AOM 03-2020

<poem>AGENTS OF A.R.C.A.N.A. #16
Plot by NX01A
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art by JEROME OPEÑA
“D.O.A.” Part 3 “UNREAL HOUSEWIVES OF MISKATONIC”
Theme Song: Metallica - All Nightmare Long
•Wanda Lipton is living her best housewife life in the suburbs of New England. She deeply loves her twins and her husband, Vishon Lipton, though his life's work as a Miskatonic University artificial intelligence researcher keeps him very busy. Or is it just his work? The beautiful Jocasta Pym, Miskatonic's head librarian, has been calling the house regularly these past few weeks, and Vishon has been working very late ever since.
•Desperate to find the truth, Wanda leaves her twins with neighbour Martin Preston, then barges into Miskatonic's Rare Books Library. No Entry signs, locked doors, and security guards won't stop her from discovering what hidden, illicit things are going on within!
•As Wanda's idyllic vision crumbles around her, so do the real apotropaic barriers around and within the Bibliotheca Pseudopodia. Under the expert manipulation of Agent HOLLYWOOD's Technowand and Warlock's Eye, the SCARLET WITCH will soon unknowingly and violently grant the DEPARTMENT OF OCCULT ARMAMENTS access to the most unspeakably vile tomes on the US eastern seaboard!
32 PGs./ Rated M...$3.99
AMAZING FANTASY #4
Written by J.M.DEMATTEIS
Plot by CAPTCLEGHORN
Art by SARA PICHELLI
“MIRROR IMAGE?” starring Spider-Man
His capture of the Vulture has made the news as well as Pete’s video footage on the Bugle website and Spider-Man now enjoys local fame and good will from the city of New York. The note webbed to Vulture’s chest saying “Compliments of your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man” has been an unexpected boost to the rookie hero’s fame. But (don’t ever start a drinking game when you take a shot every time the word “but” appears in a comic solicit. Trust us on this.) J Jonah Jameson and his Daily Bugle media group are doing their best to make Spidey out to be a villain.
So Pete does what we’d all do when getting a boost in fame and good will: repeat, repeat, repeat. But, Pete soon realizes that catching a mugger and webbing him up means very little without witnesses to the crime. But (remember our warning!), the streets are somehow settling down at night and those people Spidey does encounter fearfully talk of a cross between a man and a giant rat roaming the streets and alleys in the darkness. At last, Pete has a mission! Hopefully this will be over quickly, Mr. Parker has school in the morning.
And in our Fantasy/Horror back-up…
Written by TANA FRENCH
Plot by CAPTCLEGHORN
Art by DAVE MCKEAN
“WHO KILLED ME?”
Another Amazing Fantasy short story. A star detective discovers she has 24 hours to live. Her last day is therefore a busy one. She must discover who killed her, and if there’s time, bring them to justice
32 Pgs./ Rated T...$3.99
ASTONISHING ANT-MAN AND THE WASP #14
Plot by KC
Written by CHRISTOS GAGE
Art by DAN MORA
Cover by DAN MORA
It’s the final showdown. Ant-Man and the Wasp vs the Living Eraser. Can Hank and Nadia win? And if they do, will they be able to get home?
32 PGs./Rated T …$3.99
CAPTAIN AMERICA #16
Plot by EXCITER
Written by FRANK MILLER
Art by SEAN GORDON MURPHY
“TO BOLDLY GO” part one “WRATH”
2262: A different universe; a different future.
Khan Noonien Singh was a genetically-engineered human augment. His superior ability bred superior ambition. From 1992 to 1996, he ruled more than a quarter of the Earth before being deposed in the Eugenics Wars. He escaped justice by fleeing Earth on the S.S. Botany Bay, cryogenically freezing himself and his trusted lieutenants for a trek to the stars. He awoke in a future where powerful men, in their hubris, sought to use him for their own ends. He, of course, had other plans - plans that were foiled by the accursed crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Now he awaits trial on a Federation penal colony, discovering that he has much in common with a fellow prisoner... despite the fact that this fellow prisoner appears to be a gigantic head!
Like Khan, M.O.D.O.K. was created to have superior intellect. Like Khan, M.O.D.O.K. once ruled much of the Earth before being deposed (see the alternate-future presented in CAPTAIN AMERICA #10). The unlikely duo even shared a mutual acquaintance: Steve Rogers. But where M.O.D.O.K. was consistently foiled by the good Captain, Khan defeated him in his timeline. That’s how Khan came to lead his people - by deposing Rogers, the first human augment! But could he do it again?
M.O.D.O.K. was thrown into this future when Mockingbird sabotaged his attempt to time travel (again, see the instant classic CAPTAIN AMERICA #10). He swiftly found himself at odds with Starfleet, but before he was captured he hid his time machine on the Klingon homeworld of Qo'noS. If he and Khan could just get to that machine, they could travel back in time - and Khan could avenge himself upon those that intervened in his grand destiny! Of course, even for an augment and a mental organism designed only for killing, escaping a futuristic prison and infiltrating an alien planet will be no easy task...
Plus: A Federation News Service Op-Ed by Sally Floyd VI, “Erskine’s Error: How Creating a Super-Soldier Caused Genetic Engineering to be Outlawed for 250 Years.”
32 PGs./Rated T+ …$2.99
DAREDEVIL #1
Writer: MATT WAGNER
Plot by LEE STONE
Artist: MICHAEL LARK
"DARKNESS UNFOLDING"
After a bus load of people go crazy in Manhattan, Daredevil takes to the streets to combat a new drug that causes hallucinations on contact.
His investigation will lead him into the underground to revisit the Kingpin, but it may just be that there's someone new making waves.
Typhoid Mary knows who it is, but finding out what she knows it may cost Daredevil his life!
32 PGs./ Rated T...$3.99
FANTASTIC FOUR #16
Written by KELLY SUE DECONNICK
Plot by CAPTCLEGHORN
Art by TOM GRUMMETT
Theme song: “Josephine” from the musical SILK STOCKINGS, sung by GRETCHEN WYLER
The ever-changing FF get introduced to:
“THE NEW GUY, ERRR, GORILLA!”
Josephine is the newest member of the Fantastic Four. The telepathic gorilla is getting her guided tour of both the island of Californication and the FF’s area of Area 44. There’s also the media blitz and the introductory press conference. Cut to comic book trope number 13, public event with super-heroes interrupted by attacking super-villain.
Meanwhile (trope #1), Franklin Hall is an honored and brilliant theoretical physicist. His work with gravity and Einstein’s theory of relativity puts him in the company of Einstein and Hawking. He’s also not a fan of Reed Richards, blaming Richards for making his work on avoiding asteroids and comets striking the Earth useless after Reed and crew stole the Pogo Plane and became the FF. Hall then needed to focus on development of an artificial gravity generator for space travel and that hasn’t gone well.
Hall’s experiment on himself caused him to realize the power to control gravity itself, either strengthening it or weakening it as he wishes. Calling himself Graviton, Hall proceeds to attack the FF and their newest recruit.
Senator Sue Storm after making the point of needing to tell superheroes that a scientist (Hall) had gone rogue, the Senate committee insisted on her silence. One would think that Graviton going bonkers would exonerate her, but instead, she’s blamed for “exposing classified information” when Hall publicly attacks the FF. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Sunset Bain is making a pitch for the US Government to buy her robotic warriors. These are the very same model secretly sold to Dr. Doom as “Doombots”.
32 PGs./ Rated T...$3.99
THE INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #8
Written by JOSHUA DYSART
Plot by MARVELL2100
Art by SALVADOR LARROCA
“ARMOR UP!”
In Santa Fe, New Mexico, Rhodey, Beth and Scott are on the run from The Ghost and Spymaster. But Scott's injuries are slowing them down and he needs medical help badly! And now Spymaster and Ghost are closing in for the kill when repulsor blasts begin raining down from the skies stunning the two and causing them to retreat! Beth looks up to see Pepper Potts in her Rescue armor! She quickly takes Scott to the nearest hospital while Rhodey and Beth go after the Ghost and Spymaster!
In San Francisco, the govt's armored soldiers, HARDCorps are here to arrest the Titanium Man and the only thing standing between them and their target is Tony! Surrounded, Tony begins to attack the Corps in close quarters, betting on that they would be hesitant to shoot in case they hit each other. The strategy works for awhile until he realizes that it leaves the already damaged Titanium Man vulnerable. Suddenly arriving on the scene in a helicarrier is Col Bruce Talbot who deploys more shock troopers onto the scene. He orders Tony to stand down as they take the prisoner into custody. Not wanting to risk someone getting hurt, Tony backs away and they all get a stunning surprise when the Titanium Man removes her helmet to reveal Maria Bullski, granddaughter of the original Titanium Man Boris Bullski!
32 PGS./Rated T+...$3.99
MARVEL SWIMSUIT SPECIAL #16
Written by CHIP ZDARSKY
Plot by PERSONAMANX
Art by KRIS ANKA
"OCEAN'S EIGHT"
- After the events of last month's shocking issue the timely crew of the MARVEL SWIMSUIT SPECIAL have formally re-located to FLINT MARKO's state-of-the-art mobile casino. But how will this arrangement work when corporate shares are dealt out?
- Having learned his true worth the SILVER SURFER has re-devoted himself to improving the Earth. Soon he will be worth far more than Seventy-Five American dollars, but will all the hard work be worth it?
- NAMOR and TIGRA keep having to remind everyone about their actual goals, but are a little confused themselves. Something about twelve relics of some importance.
- With the assistance of WALTER LANGOWSKI, and MARRINA SMALLWOOD our fair LOA has successfully visited her family. But upon her return to Atlantic City it appears that her teammates have left her for some kind of SANDMAN. She takes up smoking.
- ROGUE is easily overpowered by DARK NAMORELLA, but when backed into a corner anything's possible. That includes the DEATH OF DARK NAMORELLA (An Eight Part Epic).
32 PGs./ Rated T+...$3.99
M'BAKU: WARLORD OF WAKANDA! #8
Written by MALCOLM JONES
Plot by MARVELL2100
Art by ADI GRANOV
“NEW WORLD ORDER!”
The political changes in Wakanda have sent reverberations around the globe! World leaders are scrambling to react to M'Baku's declarations and how best to deal with the new regime while some are looking for ways to exploit it. In the US, plans range from assassination attempts to seeking a diplomatic alliance. Meanwhile, Col. Bruce Talbot and former Supreme Leader of AIM Andrew Forsom are close to finishing the secret project they've been working on to take down Wakanda(see: Black Panther issue #4)!
Inside Wakanda, M'Baku and his council The Desturi are preparing their own plans on how they will deal with the nations of the world. He knows that others might see Wakanda as vulnerable during this time of transition so he will need to make an example to show the world that it would be a grave mistake to challenge him!
In London, after meeting privately with Adrienne Frost, T'Challa is invited to attend a meeting of the Hellfire Club Europe whose members consist of Frost(the White Queen), Gorgon(the Black King), Moses Ragnum(the Red King) and Yelena Belova(the Red Queen). With the events unfolding in Wakanda, they think that this would be the perfect time for the Panther to explore new opportunities. They want him to join the Hellfire Club as their newest member: The Gray King!
32 PGS./Rated T+...$3.99
THE MIGHTY THOR #16
Plot by EXCITER
Written by ALAN MOORE
Art by MIKE MIGNOLA
“GODS HELP US ALL”
With followers largely concentrated in Scandinavia but spread worldwide, a new (or is it an old) religion is ascendant: Eddaic Neopaganism. Adherents of the faith worship the Norse gods and, in particular, Midgard’s protector: Thor. They wear hammer necklaces, celebrate Yule, and rest on Thursdays (a.k.a. Thor’s Day, named after their deity). Unfortunately, their faith places them in conflict with a major world power: the United States government!
After Thor’s attack on a U.S. military installation to rescue the Hulk (see THE MIGHTY THOR #6), America declared war on Asgard and allied with Freyja’s Vannaheim in the Götterdämmerung War. Eddaic Neopagans see America’s actions as heresy - and one extremist responds as extremists typically do. When the zealot unsuccessfully attempts to assassinate the hawkish General Thunderbolt Ross, the religion becomes Ross’ target!
With the Red Hulk and troops armed with Hulkbuster gear inbound, Thor and Sif arrive at the religion’s seat of power in Malmö, Sweden. The Asgardians quickly find themselves in the difficult position of having to defend their worshippers whilst simultaneously rooting out the radical elements within the congregation. Can their divine intervention save the day, or will they only succeed in alienating their flock?
Meanwhile, the severed head of the dark sorcerer Malekith has become one of the most potent magic-infused artifacts in the Nine Realms... so, of course, Loki is going to try and steal it - though the new Queens of Svartalfheim won’t let it go easily!
32 PGs./Rated T+ …$2.99
MOON KNIGHT #9
Written by MATT WAGNER
Plot by LEE STONE
Art by FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA
"THE LIST"
Moon Knight takes some time to adjust to the things he's learned in the last few issues.
Rose basically controls LA, and expects Marc to work along with him.
Shroud is already working for the Rose, and has probably given Rose more info than Marc can realize.
But if Marc is going to stay in LA, and possibly remove the Rose's grip, he's going to have to play along.
For now.
The best way to do that is to take down some faceless goons to stay busy and begin making a list of the important people.
Meanwhile, the Rose recruits another valuable contact in Marlene!
32 PGs./ Rated T...$3.99
RUNAWAYS #16
Written by KELLY THOMPSON
Plot by PERSONAMANX
Art by DAVID LAFUENTE
"PICS (OR IT DIDN'T HAPPEN)"
- LORNA, and RICHARD are the toast of Hollywood as they continue to top the hero charts with feats of bravery, and action. But their legal situation might just be a bit more complicated. P.R.I.D.E has the lawyers, and shenanigans can work both ways. Without proof of ownership the status quo will return in a matter of issues.
- The Runaways continue to embrace the TOPANGA lifestyle, and live in a sand-igloo on the beach. But when scandalous photos are leaked will they be able to keep it as their home? DETECTIVE CHASE STEIN is on the case I suppose.
- ALEX WILDER invents something that makes open-air picnics more pleasant.
- NICO beats up a film student, and KAROLINA impersonates a lawyer. Not as part of a plan or anything, they just felt like it.
- Will anyone stop them?
32 PGs./ Rated T+...$3.99
SENSATIONAL SHE-HULK #15
Plot by KC
Written by CHRISTOPHER HASTINGS
Art by GURIHIRU
Cover by GURIHIRU
Jennifer Walters has lost her powers! For now, She-Hulk is out of action. Luckily for Jen however, another powerless, fourth wall breaker needs help. Jennifer Walters and Gwenpool team-up to fight the immovable Blob.
32 PGs./Rated T …$3.99
SORCERERS OF THE STARS #10
Written by JEFF PARKER
Plot by H-E-D
Art by DUSTIN WEAVER
“ROULETTE!”
The Sorcerers of the Stars settle into their new headquarters on Ciress, the magical center of the galaxy. It’s a welcome return for most of the team.
Except for Star-Lord, who is too busy panicking.
Gamora is coming to visit. She doesn’t know about Magique. Magique doesn’t know about her. And neither of them know about Giselle Villard, heiress to one of the great houses of Ciress. (By this point, you can probably guess how much Giselle knows)
He will do this best to keep them from learning about each othe
Meanwhile, Mantis makes her decision, Moondragon or Ika?
Also, Krugarr’s new friend has secretly come to Ciress. This couldn’t possibly be a bad thing, right?
32 PGs./Rated T+ …$2.99
THE ULTIMATES #10
Written by KIERON GILLEN
Plot by H-E-D
Art by EMANUELA LUPACCHINO (main story); ARIELA KRISTANTINA (backup)
“APOTHEOSIS” Part 1 - “WHISPER”
At Carol’s request, Karma convinces Roma to imprison Dario Agger in Otherworld. Less paperwork.
Blue Marvel was going to get to work on containing the Aether, but Spectrum does it with ease. Her powers are at new heights, but her connection with her humanity is at an all-time low.
Jennifer Kale finally divines the source of the magick that crept through the cracks in the Superflow to free Nul.
It’s the distinctive magic of Erica Fortune, her old nemesis and predecessor as Spellbinder. The woman she forever bound from her dimension.
Jennifer realizes that Erica is plotting something. But what she doesn’t yet realize is that she’s too late to stop it.
The Sentry has fallen completely under the sway of SPELLBREAKER. Uh oh.
Using him as a puppet, Erica is about to perform a ritual that could take the Ultimates out of the action – permanently!
I’m sure that’s the only thing the Ultimates have to deal with.
It would just be terrible if this coincided with an attack on Earth by Nul.
What rotten luck. And by luck, we mean that coordinating the attacks was the deal Spellbreaker made with Nul in issue #9.
Shevaun’s powers have started repairing themselves as Nightmask mends the Superflow; but are they enough to deal with the most powerful superhuman there’s ever been?
THEN,
Before they were Breaker of Worlds and Breaker of Souls – they were Nul and Ond, half-brothers, sons of Mimir. Nul is son of Njörun, Mimir’s wife. Ond is the son of Sinmara, fire giantess, Surtur’s wife. As children, Nul was a weakling, the runt; Ond, the half-breed, was a pariah. The God of Nothing, and the God of Souls. As brothers, they were inseparable. But as their cousins, sons of Bor, compete for the title of All-Father, their loyalties will be tested.
32 PGs./Rated T+...$3.99
UNCANNY X-MEN #16
Plot by NX01A
Written by KURT BUSIEK
Art by PEPE LARRAZ
Theme Song: The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets - Welcome to the Island
“THE ISLAND OF DOCTOR ESSEX” Part 1 “EXISTENCE BY EVOLUTION”
•It was a dangerous gambit letting WOLVERINE see his target, the supposed mutant messiah, but it was CYCLOPS' last resort to save his niece from the clawed kidnapper. Trying to talk Wolverine down was most likely futile but Cyclops and his optic blasts had no intention of letting the hairy intruder get within claws' reach. Saint Nick's gift from decades ago kicks in upon seeing Hope's innocent and cute face, restoring Logan's memories and breaking the many levels of mental conditioning affecting him.
•Cyclops and Wolverine stand side by side against the remaining ACOLYTES not finished off by JEAN GREY, X-23, and NIGHTCRAWLER!
•On the island of Krakatoa, XAVIER's astral form floats through strange gardens bearing strange fruit. The flora has been completely re-engineered... but what of the mutants who lived here? Merged and melded with fauna from elsewhere on Earth, Xavier encounters the mutated mutants who now populate the island: the XENTAURS!
32 PGs./Rated T+...$3.99
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