I haven't paid for Disney+ for a while, but I have all of Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes on DVD: I didn't have all of the comic series, though! From 2013, Marvel Universe Avengers Earth's Mightiest Heroes #15, adapting "Acts of Vengeance" Written by Michael Ryan, adapted by Joe Caramagna. Cover by Chris Jones.

You might notice, no artist credits there, since the art was taken directly from the show! While it works pretty well, it also feels like a weird throwback, to Marvel's old movie adaptations. But, do you really need to adapt something that's available on-demand? (If you pay for the service, of course.) Despite the title, this isn't related to the classic crossover: instead, several members of Baron Zemo's Masters of Evil have been picked off, forcing him to go to the Avengers for help, since he thought only Thor would be able to save him from the Enchantress. He explains that she was still mad over not being able to destroy the earth with the Norn Stones, and thought Zemo still had the last one, which he of course denies. In his requests, Zemo always addresses them pointedly to Captain America, the only Avenger he felt he could trust...although, while it's not referenced here directly, at this point in the series, that trust is misplaced! (It's not a spoiler if you saw the last episode of the first season, "A Day Unlike Any Other.")

The B-plot was the long-awaited face-turn for Wonder Man, who sacrifices himself to destroy the last Norn Stone, after Zemo's inevitable betrayal. He had been touched that Tony had been working on a cure for his ionic condition, and Tony regrets being unable to help him better control it. Still, Black Panther says, today he proved he could have been an Avenger, all along.

Absolutely loved that show, and still do; but we've seen other issues with new stories, which I would prefer. This series switched over to adaptations with #13 and would run that way until #18, which I have in a digest: it adapts "Michael Korvac" and it's a good one. Read more!

I may not have realized the glory of the Charleston Chew back then.

I thought I had one of these already--OK, maybe I do, but I don't think I mailed in wrappers for it. From 1993, the Avengers Collector's Edition #1, "Vibrant Alchemy!" Written by Pat Garrahy, pencils by Mike Gustovich, inks by Tom Palmer.

There were maybe a lot of these in the 90's, and I already realize I'm wrong in the title: I do have a few of the 1992 Marvel Collector's Edition, "brought to you by Charleston Chew!" Man, do I miss crap like that, mailing in wrappers or points. They aren't essential or anything, but this one at least looks like an Avengers comic proper, thanks to the Tom Palmer inks. And, it also ties into a classic and some modern continuity; as the Avengers fly out to Wakanda, where the Black Panther...is either engaged, or it's his anniversary? It's not clear, as his girl is already referred to as a queen, and it's not Storm, this was well before that. The team is asked to check their weapons, which I don't think ever happens, but it's just Cap's shield and the Black Knight's photonic sword; and it's so they can be immediately jumped by Diablo and the Masters of Alchemy. The latter had been the "Elements of Doom" in Avengers #188, and they were looking to add vibranium to their number. One of T'challa's men, Baru, sacrifices himself for his queen, to make up for "his failures" in or around Deathlok #25: he gets turned into Vibranium, but seemingly retains his personality; opting to stay that way to serve his people, possibly against his king's wishes. I'm guessing he's not seen again, but who knows?

This issue also features Taylor Madison, Hercules's serious girlfriend there for a bit: spoiler alert, that doesn't end swell. Read more!

So the story goes, when Stan Lee and Steve Ditko were working on Amazing Spider-Man, when it came time to unmask the Green Goblin, that Ditko didn't think it should be someone they had seen before, but Lee thought it if was Harry Osborn's dad Norman, that would be more dramatic. That story may or may not be true, but you shouldn't assume every masked character is someone you actually know. Like today's book! From 2001, Universe X #8, story by Alex Ross and Jim Krueger, pencils by Doug (Dougie) Braithwaite, inks by Bill Reinhold. 

I've mentioned before, I haven't done a big re-read of the Earth X/Universe X/Paradise X epic for some time; but I keep picking up random issues out of the cheap bins. Could I put together another run of it? Doubtful, that'd be like 40-some books total (if you stick to the original!) and includes #0's, #1/2's, specials...This issue, the Earth X narrator Aaron Stack joins up with this title's narrator, Kyle Richmond--Machine Man and Nighthawk, although neither are near their classic looks! They go after Isaac, the Gargoyle, who had betrayed Kyle to Mephisto in exchange for getting to feel again; but Mephisto tells him, "you could always 'feel' guilt, Isaac."

The current Daredevil was an unkillable, um, daredevil; a circus performer who may or may not have been anyone we actually knew. (At this point, anyway; someone might sub in later!) New York City was basically a colossal riot today, but DD is lamenting the lack of his audience; when he's approached by Ransak the Reject, who was looking for Reed Richards, since he could cure the mutations that had been caused by the Terrigen Mists. Which I don't think would help Ransak; who, like Harvey Dent in Dark Knight Returns, was convinced he was hideous. Ransak doesn't have his usual pal Karkas here, to keep him level. The NYPD, which included Peter Parker and Luke Cage, was all that stood between a colossal mob of mutates bent on destroying the "Human Torch" built by Richards, that was designed to cure humanity. A paunchy, accountant-looking Iceman maintains ice walls around it, while wondering when his old pal Warren became so gloomy...and unstylish. Daredevil confronts "Mr. Church," actually Mephisto, and his Church of Immortus. DD refuses to join, because he wants them to kill him; Warren sees the crowd tear him apart but is unable to help.

There's a brief aside to Wakanda, where Mar-Vell's group asks the Black Panther for the Cosmic Cube: the Panther's Earth X mutation is a rare miss from Ross, since it's just T'Challa with a realistic panther head. Back in Latveria, the reunited Reed and Sue Richards may not have much time left together, as the mob of mutated humanity attacks, and the Tong of Creel is there as well, intent on reassembling the Absorbing Man. The Thing's cheerful kids, Buzz and Chuck, try to defend them; but Creel's head and Doom's time machine are both gone. Ransak the Reject arrives in time, with the "Monster Generation," mutated humans who wanted to be un-mutated. 

Re-checking the reading order, the Beasts special was next: it's a dark one!

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"The End" Week: Daredevil #512!

In previous years, we've looked at two of DD's other last issues, #380, and #18, today's book is between those two, because of course it is with Marvel numbering. From 2011, Daredevil #512, "Shadowland, part 5" Written by Andy Diggle and Antony Johnston, art by Marco Checchetto.

And, it's once again time to bluff my way through a crossover issue, for a crossover I didn't read any of: Shadowland. Daredevil takes over his ninja enemies, the Hand; then goes bad after murdering old foe Bullseye; but that was because he was possessed by the Beast. Those sound like beats from dozens of other last issues and crossovers and last issue crossovers we've seen over the years; and this also features traditional DD plot points like Matt Murdock going missing, Foggy Nelson still believing in his friend, and the seemingly defeated Kingpin starting to rise again. While Dakota North doesn't find DD, Power Man and Iron Fist do--or so they think, as they run into the new protector of Hell's Kitchen, Black Panther! (That would last less than a year, before wrapping in the midst of another crossover, Fear Itself--man, if I wasn't worried about the health of the comics industry before...)

We don't see Daredevil this issue, but we do see Matt...on the last two pages, getting off a bus somewhere in America, to walk the earth like Cain in Kung Fu. Which we've seen DD do before, too! The guilt of becoming a murderer weighs upon him, and I wonder if it went away when Bullseye came back, or if he still felt bad. Still, the Mark Waid/Paolo Rivera DD was coming next, and would be better.

I had been looking for this issue for a while, finally found it, and apparently threw it into my last issues drawer and hadn't read it until just now. Sigh. There's actually been another Daredevil  last issue this very year! How many of these same things happen again? Uh, more than one, I'm pretty sure. 

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"The End" Week: Marvel Super Action #37!

You might feel, the last issue of a reprint title? Who cares? But for a lot of years, these were the only way to read these stories without tracking down expensive back issues; and some of my first Avengers reads were from this series: from 1981, Marvel Super Action #37, reprinting 1970's Avengers #76, "The Blaze of Battle... the Flames of Love!" Written by Roy Thomas, pencils by John Buscema, inks by Tom Palmer.

This was the second part of the first appearance of Arkon the Imperion, who by this point had kidnapped a bunch of nuclear scientists and the Scarlet Witch, in an effort to destroy earth to recharge the energy rings that gave heat and light to his world, Polemachus. It would set the pattern for most of his later appearances: even with the best of intentions, Arkon always chooses the most violent way available to do something, and usually tries to kidnap a babe while he's there. The Avengers are trying to use a "d-machine" to travel to Polemachus after him, but haven't licked their power source problem yet; much to the irritation of Quicksilver, who wants his sister back. And because things weren't melodramatic enough, the Black Widow returns, but only to break up with Goliath, tearfully telling him she never loved him. 

Arkon intends on keeping the Scarlet Witch as his bride, and uses "the Ultimate Persuader!" to suck nuclear secrets out of one of the scientists, which cows the others. They make what looks like an atomic superball for him, that when thrown at the right spot on earth, will destroy it but keep the lights on in Polemachus for centuries. Arkon lies to Wanda, telling her the scientists figured out how to not blow up earth, but she still had to stay. Picking a flower, Wanda admits she could almost be attracted to Arkon, if he wasn't so cold and unfeeling. (And smelly. There has to be an almost-visible musk cloud following that guy around.) But no time for love, as the Avengers arrive! With Thor's help, they had been able to get there; either with or without the d-machine. Arkon's barbarian army is no match for an A-list Avengers team that was fighting mad, but his vizier advises, lose the battle but win the war: blow up earth, that'll learn 'em. Wanda realizes Arkon had lied to her, but gets dragged with him as he uses his golden thunderbolts to travel to the Empire State Building. 

Thor was able to get four Avengers back to earth quickly: Goliath, Black Panther, Vision, and Quicksilver. And they make a fairly poor showing, stopped one-by-one; with Arkon finally getting Goliath in a brutal judo-like hold. But, before Goliath is forced to tap out, the vizier sends a floating-head message: no need to blow up earth after all. Thor and Iron Man were able to recharge Polemachus's rings--at least for now! Arkon confesses to the Scarlet Witch, the trips back-and-forth from earth and Polemachus should have restored her mutant powers, so he couldn't force her to marry him, and he disappears as the other Avengers return. Still, with a flower as a keepsake, Wanda seems to ponder what could have been. 

Arkon is such a dick; I can't stand him. So of course I'd love a Marvel Legend of him!

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"The End" Week: Marvel Fanfare #60!

Hmm, I don't know if I'd ever known that this had been a bimonthly title, for a ten year run! But I would've been buying mostly from newsstands--well, grocery or convenience stores--so I never saw any of them new! From 1991, Marvel Fanfare #60, featuring "Big Applesauce!" Written and inked by Walt Simonson, pencils by Denys Cowan; "the Mission" Written by Ann Nocenti, pencils by Dave Ross, inks by Josef Rubinstein; and "the Monkey Never Dies" Story and art by Paul Smith.

There was also the final "Editori-Al" strip from editor Al Milgrom: the final here, anyway; I can't recall if he used that gimmick elsewhere? Or, I might be confusing it with the strips Archie Goodwin did for Dreadstar...Anyway, Al explains why the title was wrapping up: low sales, mostly; but it wasn't really needed anymore and he didn't have time to maintain it with his freelance work. Not a bad way to go out, though: Cowan and Simonson on a Black Panther vs. aliens story, then an inventory Rogue story that had been meant for Classic X-Men before they did away with the back-ups. It's an interesting one: the very young Rogue has realized, if she touches someone for just a second, she can steal just moments of memories. But, she's flighty and wild, which doesn't stop Mystique from trying to break her in with a mission for the Brotherhood. This feels like it should've been a bigger deal in continuity; but with the back-ups ending probably wasn't touched back on.

Lastly, Paul Smith returns to the book he first started in, with a sequel to the Daredevil story from Marvel Fanfare #1. It was Smith's first writing credit as well. Not too bad of an issue; but then again, nothing to make you clamor for them to keep it going, either. Read more!

I don't know if unbreakable bones help him take a kick to the face; or if it's just tenderizing him further.

I'm a casual Wolverine fan, but fifty-cent issues, with Alan Davis art! Sold! From 2013, Wolverine #8, "Killable, part 1" Written by Paul Cornell, pencils by Alan Davis, inks by Mark Farmer. 

A mind-controlling virus from the Microverse--nobody we know, I don't think--has both invaded earth and "eliminated" Wolverine's healing factor. The Host, a bioterrorist that could possibly stop the virus, has been arrested and sentenced to suspended animation, in Wakanda; a nation currently in turmoil: among other disasters, they were currently short a queen, as Storm had just left the Black Panther. S.H.I.E.L.D. is concerned the virus might have already possessed T'Challa; so the plan is Storm, Nick Fury, and Victoria Frankenstein would get the Host; while Logan would see whether or not T'Challa had been got, by pushing on his emotions.

Sending the most hair-trigger X-Man to set off the incredibly composed and controlled T'Challa, seems like a terrible idea: Logan needles him about trying to control his ex "like you're 13" but T'Challa pushes right back, since he knows his healing factor was off. What was Logan trying to prove? Could he still cut it? Or was he "a scared, desperate fake--" Oh, that'll do, fighty time. The panel where Logan tells him, "you only see the Wolverine, then the Wolverine's all you get" may sound like his usual fight-talk, but may be a clue as to Cornell's overarching plan for this series.

T'Challa has Logan's number, noting his fighting style was built around taking damage he couldn't take anymore. Logan gets floored, but comes back; but T'Challa is a step ahead as usual. He had been wearing a breathing apparatus, to protect himself from the virus; and was using them to flush out any infected in his country. While S.H.I.E.L.D. takes the host, Storm greets T'Challa: she had sworn to never return to Wakanda, but he asks her to be free of that vow. All's swell--wait a sec, Logan's getting a call--Mystique, loose in the Jean Grey Institute! I'm not sure how she took that picture, it doesn't look like a selfie. (The next issue explains it as surveillance camera footage hacked and sent to him, but that's a weird angle for that?)  

Things would of course get worse for Wolvie over the course of the next five issues, with him taking a kicking from Batroc the next issue. I don't think this has been reprinted yet, so keep an eye out; if you can sort out Wolverine's numbering...

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Black Panther vs. Sabretooth sounds like a helluva fight. MAYBE THEY SHOULD'VE PUT IT IN THE COMIC.

This was a bi-weekly series, and still had over a year's worth of issues in it at this point. Somehow. From 1994, Marvel Comics Presents #148. 

 

The lead story was the only continuing serial this issue, and this was the conclusion of only a two-parter. On top of the Statue of Liberty, Vengeance faces off with...ugh...Psiphon. He had some tubes sticking out of him, that allowed him to feed on "strong, negative emotion," and Vengeance was a friggin' smorgasbord for him, until he changed back into his human form, leaving Psiphon a shriveled wreck. For some reason, Badilino seemed to return in the buff; but he still kicks Psiphon off the Statue. Still, the story ends with a new player set on Vengeance: it looks like Johnny Blaze in his 90's gruff phase, but the narration says he's Sam Buchanan, from the short-lived Darkhold book! (I remember wanting to like that one, but it was inconsistent and mired in crossovers from day one.) ("Tower of Blood, part 2 of 2: Vengeance Forsaken!" Written by Chris Cooper (Buchanan's creator!), breakdowns by Reggie Jones, finishes by Fred Harper.

Next, a Captain Universe story: "Hearts and Minds" Written by Dan Slott, pencils by Bill Wiley, inks by Bud LaRosa. Former baseball great Elijah Jackson has been brought low by advanced age and senility, with his daughter forced to sell his cherished mementos to pay the bills. Still, when some thugs try to rob her, he manifests as Captain Universe briefly to save her, and try and tell her he was still in there somewhere. That's kind of a downer, but it's probably the high point of this issue! 

On the flipside, there's a Black Panther and Sabretooth cover. Only one problem: no Sabretooth in this story! "Triumph of the Hunter," plot and art by Don Hillsman, script by David DeVries. In a (somewhat generic) jungle, Black Panther, briefly accompanied by a black panther, tracks what he thinks could be poachers, but it's some kind of kidnapping/arms deal gone wrong, with a Sabretooth Life Model Decoy! Which doesn't appear until the seventh page and gets its head kicked off the very next panel on page eight! I didn't think the art was too bad, but there's a pacing problem there. 

Lastly, "500 Guns" features American Eagle, who I have a soft spot for from Marvel Two-in-One Annual #6. Which was also drawn by this story's artist, Ron Wilson, but this one...is not good. I had to look up if this was the same Ron Wilson, but per his wiki, this might've been the last MCP story he did: He had been contributing to the book for five years, here and there. This reminded me a bit of later Herb Trimpe work, where an old pro was getting pushed to deliver work more in the "hot" style of the time.

Not great, but not a total loss: I have a sudden urge to have that evil midget from Darkhold make an appearance. Where's my Dr. Psycho figure...

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I was thinking the earlier series never did this, but I guess What If? did on occasion go to multi-part stories, like "Timequake." But I think each chapter of that one was still pretty readable as a single-issue. How is today's book? From 2013, What If? AVX #3, written by Jimmy Palmiotti, pencils by Gerardo Sandoval, inks by Gerardo Sandoval and Jordi Tarragona.

This was part three of four, so it's already a fair piece down the road from how AvX played out before; as Wolverine has "accidentally murdered" Storm and the Phoenix Force now has Hope. With her new ultimate power, she can see the Avengers want to help, but would destroy her if she got out of hand, and she casts the Avengers present from the moon back to earth. Magneto offers to train Hope in the use of her power, but Emma warns the X-Men that Magneto intends to use Hope to wipe out humanity and rebuild with the mutants that back him. Logan appears to be having a bit of a soak during that telepathic conversation, but he may be trying to kill himself. He is interrupted by Iron Man 'rescuing' him, and passes along Professor X's message, reaching out to the Avengers to work together and stop Magneto. Without a lot of consultation, Cap and Iron Man signal the Black Panther for "plan B," nuking Hope!

That of course just pisses her off, but even with his ship thrashed by Magneto, Black Panther opts to go out fighting. Hope is intent on giving humanity a not-so-friendly warning, but first turns on Emma for warning them, shattering her. While the Avengers and X-Men prepare for a last stand, Wolverine approaches Professor X with "a choice." Magneto and Hope, now fully the Phoenix, begin their assault, first destroying earth's communication satellites, then multiple strikes of massive fireballs, taking out multiple monuments, including the Baxter Building! (The FF could have survived, but it's not looking good.)

This was okay, but not as...economic, story-telling wise? As old What If? issues. Like with a bit of narration from the Watcher, this could've been a single 40-page issue. Also, you may or may not be onboard with Magneto's betrayal: does he ever move forward as a character, or does that leopard not change his spots?

I picked this issue up at EntertainMart, but there was a stamp on the backing board from Astro Zombies in Albuquerque! It may have travelled a bit to end up with me.

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So the "Death of X" variant cover for Nightcrawler is him getting burned at the stake; and for Deadpool it's...him dying in bed, surrounded by loved ones, evidence of a life well-led, and a cat and a rubber chicken? Oh, that seems fair...from 2016, Deadpool #15, written by Gerry Duggan, pencils by Mike Hawthorne, inks by Terry Pallot. This cover's by Dan Brereton; there were four covers total for this one; and the amount of series just titled "Deadpool" made this a bother to sort out. And it's a Civil War II crossover, so I'm just getting more irritated.

Deadpool's Mercs for Money have ransacked Pool's office, and along with "so much porn" they've discovered he's been skimming them, presumably cheating them out of the profits. Pool also had a safe deposit box in "Ho-ho-kus New Jersey," and Solo advises they should check that for the contracts Pool made them sign. (Wouldn't the skimming be a breach of contract on Pool's side? And why was Pool skimming?) The guys barely get along, and Foolkiller is accidentally-on-purpose knocked unconscious, but they head for the box. Meanwhile, Deadpool himself sneaks into the Ultimates' Triskelion headquarters, to see--and possibly kill--the Inhuman precog Ulysses. Pool claims he doesn't believe in Ulysses' powers, since "you can't possibly know my future, because even I don't know what I'm going to do from minute to minute. It's like what happens next isn't even written." Subtly meta for this book; but Ulysses suggests if Pool really meant to kill him, his powers would've given him the head's up. He seemingly contradicts that after Pool asks about his daughter, claiming he only sees massive disasters, not little stuff. On the other hand, he sees the Mercs headed to Pool's box; looks like it's on channel 4?

Placated, Pool storms off, and immediately runs into the Black Panther, who is not amused. Especially when Pool ducks out to "deliver a glorious upper decker." Bastard! After exchanging kicks to the groin, Panther knocks Pool out a window, and mangled and broken Pool is somehow able to get away, even as Panther throws a toilet at him. Somebody probably had to clean that up, man! Pool is also able to get to Ho-ho-kus as the Mercs finally find the right deposit box, with the contracts and tapes of "the event that made him famous in Washington D.C." That refers to the first issue or so, I think; but Solo tells them that wasn't even Deadpool, it was him. That shocker is followed by another: Pool lobbing in a bomb, and telling the Mercs he was going to have to let them go..."into a fine pink mist."

I only read this run sporadically, so I'm not sure why Pool is such a dick to the Mercs? Did he need the money that badly, something with his kid maybe? Did he hate them because he hated himself? Was being the biggest jerk the only way to keep them in line? Or was he messing with them just because?


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Surprisingly not a riff on "The Thing," nor a jab at McFarlane's book.

This may not be 100% accurate, but there are some villains that you just expect to 'die' in an explosion or something at the end of every one of their appearances. Red Skull, perfect example. I feel like Diablo got blown up a lot, or escaped in explosions quite a bit. Maybe the Leader? But, on the other hand, there are some villains where it kinda seems like the writer is going out of their way to kill them as dead as possible. For whatever reason, they want this character as gone as they can make them. Somehow, that's what it felt like with today's book: from 1995, Thunderstrike #20, "Spawn" Written and plotted by Tom DeFalco, pencils and plot by Ron Frenz, finishes by Al Milgrom.

Avengers Black Widow and Black Panther bring Thunderstrike on a mission to an Antarctic listening station, an observation post set up by S.H.I.E.L.D. to monitor the Savage Land. Contact had been lost with the station, but the Avengers find a few survivors that had barricaded themselves in to hide from something that had arrived not from the Savage Land, but from the most recent supply plane. Exploring the station's surprisingly expansive basement, Panther and 'Strike find the culprit: Stegron, the Dinosaur Man! Who has pretty much given up on mankind and the world, and decided to take off to the Savage Land.

Stegron gives them a pretty good fight, until Thunderstrike smashes a wall and lets all the heat out. A storm was coming in, but Stegron takes off headlong into it, intent on getting to the Savage Land or dying. And it's the latter: they find him, frozen, mere feet away from a marker to the entrance. The Panther is sympathetic, suggesting Stegron was merely looking for a place to fit in; but neither of them take his body and bury it or anything. The Savage Land had itself been done away with for a few years, but this really feels like they wanted to write Stegron off for good. Maybe they felt he was silly, or that the Lizard already did his job, I don't know. Or maybe I'm reading too much into it: I guess in the first Stegron comics I read--reprinted in Marvel Treasury Edition #20--he drowns in the Hudson river or something. It does feel like a slight that his story only gets twelve pages: the rest of the issue is Eric telling his son Kevin a bedtime story about Thor, trying to work up to telling him his secret identity.
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He's bulging with what could be muscles!

Do you really want to pick a fight with a construction worker in the Marvel universe's New York City? I mean, the whole city is probably being rebuilt from some super-hero fight or another all year, 24-7. Guy's probably built like a...and I can't think of a way to finish that sentence without swearing. Well, let's just get into my coverless copy here of Avengers #114, "Night of the Swordsman" Written by Steve Englehart, pencils by Bob Brown, inks by Mike Esposito.

The Scarlet Witch is not in a great mood here; as anti-mutant panic was up, and her brother Quicksilver had basically bagged out, having just married Crystal and gone to live with the Inhumans. Wanda also wasn't sure where her relationship with the Vision was going: although he had recently recovered from injuries (damage?) she takes offense Cap and Iron Man pointing out he was an android, different from them. Storming out of Avengers Mansion, she is accosted by a construction worker, and lets him have it; namely, a hex blast. That doesn't seem to do much, or at least enough; but she gets an assist from Mantis, who leaves his ass unconscious on the street.

Back at the mansion, Cap is a hard case, pointing out Mantis is a security risk. And he's less thrilled to see her bringing the Swordsman! After having betrayed the Avengers multiple times, Swordy had fallen on hard times and hard drinking; before Mantis took an interest in him and turned him around. Cap is unconvinced, but Wanda wants to give him a chance; which I think is less that she believed in him than was sick of Cap and the other guys making all the calls. The other Avengers seemingly agree, offering Swordsman probationary status. Mantis would hang out, but wasn't particularly interested in membership; at least yet.

The Swordsman fights alongside Thor for a few days--fighting no one of any real importance. It might've been nice if that had been seen in Thor's book, but no go. He seems on the verge of going bad while sparring with the Vision and Black Panther, but stays true. Later, when the team sees a news report of Hawkeye (fighting Zzzax with the Hulk!) Swordsman doesn't lavish praise on his former pupil, calling him a grandstander: true, but Cap wonders if maybe Swordy just didn't want Hawkeye around. Cap writes that off as paranoia, although he'd feel differently if he saw Mantis and Swordman summon...the Lion God! Which had attacked the team just two issues prior, although I don't think I'd ever seen him. He had something against the Panther, and promises Mantis and Swordsman "the warm glow of my gratitude!" Could've at least offered a gift card, particularly since Mantis takes down Thor with a surprise neck-strike!

The Avengers are felled quickly, and the Lion God plans on burning the Panther at the stake; before the Swordsman and Mantis hypnotize him with "psychedelic blade-work" and Mantis's dancing! Um...hmm. The Lion God is captured in an adamantium cylinder, for Thor to get rid of him later; as Swordy and Mantis explain she had sensed the Lion God's "malignant force" and knew they couldn't beat him, so set this trap; having no time to warn the suspicious Avengers beforehand. All's swell that ends swell; although Cap still wonders if this was a blind, setting them up for a later betrayal...

I think this was Mantis's second appearance? Like the Lion God, she first appeared in Avengers #112. Englehart really, really liked her. I'm kind of surprised she had an issue off. Oh, and today's title? From Futurama, of course!

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We mentioned this one a couple months back, with the return of Killmonger, which retconned today's book into a fakeout: from 1982, Iron Man Annual #5, "War and Remembrance!" Written by Peter Gillis, co-plotted by Ralph Macchio, pencils by Jerry Bingham, inks by Dan Green.

Although I recognized the cover, I'm not sure I read this issue until just recently; and I had thought it was from Rhodey's first stint as Iron Man. Nope! Still Tony, before his second bout with alcoholism; and Rhodey's here as his pilot. They're off to Wakanda to help the Black Panther with terrorism attacks and contaminated vibranium, and have a plan. A plan that seems to go south on multiple levels: Rhodey is knocked out and captured by Madam Slay, while the Panther is murdered, shot down in a fight against armed gunmen!

Killmonger is more than a little disappointed in the Panther for dying, but at his funeral takes his cape and resolves to avenge their king, by killing every foreign devil in Wakanda! (Which, I wouldn't think would be very many; it was never known for its tourism...) Killmonger's little rebellion is out in the open now, though; which was the Panther and Iron Man's plan all along! The 'dead' Panther was a Life Model Decoy; IM mentions in passing the Beast programmed its agility. While Killmonger gathers the Panther's "hated western art" for torching, Madam Slay tells his new troops how she found his body after being thrown off a cliff (in Jungle Action #17, which I swear I've read and can't be as exciting as that cover) but it disappeared one night and he was reborn. I'm not sure why the Panther had all that art--investments, perhaps? But he ends up fighting Killmonger over it. Iron Man is surprised Killmonger is able to stand up to him, but he has another surprise: a ring that Tony recognizes, but then he has to take off to rescue Rhodey.

Iron Man finds Rhodey on the vibranium mound, uncharitably referring to him as "our maiden in distress." The deathtrap was a little more far-reaching than most: heavy particle beams focused on the vibranium could change it to the other variation of that metal, Antarctic vibranium, or anti-metal; that could destroy all metal in the entire hemisphere, maybe further! Tony has to dig deep and overload his armor to defeat it; while the Panther thrashes Killmonger, revealing him to be merely an animated corpse, as that ring disappears, returning to the Mandarin! Who was showing a lot of skin back then, but maybe he wanted to show off his ink. Still, it would be fourteen years (!) until Killmonger's next appearance, where they try to play this one off as a "ploy" cooked up by Kill and the Mandarin to see what might happen. About what you would expect to happen, honestly.

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Today's book was ninety-nine cents in 1996, and a buck last week! Over the Edge #6, "Of Kings...and Bright, Shiny Things" Written by Ralph Macchio, pencils by Robert Brown, inks by Mike Witherby.

This was one of Marvel's ninety-nine cent books, like Avengers Unplugged or Fantastic Four...Unplugged. Arguably a better name; but none of those lasted as long as the excellent Untold Tales of Spider-Man. Still, I kinda liked this one: I didn't recognize his name, but Robert Brown's art wasn't bad. And it wouldn't have been a big deal at the time, but this issue features the return of Killmonger! And also retcons his last appearance, Iron Man Annual #5, as a ploy cooked up with the Mandarin, to see how T'Challa would react to his return. Um, okay. (I haven't read that annual, so maybe his death there was going to be a tough one to get out of!)

Daredevil appears, in a relatively rare less grim-n-gritty period, right before Karl Kesel's very good run; although I think this was a bit of a fallow stretch for Black Panther. He is sporting...some kind of braid? Blame the 90's. This issue also features Klaw, who I remember giving DD a much harder time years later somewhere in Mark Waid's run; but DD seems to have his number here. He does get his costume surprisingly shredded, though. Killmonger is seemingly killed at the end here, just like most of his appearances. It hasn't kept him down!
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