"Rosebud" has always seemed hideously unsafe; I love it so much.

Every so often on BlueSky, someone will start another round of "what's your hot take" on comics in general, or even the Fantastic Four in particular. And my take may or may not be 'hot,' but it's objectively correct: Karl Kesel and Adam Warren should both have gotten to write the main book for much longer than they did. Of course, I'm assuming they were never offered the full-time gig, or that they would take it: Warren in particular might not be suited for a monthly grind. He should be able to come out of leftfield with stuff like this more often, though: from 2024, Venom War: Fantastic Four #1, "He Who Schemes & the Five-Minute Eternity" Written by Adam Warren, art by Joey Vazquez. Cover by David Baldeón; although now I'm mad I don't have the Walt Simonson variant!

The story opens with a skirmish between symbiote 'Rascal' (the Red Goblin suit, on little Normie Osborn!) against 'proto-symbiote' Flexo; but this is really fifth--or fiftieth--dimensional chess, between Kang the Conqueror and Doctor Doom! Kang narrates, setting the scene with Doom's "algorithmic means of mass scheme generation," namely a Doombot think-tank with weekly pitch sessions; which is of course laughably inferior to Kang's own "chronolooped mind-state" that he called "He Who Schemes." In fact, this time around, rather than leave things in the ape-like hands of one of those regular Kangs in real-time, HWS is running his own show, with "weaponized time-loops," and a secret weapon: the Fantastic Four! They had been kept trapped in a time-loop, that kept repeating and erasing their memories; enabling HWS to trick them into various missions. As Doom travels back in time to use Ovoid mind-control on Flexo, HWS keeps setting the FF on him, keeping him from doing a proper job of it, giving Rascal the upper hand...

The Rascal/Flexo fight isn't even a big deal, in the grand scheme of things, but HWS knows losing it will just gall Doom, which kinda makes it worth doing! But Reed has perhaps realized, that he and his team had been stuck in a loop; and they might get more information--from Castle Doom! Reed pulls another trick that probably wouldn't always work: stretching his vocal cords, to match Doom's, to override his Doombots. (The trick is just to commit to the bit, really sell Doom's ego!) And then the big one: taking the fight to HWS, who Reed describes to the Four as "a lesser Kang variant" delighting in his own cleverness but not as hands-on as most Kangs. After a brief fight--where HWS uses 'Kang' as a modifier seemingly a dozen times--HWS and the Doombots are trapped in their own 5-second loop, while the Rascal/Flexo fight ends with them both themselves again. This version of the Fantastic Four then doesn't really know where they're going to end up, but as always are willing to chance it.

This has not-a-lot to do with whatever the main plot--probably not even much with the side plots--for Venom War, and you know I'm always on board with the crossover events that are more like somebody got really lost either on their way there or their way back. Absolutely recommended! 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.

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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!

"The End" Week: Savage Avengers!

There was a moment there, when Marvel was losing or not renewing the Conan license, and we weren't sure if the new books from Titan Comics were going to be good. Rest assured: they're great! Titan's even brought back proper, black-and-white Savage Sword of Conan, and they're expanding their lineup with Solomon Kane and a lesser known Robert E. Howard creation, Dark Agnes de Chastillon. (She's a bit of a replacement for Red Sonja, maybe; they don't have the rights to her.) Definitely recommended, but let's look at the tailend of the barbarian's time at Marvel: from 2022, Savage Avengers #28, "Coda" Written by Gerry Duggan, art by Patch Zircher, color art by Java Tartaglia.

Previously, Conan had been allied with Doctors Doom and Strange, and Kang the Conqueror; in order to prevent Kulan Gath from taking over the world. Kang brought Conan back in time, to kill Gath as a young boy, before he picked up magic; but Conan has a better idea. He kills Gath's enslaver, freeing him, then teaches him the way of the sword instead. Gath is game: he seems genuinely invested in the idea of freeing other slaves, but Kang suggests to Conan, this might not be the mercy he thinks it is.

Gath receives an invitation, by talking crow, to meet with Sorcerer Supreme Mekri Ra, either "as friend...or as foe." The journey's long and treacherous, but allows Conan to train Gath up more. Gath enters Ra's tower, but Ra teleports outside to wait with Conan: this was a test only for Gath, and he faces Shuma-Gorath, who says Gath could defeat him, with the right weapon, giving him the opportunity to retake magic. Gath refuses, choosing to die as a warrior; but is then spit outside by the tower. Both Conan and Ra are pleased, and take their leave of Gath, as Kang picks Conan up...but doesn't take him back to the future! Conan is steamed, since he thought Strange owed him riches or whatnot (Conan was not above being super petty on occasion) but Kang's like, nah, I don't need the competition. He had seen multiple futures for Conan (one is a nod to either Bloodstone or Vandal Savage, or both!) and decides to wrap that up now.

Conan gets the drop on Kang, saying his sword was not in his collection; although it's up to you if you think he'd be able to stab Kang through his force-fields and armor. Kang says he was going to "let you retire in this land of stabbing and gout," but if you want to die, well...Conan gets on top of Kang, and demands to be taken back to the victory feast at Doctor Doom's. Kang agrees, that sounds nice...and spoilers after the break!

Kang returns to the future, alone, dropping onto the middle of a table. He gives a version of what happened, makes reassurances that Kulan Gath wouldn't return, but that Conan had wanted to return to his own time, and Kang of course did him a solid. Doom and Strange don't seem to buy that, but Kang returns to his "citadel of solitude" Kangstantinople. (Formerly Istanbul, presumably.) He surveys his trophies, smiling: of course he had Conan's sword, as well as his crown. And now he notices, written on that sword, in English: "This isn't over."

Kang acquiesces, returning Conan to 2022. But, he wouldn't stay there long: before the year was up, with a new roster, Conan would be returned to his own time again in Savage Avengers #5 (Legacy #33). Conan would be forced to stay behind, so a mystic doorway could be opened to get rid of Set. The rest of the team would be sent to 2099, for five issues with Punisher and Doom 2099, vs. Ultron and an army of Deathloks; wrapping up in 2023's Savage Avengers #10, "Deus Ex Machina" Written by David Pepose, art by Carlos Magno, color art by Espen Grundetjern.

The Savage Avengers were Anti-Venom, the Elektra-Daredevil, Cloak and Dagger, the Black Knight, and Weapon H. (The latter, a man turned into a Hulk/Wolverine mash-up.) They also had a Deathlok, but not the usual one: it was Miles Morales, trying to prevent his terrible future. Despite his distrust of the Deathloks, Punisher 2099 Jake Gallows sacrifices himself to save Miles; but Ultron brings him back as a puppet to use against Doom 2099. The other heroes fight Ultron's Deathloks, and work through their little plotlines: while attracted to Flash Thompson, Dagger gets back together with Cloak. (Are they usually a couple? I think it really varies from writer to writer...) Leading the other 2099 heroes, Elektra gets to belt out the classic "Avengers Assemble!"

Jake resists Ultron, and Miles finally stops him with a web, that stops him to create a paradox: the Watcher returns Miles to normal, explaining he had caused this mess, the act of observing having affected the results. In the future, Jake buries Ultron's head in a graveyard, where no one would find him and bring him back; and the Savage Avengers are returned to the present. They kinda know they're going to go their separate ways, but Fin Fang Foom appears, so maybe just one more time... Read more!

The first comic you read in 2024 will set the tone for your year...hmm.

From 2018, Infinity Countdown: Adam Warlock #1, written by Gerry Duggan, art by Michael Allred.

I got a fistful of this crossover from the dollar bins a couple weeks back; or at least I got a bunch of comics with "Infinity" in the title, from recent years. Not the classic Gauntlet/War/Crusade trilogy, or the later Starlin works; but this one still features confused cosmic messiah Adam Warlock, this time seemingly removed from his cocoon by Kang the Conqueror. Kang claims to be a old friend, and after recapping a bit of Adam's history, takes him to the familiar current problem: Thanos had the Infinity stones again, and had already killed them like 113 times. Time for a different tack: Kang opts to send Adam back through time, to get the Soul and Time Stones first. Kang is then seemingly killed, but defiant, still proclaims he will win in the end.

Adam is sent back further than expected, back to ancient Egypt, and Rama-Tut, who is not overly surprised to see him. Here, Rama-Tut seems to know he would eventually become Kang, and the two communicated through "messages in bottles." He doesn't want to get into it with Adam, but knows where the Soul Gem will be in 2018. (Warlock still uses the term "Soul Gem," while I think "Stones" were more currently used; but of course Adam had a more intimate relationship with his.) Rama-Tut had prepared for Adam, and how to get him to the Soul Gem and a rematch with the Magus: the slow way. Saying other means were too risky with the Stones gathered, Rama-Tut stabs Adam, causing him to form another cocoon, and takes measures so his regeneration would be slow, and he would wake up in the future. The incapacitated Adam doesn't really get much of a say in that, but it doesn't seem like a fun trip... 

This would be continued in Infinity Countdown Prime, which I may have picked up as well; but the numbering scheme on this one is an infinite nightmare. Put some numbers on the damn things.

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"Gwenshelf."

Oddly, I'm not sure Gwen would be an Essential or Showcase collector: I think they predate her by a few years, and I suspect she would be a digital girl. But, I love them, and wish I had bought more of them when they were first coming out. I just bought the Adam Strange Showcase off of eBay, so there are still a few floating around. My local comic shop still has a few in stock, which I grab on occasion.  I need to sit down and update my list, since it sucks to see some in the wild and struggle to remember which volumes of Thor I have; and here are the lists of DC Showcases and Marvel Essentials.

Gwen's shelf, though, is actually mine; my most recent craft nonsense project! It's a 1/12 version of one of my own bookshelves. I have um, like four of the same, inexpensive mass-market particle board shelves; all crammed about as full as I can get them. (I strongly suspect some, if not all of the shelves; will have to be replaced the next time I move. They hold up fine where they are, but aren't the most durable things.) For a change, I didn't have to work completely from scratch; there was a very nice instructional video that pointed me in the right direction, but I didn't like the corners and resorted to my chosen medium, black duct tape!

Hmm, I think I left a big open strip there, because I was going to scan some of the smaller zines that are usually on that shelf: we got a Jhonen Vasquez Fillerbunny, but I missed scanning Evan Dorkin's Milk & Cheese: the Special Edition. But all the books, not unlike the actual Showcases and Essentials, are filled with newsprint, hacked out of the local free weekly and bound up with tape. So, you could arrange or even (gasp!) organize the shelf, but can't flip through them. Still wish I remembered where I put Essential Frankenstein; and I'm almost positive I've read Showcase: the War that Time Forgot but I can't recollect if I just got it out of the library or something. Mileage may vary, but the more oddball collections are probably the hardest to find but the ones to get. 

Satana turning a spell on Gwenpool, is the equivalent of cocking a loaded gun. Just to show she means business...Do Gwen's powers work like this? I thought so, but I could be wrong, and it could change at any point anyway. 

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"The End" Week: Doctor Doom #10!

You know what sounds like a great way to get killed? Telling Doctor Doom he's wrong about something. Even Doom himself can't get away with that! From 2021, Doctor Doom #10, "Bedford Falls" Written by Christopher Cantwell, art by Salvador Larroca. 

The neighboring Symkarians had framed Doom for murder, which also involved opening a black hole: Blue Marvel had already gotten sucked into it, then when Reed Richards makes Doom doubt himself, a massive explosion ensues. Somewhat battered, Doom awakens in a green field, with local Latverian birds overhead, as a helicopter arrives, and a familiar face gets off: Doom, unmasked and casual. This was an alternate reality, that he had been having visions of. But, discussing it with alt-Doom, Doom realizes his reality was the nightmare, alt-Doom's a pleasant dream. Also, after a talk with Blue Marvel: Dr. Octavius (Doc Ock) was a "limited moron" in both realities.

Doom has to admit, seeing alt-Doom's life had shown him the errors of his own. Alt-Doom thinks that's a good first step, but has more to show him: his (relatively) humble home, and family. Alt-Doom's wife suggests that may not be a good idea, and that Doom's ambition is a constant in any reality. Alt-Doom wants to hammer home the idea that it's not all about Doom; showing him co-operation with alien worlds, and power objects like the Darkhold, Cosmic Cube, and Ultimate Nullifier collected for mutual disarmament. Doom still thinks his counterpart deserves some credit; which is humbly deflected. 

Alt-Doom keeps working on Doom, pointing out Doom could fix his face if he wanted to, but he chooses not to, "to show how humanity has wronged you...betrayed you." He has to forgive, everyone, but especially Richards: with his Richards, alt-Doom had turned his world into a paradise. Then alt-Doom goes a step too far, and badmouths the armor, as "ridiculous." 

Tut-tutting threats and violence as...well, we'll never know, Doom murders his alternate before we can find out. Before Blue Marvel can stop him, Doom has that universe's Ultimate Nullifier, and he destroys it. All of it. Without a trace of sympathy or pity. As Death herself had foretold, Doom becomes her greatest servant.

Often the Nullifier will destroy whoever attempts to use it, but with Doom's extraordinary focus he is simply able to return to his throne in Latveria. Almost as an afterthought, he leaves Blue Marvel in an ocean somewhere, "the last act of mercy I will ever show in my life." After ordering an imprisoned journalist executed, Doom is visited by Kang, like the ghost of Christmas future, who seems to assume Doom had his mojo back. And sure enough, he would be once again after the Fantastic Four: I wrote this after his "wedding" was announced, but haven't read any of that yet.

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"Convince."

Of course, being a doctor, Morbius knows better than to move around somebody with serious injuries like that. (I don't know if it's MST3K that usually shouts out "Be sure to wiggle his spine around" when that's done in movies, but I certainly do.) But for this, gotta get that dramatic Pieta pose going!

Also, my yellow fill failed this time for Venompool, coming out too pixelated to use. 

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"Jumped."

That Kang on the fire escape is not in the most naturalistic position; yet I don't think he's going anywhere for a bit. Read more!