Between 1992 and 2006, Nintendo released exactly zero 2D Mario sidescrollers. In that 14 year span, the only new 2D Mario platformer content was a set of expansion levels for Super Mario Bros. 3, which were only accessible by scanning cards with a barcode reader. Not all the cards were available worldwide.
These new Super Mario Bros. 3 levels, dubbed “World-e” were made available to the world with the Wii U port of Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3.
For today’s episode, we’re entering one of the most lore-heavy comic book universes out there… a world we’ve never delved into before… Sonic the Hedgehog.
We’re specifically reading the Endgame storyline from issues #47-50 in the original Archie Comics run so that we can get a nice little taste of everything the universe has to offer. It’s a lot.
We then continue our read of the Korvac Saga with Avengers #170, in which it doesn’t feel like the Korvac Saga has really started yet because we’re busy dealing with Ultron.
Next Time: Fear Itself by Matt Fraction & Stuart Immonen
In this week’s episode, we check out the origin of Batman’s famous sidekick, Dick Grayson aka the first Robin!
Wait, I thought we were reading the 2nd half of Batman: Dark Victory… this episode was supposed to be issues 7-13. We were gonna find out who the Hangman Holiday killer was and how it relates to Batman, Two-Face, and all the Gotham mob families.
Oh, that all happens too, I see.
We also continue the Korvac Saga with Avengers #168 in which Captain America acts like a major asshole.
Next Time: Sonic the Hedgehog: Endgame (Sonic (1993) #47-50) + The Korvac Saga #4 (Avengers #170)
Remember about 6 years ago when we read Batman: The Long Halloween about a serial killer who strikes on major holidays?
Well it’s time for the sequel, Batman: Dark Victory, which is about a serial killer… who strikes on major holidays. Cool. It’s a 13-issue series, technically 14 since there’s a little prequel issue, but we start off by just reading #0-6.
Then we go onto The Korvac Saga in Avengers #167, which includes a fashion show! Fun!
Next Time: We finish up Dark Victory!
Step back in time to learn about how the 2010 Winter Olympics were almost cancelled because Bower & Dr. Robotnik stole all the world’s snow!
The DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games features an exclusive story mode where everybody’s favorite plumber and hedgehog must put aside their differences to save the Olympics!
It’s time to dive into our first Age of Apocalypse miniseries with the Astonishing X-Men! We meet Blink, Morph, a Sabretooth that acts a lot like Wolverine, a Rogue that’s married to Magneto, and Apocalypse’s first horseman.
We also start our long read of the Korvac Saga with a little bit of backstory from Thor Annual #6 where we jump into the 30th century and meet the original Guardians of the Galaxy. You’ll probably recognize Yondu, he’s there. And the villains have a cute blob you might like too.
Next Time: Batman – Dark Victory #0-6
The graphical powerhouse Donkey Kong Country gets a unique entry on the Game Boy, a system capable of only showing 4 colors. Meanwhile, Cranky Kong collaborates with King K. Rool to steal Donkey Kong’s banana hoard!
It’s been quite a while since we caught up with Ed Brubaker’s run on Captain America. Last time around we discovered that the Winter Soldier is Bucky. And this week we read the next part of that run in Captain America #15-17 and then the Captain America 65th Anniversary Special. There’s a big cool robot in it.
And then it’s finally time for the last chapter of The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck where Huey, Dewey, and Louie finally get to meet their great uncle!
Next Time: We return to the Age of Apocalypse with Astonishing X-Men (1995) #1-4
We haven’t read nearly enough Hulk for this show, so we thought we’d read Future Imperfect by Peter David and George Perez. The Hulk has to stop an evil old version of himself from ruining the future. In just 2 issues, The Maestro manages to make a strong name for himself as a serious villain.
Afterwards, we continue The Life & Times of Scrooge McDuck with part 11 in which Scrooge unfortunately also establishes himself as a serious villain.
Next Time: Captain America by Ed Brubaker Pt. 3: Red Menace Pt. 1 (Captain America (2004) #15-17, Captain America 65th Anniversary Special)
We don’t get around to the X-Men often enough, so we’re gonna make a commitment to jump in more often by exploring one of their biggest events, the Age of Apocalypse.
We’re starting with the prelude in the 4-part Legion Quest storyline where Professor X’s son goes back in time to kill Magneto, and then we get introduced to an alternate reality in X-Men: Alpha #1.
We also continue The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck with chapter 10 in which Scrooge settles down in Duckburg.
Next Time: Hulk – Future Imperfect
All My Friends Are Right Here 