Nightcrawler’s been my favorite X-Man as long as I can remember. This stems from some combination of the X-Men Arcade Game and the Age of Apocalypse inspired action figure with a flaming sword. I don’t know how many 7 year olds were rocking the blue and red with a spiked tail at their elementary school Halloween, but I’m right there with you. [Read more…] about The Essential Nightcrawler Reading Order!
reading orders
Black Widow’s Supporting Cast — Reading Recommendations & Origins!
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has gone a long way to making a household name out of Black Widow a.k.a. Natasha Romanoff a.k.a Natalia Romanova a.k.a. Nancy Rushman a.k.a. Oktober (okay, maybe not all of these names are household just yet). Unlike associates of Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor, the characters in Nat’s orbit have yet to transcend in the way that Pepper Potts, Sharon Carter, Lady Sif, and even Happy Hogan have. That may change when Black Widow is finally released in theaters, hopefully sometime later this year. The delay of a major motion picture is hardly the most upsetting aspect of a global pandemic, but the removal of Black Widow from the release schedule at least gives intrepid readers the opportunity to better get to know the Marvel Comics characters that might soon make their big-screen debut. Read on to learn more about the people surrounding Natasha, and for a couple of suggestions for where to start your reading. [Read more…] about Black Widow’s Supporting Cast — Reading Recommendations & Origins!
The Essential Brood Comics Reading Order!
Since their introduction in 1982, the Brood have been one of the most fearsome X-Men villains, an alien race that can infect mutants (and humans alike!) and transform them into a part of the Brood hive. The buglike swarms are also deceptively intelligent, exhibiting a merciless cunning that makes them terrifying to the X-Men, and an intergalactic presence. [Read more…] about The Essential Brood Comics Reading Order!
Batman White Knight Reading Order & Comics List!
Ever since I picked up the Black-and-White Vertigo Comics series Punk Rock Jesus on a comic shop impulse whim, I’ve been hooked on the art and storytelling of Sean Gordon Murphy. That trend continued through his incredible art on books like The Wake and Tokyo Ghost, ultimately building to his star turn with DC’s Batman: White Knight universe. [Read more…] about Batman White Knight Reading Order & Comics List!
X-Men Dark Phoenix Saga Reading Order!
The “Dark Phoenix Saga” is among the most pivotal stories in Marvel Comics history, and without question one of the X-Men’s most iconic moments. The resurgence of Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont, Dave Cockrum, John Byrne and collaborators all builds to a five-years-in-the-making trial by fire of both Jean Grey and Marvel’s merry mutants.
As the My Marvelous Year reading club reads through these essentials in Marvel, I’ll be re-exploring some of the fringe comics and stories that expand the traditional read, both to establish a reading order and to determine how much value is added branching outside the core comics issues.