I'm glad the movies didn't go with that outfit, but Stephen Dorff would've been terrifying in it.

I watched Night of the Hunter a week or two back, and even if you're not into older movies (it's from 1955) it holds up. Robert Mitchum plays Harry Powell, a 'preacher,' who's actually a serial killer, marrying for money and then killing his brides. He has "L-O-V-E" tattooed on the knuckles of one hand, and "H-A-T-E" on the other, a bit I know has been used elsewhere; but honestly the preacher outfit with the hat and string tie maybe scare me more. Somebody shows up wearing those, I'm out of there like they were wearing a hockey mask and bloody smock. I don't know if it's a callback to NotH, but the bad guy today has that outfit: probably would've looked evil and creepy without it, but it ices the cake! From 1995, Blade the Vampire Hunter #7, "Bad to the Bone" Written by Ian Edginton, pencils by Douglas H. Wheatley, inks by Steve Moncuse.

The bad guy in question is Deacon Frost, the vampire that attacked Blade's mom before he was born, making him what he was. Frost had been dead, possibly more than once, but here as he attacks Blade's friend Bible John, he explains how an amateur wizard accidentally brought him back, and how he was going to be a new god for vampires. Later, fighting Blade, Deacon says "the vampire race has become mired in the cliche of its own mythos," which seems remarkably forward-thinking for somebody dressed like that. He also doesn't appear to have the old weaknesses, and transforms into a bunch of rats after Blade stabs him through the heart. (Um, the technical term is a mischief of rats!) It's an impressive move; or at least it would've been before I saw this Oglaf strip.

For his part, this is a kinder, gentler Blade than usual: he appears to be trying to have a life outside of hunting vampires, maybe improve his work-life balance a bit. He takes care of the injured Bible John rather than chasing Deacon at all costs. But, taking John to the hospital was a tactical error, as they would probably throw John back in the asylum when he was better...! (Somehow vampires were not commonly known in the Marvel U. then, so someone devoting their life to their study and extermination probably did seem a nut.) Blade knows only one person can help him here, probably not his favorite person either: Morbius! 

I tried to look up, if Deacon Frost was ever portrayed consistently; because if he looked like that before turning into a vampire...Anyway, probably not, but Frost also had a weird doppelgänger-generation power, just to confuse the issue further.

Read more!

There's definitely an Onion headline that applies for Wolvie there.

Whelp, just spent a hour writing a post, for a book I'd already blogged; so I'd best triple-check I haven't hit this one before, since I'm positive I've bought it three times. (I can see two from here, so...) So far it looks like I haven't, so here goes! From 2001, Paradise X: Heralds #1, plot and cover by Alex Ross, plot and script by Jim Krueger, art by Steve Pugh. 

This would be a prequel to Paradise X, the third and final chapter of Ross and Krueger's Earth X trilogy; and begins with X-51 recovering, and restoring, the Logan from "Days of Future Past," Earth-811. (I'm nerdy, but not nerdy enough to remember earth designations like that of the top of my head!) While he could be resurrected, X-51 sadly tells Logan his friends could not; and Logan recognizes where he was, since he had been there before: the Watcher's home on the moon. (Like the Onion said, "Man Experiencing First Real Moment of Peace in Years Resuscitated.")

X-51 introduces him to the team he had put together, collected from the multiverse, some of which would have even been familiar to Logan: the vampire Ororo, Bloodstorm; the MC2 Spider-Girl, Killraven, Deathlok, Iron Man 2020, and a Hyperion. (Logan recognizes May as "Parker's kid" by scent, which grosses her out.) They also pass by the naysaying old Watcher Uatu, who was basically a big blind face at this point. X-51 gives the quick version of what he had learned, about the multiverse, divergent timelines, Mephisto, and primarily, the Celestial egg planted in earths across the multiverse. (That plot point is probably the legacy of the Earth X books, as it's crossed over into 616 and movie continuity.) He wanted the team to warn the Reed Richards of those worlds; then he would use Uatu's stuff to reward the heralds accordingly. (Killraven and Logan both point out, their earths sucked and were probably past saving, but X-51 had found others.) The heroes are paired up, with X-51 going with Hyperion; as they are transported by familiar-looking big black monoliths...

Hyperion and X-51 arrive on an earth taken over by Kulan Gath (around Uncanny X-Men #190!) and Reed Richards had just been strung up. Deathlok and Killraven get a world ruled by Satyrnin, which does have a lot of armored goons for them to blast. IM 2020 is paired off with Bloodstorm, feeling that he was because he would've been protected from the vampire, but they find a world apparently full of 'em. Logan and Spider-Girl show up at a White House, to see President Richards...perhaps better known as the Brute!

I hesitate to mention this, since I have an irrational fear of anyone horning in on my search; but I read all the Earth X books as they came out, and since my old copies have been read many times I have been putting together another run of them from the cheap bins. Checking the pile I have handy, I had most of Earth and Universe, but needed about 12 of Paradise X. There were maybe 14 issues of that one, since they ran from #0 to #X because of course they do. Still, I had new copies of all three of Heralds, and I think I have all of the one-shots like Xen and Cap, which I thought would be tough to gather up. I've been picking at that for some time, it seems to come in chunks, but I might be making some headway.

Read more!

"Kick."

Every time there's a toy show, there's always some figure I buy that I'm later asking "why?" and probably a couple I'm kicking myself for not buying. This time around I bought a Marvel Legends Toad--I think the first series one, that kind of sucks? He's dingy and not as articulated as a usual Legends figure, since I think he was repurposed into that line. And I didn't buy a Dr. Doom with a very sharp aftermarket cloth cape, or the Marvel Super-Heroes video game Thanos! The latter had been part of a set with Psylocke and may be tough to dig up now. That said, I did get a coupon for Never Enough Toys, and I'll be checking them out later today--as I type this, anyway, this won't post for a bit! (I got a DCUC Cyborg Superman, and um, the Widow-mom from the Black Widow movie. Melina Vostokova, or such. That's at least the second time I've got a figure from a two-pack there, and the more desirable one at that!)

How many strips have I done with figures from video games that I don't play? A goddamn ton! But I love the first two Marvel Capcom games: I was never really good at the combo system on the third. I don't think current fighting games go for the leftfield, oddball characters anymore, though; like Shuma-Gorath. (The Tekken series is another, that I think used to have so many weirdos and has largely phased them out?) Anyway, so far Shuma's the only one of the recent video game Legends that I've picked up, because he was the only new character for me: I have Psylocke, Silver Samurai, Juggernaut figures.

   

For Blackheart, I wanted to emulate his "Heart of Darkness" hyper combo; and I had those Shadow Demons from Super 7's Dungeons & Dragons . That was probably half off retail at Ross, but good luck: I've seen a bit of Super 7 backstock there, but it's a crapshoot. I did see Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Skull at one; much cheaper, but then getting him without Bulk seems like getting David Spade without Chris Farley. OK, maybe not that bad.  .

Read more!

It was the most profitable camping trip ever, I guess?

Some IMDB links to back this up: if I recollect, aside from side stuff, there's three proper movies in the Blair Witch franchise. (Or 'franchise,' depending on your opinion!) First there was 1999's the Blair Witch Project, which was absurdly profitable since it cost figuratively about $60 to make, and kicked off a barrage of 'found footage' horror that continues to this day. It was quickly followed by Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 in 2000, and I am not 100% sure I, or anyone, saw that one; although I'm pretty sure they advertised the hell out of it in comics of the time and it had the mandatory nu-metal soundtrack to show they had a budget now. They tried again in 2016 with Blair Witch, which was more of a direct sequel to the first; I had it on in the background last month and am unsure on the title character's powers? Best guess, the Blair Witch can make people stand in the corner, interferes with wi-fi, and can mimic voices like the Predator? Geez, pick a lane already...But why should filmmakers and producers be the only ones to cash in here? Why not Mark and Sergio? From 1999, Sergio Aragonés' Blair Which? #1, story by Sergio Aragonés and Mark Evanier, art by Sergio Aragonés, letters by Stan Sakai.

Sleepy, small town Burkittsville MD is a typical American hamlet; in that it's full of rubes and loudmouths. When word gets out some college kids are filming a "movie" in the woods, rumors and stories fly; mostly of lies parents told their kids to try and get them to behave, or at least shut up for five minutes. "The Blair Witch will get you if you don't stop touching yourself," that sort of thing. As talk spreads, a group of scouts head out for a camping trip, including one with a Hi-8 camera and a dream: to shoot a documentary about a fake horror legend and sell it for big bucks!

But, the scouts are close enough that the hopelessly lost and terrified college kids can hear them yelling and roughhousing (although apparently not talking normally) as well as find bizarre items like cairns of stones (where the scouts buried their trash) and weird pagan crosses (failed craft project/bear traps). The scouts also find the creepy house in the woods, explore it, get bored, and leave; all before the college kids arrive. And the end of the movie occurs, as a demolition crew implodes the derelict house! The tapes are later found, thrown away, found again, sent to Hollywood as a joke, and the rest is history!

I'm guessing Sergio and Mark didn't like that one. Although, that could be jealousy over the dump trucks full of money somebody made outta that. (Not the actors, pretty sure they were shorted there!) I don't think I had this issue new, but they (and Dark Horse) appeared to get this out pretty quick: gotta strike while the iron is hot, I suppose. Aside from craft, repetition, and craft, a lot of Sergio and Mark's career seems to be based on "no one could be that stupid!"/someone is of course that stupid, and they were 110% correct there. Read more!

This specifically doesn't count; and yet, here we are!

I did check a couple stores and more than a few bins, to see if I lucked into another iteration of Avengers #23: Bendis had one in 2012, Hickman in 2014 that looks like the new issue of 'Infinity,', and course there were stacks of variants and spin-offs: West Coast, New, Academy, Savage, Spotlight, Uncanny...the point is just that comics numbering is largely a nightmare and probably a hindrance to new readers. But, we've got one more issue, partly because I think I've bought it more than once and keep forgetting! From 1994, Avengers Annual #23, "Strangers on an Astral Plane" Written by Roy Thomas, art by John Buscema.

Yes, it's a riff on the Hitchcock classic Strangers on a Train, albeit in a bit more forced way. Pluto and Loki bump into each other, on a distant astral plane: Pluto was currently forbidden by Zeus from leaving Hades, while Loki was trapped in Mephisto's hell, yet they seem to be out for a little constitutional. And, Loki suggests, maybe they can help each other out: Loki could bump off Hercules, while Pluto wacked Thor. They would be able to look innocent; or at least set up alibis ahead of time. Back at Avengers' Mansion, it's two of the main activities we usually see there: training and brooding! Hercules and Captain America are both distracted and gloomy today. There's probably a board for it somewhere, like you see at daycares or animal sanctuaries.

In Hades, Loki frees the Titan Typhon, who should just be happy to get away from the torture, but wanted revenge against Herc and the Avengers for beating him way back in Avengers #50; also by Roy and John! Loki also frees some other Titans, partly because they jumped him, but also because Hercules would probably have back-up. He maybe didn't have to worry; since when the Titans attack Herc at a fancy restaurant, Herc refrains from calling the Avengers, but his ID card is activated in the fight. The Avengers don't arrive in time, as the Titans escape with the captured Herc, for a quick trip back to Hades, to dip Herc in the waters of the river Lethe, which brings forgetfulness! (This memory loss for Herc was a plot point in the MST3K favorite Hercules Unchained! Although I don't recall if the Lethe was mentioned by name.) Not remembering otherwise, Hercules is easily convinced that Typhon was his pal, and they all had been wrongly sent to Hades by Zeus, which is close enough to crap Zeus actually had done to Herc that it seems true. Sneaking up Mount Olympus, Typhon recovers his axe from a mystic brazier which then goes out, reducing the Olympic pantheon to mere intangible wisps.

The Avengers currently had Thunderstrike on the roster, and while he wasn't as adept at transporting to other realms as Thor, he's able to (eventually) get the team to Olympus: the team had figured Typhon might want to kill Hercules in front of Zeus, and Cap recognizes this as being not unlike Typhon's last appearance. While the Avengers fight the other Titans, it's down to Cap--who was at a low point, the "Fighting Chance" storyline where the Super-Soldier Serum was breaking down in his system. Cap goads Herc with comments about his dead wife and kids, which led to Herc having to complete his Twelve Labors to redeem himself, and in remembering, Herc diverts a river, washing Cap headfirst into a wall. Herc goes after him, intent on maybe showing him how he strangled the Nemean Lion, but the water of Olympus returns his memories. Hercules then rescues Cap, and together they start in on Typhon; with Cap passing his axe to the other Avengers to relight the brazier; even though Typhon reverts to a more horrible tentacled version in the fight.

With the Titans defeated and Zeus and the other Olympians restored, Typhon is questioned but refuses to talk; and Pluto has been chilling with his wife Persephone, innocent as a baby lamb. Still, now Pluto has to make arrangements to re-imprison the Titans...and kill Thor. That would be in Thor Annual #19, which I'm pretty sure wasn't the best. Also this issue: Giant-Man and Vision in "Master of his own Density," story and art by Al Milgrom. An AI "Glitch" that looks like a more articulate Kremzeek tries to take over the Vision. In a training session, Giant-Man realizes the Vision was getting dumber every time he tried to change his density, until Glitch takes over. But Glitch may end up in his own trap...

I went back to add the Pluto/Persephone panel, since it was a very Buscema panel, and great! And I did like to see Herc's concern and honestly, affection, for Cap: like Thor, Herc seems to just like Cap more than the other Avengers usually do. Read more!

A Sunday post! Feels like it's been a while since we've had one, but since it's the 23rd, we'll continue our streak of Avengers #23's going--with an asterisk. Despite having a solid batch of the run, my local comic shop did not have Marvel Triple Action #17, nor the original, which would doubtless have been a bit rich for my blood. Luckily, we have a budget-conscious alternative! Reprinted in Essential Avengers #1,1965's Avengers #23, "Once an Avenger..." Written by Stan Lee, pencils by Don Heck, inks by John Romita.

This was the "Cap's Kooky Quartet" phase of the team, with Captain America, Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch; half of whom couldn't stand the other half at any given time. To wit, after the events of the previous issue, Cap had just quit; either because he felt he failed as their leader, or he was sick of those jerks. Hawkeye and Quicksilver keep the sniping going, and I'm just surprised they aren't full-on accusing each other of driving Cap away; while Wanda has a bit of a crush on him and misses watching him workout already. Meanwhile, it appears to have taken Steve Rogers about 30 seconds to get to upstate New York and get a job 'training' boxers, by which I mean thumping them somewhat mercilessly. Well, they were probably the 'learn by doing' types, so okay. Also meanwhile or wherever he is in time, Kang was plotting against the remnants of the Avengers, at their lowest ebb. Step one: add another level to their house. Yeah, that'll teach 'em. Actually, it might: Kang's ship, disguised to the outside world as another story of the mansion, is full of traps and easily defeats the three, who maybe are all missing Cap now.

Kang returns with his captives to his future, and has a gruff meeting with "puppet ruler" Ravonna. So far she seems to hate Kang's guts, considering him a mere "commoner," despite the fact that Kang did have a pretty legit army then. Back at the training camp, the news of the Avengers' capture makes the news, and Steve punches out the current champ so he can take off. Back in the future, the Avengers are trapped in clear cells, but the Scarlet Witch manages to shatter hers, although it takes all her hex juice and she was "vulnerable" and dizzy now, which definitely feels like that's because she's the girl. Realizing they're not on their home turf, the Avengers try to fight it out, despite being swarmed by Kang's guards and gizmos. Kang is perhaps even impressed, since this team didn't have anywhere near the power of the old roster, but was still giving it a go. Hit by strength-sapping beams, only Quicksilver escapes; but Kang is interrupted by a message from the past: Cap has used a "recreater" device of Iron Man's, to see that Kang had taken the team, and now was calling him out.

With Ravonna in his control room, Kang has to play the big man, and opts to bring Cap to the future to show he didn't fear him. To give Cap a chance, Ravonna changes where he would land: Kang knows what she's doing, but goes with it. Quicksilver finds Cap, and together they storm through the guards, to face Kang himself; largely as Kang intended. He's showing off for Ravonna and her royal court, trying to neg her into marriage; and if that didn't work, his army would come down on her kingdom like a ton of bricks. Ravonna has a bit of an aside, that she might have been into Kang maybe, if he'd not tried to impress her with conquering? Hawkeye and the Scarlet Witch rejoin the fight, as Kang signals his army to attack... 

OK, let's set the wayback machine and confirm something: Ravonna appeared--sort of, in a corpse-like state--in 1969's Avengers #71, which was reprinted in Marvel Super Action #32, which I've mentioned was one of my first Avengers comics. MSA #32 would've been on stands late March/early April 1981; the other earliest Avengers I read was #211, which was from June '81! So, now I know which was first.

Read more!

Recycling doesn't go in the bed! We've talked about this before.

If I'm lucky--if you're lucky--I maybe was able to dig up a copy of Marvel Triple Action #17, which reprints the first Avengers #23. Interestingly, the MTA cover is from "an unaltered stat," since per the GCD, "The Comics Code did not approve of the original because Kang's looming arm was deemed to be too frightening to children." But, if our collective luck ran out, we've got another Avengers #23 in reserve--"New" Avengers? Sure, like that counts! From 2006, New Avengers #23, "New Avengers: Disassembled, part 3" Written by Brian Michael Bendis, pencils by Oliver Coipel, inks by Mark Morales.

Ugh, Civil War trade dress, that's not a good start...I know I'm hardly the first to mention this, but so much of Jessica Jones was taken from the Jessica Drew Spider-Woman, that it feels like it didn't leave much for Spider-Woman? At the start of this one, Jessica is in bed in a hotel room, with beer cans in bed with her: the only thing differentiating her from Jones is, there's only two cans, and she crawls on the wall to answer the door. It's Nick Fury, who says he found her since she registered for the room as "Sybil Dvorak," and he was out from underground because of the ongoing superhero Civil War. Jessica zaps him in the back with her venom blast, which does nothing; since it's an LMD: she can tell by the smell and knows it's Maria Hill controlling it. Maria admits, she was fishing for some info, and maybe a smidge of reasonable doubt that Jess wasn't a traitor...(Jessica had a better sense of smell than a regular person: maybe not as good as Daredevil or Wolverine, but good enough to recognize the LMD. Although, it's fun to think the LMD literally does just smell like a pile of tires.)

Brought in by S.H.I.E.L.D. in about its least friendly phase, Maria says Tony Stark told her Jessica was a triple-agent. Iron Man seems down on her, just because Captain America had believed in her, and he was steamed at Cap. Before Jessica can even finish complaining, the lights go out, Tony's suit freezes up, and the Helicarrier lurches to the side, as HYDRA attacks to get Jessica! Maria is shot a few times, which just seems to knock her down; and as Jess is retrieved a random HYDRA guy scolds Tony, this is what war profiteering gets you, so nyah. S.H.I.E.L.D. barely manages to keep the 'carrier from crashing into Rhode Island, although a few jets may have fallen off and onto a city...

This time, Jessica wakes up on HYDRA Island, offered a cup of tea by a guy she calls Connelly. He's a little disappointed the Helicarrier didn't crash, especially since the EMP they used was a one-off they wouldn't be able to use against S.H.I.E.L.D. again. Still, it was worth it to get Jessica back, since he wanted to pitch her on not just joining HYDRA, but taking over as the new leader. She'd be more stable than Viper, and since her folks were HYDRA she was like a legacy. Jessica appears to consider that, for about two seconds--not even the traditional three--before beating the crap out of Connelly, the guards, and the island, racing away from a massive explosion in a speedboat. (We don't actually get to see Jessica do all the cool stuff to blow up the island, I don't think that fight scenes and action sequences were Bendis's strong suit.) On the last page, Cap is surprised when Jessica shows up at the secret resistance base: she had been looking for Nick Fury, but begs to join, crying, that she had nowhere else to go. I think that's the only page of the issue where she's not in her underwear. 

I've mentioned my sister had a subscription to Spider-Woman when I was a kid, and I think her powers were much, much more limited back then; like she could only use her venom blast like once a day or an hour or something. (Jessica, not my sister...) It might be easy to forget she was super-strong, too; since she wasn't usually the pick-up-a-car type. But I've been watching Bond movies all this week, and Jessica's powers would make about any of them into easy mode!

Read more!

Either there's a theme this week, or I'm Groundhog's Day'ing...

There might be a bit that seems familiar this issue, but by god they put a great spin on it. From 1999, Avengers #23, "Showdown" Written by Kurt Busiek, pencils by George Perez, inks by Al Vey.

The entire creative team was firing on all cylinders, and today so was Captain America, recently reunited with his shield after several months with that photonic replacement. Running a training mission in the Mansion, Justice also seemed to be in gear as well; seemingly over his stage fright, even with a broken leg. But, today's main drama was yet to come, as Wanda goes to have a talk with the Vision. She knew he still loved her, even if she was with Wonder Man now; the Vision says, that's his problem, not hers. Simon tries to make things better, by busting in and saying Vision shouldn't bottle up his feelings, and boy, does he uncork something. (The Starkings/Comicraft lettering? Chef's kiss. So good.)

Vision just wants Wanda to be happy, but does have a bone to pick with Simon: he likes jazz! Pretentious bastar--no, that's not the main issue; he also likes chess and Walt Kelly. Simon is thrilled: his brother, Eric, the Grim Reaper, wasn't into any of that stuff; but he and Vision had things in common. This catches Simon a sock to the jaw, since he was missing the point in an epic fashion. And then we pause for a big preview of Doomsday and Young Allies, which really should've had some credits: I'm pretty sure that's Mike McKone and Mark Bagley, respectively.

Wanda is surprised Vision would lash out like that--um, they're superheroes, that's how they work through stuff usually?--and Vision apologizes and takes off, with Simon right behind him. Vision admits, he feels like he was a complete fake: everything he was, was just a copy of Simon's brain engrams: they both had a type, apparently, namely Wanda. He was a pale reflection, no longer needed, but at least Wanda was with the real thing now. Simon turns that back on him, though; surprised Vision didn't know how much Simon envied him. He had made a lot of bad choices, from embezzling from his company to signing up to get super-powers from Baron Zemo; yet had been forgiven or even praised for his 'bravery' over and over. To Simon, the Vision was the best version of himself. Taken aback, Vision needs to think about that, and takes off; leaving Simon to wonder if he would be back...or if he was just something else he had broken. 

The Vision's "am I a real boy" fit has been done a few times, before and since, and swings pretty wildly from writer to writer: I think he is 'real,' with authentic feelings and thoughts, but feels like he has to act like he's just an automaton. Also this issue: the ongoing protests at Avengers' Mansion, which a seeming laundry-list of grievances. Foremost today, the lack of diversity in the current team roster, which would be addressed later. And new bad guys the Exemplars continued to grow their numbers: they were all avatars of assorted Marvel Universe magic, and technically Juggernaut was one of them, even if he doesn't want in...And, a favorite Bullpen Bits strip from Chris Giarrusso!

Read more!

"Chair."

I wonder if maybe I haven't been confusing Metron's Mobius Chair: didn't Zodac have something similar in the early DC Comics Masters of the Universe comics? For some reason I keep thinking the chair should have runners that are almost like the nacelles on a Star Trek ship, but also convenient for other riders. I kept thinking the chair could hold, um, like a dozen or so X-Men and Teen Titans, even though I know it doesn't!

We don't have Waffle Houses in this neck of the woods, which is kind of a shame but also doesn't really matter, since I haven't gone out for breakfast in a long time. Unless you count like Burger King 2 for $5 breakfast things, which you probably shouldn't.  I know Waffle Houses are a kind of emergency marker: if they're closed, you need to evacuate, like yesterday; but I also think if they sold booze there would be few survivors. I'm pretty sure the guys that make Tekken wanted to have a Waffle House stage, but for some reason were having trouble getting ahold of whoever held the license. Seems like they should've been able to knock it off, though...

And we'll probably discuss more video game figures next time, but do I remember who made that Mortal Kombat Raiden? Ah, we saw him some time back, and he was from Mezco. Do they make mid-range figures anymore? I've seen previews for a One:12 Nightcrawler that I will of course cough up for. But, I think McFarlane has the Mortal Kombat license right now; and I'm mildly curious if it's like Transformers can be: anybody doing the license, starts with the same few guys, and doesn't necessarily get real deep into the roster.

Read more!

Didn't I do this already? The hell...

This had the Legacy number on the cover as well, but I did have a moment's confusion with this issue and yesterday's book; since I thought Sam was the Captain America in the Black Cat story, but this had Steve on the cover...because this was like 60-some issues prior! From 2019, Avengers #23/LEG #723, "Challenge of the Ghost Riders, Part 2: Hell Race 666" Written by Jason Aaron, art by Stefano Caselli.

"Challenge of the Ghost Riders" sounds like a great cartoon that we'll never get in this failed earth; but this issue a failed exorcism of Robbie Reyes' Hellcharger car has sent Robbie to Hell (or a hell, we've discussed this!) and the Avengers Mountain--the Celestial the team lived in now--was possessed! Daimon Hellstorm--Hellstrom?--is called in, as the demonic entity also takes over several suits of Iron Man's armor. Meanwhile, in Hell, Johnny Blaze explains to Robbie that Ghost Riders love two things: vengeance, and racing. (The mammoth-riding prehistoric Rider is shown, either setting up or tying into later Avengers of 1,000,000 B.C. stuff.) Robbie doesn't wanna, though: he was trying to get rid of the curse, and didn't want to race. Johnny was currently King of Hell, and apparently needed to get stronger to keep his hold on the throne, which meant this race: forced to stop "babying" Robbie, he threatens to take Robbie's brother for a ride, which lights a fire in Robbie...see what I did there? Well, I liked it, anyway.

Back on earth, Hellstorm realizes who the demonic entity was--one of the biggest killers the world had ever known, but not a demon--and of course is knocked out before he can say this early in the story. The race in hell goes badly for Robbie; partly because Johnny cheats and has "zombie cannons" shooting at him, but also the street-racing Hellcharger maybe wasn't the right tool for the job: as he takes a jump for the lead, Johnny yells back "...you're the cocky jackass that took a tank to a motocross race!" But, Robbie is then visited by a gaggle of Ghost Riders--a surprising number of whom wear hats, which I feel is counter-intuitive for guys with their heads on fire--who tell him he's going to have race the Ghost Rider way. I feel like that involves a lot of cackling.

At Avengers Mansion, the demonic presence appears, engulfed in flames like a Human Torch, and taking on Thor and She-Hulk, before revealing himself as...Frank Castle, Cosmic Ghost Rider! Boooooo! Absolutely hate CGR. I don't think I'd take to him even if he wasn't Frank--and honestly, he's so not Frank I still can't believe anybody thought this was a good idea. They should've gone with this guy, or better yet, brought back Ghost Rider 2099. That reveal just let the air out of the Hellcharger's tires for me. Also, while Marvel has pretty firmly established a legacy of Ghost Riders, they often seem to have trouble with what to do with more than one of them at a time? It's not quite like Green Lanterns, where even with several there you can distinguish them: put Johnny, Danny, and Robbie in the same scene and you have to be very careful with their outfits! Read more!

Always bet on Black!

Traditionally, whenever Marvel gets a breakout hit, they immediately try to milk--er, capitalize on it, usually by adding a spin-off or ancilliary book. That's how we get stuff like Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty or Black Panther and the Agents of Wakanda or Fantastic Force and usually the heat dies down pretty quick. The recent Black Cat book is pretty good, probably the least surprising surprise hit ever, and I would not be at all surprised if Marvel was getting another title lined up for her. She just had a guest-spot in Fantastic Four, and recently guested in Avengers as well: from 2025, Avengers #23/LEG #789, "The Casino Job, part 2" Written by Jed MacKay, art by Farid Karami. Cover by Valerio Schiti.

This title's current ongoing plot involved something called the "Missing Moment," and the Avengers were trying to get a MacGuffin, a data file of Kang's, from the Grandmaster's casino. Some of the team, notably Storm and the Scarlet Witch, seem to be having fun with the idea of a heist or a caper, and it goes flawlessly...until they find the file already stolen, by Kang, the Black Cat, and one of the greatest thieves ever...Walter Hardy! Kang and the Cat lead the Avengers on a chase through the casino, that's pretty obviously a feint; and the story is interspersed with flashbacks of Kang recruiting Felicia, including taking her back to right before the dinosaurs were wiped out, to make a point of what they were up against. But, they've also hired some muscle: the Technet! Love to see those doofuses again. Felicia and Kang's pitch is amusing as well: sure, the Avengers are tough, but they wouldn't kill you, so easy money, right? Okay, maybe you take a few lumps, but...

While the Technet are "possessed of myriad bizarre gifts...chief among them being sheer aggravation" they're at best only going to slow the Avengers down: Joyboy does turn Iron Man into his "deepest wish," namely, Captain America! Tony is mortified, but the rest of the team largely no-sells the Technet: Thug and Ferro² never had a chance against the Vision, and Wanda nopes Scatterbrain's power--unfair! Kang and Felicia are cornered, and Tony lectures her a bit, but she wasn't doing this for money: she did things for the experience, and wanted to work with her daddy, Walter. Who was long gone with the data file. Which was the cue, for Kang to revert to type: he had seemed relatively friendly and almost charming with Felicia, but now it was time for his fleet to destroy the Grandmaster's "speculatorium" casino and the Avengers! All of which is being watched by the Grandmaster and mysterious baddie Myrddin, who have some bet on this: somehow Myrddin is less surprised by this heelturn; the Grandmaster should know Kang is a dick.

Like that Immortal Thor issue the other day, this was one of a smattering of pretty recent Marvel books fished out of the cheap bins, but I did get all of the Black Cat arc; which I'm not sure moved the Avengers' plot forward a ton but was a solid showcase for her. I do feel like the Black Panther wasn't included here, because he would've seen through the diversion immediately. Still, it's a pretty heavy-hitting Avengers lineup: a lot of their issues that I've read lately have felt a lot like Grant Morrison-Howard Porter era JLA. Read more!