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For those not versed in the basics, Legacy numbering counts all issues of all incarnations and volumes of a given title in an unbroken line as if it had never been canceled, relaunched, or renumbered.

Daredevil #650 was originally announced by Zdarsky himself back in August 2021, as the Daredevil story of the time was building toward the recently wrapped Devil’s Reign crossover event. 

Back in 2021, Zdarsky announced Daredevil #650 as coinciding with the Legacy numbering of Daredevil #38. However, since then, it seems the decision was made to relaunch the title after Devil’s Reign rather than continuing the volume’s numbering, with the most recent Daredevil volume wrapping up with Daredevil #36. 

But as you can likely intuit, 36+2=38, so it seems Daredevil #650 will stick to generally the same timeframe as was previously announced, just shifted in its main numbering thanks to the relaunch.

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As for the contents of Daredevil #2/#650, Marvel has announced a whole host of creators including Rafael DeLatorre, Alex Maleev, Paul Azaceta, Phil Noto, Chris Samnee, Klaus Janson, and Mike Hawthorne. Marvel also promised more creators joining the issue would be announced soon and less than 24 hours later, they announced two more. 

Daredevil veterans, writer Ann Nocenti and artist John Romita Jr., join the celebration in stories that pays homage to their late ’80s run, which Marvel says had a profound effect on DD’s legacy. 

In a story tackling real-world issues, Nocenti will explore Daredevil’s “complex relationship” with the inhabitants of Hell’s Kitchen and “the dire changes on the horizon” in a story drawn by Zdarsky. ‘JRJr.’ will draw a sequence for the issue’s main story featuring Typhoid Mary – a creation of Nocenti and Romita Jr.

Typhoid Mary is now the love interest of the recently retired Wilson Fisk. 

Marvel has released a couple of images from those stories which can be seen in the gallery below. 

 “It’s not often that a comic gets to issue two these days, so … oh wait, it’s issue 650?! Well in that case I’m over the moon that we get to celebrate with so many legendary Daredevil creators!: Zdarsky said. “Daredevil is a title that has had so many amazing runs that it wouldn’t feel right to have an anniversary issue without inviting the people who made the book so special for so many years.”

Here’s a gallery of interior pages from series artist Marco Checchetto and Rafael DeLatorre, along with new images from Zdarsky and Romita Jr. :

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Daredevil #650 is due out August 17, with covers from Checchetto, Bill Sienkiewicz, Gary Frank, and Pete Woods.

Time will tell how the story that launches in Daredevil #650 stacks up to the best Daredevil stories ever.

The post Get a look inside Augusts milestone Daredevil #650 appeared first on Game News.

Netflix is also always adding new films to its platform, with the action-comedy The Man From Toronto the latest to drop. However, while some viewers loved the John Wick-style movie, critical opinion was mixed so it doesn’t quite land a spot on our top list. Our comprehensive guide is reserved for the best of the best to make sure you enjoy whatever you select to stream. 

So if you’re looking for the best Netflix comedies to stream right now, look no further. We’ve trawled the streaming platform to select 23 of its best side-splitting movies. And rest assured, it doesn’t matter if you’re watching in the US or the UK as all of these picks are available in both locations. Ready for some giggles? Let’s get stuck in…

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The best Netflix comedies to watch right now

Jackass 4.5

Sometimes, you feel like watching a comedy with a decent plot that’s going to draw you in, make you care for the characters, and leave your cheeks hurting and your heart all warm and fuzzy. Other times, you just want to see a bunch of grown-ups willingly put themselves into uncomfortable, often painful situations and laugh at their misfortune. Enter Jackass 4.5, which pulls together deleted scenes from Jackass Forever. Johnny Knoxville, Danger Ehren, Steve-O, Dave England, Rachel Wolfson, Zach Holmes, Chris Pontius, Jasper Dolphin, Eric Manaka, Sean ‘Poopies’ McInerney, Wee Man, and Preston Lacy all feature. 

Don’t Look Up

The starry, Oscar-nominated dark comedy Don’t Look Up sees two astronomers trying to spread the message that a giant comet is going to wipe out life on Earth. Unfortunately, nobody seems to be listening. 

Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence star as astronomers Randall and Kate, while Meryl Streep is President Orlean, and Jonah Hill is her son and Chief of Staff. Mark Rylance, Timothée Chalamet, Tyler Perry, Cate Blanchett, and Ron Perlman co-star. Adam McKay directs. 

Inside

We haven’t included any of Netflix’s many stand-up comedy specials in this list of the best Netflix comedies, instead focussing on proper movies. However, Bo Burnham’s Inside falls into a very weird place of being both a comedy special, but also bordering on being a proper movie. 

Made and released during the Coronavirus pandemic, Inside is unlike anything else made across the same period. It starts off laugh-out-loud funny, with some great songs about white women’s Instagram profiles and Facetiming with your parents. However, it soon looks inward, with Burnham addressing depression and a growing discontent with the internet. We won’t spoil anything more, but the overall experience is a thought-provoking film.

The Mitchells vs. the Machines

From the producers behind Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, 21 Jump Street, The Lego Movie, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse… need we say any more? Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s fingerprints are all over this animated movie from Gravity Falls alumni Mike Rianda. The movie follows the titular family of four (plus pug), as teenage daughter Katie (Broad City’s Abbi Jacobson) prepares to leave home for film school. She’s content to fly, but dad Rick (Danny McBride) spies a chance to mend their ailing relationship by driving her, cross-country, to her dorm room, along with mum Linda (Maya Rudolph), and brother Aaron (voiced by Rianda).

While some gags will whoosh over the heads of younger audience members, but amid the apocalyptic chaos, there’s plenty that families will relate to, from dysfunctional disagreements to screen-time addiction to irritatingly perfect neighbors. Plus, there’s a genius use of a licensed product to rival anything in The Lego Movie. When it comes to The Mitchells Vs. The Machines, everyone’s a winner.

Moxie

Moxie is actor and comedian Amy Poehler’s second time in the director’s chair. The comedy-drama follows Vivian (Hadley Robinson), a shy 16-year-old, who’s fed up with the sexist and toxic status quo at her high school and decides to take inspiration from the rebellious past of her mother (Poehler). She anonymously publishes a zine that sparks a school-wide, coming-of-rage revolution as it condemns sexism and the behavior of the school’s boys. 

There are jokes aplenty, but Moxie’s also a sweet story that, while maybe not having quite the satirical bite Poehler was after, is an uplifting, modern message. The Morning Show’s Marcia Gay Harden and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Clark Gregg also star in the Netflix release.

Deidra & Laney Rob A Train

When Deidra and Laney’s mother, a frustrated box store employee, unleashes holy hell at work and winds up behind bars it’s up to Deidra to figure a way to feed them and their younger brother. The best caper comedies are born from dire situations such as these. That’s the burning idea at the heart of this warm chuckle fest from director Sydney Freeland and screenwriter Shelby Farrell. Deidra’s (Riverdale’s Ashleigh Murray) life is upended, making her typical schemes like flipping papers for cash seem humdrum in comparison. 

Her ambitious mind now free to explore more extraordinary circumstances, the plot surges forward as she opts to loop her sister into the plan to rob not just a train, but several. What makes this such a winning pic is the sharp, snappy dialogue and its commitment to placing the story in the hands of a racially-diverse cast. Part of Netflix’s more recent foray into edgier teen content, Farrell’s script drops a slew of one-liners that make this comedy both sweet and sharp.

Set It Up

Part of Netflix’s comedy refresh, Set It Up twists every typical romcom trope into something new. Zoey Deutsch and Glen Powell star as Harper and Charlie, personal assistants to two of New York’s busiest execs, played by Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs. With no social lives, due to their hectic schedules, the underpaid and overworked duo concoct a genius plan; set their bosses up with the hopes of getting some time off. 

We’re in the midst of a romantic comedy resurgence if you hadn’t noticed, and Set it Up is one of the very best to emerge. The plot may hit along similar beats – hey, that’s what you *want* from a rom-com – yet it pushes at the boundaries, and breathes some fresh air into the formula. Powell and Deutsch have ridiculous chemistry that’s easy to champion from the minute they join forces.

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before

Part of ‘flix’s attempt to reboot the rom-com, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before is a refreshing, lighthearted tale that revolves around the love life of one Lara Jean Covey (Lara Condor). After her older sister moves away to college, Lara Jean’s life changes when five secret love letters she had kept hidden somehow find their way into the hands of their recipients. One of the boys, Peter, enters into a fake relationship with Lara Jean – to wind up HIS ex, and to prove Lara Jean doesn’t fancy her sister’s ex. Confused? You won’t be, but you’ll love the optimism and John Hughes-esque atmosphere.

For a high school rom-com set in 2018, it’s surprisingly light on teen tech. The kids use their cell phones (obviously), but the central conceit here revolves around a surprisingly sweet one – handwritten love letters. The rest of the movie’s charm spirals off from that notion, making this a rom-com likely to leave a lasting impression.

The Edge of Seventeen

Non-Netflix original available in US/UK

Starring Hawkeye’s Hailee Steinfeld, The Edge of Seventeen follows Nadine, a high school student who struggles to see eye to eye with her mother and brother, and considers her father her only ally. Things in her life take a turn for worse, though, when her best friend, Krista, starts dating her seriously annoying sibling.

Haley Lu Richardson, Hayden Szeto, Kyra Sedgwick, Blake Jenner, and Woody Harrelson also star. Kelly Fremon Craig directs.

Bad Trip

Eric André and Lil Rel Howery star in this road trip comedy, playing two best friends traveling from Florida to New York City so one of them can confess his love for his high school crush (Michaela Conlin), all the while being chased by the other’s criminal sister (Tiffany Haddish), whose car they have stolen for the trip. The movie is filmed using hidden cameras and, like André’s previous work, there’s plenty of surreal comedy and absurd situations. Prepare to be surprised by some very funny and cringe-worthy skits.

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams co-star as a pair of small-town Icelandic songwriters who go by the name Fire Saga. Clamoring for the fame and glory that comes from winning the titular music competition, they wind up representing their country through an amusing early sequence that wipes out the actual Iceland team. This hammy send-up of the Eurovision Song Contest plays like an extended Saturday Night Live skit. It manages to avoid the tedium you might expect from that setup by sharing its comedy gold throughout the cast. This isn’t JUST Ferrell’s show. 

McAdams brings much merriment via her deadpan deliveries. Yet the best laughs hail from Dan Stevens, who deftly steals the entire movie as ostentatious Russian Alexander Lemtov, keen to sabotage and save the Fire Saga duo. This spoof is ridiculous, runs long, and is responsible for far too many memes yet you’ll be laughing along merrily and thoroughly warmed by the love story at its centre. 

Always Be My Maybe

A trio of Asian American talent from Fresh Off The Boat join forces for a thoroughly refreshing love story. Ali Wong and Randall Park, who wrote and appeared in the aforementioned show respectively, co-star as childhood sweethearts who reconvene 15 years later under drastically different circumstances. The fact it’s also directed by Nahnatchka Khan, Fresh’s showrunner, is what shapes this Netflix Original into a feature that’s far better than you’d expect. 

Always Be My Maybe skirts barfy saccharine territory despite the homeliness of its story. Wong’s character, Sasha, has struck it big as a successful chef who returns home to San Francisco to help open a new restaurant while Park’s Marcus has barely moved on at all. Despite the gap in their living circumstances, the pair rekindle their relationship, and comedy hijinks ensue. The warmth of the setup hails from the deeply-explored subtleties between Sasha’s Vietnamese upbringing and Marcus’ Korean-American family (it was his mother who taught Sasha to cook, after all). Throw in a dynamite A-list cameo, truly awful rapping from Marcus’ musical troupe, and Wong on top form, there’s plenty here to enjoy.

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Someone Great

Someone Great sounds like a sentimental romantic comedy you’ve seen countless times before. Heck, even the promo and marketing materials paint it as such. But despite its vague title it’s a sweet and funny farewell, as three friends spend one last day together in New York City. Eager to shed her Jane the Virgin persona, Gina Rodriguez snags the meatiest role as Jenny, a music journalist whose 9-year relationship with Nate (Lakeith Stanfield) ends the night before she leaves for a Rolling Stone job in California.

This prompts her two besties (DeWanda Wise and Brittany Snow) to blow off their workdays to help her source tickets for a must-see show before she departs. Thankfully, the film flits to and from the love story, instead of focusing mostly on the friendships The Someone Great of the title turns out to be the friends that help her through the hardest time in her life and the person that Jenny never believes herself to be when she’s beholden to Nate. Although the movie shines when Jenny’s off-screen and Wise and Snow’s hijinks take centre stage.

Monty Python’s Life of Brian

Non-Netflix original available in US/UK

Having recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, Life of Brian still stands as one of the funniest films ever made. To prove that Holy Grail wasn’t a fluke, and eager to craft a winning follow-up, the Monty Python crew got together and gave us Life of Brian. Another period film, another set of ridiculous circumstances blended together to be as offensive as possible. This time, the focus is on a young Jewish man named Brian, who, through an unfortunate mixup, is heralded as being the Messiah. But he’s not. He’s a very naughty boy.

Razor-sharp dialogue, witty one-liners, daft slapstick scenarios; there isn’t a type of comedy that Life of Brian doesn’t wrangle into its story. This is a classic comedy which will no doubt still be topping ‘best of’ lists in another forty years.

Werewolves Within

Non-Netflix original available in UK

After proving his horror-comedy chops with 2020’s Scare Me, which starred himself, Chris Redd, and The Boys’ Aya Cash, filmmaker Josh Ruben released Werewolves Within last year – and it’s just as much of a hoot. Or should we say howl?

Featuring the likes of Harvey Guillen (What We Do In the Shadows), Anni Krueger, Milana Vayntrub, Cheyenne Jackson, and Sam Richardson, it follows forest ranger Finn, whose first few days working in a sleepy mountain town quickly become a nightmare when he and the other residents discover that a vicious creature is terrorizing the community. Due to a nasty snowstorm, hey can’t escape, or call for help… will they survive?

Dolemite Is My Name

Launching his career with raunchy standup, Eddie Murphy’s subsequent dive into family-friendly comedies didn’t exactly leave his hardcore fans pleased. When might we see the return of his no-holds-barred former self? His comeback movie, the Netflix Original Dolemite is My Name, is a damn fine start. While it might not pack quite the same R-rated punch as Raw it’s not supposed to. 

Murphy stars as Rudy Ray Moore, an entertainer desperate to strike it rich. His humble musical beginnings soon make way for his foray into the movie business, where he charts his own path as blaxploitation icon, Dolemite. In the title role, Murphy excels, stealing every scene he’s in, proving that he’s got dramatic and comedy chops. His supporting cast, including Wesley Snipes, Tituss Burgess, Craig Robinson, and Keegan-Michael Key absolutely slay. 

The Fundamentals of Caring

Based on the novel by Jonathan Evison, this buddy road trip movie walks the line between poignant drama and sharp, observational comedy perfectly. Paul Rudd stars as Ben, a failed writer who takes a wholly different approach to life after the tragic death of his son. He adopts a new livelihood as a caregiver which leads him to meet the brusque Trevor (Craig Roberts), a teen with muscular dystrophy who asks his new caregiver a simple request: to take him on a road trip. 

The duo hit the road after convincing Trevor’s mom (the brilliant, and sadly underused, Jennifer Ehle) to let them visit “The World’s Deepest Pit”. Their jaunt is of course not about the destination. It’s about the gags – and revelations – they make along the way, many of which revolve around Ben having to help Trevor pee. Selena Gomez’s achingly-hip Dot jumps in on the action, with cheeky throwaway lines oozing crush-worthy cool, giving this fun, heart-warming comedy a little added bite.

Carrie Pilby

Non-Netflix original available in US/UK

Bel Powley continues her streak of compelling performances in this criminally-underseen New York City dramedy from To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before director Susan Johnson. As the precocious Carrie, who graduated Harvard at the tender age of 19 and towers over those twice her age, Powley is, understandably, a tad bratty. Somehow her own preternatural thesp skills temper Carrie’s precociousness. While she echoes Woody Allen’s nervous Manhattanite nerds, she’s a wholly likable protagonist, a book smart woman who places her own value ahead of those in her orbit. 

The movie opens with Carrie’s therapist suggesting that she craft a five-point plan. With no friends, no partner, and few interests, the goal is for her to integrate people back into her life. So begins her journey to open herself up to a world she believes herself superior to, which, understandably yields rather amusing results. 

The Forty-Year-Old Version

Radha Blank’s own life is the inspiration for her directorial debut, The Forty Year-Old Version. She plays Radha, a woman whose biggest creative accomplishments lie nearly a decade in her past. Initially reluctant to change, she eventually snaps and decides she can’t trudge through more of the same. Emboldened, she hits up a local beat boy to support her rapping aspirations, while seeking a theatrical home for her new play. 

Movies about the creative process can feel a little inside baseball at times, yet, Blank’s debut is more inclusive. Uproariously hilarious without being alienating, the concept of trying to making it against all odds is a universal one Blank handles with aplomb. The Forty-Year Old Version is an authentic and painfully-funny dive into how we handle dissatisfaction later in life, and the endless rewards that can bring if we’re willing to be brave and change our circumstances. 

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The Lovebirds

One of 2020’s first big post-lockdown successes, The Lovebirds sees Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani play two lovebirds who are anything but. Their relationship is on the rocks and their breakup plans are interrupted by a car crash that spirals into a world of conspiracies and criminals. It’s a comedy, honest.

Following on from that climatic incident, The Lovebirds becomes pure farce, flitting between hilarious set-piece after hilarious set-piece, each designed to make you cringe and wince. 

The Eternals fans could also do a lot worse than seeking out the film. With Marvel’s cosmic caper likely to flex Nanjiani’s dramatic (and very real) muscles, this is the perfect starting point for those looking to see what he has to offer.

The Lovebirds, like so many rom-coms, revels in the chemistry between the two leads as their situation slips further and further out of their control. No spoilers here, but let’s just say you won’t see a certain form of torture coming. It also cements Nanjiani as one of the most interesting and necessary actors when it comes to modern-day relationships. A perfect double bill with The Big Sick, if you ask us. One of the best Netflix comedies you can really laugh along with.

The Prom

One of Ryan Murphy’s many, many projects over the last few years at Netflix, The Prom is a Golden Globes-nominated, star-studded musical extravaganza that combines the talents of Hollywood leading lights such as Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman in a comedy designed to bring a smile to your face.

Streep is joined by James Corden as a pair of Broadway stars fallen on hard times, perked up by a plan co-concocted by Kidman’s Angie and unemployed actor Trent (Andrew Rannells) that sees the foursome attempt to revive a schoolgirl’s prom night with her girlfriend.

What follows is a glitzy, cheesier-than-cheese romp filled with showtunes and all the trimmings of a big stage musical. The sort of scale and scope for something so niche is a Netflix hallmark at this point – and Ryan Murphy makes the most of the bigger budget with a series of showstoppers. At its heart, it’s ultimately a LGBTQ+ movie that brims with optimism and a sense of belonging. It may have divided critics, but you’ll be singing and dancing by the time the credits have rolled.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

The Coen brothers bring their unique style to a series of short tales told throughout the Old West. Over the course of six stories, the American frontier serves as a backdrop for a range of characters to come to the fore, to reveal their own truths about life in the American West. Sharpshooters, bank robbers, prospectors, and more lay bare their lives in these wildly different stories. 

Coen fans tend to vary wildly on which is their favourite movie from the duo – and that’s why Buster Scruggs is a winner. It steals from across their career, snagging bits and pieces from their entire repertoire, linking together the six-part anthology flick through their signature style of black comedy and compelling drama. And the cast? To die for.

The Incredible Jessica James

Another stand-out Netflix Original comedy that embraces the cliches and makes them palatable thanks in large part to its spot-on casting. Jessica Williams stars as Jessica James, a twenty-something New Yorker reeling from her split with Damon (Lakeith Stanfield, who, yes, is playing another ex-boyfriend). The movie opens as she launches back into dating, her scathing, take-no-prisoners schtick an apparent turn off from the get-go. 

Enter Boone. Chris O’Dowd trots out his loveable Bridesmaids persona again as a fellow recent dumpee who immediately hits it off with Jessica. The fun explored between this pair is the shared heartache they each experience, that’s a neat story trick that works to unite them. Williams and O’Dowd’s chemistry is terrific, and their humour infectious.

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The post Best Netflix comedies: 23 funny movies to stream right now appeared first on Game News.

From birth, Shang-Chi was raised as a living weapon, capable of doing all kinds of harm to anyone who crosses him or his family. Now, he’s attempting to make up for his family’s misdeeds by leading the Five Weapons Society, which he took over from his corrupt father.

However, as he steps into this leadership role, Shang-Chi also has another power to contend with: the Ten Rings, a deadly weapon from another dimension that he fears will corrupt him, too.

That’s where we find the hero at the start of his new series, in Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings #1. Written by Gene Luen Yang, illustrated by Marcus To, colored by Erick Arciniega, and lettered by Travis Lanham, the debut issue begins with members of the Five Weapons Society approaching the Ten Rings and questioning why they aren’t ruling the world if Shang-Chi has possession of them.

Luckily, Shang-Chi steps in before the Rings can do any damage to the seemingly power-hungry duo. Check out a preview below.

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The solicitation text for Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings #1 warns that “every bounty hunter, assassin and evil syndicate in the Marvel Universe” wants to take the Ten Rings, which will force him to either master them or give in to the evil forces he’s trying so hard to overcome. 

Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings #1 will be available July 20.

Ahead of the new series, revisit the Marvel Comics history of Shang-Chi and his Ten Rings. 

The post Shang Chi and the Ten Rings #1 brings the Master of Kung-Fu closer than ever to the MCU appeared first on Game News.

Even though she used her signature power – and even the accompanying catchphrase – the results looked a little different in the MCU than in comics.

In comics, when Kamala embiggens, she actually changes size and shape. But in the MCU, true to her crystalline energy powers, she forms a sort of larger, armored body around herself.

If you’re like us (total comic book nerds) that moment, along with the episode’s big reveal, put you in mind of a totally different Marvel Comics character.

Speaking of that big reveal, spoilers for Ms. Marvel episode 6 – and we mean serious spoilers. Be warned!

In the episode’s first stinger scene, Kamala’s tech-genius friend Bruno reveals that he’s discovered that the true source of her powers isn’t her ClanDestine DNA – that simply provides a connection to the mystical energy of their home dimension. 

As it turns out, Kamala’s powers themselves come from a genetic mutation.

As in, Kamala Khan is a mutant. The first confirmed mutant in the mainstream MCU, in fact.

By now, you’ve probably put together that the way Kamala uses her powers plus her newly revealed mutant DNA put us in mind of Hisato Ikichi, AKA Armor of the X-Men from Marvel Comics.

First introduced back in the landmark Astonishing X-Men, Armor has the power to create armor of spiritual force powered by her ancestors around her body.

If that sounds a little bit like what we just explained about Kamala Khan in the MCU, you’re not alone.

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Kamala Khan’s new MCU powers, though not limited to body armor that forms around her body and “embiggens” her, are certainly somewhat reminiscent of Armor’s mutant abilities – down to a connection to the spiritual power of her ancestors.

Now, we’re not saying Marvel Studios just gave Armor’s powers a palette swap for Ms. Marvel in the MCU. And we’re definitely not saying Ms. Marvel should somehow take Armor’s place in the X-Men when they eventually come to the MCU.

But we are saying that it’s interesting that some of their themes and abilities line up – especially given Kamala Khan’s newly revealed mutant nature.

There’s one other thing Armor and Ms. Marvel have in common, and unlike the possible resemblance between their powers, this one’s straight from comic books: they’re both extremely good at annoying Wolverine during team-ups.

Both Armor and Ms. Marvel have had adventures alongside the most violent and hardcore member of the X-Men, and both have earned his respect through those same adventures, even as they annoyed the ever-loving crap out of him (as teen girls often do to old men).

So maybe, if nothing else, that’s something we’ve got to look forward to.

Kamala Khan’s team up with Wolverine is one of the best Ms. Marvel stories ever.

The post Did Ms. Marvel borrow her MCU powers from a comic book mutant? appeared first on Game News.

Among the many unforeseen surprises in the one-shot (and there are a few), the one thing we knew for sure would happen is the second annual vote for a new X-Men team – including a member voted on by readers themselves.

So who made the cut? Along with a perhaps surprising winner of the aforementioned fan vote, there are some mainstays – and some even bigger surprises than the member elected by fans.

Spoilers ahead for X-Men: The Hellfire Gala #1

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Oddly enough, the votes for the new X-Men members are revealed by Scarlet Witch, who is allowed to psychically tap into the minds of the mutants of Krakoa to take volunteers and nominations for X-Men membership and to take a tally of the vote.

In the first round of winners of the X-Men election, it’s announced that Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Synch will all remain on the team – while the newest member, elected by fans (but nominated in the story by Emma Frost), is Firestar, for whom it’s stated the vote was “not close”.

(We don’t know if that applies to the real world or just on Krakoa, as Firestar’s real-world fan vote tally isn’t revealed in the issue).

After she accepts her place on the team, Firestar is quietly confronted by her former Avengers teammate Tony Stark, who implies that she should act as a spy among the X-Men for the rest of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

Scarlet Witch then reveals that Forge has been chosen to be part of the team – much to his apparent chagrin, as he’s working on a secret black ops project for Magneto and Xavier which is so secret he telepathically assures them he’ll get kicked off the team to keep it hidden if he has to.

Forge in turn nominates Havok for X-Men membership, for which he too is chosen. Magik then insists on membership, with no one refusing her request. 

Finally, Iceman, indirectly but slyly referencing his friendship with Firestar from their days as Spider-Man’s so-called ‘Amazing Friends’ (an ’80s Marvel cartoon reference that has since become somewhat canon), volunteers for the final roster spot.

This leaves the new X-Men roster as:

• Cyclops
• Jean Grey
• Synch
• Firestar
• Forge
• Havok
• Magik
• Iceman

There you have your new X-Men for at least one more year, assuming Marvel Comics chooses to repeat the Hellfire Gala for a third go-round in 2023 – unless of course, something happens to disrupt Krakoa and mutant society before then.

Marvel has released two first-look interior preview pages to August 17’s X-Men #13 that features the first adventure of the new line-up, and with new variant covers to the issue, including a design variant featuring Firestar’s new costume by artist Pepe Larraz and the first of Russell Dauterman’s new trading card variant covers that will highlight the team’s new members.

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For all the upcoming adventures of the new team and much more, stay on top of our listing of all the new X-Men comics planned for release in 2022 and beyond.

The post Meet the new X-Men, including the 2022 fan vote winner appeared first on Game News.

Maines, who previously wrote a story starring Dreamer in the DC Pride 2022 one-shot and who will also write a solo Dreamer graphic novel, will co-write Superman: Son of Kal-El #13 alongside regular series writer Tom Taylor, with the title’s regular artist Clayton Henry providing art.

Dreamer is Nia Nal, an alien superhero who is also the ancestor of the hero Dream Girl from the Legion of Super-Heroes, an expansive team of heroes from many different worlds who exist in the 31st century, and who have adventured alongside Jon Kent when he was still going by the moniker ‘Superboy.’

Here’s the gallery of pages and covers from Superman: Son of Kal-El #13:

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In Superman: Son of Kal-El #13, Jon Kent and his boyfriend, journalist Jay Nakamura, team up with Dreamer after she has a premonition about superheroes in the DC Universe. Considering many of the top heroes of the DC Universe are currently dead in the Dark Crisis event, whatever she’s dreaming of must be pretty bad.

Dreamer’s dark premonition also seems to involve both Lex Luthor, Superman’s traditional arch enemy, and Henry Bendix, who has been butting heads with Jon Kent for some time now – or, as DC describes Luthor and Bendix, “a pair of old capitalists who have literally weaponized trampling on human rights.”

Superman: Son of Kal-El #13 goes one sale July 12.

Dreamer is one of the most prominent trans superhero characters. Here are the most iconic LGBTQIA+ characters in comic books.

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We kick things off with the birth of Yoda, some 900 years before the events of the Star Wars movies, and go all the way up to The Rise of Skywalker, which is currently the endpoint of the galaxy’s timeline. So, to find out about every crucial event that happens in between, scroll on and get up to date. This is the guide you’re looking for…

Want to just watch the movies?

Here’s how to watch the Star Wars movies in order

Before we go on, we should note that, although this is a comprehensive Star Wars timeline, we have not included absolutely every event. Does anybody really need to know when Dexter Jettster opened his diner on Coruscant? Our timeline deals with all the major events from the movies and shows, and touches upon some of the major comic-books and novels included within the canon. We have also listed which movie/TV show/book each event appears in just in case you want to go back and see The Trade Federation deciding to blockade Naboo…

As for the calendar, everything in the Star Wars galaxy is dated relative to the Battle of Yavin, where Luke Skywalker blew up the first Death Star. So Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, which takes place 19 years ahead of Star Wars: A New Hope, is set 19 years Before the Battle of Yavin (in 19 BBY). Meanwhile, Star Wars: The Force Awakens takes place 34 years After the Battle of Yavin (in 34 ABY). Now that all that’s taken care of, let’s start with an at-a-glance guide to the Star Wars timeline.

WARNING: Spoilers for every Star Wars movie and TV show released to date.

Star Wars movies and TV shows in chronological order

• The Acolyte 
• Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (opens in new tab) 
• Star Wars: Attack of the Clones (opens in new tab) 
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars 
• Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith 
• Star Wars: The Bad Batch 
• Solo: A Star Wars Story (opens in new tab) 
• Obi-Wan Kenobi
• Star Wars Rebels 
• Andor
• Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (opens in new tab) 

• Star Wars: A New Hope 
• Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (opens in new tab) 
• Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (opens in new tab)
• Star Wars Resistance 
• The Mandalorian (opens in new tab)
• The Book of Boba Fett 
• Ahsoka 

• Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
• Star Wars: The Last Jedi (opens in new tab) (2017)
• Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (opens in new tab) (2019)

Star Wars timeline

~900 BBY – Yoda is born, though nobody ever thought to ask what species he belongs to. (Return of the Jedi)

~200 BBY – The Galactic Republic and the Jedi Order are at their zenith. This is the golden age of the Jedi. (The High Republic novels and comic-book series)

Emerging dark-side powers soon take hold within the Jedi, as the Sith come to power. (The Acolyte, Disney Plus series)

41 BBY – Anakin Skywalker is somehow conceived by the Midichlorians and his mother, Shmi. (referenced The Phantom Menace) 

Also around this time, a young Yoda-like creature is born to mystery parents. (referenced in The Mandalorian)

32 BBY – The Trade Federation escalates a scintillating trade dispute by blockading Naboo. C-3PO and R2-D2 meet for the first time. Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi discover Force-sensitive Anakin Skywalker on Tatooine and save him from slavery. Yippee! 

Queen Padme Amidala leads the liberation of Naboo, where Obi-Wan slices Darth Maul in two – sending him tumbling to his apparent death. Palpatine is elected Chancellor of the Republic, while Anakin starts his Jedi training. Galaxy watches both their careers with great interest. (The Phantom Menace)

Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas commissions Kaminoan cloners to build an army for the Republic. (mentioned in Attack of the Clones)

Young Grogu trains with the Jedi. (mentioned in The Mandalorian)

22 BBY – Separatists make a couple of attempts on Senator Amidala’s life. Obi-Wan’s investigations into the assassin’s identity lead him to Kamino, where he discovers a fully-fledged Clone Army. Anakin slaughters an entire village of Tusken Raiders (men, women and children) in revenge for the death of his mother. Padme becomes strangely attracted to him.

Naboo Senate Representative Jar Jar Binks calls for Supreme Chancellor Palpatine to be given emergency powers to bring the Clone Army into service – those Clone Troopers subsequently follow the Jedi into action against Separatist forces on Geonosis. Jango Fett killed in the battle. Separatist leader Count Dooku is revealed to be Sith Lord Darth Tyranus, and chops off Anakin’s arm in a lightsaber duel. Geonosian leader Poggle the Lesser hands the Separatists’ Death Star plans to Count Dooku. Anakin and Padme marry in secret. The Clone Wars begin. (Attack of the Clones)

22 BBY – Anakin takes on Ahsoka Tano as his apprentice. (The Clone Wars)

21 ABY – The young Boba Fett infiltrates a Republic Star Destroyer in an effort to take revenge on Mace Windu for dad Jango’s death. (The Clone Wars)

~21 BBY – Brilliant energy scientist Galen Erso is captured by Separatist forces and subsequently rescued by Orson Krennic (at this point a Republic officer) – it will later turn out Krennic has an ulterior motive involving a certain planet-killing superweapon… (Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel)

20 BBY – Darth Sidious orders Count Dooku to eliminate Asajj Ventress, the Dark Side apprentice Dooku’s been training in secret. Presumed-dead former Sith Lord Darth Maul is discovered – half the man he used to be – by his brother Savage Opress on Lotho Minor. Anakin, Ahsoka and Obi-Wan meet and train future insurgent Saw Gerrera to fight against the Separatists on Onderon. Construction of Death Star begins above Geonosis. (The Clone Wars)

19 BBY – Maul and Opress join forces with criminal gangs and Mandalorian hardliners Death Watch to overthrow and kill Mandalore’s peaceful leader (and Obi-Wan love interest) Duchess Satine Kryze. Darth Sidious clears up the mess, killing Opress and capturing Maul. 

Wrongly framed for murder, Ahsoka quits the Jedi Order and disappears. She later ventures to Mandalore to battle Maul, where the Siege of Mandalore takes place. She manages a lucky escape from Order 66 with the Clone trooper Rex. (The Clone Wars) 

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine kidnapped by Separatist forces, Count Dooku executed by Anakin during the rescue. Obi-Wan kills the Separatists’ cyborg military commander General Grievous. Palpatine is revealed to be Darth Sidious. Anakin seduced by the Dark Side and becomes Darth Vader. Palpatine declares himself Emperor and the Galactic Republic becomes the Galactic Empire. Order 66 prompts the Clone Troopers to turn on the Jedi and all-but wipe them out. Darth Vader slaughters the remaining Separatist leaders on Mustafar. Obi-Wan defeats Vader in a duel, critically injuring him and leaving him dependent on an iconic cybernetic life support suit. Padme dies giving birth to twins. Luke is left with his step-uncle/aunt Owen and Beru Lars on Tatooine, Leia with Senator Bail Organa on Alderaan. Obi-Wan and Yoda go into hiding, on Tatooine and Dagobah, respectively. (Revenge of the Sith)

Following Order 66, a rogue bunch of defective Clones – called The Bad Batch – are told to hunt down the padawan in training Caleb Dume (later known as Kanan Jarrus). However, the team’s leader, Hunter, goes against orders. The Bad Batch are then commanded to kill Saw Gerrera. They refuse to do so and head off on their own adventure. (Star Wars: The Bad Batch)

17 BBY – Galen Erso, forced to work on the Death Star, does a runner with wife Lyra and daughter Jyn from their home on Coruscant, with help from Saw Gerrera. (Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel)

13 BBY – Krennic tracks down Erso family on Lah’mu. Lyra dies, Galen goes back to work on the Death Star, leaving Jyn to get an, er, unconventional upbringing with Saw. (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)

Han Solo escapes captivity on Corellia, enlists in the Imperial Navy and bags himself a surname. (Solo: A Star Wars Story)

10 BBY – Han Solo meets hairy BFF Chewbacca, defects from the Empire and joins Tobias Beckett’s criminal gang. Rebellious L3-37 initiates a droid uprising on Kessel. Solo completes a Kessel Run in the Millennium Falcon in a record-breaking 12 parsecs – he’s so impressed he later wins the Falcon from Lando Calrissian in a game of Sabacc. Solo helps out Enfys Nest’s proto-Rebels, but declines to join the cause. Qi’ra assumes day-to-day control of the Crimson Dawn crime syndicate, answering directly to Maul. (Solo: A Star Wars Story)

9 BBY – On the orders of the Inquisitor Reva, a young Princess Leia is captured. Obi-Wan Kenobi comes out of hiding on Tatooine to find her, and clashes lightsabers with Darth Vader once more on the planet Mapuzo – though Obi’s badly burned in the process. Leia is taken to Fortress Inquisitorius, and with the help of a woman named Tala, Obi-Wan rescues her. After the pair escape, Vader tracks Obi-Wan to a nearby planet and they clash. Reva tracks Luke down on Tatooine, but can’t bring herself to kill the Skywalker boy. After departing the Lars homestead, Obi-Wan sees a vision of Qui-Gon Jinn. (Obi-Wan Kenobi).

5 BBY – Force-sensitive Ezra Bridger joins the crew of Rebel vessel the Ghost. Fugitive Jedi Kanan Jarrus takes him on as his Padawan. (Star Wars Rebels)

4 BBY – Rebel informant Fulcrum revealed to be Ahsoka Tano. Empire commences Siege of Lothal. The Emperor unleashes Darth Vader to sort out growing Rebel problem. Former Clone Troopers Rex, Wolffe and Gregor join Rebel cause. (Star Wars Rebels)

3 BBY – Maul blinds Kanan Jarrus in battle. Ahsoka faces Vader for the first time since she was Anakin’s apprentice. (Star Wars Rebels)

2 BBY – Obi-Wan Kenobi belatedly finishes the job of killing Maul on Tatooine. Mon Mothma resigns from Imperial Senate, and calls for the formation of the Alliance to Restore the Republic (aka Rebel Alliance). Chopper Base on Atollon destroyed by Admiral Thrawn’s forces, forcing the Rebels to relocate to Yavin 4. (Star Wars Rebels)

1 BBY – Kanan Jarrus killed, sacrificing himself to save the rest of the Ghost crew. Ezra Bridger has an audience with the Emperor, before he and Grand Admiral Thrawn go missing in action. Bo-Katan Kryze takes Mandalorian throne, after Sabine Wren gives her the ceremonial Darksaber. (Star Wars Rebels)

0 BBY – Rebels secure their first significant victory over the Empire at Scarif – though in the ultimate downer, everybody involved in recovering the Death Star plans dies. (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)

Princess Leia Organa is eventually captured by Darth Vader. Luke Skywalker meets C-3PO and R2-D2, and takes Death Star plans hidden in R2 to Obi-Wan Kenobi. Luke begins Jedi training, meets Han Solo and Chewbacca. Alderaan destroyed by Death Star. Leia rescued. Obi-Wan Kenobi dies. The Death Star destroyed. (A New Hope)

0-3 ABY – Darth Vader recruits Boba Fett to help hunt down the Force-sensitive young pilot who blew up the Death Star. (Darth Vader comic)

Rebel Alliance relocates to Echo Base on the distinctly chilly Hoth. (The Empire Strikes Back)

Han Solo runs into an unknown bounty hunter on Ord Mantell. (referenced in The Empire Strikes Back)

3 ABY – The Rebels evacuate Hoth after the Empire discovers Echo Base. Luke Skywalker begins formal Jedi training with Yoda on Dagobah. Darth Vader captures Han, Leia and Chewbacca at Bespin. Han frozen in Carbonite and taken to Jabba the Hutt by Boba Fett. Luke faces Darth Vader, loses a hand and learns the Sith Lord is his father. Noooooooo! (The Empire Strikes Back)

3-4 ABY – Many Bothans die getting information on Death Star 2. (mentioned in Return of the Jedi)

4 ABY – Han Solo rescued from Jabba the Hutt – with Leia killing Jabba in the process. Boba Fett is thought dead. Yoda dies. Luke learns that Leia is his twin sister – awkward! Imperial forces intercept Rebellion’s secret assault on Endor – it’s a trap! Luke faces Darth Vader again, this time in the presence of the Emperor. Vader turns back to the good side and kills the Emperor. Death Star destroyed – despite Ewok involvement. Yub nub! (Return of the Jedi)

5 ABY – Han Solo helps Chewbacca to liberate Kashyyyk from Imperial rule. The New Republic secures a final victory over the remains of the Empire at the Battle of Jakku. Mon Mothma signs the Galactic Concordance and the Empire is dissolved. A faction of top Imperials, led by Grand Admiral Rae Sloane and General Hux’s dad Brendol, travel through the Unknown Regions to start the First Order. Ben Solo is born. (Star Wars: Aftermath novel trilogy)

5-9 ABY – Boba Fett emerges from the Sarlacc pit after being eaten alive. He is captured by Tusken Raiders, but the bounty hunter wins their favor and is immersed in their culture. The Tuskens are eventually wiped out by a rival biker gang. He meets and helps the injured Fennec Shand. Together, they search for whoever took Boba’s armor from the Sarlacc.

9 ABY – A lone gunfighter – Din Djarin – makes his way through the outer reaches of the galaxy where he stumbles upon a young-ish green creature. The warrior goes on the run, hoping to keep the creature away from harm, and ends up adopting the young creature as his own. 

Din hopes to reunite the creature with the Jedi. He eventually meets Ahsoka Tano, who is on the hunt for General Thrawn. She tells Din to head to Tython and use a special stone to call to any Jedi who may be out there. Ahsoka also reveals the creature’s real name: Grogu.

Grogu calls to the Jedi but is then captured by the evil Moff Gideon, who holds the Darksaber blade. Din is helped by Boba Fett – who is on the search for his armor – and the former heiress of Mandalore, Bo-Katan to beat Moff Gideon. They almost succeed, when a battalion of Dark Trooper droids arrive. Grogu’s call to the Jedi is heard and Luke Skywalker saves the day. Skywalker then takes Grogu away to be trained as a Jedi. (The Mandalorian)

Boba Fett heads back to Tatooine with Fennec Shand to take over the planet’s criminal underworld. Their plans are thwarted by Tatooine’s mayor, the Hutt twins, and the Pyke Syndicate. Boba assembles a team – including Din Djarin – to take on his enemies. Cobb Vanth is shot in a showdown with Cad Bane. 

Luke Skywalker is training Grogu and trying to establish a new Jedi temple. He gives Grogu a choice between remaining a Padawan and becoming Skywalker’s first student, or returning to the Mandalorian. Grogu chooses to go back to Djarin, so the Jedi sends him to Tatooine, where the Child and Mando are reunited.

Fett kills Bane and defeats the Pykes and the other crime syndicates to regain control of Mos Espa. Vanth spends time in a bacta tank to heal from his clash with Bane. (The Book of Boba Fett)

21 ABY – The First Order starts using crime syndicates to fund its increasing military activities. (Star Wars: Bloodline novel)

28 ABY – The truth about Leia’s Sithy parentage is leaked by political enemies, engulfing her in a scandal that forces her to resign from the Senate. Sensing the threat of an increasingly active First Order, she forms the Resistance to keep them in check. (Star Wars: Bloodline novel)

28 ABY-34 ABY – Ben Solo is persuaded by Supreme Leader Snoke to turn to the Dark Side. He trashes Luke Skywalker’s new Jedi school, kills most of his fellow students (unknown whether Grogu is here), and renames himself Kylo Ren. Luke goes into exile on Ahch-To and switches himself off from the Force. (Mentioned in The Force Awakens)

Kazuda Xiono goes undercover as a Resistance spy at the Colossus outpost. (Star Wars Resistance)

34 ABY – Poe Dameron finds map containing details of Luke Skywalker’s whereabouts. Trooper FN-2187, AKA Finn, defects from First Order, gets Poe’s jacket and meets Rey on Jakku. The pair steal the Millennium Falcon, and hook up with Han Solo and Chewbacca. The First Order uses Starkiller base to destroy the entire Hosnian system, wiping out the whole of the New Republic’s government. Kylo Ren kills Han Solo. Starkiller base destroyed. Rey tracks down Luke on Ahch-To. (The Force Awakens)

The Resistance evacuate their base on D’Qar and go on the run from the First Order. Kylo Ren kills Supreme Leader Snoke and declares himself Supreme Leader. First Order flagship the Supremacy destroyed when Vice-Admiral Holdo pilots the Raddus through it at hyperspace. Luke creates a Force projection of himself to face Kylo Ren and dies in the effort. The last few survivors of the Resistance escape on the Millennium Falcon. (The Last Jedi)

35 ABY – With Snoke vanquished, an old evil returns… Palpatine. The Emperor has been building a huge Sith army all these years, and they have been awoken on Exegol, a Sith stronghold in the uncharted area of the galaxy. 

The Resistance has made some headway in their fight back against the First Order, who have now rebranded themselves the Final Order under Palpatine’s leadership. Kylo goes on the hunt for Rey, the granddaughter of Palpatine. When they meet, Rey stabs Kylo with a lightsaber but uses the Force to keep him alive. General Leia passes as she helps keep Kylo, her son, alive. 

After Rey discovers the location of Exegol, she travels there in Luke Skywalker’s old X-Wing. She lays trackers so that the Resistance can follow her there. She then confronts her grandfather, while the Resistance, who – with the help of Lando – have brought together an army filled with people who despise the Final Order.

Palpatine soon has the upper hand on Rey, wanting her to “strike him down” so the Sith can live on in her. However, Kylo Ren comes to help, and the pair attack Palpatine. The Emperor overpowers them and takes their life-force. All the fallen Jedi then come to Rey and help her overthrow Palpatine, and he is disintegrated.

The galaxy celebrates victory over the Final Order. Rey buries Luke and Leia’s lightsabers on Tatooine. The two suns set. Balance is restored. (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker)

What comes next?

While what comes next in the Star Wars timeline remains unconfirmed, it’s believed that the upcoming (but delayed) movie, Rogue Squadron, could take place after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. For all the latest, you can read our article on all the upcoming Star Wars movies (opens in new tab) and TV shows.

If you want to catch up with the Star Wars story so far, getting a Disney Plus sign-up is the easiest way (all the films and canon TV shows are available there). Because the Disney Plus free trial is no longer available, don’t forget to check out the Disney Plus bundles in your area.

The post Star Wars timeline: Every major event in chronological order appeared first on Game News.

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Since the announcement of Edge of Spider-Verse, which will “end the Spider-Verse as we know it,” according to promotional materials, Marvel Comics has been promising a new title from Slott spinning out of the events of the limited series. Now we know Slott’s new title will be nothing less than a revival of the adjectiveless monthly Spider-Man series which was originated in 1990 by writer/artist Todd McFarlane.

And Slott’s not going it alone – he’s bringing another legendary Spider-Man creator with him: artist Mark Bagley, who has been drawing Spider-Man since the early ’90s himself. 

In that way, the new adjectiveless Spider-Man is something of an all-star jam on the wall-crawler, bringing back a title, writer, and artist all associated with some of Spidey’s most classic stories for a new fight against the villainous Morlun.

But rest assured, Marvel Comics promises the new Spider-Man title, while dealing with concepts such as the Spider-Verse and heroes including Miles Morales, Ghost-Spider, and numerous other Spider-characters, will also tie in directly to writer Zeb Wells and artist John Romita Jr’s current run on Amazing Spider-Man.

Here’s a gallery of interior pages from Spider-Man #1 to go along with Bagley’s cover, seen above:

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“How does it feel to be writing Spider-Man again? Like I’m home. Like there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. How does it feel to be working on it with Mark Bagley, one of the greatest Spidey icons of all-time?! Honored, excited, and unstoppable!” quips Slott in the announcement. 

“We are not going to let you down,” Slott promises. “We’re going to take BIG swings in each and every issue! And the first thing we’re doing, right out of the gate, is the Spider-Verse comic to END all Spider-Verse comics!”

Spider-Man #1 goes on sale October 5.

Dan Slott has written some of the best Spider-Man stories ever.

The post Dan Slott returns to ongoing Spider-Man title appeared first on Game News.

In addition to a new logo (below), DC has also revealed a trailer for the issue featuring the Three Jokers, which led us to speculate about their return in Batman #125. However, pages from the latest preview show Bruce merely dreaming about the tripled Clown Prince of Crime.

Still, it sets an ominous tone for Zdarsky’s first arc. See below:

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Zdarsky, Jiménez, and Morey begin their run together with ‘Failsafe,’ a six-issue story arc (the beginning of what Zdarsky calls a “long haul”) that introduces a mysterious new threat to the Caped Crusader: Gotham City’s billionaires are being gruesomely murdered.

“Bruce Wayne is at a turning point, haunted by dreams of a dark future,” reads DC’s description of ‘Failsafe,’ which also seems to double as the name of this new supervillain. “With the discovery of an archenemy’s involvement and a tragedy unfolding, the Dark Knight’s nightmares are just beginning.”

The writer compared Failsafe to Doomsday, the Kryptonian monster who once killed Superman. 

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“When DC approached me to write Batman, I immediately thought about things that could really challenge the character mentally, physically, and in terms of his relationships,” Zdarsky said in an interview with ComicBook (opens in new tab). “Failsafe is his Doomsday. When I started mapping out the story I got really excited about where it could take the title.”

The 48-page Batman #125 also includes a backup story written and illustrated by Belén Ortega starring Catwoman. Gotham City erupts in chaos when the criminal underworld fights over one of the city’s crown jewels. Caught in the middle, Selina has to figure out how to stop the bloodshed while maybe making a few dollars in the process.

Zdarsky is no stranger to Batman, as he just wrapped the 10-issue DC Black Label series Batman: The Knight, the first three issues of which were collected in a 96-page compendium edition on May 10 and included a Batman #125/’Failsafe’ preview.

Jiménez and Morey last illustrated 2021’s Batman #117 (opens in new tab), which was also then-writer James Tynion IV’s last issue.

Here’s a four-page unlettered preview of their work on Batman #125.

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When first announced as the new Batman writer, Zdarsky initially revealed that he’s working closely with the artist on crafting a somewhat different visual take on Batman and Gotham than Jiménez’s previous work alongside Tynion.

“Early on in the process, I let him know I’d be going a little darker with the scripts and Jorge immediately grabbed onto that and turned in pages that were gritty and intense, but still had the bigger-than-life energy of a Jorge Jiménez drawing,” Zdarsky explains. “He’s the best! Truly the best.”

Newsarama previously spoke to Jiménez and Morey about their new approach to Batman.

As for what comes after ‘Failsafe,’ again the writer says he’s in it “for the long haul,” saying that, much like his current Daredevil run at Marvel Comics (which relaunched with a new #1 in June), he plans to stick around for an extended stay on the title. What’s more, his plans will ripple out across DC’s Batman line into other titles.

“I’ve been cooking up plans that will be felt through all the Bat-titles, which have an amazing roster of talent on them, and I think readers will be pretty happy,” promises Zdarsky.

Though well-known creators from Frank Miller to Ed Brubaker and many more have worked on both Daredevil and Batman, Zdarsky may be the first writer to write both DC’s premiere urban vigilante and Marvel’s at the same time.

Batman #125 by Chip Zdarsky and Jorge Jiménez goes on sale July 5. Here’s a look at all of Batman #125’s variant covers, by artists Jim Lee, InHyuk Lee, Gabriele Dell’Otto, Simone di Meo, Jiménez, JOCK, Alex Garner, and Chip Zdarsky.

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With Batman getting some creative changes, now’s the perfect time to start keeping track of all the new Batman comics planned for release in 2022 and beyond.

The post Batman #125 sets an ominous tone for Zdarsky and Jiménez run appeared first on Game News.

But what are the best Thor stories in Marvel Comics? If you’re champing at the bit for more Thor, these are our picks for the best Thor stories of all time.

10. God Butcher/Godbomb (Thor: God of Thunder #1-11)

It’s safe to call this one a modern classic.

Jason Aaron is a man who was truly born to write Thor, and his first arc is appropriately ambitious, pitting three different versions of Thor (from three different time periods) against the terrifying Goor the God Butcher. By showing us the once, current and future versions of Thor, Aaron is able to examine the character from many different angles, something that’s not always easy to do in a medium in which change is often just an ‘illusion.’

But thankfully, it’s not all character psychology as Aaron throws in action sequences and fight scenes (expertly drawn by Esad Ribic) that will inspire metal bands for years to come. This run is a perfect distillation of the stories that came before turned up to eleven.

Buy: Amazon (opens in new tab)

9. Thor: The Mighty Avenger

Believe it or not, there was a time before Chris Samnee was a household name. But for Thor fans who were paying attention, he was a best kept secret.

In the lead-up to the theatrical release of the first Thor movie, Roger Langridge and Samnee presented a different kind of Thor than the one comics readers were used to. His adventures were a little bit more lighthearted, but still maintained an epic heart, pitting Thor against Fin Fang Foom and Namor. 

But more than anything else, it thrived in providing an essential look at Thor’s relationship with Jane Foster. It simply hasn’t been written better before or since.

Buy: Amazon (opens in new tab)

8. Mangog (Thor #154-157)

You can’t have a best Thor stories list without a story from Stan and Jack. They were always ready to take Thor in bold new directions, and this story featuring Mangog introduces a Ragnarok scenario that it seems even the God of Thunder cannot survive.

As one would expect, Thor wins the day – but not through sheer power. In fact, he can only fight Mangog to a draw. Odin is able to revive the monster’s family, quelling his hatred and in turn his strength. This is a mighty Marvel tale that stands up with the best of them.

Buy: Amazon (opens in new tab)

7. The Eternals Saga (Thor Annual #7, Thor #283-301)

This classic story was started by Roy Thomas and finished by Mark Gruenwald and Ralph Macchio, with artist John Buscema eventually giving way to Keith Pollard. But it was born from the imagination of Jack Kirby, as all the creators involved tried to take Kirby’s vision of the Eternals and the Celestials – which mostly inhabited its own universe prior and marry it to the Marvel Universe.

The result is something that has left an impact on Asgard ever since, with future creators finding new ways to weave in those familiar Kirby elements whenever possible. Even Thor: Ragnarok bears that mark – and ‘The Eternals Saga’ may have at least a little bit to do with that.

Buy: Amazon (opens in new tab)

6. Thor: Disassembled (Thor vol. 2 #80-85)

All good things must come to an end and as the ‘Disassembled’ storyline ripped through Avengers, it eventually fell to Thor as well. 

The beauty in this ending is Michael Avon Oeming’s reverence for the character’s history, revealing the nature of the cycle of Ragnarok and how it all weaves together.

It’s a love letter, not only to Thor but to comic books in general and the cycles of death and rebirth within them.

Buy: Amazon (opens in new tab)

5. Mjolnir’s Song (Thor #380)

Part of the way through his run, Walt Simonson ceded art duties to the still exceptionally talented Sal Buscema – but he would occasionally jump back to the drawing board. Thor #380 sees our hammer-wielding hero facing off against a seemingly insurmountable foe, the Midgard Serpent.

To this point, readers had seen Thor stare down against any number of men, beasts, or demons, but this time things are different. Hela casts a curse that weakens Thor’s bones and the Midgard Serpent, Jormungand, is large enough to encircle the entire planet with its body!

But the issue isn’t memorable just for being a helluva fight. Simonson decided that the best way to translate the sheer size of the serpent was to do the entire book as a series of splash pages. The result is a comic that looks nothing like anything that came out at the time and served as a precursor for the big, bombastic storytelling tropes of the ’90s.

Buy: Amazon (opens in new tab)

4. Thor vol. 3 #1-6

A lot happened when Thor was taken off the board in the years before the first Marvel Civil War. But after Tony Stark’s failed attempt at cloning the Thunder God, it was time for Thor to return. And boy did he.

J. Michael Straczynski and Olivier Coipel were up to the task of redefining Thor for a post-Civil War Marvel Universe. They did so by acknowledging the gap and taking their time to establish Thor’s supporting cast, even if they did have to put him in a strange new place (Broxton, Oklahoma) to do it.

The result was a run that humanized Thor while also reminding readers what made him so cool to begin with.

Buy: Amazon (opens in new tab)

3. The Ballad of Beta Ray Bill (Thor #337-340)

You had to know this one would have a spot on the list. When Walt Simonson introduced the horse-faced Korbinite known as Beta Ray Bill and imbued him with the power of Thor, he flipped everything we knew about the God of Thunder and his hammer on its head! But in doing so, he created a new hero and added to the mythology of the character.

With this story, Thor became more than just a singular hero but rather a heroic ideal. And the selfless Bill became a lens for readers (and Thor himself) to examine the Odinson through. Bill became Thor’s reminder that he needed to continue to strive to be the best hero he could be despite his brash and sometimes impulsive demeanor and his friendship with the worthy alien has been a mainstay and fan-favorite ever since.

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2. Skurge’s Last Stand (Thor #362)

Part of the reason that Walt Simonson’s run is so revered is for the way that he was able to elevate characters that had never really been given a chance to shine. To this point, Skurge the Executioner was little more than a hapless henchman serving the will of Amora the Enchantress.

But with Hela’s armies bearing down on Asgard, Skurge made a character defining decision. Sick of being laughed at, Skurge stayed behind to face the hordes and claim his place in Valhalla. It’s a hero’s turn coming from one of the most unlikely of places and Simonson plays it perfectly.

“…and when a new arrival asks about the one to whom even Hela bows her head, the answer is always the same. He stood alone at Gjallerbru and that answer is enough.”

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1. The Surtur Saga (Thor #340-353)

“The sound of thunder reverberates through a billion billion worlds… DOOM!”

With that, Walt Simonson began to build up the threat of Surtur the fire giant, and by its end “The Surtur Saga” would cement his legacy as the greatest creator to ever work on the character. It’s one thing to tease out a threat over the course of a year – it’s another to deliver on it. By the time Thor and Surtur were forced to come to blows, readers were enthralled with the journey and cared about Thor and his supporting cast in a more meaningful way than they ever had before.

And it wasn’t just Simonson’s writing but his art and collaborations with letterer John Workman and colorist Christie Scheele that made this run, and this story specifically, the quintessential take on the Thunder God.

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