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Hello Heroes!

It’s time to check on what my top 5 comic book covers of the week are! Each week (when I get the chance) I choose five new release covers that I think are simply brilliant, eye catching or sexy.  Whatever that makes me go “wow” or inspires me to read that book, and maybe I pick something that you may make you want to check it out.

So let’s get to it and have a look at my top five comic books covers of the week:

The King of Monsters roars.

I like Godzilla. While I’m not overly versed in the near sixty year history of the kaiju (Japanese giant monster) icon, I am familiar with the movies; I have many in my collection that I enjoy on a regular basis.

I’ve been aware of the previous books that IDW had been putting out and had some curiosity, but I never bit until now. The title for this new series alone is pretty irresistible; Godzilla: Rulers of Earth. So, this has been my first foray into Godzilla comics since the Marvel issues of the 70’s and I didn’t know quite what to expect. I also don’t know how much this series is tied into continuity (previous IDW series or the movies) but even only armed with the basics, I was able to jump in and go for the ride.

A possible Godzilla sighting by a submarine launches the story as we are set in a world were big monsters roam the world. We’re give some background on where the other monsters residing on earth are and even see a rumble between Gigan and Kumonga that also serves as some foreshadowing. In Honolulu, a Megazoology conference takes place and is where we meet some of the human characters of the story. A giant monster arrives and begins to wreak havoc on the island. The story ends on a real nice cliffhanger; Godzilla shows up and is about to throw down with the other recognizable kaiju.

Monstar Likes: The art in this comic was awesome. Matt Frank really knows how to go big. If this were a movie it would be pretty damn incredible. His Godzilla is spot-on. Chris Mowry keeps the story nice and tight, building up suspense as well as having fun it. There really isn’t a dull moment. The parts of Godzilla movies that kinda derailed my attention were the humans at ground level. But the characters crafted in this book are pretty damn interesting in their own right and I want to know what happens to them.

Monstar Dislikes: You know, I really didn’t find anything to dislike. Maybe a “story so far” paragraph on the splash page to get an indication where this fits, continuity-wise; in case I wanted to get some more background. But to be honest, it’s not a real necessity.

Monstar Verdict: After checking out this issue, I was very pleased. It’s a solid read. Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #1 is a really fun book and I look forward to the next issue. You don’t have to be a hardcore fan to dig this read, just know giant monsters are about to go head to head and you have a ring-side seat.

Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #1 is available now.

@MonstarPR - Follow me on Twitter

So yeah. My planned 12 day tribute to Luke Cage was only 6. Unfortunately, I just didn't have enough time to dedicate to it. Which sucks because there is such a wealth to the character that I would like to revisit a Power-Man tribute again in the future.

When I first thought about the project it was going to be just me posting some of the more iconic cover and comment on them, but then it just kinda grew because I wanted to write about the different aspects of the character.

So expect to be seeing the Hero For Hire here on this site.

Until then, here is more Luke.

Day 1 - Luke Cage, Hero For Hire #15
Day 2 - Amazing Spider-man #123
Day 3 - Power Man And Iron Fist #50
Day 4 - Luke Cage Action Figure
Day 5 - Merchandising of Luke Cage, Hero For Hire
Day 6  - The Costume Now

Counting the 12 Days Of Sweet Christmas - A tribute to Luke Cage, Hero For Hire continues. SEE HERE for other entries

Luke Cage Action Figure

There have been a few Power Man action figures that have been produced over the years. Some are hit and some are miss, but it is cool that Luke has been given some love by the Marvel Toy gods.


The first Power Man figure I had seen was the Marvel Gold one, which was pretty horrible. I mean, check out the thigh in relation to his head. What the hell were they thinking? I was never a Toy Biz fan and while I did dig the wide range of figures they produced, man, that is just horrible.


The best representation of a Luke action figure is the Marvel Legends figure. The articulation on this cat is incredible. Even his fingers are articulated. The sculpt is awesome, just an all around solid figure.



The second best Luke figure is the more recently released Marvel Universe 3 3/4 inch. This one came in a two-pack with Iron Fist which made this an easy buy. It really does not get better than this. I do want to note that Luke had a previous MU figure released, however it was of his more "modern" look. I'm not too big a fan of this one, as it just looks like some dude hanging out.


A missed opportunity was made by Mego in the 70's. Power Man would have been a perfect character for their World's Greatest Heroes line, joining the likes of Captain America, Human Torch, The Falcon, Spider-man and Thor. While it didn't come to pass, some creative individuals have taken to customizing their own versions, like the one above. Pretty awesome, I hope to make one myself. (Luke Cage custom by megalomaniac001)

So while there is not an abundance of Cage figures, he has found some representation in the medium; Minimates even has a Marvel's Zombies version of Luke. One figure that really needs to get made and one that I am holding out for is a Power Man Super Hero Squad figure. Now that would be Sweet.

Counting the 12 Days Of Sweet Christmas - A tribute to Luke Cage, Hero For Hire continues. See Day 1 Day 2.


Power Man And Iron Fist #50
It says it right there on the cover; Beginning: A New Era of Greatness! And so it was for the next seventy-five issues. #50 marks the teaming up of Luke Cage and Danny Rand as Heroes For Hire. The striking cover images say it all, the heroes in vivid color rushing at you ready for action while in the background you get a glimpse of what they are going to be encountering; Gambling, the cops getting blasted, super powered bad guys, street crime and of course, hot babes. This issue marked an exciting new turn and perfectly captures the 70's vibe.

Counting the 12 Days Of Sweet Christmas - A tribute to Luke Cage, Hero For Hire continues.

See Day 1 Here.

Amazing Spider-man #123
Another bad ass cover that features Luke is Amazing Spider-man #123. You have to hand it to Luke, he comes in as a guest star for an issue and how does he make his debut? By handing the star back his ass on the cover. Luke sends Spider-man flying high above New York City. Though I have no idea what a "Strap-Hanger" type is.

Luke Cage. He is a bad mother fucker. Created in the early 70's Luke busted on to the superhero scene in Marvel Comics' Luke Cage, Hero For Hire #1. Who is this man who kicked ass in a gold shirt and silver tiara? Luke was a man who was locked up for a crime he did not commit. While in the joint, he went through an experiment that made his skin super strong as well as increasing his muscles abilities.

Unlike most heroes, Luke did not go in for the common good...well, at least not as first. He became a hero to get paid. After awhile he began teaming up with another 70's creation, martial arts master; Iron Fist. Together they formed Heroes For Hire. Since, Luke has gone on to join The Avengers.

One of Luke's catch phrases is "Sweet Christmas!" And so is the name of this tribute to one of comicdom's most badass superheroes. Welcome to the 12 Days of Sweet Christmas.

Luke Cage, Hero For Hire #15
The cover is incredibly impactful. Our hero, Luke, is chained but not for long! As his past has come back to haunt him, it can't keep him down. And chained he may be....He's busting out! You can see the rage on Luke's face, this is it man. Things are going to go down. Great cover and my choice for number twelve.

Not a bad start for this newer Avengers title.

In a sea of monthly Avengers titles this one caught my eye. While Avengers Assemble is 616 Universe proper, it really does cater to the Marvel Cinematic Universe crowd, which is actually kind of fun and a selling point for me.

A mad plan by Avengers movie post credit sequence star Thanos is set in motion as he tries to attain a "Cosmic Cube" for universal domination. The Avengers step in to save the day with an assist from the Guardians of the Galaxy. Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye, Iron Man and Black Widow do battle with baddies on earth and in space.

The story moves along briskly and we go from Avengers knocking around some Zodiac powered villains to a cosmic jaunt that involves the Guardians and Celestial entities. It's a fun read that works on several levels. Brian Michael Bendis is obviously well versed in the characters and does an amazing job in their interactions and keeping the humorous tone from the movie, while still staying within the Marvel U.

The art by Mark Bagley is incredible. Nice detail work. His Hulk is spot on, there is a lot of depth and it feels big, which is perfect for this arc.

I had a good time with this arc. Like I mentioned Avengers Assemble is a solid read for fans of the Marvel Movies and casual comic readers. It's also a nice Guardians of The Galaxy and Thanos primer, who will obviously be seen in future Marvel Movies, which is probably what it was intended for.