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Marvel Comics Presents launched in 1988 as an ad-free anthology showcasing four eight-page features, stuffed inside a wrap-around cover. This guide will tell you everything you wanted to know about the series – and more!

Cover Date: January 1990 | Cover Price: $1.25 | Cover Artist: Steve Purcell

Wolverine in “Black Shadow, White Shadow” part 4 written by Marv Wolfman art by John Buscema Sailing East out of Hong Kong, Wolverine catches a shark to feed himself and his friends. They stop on the shores of China to share a shark-meat meal and his companions (Mai, Hsiao and Ch’un) reveal how the Black Shadow has negatively affected their lives. The Shadow attacked Ch’un’s school and murdered his students. It scorched Hsiao’s farm, leaving his grandparents dead. And, Mai’s husband and child were killed by the creature. After gaining a better understanding of why his new-found friends want to take down the Black Shadow, Wolverine discovers a stampede of horses headed their way.

Wonder Man in “Stardust Miseries” part 4 written by Michael Higgins art by Javier Saltares The Enchantress convinces Wonder Man that Iron Man has been manipulating him for years and is not a true friend of his. So, Simon pays a visit to Stark Enterprises to engage Iron Man in battle. During the fight, Wonder Man manages to tear Iron Man’s chestplate from his armor! The Beast saves the day by knocking Wonder Man out with the blast from a Stark weapon but, Wonder Man disappears in a blink before they can do anything to contain him.

Hercules in “All In The Family” conclusion written by Bob Layton art by Bob Layton Hercules carries his son, Arimathes, to the med-alert flyer and discovers that he’s suffering from internal bleeding and burns over 75% of his body. While Arimathes recuperates, Hercules launches an attack against to Layana to avenge his son and keep her from claiming the crown. He captures her and brings her to their son, lying in his hospital bed. And, when faced with the consequences of her bid for power, she breaks down and begs for forgiveness.

Freedom Force in “Forced Fed!“ written by Scott Lobdell art by Dave Cockrum Freedom Force has been commissioned to rescue Senator Robert Kelly. He’s been captured by Señor Muerte, who isn’t fond of Kelly’s bid to shut down his Drug Empire. The rescue is a sore point, considering Kelly’s anti-mutant sentiments – but a job’s a job. Freedom Force (Mystique, Avalanche, the Blob, Pyro, Destiny, and Spiral) wasn’t forewarned of Muerte’s super-powered enforces, the Grip (Napalm, Vice, Windmill, Uzi, and Sprint), but this mutant government task force certainly has enough muscle, powers, and experience to save the day.

Sending Freedom Force to rescue someone who hates their kind was a neat way to prove their dedication to their government role. Hercules’ story ended on a powerful note but I’m still waiting for the Wolverine and Wonder Man stories to get interesting.

On Ebay: Marvel Comics Presents | Wolverine | Wonder Man | Freedom Force | Hercules
On AtomicAvenue: Marvel Comics Presents | Wolverine | Wonder Man | Hercules

Marvel Comics Presents launched in 1988 as an ad-free anthology showcasing four eight-page features, stuffed inside a wrap-around cover. This guide will tell you everything you wanted to know about the series – and more!

Cover Date: Mid-December 1989 | Cover Price: $1.25 | Cover Artist: Marshall Rogers

Wolverine in “Black Shadow, White Shadow” part 3 written by Marv Wolfman art by John Buscema Wolverine gets knocked out by a flash of light resulting from the battle between Black Shadow and White Shadow. While he’s unconscious, Wolverine’s brain flashes back to reveal why he came to Hong Kong in the first place: to find the murderer of his friend, Linn. When he comes to, he departs for China with Mai, Hsiao and Ch’un.

Wonder Man in “Stardust Miseries” part 3 written by Michael Higgins art by Javier Saltares With Wonder Man going on a rampage, his good friend, the Beast, tries to talk some sense into him. Unfortunately for Hank, Wonder Man’s not quite himself just now – he’s being incited to rage by the Enchantress‘ … er … enchantment. It’s a fact that the Beast deduces when he notices that Wonder Man’s movements seem to be a bit sluggish.

Hercules in “All In The Family” part 2 written by Bob Layton art by Bob Layton Layana‘s plan to take back the throne of Wilamean is in full force as her elite Assassins’ Guild (Akooti, Malicon and Viperus) launches an attack on the current king, Arimathes (her son), Hercules (his father) and the Recorder. In the battle, Arimathes is blown up with one of the assassins! Will he survive the blast?

Overmind in “…Anything“ written by Scott Lobdell art by Don Heck Two government agents warned of a toxic waste leakage near Millwood, New Hampshire – but to no avail. Now that it’s killed the town’s inhabitants, they’ve been sent to investigate – clothed in radiation suits, naturally. To their surprise, they see a healthy rabbit bounding by them. But, do they really see it? Lurking in the shadows is the Overmind, and it appears that he’s using his mental powers to convince them that everything is fine. When, in fact, it’s not. Moving on to the inner parts of the town, they see a functioning society with normal-looking humans. They’re told if they want information, they’re welcome to talk with Mr. Overmind at the schoolhouse. They discover that the Overmind has been using his mental powers to convince the town’s citizens that they’re healthy. He’s also been teaching them the power of positive thinking. But, when the townspeople are confronted with the truth – will they choose to return to their ignorant bliss or accept the desparity of their situation?

In this issue, the Enchantress mentions that she’s adopted her sister’s name (Lorelei) as part of her charade. So, that clears up last week’s curiosity. This anthology’s diversity and far-reaching nature are truly proven when even the Overmind can get a solo feature. And, what a powerful story, it is! Unfortunately, the Wolverine and Wonder Man features continue to be bland. Hercules, on the other hand, is all out action! Too bad he looks ultra-cheesy on this cover, though.

On Ebay: Marvel Comics Presents | Wolverine | Wonder Man | Overmind | Hercules
On AtomicAvenue: Marvel Comics Presents | Wolverine | Wonder Man | Hercules

Marvel Comics Presents launched in 1988 as an ad-free anthology showcasing four eight-page features, stuffed inside a wrap-around cover. This guide will tell you everything you wanted to know about the series – and more!

Cover Date: January 1990 | Cover Price: $1.25 | Cover Artist: Jackson Guice

Wolverine in “Black Shadow, White Shadow” part 2 written by Marv Wolfman art by John Buscema The police have given chase to Wolverine, after he fled the scene of a crime (an entire city block was destroyed!). A Hong Kong woman named Mai offers him safety but only because she intends to recruit him to her cause. She, Hsiao and Ch’un need help to defeat Black Shadow. Wolverine rushes off to take down the ebon-hued villain only to be dispatched quickly by its icy touch and brute strength. But, before he can be destroyed, a new figure interrupts – a White Shadow.

Wonder Man in “Stardust Miseries” part 2 written by Michael Higgins art by Javier Saltares Wonder Man wakes to discover he’s in the blonde woman’s bed. She reveals she’s an actress named Amora Lorelei and she’s working on a biography of the Original Human Torch. It’s the very same film that Wonder Man just got a callback for. The two travel to the studio and Amora convinces the director to make Simon the leading man. As the filming progresses, Wonder Man and Amora develop a budding romance – meanwhile, a killer stalks the set and has taken his first victim – the director! Due to the nature of the death, it’s assumed that a super-powered strong man was the killer. Now, the police are out to get their prime suspect: Wonder Man!

Hercules in “All In The Family” part 1 written by Bob Layton art by Bob Layton Hercules and his son, Arimathes, have decided to end the Wilameanian Star Pirates’ 45 year reign of terror. The father and son team make short work of the plunderers and Emperor Arimathes of Wilamean sentences them to a rehabilitation camp. Meanwhile, his exiled mother, Layana, has managed to break free of her prison and pull together a band of “patriots” who intend to take back the throne of Wilamean from Arimathes … over the dead body of Hercules.

Spider-Man in “With Liberty And Justice For All“ written by Bill Mumy art by Aaron Lopresti Spider-Man comes across four teens stealing crates from the university’s lab. After a little bit of work, he manages to track them all down and web them up. He then discovers that they weren’t stealing equipment but, rather, live animals. Animals that were going to be experimented on. The kids intended to steal them and bring them to a farm so they could safely live out their lives. And, while they have the best of intentions, they are still breaking the law … what’s a Spider-Man to do?

I’m really digging Guice’s cover version of Hercules – and it’s neat to see that Bob Layton followed up his two Hercules mini-series with the tale that has begun in this very issue. As for Wonder Man, it looks like he’s in the clutches of Amora Lorelei … you might know her better as the Enchantress. Although, it is strange that she’s using her sister’s name as her last name so I’m curious to see if they offer an explanation for that as the story progresses. The Spider-Man story was written by Bill Mumy – the actor who played Will Robinson in the 1960s Lost In Space TV series. It presented Spidey with an interesting ethics choice. And finally, these shadow creatures in the Wolverine feature are really quite bland … and blobby looking. Not really all that intimidating of a character design.

On Ebay: Marvel Comics Presents | Wolverine | Wonder Man | Spider-Man | Hercules
On AtomicAvenue: Marvel Comics Presents | Wolverine | Spider-Man | Wonder Man | Hercules

Marvel Comics Presents launched in 1988 as an ad-free anthology showcasing four eight-page features, stuffed inside a wrap-around cover. This guide will tell you everything you wanted to know about the series – and more!

Cover Date: Mid December 1989 | Cover Price: $1.25 | Cover Artist: Mark Badger

Excalibur in “Having A Wild Weekend” conclusion written by Michael Higgins art by Erik Larsen Finally reunited, Excalibur defeats Arcade by siccing the Merry Maladies (heroic versions of the Looney Toons – based on the Avengers) against his Loonies (the villain versions). While the battle rages on, they make for a hasty retreat back home.

Wonder Man in “Stardust Miseries” part 1 written by Michael Higgins art by Javier Saltares While on monitor duty for the West Coast Avengers, something infects Wonder Man‘s brain and causes him to go a little crazy. After a brief battle with the rest of the team (Hawkeye, Vision, Scarlet Witch), he quits the team. Soon after, he meets a mysterious blonde woman who seems to be luring him toward her.

Hulk in “Art For Art’s Sake“ written by Bill Mumy art by Marshall Rogers Mr. Fixit (aka the Hulk) has been sent, by his boss Michael Berengetti, to collect a $109,000 debt owed him by Mr. Gruska. Additionally, there’s a little matter of interest to be collected, as well. And, to settle that debt, Berengetti demands that Gruska gets one of his record talents to put on a private concert. Unfortunately, the musician that he wants (Brian Newman) is a recluse and refuses to take Gruska’s calls. So, Joe Fixit is sent to do some … negotiating.

Wolverine in “Black Shadow, White Shadow” part 1 written by Marv Wolfman art by John Buscema Wolverine journeys from Madripoor to Hong Kong to discover that an entire city block has been destroyed – wiped totally clean! As he investigates the area further, he gets caught between city scavengers and police. But, he’s in town for other business, so he sneaks off towards his goal.

Excalibur’s feature concludes this issue and I’m not all that upset about it. Erik Larsen’s art was a pleasure to look at, and the nods to classic TV/Movies were fun but the storyline itself wasn’t very involved or complex. In fact, there’s not even a mention of why Arcade kidnapped them – or who he was attacking them for. Y’see, Arcade is usually a hitman, and assuming he wasn’t doing this as work-for-hire, the story never reveals his purpose for picking on Excalibur. The highlight was this issue’s double-page spread of the Merry Maladies vs the Loonies. It’s got Wiley Coyote (as Thor) smiting the Road Runner with the Acme version of Mjolnir!

After giving some other X-Men the spotlight (first Colossus then Cyclops followed by Havok), Marvel decided that it was time to give Wolverine another lead feature. Hulk’s story wasn’t anything to write home about and the first part of the Wonder Man story isn’t all that engaging, either. On top of that, I wasn’t a big fan of Mark Badger’s cover, either.

On Ebay: Marvel Comics Presents | Wolverine | Wonder Man | Excalibur | Hulk
On AtomicAvenue: Marvel Comics Presents | Wolverine | Excalibur | Wonder Man | Hulk

Marvel Comics Presents launched in 1988 as an ad-free anthology showcasing four eight-page features, stuffed inside a wrap-around cover. This guide will tell you everything you wanted to know about the series – and more!

Cover Date: Late December 1989 | Cover Price: $1.25 | Cover Artist: Dave Cockrum

Excalibur in “Having A Wild Weekend” part 7 written by Michael Higgins art by Erik Larsen Lockheed and Widget wake to find themselves dressed as Sherlock Holmes and Watson, hot on the trail of a dastardly villain! Meanwhile, Kitty Pryde finds a way to free them and Captain Britain from their confinements AND put the Loonies to sleep using the poppies from one of the prisons. Next up?! Time to take down the mastermind behind all of these … Murderworlds! (Oh, c’mon! You’ve gotta know who it is by now, don’tcha?)

Black Panther in “Panther’s Quest” conclusion written by Don McGregor art by Gene Colan Black Panther narrowly escapes being drowned by Elmer Gore and manages to turn the fight around, defeating the mercenary. Finally, he can make his way, unfettered, into the mansion of Anton Pretorius (South African Magistrate of Communications) who is holding the Panther’s long-lost mother, Ramonda. He breaks in through a window to find his mother chained to a bedpost, the object of affection for Pretorius. The secret object, that is. For, surely, interracial love was forbidden in South Africa, at the time. Especially amongst high-ranking officials! Ramonda reveals that the letter she wrote was meant to protect him and that it did not reveal her true feelings. Like any real mother, she longed to be reunited with her son. And, now, with Anton easily defeated, they are!

Devil-Slayer in “To Slay The Devil“ written by Dwight Zimmerman art by Rodney Ramos Balthazar and a horde of other demons have lured Devil-Slayer into a trap, surrounding him within a night club. As their plot is exposed, he reaches into his shadow cloak and draws … Dragonfang! It’s Valkyrie’s sword – but for him to possess the sword, it must mean that she has died! He puts the thought aside, but, as the battle against a horde of demons continues, he finds his cloak is being controlled by an outside force. It transports him and the horde to the Border of the Land of the Dead where he encounters statues of Valkyrie, the Interloper, Manslaughter and Andromeda (their remains were left behind in New Defenders #152 – the final issue). After dispatching Balthazar and the other demons, Devil-Slayer determines that Dragonfang has transported him to this land to be reunited with its master’s remains.

With this issue, the longest story in MCP history draws to its end. Although, it really only signifies the beginning … the start of the healing process for the Black Panther’s relationship with his mother. At times, this story really seemed to drag on (to be fair, it is 216 pages in total). It expanded scenes that could have been handled in one page, into an 8-page tale. To be fair, it gave McGregor a chance to delve deep into the Panther’s mental-processes and revealed the thought or instincts behind his every move. Aside from being an important part of the Panther’s history, it also served to make the reader aware of how things were in South Africa. It was given the opportunity and allowed plenty of room in the story to show the plight of the black man, worked to death – and the white mercenaries ruling over them. This story was truly a shared feature – the unjust culture of South Africa was exposed and shared the spotlight equally with the Black Panther’s quest to find his mother.

As a continuity-junkie, I was excited to see that the Devil-Slayer story tied in well with the events of the last issue of the Defenders (or, New Defenders, as it was called, then). And, as a Marvel Zombie, I’m a bit ashamed to admit that I didn’t guess the identity of the Loonies’ boss (from the Excalibur feature) until Kitty Pryde called their prisons Murderworld.

On Ebay: Marvel Comics Presents | Black Panther | Devil-Slayer | Excalibur
On AtomicAvenue: Marvel Comics Presents | Black Panther | Devil-Slayer | Excalibur

Marvel Comics Presents launched in 1988 as an ad-free anthology showcasing four eight-page features, stuffed inside a wrap-around cover. This guide will tell you everything you wanted to know about the series – and more!

Cover Date: December 1989 | Cover Price: $1.25 | Cover Artist: Bill Sienkiewicz

Excalibur in “Having A Wild Weekend” part 6 written by Michael Higgins art by Erik Larsen Phoenix finds herself locked in a world of nothing but fire and flames. And, after a vision of the future-version of Kitty Pryde, she then finds herself in complete darkness. Outside the prisons, Kitty Pryde has reprogrammed one of the Loonies (Sylvester) to free her friend, Phoenix. By the end, nearly all of Excalibur has been freed – all but Captain Britain!

Black Panther in “Panther’s Quest” part 24 written by Don McGregor art by Gene Colan With his ankle caught in a trap, the Black Panther is easy prey for Pretorius’ advancing attack dog. The Panther frees himself just as the doberman jumps him. But, the animal is no match for the Warrior King of Wakanda. Advancing on the mansion where his mother is being held, the Panther must now fight his way through Gore, the mercenary.

Hellcat in “Encounter In The Alley Of Death“ written by Jack Harris art by June Brigman Hellcat stumbles upon some thugs threatening a woman but, she isn’t able to prevent them from shooting her and running away. As she tends to the woman in her dying moments, Hellcat discovers that she was an undercover cop. She uses the cop’s received to lead her back to a pharmaceutical company where Dr. Bartley is developing profitable varieties of street drugs. With her athletic prowess, Hellcat is able to avenge the cop’s death and shut down the drug lab.

The Excalibur and Hellcat features were very bland, this issue I was quite disappointed by the Bill Sienkiewicz cover (and it’s not because I’m not a fan of his work, either). Black Panther’s feature was double-length this time and chock full of action!

On Ebay: Marvel Comics Presents | Black Panther | Hellcat | Excalibur
On AtomicAvenue: Marvel Comics Presents | Black Panther | Hellcat | Excalibur

Marvel Comics Presents launched in 1988 as an ad-free anthology showcasing four eight-page features, stuffed inside a wrap-around cover. This guide will tell you everything you wanted to know about the series – and more!

Cover Date: Mid November 1989 | Cover Price: $1.25 | Cover Artist: Tom Grindberg

Excalibur in “Having A Wild Weekend” part 5 written by Michael Higgins art by Erik Larsen This segment of the story focuses on Nightcrawler‘s prison – trapped in a freakshow and attacked by rip offs of the characters from Rocky & Bullwinkle. Meanwhile, Meggan meets up with Kitty Pryde, who seems to have an idea as to who’s behind everything. At the end, Kitty uses her phasing powers to rescue Nightcrawler, too.

Black Panther in “Panther’s Quest” part 23 written by Don McGregor art by Gene Colan The Black Panther begins his invasion of the estate of Anton Pretorius. He fights his way past an armed watchman and an attack dog only to be stopped by a hidden metal, sharp-toothed, ankle trap.

Coldblood in “Rise and Shine” conclusion written by Doug Moench art by Paul Gulacy Coldblood-7 comes face-to-face with his creator, Mako – encased within his Weapon-Walker (essentially a mech warrior suit). And, with the help of Gina Dyson, our hero is able to destroy the evil weaponeer. Afterwards, they ride off into the sunset in his slick computer-controlled car.

Her in “Gods R’ Us“ written by Fabian Nicieza art by Erik Larsen While soaring through outer space, Her comes across a flotilla of free-floating debris. A sentient computer, an ID-Mark IV, reaches out to communicate with the cosmic heroine. It informs her that the debris comes from the industrious inhabitants of the planet U’Sr’Pr. The planet is named after its ruler, who lives on the only patch of vegetation left on the planet. He believes it serves as a reminder of their society’s unproductive past. But, when Her expresses her disappointment in their treatment of their planet’s ecological system, she siphons all of his power and begins working to reclaim that world’s natural beauty.

Well, this is kind of strange. Last issue’s indicia read “Late December 1989” and this one says “Mid November 1989”. The Coldblood story seemed a bit anti-climactic and didn’t address any of the more interesting aspects of the story: man vs machine within the same body. Initially, the Coldblood feature seemed like it could function independent of the mainstream Marvel Universe but, later stories (in Deathlok as well as Civil War tie-ins) have planted him firmly with the Marvel U. The Black Panther story seemed like a lot of filler and the Her story was very preachy. But, it was nice to get two features with old-school Erik Larsen art. And, it’s worth noting that in her story, Her gets yet another name: Starduster (or J’Ridia in the U’S’Prian language). You can add that to her already long list that includes: Paragon, Kismet and Ayesha. The consequences of this story were later followed up on in Alpha Flight #97-100.

On Ebay: Marvel Comics Presents | Black Panther | Coldblood | Excalibur
On AtomicAvenue: Marvel Comics Presents | Black Panther | Excalibur

Marvel Comics Presents launched in 1988 as an ad-free anthology showcasing four eight-page features, stuffed inside a wrap-around cover. This guide will tell you everything you wanted to know about the series – and more!

Cover Date: Late December 1989 | Cover Price: $1.25 | Cover Artist: Paul Smith

Excalibur in “Having A Wild Weekend” part 4 written by Michael Higgins art by Erik Larsen Meggan awakes to find herself trapped in an episode of the Munsters. But, when she manages to break free, the Loonies realize that something has gone wrong – someone’s messing things up with their system, allowing Excalibur to free themselves of their prisons. Of course, we know from last issue, that someone is Kitty Pryde.

Black Panther in “Panther’s Quest” part 22 written by Don McGregor art by Gene Colan Zanti Chikane, wounded from last issue’s gunfire, struggles to his feet as the Black Panther gets the sonar glider off the ground. The Panther circles the glider around to rescue Zanti and they fly off to his village. The friends part ways: Zanti returns to his village, wife and family; the Panther ventures off to Devil’s Peak to find his mother.

Coldblood in “Rise and Shine” part 9 written by Doug Moench art by Paul Gulacy Against his internal computer’s advice, Coldblood-7 decides to trust Gina (assuming she’s not a Mako-controlled robotic imposter) and the duo decide to take down Mako’s city by destroying its power station. They cut the power, leaving Mako with no computerized defenses (no more robot assassins) so Coldblood leaves Gina behind as he makes his way to the Library, Mako’s control center.

Captain America in “Past and Present Sins“ written by Sholly Fisch art by Jack Sparling Golden-Age super-hero, the Thin Man (of the Liberty Legion), tips off Captain America that an old Nazi war-criminal, Agent Axis, was smuggled into the U.S.A. and is now living in Queens, New York. The Thin Man discovered that his beloved land of Kalahia was destroyed, along with its people, by Agent Axis after the war. With vengeance in his heart, the Thin Man kills the Nazi war criminal in cold blood, as Captain America looks on in complete surprise and disgust!

Wow! This Erik Larsen artwork is so fun to look at! It seems much more lovingly embellished than even his recent stylings on Savage Dragon. The Captain America short took an unexpected turn. At first, it looked like two, feeble senior citizens wrestling – and then it quickly turned into a murder scene. The most interesting part of the story is the wide array of emotions that the death stirs within the Star-Spangled Avenger.

On Ebay: Marvel Comics Presents | Black Panther | Coldblood | Excalibur | Captain America
On AtomicAvenue: Marvel Comics Presents | Black Panther | Excalibur | Captain America

Marvel Comics Presents launched in 1988 as an ad-free anthology showcasing four eight-page features, stuffed inside a wrap-around cover. This guide will tell you everything you wanted to know about the series – and more!

Cover Date: November 1989 | Cover Price: $1.25 | Cover Artist: Paul Ryan

Excalibur in “Having A Wild Weekend” part 3 written by Michael Higgins art by Erik Larsen This issue spotlights Captain Britain‘s imprisonment by the Loonies. They’ve trapped him on an island surrounded by an ocean of alcohol, where he’s besieged by doppelgangers of himself. Meanwhile, the freed Kitty Pryde ransacks the control center. Back on the island, the copies are done-in by two bullet wounds – Cap is rescued by the Beverly Hillbillies! And, after they part ways, he finds himself on Oz’s Yellow Brick Road that takes him to Cheers (the famous bar!). In the last panel, it’s revealed that all of this is being played out in his mind – as the Loonies look on.

Black Panther in “Panther’s Quest” part 21 written by Don McGregor art by Gene Colan Doeke Riebeeck’s men come across the Black Panther’s glider and they begin to destroy it. And, as the Black Panther and Zanti Chikane travel through the forest (towards the glider), the Panther begins to analyze the events of the recent days. He explains to Zanti how he came to believe that Pretorius had his mother. The only thing he hasn’t put together yet is what motive Pretorius would have to capture her. As they near the glider, the Panther hears the men attacking it, and he leaves Zanti behind to rescue the machine that can carry him quickly to his mother’s prison. Unfortunately, when Zanti arrives on the scene, he is struck by a barrage of bullets!

Coldblood in “Rise and Shine” part 8 written by Doug Moench art by Paul Gulacy As Coldblood-7 continues to advance towards Mako’s headquarters, he comes to realize that his computer’s sensory input is malfunctioning and he cannot rely on it anymore. Eventually, he comes across Gina and it appears that she’s a robot, too! But, is it really Gina? Is she really a robot? Coldblood can’t trust anything now that his visual input is in doubt.

Sub-Mariner in “Dying in Paradise“ written by Don McGregor art by Jim Lee On a leisurely outing, Namor the Sub-Mariner playfully frollicks amidst a tropical paradise. But, he comes across an oil spill that is ruining the land. As powerful as he is, he’s helpless against the incoming tide of blackness that is devastating the water and its inhabitants.

This Excalibur story continues to expand upon TV/movie themes. The Erik Larsen art is great to look at but, I’m not really sure why there are so many pop culture nods or if we’re supposed to suspect there’s a known villain behind the Loonies. I’m excited that the Black Panther feature is nearing its end. As powerful and epic as it has been, I’m ready for it to be over – it’s extremely serious with no real signs of humor or joy. Kind of depressing to read – especially since there are so many chapters of it! The new twist in the Coldblood feature is very cool – can you imagine not being able to trust that what you’re seeing really exists?! And, I should mention that the Namor solo was wordless. That can be a tricky thing for the comics medium, but Jim Lee handles it well and tells McGregor’s story without needing words to convey the emotions that Namor is experiencing.

On Ebay: Marvel Comics Presents | Black Panther | Coldblood | Excalibur | Sub-Mariner
On AtomicAvenue: Marvel Comics Presents | Black Panther | Excalibur | Sub-Mariner

Marvel Comics Presents launched in 1988 as an ad-free anthology showcasing four eight-page features, stuffed inside a wrap-around cover. This guide will tell you everything you wanted to know about the series – and more!

Cover Date: Late November 1989 | Cover Price: $1.25 | Cover Artist: Todd McFarlane

Excalibur in “Having A Wild Weekend” part 2 written by Michael Higgins art by Erik Larsen Back at their base, the Loonies release each member of Excalibur into their own cells. Within her quarters, Kitty Pryde finds herself up against Rochester (a monstrous version of Looney Tunes’ Sylvester)! After defeating the big cat, she discovers he’s a robotic automaton and uses her phasing powers to break free of her prison.

Black Panther in “Panther’s Quest” part 20 written by Don McGregor art by Gene Colan   The Black Panther makes his way to the city of Johannesburg, where he’s stalking the mercenary, Strike (who delivered his mother’s note to Sarah Slade). The panther attacks the man and, after defeating him, he tricks Strike into confirming that his boss is Anton Pretorius. Believing that Pretorius has his mother, he sets off to his home in Capetown.

Coldblood in “Rise and Shine” part 7 written by Doug Moench art by Paul Gulacy Coldblood-7 sets out to Mako’s base with the intent of rescuing Gina and shut down his operation. Meanwhile, Mako is courting big money high-rollers who are interested in his cyborg program.

Sunfire in “the Dreaded Deadline Doom“ written by Scott Lobdell art by Don Heck Japan’s most respected businessman, Kishi Oramosha, intends to incite a world disaster in order to force the nations of the world to work together and build a better future. But, as great as the end results may be, it’s up to Sunfire to prevent him from unleashing his plan.

The Sunfire plot seems like an extremely watered-down version of Ozymandias’ plan from Watchmen. I’d stick with Alan Moore’s version … :-p But, hey! Look at that great, vintage McFarlane cover!

On Ebay: Marvel Comics Presents | Sunfire | Black Panther | Coldblood | Excalibur
On AtomicAvenue: Marvel Comics Presents | Black Panther | Excalibur