comicspeak

Fantastic Four by Byrne Omnibus Annotations

2012-01-31T04:45:00.000-08:00

Marvel Team-Up 61 September 1977

This story doesn't feature the Fantastic Four, but the Human Torch was a regular co-feature. Indeed Marvel Team-Up started as a series featuring Spider-Man and the Human Torch before it became a Spider-Man vehicle. A series with guest-stars was considered the best way to avoid continuity problems for characters who already appeared in their own series. After three issues together, Spider-Man started teaming-up with other characters. In 1974, when Marvel launched Giant-Size Spider-Man, once again he was teamed up with other characters so as to write continuity-free adventures. Therefore, for its five-issue duration, on the months when the quarterly GS Spider-Man was released, the Human Torch took Spidey's spot as guest in Marvel Team-Up (#23, 26, 26, 32, 35).

The Equinox mentioned by Spider-Man is a reference to the previous Marvel Team-Up issues #59-60. This story takes place just after that one.

The villain is the Super-Skrull, a shape-shifting alien with all the powers of the FF. This is therefore an opportunity for Byrne to draw their powers in action. Reed Richards and the Thing even appear in flashback. This is likely the reason that warranted the inclusion of this issue.

NYPD Captain Jean DeWolff was created earlier in this same series by Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema. She was the first woman police captain of the Marvel universe. She mainly appeared in stories by Mantlo and Claremont (in MTU) in the 70s.

Lt Scarfe was created by Chris Claremont for the Iron Fist story in Marvel Premiere #23.
DeWolff and Scarfe both appeared in MTU #60. Here, Scarfe mentions the Equinox case is wrapped up as he is subject to psychiatric evaluation at Bellevue hospital. This is a progressive notion in that this villain.

Lt Kris Keating was created in Defenders #44, February 1977. He also appeared in Defenders #51 published the same month as this issue of MTU. Was that why Keating is unavailable to deal with the crisis? Was Claremont aware of what Kraft was writing? Whatever the case, Claremont did his homework on the NYPD of the Marvel universe.

Both DeWolff and Keating would be revealed by Peter David in the late 80s as having been murdered, while Scarfe recently (in the crossover Shadowland) became a criminal, even threatening his former partner, Misty Knight. There is no respect for secondary supporting characters.

The flashback with Tigra wraps up a storyline from the cancelled Marvel Chillers. Tigra started featuring in #3 under Tony Isabella. Claremont wrote #4, pitting her vs Kraven (as he would again in MTU #67). Isabella returned for #5 and #6, introducing Joshua Plague, revealed as Super-Skrull in the latter illustrated by Byrne. Issue #7 was by Shooter where Super-Skrull is trapped by the soul-catcher (which appears on page 1 of MTU 61). Claremont and Byrne both returned to Tigra in MTU #67.

Actually, under Claremont Marvel Team-Up featured a record number of co-feature female characters (#59-60, #62, #64, #67, #77, #79-82, #85, #88) as he demonstrated early on his knack for strong female characters.

Carol Danvers first appeared as a Security Officer in Marvel-Super Heroes #13 (March 1968) as a supporting character for the Captain Marvel feature. Becoming a female version of that character in Ms. Marvel #1 (Jan 1977), she started a late 70s trend that would include Spider-Woman and She-Hulk. Claremont started writing her adventures in Ms. Marvel #3 (March 1977). Those three panels announce her appearance in next issue.

Here, the Super-Skrull receives his powers from an energy beam as in FF #18. While this is mostly forgotten by other writers, the idea may have been suggested by Byrne who mined the early work more than anyone else.

Kick-Ass 2 #3

2011-08-26T09:19:00.000-07:00

From reading the preview pages, I got the distinct impression that the Asian bad guys aren't really bad guys, and I thought Millar was going to play a twist on us. As others have remarked, Millar's comic is inferior to the movie adaptation and this second opus reads as a disappointment so far. I still hope there's a twist coming like there was in the first one.
Tom Palmer completes the layouts and his finishing and inking look like what I was used to see from him in the previous decades. Romita Jr's art is so crude that it's Palmer and colorist Dean White painted color that prevent the art from looking too cartoony.

Megasauria

2011-08-03T01:45:00.000-07:00

Inventé par Jack Kirby pour être adapté en série télé pour enfants, Devil Dinosaur s'arrêtera avec le départ de Kirby à la fin de son contrat avec Marvel. Le personnage n'a fait que d’éphémères apparitions depuis, toutes en dehors de son milieu d'origine. En fait les auteurs essaient de le plonger dans l'univers Marvel où il détonne. Paru en France dans le magazine phare d'Arédit, Etranges Aventures, la série semble avoir marqué Jean-Marie Arnon qui, avec Megasauria, paru en 2009, nous offre pour la première fois, une suite thématique. Passionné de préhistoire et de science fiction, l'auteur a le profil idéal pour cette série.

Rétro

2011-07-25T16:15:00.001-07:00

Ce qu'il y a de bien avec les comics de nos jours, c'est que même si on n'aime pas le style actuel, on trouve des comics de toutes les époques. Non seulement, les éditeurs mettent sur le marché des collections de leurs anciens comics, mais ils produisent dans le présent des comics au style rétro.
En ce moment Marvel publie The Iron Age qui nous a présenté des aventures des Vengeurs, de Power Man/Iron Fist et de Captain Britain des années 80 ainsi que la Torche humaine des années 70. Les prochains épisodes revisiteront Dazzler et les X-Men vers 1980.
Marvel a aussi vidé ses fonds de tiroir et publié des inédits datant des années 80 à 2001 qui mettent en scène le Dr Strange, les Défenseurs, un team-up entre Hulk et la Torche Humaine, Nomad et Gambit et les Champions dans des histoires au style retro. Ainsi l'histoire du Dr Strange rend hommage à Ditko et nous présente l'origine de la maison du docteur. L'histoire des Champions est en fait un flashback de Gambit réalisé par George Tuska. Celle des Défenseurs (de 2001) présentent l'équipe d'origine du début des années 70.

On trouve cette influence à des degrés divers: la série Alpha Flight n'est pas dans un style rétro mais ramène l'équipe à ce qu'elle était à son lancement.

Quant à DC qui se prépare à relancer ses personnages, ils ont décidé de rendre hommage à leurs séries pérennes (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Justice League) en revisitant les années 70, 80 et 90 avec des scénaristes (et parfois des dessinateurs) emblématiques de cette époque.

Toujours chez DC, le nouveau prodige Nick Spencer écrit T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents avec dans chaque épisode une séquence qui a lieu dans les années 80 dessinée par Mike Grell et une séquence rétro des années 60.

2011-07-25T12:04:00.000-07:00

Herc est une excellent série. Les auteurs Pak et Van Lente suppriment le côté super-héroïque du personnage de Lee et Kirby pour revenir au héros mythologique. Herc n'est plus divin, il a "seulement" sa force de héros mortel. Les auteurs le transposent néanmoins dans l'univers Marvel et le confrontent uniquement à des personnages inspirés de la mythologie: Man-Bull inspiré du Minotaure, Basil Elks, le Basilic, Hecate, le Griffon. Le crossover avec Fear Itself est un des plus intelligents: la série préserve son identité. Dans un futur numéro, il rencontrera Elektra, elle aussi inspirée de la mythologie.

Bref, la grande difficulté de l'univers Marvel est qu'il est surpeuplé. Les lecteurs ne veulent pas d'une série qui se situent en dehors, ni de séries qui sont de vulgaires copies de celles qui existent déjà. Herc réussit le pari de concilier ces deux exigences.

2011-05-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

FEAR ITSELF #5 (of 7)

Pour enfants seulement.

FEAR ITSELF: FEARSOME FOUR #3 (of 4)
Written by BRANDON MONTCLARE
Penciled by RYAN BODENHEIM with HENRY FLINT
Cover by MICHAEL KALUTA

L'auteur saura-t-il tirer parti de cet asemblage disparate de personnages rescapés de séries de Steve Gerber? Ce serait formidable si c'était le cas.

FEAR ITSELF: WOLVERINE #2 (of 3)
Sans intérêt

AVENGERS #16
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Penciled by JOHN ROMITA JR.
Cover by ALAN DAVIS
FEAR ITSELF TIE-IN
Amidst the ashes of what is left of the Marvel Universe and during the bombastic battles throughout New York, a new Avengers romance blossoms.

Tiens donc! Hawkeye va vite en besogne avec Spider-Woman après la mort de son ex. Il était temps que Bendis se mette au soap.

JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #626
Written by KIERON GILLEN
Penciled by DOUG BRAITHWAITE
Cover by STEPHANIE HANS
Voilà un scénariste qui sait écrire les Asgardiens. Les auteurs qui écrivent Thor comme un super-héros n'ont rien compris.

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #507
Written by MATT FRACTION
Art & Cover by SALVADOR LARROCA
L'histoire a lieu à Paris. Insuffisant pour s'y intéresser.

ALPHA FLIGHT #3 (of 8)
Written by FRED VAN LENTE & GREG PAK
Penciled by DALE EAGLESHAM
Cover by PHIL JIMENEZ
Variant Cover by DALE EAGLESHAM

Le succès sera-t-il au rendez-vous?

FEAR ITSELF: THE DEEP #3 (of 4)
Written by CULLEN BUNN
Pencils & Cover by LEE GARBETT
FEAR ITSELF TIE-IN
In the midst of FEAR ITSELF, anything goes! Just as the unlikely team of Namor, Dr. Strange, the Silver Surfer, the Savage She-Hulk, and Loa band together, they’re torn apart by a nightmare from the depths. And now each of these heroes must face an almost unstoppable enemy--and crushing fear--alone!

Tiens! les Défenseurs.

FEAR ITSELF: YOUTH IN REVOLT #4 (of 7)
Written by SEAN MCKEEVER
Penciled by MIKE NORTON
Cover by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI
McKeever n'a rien fait de passionnant depuis son départ de Marvel.

FEAR ITSELF: THE HOME FRONT #5 (of 7)
Written by CHRISTOS GAGE, FRED VAN LENTE, HOWARD CHAYKIN & SIMON SPURRIER
Penciled by MIKE MAYHEW, ALESSANDRO VITTI, HOWARD CHAYKIN & JASON LATOUR
Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC

Gage, Van Lente et Chaykin ne peuvent pas décevoir.

GHOST RIDER #2
Un nouveau Ghost Rider féminin?

AVENGERS ACADEMY #17 & #18
Written by CHRISTOS GAGE
Pencils by SEAN CHEN (#17) & TOM RANEY (#18)
Covers by BILLY TAN
Trapped in the Infinite Mansion with murderous demigods, the heroes-in-training of Avengers Academy must do the unthinkable...or die! Is this the issue where the students choose evil? Find out as August delivers two issues of the series that IGN calls “the under-appreciated gem of the Avengers franchise.”

Excellent série.

NEW AVENGERS #15
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by MIKE DEODATO
With Avengers Mansion under siege and the Avengers scattered all over the globe, super nanny Squirrel Girl is forced to protect the Cage/Jones baby with everything she has!

Bendis a-t-il de l'humour dans ses cordes?

HERC #6
Written by FRED VAN LENTE & GREG PAK
Penciled by NEIL EDWARDS
Cover by GREG HORN
Depowered, abandoned by those closest to him and cast away in a twisted, nightmarish version of his new home of Brooklyn, Hercules prepares for to make his stand against Kyknos, son of his immortal enemy Ares, and Hecate, the villainous goddess of witchcraft. Will strength and heart alone be enough to overcome his seemingly insurmountable obstacles, or will this be the final, fatal trial of Hercules? Star writers Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente team up with ace artist Neil Edwards to bring the closing chapter to Hercules versus FEAR ITSELF.
Cette série de personnages de mythologie dans New York plaira à ceux que rasent les super-héros.

BLACK PANTHER: THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR #522
Written by DAVID LISS
Penciled by FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA
Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER
As the mayhem of the Worthy engulfs Manhattan, the American Panther makes his move to take control of the city!
Très bonne série à l'esprit pulp.

HULK #38
Written by JEFF PARKER
Penciled by ELENA CASAGRANDE
Cover by CARLO PAGULAYAN
Who will be left standing as two of Marvel’s Mightiest go head to head? Red Hulk’s big brawlin’ battle with the hammer-wielding Thing comes to its bone-bashing, fist-smashing, mind-crashing conclusion! It’s a fight like nothing ever seen before, and no one walks away unscathed! Even the all-new M.O.D.O.K. may learn a thing or two before it’s all over! Written by Hulk’s master penman Jeff Parker and drawn by the dynamic Elena Casagrande, this is an issue not to be missed!
Ca s'annonce très mal.

HEROES FOR HIRE #10
Pourquoi lire ça?

THUNDERBOLTS #161 & #162
Written by JEFF PARKER
Penciled by DECLAN SHALVEY
Covers by J.S. ROSSBACH
Juggernaut has brought destruction to the American Midwest. His team- the alpha squad of the Thunderbolts – have caught the full fury of Cain Marko joined to the ancient force of The Serpent. It all comes down to this! A stand has to be taken and the worst threats of a lost age will face the worst threats of today- the combined squads of the THUNDERBOLTS! It's a major battle with major upheaval as members are transformed completely and others will reveal secret agendas-- and betray their team.
This explosive finale will change the Thunderbolts in profound ways, and turn old friends into bitter enemies. Don't miss it!
La série s'arrête. Pauvre Parker!

UNCANNY X-MEN #542

Written by KIERON GILLEN
Saura-t-il ressusciter cette série?

FEAR ITSELF: DEADPOOL #3 (of 3)
FEAR ITSELF: UNCANNY X-FORCE #2 (of 3)
NEW MUTANTS #29 & #30
Written by ANDY LANNING
Pencils & Cover by DAVID LAFUENTE
Le dessinateur suffira-t-il à rendre cela intéressant?

ULTIMATE FALLOUT #4-6 (OF 6)

ULTIMATE COMICS HAWKEYE #1 (of 4)
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN
Curieux de voir Hickman sur une mini.

ULTIMATE COMICS ULTIMATES #1
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #667-668
"Spider-Island" Written by DAN SLOTT
Pencils & Cover by HUMBERTO RAMOS
YOU NEED THIS!

SPIDER-ISLAND: CLOAK & DAGGER #1 (of 3)

Written by NICK SPENCER
Penciled by EMMA RIOS
A surveiller. Spencer et Rios sont un duo de choc

SPIDER-ISLAND: THE AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL #1 (of 3)
Written by PAUL TOBIN

SPIDER-ISLAND: DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU #1 (of 3)
Shang-Chi, Immortal Iron Fist and the Bride of Nine Spiders!

J'adore!

VENOM #6
Written by RICK REMENDER
Penciled by TOM FOWLER
Cover by TONY MOORE
Sans Tony Moore, inutile.

SPIDER-ISLAND: DEADLY FOES #1

Written by DAN SLOTT, Christos Gage & FRED VAN LENTE
Cover by Stefano Caselli
If GWEN STACY returns...

Intriguant...

SECRET AVENGERS #16
Written by WARREN ELLIS
Pencils by JAMIE McKELVIE
Cover by John Cassaday
Variant Cover by JAMIE McKELVIE
Master storyteller Warren Ellis begins his tenure on Earth's Mightiest Clandestine Super-Team, illustrated by Eagle Award-winning Jamie McKelvie.

Un must.

AVENGERS: THE CHILDREN'S CRUSADE #7 (of 9)
Written by ALLAN HEINBERG
Pencils & Cover by JIM CHEUNG
IT’S THE AVENGERS VERSUS THE X-MEN – with the Young Avengers and X-Factor caught in the crossfire

Bof!

CAPTAIN AMERICA AND BUCKY #621
Written by ED BRUBAKER & MARC ANDREYKO
Penciled by CHRIS SAMNEE
Cover by ED McGUINNESS

Je suis partant.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #2
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Pencils & Cover by STEVE MCNIVEN
Superstars Ed Brubaker and Steve McNiven continue their quintessential Cap story arc! Find out the secrets of the mission that went wrong in WW2 and why old friends are now old enemies! Its action and history in a cage match for your comic-reading pleasure.
J'espère que Brubaker a de la réserve car il s'essoufflait gravement.

RED SKULL #2 (of 5)
Written by GREG PAK
Art by MIRKO COLAK
Cover by DAVID AJA
The young man who will be the Red Skull struggles to stay alive, as the martial drumbeat of Berlin’s forces of evil grows in power. Johann’s life is a hardscrabble fight and a miserable existence…hunger, thievery, scrapping with street gangs…until he wins the affections of a friendly shopkeeper and his daughter. But if a boy raised himself on the streets through violence, can there be any other way but tragic destiny?
Formidable couverture mais que donnera le reste?

CAPTAIN AMERICA CORPS #3 (of 5)
Written by ROGER STERN
Penciled by PHILIPPE BRIONES
Cover by PHIL JIMENEZ
CAPTAIN AMERICA – ENEMY OF THE STATE? Why are Five Generations of Captain America considered traitors to the USA? What caused the end of Marvel’s heroes? That's what Captain America, the U.S. Agent, American Dream, Commander A, and the original Cap must learn if they are to save America, the world, and reality itself. "History Lesson" is by Roger Stern (CAPTAIN AMERICA: FOREVER ALLIES) and Phillipe Briones (WEB OF SPIDER-MAN).
Stern n'est pas toujours au top mais je garde bon espoir.

THOR: HEAVEN & EARTH #2 & #3 (of 4)
Written by PAUL JENKINS
Art by Ariel Olivetti
Cover by MARK TEXIERA
It’s Thor as you’ve never seen him before, brought to you by master storyteller Paul Jenkins. In “Blowin’ in the Wind”, illustrated by industry legend Mark Texeira, Thor must diffuse a tense hostage situation with a man whose son died attempting to fly like a super-hero. Can Thor save the lives of the innocents using his mind instead of Mjolnir? Then, in “Ask Me Tomorrow”, breakout artist Pascale Alixe brings to life the story of a Catholic priest on death’s door who consults with the God of Thunder about life, the universe and everything. Two gripping Thor tales from Marvel’s greatest!
Je ne sais rien de cette série.

ALL-WINNERS SQUAD: BAND OF HEROES #3 (of 8)
Written by PAUL JENKINS
Art by CARMINE DI GIANDOMENICO
Cover by MICO SUAYAN
Discover the shocking truth behind the World War II adventures of Marvel’s original heroes, as Captain America, Bucky, and the valiant men of the military’s all-superhuman squadron give all to defeat the Axis! But a sinister secret lies behind their mission…and it takes no less a meddler than Loki, the God of Trickery, to bring it to light!
A voir... j'aime bien cette période historique qui est celle de la naissance du genre.

JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #626.1
Written by ROB RODI
Pencils & Cover by PASQUAL FERRY
START READING with this Point One Issue!
Young Loki is at a severe disadvantage: everyone in Asgard remembers him from his previous life—but they're all strangers to him, and they fully intend to keep it that way. Desperate, Loki conjures up a mystical means of eavesdropping on their private thoughts; and what he learns doesn't make him happy. Even worse, the lesson itself may just cost him his life! A perfect jumping-on point, showcasing Loki's relationships with Asgard's movers and shakers, and setting the stage for the choices he makes in the months to come.
A peine lancée, on nous offre un numéro d'introduction??

THE MIGHTY THOR #5
Written by MATT FRACTION
Art & Cover by OLIVIER COIPEL
Variant Cover by GREG LAND
Thor and the Surfer battle on the surface of Mars, hundreds of millions of kilometers away from the ultimate Asgardian - Galactus War! And meanwhile on Earth, Volstagg is left to defend Asgard from hostile invaders with Loki as his only ally. Loki charges into battle bearing the magical gifts of the Weird Sisters that only he can see. Will they be enough? Can they save Thor? And who will survive...the rise of the COSMIC DESTROYER?
Pour Olivier.

THE IRON AGE: OMEGA #1
Written by ROB WILLIAMS
Penciled by REBEKAH ISAACS
One Marvel icon will die

THE IRON AGE #3 (of 3)
Written by LOUISE SIMONSON & ROB WILLIAMS
Penciled by TODD NAUCK & ROB DELATORRE
Covers by JELENA DJURDJEVIC & PHIL JIMENEZ
THE X-MEN JOIN THE IRON AGE! Iron Man's quest through history to save the Earth from the destruction of Dark Phoenix is near complete -- but first a weakened Tony Stark will have to fight his way through the classic battle between the Uncanny X-Men, The Hellfire Club and Jean Grey herself!

IRON MAN 2.0 #7.1
Written by NICK SPENCER
Art by KANO
Cover by SALVADOR LARROCA
Un numéro d'introduction 6 mois après le lancement??

IRON MAN 2.0 #8
Written by NICK SPENCER
Art by ARIEL OLIVETTI
Cover by SALVADOR LARROCA
New arc! Yet another perfect chance to jump on!
Ah bon? A quoi sert le #7.1 alors?

INCREDIBLE HULKS #634-635
Written by GREG PAK
Pencils & Cover by PAUL PELLETIER
THIS IS IT! The finale of Marvel scribe extraordinaire Greg Pak’s heralded Hulk run, and he’s not leaving without a fight! Or in this case, an uncompromising beatdown unlike anything the Hulk has ever endured. All the stops have been pulled out and nothing is off the table in this crushingly climactic issue brought to life by acclaimed artist Paul Pelletier, a must-read event for any and all fans of the Green Goliath in this awesome, extra-large final issue!

Pak ne m'a jamais convaincu

HULK #39
Written by JEFF PARKER
Pencils & Cover by GABRIEL HARDMAN
OMEGEX, a deadly force from beyond the far reaches of space, has awakened, and he wants Red Hulk! Our Crimson Crusader has fought battles of massive scale, fought villains of great strength and guile, and even punched a Watcher! But what can he do against a destroyer of entire worlds? Star scribe Jeff Parker and the astounding artisan Gabriel Hardman bring an epic Hulk tale in the grand Marvel tradition!

THE PUNISHER #1
Written by GREG RUCKA
Penciled by MARCO CHECCHETTO
Covers by BRYAN HITCH
Variant Cover by SAL BUSCEMA
Variant Cover by NEAL ADAMS
THE PUNISHER #2
Hunting for the villains behind the Wedding Day massacre, The Punisher will leave no body unturned! With Detectives Bolt and Clemons on his tail, the massacre’s only survivor will seek the Punisher’s aid…which might be the worst of all possible choices
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$2.99

WOLVERINE, PUNISHER & GHOSTvRIDER: OFFICIAL INDEX TO THE MARVEL UNIVERSE #1
The chronicle of Wolverine (from 1982’s WOLVERINE #1), the Punisher (from 1986’s PUNISHER #1) and Ghost Rider (from 1972’s MARVEL SPOTLIGHT #5).

J'adore cet index.

DAREDEVIL #2

Written by MARK WAID
Pencils & Cover by PAOLO RIVERA
Incontournable.

MOON KNIGHT #4
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by ALEX MALEEV
Le #1 n'était pas terrible

DISNEY • PIXAR PRESENTS: INCREDIBLES - FAMILY MATTERS
Written by MARK WAID
Penciled by MARCIO TAKARA
Your favorite super-hero family is back to save the day! But Mr. Incredible is keeping a secret from his family: He lost his powers, and doesn’t know why. After a visit to Dr. Sunbright — a physician specializing in super-powered patients — confirms his otherwise good health, Mr. Incredible must come to grips with the fact he just isn’t super anymore. Now, he’s faced with the decision to tell his family and get grounded, or keep his secret from his loved ones and risk someone getting hurt.
Bonne pêche

FF #8

Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN
Pencils & Cover by STEVE EPTING
The War of Four Cities escalates and we learn what it is that Marvel's First Family fears most!
Très bonne série.

15-LOVE #3 (of 3)
Written by ANDI WATSON
Penciled by TOMMY OHTSUKA
Cover by SHO MURASE
It has come to this! The Mighty Marvel Age of Tennis Manga comes to a pulse pounding conclusion as Mill Collins finds herself in the Wayde Tennis Academy’s big tournament…but her chances are looking slim. Between a possible modeling deal and the boy she’s interested in, is it any wonder her trainer thinks she’s not focused? But if she wants to prove herself she needs to get her head in the game fast and turn things around!
Prometteur.

GAMBIT: FROM THE MARVEL VAULT #1
Written by SCOTT LOBDELL
Penciled by GEORGE TUSKA
Cover by DAVID YARDIN
X-Man Gambit joins the Champions to take down the Mental Organism Designed Only For Killing! From those halcyon days gone by when the Champions were L.A.’s premier super-team comes this amazing assemblage featuring: Ghost Rider, the Black Widow, Angel, Remy LeBeau and the demi-god Hercules! The Champions are in a desperate race to stop the malevolent MODOK from coming into possession of the Scroll of Vishota. With such a parchment in your control, world domination is but moments away. Looks as if the ragin’ Cajun showed up just in time!
Avec Tuska on est sûr que ça sera médiocre mais ça peut valoir le coup pour les nostalgiques des Champions dans Titans

HERC #6.1
Written by FRED VAN LENTE & GREG PAK
Penciled by MIKE GRELL
Cover by CARLO PAGULAYAN
START READING with this Point One Issue!
Herc’s had a busy time recently. He saved all of reality, got depowered in the process, moved out to Brooklyn and became a local hero. Although he’s no longer a god and shows no interest in reclaiming his place in Olympia, that doesn’t mean that Olympia’s forgotten about him. A figure from Herc’s past has come to hunt him down, and his intentions for what to do once he finds him remain unclear. Does Olympia have it out for its former son? Written by Marvel Masters Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente and drawn by artist extraordinaire Mike Grell, HERC 6.1 offers an awesome jumping-on point for anyone curious about Marvel’s beloved bruiser, Herc!
Que comprendre à cette politique de Marvel qui consiste à faire des numéros spéciaux d'introduction six mois après le lancement d'une nouvelle série?

KA-ZAR #3 (of 5)
Written by PAUL JENKINS
Si c'est bien dessiné

MYSTERY MEN #4 (of 5)
Written by DAVID LISS
Pencils & Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER
The Mystery Men combine forces for the first time! With a new evil washing over an unsuspecting New York City, the Operative, the Aviatrix, the Surgeon, the Revenant and Achilles blast through dangers from blood-soaked mob warehouses to monster-infested mansions!
J'aime le pulp

VENGEANCE #2 (of 6)
Written by JOE CASEY
Penciled by NICK DRAGOTTA
Cover by GABRIELE DELL’OTTO
THE LIFE OF BULLSEYE HOLDS THE FATE OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE! But isn’t he already dead? That won’t stop the Young Masters from hunting down his legacy. Meanwhile, Ms. America and the Teen Brigade uncover a mystery dedicated towards throwing off the balance of Good and Evil on earth – a mystery that involves THE IN-BETWEENER! By Joe Casey (AVENGERS: EARTH’S MIGHTIEST) and Nick Dragotta (FANTASTIC FOUR)

MARVEL UNIVERSE VS. WOLVERINE #3 (of 4)
Written by JONATHAN MABERRY
Penciled by LAURENCE CAMPBELL
Cover by JOCK
The cannibal plague continues to consume the Marvel Universe. A cur is possible but fierce tribes of monsters led by the Thing and the Hulk are hunting down the last scientists. The cannibals don’t want a cure; they want to conquer and devour. From the ruins three heroes rise to form a last line of resistance. With a gun, with a shield and with claws. The Punisher and Captain America join Wolverine as humanity’s last best hope. NY Times bestselling thriller author Jonathan Maberry and celebrated artist Laurence Campbell tear light the fuse on part 3 of this apocalyptic horror story.
28 jours plus tard dans l'univers Marvel

MARVEL ZOMBIES CHRISTMAS CAROL #5 (of 5)
Written by JIM McCANN
Penciled by DAVID BALDEON
Cover by MICHAEL KALUTA
He's faced his grim past, gruesome present and now his ghoulish future filled with fright. Can Ebeneezer Scrooge change his ways and undo the curse that's destroying humanity? Forget next Christmas, if Scrooge fails, there won't even be a tomorrow!

S.H.I.E.L.D. #2
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN
Penciled by DUSTIN WEAVER
Cover by GERALD PAREL
Historical Variant by DUSTIN WEAVER
The battle between Leonardo Da Vinci and Issac Newton for the Immortal City comes to a climactic conclusion! Leonid makes his choice between his two fathers, Michelangelo and Tesla kick their plan into high gear and Howard Stark lays the foundation for the organization you know as S.H.I.E.L.D.
La premièere série était une réussite. J'espère que l'aspect historique ne sera pas perdu

MYSTIC #1 (of 4)
Written by G. WILLOW WILSON
Penciled by DAVID LÓPEZ
Cover by AMANDA CONNER
A Crossgen title reimagined as only Marvel could! Eisner Award-nominated G. WILLOW WILSON (Air, Superman, Cairo) and superstar DAVID LOPEZ (HAWKEYE/MOCKINGBIRD, Catwoman) join forces to bring you the story of two seemingly ordinary orphan girls who find their lives turned upside down by magic…one of them will find herself responsible for saving the world and the other as her mortal enemy! The magic begins this August!

X-MEN #16

ASTONISHING X-MEN #41
Written by DANIEL WAY
Pencils by NICK BRADSHAW
Cover by SALVADOR LAROCCA
“MONSTROUS”
The epic story pitting the X-Men and the Marvel Monsters comes to a startling conclusion! Rising star Nick Bradshaw (UNCANNY X-MEN ANNUAL) joins writer Daniel Way (DEADPOOL) to bring you the most exciting monster fight ever shown in a comic.
Jason Pearson a disparu?

X-MEN: SCHISM #3 (of 5)
GENERATION HOPE #10
X-MEN #15.1
X-MEN #16
X-MEN LEGACY #253
X-FACTOR #223 & #224
Written by PETER DAVID
Penciled by EMANUELA LUPACCHINO
Covers by DAVID YARDIN
“HARD LABOR” Conclusion!
About to give birth and on the run from mutants, demons and gods alike, Wolfsbane turns to the only ones she feels she can trust: her own kind. But even with the help of THE PACK, will Wolfsbane and her baby survive the ordeal? And considering some believe the baby to be the harbinger of the end of the world, do we even want them to?
Seul groupe de mutants qui m'intéresse

X-MEN LEGACY #254
DAKEN: DARK WOLVERINE #12 & #13
X-23 #13
WOLVERINE #13 & #14
UNCANNY X-FORCE #13 & #14
WOLVERINE & BLACK CAT: CLAWS 2 #2 (of 3)
Written by JIMMY PALMIOTTI
Pencils & Cover by JOSEPH MICHAEL LINSNER
Two of Marvel’s sharpest heroes just wanted a nice dinner, but now they’re fighting for their lives against Martians in a postapocalyptic future! Monsters! Aliens! Killraven! Can our two clawed crusaders survive in this mad wasteland, much less find their way back to their own place in the present? Only time, and the mad machinations of writer James Palmiotti and the epic art of Joseph Linsner, will tell!.
Killraven? Je prends!

WOLVERINE: THE BEST THERE IS #9
Written by CHARLIE HUSTON
Penciled by JUAN JOSE RYP
Cover by BRYAN HITCH
Wolverine may be the best there is on earth but will that hold true when Bounty Hunters Monark Starstalker and Paradox take him on a trip through the vastness of Space? What’s all this talk of spaceborn technecrotic viruss that produce a race of unkillable zombies? And just how long can Logan hold his breath in a total vacuum while cutting alien invaders to ribbons? The answers will shock you! Don’t miss WOLVERINE: THE BEST THERE IS 9, coming your way at light speed.
Wolverine dans l'espace? Huston est le seul scénariste à faire quelque chose d'intéressant avec le personnage

DEADPOOL #41 & #42
SUPREME POWER #3 (of 4)

PUNISHERMAX #16
Written by JASON AARON
Penciled by STEVE DILLON
Cover by DAVE JOHNSON
Locked in solitary confinement with a prison riot raging around him, the Punisher is closer to death than ever before. But first he must face the ghosts of his past and relive the worst day of his life. What were the Punisher’s final words to his family before they were ripped from him in a hail of bullets? Writer JASON AARON and artist STEVE DILLON bring you the Punisher’s origin as you’ve never seen it before. With covers by Eisner-Winner DAVE JOHNSON.

Très agréable. Une écriture marquée par Ennis et Moore.

DEADPOOL MAX #11 (of 12)
DARK TOWER: THE GUNSLINGER - THE BATTLE OF TULL #3 (of 5)

THE STAND: The Night Has Come #1 (of 6)
Written by ROBERTO AGUIRRE-SACASA
Penciled by MIKE PERKINS
Cover by TOMM COKER
It's all been building to this, True believers: The ultimate conflict between Good and Evil. The three spies sent by the Free Zone to infiltrate Flagg's ranks have crossed over to the west, but have they underestimated the dark man's power? And the loyalty of those who follow him? Blood will be shed as the final chapter of Stephen King's masterpiece of apocalyptic horror begins!
J'adore cette série. C'est le Walking Dead de Marvel.

ANITA BLAKE: BOOK OF THE DAMNED - The Scoundrel #1 (of 5)

BRILLIANT #2
Created by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS & MARK BAGLEY
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by MARK BAGLEY
Variant Covers by DAVID MACK & MICHAEL AVON OEMING
How do Bendis and Bagley follow up their record-breaking, award-winning run on the million-selling ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN? With another chapter of their new creator-owned series BRILLIANT. The challenge has been set: a handful of genius college students have taken it upon themselves to crack the mystery of superpowers. Can it be done? Can science fiction again become science fact? Find out in this crackling thriller sure to entertain fans of SCARLET and POWERS.
Bendis qui écrit des génies avec Bagley?

CRIMINAL: LAST OF THE INNOCENT #3 (of 4)
By Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
with Val Staples on colors

Grant Morrison's International Batmen

2010-11-06T07:44:00.000-07:00

Since he became regular writer, Grant Morrison has taken an approach 180 degrees opposite to previous famous writers. Where O'Neil and Adams and later Miller mostly ignored most of the past stories, especially those done in the 50s, Morrison has excavated many discarded concepts that had been as out of continuity.
He mentioned his first idea was to have a Batman replacement groomed by the police but it turned out this had already been done in the 50s. He came to realize that every kind of story had already been done in the long published history of the character.

I'd like to make a long list of all the concepts that Morrison excavated.

But here I'll focus on just one. Batman and Robin #16 announced the next phase as Batman will now recruit and train international Batmen. That isn't a new idea. It's the same idea as the Club of Heroes or International Batmen that had been done in the 50s.

First, in Batman #56, Batman trained Bat-Hombre but he turned out to be a member of an outlaw band. In Batman #62, he met the Knight and the Squire in England. In Batman #65, he trained Wingman. In Batman #86, he met the Sioux Man-of-Bats and his son Little Raven. Detective Comics #215 Batman invites the Knight and Squire, the Musketeer, the Gaucho, the Ranger and the Legionary. In World's Finest Comics #89, philanthropist John Mayhew invites Batman and Robin, Superman, the Legionary, the Musketeer, the Gaucho, and the Knight and the Squire to award them membership in his Club of Heroes.

The characters were then forgotten except by Roy Thomas who kept their adventures in the 50s and tied them to the JSA rather than to Batman.

Under Morrison, The Knight and Squire joined the Ultramarine Corps in JLA #26 and had an adventure with them in JLA Classified #1-3.

Bacchus, Deadface, Eyeball Kid

2010-08-16T07:41:00.000-07:00

Eddie Campbell restera connu comme le dessinateur de From Hell. Familier des beuveries, l'auteur a l'idée de mettre en scène Bacchus, dieu du vin, dans le monde contemporain.
Bacchus, le dieu de Nysos, est une divinité méditerranéenne qui a été intégré tardivement au panthéon grec classique. Il prenait souvent des airs de chérubin. Il était le petit dernier.
Campbell place sa série à l'époque contemporaine, cela lui permet de revisiter la mythologie grecque avec la nouvelle génération. Bacchus a le visage ravagé par le temps, la plupart des anciens dieux ont disparu et ont été supplanté par d'autres. Parmi les personnages on trouve Eyeball Kid (fils d'Argus), Hermès et Joe Theseus ainsi que les dieux du commerce (comprenez du capitalisme) qui ont pris le pouvoir.
L'influence de Thor par Lee, Kirby et Colletta est parfois très forte. Ses thèmes rappellent ceux de Neil Gaiman (que sont devenus les dieux?) sans l'avoir copié puisque Deadface commence en mars 1987 avant Sandman.
D'ailleurs Neil Gaiman est un ami et fait même des apparitions dans Bacchus.

La série a commencé chez un éditeur défunt mais a trouvé refuge chez Dark Horse Comics. Ensuite grâce à l'argent que lui a rapporté le fil From Hell, Campbell est devenu son propre éditeur avec le comic book Eddie Campbell's Bacchus dans lequel il a réédité toutes ses anciennes histoires avec deux nouvelles aventures.

Top Shelf va publier deux omnibus de plus de 500 pages chacun rééditant le tout.

Si vous aimez Sandman, Thor ou la mythologie, découvrez cette perle.

Irene Van de Kamp's index

2010-08-06T09:55:00.000-07:00

All stories by Carol Lay

Good Girls 1 April 1987

Inside cover: Monica Saunders and Irene Van de Kamp

"Ms Lonelyhearts" 8 pages

Feature character: Monica Saunders (first appearance)

Supporting character: Charles von Halen (first appearance); Megan (first appearance)

Dirk (first appearance)

Other characters: Ultra-Ma (dies) and Stupendo Boy (only appearance for both)

Hal (no appearance, first appears in #2)

“Face the Facts of Love” 10 pages

Feature character: Irene Van de Kamp (first appearance; origin told)

Supporting character: Kurt Davis (first appearance; last name revealed in #5)

Other characters: Bongodians (next appearance in Goodnight, Irene)

Uncle Nick (only appearance)

Corporate advisors (only appearance)

"Shutter-Bugged" 12 pages

Feature character: Monica Saunders

Supporting characters: Charles von Halen, Megan

Dirk (name revealed; last appearance)

Art (only appearance)

Sandy (only appearance)

Good Girls 2 Oct 1987

Inside cover: Monica Saunders dreaming of Hal

"Number 23" 17 pages

Feature character: Monica Saunders (next in #4)

Supporting characters: Charles von Halen (last appearance), Megan (next in #4)

Hal (first actual and last appearance)

Julie (no appearance)

Lisa (only appearance; friend of Megan)

Villains: three men (only appearance)

"Polite Society" 13 pages

Feature character: Irene Van de Kamp

Supporting character: Kurt Davis

Other characters: Mary Cahill (cosmetics saleswoman)

Lou (a bartender; next in #5 behind the scenes)

Joyce, Inez, Trudy, Phyllis (neighbours)

Pamela (daughter of Mary Cahill)

Good Girls 3 May 1988

Inside front cover: Bryce Setruse, Erma McIntyre, three-legged woman, bearded woman, tattooed woman, Siamese woman, Debbie Nolan

"Beauty and the Beast with Two Heads" 30 pages

Feature character: Irene Van de Kamp

Supporting character: Kurt Davis, Erma McIntyre (first appearance; called McIntosh)

Villains: two kidnappers, Bryce Setruse's siamese twin, Gaby Maizee (first appearance; next in #5)

Other characters: Bryce Setruse, Debbie Nolan (both next in “About Face” #8), taxi driver

Good Girls 4 Feb 1989

Cover: Kurt Davis

"Dreamland" 10 pages

Feature character: Irene Van de Kamp

Supporting characters: Kurt Davis, Erma McIntyre

Other character: Jay Davis (Kurt's brother; on the phone only)

"You can't always get what u want" 3 pages

Feature character: Monica Saunders (from #2; last appearance)

Supporting character: Megan (from #2; last appearance)

“The Visitation” 15 pages

Feature character: Carol Lay

"Grunge 361" 2 pages

Back cover: Monica Saunders and Megan (between panels 3 and 4 of page 3)

Good Girls 5 Jan 1991

Cover: Gaby Maizee

Inside cover: “Our story thus far”

"Brotherly Love" 24 pages

Feature character: Irene Van de Kamp

Supporting characters: Kurt Davis, Erma McIntyre

Villains: Gaby Maizee (from #3); Jay Davis (first actual appearance)

Other character: Lou (behind the scenes; from #2)

Back cover: Erma McIntyre

Good Girls 6 1991

Inside cover: Irene Van de Kamp

"Face-to-Face, Mano a Mano" 24 pages

Feature character: Irene Van de Kamp

Supporting character: Kurt Davis, Erma McIntyre

Villain: Gaby Maizee (last appearance), Jay Davis (last appearance)

Other character: Lou (last appearance), a taxi driver (only appearance)

Back cover: Irene, Erma and Kurt

Goodnight, Irene

reprints Irene Van de Kamp stories from #1-6: “Face the Facts of Love”, "Polite Society", "Beauty and the Beast with Two Heads", "Dreamland", “Our Story thus far”, "Brotherly Love", "Face-to-Face, Mano a Mano"

#7 “Nobody's Home” 5 pages

Feature character: Irene Van de Kamp

Supporting character: Erma McIntyre

Other characters: Bongodians (from Good Girls #1)

Comment: Irene is pregnant

#8 “About Face” 18 pages

Feature character: Irene Van de Kamp

Supporting character: Kurt Davis (from #6), Erma McIntyre, Lila Davis (first appearance)

Other characters: Debbie Nolan, Bryce Setruse (both from #3), Lois, Hope, Joe (first appearance for all)

Gallery:

Erma McIntyre in 1991 Hula Hoop championship play-offs (from #5 back cover)

Irene Van de Kamp posing while wood figurine is sculpted

Bryce Setruse, Erma McIntyre, three-legged woman, bearded woman, tattooed woman, Siamese woman, Debbie Nolan (from #3 inside cover)

Erma McIntyre (from #6 cover)

Irene Van de Kamp on cover of Mad magazine

Irene, Erma and Kurt (from #6 back cover)

Kurt Davis (from #4 cover)

Gaby Maizee (from #5 cover)

Back cover: Irene Van de Kamp with lipstick

Index

Monica Saunders 1,2,4

Charles von Halen 1,2

Megan 1,2,4

Dirk 1

Ultra-Ma 1

Stupendo Boy 1

Hal 2

Irene Van de Kamp 1-8

Kurt Davis 1-6,8

Bongodians 1,7

Art 1

Sandy 1

Lisa 2

Mary Cahill 2

Lou 2,5,6

Joyce 2

Inez 2

Trudy 2

Phyllis 2

Pamela 2

Bryce Setruse 3,8

Erma McIntyre 3-8

Debbie Nolan 3,8

Gaby Maizee 3,5,6

Jay Davis 4-6

Lois 8

Hope 8

Joe 8

letters by Scott McCloud, Peter Bagge

mentioned by Alan Moore as one of his ten favorite comics

Marvel's The Twelve Index

2010-08-06T09:50:00.000-07:00

THE TWELVE INDEX
Black Widow: Mystic Comics 4 (Aug 40), 5, 7, USA Comics 5, All-Select Comics 1 (Fall 43)
Blue Blade: USA Comics 5 (Summer 42)
Captain Wonder: Kid Comics 1, 2 (Feb, Summer 43)
Dynamic Man: Mystic Comics 1-4 (Mar-Aug 40)
Electro: Marvel Mystery Comics: 4-19 (Feb 40-May 41)
Fiery Mask: Daring Mystery Comics 1, 5, 6, Human Torch Comics 2 (Jan-Fall 40)
Laughing Mask: Daring Mystery 2-4 (Feb-May 40)
Mastermind Excello: Mystic Comics 2-3 (Apr-Jun 40)
Mister E: Daring Mystery Comics 2 (Feb 40)
Phantom Reporter: Daring Mystery Comics 3 (Apr 40)
Rockman: USA Comics (Aug 41-May 42)
Witness: Mystic Comics 7-9 (Dec 41-May 42)

BLACK WIDOW

MYSTIC COMICS Vol. 1 #4/5 (cover)
Cover Date: August 1940
Cover: Alex Schomburg (penciler, inker)
Story: "Introducing the Black Widow" (7 pages)
Credits: George Kapitan (scripter); Harry Sahle (penciler, inker)
Feature Characters: Black Widow (Claire Voyant; first appearance; between TWELVE 2 (2:4-6)-FB and MYSTIC COMICS 5/5; not to be confused with Black Widow from M/K:SM 9, Black Widow (Natalia Alianovna Romanova) from TOS 52, Black Widow (Yelena Belova) from INH2 5, Black Widow (Petra) from BW3 1, or the Black Widow operatives (including Stacy Matheson and Anna) from BW4 1)
Villains: "Satan" (first appearance; next in MYSTIC COMICS 5/5; not to be confused with other demons that used the alias, including Mephisto from SS 3, Satannish from DRSTR 174, Marduk Kurios from M/SPT 13, and Lucifer from GR5 1, or "Satan" (also known as Kro) from E 3)
Other Characters: Mrs. Wagler and her children, James and Patricia Wagler (first appearance for all; all three die)
Paraphernalia: Hades (an extradimensional realm; first appearance; next in MYSTIC COMICS 5/5; not to be confused with the alleged realm of Hades from VENUS 16/2, or Pluto (Hades) or his realm of Hades from T 127)
Synopsis: Claire Voyant, a spiritual medium of arguable ability, comes to the attention of a demon claiming to be "Satan," who collects the souls of human criminals before they are able to repent. Seeking to place her within his service, "Satan" influences the confused Voyant to proclaim a curse upon her clients, Mrs. Wagler and her adult children James and Patricia, during a seance. That evening the demon causes an automobile accident that kills Mrs. Wagler and Patricia, and the surviving James, blaming the curse, returns to the home of Voyant and murders her. After her body and soul are transported to his extradimensional realm of Hades, "Satan" uses a mystic rite to revive Voyant and grant her supernatural powers, transforming her into the immortal Black Widow, an assassin he dispatches to kill designated evil men so that he may derive strength from their corrupt souls. As she returns to Earth, the Black Widow finds James Wagler alone on a dock and touches his forehead, burning a black widow brand into his flesh and killing him in revenge for her murder.
Chronology: 1940 (OHOTMU5 2).
Comments: It is unrevealed whether the "Satan" associated with the Black Widow is Marduk Kurios, Lucifer, Mephisto, Satannish, or another demon using that alias. The realm of Hades ruled by "Satan" is probably one of the Splinter Realms from MGK2 3, as opposed to the Hades realm ruled by the Olympian god Pluto from T 127. The name of Claire Voyant was mentioned as "possibly an alias" in OHOTMU5 2, but was later confirmed as her real name in TWELVE 1. The origin is told differently in TWELVE 8.

MYSTIC COMICS Vol. 1 #5/5 (cover)
Cover Date: March 1941
Cover: Alex Schomburg (penciler, inker)
Story: "Garvey Lang" (8 pages)
Credits: George Kapitan (scripter); Harry Sahle (penciler, inker)
Feature Characters: Black Widow (between MYSTIC COMICS 4/5 and MYSTIC COMICS 7/3)
Villains: Garvey Lang (first appearance; dies) and his gang (first appearance for all; two die), "Satan" (between MYSTIC COMICS 4/5 and MYSTIC COMICS 7/3)
Paraphernalia: Hades (between MYSTIC COMICS 4/5 and MYSTIC COMICS 7/3)
Synopsis: The Black Widow is dispatched by "Satan" to collect the soul of Garvey Lang, a hijacker responsible for stealing $250,000 from a train. She becomes invisible and enters his hideout, mentally influencing one of his men to turn on Lang, who in turn kills his former henchman. Widow then influences Lang to think that another of his men had cheated him out of money he had stolen, and Lang kills him as well. During a masquerade party hosted by Lang the following evening, the Widow appears in costume and dances with Lang, who is captivated by her beauty. As they enter a private room, Lang asks her for a kiss. The Black Widow removes her mask to reveal her unliving visage and touches his forehead, branding him with a black widow mark and killing him.
Chronology: 1941 (cover date).

MYSTIC COMICS Vol. 1 #7/3 (cover)
Cover Date: December 1941
Cover: Jack Kirby (penciler)
Story: "Lewis and Sykes" (5 pages)
Credits: Stan Drake (penciler, inker)
Feature Characters: Black Widow (between MYSTIC COMICS 5/5 and USA COMICS 5/2)
Villains: Lewis, Sykes (first appearance for both; both die), "Satan" (between MYSTIC COMICS 5/5 and USA COMICS 5/2)
Paraphernalia: Hades (between MYSTIC COMICS 5/5 and USA COMICS 5/2)
Synopsis: As "Satan" is unwilling to wait for the deaths of Lewis and Sykes, corrupt munitions manufacturers who are selling weapons to both the Allied forces and the Axis powers, he dispatches the Black Widow to collect their souls. She approaches them at their offices for a secretarial job while disguised, and after she is alone with the two men, reveals her identity as the Black Widow and kills Lewis with her touch. After Sykes finds his gun ineffective upon her as he opens fire, he douses her with chemicals that briefly slows her advance, but she swiftly recovers and subsequently slays him with her cape.
Chronology: 1941 (cover date).

USA COMICS #5/2 (cover)
Cover Date: Summer 1942
Cover: Al Gabriele (penciler); George Klein (inker)
Story: "Murder, Unlimited" (5 pages)
Credits: George Kapitan (scripter); Mike Sekowsky (penciler); George Klein (inker)
Feature Characters: Black Widow (between MYSTIC COMICS 7/3 and MARVELS 1 (42:2-45:1))
Villains: Karl Koodamore (first appearance; dies) and his henchmen of Murder Unlimited (first appearance for all; two die), "Satan" (between MYSTIC COMICS 7/3 and ALL SELECT 1/5)
Other Characters: John Marriman (first appearance; dies)
Paraphernalia: Hades (between MYSTIC COMICS 7/3 and ALL SELECT 1/5)
Synopsis: The Black Widow is dispatched from Hades to collect the soul of the leader of the syndicate known as Murder Unlimited, the hitman Karl Koodamore, who has profited from the killing of others. After the actor John Marriman is slain while performing on-stage by a henchman of Koodamore, the Widow appears and then kills the henchman. She pursues Koodamore into a nearby office as his men unsuccessfully attempt to shoot her down. Koodamore orders one of his men to deal with her as he flees in an automobile, but the terrified gunman is unable to harm her and turns the gun upon himself. While he is escaping on a country road, the Black Widow appears before his car and Koodamore tries to run her down, but misses her and drives over a cliff into the river below. With the death of Koodamore, the Widow subsequently returns to Hades.
Chronology: 1942 (cover date).
Comments: Sometime after this story, Black Widow accompanies the Invaders and other mystery men on a European mission in late 1942 (MARVELS 1 (42:2-45:1)).

ALL SELECT COMICS #1/5 (cover)
Cover Date: Fall 1943
Cover: Alex Schomburg (penciler, inker)
Story: No title given (5 pages)
Credits: Stan Drake (penciler, inker)
Feature Characters: Black Widow (between MARVELS 1 (42:2-45:1) and TWELVE SPEARHEAD 1)
Villains: Ogor (first appearance; dies; not to be confused with Ogor from TTA 14/3, or Ogor from A 14), "Satan" (between USA COMICS 5/2 and TWELVE 2 (2-22))
Other Characters: Pepito (first appearance)
Paraphernalia: Hades (between USA COMICS 5/2 and TBD)
Synopsis: The Black Widow is sent by "Satan" to collect the corrupt soul of Ogor, a false seer and faith healer, who had become rich by swindling money from those who believed that he would use his alleged powers to heal them. As Ogor tries to leave town, the charlatan is confronted by the Widow as she attempts to claim his soul, and the terrified Ogor immediately dies of heart failure. Before she returns to Hades, the Black Widow subsequently uses her mystic powers to regenerate the amputated leg of a child named Pepito, the latest victim that Ogor had promised to heal, as an act of kindness.
Chronology: 1943 (OHOTMU5 2).
Comments: There was a Black Widow that was active postwar and shown defeating a crime wave alongside the Angel (Thomas Halloway), Challenger (Bill Waring) and Falcon (Carl Burgess) in M/K:SM 9 (14:3)-FB. This Black Widow is probably a successor to the original, likely also granted powers by the demon "Satan," as Claire Voyant herself was in suspended animation during this time (TWELVE 1). It is possible that this successor is the person whom, decades later, sorcerer Ian McNee would hear rumor of working with Patsy Walker ("she is working with a little old widow named Claire") investigating occult crimes (M/TAROT).

BLUE BLADE

USA COMICS #5/5 (cover)
Cover Date: Summer 1942
Cover: Al Gabriele (penciler); George Klein (inker)
Story: No title given (5 pages)
Credits: No credits given
Feature Characters: Blue Blade (Roy Chambers; first appearance; between TWELVE 8 (22:2-4)-FB and TWELVE SPEARHEAD 1)
Villains: Sandai (first appearance)
Paraphernalia: Blue Blade's horse (first appearance)
Synopsis: The Blue Blade is an adventurer armed with a sword and clad in a costume resembling that of a seventeenth century French musketeer. Arriving on the American west coast after riding his tireless horse across the country, he battles espionage and subversion along the Pacific coast and clashes with the Japanese spymaster Sandai.
Chronology: 1942 (cover date).
Comments: The Blue Blade's real name is revealed as Roy Chambers in TWELVE 1. He had become a mystery man for the notoriety ("That's why I got into all this in the first place... do a little stuntwork against the Ratzis, become a famous hero, then go back to my first love, acting."), as confirmed in TWELVE 2. Sandai is the Japanese word for "three."

CAPTAIN WONDER

KID KOMICS #1 (cover)
Cover Date: February 1943
Cover: Syd Shores (penciler, inker)
Story: No title given (14 pages)
Credits: Otto Binder (scripter); Frank Giacoia (penciler, inker)
Feature Characters: Captain Wonder (Professor Steve Jordan; first appearance; next in KID KOMICS 2)
Supporting Characters: Tim Mulrooney (first appearance; next in KID KOMICS 2)
Villains: Mister Death (Max Blucher; first appearance; dies; not to be confused with Mister Death (Omar Khayam Rasch) from AST 3)
Paraphernalia: "Wonder fluid" (chemical which can grant "more power than a dozen men"; first appearance)
Synopsis: Professor Steve Jordan, a chemistry teacher at a high school in New York City, develops a "wonder fluid," capable of granting a person the strength of twelve men. After school, Jordan shows the discovery to his prize student Tim Mulrooney, who merited detention after he bounced a rubber band off the back of the professor's head. Jordan accidentally drops the vial as he hands it to Tim, causing the room to fill with chemical fumes. Although Tim manages to open a window allowing the gases to escape, he and the professor inhale too much of the fumes and are rendered unconscious, but upon recovering Jordan discovers he possesses superhuman strength and is capable of flight, and Tim himself is similarly empowered. Professor Jordan makes the decision to become the mystery man known as Captain Wonder, with Tim becoming his faithful costumed sidekick. The two decide to use their powers in defense of their country and clash with the villain Mister Death (Max Blucher), who subsequently dies during their encounter.
Chronology: 1943 (cover date).
Comments: Sometime before this story, Professor Jordan and his wife Caroline have their sons William in 1940 and David in 1942 (TWELVE 2). Captain Wonder's real name is given as Professor Jordan; his first name is later revealed as Steve in TWELVE 1, although his wife erroneously calls him Earl in TWELVE 2 (8:4-9:3)-FB. During his 1943 appearances, it was unknown if Tim also possessed superhuman powers, but is later mentioned as "similarly empowered" in OHOTMU:GA '04. Their origin is retold in TWELVE 7 (5:5-7:6)-FB

KID KOMICS #2 (cover)
Cover Date: Summer 1943
Cover: Alex Schomburg (penciler, inker)
Story: "The Gaze of Death" (15 pages)
Credits: Frank Giacoia (penciler, inker)
Feature Characters: Captain Wonder (between KID KOMICS 1 and TWELVE 2 (8:4-9:3)-FB)
Supporting Characters: Tim Mulrooney (between KID KOMICS 1 and TWELVE 7 (8:3)-FB)
Villains: Dwarf (first appearance; dies; not to be confused with Dwarf from GR3 25)
Cameos: Adolf Hitler
Synopsis: Captain Wonder and his sidekick Tim clash with the Axis operative Dwarf, who subsequently dies during their encounter.
Chronology: 1943 (cover date).
Comments: Sometime after this story, Professor Jordan's sons enlist and are killed during the Vietnam War (Captain David L. Jordan dies in 1974, Colonel William F. Jordan dies in 1975), and his wife Caroline dies of a heart attack in 1975 (TWELVE 2). Captain Wonder and Tim fight German soldiers, then Tim has a solo career as Captain Tim until losing his powers (TWELVE 7).

DYNAMIC MAN

MYSTIC COMICS Vol. 1 #1/7 (cover)
Cover Date: March 1940
Cover: Alex Schomburg (penciler, inker)
Story: "The Origin of Dynamic Man" (11 pages)
Credits: Daniel Peters (penciler, inker)
Feature Characters: Dynamic Man (Curt Cowan; first appearance; next in MYSTIC COMICS 2/3)
Supporting Characters: Professor Goettler (first appearance; dies)
Villains: King Bascom and his henchmen, Richonian agents (first appearance for all)
Synopsis: Professor Goettler, a brilliant scientist dwelling within a mountain castle, hopes to improve humanity, and constructs an advanced android which he programs to do good in the world. He energizes the inert form of his "perfect creature," but the excitement proves too much for his heart and Goettler dies. As the android comes to life, he decides to use his superhuman powers for the advancement of humanity. Arriving in Washington, DC and becoming a member of the FBI with the assumed human alias of Curt Cowan (an identity produced for him by the deceased Goettler), he also covertly battles crime as the Dynamic Man. After he is sent by the FBI to investigate the claims of a farmer that someone is preventing the rain from falling on local farms, he flies to the area as Dynamic Man and captures criminals using a weather manipulating dynamo to cause the drought from a nearby mountain. The criminals disclose that millionaire banker King Bascom is financing their efforts to enable him to purchase the farmland cheap and eventually control the agricultural industry of America. Dynamic Man arrives at Bascom's island estate, but is subdued in a death trap after being sprayed with liquid lantholum, a rare earth element both corrosive and insulating. After Bascom departs to meet with Richonian government agents to continue his operation from their country, Dynamic Man escapes and infiltrates their meeting by assuming the appearance of one of Bascom's scientists. Dynamic Man discovers evidence of the Richonian's violation of neutrality, and subsequently reveals himself to subdue the operatives and arrest Bascom.
Chronology: 1940 (cover date).
Comments: The country of Richonia is probably a pseudonym for Nazi Germany, such as Prussland (RED RAVEN 1/3), Slaveland (HUMAN TORCH 3 and HUMAN TORCH 3/2), Sovernia (MYSTIC COMICS 2), or Swastikia (TBD). A similar character also named Dynamic Man appeared in Dynamic Comics #1-24, published by Dynamic Publications from 1941-1948. An android created by the scientist Dr. Moore, who died as his creation reached completion, this Dynamic Man assumed the identity of the Bert McQuade, a junior high school coach recently slain, and Ricky McQuade, the younger brother of Bert, became his sidekick Dynamic Boy. This Dynamic Man later appeared in the Project Superpowers #0-7 series by Jim Krueger and Alex Ross, published by Dynamite Entertainment in 2008.

MYSTIC COMICS Vol. 1 #2/3 (cover)
Cover Date: April 1940
Cover: Alex Schomburg (penciler, inker)
Story: "The Sabotage Ring" (7 pages)
Credits: Daniel Peters (penciler, inker)
Feature Characters: Dynamic Man (between MYSTIC COMICS 1/7 and MYSTIC COMICS 3/8)
Villains: Doctor Vee and his saboteur ring (first appearance for all)
Synopsis: The Dynamic Man halts the subversive schemes of the monocled Doctor Vee, a German spy, and his ring of saboteurs.
Chronology: 1940 (cover date).

MYSTIC COMICS Vol. 1 #3/8 (cover)
Cover Date: June 1940
Cover: Alex Schomburg (penciler, inker)
Story: "The Dreaded Hood" (7 pages)
Credits: No credits given
Feature Characters: Dynamic Man (between MYSTIC COMICS 2/3 and MYSTIC COMICS 4/8)
Villains: The Hood (first appearance; not to be confused with Hood from ALL-WINNERS 1/2, Hood (also known as Hooded Horror) from MYSTIC 12/3, Hood from CA 130, Hood (also known as Death's Head) from KOP2 13, Hood (also known as Hooded Boss) from S&L 1/3, or Hood (Parker Robbins) from HOOD 1)
Synopsis: The Dynamic Man clashes with and subdues the dreaded superhuman criminal the Hood.
Chronology: 1940 (cover date).

MYSTIC COMICS Vol. 1 #4/8 (cover)
Cover Date: August 1940
Cover: Alex Schomburg (penciler, inker)
Story: "The Jewelry Store Robbers" (9 pages)
Credits: No credits given
Feature Characters: Dynamic Man (between MYSTIC COMICS 3/8 and TWELVE SPEARHEAD 1)
Villains: Professor Monte, Prentiss and their henchmen (first appearance for all; all die)
Synopsis: Professor Monte constructs a zeppelin, financed by the criminal Prentiss, which is capable of attracting gold and jewelry into its hold. With their gang of jewel thieves, they use the zeppelin to rob the Bank of England, but during their subsequent battle with the Dynamic Man, the criminals perish as the zeppelin is destroyed.
Chronology: 1940 (cover date).

ELECTRO
Marvel Mystery Comics #4
Cover Date:
Feature Character: Pr Philo Zog

Paraphernalia: Electro

FIERY MASK

DARING MYSTERY COMICS #1 (cover)
Cover Date: January 1940
Cover: Alex Schomburg (penciler, inker)
Story: "The Fantastic Thriller of the Walking Corpses" (10 pages)
Credits: Joe Simon (scripter, penciler, inker)
Feature Characters: Fiery Mask (Dr. Jack Castle; first appearance; between TWELVE 3 (16:3)-FB and DARING MYSTERY 5)
Supporting Characters: Captain Benson (first appearance)
Villains: Zombie Master, his giant buzzards (first appearance for both; all die) and zombie minions (including Peter Johnson; first appearance for all; all destroyed)
Other Characters: Police officers (first appearance for all)
Synopsis: Jack Castle is a successful young doctor and police consultant during an investigation into the abduction of the homeless by zombies. While at the police station, he is attacked by the apprehended Peter Johnson, one of the missing derelicts who had somehow been transformed into a mindless zombie, but Captain Benson shoots the former Johnson dead. During his investigation, Castle locates a house at the waterfront that is using massive amounts of electricity, but is attacked by giant buzzards and captured by another zombie. Castle is brought before the Zombie Master, a twenty foot tall mad scientist, who uses a special ray to transform the abducted vagrants into an army of "living corpses" that commit crimes for him. The scientist attempts to transform Castle into another zombie, but with his own knowledge of hypnosis, Castle successfully resists his efforts. After the scientist increases the power to maximum, the machine explodes and kills him, and also imbues Castle with superhuman abilities, who destroys the house with his electroplasmic flame powers and flies away. Castle later reveals his abilities to Captain Benson and subsequently becomes the masked crimefighter the Fiery Mask.
Chronology: 1940 (cover date). The mad scientist states that he had spent "50 years" ashamed of his grotesque size.
Comments: The events of DARING MYSTERY 1 are partially retold in TWELVE 3 (16:5-18:3)-FB. The name of the Zombie Master was not given in this story, but was later revealed in TWELVE 3.

DARING MYSTERY COMICS #5 (cover)
Cover Date: June 1940
Cover: Alex Schomburg (penciler, inker)
Story: "The Jelly of Doom" (7 pages)
Credits: George Kapitan (penciler); Harry Sahle (inker)
Feature Characters: Fiery Mask (between DARING MYSTERY 1 and DARING MYSTERY 6/2)
Villains: Dork (first appearance; dies), his giant ape and protoplasmic creature (first appearance for both)
Synopsis: The Fiery Mask is forced to battle both a bloodthirsty giant ape and a protoplasmic creature with a touch capable of causing acidic burns, the genetic creations of the mad scientist Dork, who dies during the encounter.
Chronology: 1940 (cover date).

DARING MYSTERY COMICS #6/2 (cover)
Cover Date: September 1940
Cover: Jack Kirby (penciler); Joe Simon (inker)
Story: "The Legion of the Doomed" (10 pages)
Credits: Jack Kirby (co-scripter, penciler); Joe Simon (co-scripter, penciler)
Feature Characters: Fiery Mask (between DARING MYSTERY 5 and HUMAN TORCH 2/6)
Villains: Legion of the Doomed (also known as the Legion of the Damned; first appearance for all; not to be confused with the Legion of the Damned from VT 8/4, or the Legion of the Damned from TOD2 6)
Paraphernalia: Hell (an extradimensional realm; first appearance; not to be confused with any of the Splinter Realms of that name, including Mephisto's Hell from SS 3, Hela (Hel) from JIM 102/2 or her realm of Hel from T 176, Hel (Effie Pederson) from TTA3 1, H.E.L.L. (Human Engineering Life Laboratories) from MICRO 4, or H.E.L.L. (Haldane Encephalographic Laboratories Limited) from C:GENE 1)
Synopsis: As the Fiery Mask is transported into the extradimensional realm of Hell, he opposes the fiendish Legion of the Doomed (also known as the Legion of the Damned), an enclave of demonic creatures. After his encounter with the demons, the Mask subsequently returns to the Earth dimension.
Chronology: 1940 (cover date).
Comments: The realm of Hell ruled by the Legion of the Doomed is probably one of the Splinter Realms from MGK2 3.

HUMAN TORCH COMICS #2/6 (cover)
Cover Date: Fall 1940
Cover: Alex Schomburg (penciler, inker)
Story: "The Strange Case of the Bloodless Corpses" (10 pages)
Credits: Joe Simon (scripter, inker)
Feature Characters: Fiery Mask (between DARING MYSTERY 6/2 and TWELVE SPEARHEAD 1)
Villains: Dr. Sendach (first appearance; dies) and his zombie minions (first appearance; all destroyed)
Other Characters: Julie (Dr. Castle's nurse; first appearance), police officers (first appearance for all)
Synopsis: The authorities have Dr. Jack Castle consult on a recent murder in which the victim is completely drained of blood. As the police investigation continues, Castle helps those involved who are suffering, but leaves the police to solve the murder. After the local newspapers soon report more deaths, Castle becomes the Fiery Mask and prepares a trap within his laboratory to apprehend the perpetrators. He soon finds himself battling swarms of zombies and is overpowered, only to be found injured the following morning by his nurse Julie, who learns his secret identity. The Fiery Mask later tracks down the man responsible for both the murders and the zombies, Dr. Sendach, an eminent stomach specialist experimenting with a mechanical stomach who had disappeared long before, and the clash ends with the death of the mad scientist.
Chronology: 1940 (cover date).
Comments: Sometime after this issue, the Fiery Mask clashes with Axis forces, and "by one report, he'd wiped out an entire company of Nazis by willing a firestorm to appear around them" (TWELVE 1).

LAUGHING MASK

DARING MYSTERY COMICS #2/6 (cover)
Cover Date: February 1940
Cover: Alex Schomburg (penciler, inker)
Story: No title given (8 pages)
Credits: Will Harr (scripter); Maurice Gutwirth (penciler, inker)
Feature Characters: Laughing Mask (Dennis "Denny" Burton; first appearance; next in DARING MYSTERY 3/3 (as Purple Mask))
Villains: Lester Deeks (first appearance; dies) and his gang (including Ben, Chuck, Hank and Joe; first appearance for all; all but one die)
Synopsis: His family having been members of law enforcement for generations, assistant district attorney Dennis Burton becomes frustrated by the difficulty in convicting criminals due to the corruption of politicians. Donning a mask resembling an ancient Greek theatrical mask, Burton pursues justice as the vigilante Laughing Mask. He investigates a series of train wrecks and discovers the wheels of the engines had been corroded with acid. Pursuing the saboteurs to their hideout, Burton is captured by the criminal Lester Deeks and his gang, who he learns are sabotaging the locomotives so that the public service commission will revoke their license, allowing Deeks to purchase it cheaply. Bound and locked in the attic, Burton subsequently escapes and assumes his identity of the Laughing Mask, confusing Deeks and the gangsters with a luminescent devil mask and gunning them down. The Mask then subdues the saboteurs at the train yard and prevents the bridge to Rapid Falls from being blown up, leaving the surviving gangster bound at the police station with a signed confession.
Chronology: December, 1939 to January, 1940; train wrecks occur prior to their mention in Daily Star newspaper headline dated "January 1, 1940," the Laughing Mask investigated the events afterwards.
Comments: Sometime before DARING MYSTERY 3/3, he assumes the identity of the Purple Mask. Dennis Burton is confirmed as both the Laughing Mask and Purple Mask in OHOTMU:GA '04. The city in which Laughing Mask is active is unrevealed, but it is near "Rapid Falls."

DARING MYSTERY COMICS #3/3 (cover)
Cover Date: April 1940
Cover: Alex Schomburg (penciler, inker)
Story: No title given (8 pages)
Credits: Will Harr (scripter); Maurice Gutwirth (penciler, inker)
Feature Characters: Purple Mask (between DARING MYSTERY 2/6 (as Laughing Mask) and DARING MYSTERY 4; not to be confused with Purple Mask mentioned in TB 111)
Villains: Bellos and his gang (including Blackie; first appearance for all; all die), Renard (first appearance)
Other Characters: William Grant, Commissioner Herrick, Frederick Swabert (first appearance for all)
Synopsis: Businessman Frederick Swabert informs Dennis Burton and Commissioner Herrick of a threatening note he had received demanding the location of his father's fortune, hidden in a secret vault somewhere beneath his mansion. After his friend William Grant of the National Bank confirms that a book containing architectural plans for the house may have been stolen by a man named Renard, Burton becomes the Purple Mask and enters Renard's apartment, uncovering evidence that he is working with the gangster Bellos. The Purple Mask subsequently arrives at the mansion, rescuing Swabert from being poisoned and shooting Bellos. Following a deadly shoot-out with Renard and his gang, a stray bullet triggers a secret entrance to the Swabert fortune, surrounded by a moat filled with acid. After the gangster Blackie dies in the acid during an attempt to escape, Renard surrenders to the Mask, making a full confession.
Chronology: 1940 (cover date).

DARING MYSTERY COMICS #4 (cover)
Cover Date: May 1940
Cover: Alex Schomburg (penciler, inker)
Story: No title given (8 pages)
Credits: Maurice Gutwirth (penciler, inker)
Feature Characters: Purple Mask (between DARING MYSTERY 3/3 and TWELVE 3 (13:3-4, 14:3-5) (as Laughing Mask))
Villains: Whalen and his gang (first appearance for all)
Paraphernalia: Purple Mask's motorcycle (first appearance)
Synopsis: After he witnesses a daylight bank robbery, Dennis Burton becomes the Purple Mask and pursues the criminals to a farmhouse, but he is overpowered and left behind as they abandon their hideout. As Burton returns to the district attorney's office, he is introduced to Whalen, president of the First National Bank. Recognizing Whalen's chauffeur as a known criminal, Burton soon learns that Whalen is affiliated with the gang he had fought earlier. Whalen leaves town the following day, but is pursued by the Purple Mask on his motorcycle, who subsequently apprehends both Whalen and his gang. As Burton, he later returns the money from the bank heist, claiming that the Purple Mask had entrusted it to him.
Chronology: 1940 (cover date).
Comments: Sometime after this story, Dennis Burton resumes his identity of the Laughing Mask (TWELVE 3 (13:3-4, 14:3-5)). It is possible that the National Bank in which William Grant works in DARING MYSTERY 3/3 is the same as the First National Bank of which Whalen is the president.

MASTER MIND EXCELLO

MYSTIC COMICS Vol. 1 #2 (cover)
Cover Date: April 1940
Cover: Alex Schomburg (penciler, inker)
Story: "The Plot Against America" (7 pages)
Credits: No credits given
Feature Characters: Master Mind Excello (Earl Everett; first appearance; next in MYSTIC COMICS 3/5; not to be confused with Mastermind Excello (Amadeus Cho) from AAF2 15)
Villains: Kadash, Dr. Marko (first appearance for both), Sovernian operatives (including Fritz; first appearance for all; many die)
Synopsis: Master Mind Excello, an operative of the US Naval Intelligence Department, is a precognitive possessing both extraordinary senses and formidable strength, as well as being a genius in technological design. As Excello, also known as society playboy Earl Everett, is returning from a European assignment onboard a vessel of a neutral nation, he senses the presence of spies on the steam liner while he is meditating. He investigates and allows himself to be captured by the two spies, and is subsequently brought aboard a Sovernian battleship anchored nearby. He is brought before the chief operative Kadash and bound in chains, but he remotely eavesdrops upon the Sovernian agents and discovers their plot to detonate explosives beneath every major American city. Breaking free of his chains, Excello has a confrontation with Kadash and Sovernian sailors armed with machineguns, but he shoots a path through them with his "triple propeller pistol." After flying an appropriated biplane to New York City, where he remotely determined the location of the Sovernian terrorists, Excello disguises himself as Kadash and meets with the Dr. Marko, the leader of the saboteurs. Knocking out Marko and escaping from the saboteurs, Excello uses a high explosive liquid of his own design, destroying their "super turbines" which would destroy the city. Using his status as a Naval Intelligence operative, he contacts the navy to launch an attack upon and sink the Sovernian battleship, and to apprehend the surviving spies.
Chronology: 1940 (cover date).
Comments: The country of Sovernia is probably an pseudonym for Nazi Germany, such as Prussland (RED RAVEN 1/3), Richonia (MYSTIC COMICS 1/7), Slaveland (HUMAN TORCH 3 and HUMAN TORCH 3/2) and Swastikia (TBD).

MYSTIC COMICS Vol. 1 #3/5 (cover)
Cover Date: June 1940
Cover: Alex Schomburg (penciler, inker)
Story: "The Ring of Saboteurs" (7 pages)
Credits: No credits given
Feature Characters: Master Mind Excello (between MYSTIC COMICS 2 and TWELVE SPEARHEAD 1)
Villains: Borovich (first appearance) and his saboteur ring (first appearance for all)
Synopsis: Master Mind Excello clashes with a ring of foreign saboteurs led by the villain Borovich, who are responsible for the sabotage of numerous railroads and subways.
Chronology: 1940 (cover date).
Comments: Sometime before 1945, Master Mind Excello prepares for the contingency that he "might one day be propelled through time into... the future," by placing substantial funds into the Banque du Geneve in Switzerland (TWELVE 4).

MISTER E

DARING MYSTERY COMICS #2/5 (cover)
Cover Date: February 1940
Cover: Alex Schomburg (penciler, inker)
Story: "Who in Reality is Mr. 'E'?" (10 pages)
Credits: Joe Cal Cagno (scripter); Al Carreno (penciler, inker)
Feature Characters: Mister E (Victor J. Goldstein, also known as Victor Jay; first appearance; next in TWELVE 3 (6:2, 7:4-5)-FB; not to be confused with Mister E from M/SPT2 9)
Villains: Vampire (first appearance; not to be confused with Vampire (Deke Wainscroft) from P:POV 1)
Other Characters: Betty Snead, J. P. Snead (first appearance for both)
Paraphernalia: Mister E's automobile (first appearance)
Synopsis: Wealthy sportsman Victor Jay investigates the seemingly unrelated deaths of four businessmen during the past few weeks as the mystery man Mister E. He discovers that all four were silent partners with the Snead Oil Company, and were murdered by his old archenemy the Vampire, who had forced them to sign over their financial holdings and then murdered them with a gas that caused their hearts to explode. After abducting Betty Snead, the Vampire forces her father, oil tycoon J. P. Snead, to sign over complete control of his company. Mister E intervenes before the Vampire can kill them, allowing the Sneads to escape with the contract, and the masked men both retreat with the arrival of the police. The following day, Snead and his daughter tell their friend Victor Jay of Mister E, while at his secret laboratory, the Vampire plots his vengeance against his adversary.
Chronology: 1940 (cover date).
Comments: Mister E's name is given as Victor Jay in this story, but TWELVE 3 reveals that he had changed it from his actual name of Victor J. Goldstein to conceal his Jewish heritage, allowing him to become a member of the often bigoted upper class. He is erroneously called Vince Jay in TWELVE 1 and TWELVE 2. Sometime after this story, Victor Jay and his wife Laura have their son Robert in 1940 (TWELVE 3). In Summer 1941 he helps people against the flood in MARVELS PROJECT 6. The city in which Mister E is active is unrevealed, but reference to the "West Forties" implies that it is New York.

PHANTOM REPORTER

DARING MYSTERY COMICS #3/4 (cover)
Cover Date: April 1940
Cover: Alex Schomburg (penciler, inker)
Story: No title given (8 pages)
Credits: Mike Robard (scripter); Sam Cooper (penciler, inker)
Feature Characters: Phantom Reporter (Richard "Dick" Jones, also known as Van Ergen; first appearance; between DARING MYSTERY COMICS 70TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL and TWELVE 2 (11:4)-FB; not to be confused with Richard Milhouse "Rick" Jones from H 1, or Thing (Ricardo Jones) from FF 50)
Villains: Park commissioner, police chief, publishers of the newspapers News-Telegram and The Record (first appearance for all), other criminals (including Chip and Max; first appearance for all; many die)
Other Characters: Daily Express city editor, Saunders the doorman (first appearance for both)
Paraphernalia: Phantom Reporter's automobile (first appearance)
Synopsis: Dick Jones, a former professional athlete, is a cub reporter for the newspaper Daily Express, and also uses the identities of Van Ergen, a millionaire who inherited a fortune from his father, and of mystery man the Phantom Reporter. After numerous assaults on families living on the East Side resulting in deaths, his editor assigns Jones to investigate the story. Despite being discouraged in his investigation by his friend the park commissioner, Jones becomes the Phantom Reporter that evening, defending a family and killing the threatening criminals. His editor ends the investigation after his own family is threatened, and Jones is himself abducted by criminals and taken to a night club, where he is beaten as a warning and released. As the Phantom Reporter, he returns to the club that evening, battling and killing all of the thugs but one. He uses the truth serum Nembutal (also known as pentobarbital) to compel the surviving criminal to confess and reveal that his financiers, corrupt businessmen including the park commissioner, had hired them to force the East Side residents to vacate their homes, allowing the businessmen to resell the real estate for a substantial profit.
Chronology: 1940 (cover date).
Comments: After his father, whom he considered his hero, died during World War I (TWELVE 4), Dick Jones had inherited fifty million dollars from him. Jones is also an "ex-all American fullback, ex-collegiate boxing, fencing (and) wrestling champ." He is a cub reporter for the newspaper Daily Express, but later becomes a reporter for the Daily Bugle (TWELVE 2 (11:2)-FB). As the Phantom Reporter, he "did (his) part back home, before Pearl Harbor (TWELVE 2 (11:3)-FB), but when the war started, (he) had to do something" and became involved with battling Axis forces (TWELVE 2 (11:4)-FB, TWELVE 1).

ROCKMAN

USA COMICS #1/4 (cover)
Cover Date: August 1941
Cover: Jack Kirby (penciler); Joe Simon (inker)
Story: "The Tunnel That Led to Death" (9 pages)
Credits: Basil Wolverton (penciler, inker); Charles Nicholas (penciler, inker)
Feature Characters: Rockman (first appearance; next in USA COMICS 2/5)
Villains: Ivan, Roffler (first appearance for both; both die)
Other Characters: J.J. Gollings and his workmen (first appearance for all; all die), Abysmian council (first appearance)
Paraphernalia: Abysmia (located in Subterranea underneath the United States; first appearance; next in USA COMICS 2/5), the Digger Car (also known as the Mole-Ship; first appearance; next in USA COMICS 3/5)
Synopsis: The foreign operative Roffler hires building contractor J.J. Gollings and his workmen to secretly construct a long tunnel extending from the basement of his house. Upon completion of the tunnel, Gollings and the workmen are murdered by Roffler and his associate Ivan, who intend to destroy an aircraft factory to be constructed in a few months upon the site directly over the tunnel. Unbeknownst to Roffler, his words have been detected by the "vibragraph" machine of Rockman, the ruler of the Subterranean realm of Abysmia, which is located miles beneath the ground. Rockman informs the Abysmian council that he intends to venture to the surface to help their American neighbors oppose foreign aggressors, and over the following weeks, he constructs a Digger Car powerful enough to grind through the hardest rock. Arriving near the surface shortly after the factory has completed construction, Rockman confronts Roffler and Ivan in the tunnel beneath, where they have planted powerful explosives. Rockman collapses the tunnel entrance, entrapping the saboteurs and forcing them to disarm the explosives. The tunnel starts to fill with water and the foreign agents dig their way out, and Roffler kills Ivan so that he may escape first, but is himself drowned when Rockman collapses the rubble and fully releases the water. After escaping in the Digger Car, Rockman soon arrives upon the surface.
Chronology: 1941 (cover date). The factory was constructed in "a few months" and the Digger Car "a few weeks."
Comments: The kingdom of Abysmia is one of the realms of Subterranea (M/ATLAS 2). The Abysmian populace is descended from the first inhabitants from the European continent to migrate to North America, arriving either before or during the last ice age, which ended circa 12,000 years ago (the Pleistocene epoch), and subsequently settled underground within Subterranea ("our ancestors, the first white inhabitants of this continent, sought refuge inside the Earth during the Ice Age"). The Paleoamericans, ancestors of the numerous Native American cultures, also arrived in North American from the Asian continent during this period, having crossed the Bering land bridge circa 12,000 years ago.

USA COMICS #2/5 (cover)
Cover Date: November 1941
Cover: No credits given
Story: "The Killers of the Sea" (7 pages)
Credits: Basil Wolverton (penciler, inker; signed)
Feature Characters: Rockman (between USA COMICS 1/4 and USA COMICS 3/5)
Villains: Zombo (first appearance; dies)
Paraphernalia: Abysmia (between USA COMICS 1/4 and USA COMICS 3/5), Zombo's submarine (first appearance; destroyed)
Synopsis: The merciless pirate Zombo, a telepath and dominator of the minds of others, has destroyed numerous American vessels to plunder the wealth of the nation, using magnetic torpedoes launched from his submarine, one of the swiftest and deeply submersible crafts in the world, with sensitive mine detectors which keep him untouched. Rockman, capable of surviving the intense depths of the ocean, attacks the dreadnought, destroying both Zombo and his vessel, while the Abysmians create a tidal wave which destroys much of his Pacific island base.
Chronology: 1941 (cover date).

USA COMICS #3/5 (cover)
Cover Date: January 1942
Cover: Joe Simon (inker)
Story: No title given (7 pages)
Credits: Stan Lee (scripter; signed)
Feature Characters: Rockman (between USA COMICS 2/5 and USA COMICS 4/6)
Villains: Pixie King and his pixie soldiers (first appearance for all)
Other Characters: Princess Alecia, King of Jugoslavia and his guards, Abysmian prime minister (first appearance for all)
Paraphernalia: Abysmia (between USA COMICS 2/5 and USA COMICS 4/6), Pixie Kingdom (located in Subterranea; first appearance), Digger Car (between USA COMICS 1/4 and USA COMICS 4/6)
Synopsis: Princess Alecia of the country of Jugoslavia is abducted by the diminutive inhabitants of the underground Pixie Kingdom, a subterranean realm ruled by the tyrannical Pixie King, who is obsessed with her beauty and desires to marry her. After the King of Jugoslavia appeals to Rockman to rescue his daughter, the hero descends into the Pixie Kingdom and deposes the Pixie King, subsequently annexing the underground territory into his own realm of Abysmia and appointing an Abysmian prime minister.
Chronology: 1941; sometime after events of USA COMICS 2/5 in 1941, probably before the German invasion of Yugoslavia in April, 1941.
Comments: The country of Jugoslavia is another name for the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, which historically existed 1918-1943. The King of Jugoslavia depicted is probably not the actual king, but rather a member of the royal family, as Yugoslavia was governed during this period by the regent Prince Paul (reigned 1934-1941) in the stead of his young cousin Peter II, and the kingdom was subsequently conquered by Germany in 1941 during World War II, with the entire royal family either arrested or exiled. The Pixie Kingdom is probably one of the underground realms of Subterranea.

USA COMICS #4/6 (cover)
Cover Date: May 1942
Cover: Alex Schomburg (penciler, inker)
Story: No title given (7 pages)
Credits: No credits given
Feature Characters: Rockman (between USA COMICS 3/5 and TWELVE 4 (8-11)-FB)
Villains: La Barbe (first appearance; dies)
Paraphernalia: Abysmia (between USA COMICS 3/5 and TWELVE 4 (8-11)-FB), Digger Car (between USA COMICS 3/5 and TWELVE SPEARHEAD)
Synopsis: Within the northern wilderness of Alaska, the claim jumper La Barbe murders numerous miners and prospectors and steals their gold for himself. Rockman soon hears word of his crimes and travels to Alaska, where he confronts and ultimately kills La Barbe.
Chronology: 1942 (cover date).

WITNESS

MYSTIC COMICS Vol. 1 #7/2 (cover)
Cover Date: December 1941
Cover: Jack Kirby (penciler)
Story: "The League of Blood" (7 pages)
Credits: No credits given
Feature Characters: Witness (real name unrevealed; first appearance; between TWELVE 5 (5:1-6:1, 6:4)-FB and MYSTIC COMICS 8/4; not to be confused with Witness from WITNESS 1, Witness (Ness) from XM 39, Witness (LeBeau) of Earth-1191 from UX 287, or Witness (Nelson Kohler) of Earth-148611 from DP7@ 1)
Villains: Natas (first appearance; not to be confused with Mr. Natas from VENUS 16/2), the League of Blood (first appearance for all)
Synopsis: A vicious criminal named Natas gathers together a group of henchman and forms the League of Blood, becoming murderers for hire. The Witness, a mystery man sworn to witness evil deeds and avenge them, observes some of Natas' hired killers in action. Somehow able to sense when a crime is being committed, the Witness arrives upon the scene and views their illegal activities, but is seemingly unable to interfere while the crime is in progress. After witnessing the completion of the felony, the Witness pursues the criminals far from the city, where he subsequently battles Natas and the League of Blood.
Chronology: 1941 (cover date).
Comments: Natas is the palindrome for "Satan." The Witness is revealed as being Jewish in TWELVE 4.

MYSTIC COMICS Vol. 1 #8/4 (cover)
Cover Date: March 1942
Cover: Al Gabriele (penciler, inker)
Story: "The Gems of Doom" (7 pages)
Credits: Stan Lee (as S.T. Anley; scripter)
Feature Characters: Witness (between MYSTIC COMICS 7/2 and MYSTIC COMICS 9/2)
Villains: The Imp (first appearance; not to be confused with Imp (Pandora Destine) from M/CP 158) and his gang (first appearance for all)
Synopsis: The Witness observes criminals breaking into a store to steal gems and pursues them afterwards. His investigation brings him to an innocent looking pawn shop, where he clashes with the diminutive gang leader the Imp and his henchmen.
Chronology: 1942 (cover date).

MYSTIC COMICS Vol. 1 #9/2 (cover)
Cover Date: May 1942
Cover: Al Gabriele (penciler); Syd Shores (inker)
Story: "The Gambling Ship" (6 pages)
Credits: No credits given
Feature Characters: Witness (between MYSTIC COMICS 8/4 and TWELVE SPEARHEAD)
Villains: Gangsters (first appearance for all)
Synopsis: The Witness investigates a ship where illegal gambling takes place, and observes as some gangsters dump the body of an unconscious and severely beaten man into the river. Although he takes no action to prevent the assault from occurring, the Witness subsequently rescues the injured man from the water before he clashes with the criminals.
Chronology: 1942 (cover date).
Comments: Sometime after this story, the Witness observes the atrocities committed at the Auschwitz concentration camp shortly before he is placed in suspended animation in 1945 ("he said he'd just come from seeing a place called Auschwitz.") from TWELVE 1. Among the survivors of Auschwitz include Meyer Banciewicz (J2 4), Gabrielle Haller (XCAL3 14), Magnus (later Magneto) and Magda (CX 12/2), David and Ruth Shulman (UX 199), and Mr. Weiss (CM 19). Chava Prydeman Rosanoff, the great aunt of Kitty Pryde, died at the camp (UX 199). The personnel at Auschwitz included commandant Karl von Horstbaden (Fritz von Voltzmann; YC 1), guard Karl Reifschneider (Whisper; M/CP2 3/2), and scientist "Nosferatu" (Mr. Sinister; XCAL3 7), and was once visited by Geist (W2 23). American personnel present during the liberation of the camp by Soviet forces on January 27, 1945 included USAF Major Thaddeus Ross (H2 291) and reporter Phil Sheldon (MARVELS 2). There was a Witness that was active postwar in WITNESS 1, and it was erroneously suggested that he may have been the Golden Age era Witness ("may have become ghostly being later in life") in OHOTMU:GA '04.

THE TWELVE

THE TWELVE SPEARHEAD
Cover Date: May 2010
Cover: Paolo Rivera
Story: "Spearhead" (37 pages)
Credits: Chris Weston (writer/penciler); Gary Erskine and Chris Weston (inkers); Chris Chuckry (colorist); Jim Betancourt (letterer)
Feature characters: Dynamic Man (last in MYSTIC COMICS 4/8), Phantom Reporter (last in TWELVE 2 (11:4)-FB), Black Widow (last in ALL SELECT 1/5), Mastermind Excello (last in MYSTIC COMICS 3/5), Mister E (last in MARVELS PROJECT 6), Captain Wonder (last in TWELVE 2 (8:4-9:3)-FB), Blue Blade (last in USA COMICS 5/5), Witness (last in MYSTIC COMICS 9/2), Rockman (last in TWELVE 4 (8-11)-FB), Laughing Mask (last in TWELVE 3 (13:3-4, 14:3-5)-FB), Fiery Mask (last in HUMAN TORCH 2/6) all eleven as the Twelve and next in TWELVE 1.
Guest Stars: Gabe Jones, Percy Pinkerton, Dum Dum Dugan (last in CA:SL2 12-FB), Sgt. Nick Fury (last in F:PM 6 (1-17)), Reb Ralston (last in SGTF 108; all five as the Howling Commandos, last three next in TWELVE 1), Whizzer (between COMPLETE COMICS 2 and TWELVE 1), Blazing Skull (between TBD and TBD), Destroyer (between MSU 9 and TWELVE 1), Human Torch (between N@ 1/2-FB and TWELVE 1), Patriot (between TBD and CA@13), Black Marvel (between MARVELS 1 (42:2-45:1) and TWELVE 1), Union Jack (between SAGAHT 2 and TWELVE 1), Red Raven and Blue Diamond (both between INV 38 and TWELVE 1), Vision (between TBD and TBD), Captain America (before and concurrent with Captain America Annual 13, Tales of Suspense 77-FB and Av 4 and 6-FB), Miss America (between MISS AMERICA MAGAZINE 5 and TWELVE 1), Angel (between SUB-MARINER COMICS 4/3 and TWELVE 1)
Supporting Characters: Professor Philo Zog (between MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS 70th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL and TWELVE 1)
Paraphernalia: Electro (between MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS 70th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL and TWELVE 1)

First Flashback: Black Widow assaults a nazi bunker in the middle of winter.
Second Flashback: Witness visits Auschwitz concentration camp.
Chronology: Story occurs in April 45 after Fury got shot (7), when Cap dies (18)

THE TWELVE #1 (cover)
Cover Date: March 2008
Cover: Kaare Andrews, Chris Weston, Garry Leach, Chris Chuckry (cover artists)
Story: No title given (23 pages)
Credits: J. Michael Straczynski (scripter); Chris Weston (penciler); Garry Leach (inker); Chris Chuckry (colorist); Jim Betancourt (letterer)
Feature Characters: Blue Blade (between TWELVE: SPEARHEAD and TWELVE 2; dead body appears in flashforward between TBD and TWELVE 2), Phantom Reporter (in first part between TWELVE SPEARHEAD and TWELVE 1; also in flashforward between TBD and TWELVE 2), Black Widow, Captain Wonder, Dynamic Man, Fiery Mask, Laughing Mask, Master Mind Excello, Mister E, Rockman, Witness (all between TWELVE: SPEARHEAD and TWELVE 2); all eleven as the Twelve, not to be confused with the Twelve from UX 376)
Supporting Characters: Professor Philo Zog (last seen in TWELVE SPEARHEAD; dies behind the scenes between TWELVE 1 (1-10) and TWELVE 1 (11-21)), Colonel Dexter (first appearance; next in TWELVE 2)
Guest Stars: Bucky (Davis; between M/PRM 30 and WI 4 (1-16)), Captain America (Naslund; between CA 215-FB (as Spirit of '76) and WI 4 (1-16)), Human Torch (Hammond; between N@ 1/2-FB and SAGAHT 2 (19:3-23)), Miss America (between TWELVE: SPEARHEAD and WI 4 (1-16)), Sub-Mariner (between N@ 1/2-FB and WI 4 (1-8)), Union Jack (Brian Falsworth; between TWELVE: SPEARHEAD and WI 4 (1-8)), Whizzer (Frank; between TWELVE: SPEARHEAD and WI 4 (1-16); all seven as the Invaders), Dum Dum Dugan (between CA:SL2 12-FB and SGTF@ 1), Sgt. Nick Fury (between TWELVE: SPEARHEAD and F:PM 6 (18-22)), Reb Ralston (between SGTF 108 and SGTF@ 1; all three as the Howling Commandos), Blue Diamond (between TWELVE: SPEARHEAD and CV2 1-FB), Red Raven (father of Dania; between TWELVE: SPEARHEAD and SUB-M 26-FB; both as the Liberty Legion), Angel (Halloway; between TWELVE: SPEARHEAD and CV 1-FB), Black Marvel (between TWELVE: SPEARHEAD and CA 442), Captain Terror (in first flashback between USA COMICS 4/5 and CA 442), Defender (Stevens; between USA COMICS 4/3 and DD2 67-FB), Destroyer (Aubrey; between TWELVE: SPEARHEAD and CV 1-FB), Father Time (Scott; last in MYSTIC COMICS 10/3), Fin (Noble; between COMEDY COMICS 9/8 and INV3 2), Miss Fury (last in MISS FURY 8), Night Raven (first appearance; not to be confused with Night Raven from HULK COMIC 1/5, or Night Raven (Howard Bates) from M/SH (UK) 392/3)
Villains: Nazi general (first appearance; dies), Nazi soldiers and scientists (first appearance for all; many die)
Other Characters: American and Russian soldiers (first appearance for all; in 1945), American military personnel (including Lieutenant Greenfield; first appearance for all; in the present)
Cameos: Baron Blood, Baron Strucker, Baron Zemo, Adolf Hitler, Red Skull (all as portraits or statues)
Paraphernalia: Electro (between TWELVE: SPEARHEAD and TWELVE 2)
Synopsis: During the final days of the Second World War in Europe, both the American and Russian armed forces advance through the city of Berlin. German forces are overwhelmed by a formidable number of mystery men and soldiers, including both the Invaders and Howling Commandos. As eleven of the heroes (Black Widow, Blue Blade, Captain Wonder, Dynamic Man, Fiery Mask, Laughing Mask, Master Mind Excello, Mister E, Phantom Reporter, Rockman and Witness) and the robot Electro, remotely controlled by Professor Philo Zog, investigate the nearby SS (Schutzstaffel) headquarters, they are guided by the extrasensory powers of Master Mind Excello to an underground laboratory. After they are entrapped by a heavy door, which cuts off the control signal for Electro, the other heroes are rendered unconscious by gas released into the room. A Nazi general orders their bodies placed into suspended animation, with the intention of his scientists eventually returning to learn the secrets of their superhuman powers, but most of the officers and scientists are later captured by the Russian forces, and either killed or imprisoned. The heroes remain within suspended animation for decades, and Professor Zog eventually passes away. (1-10)
After the suspended heroes are ultimately discovered in modern day Berlin under a construction site, the United States Army, under the authority of Colonel Dexter, makes the decision to revive them from stasis. When the mystery men are subsequently awakened, the military attempts to gradually transition them by making it appear as if they were still in the 1940s, but Phantom Reporter and Captain Wonder discover the deception. As they are introduced to this strange new world, Captain Wonder is shocked to learn of the death of his family. The colonel convinces them to continue with their heroic careers, and most of them adhere to the Registration Act to disclose their real names, with the exception of the Witness. (11-21)
Flashforward: During a torrential rainstorm, the Phantom Reporter holds his gun in hand, standing over the dead body of the Blue Blade. (23)
Chronology: The flashforward at the end is to November 18, Year 24 (MCAL); "much, much later" than TWELVE 1 (11-21), "several months" after TWELVE 2 (2-22). The story starts on "April 25, 1945" on Elbe Day, the date that American and Soviet troops met at the River Elbe in Germany, their forces effectively separating Nazi Germany in two. During the second part, the mystery men are found "August 2" (TWELVE 1; reference to "2008" is topical), the Phantom Reporter is awakened and in his hospital bed on August 3, and "on the third day," after he and Captain Wonder discover they are in the future, the heroes are briefed by Colonel Dexter on August 5, Year 24 (MCAL). Professor Philo Zog "was already in his sixties during the war," suggesting a birthdate of the 1880s, and is "long dead" when the heroes are revived. The sons of Captain Wonder are mentioned to have died in Vietnam; the topical reference that "his wife died twenty years earlier" is erroneous, as she died in 1975 (TWELVE 2).
Comments: Captain America and Bucky are probably William Naslund (the former Spirit of '76) and Fred Davis, as the original duo (Steve Rogers and James Barnes) were apparently killed on April 18, 1945 (WI 4). After Hans Von Stehle shoots Nick Fury on April 7, 1945, Fury loses his eye and remains in a coma until May 7, 1945 (F:PM 6, ACB); his appearance during Elbe Day suggests that Fury (depicted with a bandaged eye) had briefly recovered and was part of the Allied invasion of Berlin, but had returned to a coma before V-E Day. Miss Fury (Marla Drake, also known as Black Fury) was created by Tarpé Mills and first appeared in a newspaper strip in 1941. Her syndicated stories were later reprinted in MISS FURY 1 to MISS FURY 8 from 1942-1946. Miss Fury has a counterpart on Earth-1136 (confirmed in OHOTMU:AU '05), whose legacy continues with her daughter Black Fury (Stephanie Drake) and grandaughter Miss Fury (Marlene Hale), published by Malibu Comics in Miss Fury vol. 2 #1-4 and Protectors #10-20. The Night Raven depicted is probably a successor to the original Night Raven, who was amnesiac from 1941 (M/SH (UK) 391/3) to 1957 (M/SH (UK) 392/3). The surname of Colonel Dexter is not mentioned in the story, but is given on his nametag.

THE TWELVE #2 (cover)
Cover Date: April 2008
Cover: Kaare Andrews, Chris Weston (cover artists)
Story: No title given (23 pages)
Credits: J. Michael Straczynski (scripter); Chris Weston (penciler); Garry Leach (inker); Chris Chuckry (colorist); Jim Betancourt (letterer)
Feature Characters: Blue Blade (dead body appears in flashforward between TWELVE 1 and TBD), Phantom Reporter (also in flashforward between TWELVE 1 flashforward and TBD; also in second flashback between DARING MYSTERY 3/4 and TWELVE SPEARHEAD), Black Widow, Dynamic Man, Fiery Mask, Laughing Mask, Master Mind Excello, Mister E, Rockman, Witness, Captain Wonder (also in first flashback between KID KOMICS 2 and TWELVE 1; all eleven as the Twelve)
Supporting Characters: Colonel Dexter, Caroline Jordan, David L. Jordan, William F. Jordan (first appearance for all three; in first flashback; all three die behind the scenes between TWELVE 2 (8:4-9:3)-FB and TWELVE 1 (11-21))
Villains: "Satan" (last in ALL SELECT 1/5; next in TWELVE 8), numerous criminals (first appearance for all), two gangsters (first appearance for both; in second flashback), numerous Nazi soldiers (first appearance for all; in second flashback)
Other Characters: Three American soldiers (including Bunche and Martel; first appearance for all)
Paraphernalia: Electro, the Twelve's mansion (first appearance)
Synopsis: As the mystery men arrive at a mansion provided by the government, Colonel Dexter informs them that he hopes they will decide to continue their careers as heroes. As Dick Jones (Phantom Reporter) observes how his comrades are adapting to their new lives, Roy Chambers (Blue Blade) displays enthusiasm to the public notoriety they have earned. Steve Jordan (Captain Wonder) leaves to visit a cemetery, but he breaks down after he sees the graves of his wife Caroline, who had died of a heart attack, and his sons David and William, who were killed during the Vietnam War. Earl Everett (Master Mind Excello) finds the background noise of the modern world almost unbearable, and subsequently contacts the Banque du Geneve in Switzerland. After the Dynamic Man helps some soldiers unload the dormant form of Electro, he spends the evening fighting crime, but betrays his racism when he shows reluctance to help an interracial married couple when they are mugged. As Black Widow watches the full moon, she is contacted by an apparition of the demon "Satan," for whom she is the instrument of vengeance. Rockman descends into the basement of the residence and proceeds to pound upon the hard ground, hoping his people of Abysmia will hear and come for him. (2-22)
First Flashback: During the final months of the Second World War, Professor Steve Jordan decides to battle alongside Allied forces in Europe as Captain Wonder. Although his wife Caroline is reluctant to accept his decision, Steve promises that he will return home to her and their sons, David and William. (8:4-9:3)
Second Flashback: As a civilian reporter for the Daily Bugle, Dick Jones understands that those responsible for corruption in the city are often untouchable. Becoming the Phantom Reporter, he is capable of exposing whole organized crime operations and forcing the police to act. When the Second World War comes, he takes to fighting spies on both the home front and then in Germany. (11:2-4)
Flashforward: The Phantom Reporter stands in the downpouring rain over the deceased body of the Blue Blade, murdered by an unknown assailant, and despite the insufferable arrogance of his fallen comrade, the Reporter thinks to himself that the Blue Blade did not deserve this fate. (1)
Chronology: Flashforward occurs on November 18, Year 24 (MCAL); "much, much later" than TWELVE 1, "several months" after TWELVE 2. The story occurs August 5, Year 24 (MCAL). The first flashback occurs in early October, 1944 (ACB); the war should be over in "another few months." The second flashback is a montage of Phantom Reporter events during the early 1940s, between his debut as the Phantom Reporter in 1940 (DARING MYSTERY 3/4) and the Allied invasion of Berlin in 1945 (TWELVE 1). The dates of birth and death of the family of Captain Wonder are depicted on their tombstones, with Caroline Jordan (1920-1975), Captain David L. Jordan (1942-1974) and Colonel William F. Jordan (1940-1975). His wife had died of a heart attack, and their sons died during the Vietnam War.
Comments: The "NYPD" and "FDNY" logos depicted on a police cruiser and fire engines indicate that these events occur within the area of New York City.

THE TWELVE #3 (cover)
Cover Date: May 2008
Cover: Kaare Andrews (cover artist)
Story: No title given (23 pages)
Credits: J. Michael Straczynski (scripter); Chris Weston (penciler); Garry Leach (inker); Chris Chuckry (colorist); Jim Betancourt (letterer)
Feature Characters: Dynamic Man, Captain Wonder, Rockman, Master Mind Excello, Phantom Reporter, Mister E (Victor J. Goldstein), Black Widow, Laughing Mask, Witness, Fiery Mask (origin retold), Blue Blade,
Supporting Characters: Colonel Dexter, Robert Goldstein, Laura Goldstein (first appearance for both, also in flashback to 1940),
Villains: numerous criminals (first appearance for all; in first flashback), two gangsters (first appearance for both; in second and third flashbacks),"Satan" (between TWELVE 2 and 8)
Other Characters: military personnel, Nurse, Samuel Kingston (Daily Bugle syndicated columns editor), a kidnapped woman, Simon Dexter (dies)
Paraphernalia: Electro, the Twelve's mansion
Flashback: Victor, Laura and Robert at home (6:2)
Flashback: Victor Jay in high society and Mister E catches criminals for the police (7:4-5)
Flashback: Laughing Mask rescues a kidnapped woman and kills her two kidnappers (13:3-4, 14:3-5)
Flashback: Jack Castle at Flannery's (16:3)
Flashback: Jack Castle fights the Zombie Master and his zombies and becomes the Fiery Mask (16:5-18:3)
Chronology:

THE TWELVE #4 (cover)
Cover Date: June 2008
Cover: Kaare Andrews (cover artist)
Story: No title given (22 pages)
Credits: J. Michael Straczynski (scripter); Chris Weston (penciler); Garry Leach (inker); Chris Chuckry (colorist); Jim Betancourt (letterer)
Feature Characters: Master Mind Excello, Phantom Reporter, Black Widow, Laughing Mask, Rockman (also in flashback; next in TWELVE 6), Blue Blade, Mister E (next in TWELVE 6), Fiery Mask, Captain Wonder, Dynamic Man, Witness
Supporting Characters: Colonel Dexter
Villains: criminals
Other Characters: police, goths
Paraphernalia: Electro, the Twelve's mansion
First flashback: The night before, Laughing Mask stops a hold-up. (3:3-4)
Second flashback: Police finds the dismembered body of Simon Dexter (6:1-3)
Third flashback: Rockman's flashback (8-11)
Chronology: The day after the previous story.

THE TWELVE #5 (cover)
Cover Date: July 2008
Cover: Paolo Rivera (cover artist)
Story: No title given (23 pages)
Credits: J. Michael Straczynski (scripter); Chris Weston (penciler); Garry Leach (inker); Chris Chuckry (colorist); Jim Betancourt (letterer)
Feature Characters: Witness, Dynamic Man, Captain Wonder, Fiery Mask, Phantom Reporter, Blue Blade (next in TWELVE 7), Laughing Mask, Black Widow, Master Mind Excello,
Supporting characters: Colonel Dexter, Ms Zogolowski (first appearance; next in TWELVE 7)
Villain: terrorist
Other Characters: a waitress, police, officials, SWAT team, journalists, Chicago police, inmates, Falkstein (Flint; dies), bus driver, Stan (agent; next in TWELVE 7), Al Wallanby (TV producer), school students, goths, Lieutenant Detective Lew Goldman
Cameos: Caroline Jordan, David L. Jordan, William F. Jordan
Paraphernalia: Electro (between TWELVE 4 and TWELVE 7), the Twelve's mansion
First flashback: The Witness is a policeman in Chicago, spends two years in prison and kills himself (5-6)

THE TWELVE #6 (cover)
Cover Date: Aug 2008
Cover: Paolo Rivera (cover artist)
Story: No title given (23 pages)
Credits: J. Michael Straczynski (scripter); Chris Weston (penciler); Garry Leach (inker); Chris Chuckry (colorist); Jim Betancourt (letterer)
Feature Characters: Laughing Mask (next in TWELVE 8), Black Widow, Phantom Reporter, Mastermind Excello, Dynamic Man (next in TWELVE 8), Captain Wonder, Rockman (next in TWELVE 8), Witness (next in TWELVE ), Mister E (next in TWELVE ), Fiery Mask
Supporting characters: Colonel Frank Dexter
Villain: Mech Tomorrow, Boss Clete (in flashback)
Other Characters: police, journalists, inmates, goths (Laura, Steffie), youngsters (die), US Senator and bodyguards, Danielle Rose
Flashback: Daniel Rose (14-18)

THE TWELVE #7 (cover)
Cover Date: Oct 2008
Cover: Paolo Rivera (cover artist)
Story: No title given (22 pages)
Credits: J. Michael Straczynski (scripter); Chris Weston (penciler); Garry Leach (inker); Chris Chuckry (colorist); Jim Betancourt (letterer)
Feature Characters: Phantom Reporter, Fiery Mask, Captain Wonder (also in first and second flashbacks), Blue Blade, Mastermind Excello, Black Widow
Supporting Characters: Tim Mulrooney (last in TWELVE 7 (11:3-6)-FB; also in flashbacks; dies); Elizabeth Zogolowski (last in TWELVE 5)
Other Characters: Lieutenant Detective David Rose (first appearance; next in TWELVE 8), policemen, Stan (last in TWELVE 5)
Cameo: Dynamic Man, Witness, Mister E
Paraphernalia: Electro
First flashback: Origin of Captain Wonder and Tim (5:5-7:6)
Second flashback: Captain Wonder and Tim fight German soldiers (8:3)
Third flashback: Captain Tim loses his powers (10:2-11:1)
Fourth flashback: Tim finds out Captain America is alive (11:3-6)
Chronology: "1945 was just a few months ago"

THE TWELVE #8 (cover)
Cover Date: Dec 2008
Cover: Paolo Rivera (cover artist)
Story: No title given (23 pages)
Credits: J. Michael Straczynski (scripter); Chris Weston (penciler); Garry Leach (inker); Chris Chuckry (colorist); Jim Betancourt (letterer)
Feature Characters: Phantom Reporter, Black Widow (also in first flashback), Fiery Mask (also in second flashback), Blue Blade (also in third flashback), MasterMind Excello, Laughing Mask, Rockman, Dynamic Man (last three last in TWELVE 6)
Supporting characters: Elizabeth Zogolowski
Villains: Lester Maddox (in first flashback; dies), Satan (last in TWELVE 2, also in first flashback to 1928 before MYSTIC COMICS 4/5)
Other Characters: Deborah Voyant (in first flashback; dies in 1928), Detective Rose, policemen, TV staffers, Bill (in third flashback)
Paraphernalia: Electro
First flashback: Black Widow origin, Claire Voyant visits her sister in Los Angeles. Her sister in involved with Lester Maddox who kills her in 1928. Satan offers her powers. She kills Maddox. (2:3-7)
Second flashback: Jack Castle meets a mysterious man with fiery powers (11:3-4)
Third flashback: Roy Chambers in farmland (22:2-4)

MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS 70TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
Cover Date: July 2009
Cover: Paolo Rivera, Marcos Martin
Story: Project Blockbuster
Credits:
Feature Characters: Sub-Mariner, Human Torch, Ferret, Toro, Angel, Pr Philo Zog (between Marvel Mystery Comics 19/5 and TWELVE: SPEARHEAD)
Supporting Character: Betty Dean
Villains: Dr Manyac (from MARVEL MYSTERY 4), Gaufman
Paraphernalia: Electro (between Marvel Mystery Comics 19/5 and TWELVE: SPEARHEAD), Green Flame robots (from MARVEL MYSTERY 4)
Synopsis: Namor has an appointment with Betty Dean in Coney Island. She's attacked by armed men who also try to kill her contact, the Ferret. A Green Flame robot attacks Namor and escapes. The Ferret briefs them in his apartment, Prof Zog has disappeared. Betty Dean arranges a meeting on a roof with the Human Torch who tells them of his earlier encounter with Dr Manyac and his green flames battlesuits. As HT and Toro leaves they are attacked by Green Flames robots. HT is captured while Toro comes back to alert Namor, Dean and Ferret (still on the roof). The Angel fights nazi spies and asks them where he can find the Torch and project Blockbuster. The Torch is a prisoner, he finds Pr Manyac has allied himself with nazi Herr Gaufman. They have captured Pr Zog and built green flame robots. Namor, Toro, the Angel, Betty Dean and the Ferret attack the place. They fight the robots, free Pr Zog who uses Electro to destroy the robots. The bad guys launch a giant Green Flame robot which gets destroyed. The End.
Chronology: Spring 41

DARING MYSTERY COMICS 70TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL
Cover Date: Nov 2009
Cover: Clint Langley, Marcos Martin
Story: No title (22 pages)
Credits: David Liss, Jason Armstrong
Feature Character: Phantom Reporter (origin told, next in DARING MYSTERY 3)
Villains: Billy Sullivan (dead just before first flashback begins; also in second and fourth flashbacks), Edmund Chancellor (in first and second flashbacks only), Oswald Chancellor (dies in first flashback, also in second, third and fifth flashbacks), Silvio Mannino (in first and fifth flashbacks only)
Other Characters: Sam, a professor (dead; dies in fifth flashback), Mrs Molly Sullivan (also in first and fourth flashbacks)
Cameo: Fiery Mask (between DARING MYSTERY 1 and 5)
Synopsis: Phantom Reporter is talking to a reporter called Sam. They're in a bar at night. In a flashback to 1939, he tells the origin of the Phantom Reporter. He's supported by his editor, his parents, his colleagues (including one that looks like Clark Kent). Masked heroes have started to pop up: Fiery Mask stopping/lifting a car with two people falling from it. Jones learns from Edmund Chancellor that their childhood friend Billy Sullivan is dead along with his wife. A flashback shows the youth of Richard Jones, Billy Sullivan and Edmund Chancellor: Oswald Chancellor tells Billy he's not welcome to stay in his house with Dick and Edmund. Billy turns bad, gets revenge on Edmund when they're adults. (3:6-4:6) Jones investigates, Billy worked for the Manninos, an Italian crime family, Chancellor stops at nothing to get his drugs approved, seeks eternal life. Jones finds out the wife, Molly Sullivan, isn't dead, talks with her. In flashback 7:3 Molly realises that Billy killed a professor last week. Jones keeps investigating, dons a mask when four goons run after him, fights them, interrogates criminals, visits Silvio Mannino in the hospital where his daughter Angela lies in a coma, gets a confession ((15:1-4) flashback: Chancellor and Silvio Mannino learn from the professor about the Philosopher's stone. Billy kills the professor), goes to Oswald Chancellor house, fights him, Oswald Chancellor falls to his death. Learns from Edmund that goons may kill Molly. Speeds up there and arrives too late as a body is taken away. (This is apparently all during the same night) Page 22 concludes his story to the reporter. He wonders what might have happened had she lived and found the formula as he was strongly attracted to her. We see that Molly is in the bar, still young after all these years. Apparently she was checking on PR but hasn't made herself known to him. She must have figured out the secret of the Philosopher's Stone.
First Flashback: Origin of Phantom Reporter (1939) (2-21)
Second Flashback: "Years earlier" Youth of Richard Jones, Billy Sullivan and Edmund Chancellor (3:6-4:6)
Third flashback: "couple of years earlier" Oswald Chancellor would stop at nothing to get his drugs approved, covered his tracks to most of the world. (5:4-6)
Fourth flashback: "last week" Molly Sullivan realises that Billy killed the professor (7:3)
Fifth flashback: Oswald Chancellor and Silvio Mannino learn from the professor about the Philosopher's stone which can grant eternal life. They decide to kill him before he publishes his discovery. Billy kills the professor. (15:1-4)
Chronology: The framing sequence occurs "today", the main story occurs in 1939

Credits on Essential Marvel covers

2009-07-24T12:10:00.001-07:00

Sometimes on these volumes you can't list all the writers and artists because there too many. In this case Marvel adds "and friends" after the main contributors. But even so it doesn't seem always well thought out.
Man Thing Vol 1 lists Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway, Len Wein, Steve Gerber and Tony Isabella" as writers and "Mike Ploog, Gray Morrow, John Buscema, Neal Adams, Rich Buckler, Val Mayerik & Friends"
Mike Ploog is actually listed among the writers since he plotted one issue.
Gerber wrote 27 issues (out of 32). He's the only name who should be on the cover.
The pencilers not listed on the cover who contributed are Howard Chaykin (1/2 issue) Jim Starlin (1 issue), Alfredo Alcala (1 issue), Vicente Alcazar (1 issue) and Pat Broderick (2 issues)
Mike Ploog did 8 issues
Gray Morrow did 1 and half
John Buscema did 4 and a half
Neal Adams did half an issue
Rich Buckler did 1
Val Mayerik did 11
It's clear that Mayerik and Ploog did most of it with Buscema doing the next significant part. No need to put more than their three names.
Of course listing Adams is probably a marketing decision since his name would appear as author on bookstore listings. But then why omit Starlin who has a modest following.

Marvel Horror Vol 1 lists
Gary Friedrich (4), Steve Gerber (10), Chris Claremont (7), Roy Thomas (1), Herb Trimpe (3), John Romita (1), Gene Colan (2), Esteban Maroto (1) & Friends
Omitted are
John Warner 7 issues
Bill Mantlo 2 issues
Gerry Conway 3 issues
Tony Isabella 1 issue
Tom Sutton, 1 issue
Jim Mooney, 6 issues
Sal Buscema 6 issues
Sonny Trinidad 6 issues
Craig Russell 2 issues
Russ Heath 1 issue
Pablo Marcos 1 issue
Enrique Romero 2 issues
Pat Broderick 1 issue
George Evans 1 issue
Vincente Alcazar 1 issue
MikeVosburg 2 issues

The omission of Warner, Mooney and Buscema is unfair. Why list Trimpe, Colan, Romita and Maroto? Well Trimpe and Romita drew the first appearances of the two feature characters and Friedrich and Thomas wrote those first appearances. But what about Colan and Maroto, are they considered better artists than Mooney and Buscema?
A listing based on the contents should be
Gary Friedrich, Steve Gerber, John Warner, Chris Claremont, Jim Mooney, Sal Buscema, Sonny Trinidad & Friends

Godzilla lists Doug Moench, Herb Trimpe, Jim Mooney, Tom Sutton & Friends.
Sutton penciled only 2 issues out of 24.
As for Mooney he inked 1 issue. Unfair for Fred Kida who inked 7 issues and Dan Green who inked 10

Tomb of Dracula Vol 4 contient les anthologies en noir et blanc. Les histoires ont été arrangées dans l'ordre chronologique, ce qui est un bon travail d'éditeur. Par contre les dessins ont été retouchés pour faire disparaitre la nudité alors que la parution en noir et blanc était censé circonscrire la censure. La couverture cite Conway, Wolfman, Gerber et Moench pour une douzaine de scénaristes différents. Conway a écrit 9 histoires, Wolfman 4, Gerber 3 et Moench 5 ce qui laisse Tony Isabella, 4, et Mike Friedrich, 4 sur la touche mais il est vrai que leurs noms ont moins de prestige.
Pour le dessin on cite Colan (7), Buscema (7), Adams (1), et De Zuniga (3) pour 20 dessinateurs. On voit qu'Adams est privilégié car trois dessinateurs ont deux histoires à leur compte. Donc si je comprend l'inclusion du nom d'Adams, faut-il se plaindre de la représentation erronée que cela représente ou se réjouir du fait qu'il ait été indiqué pour les complétistes?
Tales of the Zombie est aussi une anthologie regroupant les numéros 1 à 10 (et deux histoires de Dracula Lives 1 et 2) dont la très grande majorité des histoires du personnage principal sont par Steve Gerber et Pablo Marcos (8 dont2 de plus pour Gerber avec Buscema).
Sont aussi cités
Roy Thomas (pour 2 histoires en tant que créateur?), Doug Moench (#3-7, 9-10), Tony Isabella (#2-5, 8-9), et Chris Claremont (un script sur une histoire d'Isabella). Claremont ne mérite pas son nom sur la couverture pour si peu.
En plus de Pablo Marcos et John Buscema, on cite les dessinateurs Alfredo Alcala, Gene Colan etBill Everett. Leurs contributions sont inégales. La patte distinctive d'Alcala est présente dans six histoires. Colan dans deux historiettes mineures et Everett dans une seule mais c'est lui qui a créé l'aspect du personnage principal et sans doute cela lui vaut-il un traitement de faveur.
Killraven cite une floppée de contributeurs que voici suivis leur nombre de numéros respectifs Thomas 1, Adams 1, Conway 2, Wolfman 1, McGregor 18, Mantlo 3, Giffen 2, Linsner 1, Chaykin 2, Trimpe 6, Russell 12
Non cités: Buckler, Colan et Sal Buscema, 1 chacun.
Thomas et Adams apparaissent à titre de créateurs de la série mais ce sont McGregor, Russell et Trimpe les principaux auteurs.

Solicitations Marvel 2009

2009-07-21T09:44:00.000-07:00

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #19 DEADPOOL POSTER BOOK

OZ: THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ HC
Written by ERIC SHANOWER
Penciled by SKOTTIE YOUNG
Une réussite à ce qu'il parait.

PRIDE & PREJUDICE PREMIERE HC
Un classique de la littérature

CAPTAIN AMERICA: REBORN #4 (of 5)
Written by Ed Brubaker
Art by Bryan Hitch & BUTCH GUICE
Cover by Bryan Hitch
Variant Cover by JOHN CASSADAY
Variant Cover by JOE KUBERT
Le 1er épisode était décevant. Marvel multiplie les couvertures...

THE STAND: SOUL SURVIVORS #1 (of 5)
Written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Penciled by Mike Perkins
Cover by Lee Bermejo
Cette adaptation du roman de Stephen King st une réussite.

DARK TOWER: THE FALL OF GILEAD #6 (of 6)
Written by PETER DAVID & ROBIN FURTH
Pencils & Cover by RICHARD ISANOVE
Sans Jae Lee ce n'est guère intéressant.

THE MARVELS PROJECT #3 (of 8)
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Penciled by STEVE EPTING
Dans cette série Brubaker retrouve la vitalité qui a disparu de Captain America.

ENDER'S GAME: COMMAND SCHOOL #2 (of 5)
ENDER'S SHADOW: COMMAND SCHOOL #2 (of 5)

Ce classique de la SF a son adaptation. A lire si vous ne pouvez pas vous farcir le roman.

ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS #3
Written by MARK MILLAR

Millar réussira-t-il une deuxième fois à bouleverser le genre super-héroique?

ULTIMATE COMICS ARMOR WARS #2 (of 4)
Written by WARREN ELLIS

Ellis est le scénariste au-dessus du lot. Il avait renouvelé Iron Man avec Extremis, donc même si

ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #3
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by DAVID LAFUENTE

Bendis réussira-t-il son coup d'il y a 10 ans? La série s'essouflait et je doute qu'il lui reste beaucoup à dire. Sauf s'il décide d'arrêter de resucer les aventures du premier Spider-Man.

ASM se décline sous toutes les formes. Il y a des mini-séries sur Anti-Venom, Clone Saga, une nouveau Web of Spider-Man qui remplace Amazing Spider-Man Family, Spider-Man 1602. ASM a perdu de son intérêt depuis que les intrigues lancées avec BND se sont achevées. Il est temps de lancer de nouvelles intrigues.

DARK REIGN: THE LIST - SECRET WARRIORS
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN
Pencils & Cover by ED MCGUINNESS

A surveiller pour le dessinateur mais on annonce une réimpression.

DARK REIGN: THE LIST - PUNISHER
Written by RICK REMENDER
Pencils & Cover JOHN ROMITA JR.

JR Jr sur le Punisher, ce n'est pas nouveau mais ce n'est jamais ennuyant.

DARK REIGN: THE LIST - HULK
Written by GREG PAK
Pencils & Cover by BEN OLIVER
Il y aura une réimpression de ASM 14. Pak n'a jamais brillé sur Hulk. Le dessinateur est peu connu.

DARK REIGN: THE LIST - WOLVERINE
Written by JASON AARON
Pencils & Cover by ESAD RIBIC

C'est là encore le dessinateur qui sera le seul intérêt.

X-MEN VS. AGENTS OF ATLAS #1 (of 2)
Written by JEFF PARKER
Penciled by CARLO PAGULAYAN
Cover by ED MCGUINNESS

Un crossover pour relancer cette série qui n'a pas trouvé son public?

DAREDEVIL #501
Written by ANDY DIGGLE
Art by ROBERTO DE LA TORRE
Cover by ESAD RIBIC
Variant Cover by TIM SALE
Meet Daredevil as you've NEVER seen him before!
The cataclysmic events of issue 500 left Matt in the toughest place of his life - and forced him to make the hardest decision he's ever made. Now's the start of a radically different chapter in Daredevil's adventures, and the perfect jumping-on point as the new creative team of Andy Diggle (THUNDERBOLTS) and Roberto De La Torre (IRON MAN) take DD to entirely new highs...and lows!

A suivre pour voir. Brubaker n'avait pas déçu après Bendis. Diggle fera-t-il aussi bien?

DARK AVENGERS #10
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils & Cover by Mike Deodato

Meilleure série Marvel du moment dans la lignée des Thunderbolts d'Ellis.

BLACK PANTHER #9
Written by JONATHAN MABERRY

DOCTOR VOODOO: AVENGER OF THE SUPERNATURAL #1
Written by RICK REMENDER
Penciled by TO BE REVEALED AT SDCC
Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC

Qui sera le dessinateur?

DARK AVENGERS: ARES #1 (of 3)
Written by KIERON GILLEN
Pencils and Cover by CARY NORD
Cary Nord, le dessinateur de Conan sur Ares.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #19
Written by DAN ABNETT & ANDY LANNING
Penciled by WES CRAIG
Cover by ALEX GARNER
Will Kang Conquer the Guardians? Rocked by the aftershocks of War of Kings, Star-Lord's team - now castaways across shattered timelines - are desperate to find a route home before all possible futures fuse into one dark nightmare! Guest-starring the original Guardians of the Galaxy (sort of) and the infamous time-traveling despot who may be their only hope! Yes, it's more sci-fi shenanigans from the book that has ComicBookResources.com raving, "Abnett and Lanning do an amazing job of delivering a quick-moving, jam-packed, high-octane, bombastic epic."
La meilleure partie est le retour des gardiens d'origine.

FANTASTIC FOUR #572
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN
Penciled by DALE EAGLESHAM
Cover by ALAN DAVIS

Une équipe qui devrait aller comme un gant à la série.

HOUSE OF M: MASTERS OF EVIL #3 (of 4)
Written by CHRISTOS N. GAGE
Penciled by MANUEL GARCIA
Cover by MIKE PERKINS
Les précédentes séries de Christos Gage étaient de bonnes surprises

HULK #16
Written by JEPH LOEB
Pencils & Cover by IAN CHURCHILL
Variant Cover by ED MCGUINNESS
*TO BE REVEALED AT SDCC*
Une série à ne pas rater

INCREDIBLE HERCULES #136 & 137
the epic Secret Origin of Amadeus Cho concludes! He learns his connection with the original MASTER MIND EXCELLO and the identity of who really killed his parents! And once Amadeus knows this, will he look to reunite with Hercules... or destroy him?

Très bonne série. A quand sa publication en France?

INCREDIBLE HULK #603
Written by GREG PAK
Art & Cover by ARIEL OLIVETTI
Le dessinateur n'est pas de bonne augure.

IRON MAN: IRON PROTOCOLS

Written by Matt Fraction
Art & Cover by Salvador Larroca
WORLD'S MOST WANTED: THE CONCLUSION!
Everything ends.

A suivre, forcément.

MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #56
Written by PAUL TOBIN
Penciled by MATTEO LOLLI
Cover by SKOTTIE YOUNG
Captain George Stacy has discovered Peter Parker's secret, but he's willing to keep it to himself in return for a favor. The mysterious duo known as Cloak & Dagger have come to town, and since they're way beyond the average beat cop's ability to take down, Spider-Man has a choice: simply place himself in mortal danger, fighting two foes with unknown powers, or take off the mask.

Cette série pourrait être la plus proche de celle des années 60.

NOMAD: GIRL WITHOUT A WORLD #2 (of 4)
Written by SEAN MCKEEVER

Retour de McKeever à Marvel. On avait regretté son départ et son parcours chez DC a été sans lustre.

OFFICIAL INDEX TO THE MARVEL UNIVERSE #10
Written by VARIOUS

Incontournable pour les mordus de l'univers Marvel, la plus grande création de Stan Lee

MIGHTY AVENGERS #30
Written by Dan Slott & ChrISTOS N. GAGE
Penciled by SEAN CHEN
Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE! As the epic battle with The Unspoken threatens all of Earth, the team-up you've been waiting for finally happens as members of the Mighty Avengers, New Avengers, Young Avengers, and the Avengers Initiative unite to fight a foe that no single hero could withstand! How can we fit so many Avengers in one issue? Against the most powerful Inhuman of all, with the greatest weapon in history, do they have a choice? All that plus a special appearance by the Dark Avengers.

Le seul titre des Vengeurs qui en a le goût.

NEW AVENGERS #58
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by STUART IMMONEN
Bendis sur son titre phare.

SPIDER-WOMAN #2
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by ALEX MALEEV

Bendis peut-il encore surprendre?

THE TORCH #2 (of 8)
Written by MIKE CAREY & ALEX ROSS
Penciled by PATRICK BERKENKOTTER
Cover by ALEX ROSS
Marvel ramène ses héros des années 40.

PUNISHER #10
Written by RICK REMENDER
Penciled by TAN ENG HUAT
Cover by MIKE MCKONE

Une série plaisante qui a réussi le mélange entre le justicier vengeur et le côté fantastique de l'univers Marvel.

SECRET WARRIORS #9
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN

Cette série a du mal à trouver sa place.

THOR: TALES OF ASGARD BY STAN LEE & JACK KIRBY #6 (of 6)
Written by STAN LEE
Penciled by JACK KIRBY
Cover by OLIVIER COIPEL

A acheter bien sûr.

THUNDERBOLTS #137
Written by ANDY DIGGLE
Penciled by MIGUEL ANGEL SEPULVEDA
Cover by FRANCESCO MATTINA

Diggle s'arrête. La finale devrait être intéressante à voir.

Rien à voir parmi les titres X-Men.

DEADPOOL: MERC WITH A MOUTH #4
DEADPOOL #16
DEADPOOL #900
MARVEL SPOTLIGHT: DEADPOOL

Un personnage à l'honneur dont l'humour débridé . Le fait pour Marvel de sortir un numéro 900 est à la fois de l'auto-dérision et un pied de nez envers son concurrent.

X-FACTOR #50
Le seul titre mutant à lire.

DOMINIC FORTUNE #3 (of 4)
Written by HOWARD CHAYKIN
Pencils & Cover by HOWARD CHAYKIN
Chaykin nous ravira-t-il ou non? Il est inégal de nos jours.

STARR THE SLAYER #2 (of 5)
Written by DANIEL WAY
Pencils & Cover by RICHARD CORBEN

Une tentative pour renouveler le genre sword and sorcery. Comment ne pas suivre Corben?

CRIMINAL: The Sinners #2

Le série noire de Brubaker m'ennuie. Seulement pour les fans.

MARVEL MASTERWORKS: DOCTOR STRANGE VOL. 4 HC
Written by ROY THOMAS, GARDNER FOX, STAN LEE, BARRY WINDSOR-SMITH & ARCHIE GOODWIN
Penciled by GENE COLAN, BARRY WINDSOR-SMITH, FRANK BRUNNER, P. CRAIG RUSSELL, JIM STARLIN,
SAM KWESKIN, MARIE SEVERIN, HERB TRIMPE & DON HECK
Cover by BARRY WINDSOR-SMITH
Cette collection est un must et ce recueil contient de grands moments visuels.

MARVEL MASTERWORKS: ATLAS ERA JUNGLE ADVENTURE VOL. 1 HC
Written by DON RICO & VARIOUS
Penciled by WERNER ROTH with JIM MOONEY, JOHN BUSCEMA,
GEORGE TUSKA, SYD SHORES & JIMMY INFANTINO
Cover by CARL BURGOS

Pour les curieux qui aiment une belle reproduction pour autre chose que les sempiternels super-héros

MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN VOL. 3 TPB
Written by STAN LEE
Penciled by STEVE DITKO
Cover by STEVE DITKO & DEAN WHITE

Si vous n'avez pas d'autre collection, celle-ci est bon marché.

WOLVERINE: OLD MAN LOGAN HC
Written by MARK MILLAR
Penciled by STEVE MCNIVEN

Imaginatif et visuellement surprenant.

MARVEL ZOMBIES 4 HC
Written by FRED VAN LENTE
Penciled by KEV WALKER
Cover by ARTHUR SUYDAM

L'auteur s'amuse avec les personnages des années 70 et décide de les moderniser.

X-MEN: ASGARDIAN WARS HC
Written by Chris Claremont
Penciled by PAUL SMITH & ARTHUR ADAMS
Un classique impérissable dans un format qui lui fait honneur

SPIDER-MAN: AMERICAN SON PREMIERE HC
Written by JOE KELLY
Penciled by PHIL JIMENEZ, PAULO SIQUEIRA, MARCO CHECCHETTO & DALE EAGLESHAM
Décevant.

ULTIMATE WOLVERINE VS. HULK PREMIERE HC

Amusant

HULK VOL. 3: HULK NO MORE PREMIERE HC
Written by JEPH LOEB
Penciled by ED MCGUINNESS
Formidable

CAPTAIN AMERICA: ROAD TO REBORN PREMIERE HC

Un must

SPIDER-MAN: THE SHORT HALLOWEEN PREMIERE HC
Rien d'essentiel

THING: PROJECT PEGASUS PREMIERE HC
Formidable, les meilleurs épisodes de la série par Byrne et Perez

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN VOL. 2: WORLD'S MOST WANTED BOOK 1 TPB

Intéressant

NEW AVENGERS VOL. 10: POWER TPB
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Penciled by BILLY TAN & ALEX MALEEV

3 numéros pour 16$, mieux vaut prendre les numéros individuels

DAREDEVIL: RETURN OF THE KING TPB
Written by ED BRUBAKER
A peine Brubakr finit-il que sa dernière histoire sort en recueil. Tant mieux.

SPIDER-MAN: DEATH AND DATING TPB
Written by MARC GUGGENHEIM, DAN SLOTT, ROGER STERN & MARK WAID
Penciled by BARRY KITSON, MARCOS MARTIN, MIKE MCKONE & LEE WEEKS
Cover by LEE WEEKS
De bons épisodes

THUNDERBOLTS: BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE TPB

Le début prometteur et réussi de Diggle

FANTASTIC FOUR VISIONARIES: JOHN BYRNE VOL. 1 TPB (NEW PRINTING)
Un must

ESSENTIAL GHOST RIDER VOL. 3 TPB

Pour ceux qui veulent beaucoup de lecture à bas prix.

Kirby's The Losers

2009-07-11T08:21:00.000-07:00

I just received three Kirby Omnibi, The Losers, O.M.A.C. and The Demon.
They're all work that Kirby did at DC in the 70s.
Traditionally, DC has reprinted the Fourth World and New Gods in particular (three collected editions that I know of). When these series were cancelled, Kirby had to come up with new ideas. The Demon and Kamandi were the first. Bruce Timm and Mike Mignola have a long admiration for Kirby and the Demon could benefit from the recent relaxing of the Comics Code Authority to delve into horror while Kamandi tried to jump on the Planet of the Apes bandwagon.
Kamandi was one of the first of the survivalist fiction that is so popular today (Walking Dead, Resurrection, Y The Last Man, Crossed), Erik Larsen emulated it in Savage Dragon The Save World (#76-81). The adventures of this very human hero had a palpable feeling that without civilization the world was harsh and anything could happen. O.M.A.C. dealy with future war and featured the eponymous One Man Army Corps. Since that didn't last as well, Kirby was assigned to one of the Bob Kanigher war titles, Our Fighting Forces featuring The Losers for twelve issues (#151-162).
By the mid-70s war titles were on the wane, The Losers were a fusion of three different war strips: Capt Storm, Capt Johnny Cloud, and Gunner and Sarge. It was one of the first co-features (if not the first) which were to be a defining part of the Bronze Age.
Kirby had been doing war series before, most famously Sgt Fury and his Howling Commandoes. But what he brought to the Losers was his own war experience. He didn't feel comfortable writing about losers since he defined himself as writing about winners. Thus he reinterpreted the characters as everymen. They became indistinguishable in personality, Kirby even dressed the Navajo Captain Cloud as an SS officer as if it was plausible that no German soldiers would notice.
Writing characters he didn't create, Kirby relied on a technique he had started to use on New Gods, telling stories about characters he introduced. It becomes obvious in the second half of the run with such titles, Panama Fattie (#157), Mile-a-Minute Jones (#159), Ivan (#160), and The Major's Dream (#161).
Every story except one (#152, possibly the best one according to this essay, http://kirbymuseum.org/kirby-l/off152-01.html) tell the story of one or two new memorable characters in 18 pages.
From the first story we find about a Wagner-loving German major and the woman spy he tracks, concert-pianist Emma Klein. Issue 152 is a study in claustrophoby where the Losers are trapped in a town full of unnamed Germans. More than any other this story is the epitome of the fight of the nameless soldier, be it American or German. This anonymity is sharpened by the apparition at the end of a war celebrity, Patton.
Issue 153 tells the story of Rodney Rumpkin, a science-fiction fan and a stand-in for Kirby himself. Colonel Yamashita is the center of issue 154. Issue 155 returns to the theme of anonymity as the central character is a partisan named only at the end as we find out he was a ghost. 157-158 is the only two-parter. In 159 an Olympic rivalry finds its denouement on the battlefield. A Russian collaborator is the focus of issue 160. Major Geoffrey Soames and his ominous dream is the thread of 161. The last issue presents us with four teenage French soldiers and is a reminder of the youth of many combatants.
Conversely the historical characters appear only as cameos in the first issues, Patton (#152), Hitler, Himmler and Rommel (#153). Though the rivalry between Olympic athletes Henry Jones and Bruno Borman evokes the real-world rivalries between Jesse Owens and German athletes as well as between boxers Joe Louis and Max Schmeling.

Boody Rogers

2009-07-11T05:56:00.000-07:00

I just bought the collection by Craig Yoe, Boody The Bizarre Comics of Boody Rogers.
This material is in the public domain and some can be found on-line:
http://www.glyphjockey.com/sparky/files/sparky1.htm
http://www.animationarchive.org/2006/08/media-boody-rogers-babe-comics.html

The first is a Sparky Watts story which is in the collection, the second is a Babe story which isn't but which should be read as it introduces a characrter appearing in the collection.

This collection reprints mainly stories from Babe and Sparky Watts with just two teenage characters, Jasper Fudd and Dudley.

Sparky Watts started as a super-hero parody, one of the earliest ones, created in 1940. But he has none of the cliches such as a costume and a secret identity. It is full of fantastic creatures such as the one at the bottom of the cover.

The best part is Babe.
Babe is another parody, created in 1948. By then super-heroes had gone out of fashion to leave their place to romance and good girl art. Babe follows the good girl art trend and parodies Li'l Abner. The stories are full of innuendo. Another collection is in order.

Parutions Marvel de juillet 2009

2009-04-21T08:37:00.000-07:00

Marvel continue à fêter ses 70 ans avec des numéros spéciaux consacrés à ses héros d'origine. Les deux premiers étaient sympas, en fait le Captain America était excellent et le Sub-Mariner bon. Ce mois-ci c'est Blonde Phantom et The Might Destroyer.
Captain America 601 est par Brubaker et Gene Colan. Gene était un dessinateur de Cap au début des années 70. L'histoire est un flasnback à la deuxième guerre mondiale.
A noter deux séries qui se sont fait remarquer, Iron Man, nominé aux Eisner et Captain Britain and MI 13, un autre des meilleurs lancements de l'an dernier.
FF 569 est la fin des numéros de Millar avec un numéro double par Stuart Immonen. Un grand final en perspective.
Iron Fist est remplacé pour cinq numéros par une série sur les armes immortelles, Fat Cobra en premier.
Marvel Zombies 4 se termine. le premier numéro était excellent et une cinquième série est annoncée.
La suite de Marvels, Marvels: Eye of the Camera se termine aussi, sans doute par la mort de Phil Sheldon.
Thor 603 est par JMS et Marko Djurdjevic qui avait été fantastique la fois précédente qu'il avait remplacé Coipel.
Marvel réimprime les Tales of Asgard de Kirby avec de nouvelles couleurs. Ces histoires valent le détour et le coloriage attirera peut-être le nouveau public.
Brubaker et Phillips termine leur série pulp Incognito.
Après les dark Avengers, les dark X-Men. Rien de nouveau comme d'habitude, le seul titre lisible est le X-Factor de Peter David.
ASM 600 sort cette semaine avec 104 pages, une histoire par Slott et John Romita Jr de 60 pages qui marque le retour de Dr Octopus, plus des bonus avec Stan Lee, Mario Alberti, Marcos Martin et le reste des scénaristes réguliers de la série. Couverture d'Alex Ross

Parutions DC en juillet 2009

2009-04-21T08:06:00.000-07:00

Juillet marque le début de Blackest Night en construction depuis plus de deux ans (voire depuis le lancement de Green Lantern en 2004). Après le succès de Sinestro Corps War, c'est à ne pas manquer.
En plus du numéro 1 de Blackest Night (Johns et Reis) il y aura donc deux numéros de Green Lantern (avec le nouveau dessinateur Doug Mahnke), un de Green Lantern Corps et trois de Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps par Johns, Tomasi et Morales.
C'sy aussi le début de Wednesday comics qui reprend la tradition des BD en pleine page du dimanche avec 16 séries en douze parties hebdomadaires. A l'affiche:
Batman par Azzarello etRisso
Adam Strange par paul Pope
Metamorpho par Gaiman et Allred
Sgt Rock par Kubert
ainsi que Superman, Wonder Woman, Hawkman, Green Lantern, Flash, Kamandi, Deadman, Teen Titans, Demon, Catwoman, Supergirl, Hawkman et Metal Men. Parmi les auteurs: Brian Steelfreeze, Dave Gibbons, Walt Simonson, Lee Bermejo, Kurt Busiek, et Kyle Baker pour ne citer que les plus prestigieux.
Morrison et Quitely continuent avec Batman et Robin 2
Mark Bagley arrive sur Batman.
Les innombrables autres séries sur Batman et Superman semblent sans intérêt.
A noter le début de Bill Willingham et Matthew Sturges (l'équipe de Fables) sur Justice Society of America qui remplacent Johns qui officiait depuis dix ans sur la série.
Parmi les séries qui ont commencé le mois dernier, Flash a été une déception, Warlord une bonne surprise.
Dans les recueils, je recommande Batman Cacophony
Pour ceux qui aiment Jim Lee, Batman Hush ressort en un volume avec 6 pages parus dans Wizard et deux pages parues sur le site de DC.
Si vous avez de l'argent, le Absolute DC The New Frontier. Sinon vous pouvez le trouver moins cher mais c'est à lire.
Batman: A Death in the Family comprend la mort du deuxième Robin et l'introduction du troisième.
Gotham Central Vol. 2, collaboration de Rucka et Brubaker avant que Brubaker ne gagne le Eisner du meilleur scénariste mais tout aussi bon.
Pour capitalier sur les ventes de Watchmen, DC sort un volume relié de Tom Strong (12 numéros), de Fables (10 numéros) en commençant du début.
Le volume 12 de Fables sort ce mois-ci.
Je me suis lassé de la série régulière et de ses dérivés (d'autant qu'une troisième série va arriver)
Air et Madame Xanadu sont les séries que je surveille.

DC Solicits June 2009

2009-03-23T14:20:00.000-07:00

BATMAN AND ROBIN #1
Written by Grant Morrison
Art and cover by Frank Quitely
Incontournable, forcément.

DETECTIVE COMICS #854
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by JH Williams and Cully Hamner
Avec Batwoman. JH Williams est toujours à voir.

Paul Dini a deux nouveaux titres:
BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM #1
Written by Paul Dini and Marc Andreyko
Art by Dustin Nguyen & Derek Fridolfs and Georges Jeanty & Karl Story
Avec la reprise de la série Manhunter
GOTHAM CITY SIRENS #1

THE FLASH: REBIRTH #3
Written by Geoff Johns
Art and covers by Ethan Van Sciver
Après la renaissance de Green Lantern, on ne peut laisser passer cette série.

BOOSTER GOLD #21
Written by Dan Jurgens and Matthew Sturges
Art by Dan Jurgens & Norm Rapmund and Mike Norton
Plus la série Blue Beetle, récemment arrêtée, qui reprend ici.

GREEN LANTERN #42
Written by Geoff Johns
Art and cover by Philip Tan & Jonathan Glapion
On approche de Blackest Night

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #37
Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Art and cover by Patrick Gleason & Rebecca Buchman
Idem

THE WARLORD #3
Written by Mike Grell
Art by Chad Hardin & Walden Wong
Cover by Mike Grell
Warlord était la meilleure réussite de heroic fantasy après Conan. Et cela était dû à Grell.

DC COMICS CLASSICS LIBRARY: THE JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA BY GEORGE PEREZ VOL. 1 HC
Written by Gerry Conway
Art by George Pérez with Frank McLaughlin and John Beatty
Cover by George Pérez
The first half of artist George Pérez’s 1980s run on JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA is collected in this new hardcover featuring issues #184-186, 192-194 plus Pérez’s very rare JLA postcard set!
Très bonne idée de réimprimer ça.

THE SANDMAN BY JOE SIMON & JACK KIRBY
Written by Joe Simon & Jack Kirby
Art and cover by Joe Simon & Jack Kirby
At last, the classic 1940s Super Hero series by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby is collected from the pages of WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #6-7, ADVENTURE COMICS #72-97, #100-102 (1942-1946) and SANDMAN #1, the comic that reunited Simon & Kirby in 1974!
Un peu déçu qu'on n'ait pas tous les numéros de Sandman par Kirby. Son style des années 40 n'a pas la puissance des années 70 et comme toutes les rééditions des années 70 se sont bien vendues, c'est un peu risqué de tabler sur les années 40.

SHOWCASE PRESENTS: BAT LASH TP
Un western comme on n'en fait plus.

SUPERMAN AND THE LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES TP
Written by Geoff Johns
Art and cover by Gary Frank & Jon Sibal
Excellente histoire. On regrette déjà le départ de Johns et de Frank.

SHOWCASE PRESENTS: BATMAN VOL. 4 TP
Retour aux sources après les années folles de la série télé kitsch.

ASTRO CITY: THE DARK AGE BOOK 3 #2
Written by Kurt Busiek
Art by Brent Anderson
Cover by Alex Ross
Rare, trop rare

ASTRO CITY: THE DARK AGE BOOK ONE TP

100 BULLETS VOL. 13: WILT TP
Le dernier volume

AIR #10
Written by G. Willow Wilson
Art and cover by M.K. Perker
Une des meilleures nouvelles séries de Vertigo

MADAME XANADU #12
Written by Matt Wagner
Art and cover by Michael Wm. Kaluta

SEAGUY: THE SLAVES OF MICKEY EYE #3
Written by Grant Morrison
Art and cover by Cameron Stewart