The Master? Hell yeah, the third Doctor's episodes with him were awesome!...what do you mean, not that one?

Maybe Roger Delgado could've elevated him out of also-ran status; although that would be a tough row to hoe there. From 1998, Heroes for Hire #10, "Misalliances!" Written by John Ostrander, pencils by Pascual Ferry, inks by Jaime Mendoza.

This issue starts out a bit more conversationally than I'm used to from Ostrander, checking in with the Master (of the World), who was usually Alpha Flight's problem: he was very much like a more tech-savvy Vandal Savage that usually got his ass kicked by Canada. Since Heroes Return was going on at the time, the Master maybe should be concerned about the return of multiple heroes, but he was seemingly more worried other bad guys might be against his plan. Still, his scheme was rolling along, and as he mentioned, he had allies...Meanwhile, at the Oracle headquarters of Heroes for Hire, Iron Fist has just gotten around to telling Luke Cage that he had "summoned K'un Lun," and I'm not positive what that means. Former Human Torch/Oracle boss Jim Hammond isn't especially keen to hear that, either; and since the team was short-handed with several members back with the Avengers (circa Avengers #1, where Jim probably should be; and this predates Luke or Danny joining) Jim had brought in "temps," Misty Knight and Colleen Wing! Who maybe aren't thrilled about the K'un Lun thing, either.

Today's mission, for a secret client Jim won't name, was to get a bioweapons scientist out of Symkaria, which of course means conflict with Silver Sable and her Wild Pack: Danny points out, wasn't she supposed to be a good guy? Yeah, and so were the Thunderbolts. So much continuity today! And even more, as Jim had brought in Deadpool as well, fresh from Deadpool #17...which I don't think I have? Crap. Probably cheaper to buy a friggin' omnibus than track that down. Luke is peeved, thinking Jim had hired Pool just to get back at Danny over K'un Lun; and we see even the Master is mad about it too! (Danny seems to have done, whatever he was doing, seemingly on a whim to tie into the millennium or some nonsense.)

After a couple subplot pages with Scott and Cassie Lang (with Cassie probably younger than most readers remember) we check in with Silver Sable's special Wild Pack for this one: not her usual guys like...I don't know, Battlestar? Crippler? Today she's got regular member Sandman, as well as Paladin, the Cat, and Nomad. Wait, scratch that last one: instead of Nomad, it's Madcap! That reveal comes pretty suddenly, and no one is quite sure why exactly; although Madcap would've known Nomad from Captain America #307, he would've known him as much more clean-shaven than Nomad's 90's look! The battlelines are drawn, but the next issue would have a few surprises...Also, the Cat, Shen Kuei, is, if you're not familiar, is...um...OK, if Shang-Chi was the Simpsons, and Iron Fist was South Park, Shen was King of the Hill: much less renowned, but with a rock-solid overall record and the occasional win over those two. Yeah, that's probably a clear metaphor, sure. Read more!

"Helmet."

AoA Jean alludes to the continuity/timeline changes, because like we mentioned there have been a few; but we're referencing a load-bearing piece of mainline Rogue's continuity, ROM #32! In the midst of a battle between the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants (or the girl members, Mystique, Destiny, and Rogue!) and the monstrous Hybrid, Rogue had touched Rom, and seen his inner goodness. That changed her: Rogue had previously been kinda mean, and pretty obedient to Mystique; but it's a straight line from her touching Rom to becoming an X-Man. (By the way, we made a subtle change on the AoA Rogue figure for this one!) Read more!

Midtown High must've had a helluva Home Ec. class, if Peter and Flash can both knock out costumes.

It doesn't necessarily follow that Flash's costume design would be so close to Peter's, though. From 2018, What If? Spider-Man #1, "What If Flash Thompson had become Spider-Man?" Written by Gerry Conway, pencils by Diego Olortegui, inks by Walden Wong.

I might as well be wishing for a pony here, but I wish What If? still had regular numbering, instead of a big pile of #1's or event-related mini-series. This particular issue was after, um, whatever mini-series where the original Nick Fury got sent to live on a farm upstate was made "the Unseen," to live on the moon and bear witness like the Watcher used to; which included What If? hosting duties again. (It was Original Sin, and the numbering on that one looks a mess.) Oddly enough, Marvel had done a version of Spider-Flash before, in What If? #76: Peter takes a bit more hands-on approach to deal with him there, and that was the last issue of that series with Uatu hosting.

The trigger event of Flash attending a certain science fair, leads to him getting the powers, at least two deaths, and a lot of excessive force: Flash wasn't a scientist, so his Spider-Man doesn't seem to have webs. Still, he seems more accepted as a hero, in large part by the endorsement of J.Jonah Jameson, despite the fact that Flash had not saved JJJ's son John. (It's unclear if Flash had tried and failed, or wasn't there.) Peter Parker was still taking pictures of Spider-Man, since he needed the money for Aunt May's blood cancer treatment. But, when the isotope needed for that is stolen by the Master Planner, Peter follows a tracker he had placed on Spider-Man, to Flash's trailer-park home, and discovers Flash's secret. Flash does not take it well, as he had a lot of resentment towards "smart guys" turning people against him, and lashes out, killing Peter with one punch.

Stunned, Flash tries to redeem himself by tracking down the Master Planner and getting the isotope; but long-time readers would remember, the Master Planner was Doctor Octopus! Flash takes out a load-bearing pillar in the fight, setting up the traditional "Spidey lifts heavy stuff" moment, but not by overcoming self-doubt like Peter had to, but by acknowledging he was not a hero, and would have to make amends. In the end, Aunt May is saved, if devastated at the news that Peter was dead; and Flash turns himself in to face the music. (I feel like Flash wouldn't really defend himself, but probably wouldn't serve a lot of time: the government or S.H.I.E.L.D. or something would put him to work.) Read more!

I remember a house ad for this, wonder if it's in the issue?

This was a 68-pager, and while I don't think it was the first in this format, it was part of multiple revamps for the title. From 1979, Adventure Comics #463, cover by José Luis García-López.

The opener, "Urtumi the Image Eater" is an oddball one for the Flash, as returning from Earth-2 he's attacked by a bizarre creature, which had been released when archeologists removed a Native American tablet. (Story by Cary Bates, pencils by Don Heck, inks by Joe Giella.) "Mind over Murder!" is a bit more substantial, as Deadman tries to use a somewhat-unhinged scientist's invention, to create a new body for himself. It doesn't work, and Boston continues to get irritated by Rama Kushna, who tells him that would never have worked, and he should be grateful for what he has, because he might have it for eternity...I think Rama was trying to be encouraging, not threatening, but Boston doesn't really see it that way. (Written by Len Wein, pencils by José Luis García-López, inks by Frank Chiaramonte.)

"The Night of the Soul Thief" opens with the Justice Society on the trail of Batman's true killer, and both Dick Grayson and Helena Wayne are unmasked, as their secret identities had been exposed in the wake of Batman's death. The team fights assorted elementals, before being taken before one Fredric Vaux, a sorcerer plotting to end the current age of heroes, so the ongoing conflict of Order vs. Chaos could get back on track, with Chaos victorious and him ruling earth in its name. Vaux had wanted to erase even the memory of the heroes, but too many people in Gotham City remember Batman for that to go away easily. Helena is furious that her father died for nothing, a pawn in a larger game; but on losing Vaux is discarded by Chaos and seemingly done. Doctor Fate then uses what was left of his spell, to convince Earth-2 that Batman and Bruce Wayne had both died, but had been separate men, saving Robin and Huntress's identities. (Written by Paul Levitz, pencils by Joe Staton, inks by Dave Hunt.)

"Climax" is an Aquaman story, and I may need to take a moment to see if he (or Flash or Wonder Woman, for that matter) had his own title at the time: I feel like I've read several Aquaman stories in Adventure. This month, it's Aquaman vs. Aqualad, Mera, Vulko, most of Atlantis, and capitalism! Universal Food Products had entered into a manufacturing partnership with Atlantis, which everyone thought would be good for everyone; except for Aquaman, who had discovered UFP's generators were heating the sea to unlivable levels, while their fertilizers were going to deplete Atlantis's farmland. Or farm-waters; I'm not sure how it works. Arthur wasn't currently the king, and everyone seems to think he's just being stubborn; but come on: the UFP guys had a boat commander in a very Nazi-style uniform, with a friggin' monocle. Pretty sure they're the bad guys, man. Aquaman exposes them, but admits to his friends he didn't blame them, since he didn't have any proof backing him up. Feels like a trust exercise they failed, though. Also, is it my imagination, or despite having less rep Aqualad threw down with his mentor more often than Robin or Speedy did with theirs? Yeah, Robin would've been a good soldier at the time; but I guess Speedy and Ollie probably rough-housed all the time. ("Put down the needle, Roy!" "Make me!" "Put down the chili, Ollie!" "Make me!") (Written by Paul Kupperberg, pencils by Don Heck, inks by Joe Giella.)

Bees. My god. It's Wonder Woman vs. "The Insanity Swarm!" Intelligent bees attack the Houston space center, leaving those stung as mindless and comatose. It's old JLA baddie the Queen Bee, who, when wrapped up in Diana's magic lasso, explains she had taken their minds, but even the lasso couldn't force her to give them back: she had set the self-destruct to prevent even her doing so. But, if Wonder Woman became her slave, then maybe...(Written by Gerry Conway, pencils by Joe Staton, inks by Frank McLaughlin.) 

 This was around DC Implosion time, wasn't it? But, there is a US Postal Service Statement of Ownership this issue: total paid circulation, single issue nearest to filing date, 91,693. As usual, those would be blockbuster numbers today, but I don't think were amazing for the time, maybe even for a bimonthly book. Still, this didn't have a copy of the house ad promoting it; not because it would've been redundant, but this book was no ads at the time! I'll add said ad the next time I stumble across it.

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Might've bought this one more than once, but Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez on Bat Lash! C'mon.

I'm momentarily at a loss to describe the opening story: not really a crossover, and yet...from 2012, All-Star Western #10, "The War of Lords and Owls, part 1" Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti, art by Moritat.

Tallulah Black has just gotten thrown out of the Wayne Casino--out of a second story window. She came in the middle of a conversation between Lucius Bennett and Alan Wayne, an ancestor of Bruce Wayne's, which was thick with veiled threats. Jonah Hex has to withdraw with Tallulah, taking her for medical treatment to his associate, Dr. Amadeus Arkham. (This series, post-New 52, was tied to Batman lore; and would stay there for a stretch, largely to establish that the rot in Gotham had been festering for some time.) The Court of Owls also makes an appearance, and they think Jonah will help them achieve their own goals.

At Arkham's, Tallulah wakes up grouchy, with Dr. Arkham finds both intimidating and interesting. She immediately takes Jonah to bed. Later that night, Arkham tries to get answers from a deranged man, who claims the owls were after him since in his job as a chimney sweep, he had seen where they meet. Arkham assumed him to be insane, but the man and a guard are murdered almost impossibly quickly; and after finding a feather Arkham decides he'd best talk to Jonah...

But, also this issue: Bat Lash, in "Unholy Matrimony" Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti, art by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez! Bat is on the verge of being forced to the altar with a very pregnant young woman--one of twins. Despite protestations from the twins and their father, Bat knows the girls weren't completely identical: one had gotten knocked-up by a livery worker before his accidental death, and they had thought if they roped Bat in he'd have all the money they'd ever need. It's a fun story, that looks great; and despite being the start of a storyline I wasn't real invested in, the rest of the issue was pretty good too. Read more!

Today, Rick Jones misses his shot at grunge a decade early.

Black hole sun, won't you come--oh, it might be here already. From 1984, ROM #60, "The Eyes of a Child!" Written by Bill Mantlo, pencils by Steve Ditko, inks by Tom Palmer.

Rick Jones is having a nightmare, that he thinks is about Wraithworld, but he gets the "it was earth all along" twist when he sees the fallen Statue of Liberty. But, then we get Rom flying through unseasonably cold weather: it's one of comics' best "red skies" crossovers, the opening of the Casket of Ancient Winters! The editorial caption box credits it to Thor #349, but I think it was actually #348. Massive snowfall across the planet, and across multiple titles, like the Avengers books, and perhaps most famously, Amazing Spider-Man #258. While Rom has a talk with Brandy Clark, who was currently the spaceknight Starshine and getting progressively angrier and more violent; we check in on a train stopped by the snows, just in time to see everyone on board murdered by the Dire Wraiths. The Wraith Sisterhood, the magic-using ones, seem somewhat divided: sure, they can kill a bunch of people, but so what? What was their goal? Conveniently, one explains it: to recreate Wraithworld on earth!

The army, with Rick, Rom, and Brandy in tow; discover the train and the slaughter two days later. Rom is even at a loss to explain the Wraiths' cruelty, while Rick is trying to hold it together, since the cancer he picked up trying to turn himself into a Hulk was progressing. Rick does find a survivor: a little girl, who was beyond traumatized. But, Starshine points out, she has the tell-tale wound on her head of a Wraith tongue-sucker, and must die! Rick has to throw himself in front of a blast; and Rom's analyzer reveals the child to be human. The girl, Cindy--I don't think we get her name this issue!--tells how the Wraiths killed her parents, but her mom had survived long enough to slice the Wraith's tongue. Instead of getting her brain sucked out, now she knew everything that Wraith had known...including their Wraithworld plans! She would be a recurring character for a good chunk of the rest of the run. Read more!

"Events."

The Age of Apocalypse Forge appeared in X-Man, and died there: Jean encountered Nate Grey later and would've picked that up since he had been a father-figure to him. 

We might have to check out Immortal X-Men #7 one of these days; since it features Nightcrawler abusing the hell out of the Krakoan-reincarnation system. Think playing a video game and just plunking in quarter after quarter every time you die...with two rolls of quarters and a lot of determination.

I also think I might have backpedaled on an earlier notion, that someone would need to find another person from the Age of Apocalypse to scan for a return trip there; but Kurt indicates after going back and forth Zero would probably be able to do it again. 

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