#in addition to an ongoing solo series

[age-of-moonknight]

“Solve for X: Part 2 (of 3),” Strange Academy: Moon Knight (Vol. 1/2023), #1.

Writer: Carlos Hernandez; Penciler and Inker: Julian Shaw; Colorist: Edgar Delgado; Letterer: Clayton Cowles

[discow1tch]

Nightcrawler Comic Recs (for beginners)

This list is designed with fans who have little to no knowledge of X-Men comics in mind and with an emphasis on what I would call "fangirl appeal". Each title is listed in chronological order with descriptions, a reading order, and my reasoning for each of them under the readmore for those who need it. In my opinion, all of them are good places to start!*

I primarily read comics on Marvel's official app (marvel unlimited) but hoopla (free through many public libraries) and comixology are other good options for online reading. If you want physical copies you'll get the best deals at your local comic shop or on ebay.

If you have criticisms, additions, or continuity question feel free to hit up my ask box!

SERIES: ❥ Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont (1975) ❥ Excalibur by Chris Claremont (1988), Alan Davis (1991), and Warren Ellis (1994) ❥ Uncanny X-Men by Joe Casey (2001) ❥ Nightcrawler (2004) ❥ Uncanny X-Force by Rick Remender (a controversial choice since this isn't main universe/616 Kurt) (2010) ❥ Amazing X-Men (2014) ❥ Nightcrawler (2014)

OTHER RANDOM ISSUES**: ❥ Guardians Team-Up #6 ❥ Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur #17 (2017)

*with the exception of Uncanny X-Force. I wouldn't read this until you have a grip on 616 Kurt's characterization.

**these are primarily team ups I discovered through my habit of buying random comics with Kurt on the cover. I'll add more if I remember them.

Uncanny X-Men by Chris Claremont (1975) was an ongoing team book. The sixteen years of it that were written by Claremont are the iconic building blocks upon which all other X-Men comics are built. It's the book Nightcrawler was on from 1975 to 1988 (#94-227) after he was recruited by Professor X. Unfortunately, Kurt is rarely the main character. He has a lot of standout moments but is more likely to just be part of the team. If you like a sweet, sarcastic, curly haired Nightcrawler with terrible fashion sense this book might be for you!

How to start reading it:

Giant-Size X-Men #1 (his introduction, basically a series pilot that rebooted the X-Men).

Uncanny X-Men #94 (directly follows giant-size)

From there you can read numerically.

Read as much uncanny as you want. If it gets boring/isn't for you try Excalibur!

Specific issue recs if you don't want to start at the beginning:

#110: The X-Men fight a villain of the week who traps them in the danger room with the safety controls off. It's also the first (I think?) time the X-Men play baseball together. Kurt is really fun in this issue! #123 & 124: The X-Men fight Arcade for the first time. The issues are split pretty evenly between the whole team but Kurt has some really good moments. #139 & 140: Kurt goes to Canada with Wolverine. They fight a Wendigo with the canadian super-team Alpha Flight and he becomes the first X-Man to learn Wolverine's real name. The art in this is really expressive. Kurt makes a lot of good faces. #168: This issue isn't primarily about Kurt but it is the one where he does the Burt Reynolds cosmo centerfold pose for his girlfriend. #169: Continues from 168. Opens with Kurt in the bath with his girlfriend. He then teleports around the city naked to save someone. #183: Kurt and Wolverine take Colossus out drinking after he breaks up with Kitty. Kurt is there as "mediator" because he knows Logan is mad about the way Piotr treated Kitty. They end up getting into a fight with the Juggernaut at the bar. #204: Kurt restores his faith and self confidence by taking on Arcade solo when he sees a woman being kidnapped off the street.

Excalibur by Chris Claremont, Alan Davis, and Warren Ellis (1988-1998) was a self-contained ongoing comic that ran through the late 80's up through the mid 90's. Excalibur is the British X-Men adjacent team that Kurt joined and then became unofficial leader of when he thought the other X-Men had died. Excalibur is more magic and fantasy based than X-Men usually is. As written by Chris Claremont it's also basically a sex farce. I consider this book a definitive characterization of the character. The art by Alan Davis in the first ~50 issues is the sexiest Nightcrawler has ever been and probably ever will be. If you like a classically handsome, confident, overtly sexy Nightcrawler this series might be for you.

How to start reading it:

Excalibur: The Sword is Drawn (shows the team being formed, basically the series pilot). There's a ton of Deep Lore and callbacks in it but if anything is important it will get explained more directly by narration.

Excalibur #1

From there you can read numerically

The first 67 issues are pretty consistently good but you can always stop After the Cross-Time Caper story if you want something more modern

If you want to keep reading after #67 I suggest skipping the issues written by Lobdell and going straight to the Warren Ellis era

Specific issue recs if you don't want to start at the beginning:

#4: The beginning of the Kurt/Meggan/Brian love triangle. Includes the infamous page where Kurt and Meggan nearly kiss. #16: Another infamous issue. The team land in a new universe and get separated. Kurt fights some air ship pirates before getting seduced and fucked just barely off panel by an Evil Queen. He also ends up wearing some really skimpy "battle armor" towards the end. It's truly incredible that this was even allowed to be published. #23: Judge Dredd parody. The team land in a new universe and get separated (again). Kurt has some really great fight scenes against an alternate universe human version of himself and a really heartfelt story with that universes version of Meggan. #44 & 45: The british government asks the team for help investigating a series of strange robberies in London. Everyone but Kurt is out of town on personal business and his leg is broken so he decides the thing to do is recruit the chaotic aliens helping rebuild the light house as a substitute team - his "N-Men"! If you read these issues by themselves just skip over the sections about the other characters.

Uncanny X-Men by Joe Casey (2001) (#395-409) was part of the ongoing Uncanny comic. It primarily follows a team of X-Men tracking down the Church of Humanity cult as they try to eradicate mutants. This run had a lot of different artists on it but they're all good. The aesthetics and vibes of this run are some of my favorites. Casey writes Kurt a bit more grounded and less jokey but without sacrificing any of the witty banter which I like. If you like a less human-looking Nightcrawler with glowing eyes and pointy teeth this series might be for you!

Nightcrawler (2004) is a twelve issue self-contained mini-series. It's the second of three Nightcrawler self titled minis and it's also my favorite! Kurt gets enlisted as basically a supernatural investigator by Storm after a group of children die mysteriously. He has three different love interest in this which the story even calls him out for at one point. The art is more grounded than the usual marvel house style which isn't for everyone but I personally enjoy it. If you like a softer nightcrawler or a Nightcrawler in street clothes this book might be for you!

Uncanny X-Force by Rick Remender (2010) (#20-35) was an ongoing team book. It's maybe my most controversial pick because it's the Nightcrawler from the Age of Apocalypse but I'm gonna count him because he's hot. He jumped universes to join X-Force (the X-Men's covert black ops team) in issue #11 during the period of time when main universe/616 Kurt was dead. The first arc he's in is all AoA stuff so you can skip it and start at #20 (the Otherworld arc) if you want. AoA Kurt is a darker, more violent version of the character who's only interested in revenge. A lot of Nightcrawler fans hated his inclusion on the team but I personally think he's great! It also helps that the art in this is done in this gorgeous almost abstract digital watercolor style. This version of Nightcrawler ends up dying in an event comic when the series ends but don't even worry about it. Also, maybe don't start with this one. If you like the idea of a star trek-style mirror universe Kurt try reading this!

Amazing X-Men (2014) was an ongoing team book. It's the series that brought Kurt back from the dead after his death several years earlier in a crossover event. It's a really good jumping on point for modern Nightcrawler but the plot is kind of bonkers. If you read it try not to think too hard about the implications of that first arc. Most of the weirder stuff in it doesn't really matter outside of this book anyway. The art is really good - Kurt is very pretty in this. In the early issues he also has great romantic tension with Storm and Wolverine if you're in to that! It's very intertwined with the 2014 solo so if you like this definitely read that! If you like a lanky more cartoony Nightcrawler try this series and the 2014 miniseries!

Nightcrawler (2014) is a twelve issue self contained mini series. It takes place after the first arc of Amazing X-Men but can be read independently since narration explains everything that happened. I'll be honest, this series is fun but not very memorable. The art is nice, though. If you like a lanky more cartoony Nightcrawler try this series and Amazing X-Men!

[dailydamnation]

Well, I said that if they kept giving X-ladies solo books, that have to get around to Illyana eventually, but I didn't dare believe in it.

A solo ongoing for our girl. This is a good day.

Generally, I'm not big on solo X-titles, teams just work best. I've always thought Illyana is one of the characters who it would work with, though. Part of that is bias, obviously, but I think that to justify a solo, you need a character with personal stories that are distinctly different from core X-Men/mutant stories. They surprised me by finding a solid take for Jean in making her go cosmic.

Illyana's magic and demons really set her up for a unique run, and it looks like we might be getting it:

The mystic mutant goes demon hunting in her own series! The X-Man Illyana Rasputina strikes out on her own with new allies and dark powers arrayed against her.

New allies? Leah Helranger when?

Having Ashley Allen return after her Blood Hunt oneshot is a big win. Illyana really felt like Illyana in that story, and played to her strengths.

Germán Peralta I've always liked, and I think his style could be a great fit for stories like these, too:

Throughout the series, Magik will also be forced to come to terms with her tragic history and learn to control her demonic Darkchylde persona. After years of suppression, Illyana’s Darkchylde form returns from the depths of her tormented soul to offer her more strength and power, but at what cost?

This is perfection--the struggle with her dark side that is fed by her trauma, while in the same breath Allen describes her as a character with a heart of gold... Trying to be good while fearing that she's bad is core Illyana.

Literally the only quibble I have with this announcement is Peralta saying he especially loves the Bachalo design, and that costume is my personal pet peeve and won't keep me from loving this book. (Is it wrong that I love it already? It's nice to have faith.)

I love the idea of the Darkchylde having stages, growing more monstrous as Illyana gets taken over by dark impulses. And those wings? Fire addition to the design.

As a bonus, here is Germán Peralta drawing Illyana years ago in Age of X-Man: Prisoner of X #2:

Now just to decide how I'm going to get this, since I don't have a pull list at my local comic shop anymore. Marvel Unlimited still runs months behind on physical releases, which is okay for most things, but...

[silhouetteonpaper]

NAVIGATION

Welcome to my blog! I currently write for Marvel characters. Some info about me and all of my works are listed down below, I hope you enjoy!

About me:

-My name is Dani, I use she/her pronouns

-I’m 19 and from America

-I hand draw all of the art on my posts! I enjoy drawing in a handful of styles, like illustration, realism, semi-realism, and pop art

-I love filmmaking, video editing, screenwriting, and of course watching movies

-I write all my newer fics in second person with minimal character description

Series

Derived From Power | Avengers x Reader Series (ongoing)

Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch. 3 | Ch. 4 | Ch. 5 | Ch. 6 | Ch. 7 | Ch. 8 | Ch. 9

One Shots

Avengers x Reader:

Point Shoes Make Great Weapons | When Y/N is tasked with dancing her way to an assigned target, will her ballet skills be enough to lead her to the enemy?

Yelena Belova x Reader:

Isolated | You’ve been hiding from your past mistakes for two years now. So what happens when the person who blamed you in the first place knocks on your door?

The Worthy Widow | The only life you know of is that of a Widow. Years of mindless devotion to every mission, every task, and every order; the same daily routine involving training sun up to sun down. But what happens when your training is interrupted by an enemy target whom you can’t identify?

Stoic Part 1 | Part 2 | When an organization threatens to destroy your families empire, your father immediately jumps into action by hiring security protection. Unaware of what that would entail, you’re unpleasantly surprised by the woman whose sole purpose to follow you around.

Who’s To Blame? | When you show up at the compound with severe injuries, there’s no guarantee if you’re going to pull through. Even worse than that, there’s no one to explain how you ended up in this situation in the first place.

What Came Before | You’ve always wondered who you were before becoming a Widow. Against Yelena’s wishes, you finally decide to get some answers. Traveling back to the country you were born in, the truth finally reveals itself—and nothing could have prepared you for the past that changed your entire life.

Natasha Romanoff x Reader:

Vengeance | You decide to take matters into your own hands and get revenge on the person you despise most. But what happens when you keep it a secret from the entire team?

Disconnected | When a seemingly simple mission takes a turn for the worse, you’re left to your own devices to figure out how to survive.

Worth It | As you find yourself at yet another one of Tony’s parties, dread fills you at the idea of having to socialize. But what happens if you decide to cause some mischief and bend the rules a little?

Missing | When another average day of work leaves you with piles and piles of casework, you’re surprised to see the missing persons report amidst the stack of papers. Jumping headfirst into solving the case, who could have ever predicted where it would leave you?

Mind and Matter | When your plan to save New York goes awry, Natasha decides there’s only one person to blame.

Who’s To Blame? | When you show up at the compound with severe injuries, there’s no guarantee if you’re going to pull through. Even worse than that, there’s no one to explain how you ended up in this situation in the first place.

Saving Lives | It was supposed to be your one day off, working tirelessly as an EMT earning you a well deserved rest day. But what happens when a last minute emergency leaves you worried about the person you love the most?

Public Figure | The world wants to know all about you as the newest addition to the Avengers. But what happens when a normal interview session digs up something you’ve never told a soul… not even Natasha?

You’ve Changed | You’ve been hiding out for ages, living your own life now that you’ve chosen to be a solo-act agent. When someone from your past happens to appear at your door--this time with something on her mind--how will you react?

The Cycle of Grief | When your brother passed away, the only person you could blame was yourself. Now that the grief has consumed you, there’s only one thing left to do. But what happens when a certain someone threatens to spoil your plans?

Goodbye | It’s time for you to move out of the compound now that you’re ready to move onto bigger things in life—things you’re more passionate about. But what happens when that means leaving the person you love the most?

Wanda Maximoff x Reader:

The Day You’d Return | When Wanda leaves for what’s supposed to be a quick mission, she finds herself stranded without any further correspondence. After months pass, what would happen if she returned after all this time?

The Right Path | When a new opportunity is handed to you, the decision between Avenging or choosing a new path weighs on you. But there’s a matter even more pressing than what you want; what will the team think?

Mind and Matter | When your plan to save New York goes awry, Natasha decides there’s only one person to blame.

Avenging Is A Hobby | Going to school while simultaneously saving the world was supposed to be easy. But when your long list of missed assignments poses an issue, you realize something has to change.

You’re Not Special | There’s only one goal for your first party as an Avenger: get the approval of Secretary Ross. It should be easy… right?

Breaking Up or Breaking Down? | What was supposed to be a two week ‘vacation' has now lasted two months. Your girlfriend is waiting excitedly at the airport for your return, yet you’re not looking forward to it in the slightest. What happens when you’re forced to return and face your past, and even worse—your girlfriend?

Broken Trust, Breached Minds | When confronted with a new job opportunity, you’re forced to choose between careers. As an enhanced human, a certain someone has already picked out your future, making you worried what she might think—or better yet, what she might do.

All of My Art

[su-whisterfield]

Logurt incoming in the new Wolverine series starting in September? Info from Marvel. Been looking forward to these two hooking up again.

“Just in time for the character’s 50th anniversary, the Wolverine legend begins anew! Following Krakoa’s tragic fall and the brutal “Sabretooth War” storyline currently unfolding in the final issues of Benjamin Percy’s Wolverine run, Logan will turn his back on humanity, mutantkind, and the X-Men in an all-new ongoing WOLVERINE series by acclaimed writer Saladin Ahmed (Daredevil) and Marvel Stormbreaker artist Martín Cóccolo (Immortal Thor).

Ahmed and Cóccolo’s new run begins deep in the Canadian wilderness where Wolverine reunites with his wolf pack and embraces the beast within! But Wolverine’s more than an animal—he’s a soldier. And a new war is brewing. As Nightcrawler struggles to remind Logan that he’s part of a family, Logan’s exile is violently disturbed by his most hated foes, and with each battle, a new existential threat gathers strength. This ancient villain has been bubbling under the surface of the Marvel Universe since the days of myth, and once unleashed, will dramatically alter the scope of Wolverine’s storied history and force him to prove himself a hero like never before.

There’s a killer in the woods – and as Wolverine’s attempt at peace is shattered, an old enemy will re-emerge as a new villain rises that will bring Logan to the brink of his berserker rage. But Nightcrawler knows his old friend is capable of doing what’s right, and before long, Logan will have to unleash his claws, push his healing factor to the limit and demonstrate he’s the best there is at what he does once and for all – nice be damned! Note to collectors: the new series kicks off with a key first appearance and a major addition to the lore of Wolverine!

“When I was a kid, Wolverine was the coolest character in comics,” Ahmed shared. “That hasn’t changed a whole lot for me, so when Marvel approached me about a new solo Logan book, it was an instant YES.”

“Logan is simultaneously a mythic hero, an abused animal, and a man of flesh, blood, and adamantium,” he continued. “Our story is about what happens when these parts of him all pull in opposite directions – and threaten to rip Logan to pieces that won’t come back together again.”

“I could talk for hours about why I decided to take this relaunch, but you want my real answer? It’s Wolverine. That’s it,” Cóccolo shared. “It’s a dream come true for me, and I can’t believe I get to tell my younger self every day that I’m drawing WOLVERINE. Saladin’s exploration of the character and the story is incredibly exciting as a concept as well as visually engaging, and I can’t wait for people to finally see it!”

On Sale 9/11

[geekcavepodcast]

"DC Finest" Collections to Focus on Characters and Genres

DC Comics has announced DC Finest, a new set of large-size paperback collections that will focus on characters, genres, and periods in the DC library. For example, a "Robin" collection or "Green Lantern" collection may feature multiple characters who have donned the mantles.

The first DC Finest collections include:

"DC Finest – The Flash: The Human Thunderbolt - classic adventures of Silver Age Flash Barry Allen by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, including 1956’s iconic Showcase #4 and stories that include the first appearances of Captain Cold, Mirror Master, Gorilla Grodd, and other Flash rogues.

DC Finest – Batman: Year One & Two - collects stories set after Crisis on Infinite Earths like Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli's Batman: Year One and Mike W. Barr and Todd McFarlane's Batman: Year Two in addition to ’80s Batman stories from Barr, Max Allan Collins, Norm Breyfogle, and more.

DC Finest – Wonder Woman: Origins & Omens - "spotlights fan-favorite writer Gail Simone’s run on Wonder Woman, starting with 2007’s “The Circle,” with artist Terry Dodson, plus celebrated story arcs “Ends of the Earth,” “Rise of the Olympian,” and “Warkiller,” featuring art by Aaron Lopresti." (DC Comics)

DC Finest – Catwoman: Life Lines - collects "Catwoman’s 1989 solo debut by Mindy Newell and J.J. Birch, Peter Milligan and Tom Grindberg’s Catwoman Defiant from 1992, and the first year of DC’s Catwoman ongoing series, by writer Jo Duffy and artist Jim Balent." (DC Comics)

DC Finest – Superman: The Coming of Superman - collects "the Man of Steel’s earliest and most iconic adventures, starting with Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s groundbreaking Action Comics #1." (DC Comics) The collection also includes Action Comics #1-25, Superman #1-5, and New York World’s Fair Comics #1.

(Image via DC Comics - Promo Picture for DC Finest)

[gamesception]

Sception Reads Cass Cain #21

Ghost / Batgirl #1-4 Words: Mike Kennedy Pictures: Ryan Benjamin Additional Work: Randy Emberlin, Howard Shun

One impression I used to have that going back to look at ~all~ of Cass's early appearances has forced me to reconsider is the idea that she didn't appear outside of her own books very much. While later on that is more the case, early on she does have a fair few guest appearances and cross overs, including in this bit of non-canon dual publisher cross promotion with Elisa Cameron, aka Ghost, a Dark Horse character with a solo that had been running since 1995.

The miniseries pits long time Batman villain Harvey Dent against brand new Ghost antagonist Malcolm Greymater - a (fictional) confederate general turned zombie libertarian corpse reanimator - in a conflict over Greymater poaching some of Dent's employees (ie reanimating goons that Dent killed). Babs, Cass, and Elisa get caught in the middle and are forced to work together after following separate threads of a bombing by Two Face and bodies stolen by Greymater only to be sold off into unsavory employment after failed reanimation experiments.

I don't want to go through the whole thing with a plot summary - it's four issues of non-canon stuff after all. But as a stand alone story it works fairly well, worth a read if you're a fan of early Cass. In particular there's solid characterization of Harvey Dent and what it's like to work for him - pretty bad actually. You can see why he'd get upset at someone trying to poach his guys, working conditions for goons in Gotham are terrible, if word got around of better conditions in Arcadia (Ghost's hometown) or wherever else then Batman's villains could easily find themselves suffering a labor shortage. The mere idea of that is funny enough to me that I can't help but like this little mini series, and it's an idea I'd love to see brought back. Goons On Strike - now there's a solid idea for an ongoing Gotham event crossover.

Anyway, Ghost/Batgirl is definitely a higher fantasy story than we usually see from Cass, at least back in the early days, but there's a focus on the individual lives and humanity of the underlings working for the villains that's very grounded and down to earth. That fits in really well next to the "street level" focus of Cass's early solo title. As for the book's cross-promotional function, it does make me curious about Ghost, though probably not enough so to go back and look at her solo title. I like her villain here, but Malcolm Greymater and his crew seem to be more or less exclusive to this crossover? Comicvine is telling me he maybe appears in a single issue outside of this, so that's kind of disappointing.

So setting aside the story, how's our girl in this? Well, first of all, she's being drawn by new hands. In costume she's mostly fine.

Sleek and spooky, glossy black. The details of her form are sometimes lost in the darkness, which loses some specificity in the action panels, but in a way that mostly works aesthetically. My only real complaint here is that her facial expression doesn't really show through the mask. You don't get a sense of what she's thinking or feeling in costume, she's just this dark angry spooky form, not so much a person or a character. As I've said in the past, though, that's as much or more a criticism of her costume design as it is of how any particular artist draws her in it.

It's also worth noting that, as with Cass's early pairing with Azrael, her costume contrasts very nicely with Ghost's. White with round hood and billowing cape vs. Cass all black and pointy. Aesthetically it's a great fit.

Out of costume, though...

I don't know. Just doesn't quite look like Cass to me? I know, I know, comic character facial features don't have the same specific canon as their costumes do, different artists have different styles so characters will look different, and there's definitely a stylistic element here that isn't gelling with me. The overall shape of the head is too thin, maybe, making her look a bit older than she should, where I'm used to Scott's more rounded face, stronger jaw, bushier eyebrows, shorter, poofier hair.

Scott's style, at least at the time, also just packs in more emotional expression, which is absolutely critical for a silent protagonist.

By contrast Benjamin's Cass, when she's not in costume, is often just standing a bit behind Babs with a sort of blank, neutral expression while Babs interacts with other characters or the audience for her.

...

Which also kind of brings us to the writing for Cass here. Ghost / Batgirl is probably the best example yet that silent Cass was a mistake, because yeah, the creators of this book just do not know how to convey her character to the reader without words. The first image starts with Cass looking out over the wreckage of a bombing, and of course there's pseudo noir internal monologue all over it, because how else do you start a bat-book, only Cass can't narrate so Babs provides the narration even though she isn't even in that scene.

Babs goes along on the adventure mostly so the writers have someone who can talk for Cass, or even in some panels quite literally talk over Cass.

Cass is an intimidating physical presence in costume, but in this book she functions more as an extension of Babs than as a person in her own right.

...

It's not all bad, though. In particular there's this one bit introducing an additional ability for Cass that makes perfect sense with her backstory and yet sadly I don't think is ever mentioned again in a canon Batgirl story:

Cass gets poisoned, but she survives, and recovers remarkably quickly, because she has a natural resistance to many poisons and venoms built up from repeat exposure to tiny amounts when she was a child, because of course that's something David would do. You could just imagine little Cass and David having drinking contests to see who could take the most poison before passing out, or even sneakily poisoning each other as a little game of escalating pranks.

...

So yeah, overall a nice little stand alone series with maybe not the best depiction of Cass, but one that is illustrative of why the major change to have her start speaking, while I still don't like how it was done, was probably for the best.

[lingyunxiang]

Howie Mandel has remained a constant force in show business for more than 30 years. He can currently be seen on NBC’s flagship series America’s Got Talent where he has served as a judge for eleven seasons. He recently finished production on his new documentary Howie
Mandel: But Enough About Me. Other recent projects include judging NBC’s America’s Got

Talent: The Champions, CNBC’s Deal or No Deal where he served as executive producer and host and Nat Geo Wild’s Animals Doing Things where he co-hosted with his son Alex. He alsoexecutive produced the Quibi series Kirby Jenner. In 2019 he released his first solo special in 20 years Howie Mandel Presents Howie Mandel at the Howie Mandel Comedy Club.

 

In 2020 Howie teamed up with ePlay Digital Inc. and launched the charity, Breakout the Masks, and mobile game campaign to give back to those involved in the fight against COVID-19. Via Howies’ Games the first challenge is Outbreak where players’ points translate to donations of N95 face masks, portable ventilators, gloves and other Personal Protective Equipment to doctors, nurses and more front line workers. The second game SwishAR has users looking for America’s Got Talent’s, Howie Mandel, to join in a backyard basketball game to shoot hoops.
Both games are available on the Apple App store and Google Play.

 

His additional projects as a host, actor, and/or executive producer include Take It All and Howie Do It for NBC, Deal With It for TBS and Mobbed for Fox. Previously, Mandel received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program for Deal or No Deal and a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Game Show Host for the syndicated version of the show. Mandel’s versatile career has encompassed virtually all aspects of the entertainment spectrum, including television, film and stage. From his work on the Emmy Award-winning St. Elsewhere, to the international animated children’s series Bobby’s World,Mandel has become a mainstay of the American comedy scene. In 2009, Mandel added author to his resume when he released his frank, funny and no-holds-barred memoir, “Here’s the Deal:Don’t Touch Me.” The memoir revealed his ongoing struggle with OCD and ADHD, and how it has shaped his life and career. It made The New York Times bestseller list on its first week and remained on the list for several consecutive weeks. Mandel has done countless comedy specials both on cable and network television. He has also hosted his own syndicated talkshow, The Howie Mandel Show and continues to be a mainstay on the talk show circuit. He alsocontinues to perform as many as 200 stand up comedy shows each year throughout the U.S.and Canada.

[jagi11]

Black Vow Tsubamari AU Masterpost

About an angel that gave up her place in heaven, all for a lonely maiden she fell for like crazy.

A Himitsu series retelling but it’s tsubamari! This AU existed ever since I released a solo illustration in January, but I wanted to expand onto this world a bit. I genuinely think Black Vow’s story is heavily underrated, even with the recognition it’s still getting. And as a self-declared tbmr artist, who am I to turn down an idea for a cute comic?

This story is mostly based on the novel adaptation, but I’m tossing in lots of my original ideas. It’s serialized in parts and is still ongoing! Separate parts probably won’t be tagged, and will be released one by one. I gave myself the permission to make some silly titles -v-

🌸List of parts

Part 1 - My feelings, made known to you

[ pt 1 ] [ pt 2 ]

Part 2 - My only way

[ pt 1 ] [ pt 2 ]

Part 3 - My hands in yours

[ pt 1 ] [ pt 2 ] [ pt 3 ]

Part 4 - My own regrets, after all

[ pt 1 ] [ pt 2 ]

Part 5 - Your sparkling eyes

[ pt 1 ] [ pt 2 ] [ pt 3 ]

Part 6 - Your beautiful smile

[ pt 1 ] [ pt 2 ] [ pt 3 ] [ pt 4 ]

Part 7 - Your feelings, made known to me

[ pt 1 ] [ pt 2 ] [ pt 3 ] [ pt 4 ]

Part 8 - Our home

[ pt 1 ] [ pt 2 ] [ pt 3 ] [ pt 4 ] [ pt 5 ] [ pt 6 ]

Part 9 - Our past

(in the works)

Links to the parts on twitter, if you prefer reading in threads:

Part 1 [x] || Part 2 [x] || Part 3 [x] || Part 4 [x] || Part 5 [x] || Part 6 [x] || Part 7 [x] || Part 8 [x]

🌸Additional content

Additional content includes bonus illustrations and character design sheets.

First illustration - [x]

Character design notes - [x]

Redraws of the novel’s illustrations - [x] [x]

Maria and Tsubasa/Tsunayuki’s reference sheets - [x]

Hibiki and Miku’s reference sheets - [x]

Machi set - [x]

Shunran (animatic) - [x]

🌸Side stories

Side stories will cover content that didn’t fit in the main story! Presented here in chronological order.

(Summertime) Maria’s birthday (2024) - [x]

(Wintertime) Snow Angels - [x]

(Christmas Special) Wafers and Mr Penguin - [x]

[sandypuggames]

Audio Guided Solo TTRPG Concept

Hello. You are listening to a guided roleplaying adventure. This audio will prompt you to build a character, then develop that character through a series of encounters, locations, relationships, and other interactions with a fantastical world.

Lets begin by making your character. In our setting, you play as a member of an outcast band of forest rangers, who patrol a land known as The Vast. This land is populated by enormous, skyscraper sized trees which house entire societies, who live in fear and ignorance of your forest home.

Your character has three skills - a Traversal skill, this is something that helps them move through the environment. They have a combat skill - again, an ability or an edge when conflicts escalate to blows. And finally they have a social skill. This is something that helps them navigate the often fraught interactions with the people around them. Think of a skill for each of these categories, and as you do, try to begin picturing the character you will embody for the next few hours in your mind. How do these skills reflect on them as a person? How are they changed by their mastery of these arts? Does their skillset ask them to wear particular clothes, or carry particular equipment? Perhaps these skills imply comrades, or perhaps they wrap your character in the arcane.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Locations have several points of interest. As I describe them, imagine how your character moves through the area. Try to make note of NPCs that sound interesting, and what your character might have to say to them.

When we describe the NPCs in these areas, we will sometimes describe conditions that would prompt them to share additional information, or change their attitudes significantly. Consider if your character meets these conditions, or what they might do to force them. Remember the number of "actions" your character takes are limited.

When you hear the music change like this - that means your time in this area is coming to an end; an event is about to occur that will prevent you from spending any more time here, and we will move to another hub. You can always pause the audio, or rewind, for more time to think, but do try to limit your distinct actions to the number at the start of the audio.

As we can't know how exactly you reacted to the situations we present, try to carry over your choices between events - it can be helpful to enshrine interactions in physical objects - jewels or coins, magical tools, special food - that you can more easily "carry" in your mind. We will typically try to describe a series of broad strokes, pre-determined events as you move through these spaces, and leave the details of the story to you.

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In Combat, we will describe an ongoing melee, often several conflicts playing out at once; we will describe enemies opening salvos, their approaches, their goals, and their retreats. The assumption is always that your character ultimately succeeds at what they do, but as we describe the scene, you might find your character placed into critical situations, and be asked to give up valuable leverage, items, and positions in exchange for victory. When the music changes like this, that means its time to pay the cost for your victory. Think about what you give up, and what that says about your character, and the world around them.

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[toastofthetrashfire]

My Meta Master Post

As the title says, a master post with links to all my meta! Updating as I go!

Not Me

Reading of Dan via Paradise Lost

The Eighth Sense

Queer and Crip Time in The Eighth Sense and Giovanni's Room

Shadow the Series Solo Posts

Shadow and Hamlet (posted before episodes 8-14)

Art in Shadow (posted before episodes 8-14)

Shadow and Narrative (posted before episodes 8-14)

On Narrative in Shadow Part 2

Disability in Shadow

Shadow Meta Series: Technology, Time, and Horror (ongoing)

Posted Prior to episodes 8-14

Intro post

Post 1: Clocks and Masculinity in Shadow (posted before 8-14)

Post 2: Trin, Technology, and Narrative (posted before 8-14)

Post 3: Anurak and Old vs New Technology (posted before 8-14)

Post 4: Clocks Part 2

Post 5: Anurak and Trin, Trauma and Power

Only Friends

Some additions to a conversation on cuckoldry

Home School the Series

On Life Lessons

Maki being Manipulated

Moonlight Chicken

Some personal reflections on building a home

Midnight Museum

A short note on disability in Midnight Museum

Dead Friend Forever

Space and Framing in Episode 5

Touch in Episode 5

Math Skills vs Good Looks in Episode 5 (in conversation with my roomate)

Framing in DFF: The Masked Killer (ep 1-4)

Did Tee like Non?

Color in DFF: Part 1 (ep 5-6)

Color in DFF: Part 2 (ep 1-4)

Some things noticed on a DFF rewatch (meta-ish)

Color in DFF: Episode 7

Color in DFF Part 4: Episode 8

Color in DFF Part 5: Episode 9

Color in DFF Part 6: Episode 11

DFF, Found Footage, and the Real (reading DFF through parallels with found footage horror films and their themes)

Framing in DFF: Voyeurism and Sex

A Conversation on Genre (addition to a conversation)

An observation about a photo and voyeurism in episode 11

No Entry: Voyeurism and Reality in the DFF Finale

Other

Communication in JBLs (an addition to a discussion on Kieta Hatsukoi adaptations)

Comparison of how Kiseki Dear to Me and History 4 build in the adopted brothers trope (an addition to a conversation)

Last Twilight's ending (an addition to a conversation)

On Last Twilight and the Ableism of "hope" (an addition to a conversation)

[dojae-huh]

The tour and the solos

Some thoughts on the messy schedule of January-February of 2024 and lack of American leg for NCT Unity tour.

Foreword. I think we, fans, should get used to this order of things. SM gets more and more artists, more and more neos do solo activities. It becomes impossible to dedicate socmed for a period of time to only one unit or a member. It's not just solos. BA work, YT content announcement, magazine pictorials, etc. - these activities also need to be announced, and they break a sequence of promotional material of the member under the spotlight.

Ideally, an album should be announced a month prior to its release. Three weeks is the usual time for SM. Three weeks of pre-release promotional run+two weeks of music shows+a week or two for "tails" (fanmeets, bts yt content, some magazine articles). A month and a half. 4 units, 2 comebacks per year. 8x1.5=12. As you see, a smooth series of comebacks is possible in an ideal scenario and without solos. However, some units have 3 comebacks (+singles/Japanese releases). Some months are bad for comebacks (Olympics, holidays). I didn't include NCT/NCT U/DJJ/solos. Not to mention, members get sick, members get tied by obligations to third-parties (tv-series, BA appearences), and there are multiple possible reasons for delays in production of albums and MVs, multiple ways a "perfect" schedule can go awry.

That being said, a schedule for NCT still can be paced better than we had this winter. I would not like a repeat. I think it is the result of catching up with things (Ten's solo, it was postponed), priorities (Wish debut at SMtown), and Taeyong not having much time left (enlistment) with the need to continue with 127's Unity tour (Tokyo Dome, March 9-10). In addition, both Tae and Ten had BA appearence obligations at the time of their comebacks. Even if they don't take too long, they still affect scheduling of fanmeets and concerts.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

If you browse X, you'll easily see fans believing SM is intentionally sabotaging NCT 127 and some neos (Taeyong and Ten). "SM can't let them become too popular". Such statements are close to a fan's heart, evoke immidiate emotional responce.

Where is the proof and argumentation though?

It is indeed not peachy inside SM right now. Kakao, Hybe are the new biggest shareholders. CEOs were changed. There were talks about the board consisting of only finance guys, and artists trying to fight back. Ongoing investigations of Kakao, SM and Align that helped to oust LSM. A constant mayhem. I don't even go there.

NCT is SM's current bread-winner (together with aespa). After LSM/Kakao/Hybe feudal war SM needs to show investors its 3.0 plan is working, that the company is profitable, it will have money to pay dividents, that despite foreign investors losing interest in k-pop companies and pulling out, and SM stock falling low because of investigations, SM is still a worthy company to trust its money to. Believe in it, and it will come out a winner, and stocks will rebound. Hence, SM needs good sales from NCT and all the members. SM needs money. The company is undergoing a big change and is buying companies in US and establishing new ones for music production&distribution, not to forget SM needs money for the new groups (they will take time with investment return).

Secondly, 127 neos are approaching contract renewal. It is not the time to dissapoint them and make them think of possibly parting ways. Yes, Taeyong now knows his worth and alludes to it in interviews. Who will bring money then? Dream? They have their renewals same year. Who says they won't decide to join their hyungs after witnessing a bad treatment of them?

Intentionally sabotaging the artists, making them regret being signed to the company, simply doesn't make sense in the current situation SM is in.

Taeil had a duet song with an indie artist once (whose company is an SM's sub-label). I consider the video for their song as the bottom of SM's lowered standarts. Nowadays covers get a better treatment.

Now, think of the quality of photoshoots and promotional videos Ten and Taeyong got. Clear concepts were developed, professionals were hired, everything was organised quickly, solutions were found (like wigs for Tae). Both were given a lot of say, their opinion listened to. Taeyong got to perform on music shows the song he likes the most (Moon tour) and the one (APE) he asked to be added to the album after A&R offered him their list. By the way, the quality of print of the latest albums is much better than Resonance.

Fans heard Taeyong used one of his jackets (the white puff one), and run with the story he styled all other outfits and did his own make-up, lol. Since when Taeyong is a make-up artist? As for Loewe, it's how it's done. Brands give clothes to idol companies to be used and advertised, it's benefitial for both parties. Jaehyun is constantly in Prada in recent 127 MVs.

Money on promotion should be spent wisely. Afterall, profit starts only after the expenses are covered. If some type of advertisement is costly but brings little exposure, is not effective, it shouldn't be implemented. It is better to spend those money on something else.

Beyonce can promote her album through one twit, and that will be enough, it is because she has the capital of her name. Fans tend to not realise this about idols. New groups need a lot of promotion to gain fans. For older artists their name does the work, they already have a fandom. K-pop is not for general public, it's a niche product. The 1,2 mln Spotify subscribers on Tae's channel will hear the new album without any special ad. Same applies to subscribers on other music platforms.

Despite Taeyong giving only two concerts in a small venue (Seoul has a problem with venues, this one is used by many k-pop idols), his concert was prepared better than Link. He flew in the air, there was a giant "T" letter, lightsticks were synchronised. Taeyong decided on the setlist himself, he was given full reign over it.

Whatever problems there are on the upper level with higher ups, the staff at NCT centre worked with intention to do right by the artists.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

A lot of money was invested in American market. 127 spent a month there. It is not reasonable to just forget about it after the effort brought results. During Link tour 127 spent 2 weeks in NA and gave 8 shows. Meaning, even a short-lasting trip is enough. The more concerts (with the same setlist, props, choreos) a tour has, the more profit and return, afterall. Again, it is not reasonable to shorten it, when it is actually a well enough prepared concert.

So "Why"? I think it is a simple result of "squeze in" approach. Normally, Tae's 2nd album would be released later, but he wanted it before enlistment. If Taeyong enlists somewhere in late March-early April, then perhaps the US leg was sacrificed for his solo. MarkHyuk also need time to prepare for Dream activities, at least 2 weeks, I guess.

To be honest, the lack of NA concerts puzzles me. Japan is more profitable (domes) and more convenient (close), so it takes precedence. Still. Taeyong is the only culprit I can think off, lol.

[krispyweiss]

Song Review: Grateful Dead - “Samson and Delilah” (Live, July 8, 1990)

July 8, 1990, must’ve been a Sunday.

Sound Bites knows this not because he’s some kind of calendar savant, but because he knows his Grateful Dead pretty well. And because the Dead played “Samson and Delilah” on that date in Pittsburgh - a gig the blog attended - that date must’ve been a Sunday.

Out as the latest addition to the band’s ongoing “All the Years Live” video series, this one finds the Dead in high spirits. Jerry Garcia, in particular, is having a real good time - lots of smiles, moving about the stage and making occasional googly eyes at keyboardist Brent Mydland, who would be dead before the month ended.

Unlike some other performances from this tour, Mydland is fully engaged, singing strong harmonies and playing a B3 solo that gets tossed off to a fanning Garcia.

Of course, the drummers are super busy for the song’s seven-minute duration. Bassist Phil Lesh bubbles without pause and Bob Weir is a screaming maniac at the mic.

Goddam, Sound Bites misses Grateful Dead concerts. There was nothing like ’em.

Grade card: Grateful Dead - “Samson and Delilah” (Live - 7/8/90) - A-

Read Sound Bites’ previous “All the Years Live” coverage here.

12/19/23

[theanimeview]

Anime To Look Forward To – Winter 2024

It is the start of the Winter 2024 season, and, as mentioned, this month, we’re doing things missed before we take off on posting until about April. That means that TAV is missing basically all of the Winter season.

Before “leaving,” I wanted to make a few quick recommendations for those watching things this season.

In upcoming/ongoing works to consider watching this season, I (Peggy Wood, Editor of The Anime View) recommend:

Ore dake Level Up na Ken / Solo Leveling

We published a post about this one already, so I won’t explain why to watch this again here. Instead, please see our post on it: https://theanimeview.com/2023/12/23/winter-2024-must-see-dungeon-break-solo-leveling/

Tsuki ga Michibiku Isekai Douchuu 2nd Season / Tsukimichi -Moonlit Fantasy- Season 2

I watched Season 1 of this series back in 2021 and really liked it. As far as this isekai goes, it is a pretty consistently laid-back series. It is definitely the kind you can sit and enjoy without having to think about logistics constantly. It is a funny series, and the harem he builds is comedic rather than a gushing-girls story. A positive addition to the Winter 2024 lineup.

Dungeon Meshi / Delicious in Dungeon

I picked this series up after watching a video from Lines In Motion of YouTube (a channel we recommended in 2023). The video they shared made a significant impression on me, shedding light on aspects of the series that I hadn’t previously considered. As I read the manga, while it may not top my list of favorites, it’s unquestionably a series I’ve added to my watch list and one I feel comfortable recommending here. If you’re into a blend of dungeon drama interspersed with comedy and culinary adventures, this is definitely worth considering for your watch list as well!

Chiyu Mahou no Machigatta Tsukaikata / The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic

I began reading this manga a few years back but had to drop it due to focusing on classes and other projects. The recent announcement of its upcoming anime adaptation this season got me excited. I regret not completing the training arc at the story’s outset, which was incredibly enjoyable. The protagonist is an “average” individual driven to pursue a path of greatness for the sake of helping others. I’m drawn to this series primarily for its characters rather than its plot, although the unique premise intrigued me when I first encountered it. The main character, along with two genuine friends rather than deceitful counterparts, is summoned as heroes. Each undergoes their own training, gaining immediate prestige. However, in my opinion (and seemingly in the opinions of the other two friends), our protagonist stands out as the most remarkable among the trio. Very much looking forward to seeing it this season!

Akuyaku Reijou Level 99: Watashi wa Ura-Boss desu ga Maou dewa Arimasen / Villainess Level 99: I May Be the Hidden Boss but I’m Not the Demon Lord

We published a post about the manga for this already, so I won’t explain why to watch it here. Instead, please see our post on the manga, and consider that the anime will likely be just as great!: https://theanimeview.com/2023/01/28/edit-recommended-manga-review-villainess-level-99-i-may-be-the-hidden-boss-but-im-not-the-demon-lord/

Gekai Elise / Doctor Elise: The Royal Lady with the Lamp

This is a series I wanted to recommend a while ago. It is a completed webcomic currently available on Lezhin. This series is about second chances and what it takes to earn back what you’ve lost. Our main character is granted the opportunity to relive her life, armed with the knowledge of a past existence on Earth. It’s a tale of regression, characterized by various twists and turns, yet without particularly intense or nail-biting climaxes that come to mind. The narrative primarily unfolds as a love story that ends happily, and the journey to that happy ending is well worth reading for yourself if interested. Additionally, it draws inspiration from real-life medical history, incorporating elements that, while I can’t vouch for their accuracy, resonate with clear nods to historical events—an interesting and fun aspect for those in the know.

Loop 7-kaime no Akuyaku Reijou wa, Moto Tekikoku de Jiyuu Kimama na Hanayome Seikatsu wo Mankitsu suru / 7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy!

This is another series I’ve been meaning to recommend for some time. It’s another regression story, but with a twist—here, the main character takes full advantage of the diverse opportunities that accompany each new lease on life. The initial chapters prompt one to think about the role of happenstance in our lives. It’s fascinating how certain events transpire solely due to being in the right place at the right time or due to a particular statement (or even the wrong one), shaping the trajectory we’re on. I found this exploration intriguing, especially with the main character’s positive outlook. They emphasize that missing one chance doesn’t preclude the possibility of finding or creating other opportunities that have just as much benefit. It really is a fun premise, and so I imagine that the anime will be just as fun to watch! Hence, my recommendation!

Saijaku Tamer wa Gomi Hiroi no Tabi wo Hajimemashita. / The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash

If you enjoyed By the Grace of the gods, chances are you’ll find this series equally appealing. The main character faces a challenging and arduous journey, yet with the help of slimes, dedication, and a strong moral compass, it’s evident that she’ll overcome these obstacles. Based on what I’ve read, it is primarily a wholesome story. I highly recommend it to all of you!

Sousou no Frieren / Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End

We published a post about this one already, so I won’t explain why to watch this again here. Instead, please see our post on it: https://theanimeview.com/2023/09/30/write-fall-2023-season-must-see-title/

Meitantei Conan / Case Closed / Detective Conan

This is a long-running series that I love. Since I was making this post anyway, I thought I’d mention it too! If you like murder mysteries and puzzle-solving, this is a great anime to pick up.

[fearsmagazine]

Episode four of The eX-Files podcast hosted by Jenny Owen Youngs and Kristin Russo is out now

Episode four, “Conduit,” of The eX-Files, an “X-Files” rewatch podcast from acclaimed podcast hosts Jenny Owen Youngs and Kristin Russo, is out now. New episodes follow every Wednesday and are available on all major podcast platforms.

The eX-Files is created under Russo and Young’s podcast collective Buffering: A Rewatch Adventure—part of the ongoing collection of rewatch podcasts under the duo’s creative direction.

“Conduit” follows episode three, “Squeeze,” which featured Song Exploder host/creator Hrishikesh Hirway. Future season guests will be announced soon.

On The eX-Files, Youngs—who grew up on a steady diet of Mulder and Scully—and Russo—who’s never seen it—dig into every episode of the seminal 90s sci-fi, “The X-Files,” spoiler free, one at a time. The podcast’s namesake—The eX-Files spelled with an “e”—is a credit to the duo’s relationship: in addition to being longtime business partners, Youngs and Russo are also ex-wives. The new series finds Youngs and Russo at their very best, as they engage in critical discussions on aliens, actors and ’90s nostalgia through a queer and feminist lens. Youngs and Russo’s first project—what started as a podcast venture between a married couple to explore every episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”—turned into a pop culture phenomenon that sold out live shows across the country. Their infectious chemistry, coupled with their joyful and empathetic exploration of story, earned Buffering the Vampire Slayera spot on the top of rewatch podcast lists from The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, Esquire, TIME and more.

Singer-songwriter Jenny Owen Youngs has released numerous albums and EPs, including last year’s It’s Dangerous to Go Alone, and has toured worldwide with the likes of Regina Spektor, Frank Turner and Aimee Mann, among others. She recently co-wrote the chart topping, five-time platinum single “High Hopes” by Panic! At The Disco, as well as co-writing songs with Ingrid Michaelson, Pitbull, Briston Maroney, Shungudzo and others. Her solo music has been featured on TV shows such as “Weeds,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Nurse Jackie” and “Bojack Horseman” and has seen praise from The AV Club, The New York Times, Stereogum and NPR.

Kristin Russo is a writer, educator and consultant with a focus on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) issues. She is the author of This is a Book for Parents of Gay Kids (Chronicle, 2014) and founded the educational website My Kid Is Gay. She also worked as host and producer of “First Person,” a video series on gender and sexuality from PBS Digital and WNET. She holds a Masters in Gender Studies from the CUNY Graduate Center, has spoken at hundreds of universities nationwide—Harvard, Stanford and NYU included—and works with large-scale companies like Hyatt, Virgin Galactic, and Toyota on allyship & inclusion.

You can listen to Episode four, “Conduit,” of The eX-Files HERE.

[brw]

hi! i read your wonder man essay, he sounds really interesting :O

Do you have any comics you'd recommend to start with for him??

Thank you so much! I'm actually in the process of compiling a reading list for Simon, with additional tabs for further reading; of course, I'm compiling this as I'm rereading, which is a slow process bc for some reason I decided I would manually add a PSD I made & also recolour wanda in every panel which adds to the time. In the meantime though I can definitely offer some starter stories & some general stories / trivia I like. I made a guide specific to Simon & Hank's best moments a while back.

Avengers V1 #9 – the debut, pretty linear story. If you want you can read Avengers Classic #9, which is a reprint of the original story but includes a new backup issue between Simon & Janet 🤷 it's not mentioned anywhere else so it's canon is... questionable but it's there!

Simon is involved in one or two necromancy plots but the one where he really comes back from the dead begins in #151 - #153, then Avengers annual #6, #154, then Super Villain Team-Up #9 from 1975 & that arc concludes in #155. it sort of messily goes over with other stories but it's pretty good in establishing Simon's whole deal.

you can read on or just skip ahead to avengers V1 #160, where the grim reaper, eric williams, who bothered vision a lot in prior issues of Avengers , is back to bother simon. i honestly love this issue so much, it's a great intro to the stuff between simon & vision & eric.

at this point you can keep reading until avengers #211 when he quits the first time, he's sort of just there and isn't really majorly a big player but some moments i like are #181, #198 & #201 which really define the simon & hank duo that became a thing.

marvel graphic novel: emperor doom is probably my favourite wonder man solo adventure n that's because the story doesn't hinge on being there? he's just sort of the vehicle for the resolution, but the plot doesn't necessitate that he be there. i kind of like it. anyway dr doom is doing some nefarious shit with purple man & namor is there and vision dances & simon reveals he can do professional standard makeup . it's a super fun story!

wonder man vol 1 #1-#4 is simons first proper solo title and it's .... okay? it does a pretty good job at showing what simon does with himself when not fighting graviton or whatever but the plot is just not part of that whatever. there's a portal to another dimension in a machine and a bunch of tiny people come out??? it's strange but there's some cute panels of simon getting licked by a dog and also lifting a taxi so that's fun.

west coast avengers v1, & wca v2 #1-#12 when read along the sister series vision & the scarlet witch v2. the first volume isn't majorly simon intensive but the first & second issue are ridiculous in the queercoding & I think abt it a lot. wca & v&sw deal with the whole Simon/Vision/Eric conflict again which is the second & kinda the last time this conflict is done right or at all in an interesting way to me unfortunately 😔 Simon keeps showing up in WCA but his character gradually degrades until john byrne and well. it's John Byrne.

There's not a lot Simon does that's unique to his character after this. like there's one or two issues in WCA but the characteristion is sloppy & it feels more like a callback to better comics from the 70s then it does independent stories. This is also weird bc his next most major appearance is wonder man v2, his only ongoing title & not a limited series. however, it's written by gerard jones, and undeniably 90s, so i don't recommend this as a first taste for the character, ill say the first 6, 7 issues are actually fun before the series gets sucked into event hell where every issue is an event tie in & it sucks and the series never recovers. those first issues are fun though and give Simon a rich inner life independent of the avengers he never had before or will again, unfortunately at the cost of Byrne characterisation.

He blows up in Force Works #1 which is so inconsequential it feels like a joke but no for the remainder of the 90s he's just dead until Kurt Busiek brings him back and he's mostly wanda's gay Pokémon she sends out and then becomes real and uh. just hangs out. he makes out with hank in #14 of v3 which is fun, n doesn't really do much other than hang out with Wanda so. you know. that's that.

he dates carol for a bit when we hit the 2000s and everything goes to hell but again, plays second fiddle most of the time. he gets a fun story in civil war - front line which is not even the B story but the C story, and it technically begins in issue 2 but Simon shows up in 5, 6 & 7 so that's where I care. It shows an interesting side of Simon's superhero-actor persona being used for propaganda, which I think is an interesting idea. especially because Simon in this story gets blackmailed ... by S.H.I.E.L.D. Just fun conceptually & fits Simon well into 616.

simon goes evil for a bit & tries to destroy the avengers for... honestly fairly legitimate stuff? but the story is kind of dumb & basically afterwards he swears an oath of pacifism, which i would be cool with if he stopped quoting ghandi. simon fresh from 15 years dead, sure, but at this point he is savvy & has experienced enough stuff to... not quite ghandi. anyway, he's in different volumes of uncanny avengers but frankly i hate this series so. fuck it.

simon doesn't get a lot to do afterwards, really! pacifism moves the character more into failed Superman territory because he won't even fight and yet nobody takes this angle n he just hangs out? anyway the mcelroys from podcast fame write a tie-in for war of realms called journey into mystery. it's okay! Simon hangs out with Miles & Kate Bishop Hawkeye which is fun & is a big fan of Western Hollywood which fits his character bc he was around when that was one of the massive movie industries. He's also super cute with the baby in it which is sweet.

and uh, yeah! it's mostly chronological, this list, so you can get a vague feel for each era & how he's evolved. he's not major in it but if you're interested he's confirmed jewish in marvel holiday special 2005 which i think is cool. if you're wondering why i didn't include wonder man v3, well, read it if you want but the art is gross & frankly the story is nonsense n it's only saving grace is that simon, hank mccoy & carol are all hanging out like that's a regular thing which i like. if you want a more in depth reading list, i can go through more of his stuff in ms marvel appearances & his one random appearance in 90s power man & his stuff in busiek avengers, but i think this should give a good grip of the character throughout the decades while not having to read like, 100 issues lol.