Characters reveal their allegiances and join new teams, starting with Gentle in Black Panther. The Wakandan mutant turns out to be one of T’Challa’s many sleeper agents around the planet, well planets would be more appropriate as the mutants’ reach extends to Mars, aka Arrako. The Hellfire Trading Company’s organizational changes continue as Kate Pryde is the latest to step down from her position as the Red Queen. She retains her captainship and recruits Aurora, Psylocke, Somnus and Tempo all join the Marauders’ crew. The latest developments in Marvel’s ongoing events include Luke Cage officially launching his mayoral campaign and Clea becoming the new Sorcerer Supreme of Earth.
Book of the Week – Death of Doctor Strange #5 (Review score: 90 Points; 24 Characters). Doctor Strange hands Kaecilius his defeat, or rather, Doctor Strange’s hands defeat Kaecililus. Since the villain had severed Strange’s hands to use as his own, Strange manages to regenerate his own body, defeating Kaecilius in the process. That just leaves the Three Mothers and their Peregrine Child. With the help of the other gathered Sorcerer’s Supreme, they manage to banish the threat and assist the Avengers and X-Men in their fight.
Hero of the Week – Captain America (Review score: 23 Points/5 Appearances; 4.6 Pts/App). Captain America makes five Appearances and scores a Team-Up in all five of them, with two Leads Team as well. He gets a Defeats Antagonist alongside Iron Man in their team-up book. Apart from his traditional Shield usages, he earns an Influence ability in his Amazing Spider-Man appearance, teaming with Black Cat and encouraging Peter Parker on his rehabilitation journey. His big week pushes him to the top of the Power Rankings to end January.
Antagonist of the Week – Black Skull (Review score: 8 Points/1 Appearances; 8.0 Pts/App). The first half of the month belonged to Doctor Octopus, but the second half of the month belongs to the Black Skull. For the second week in the row, the Alt Universe Johann Shmidt leads the Multiversal Masters of the Universe in tormenting the Avengers. This time, he tortures Robbie Reyes in Avengers: Forever, pushing the young hero to his limit both physically and mentally.
Top Characters (by review score). Captain America (23); Iron Man (18); Black Panther (15); Black Cat, Thor (14); Winter Soldier (13); Cyclops, Ghost Rider/Robbie Reyes (12); Doctor Strange, Sunfire (10)
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Key: TU – Team-Up; LT – Lead Team; SC – Save Civilian; CD – Character Development; DA – Defeat Antagonist.
| Amazing Spider-Man #87 (17) |
| Black Cat – Influence, Melee, Swing, Thief, TU (Captain America), LT Captain America – Influence, Melee, TU (Black Cat) Spider-Man (BR) Spider-Man (PP) – Melee, Swing, Weapon, TU (Black Cat) |
| Avengers: Forever #2 (20) |
| Ghost Rider (RR) – Durability, Ensnare, Flames, Flames Offensive, Rage, Strength, Vehicle, Whip, Will Power, TU (Deathlok), DA (War Machine) Antagonist(s) Black Skull – Appendage, Blade, Ensnare, Melee, Morph, Size, Weapon |
| Black Panther #3 (24) |
| Black Panther – Agility, Computer, Durability, Melee, Sense, Suit, Tech, Thief, Vehicle Gambit Gentle – Grow, Melee, Strength, CD (Reveals he’s a Wakanda sleeper agent) Rogue – Flight Shuri – Computer Storm – Flight, Influence, LT |
| Captain America/Iron Man #3 (19) |
| Captain America – Agility, Gun, Projectile, Shield Defensive, Weapon, TU (Iron Man), LT, DA (Myrmidon) Iron Man – Energy, Flight, Melee, Strength, Suit, Vehicle, TU (Captain America), DA (Myrmidon) Antagonist(s) Veronica Eden |
| Death of Doctor Strange #5 (90) |
| Black Panther – Melee, TU (X-Men) Captain America – Shield, Shield Defensive, TU (X-Men) Captain Marvel – Durability, Energy Offensive, Flight, TU (X-Men) Clea – Magic, Teleport, TU (Doctor Strange), CD (Becomes the next Sorcerer Supreme of Earth), DA (The Three Mothers) Cyclops – Energy, Energy Offensive, TU (Avengers) Doctor Strange – Flight, Heal, Magic, Magic Defensive, Telepathy, Teleport, TU (Avengers), LT, DA (Kaecilius) Doctor Voodoo – Magic, TU (Wong) Hellstrom – Magic, TU (Wong) Iron Man – Durability, Flight, TU (X-Men) Magik – Magic, Teleport, TU (Doctor Strange), DA (The Three Mothers) Marvel Girl – Telekinesis, TU (Avengers) Namor – Flight, TU (X-Men) Phoenix (ML) – Flames, Flames Offensive, TU (X-Men) Rogue – Flight, Melee, TU (Avengers) Shaman – Magic, TU (Wong) Starbrand – Flames Offensive, Flight, TU (X-Men) Sunfire – Flames Offensive, Flight, TU (Avengers) Synch – Flames, TU (Avengers) Talisman – Magic, TU (Wong) Thor – Blunt, TU (X-Men) Wolverine (LK) – Claws, Claws Offensive, TU (Avengers) Wong – Magic, TU (Doctor Voodoo) Antagonist(s) Baron Mordo Umar |
| Devil’s Reign #3 (45) |
| Captain America – Shield, Shield Defensive, TU (Daredevil) Daredevil (MM) – Melee, Stealth, Swing, TU (Captain America) Human Torch – Flames, Influence Invisible Woman Jessica Jones – Flight, Sense, TU (Daredevil) Luke Cage – TU (Daredevil), CD (Campaigns for Mayor of New York) She-Hulk – Durability, TU (Daredevil) Spider-Man (BR) Spider-Man (MM) – Agility, Weapon, TU (Daredevil) Thing – Influence, Melee, Strength Antagonist(s) Chameleon – Deception, Energy, Flight Doctor Octopus – Appendage, Appendage Defensive, Appendage Offensive, Tech Kingpin – Influence Purple Man – Sense |
| Devil’s Reign: Winter Soldier #1 (18) |
| Winter Soldier – Agility, Blade, Durability, Investigate, Melee, Sense, Stealth, Strength, Tech, Thief, Weapon, DA (Guards) Antagonist(s) Kingpin – Influence, Melee, Strength, Weapon |
| Iron Man #16 (41) |
| Black Panther – TU (Fantastic Four) Captain America – TU (Fantastic Four) Captain Marvel – Flight, TU (Fantastic Four) Frog-Man Gargoyle Hellcat – Telepathy Human Torch (JH) Human Torch (JS) – Flight, TU (Avengers) Invisible Woman – Flight, TU (Avengers) Iron Man – Grow, Reality, Size, Telekinesis Mr. Fantastic – Stretch, TU (Avengers) Phoenix (ML) – Flight, TU (Fanastic Four) Starbrand – Energy, Flight, TU (Fantastic Four) Thing – TU (Avengers) Thor – Flight, Lightning, TU (Fantastic Four) War Machine Antagonist(s) Doctor Doom |
| Marauders Annual #1 (44) |
| Anole Aurora – Energy, Energy Offensive, Investigate, Speed, SC, CD (Joins the Marauders), DA (Kidnapper) Bishop – Gun, Investigate, LT Daken – Claws Offensive, Durability, Heal, Investigate, Rage, Sense Emma Frost Iceman Kate Pryde – LT, CD (Steps down as the Red Queen) Psylocke – Blade, Investigate, Melee, Sense, Telepathy, CD (Joins the Marauders) Somnus – Influence, Investigate, Melee, CD (Joins the Marauders) Tempo – Influence, Investigate, Reality, Speed, CD (Joins the Marauders) Antagonist(s) Sebastian Shaw |
| Mary Jane & Black Cat: Beyond #1 (18) |
| Black Cat – Deception, Ensnare, Investigate, Thief, LT, DA (The Hood) Spider-Man (PP) Antagonist(s) Armadillo Count Nefaria Fancy Dan Hood – Weapon Montana Ox Rhino Shocker Tombstone |
| Thor #21 (13) |
| Odin – Weapon, TU (Sif) Sif – Teleport, TU (Odin) Thor – Blade, Durability, Elements, Lightning, Melee, TU (Odin) |
| X Deaths of Wolverine #1 (30) |
| Bling! Colossus Marvel Girl – Telepathy Moira MacTaggert – Durability, Gun, Melee, Thief, Vehicle, Weapon Multiple Man Nightcrawler – Teleport Professor X Tempus Valkyrie (JF) – Business, Weapon, Whip Wolverine (JH) Antagonist(s) Black Tom Cassidy – Plants, Sense Blob Mystique – Deception, Gun, Morph, Weapon |
| X-Men #7 (30) |
| Cyclops – Energy, Energy Offensive, Melee, Precision, LT, SC, DA (Chimeras) Emma Frost – Telepathy Forge – Tech Marvel Girl – Telepathy Sunfire – Flames, Flames Offensive, Flight, SC, DA (Chimera) Synch – Absorb, Energy, Flames, Strength, Telekinesis Wolverine (LK) – Claws, SC Antagonist(s) Sebastian Shaw |
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