I'm doing my best to inject more variety into Five Comics themes, and to actually publish these on a less strict schedule (i.e. timing with some other event that makes it topical). This is kind of a step in that direction. THE THEME: My selection of five today covers G.I. Joe, which started off as a line of toys in 1964 (yes, this is technically an anniversary thing) and is the reason the term "action figure" exists. It's one of Hasbro's most iconic brands, and its popularity was bolstered in the '80s thanks to a popular cartoon that aired at the time (a strategy that was applied to other toy lines, with perhaps the most notable example being Transformers) and comics published by Marvel (which they also did for other toy IPs, like Rom the Spaceknight and Micronauts, both of which are now owned by Hasbro). I don't know that it's as popular now considering the live-action movies they made a while back never really took off, but G.I. Joe's legacy is not in dispute. Personally, I don't have that much attachment to this franchise (largely because it was out of its heyday during my childhood), but I have read and seen a tiny bit of the media inspired by the toys, so I know all about the conflict against Cobra as well as a bunch of the series' characters. This theme is pretty much me diving in with just the basics, and without any real knowledge of how IDW (who published majority of the comics I'm reading for today) handled the IP. THE COMICS: G.I. JOE (2008) #0 Publisher: IDW Writers: Chuck Dixon, Larry Hama, Mike Costa, Christos N. Gage Artists: Robert Atkins, Tom Feister, Antonio Fuso This issue contains three short stories. The first sees Duke lead a team to stop a ship full of contraband weapons, which ends in an explosion and the first hint of Cobra's presence in this continuity. In the second, we get a preview of Duke's origins, which involves some dubious off-the-books agreements. Finally, the last story sees a spy be recruited by seemingly better spies. Interesting stuff all around, though I'm most keen on reading more of the second story. G.I. JOE: ORIGINS #1 Publisher: IDW Writer: Larry Hama Artists: Tom Feister, Mike Hawthorne In this one, there are two concurrent plotlines. Plot A sees Duke and Scarlett on one of their earliest missions, which doubles as a test for the both of them as they figure out where the hell they've been dropped off (and why). The other plot focuses on a team of federal agents who try and storm a suspect's house, but they get more than what they bargain for as they face off against an apparent terrorist. The two threads connect in a really cool way when it's revealed what Duke and Scarlett were sent to do. G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO #1 Publisher: Marvel Writer: Larry Hama Artists: Herb Trimpe, Bob McLeod This is the first issue of Marvel's G.I. Joe series, which was instrumental in the toy's explosion in popularity during the '80s, and was written by comic legend Larry Hama, who worked on pretty much every issue of the run and was eventually brought back when other publishers (mainly IDW) got the license to make G.I. Joe comics. The story here is pretty action-packed, as the Joes mount a coordinated assault on the Cobra Commander's island base in order to rescue a kidnapped nuclear scientist, but the dastardly villain shows that he can match the Joes' tactics tit-for-tat. G.I. JOE: OPERATION HISS #1 Publisher: IDW Writer: Brian Reed Artists: Alex Cal, Agustin Padilla In this one, Scarlett and Snake Eyes are sent in to infiltrate and perform reconnaissance on a high tech facility, but everything instantly goes to shit when they find that nanotechnology is involved and Cobra operative Storm Shadow is on the scene. The duo scramble to get out and throw a wrench into whatever was going on, but it's clear that the mission has only just begun. G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA (OFFICIAL MOVIE PREQUEL) #1 Publisher: IDW Writer: Chuck Dixon Artist: SL Gallant As the title suggests, this is meant to be a prequel to the live-action movie (which I did not watch, but am aware was panned). This issue focuses on Duke (who was played by Channing Tatum in the movie), who leads a squad in a covert operation, but as is tradition, things are more complicated than intel lets on. Of course, complications like that are what make for fun reading, and Duke shows why he's in charge by leading his team through a challenging situation by the skin of their teeth. Having grown up more with superheroes, sci-fi, and a dash of fantasy, I must admit that I don't have much affinity for military action stories (which extends to video games, as I have a mild apathy for most military-style shooters), let alone ones with a patriotic slant. Reading these, however, reminded me that there are elements I rather enjoy in these stories, like seeing the protagonists overcome overwhelming odds, watching a crack team of specialists coordinate to execute a grand plan, and a healthy dose of spy/political thriller intrigue to keep things spicy. I actually find myself wanting to read more G.I. Joe now after this, especially the Marvel series. PANEL(s) OF THE WEEK: - end -
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Last weekend, I went to the bookstore to partake in some belated Free Comic Book Day festivities. Naturally, I picked up a free comic, but I thought for this year, I'd read it as part of a selection of Five Comics instead of talking about it by itself. THE THEME: I actually picked up a manga preview for this year's FCBD, so to go along with it, I read the chapters of four other manga series. This is not a new concept for a Five Comics theme at all, but I suppose there's novelty in it featuring a physical comic as opposed to exclusively being pulls from my digital collection. THE COMICS: ONE PIECE: ACE'S STORY - THE MANGA/STATUS ROYALE (FCBD 2024) Publisher: Viz Media Writers: Ryo Ishiyama, Sho Hinata, Tatsuya Hamazaki, Eiichiro Oda (One Piece), Ru Xu (Status Royale) Artists: Boichi (One Piece), Ru Xu (Status Royale) Ace's Story, as far as I understand, is a sort of prequel exploring the origins of the titular character. In this excerpt, he's stranded with his companion on the verge of starvation, when by some miracle, he chances upon a devil fruit that gives him fearsome fire powers. Status Royale is a story revolving around the titular game (which is this fancy-ass immersive VR MOBA experience with player syncing technology) and a group of young players looking to put together a team, though the preview seems to be at the story's beginning (thus I don't know much about the character dynamics it's going to establish). HEAD START AT BIRTH #1 Publisher: Shusuisha Writer: UMIKA Artist: Hayase Reku This manga is an isekai that sees a woman around my age be reincarnated as the infant daughter of nobles in a magical kingdom. She retains her knowledge of her past life (which mostly involves her geeky interests like video games and manga), and she uses this to, as the title states, get a head start. Using this knowledge, she becomes a powerful magic wielder and adept at navigating the politics of the kingdom at age 5, which I found hilarious. I'M NOT INTERESTED IN REAL MEN! #1 Publisher: Shusuisha Writer: Kana Azumi Artist: Kana Azumi Koharu Endou is an illustrator who's sworn off dating after a bad relationship, only resolving to have feelings for the "2D men" in her gacha game. When she ends up meeting Takumi (an American who is the spitting image of her "bias"), his kind of airheaded but earnest nature has her reconsidering everything. Slight weirdness aside, it actually seems kind of wholesome so far. SETO UTSUMI #1 Publisher: Akita Publishing Writer: Kadzuya Konomoto Artist: Kadzuya Konomoto The entirety of this first chapter I read is just two teenage friends shooting the shit and talking about all sorts of random stuff, but that was more than enough to hook me. I don't really know what the overarching story is supposed to be, but seeing the two high schoolers go into all sorts of tangents left me with a bittersweet feeling of nostalgia. GANNIBAL (FCBD 2024) Publisher: Ablaze Writer: Masaaki Ninomiya Artist: Masaaki Ninomiya A cop from the city has moved to a remote town in the country with his family and is adjusting to doing his job in a new place, but between the extremely uncanny behavior of the residents and rumblings that the village is home to cannibals, things may not be as peaceful as they seem. Though most of my weekly reads have been manga for nearly two years now, I've obviously only scratched the surface of the medium (after all, I didn't know anything about my selection today, and my knowledge of One Piece is basic at best). I know Western comics are the thing I'm more known for, but I'll continue to explore manga with my digital collection (and hopefully beyond) and expose myself to even more stories. PANEL(s) OF THE WEEK: - end -
The first Saturday in May is almost upon us, which means another year of free comics to enjoy. Fully Booked's schedule for this year's event is delayed by a couple of weeks, so I can't partake in the festivities until then, but I can continue a tradition of mine in the meantime. THE THEME: Once again, I check out five FCBD titles from previous years, taking care to keep things diverse in terms of publishers so I can showcase just how many of them participate in this event. Of course, keeping my selection varied is also good for me, as it makes my reading session interesting. THE COMICS: DAWN OF DC: WE ARE LEGENDS (FCBD 2023) Publisher: DC Comics Writers: various Artists: various This special edition collects a few previews for some of 2023's upcoming titles, each focusing on new DC heroes. The first focuses on Xanthe, a Chinese spirit envoy with a cool sword and some magical powers, as she teams up with Batgirl and John Constantine against some supernatural creatures. Next, we follow Red Hood as he investigates criminals making off with dangerous tech, but he instead finds that the Vigil, a new trio of vigilantes has beaten him to the punch. Last, there's City Boy, a young man visiting Gotham with some strange powers (which he uses to find stuff to make money with). Lots of interesting characters all around, and I want to see more of them. THE INTRINSIC #1 (FCBD 2011) Publisher: Arcana Comics Writers: Sean Patrick O'Reilly, Casey Jones, Erik Hendrix Artist: Allan Otero The Intrinsic is a big crossover event featuring a lot of Arcana's pantheon of characters. In this preview of coming attractions, Philosopher Rex sees a vision of the apocalypse (brought upon by Apollyon), and he must continue recruiting heroes to help turn the tide (including Kade, who is perhaps the most recognizable character I know from Arcana). He's still missing one more fighter, and they may just be the most unlikely of them all. MY LITTLE PONY: FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC (FCBD 2020) Publisher: IDW Writer: Jeremy Whitley Artist: Trish Forstner In this one, Twilight Sparkle is now ruler of Equestria, and the whole kingdom is in a tizzy preparing for her first sunrise. We follow Spike's perspective as he checks on the other main ponies who are helping out with preparations, and he checks in with the pony of the hour as she has a bit of an existential crisis. It's standard wholesome fun with adorable art, which is par for the course for MLP. SCAM: CROSSWORDS #0 (FCBD 2014) Publisher: ComixTribe Writer: Jason Ciaramella Artist: Joe Mulvey Here, we follow the titular character as he commits some heinous crimes, but it seems like he has some bigger plans in mind. Not much to go off of in terms of the story in this zero issue, but I am digging Crosswords' design. TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES (FCBD 2022) Publisher: IDW Writers: Tom Waltz, Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird Artists: Sophie Campbell, Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird We get two stories in this one. The first is a prelude to the Armageddon Game event, which sees a seemingly alternate version of the Turtles leave a bunch of soldiers as a bloody mess. I thought the way this story was framed seemed familiar, and that was reaffirmed when I saw the second story: it's literally the entire first half of the first ever issue of TMNT, and the Armageddon Game prelude takes heavy inspiration for its story, action, and dialogue from it. It's pretty cool to compare and contrast the two, and it's always amusing to see the dark, gritty roots of the series (which was itself heavily inspired by Daredevil) and how that contrasts to the incarnation of the Turtles that eventually became pop culture hits. Once again, I enjoy doing these and reading a wide variety of stories from across the many publishers that exist, and I look forward to continuing the tradition in the years to come. As for the actual Free Comic Book Day, I'm excited to take advantage of the sale and pick up something new for my collection. PANEL(s) OF THE WEEK: - end -
It might as well be tradition for me to do at least one of these every March. THE THEME: It's a Leading Ladies theme. You know the drill. The theme within the theme this time, however, focuses on comic adaptations of popular TV shows with female leads. Incidentally, everything I read here is published by Dynamite Entertainment, which only adds to the astounding number of IPs I'm surprised they have licenses for. And for the record, I only really know of these shows and haven't seen any of them apart from perhaps the occasional clip online. THE COMICS: XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS (2016) #1 Publisher: Dynamite Comics Writer: Genevieve Valentine Artist: Ariel Medel While Xena and her companion Gabrielle help two young girls get home, they learn that a faction called the Harpies seem to be wreaking havoc. Knowing them to be an ally against the Roman Empire, Xena tries to learn what she can, but the ending reveals that she may not know as much about the Harpies as she thought she did. CHARLIE'S ANGELS #1 Publisher: Dynamite Comics Writer: John Layman Artist: Joe Eisma This comic follows the original Angels from the TV show (AKA not the ones from the movie, which is the incarnation I grew up with) as they go undercover to catch an arms dealer who uses a club as a front. It's got all the action and espionage I expect from the series, plus a dash of romance for one of the Angels and a hint of an overarching plot involving a pair of assassins. ELVIRA: MISTRESS OF THE DARK #1 Publisher: Dynamite Comics Writer: David Avalone Artist: Dave Acosta Elvira is the host of a show called Movie Macabre, which was one of those shows where a host presents movies (in this case, horror B movies). In this story, Elvira is transported from her movie set to the 1800s by an otherworldly force, where she meets Mary Shelley (the author of Frankenstein, among other things) and fights some sort of evil warrior. The premise is definitely weird, and the comic embraces that with a good helping of goofy, fourth wall-breaking humor. CHARLIE'S ANGELS VS. THE BIONIC WOMAN #1 Publisher: Dynamite Comics Writer: Cameron DeOrdio Artist: Soo Lee The Angels cross paths with the Bionic Woman (also a hit TV show from the same era) in this one, but they're unfortunately adversaries here, as the Angels are tasked to infiltrate a facility that Jaime (the titular Bionic Woman) was requested to defend. I'm curious if they succumb to the trope where they eventually team up to fight a common foe. CHARMED #1 Publisher: Dynamite Comics Writer: Erica Schultz Artist: Maria Sanapo This comic seems to be set in the modern day, but otherwise follows the formula of the Halliwell sisters juggling their mission to fight evil supernatural entities with their witch powers and the hassles of daily life. There seems to be a plot brewing on the side of evil, although the sisters are yet to register it. I think my main takeaway with this selection is that I should go back and watch these shows (maybe not all their episodes, but at least a season or two). All these shows are familiar enough to me, which speaks to their impact on pop culture, but I only know the surface-level stuff. As always, I'm interested in exploring the source material of something if I see the adaptation first, and this is no exception. PANEL(s) OF THE WEEK: - end -
Since 2024 is a leap year, I thought I'd close out the month of February with a bonus Five Comics on the extra day. THE THEME: I decided to keep the overall spirit of my reads for this month by selecting five comics with romantic elements in it. Not everything I picked here are necessarily romance stories per se, but they at least feature a romance (or elements of it, or a setup to one). This is probably one of the few themes where I'm kind of stretching it, but I hope that's OK with you folks. THE COMICS: DREAMLESS #1 Publisher: Blatant Comics Writer: Bobby Crosby Artist: Sarah Ellerton This story features an American girl and a Japanese boy who can see the other's life when they sleep, and that strange bond leads to them falling in love with each other. Now, they struggle with the fact that they live thousands of miles apart, and while their connection makes them close in a way no other pair can quite replicate, they still yearn to be in the same time and place as one another. HEART ATTACK #1 Publisher: Image Comics Writer: Shawn Kittelsen Artist: Eric Zawadski In this universe, there exist people called Variants who have powers thanks to some genetic tinkering, but they face discrimination from the law and the government. Two teenagers (a young man keeping a low profile after witnessing an abduction, and a young woman trying to use her platform to fight for equal rights) cross paths and discover that their powers combined can cause serious damage, setting up the rest of the series. There's no romance brewing with the main pair just yet in this issue, but it's pretty likely given the "us vs. the world" angle. THE NEW WORLD #1 Publisher: Image Comics Writer: Ales Kot Artist: Tradd Moore After an apocalyptic event splintered the United States, a bunch of new nations sprung up in its place, with New California (this comic's setting) being run by a fascist government and policed by super-cops whose assignments are made a television spectacle. Stella Maris is one such cop, but one that refuses to kill (the audience gets to vote if perps get to live or die when apprehended). She ends up hooking up with a rogue hacker looking to stick it to the man, but the story kicks off proper when she is tasked to hunt him down. SCOOBY-DOO (1997-2010) #36 Publisher: DC Comics Writer: John Rozum Artists: Joe Staton, Dave Hunt, Andrew Pepoy OK, this one's kind of cheating, as while the comic's cover teases that Fred and Daphne get together... they actually do nothing of the sort here. The out-of-character Mystery Inc. that graces this issue's cover are actually the villains of the first story, as they're impostors using Mystery Inc.'s clout to commit crimes (with the phony Fred and Daphne actually being an item). The other story is about the gang trying to find a replacement for the Mystery Van after it breaks down (and crossing paths with a crook in the process). Spoilers: they go back to the old one in the end. A TRAIN CALLED LOVE #1 Publisher: Dynamite Comics Writer: Garth Ennis Artist: Marc dos Santos From the co-creator of The Boys comes a series with a lot of characters and two (so far) concurrent stories. The first is a girl out for revenge on a creep who instead ends up hooking up with a hitman on the scene, while the other involves a group of friends meeting at a bar discussing a dubious plan. It seems like these disparate parts will become more interconnected as the story progresses, and overall, this definitely shares the irreverent vibe that The Boys is known for. While I may be reaching with my selection on five when it comes to this theme, the tenuous connection did afford me a chance to read a more diverse variety of comics this time around. As much as I ended up enjoying my month of reading various romance manga (a far cry from past me, who simply just couldn't get into romance stories), it's nice to cleanse the palate with some different flavors. PANEL OF THE WEEK: - end -
Here's the first Five Comics entry of the year! I'm going to try and do more of these compared to last year covering all sorts of themes beyond the obviously topical, and they will not come at the expense of my current manga excursion. THE THEME: Yes, we're doing another one of these. Listen, I've done plenty of these already; I don't need to explain what this theme is about. THE COMICS: 20XX #1 Publisher: Image Comics Writers: Jonathan Luna, Lauren Keely Artist: Jonathan Luna Mer's life appears to be going quite well until she's infected with the Bethel virus, which extremely few people survive. She ends up being those lucky few, but the infection turns her into what's called a sym, a being with telekinetic control over specific objects. Syms deal with serious discrimination in this society, and not knowing what to do, Mer seeks out her cousin (who is a sym himself, and a part of a gang at that). In the process, she meets a new friend and discovers the material she can manipulate in rather bloody fashion. It's an interesting new spin on the classic "depicting the struggles of a minority group in a sci-fi/fantasy setting" narrative (with this one mirroring aspects of the stigma surrounding AIDS/HIV-positive people), and that along with the great black-and-white art makes me want to read more. BLACK CLOUD #1 Publisher: Image Comics Writers: Jason Latour, Ivan Brandon Artist: Greg Hinkle This first issue is rather vague on the details given the protagonist's dramatic narration, but the basic idea is that there are two worlds (our world and what I'd call the world of dreams/stories), and the main character can move between them. It seems she's chosen to live in our world instead (she's now homeless, but I guess she prefers this to the alternative), but she's able to take other people into the "dream" world (where she is apparently unwelcome) in order to steal from them. It all seems interesting on paper, but I couldn't really follow much from this issue alone. FAIRLADY #1 Publisher: Image Comics Writer: Brian Schirmer Artist: Claudia Balboni In this fantasy world, Jenner Faulds is a Fairlady, which is a sort of private investigator. Here, she and her pal track down a woman on the run after apparently stealing money, but it appears there's more to the story than just petty theft. Color me intrigued. MCMKXXV #1 Publisher: Image Comics Writer: Joe Casey Artist: Ian Macewan Pamela Evans seems like your typical New York City cabbie at first glance, but her night shift reveals she's anything but ordinary. It turns out that Manhattan's full of monsters, and with her magical tire iron, she might be one of the very few equipped to fight such forces of darkness. Not much in the way of world-building in this first issue, but I find the premise entertaining already. SELF/MADE #1 Publisher: Image Comics Writer: Mat Groom Artist: Eduardo Ferigato The kingdom of Arcadia is under siege as the evil Teronak looks to claim a power known as the Final Contradiction. Looking to avenge her people, Amala teams up with Prince Brycemere in order to stop the villain from enacting her plan. As the adventure progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that things are not quite what they seem, and it culminates in quite the twist that reveals the true nature of the world Amala finds herself in. I'm quite curious as to where the story goes after seeing all that play out. As I've probably mentioned before, this particular theme isn't challenging to put together, but it is the ease in which I can find modern comics that fit said theme (and the overall implication of that fact in terms of representation in comics) that satisfies me. The added fun of pulling from the Image well in terms of the common publisher is that I'm almost always guaranteed to encounter stories I've never heard of, and that's very much the case again today. PANEL OF THE WEEK: - end -
The year is just about to come to a close, but there is one more of these I gotta do. THE THEME: Like I said near the beginning of the month, this is the latter half of the two-parter theme where I revisit themes from throughout 2023. You probably know how this goes, so let's get right to the meat and potatoes. THE COMICS: THE UNBELIEVABLE GWENPOOL (2016-2018) #1 Publisher: Marvel Writer: Christopher Hastings Artists: Gurihiru, Danilo Beyruth Gwen Poole (that is actually her name) is a regular girl from a version of the real world who ends up in the Marvel Universe, but despite this, she manages to eke out a living as a mercenary. Armed with her encyclopedic knowledge of Marvel, she fourth wall-breaks her way through baddies, but her latest mission ends with unexpected consequences that show how she might actually be in way over her head. [Five Comics theme: Leading Ladies (Marvel Edition Vol. 2)] THE LONE RANGER/GREEN HORNET #1 Publisher: Dynamite Comics Writer: Michael Uslan Artist: Giovanni Timpano In this bombshell of a crossover, it is established that the original Green Hornet is a descendant of the legendary Lone Ranger. However, Britt Reid here is yet to become the Green Hornet, and it is the former Ranger himself (now an old man) who pushes him to become a symbol of justice like he was, especially in the face of rising Nazi hate in the late '30s. Features a fun tie-in with real-life historical figure Eliot Ness. [Five Comics theme: Vintage Vigilantes] RELAY #0 (FCBD 2018) Publisher: Aftershock Comics Writer: Zac Thompson Artist: Andy Clarke An explorer lands on a primitive world and helps its people prosper, but it becomes clear that he has his own twisted agenda for arriving on this planet: establish the eponymous Relay to force its inhabitants to conform to a singular culture. I was hooked on the premise just from this issue alone, and I want to read more to explore its rather dystopian premise. [Five Comics theme: Free Comic Book Day (2023 Edition)] JOHNNY BOO & HAROLD IN TRICKY TREATERS Publisher: Top Shelf Writers/Artists: James Kochalka, Jess Smart Smiley This short comic features two all-ages stories (both with adorable art). The first features the young Johnny Boo hiding the ice cream from the monsters because it's Halloween, while the other focuses on Harold the vampire panicking over forgetting Halloween (and his utter frustration towards his bat companions' horrid preparations for the special day). [Five Comics theme: Trick or Treat!] WONDER WOMAN DAY SPECIAL EDITION 2021 Publisher: DC Comics Writer: Greg Rucka Artist: Liam Sharp In this preview of The Lies (a Wonder Woman graphic novel), Diana journeys to a remote forest to seek answers from none other than her nemesis Cheetah. Why would she do that? Well, she's desperate, and it's because she can't get home to Themyscira. Meanwhile, Steve Trevor is on a military operation nearby (under command of Etta Candy, no less) to deal with some sort of dictator/warlord. [Five Comics theme: Leading Ladies (DC Comics Edition Vol. 2)] I know I haven't done a lot of these this year, but rest assured that I have more themes lined up for next year, and they will not come at the expense of the manga excursion I plan to continue through 2024. PANEL(s) OF THE WEEK: - end -
It's almost the end of the year, and while I made an effort to make 2023 the year of manga when it came to my reading, I did not forget about my Western comics. THE THEME: Like Five Comics rewinds from previous years, I'll be representing themes from throughout 2023 with a single comic and collecting them as the usual unit of five for a single entry. As I said in the intro, the bulk of my reading this year has been manga, so my selection this time around is quite limited, but I have enough for a two-parter for 2023. THE COMICS: GUARDIAN OF FUKUSHIMA (FCBD 2022) Publisher: Tokyopop Writer: Fabien Grolleau Artist: Ewen Blain This book tells the true story of Naoto Matsumura, a farmer who deals with the disaster at Fukushima in 2011 (which, if you remember, was a nuclear disaster caused by a massive earthquake and tsunami in the region damaging the reactor). In this preview, we see him and his family deal with the immediate effects of the earthquake and tsunami, all while comforting his young nephew with Japanese folk tales. I definitely want to hear more to read about Naoto's story of remaining in the area to take care of the animals. [Five Comics theme: Even More Manga] SKULLDIGGER AND SKELETON BOY #1 Publisher: Dark Horse Writer: Jeff Lemire Artist: Tonci Zonjic Set in the Black Hammer universe, this spinoff follows the story of a young boy who watched his parents get murdered, as well as the vigilante Skulldigger arriving to brutally kill the murderer. This begins what appears to be the boy's journey into becoming Skulldigger's protege, as Skulldigger comes in to recruit him. The end of this issue hints at the fact that the boy and Skulldigger eventually come into conflict (along with other plotlines like a cop obsessed with Skulldigger and a big villain escaping prison), and I want to know more. [Five Comics theme: Hammer Time] SORE THUMBS #1 Publisher: Keenspot Writer: Chris Crosby Artist: Owen Gieni This webcomic follows the story of Cecania, a young woman stuck working with her brother Fairbanks in a video game store. Their whole dynamic is that Fairbanks is a caricature of a super conservative American and Cecania is a caricature of a more progressive one, and the writing is all about leaning hard into those caricatures and all sorts of non sequitur nonsense happening. I'm typically easy to please when it comes to media, but I legitimately couldn't stand the writing of this comic. It's trying quite hard to be political with its setup, but not in a meaningful or naturally humorous way. [Five Comics theme: Leading Ladies (Keenspot Edition)] ETERNAL EMPIRE #1 Publisher: Image Comics Writers: Jonathan Luna, Sarah Vaughn Artist: Jonathan Luna Set in a strange planet called Saia where the Eternal Empress has been waging a century-long war in hopes of global conquest, a woman escapes the cruel conditions of the imperial workforce in order to follow strange visions that potentially reveal a different destiny for her. There seems to be a fantasy element to this, so color me intrigued. [Five Comics theme: Leading Ladies (Image Comics Edition Vol. 2)] INFINITY COUNTDOWN #1 Publisher: Marvel Writer: Gerry Duggan Artist: Aaron Kuder A prelude to the Infinity Wars event back in 2018, issue #1 of this series sees the Infinity Stones brought back to existence (and everybody wants 'em). Drax teams up with a Nova Centurion to defend the Power Stone (which has grown to be quite massive) from all comers, but he's going to need backup. Unfortunately for him, the other Guardians of the Galaxy are too busy fighting the Gardener (a powerful Elder of the Universe related to the Collector and the Grandmaster). Meanwhile, in Madripoor, Black Widow finds herself in quite the pickle. [Five Comics theme: Marvel in Space] Stay tuned during the last week of the year for Part 2. In the meantime, I'll keep reading more manga volumes to close out this year. PANEL OF THE WEEK: - end -
Between the premiere of The Marvels and the season finale of Loki this week, it's a big week for the MCU. I have just the selection of five for that. THE THEME: Since The Marvels stars three Marvel heroines (Captain Marvel, Spectrum/Photon, and Ms. Marvel), it only makes sense that I read comics starring Marvel heroines. This isn't a new theme by any means, so let's not explain any further and get to my picks. THE COMICS: SILK (2022) #1 Publisher: Marvel Writer: Emily Kim Artist: Takeshi Miyazawa Cindy Moon is struggling to find something worthwhile in her normal life after her past (where she spent about a decade isolated from society) and her current exploits as Silk, but right now, she has to investigate some supernatural goings-on in a museum exhibit of Korean artifacts. Features cover art from Inhyuk Lee, whose work I've only recently discovered but am really enjoying. RESCUE 2020 #1 Publisher: Marvel Writer: Dana Schwartz Artist: Jacen Burrows Tony Stark is presumed dead and AIs everywhere have been rebelling against the humans (though not on the level of Age of Ultron, it seems). Pepper Potts must once again don the Rescue armor in hopes of bringing Tony back, but the proposed method of doing so is... strange. This comic also reminded me that Marvel retconned Howard and Maria Stark to be Tony's adoptive parents instead, which I still think was not the best choice. INFINITY WARPS: WEAPON HEX #1 Publisher: Marvel Writers: Ben Acker, Ben Blacker Artists: Gerardo Sandoval, Victor Nava This is set during the Infinity Wars event, where Requiem (who was revealed to be Gamora) used the Infinity Stones to fold the Marvel Universe in half, resulting in two beings being fused into one. Some of these fusions were heroes, including Arachknight (Moon Knight + Spider-Man), Soldier Supreme (Captain America + Doctor Strange), and the titular Weapon Hex (X-23 + Scarlet Witch). Here, we see her origins in this Warp World, which features fun fusions of other characters like Elsa Bladestone (Elsa Bloodstone + Blade), Hellfire (Daimon Hellstrom + Punisher), and Agatha Darkness (Agatha Harkness + Cloak) and an occult version of the High Evolutionary. INFINITY WARPS: WEAPON HEX #2 Publisher: Marvel Writers: Ben Acker, Ben Blacker Artists: Gerardo Sandoval, Victor Nava We continue Weapon Hex's story here, as tragedy befalls her and she embraces her humanity as a result. She faces off against the High Evolutionary and Hellhound (Magik + Sabretooth) with her clone sister Speed Weasel (Honey Badger + Quicksilver) to prevent the villain's plan to fuse Mephicthton (Mephisto + Chthon) into a vessel so they can be used as living weapons. Weapon Hex takes some serious punishment here depicted in gruesome art, which I thought was cool given how it sells how impressive her healing factor is. This is also the end of the limited series, and I thought the story overall was solid given how short it is. BLACK CAT (2019-2020) ANNUAL #1 Publisher: Marvel Writer: Jed MacKay Artists: Joey Vasquez, Natacha Bustos, Juan Gedeon As is tradition, Black Cat drags Spider-Man into one of her little schemes, and this time, it's stealing money from the Maggia through an extremely elaborate heist (don't worry, it's for a good reason, otherwise Spider-Man wouldn't have agreed to it). This was a super fun read between the entertaining heist, the classic banter between the crafty Felicia and Peter (who's begrudgingly going along with whatever she's got planned), and the wholesome payoff. There was some great stuff in today's selection that I was thrilled to read, and I'm hoping that The Marvels is just as enjoyable (especially considering the charming Ms. Marvel is one of the leads). Look forward to the blog entry for that after I watch it (which should hopefully be soon; I've struggled to find time to go to the movies lately). PANEL(s) OF THE WEEK: - end -
I haven't been doing these as often with all the manga I've been reading, so I've prepared one in anticipation for Halloween. THE THEME: In case it isn't already obvious, my selection for today is simply five comics that fit the upcoming Halloween festivities. I'm not really going for anything specific in terms of subject matter or vibe, though I did my best to seek out titles that have some connection to Halloween itself (even if it's something as tenuous as "this comic is a Halloween special"). THE COMICS: DONALD DUCK'S HALLOWEEN SCREAM #1 Publisher: IDW Writer: William Van Horn Artist: William Van Horn This comic prints two Halloween-centric Donald Duck stories. In the first, Donald competes with his nephews to collect the most candy during trick-or-treat (it goes poorly... until it doesn't). The second is a sequel to the ending of the first, where the boys try to get rid of all the chocolate they got from Halloween (there was a lot of chocolate). TIM BURTON'S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS: ZERO'S JOURNEY #0 Publisher: Tokyopop Writer: D.J. Milky Artists: Kei Ishiyama, David Hutchison In this manga spinoff, it's not Jack Skellington who's the star of the show, but Zero, his loyal companion. After a game of fetch gone horribly wrong, Zero is spirited away to Christmas Town, and it doesn't look like he's getting back anytime soon. Don't worry, it seems like he's fine. Enjoyed the art here. DONALD DUCK'S HALLOWEEN SCREAM #2 Publisher: IDW Writer: William Van Horn Artist: William Van Horn For this Halloween ComicFest special, Donald Duck is working as a house painter, but his first job has him painting a house that's haunted... allegedly. His nephews try to prank him while he's doing his job, but it doesn't go very well for them. TIM BURTON'S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS: THE BATTLE FOR PUMPKIN KING (FCBD 2023) Publisher: Tokyopop Writers: Shaun McLaughlin, D.J. Milky, Dan Conner Artist: Deborah Allo Jack Skellington and Oogie Boogie have been friends for a long time, and the two enjoy a fair bit of competition among themselves. Now, with Halloween Town's Pumpkin King looking to name a successor, the two are brought in for what may be their biggest competition yet. SORE THUMBS HALLOWEEN SPECIAL 2012 Publisher: Keenspot Writers: Owen Gieni, Chris Crosby Artists: Owen Gieni, Chris Crosby A strange comic where one story is about a girl competing to be the next Elvira (Mistress of the Dark) and everything goes horribly wrong, while the other story is a bizarre attempt at edgy commentary on the 2012 US presidential candidates. The humor in this is... not for me. Whether or not you'll be dressing up or stuffing your mouth with candy, hopefully you have a great Halloween next week. There's usually a bit of a break because of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, so I'll be taking it easy myself for the mostly free week with some spooky games. PANEL OF THE WEEK: - end -
September 2023 marks the 60th anniversary of the X-Men comics. You bet your ass I have something for that. THE THEME: Marvel's roster of mutants has grown from the original seven in the very first issue of X-Men (the team of Cyclops, Iceman, Beast, Jean Grey/Marvel Girl, and Angel, plus Professor X and Magneto), to the point that I could easily name 20 off the top of my head. Instead of just reading five general X-books, I decided to make this theme a bit more specific and read five solo titles starring one mutants. THE COMICS: CYCLOPS (2014-2015) #1 Publisher: Marvel Writer: Greg Rucka Artist: Russell Dauterman This follows the original incarnation of Cyclops (who, at this time, was sent into the future where he saw how messed up he becomes), who is out in space with his dad Corsair (the leader of the Starjammers, who are basically space pirates). Like his fellow time-displaced teammates, he's having quite the internal crisis learning of his future, but he's at least having a fun time hanging out with his dad (who is equally eager to be a father to his son). MARVEL KNIGHTS: MADROX #1 Publisher: Marvel Writer: Peter David Artists: Pablo Raimondi, Drew Hennessy Jamie Madrox (AKA Multiple Man) is currently flying solo as a private investigator, but on the side, he's using his ability to duplicate himself to send his copies to gain knowledge and experience elsewhere. Appropriately, the comic starts out with a mystery: someone has attempted to kill one of Jamie's duplicates, and they may be out to kill every other duplicate next. SOLDIER X (2002-2003) #1 Publisher: Marvel Writer: Darko Macan Artist: Igor Hordey Don't be confused by the name, as Soldier X is simply another name that Cable goes by in this series. This comic splits the story into two halves, with the first focusing on Irene (a journalist friend/possible love interest who's searching for Cable), and the second showing the beginning of why Cable's been missing for two years. Not really sure where it's going, but it unsurprisingly seems to involve a bit of time travel. X-MAN (1995-2001) #1 Publisher: Marvel Writer: Jeph Loeb Artists: Steve Skroce, Mike Sellers, Cam Smith, Bud Larosa, Will Conrad X-Man (real name Nate Grey) is actually an alternate version of Cable who comes from the Age of Apocalypse universe, where the villain Apocalypse reigns supreme and enforces mutant supremacy by eliminating the "weak" humans. Nate is part of a ragtag group of rebel mutants doing what little they can to save people, but things get interesting when Nate sees glimpses of the past and their group runs into what appears to be this universe's version of Mister Sinister. X-MEN: WORST X-MAN EVER #1 Publisher: Marvel Writer: Max Bemis Artist: Michael Walsh Bailey Hoskins is a kid many would consider "unremarkable," and he himself laments the fact that he's no one special at school. So, when his parents tell him he may be a mutant (in a hilarious subversion of "the talk"), he's over the moon. Just when he think he's about to stand out from the crowd and have something special to his name, he finds out what his powers are. It's... not great. Nonetheless, the people at Xavier's Institute accept him wholeheartedly, so it may not be all bad for Bailey. X-Men is up there as one of the most influential comic series of all time, no question. Between introducing dozens of iconic characters taking part in unforgettable story arcs, spawning an equally memorable movie franchise and animated series, and its enduring legacy as an allegory for victims of prejudice, the impact of this series is undeniable. The Avengers may be the bigger name at the moment, but I don't think they would have reached the pop culture heights they're at right now if the X-Men didn't pave the way first. PANEL(s) OF THE WEEK: - end -
While my usual modus operandi for Five Comics is to put together a theme that feels topical for something going on in the week, I'm always trying to workshop more out-there themes with more experimental groupings. Here's one that I'm very excited to explore. THE THEME: Comic books as they're known now are generally accepted to have truly begun when Action Comics #1 (Superman's debut) came out in 1938, officially kicking off the Golden Age of Comics. However, vigilante characters like Batman that most people alive today associate with comics predate comics themselves, appearing in pulp magazines (which themselves can be considered the predecessors of modern comics) and even radio shows. My selection of five today will feature such characters from before the age of comics, all of which have been reimagined by Dynamite Comics for the modern day. Now, my familiarity with this era of literature is extremely limited (I know a bunch of characters, but only through adaptations), so this is as much a learning experience for me as I'll be taking the time to look some of these names up. THE COMICS: THE BLACK BAT #1 Publisher: Dynamite Comics Writer: Brian Buccellato Artist: Ronan Cliquet Not to be confused with DC's Batman, this Black Bat came along right around the same time as the Dark Knight (and that apparently led to legal disputes back then). This guy is a lawyer named Tony Quinn who went blind (that sounds familiar...) after a case gone awry. He now moonlights as a vigilante out for revenge against his corrupt former clients. You only get bits and pieces of this origin in this issue, and there's an interesting twist at the end that I don't think was a thing in the original stories. GREEN HORNET (2018) #1 Publisher: Dynamite Comics Writer: Amy Chu Artist: German Erramouspe Odds are you might be familiar with the Green Hornet by way of the 2011 movie starring Seth Rogen, but the character has existed since 1936, having debuted in a radio drama. This particular comic is set in the modern day, as it's Britt Reid Jr. who's taken up the mantle. Unfortunately, he's gone missing, so it's up to Kato (the original Green Hornet's partner, who's now an old man) and his daughter to find him. It doesn't seem like they're about to find him anytime soon, though, so in the meantime, someone has to step up as the new Green Hornet before all the criminals take notice. THE LONE RANGER #1 Publisher: Dynamite Comics Writer: Brett Matthews Artist: Sergio Cariello Like the Green Hornet, you've probably heard of the Lone Ranger thanks to a movie that came out in the early 2010s, but he got a similar start as the lead of a radio drama that debuted in 1933. This comic follows the classic origin story almost verbatim, as John Reid, a young Texas Ranger, manages to survive an ambush set up by outlaws thanks to the intervention of Tonto, a Native American who eventually becomes the Lone Ranger's companion. THE SHADOW #1 Publisher: Dynamite Comics Writer: Garth Ennis Artist: Aaron Campbell The Shadow has an interesting history, with origins going back as the narrator of a radio show and eventually starring in his own magazine all the way back in 1931. In this one, we see a tiny bit of the titular character using some of his almost supernatural abilities to take down a whole crowd of criminals, as well as his alter ego Lamont Cranston talking to bigwigs. THE SPIDER #1 Publisher: Dynamite Comics Writer: David Liss Artist: Corton Worley The Spider is kind of the same style of vigilante as the Shadow (similar aesthetic, gratuitous use of guns, morally gray), though he came along two years later, and borrows from Zorro in that he brands his victims. This version retains some elements of the original (name, associates, origin), but the setting is now in modern day, and the story's building up an encounter with a mysterious villain. Though a lot of what I read here are reimagined versions of characters who are nearly a century old, it was still a fun exercise to read about them and then look up their decades-long histories (including aspects of their stories that carried over to these versions). Seeing how the superhero tropes of today were present/got their start from characters like these was a really enjoyable and informative experience, especially as a lifelong fan of comics. Hopefully this selection was as interesting to you as it was to me; I don't know about anyone else, but I love reading about stuff I know very little about, and I like digging up obscure trivia. PANEL(s) OF THE WEEK: - end -
The Flash movie premieres this week, so today, I'll be reading something that... isn't a Flash-related comic. This will have to do. THE THEME: I'm doing another iteration of Leading Ladies featuring DC characters, which I thought would be fitting given that the upcoming Flash movie will be introducing a new Supergirl into the DCU. Is this theme for this occasion a bit of a stretch? Perhaps, but considering what I'm working with, I think this is good enough. THE COMICS: WONDER WOMAN (2006-2011) #600 PREVIEW Publisher: DC Comics Writer: J. Michael Straczynski Artists: Don Kramer, Michael Babinski This prologue shows Diana on the run from unknown parties hunting her down, as well as consulting the Oracle (not Barbara Gordon) on what exactly is happening. I'm not clear on what's going on, either, as this Diana appears to not have all her memories, Hippolyta is supposedly dead, and Paradise Island appears to be destroyed. GIRL TAKING OVER: A LOIS LANE STORY (FCBD 2023) Publisher: DC Comics Writer: Sarah Kuhn Artist: Arielle Jovellanos Here, we see a young, ambitious Lois Lane move out into the city to tackle a dream internship in her quest to be the greatest reporter ever. It seems like she's got everything meticulously planned out, but of course, things go sideways on day one. This take on Lois is quite different from how she's usually portrayed, but I'm already invested in her story. The art's lovely, too. BLACK CANARY (2007) #1 Publisher: DC Comics Writer: Tony Bedard Artists: Paulo Siqueira, Amilton Santos Our resident Bird of Prey is now taking the time to be the caretaker of Sin, a very young girl who was being groomed to be the next Lady Shiva of the League of Assassins. Just when it looks like Dinah's about to settle down and try to live a normal life raising a child, a villain makes a play for Sin in the shadows. MADAME XANADU (2008-2011) #1 Publisher: Vertigo Writer: Matt Wagner Artist: Amy Reeder Hadley Before she was known by the name Madame Xanadu, the Elder Folk known as Nimue lived peacefully in a forest within the realm of Camelot (the same kingdom known to most as the setting of Arthurian legend). The peace is not to last, sadly, as her sister Morgana (who is on track to become the Morgaine le Fey of legend) makes plans to take power, and her lover Merlin appears to be up to no good with his magic. Features an appearance by the Phantom Stranger, which is neat. WONDER WOMAN: TEMPEST TOSSED (WONDER WOMAN DAY 2021 SPECIAL EDITION) Publisher: DC Comics Writer: Laurie Halse Anderson Artist: Leila del Luca A young Diana is eager to prove herself as a worthy Amazon, but she's still seen as a child by most folks in Themyscira. When outsiders find themselves on the island in dire straits (and the Amazons refuse to help in accordance to their laws), Diana proves herself a hero by breaking their rules and saving them... but at what cost? I'm already invested in the story. With the whole DCU going into full reboot mode, I'm cautiously optimistic about how they're going to handle stories and characters moving forward. Hopefully, the Flash movie sets the stage for the monumental change, and that we have interesting projects on the horizon. To fit the theme I have here today, I want to single out the upcoming Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow movie they're making, because I'm curious if that'll involve the same Supergirl in The Flash. I'm also mentioning this movie here to remind myself to read that graphic novel. PANEL OF THE WEEK: - end -
The sequel to the hit animated movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse came out yesterday here, and believe it or not, I have something prepared for the occasion, THE THEME: I mentioned in a recent blog entry that Marvel has made a bit of a tradition of releasing a Spider-Man/Venom FCBD title for the past few years now, so I've decided to take the ones I haven't read yet (plus other Spider-Man FCBD titles) and read them for today. Expect a bit of recency bias here, as these are all from the past two years. THE COMICS: SPIDER-MAN/VENOM (FCBD 2021) Publisher: Marvel Writers: Zeb Wells, Ram V., Al Ewing Artists: Patrick Gleason, Bryan Hitch, Andrew Currie 2021 was an interesting year for Spider-Man, as Beyond Corporation recruits Ben Reilly (the clone better known as the Scarlet Spider) to be Spider-Man.... without Peter Parker's knowledge. Here, he takes a new high-tech suit for a spin against the weird villain known as Bushwacker. In the Venom story, we get a taste of Eddie Brock being the king of the symbiotes after Knull was defeated. SPIDER-MAN/VENOM (FCBD 2022) Publisher: Marvel Writers: Zeb Wells, Ram V. Al Ewing Artists: John Romita Jr., Scott Hanna, Stefano Raffaele We get a bit of a continuation of Ben Reilly's story, as he's apparently teamed up with Madelyne Pryor (clone of Jean Grey and the Goblin Queen) as the power duo of disgruntled clones. This is the premise of Dark Web, a storyline I'm interested in reading, though the setup here is rather comical (Ben fights some sort of demon in a... bizarre form). Venom's story has grown to a cosmic scale at this point, as Eddie communes with an otherworldly being; meanwhile, his son Dylan enlists the help of Normie Osborn (who was infected with the symbiote during the Red Goblin arc) in an effort to find his dad. SPIDER-MAN/VENOM (FCBD 2023) Publisher: Marvel Writers: Zeb Wells, Al Ewing Artists: Patrick Gleason, Cafu Spider-Man appears to be working with Norman Osborn this time (and he has the tech to show it), and after a strange incident that involves a gorilla, it's revealed that Kraven and Doc Ock orchestrated the plot for... something. I'm not updated on this bit of the series, so I have some reading to do. On the Venom side, things get interesting, as we see a previously unknown story involving the symbiote set in the 1940s. I wanna read about that, too. SPIDEY AND HIS AMAZING FRIENDS (FCBD 2023) Publisher: Marvel Writer: Steve Behling Artists: Cristina Giorgilli, Cristina Stella This all-ages affair features three of the most popular Spidey variants in very tame superhero adventures, like stopping Doc Ock from... turning the park into a fish tank (with the help of a few Avengers), Peter helping citizens on his way to watch a movie, and stopping a horde of... rabbit clones? MARVEL'S SPIDER-MAN 2 (2023) #1 Publisher: Marvel Writer: Christos Gage Artist: Ig Guara Set in the universe of the games made by Insomniac for PlayStation, we get to see equal portions of Miles and Peter figuring out their personal lives and fighting crime as Spider-Man. In this one, they take on The Hood (a criminal with magic abilities), which is an interesting pull for a villain (and the version of him they have here is interesting to boot). Wonder if he'll be in the new game. - read this one for free here Though it takes me a while to update myself on the latest comic storylines, it's always interesting to see where they're headed with these FCBD titles. I've been interested in the Dark Web story since I first heard of it, and this is actually the first I've heard of Peter Parker working with Norman Osborn. Plus, the Gamerverse comic with Miles and Peter has once again reminded me that I really need to play those Spider-Man games. Definitely an exciting time to be a Spider-Man fan. PANEL OF THE WEEK: - end -
As promised, I'm doubling up on reads this week to make up for the one I skipped previously. This one has something to do with a special day coming up this weekend. THE THEME: The first Saturday of May is coming up, which means another year of Free Comic Book Day. After the pandemic swooped in to ruin the in-person event in this country for everybody, it finally comes back this year (though it'll happen next week instead), so what better way to celebrate the grand return than by reading five FCBD titles from years past? Like before, I made the effort to pick out a set of five that's diverse in both publishers of origin and genre/subject matter. I also tried not to lean too heavily on recent FCBD releases and tried to find stuff I haven't read from many years ago. THE COMICS: ENTER THE HOUSE OF SLAUGHTER (FCBD 2021) Publisher: BOOM Studios Writer: James Tynion IV Artist: Werther Dell'edera The House of Slaughter is a secret organization of monster hunters with considerable resources dedicated to keeping the existence of monsters secret. The main character here is Erica Slaughter, a young woman who risks incurring the wrath of the House as she defies orders to take on monsters her way. I was hooked on the concept from the start and I might end up reading more of this series. THE INTREPID ESCAPEGOAT: THE PRINCESS AND THE PYRAMID (FCBD 2011) Publisher: Th3rd World Studios Writer: Brian Smith Artist: Brian Smith In this comic, we follow the adventures of Thomas Fleet, a skilled escape artist who finds himself in an Indiana Jones-style adventure in Egypt. One encounter with a few scoundrels later, things get weird and a literal Egyptian goddess gets involved. This seems like a fun all-ages series. RISE OF THE MAGI (FCBD 2014) Publisher: Image Comics (Top Cow Productions) Writer: Marc Silvestri Artist: Sumeyye Kesgin Magic is alive and well in this world, and Asa, a young man tired of just being a carpet repair boy, wants to experience that part of the world. With the help of a friend, he's able to get a taste of the adventure that he yearns for, but he ends up stumbling into a plot that may be more than what he bargained for. I found their take on magic (specifically its existence) quite interesting. SPACE PIRATE CAPTAIN HARLOCK (FCBD 2021) Publisher: Ablaze Publishing Writers: Leiji Matsumoto, Jerome Alquie Artist: Jerome Alquie The titular space pirate is none other than the captain of the Arcadia, a crew of pirates who rebelled against the apathetic humans and are the only ones fighting against the Mazon, an invading alien force looking to colonize Earth. This preview sets up the impending invasion and gives a few characters some backstory. I learned that this was originally a manga, so if I can secure a copy, I might read that first. SPIDER-MAN/VENOM (FCBD 2020) Publisher: Marvel Writers: Jed MacKay, Donny Cates Artists: Patrick Gleason, Ryan Stegman, JP Mayer The Spider-Man/Venom FCBD title has become a bit of a tradition over the past few years, previewing the upcoming story arcs of the year for the respective characters. Here, we get Spider-Man and Black Cat teaming up again, while in Venom, we get a prelude to King in Black as Eddie faces off against an unknown assassin. As I've said before, the best part of FCBD is checking out comics I don't know about, which is why I strive to make these editions of Five Comics as varied as possible. I'm looking forward to this year's selection of free comics (and attending the in-person event after four years!), and if you're looking to participate, I encourage you to get out of your comfort zone and pick something that you haven't heard of yet. PANEL(s) OF THE WEEK: - end -
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