CRANDALL: BITTER END & OTHER STORIES HC collects 22 Reed Crandall stories from EC’s heyday, rounded out by eight George Roussos stories. I’d rather have a smaller, all-Crandall book, but maybe that’s just me.
Scout's THIRTEEN ORIGINS: THE WAKE #1 is the third of 13 one-shots establishing the 13 members of the super-group The Thirteen, which is made up of all Mexican or Mexican American characters. The Wake is a speedster, with a code name that's only slightly better than DC's The Boom. And "The Thirteen" isn't a better name than anything.
I’m very tempted by Ablaze's TRESE BOX SET VOL 1-6, which collects Ablaze’s first six volumes of the Filipino horror series. I'll have talked myself into it by the time it's available on InStockTrades.
Last Gasp’s WON’T BACK DOWN GN is an anthology of stories of “women who fight for justice” In the wake of the Supreme Court’s “Dobbs” decision.
CODE 45 TP
Story: Benjamin Hunting | Art: Joe Ng | Scout | $24.99
Code 45 is an urban fantasy graphic novel. A subway driver named Vanessa discovers a terrifying world of dragons, drugs and underground raves lurking beneath the streets of Montreal. Transferred to the night shift, she must fight to uncover what's real, what's not and how it ties into a dark family secret about mental health. How much longer can she deny what's right before her eyes? Especially as the disappearances begin to multiply and even her own friends aren't safe from the forces stalking the tunnels. Follow Vanessa deep into the belly of the beast as she struggles to put the pieces together in time to save both herself and those she cares about the most.
Can't have too many dragons.
FORGOTTEN RUNES: WIZARD’S CULT #1 (OF 10)
Story: Joe Rechtman | Art/Cover: Reilly Brown | Cover: Reilly Brown | Variants: Reilly Brown, Ivan Tao | $4.99
Titan Comics is thrilled to announce Forgotten Runes: Wizard’s Cult — a new comic series set in the fantasy world known as “The Runiverse” by writer Joe Rechtman with art by Reilly Brown.
Forgotten Runes is a living, ever-evolving world created by an online community, which has over 2+ million social impressions per month and generated over $100 million in revenue across all digital collections since its launch in 2021. The new comic series from Titan Comics is part of an exciting expansion for Magic Machine’s new IP, which includes a new MMORPG (in collaboration with Bisonic Games) and an animated series currently in development from Derek Kolstad, the creator of the John Wick film franchise.
Set in the Universe of Forgotten Runes, the comic series — written by Joe Rechtman (Unborn, Honor Student) and illustrated by Reilly Brown (Batman/Fortnite) — is an epic 10-part saga featuring magical tales about powerful wizards.
What begins as a seemingly unconnected series of fantastic tales about disparate wizards — Archmagus Crowley of Atlantis, who has been hired to steal a treasure chest from a ship in the middle of the ocean; Mystic Willow of the Brambles who’s dealing with her own drama, as the humans in a nearby village wrongfully accuse her of abducting children; Alchemist Danny of the Fey’s apprentice begins to suspect her master has been kidnapped and replaced with an imposter — gradually merges into a much larger, and more dramatic tale. Who is Chronomancer George of Dreams, the mysterious narrator guiding us through each amazing story? Are they visions of the past, premonitions of the future, or something far more sinister that threatens the very fabric of the Runiverse itself?
Exclusive to the print edition, readers can unlock an in-game code found inside issue #1 of the comic. Worth $20, each unique game code is redeemable for the upcoming video game Forgotten Runiverse MMORPG.
Move over Middle Earth, THE RUNIVERSE MIGHT BE COMING FOR YOU!
It's game-related, so I have no opinion.
LION’S GAME VOL 1: MASTERS OF MALI
Story: Kevin W Brown | Art: Mac Thy | Black Sands Entertainment | $19.99
Over a century after the Keita took the throne, the Mali Empire has experienced great prosperity as well as turmoil. Coming off a tumultuous period wracked with plague, civil war, and political instability. Musa III begins the process of restoring the empire to its former glory. This restoration takes the form of an unprecedented tournament designed to find the most capable warrior to assume the role of Mali's imperial general. Diata is the heir who carries his family's vendetta against the Keita. When word of the tournament reaches his clan. Diata sees his opportunity to get close to the enemy. To become the next general, he needs to make his way through several mercenaries, a pirate king, and dozens of other warriors bred for war on the battlefield.
Sounds like a lot of fighting with a predetermined ending. (If the protagonist loses, It's a pretty short and pointless story, isn't it?) Maybe it hits a lot of manga beats.
NINJAK SUPERKILLERS #1
Story: Jeff Parker | Art: Mike Norton | Cover: Dave Johnson | Valiant | $9.99
PRESTIGE EDITION — 48 PAGES — A ruthless team of superpowered killers versus the world's most lethal assassin — who will survive? The all-new explosive limited series Ninjak: Superkillers is a fast, fun, globetrotting noir tale presented by the talented team of Jeff Parker and Mike Norton! Surrounded in hostile territory, Ninjak and songbird agent Myna are in the fight of their lives! With no support, no supplies and no way to escape, there's no way out but through!
Just when I think Valiant’s bitten the dust, they put out three books in one week. The other two are X-O MANOWAR UNCONQUERED #4 and X-O MANOWAR UNCONQUERED PRESTIGE EDITION #1 (OF 2). Ninjak is their best character, so that's the one I'd recommend. (Ninjak is like if Batman and James Bond had a baby.)
MORE PREVIEWS
ARCHIE: LOVE SHOWDOWN 30TH ANNIVERSARY
RIBBON QUEEN #6
Replies
GIANT-SIZE SUPER-STARS #1 FACSIMILE EDITION: In case you missed it in (gulp) 1974. I think this is the Hulk-Thing fight that artist Rich Buckler famously lifted from Fantastic Four #25, cleverly disguising the homage by switching the characters.
Say what, now?
I don't think I've ever bought one of these [Timeless one-shots]. Are they useful and/or entertaining, Legionnaires?
Wasn't Miracleman tied to Timeless at one point? (Whatever happened to the final issue of Miracleman, anyway?) And wasn't that more than a year ago? What is it with these long roll-outs? Doomsday Clock was like that; it took over a year to get started. Is the intention to build excitement? Because, speaking for myself, if a project that interesdts me is announced then takes forever to show, I tend to lose interest. The description sounds like DC's Future State, and we all know what a resounding success that was, don't we?
DUKE #1: Kirby Sgt. Fury homage cover.
Ninjak is like if Batman and James Bond had a baby.
Ick.
FWIW, Cap... I prefer the hype unemboldened and your comments in bold. I generally read all your comments but don't refer to the hype unless I need to. Also, so much black is not asthetically pleasing... IMO... FWIW... YMMV.
And, finally, it's over. Did anyone here read "Dark Droids"? Was it worthwhile? - Only the issues that crossed over into the regular series I was reading, so I have no idea what was going on in the main series. A long way of saying...I dunno.
It looks like Image is going to establish that the arrival of the Autobots is what triggered the creation of G.I. Joe and Cobra. - I much prefer reading about the Transformers on Cybertron which is a much more interesting location than Earth for their series.
I prefer the hype unemboldened and your comments in bold. I generally read all your comments but don't refer to the hype unless I need to. Also, so much black is not asthetically pleasing... IMO... FWIW... YMMV. - I'm going to agree with Jeff on this one. Just tossing my 2 cents in.
FWIW, Cap... I prefer the hype unemboldened and your comments in bold. I generally read all your comments but don't refer to the hype unless I need to. Also, so much black is not asthetically pleasing... IMO... FWIW... YMMV.
I didn't care for it, either. Too much bold! I was just tinkering to improve. Not an improvement, so I'll revert.
Only the issues that crossed over into the regular series I was reading, so I have no idea what was going on in the main series. A long way of saying...I dunno.
It will, of course, be an omnibus at some point, so I was canvassing opinions.
I much prefer reading about the Transformers on Cybertron which is a much more interesting location than Earth for their series.
That reminds me of the SIlver Age Green Lantern, where I've read the editors at the time were convinced that they needed GL to be earthbound as much as possible for fear of losing the audience, who were clearly too stupid to stretch their imagination into space. Also, they decided to have Hal use fistfights to capture crooks instead of using the ring, because they thought that was more exciting to us dumb ol' kids. Meanwhile, the Li'l Capn was reading those stories in real time, wishing that more stories took place in outer space (for sensawunda) and had fewer fistfights (I read Green Lantern to see the ring in action! I can see fistfights in Batman! Green Lantern using his fists instead of the greatest weapon in the universe is stupid!). IOW, the editors were the dumb ones, and eventually the title was canceled. Meanwhile, Silver Age Flash focused on Barry Allen figuring out new and clever ways of using his super-speed, and wild fantasy stories set in other dimensions, and time travel, and telepathic gorilla societies, and other crazy stuff, and it sold better -- and Green Lantern became a backup series there.
I don't read Transformers, but if I did, I'd rather see world-building in another solar system than boring old Earth stories. If you must have some reader ID, throw a lost human spaceship crew on Cybertron, and watch the war through their eyes. Be sure to include some redshirts!
I generally read all your comments but don't refer to the hype unless I need to.
So that's how at least one reader uses the information. Good to know! (I have started cutting the hype out of the PR as much as possible, leaving only information, if I can. I once tried to take the review blurbs out ("It's the greatest!" -- Joe Writer), and was met with multiple objections, so I leave them in.
I generally read all your comments but don't refer to the hype unless I need to.
Me too!
I'm probably the only Transformers reader here, but I can't recommned the last series from IDW enough. It was really good, and there was some great world building going on there. You could tell they had to wrap up the series pretty quickly though once they lost the license.
It's strange that SPIDER-MAN: BEN REILLY OMNIBUS VOL 1 HC doesn't include Amazing Spider-Man #149-150. Wouldn't that qualify as his first appearance?
IIRC, the nameless clone in those issues didn't say a word. Later stories referring to their battle are probably enough.