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: 1991 | Cover Price: $1.25 | Cover Artist: Rob Liefeld

Wolverine in “Acts of Vengeance” part 7 written by Howard Mackie art by Mark Texeira Ghost Rider and Brass take the easy way to the top of the building while Wolverine and Yuji (Brass’s father) take the stairs up. They both meet in the middle and find Brigitte and Jack bound in a room – surrounded by dozens of armed men. Their leader, Langley, claims to have orchestrated the whole thing. But, before the men can kill our heroes, Deathwatch comes across the scene – wondering why his men have been commandeered without his approval. Bad news for Langley!

Shanna in “The Bush of Ghosts” part 3 written by Gerard Jones art by Paul Gulacy Dubose Wilson, jive-talkin’ black marketeer, tries to find the leader of the black diamond market in Zanzibar but doesn’t get much help from the locals. Meanwhile, his quarry, Sir Guy Cross-Wallace, prepares for Shanna to find him. And, as predicted, Shanna is currently breaching his mansion.

Daredevil in “Redemption Song” part 2 written by Sandy Plunkett art by Sandy Plunkett with Dwayne Turner   Daredevil quickly subdues Ellington and demands a further explanation of his experiment-gone-wrong. He explains that he tested the intelligence-boosting formula on himself and it had granted him the ability to read minds. Now his company, Octagon, has a warrant out for his arrest and the experimental dogs are after the scientists who created their torment. Ellington doesn’t want this power to fall into Octagon’s hands because he feels it’s run by greedy men without morals. When the dogs arrive at the lab, Daredevil confronts them – and, with DD and the dogs distracted with each other, Ellington slips off into the night with his notes.

Dark Star/Starlight/Black Widow in “One Into Three Won’t Go!“ written by Robert Campanella art by Larry Alexander Sergei Krylov, the Presence, believes himself to be so powerful that he considers himself a god. And, after all, shouldn’t a god be granted multiple female companions? It’s with this in mind, that he takes possession of Starlight and sends her to capture the Black Widow and Darkstar to be his love-slaves. The Black Widow and Darkstar win the ensuing catfight by freeing Starlight’s mind. Interestingly enough, her heart still belongs to the Presence.

I know a lot of people like to hate on Rob Liefeld but, this is one cool-looking cover! Finally, the title of the Wolverine/Ghost Rider story starts to make sense. Acts of Vengeance was a crossover where villains took on heroes they didn’t normally fight in an effort to disorient and defeat them. It’s finally made clear here that, although Deathwatch’s goons were being used, Deathwatch wasn’t the one giving the orders. That was a neat twist to the story – especially after so many issues seeming to imply that Deathwatch was in charge. The elements of the Shanna story all seem to be coming together nicely – and the same goes for Daredevil’s. The events of the Black Widow story take place after events in Quasar #19-24. This story goes to show how, clearly, the Presence is completely out of his mind. He sends Starlight to make Darkstar one of his female concubines – even though she’s his daughter! Yick!

On Ebay: Marvel Comics Presents | Wolverine | Daredevil | Shanna | Black Widow
On AtomicAvenue: Marvel Comics Presents | Wolverine | Daredevil | Shanna | Black Widow

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: 1991 | Cover Price: $1.25 | Cover Artist: Sandy Plunkett

Wolverine in “Acts of Vengeance” part 6 written by Howard Mackie art by Mark Texeira Brass reveals his hatred for the Mandarin due to his involvement in the death of his girlfriend, Theresa. Wolverine remembers a run-in that he had with the Mandarin recently and they decide that the villain is probably the connection. After their brief respite, Wolverine, Brass, and Ghost Rider continue to battle Deathwatch‘s men. In the last page, Ghost Rider and Brass have taken off for an unknown destination.

Shanna in “The Bush of Ghosts” part 2 written by Gerard Jones art by Paul Gulacy Shanna tracks down the animal killers … or, at least, the bottom rung of the ladder. At the top of that ladder? Sir Guy Cross-Wallace. The search for his trail has begun. Also, in this issue, we follow Dubose Wilson (who seems to be in on the black market for diamonds) and Heller (a reporter attempting to expose the diamond thefts).

Daredevil in “Redemption Song” part 1 written by Sandy Plunkett art by Sandy Plunkett with Dwayne Turner There’s a heatwave in New York this July and a pirate radio station has hit the airwaves. It’s all the rage with the locals. The DJ, Travis T. Hipp, warns his listeners of a wild pack of dogs roaming the streets. Daredevil attempts to save a man from the dogs and even though he manages to beat them away, he’s too late. Before the man gives up the ghost, though, he beseeches Daredevil to seek out a scientist named Ellington and warn him that the dogs will be after him. Daredevil manages to find Ellington’s lab and his private journals. The writings reveal that Ellington was one of four scientists hired by Octagon to develop intelligence-boosting drugs. They used stray dogs as test subjects. The animals developed higher intelligence, escape and have been systematically hunting and killing the four scientists. After Daredevil has learned all of this, Ellington returns to the lab and confronts the vigilante for trespassing.

Silver Surfer in “A Howling in the Void“ written by Len Wein art by Hugh Hayes The tranquility of deep space is interrupted by a heartwrenching moan that lures the Silver Surfer to a derelict spaceship. The ship has clearly been ravaged and left to the abuses of drifting in space. Upon closer inspection, the Surfer finds the dead bodies of the crew. Unexpectedly, the corpses rise and attack the Silver Surfer. Using the power cosmic, he defeats them all – but, they rise again. This cycle continues until the Surfer is herded into the ship’s control room. The ship reveals itself to be a sentient being – one who has suffered much damage. It’s wounds are irreparable and it siphons the Surfer’s power cosmic to end its long-suffering agony through self-termination.

The Wolverine/Ghost Rider tale continues to be quite uninteresting and Shanna’s feature hasn’t quite hit its stride yet, either. The Daredevil story caught my attention and the one-and-done Silver Surfer space horror was touching, poignant and mournful.

On Ebay: Marvel Comics Presents | Wolverine | Daredevil | Shanna | Silver Surfer
On AtomicAvenue: Marvel Comics Presents | Wolverine | Daredevil | Shanna | Silver Surfer