Site Updates Archive

Back to (nearly) the beginning

New this week is X-VENGERS #3 which ends with more members dead but the enemy trying to start all-out war between humans and mutants revealed to be MODOK.

T Vernon has another 1-shot AVENGERS #377 featuring Quicksilver alone against some 1-off opponents, at a time when he's more of a frequent guest than a member of the team.

Now that I've finished documenting apps of America Chavez, I'm going to be covering all the missing issues of Lee & Kirby's classic run on Fantastic Four, picking up with #6 - Marvel's 1st super-villain team-up.

I'll continue running through the apps of Thanos and/or Adam Warlock but with a change of plan. Instead of alternating chunks of Thanlock with batches of FF I'll do 1 issue of each in each week. So here's THANOS #7, the start of a new storyline which will introduce Star-Lord.

And filling in the Avengers Vs X-Men event continues with UNCANNY X-MEN (2012) #13 showing what some other X-Men were doing while a select bunch and a few Avengers met the Phoenix Force on the Moon.

--RobFJ

Have a Happy Holiday—It is the Will of Doom!

That’s right, THE WILL OF DOOM #1 takes us on the first step into Marvel’s next big event, ARMAGEDDON ASSEMBLES, launching in June!

This week’s classic Black Widow tale is MARVEL TEAM-UP #82 wherein Spidey must help her recover her lost memory while SHIELD is trying to kill her!

In THOR (1998) #38, Thor is at the mercy of the Destroyer who is animated by the innocent Thor Girl! Nifty cover too!

Our solo Defenders issue continues with GARGOYLE #3, wherein Isaac and the Druid must team up to end the reign of the wicked gargoyles!

The upgraded CAPTAIN AMERICA #113 tells us Cap is dead and Hydra plans some mischief at the hero-laden funeral!

And Anthony Silvestro has been out and about this Christmas Eve so he’ll see us next time!

A very Avengers-heavy week, but Defenders get the spotlight

AVENGERS #33 takes a pause in the Myrddin saga to tell us the history of the Impossible City, and what happened to the Twilight Court.

T Vernon interrupts the 1st Avengers series to sidestep into ANNUAL #23 where Loki makes a deal with Pluto. He'll attack Hercules in this issue if the other will attack Thor in his Annual #19.

DEFENDERS BEYOND #5 ends the mini-series as the team reach the House Of Ideas to confront the One Above All (who this time doesn't look anything like Jack Kirby or Stan Lee). This is as far as (comics chars) can go.

More tie-ins to the search for Hope Summers in Avengers Vs X-Men #4. WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN #11 covers a lot of ground, but Iceman vs Red Hulk gets the cover. AVX: VS #5 concentrates on Angel vs Hawkeye and Black Panther vs his wife Storm.

--RobFJ

A New Thor and a Pair of Final Issues!

In the brand new THOR #5, the mortal Thor comes face-to-face with the demonic Don Blake, neither guy exactly as we remember him, sad to say!

PLANET HULK: WORLDBREAKER #5 closes out the apocalyptic miniseries with the question: Hulk…worldbreaker or worldsaver! With one of the scariest covers I’ve ever seen! So scary we'e showing you Black Widow to the left!

BLACK WIDOW (2014) #20 ends the ongoing series with the revelation of Natasha’s darkest secret!

Our solo Defenders issue continues with GARGOYLE #2, revealing the secret origin of gargoyles!

The upgraded CAPTAIN AMERICA #112 features a recap of Cap’s career, courtesy of Jack Kirby!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #218, everybody versus Juggernaut, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #115, Spidey versus Aunt May, and DAREDEVIL #212, DD teams up with the Kingpin!

PeterS

A possible future and cosmic realities

IRON & FROST #3 ends this series with the main chars (and potentially a *lot* more) dead. And also a message sent back to warn the past. If either of these are true then this is a rare tie-in series that really affects the main story (Age Of Revelation).

NEW AVENGERS #7 continues the war against the Killuminati with a few identity questions. And it manages to end on a cliffhanger which happens before half of the rest of the issue.

T Vernon's AVENGERS #376 is a 1-off story (for a change) which features only 1 Avenger, the Inhuman Crystal, and some other chars who've never been seen again.

DEFENDERS BEYOND #3-4 take our motley crew to the White Hot Room (to meet the cosmic Phoenix Force and Death) and the Land Of Couldn't-Be-Shouldn't-Be (to meet the Queen Of Nevers and the not-so-cosmic Glorian).

--RobFJ

The Coolest Cap and the Horriblest Hulk!

In THE INFERNAL HULK #2, the title monster heads underwater to invade the kingdom of the Sub-Mariner!

This week’s Defenders issue begins a solo series: GARGOYLE #1, centering on the dark past of the ugliest yet nicest of the Defenders!

THOR (1998) #37 pits Thor against the Destroyer but this time Destroyer has a hidden edge that Thor cannot overcome!

BLACK WIDOW (2014) #19 gives us a flashback to Natasha’s first and bitterest mission as Black Widow!

The upgraded CAPTAIN AMERICA #111 is one of the classic Steranko issues with Cap battling Hydra! And a doubly classic cover!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #217, Dazzler versus Juggernaut, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #114, Doc Ock versus Hammerhead, and DAREDEVIL #211, the return of Micah Synn, the Tarzan rip-off!

PeterS

Every journey begins with a single step

After the Kree/Skrull Alliance fell apart in the Imperial event Wiccan escaped with injured Emperor Hulkling. Now in WICCAN: WITCHES' ROAD #1 he's lost his magic and Baba Yaga sends him down the Witches' Road to get it back.

T Vernon brings the Gatherers saga to a rousing climax in AVENGERS #375 which ends with Black Knight and Sersi going off into what will turn out to be the Ultraverse.

In DEFENDERS BEYOND #1-2 a motley group of Defenders including America Chavez start a journey through layers of Marvel reality. 1st stop the Beyonders.

And in AVX: VS #2 both sides are travelling the world searching for Hope Summers but of course they take time out to fight. Featuring Captain America vs Gambit and Colossus/Juggernaut vs Spider-Man.

--RobFJ

Hulk Smash Everything!!

Brand new HULK: SMASH EVERYTHING #1 offers an entertaining adventure by Ryan North! Guest starring Doctor Strange and Velociraptors!

THE LAST DEFENDERS #6 closes the miniseries with a whole new team line-up—who are soon completely forgotten!

In BLACK WIDOW (2014) #18, Natasha finally gets some time off and it doesn’t feel right!

THOR (1998)#36 sees Loki reviving the Destroyer and sending it against Thor!

The upgraded CAPTAIN AMERICA #110 features Cap fighting Hulk! By Steranko!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #216, Storm is still being hunted, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #113, first appearance of Hammerhead, and DAREDEVIL #210, the return of Crossbow, the Green Arrow rip-off!

PeterS

Jim Starlin leaves but everything else continues

X-VENGERS #2 continues the fight against a rogue Technarch virus. But Revelation believes that the US Government is responsible, and Dani Moonstar must prevent all-out war.

T Vernon deals with the penultimate chapter of the Proctor/Gatherers saga in AVENGERS #374, and we at last learn what's going on.

THANOS #5-6 ends the 1st arc of this series as Thanos and Galactus defeat the Hunger, with a bit of help from Pip The Troll. And Jim Starlin bids goodbye again.

Meanwhile Avengers Vs X-Men continues in UNCANNY X-MEN (2012) #12 as the 2 sides fight again in teams all around the world. This issue spotlights Thing & his team vs Sub-Mariner & his team in Tabula Rasa.

--RobFJ

Enter…the Infernal Hulk!

THE INFERNAL HULK #1! Banner and Hulk have been split and the latter’s body taken over by the monstrous Eldest with a mission of terror around the world! A very dark chapter in the history of the Hulk begins!

Also new is THOR #4 where we see what is going on in Asgard now that Thor is powerless and forgotten! Hint: it ain’t pretty!

From 2008 there’s THE LAST DEFENDERS #5! The ex-Nighthawk sees a crazy vision of what the Defenders could have been—and soon will be!

BLACK WIDOW (2014) #17 has the sinister Prophet tempting Natasha with a vision of how much better her life would be if she joins his group called Chaos!

The upgraded CAPTAIN AMERICA #109 is a retelling of Cap’s classic origin! Again!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #215, Storm is being hunted, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #112, Spidey cops out on crime fighting, and DAREDEVIL #209, exploding little girl robots!

PeterS

Everything continues ... to get worse

IRON & FROST #2 continues to explore the fate of Iron Man, Emma Frost and War Machine in the Age Of Revelation future event. And it doesn't look too good for any of them.

T Vernon's AVENGERS #373 continues the final Gatherers arc. The group from multiple timelines are joined this time by an alternate Jocasta and Watcher as Sersi's madness escalates.

In THANOS #3-4 Galactus' plan turns out to be to blow up a pulsar to create a gateway (to the Ultraverse) so that he can get an Infinity Gem (from Rune) to add to the 4 he's already got. So Thanos calls in Gamora and Pip the Troll of the Infinity Watch.

Meanwhile in the Avengers Vs X-Men event X-MEN: LEGACY #267 continues the tale of how the Avengers are unsuccessful in their bid to stop teachers and students from the Jean Grey School from allying with the Utopia X-Men.

--RobFJ

The Fall of Doom!!

It’s over! ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM #9 concludes this season’s big event and you won’t believe what happens!

CAPTAIN AMERICA #5 has Cap resigning from the army and joining the Avengers! For a good reason!

From 2008 there’s THE LAST DEFENDERS #4 wherein Nighthawk fails to reform the Defenders for the last time! So what’s next? Wait and see!

In PLANET HULK: WORLDBREAKER #4, the world of Sakaar is indeed being broken but it’s Hulk who must stop it!

THOR #35 pits Thor against Gladiator, the Superman of Shi’ar!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #214, now Dazzler joins the team, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #111, Spidey faces Kraven and the Gibbon, and DAREDEVIL #208, from guest writer Harlan Ellison!

PeterS

Thanos got his own series at last

In NEW AVENGERS #6 the team go after Guru Strange but meet 2 new Killuminati - clones of Captain Britain and Medusa.

T Vernon does AVENGERS #372 which brings Proctor and the Gatherers to the foreground for a final 4-issue arc.

THANOS #1-2 start the Titan's 1st actual series, and he's decided to start making amends for his past misdeeds. But Galactus gets in the way.

X-MEN: LEGACY #266 continues the story of the Jean Grey School during the Avengers Vs X-Men event as some Avengers arrive to ensure no staff or pupils join the Utopia X-Men.

--RobFJ

RED HULK Ends…or Does It?!

RED HULK #10 wraps up the series with Rulk defeating the bad guys and possibly making the biggest mistake of the war!

BLACK WIDOW (2014) #16 features a dark and violent incident from Natasha’s childhood!

THOR (1998) #34 sees a battle between Thor and his female counterpart Thor Girl because why not?!

From 2008 there’s THE LAST DEFENDERS #3 with Nighthawk discovering that if he can’t recruit decent heroes, maybe he can hire ‘em!

The upgraded CAPTAIN AMERICA #108 has Cap facing the Trapster, formerly Paste Pot Pete but still a loser!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #213, Psylocke joins the team, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #110, introducing the Gibbon, and DAREDEVIL #207, DD rescues Black Widow from Hydra!

PeterS

Zombies, Deviants and Celestial Fish

The current Avengers spend their #32 fighting zombies and Kang until help arrives in the shape of their 'enemies' the Twilight Court.

T Vernon's AVENGERS #371 ends the Deviant Delta Force story and that team itself, but not before the Avengers form their own Uni-Mind.

MARVEL'S VOICES INFINITY COMICS #16-17 concludes the America Chavez/Hildegarde/Loki adventure in Weirdworld with 2 separate fishing trips for Celestial Fish.

This week's Avengers Vs X-Men issue WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN #10 is an all-X-Men affair where Colossus, Cyclops and Magik make 1 last unsuccessful attempt to get Wolverine to quit the Avengers side. But they do get some other recruits from the Jean Grey School.

--RobFJ

Thor Girl Arrives and She-Hulk Rides into Battle—Twice!

No new comics so here are some offbeat older classics!

THOR #33 introduces the latest Asgardian heroine, Thor Girl! And if you don’t like that name—well, neither does anyone else!

PLANET HULK: WORLDBREAKER #3 from 2023! On a Sakaar a thousand years in the future, She-Hulk joins the fray!

From 2008 there’s THE LAST DEFENDERS #2 with Nighthawk and She-Hulk facing the Sons of the Serpent—and botching it!

BLACK WIDOW (2014) #15 sees Natasha surrounded by invisible bad guys! It’s Bucky to the rescue!

The upgraded CAPTAIN AMERICA #107 has Cap meeting Doctor Faustus, master mindbender!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #212, Wolverine versus Sabretooth for the first time, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #109, Dr. Strange guest-stars, and DAREDEVIL #206, DD beats up Micah Synn for Xmas!

PeterS

New teams and team-ups of heroes

A new team of old Avengers turn up in the Age Of Revelation future in X-VENGERS #1 but they've all been mutated by the X-virus apart from those that were mutants (or a synthezoid) already.

T Vernon's AVENGERS #370 starts a 2-parter featuring a 1-off good team of Deviants calling themselves Delta Force.

MARVEL'S VOICES INFINITY COMICS #14-15 continues the adventures of America Chavez, Hildegarde and Loki in Weirdworld, where they team up with a dog flying a biplane and lizards riding giant frogs.

AVENGERS ACADEMY #31 has clashes, real and fake, between Academy kids and X-kids with not everyone playing for their own team, until the Academy side pretend to be defeated and let the X-kids leave. And even Sebastian Shaw turns out to still be a goodie.

--RobFJ

The Latest Thor and the Last Defenders!

The brand new THOR #3 pits the powerless Thor against a new version of the Sons of the Serpent!

From 2008 there’s THE LAST DEFENDERS #1 with Nighthawk trying to reform the non-team—and everything going wrong! Featuring She-Hulk, Colossus, and many others!

PLANET HULK: WORLDBREAKER #2 from 2023! To save the captive Hulk children from the deadly Sentinels, Amadeus Cho searches for the long-lost Banner!

BLACK WIDOW (2014) #14 has Natasha hunting down the leaders of Chaos, one broken body at a time!

The upgraded CAPTAIN AMERICA #106 has Cap encountering the deepfake technology of an earlier era viz. the Life Model Decoy!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #211, the Mutant Massacre begins, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #108, Flash Thompson in trouble, and DAREDEVIL #205, DD versus an Irish hitman called the Gael!

PeterS

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