It took three years of antagonizing the Avengers, but Red Widow finally breaks through with her 17th and 18th appearances marking her induction into the Fantasy Comic League review system. In doing so, she brings Power Princess and Blur over to the Antagonist side as the Squadron Supreme members murder their former teammate, Doctor Spectrum. In the high-scoring week, the top tier characters stepped aside for the typically lesser known characters. Ka-Zar stars in Jason Aaron’s milestone Avengers issue and becomes a new herald of Galactus, meanwhile Ben Reilly earns his first Hero of the Week since taking over as the official Spider-Man in the Beyond era. The new Darkhawk rounds out the top 10 performances which also includes Mr. Fantastic, Iceman and Magik.
Book the Week – X-Men: Trial of Magneto #4 (Review score: 97 Points; 42 Characters). Scarlet Witch—all three of them—embraces her tragic history in order to defeat the kaiju’s attacking Krakoa. Admittedly, they were only present because of her insecurities since returning to life. With the help of her children, she reconciles her past, present and future, but still faces a hostile crowd of mutants and the mystery of who killed her.
Hero of the Week – Spider-Man/Ben Reilly (Review score: 16 Points/2 Appearances; 8.0 Pts/App). Not everyone accepts Ben Reilly as the current Spider-Man, but he manages to win over one of his doubters in Death of Doctor Strange. When a telepathic message intended for his predecessor comes to Black Cat and Spider-Man’s attention, the two work together to take care of the late Sorcerer’s magical duties around the city. In doing so, Ben proves to Felicia that he’s capable of carrying on the responsibility of Spider-Man.
Antagonist of the Week – Lady Lotus (Review score: 9 Points/1 Appearance; 9.0 Pts/App). Lady Lotus gets the spotlight in the latest Marvels issue. The issue focuses totally on her origin and her quest to discover the mystery of the black lotus flower that enhances her power. It all leads to her mission to free Siancong from outside influences by erecting the black impenetrable dome around the country.
Top Characters (by review score). Spider-Man/Ben Reilly (16); Mr. Fantastic (15); White Fox (14); Hulk/Jen Walters (13); Iceman, Ka-Zar, Magik (12); Captain America, Captain Marvel (11); Darkhawk/Connor Young (10)
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For those keeping track of their own review teams, full statistics can be found in the below character reviews. Please use these results to determine your score and let us know how you performed. To become a Sanctioned Review Agent you can support us via the Fantasy Comic League’s Patreon page. Make sure to tweet any questions or comments to @FantasyComicLG on Twitter while using the #FantasyComicLeague tag!
Key: TU – Team-Up; LT – Lead Team; SC – Save Civilian; CD – Character Development; DA – Defeat Antagonist.
| Amazing Spider-Man #80 (11) |
| Spider-Man (BR) – Agility, Durability, Melee, Webs Antagonist(s) Doctor Octopus Kraven (LS) – Blade, Durability, Explosive, Melee |
| Avengers #50 (87) |
| Black Knight (SPoS) Black Panther – Business, Claws Captain America – Business Captain Marvel – Business Doctor Spectrum – Energy, CD (Dies) Ghost Rider (RR) – Blade, Business, Morph, Vehicle, TU (Deathlok), DA (Black Skull War Machine) Gorilla-Man Hulk (JW) – Absorb, Attorney, Durability, Energy, Influence, Melee, CD (Leaves the Avengers), DA (Red Widow) Hyperion Iron Man – Business, Flight Ka-Zar – Blade, Flight, Melee, Plants, Projectile, Strength, Teleport, Weapon, TU (Avengers of 1,000,000 BC), CD (Becomes a herald of Galactus), DA (Kid Thanos’ robots) King Arthur – Blade, Projectile Namor – CD (Repents and seeks guidance from Hulk) Odin – Lightning, Projectile, TU (Ka-Zar), DA (Kid Thanos) Spirit Rider Thor – Artifact, Blunt, Flight, Lightning, Melee, Projectile, Strength, DA (Chernobog) Valkyrie (JF) – Creature, Flight Antagonist(s) Blur – Speed, CD (Aligns himself with Red Widow) Galactus Mephisto – Influence, CD (Helps form the Multiversal Masters of Evil) Orb – Sense, Vehicle, CD (Dies) Power Princess – Assassin, Melee, Strength, CD (Betrays and kills Doctor Spectrum) Red Widow – Ensnare, Influence Ursa Major |
| Captain Marvel #34 (24) |
| Captain Marvel – Creature, Durability, Energy, Energy Offensive, Flight, Shield, Speed, CD (Develops the ability to create an energy construct) Mar-Vell – Deception, Durability, Energy, Energy Offensive, Flight, Melee, Speed Phyla-Vell – Blade, Durability, Energy Offensive, Melee, Strength, Weapon |
| Daredevil #36 (18) |
| Daredevil (EN) – Tech Daredevil (MM) – Influence, Sense, Stealth, Tech, CD (Gets out of prison) Mr. Fantastic – Grow, Melee, Stretch Antagonist(s) Kingpin (IL) Kingpin (WF) – Influence, CD (Marries Typhoid Mary) Typhoid Mary – CD (Marries Kingpin) |
| Darkhawk #4 (25) |
| Captain America – Melee, Projectile, Shield, TU (Darkhawk), DA (A.I.M. soldiers) Darkhawk (CY) – Agility, Durability, Energy Offensive, Flight, Heal, Melee, Strength, TU (Spider-Man), DA (A.I.M. soldiers) Spider-Man (MM) – Agility, Influence, Melee, Sense, Webs, TU (Darkhawk), LT, DA (A.I.M. soldiers) |
| Death of Doctor Strange: Spider-Man #1 (24) |
| Black Cat – Agility, Melee, Tech, Whip, TU (Spider-Man), DA (Gator Shaman) Doctor Strange – Telepathy Moon Knight – DA (Hungry Prince of Hearts) Spider-Man (BR) – Agility, Crawl, Durability, Influence, Melee, Strength, Webs, TU (Black Cat), SC, DA (Gator Shaman) Spider-Man (PP) Wong |
| Death of Doctor Strange: White Fox #1 (39) |
| Aero – Flight Crescent Giant-Man (RM) Jimmy Woo – Computer, LT Luna Snow – Ice, Ice Offensive, DA (Mystic monsters) Protector Silk Sword Master – Blade, Weapon, Will Power, CD (Breaks the Sword of Fu Xi), DA (Demons) Wave – Blade, Flight, Water Offensive, Weapon, DA (Demons) White Fox – Agility, Claws, Claws Offensive, Influence, Melee, Morph, Sense, Speed, Teleport, Will Power, LT, CD (Fully transforms into a Kumiho), DA (Mystic monsters) |
| Fantastic Four Infinity Comic #4 (20) |
| Brainstorm Human Torch – Flames Offensive, Flight, DA (Robbers) Invisible Woman – Telekinesis Defensive, SC Mr. Fantastic – Ensnare, Influence, Stretch, Tech, DA (Robbers) Powerhouse – Vehicle Thing – Melee, Vehicle, DA (Robbers) |
| Fantastic Four #38 (29) |
| Brainstorm Dragon Man – Durability, Flight Hulk (JW) – Attorney, Melee, Strength Human Torch – Flight Invisible Woman – Flight, Invisibility Mr. Fantastic – Ensnare, Grow, Stretch, Tech Powerhouse Thing – Vehicle Antagonist(s) Diablo – Ensnare, Teleport Wizard – Energy, Flight, Tech, CD (Sues for custody of Bently-23) |
| Marauders #26 (53) |
| Angel – Flight Banshee – Flight Callisto – Sense Emma Frost – Deception, Telepathy Iceman – Agility, Durability, Flight, Grow, Heal, Ice Offensive, Melee, Morph, Projectile, Strength, DA (Fin Fang Foom) Kate Pryde – Vehicle Lockheed – Flames Offensive, Flight Marvel Girl – Flight Polaris – Flight Rogue – Flight Stepford Cuckoos – Creature Storm – Flight Sunfire – Flight Antagonist(s) Donald Pierce Fin Fang Foom – Claws, Claws Offensive, Durability, Flames Offensive, Sense Proteus – Flight Sebastian Shaw – Deception, CD (Reveals he is not Shinobi’s biological father) Shinobi Shaw – Weapon, CD (Learns that Sebastian Shaw is not his biological father) |
| Marvels #6 (9) |
| Antagonist(s) Lady Lotus – Creature, Melee, Sense, Telepathy, Telepathy Defensive, Telepathy Offensive, CD (Reveals her origin), DA (Li Fong) |
| New Mutants #23 (62) |
| Anole – Crawl, Durability, Melee, TU (New Mutants), DA (Shadow King) Cosmar – Influence, Reality, Sense, TU (New Mutants), DA (Shadow King) Karma – Blade, Influence, Sense, Telepathy, Will Power, TU (Lost Club), DA (Shadow King) Magik – Artifact, Blade, Weapon, Will Power, TU (Lost Club), LT, DA (Shadow King) Mirage – Influence, Melee. Projectile, Sense, Telepathy, Will Power, TU (Lost Club), DA (Shadow King) Scout – Heal, Melee, Sense, TU (New Mutants), LT, DA (Shadow King) Warpath – Melee, Weapon, Will Power, TU (Lost Club), DA (Shadow King) Wolfsbane – Claws Offensive, Creature, Melee, Morph, Sense, TU (Lost Club), DA (Shadow King) Antagonist(s) Shadow King – Durability, Grow, Influence |
| Phoenix Song: Echo #2 (3) |
| Phoenix (ML) – Flames, Influence |
| Spine-Tingling Spider-Man Infinity Comic #4 (2) |
| Spider-Man (PP) – Sense |
| Venom #2 (9) |
| Sleeper – Melee, Sense Venom (DB) – Creature, Ensnare, Melee, Strength, Weapon |
| Winter Guard #4 (24) |
| White Widow – Melee, Stealth, Thief Winter Soldier Antagonist(s) Crimson Dynamo Darkstar – Flight, Teleport Red Guardian – Melee, Precision, Projectile Red Widow – Deception, Projectile Ursa Major – Claws, Strength Vanguard – Energy, Projectile, Shield, Weapon |
| X-Men: Trial of Magneto #4 (97) |
| Armor – Energy Offensive, TU (Avengers) Aurora – Energy Offensive, Flight, TU (Avengers) Bishop Boom-Boom – Energy Cannonball – Flight Captain America – Shield, TU (X-Men) Colossus – Melee, TU (Avengers) Cyclops Egg Elixir Emma Frost Eye-Boy Gambit Havok – Energy Offensive, TU (Avengers) Hope Iron Man – Energy, Flight, TU (X-Men) Magik – Teleport, Weapon, TU (Avengers) Magma Magneto – Flight, TU (Avengers) Marvel Girl Northstar – Flight, TU (Avengers) Polaris – Flight, TU (Avengers) Prestige Prodigy Psylocke Rictor – Flight, Geokinesis Offensive Rogue – Flight Scarlet Witch – Absorb, Flight, Heal, Magic, Magic Offensive, Personality, CD (Resurrects herself), DA (Kaijus) Speed Storm – Flight, Lightning, TU (Avengers) Sunfire – Flight, TU (Avengers) Sunspot – Flight Synch – TU (Avengers) Tempus Vision – Flight, TU (X-Men) Wasp (JvD) Wiccan – Influence, Intellect, Magic, Sense, LT Wolverine (JH) – Claws Offensive, TU (Avengers) Wolverine (LK) Antagonist(s) Daken Proteus Vulcan – Energy, Flight, TU (Avengers) |
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