MARVEL COMICS: DECEMBER 2006 Collected Editions Solicits MONTHLY COMICS OF INTEREST JOHN ROMITA JR. 30TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL Featuring An All-New Short Story Written by NEIL GAIMAN Cover by JOHN ROMITA SR. Thirty years ago, a young John Romita Jr. walked into the Marvel Comics offices, looking for work as an artist. Despite his impressive legacy as the son of famed Spider-Man artist John Romita Sr., Romita Jr. faced a difficult entry into the intensively competitive field. But through the years, Romita Jr. proved without a doubt he possessed the rare skill, creativity and dedication to be a successful professional. Crafting a historic career that places him among the industry's elite talents, he has illustrated nearly every Marvel character - from Spider-Man to the X-Men. In celebration of Romita Jr.'s illustrious body of work, this keepsake edition features a brand new story written by Neil Gaiman, an all-new interview with the acclaimed artist, a gallery of his most memorable covers and pinups, rare sketches, a comprehensive chronology, testimonials and congratulations from fellow writers and artists, and more! Also including Romita Jr.'s first Marvel work from AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #11! 64 PGS./No Ads/Rated T+ ...$3.99 MASTERWORKS MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE AVENGERS VOL. 6 Written by ROY THOMAS Penciled by JOHN BUSCEMA, DON HECK & WERNER ROTH Get ready for Earth's Mightiest Heroes matched with two of comics' mightiest talents, Roy Thomas and John Buscema, as the Marvel Masterworks take you on a trip through one of the most stellar creative periods in Avengers' history! This baby's full to the brim with an amazing array watershed Avengers moments - the Black Panther joins the team, a pitched battle between the Avengers and the X-Men, the debut of the new Masters of Evil, the details behind Cap's fateful battle with Baron Zemo, a reality-bending battle between the current Avengers and the original Avengers, and the first appearance of the evil Ultron-5! Oh, and don't worry, we didn't forget - it all closes out on one heck of a high note with the first-ever appearance of the Vision and one of the most famous stories in all of Marveldom, "Even an Android Can Cry". Bring your tissues, True Believer, 'cause this one's gonna get ya right there. Collecting AVENGERS (Vol. 1) #51-58, ANNUAL #2 & X-MEN (Vol. 1) #45 256 PGS./All Ages ...$49.99 MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE AVENGERS VOL. 6 - VARIANT EDITION VOL. 70 OVERSIZED HARDCOVERS AVENGERS DISASSEMBLED HC Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS Penciled by DAVID FINCH The powerhouse team of Brian Michael Bendis and David Finch take on Earth's Mightiest Heroes! It begins with the return of a team member thought dead - and by the time it's over, everything you know about the Avengers will have changed! The event that rocked the entirety of the Marvel Universe and set the stage for New Avengers is presented here for the first time as a deluxe, oversize hardcover with all-new extras! Collects AVENGERS #500-503 and the AVENGERS FINALE. 184 PGS./Rated T+ ...$24.99 * * * MARVEL VISIONARIES: JOHN BUSCEMA HC Written by STAN LEE, ROY THOMAS, GERRY CONWAY, MARV WOLFMAN, LEN WEIN, ROGER STERN, CHRIS CLAREMONT & OTHERS Penciled by JOHN BUSCEMA The Incredible Hulk, the devastating Dragon Man, the epic end of the gods themselves...none of it was too much for Big John! One of comicdom's most acclaimed creators takes center stage in this genre-spanning gathering of greats! Nick Fury vs. Hydra! Thor vs. the Silver Surfer! The origins of Wolverine and Dracula! The twilight of the Masters of Evil! Includes crime, horror, romance and western work from the pre-Marvel era! Plus: rare Silver Surfer stories unseen for decades! Collects CRIME FIGHTERS #4; STRANGE TALES #22 & #150; TALES TO ASTONISH #85-87; AVENGERS #41-42, #75-76, #277 & ANNUAL #2; SILVER SURFER #4; MY LOVE #2; FANTASTIC FOUR #111-112; THOR #200; DRACULA LIVES #3; MARVEL SPOTLIGHT #30; WOLVERINE #10; and MARVEL SHADOWS & LIGHT #3. 368 PGS./Rated T+ ...$34.99 * * * RUNAWAYS VOL. 2 HC Written by BRIAN K. VAUGHAN Penciled by TAKESHI MIYAZAWA, ADRIAN ALPHONA & SKOTTIE YOUNG All New Cover by ADRIAN ALPHONA This deluxe hardcover collects RUNAWAYS VOLS. 5-6, plus extras. In TRUE BELIEVERS, it's an all-new beginning for the book that Wizard calls "the best original concept from Marvel in thirty years!" When a group of teenagers discovers that their parents are actually super-villains, they run away from home...but that's only step one! Now that the evil Pride is gone, nearly every bad guy in the Marvel Universe is trying to fill the power vacuum in Los Angeles, and the Runaways are the only heroes who can stop them! Plus: What does a mysterious new team of young heroes want with the Runaways, and which fan-favorite Marvel characters are part of this group? And in ESCAPE TO NEW YORK, the Runaways embark on a coast-to-coast adventure, guest-starring Cloak and Dagger AND the New Avengers! When Cloak is accused of a crime he didn't commit by the heroes of New York City, the vigilante is forced to turn to the teenage Runaways for help. This story will take our teens to a place they've never been: NYC! Collects RUNAWAYS (VOL. 2) #1-12 and the Runaways/X-Men team-up from FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2006. 312 PGS./Rated T+ ...$24.99 * * * PUNISHER MAX: FROM FIRST TO LAST HC Written by GARTH ENNIS Penciled by JOHN SEVERIN, LEWIS LAROSA & RICHARD CORBEN Cover by TIM BRADSTREET Collecting three deadly one-shots! THE TYGER: Long before he waged a one-man vendetta against organized crime, long before he was young lieutenant waging war in the jungles of ‘Nam, Frank Castle was a 10-year-old boy growing up on the mean streets of Brooklyn. When a classmate commits suicide in the aftermath of an unspeakable act, young Frank uncovers a secret dark enough to blacken the purest of hearts. Thus begins his first journey on the road that will eventually turn him into the man known as the Punisher, a journey that will bring him face to face with the Tyger: a creature not made by God, but just as vital to the world as anything He created. THE CELL: From the darkest bowels of Riker's prison, the old men preside over their empire. Nothing goes down without their say-so; no one draws a breath without their permission. And when a riot explodes, they need only fortify their defenses and ride it out. But someone else is weaving his way through the bloodstained halls, their newest neighbor: Frank Castle. THE END: Legendary artist Richard Corben joins definitive Punisher writer Garth Ennis for Frank Castle's last stand! In a world gone mad, the Punisher just might be the sanest man on Earth. Now he's heading home, to the place it all began, and heaven help anyone who stands in his path. Collects PUNISHER: THE TYGER, PUNISHER: THE CELL, PUNISHER: THE END. 152 PGS./Mature/Explicit Content ...$19.99 * * * SUPREME POWER VOL. 2 HC Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI Penciled by GARY FRANK & DAN JURGENS This deluxe hardcover collects SUPREME POWER VOL. 3: HIGH COMMAND and SUPREME POWER: HYPERION, plus extras. In HIGH COMMAND, Hyperion, the Blur and Nighthawk -- in their first adventure as the newly formed Squadron -- have a long-overdue showdown with the super-powered serial killer who's been terrorizing the nation! But will they live long enough to stop him? Plus: What does the most powerful being on the planet do when he finds out he's been manipulated, and that his whole life is practically a lie? How will Hyperion react, and what does that mean for the rest of humanity - and the government that's organized these deceitful machinations? And in HYPERION, Mark Milton suddenly finds himself both alone and hunted now that the world knows his dark secret. Four new super-powered individuals - each based on a character from the original Squadron Supreme -- are after his hide, and they've got the will and means to take him down! Collects SUPREME POWER #13-18 and SUPREME POWER: HYPERION #1-5. 264 PGS./Explicit Content ...$29.99 * * * POWERS: THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION VOL. 2 HC Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS Art & Cover by MICHAEL AVON OEMING Following hot on the heels of the FIRST-EVER POWERS HARDCOVER comes - wait for it - THE SECOND POWERS HARDCOVER...EVER. It's a hardcover collection of the entire second year of POWERS in chronological order! The first three epic POWERS stories, issues #12-24, are presented in order of publication - remastered, redesigned and reformatted! Also featuring all the POWERS bonus features you've come to know and love: sketchwork, scripts, interviews, galleries, original designs and another POWERS Best of the Letter Column, Year Two! This is the most celebrated year of this award-winning title! A must-have for your comic library! 488 PGS./Explicit Content ...$29.99 PREMIERE EDITION HARDCOVERS THE HEDGE KNIGHT PREMIERE HC Written by GEORGE R. R. MARTIN Adapted by BEN AVERY Pencils & Cover by MIKE MILLER A century before the events of New York Times bestselling author George R. R. Martin's epic series, A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, a squire named Dunk picks up the sword and shield of his dead master and enters a tournament to begin his career as a knight. But ‘Ser Duncan' has much to learn about this world of knights and nobles, and as he attempts to find a sponsor who will allow him to enter the tournament, he makes friends and enemies readily. Dunk is a capable fighter and has a strong sense of honor, but is that enough for him to become a true knight in the eyes of the others. or is he just a young man living a delusion and putting those he knows in grave danger? Adapted from the popular novella by George R. R. Martin, this special hardcover edition of THE HEDGE KNIGHT celebrates the original graphic novel, which was beloved by fans and critics alike for its deep storytelling and breathtaking visuals - so much so that the first edition it became one of the bestselling graphic novels of 2004! 164PGS./Rated T+ .$19.99 * * * WOLVERINE BY CLAREMONT & MILLER PREMIERE HC Written by CHRIS CLAREMONT Penciled by FRANK MILLER & PAUL SMITH The master of mutants joins the master of ninjas in Wolverine's first solo series - replete with romance, intrigue and mayhem! Our beleaguered berserker's in Japan on a mission of the heart, if he can survive the Hand first! Plus: the introduction of everyone's favorite riotous ronin, Yukio! Collects WOLVERINE #1-4, plus Uncanny X-Men # 172-172. 144 PGS./Rated T+ ...$19.99 WOLVERINE BY CLAREMONT & MILLER PREMIERE HC - VARIANT EDITION VOL. 3 144 PGS./Rated T+ ...$19.99 * * * MOON KNIGHT VOL. 1: THE BOTTOM PREMIERE HC Written by CHARLIE HUSTON Pencils & Cover by DAVID FINCH The Fist of Khonshu is back and badder than ever, courtesy of acclaimed novelist Charlie Huston (Caught Stealing, Six Bad Things) and red-hot, fan-favorite artist David Finch (NEW AVENGERS). Collects MOON KNIGHT #1-6. 152 PGS./Parental Advisory ...$19.99 MOON KNIGHT VOL.1: THE BOTTOM PREMIERE HC VARIANT TRADE PAPERBACKS X-MEN: DEADLY GENESIS TPB Written by ED BRUBAKER Penciled by TREVOR HAIRSINE Cover by MARC SILVESTRI What happens when the skeletons in your closet finally break down the door and come looking for you? The X-Men are about to find out! In the wake of the tragic events of HOUSE OF M, the mutant community is in turmoil, and the X-Men are bearing the brunt of this New World Order. Amid the chaos, a new enemy awakens, one whose very existence will haunt the founding members of the X-Men like nothing has before. Who is this new threat? How is he tied to Professor X's darkest secret? Cyclops, Wolverine and the others must find out soon, before they and those closest to them go mad! X-MEN: DEADLY GENESIS, by Wizard Top Ten creators Ed Brubaker and Trevor Hairsine, is a mysterious blend of horror and super-heroics, as well as a celebration of the 30th anniversary of GIANT SIZE X-MEN #1, that will have X-Men fans talking for years to come! Collects X-MEN: DEADLY GENESIS #1-6. 200 PGS./Rated T+ ...$19.99 * * * NEW X-MEN: CHILDHOOD'S END VOL. 3 TPB Written by CRAIG KYLE & CHRISTOPHER YOST Penciled by PACO MEDINA & DUNCAN ROULEAU The New X-Men have been killed, blown up and absolutely decimated. Now, they're on the offensive! But after all they've been through, will they have the strength to defeat their toughest enemy yet? Hey, maybe the New Avengers could help! Collects NEW X-MEN #28-31. 96 PGS./Rated T+ ...$10.99 * * * WOLVERINE: ORIGINS & ENDINGS TPB Written by DANIEL WAY Art by JAVIER SALTARES & MARK TEXEIRA Cover by JOE QUESADA Left shaken at ground zero after the cataclysmic events of HOUSE OF M, Logan has no choice but to soldier on, as he done so many times before - but has the burden now become too great? In his lifetime, Logan has been both a hero and a villain, a player and a pawn...but what is he now? Don't miss out on the beginning of an epic more than a century in the making. Collects WOLVERINE #36-40. 128 PGS./Parental Advisory ...$13.99 * * * MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS: WOLVERINE VOL. 4 TPB Written by DWIGHT ZIMMERMAN & HOWARD MACKIE Penciled by PAUL RYAN & MARK TEXEIRA Cover by ROB LIEFELD The mayhem-loving mutant faces occult intrigue against Abdul Alhazred, while fallout from the Acts of Vengeance brings him face to facelessness with the ninjas of Deathwatch! Wolverine does it again, and he does it the best! Guest-starring Ghost Rider! Collects MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS #62-71. 104 PGS./Rated T+ ...$12.99 * * * HEROES REBORN: AVENGERS TPB Written by ROB LIEFELD, JIM VALENTINO, JEPH LOEB & WALT SIMONSON Penciled by ROB LIEFELD, JOE PHILLIPS, JOE BENNETT & AL RIO Cap, Thor, the Vision, Hawkeye, Hellcat, Mantis and more: The Avengers lineup is both new AND classic on an Earth that hits them with villains as fast as they can assemble! Revised versions of Ultron, the Radioactive Man, the Grim Reaper and many more prove their mastery of evil against Reborn Earth's mightiest heroes! Plus, the Heroes Reborn Universe only got a piece of the Hulk - but, darn it, it may still be more than it can handle! Guest-starring Nick Fury and the Fantastic Four! Collects AVENGERS (VOL. 2) #1-12. 336 PGS./Rated A ...$29.99 * * * THOR: BLOOD OATH TPB Written by MICHAEL AVON OEMING Penciled by SCOTT KOLINS Travel back in Marvel history for a classic Thor adventure! Stepping out of the past of the glorious days of Kirby, Lee and Buscema, THOR: BLOOD OATH presents Thor in his prime, with your favorite cast -- including Odin, Balder, the Warriors Three and more! The Warriors Three are put on trial for murder. Standing beside his brothers-in-arms, Thor ties himself to their fate, as they are sent on an impossible journey by the Giants to pay their "weird" a blood price for the killing of a Giant's son. Thor and his three allies will journey across the lands, through Greece, Midgard, Asia and Africa, and clash with gods, monsters, the dead and occasionally each other! Collects THOR : BLOOD OATH #1-6. 144 PGS./Rated T+ ...$14.99 * * * WHAT IF? CLASSIC VOL. 3 TPB Written by GARY FRIEDRICH, DON GLUT, MARV WOLFMAN, DOUG MOENCH, STEVEN GRANT & PETER GILLIS Penciled by HERB TRIMPE, JOHN BUSCEMA, WALT SIMONSON, CARMINE INFANTINO, ROSS ANDRU, GEORGE PEREZ, RICK HOBERG, TOM SUTTON & PAT BRODERICK Cover by GENE COLAN It's alternate-Earth anarchy as Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel, Ghost Rider, Spider-Woman, Nova and Shang-Chi are turned against humanity when fate is tossed a twist by that infamous question mark! Plus: The Howling Commandos fight for Earth, and Spider-Man fights for...ratings!? Featuring the Fantastic Four, Daredevil and Hellstorm! Collects WHAT IF? #14-15 and #17-20. 216 PGS./All Ages ...$24.99 * * * CAPTAIN AMERICA AND THE FALCON: NOMAD TPB Written by STEVE ENGLEHART & JOHN WARNER Penciled by SAL BUSCEMA, FRANK ROBBINS & HERB TRIMPE Cover by GIL KANE Disillusioned by government corruption, Steve Rogers lays down uniform and shield -- but it's not as easy to set aside half a lifetime of heroics, so a new legend is born: Nomad, the man without a country? But who will take up the forsaken red-white-and-blue, and what will it cost him to hold onto it? Boss Morgan, the Viper and the Red Skull are on hand with enough villainy for any hero, old or new! Plus: the origin of the Falcon! Guest-starring Nick Fury and the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.! Collects CAPTAIN AMERICA AND THE FALCON #177-186. 192 PGS./Rated T+ ...$24.99 * * * STAR BRAND CLASSIC VOL. 1 TPB Written by JIM SHOOTER Penciled by JOHN ROMITA JR. A New Universe is born as Pittsburgh mechanic Ken Connell is gifted with the strange superhuman abilities of the Star Brand! As he struggles to come to grips with his newfound powers in an all-too-real world without super heroes, Ken battles terrorists and paranormals, survives a point-blank nuclear explosion, blows up a mountain on the moon...and single-handedly attacks Libya! Collects STAR BRAND #1-7. 176 PGS./Rated T+ ...$19.99 DIGESTS SPIDER-MAN LOVES MARY JANE VOL. 2: THE NEW GIRL DIGEST Written by SEAN MCKEEVER Penciled by VALENTINE DE LANDRO & TAKESHI MIYAZAWA There's a new girl at Midtown High. Her name's Gwen Stacy, and she has her sights set on Peter Parker! What's a lovesick Mary Jane to do? Plus: Mary Jane Watson wasn't always the girl she is today. How did she become the sort of person to push her problems away rather than face them? And how is it that Peter Parker, Spider-Man and Spidey's origin itself all play pivotal roles? See the birth of the greatest modern super hero like you've never seen it before! Collects SPIDER-MAN LOVES MARY JANE #6-10. 120 PGS./All Ages ...$7.99 ESSENTIALS ESSENTIAL DEFENDERS VOL. 2 TPB Written by LEN WEIN, CHRIS CLAREMONT, STEVE GERBER, BILL MANTLO, MARY SKRENES, TONY ISABELLA, JIM STARLIN, DON MCGREGOR, ROGER SLIFER, GERRY CONWAY & SCOTT EDELMAN Penciled by SAL BUSCEMA, KLAUS JANSON, VINCE COLLETTA, MIKE ESPOSITO, FRANK GIACOIA, JOHN TARTAGLIONE, SAM GRAINGER, JIM MOONEY, GIL KANE, JIM STARLIN, DAN ADKINS, DON NEWTON, DON HECK There's nothing the non-team can't handle when mutants, gods, demons and miscreants of the 1950s all get their crack at the sensational super heroes of the seventies! With Luke Cage! The Guardians of the Galaxy! The Son of Satan vs. the Sons of the Serpent! Brain transplants, foreign intrigue and the tumultuous terror of Tapping Tommy! Daredevil, Yellowjacket, Bambi! And introducing...an Elf!? Featuring the first appearance of the ever-reliable Wrecking Crew! Collects DEFENDERS #15-39 and GIANT-SIZE DEFENDERS #1-5. 616 PGS./Rated T+ ...$16.99 * * * ESSENTIAL OFFICIAL HANDBOOK OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE - UPDATE 89 VOL. 1 TPB Written by PETER SANDERSON, PETER WOHL, MARCUS MCLAURIN, GLENN HERDLING & LEN KAMINSKI Penciled by VARIOUS Origins and updates of the eighties' elite in one easy installment! Trace major revisions to major characters such as Archangel and Vision, the Red Skull and S.H.I.E.L.D., the Hulk and Hobgoblin - and who knows who else! Featuring the debut stats of Apocalypse, Sinister, Venom and more! Plus: Marvel's first go-round of profiles for herodom's best supporting casts! Collects OFFICAL HANDBOOK OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE - UPDATE '89 #1-8. 496 PGS./Rated A ...$16.99