Marvel Comics Presents #118

Both the Ghost Rider/ Iron Fist and the Bill Foster Giant-Man stories end in this issue. Both were very good stories. I was more of a fan of the Bill Foster tale if only because it was a more energetic and fun story. 

The Wolverine story is a team-up with Venom. In typical Marvel fashion, the two characters think the other is responsible for their current predicament and instead of talking things out, they beat each other's brains in.

The one-and-done story was another Marvel 2099 introduction. This time it's Doom 2099. Could it be that the tyrannic leader of Lavteria has returned after nearly a century of being long thought dead? 

Upon reviewing the last issue, I discussed how despite the character of Ravage being touted as making his Marvel debut in the pages of MCP, the Marvel [Database] wiki claims that Ravage 2099 was that guy's debut comic. Well, Marvel's editing staff claim that Doom 2099 is making his debut in this book and I wanted to know what that other resource thought. They concur that issue #118 is the first appearance. Hmmm... I wonder why the wiki agrees on the first showing of Doom 2099 but not Ravage? I guess it's just one of those eternal questions that wie'll never have an answer to.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #117

I had mentioned somewhat in my review of issue #100 that I didn't think that Nightmare was done with Wolverine. This issue proves me right. Wolverine is being plagued once more by troubling sleep and is seeking Professor X's assistance once again. This time, the leader of the X-Men empowers Wolverine with tools to fight the dream lord. But when Logan enters the realm of Nightmare, he comes face to face with Venom!

And then BAM! To Be Continued...

We'll need to wait until the next issue to find out if Venom is being used as a tool of Nightmare or is the symbiote anti-hero at the mercy of the Doctor Strange villain as well?

Both the Ghost Rider/Iron Fist and the Bill Foster Giant-Man stories reach their penultimate chapters inside the flip cover. For the single issue story entry, readers get a glimpse as the Marvel 2099 universe. This issue claims that this is the first appearance of the character Ravage. However, the Marvel [Datebase] claims that the character's first appearance was in the pages of Ravage 2099 #1. 

For myself, this kind of oversight isn't an issue. I also own a copy of that issue. Plus neither this issue that I am reviewing nor Ravage 2099 #1 are valued at more than $5 each. Both books have a cover date of December, 1992. So, I guess it's not really a big deal. But should the character appear in a movie or Disney+ series, I'd expect the value of the Ravage premier issue to rise. But I want to put in a case now that this issue should also jump up in price. 

Not that I'm planning on selling this issue. Just putting it out there.

By the way- that Wolverine/Venom cover was killer!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #115

The duo of Cloak & Dagger make a single issue appearance. For a story appearing in MCP, a fairly major character dies in this issue. And no, I'm not talking about a villain either. I didn't read a ton of Cloak & Dagger as a kid. But the little bit I do recall, the character who gets the axe was a fairly big supporting player to the Cloak & Dagger mythos. 

I really don't have any complaints about this issue. Wolverine continues to be about 1 step behind Typhoid Mary, who is indiscriminately taking out just about any guy who ever wronged her in the past.

 With the Bill Foster Giant-Man story, another baddie enters the story. It's Goliath! No. Clint Barton hasn't gone back to wearing that hokey harness. Nor is he living a life of crime again. This is the Goliath who later as part of Baron Nemo's Thunderbolts, becomes Atlas.

And then the Ghost Rider/Iron Fist story. The last member of the Legion of Vengeance is introduced. Named Strontium-90, we now know that all of these characters got their powers from nuclear science testing that went out of control. As a result, this quartet has a very short half life and as they burn out, they plan on taking any and everyone they can with them; including Danny Rand!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents # 113

A whole lot is happening in this issue. 

I wanted to mention a couple of issues ago that when Mary Walker transformed into Typhoid Mary, she set Wolverine ablaze. Since he's on the cover of this issue and he's smoldering, I figured it wasn't so much of a spoiler now. Let alone the fact that this issue is nearly 30 years old now. 

Iron Fist joins Ghost Rider in a new multi-parter that begins here. A bunch of bizarre fiends are terrorizing areas of the Big Apple. One is named Vesper and she's literally on fire. The other has a gigantic eyeball on his chest named Mind's Eye. We mostly get a small introduction of the two villains and don't really get the two heroes crossing paths... yet. 

The Bill Foster Giant-Man also has a multi-parter that kicks off in this issue. An expert at security as well as bio-sciences, Foster is pulling double duty at a high clearance research facility for Stane International. Things have been going missing. Very expensive, important stuff! And Stane security has no answer for the disappearances. 

Lastly, the Werewolf by Night returns! Okay, is it really a disappearance if he never actually went away? I loved his single issue tale. Jack Russell comes across a man who's been cursed to become a Wendigo. Len Kaminski (Web of Spider-Man) crafts a beautifully sad morality tale in which Russell laments his unwarranted animal urges in comparison with the man cursed to be a carnivorous beast because he willingly choose to feast on another human. 

A fantastic quartet of stories that I just couldn't put down. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.