Tag: comic books

Punisher Starter Stories

Getting Into Comics: Punisher Starter Stories

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Do you want to get into Punisher comics and don’t know where to start? Geekly has you covered. Daredevil: Born Again continues its run on Disney+ this week, and Geekly is celebrating with yet another comic book starter stories list. Today’s list features the Punisher.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. While Frank Castle (The Punisher) may not have been around as long as Matt Murdock (Daredevil), he has an extensive catalog of comic books. We’ll have a mix of story arcs (stories composed of multiple comic book issues) and single-issue stories (which will only have one comic book to the story). The Punisher has a nice split between single-issue stories and story arcs. We’ll begin with the story arcs. Enjoy!

Story Arcs

Circle of Blood (The Punisher #1-5; written by Steven Grant and Jo Duffy/art by Mike Zeck and Mike Vosburg 1986)

The Punisher spent the first decade as a side character. His first appearance (which we’ll mention in the single issues) in Spider-Man established the Punisher as a mysterious figure, but Circle of Blood established the Punisher as a character. Originally, Marvel intended to make Circle of Blood a four-issue limited series. That changed with the series’ popularity. Circle of Blood became so popular that the Punisher became a monthly comic. Within this mini-series, you’ll find the Punisher’s origins. Frank is a Vietnam veteran who watches his family die at the hands of a gang war. Motivated by anguish he becomes a one-man army of revenge.

Circle of Blood gives readers everything they need about the Punisher as a character. There’s no better place to start reading Punisher than with Circle of Blood.

War Zone (The Punisher War Zone #1-6; written by Chuck Dixon/art by John Romita Jr., John Buscema, and Joe Kubert 1992)

During the early Nineties, The Punisher had two monthly titles. The original Punisher series was strong enough, while Punisher War Journal devolved into “Punisher make things go boom and die.” Punisher War Zone’s first storyline breaks from the norm—at least the first half of the storyline does, which is why I included #1-6, instead of #1-11. The Punisher goes undercover and unearths a mob plot. Throw in someone who may or may not be Kingpin, Kingpin was in hiding at this time, and Punisher War Zone is a great place to see the Punisher working with the police on the down low and flexing his detective and heroic muscles.

Welcome Back, Frank (The Punisher #1-12; written by Garth Ennis/art by Steve Dillon and Jimmy Palmiotti 2000-2001)

Marvel produced this twelve-issue limited series in 2000-2001. First-time Punisher scribe Garth Ennis made a huge splash with Punisher Kills the Marvel Universe (which almost made this list) and this series gave him a second opportunity to write for the character. This won’t be Ennis’s last entry; Ennis will dominate this list. Welcome Back, Frank continues to depict Frank as a Vietnam War veteran. He announces his return to New York City by taking on the Gnucci crime syndicate. Publicly, the NYPD opposes Frank’s actions. Secretly, the police condone the Punisher’s actions. With the help of the police and his neighbors, Frank dismantles the Gnucci’s crime operation. Welcome Back, Frank showcases the Punisher’s tenuous relationship with the police and highlights the smaller good deeds, that I won’t spoil here, that make Frank Castle who he is. Welcome Back, Frank is a Punisher must-read.

Born (Born #1-4; written by Garth Ennis/art by Darick Robertson and Tom Palmer; 2003)

I warned you. Garth Ennis will dominate this Punisher reading list. Born is another great Punisher mini-series; a lot happens in this four-issue run. Born follows Frank Castle as he serves in the United States Marine Corps during his final tour in Vietnam in 1971. Half of Frank’s fellow Marines are addicted to heroin. Their commanding officer is an apathetic alcoholic who pretends he has malaria whenever the superiors plan an inspection of the base, Valley Forge. Of course, we see military combat. One by one, Castle’s unit falls, and he finds himself surrounded by the enemy. I won’t spoil any more of this heart-pounding series. If you’re interested in what made Frank Castle the man he is, you should read Born.

Barracuda (Punisher #31-36; written by Garth Ennis/art by John McCrea and Steve Dillon 2003-2004)

Barracuda refers to the man who could be the Punisher’s greatest villain. Screen Rant said this about Barracuda. “Far and away the most popular villain from the Punisher MAX comics, Barracuda has become one of the most iconic enemies Frank Castle has faced.” Barracuda is every bit the Punisher’s equal. Honestly, he may be more terrifying. Barracuda didn’t need a tragedy (like losing his family) to become a killer. While in elementary school, he shoved his thumbs into a classmate’s eyes. He castrated someone while in a youth detention center. This propensity for violence made Barracuda the perfect Green Beret. So, now he has special ops training and a massive frame to back up his nastiness.

There’s no better place to start with getting to know one of the Punisher’s greatest enemies than with this comic book run. The last thing you want to see is a smiling Barracuda.

The Slavers (Punisher #25-30; written by Garth Ennis/art by Leandro Fernandez and Scott Koblish 2006)

The Slavers storyline shows Frank Castle’s softer side. As the title implies, this story revolves around slaves and the people who keep them in bondage. Specifically, The Slavers is about a forced prostitution ring. I won’t get into too much detail here. On one hand, I don’t want to spoil the story. On the other hand, The Slavers is not for the faint of heart. While this story arc is one of the Punisher’s best (and of course, it’s written by Garth Ennis), it comes with a strong trigger warning. The Slavers proves that the Punisher has a heart of gold, even if his methods are savage.

Single Issues

“The Punisher Strikes Twice!” (The Amazing Spider-Man #129; written by Gerry Conway/art by Ross Andru, Frank Giacoia, and Dave Hunt; 1974)

“The Punisher Strikes Twice!” marks the Punisher’s first appearance. Narratively, this Punisher looks very different from the one we see in any other Punisher story on this list. Punisher is little more than a hired gun. A new costumed character called the Jackal hires Punisher to slay Spider-Man. Antics ensue.

After this first appearance, the Punisher would team up with Spider-Man. Eventually, he would make cameos in other titles, teaming up with Captain America and Nightcrawler until Frank Miller would contrast Daredevil’s crimefighting style against the Punisher’s. “The Punisher Strikes Twice!” may not be the character we know of as the Punisher, but a Punisher fun should read the comic that started it all.

“The End” (Punisher: The End #1; written by Garth Ennis/art by Richard Corben; 2004)

And we’re back to another Garth Ennis-penned Punisher story. “The End” is a Punisher one-shot story set in the wake of World War III. This post-apocalyptic story is a product of its time. Frank is tasked with finding a hidden bomb shelter beneath the former site of the World Trade Center.  With the War on Terror in full swing, “The End” mirrors American fears.

“The Cell” (Punisher: The Cell #191; written by Garth Ennis/art by Lewis LaRosa; 2005)

Within the darkest corners of Riker’s prison, old men control their criminal empire. These old men are given a new neighbor on their cell block: Frank Castle. The Punisher uses a prison riot to weaken the crime lord’s defenses. When they attempt to wait out the chaos, the Punisher strikes. “The Cell” shows a Punisher who can play the long game. This Punisher bides his time and waits for the perfect moment to attack.

This list is by no means exhaustive. We could’ve added a few other Punisher stories. Let us know which Punisher stories you’d add to this list in the comments. And wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Top 5 Flash Villains

Top 5 Flash Villains

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I can’t believe Geekly has been doing Top 5 Villains lists for superheroes and we haven’t covered Flash’s rogues gallery. Flash has one of the most extensive rogues galleries in comic book history. He may not have villains with the same name recognition as Spider-Man or Batman, but his rogues gallery is one of the best.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. We’re back with another Top 5 Villains list. Many of the Flash’s most iconic villains have superspeed, so we’ll be limiting this list to the top speedster. Let us know if you’d like a Top 5 List of Villainous Speedsters. In the meantime, here’s our list of the Top 5 Flash Villains.

Top 5 Ice Powered Comic Book Characters Killer Frost

5: Killer Frost

Flash’s top 4 villains were a breeze to compile. I knew who they were the instant I sat down. His fifth villain could go in several directions. I may have said that about more than one superhero, but that’s the truth. Killer Frost beats out the rest of the would-be Top 5 Flash villains if for no other reason than she used to be a Flash ally. She spends part of her time as an anti-hero, having spent stints with the Suicide Squad and Justice League. But whenever Caitlin Snow decides to turn evil, it spells doom for the Flash. Her connections with Flash and Firestorm add to her lethality. Cold powers prove effective against the Flash; cold can slow the speedster. Killer Frost’s freezing ability, as we’ll see with another Flash villain on this list, makes her dangerous.

4: Mirror Master

Mirror Master fills a similar role in Flash’s Rogues that Mysterio does in Spider-Man’s Rogues, and Mysterio ended up as Spider-Man’s fourth-placed villain. Hmm. Looks like the fourth spot is the perfect place for a villain designed to confuse their nemesis. Unlike Mysterio, Mirror Master possesses powers. His mirrors can hypnotize, turn him invisible, generate holograms, change his physical form, and travel into other dimensions. That final ability separates Mirror Master from Mysterio. One of my favorite recent stories Mirror Master showed him trap Flash within a parallel dimension of his creation.

Don’t let the high-speed fool you. Flash is one of DC Comics’ most powerful heroes. He can turn back time and alter the past. Brute strength doesn’t often work against the Flash. Mirror Master takes a different route. And I’m a sucker for a villain with a mischievous streak.

3: Gorilla Grodd

Gorilla Grodd is one of my favorite Flash villains. I wanted to place him at the one or the two spot, but two other villains narrowly beat him. Gorilla Grodd has superhuman strength, telekinesis, telepathy, a super genius-level intellect, and has a connection to the Speed Force. As his name suggests, he’s a gorilla. He hails from Gorilla City and is the sometimes leader of the metropolis led by super-intelligent gorillas. Gorilla Grodd not only has a laundry list of abilities, he has an army at his disposal.

Marry all of this up with Grodd’s connections with most of DC Comics’ supervillain organizations like the Legion of Doom, the Secret Society of Super Villains, and the Injustice League, and Gorilla Grodd has a plethora of allies he can summon. Grodd is one of Flash’s most formidable enemies.

2: Captain Cold

You can take everything I said about Killer Frost and her freezing powers and apply it to Captain Cold. But instead of Captain Cold being a personal friend of the Flash’s, he’s the man he instituted the Flash’s Rogues, Flash’s version of the Sinister Six, and serves as their leader. I had to put Captain Cold above Grodd because Grodd can get distracted by other heroes, and Captain Cold keeps his animosity toward the Flash. He knows which buttons to press and isn’t afraid to press them. His freezing abilities are only matched by his intellect. In short, Captain Cold knows how to use the Flash’s strength against him and that makes him deadly.

1: Reverse-Flash

Eobard Thawne (also known as Reverse-Flash and Professor Zoom) takes the top spot. He’s another speedster, so if we were to create a list of Top 5 Villainous Flash Speedsters, he’d be the top spot there as well. Thawne is one of the few characters in the DC Comics Universe who can travel back in time with little to no ill effects, and he uses this to his advantage. He’s erased characters to torment and destroy the Flash’s life. He even went back in time to kill Barry Allen’s mother. Reverse-Flash is plain evil.

He too has connections with the Legion of Doom, the Injustice League, and the Rogues. He had to take the top spot. Despite others’ attempts, no one has tortured the Flash more than Reverse-Flash. He does what his name says, he is the Flash’s antithesis.

Did we get the list right? Let us know who you would add or remove in the comments. And wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Daredevil Starter Stories

Getting Started With Comics: Daredevil Starter Stories

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Daredevil: Born Again begins its run tomorrow, and Geekly is celebrating with another comic book starter stories list. Today may be the best day to begin reading Daredevil comics. We hope this list will help you decide where to begin your journey with the Man Without Fear.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Daredevil has been around for a long time and has had plenty of brilliant runs throughout his time in Marvel comics. We’ll have a mix of story arcs (stories composed of multiple comic book issues) and single-issue stories (which will only have one comic book to the story). Daredevil has a nice split between single-issue stories and story arcs. We’ll begin with the story arcs. Enjoy!

Story Arcs

Punisher Versus Daredevil (Daredevil #183-184; written by Frank Miller and Roger McKenzie/art by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson 1982)

This is the first of several Frank Miller entries. Miller made his name writing for Daredevil, so it’s inevitable. This two-issue story called “Child’s Play” shows the difference between Daredevil and the Punisher. While Daredevil refuses to kill, the Punisher has no problem killing.

The pair team-up after a young girl on drugs takes a dive out of her school window and dies. Yeah. Miller’s Daredevil pushed the envelope of what the Comics Code Authority would allow in a story. Getting back to this story, with the help of the dead girl’s brother, Daredevil and Punisher track down the dealer responsible for selling her drugs. Daredevil and Punisher get into a fight over how they’ll handle the dealer after they find him. Daredevil #183’s cover showcases this fight; it’s iconic.

Born Again (Daredevil #227-233; written by Frank Miller/art by Frank Miller and David Mazzuchelli 1986)

The Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again gets its name from a Frank Miller-penned comic book story arc, and the final season of the Netflix Daredevil series borrows a lot from Daredevil Born Again. It’s a classic.

Daredevil Born Again follows Daredevil’s descent into insanity and destitution at the Kingpin’s hands. Daredevil’s ex-girlfriend Karen Page becomes a heroin addict. Strapped for cash, she sells the information that Matt Murdock is Daredevil for a shot of heroin. This information is then sold to the Kingpin, and the Kingpin does all manner of things to destroy Daredevil’s personal life. Matt’s life becomes hell.

I hope the Disney+ series goes further than the Netflix series and dives deeper into Born Again’s storyline.

Last Rites (Daredevil #283-300; written by Ann Nocenti and Dan G. Chichester/art by Mark Bagley, Lee Weeks Greg Capullo, Kieron Dwyer, Ron Garney, Butch (Jackson) Guice, Don Hudson, Larry Alexander, June Brigman, Al Williamson, Doug Hazlewood, Fred Fredericks, Tom Morgan, and Roy Richardson; 1990-1992)

Last Rites is the longest story arc included on this list, but it’s a Daredevil essential. This storyline concludes Ann Nocenti’s epic run on the character (we’ll see more of Nocenti’s work later). Last Rites is a whirlwind. The Kingpin falls. An amnesiac Matt Murdock is no longer Daredevil. Instead, another person swings around New York wearing a red jumpsuit, committing surgically precise crimes.

Matt thinks he’s the boxer Jack Murdock, while Kingpin builds a media empire. Eventually, a reborn Daredevil is determined to deliver the last rites to Kingpin’s reign of terror. There are a heap of guest stars in this massive Daredevil story: Captain America, Taskmaster, Tombstone, Baron Strucker, The Punisher, and Ghost Rider. But at its heart, Last Rites is Daredevil and Kingpin battling to the death.

Daredevil: Man Without Fear (Daredevil: Man Without Fear #1-5; written by Frank Miller/art by John Romita 1993-1994)

If you can’t tell, Frank Miller will dominate this list. I tried to keep Miller’s number of stories at a minimum, but he will repeatedly show up. Daredevil: Man Without Fear was a miniseries from the early Nineties. The series explores Matt Murdock’s childhood, the accident that caused his blindness and powers, as well as his father’s death. The series features pivotal scenes that have become staples in the Daredevil mythos: Matt’s mentor Stick, his college flame Elektra, his best friend Foggy Nelson, and his primary nemesis Kingpin. Fans of the Netflix Daredevil show will see plenty of familiar scenes. Daredevil: Man Without Fear is a must-read.

Return of the King (Daredevil #116-119; written by Ed Brubaker/art by Michael Lark and David Aja 2009)

A story arc from Ed Brubaker’s historic run on Daredevil had to appear on this list. I chose Return of the King because it shows Kingpin—easily Daredevil’s greatest villain—at his backstabbing and conniving best. Wilson Fisk (Kingpin) flees to Europe to escape his life of crime, where he meets a woman and befriends her children. Fisk views this family as his own until they are killed by the Hand. Lady Bullseye, one of the Hand assassins, claims Daredevil sent her. And all hell breaks loose with Kingpin reclaiming his reign as king of the criminal underworld.

The Omega Effect (Avenging Spider-Man #6, Punisher #10, and Daredevil #11; written by Greg Rucka and Mark Waid/art by Marco Checchetto 2012)

Mark Waid’s run on Daredevil could be summed up in one word: fun. The Omega Effect joins this list because it features Daredevil teaming up with two of his most common allies: Spider-Man and Punisher. But you don’t get one Punisher. Frank Castle trains a second Punisher, Rachel Cole-Alves. This makeshift team crumbles when one of the members turns backstabber.

Single Issues

“Last Hand” (Daredevil #181; written by Frank Miller/art by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson; 1982)

“Last Hand” is another classic Frank Miller comic. It’s a simple concept. Bullseye escapes from prison and plots his revenge against Daredevil. But Bullseye also discovers Daredevil’s secret identity and figures the only way to hurt Daredevil worse than killing him is to go after his lover Elektra. “Last Hand” ends with Elektra’s iconic death.

“Roulette” (Daredevil #191; written by Frank Miller/art by Frank Miller and Terry Austin; 1983)

The title “Roulette” may come from Daredevil playing Russian Roulette with a helpless Bullseye (he’s paralyzed from their previous battle), but the reason for Matt Murdock playing Russian Roulette stems from another encounter. “Roulette” uses Daredevil torturing a hospitalized Bullseye with an empty gun as bread in a narrative sandwich. This narrative’s filling comes from Daredevil’s interactions with a father and son.

The father is bullied at work just as the son is bullied at school. There’s a hint that the father may be abusing his child at home, too. The kid idolizes Daredevil, even pretending that he is Daredevil at school, but he becomes disillusioned when his father pulls a gun on a coworker who’s blackmailing him, and Daredevil beats up the kid’s dad before he can shoot. This traumatizes the kid. Later, the kid brings his father’s gun to school and when he gets picked on again, he shoots the kid who’s bullying him. “Roulette” is a bleak story. But it’s a story that may have even more relevance today than it did when it was first published.

“A Beer with the Devil” (Daredevil #266; written by Ann Nocenti and John Romita Jr./art by John Romita Jr.; 1989)

“A Beer with the Devil” is easily the oddest entry on this list. Ann Nocenti’s run on Daredevil is one of the most daring. Pun intended. She takes plenty of risks and takes Daredevil to some bizarre places. She’s the one who introduced the antagonist Typhoid Mary (Daredevil #254, which almost made this list) and the demon Blackheart (Daredevil #270, which is another standout issue). But we’re going with “A Beer with the Devil.” It puts the devil in Daredevil. Matt Murdock spends Christmas in a seedy bar with Satan’s cousin Mephisto.

The stories on this list are just the tip of the iceberg. Daredevil has seen so many reboots and stellar story arcs that we’re bound to miss one or two of five hundred. Let us know which Daredevil stories you’d add to this list in the comments. And wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Sam Wilson Starter Comics

Getting Into Comics: Sam Wilson (Falcon/Captain America) Starter Stories

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Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Captain America: Brave New World was released yesterday, so we figured we would compile a list of Sam Wilson (Falcon and Captain America) starter stories if you were interested in getting to know Sam better as a character. Today’s post will feature one story with a single comic book issue. The rest will be story arcs composed of multiple comic books. Enjoy!

Single Issue

Sight Unseen (Avengers #64, written by Geoff Johns/art by Ivan Reis; 2003)

The events of Sight Unseen mostly take place in Avengers #64. Falcon has recently been drafted into the Avengers. Sam Wilson serves as a diversity hire—the rest of the Avengers more or less make him feel this way—so Sam never truly feels like he’s part of the team. Sight Unseen shows Sam finding his voice and cementing himself as a member of the Avengers. He gains a lot of respect, and this becomes a defining moment in his Avengers career. I don’t want to spoil too much of the plot, but let’s say that Henry Gyrich and Scarecrow make an appearance.

Story Arcs

The Coming of…The Falcon (Captain America #115-119, written by Stan Lee/art by Gene Colan; 1968)

The Coming of…The Falcon technically starts in Captain America #115, but Falcon doesn’t make his first appearance until #117. Before Falcon steps into the action, there are some Cosmic Cube shenanigans where Captain America and Red Skull have a Freaky Friday situation and swap bodies. Sam Wilson sees beyond the exterior and teams up with the Red Skull body-trapped Captain America. Cap teaches Sam some fighting skills and encourages Sam to take on a hero identity. Sam impresses Captain America enough that he becomes Cap’s new sidekick Falcon.

Falcon Miniseries (written by Jim Owlsey/art by Paul Smith; 1983-1984)

The Falcon Miniseries marks the first time Falcon stepped out of the sidekick role. Sam Wilson returns home. He witnesses a peaceful march resulting in protestors dying. Incensed, Sam shows the world that he is a hero to everyone, even those the government and police refuse to protect. Though written in the 1980s, the Falcon Miniseries remains culturally relevant.

The Burden of Dreams (Captain America #31-36, written by Ed Brubaker/art by Steve Epting; 1990)

Relationships aren’t the only thing that breaks in the wake of Civil War. Despite surrendering, a gunman kills Steve Rodgers before he can stand trial. Afterwards, Sam Wilson registers his identity per the Superhuman Registration Act, but that’s immediately followed by a new Captain America program, and the person tasked to fill this role is Bucky Barnes. But no one knows where Barnes is; Wilson must find him. When he does, he finds the Winter Soldier in the grip of the Red Skull and Doctor Faustus. It’s up to Falcon to rescue Bucky.

American Psycho (Captain America and The Falcon #13-14, written by Christopher Priest/art by Dan Jurgens; 2005)

Sam Wilson usually assumes the role of a hero in Marvel Comics, but in 2005’s American Psycho, his loyalty gets called into question. During much of this series, Sam gets involved in criminal activities when something happens that reverts him back to his pre-hero way of life. As one of Captain America’s greatest allies, Steve tries to stop Sam but can’t. When someone shoots Falcon, he snaps out of his trance. The damage has been done, and Sam begins a redemption arc.

Not My Captain America (Captain America: Sam Wilson #1-6, written by Nick Spencer/art by Paul Renaud; 2010-2011)

Not My Captain America is the first storyline that features Sam Wilson as the new Captain America. Much like the end of Avengers: End Game, Steve Rodgers rapidly ages and can no longer continue as Captain America. Sam Wilson is the obvious choice to replace Steve as Cap. Throughout the story, fewer and fewer people accept Sam, adopting the slogan, “Not My Captain America.” Like many other great Sam Wilson stories, Not My Captain America didn’t flinch when addressing racism in America.

Falcon and Winter Soldier Miniseries (written by Derek Landy/art by Federico Vincenti; 2019)

The Falcon and Winter Soldier Miniseries was released in 2019 to prepare fans for the 2021 Disney+ series of the same name. It serves as a fun buddy cop series. While Falcon and Bucky don’t tend to click as well as Bucky and Hawkeye, the Falcon and Winter Miniseries provides a great look at the odd couple. An assassination attempt on Winter Soldier prompts Bucky to call Sam Wilson for help. The two seek out the new leader of HYDRA before the organization can regroup.

I’m sure I missed a story or two on this list. Let me know which Sam Wilson stories you’d choose instead and make sure you note whether the Sam stories are ones of him as Cap or Falcon. And wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Top 5 Captain America Villains

Top 5 Captain America Villains

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Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. We’re preparing for the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World with another Top 5 Villains List. Captain America has an interesting group of villains, to say the least.

We’ll have two official honorable mentions, but I’m going to cheat a bit and add a few in this introduction: MODOK, Batroc, and Adolph Hitler. MODOK stands for Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing. I’d shorten it to MODOK, too. MODOK is a floating head. Batroc’s full name is Batroc the Leaper. He leaps. And Adolph Hitler needs no introduction. Cap spent most of his early days punching Adolph Hitler in the face. With those villains out of the way, let’s get to our official honorable mentions.

Honorable Mention 2: Winter Soldier

Spoiler Alert for one of the MCU’s best films Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Steve Rodgers’ old friend Bucky Barnes is the Winter Soldier. He didn’t make the top villains list properly because even though he was the title villain in one of the greatest Captain America stories and recontextualized Captain America’s past, he became a hero. And he’s stayed a hero for the most part. The Winter Soldier even became Captain America in the comics for a time.

Honorable Mention 1: Serpent Society

The Serpent Society is a supervillain group rather than one villain, but they deserve a mention, especially since they’ll receive their MCU introduction in Captain America: Brave New World. Several factions exist within the Serpent Society. That’s to be expected since the group consists of dozens of snake-themed villains. Sidewinder, Princess Python, Anaconda, Constrictor, Fer de Lance, Puff Adder, Death Adder, Bushmaster, Asp, Cottonmouth, Rattler, and many, many more are part of the Serpent Society. We’ll have to see what the Serpent Society’s plot will be in the upcoming movie, but I wager it won’t be poisoning Washington DC’s water supply to turn everyone into Snake-People. That happened in the comics once. It took Diamondback rebelling against Madame Hydra’s rule to put an end to the plot.

5: Crossbones

Crossbones is often viewed as a Red Skull henchman—another spoiler, Red Skull will make the list—and he often gets attributed as a Sharon Carter villain. But Crossbones instigated Captain America’s assassination in the comics. Crossbones takes pleasure in murder. He even laughs when the Winter Soldier and Falcon take him down following Cap’s death. In the MCU, Crossbones (Brock Rumlow) was the one who hinted that HYDRA may have infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. Near the beginning of Captain America: Civil War, he laughs about the torture he put Bucky through when Captain America apprehends him. Crossbones wears a suicide vest, and Scarlet Witch hurls him toward a building filled with Wakandan relief workers, which causes a rift within the Avengers. Crossbones is more than your average henchman.

4: Arnim Zola

Originally a HYDRA scientist, Arnim Zola conducted numerous biochemical experiments. He messed around with the genes of human subjects and even brought back Adolph Hitler. Zola has a mean streak. He doesn’t care who he teams up with so long as he can continue his experiments. Most of what Zola does is in service of these experiments. He even uploaded his mind into a robot body, granting himself a type of immortality. Don’t let Zola’s goofy appearance of a giant TV screen with arms and legs fool you. Zola is one the deadliest villains in comic book history.

3: Baron Strucker

It was Baron Strucker all along. Baron Wolfgang von Strucker founded Hydra in the 1800s. He fought for Germany during World War I and brought the Red Skull into the fold during World War II. It was Strucker who recruited Arnim Zola. Following the end of World War II, Strucker became near-immortal by obtaining the Satan Claw, a strength-enhancing gauntlet. Strucker infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. with HYDRA agents. For years S.H.I.E.L.D. fell under HYDRA’s corruption, feeding the villainous group all its information. Decade after decade, Baron von Strucker earned his place as one of the greatest criminal masterminds in comics.

2: Baron Zemo

Two characters have taken the name Baron Zemo, a father-son tandem of Heinrich (father) and Helmut (son). I’m cheating—a little—by combining the two characters for this entry. Father Heinrich Zemo was one of the most despicable figures of the Third Reich. He, like Zola earlier on this list, loved testing inventions like ray cannons and disintegration guns on innocent people. He founded the Master of Evil, a thorn in the side of the early Avengers, and eventually killed—or at least we believed he killed—Steve Rodgers’ best friend Bucky Barnes. Following Bucky’s “death,” Captain America kills Heinrich Zemo. Heinrich’s son Helmut Zemo swears vengeance on Captain America. Where Captain America wants to make the world better for everyone, Zemo strives to ruin it because of his vendetta against one man. Helmut Zemo formed the original Thunderbolts, which were villains masquerading as heroes.

1: Red Skull

Red Skull appeared in the first-ever Captain America comic book. No other villain has come close to capturing the menace and imagination as Johann Schmidt, the Red Skull. The Red Skull is the antithesis of Captain America. He’s the super soldier experiment gone wrong. His imagery of a bloody skull dressed in a black coat contrasts the symbology of Captain America’s outfit. While Captain America represents the American ideal, the Red Skull did the same for Nazi Germany. Post World War II, the Red Skull has joined forces with HYDRA, a Nazi stand-in, and he continues to clash with one of the oldest comic book characters. No Captain America villain has ever reached the Red Skull’s status and malice.

Who is your favorite Captain America villain? Let us know who you would add or remove in the comments. And wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Cassandra Nova Starter Stories

Getting Into Comics: Cassandra Nova Starter Stories

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Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Tomorrow is my oldest daughter’s birthday. Happy 27th birthday! She’s one year closer to 30. Eek! Anyway, I asked her which comic book character she’d like me to cover this week in our ongoing series of “Getting into Comics,” and she answered Cassandra Nova.

Yep. Yet another villain for the comic book starter stories. And yes, she first learned about Cassandra Nova in the recent Deadpool and Wolverine movie. We covered the movie a while back, here’s the link. Cassandra Nova is one of the newer X-Men villains, so she won’t have as extensive of a reading list. Here it goes.

Story Arcs

We’re continuing the trend of separating single issues stories from story arcs. This time, we’ll start with story arcs that consist of multiple comic books and then move on to single-issue stories. We’re doing it this way because Cassandra Nova’s first appearance was in a story arc.

E Is For Extinction (New X-Men #114-116; written by Grant Morrison/art by Frank Quietly and Ethan Van Sciver 2001)

E is for Extinction was the first story arc from Grant Morrison’s run on the New X-Men. Morrison insisted the series be renamed New X-Men; it retained the original series’ numbering, but he revamped the team so much that the series needed a new name. Morrison catapults the X-Men into the 21st century.

Cassandra Nova discovers a long-lost Master Mold A.I. and Sentinel production facility in Ecuador. She uses the last surviving relative of Bolivar Trask to gain control of the wild sentinels and has the man order the Sentinels to massacre the entire population of the mutant nation Genosha. The X-Men locate her by using the newly created mutant detection machine Cerebra and put an end to her reign of terror, but they’re too late. Cassandra Nova almost wipes out the entire population of the island.

If this sounds an awful lot like a plot line from the recent X-Men ’97 cartoon, you’re right. And if you haven’t yet seen X-Men ’97, what are you waiting for? E is for Extinction shows how diabolical Cassandra Nova can get. It’s no wonder that she earned the distinction as “Villain of the Year” by Wizard Magazine in 2001.

Torn (Astonishing X-Men #13-18; written by Joss Whedon/art by John Cassaday 2005)

Joss Whedon continued Grant Morrison’s New X-Men run with Astonishing X-Men. Most of the cast (heroes and most of the villains) remain the same. With that said, the Dangerous story arc that proceeds this one ties up some loose ends with E is for Extinction. Another Sentinel attacks and the culprit behind the attack is (spoilers) the Danger Room itself. The reason why this ties up loose ends found in E is for Extinction is that the Sentinel who destroyed Genosha becomes aware of its actions and ceases to attack the X-Men. It’s also revealed that Emma Frost works with the newly formed Hellfire Club. Enter Cassandra Nova.

Nova has joined this new version of the Hellfire Club. To be exact, Emma imprisoned Nova’s mind into a biological “slug.” Not all is what it seems. Cassandra Nova out mind tricks Emma Frost into doing her bidding. Nova even forces the X-Men to face their greatest fears and childhood trauma. This all leads to Shadowcat mimicking the classic pose Wolverine took in Uncanny X-Men #132.

X-Men: Red, Volume 1 (X-Men: Red #1-11; written by Tom Taylor/art by Al Ewing 2018-2019)

X-Men: Red follows the events from the December 2017 miniseries Phoenix Resurrection: The Return of Jean Grey written by Matthew Rosenberg with art by Leinil Francis Yu. Yes. Jean Grey died a second time, but at least this time she stayed dead for about a decade. Way longer than her first death after the Dark Phoenix Saga. Anyway, X-Men Red was promoted as part of Marvel’s Fresh Start. Part of this fresh start is the X-Men trying to create a new mutant nation.

The heroes of X-Men: Red shake up the norm. Jean, Nightcrawler, and Wolverine serve as the old guard, but new editions Honey Badger, Gentle, Trinary, and even Namor round out the rest of the X-Men.  They use Atlantis as their headquarters in part because Jean is framed for the murder of an English congresswoman. In truth, the congresswoman died at the hands of a resurfaced Cassandra Nova. Nova uses the politician’s death to alienate Jean from the public eye. This forces Jean’s team to work underground.

Marauders, Volume 2 (Marauders Vol 2 #1-12; written by Steve Orlando/art by Eleonora Carlini 2022-2023)

Not to be confused with several other versions of Marauders, this most recent group of Marauders is led by Captain Kitty Pryde. They rescue mutants, wherever they may be and no matter how dangerous the odds. The final member of her crew is none other than Cassandra Nova.

This is the first time that Cassandra Nova has been cast as a hero, albeit a reluctant one. Most of the Marauders, who were victims of Nova’s cruelty to Genosha, would rather not depend on her, and they do depend on her abilities quite a bit. The group depends on her for a while, until they plan for Nova’s eventual heel turn. Marauders is a strange read. It ends its arc with Nova being stranded 2 billion years in the past, with a mass extinction event on the horizon. That’s one way to exact your revenge.

Single Issues

“Silence: Psychic Rescue in Progress” (New X-Men #121; written by Grant Morrison/art by Frank Quietly and Ethan Van Sciver; 2002)

Charles Xavier’s mind lies imprisoned in the comatose body of Cassandra Nova. Jean Grey and Emma Frost team up on a telepathic journey into Cassandra’s consciousness to rescue Charles. The psychic trip is one for the ages. Beyond vast oceans rests a suspiciously fortified tower. Phoenix builds a bridge to cross the divide, but the tower’s defenses destroy Jean’s construct.

Traveling deeper into Cassandra Nova’s consciousness, the two learn that Cassandra Nova and Charles Xavier are twins. They engaged in psychic combat inside their mother’s womb. The fight led Charles and Cassandra’s mother to tumble down a flight of stairs. Jean and Emma learn that Charles intended to kill his sister inside the womb. Cassandra Nova left the womb stillborn.

This sequence gives much-needed context to why Cassandra Nova sicced the Sentinels on the nation of Genosha. She wants to destroy what Charles Xavier holds dear. She wants to make him pay for not showing her the same love he shows others.

The beginning of this issue’s title “Silence” holds special significance. This issue is part of the “Nuff Said” month in which no comics released at the time were allowed to use any words. The only words uttered were by Jean during the story’s conclusion.

There aren’t that many Cassandra Nova stories to choose from, but I may have left off one or two. Let me know which Cassandra Nova stories you’d choose instead. And wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.