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There is Only Doom | A Primer on The Greatest Villain of All Time

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Doctor Doom is a wonderfully complex character 

To my mind, he’s the first Marvel supervillain as he set the relatable, tortured archetype that everyone from Magneto to Gorr would follow after. And, rumor has it, he was a big inspiration on Darth Vader (it’s embarrassing to just realize, this year, that Vader’s weird mouth second on his mask looks a fair bit like Jack Kirby’s illustrations of DOOM shouting.) Not to mention Raul Julia’s M. Bison. Two equally great, enduring symbols of villainy.

It’s easy to see why so many have enjoyed Doom for so long. That iconic metal mask of his is utterly grotesque and ostensibly hides a face much worse. But then, the horror of the first only adds to the mystery of the second. Then there’s the whole “hooded cape over armor” look. Who the hell thought that would be evergreen?! Plus he’s got magic, crazy inventions, his own castle, the very best in names… the list goes on. At the top of the list of things we love about Doom has to be his dialogue, which is simply the best in the business.

No one speaks with the ridiculous pomp and camp of Doom. Yet, no one, not even Thanos, has his finality.

But these things are just ornamentation. Nothing more than armor polish and melted loved ones. Let’s see what matters. [Read more…] about There is Only Doom | A Primer on The Greatest Villain of All Time

The Great Pretenders: Regarding Wanda | A Look at the Character of the Scarlet Witch

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Do you believe in magic in a young girl’s heart
How the music can free her whenever it starts? (…)
I’ll tell you about the magic, and it’ll free your soul (…)
If you believe in magic, don’t bother to choose

The Lovin’ Spoonful
Do You Believe in Magic

For decades, the Scarlet Witch has been an enigmatic character. Her “hex powers” have made stories more interesting, her life is filled with drama, and she has got hands-down the best of Jack Kirby’s “weird headgear and stage performer” aesthetics going. But she’s also been a runaway powerhouse, smashing through the Marvel universe, its laws, and her own good-will with fans. She’s a character that can do seemingly anything… so why is it these pitfalls happen? Why can’t Scarlet Witch’s character get out of this madness-shame-power-up pattern? And how could it be fixed?

We’ll take a deep-dive into Wanda and find out. I’ll be citing my references, but fans may still want to take a crack at our reading order for the Scarlet Witch before we begin. [Read more…] about The Great Pretenders: Regarding Wanda | A Look at the Character of the Scarlet Witch

Black Panther: Panther’s Prey Epic Collection Review!

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The Black Panther franchise has seen its popularity soar since the cinematic adaptation hit theaters in 2018. The newest installment into the Epic Collection, Panther’s Prey revisits Don Mcgregor’s 1988 work of the same name, Panther’s Quest (Marvel Present #13-#37) and the spackling of Black Panther micro appearances in SOLO Avenger’s #1, Marvel Fanfare (1982 #60) and Fantastic Four Unlimited #1. After Panther’s Quest, the collection features Black Panther in a series of standalone appearances. In The Vanities of Philip Whitehead, Black Panther teams up with Hawkeye against Plant Man.

Don McGregor and Billy Graham are partially responsible for Black Panther’s ascension to the mainstream masses at a time where most superheroes were white men. Billy Graham had previously worked on Luke Cage, and McGregor was one of the few writers of his day who had an interest in telling a great Black Panther story, so when the two met it was a match made in Wakandan heaven. The two created the now legendary Jungle Action series, which delved into T’Challa’s life more than any other series had done at the time. [Read more…] about Black Panther: Panther’s Prey Epic Collection Review!

How to (Re)Read the Jonathan Hickman Era of X-Men

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You’ve arrived here if you’re ready for a re-read of the Hickman era of X-Men (which began in July 2019 and is not even close to being over) or you’re curious what all the hullabaloo is about. If the latter is true for you, you will certainly get something out of this first in a perhaps interminable series of essays. Enjoy! However, before going further, I strongly recommend that you read ahead, at least to the end of the two six-issue limited series—House of X and Powers of X —that kicked off Hickman’s X-Men coup. Read those twelve issues before returning here for the re-read.

After this opening essay, spoilers will abound, but I will keep them restrained, revealing nothing further than six issues ahead. So, the initial installments that cover both limited series, HOX and POX, will assume that you’ve read that complexly interwoven 12-issue story. [Read more…] about How to (Re)Read the Jonathan Hickman Era of X-Men