Since her Marvel Comics debut, Ms. Marvel – the newest member of the X-Men – has been a fan-favorite, and arguably one of the House of Ideas’ most popular characters of the last few decades. Having already made a name for herself as a hero in her own right, Kamala Khan is no stranger to team dynamics as a member of both the Champions and the Avengers. But her very first fight alongside her newly discovered compatriots in the X-Men makes the case that she’ll be one of the greatest mutant heroes of all time.

X-Men: Hellfire Gala 2023 #1 by Gerry Duggan, Adam Kubert, Luciano Vecchio, Matteo Lolli, and many more is a monumental issue for more than a few reasons, but near the top of the list would be Ms. Marvel’s mutant debut and the danger that comes along with it. Having only just learned of her destiny as one of history’s greatest mutants from the time-displaced mutant chimera known as Rasputin IV, the young Champion immediately leaps into battle alongside the heroes of Krakoa when Orchis comes calling. Battling against Sentinels is essentially an X-Men rite of passage, and although the Krakoans certainly come out on the losing side in this cataclysmic conflict, it’s not for lack of trying on the part of Kamala Khan, who joins Rasputin IV in taking down an upgraded Stark Sentinel with relative ease.

Kamala Khan Will Be A Mutant Icon

Since her very inception, Kamala has juggled quite a few identities, with Rasputin herself referring to her hero Ms. Marvel as, “An Inhuman. A Muslim. A mutant. A human. A savior of all the tribes.” Save for her newly revealed mutantdom, each one of these identities has been a core part of her character arc and her journey of self-discovery and acceptance. Understandably, there are fans who fear that Kamala’s new mutant label will add yet another burden of identity upon the character, pushing out some of the more relatable identity struggles that have endeared the character to so many fans since her first appearance – but this also gives Marvel the opportunity to make her the greatest X-Man of all.

It's clear that Ms. Marvel’s undeniably historic actions at the Gala are just a prelude for an unforgettable X-Men career that will go down in history, especially if creators remember to balance her mutant heroism alongside the significant cultural aspects that fans know and love. The X-Men’s status as mutants has almost always acted as a metaphor for the real-world "other," and Kamala’s built-in experience within marginalized communities presents the opportunity for her to become one of the most iconic X-Men, not just for her powers, but for the humanity for which the Merry Mutants are so beloved. After all, while her Ms. Marvel identity has never quite had to fight for her own survival in the way that the X-Men are so accustomed, Kamala knows just what it’s like to be targeted for one reason or another in a way that many of her fans find incredibly relatable.

Ms. Marvel Could Be The Greatest X-Man Of All

Trashing Sentinels on her first night with the X-Men has already given Ms. Marvel an idea of just what it’s like to be one of Marvel’s most Uncanny heroes. Now, it’s just a matter of time before she proves herself as one of the team's greatest heroes, both in continuity and to the fans themselves. But based on her actions in this issue, and the potential she represents, it’s no wonder that Ms. Marvel’s new status as a mutant and an X-Men hero will be the stuff of legend.

X-Men: Hellfire Gala 2023 #1 is on sale now from Marvel Comics.

Eight years after its conclusion, Marvel Comics' Secret Wars event still leaves many questions to be answered, the most important one being which Marvel characters actually remember the destruction of the Multiverse brought by the Beyonders' Incursions and the following rebirth of creation in its new iteration, the Eighth Cosmos.

In 2015, Marvel launched the second event in its history titled Secret Wars, which brought to conclusion a very long storyline, developed chiefly in the pages of several Avengers titles. Every reality in the Multiverse was destroyed by a series of cosmic cataclysms called Incursions, created by the mysterious and all-powerful creatures called Beyonders. In the end, after the last two universes were destroyed, Doctor Doom managed to steal the Beyonders' power and salvage fragments from many universes, creating a patchwork world called Battleworld. Victor's rule as God Emperor Doom was interrupted by Reed Richards, who took the Beyonders' power for himself and, with the help of his son Franklin and of the Molecule Man, recreated the entire Multiverse, ushering in its new incarnation, called Eighth Cosmos.

In this new Multiverse, heralded by the All-New, All-Different line of titles, the Marvel heroes were reborn with no memories of the Incursions or of Battleworld, with a few notable exceptions. The Fantastic Four remember as they are responsible for kickstarting the new Multiverse. Doom also remembers because he held the Beyonders' power, as confirmed in the Infamous Iron Man series. A few more characters with superior cosmic awareness, such as Blue Marvel, are aware that something happened, an event of "multiversal renewal", whose exact nature however escapes them (as confirmed in 2015's The Ultimates). Other characters have had glimpses, brief flashbacks, or déjà vu of their previous lives, but without grasping the full implications. Besides that, Marvel purposefully left everything vague, which creates a lot of unnecessary confusion, even eight years later.

The major issue is that it's not clear how much of the past history of the characters who were reborn in the new Multiverse coincides with their history in the Seventh Cosmos. The most famous example is the relationship between Captain America and Iron Man. During the Incursions, these two ended up drifting apart and becoming bitter enemies. Their last act while the universe collapsed around them was to fight each other ruthlessly. In the Eighth Cosmos they have no memory of this (as well as of the Incursions), however, they remember other parts of their past. At the same time, it's not like the Incursions and Secret Wars were the only events erased. For example, Iron Man's inversion of morality caused by the Axis event was also canceled, even if it happened long before Secret Wars.

The purpose of Secret Wars and All-New, All-Different Marvel was to relaunch the entire House of Ideas line, rejuvenating its stories and characters to help new readers get started. However, because a "full reset" would have met with a huge backlash from longtime fans, Marvel opted for this mixed approach that ended up tangling its continuity further, especially for characters who already had a history of retcons, such as Spider-Man. This decision also erased some really compelling storylines, such as Iron Man and Captain America's bitter feud. Overall, while the relaunch that followed Secret Wars was indeed successful, Marvel Comics still needs to explain the exact consequences that the recreation of the Multiverse had for its characters.

The X-Men of the Marvel Universe defend the mutant population of Earth - and now readers finally understand exactly how many mutants remain on the planet. Unfortunately, a brutal war is destroying all the X-Men hold dear, including their island paradise of Krakoa. A.X.E: Judgement Day #2 reveals the true number of mutants on Earth - and other planets - but their numbers can be drastically reduced in a single moment.

In current comics continuity, the famous Krakoa reboot of the X-Men series dominates canon and re-imagines the mutant team in a major way. The island paradise, founded by Professor X and Magneto working together, is a haven for mutants (and no humans are allowed on the island without mutant permission). Krakoa is the home of many advanced technologies, including the ability to resurrect mutants back from the dead, and this and other developments have angered humanity - and their self-proclaimed protectors, the Eternals. Determining mutants to be "excess deviation", the Eternals attack Krakoa and the mutants of Earth as a whole.

Thus begins the Judgement Day crossover event, in which the mutants fight a bitter war with the Eternals while the Avengers desperately attempt to keep the peace. A.X.E: Judgement Day #2, written by Keiron Gillen with art by Valerio Schiti, depicts an interesting conversation involving Moira telling the reader exactly how many X-Men inhabit Krakoa. "Krakoa has a population of 200,000 mutants whose average gift is analogous to mildly hallucinogenic body odor." Combine this number with the one million mutants living on Arraki (Mars), the total estimated mutant population is roughly 1,200,000 - but that's only counting living mutants.

The power of mutant resurrection allows long-dead mutants to return from the dead, even years after they fell. There are over fifteen million mutants who are currently deceased, and potentially all of them can come back. As the Resurrection Queue is over fifteen million mutants long, it is the Quiet Council's eventual plan to resurrect every mutant who has ever died throughout history. If humans learned about this endeavor, they would be even more incensed than they are now (and the Eternals, already fighting the X-Men, would stop at nothing to end mutant resurrection for good).

The Resurrection Protocols determine exactly which mutants are brought back before others, and which ones cannot be brought back at all (precognitives, clones, and others determined to be a threat to Krakoa). The mutant population of the Marvel Universe is often subject to one disastrous plunge after another (M-Day courtesy of the Scarlet Witch, the disaster at Genosha, etc). Thanks to the X-Men and their new era, however, any death suffered by the mutants will eventually be undone.

The X-Men member Jubilee is easily one of Marvel’s most underrated superheroes, but she has the potential to be one of the continuity’s most dangerous mutants.

Jubilee was introduced to the X-Men comics in 1989 and eventually joined their ranks, often working alongside Wolverine, who served as her mentor. Jubilee’s seemingly-harmless mutant powers are often the subject of mockery by both X-Men fans and X-Men characters in-universe, but they’re far more powerful than they seem. Jubilee fires energy blasts from her hands, typically referred to as “fireworks” or “pafs” (a common onomatopoeia for the ability), but this understates their true nature. Jubilee’s mutant power is control over energy on a sub-atomic level, meaning that her “fireworks,” which she has immunity to and control over, could take the form of devastating nuclear explosions if she chooses. Despite this, Jubilee’s powers are typically used to simply blind, stun, or mildly injure her enemies, and anything more powerful is rarely shown in the comics. One comic though definitively proved Jubilee's powers are actually badass.

In issue 74 of Wolverine, by Larry Hama and Jim Fern, Jubilee and Wolverine are trapped in a facility filled with lethal, mutant-hunting, Sentinel robots, forcing them to face the onslaught together. While Wolverine, unsurprisingly, cuts through the automatons, Jubilee fires uncommonly powerful energy blasts at them, disabling numerous Sentinels. When one Sentinel, who has achieved sapience, pleads not to be destroyed, Jubilee can’t bring herself to finish it off. Later in the issue, Jubilee confronts her parents’ murderers, and similarly can’t bring herself to kill them. What both instances prove is that Jubilee is constantly suppressing her powers, not wanting to hurt others.

Sentinels are extremely dangerous enemies of the X-Men (even the first sentinel was strong enough to takeout Captain America), having been designed to capture or kill them without remorse, yet Jubilee refused to finish off a unit that posed a threat to all mutants and humans because it showed genuine fear of being destroyed. Jubilee would have been more than justified in killing the two mobsters who murdered her parents, with Wolverine even noting that she could easily get away with it by causing miniature detonations in both of their brains, making them each appear to have died of a stroke. For all the pain they caused her, Jubilee refuses to use lethal force yet again and simply incapacitates them without using her powers. The issue ends with Jubilee asking if she’s weak for refusing to kill, to which Wolverine, who often uses lethal force against his enemies, says that her restraint is actually what makes her strong, and strong enough to save the world at that.

Ultimately, it’s Jubilee’s compassion for life that led the damaged Sentinel to abandon its world-threatening plot. Jubilee may be the most underappreciated member of the X-Men, but her undying kindness makes her one of Marvel’s best superheroes.

While Homelander is set up throughout The Boys as the series' big bad, his eventual death perfectly flips this concept by robbing him of his dignity and relevance. An incredibly powerful parody of DC's Superman, Homelander is a brutal bully who ultimately decides to stage a coup on the United States, murdering the president and countless people in a short-sighted grab for power.

Ultimately, Homelander is killed by Black Noir, who is revealed to be a clone of the powerful Supe, tasked with assassinating him should he ever decide to break from the Vought-America corporation's interests. It's Black Noir who ends up being the series' biggest superhuman threat, and Homelander is killed off-panel in a way that not only acts as a thrilling twist, but perfectly undermines the way the character presents himself throughout the story.

In The Boys #65 (from Garth Ennis, Russ Brain, John McCrea, and Keith Burns), Homelander learns the truth. Not only has his 'friend' always wanted to kill him, but Black Noir actually dressed as Homelander in order to frame him for brutal crimes and force Vought to call for his execution. Homelander's own crimes only happened because he believed he'd already done such terrible things, prompting Butcher to hit him with the definitive put-down, "It means you turned into a ****** psychopath by mistake." Homelander begins the issue sitting in the Oval Office, feeling unbeatable, and ends with a profanity-laden tantrum, squaring off against an enemy who brutally destroys him. It's a genius move because it takes a character who'd love to be thought of as a supreme evil and kills him off-panel in a fight against a bigger threat, moments after definitively proving he's never understood what's actually going on behind the scenes.

For most of The Boys, Homelander is held up as an unkillable terror - someone who can't be brought down by normal means, and who plunges the country into chaos on a whim. It's exactly how he presents himself, and yet ultimately it's the lie of someone who has the maturity - as his creator described him to Newsarama - "of a fourteen year old." Homelander's coup is deeply unsuccessful, lasting less than a day and ending with him murdered by Vought's secret weapon and his superhero 'army' mowed down by the military. Homelander isn't actually an unfeeling killer, but rather someone playing the part who is constantly questioning his own actions.

Ultimately, Homelander isn't even in the top three of The Boys' villains, ranking below Black Noir, Vought executive James Stillwell, and Billy Butcher himself. While he sets himself up as a terrifying threat, his death in The Boys pulls the rug from under his and readers' feet by showing he's anything but. Often in pop culture, even the most repulsive villains are given cool or iconic deaths that only serve to validate their importance. The Boys doesn't give Homelander that kind of ending, revealing he's been playing someone else's game all along, and killing him off in a fight that only serves to establish his killer as a far more disturbing and significant villain.

Marvel has made it abundantly clear that Spider-Man is destined to remain a single man in his 20s forever, but judicious use of Miles Morales would solve this problem easily. Peter Parker is the everyman of the Marvel Universe, and has been positioned as such by Marvel ever since his first appearance in 1963 with the release of Amazing Fantasy #15. Unfortunately, the company will never actually implement the obvious solution - use Miles Morales as the main hero - because of one awful reason.

Peter frequently finds himself on the precipice of growing up and maturing into a better person, but status quo (or more accurately, editorial mandates) force Spider-Man to take one step back for every two steps forward. Gwen Stacy was memorably killed in Amazing Spider-Man #121 to prevent a happy relationship eventually progressing toward a marriage - and when Peter eventually married Mary Jane anyway in 1986, the marriage was ripped away and erased by Mephisto in the infamous One More Day storyline. Fans want Peter Parker to have a family and began the next chapter of his life, but Marvel wants Spider-Man to stay young...but they do not necessarily want Peter Parker to stay young, and therein lies the solution.

Introduced in the Ultimate universe of Marvel Comics in 2011, Miles Morales became an all-new Spider-Man and an immediate fan-favorite character due to his optimistic personality and different-but-similar powers to Peter Parker. Miles was still in high school - and remains that way ten years after his debut. The popularity of Miles has resulted in his own ongoing comic series, his own videogame, and a successful animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse with a two-part followup debuting in 2023. Marvel could easily allow Peter to marry and have a family while allowing Miles to be the "everyman" Spider-Man necessary for the young readers they know Spider-Man draws in. Peter could even continue to be Spider-Man and explore the ramifications of being a superhero while also raising a family and holding down a steady job.

Unfortunately, Marvel is highly unlikely to take these steps to satisfying both the fans and their own goals for the character. Firstly, Peter Parker has been held back for so long that at this point, non-comic book readers expect him to perpetually be a high school or college student. Secondly (and perhaps more cynically), Peter is white while Miles is black, and the Marvel executives are perhaps under the impression that a white hero will entice more readers to buy their books. This line of reasoning is, of course, absurd; if the entire conceit of the hero is that he can be anyone under the mask, then Marvel should truly allow him to be anyone.

But Marvel's track record suggests they are content to keep Peter Parker as the main Spider-Man while keeping Miles as a "secondary" Spider-Man - even though the former ought to be raising a family by now and the latter is more than capable of being New York's main hero. Both characters are long overdue for their respective promotions, and change is a natural part of comics and life (DC's Superman, for example, went decades without telling Lois Lane his secret - and now Superman and Lois have been happily married since the 90s and even have a child of their own). If Marvel simply replaced Peter with Miles, they could solve their biggest Spider-Man problem overnight - but they're far too afraid to stray from convention to even seriously consider the idea.

Contains spoilers for One-Punch Man chapter 167!

The epic new power level shown by Saitama in One-Punch Man's latest arc creates a fascinating possibility for God's true, hidden identity, connecting the horrific villain to the series titular 'hero.' In an epic battle against Garou, Saitama is able to unleash the Zero Causality Fist, punching back through time to take out the villain and save his allies.

In One-Punch Man lore, God is a mysterious being who seems to have a power level befitting its name. Little is known about God other than that it is seemingly trapped in another dimension, is willing to lend its incredible powers to others to serve its own agenda, and appears to have a connection to the moon.

God's true identity and agenda are perhaps the biggest questions of One-Punch Man, however Saitama's new ability to alter time suggests a possible answer. In One-Punch Man chapter 167, Saitama's ally Genos attempts to explain how the hero's power allowed him to interact with the multiverse, changing events by splitting the original timeline. The moment is played for a joke, as Genos unleashes a lengthy explanation that goes over Saitama's head, and yet it still subtly introduces this concept to readers. Combined with earlier moments, this all but confirms that it's possible God is actually a version of Saitama from another timeline.

With a Zero Punch that travels back through time, it's becoming clear that Saitama's power has no upper limit, giving him godlike potential - indeed, Garou refers to this technique as "a god's power" while teaching Saitama to unlock it. It's also clear that time can be altered, or at least that individuals from one timeline can create a new one. With time travel in the mix, it doesn't matter that God pre-dates Saitama, as it could easily be a version of the hero who transcended time or reality and now sits outside them both. This concept is supported by many similarities that seem to invite a comparison between God and Saitama. The two are visually similar, with rangy bodies and bald heads, and both are able to extend their limbs through portals. Similarly, it's easy to see how God's willingness to lend out its power would result from Saitama's original obsession with finding a worthy challenger, especially if he lost his humanity and underwent the monsterification process. How better to create a real challenge than by learning to empower others (perhaps to train one's past self to become a worthy challenger)?

There are some issues with this theory. First, that when they first met, God showed no recognition of Saitama. Second, God seems to have some limits on its abilities that stop it simply fully manifesting on Earth. Third, that God apparently considers Saitama "the fist that rebelled against God," at least according to its proxies. Of course, this final point could also go in favor of the theory, as it's possible to read this as meaning God considers Saitama its own fist, which would make sense if God is some future version of Saitama being challenged by its past self (or, rather, a new self created by a change to the timeline.)

It's therefore possible (and would be a genius twist) that the events of One-Punch Man take place after the original Saitama's quest for a worthy challenger turned him into a literal god which then changed the timeline, creating the story fans have actually been following - one in which it comes into conflict with a drastically altered version of itself. This would actually suit One-Punch Man even in a meta sense, as the popular manga is based on a webcomic which depicts events slightly differently. The only way to prove this theory will be to see how One-Punch Man unfolds, but it certainly seems to be the way the creators are prompting fans to think, and with this idea in mind, it's hard not to look at God's imposing form and see a cosmically powerful version of the Caped Baldy.

Even though Vegeta and Goku have always been neck and neck when it comes to their power levels and fighting abilities, Dragon Ball confirms that Vegeta has one trait that truly makes him better than Goku. Interestingly, this trait has nothing to do with the power he can amass within himself but his ability to ensure that the next generation has the tools to become even stronger.

Vegeta made his debut in Dragon Ball chapter 204 by Akira Toriyama, and he is initially presented as a powerful, world-ending villain. Over time, Vegeta would become one of the greatest heroes in the Dragon Ball universe, but that is long after he causes some serious problems for the Z Fighters. Even before Vegeta officially introduces himself to the heroes of Dragon Ball, his presence in the universe causes the Z Fighters immense panic and forces them to train themselves extra hard so that they can be ready for the day Vegeta and his Saiyan partner, Nappa, finally arrive at Earth.

In Dragon Ball chapter 206 by Akira Toriyama, Piccolo is training Gohan following the death of Goku during his battle with Raditz. Piccolo is only taking such a drastic measure in teaching someone as young as Gohan the ways of martial arts because Raditz told him and the others that they only have one year before Vegeta and Nappa get to Earth, and they needed all the help they could get. When Gohan throws a fit telling Piccolo that he would rather have his father train him, Piccolo replies, “He’s powerful, but he’s no combat-master,” Piccolo then elaborates further, “He doesn’t have the toughness that is plainly needed…” which was a comment on both Goku’s lack of teaching ability and Gohan’s lack of discipline.

While it is a bit cruel to tell the four-year-old son of a dead man that his father isn’t good enough to be there for him, Piccolo isn’t incorrect in his statement–something that becomes even more true as the series goes on. While Goku is always on the prowl for someone stronger to train him, he never really seems to train anyone else. He’ll spar with them, sure, but that is always just as much about growing his own strength than that of the person Goku’s fighting against. Vegeta, on the other hand, is a fantastic teacher. Vegeta's teaching skills are proven true during the tournament between Universe 6 and 7 in Dragon Ball Super. During that story arc, Vegeta is battling a Saiyan from Universe 6 named Cabba who is far less bloodthirsty than the Saiyans Vegeta is used to seeing. In fact, Cabba doesn’t even know what a Super Saiyan is let alone how to become one himself. Upon stepping into the ring against Vegeta, Cabba asks Vegeta to teach him how to unlock that ability. While Vegeta audibly rejects his request, he secretly teaches Cabba how to harness his raw emotions and channel them through his body’s energy, helping him spark the transformation in a matter of minutes.

Vegeta’s training tactics are harsh as they require breaking down his students to the brink of death (and to the point of murderous rage) but his methods are effective. Goku's version of ‘training,’ however, (during the very few times he’s ever attempted being someone’s teacher) is composed of friendly sparring matches and eating a ton of food–which, again, is just as much for his own benefit as it is for his student. Based on Piccolo’s sentiment about how Goku is strong but lacks the ability to teach along with the fact that Vegeta is a surprisingly great martial arts master, it is clear that Vegeta’s ability to teach others the skills he’s learned as a Dragon Ball fighter is the one trait that truly makes him better than Goku.

The WildC.A.T.S. are celebrating their 30th anniversary. While their comeback may be with DC Comics, it's a huge win for Image Comics, too. Also celebrating the founding of the latter publisher -- it's a big day for Jim Lee's creations, showing how far comics have come since the 1990s. When they first appeared, the flashy art and similar costumes may have made the WildC.A.T.S. come off as ripoffs of another company's characters. Underneath the X-shape veneer, however, there was a much deeper backstory.

The WildC.A.T.S. have a mythos that ties into various Earth mythologies, essentially making them the superhero version of Ancient Aliens. This also puts it up against a certain property from Marvel Comics, though not the one that many might expect. Here's how the WildC.A.T.S. have the potential to be far more than just generic superheroes.

WildC.A.T.S. Is Similar to Eternals and Ancient Aliens

The central conflict in the WildC.A.T.S. titles focuses on the ongoing battles between two alien species -- the Kherubim and the Daemonites. The former are humanoid in appearance, being almost indistinguishable from humans aside from their many great powers. Daemonites, on the other hand, have beastly forms resembling H.R. Giger's Xenomorph. This makes sense, given their tendency to possess the bodies of other creatures. Combined with their name, this possession makes them essentially alien demons.

These aliens seemed to inspire tales of angels and demons when they came to Earth, as well as other mythologies. For instance, Zealot and the Coda sisterhood clearly influenced stories of the Amazons and other concepts from Greek mythology. For instance, there was a member of the Coda known as Artemis, suggesting that the Greek goddess was named after her. With their names being twisted and turned into religious concepts, the WildC.A.T.S.'s characters are very similar to Marvel's Eternals. These beings are god-like creatures whose exploits in the past inspired the tales that early civilizations would believe and worship.

These two comic book lines are both examples of the "ancient astronauts" theory. This idea suggests that Earth was visited in the past by far more advanced alien creatures, with these creatures' actions being interpreted as the work of gods. Such a theory is most well-known for being the premise of the documentary series Ancient Aliens on the History Channel. Given the prominence of supposed gods in Marvel and DC, it's a worthwhile narrative to follow. At the same time, it could also lead to some big issues down the line.

WildC.A.T.S.'s Take on Mythology Is Incompatible With DC Comics

Much like with the Eternals, the idea that the WildC.A.T.S.'s misunderstood mythology is the inspiration for Greco-Roman and other myths is somewhat incompatible with a shared superhero universe. The idea that aliens walk among humanity means absolutely nothing in a world where Superman exists. Likewise, how could the history of Zealot and the Coda work in a world with Wonder Woman and the actual Amazons. The latter is particularly egregious given how DC usually handles mythology.

Though Wonder Woman's mythos only became particularly loyal to the true Greek myths after the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths reboot, DC has generally had a more "classical" and traditional take on how mythology and the gods are handled. Marvel, being the more grounded and relatable universe, has gone so far as to make the gods more like "interdimensional aliens" than gods. That fits more with how WildC.A.T.S. handles the subject, with Jim Lee's Wildstorm world generally eschewing magic and fantasy entirely. This only reinforces that the WildC.A.T.S. should have their own universe, one where the world's oldest religious beings are inspired by aliens.

Luke Fox, Jace Fox/Batman's brother and the former Batwing, dons a brand-new superhero suit in Harley Quinn #21, though the character says he's still working on a superhero name.

Harley Quinn #21 comes from writer Stephanie Phillips, artist Simone Buonfantino, colorist Romulo Fajardo Jr. and letterer AndWorld Design. In the issue, the Task Force XX villains and antiheroes have found themselves battling a sentient Element X, which has attached itself to Solomun Grundy and a handful of soldiers. In Harley Quinn #20, the team's leader, Luke Fox, is cornered by Grundy when he steps out of his office, leaving him no choice but to run off into the woods to a nearby hideout.

As Luke gets away safely, Task Force XX intervenes and tries to stop the villains. It's then when Luke appears dressed in a new, cat-like outfit complete with claws and a distinguishable helmet. When the team gets away and has a moment to catch their breath, Harley questions who Luke is trying to become while later complimenting his new look. "...Are we gonna talk about this whole new foxy costume thing, or...?" she questions. "And no judgments from me. We love a man who can pull off a quick costume change...especially with one that tight-fitting..."

DC's Work in Progress Superhero

Luke admits he's at a bit of a crossroads in his life, unsure if he wants to continue with a life of masked vigilantism or not. "After I gave up on Batwing...there was a brief time I thought I could still wear a costume," he tells Harley. "It just wouldn't have a bat on it." When Harley asks Luke what his new superhero name is, he tells her that he hasn't figured that out yet and it's a "work in progress."

Created by Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti and Eduardo Pansica, Luke Fox first appeared in 2013's Batwing #19. The son of Lucious Fox, Luke became the second Batwing for a time after David Zavimbe decided to retire from the position. Recently, Luke has put aside the cape and cowl to lead Harley and her new team on a mission to space throughout the "Task Force XX" storyline, though he's constantly reminded of his brother's crime-fighting guise in New York City.

Source: DC

Few can outclass Doctor Strange, but one surprising hero, Man-Thing, was able to take the Sorcerer Supreme down to the wire. In a two-part crossover event in 1980’s Man-Thing #4 and Doctor Strange #41, Strange’s long-time nemesis, Baron Mordo, attempted to use Man-Thing as a pawn, throwing him at Doctor Strange as a distraction–and the creature proved more than a match, countering Strange’s spells at every turn and using physical prowess to dominate the Sorcerer Supreme.

Long regarded as “Marvel’s Swamp Thing” due to similarities in origin and gimmick between the two, Man-Thing has proven to be a compelling character in his own right. While researching a potential replacement for the Super Soldier Serum, scientist Ted Sallis was attacked by agents of A.I.M. Injecting himself with the Serum, Sallis fled his attackers; however, his car crashed into the Everglades, and a unique synthesis between the Serum and the magical forces in the swamp turned him into Man-Thing. Unlike Swamp Thing, Man-Thing cannot communicate verbally, instead silently shambling through the Everglades; Man-Thing is also an empath, and certain emotions, namely fear, can provoke strong reactions in the creature. As the guardian of the Nexus of All Realities, Man-Thing is an immensely powerful being, and his power was on display during his first encounter with Doctor Strange.

In Man-Thing #4 and Doctor Strange #41 by Chris Claremont, Gene Colan, Bob Wiacek, and Don Perlin Baron Mordo enacts his final revenge on Doctor Strange, a plan that involves sacrificing individuals with magical powers. Strange is drawn to the Everglades, where he and his associates are ambushed by Man-Thing, who has come under Mordo’s control. Doctor Strange attempts to restrain the beast with the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak–but Man-Thing tears right through them. Strange is amazed, wondering how the creature could have countered the spell so fast. The two continue to fight, with Man-Thing getting the upper hand; Strange then lets loose a fire spell, surmising it would destroy the creature. Instead, Man-Thing is barely phased, and he is able to overpower Strange. As Mordo’s scheme draws closer to fruition, Jennifer Kale, a sorceress and confidant of Man-Thing, persuades the creature that he has been duped by Mordo. Man-Thing turns on Baron Mordo, and helps Strange defeat him. As the dust settles, Doctor Strange attempts to magically turn Man-Thing back into a human–but once again, his magic has no effect on the creature. The story was written by Chris Claremont and illustrated by Gene Colan, Bob Wiacek and Don Perlin.

As Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange is one of the planet’s most powerful beings, and has turned back mystical menaces of all types–yet all of his power is useless against Man-Thing. Baron Mordo saw the creature’s raw power and strength, and co-opted it for his own ends. Mordo’s strategy proved an effective one, as Man-Thing was able to instinctively counter every spell Doctor Strange threw at him. Mordo was using Man-Thing to wear Strange down and eventually kill him–and it almost worked. Perhaps the saddest aspect of the story is that Strange was unable to give Man-Thing his one wish: be human again. The story remained mum on just exactly how Man-Thing was able to resist Strange’s magic, but the Sorcerer Supreme speculated it may have been due to the mixture of science and sorcery that created the creature.

Man-Thing is one of Marvel’s most enigmatic heroes, an empathic monster created by science and magic. He is also one of Marvel’s most powerful, as shown when he vastly outclassed Doctor Strange.

As much as the villains Batman faces on a daily basis have troubled Gotham, they may be putting the entire DC Universe in danger. One risk-taking businessman showed that the Dark Knight's villains are prepared to seek revenge no matter where in the world they have to go.

Since he returned to his city to keep his home safe, Batman has consistently been hounded by villains who wish to do Gotham harm. Whether they desire control or destruction or simply wish to cause chaos, Batman and his allies have been locked in a never-ending battle with their various enemies. Batman's rogues gallery is made up of some of the most ruthless and effective villains in the DCU and many of them have shown the ability to keep Gotham's greatest protector on his toes multiple times. Thankfully, no matter the threat they present, Batman is able to keep their damage contained more often than not.

However, the Joker proved he was willing to take his criminal machinations out of the city when he demanded satisfaction over a small slight. In Harley Quinn #1 by Karl Kesel and Terry Dodson, Jack Happi, owner of Happyland theme park hires actors to portray knockoff versions of Batman’s many villains to put on shows in the new Gotham-themed area of the park. The news of Happyland's addition to the park makes Joker positively livid, especially considering he isn't getting properly compensated for his likeness being used. He decides to take revenge and has his henchmen and Harley Quinn take point on developing an appropriate response. Harley fashions a roller coaster to murder Jack Happi and his assistant, complete with axes and machine guns that nearly kills the two.

Now Happyland certainly wouldn’t be the first attempt to capitalize on Bruce Wayne’s enemies. In fact, Gotham has a Batman-themed restaurant called Batburger that has an entire menu inspired by the hero and his many villains. But Joker showed a particular irritation by having his image used by a non-resident of Gotham, especially with money being involved. This one incident may show that the morbid interest in Gotham's criminal element could put anyone in danger no matter where they are.

The mystique of Gotham and its many colorful villains is just as entertaining to people in the DC Universe as it is to real-life fans. In-universe, there are movies, plays and other entertainment avenues based on the exciting adventures of Batman and his villains. But those portrayals aren't always accurate, or flattering as far as baddies like Joker are concerned. They may be a little more sensitive to having their image used for profit and, as the Clown Prince of Crime proved, take revenge for such an offense. It seems that no matter where in the DC Universe they're being ripped off, Batman's villains are ready to take action over any insults to their honor.

Ahead of the highly anticipated third season of the One-Punch Man anime, one fan has already animated the manga’s most epic fight between Saitama and Garou. While it is unclear if when the anime will even reach that fight (it still has a lot of other chapters to get through first) this animation can satisfy fans in the meantime. In addition, given the drop in art quality in the second season of the show, this animation may even be more satisfying than the eventual version of the fight in the official anime adaptation.

One-Punch Man initially started as a webcomic written and drawn by ONE with art that was a bit lacking. It does certainly hold a certain charm to it, and can enhance the comedic elements of the series extremely well, but it is also not the most pleasing to look at. Eventually, veteran manga artist Yusuke Murata worked with ONE to turn One-Punch Man into a more traditional manga with extremely impressive art. Murata’s art is so good that it can even feel animated to the point that many fans recommend reading the manga instead of watching the second season of One-Punch Man’s anime. This art reached its peak during the Monster Association arc, which culminated in an epic, planet-shattering fight between Saitama and the God-enhanced Garou.

YouTuber landberry has animated the final stages of that fight in an epic YouTube video that is almost ten minutes long. Animating Murata’s already incredibly dynamic art, they are able to give each of the extremely powerful punches featured real weight. They are able to make extremely epic moments like Saitama’s sneeze that blew away half of Jupiter somehow even more awesome through both great animation effects and through awesome sound design. Their attention to detail also elevates more subtle details of the fight, such as causing the universe in Garou’s face to swirl like real stars, giving him an even more ominous sense of power.

With the war between Marvel Comics’ X-Men and the Eternals now in full swing, the Celestials’ immortal watchdogs are taking hero vs. hero fights to a whole new level against the Merry Mutants. And caught right in the middle are the Avengers desperately trying to stem the loss of life. But if the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes had been paying any attention at all to the Eternals’ history, they’d have seen it coming a mile away.

Although the Eternals were created by the Celestials to protect the Earth from excess deviation, A.X.E.: Judgement Day by Kieron Gillen and Valerio Schitti isn’t the first time that their mission has put the X-Men in their crosshairs. In the pages of the Marvel NOW! New Warriors series by Christopher Yost, Erik Burnham, and Marcus To, the immortal beings’ goal was even more far-reaching – targeting all non-humans on Earth as Deviants instead of just the mutants. And there’s no way the Avengers could have missed it.

New Warriors finds Herbert Edgar Wyndham aka the High Evolutionary working on behalf of the Eternals to create a machine capable of weaponizing the genes of anyone more than human – mutants, Inhumans, clones, Atlanteans, and even metahumans enhanced by science or magic – to kill them in order to “protect humanity.” After the New Warriors defeat the Evolutionary in issue #10, the Eternals make their appearance, with their leader Zuras revealing that Wyndham has been working under his orders to prepare Earth for the return of the Celestials. Attempting to continue the Evolutionary’s plan, the Eternals seemingly defeat the New Warriors and activate Wyndham’s machine, threatening the majority of Marvel’s heroes until the New Warrior, Justice, destroys the device. Proving Zuras’ manipulations in the process, Justice reveals that the Eternals have been deceived as the Celestials are nowhere near the Earth. Though Zuras blames the High Evolutionary for his actions, it’s clear that the plan was his all along, setting an alarming precedent for the mission of the Eternals.

In the pages of both New Warriors and in the ongoing A.X.E.: Judgement Day event, the Eternals have clearly been manipulated from within into acting as aggressors due to their core directives regarding excess deviation. But while their scheme with the High Evolutionary was a more private affair, they’ve openly declared all-out war on the mutants of both Krakoa and Arakko thanks to their greater numbers and more widespread support of the belief that mutants specifically are the most dangerous Deviants on Earth. This is a marked difference considering their last assault was directed towards superhumans at large, but if anything, it’s more malicious in nature.

With downright genocidal habits such as these, it’s a wonder that their fellow heroes like the Avengers haven’t been keeping a closer eye on them all along. After all, the New Warriors have frequently functioned as sort of a junior Avengers, mirroring the New Mutants' relationship with their older counterparts in the X-Men. Justice and Nova themselves were even full-time Avengers, and the series wraps with the former relaying their adventure to Steve Rogers himself. So it’s hard to believe that Earth’s Mightiest Heroes wouldn’t already have intel on the Eternals' actions against all non-humans – even if they were ultimately being manipulated.

The Eternals are some of the most powerful beings on the planet. But while they traditionally fight in defense of the Earth, their overall directives leave too much room for interpretation and manipulation by conniving forces. Assuming everyone makes it out of A.X.E.: Judgement Day intact, heroes like Marvel Comics' X-Men – and especially the Avengers – need to do a better job of keeping track of the Eternals.

Steve Rogers' Captain America may be a hero and an inspiration to millions, but that may not be enough to save him from Marvel's new Celestial. Iron Man, Makkari, Ajak, and Mister Sinister's desperate play to end the war between mutantkind and the Eternals was successful. But their gambit of birthing a new space god is already having drastic consequences, with Steve Rogers the first to face judgment.

At the outset of the Judgment Day event, Prime Eternal Druig persuaded the majority of Eternal society to consider mutantkind's newly found resurrection protocol as excess deviation. Correcting excess deviation is a directive hardwired into the Eternals by their Celestial creators; hence the attempt by Tony Stark, Makkari, Ajak, and Nathaniel Essex to bring a new Celestial to life and alter the Eternal directives.

Preview pages released by Marvel for A.X.E.: Judgment Day #3 by Kieron Gillen, Valerio Schiti, Marte Gracia, and Clayton Cowles tease where the heroes' best laid plans are leading. The end of the previous issue found the new Celestial forebodingly warning the people of Earth about their forthcoming judgment. As if that had not raised the stakes of the story enough, the three preview pages of Judgment Day #3 begin the judging with Steve Rogers, the Star Spangled Man with a Plan himself. As Cap tries to take the lead in the confusion, the new Celestial decides that Capitan America will be judged first... and the ruling isn't good.

                 

In one of Iron Man’s most recent comic adventures, Felicia Hardy aka Black Cat uses the skills that made her famous and actually tricks one of the smartest people in the world to give Felicia her own Iron Man suit.

Black Cat made her first appearance The Amazing Spider-Man #194 as an antagonist but quickly became an antihero who wouldn't hesitate to pick up the reins of heroism in times of crisis–which was recently shown in the King In Black event–though she is primarily a master thief which lands her squarely in the antihero category. In her most recent comics runs, Black Cat uses her powers of bad luck projection to get away with even the most complicated of heists, even successfully stealing from Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum on more than one occasion. Tony Stark aka Iron Man has absolutely no need to rob anyone as he is a billionaire genius with the intelligence and the means to build any suit of high-tech armor he can think of–something that makes him the perfect target for one super powered cat burglar.

In Iron Cat #3 by Jed MacKay and Pere Pérez, Stark and Hardy are in the middle of setting a trap for a villain who previously stole a suit of armor from Iron Man, a suit that was inspired by Black Cat’s original design but with some impressive Stark improvements. Earlier in this series, Black Cat broke into Tony’s lab and built herself an Iron Man suit and called it the Iron Cat. While Tony was angry, he couldn’t help himself from building an even better version of Black Cat’s suit, a suit that was stolen by Felicia’s ex-girlfriend and former criminal partner, Tamara Blake. In this issue, Stark and Hardy have decided to work together to get the suit back in order to keep Tamara from using it to commit dangerous crimes–though in true Black Cat fashion, things aren’t as they initially seem as far as her partnership with Tony Stark goes.

When Black Cat and Iron Man were coming up with the plan to capture Tamara, Black Cat secretly had her crew infiltrate Tony’s lab using the access she was granted and then used her designs to have Stark’s own equipment build Felicia yet another Iron Cat armor–one she alone has remote access to and uses in this issue. Basically, because the Avenger decided to work with Black Cat to take down a common bad guy, he got seriously played and lost an entire suit of armor in the process.

By the end of the issue, the villain Madame Menace rises to power, trumping the immediate threat of Tamara–who was working with the much more dangerous villain–and completely overshadowing Black Cat’s thievery of Iron Man’s equipment. So, as it stands, Black Cat has her very own suit of Iron Man armor unencumbered by Tony Stark’s influence which Tony himself is not actively trying to get back given the dire situation at hand. This all means that Tony Stark was effectively tricked into giving Black Cat her own Iron Man suit which proves once again how good Black Cat really is at what she does.

An adorable new variant cover for the upcoming X-Terminators #1 showcases the epic all-female X-Men team consisting of Wolverine, Jubilee, Dazzler, and Boom Boom, at both their cutest and most explosive!

The name X-Terminators has a long history in the X-Men universe, dating back to the 1980s when the original 5 X-Men first used the team name after leaving the Xavier's School when they were posing as mutant-hunters but were secretly collecting young mutants, including Boom Boom. Most recently used for a short-lasting team introduced in Cable Reloaded #1, the X-Terminators team introduced in X-Terminators #1 will be the first all-female version of the team, and the third iteration to include the explosive mutant Tabitha Smith, or Boom Boom.

All four of the powerful X-Women featured in X-Terminators are fan favorites, and while Wolverine and Jubilee have had some spotlights in the Destiny of X era in X-Men and Excalibur, this will be the first time in ages that Alison Blaire (Dazzler) and Boom Boom are featured prominently in an X-Book. All three of the main mutants featured, Dazzler, Boom Boom, and Jubilee, all have abilities that include explosions or pyrotechnics, a similarity that actually made Tabitha and Jubilation teenage rivals when they first met on the island of Genosha in the 1980s event X-Tinction Agenda. X-Terminators - written by Leah Williams (Trial of Magneto, X-Factor) with art by Carlos Gomez (Marvel UK Spectacular Spider-Man, America Chavez: Made In The USA) - focuses on the apparent kidnapping of Tabitha, Alison, and Jubilation, after Jubilee and Boom Boom take Dazzler out for a night on the town to cheer her up after a bad breakup. Laura Kinney, once known as X-23 and now going by Wolverine alongside her father Logan, goes on a mission to rescue the kidnapped mutants and all four end up trapped "elaborate death traps by a mysterious new army of enemies."