Site Updates Archive

Armageddon Continues!

Brand new AVENGERS: ARMAGEDDON #2 ends the war with Red Hulk more quickly than expected and things will get worse before they get better!

Also new CAPTAIN AMERICA (2025) #13 has Steve Rogers in Hell, fighting for the dead Doctor Doom’s cause: seizing power in Hell! Cap? Really?

Something different in BLACK WIDOW: PALE LITTLE SPIDER #1! It’s not Natasha Romanova but Yelena Belova in the costume in her sole miniseries! And it’s a gruesome one!

THE NEW DEFENDERS #145 is a shaggy dog story with the heroes and the army kind of puttering around with a guest appearance by Johnny Blaze, the useless ex-Ghost Rider!

THOR (1998) #61 has Thor undergoing various tests to see if he is fit to replace Odin in the Council of the Gods!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us a pair of two-parters: UNCANNY X-MEN #249-250, wherein the X-Men return to the Savage Land to battle would-be conqueror Zaladane, and AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #145-146, Spidey versus Scorpion!

PeterS

Thomas Gideon X 2

T Vernon's strange ULTIMATE IRON MAN v2 #2 continues with IM and War Machine still pretending to be robots.

FANTASTIC FOUR #34 pits the FF against a millionaire (big money in those days). But more significantly it introduces his son Thomas Gideon who will become Glorian ...

... who's just finishing a run as the villain in ANNIHILATION: RONAN #4, until everyone has to join forces against the Annihilation Wave.

NEW AVENGERS #32-33 almost finish *their* run as Daniel Drumm makes them fight each other, SHIELD, the FBI and the Avengers.

--RobFJ

A Grab Bag of Classic Goodies!

THOR (1968) #60 gives us “Spiral Part One,” wherein Thor’s kingdom starts to spin out of control, leading toward the classic “The Reigning!”

Black Widow concludes the three-part story in JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY (1996) #519 which pulls off one of the strangest surprise plot twists ever! Even if you've seen THE USUAL SUSPECTS!

In THE NEW DEFENDERS #144, it’s the super powerful Moondragon turned evil versus her friends and teammates who are vastly outnumbered by her!

INCREDIBLE HULK AND WOLVERINE #1 is an epic reprint of the duo’s classic first encounter!

The upgraded CAPTAIN AMERICA (1968) #131 shows us the first time Bucky Barnes returned from the dead! Today seems the day for fakes (keep reading)!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #247, a fake death for Rogue, UNCANNY X-MEN #248, a fake death for Storm, and AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #144, the fake return of Gwen Stacy!

PeterS

A Tony & Rhodey double bill

IRON MAN #7 sees a worried James Rhodes coming to see what Tony Stark is doing in the old Gamma Base.

T Vernon begins the 2nd Ultimate Iron Man series with of course #1 and the debut of the (weird-looking) Iron Man armour. And Ultimate Rhodey's still around.

FANTASTIC FOUR #33 has the team secretly helping Sub-Mariner defeat new undersea villain Attuma.

In ANNIHILATION: RONAN #3 Glorian uses the energy generated by Ronan fighting Gamora to transform Godthab Omega into a paradise. But then the Annihilation Wave arrives to wreck it.

NEW AVENGERS #31 starts the End Times last arc of the series as the spirit of Daniel Drumm possesses Victoria Hand to kill some sorcerers.

--RobFJ

New Thor and Double the Cap, Double the Hulk!

Brand new MORTAL THOR #12 has the powerless Thor tangling with his demonic enemy, Donald Blake, whose secret is now revealed!

WOLVERINE: WEAPONS OF ARMAGEDDON #2 puts Nuke on the trail of Logan and the new Captain America!

Black Widow takes on urban terrorists in part two of a three-part solo adventure in JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #518!

The upgraded CAPTAIN AMERICA (1968) #130 pits Cap against Hulk! ‘Nuff said!

And UNCANNY ORIGINS #5 gives us Hulk’s origin all over again because we’re trying to be complete!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #246, the return of Master Mold, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #143, Spidey versus Cyclone, and DAREDEVIL #242, DD hunts for the Caviar Killer!

PeterS

Things end in death or graduation

T Vernon ends the 1st Ultimate Iron Man series with #5 where the bi-generational Stark/Stane feud ends up with 1 dead.

FANTASTIC FOUR #32 kills off daddy Storm 1 issue after introducing him. Those dastardly Skrulls are involved.

In ANNIHILATION: RONAN #2 Ronan confronts Gamora as the Annihilation Wave draws closer.

AVENGERS ACADEMY #38-39 ends the series with a flag football game against the students of the X-Men school and a graduation to junior Avengers.

--RobFJ

Armageddon Continues But in Hell!

Brand new CAPTAIN AMERICA #12…Cap goes to Hell, literally, and becomes Doctor Doom’s champion against the forces of Mephisto! Not your usual venue for a Cap comic!

THE INFERNAL HULK #8 is also new with the heroes helpless against the monster Hulk—and that isn’t new!

Black Widow begins a three-part solo adventure in JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #517, going undercover to prevent a bank robbery—but that’s not really what’s going on!

THOR (1998) #59 takes us to the far-off year of 2026 (whoa!) where the gods and heroes are gone but a kid locates what may be Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir! And an old man who may be Thor! By Christopher Priest!

THE NEW DEFENDERS #143 has Moondragon going bad and fighting her teammates! It happens to the best of us!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #245, the X-Guys go out for a comedy issue, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #142, first glimpse of the Gwen clone, and DAREDEVIL #241, another depressing tale from Ann Nocenti!   

PeterS

AVX ends and Ronan begins

T Vernon's ULTIMATE IRON MAN (2005) #4 continues to explore the teen years of this version of Tony Stark.

FANTASTIC FOUR #31 brings back Mole Man but more significantly introduces Johnny and Sue's father.

ANNIHILATION: RONAN #1 ignores the Annihilation Wave in favour of the title char seeking proof that he's not a traitor.

And I reach the last of the Avengers Vs X-Men tie-ins with:-
WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN #18 showing us what the Jean Grey School students did while the last battle was fought.
NEW AVENGERS #30 showing us Emma Frost a prisoner and Luke Cage starting a protracted resignation from the team.

--RobFJ

Hail! Hail! The Gang’s All Here!!

The original Invaders, that is, in Golden Age classic ALL-WINNERS COMICS #2; stories featuring Cap and Bucky, the Human Torch and Toro, Sub-Mariner, the Destroyer, and the Whizzer (no jokes please)!

WOLVERINE/HULK #4 concludes the oddball story with the troublesome dead finally resting in peace! By Sam “The Pitt” Kieth!

Two heroes team up to take down a gruesome serial killer in DAREDEVIL/BLACK WIDOW: ABATTOIR, a Marvel Graphic Novel!

THE NEW DEFENDERS #142 pits mutants against Senator Kelly…wait, whose comic is this!?!

In the epic and creative THOR (1998) #57, the Thunder God’s saga is retold as a children’s story and it becomes an artists’ showcase!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #244, Jubilee’s debut, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #141, Spidey versus the new Mysterio, and DAREDEVIL #240, the end of the disturbing Rotgut!

PeterS

Several questionable issues

In T Vernon's ULTIMATE IRON MAN (2005) #3 we've reached teen Tony who pals up with teen Rhodey, and teen Obadiah Stane is lurking in the wings.

FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #2 turns the spotlight on Dr Doom with his very-expanded origin, and his masterplan which ends with Mr Fantastic condemned to oblivion ... or does it?

ANNIHILATION: SUPER-SKRULL #4 ends the series with nearly all the chars dead, including Super-Skrull ... or is he?

UNCANNY X-MEN (2012) #18-19 show what's in Cyclops' head while he steals the Phoenix power from Emma Frost (#18) and fights the last fight with the combined Avengers and X-Men (#19). And Beast gets eaten by maggots ... or does he?

--RobFJ

Armageddon Has Arrived!

The summer’s big event is AVENGERS: ARMAGEDDON #1 and here we discover Red Hulk a/k/a Thunderbolt Ross is trying to conquer the world for democracy!

In new THE MORTAL THOR #11, the powerless hero takes on Dario Agger a/k/a the Minotaur!

Daredevil joins Black Widow and Spidey in MARVEL TEAM-UP #141 to solve the inner city murder mystery from last issue! Guest starring Spidey’s new Black Costume!

THE NEW DEFENDERS #141 sees the return of the deadly plant monster from #132, only a lot worse!

WOLVERINE/HULK #3 finally reveals what happened…from the mouth of the dead girl herself! By Sam “The Pitt” Kieth!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #243 and X-FACTOR #39, Inferno concludes, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #140, Spidey versus the Grizzly and the Jackal, and DAREDEVIL #239, DD versus Rotgut! Ick!

PeterS

2 Iron Man issues this week

IRON MAN #6 has Iron Man confronting Norman Osborn about the theft of his Iron Patriot armour, with Spider-Man trying to keep the peace.

ULTIMATE IRON MAN (2005) #2 introduces very young Antonio Stark in this alternate universe. T Vernon continues to enjoy the tale spun by SF author Orson Scott Card.

FANTASTIC FOUR #30 has a slightly underwhelming introduction for the alchemist Diablo. Thing has been given so many drugs to turn him human he must surely be developing a resistance to them.

In ANNIHILATION: SUPER-SKRULL #3 Kl'rt gains an army and a way to destroy the Harvester Of Sorrow plus a way out of the Negative Zone, only to be betrayed by R'kin.

And in WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN #15 both branches of the X-Men convene with some Avengers in the Jean Grey School to plan how to defeat Cyclops and Emma Frost, the remaining possessors of the Phoenix Force.

--RobFJ

Armageddon is Coming! Quick, Put Wolverine in Somehow!

And so WOLVERINE: WEAPONS OF ARMAGEDDON #1 paves the way for the upcoming ARMAGEDDON event by bringing in the latest super-soldier project and Logan tries to stop it!

More Wolvie in WOLVERINE/HULK #2 as he tries to persuade Hulk to help a little girl who is probably a ghost! By Sam “The Pitt” Kieth!

In THOR (1998) #56, the resistance to the Thor regime begins with a young mutant named Davis!

Black Widow joins Spidey in MARVEL TEAM-UP #140 to investigate the murder of a pawnbroker during a citywide blackout!

And the upgraded CAPTAIN AMERICA (1968) #129 has Cap trying to foil the Red Skull’s latest attempt to start World War III!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #242 and X-FACTOR #38, Inferno continues with the X-Men versus X-Factor, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #139, introducing the Grizzly, and DAREDEVIL #238, DD versus Sabretooth! 

PeterS

Families

WICCAN & HULKLING: RAID OF ULTRON is a 1-shot gathering of Hulkling & Wiccan's extended family, including Ultron(s) as antagonist.

T Vernon's wander through Iron Man's byways continues with ULTIMATE IRON MAN (2005) #1, which strangely isn't actually part of the Ultimate Universe. This issue focuses on Tony Stark's parents.

FANTASTIC FOUR #29 brings back Red Ghost and his Super-Apes to menace Marvel's 1st Family. And it appropriately includes the Watcher who was the most important thing about their 1st app.

In ANNIHILATION: SUPER-SKRULL #2 Kl'rt wades through Negative Zone blood to reach the creator of the Harvester Of Sorrow to save his son.

AVX: VS #6 features Hope Summers vs Scarlet Witch (a member of 1 of the families above) plus a lot of short snippets of varying seriousness.

--RobFJ

Thor Has the Whole World in His Hands! And Bad Hulk Keeps on Burning!

The brand new INFERNAL HULK #7 has the monster Hulk taking on the X-Men and winning!  

THE NEW DEFENDERS #140 has a quiet young man in jail with the entire town against him, accused of a horrific crime! Check out the story of the Heartbreak Kid!

There’s a madman with a superweapon on the loose in PUNISHER/BLACK WIDOW: SPINNING DOOMSDAY’S WEB; Castle wants him dead but Natasha needs him alive!

In THOR (1998) #55, the God of Thunder addresses the United Nations General Assembly to explain why he has conquered the Earth!

And the upgraded CAPTAIN AMERICA (1968) #128 pits Cap against an outlaw biker gang!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #241 and X-FACTOR #37, the secrets of Madelyne Pryor revealed, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #138, Spidey versus the Mindworm, and DAREDEVIL #237, DD versus Klaw! 

PeterS

An abundance of X-Men this week

T Vernon finishes his run of Iron Man appearances in Marvel Team-Up with #145, the only 1 featuring James Rhodes as IM.

FANTASTIC FOUR #28 completes a quartet of guest-star-ridden issues, this time it's the X-Men.

ANNIHILATION: SUPER-SKRULL #1 begins another mini-series in the Annihilation event as Super-Skrull tries to save the Skrulls from the Harvester Of Sorrow.

More from Avengers Vs X-Men:-
In WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN #14 when Kitty Pryde turns down a marriage proposal from Phoenix-Colossus he decides to destroy her precious school.
And in AVENGERS VS X-MEN INFINITY COMIC #10 Beast, Iron Man and Scarlet Witch investigate the probability of defeating the Phoenix-5 X-Men, but nothing works without Hope Summers.

--RobFJ

A Strange Hulk/Wolverine Epic and Some Older Classics!

The oddball WOLVERINE/HULK (2002) #1 by Sam “The Maxx” Kieth has Logan and the Big Green Guy teaming up to find a little girl’s father, lost in the wilderness! But something ain’t right…!

And then there’s Black Widow’s auspicious arrival in DAREDEVIL (1964) #81, as the new partner of the Man Without Fear!

THOR (1998) #54 gives us a first look at the world ruled by Thor from the human standpoint!

THE NEW DEFENDERS #139 sees Red Wolf joining the team to investigate vampires on a reservation! You won’t believe what it really is!

And the upgraded CAPTAIN AMERICA (1968) #127 has Nick Fury and Tony Stark wondering if Cap is really an impostor! So they send a robot to fight him!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #239-240, the Inferno event begins, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #137, Spidey versus Harry, the new Green Goblin, and DAREDEVIL #236, DD versus the “perfect soldier”! 

PeterS

4 endings and a guest app

IRON MAN #5 ends the 1st arc with Iron Man escaping from AIM with the surviving young geniuses, but the left-behind top genius takes over the enemy.

T Vernon fills in the last remaining Tony Stark-as-IM app in the Marvel Team-Up series in #110.

FANTASTIC FOUR #27 continues a guest-star run with Dr Strange helping out against Sub-Mariner.

ANNIHILATION: SILVER SURFER #4 concludes the mini-series with the Sky-Rider once more the Herald Of Galactus to fight the Annihilation Wave.

AVENGERS ACADEMY #37 is the end of the Final Exam arc, which was strangely-named because it all happened while the school was closed due to the Avengers Vs X-Men event.

--RobFJ

Still Headin’ toward Armageddon!

Brand new CAPTAIN AMERICA #11 pits Cap against Red Hulk over the latest surprise: a clone of Doctor Doom!

And now it’s the Grey Gargoyle who goes down before Sigurd and his bungee hammer in THE MORTAL THOR #10! Next issue: The Minotaur!

In BLACK WIDOW (2016) #12, the final issue of the series, we learn what will happen to the little girl assassins who were trained to destroy SHIELD!

THE NEW DEFENDERS #138 reveals the secrets of Moondragon’s past! Plus a lot of holographic guest stars!!

And WHAT IF GENERAL ROSS BECAME THE HULK? is this week’s Hulk-centered comic! The gray one, not the red one!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #238, the X-Men take down Genosha, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #136, Harry Osborn is the new Green Goblin, and DAREDEVIL #235, DD versus Mister Hyde! 

PeterS

Teams and team-ups

WICCAN: WITCHES' ROAD #5 concludes the mini-series with Morgan Le Fay helping Wiccan and co defeat Baba Yaga and reunite him with his Demiurge power. And he gets to keep the witch's hut on giant chicken legs.

T Vernon does MARVEL TEAM-UP #72 starring Spider-Man and Iron Man with the return of Jean DeWolff and her brother Wraith.

FANTASTIC FOUR #24 features a throwaway 'villain', the alien Infant Terrible. But Marvel hardly ever throws *anything* away for ever.
And I also added some extra comments on #25&26.

All the Heralds join together in ANNIHILATION: SILVER SURFER #3 but Galactus chooses our hero as new foes get thrown into the pot.

In AVENGERS ACADEMY #36 all our heroes do whatever's necessary to get their powers back, but it may be too late to save the world (or at least its super-population).

--RobFJ

Hulk Versus Thing! With a Twist!

Waiting for Armageddon? Here are some older classics!

More Armageddon! More Infernal Hulk! More Born Again!

The brand new CAPTAIN AMERICA #10 has a high casualty rate and Red Hulk is still on his way!

INFERNAL HULK #6 pits Tony Stark in the Hellbuster armor against the Infernal Hulk!

In BLACK WIDOW (2016) #10, Natasha and Bucky take a trip to the moon! No tattoos involved (Check out the cover)! Wait, where's that tattoo going?

THE NEW DEFENDERS #136 sees Gargoyle being enslaved by an evil wizard and sent to fight the Mujahideen and the Soviets! And Cloud swaps genders in a politically incorrect move!

THOR (1998) #52 reveals Thialfi’s origin and it’s tied to Thor’s trauma!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #236, first visit to Genosha, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #134, first appearance of Tarantula (pointy shoes!), and DAREDEVIL #232-233, the classic “Born Again” concludes!  

PeterS

School's out but court's in session

T Vernon gives us the end of the Wraith story arc in MARVEL TEAM-UP #51 as a court tries to decide who's guilty of Wraith's actions, catatonic Brian DeWolff who has the powers or his father Phillip who mentally controlled his body. But of course this is a comic so fighting ensues.

FANTASTIC FOUR #23 brings Dr Doom back again with a plan to strand the FF in airless outer space, but they turn the tables on him.

In ANNIHILATION: SILVER SURFER #2 several ex-Heralds Of Galactus gang up to stop Annihilus stealing their Power Cosmic. And Thanos is playing his own game.

AVENGERS ACADEMY #34-35 start a 4-part arc with the school closed because of the Avengers Vs X-Men event, and Jeremy Briggs offering to 'cure' students of their powers as a prelude to force-curing the superhuman population of the world.

--RobFJ

Armageddon is Coming, Hulk Finishes Smashing!

The brand new CAPTAIN AMERICA #9 has war breaking out in Latveria to set the stage for the Armageddon event!

Also new HULK: SMASH EVERYTHING #5 wraps up the miniseries in an apocalyptic manner, stopping Hulk from tearing the world apart!

THE NEW DEFENDERS #135 pits the teammates against a blazing bigot called Blowtorch Brand!

THOR (1998) #51 has Asgard now hovering over New York City and Spider-Man checking it out!

In BLACK WIDOW (2016) #9, Winter Soldier joins Natasha against the new Headmistress!

And Anthony Silvestro brings us UNCANNY X-MEN #235, first mention of Genosha, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #133, more Molten Man, and DAREDEVIL #230-231, the classic “Born Again” continues! 

And J.A.R.V.I.S. 2008 jumps forward to the 1950s horror mags with MARVEL TALES #93-101!

PeterS

Mainly continuations, but then everything's a continuation of Timely Comics

T Vernon's MARVEL TEAM-UP #50 turns the ongoing Spider-Man/Iron Man team-up into SM/Dr Strange with added IM. And Wraith turns out to be Jean DeWolff's brother Brian mentally controlled by their father Phillip.

FANTASTIC FOUR #22 features the FF's 1st foe Mole Man back again for the 1st time, and he's brought a horde of subterranean Moloids with him.

In the Annihilation event I've moved on to a new mini-series ANNIHILATION: SILVER SURFER #1. Surfer tries to save Air-Walker from Ravenous and his Seekers who are collecting Heralds Of Galactus for their Power Cosmic for their boss Annihilus.

The Avengers Vs X-Men event continues with X-MEN: LEGACY #269-270 where Rogue captures Ms Marvel but then discovers that Magik is imprisoning Avengers in demon-infested Limbo.

JARVIS 2008 has gone all Timely with MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS #2-12 (including the famed Human Torch/Sub-Mariner clash in #8-9), MYSTIC COMICS #1-4 and RED RAVEN COMICS #1 which was immediately replaced by HUMAN TORCH COMICS #2-3 (including the intro of sidekick Toro).

--RobFJ