Looking Back at 2025

Here are the comic books that I read in 2025. Some links provided although they might link to more than just the stories listed below. Use the search box on the righthand side of the screen to search this blog.

• Avengers (1963) 182, 185-187
• Criminal: The Sinners 1-5
• DC Special Series 5
• Dracula Lives 1-3
• Fantastic Four 224-231
• Green Arrow (1983) 4
• Grimjack (1984) 3-14
• Human Target: Final Cut
• Human Target (2003) 1-3
• Kane (1993) 19-31
• Mars 5-6
• New Teen Titans (1984) 6-12
• Our Army at War 81
• Queen & Country (2001) 8-12
• Sgt. Rock (1977) 405-406
• Showcase (1956) 94-96
• Tomb of Dracula (1972) 4-11
• Vision and Scarlet Witch (1983) 1-3
• Wolverine: Weapon X

Secret Origins (1986)

• 15 - Deadman and Spectre
• 16 - Warlord and Hourman
• 17 - Adam Strange and Dr. Occult
• Annual 1 - The Doom Patrol and Captain Comet

Batman

• Detective Comics Annual 2
• Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight 28-30
• Detective Comics 444-448

Human Target (2003) 3

Human Target (2003) 3

Dec 2003

The Unshredded Man, Part Two: Ready to Die

by Peter Milligan, Javier Pulido, Lee Loughridge, Clem Robbins, Karen Berger

Matthews finds out that Helen, his wife, has been kidnapped. Foley tells Matthews that he will need to sacrifice himself or else Helen will be killed. Matthews asks Chance to pick up the money, knowing full well that he is sending him into a death trap. Chance goes in Matthews place but avoids getting killed by the sniper Foley hired.

Chance finds Matthews and finds out what’s really going on. Foley decides to give Matthews one more opportunity to give himself up. This time both Matthews and Chance show up. They stop the killer and rescue Helen. Matthews kills the killer and Foley. He wants to reunite with Helen but she doesn’t want that. Matthews is left unsure what to do next.

The Vision and the Scarlet Witch (1982) 3

The Vision and the Scarlet Witch (1982) 3

Jan 1983

Blood Brothers!

by Bill Mantlo, Rick Leonardi, Ian Akin, Brain Garvey, Diana Albers, Bob Sharen, Mark Gruenwald

Wonder Man and several other Avengers visit Scarlet Witch and Vision at General Hospital. Vision is in shock. The doctors aren’t sure how to treat him but have decided that an infusion from Simon Williams (Wonder Man) is the best solution.

Vision dreams while he lies on the operating table. He sees many people from his past in his dreams including the Original Human Torch, Doctor Phineas Horton, Ultron-5, and Wonder Man. The other Avengers (Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, She-Hulk, Wasp, Hawkeye) leave while Wonder Man and Vision are still unconscious.

Steve Canyon (7)

Vol. 1: 1947-1948

by Milton Caniff

Operation Convoy

May 24 - Sep 3, 1948

11/06/25

May 24-26, 1948 - Steve and Happy escape from the police with some help from someone who might be the Maid of Nine but they are not reunited with their mysterious benefactor. They escape on a camel but quickly abandon that mode of transport. 

Kane (1993) 31

Kane (1993) 31

Jun 2001

Killing the Hero!

by Paul Grist

A man and shoots and kills Mega Man. Kane is assigned to the case. Officer Perez points out that he met Mega Man once or twice and the dead man isn’t of the right stature to be Mega Man.

The investigation leads to Doctor Gosciny, a psychiatrist, who identifies the victim as Ned Stymer. He explains something about the experimental treatment that Stymer was undergoing and what dressing as Mega Man had to do with it. He also mentions that Ned Stymer was just one of 17 patients of his who were undergoing the same treatment.

Human Target (2003) 2

Human Target (2003) 2

Nov 2003

The Unshredded Man, Part One: Ground Zero

by Peter Milligan, Javier Pulido, Lee Loughridge, Clem Robbins

Ken Foley, CEO of Marlin, Shuster, and Ley Holdings, hires a hit man to kill Samuelson, one of his own employees. Samuelson wanted to clear his conscience by telling the SEC what he had his employer had been doing. Foley’s hired gun bumps off Samuelson.

John Matthews, a former employee of MSLH who faked his own death on 9/11, approaches Foley after the funeral. Matthews is ready to kill Foley but then Foley offers to pay him, five million dollars, to go away. 

Sgt Rock in Our Army at War 81

Our Army at War 81

Apr 1959

The Rock of Easy Co.!

by Bob Haney, Ross Andru, Mike Esposito

6 pages

Sgt Rock and the men of Easy Company battle German troops led by an officer known as the Iron Captain. The battle ends with a fist fight between Sgt Rock and the German commander. 

The Vision and the Scarlet Witch (1982) 2

The Vision and the Scarlet Witch (1982) 2

Dec 1982

Faith of Our Fathers

by Bill Mantlo, Rick Leonardi, Ian Akin, Brain Garvey, Janice Chiang, Bob Sharen, Mark Gruenwald

Vision and the Scarlet Witch agree to help Robert Frank (aka The Whizzer) try and regain custody of Nuklo, his son. They go to General Hospital in Manhattan with a court order. Their plan is to take Nuklo to the Blue Area of the Moon, where Quicksilver and the Inhumans live.

Doctor Bischoff, a rogue scientist who also goes by the name Isbisa, disrupts their plans. He drains Nuklo of some of his radiation and uses that power to deal with the three superheroes. The Vision’s left arm is badly damaged. Isbisa has the upper hand but the tide turns back in the heroes’ favor, but not in time to save the Whizzer who dies from injuries he sustains during the fight.

Kane (1993) 30

Kane (1993) 30

Mar 2001

Day One

by Paul Grist

Kane meets his new partner, Dennis Harvey, and gets acquainted with his comrades at the 39th Precinct, during his first day on the job. He also gets a taste of what to expect in the months and years ahead as he witnesses firsthand the special treatment that Oscar Darke receives.

Thoughts

I could go into more detail but, as is frequently the case, that feels unnecessary. I think I have summed up the spirit of the story without getting terribly specific.

Human Target (2003) 1

Human Target (2003) 1

Oct 2003

To Be Frank

by Peter Milligan, Javier Pulido, Lee Loughridge, Clem Robbins

Frank White tries to pick up the pieces of his life following the loss of Ronan, his son, in Human Target: Final Cut, and his own death. His life with Mary, his wife, seems to be about as good as it has ever been, barring the recent loss of their son. She wants to have another child but then someone named Mr. Smith starts threatening them.

Frank turns to Bruno, Christopher Chance’s friend, in the hopes that he can get word to the Human Target. Bruno tells him that’s impossible because Christopher Chance is dead but then Bruno suggests that maybe there is a way he can help.

Avengers (1963) 187

Avengers 187

Sep 1979

The Call of the Mountain Thing!

by Mark Gruenwald, Steven Grant, David Michelinie, John Byrne, Dan Green, Jim Novak, George Roussos, Roger Stern

The Avengers (Captain America, Falcon, Ms. Marvel, Beast, Wonder Man, Wasp) arrive in Transia while it is being assaulted by heavy winds. Everyone except Wonder Man bails out of the Quinjet. They battle Modred the Mystic who deals with Captain America, Falcon, and Ms. Marvel but is overcome by the Wasp.

Kane (1993) 29

Kane (1993) 29

Jan 2001

Crime Night

by Paul Grist

Television reporter Dianne Scott spends a day with the men and women of the 39th Precinct of the New Eden Police Department. She asks lots of questions and follows the police around as they investigate the death of a 14-year-old boy named Ricky. He was playing with his brother Jake, age 4. Their mother is dead. Their older sister died of a drug overdose. Their father suspects a drug dealer who sells drugs very close to where they live. Jake is missing. The police find the drug dealer and later on they find Jake.

Showcase (1956) 96

Showcase (1956) 96

Dec 1977-Jan 1978

Defection!

by Paul Kupperberg, Joe Staton, Bruce Patterson, Ben Oda, Liz Berube, Paul Levitz

Lieutenant Matt Cable of U.S. Intelligence attempts to arrest Valentina but her teammates don’t let him get away with it. They lock him up in a closet. Someone else comes for Negative Woman, the Cossack. Cable escapes from the closet and gets into a fight with Brunovich, the Cossack’s handler, while her teammates are trying to rescue Valentina from the large man on a flying horse.

The Cossack turns out to be an android. Tempest and Celsius both hit him with their superpowers and destroy him. 

Avengers (1963) 186

Avengers (1963) 186

Aug 1979

Nights of Wundagore!

by Mark Gruenwald, Steven Grant, David Michelinie, John Byrne, Dan Green, Jim Novak, Roger Slifer, Roger Stern

Bova tells Quicksilver about who she is and what she knows of his origins. Scarlet Witch fights back against Modred the Mystic using magic and her mutant hex superpower. Modred proves to be more powerful than the Scarlet Witch.

Quicksilver abandons Bova and resumes his search for his sister. He finds Django Maximoff wandering in the forest. Both men are attacked by Scarlet Witch who uses her abilities to make the trees come to life. Quicksilver breaks them free and speedily transports them back to the village. He calls Avengers Mansion and fills the Vision in on the situation on Wundagore Mountain.

Kane (1993) 28

Kane (1993) 28

May 2000

Take Your Partner

by Paul Grist

Young Oscar Darke (see cover) kills a cop and enters into a business relationship with a blind man. Oscar Darke (in the present) meets with Grey, a representative from a criminal organization that is looking to move into Darke’s territory. The meeting takes place at City Limits, a burger joint. Darke isn’t impressed with Grey or his credentials.

Showcase (1956) 95

Showcase (1956) 95

Oct-Nov 1977

by Paul Kupperberg, Joe Staton, Francisco Chiaramonte, Liz Berube, Bill Morse

The Doom Patrol wake up to find themselves the prisoners of General Immortus. Robotman breaks free and then breaks Tempest free. They are trying to figure out how to free Negative Woman from the box in which she is locked when General Immortus and his troops immobilize and recapture Tempest and Robotman.

General Immortus uses the Psycho-Probe to get Celsius to divulge some information that she would not reveal including about her past and her relationship with Niles Caulder, aka the Chief. She is also forced to reveal the secret to the immortality serum that the Chief developed.

Avengers (1963) 185

Avengers (1963) 185

Jul 1979

The Yesterday Quest!

by Mark Gruenwald, Steven Grant, David Michelinie, John Byrne, Dan Green, John Costanza, Roger Slifer, Roger Stern

Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, and Django Maximoff arrive at the inn in East Transia where they will be staying. It isn’t far from Wundagore Mountain. Modred the Mystic intrudes on the Scarlet Witch in her room at the inn and encourages her to come with him to Wundagore Mountain if she wants to learn the truth about her origins. It turns out to be a trap.

Quicksilver wakes up and finds that his sister is gone. He goes looking for her and after searching in vain for her throughout the village winds up on Wundagore Mountain. He gets injured during his search and winds up in the care of a human-bovine hybrid.

Kane (1993) 27

Kane (1993) 27

Jan 2000

Partners in Crime

by Paul Grist

The Blind Man strikes again. This time he kills one of Oscar Darke’s righthand men.

An abandoned truck is claimed by Flagg, a four star general, who explains that the missing contents of the truck, the K-One-RBY power suit, could decimate an entire city. A prototype of the missing power suit wreaks havoc in the NEPD station house. 

Kate Felix goes to see Oscar Darke while wearing a body cam.

Showcase (1956) 94

Showcase (1956) 94

Aug-Sep 1977

The Doom Patrol Lives Forever!

by Paul Kupperberg, Joe Staton, Liz Berube

Robotman (aka Cliff Steele) returns to the Doom Patrol headquarters in Midway City only to discover some people he doesn’t recognize. He attacks but after they overpower him he stops to listen to what they have to say. They say they are the Doom Patrol and introduce themselves as Negative Woman (Valentina Vostok), Tempest (Joshua Clay), and Celsius (Arani).

Robotman is suspicious of them and he has only spoken to them for a few minutes when General Immortus violently breaks into their conversation and attacks them. The quartet defeat the general’s troops but he overwhelms them with noxious fumes that spew forth from his saucer. 

Steve Canyon (6)

Vol. 1: 1947-1948

by Milton Caniff

The Nine Maid

Mar 28 - May 23, 1948

10/09/25

Mar 28, 1948 - Steve and Happy try to get the advantage on the bandits but instead find themselves surprised by a masked woman in a suit of armor.

Avengers (1963) 182

Avengers (1963) 182

Apr 1979

Honor Thy Father

by David Michelinie, John Byrne, Klaus Janson, Bob Sharen, Diana Albert, Roger Stern

Hank Pym diagnoses Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver who collapsed during a scene that took up the last three pages of Avengers 181 (Mar 1979). His best guess is that someone has stolen their souls. Jocasta’s cybernetic senses lead her and the other Avengers (Iron Man, Hawkeye, Vision, Captain America, Wasp, Beast, Yellowjacket) to a boarding house on 4th street in the Bowery.

Kane (1993) 26

Kane (1993) 26

Sep 1999

Partners²

by Paul Grist

Mega Man helps Officer Perez capture a suspect and then quickly takes off. Perez and his partner let the suspect get away and pocket the cash he was carrying.

Denis Harvey confronts Oscar Darke after Kane gets knifed. Darke claims to know nothing about what happened. Harvey leads a raid on a suspect’s apartment only to find the man already dead from an overdose. 

Detective Comics 448

Detective Comics 448

May 1975

Bedlam Beneath the Big Top!

by Len Wein, Ernie Chan, Dick Giordano, Julius Schwartz

Batman follows some information that Jack Ryder (aka the Creeper) dug up for him and goes to see Gaston St. Lucifer’s Circus Extraordinaire. He sneaks around, finds some answers, and gets into fights with several of the circus performers. He locates Ra’s Al Ghul and Talia, both very much alive and learns how and why he was framed for murder. 

The Vision and the Scarlet Witch (1982) 1

The Vision and the Scarlet Witch (1982) 1

Nov 1982

Trick or Treat!

by Bill Mantlo, Rick Leonardi, Ian Akin, Brain Garvey, Joe Rosen, Bob Sharen, Mark Gruenwald

Halloween, 1982. The Vision and the Scarlet Witch, with some help from Jarvis (the Avengers’ butler), attempt to settle in to their new home in Leona, NJ. Samhain, a sinister force bound to a book of Druidic spells that Captain America gave to the Scarlet Witch, manages to free itself while in close proximity to the Scarlet Witch.

Samhain transforms three teenage trick-or-treaters into beings (a ghost, a goblin, and a jack-o-lantern) similar to the costumes that they wear for the holiday. Scarlet Witch battles Samhain while her husband (with a bit of help from Jarvis) battles the three transformed teens. The heroes are victorious in their battle and the book of magic is destroyed.

The issue ends with a visit from a familiar face, Robert Frank (aka the Whizzer), who claims to be Wanda’s father.

Kane (1993) 25

Kane (1993) 25

May 1999

Partners

by Paul Grist

Kate Felix searches for Kane, her partner. She questions Oscar Darke but Darke claims to know nothing. Felix receives a phone call that tips her off as to where Kane can be found. 

Kane dreams of an encounter with Dennis Harvey, who used to be his partner. Kane wakes up in time to discover that the Blind Man has captured him. He fights back when the Blind Man gets distracted by the sound of an approaching police siren.

The Blind Man escapes. Kane collapses, after Felix finds him.

Detective Comics 447

Detective Comics 447

May 1975

Enter: The Creeper

by Len Wein, Ernie Chan, Dick Giordano, Julius Schwartz

Batman digs up the coffin of Ra’s Al Ghul but finds it empty. He is about to do the same for Talia’s coffin when a couple police officers show up. He tries to show them that the coffin is empty but when he does it is no longer empty. They try to arrest him. He runs.

Alfred performed some forensic work on the gun that killed Ra’s and Talia. It was handmade and there was a hair from a lion on it. Batman takes Alfred’s discoveries into account and heads to the Gotham Zoo. The Creeper, convinced that Batman is a murderer, tries to apprehend the Dark Knight. They both find themselves in danger when someone frees the zoo’s lions from their cage.

Fantastic Four 231

Fantastic Four 231

Jun 1981

In All the Gathered Gloom!

by Doug Moench, Roger Stern, Bill Sienkiewicz, Joe Sinnott, Jim Novak, George Roussos, Jim Salicrup

The citizens of New York City, who wound up in the Negative Zone with the Fantastic Four, freak out, with a couple exceptions. The first exception is O’Roarke, a police officer who tries to get everyone to calm down. O’Roarke is the only police officer in the blocks of Manhattan that have been transported from Earth.

The second exception is a suit named Lew Shiner who is in charge of a demolition project. Shiner doesn’t have time for the disruption and mobilizes the mobs of angry New Yorkers against the Fantastic Four. The mobs attack O’Roarke and tie him up when he tries to prevent them from running wild. 

Grimjack (1984) 14

Grimjack (1984) 14

Sep 1985

Decaying Orbit

by John Ostrander, Timothy Truman, Linda Lessman, Steve Haynie, Mike Gold

John Gaunt arrives on Guignol Furnace Station using an alias and looking for Pauly “Koop” Kooper, a missing journalist for the Cyn Times. He encounters hard resistance from the powers that be aboard Guignol Furnace Station. He crosses paths with Mitch, a familiar face from the Demon Wars. They fought on the same side in that conflict but Mitch only vouches for Gaunt conditionally.

Gaunt finds Koop and gets him off Guignol Furnace Station but not without shedding some blood. He wrecks the salvage operation that the boss aboard the furnace station has going in the process of escaping from Guignol.

2025 Baltimore Comic Con

Baltimore Convention Center

Friday, Oct 17, 2025

I got up bright and early this morning. I took care of most of the usual things I like to do and took off around 9:10 AM on my multi-stage journey from my apartment to the Baltimore Convention Center. I walked to the Metro and caught a train to Union Station. I got off the Metro at Union Station and caught a MARC train to Penn Station. I made it to Union Station with about 10 minutes to spare. If I had missed the 10:10 train then would have had to wait another hour for the next train. 

I arrived at Penn Station in Baltimore around 11:05 AM. I walked a little more than halfway to the convention center before stopping to get a bite to eat at Mekong Delta Café. I got the noodle soup with pork and shrimp. It was very filling.

Steve Canyon (5)

Vol. 1: 1947-1948

by Milton Caniff

Medical Sabotage

Nov 25, 1947 - Mar 27, 1948

This is the fifth of sixteen stories that the Steve Canyon Companion considers to be the first era of Caniff’s run on the strip. This era began in Jan 1947 and ran through early Oct 1950.

08/13/25

Nov 25-26, 1947 - Doc Wilderness gets word from her boss to return to HQ and bring Steve Canyon with her. Steve agrees if he can bring Happy Easter with him.

Detective Comics 446

Detective Comics 446

May 1975

Slaughter in Silver

by Len Wein, Jim Aparo, Julius Schwartz

Batman goes back undercover to investigate a skeleton that was found inside  one of Bruce Wayne’s statues. He sneaks into Gotham City Police HQ disguised as a janitor. His detective work is interrupted by three men who want to take the skeleton from the morgue.

He follows the thugs after his fight with them gets broken up by a couple police officers. The thugs inadvertently lead him to Sterling Silversmith, their boss. Another fight breaks out but this time Batman gets knocked unconscious. He wakes up just as Silversmith is getting ready to kill him.

Fantastic Four 230

Fantastic Four 230

May 1981

Firefrost and the Ebon Seeker

by Doug Moench, Bill Sienkiewicz, Joe Sinnott, Jim Novak, George Roussos, Jim Salicrup 

Firefrost explains her shared past with the Ebon Seeker to the Fantastic Four. They agree to help her. Mister Fantastic works on building a device that employs the gateway to the Negative Zone to help them subdue the Ebon Seeker. The Thing and the Human Torch do what they can to keep the Ebon Seeker from wrecking too much damage while Reed gets the device ready.

The Avengers (Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, Scarlet Witch, Beast, Vision) show up and want to join the fray but the Human Torch convinces them that his team has got the situation in hand. Reed’s device works and Firefrost is able to remind the Ebon Seeker of who he was before he and Firefrost entered a black hole together. The pair departs but the Fantastic Four, the Baxter Building, and a few blocks of Manhattan remain trapped in the Negative Zone.

Grimjack (1984) 13

Grimjack (1984) 13

Aug 1985

Suspect 

by John Ostrander, Timothy Truman, Lina Lessman, John Workman, Mike Gold

Roscoe narrates a story about he was given an assignment he didn't want, bring John Gaunt in for murdering Scarborough, a local tough guy. Roscoe was sure that John wasn’t responsible and it turned out he was right but he still had to establish that fact. 

Thoughts

Grimjack is in this story, near the center of it, but it feels like Roscoe’s story. It was a little weird having Roscoe narrate this story. 

Detective Comics 445

Detective Comics 445

Mar 1975

Break-In at the Big House

by Len Wein, Jim Aparo, Julius Schwartz

Commissioner Gordon asks Bruce Wayne to help him convince Batman to turn himself in. Bruce instead gets dressed up as Batman and breaks in to Gotham City's prison. He wants to have a talk with Ra’s Al Ghul. The mastermind criminal confounds Batman by shooting himself in the chest. The guards assume that Batman shot Ra's. The guards try to apprehend Batman but the Dark Knight Detective escapes through a tunnel created by the Spook. 

Fantastic Four 229

Fantastic Four 229

Apr 1981

The Thing from the Black Hole

by Doug Moench, Bill Sienkiewicz, Joe Sinnott, Jin Novak, George Roussos, Jim Salicrup 

Ben helps Alicia rearrange the sculptures in her art studio. Reed and Sue take Franklin to the zoo. Johnny and Lorrie Melton, his newest girlfriend, check out the latest vehicles at the auto show. Everything in the lives of the Fantastic Four comes to a screeching halt when the Ebon Seeker arrives in New York City. They do their best to stop him but nothing seems to work. He seems impervious to their attempts to interfere with his efforts to wreck havoc in the Big Apple. This installment of FF ends with the team meeting Firefrost, the Ebon Seeker’s lover. 

Grimjack (1984) 12

Grimjack (1984) 12

Jul 1985

Charnel House

by John Ostrander, Timothy Truman, Lina Lessman, Mike Gold

Manwyyes and Elvanna return. They need John Gaunt’s help tracking down a runaway named Huoror. The search for the runaway takes them to some of the darker, seedier neighborhoods in Cynosure. Elvanna and Grimjack almost get killed, first by a mob of aliens and then by some giant slugs known as psyphyaliens. They find Huoror but he is dead by the time they get to him.

Manwyyes saves Elvanna’s life but she is so shocked by the act of violence he commits that it shakes her faith in the man she once thought was a god. 

Detective Comics 444

Detective Comics 444

Jan 1975

Bat-Murderer!

by Len Wein, Jim Aparo, Julius Schwartz

Commissioner Gordon recounts to one of his men of how he sent Batman on a mission that resulted in the Dark Knight murdering Talia Al-Ghul. Commissioner Gordon tried to have Batman arrested but Batman insisted he was innocent. Batman fled into the night, determined to find the evidence that would clear his name. 

Thoughts

This is the first chapter of a five-part story. This installment is just 12 pages long. I am reading it in Tales of the Batman: Len Wein via Hoopla. The individual issues would probably cost me at least $15 to $25 a piece in fine condition.

Fantastic Four 228

Fantastic Four 228

Mar 1981

Ego-Spawn

by Doug Moench, Bill Sienkiewicz, Joe Sinnott, Jim Novak, George Roussos, Jim Salicrup

Reed, Sue, and Ben take Franklin to see Dr. Abe Jankovitz, professor of neurological studies at Seaboard University in Massachusetts. They hope Jankovitz can help them learn more about Franklin’s superpowers which have seemed erratic up to this point.

Johnny goes on a date with Lorrie, a mechanic he met at the race track. Their date gets interrupted first by Franco, a tough guy who doesn’t like the way Johnny showboats for Lorrie, and then by Franklin’s superpowers, while Dr. Jankovitz is running some tests. 

Grimjack (1984) 11

Grimjack (1984) 11

Jun 1985

Long Gone Dead

by John Ostrander, Timothy Truman, Larry Elmore, John Workman, Cathy Workman, Rick Taylor, Mike Gold, John Snyder III

John and Spook get away from Rio and his men only to find another group of men on their tails, the Law Killers: Lash, Grunt, and Preacher. Spook lays her cards on the table and tells Grimjack a little bit about her past and how she came to be what she is and Grimjack reciprocates.

Spook tricks Rio and his men into attacking the Law Killers. Grimjack blows up the weapons shipment. Gaunt and spook escape back to Cynosure. He collects his reward. She gets arrested but promptly escapes.

Sgt. Rock (1977) 406

Sgt. Rock 406

Nov 1985

Angels with Black Wings, Book Two

by Robert Kanigher, Adrian Gonzalez, Adam Kubert, Andy Kubert, Joe Kubert, Tatjana Wood

Captain Dennis tells Sgt Rock more about the history of the 332nd Fighter Group, including some of his own exploits. The conversation is eventually broken up by Lieutenant Nichols who insists on enforcing the rules that (during World War 2) forbid Black and White servicemen from mingling.

Captain Dennis survived the war and years later, while taking part in a march led by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., crossed paths with a police captain named Nichols. 

Dracula Lives 3

Dracula Lives 3

1973

Lord of Death… Lord of Hell!

by Marv Wolfman, John Buscema, Syd Shores

12 pages

Dracula is captured by other vampires and taken to Nimrod, King of the Vampires. Nimrod demands that Dracula accept him as his ruler but Dracula refuses. Nimrod gives Dracula some time to think about what he is saying.

Lala, Nimrod’s woman, comes to Dracula and offers herself to him but he loses interest when he sees that she too is a vampire. Dracula and Nimrod fight the next night. Dracula prevails. Nimrod and Lala are destroyed. Dracula becomes the new king of the vampires. 

Grimjack (1984) 10

Grimjack (1984) 10

May 1985

Hard-Timers

by John Ostrander, Timothy Truman, John Workman, Janice Cohen, Mike Gold

John Gaunt travels back in time to Gravesend, TX sometime after the American Civil War. He’s there to prevent the transfer of some modern weapons to a time period in which they did not belong. The person delivering the weapons, Spook, a beautiful, dark-haired woman, is supposedly just what her name implies, a ghost.

Grimjack makes contact with Spook in the hopes that he can dissuade her from delivering more illicit weapons to Rio, the buyer. The local long arm of the law, which has already decided that it doesn’t like Grimjack, steps in and arrests them Gaunt and Spook. They get separated but later reunite on the train carrying the stock of weapons. They are headed out of town but men whom Rio hired are hot on their trail. 

Sgt. Rock (1977) 405

Sgt. Rock (1977) 405

Oct 1985

Angels with Black Wings

by Robert Kanigher, Adrian Gonzalez, Adam Kubert, Tatjana Wood, Joe Kubert

Sgt. Rock and the men of Easy Company meet up with the 99th Squadron, part of the 332nd Fighter Group in Ramatelli, Italy. Easy Company provides security for the airfield. Captain Dennis, one of the pilots of the 99th Squadron, tells Sgt. Rock about the squadron’s men, where they trained, and the action they’ve seen in the Second World War. 

The story ends on a cliffhanger as Captain Dennis is telling Rock about a fight with a German pilot in a ME-109.

Dracula Lives 2

Dracula Lives 2

1973

That Dracula May Live Again!

by Marv Wolfman, Neal Adams, Archie Goodwin

13 pages

Dracula, aka Vlad the Impaler, leads his troops in battle against the invading forces of the Turkish Empire in 1459. Lord Torac captures Dracula after the ruler of Transylvania has been badly wounded. Torac takes him to a gypsy woman with healing powers, or so he has been told. 

Dracula is transformed into a vampire by Lianda, the gypsy woman, who is (of course) also a vampire. Torac takes Dracula, while he is still recovering, back to Transylvania. Dracula repays Torac by killing the Turkish lord and his men after he learns of how they raped Maria, his wife. He leaves his infant son with gypsies and buries the body of Maria before taking an oath of vengeance on the human race. 

Grimjack (1984) 9

Grimjack (1984) 9

Apr 1985

My Sins Remembered

by John Ostrander, Timothy Truman, John Workman, Cathy Workman, Janice Cohen, Mike Gold

Doctor Leslie Geraci, psychotherapist at the University of Cynosure, and Doctor Ullrich Prec hire John Gaunt to enter the Psyche Column and rescue a clone of Macrophysist Althea Muller. Grimjack brings in a security team, BlacJacMac and his men, to guard the perimeter while he is within the Psyche Column. 

Gaunt finds Althea Muller but she is in no shape to be immediately separated from the Psyche Column. He helps her deal with childhood memories of her parents that she had never fully processed. The experience unleashes some things within himself that he must deal with before he can exit the Psyche Column.

The story ends with the reveal that Dancer, Katar, and Mac Cabre are watching what Grimjack has been up to and plotting how they can get him to do their dirty work.

New Teen Titans (1984) 12

New Teen Titans (1984) 12

Sep 1985

Sins of the Past

by Marv Wolfman, Stan Woch, Romeo Tanghal, Albert de Guzman, Adrienne Roy

The ghost of a young girl haunts Dick Grayson’s apartment. Cyborg sees the same ghost while unsuccessfully trying to stop a gangland murder. Nightwing, Cyborg, and the rest of the Teen Titans work together to figure out what is up with the ghost haunting Dick’s apartment.

Azrael meets Mother Mayhem (Brother Blood's lieutenant) on a deserted beach. She tells him that he is a messenger sent by God. He takes her at her word.

The Teen Titans sleuth around and discover that there was a murder committed in Dick’s apartment 50 years earlier. Some more sleuthing leads them to people who know different parts of the story. They put all the pieces together and reunite the ghost of the girl with the ghost of her parents. 

Dracula Lives 1

Dracula Lives 1

May 1973

To Walk Again in Daylight!

by Steve Gerber, Rich Buckler, Pablo Marcos, Joe Rosen

10 pages

Dracula finds Du Monte, in Vienna in the late 1800s, who claims to have found a cure for the vampire lord’s deadly affliction. Du Monte tricks Dracula into doing some of his dirty work for him. Once Dracula realizes he’s been tricked he turns on Du Mont and turns him into that which he fears most, a vampire.

Grimjack (1984) 8

Grimjack (1984) 8

Mar 1985

Exit Poll

by John Ostrander, Timothy Truman, John Workman, Janice Cohen, Mike Gold

Carpathian, whom Gaunt knows as Crayne, hires Grimjack to be his bodyguard and campaign manager when he runs for office. Crayne joined the race days before Election Day. Horace D. Orkmundt, his only serious competition is a guy whom Crayne hired himself. Things don’t go exactly as Crayne envisioned when first Orkmundt tries to have him killed and then the unexpected happens when Crayne wins the election.

Crayne winds up faking his own death in order avoid having to serve the people of Cynosure as their Chief Associate Clerk, Intergovernmental Files. 

New Teen Titans (1984) 11

New Teen Titans (1984) 11

Aug 1985

Love Story, Part 2

by Marv Wolfman, José Luis García Lopez, Romeo Tanghal, Carlos Garson, John Costanza, Adrienne Roy

The Teen Titans try to get back to their day to day routine but other things get in the way. Changeling visits Steve Dayton, his adopted father, whom he recently learned is dying but Dayton doesn’t want to talk about it. Cyborg tries contacting Sarah once again but he just misses seeing her. The Titans visit the construction site of their new tower. 

Jericho and Kole return from their trip to visit her parents and tell the others about just how around the bend her father has become. Together, with the other Titans, Jericho and Kole return to her parents home to confront her father. They get into a fight with the creatures that Abel, Kole’s father, has mutated into forms that he believes will allow them to survive a nuclear war.

Her father tries to transform the Teen Titans (against their will) but they break out of the box he puts them in. Finally, Abel agrees to let them go. Soon after the Teen Titans leave the house, it explodes. 

Tomb of Dracula (1972) 11

Tomb of Dracula (1972) 11

Aug 1973

The Voodoo-Man!

by Marv Wolfman, Gene Colan, Jack Abel, Petra Goldberg, Tom Orzechowski, Roy Thomas

Dracula flies back from the ship and hunts for the motorcycle gang that kicked him while he was down in Tomb of Dracula 9 (Jun 1973). He finds them while they are doing some dirty work for Jason Faust, a man trapped in an iron lung.

Faust wants revenge on the few people he holds responsible for his condition: a banker, a former business partner, and Quincy Harker. The motorcycle gang, led by Lucas Brand, serve as Faust's angels of death with some help from Faust’s voodoo dolls.