AOM 02-2020

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AGENTS OF A.R.C.A.N.A. #15
Plot by NX01A
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art by JEROME OPEÑA
“D.O.A.” Part 2 “BIBLIOTHECA PSEUDOPODIA”
Theme Song: The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets - Coelacanthem
•In the sanctum sanctorum of AGATHA HARKNESS, DOCTOR STRANGE and MAGIK fight upstairs while their friends in the Salem home's interstitial bowels also battle the DEPARTMENT OF OCCULT ARMAMENTS!
•Agent GOOSE is a juggernaut of strength empowered by the Amulet of Cyttorak, and he'll use the dread sword Dragonfang to prune MAN-THING down to size!
•"Ka nama kaa lajerama!" That's what DOCTOR VOODOO hears before Agent VIPER's Serpent Tiara turns into a 30 foot golden snake and attacks him! Good thing Voodoo just banished Agent SLIDER somewhere unpleasant and taken his Staff of Moses. Cue snake on snake action!
•Agent MERLIN wants to add the Bloodgem Fragment on the choker around ELSA BLOODSTONE's neck to the Stones of Merlin that empower his spells. Elsa's over her jealousy of her now decapitated Zombieverse doppelganger who could encase food aka people in red crystal, and she's learned how to turn her bullets and arrows and knives and [insert all other monster-killing things here] into the same magic Bloodgem crystal, too. Merlin is about to get more Bloodgem than he wanted in places he didn't want or expect, and Elsa may soon crush his tender Stones in her hand.
•And in her darkest dungeon, Agatha's body is restrained by Enchanto-shackles while her mind is probed by Enchanto-scan! Will she reveal to Agent HOLLYWOOD the location of and how to access the most vile library in New England: the Bibliotheca Pseudopodia?!
32 PGs./ Rated M...$3.99
AMAZING FANTASY #3
Written by J.M.DEMATTEIS
Plot by CAPTCLEGHORN
Art by SARA PICHELLI
“THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMY” starring Spider-Man
Peter Parker has decided to make something of his Spider-Man identity. It’s probably a good thing as the video he caught of himself in action at the strip club last issue has gone viral. J Jonah Jameson, publisher of the Daily Bugle webpage has indicated to Peter Parker that “big money” is in his future if he can get more footage of this “Spider-Man” character. Pete feels that’s a good idea as the two are pretty close, LOL.
But other options are all that are available as Peter uses his spider-powers to set up a camera to get aerial footage of a demonstration outside a Manhattan Pharmaceutical Corporation. When an actual super-villain (Spidey’s first, but pictures are being taken, Pete hopes) shows up, things get weird.
The Vulture appears to be an older man in a flying suit with wings extending off his arms. At first the Vulture is threatening the crowd and then he joins the demonstration leaving chanting protestors in the rear as he attacks the building and its inhabitants.
Easy call, Pete figures. Until he notices the name of the corporation is the very one which has jacked up Aunt May’s prescription costs over 1000%. What to do, what to do?
And in our Fantasy/Horror back-up…
Written by RYAN NORTH
Plot by CAPTCLEGHORN
Art by CHRIS ELIOPOULOS
“WHERE DWELLS MEGALEGO!”
Another Amazing Fantasy short story. Dad has finally put his young son to bed. Time to pop open an ice cold craft beer, sit down, and binge some Netflix. Until Dad’s bare foot meets a plastic building block and Dad is transported to the hell only a six year old with an imagination can come up with.
32 Pgs./ Rated T...$3.99
ASTONISHING ANT-MAN AND THE WASP #13
Plot by KC
Written by CHRISTOS GAGE
Art by DAN MORA
Cover by DAN MORA
Nadia has been captured by the Living Eraser. It is now up to Hank and the girls of G.I.R.L to rescue her. It’s a jailbreak in Dimension Z.
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
BLACK PANTHER: KING OF WAKANDA #7
Plot by MARVELL2100
Written by MALCOLM JONES
Art by ADI GRANO
“THE OUTLAW DAMISA SARKI”
With the threat of the Six Million Year Man ended for now, T'Challa, W'Kabi and Karnak leave the Savage Land and are headed to Wakanda when T'Challa receives an urgent message from Shuri! M'Baku has claimed the throne of Wakanda with the backing of the Desturi! M'Baku has closed all diplomatic ties to the rest of the world and has returned Wakanda to its isolationist roots once again! The Panther clan is no longer in power and T'Challa has been exiled and is to be executed on sight if he returns!
Cairo, Egypt: In one of the most expensive hotels in the city, War Dogs Killmonger and Ankeya secretly meet with a group of buyers interested in acquiring Vibranium. For the past few months, they've been posing as dealers, tracking the various groups trying to illegally obtain the rare metal and "discourage" them from Wakandan interests. However, in a surprising move, Killmonger kills Ankeya and the buyers and takes the Vibranium which he plans to use for his own hidden agenda!
Epilogue: After talking with Tony Stark about the Wakandan/Stark tech used by the Six Million Year Man, T'Challa and the others head to the Wakandan Embassy in London so that he can deal with M'Baku and begin his next move. As soon as they arrive, he receives an invitation for a private meeting with Adrienne Frost, leader of the Hellfire Club Europe!
32 PGS./Rated T+...$3.99
CAPTAIN AMERICA #15
Plot by EXCITER
Written by FRANK MILLER
Art by SEAN GORDON MURPHY
“CROSSING THE BORDERLINE”
Tensions between the United States and Sharzhad, an Islamic nation built upon extraterrestrial technology found at the Egypt-Libya border, continue to escalate as troubling intelligence arrives from Israel’s super-soldier, Sabra: Sharzhad’s leader Dagan Shah, a.k.a. the Sultan Magus, is attempting to develop weapons of supermassive destruction! Captain America must fulfill his promise to never let Sharzhad possess an Ultimate Nullifier while somehow also avoiding a full-scale war... but is regime change the only solution?
The Sultan Magus has been promising revenge against “Captain Great Satan” for violating his nation’s borders (see CAPTAIN AMERICA #3), but his most significant limitation is that his godlike powers are limited to a defined radius - the farther from Sharzhad, the weaker he gets. Sultan Magus needs to draw Cap into his country, while Cap needs to draw Sultan Magus out. So begins a game of cat and mouse on the border... but Dagan Shah has an unexpected ace up his sleeve!
Meanwhile, Mockingbird monitors a potentially dangerous new alliance overseas. The Mandarin is meeting with M.O.D.O.K. to negotiate the opening of numerous Advanced Idea Mechanics factories across China. This will mean cheaper and larger-scale production of rocket shotguns, concentrated light rays, exoskeletal battletanks, perpetual motion machines, probiotic sprays, biometric triggers, and other super-science nightmares. Talk about the evils of outsourcing! Can Mockingbird sour this deal before it puts the world in danger?
Plus: A Frontlines Op-Ed by Sally Floyd, “Trying to Relive his Glory Days? Cap’s Meddling with Sharzhad 99% Likely to Cause World War III.”
32 PGs./Rated T+ …$2.99
FANTASTIC FOUR #15
Written by KELLY SUE DECONNICK
Plot by CAPTCLEGHORN
Art by TOM GRUMMETT
Title by JOHNNY STORM
The fabulous FF decree their team shall be…
“A SAUSAGEFEST NEVERMORE!”
The candidates to fill Sue Storm’s place on the team assemble on the island of Fournication. The short list consists of only the most powerful, able, and pure of heart.
Thundra and Wendy Winter, formerly of the Fierce Foursome
Spectrum, a woman named Monica Rambeau who possesses the ability to transform herself into many, possibly every, form of electromagnetic energy
Josephine, formerly Josef, one of the Red Ghost’s super apes. It turns out Josephine is actually female and is possessed of near human intelligence and telepathic abilities.
Crystal, a mysterious young woman with elemental abilities affecting the four elemental forces of the planet.
Only one will stay and receive the four on her chest.
Meanwhile in Washington, DC, Senator Sue Storm is in on highly secret confidential information regarding a scientist who has been working on controlling gravitational forces and finding his experiments have gone awry. Now Sue does know some people (do ya think?), but she is restricted from contacting them on this topic (bummer)...
Note to editorial staff: Johnny Storm’s access to official story files should be restricted. We suspect he’s tinkered with story titles. So say we all!
32 PGs./ Rated T...$3.99
FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #1 (2020)
All stories:
Written by KELLY SUE DECONNICK
Plot by CAPTCLEGHORN
Main Cover by the legendary JOE SINNOTT
Special Photo Variant Cover
To make up for the fact that we changed history and married Reed and Sue off-panel, we decided to have the fabulous FF go through a quartet of stories in their first AOM-NU annual extravaganza.
“SOMETHING OLD”
Art by MICHAEL ALLRED
Sue Storm is a struggling resident at Central City Hospital. It’s been tough. She often believes she’s been helped because of her father’s career as a surgeon there before the car accident which killed him and his wife. Because of that accident, Sue’s needed to support both herself and her brother Johnny (young teenage idiot). But today a call has gone out because of a scientist from the mysterious Area 44, Reed Richards, PhD. He needs a medical doctor to help him study and prevent effects of radiation on humans. Sue thinks about it and agrees. What could possibly happen?
“SOMETHING NEW”
Art by JIM STERANKO
Franklin and Valeria Richards struggle with what to get their parents for their 44th Wedding Anniversary. But what do you get a couple who has done everything. Literally! One sibling wants to get them a new universe, while the other wants to get them something and go back in time to change the anniversary gift list to include that item. Can this brother and sister go in a combined gift, or will they forever be cursed to shop separately?
“SOMETHING BORROWED”
Art by FRANK BRUNNER
Agatha Harkness and Stephen Strange scour the boundaries of the dead at the location of the wedding of two members of the fabled Fantastic Four the night before the ceremony. Will the two mystic adventurers be helped or hindered by the Human Torch and the Thing after they leave Mr. Fantastic’s somewhat dry bachelor party. It seems two spirits seek entrance to our plane of existence; spirits known only as Stann and Jackk! But should these spirits be allowed entrance to this plane at such a time?
“SOMETHING BLUE”
Art by P. CRAIG RUSSELL
Doctor Susan Storm and Doctor Reed Richards cordially invite you, as part of their extended family, to share in the joy of their wedding. Please dress cocktail attire, although uniforms/costumes are always appropriate. A reception shall follow unless the universe is threatened in which case takeout food and cake packaging will be available.
64 PGs./ Rated T...$4.44
THE INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #7
Plot by MARVELL2100
Written by JOSHUA DYSART
Art by SALVADOR LAROCCA
“ARMORED ASSAULT!”
In San Francisco, Tony's battle with the Titanium Man has caught the attention of the US Government who, with the help of Hammer Industries, has deployed its own armored squad-HARDCorps! Comprised of special forces Marines equipped with next-gen tech and heavy firepower, HARDCorps was created to take on any armored enemy (in particular, Iron Man). They start by concentrating their firepower on the Titanium Man who is soon overwhelmed. Seeing the person who just attacked him in grave danger, Tony rushes to protect the Titanium Man from further assault and finds himself teaming up with the person who tried to kill him against the forces of his own government!
At an airport in New Mexico, Beth, Rhodey and an injured Scott Lang are on the run from The Ghost, the industrial terrorist who has a vendetta against Tony! They are only yards away from reaching their plane and escaping when it suddenly explodes sending flames and metal everywhere! They look to see that their problem has just gotten worse! Another of Tony's long list of enemies has just shown up: Spymaster!
32 PGS./Rated T+...$3.99
MARVEL SWIMSUIT SPECIAL #15
Written by CHIP ZDARSKY
Plot by PERSONAMANX
Art by KRIS ANKA
"OCEAN'S NINE"
- Having won big at the card tables FLINT MARKO has become the team's new financial backer, but will the team agree to a 75/25 split? And a split of what? There's nothing to be gained from this endeavor financially speaking.
- TIGRA takes the SILVER SURFER to a pawn shop. She is offered Seventy-Five American dollars. Will she take it?
- NAMOR continues to wear swimwear even in the winter. He's wearing a shirt now though. Progress.
- Having won a free car as a consolation prize LOA is ready to drive back home to visit her family, but can our optimistic mutant drive from Atlantic City to Honolulu in less than 72 hours? Probably not.
- ROGUE is forced to break NAMORELLA out of prison, but will she be prepared to deal with everything that comes out with her? Is there some kind of DARK NAMORELLA resting under the surface of her comrade?
- The HULU adaptation has been cancelled.
32 PGs./ Rated T+...$3.99
THE MIGHTY THOR #15
Plot by EXCITER
Written by ALAN MOORE
Art by MIKE MIGNOLA
“DWARFING YOUR PROBLEMS”
After failing to convince the American government to abandon its alliance with the traitor Queen Freyja, the Asgardian refugees continue their desperate quest for allies in the Götterdämmerung War. Their hopes currently lie with the dwarves of Nidavellir. It is well known that the dwarven Realm is divided amongst four kingdoms with four kings - Norðri, Suðri, Austri, and Vestri. While most dwarves are short and stout, the dwarf kings are enormous - rivaling the size of a Frost Giant, often with tempers to match!
The wounded Odin finds a willing friend in Norðri of the North, as his kingdom is a longtime ally to the Asgardian crown. Austri of the East, however, fails to see how an Aesir/Vanir war is a dwarven problem - and it’s up to Loki to make him understand that the war is a problem for all the realms!
Vestri of the West would rather stockpile dwarven weapons and fortify his own mountain strongholds. Can Sif and the adorable Thor babies, Magni and Modi, convince him to lend them his axes?
And nobody has heard from Suðri of the South for years... yet Thor and Hulk must persuade him to heed Asgard’s call to arms. What unknown horrors will the God of Thunder and the green goliath find when they dare venture into the frozen Southern Kingdom of Suð? Will they find not a dwarven nation... but a mass tomb?
32 PGs./Rated T+ …$2.99
MOON KNIGHT #8
Written by MATT WAGNER
Plot by LEE STONE
Art by FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA
"FACES"
Moon Knight and the Shroud team up again to investigate a human trafficking ring.
Things aren't what they seem, though, when Marc discovers the Shroud's connection to the Rose.
How deep does the Rose have his grip on the city? And just how much control does he have over the Shroud?
Marc begins to realize that he has his work cut out for him if he's going to stay in LA.
Oh, and Marlene comes to visit!
32 PGs./ Rated T...$3.99
RUNAWAYS #15
Written by KELLY THOMPSON
Plot by PERSONAMANX
Art by DAVID LAFUENTE
"FREE BIRD"
- After last issue's shocking conclusion the RUNAWAYS have been sued by RADIO SHACK. Now on the run from lawyers, and living in a suspiciously re-painted VW BUS our intrepid heroes must make a life for themselves in TOPANGA, CALIFORNIA.
- But that's not all, LORNA DANE, and RICHARD FISK having acquired 90% of P.R.I.D.E's assets due to corporate shenanigans have now re-branded themselves as superheroes. The remaining inner circle of P.R.I.D.E now has to deal with with finding new homes, but will ALEX WILDER sit back, and allow this to happen? YES.
- And finally the dark secret of what is under MOLLY HAYES-HERNANDEZ' hat is revealed. Is is a portal to to dark dimension or an old marmalade sandwich? Perhaps both.
32 PGs./ Rated T+...$3.99
SENSATIONAL SHE-HULK #14
Plot by KC
Written by CHRISTOPHER HASTINGS
Art by GURIHIRU
Cover by GURIHIRU
The hunt is still on and our unlikely team-up is looking worse for wear. Can Herman and Jennifer muster up the strength to get out of this terrible (and annoying) situation?
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
SORCERERS OF THE STARS #9
Written by JEFF PARKER
Plot by H-E-D
Art by DUSTIN WEAVER
“QUESTION!”
The Sorcerers of the Stars have escaped Cymradia intact – by the Dragon of the Moon has claimed the world for his own.
With the bitter taste of failure in their mouths, the team returns to Chandilar.
After their captivity, Moondragon and Mantis have grown close. Closer than Ika is comfortable with. Are her fears warranted?
Krugarr meets a mysterious new telepath. Is he a friend, or is Krugarr just desperate in his mental isolation?
Adam Warlock tells the team of his decision: the Sorcerers of the Stars will relocate to Ciress!
Nobody could possibly be less happy to hear this than Star-Lord. Just when he thought the situation Gamora’s message created couldn’t get worse.
The situation? Gamora is coming to visit. Nobody let his other two girlfriends know.
THE ULTIMATES #9
Written by KIERON GILLEN
Plot by H-E-D
Art by EMANUELA LUPACCHINO (main story); ARIELA KRISTANTINA (backup)
“COSMIC FRACKING” Part 3 – “STARS FALLING FROM THE SKY”
As the Ultimates destroy Roxxon’s operations in the Superflow, Dario Agger tries to use the as-of-yet untested Aether to destroy them!
He might destroy all reality in the process, but his lawyers assure him he can’t be held liable.
Possessing the mad CEO with her mutant power, Karma is the only thing standing between the Ultimates and multiversal devastation! But dominating a mind as relentlessly egoistic as Agger’s is hard enough to subdue, let alone when a single thought can warp reality.
As multiversal fault lines slip, Carol rallies the rest of the Ultimates to contend with the madness unleashed by the reality tremors!
Can Shevaun and Nightmask safeguard the Fabric of Reality, or will the mad Minotaur year the Superflow to shreds?
Even if they stop him, can the damage be undone?
Jennifer set out of this journey looking for answers, but she’s left only with more questions.
PLUS, The Worthy receive a visit from the one who broke the seal on Nul’s prison: Spellbreaker. She has an offer to make them…
32 PGs./Rated T+ …$2.99
UNCANNY X-MEN #15
Plot by NX01A
Written by KURT BUSIEK
Art by PEPE LARRAZ
“CHILDREN OF KRAKATOA” part 4 “EFFLUX”
Theme Song: Johnny Horton - North to Alaska
•What can CYCLOPS do to stop the clawed killer who gave him a traumatic brain injury, the shaggy man who has haunted his dreams for months?
•Reared in the wilderness of Canada, WOLVERINE now hunts a supposed mutant messiah in the wilderness of Alaska. The Summers family have been Alaska natives for generations, and no one knows their back yard better than they do. Human and mutant alike fight to protect baby HOPE from the claws of a kidnapper.
•STORM and the Krakatoans are gone. Mutant power negating drones rendered them helpless before energy beams made the entire population disappear. Were they disintegrated, somehow wiped from existence, or did something else happen to them? PROFESSOR X scans frantically when suddenly... minds reappear on Krakatoa! Mutant minds. Mutated mutant minds.
32 PGs./Rated T+...$3.99
AOM VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL #1!
THE SORCERERS OF THE STARS in “SUGAR”
Written by Jeff Parker
Plotted by H-E-D
Art by Kris Anka
Gamora, Magique, and Giselle Villard; three deadly women, and one very foolish man between them all!
Ahead of Star-Lord’s date with destiny next month, see how Peter Quill found himself in this mess in the first place!
With the Guardians of the Galaxy a thing of the past, Star-Lord and Gamora go long-distance as he studies under the Master of the Sun.
All is good when he’s on the Order’s home planet R'lalmis; but on Ciress, Quill catches the eye of a very wealthy heiress and an up-and-coming Shi’ar Superguardian.
Does Star-Lord know how to Say No To This?
PETER PARKER in “OUT OF HIS LEAGUE”
Written by J.M.DEMATTEIS
Plot by CAPTCLEGHORN
Art by SARA PICHELLI
The end of school year dance is going on at Peter Parker’s HS. It’s a Sadie Hawkins Dance which is a gift them to a retiring beloved teacher. As with many older concepts, the kids all run to their google thingies and when they find out what it is, wacky hijinks arise. Kids, please google “wacky hijinks”.
Where Peter Parker comes into this is he’s received an invitation, but it’s anonymous. Who sent him the invitation? Is it the wild, unrestrained, yet hot Mary Jane Watson? Could it be the quieter, more elegant, and also equally hot Gwen Stacy? Could it be a woman Peter hasn’t noticed? Or is it a devious practical joke?
Read as Peter uses the combination of his Spidey-sense and his scientific deductive reasoning to discover who sent him the invite. And see if he actually accepts the invite. But considering Pete’s lack of a love life, we’re betting heavily on his saying “YES!”
You’ve got to read this to find out.
THE ALL-MOTHER in “GODDESS OF LOVE”
Plot by EXCITER
Written by DIANA GABALDON
It’s easy to forget, especially since she betrayed her husband and started a civil war, but the Norse goddess of love is none other than Freyja. And she still revels in that role. Her true son and the rightful heir of Asgard, Balder, is without a wife. Who better to pair him up with than one of the new leaders of of Dark Elves, Illska and Sārga? Balder can even give them the severed head of the treacherous Malekith as a wedding gift!
But which one of the twin Daughters of Døkkr is the better match? Has she considered all 27 dimensions of compatibility? And in working her magic, has she inadvertently created a love triangle?
ANT-MAN AND THE WASP in "HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER"
Plot by KC
Written by CHRISTOS GAGE
Art by DAN MORA
On the anniversary of her death, Hank tells Nadia the story of how he met her mother. And ultimately, the tragedy of how she was lost.
NIGHTCRAWLERin “XXX”
by NX01A, ERIC JEROME DICKEY, & ADAM HUGHES
It can be lonely being a mutant, especially a demonic mutant with blue fur, three digits on each hand and foot, and a prehensile tail. KURT WAGNER also has a heart of gold and the soul of a romantic, and he's looking for love this Valentine's Day. Does he have the courage to make a profile on the new mutant dating app Genedr using his real face and name? If he connects with someone, can he meet in public for a date as he truly is? Of all the young X-Men, the usually cold and analytical X-23 gives him the encouragement to try.
THE ULTIMATES in “Same Heart!”
Written by Kieron Gillen
Plotted by H-E-D
Art by Dadachyo
Returned from their adventures in the Superflow, the Ultimates take a much needed rest.
For Jennifer Kale and Karma, that means one thing – date night!
And, as they say, while the adults are away, the kids will play. Karma’s siblings Nga and Leong join up with Andy, Jennifer’s little brother, to spy on the couple.
Can they manage to spy on two superheroes unnoticed – and without accidentally ruining the date?
THE INVINCIBLE IRON MAN in “LOVE IS FOR LOSERS!”
Plotter: MARVELL2100
Writer: JOSHUA DYSART
Artist: SALVADOR LAROCCA
Super-genius! Multi-billionaire! Super-hero celebrity! This is Tony Stark, the man who has everything! But what is everything without someone to share it with? Failed relationships are sprinkled throughout Tony's history. Does the Iron Man have a heart of iron as well? Will this armored hero find amore'? Tony has just been spotted in the hottest nightclub surrounded by all manner of beautiful women! When asked about his terrible track record with relationships, Tony just smiled and replied with this shocking answer, "Love is for losers! Happy Valentines Day!"
80 PGs./Rated T+...$2.14
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