X-Men 97 Animated Series.

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Your Teams of 7.

With the start of the New Year, I posted the following on Twitter to see what folks would pick – and picked my own.

Lucky number 7. Below are some teams – rolling into the New Year, imagine if for one year, the book could only have SEVEN members (no extra side roles to boost the numbers!) Who are your 7 for each book? Feel free to add whatever details you want as well!

For my Guardians of the Galaxy I went with:

1. Nova (Rich)
2. Darkhawk (Chris)
3. Starlord
4. Major Victory (older Vance)
5. Rocket Raccoon
6. Groot
7. Beta Ray Bill

I knew I wanted Nova and Darkhawk here. Both have really been powered up in comics and putting them in a more cosmic book felt right. Naturally, Starlord would remain because he’s become a household name because of the comics. I inserted Major Victory (of the original Guardians of the Galaxy comic) – because I thought the dynamic of Rich (former New Warrior) engaging in conversation with Major Victory (which is an alternate future version of Vance, from the New Warriors) would be amazing. Rocket and Groot you keep for the dynamic duo’s comedy. And Beta Ray Bill would help round up the power house side of things.

For my Young Avengers I picked:

1. Iron Heart (Riri)
2. Starling (Tiana Toomes)
3. Thunderstrike (Kevin Masterson)
4. Power Man (Victor Alvarez)
5. Ultra Girl
6. Portal (Charles Little Sky)
7. Deathcry (back from the dead)

Iron Heart seemed like the perfect leader (as a tie to Iron Man and his time in the Avengers). The Avengers have often had “former villains” on their team – and so Starling (who isn’t a villain but the granddaughter of Vulture) seemed like a fun fit. I also happen to like her look. Thunderstrike needs more attention – so Kevin having the power that formerly belonged to his father (Eric) makes a nice fit. Power Man seemed like another good fit – more for the street level brawn and knowledge. Ultra Girl, for that Kree aspect – that would bounce off of Deathcry – the Shi’ar side (also a character I loved), with Portal (another character I enjoyed) – learning to teleport more than himself and being their transport.

My Squadron Supreme wouldn’t be too different than the twelve issue limited series that I love of them.

1. Hyperion
2. Power Princess
3. Doctor Spectrum
4. Amphibian
5. Nuke (back from the dead)
6. Whizzer
7. Skylark

Essentially Squadron Supreme would operate to prevent things from getting close to Earth. They’d have a base that orbits Earth and keep an eye for threats on Earth as well as threats headed towards Earth.

My Defenders would pretty much be the New Defenders of the original series.

1. Angel (Warren)
2. Gargoyle
3. Valkyrie (Brunhilde)
4. Manslaughter
5. Andromeda
6. Cloud
7. Aegis (Trey Rollins back from the Dead on a mission from Athena)

Aegis would be restored to life by Athena and told to gather heroes. Valkyrie sees him – and sees an odd aurora about him – talks to him and learns that the Greek Goddess Athena senses great danger. Valkyrie contacts Angel, Gargoyle and Andromeda. Cloud returns as well, sensing some form of great danger. And because he detected their thoughts, Manslaughter joins them as well. They deal with whatever thing is coming – and continue to operate as the odd ball team.

My Avengers would be similar to the version of the team when Monica Rambeau joined them.

  1. Captain America
  2. Iron Man
  3. Thor
  4. Spectrum (or whatever Monica Rambeau goes by these days!)
  5. She-Hulk
  6. Wasp
  7. Black Knight

I’ve always loved that line up – and throw Black Knight in there, and I am quite happy with that version of the Avengers!

My Uncanny X-Men would be…

1. Cyclops
2. Jean Grey
3. Gambit
4. Rogue
5. Jubilee
6. Psylocke
7. Magik

I loved the Chris Clairemont/Jim Lee era of the X-Men and would put them as the main X-Men team. Magik would be there as their source of transport. I would have put Nightcrawler in Magik’s place – but since I also had Excalibur, that’s where I placed Nightcrawler.

  1. Storm
  2. Pixie
  3. Wolverine
  4. Mimic
  5. Colossus
  6. Bishop
  7. Northstar

Pixie would be their teleporter – while I think the idea of Mimic would be fun. He’s essentially like Rogue – but just needs to be in proximity of the people with powers!

  1. Havok
  2. Polaris
  3. Mutliple Man
  4. Wolfsbane
  5. Guido
  6. Aurora
  7. Dazzler

Other than Aurora and Dazzler it’s the same team we saw Peter David put together. I added Aurora here because in the pages of X-Factor there was a connection between her and Wildchild (apparently). So the first story would be her coming to X-Factor to help track him down as he seems to have disappeared. During their search they come across Dazzler who joins in the hunt (having heard other mutants have gone missing as well).

I would have put Random on the team, as I really liked him, but…

  1. Cannonball
  2. Shatterstar
  3. Adam-X
  4. Random
  5. Warpath
  6. Siryn
  7. Ariel

This is pretty much you’re “go get’em” team. Cannonball has grown to be a leader – and he’s got a bunch of fighters out there. They’re out there doing what X-Force does best – taking down villains – hard. Ariel (from Fallen Angels) would be their teleporter.

  1. Moonstar
  2. Blindfold
  3. Cypher
  4. Rockslide
  5. Mamga
  6. X-23
  7. Caliban

My New Mutants wouldn’t be because they’re New Mutants – but they’re out there finding New Mutants and helping them. Moonstar takes leadership in helping this team stay on target – and Caliban is used to help track down mutants, with X-23 using her heightened senses once they get close.

  1. Sync
  2. Skin
  3. Husk
  4. Penance
  5. Chamber
  6. Karma
  7. Sunspot

When Generation X came out, I had high hopes this was going to be a huge success and these characters would go on to live long lives – but many of them were killed (Sync, Skin) – and they were characters I enjoyed. In my Generation X, Penance is separated from Monet and the two are individual people. Sunspot helps finance this team through a school he’s opened up to help new mutants that the New Mutants team often brings to them – with Husk, Skin, Sync, etc., all being teachers at the DaCosta Academy for Gifted Children.

  1. Nightcrawler
  2. Captain Britain (Brian)
  3. Meggan
  4. Shadowcat
  5. Prestige (Rachel Summers)
  6. Cerise
  7. Khaos

Nightcrawler would lead this team, along side Captain Britain and Shadowcat. Khaos would return to the fold as would Cerise. One of the stories I’d do is finally laying to rest this damn “Phoenix Force” that keeps coming back. I’d shove it in Rachel and keep it away from Jean Grey so that Jean doesn’t keep dying and coming back needlessly.

  1. Vindicator (Mac)
  2. Snowbird
  3. Shaman
  4. Sasquatch
  5. Witchfire
  6. Marinna
  7. Puck

Having taken away Northstar and Aurora to other teams, I’d add Witchfire who would be under the care of Shaman. Talisman (Elizabeth) is off in college, trying to put that whole super hero life behind her. Shaman would feel a little guilty because they’ve lost touch, but she’s proud of what she’s become – so he would turn that fatherly attention towards Witchfire who has deep connections with one of my favorite X-Men villains – Belasco. In this series, I’d also confirm through Shaman, that Marinna is free of mutating to her native species’ default form, to prevent that story from ever unleashing again.

  1. Hawkeye
  2. Atlas
  3. Songbird
  4. Mach-X
  5. Meteorite
  6. Jolt
  7. Techno

It would essentially be the Thunderbolts that Busiek and Fabian created. Because that team was ridiculously perfect and every rendition of the Thunderbolts after Fabian’s run (including that odd wrestling run) – don’t even hold a flame to the this version of the Thunderbolts.

  1. Night Thrasher
  2. Justice
  3. Firestar
  4. Namorita
  5. Speedball
  6. Rage
  7. Silhouette

Similar to the Thunderbolts, sometimes you don’t need to mess with the perfect team roster that’s already been established. They’d return to their street level ways, from time to time, teaming up with other teams.

  1. Mockingbird
  2. Stingray
  3. Tigra
  4. Wonder Man
  5. Hank Pym (switching between Giant Man and Yellowjacket)
  6. Firebird
  7. Living Lightning

With Hawkeye over at the Thunderbolts, it’s Mockingbird who answers the call for a West Coast Avengers team to be resurfaced. She essentially pulls together some of the old roster (Tigra, Wonder Man, Hank Pym) – as well as others they got to know (Firebird and Living Lightning) – and being next to an ocean, bring in Stingray.

  1. Gladiator
  2. Ikon (Space Knight)
  3. Quasar
  4. Silver Surfer
  5. Cosmo
  6. Genis-Vell
  7. Morrow (Mephitisoid Nova Corp)

I freaking loved this series so much. It’s such a power house book. I loved the introduction of Ikon, who was a female Space Knight (similar to ROM). I would add Genis-Vell to this team (since I put Beta Ray Bill in Guardians of the Galaxy) because he’s a powerhouse and cosmic – and would fit perfect here. And because I loved him in the Nova Corps, I’d bring Morrow (the Mephitisoid – same race as Hepzibah from the Starjammers) and put him on this team representing the Nova force here. There could be a lot of headbutting between Gladiator, Genis-Vell, and Morrow to add some fun tension.

  1. Ms. Marvel (Kamala)
  2. Nova (Sam)
  3. Spider-Man (Miles)
  4. Vivian Vision
  5. Wasp (Nadia)
  6. Red Falcon (formerly Falcon Joaquin)
  7. Dust (Sooraya)

Although it’s the classic Champions logo, the team would be that same team currently calling themselves the Champions. I liked the idea that they were all “secondary” versions of an original name – which is why, Falcon would quickly change her name to Red Falcon out of protest. I originally had Dust in New Mutants and realized I put her in Champions too – so I’d swap out Dust on New Mutants for Cypher, which seems a better fit over there, considering the theme I had in mind.

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Judging the X-Men.

So I was cleaning off one of my USB drives – and came across the chart Maico and I used for one of the podcasts where we judged X-Men by various things…

Click the images to see larger versions (then click the image again and it should go even larger!)

Tawmis’ high scores…

Maico high scores…

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Batkid!

Back in 2014 (where has the time gone?) – on our second podcast, we talked about Batkid (who is a real person who loved Batman) and his battle with Leukemia and the great Make A Wish Foundation that helped make one of his dreams come true…

Well, this update just got posted 9 hours ago…

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Will the Comic Relief Podcast ever release new episodes?

Truth is, I sincerely doubt it. Maico has moved on to do other great things, and my wife has been improving with her health, but has more to go. I’ve never felt that doing a podcast by myself felt right. And getting guests on can be too sporadic. And these days, I’ve not been reading any of the new comics, except for one offs here and there. Most of the shows we used to talk about, I’ve watched off and on. But, for example, Loki Season 2 has been going on and I’ve not seen a single episode.

So what do you plan to do with the site?

Eventually, it will probably just go away. Looking at the previous post, it was in July of this year – three months ago. However, if you have the Comic Relief Podcast on follow on Facebook or Twitter (or X or whatever they call it these days!) – I’ve still been reading older issues of Avengers, Thor, etc.

When will the site go away?

No idea. Could be this year, next year, who knows. Finances are pretty tight these days, due to my wife not working because of her health issues, so the monthly and yearly site fees are a slow drain to finances that should/could be better used.

I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who ever followed us, gave us a listen, or was a guest on the Podcast.

I have incredible memories of the entire experience.

Much love,

  • Tawmis
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More ROM – Space Knight news!

I previously mentioned about how Marvel got the ability to release a ROM Omnibus – well there’s a ROM: The Original Marvel Years Volume 2 coming out as well.

From Marvel.com –

Back in May, fans were ecstatic to learn that Marvel Comics and Hasbro, a global leader in play, would collaborate to reprint Rom’s original comic book series for the first time ever!

A special ROM #1 FACSIMILE EDITION will hit stands in September followed by the long-awaited ROM: THE ORIGINAL YEARS OMNIBUS VOLUME 1 in January. These glorious new omnibus collections will contain the entirety of Rom’s beloved solo series, as well as his memorable team-ups and guest appearances throughout the Marvel Universe!

Today, fans can learn about the contents of ROM: THE ORIGINAL YEARS OMNIBUS VOLUME 2! Arriving in June 2024, ROM: THE ORIGINAL YEARS OMNIBUS VOLUME 2 will collect ROM (1979) #30-50, ROM ANNUAL (1982) #1-2, and MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE (1974) #99, which includes a pivotal storyline involving the iconic X-Men member Rogue and her mother Mystique!

Locked in an endless struggle with the Dire Wraiths, Rom’s solemn quest to eradicate them from Earth brings him into conflict with the Metal Master and his army of spiders, Mystique and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and more! The Spaceknight joins Namor to battle monsters of the deep, and Shang-Chi lends his deadly hands to thwart the Wraiths’ black magic!

Meanwhile, Rom’s human friend Brandy Clark is transformed, and the impending arrival of the dreaded Dweller on the Threshold may spell doom for all! It’s a cosmic epic featuring Doctor Strange, the In-Betweener, the Living Tribunal…and the human form of Rom?! Has he been freed from his armor at long last? All that, plus the Skrulls, the ever-lovin’ Thing—and a tragedy that even Rom cannot withstand!

ROM: THE ORIGINAL MARVEL YEARS OMNIBUS VOL. 2 HC
Written by BILL MANTLOMARK GRUENWALD & STEVEN GRANT
Art by SAL BUSCEMAPAT BRODERICKGREG LAROCQUE & BOB HALL
Cover by BILL SIENKIEWICZ
Direct Market Exclusive Variant Cover by MIKE ZECK
On Sale June 2024

Check out the covers for ROM OMNIBUS VOLUME 2 now and experience these rare stories all over again or for the very first time when ROM #1 FACSIMILE EDITION hits stands in September and when ROM: THE ORIGINAL MARVEL YEARS OMNIBUS arrives next year!

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Happy Canada Day, eh?

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John Romita, one of the most iconic Marvel Comics artists of all-time, has passed away at the age of 93

John Romita, one of the last great comic book artists from the Golden Age of Comics, who re-defined Spider-Man for multiple generations after succeeding Steve Ditko as the artist on Amazing Spider-Man, and who served as Marvel’s Art Director from 1973 until the mid-1990s, has passed away at the age of 93, according to his son, comic book superstar artist, John Romita, Jr.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Romita graduated from Manhattan’s School of Industrial Art in 1947. He broke into comics two years later doing some stories for Famous Funnies. Then, when working at a lithograph company, Romita met a friend of his from high school, Lester Zakarin. Zakarin was working for Martin Goodman’s comic book company (most typically referred to as Timely Comics at the time, but there was no set name for it), but was struggling with his penciling assignments. He offered Romita a deal where Romita would pencil Zakarin’s assignments, and he would then ink Romita’s pencils, splitting the fee he was receiving for penciling and inking the pages himself.

Romita was the original artist on the Spider-Man comic strip in the late 1970s, which he drew until 1980, as his last regular art assignment, chosing to concentrate mostly on his Art Director duties in the later years of his career (although he still drew many comics over the years, just not regular assignments).

His wife, Virginia, would also come to work at Marvel in 1975, remaining there until the mid-1990s, when both Romitas retired from Marvel during the period leading up to Marvel declaring bankruptcy.. And, of course, Romita’s son, John Jr., became one of Marvel’s most notable artists the past 40 plus years. Romita had another son named Victor, as well.

Romita was inducted into the Will Eisner Hall of Fame in 2002.

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Micronauts and Marvel…

Behold, the Micronauts!

The heroes of the Microverse return to the Marvel Universe in all-new collected editions. Find out more here: https://bit.ly/427Zy5N

Marvel.com

Good gravy! Does this mean Micronauts might also been on Marvel Unlimited as well as Omnibus?

  • Tawmis

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ROM Space Knight and Marvel…

Witness the grand return of Rom the Spaceknight!

This January, read his original Marvel Comics stories in brand-new collected editions. Find out more here: https://bit.ly/3ogIjlb

Marvel.com

Now my question is – does this mean it might be on Marvel Unlimited too?

  • Tawmis

Other ROM links on the site –

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