2020 Epic Collections September to December

Some late 2020 Epics have been announced by Near Mint Condition and The Epic Marvel Podcast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0ONVkP1ctM

Complete Collections

Tomb of Dracula v4
Thor The Eternals Saga
Iron Man Mike Grell
Man Thing by Steve Gerber v3

Thor Eternals saga torpedoes my idea that Thor Epic 10 is incoming!

Epic Collections

Conan The Marvel Years v2

SLIGHLY surprised to see another so soon but there's a LOT of Conan to get through. Won't even make a guess because I think we think the contents of v1 may not be final.

But, In Theory, there should be issues featuring Red Sonja in here, 24 for example..... who Marvel do not own the rights to! Do Marvel's rights for Conan include printing her guest appearances?

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=4434&page=gallery

X-Force v3

Expected, ish. The only worry was X-Force's appearances in the Epic schedule have been erratic.

Contents (Guess) X-Force v3 20-33, Annual 2, Nomad 20, New Warriors 44-46

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=4128&page=gallery It's the 4th part of Fatal Attractions printed in Epics, just UXM 304 & Excalibur 71 to go

Master Of Kung Fu v3 Traitors to the Crown

Expected, next volume in sequence, slightly overdue as usually MOKF has been summer.

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=4014&page=gallery

Uses 72's Title, volume starts at 54 so something like 54-75, Marvel Two In One 29, What If 16

Hulk v5 Who will judge the Hulk?

Expected, next volume in sequence, usually an earlier Hulk in the Autumn

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=3984&page=gallery

Uses 152's Title, volume starts 138. Should include Avengers 88 which crosses over with Hulk 140. Issue length is up and down during the volume so it's hard to be exact but should run to c 156/157

Black Panther v3 Panther's Prey

A surprise!

Black Panther was considered "probably done" with everything up to the 88 Limited series printed.

11 page Black Panther story in Solo Avengers 19

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/comic.php?comicid=49307

Black Panther runs in Marvel Comics Presents in 1989, with 8 page stories in issues 13-37, 24 issues of 8 pages

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=4743&page=gallery

Panther's Prey is a 1991 4 issue Limited series

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?page=gallery&seriesid=4183

There's a 9 page Black Panther story in Marvel Fanfare 60

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/story.php?storyid=129549

A single other Panther story in MCP 148

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/story.php?storyid=124074

The next Panther series is in 1998

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?page=gallery&seriesid=8879

X-Factor v2

A surprise!

I was expecting v9, 101-113, Annual 9, X-Force 38 Excalibur 82 (Phalanx Covenant) following on from 7 & 8 the last two years

Contents (Guess) "Mutant Massacre" 10-20, Annual 2, Thor 373-374 & 378, Power Pack 27 and Hulk 336-337

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=4068&page=gallery

Avengers v18 Heavy Metal

A BIG surprise!

Avengers had been concentrating on Harras and I expected to see his next volume, 25 (368-378, Annual 23, X-Men 26, Avengers West Coast 101 & 102 and Uncanny X-Men 307)

Contents (Guess) Avengers v18 286-300, Annual 17, Thor 390

Let's back that up with some calcs:

286-300 is 15 issues, 16 and a bit as 300 is slightly over double sized.

Annual 17 is between 297 & 298 and is slightly over double sized. All but 19 issues.

301-303 are one story, so they need to stay together, not enough room for all 3, especially as 304 should really be with them.

One issue short. Avengers all together in Thor 390, where Cap lifts the hammer, so that goes in.

This is the Epic volume a friend has been waiting for with the start of the Simonson Time Barrier story and the Cross Time Council of Kangs

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=3986&page=gallery

Bye bye to the Old Avengers Heavy Metal trade which finished 3 issues too early!

Captain America v10 Of Monsters and Men

A BIG BIG Surprise!

An earlier Cap is waaaay Overdue (years) so Epic 5 starting 160 was very much expected.

This is 279's title. Epic 9 Dawn's Early Light (247-266, annual 5) is out as is Epic 12 Society of Serpents (302-317) so I had a go at Cap Epics 10 and 11 a while back:

10 Of Monsters & Men: 267-283, Annual 6, Defenders 106-107

11 - which will go on the "one volume gap" list: 284-301, Annual 7

Most of 11 was reprinted in Death of the Red Skull

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=3983&page=gallery

Doesn't shift an old trade but I've got all the issues in a long box under the bed!

Doctor Strange v4 Alone Against Eternity

Doctor Strange's Epic releases have been very random so I had no idea what to expect!

Alone Against Eternity is the title of Doctor Strange 10 http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/comic.php?comicid=47212

This confirms it to be Doctor Strange Epic 4, following on from 3 which you've read. This is the fifth Doctor Strange release but the first to be adjacent to another volume.

Will start issue 6

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=4035&page=gallery

The Masterworks for this period include

5 Marvel Premiere #9-14 and Doctor Strange #1-9

6 Doctor Strange #10-22, Annual #1 and Tomb of Dracula #44

7 Doctor Strange #23-37 and material from Chamber of Chills #3-4

Doctor Strange Annual 1 is the same month as DS 19 http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/newsstand.php?publisher=marvel&type=cover&month=10&year=1976&sort=alpha

Chamber of Chills 3 & 4 are cover dated March & May 73 before Doctor Strange the series started http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/newsstand.php?type=cover&month=3&year=1973&publisher=marvel&sort=alpha&checklist=null http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/newsstand.php?type=cover&month=5&year=1973&publisher=marvel&sort=alpha&checklist=null

I think this looks something like 6-26, Tomb of Dracula 44 and maybe those Chamber of Chills Issues

Hulk v15

A BIG BIG BIG Surprise!

We'd been expecting a later Hulk but probably v23 to follow on from 19-22.

The consensus of opinion was this was the stuff between Mantlo and David's runs, so the Byrne Written & Drawn and Milgrom written issues which would be Hulk 314-330, Annuals 14 & 15 Marvel Fanfare 29. I thought that looked a little fat for an Epic: 314-330 is 17 issues by itself, Marvel Fanfare 29 makes 18 and 2 each for each of the annuals = 22 issues. So I got digging....

330-396 is 67 issues without including doubles sized and annuals and extras - FF issue, Hulk vs Thing GN. so at 20 x 22 page issues per Epic 16-18 ain't gonna cover that.

Will try do do the numbers..... but I think this looks more like Milgrom and start of Peter David or even straight start of Peter David. The PD Visionaries contents are:

1) 331-339
2) 340-348
3) 349-354 Web of Spider-Man 44. Fantastic Four 320
4) 355-363 Marvel Comic Presents 26, 45
5) 364-372 Annual 16
6) 373-382
7) 383-389 Annual 17
8) 390-396 Annual 18, X-Factor 76

That's another 9 issues (annuals count 2) taking us to 76. At least three doubles in there too (345, 377 & 393) taking us to 79.... which is 4 whole Epics.

Nah, this isn't the in between volume, this is the first 20 issues worth of Peter David.

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=3984&page=gallery

The numbers

I think 15 is 331 - 346, the issue after Ground Zero Far far too elegant a stopping point to miss that, plus the Big Change Grahic Novel (same month as 337)

16 346-362, Web of Spider-Man 44, FF 320, Avengers Annual 17 main story and MCP 26

17 "Countdown" 363-380, MCP49, Annual 16 Lifeform

18 381-396 Annual 17 Subteranean Wars, X-Factor 76

That's the two Peter David Visionaries that I kept gone!

X-Men v7 Fate of the Phoenix

Slightly surprised by this.

But possibly not as much as I should have been as 2020 is the 40th anniversary of the Phoenix story and there has been a lot off speculation this might appear.

IF it's a 2020 book, and I'm not 100% convinced it is, it will be the first of the "two volume a year" Epics to have 2 earlier volumes out in the same year - most have an earlier and a later volume but Avengers did two later volumes in 2019.

Unless ASM 16, Ion Man 12 or Avengers 6 is sitting hidden away, X-Men will be the first Epic with SEVEN consecutive volumes out.

Very much expecting this to be 129-143 (Byrne's last issue) Annual 5, Bizarre Adventures 27 and MTIO 89 - Angel

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=3987&page=gallery

I can get shot of the paperbacks of the first 5 X-Men MMWs thanks to this!

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After the first 4 I was thinking "Yeah, pretty much what I'm expecting" then it went Radio Rental. Last third of the year has been easy to predict till now, lots of volumes in roughly the same place, chugging out next in sequence. Not this time!

I think there's at least one of Later Thor, Earlier DD or Later FF hidden away at the start of Sept. I think at least one, maybe two of these are actually early 2021 - possibly X-Men, as it would be odd to have two earlier volumes, or Hulk 15, as later Hulk has usually been year start.

Still SW and a possible Conan Chronicles to come.

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Near Mint Condition have subsequently released a provisional schedule on FB:

September:

Black Panther Epic Collection: Panther's Prey
Captain America Epic Collection: Monsters And Men
Master Of Kung Fu Epic Collection: Traitors To The Crown
Thor: The Eternals Saga - The Complete Collection
Tomb Of Dracula: The Complete Collection Vol. 4

October:

Doctor Strange Epic Collection: Alone Against Eternity
Incredible Hulk Epic Collection Vol. 15
Man-Thing By Steve Gerber: The Complete Collection Vol. 3

November:

Incredible Hulk Epic Collection: Who Will Judge The Hulk?
Iron Man By Mike Grell: The Complete Collection
X-Factor Epic Collection Vol. 2

December:

Avengers Epic Collection: Heavy Metal
Conan The Barbarian: The Original Marvel Years Epic Collection Vol. 2
X-Force Epic Collection Vol. 3
X-Men Epic Collection: The Fate Of The Phoenix

Marvel Epic Collections and the MCU

I've been looking at the upcoming MCU films and thinking how they might effect The Epic Collections. Marvel does like a nice tie in and if the Epics can schedule an appropriate volume around then, all well and good. Frequently there's two bites of the cherry, one for the film release, one for the home media release.

Cases in point: The two Ms Marvel volumes, the timing of the ASM Venom volume, The Two Black Widow volumes and the two New Mutants volumes this year, Renewal's reprint is just before the film and Cable's release is probably around about the DVD release.

So using the information half inched from Wikipedia's Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Four page and it's Live-action theatrical films based on Marvel Comics links I've come up with this list. The first three cover the period where we know what books are coming out:

New Mutants
April 3, 2020

Black Widow
May 1, 2020

Morbius
July 31st 2020

Interestingly no Epic to tie in with Morbius - his first appearance will be in ASM Epic 6 (86-104) and we've had two ASM Epics early this year - but I can see a nice big Omnibus on the runway. Future films are:

Venom 2
October 2, 2020

The Eternals
November 6, 2020

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
February 12, 2021

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
May 7, 2021

Untitled Spider-Man: Far From Home sequel
July 16, 2021

Thor: Love and Thunder
November 5, 2021

And I think these might hint at some stuff to come, possibly at some vague shapes for the 2021 schedules and possibly explain some books which have moved round the schedules recently.

So here's a little speculation:

Venom 2 - October 2, 2020

As I said, we've had TWO ASM Epics alredy this year. I think the Venom 2 Movie might trigger some reprints. I'd say ASM 18 Venom (295-310, Annual 22) to solve the QC issues but that's still in print. Quite a few appearances in the next few volumes though, several of which are currently OOP.

The Eternals - November 6, 2020

The obvious prediction to make here would be for an Eternals Epic Collection 1, but that would need the Kirby Eternals series, which is getting a printing as a Complete Collection in July. I A) think that's a bit soon for it to be getting another print in another format and B) can't see much (any?) Epic material that's also been in a complete collection.

But there's something else they could do and that's an Epic with the Thor Eternals saga in. That'd be Thor Epic 10 containing something like #279-302 and Annual #7-8, Marvel Treasury Edition #24, 26.

The last half of the issues that would be in Thor Epic 10 are about (29th January) to be reprinted in Thor Masterworks 19. Usually I'd be tempted to say straight away that that would take them off the Epics schedule for a bit but here I'm not so sure. Thor Masterworks normally appear in the Autumn - the last 3 have, and indeed Thor MMW 18 only came out 18th September 2019 so that's a very small gap between volumes. They'd be good thing to have out opposite the Eternals Film, so what's it doing pulled forward, out of the MMW's usual release area and away from when it would benefit from the film? The only conclusion I can come to is that Thor Epic 10 is on the runway for about when The Eternals is due to hit the cinema or early 2021 when the home release is due.

That might also make some sense of there being just one Thor Epic, a later one, in 2019 and the earlier volume shifting to a spring release slot.

There's just one Epic 10 already, and that's Iron Man's. Be interesting to see if Thor 10 counts as an earlier or later Epic.

Of course if Thor 10 *did* come out early 2021 that would bump the expected release of Thor 7, which is the next of the earlier releases in order and would contain 217 to something like 240. Now I want that volume as it would contain 234-236, the earliest Thor issues I read. But maybe that volume getting bumped back a bit wouldn't be a bad thing.....

So while I'm not 100% sure where, I do think it's pretty likely Thor Epic 10 will be coming out to tie in with either the cinema or home media release of The Eternals

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - February 12, 2021

Easier one this. Master Of Kung Fu got bumped out of it's usual summer position this year. I expect we'll see Epic 3 late in 2020 so it's on the shelves for the film's release and Epic 4 c April-June to tie in with the Home Media release.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - May 7, 2021

Much earlier Doctor Strange release for 2021 late April early May, which might mean no late 2020 Doctor Strange Epic this year..... But might also mean possibly a second 2021 Doctor Strange Epic to tie in with the home media release.

Untitled Spider-Man: Far From Home sequel - July 16, 2021

Amazing Spider-Man's Epics are early this year, next year they might be middle of the year. ASM is popular anyway with 2 Epics a year so this Movie might be an ideal point to launch one of the other Spider-Man Epics, probably Peter Parker The Spectacular Spider-Man.

Thor: Love and Thunder - November 5, 2021

There's usually a late year Thor Epic or 2, but that changed this last year with just a later Thor at the end of the year and an earlier one in the Spring. Above we speculated that Thor Epic 10 might be in the pipeline in connection with Eternals bumping Thor Epic 7..... what if Thor Epic 7 gets bumped to here? There's a major Jane Foster plotline in the 230s issues and Jane Foster supposedly has a big role in the new Thor film.

So....

Late 2020/Early 2021 Thor Epic 10 to tie in with The Eternals Movie

Late 2020 MOKF Epic 3 to tie in with Shang-Chi's Cinema Release

Early 2021 MOKF Epic 4 to tie in with Shang-Chi's Home Media Release

cApril 2021 Doctor Strange Epic ?? to tie in with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Cinema Release

?? cSept 2021 Doctor Strange Epic ?? to tie in with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Home Media Release

June/July 2021/late 2021 2 ASM Epics and Peter Parker Epic 1 to tie i with the Untitled Spider-Man: Far From Home sequel releases

November 2021 Thor Epic 7 to tie in with the Thor: Love and Thunder Cinema Release

Spearhead from Space 4 prop reuse!

While watching Spearhead from Space, the machine the Doctor builds to defeat the Autons in episode 4 caught my eye. In particular it was the shiny sphere used in the machine, and the way it was opened up in the lab exposing electronics inside.

I thought "I've seen a silver sphere like that with electronics inside before in Web of Fear!" and sure enough...

A better look at the sphere when it's opened in the factory confirms it's previous usage!