Site Updates Archive

The return of Norman Osborn

New WEST COAST AVENGERS #9 escalates the Ultron vs Ultron (vs Ultron) conflict and Blue Bolt/Killerwatt/Wonder Man proves he's a genuine hero.

T Vernon brings us AVENGERS #357 which stirs in some subplots to run alongside the Gatherers story, but meanwhile the team have a party.

CAPTAIN MARVEL (1999) #19 is an epilogue to the Thanos/Death story, and Genis-Vell experiences the Avengers Forever future where he's married to Songbird with 2 kids.

NEW AVENGERS #16.1 is another Point 1 jumping on point. I've added it as a 2nd story in #16 and it relates how HAMMER break Norman Osborn out of prison.
NEW AVENGERS #17 has Osborn's 1st strike as he sends an Ultimo to steal Iron Man's armour but instead gets some of Wolverine's blood.

--RobFJ

A Heartbreaking Hulk Tale!

Brand new INCREDIBLE HULK #27 features an offbeat Hulk story that carries an impact!

BLACK WIDOW (2014) #2 pits Natasha against the Iron Scorpion! 

HEROES FOR HIRE #9 picks up FEAR ITSELF on the ruined Yancy Street and at the Vault!

THOR (1998) #15! Whoever pulls the hammer Mjolnir from the wall it is embedded in will become King of America! Who’s next to try?

SECRET DEFENDERS #18 has insects attacking a supercollider, with Iron Fist, Giant-Man, Iceman, and Archangel!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #199, the coming of Freedom Force, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #95, Spidey goes to London, and DAREDEVIL #193, a robbery at sea!

PeterS

Failure, sacrifice, death and passing a test

New IRON MAN #10 brings an end to Tony Stark's anti-Doom plan and his series. But Dr Doom still rules the world.

T Vernon continues the saga of the Gatherers in AVENGERS #356. Coal Tiger sacrifices himself so that Black Panther may live. And our team capture the alternate Swordsman.

Jim Starlin returns to pick up the reins of Thanos, pencils only at this point, in CAPTAIN MARVEL (1999) #17-18. The Titan and Thor are here to stop a Death God killing Death, who's been hiding in Marlo since *she* died.

At this point in my quest to fill in missing Avengers issues in the 2010 runs I've reached SECRET AVENGERS #21.1. Peter Silvestro had already written it up and now I've added it as a 2nd story to #21. Steve Rogers takes Hawkeye on a mission on an island of villains to test whether he's ready to lead the team.

--RobFJ

The Return of Black Widow!

And so, after a hiatus, we resume covering the career of everyone’s favorite ex-Commie spy with BLACK WIDOW (2014) #1! Here, she starts a business as a killer-for-hire!

A new and improved entry for INCREDIBLE HULK ANNUAL #18 (1992) guest stars Thing and the Defenders!

THOR (1998) #14 teams the God of Thunder with Iron Man against the Absorbing Man!

SECRET DEFENDERS #17 has the non-team members fighting over a magical McGuffin that can alter history! Then things get really Strange! With Deadpool and Luke Cage!

GHOST RIDER (2011) #4 wraps up FEAR ITSELF by sending the new Ghost Rider into outer space!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #198, the classic Lifedeath II, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #94, featuring the Beetle, and DAREDEVIL #192, Ben Urich in danger!

PeterS

Travellers all

In new NEW AVENGERS #2 the 'team' gain a new member (Clea Strange), kill 2 of the Killuminati clones but lose the other 5, and go to the Hulkscape to recruit Bruce Banner.

T Vernon starts a new epic in AVENGERS #355 with the full introduction of the Gatherers, Avengers who've come from other timelines but who can't survive here without killing their Earth-616 counterparts.

DEFENDERS (2021) #5 concludes the non-team's ultra-time-travel in the 3rd Cosmos where the Masked Raider is revealed to be his own foe Carl Zota. And it all makes sense (at least to me).

AVENGERS ACADEMY #27-28 is a 2-parter co-starring the Runaways as they all travel to the alternate world of Devil Dinosaur and Moon Boy to rescue the dino Old Lace. And of course the teams fight each other as well.

--RobFJ

The Celebrated Cap Graphic Novel!

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE GHOST ARMY takes Cap and Bucky into (Dr.) Strange territory with a battle against magic in WW2!

A new and improved entry for INCREDIBLE HULK ANNUAL #17 (1991) continues the “Subterranean Wars” event!

THOR (1998) #13 unveils the mystery of Marnot, this series’ big troublemaker!

SECRET DEFENDERS #16 introduces a new team member: the recently dead Cadaver!

In GHOST RIDER V 7 #3, FEAR ITSELF has the new Ghost Rider spreading her vengeance to everyone!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #197, Arcade versus Dr. Doom (sort of), AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #93, the Prowler returns, and DAREDEVIL #191, the classic Russian Roulette issue!

PeterS

An Avengers/Defenders-fest

SUPERIOR AVENGERS #4 is this week's One World Under Doom offering where Ghost claims she's the only goodie on the team and that the others are worse than we thought.

T Vernon's AVENGERS #354 concludes the 3-parter vs Grim Reaper, some undead villains and a giant hand with eyes.

DEFENDERS (2021) #3-4 takes us through the magic-based 5th Cosmos and the 4th Cosmos full of (Marvel Comics) archetypes.

In AVENGERS ACADEMY #26 Jeremy Briggs, Jocasta and Veil try to persuade the students to defect to their alternative school while Henry Pym makes his pitch for the Academy.

--RobFJ

A New Red Hulk and a Celebrated Resurrection!

A ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM tie-in. RED HULK #6 sees Rulk arrested as a traitor to the USA!

CAPTAIN AMERICA & VOLSTAGG is an oddball pairing by J. Michael Straczynski and a great deal of fun!

THOR (1998) #12 has the God of Thunder joined by Hercules and the Destroyer to put paid to the Dark Gods!

SECRET DEFENDERS #15! On the plus side, there’s Deadpool and Luke Cage! On the negative, there’s Dr. Druid!

In GHOST RIDER V 7 #2, Johnny Blaze punches out Mephisto!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #196, with the Beyonder, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #92, guest-starring Iceman, and DAREDEVIL #190, the return of Elektra from the dead!

PeterS

You can't escape the past

AVENGERS #28 brings an end to the Masters Of Evil story and also to this series' involvement in One World Under Doom.

T Vernon's AVENGERS #353 has the team fighting versions of dead foes from their past (as on the cover).

DEFENDERS (2021) #1-2 has Masked Raider from Marvel Comics #1000 leading a new bunch of Secret Defenders (years after the series Peter's currently reviewing) into the old Cosmoses introduced in the Ultimates of Earth-616 series. 1st stop, pick up Galactus' mother.

And AVENGERS ACADEMY #25 ends the fight against Hybrid and brings Jocasta back to close the school.

--RobFJ

Enter Cap! Exit Thor!

The brand new CAPTAIN AMERICA #1 kicks off a new volume with Cap fresh out of the ice and heading toward a reckoning with Doctor Doom!

And the final IMMORTAL THOR (#25) leaves us without a Thunder God but a human Thor is sent back to Earth in a surprise move!

In MONICA RAMBEAU: PHOTON #5, Monica saves the universe! After all, she destroyed it!

SECRET DEFENDERS #14 has a team of villains as the stars with Silver Surfer appearing as surprise guest good guy!

PLANET HULK #5 wraps up this oddball SECRET WARS 3 tale which no one will miss! Nice cover though!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #195, guest-starring Power Pack, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #91, Sam Bullit is gunning for Spidey, and DAREDEVIL #189, the Hand is after DD!

PeterS

Lots of Avengers and an Anniversary

New SUPERIOR AVENGERS #3 is another part of One World Under Doom where the Superiors fight the regular Avengers rather than the villain Graviton.

New WEST COAST AVENGERS #8 is left over from last week. It's not officially part of OWUD but I believe it takes place within the event, as the team get caught between 3 warring Ultrons.

T Vernon starts a 3-parter in AVENGERS #352 where a powered-up Grim Reaper comes back from the dead to menace New York and the team. TV rates it a rare 5.

MARVEL COMICS #1000 celebrates the 80th Anniversary of Marvel Comics #1 with a page for each year and a story running through some of them which introduces the Eternity Mask and ties its sequence of wearers into a secret history of the Enclave.

AVENGERS ACADEMY #24 still has a possessed Reptil aiding Hybrid in a scheme to kill half of the Academy's students. But he can't go through with it.

--RobFJ

What an Ugly Hulk Cover!

The brand new INCREDIBLE HULK #26 has such an ugly cover I had to single it out and show it to everyone! And the story enters the Hulkscape: Bruce Banner’s gruesome psyche so it is quite appropriate!

In MONICA RAMBEAU: PHOTON #4, Monica destroys the universe! Oops!

GHOST RIDER (2011) #1 introduces a new Ghost Rider, unlike any other!

THOR (1998) #11! Thor takes on the Dark Gods singlehandedly—but he’s trapped in his mortal Jake Olson identity!

SECRET DEFENDERS #11 is a tie-in to a totally forgotten crossover event—but Dr. Strange and Hulk show up so it’s not a total loss!

And Anthony Silvestro is out today, going through Doctor Strange issues, writing in all of the spells backwards to see if any work like Zatanna’s!

PeterS

Thanos dies! (Again)

2 new One World Under Doom tie-ins this week.

In IRON MAN #9 Tony Stark has to rearrange his anti-Doom plan to salvage what he can. But then an ally tips the gameboard over.

In AVENGERS #27 Captain America (Sam Wilson) and Black Panther have to continue to fight alone against (a version of) the Masters Of Evil who taken over the Avengers' Impossible City base.

T Vernon's here with AVENGERS #351 completing the 2-part tangle with the Starjammers. The teams part amicably, but only because Binary (Carol Danvers) is economical with the truth.

THOR (1998) #24-25 finishes the Thanos storyline with high drama and *this* version of the Mad Titan probably actually dying. Now I'll leave Peter alone to continue documenting this series.

--RobFJ

A Bushel and a Peck of Older Classics!

GHOST RIDER (2011) #0.1 kicks off a new series with issue 0.1, curing Johnny Blaze of his curse! And it’s a FEAR ITSELF tie-in!

THOR (1998) #10! And now it happens! Thor takes on the Dark Gods singlehandedly!

MONICA RAMBEAU: PHOTON #3 sends Monica into an alternate personal history, to a strangely Strangeless Sanctum Sanctorum, and into deep space!

In SECRET DEFENDERS #10, it’s the Silver Surfer, War Machine, and Thunderstrike versus Nebula’s army!

In PLANET HULK #4, Gladiator Steve Rogers finally faces the Red King in this Secret Wars 3 crazy epic!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #194, Nimrod versus the X-Men (and Juggernaut), AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #90, the death of Captain Stacy, and DAREDEVIL #188, Black Widow is dying!

PeterS

This week's column is sponsored by the number 23

New NEW AVENGERS #1 starts the 5th series of this title as Black Widow and Winter Soldier lead a new version of the (Thunderbolts) team against versions of the Illuminati cloned by the Jackal.

In T Vernon's review of AVENGERS #350 the team welcome the X-Men and the Starjammers into their Mansion. Everything goes well until Raza kills Black Knight.

THOR (1998) #22-23 continue the series after Peter's Annual 2000 a few days ago. Thor and a Rigellian Recorder, later joined by Firelord, chase after Thanos and Mangog while we get the backstory of the Designate.

In AVENGERS ACADEMY #23 X-23 joins the school while Striker reveals to Lightspeed (and us) that he's gay and the future version of Reptil conspires with the human/Dire Wraith Hybrid to kill most of the students.

--RobFJ

Can Doctor Doom Be the Real Good Guy?!?

The brand new ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM #5 raises the scary question: What if Doom really is the right person to rule the world? And it results in a verbal clash among the Avengers!

THOR ANNUAL 2000 wraps up the Jake Olson plot and a guest appearance by Thanos and Mangog!

MONICA RAMBEAU: PHOTON #2 sees Monica having a crazy encounter with a new Beyonder!

In SECRET DEFENDERS #9, Dr. Strange recruits the Silver Surfer, War Machine, and Thunderstrike; object: stop Nebula’s conquering army!

PLANET HULK #3 continues the offbeat adventure with Steve Rogers, Devil Dinosaur, and Doc Green!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #193, 100 issue anniversary for Claremont, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #89, more Doc Ock, and DAREDEVIL #187, DD’s powers go wonky again!

PeterS

A grab-bag of oldies, mainly endings

T Vernon's AVENGERS ANNUAL #21 is the finale of the Citizen Kang story (spread across 4 Annuals in 1992) with the Avengers and Fantastic Four teaming up against Kang's minions while he has to fight his love Ravonna/Kang-Nebula/Terminatrix.

AMERICA #12 is the end of the series as Chavez strikes a peace deal between the Fuertonas and La Legion. But how much of this series will be rendered imaginary by her next series?

AVENGERS SOLO #5 is also the end of the Hawkeye mini-series, but he and the Academy chars in the backup strip continue ...

... in AVENGERS ACADEMY #21-22 where loads of new students join the school plus Hawkeye as a new teacher, and Magneto tries to help find out who 'killed' the robot Jocasta.

--RobFJ

The Penultimate Thor!

It’s the brand new IMMORTAL THOR #24 and, well, Thor dies! For real! One more issue to wrap up all the loose threads but that’s it! Immortal Thor is finished!

Also new is RED HULK #5, a tie-in to ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM! And it’s Rulk against every Doombot in the world!

MONICA RAMBEAU: PHOTON #1! So she finally has a miniseries of her own! And everything is going mad!

FEAR ITSELF concludes in THUNDERBOLTS #162 with a horde of water monsters invading Chicago!

In SECRET DEFENDERS #8, Earth and the Death Dimension are merging into one nasty world and the only one who can stop it is…Captain America?!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #192, the coming of Magus, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #88, Doc Ock returns, and DAREDEVIL #186, Turk steals the Stilt-Man armor!

PeterS

Thanos is trying to upstage Dr Doom, but neither of them are actually in their issues

2 more One World Under Doom tie-ins for your delectation.

AVENGERS #26 continues Captain America (Sam Wilson)'s lone fight against Mad Thinker's Masters Of Evil. But just when all seems lost Black Panther turns up.

SUPERIOR AVENGERS #2 reveals the team from the future's plan. They're gathering energy from magic items in this time to replace all the magic defences that went away when they killed future Dr Doom.

T Vernon's AVENGERS #349 is another 1-off interlude where Ares and Hera pit Hercules against Thor (Eric Masterson) just because they can.

In AMERICA #11 Chavez returns to Fuertona to oppose La Legion who've taken her grandmother. She's aided by another Starling and the Crystal Of Uzam.

Returning to the Thanos trail I've added comments to X-MAN/HULK ANNUAL 1998 to explain that this is the last hurrah of the Low-Level Thanosi from the 1997 Ka-Zar series.

And then THOR (1998) #21 follows on from Peter's Thursday #20 to show Mangog and the Higher-Powered Thanosi defeating all of Asgard to take the Map Of All-Ending which will lead them to the Designate where they will gain, you guessed it, ultimate power.

--RobFJ

A Passel of Classics!

SECRET DEFENDERS #7 has Dr. Strange, Spidey and Wanda in the Death Dimension while back on Earth Captain America faces the walking dead!

THOR (1998) #20 jumps over a bunch of issues to aid Rob Johnson in a mad frolic of his own! Check out his side of the site this weekend!

Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau) has a strange night on the town in MARVEL FANFARE #57! Plus, Shanna the She-Devil!

FEAR ITSELF continues in THUNDERBOLTS #161: Juggernaut is gone but now there’s a nuke heading for Chicago!

PLANET HULK #2 Gladiator Steve Rogers and Devil Dinosaur meet Doc Green but as you’ve never seen them before!

And Anthony Silvestro has the week off because he was bitten by a radioactive comic book blogger and we’re nervously waiting to see what develops!

 PeterS

Would you believe it?

2 more One World Under Doom tie-ins this week.

In IRON MAN #8 Union trouble holds up Tony Stark's plan to defeat Dr Doom by giving him weapons. And no, Black Widow doesn't believe the last bit either.

THUNDERBOLTS: DOOMSTRIKE #5 (for the 2nd week in a row) finishes the series with the good guys winning. Well, not losing.

T Vernon presents Vision-centred AVENGERS #348 which suggests there may be some humanity left in the android (after John Byrne dehumanised him in West Coast Avengers).

In AMERICA #9-10 Chavez and friends from around the multiverse roundly defeat Exterminatrix and her Mindless Ones.

--RobFJ

Seeing Double!!

The week features two appearances each by Thor, Spider-Man, and the Scarlet Witch!

Brand new INCREDIBLE HULK #25 pits Hulk against Thor for the life of Charlie Tidwell!

Held over from last week is IMMORTAL THOR #23 wherein Thor takes on one of the Primal Gods!

SECRET DEFENDERS #6 sees the return of Xandu with the Wand of Watoomb! Dr. Strange recruits Cap, Spidey, and the Scarlet Witch to stop him!

Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau) meets Dracula in MARVEL FANFARE #42! Plus, Spider-Man has some banking troubles! Wanda makes a guest appearance!

FEAR ITSELF continues in THUNDERBOLTS #160 with the team finally facing the possessed Juggernaut and regretting it!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #190-191, Kulan Gath’s weirdness, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #87, Spidey unmasked, and DAREDEVIL #185, Foggy Nelson, P.I.!

PeterS

One thing after another

This week's One World Under Doom entry is THUNDERBOLTS: DOOMSTRIKE #4 where Dr Doom tries to persuade captive Revolution to switch sides until Black Widow leads his team to rescue him.

T Vernon's AVENGERS #344 completes the intro of Proctor, Magdalene and an alternate Swordsman before the team go off for Operation Galactic Storm.

In AMERICA #7 America Chavez learns the history of 1 of her mothers. Then in #8 she returns to college to find it's been taken over by Exterminatrix.

In AVENGERS SOLO #4 Hawkeye and allies start to invade the enemy HQ when Iron Man turns up to stop them. And Finesse and Striker are alone against Alkhema and her robot West Coast Avengers.

--RobFJ

Doom Versus Dormammu!

That’s right, ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM #4 pits world conqueror Doom against the former Sorcerer Supreme’s greatest enemy! It’s earth-shaking!

The new RED HULK #4 has Red Hulk returning to the story with a big and very literal bang!

MARVEL TEAM-UP #143 sees Spidey and Starfox teaming up in another dimension to save the life of Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau)!

In THOR #9, the God of Thunder finally learns what has been going on behind his back the entire series so far so the big battle with the Dark Gods starts next issue!

FEAR ITSELF continues in THUNDERBOLTS #159, multiple stories centering on the madness at the Raft during the mass breakout!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #189, Rachel and Magma versus Selene, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #85, the Schemer unmasked, and DAREDEVIL #184, another classic cover: “No more Mister Nice Guy!”

PeterS

What actually happens

In new WEST COAST AVENGERS #7 Wonder Man actually buddies up with Blue Bolt while a 3rd Ultron (The Scorched) shows up and kills the cult-leader version.

T Vernon brings us AVENGERS #343 which starts a 2-parter that introduces the Gatherers, but which is actually just the beginning of a saga that will meander through to #375 2½ years later.

#3-4 concludes the mini-series which actually had Adam Warlock hidden in all issues, but which creates a new female Warlock who's never been seen again.

AVENGERS SOLO #3 continues to get Hawkeye deeper into a scheme to create superpowers for sale. And the Avengers Academy trio face Alkhema.

--RobFJ