Bill & Ted’s Excellent Comic Book (1991)

The first two issues revolve around the efforts of Bill (Bill S. Preston, Esq.) and Ted (Theodore Logan) as they plan a party to celebrate their recent nuptials. Unfortunately the personification of mortality, Death, a more recent ally, becomes vastly out of sorts and steals the phone-booth time machine. Rufus, their old guide, helps by directing them to a prototype for the phone booth/time machine. Bill and Ted must take the device and find Death before he causes too much damage to the time stream. The two also must deal with jealous rivals, who do not accept that Bill and Ted’s wives had freely chosen to marry.

Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America (2007)

The premise for this limited series was created by J. Michael Straczynski during a Marvel retreat in New York. (The book credits Straczynski with the initial concept.) He suggested the structure of five issues, each based on Elizabeth Kubler Ross’ Five Stages of Grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Loeb lobbied hard to write the series, and succeeded, saying that he could draw upon his own experience of having lost his son Sam Loeb. In the Spring Preview issue of Wizard magazine, Loeb said:

When Straczynski [speaks] it’s a little bit like the burning bush and the rest of us are Moses. He held up this yellow pad and said, ‘It’s the five stages of grief! Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance.’ The theme of each issue is represented by a particular Marvel character and also ends with a transition phase leading into the following stage. Denial deals with WolverineAnger deals with the two Avengers teams (Mighty Avengers & New Avengers), Captain America himself is dealt with in BargainingSpider-Man is the focus of Depression and Iron Man comes under the spotlight in Acceptance.

Death’s Head 2 V2 (1993)

Originally launched as a four-issue limited series, Death’s Head II then became an ongoing series – and also featured in a number of team-up limited series designed to showcase new Marvel UK characters. One of these was Death3, teaming up Death’s Head II with newly created “brothers”, Death Metal and his prototype Death Wreck. The recurring character throughout this was Dr Evelyn Necker, the scientist who creates the Minion series (Death’s Head II and his “brothers”). Death’s Head II became the flagship character for Marvel UK – a costume was even made for promotional appearances and was part of the 1993 Lord Mayor’s Show – and there were concerns at Marvel UK in early 1993 that they could be overestimating his popularity and over-exposing the character. When Marvel UK was cancelled, a Death’s Head II/Punisher crossover was in production and he was playing a key role in the completed, but never published, Loose Cannons (released online).

Star Wars V3 (2020)

In the wake of the events following The Empire Strikes Back, it is a dark time for the heroes of the Rebellion. The Rebel fleet…scattered following a disastrous defeat at the Battle of Hoth. Han Solo…lost to the bounty hunter, Boba Fett, after being frozen in carbonite. And after being lured into a trap on Cloud City and bested in a vicious lightsaber duel against the evil Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker…learned the horrible truth about his past. Vader did not kill Luke’s father Anakin–Vader is Luke’s father! Now, after narrowly escaping the dark lord’s clutches, and wounded and reeling from the revelation, Luke, Princess Leia, Lando Calrissian, the Wookiee Chewbacca and the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 must fight their way back to the Rebel Alliance—for the fate of the entire galaxy is at stake! After so many losses is victory still possible? But, what Leia, Luke and their ragtag band of freedom fighters do not realize is that they have only traded one Imperial trap for another! Enter the cunning and vengeful Imperial Commander Zahra, at the helm of the Tarkin’s Will!

Silver Surfer – In Thy Name (2007)

The Silver Surfer delves alone into the furthest depths of the void; tangling with organ-stealing pirates, demonic beasts and a race of alien aristocrats. Everyone’s favorite Cosmic Wanderer discovers that even in the midst of a galactic utopia, horror is never far away…With electrifying artwork by the dynamic Tan Eng Huat (Doom Patrol, Batman) and an endlessly inventive script by Simon Spurrier.

Doctor Doom (2019)

Victor Von Doom – scientist, sorcerer, disfigured face, twisted soul – has been spending much of his time warning against a trillion-dollar global effort to create the first “artificial” black hole. Wrestling with visions of an entirely different life…a better future…DOCTOR DOOM finds himself at a crossroads. (what is he questioning?) A catastrophic act of terrorism kills thousands, and the prime suspect is… DOOM? Victor will have to push his unexplained thoughts aside and focus on remaining alive as the title of “Most Wanted Man” is thrust upon him….

Left with no homeland, no armies, no allies, indeed, nothing at all, will the reign of Doctor Doom come to an abrupt halt?

Thor: God of Thunder (2012)

In October 2012, Thor became a regular character in Uncanny Avengers, beginning with issue #1. The following month, an ongoing series titled Thor: God of Thunder by writer Jason Aaron and artist Esad Ribić debuted as part of the Marvel NOW! relaunch.[49][50] This story arc was voted as the 8th best Thor story by Comicbook.com.

Captain Marvel (2014)

In July 2012, Carol Danvers, the longtime super-heroine known as Ms. Marvel, assumed the mantle of Captain Marvel in an ongoing series written by Kelly Sue DeConnick with art by Dexter Soy. Danvers dons a jumpsuit and explores her own past. DeConnick said at WonderCon 2012 that her pitch for the series could be described as “Carol Danvers as Chuck Yeager“. She said the series would contemplate what Captain Marvel’s legend means to Danvers, how she will wield it, and how the rest of the Marvel Universe reacts.

Marvels (1994)

Marvels is a four-issue limited series comic book written by Kurt Busiek, painted by Alex Ross and edited by Marcus McLaurin, and published by Marvel Comics in 1994. It was collected into a limited edition hardcover signed by both Busiek and Ross (shown below).

Set from 1939 to 1974, the series examines the Marvel Universe, the collective setting of most of Marvel’s superhero series, from the perspective of an Everyman character: news photographer Phil Sheldon. The street-level series portrayed ordinary life in a world full of costumed supermen, with each issue featuring events well known to readers of Marvel comics as well as a variety of minute details and retelling the most famous events in the Marvel universe.

Amazing Spider-Man (2010’s)

Mark Waid scripted the opening of “The Gauntlet” storyline in issue No. 612. The Gauntlet story was concluded by Grim Hunt (No. 634-637) which saw the resurrection of long-dead Spider-Man villain, Kraven the Hunter. The series became a twice-monthly title with Dan Slott as sole writer at issue No. 648, launching the Big Time storyline. Eight additional pages were added per issue. Big Time saw major changes in Spider-Man/Peter Parker’s life, Peter would start working at Horizon Labs and begin a relationship with Carlie Cooper (his first serious relationship since his marriage to Mary Jane), Mac Gargan returned as Scorpion after spending the past few years as Venom, Phil Urich would take up the mantle of Hobgoblin, and the death of J. Jonah Jameson’s wife, Marla Jameson. Issues 654 and 654.1 saw the birth of Agent Venom, Flash Thompson bonded with the Venom symbiote, which would lead to Venom getting his own series Venom (volume 2). Starting in No. 659 and going to No. 655, the series built-up to the Spider-Island event which officially started in No. 666 and ended in No. 673. Ends of the Earth was the next event that ran from No. 682 through No. 687. This publishing format lasted until issue No. 700, which concluded the “Dying Wish” storyline, in which Parker and Doctor Octopus swapped bodies, and the latter taking on the mantle of Spider-Man when Parker apparently died in Doctor Octopus’ body. The Amazing Spider-Man ended with this issue, with the story continuing in the new series The Superior Spider-Man.] Despite The Superior Spider-Man being considered a different series to The Amazing Spider-Man, the first 33 issue run goes towards the legacy numbering of The Amazing Spider-Man acting as issues 701-733. In December 2013, the series returned for five issues, numbered 700.1 through 700.5, with the first two written by David Morrell and drawn by Klaus Janson.