Where’s Black Widow: Asian Edition

 

This is tame by comparison.

 
I haven’t had an article on Gabbing Geek for a while not because I’ve been to lazy or busy, although both are certainly true the rest of the year, but because I’ve been in China and Hong Kong. And while I’m still overseas I did find a couple of things for sale showing the Asian version of excluding female characters from toy sets. While U.S. fans still ask Where’s Rey in Star Wars sets it was only a brief few months we were asking the same about Black Widow in Age of Ultron sets. If you thought replacing Widow with Ultron was bad, check out what they do in China and Hong Kong after the break. 

Spiders, Spiders Everywhere Part 6

I’m not sure what Mr. Marvel has to do with Spider-Man, but they are sure milking it with this cover. The ad copy, her fighting Spidey foe The Scorpion and the disembodied heads of MJ, JJJ and Peter himself.

Continuing my Friday afternoon filler with cameos that don’t quite make the cut to be included in the  Spider-Man Complete Chronology.

After the break see such groundbreaking panels as:

• Peter saying hello!
• Peter saying nothing!
• Peter saying nothing, but thinking something!
• Peter in someone else’s book for no reason other than his Spider-Sense to go off!

The Reason Jenny Does Our Cosplay Articles Instead of Watson

When Jenny does her wonderful cosplay feature every day, we get amazing images like the one above.  What would get if Watson took over the column?  Click to find out…

Jimmy Attempts To Read All Of Secret Wars XXIV (Future Imperfect Edition)

I mentioned when I covered Future Imperect #1 in part 8 of this series that I had not read the original source material.  It’s on a long list of “to reads” that I have, but I don’t believe you need to have read it to enjoy this series.  I think all you really need to know is that The Maestro is an evil future version of the Hulk who has pretty much killed all the other heroes.  (Edit: or not…see Tom’s comment…)  He’s not a very nice guy.

After the break I’ll look at the remaining issues of this series: Future Imperfect #2, Future Imperfect #3, Future Imperfect #4 and Future Imperfect #5.  Currently sitting in the number 14 slot in our Secret Wars Power Rankings, the series is a good read.

Related links:
Secret Wars Power Rankings
Tom’s Road To Secret Wars: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7.
Other parts of this series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23

Trank Delivers: Fantastic Four Is Better Than You’ve Heard. In Fact, It Is Pretty Darn Good (Spoiler Free)

Forget about losing the Star Wars standalone film.  Josh Trank’s next assignment will be directing Joey Tribbiani’s next Gonorrhea commercial based on  the 10% Rotten Tomatoes score that Fantastic Four is currently sporting.  But I gotta tell you.  It ain’t fair.  Fantastic Four is a smart movie that delivers something bold and fresh.  Find out why the critics missed the mark after the jump.

Jimmy Attempts To Read All Of Secret Wars Part Eight (Hulk Edition)

As much of a Marvel Zombie as I was growing up and have been to some degree after rediscovering comics in my later years, one character I’ve never really collected has been the Hulk.  I’ve read lots of comics with the Hulk in them, and am usually to some degree familiar with his current incarnation.  (Though I admit to be completely lost before doing some research about this whole Red Hulk business a few years back.)  I generally knew if Hulk was currently green or gray, intelligent or not.  I knew who the Maestro was from Future Imperfect.  I knew basically what happened in Planet Hulk, World War Hulk and World War Hulks, but never read any of them.  They are on a long list of things I hope to read (yes Watson, I can read) someday.

As familiar as I am mostly with the 616 Hulk, I am the opposite when it comes to Hulk 2099 and the Ultimate Hulk.  Outside of reading the Spider-Man related titles on and off I was never that into the Ultimate or 2099 lines.  I’m not surprised they have Hulks, but I can’t tell you anything about them.

So in this column I will be flying a bit blind in looking at Ultimate End #2, Future Imperfect #1 and Secret Wars 2099 #2, much like I was in reviewing the Secret Wars version of Planet Hulk.  I’m sure I can make sense of it all, but might miss some of the throwbacks and references to the “source material”.

Also, if you are like me and haven’t read all of Johnathon Hickman’s Avengers run leading up to Secret Wars, be sure to take Tom’s Road To Secret Wars course at gabbinggeekuniversity.com.  The reading materials are online here: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six and Part Seven.

And that course is a prerequisite to the other parts of this series: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven

A Spoiler Filled Walk On The Great Web Of Spider-Verse, Part Three

Be sure to check out the other parts of this series: Part One (Intro/Reading Order) | Part Two (Weaving The Web)

In this installment, we will look at the prelude issues leading up to the Spider-Verse main event.