The Natural

I miss The Spectacular Spider-Man. Terrific that.

New Joker images.

Doing it for us giggs wearers! Bonus:

To me, cricket is Test Match Special.

Same.

A few reviews from Brand New Day, an unpopular time for Spider-Man: The Amazing Spider-Man: New Ways to Die collects The Amazing Spider-Man #568-573. Spider-Man has to deal with the Thunderbolts led by Norman Osborn and Osborn as the Green Goblin. A new symbiote debuts as well. I read this a while after I’d read most of Dan Slott’s solo Spider-Man run which started with Big Time. A decent story, the highlight was the return of John Romita Jr. to the Amazing Spider-Man book. The Amazing Spider-Man: Crime and Punishment collects The Amazing Spider-Man #574-577. I was surprised to find Flash Thompson lost his legs in combat when I read The Amazing Spider-Man: Matters of Life and Death and Spider-Island ages ago. I requested this book only for the issue it happened in, #574 to see how it was handled and as you would expect it’s a heavy story. It’s also done well most importantly. A major development in the character’s history. The Amazing Spider-Man #578-579. The story called Unscheduled Stop by Mark Waid. I first read this in the Amazing Spider-Man: Death and Dating from my Sister for Christmas 2011 and went back to read it again for this review. Spider-Man has to deal with a subway collapse, all that brings by the Shocker. It’s a great story as Spidey contends with the problems caused by the collapse in the Subway; it introduces J. Jonah Jameson Sr. and the super art by Marcos Martin. The Amazing Spider-Man #600. Dan Slott’s written three anniversary issues for the Amazing Spider-Man, #600 (2009), #700 (2012) and #800 (2018). This was the one I hadn’t read. Doctor Octopus is dying so takes control of mechanisms in New York City via his brainwaves as a parting gift. It’s interesting delving in the past and knowing what followed. The seeds sown too. I liked the issue with talk regarding Spider-Man’s secret identity, how he’s been revealing it more lately after One More Day and the guest appearances are relevant as Daredevil/the Fantastic Four/the Avengers are based in the city. Fun is had with Spidey and the Human Torch playing off one another, chuckled at Johnny hitting on captured girls Pete knows in his civilian guise. Forgot the issue also sees J Jonah Jameson Sr. marry May Reilly Parker-Jameson and Mary Jane Watson shows. Was this her first appearance in Brand New Day?

Batman: Hush collects Wizard #0 and Batman #608-691 by Jeph Loeb/Jim Lee. Wizard #0 is a good two page retelling of Batman’s origin narrated by Alfred Pennyworth. The title story sees Bats going up against his villains and even a friend in Superman by the manipulations of a new arrival, Hush and somebody working in the shadows. This was one of a number of Batman books I started with when I really began my Batman graphic novel reading in '05. I liked Jim Lee’s art, Batman’s storyline with Catwoman, also the Batman/Nightwing issue and I approve of the mastermind behind all this getting the treatment he does. Loeb puts Batman up against his rogues’ roster again but the book’s nowhere near the level of his Batman: The Long Halloween (I need to read Batman: Dark Victory at some point). Hush’s identity is predictable. Paul Dini did a great job expanding Hush’s backstory in Batman: Heart of Hush. If you ask me, that’s the one with Hush in to go for.

I've won two prizes before and missed out on them a couple of times by one place. Said it before, it's the taking part that counts. I have every year and long before prizes came to be. Thanks for running this yearly tradition, @S.K.o.S.!

Crying with laughter at the video and not at my mate, @J.T.

I'd add Edge to The Undertaker as the Undertaker couldn't sit up with what happened to him, made for a good visual that and Seth Rollins on Brock Lesnar but that's a divisive one.

Just released:

WandaVision poster.

Black Widow's white costume for Black Widow (2020).

England's remarkable win in numbers: This is England's highest fourth-innings total to win a Test; the previous highest was 332-7 against Australia at Melbourne in 1928-29. It is the 10th highest successful chase in Test history. This is the third time a team has been bowled out for under 70 in their first innings and gone on to win the Test - the other two instances also occurred in the Ashes, but in 1882 (Australia 63 all out) and 1887 (England 45 all out). Ben Stokes and Jack Leach's stand of 76 is the third-highest 10th wicket partnership in the fourth innings to win a first-class match. This is only England's fourth Test victory by one wicket and first since against South Africa at Cape Town in 1923. Headingley is the first venue to see four fourth-innings totals over 300 to win a Test.