It's at least partly because I keep coming in midstream, but I haven't loved a lot of Captain America stories in his regular title for some time. There was something I enjoyed this issue, though! From 2024, Captain America #13/LEG#763, "The Last Stand of the Front Door, part 2" Written by J. Michael Straczynski, art by Carlos Magno. I got the David Yardin variant, which kinda looks like Morbius is giving Cap the business; I couldn't be lucky enough to get the Godzilla variant from the dollar bin!

Again, I'm coming in midway through a storyline, but I don't think I'd ever be onboard with pseudo-Starlin level metaphysics in a Cap book; as here he's working for Lyra, an embodiment of Life itself, to stop her brother Death from wiping out the human race, as he's somewhat understandably sick of watching us kill each other. With a small team of mutants (new ones, nobody we know!) and a Guardian (who I don't think is Heather from Alpha Flight? I was confused because she's had not-Canadian flag costumes before, but feels like that'd be mentioned somewhere, and she has a sword: OK, pretty sure now she's just for this arc) they have to get a psychic, Malik, to the "mystical safe house" of the Front Door Cabaret. Death gives a ton of power to a massive crowd, threatening them with their own demises if they don't comply and stop Cap and friends. Taking back some magic rings, which I hope isn't a Captain Planet riff, Cap throws down with Death, to force him to draw that power back. Lyra had offered Cap a chance, to go back to his old life, to "lay down his burden," which feels a lot like trying to comment on his MCU arc, but we know darn well Cap isn't going to cop out here, and he doesn't.

Death gives Cap a pretty bad beating, before he realizes Malik was safe and he'd lost; which to him meant the suffering of humanity would be extended. He threatens Cap, that a bad end was coming for him. With seemingly everyone gone, while healing up Steve wonders if they made it, but thinks he might never know...while unseen behind him, a flowerbed blooms.

So, that didn't work for me much, except seeing Cap being Cap, even in a plotline that didn't feel like it was for him; but the next issue had Spidey and Thor guest-starring, so maybe Straczynski could course-correct from there. What I did like, was a Deadpool and Wolverine "Street Ball" ad, in the style of the great Spalding Jack Davis ad from the 70's! I know I've seen Wolvie and Pool hoop it up multiple times (like when I first started reading Deadpool!) but my headcanon now is that they sucked and always have. Wolvie's short and heavy as hell, no way he can jump...(Pretty sure that's Ryan North and Scott Koblish.)

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It's been a while since we've had a random MCP, and here's one I would've been reading new off the rack: from 1988, Marvel Comics Presents #5, cover by John Buscema and Klaus Janson. 

Five issues in, this was five chapters into three serials, with only the last Daredevil feature a stand-alone. If I recall, this was Logan's second solo story, after his first limited. Having gotten his mutant clock cleaned by crimelord Roche and his thugs--namely vampiric Sapphire Styx and Razorfist--Logan spends this chapter recovering, rescued by Jessan Hoan. Who reveals, she knew he was Wolverine. The claws might've tipped her off. (Written by Chris Claremont, pencils by John Buscema, inks by Klaus Janson.)

I've read all of this Man-Thing story, but coming in now I'm at a loss: looks like yet another conspiracy around the Sallis version of the Super-Soldier Serum, a Satanist babe seemingly in control of Man-Thing, and an Ollie North-type testifying in front of Congress; that he may have acted 'unconventionally' but he did so for America, darn it. It's pretty obvious Gerber finds him more full of it than the Satanists. (Written by Steve Gerber, art by Tom Sutton.)

Likewise, the only thing I remember about this Shang-Chi serial, is that I think Leiko is taken hostage for most of it, and she loses a hand? I hadn't read much Master of Kung Fu when this came out, so Shang seemed strangely passive; like he's usually waiting for something to happen. Grindberg was doing a nice Neal Adams-feel there, though. (Written by Doug Moench, pencils by Tom Grindberg, inks by Dave Cockrum.)

Finally, the Daredevil short finds our hero trying to save a kid from a stalker. There's a little twist, but not much; but for eight pages, sure. (Written by Terry Kavanagh, pencils by Dwayne Turner, inks by Michael Gustovich.)

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"Warning: Read Siege #4 before this book!" I keep telling you, you can't make me!

They tried to do the same thing for Sentry: Fallen Sun, too. Will I like this issue any more...or less? From 2010, the New Avengers: Finale #1, written by Brian Michael Bendis, pencils by Bryan Hitch and others, inks by Butch Guice, Andrew Currie, Mark Morales, and others.

I actually have read Siege, and off the top of my head, the only things I can recollect are a pep talk for the bad guys that Asgardians were creampuffs and Thor was like their Spider-Man, the only tough one; and Norman Osborn unmasked in his Iron Patriot suit and found to be wearing...like Green Goblin facepaint underneath? It's a striking visual that does not make a helluva lot of sense: he had been crazy before, sure, but portrayed as a savvy master-planner always at least two steps ahead of everyone, not a drooling nutbag. This would be the end of Norman's time as everyone's villain and send him back to just being Spidey's. Anyway, with Norman under arrest, a ton of villains captured, and oh yeah, I guess Asgard had fallen? But, the New Avengers had been wanted by the law for quite a stretch, and weren't really sure if they still were at this point. Still, they were holding a grudge against the Hood, and even if he had lost his powers (again! How many times has that happened?) they had no intention of letting him rebuild power; either his own or organizational. The Hood had escaped with Madame Masque, who takes him to her dad, Count Nefaria, in the hopes of getting his powers back. Or some powers. Whatever. (I had mistakenly thought Silvermane was Masque's father, or maybe wasn't going to let that get in the way of a joke!)

Weird, this would be two years before Bendis would shoehorn Count Nefaria into another attempt at a big finish, Moon Knight #12. I suppose he's needed here so this isn't just a cakewalk for Ms. (Captain) Marvel, but the Avengers bring in everyone; which feels like should spell doom for the Hood, since I can't see him not getting repeatedly shanked in prison. Steve Rogers is made "America's top cop," a title I don't miss. Their names cleared, and Luke Cage reunited with Jessica Jones and their kid, the team enjoys a rare walk in the sun. 

This was the end of Bendis's long time with the Avengers. which was usually more miss than hit for me; even as he still has the occasional decent character beat; like Nefaria badmouthing the Hood, asking what Whitney saw in him. But, and I could say this was of its time, but it's also petty and mean? The Avengers go out of their way to intimidate and torture the Hood's cousin to get info (lightly torture, if there's such a thing) and their takedown of the bad guys is a bit over the top: Nefaria boasts of being immortal, so they bring Wolverine in to stab him a bunch? Moreover, I should enjoy Hitch art more than I do; but neither the Ultimates nor the Authority have aged especially well for me. Which I'm pretty sure wasn't his fault, but here we are. There's also a sizeable stretch of the story set under red lights, for...reasons? Like the colorist got it on sale? And then a pin-up section-slash-series retrospective by various artists, if that does anything for you.

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Looks like Kurt is more careful than Spidey with his comics, but I feel like he puts them back in the bags upside down.

I don't know if they've done as many lately, but I feel like I bought a bunch of variant covers at the start of this series. I usually don't, but c'mon. From 2024, Uncanny X-Men #3 (LEG #703) "Red Wave, part 3: the Inside Man" Written by Gail Simone, art by David Marquez. Variant cover by Mahmud Asrar.

This was early in Simone's run, and we get to know the new mutant kids a bit: there's also a mention of the prophecy, that one of them could be the last mutant; I'm not sure that's come up recently. The kids all have horribly sad stories, which is why Rogue is gung-ho to not only protect them, but give them a home. She gets Nightcrawler, for a bit of outdoors Danger Room tag with them; and Kurt gets surprised by the 'manga kid,' as Logan calls him: Deathdream. Still, charitable as always, Kurt feels like the kids have good hearts...even the ones literally without them!

Rogue's disappointed Logan doesn't stick around to learn the kids' names--he probably knows, he just acts like he doesn't--but he has to take off, I think for his own new book, as seen on the cover here! But, he's not done, as later here he throws down with new villain, Sarah Gaunt. She's stalking the kids, and we don't know much about her yet, except that she has some kind of history with Charles Xavier.

Uncanny is one of like three Marvel titles I'm reading now, and this run has been pretty good...but has it been everything I want in an X-book? Of course it hasn't met my completely arbitrary and unfair expectations. A recent issue finds the kids living out a What If--?! style scenario, with them as the first class of New Mutants; but I wonder if these kids will have any staying power. Who was the last mutant kid to catch on any...Glob Herman? Yeesh. (That and I don't like Kurt's girlfriend in this series; feels like we've been told how great she is, but we haven't really seen it?)

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"Lighting."

I've said before, and I'm sure I will again: I love Elektra as Daredevil. She was getting her own mini-series and such for a bit, guest-spots in Amazing Spider-Man, one of the leads in the later Savage Avengers... Read more!

"Encounter."

Last strip of the year! 

I had to go make a correction--and it took me a couple tries--but Bearface really is a Canadian whisky that's supposed to be pretty good. And thematically appropriate for Logan, since the bottle appears to have claw marks on it! Except I keep wanting to call it 'Bearclaw,' which hopefully is a knock-off version a couple of shelves down in Canadian liquor stores. 

Have we ever seen Howard the Duck go all Ghost Rider-y? It definitely feels like something that would happen to him, and he'd get like the most embarrassing flaming vehicle possible, like an electric scooter. Anyway, this isn't based on any actual continuity, I just thought maybe it's tough to put out hellfire once it's lit. Can Wolvie tamp down the rage, or even the general annoyance? Or will extreme measures be needed...?

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"The End" Week: Heroes for Hire #19!

I'm pretty sure sometimes you guys can tell, when I blog some random issue mid-year, that the last issue will turn up later. Like today! From 1999, Heroes for Hire #19, "Sold Out!" Written by John Ostrander, pencils by Pasqual Ferry, inks by Jaime Mendoza and Pasqual Ferry.

Like the earlier issue we mentioned, this starts conversationally, with Ostrander seemingly telling the reader since this was the last issue, maybe not everyone makes it out...? Nah! This was the conclusion of an adventure in Madripoor, which of course includes a Wolverine guest-spot; as the team faces the pirate Lionsmane, who was really a mutant Chinese general. He was planning on overthrowing the current Chinese government in the future, but currently didn't care if Madripoor was blamed for his acts. He also had gotten Shen Kuei, the Cat, to change sides: that might have been planned from the start, or maybe because this issue had Shang-Chi Ostrander didn't need the Cat anymore? Who can say?

Wolverine sees the Heroes as "flamin' amateurs," as he brings Madripoor's working-class thugs to defend it; but he does need Iron Fist's help with Lionsmane, since he had some degree of invulnerability and Wolvie's bone claws couldn't penetrate. But, while victorious, the Heroes get bad news back home, as Namor had told Jim (Human Torch) Hammond that he had sold Oracle, Inc. Namor had wanted to do more environmental-protection work with the company, but the Heroes for Hire weren't necessarily conducive to that; and he no longer wanted to funnel Atlantean wealth to a surface company, so he sold out to Stark-Fujikawa. ("Stark-Fujikawa" was maybe a throwaway line in Spider-Man 2099, but they tried to make it happen for a while! And I'd almost suspect Tony bought the company, to get his long-standing assistant Mrs. Arbogast back!) A corporate man tells the team changes were needed, like firing ex-cons Luke Cage and Scott Lang, as to not project the wrong image. Everyone quits immediately, which might have been the intention; although She-Hulk threatens legal action if their severance packages were messed with. The team goes their separate ways; no hard feelings.

Hammond also has a cat on his shoulder when he quits, and I had to check: this was long before he adopted Speedball's cat Niels; dude just likes cats! He also maybe didn't have his powers this series, but still tended to look like he was going to burst into flames at any moment. Read more!

"Fronkenstein."

This isn't the most Christmas-y of strips, but nothing to be done for that! I don't know if anyone else has done this, but I had this idea: what if Wolverine was haunted? Either the metal in his bones, the claws, or the whole package. I don't know if he's the psycho-killer Claremont once claimed--a lot of his kills seem to be either completely justified or because someone pushed their luck--but his body count was substantial: what if instead of haunting where they died, these ghosts stayed with him? Literally, instead of metaphorically. I may have somehow conflated DC's nth metal of Hawkman with adamantium, and wondered if they had similar properties against ghosts. Or maybe opposite properties, like adamantium holds them with it...Also, this is a two-fer for Darick Robertson references! Kurt ran into ghosts in his 2005 solo series, and Logan should be haunted by these guys: he killed a bunch of mobster little people (trying not to use the m-word, it may be considered a slur now) in Punisher #17, "Aim Low" with Garth Ennis! Logan gets swamped when he's got like three of them impaled on the claws on each hand...  

In the same vein as nth metal though, I lose track of Daimon Hellstrom, which might be because he's not always consistently portrayed in the comics. Which might even be addressed, in a run of Venom, of all places: Daimon apparently magically made copies or variants of himself, to investigate the upcoming demonic "Descent." The copies may not even be sure if they're the original or not; but it does give writers leeway to do whatever they want: this frees Daimon up for use as a contact for exorcisms as we saw in Avengers #23/LEG #723, although he had previously been seen as part of Baron Zemo's inner circle in Avengers Undercover #1. He was also briefly part of the Hellfire Club; although I think that plot was copied from Magneto's brief stint as part of the Club: join up as the White King, to maybe try to mitigate some of the Club's worst impulses. Oh, and of course "Fronkenstein" is from Young Frankenstein: since like Frederick there, Daimon sometimes tries to distance himself from his heritage. Sometimes.

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