Site Updates Archive

It's all-team week

In T Vernon's AVENGERS #367 the team take time out for their emotional lives and Vision wonders if he has any.

I'm back with America Chavez for an adventure teamed with Loki and Hildegarde the Valkyrie starting in MARVEL VOICES INFINITY COMICS #12-13.

And the Avengers' students get sucked into the Av Vs X-Men event in AVENGERS ACADEMY #29-30 when they have to guard the Utopia Island students even though they're definitely *not* prisoners.

--RobFJ

The Main Event: Captain America Versus Doctor Doom!

It’s true! The brand new CAPTAIN AMERICA #4 pits Marvel’s greatest hero against their greatest villain! Check it out!

PLANET HULK: WORLDBREAKER #1 from 2023 takes us back to Sakaar one thousand years later, after the Hulks have ruined It!

THOR ANNUAL 2001 introduces Desak the God-Slayer, predating Gorr the God-Butcher by many years! Wonder which ex-Batman will play him in the movies!

BLACK WIDOW (2014) #13! Natasha takes on the international assassination agency called Chaos!

And an offbeat Defenders entry, MARVEL TEAM-UP #119, brings together Spidey and that unappreciated Defender, Gargoyle, to address the burning issue of…aging.

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #210, prologue to the Mutant Massacre, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #107, more Spider-Slayer, and DAREDEVIL #204, DD versus Green Arrow…wait, what?!

PeterS

Iron Man's in 1 alternate future and Thanos ends another

Iron Man currently (until January) has no series of his own so the 3-issue mini-series Iron & Frost will have to fill the gap. It's set in the future of the Age Of Revelation X-Men event. In #1 Tony Stark and Emma Frost reunite to oppose Apocalypse' heir Revelation, but she's stuck in her diamond form and Tony's been turned to iron.

T Vernon turns to AVENGERS ANNUAL #22 which gives us the origin of Bloodwraith who showed up in the backup tale in Av#366. Meanwhile the backup tale in this issue stars the Anachronauts from the previous year's Citizen Kang Annuals crossover.

Jim Starlin's MARVEL UNIVERSE: THE END #6 ends with Thanos destroying the universe but then restoring it with 2 differences:- he's dead and characters won't be able to be resurrected anymore. But both changes will be negated by Starlin's next Thanos series.

My coverage of the Avengers Vs X-Men event continues with 2 issues that expand on fights in AvX#2.
AVENGERS VS X-MEN #1 covers Iron Man vs Magneto and Thing vs Sub-Mariner.
UNCANNY X-MEN (2012) #11 has a lot about Colossus/Juggernaut fighting Red Hulk, but also follows Hope Summers' escape from Utopia Island.

--RobFJ

The End of the Hulk?

Yes, indeed! INCREDIBLE HULK #30 sees Hulk losing a fight and changing in a way we could not have imagined! Check it out!

Also new is ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM #8! It’s everybody against Doctor Doom! And Doom wins! Bad day for heroes, isn’t it?

In THOR #32, mayhem as Malekith battles Thor in an iced-over Asgard! The good guys win in this one!

BLACK WIDOW (2014) #12 sees Natasha exposed on international television! Not sure who wins in this one! Guest starring Anderson Cooper!

And we have upgraded CAPTAIN AMERICA #105! Cap searches for a giant bomb! With Batroc, the Swordsman, and the Living Laser as speed bumps!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #209, the X-Men and the Hellfire Club versus Nimrod, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #106, the craziest Spidey unmasking ever, and DAREDEVIL #203, DD versus the Trump (no jokes, please)!

PeterS

Kang and Thanos in their own issues

New AVENGERS #31 is a totally Kang issue explaining how and why he and Myrddin are the same person.

In T Vernon's AVENGERS #366 all subplots are suspended for the climax of the current Nega-Bomb storyline. TV gives it 5. Pity about the odd backup story.

MARVEL UNIVERSE: THE END #4-5 sees the bad guy Akhenaten removed from existence but now Thanos has the power of 'God'. He's really trying to do good with it but the other powers won't let him.

NEW AVENGERS #24 is nearly all a flashback to the assembled Avengers planning to attack the X-Men plus Luke Cage putting his superhero 'duty' above his family.

--RobFJ

A Return to Planet Hulk?

It’s true, Greg Pak and Carlo Pagulayan reunite for RETURN TO PLANET HULK, a one-shot addendum to the classic epic!

SECRET DEFENDERS #25 ends this series which had a great beginning but had been going steadily downhill for some time!

In THOR #31, Malekith unleashes eternal winter on Asgard!

BLACK WIDOW (2014) #11 has Natasha teaming up with X-23 on a dangerous mission!

And we have upgraded CAPTAIN AMERICA #104! Cap versus the Exiles,  the band of super-powerful henchmen to the Red Skull! All of them!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #208, the X-Men versus the Hellfire Club, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #105, the return of the Spider-Slayer, and DAREDEVIL #202, two underwhelming stories for the price of one!

PeterS

Humanity menaced by an evil Mr Fantastic, a Kree bomb, a mad Pharaoh and the Phoenix

NEW AVENGERS #5 makes it 2 weeks in a row for this series, but partly because I delayed reporting #4 for a week. This time everyone piles in on Mr Ouroboros (the Reed Richards clone), and even Hulk gets a look in.

In T Vernon's AVENGERS #365 the team, with help from Shi'ar Deathcry, try to stop renegade Kree from wiping out humanity with a Nega-Bomb.

MARVEL UNIVERSE: THE END #2-3 continue the fight against Akhenaten who's taken over the world and killed most superheroes, leaving Thanos, Captain Marvel, the Defenders and a time-travelling Dr Doom to try to defeat him. Oh, and a few fairly-ineffectual gods.

The Avengers Vs X-Men event spreads to the Westchester Jean Grey School for mutants in WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN #9. And Captain America scores B-Minus in a Danger Room test.

--RobFJ

More Action from the Exciting Red Hulk Series!

The brand new RED HULK #9 reveals what happened to the Washington Monument last issue! And there’s a fight scene you wouldn’t believe!

BLACK WIDOW (2014) #10! It’s Natasha versus Hawkeye in Pakistan!

In THOR #29, Hogun is dying so Thor puts the beatdown on the Wrecking Crew!

SECRET DEFENDERS #24 has the original Defenders fighting the new group of Secret Defenders just to bollix everything up! Because it’s the Defenders!

And we have upgraded CAPTAIN AMERICA #103! Cap invades Red Skull’s island to rescue Sharon Carter!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #207, Rachel Summers cracks up, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #104, Spidey versus Kraven in the Savage Land with Ka-Zar, and DAREDEVIL #201, Black Widow takes over for an injured DD!

PeterS

More Action from the Exciting Red Hulk Series!

The brand new RED HULK #9 reveals what happened to the Washington Monument last issue! And there’s a fight scene you wouldn’t believe!

BLACK WIDOW (2014) #10! It’s Natasha versus Hawkeye in Pakistan!

In THOR #29, Hogun is dying so Thor puts the beatdown on the Wrecking Crew!

SECRET DEFENDERS #24 has the original Defenders fighting the new group of Secret Defenders just to bollix everything up! Because it’s the Defenders!

And we have upgraded CAPTAIN AMERICA #103! Cap invades Red Skull’s island to rescue Sharon Carter!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #207, Rachel Summers cracks up, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #104, Spidey versus Kraven in the Savage Land with Ka-Zar, and DAREDEVIL #201, Black Widow takes over for an injured DD!

PeterS

Is this the end?

NEW AVENGERS #4 was new last week and the team continue to fight Sub-Mariner controlled by Imperius Rex of the Killuminati.

T Vernon's AVENGERS #364 introduces the Shi'ar Deathcry and some Kree foes, while the Sersi/Proctor mystery continues to build.

In DEADPOOL (1997) #64 the 'hero' is condemned to life by Thanos (or maybe a Thanosi) to keep him out of the arms (literally) of Death.
The real Thanos is definitely in MARVEL UNIVERSE: THE END #1, but possibly the series itself never happens.

And I begin filling in missing bits of the Avengers Vs X-Men event. I start small with AVENGERS VS X-MEN INFINITY COMIC #1 which expands on Nova's dramatic entry in AvX#1.

--RobFJ

The Mortal Thor Returns!

Brand new THOR #2 continues the amnesiac hero’s mission as a vigilante!

SECRET DEFENDERS #23 continues the capital D Defenders: Dr. Druid, Dagger, Drax, and Deathlok!

BLACK WIDOW (2014) #9 teams Natasha unwillingly with the Punisher! Against Crossbones!

And we have upgraded CAPTAIN AMERICA #102! The end of the Fourth Sleeper—but not the Red Skull!

Plus INCREDIBLE HULK ANNUAL #26! Hulk versus Thor! Again!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #206, the X-Men versus the Freedom Force, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #103, Spidey with Ka-Zar in the Savage Land, and DAREDEVIL #200, a final showdown with Bullseye!

PeterS

Endings, sometimes temporary

SUPERIOR AVENGERS #6 is a new issue from my missing week and the series ends with most of the 'heroes' dead, but the comics are now left with an Ava Starr/Ghost to match the films.

In T Vernon's AVENGERS #363 the team beard Proctor and the Gatherers in their den, but they'll recede into the background again until their final run starts in #372.

MADE IN THE USA #5 ends the America Chavez reboot with her back in New York and her evil sister Catalina lost in the multiverse.
The STRANGE TALES: CLEA, WONG & AMERICA INFINITY COMIC online 1-shot picks up the story with AC asking Clea Strange for help finding her sis.

NEW AVENGERS #23 ends the fight with the Dark Avengers, leaving Avengers #24 to deal with Norman Osborn and HAMMER. Next stop Avengers Vs X-Men.

--RobFJ

A Heaping Helping of Hulk!

New today is INCREDIBLE HULK #29: Hulk, trapped by the monsters, battles Red Harpy!

Held over from last week is RED HULK #8 wherein Wildstreak joins Rulk’s team against Doctor Doom!

BLACK WIDOW (2014) #8 pits Natasha against the Winter Soldier during a train robbery!

THOR (1998) #28 features the return of the Wrecking Crew!

And we have upgraded CAPTAIN AMERICA #101! Red Skull and the Fourth Sleeper!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #205, Wolverine versus Lady Deathstrike, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #102, six-armed Spidey versus Lizard and Morbius, and DAREDEVIL #199, DD versus Samurai!

PeterS

A Double Dose of Doom!

The new ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM #7 features Reed Richards versus Doctor Doom in an unprecedented battle of magic!

Also new is CAPTAIN AMERICA #3 with Cap confronting Doctor Doom!

THOR (1998) #27 wraps up Thor’s efforts to help Absorbing Man and Titania!

SECRET DEFENDERS #22 finds Shadowoman transforming into a darker heroine, Sepulchre! Guest starring Cloak and Dagger, Drax the Destroyer, and Deathlok!

An improved INCREDIBLE HULK ANNUAL #24 from 1999 is also here!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #204, Nightcrawler’s turn to fight Arcade, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #101, introducing Morbius, and DAREDEVIL #198, DD versus Bullseye in Japan!

PeterS

Things aren't always what they seem

For the 2nd week running we have a new Avengers issue #30 where Kang's enemy Myrddin turns out to be (an alternate?) Kang. Plus Marvel Zombies.

In T Vernon's AVENGERS #362 the secretly-alternate Vision is revealed when he tries to kill the alternate Swordsman.

And in AMERICA CHAVEZ: MADE IN AMERICA #3-4 our heroine learns that the past she remembers is a lie. She's really from Earth and she has a sister gone bad.

Meanwhile in NEW AVENGERS #22 Victoria Hand and Skaar turn out to be really working for Captain America not Norman Osborn.

--RobFJ

And Now…the Return of Captain America!

And we begin a new project: upgrading the earliest Captain America issues on the site! So here’s CAPTAIN AMERICA #100 from 1968 with an improved entry!

THOR (1998) #26! Absorbing Man is back…but things are different this time! Check out that Mike Mignola cover!

BLACK WIDOW (2014) #7 pits Natasha against Daredevil on her latest mission! 

SECRET DEFENDERS #21 has the ad hoc team battling Slaymaker, this series’ craziest villain!

An improved INCREDIBLE HULK ANNUAL #21 from 1997 is also here!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #203, Phoenix versus Beyonder, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #99, Spidey stops a prison riot, and DAREDEVIL #197, DD goes to Japan!

PeterS

From cosmic to soap opera, the Avengers have it all

In new AVENGERS #29 the team pick up their own storyline after One World Under Doom and prepare to seek the Missing Moment, but Myrddin's 1 step ahead of them. And it's all Mr Fantastic's fault.

Another new issue is WEST COAST AVENGERS #10 which ends the mini-series and gets rid of all 3 Ultrons (the good, the bad and the culty).

T Vernon's AVENGERS #361 is nearly all about Sersi who makes Dane Whitman her soulmate, in an Eternal-y way. But the problem is he loves Crystal. And Ikaris doesn't help.

In AMERICA CHAVEZ: MADE IN AMERICA #1-2 we learn about America's childhood in New York. But in the present her powers are failing and someone's stalking her and her family.

--RobFJ

And Now…the Mortal Thor!

THOR #1 kicks off a new Thor title, as the God of Thunder, now a mortal, must make a life as an ordinary person!

Also new is IINCREDIBLE HULK #28 detailing a dangerous return to New Orleans and a visit to a hellish landscape!

And with HEROES FOR HIRE #11, we complete our coverage of the classic FEAR ITSELF event! Stay tuned for more goodies!

In BLACK WIDOW (2014) #6, Natasha faces Damon Dran, the Indestructible Man, a bit worse for wear! 

SECRET DEFENDERS #20 sees Dr. Druid recruiting Spider-Woman and US Agent for the team! With a guest spot from Venom!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #202, Beyonder tests the X-Men, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #98, more Green Goblin, and DAREDEVIL #196, guest-starring Wolverine!

PeterS

PS Today is Jack Kirby’s birthday. This site wouldn’t exist without him.

It starts and ends with New Avengers

This week's new NEW AVENGERS #3 isn't officially part of One World Under Doom but #1 made it clear that the series is OWUD-adjacent. Now despite the team's published membership list Bruce Banner *doesn't* join them but the new Carnage does.

In T Vernon's AVENGERS #360 the Gatherers story gains momentum and Sersi seems somehow involved. And there's a Vision/Vision mind swap.

Infinity Abyss concludes with #5-6 as the assembled goodies defeat the assembled baddies, including 1 Galactus-level threat. And Adam Warlock and Gamora are left to babysit 2-yr old Atleza, the new anchor of Reality-616.

In NEW AVENGERS #21 the team fight the cyborg Thor clone Ragnarok. But the fun highlight of the issue is Squirrel Girl calling down an army of squirrels to save Jessica Jones and baby Danielle from a mob.

--RobFJ

Another Full House of Classics!

Nothing new from me this week so here’s some older stuff:

THOR (1998) #19! Thor and Odin swallowed whole by a dragon! Plus Loki and Mephisto!

In BLACK WIDOW (2014) #5, the villain Molot Boga pulls off a terror attack at Gatwick Airport! 

SECRET DEFENDERS #19 has a team of magic heroes and a team of sci-fi heroes contending against a man made of bugs!

FEAR ITSELF continues in HEROES FOR HIRE #10 with Elektra and Shroud under the power of the Purple Man!

And there’s an updated and improved entry for INCREDIBLE HULK ANNUAL #20!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #201, Storm versus Cyclops, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #97, the notorious anti-drug issue plus Green Goblin, and DAREDEVIL #195, DD versus a rich guy’s death squad!

PeterS

Other versions and a literal Avenger

Nothing new under the Sun (or under the Doom) this week.

So T Vernon's AVENGERS #359 is 1st up. Arkon and the team save Polemachus (again), but we see the 1st open manifestation of a problem with Sersi when she takes the name Avengers literally and kills a murderer. And the alternate universe Gatherers plot keeps building.

In INFINITY ABYSS #3-4 we learn about the Thanosi clones that Thanos created which have now come back to bite him. Including 1 built to rival Galactus.

And in NEW AVENGERS #19-20 Norman Osborn pits his replacement Dark Avengers (and an Ultimo knock-off) against our heroes (and Iron Man). And of course because this is early in a multi-parter the good guys lose.

--RobFJ

Behold…Our New Contributor!

Welcome to J.A.R.V.I.S 2008, joining the Marvel Heroes Library with reviews of FANTASTIC FOUR #2-5, yes, the last is the first appearance of Doctor Doom! Plus issues #48, 60, 570, and ANNUAL #6 (the birth of Franklin)!

Held over from last week, RED HULK #7 pits Rulk against the War-Wolf!

In BLACK WIDOW (2014) #4 faces the brutish Molot Boga, a mad ex-monk! 

THOR (1998) #18 sees the forces of Asgard against the Enchanters, a quartet of magic baddies from the 1960s who are tougher than they look! 

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #200, the trial of Magneto, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #96, the notorious anti-drug issue, and DAREDEVIL #194, featuring fake Amish villains!

This week's column is very in-fested

This week's inevitable One World Under Doom entry is SUPERIOR AVENGERS #5 where the team try to take their scavenged magic back to the future but the Abomination stops them. And *not* because he's loyal to Doom.

The indefatigable T Vernon has reached a 2-parter beginning in AVENGERS #358 where Arkon asks the team to help save his home Polemachus again, while the Gatherers plotline rumbles on.

Jim Starlin's back and he's taking the inimitable Thanos and his gang into the Infinity Abyss. #1-2 introduce the menace of nihilistic Thanos-imitations called Thanosi who are trying to end the universe.

There are no Avengers in NEW AVENGERS #18 as Norman Osborn recruits a new set of Dark Avengers including Skaar, son of the incredible Hulk (borrowed from Peter's half of the Library).

--RobFJ

A Double Doom Day!

The brand new ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM #6, features a debate between Doctor Doom and Reed Richards over whether Doom is good for the world! With an icky cover as Doom stretches a point!

Also new is CAPTAIN AMERICA #2 with Cap, fresh out of the ice, meeting Doctor Doom!

BLACK WIDOW (2014) #3 has Natasha engineering a jailbreak from a South American jungle prison! 

THOR (1998) #16 features the Enchanters, last seen in the 1960s, wreaking havoc in Asgard! 

And here’s an updated entry for INCREDIBLE HULK ANNUAL #19!

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