Two NEW September 2020 Epic Collections and Comic Shop vs Book Shop dates

When I did 2020 Epic Collections September to December from Near Mint Condition and Epic Marvel Podcast's Breaking News: 11 New Marvel Epic Collections in 2020! video I said:

I think there's at least one of Later Thor, Earlier DD or Later FF hidden away at the start of Sept.

Sure enough the same suspects were back last night with a peak at the Hachette trade catalogue for September and guess what?

Fantastic Four Epic Collection 6: At War With Atlantis

Collecting: Fantastic Four 88-104, Annual 7 and Fantastic Four: The Lost Adventure

FF now has six consecutive volumes and is the first title to have two consecutive earlier volumes in the same year: Avengers did two later volumes in 2019 and X-Men is set to repeat the feat with 6 Proteus and 7 Fate of the Phoenix in 2019 too.

Thor Epic Collection 19: The Thor War

Collecting: Thor 437-450, Annuals 16 & 17

Very much as expected.

So I got both titles right even if I didn't get the FF volume right. The Hachette trade catalogue for September video indicates these are the only two Epics for September.

BUT I later added to 2020 Epic Collections September to December this addendum:

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

So how could FF 6 & Thor 19 be the only Epics in Septemeber and Black Panther 3 Panther's Prey, Captain America 10 Monsters And Men and Master Of Kung Fu 5 Traitors To The Crown also be the Epics coming in September?

The answer is we'e dealing with two different but connected timescales here.

Comics & trades hit comic shops on a Wednesday, and those are the dates in Previews etc. Comixology gets them the same day.

13 days later they hit book shops, Amazon and the like, via Hachette, Marvel's book distributor.

The dates in the The Hachette trade catalogue for September video are from the Hachette catalogue whose book release dates that month are Tuesdays 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd & 29th of that month. These books will be found in comic shops 19th & 26th of August and 2nd, 9th & 16th of September respectively.

So I'd take a punt FF & Thor are due in book shops 1st & 8th September, so would have been in comic shops 19th & 25th August. Following that there's a three weeks gap and, subject to plans having changed, we get Black Panther 3 Panther's Prey, Captain America 10 Monsters And Men & Master Of Kung Fu 3 Traitors To The Crown in comic shops 23rd & 30th September which then arrive in book shops via Hachette 6th & 13th October.

Clear? No I thought not, it is confusing!

Comic shop dates on the left, book shop/hachette/amazon dates on the right:

Comic Shops		Book Shops
Wednesday Aug 19	=	Tuesday Sep 01
Wednesday Aug 26	=	Tuesday Sep 08
Wednesday Sep 02	=	Tuesday Sep 15
Wednesday Sep 09	=	Tuesday Sep 22
Wednesday Sep 16	=	Tuesday Sep 29
Wednesday Sep 23	=	Tuesday Oct 06
Wednesday Sep 30	=	Tuesday Oct 13

The theory is further backed up by looking at prior releases. FF & Thor were first two weeks of September in book shops last year followed by no Epics for the rest of the month and a glut in October. (First date listed is comic shops, 2nd is book shops 13 days later)

Epic	Comic Shops	Book Shops
Fantastic Four 4 The Mystery Of The Black Panther	Aug 21 2019	Sep 03 2019
Thor 18 The Black Galaxy	Aug 28 2019	Sep 10 2019
West Coast Avengers 2 Lost in Space-Time	Sep 18 2019	Oct 01 2019
Star Wars: Legends 2 The Menace Revealed	Sep 18 2019	Oct 01 2019
Incredible Hulk 4 In The Hands Of Hydra	Sep 25 2019	Oct 08 2019

Indeed there's a very similar pattern the year before

Epic	Comic Shops	Book Shops
Defenders 8 The New Defenders	Aug 15 2018	Aug 28 2018
Amazing Spider-Man 18 Venom	Aug 29 2018	Sep 11 2018
Star Wars: Legends 1 The Menace Revealed	Sep 19 2018	Oct 02 2018
Thor 5 The Fall of Asgard	Sep 26 2018.	Oct 09 2018
West Coast Avengers 1 How The West Was Won	Sep 26 2018	Oct 09 2018

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!

Power Man & Iron Fist Epic Collection 3 Doombringer

Been reading Power Man & Iron Fist Epic Collection 3 Doombringer over Christmas.

This is one of those trades that's special beyond the contents.

Firstly it's a return for the PMIF Epics after a 3 year absence: PMIF 2 was in October 2016 and the lack of volumes since made me think Marvel had bailed on the series, just like they did on the Essentials 1 volume shy of completing the run.

Secondly, like Defenders Epic 8 The New Defenders, it takes us past the point Essentials had reprinted: Essential PMIF 3 got to issue 100, Epic 3 contains 90-107, the equivalent to 19 x 22 pages issues because 100 is double sized. All these issues are reprinted in colour for the first time and ll are new to Comixoloy with this book's release.

Thirdly gets more personal: 100 was the first issue of the series I read. I'd read the Rom story featuring them when it was reprinted in Star Wars UK and had encountered Power Man in an issue of Rampage Monthly that reprinted part of the Defenders annual he was is. So when my Father brought us some comics home from work I in late 1983 I pounced on the PMIF. To this day I think PMIF 100 is something special telling an anniversary story that recounts both characters origins, features most of their sizeable supporting cast and tells a decent story complete in one issue without you needing to have read anything else. Of course in more recent years I have read the lengthy run in to 100, from about 95 onwards, and that only adds to the story.

We received a few issues after that too: 102, with it's special guest stars, 103 & 106 in this volume are VERY familiar to me as are 108, with Luke Cage's guide to eating Pizza, and 116-117. 125 was a later acquisition from a comic shop, late 80s, so I could find out how the run ended and the rest of the run - certainly 90 onwards plus the Rom guest appearance in 73 - was acquired in 2006 when I gave up work.

It's not all as good as issue 100, and the next volume distinctly won't be as Jim Owsley takes over writing and never quite gets the right handle on the title. I'd question calling Epic 3 Doombringer, a 2 part story in 103-104, and their choice of cover 95 does leave something to be desired, though does feature the Power Crystal of Quon which plays a major role. To my mind Ernie Chan's Painted work for 100 is far far superior but I understand that the fact it's painted might make it harder to touch up for a modern cover and, indeed, it may not be available at all!

Who are the Earthshock Troopers?

I've been watching Earthshock and the identity of the troopers has been bugging me. Each is named and is wearing a badge, and we know who play which trooper when, but the badges aren't always clear and there's not enough to identfy all the troopers i the dialogue: Two don't get named, one of which makes it all the way to episode 4!

Here's who everyone is, with a note if more than one actor plays them as happens in at least 3 cases!

MEN

Lieutenant Scott James Warwick 1-4
Walters Steve Morley
Second Trooper (Carter) Mark Straker
Collis Kevin O’Brien
Jones Miles Ross
Brooks Steve Whyment
Marshall (location) Ian Ellis
Marshall (studio) Jonathan Evans 1-4

WOMEN

Sergeant Mitchell Ann Holloway
Snyder Suzi Arden
Bane Anne Clements
Seaton (Location & Studio Day 1) Lisa Clifton
Seaton (Studio Day 2) Mary Eveleigh
Bailey (Location & Studio Day 1) Linda French
Bailey (Studio Day 2) Jennie Persiva
Foster Lynne Brotchie 1-2

So which trooper is which and played by who in the program? We'll start with the easy ones:

Lieutenant Scott played by James Warwick, who survives!

Sergeant Mitchell played by Ann Holloway. She dies towards the end of the episodes in a search party with Troopers Carter & Bailey.

Walters, Steve Morley, and Snyder, Suzi Arden, are left on the surface.

Snyder later descends into the tunnel to meet the injured party and is killed there.

Bane (in the credits as First Trooper) is played by Anne Clements. She's the trooper that falls and injures her shoulder and is forced to return to the surface.

Collis, Kevin O’Brien, is the trooper who accompanies her and they're killed together.

We get a clear glimpse of Collis earlier in the episode walking through the tunnel. His badge is discernable on the Blu Ray version,

Carter (in the credits as Second Trooper) is played by Mark Straker. He's one of Mitchell's search party and gets to speak.

Carter too is seen clearly in the walking through the tunnel sequence. You can see enough of his badge to be sure who he is.

The other member of the search party is Bailey

On Location & Studio Day 1 she was played by Linda French.
In Studio Day 2 she was played by Jennie Persiva.

I've no way of telling which actress performed the search party scene!

Onto the later episodes. Three troopers survive the caves.

Te surviving female trooper is played by Nikki Dunsford who I think has her name spelt wrong on IMDB. Nice clear shot of her from episode 4. She's playing Austin, who's the other trooper who isn't named in dialogue and we don't see her name badge in any of the four episodes.

Brooks is played by Steve Whyment.

He is noticably absent from the Tardis scenes in episodes 2 & 4, to the point of causing a continuity error when is grabbed by a Cyberman at the rear of the party entering the Tardis.

Brooks goes with Scott to the bridge while Marshall is left guarding the stairs but cofusingly when we see the stairs being guarded it's Brooks while Marshall helps shift crates. Marshall is then killed off screen and Brooks escapes the frieghter in the escape pod.

On Location Marshall is played by Ian Ellis.

The production subs on the Blu Ray say he failed to show up for his make up tests and was replaced by Marshall (studio) Jonathan Evans who you can see with Austin, in the Tardis in episodes 2 & 4, and on the freigter in 4:

So that's 11 out of 14 troopers found!

The three unaccounted for names all perish off screen.

Jones, the other trooper unnamed in the dialogue, and Seaton die in a cut scene at the opening of the battle with the Androids. Their remains & guns are seen on the floor of the cave.

Seaton had been mentioned in dialogue when she and Foster, who seems to survive episode 1 only to be killed in another cut scene early in episode 2.

So the three we're really looking for are

Jones Miles Ross

Seaton (Location & Studio Day 1) Lisa Clifton

Seaton (Studio Day 2) Mary Eveleigh

Foster Lynne Brotchie 1-2[F:1]

We also need to sort out which Bailey is which, even though we've spotted one of her above:

On Location & Studio Day 1 she was played by Linda French.
In Studio Day 2 she was played by Jennie Persiva.

There's a parade of faces past the camera during episode 1 most of which I can't identify:

ONE might be Sgt Mitchell.

TWO

THREE is this Marshall in the studio?

FOUR or is this Marshall in the studio? Both chaps look a little like him!

FIVE is this Bane?

SIX - This is Collis

SEVEN

EIGHT - This is Carter

Plus there's this female Trooper between Kyle & Mitchell on location:

The only other shot of Troopers on location where you get clear views of the faces I'm pretty sure we can identify: Carter o the left and Collis on the right:

So who are the unidentified faces above?

Hachette Summer 2020 Epic Collections

We now know all the summer 2020 Epic releases thanks to the Hachette Summer 2020 catalogue.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/epicmarvelpod/status/119252272611359948

Each entry below includes a link to the page in the Hachette catalogue and the Amazon UK page, both where known, and to the page on Mike's Amazing World of Comics for the title.

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Star Wars: Legends Legacy v3

05 May
https://www.hachettebookgroup.biz/titles/marvel-comics/star-wars-legends-epic-collection-legacy-vol-3/9781302923754/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1302923757
http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?page=gallery&seriesid=13154

Star Wars: Legacy #37-40, 42-50; Star Wars: Legacy - War #1-6

Legacy Epic 4 would be the Legacy 2 series http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?page=gallery&seriesid=17575

Fantastic Four v5 By Ben Betrayed

12 May
https://www.hachettebookgroup.biz/titles/marvel-comics/fantastic-four-epic-collection-by-ben-betrayed/9781302922030/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1302922033
http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=3649&page=gallery

Fantastic Four #68-87, Annual 6, Material from Not Brand Echh #6-7

Epic 6 then becomes something like 88-107.

Would be nice to end on 102, Jack Kirby's last issue, but that'd make Epic 6 really thin

Star Wars: Legends The Rebellion v4

26 May
https://www.hachettebookgroup.biz/titles/marvel-comics/star-wars-legends-epic-collection-the-rebellion-vol-4/9781302925055/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1302925059

Star Wars: Rebellion #1-16;
Star Wars: Boba Fett - Overkill #1;
Star Wars: Boba Fett #1/2 and material from
Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic/Rebellion #0 and
Star Wars Tales #3, #15, #17 & #21

Silver Surfer v9 Resurrection

02 Jun
https://www.hachettebookgroup.biz/titles/marvel-comics/silver-surfer-epic-collection-resurrection/9781302925079/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1302925075
http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=4080&page=gallery

Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #76-85, Annual 6, Secret Defenders #9-10, Silver Surfer/Warlock: Resurrection #1-4

Silver Surfer is one of the more random Epics which jumps around all over the place! There's 6 out of what looks like 14 Epics released - the 80s/90s volume of the title ran to issue 146 and issue 137 in in Epic 13 - but only two are consecutive.

Epic 7 is out already so Epic 8 is then 66-75, Annual 5, Return of the Defenders crossover and Homecoming Graphic Novel.

Avengers v5 This Beachhead Earth

09 Jun
https://www.hachettebookgroup.biz/titles/marvel-comics/avengers-epic-collection-this-beachhead-earth/9781302921972/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1302921975
http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=3986&page=gallery

Avengers #77-97, Incredible Hulk #140

FINALLY! Really annoyed me when a stand alone Kree Skrull war volume turned up January 2019 because it was obvious this was coming!

Epic 7 is out already so Epic 6 is then 98-114, Daredevil 99 & material from FOOM 5-7, which looks a little thin.

Epic 9 is also out already so we've known for a while that Epic 8 must be 129-148 and Giant Size Avengers 2-4.

So that's both the next two earlier Avengers known.... And we can have a good guess that Epic 10, well into the 17 page issues here so more per volume, looks something like 167-187, annual 8 and possibly Thor annual 6!

Daredevil v15 Last Rites

16 Jun
https://www.hachettebookgroup.biz/titles/dg-chichester/daredevil-epic-collection-last-rites/9781302925635/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Daredevil-Epic-Collection-Last-Rites/dp/1302925636
http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=3988&page=gallery

Daredevil #283-300. Annual 7

Bit of a surprise. I thought they'd be keeping back the rest of the Prince of Chichester's run to give them something to print in a few years. The simultaneous equations for DD Epics and Masterworks now get rather fun in a few years when both want to print c200 stuff at the same time.

Star Wars: Legends The Empire v6

16 Jun
https://www.hachettebookgroup.biz/titles/marvel-comics/star-wars-legends-epic-collection-the-empire-vol-6/9781302925116/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1302925113

Star Wars Agent Of The Empire - Iron Eclipse 1-5
Star Wars Agent Of The Empire - Hard Targets 1-5
Star Wars The Force Unleashed Graphic Novel
Star Wars The Force Unleashed II Graphic Novel
Material From Star Wars Tales 11, 15 & A Decade Of Dark Horse 2

Conan Chronicles v4 Horrors Beneath The Stones

16 Jun
https://www.hachettebookgroup.biz/titles/marvel-comics/conan-chronicles-epic-collection-tbd/9781302923273/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1302923277

Conan: Road of Kings #1-12, Conan the Barbarian #1-6

X-Men v6 Proteus

07 Jul
https://www.hachettebookgroup.biz/titles/marvel-comics/x-men-epic-collection-proteus/9781302922528/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1302922521
http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=3987&page=gallery

X-Men #111-128, Annual 3, Marvel Team-Up #89, Incredible Hulk Annual 7

Exactly what I was expecting for X-Men issues so the MTU issue and Hulk Annual, which features The Angel, Iceman and Master Mold, are welcome bonuses!

Epic 7 then becomes the rest of the Byrne issues 129-143, Annual 4, and probably Marvel Two In One 68 & Bizarre Adventures 27.

New Mutants v7 Cable

21 Jul
https://www.hachettebookgroup.biz/titles/marvel-comics/new-mutants-epic-collection-cable/9781302925239/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1302925237
http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=4050&page=gallery

New Mutants #86-94, Annual 5-6, New Mutants Summer Special, Material from X-Factor Annual 5, X-Men Annual 14

This REALLY surprised me as I was expecting Epic 3. We can now see a pattern:

2016 Epic 1 Renewal - earlier

2018 Epic 6 Curse of the Valkyries - later

2019 Epic 2 The Demon Bear Saga - earlier

2020 Epic 7 Cable - later

Based on that we could predict:

2021 Epic 3 - earlier

(32-45ish, Special Edition 1, Annual 3, X-Men Annuals 9-10)

2022 Epic 8 "The End of the Beginning" - later

(95-100, XTinction Agenda and Kings of Pain)

2023 Epic 4 - earlier

(46ish-54 - Claremont's last issue - Annual 3, Fallen Angels 1-8)

2024 Epic 5 - haha, last one left!

(55-70, Annual 4)

Black Widow v2 The Coldest War

28 Jul
https://www.hachettebookgroup.biz/titles/marvel-comics/black-widow-epic-collection-the-coldest-war/9781302921309/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1302921304

Bizarre Adventures #25, Marvel Fanfare #10-13, Solo Avengers #7, Black Widow: The Coldest War, Punisher/Black Widow: Spinning Doomsday's Web, Daredevil/Black Widow: Abattoir, Marvel Comics Presents #135, Daredevil Annual 10, Nick Fury/Black Widow: Death Duty, Journey into Mystery #517-519

Exactly as expected, the rest of the Omnibus - https://www.hachettebookgroup.biz/titles/none/the-black-widow-strikes-omnibus/9781302921279/ - that wasn't printed in Black Widow v1 Beware the Black Widow.

Iron Man v4 The Fury of Firebrand

11 Aug
https://www.hachettebookgroup.biz/titles/marvel-comics/iron-man-epic-collection-the-fury-of-the-firebrand/9781302922078/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Iron-Man-Epic-Collection-Firebrand/dp/1302922076
http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=3989&page=gallery

Iron Man #25-46, Daredevil #73

No real surprises

I was wondering if this was the quickest the same material - Iron Man 35–36 & Daredevil 73 - had appeared in two Epics following heir appearance in Daredevil Epic 4 A Woman Called Widow on November 6, 2019. Then I remembered the X-Factor 84-86 are in X-Factor Epic 8 X-Aminations, bookshop date November 26th 2019, and X-Force Epic 2 X-Cutioner's Song, bookshop date December 24th 2019!, just 4 weeks apart!

West Coast Avengers v3 Tales to Astonish

18 Aug
https://www.hachettebookgroup.biz/titles/none/avengers-west-coast-epic-collection-tales-to-astonish/9781302923167/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Avengers-West-Coast-Epic-Collection/dp/1302923161
http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=4109&page=gallery

West Coast Avengers #25-37, Annual 2, Avengers Annual 16, Marvel Graphic Novel: Emperor Doom

Slightly annoyingly this falls just short of the collections of the Byrne material, which start from issue 42. But even if you lost Emperor Doom I don't think you'd have enough space for five issues plus an annual!

That makes Epic 4 38-52, annuals 3 & 4.... Possibly the 4 page Reunion story from Avengers West Coast #56 with the Android Human Torch & Captain America showing their first post resurrection meeting
http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/story.php?storyid=137483

Issues 53-55 are part of Acts of Vengeance so they'd probably be all together, and having them all in Epic 4 takes them over the "20 times 22 page issue" rule I, and seemingly Marvel, work to.

---

So the Epics I was expecting to see and didn't are

Captain America v5

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

160-180 something.

There's been no older Captain America Epic since 2017

Master of Kung Fu v3

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

Something like 54-80.

The two previous MOKF Epics have been published in the summer

Fantastic Four v19

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=3649&page=gallery

321-333, annual 22

No newer FF Epic yet in 2020, the 2019 one was in the summer and this is an obvious hole between Epics 17-18 and 20-21.

Marvel Two In One v2

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=4030&page=gallery

20-34 ish, Annuals 1 & 2, FF Annual 11, Avengers Annual 7

Been a year since MTIO Masterworks v4 containing some of this material was published so I think that lets the Epics publish it too.

Incredible Hulk v23

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

449-464, -1, Annual 95

No Later Hulk in late 2019/early 2020 which is odd.

Hulk v1 goes up to 474. There's probably two later Hulk Epics left, but that's not enough material to fill them. I'd suggest v24 is 465-474 (which is double sized like 450), Annual 98 + Rampaging Hulk 1-6.

Black Panther or Moon Knight

Both of these might be finished. Both have 90s material - Moon Knight and Black Panther, and in Moon Knight's case 80s material, that they might print.

Sgt Fury v2

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=3996&page=gallery

20-40?

X-Men v18

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

268-276 annual 14 and Extinction Agenda

2019's newer X-Men volume was in the summer but traditionally they've been towards the end of the year.

I swing back and forth as to if this volume will include all of Days of Future Present: at the moment I'm thinking not, as the X-Men don't get involved to the end, which would enable it to be released soon after New Mutants v7: Cable.

Star Wars: Legends The Original Marvel Years v5

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=4470&page=gallery

74-88, Annual 3, Return of the Jedi 1-4

Star Wars is 107 issues, that leaves 89-107 to make up Epic 5.

Original Marvel Years is usually published in the Summer. It might be that it's taking a break in 2020, like New Republic frustratingly did in 2019. It's absence can be perhaps explained by Star Wars: The Original Trilogy - The Movie Adaptations, due Jan 28 2020, which collects STAR WARS 1-6, 39-44 & STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983) 1-4

These all get carried forward as predictions for the Autumn/Winter 2020 Epic releases, which we should start to discover in February/March 2020.

---

They're joined by these new predictions, based on which titles had Epics out in Autumn/Winter 2019. Mostly they're next volume predictions.

Star Wars: Legends New Republic v5

Dark Empire, Dark Empire II, Dark Empire III & Union

That would make New Republic 6 all three Crimson Empire series plus the Crimson Empire and promised Rogue Squadron handbooks.

Thor v19

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=3980&page=gallery

437-450 Annual 16 + Korvac Quest

Incredible Hulk v5

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

138-160 ish

Doctor Strange v ??

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

Who knows which volume this will be? Doctor Strange is one of the really random Epics along with X-Men, Silver Surfer and, to a lesser extent, Daredevil.

I'd love some Roger Stern Doctor Strange, but that's being done in Masterworks at the moment. V2, containing Strange Tales 147-168 & Doctor Strange 169-179, to plug that annoying gap maybe?

Daredevil v5

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=3988&page=gallery
87-110? Avengers 111

X-Factor v9

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

101-113, Annual 9, X-Force 38 & Excalibur 82

X-Factor ran to 149 issues: www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=4068&page=gallery That means there's enought material for two more Epics after this.

v10 would then be something like 114-132.

125 is double sized. 124-126 are the sort of stand alone X-Factor/Onslaught thread. 20 issues, but there might be some scope for more Onslaught

v11: 133-149, -1

No double sized issues. 18 issues total so you could bounce some from 10 to 11 to make room for Onslaught. Either way X-Factor looks 11 volumes.

Power Man & Iron Fist v4

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=4007&page=gallery

108-125.

This completes Power Man & Iron Fist. I would not be at all surprised to see Power Man/Hero For Hire Epics start following this - the .

Avengers v25: Bloodties

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=3986&page=gallery
Avengers 360-369, Annual 22, X-Men 26, Avengers West Coast 101-102, Uncanny X-Men 307

Avengers very oddly had two newer volumes in 2019, something no other title has done. If they have had two volumes it's always been an older one and a newer one.

X-Force v3

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=4128&page=gallery

20-33 (14 issues, equivalent to 15 as 25 is double sized) + the double sized annual 2 (2 issues, brings us to 17) and New Warriors 44-46 (3 issues, brings us to 20), incorporating the Child's Play crossover in those 3 New Warriors and the last 2 X-Force.

Defenders v1

http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=4006&page=gallery

The Sub-Mariner #34-35, Marvel Feature #1-3 and The Defenders #1-12 and Avengers #115-118

The Defenders #13+, Giant-Size Defenders #1 in Epic 2

Of the Epics published in this period in 2019 Avengers West Coast and the earlier Fantastic Four volume have already been scheduled for 2020, Star Wars Legends The Menace Revealed has one volume left for it's Star Wars/Star Wars Republic issues to meet the start of Star Wars Legends The Menace Revealed so I think New Republic (at least 3 volumes left) is more likely and I don't know enough about Dark Horse's Conan to predict what Conan Chronicles might do, but I think it might be finished.

---

FINALLY, these are the Epic collections that are fit into the one volume gaps. We know the issues of the named title which should be in each of these and perhaps a bit more:

Iron Man 12

196-214, annual 8

Amazing Spider-Man 6

86-104

Amazing Spider-Man 16

273-288 GN22: Hooky

Avengers 6

98-114, Daredevil 99

Avengers 8

129-148, Giant Size 2-4

Fantastic Four 19

321-333, annual 22

Captain America 14

333-350, Iron Man 228

Doctor Strange 2

Strange Tales 147-168, Dr Strange 169-179

Silver Surfer 2

Silver Surfer v1 #1-18; The Fantastic Four Annual #5

Silver Surfer 8

67-75 + GN: Homecoming, Annual 5

Silver Surfer 14

139-146

Wolverine 7

76-86, Cable 16 + ??

X-Men 18

268-276, annual 14

New Mutants 8

95-100, annual 7, XTinction Agenda and Kings of Pain

Punisher 1

This should look similar to Essential 1 so Amazing Spiderman 129, 134-135, 161-162,174-175, 201-202 and Annual 15, Giant Size Spiderman 4, Marvel Preview 2, Marvel Super Action 1, Captain America 241, Daredevil 182-184, Spectacular Spiderman 81-83

Punisher 4

26-34, annual 3. GN Return to Big Nothing and GN: Intruder

Punisher 6

49-62, annual 5 & Punisher Summer Special 1-2

Power Man & Iron Fist 4

108-125