Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 cover

In case you didn’t read Brian Reed‘s awesome mini-series Secret Invasion: Amazing Spider-Man, you won’t know that it was all about the new and seemingly familiar Jackpot of created in Amazing Spider-Man: Brand New Day. This year (or whatever time is between annuals), the Amazing Spider-Man Annual is focused on the one and only Jackpot and boy oh-effing-boy is it damn crazy.

Why? Because you finally find out who Jackpot is. You do. It’s quite a story… Thanks to good ol’ McGuggs…

BUT, before I give anything away, let’s take a jump and I’ll splurge all sorts of details…

**sp-sp-sp-spoilahs and mo-ah aftah tha break**

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Ultimate Spider-Man Annual #3 Cover

So, I’m pretty sure that I’ve said this many times before, but my favorite part of Ultimate Spider-Man is the relationship between Peter and Mary Jane. What can I say, I’m a sucker for a good relationship drama. Apparently, Brian Michael Bendis is too, cause he really makes the personal life of Spider-Man the highlight of the book. Sure, there’s a lot of great action and cool plots about villains, but I feel like the heart of the book lies in Peter’s real life and how he balances that with his responsibilities as Spider-Man.

In Ultimate Spider-Man Annual #3, Peter and Mary Jane’s relationship really takes the forefront in the book. Why is that? Cause this entire issue is about whether Peter and Mary Jane should “go all the way”. Oh yes, my friends, this book is all about Spidy-Sex. So stick around and see what I think about this little comic with my full review below.

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Madame Xanadu #4 Cover

Previously in Madame Xanadu:

Nimue finds herself in the great halls of Xanadu – the palace of Kublai Khan – working as his favored soothsayer.  While waiting for the return of the Polo brothers to China, Nimue warns the emperor of the one ‘wearing the large gold medallion’.  Unbeknownst to her, this man is the Phantom Stranger and is imprisoned upon his arrival.

Phantom Stranger later warns Nimue of deception within Khan’s court. Disguised as Europeans, assassins have been dispatched to rape and murder the Khan’s favorite consort.  Determined to help her people, Nimue wakes up Marco Polo and asks for him to help stop the coming treachery.

**Spoilers after the break**

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Marvel 1985 #6 cover

Well, Mark Millar has done it again. He’s taken a complete amazing series and stuck with it and made it god-damn incredible. I picked up Marvel 1985 #6 today thinking, “How in the hell is he going to end this series?” Well let me tell you, Mr. Millar pulled a fast one on us.

There’s all this chit-chat, jimmer-jammer on the web these days about how this series was going to end, and I’ve even spat an ending or two out from my own mouth trying to solve this giant mystery and I honestly didn’t see the series going this way.

But before I go into all the details, lets take a jump and get down to it.

**kaerb eht terfa sreliops**

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To take a page from the posts of Fantastic Fan Girls, I am finishing off my series this month on favorites–though next week I may do something crazy–I want to discuss my favorite ongoing comic book series.

Before I reveal the great mystery that is my favorite, I really have to say this was a toughie. I think what I gauge my choice on is obvious: writing style, ability to keep interest, comedic effect (for me, this is always a plus), and art styling. In this case, it’s a series I’ve been reading since issue #1, and wouldn’t you guess it, it’s not even a Marvel title.

For me, my favorite ongoing series is: Invincible.

**spoilers of Invincible #1-55 will most likely be abound**

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Madame Xanadu #3 Cover

Previously in Madame Xanadu:

Morgana and her son Mordred overthrow Camelot, leaving Morgana’s sister Nimue powerless to the ensuing chaos. Upon a brief encounter with Phantom Stranger, he warns Nimue of her lover Merlin’s power-obsessed treachery.  She comes to realize his true malice, and lures him to the center of the forest, ensnaring him within.  However, Merlin finds enough strength to cast one more spell upon Nimue, disenchanting her in the process.

**Spoilers after the break**

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Marvel 1985 #6 Cover

Jeez. It’s Tuesday already? Things have been crazy in this blogger’s life and I haven’t even finished last week’s comics yet and here we are with a new batch already! Hopefully the other reviews on this site have kept you entertained as I attempt to get back to some sort of schedule where I can actually read and review comics. Nevertheless, I am here to preview your Halloween week comics, so sit back, relax and check out these great comics that will be at your LCS this week!

Marvel 1985 #6

On time and everything, Marvel 1985 wraps up this week. How is this crazy story going to end? And will Mark Millar somehow tie this mini-series back to the main Marvel universe? And how about to his other Marvel books right now? All questions will hopefully be answered tomorrow when issue 6 hits the stands!

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Rest #1 cover

Devil’s Due Publishing always impresses me with the extremely out of the ordinary stories they come up with. With no exception to that rule, Rest #1 was released this past week and boy did I enjoy it. I picked up the #0 issue a while back (August maybe) and loved the concept behind the story: What would you do if you didn’t have to sleep?

From the mind Milo Ventimiglia–yes, the Heroes star–to the pages of Rest, this story unfolds into a very interesting half-Matrix-styled story… but what comes next?

I’ll try to figure that out after the break while explaining more of the story.

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52 Week 20 Cover

Last week on 52: Skeets gives Daniel Carter (a direct ancestor of Booster Gold) an extra chance at fame by becoming the new Booster Gold, all in an attempt to gain more knowledge about Rip Hunter’s lab.  Upon entering the lab, Daniel finds out through Rip Hunter’s findings that Skeets is evil.  Skeets soon finds out and sends Daniel into a time loop vortex.

Meanwhile, Starfire, Adam Strange and Animal Man land on the decrepit fragment of a planet, Sector 3500 where Lobo is archbishop to a horde of alien refugees.  He informs the trio that the one looking for them is the same one looking for Lobo’s Emerald Eye of Ekron.

In Metropolis, Supernova and Wonder Girl take down Weather Man.  Wonder Girl speculates as to whether Supernova is actually her lost love Kon-El, Superboy.

**Spoilers after the break**

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Is it too early to name Brian K. Vaughan the best comic book writer of the new millennium? I must of course withhold such judgment until I really start reading stuff by lauded modern writers like Ed Brubaker and Brian Michael Bendis, but Brian K. Vaughan appears to be infallible. Y: The Last Man is one of the most captivating pieces of literature I’ve ever read, and, though I’ve yet to read them, have heard nothing but praise for Runaways and Ex Machina.

Now, for the last months, I’ve been asking for suggestions for comics to read, and a curious name kept coming up. Nearly everyone recommended a story called Pride of Baghdad. Nobody told me what it was about, only that “it’s not what it sounds like.” Well, I kept on buying other trades, but finally got curious the other day and picked it off the shelves. The first thing that caught my eye was the name at the top: Brian K. Vaughan. I bought it on the spot, without even reading the back cover. Now, the lion on the front made me see the pun in the title, but I still went into this fairly blind. Well, all the hype from my internet friends didn’t do it enough justice.

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