Big moves happen in the Marauders book, with three Character Developments coming in the way of role changes within the Hellfire Trading Company. Emma Frost and Sebastian Shaw step down from their posts as part of the ruling class and the Stepford Cuckoos take their “mother’s” place as the new White Queen. In her “Death of Doctor Strange” tie-in, Elsa Bloodstone learns and meets a sister she never knew she had because her father, Ulysses Bloodstone, had sacrificed her thousand of years ago to keep an ancient evil banished from Ireland. Conan succeeds in changing Kulan Gath’s path from wizard to warrior during the finale of Savage Avengers, and Dragon Man successfully gains full custody over Bentley-23 in Fantastic Four. The final two developments this week include Snowguard connecting with her shamanistic roots in Marvel Voices: Heritage and Puff Adder being the latest one to join Kingpin’s Thunderbolts in Spider-Woman.
Book of the Week – Marauders #27 (Review score: 53 Points; 17 Characters). In addition to the Hellfire vacancies and promotions in the Marauders series finale, more members of the crew set off on their own journey. Pyro plans on focusing on an upcoming book tour while Iceman is testing his limits by fighting Frost Giants. Short staffed, Kate Pryde and Bishop remain to recruit new members before a new volume of the series kicks off.
Hero of the Week – Conan (Review score: 15 Points/2 Appearances; 7.5 Pts/App). Conan’s tour of the Marvel universe officially comes to an end with the Savage Avengers finale. His latest solo title, King Conan, drops him on an island of the dead. His performance for the week only includes the Character Development for training Kulan Gath, with the rest of the points coming from power usages, not surprising for a character who had a Powers/Appearance ratio of 5.5 in 2021, the best for a character with a minimum 20 Appearances.
Antagonist of the Week – Doctor Octopus (Review score: 18 Points/2 Appearances; 9.0 Pts/App). Doctor Octopus takes his second Antagonist of the Week title in as many weeks. He is Marvel’s top character to begin the year, besting both Captain America and Iron Man. His big move comes in the “Devil’s Reign” tie-in Superior Four, where he recruits different versions of himself across the multiverse. Otto earns a Leads Team and a Defeats Antagonist for bringing the group together to defeat another alternate reality version of himself in his bid to prove himself the Superior version of Otto Octavius in all reality.
Top Characters (by review score). Doctor Octopus (18); Conan (15); Hawkeye/Kate Bishop (11); Darkhawk/Connor Young, Spider-Woman (10); Spider-Man/Ben Reilly (9); Elsa Bloodstone, Forge, Mr. Fantastic, The Thing (8)
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Key: TU – Team-Up; LT – Lead Team; SC – Save Civilian; CD – Character Development; DA – Defeat Antagonist.
| Amazing Spider-Man #85 (21) |
| Colleen Wing – Weapon Misty Knight – Gun Spider-Man (BR) – Ensnare, Gun, Melee, Projectile, Suit, Swing, Tech, Whip Antagonist(s) Doctor Octopus – Appendage, Appendage Offensive, Ensnare, Influence, Strength, Tech, Toxin |
| Daredevil: Woman Without Fear #1 (12) |
| Daredevil (EN) – Blade, Melee, Sense, Vehicle, Weapon Daredevil (MM) Stick – Melee Antagonist(s) Kingpin Kraven (LS) – Projectile |
| Darkhawk #5 (14) |
| Darkhawk (CY) – Agility, Claws, Durability, Energy Defensive, Energy Offensive, Flight, Gun, TU (Spider-Man), DA (Shawn Trella) Spider-Man (MM) – Ensnare, TU (Darkhawk), DA (Shawn Trella) |
| Death of Doctor Strange: Bloodstone #1 (12) |
| Elsa Bloodstone – Artifact, Gun, Melee, Toxin, Weapon, CD (Learns she has a younger sister), DA (Monster) Ulysses Bloodstone – Artifact, CD (Sacrifices his first daughter), DA (Krakkan) |
| Devil’s Reign: Superior Four #1 (10) |
| Antagonist(s) Doctor Octopus – Appendage, Appendage Offensive, Computer, Crawl, Intellect, Tech, Teleport, LT, DA (TJ) |
| Fantastic Four #39 (23) |
| Brainstorm – Tech Dragon Man – Vehicle, CD (Wins legal custody over Bentley) Human Torch – Flight Invisible Woman – Flight, Melee, Telekinesis Mr. Fantastic – Stretch, Tech Namor Powerhouse She-Hulk – Business Thing – Influence Antagonist(s) Wizard – Computer, Flight |
| Hawkeye: Kate Bishop #3 (14) |
| Hawkeye (CB) Hawkeye (KB) – Agility, Energy, Ensnare, Investigate, Melee, Projectile, Sense, Swing, Tech, Weapon Ms. America Stinger |
| King Conan #2 (4) |
| Conan – Blade, Melee, Weapon |
| Marauders #27 (53) |
| Bishop – Absorb, Deception, Energy Offensive, Gun, Weapon, DA (Drone) Callisto – Blade, Stealth, DA (Reaver) Emma Frost – Business, Telepathy, CD (Gives up her role as the White Queen of Hellfire Trading) Forge – Tech Iceman – Durability, Ensnare, Ice, Melee, DA (Frost Giants) Kate Pryde – Blade, Intangibility, Intangibility Offensive, Stealth, DA (Drone) Magneto Masque – Morph Mr. Fantastic – Stretch, Tech Professor X Stepford Cuckoos – Telepathy, CD (Takes over the role of White Queen) Antagonist(s) Exodus Kade Kilgore – Business Mr. Sinister Mystique Pyro – Deception, Flames Defensive, Flames Offensive, Melee, DA (Drone) Sebastian Shaw – Deception, CD (Gives up his role as the Black King) |
| Marvel Voices: Heritage #1 (32) |
| American Eagle – Durability, Influence, Melee, Weapon, SC, DA (Robbers) Forge – Gun, Vehicle, Weapon, SC, DA (Robot) Mirage – Projectile, Weapon, SC, DA (Robot) Snowguard – Flight, Magic, CD (Connects with her Shaman ancestry) Warpath – Blade, SC, DA (Robot) Antagonist(s) Adversary Greycrow – Gun, Weapon, SC, DA (Robot) |
| Ms. Marvel: Beyond the Limit #2 (5) |
| Ms. Marvel – Sense, Stretch, SC Antagonist(s) Loki |
| Savage Avengers #28 (26) |
| Black Knight Black Widow Conan – Agility, Blade, Creature, Influence, Melee, Precision, Projectile, Vehicle, Weapon, CD (Succeeds in changing Kulan Gath’s fate) Daredevil (EN) Doctor Strange Ghost Rider (JB) Magik Wolverine (JH) Antagonist(s) Doctor Doom Juggernaut Kang – Energy Defensive, Gun, Melee, Teleport, Weapon |
| Spider-Woman #18 (22) |
| Night Nurse Spider-Woman – Agility, Blade, Durability, Energy, Melee, Shield, Strength, Weapon, DA (Thunderbolt Unit) Antagonist(s) Kingpin – Durability, Melee, Rage, Strength Puff Adder – Toxin, CD (Joins the Thunderbolt Units) Veranke – Deception, Morph |
| Thing #3 (13) |
| Mr. Fantastic – Stretch Thing – Durability, Ensnare, Melee, Strength, Weapon Antagonist(s) Champion of the Universe – Durability, Melee, Strength, Teleport |
| X-Men Legends #10 (4) |
| Beast Captain Britain Gambit Rogue |
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