Mother’s Day – A Geek’s Guide To Being Prepared

Mother’s Day is almost upon us. Are you Prepared? In our day to day routines, we often overlook the most obvious things in our lives. Take a moment now to plan your Mother’s Day and don’t wait until the last minute. Yes, I’m talking to all of you geeks out there. Right now.

The most important thing is to let her know that you love her and that you appreciate everything that she’s done to help get you where you are. Of course, if you wait until Mother’s Day to do so, you’re not doing it enough.

If you’re in the market for a gift and are running in circles trying to decide what to do, believe me when I say that two tickets to the Star Trek movie is not the way to go. Well, maybe it is, but that’s another discussion.

Here are a few places to go online to get some really cool gifts for that very special person in your life and the best thing is that you don’t have to make them yourself.

Proflowers offers some great deals on fresh flowers starting at $19.99. Users also receive a free vase with purchase or a discount off a premium vase.

Cherry Moon Farms offers a huge selection of seasonal and holiday gifts such as spa gifts, fresh fruit, gourmet gift baskets, etc. starting at just $29.99.

Secret Spoon Sweets offers gourmet sweets such as chocolate-covered strawberries, chocolates, cookies, cakes, brownies and other assorted gift packages starting at just $19.99.

Clever Cookie – Looking for great Mother’s Day Gifts! For the best selection of Mother’s Day Cookies look no further. They have tons of cookie gifts for mom, grandma, sisters and daughters! Wish her the happiest Mother’s Day with their delicious cookie gifts.

Remember, get ready now and make plans for Mother’s Day before it’s too late.

Book Review – “The Savage Tales Of Solomon Kane” by Robert E. Howard

Solomon Kane is one of Robert E. Howard’s most enigmatic characters. First appearing in 1928, there were nine short stories, three poems and four fragments written by Howard about the dour-faced Puritan avenger. All of these woks appear in “The Savage Tales Of Solomon Kane” by Robert E. Howard. This edition contains all of Howard’s published work on Kane, as well as the known fragments that were never completed. Also included is a dedication to Robert E. Howard by H.P. Lovecraft. Lovecraft admired Howard as a writer and as a man. Through their correspondence, they shared their ideas and experiences with each other, forming a friendship that lasted until Howard’s death in 1936.

Some of the Kane stories are much darker than others, but they all share the same dark mood, symbolic of Kane’s time. Taking place sometime during the late 16th, early 17th centuries, the stories follow the Puritan avenger all over the globe. From England, Africa, Cathay, and beyond, Kane travels the world and goes where fate leads him, one day at a time. Read more

Book Review: The Great Book Of Amber by Roger Zelazny

The ten volumes of the Chronicles Of Amber were published between 1970 and 1991, comprising Roger Zelazny’s most famous work. Roger Zelazny died in 1995 at the age of 58, but in the time that he was here, he produced a body of work that will stand the test of time for generations to come. The Chronicles Of Amber, in my opinion, was his crowning achievement and a testament to his power to create poetic prose that rivals the classics. “The Great Book Of Amber”, published by Avon Books, contains the complete Amber Chronicles, volumes 1-10.

Amber is the one true world, all others beings shadows of Amber itself. Each member of the royal family of Amber has the power to manipulate “Shadow”, creating and traveling through alternate realities. The story begins with one such family member, Prince Corwin, as he tries to regain his memory, find out who is after him, and fight to gain control of Amber itself.

Zelazny brings a wealth of depth and believability to the characters. Several brothers and sisters, each with alliances and feuds among themselves, create the ultimate dysfunctional family. For all intents and purposes, the family members are immortal, with their sire Oberon literally a god who created Amber and everything around it.

Each family member has a deck of cards, called “Trump Cards”. Each card contains a portrait of a family member. The cards allow communication with anyone on the card that they are holding at the time. The cards also allow direct passage from where the holder of the card is located, to the location of the person on the card. They are used frequently during the series and are essential to the plot since traveling through “Shadow” leaves out the possibility of any other form of communication between the royal family.

As we get to know Corwin, he wakes in a hospital bed on Earth in the 20th Century with no memory of who he is or how he got there in the first place. As he slowly regains his memory over time, we are introduced to his past and to each character involved in his life, whether enemy or ally. We find out how “Shadow” is controlled, manipulated, and used by these god-like beings. The descriptions on the page come alive as Corwin walks, drives, or travels on horseback, slowly changing his surroundings piece by piece, thus literally traveling through dimensions to get from one world to another.

The alliances forged and broken by Corwin with his brothers and sisters leads to an ultimate showdown with Amber as the prize. Zelazny places every detail where it needs to be and paces his epic with just the right amount of tension, action, humor, politics, and sadness.

“The Great Book Of Amber” is not just a great read, it’s an experience that needs to be savored. I try to read the series every few years and have recommended it to many people along the way. Amber is a complete world, with history, people, places, and a level of detail and vividness that has not shown its age even after all these years. If you enjoy reading epic fantasy and aren’t afraid of a little modern technology thrown in for good measure, then I highly recommend Roger Zelazny’s “The Great Book Of Amber” to add to your reading pile.

Published by Avon Books
Paperback
1258 Pages
Review by JR Todd Read more

Review: Savage Worlds RPG by Pinnacle Entertainment Group

Savage Worlds Explorer’s Edition is a pen & paper roleplaying system developed by the guys over at Great White Games – Pinnacle Entertainment Group.

Savage Worlds, from the very first page, is designed to be easy to run, easy to play, and easy to enjoy. It takes most of the bookkeeping out of the mix and allows the game master and his or her group to be creative without bogging them down in too much detail. However, if detail is what you like in your game, it’s in there as well. It’s very scalable.

A brief overview of Savage Worlds’ game mechanics:
Character attributes are represented by a die type. For example, strength would be a d8, so that if you needed to perform a function using your strength, you roll a d8 and check the result. Skills are also represented by a die type and are linked to an attribute.

There are no hit points to speak of; characters have wound levels so that if you are hit and take damage, that number is checked against your vigor and any modifiers that apply to see if you receive a wound. This makes combat move extremely quick and there is little or no down time for waiting players during a battle.

Along with skills, players have edges and hindrances which are physical or mental traits which balance out the character and give it a beginning personality.

Character creation is easy, with enough choices to make it interesting but not too much to make it confusing. The emphasis is on playability, pure and simple.

The explorer’s edition gives rules and stats for running a game in just about any genre imaginable. After reading through the material once, I took my son through a practice scenario with him battling a few villains with guns and swords. Our short session went really well and I was running the combats without thumbing through the book during every encounter.

Initiative is done with a deck of standard playing cards with the Jokers left in as “Wild Cards”. Starting with the Ace down to the Deuce, action is resolved in order. The Jokers act as Wild Cards, allowing that player to go whenever they want during the round. Jokers also give some bonuses to rolls as well.

Also included in the mechanics of the game are something called “Bennies”. Bennies are handed out at the beginning of a game session and can be used to re-roll an attribute or skill test, and can also be used to soak up some damage in case a character takes a hard hit during combat. Bennies are also given out to the characters during a session for creative roleplaying, overcoming major obstacles, or even just entertaining the game group with a memorable moment during play.

There are many world settings for Savage Worlds that are already commercially available and more are being created all the time.

The Savage World Of Solomon Kane:
The Savage World of Solomon Kane is a roleplaying game based upon the incredible works of Robert E. Howard, author of Conan the Barbarian®, Kull the Conqueror®, and countless other great heroes and heroines.

Inside this lavishly-illustrated 352 page book are the complete and award-winning Savage Worlds rules customized for Kane’s world, as well as all-new setting and magic rules to capture the spirit of Howard’s dark tales.

Game Masters will also find terrible creatures and merciless foes drawn from Kane’s own travels—and beyond—as well as dozens of Savage Tales and a ready-to-run Plot Point™ Campaign.

Rippers:
Jack the Ripper has the Victorian world on its knees and it’s up to you to fight back. You are the Rippers, once Jack was your ally, now he is your mortal enemy. And he’s not alone!

Rippers is a complete setting for Savage Worlds featuring a full plot point campaign that pits the heroes against the fearsome creatures of the evil Cabal.

Inside this setting you will also find rules on creating Rippers, the brave monster hunters who face the growing evil, new Edges and Hindrances, a huge bestiary of hellish adversaries, and details of the Rippers’ most controversial weapon—Rippertech!

Necessary Evil:
When all the super heroes of the world are blown to kingdom come by an army of invading aliens who will save the day? Evil… The only forces left to take on the alien menace are the crafty and self serving super villains!

Necessary Evil is a supers game for Savage Worlds. Inside this twisted Plot Point setting you will find complete rules on making four-color super powered characters, a whole slew of adventures weaving in and out of a resistance story, new Edges and Hindrances, a bestiary of out of this world critters, and more!

This 144 page full color book has everything you need to start leaping buildings and zapping your foes right away!

Deadlands Reloaded:
Pinnacle’s flagship product is Deadlands, a horrific journey into the “Weird West”. Mysterious beings called the Reckoners have given life to monsters and magic, causing history to divert from July 4th, 1863 forward. The South has won its independence, California has shattered into a labyrinth of flooded sea-canyons, and a mysterious super-fuel called “ghost rock” has spawned as much war and strife as it has “steampunk” devices.

Players are steely-eyed gunfighters, card-slinging sorcerers called hucksters, mysterious shamans, savage braves, mad scientists, and more who battle against evil and attempt to prevent the “Reckoning”.

Sundered Skies:
A shattered world. A thousand floating islands. A constant glow of madness. Sundered Skies begins where every other world ends.

The people of the Skies survive, tested by an unimaginable apocalypse, struggling daily against ravenous beasts, sky pirates, and the effects of the inescapable voidglow! But the fate of the Skies is in danger! The magic of the glow is not the only taint in this unforgiving realm. Dark forces conspire to bring the Skies to the brink of an even greater catastrophe.

Can you survive long enough to discover the secrets of Sundered Skies? Sundered Skies is a dark fantasy Plot Point™ setting for the award-winning Savage Worlds RPG™

Daring Tales of Adventure by Triple Ace Games:
Daring Tales of Adventure are Triple Ace Games’ new line of pulp adventures. Set against a pre-World War II background of two-fisted, heroic action, each issue contains a complete adventure. To begin your pulp campaign you just need to buy an adventure, download the sheets, and start rolling dice! By the time the heroes reach the end of this line, you’ll have played through over 450 pages of pulp action!

Those are just a few of what’s available on the market for Savage Worlds. There is also a huge online community of popular conversions from other systems over to the Savage Worlds system and many of them can be found at the Savage Heroes website.

I have about 30 years of roleplaying experience having started during the summer of 1978. The Savage Worlds system is just about the best roleplaying system I’ve come across in all those years. It allows everyone at the table to concentrate on the gaming experience without worrying about which chart to look at or if they remembered to bring their calculator to role up a new character.

I highly recommend Savage Worlds to anybody that wants to experience roleplaying that not only plays well, but is full of “Fast, Furious, Fun!!”

Savage Worlds Explorer’s Edition 2nd Printing
Soft Cover – 160 pages
9X7 format
$9.99 retail – as of this writing
2008 Edition – Great White Games, LLC

Skylon Rocket/Jet Hybrid Is, Scientifically Speaking, Super Cool

Editor’s Note:  If you’ve seen ‘When Worlds Collide‘, ‘Destination Moon‘, or any number of 50s scifi classics, then this machine looks an awful lot like a retro trip through scifi geekiness.

The Skylon reusable space plane takes off from an airport runway, burns atmospheric oxygen, switching to liquid oxygen and hydrogen to hit escape velocity and attain orbit. At least, it will in 10 years.

The plane will be designed to carry 12 tons of payload into orbit and return safely, without having wasted $100 million worth of throwaway rocket. The company behind this hybrid shuttle is Reaction Engines, which just got a million euros in funding to prove that its “air breathing” Sabre engine can work.

According to the BBC, the key to this engine is a super-cooler, which takes gasses entering the intake at 1000 degrees celsius, and drops them to -130 degrees C in 1/100th of a second, thanks to “arrays of extremely fine piping.” God knows those rocketeers love their piping.

Though not much more is known about Skylon at this point, it’s safe to say we’ll hear more about it and other non-wasteful spaceships in the future. I just hope they keep that Hotblack-Desiato-meets-Naboo-cruiser look. [BBC News]

Source

War Machine #1 Rises Out Of The Dark Reign Saga

Spinning out of Dark Reign, the hero known as War Machine has a new mission to save the world and critics can’t stop raving about his new series! Acclaimed scribe Greg Pak (WORLD WAR HULK, X-MEN: MAGNETO TESTAMENT) and rising star artist Leonardo Manco team up for WAR MACHINE, the new series that puts the iron clad hero on a quest to take down some of the world’s greatest threats! This one man army takes no prisoners, leaving fans and critics alike with their jaws on the floor!

“A new, cybernetically enhanced War Machine becomes like an international Punisher. He’s a one-man war on worldwide crime…Manco’s work is a good fit for this series, with its scratchy detail illustrating a world that is anything but bright and shiny. This is a sordid, tarnished Marvel Universe, and Manco ‘s style suits it perfectly.”—Timothy Callahan, ComicBookResources.Com

“Leonardo Manco does a great job capturing a gritty technological feel, and Greg Pak does a great job keeping the pace up. I think this series will be one to watch.”– Brendan McQuirk, Newsarama.Com

“Leonardo Manco’s beautiful art matches the subject material perfectly, giving Rhodes a rough, gritty world to rocket through and providing some gorgeous splash pages…(for the) shoot-’em-up comic with a sci-fi/tech twist.”—Bryan Joel, IGN.Com

“The lines between man and machine, hero and monster, justice and murder can be entertaining and interesting to explore under a talented pen and Pak certainly has that talent…[Manco] provides a gritty realism to the horrors of battle as well as to the horrors of Rhodey’s situation.”—Tonya Crawford, BrokenFrontier.Com

Marvel urges retailers to check their orders on WAR MACHINE, as the series continues to draw acclaim from all corners.

WAR MACHINE #1 (OCT082347)
WAR MACHINE #1 VILLAIN VARIANT
Written by GREG PAK
Pencils & Cover by LEONARDO MANCO
Villain Variant by MIKE DEODATO
Rated T+ …$2.99
ON SALE NOW!

To find a comic shop near you, call 1-888-comicbook

Source: Marvel.com

Vinyl LP Records Are Back With A Vengeance

I have to admit it. I have a turntable sitting here on my desk. It’s an Audio Technica AT-LP2DUSB LP-to-Digital Recording System with USB. I have used it off and on over the past few years to transfer two large bins of LPs into mp3s that I’ve been carrying around with me for the past 30+ years. Now some of my collection is pretty standard: Queen’s ‘A Night at the Opera’, or Kiss’ ‘Destroyer’. But some of what I have is very near and dear to my heart: The soundtracks to George Romero’s Night Of The Living Dead, Dawn Of The Dead, and Day Of The Dead, The Lord Of The Rings (Ralph Bakshi’s 1978 animated version) picture disk for example; all acquired while visiting various conventions, thumbing through boxes and boxes of $5 LPs.

In 2008, if my numbers are correct, over one million ‘new’ LPs were sold in the U.S. That’s a pretty big chunk of change for something that most people thought was dead and gone.

Check out Amazon.com’s New LP Selection

For those of you still trying to figure out just what I’m talking about, here’s a little technical info on LPs:

Long play (LP) record albums are 33? rpm vinyl Gramophone records (phonograph records), generally either 10- or 12-inches in diameter. They were first introduced in 1948, and served as a primary release format for recorded music until the compact disc began to significantly displace them by 1990. When initially introduced, twelve-inch LPs played for a maximum of 45 minutes, divided over two sides.

However, in 1952, Columbia Records began to bring out “extended play” LPs that played for as long as 52 minutes, or 26 minutes per side. These were used mainly for the original cast albums of some Broadway musicals, such as Kiss Me, Kate and My Fair Lady, or in order to fit an entire play, such as the 1950 production of Don Juan in Hell, onto just two LPs. The 52+ minute playing time remained rare, however, due to mastering limitations, and most LPs continued to be issued with a 30- to 45-minute playing time throughout the lifetime of their production. The longest known LP is Judy Garland’s “Collectors Remembrance Album” with a playing time of 90 minutes. – Source: wikipedia

CNET’s Steve Guttenberg has this to say: “Today’s vinyl surge is fueled by a greater awareness of sound quality by music fans and artists, who have grown tired of hearing the power of their music thwarted by low-bit digital. After all, the iTunes version isn’t actually cheaper to buy than vinyl, and the fans are aware of the new reality: if it costs the same, why not buy the best sounding version? Some vinyl fans get the best of both formats and transfer the vinyl’s music to digital for their iPods.”

1800blogger has a list of the Top 100 Vinyl LPs for 2008

I have a feeling that LPs are going to do even better in 2009. If you grew up listening to them, you know what I am talking about when you hear that very distinctive sound as the needle slowing rests on the LP. If you weren’t old enough to experience LPs first hand, give them a try, you might just like what you hear.

Merry Christmas from TC Games and More!

All of us at TC Games and More hope you all have a safe and warm holiday.

Now, what would you like for Christmas?

Legend Of The Seeker Episodes Now On Hulu

Legend Of The Seeker, the Sam Raimi/Rob Tapert production is now available on Hulu. Episodes 1-7 are available to watch now for free (ad supported of course). Note that episodes 1 and 2 are combined into one episode there (Prophecy/Destiny).

Millions of readers the world over have been held spellbound by this valiant tale vividly told. Now, enter Terry Goodkind’s world, the world of The Sword of Truth. In the aftermath of the brutal murder of his father, a mysterious woman, Kahlan Amnell, appears in Richard Cypher’s forest sanctuary seeking help…and more. His world, his very beliefs, are shattered when ancient debts come due with thundering violence.

In their darkest hour, hunted relentlessly, tormented by treachery and loss, Kahlan calls upon Richard to reach beyond his sword-to invoke within himself something more noble. Neither knows that the rules of battle have just changed…or that their time has run out. This is the beginning. One story. One Rule. Witness the birth of a legend.

Below are episodes 1 & 2 combined for your viewing pleasure. Read more

Marvel Comics’ Dark Reign Mega Preview

Now that the veil of secrecy has been lifted on Dark Reign, it’s time to learn what the future has in store for your favorite Marvel Heroes! And check out the special Dark Reign edition of Marvel Previews for free on Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited!

MIGHTY AVENGERS #20
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils by KHOI PHAM
Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
SECRET INVASION Aftermath!
The end of an era for the Mighty Avengers! Death and defeat at the hands of the Skrulls is just too much for even the Mighty Avengers. Watch the darkest day for the Avengers unfold before you and a shocking ending NO ONE will see coming. Guest-starring THOR!

SECRET INVASION: REQUIEM
Written by DAN SLOTT
Pencils & Cover by KHOI PHAM
An important stepping stone to the big shake-up in MIGHTY AVENGERS by the new creative team of Dan Slott and Khoi Pham, featuring a new name and identity for one of Marvel’s classic characters! In this 8-page story after the tragic events of SECRET INVASION #8, two of Earth’s mightiest heroes reflect on the life and times of a fallen comrade.
Plus over 40 pages reprinting two classic tales from Marvel’s Silver and Bronze ages: the Wasp’s first appearance (TALES TO ASTONISH #44) and the infamous Hank-hitting-Jan story (AVENGERS #213)—presented with all-new, modern coloring.
64 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
FOC – 12/4, On-Sale – 12/24

SECRET INVASION: DARK REIGN
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by ALEX MALEEV
Variant Cover by BRYAN HITCH
The Invasion is over!! There are winners and there are losers and in this major one-shot from the Eisner award-winning team of Bendis and Maleev, (New Avengers: Illuminati, Civil War: The Confession) the stage is set for the next major era in Marvel Comics. Hold onto your beenies, boys, because you have NEVER seen your universe turned upside down like this!!
48 PGS./One-Shot/Rated T+ …$3.99
FOC – 12/4, On-Sale – 12/24

DARK REIGN: NEW NATION
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS, JONATHAN HICKMAN, JEFF PARKER, GREG PAK, JIM MCCANN & ADAM FELBER
Penciled by STEFANO CASELLI, CARLO PAGUYLAN, LEONARDO MANCO, DAVID LOPEZ, & PAULO SIQUEIRA
Cover by DANIEL ACUÑA
The Invasion is over, and the shape of the world has changed, with new and returning players now center stage. Get the lowdown on the SECRET WARRIORS, the AGENTS OF ATLAS, WAR MACHINE, RONIN & MOCKINGBIRD, and the SKRULL KILL KREW, and learn how they fit into this brave new world in all-new stories setting up their upcoming titles.
48 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
FOC – 11/27, On-Sale – 12/17

NEW AVENGERS #48
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by BILLY TAN
The Invasion is over! But who are the New Avengers!??! The first major roster change since the very first issue!! See here who the New Avengers are and what their place in the Dark Reign is!
32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99
FOC – 12/4, On-Sale – 12/24

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #8
Written by MATT FRACTION
Art & Cover by SALVADOR LARROCA
Villain Variant by DAVID AJA
In the aftermath of SECRET INVASION, Iron Man is no longer the hero he used to be, and Tony Stark’s entire life is torn apart. We can’t say much now, but…how bad does it get? Here’s a hint: Read WORLD’S MOST WANTED Part One! By the blockbuster INVINCIBLE IRON MAN creative team of Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca, lauded by fans and critics alike!
32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99
FOC – 11/27, On-Sale – 12/17

WAR MACHINE #1
Written by GREG PAK
Pencils & Cover by LEONARDO MANCO
Villian Variant by MIKE DEODATO
From the pages of IRON MAN and AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE, War Machine blasts into his own ongoing solo series! Across the globe, from the killing fields of Santo Marco to the blasted deserts of occupied Aqiria, butchers and tyrants are committing the most horrific atrocities imaginable. The outside world won’t raise a finger to stop them, but now Jim Rhodes is on the job. And forget a finger–he’s raising a couple of ginormous shoulder mounted rocket cannons! From WORLD WAR HULK scribe Greg Pak and DEATHLOK artist Leonardo Manco comes the most shocking incarnation of War Machine you’ve ever seen–along with a surprisingly familiar supporting cast and one of the biggest villains in the Marvel Universe!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
FOC – 11/27, On-Sale – 12/17

MS. MARVEL #34
Written by BRIAN REED
Penciled by ADRIANA MELO
& PAULO SIQUEIRA
Cover by DAVID YARDIN
Carol Danvers is fighting a one-woman war against the CIA, and her only ally is…Spider-Man?! Spidey stumbles into Carol’s world of international espionage and may not come out in one piece.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
FOC – 12/4, On-Sale – 12/24

AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #20
Written by DAN SLOTT
& CHRISTOS N. GAGE
Pencils by STEVE KURTH
Cover by MARK BROOKS
“Acceptable Losses”
The Invasion is over and the Initiative has been rocked to its core. Now that the truth is out, that the program was conceived as part of a Skrull plot, can it survive? Who will leave? Who will stay? And who will lead them? Also: Learn what’s become of the REAL Hank Pym! And when Taskmaster discovers Mutant Zero’s true identity, she gets fightin’ mad! For fans of the Marvel Universe, this issue is one of the most important comics of the year as key members of the Initiative graduate and/or move on to four major Marvel titles!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
FOC – 12/4, On-Sale – 12/24

DARK AVENGERS #1
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by MIKE DEODATO
Variant Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
THE DARK REIGN IS HERE! The start of an explosive new era in the Avengers mythos! Who are the Dark Avengers? Who is the Iron Patriot? The answers will shock you! Brought to you by Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Deodato Jr.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
FOC – 12/18, On-Sale – 1/21
Blank Variant Cover Also Available!

DARK AVENGERS BY MIKE DEODATO POSTER
24×36…$8.99
Final Order Cut-Off 12/11, (On-Sale 1/7/09)

MIGHTY AVENGERS #21
Written by DAN SLOTT
Pencils & Cover by KHOI PHAM
“Earth’s Mightiest Part 1 of 3″
“The Smartest Man in the Room”
IT ALL STARTS HERE! A new roster! One of the team’s most powerful foes! And one of the most popular and requested Avengers returns to the fold! When darkness reigns and chaos falls, there’s no room for compromise, no time to run and hide. The world needs EARTH’S MIGHTIEST HEROES! But after the events of Secret Invasion, is HANK PYM ready to rejoin their ranks? And what is the secret that haunts him, a secret dating back to the earliest days of the original team? Join Dan Slott and Khoi Pham for a new age of ALL OUT AVENGERS ACTION! Special giant-sized issue! 36 pages of all-new story and art! Guest starring: NEW AVENGERS, DARK AVENGERS, YOUNG AVENGERS, and CLASSIC AVENGERS!
48 PGS./Rated A …$3.99
FOC – 12/18, On-Sale – 1/14

NEW AVENGERS #49
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by BILLY TAN
Luke Cage must find his child and he will do anything he has to to bring her home safely…including teaming up with the one
person he has sworn vengeance against. Building to the bombastic 50th anniversary issue. Brought to you by Brian Michael Bendis and Billy Tan!
32 PGS./Rated A …$3.99
FOC – 1/8, On-Sale – 1/28

PUNISHER #1
Written by RICK REMENDER
Penciled by JEROME OPEÑA
50/50 Covers by MIKE MCKONE
LIVING IN DARKNESS,” PART 1
The fight against the “Dark Reign” begins as the duty of chronicling Frank Castle’s war journal is passed to new regular team of writer Rick Remender (End League, Fear Agent) and Jerome Opeña (Wolverine, Fear Agent). One man with one bullet, in the right place, at the right time, can change the world. That’s why the Punisher is perched atop a building on the Jersey shore with a high-powered Skrull rifle, his crosshairs trained on a target in Midtown Manhattan. But who is his target — and why? One thing’s for sure: They’re anything but helpless. Someone is watching their back. Someone big. Enter: The Sentry!
48 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
FOC – 12/18, On-Sale – 1/7

WAR MACHINE #2
Written by GREG PAK
Penciled by LEONARDO MANCO
Cover by FRANCESCO
“MATT” MATTINA
In the blasted heart of occupied Aqiria, the mercenaries of Eaglestar International literally write the laws, committing heinous atrocities with no repercussions. But today, the loopholes are closing — around their necks! Who will pay the final price when the skies explode with the arrival of the world’s only eight foot tall, hundred-gun-equipped, shoulder-rocket-mounted, titanium-vibranium-alloy-armored, kill-number-counting, one-man-army for truth, justice, and good old-fashioned payback? And what does last issue’s mind-blowing ending mean for Jim Rhodes, the shattered man inside this shocking new War Machine?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
FOC – 12/18, On-Sale – 1/21

THUNDERBOLTS #128
Written by ANDY DIGGLE
Penciled by ROBERTO
DE LA TORRE
Cover by FRANCESCO
“MATT” MATTINA
Variant Cover by CLINT LANGLEY
From the ashes of Secret Invasion, an all-new era for the Thunderbolts erupts, with repercussions felt right across the Marvel Universe! Yelena Belova (a.k.a. Black Widow II) leads the irredeemable Ant-Man and the sinister Ghost in a daring mission to take down the U.S. President aboard Air Force One! But even as Norman Osborn tightens his grip on power, he must battle toe-to-toe against his deadliest foe: the Green Goblin! Wait, what…? Be there as writer Andy Diggle (The Losers) and artist Roberto De La Torre (INVINCIBLE IRON MAN) flip everyone’s favorite team of villains upside down!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
FOC – 12/18, On-Sale – 1/21

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #9
Written by MATT FRACTION
Art & Cover by
SALVADOR LARROCA
It’s a fierce, fearful new world, and in the wake of the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D., Iron Man is the WORLD’S MOST WANTED! Tony Stark and Maria Hill go on the run from Norman Osborn and H.A.M.M.E.R., while Pepper holds down the fort at the struggling Stark Industries. Iron Man is public enemy number one, but how far will Tony go to do the right thing?! You better believe all the way, baby. It’s Part 2 of WORLD’S MOST WANTED, by the blockbuster team of Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca!
32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99
FOC – 12/18, On-Sale – 1/7

MS. MARVEL #35
Written by BRIAN REED
Penciled by PATRICK OLLIFFE
Cover by ED MCGUINESS
A mass suicide by a branch of the Church of Hala has claimed the lives of twenty families. With Captain Marvel gone, Carol Danvers investigates this tragedy performed in his name, putting her directly in the path of would be Captain Marvel replacement: Noh Varr.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
FOC – 1/8, On-Sale – 1/28

DEADPOOL #6
Written by DANIEL WAY
Penciled by PACO MEDINA
Cover by JASON PEARSON
“HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?” PART 1 OF 2
Remember when Deadpool saved the Earth from those pesky Skrulls? Well, the guy who stole the intel Deadpool worked so hard to acquire — and positioned himself as Earth’s Number One War Hero — wants to make sure you don’t. The last thing this guy needs is a certain “Merc with a Mouth” letting everyone know the truth of how he saved the day, and he’s hired a certain maniacal man-eater to make sure Deadpool never does. Here comes Tiger-Shark! Plus, a surprise appearance by a certain palindromic pal!
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$2.99
FOC – 12/18, On-Sale – 1/7

UNCANNY X-MEN ANNUAL #2
Written by MATT FRACTION
Pencils by MITCH BREITWEISER
& DANIEL ACUÑA
Cover by YANICK PAQUETTE
Emma Frost has never been a simple person, nor has she had a simple past. The Hellfire Club. The Hellions. Generation X. Genosha. But you haven’t seen it all. Did you know about her history with Namor? With Tony Stark? With Norman Osborn? The X-Men have often operated on the outside of the Marvel Universe; that stops now and in this annual. Do not miss it.
48 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
FOC – 12/18, On-Sale – 1/21

MARVEL SPOTLIGHT: DARK REIGN
Written by JOHN RHETT THOMAS
Cover by YANICK PAQUETTE
For those of you who have embraced change, it is time for the DARK REIGN. In the aftermath of the Skrull’s SECRET INVASION, the Avengers-verse has been rocked to its core. The New Avengers, Mighty Avengers and Initiative have been broken and battered, and now stand to be renewed. But which heroes will remain standing? Who are these Dark Avengers? With insider accounts from your favorite writers and artists, plus previews of new titles, this special issue of SPOTLIGHT gets you ready for DARK REIGN, the storytelling event for the comics industry in 2009!
48 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
FOC – 12/18, On-Sale – 1/7

AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #21
Written by CHRISTOS N. GAGE
Pencils & Cover by
HUMBERTO RAMOS
THE INITIATIVE DISASSEMBLED begins here! The Fifty State Initiative stands revealed as a Skrull plot. Key personnel have left Camp Hammond, never to return. And that’s the least of the shocking fallout from Secret Invasion. Is there a future for our heroes? It could be a moot question when the mad clone of Thor, last seen in CIVIL WAR, is revived and turned loose on Stamford! This is no idle hype, True Believer–after this story, the Initiative will never be the same!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
FOC – 1/8, On-Sale – 1/28

DARK AVENGERS #2
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by MIKE DEODATO
Variant Cover by MIKE CHOI
The Dark Avengers have made themselves known to the world and as the world takes them in, Morgana le Fey comes looking for blood!! Once you learn who the Dark Avengers are you’ll see why this is the buzz book of the year!! The Dark Reign is here!!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
FOC – 1/29, On-Sale – 2/18

NEW AVENGERS #50
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Wraparound Cover by BILLY TAN
Celebrate this very special milestone issue as the new roster of New Avengers deal with the shocking news of the existence of the Dark Avengers the only way they can… by taking them head on. But what is waiting for them is the stuff the DARK REIGN is made of.
48 PGS./Rated A …$4.99
FOC – 2/5, On-Sale – 2/25

BLACK PANTHER #1
Written by REGINALD HUDLIN
Penciled by KEN LASHLEY
Cover by J. SCOTT CAMPBELL
50/50 Cover by KEN LASHLEY
70TH Anniversary Variant Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC
“DEADLIEST OF THE SPECIES, PART 1
The Black Panther is back…and she’s badder than ever. That’s right — she! What happened to T’Challa? Who is the new Black Panther? Find out why the female is the deadliest of the species.
40 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
FOC – 1/15, On-Sale – 2/4

MIGHTY AVENGERS #22
Written by DAN SLOTT
Pencils & Cover by KHOI PHAM
“Earth’s Mightiest Part 2 of 3″
“The Writing on the Wall”
Avengers Assemble! Scarlet Witch! Hank Pym! Hercules! The Vision! Stature! Hulk! Jocasta! U.S. Agent! Iron Man! On the last patch of Earth, they’re the only heroes left standing. And the enemy they must defeat…was once one of their own. It’s Avenger versus Avenger! And at stake is nothing less than the fabric of reality itself! Join Dan Slott and Khoi Pham for the next part in this all-new chapter of MARVEL’S MIGHTIEST SUPER HERO TEAM!
32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99
FOC – 1/29, On-Sale – 2/18

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #10
Written by MATT FRACTION
Art & Cover by
SALVADOR LARROCA
In the world-shaking wake of SECRET INVASION, everything has changed. Now a fugitive, Tony Stark initiates the deletion sequence that could save the world, but end his life…while Norman Osborn assumes the reins of power and brings the H.A.M.M.E.R. down. How much trouble are Tony, Pepper, and Maria in? Things go from bad to worse as WORLD’S MOST WANTED continues here! By Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca!
32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99
FOC – 1/15, On-Sale – 2/4

PUNISHER #2
Written by RICK REMENDER
Penciled by JEROME OPEÑA
50/50 Covers by MIKE MCKONE
“LIVING IN DARKNESS,” PART 2
Frank Castle is losing the war. Organized crime has New York City in a death grip that, thanks to the powerful propaganda machine of the corrupt new government, is being swept under the rug. To stem this dark tide, Frank Castle must embrace new tactics, embarking on a bloody public campaign that will expose the dark underbelly of the supposedly squeaky-clean regime to the world, and a new sidekick, who’ll help him get out the message. Who would be stupid enough to team up with the Punisher now that his rifle is pointed squarely at the biggest villains in the Marvel Universe? The answer will turn the Punisher into the most proficient villain killer in town!
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$2.99
FOC – 1/15, On-Sale – 2/4

DEADPOOL #7
Written by DANIEL WAY
Penciled by PACO MEDINA
Cover by JASON PEARSON
“HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?” PART 2 OF 2
Bob: Agent of HYDRA is back! But his not-so-tearful reunion with Deadpool is cut short by Tiger Shark who, for some reason, just won’t get over wanting to cut off Wade’s head! What’s the deal with that? Perhaps there’s something Bob’s not telling Deadpool? The hottest new title on the stands swerves into a new and bigger direction this issue, heading right toward the dark heart of the
Marvel Universe! Don’t miss out!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
FOC – 1/15, On-Sale – 2/4

SECRET WARRIORS #1
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS & JONATHAN HICKMAN
Penciled by STEFANO CASELLI
Cover by JIM CHEUNG
Exploding out of the pages of Secret Invasion and Mighty Avengers!!
Nick Fury and his new band of young heroes uncover the darkest secret in the history of the Marvel Universe!! A secret that will crack the internet into tiny little pieces!! A secret that sends the Secret Warriors tumbling into an underworld of rogue S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, super-powered spies, and global criminal organizations. This is the Nick Fury book you’ve been waiting for! Be there for the Marvel debut of award winning Nightly News creator Jonathan Hickman as he teams up with Secret Warriors co-creator Brian Bendis to unveil a new era in Marvel mania!!
48 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
FOC – 1/15, On-Sale – 2/4

AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #22
Written by CHRISTOS N .GAGE
Pencils & Cover by
HUMBERTO RAMOS
“The Initiative Disassembled” continues as Counter-Force–the original New Warriors–return to join the battle against Ragnarok! But will they save Camp Hammond–or destroy it? Be here as events set in motion in our very first issue rocket towards their devastating conclusion…we’re not kidding when we say the Initiative will never be the same!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
FOC – 2/5, On-Sale – 2/25

WOLVERINE: ORIGINS #33
Written by DANIEL WAY
Pencils & Cover by
DOUG BRAITHWAITE
“WEAPON XI,” Part 1
With Daken showing up in public for the first time, Nick Fury approaches Wolverine with a proposition: Tell me what you know about your son and I’ll tell you what I know about Romulus. What follows is an exploration of one of the darkest corners of the Marvel Universe, the mysterious program that produced both Daken and his father before him: WEAPON X!
32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$2.99
FOC – 1/29, On-Sale – 2/18

THUNDERBOLTS #129
Written by ANDY DIGGLE
Penciled by ROBERTO DE LA TORRE
Cover by FRANCESCO
“MATT” MATTINA
Variant Cover by CLINT LANGLEY
The Green Goblin vs. the President of the United States! It’s terror at 10,000 feet when Spider-Man’s fearsome foe hurls pumpkin bombs at a special target: the new President! Just what is Norman Osborn up to…and who in the world are the new Thunderbolts? A Dark Reign is falling…be there as the new team of Andy Diggle and Roberto De La Torre present “Hammer Down” Part II!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
FOC – 1/29, On-Sale – 2/18

WAR MACHINE #3
Written by GREG PAK
Penciled by LEONARDO MANCO
Cover by FRANCESCO
“MATT” MATTINA
Rhodey versus Ares! Man versus Immortal! War Machine versus God of War! With the life of one of his oldest friends in the balance, Marvel’s one man army must face the only warrior who can outdo his thirst for battle! Be there as armor meets axe, James Rhodes makes enemies in the highest places, and Dark Reign falls!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
FOC – 1/29, On-Sale – 2/18

DARK REIGN FILES
Written by MICHAEL HOSKIN
Bring on the bad guys! It’s the latest mighty Marvel handbook, straight from the files of Norman Osborn! The Dark Reign’s chief power broker assembles a case study of professional criminals on the superhuman grid — scrutinizing threat, loyalty, influence, power and expendability. In the words of the Green Goblin himself: “Our purpose is to know our enemies — and our enemies’ enemies — as we do ourselves.”
64 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99
FOC – 2/5, On-Sale – 2/25

MS. MARVEL #36
Written by BRIAN REED
Penciled by PATRICK OLLIFFE
Cover by PHIL JIMENEZ
Norman Osborn has handed the world’s most dangerous genetic weapon to a madman, and it is up to Carol Danvers to retrieve it. But Carol is keeping secrets from everyone –secrets that could spell the end of Ms. Marvel as we know her.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99
FOC – 2/5, On-Sale – 2/25

AGENTS OF ATLAS #1
Written by JEFF PARKER
Penciled by CARLO PAGULAYAN & BENTON JEW
Cover by ART ADAMS
Variant Cover by ED MCGUINNESS
The heroes of the 1950s are back with big plans for the 21st Century! When Federal enforcers under the hand of NORMAN OSBORN burst into an armory under control of the Atlas Foundation, Jimmy Woo’s Agents go head-to-head with the new powers that be. How it all goes down will make the playing field of the modern Marvel Universe more volatile than ever! PLUS: A 12-page 1950s flashback to the Agents of Atlas’ first savage encounter with the man known as Wolverine!
48 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
FOC – 1/15, On-Sale – 2/4

Source: Marvel.com

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