"The End" Week: Deadpool Team-Up #883!

Look, I love Marvel, but they've never had a good idea that they couldn't overuse to death. A character becomes popular? Why, have them guest-star everywhere! And give them another title! Hell, give 'em two! Then act surprised when they're completely played out within a year. From 2011, Deadpool Team-Up #883, written by Skottie Young, art by Ramon Perez.

Yeah, Deadpool had at least three titles going then: original flavor, then during Daniel Way's run; the moderately-enjoyable if Liefeld-tinged Deadpool Corps, and Deadpool Team-Up. I don't know if it was supposed to, but I don't think the latter had a regular creative team, which may have contributed to its wild unevenness. Some issues seemed to be fairly straight team-ups not unlike the ones Spidey used to have, others were more off the wall; and as is sometimes the case for Deadpool, sometimes the jokes landed, sometimes they really, really didn't. This issue...well...

Broke again, Deadpool takes a new job, as Herald of Galactus. The Silver Surfer shows up to stop him. Hilarity...strongly fails to ensue. It sets up a bit of a shaggy dog punchline; but the only bit I liked was Deadpool cold-calling for work and the Kingpin telling him "Yes, I am very happy with my current assassination provider." The variant cover, with "Deadpool Team's-Up with unemployment," is good; but they used the same cover for Deadpool Corps #12. In fact, they may have mixed them up, since on the DTU finale he's holding Corps covers, and vice versa.

If you do find them: the Satana team-up was good; Thor's has its moments, and I think the Watcher, Thing, Machine Man, and U.S.1 issues have at least some jokes. I do need to dig out the Hellcow one, though. Seriously, that's the one to find. And things probably turned out OK for Deadpool, I couldn't tell you how many books he has out now.
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I wish my dog had a costume...

...it'd mean less hair lying around, for one thing.

Picked up all of Prelude to Deadpool Corps and the second two issues of Deadpool Corps out of the dollar boxes the other day. I didn't pick them up the first time, when Marvel was flooding the market with as many Deadpool books as they could cram in there. But for a buck a pop? Way more enjoyable than they oughta be!

To save the universe from an unstoppable alien force, Contemplator of the Elders of the Universe (who are more varied and slightly less dickish then the Green Lanterns' Guardians of the Universe) gathers the Deadpool Corps, featuring Deadpools of several different realities. There's our Deadpool, Zombie Deadpool (or Headpool), Lady Deadpool, Kid Deadpool (aka Kidpool, or 'Tito'), and Dogpool. They work about as well as you'd expect.


The book should be completely unreadable: no, not because of the Rob Liefeld art; it's not so bad here! But all of the Deadpools have multiple caption boxes, as needed for the multiple voices in their heads. Even Dogpool! Here is a typical panel:

And here's what it could've looked like:

Written by Victor Gischler, pencils by Rob Liefeld, inks by Adelso Corona.
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A quick head's-up...that you possibly could've used last week.

Tried out the first issue of Butcher Baker, and am probably a bad person for enjoying it. It's not for everyone, but it's a fun start.

Also picked up Deadpool Corps #12: I hadn't been reading it regularly, but lucked into a couple ninety-nine cent issues, and it was enjoyably dumb. Deadpool, accompanied by alternate reality versions of himself (Lady Deadpool, Headpool, Kid Deadpool, and Dogpool) kicks around the universe causing trouble, but this issue wraps it up. I suspect if Marvel hadn't put three or more Deadpool books out at the same time, this one might've been a little less diluted and done a bit better, but it's all right.

Also, Pool and his crew somehow (I haven't read the rest of the series yet!) had power rings from the Elders of the Universe, poking a little fun at the recent trend of giving everyone a goddamn power ring. Why Deadpool Rings weren't made a promotional item, I have no idea.

The head's up part, is that Deadpool Corps #12 and Deadpool Team-Up #883 are both the last issues of their respective series, and both feature a variant cover. And the variants are very similiar, changing only the title, word balloons, and the cancelled books the crying Deadpool holds. In fact, that looks reversed as well: Pool holds copies of Team-Up on the Corps cover. And rumor has it, there may even be covers on the wrong books entirely. Check it out in the store, if you happen to be looking for one or the other.
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I refuse to call this issue a "Madcap romp."

My Youngest son is a huge Spongebob Squarepants fan, so I've seen a ton of episodes. In one, Squidward asks Spongebob's starfish friend Patrick Star, point-blank, "Just how dumb are you?" Patrick immediately replies, "It varies." I assumed this was the case for Deadpool as well: how crazy is he? As crazy as the writer needs for the story, right? Right?

Even though I'm a fan of Deadpool, I seem to go long stretches without reading Deadpool. I only read Cable & Deadpool a couple times, before the title dropped Cable. I'm still missing a few issues of Deadpool Team-Up, and most of those I bought on sale. Ditto Deadpool Corps, a thoroughly silly yet somewhat enjoyable book. Oh, and I did like Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth, which was mostly carried by Bong Dazo's art. Sounds like a lot of Deadpool, right? But I've only caught part of Daniel Way's run--over sixty issues--or the new Marvel Now! volume four.

But I did try Deadpool Annual 2013, "Madcapped!" Written by Ben Acker and Ben Blacker, art by Evan "Doc" Shaner.

Now, there's a lot to like about this issue: the art is clear and funny. And so are most of the jokes: I think Acker and Blacker overall hit more than they missed, and that's more than you can say about a lot of Deadpool comics. And unlike a lot of comics from guest or celebrity writers, they use continuity! (Correctly! More or less.) And they bring back a classic Marvel villain, Madcap!...you would be completely forgiven for saying "Who?" there.

A Mark Gruenwald and Paul Neary creation, Madcap originally was a young man on a religious field trip that ran afoul of an Advanced Idea Mechanics cell that was trying to destroy one of their inventions, Chemical X--wait, it was actually Chemical X07? Huh. Anyway, X07 was an enzyme that would "incite a rapid healing in human bodies," which kinda seems like the sort of thing AIM beekeepers would really need; so there must have been some side effects...the accident kills everyone on the future Madcap's bus trip, including his parents and sister, but he soaked up the X07 and survives. Losing his faith, he attempts suicide, only to discover he has super-healing and no longer feels pain. Then he gets really crazy, and discovering he also had the power to induce a cheerful insanity in others, he makes a costume, feeling that nothing means anything and there's no higher purpose. Madcap didn't have a ton of appearances (he showed up in Power Pack of all places, with a nice cover) but Gruenwald used him in an issue of Daredevil...that I suspect was a fill-in, but OK. I don't think any of that info was actually in this issue, either; but you get the gist of it.

Coincidentally, Daredevil is where this issue starts as well; as pre-Secret Invasion and Daniel Way, in Hell's Kitchen, Deadpool is about to take a shot at Matt Murdock. (Which doesn't really fit with where Pool was at the end of Cable & Deadpool...) Before he can shoot, Pool is accosted by Madcap: their healing factors seem to be evenly matched, but Madcap's insanity-power instead sends Pool to his "happy place." Worse, their ruckus has attracted the attention of Daredevil, who's both immune to Madcap's power and really doesn't like Deadpool. (Go get the Daredevil/Deadpool '97 annual: it's great!) Worse, a passing Thor shows up, and at DD's request, "Lightning 'em, Thor." A startled Madcap leaps into Deadpool's arms, Scooby-Doo style, just in time for the lightning to reduce them both to a pile of ashes. ("Too much, Thor." And Thor's response is hilarious.)

Of course, Deadpool heals back from that, since his healing factor is pretty much magic now, isn't it? (I always thought it was pretty good, but not functionally invulnerable good...) Grumbling, Pool doesn't know if Madcap healed earlier and left, or died...but now there's a new voice in his head, in the form of the white caption box. Cue a flashback to Daniel Way's run on the book, except now that extra voice in Deadpool's head is Madcap, and he seemingly knows it, even if Pool doesn't acknowledge that other voice as Madcap. How well that retcon fits is for someone else to decide, but it's a bit sweeping for my taste: "Those sixty-some issues from that other writer? Nah, they happened like this!" On the other hand, some people didn't like the dueling voices/caption boxes motif at all: personally, it didn't grab me at first either, but I did think it was an interesting workaround for Way to have snappy dialogue without the hassle of supporting cast members.

Then, "Just before Marvel Now!" Deadpool is in Hell's Kitchen, again; about to take another shot at Matt Murdock. Which doesn't seem to fit where Pool was at the end of Way's series, either: Pool was often shown to be trying to be more than just a merc, to be a hero; so this is like watching an addict relapse, repeatedly. Mad-Caption asks if Pool knew Matt was Daredevil, and the answer's kind of? He did remember to set up a Daredevil-senses jammer thing, and a bomb to distract the other heroes. Which doesn't go off, and Luke Cage arrives to return it, up Pool's ass. Which sets off a bit about which Marvel characters' names sound like, ahem, sex acts; which gains Pool a stout beating. Which gives Madcap a chance to take the driver's seat, and he does, using his powers to make Luke do a dance number. Which is when Thor shows up...

I won't spoil the rest, but I wonder if Acker and Blacker maybe weren't given the job of drawing a line, from Way's run, to the new one. This is how things were, this is how things are going to be. Maybe, going forward, Deadpool will be a little less...madcap. As of yet, I'm still not sure if that's a good thing or not.
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Strong enough for a man...I'm not finishing this joke.

Another day, another oddball comic from the quarter bins. This time, we've got Lady Deadpool #1, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised." Written by Mary H.K. Choi, art by Ken Lashley, with inks by Tim Townsend and Andrew Hennessy.

And...it's an odd one, alright. Thirty seconds of research at the Beat to check the sales numbers showed sales of 24,910; but it wasn't marketed specifically as a tie-in to Deadpool or Deadpool Corps or Deadpool Team-Up. It was part of the Women of Marvel series of one-shots; and sold pretty well for those.

But Wanda Wilson, the alternate-reality version of Deadpool--and I would've sworn it was Wilma Wilson, but whatever--is just strange, even in comparison to Wade. She's as insane as the Deadpool we know, and shares the multiple caption boxes for the voices in her head. Wanda's also weirdly stalkerish, obsessed with sex and TV and junk food, and in this appearance anyway, has a face like "scabby hamburger."

Her reality, however, is slightly-more crapsack than ours: as the evil suit explains, since America doesn't manufacture anything or do anything besides watch TV, they can't even afford that anymore since there's no ad revenue. And with no TV comes rioting, and with rioting comes "Che," an unemployed actor turned 'revolutionary.' Wanda falls for the pretty-boy, and follows her around as a bodyguard, until Che is captured as a terrorist by Captain America...for reasons that don't really make a lot of sense, except this Cap is fighting for corporate interests and is a bit of a jerkass. (The various Deadpool books seem to do a number on Cap at every opportunity, and this one follows suit.)

No spoiler, but it doesn't really end well for anyone involved; but Wanda's healing factor will keep her going. I don't know if this book is for anyone who wasn't already a Deadpool fan, but if you are, there you go.

Of course, I'd love a Marvel Legends Lady Deadpool, with the rest of the Corps: Dogpool, Kidpool, and Headpool. If you can't have fun with that bunch of knuckleheads...
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An (Imaginary) Solicit I'd Love to Write:

Deadpool/Moon Knight 2009: Deadpool may have finally hit rock bottom: friendless. Jobless. Broke, drunk, and thrown out of the worst bar in Jersey. But, at his lowest point, Pool sees a light, and finds...Khonshu? That's right, Moon Knight's former god picks Pool up, dusts him off, and gives him a new job: Avatar of Vengeance! Will Deadpool be able to deliver Khonshu's sermon of megaviolence? What does Moon Knight think of his replacement? And what is he going to do about it? ($3.99, 48 pages, Mature Readers.)

Khonshu, I will build a church in your honor, or punch a guy in your name, if you get Marvel to let me write this one.

We'd start with Pool at the bottom, not unlike Moon Knight at the start of his current series; but not so much broken physically but emotionally, mentally, and financially. Drunk as a lemur, the voices in his head and the cartoon hallucinations are out of control; until Khonshu gives Deadpool a clarity he's never had before. Possibly because there's only one extra voice rattling around in there now, but of course we'd leave it vague: is Khonshu really there, or is Deadpool imagining it? Some clues (or red herrings) would be left (like newspaper ads for a museum exhibit featuring a Khonshu-like statue) but either way, Pool gets himself a white-and-black version of his costume, and commences busting skulls in his new god's name.

Moon Knight's comic is in the tail end of "The Death of Marc Spector," so it might take some wiggling to cram this into continuity; but MK is currently on the outs with Khonshu. (In a recent issue, Mark begs for Khonshu's help, and he turns him down flat, saying he has other Fists.) Then, Mark gets word of the new Fist of Khonshu--not from his street-level sources like Crawley, but from YouTube, where Pool is administering rough justice/sermons for Khonshu.

In typical Deadpool fashion, it's loud, obnoxious, and insane; which means he's becoming a sensation and spreading Khonshu's name across the country. In one video, Pool demolishes a gang while delivering a Sesame Street inspired lesson on Khonshu for children, complete with a puppet Moon Knight: "V is for vengeance! A is for Anterior Ligament, as in, I just tore out both of this mook's! G is for Ghhhhhrrk! (punches said mook in the neck, with the puppet hand.)"

Mark tries to play it off like he doesn't care, but in reality he's like the cheerleader dumped two days before the prom. Then, as the curve of Pool's violence starts to escalate, and more Khonshu "worshippers" across the country start their own vigilante-beatings; Mark decides to step in. For his part, Khonshu is starting to push Deadpool further than he wants to go: Pool's slapstick beatings may humiliate his opponents, but Khonshu wants blood. And lots of it. When Pool questions Khonshu, Khonshu asks if he wants to go back to before, when he was good and crazy and the voices in his head almost drowned out his own.

It all leads up to the inevitable Deadpool vs. Moon Knight throwdown; but it becomes a fight neither one is sure they want to win. Pool has nothing against MK, and isn't sure if this Fist business is really for him; and MK doesn't really mean Pool any harm, nor is he positive he wants Khonshu back, if Khonshu is even talking to Pool anyway.

How does it end? Ah, that'd be telling. But this would be the sort of thing that would improve Deadpool's standing with other mercenaries, while blacklisting him with the superhero community; and could either make or break Moon Knight's status.

Also, reading some of the Marvel previews recently, someone pointed out that they seem to be building an almost Green Lantern-like corps of Ghost Riders. (As opposed to the completely Lantern-esque Nova Corps in Nova, which I'm looking forward to seeing.) Now, I haven't read Ghost Rider since the 90's, but it dawned on me: the Riders are spirits of vengeance, right? And who do we know that's a god of vengeance, hmm? Seems like there should be an Egyptian Ghost Rider...Knight. Read more!

Why Marvel hasn't made these, I have no idea...

After the Deadpool Corps defeats the Awareness and saves the earth (from danger that wouldn't have got there for eight thousand years) the Contemplator gives the team power rings! Well, not quite. The Contemplator explains each ring will only work once, but will summon an Elder of the Universe; which may just have been his way of getting back at the others like the Grandmaster, the Collector, or the Champion.

I'm pretty sure DC's taken a lot of the top spots of the sales charts with their new 52; but Marvel really should've stolen a page from DC's playbook and gone with promotional rings. I'm not just saying that because I want one. Really. From Deadpool Corps #5, written by Victor Gischler, pencils by Rob Liefeld, inks by Adelso Corona.
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"Put your hand inside the puppet head."

Man, I hadn't done a Deadpool strip since...a brief one for Retro Toy Week back in April? Fun as they are to do, I always forget how much I hate the yellow fill on his balloons. (In fact, on the last page, the fill didn't want to take, so bagged it...) I haven't read a lot of Deadpool lately, although I would love to have Legends-scale Deadpool Corps and Evil Deadpool.

I've had the puppets--little thumb-wrestlers from a vending machine--for some time; as well as the idea for this strip. Couldn't quite come up with a good reason for Deadpool to be doing a puppet show, except, duh, he's crazy. I need to bin Franklin, Timmy, and that kid from Secret Saturdays together, since they're my default little kids yet it always takes me a while to figure out where I put them.

And if you don't recognize the title reference, check after the break!

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"Uninhabitable."

As happens once in a month of Sundays around here, we're referencing actual Marvel continuity for Nightcrawler! I haven't read this one in that aforementioned month o'Sundays, but Nightcrawler was there for Broodworld's destruction in Uncanny X-Men #166 and for Galactus eating the Skrull Throneworld in X-Men #90.

If I had to guess, I'd bet Deadpool's probably seen at least one planet destroyed in his trips in space--either during Deadpool Corps or maybe Deadpool Kills Deadpool. Or maybe the Thanos one. Pretty much inevitable with Pool around...
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"Dealing."

I think the last thing Gwenpool was in involved Julie Power and setting Gwen up as kind of an asexual icon; but I'm positive she's not going to get to play any sort of role in the current Fall of Krakoa stuff, since that feels pretty serious for a modern comic and won't have any space for about the funnest character in recent memory. Ooh, actually, the last thing I remember seeing her in was the trade for the 2020 Kelly Thompson Deadpool series, where a teary Gwen kinda knows she's being written out and wants to make sure Jeff the land shark has a good home, so gives him to Pool. It's meta-depressing, and while I love Jeff I'm not sure I'm thrilled that he's more popular than Gwen now. (That whole run was interesting, but also felt like they thought they were going to have all the time in the world for plots, and instead a new direction and writer started after maybe ten issues.) Anyway, I miss that weird little girl; I don't miss the pink and yellow fills!

Dogpool doesn't get any lines, but he's basically intended to sit on the back of Deadpool's scooter, and not much else. Lady Deadpool didn't have a ton of range, either: in Gwen's last panel, I had been trying to get Lady petting Dogpool in there, but no dice. Still, I can't believe Marvel hasn't got Deadpool Corps rings out there: just feels like an easy lay-up for Marvel.

Also, conveniently enough, Gwen's robot staff was actually from a NYC comic shop: I got  the Nacelle Company's Robo Force Maxx Steel and Wrecker from Forbidden Planet NYC for a song! I wasn't overly familiar with the old Robo Force line, but these are nice figures with weird suction cup feet. They feel like they were made by fans of the old toys, for fans.

Speaking of for fans, the Ciegrimites are of course from Bob Layton's Hercules, still pound-for-pound one of the most entertaining mini-series Marvel ever did. They were little snail guys, brewers and distillers, and I kinda feel like a lot of the universe would rally to their defense when they need it.

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Didn't this blog used to be about comics?

Yeah, it happens sometimes: the action figures take over the show. That and...I haven't been reading a lot of comics lately. The last book I bought? Deadpool Team-Up #894, the disappointing issue with FrankenCastle. That sounds like the most fun pairing ever, but the whole issue is a set-up for one joke. One lame joke. (And why Hasbro hasn't gotten on a FrankenCastle action figure yet, I couldn't imagine...)

The Deadpool books are hit-and-miss, usually with more hits than that last one, but I think I'm enjoying Merc With a Mouth the most; and I don't mind that it's suddenly a limited series. With an end point in mind, that might keep the meandering to a minimum. I haven't read the Deadpool Corps stuff, either, since that seemed a bit much and I figured I could wait for a trade. (Kyle Baker and Phillip Bond art might sell that one for me.)

And...that's all the Marvel books I'm reading on a regular basis: I could start reading Captain America again, and that Alan Davis Cap/Iron Man/Thor project would be a lock if Bendis doesn't drop the ball. PunisherMax I'll probably get the trade for--man, I miss Garth Ennis on that. I only read the X-Men books when Nightcrawler gets to do something, which is never, so...

I've mentioned before, for DC I'm reading Unknown Soldier and Warlord, both of which sell a combined total of squat, which is a shame. I might cough up for that Return of Bruce Wayne series, since, well, Pirate Batman.

Over at Dark Horse, I will read about any Hellboy title they care to put out: B.P.R.D., Abe Sapien, Lobster Johnson...I skipped Witchfinder, but that was about it.

I get a lot of Warren Ellis' Avatar books, but some like Dr. Sleepless seem to have fallen off the schedule.

Is that it? Back when comics were less than two bucks, it was a lot easier to keep buying a mediocre or even crappy book, but with books coming up on a four-dollar average, it's easier to drop just about everything. And harder to pick up anything new: I'm sure I'd love Atomic Robo, but I've only read a couple issues.

So currently my enthusiasm for comics is a little low. But we'll see. Usually, something pops up to remind me why I put up with them...
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The Return of Son of Update to Index of "The End" Week:

Urg, I hadn't updated this in like four years? This'll be fun...Behind the break, links to "The End" posts, going back to 2009!



Action Comics Weekly #642

Adventures of the X-Men #12

Agent X #15

Alf #50

The All-New Batman: the Brave and the Bold #16

All-Star Squadron #67

All-Star Western #34

Alpha Flight #130

Alpha Flight #20


Anarky #8

Aquaman #13

Aquaman #63

Aquaman and the Others #11

Area 88 #42

Arrgh! #5

Astro City #52

Atari Force #20

Avengers Arena #18

Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes #7

Avengers West Coast #102

Aztek #10

Babylon 5 #11

Badger #4 (Capital)

Batgirl #24

Batgirls #19

Batman #713

Batman Aventures #17

The Batman Adventures #36

Batman and Robin Adventures #25

The Batman Chronicles #23

Batman Confidential #54

Batman: Gotham Adventures #60

The Batman Strikes #50

Batman '66 #30

Battlestar Galactica #23

Black Cat #10

Blackhawk #273

Black Widow #12

Blood of the Demon #17

Bloodhound #10

Blue Beetle #24

Blue Devil #31

Bongo Presents Futurama Comics #81

Booster Gold #25

The Brave and the Bold #200

Buck Rogers #16

Cable & Deadpool #50

Captain America #19

Captain America #454

Captain America: Steve Rogers #19

Captain Atom #57

Catwoman #82

Chase #1,000,000

Claw the Unconquered #12

Challengers of the Unknown #87

Champion Sports #3

Cloak and Dagger #11

Conan #11

Conan the Barbarian #275

Conan the King #55

Contest of Champions #10

Creatures on the Loose #37

The Creeper #1,000,000

Crystar #11

Daken: Dark Wolverine #23

Daredevil #18

Daredevil #380

Daredevil #512

Daredevil #36/LEG #648

Dazzler #42

DC Super-Stars #18

Dead of Night #11

Deadpool #63

Deadpool #69

Deadpool Team-Up #883

Deathlok #34

Death's Head II #16
Defenders #152, #12

the Demon #16

the Demon #58

Detective Comics #881

Doctor Doom #10

Doctor Strange #81

Doom Patrol #22

Doom 2099 #44

D.P.7 #32

Drax #11

Dread of Night #2

Dreadstar #64

Eclipso #18

Edge of Spider-Verse #4

Elektra #19

Eternals #19

Excalibur #125

Exiles #4

Exiles #100

Extraordinary X-Men #20

Extreme Justice #18

Fantastic Four #416

Fantastic Four #611

Fantastic Four #16, 645

Fear #31

Fell #9

Fillerbunny #3

Firearm #18

Firestorm #5

Firestorm #100

Flash #52

Flash #230

Flash #350

Flinch #16

Force Works #22

Freedom Fighters #15

Gen 13 #77

Generation X #75

Ghost Rider #81, #94

G.I. Joe Special Missions #28

Godzilla #24

Goofy Adventures #17

Gotham Central #40

Gotham City Sirens #26

Grave Tales #3

Green Arrow #50

Green Lantern #67

Green Lantern #181

Green Lanterns #57

Green Lantern Corps #63

Green Lantern: Mosaic #18

Grimjack #81

Guardians of the Galaxy #27

Guardians of the Galaxy #62

Guardians of the Galaxy #18 (LEG #180)

Guardians 3000 #8

Guy Gardner: Warrior #44

Harley Quinn #75

Hawk & Dove #28, #8

Hawkgirl #66

Hawkman #17

Hawkman #33

Hawkman #49

Hawkworld #32

Herc #10

Heroes for Hire #19

The Hulk #27 (magazine)

Human Torch #12

Immortal Thor #25

Impulse #89</>

Incredible Hulk #474

The Intimates #12

Invaders #15

Invaders #41

Iron Man #332

Iron Man #89/434

JLA #125

JLA Classified #54

John Carter, Warlord of Mars #28

Jonah Hex #92

Jonah Hex #70

Journey Into Mystery #521

Judge Dredd #18

Justice League Odyssey #25

Justice League of America #113

Justice League Task Force #37

Justice League Quarterly #17

Justice League Unlimited #46

Justice League 3001 #12

Justice Society #10

Kamandi #59

Ka-Zar #20

Ka-Zar the Savage #34

Kobalt #16

Kull #10

Kull the Destroyer #29

Legends of the DC Universe #41

Legion Lost #16

Legion of Super-Heroes #23

Legion of Super-Heroes #63

Legion of Super-Heroes #50

Major Bummer #15

Manhunter #24

Marvel Adventures #18

Marvel Adventures: Fantastic Four #48

Marvel Adventures: Spider Man #24

Marvel Comics Presents #175

Marvel Fanfare #60

Marvel Spotlight #33

Marvel Super Action #37

Marvel Super-Heroes #15

Marvel Tales #291

Marvel Universe #7

Master of Kung Fu #125

Masters of the Universe #13

Micronauts #11

Micronauts #11 (IDW)

Micronauts #20

Micronauts #59

Mockingbird #8

Moon Knight #12

Moon Knight #17

Moon Knight #38

Moon Knight #30

Moon Knight, Fist of Khonshu #6

Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu #15

Motormouth & Killpower #12

Mutant X #32

Mystery in Space #117

New Mutants #50

Nexus #80

Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #47

Nightcrawler #12

Nightstalkers #18

Night Thrasher #21

Nomad #25

Nova #25

Nth Man #16

OMAC #8

Orion #25

Over the Edge #10

Outsiders #28</>

Power Girl #27

Power of the Atom #18

Power Pack #62

Punisher #103/Punisher War Zone #41/Punisher War Journal #80

Punisher #18 (1997)

Punisher #12 (2023)

Punisher War Journal #26 (Not #29, I had to edit that!)

PunisherMAX #22

Quasar #60

The Question #36

R.E.B.E.L.s '96 #17

R.E.B.E.L.s #28

Red Hood/Arsenal #13

Red Lanterns #40

Red Sonja #2 (1983)

Robin #183

Robocop #23

Rune #7

Sam Slade, Robohunter #31

Savage Avengers #28, #10

Scavengers #14

Secret Defenders #25

Secret Six #36

Sergio Aragonés Funnies #12

Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #167

the Shadow #19

the Shadow #25

She-Hulk #15

Shogun Warriors #20

Silver Surfer #14

Silver Surfer #146

Solo #12

Spider-Man 2099 #46

Spidey #12

SpongeBob Comics #85

Starman #45

Star Trek #56

Star Trek #60

Star Trek #80

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine #15

Star Trek #18/Star Trek: the Next Generation #80/Star Trek: Deep Space Nine #32

Star Wars #107

Star Wars #20

Star Wars #50

Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #42

Static #45

Stormwatch #50

Strikeforce Morituri #31

Suicide Squad #66

Suicide Squad #15

Superboy and the Ravers #19

Superboy #100

Superior Foes of Spider-Man

Superior Iron Man #9

Superman Family Adventures #12

Superman: the Man of Steel #134

Super-Villian Team-Up #17

Tales of Suspense #104

Tarzan #29

Team Titans #24

Teen Titans #100

The Terminator #17

The Thing #36

Thor #502

Thunderbolts #32

Thunderbolts #81

Thunderstrike #24

Transformers: Generation 2 #12

The Twilight Zone #4

Unbelievable Gwenpool #25

Uncanny Origins #14

Unexpected #222

Unknown Soldier #25

Unknown Soldier #268

Valor #23

Vigilante #50

Warlock and the Infinity Watch #42

Warlord #16

Warlord #133

Wasteland #18

Web of Spider-Man #129

Weird War Tales #124

Werewolf by Night #6

What The--?! #26

The Witching Hour #85

Wolverine #13

Wonder Woman #329

World's Finest Comics #323

Xander in Lost Universe #8

X-Men #41

X-Men: Evolution #9

X-Men: Gold #36

X-Statix #26

X-51: the Machine Man #12

Young All-Stars #31

Young Justice #25

Young Justice #55

2000 A.D. Showcase #54

2099: World of Tomorrow #8

And the rest! There are still somehow a few that weren't blogged year-end.

Double ugh: the next task, besides maybe clearing a few extra line-breaks, would be putting the year behind each entry; to justify things like why "Suicide Squad #66" is ahead of "Suicide Squad #15." Although you can just click through and figure it out, so...

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OK, this week's month's comics:

Although I bought some cheap trades and some ninety-nine cent Deadpool Corps and MAX issues; I hadn't picked up the bulk of my comics for the better part of a month. Which you probably guessed by the title. And it was a little gloomy, since there were two second-to-last issues and the end of a mini-series. We aren't going to do a lot of scans this time around, since I'm doing this on the fly, but let's take a quick look.

First, Static #7 was a bit more together than the previous issues, but still felt like too little and too late. On the other hand, O.M.A.C. #7 felt like there was a lot of gas left in the tank; as DiDio and Giffen channel a ton of Kirby and have Superman guest-star for a whopping four pages before going into a straight-up Kamandi tribute. And My Greatest Adventure #6 wraps the series with Robotman, Garbage Man, and Tenga not getting anything they want. Seriously, at all.

Demon Knights is the only DC book I've been reading that'll be around in a couple of months, but as the first storyline wraps I'm not sure if I want to stick with it or not. It's not bad, but the siege seemed to run a little long, and the outcome was a bit of a given. (A seeming traitor wasn't maybe, a character aged to near death is back, and they totally had to destroy that village to save it.)

On the other hand, the end of the Lobster Johnson story in Dark Horse Presents #9 is likewise a given, but it's executed better in less pages. I might have to write up this issue for a much-later 80-Page Thursday; but suffice to say I'm enjoying DHP a lot...but not as much as I theoretically could. Future issues are going to have Nexus, Ghost, and Evan Dorkin; and I selfishly want them all in the same issue. Every month.

There was also Lobster Johnson: The Burning Hand #3, which was terrifying and awesome. Tying into an old B.P.R.D. villain; this issue a mobster's new hires burn down a few buildings and fight the Lobster, but they are more than the mobster realizes. Much more. The mobster should have a lot more fear at this point than he does. Artist Tonci Zonjic is killing it, too.

Lastly, the conclusion of Atomic Robo & the Ghost of Station X wraps that series up nicely, although I think I missed an issue. Gotta get back on that. And I picked up the reprint of Adventure Time #1 for the Youngest, but haven't read it yet. Man, that's a bit light for a month; and I'm sure I missed or forgot to mention some stuff, but we'll get to that as it turns up.
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If I got zinged by Steve Rogers, I think I'd give up intelligence, it obviously wasn't working for him.

The cover scene doesn't happen inside this issue, but still got me to buy it: from 2015, Hulk #13, "The Omega Hulk, chapter nine" Written by Gerry Duggan, pencils by Mark Bagley, inks by Drew Hennessy.

We've seen maybe some of this storyline before, although I just searched my blog for when...yeah, chapter two, wherein the new, improved? nanotech-altered Hulk as "Doc Green" de-powered Rick Jones/A-Bomb. It took me a second, because I had put Gerry as 'Gary,' had to fix that. Doc Green had by this point depowered Skaar, Red She-Hulk, and the Gamma Corps; but Red Hulk was his main target. Another target might be taken off the board, at least for the moment, as the then-aged Steve Rogers tells Doc Green, that Jennifer Walters was off-limits. Steve floors him with a trick cane, which doesn't seem like the sort of stunt that would work twice; then takes a call from Deadpool, who was currently working for Doc Green, on the trail of the Red Hulk. (This was in a relatively brief window, before Secret Empire, where Pool was a trusted ally for Steve; also post-Red Hulk's Thunderbolts.)

At the Baxter Building--I'm thinking the FF were gone at the time, huh?--Doc Green's assistants were still trying to find Lyra, who was lost in time and/or space. (I forget her deal; I think she was introduced and written out fairly quickly. I mainly recall her as an unreleased Marvel Legends swap figure.) The bedraggled assistants are in over their heads, and Doc Green sadly releases them from any obligations to him. But, he also thinks A.I. might be able to find Lyra, except his "Project Omega" had gone rogue and disappeared. Later, Doc Green storms Red Leader's new lab, killing his new gamma mutate (Gasp! Not Dim!) then depowering him. Doc tells the powerless Sterns to stay out of the gamma business, but Project Omega, under its new name "Gammon," later resets him to his usual green look.

Doc Green then teleports to Deadpool, keeping tabs on the Red Hulk near Yucca Mountain: the Red Hulk could absorb radiation, and Doc Green likens this to "Popeye sleeping with a can of spinach under his pillow." Deadpool says, great, I'm gonna bail, but Doc Green borrows his phone, to call Rick Jones: not to talk to him, though. He knew Project Omega would be monitoring him, and speaks directly to it: find Lyra, and then they can leave each other alone. Pool is amused at Doc Green apparently calling the sky to yell at it, but he has another job for the merc: hit Ross with this special bullet, in the eye or ear, to inhibit his radiation-absorbing ability. Miss or cop out, and Doc Green would tattle, that Pool betrayed Ross.

This still had three more chapters, running to the last issue of this series. Then was maybe Totally Awesome Hulk, a bit of confusing legacy numbering, the traumatized Jennifer Walters Hulk run, then Immortal Hulk. All of which somehow feel longer ago and further away than this one, somehow. (Probably because it's the issue next to me right now; mystery solved.) Read more!