New Comic Books

Overview

Zemo the Barbarian? A vicious struggle for control of the family barony is being settled through crossed swords, when Helmut Zemo is yanked through time again -- to post WWI Germany where he meets his Grandfather for the very first time...and learns of his family's involvement in a plot to assassinate Hitler! Meanwhile, in the present day, researcher/Zemo hater Wendell Volker finalizes his plans to return Helmut from his time-tossed state... and all it requires is a little Zemo blood... okay, a LOT of Zemo blood...

1879

Zemo has jumped to the time of Baron Hobart Zemo, tenth in his family lineage. This Zemo is under attack by assassination attempts. He is actually trying to find solutions the problems of the people that are trying to kill him. Zemo knows his assassination is inevitable but continues to help protect him. He knows he won't die on this date unless history got the date wrong. As he tries to shoot a killer approaching Hobart, Zemo feels himself being drawn away. History did get the date wrong.

Zemo now finds himself in 1932 by his grandfather, Baron Herman Zemo. German soldiers are fighting against the British and Union Jack (James Mongomery) is there. Zemo prevents Union Jack from striking his grandfather and soon begins trading punches with him. As Herman and his soldiers run towards them, Union Jack throws Zemo at them. Herman strikes Zemo across the face for allowing Union Jack to escape. Next they prepare to fire mustard gas on the British. Zemo begins to see his grandfather in a different light as he watches him and his soldiers celebrate their use chemical warefare.

Today

After Castle Zemo "popped out of thing air," the German authorities have quarantined it as the lawyers fight over who owns it. Wendell Volker has been given permission to tour the castle along with a local policeman and Interpol agent. Volker comments on how in all his research, he has yet to find a Zemo worth respecting. He knows that Zemo is coming back. He believes it is inevitable. When asked what his research is about, he responds that it is about power, who has it and how they wield it. He kills both the policeman and agent. He says he has to be waiting for Zemo when he comes back. He says it's all about the blood. He feels he has no choice but to do these killings. He stands among at least a dozen dead bodies.

Back in 1932, Herman is boasting about the defeat of the British. Zemo tires of listening and begins to leave. Herman notices and asks where he is going. Zemo apologizes and says he does not like to listen to tales of toxic gases and the effects they have because of what he looks like under his mask. Herman then wants to study Zemo to better understand the potential of science. Zemo is outraged and grabs him. All the soldiers' guns are on Zemo as he begins to feel a chronal pull. Knowing he cannot let anyone see him disappear (since there was no mention in his grandfather's journals), Zemo jumps out the window just in time.

Zemo now finds himself closer to "home." To his surprise, he finds Baron Heinrich Zemo and his scientists being congratulated by a visiting Adolf Hitler.

Overview

Venom is back in town, and he's on a rampage...but it has nothing to do with his vendetta against Spidey? What could be so important that Venom doesn't have the time to torture his nemesis? Peter Parker is determined to find out, but first he'll have to match journalistic wits with none other than Eddie Brock! Plus a new backup tale by Paul Benjamin & Vasilis Lolos, featuring the Lizard! And fresh from Japan…Spider-Man J! Printed for the first time in America and translated for your reading pleasure! AND…classic tales from Amazing Spider-Man #177 and #347! That enough Spidey for ya?

Venom (Eddie Brock) attempts to murder a rich businesswoman, Ione Damasco, and is stopped by Spider-Man. Rather than fight him, Venom does something different. He tells Spider-Man to mind his own business and leaves. The woman, rather than thankful for having her life saved, goes off on Spider-Man. When he tries to find out why Venom would be after her, the police arrive. Now it is Spider-Man's turn to leave.

The next morning over breakfast, Peter decides that Venom needs to be put away for good. He hates the fact that Venom has terrorized Mary Jane. He heads over to the Daily Bugle to ask Ben Urich if he knows anything about Venom's attack on the businesswoman. Ben doesn't know. When Peter asks about the names of other businessmen that was mentioned, Ben tells him that one of them could be a CEO that was suffocated in his home the past week. Peter then goes down to the Bugle's morgue to look over the paper's archives. Finally he finds an article with the three names (and others). Another businessman was mauled to death two weeks ago. Peter now wonders why Eddie Brock is after these people.

Ione is in her apartment surrounded by hired guards. When she goes to be alone in her room, she finds another guard in there. It turns out to be Brock in disguise. The next day, it's reported that she's dead. Peter returns to the Bugle to tell Ben that he's found the connection. The list of names he's compiled has over twenty names on it. Ben insists that Peter hands over the information to the police and avoid Venom at all costs.

Continuing his search for a connection with Venom and the others, Peter finally recieves a tip. Paying a visit to one of the businessmen, Spider-Man confronts him over what he's done. They were working on a hair growth drug. Pressed for time, they began testing it on unwilling transients. Because so many were killed, Venom is after them for vengeance. Finally Spider-Man asks how they were able to keep reporter Eddie Brock quiet.

Just then, Venom arrives. He tells Spider-Man that first they try a bribe. Then they say they've hired a hit man to kill your wife. The two begin to fight. As they smash around the place, an electrical fire begins. The fire causes Venom to have to flee since his symbiote hates fire. Peter saves the businessman but delivers him to the police. Ben is able to write the story (with the research notes from Eddie Brock). Venom is somewhat pleased. But he says he is not finished with Spider-Man just yet.

Dr. Curt Connors checks in on his star grad student to find out about his "secret experiment." Connors notices that the machinery he's working on is similar to a genetic replicator. The nervous student explains that it replaces genes that are switched off in one species with active ones from another. As the student rushes to the door to pay for his dinner, Curt notices lizards in a cage. Outraged, he tells the student that he has no idea what he's getting himself into. The student replies that he knows Connors' secret. Connors is baffled as to why he would continue working on an experiment that turned himself into a monster. He begins destroying the lab. The reptile cage is damaged and Connors transforms into the Lizard.

The Lizard tries to kill the student but he fights back. The student says that he won't let him destroy his work when he is so close to finding a cure. The Lizard and the student are thrown back. The student falls into the smashed replicator (that happens to have one of the lizards in it) and there is an explosion.

Curt awakes, back to normal but saddened over what has happened to his student. The paramedics arrive to take the student away who now has the mind of reptile himself. As they leave, none notices a pinned lizard amidst the wreckage that can speak and asks Dr. Connors for help.

Flash Thompson is thrown from a window by the new Green Goblin. Determined not to allow someone else close to him die, Spider-Man rushes to the window, snags Flash with a web, and puts him safely on the roof. The Goblin pushes Spider-Man out. He manages to catch the side of the building with a web and swings down to street level. He is unable to stop himself as he heads towards a driving car. He avoids causing injuries by smashing through the back doors of the car. The driver is enraged and tries to start a fight with Spider-Man. Spider-Man apologizes and leaves. As the man drives away, he smashes into another car.

Spider-Man goes back to talk to Flash and see if he's okay. Flash is stunned over the recent events. At first he thought Harry was acting out his Goblin fantasies by dressing up as him. But this time the voice was different and he was way stronger than Harry. Harry is also missing. Spider-Man has to leave as the sound of police sirens approach. Spider-Man wants Flash to continue to believe this is the case. (No one knows that this is actually another Green Goblin).

In an abandoned warehouse, the Green Goblin talks to a hooded individual that is tied up. It is his plans to become the crime boss of all of New York. He says he's covered the face of the individual because he couldn't stand to look at his snivelling face. He does thank him for their psychiatric sessions. He leaves because he has discovered a meeting that night with the top criminals in the city.

Peter visits Aunt May in the hospital. She seems to be doing better after her attack the day before. He leaves when Mary Jane and her aunt arrive to look after her.

Deep in thoughts over the Green Goblin and all the misery he's caused him, Peter stumbles across a gangland execution. The killers are all knocked out but he finds an invitation to the secret meeting after it fell out of one of their pockets. Spider-Man plans on crashing the meeting just as Aunt May has another attack in the hospital. Mary Jane tries to call him but Peter is not home.

The criminal meeting is being conducted by Silvermane. The Green Goblin crashes through the window. He says he wants control over the criminals of New York. The criminals try to stop the Goblin but he is too quick and strong for them. Once they realize they are no match, Silvermane decides to listen to the Goblin. He tells them that he can stop the one superhero that has caused them the most problems. He says he knows who Spider-Man really is. Spider-Man is listening in an air duct and knows that he is about to be finished if the Goblin reveals his identity.

Spider-Man awakes to find himself on an island with Venom. Venom says that their fights were always interrupted by outsiders. As Eddie Brock, he chartered a plane to bring him to a deserted island. There used to be a mining activity on the island but a disaster destroyed the mine and all the people eventually left. Spider-Man shoots Venom in the face with webbing and takes off.

Venom rips off the webbing, begins singing the theme to Giligan's Island, and prepares for the hunt. After swinging some ways across the island, Spider-Man stops for a drink at a pond only to discover Venom, using his chameleon powers, in the water as he pulls him under.

In Pittsburgh, Mary Jane is at her sister's wathing over her nephews. Peter sent her there to keep her safe from Venom. When she is pelted in the face by a snowball, she goes off on them but soon gathers her wits. She tries to be strong for Peter and helps her nephews with their snowman.

Back on the island, the battle continues underwater. Peter manages to grab a piece of wood and hits Venom across the face, smashing some of his teeth. This allows Peter to escape again. He finds an abandoned village near a graveyard. He tries to set a trap and waits for Venom, who has managed to sneak up on him since he doesn't trigger his spider-sense.

The snare-rope Peter rigged slows down Venom briefly. Peter falls into a mine shafts and smells gas. Peter runs again. He sets up another trap as Eddie Brock sits in front of a fire. Peter grabs a piece of flaming wood from the fire and Venom gives chase. After walking into a string of web, Venom grabs a nearby van and throws it at the flaming glow in the distance as Spider-Man tries to escpae. There is a big explosion as Venom remembers the gas. He finds the tattered remains of Spider-Man's costume on a skeleton and is pleased that Spider-Man is now dead.

Meanwhile Peter swims out to a nearby ship as Eddie decides to stay on the island now that Spider-Man is gone. He believes there is no longer a reason for Venom to exist.

A manga adventure of Spider-Man J helping SWAT Detective Flynn defeate the eveil Wasperus.

1689

The birth of Violetta.

1692

The townfolk claim a group of people have been bewitched as they dance in the woods unclothed around a fire. They have also been seen divining the future with "gypsy cards." When Abigail Williams is asked who put the evil into her, Violet's mother comes forward. She says the girls are not to blame, she is the witch.

Today

At the Dark Side bar in Staten Island, New York, Nightwing prepares to enter looking for information. As hard as he tries, he cannot maintain a distance to the murders that have been occuring. He's allowed it to get personal as he searches for information on Thomas and Violet. After fighting with a couple low grade thugs, he knows that everyone is telling the truth when they say they don't know anything about them. As he's about to leave, he tells them they better not think of crossing the line to becoming killers. He says the first one that gets him the information gets one free pass, a one-time offer. He plans on returning at midnight. The remainging thugs are surprised to see Nightwing behave so aggressively. A man standing in the shadows says he's seen him behave that way a "long time ago, when we were younger." He says Nightwing was good, but he was always better...

Nightwing continues his violent campaign to gather information with no luck. At the library, Bride and Groom seek to gather their own information on Nightwing. Bride is upset and wants him to suffer for their last encounter. Groom says it'd be best if they left. He says that is how they have survived for so long, avoiding confrontation. Bride says they can leave and she will become his wife after Nightwing has been destroyed.

Later, back at the Dark Side, Bride and Groom enter looking for Nightwing. They've heard that he was there looking for them. The bartender tells them that he will return at midnight. Groom notices that five of the people in the bar have the adequate auras to feed upon. They plan on getting as much energy as possible before Nightwing arrives.

After their feeding, Groom can sense Nightwing's aura getting closer. He drives his motorcycle through the window. Groom gets the upper hand and has Nightwing pinned down holding a knife to his neck. Groom tells him that he cannot resist him, no one can. Too stubborn, Nightwing manages to raise his knee, knocking back Groom's arms which causes him to slash his own throat. Bride rushes to him thankful that he is still alive. She says she cannot survive without him. Enraged at Nightwing, she shoots flames from her hand that causes the bar to go up in flames. Nightwing is left lying on the floor surrounded by fire.

Overview

"Every year I come here and bring my lover roses."

Written by Garth Ennis Art by Glenn Fabry Cover by Chris Sprouse & Karl Story

In feudal Japan, a forbidden romance sparks death and destruction in the lives of all who are touched by it. A brutal tale of honor, love and, above all, vengeance.

Flowers For The Sun does not pick up at the end of issue #5 of the series. It takes place in what may be an alternate reality or the past. No real explanation is given for the setting.

In feudal Japan, a man that seems to be a version of Midnighter sits on a hill in a dead forest. There are bones of many dead men around the base of the hill and a group of armed nobles and samurai around the bones. "Midnighter" tells them that he's invited them to listen to a story. As soon as they're ready to hear it, he tells them.

One morning, Midnighter awoke with no memory of who he was. He was wearing black armor and had two swords. People assumed he was a ronin, but Midnighter could never remember having a master or even being trained to fight. He found himself walking near a castle when he was attacked by more than 60 guards. He killed them all and, amazingly, came out untouched. The shogun, impressed by his skill, hired him to work for him.

While Midnighter worked on protecting the shogun's territories and the shogun tried to help Midnighter by uncovering his past, the shogun's senior minister plotted a way to get rid of Midnighter.

One day, the shogun and Midnighter were walking through the market when a man in white (Apollo) came into town. He was harassed by some drunk men who wanted to fight. Crying, Apollo tried to get them to leave him alone. They wouldn't, so Apollo raised his sword and killed them all in one single strike. The shogun sends Midnighter to talk to the man in white and he does. Apollo comes to work for the shogun and he and Midnighter soon fall in love. However, it's not meant to last.

Midnighter alone was a problem for the shogun's senior minister, but now with Apollo there, he wasn't getting enough attention. While Apollo and Midnighter are sleeping, he sends over 200 ninjas to kill them. The fight is long and hard but Midnighter survives. Unfortunately, Apollo does not. Midnighter tortures the only surviving ninja until he finds out who was responsible. He leaves the shogun's palace for a year to mourn and bury his love, but when he comes back, he drowns the minister in his own bath.

Back on the hill, which is also Apollo's grave, Midnighter tells the men gathered that every year he brings his lover flowers. Then he tells them to defend themselves. The fight is quick and at the end, a dozen hearts are resting on Apollo's grave.

 
Writer Paul Dini - creator of Harley Quinn - returns with art team Don Kramer & Wayne Faucher (JSA)! A bizarre incident forges a temporary alliance between the Dark Knight and his daffy-but-deadly adversary Harley Quinn. Forget everything you think you know about Dr. Harleen Quinzel as Batman uncovers long-buried secrets from his enemy's unknown past.    
 
 Harley Quinn is in a meeting with the board at Arkham to try and get released. After they question Harley they voted and Bruce Wayne still did not give her the vote. On her way back to her cell she is kidnapped by a fake cop. She is then taken to Scarface who offers her a job that will make them rich. Harley agrees and they proceed with the plan. Harley tips off Gordon about Scarface and then she pretends to finish the job. They start fighting and Batman shows up. The girl controlling Scarface was able to get away when she threw Scarface and he exploded. Harley returns to Arkham but would soon earn another meeting with the board. Bruce Wayne has changed his vote and Harley is now free to go.

A goup of people find themself stuck in a dinner at a bus station during a zombie attack.

They make a run for it to get on a bus.

This issue provides the back story for Albion, Excalibur's latest enemy.

At the opening of the issue, Excalibur is standing around a hologram of Albion trying to figure out who he is and where he came from. The scene switches to Albion and Lionheart sparring and at the end, he tells her his history.

On another Earth, Albion was a ranger in a centuries long war that spanned the globe. When he died in battle, Merlyn and Roma came to him and offered him the choice between an amulet and a sword. Unlike 616 Captain Britain, Albion chose the sword, the tool of destruction. Roma tried to take back the sword since he wasn't supposed to have taken it, but Merlyn stopped her and they left. Albion, now empowered, destroyed all his enemies on the battlefield and eventually got around to killing his enemies all over the world, ending the war entirely. Unfortunately, the long war had ravaged his world and people were starving and dying of diseases, enemies that Albion could not fight. Instead, he found another enemy, a man named Warlord who had apparent been the cause of the war. He discovered Warlord when the man was asking pan-dimensional traders (who had already given him tremendous power) for some more tools to take over the world. While the traders tried to escape, another Captain Britain arrived and stopped them. He didn't get there fast enough though, and Albion killed Warlord even after he surrendered. The Captain and Albion fought and Albion won. With the Captain and the traders at his mercy, he made them tell him all about the Captain Britain Corps. They tell him and Albion, still mad at Roma for trying to take his sword away all those years before, killed the Captain and vowed to kill all the other Captain Britains.

Back in the present, Albion and Lionheart meet and ally with Scicluna and the evil X-Men from earlier in the series.

DANGER GIRL creator Andy Hartnell reunites with the art team of Nick Bradshaw & Jim Charalampidis (DANGER GIRL: BACK IN BLACK, ROKKIN) for an explosive new 4-issue miniseries! When mysterious forces have some of the world's greatest treasures in their greedy sights, you can count on the Danger Girls to block their fire. But what happens when a legendary assassin takes aim at the Danger Girls themselves?                        

SPOILERS

In Yokohama, Japan, Abbey is on a mission to recover a piece of weapons technology from an old friend, Mr. Naoki. As she's about to meet with him, she recieves word that a change of plans has been made and she is also to bring him along. When she lets him know that he is to go with her, his guards enter the room to deal with her threats. Grabbing Naoki, Abbey jumps out the window as the guards open fire. Using a parachute, they safely land on a waiting speed boat driven by Sydney. They ask him for the technology. He says he will be killed when "they" find out it's been taken. Then a sniper shoots and kills Naoki. The bullet hit him in the chest where he had the tech in his jacket pocket.

In Melborne, Australia, the girls are supposed to have a day off when Sydney calls Abbey asking her to go to her location. Fearing the worst, Abbey breaks down the door at a house Sydney is thinking of buying. Abbey fears that Sydney is thinking of quitting Danger Girl because of the sniper. Sydney says she just wants a place to call home when they are not on a mission. As she's about to take the house, both their beepers go off.

On the Danger Yacht, Deuce has called them in as Valerie is working on the weapon tech that had been shot. Valerie is able to digitize a replica so that she can grab some of the code that is on the disk. It turns out that the tech has the blueprints to build the Master Key. The Master Key is apparently a weapong that "every bad guy in the world has always wanted."

In the Arctic Cirlce, a nuclear sub has been accessed by an outside source. The missles have been commanded to self-detonate. The crew abandons ship asthe sub is blown up.

Now that event has happened, every nation in the world will want the Master Key. Danger Girl is given a new mission to find and destroy it.

In Madagascar, the man responsible for detonating the nuclear sub tells his computer guy to program the Master Key to destroy their next target. He is hesitant because he fears the signal will be traced to them. The man says that no one will be able to trace them to this location just as they are found by a British agent. He asks for the key as he is shot by a sniper. The same sniper that killed Naoki. The man tells her that more will most likely arrive. He gives her a picture of Abbey warning her to be careful as she is supposedly the best there is. The sniper says she looks forward to meeting her.

Batwoman is kidnapped by Bruno Mannhiem and Whisper A'Daire at her home. Renee Montoya and Nightwing investigate in an attempt to save her. They realize when the prophecy said Batwoman and Cain were to be sacrificed, that Cain could be spelled anyway. Katherine "Kate" Kane was the Batwoman and now she is to be sacrificed. Along the way Renee questions her about herself and tries to figure herself out. Renee would eventually become the new Question as she puts on his mask. Renee finds where they are doing the ritual and is attacked. She was a little late when Batwoman gets stabbed for the ritual by Bruno. Renee distracts him and Batwoman takes out the knife and kills Bruno with it. Batwoman would lay in Renee's arms dying.

 
Mark Verheiden  (Battlestar Galactica, Smallville) brings you the conclusion of the epic story pitting DCU aliens against the Earth. You won't believe who the Last Son of Krypton and the Dark Knight must face in this finale!    
 
Across the world, the blackrocks fall affecting all those that come in contact with them. Batman continues to be infected, himself, fighting against Superman. Superman tries to get through to him as he takes the punches from Batman. He knows that the blackrock will release Batman if it believes it is in danger but it also knows that Superman will not kill Batman. Superman makes it clear that he does know how Batman's mind works and that he'd rather die than lose his soul. As he starts hitting back, he says he will do whatever it takes to bring him back or give him peace. The blackrock appears to believe him as it leaves Batman's body.

An infected Jimmy visits Lex Luthor. It seems the "others" want Lex but with a clear mind. They do not wish him to be infected. As he's about to be taken, he tries to bargain for his life by saying he knows how to deal with Superman, how his type think. He is soon surprised to see that Despero is also working with the others. He tells Lex that if he tells him how to kill Superman, they may let him live.

Superman and Batman regroup to prepare for a final battle. They pick up a nuclear device that Batman had liberated from the Joker to use as a last resort. Superman takes on all the infected heroes as Batman enters the others' ship. He runs into Jimmy but is still prepared to detonate the device if need be.

When Superman is faced with the others and Despero, he tries to talk things out again. He tells them that not all humans are evil and need to be wiped out. He reminds them that he was from another planet and taken in by humans. There was no personal gain for them. He's been embraced by the world as Superman. He has seen the nobility of the human spirit and wants to be part of that. He then tells them that Despero lied to them. Outraged, Despero tries to stop Superman from talking to the others. He asks Luthor how to destroy Superman. Before Lex can answer, Batman gives him a boot to the head.

The others are still unsure. The fact that they've been listening means that they are conflicted. Superman tells Batman that he has to believe in them and trust them the way he does with him. Hesitating for a second, Batman does. The conflict is over immediately. All those infected have been released. The aliens leave without a word.

Bruce Wayne now thinks over his ways. Superman saved the world because he believes in humans. Bruce realizes that he needs to try that himself. He tries to be a nicer person in his Bruce Wayne persona and reestablishes his friendship with Superman.

Ast the Shuster Sports Arena in Metropolis, Wonder Woman is putting in an appearance for a fundraiser for the Jadis Foundation. The foundation helps women in different needs. Lois and Clark are in attendance to report on her public appearance. Later, the festivities continue at the Metropolis Museum of Art. There, Diana meets with Lois and Clark to do an interview. She tells them of her recent experience with a women's shelter that has opened her eyes to try to help out on a different level.

A woman smashes through a display case to take a piece she claims is hers. When Clark puts a hand on her to "talk" to her, she senses power within him. She causes his tuxedo to disintigrate revealing his Superman identity. When Diana tries to stop her, she is thrown across the room. As Diana recovers, she and Lois figure that no one was really paying attention to Clark before he was revealed. They both leave to try to figure out where he can be. After Lois access the Daily Planet's records, they realize that the woman was Khyrana the Accursed. Her story goes back to Zeus' time. When Zeus offerred to spend some time together, she refuses. Outraged, Zeus curses her with the need for the touch of others in order to live. She spent the rest of her time trying to lure others to feed on them.

Lois manages to figure out where Khyrana is staying and Wonder Woman is off to save Superman. When she arrives, she finds Superman too weak to move. Wonder Woman tries to reason with her. She tells her that if she releases Superman, they can appeal to Athena and try to find a solution to her pain and misery. Khyrana declines with a swift uppercut to Wonder Woman.

As Khyrana has Wonder Woman on the ropes, Superman manages to stand up to fight. Khyrana is surprised he is able to even move. She explains how she is outraged after seeing women broken and humiliated by men. Superman is knocked into another room. A room full of "trophies" from her past kills. As Wonder Woman tries to grab her, Khyrana begins to drain her energy too. Superman figures out that the combination of draining his solar power and Wonder Woman's magic-based power is having a weird affect on her. Khyrana begins to get dizzy despite the fact that she is still draining their power. Together, they both deliver a blow that puts her out.

Lois managed to convince the police to send in the Science Police to deal with picking up Khyrana. Wonder Woman still insists on trying to help her with her need to feed.

Returning to Lois and Clark's place, Lois decides to make some tea for the two heroes after their ordeal. She talks about the possibilities of Khyrana being stopped could have on saving lives but also creating a bad reputation of the foundation. When she comes into the living room, she finds the two fast asleep on the couch.