Ultimate Marvel Handbook #213

Features

Welcome to the NEW Ultimate Marvel Handbook. This week we‘re trying our new format for the first time. I‘m hoping it all goes well. Say Daron ready to go?

I am indeed. Though I don’t know if I’d go calling the column “new.” It’s not like we’ve changed the format, we just changed the posting schedule. So that’s new… but the column is basically the same.

You know sometimes it feels like I’m talking to an empty Iron Man suit…

I know. I‘m a bit excited and am going to enjoy this. A few handbooks in one week should be fun. So let‘s start.

And off we go…

Nightvision emails

Alright with Messiah Complex coming up. I was wondering on what you think will be Cyclops’s big event in this. Will this just turn into another weird Summers blood mix thing that Sinister dabbled in or something else?

I‘m not sure what could happen with Cyclops this time. The one thing for sure is with Sinister involved anything could happen. I mean Sinister likely isn‘t seeing Cyclops as a target this time at least. I mean he‘s got a bigger agenda and it‘s got something to do with the X-gene for sure. So unless he‘s planning on using Summers blood for something Cyclops can be little to the plan.

Although it may take Cyclops to really help stop Sinister yet again since Sin is weak to Cyc’s powers. So Sinister may very well have his Marauders try to take him out of the battle. How and using who to do it would be a good question. Knowing Sinister though I would not be shocked if he used Emma to help him do it.

If it were me…I’d use the zombified body of Jean Grey…but again that’s just me.

Jeff Ritter emails

Hey Jim,

I got a legit, Cory type question for ya. What MORE can you tell me about “The Witness?” Here’s what I know: He showed up as a a version of Gambit who can exist in several times at once. How Gambit, gimp that he is, would be able to go from explosive poker card throwing to transchronal displacement is beyond me. The character, to the best of my knowledge, had only ever showed up in the Gambit/Bishop: Sons of the Atom miniseries. So I suppose my first question(s) are: Has he ever appeared anywhere else? Is he, even if he’s not currently in “our” time, one of the 198? And did Stryfe, the retarded clone of Cable, actually die, as he appeared to, in that miniseries? After all the crap he put the X-Men through it seems weak to kill off a major X-villain in a minor miniseries. And he went out cryin’ like a wee girlie too.

That’s a very good question Jeff. This one can go back to Uncanny X-Men in many ways. Allow me to explain:

The Witness is a man whose true identity is shrouded in mystery. He first appears in the future timeline that Bishop hails from. In this time period, many rumors surrounded his past; none were ever verified. He was said to have been an X-Man; moreover, he was also said to have been the last person to see the X-Men alive. Because of this he was known simply as ‘The Witness,’ although he also went by another name – LeBeau

As for appearances:

XSE #4
Uncanny X-Men 287
Bishop vol2 2-3, 6-7. 14
Gambit and Bishop 2-6

He is from the future of Bishop’s time and possibly Gambit’s future self so technically I guess he’s 198 but as Gambit not Witness.

Thank for the insight. But curse you for not running a regular list of things we should never, ever read, because that miniseries was spectacularly awful. And it was even Lobdell behind the words! I guess even the good ones drop the ball sometimes.

I‘ll have to do that one of these days. Things you should never read.

Smack Daron for me when he isn’t looking, and then whistle like you had nothing to do with it!

That might not have been wise to say while Daron is here.

Indeed.

Best, Jeff PS: Artists and female comic readers who frequent the Handbook, drop me a line from any of my Welcome To My Nightmare columns and let me know who you are. I have ideas for an art contest and a piece about female readers, but I need some input from you folks. Thanks for letting me get that out in your column, Jim! I now return you to your regularly scheduled handbook, already in progress.

Later Jeff.

It’s just not enough for him to have his own weekly column…he has to keep coming by here and…asking question of all things *grumble grumble*

World War Hulk update

Heroes For Hire #13: Warbound discuss where will happen to the H4H Team. The team is hosed down in front of Brood and Humbug and put in cells with Cat and Misty in one, Tarantula and Shang-chi in another and Colleen and Moonboy in the other. All of them discussing what’s happened. Miek confronts Humbug as he talks to Brood. Humbug in the end accuses Tarantula of being behind the killings and they take her off. The others are about to go free until Colleen turns herself in. Humbug sentences her to. Scorpion takes out Paladin in combat and gains a new weapon to stop Hulk as we learn Paladin was a decoy

Initiative Update

Moon Knight #12: Midnight and the nurse torture Moon Knight. Marc is confronted ealier. Moon Knight is shown to be battling and captured by Midnight. Tony sees Moon Knight about SHRA. Moon Knight faces off with the Bushman as Midnight continues until stopped by the nurse. Marc faces Konshu. Midnight fights with the nurse. Tony gives Moon Knight his card. The nurse confronts Midnight and helps him take out Midnight and kill him. Moon Knight leaves with one last message.

Ms Marvel #19: Chili: Masters and his loyal slaves watch his other slaves fight for him. San contacts Carol about things as she goes to see Sleepwalker. Machine Man tells Carol of the missing people. She goes to Chile to find some of Masters slaves gathering clay. Tigra attacks her with Silverclaw. Sanm Machine Man, and Sleepwalker run into Arana undercover and battle her and capture her. Puppet Master takes over Carol in the end.

New Avengers #34: Hood fights Wolverine and in the end retreats. Strange and Night Nurse talk over matters in bed. Echo catches Clint in the shower. Strange and Iron Fist talk over things as the others arrive with Spidey joking of being a Skrull. Cage wonders about wolverine as Jess confronts him about the Skrulls. We learn the babies name is Danielle Cage. The group with Strange’s spell see what they wish to be. Wolverine shows up and tells them about the Hood and Deathlok. They come up with a plan and head to tell Stark. Once arriving they see symbiotes attacking.

Punisher War Journal #11: Ian meets with a psychiatrist. Stark and GW discuss matters. Bucky and Punisher meet and have a nice chat. GW and Tony get into a big argument over GW handled things. Buck and Punisher have a brief fight until they know neither will give. Frank gives Busky his Cap suit and a key to find Cap’s mask. Iron Man gives GW his job back. Ian is trained with a gun as Jigsaw and the psychiatrist watch.

Thor #3: New Orleans: Thor arrives and a man confronts him. Iron Man shows up confronts Thor as well afterwards and Thor gets angry over the events he knows about as well as what Tony has to say. They start fighting with Iron Man getting no where. Thor gives him a memorable speech and takes him out without holding back. Thor leaves Tony. He goes off to find the man from before Ezra on a bridge with the mans neice. Thor knows who it is and frees Heimdall’s spirit from the man. Tony is told Thor has another ally with him in Asgard.

Annhilation Conquest update

Nova #6: Ko-Ral sees her ship destroyed and attacks the Phalanx involved before seeing her crew dead and learning of her missing son. Worldmind helps her locate Nova and heads off into a stargate. Drax is attacked and defeated by Nova as he is captured. Gamora watches and helps Nova celebrate. Ko-Rel attacks Nova and talks to him till Gamora helps Nova defeat her and kill her from the look of things. She’s left for dead by the two in the end.

Endangered species update.

X-Factor #23: Quicksilver saves Layla from the lake. Cyclops and Beast come to see X-Factor. They meet the Isolationist telling them what he has in mind. Layla wakes up being held by Pietro only to escape into an amusement park. Cyclops agrees with the Isolationist as Rictor questions him. Solo continues to guard the family as well as Clay. Monet and Siryn take the elevator with them on board. The Isolationist is informed. Layla calls X-Factor about things. Isolationist attacks X-Factor only to send them to the artic in the end.
Forge and Beast discuss alternate time line mutants and them having powers. Forge talks about the Nimrod attack and possible futures. Forge shows Beast technology that can scan for mutants in time lines and they all flatlined. Beast gets angry over it and heads off. Dark Beast and Beast meet as Beast comes up with a new plan.

That‘s it for today. We have a piece of Cory mail that I‘m going to be holding for the next issue in a few days. With this weeks issue pretty packed and needing to hold emails for Wednesday and so on. Daron care for the final word?

I’ll give you a final word, or two. But not till after you’re done of course.

1. Digital comics Comics you can read online

2. Marvel is in the process of adding new bios and added a ton of new ones. Check them out here

3. As always your opinions on anything in the article or out on the shelves is welcome. After all you never know what type of response you will get.

4. Keep those emails coming and make sure to label them Marvel Handbook. The more emails the better the articles are. With the new format we’ll need all the support we can get. Until next time Make mine Marvel.

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for helping us get this bad boy on a multi day posting schedule. Be on the lookout in a few days for more Handbooky goodness, and maybe, just maybe, Jim will answer that question he completely missed from last week. I wouldn’t hold your breath though…