#Javier = Hip-Hop Bear

[cadaver-moss]

Hear me out:

What if Enojadita was a CareBear

Fun fact about the hearts on her Belly Badge: the hearts are a representation of the people she loved that are now lost to her! A heart to represent her father, her brother, and Arcoíris!

[howlett-n-morgan]

Take Me Home

2. Gunslinger

Arthur Morgan x Texas Red!Reader

A/n: thank you guys for the warm welcome back and for reading the first part! I hope to be getting the Joel series reposted soon, but for now, I'm just going to be uploading these.

Summary: With the newest outlaw settled into camp, Arthur takes on yet another role within the group: Teacher.

Warnings: canon typical violence, guns, talk of blood and brutality. Backstory mentions misogyny, and has detailed descriptions of arranged marriage. Mild language, some angst, mostly still just an introductory chapter.

WC: 3.3k

“I know what Dutch said,” he nodded, approaching closer and crossing his arms. “I still expect something in return for my services.”

You scoffed. “I ain’t got nothing you would want.”

“Sure, you do…” he trailed, standing right in front of you and reaching down towards your hip. Your breath hitched in the back of your throat, even just having him this close to you. When his hand met your gun, pulling it away from its holster, you relaxed just a bit more. “How is it you shoot so fast?”

You haven’t seen much of the nature of Agua Fria, but you’re glad you’re able to, now. You’d town hopped a few times within the city, letting new faces get a look at yours. But there was a sort of pressure in those crowded areas, and it doesn’t feel like that in the Van Der Linde campsite. 

The gang has taken well to you. It’s been a fortnight since you joined up, the ragtag gang of outlaws, thieves, and gunslingers had been welcoming, given your display on just the day after your arrival.

Dutch has yet to send you on any jobs, mainly because of something you revealed to everyone around the campfire a week ago. 

“How does one shoot a rifle?” you pondered curiously, the silence of the group making you anxious.

“Boy, you better be pulling my leg,” Dutch himself butted in, shaking his head in disbelief. A cigarette hung from his lips, but he pulled it away to stare you down. 

“Well, I just…” haven’t ever shot one before. You’d trailed off before any further mockery could be made, but it was too late.

“You mean to tell me, that in eighteen years of life, you never managed to fire a rifle?” Arthur chimed in, though he was in on your secret, this revelation still surprised him. What else were you hiding?

“If y’all are just gonna mock me, I’m turnin’ in.”

Dutch laughed, and everyone else in the circle made an attempt to undo the harm done. 

“Javier ain’t even played a damn note, and you’re gonna sleep?” John cut in, his gravelly voice full of resentment to your attitude. Maybe you were a bit touchy, but it’s not like you’d ever had close friends to joke around with before. Much less people who got away with poking so much fun to your name.

“Who cares if he can’t shoot a rifle? He’s got a faster shot than all of you with a pistol,” Tilly piped up, her sweet voice just about putting all the other men in their place. She looked at you with contrition. “I’m not very good with those big guns, either.” 

“Thank you, Miss Tilly,” you tipped your hat, sitting back down on the log next to her. 

That was another thing… You couldn’t bear to break the young girl’s heart, although she would have to find out eventually that you were not in fact the man she thought you were. 

Arthur chuckled under his breath watching the interaction, going back to the drink in his hand with a shake of his head. He wouldn’t say anything, he promised he wouldn’t… but some of these occurrences were just too amusing, he couldn’t help his genuine reactions. The slanted jokes about male anatomy towards you, usually coming from John, Sean, or even the calendar boys. The way that you nearly had a heart attack when Miss Grimshaw offered to help you out of your clothes to wash them. Even now, the sweet words from Tilly and the funny way you looked at your feet to avoid meeting her eyes. 

He’d been surprised, if he’s honest. He thought that with all her romantic notions and storybook thoughts that Mary-Beth would be the one to fancy a new gunslinger… but maybe you just weren’t her type. Perhaps it was the red hair that deterred her, he knows for sure that was the case when Sean tried his luck. Good thing Karen was there to catch his fall. But sweet Tilly had no idea what she was in for.

He’d teased you about it over the next week, and finally today, when it was time to show you the ropes of a rifle. Dutch insisted that running with them required knowledge of more than pistols and revolvers, and who better to teach than the enforcer himself.

“Like this?” you asked, trying to place the gun correctly. 

“Yeah sure, if you wanna blow your arm out of socket.” His low chuckle, followed by a drag of smoke was not helpful, and neither were his words, but your position was just too funny.

“I believe this is where you’re s’posed to be helpin’ me,” you replied, a fiery bite in your words. You’d been learning to warm up to people’s teasing, although it was still a long road to go. 

He stood to his feet from where he lounged by a tree, coming up beside you to kick your foot out a little. “Can’t stand like a tree, kid… you’ll tip over in the wind.”

He pulled the butt of the gun into your shoulder, making sure you wouldn’t give out when the gun fires. 

“Alright, the shootin’ part should be easy for you. Just hold strong, that thing’s gonna kick back a hell of a lot more than any handgun.” 

You pulled back the bolt, raising the barrel until you could aim properly. The glass bottle on the tree branch down the way looked like an easy enough target, but when you fired, you weren’t ready for how much pressure the gun would push on you, and you stumbled back into Arthur. 

“Mind your step, will ya?” he teased yet again, and it took everything in you to just ready your stance and try again without saying a word. 

You took a deep breath, pulling back on the bolt once more. You had a good idea as to how much you needed to push back this time. Finding the bottle again, you pulled the trigger, closing your eyes at the explosion and faintly hearing the sound of broken glass in the distance. 

“I did alright,” you turned to Arthur, a narrow gaze in his eyes as he looked from you then back to the tree. It was quite a distance away, and he was surprised you’d hit so accurately already. Then again, you were kind of known for your accuracy… but you’d never fired a rifle.

“Yeah, more than alright,” he reasoned, taking the gun from you and turning to take a shot for himself. “Now ya just gotta work on speed. This ain’t nothing you can keep on your hip.”

He fired one round after another, each bullet hitting the same branch on a tree until it fell from the trunk completely. Wow. 

He smirked over his shoulder, and your face probably gave him an even better reason to be smug. You were clearly in awe of almost everything this man did. Taking care of his horse? In awe. Carrying supplies from the wagon into camp without having to make several trips? In awe. Even now, his accuracy and reaction time. He was so skilled, and you wondered if you’d ever match him. 

“Now,” he said, setting the rifle by the tree. “I don’t just go about teachin’ folk how to shoot for free.”

“But Dutch said that-”

“I know what Dutch said,” he nodded, approaching closer and crossing his arms. “I still expect something in return for my services.”

You scoffed. “I ain’t got nothing you would want.”

“Sure, you do…” he trailed, standing right in front of you and reaching down towards your hip. Your breath hitched in the back of your throat, even just having him this close to you. When his hand met your gun, pulling it away from its holster, you relaxed just a bit more. “How is it you shoot so fast?” 

Honestly, you didn’t have a clue. Everything you did to get faster, you’re sure he’s already done, and a million times over. 

“Nerves, mostly. My hands start shakin’ whenever I get a challenger, they start itching to shoot real bad… guess that’s why.”

He nodded, but was unsatisfied. Your answer was vague and unconvincing.

“What’d you do to learn? You obviously ain’t shot another gun but this one here, tell me how it came along,” he raised the pistol in the air, his skilful hands spinning it over a finger with ease. 

“I guess s’a long story.”

“And since you learned your way around a rifle so well, we got nothin’ but time.”

You sighed, stepping into the shade of the tree closest to you. You leaned into it, crossing your arms and watching as he continued to handle your closest ally in his steady hands. 

How do you even start this story? How does it even get told? You’d never uttered a word about your past to a single person since it all unraveled. You weren’t sure he’d stick around to hear it all, or maybe if he did, he would think you to be foolish. 

But this Arthur Morgan, with his tough exterior and gruff voice had a soft spot. He was gentle when need be, kinder than most. You suppose he derives it from Hosea, given that the man practically raised him into manhood. 

“You know, I used to be a little rich girl,” you chuckled, watching for his reaction. It was surprising to him, but he waited, almost as if thinking you’d retract it as a joke. “Yeah… lived on a big orange grove in South Carolina.”

“You’re kiddin’ me,” he let out when he realized you weren’t messing around. 

“Had a rich daddy and a rich mama. My entire lineage has gotta be worth a couple million at least.”

“Then why on earth are you here? You’d have to be crazy to leave that behind,” he gripped your pistol tightly now, his entire stance leaning on his left leg as he narrowly watched you lounging against the tree. 

“Oh, I had a good reason,” you scoffed with wide eyes. 

“Good enough to leave behind a family fortune?” 

He’s a man. Every man you’ve ever met is the same. They pay no mind to you anymore because you look like one of them now. But before? It was practically a brawl at every public event you attended. You hope that Arthur does not prove to be like the rest. You’ve already been so sure that he stands out, it'll break your heart if you were wrong.

“I know it may not seem like it, but I used to be quite the stunner. I attracted quite a few suitors.”

He nodded, looking you up and down in one glance before coughing a bit and averting his eyes. You hid yourself well, but if he tried hard enough, he could imagine how you would look in more feminine apparel. He liked what he was imagining. 

“I don’t doubt it…”

“Well, my dad was in control of who would have my hand, and as you can imagine I wasn’t fond of that fact… He picked one of his old pals from Virginia, another big farmer like himself, wealthy beyond belief and probably thirty five years my senior.”

Arthur was still, blinking a few times. He doesn’t understand. Yes, you would have had to marry someone you were not interested in… but the situation seemed ideal otherwise. 

“You would have been well taken care of, wouldn’t you?”

“Oh sure,” you nodded, but there was a smirk on your lips. “I would have been just dandy until he found a reason to kill me like he did his first two wives. My father never believed the accusations, of course, and the evidence had been conveniently destroyed… but I knew better.”

He let out a low whistle, finally looking back to your gun and wondering if its origins were about to come to light. Yeah, he thought. That’s a pretty damn good reason.

“So you ran off?” 

You gave a small nod, remembering the last time you ever saw your home and family.

“When I was eighteen I was shipped off to Virginia with a caravan, but before I could be delivered to old Thomas Arlington’s doorstep, I hid overnight in a stable. I stole a horse and headed west a bit.”

“How far west?” 

“West Virginia,” you chuckled. “I got to lurk around there a while, I started dressing all boyish and helped a travelin’ musician with his shows. After he settled down I found that very gun on the ground of a saloon. No one ever claimed her, so I polished her up and started practicing draws. I got pretty good, made bets on shootin’ games to get by.”

“You just… picked her up and started shootin’?”

“It sounds quite dull when you put it that way,” you laughed, holding your hand out to take the gun back. You’re not expert with this thing, can’t even spin it half as well or efficiently as he does… but you might be the best in the world at drawing it from your holster. “I’d never shot anyone before, until one man got real upset that he lost a shooting game to me. It was my first duel… and I won. All because of a game. It was that can game we played after I got here.”

“I figured as much. I ain’t never believed anyone could shoot faster than me until I saw you that day. Paid close attention to those bullet holes.”

He was being far too kind. It’s not like you were anything like him. He had it all. Strength, skill, wits, and as you learned with every glance, the looks to kill.

“I ain’t any good beside the one shot I know how to take.” Your confession meant more to him than you realized.

Yeah, he thought. You can draw, but before today you’d never shot a rifle. You’d never used a knife. Likely never robbed a bank or a stage coach or anything of that sort. Aside from duels, you’re clean cut and inexperienced… your nickname holds far more weight than he’s sure you can actually hold. Ruthless killer? More like a hustler with a bit of blood dusting your fingers. You haven’t made any ground compared to him, yet you’re the one they know far and wide. 

“Let’s make a deal,” he started, his steps carrying him quite close to your form, nearly hovering over you. “I’m gonna make you one of us. Teach you everything you need to know. Fightin’, stealin’, sneakin’ round… all of it. And in return, you’re gonna teach me how to shoot faster than you.”

He knows it’s built on a prideful notion, but he reckons you don’t care, because he’s offering you far more than you can give him. Obviously you agree, because even if you try to teach him, you are almost positive that you don’t even know the secret to your speed.

“Alright, cowboy… I’ll shake on it.”

And you do, squeezing his hand tightly.

-

You find yourself settling into the camp a lot easier than the weeks before. The names of the people here just roll off your tongue, whenever you see them, a greeting is spoken. You’ve also been able to sleep soundly in your tent despite the fears of the animal sounds out in the distance. You’ve come to realize that you aren’t alone in the wilderness, and you have a sort of family to keep you safe, now. 

Arthur continues to show you the ropes, giving you tricks and quick witted thoughts for situations you would never have thought to put yourself in. They all are illegal situations, of course, but you listen intently, and learn each step with an absorbent state of mind. 

Even if he doesn’t outwardly show it, you think Dutch is happy about your progress, given that you are not only an asset to future jobs, but also because you seem to blend well with everyone. He definitely views his gang as a family of fugitives, and now that you’re one of them, he’s become warm with you, even calls you ‘son.’ 

There is one member of camp that to date, you haven’t gotten into conversation with. Hosea Matthews. The man seemed to be the fatherly type, and nearly everyone in the gang had a sort of paternal view of him in some way. You reckon Arthur has taken the man to be closer to him than actual blood. The great Mr. Morgan doesn’t often share details of his past, but you’ve heard here and there about the rascal that was his father, dead and gone when Arthur was a kid, but not soon enough. 

It was a Tuesday morning, after a round of stale coffee when he first sat down beside you for a friendly chat. You couldn't have possibly known the contents of the topics he had in mind, but you were about to be bombarded with them in the most gentle way you reckon a man can speak. 

“Mister Gunslinger,” he began, a gentle clap on your shoulder to garner your attention. “I’ve heard you’re getting to be the best man at camp.”

His friendly chuckle eased your nerves, but you brushed off his words anyway. 

“Not sure ‘bout that. Just learnin’ the ropes,” you nodded along to your own words, hoping they caught well with him. 

“Arthur told me you picked up a rifle for the first time a few days ago and blew him out of the water,” he mentioned, the tone in his voice suggesting he wanted his compliment to land. 

“He’s bein’ far kinder than I deserve,'' you scoffed, shaking your head this time. “Nearly took my shoulder out of socket on the first shot.”

“But you broke a bottle on the second,” he returned, likely quoting your dear mentor’s own words. “How did you learn to shoot that pistol of yours, anyhow?”  

Hosea knew everyone’s stories. He was the father of the camp, albeit not the leader. He knew everything about everyone, and he took care of them. You took one look at him and decided you could trust him from day one… but that didn’t mean he should know everything.

“Well, I found this gun a while ago, just started shootin’ it till I hit somethin’.”

He leaned forward in his seat, another chuckle rolling off his tongue, but the question went unanswered in the way he’d hoped for. He took a breath, turning to face you a bit more… He decided to be straight with you. 

“I’m sure you’ve probably got things in your past you’re not too proud of. I’ve heard the name ‘Texas Red’ in quite a few towns now. I guess I’m just curious about what you did before the gunslinging days.”

“Oh…” you trailed, completely unsure if elaborating on your past, even without context, could force you to accidentally spill something you didn’t intend to. So you took the safe route. “Not much to tell. Ran away from home, stole a horse and headed west. Found this gun in an old saloon and the rest is history.”

He saw through the act, but didn’t let on. He didn’t want you to feel like you needed to hide things, but similarly, he didn’t want you to feel pressured to talk. This camp was a safe place. As long as you kept to the rules and helped out, you didn’t need to do anything else. You could just live freely and have your being. 

“Listen, son… I know it’s probably hard to open up about things you’ve gone and left in the past. Every person here has a story, somewhere they came from or something they did. If you ever want to talk about yours, I’m always up for good conversation.”

You looked into his eyes, and they were full of contrition, full of compassion. You guessed there wasn’t a bad bone in this man’s body. 

“Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.”

He nodded once before standing up and heading down to the river bank, likely to fish. 

You wonder if he has suspicion of you, or if he knows more already than he’s leading onto. But then you think, no. He’s just a kind older man that actually gives a damn about the younger folks here. He didn’t seem to have any biological sons or daughters, but this camp was full of family he could call his own.

You think you're starting to call them family, too.

Tags: @photo1030 @sheepdogchick @snoopysshark

[gingersnappe-9]

Quisiera: Growing Pains (2)

Javier Peña / F!Reader; Post Narcos

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1.9K words

Summary: You have a lot on your mind. You never expected Javi to be one of them. But that's nothing a good soak can't fix, right?

Warnings: mention of loss of parent & degenerative diseases, minor depictions of sexual thoughts, minor profanity

A/N: because I'm a major dork, and no one asked, I created the floor plan for the reader's house and my friend @followwhereshegoes designed it in Sims for me. The photos are at the end of the chapter. I hope you enjoy and let me know what you think!

Your hair blew in the wind as you drove your work-beaten Ford F-250 home. Papers from a long day of checking up on animals and livestock fluttered beneath your now empty thermos for coffee. Your head bobbed with the familiar bumps and turns of the road as you drove home. The ride wasn’t unlike it had been any other day, but as you pulled into your driveway and peaked to the left and you knew he would be there. You had known for a few weeks now that Javi had been back. On a courtesy visit for Don Jesús -- Javi’s dad -- he had mentioned his son might be returning to Texas soon. That had to have been roughly two, maybe three months ago?

You never thought you would see him again. The kid who always thought he knew best. The one who was so sure of himself and that the world was his oyster. You weren’t surprised that he didn’t recognize you though. That was Javi you grew up with. This Javier was different. It was plain to see that he carried a weight with him. Knowing the things he knew, holding on to whatever he’d done in the back of his mind now and forever. He wasn’t the bright and shiny version of Javi you once knew, but he was still as golden as ever.

As you hopped out of the car and twirled the keys on your finger, you were beyond satisfied at your decision to postpone your reunion with Javi. Crossing the threshold of your house you recalled how panicked he looked. The quick flashes of “oh shit” in his eyes before he masked his uncertainty with precision and a charming smile. To others, he played it off fine, but you knew Javi before he was Agent Peña. You’d practically grown up with him so you were privy to those subtle tells.

Javi’s abuelos moved to be closer to their son and his family. His grandparents and your parents met in English class after they moved to America and the families stayed close ever since. Javi’s family was from Mexico, and yours came from Colombia. Each of your tíos and tías helped watch and raise you and your primos. While most of your blood relatives were still in Colombia, you loved your found family here in the States. All of the birthdays spent in one another’s backyards with copious amounts of candy that came pouring out of piñatas. Big Christmas gatherings with mountains of food like ponche, pozole verde, and dulcitos like your favorite manjar blanco. Above all, you remember the laughter.

You laughed so much as a child. Someone could look at you in such a way and you would have burst out into a fit of giggles and happy squeals. It was a bittersweet thing to recall. Things were just… different now. You grew up. Life changed, you certainly had.

This was the home your parents had built not too long after they came to America. You still felt like a little kid playing house sometimes. Being the sole occupant felt strange after the years you spent growing up with the place bursting with laughter, people, and above all love. But life changed. Your mother had died of a heart attack the year before you finished vet school. Ten years back, your father was diagnosed with early onset dementia and it was left to you to make the hard decision of placing him in a nursing home. You couldn’t care for him with the hours you worked at the clinic, and you didn’t think your heart could bear seeing the man you admired slowly fade away. It made you feel awful to admit, but there was only so much a heart could take. It could’ve been different if you still had your mamá, but it was just you.

Your body hitched a bit as you bent over to pull the dirt caked boots off your feet. Growing up is fun, they said. They never mentioned anything about rapid onset aches and pains once you passed thirty. You loved being a vet, you loved taking care of horses and all manner of livestock; being there for the folks who relied on you, but man alive was it taxing on the body.

As you padded your way into the study just to the left of the front door, you dropped the excess paperwork and lunch pale on your desk; your boots onto the old mat so as to not spread anymore dirt in the house. Trying your best to properly file away your paperwork, billing receipts and lists of future visits, you found your mind wandering back to Javier.

The wonderful way his bone structure had sharpened with age. Yeah he was a good looking teenage boy -- a bit on the thin side, but strong in body and mind -- but this version of Javi was a stud. His skin was naturally tanner than some, but it was even more bronzed by the sun from his time down in Colombia. A man with strong looking hands that wrapped the circumference of the tumbler glass filled with neat whiskey meanwhile yours could only manage to get around halfway. You were extremely annoyed at how he could pull off a damn mustache without looking like a creep. Finding that you were spending far too much time thinking about Javier Peña rather than getting your ass ready for bed, you set off on your nightly routine.

Pushing yourself up and out of the desk chair was more tiresome than you would have liked to admit, but not impossible. You then opened the door that led into your bedroom. It still felt a bit weird to call it your bedroom after all this time.

You had redecorated the place to your tastes. The main bedroom now had a beautiful four post bed with pleated gossamer drapes around the posts. The warm wood bureau and doors matched the deep trim of the window sills and frames throughout the house. You removed your everyday jewelry and placed them in the little wooden dishes you had bought in Colombia the last time you visited. You had just turned twenty two then, and didn’t care to remember how old you were now. Admiring the fine artistry of the delicately carved lines and lacquered scenery of a village always brought back fine memories, summers spent in a home away from home. Peeling off your work clothes proved a bit more challenging now that your muscles and bones had started to stiffen from the wear of the workday. You walked into your bathroom as naked as the day you were born, a small perk of having moved into the main bedroom since it had an ensuite bathroom.

After the long day, a shower just didn’t seem like it was going to cut it. You pivoted to the left and began to draw a steaming hot bath. A few drops of essential oil were splashed into the piping hot water. Your abuelita did always say, “Medicina cuando la necesita, pero los remedios naturales siempre son los mejores.”

Medicine when you need it, but natural remedies are always best.

Once the tub was filled as high as it could go and still accommodate your body, the taps were shut off, and you slipped into the warm bliss. The water worked its magic while you turned on a small radio that sat on the windowsill. It was tuned in to some station based in Mexico that always played música rancheras. You were a self-proclaimed “old soul” and loved your parents' generational music. It was a not-so-guilty-pleasure for you. Even when you were younger, some of the other kids made fun of you for not liking the more modern music. But your mom always reassured you it was because you were un romántico. A romantic.

The soulful melodies and elegant guitar echoed through the steam from the bath as your aches and pains were softly pulled from your bones. The sky outside the window was a dusty pink muddled with orange. The heat from the bath was wonderful. Your mind wandered ever farther as you sunk deeper into relaxation. Tonight was one of those evenings you imagined someone else in the tub with you, it was one of the reasons you’d thrown in a couple extra bucks when you redid the bathroom. You imagined leaning against their chest, them running their hands up and down the inner part of your thighs, getting closer and closer to where you wanted their touch the most.

Big and strong hands. Ones that weren’t afraid to leave an imprint, a reminder of their presence. Your cheeks flushed at the thought of them gently pressing and squeezing into your thighs, chest, and hips. The fantasy completed itself when you put a face to this mystery man.

Warm brown eyes, a well-defined jaw, somewhat pouty lips that practically begged you to kiss them with a fucking mustache of all things. You imagined the sound of his voice right next to your ear, whispering dirty things while he continued to paw at your body with confidence. The fresh recall of your most recent conversation made the day dream seem all the more real. It was intimate, enticing. You hadn't had any real boyfriend in a while and with the luscious way the water lapped over your skin, you couldn’t help but squeeze your thighs together unconsciously as his conjured words echoed in your mind.

You feel so soft, Armorsita. Do you like when I touch you here, baby? Oh, you do. I can tell. Mi dama. Tell me. Tell me how much you like it, how much you love being mine. Let me have you, all of you. Let me show you just how much I love touching you right…

Your mind snapped back when your head slipped from its perch on the back of the tub. The room felt steamier than it had before even as the water temperature had dipped to lukewarm.

Was I really just fantasizing about Javier Peña of all people?

It was official then. You needed to get into bed and sleep off whatever delusions these were and come back to reality.

Fully washed and dried, you finished your routine by lathering yourself in your favorite lavender body lotion. Your body felt much better without the thin layer of Texas dust smothering your skin. Something different, however, clouded your mind, or rather, someone. It was a bit alarming how easily Javier permeated your idle thoughts. The encounter suddenly became very clear.

Why did you say goodnight as sultry as you did? Was that even sultry? Why do I keep thinking about it being “sultry”?

Your mind recalled the brief moment your lips touched his cheek. It wasn’t unlike any other time you kissed a friend goodbye. You’d been doing it forever. It was how you said goodbye. You knew that, and so did he. So why did it carve out its own special place in your mind? Why were the sensations so clear and vidid? Why did you so badly want to do it again and again without pause?

Of course your mind would fixate on the person who had just recently come back into your life. It was only natural. Humans are designed to notice differences. It’s a survival technique. To pay attention to possible threats. And you had yet to make up your mind if you considered this version of Javier Peña a friend or foe.

Taglist: @hnt-escape @betti-book @mcueveryday @athalien

[marvelsdc22]

Into The Wild West (pt. 3)

Intro: Hello, lovelies!! I hope you guys are having a good day/night!! Here’s the next part for you! Sorry I’m late on it! I hope you guys enjoy it!!

Note: Y/N gets the ladies back to the camp after an eventful time in Valentine, Kara confronts Alex, Dutch puts them to work, is there something between Y/N and Sadie?, Kara doesn’t understand horses (xxxx = P.O.V. change, will be Kara and Reader P.O.V. only)

Word Count: 1371

Part 1 2

When you got back to town, you found Kara and Lena chatting at the wagon, Kara in her blue and red checkered dress with a red ribbon tied around the waist and red boots on underneath with a red cowboy hat while Lena seemed to go the route Dutch did when it came to clothes, nice black pants, a white button-up long-sleeved shirt, a nice black vest, with some black leather loafers on, a nice black cowboy hat to go with it “Where are the other two?” You asked after returning the horse to the person you took it from, them seeming surprised that you brought it back and approaching the two women “Alex went to check out the weapons, Maggie went with” Lena said, raising a delicate brow when you let out a huff of frustration “Stay here” you said before making your way to the gun store.

Walking into the store, you found Alex looking over one of the handguns, her in black jeans with a black button-up and black boots, her black hat sitting on the counter as she looked at the gun, Maggie right beside her in her blue jeans, red and white checkered button-up, brown boots and a brown hat sitting snugly on her head “You two, come on” you said, going over to them and taking the gun from Alex, setting it down on the counter before dragging them out, barely giving Alex enough time to grab her hat “Hey! What’s the big deal?” Alex asked, pulling her arm out of your grip once you all made it out of the store “Dutch barely trusts me watching you and letting you guys stay with us, how do you think he’d react if you came back with a weapon on your hip??” You asked incredulously, shaking your head as you led them back to the wagon “Just get in the damn wagon” you said, getting in the front and grateful that Kara decided to ride in the back with the others since it gave you time to think.

The ride back was seemingly quiet, you heard the ladies talking quietly behind you but you didn’t find yourself caring as you thought of how to tell Dutch that someone had recognized you, pulling up to the camp, you hopped out and told the ladies to get settled in, that you had to go and have a chat with Dutch and Arthur before you headed towards the main tent.

Xxxxx

Kara watched as you headed off towards the center tent before looking at Alex “You have so much explaining to do” she said, them having not really had time to discuss what all had happened before they ended up here, crossing her arms and catching a glimpse of Lena shifting from foot to foot “I will, just… Not here” Alex said, trying to keep Kara calm since they really didn’t need her getting angry enough that lasers would shoot out of her eyes, that would make all of this even worse on them “Where then, Alex?” Kara asked, glaring at her and just tired of being left in the dark with these things “I-“ “Don’t” Kara interrupted, shaking her head before storming off to a log on the edge of camp and sitting down, watching as the sun started to set over the horizon.

After a few moments, she saw a blonde go and sit in front of the tree not too far from her, watching as she looked sadly ahead of her, it being obvious that she had been through a lot “Why you lookin’ at me like that?” The woman asked, looking at Kara who blinked a few times, startled after having been caught before she regained her bearings “Sorry, didn’t mean to stare” she apologized, averting her gaze and biting her lip “You one of the new ones? That came in with Y/N?” The blonde asked, looking at Kara who looked back at her and nodded “Kara” she introduced, giving the woman a small nod “Sadie” the woman returned, the two of them going silent after a bit.

“You know… Y/N saved me too” Sadie said after a few moments of silence, Kara looking over at Sadie but seeing her staring back out at the horizon, staying silent if she decided to continue but she didn’t, just sat there and stared at the horizon with a distant look on her face “Kara, Dutch-Oh, hello Mrs. Adler” you said, having not realized that she was sitting there too, you being too lost in your head to recognize much “Hello” Sadie said, glancing at you before she went back to gazing off and you watched her for a moment before you took a deep breath and looked at Kara “Dutch wants to talk to you” you said, gesturing for her to follow you, the two of you meeting up with the other three before you all squeezed into the small tent.

xxxxx

“Now that you all are a part of this gang for the time being… I need y’all to prove your worth, one of our members got kidnapped during our last big mission, y’all will be working with Y/N, Arthur, Trelawny, Charles, and Javier to try to get him back” Dutch said, making you look at him in shock “Why do we have to go back there and save that Irish idiot?” You asked, looking at him and having nothing against Sean, but he was the one that got himself into this mess “Dutch, ain’t that a bit too many people for a stealth mission?” Arthur asked, ignoring your question and watching as Dutch pondered for a moment “Fine, Kara and Lena go with them, you two are going to get my other man, Reverend” Dutch said, gesturing to Maggie and Alex, along with Arthur “You go with them, keep them outta trouble” he said, looking at Arthur who looked like he was about to argue, but thought better of it “Lets get you four horses” he sighed, shaking his head before heading out.

Leading them over to the extra few horses you guys had, you led Kara over to a buckskin “Careful, this one can be a little crazy” you warned, handing her a rope halter and glancing over as Arthur set Alex up with the appaloosa he found at Sadie’s place since he now had a gorgeous white Arabian named Akhali and led Maggie to the old grey Morgan that Dutch had for a while before he found The Count, you going over to Lena and leading her over to a almost golden Warmblood “This one has a bit of kick to her, but she’s loyal” you said, handing her a rope lead before heading over to your horse “Hey Sid, ready boy?” You asked, lightly scratching his muzzle as he nudged you slightly and looking over when you heard something fall, seeing Sadie looking irritated as she looked at the basket of clothes she had just dropped.

“Let me help” you said, going over to her and giving her a small smile as you reached down to help her pick up the clothes, feeling your hat slip off your head and land by her foot, you reaching over to grab the worn, brown leather hat and freezing when your hands touched before instinctively pulling your hand back “Thank you” Sadie said softly, grabbing your hat and handing it to you, you wishing you could see the real Sadie since you knew this was the broken Sadie that was in front of you “Of course, m’lady” you said, giving her a smile and catching a hint of a blush on her freckled face as you took the hat and set it on your head “Hey, Y/N” she said, watching as you headed back towards Sid “Be safe out there” she said, watching as you turned and looked at her “Always” you said, tilting your head towards her before going to help Kara and Lena saddle their horses up, feeling a lot lighter than before as you did “Kara, that’s not-Grah!” You shouted, quickly running over to Kara who was putting the saddle on backwards and knowing this was going to be a long night.

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[downwiththeficness]

In the Blood-Part 11

Pairing: Brasa/Female OC

Word Count: ~4,400

Warnings: Biting, blood, smut

Part One Part Two Part Three Part Four Part Five Part Six Part Seven Part Eight Part Nine Part Ten Part Twelve

“Jesus Christ, Brasa!” Lilah yelled as she stomped into their room.  

He’d been gone three days.  For three days she’d slept alone in their bed, snuck into the kitchen alone, drank alone, read in his office—alone.  When he’d texted her to let her know that he was on the way back, she’d sat at the bar to wait for him.  

Brasa had walked out of the elevator to see Lilah pulling her arm away from a flirtatious culebra she recognized as Benny.  She was well on her way to politely declining the offer of a drink when Brasa’s familiar warning growl sounded over the music. The room went white hot with his wrath.

Standing in their bedroom, arms crossed, she fixed him with an angry glare, “Did you have to immolate him?”

Lilah couldn’t have screamed if she wanted to as she watched Benny go up in literal flames not ten feet from her.  Brasa had just waved a hand and made Benny ash on the floor.

“He threatened you.”

She sucked air through her teeth, “Do you know how many people have threatened me?  Just in the last year? Dozens.  The answer is dozens. And I didn’t kill them.”

This was mostly true.  She may not have prevented the deaths of a few of them, but that was beside the point.

Brasa wasn’t looking at her.  His hands were on his hips, his jaw defensively tight. Tension rode hard in his broad shoulders.

Lilah approached, put her hands on his chest, and tried to catch his eyes.  Tried, and failed.

“You told me you didn’t want to be like your masters,” she urged carefully. “You said you wanted to do better. I appreciate you standing up for me, but that wasn’t doing better.”

He sighed, moving to grasp her hips and hold her to him, “I...reacted poorly.”

“That,” she retorted meaningfully, “Is an understatement.”

Brasa conceded the point silently with a bob of his head.  She sighed deeply and stepped away.

“I’m hungry. I’m gonna get some food.  Why don’t you unpack?”

Without waiting for further conversation, Lilah made her way to the kitchen.  The bar was still about two hours from opening, so she was unlikely to see anyone.  She moseyed around the shelves, choosing a can of peaches and opening it into a bowl.

While she ate, Lilah worked through the whiplash of her emotions.  She was angry that Brasa had acted so brashly—and, she was irrationally happy that he had.  Benny’s grip on her arm was bruising and Lilah hadn’t been armed.  She didn’t want to think about what she might have had to resort to in order to end any altercation between them. It irked her that she might not have a chance of winning.

She lingered over the bowl of peaches, forking them one at a time into her mouth and chewing thoughtfully. Sitting on the island, she swung one foot, the other tucked into her body. He’d described to her on a few occasions the violence of his world, and up until this point, she’d thought that she had a handle on it.  Lilah didn’t like not knowing if she could stand her ground.  If bullets couldn’t stop them, there was no amount of self defense or training that would make her an even match. And Brasa had barely lifted a finger. Poof.  Gone.

The door to the freezer opened and Brasa stepped through.  He sauntered over to her with care, leaning on the island next to her bent leg.

“I’m sorry,” he said, tucking her hair behind her ear.

Freeing herself of her thoughts, Lilah set the bowl aside and faced him, “Let’s maybe have a different reaction next time, hmm?”

He nodded, though his eyes were shifted to the side.

With deliberate care, she curled a finger beneath his chin and wordlessly asked him to look at her. He did.  It wasn’t guilt she saw in his expression, apprehension maybe. Lilah wasn’t entirely sure he felt that he’d done something wrong, but he was clearly anxious about her displeasure. She pursed her lips and dropped her hand.

“Let’s implement a new policy, hmm? We’ll kill them tomorrow.”

He repeated it back to her in confirmation and she smiled.

“Okay,” she pronounced, patting his arm, “I’ve been thinking about getting back into the field.  I’m sure there are a few jobs nearby that I could do.”

Surprised, Brasa questioned, “That’s it? We’re not going to argue about it more?”

Lilah blinked at him, “Do you want to argue about it?”

“...no.”

“Okay, then. We each see each other’s point of view and we’ve come to an agreement about what will and will not happen next time. I figured we were good to go on the subject.”

He ran a hand over his forehead, clearly confused, “That has to be the shortest argument I’ve ever had.”

She shrugged.

Dropping his hand, he regarded her with a fixed look, “What kind of job do you want?”

Lilah shrugged again, “Javier had me running debt reconciliation for a while.  I could go back to doing that.”

He considered it for a moment, “Let’s talk about it once I’ve gotten some sleep.”

She looked at him, really looked at him.  There were dark circles under his eyes and his clothes were wrinkled. His hair, normally combed back from his face was curling at the ends in slight disarray.

“When did you last get some rest?”

He blinked, “That night before I left.”

Lilah reached out and instinctively touched his forehead in concern, pausing, “You’re cold.  Really cold.  Like, freezing.”

Brasa’s body temperature ran hot, hotter when he was near her.  The cool cast of his skin made her nervous. She didn’t know if it was possible for him to get sick, but this might be equitable.

“I haven’t eaten in several weeks,” he offered by way of explanation, one shoulder lifting in nonchalance.

Several weeks.  He hadn’t eaten since they’d met in person.

She stared at him, mouth pursed, frustrated that he hadn’t been taking care of himself, “You need to eat.” Then, “Let’s get you fed.”

Lilah hopped off the island and set her bowl in the sink before returning to him.  She took both his hands and walked backwards towards the freezer.  He followed with little to no resistance, eyes gliding over her form.

When they reached the bedroom, she sat him down on the bed, noting how his normally straight shoulders slumped forward in exhaustion.  She stepped between his knees, holding his face and looking down at him. Lilah ran her tongue along her teeth and hesitated.

“I can get you blood, if you’ll tell me where it is, but…” She swallowed back the anxiety and barreled forward, “I could also…”

“Could also?” He prompted, when she didn’t continue.

Lilah breathed deeply, “You could have some of mine.”

Hands that had been resting on his knees, rose to grip the backs of her thighs.  His lips parted as he pulled her closer. Lilah rested her hands on his shoulders for balance and waited for his answer.

He swallowed audibly, “You’re sure?”

‘Sure’ may not have been the most accurate word for it, but Lilah was pretty confident that she could do this.  She’d never seen them in action, but she knew what the fangs looked like—long, dangerous, deadly.  Rafe’s face flashed before her and she shoved it back down viciously.  He didn’t have a place in this room.

“One condition,” Lilah said, cocking her head to the side.

“Name it,” came his response before the words were fully out of her mouth.

She dropped her hands to her thighs, fingers wrapping around his thick wrists, “Take off the gloves.”

His lips peeled back from his teeth and he growled, standing and pacing away, one hand running through his hair. Lilah felt the urge to apologize rise up, but she kicked it back.  It wasn’t an unreasonable request by any means. She was not in the wrong.

Back turned to her, he tipped his head back to the ceiling, “You have to allow me some defense against you, Lilah.”

What?

“What?”

He dropped his head and widened his stance, Lilah bit the inside of her cheek to keep from saying anything further.  She folded her hands tightly in front of her, willing her feet to stay right where they were. He’d give her an explanation, she just had to be patient.

Brasa rolled his neck and turned around slowly, “For longer than I can remember, I have served a master. If I didn’t touch them, I could just about stomach the things I had to do. I was freed when Amaru—when the bond was broken.  And, I had no idea what to do with myself.”

Lilah listened to her breathing, something inside her saying that she needed to wait.

“For months, I focused on healing this human flesh. I focused on organizing the culebras that survived the orders I followed.” He lifted his hands, palm ups up, “And then there was you.”

He moved towards her steadily, hands slipping through her arms to rest at the small of her back. She let him hold her to his body, neck arched so that she could gauge his expression.  

“You let me touch you without reservation, you talk to me without condescension,” Brasa’s eyes closed and he buried his face in the curve of her neck. “You please me in ways I didn’t know were possible after so long without it—when you...when we…”

He was breathing hard against her skin, arms tightening to keep her near. Lilah reached up and held the back of his neck, trying to wordlessly offer comfort. The man was breaking down in front of her, body trembling. One thing was very clear, this was much deeper than the gloves.

“You give and give to me, and now you want to keep giving,” his voice was no louder than a whisper.  

Lilah pressed her cheek against his, breathing in his scent.  She kissed his skin softly, swaying a little on her feet.

“You won’t let me, but I want to serve you,” he murmured, “Tell me how.”

Brows drawing together, she massaged his neck and shoulder and tried to get her bearings.  She realized that he needed an anchor, something to help direct him. A feeling of humility filled her chest at the thought that he would let her be that anchor, and she had to draw deep breaths to stabilize her emotions.  

“Policy number two,” she stated, hand massaging his neck, “If you don’t want to do something, you have to be honest about it and you have to tell me immediately.”

It was the least she could do, ensuring that no matter what she asked of him, he could tell her no. Blind obedience wasn’t something she wanted, but it sent a little thrill through her that she might be able to command him—a man who could draw literal fire with his hands.

Rising, Brasa cupped her face in both hands, “Querida, what do I do with you?”

She smiled, grasping both his wrists, “What do you want to do with me?”

His expression went slack, pupils dilating dangerously.  Eyes skittering across her face and body, Lilah got the distinct impression that, while he certainly had ideas, he had no idea where to start. The cold of his hands seeped through the leather and her mind automatically switched gears.

She cleared her throat, “Let’s start with getting a meal in you, and then we can discuss options.” After a moment, she asked, “Where do you usually...take it from?”

Thumbs moving along the column of her neck, his reply was matter of fact, “Wherever is easiest, or most accessible.  Generally the wrist or throat.”

That made sense.  

“But,” he continued, and Lilah perked up in interest. “For you, I want it from here.”

His hand lifted from her neck and fell down to the inside of her thigh. Lilah sucked in a breath, blushing as he gripped her firmly.

One side of his mouth lifted, “Is that okay?”

“Uh huh,” she breathed, leaning into him.

Brasa’s eyes widened, then narrowed to slits, black flooding outwards from his pupils to encompass the white.  Lilah had seen those eyes before, set in a face covered in blood. She couldn’t stop the way her heart pounded in her chest, or the shakiness of her breath.  

He hadn’t moved, but she could tell that he wanted to.  Lilah tried to take a step back, but was held in place by a nearly inaudible growl. He blinked rapidly, shaking his head a few times slowly.

“Before,” he bit out, “You need to be ready for what the venom will do to you.”

She flinched, “Will it hurt?”

“No,” a deep breath, “Its meant to keep you pliant, so you won’t fight me.”

Lilah thought about it, “Like a sedative.”

“Not quite,” he countered, head tilting to the side.  “More like a stimulant.”

She had never taken anything more than a few opiates and the occasional joint.  A significant portion of her job was a result of bad decisions made by people who were either dead drunk or high—sad, dumb stories that kept her from taking team mates up on their offers.

“Okay…” she said with a slight edge, suddenly nervous.  

He smiled, and she caught two sets of sharp teeth that hadn’t been there before, smaller than Rafe’s had been, but looking no less dangerous.

“Its different for everyone,” he said against her mouth, already guiding her back. “But, the general reaction is positive. It’ll feel good for you.”

Lilah’s knees hit the bed and buckled. She sat, eyes upturned.  He knelt before her, hands pulling off her shoes and socks. Lilah balanced on her palms when he reached up and unsnapped her jeans, sliding them from her legs and tossing them aside.

“Up,” he prompted.

Crawling back to lay on the pillows, Lilah watched him sit on the edge of the bed and take off his own shoes and socks, setting them next to hers.  He turned and ambled onto the bed, resting on his heels between her legs. She squirmed under his watchful gaze as he rolled up his sleeves, folding forward to cage her in.

Lifting up, she kissed him briefly, falling back to the pillows, “Gloves.”

Lilah thought he might refuse, but he pushed from the mattress and slipped them off one by one, throwing them over the side of the bed.  She didn’t know what she expected, but he had nice, normal hands.  There was no reason that he should hide them. Not anymore.

Brasa stared at her, hands hovering over her thighs, his eyes following the line of her body to rest at the waistline of her underwear.  Gently, he traced a line across the exposed skin between it and her t shirt.  She shivered, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth to keep quiet.

With every pass, he grew more bold, flattening his palm on her skin. With the other hand, he pushed up her shirt until it caught below her breasts.  She gripped the comforter below her as he leaned down and kissed her sternum.  A little moan vibrated against her as he mouthed down her belly, tongue dipping into her navel.

When he reached the fabric of her underwear, he ran his nose along its length, breath hot against her. Her hips shifted restlessly despite her efforts to keep still, and she heard him chuckle.  Adjusting his weight, Brasa stretched his legs out behind him, the width of his chest spreading her wide.

Lilah watched him through lidded eyes as he kissed both thighs, moving back and forth slowly.  The feeling of it zinged through her and she wondered why she’d waited so damn long to make this particular offer.

Finally settling on her right thigh, he looked up at her, expression asking for permission.  Lilah nodded, bracing a little for whatever would come.  He nuzzled the skin, tongue swiping a long line across it.  Then, his jaw opened wide and Lilah felt the press of his teeth.

They were sharp, she knew they would be.  It took a second or two before she actually felt the pain of them breaking her skin, a bit more than a pinch. Her autonomic response kicked in hard and she grabbed his shoulder, curling in on herself.  She felt him pull deeply on the bite, his arm wrapping around her other thigh to hold it still over his shoulder.

Heat zipped through her veins, stemming from the bite, running up to her heart to be pumped out to the rest of her body.  Lilah’s muscles relaxed and she fell back to the bed, trying desperately to catch her breath. She might have said his name, but she couldn’t be sure.  Nerves that she didn’t know she had came to life, firing on all cylinders.  A moan ripped from her throat, ragged.

Eyes rolling back into her head, Lilah couldn’t do much more than gasp. She writhed, trying to get pressure where she needed it the most, her pulse throbbing through every muscle. He was holding her too wide to get any real friction and it was driving her crazy.  

“Please, please,” she groaned, head tossing on the pillow.

Her pleas earned her a growl and an even stronger pull from his mouth, his tongue soothing the sting when she hissed through her teeth.  He hadn’t been wrong when he’d described the venom of as a stimulant.  She felt wild with energy, unable to lay still.  Pleasure was flooding her system, sending her so high that she couldn’t stop if she wanted to.

Careful of her twitching limbs, Brasa ended the bite and pressed his hand to it.  She could hear his deep, halting breaths, her eyes squeezed shut.  He shift to the side, palm still holding her thigh as he laid his body to along hers.

Hushing her, he said, “It will peak soon.”

Her voice high and reedy, Lilah nearly shouted, “Peak?”

Brasa hummed, pushing the hair from her face.  Lilah opened her eyes to see his handsome, inhuman features hovering over her.  She gripped his shirt in one hand, reaching down to thread her fingers through his on her thigh.

“Please,” she sighed, pushing her face into his chest, unable to form the words she needed to express her request.

Desperate, she tried to pull at his hand, knowing that she’d come if he’d just slip his fingers beneath her underwear and—but, he resisted her.  She dug her nails into him in retribution.

The feeling intensified, and her back arched off the bed, her mouth opening in a soundless scream. She couldn’t draw breath, couldn’t stop the convulsions of her muscles.  Everything in her world constricted around her core as it pulsed, empty and wanting.

Lilah’s body shook for several minutes as she came down, sweat beading on her brow, eyelids fluttering. Brasa cooed at her, saying words she didn’t understand as she tried to put the pieces of her mind back together.

When she finally lay lax on the covers, she watched him lazily bring his palm to his mouth.  It was slick with her drying blood.  He licked it slowly, making sure to get every drop.  She didn’t have the energy to think, much less attempt to make any sort of comment.  

When she did try to speak, her throat was raw from screaming, her voice a harsh rasp, “Holy shit.”

Brasa smirked down at her, his eyes returning to the deep brown she was so familiar with, “How are you?”

Lilah smiled tiredly, “I’m good.  That was good.”

He looked inordinately pleased, “You’re so beautiful when you come.”

She rolled her eyes, “I’m a mess.”

And, she was.  Sweat had pooled beneath her and she could feel how slick she was between her thighs. There was an echo of pleasure still pulsating through her body. Despite how her muscles protested, she turned to face him.

“How are you?”

Smiling, he kissed her softly, “You fed me well, querida.”

A sudden thought struck her, and Lilah dropped her eyes to the button she was fiddling with.

Brasa wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close, “Ask your question, Lilah.”

She shook her head, “Its stupid, just a stupid thought.”

He huffed, “None of your thoughts are stupid.”

Lilah rolled her eyes again, “You haven’t spent time with my thoughts.  They can get pretty stupid.”

Running a hand down her body, from waist to thigh and back, Brasa fixed her with a serious look, “Ask the question.”

Feeling shy, she lifted one shoulder, “I mean, I guess it doesn’t really matter, but I can’t help but wonder what I, you know, taste like.”

Smiling wide, Brasa’s brows rose, “Is that it?”

Lilah frowned, gesturing around with one hand as if to say, ‘I told you it was stupid.’

“I suppose,” he drawled with a thoughtful expression, “The best way to describe it is that you taste very much like the way you smell.”

“Which is?”

“Like roasted marshmallows.”

Oh. Oh.

Brasa continued to lazily pet her, his touch alternating between light and firm.  He seemed to be testing out how she felt, seeing what he liked (and, by proxy, what she liked). Lilah wasn’t quite sure if it was after affects from the venom or if it was just because he was touching her, but her body was shaking itself awake once more and taking notice.

Leaning over, Lilah opened up one of the buttons of his shirt, pressing a kiss to the skin.  His touch faltered for half a second before starting up again.  Encouraged, she did it again, and again, until he cupped her jaw and kissed her deep, tongue lapping at her.

She carded her fingers into his hair, giving it a gentle tug.  He moaned grabbing at her and flexing his hips into the cradle of her thighs.  Lilah could feel his erection straining his zipper, the material catching on her clit and eliciting a gasp.  

The kiss grew hotter and Brasa wrapped his arms around her, both hands pushing beneath the material of her underwear, forcing the material low over her hips as he ground himself against her.  Impatient, Lilah hooked her thumb into the waistband and shoved them down, kicking the fabric off.

He helped her with her t shirt and bra, licking along her collarbones, sucking the skin hard enough that there would be a bruise later.  Then, he seemed to catch himself, and he pulled away, eyes caught on her breasts. He kneaded them, kissing each with something akin to reverence.

Lilah rolled him to his back and straddled his waist, pulling his shirt from his pants and unbuttoning it the rest of the way.  He lifted up, letting her pull it from his shoulders. Though she’d seen him naked three days before, Lilah marveled at him. Sculpted muscle, smooth, tan skin.  She laid a hand on his chest, just a bit overwhelmed.

Taking pity on her, Brasa placed a kiss below her ear, pulling her hips forward to rock against him slowly.  She whimpered, the friction delicious.  Bracing on her knees, Lilah rubbed against him shamelessly, her eyes closing with the feeling.

He seemed to be happy to remain like that, letting her soak the front of his pants through, but Lilah wanted to know what it felt like to have him inside her. With shaking fingers, she opened his fly and cupped him. He groaned against her neck, thrusting upwards.  She wrapped her fingers around his girth, giving a hard stroke.

“Lilah,” he called out, covering her wrist and stopping the motion.

She looked at him, noting that his expression was just this side of afraid, Lilah released him and placed both hands on his biceps.

“What’s policy number two?”

His posture relaxed almost immediately. He rubbed her thighs, pulling her to him.  Lilah pulled back, eyebrows raised in question.

“I want this,” he said, a little breathless.

Lilah searched his expression for sincerity before nodding, “Okay.”

“Okay?”

She smiled, “Okay.”

Suddenly, she was on her back, landing with a little ‘oof.’ Brasa braced himself on one hand, the other ridding himself of his pants.  He kissed her hard, pushing his hand beneath her hips to angle them upwards.  Lilah smiled against his mouth as she wrapped her legs around his waist, feeling him reach down and line up his cock against her opening.

He groaned as he pushed inside—slow, inch by inch.  It seemed like forever before he bottomed out, filling her exquisitely.  Lilah let one leg fall to the bed, using her heel to gain enough leverage grind against him.

Brasa gave a little noise a pleasure, stirring inside her, “Fuck, I knew you’d feel like this.”

He dropped more of his weight on her, arms slipping underneath her shoulders to hold her still as he gave a deep thrust.  And another. Her head tipped back as he picked up a rhythm, his cock dragging against her walls.

“’m not going to last,” he moaned, eyes closing tightly. “Need it.”

Lilah kissed his shoulder, “You don’t have to last—you can come.”

Shaking his head wildly, Brasa grabbed her thigh and hooked it into the bend of his elbow.  The shift in position opened her up wide, and his thrusts angling deep. He hit something that sparked lights behind her eyes and she arched into it, a high pitched squeal passing her lips.

Leaning onto his forearm, he slipped a hand between them, thumb circling her clit.  Lilah sank back into the pillows, unable to do much more than take what he was giving her.  Fire burned down the length of her spine, her muscles shaking with the exertion.

Above her, Brasa’s hips faltered, a low rumble sounding in his chest as his cock twitched inside her.  He ground against her with a sharp yell.  Lilah could feel the heat of his orgasm as he pumped into her, filling her. With a harsh groan, he pulled out, fingers slipping inside. She couldn’t help the hiss as he curled them up, the heel of his hand grinding against her.

“I want it,” he grated against her ear, “Give it to me.”

Ah, there!

The orgasm blazed through her, forcing a cry from her throat. She keened long and low, hips rolling to keep him deep in her.  Their combined juices coated his fingers and the tops of her thighs.  Lilah rocked her hips against his hand until the tremors subsided, her body falling lax.

Gently, he pulled his fingers from her, and Lilah just caught him sucking them into his mouth before she passed out.

[porkchop-ao3]

A Thrill I’ve Never Known (Chapter 31)

Shady Belle

This one is quite lengthy and I really enjoyed this chapter. It’s a good mix of moods; good and bad. We make the move to Shady Belle and reader has a little conflict with Micah, Jack comes home, and there’s some fluffiness with Arthur. 

(All chapters tagged with #ATINK and also posted on Ao3, username PorkChop)

-

Arthur was waiting there for us when we all pulled up on the loaded wagons. Shady Belle. A big, old, abandoned house in the swamps of Lemoyne that had been ravaged by the years but somehow remained standing, the place that’d serve as our home for the foreseeable future. I couldn’t help but look at the place in awe, it was a mess of missing or boarded up windows, rotting wood, overgrown plant life, it was nature reclaiming the spot. But gosh, it was a house! Walls, a roof, an honest to God house! And it would’ve been beautiful in its time that’s for sure, with a large garden complete with a gazebo and a dried up fountain. Funny; even with all of its flaws, it was still the fanciest place I’d ever called home. 

I hopped down from the wagon I’d ridden up on, pulled by Rayna and Kieran’s horse, and sped over to Arthur, a smile spreading across my face. 

“Look at this place!” I breathed, shaking my head in amazement. He chuckled at my excitement, twisting around to take in the face of the house too. “It’s big. And it’s pretty!”

“You know what else is big and pretty?” I heard Micah say under his breath, all dirty and gross. I spun around to see him leaning in towards Bill, his hands grappling at two rounds in the air in front of his hips, body gyrating in a crude way and my virginity didn’t stop me from understanding exactly what he was mimicking doing. His eyes caught mine and he straightened up, dropping the act and turning away, laughing to himself. Bill didn’t look as amused as Micah probably hoped he would; the man looked perpetually pissed off anyway. 

“Yeah, it’s sort'a pretty. Part of me reckons it’s a shame it’s been left to wither away like this, but if it hadn’t, we wouldn’t have the chance to stay here,” Arthur replied to me, not hearing or seeing what Micah was up to. I put a smile back on my face and let it go.

“That’s true. So, some other gang was using it before us?” I asked, looking around and seeing the sand bags all piled up along the path up to the house, like some sort of fortress. 

“Lenny and I stole some weapons from them a while back,” Arthur nodded, “there was a couple of stragglers still hanging about, but John and I dealt with ‘em. We should be safe here.”

“Thanks for sorting this place out, Arthur,” I gave his arm an affectionate squeeze and he looked down at me. He didn’t seem to know how to respond to being thanked. 

“Jus’ doing my duty, tryin'a make sure we’ve got someplace to go,” he shrugged. 

“And you’re doing a damn good job of it.”

“Arthur!” Dutch called out, making his way over to us. “Come take a ride with me.”

“Sure, what’s happening?” Arthur replied.

“We’re gonna get Jack back. Today! That boy’s been gone long enough, come on.”

-

The rest of us stayed and set up the camp at Shady Belle, moving some stuff inside and setting up the tents next to the house. The bedrooms upstairs were divvied up much to my expectation, there was an unspoken rule that Dutch always got the best sleeping arrangements, followed by the perceived highest ranking members of the gang. 

Dutch got the master bedroom complete with a double bed that I assumed he’d be sharing with Molly, John got the second largest room that he’d be sharing with Abigail and their son once he was back safe and sound. Arthur got a room too, and I was tasked with setting it up for him. It was the smallest, but there were no holes in the walls like John’s room, so it was nice. Everyone else? They could either sleep outside by their usual wagon or shelter, or they could find a nice spot on the floor inside. 

The bear pelts that Charles, Arthur and I had acquired were in use by then; Charles had one, often sleeping atop it beside Hosea, another was by the girls’ wagon as a first come first served kind of deal. Mary-Beth and Tilly slept on it mostly, but sometimes they’d insist I take it since I’d killed it. Sadie and Karen didn’t seem to care either way, content to sleep on the usual blanket like normal. The third bear skin was floating around the camp, sometimes Susan would nab it, other times one or two of the men would sneak it away; Lenny and Javier mostly. Most of the gang was used to sleeping in less than cozy places so it didn’t cause any real arguments, much to my relief. 

It was a busy day of setting up the new camp; I set up Arthur’s room and tried to make it as cozy as possible even with the put out window leaving it open to the elements. I set up his bed in the corner, along with his shaving things and his chest. I retrieved all of his photos and keepsakes and set them up on an old shelving unit by the door that’d been left there. I pinned the pictures up carefully, standing up the photo frame of his mother on one of the shelves. I stared at the photograph of Mary for a little while, thinking about her and Arthur, imagining the two of them being in love enough to commit to marrying each other; the thought of it made my heart ache a bit, despite the fact I knew how silly it was of me. 

I stood the frame up on the shelf too, anyway. It didn’t matter that my own insecurities made me feel a certain way when looking at her, Mary was as much a part of Arthur’s life as I was, and I wasn’t going to hide her photo away in his chest like a child. 

After tossing out a bunch of dried up leaves that’d floated in through the window, I went back outside to join in putting up the tents again. It was a good thing I was used to erecting and collapsing a tent from my history of living in one, I was a dab hand at it. By the evening we were all set up, and I began helping Pearson with dinner. I noticed Dutch drop in to whisk John away, and overhead him saying that they’d found Angelo Bronte, whoever that was, and that they were going to get Jack back. That was a relief. 

Once dinner was ready, I sat myself down in the gazebo, away from everyone else, to catch a few minutes alone to eat the stew we’d prepared. It had been an overwhelming few days, and I needed some time to be away from people and to have some quiet. I was annoyed, then, when Micah came swaggering towards me with a cigarette. Admittedly, he didn’t seem to be seeking me out on purpose; I’d spotted him walking around the house, exploring the place, but when he saw me his course diverted straight towards me. 

“Hey, princess,” he greeted, and I recoiled at the pet name. Arthur called me that, it was the name he used for me the most. I did not want to associate the word with anyone other than him, especially not Micah. 

“Do you mind not calling me that?” I requested, and Micah cocked a brow. “I’d just prefer it if you didn’t.”

“Of course, sweetheart. That better?” He laughed.

“I guess,” I shrugged. 

“You look nice today, your hair like that,” he pointed at me, then climbed the steps to join me in the gazebo. 

I gave him a small grateful smile at the compliment; my hair was simply pulled back into a bun to keep it out of the way. 

“And the dress. I prefer you in a dress over those pants you sometimes wear. You don’t wanna look like that widow woman, what’s her name, Adler,” he added.

I scoffed a disbelieving laugh. I liked Sadie, and she’d taken to wearing pants just like I sometimes did and I honestly felt grateful that I wasn’t the only one. It wasn’t a style that was universally accepted, evidently. 

“What? She stomps around this place, all ill-tempered, tryin'a be like one of the fellers, it looks like,” Micah snorted at my reaction. I pursed my lips and looked away, over towards the swamp where I could see a gator floating there, motionless, creepy.

“Don’t be cruel,” I warned. 

“Didn’t realise you two were friends.”

“I don’t really talk to her,” I admitted, a little sadly. It was true, Sadie and I rarely spoke, but it wasn’t on purpose. At first I didn’t know how to speak to her, considering she was deep in the clutches of grief after her husband died, but since then it was simply a case of never having the chance. “But she seems nice. She pulls her weight, too, you can’t argue with that. I know you have certain feelings about the women here not doing their bit.”

“Sure, I guess you have a point. Anyway, I was complimenting you, not wantin’ to talk about her.”

“Thanks,” I said flatly, “but I don’t really care if you prefer me in a dress. Pants are practical, that’s why I wear 'em. Ain’t a fashion parade.”

“You’re acting all pissed off,” he noted.

“I wouldn’t go that far.”

“What’s wrong? You and I used to be friends,” he whined, stepping closer and sitting down next to me on the sand bags piled up inside.

“You think of me as a friend?” I raised my eyebrows at him. His mouth opened and his bottom lip twitched, stunned into quiet for a moment.

“Uh, yeah,” he said, like it was obvious, then he raised his chin a bit, “I think of everyone here as a friend. More than that, you’re all family.”

“I figured you thought of me as a joke,” I shrugged, looking back towards the gator. Micah was silent for a while, processing my words. 

“What makes you think that, sweetheart?" 

"Sweetheart,” I snorted, “don’t bother. You know I saw you earlier on with Bill, and I know you’ve been saying things, putting crap in people’s heads around the campfire.”

“I made a joke with Bill, is it a crime to laugh a little in these trying times?” He drawled. “And I don’t know what you’re talking about, putting stuff in people’s heads.”

“I heard you, saying things that’d mislead someone into thinking that you and I–” I cut myself off, not wanting to say it. I also didn’t want to incriminate Javier, so I twisted the truth.

Micah chuckled. “I think I know what you’re talking about, but I gotta say, Miss, you must have a dirty mind to come to such conclusions. I was merely sharing what a pleasant evening you and I had at the Parlour–”

“Don’t talk bullshit. You knew exactly what you was doin’ because it is just like you to push peoples’ buttons. Please, Micah, be a goddamn man and not an overgrown boy,” I hissed, rising to my feet. Micah blinked at me, shocked. 

“Wait, you’re actually pissed off with me?” He stammered. 

“I’m insulted by you,” I corrected him. “I am not a toy for you to play around with, having fun at my expense. I am not a source of entertainment for you, and I won’t sit by and listen to you fiddle with other people’s perceptions of me.”

“Sensitive, ain’t you? Nobody cares about you!” He raised his voice, and I recoiled. In a second, his words caught up with him and his face dropped. “That did not come out the way I meant.”

“Oh, I’m sure.”

“No. Really, I– I meant that people don’t have no perceptions of you, nothin’ I could say would make anyone think any less of you. It’s me they can’t stand, you think I’m too dense to know that?” Micah stood up too and gestured to himself with both hands. I might’ve imagined it but I thought I detected a hint of vulnerability in the way he said that. 

“I wonder why!” I gave a hollow laugh and Micah frowned. “All you do is wind people up!”

“Maybe I’m just an abrasive kind of person,” he muttered, “can’t help who I am.”

“No, you ain’t. Micah, you can be a nice guy when you wanna be. I’ve seen it. When you came and apologised to me at Clemens Point. When we’ve worked together and you’ve just shut up and listened to me and been respectful of my plans and ideas. When you sit and listen to people’s stories around the fire at night and leave out any childish remarks. You ain’t abrasive by nature, I don’t know why you do it, is it boredom?”

Micah just stared at me with a slack jaw, his eyes wide and brows curved upwards. 

“Just, stop talking about me behind my back. Stop winding everybody up!” I sighed, pushing past him to leave. 

“Wait a second, let me tell you somethin’,” he called out after me. I stopped in my tracks, despite wanting to keep going. “I think you’re a good woman, I’d go as far as sayin’ I’m fond of you, alright? If there’s anyone I might actually care about hating me, it’s you.”

“I don’t hate you,” I told him as I turned back to look at him. 

“No?” He questioned hopefully, then came down the steps to close the gap between us. 

I shook my head, and a ghost of a smile touched his mouth. He put his hands on my upper arms and pulled me towards him, tilting his head as if he was about to kiss me. I didn’t let him get far, jerking backwards and out of his grip; his smile disappeared. 

“Arthur,” I blurted out unthinkingly, my mind unable to communicate anything more than just his name. Micah’s shoulders dropped and he sighed. 

“Yeah, I get it, you’re sweet on Morgan. But he ain’t gonna all of a sudden fall in love with you just 'cause you played nurse with him for a couple weeks and y’ keep following him around every-goddamn-where, alright?” He ground out through gritted teeth. I stared blankly at him. 

Did he really not realise? I’d assumed that everyone in the camp knew about us by then, we hadn’t exactly been subtle over the past few weeks. People assumed and people talked, I thought it was common knowledge. The look on Micah’s face, however, told me otherwise. 

“Oh. I guess I’m a moron, then,” he said, tone oozing irritated sarcasm.

“I just thought everyone knew,” I peeped, noticing redness creeping up his neck and to his cheeks.

“I knew you had a soft spot for him but I didn’t know anything had actually gone on between you two. Thought Morgan was too yellow to be a man and make you his woman, either that or he weren’t interested. Don’t think I’ve ever seen him so much as look at a woman since I’ve been here, was starting to wonder about him…” he trailed off, his tone mean and judgemental. 

I rolled my eyes at him, something that did not go unnoticed. 

“Don’t you roll your eyes at me, try to make me feel stupid,” he snapped. 

“There you go again, talking crap.”

“I can’t help the way I am, princess,” he said, swinging his arms out to his sides grandiosely. 

“I asked you not to call me that,” I said abruptly. 

“Why? In case your little boyfriend hears me and gets upset? He don’t scare me, you know, he might be big bad Arthur Morgan, the neanderthal they all send out to intimidate folk, but he don’t scare me one bit,” he strolled over to me, making wild gestures with his hands. “He ain’t so special. Bet he don’t know the first thing about pleasing a woman.”

I scoffed and turned around, walking back towards the main camp.

“Touched a nerve there, have I, sugarplum? Pretty boy Arthur couldn’t point to which hole it goes in if y’ asked him to? Wouldn’t surprise me if you pulled his pants down and there was nothin’ there,” he shit talked all the way to the fountain and I spun around to him, getting in his face. 

“Don’t you worry about that, Micah, just remember he ain’t the one having to ask me to get into bed with him. Don’t you worry at all,” I spat, jabbing my finger in his chest and making him back up in surprise.

I stared at him for a few moments more, daring him to say something else. He kept his mouth shut, thankfully, and soon my anger was ebbing and I couldn’t believe my own outburst. I backed off, feeling my knees shake as I did, averting my eyes, spotting someone from the corner of my eye and almost crumbling with humiliation. Kieran was just sat there on the ground, leaning up against one of the wooden barriers that were built where we kept the horses, smoking a cigarette. We held eye contact for a few long seconds before his peeled away to look at Micah. 

“I ought'a string you up for ear-wigging, you nosey little shit!” Came Micah’s sudden outburst, and he lunged towards Kieran. I grabbed hold of his arm before he could get further and Kieran was up on his feet, hurdling the fence and scampering off. “Yeah, run off, O'Driscoll!”

“Leave the man alone, he was just smoking a damn cigarette!”

“You like making me look like an idiot, huh?” He directed his poison at me and I flinched. 

“No, I didn’t know he was there,” I said meekly. 

“You know what? I’m done. Only reason I wanted you was so I could fuck a virgin, anyway,” he sneered at me, then sauntered past me.

I stood there for a moment, brows slightly raised, heart thrumming and making me feel all funny and lightheaded. The sun had set and the stars were beginning to show and a glance up to the sky showed me a full moon, a trick of the night making everything look brighter. It was later than I thought. With a sigh I sat myself down on the edge of the fountain, grateful for the drop in temperature the night brought. These parts were just as sticky and hot as I remembered them, with air thick and wet enough it felt like you couldn’t pull a decent breath.

I watched Kieran with his horse in the distance, his arm thrown over it, his other hand stroking its face. I didn’t blame him for keeping to himself one bit. He glanced over at me, offered me a small, apologetic smile. I gave him a limp wave in response. 

I missed Arthur. All I wanted was to crawl between his arms and stay there. I hated arguing with Micah, part of me regretted bringing anything up in the first place, wishing I’d just been polite from the start to avoid all this. But I couldn’t just let him keep getting away with needlessly acting like an asshole behind my back. Micah and I were probably through with being friendly, given the words he’d spat in my face. Whether they were true or not, they weren’t pleasant to hear. Perhaps I was wrong to see any good in him. Perhaps he really was just a nasty, angry little man.

I wasn’t sat there long before I heard hoof beats on the path. I looked up to see Dutch riding back, flanked by Arthur and John– and Jack! I stood up quickly and pulled in a sharp breath, a smile lighting up my face at the sight of him. 

“Abigail!” I shouted, not knowing where she was or if she’d even hear me. 

“We got him! Abigail, we got your boy!” Dutch yelled, slowing to a stop in front of me and swinging down.

Abigail came running into view as John lowered Jack down from the horse. 

“He’s fine,” John called out in reassurance, and Jack ran towards Abigail. I could almost cry seeing her reunited with him, hugging him tightly as the boy relayed stories from his time away, about the food he’d eaten. He was adorable, and thankfully unscathed.

“It’s good to have you back, Jack! We all missed you,” I told him, coming up behind Abigail and putting a hand on her shoulder.

“You got my son back,” Abigail said, her voice wavering with emotion. “Dutch, Arthur, thank you." 

I looked at the three men gathering before her, at Arthur and Dutch’s silent nods, at John’s dejected expression. Without a word to him, Abigail was guiding Jack into camp, smiling wider than I’d ever seen her, grabbing my hand and pulling me along with her. 

"I got my son!” She called out as the other members of the gang all got up and came rushing over, each person wearing a bright smile. It filled me with just enough optimism for me to forget about all of the crap with Micah. Soon enough, Dutch was calling out to everyone to drink and enjoy the night, Jack’s return called for celebration. 

It felt good to have something to celebrate, with everything that seemed to have been going wrong. 

I hung back and watched as everyone gathered around the campfire, Javier beginning to play his guitar, gracing us all with his smooth voice as he sang us a song in his native tongue. My smile didn’t shift as I watched them all, merrily dancing and joining in on the chorus, little Jack in the middle of it all with the cutest little grin on his face. Family. One that I felt a part of, especially when someone walked past and pushed a beer into my hand; Lenny, smiling at me as he went and joined the others. 

I opened up the bottle and took a long drink, not even caring that the beer was especially warm from the Lemoyne heat. 

“Hey,” Arthur came up beside me, letting his hand come to rest on the small of my back. 

“Oh, I’m glad to see you,” I breathed, tilting my head and resting it briefly on his shoulder before straightening up again.

“Yeah?” He smirked, amused. “You miss me, since you saw me this morning all those hours ago?” He teased a little drily.

“Yeah, actually,” I nodded. 

“Mm, me too,” he hummed, moving his arm around my shoulders, pulling me against his side.

“I’m so pleased you all got Jack back, feels like things suddenly got a little better,” I said to him, wrapping my arm around his waist. 

“Yeah, it does. It’s good to see everyone celebrating, too.”

“You wanna go and join 'em? Don’t let me stop you, I just like to watch from the sidelines.”

Arthur shook his head. “Nah, I ain’t much in the mood for a party. Truth be told, I’m ready for some peace and quiet,” he chuckled, “it’s been a long day.”

“You wanna go see where you’re sleeping? I made up your room,” I said, and he met my gaze with a certain look in his eye. I could see the reflection of the fire flicker in his eyes and I pressed my lips together, itching to kiss him.

“Sure, show me,” he finally whispered. 

I led Arthur into the house and up the stairs. The place was completely empty, everyone outside singing and drinking, enjoying the opportunity to really let loose with permission from Dutch. We entered his room and I stepped aside to let him in, watching as he closed the door behind him. He glanced around the place, at the peeling paint and the broken window, over to his bed and finally to his right where all of his keepsakes were. 

“You like it? This is one of the best rooms in the house, lucky boy,” I giggled, hearing him laugh through his nose as he turned to inspect the photos on the shelf. I struck a match and lit the lamp sitting on the table by the window.

“It’s gonna be weird, having a proper roof over my head. Where’re you sleeping?” He asked, picking up the photograph of Mary before glancing at me. I looked down at it before meeting his eye.

“I don’t know, wherever I drop,” I shrugged, fiddling with the cuff of my shirt as I watched him flip the photo frame over and bend back the little clasps keeping the back on. 

“Well, my bed was comfier with you in it, so if you wanna join me in here,” he said casually, pulling the back of the frame off and plucking out Mary’s photo. He then fished around in his satchel for a moment, and I frowned, finally unable to hold back my questions. 

“Arthur, what’re you doing?" 

"I hope you don’t mind,” he started, retrieving a piece of paper from his bag and sliding it into the frame, reassembling it. “Took this the other day when you was sitting by the lake. I don’t use my camera all that much, but I had nothing else to do while I was loitering around camp, not quite ready to get to work again.”

“You have a camera?” My brows rose.

“I was gonna just take a photo of the lake, it looked pretty with the sun setting. I wasn’t being a creep, I promise,” he chuckled, “anyway I saw you there, and I took your photo. Had some spare time in Saint Denis today; had it printed so I could do this.”

He placed the photo back on the shelf, and I stepped forward to take a look. I flushed a little at the sight of it, I’d never had my photo taken before and it caught me a little off guard to see myself. I was sat at the end of the jetty, cross-legged with Cain, a dog that had wandered into camp one evening. 

“I didn’t realise you’d taken a photo,” I laughed in surprise. 

“No… I know. I should’ve asked,” he murmured, sounding a little ashamed. 

“I don’t mind,” I assured him with a smile. 

“That night when you noticed I’d kept Mary’s photo, I just thought it– it’d be nice to have one of you, instead,” he explained, and I turned and took his hands in mine. I tugged on them and he bent down to my level, joining our lips together in a sweet, short kiss. 

I wrapped my arms around his neck when our lips parted, resting my chin on his shoulder as his arms encircled my waist. I could hear Javier’s song through the window, and Arthur slowly began to sway me in time to the rhythm, his feet shuffling, eventually we were spinning in slow circles. I giggled quietly and he changed his hold on me, taking one of my hands and pulling back to smile at me as he led me in our own private little dance in the middle of his room. He lifted my hand and twirled me around, catching my waist and pulling me in close again.

“I’ve never danced before,” I commented, and Arthur made a humming sound. 

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered into my ear, “I don’t tell you that enough.”

“Arthur,” I gave a breathy, bashful laugh and pressed my face into the side of his neck.

“I don’t think I ever really have, have I?” He added thoughtfully. “Well, there you go, I think you’re beautiful. Not just your face, everything." 

"I don’t know what to say,” I mumbled like a fool, my heart beating so hard I bet he could feel it.

He leaned forwards, tilting me back and making me squeak in surprise, before bringing me back up again. He chuckled, tilting his head down and kissing my neck. Our dance dissolved as he got distracted in kissing me, his lips trailing down to my shoulder, along my arm, down to my wrist and my hand. He kissed each one of my fingertips, his eyes closed, and I bit down on my lip as I watched him. Inside I felt abuzz with affection for him, his tenderness making me feel like nothing ever had before. 

“I wanna make love to you,” I whispered, and he froze, his lips against the underside of my wrist where my pulse sped. “I want to.”

“Princess,” he exhaled, opening his eyes and meeting mine, “I’d like that more than anything.”

I moved in to kiss him again, this one hotter than the last, but not rushed. His hands settled on my waist and he kissed me back for a moment until I pressed my body up against his, then he held me steadily away from him and broke the kiss. 

“Not here, I don’t want your first to be in a place like this,” he whispered. I couldn’t keep the sadness from my eyes and he cupped my cheeks. 

“I don’t care,” I shook my head. 

“I do. Our friends are right outside, I wanna be able to talk to you, make sure you’re alright without worrying what people might hear,” he explained. I nodded in understanding, my eyes dropping to his chest. “How’d you feel about riding out to Saint Denis, now?”

It surprised me, I thought he was saying no. 

“Well, it ain’t far,” I shrugged, a smile crossing my lips, one he returned. 

[thefederalistfreestyle]

[. . .] Only the roar that greets Bette Midler’s entrance in Hello, Dolly! compares to the explosion in the Richard Rodgers Theatre when Javier Muñoz sings the words “Alexander Hamilton” in the opening number that bears his name. Granted, when you have waited so long, heard so much, and negotiated the soul-killing obstacle course involved in attending any Broadway show, you really want a spectacular return on your investment. In this case, however, the fact that I knew what was coming at almost every moment did nothing to diminish the feeling I eagerly shared with the audience. It was the exhilaration of collaborating, as every audience does, with a company on stage in creating something indelible, something transformative and something almost indescribably pleasurable. Hamilton is in great shape. In the case of Muñoz, it’s not too surprising; he’s been with the show from the beginning as Miranda’s stand-by and performed the lead when the Obama family stopped by the Rodgers for a visit. Muñoz may be the better singer (Miranda is hardly shabby in that department). Miranda never let us forget the wince of an orphan’s insecurity buried deep beneath his layers of determination and self-confidence; Muñoz conveys tougher armor. I’m not going to declare one better than the other; they’re different and equally satisfying. Indeed, it’s generally an odious critical gambit to compare performances. Who cares how many Uncle Vanyas I’ve seen, tell me about this one. There may be slightly more justification here because the original Broadway cast album is ubiquitous and many theater goers are familiar with the voices that created Hamilton. In this case they really are significant, but again, more because of their stylistic differences than because of any diminishment in the stature of the performances. Hamilton’s nemesis, Aaron Burr, is played by the exceptionally fine Brandon Victor Dixon replacing Leslie Odom Jr. The latter was steel cloaked in suavity, while Dixon is more severe in the opening number, which gives us both Hamilton’s back story and the seeds of a rivalry that will only conclude in a duel on the New Jersey shore many decades later. Delivering what is, to my mind, the show’s most astonishing number, “The Room Where It Happens,” Dixon’s another knockout. The killer-comic dual roles of the Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson, created by Tony winner Daveed Diggs, are now played by Tony winner James Monroe Igglehart [sic], who originated the Genie in the stage version of Aladdin. Where Diggs was sleek and carbonated with energy, Igglehart [sic] exudes a crafty jollity that’s irresistible in its own way, not so much playing to the audience as coercing us into abetting his antics. Lexi Lawson and Mandy Gonzalez have the formidable challenge of replacing Phillipa Soo and Renée Elise Goldsberry as Eliza and Angelica Schuyler, respectively, and they’re fully up to the task, singing gorgeously and plaintively. (I still wish someone would tell me what the hell happened to Peggy Schuyler, the Schuyler Sister Who Disappears, but that’s an old gripe.) One extremely felicitous cast change is the return of Brian d’Arcy James as King George III. He created the role but had to leave while the show was still running at the Public to go into Something Rotten!. (He was replaced by Jonathan Groff and others.) Now he’s back and he’s great, especially in some deft interplay with Igglehart [sic] as Jefferson. [. . .] this fourth visit to Hamilton allowed me to savor even more the truly astonishing work of director Thomas Kail and choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler (both Tony winners for the show, with Blankenbuehler repeating a few weeks ago for his choreography of Bandstand). Like Miranda’s score, which ranges restlessly from hip-hop to pop, blues to ballad to traditional Broadway belter, Hamilton itself is in constant motion, an organism whose multitude of parts (the company is fantastic) are seamlessly in synch in ways that just stop your breathing as one scene flows into the next, inventively, smartly, unexpectedly. That’s one of the things that makes Hamilton a truly great Broadway musical. But only one of them.

Review: ‘Hamilton’s Revolution Still Shoots Fireworks Over Broadway (Deadline Hollywood)

[burnsyourlipsmate]

scrambled

Words and interview by Isaac Javier

The omnipresent spotlight will shine brighter than a sun on a cloudless noon, but who it graces its shine upon changes by the day, at times by the hour. It’ll glow upon both the one-hit wonders destined to dance with the stars and the talented geniuses that can turn an apple into a global enterprise.

To acquire all the gifts and curses of fame, one must stand in that spotlight and accept the lust-filled eyes of the world. Each passing day, there’s a new rapper or artist attracted to that light like a moth, trying to reach that point, believing that they do have what it takes to stand before the eyes of the world with their talent. Some make it big by extreme effort, others by connection and money, some stumble into the position almost by accident. There’s also rappers whose words will only reach the ears that listen to the sounds thumping in the underground. Some want the spotlight, others only want to pay their light bill, each comes with its own pros and cons, benefits and trials, but you have to decide.

The first time I heard “Just Ask” on a Soundcloud suggestion, it was love at first listen. Bearing a slightly similar style with the cult and critically acclaimed Noname (formerly known as Noname Gypsy), I genuinely thought that it was the Chicago born female rapper spitting those soothing bars and singing the awesome and hypnotising hook “Slow it down you move fastly/ On the highways you pass me/ Thoughts still linger from last week”. But halfway through listening, I noticed a distinct rawness about the track that made me re-think who it was I was listening to, and by the final line and instrumental outro, I was asking myself “Who is she?”

I was hooked and had the rest of my night’s playlist comprised of her Soundcloud timeline. Her songs, as a collective, featured a common theme of empowerment and positivity – something, along with being a female emcee and producer, that made her and artists alike standout and embody progressive hip-hop.

Her work ethic is also commendable, to say the least, with having numerous EP’s and tracks out, it resonates her commitment to her dream. Appropriately, she is full of ambition and hope for the realisation of her found purpose in life, music. With only more room to grow, the rawness will turn to refined, the lyrics to poetry, and the music to art. The spotlight bound to shine on this one.

In the current landscape of hip-hop being stereotypically dominated by materialism and violent subject matter, she is a genuine breath of fresh air with her unique narrative and message of positivity and innocence. Ever so often, you hear music that genuinely uplifits you during harder times, making you realise that “things aren’t so bad after all”. And ever so often, everyone needs to get told that important message of appreciating what you have instead of wanting more.

Her new song “Brighter Days(feat. NIKO)” features one of my favourite hooks which is as positive and empowering as it is catchy. This track showcases the aforementioned rawness and innocence which makes you appreciate the value of ambition, sending the listener in a state of contentedness and happiness. I had the privilege to speak to speak to Scrambled about her as an artist, her music, ambition, and her music collective, Scrambled Records. Read the interview below.

Isaac Javier:Who are you and what do you do?

Scrambled: What’s good everybody?  My name is Synclaire Rowen and I am a seventeen year old Rapper/Producer from Upstate New York. I go by the alias ‘Scrambled’ when it comes to making music. Y’all can call me that. My main mission is to make uplifting music that everyone can relate to and also to give young artists like me a platform to express themselves. I write lyrics, make beats, and record all of my tracks in my bedroom studio.

IJ: What does music mean to you?

Scrambled: Music means life to me. It means expression, creativity, flexibility, and love. Music can take you back to anywhere and bring groups of people together everywhere. That’s why I make music, so I can be creative and make connections. So I can give people something to relate to just as so many of my favorite artists have given to me.

IJ: How long have you been making music?

Scrambled: Been writing lyrics and poetry since I was 10 years old then started getting into recording and mixing my own stuff when I was 14. So for about 7 years, music has been highly prioritized in my life. I put out my first track in October of 2014.

IJ: What does it feel like putting out that first track? something that you put your heart into and the realisation of doing what you set out to do

Scrambled: Putting out my first track was like everything I had bottled up was finally released. I had been telling my peers I rapped for a while but no one had a taste of what I actually rapped like. The track is called Supreme and to this day is still one of my favorites I have done. The feeling of having your own song out there, anyone can listen to, is indescribable. After I put out one song, I knew I needed to keep putting them out. Track after track.

IJ: What inspired you to start making music?

Scrambled: I always loved to write rhymes and one day I decided to just go for it. I decided I wanted to do it and I never turned back from there. The artists that inspire me definitely helped as well.

IJ: What artists inspire you to make music?

Scrambled: My idol will forever be Chance the Rapper. Also I fuck with Earl Sweatshirt, Tyler the Creator, Mick Jenkins, Noname, and Joey Bada$$ to name a few. Listening to their music helps inspire me to create.

IJ: What does being a female emcee and musician mean to you?

Scrambled: One part of me wishes that it wouldn’t matter. Male or female. Because to me, I am a musician. And along with every other musician I want to stand out and that’s where I believe being a female helps out. It makes me stand out because, sad to say, but people don’t expect girls to rap good. So when I come out spitting bars, people are genuinely surprised and impressed.

IJ: What can you say about the state of female artists in hip hop

Scrambled: I feel as if that there aren’t enough repping us out there. And the popular female artists in hip hop don’t rep the same message I’m about. I’m not a rap diva but I’m also not a female rapper from the hood. I’m on my own creative spectrum that I feel like I have the ability to control. I believe that females in hip hop are pushing forward a positive direction and I really hope to be a part of that movement.

IJ: Describing that new spectrum you mentioned, how would you describe you’re music?

Scrambled: I would describe my music as a fusion of feel good hip hop and vivid bars with hints of singing throughout my tracks. My music is meant to bring people together, connect different individuals, and leave positive messages wherever it is played. I’m all about spreading love.

IJ: What’s next for you?

Scrambled: Moving forward, I’m gonna just keep doing my thing. Keep making music, progressing in that, and keep hosting events like the open mic I just started, and hopefully just get more and more people to catch on. I’m working on a solo mixtape that’s going to drop later this year. I’m excited to keep on working and to see where my journey takes me yo

IJ: Talk about your Scrambled records, what it is,who it’s for, what are you trying to achieve.

Scrambled: Scrambled Records is a record label/collective I started to give other artists like me a platform to collaborate, create, and release their own material. I started recording/producing for a lot of my rapper friends out of my bedroom so I decided to make it a little more official. I am welcome to getting new artists on my page, so they have a space for all of their music and contact information. I hope to build that and eventually be recording and producing a handful of artists under my name/partnership. My website http://scrambledrecords.com has all of my music, videos, events, and other music related content. I hope to one day have my own professional recording studio that me, along with other creative artists, can record and work out of. That’s the ultimate goal.

Listen to her latest project, Summer Tape,featuring NIKO.

[aion-rsa]

Marvel Comics Solicitations for June 2017

Marvel Comics has provided CBR with covers and solicit information for product shipping June 2017. Discuss these solicitations here on CBR’s Marvel Comics forum, Spider-Man forum, or X-Books forum and share with fellow fans what titles spark your interest.

Marvel Solicitations – Last Six Months

Product shipping May 2017

Product shipping April 2017

Product shipping March 2017

Product shipping February 2017

Product shipping January 2017

Product shipping December 2016

SECRET EMPIRE #4 (of 9)

NICK SPENCER (W) • LEINIL FRANCIS YU (A)

Cover by MARK BROOKS

Variant Cover by J. SCOTT CAMPBELL

Hydra Hero Variant Cover by ANDREA SORRENTINO

VILLAIN VARIANT COVER BY DAN MORA

VARIANT COVER BY LEINIL YU

Action Figure Variant Cover by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER

There is a power that can either save the world or doom it! Both Steve Rogers and the heroes arrayed against him need this power! But unfortunately for all of them, the key to possessing this power lies in the hands of the unstoppable Ultron! LIVE IN X-CITING TIMES! SECRET EMPIRE!

40 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

SECRET EMPIRE #5 (of 9)

NICK SPENCER (W) • LEINIL FRANCIS YU (A)

Cover by MARK BROOKS

Variant Cover by J. SCOTT CAMPBELL

Hydra Hero Variant Cover by ANDREA SORRENTINO

VILLAIN VARIANT COVER BY DAN MORA

VARIANT COVER BY LEINIL YU

Action Figure Variant Cover by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER

They thought they were safe! They thought they could handle anything that was thrown against them! But the united heroes of the Marvel Universe never reckoned on the dread power that Steve Rogers would unleash! THE SECRET EMPIRE WILL AMAZE YOU!

40 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

SECRET EMPIRE: BRAVE NEW WORLD #1 (of 5)

Paul Allor, Jeremy Whitley, Nick Kocher (W) • BRIAN LEVEL, DIEGO OLORTEGUI, WILL ROBSON (A)

COVER BY PAULO SIQUEIRA

Variant cover by CHRIS SAMNEE

TEASER VARIANT COVER BY JOHN CASSADAY

Steve Rogers, Captain America, Liberty’s most dedicated defender is actually the Supreme Leader of Hydra. Faced with this adversity, the world’s heroes have two choices: stand and fight or fall in line. See how Earth’s protectors come to grips this earth-shattering revelation in an action packed first issue featuring Gwenpool, Giant-Man and Steve’s oldest allies, THE INVADERS!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

SECRET EMPIRE: BRAVE NEW WORLD #2 (of 5)

Paul Allor, Fabian Nicieza, Rodney Barnes (W) • Brian Level, Tana Ford & Juan M. Frigeri (A)

Cover by PAULO SIQUEIRA

DEBUT OF THE ALL-NEW PATRIOT! Living in the Hydra Nation doesn’t have to be all bad, especially if you can get with the program. But even in times of peace, some folks help but fight for what’s right. Featuring The Invaders, Hydra Bob and introducing the all-new Patriot!!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

SECRET EMPIRE: UNITED #1

JIM ZUB (W) • Ario Anindito (A)

Cover by RYAN STEGMAN

VARIANT COVER BY Rafael Albuquerque

Steve Rogers has finally brought peace to the planet, securing the borders of the land that he loves against any and all threats. And his peace will be maintained—by any means necessary. So when skirmishes break out on the outskirts of mutant-controlled territory, Hydra’s supreme leader takes matters into his own hands…

40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$4.99

SECRET EMPIRE: UPRISING #1

DEREK LANDY (W) • J. CASSARA (A)

Cover by MEGHAN HETRICK

VARIANT COVER BY Rafael Albuquerque

A crucial SECRET EMPIRE tie-in that bridges issues #3 and #4! There’s a new order to things in the world, but it’s not one that everybody agrees with! So what is there left to do about it? The Black Widow has a dangerous plan—but to carry it out, she’ll need the help of the young heroes of the Marvel Universe—and it may require them to cross a line they never thought they would! THE SECRET EMPIRE WILL CHAMPION YOU!

40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$4.99 • ON SALE MAY

SECRET EMPIRE: UNDERGROUND #1

JEREMY WHITLEY (W) • ERIC KODA (A)

Cover by RB SILVA

VARIANT COVER BY Rafael Albuquerque

From a hidden base in the Rocky Mountains a coallition of heroes have staged a resistance against Hydra and their former friend, Steve Rogers. Up until now, their successes have been few—but they may have discovered a way to end the long natinoal nightmare. The only catch? They’ve got to brave the dangers of the Savage Land!

40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$4.99

U.S.AVENGERS #7

AL EWING (W) • PACO MEDINA (A/C)

SECRET EMPIRE TIE-IN! The U.S.Avengers have been broken — but now it’s time to fight back! In exile…believed dead…surrounded by HYDRA forces… Squirrel Girl and Enigma get a much-needed assist…from Guillotine and the Champions of Europe!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

UNCANNY AVENGERS #24

JIM ZUB (W) • KIM JACINTO (A)

Cover by R.B. SILVA

SECRET EMPIRE TIE-IN! Tricked by Hydra, trapped in a prison they never anticipated, the Uncanny Avengers have a cunning escape plan…but it might just make things even worse!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

SECRET WARRIORS #3

MATTHEW ROSENBERG (W) • JAVIER GARRON (A)

Cover by TRADD MOORE & MATTHEW WILSON

VARIANT COVER BY CHRIS SAMNEE & MATTHEW WILSON

MARY JANE VARIANT COVER BY JAVIER RODRIGUEZ

SECRET EMPIRE TIE-IN! The team’s quest to unite the Inhumans will bring them into the land of the only people who truly understand the dangers they face: The X-Men! But, uh, it does NOT go well…Quake’s leadership forces Ms. Marvel to make some tough choices about what she is willing to do to win this war. And all of this leads to a shocking showdown with [REDACTED]!!!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

THE MIGHTY CAPTAIN MARVEL #6

MARGARET STOHL (W) • MICHELE BANDINI (A)

Cover by ELIZABETH TORQUE

Mary Jane Variant Cover by Chris Samnee

SECRET EMPIRE TIE-IN! Captain Marvel and her crew are up against the ropes as the full force of the Chitauri fleet bears down on Alpha Flight Space Station. Can Carol find a way to inspire her ranks — including the battalion of young cadets — to rise to the challenge of protecting the planet?

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

OCCUPY AVENGERS #8

DAVID F. WALKER (W) • GABRIEL HERNANDEZ WALTA (A/C)

SECRET EMPIRE TIE-IN! With Hawkeye pulled into the fray of SECRET EMPIRE, the rest of the team finds themselves without a leader on their most important mission to date, forcing Tilda to take charge. But honestly, was Clint that much of a leader? And with new members joining the fight, the team is poised to save the country, or die trying.

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

DOCTOR STRANGE #22

DENNIS HOPELESS (W) • NIKO HENRICHON (A)

Cover by CHRIS BACHALO

Variant Cover by NIKO HENRICHON

Mary Jane variant by Francisco Herrera & Fernanda Rizo

SECRET EMPIRE TIE-IN! With the incredible current events in NYC, Strange must ally himself with some unsavory people. No, Spider-Woman isn’t unsavory, though the Doctor is allying with her. It’s Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. the Kingpin. That’s who we’re talking about.

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

CAPTAIN AMERICA: SAM WILSON #23

NICK SPENCER (W) • JOE BENNETT (A)

Cover by ELIZABETH TORQUE

SECRET EMPIRE TIE-IN! Drawn back into the fight, Sam Wilson battles to restore sense to a world in chaos! But for Hydra, there isn’t a need for two Captain Americas!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

CAPTAIN AMERICA: STEVE ROGERS #18

NICK SPENCER (W) • JAVIER PINA (A)

Cover by ELIZABETH TORQUE

MARY JANE VARIANT COVER BY PAOLO RIVERA

SECRET EMPIRE TIE-IN! As Steve Rogers enacts his grand vision for a new Hydra world order, he is forced to confront an old friend. But will Namor, the Sub-Mariner, prove to be ally or deadly enemy?

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #29

DAN SLOTT (W) • STUART IMMONEN (A)

Cover by ALEX ROSS

SECRET EMPIRE TIE-IN! As revealed in ASM #25, Otto Octavius is back as THE SUPERIOR OCTOPUS!!! And Ock has a mission to take down the company that he helped create: PARKER INDUSTRIES!!! Does Spider-Man stand a chance?

32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

ALL-NEW GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY ANNUAL #1

CHAD BOWERS & CHRIS SIMS (W) • DANILO BEYRUTH (A)

Cover by DAVID NAKAYAMA

Variant Cover by DAN MORA

SECRET EMPIRE TIE-IN! The Chitauri invasion has arrived, and Captain Marvel and Earth’s heroes are outnumbered. Now it’s up to the Guardians of the Galaxy to find reinforcements! There may be a weapon that could turn the tide of the battle, but in order to obtain it, the Guardians will have to rely on the help of the last alien Star-Lord ever wanted to see again…Yondu Udonta!

40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$4.99

DEADPOOL #32

GERRY DUGGAN (W) • MATTEO LOLLI (A)

Cover by DAVID LOPEZ

Secret Comics Variant Cover by SCOTT KOBLISH

Mary Jane Variant Cover by ELIZABETH TORQUE

SECRET EMPIRE TIE-IN! Who’s the guy in Hydra green the chicks all call a sex machine? DEADPOOL! You’re darned right. You know…I am starting to think he might be on the wrong side here.

32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

EDGE OF VENOMVERSE #1 (of 5)

MATTHEW ROSENBERG (W) • ROLAND BOSCHI (A)

Cover by FRANCESCO MATTINA

Variant Cover by RON LIM

TEASER VARIANT COVER BY FRANCESCO MATTINA

EDGE of VENOM-VERSE starts here! The series that sets up the epic VENOM EVENT of 2017 STARTS HERE! Each issue introduces another major Venomized character that will feed into VENOMVERSE itself! THIS ISSUE, the young mutant clone designated X-23 collides with a cryogenic tube containing a strange alien symbiote during her frenzied escape from The Facility, . Bonding with the alien enhances her already considerable abilities, and aids in her escape, but it begins to alter her mind! On the run from the very people that made her, can X-23 hold it together or is she doomed to give in to Venom!

32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #1

CHIP ZDARSKY (W) • ADAM KUBERT (A/C)

Variant Cover by TBA

Remastered Variant Cover by TBA

YEAR OF THE ROOSTER VARIANT COVER BY ZHANG WANG

Hip-Hop Variant Cover by SAM SPRATT

Action Figure Variant Cover by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER

Blank and Movie Variant Covers also available

SPIDER-MAN RETURNS TO THE FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD! The webslinging, wallcrawling wonder returns to New York City in the all-new PETER PARKER: THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN. A companion series to the best-selling Amazing Spider-Man series, Peter Parker is going back-to-basics for big heroics in the Big Apple. Featuring adversaries old and new, be there as Spider-Man returns to his friendly neighborhood for his never ending battle against crime and the dreaed “Parker Luck”.

40 PGS./Rated T …$4.99

DEFENDERS #1

BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • DAVID MARQUEZ (A/C)

Variant Cover by NEAL ADAMS

Variant Cover by DAVID MACK

Variant Cover by RON LIM

Young Variant Cover by SKOTTIE YOUNG

Kirby 100th Anniversary Variant Cover by JACK KIRBY

Hip-Hop Variant Cover by TBA

Blank Variant Cover also available

Daredevil! Luke Cage! Jessica Jones! Iron Fist! Individually, these four heroes have been on the front lines of the battle to keep the streets of the city safe and secure! But now, with a deadly enemy from the dim past making a major move to unite the underworld, they will need to become more — they will need to become DEFENDERS! Brian Michael Bendis and David Marquez unite to bring you the next great super-team, in the tradition of NEW AVENGERS!

40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

ICEMAN #1

SINA GRACE (W) • ALESSANDRO VITTI (A)

Cover by KEVIN WADA

VARIANT COVER BY DAMION SCOTT

Young Variant Cover by SKOTTIE YOUNG

Corner Box Variant Cover by LEONARD KIRK

Hip-Hop Variant Cover by SKAN

Bobby Drake has been in the super hero game longer than most. But while reflecting on what he’s accomplished over the years, he realizes that the legacy he’s built is a few good one-liners and a string of failed relationships. Not only that, but now a younger version of himself has emerged from the timestream and he’s more put together than Bobby ever was: already a world-class hero in his own right, but also totally comfortable in his own skin, complete with a relationship with a handsome Inhuman to boot. In this new ongoing series penned by Sina Grace (Burn the Orphanage, Self-Obsessed) and drawn by Alessandro Vitti (SECRET WARRIORS), Bobby realizes that the time is never or now, and sets out to build a life and legacy he can be proud of…and be the best ICEMAN he can be!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

ICEMAN #2

SINA GRACE (W) • ALESSANDRO VITTI (A)

Cover by KEVIN WADA

VARIANT COVER BY TANA FORD

When a newly manifested mutant signals the X-Men for help, Iceman teams up with Kitty Pryde to stage a rescue mission! And surely nothing can go wrong when you ask your former girlfriend for advice on meeting guys while you’re in the middle of a firefight, right?

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

ZOMBIES ASSEMBLE #3 (of 4)

YUSAKU KOMIYAMA (W) • Adapted by JIM ZUB • YUSAKU KOMIYAMA (A)

COVER BY KIICHI MIZUSHIMA

VARIANT COVER BY GREG LAND

The outbreak is spreading, and two of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have been infected! Captain America, Hawkeye and Iron Man venture out into the zombie-filled streets to stem the tide, while Bruce Banner and Dr. Amano race to find a cure — and one of them will make a shocking sacrifice to test its effectiveness! Will another Avenger succumb to the virus? Where did the outbreak originate? The thrills continue as the original manga is adapted into English for the first time!

40 PGS./Rated T+ …$4.99

AVENGERS #8

MARK WAID & JEREMY WHITLEY (W) • PHIL NOTO (A)

Cover by ALEX ROSS

Mary Jane Variant Cover by MICHAEL ALLRED

Once and for all, the Avengers have to decide whether the Infamous Iron Man is friend or foe! It’s hard to trust an “ally” you’ve been fighting against for years — but the Avengers will have to!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

INFAMOUS IRON MAN #9

BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • ALEX MALEEV (A/C)

As the impossible task of redeeming himself to the universe begins to overwhelm him, the truth about Doom’s reincarnated mother is revealed!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #8

BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • STEFANO CASELLI (A/C)

Mary Jane Variant Cover by MARCO CHECCHETTO

Riri Williams strikes out on her own as her idealism is pushed to the test by a world she does not understand yet. How far is Riri willing to go to do what she knows is right?

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

MIGHTY THOR #20

JASON AARON (W) • RUSSELL DAUTERMAN & VALERIO SCHITI (A)

Cover by RUSSELL DAUTERMAN

Mary Jane Variant Cover by Patrick Brown

THE SAGA OF THE ALL-NEW ULTIMATE THOR STARTS HERE! The Ultimate Thor died defending the Multiverse, but his hammer remains. Who will hold the hammer now? War is coming to the Ten Realms. Can the new Ultimate Thor keep back the bloody tide?

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

HULK #7

MARIKO TAMAKI (W) • GEORGES DUARTE (A)

Cover by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER

MARY JANE VARIANT BY RAHZZAH

LET THEM EAT CAKE! JENNIFER WALTERS is only just getting used to her new HULK alter-ego when an internet-famous cooking show host transforms into a hideous monster – on camera. • Can Jen come to terms with her own monstrous side in time to help this young man? Guest starring PATSY WALKER, AKA HELLCAT!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

ULTIMATES 2 #8

AL EWING (W) • AUD KOCH (A)

COVER BY CHRISTIAN WARD

Galactus faces the ultimate battle with his oldest enemy — Ego, the Living Planet! But if the Devourer of Worlds could never fully defeat the Living Planet — what chance does the Lifebringer have? Tell no one about the astonishing ending of this epic issue, True Believer! Some things are too good to spoil!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

CHAMPIONS #9

MARK WAID (W) • HUMBERTO RAMOS (A/C)

Mary Jane Variant Cover by HELEN CHEN

Casting a spotlight on young synthezoid Viv Vision! After what became of her family, she willingly shut down her emotions — but does that come with a price to pay?

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

BEN REILLY: SCARLET SPIDER #3 & 4

PETER DAVID (w) • MARK BAGLEY (a/C)

BECAUSE YOU DEMANDED IT — Ben’s back in his classic threads! We hope it’ll make a difference, because the Scarlet Spider’s at odds with a deeply connected crime lord and her impervious consigliere. And will Kaine finally catch up to his clone-brother?!

32 PGS. (EACH)/Rated T+ …$3.99 (EACH)

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #28

DAN SLOTT (w) • STUART IMMONEN (a)

Cover by ALEX ROSS

OSBORN VS. SPIDER-MAN! NO HOLDS BARRED! The outcome of this battle will change both of these men. And that’s nothing to say of Osborn’s master plan that Spider-Man is powerless to save! ONLY SILVER SABLE AND MOCKINGBIRD STAND A CHANCE!

32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

SPIDER-GWEN #21

JASON LATOUR (W) • ROBBI RODRIGUEZ (A/C)

MARY JANE VARIANT COVER BY Kevin Wada

A new villain has appeared on Earth-65…one with claws and an attitude. With Wolverine and Matt Murdock gunning for Harry Osborn, Spider-Gwen will need to step in and save him. However, the cost of this rescue might be her own soul!

32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: RENEW YOUR VOWS #8

GERRY CONWAY (w) • RYAN STEGMAN (a/C)

Variant Cover by CLAYTON CRAIN

Mary Jane Watson-Parker has been saving the day as Spinneret, but at the cost of some of her husband’s powers. So she’s going to try something new… That’s right, MARY JANE VENOM. It’s on!

32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

SPIDER-MAN/DEADPOOL #18

JOE KELLY (w) • ED MCGUINNESS (a/C)

The culmination of Joe Kelly and Ed McGuinness’s run is here! Is it the end of Spider-Man and Deadpool’s friendship?!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

SPIDER-MAN #17

BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (w) • OSCAR BAZALDUA (a)

Cover by PATRICK BROWN

Spider-Man and his amazing friends!

32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

SPIDER-MAN 2099 #24

PETER DAVID (w) • WILL SLINEY (a)

Cover by FRANCESCO MATTINA

Miguel races the clock to bring down The Fist before they can complete their plan to bring about the apocalypse. But with the entire city under some kind of trance, Spidey’s hopes of winning the fight are dwindling… Luckily, help has appeared in the form of a mysterious new Spider-Man!

32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

VENOM #151

MIKE COSTA (w) • GERARDO SANDOVAL (a)

COVER BY Francisco Herrera

Mary Jane Variant Cover by Francesco Mattina

“THE LAND BEFORE CRIME” Starts Here! Eddie Brock and the Venom symbiote have been reunited at last – and their hatred of Spider-Man is greater than ever! While hunting the friendly neighborhood wall-crawler, Venom comes face-to-face with none other than STEGRON THE DINOSAUR MAN! Can Venom postpone feasting on Spider-Man’s brain long enough to stop Stegron from turning everyone in New York into a bloodthirsty dinosaur?!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR #20

BRANDON MONTCLARE (W) • NATACHA BUSTOS (A/C)

FANTASTIC VOYAGE! Lunella and Devil make landfall in a new cosmos, and their host is much bigger than they imagined! But GIRL MOON’s got even bigger problems for them to solve…and Lunella still can’t figure out how to get them all home…

32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

BLACK BOLT #2

SALADIN AHMED (W) • CHRISTIAN WARD (A/C)

VARIANT COVER BY DECLAN SHALVEY & JORDIE BELLAIRE

Mary Jane Variant Cover by Ryan Stegman

Black Bolt begins to find his bearings in the remote prison to which he has been mysteriously banished. And an unlikely alliance with Crusher Creel, a.k.a. the Absorbing Man, could provide the Silent King with some answers about his captor’s motives and identity. But not every prisoner is ready to trust the hero-turned-inmate. There are those who would see him fall…and they are more than happy to push.

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

MS. MARVEL #19

G. WILLOW WILSON (W) • Marco Failla (A)

Cover by NELSON BLAKE II

An enemy from Ms. Marvel’s past resurfaces and begins targeting those closest to Kamala. As the world around her is spinning out of control, it becomes clear that this time there’s something more sinister at work… Kamala’s no stranger to fighting for what’s right, but in facing down this challenge, everything she is will be called into question. Not just as a super hero, but as a human being.

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

ROYALS #4

AL EWING (W) • JONBOY MEYERS (A/C)

Welcome to the ruins of Hala! Once, this world was ruled by a noble family, promising a new dawn for the Kree Empire. But then…the House of Boltagon decided they had better things to do. And in their absence, Hala died. Now the Royals stand accused — and Ronan, last survivor of Hala, is the Accuser!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

HAWKEYE #7

KELLY THOMPSON (W) • LEONARDO ROMERO (A)

Cover by JULIAN TOTINO TEDESCO

Hawkeye finally gets a lead on the top-secret case that brought her out to Los Angeles in the first place — and it might be more than she bargained for… In order to solve this mystery, Kate will have to take a good hard look and who she is and where she came from. But is she really ready to face the ghosts of her past?

32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

AMERICA #4

GABBY RIVERA (W) • JOE QUINONES (A)

COVER BY JOE QUINONES

FOOLS RUSH IN! When an enemy she thought she’d punched away returns, America will have to face the facts: She messed up. What will her mistakes cost her — and the people she loves? One thing’s for sure: She’s gonna need help. Good thing she’s the leader of the Ultimates! Uh, they’re around, right? Guys? And while America fights the good fight, the mysterious figure behind those time-travel mishaps makes a move! Who is Madrimar, and what does she want with America?

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

DAREDEVIL #21

CHARLES SOULE (W) • GORAN SUDZUKA (A)

Cover by DAN PANOSIAN

MARY JANE VARIANT COVER BY HUMBERTO RAMOS

NEW STORY ARC “SUPREME” BEGINS! MATT MURDOCK has a bold new plan to eradicate crime in New York City using the massive power of the LEGAL SYSTEM! But does this mean he’ll have to give up being DAREDEVIL? GUEST-STARRING Luke Cage and Echo!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

DAREDEVIL #22

CHARLES SOULE (W) • GORAN SUDZUKA (A)

Cover by MIKE DEODATO JR.

“SUPREME” CONTINUES! It’s the biggest case of MATT MURDOCK’s career. But in order to win it……DAREDEVIL will have to take the witness stand! Be here for the turning point that will kick off the next big phase of the Man Without Fear’s career!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

BLACK PANTHER #15

TA-NEHISI COATES (W) • WILFREDO TORRES (A)

Cover by BRIAN STELFREEZE

CONNECTING VARIANT COVER BY JAMIE MCKELVIE

“AVENGERS OF THE NEW WORLD” CONTINUES! The gods of Wakanda have forsaken T’Challa and his nation. As monsters of might and myth flood our world, the Midnight Angels must act… But whose interests do they serve? The crown’s or their own?

32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

BLACK PANTHER AND THE CREW #3

TA-NEHISI COATES (W) • BUTCH GUICE (A)

Cover by JOHN CASSADAY

VARIANT COVER BY SANFORD GREENE

When the Black Panther makes it known that he too was an associate of Ezra Miller, the late Harlem community pillar and social activist who died in police custody, the case finds new life. Was there more to Miller than he let on? Was his activism a front for something larger? One thing’s for certain: What’s happening in Harlem is not new. It stretches back decades. The secret super hero history of the Marvel Universe continues!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL #21

RYAN NORTH (W) • ERICA HENDERSON (A/C)

Squirrel Girl, Nancy, and Mary go to the Negative Zone for the weekend! So Koi Boi, Chipmunk Hunk, and Brain Drain PROMISE to fight any crimes that pop up so that the city will be just as Squirrel Girl left it when she returns! This would be a very short and uneventful issue, except for these facts:

A crime wave begins the second Squirrel Girl leaves

Koi Boi and Chipmunk Hunk are powerless to stop it so things get real bad real quick

And Brain Drain is a nihilist brain in a jar on a robot body which means he’s KINDA a pain to be around sometimes?

This special stand-alone issue features friendship, fights, and friendship fights! PLUS other things too, but you’ll have to buy the issue to find out, because this is just the solicit text and we don’t want to spoil everything. Honestly, you probably shouldn’t even be reading these solicits unless you own a comic-book store because they are chock FULL of spoilers!!

32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

IRON FIST #4

ED BRISSON (W) • MIKE PERKINS (A)

Cover by JEFF DEKAL

Mary Jane Variant Cover by Stephanie Hans

A DARK HISTORY UNVEILED! The secret origin of the island of Liu-Shi is revealed! And Danny takes it personally. VERY personally. The fight for the Chi of K’un-Lun is about to get very bloody!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

KINGPIN #5

MATTHEW ROSENBERG (W) • BEN TORRES (A)

Cover by JEFF DEKAL

THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF WILSON FISK! SARAH DEWEY realizes there’s no turning back from the KINGPIN now…but how much MORE is it going to cost her? WILSON FISK reestablishes his reputation with his biography…but what is his end game?

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

ELEKTRA #5

MATT OWENS (W) • JUAN CABAL (A)

Cover by ELIZABETH TORQUE

HUNT OR BE HUNTED! The epic climax of “ALWAYS BET ON RED”! Trapped in MURDERWORLD, ELEKTRA is close to ending ARCADE’s sick games. But surrounded by trigger-happy high rollers who have paid top dollar to participate in the hunt, will Elektra survive long enough to reveal Arcade’s treacherous scheme?

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

LUKE CAGE #2

DAVID F. WALKER (W) • NELSON BLAKE (A)

Cover by RAHZZAH

Variant Cover by JOHN CASSADAY

A BROKEN CAGE! There’s a war brewing in New Orleans…and Luke is right in the middle of it! Luke recovers from a brutal attack with the help of a VERY unsuspected ally! Luke Cage will put body and soul on the line to learn the truth about Dr. Burstein. He might live to regret that. MIGHT.

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

JESSICA JONES #9

BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • MICHAEL GAYDOS (A)

Cover by DAVID MACK

Variant Cover by Tony Fleecs

The mysteries of Maria Hill! Ousted by the world peacekeeping task force to which she dedicated her life, Maria Hill has no choice but to turn to Jessica Jones to help her find…the last secrets.

32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

NICK FURY #3

JAMES ROBINSON (W) • ACO (A/C)

Variant cover by Fernando Blanco

NICK FURY’S NEXT MISSION GOES OFF THE RAILS! The mission is simple enough: prevent an assassination on the maiden voyage of a new international train line. But when another player enters the fray, it’s a thin line between friend and foe! Can NICK FURY solve the mystery and prevent the killing before his enemies punch his ticket? All aboard for the ASSASSINATION LOCOMOTION CAPER!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

MAN-THING #5 (of 5)

R.L. STINE (W) • GERMAN PERALTA & TBA (A)

Cover by TYLER CROOK

THE FINAL INSTALLMENT!! As QUEEN IRENA continues to torture MAN-THING, chaos reigns supreme throughout all known realities. Man-Thing is going to have to pull it together in order to save the NEXUS OF ALL REALITIES! Will he become the hero we all know he can be? Or is he really the monster we all see him as? This ending will leave everyone — including Man-Thing — shocked and amazed!

Plus! You guessed it — another bonus horror story from R.L. STINE’s chamber of chills!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

MONSTERS UNLEASHED #3

CULLEN BUNN (W) • DAVID BALDEON (A)

Cover by R.B. SILVA

Variant Cover by DAVID BALDEON

THE INTELLEGENTSIA IS REVEALED! Who are the mysterious villains obsessed with KID KAIJU and his monsters? Can ELSA BLOODSTONE protect her young ward from their evil intent? Guest-starring LADY HELLBENDER!

32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

VISION DIRECTORS CUT #1 (of 6)

TOM KING (W) • GABRIEL HERNANDEZ WALTA (A)

Cover by MIKE DEL MUNDO

BLACK AND WHITE YOUNG VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG

One of the most surprising super-hero stories ever told, now better than ever! Experience Tom King and Gabriel Hernandez Walta’s masterpiece…re-presented with bonus behind-the-scenes content! Behold the Visions! They’re the family next door, and they have the power to kill us all. What could possibly go wrong? Collecting VISION (2015) #1-2, plus extras — including Tom King’s original series pitch, script excerpts, character designs and sketches by Gabriel Hernandez Walta, cover sketches by Mike del Mundo and more.

80 PGS./Rated T+ …$6.99

DOCTOR STRANGE AND THE SORCERERS SUPREME #9

ROBBIE THOMPSON (W) • JAVIER RODRIGUEZ (A/C)

Sir Isaac Newton, Sorcerer Supreme of his day, has mastered an ancient, evil magic and has gone power-mad. It’s up to the Sorcerers Supreme to stop him from sending the world – and all of their own individual timelines – into chaos. Unfortunately, even with the Avengers on their side, it seems like they are still no match for Newton.

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

THE UNSTOPPABLE WASP #6

JEREMY WHITLEY (W) • ELSA CHARRETIER (A/C)

This is it! The clock is ticking and both Nadia and Ying’s lives are in the balance. Can the geniuses of G.I.R.L. come up with a way to outsmart the Red Room, or will Nadia’s adventure be cut short as she’s forced to go back to the bunker? The conclusion of our first story comes to a head. You can’t miss this!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

THE PUNISHER #13

BECKY CLOONAN (W) • KRIS ANKA (A)

Cover by DECLAN SHALVEY

MARY JANE VARIANT BY DAVID WILLIAMS

THE PUNISHER IS BACK IN THE BIG APPLE! Start spreading the bullets! He’s coming today! He wants to destroy the crime of it! New York, New York!

32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

BULLSEYE #5 (OF 5)

ED BRISSON (W) • GUILLERMO SANNA (A)

Cover by DAVE JOHNSON

S.H.I.E.L.D. SWOOPS IN! It’s mass bloodshed at TEODOR ZARCO’s compound, and S.H.I.E.L.D. is claiming jurisdiction! No one wants to see a vacation end…but if BULLSEYE doesn’t find a way out of Colombia, this’ll be his last job! Don’t miss the blockbuster conclusion to “The Colombian Connection”!

32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

GWENPOOL, THE UNBELIEVABLE #17

CHRIS HASTINGS (W) • GURIHIRU (A/C)

Mary Jane Variant Cover by DAVID NAKAYAMA

“BEYOND THE FOURTH WALL” continues! Gwen is back in her “home universe,” but she is far from happy. Will she be able to get back to the Marvel Universe? And at what cost?

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

ALL-NEW GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #3

GERRY DUGGAN (W) • FRAZER IRVING (A)

Cover by AARON KUDER

Variant cover by FRAZER IRVING

Mary Jane Variant Cover by TBA

Gamora — the most dangerous person in the galaxy and the Guardians’ resident woman of mystery — has been hiding something from her teammates. What is her secret quest, and how did it find her? Guest artist Frazer Irving joins writer Gerry Duggan to reveal the soul of Gamora’s obsession…

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

ALL-NEW GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #4

GERRY DUGGAN (W) • AARON KUDER (A/C)

VARIANT COVER BY RUSSELL DAUTERMAN

When the Guardians learn that Gamora hasn’t been honest with them, they get angry. But who knows, you might like the Guardians when they’re angry! Can the team stop threatening each other long enough to get the goods they’ve been hired to procure?

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

I AM GROOT #2

CHRIS HASTINGS (W) • FLAVIANO (A)

Cover by MARCO D’ALFONSO

Variant Cover by NIKO HENRICHON

Mary Jane Variant Cover by TBA

Trapped on a world that doesn’t understand him!! Groot is stuck on a strange alien planet, but the first step in finding a way home is for someone who can translate “I am Groot.” This isn’t gonna be easy…

32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

ROCKET #2

AL EWING (W) • ADAM GORHAM (A)

Cover by MIKE MAYHEW

Variant Cover by Steve Epting

It’s the Technet versus the Technet – and only the Technet will survive! Also in this issue – Rocket in court! It’s the trial of the (light) century, and there’s only one thing keeping our hero out of the iron hotel…the galaxy’s greatest lawyer, Murd Blurdock!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

NOVA #7

JEFF LOVENESS & RAMON PEREZ (W) • SCOTT HEPBURN (A)

Cover by Dan Mora

As Richard Rider struggles to come to terms with the revelations from his return to the Cancerverse, Sam Alexander struggles with homework, his family and (gulp) dating!

32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

THANOS #8

JEFF LEMIRE (W) • GERMAN PERALTA (A)

Cover by MIKE DEODATO JR.

A threat worse than Thanos. Let that sink in. Worse…than the Mad Titan himself. That’s why we need Thanos.

32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

ALL-NEW WOLVERINE #21

TOM TAYLOR (W) • LEONARD KIRK (A)

Cover by David Marquez

Variant Cover by LEONARD KIRK

Variant Cover by DAN MORA

Mary Jane Variant Cover by David Lopez

WOLVERINE RACES FOR A CURE! The strange alien disease is spreading quickly and scientists are no closer to a cure than they were when the spaceship crash-landed… With a population rapidly falling to the illness, Laura will have to turn to former allies and new friends to save the day…

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

WEAPONS OF MUTANT DESTRUCTION!

For years, the Weapon X Program has engineered the deadliest mutant killers on planet Earth, until they mysteriously vanished. Now, the Weapon X program is back, and it’s deadlier than ever, and it isn’t to use mutants for their lethal ends. Under the leadership of its mysterious new director, Weapon X has a new mission – exterminate all mutants! The key to achieving their master plan? Amadeus Cho, the Totally Awesome Hulk! What is the sinister secret of Weapon X’s mysterious new “Batch-H” experiment? Find out in this June in WEAPONS OF MUTANT DESTRUCTION!

MAY

TOTALLY AWESOME HULK #19 – PRELUDE

JUNE

WEAPON X #4 – PRELUDE

WEAPONS OF MUTANT DESTRUCTION: ALPHA #1 – PART ONE

TOTALLY AWESOME HULK #20 – PART TWO

JULY

WEAPON X #5 – PART THREE

TOTALLY AWESOME HULK #21 – PART FOUR

WEAPON X #6 – PART FIVE

AUGUST

TOTALLY AWESOME HULK# 22- PART SIX

WEAPON X #4

GREG PAK (W) • GREG LAND (A/C)

Prelude to WEAPONS OF MUTANT DESTRUCTION!

Logan, Sabretooth and Domino have unraveled the plot against them, but is it too late for Warpath and Lady Deathstrike? The explosive conclusion that leads directly into “Weapons of Mutant Destruction”! Guest-starring: The Totally Awesome Hulk!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

WEAPONS OF MUTANT DESTRUCTION: ALPHA #1

GREG PAK (W) • MAHMUD ASRAR (A)

COVER BY SKAN

Variant Cover by RON LIM

VARIANT COVER BY TBA

THE WEAPON X PROGRAM IS BACK! Their goal is a simple one…ERADICATE ALL MUTANTS! And they’re starting their hunt with the most dangerous group of mutants on planet Earth — Old Man Logan, Sabretooth, Domino, Lady Deathstrike, Warpath and…the Hulk?! But with an army of genetic cyborgs at their disposal, this may just be the beginning…

40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$4.99

THE TOTALLY AWESOME HULK #20

GREG PAK (W) • MAHMUD ASRAR (A)

COVER BY TBA (CLASSIFIED)

WEAPONS OF MUTANT DESTRUCTION PART 2! What is the mysterious Weapon Gamma? AND WHO IS BEHIND ITS CREATION?

32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

X-MEN: GOLD #5

MARC GUGGENHEIM (W) • R.B. SILVA (A)

Cover by ARDIAN SYAF

MARY JANE VARIANT BY ANTHONY PIPER

Double ships every month!

Each new generation of Sentinel has been DEADLIER than its predecessors…and 0101 is no exception to that rule! As the X-Men race to stop the perfect mutant-killing machine from executing its programming, they’ll find themselves asking one question: Are they the hunters…or the hunted?

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

X-MEN: GOLD #6

MARC GUGGENHEIM (W) • R.B. SILVA (A)

Cover by ARDIAN SYAF

Double ships every month!

The perfect mutant-killing machine has MUTATED. As the X-Men fight for their lives against the most fearsome SENTINEL yet, one X-Man decides to do the unthinkable! Will it take the life of one X-Man to save the rest?

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

X-MEN: BLUE #5

CULLEN BUNN (W) • JULIAN LOPEZ VELARDE (A)

Cover by ARTHUR ADAMS

Mary Jane Variant Cover by TBA

Double ships every month!

THE RETURN OF…

The X-MEN and their new teammate investigate the NEW MARAUDERS. Who are they? And what do they want? Guest-starring MS. SINISTER and a whole gang of nasties you won’t want to miss!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

X-MEN: BLUE #6

CULLEN BUNN (W) • JORGE MOLINA (A)

Cover by ARTHUR ADAMS

IT’S A PERFECT DAY IN MADRIPOOR…OR IS IT? – Double ships every month! Of course nothing can ever go right for the X-MEN — even when they’re exploring the streets of MADRIPOOR! But, then again, what did they expect? Sunshine and lollipops? It’s freaking Madripoor, guys!!!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

OLD MAN LOGAN #25

ED BRISSON (W) • MIKE DEODATO JR. (A/C)

Corner Box Variant Cover by LEONARD KIRK

TEASER VARIANT COVER BY MIKE DEODATO

HOMAGE VARIANT COVER BY TOM GRUMMETT

A LONG-LOST THREAT RE-EMERGES! LOGAN is confronted by an enemy from his past! And if Logan’s past is a dystopian future, you know this can’t be good… ENTER: The MAESTRO!

Don’t miss the start of an all-new arc by breakout writer ED BRISSON and fan-favorite artist MIKE DEODATO JR.!

32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

DEADPOOL VS. THE PUNISHER #5 (of 5)

FRED VAN LENTE (W) • PERE PEREZ (A)

Cover by DECLAN SHALVEY

Variant Cover by RYAN STEGMAN

When the shells all hit the ground, who finally wins? I mean, aside from ammunition manufacturers. Find out inside — the last round is finally here!

32 PGS./Parental Advisory …$3.99

CABLE #2

JAMES ROBINSON (W) • CARLOS PACHECO (A)

Cover by DALE KEOWN

VARIANT COVER BY JON MALIN

ONE STEP FORWARD — THREE CENTURIES BACK! CABLE follows his target back to feudal Japan…and is met with decidedly FUTURISTIC warriors! But WHOM exactly is Cable after, and what do they need in this time period? Jump into the timestream with CABLE and find out!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

JEAN GREY #3

DENNIS HOPELESS (W) • VICTOR IBANEZ (A)

Cover by DAVID YARDIN

VARIANT COVER BY RUSSELL DAUTERMAN

Desperate to find any information that will help her stave off possession by the Phoenix, Jean Grey ventures to Atlantis to entreat its surliest former host: NAMOR, THE SUB-MARINER! But Namor has his own fish to fry… And when Jean is swept up in the Sea King’s madness, will she find herself in over her head?

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

GENERATION X #3

CHRISTINA STRAIN (W) • AMILCAR PINNA (A)

Cover by TERRY DODSON

Something is lurking in the shadows of Central Park…a monster that steals mutants in the night. And when GENERATION X takes it upon themselves to investigate…they might just find themselves face-to-face with an all too familiar threat.

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

MARVEL UNIVERSE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN VS. THE SINISTER SIX #10

Adapted by Joe Caramagna

THE REVEAL OF THE NEW SINISTER SIX! After a shocking betrayal by one of SPIDER-MAN’s closes allies, DOC OCK now knows that the key to retrieving Hydra Island is hidden somewhere in AUNT MAY’s house. Will Spider-Man be able to protect his family or will he be pulled in another direction when the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy is attacked? Man, can’t PETER ever catch a break?

32 PGS./All Ages …$2.99

MARVEL UNIVERSE AVENGERS: ULTRON REVOLUTION #11

Adapted by Joe Caramagna

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT! When a new Inhuman called THE GHOST sets his thieving sights on the Avenger’s AI sidekick, FRIDAY, CAPTAIN AMERICA and IRON MAN must reach out to a group of young new Inhumans for help. Together, with the help of GOLIATH, INFERNO and MS. MARVEL, will they be able to stop the Ghost or will they be too late?

32 PGS./All Ages …$2.99

STAR WARS: DROIDS UNPLUGGED #1 *

CHRIS ELIOPOULOS (W) • CHRIS ELIOPOULOS (A/C)

Variant Cover by MIKE ALLRED

Collecting three stories featuring everyone’s favorite droids!

What adventures did the probe droids in The Phantom Menace get into when Darth Maul wasn’t looking?

Luke’s got a mission for R2-D2! But can the astromech complete it in time?

And all BB-8 wants is to help…two Resistance soldiers fall in love!

40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T …$3.99

DARTH VADER #1 & 2 *

Charles Soule (W) • GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI (A)

Cover by JIM CHEUNG

ISSUE 1 – HOMAGE VARIANT COVER BY MARK BROOKS

ISSUE 1 – VARIANT COVER BY ADI GRANOV

ISSUE 1 – YOUNG VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG

ISSUE 1 – ERA VARIANT COVER BY PHIL NOTO

ISSUE 1 – ACTION FIGURE VARIANT COVER BY JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER

ISSUE 1 – BLANK AND MOVIE VARIANT COVERS ALSO AVAILABLE

ISSUE 2 – VARIANT COVER BY MIKE DEL MUNDO

The most fearsome villain of all time returns with an all-new series! When Anakin Skywalker fell, both to the pull of the dark side and to the blade of Obi-Wan Kenobi, he rose back up, more machine than man. Having lost everything that was once dear to him, the former chosen one must take his first steps into a darker world…as Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith! Join Vader as he learns a new way — the way of Darth Sidious and his newly formed Empire…the way of the dark side.

ISSUE #1 – 48 PGS./Rated T …$4.99 • ISSUE #2 – 32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

STAR WARS #32 *

JASON AARON (W) • SALVADOR LARROCA (A)

Cover by MARCO CHECCHETTO

Star Wars 40th Anniversary Variant Cover by JEN BARTEL

Action Figure Variant Cover by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER

“THE SCREAMING CITADEL” – Part 4. The Queen’s influence is spreading… Our only hope lies in the kindness of scoundrels.

32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

STAR WARS: DOCTOR APHRA #8 *

KIERON GILLEN (W) • ANDREA BROCCARDO (A)

Cover by MARCO CHECCHETTO

Star Wars 40th Anniversary Variant Cover by STEPHANIE HANS

“THE SCREAMING CITADEL” — PART 5. Jedi! Symbiotes! Rebels! Murderbots! Smugglers! Archaeologists! This one has it all! But can any survive the horrors of the Screaming Citadel?

32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

STAR WARS: POE DAMERON ANNUAL #1 *

ROBERT THOMPSON (W) • NICOLE VIRELLA (A)

Cover by DAN MORA

Variant Cover by Mahmud Asrar

Poe Dameron has never been one to follow the rules. So when he disobeys a direct order from General Leia Organa and gets stranded in First Order space…with no ship and little oxygen…how will he survive?

40 PGS./Rated T …$4.99

STAR WARS: POE DAMERON #16 *

Charles Soule (W) • ANGEL UNZUETA (A)

Cover by PHIL NOTO

Star Wars 40th Anniversary Variant Cover by Elizabeth Torque

Who is Malarus and what does she want? Meanwhile, the Resistance is running dangerously low on supplies. Poe and Black Squadron are on the case!

32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

STAR WARS: ROGUE ONE ADAPTATION #3 (of 6) *

JODY HOUSER (W) • PAOLO VILLANELLI (A)

Cover by PHIL NOTO

Concept Variant Cover by DUNCAN FEGREDO

Jyn Erso continues her quest with Cassian Andor to help the Rebellion fight the Galactic Empire. The team has located Jyn’s father, Galen Erso – a Death Star scientist! But the evil Director Krennic gets their first…and he’s out for blood! The Star Wars story continues!

32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

STAR WARS: DARTH MAUL #5 (of 5) *

CULLEN BUNN (W) • LUKE ROSS (A)

Cover by RAFAEL PINTO ALBUQUERQUE

Variant Cover by KAARE ANDREWS

Variant Cover by TERRY DODSON

Variant Cover by DAVID LOPEZ

Funko Variant Cover by DIEGO OLORTEGUI

Star Wars 40th Anniversary Variant Cover by DAVID LOPEZ

Darth Maul has kidnapped Jedi Padawan Eldra Katiss…and he’s out for blood. But she’s not going down without a fight. Duel!

32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99

EMPRESS BOOK ONE TPB

Written by MARK MILLAR • Penciled by STUART IMMONEN

Cover by STUART IMMONEN

Imagine you’re married to the worst bad guy from your favorite sci-fi movie. An alien dictator feared throughout the universe, who will kill you if you leave — but you need to escape for the sake of your three children. That’s the life of Queen Emporia. All she has is her wits, her bodyguard and three guns to get her kids across the galaxy — and her husband Morax’s forces are in hot pursuit. Easy, right? Their desperate race for their lives will take them through interplanetary war zones, across dead worlds and into the path of monstrous beasts! Danger piles upon danger when slavers circle and a tribal priestess thirsts for a blood sacrifice! All the while, Morax executes anyone and everyone in his way. Welcome to EMPRESS, your new favorite comic!

Collecting EMPRESS #1-7.

192 PGS./Rated T+ …$19.99

THOR BY WALTER SIMONSON OMNIBUS HC (NEW PRINTING)

Written by WALTER SIMONSON • Penciled by WALTER SIMONSON & SAL BUSCEMA

Cover by WALTER SIMONSON

Considered by many to be the greatest run on THOR ever, Walter Simonson’s classic tales of the God of Thunder are collected here — completely remastered from the original artwork and stunningly recolored by Steve Oliff! And there are too many timeless tales to count: the Casket of Ancient Winters! The death of Odin! The origins of Asgard! The sacrifice of the Executioner! Thor as a frog! The Mutant Massacre! The curse of Hela! The debut of Thor’s body armor! Guest-starring Beta Ray Bill, Nick Fury and the Avengers! Featuring the threats of Fafnir the dragon, Loki, Lorelei, Malekith the Dark Elf, Surtur, Hela, the Titanium Man, Kurse, Zaniac, the Marauders, the Absorbing Man, Fin Fang Foom, the Destroyer and the Midgard Serpent! Plus: Balder the Brave battles alone!

Collecting THOR (1966) #337-355, #357-369 and #371-382; and BALDER THE BRAVE #1-4.

1,192 PGS./Rated T …$125.00

HULK: WORLD WAR HULK OMNIBUS HC

Written by GREG PAK, PETER DAVID, JEFF PARKER, CHRISTOS GAGE, DAN SLOTT, ROBERT KIRKMAN, DANIEL WAY, ZEB WELLS, MATT FRACTION, FRANK TIERI, PAUL JENKINS & DWAYNE MCDUFFIE

Penciled by JOHN ROMITA JR., GARY FRANK, LEONARD KIRK, CARLO PAGULAYAN, JACKSON GUICE, STEFANO CASELLI, PHIL HESTER, ANDREA DI VITO, JAVIER SALTARES, CLAY MANN, JOHN BOSCO, ARIEL OLIVETTI, CARLOS FERREIRA, RAMON BACHS, SHAWN MARTINBROUGH, RAFA SANDOVAL, SALVA ESPIN & MORE

Cover by DAVID FINCH

Hulk versus the world, in an epic story of anger unbound! Exiled by his so-called friends, the Hulk has raged, bled and conquered on the alien planet Sakaar. Now, he returns to Earth to wreak terrible vengeance on Iron Man, Mister Fantastic, Doctor Strange and Black Bolt — and anyone else who gets in the way! Madder than ever, stronger than ever and accompanied by his monstrous Warbound allies — this time the Hulk may just tear this stupid planet in half!

Collecting WORLD WAR HULK PROLOGUE: WORLD BREAKER, WORLD WAR HULK #1-5, INCREDIBLE HULK (2000) #106-111, IRON MAN (2005) #19-20, AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #4-5, IRREDEEMABLE ANT-MAN #10, WORLD WAR HULK: X-MEN #1-3, GHOST RIDER (2006) #12-13, HEROES FOR HIRE (2006) #11-15, PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL (2007) #12, WORLD WAR HULK: GAMMA CORPS #1-4, WORLD WAR HULK: FRONT LINE #1-6, WORLD WAR HULK: AFTERSMASH ONE-SHOT, WORLD WAR HULK AFTERSMASH: DAMAGE CONTROL #1-3, WORLD WAR HULK AFTERSMASH: WARBOUND #1-5 and PLANET HULK SAGA.

1,304 PGS./Rated T+ …$125.00

DEADPOOL: WORLD’S GREATEST VOL. 2 HC

Written by GERRY DUGGAN, CHARLES SOULE & DAVID F. WALKER

Penciled by MATTEO LOLLI, IBAN COELLO, SCOTT KOBLISH, JACOPO CAMAGNI, GUILLERMO SANNA, ELMO BONDOC & PACO DIAZ

Cover by MICHAEL ALLRED

Mayhem and magic, Deadpool style! It starts with Sabretooth — but when two unkillable killers go to war, the battle might never end! Hidden secrets, healing factors and horrific violence collide in Wade Wilson’s misplaced quest for vengeance! Meanwhile, the Mercs for Money make mad moolah in the mouthy one’s name, while Wade tries to come to terms with being a global hero and an Avenger after a lifetime as an inveterate degenerate. And Deadpool 2099 returns — but who is Zenpool 2099? Then, DP plays host to an epic crossover with Daredevil, Power Man and Iron Fist! And for his next trick, the Merc with a Mouth tries to fix one of Doctor Strange’s messes when the Empirikul brings its war on magic to Shiklah’s Monster Metropolis!

Collecting DEADPOOL (2015) #8-13 and DEADPOOL: LAST DAYS OF MAGIC #1.

232 PGS./Parental Advisory …$34.99

THOR: HEROES RETURN OMNIBUS VOL. 1 HC

Written by DAN JURGENS, TOM DEFALCO, J.M. DEMATTEIS, HOWARD MACKIE, KURT BUSIEK, ROGER STERN & JOE CASEY

Penciled by JOHN ROMITA JR., JOHN BUSCEMA, MIKE MCKONE, LEE WEEKS, MICHAEL RYAN, ERIK LARSEN, ANDY KUBERT, STUART IMMONEN, RAMON BERNADO, DAN JURGENS, JERRY ORDWAY, SEAN CHEN, TERRY SHOEMAKER & MORE

Cover by JOHN ROMITA JR.

A hero returns — and an epic saga begins! Dan Jurgens ushers in one of the greatest eras of Thor — and it begins with blockbuster art by John Romita Jr.! The Thunder God walks the Earth once more, but his new lease on life comes with new enemies — and a new mortal alter ego! Will Thor’s comeback be cut short by Dark Gods, the Destroyer and Doctor Doom? Then, on the Eighth Day, the unstoppable Juggernaut will be just the beginning for Thor, Iron Man and Spider-Man! The heavy hitters keep on coming — like Mangog and Thanos! But if Thor is busy saving Midgard, who’s protecting Asgard?

Collecting THOR (1998) #1-35 and ROUGH CUT, SILVER SURFER/THOR ANNUAL 1998, THOR ANNUAL 1999-2000, PETER PARKER: SPIDER-MAN (1999) #2 and #11, IRON MAN (1998) #21 (B STORY) and #22, and JUGGERNAUT: THE EIGHTH DAY. 1,232 PGS./Rated T+ …$125.00

SHANG-CHI: MASTER OF KUNG FU OMNIBUS VOL. 4 HC MACK COVER

Written by DOUG MOENCH with ALAN ZELENETZ, PETER B. GILLIS, GENE DAY & STEVEN GRANT

Penciled by GENE DAY, TOM GRINDBERG & DAN DAY with WILLIAM JOHNSON, RICK MAGYAR, MIKE ZECK, MARC SILVESTRI, DAVID MAZZUCCHELLI & ALAN KUPPERBERG

Covers by DAVID MACK & RON WILSON

Doug Moench is joined by Gene and his brothers Day — Dan and David — to rise and advance Shang-Chi to this final Omnibus collection! Demons from Shang-Chi’s past return: Razor-Fist, Pavane, the Cat, Zaran and even the Master of Kung Fu’s father, the devil doctor Fu Manchu! It all builds to the ultimate battle between father and son, stoked by years of conflict. The stakes are final, and Moench’s story and Gene Day’s shadow-drenched artwork make every moment stunning. The saga also introduces new enemies: Dark Angel, Death-Dealer, Argus, Shadow-Hand — and possibly Shang-Chi’s own mother! These iconic Marvel masterpieces have never been reprinted before, so don’t miss your chance to experience the Master of Kung Fu!

Collecting MASTER OF KUNG FU (1974) #102-125, MASTER OF KUNG FU: BLEEDING BLACK and material from MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS (1988) #1-8.

784 PGS./Rated T+ …$125.00

SHANG-CHI: MASTER OF KUNG FU OMNIBUS VOL. 4 HC WILSON COVER (DM ONLY)/

784 PGS./Rated T+ …$125.00

MUPPET BABIES OMNIBUS HC

Written by STAN KAY, LAURA HITCHCOCK, BILL PRADY & ANGELO DECESARE

Penciled by MARIE SEVERIN, JEFF BUTLER & DEAN YEAGLE

Covers by MARIE SEVERIN

They’re making their dreams come true — and they’ll do the same for you! It’s all your favorite Muppets, in pint-sized antics from their youth! There’ll be adventure! Romance! Great jokes! And more! Like the ghostly tale of the haunted nursery! The fable of Kermit and the Beanstalk! And the quest for the Idol of Doom! The Muppet Babies will be lost in time and lost in space, they’ll caper in Story Land and they’ll take flight as super heroes! They’ll even end up in a comic book! And your favorite fantasy-loving frog will step into the shoes of some of fiction’s greatest heroes! Plus: Relive the Muppet Babies’ first appearance in an amazing adaptation of The Muppets Take Manhattan!

Collecting MUPPET BABIES #1-26 and MARVEL SUPER SPECIAL #32.

680 PGS./All Ages …$75.00

MUPPET BABIES OMNIBUS HC KERMIT COVER (DM ONLY)

680 PGS./All Ages …$75.00

INHUMANS VS X-MEN HC

Written by CHARLES SOULE & JEFF LEMIRE • Penciled by KENNETH ROCAFORT, LEINIL FRANCIS YU & JAVIER GARRÓN

Cover by LEINIL FRANCIS YU

The X-Men and Inhumans have been on a collision course ever since the link was proven between the Inhumans’ precious Terrigen Mist and the sickness and death of many mutants. And when the Beast discovers that mutants have only two weeks left before Earth becomes uninhabitable for them, an Inhuman/mutant war is unavoidable! It all begins with one choice, and the world will never be the same! As New Attilan comes under attack, the Inhumans won’t surrender without a fight — but when the X-Men target the Terrigen cloud, will that mean the end of the line for the entire Inhuman legacy? Karnak vs. Fantomex! Emma Frost vs. Medusa! The NuHumans vs. Magneto! IVX delivers sensational set pieces and gargantuan grudge matches that promise to shatter the Marvel Universe as you know it!

Collecting INHUMANS VS. X-MEN #0-6.

208 PGS./Rated T+ …$50.00

SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING — THE ART OF THE MOVIE HC SLIPCASE (MOVIE COVER)

WRITTEN BY JACOB JOHNSON

Fresh off the heels of his first adventure with the Avengers in Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Civil War, Peter Parker is back in action! With a mentor like Tony Stark — a.k.a. Iron Man — it looks like Spider-Man’s about to hit the big time. But New York’s newest villain has other plans. Go behind the scenes in this new keepsake volume continuing Marvel’s popular ART OF collection! Discover exclusive concept art, production stills and commentary from cast and crew as Marvel Studios and Sony team up to bring Spider-Man into the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe!

240 PGS./All Ages …$50.00

MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE MIGHTY THOR VOL. 16 HC

Written by LEN WEIN with ROGER STERN • Penciled by JOHN BUSCEMA & WALTER SIMONSON with TONY DeZUNIGA & SAL BUSCEMA

Cover by JOHN BUSCEMA

Mythic in scope, legendary in renown, the adventures of the mighty Thor are among the greatest that comics has ever seen. When writer Len Wein is joined by all-time great Thor artist Walter Simonson — not to mention John Buscema, an icon in his own right — there’s no question that what’s in store are Marvel Masterworks! Odin has disappeared. Asgard needs its All-Father, so Thor, Balder, Lady Sif and the Warriors Three venture across the vastness of space to find him. Their adventures will bring them into conflict with the Grey Gargoyle, the Enchantress and the Executioner, the Destroyer — and, of course, Loki! Also featuring a team-up with the Guardians of the Galaxy against the deadly Korvac!

Collecting THOR (1966) #255-266 & ANNUAL #6 and MARVEL PREVIEW #10.

328 PGS./Rated T …$75.00

MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE MIGHTY THOR VOL. 16 HC — VARIANT EDITION VOL. 251 (DM ONLY)

328 PGS./Rated T …$75.00

MIGHTY THOR VOL. 3: ASGARD/SHI’AR WAR PREMIERE HC

Written by JASON AARON • Penciled by STEVE EPTING & RUSSELL DAUTERMAN

Cover by RUSSELL DAUTERMAN

Two of the Marvel Universe’s mightiest races are on a collision course — but first Thor must deal with the escalating War of the Realms! To face Malekith, Loki and an all-new Kurse, she’ll need a team of her own. Prepare for the triumphant return of the League of Realms! Far across the galaxy, though, another conflict is brewing — as the most powerful super-army in the cosmos prepares a surprise attack on the city of the gods! The Shi’ar Empire will lay siege to Asgardia — and their target is the Goddess of Thunder! But why? And what does the fate of Midgard have to do with it? And where the Shi’ar go, the Phoenix Force tends to follow — which is bad news for Thor! Maybe the returning Odinson could lend a hand — or perhaps, Quentin Quire?!

Collecting MIGHTY THOR (2015) #13-19.

160 PGS./Rated T+ …$24.99

THE MONSTER ABCs HC

Written by STAN LEE, LARRY LIEBER & JACK KIRBY • Penciled by JACK KIRBY & MORE

Cover by MIKE DEL MUNDO

Learn your ABCs with Jack Kirby’s most monstrous creations! From the legendary behemoths that stalked a world before super heroes to the titans that terrorized the Marvel Universe, 26 of Marvel’s most memorable monsters have been rounded up in alphabetical order — from the Awesome Android to Zetora — including fan favorites like Devil Dinosaur, Fin Fang Foom, Groot, Mangog and Xemnu! They all star in awesome comic cover tributes from stellar talents including Arthur Adams, Mike Allred, Chris Bachalo, John Cassaday, Chris Samnee and Walter Simonson! Plus: original Kirby-drawn tales to astonish featuring the likes of the Blip, Elektro, Kraa and Thorr!

Collecting the KIRBY MONSTER VARIANT COVERS — plus material from TALES TO ASTONISH (1959) #15-16 and #22; TALES OF SUSPENSE #13, #18 and #23; and JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY (1952) #57 and #62.

128 PGS./All Ages …$24.99

BLACK EYED PEAS: MASTERS OF THE SUN – THE ZOMBIE CHRONICLES TPB

WRITTEN BY will.i.am & BENJAMIN JACKENDOFF • PENCILED BY DAMION SCOTT

COVER BY will.i.am

From the mind of Will.i.am comes this retro futuristic B-Boy Zombie Thriller, fusing together the unlikeliest of genres with ease!

Masters Of The Sun mixes L.A. Gang culture, B-Boy-ism and Egyptology to tell the heroic tale of a Hip-Hop group from East L.A. who must battle an ancient, alien God sent to earth to continue a Black Curse which turns drug dealers and gangsters into zombies. With a deep love of the Hip-Hop culture, Zulu-X and his crew go head-to-head with a nefarious ancient order that has infiltrated the inner cities to settle an ancient score. What happens next can only be described as the perfect blend of action, ancient wisdom and street-smarts all rolled into one epic adventure. Boasting one of the most eclectic ensemble cast of characters, Masters of The Sun delivers a powerful social allegory in the form of a new movement… #stayWOKE!!!

120 PGS./Parental Advisory …$24.99

COLOR YOUR OWN MARVEL MASTERS

Penciled by JACK KIRBY, STEVE DITKO, JOHN ROMITA SR., JOHN BUSCEMA & MORE

Cover by JACK KIRBY

Celebrate the Mighty Marvel Age of Coloring Books with the artistic legends who helped build the House of Ideas! Icons of the field such as Jack Kirby, the unquestioned “King” of comics, whose boundless imagination populated the emerging Marvel Universe with a cornucopia of colorful, costumed characters — including the Fantastic Four, Avengers and X-Men! His far-out fantasy masterpieces must be seen to be believed! Then there’s “Sturdy” Steve Ditko, who ripped up the super hero rule book with Spider-Man and sent Doctor Strange into a psychedelic kaleidoscope of spellbinding dimensions! The incredible work of Kirby, Ditko and their celebrated contemporaries awaits in crisp black and white — and YOU get to stand on the shoulders of these giants by spreading the hues on some Marvel masterworks!

120 PGS./All Ages …$9.99

THE TOTALLY AWESOME HULK VOL. 3: BIG APPLE SHOWDOWN TPB

Written by GREG PAK • Penciled by LUKE ROSS, GERMAN PERALTA & MAHMUD ASRAR

Cover by STONEHOUSE

Amadeus Cho can calculate parabolas all day, but can he hit one from downtown? Find out when he takes on a classic Hulk villain, but not like anyone remembers. All-new, all-upgraded and all-terrifying — prepare to meet QUASI/MO/DO! The robot menace will be a handful for the Hulk and…basketball superstar Jeremy Lin?! Then, start spreading the news, the Totally Awesome Hulk is coming to New York City! It’s time for a Big Apple showdown with a gathering of Asian and Asian-American heroes — including Ms. Marvel, Shang-Chi and Silk! Who has brought them together? It’s not who you think! When a new alien race comes to Earth, Hulk and his new pals will be the planet’s last Protectors!

Collecting TOTALLY AWESOME HULK #13-18.

136 PGS./Rated T …$17.99

U.S.AVENGERS VOL. 1: AMERICAN INTELLIGENCE MECHANICS TPB

Written by AL EWING • Penciled by PACO MEDINA

Cover by PACO MEDINA

In a world beset by danger, the United States of America needs heroes they can rely on. Welcome to…American Intelligence Mechanics! A.I.M. will protect the nation from the wildest, weirdest threats of all! And the most patriotic super-group ever will do it all while looking tried and true in the red, white and blue! Can you live without…the U.S.Avengers? But when the Golden Skull launches his takeover bid, how will the team respond to the looming threat? With tuxedos. Really well-fitted tuxedos. It’s socialism gone wild as the U.S.Avengers literally punch the business leaders of tomorrow right in their faces! Plus: Monsters galore — including Red Hulk! American Kaiju! Vandoom! And, would you believe, Dedd-Puul, the Mercenary That Walks Like a Man?! But when Steve Rogers gets serious, so must A.I.M. Where does that leave Roberto Da Costa?

Collecting U.S.AVENGERS #1-5.

136 PGS./Rated T+ …$17.99

HULK VOL. 1: DECONSTRUCTED TPB

Written by MARIKO TAMAKI • Penciled by NICO LEON & DALIBOR TALAJIC

Cover by ELIZABETH TORQUE

Jennifer Walters survived the second Civil War…barely. But having risen from the rubble, she reenters the world a very different kind of hero. Fueled by a quiet rage, Jen is determined to move forward with her life — but the pain of the past and all that she’s lost is always there. An undercurrent, a pulse waiting to quicken — and can trigger her transformation into the one thing over which she has no control. As Jen returns to legal practice, her newest client struggles with her own dark secrets. What happens when a fear is so strong, it becomes a destructive force in its own right? Jen is about to find out — and a string of murders may leave her in over her head as a mere lawyer. Must she give in to her anger…and become the Hulk?!

Collecting HULK (2016) #1-6.

136 PGS./Rated T+ …$17.99

THANOS VOL. 1: THANOS RETURNS TPB

Written by JEFF LEMIRE • Penciled by MIKE DEODATO JR.

Cover by MIKE DEODATO JR.

Thanos, possibly the most diabolical individual in the Marvel Universe, is back — and he’s out for vengeance on all who would oppose him! Unfortunately for the Mad Titan, he’s also heading for an unexpected reckoning — with his family. Take an ongoing walk on the dark side of the galaxy, and follow the deadly trail of destruction left in Thanos’ wake! He is pure evil. He is unstoppable. And it’s time for someone — anyone — to take him down. Will it be the Shi’ar Imperial Guard? That’s the entire Imperial Guard. Time to call in the reinforcements! Meanwhile, Thanos’ son Thane is out there, making plans. When Thanos murdered all his other offspring, only Thane was spared — but it wasn’t out of love. And when the father/son reunion happens, it won’t be a happy one.

Collecting THANOS (2016) #1-6.

136 PGS./Parental Advisory …$17.99

GAMORA VOL. 1: MEMENTO MORI TPB

Written by NICOLE PERLMAN • Penciled by MARCO CHECCHETTO

Cover by ESAD RIBIC

From Nicole Perlman — co-screenwriter of Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy – and superstar artist Marco Checchetto comes a killer new adventure! Once upon a time, Gamora was Thanos’ heartless pet assassin and favorite adopted daughter. Today, she is the backbone of the Guardians of the Galaxy, putting her life on the line to defend the innocent throughout the universe. What was it that transformed her from being a tool of her oppressor to a champion of the powerless? Embark with Gamora on a journey of revenge and redemption — one that will take her to the doomed planet of Ubliex – and see her battle the Badoon as a world crumbles around her! Witness firsthand how Gamora became the deadliest woman in the galaxy!

Collecting GAMORA #1-5.

112 PGS./Rated T+ …$15.99

FOOLKILLER: PSYCHO THERAPY TPB

Written by MAX BEMIS • Penciled by DALIBOR TALAJIC

Cover by DAVE JOHNSON

Greg Salinger was just your typical merc for hire — killing those he deemed “foolish” for money. But that life is behind him now. Today he’s a psychiatrist, trying to help others. But S.H.I.E.L.D. wants him to try to rehabilitate super villains. The catch? If these patients don’t make enough progress, they’re dead! Sounds like a job for Foolkiller! But when he finds himself alone with an arsenal of weapons against an army of skinhead Red Skull sympathizers, he’ll be asking questions about his own career choices! Plus: Someone from Foolkiller’s past comes back to haunt him! Deadpool wants his therapist back! The Hood conspires with an old enemy! And Foolkiller vs. Foolkiller?! You’d be a fool to miss it!

Collecting FOOLKILLER (2016) #1-5.

112 PGS./Parental Advisory …$15.99

PROWLER: THE CLONE CONSPIRACY TPB

Written by SEAN RYAN • Penciled by JAVIER SALTARES & JAMAL CAMPBELL

Cover by TRAVEL FOREMAN

Even a super hero’s life can get boring. Double-check your gear. Patrol the city. Save the innocent. Report back to your boss, the Jackal. Wait — what? Why is Prowler working for the Jackal, and not Spider-Man? Hobie Brown, a.k.a. the Prowler, may believe in what his new boss is doing, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. As his assignments get more dangerous, Hobie will be forced to wrestle not only with the meaning of his existence, but also the underground army of unruly super villains the Jackal has resurrected! And when the whole operation begins to crumble, some of those deadly foes may be out to settle some scores! If Hobie makes it out the other side of THE CLONE CONSPIRACY, what life will be left for him?

Collecting PROWLER (2016) #1-6.

136 PGS./Rated T+ …$17.99

GHOST RIDER VOL. 1: FOUR ON THE FLOOR TPB

Written by FELIPE SMITH • Penciled by DANILO BEYRUTH & TRADD MOORE

Cover by MARCO CHECCHETTO

Robbie Reyes is back! And it’s hell on wheels as the Ghost Rider makes his roaring return! When a mysterious object from space crash-lands in southern California, some of the brightest minds in the Marvel Universe are drawn to Robbie’s backyard — including Amadeus Cho, the Totally Awesome Hulk! What mayhem will be unleashed as the high-octane hothead comes face-to-face with the jade genius? And with Robbie still possessed by the ghost of his evil uncle, Eli, who’s really in the Ghost Rider’s driver’s seat? A giant, purple space monster will walk the Earth, but who’s that on Ghost Rider’s trail? None other than the Wolverine! With Silk and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. along for the ride, it’s time to strap in and start your engines — this one’s gonna be a scorcher!

Collecting GHOST RIDER (2016) #1-5.

120 PGS./Rated T+ …$15.99

DOCTOR STRANGE VOL. 2: THE LAST DAYS OF MAGIC TPB

Written by JASON AARON, GERRY DUGGAN & JAMES ROBINSON • Penciled by CHRIS BACHALO, LEONARDO ROMERO, DANILO BEYRUTH, MIKE PERKINS & MORE

Cover by CHRIS BACHALO

They have crossed the dimensions, purging them all of sorcery, one by one. Now the Empirikul are here. And with Earth’s Master of the Mystic Arts weakened beyond measure, is there any chance of stopping them? The Sorcerer is no longer Supreme, and he will find himself at the mercy of the Imperator! With his magic destroyed and his world on the brink of disaster, are there any more tricks left up Strange’s sleeves? Or failing that, how about some cool weapons? Plus: As the Empirikul wreaks havoc on magic users throughout the Marvel Universe, discover Wong’s ultimate sacrifice, watch Brother Voodoo make a stand and meet a new player just as she is about to lose the game!

Collecting DOCTOR STRANGE (2015) #6-10 and DOCTOR STRANGE: LAST DAYS OF MAGIC #1.

168 PGS./Rated T+ …$19.99

GREAT LAKES AVENGERS: SAME OLD, SAME OLD TPB

Written by ZAC GORMAN • Penciled by WILL ROBSON & JACOB CHABOT

Cover by WILL ROBSON

“All-New, All-Different”? No, thank you! New things are bad, and different things are scary! Instead, take comfort in everybody’s least favorite super-team: the Same Old, Same Old Great Lakes Avengers! When Squirrel Girl’s former teammates get reinstated as permanent members of the Avengers and uprooted to Detroit, the Great Lakes Avengers have one more shot at super-hero glory — but can they all answer the call? With their former leader Mister Immortal buried alive, Flatman takes charge — with hilarious consequences! The heroes end up in jail, shut down by the very city they’re trying to protect! Big Bertha gets back to work! Doorman is an Angel of Death! Ant-Man guest-stars! Doctor Nod and the Bod Squad are odd! And Mister Immortal returns from the grave! (That’s not a spoiler; it’s kind of his thing.)

Collecting GREAT LAKES AVENGERS #1-7.

160 PGS./Rated T+ …$19.99

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: NEW GUARD VOL. 2 — WANTED TPB

Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS • Penciled by VALERIO SCHITI

Cover by ARTHUR ADAMS

Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord, returns to the fold! But what does that mean for Kitty Pryde, a.k.a. Star-Lord? Is the Marvel Universe big enough for two Star-Lords? Find out as the Guardians face a new Galactic order! The Thing might miss some aspects of Earth, but he does admit space has its perks. Like riding alien horses into action as Ben Grimm: Space Barbarian! Venom and Groot get in way over their heads fighting Skrulls — and everyone knows that when Bendis writes Skrulls, it’s bad news! The galaxy’s two deadliest warriors, Gamora and Drax, take the fight to the Badoon! And Angela makes her dramatic return! They’re the galaxy’s most wanted, but they’ll still guard it all the same!

Collecting GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2015) #6-10.

136 PGS./Rated T …$19.99

MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR VOL. 3: THE SMARTEST THERE IS TPB

Written by AMY REEDER & BRANDON MONTCLARE • Penciled by NATACHA BUSTOS, LEONARD KIRK & RAY-ANTHONY HEIGHT Cover by AMY REEDER

Tony Stark, T’Challa, Amadeus Cho…the greatest minds in the Marvel Universe all have one thing in common: They’re not smarter than a fourth grader! That’s right, the rumors are true: Lunella Lafayette is the smartest there is! And now it’s time to put her unrivaled intellect to the test against some of Marvel’s finest — with Devil Dinosaur adding the brawn to her brains! The Thing drops by to defend his missing best pal Reed Richards’ pole position! Riri Williams, a.k.a. Ironheart, proves there’s room for two young, gifted girls in the MU! Doctor Strange wants to see what’s so magical about Lunella! Storm and the X-Men come to Yancy Street! And all of them and more will join Lunella as she proves herself once and for all against an enemy that can’t possibly be Doctor Doom!

Collecting MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR #13-18.

136 PGS./Rated T …$17.99

PATSY WALKER, A.K.A. HELLCAT! VOL. 3: CARELESS WHISKER(S) TPB

Written by KATE LETH • Penciled by BRITTNEY L. WILLIAMS

Cover by BRITTNEY L. WILLIAMS

Hellcat has had nothing but bad luck ever since the Black Cat crossed her path. And now that Felicia’s got a whole girl gang in her claws, how can Patsy possibly win this cat fight?! Find out in the big showdown — gato a gato! Then, Patsy will be laid low by sickness — but this is far from a common cold! Is she having fever dreams or living nightmares? As chaos breaks out all over Brooklyn, Hellcat must rely on her nearest and dearest to put out the fires — and make soup! All she wants is to get better and hang out with Jubilee at the mall: swing by the food court, catch a movie, share a fashion montage. Certainly there’d be no fighting villains. What would a villain possibly be doing at the mall? Uh-oh!

Collecting PATSY WALKER, A.K.A. HELLCAT! #13-17.

112 PGS./Rated T …$15.99

THUNDERBOLTS VOL. 2: NO GOING BACK TPB

Written by JIM ZUB & KURT BUSIEK • Penciled by SEAN IZAAKSE, JON MALIN & MARK BAGLEY

Cover by JON MALIN

If you operate in the shadows long enough, someone is going to shine a light on you. But Bucky Barnes didn’t think that person would be his best friend, Steve Rogers! Steve wants to know where Bucky’s loyalties lie. The thing is, Steve has secrets of his own. And when an original Thunderbolt returns, how will Songbird react to the reunion of her former team? Together, they all used to be the Masters of Evil — and if Baron Zemo has his way, their villainous legacy will be reclaimed with the infinite power of a Cosmic Cube! Past and present collide as Bucky confronts the truth about Captain America and the destructive path that led to him becoming the Winter Soldier! Plus: A 20th-anniversary-celebration tale by Thunderbolts co-creators Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley!

Collecting THUNDERBOLTS (2016) #7-12.

144 PGS./Rated T+ …$17.99

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: WORLDWIDE VOL. 6 TPB

Written by DAN SLOTT, HANNAH BLUMENREICH, CALE ATKINSON & MORE • Penciled by STUART IMMONEN, GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI, HANNAH BLUMENREICH, CALE ATKINSON & MORE

Cover by ALEX ROSS

An old enemy, a new artist! Stuart Immonen joins the team just in time for the return of none other than Norman Osborn! Silver Sable is back, too — as Peter Parker encounters yet another old face back from the dead! With a goblin army behind him, Osborn has worked his way into a position of power in Sable’s native Symkaria, where any incursion by Spider-Man will be seen as an act of war. Will Spidey risk international infamy to take down his most dangerous foe? Find out in the ultimate action thriller that just had to be called…THE OSBORN IDENTITY! Plus: Amazing bonus stories from creators new and old!

Collecting AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (2015) #25-28.

160 PGS./Rated T …$19.99

DAREDEVIL: BACK IN BLACK VOL. 4 — IDENTITY TPB

Written by CHARLES SOULE • Penciled by GORAN SUDŽUKA, RON GARNEY & MARC LAMING

Cover by DAN PANOSIAN

There’s a bounty on Daredevil’s head big enough to bring out every contract killer in New York City. But you’ll never believe who the client is — or who takes on the hit! Then, the answer to the questions everyone has been asking! How did Matt Murdock put his double-identity genie back in the bottle? What price did he have to pay? And who got left behind in the process? The full story is about to be revealed — and so will the depths to which Daredevil is willing to sink! But once the tale of heartbreak and burned bridges is told, it may be impossible for Matt to claw his way back! It’s all leading up to a brand-new chapter for DD — and a fight unlike any he’s faced before!

Collecting DAREDEVIL (2015) #15-20.

136 PGS./Rated T+ …$17.99

MS. MARVEL VOL. 7: DAMAGE PER SECOND TPB

Written by G. WILLOW WILSON • Penciled by MIRKA ANDOLFO & TAKESHI MIYAZAWA

Cover by JOELLE JONES

CIVIL WAR II is behind her, and a new chapter begins for Kamala Khan! But it’s lonely out there for a super hero when her loved ones no longer have her back. It’s time for Kamala to find out exactly who she is when she’s on her own. And Kamala’s home life, costumed life and online life will converge when a member of her World of Battlecraft guild reveals he’s discovered her secret identity! He knows a disturbing number of details about her — but is he…human? With nobody she knows safe, Kamala isn’t playing anymore. This is the next level, and Ms. Marvel’s ready to kick some 8-bit butt! But does she have what it takes to convince an estranged ally to lend her a hand?

Collecting MS. MARVEL (2015) #13-18.

136 PGS./Rated T+ …$17.99

THE PUNISHER VOL. 2: END OF THE LINE TPB

Written by BECKY CLOONAN • Penciled by STEVE DILLON, MATT HORAK, LAURA BRAGA & IOLANDA ZANFARDINO

Cover by DECLAN SHALVEY

The Punisher’s mission takes him from wilderness to frozen wasteland! But as Frank’s quest to bring down a super-powered drug ring sends him far off-road and deep into the woods, the predator may become the prey! Agent Ortiz chased Frank into hell and came out the other side. But now she’s no longer hunting Frank with the D.E.A. This time, as they say, it’s personal! But against both the Punisher and an entire outfit of deadly mercenaries, Agent Ortiz might be in trouble! Then, Frank is held hostage on a freighter full of armed goons. They’re going to need a bigger boat. It’s all leading to an Arctic showdown, where revenge will be served cold. Ice-cold!

Collecting THE PUNISHER (2016) #7-12.

136 PGS./Parental Advisory …$17.99

MONSTERS UNLEASHED: BATTLEGROUND TPB

Written by JIM ZUB, JOSHUA CORIN, JEREMY WHITLEY, CHIP ZDARSKY, PAUL ALLOR, CHAD BOWERS, CHRIS SIMS, BRYAN EDWARD HILL & LEAH WILLIAMS

Penciled by SEAN IZAAKSE, TIGH WALKER, CARLO BARBERI, RON LIM, RO STEIN, TED BRANDT, JULIAN LOPEZ, BRIAN LEVEL, DAVID BALDEON & TY TEMPLETON

Cover by RON LIM

As monsters are unleashed across the Marvel Universe, Earth’s greatest heroes (and Deadpool) answer the call! An all-star lineup of Avengers battle behemoths! Spider-Man fearlessly fights freakish fiends, but will Wade Wilson lend a hand? As the All-New X-Men enjoy Mardi Gras, Wolverine investigates disappearances in the bayou! A protest is an easy job for the Champions — until giants fall from the sky! Doctor Strange enters the fray as a low-powered Sorcerer not-so-Supreme! The Inhumans must protect Rome from the Leviathons! Groot is kidnapped, and the grounded Guardians of the Galaxy reunite to save him! And as the Totally Awesome Hulk investigates, an intergalactic sparring partner joins the hunt!

Collecting AVENGERS (2016) #1.MU, SPIDER-MAN/DEADPOOL #1.MU, ALL-NEW X-MEN (2015) #1.MU, CHAMPIONS (2016) #1.MU, DOCTOR STRANGE (2015) #1.MU, UNCANNY INHUMANS #1.MU, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2015) #1.MU and THE TOTALLY AWESOME HULK #1.MU.

264 PGS./Rated T+ …$29.99

CAPTAIN AMERICA EPIC COLLECTION: BUCKY REBORN TPB

Volume #3 in the Captain America Epic Collections

Written by STAN LEE • Penciled by GENE COLAN with JOHN ROMITA SR.

Cover by JACK KIRBY

Draped in the red, white and blue, there’s no character in all of comics who represents America like Cap — and his path through the tumultuous ’70s reveals both the character’s, and the nation’s, soul. Stan Lee and Gene Colan push the envelope in story after story as Cap goes behind enemy lines in Vietnam; teams with the Falcon to oppose the radical Diamond Heads; and sets out on a coast-to-coast road trip full of motorcycle gangs, rock festivals and the Red Skull! Then, Bucky Barnes returns from the grave! But with Baron Strucker, Doctor Doom and M.O.D.O.K. tied up in his revival, this can’t be the same pal that Cap remembers. What’s really going on here? Plus: An unforgettable Captain America/Falcon/Spider-Man team-up!

Collecting CAPTAIN AMERICA (1968) #120-138.

400 PGS./Rated T …$39.99

FANTASTIC FOUR EPIC COLLECTION: THE MASTER PLAN OF DOCTOR DOOM TPB

Volume #2 in the Fantastic Four Epic Collections

Written by STAN LEE • Penciled by JACK KIRBY

Cover by JACK KIRBY

Lee and Kirby set the standard for out-of-this-world, imaginative adventure and launched the Marvel Universe in the pages of FANTASTIC FOUR. Now, with all the MU’s super-hero players in place, it’s time for the FF to run the gauntlet. The Thing throws down with the Hulk in a battle so huge it takes the combined might of the FF and the Avengers to stop it! The Sub-Mariner makes a play for Sue Storm! The FF tangle with the X-Men! Nick Fury drops by in the story that set the table for “Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.”! And even Doctor Strange makes an ever-so-astral appearance! Plus: Two jam-packed Annuals featuring Sub-Mariner’s invasion of New York…and the origin of Doctor Doom!

Collecting FANTASTIC FOUR (1961) #19-32 and ANNUAL #1-2.

448 PGS./Rated T …$39.99

DAKEN: DARK WOLVERINE — PUNISHMENT TPB

Written by DANIEL WAY, MARJORIE LIU & RICK REMENDER

Penciled by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI, STEPHEN SEGOVIA, PACO DIAZ, MIRCO PIERFEDERICI, JOHN ROMITA JR., WILL CONRAD & TONY MOORE

Cover by LEINIL FRANCIS YU

During Norman Osborn’s Dark Reign, Wolverine’s son is an Avenger! And that means Daken’s supposed to be one of the good guys — in public, anyway. But when a tape revealing his true colors is leaked onto the Internet, he’ll be forced to clean up his act! But who is pulling Osborn’s strings? Then, Daken will face a bloody reckoning with his father Logan and father figure Romulus — and begin a violent rivalry with the Punisher! Osborn sends Daken to put down the skull-chested vigilante once and for all — but when that doesn’t quite work out, Daken will battle the reanimated Franken-Castle! And when the Dark Reign ends in a climactic Siege of Asgard, will Daken be hero or villain?

Collecting DARK WOLVERINE #75-89, DARK REIGN: THE LIST — PUNISHER, WOLVERINE: ORIGINS #47-48, FRANKEN-CASTLE #19-20 and DARK WOLVERINE SAGA.

496 PGS./Parental Advisory …$39.99

SPIDER-MAN: WEBSPINNERS — THE COMPLETE COLLECTION TPB

Written by J.M. DEMATTEIS, ERIC STEPHENSON, JOE KELLY, PAUL JENKINS, HOWARD MACKIE, RURIK TYLER, TOM DEFALCO, RON FRENZ, MARC ANDREYKO & KEITH GIFFEN

Penciled by MICHAEL ZULLI, JOHN ROMITA SR., KEITH GIFFEN, ANDY SMITH, BART SEARS, SEAN PHILLIPS, J.G. JONES, GRAHAM NOLAN, RURIK TYLER, RON FRENZ & JILL THOMPSON

Cover by J.G. JONES

A host of comic-book talents spin yarns across the web of Spidey history! Dive deep inside the goldfish bowl for a look at the early motivations of Mysterio! Solve the decades-old mystery of why the Silver Surfer abandoned his plan to attack mankind! Head back to Midtown High’s senior prom with ladies’ man Peter Parker — but who invited the Sandman? Chameleon spirals out of control, Vulture plots the perfect crime and a black-suited Spider-Man joins Silver Sable on a mission of international intrigue! And there are no positives to a trip to the Negative Zone — particularly when Cletus Kasady is along for the ride and Blastaar the Living Bomb-Burst is the welcoming party! Plus: Two rarely seen black-and-white tales!

Collecting WEBSPINNERS: TALES OF SPIDER-MAN #1-18 and material from SHADOWS & LIGHT (1998) #2-3.

480 PGS./Rated T …$39.99

CAPTAIN AMERICA AND THE AVENGERS: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION TPB

Written by CULLEN BUNN • Penciled by ALESSANDRO VITTI, MATTEO BUFFAGNI, BARRY KITSON, WILL CONRAD & FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA

Cover by KALMAN ANDRASOFSZKY

Captain America spends some one-on-one time with his Avengers buddies! Something is eating the locals in the San Andres Mountains — Cap and Hawkeye had better hope arrows and a shield will be enough to defeat a hive of dino-monstrosities! Then, Cap and Iron Man head to Madripoor for a technology expo — but when Batroc’s Brigade shows up, a nightmare is unleashed! Back in World War II, Invaders Cap and Namor face a huge problem when the Thule Society releases the Kraken! And Kashmir Vennema and her multiversal corporation chase Captain America and Black Widow across countless worlds! It’s all leading to an epic confrontation involving Hawkeye, Iron Man and…Doctor Doom?

Collecting CAPTAIN AMERICA AND HAWKEYE #629-632, CAPTAIN AMERICA AND IRON MAN #633-635, CAPTAIN AMERICA AND NAMOR #635.1 and CAPTAIN AMERICA AND BLACK WIDOW #636-640.

296 PGS./Rated T …$34.99

STEVE ROGERS: SUPER-SOLDIER — THE COMPLETE COLLECTION TPB

Written by ED BRUBAKER & JAMES ASMUS • Penciled by DALE EAGLESHAM, NICK BRADSHAW, IBRAIM ROBERSON & MAX FIUMARA

Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC

Steve Rogers is back from the dead! But with Bucky Barnes wielding the shield, it’s time for a new guise for the Living Legend! Long ago, the serum that transformed Rogers into a Super-Soldier was lost, seemingly forever. But now, its creator’s grandson has rediscovered the formula and plans to sell it to the highest bidder. Confronted with the nightmare scenario of an unstoppable army in the hands of any despot or dictator with enough cash, can the former Captain America prevent the serum from changing hands before it’s too late? Then, when the X-Men, including Cyclops and Namor, find themselves trapped in the Negative Zone, they could use a hand against Blastaar the Living Bomb-Burst! Enter: Steve Rogers, Super-Soldier!

Collecting STEVE ROGERS: SUPER-SOLDIER #1-4 and ANNUAL #1, UNCANNY X-MEN ANNUAL (2006) #3 and NAMOR: THE FIRST MUTANT ANNUAL #1.

216 PGS./Rated T+ …$24.99

NEW AVENGERS BY BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION VOL. 6 TPB

Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS • Penciled by STUART IMMONEN, DANIEL ACUÑA, HOWARD CHAYKIN & MIKE DEODATO JR.

Cover by STUART IMMONEN

The order changeth! But as the Marvel Universe enters a Heroic Age, who will assemble as the newest New Avengers? Where will they call home? And which Dark Avenger is sticking around for the ride? The latest roster has come together to take on the perils too dangerous and bizarre for any other heroes — beginning with an interdimensional demonic threat to all existence! Then, a deep and deadly secret Nick Fury has kept buried for decades comes back to haunt the team — but who were their predecessors in the 1950s? And when the madness of FEAR ITSELF hits home, the New Avengers battle alongside the Avengers, super-hero nanny Squirrel Girl fights alone and the status quo gets shaken up once again. The time has finally come for Daredevil: Avenger!

Collecting NEW AVENGERS (2010) #1-16.

392 PGS./Rated T+ …$34.99

DEADPOOL CLASSIC VOL. 18: DEADPOOL VS. MARVEL TPB

Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI, BEN ACKER, BEN BLACKER, CHRISTOPHER HASTINGS, TIM SEELEY, CULLEN BUNN & GERRY DUGGAN

Penciled by PEPE LARRAZ, EVAN “DOC” SHANER, JACOPO CAMAGNI, ELMO BONDOC, SALVA ESPIN & MATTEO LOLLI

Cover by TRADD MOORE

The Merc with a Mouth takes on Marvel’s greatest heroes and vilest villains! Everything you knew about Deadpool’s first encounter with Cable was wrong — now get the full story! Can X-Force save history from Deadpool? Wade Wilson goes to Infinity and beyond throwing down the gauntlet against the Mad Titan, Thanos! But who will win Death’s fair, bony hand? It’s the ultimate battle of good-crazy vs bad-crazy as Deadpool takes on Carnage — and there will be blood! And the regenerating degenerate hangs out with Hawkeye on Halloween! Oh, the horror! Plus: Madcap gets inside Wade’s head, and DP helps out his “best bud” Spidey by wearing his webs! Winning friends and influencing people, Deadpool-style!

Collecting DEADPOOL VS. X-FORCE #1-4, DEADPOOL ANNUAL (2013) #1-2, DEADPOOL VS. THANOS #1-4, DEADPOOL VS. CARNAGE #1-4 and HAWKEYE VS. DEADPOOL #0-4.

488 PGS./Parental Advisory …$39.99

STAR WARS LEGENDS EPIC COLLECTION: THE ORIGINAL MARVEL YEARS VOL. 2 TPB *

Written by MARY JO DUFFY, ARCHIE GOODWIN, MICHAEL GOLDEN & CHRIS CLAREMONT • Penciled by CARMINE INFANTINO, MICHAEL GOLDEN & MIKE VOSBURG

Cover by CARMINE INFANTINO

Marvel’s original exploration of the Star Wars galaxy continues — and all your favorites are along for the ride! Luke and Leia are trapped in a siege at Yavin! Obi-Wan Kenobi fights alone! Cyborgs clash when Darth Vader takes on bounty hunter Beilert Valance! And Han and Chewie answer the question, “Whatever happened to Jabba?” Lightsabers clash, there’s thunder in the stars and a red queen rises as the Dark Lord of the Sith finally discovers the identity of the young Jedi who destroyed the Death Star! Prepare for a Skywalker showdown setting the stage for The Empire Strikes Back! Plus: Rarely seen tales from the United Kingdom!

Collecting STAR WARS (1977) #24-38 and ANNUAL #1, and STAR WARS WEEKLY (UK) #94-99 and #104-115.

448 PGS./Rated T …$39.99

DARK TOWER: THE GUNSLINGER BORN TPB (NEW PRINTING)

Written by PETER DAVID & ROBIN FURTH • Penciled by JAE LEE & RICHARD ISANOVE

Cover by JAE LEE & RICHARD ISANOVE

“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” With those words, millions of readers were introduced to Stephen King’s Roland — an implacable gunslinger in search of the enigmatic Dark Tower, powering his way through a dangerous land filled with ancient technology and deadly magic. Now, in a comic book personally overseen by King himself, Roland’s past is revealed! Sumptuously drawn by Jae Lee and Richard Isanove, adapted by longtime Stephen King expert Robin Furth (author of The Dark Tower: A Concordance) and scripted by New York Times best-seller Peter David, this series delves deep into Roland’s origins. THE GUNSLINGER BORN is the perfect introduction to this incredibly realized world, while longtime fans will thrill to adventures merely hinted at in the novels. Be there for the beginning of a modern classic!

Collecting DARK TOWER: THE GUNSLINGER BORN #1-7.

240 PGS./Parental Advisory …$19.99

MARVEL UNIVERSE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN VS. THE SINISTER SIX VOL. 3 DIGEST

Adapted by JOE CARAMAGNA

Featuring screen-capture images from MARVEL’S ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN VS. THE SINISTER SIX The search for Nick Fury! Fury has been missing ever since Doctor Octopus launched his attack on S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Helicarrier — and Spider-Man is on a quest to find him! But instead of Fury, Spider-Man finds…Hydro-Man! He’s sure to make a big splash! If that turns into a washout, maybe Spidey will have better luck searching in Attilan — home of the Inhumans! Plus: Doc Ock’s sinister plot is revealed at last! Can Spidey survive Ock’s master plan?

Collecting MARVEL UNIVERSE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN VS. THE SINISTER SIX #9-11 and MARVEL UNIVERSE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #1.

96 PGS./All Ages …$9.99

*Star Wars © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All rights reserved. Used under authorization. Text and illustrations for Star Wars are © 2017 Lucasfilm Ltd.

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