100th Post: Reflecting on Nearly 3 Years

It’s really surprising to see that I started this blog nearly three years ago. And to find that this is my 100th post. Have I really had that many interesting things to say?! Excuse the self-indulgence here, then, as I look back at what’s changed since my very first blog post on 30th April 2010. (In no particular order…)

1. I’m now a freelance writer.
2. I’ve interviewed Matt Smith. (I know; I haven’t said anything about this massive event on this blog yet. But stay tuned!)

3. I launched the Make Mine A Marvel Omnibus site in October 2010.
4. I had my first article printed in Real Travel magazine.
5. I work for the Doctor Who site, Kasterborous.
6. Amy and Rory left the TARDIS last year. (Don’t press me on the matter; I’m still a bit teary.)
7. I have an FdA in Professional Writing. (You can read more about that course here.)
8. Spooks has finished. (Thank God for DVDs!)
9. I’ve started my first novel.
10. I’ve written for the Weston College Higher Education Prospectus.
11. I did the web copy for Lovarzi’s Fourth Doctor Scarf for both their own website and Amazon.

12. As well as doing the official press release!
13. I’ve started my first children’s book.
14. The Amazing Spider-Man reached #700.
15. I’ve worked for Kasterborous’ sister site, CultBritannia (and you can read my first article here.)
16. I’ve learnt how to add videos to my blog!
17. I wrote The British Comedy Guide’s 10th anniversary celebratory article of The Office.
18. I’ve started a few scripts…
19. … And am searching for an agent.

Armstrong and Miller Guide2Bristol review

20. I reviewed the Armstrong and Miller Tour for Bristol247…
21. … And for Guide2Bristol.
22. The latter of which has been quoted on the official A&M website!
23. I copy-edit regularly for Kasterborous.
24. I reviewed the Day of the Daleks: Special Edition DVD for Kasterborous in two parts (here and here).
25. Then reviewed it for ItchyBristol here.
26. I’ve ran two blog advents across December 2011 and 2012.
27. I’ve worked on four Doctor Who ReKapped articles (learn more about that here), with another one in the works.

28. Clara Oswin Oswald has joined the TARDIS (sort of).
29. Neil Armstrong has passed away.
30. And so has Sir Patrick Moore.
31. The Killers have released a new album, Battle Born (and you can read a review of their single, Runaways here).
32. Avengers Assemble! has been released.
33. My review of the Doctor Who graphic novel, The Dalek Project went online here.
34. I’ve contributed two features to the upcoming Kasterborous Magazine (stay tuned for that).
35. Ray Bradbury has died.

36. I’ve joined Twitter!
37. I’ve reviewed the last episode of Sherlock, The Reichenbach Fall, for Cult Britannia.
38. I have worked in a shop, Giggs, during the Christmas 2011 period – a shop which has since gone bust! (Nothing to do with me, I might add.)
39. I’ve read countless books – and you can see my top 10 reads of 2012 here.
40. Two episodes of 1960s Doctor Who have been found!
41. I reviewed Mission to the Unknown for Kasterborous’ Doctor Who@50.
42. The Gunfighters too! (And that’s certainly not the last of my involvement in the project.)
43. I created the Introducing: Doctor Who series for Kasterborous.

44. Doctor Who Confidential has been axed. (And was voted the best show ever on BBC3. Typical.)
45. I previewed Forbidden Planet’s Doctor Who Fun Day for ItchyBristol.
46. And in a short piece for The Mercury.
47. And finally for Bristol 247.
48. … For whom I also reviewed it.
49. The price of a 1st class stamp has increased to 60p.
50. I reviewed Lovarzi’s Fourth Doctor Scarf.
51. I write a regular column, Bristol Comics Corner, for Guide2Bristol.
52. Death in Paradise debuted on BBCOne.
53. Tuition fees increased, with a cap at £9,000.
54. … Something which I argued against in this Bristol247 article.
55. Brandon Flowers released his first solo album, Flamingo, and I reviewed it here.
56. I was thanked for my article about Jack Vettriano’s Bristol exhibition.

Vettriano on the Bristol247 homepage

57. I previewed the Slapstick Festival in 2011.
58. I created my own website, using Moonfruit…
59. Then deleted it, as I wasn’t happy with the inability to update.
60. The Dandy ceased publication. (Read my article on that here.)
61. I’ve submitted an article to the Doctor Who book, Celebrate, Regenerate.
62. The Doctor Who Experience opened in London –
63. – Then moved to Cardiff.

64. I reviewed Mack the Life, Lee Mack’s autobiography, for The British Comedy Guide.
65. I interviewed comic writer and artist, Jerry Holliday.
66. The Ice Warriors have been confirmed to return in the second half of Doctor Who, Series 7.
67. The world didn’t end on 21st December 2012. (Always a good thing, I find.)
68. The Bristol Comic Expo returned to Brunel’s Old Station.
69. I previewed the 2012 Expo here.
70. And reviewed it here.
71. The James Bond film franchise hit the big 5-0.
72. My former tutor, Marc Leverton, who’s a freelance writer, has written a guest blog post about his experience of publishers.

73. A review of his book, How to work as a Freelance Journalist, can be read here.
74. Steven Moffat has left Twitter. (Again, nothing to do with me!)
75. I’ve seen Steven Moffat at the Doctor Who Experience!
76. Sherlock burst onto television in July 2010.
77. I’ve helped Kasterborous begin their 50th anniversary celebrations with monthly Introduction articles.
78. January’s was Frontier in Space.
79. And this month’s is Vengeance on Varos.

80. Tying into this, my editor called a second Frontier in Space piece I wrote one of the best articles the site has ever published. A massive compliment. You can read The World Behind: Frontier in Space here.
81. I reviewed Lee Mack’s Going Out live tour for Guide2Bristol…
82. … And Bristol247!
83. I’ve visited the National History Museum for the first time.
84. Colin Baker appeared on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
85. My article, Room with a View?, was the most-viewed article on Kasterborous in 2012!
86. I’ve begun work on a number of non-fiction books – but researching is a long task!
87. I reminisced on the anniversary of Matt Smith’s debut as the Doctor, Karen Gillan as Amy and Arthur Darvill as Rory here.
88. And celebrated Matt’s Doctor here.

89. I’ve started a short story collection.
90. My jewellery article, With This (Time) Ring…, was surprisingly popular, making the Kasterborous top 10 list of the most-viewed articles of 2012.
91. I looked at the top 10 guest stars in the Tenth Doctor era here and here.
92. I’ve started reading the Sherlock Holmes novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
93. T4 On The Beach (held in my hometown) has been cancelled.

94. I’m working on a particularly-exciting documentary idea – though it’s only in development in my head at the minute!
95. I’ve seen Peter Kay live at Manchester’s M.E.N. Arena.
96. Parts of Doctor Who: The Snowmen were filmed in Bristol, as were bits of Night Terrors.
97. I previewed tours by Micky Flanagan, Ed Byrne and Stewart Francis for my local newspaper, The Weston and Worle Mercury.

Micky Flanagan Mercury preview

98. I’ve seen the asteroid, 2012 DA14!
99. I’ve added a new section to my blog: Testimonials.
100. I’ve written 100 posts!

But don’t go anywhere. This is just the start.

Thanks for sticking with me this long.

 

MarvelNOW! Omnibus…?

ADVENT DAY EIGHT: Christmas. It’s not long away. And to celebrate advent, new content will be added to this blog every day in the countdown to the big day. You’ll see reviews, opinion pieces, links to some of my other work, videos – maybe even a short story! Remember to check back every day (in between the mad rush of packing presents, getting the freezer stocked up and watching Home Alone on repeat).

Today, a look at my other blog, Make Mine A Marvel Omnibus, and a rather promising rumour…

Marvel will reportedly publish an omnibus next year collecting the first issue of all their new MarvelNOW! titles.

The book, supposedly 688 pages long, will print such comics as Uncanny Avengers #01; Fantastic Four #01; Thor #01; Nova #01 and All-New X-Men #01, featuring writers like Rick Remender, Brian Michael Bendis and Matt Fraction, and artists like Mike Allred, Stuart Immonen and Esad Ribic.

The HC is rumoured to have a cover by Joe Quesada.

MarvelNOW! is a relaunch of their core titles, shaking up the creative teams. Brian Michael Bendis, for instance, has been on the Avengers titles since c. 2005’s Disassembled – but is now working on All-New X-Men.

I have a few titles on standing order, including Captain America – just knowing John Romita Jr is on the book is enough to guarantee its inclusion in my pull list! – X-Men: Legacy (writer, Si Spurrier, is at the top of his game), and FF (with art that I initially disliked… but now I absolutely love). My surprise purchase, though, is Journey Into Mystery. I can’t even describe how good it is. Just pick it up.

It’ll be a new direction for the omnibus line, but a step which isn’t unheard of for comic fans: DC published a similar collection, with all the first issues of their ‘52’ titles.

The MarvelNOW! Omnibus is expected in June 2013.

 

40% Off Avengers Vs. X-Men!

ADVENT DAY FOUR: Christmas. It’s not long away. And to celebrate advent, new content will be added to this blog every day in the countdown to the big day. You’ll see reviews, opinion pieces, links to some of my other work, videos – maybe even a short story! Remember to check back every day (in between the mad rush of packing presents, getting the freezer stocked up and watching Home Alone on repeat).

Today, a look at my other blog, Make Mine A Marvel Omnibus – and an incredible offer!

It may not be classed as an omnibus, but the Avengers Vs. X-Men Companion is both the size and price of a normal Marvel omnibus… so I guess you kind folks will be interested, right?

Released in May 2013, the HC is a huge 1088 pages long, featuring every Avengers Vs. X-Men tie-in! Naturally, a large RRP comes alongside the large page count: £75.

But if you pre-order it today (Tuesday 4^th December 2012), you can claim 40% off, bringing the price down to just £45! All you need to do it get over to Forbidden Planet International.

It looks to be an amazing book. Here’s the blurb and contents:

Every AvX tie-in, collected in one massive volume! When Captain America declares war on the X-Men, how will Generation Hope and the Avengers Academy react to their mentors’ actions? As the Secret Avengers battle the Phoenix Force in space, Iron Fist discovers the connection between K’un Lun and Hope Summers! And when the Avengers try to secure the Jean Grey School, Wolverine must decide where his loyalties lie! But as the Phoenix Force arrives, tipping the scales of battle, the Avengers and X-Men realize the stakes are higher than they knew — and the that fate of the Earth is in their hands.

Collecting Avengers Academy #29-33, Secret Avengers (2010) #26-28, Avengers (2010) #25-30, New Avengers (2010) #24-30, X-Men Legacy (2008) #266-270, Wolverine & The X-Men #9-16 And #18, AvX: Consequences #1-5, Uncanny X-Men (2012) #11-20, and A-Babies Vs. X-Babies #1, written by Christos Gage, Rick Remender, Brian Michael Bendis, Jason Aaron, Kieron Gillen & Skottie Young, pencilled by Tom Grummett, Renato Guedes, Walter Simonson, Mike Deodato Jr., Rafa Sandoval, David Baldeon, Chris Bachalo, Nick Bradshaw, Jorge Molina, Greg Land, Daniel Acuna, Ron Garney, Gurihiru & others, with cover art by Jim Cheung.

The book is the perfect partner of last month’s Avengers Vs. X-Men hardcover, with an RRP of £55.99. (FPInternational has it for £37.51, though!)

 

Ultimate Spider-man Omnibus announced

ADVENT DAY TWENTY-TWO: To celebrate advent, I’ll be adding new content to this blog every day in the countdown to Christmas; reviews, opinion pieces, short stories… that sort of thing! So make sure you pop back in between shopping, packing presents and nursing a headache.

Marvel’s March solicitations have been released, featuring a nice surprise for the middle of 2012.

In June (and no, I don’t know why it’s in March’s solicits, either), Ultimate Spider-man is released, collecting the first 39 issues of Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley’s critically-acclaimed run.

I’ve been looking for the USM HCs for a while now, so this is certainly a welcome addition to the range.

Here’s the full synopsis:

In 2000, Marvel launched the Ultimate Universe, reinventing Spider-Man for a new millennium. Now, the first three years of Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley’s fan-favourite, award-winning take on the web-slinger are collected in one oversized volume! Relive Peter Parker’s early days as Spider-Man, learning to fight crime by trial and error as he struggles to balance his new life with the demands of high school: puberty, homework and dating!

Even with the help of his best friend and confidante, Mary Jane Watson, Peter has a heavy load to bear. But the neophyte Spider-Man is making enemies left and right — including the Green Goblin, the Kingpin of Crime, Dr. Octopus, Kraven the Hunter and the maniacal Venom — and unless he can rise to the occasion, he may not survive until prom! Collecting Ultimate Spider-Man (2000) #1-39 and #1/2, written by Brian Michael Bendis, pencilled by Mark Bagley, with alternate covers by Joe Quesada & Mark Bagley.

Marvel, hardback, 1000 pages, published June 2012

Remember to check out my other blog, Make Mine A Marvel Omnibus, (marvelomnibus.wordpress.com) for more news on the range… and some amazing deals on Forbiddenplanet!

 

New Amazing Spider-man Promo!

ADVENT DAY TEN: To celebrate advent, I’ll be adding new content to this blog every day in the countdown to Christmas; reviews, opinion pieces, short stories… that sort of thing! So make sure you pop back in between shopping, packing presents and nursing a headache.

The Amazing Spider-man, Sony’s reboot of the franchise, is due in cinemas worldwide very, very soon – and I can’t wait!

Superhero Hype has unveiled this brand-new image to tease us.

The film will see Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) grappling with the development of his super powers in high school. Emma Stone plays legendary love interest, Gwen Stacy, and Rhys Ifans will portray Dr. Curt Connors aka the Lizard.

Andrew Garfield previously played Frank in 2007’s Doctor Who two-parter, Daleks in Manhattan and Evolution of the Daleks.

Far Right: Garfield as Frank.

I remember watching the 2002 film, thinking how unbelievable it all was, but I was so proud. Bought up on the 1990s cartoon, to see a live-action movie paraded in front of millions was just mind-blowing. Now look how huge it is.

The Amazing Spider-man is released in the UK on 4^th July 2012.

 

Axel Alonso talks Daredevil and Punisher!

ADVENT DAY THREE: To celebrate advent, I’ll be adding new content to this blog every day in the countdown to Christmas; reviews, opinion pieces, short stories… that sort of thing! So make sure you pop back in between shopping, packing presents and nursing a headache.

Every Friday, Comic Book Resources talks to Marvel’s new Editor-In-Chief, Axel Alonso. It’s always fascinating stuff (especially to me, as I’ve been a fan since… well, forever), but this week’s is particularly of interest, as he talks about two of my favourite characters, Daredevil and the Punisher.

On Daredevil and The Amazing Spider-man, he notes that “the one thing that’s common of both titles is that there’s a real sense of optimism and hope at their core. This has come up in conversation around here — how these titles provide refuge from a world that, right now, is kind of scary and frustrating. Peter Parker and Matt Murdock have big problems, but there’s something fun at the core of those books that may in some small way contribute to their appeal.”

Coming Soon: Daredevil #10.

And Daredevil is certainly getting some rave reviews: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=user_review&id=4089

Now, I have to admit that I haven’t had the chance to read the latest run of DD – I still can’t bring myself to finish Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark’s fantastic run, in fact – but one comic book I definitely can’t wait to read each month is the new Punisher. I second the fantastic reviews it’s getting:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=user_review&id=3836

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=user_review&id=4159

What’s more, the interview with Axel is accompanied by some stunning preview art of Punisher #07-08.

There’s also a nice little moment where Axel discusses the discretion writers must take when creating comics: “Comics are words and pictures, and sometimes the best dialog is the sparsest dialog. The risk of employing lots of silent scenes, however, is the occasional internet complaint about “decompression” or what have you. But at the end of the day, a comic book should entertain and affect the reader, and it doesn’t always need lots of words to do that.”

As a wannabe-comic writer, it’s something worth bearing in mind.

You can read the full interview here:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=35738

And remember to check on my other blog, Make Mine A Marvel Omnibus, for all the latest omnibus news: http://marvelomnibus.wordpress.com/

 

Online nonsense

Hello everyone!

How have you been keeping? Good? Good. Me? Yeah, fine, ta.

I’ve been busy setting up some website nonsense, actually. Yeah, it’s gone well, thanks. Twitter’s not as bad as I thought:

Twitter profile

 http://twitter.com/prbates36

Why, yes, I am following Steven Moffat and Stan “The Man” Lee. Speaking of which, I am still regularly updating my Marvel Omnibus blog. Yeah, take a look sometime:

 http://marvelomnibus.wordpress.com/

 There’s quite a few crazy online activities going on, huh? Yeah, but I’ve got a, sort of, base for it all now:

Moonfruit homepage

http://prbates.moonfruit.com/

There’s a bit of a portfolio there, and I update it with the latest goings-on when I have a free minute. No, don’t worry; this is still where most of my online work will reside. It’s just now got a cousin, or something like that.

 Oh, the course is going well too. Essays galore at the minute, but I still have some spare time to watch Doctor Who, never you mind!

But enough about me; what about you? Oh. Oh, you’ve gone. Okay. Fine. Whatever.

 

P-P-P-Published pieces

These last three months have flown by.

The much-anticipated Professional Writing has returned for a second year, and I’m finding it as fun as the last (but don’t tell anyone). The enthusiasm from my class has prompted more pitches, and a brand new blog. A niche, a flight of fancy, an indulgence; call it what you will, but do take a look:

http://marvelomnibus.wordpress.com/

I’ll be posting news and info up as much as possible, so don’t get rid of your internet connection, will you?

Isn’t technology wonderful? Mmmm, but who can beat a good ol’ magazine? So why not pick up Real Travel magazine this month (issue 57; dated December 2010) to see an article I wrote in the Summer? The piece is ‘Have you ever… had a failed plane landing?’ and can be found on page 22. Go on; take a look!

In September, I went to the opening night of The Armstrong and Miller Show Tour – my favourite double act – and loved every second. Well… almost every second; I sank into my chair when the two picked on the audience. The pair still deserved the massive applause (and then some) so I swiftly knocked out some reviews, which can be found here:

http://www.guide2bristol.com/news/955/Comedy-review-The-Armstrong-and-Miller-Show-at-the-Bristol-Hippodrome-theatre

Armstrong and Miller Guide2Bristol review

And here:

http://www.bristol247.com/2010/09/25/armstrong-and-miller-double-act-deserve-ongoing-popularity/

Armstrong and Miller Bristol247 review

And you think that’s it, don’t you? I can tell by the look in your eye. Well, you’d be wrong, my friend. On Monday (22^nd November), my absolute favourite comedian, Lee Mack, returns to Bristol, this time to the Colston Hall. And guess who’ll be there…

I went to see Messer Mack in February and begged for an action replay. He (happily, I assume) obliged. So here we come. And what, you may ask, has this got anything to do with p-p-p-published pieces? Well…

http://www.thewestonmercury.co.uk/what-s-on/lee_mack_in_bristol_1_729707

Lee Mack: Going Out Mercury preview

I know I’m gonna love his show – and accompanying DVD – and can’t wait ‘til Not Going Out returns. Now if I could just get to work for his PR team and slowly rise through the ranks…

In other news:

• Kudos to the brilliant Karl Pilkington, who has – and will continue to – entertain me with An Idiot Abroad, and his exceptional books. Long will I remain a fan.
• I’m obviously looking forward to the next Doctor Who, A Christmas Carol, which looks to be just mind-blowing. The Sarah Jane Adventures have fed my obsession, with some fantastic storylines and acting, as have Classic Who DVDs and a convention that came to Weston. I met Sarah Sutton and saw Wendy Padbury again; really lovely people, who I’d love to interview someday (if you’re reading this…?).
• But not all is well. I’ve just seen a Dolmio advert that rips off the “intruder window” joke from Doctor Who and has taken all of the credit. Feel free to form a protest. I’m trying, y’know.

Well, that’s all for now, but come back soon, won’t you…?

 

Summer Daze

Everyone is supposed to think summer is marvellous. Yet all those I talk to dislike it. I completely concur, by the way.

Aside from anything else, it’s far from productive. The sun seems to pop up, birds sing, flowers bloom, and I look away in disgust. No, that’s not quite true. I like the jovial nature of summer; it’s the inescapable heat that drives me to distraction. I’ve not been a typical lazy student (I do so hate stereotypes), but I probably should have done a bit more than I have. At least it’s given me more time to indulge in my other loves. For instance…

I’m absolutely loving, loving, loving Brandon Flowers’ Flamingo album. Well done to him on that masterpiece. And here’s to the next The Killers album.

My comic and graphic novels collection has grown once more (though this will never be exclusive to summer), picking up massive omnibuses as often as I can. I’m currently working my way through the brilliant Brubaker/Lark run on Daredevil, in case anyone’s wondering. My find of the summer is probably the complete Man Without Fear miniseries by Frank Millar and my favourite artist, John Romita Jr. Near mint, cheap and off eBay. Never thought I’d say that. I’ve had a couple of comic-related surprises creep up on me too. X-Force: Sex and Violence had the perfect coupling of brilliant writing by Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost, and beautiful art by Gabriele Dell’Otto. One Month to Live is based on a lovely, deep concept; Hawkeye and Mockingbird is lively and clever; while Daredevil: Black and White has been the best read all season. All this and I still haven’t had time to read Shadowland and its many tie-ins.

For you non-comic fans out there, this has been the summer of ideas. I’ve had a lot. That’s not bragging; a lot have been awful. But I’ve hand-picked a few I’m actually quite happy with. Many are still in development, but at least they’ve been picked from the ether. My tutor, Marc, has convinced me to write ideas down, so there are a couple of scribbles in a notebook somewhere. I’m not used to it, really. Writers actually writing?! It’s all a bit alien to me.

Quirky, comical, serious, factual. Ideas just everywhere, and some development on something that began festering about two years ago. Hoping to complete that by next summer.

I’ve begun writing down comic storylines, in case Marvel suddenly beg me to write for all of their characters. I’m prepared. I’m making some progress on an ongoing Daredevil storyline that I’m pretty pleased with; which is also true with a Deadpool plan that’s been brewing. You won’t know any details until Marvel really do beg me for work. So don’t hold your breath.

Where do ideas come from? Well, anywhere. A recent idea for a trilogy of stories (based on OAPs, like all the best ones) emerged while watching Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Best not to ask at this stage.

I haven’t just been sitting in an idea-stew though. I’ve written… things! A couple of features, many-a-review, and scripts (comics and otherwise) ’til they’re coming out of my ears. Now and again, I find myself watching my beloved Coach Trip, thinking, “AREN’T I SUPPOSED TO BE PITCHING STUFF RIGHT NOW?!”

Television hasn’t been very inspiring over the summer. Summer telly is infamous. I find myself in a state of despair every time I see the likes of Big Brother (it’s not George Orwell’s fault, you know) and The X-Factor (of course it’s all staged, you goon!). A couple of gems have stood out, however; Agatha Christie’s Marple: The Pale Horse was excellent, as always; Sherlock was genius and inspirational; The Deep was mostly superb; and Doctor Who (which just nuzzled the edge of summer) was, of course, the best. But best not to look at the rest of the schedules.

Ah well. At least Spooks is back.

Summer: it’s been a mixed bag. But I think I’ll remember the good stuff.

(PS. I, also, have some exciting news, but that’s going to have to wait until I get everything sorted out. So come back soon, won’t you?)

 

Modern Classics: Ten Marvel storylines you MUST read

The Noughties was a defining time in Marvel history, as mutants were decimated, the heroes split in two and marriages left in tatters. It was also the time when comics became almost cinematic in their scale and direction, focussing on the grand and the intimate. In an age where heroes and villains get transformed on the big screen, it’s the perfect time to explore their roots.

Comics don’t get better than this.

The Ultimates

The Ultimates #01-13.

A modern reimagining of Marvel’s Avengers, The Ultimates pairs Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Giant Man, the Wasp, Hawkeye and the Black Widow together as they face a rampaging Hulk, and an alien invasion. Writer, Mark Millar, gives each character an intriguing back story – Captain America is an old soldier, trying to deal with the modern world, while the Wasp must face up to an abusive husband – and Bryan Hitch’s art gives the tale an epic, widescreen quality. The Ultimates show us that, when all hope is lost, heroic individuals will always save the day.

READ THIS BECAUSE: The Avengers get the ‘Ultimate’ treatment in a globe-spanning smackdown.

House of M

House of M #01-08, plus various tie-ins.

In the crossover that set the trend for the next five years, Brian Michael Bendis and Olivier Coipel introduced a world of startling contrasts to the Marvel universe. The reality-shaping Scarlet Witch suffers a breakdown, and the world shifts to a Utopian nightmare. What appears to be a simple ‘what if?’ story changes the Marvel universe forever, with just three simple words: “No More Mutants.”

READ THIS BECAUSE: Coipel’s art has such amazing style and direction in this movie-like epic.

Wolverine: Enemy of the State/ Agent of SHIELD

Wolverine #20-32.

The Marvel Universe is in grave danger as Wolverine is killed, resurrected, and converted by the evil Hand.  A tactical genius with the ability to heal from almost any wound, Wolverine will stop at nothing to murder the super power community. Mark Millar presents a rollercoaster ride of heightened emotions, suspense and shocking deaths, with stunning visuals by John Romita Jr.

READ THIS BECAUSE: It’s Wolverine versus Elektra, and an X-Man gets killed.

The Immortal Iron Fist: The Seven Capital Cities of Heaven

The Immortal Iron Fist #08-14.

Daniel Rand – Iron Fist – is sent back to the mythical city of Kun’ Lun, forced into battle by the city that trained him, far away from his own private hell on Earth. Ed Brubaker introduces an array of immortal warriors, as the Iron Fist falls, and is left helpless, watching his life fall apart. David Aja, and colourist, Matt Hollingsworth, work in perfect harmony to create a moody, noir-esque tale of adversity.

READ THIS BECAUSE: Iron Fist is defeated.

Captain America: The Death of Captain America

Captain America #25-42.

In the story that hit news headlines across the world, Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting assassinate Steve Rogers, the one and only Captain America, and show the legacy of his heroic acts. All who knew him – especially his lover, Sharon Carter, and his old sidekick, Bucky Barnes – must face terrible trials to save the world when the one man who could is dead.

READ THIS BECAUSE: The dream is dead.

Astonishing X-Men: Unstoppable

Astonishing X-men #19-24 and Giant-Size #01.

In the grand finale of Joss Whedon and John Cassaday’s epic tale, the X-Men must save Earth from the Breakworld, with a possible traitor in their midst. The X-Universe changes forever, as the X-Men lose one of their own. Whedon and Cassaday put the team through an emotional wringer, as they round off their astonishing run… with a single bullet.

READ THIS BECAUSE: Someone makes the most heart-breaking sacrifice.

Secret Invasion

Secret Invasion #01-08, plus various tie-ins.

The shape-shifting Skrulls have infiltrated the superhero community for years, and Brian Michael Bendis and Francis Leinil Yu pose the question, ‘who do you trust?’ Stark technology is infected with a virus, and the heroes are too late to stop a full-scale invasion. Suspicion is rife, as the battle rages across the world, from the Savage Land to Times Square in the unforgettable culmination of five years worth of storylines.

READ THIS BECAUSE: The Skrulls have a devastating Plan B.

The Amazing Spider-man: Coming Home

The Amazing Spider-man Vol. 2 #30-35.

J. Michael Straczynski takes over the title, as Spider-man faces death at the hands of the unbeatable Morlun. The only way to stop Morlun from burning New York to the ground is surrendering, but will Spidey make the ultimate sacrifice? John Romita Jr. showcases some of the best art in his entire career, while the story concludes with the most shocking cliffhanger in Spidey history!

READ THIS BECAUSE: Spidey faces an incredible, undefeatable foe.

Civil War

Civil War #01-07, plus various tie-ins.

When a Superhuman Registration Act is passed, the superhuman community is split in two warring factions; those who register, led by Iron Man, and those who do not, led by Captain America. The crossover of the decade sees a major change in creative direction for the Marvel Universe, spearheaded by writer Mark Millar, and artist, Steve McNiven. Politics and powers collide in this definitive series, which starts with four young heroes looking for stardom, and ends in the most tragic event in Marvel history.

READ THIS BECAUSE: It’s the biggest crossover ever and the Marvel landscape is completely changed.

Daredevil: Out

Daredevil vol.2 #32-37.

When Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev began their run on the title, they promised a massive shake- up in the Daredevil universe. This came in the form of a newspaper headline reading ‘MATT MURDOCK IS DAREDEVIL!’ From that point on, this revelation became the central theme throughout the title, and Matt Murdock was plunged into his worst nightmare. Award- winning and character-defining, Bendis’ and Maleev’s run has become one of the best in comic history, with sharp dialogue, tense cliffhangers – issue thirty- five’s is genius – superb characterisation, and beautiful, gritty art.

READ THIS BECAUSE: A hero’s world is torn apart.