Michael Hancock
@personofcon.bsky.social
Phd haver and UWaterloo English instructor. Interested in games, digital media, comic books, and gamebooks. He/him
In the fourth story, a villainous Nova teams up with Doom, Red Skull, and Sphinx to kill every hero on earth. They all doublecross each other, and the last standing is Sphinx, searching to the means of ending his own life, not knowing Nova could have done it.
November 30, 2025 at 10:39 PM
In the fourth story, a villainous Nova teams up with Doom, Red Skull, and Sphinx to kill every hero on earth. They all doublecross each other, and the last standing is Sphinx, searching to the means of ending his own life, not knowing Nova could have done it.
What If 14 Sgt Fury Fought WWII in Outer Space is... bizarre. and infamously nonsensical. First, there's something offensive to their victims about replacing real world Nazis with random aliens. And second, there's a lot of people smoking and wearing hats in space suits.
November 30, 2025 at 10:39 PM
What If 14 Sgt Fury Fought WWII in Outer Space is... bizarre. and infamously nonsensical. First, there's something offensive to their victims about replacing real world Nazis with random aliens. And second, there's a lot of people smoking and wearing hats in space suits.
It's written and drawn by Jack Kirby and his art (and public-friendly take on the Marvel Bullpen) is probably the highlight here.
November 30, 2025 at 10:39 PM
It's written and drawn by Jack Kirby and his art (and public-friendly take on the Marvel Bullpen) is probably the highlight here.
Hoberg's splash page of Jane Thor's first appearance is impressive. She becomes divine, but loses Thor to Sif. And then... marries Odin? It's a weird twist, with a footnote telling us, don't worry, in this alt reality Odin is single.
November 30, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Hoberg's splash page of Jane Thor's first appearance is impressive. She becomes divine, but loses Thor to Sif. And then... marries Odin? It's a weird twist, with a footnote telling us, don't worry, in this alt reality Odin is single.
The big bad is the racist caricature, the Yellow Claw. Here he is with his henchman Fritz. Fritz brags about his old job, as Auschwitz commandant. Wait to pick your henches, Yellow Claw. Thomas gets a concept and editing credit.
November 30, 2025 at 10:39 PM
The big bad is the racist caricature, the Yellow Claw. Here he is with his henchman Fritz. Fritz brags about his old job, as Auschwitz commandant. Wait to pick your henches, Yellow Claw. Thomas gets a concept and editing credit.
The plot is Dr Doom trying to take advantage of Reed's growing isolation to drain his power but it backfires and Reed ends up in Doom's body. It's interesting for that characterization, that the typically Vulcan-like Reed grows emotionally desperate seeing Sue falling for Ben.
November 30, 2025 at 10:39 PM
The plot is Dr Doom trying to take advantage of Reed's growing isolation to drain his power but it backfires and Reed ends up in Doom's body. It's interesting for that characterization, that the typically Vulcan-like Reed grows emotionally desperate seeing Sue falling for Ben.
Issue 5 is what if Captain America didn't vanish during WWII, and features a lot of Bucky and Steve adapting to aging and passing the Captain America identity back and forth. There's a dramatic reveal where Baron Zemo takes off his Hydra mask to reveal another mask.
November 30, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Issue 5 is what if Captain America didn't vanish during WWII, and features a lot of Bucky and Steve adapting to aging and passing the Captain America identity back and forth. There's a dramatic reveal where Baron Zemo takes off his Hydra mask to reveal another mask.
In comics, I continue through the mainline What If series, specifically issues 4 through 18. Issue 4 is What if the Invaders continued after WWII, by Roy Thomas, Frank Robbins, and Frank Springer, and includes a memorable scene where the Human Torch of the 40s kills Hitler.
November 30, 2025 at 10:39 PM
In comics, I continue through the mainline What If series, specifically issues 4 through 18. Issue 4 is What if the Invaders continued after WWII, by Roy Thomas, Frank Robbins, and Frank Springer, and includes a memorable scene where the Human Torch of the 40s kills Hitler.
My other major read is that I'm about 250 pages into Adrian Tchaikovsky's City of Last Chances, and loving it. It's kind of half way between a really innovative sword and sorcery city and a city edging towards revolution against foreign occupiers.
November 30, 2025 at 10:39 PM
My other major read is that I'm about 250 pages into Adrian Tchaikovsky's City of Last Chances, and loving it. It's kind of half way between a really innovative sword and sorcery city and a city edging towards revolution against foreign occupiers.
But in leisure reading, I finished a novella--not a space opera novella, which is supposedly what I'm doing for my sci fi class, but a timeloop novella, because I can't resist a timeloop. I read Solvej Balle's "On the Calculation of Volume I."
November 30, 2025 at 10:39 PM
But in leisure reading, I finished a novella--not a space opera novella, which is supposedly what I'm doing for my sci fi class, but a timeloop novella, because I can't resist a timeloop. I read Solvej Balle's "On the Calculation of Volume I."
And in #11, Alberto Ponticelli steps up with the art, including this splash page of ANimal Man being remade from the dead by the aliens of his origin (who are just agents from the Red in this retcon).
November 23, 2025 at 5:19 PM
And in #11, Alberto Ponticelli steps up with the art, including this splash page of ANimal Man being remade from the dead by the aliens of his origin (who are just agents from the Red in this retcon).
The current day plotline is mostly Animal Man and/or others fleeing from the advancing Rot. Pugh doesn't do the art for every issue, but when he does, it's a pleasure. Here's Madame Xanadu's vision in 10.
November 23, 2025 at 5:19 PM
The current day plotline is mostly Animal Man and/or others fleeing from the advancing Rot. Pugh doesn't do the art for every issue, but when he does, it's a pleasure. Here's Madame Xanadu's vision in 10.
And that brings us to #2, what if The Hulk had the brain of Bruce Banner, by Thomas and Herb Trimpe. First, I love Trimpe's depiction of Bruce's origin. He does a similar trick later with Bruce's transformation, and it still works.
November 23, 2025 at 5:19 PM
And that brings us to #2, what if The Hulk had the brain of Bruce Banner, by Thomas and Herb Trimpe. First, I love Trimpe's depiction of Bruce's origin. He does a similar trick later with Bruce's transformation, and it still works.
And since it's the first What If?, there's a whole page dedicated to the Watcher explaining what a branching timeline is.
November 23, 2025 at 5:18 PM
And since it's the first What If?, there's a whole page dedicated to the Watcher explaining what a branching timeline is.
What If... Magneto and Professor X Had Formed the X-Men Together? (2004). By Chris Claremont and Raney. Again, this is a creator returning to a run they're majorly associated with. This is after Claremont's less successful return, but it's still clearly going in that direction.
November 23, 2025 at 5:18 PM
What If... Magneto and Professor X Had Formed the X-Men Together? (2004). By Chris Claremont and Raney. Again, this is a creator returning to a run they're majorly associated with. This is after Claremont's less successful return, but it's still clearly going in that direction.
Next up, What If... General Ross Had Become The Hulk? (2004), by Peter David and Pat Olliffe. This was at a particular point in time where David returning to the Hulk was a big deal, after his lengthy run had ended over dispute on story direction.
November 23, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Next up, What If... General Ross Had Become The Hulk? (2004), by Peter David and Pat Olliffe. This was at a particular point in time where David returning to the Hulk was a big deal, after his lengthy run had ended over dispute on story direction.
Over in comics reading, I'm still deep into What If territory at Marvel. Because it's largely a series of one shots, the descriptions here tend to be lengthy, so let's get started. First up: What If? Featuring Thor, by Robert Kirkman and Michael Avon Oeming.
November 23, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Over in comics reading, I'm still deep into What If territory at Marvel. Because it's largely a series of one shots, the descriptions here tend to be lengthy, so let's get started. First up: What If? Featuring Thor, by Robert Kirkman and Michael Avon Oeming.
The novella has at least two twists, but I don't think the twist has a lot to do with the apparent theme, which is people trying to persist under an authoritative regime. It was ok, but it's not what I was looking for class-wise.
November 23, 2025 at 5:18 PM
The novella has at least two twists, but I don't think the twist has a lot to do with the apparent theme, which is people trying to persist under an authoritative regime. It was ok, but it's not what I was looking for class-wise.
In leisure reading, I finished T. Kingfisher's Paladin's Grace. It's essentially a cozy romcom with a subplot about a serial killer. A paladin whose god has died has spent the last few years focusing on survival and fighting off his order's berserker rages, which is harder now the god is dead.
November 23, 2025 at 5:18 PM
In leisure reading, I finished T. Kingfisher's Paladin's Grace. It's essentially a cozy romcom with a subplot about a serial killer. A paladin whose god has died has spent the last few years focusing on survival and fighting off his order's berserker rages, which is harder now the god is dead.
I also really liked that they brought back Steve Pugh to do later art; he brought so much to the original series. (He and Dillon are probably the two I associate with it the most.)
November 16, 2025 at 7:25 PM
I also really liked that they brought back Steve Pugh to do later art; he brought so much to the original series. (He and Dillon are probably the two I associate with it the most.)
I'm a little mixed on Lemire's superhero work in general; I think it's often not a good fit for his style. But Animal Man plays to a lot of his strengths; it's got roots in horror, especially with some of its visuals, and it's more about family and the self than superherodom.
November 16, 2025 at 7:25 PM
I'm a little mixed on Lemire's superhero work in general; I think it's often not a good fit for his style. But Animal Man plays to a lot of his strengths; it's got roots in horror, especially with some of its visuals, and it's more about family and the self than superherodom.
And that means I jump ahead, to Jeff Lemire and Travel Foreman's Animal Man run from 2011. From issue 1, I really like Foreman's layouts; it starts with just conversation, but he keeps it pretty dynamic.
November 16, 2025 at 7:25 PM
And that means I jump ahead, to Jeff Lemire and Travel Foreman's Animal Man run from 2011. From issue 1, I really like Foreman's layouts; it starts with just conversation, but he keeps it pretty dynamic.
He was blinded and fights as Daredevil, complete with a lover who's the daughter of a Greek diplomat; the Murdock character is actually the 19th c Bullseye. It's confusing, but at least there's a moment when the Shogun throws a horse at someone.
November 16, 2025 at 7:25 PM
He was blinded and fights as Daredevil, complete with a lover who's the daughter of a Greek diplomat; the Murdock character is actually the 19th c Bullseye. It's confusing, but at least there's a moment when the Shogun throws a horse at someone.
And then there's this ending. "Maybe the world needs both sides: White Skulls, to show us the depths we can sink to, and Captain America to show us our heights." This is about two steps removed from "we needed a Hitler to show us how bad Hitlers are." No we do not!
November 16, 2025 at 7:25 PM
And then there's this ending. "Maybe the world needs both sides: White Skulls, to show us the depths we can sink to, and Captain America to show us our heights." This is about two steps removed from "we needed a Hitler to show us how bad Hitlers are." No we do not!
The premise is that Steve Rogers joins the North forces under Buck Barnes, and quickly learns Barnes is more interested in looting and murdering civilians than fighting a war, and is told the war is not in fact about slavery.
November 16, 2025 at 7:25 PM
The premise is that Steve Rogers joins the North forces under Buck Barnes, and quickly learns Barnes is more interested in looting and murdering civilians than fighting a war, and is told the war is not in fact about slavery.