Welcome to yet another Marvel Handbook. Jim here as normal. With my editor and good friend Daron of course. How are you today Daron?
I’m doing pretty good. I had my first class yesterday for my Masters program, and all I have to say is…man am I going to be a busy despot for the next year.
Also, sorry everyone for this not being up a bit sooner. I had planned on it going up on Friday, but have been swamped with work and pre-class homework this week.
I‘m good. Got some good q/a for this issue and I‘m all ready to go. So if your ready let‘s start
Let’s do it!
Jim S emails
Hey Guys,
I have to make an attempt to argue against your pro Wolverine bias.
Go for it.
Since you both are so fast and loose with your estimation of Wolverines kill estimate, I’d like to throw a few wrinkles in.
Firstly, Thor is a God, thus has been around far longer and has battled far more times than we can count. Even if he was “just practicing” lets not forget that every battle in Odin’s hall is to the death, where the dead rise every day to fight again. We must also account for deaths that have happened in all of Norse history. Thor was one of, if not the, most popular Gods in the Norse pantheon. If you can randomly throw a few thousand Ninja deaths to Wolvie, I have to insist that every Viking kill in the ancient world must have been done in Thor’s name, and should be given to him by default as they are acting as part of Thor at that time.
Good argument. Very good one in fact. Didn‘t even really think about that. Very good work on your part
Secondly, even if you still want to ascribe to the theory that Wolvie has more kills, how about we look at the quality if kills here? A few ninjas compared to the Midguard Serpent? Please!
Quality vs. quantity I likely give to Thor but I know Thor can only kill certain people without for instance losing the hammer. Wolverine is willing and able to kill whoever he wants without thinking about it. That‘s Wolverine‘s bigger advantage but heck you have to respect the big Thunder god You gave us something to think about here. You could very well be right on Thor having more kills and quality ones.
Let me first say…I don’t remember actually saying Wolverine has more kills. I remember Jim saying it, but I don’t remember coming to his defense here (and currently I don’t have the energy to go back and find the article you’re talking about). I will say this though. In all of the Thor comics I have read I don’t remembering seeing Thor kill that many people (that could just be me having not read the right issues). In the quality section there’s no debate, that Thor has definitely taken on defeated bigger and badder foes. The one thing I do have to disagree with is your followers of Thor argument. If we’re talking about an actual comparison I think you have to look at the ACTUAL numbers of either opponent, and can’t count outsiders acting in one or the other’s name. They’re not even remotely the same thing.
Say for instance I could have people killing in my name, and I may have never killed anyone at all. Hell I may even be telling people that killing is wrong. So there’s no way that those killings can be attributed to me.
Huw emails
Hello all
Hey Huw
Posted to you before from work (until they started cracking down on e-mail in work!) but some more questions
We love questions go for it
Whats the recent history of Ghost rider? How come he is back to being Jonny Blaze? Is it Zarathos or something else now?
Alright let‘s go 1 at a time
Recent history: Starting over, Blaze eventually found a new job as an accountant and a new girlfriend, Chloe. Though free from the curse and with his soul back, Johnny would eventually transform back into Ghost Rider since Zarathos never really left him and had been reconstituting himself from within Blaze.
Johnny Blaze soon found himself constantly pursued by demons of Hell, intent on forcing him to make good on the demonic pact he had made. It was all that the Ghost Rider could do to out-run the evil, but it wasn’t enough. Eventually, Johnny was captured and taken to Hell.
Johnny Blaze trapped in an endless cycle of torture and escape in the pit. It is here that the angel Malachi appears to the Ghost Rider, offering to free him from Hell with his soul intact, in exchange for hunting down the demon Kazzan who has been unleashed upon the earth. (this little adventure can be found in Road to Damnation)
Blaze’s escape is a plot engineered by Lucifer himself, as when Johnny escapes from Hell the devil comes with him. During a battle at a gas station, Blaze defeats the corpse of a recently-deceased father that has been animated by the Devil, but after the body is defeated he is confronted by another, who tells him that he will have six hundred and sixty-five more chances to kill him. (this is the current series) He’s gotten involved in Civil War a bit and WWH as well which I’ve covered
So as far as we know Zarathos is no longer there but replaced by Noble Kale instead as we now have Johnny with powers like Ketch had. As far as why Johnny. Well that‘s because they wanted to use Johnny for the movie as well. They wanted to get back to the original GR with a series and continue Johnny‘s tales which fans wanted to see
And what happened to the 90’s Ghost rider (Danny Ketch?)
The Ketch version of Ghost Rider also eventually became the King of Hell. At the end of the series Kale went to Hell in a deal with the then ruler of Hell, Blackheart. In turn for coming to Hell and marrying two hand-picked demon brides, Blackheart would use his power to free the Ketch line from the curse of being the host for Noble Kale/Ghost Rider. Kale accepted. He married the two demonesses Blackheart provided. On the night after their wedding one of the demonesses betrayed Kale and tried to kill him with a knife made of a splinter of bone from the demon Zarathos. When she failed, Blackheart appeared and it was revealed that the entire wedding and everything had been a plan of his to finally kill Noble Kale and destroy his soul. Kale, angry over the issue, fought Blackheart and killed him. Ghost Rider then became the King of Hell. It was at this time that it was revealed that Kale was Marvel’s version of the Angel of Death.
IN addition, for a while in the 90’s Ghost rider was joined up with the midnight sons what happened to some of them? Most particularly Vengence? and Strange (the peculiar verison of Doctor Strange)?
The Midnight Sons:
Vengeance: Badilino transformed into Vengeance and went insane, setting out to kill anyone who had done but the smallest of sins. Vengeance’s actions were brought to the attention of Ghost Rider and Blaze and they immediately set out to show Vengeance the error of his ways or destroy him. Badilino however, realizing that his alter ego Vengeance was out of control, killed himself, along with the villain Hellgate, by triggering a massive explosion through his hellfire.
Badilino’s death meant that he was damned to Hell for all eternity, where his punishment was eternal stinging by scorpions. Vengeance was discovered by Daniel Ketch, and Naomi Kale in Hell, while they were on a mission. After being freed by Dan and Naomi, Vengeance reappeared in the last four issues of Ghost Rider Vol. 2, involved in Blackheart’s plans to kill Noble Kale. Vengeance aided the Ghost Rider in the ensuing battle, and Blackheart was destroyed. Noble Kale asked Vengeance to aid him in governing Hell. Vengeance’s current status is unknown.
Strange/Paradox: Seeing his chance to merge with Stevens and live is now gone, Strange flies into a rage, but is calmed by Doctor Strange. Strange is sent to the Dark Dimension by his creator and there he merges with a dying warrior named Nobel. The new combination of the two calls himself Paradox and takes his place alongside Clea.
Blade: recently has had his own series yet again which he joined the Initiative.
Dr. Strange: Currently in the pages of New Avengers as a member after having stayed out of Civil War and been a member of the Illuminati.
Frank Drake: fighting against the Atlantean vampire Varnae in which Drake overloads Linda causing an explosion that is thought to destroy him and Varnae (King having attempted to sacrifice himself by plunging a metal stake through his heart while fighting off vampire-lord Varnae’s mental control). Blade escapes believing them to be dead but eventually runs into King in New Orleans who explains that Drake also survived but was left horribly scarred and crippled in both body and mind and would probably remain only a shell of his former self.
Victoria Montesi: Chthon sent the Midwife to Earth. She made her way into the Tempo Building and freed Victoria from the stasis box, allowing her pregnancy to rapidly progress into labor. Strange sensed this and entered Chthon’s realm in an effort to drive him back. Chthon easily overpowered Strange and forced him back to Earth, but not before Strange could drive a wedge of his own greates power into Chthon. As the labor progressed on Earth, Strange tapped into Victoria’s spirit, her inner “goodness”, and used it to magnify the wedge within Chthon. The force of this magic was great enough that Chthon would risk his own life by coming to Earth. As a result, the labor (and apparently the pregnancy(?)) was terminated.
Victoria survived, although her subsequent activities are unknown.
Hannibal King: Blade’s biological father offers a way to restore the souls of all vampires, which he admits would have the additional effect of removing all of their weaknesses. The rite is dependent on Blade, who scoffs at providing practical invulnerability to the enemy he has sworn to destroy. Blade attempts to enlist King against Blade’s father, but King refuses and attacks his former partner for denying him one of his greatest desires: to see the sunrise again. Blade stakes the neo-vampire, and King appears to die, leaving behind only a smoking stain on the cobblestones. He returned and Blade gave him a potion that would stop him needing to feast on blood.
Morbius: Morbius is registered under the SHRA. He was sent by SHIELD to convince Blade to register.
Louise Hastings: During the events known as the Siege of Darkness, Louise was attacked and killed by Morbius, who was possessed by the Lilin Bloodthirst.
Sam Buchanean: After Vengeance seemingly went rogue, Sam confronted Doc Samson, attempting to force him at gunpoint to reveal everything he knew about Badalino/Vengeance, whom he had counciled. Together they figured out that the Vengeance that had been running rampant across the USA was not Vengeance himself, but several duplicates of him created by energy drained from him by Mike Clemson. Buchanan found Badalino, virtually comatose and hooked up to Clemson’s machines, and was able to reach his buried mind and bring him back to reality. When Badalino broke free, the Vengeance duplicates vanished.
Caretaker: Shriker revealed he had been trained by Caretaker. Ketch blamed Caretaker for reuining his life and told him to stay away from him. Caretaker and Shriker were forced to watch from a distance as Ghost Rider was captured by the Team, and then taken to the Black Hole prison.
Werewolf by Night: Jack Russell came to Salvage, Alabama to save the Pynchon family from townsfolk led by Cal Escher. Young Rhonda Pynchon was the only one left after her mother and twin sister Suzie chose death by gun or knife. The girl was drowning her sorrows in Sullivan’s bar right next to the cemetery when the gang attacked her, triggering a transformation in her with tarot cards and then trying to kill her. Russell interfered, transforming into Werewolf while Rhonda decided to do the same. After killing the violent gang, Russell and Rhonda left the town, determined to control their affliction and live their lives without fear.
Modred the Mystic: In Dr. Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum Modred searched for Montesi, but was confronted by Dr. Strange. Modred tried to convince him that Chthon’s world order could benefit them both, but Strange refused to listen and instead temporarily negated Modred’s abilities and teleported him away, leaving him stranded in Thailand.
(covered the two Ghost Riders)
Annihilation Conquest update
Quasar #3: Transformed Moondragon battles the Phalanx with Phyla and tells her what happened to her. They head to Morag IV to find the savior only to be attacked by the Adaptoid. They wake later in a town who helps them heal. Inside the main palace the two find many dead guardians and destroy one that is suffering. The find the Adaptoid holding the savior as the Phalanx attack. They go after the Phalanx as Quasar uses her remaining power to defeat them.
Initiative synopsis
Captain America #30: SHIELD investigate Dr Benjamin’s disappearance to find him in a freezer in his place. Bucky fights Skull’s people and in the end only gets taken down by Skull saying the word Sputnick. Falcon heals up as Widow visits him about Sharon. We learn Sharon is pregnant. Tony reads Cap’s note and figures out everything. Faustus brainwashes Bucky. Sharon faces her demons as Widow and Falcon arrive only to be shot as Tony is to late to warn them.
Ant-Man #12: Eric talks to Black Fox in prison. Hank trains a new Ant-Man getting no where. Eric goes to his room as Veronica visits with him. Tony calls in Eric and has Hank help test Eric in the suit and get it to work and gets a chance to go to Stamford. Before leaving Eric goes to see Abigal one last time as he passes by Spider-Man fighting Absorbing Man
Penance #1: Robbie goes off as others track him and follow him. Osborn meets with Dr. Ableton about him. Earlier: Meeting with Robbie, Norman gets no where. Venom gives a few soldiers a hard time as the team is sent off to a Latveria tanker to stop a new Terrible Three of sorts . Penance takes them all out but lets one go in the end getting hell from Moonstone. We go back to the present where Penance escapes those following him.
Back in Black Synopsis
Ant-Man #12: Eric talks to Black Fox in prison. Hank trains a new Ant-Man getting no where. Eric goes to his room as Veronica visits with him. Tony calls in Eric and has Hank help test Eric in the suit and get it to work and gets a chance to go to Stamford. Before leaving Eric goes to see Abigal one last time as he passes by Spider-Man fighting Absorbing Man
Endangered Species synopsis
New X-Men #42: We go back to the Stryker attack threw one of the priest eyes as we learn Predator X is on the loose. The Astonishing teams talk over what to do about the students. Hank looks over the students injuries after their last battle. Anole is talked to by X-23 and Rockslide about taking off his other arm to see it grow back. Mercury goes around checking the students ages. Hellions powers are shown to be out of control. The cuckoos help Mercury with a mutant search. Beast gets Rockslide to test his new powers. The group discuss what happened. Cyclops and Emma see Surge as Pixie trains with Wolverine. Kitty talks to David. We learn Indra is the youngest student at the school. Surge kisses Hellion in front of everyone. Father Matthew continues to search for Predator X.
The two McCoys go to see the Guthrie’s as Dark Beast tempts Jeb. Lucinda Guthrie refuses to help Beast as we learn that the serum Dark Beast created killed Jeb.
World War hulk synopsis.
World War Hulk #4: Zom attacks Warbound and Hulk fighting out of control as Hulk saves lives fighting him and takes him out. Rick shows up and in the end knows Hulk and Banner are working together. Elloe holds court over the Illuminati. Various people talk about why the Illuminati are guilty in their minds. Hulk finds them guilty and sends a monster after them to fight. They defeat the monster only to have to fight each other. We see the conversation between Sentry and Tony from WWH 1. Tony takes over the Death Heads and gets no where in the end. The crowd cheers for them to die as Hulk agrees. Sentry goes after Hulk
Gamma Corps #3: Years ago Ryker visited the Wolverine/Hulk fight scene finding Hulk’s blood. Present: Hulk takes out the missile from last issue and fights of Humanoids after. Past: Ryker saves his wife with the blood. The Gamma Corps start taking on Hulk one by one. In the past we learn the blood didn’t save his wife but transformed her in the end. The last Gamma Corps member Grey joins the fight snapping Hulk’s neck.
WWH Frontline #4: Sally and Danny talk in bed. Sally and Ben later talk over the phone as Ben heads for the arena. Sally calls her mom. Ben and the crowd watch the fights in WWH 4. Danny and Korg continue to watch the Arch-e recording before heading back to the scene of the crime. While there Danny figures out what happened and says Korg killed the robot. We see Hulk fighting minor characters in the third story.
That‘s it for today. We‘re really doing well so far with the new format. I‘m hoping that the fans keep up the emails to keep us going. Care to sign out bud?
Indeed, I’m really happy with the shorter/more often format. It’s a hell of a lot easier for me to stay on top of for one…
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. Until next time Make mine Marvel.
